Facebook/George Papadopoulos(WASHINGTON) -- George Papadopoulos, a former foreign policy adviser to President Donald Trumps campaign, has decided to stick with his plea agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller, his wife told ABC News on Wednesday.



The decision puts to rest weeks of public hand-wringing by his wife, Simona Mangiante Papadopoulos, who has been acting as an informal spokeswoman for her husband. She said in an interview with ABC News earlier this month that her husband was strongly considering backing away from the agreement he struck with Mueller that led him to plead guilty to lying to the FBI.



George will take responsibility for some inaccuracies during the interview with the FBI, Mangiante Papadopoulos said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday, adding that she hopes the judge determining his fate will not send the former Trump campaign adviser to jail.



In an interview earlier this month, Mangiante Papadopoulos had said her husband never saw the evidence amassed against him when he agreed to the plea agreement. Some of that material had recently been turned over to his attorney, and Papadopoulos wanted to review it ahead of his decision, she said.



Papadopoulos admitted to lying to the FBI about his contacts during the campaign with a professor who, prosecutors alleged in court filings, had substantial connections to Russian government officials.



As part of his plea agreement, Papadopoulos agreed to cooperate with Mueller as part of his probe into Russian meddling during the 2016 campaign.



Earlier this month, prosecutors with the special counsel recommended that Papadopoulos serve up to six months in jail for lying to federal investigators, arguing that he should be held accountable for having repeatedly misled them about critical facts, in an investigation of national importance, after having been explicitly warned that lying to the FBI was a federal offense.



The nature and circumstances of the offense warrant a sentence of incarceration, prosecutors wrote.



Papadopoulos sentencing is scheduled for September 7.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  The proposed 2019 budget for the Department of National Defense (DND) is 251 billion, 49 billion higher than their current budget.

183 billion was allocated to personnel services  to increase the compensation for civilian and military personnel, as well as to provide for a pension increase for retirees.

"'Yun pong increase namin malaki, ito po 'yung dagdag sa second tranche ng ating increases for personal services. Kaya po malaki," DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said during House Appropriations Committee deliberations Wednesday.

[Translation: Our increase is huge. This is the addition to the second tranche of increases for personal services, and that's why it's huge]

This 47 billion hike is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's directive in January to increase the salaries of military and police personnel, one of his campaign promises in 2016.

The hike comes despite a cut in the budget of other government agencies, such as the Department of Education. Its proposed funds were cut by 51 billion, from over 580 billion in 2018 to 528 billion in 2019.

Meanwhile, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) seeks a 30 percent increase in their 2019 budget, with the bulk of it going to the Philippine National Police.

'Martial law is working'

Lawmakers and defense officials also discussed martial law in Mindanao.

"Martial law is working in Mindanao. Although there are some pockets of trouble there like the groups of Maute, BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) and Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu. It is working in other fronts," he said.

He claimed getting good feedback from Mindanao citizens.

"In fact we get feedback kung pwede raw tuluy-tuloy na [it should not stop]," he added.

Lorenzana had earlier said he is open to further extending military rule in Mindanao, beyond the two extensions Congress granted in 2017.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff Carlito Galvez wants continuous vigilance in the region, as the ISIS-inspired Maute group responsible for the five-month Marawi City crisis is still actively recruiting members.

"Nakita po namin talaga na ang ating greatest threat would be the ISIS-Maute group. Considering their connection with Afghanistan and ISIS with Syrian ISIS talagang evident," Galvez said.

[Translation: We saw that our greatest threat is the ISIS-Maute group, considering their connection with Afghanistan and ISIS with Syrian ISIS, it's evident.]

The AFP Chief also said they can defeat the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) rebels in Mindanao as reflected in the number of surrendering insurgents.

"We are estimating that in two or three years time, we will defeat the CPP near in the near future," he added.

Galvez also affirmed Lorenzana, saying Martial law helps in improving the state of security in the Mindanao.

He said from January this year, the military was able to neutralize 800 communist rebels, and confiscate 5, 504 high-powered firearms from a number of anti-terrorism operations.

He added, about 200 members of local terrorist groups have also surrendered
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.
Madison Erhardt

Oct. 17 is the date Canadians will be legally allowed to purchase and consume recreational marijuana, but it will take quite a bit longer before non-medicinal cannabis is sold in Kelowna.

City planner Ryan Smith says weed won't be available until late spring 2019.

The hold-up has to do with businesses needing to go through a rezoning process before they can be approved for a licence.

Meanwhile, post-secondary institutions are starting to outline cannabis policies on campus.

Okanagan College is still working on a policy that will be put in place once cannabis is legal.

"Right now, pursuant to things like Bill 30 of the B.C. legislature, we will be treating cannabis in a manner that is similar to alcohol and that it's an intoxicant," says Allan Coyle director of public affairs at the college.

Coyle says, currently, cannabis will not be allowed on campus.

"it won't be consumed at the college because it is a public space, except perhaps in the incidence of students living in residence, and we need to clarify that at this point."

Students in res will not be allowed to smoke it or consume it by vaping.

"It could be consumed as an edible product, although the federal government indicates that edible products won't be available for sale legally until about a year after the legalization day," Coyle added.

UBC Okanagan is also in the process of outlining a policy.

"The university is working on developing a policy in response to the upcoming marijuana legalization that addresses the needs of students, faculty and staff. We are actively consulting with stakeholders, but its a complex process and it takes time," said Hubert Lai, UBC counsel.

"The draft policy will first go to the board of governors and then out for consultation with the UBC community for robust consultation. It would be inappropriate for the university to comment on any potential details of the policy until the consultation process is complete and we have heard from all of our stakeholders," Lai added.

If you have a thought on this topic, drop us a line to [email protected].
Photo: Ministry of Education

Students head back to classrooms across B.C. on Sept. 4.

Here's a look at the provincial education system, by the numbers:
Photo: CTV

RCMP across the country will be trained over the next couple of weeks on new equipment to test for drivers impaired by marijuana.

On Monday, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould gave the green light to a new roadside test. The Drager DrugTest 5000 is the first saliva-screening equipment to be used by law enforcement to test for THC.

The machine will indicate when a drug is present in the body so that further investigation can be carried out.

Kelowna RCMP were unavailable to comment, referring inquiries to the national level.

"The devices are not designed to give a quantitative value like alcohol breathalyzers are. The RCMP has previously worked with Public Safety Canada and other partners to field-test roadside oral fluid screening devices in an operational environment," RCMP-National Communication Services said in a statement to Castanet.

"The use of standardized field sobriety test training and drug recognition experts will continue to be the primary enforcement tools against drug-impaired drivers."

The RCMP is continuing to develop a training curriculum for officers in the use of the drug screening equipment.

The training will be classroom-based and will be available to Canadian police prior to Oct. 17, when recreational marijuana use becomes legal.
Photo: Contributed

Meet what could be your future employers in October at Okanagan College for the upcoming CHBA CO Local Home Building Industry Nite.

The focus of the event is to give up-and-coming trades students an opportunity to meet the local industry and share some insight and hopefully start up recruitment conversations.

The networking event is meant to bring employees and students together.

The event kicks off at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25.

To RSVP for the event click here.
North Okanagan Vernon RCMP has a new boss.

Supt. Shawna Baher took command of the detachment from Insp. Jim McNamara a month ago, and she is already molding the department into her own vision.

Baher wants a larger social media presence, which will benefit both the police and the community.

One of the first things she did was launch a Vernon RCMP Facebook page which quickly paid dividends for the department.

Baher said after a local vegetable stand was robbed, police quickly posted a picture of the suspect vehicle on Facebook and all the attention convinced the suspect to turn himself in.

The community is a representative of us and we not only need to be able to say the good things that we do, but we need to be able to reach out to the community when we need help, said Baher from the downtown detachment. It's important to tell the community what's going on, tell the community about crimes in different areas, tell the community where we will be and get the community interacting with us. It's very important because it lets the community know where we stand and it lets us see how the community judges us as well.

Baher has also initiated the Coffee With a Cop program, where the public can sit down to a cup of Joe with members of the local law enforcement community.

The veteran officer stressed the importance of the police and community working together.

Baher has also spent the past month getting in touch with some of the issues surrounding the North Okanagan.

Right now there are a lot of social issues that are important issues but I have to look at the overall aspects of it. I am not just policing Vernon, I'm policing the entire Vernon North Okanagan detachment, she said. Each independent community has its own concerns and I have to be aware of the concerns of small towns as I am with the city of Vernon.
Photo: GoFundMe

Two Lower Mainland police officers have been detained in Cuba for months, and a Vancouver church has launched a campaign to get them home.

Wilson Heights United Church says charges against the officers are without merit and it is on a mission to seek justice for the men, who were charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault in March.

Vancouver Police Const. Mark Simms and Port Moody Const. Jordan Long were arrested and released after an allegation of assault involving a young Canadian woman in Varadero. They have not been allowed to leave the country.

Cuban news outlets reported that Simms was charged with the rape of a 17-year-old from Ontario. Long is accused of being an accomplice. They could face years in jail.

The VPD says it has not received any updates from Cuban authorities.

Deputy Chief Const. Ken MacDonald of the Port Moody PD said: We have not been provided with any updates by the Cuban authorities. However, its our understanding the case continues to advance through the Cuban legal system."

Meanwhile, the church's GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $9,000 of a $150,000 goal.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Contributed

If you have been following Ottawa-based politics, you may have heard speculation that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau might prorogue the House of Commons, as the fall session is soon set to return.



This poses the more obvious question: what does that mean?



As I have written previously , prorogation is one of the more interesting parliamentary procedures. In essence, each session of Parliament is not unlike a chapter in a book.



As much as each chapter will have a beginning and an end, so too will a session of Parliament.



Prorogation is officially defined as the ending of a session of Parliament.



In this case, the first session of this Parliament (the 42nd), would come to a close if is officially prorogued by a proclamation of the Governor General at the request of the Prime Minister.



Why request prorogation?



There can be a number of different reasons, but the most common is that the next session of Parliament would open with a throne speech. Many consider this akin to hitting the reset button as it allows the sitting government to outline a new or different direction.



Considering the next federal election is fast approaching, many believe there is political value in outlining a new agenda, hence the speculation that the House may be prorogued in the near future.



Is it unusual for the house to be prorogued?



Looking back at previous Parliaments including the last one, there have been only five Parliaments that did not have two or more sessions.

In fact, many Parliaments had three or more sessions with some having as many as five, six and even seven sessions within the duration of an elected Parliament.



Part of the reason for this is that prior to having a fixed calendar, prorogation was the only way the House could adjourn for a period of time.

One other interesting aspect of prorogation is that it can be used at the discretion of government without the consent of the opposition (that would normally be required to adjourn the House).



Because prorogation is a tool of government that does not require the consent of the opposition, it tends to be quite heavily opposed when it is used because it allows the government to defer debate or change the channel onto a different subject.



I do not often engage in speculation, however, I believe this session of the House will likely end up being prorogued.



My question this week now that you know more about prorogation is:
Photo: Contributed

If you're a fan of Penticton's local Cannery Brewing Company, you have just a few more hours to help them win the Best Label contest at the Whistler Village Beer Festival.

The competition that would launch the Cannery's Hop Chowdah into the finals ends Thursday morning.

For now, Hop Chowdah is in the lead against Riot Brewing's Lipslide Lager, but the race is close, currently within two per cent.

The winner will face off against another brew in the final round, ahead of the beer festival in two weeks.

To vote for or against Hop Chowdah, click here.
Photo: The Canadian Press An aerial view of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain marine terminal, in Burnaby.

UPDATE: 11:25 a.m.

The Federal Court of Appeal has overturned Ottawa's approval of the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but Finance Minister Bill Morneau is pledging to push ahead with his government's purchase of the project.

Even with the court decision, Morneau said the project is in the national interest and needs to go ahead.

"Taken together, today's decisions from the Federal Court of Appeal and Kinder Morgan shareholders are important next steps in getting this project built in the right way for the benefit of all Canadians," he said in Toronto.

"As we move ahead with the project and the purchase, our government remains committed to ensuring the project proceeds in a manner that protects the public interest. That means ensuring the highest level over governance  including environmental protection. It means upholding our commitments with Indigenous peoples and it means responsibly protecting Canada's and Canadians' investment."

UPDATE 8:24 a.m.

The Federal Court of Appeal has overturned the Trudeau government's approval of the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

In a unanimous decision by a panel of three judges, the court says the National Energy Board's review of the project was so flawed that the federal government could not rely on it as a basis for its decision to approve the expansion.

The court also concludes that the federal government failed in its duty to engage in meaningful consultations with First Nations before giving the green light to the project.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government approved the project in 2016 and is so determined to see the line built that it announced plans this spring to buy the pipeline and expansion project for $4.5 billion.

The court ruling requires the energy board to conduct a new review  which the court suggests could be kept short  and means the government will have to redo part of its consultations with Indigenous groups.

The court combined into one case nearly two dozen lawsuits calling for the energy board's review of Kinder Morgan Canada's project to be overturned.

First Nations, including the Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish on British Columbia's south coast, argued that Ottawa did not adequately consult them before the review or the cabinet decision to approve the project.

Lawyers for the federal government told court that Ottawa conducted extensive consultations.

Environmental groups and the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby also challenged the project in Federal Court last fall. They were supported by the province of British Columbia, which acted as an intervener.

Alberta was also an intervener and the province's lawyer told the court Ottawa's decision to approve the pipeline expansion was based on broad evidence that considered environmental, economic and Indigenous interests.

The expansion would triple the capacity of the Trans Mountain pipeline from near Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., to 890,000 barrels a day. It would also increase the number of tankers in Burrard Inlet seven-fold.

The court ruled that the review contained one fatal flaw: it excluded the project's impact on marine shipping. That, in turn, meant that the energy board did not assess the potential impact of increased tanker traffic on the southern resident killer whale population.

That failure "was so critical that the Governor in Council could not functionally make the kind of assessment of the project's environmental effects and the public interest that the (environmental assessment) legislation requires," says the ruling written by Justice Eleanor Dawson.

As for consultations with Indigenous communities, the court found that the government's representatives "limited their mandate to listening to and recording the concerns of the Indigenous applicants and then transmitting those concerns to the decision-makers." There was no "meaningful two-way dialogue."

UPDATE 7:46 a.m.

The Federal Court of Appeal has quashed the approval of the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

The decision means the National Energy Board will have to redo its review of Kinder Morgan Canada's project.

More coming

ORIGINAL 5:17 a.m.

The Federal Court of Appeal is expected to release a judgment today on whether the federal government adequately consulted First Nations on the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

The court combined into one case nearly two dozen lawsuits calling for the National Energy Board's review of Kinder Morgan Canada Ltd.'s project to be overturned.

First Nations, including the Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish on British Columbia's south coast, argued the federal government did not adequately consult them before the energy board review or the cabinet decision to approve the project.

Lawyers for the federal government told court that Ottawa conducted extensive consultation.

Environmental groups and the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby also challenged the project in Federal Court last fall, supported by British Columbia, which was an intervener.

Alberta was also an intervener and the province's lawyer told the court that Ottawa's decision to approve the expansion was based on evidence that considered environmental, economic and Indigenous interests.

Kinder Morgan shareholders are also set to vote today on whether to approve the sale of the pipeline and expansion project to the Canadian government for $4.5 billion.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Residents of West Vancouver have been warned that years' worth of personal data may have been compromised after malicious software was discovered on the city's website.

The malware was found on a web server, and the district says "the possibility of compromise cannot be definitively ruled out."

Residents who used "Contact Us" or "Request for Service" forms on the website between July 15, 2013, and Aug. 14, 2018, may potentially affected.

The district has deleted personal data stored on its server and temporarily disabled all online forms in response to the discovery.

"Once we are assured that additional security measures put in place are effective, the forms will be enabled again on a limited basis. In the future, data will be removed from the web server on a regular basis," the district says.

 with files from CTV Vancouver
Photo: Police photo

Authorities say a Georgia woman has admitted to fatally shooting her two-year-old daughter.

News outlets report 31-year-old Jennifer Michelle Bellah has been arrested on charges including murder and aggravated assault in the Tuesday shooting. A Newton County Sheriff's Office release says Bellah called 911 Tuesday night and told dispatchers she had shot her daughter, Natalya.

Natalya was pronounced dead at the scene of the Oxford home. The release says authorities believe Bellah acted alone, and authorities haven't released a possible motive.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was expected to perform an autopsy on the child this week. Bellah is set to appear in court Thursday. It's unclear if she has a lawyer to contact for comment.
Photo: pixabay

The Penticton RCMP is warning South Okanagan residents to be wary of a tech support phone scam that has been widespread in the community recently.

Police say the scam originates from outside Canada, but the scammers use what looks like local number.

The person on the phone identifies themselves as a computer support person and is wanting to gain access to the persons computer to make necessary updates, Const. James Grandy said in a news release.

The fake tech support scammer may pretend to be from Microsoft and claim also need remote access to ones computer. The scammer then demands payment, typically in the form of untraceable gift cards, and makes threats should they not receive the funds.

RCMP is reminding the public Microsoft does not make unsolicited email messages or phone calls of that nature. Anyone that believes they may have been a victim of this or another scam is asked to call their local RCMP detachment and anti-fraud centre, 1-888-495-8501.
Photo: File photo Conservation officers receive calls about cougars weekly.

Not a week goes by that conservation officers in the North Okanagan do not receive a call about cougars.

And that is not out of the ordinary considering the Okanagan is cougar territory.

But human-cougar conflicts end poorly for the cougar.

C.O. Micah Kneller said there are reports weekly from Lumby to Enderby and all points in between about cougar sightings and livestock being killed by the big cats.

On Wednesday, three Nigerian pigmy goats were killed near Lumby and there have been reports of other animals killed in the area in the past month.

Kneller attended the rural home and set up live traps to try and catch the cat.

They will catch it alive, but the cougar is going to be euthanized, said Kneller. Cougars are very prey specific so once they start killing livestock, goats sheep stuff like that they are going to keep doing it. Then they become a public safety hazard because they are hanging around people and they are hunting in and around people's backyards.

Kneller said cougars cannot be relocated for several reasons: they have specific home ranges and if a foreign cougar is introduced to another cougar's territory, it will be attacked; the transplanted cougar will also be unfamiliar with the area and will have trouble finding food, and often the big cats will simply return to killing farm animals to survive.

Kneller said one of the biggest problems is people with hobby farms that are attracting the cats with their livestock.

While the Lumby family had what Kneller described as a skookum fence around their goats that is effective against coyotes and wolves, it was not enough to keep out a cougar or a bear.

Kneller recommends putting the animals in a barn or shed at night to save their animals and the cougar.

A cougar will never break into a shed or a barn to get to these animals, he said. They need to be put away at night to remove the attractant and and we don't have to kill these cougars.

Kneller said he is not trying to scare anyone, but the fact is the Okanagan is cougar territory and people need to be aware of that.

Cougars are around us all the time, they live around the communities year round, he said. There is not an extraordinary risk in Lumby right now, but people should be aware there are cougars and bears around. Children should not be playing outside unsupervised. They should especially not be playing outside around dawn or dusk when the predators are most active.

Kneller said attacks are extremely rare.

He also recommends not letting dogs roam free at night.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Imelda Marcos left the session hall when the House unanimously approved the extended reparation for human rights violation victims under then-President Ferdinand Marcos' martial rule.

"Yes Madame was present yesterday but when Reso 26 was taken upshe was out of the session hallMay kausap lang siya sa labas kaya siya maaga umalis [She was talking to someone outside, that's why she left early] " her chief of staff said in a message.

Rep. Marcos was the former First Lady during the martial law era.

The measure was passed on third and final reading with a vote of 213, with no negative votes and abstentions on Wednesday.

House Joint Resolution 26 seeks to extend the distribution of the remaining funds from the 10 billion worth of reparation to victims until December 2019.

The resolution will amend Republic Act No. 10368, that set remaining unclaimed funds to be reverted to the Bureau of Treasury on August 11, 2018.

READ: CHR welcomes House, Senate resolutions on funds for Martial law victims

However, it has yet be approved by the Senate, and the President before it takes effect.

Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero also filed a similar resolution on August 7.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A French judicial official says rape and sexual assault accusations against actor Gerard Depardieu are the subject of a preliminary investigation. The French film star denies the allegations.

The official said a woman filed a complaint on Monday near the southern city of Aix-en-Provence and the case was assigned to Paris prosecutors Wednesday.

The official requested anonymity in discussing the case Thursday because he was not allowed to disclose details about an ongoing investigation.

Depardieu's lawyer, Herve Temime, said on France's BFM TV that the actor "absolutely denies any rape, any sexual assault, any crime."

French newspaper Le Parisien and BFM TV said the woman, a 22-year-old comedian and dancer, reported that the 69-year-old Depardieu assaulted her on Aug. 7 and 13 at his home in Paris.
Photo: NRIpress.com

One of the two men charged in the 1986 death of Vernon mother Saminder Kaur Bogarh, has had his arraignment pushed back to Sept. 20.

Paramjit Bogarh, 57, has been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Saminder.

His brother, Narinder Bogarh, is co-accused and is facing the same charges.

Paramjit was married to Saminder at the time of the murder. Both men were charged following Saminder's death, however, the charges were eventually dropped.

Paramjit moved to the United States. Narinder went to India.

Paramjit was extradited to Canada in the spring; he has been held in custody since that time.

Narinder is still in India, attempts to have him extradited to Canada have been unsuccessful.

However, according to a recent article in the Tribune India, "A special court in Delhi has issued non-bailable warrants against Narinder," in connection to the death of Saminder. The warrants were issued at the request of RCMP.

The Tribune reports Narinder has asked the office of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to "probe into the matter," to which the PMO has sought details from the Punjab Chief Secretary.

The details of the case are under a publication ban.

During a bail hearing for Paramjit on June 19, crown presented a detailed timeline of evidence against the co-accused, leading up to the extradition of Paramjit.

The defence countered by calling the evidence against the men weak and circumstantial.
Photo: The Canadian Press

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau painstakingly explained to students in Kapuskasing, Ont., how the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project is a central pillar of his government's agenda.

Less than 24 hours later, the Federal Court of Appeal quashed the government's approval of the project, imperilling the pillar holding up Trudeau's signature promise to tackle climate change by balancing economic growth and environmental protection.

Moreover, it underscored a gap between rhetoric and action when it comes to Trudeau's oft-stated vow to make reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples his top priority.

The court found that the National Energy Board's environmental assessment of the project was fatally flawed because it ignored the potential impact of increased tanker traffic off British Columbia's coast. It also ruled that the federal government had not fulfilled its duty to meaningfully consult with affected Indigenous groups.

"For over a year and a half, Canadians have waited for Trudeau to come up with a concrete plan to ensure this pipeline project is completed," said Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer.

"Instead, he offered one delay after another, and the ruling today shows that he couldn't even carry out his own government's consultation process. He has now left Canadian taxpayers on the hook for a pipeline that he isn't allowed to build, jeopardizing jobs and investment at the same time as our economy faces the uncertainty of NAFTA re-negotiations, tax hikes, and Liberal deficits."

Finance Minister Bill Morneau insisted the government is still "absolutely committed" to completing the $4.5-billion purchase of the project from Kinder Morgan  as early as Friday  and ensuring that the expansion is eventually built to carry Alberta's oilsands bitumen to tidewater.

He did not rule out appealing the court ruling. But he appeared inclined to accept the court's suggested remedy: order the energy board to redo its environmental assessment and redo the government's own consultations with Indigenous Peoples, both of which the court said could be tightly focused and completed relatively quickly.

"We're going to review today's decision to ensure that we're meeting high standards when it comes to both protecting the environment and meeting our obligations to consult with Indigenous Peoples," Morneau said, adding that the court has "given us some good directions on next steps."

At a minimum, however, that would mean more delay and increased uncertainty about whether the project will ever actually be built.

"They just don't know what they're doing. They have no idea how they're actually going to get this project built," said Scheer.

Canadian Chamber of Commerce president Perrin Beatty said the ruling "sends a profoundly negative message to investors both here at home and around the world about Canada's regulatory system and our ability to get things done even after the federal government has declared them to be in the national interest."

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and a host of environmental and aboriginal groups all called on the federal government to admit defeat and cancel the project.

"Climate leaders don't buy or expand pipelines," said Singh, adding that the government should "consider all legal options" to cancel the purchase of Trans Mountain.

But the Trudeau Liberals have staked far too much on the project to "cut their losses and walk away" from it, as May suggested they should do.

Trudeau himself laid out for students Wednesday how the pipeline is a crucial piece of his government's climate change and economic growth puzzle.

"We understand that climate change is real, it's a major issue for us," he said.

He said an "essential" element of the plan to reduce carbon emissions was Alberta's commitment to cap emissions from the oilsands. In return, the federal government has committed to piping Alberta's oilsands bitumen to British Columbia's coast, where it can be shipped to overseas markets.

"Some people are wondering why we're building a new pipeline if we're really serious about dealing with climate change," Trudeau acknowledged.

He argued that it will take years to transition off fossil fuels and, in the meantime, the world will still need oil and Canada will need to generate the wealth needed to fund the transition to a low-carbon economy. The Trans Mountain pipeline would, he said, allow Canada to sell its resources to Asian countries at a better price, rather than continue to be "held hostage" to the American market.

Protecting the environment and growing the economy must "go hand in hand," he stressed, adding that this "is the type of compromise that we need."
Photo: AP

Purdue Pharma says it has followed all of Health Canada's regulations, including those governing marketing, after British Columbia filed a lawsuit this week trying to recoup health-care costs of the opioids crisis.

The lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of B.C. names the OxyContin-maker and other major drug manufacturers.

Purdue Pharma (Canada) also says it has adhered to the code of ethical practices as a member of Innovative Medicines Canada, a pharmaceutical industry organization that works with governments, insurance companies and health-care professionals.

British Columbia launched its proposed class-action lawsuit Wednesday against dozens of pharmaceutical companies, alleging they falsely marketed opioids as less addictive than other pain drugs and helped trigger an overdose crisis that has killed thousands.

The notice of civil claim names 40 defendants. Statements of defence have not been filed and none of the allegations contained in the civil claim has been proven in court.

Nearly 4,000 Canadians died from apparent opioid overdoses last year. B.C. remained the province hardest hit, with 1,399 deaths, according to Statistics Canada.

B.C. is bringing the action on behalf of a class representing all federal, provincial and territorial governments and agencies, which during the period of 1996 until now paid health care, pharmaceutical and treatment costs related to opioids. The class period begins in 1996 when Purdue first introduced OxyContin in Canada.

"Purdue Pharma (Canada) is deeply concerned about the opioids crisis, in British Columbia, and right across Canada," the company said in a statement on Thursday.

"The opioids crisis is a complex and multi-faceted public health issue that involves both prescription opioids and, increasingly, illegally produced and consumed opioids, as indicated in Health Canada's latest quarterly monitoring report. All stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical industry, have a role to play in providing practical and sustainable solutions."

The company said it is reviewing the civil claim filed by the B.C. government.
Hundreds of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers today staged a protest against the Centre over the Rafale fighter air craft deal here.

Leaders and activists from several state units have gathered outside All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters and is scheduled to take out protest march towards towards Prime Minister's residence later in the day.

While addressing a gathering, IYC leaders alleged the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government "misled" the nation by quoting "illogical and imaginary data".

"Rafale deal is the biggest scam. Why is the central government not forming Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the deal?," IYC president Keshav Chand Yadav asked.

In view of protest march, heavy police deployment has been made near the Congress headquarters at Akbar Road.

Police have barricaded the area to stop IYC leaders and workers from marching towards the PM's residence.

Around fifty workers were detained and taken to Mandir Marg and Tughlak Road police stations, police said.

The Congress, which has launched a frontal attack on the government over the Rafale issue, is undertaking a pan India campaign to apprise people" on the deal. Party leaders are fanning out across the country, holding press conferences which will be followed by plans for district and state level.

(PTI)
As Maldives is heading closer to hold Presidential elections, the international community has raised concern over threat to liberal democratic norms under the leadership of President Abdulla Yameen in the island nation.

"The Maldivian crackdown on dissent is seen as a violation of free and fair elections, with the European Union announcing its plan to impose sanctions, ranging from travel bans to freezing assets if the Yameen Administration does not allow Parliament and the judiciary to function normally and independently", said Future Directions International (FDI), an independent, not-for-profit strategic research institute in Australia.

A delegation of European officials, including Members of the European Parliament (MEP), met with Maldivian Democratic Party members last month to discuss the undemocratic trends that have been witnessed in the archipelago of late.

The delegation stated that attacks on democratic principles, combined with the country's close ties to radical Islamist groups, have brought the security of European tourists, business and investors into question.

The think-tank said in its research, "After the government enacted unconstitutional laws that criminalised freedom of political opinion, a state of emergency was imposed in February. This led to the arrest of political opponents, human rights activists, journalists, Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Yameen's political predecessor Maumoon Adbul Gayoom. These events caused international concern, with the United Nations' human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, accusing Yameen of destroying democracy."

Strategically, the Maldives provides a vital link between China and Europe, and could play a key role in the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. Nearly one-third of Chinese maritime commerce passes through Indian Ocean shipping routes.

Beijing could use the strategic position of the Maldives to increase its naval presence in the Indian Ocean, which would enable it to watch over those routes, protect its energy imports from the Middle East and Africa, and balance India's influence in the region.

China's objective of establishing Indo-Pacific regional dominance has led to active development in the Maldives, said the research compiled by Alex Kannegiesser-Bailey, Research Assistant, Indian Ocean Research Programme.

A report by the Centre for Global Development stated that the largest Chinese investment projects include, a USD 830 million upgrade to Male's international airport which was originally granted to an Indian organisation and is on an island adjacent to the capital, and a USD 200 million bridge that will link the airport island with the capital.

Chinese investment accounts for 70 per cent of the total Maldivian debt and annual repayments will reach USD 92 million, which amounts to 10 per cent of the entire budget.

(ANI)
There are no plans for any bilateral talks between External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York next month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA).

"A bilateral meeting in not on the table" sources said countering reports of possible Swaraj- Qureshi meeting in New York next month.

The Indian government wants Pakistan to take concrete action against terror before engaging into any talks. India is awaiting action from Pakistan on the recent terror attacks on Pathankot airbase and Army camp in Uri in 2016. Besides, India is also awaiting justice on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. India had asked Pakistan to fast track the trial in the case that is dragging on for the last ten years.

(ANI)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  The Philippines will sign labor deals with Jordan and Israel as President Rodrigo Duterte makes his visit to the West Asian countries in September.

"Both these visits will be a huge leap in the Philippines' bilateral partnerships with both countries after decades of diplomatic relations," Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said Thursday.

Abella cites three agreements between Israel and the Philippines:

A memorandum of agreement on the employment of Filipino caregivers

A memorandum of understanding on scientific cooperation

A memorandum of understanding between the Board of Investments and Israel

"In the future we expect improvements in deployment procedures, and the elimination of excessive placement fees imposed on Filipino workers bound for Israel," he said.

The DFA undersecretary said a memorandum of agreement on the employment of domestic workers, and also a memorandum of understanding on labor cooperation will be signed with Jordan.

The labor deal looks into overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be governed by a standard employment contract.

"We expect improvement of working conditions of Filipino domestic workers bound for Jordan," he said.

Other deals with Jordan include an agreement on defense cooperation, an expected investment agreement with the Jordan Investment Commission, and deals on foreign policy and the welfare of seafarers.

Both labor deals will be patterned after the Kuwait labor deal.

"They'll be specific. It'll be unique to both, it's sort of bespoke. But the final intention is the same," Abella said.

As for the trip of retired military officials to Israel, Abella said their itinerary is separate from that of the President, as they would have "exposure trips."

"They will be also be exposed to latest developments in their areas of expertise," he claimed.

The DFA official said Duterte will also visit "significant" religious spots during his trip to Israel on September 2 to 5, and Jordan on September 6 to 8.

As of 2017, there are 28,300 OFWs in Israel and 40,000 OFWs in Jordan.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  The Senate approved Thursday the 2019 budget for the Office of the President (OP) amounting 6.77 billion.

The amount is higher than OP's current allocation of 6.03 billion.

Based on the appropriations, 5.18 billion will be allocated to maintenance and operating expenses, 1.07 billion pesos to personnel services, and 511 million pesos to capital outlay.

Malacanang officials explained the increase in the budget is due to the Salary Standardization Law, which provides salary increase to government workers.

The President's proposed intelligence expenses remained unchanged at 1.25 billion and confidential expenses stayed at 1.25 billion.

The House of Representatives yesterday approved the appropriation in just 10 minutes, with opposition lawmaker Albay Representative Edcel Lagman making the motion quickly after the OP presented its plans.

Lagman said doing so has been the tradition at the House of Representatives, but he noted that congressmen can still ask questions once the budget proposal reaches the plenary.

Some congressmen earlier questioned the cuts in the proposed 2019 budget of some key departments such as that of the Department of Health, Department of Education and Department of Public Works and Highway, adding this will hurt the delivery of projects.


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.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  Detained Senator Leila de Lima has filed a bill to raise the statutory age of rape from 12 years old to 18.

Senate Bill No. 1949 seeks to increase the age of sexual consent to protect children against abuse and rape.

"In increasing the age of consent to 18 years old, the State is sending a message  loud and clear  the youth will be protected by all means and at all costs," she said in a statement on Thursday.

Under Republic Act No. 8533 or the 1997 Anti-Rape Law, a sexual act is considered statutory rape when the victim is under 12 years old or is mentally unstable. Statutory rape is punishable by reclusion perpetua or 20- to 40-year imprisonment.

De Lima said this law has to be revised as a 12-year-old child won't have enough knowledge about sexual consent and intercourse given the lack of sex education and reproductive health options in the country.

"It is vital to delineate childhood from adulthood. Take a second look at the choices we allow our children, despite the scarcity of their experience and wisdom to independently take... Allowing our children at the tender age of 12 years old to decide on their own whether the time is proper to engage in sexual intercourse would be like abandoning them blindfold in a tunnel of mazes," she said.

Philippines is one of the countries with the lowest age at which a child can consent to sexual activity. The average age of consent internationally is at 16 years old, UNICEF Philippines has reported.

Several senators and congressmen have previously filed bills to increase the age for determining statutory rape.
Dr. Terry Cross was awarded the rank of Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology by the Lee University Board of Directors. This title is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of Lees faculty.

Dr. Cross is one of only seven professors in Lees history to be awarded the title of Distinguished Professor.

In addition to teaching, Dr. Cross serves as dean of the School of Religion. He has been on Lees faculty since 1997. Prior to his work at Lee, Dr. Cross was a pastor for 12 years, pastoring churches in Ohio, New Jersey, and Connecticut. He was also a high school teacher of Latin and history.

Originally from Big Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Cross has spent over 17 years at Lee dividing his time between teaching and administrative duties. He also oversees the religion graduate programs from Lee at the European Theological Seminary in Germany and at SEMISUD in Ecuador, traveling to Germany almost annually to teach.

He is an ordained bishop in the Church of God (Cleveland) and serves on the Doctrine and Polity Committee as well as the Standing Committee on Certification for educational institutions for this body.

Dr. Cross was awarded the Lee University Excellence in Teaching Award in 2000 and the Excellence in Scholarship Award in 2001. He is also listed in Whos Who Among American Teachers.

In April 2000 a book edited by Cross and Emerson Powery, was published by University Press of America in honor of their former teacher, Dr. Donald N. Bowdle, titled The Spirit and the Mind: Essays in Informed Pentecostalism in Honor of Donald N. Bowdle.

Dr. Cross has authored books such as Dialectic in Karl Barths Doctrine of God and Answering the Call in the Spirit: Pentecostal Reflection on a Theology of Vocation, Work, and Life. He is currently completing a two-volume work on ecclesiology titled, The People of Gods Presence: An Introduction to Ecclesiology, which will be published by Baker Academic Press in early 2019.

Dr. Cross received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Systematic Theology and his Master of Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary, his Master of Divinity and his Master of Arts in church history from Ashland Theological Seminary, and his Bachelor of Arts in biblical education from Lee.

Dr. Cross and his wife, Linda, have one daughter, Tara, who is married to Kevin Snider, and one grandchild, Luke Edward Snider.
It was in December, 1967, when two Air Force POWS watched as sadistic guards threw another, this one new and wearing a body cast, onto the floor of the cell at the atrocious Hanoi Hilton prisoner-of-war camp. Ive seen some dead that looked at least as good, Bud Day remembered it vividly. This guy, decimated so badly he could not speak, weighed less than a hundred pounds. There were raw, open wounds from bayonet stabbings. His arm, broken in three places, was set at an impossible angle. Death hoovered, oh did it ever.

Major Day was almost as bad himself. He too had been left to die after escaping and was somehow holding on by a thread. Savage and constant torture, including breaking bone anew as they tried to heal, more beatings, and lack of medical care hung over him like a pall but this new guy was something else, Day would later recall. We thought the guards dumped this guy on us so they can blame us for killing him, because I didn't think he was going to live out the day."

But then the legendary Day, the most decorated war hero in all of Americas fabled history, saw the new mans eyes. His eyes, I'll never forget, were just burning bright," and "I started to get the feeling that if we could get a little grits into him and get him cleaned up and the infection didn't get him, he was probably going to make it  and that surprised me. That just flabbergasted me because I had given him up."

The new man finally did die, just last Saturday, as one of the greatest Americans who has ever lived. How great? Yes, John McCain will become only the 13th Senator in history to lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda before his journey ends at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery, Annapolis, Md.

Knowing funeral services in Arizona will be held today in Phoenix, I spent several hours yesterday searching for a way I could capture the bond between McCain and the larger-than life Bud Day, who were cell mates for almost five years in the worst stretch of depravity that perhaps any American soldier has ever known. Actually the real hero in the cell was another Air Force major, Norris Overly, who had he not nursed and cared for either of his cellmates, they would have most surely died.

Bud Day is remembered as the only American to be awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross. When he died in 2013, McCain wept in his eulogy from the Senate floor: Those who knew Bud after the war could see how tough he was. But, my God, to have known him in prisonconfronting our enemies day-in and day-out; never, ever yieldingdefying men who had the power of life and death over us; to witness him sing the national anthem in response to having a rifle pointed at his facewell, that was something to behold. Unforgettable.

No one had more guts than Bud, McCain said, or greater determination to do his duty and then someto keep faith with his country and his comrades whatever the cost. Bud was my commanding officer; but, more, he was my inspirationas he was for all the men who were privileged to serve under him.

And as for John McCain? What I believe is the definitive story of his life was written just this week by James H. Warner, a retired Michigan lawyer and great patriot, who once served as a domestic policy advisor in the administration of Ronald Reagan.

* * *

THE CHURCH RIOTS  A FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT

By James H. Warner, USMC Ret.

I met John McCain for the first time in the courtyard of the Hanoi Hilton, 47 years ago. I considered him a friend until his death. We frequently disagreed on political policies and tactics, but I have known few men whom I have respected as much as John McCain. My respect was based on the circumstances under which I met him.

In 1970, I was one of 57 American prisoners of war (POWs) held at a camp 25 miles northwest of Hanoi, called Son Tay. For unknown reasons in July we were moved out of that camp to another one nearby. We learned later that the U.S. government was planning a raid on Son Tay. We believed they knew we were no longer there, but the raid would wreak havoc on the morale of the North Vietnamese as well as boost our morale. Both aims were achieved, in spades.

The raid took place on Nov. 21, 1970. It so alarmed the North Vietnamese that on Nov. 24, they took POWs from all outlying camps and took us to the Hanoi Hilton, where their hold on us would be more secure. We were put in a section we had never seen before. Unlike our earlier stay, this time we were in large cells and we met POWs we hadnt come across before. We immediately began to organize. We established communication throughout the camp and began holding classes of every kind as well as religious services.

On Jan. 1, 1971, our captors announced that we could not continue to hold these services. The rank and file immediately said that under no circumstances would we go along with this.

This resulted in growing friction between the camp authorities and the prisoners. Finally, in early March, they took away the four senior men in my cell, Room 6, and the four senior men next door, in Room 7. This was a misjudgment. After taking away the senior four men in that cell, that left Air Force colonel George E. Bud Day as the senior man. Bud was the most decorated warrior in American history and no shrinking violet. But even he was not the leading troublemaker in that cell. That was John McCain.

We could not make contact with the eight missing men, and this made us angry. Over the course of the month of March, we increasingly showed our anger. Finally, on the evening of March 18 men in my cell, me included, went out with the crew to wash dishes after the evening meal and acted as though we were about to start a riot. This clearly scared the hell out of the North Vietnamese.

We knew that the next provocation was likely to initiate serious retaliation. Nevertheless, at 10 the next morning, the men in Room 7 sang Onward Christian Soldiers at the top of their lungs. This was open defiance of camp regulations. At noon, they sang every verse of The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

As written, the song contains these words: In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, with a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me. As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free In more recent times, the words were often changed to let us live to make men free. The men in Room 7 sang the original words. Hearing that, I knew that the men realized that by their open defiance, they might well be signing their own death warrants. By tapping on the wall, the men next door told us that the singing had been organized not by Bud Day, but by John McCain. To this day I cannot listen to the Battle Hymn of the Republic, or even attempt to sing it, without choking up thinking of Americans volunteering to die for their freedom to practice their religion.

That night, March 19, 1971, they took 36 of us out of our cells after dark and seated us in the courtyard. Our arms were tied behind us, our hands were tied in front of us, and we were blindfolded. The man next to me nudged me and said, Who are you?

I am Jim Warner. Who are you? He replied, Im John McCain.

He went on: In a communist country, when you defy the authorities and they take you out at night from where you live, tie you up, blindfold you, and surround you with people with guns, what happens next? Well, we know that they f up everything they set their hands to, so when they start shooting, it will probably be okay. He also muttered a line from the poem Horatius at the Bridge in Macaulays Lays of Ancient Rome: How better for man to die than in facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers and the altars of his gods.

The guns did not fire that evening, and John McCain went on to a long and storied political career.

On fundamental principles, John McCain was an absolute rock. He did not give an inch. He had two broken arms and a broken leg when he was captured. No one would have faulted him had he accepted early release. He thought it was wrong, and he would not do it.

A man who believes that there are fundamental principles so important that he is willing to die for them, and to convince others to risk death to uphold those principles, is a man to be respected.

For your final voyage, John Sydney, may God grant you fair winds and following seas.

Farewell, my friend.

* * *

James H. Warner is a retired attorney. He was a Marine officer who flew F-4s in Vietnam. Captured in 1967, he was imprisoned until 1973. He served as a domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan from 1985 until 1989.

* * *

HES FOUGHT WITH EVERYBODY

From the website, Military.com -- At his ranch in Sedona, Arizona, McCain has reportedly not been a model patient. He has jokingly accused his nurses of being in the witness protection program.

"His nurses, some of them are new, they don't really know him, so they don't understand that sarcasm is his form of affection," longtime aide Mark Salter said Monday on the "CBS This Morning" program.

"He fights, he's fought with everybody at one point or another," Salter said. "You know, he always talks about the country being 325 million opinionated, vociferous souls -- and he's one of them."

* * *

McCAINS CONFESSIONS TO THE ENEMY

For all five years he was as a prisoner of war, he was tortured and beaten regularly by his Viet Cong captors. McCain eventually made an anti-U.S. propaganda "confession", according to Wikipedia. He had always felt that his statement was dishonorable, but as he later wrote, 'I had learned what we all learned over there: every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine.'

Many U.S. POWs were tortured and maltreated in order to extract 'confessions' and propaganda statements and virtually all of them eventually yielded something to their captors. McCain received two to three beatings weekly because of his continued refusal to sign additional statements.

Hint: When he revealed his chain of command, the names were those of the Green Bay Packers offensive linemen. And, under extreme duress, he reluctantly admitted he was an air pirate.

* * *

I will miss Bud every day for the rest of my life, but I will see him again. I know I will.  John McCain

royexum@aol.com
Guest Commentary

Last April, Washington wheat, apple and cherry growers hoped U.S. and China trade negotiators would resolve differences and prevent imposition of damaging tariffs on our states leading crops. Unfortunately, that did not happened and the costs are adding up.

Thousands of Washington farmers now find themselves on the front lines of a battle between the two largest economies in the world.

Heres what has happened so far.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on $34 billion of Chinese imports to punish China for its alleged predatory tactics toward American technology companies. China is notorious for ripping off U.S. companies which develop high-tech products and then manufactures cheap copies which dramatically undercut our products on worldwide markets.

China swiftly responded with tariffs on 128 American products, including fruit, pork and metal pipes, in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum. While many aerospace workers in the Puget Sound area breathed a sigh of relief because Boeing aircraft was not included in Chinas retaliation, that wasnt the case for our states farmers.

With the states cherry harvest in, the financial damages from the trade dispute for cherries alone is estimated at $86 million. A bipartisan group from our states congressional delegation is asking the federal government to offset losses from trade wars during the 2018 season.

President Trump set aside $12 billion in short-term federal relief to assist U.S. farmers and companies adversely impacted by the negotiations. Democrat U.S. senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and Republican Congressmen Dan Newhouse and Dave Reichert wrote to the Department of Agriculture requesting the aid.

Washingtons agriculture community is caught in the cross-fire of the tariff bumping between the United States and China and the cherry crop is particularly vulnerable. China is the top export market for sweet cherries grown in the state.

Unfortunately, agriculture products, unlike steel and aluminum, are perishable. Sweet cherries have the shortest growing season of any tree fruit. Cherry picking typically starts at beginning of May and ends by the middle of August. Sweet cherries must reach intended markets immediately. Unlike apples and wheat, cherries cannot be stored for shipping later in the year.

Mark Powers, president of the Northwest Horticultural Council, estimated that $130 million worth of Pacific Northwest cherries went to China last year. That is 11 percent of the total crop.

The 25 percent tariff increase that China has now levied on U.S. cherries was an unexpected twist for 1,400 growers in Washington. Those growers built their production around previously negotiated trade pacts.

Unfortunately, tariff bumping may not be over. Trump is considering $200 billion in new tariffs on Chinese products. It invites additional retaliation from China which could impact other Washington businesses.

Hopefully, the trade dispute will be resolved before the apple and wheat harvest are completed this fall.

Trade negotiations are always sensitive and the results never please everyone. It is a give and take process which traditionally crawls along at a snails pace.

For example, when the U.S.-South Korea trade deal was signed in 2008, it was negotiated over several years. In the end, new markets for Washington state beef, cherries and wines were opened; however, opponents point out the deal also opened greater access to American markets for Korean autos.

While the president has justifiable concerns over current trade agreements and is pushing hard for a better deal, it would be wise to slow down and consider the collateral damage which is occurring.

Washingtons cherries are the first to feel the adverse impact, but may not be the last.

Don Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He retired as president of the Association of Washington Business, the states oldest and largest business organization, after over 25 years as its CEO and now lives in Vancouver. He can be contacted at TheBrunells@msn.com.
Earlier this year, Buffett teamed up with JPMorgan Chase's Jamie Dimon and Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos to create a venture that's aiming to change how health care is provided to the three companies' employees. In June, the group named Atul Gawande to lead the initiative, which will be based in Boston. While exact details on the venture are scant, Buffett has previously said that the goal is to go beyond just squeezing middlemen and actually lower costs and deliver better care.
The wind farms location in rural McLean County is important because it is halfway between Salesforces data centers south of Chicago and near Indianapolis. While the wind farm may not power Salesforces Midwest operations, it helps offset the number of megawatt-hours used by the business. For each megawatt-hour of electricity produced by the wind farm, Salesforce earns the revenue generated by the electricity and a renewable energy credit.
But observers say its possible Sanford is looking to acquire west suburban hospital system Edward-Elmhurst Health. Sanford CEO Kelby Krabbenhoft described the system Sanford is in talks with as a $1 billion health care organization on the areas west side, according to SiouxFalls.Business. Krabbenhoft said a Chicago-area merger is on track for a board vote before the end of the year.
Trump's longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty last week to criminal violations of campaign laws, accepting prosecutors' claim that he, Trump and the National Enquirer were involved in buying the silence of an adult-film actress and a former Playboy model who claim to have had affairs with Trump. Pecker and his top editorial deputy, Dylan Howard, have both received immunity in exchange for their cooperation. Along with Cohen, they are among the latest longtime Trump loyalists to be swept up in the federal investigations engulfing the president and his inner circle.
Metro Manila Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  The death toll in the Sultan Kudarat town blast has risen to three, local police reported.

Region 12 police spokesman Aldrin Gonzales confirmed another person, identified as Wellmark Lapidez, suffered from fatal injuries in the explosion in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, Tuesday. Thirty six others were injured.

"Dahil [doon] sa matinding sugat [niya] ang ikinamatay [niya]..21 year old [siya]," the spokesman said.

[Translation: His serious injury lead to his death. He was 21]

Residents were celebrating the Hamungaya Festival or the town's founding anniversary when the bomb exploded beside a shopping area.

READ: Mindanao police on full alert status after Sultan Kudarat town blast

Gonzales added that he has yet to confirm reports of the provincial government offering a 1-million cash incentive for the arrest of the culprits.
Over the years, Goltz has established relationships with a number of Chicago families who worked long hours for decades in food. Many of them are second or third generation, ready to retire and sell their properties. Our goal is to try to preserve whats there, said Goltz. Sometimes the buildings are salvageable and sometimes theyre not.
It was September. I remember taking a cab by myself to EXPO and thinking, 'This is an art event, and I don't know anybody. What have I done?'  he recalls. After more than a decade of living in New York, Fernandes picked up his career  ballet shoes, sculpture and all  and moved to Chicago for a two-year residency at Northwestern. It was like, Oh, my god, I'm in my late 30s. I'm leaving the place that I spent so much time in. I'm starting from new. 
He was 72 now. He had never left, never graduated to serving tables, never became a manager or a chef  he says he never asked to do anything else. So, he had stayed a busboy, for 54 years. The title had evolved since 1964; he was now a busser. But he still wore the kind of throwback paper hat that a busser wore in 1964. He made whipped butter, and squeezed the oranges for OJ, but mostly, he still bussed plates and glasses, tidied up the same dark wooden booths, passed the same windows inlaid with the same stained-glass foliage, noted the same line of customers snaking out of the front doors, received waves and hugs (and sometimes Bulls tickets) from the same regulars. He had seen generations of customers and co-workers pass through; hed been there so long he watched Bill Murray go from neighborhood kid to superstar to venerated elder. When he squinted, the same teenagers were still curled into the same booths, the same infants tossed crayons under the same tables, the same captains of industry put away the same post-workout pancake stacks.
Whats actually complicated is how we feel about people who fit into both categories. Its not so dissimilar to the dissonance at the heart of the debate of the art vs. artist. Can you still enjoy great art made by terrible people? Can you accept that someone has been abused and also has abused others?
PARIS  A French judicial official says rape and sexual assault accusations against actor Gerard Depardieu are the subject of a preliminary investigation. The French film star denies the allegations.



The official said a woman filed a complaint on Monday near the southern city of Aix-en-Provence and the case was assigned to Paris prosecutors Wednesday.



The official requested anonymity in discussing the case Thursday because he was not allowed to disclose details about an ongoing investigation.



Depardieu's lawyer, Herve Temime, said on France's BFM TV that the actor "absolutely denies any rape, any sexual assault, any crime."



French newspaper Le Parisien and BFM TV said the woman, a 22-year-old comedian and dancer, reported that the 69-year-old Depardieu assaulted her on August 7 and August 13 at his Parisian home.



RELATED STORIES:
Much of Madelines Madeline, in fact, is treated as straight-up realism: Outside the rehearsal building where Madeline seizes the day with her wild, free-form improv games and physical transformations, mother and daughter have a debilitating argument sprung from a complete misunderstanding. In a matter of seconds we know what Madeline has been living with for years. No wonder Madeline seeks escape, whether in watching one of her (unseen) fathers old-school pornos with a group of neighborhood guys, or being taken under the wing of theater director Evangeline, played by Parker.
I don't feel like I'm going home because I wasn't a good cook. I dont feel like Im going home because I wasnt a good leader. I dont feel like Im going home because they were all better than me, Danno said. I feel that different circumstances happen in life that you just have to roll with. But it doesnt make me less of a cook, it doesnt make me less of a winner and it doesnt make them better than me.
My MasterChef journey has been so amazing. I found my voice in the MasterChef kitchen, Danno said. I mean, cmon. I won five team challenges out of five. This Italian girl from Chicago, shes going to be around for a really long time. You think that just because I got eliminated Im going to stop cooking? Fuhgettaboutit.
A: Id say about half I wrote in grad school and half after. One of the stories, Girls, won the Disquiet Prize, and they send you to Portugal for a couple weeks and publish the story in Guernica. An editor reached out to me  its kind of a long story  and set me up with my current agent. We sent out (the manuscript) last summer, and FSG was one of the first publishers to respond. It was really surprising how it happened so quickly. I was anticipating a long wait and couldnt believe it.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31)  President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday made light of reports that his hometown has logged the highest number of rape cases in the country, saying there are many rape cases in Davao City because it has a lot of pretty women.

"Nag ingon sila nga daghang rape ang Davao," he said in a speech in an event in Mandaue City, speaking in Visayan. "Basta daghang gwapa daghang rape giyud na."

[Translation: They say there's a lot of rape happening in Davao. If there are a lot of pretty women there would be a lot of rape].

Data released recently by Philippine National Police showed that Davao had the highest number of rape cases in the second quarter of 2018, with 42 such incidents.

Duterte has sparked outrage for kissing a woman on the lips during his meeting with the Filipino community in South Korea in June. Critics have also called him out for his offensive remarks against women, including threatening to shoot women communist rebels in their vagina.

In 2016, the President cracked the controversial "Dapat mauna ang mayor" rape joke about a detained Australian missionary. He later apologized for the statement.

Women's group Gabriela earlier slammed Duterte for using his authority to take advantage of women  kissing them in public, catcalling and throwing anti-women jokes.
"I'm not so sure I would put too much on this until we have more evidence," said Dr. Roxana Mehran, a professor of cardiology and director of interventional cardiovascular research and clinical trials with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. "To imagine this could be a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality, it would need further investigation, I think."
My mother saved her breast milk and gave it to our dad, and they came and picked it up, Umbarger said. He worked at First National Bank. Every morning hed drive from Lombard to Chicago, and someone from the fair would come to the bank and pick up the milk.
He will echo his call to reject the rising strain of authoritarian politics and policies, Hill said in a statement. And he will preview arguments hell make this fall, specifically that Americans must not fall victim to our own apathy by refusing to do the most fundamental thing demanded of us as citizens: vote.
A change in how speeding is defined may also be a factor in the ticket spike. Traffic defense attorneys say they believe police stepped up enforcement after a 2014 change in state law expanded the definition of criminal or aggravated speeding. The new law made speeding more than 35 mph over the limit a Class A misdemeanor, carrying up to a year in jail and up to $2,500 in fines. The previous threshold had been 40 mph over the limit. Speeding between 26 to 34 mph over the limit is a Class B misdemeanor, carrying up to six months in jail and up to $1,500 in fines.
We talked about this in regard to biological weapons and the availability online to make something that would be extraordinarily dangerous, Kellman said. And theres no way to keep it off. Theres ways to track the information, and that's useful. Theres ways to deny people access to raw materials. The problem when were talking about guns is the raw materials are more commonly available.
Police and paramedics arrived and roped crime scene tape around the SUV, which was parked in front of a liquor store next to the casino. The windshield was riddled with bullet holes, and officers placed about 18 evidence markers where shell casings were strewn around the parking lot.
Under that deal, the activist groups agreed to put their lawsuits on hold as the parties worked toward a consent decree. A written memorandum holds that the groups could revive their own lawsuits if no proposed consent decree was filed by Sept. 1. The memorandum also said, however, that the groups would not do that if the city and attorney generals office were working in good faith toward filing by the end of 2018 a proposed consent decree that addresses the activist groups concerns.
Police originally classified the case as an attempted suicide, based largely on Kellys account of the evening. The federal civil jury ultimately rejected the citys argument that the incident was either an accidental shooting or that LaPorta tried to take his own life, in part after hearing testimony from LaPorta himself, in halting speech, that he did not shoot himself.
The attacker was described by police as black, 17 to 25 years old, clean shaven with a dark complexion and short hair in twists or braids. He wore a dark gray hooded sweatshirt, a white T-shirt, blue jeans and was carrying a dark colored backpack.
Stacker ranked the best '90s movies based on a Stacker score that represents a weighted index split evenly between IMDb and Metacritic scores. For more galleries visit Stacker
(CNN)  Canadian officials appeared optimistic Wednesday that a deal to rewrite NAFTA is within reach.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the United States, Mexico and Canada may be able to come to an agreement by Friday.

"We recognize that there is a possibility of getting there by Friday, but it is only a possibility, because it will hinge on whether or not there is ultimately a good deal for Canada" he said at a press conference in Ontario. "No NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal."

It's quite a change from Monday when President Donald Trump announced from the Oval Office that the United States had reached a preliminary deal with Mexico, and that he might simply leave Canada out.

Canada had been sidelined for months as officials from the other two countries addressed issues over auto manufacturing. But Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland cut a trip to Europe short so that she could rejoin the talks in Washington Wednesday.

Existing Canadian trade policies that protect its farmers could be a big sticking point. The Trump administration wants those to change.

"You go to Wisconsin, you go to Iowa, you go to upstate New York and different places where you have very big farm communities. They've been treated very, I would say, in a rough manner by Canada. So, hopefully that will end," Trump said in an interview that aired Tuesday on RFD-TV.

Some American dairy farmers have complained about Canada's steep tariff on dairy products, which averages 249 percent.

The American Farm Bureau has said lobbied for a rewrite of NAFTA to eliminate or reduce Canadian tariffs on dairy, poultry eggs and wine, as well as recently implemented barriers to imports of ultra-filtered milk.

"It's clear the Trump Administration wants open market access for dairy products. It's a must-have," said Welles Orr, a senior international trade adviser at Miller and Chevalier, and a former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative.

But many countries have trade policies in place to protect their own agricultural industries. Canada officials are likely to argue that the United States has high tariffs on some products, too, said John Horn, professor of practice in economics at Washington University in St. Louis.

Canada is United States' second largest trading partner after China. Last year, $341 billion of American goods and services were sold in Canada. About $332 billion of Canadian goods and services were exported to the United States. Dairy only makes up a small amount of the trade.

Experts don't expect that the changes proposed in the preliminary deal between Mexico and the United States to upset Canada.

It would require more car parts to be made in North America, and to be made by workers earning at least $16 an hour. That could move some manufacturing from Mexico to Canada, Horn said.

"The deal doesn't read like it would be a massive disruption to existing trade. A lot of this is politics," Horn said.

The upcoming mid-term elections may put pressure on President Trump to ink a deal as soon as possible. Plus, Mexico's president-elect, who has criticized Trump, takes office on December 1.

The Trump administration must officially notify Congress about the deal, and it has 90 days to review it. Then, Congress must wait for an economic analysis from the U.S. International Trade Commission before it can vote to officially make the deal law.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "NAFTA talks: Canada voices optimism as it rejoins negotiations
The filing doesn't say which district will take Schock's case. Former federal prosecutor Jeff Cramer says it'd "seem to make sense" Chicago gets it since the new judge is there.
Look, what in many ways  and this is, I dont mean to sound overly, I dont know, hyberbolic on this  Trump and Osama bin Laden have a tremendous amount in common because they have both figured out how to use the bully pulpit to, you know, activate young men, right? Casten said, according to the audio clip. Its the same pool.  Every demagogue has done this, find a group of angry people and give them something to be angry at.
As for new revenue to finance a capital program, Rauner said the state should make the structural changes in our economy so were growing more, reduce the regulatory burden on our businesses, reduce the  income tax burden on our businesses, so that we can bring more businesses here, grow our tax base. As a result, Rauner said, We will have more than enough revenue to fund a large capital program.
Tusk also recalled a time that Blagojevich refused to engage in a post-legislative session review of bills passed by lawmakers because the governor had to go see his tailor and pick out fabrics for three new suits. Tusk said none of the 20 bills were controversial and so he used the autopen to sign or veto them with Blagojevichs signature, a process which became routine.
Many, many people are saying its not financially beneficial for them to pay the taxes they pay on their homes, when every 11 to 13 years, theyre paying the total costs of their home in taxes, said Harvey Ald. Keith Price, economic development committee chairman. Ive talked to a couple of people that have personally told me that they are not paying their taxes anymore. Theyre going to save their money, and within the two years they have (before they lose the house), theyll just save all their money and leave.
The historic collapse of the rial has caused prices of everything from food to air travel to soar and has resulted in shortages of medicines, heaping pressure on the administration of President Hassan Rouhani. His signature achievement was the signing of the nuclear accord and its promise of opening Iran to the world economy; now the unraveling of that accord has focused a harsh light on his leadership and resulted in the dismissal of two key economic ministers by parliament.
VATICAN CITY  The Vatican's secretary of state says Pope Francis is "serene" despite the "bitterness and concern" in the Vatican over accusations that he covered up for an American ex-cardinal accused of sexual misconduct.



Cardinal Pietro Parolin says accusations from Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano created "great pain" within the Vatican.



But he said: "Pope Francis is a grace, including with these things that obviously create such bitterness and concern, but he has the ability to maintain a serene approach."



In an interview Thursday with Vatican Insider, a website close to Francis, Parolin declined to comment on the contents of Vigano's claims, repeating Francis' invitation to read it and judge.



Given that Vigano worked for him as a diplomat, Parolin said: "I hope that we all work in search of truth and justice."
Now a new allegation of lax oversight and absent accountability has surfaced. The target is Pope Francis. Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican ambassador to the United States, claims in an 11-page letter that Francis knew about, and essentially ignored, longstanding accusations of sexual misconduct by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, now retired, of Washington, D.C. Vigano says the pope didnt enforce restrictions imposed on McCarrick by Francis predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, and relied on McCarricks guidance in promotions. One of Viganos implications is that Francis, seeking to promote social liberals, followed McCarricks suggestion that he install Blase Cupich as archbishop, now cardinal, of Chicago. Vigano calls on Francis and other leaders he accuses of a McCarrick cover-up to resign.
They will play Friday, and it is going to be their 30th tour-level encounter  plus, of course, all those times when they traded shots from across the net as kids in California, then on practice courts all around the world. It's also soonest the sisters have played each other at any Grand Slam since their very first tour match, all the way back at the 1998 Australian Open. Venus won that one. But since then, it's been the younger Serena who's grown dominant.
Alex Wong/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Sen. Lindsey Graham told CBS that it pisses me off to no end when President Donald Trump would say critical, sometimes personally insulting, things about the late Sen. John McCain, who died Saturday.



In comments that aired Thursday morning, Graham was asked about the disconnect between his closeness with McCain and his efforts to work with the president.



I am going to do everything I can to help President Trump, and when he's wrong, I will say so," he said, adding, "It bothers me greatly when the president says things about John McCain. It pisses me off to no end, and I let the president know it."



Graham said he did not call Trump about lowering the White House flag back to half-staff, but he did call some people around him.



Earlier this week, after delivering an emotional tribute to his friend on the Senate floor, Graham told reporters that the late Arizona senator offered him some advice on how to handle the president.



"He said, 'Help him where you can. Just don't get sucked into all his bulls--t,'" Graham said, of his conversation with McCain.



Graham also told reporters that it was "challenging" being close to both Trump and McCain due to their bitter feud.



The South Carolina Republican, himself a lawyer, was also asked in Thursday's interview about the possible replacement for departing White House counsel Don McGahn.



If I were the president, I'd pick somebody that understood the legislative branch. Because if the Democrats take over the House, then he's going to be subpoenaed to death and investigated to death, Graham said.



On the topic of the special counsel investigation into Russia, Graham said he wasnt convinced Trump has the ability to collude with any foreign government.



I say this as a joke, but it's kind of a half of a joke. To collude, you gotta sit down, come up with a plan and stick with it. Trump's not good at that, Graham said.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
(CNN)  French and British fishermen clashed in the English Channel Tuesday in the latest installment of the long-running "scallop war."

Video of the incident broadcast by France 3 Normandie showed smoke bombs and rocks being thrown at British crews, while a number of boats appeared to be rammed.

The five British boats, greatly outnumbered by an estimated 35 French vessels, were chased from the scallop-rich Baie de Seine area off Normandy, maritime official Ingrid Parot told AFP.

"We're trying to push the English out because if we allow them to carry on they'll pillage the area," French fisherman Anthony Quesnel says in the video.

"We have quotas, we have hours and they have nothing, no quotas, seven days out of seven they fill their boats. They come, they dredge and they fill their vessel and they go home. They work a month earlier than us and they leave us the crumbs," he added.

The skirmish took place 12 nautical miles off the Normandy coast where British crews are allowed to fish all year round, while their French counterparts are restricted to a shorter harvesting season from October 1 to May 15.

"I condemn the violence on both sides though the English did have much bigger boats than we did," Normandy fishing chief Dimitri Rogoff told CNN.

"The French were just trying to push them up north. Yes, legally they're (the British) allowed to be there but we contest this right. There's a Common Fisheries Policy and on the French side we have quotas but for the English it's open bar!"

The French feel British fishermen are attempting to deplete stocks before the start of the harvesting season. The problem has grown worse over the past 15 years as British boats have increased their catches considerably.

While the two sides have reached agreements over the past five years, the French blocked a deal this year, he added.

There is also frustration from French fishermen that the British use bigger trawlers, some of which are double the size of their French counterparts and also have the ability to freeze scallops on board.

"We didn't sign the annual agreement because we want to change certain aspects of it and the English won't budge, which is a shame," Rogoff said.

"We want better management of those fishing zones. We don't start fishing until the 1st of October and they arrived on the 22nd of August. We just want everyone to start fishing at the same time."

Britain's National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations has urged calm and said any differences should be resolved through negotiation.

"We have raised the matter with the British government and asked for protection for our vessels, which are fishing legitimately," Chief Executive Barrie Deas told the BBC. "The deeper issues behind the clashes should be settled by talking around the table, not on the high seas where people could be hurt."

Catherine Paul from the French Regional Committee of Fishermen told CNN that her organization had "tried to calm the fishermen and to have talks with the English for better management of the scallops."

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We are aware of reports of aggression directed towards UK fishing vessels in an area of the English Channel not under UK control. These vessels were operating in an area they are legally entitled to fish.

"The safety of the UK fleet is our highest priority, and we will continue to monitor the presence and activities of vessels in the area. We are in contact with industry and the French administration to encourage meaningful dialogue and prevent further incidents from occurring."

CNN's Simon Cullen contributed to this report.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Scallop wars: British and French fishermen clash on high seas"
5316 Lawn Ave., Western Springs: $2,399,000 | Listed: Oct. 27, 2021



This six-bedroom home has seven full bathrooms, one half-bath, two fireplaces, a foyer with stone flooring and a sauna/steam room. The kitchen has hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, granite counters, a butlers pantry, a kitchen island and a double oven. The primary bedroom is located on the second floor and has hardwood flooring and a full bathroom. This home also has an office with built-in shelving, a laundry room with ceramic tile, a family room, a dining room, an atrium and a finished basement with a recreation room. Wine storage, a four-car garage and outdoor seating and dining areas complete this home.



Agent: Linda Feinstein, Compass, 630-319-0352



*Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options.



To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com.



Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.
But it was never their fault. I would listen to them, sometimes from the pulpit, sometimes after Mass, as they blamed the laity, those lapses Catholics who had left the church, gave up the sacraments, became evangelical Protestants or just stopped going to Mass except on Christmas and Easter.
But the diocese sent another priest to speak with the parents and dissuade them from pressing charges, saying that Mateo was suicidal and that the diocese would get him treatment, according to the lawsuit. The priest allegedly downplayed the severity of the abuse, telling the boys and their parents (if) a priest ever does that again, just tell him to grow up.
"The LWMB is honored to be selected as the grand marshal for this years Manhattan Labor Day Parade, said band director Justin Barnish. The group is comprised of outstandingly talented and hardworking students and we could not be more proud of their achievements."
As part of its affordable housing settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Tinley Park will be required to establish a fair housing policy and compliance officer which will be overseen by the DOJ. This could be a win for current renters, especially those who need government rent subsidies to ensure that the homes and apartments they're renting are at least reasonably maintained. They should not be at the mercy of absent and check-collecting landlords who do not take care of these properties or are overlooked by code compliance ordinances, forcing them to live in substandard conditions and buildings.
This spring, Elgin halted three construction projects in light of the state health departments position that replacement of public lead service lines could disturb any lead in the residential pipes to which they connect. As a result, lead levels in water can increase for weeks or months. Thus far, the states department has offered no direction on who should pay for the homeowners portion of the service lines.
At this point, we are the only RadioShack store here in northern Illinois, with the next closest being in Wisconsin, Peoria, or Indiana, he said. The fact that there are other stores coming on helps us in terms of acquiring product, but more so for the stability and growth of the company. Weve got other stores to rely on and it also means getting the RadioShack name out there more.
Were looking for somebody who can be a good conductor and express the music through the orchestra, said Lisa Shaw, principal second violinist and personnel manager for the orchestra. But there are so many things that go into the job besides conducting. We want someone who is going to gather excitement in the community, try to build the audience and just make it a good place to play, and an enjoyable place to play.
When Phyllis Apple first saw her husband approach the newly restored car of his youth, she moved away a bit so he wouldn't see the tears of joy coming down her face, she said. But she did watch as Harris performed his improvisational role as the GTO's owner, showing Dave Apple photographs of the renovation in progress, she said.
I am disappointed in myself and deeply sorrowful that my conduct in this matter fell short of my high ideals. I did not act maliciously but failed to recognize an important issue, she said. I look forward to the day in the future when I am able to resume my profession as an Indiana lawyer.
He said calls often come from the foster children themselves who dont want to live there anymore or about those children that have run away.Melton said this could be a policy for the Department of Children and Family Services.
Unfortunately, there are men and women out here demonstrating who have a vested interest in the company, too. They want to make enough money to put food on their table clothe their kids and maybe save enough money to put their kids in school someday, Moseley said.
"Our system doesnt depend on our nobility," McCain said in his final Senate floor speech. "It accounts for our imperfections, and gives an order to our individual striving that has helped make ours the most powerful and prosperous society on earth. It is our responsibility to preserve that, even when it requires us to do something less satisfying than winning.'
CNN is imploding from the inside, and I love nothing more than watching it. Did they really think 24/7 hate of President Trump was really going to be great for viewers? Normal thinking Americans don't have that much hate in them, because we are the most giving country on planet earth. Elitists should of figured that out when Hillary lost that they were all wrong and melting down while Trump was winning the election. How sad they are.
Last year, the board approved a tax levy of more than $140 million, Trimberger said. While the levy request last year was greater than the previous year, the increase was for the purposes of capturing new growth in the district, he said.
The five men were arrested minutes later, after a Wilmette police officer spotted the vehicle they were in on the Edens Expressway and followed them until they left the highway and got caught in traffic at the intersection of Petersen and Cicero avenues in Chicago.
56 people terminated from Parkview after COVID vax mandate

Fifty-six employees were fired by Parkview Health System for noncompliance with the statewide COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all health care workers.
Keys of Inspiration, a program run by the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, aims to reach 30,000 low-income children in 80 public schools across the United States by 2020.



The music intervention program, which started in 2013 with only two schools and 300 students, plans to have 40 schools enroll in the program in the US as of September, reaching more than 6,000 students, according to Leszek Barwinski-Brown, CEO of LLIMF.

"Utilizing a strategic expansion plan, KOI will reach 30,000 students in 80 schools by 2020," Barwinski-Brown was cited as saying in a recent news release.

The KOI piano lab provides students with a safe, creative outlet in school and gives them a chance to build self-confidence, develop a drive for excellence and a sense of achievement, says world-known Chinese pianist Lang Lang.

"At LLIMF, we believe that all children should have access to music education, regardless of their background," he says. "Most students enter the program with no prior knowledge of music or piano."

"There have been many students who began the program speaking no English, but in the KOI classroom, everyone speaks one language: music," Lang says. "In the piano lab, they gain the confidence to communicate with their peers. There are also cases of students who didn't like coming to school, or were struggling. Now, they're star students."

The KOI is one of the music education programs of the LLIMF, founded in 2008 by Lang, to educate, inspire and motivate the next generation of music lovers and performers worldwide. Other programs include 101 Pianists, Young Scholars and Play It Forward.

With 101 Pianists, the foundation brings together 100 young piano students from one city for a unique social music performance with Lang. To date, this program has inspired over 150,000 audiences in 18 cities worldwide.

Every two years, LLIMF welcomes a new class of Young Scholars to the LLIMF family. The students, selected by Lang and his teacher Gary Graffman from hundreds of applicants, receive mentorship, tutelage and unique performance opportunities.

The scholars are also encouraged to participate in the Play It Forward program, which brings the healing properties and joys of music and art to groups of all ages and abilities in their community.

On Oct 10, LLIMF will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a benefit gala in Manhattan, New York City. Lang will lead a performance featuring the foundation's young scholars during the gala.
The online series Story of Yanxi Palace has attracted viewers both for its storyline and props that highlight traditional Chinese culture, such as headwear made of velvet flowers. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Traditional art forms such as Dashuhua shows and velvet flowers are adding authenticity to new historical dramas, Fang Aiqing reports.

Traditional Chinese culture is flourishing on screen, as ancient costumes, food, etiquette and lifestyles are increasingly appearing in hit TV and online dramas.

In the recent online series Story of Yanxi Palace, forms of intangible cultural heritage such as Kunqu Opera, embroidery and kesi, a silk-weaving technique, play out in close succession.

The series focuses on harem life during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), telling the story of how heroine Wei Yingluo rose from being a lowly maidservant to the position of a royal concubine.

With a total of more than 14.5 billion views by Aug 29 according to Maoyan, a Chinese film database, the series has sparked heated discussion online, not just about the storyline but also regarding the panoramic locations and detailed props that highlight traditional culture.

In Story of Yanxi Palace, one of the emperor's noble consorts invites folk artisans to rehearse a performance of the art form Dashuhua, or "striking iron flowers", to prepare for the birthday celebrations of the emperor's mother.

It's the first time that Dashuhua, the provincial intangible cultural heritage from Hebei with a history of more than 500 years, has been presented in a Chinese TV drama.
The exponential growth of Chinese universities as world class institutions has resulted in the Asian country emerging as a popular overseas study destination among Zimbabwean students.

Pamhidzai Matambanadzo from Obepa Education and Scholarship Center said the dramatic increase in Zimbabweans students seeking higher education in China ahead of traditional study destinations can be explained in part by the Chinese government's commitment to higher education and China's technological advancements over the past decades.

"Technology in China is far much advanced, and students prefer to go where technology is more dynamic. Engineering programs are the ones that attract most students. The most popular program is civil engineering, followed by aircraft engineering, mechanical engineering and software engineering," she said.

Matambanadzo said lower tuition fees and scholarships provided by Chinese universities also attract many students.

At the FOCAC summit held in Johannesburg in 2015, the Chinese government pledged to provide 30,000 scholarships to African students during the three years till 2018.

While the Chinese government is using its financial ability to grab a growing share of students seeking higher education abroad, the rise of China as a strong competitor in the education sector has also spurred the trend.

Chinese universities have performed well in global rankings in recent years. China's top universities, Tsinghua University and Peking University broke in the global top 20 for the first time in 2017 in the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings.

In addition, another seven Chinese universities appeared on the league's top 100 schools in 2018.

Lydia Porusingazi, a financial analyst at an insurance firm in Harare, who graduated with a Master's degree in Quantitative Economics at Shanghai University in 2013, said students head to China for various reasons.

"China is going global. Historically many students have preferred western countries like the UK and the United States. But as the importance of China's economy and the quality of its higher education increases, so does the country's appeal as a top study destination for international students," she said.

"Most Zimbabwean students go to China to pursue an education that is affordable, while others go for the chance to develop business connections, considering that China is Zimbabwe's largest overseas trading partner," she added.

Porusingazi, who is going back to China for a doctorate program through the Chinese Government Scholarship University Postgraduate Program said due to Chinese visa rules, most international students cannot stay in China after completing their education.

"This prevents brain-drain, since most students who graduate in Chinese institutions are very likely to return home, unlike their counterparts in English speaking countries like South Africa, UK or Australia," she added.

Her sentiments were supported by Herbert Mushangwe, a Professor at the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe (UZCI).

"From our statistics, all students will at one point come back to Zimbabwe, there are some who remain in China for a while, the period of stay in China ranges from 2 to 4 years after they graduate. However those who want to settle still come back home to secure stable jobs," he said.

The Confucius Institute is a non-profit public organization affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education whose aim is to promote the teaching of the Chinese language and culture and to facilitate cultural exchanges.

CIUZ, which was established in 2006, is one of more than 500 Confucius Institutes scattered all over the world.

Since 2006, more than 5,000 students have enrolled for Chinese language courses at CIUZ, and the Confucius Institute has provided scholarships to more than 500 Zimbabwean students to further their studies in China, many of them have since returned home and are working in Zimbabwe.

One of Mushangwe's students Stella Rudo Mandaza who will be enrolling for a Chinese language program at a university in Beijing this September said she never intended to learn Chinese when she graduated from high school.

"I chose to further my studies in China because Chinese is the most spoken language in the world making it an important language for business," Mandaza said.

Another student, Tafadzwa Anthony Mutambarade is confident that he will come back to Zimbabwe to put to use the skills that he has gained.

"By going to further my studies in China I will be actually using the language on a daily basis, I will come back to Zimbabwe fully equipped to use Chinese in different situations given that China has become Zimbabwe's major economic partner." he added.
China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) started on Tuesday the main phase of the construction of a new terminal basin in Sokhna Port south of the Suez Canal northeast of Egypt.

The project was assigned to CHEC by the Sokhna branch of the Emirati corporation DP World, the main investor and container operator in the port located at the Gulf of Suez.

At a launching ceremony, CHEC said it will deliver the "Basin 2" project in fewer than 12 months ahead of the deadline.

"Today's event is to show our determination to finish the project quickly and with high quality," Chen Shuang, deputy director of CHEC marketing department, told Xinhua at the construction site.

Sokhna Port is located within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), a main economic region in Egypt whose development is one of the country's mega projects to attract foreign investments for further economic growth.

Mahfouz Taha, SCZone vice chairman, hailed CHEC as "one of the largest and most remarkable port builders and designers in the world," eyeing further cooperation with the Chinese side in the economic zone in the light of China's Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative.

The initiative, proposed in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

"We are stretching our hands to our Chinese friends and we are encouraging all aspects of the initiative," said the Egyptian official, stressing that Egypt can be one of the main hubs for the initiative rather than a transit point.

For his part, Ajayy Kumar Singh, CEO of DP World Sokhna, said CHEC agreed to deliver the project in 2019 and he is confident of its ability.

"CHEC is one of the leading operators in building ports. We're happy to partner with them in this Basin 2 project. We're quite hopeful that they will deliver the project much ahead of the target date," Singh told Xinhua.

He said his company selected CHEC from many bidders to carry out the project after it met all the strict specifications set by DP World.

"Egypt has been growing tremendously in the last couple of years with new investments coming in, which has basically created a demand for a new additional capacity for our business in Egypt," Singh explained, adding that the new terminal basin is part of DP World's expansion plan for Sokhna Port.

The container business in Sokhna Port has grown by 10 percent and the bulk business has grown by about 30 to 40 percent from 2017 to 2018.

"This growth defines that Egypt has the potential to be a top country in the MENA region with its location at the edge of the Suez Canal that opens up a lot of trade routes to the country," the chief of DP World Sokhna said.

Dozens of enthusiastic Egyptian and Chinese workers as well as scores of trucks have been mobilized to start the new phase of the "Basin 2" project that is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2019.

Ahmed Omar, deputy project manager who has been working for CHEC for 10 years, said the second terminal basin is being built without dredgers through dry excavation, "which reduces the project cost by more than 30 percent."

"During the 100-day mobilization stage that started in late May, we safely brought all the materials and heavy equipment and finished a large part of dry excavation, so the project will be finished in fewer than 12 months, which is ahead of the timeline," Omar told Xinhua.

The first terminal basin is already operating and the second one which is under construction, will be 1,350 meters long and lengthen the first one to receive more ships.

"The project will increase the annual number of containers to 2 million and attract more shipping lines for container transit in the port," the Egyptian engineer pointed out.
Coca-Cola Co, the world's largest beverage maker, is diversifying its product range in China by introducing more healthy and functional products to cater to the changing consumer preferences in the country.

According to Curt Ferguson, president of Coca-Cola Greater China, the "next big thing" in the Chinese beverage market is products with more functional benefits, especially those that focus on health and wellness. The US beverage maker will also consider launching products based on traditional Chinese medicine, he said.

In addition, Coca-Cola, which is already the top juice provider in China, will expand its range of juice products, with an added focus on premium brands, he said.

The added focus on functional beverages and premium products has been necessitated due to the rapid growth of the middle-income group in China and shifting tastes across various age categories, said Ferguson.

Such a trend was already visible when Coca-Cola rolled out new products like sugar-free Sprite with fiber in March and two ready-to-drink tea products in North China and South China in the second quarter of this year.

In June, Coca-Cola upgraded one of its bottled water series by adding fiber to it in China. In August, the company localized the Japanese version of Coca-Cola Plus in China, which also has fiber.

With this, Coca-Cola has introduced more than 60 products under 20 brands in China. The double-digit growth of the company in the country during the second quarter of this year has to some extent proved the popularity of the newly released products, according to Ferguson.

Coca-Cola's growth momentum in China can be attributed to the general escalation of the consumer goods sector from last year on the back of government policies to boost consumption and further opening-up, consumer centric approach in the market and people's increased disposable income, he said.

The total market size of the beverage industry in the nation rose for the seventh consecutive year in 2017 to 570 billion yuan ($83.7 billion), according to global market consultancy Euromonitor International. Bottled water and ready-to-drink tea were the two largest sales contributors, followed by carbonates, juice drinks and functional drinks.

Since its return to China in 1979, Coca-Cola has established 45 factories in the nation and employs over 51,000 people. Although China is now the third-largest contributor to Coca-Cola globally, Ferguson believed that the market performance in China is just "scratching the surface".

"For non-alcoholic ready-to-drink products, it is about six to eight servings of commercial beverages for each consumer a day globally. That is less than one in China. So they have tremendous business potential here," he said.

Summer Wang, equity analyst from investment bank Jefferies Hong Kong Ltd said that China's beverage market is far from fully developed.

"There is ample room for current nascent subcategories to grow into addressable markets at some point," she said. "Category segmentation and innovation will be the primary growth drivers of the beverage industry, which has fragmented channels and diverse needs."
China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Wednesday said it has allocated relief fund totaling 177 million yuan (about 26 million U.S. dollars) for the flood-hit Shandong Province.

The fund was part of the central government's budget investment for disaster relief and emergency subsidies, which will be used for restoring infrastructure and public facilities in the disaster-hit regions, according to the NDRC.

Shandong have suffered from severe floods after Typhoon Rumbia, the 18th this year, brought heavy rains to the coastal province. As of Aug. 23, at least 3.8 million people were affected, with six dead and 15 missing, according to local authorities.
You are here: China

The 2018 China Cybersecurity Week will be held from Sept. 17 to 23, the Cyberspace Administration of China said at a press conference on Wednesday.





The theme of the publicity week on internet security this year centers on "cybersecurity for the people and cybersecurity through the people."





A series of events will be held nationwide by 10 departments including the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Cyberspace Administration of China, All-China Federation of Trade Unions and Ministry of Education.





Major events such as the opening ceremony, cybersecurity exhibition, and cybersecurity technology summit will be held in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province.





The cybersecurity exhibition this year will incorporate new content such as talent training and technology innovation, according to Yang Chunyan, an official with the Cyberspace Administration of China.





Yang added the exhibition also features the intellectual voice navigation, question and answer challenge as well as a lecture room, enabling the public to better understand and involve themselves in cybersecurity.





China officially initiated the first China Cybersecurity Week in 2014.
You are here: China

China's top legislator Li Zhanshu on Wednesday listened to advice on strengthening and improving the work of the people's congresses and playing a better role as lawmakers at a symposium.





Legislators should think and voice opinions in big-picture terms, said Li, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, who presided over the meeting attended by 52 NPC deputies.





Li called on lawmakers to improve their political integrity and the ability to perform duties, and play their role as bridges linking the Party and the country with the people.





Lawmakers should also build good images, cherish their identities as legislators and be open to public supervision, said Li.
You are here: China

China's top legislature Thursday heard several reports on the deliberation of bills and drafts at its chairpersons' meeting, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the meeting.

Li Fei, chairman of the NPC's Constitution and Law Committee, introduced the review results of the draft e-commerce and soil pollution and control laws, and draft amendments to the Individual Income Tax Law.

Zhang Yesui, chairman of the NPC's Foreign Affairs Committee, reported on review results on a treaty of extradition between China and Barbados.

Yang Zhenwu, secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, made reports on deputy qualifications, as well as official appointments and dismissals.

The reports will be submitted for review at the ongoing bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee running from Monday to Friday.
You are here: China

China's Ministry of Public Security Thursday issued a class-A wanted order for 10 fugitives suspected of gang crime.

The security authority called on the public to provide information and actively report gang-related criminal activities, adding that those who provide information that leads to an arrest will be rewarded.

China has taken a tough stance and stepped up efforts to crack down on gang crime.
Day after India celebrated its 72nd Independence Day, the country lost its last recognizable statesman. A poetic politician, an orator par excellence and a graceful negotiator, Atal Bihari Vajpayee was a multi-faceted personality loved and admired even by his arch rivals across the political spectrum. The surest proof was demonstrated at his funeral ceremony on August 17 which witnessed tributes pouring in from every major political party in India including the archrival Congress Party which said the "country lost its great son".



In the demise of Vajpayee, a three-time prime minister who successfully led coalition governments between 1998-2004, India lost its tallest non-Congressional leader who made "center-right" politics possible in India. Himself a pacifist, Vajpayee is someone who took huge risks to put India on the path to become a nuclear country in 1999. As a politician, he was a unifier and accommodator who was trusted by his opponents as well. This is what persuaded the then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to request Vajpayee, the then leader of opposition to lead the Indian delegation in 1993 to the United Nations Human Right Commission meeting at Geneva on the Kashmir resolution.

The subcontinent and the Asian region in general have lost an able statesman whose statecraft and external outreach was only matched by India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's vision on the roles of restraint and non-alignment in foreign policy. This is despite the fact that Vajpayee led India's first right-wing government that was intrinsically opposed to Nehru and his ideas of restraint and non-intervention. Two standout examples of this can be seen from his dealings with Pakistan and China.

Dealing with Pakistan

If there is one major foreign policy legacy that Vajpayee can be really credited with, it is in regard to his courageous gesture to Pakistan even in the background of the Kargil war. It may be recalled that in May 1999, to avenge India's 1984 occupation of the Siachen glacier, the Pakistan military made an illegal venture into the Kargil-Dras sector of India's Jammu and Kashmir state.

While Vajpayee demonstrated strong leadership in pushing back the Pakistani army from Kargil in a decisive military victory, he restrained the Indian army not to breach the Line of Control (LoC). He made hard efforts in convincing army and a raucous public not to expand the conflict beyond the point of contention.

Yet, what stands for greater praise is the fact that he invited General Pervez Musharraf, the man responsible for the Kargil misadventure to Agra for a summit level talk. Although this much publicized summit in 2001 collapsed before it could take off, organizing such an event under the backdrop of the Kargil conflict under heavy domestic pressures was something only statesmen do.

He had to endure lots of flak from his own Bharatiya Janata Party and its sister organizations which are obsessively inimical to the idea of Pakistan. Unlike his predecessors, Vajpayee was willing to take risks on Kashmir solutions to build a sustainable process for peace with Pakistan. Notwithstanding his failed Lahore visit and disastrous Agra Summit, his pragmatism and honest efforts were having telling positive effects. For the first time, he could obtain General Musharraf's assurance to not allow Pakistan's territory to support terrorism in any manner.

Thaw with China

As a visionary and statesman, it was Vajpayee who saw benefits in having a thaw with China. Despite his party's (then Jan Sangh) strong antipathy towards China, as prime minister Moraji Desai's external affairs minister, Vajpayee was the first high ranking politician to visit China in two decades. His February 1979 visit to the People's Republic of China and series of meetings with his counterpart Huang Hua led to subsequent talks on boundary issues and created conditions for future visits which Rajiv Gandhi's government utilized to great advantage.

After he became prime minister of the country, Vajpayee made a high-profile outreach trip to China in 2003. The importance of this visit cannot be ignored. Apart from officially recognizing Tibet as part of China's mainland, he deftly negotiated with his Chinese counterparts to set up a Special Representatives mechanism for deliberating and resolving the border dispute between the two countries.

He went a step ahead and appointed Brajesh Mishra, his principal secretary and national security adviser as the first Special Representative to address the decade's long border issues among others. This clearly sent a strong message to the Chinese leadership about his intent to thaw the volatile relationship.

While his passing will be difficult to bridge, the legacy that he leaves behind will make South Asia and the whole of Asia a much more stable and peaceful region to live in and with.

Niranjan Sahoo is a senior fellow from the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.




The current juncture is delicate for Donald Trump's political future. Some of his former aides are involved in several crimes. Trump's longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen has pleaded guilty to eight counts including violating campaign laws and former campaign manager Paul Manafort has also been found guilty of tax fraud. Additionally, one of the first politicians to endorse Trump in February 2016, Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter and his wife have been indicting for using campaign funds to finance personal expenses and a luxury life.



The subsequent question is what repercussions these cases might portend for the American President himself. Although Trump is not clearly named in the allegations, his alleged connection is being closely monitored by his opponents. The confession of Cohen that he paid off two women in exchange for their silence regarding their sexual encounters with Trump is leading some legal scholars to argue that Trump is equally guilty. The American President is attempting to downplay Cohen's confession and recently said in a Fox News interview that what matters is that the money had not come out of the campaign.

Generally speaking, a sitting President cannot be easily indicted. Trump's new lawyer Rudy Giuliani has publicly said that the team of special counsel Robert Mueller would abide by relevant regulations of the Justice Department. Several American media do not thus consider it likely for an indictment to follow.

On these grounds, the current legal cases will hardly jeopardize Trump's presidency. The main danger for the President is for them to be followed by new troubles related to the investigation on Russia's interference in the U.S. presidential election of November 2016. Should evidence be found about his and his team's alleged secret contacts with the Russian side and obstruction of justice, his woes will heat up. An impeachment is not excluded. An analysis by the Brookings Institution suggests the Russian hacking theme could provide the necessary ground indeed. Trump has publicly talked about this scenario and warned on Fox News the "market would crash," if he was impeached.

The process is difficult and time-consuming. There are only three examples of presidential impeachments: namely of Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Democrats are currently reserved about pushing towards impeachment as the confession of Cohen is not sufficient to kick off the procedure. Moreover, they do not want to galvanize and unite the supporters of the Republican Party in view of the November mid-term elections. Yet, this stance might change in the future.

The mid-term elections will be critical for American politics. 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 in the Senate will be contested. If the Republicans maintain control in the Congress, Trump will be politically undisturbed and able to set up his plan for the 2020 presidential election in relative peace. However, if the Democrats make an electoral comeback, the next two years will not be easy for the American President. They will gain time to discuss the impeachment scenario while waiting for the Russia inquiry result. The pressure on Trump will naturally increase.

This polarized climate in the U.S. and the difficult political battle in view of the midterm elections is not good news for China. The "America First" agenda is a tool Trump is using to persuade his electorate that he remains committed to his pre-2016 promises and to serve U.S. interests. The continuation of the trade war with China is placed in this framework.

The American President remains popular among supporters of the Republican Party. A recent Pew Research poll reveals an average of 84 percent of Republicans approved his job performance. Even after the stormy week witnessing the convictions of Manafort and Cohen, an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll presents his approval rating as steady. U.S. economic growth will slow in the next few quarters due to the trade war  as the majority of economists said in a recent Reuters survey  but Trump can certainly rely on tangible achievements until November. A few days ago, he tweeted about the stock market that "hit an all-time high."

It is positive that China and the U.S. resumed trade consultations in Washington and rejected an all-out trade war. Nonetheless, the next three months do not offer any good momentum for a breakthrough. The climate will perhaps improve after the mid-term elections. By then, the political landscape in the U.S. will be clearer while the expected slowdown of U.S. growth will perhaps challenge Trump's economic ideology regarding China.

George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:





http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.htm





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.




 Flash





"We are going to have a big-time roadshow in China because it has the biggest tourist outflows. Last year, it had 144 million outbound tourists. India received only 250,000 of that so we are going to make moves so that the numbers go up dramatically," Tourism Minister of India K.J Alphons said during a tourism promotion conference themed Incredible India in Beijing on Aug. 28, 2018.





Alphons is currently visiting Beijing with 20 leading Indian travel agents for the first event of a series of road shows held by the India Tourism Ministry. The road show will also stop in Guangzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai, aiming to attract the high-spending Chinese tourists to India.





The Chinese outbound tourism market has developed at an unprecedented speed, becoming a central focus of the global tourism industry. According to "The UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2018 Edition" published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on August 27 this month, Chinese tourists spent 258 billion U.S. dollars on international tourism in 2017, almost one fifth of the world's total tourism spending.





In recent years, the two governments have put in place many measures to accelerate the growth of China-India tourism relations. The year 2015 was celebrated as Visit India Year in China, and 2016 was celebrated as Visit China Year in India.





According to Satyajeet Rajan, the director general of India Tourism, online searches for Indian destinations by Chinese tourists rose by 134 percent in 2017, and the number of the Chinese people regularly practicing yoga reached 10 million.




 Flash

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Wednesday that Iran will quit the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal if the interests of his country are not secured, official IRNA news agency reported.

"If we come to the conclusion that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) cannot serve the national interests, we will leave it," Khamenei said during a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his cabinet members.

The Iranian top leader also expressed dismay over the EU, saying the Islamic republic "pins no hope on Europeans over JCPOA and economic issues."

Iran and six world powers, namely China, Russia, Britain, France, the United States and Germany, struck a deal over Iran's nuclear program in 2015.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal earlier this year and re-impose sanctions on Iran.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Khamenei touched on the issue of the Iranian economy and called on Rouhani's administration to work profusely to solve the economic problems facing the nation.

"With regards to the economy, there is a need for full force, large-scale and proficient work; and authorities in charge of economic affairs must work hard day and night to solve the problems," he was quoted as saying by Press TV.

Iran's enemy has been focusing its attention on Iran's economy due to certain economic weaknesses in the country, he said, adding that in dealing with economic woes, officials need to concentrate on the policies of the "resistance economy" that is based on domestic production as a defensive tool.

The resistance economy will help Iran build a stronghold and boost capabilities against the enemy and will move forward, the Iranian leader said.

On Wednesday, President Rouhani criticized the United States for re-imposing sanctions against Iran "in contravention" of all international regulations and said "Washington is committed to nothing."

The relapse of sanctions on Iran is not aimed at the country's economy only, he said, noting that Washington is seeking to dominate the country once again.

"They seek to trample on Iran's economy once again and rule over the Iranians, but the Iranian nation will by no means submit to this and will prove it to the world through resistance," he added.

On Tuesday, Rouhani could not convince Iranian lawmakers with most of his answers to their questions about his administration's performance over current hardship in the country's economy.

Rouhani attended parliament to answer questions by the lawmakers about his government's failure to control goods smuggling, continuation of western banking sanctions, unemployment rate, economic recession and increase in forex rate.

The lawmakers were only contented by Rouhani's answer about the banking sanctions while his answers to other questions failed to win the lawmakers' approval.

Rouhani acknowledged that his administration had made some mistakes in handling the economic issues.

The lawmakers can send the questions to Iran's judiciary for further review. This would be a warning note to Rouhani if he is impeached by the parliament over the country's economic situation.

On Sunday, the Iranian lawmakers dismissed Rouhani's Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance over the current economic situation and refrained from giving a vote of confidence to him.

The Iranian lawmakers have complained that the administration's mismanagement of the conditions has resulted in price hikes and diminishing purchasing power.

The Iranian rial plunged to a record low against the U.S. dollar in August. There has been growing demand for dollars among Iranians for fear of more plunge in their assets values and growing price.

Foreign currency values began to rise in Iran after the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and announced plans for a fresh wave of sanctions against the Islamic republic.

However, Khamenei said that the economic problems are not wholly caused by the U.S. sanctions, but a series of internal issues and mismanagement.
 Flash

President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi left the country Wednesday, on a state visit and to participate in the 2018 Beijing Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

In an interview on Wednesday in the capital Gaborone, Nonofo Molefhi, Acting Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation, said China as one of the developing and advanced nations, is committed to strengthening ties with African countries to assist them better in ensuring economic growth and socio-economic development.

He said Botswana and China have shared cordial relations in areas of health, construction and other developments and therefore participation in FOCAC will help both countries to strengthen ties even further.

"FOCAC will award African countries willing to change the state of their nations to positively benefit from China by learning various strategies that China uses to develop and improve the lives of its people," he said.

Molefhi further indicated that President Masisi will pay a state visit ahead of the forum.

"The president will engage in discussions with his counterpart to discuss issues of interest to Botswana and to try and forge more relations between the two countries for the benefits of its people," he said.

President Masisi will pay a state visit to China from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5 and also attend the FOCAC Summit in Beijing.
 Flash

Deepening the mutual trust of young people is of fundamental importance to the long-term cooperation and friendship between China and Japan, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday.





Li made the remarks in a congratulatory message to an exchange conference attended by more than 1,000 Chinese and Japanese university students at Peking University in Beijing to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.





In his message, Li noted that 40 years ago, the leaders of the two countries made the decision to sign the treaty and affirmed various principles in the China-Japan Joint Statement in the form of law, setting the fundamental guidelines for bilateral relations.





Li recalled that he had recently exchanged congratulatory messages with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the treaty, in which both sides agree to carry on the spirit of the Treaty and work for the long-term healthy and stable development of bilateral ties.





China stands ready to work with Japan and follow the principles laid out in the four political documents signed between the two sides, the premier said.





He called on the two countries to see the past as a mirror, look forward to the future, deepen cooperation for mutual benefits, promote common development, and safeguard prosperity and stability.





Noting that youth represents the future, Li said the Chinese government would always support mutual visits and exchanges between young people of the two countries.





He expressed the hope that through Wednesday's conference, young people of the two countries will review the spirit of the treaty, expand the paths of communication, encourage and learn from each other, and enhance mutual understanding and trust to contribute to the long-term healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.





Abe also sent a congratulatory message to the conference, saying that Premier Li's visit to Japan in May was of great significance to the development of Japan-China relations.





Japan and China should develop a friendly and stable relationship, he said, adding the two sides should continue promoting exchanges between the young people and building more bridges of communication to enhance bilateral friendship.
 Flash

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba on Wednesday.





Noting that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Japan in May put bilateral ties back on track, Wang said the momentum of improvement in bilateral relations, which had gone through twists and turns, is worthy to be cherished.





This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Wang said the two countries should adhere to the four political documents and the four-point principled agreement signed between the two sides and safeguard the political basis for bilateral ties.





China stands ready to expand practical cooperation with Japan on innovation and the third-party market, and promote the building of the East Asian Economic Community as well as the regional integration process, he said.





For his part, Takeo Akiba said the Japanese side was happy to see that bilateral ties are back on track and is willing to work with China to promote the advancement of bilateral ties.
 Flash

China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) started on Tuesday the main phase of the construction of a new terminal basin in Sokhna Port south of the Suez Canal northeast of Egypt.





The project was assigned to CHEC by the Sokhna branch of the Emirati corporation DP World, the main investor and container operator in the port located at the Gulf of Suez.





At a launching ceremony, CHEC said it will deliver the "Basin 2" project in fewer than 12 months ahead of the deadline.





"Today's event is to show our determination to finish the project quickly and with high quality," Chen Shuang, deputy director of CHEC marketing department, told Xinhua at the construction site.





Sokhna Port is located within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), a main economic region in Egypt whose development is one of the country's mega projects to attract foreign investments for further economic growth.





Mahfouz Taha, SCZone vice chairman, hailed CHEC as "one of the largest and most remarkable port builders and designers in the world," eyeing further cooperation with the Chinese side in the economic zone in the light of China's Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative.





The initiative, proposed in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It aims at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.





"We are stretching our hands to our Chinese friends and we are encouraging all aspects of the initiative," said the Egyptian official, stressing that Egypt can be one of the main hubs for the initiative rather than a transit point.





For his part, Ajayy Kumar Singh, CEO of DP World Sokhna, said CHEC agreed to deliver the project in 2019 and he is confident of its ability.





"CHEC is one of the leading operators in building ports. We're happy to partner with them in this Basin 2 project. We're quite hopeful that they will deliver the project much ahead of the target date," Singh told Xinhua.





He said his company selected CHEC from many bidders to carry out the project after it met all the strict specifications set by DP World.





"Egypt has been growing tremendously in the last couple of years with new investments coming in, which has basically created a demand for a new additional capacity for our business in Egypt," Singh explained, adding that the new terminal basin is part of DP World's expansion plan for Sokhna Port.





The container business in Sokhna Port has grown by 10 percent and the bulk business has grown by about 30 to 40 percent from 2017 to 2018.





"This growth defines that Egypt has the potential to be a top country in the MENA region with its location at the edge of the Suez Canal that opens up a lot of trade routes to the country," the chief of DP World Sokhna said.





Dozens of enthusiastic Egyptian and Chinese workers as well as scores of trucks have been mobilized to start the new phase of the "Basin 2" project that is expected to be completed by the last quarter of 2019.





Ahmed Omar, deputy project manager who has been working for CHEC for 10 years, said the second terminal basin is being built without dredgers through dry excavation, "which reduces the project cost by more than 30 percent."





"During the 100-day mobilization stage that started in late May, we safely brought all the materials and heavy equipment and finished a large part of dry excavation, so the project will be finished in fewer than 12 months, which is ahead of the timeline," Omar told Xinhua.





The first terminal basin is already operating and the second one which is under construction, will be 1,350 meters long and lengthen the first one to receive more ships.





"The project will increase the annual number of containers to 2 million and attract more shipping lines for container transit in the port," the Egyptian engineer pointed out.
Select board members and some municipal staff toured the property last week.

Scarborough Leader

A bond for up to $1.9 million to renovate it will be on the Nov. 2 municipal ballot.
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
An important conference on intellectual property for countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative was held on Tuesday, gathering industry experts to discuss strengthening global cooperation and tackling IP in the digital era.

The 2018 High-Level Conference on Intellectual Property for Countries Along the Belt and Road discussed legal frameworks, policies and interdepartmental information exchange as being some of the key factors in building a robust IP system among international governmental bodies, organizations, businesses and IP holders, officials said. Thanks to the widespread use of mobile internet and smart communication devices, internet services have boomed worldwide in recent years, which at the same time has brought about new challenges for IP protection, said Wang Hong, director general of Beijing Intellectual Property Office in China.

Ma Hao, president of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property, said that artificial intelligence technology, big data and cloud services have greatly changed people's lives. "However, in terms of AI, we are still at an early stage of the evolution. Therefore, IP laws should be updated to solve core issues," Ma said.

Tang Zhaozhi, deputy director general of Copyright Department in National Copyright Administration of China, said the economic contribution made by the copyright industry has continued to rise in China in recent years. The number of copyright registrations in China in 2017 reached 2.75 million, a 36.86 percent growth year-on-year.

The annual increase in the market size of internet copyright industry from 2013 to 2017 has also kept pace above 27 percent. In 2017, its market scale reached 636.45 billion yuan, about three times that of 2013, Tang said.

Copyright protection in China has been highlighted in the fields of legislation, judicial protection and administration. Under the implementation of Swordnet Special Actions, a specialized program tackling online piracy, 2,554 websites which contain pirated material have been closed and more than 710,000 pirated links were deleted in 2017 alone, Tang said.

Lilia Bolocan, director general of State Agency for Intellectual Property of Moldova, addressed the fundamental role that IP plays in creating a favorable environment for innovation, creativity and free competition.

Bolocan recommended that global governments establish an interdepartmental information system to ensure interinstitutional data exchange for the enforcement of IP rights, a more transparent collective IP management system as well as a long-distance study platform.

(China Daily 08/29/2018 page16)
4000 Women Join the #StillBeautiful Movement Launched by Burn Survivor Kelly Falardeau's Pivotal Still Beautiful Documentary Contact: Kelly Falardeau (Canada), Still Beautiful Documentary, 587-988-8488, admin@KellyFalardeau.com; Karie Millspaugh (United States), Publicist, 734-612-2964, karie@kariemillspaugh.com



EDMONTON, Canada, Aug. 30, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- On the heels of the movie by Amy Schumer, I Feel Pretty, Kelly Falardeau realizes the similarities of the underlying message between Amy Schumer's recent DVD release and her own personal Still Beautiful Documentary. The 2 similarities are that they both have a 'talking mirror.' One says positive words of affirmation, filling Schumer's character with positive thoughts and feelings and the other mirror displayed in Falardeau's Still Beautiful Documentary (website and documentary trailer mykellyf.wixsite.com/mysite-kelly) says mean words, such as "Ugly Scarface Girl."



The cost of those negative words is constant anxiety, judgment, rejection, addictions to Botox, alcohol, drugs, prescription meds, harmful cosmetic surgeries and outrageous amounts of money to change ourselves so we can look beautiful on the outside.



One study found 94% of all teenage girls, and 64% of teenage boys (News Feature https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/features/study-94-of-teenage-girls-have-been-body-shamed/436143277) have been shamed for the way their body looks.



Worldwide movements are being created like #metoo, #bodypositivity #stillbeautifulmovement and the #embracemovement which are helping women to stand up for themselves and be accepting of who they are, as they are. Her Still Beautiful Documentary Facebook page (Facebook Profile Page www.facebook.com/StillBeautifulDocumentary/) hosts a wealth of positivity, support and reviews of her documentary as well.



Falardeau has graced international stages sharing her story and inspiring people of all ages to reexamine their relationship and perspective to beauty. Falardeau says in the documentary while speaking to 3000 teens: "The mirror can't talk. The mirror doesn't have feelings or emotions, I was the enemy, not the mirror ..."



Her documentary shows that you don't have to be a beauty queen to be beautiful. It follows her journey of getting burnt as a two-year-old and hating what she saw in the mirror to loving what she saw.



Falardeau would like to create a positive ripple effect with her documentary by launching it in the United States and eventually worldwide.



The end goal for Falardeau is to make a positive impact on as many lives as possible through her documentary, books and public speaking (Press Kit kariemillspaugh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Kelly-Falardeau-EPK-KLM.pdf) to help diminish body shaming by creating healthier people that have mastered the art of true self love and acceptance for themselves.



For an Interview Contact:

Kelly Falardeau, Still Beautiful Documentary

admin@KellyFalardeau.com

587-988-8488 (Canada)

Media Contact:

Karie Millspaugh, Publicist

karie@kariemillspaugh.com

734-612-2964 (United States)



Share Tweet
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
Lameness prevention: it's all in the head

An understanding of how cows think, how they see the world and how they move is essential for lameness prevention.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Research Future, a firm which specializes in market reports related to the Healthcare sector among others, recently forecasted in its report on Global Post-operative Pain Management Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023 that the market will demonstrate an exceptional CAGR while achieving good growth rapidly in the forecast period.

Increasing number of surgeries and rising demand for the pain management treatment is the major reason for the growth of the market. Analgesics are habit forming drugs and can also damage the renal system, this is the major restraining factor for the market.

According to cancer research UK, in 2012, globally over 14.1 million of new cancer cases were registered. The treatment for the all types of cancer are nearly similar, thus increasing prevalence of cancer has boosted the development of the new treatments.

According to Migraine Research Foundation, (2014), migraine was the 3rd most prevalent illness in the world. Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households includes someone with migraine. Moreover, 12% of the population including children have migraine problem. 18% of American women, 6% of men, and 10% of children experience migraines. Mostly migraine occurs at the age of 25-55.

Get Sample PDF Illustration @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1246

Key Players for Global Post-operative Pain Management Market

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel), Eli Lilly Company (U.S), Pfizer (U.S), Johnson & Johnson (U.S), Purdue Pharma (U.S), Endo Pharmaceuticals Plc. (U.S), Forest Laboratories Inc. (U.S), GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (UK), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Baxter International Inc. (US), Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. (Canada) are some of the prominent players at the forefront of competition in the Global Post-operative Pain Management Market and are profiled in MRFR Analysis.

Global Post-operative Pain Management Market - Competitive Analysis

Many of the top companies are launching new and novel drug treatment to increase their market. Because of side effect and habit forming property of the therapy major players are concentrating on development of better analgesic. Companies are using a trend of strategic alliance and acquisition to gain the market and minimize the competition in the market.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. is the Israeli multinational pharmaceutical company working in the development and manufacturing of the drugs. Celecoxib intravenous is the major products of the company. Company has signed a collaborative agreement with Regeneron for the development of fasinumab which is a pain management drug. In first quarter of 2017 company has accounted a revenue of $ 5.6 billion. In 2014, company has acquired Labrys Biologics. This acquisition will help to achieve its goal of becoming a global leader in pain drugs by 2020.

Novartis, one of the leading pharmaceutical companies headquartered in Switzerland. In Nov 2016, company has plan a phase II trial for the NCT02961062 in the treatment of postoperative pain. They have almost completed the trials for the SAF312 in postoperative dental pain patients and company is expecting to launch the product soon. In May 2017, Novartis has sign a deal of $ 293 million with Durect for pain killer Posimir.

Pfizer Inc. a world's largest American pharmaceutical companies headquartered in US. Parecoxib is the widely used drug of this company. Due to Lyrica which is a pain treatment the net income of the company has increased by 13 % in 2016. Company has completed the clinical trials for the EMBEDA for the post-operative pain management.

Forest Laboratories which is the American Pharmaceutical company headquartered in US. Forest Laboratories and Trevena Inc. has announce Collaboration for development of TRV027 which is used in the post-operative pain treatment.

Get Complete Access of Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/post-operative-pain-management-market-1246

Regional Analysis for Global Post-operative Pain Management Market

Geographically, America accounts the largest share for global post-operative pain management market owing to increasing number of surgeries and rising burden of chronic diseases has led to the growth of this market in America. Europe is the second largest post-operative pain management market owing to a well-developed healthcare infrastructure, government support for research & development, and huge patient population. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region for the market due to increasing prevalence of many diseases, increasing aging population and development in healthcare infrastructure in this region has provided fuel for the growth of the market. The Middle East dominates the Middle East & Africa market due to the presence of well developed countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and South Arabia. Whereas, Africa region is expecting a healthy growth due to presence of huge opportunity for the development of the market.

Some Brief Table of Contents of Report

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope Of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.2 Restrains

4.3 Opportunities

4.4 Challenges

4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment

Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis

5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis

5.1.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers

TOC Continued

Do You Have Specific Requirement? Ask To Our Experts@ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/1246

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

Contact Us:

Market Research Future

Hadapsar, Pune  411028

Maharashtra, India

Phone: +1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Research Future published a research report Global Robotics Prosthetics Market and Forecast of Global Market 2018. The report begins with the overview of Industry structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size, share and forecast up to 2027. Report also gives in-depth qualitative observations, historical data, and identifiable projections about market.

Robotics Prosthetics Market  Scenario

The market is expected to show extensive growth in Asia Pacific regions, especially in China. International Diabetes Federation stated that about 420 million adult population worldwide was suffering from diabetes in 2016, which is increasing at the rate of 8.4% per year and is expected to reach 625 million by 2040.

As per the Lancet study, China, and India have high diabetic population as compared to other Asian countries. The number of diabetic population in China has increased from 20.4 million in 1980 to 102.9 million in 2014.

The demand for robotic prosthetic is found to be increasing across the globe, especially in the developed countries of Americas and Europe. Increasing number of amputation cases, as a result of severe injuries to various body parts drives the market. Furthermore, the rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes, vascular disease, stroke, and arthritis also contribute to the increasing number of amputation cases.

According to the estimates published by the Amputee Coalition, approximately 185,000 amputations are performed in the U.S each year. According to the EksoZeroG, in 2015, 625,000 occupational injuries occurred in the manufacturing and construction industries and the U.S. alone spends USD 21 billion per year on workplace-related injuries that drains productivity.

Browse Premium Sample Copy of 130 Premium Pages Report Enabled with Competitive Analysis of Niche Segments, Top Players, Comprehensive Research and Key Regions @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1316

Regional Analysis

The robotics prosthetics market is dominated by the Americas owing to continually developing technology and increasing prevalence of orthopedic diseases. According to the study published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015, the prevalence of osteoporosis and low bone mass at the femur neck in the United States are more in adults aged 50 years.

Europe holds the second position in the global robotics prosthetics market owing to the government support for research & development and availability of funds for research. This is expected to continue driving the European market over the forecasted period.

The Asia Pacific is a huge market. Whereas a country like India and China are considering fastest growing region due to increasing aging population, growing awareness about new technology, and availability of funds. Additionally, they are open to adopting new technology, and best treatment option from developed countries in order to improve the quality of life for their citizen.

On the other hand, in the Middle East and Africa holds the lowest market share owing to the incapability of investment and poor healthcare infrastructure.

Key Players in the Robotics Prosthetics Market:

The Global Robotics Prosthetics Market is highly fragmented with the presence of many local players and international players. The main focus of these players is cost reduction and innovation to ensure sustainability. In addition, the international players implemented growth strategies through collaborations and partnerships to expand their overall market share.

Touch Bionics Inc. and Touch Bionics Limited. (U.S.), HDT Global (U.S.), SynTouch Inc. (U.S.), Shadow Robot Company (U.K), SynTouch, LLC (U.S.), Shadow Robot Company (UK), Stryker Corporation (U.S.), Smith & Nephew (U.K), Aethon (U.S.), ReWalk Robotics (Israel), Medrobotics Corporation (US), KUKA Roboter GmbH (Germany), Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (U.S.), Mazor Robotics Ltd. (Israel), Hansen Medical, Inc. (U.S.), Transenterix, Inc. (U.S.), and ZOLL Medical Corporation (U.S.).

Get Complete Access of Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/robotics-prosthetics-market-1316

Some Brief Table of Contents of Report

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope Of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Drivers

4.2 Restrains

4.3 Opportunities

4.4 Challenges

4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators

4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment

Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis

5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis

5.1.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers

TOC Continued

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Robotics Prosthetics Industry Synopsis, 2017-2027

Table 2 Global Robotics Prosthetics Market Estimates And Forecast, 2017-2027, (USD Million)

Table 3 Global Robotics Prosthetics Market By Region, 2017-2027, (USD Million)

Table 4 Global Robotics Prosthetics Market By Products, 2017-2027, (USD Million)

Table 5 Global Robotics Prosthetics Market By Technology, 2017-2027, (USD Million)

Table 6 Global Robotics Prosthetics Market By Applications, 2017-2027, (USD Million)

Table 7 Global Robotics Prosthetics Market By End Users, 2017-2027, (USD Million)

Continued

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

Contact Us:

Market Research Future

Hadapsar, Pune  411028

Maharashtra, India

Phone: +1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
DEZHOU, China, Aug. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- What would your dream house look like? Like science fiction, green energy, technological connectivity......such futuristic houses recently appeared at Solar Decathlon China 2018 (SDC2018), which was held in Dezhou, Shandong Province, China during the period August 3-17.

Solar Decathlon (SD) is an international collegiate competition that challenges student teams to design and build full-size, solar-powered houses. With technologies and innovations from world-leading R&D and design teams, SD aims to integrate solar energy, energy conservation and architecture design in a new way so as to design and build comfortable, livable, sustainable and fully functional solar houses.

The SDC2018 Competition was staged by Dezhou Municipal Government, with the concept of 'Green Growth, Green Life'. 19 teams consisting of 34 schools from 8 countries and regions were required to build a 120-200m2 one- or two-storey solar house that can be put to permanent use. Each house was to be equipped with all essential household appliances such as TV, refrigerator, washing machine, and computer that could be fully powered by solar energy equipment.

The students' designs provided valuable references to the rural revitalization strategy and they delivered solutions for pressing social issues such as future urban development and the aging effect.

Team SEU-TUBS (Southeast University / Technical University of Braunschweig) mixed crop stalks into the bricks used for their house (crop stalk content of 65%), which was harder yet lighter than ordinary house bricks; Team THU (Tsinghua University) incorporated a water collection and self-cleaning system, to efficiently convert rainwater into potable water; the (S)LOW House designed by Team B&R (The University of Hong Kong / Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture) aimed to bring people back to nature and a simple life; Generations designed by Team XJTU-WNEU-POLIMI (Xi'an Jiaotong University / Western New England University / Politecnico di Milano) focused on designing a villa community for the elderly and a smart home.
Although Parliament is still on summer recess, a few peers drifted back to hold a 100-minute session quizzing Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.

Twelve members of the Lords EU committee broke from their holidays to be there. Seven of their colleagues were absent, perhaps because they could not be fagged to attend. I know which lot I prefer.

There was one other peer in the room. In the public seats, behind Mr Raab, perched Labour peer Lord (Andrew) Adonis. He was not a member of the committee but he is so obsessed with Brexit that nothing was going to stop him being there, even if it meant just being a mute bystander. He spent the session fiddling with his mobile telephone, sending texts or emails, tweeting and for all I know plotting the downfall of the May Government. Or communicating with little green men on distant planets. Or maybe just pressing buttons for the sake of working off his frustrations, like some Wall Street executive thumbing a squishy rubber stress ball.

Poor Andrew. Once he was the most pragmatic of political folk, he now quivers like a diving board at the municipal baths after a fattie just jumped off it to do a honeypot. Brexit has changed him.

'Brexit has changed him': Lord Adonis attended the Lords EU Committee quizzing of Dominic Raab

Mr Raab, by training a solicitor, spoke softly, in the level tones of an airlines in-flight relaxation channel. He flattered an old diplomat, Lord Jay (crossbencher), who beamed with pleasure at being told how distinguished he was. My dear boy, youre too, too kind. And so right!

The Brexit Secretary, judiciously, picked a little fight with the committees windiest Europhile, Lord Liddle (Lab). Roger Liddle used to be one of Peter Mandelsons gofers and toiled at the European Commission as a special adviser to Jose Manuel Barroso. Since the EU referendum he has been in mourning and he is convinced we are going to sink into the North Sea within hours of leaving the EU in seven months time.

Like Lord Adonis, he kept pawing at his mobile telephone and at one point it nipped back at him, bursting into a ring-tone. Mr Raab was speaking at the time and responded to the din by saying languidly: Its probably someone from Brussels.

No one laughed but some members of the committee permitted themselves droll smiles. I suspect they are as heartily sick of Lord Liddles Europhile prattling as anyone else. Mr Raab is a tidy batsman. He says no more than he ought to and  regrettably, in the view of any sketchwriter  he does not attack his Cabinet enemies, such as that snake of a Chancellor, Hammond.

A few days ago Mr Hammond tried to torpedo Mr Raab by releasing one of those Treasury gloomagrams about Brexit.

When that was referred to yesterday, Mr Raab quietly murmured that he was not going to get into the broadcasting business but the future was inherently fluid. This may have been a coded way of saying Hammond hasnt got a clue what hes on about, but any rudeness was deniable.

Lord Liddle put up some apocalyptic stuff about how Mr Raab was begging the EU for a customs agreement because he knew that without one, Britains economy was a goner. Raab: That is hyperbole. We dont beg and I certainly dont beg. Four runs.

Liddle could not sit still. He leaned back, yanked his eyebrows towards the top of his skull, pulled on his snout, rubbed his pudge, nudged his spectacles, coughed, wheezed, did a couple of elephant sneezes, and patted a black notebook on the desk in front of him. Put him and Adonis on a treadmill with a dynamo and they could keep a village supplied with electricity, theyre such fidgets.

Meanwhile, Labour Europhile Lord Soley kept twitching his lips as though preparing to blow a trumpet, and Lord Whitty (Lab) claimed both ballet dancers and belly dancers were worried that Brexit was going to leave them exposed.

Youd think belly dancers might be used to that.

Farron tells Labour MPs: Quit and form a new party

Labour moderates should grow a flipping backbone and form a breakaway Remain party with Tory dissidents, Tim Farron said yesterday.

The ex-Liberal Democrat leader fuelled speculation about a new centrist party, saying he would be happy to work with a group formed by Labour and Tory MPs.

He said: I obviously want the Liberal Democrats to recover, become the next Government of the country and solve all the problems.

Tim Farron, the ex-Liberal Democrat leader, hit out at politicians in both the Labour and Conservative parties

Alternatively, let some of these people in the Labour Party and the Tory party grow a flipping backbone and leave. And we should work with them. Let them form their own party  we will work with them, and well try and do it together. Labour chiefs are increasingly nervous about the prospect of a split following tensions over anti-Semitism and Brexit.

Moderate Labour MPs have previously backed away because of fears they would suffer the same fate as the SDP in the 1980s, which some believe led to 18 years of Tory rule.

But Mr Farron told the Politico website this was a misreading of history, stressing that the SDP reached 51 per cent in the polls before the Falklands War.
The question may be offensive to red-blooded Britons, but it must be asked. Who is in the right in the new scallop war  the French or the British fishermen?

To many it is an article of faith that whenever there has been a clash between the peoples of this island and our nearest continental neighbours, right has invariably lain on this side of the Channel.

But I have to say that, in this instance, the French fishermen have a case  though of course they were wrong to send an armada of 40 boats to ram British vessels, and generally terrorise our lads by throwing missiles at them.

To many it is an article of faith that whenever there has been a clash between the peoples of this island and our nearest continental neighbours, right has invariably lain on this side of the Channel

British sources claimed the French navy had been in the vicinity during attacks on UK boats and yet did nothing. Cornish fishermen also say the French have been stealing their lobster pots by way of retaliation.

What seems to have happened is that a so-called gentlemens agreement between the two sides about when and how to fish collapsed after a technical disagreement  and all hell broke loose.

Still, let us for a moment try to see things from a French point of view. Imagine that their fishermen had been fishing for scallops just over 12 miles from our coast, while our own fishermen had been legally prevented from casting their nets in the same waters for the next five weeks.

That is the mirror image of what is happening off Normandy. Our boats have been gathering scallops, which are bound to be less plentiful when French boats are finally allowed to drop their nets on October 1.

A French environmental law aimed at conserving scallops precludes their fishermen from dredging them until then, while British boats can freely gorge themselves on the same lucrative delicacy.

Its obviously bonkers. Thats not to say that the British vessels were in any sense in the wrong for fishing for scallops where they did. They were acting entirely lawfully.

I believe we should blame neither French nor British fishermen, but the European Union, with its ridiculous one-size-fits-all, supranational Common Fisheries Policy.

For while it is perfectly true that the law which has stopped French boats fishing for scallops until the beginning of October was promulgated in Paris, not in Brussels, the Common Fisheries Policy is the real villain of the piece.

One could justly say that what occurred off the coast of Normandy serves as a kind of symbol of everything that is wrong with the EU, and its inexorable strategy to undermine and finally destroy the rights of individual nation states.

I have to say that, in this instance, the French fishermen have a case  though of course they were wrong to send an armada of 40 boats to ram British vessels, and generally terrorise our lads by throwing missiles at them

There was a time, of course, when we controlled our own waters. That was before Britain joined what was then the Common Market in 1973.

That organisation, like the European Union which grew out of it, clung to the novel belief that all waters outside 12-mile coastal limits were shared by every member state.

We all know the disastrous consequences of this policy. Over the past 45 years, the annual catch of British fishermen has roughly halved. Our fishing communities have been devastated as Dutch, German, French and Spanish trawlers entered what were once our waters, and caught what had previously been thought of as our fish.

Not only that. It was unaccountable bureaucrats in Brussels, not elected politicians in London, who proposed new quotas and decreed which fish could, and could not, be caught in whichever quantities in waters we had once controlled.

Why couldnt nation states continue to control their own waters after they had joined the burgeoning superstate? Why was it necessary for Brussels to lay claim to what had traditionally been thought of as a national right?

The answer is that sovereignty over the seas  like free movement of people and the Common Agricultural Policy and uniform environmental standards  was considered by Brussels as an indispensable cornerstone of a united Europe.

If a dyed-in-the-wool Remainer ever asks where the evidence is that the EU is turning into a unitary state with its own set of priorities, you only have to point to the virtual destruction of our fishing industry.

Every British government since 1973 has been powerless to reverse this damage.

Until now, that is. In theory, we will be able to control our own waters again when we leave the EU.

If there is a deal, that moment will come after December 31, 2020, when the transition period ends. If there is no deal, our waters will revert to us on March 29 next year.

I say in theory because although Environment Secretary Michael Gove has tried to make reassuring noises, there are reasons for fearing that the Government will negotiate away sovereignty over our waters as part of a deal with the EU. Such a sell-out has been officially denied.

In other words, it is possible that our negotiators will agree to ceding permanent and statutory rights to EU countries allowing them to continue to fish in what some of us had fondly imagined would again become British waters.

Of course, if the Government were to decide to offer restricted access to some European fishermen for a limited period, that would be another matter  so long as such an agreement were not in any way conditional, and could be ended if, or when, London chose to.

The Government would be wise to remember that there were large majorities in most fishing communities in favour of Brexit in the June 2016 referendum.

In Scotland last year, the Tories staged a comeback in several constituencies with strong fishing connections. Any betrayal would carry a particularly heavy electoral price there.

But the dangers of a sell-out go even further than that. Many people who have little or nothing to do with fish, other than eating it, can grasp that regaining control over our waters is a deeply symbolic step. A betrayal of our fishermen would be a betrayal of Brexit.

To return to the French scallop fishermen, who are understandably angry that British boats are allowed to fish near the French coast while for the time being they cant.

After Brexit  if we do regain control of our waters  a line will be drawn halfway across the Channel, and French fishermen will be able to fish for their scallops without interference from British boats.

But, equally, the French will no longer be able to cast their nets for scallops in areas such as the Hebrides.

Nor will their vessels be allowed, with EU indulgence, to fish for haddock less than 12 miles off the Cornish coast, as, incredibly, they are now.

The scallop war should remind us how vastly preferable it is for nation states to control their own waters in their own interests, instead of having Brussels lay down the law.

With any luck, relations between the two countries  or, at any rate, between French and British fishermen  will improve after national limits have been restored, and the EUs writ no longer runs over our waters.

Was I the only one to find especially jarring the spectacle of French boats threatening British ones, so close to the same coast towards which, 74 years ago, thousands of British troops sailed on D-Day to liberate France?

Far from bringing us closer together, the Common Fisheries Policy has created discord, vituperation and resentment. For that, we should unhesitatingly blame the unelected panjandrums in Brussels.
As one of Britains greatest public intellectuals, the former Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks doesnt engage in careless talk.

Indeed, his description of the leader of Her Majestys Opposition as an anti-Semite who defiles our politics and demeans the country we love was not an off-the-cuff remark.

It reflects the deep-seated anxiety in the UKs high-achieving, intensely loyal Jewish community about what the future might hold should Jeremy Corbyn become prime minister.

In recent decades, Britains Jews have become accustomed to a political narrative that casts Israel as a country which uses its military power disproportionately and indiscriminately against the Palestinian populations in Gaza and the West Bank.

The UKs high-achieving, intensely loyal Jewish community worry about what the future might hold should Jeremy Corbyn become prime minister

But never before has a major political party in Britain regarded the creation by the post-war so-called Great Powers (including Russia) of the state of Israel in 1948, in the aftermath of the Holocaust in Europe, as an act of colonialist occupation.

Unrepentant

Yet this seems the case following Corbyns comments, made before he became leader, which Sacks has described as the most offensive statement by a British politician since Enoch Powells 1968 Rivers of Blood speech about immigration.

Sacks said Corbyn had given support to racists, terrorists and dealers of hate who want to kill Jews and remove Israel from the map.

The truth is that Corbyn and a coterie of unrepentant Marxists who surround him have crossed the line.

Britain is a nation renowned for its tolerance and understanding. For generations, it was a haven for Jews who were fleeing persecution in Russia and Nazi Germany.

Never before has a major political party in Britain regarded the creation by the post-war so-called Great Powers (including Russia) of the state of Israel in 1948, in the aftermath of the Holocaust in Europe, as an act of colonialist occupation. Unrepentant Yet this seems the case following Corbyns comments

For the moment, Corbyn is not prime minister. And, unlike in the Thirties, there are not daily proclamations banning Jews from everyday activities such as walking in public parks or buying petrol.

But, that said, in my conversations at social gatherings and religious services with fellow members of the British Jewish community, I sense a deep-rooted foreboding.

Many of us have been close enough to those generations who lived through the Twenties and Thirties, and who believed back then that a sophisticated nation such as Germany, with a highly assimilated Jewish population, would never turn on its Jewish minority. As we all know, they were wrong: Germany did so with grotesque results.

The conversation among Jewish professionals, medics, lawyers, management consultants and business people at one celebration I attended recently quickly turned to Corbyn and what preparations should be made in case he became prime minister.

Some observations were largely based on his crazy high-tax economics. These include massive re-nationalisation programmes for rail firms, energy and water networks, and the postal service.

There is also a proposal for a 50 per cent tax on high earnings and annual rises in corporation tax up to 26 per cent.

But the underlying theme was a reaction to something much more sinister. Whereas Labour MP Luciana Berger has said that Corbyns comments made her feel unwelcome in her own party, other Jews are beginning to feel unwelcome in Britain.

Historically, Jewish communities have often been forced to leave in a hurry those countries where they had made their homes, but where, suddenly, they didnt feel safe.

Following Corbyns comments, made before he became leader, which Chief Rabbi Johnathan Sacks has described as the most offensive statement by a British politician since Enoch Powells 1968 Rivers of Blood speech about immigration

Of course, this often meant it was impossible to take physical property with them. And so it was better to have savings that were portable  for example, in the form of gold sovereigns and diamonds.

There may have been an element of gallows humour involved in the speculations Ive heard over recent days, but the turn of the discussion was profoundly serious.

The big difference for many Jews now from the Thirties is the existence of the state of Israel. Since its independence in 1948, Israel has accepted waves of immigrants from Arab countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Morocco and Egypt, where they felt unwelcome.

Other exoduses occurred from the former Soviet Union when state policy towards emigration was eased in the Eighties. More recently, there has been a flight from France, where the rise of the Right-wing National Front, together with attacks by Islamic extremists on Jewish targets, made life feel insecure.

But today, for many reasons, Israel is not necessarily the first-choice destination. In fact, some British Jews see escape to Israel as a move from the frying pan into the fire.

After all, Israels border towns with Gaza and in the north are under constant attack. In the most recent conflicts, missiles have been fired into cities such as Tel Aviv and Haifa, although they are well protected by the Iron Dome air defence system, which detects and intercepts rockets, artillery and mortars.

So the conversations among British Jews are turning to other possible destinations.

Some families, with German origins, have made what might seem the curious decision to acquire citizenship in Germany  the country from where their parents or grandparents escaped or were killed.

Thugs

The reasoning seems to be that, post-Brexit, they want their children to have the option of living or working on the continent without the perceived hassle of having to get extra visas for international travel.

But given the eruption of anti-migrant violence by far-Right (and some extreme Left-wing) thugs in Saxony and elsewhere in Germany, that may no longer seem an attractive choice.

Another option is to make plans to go to the United States, which has the worlds largest population of Jews outside of Israel.

But although the weather in Florida and California looks attractive and the distinctive Jewish flavours of New York City may be a lure, President Donald Trumps policies must give pause.

His espousal of racist causes and the neo-Nazi elements involved in last years violent demonstrations in Charlottesville suggest less than an affinity for Jews (despite the fact that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is Jewish).

Among other potential boltholes being discussed are Spain, which has an open-door policy to Jews of Spanish descent (dispersed by the 15th century). Portugal, too, is considered a welcome alternative.

Of course, these discussions are all hypothetical, built around the what if Jeremy Corbyn was ever to become prime minister.

However, this debate is not just about Corbyn and a hardcore of anti-Semites who are influencing him.

Warning

The Labour Party as a whole is failing to address properly the 250 or so complaints that have been made about anti-Semitism in the party.

This raises worrying questions about the willingness of the leadership to tackle the problem  and, worse, suggests that it does not even regard it as a problem.

There will be those who think Lord Sackss reference to Enoch Powell is over the top. But the fact the former Chief Rabbi sees a parallel reflects the gravity of the situation.

His warning will have traction with almost every British Jew.

They know that if, God forbid, Britain has an anti-Semitic government under Jeremy Corbyn, there will always be a place for them in Israel under the countrys law of return. This offers automatic citizenship and a decade of special tax privileges.

But that this is even being discussed, just 70 years on from the horrors of Auschwitz; that British Jews should be feeling so insecure in the country they love, is deeply disturbing.

One of the most solemn moments of every synagogue service on the Jewish Sabbath is a prayer for the Queen, her counsellors and her ministers.

How uncomfortable and disconcerting the recitation of that prayer would feel if the prime minister is a self- proclaimed anti-Zionist who disrespects this countrys Jewish
Although Parliament is still on summer recess, a few peers drifted back to hold a 100-minute session quizzing Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab.

Twelve members of the Lords EU committee broke from their holidays to be there. Seven of their colleagues were absent, perhaps because they could not be fagged to attend. I know which lot I prefer.

There was one other peer in the room. In the public seats, behind Mr Raab, perched Labour peer Lord (Andrew) Adonis.

He was not a member of the committee but he is so obsessed with Brexit that nothing was going to stop him being there, even if it meant just being a mute bystander.

He spent the session fiddling with his mobile telephone, sending texts or emails, tweeting and for all I know plotting the downfall of the May Government.

Although Parliament is still on summer recess, a few peers drifted back to hold a 100-minute session quizzing Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured)

Or communicating with little green men on distant planets.

Or maybe just pressing buttons for the sake of working off his frustrations, like some Wall Street executive thumbing a squishy rubber stress ball.

Poor Andrew. Once he was the most pragmatic of political folk, he now quivers like a diving board at the municipal baths after a fattie just jumped off it to do a honeypot. Brexit has changed him.

Mr Raab, by training a solicitor, spoke softly, in the level tones of an airlines in-flight relaxation channel.

He flattered an old diplomat, Lord Jay (crossbencher), who beamed with pleasure at being told how distinguished he was. My dear boy, youre too, too kind. And so right!

The Brexit Secretary, judiciously, picked a little fight with the committees windiest Europhile, Lord Liddle (Lab).

Roger Liddle used to be one of Peter Mandelsons gofers and toiled at the European Commission as a special adviser to Jose Manuel Barroso.

Since the EU referendum he has been in mourning and he is convinced we are going to sink into the North Sea within hours of leaving the EU in seven months time.

Like Lord Adonis, he kept pawing at his mobile telephone and at one point it nipped back at him, bursting into a ring-tone.

Labour peer Lord (Andrew) Adonis (pictured) spent the session fiddling his mobile telephone, sending texts or emails, or 'plotting the downfall of the May Government'

Mr Raab was speaking at the time and responded to the din by saying languidly: Its probably someone from Brussels.

No one laughed but some members of the committee permitted themselves droll smiles.

I suspect they are as heartily sick of Lord Liddles Europhile prattling as anyone else. Mr Raab is a tidy batsman.

He says no more than he ought to and  regrettably, in the view of any sketchwriter  he does not attack his Cabinet enemies, such as that snake of a Chancellor, Hammond.

A few days ago Mr Hammond tried to torpedo Mr Raab by releasing one of those Treasury gloomagrams about Brexit.

When that was referred to yesterday, Mr Raab quietly murmured that he was not going to get into the broadcasting business but the future was inherently fluid.

This may have been a coded way of saying Hammond hasnt got a clue what hes on about, but any rudeness was deniable.

Lord Liddle put up some apocalyptic stuff about how Mr Raab was begging the EU for a customs agreement because he knew that without one, Britains economy was a goner.

Raab: That is hyperbole. We dont beg and I certainly dont beg. Four runs.

Liddle could not sit still. He leaned back, yanked his eyebrows towards the top of his skull, pulled on his snout, rubbed his pudge, nudged his spectacles, coughed, wheezed, did a couple of elephant sneezes, and patted a black notebook on the desk in front of him.

Put him and Adonis on a treadmill with a dynamo and they could keep a village supplied with electricity, theyre such fidgets.

Meanwhile, Labour Europhile Lord Soley kept twitching his lips as though preparing to blow a trumpet, and Lord Whitty (Lab) claimed both ballet dancers and belly dancers were worried that Brexit was going to leave them exposed.

Youd think belly dancers might be used to that.
For days, the Labour leadership has been dreading a resignation. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell even warned Labour MPs not to use the row over anti-Semitism as a cover to form a new party.

Their worst fears have now been realised. Frank Field, sickened to the core by the anti-Semitism swirling around his leader, has finally snapped. The fact he is the first to go will add to the pressure on the hapless Jeremy Corbyn.

Hugely respected on both sides of the House of Commons, Field is renowned as one of Westminsters most independent and fairest-minded MPs.

Concluding that Labour is now seen as racist, Field made the painful decision to resign the whip after 60 years as a party member.

Only last week Alan Johnson, the popular former Labour home secretary, warned a split in the Labour Party was inevitable because of Corbyns failure to act.

Frank Field pictured in Westminster last night after resigning the Labour whip over the anti-Semitism crisis and blaming Jeremy Corbyn for allowing its rise within the party

Is the departure of such a high-profile MP as Frank Field, a minister in the first Blair government  who was brought in to think the unthinkable on welfare reform  the start of the process?

All eyes will now be on Mike Gapes, the Labour MP for Ilford South, who said last week the party was a horrible place to be after footage emerged from 2013 of Corbyn mocking English Zionist Jews for, as he sees it, not understanding English irony or history. It was this recording which provoked the astonishing and rare public intervention from former Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, who said the remarks were the most offensive by a senior politician since Enoch Powells infamous Rivers of Blood speech in 1968.

Frank Field was dumbfounded by the response of Corbyns office, who mocked the Powell comparison as absurd and offensive. It was the final straw. For 48 hours, Field agonised before finally deciding he had no option but to go.

But its not just the race row which has driven this leading political figure to make this dramatic gesture. Though he has served as an MP with distinction for nearly 40 years, a tiny minority of Left-wing agitators (less than 10 per cent of constituency party members) passed a vote of no confidence in him last month for siding with the Government over Brexit.

Fields decision to join three other rebel Labour MPs in that vote was based on his own long-standing Euroscepticism, and the fact that his constituency on the Wirral voted in favour of Leave.

Ever since Corbyn was elected leader in September 2015, Frank Field has been locked in a grim battle for survival with his local party.

Frank Field pictured in his office in 1973 when he was the director of the Child Poverty Action Group. He became the Labour MP for Birkenhead in 1979

Members of Momentum, the hard-Left group set up to bolster Corbyns leadership, recently seized control of the levers of his local party, hence the vote of no confidence. They targeted Field even though he is a man who has campaigned on behalf of the poor for decades and whose moderate, Christian values are respected by the partys traditional voters.

On social media there has been a constant torrent of abuse directed at Field who, in the summer holiday, spent days on end in his constituency supervising food runs for children who are in receipt of free school meals during term time.

The agitators who targeted Field are part of the same hate mob thats trying to deselect other moderate MPs, and taking over Labour councils across the country. This gang of agitators is riddled with bullies and anti-Semites whose behaviour is threatening the biggest split in the Labour Party since the breakaway SDP in the early Eighties.

When Field talks in his resignation letter of a culture of intolerance, nastiness and intimidation, he means the Momentum thugs who have made his life a misery.

But then its not the first time Frank Field has been under attack from an enemy within his own party. His bravery goes back to the Eighties when, just as now, he was challenged by the hard-Left in his constituency.

Back then, Trotskyite infiltrators under the banner of Militant tendency tried to remove Field as an MP. In the Eighties they were a fringe group, but now Momentum is far more powerful, having taken control of the ruling national executive committee of the party.

Ever since Jeremy Corbyn (pictured last week) was elected leader in September 2015, Frank Field has been locked in a grim battle for survival with his local party

Over the years, Field has stood up to many powerful interest groups. It is he who is leading the campaign to strip the knighthood from retail tycoon Sir Philip Green after his shameful behaviour over BHS.

That fearlessness means that over the years, Field has survived three deselection attempts by militants and has vowed that Labours moderates will never give up without a fight.

Only the other day, I overheard him in the Commons, where he was hard at work even though Parliament is in summer recess, declaring: Why should I leave the Labour Party? Its been my entire adult life.

Its measure of how low Labour has fallen under the malign leadership of Jeremy Corbyn that a good and honest man like Frank Field can no longer square his conscience with remaining.

If the situation doesnt change before the next election, Field, 76, will fight as an Independent Labour candidate. With a 25,500 majority and a huge personal following  having been the MP since 1979  the chances are he might win the seat, thus denying Labour one of their safest seats.

Will other Labour MPs sickened by the extremism, the bullying, the anti-Semitism and intolerance, now do the right thing and follow suit?
Two expert ghost hunters had a fright when they received a terrifying message from the dead during a visit to Shepton Mallet prison in Somerset, which first opened in the 1600s.

The spooky grounds, which even housed the Kray twins, played host to Paranormal Lockdown TV hosts Katrina Weidman and Nick Groff for 72 hours, paying their first visit to the UK from the US for the third series of the show.

There are countless stories from those who have dared visit England's most haunted prison - which is now a tourist attraction after closing in 2013 - with sightings of a lady in white, disembodied voices and even child spirits.

In the first episode of the new series, which airs on Quest Red, Katrina and Nick are shocked when they hear a female voice whisper 'I don't want to die' in the middle of the night - in the spot where prisoners were executed.

Paranormal Lockdown presenters Nick Groff and Katrina Weidman make their first visit to the UK for the series staying for 72 hours inside HMP Shepton Mallet to seek out messages from beyond the grave

They were stunned to hear from an apparent spirit from the other side, claiming to have been imprisoned for stealing and that they didn't want to die

The duo said that the female spirit had hijacked the Geoport voice box to share the message with them which was the clearest they'd ever heard

Over four centuries of operating as a prison there have been paranormal encounters within the prison - with many believing that the spirits of the thousands who died and were buried on the ground are still there.

The pair spend three days holed up in the Somerset prison, sleeping in the crumbling cells and in the exact spot where inmates were executed.

This is one of the scariest places Ive had to investigate,' Katrina confessed.

After spending hours scanning the grounds to try and make contact with the spirit world, it's wasn't until well into the third day that they began a 'conversation' with an apparent ghost.

They set up a communication system and began to get knocks and bangs in response to their 'yes' or 'no' questions.

Im blown away by this experience. We now know that theres something here with us and responding directly to our questions. We have a telephone to the dead and something is communicating with us,' Nick said.

Katrina gushed: Im in a state of shock at this point because this is such clear contact and as an investigator, this is the sort of stuff your dreams are made of.'

The pair are spooked when they hear what they believe to be the voice of a woman named Cassondra who tells them she didn't want to die, which leaves the pair thoroughly shocked

Things only got spookier when through their Geoport box, a piece of technology which is used for spirit communication, they claimed to hear a voice confessing to being a thief.

Stood directly above the trapdoor where inmates were hanged, Katrina and Nick were stunned to then clearly hear a female voice who called herself Cassondra say: 'I dont want to die.'

The pair both gasped in shock as they admitted: 'Weve never experienced that before.

'This spirit clearly bypassed the sound banks on the device and we heard a clear tonal voice coming through.'

Katrina added: 'I have never heard a voice this clear come through on Geoport. It sounds like you are talking to somebody over the telephone, its unbelievable.

It just said "I dont want to die", when you hear a voice like that your heart just drops.'

Shepton Mallet prison in Somerset is thought to be the most haunted prison in England, with the spirits of thousands of prisoners who died and were buried on the grounds still roaming

The pair were given a tour by their guide Paul who revealed his own shocking encounter.

He claims to have been haunted by a prisoner called Private Lee Davies, who had shot dead one woman and raped another, he had been sentenced to death at Shepton Mallet.

Paul recounted the prisoner's last words 'oh my god I am going to die' to a group of tourists and at that moment he felt a pain on his left hand - he had what appeared to be a cigarette burn which left a scar.

'When I started working here, I didn't even believe anything like that. And that's why I don't tell people straight away because they are going to think I am completely mad,' he told Katrina and Nick.

Throughout their 72-hour stay the duo also appear to see the shadow figure of the woman in white and hear hissing noises as bricks crumble down in one jail cell.

New series of Paranormal Lockdown UK starts at 9pm on Thursday 6th September on Quest Red
Self-tanning has come a long way since the days of orange palms and stained sheets.

And the latest development is ground-breaking to say the least.

Fake tan waters are invisible until your developed, natural-looking tan starts to show itself.

Leading the way is long-renowned tan brand, St Tropez, whose $42 Purity Bronzing Water Mousse is being hailed as the answer to pale winter skin and has been dubbed a 'miracle worker' by beauty experts online.

Scroll down for video

Fake tan waters are invisible until your developed, natural-looking tan starts to show itself and leading the way is St Tropez - whose product has been hailed as the answer to pale winter skin

The $42 Purity Bronzing Water Mousse (pictured) has been dubbed a 'miracle worker' online by beauty experts

The tan is vegan-friendly, made from 100 per cent natural ingredients and boasts a pretty tropical scent (pictured wearing the tan)

Newly launched in Australia and sold at Chemist Warehouse and Priceline, St Tropez's Purity Bronzing Water Mousse layers on weightlessly to deliver a just-got-back-from-holiday glow.

The tan is vegan-friendly, made from 100 per cent natural ingredients and boasts a pretty tropical scent.

The website explains that you can expect a light golden glow for several days after application.

'This lightweight, clear water-to-foam formula is infused with 100 per cent naturally derived and vegan friendly tanning agents that refresh and revive your skin, with no need to rinse off,' it reads.

'For a transparent and wearable tan that can be applied day or night, that doesnt transfer onto clothing and develops into a natural looking, streak-free golden tan over 4-8 hours.

'Apply with an Applicator Mitt for best results and moisturise daily to lock in for longer.'

'This is the best tan ever, so easy to apply it just glides on. The result is a streak free, even tan in a lovely natural shade,' one reviewer posted (pictured before and after using the tan)

'The water turns into mousse as soon as it comes out of the bottle. It smells amazing and driest really quickly,' another reviewer added (pictured before and after)

Those who have tried the tanning water mousse online are nearly unanimously effusive.

'This is the best tan ever, so easy to apply it just glides on. The result is a streak free, even tan in a lovely natural shade,' one reviewer posted.

'The water turns into mousse as soon as it comes out of the bottle. It smells amazing and driest really quickly,' another added.

'It felt like I had nothing on my skin and great to get dressed and go about my day. Lovely, even holiday glow.'

Others have dubbed it a 'game changer' for their beauty regimes.

Ten steps to the perfect fake tan St Tropez shared the ten steps to the perfect fake tan 1. If you're a tanning junkie, make sure you exfoliate regularly to avoid build up as several layers of tan can result in an uneven result. 2. If you're waxing or shaving before tanning, make sure you do it more than 24 hours before your tan. 3. When you're tanning give yourself a good all-over polish and apply plenty of moisturiser the night before to get your skin as silky as possible. The most common cause of a patchy tan is dry skin, so it's crucial to moisturise problem areas (wrists and hands, elbows, knees, ankles and feet) immediately prior to self tan application. 4. Keep palms tan-free  try using latex gloves or our applicator mitt when applying, then simply sweep the backs of the hands with self tan diluted with moisturiser. Our Tan Remover which you can use for up to four hours after tanning  removes any unwanted tan. 5. When you're applying your tan, make sure youre covered all over. Don't worry if you go over the same area twice  the tan will only be patchy if you miss a bit, not if you double up. 6. Make sure you dont rub in your gradual or self tan. Gentle smoothing is all you need, then you can let the product do its work. Rubbing may make the finish uneven. 7. Try to avoid washing your hands for as long as possible in the development time  a minimum of 2 hours. Try a hand sanitiser or wipes instead. 8. Your tan won't get deeper the longer you leave it  once it's been on for the required amount of time (check the pack) it will have given you the natural-looking golden colour you're after. For a deeper tan you should re-apply on successive days  2  3 days in a row will give you a really deep, rich bronze tan. 9. When you've applied your tan wear loose, dark clothing and avoid tight-fitting underwear. Anything thats pressing on the skin may make the results a bit patchy. 10. The hands and face will fade quicker than the rest of the body so apply Rapide Face to the face and the backs of the hands to keep your tan looking fresher for longer. For a colour boost for the rest of the body, try using St Tropez Self Tan Intensifier every 2-3 days  but don't forget to polish and moisturise, too, or your colour won't fade evenly. Source: St Tropez Advertisement

'This lightweight, clear water-to-foam formula is infused with 100 per cent naturally derived and vegan tanning agents that refresh and revive your skin,' the St Tropez website reads

Of course, this isn't the only fake tan water out there. Just two months ago, beauty lovers went wild for Isle of Paradise's $33 option, which also promises a streak-free even tan.

Created by Jules von Hep the Isle of Paradise waters have colour-correcting elements to them, meaning the peach gives you a light tone, green a medium tan, and lilac a dark glow.

Alternatively, you could try Tan Luxe's The Water, which is infused with purified water, Vitamins B, C and E and raspberry seed oil.

Others swear by Aussie beauty brand Eco Tan's Face Tan Water.
Jessica Rowe has had more than 20 years of experience as a journalist on live television programs across Australia.

And in that time she's rounded up some of her favourite beauty products that helped her shine even on the very early morning shifts.

Many of them complement her pink hair and enviable high cheekbones - but at a price the every day woman can afford.

'I think we have to let go of the idea that you need to spend a fortune on both skincare and makeup. There are so many wonderful products out there that are inexpensive,' the 48-year-old told Mamamia.

Jessica Rowe has had more than 20 years of experience as a journalist on live television programs around the country

1. Sukin's Cream Cleanser

The brand is a tried and tested natural brand sold in Australian Priceline stores.

And at $10.95 this cleanser won't break the bank nor will it be putting a host of chemicals onto your face - Sukin prides itself on being largely chemical free.

Jessica said a friend of hers asked why she was spending so much money on skincare when really all a cleanser needs to do is clean your face.

That's when she decided to downsize on the expensive products and opt for a drugstore variety.

In that time she's rounded up some of her favourite beauty products that helped her shine even on the very early morning shifts

2. Ingrid Seaburn Hydrate Serum

For a serum this $45 one isn't one of the most luxuriously priced, but it does the job nicely.

It's not too thick, which Jessica admitted was her favourite part, and has been designed by celebrity facialist Ingrid Seaburn.

Jessica uses it like a moisturiser by applying it in the morning and at night.

For a serum this $45 one by Ingrid Seaburn isn't one of the most luxuriously priced, but it does the job nicely

What other products does Jessica swear by? *Tom Ford Ultra-rich Lip Colour in Purple Moon, $70. *ModelCo Long-lasting Liquid Liner + Choupette Stamp, $22. *Bourjois Rouge Edition in Velvet, $24. Advertisement

3. Clinique Chubby Stick

This is one of Clinique's top selling products because it's a conveniently-sized foundation, and has good blending capabilities at $50 a pop.

Jessica uses it under her eyes to hide pigmentation and on her rosy red cheeks before smoothing the formula down to her jawline.

It can also just be used as a concealer if you want to allow your skin to breathe.

Jessica also swears by the Clinique Chubby Stick (left) and Eco Tan Face Water (right)

4. ModelCo LASHXTEND Mascara

For those glamorous nights out where you're looking to highlight your eyes, this $22 tubular mascara is the one.

It doesn't 'clump' between your lashes so won't give that panda eye effect by the end of the night.

It's also extremely easy to remove.

A slick of gloss! Jessica uses Bourjois Rouge Edition in Velvet (pictured)

5. Eco Tan Face Tan Water

'Having had problem skin as a teen and in my 20s and 30s, I get terribly anxious about putting creamy stuff on my face,' she told the online publication.

'EcoTan Face Tan Water feels like a toner - you wipe it on and it doesn't clog your pores. I do it before bed to wake up with a nice healthy glow, the colour isn't orangey and it doesn't stink.'

And at $34.95 for 100ml the bottle is worth the price, with aloe vera, orange peel, rose geranium and natural hyaluronic acid listed as special tanning ingredients.
Australian shoppers were left outraged last month after Aldi pulled a chic side table from sale at the last minute.

The Natural Wood Side Table was due to appear in Australian stores for $69 as part of the retail chain's latest Special Buys sale, but was removed 'due to production issues'.

The roll out was delayed until this week and customers are wasting no time stocking up on the luxe home accessory - mothers in particular.

The roll out of the side table was delayed until yesterday, and it seems customers are wasting no time stocking up on the luxe home accessory

Impressed by it's designer look for a fraction of the price, shoppers took to social media forums and mums groups to share how they had styled their new purchase.

Some used the table as a bed side stand, while others placed it in living rooms and bathrooms as a quirky prop.

Fans had their heart set on the table weeks earlier, and several customers were left upset after going to their local Aldi to find the side table unavailable.

Customers were impressed by it's designer look for a fraction of the price, with some buying multiple tables (pictured)

Shoppers took to social media to share how they had styled their new purchase

Some used the table as a bed side stand, while others placed it in living rooms and bathrooms as a quirky prop

'So disappointed but I'll be back and waiting... when it's restocked,' a shopper wrote.

'I just saw this - OMG was going to go at 8am tomorrow for it, they've done so much PR about this item, I'm dying,' another said.

Many customers claim the side table looks just like a $550 version by Australian furniture designer Mark Tuckey.

Many customers claim the side table looks just like a $550 version by Australian furniture designer Mark Tuckey (pictured left)

The German-owned chain regularly releases cheaper versions of popular high-end trends.

One such item was the $129 Butterfly Chair which was released earlier this year.

The high-end, high quality versions can cost thousands, with one vintage design by Knoll International selling for $3,005.99.
Long before The Great British Bake Off  which returned to our screens on Tuesday  there was an arena every bit as cut-throat: the letters page of a Scottish newspaper in the Fifties.

Every week housewives flooded the offices of the Sunday Post with their favourite baking tips. From scones to jam tarts, nothing got past those domestic goddesses.

In that age of austerity, women prided themselves not just on turning out fabulous creations in the kitchen, but on saving time and money to boot. Their tips have been compiled into a book by author Steve Finan. And they are sheer genius.

These women took such pride in their baking they fought tooth and nail to get a mention in the paper, says Steve. The Pass It On column, as it was known, received hundreds of letters every week.

Author Steve Finan has compiled a selection of recipes from Fifties housewives that were published in The Sunday Post into a new book. Tessa Cunningham shared an extract of the best tips featured (file image)

They werent competing for TV glory or big money  the prize for top tip of the week was a tea towel! But the kudos was immense. Neighbours would boast they lived next door to a Pass It On tip provider. And husbands would ring the offices to demand to know why their wifes tip hadnt been included.

So, if you want to know how to whizz up a storm or how to avoid a soggy bottom, look no further than baking tips from Fifties housewives . . .

THE ICING ON THE CAKE

Run out of icing sugar? Make your own icing by mixing sweetened condensed milk and desiccated coconut to a stiff paste. Spread thickly over the top of your cake, using a wetted knife. Then press the cake, icing downwards, into a plate of loose coconut. Shake off any surplus coconut.

Marshmallows also make a deliciously creamy, and unusual, icing. Put eight or ten in a basin and stand over boiling water until melted. Cream together 1 oz margarine or butter and 1 oz castor sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the cooled and melted marshmallows and use to coat your sponge cake.

To prevent your icing cracking, replace one tablespoonful of icing sugar with the same amount of cornflour. This keeps the icing thick and makes it softer to cut.

Jazz up your sponge cake with a tasty jam icing. Bring four tablespoons of jam slowly to the boil. After boiling for a minute, pour the jam over a beaten egg white, and whisk until mixture is stiff. Pour over your cake.

GREAT BAKES

Theres no fear of your cake being heavy or sinking in the middle if you put your tin in a warm oven for a few seconds before filling.

For those who dont like peel in cake, use a large tablespoonful of marmalade instead. This gives the desired flavour without the hard pieces of peel.

To stop fruit sinking to the bottom of your cake, treat your currants and raisins by scalding, draining and then tossing them in flour before adding them to your mixture.

After greasing a cake tin, put in a tablespoonful of dried breadcrumbs. Shake thoroughly round the bottom and sides of the tin and tip out any which havent stuck. When the cake is cooked, it slips out without sticking.

For a light, fluffy sponge cake, separate the yolks from whites of eggs and whisk the whites stiff. Add yolks first in the usual way, then fold in the whites.

To prevent a cake being overfired on top, run cold water over buttered greaseproof paper. Shake well and place over your cake before putting in the oven.

One Fifties housewife revealed how the tray is greased can change how crispy scones are baked. She suggests sprinkling flour on the tray for soft scones (file image)

BRILLIANT BUNS

If you like your scones crisp on the bottom, grease the tray well. If you prefer your scones soft, sprinkle the tray with flour.

Mix dough for scones with a knife, cutting through the dough as you go. The less you handle it, the lighter your scones will be.

When baking cakes in paper cases in a gas oven, place a small dish filled with water at the bottom of the oven. This stops your cases discolouring.

PERFECT PUDDINGS

When making pastry, instead of using a wooden rolling pin, fill a glass bottle with cold water. Youll improve the texture of your pastry because of the cool temperature every time you roll.

For a delicious and attractive fruit tart, keep your gooseberries or other fruit whole while stewing by boiling the water and sugar first and then adding the fruit to the boiling syrup.

If youre cooking apples or rhubarb for a crumble, I always add a pinch of salt. It keeps the colour of the fruit and improves the flavour. The crumble provides all the sweetness you need.

When making pastry, add a dessertspoonful of semolina to 1lb of flour. The result is a lovely short crust and no sticking to pastry board or rolling pin.

For apple tarts or fruit pies, sprinkle the sugar on the bottom crust instead of on top of the fruit. This sets the juice, there is less chance of it running out and the bottom of the tart is nice and crisp, never soggy.

Pop a few marshmallows into a baked custard pie. They rise to the top, melted for a delicious meringue.

Roll out pastry on greaseproof paper. Then its a simple matter to roll paper and pastry up together. Unroll from the top of the pie or on to oven tray. The pastry doesnt stick or break up.

When sweetening fruit such as gooseberries and plums for tarts, slit the fruit before stewing and you will use less sugar.

Another Fifties housewife recommends getting your butcher to cut a marrow bone the depth of your pie-dish and using it in place of a funnel to create a delicious gravy when making a beef steak pie (file image)

COOKIES AND TARTS

Use a grater for pricking biscuits quickly and neatly. Roll out the dough, run the coarse part of a round grater over it firmly, and cut the dough in the usual way.

Milk should be used at room temperature for best results in baking cakes, muffins, and biscuits. This is important when melted shortening is used.

For perfect jam tarts, heat the jam almost to boiling point before using. Pastry will be crisp and not sodden.

CREAMY CUSTARD

When making custard, add lemon curd to sweeten and for a delicious flavour.

Stir sauces and custards with a perforated spoon. Theres less sticking and results are smoother.

To prevent a thick skin forming on custard, stir in a little cold milk after it is made. Put the lid on and leave till ready for use

WHEN IT GOES WRONG

If a fruit cake has been over-cooked on top, scrape the burnt part off, brush over with beaten white of egg, dust with caster sugar and return to the oven for a few minutes.

Fruit cake that has been baked too long and is rather dry can be moistened by adding sherry via holes made with a skewer.

When theres no dried fruit, add half a jar of mincemeat to your usual sultana cake mixture.

If your butter and sugar for a cake goes oily, stand it in a basin of cold water for 15 to 20 minutes. Youll find it creams quite easily.

If the bottom of an apple cake is too soft when taken from the tin, slip it on to a warm, dry frying pan for five minutes to firm up.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

When making a beef steak pie, get your butcher to cut a marrow bone the depth of your pie-dish and use in place of a funnel. This gives a delicious gravy.

One teaspoon of vinegar added to the fat in which doughnuts are fried prevents them from absorbing the fat.

Taken from Pass It On: Cooking Tips From The 1950s, edited by Steve Finan, published by The Sunday Post at 11.99 and available to order from dcthomsonshop.co.uk
When Indianna Carroll screamed in agony: 'I'd rather kill myself than have this bloody horrible disease', her helpless father cried himself to sleep.

The 20-year-old cheerleader - who has been battling with endometriosis for three years - made no attempt to disguise the stark reality of her suffering.

In the early hours of the next morning, former NRL star Mark 'Spud' Carroll quietly tip-toed into his daughter's bedroom to check to see if she was still breathing.

'It scared the sh** out of me,' the emotional 51-year-old father told 9Honey.

For the past three years, 20-year-old Indianna Carroll (pictured), who's a cheerleader for Manly Seabirds, has been suffering from the debilitating condition

Former NRL star Mark 'Spud' Carroll has opened up about his daughter's excruciating battle with endometriosis (pictured together)

The former bodyguard of Russell Crowe said the family have tried everything imaginable to help Indianna through the crippling condition - but to no avail.

'We have tried everything. The amount of money I've spent on doctors. These doctors, they think they know... they've got no idea, seriously. No one knows how to cure it,' he explained.

After undergoing a keyhole surgery two weeks ago, Indianna has noticed positive signs of improvements.

'She rings me up in tears - and I'm thinking, "Here go again"  but she rings up in tears of happiness because she can feel the pain going,' Carroll said.

The former Manly Sea Eagles star said the debilitating condition has even ravaged his girl, even leaving her bedridden for up to three days.

For the past three years, Indianna, who's a cheerleader for Manly Seabirds, has been suffering from endometriosis that affects one in 10 women.

The former bodyguard of Russell Crowe said the family have tried everything imaginable to help Indianna through the crippling condition - but to no avail

What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a common disease in which the tissue that is similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body. Up to 10 per cent of women suffer with endometriosis at some point in their life with the disease often starting in teenagers. Symptoms are variable and this may contribute to the seven to 10 year delay in diagnosis. Common symptoms include pelvic pain that puts life on hold around or during a womans period. It can damage fertility. While endometriosis most often affects the reproductive organs it is frequently found in the bowel and bladder and has been found in muscle, joints, the lungs and the brain. Source: Endometriosis Australia Advertisement

Previously speaking to The Grill Team on Triple M, the father struggled to hold his emotions as he revealed the heartbreaking remark his daughter made.

'Going to bed one night and she's screaming through the house: "I'd rather kill myself than have this bloody horrible disease",' Mr Carroll said.

'I went to bed balling. I cried myself to sleep.'

The 51-year-old father, from Penrith in Sydney's west, said the condition has ravaged his young girl, even leaving her bedridden for days.

'There's so many days Indianna has been stuck in bed... can't get out of bed for three days,' he said.

'I play rugby league as hard as I could. I got the name as "Mark Carroll who was a tough bugger". But mate, I cried hard [when I see her in pain].'

Endometriosis prevents women from falling pregnant because the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus causing extremely painful periods, fertility issues and loss of organs.

After undergoing a keyhole surgery two weeks ago, the 20-year-old has noticed positive signs of improvements

The father struggled to hold his emotions as he revealed the heartbreaking remark his daughter made about her illness

Mr Carroll said the condition runs in the family, including his wife Monique.

'It's been in my family. When Monique and I started going out, she had it for at least 20 years ago. No one knew anything about it,' he said.

'Unfortunately, my beautiful daughter Indianna has this horrible disease, she's had it for the last three years. Twenty years ago, we knew nothing about it.'

He also explained how far too often, the illness gets disregarded as 'period pain'.

'Some of the bosses think "oh you've got your period, harden up". But seriously, they are in serious, bad conditions,' he said.

The 51-year-old father, from Penrith in Sydney's west, said the condition has ravaged his young girl, even leaving her bedridden for days

Earlier this month, federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced Australia's first national action plan for endometriosis sufferers.

The scheme hopes to improve the quality of life of patients through better treatment, diagnosis, and aiming to ultimately find a cure.

However, Mr Carroll has desperately called on Mr Hunt for more funding.

'We've had some funding from the government. Minister Greg Hunt, I appreciate the money you've been putting in but we need more,' he said in the heartfelt interview.

'Please come to speak to me. I'd love to be part of this passion of getting this word across about endometriosis.'

Endometriosis is a chronic menstrual health disorder that affects one in 10 women.
Advertisement

From the outside this home has a spectacularly unappealing visage, with brown brickwork and a matching steel door.

But once you step through the double garage you'll be surprised to find an extremely spacious two-bedroom and one-bathroom warehouse fit for any budding inner-city hipster.

The property, which is being described as one of the 'coolest' dwellings in Brisbane, is now home to a local of the Spring Hill area, realestate.com reported.

Scroll down for video

From the outside this home has a spectacularly unappealing visage, with brown brickwork and a matching steel door

So what does it look like inside?

The industrial warehouse conversion is designed with an open-plan idea in mind and once held stapling equipment for firm FJ House.

It now has an exposed wooden ceiling with timber accents - like staircases - and could potentially have a loft or level built into it should the buyer want to.

The industrial warehouse conversion is designed with an open-plan idea in mind and once held stapling equipment for firm FJ House

But once you step through the double garage you'll be surprised to find an extremely spacious two-bedroom and one-bathroom warehouse fit for any budding inner-city hipster

The property, which is being described as one of the 'coolest' dwellings in Brisbane, is now home to a local of the Spring Hill area, realestate.com reported

Quite the colours! The living room has a host of unique features, including an open roof

It also has the very rare two street frontage that desired buyers originally.

Agents Sam Mayes and Zac Tully of Ray White were in charge of the sale - and managed to secure a $1,230,000 sale on August 27.

Mr Tully told The Courier-Mail that those inspecting the property were 'the largest mix of buyers I have ever dealt with'.

It now has an exposed wooden ceiling with timber accents - like staircases - and could potentially have a loft or level built into it should the buyer want to

Agents Sam Mayes and Zac Tully of Ray White were in charge of the sale - and managed to secure a $1,230,000 sale on August 27

Mr Tully told The Courier-Mail that those inspecting the property were 'the largest mix of buyers I have ever dealt with'

And while many were intrigued by the concrete flooring and outdoor courtyard, only one person closed the deal

'A large amount of them were purely wanting to turn it into a fully renovated warehouse though,' he said.

There were a number of interested customers in the surrounding area - including a few from Melbourne and Sydney - who came to view the property.

And while many were intrigued by the concrete flooring and outdoor courtyard, only one person was lucky enough to close the deal.
Lady Kitty Spencer has shared a snap of her latest modelling campaign, shot for Bulgari in Rome, which features a cannabis necklace.

The 27-year-old model, who is a Bulgari ambassador,took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a glimpse at the luxury fashion house's latest design, branded the 'Happy Leaves necklace'.

The niece of the late Princess Diana, was seen posing alongside photographer Alan Gelati in the glamorous shoot for Marie Claire Italy wearing the gold chain embellished with cut-outs in the shape of cannabis leaves

Revealing that she had the 'best time shooting', Kitty posted a few pictures of the upscale photoshoot, modelling the designer's 'Wild Pop' collection.

Scroll down for video

Her high-ness! Lady Kitty Spencer has shared a snap of her latest modelling campaign to Instagram as she poses alongside fashion photographer Alan Gelati (seen right), shot for Bulgari in Rome- which features a cannabis necklace

The first snap saw her dressed in a Renaissance-inspired dressing gown, wearing her blonde hair in a slicked back-style as she posed with fashion photographer Gelati, .

'Best time shooting with Marie Claire Italy with Alan Gelati wearing the Wild Pop collection', she wrote.

Kitty then shared another close-up snap, posing in just a black vest with her necklace taking prime position, writing: 'Loved working with this fabulous team!'

And her 463,000-strong following quickly commented on the snap, gushing over the model.

Kitty has had a busy summer, and just last week shared snaps as she enjoyed a break in a luxury hotel (seen) St Tropez with Viscountess Weymouth, 32 (seen below)

Kitty's 463,000-strong following quickly commented on the snap, gushing over the model, while others commented on the nature of the necklace, with one writing: 'That marijuana necklace though!'

'Beautiful!', one person wrote, while another added: 'Absolute class! Always nice to wake up to a beautiful smile'.

Others commented on the nature of the necklace, with one writing: 'That marijuana necklace though!'.

Describing their new collection as 'Roman creativity mixed with the disruptive spirit of the eighties', the designer writes: 'Wild Pop is the quintessence of Bulgari's rule-breaking approach to jewellery inspired by a roaring era.

Kitty has had a busy summer, and just last week shared snaps as she enjoyed a break in St Tropez with Viscountess Weymouth, 32.

Taking to Instagram, Kitty and Viscountess Weymouth twinned in Dolce & Gabbana ensembles as they headed out to the exclusive Le Club 55 in St Tropez on Tuesday- days before she headed to Rome for her Bulgari shoot.

Taking to Instagram, Kitty and Viscountess Weymouth twinned in Dolce & Gabbana ensembles as they headed out to the exclusive Le Club 55 in St Tropez on Tuesday

The Tatler cover girl, who only last month jetted back from Rome where she wakled for Dolce & Gabbana, is certainly notching up the engagements after turning up at a never-ending reel of celebrity parties this summer not to mention a flurry of society weddings.

Kitty boasts 440,000 followers on Instagram, where she posts endless photos showcasing her glamorous modelling career and glitzy social life.

The socialite grew up in South Africa, reading psychology, politics and English at the University of Cape Town.

And she could be set to make up to 2million a year if she continues to secure lucrative contracts with fashion brands, a branding expert recently revealed.

She is on warm terms with William and Harry, and is an ambassador for homelessness charity Centrepoint (of which William is patron), but is not in their inner circle.
A mother who homeschools her daughter has claimed she'll do a 'much better job' than teachers, insisting that mainstream schools are failing children.

Mum-of-three Biba Tanya decided to teach her four-year-old daughter Tabitha herself because she fears she won't get enough attention in a large class, and will be put under undue exam dress.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Ms Tanya claimed that Tabitha is already ahead of pupils starting school as she can read and write.

But GMB viewers disagreed with her decision, with one person branding her 'deluded' for thinking she can do better than qualified teachers.

The ITV chat show was debating the issue amid news that the government is considering introducing a compulsory register for homeschooled children to avoid them 'disappearing' from the education system.

Mum-of-three Biba Tanya homeschools her four-year-old daughter Tabitha and claims she will do a 'much better job' than teachers because schools are overcrowded and put too much pressure on children for their exams. Pictured: Tayna on Good Morning Britain on Thursday

Ms Tanya said her son - who has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome - has been 'failed' by mainstream school because of the pressure put on him ahead of his SATs exams, which she claims made his hair fail out.

She said: 'It's the pressure they put on for the SATs when I was witnessing that; his hair was falling out when he was taking those tests,' she explained.

'That's how much pressure school is putting on them for no other reason for than where the school is falling. The SATs isn't an exam for the child, it's for the school.

'The classroom sizes, I don't think they get the right attention. I think they're told what to think not how to think, and I think I can do a much better job for my daughters.'

Her comments were criticised by viewers on Twitter (pictured), with many saying she wouldn't do a better job than teachers and branding her 'deluded'

Ms Tanya takes her daughter to ballet and gymnastics classes so that she gets to socialise, and says she will take courses to teach the little girl anything she herself doesn't know.

She plans to educate her until she is old enough for university, but insists she will let Tabitha go to school if she asks to.

She continued: 'I'm not teaching her, I'm facilitating her learning. So if she wants to learn something that I'm not certain on, physics for example - I was awful at science at school - when she wants to learn that we'll learn it together, there are online courses there are books.

'Teachers get their information from books, why cant I get my information from those books?'

She claimed that Tabitha is already ahead of pupils starting school as she can read and write. Pictured: Ms Tanya on Good Morning Britain with former primary school teacher Sarah Relf

Ms Relf said that children are much better off in school with teachers because teachers are taught how to manage a class, facilitate their learning and prepare them for the 'grown up world'. Pictured: Ms Relf on Good Morning Britain

Ms Tanya said that Love Island is proof that mainstream education is failing pointing out how contestant Hayley Hughes didn't know that Wales was a country and thought Essex was its own continent.

Yet her comments were criticised by viewers, who took to Twitter to say that teachers are the best choice to educate children.

One tweeted: 'A woman that's going to ''educate'' her child versus an experienced teacher, bore off.'

'This Mum is deluded,' another posted.

Ms Relf also said that the first six weeks of school are important to teach social skills and 'how to follow a routine, manage expectations, form relationships, learn how to resolve conflicts'. Pictured left to right: Charlotte Hawkins, Adil Ray, Kate Garraway, Sarah Relf and Biba Tanya

A third said: 'Does this mum not realise she's depriving her child of so much by home schooling her.'

Ms Tanya was opposed in the debate by former primary school teacher Sarah Relf, who stressed the importance of attending school for children.

She explained: 'I went to university for three years to become a teacher I didn't just do my GCSEs and go ''Right, I can teach a child now, that's me done.'' We are shown how to manage children, we're shown how to facilitate their learning, we're shown the best way to create that environment. They're given a programme of study to make the best possible going into the grown up world.

'How are they going to get those social skills? The first six weeks of school is literally spent teaching children how to follow a routine, managing expectations, forming relationships, learning how to resolve conflicts, all those sorts of things that they cant do if they're sat at home with their mum.'
Royal watchers were delighted by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to royal duties last night as they attended a performance of Hamilton in the West End, but ITV's Lorraine marked the occasion in a very peculiar way.

The chat show welcomed two lookalikes wearing waxwork masks of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's faces, to mark the arrival of new models of the royal couple at London's Madame Tussauds.

Lorraine stand-in host Rochelle Humes welcomed the pair who sat behind the desk, unable to speak or move very much during the segment, other than inclining their heads towards each other.

She said: 'They can't walk or talk, which is probably helpful because if they came here I'm not sure how I'd feel about it.'

Their 'creepy' appearance didn't go down well with viewers, who compared them to 'sex doll' versions of the royals.

Two actors who wore waxwork masks of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared on Lorraine on Thursday. They weren't able to walk or speak because of the masks so just sat behind a desk (pictured)

Lorraine was hosting the segment to discuss Harry and Meghan's trip to see Hamilton in London's West End last night (pictured)

One said they would be having nightmares, while another asked: 'Shouldn't the Meghan lookalike look like Meghan?''

A third posted: 'OMG!! That Meghan lookalike looks bloody awful. She cant even open her mouth! What a disgrace!!'

The 'real' mannequins sat and listened as Rochelle and fashion expert Mark Heyes dissected Meghan's outfit choice for her outing in London last night.

He said: I was over the moon with what she wore because I think this is quite unduchessified, if thats a word. Its almost as if this is Meghan, not the duchess.

Their appearance didn't go down well with viewers, who took to Twitter to criticise the lack of resemblance between the couple and their lookalikes (pictured). One even compared them to 'sex dolls'

Rochelle Humes seemed slightly scared of the lookalikes, admitting she was glad that they couldn't walk or talk so she didn't have to interview them. Pictured: Rochelle on Lorraine

Earlier this week Madame Tussauds set up a photoshoot of the actors wearing the Meghan and Harry masks, showing them going on dinner dates and a trip to the park wearing clothes like those worn by the couple (pictured)

Rochelle said: I love it. None of those tights, good ankles. I just thought this is how Meghan should look.

The Harry and Meghan waxworks have been seen about town several times to promote Madame Tussauds' new display, debuted earlier this month.

Actors recently donned the eerily realistic waxwork heads of the Duke and Duchess for a walk in Battersea Park in south-west London and a pub lunch in Fulham on Wednesday, that must have caused quite a few passers-by to double take.

The waxwork Meghan wore one of the real Duchess's favourite casual outfits: a French-tucked white linen shirt and dark blue high-waisted denim jeans, with her trademark long wavy dark hair let down.
Fascinating sketches of outfits for Princess Diana's Gulf tour are set to fetch thousands at auction - and they include a drawing of a burka for her visit to Saudi Arabia.

Diana, who was 25 at the time, enlisted designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel to make dresses that 'conformed to local customs', ahead of her 1986 tour of the Gulf states in 1986.

The husband and wife duo, who famously designed Diana's wedding dress, submitted sketches of four demure outfits, including a black and white silk evening dress.

The sketches include a drawing of a burka, which is described as a 'reserve outfit' for Saudi Arabia. Diana never wore the burka during her 1986 tour of the Gulf states

Diana wore the evening gown in Saudi Arabia in November 1986 (above), when she attended a lavish banquet hosted by King Fahd

Fascinating sketches of outfits for Princess Diana's Gulf tour are set to fetch thousands at auction. The drawings by David and Elizabeth Emanuel include a black and white evening gown made out of silk duchess satin, decorated with a striped bow

They designers also sketched a 'reserve outfit', which was a burka that would have covered Diana from head to toe with only a gap for her eyes.

The Princess of Wales did not wear a burka during the trip, but the fact she was willing to consider it shows her sensitivity to other cultures.

The sketches, along with fabric samples for the outfits, are being sold by US-based auction house RR Auctions and are tipped to sell for $30,000 (24,000).

The drawings include a navy and white stripe coat over a white dress, a purple evening dress and a white silk evening dress.

The Emanuels also designed a white silk evening gown encrusted with crystals and diamante detailing around the bodice

Diana wore the elegant white evening gown for a banquet in Bahrain in November 1986, which she attended with Prince Charles (left)

The collection also includes a letter, dated June 2, 1986, sent to the Emanuels by Diana's lady-in-waiting, Anne Beckwith-Smith, outlining the strict requirements for her garments during the tour.

She wrote: 'Certain special requirements concerning dress need to be observed and I am writing to ask if it would be possible to submit to The Princess of Wales a few sketches for day and evening wear from which Her Royal Highness could select items for this tour.

'Their Royal highnesses will be visiting Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. In all cases modesty is the order of the day.'

Invoices for the dresses also features in the sale revealing they cost between 275 and 450 each.

Diana was photographed looking through the sketches with David and Elizabeth Emanuel at her Kensington Palace home in September 1986 (above)

The sketches by the Emanuels, which are going up for auction, include a navy and white striped coat with a demure white dress underneath

Diana wore the striped belted coat and white dress, along with a matching hat, in Bahrain in November 1986

The collection has been put up for sale by a private collector and it is believed that this is the first time it has emerged on the market.

Bobby Livingston, executive vice president of RR Auctions, said: 'Princess Diana tried to conform to local customs by wearing concealing clothes, but still exposed her neck and left her head uncovered.

'At evening banquets, she appeared in the long sleeved demure dresses made especially for the tour. She did not have to wear the "reserve outfit" burka depicted in this archive.

'It's a remarkable, comprehensive archive from the famously stylish royal.'

The drawings also come with fabric swatches. Pictured is a printed red and white day dress designed by the Emanuels

The Princess of Wales wore the dress, featuring longer sleeves and a higher neckline than in the sketch, as she joined Prince Charles in Qatar in November 1986

The sketches, which are set to fetch thousands at auction, also include a drawing of a purple evening gown, featuring diamante buttons. Diana did not appear to wear this particular dress during her Gulf tour

Diana and Charles made a whistle stop six day tour of Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in November 1986.

In Saudi Arabia, she was invited to King Fahd's palace - a rare honour for a woman - although she was not allowed to dine with the men.

The Emanuels designed more than 100 outfits for Diana for special occasions and for when she travelled abroad.

The sketches and accompanying letters will auction is set to take place on September 25.

The collection also includes a letter, dated June 2, 1986, sent to the Emanuels by Diana's lady-in-waiting, Anne Beckwith-Smith, outlining the strict requirements for her garments during the tour (above)
A woman who describes herself as a 'sexual surrogate' for the elderly and disabled has lifted the lid on her unusual profession.

Posting on Reddit, the young woman, who was born in Russia but has lived in Germany since she was three, explained how she gives 'pleasure and sexuality' to paying customers up to three times a week - and 'tries' her best to enjoy it.

Sexual 'surrogates' or 'assistants' (sexualbegleitung) are practitioners who are paid to help people with intimacy and sexuality, a profession which is legal in many European countries including Germany.

She opened the discussion under the 'Ask Me Anything' subsection and was soon inundated with almost 400 questions from curious Reddit users.

A Russian woman living in Germany has taken to Reddit to talk about her unusual job as a 'sexual assistant' or 'surrogate' giving pleasure to the elderly and disabled (file photo)

Writing under a pseudonym, the sex worker explained that her family have no idea about her secret career and she tells people who asks what she does that she's a student.

She claimed to see two to three clients a week, and admitted that while she tries to make the most of it, she only 'really enjoys' her work between 10 and 15 per cent of the time.

And when asked what she 'does' for paraplegic people, she replied: 'Sometimes it's just kissing and letting them watch'.

She also revealed she had applied for the job after seeing a television advert, but had undergone 'no official training' before entering her chosen career.

One person asked about her attitude towards sleeping with older and mentally disabled adults, to which she replied: 'I don't work with clients who are not capable of consenting.'

She endures sex with unhygienic clients with the help of 'chewing gum and a locked nose', she added.

The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, invited fellow Reddit users to ask her questions
British actress Jameela Jamil has said she is hurt by how often she has been airbrushed to 'look white' in photo shoots.

Jameela, 32, who stars in hit Netflix series The Good Place, said her appearance has been edited in 'so many' magazine spreads and campaign shoots in order to make her 'more appealing to a Caucasian audience'.

She branded airbrushing the 'foulest thing to happen to women in the last couple of decades'.

British actress Jameela Jamil, 32, pictured in Los Angeles this month, blasted magazines for airbrushing her too 'look white' so she was 'more appealing to a Caucasian audience'

Speaking on the Channel 4 News podcast Ways to Change the World, the TV star also said airbrushing is the 'foulest thing to happen to women in the last couple of decades'

Born to an Indian father and a Pakistani mother, Jameela also revealed she was told she was 'too old, too ethnic and too fat' to succeed in Hollywood when she moved to Los Angeles in 2016.

Speaking to Krishnan Guru-Murthy on the Channel 4 News podcast Ways to Change the World, Jameela said: 'Airbrushing is one of the foulest things to happen to women in the last couple of decades.

'People have made me look white in so many of the magazines and campaigns I've shot for. That hurts me. That hurts me from a cultural point of view.

In the interview with broadcaster Krishnan Guru-Murthy, pictured, Jameela also revealed she was told she was 'too old, too ethnic and too fat' to succeed in Hollywood

'People change my nose to make it look like a little Caucasian nose and they change the colour of my skin to make it lighter and to make me look more acceptable, perhaps, to a Caucasian audience.

'It hurts my feelings. Airbrushing and changing my ethnicity is bad for my mental health, it's not just bad for the mental health of the girls looking at it, it then makes me dislike what I'm seeing in the mirror. It sends a message that I am not good enough as I am.'

The actress, who used to work as a BBC Radio One presenter, also opened up about suffering from anorexia as a teenager, blaming the illness on magazines and TV programmes that over-sexualise 'skeletal actresses'.

Jameela rose to fame as a BBC presenter and now stars in Netflix's The Good Place, pictured

She said: 'I wasn't reading about wonderful astronauts or scientists or great musicians, I was just seeing highly sexualised pop stars who are very, very skinny on my TV.

'Or I was seeing skeletal actresses whose weight was obsessively spoken about and all my magazines were selling weight loss products or telling me to be thin otherwise I wasn't worth anything.'

Miss Jamil has created a body positive social media campaign, I Weigh, to encourage the celebration of non-physical attributes.
Lady Amelia Windsor is now a paid influencer.

The royal, 23, shared two sponsored Instagram posts over the summer, both for Michael Kors.

Her publications, posted in July and August, come with the mention 'Paid partnership with michaelkors', which is meant to inform her followers that they are looking at an ad.

#SponCon: Lady Amelia Windsor, 23, shared two sponsored post for Michael Kors on her Instagram page this summer. The first (pictured) dates back to July 28

Ad: The second sponsored post, which Amelia shared on Wednesday, sees her posing in a white and blue, tie dye Michael Kors dress

Transparency: Both posts come with the mention 'Paid partnership with michaelkors', which alerts followers to the fact that they're looking at an ad

The first post, which dates back to July 28, was taken in the Balearic Islands.

Amelia, who was famously crowned 'the most beautiful member of the royal family' last year, can be seen looking to the side, wearing a flowy, white and blue dress.

She simply captioned the shot 'Mel and the Moon', adding the hashtag #michaelkors.

Her other sponsored post, which she shared on Wednesday, features Amelia posing between two green doors in a tie dye dress in similar tones, this time gazing straight into the camera.

'Two door Tie Dye,' she wrote in the caption, once again adding the American brand's designated hashtag.

Amelia, a distant cousin of Prince Harry who is 38th in line of succession to the British throne, is represented by Storm Model Management, the same agency as Lottie Moss, Kate Moss' 20-year-old sister.

She walked for Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week in 2017 and twice graced the cover of Tatler, most recently for the magazine's October issue.

It isn't known exactly how much Amelia earned for the sponsored Instagram posts, which might be part of a larger partnership with Michael Kors.

Celebrities can earn five or six-figure sums for their publications on Instagram, though the amounts vary widely depending on factors such as their number of followers and how much they engage with them.

Royal: Amelia (pictured in a recent social media shot), a distant cousin of Prince Harry who is 38th in line of succession to the British throne

Model: The royal (pictured left in June and right on the Dolce & Gabbana catwalk in 2017) is represented by Storm Model Management, the same agency as Kate Moss' sister Lottie

With 73,700 followers, Amelia has a significant following. However, she remains below the 100,000-follower mark and is trailing far behind certain celebrities who have built huge online communities.

Kylie Jenner, 21, with her whopping 114 million followers is believed to earn as much as $1 million with just one Instagram post.

When that figure was first reported in July by Page Six, based on statistics provided by HopperHQ.com, an Instagram scheduling tool, Kylie had 110 million followers, meaning her rates could have gone up even higher since then.

Meanwhile, Selena Gomez, 26, who now has 141 million followers and had 139 million at the time, can reportedly ask for $800,000 per publication.

Selena and Kylie, however, didn't confirm the figures.

One A-lister has candidly discussed her Instagram earnings in the past few months: Bella thorne.

In April this year, she revealed in the documentary Inside The Life of Bella Thorne, released by Vogue, that she earns $65,000 for a single Instagram post.

She even credited the social media platform with helping to pay for her house.

Although she did not confirm what home she was referring to, it was reported in December 2016 that Bella had spent a whopping $2 million on a 4,500-square-foot property in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.

According to Trulia, the house has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a sprawling backyard with a beautiful modern pool, a large kitchen, and an outdoor grill area.
Cooking is a skill that requires years and years of practice to perfect, but some chefs and talented home cooks say there are certain ingredients that can instantly improve your meals.

They have shared their secret to immediately turning a dish from bland and boring to deliciously mouthwatering with just one key ingredient on question-and-answer website Quora.

Dozens of chefs and skilled amateur cooks revealed the ingredients they swear by, which vary from just a pinch of sugar or splash of vinegar to exotic items such as dried fenugreek and infused olive oils.

And they say that adding these special ingredients can be the difference between an average dish and one worthy of a Michelin star.

Chefs and talented home cooks have revealed their favourite ingredients that they always keep in the kitchen which they say can transform the flavour of almost any dish (stock photo)

This chef says that the secret ingredient he swears by when cooking is homemade stock, which he says can be the difference between a bland meal and one worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant

This home cook says that an Italian family once told her that most European kitchens have a pot of Vegeta gourmet stock powder in their kitchens as it's a flavour-booster. She sprinkles it on fries, and adds it instead of salt and pepper to many savoury dishes

This experienced home cook reveals that often if a dish needs something extra, it often needs acidity instead of more salt so she swears by vinegar in her kitchen

This home cook says that ground fenugreek - a spice - can really lighten the flavour of any curry dish when combined with other spices. He also vouches for vinegar to add an extra dimension to sauces

This cook swears by paprika (sweet, not smoked) and adds it to almost every savoury dish, along with cayenne pepper if she wants a spicy kick to her food

Experienced home cook Darlene Southern says she adds Worcestershire sauce to most savoury dishes as she says it 'lifts' whatever recipe you add it to, and always gets compliments from friends when she adds it

This home cook says that a pinch of sugar is the key to making delicious Thai cuisine, as well as being equipped with sea salt, chicken broth, garlic, pepper, corn oil and a good extra virgin olive oil

Another amateur cook says that he discovered a pre-made roasted onion base which replaces the gruelling process of caramelising onions for dishes such as onion soup, onion jam and gravy

This cook's secret to transforming the flavour of tomato sauces is to add a couple of anchovy fillets. He says you won't be able to taste the fish, but it will make the 'flavour of the tomato pop'

For Indian cooking, this experienced home cook says to add a small pinch of sugar, add garam masala powder towards the end of the process, and to add a pinch of salt to soft drinks such as rasna or lime juice

This home cook swears by adding a small amount of yeast extract - aka Marmite or Vegemite - to dishes. He uses it to deglaze pans and while braising meat, though he says it's best to dilute it in hot water first

This home cook swears by using infused olive oils to dishes, which she says can transform the flavour of dishes such as scrambled eggs
A pint sized blonde has shared the moment she devoured an enormous 3kg doner kebab in one sitting in her latest eating challenge.

Size 10 Kate Ovens, 24, from Fleet, Hampshire has previously wowed fans by competing a series of competitive eating stints including finishing a 20 inch pizza in five minutes and eating 50 chicken wings to herself.

And after a three month break from her foodie feats 5ft5ins Kate has returned in what could be her greatest challenge yet in what she describes as her 'Everest'.

Earlier this month Kate visited the German Doner Kebab (GDK) in Fulham, London to take on their 3kg kebab challenge.

Size 10 competitive eater Kate Ovens has taken on her latest food challenge, a 3kg doner kebab at the German Doner Kitchen in Fulham

The almighty wrap is about eight times the size of the restaurant's regular kebabs and is packed full of kebab meat and salad.

Speaking in the video which she shared on her YouTube channel Kate says: 'I have recently been in Greece so I am very used to eating these...not to this size.

'I'm not ready but you know what, we're gonna have to go for it anyway.'

The YouTube star then proceeds to make her way through the enormous kebab, attempting to eat all the meat initially before moving on to salad and bread, though admits she 'can't pick it up'.

The enormous kebab is more than eight time the size of the restaurant's regular wraos

Kate has taken a three month break from eating challenges and describes this latest one as her 'Everest'

Six minutes into the challenge and Kate has made a large dent having got halfway through the bread and in less than 45 minutes she has devoured the entire kebab.

As she finishes the dish she says: 'This has literally been my Everest.

'I can't believe I chose this as my comeback challenge after two months. But here's to the final bite.'

The clip, which was uploaded earlier this week, has amassed almost 6,500 views with her 44,000 strong following rushing to congratulate her.

One enamored fan wrote: 'If thats not wife material when I really dont know what is.'

Another commented: When I saw the size of that thing I thought no way possible.

'Just amazes me to see someone of your stature put that much food in their body at one setting. Great job, amazing!!'

Kate was able to devour around half of the fish within the first six months and the finished the entire dish within 45

Viewers were quick to praise the YouTube star with one even describing her as 'wife material'

This is just the latest in a long line of foodie challenges completed by the aspiring TV presenter.

The marketing graduate, who now lives in London, likes to take on an eating challenge every couple of weeks with previous conquests including a 100 Jaffa Cake challenge and a 1,000 calorie 'dustbin lid' challenge.

Kate previously revealed that she prepares for her hunger games by devouring more vegetables.

'I've always been a good eater,' she said. 'When I was in my teens I was a little bit bigger, because I had a good appetite, but even though I started going to the gym and lost the weight, I've still always had the same appetite.

'I do a lot of exercise and I eat incredibly healthily in the gaps in between, but I do love doing my food challenges. I suppose I'm a new form of food critic. I just love food.

Kate loves eating and her favourite food is margarita pizza, which she loves so much that she once managed to almost polish off a massive pizza measuring 27 inches - one of the largest available sizes in the country - leaving behind only a few crusts.

After graduating the Newcastle University, Kate moved to London where she works in marketing - and tackles massive dishes as a hobby.
Two thirds of parents say teachers should teach children about the symptoms of cancer in school, a poll has found.

More than 1,000 concerned mothers and fathers of 11 to 16 year olds were quizzed for the survey, commissioned by The Eve Appeal.

The gynaecological cancer charity is calling for signs of cancer to be added to the curriculum for all 10 year olds - before they start secondary school.

Nearly two thirds of parents polled claimed the signs and symptoms of cancer should be taught in PHSE lessons to their children (stock)

It revealed nearly a third of parents feel uncomfortable talking about cancer - which will strike 50 per cent of Britons at some point in their life - with their children.

And nearly two thirds of those polled claimed the signs and symptoms of cancer should be taught in PHSE lessons.

Eighty per cent of parents said it was important for their children to learn about other illnesses and diseases which may strike them in the future.

Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of The Eve Appeal, said: 'We want the next generation of children to be armed with knowledge that can help save lives.

'A childs relationship with their body is the longest one they will have  and we want schools to teach them how to respect and understand it.

'We know early diagnosis is imperative to a better outcome for patients  especially with gynae cancers - and preventing cancer is what we, and parents, all want to see.

ARE ALL CHILDREN GOING TO BE TAUGHT ABOUT HEALTHY EATING? The Department for Education announced in July that all schoolchildren are to be given lessons in mental health and healthy living. Health education will become a mandatory part of the curriculum for every primary and secondary school in England from autumn 2020. Classes will also cover mental health and physical health, such as the importance of exercise, healthy eating and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. The Eve Appeal's Put Cancer On The Curriculum campaign is calling for the health education to include education on cancer, along with enhanced anatomical body knowledge. Advertisement

'Our priority now is to leverage the governments current focus on this area of education and to ensure life-saving knowledge that will bolster health prevention are built in.

'Were recommending basic body knowledge is included from age seven and that cancer screening, prevention and signs and symptoms education begins at age 10.

'It's essential that these issues are taught in both age appropriate and taboo-busting ways. We must increase knowledge and reduce embarrassment.'

The Department for Education announced in July that all schoolchildren are to be given lessons in mental health and healthy living.

Health education will become a mandatory part of the curriculum for every primary and secondary school in England from autumn 2020.

Classes will also cover mental health and physical health, such as the importance of exercise, healthy eating and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

The Eve Appeal's Put Cancer On The Curriculum campaign is calling for the health education to include education on cancer, along with enhanced anatomical body knowledge.

Dr Bella Smith, an NHS GP, said: 'If we can talk to children openly, honestly and without embarrassment they can learn what is normal in their development and in their health.

'This teaches them to take responsibility for their own health and to be in control of their bodies. We dont need to scare them.

''In fact, the more aware of their health they are, and the more that they are comfortable discussing their health, the more likely they will be able to detect an abnormality early.

'This is so critical for parts of the body that might be seen as embarrassing to talk about.'
The Ebola outbreak that has killed 75 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo since it began four weeks ago has the 'potential to be the worst ever seen'.

An agency that responds to humanitarian crises fears it will trump the pandemic of 2014, which killed 11,000 and decimated West Africa.

The International Rescue Committee said: 'Without a swift, concerted and efficient response, this outbreak has the potential to be the worst ever seen.'

Aid workers are battling round-the-clock to contain the outbreak, feared to have struck 111 people in the east of the DRC, on the border with Uganda.

Experimental drugs have been shipped into the area to control the virus, considered to be one of the most lethal pathogens in existence.

A World Health Organization map shows the spread of Ebola across the Democratic Republic of Congo, with dark orange cases highlighting those that have been confirmed and light orange representing ones still being tested

Virologists have repeatedly warned the situation is hard to control because cases are in a conflict zone, roamed by armed militias.

And yesterday, Dr Tedros Adhanom, chief of the World Health Organization ramped up the warnings over its potential rapid spread.

Several areas close to the outbreak's epicentre in the town of Mangina are off-limits to health workers for security reasons.

Dr Tedros Adhanom told news agency Reuters: 'If one case is hidden in the red zone or an inaccessible area, it's dangerous. It can just spark a fire, just one case.'

He admitted there has been a steady decline in new cases but warned it was too soon to say the outbreak is stabilising.

No new cases have been diagnosed since Sunday and two infected patients have recovered after being given an experimental drug.

Health authorities are trialling five anti-Ebola medications to try and stop the highly contagious virus in its tracks.

Ebola virus disease, caused by the virus with its namesake, kills around 50 per cent of people it strikes  but there is no proven treatment available.

Congolese health workers take the temperature of a civilian before administering the experimental Ebola vaccination in the village of Mangina

Dr Tom Frieden, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is decontaminated by Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders staff after visiting their Ebola treatment unit in North Kivu province

HAS THE DRC HAD AN EBOLA OUTBREAK BEFORE? DRC escaped the brutal Ebola pandemic that began in 2014, which was finally declared over in January 2016 - but it was struck by a smaller outbreak last year. Four DRC residents died from the virus in 2017. The outbreak lasted just 42 days and international aid teams were praised for their prompt responses. The new outbreak is the DRCs tenth since the discovery of Ebola in the country in 1976, named after the river. The outbreak earlier this summer was its ninth. Health experts credit an awareness of the disease among the population and local medical staff's experience treating for past successes containing its spread. DRCs vast, remote geography also gives it an advantage, as outbreaks are often localised and relatively easy to isolate. Advertisement

WHO figures released earlier this week show there has been 111 suspected cases of Ebola in the DRC region, of which 83 have been confirmed.

Only 47 deaths have been confirmed, so far, but the remaining fatalities are being investigated in a laboratory, to see if Ebola was to blame.

A total of 15 healthcare workers have been struck down by the outbreak in North Kivu province, of which 14 are confirmed and one has died.

Most of the confirmed cases have been recorded in Mabalako, 18 miles (30km) west of the trading hub of Beni, where 230,000 people live.

But it has since spread to Oicha, an area almost entirely surrounded by militants.

Michelle Gayer, of the IRC, said: 'With more than fifty armed groups operating in North Kivu, many areas are inaccessible to aid groups due to insecurity.

'Beni itself was the deadliest territory of the Kivus this month with 33 violent deaths of civilians recorded.

'If someone contracts Ebola in one of these areas, there is almost no way of knowing and, therefore, no way of cutting the chain of transmission.

Health workers carry the body of a suspected victim last Wednesday, August 22, in Mangina, a town near Beni

'The news of two confirmed cases in Oicha is extremely distressing, because the area is almost entirely surrounded by armed militants.'

In a desperate attempt to stem cases, Dr Adhanom last week called for an end to the brutal fighting in the DRC.

The unsafe burial of a 65-year-old Ebola sufferer triggered the latest outbreak in the DRC, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

After she was buried members of her family began to display symptoms of the virus 'and seven of them died'.

Genetic analysis has confirmed the virus strain in this latest outbreak is the Zaire strain, the same as the one earlier this summer.

However, Peter Salama, WHO deputy director for emergency preparedness and response, earlier this month revealed it is genetically different.

Vaccinations began two weeks ago, following the success of the jabs in Equateur province.

Some 33 people were feared to have died in the earlier outbreak this summer, which started in the poorly-connected region of Ikoko-Impenge and Bikoro.

It travelled 80 miles (130km) north to Mbandaka, a port city on the river Congo  an essential waterway - with around 1.2 million inhabitants.

There was a concern it would spread to Kinshasa  364 miles (586km) south, which has an international airport and 12 million people residents.

Dr Derek Gatherer, a virologist from Lancaster University, warned the outbreak earlier this summer was 'reminiscent' of the 2014 Ebola pandemic.

All neighbouring countries were alerted about the outbreak of Ebola before it was declared over amid fears it could spread easily.

Officials hailed the use of an experimental vaccine, called rVSV-ZEBOV, in stemming the Ebola outbreak in north west DRC in July.

Barthe Ndjoloko, who oversees the health ministry's Ebola response, said officials are working to identify those who may be infected.

He revealed the vaccination campaign would focus on healthcare workers and those who have come into contact with confirmed cases.

The 2014 international response to the Ebola pandemic drew criticism for moving too slowly and prompted an apology from the WHO.

But international aid teams have moved much quicker in response this time - with vaccination campaigns already underway in several regions.
Baby boys born with undescended testicles are more likely to suffer from cancer and infertility as adults, new research suggests.

Male infants who are born with their testicles in their abdomens rather than their scrotums are 2.4 times more at risk of testicular cancer as adults than those without the birth defect, an Australian study found.

Having undescended testicles at birth, known as cryptorchidism, also makes men twice as likely to seek fertility treatments, the research adds.

The link between cryptorchidism and cancer is unclear, however, previous research suggests testicles reach a higher temperature when in the abdomen, which may trigger tumour development in later life.

This may also be why men born with cryptorchidism can suffer from infertility. Testicles are on the outside of the body due to sperm production taking place at 35C, which is 2C cooler than body temperature.

Around one in every 25 boys in the UK and three per cent in the US are born with cryptorchidism. Although their testicles usually descend on their own, one in 100 require treatment.

Boys born with undescended testicles are more likely to suffer from cancer as adults (stock)

WHAT ARE UNDESCENDED TESTICLES? Undescended testicles, known as cryptorchidism, occur when a baby boy's testicles are in his abdomen rather than his scrotum. In most cases the testicles gradually move down after three-to-six months. Yet around one in 100 boys have testicles that will stay undescended unless treated. During pregnancy, a boy's testicles form in his abodmen and move down to the scrotum one-to-two months before birth. It is unclear why some boys are born with their testicles undescended, with most cases being otherwise healthy. Being born prematurely, having a low birth weight and a family history of the condition all raise a boy's risk of cryptorchidism. If necessary, treatment usually involves an operation, called an orchidopexy, to move the testicles to their correct position. Surgery should be carried out before a boy's first birthday. This is due to cryptorchidism being linked to testicular cancer and infertility in later life. Source: NHS Advertisement

How the research was carried out

Researchers from the University of Sydney analysed 350,835 boys who were born in Western Australia between 1970 and 1999. The participants were followed until 2016.

Data registers were examined to determine if the participants had any birth defects, hospital admissions or cancer diagnoses, as well as if they underwent assisted reproduction treatments.

The findings were published in the journal The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.

'Early surgery can reduce the risk of malignancy and male infertility'

Results further suggest that for every six month delay in surgically moving undescended testicles from the abdomen to the scrotum, a baby boy's later risk of testicular cancer increases by six per cent.

Men born with with the condition are also 20 per cent more likely to suffer from infertility.

Study author Professor Natasha Nassar said: 'The study provides new evidence to support international guidelines recommending surgery before 18 months for boys with undescended testes to reduce the risk of both testicular cancer and infertility later in life.'

Worldwide, around 75 per cent of baby boys with cryptorchidism are operated on after 18 months.

Lead author Dr Francisco Schneuer added: 'Early surgery can reduce the risk of malignancy and male infertility, and ultimately has the potential to reduce future adult male reproductive disorders.

'Early diagnosis, ongoing examination and monitoring by parents and health practitioners and timely referral to surgery of boys with undescended testes is important to ensure adherence with guidelines.'
A vaccine to treat and prevent acne could be a step closer to reality after a study revealed a way to block bacteria which damage the skin.

Scientists have, for the first time, successfully targeted a type of bacteria which lives in the skin and stopped it producing toxins which cause inflammation.

The treatment is a form of immunotherapy which uses the body's own immune system to tackle the bacteria.

And the discovery could be a ray of hope for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who suffer from the unpleasant skin condition.

Experts say finding a way to battle acne from within the body could eliminate the need for harsh medicines which can have brutal side effects and may not work.

Scientists say they might be a step closer to developing a vaccine to target acne after they worked out how to block bacteria in the skin from releasing toxins which cause swelling

A study by the University of California in San Diego did laboratory tests on mice and human skin taken during biopsies.

The scientists confirmed that sending proteins from the immune system  called antibodies  to an acne-causing bacteria could reduce swelling on the skin.

The bacteria, known as Propionibacterium acnes, live harmlessly on the skin of most people but in those with acne it can cause red bumps to flare up.

To do this it releases a toxin, which researchers believe can be stopped in its tracks using their new vaccine.

Antibodies are sent to the P. acnes bacteria by the vaccine and block it from releasing the toxins which cause inflammation in the skin.

In their experiments, blocking the P. acnes bacteria successfully reduced inflammation in real human skin samples with acne.

'The potential impact is huge for hundreds of millions of people'

'The potential impact of our findings is huge for the hundreds of millions of individuals suffering from acne,' said lead investigator Chun-Ming Huang.

'Current treatment options are often not effective or tolerable for many of the 85 per cent of adolescents and more than 40 million adults in the United States who suffer from this condition.

'New, safe and efficient therapies are sorely needed.'

Acne is not defined as an infectious disease because it is caused by bacteria which live harmlessly on the skin of most people.

WHAT IS ACNE? Acne is a common skin condition which causes various types of spots which can appear on the face, back or elsewhere on the body. It is most common in teenages but can affect adults, too, and ranges from a few spots to more serious swelling of the skin which can leave scars. Although the condition is not serious it can be uncomfortable and embarrassing, potentially affecting people's social lives or causing depression. It is caused when skin glands produce too much oil which blocks hair follicles along with dead skin cells, which produces spots. Bacteria living in the skin may then multiply in the oily conditions and cause redness and swelling around the blocked follicles. Triggers for the condition are believed to include hormonal imbalances, smoking, and certain cosmetics or medicines. Various treatments exist, including antibiotics, steroids and horme therapy. Source: British Skin Foundation Advertisement

But the bacteria can multiply around spots caused when skin oils block hair follicles, and cause larger nodules, pustules and cysts to develop.

'This opens exciting new avenues of treating acne'

It is not clear why only some people are affected by the P. acnes bacteria but hormonal imbalances, smoking and certain medications or cosmetics can all trigger acne.

Symptoms may cause scarring and the upset they cause can lead to mental health problems like depression, but acne itself is not a serious illness.

Dr Anton Alexandroff, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We know that acne affects both teenagers and adults, leaving a lasting effect on psychological well-being.

'This opens exciting new avenues of treating acne  including the potential to create an acne vaccine which would prevent acne altogether  which would be fantastic for acne patients in the future.'

Current medications can include steroids and antibiotics which can cause unwanted side effects.

Plans for large clinical trials

And while one expert warns any immunotherapy must be 'cautiously designed to avoid unwanted disturbance' of the skin, the California researchers are confident theirs could work.

They intend to do further studies to develop a chemical or vaccine which is safe and effective in humans and to carry out large clinical trials.

Their findings were published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Oncologists don't disclose nearly half of the funding they receive for clinical trials of cancer drugs, new research reveals.

Drug companies with deep pockets often provide funding for trials of their medicines and the practice is legal.

Doctors are not required by law to disclose these payments but are expected to hold themselves accountable.

Previous research has shown that doctors' and scientists' findings are influenced by where the money for their work comes from - and that can undermine their objectivity.

New research from Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) found that oncologists may be green-lighting expensive cancer drugs without fully disclosing millions of dollars of collective funding.

About a third of oncologists don't disclose all of the funding they receive for working on clinical trials of expensive - and sometimes marginally effective - cancer drugs, a study finds

Drug development is an extraordinarily expensive process.

A Tufts Center study estimated in 2017 that every cancer drug costs $2.7 billion to make.

More recently, a JAMA report gave a more measured figure of $757 million per drug - still a high cost, but one well-worth the lives these drugs save.

Thanks to surgical and pharmacological treatments for cancer, there were more than 15.5 million survivors living in the US at the end of 2016, and that number has likely grown.

Cancer treatments cost patients an average of $10,000 a month - twice what they did a decade prior.

These treatments are only worth their bank-breaking price tags if they are safe and effective.

Drug companies are allowed to help fund the clinical trials that serve as evidence for or against the safety and efficacy of a drug when it is assessed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

But when it reviews these findings, the FDA is putting its trust in the word and work of clinicians and financial disclosures help them to identify whether or not these doctors have any reason to present their findings in a biased light.

These disclosures amount to 'the honor system,' according to study co-author Dr Erick Turner, a medical ethics assistant professor at the OHSU School of Medicine.

'The journals ask the authors to make these disclosures, but there's no legal force behind it.'

Ethicists, the FDA, drug companies and much of the public sector are all aware of research showing that payments do inevitably sway clinicians - and so are many clinicians.

But, of course, doctors running drug trials have good reason to maintain the appearance of objectivity.

So Dr Turner and his team wanted to investigate how much funding these physicians and scientists kept to themselves and failed to document in their studies.

They compared data from the accountability and financial transparency site OpenData.gov to the funding disclosures that 344 oncologists included in their studies of cancer drugs between January 2016 and August 2017.

These doctors were paid out a total of $216 million in fees for four categories of work: Speaking fees and other general payments; research for study coordination; research grants, and ownership through stock payments, according to OpenData.gov.

But 110 of the 344 doctors omitted at least some of these payments from their written studies published in six of the most prestigious medical journals in the US, including JAMA Oncology, the Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine.

'We know that pharmaceutical companies sponsor trials of their own drugs. That's not a surprise,' said lead author Dr Cole Wayant of OSU.

'But what is a surprise, and what warrants concern, is that this funding is often not disclosed in the publication of clinical trials that form the basis of FDA approvals and clinical practice guidelines.'

The authors concluded: 'In clinical trials of FDA-approved oncology drugs, bias, either real or potential, is more concerning because these oncology drugs are often associated with marginal improvement in survival but exorbitant costs.'
Senior GPs salaries have risen to their highest in six years at a time when patients are finding it harder than ever to get an appointment.

Latest NHS figures for 2017 show the average salaries of partner GPs  who are in charge of running surgeries  have risen to 111,500, a 5.2 per cent rise within a year.

Their pay is now at the highest level since 2012 despite the fact that patients satisfaction with surgeries is at an all-time low.

The British Medical Association, the doctors union, said salaries had gone up because GPs were leaving the profession and there was more money to go round.

GP practices receive money from the NHS via local Clinical Commissioning Groups depending on the services they provide and the number of patients on their book.

Doctors take their salaries out of this pot so if there are fewer of them in the surgery there is more money to go round.

Yet patients are the least satisfied with their GP services since records began 35 years ago and a quarter are waiting a week or more for an appointment.

Partner GPs, who are in charge of running doctors' surgeries, now earn an average of 111,500 a year, while the average salary for all GPs has risen to 92,500, NHS figures reveal

Yesterdays figures from NHS Digital show the average salary for all GPs in 2016-17 was 92,500, up from 90,100 in 2015-16.

But for partner GPs salaries rose from 106,000 to 111,500 in the same period.

GPs salaries benefited hugely from a contract introduced by Labour in 2004 which also allowed them to opt out of evening and weekend work.

Average pay to for partners increased to 100,000 a year thanks to a controversial bonus scheme which enabled them to earn extra cash for monitoring and treating certain conditions.

Pay has risen higher because there are fewer GPs

But in recent years their salaries have fallen because surgeries have received less money from the NHS due to cutbacks.

The BMA said a significant proportion of this years pay rise was as a result of a fall in GP numbers, particularly partners.

Experts said patients would wonder why their salaries were going up at a time of severe NHS cutbacks and a dramatic fall in satisfaction.

'Taxpayers will wonder whether these increases are necessary'

JUNIOR DOCTORS PLOT NEW STRIKE OVER PAY Junior doctors are plotting strike action which threatens fresh chaos for the NHS. Leaders of their union the British Medical Association are furious after junior doctors were offered only a 1 per cent pay rise last month. Polling of 2,500 junior doctors suggested more than 80 per cent are willing to strike. The BMA's most senior members  its council  will now decide whether to carry out a formal ballot of up to 55,000 junior doctors. Junior doctors last took industrial action in 2016 and four separate walkouts that winter caused huge disruption for hospitals. About 23,000 operations and 100,000 outpatient appointments were cancelled between January and April that year and many patients waited months to be rescheduled. The junior doctors committee chairman Jeeves Wijesuriya wrote last month: 'This is no pay increase. This is yet another real-terms pay cut.' Advertisement

John OConnell, chief executive at the TaxPayers Alliance said: GPs in Britain are already well paid by international comparisons, so taxpayers will wonder whether these increases are entirely necessary.

A lot of the NHS budget is thrown into inflated wages for those at the top and we need to make sure that every penny in the health budget is spent effectively.

Earlier this month NHS Englands GP Patient Survey showed that a quarter of patients were waiting a week or more for an appointment, and a third were struggling to get through on the phone

A separate report in March  the British Social Attitudes Survey  showed that patients' satisfaction with GPs had fallen to its lowest level in 35 years.

Average satisfaction levels fell by 7 per cent to 65 per cent, marking the lowest figure since the research started in 1983.

'Earnings have risen but partners are forced to work longer hours'

Dr Richard Vautrey, chair of the BMAs GP committee said: After a decade during which GP pay fell by 20 per cent, something that has had a real impact on GP recruitment, retention and morale, at long last GPs may be seeing an end to repeated pay cuts.

'While earnings may have risen, over the same time frame we have seen the workforce crisis deepen, with the number of full-time equivalent GPs in England falling by more than 2 per cent, and partners by more than 4 per cent.

GPs are therefore spreading themselves more thinly.

'With partners unable to hire more doctors, they themselves are taking on additional work, are forced to work longer hours.

'They are placing further pressure on themselves to deliver care to patients amid mounting demand.'

It is likely that the falling workforce accounts for a significant proportion of the apparent rise in an average partners salary, as funding allocated to them to meet the needs of their patients is shared between fewer doctors.
The son of Chicago's police chief has been sworn in as a rookie officer just a year after he donated a kidney to his dad.

Daniel Johnson, 26, received a big hug from his father Superintendent Eddie Johnson, 58, as he walked across the stage on Tuesday, with the elder Johnson calling it 'one of the most special days' of his life.

Eddie was diagnosed more than three decades ago with acute kidney inflammation.

Doctors thought his kidneys would only work for a few more years, but it was not until 2016 when the situation became serious.

His kidney function dropped to 10 percent capacity and doctors told him that he was in desperate need of a kidney transplant.

No match was found after months of donor screenings until it was revealed that Daniel was a match and planning to donate his kidney to his father.

Daniel Johnson, 26 (right), was sworn in as a Chicago police officer on Tuesday just a year after he donated a kidney to his father Superintendent Eddie Johnson (right)

Daniel received a big hug from Eddie (pictured) as he walked across the stage, with the elder Johnson calling it 'one of the most special days' of his life

Glomerulonephritis is an acute inflammation of the kidney that affects the glomeruli.

These are tiny structures that filter the kidneys, removing excess fluid, electrolytes and waste from your bloodstream through your urine.

The disorder can occur on its own or as part of another disease such as diabetes or lupus, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The superintendent has been a central figure in trying to crack down on Chicago's crime.

His condition had gotten to such a dire point that he was forced to reveal at news conference he nearly fainted at that he was diagnosed with the disease more than 30 years ago when he first tested to become a cop in the Windy City.

He had informed Mayor Rahm Emanuel of his condition after he was picked as superintendent in March 2016.

'So when I was diagnosed, I was 25 years old and, at the time the doctor...thought that my kidneys would probably last three to four years. And it's been 31 years,' Eddie said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

He said it was only in 2016 when his kidneys fell to 10 percent functioning capacity that he was put on a waiting list for a kidney transplant and, even though he made it longer than expected, he was running out of time.

Eddie (pictured) revealed in January that he was diagnosed three decades ago with glomerulonephritis an acute inflammation of the kidney that affects the glomeruli - tiny structures that filter the kidneys

After Eddie revealed he was on a transplant waiting list because his kidneys were functioning at 10 percent capacity, Daniel was tested and found to be a match. Pictured: Eddie, left, and Daniel, right

Eddie's nephrologist, Dr Paul Crawford, also spoke at the news conference where the superintendent's kidney disease was revealed.

According to the Tribune, Dr Crawford said that African-Americans are three to four times more likely to develop kidney disease due to a higher prevalence of diabetes or high blood pressure among that race.

After his dad's very public announcement, Daniel decided to get tested and was found to be a match.

The operation took place on August 31, 2017 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

You always were centered around helping and giving back to others. And that includes helping me Superintendent Eddie Johnson to his son Daniel Johnson

Just three days later, the superintendent was discharged from the hospital.

At the time, the medical center released a statement that read in part: 'According to Mr Johnson's transplant team, his kidney function is excellent. He is in good condition and making great progress.'

In just a little more than six weeks, Eddie had made such great strides that he was able to return to work at the Chicago Police Department.

Although a kidney transplant does not last forever, the average life span of a transplanted kidney from a living donor is about 15 years.

On average, people can live 10 to 20 years after a kidney transplant.

At the time of the transplant, Daniel was working as an elementary school teacher but told his father he was in the process of applying to become a Chicago cop.

Almost a year to the date of the surgery, the elder Johnson was able to watch his son be sworn in as a member of the force at the graduation ceremony at Navy Pier on Tuesday.

The operation took place on August 31, 2017 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and was declared to be a success. Pictured: Eddie Johnson at a press conference, right, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, left

At the time of the transplant, Daniel was working as an elementary school teacher but told his father he was in the process of applying to become a Chicago cop. Pictured: Daniel shakes hands with Mayor Emanuel

'I'm not just here as superintendent. I get to stand before you as a dad watching my son follow in my footsteps. I promised him that I wouldn't do this,' Johnson told the audience as they applauded, according to the Chicago-Sun Times.

Despite promising his son he'd keep the speech about police business, Eddie couldn't help himself and was overcome with emotion.

'I'm so incredibly proud of the young man you have become. Since you were a little boy to when you decided to become a schoolteacher and now, a police officer, you have embodied the meaning of service,' he said.

'You always were centered around helping and giving back to others. And that includes helping me.'

There were 218 officers, 69 percent of whom are minorities and 20 percent of whom have family in the Chicago PD, in Tuesday's graduating class.

There were also 111 newly-promoted detectives as part of Emanuel's push to hire more than 1,000 police officers to the force to combat the city's poor clearance rate for homicides and shootings.
NORMAL PEOPLE by Sally Rooney (Faber 14.99, 288 pp)

NORMAL PEOPLE

by Sally Rooney (Faber 14.99, 288 pp)

Sally Rooneys Conversations With Friends was by some margin the best debut of last year  a zeitgeisty novel about a young Dublin students alternating feelings for a former girlfriend and a married man.

It is her second, more conventional novel that has won her a nod in the form of the Booker longlist, however.

Marianne and Connell become lovers when Connells mother begins cleaning for Mariannes much wealthier family; formidably bright, they continue their on-off liaison while students at Trinity, unable to fully commit to each other, but viciously unhappy when not together.

Switching back and forth between them, Rooney presents Marianne and Connells messy, self-doubting, self-sabotaging inner lives with intoxicating clarity, so much so you end up feeling a bit wondrously punch drunk, even though the extent of the novels actual incident can be summed up in about three sentences.

I enjoyed it intensely, while thinking  and hoping  that it will be with her next novel that Rooney shows us what she is truly capable of.

TRANSCRIPTION

TRANSCRIPTION by Kate Atkinson (Doubleday 20, 352 pp)

by Kate Atkinson (Doubleday 20, 352 pp)

Eric Roberts, a humble bank clerk from Surrey, is having a bit of a moment: his parallel life as an MI5 agent is the subject of Anthony Quinns novel Our Friends In Berlin, and now the latest by Costa winner Kate Atkinson. Roberts ensnared British Nazi sympathisers during the war by pretending to be a Gestapo member.

Transcription is narrated by Juliet Armstrong, recruited by the government to record the conversations between Godfrey Toby, as Roberts is known here, and Hitlers fifth column. She is soon asked to infiltrate a fascist ring herself.

Atkinson dutifully summons up the drab particularity of wartime England in a shadowy, decades-spanning story that asks whether it is ever possible to fully know another person  or, indeed, a character in a novel. Just as Juliet sometimes has to fill in the gaps of what she cannot hear, so the reader has to fill in the gaps left on the page by Atkinson.

But while Juliets opaque character is part of the novels slippery overarching design, it is also, in the end, a fundamental problem. Come the rug-from-under-feet denouement and you might find yourself crossly baffled rather than intrigued.

THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS

THE SILENCE OF THE GIRLS by Pat Barker (Hamish Hamilton 18.99, 336 pp)

by Pat Barker (Hamish Hamilton 18.99, 336 pp)

With her Regeneration trilogy, Pat Barker has proven herself to be one of the great novelists of war, so it is no surprise her latest novel should re-imagine Western civilisations prototype conflict  the fall of Troy, as told in Homers The Iliad.

Here, though, the violent aftermath of the Greek victory is recounted mostly by Briseis, a Trojan queen picked by the great hero Achilles as his personal war trophy. She is forced to sleep with the man who murdered her husband and brothers.

Barker gives a voice to the invariably sexually violated women who go unheard in Homers poem of male derring-do. The effect is similar to that of Shakespeares history cycle, where it is the widows and mothers who count the real cost of blood-lusting male heroics on the battlefield.

Yet, while Barker boldly demolishes the founding myths of masculinity, the writing itself often feels baggy and sloppy  and, alas, not a patch on the books with which she made her name.
MEMOIR

NINE LIVES

by Aimen Dean (Oneworld 18.99, 480 pp)

ABU al-ABBAS  slightly built, bespectacled and, at just 27, a veteran al-Qaeda terrorist who flitted between Afghanistan and Europe as a go-between for the murderous organisation  was on holiday in Paris between assignments.

Relaxing among tourists on a pleasure boat on the Seine, he heard his mobile phone buzz and saw an urgent message on the screen.

Brother, go into hiding, it read. There is a spy among us.

His blood ran cold. He knew full well that there was a spy in the organisation. It was him.

For almost eight nerve-shredding years, he had risked his life as an undercover agent for the British secret service, penetrating the ranks of al-Qaeda, from Osama bin Laden at the top, to sinister recruiting agents and rabble-rousers such as hook-handed Abu Hamza in the Finsbury Park Mosque in London.

Aimen Dean who once pledged his allegiance to Osama bin Laden (pictured hiding in Afghanistan in 2001) recalls the time he spent spying on al-Qaeda for the British Secret Services in a new book

Now, it looked as if his cover had been blown  outed in an act of crass stupidity by his presumed friends in the West.

The text message urged him to look at the website of Time magazine, where he found an article by a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist detailing how the CIA had been able to thwart a plot for a deadly poison-gas attack on the New York subway, thanks to an inside informant.

He was not named, as such, but enough of the story was true for al-Qaeda to put two and two together and identify him.

Not only was he done for as a spy, but his life was in serious danger.

He was swiftly in touch with his MI5 and MI6 minders and raced to London, where he was put in a safe house and given a new name.

But his days providing vital information about an organisation dedicated to bringing terror to the everyday lives of innocent people around the world were over.

It wasnt his minders fault. They had shared with the Americans the secret information he had unearthed and someone in George W. Bushs White House  bragging about how they were getting on top of the terror threat  had blabbed to a reporter.

It was a typical careless blunder in the Wests war against terror  another wasted opportunity.

Such cack-handedness  shooting ourselves in the foot, rather than the enemy  is, sadly, far too prevalent, according to Abu al-Abbas, writing under his new name of Aimen Dean in this frankly chilling memoir.

From the Iraq invasion onwards, too many armed interventions and retaliations have served merely as recruiting sergeants for jihadists in their holy war. Each time, more hearts and minds are lost, yet, argues al-Abbas/Dean, it is only by winning over the Muslim majority to a peaceful interpretation of their faith, rather than a violent one, that a resolution will be found.

The route he recommends is one he himself has taken.

Aimen (pictured) began secretly working for MI5 and MI6 from 1999 onwards after witnessing more than 200 people be killed at the hands of suicide bombers in 1998

Brought up in Saudi Arabia and schooled in the Koran, which he knew word for word, he started out as an extremist at the age of 16, committing himself to defending Muslim people from attack.

He fought in Bosnia and then went to Afghanistan, where he pledged his allegiance to Bin Laden in person.

However, he began to doubt the cause when he saw a psychopathic blood lust among some of his fellow fighters that was alien to his own reading of Islamic texts and his understanding of Islam as a compassionate faith. The slaughter of more than 200 people by suicide bombers in 1998 in an attack on the American embassy in Kenya was the final straw for him.

Such indiscriminate killing just wasnt right.

How much money did Bin Laden leave in his will? 29 Millions of dollars left by Bin Laden in his will to be spent on jihad Advertisement

But it would have cost him his head to disclose his misgivings, so he chose to defect, slipping out of Afghanistan quietly.

He made contact with British intelligence and, from 1999 onwards, secretly worked for MI5 and MI6 as an undercover agent  one of just a handful actually operating inside Bin Ladens organisation.

He had no trouble in infiltrating the radical Islamic community in Britain.

In the basement of the Finsbury Park Mosque, he met rows of impressionable young Muslims sleeping on the floor as they waited to be shipped as recruits to Afghanistan.

All the while, using the code name Lawrence (after Lawrence of Arabia), he passed on information stored in his photographic memory  about routes, camps, personnel, bank accounts, networks and even Bin Ladens private phone number.

It was all gold dust for the intelligence services as they struggled to play catch-up with a threat that, in those last years of the 20th century, they were only just beginning to comprehend.

NINE LIVES by Aimen Dean (Oneworld 18.99, 480 pp)

He visited mosques all over the country and was depressed when he saw young second and third-generation Muslims being seduced by the extremes of holy war and martyrdom.

He feared  rightly  that here was a ready-made supply of suicide bombers and felt that little was being done by politicians or the authorities to draw them away from their murderous intentions.

But other plots got through, such as the London bombings of 2005 that killed 52 people and injured more than 700.

He was still monitoring sinister activity  now more urgently than ever  when, the following year, that leaked disclosure in the American Press unmasked him and abruptly ended his undercover career.

A fatwa inevitably followed  any one of the faithful was licensed to kill him  and is apparently still in force.

He has gone to ground, now makes a living as an anti-terrorist consultant, has married and lives as quietly as he can.

He retains his faith, following what he calls an Islam of private contemplation, spiritual reflection and study.
BOOK OF THE WEEK

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: MORE LETTERS FROM HISTORY

(The National Archives 25, 304 pp)

The chief reason I wanted to be a writer is that I have always loved the paraphernalia of writing: the fountain pens and Waterman inks, creamy ruled paper, typewriter ribbons, carbon sheets, envelopes and postcards to pop into a pillar box.

This has practically vanished today, as communication has become increasingly virtual. Texts, tweets and emails are impermanent. Files and attachments are invariably lost or deleted.

Documents covering my early career, going back to school reports, are safe in the attic.

Everything for the past 15 years, however, has gone with the wind.

The National Archive has released a new book featuring a series of letters from history including one written by Ronnie and Reggie Kray's father (Pictured: London Gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray)

Charles Kray (pictured right alongside his son Charlie Kray) wrote to the Home Secretary using cheap Biro asking for lenience for Ronnie and Reggie

So there will never be a 21st-century equivalent of In Their Own Words, with its lavishly produced examples of Queen Elizabeth Is calligraphy, Lucian Freuds green crayon messages, and the Kray Twins father Charless letter in cheap Biro to the Home Secretary.

He said of Ronnie and Reggie: Nobody could ask for a more kindly lad and his brother, and added: Please be lenient.

All these examples of letters from history come from The National Archives in Kew, where, it would seem, anything jotted down and sent to a government department was salvaged for posterity.

Here we have parchment scrolls from medieval times, when King John made out a bulletin about the murder of his nephew, Arthur of Brittany, a possible claimant to the English throne.

Henry VIIIs daughter, Elizabeth, writes nervous letters to her stepmothers, Catherine Parr and Anne of Cleves  in those days, no ones head was safe.

Its always fascinating to see the elaborate courtesy of messages from the olden days, as if the writers had all the time in the world. General Gordon pleads for reinforcements at Khartoum but, by the time the authorities in London have finished reading his dispatch, in January 1885, the city has fallen, the garrison and the inhabitants have been massacred and Gordon is decapitated.

The National Archive's new book also features a letter written to Queen Victoria from Abraham Lincoln (pictured) in copperplate

Abraham Lincoln writes to Queen Victoria (Great and Good Friend) in elaborate copperplate with flourishes and loops. It must have taken all morning. Gandhis uncompromising demands for Indian independence are made with a spidery hand and led to the slaughter of Partition in 1947.

How much more sensible and considerate the generals had been during World War I, when Kitchener ensured Hindu and Muslim troops in the Indian Army were provided with separate water supplies and arrangements were quietly made for the different forms of funeral rites.

We are shown a letter from Oscar Wildes sister-in-law wanting her husbands waistcoat back  Oscar had borrowed his brothers garment to wear at his trial.

Also preserved is Nelson Mandelas reading list, typed when he was an unknown prisoner  how did anyone think to keep it?

In World War II, Churchill wrote about everything from apes on the Rock of Gibraltar (They should not be allowed to die out) to the Final Solution: The greatest and most horrible crime ever committed in the whole history of the world. And who can fail to be moved by the Foreign Office telegrams about Edith Cavell, a nurse who, during World War I, had treated British and German casualties alike.

Gandhis (pictured) request for India's independence which led to the slaughter of Partition in 1947 is written with a spidery hand in the book

She was shot by the Germans in Brussels in 1915 for wanting to save lives behind the enemy lines. Another emotional tale is that of the Barnardos children sent to Canada between 1882 and 1939. The feelings of the youngsters were never considered, nor were the parents allowed a voice, as they were not only impoverished, but mostly unmarried.

I was surprised to receive a letter telling me you were sending my little girls to Canada, which I do not approve of . . . I shall never be able to save the money for them to come back, writes a father.

As infants were banished to the Dominions, our Colonial subjects flooded into Southampton. The arrival of the Windrush ship from the Caribbean created fears about mass immigration. An influx of coloured people is likely to impair the harmony, strength and cohesion of our public life, the Labour Party wrote to Clement Attlee in 1948.

Public life was already under dire threat from cuddling and canoodling. The London Public Morality Council wrote to HM Office of Works in a bid to stamp out immorality in Hyde Park, where hand-holding and kissing had been witnessed.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS: MORE LETTERS FROM HISTORY (The National Archives 25, 304 pp)

One of the proposed solutions was to enforce nationwide sobriety by watering down the beer, restricting licensing hours and making it an offence punishable by six months imprisonment to buy a large round.

We also have a sample of Princess Margarets pen-pal correspondence with Margaret Thatcher: More power to your policy of nuclear power stations . . . Ive been advocating this since I was 20!

In Thatchers missives to Mikhail Gorbachev, she declares: Together we really did contribute to changing our world. They only brought down the Berlin Wall, reunited Germany and ended the Cold War.

This book makes the point that a growing level of literacy commenced in about 500 BC, when marks were first inscribed on tree bark or papyrus. Then animal skins and parchment came in, along with scribes and printing presses.

As paper-making machines were invented, learning to read and write became essential for maintaining long-distance relationships, for recording laws and literature, and for having a voice. What is replacing it? All I detect are grunts, silence, social media mob rule and stupidity.
The UK competition watchdog has provisionally cleared a deal to merge energy suppliers Npower and SSE after finding it will not translate into more expensive deals for customers.

The Competition Markets Authority said the merger between two of the 'Big Six' energy firms will not impact how they set their prices for standard variable tariffs  the most common and expensive tariffs  because the two firms are not 'close rivals' for these customers.

If the deal, which was announced in November last year, goes ahead it would mean the so-called 'Big Six' would be reduced to the 'Big Five'. A final decision will be made in October.

Approved: The CMA said the merger will not mean higher prices for people who pay the more expensive standard variable prices

The focus of the CMA's investigation was on SVTs because it previously found that people who do not switch are usually on one of the large energy supplier's STVs and pay higher prices.

It therefore looked at whether the merger between SSE and Npower would change how large energy suppliers set these prices.

But it found if SVT customers switch, they would generally change to a cheaper fixed tariff. And if people do switch, it would not tend to be between SSE and Npower, but instead another provider.

Anne Lambert, chairwoman of the inquiry group at the CMA said: 'We carefully scrutinised this deal, in particular how it would impact people who pay the more expensive standard variable prices.

'Our analysis shows that the merger will not impact how SSE and Npower set their SVT prices because they are not close rivals for these customers.'

The regulator's fears were further eased by high levels of customer switching - the highest in a decade - while it also found the proportion on SVTs has fallen.

Under the proposed deal, the new company will be listed on the London Stock Exchange with SSE shareholders holding 65.6 per cent and Npower owner Innogy holding 34.4 per cent.

SSE is Britain's second biggest energy supplier and the merged group will serve around 11.5million customers.

SSE boss Alistair Phillips-Davies welcomed the CMA's provisional findings.

He said: 'The scale and pace of change in the Great Britain energy market continues to be significant and requires us to evolve to stay relevant, competitive and sustainable.

'The planned transaction presents a great opportunity to create a more agile, innovative and efficient company that really delivers for customers and the energy market as a whole.'

Georgie Frost, consumer advocate from GoCompare, said: 'The reality is that moving from a big six to a big five wont fundamentally change the competitive landscape for consumers, but it is an indicator of the huge upheaval we are likely to see in the market in the next few years.

'The big providers are wrestling with a dual-fuelled conundrum of declining customer numbers and the potential eradication of their cash cow standard variable tariffs (SVTs) due to the Governments energy cap proposal.'
Unmarried widows and widowers are a step closer to becoming entitled to bereavement benefits that are currently available only to those who are married after a landmark legal case today.

Siobhan McLaughlin, 46, won a Supreme Court battle to access widowed parents allowance for her bereaved four children.

She had been refused the benefit on the basis that she had not been married to her partner of 23 years, John Adams, who died from cancer in January 2014.

Victory: Siobhan McLaughlin is pictured today with her children Billy and Rebecca Adams

McLaughlin had previously successfully challenged the decision in the High Court in Belfast but a government challenge to that ruling was later upheld in the Court of Appeal.

However, todays landmark judgement gives her access to the bereavement benefits.

This could pave the way for more cohabiting parents to become able to claim such benefits which, by law, are only available to married widows and widowers.

Bereavement benefits have been dramatically overhauled over the past year, but despite their modernisation, they are still not available to unmarried couples, even those with young children.

There are three payments available to the partners of those who pass away at a young age; a bereavement support payment, a widowed parents allowance and a bereavement allowance.

They are paid for from the National Insurance contributions of the person who has passed away.

The deceased may have paid tens of thousands of pounds in National Insurance contributions, which goes towards qualifying for a pension in old age.

If they die, some of that money is given to their children or partner instead when they are likely to need it most.

The payments help widows bringing up children with a sudden drop in family income, or help families to find the money needed for a funeral and other immediate costs after a loved one passes away.

Although these benefits are not currently available to unmarried couples, today the Supreme Court, by a majority of four justices to one, ruled that the current law on the allowance is 'incompatible' with Human Rights legislation.

Giving the lead judgment, the court's President Lady Hale said: The allowance exists because of the responsibilities of the deceased and the survivor towards their children.

Those responsibilities are the same whether or not they are married to or in a civil partnership with one another.

The purpose of the allowance is to diminish the financial loss caused to families with children by the death of a parent.

That loss is the same whether or not the parents are married or in a civil partnership with one another.

Siobhan McLaughlin

However, Lady Hale said not every case where an unmarried parent is denied the allowance after the death of their partner will be unlawful. The court also said it is up to the Government to decide whether or how to change the law.

Rachael Griffin tax and financial planning expert at Quilter said high profile court cases around cohabitation are becoming an increasing occurrence, and not a trend that the government should be applauding.

This most recent case serves as a stark reminder that marriage is heavily engrained in our current benefit and tax systems. This structure, however, does not marry to current trends. Recent ONS figures highlight there are nearly 6million cohabitees in the UK, she said.

This is a worrying state of affairs and one that merits serious examination by the government. Judgements like these increase the pressure on the government to carefully look inheritance and tax rights to ensure they reflect modern family units.

Andrew Wilkinson, partner and will dispute specialist at law firm Shakespeare Martineau said: The UK courts are finally recognising the rights of unmarried couples.

Whilst the position of unmarried partners is still precarious, the rights afforded by this decision are certainly an improvement. It will allow people in the UK to apply for the widowed partners allowance.

Modern family structures are constantly evolving, and married couples are no longer the norm. Despite this, the law in this country lags far behind and it is cases like this which demonstrate the need for widespread reform.'
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and former 'Sex and the City' star Cynthia Nixon swapped insults and clashed over policy Wednesday in their only scheduled debate before the September 13 Democratic primary.

During the hour-long exchange at Hofstra University, the governor accused Nixon of donating to Mayor Bill de Blasio as 'a corporation' in exchange for special favors throughout the city - which Nixon denied.

Cuomo said: 'My opponent, as a corporate donor to the mayor, called the mayor's office for special favors for her friends.'

Nixon chimed in and replied: 'How am I a corporate donor? I asked for no favors for friends and I am not a corporate donor to anyone.'

Cuomo went on to say: 'You are a corporation... you file taxes as a corporation... you are a corporation.'

Scroll down for video

Absolutely painful back-and-forth between Cuomo & Nixon here.



Cuomo tries to accuse Nixon of being "a corporation" and donating as "a corporation" to get special favors in NYC.



The "favor"?



She requested no helicopters above "Shakespeare in the Park" so people could hear. pic.twitter.com/D0BAcGJWxe  jordan (@JordanUhl) August 29, 2018

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and former 'Sex and the City' star Cynthia Nixon appeared Wednesday at their only scheduled debate before the September 13 Democratic primary

Cuomo (right) repeatedly called Nixon 'a corporation' during the hour-long exchange at Hofstra University in New York

Nixon added: 'I have never, nor could, donate to anyone's political campaign. I donate through my own personal funds.'

Cuomo continued to call Nixon 'a corporation' before she said: 'I am a person.'

Nixon added during the debate that the only favor requested was to stop helicopters from flying over the free 'Shakespeare in the Park' - an open-air theater that takes place in Central Park.

While the testy exchange featured plenty of interruptions and insults, neither candidate landed the political equivalent of a knockout blow likely to significantly alter the race.

Cuomo did make news during the debate, saying in response to a question about his political future that he plans to serve a full four years and will not run for president if elected to a third term.

Cuomo had been considered a potential presidential contender.

Nixon, a longtime liberal activist, went after the incumbent early in the debate, calling Cuomo corrupt and a liar.

She accused him of empowering Republicans in Albany and not doing enough to address political corruption, income inequality or New York City's aging subways.

'I'm not an Albany insider like Gov. Cuomo but I think experience doesn't mean that much if you're not good at governing,' she said.

Cuomo responded by saying Nixon 'lives in a world of fiction' and doesn't understand the challenges of leading the nation's fourth largest state.

'It's about doing. It's about management. This is real life,' Cuomo said.

'You're in charge of fighting terrorism. You're there in case of fires and floods and emergencies... and today you've got to deal with Donald Trump. You need to know how to do it.'

Polls suggest Cuomo has a more than 30 percentage point lead over Nixon, who also trails substantially in fundraising.

Observers had predicted that Nixon would attempt to rattle the governor in the hopes that he would misspeak.

'Can you stop interrupting?' Cuomo asked at one point.

'Can you stop lying?' Nixon fired back.

Nixon attempted to tie Cuomo to the recent conviction of his former top aide, Joe Percoco, on charges that he accepted bribes from companies seeking state economic development funds.

She said Cuomo was either complicit or ignorant about what was going on in his administration. 'Either corruption or incompetence, which is it?'

Cuomo responded that he didn't know about Percoco's activities and said he would push for greater ethics reforms if re-elected.

While several of Nixon's attacks appeared to irritate the governor, they did not provoke any significant gaffes - such as the governor's comment earlier this month that America 'was never that great.' Cuomo later said the remark was 'inartful.'

Cuomo and Democratic New York gubernatorial candidate Nixon engage during a gubernatorial debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York on Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Hofstra University political scientist Craig Burnett said he didn't see a clear winner in the debate, and that both candidates can claim some accomplishments.

Nixon, he said, had an opportunity to lay out her progressive vision for the state, whereas Cuomo held his own and avoided any serious missteps that could go viral and change the race.

'Ideally Nixon would have wanted this debate to happen three months ago,' he said. 'She would have wanted three or four of them, as a way to get her message out. But this was it.'

Cuomo had been considered a possible presidential contender in 2020 but he brushed off that speculation when asked by a moderator if he would pledge to serve four years if re-elected.

'Yes, yes, yes and yes,' he said in response.

The candidates also were asked whether they would seek the endorsement of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a liberal Democrat who has had a long, frosty relationship with Cuomo. Nixon has been a close ally.

Neither candidate said yes. Nixon said she's running her own campaign and isn't taking direction from anyone, while Cuomo said that he wouldn't try to tell the mayor how to vote.

The Democratic primary winner faces Republican Marc Molinaro, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and independent Stephanie Miner in November.

Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York by more than 2-1.
Robert Knox, 50, was killed by Delaware troopers while searching his home

A paraplegic man was shot and killed by Delaware troopers executing a search warrant at his home Tuesday.

Delaware State Police said Wednesday that Robert Knox, 50, of Harbeson was lying in bed and reached for a handgun while troopers were in the home early Tuesday.

A struggle over the weapon followed and two troopers fired their weapons at Knox, who later died at a hospital.

The incident is being investigated by the state police homicide unit.

He had a long criminal history that included convictions for drug trafficking, robbery and resisting arrest, court records show.

Knox's father, Andrew A. Knox, 82, was arrested Tuesday and charged with possession of a firearm by a person prohibited and maintaining a drug property. He was released on $13,000 unsecured bail. A defense attorney who is expected to represent Knox said Wednesday that he was waiting to hear back from the family.

State police said Wednesday that Knox's arrest followed a three-week long drug investigation in southern Delaware that also resulted in the arrest of Andrew Ayers, 54. Ayers, who was arrested at a house in Milton, was being held on $100,200 secured bond.

Police said they recovered four handguns at the Knox residence, along with about 1.8 pounds (815.8 grams) of powder cocaine, 2.6 pounds (1,196.9 grams) of marijuana, 2.4 ounces (68.2 grams) of crystal methamphetamine, and 1.8 ounces (51.9 grams) of crack cocaine.

Guns and money found at the Harbeson house where a 50-year-old paraplegic was shot by state police during a raid

His father, Andrew Knox, 82, (left) was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm and maintaining a drug property. Andrew Ayers was also arrested (right)

At the house in Milton, officer seized about 14 ounces (395.6 grams) of marijuana, along with crack cocaine and a loaded handgun. Ayers is facing drug delivery and gun charges. It was not immediately clear whether he has lawyer.

The elder Knox has previous convictions for possession with intent to sell drugs, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, burglary, theft and conspiracy.

Robert Knox was convicted of drug possession in 2015. He was convicted in 2003 of trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, delivery of a narcotic, reckless endangering and resisting arrest.

He was also convicted of cocaine trafficking and conspiracy in 1994, and on robbery charges in 1988 and 1989.

According to a newspaper article at the time, Knox and his father were arrested in February 2003 after police found drugs and guns in the father's home. According to the article, Robert Knox tried to flee the scene in a car, driving toward police officers, two of whom shot at the car in self-defense.

Juanita Knox, Andrew's estranged wife, said she had spoken to him Tuesday, but she did not provide any other details.

'I really don't know the ins and outs of it yet,' she said when asked about the shooting.

Knox said her son was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident in 2013.
Dr. Joseph Lawson Burton, 73, has been sentenced to serve eight years in prison for trading opioid prescriptions for sex

A highly regarded former Georgia medical examiner has been sentenced to serve eight years in prison for trading opioid prescriptions for sex in what former colleagues say is a sad and shocking turn for a man they knew as an ethical and dedicated public servant.

A forensic pathologist and former medical examiner, Joseph Burton, 73, handled cases from seven metro Atlanta counties, including some of the region's most high-profile murders.

Burton and seven others were indicted on conspiracy charges in February. Prosecutors say Burton, who had a medical expert consulting business but didn't see patients, wrote more than 1,500 prescriptions from July 2015 to August 2017 without a legitimate medical purpose.

The forensic pathologist and former medical examiner handled cases from seven metro Atlanta counties, including some of the region's most high-profile murders

Burton wrote many of the prescriptions to women in exchange for sexual favors, and he was aware that many of the recipients sold or bartered the prescriptions and pills, prosecutors said.

Once he knew the Drug Enforcement Administration was investigating him, he then tried to falsify records, prosecutors said.

Burton pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross for a 14-year sentence, while Burton's attorney asked for less than four years.

Ross, who previously served as a homicide prosecutor, said she has great respect and appreciation for the work that medical examiners do.

She said she took into account Burton's health and his past work in giving him a sentence below the guidelines.

Burton's stunning fall is largely the result of a massive stroke he suffered in 2010 that damaged his brain's frontal lobe, his lawyer Buddy Parker said.

A doctor's report submitted to the court said Burton suffers from mild vascular neurocognitive disorder, impairing his executive functions, which include 'taking the time to think before acting, resisting temptations, and staying focused.'

Prosecutors said that Burton (pictured) wrote many of the prescriptions to women in exchange for sexual favors, and he was aware that many of the recipients sold or bartered the prescriptions and pills

Burton pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy to illegally distribute drugs. Prosecutors say Burton, who had a medical expert consulting business but didn't see patients, wrote more than 1,500 prescriptions from July 2015 to August 2017 without a legitimate medical purpose (stock image)

Although he knew what he was doing was wrong, he couldn't control his behavior, Parker wrote in a court filing: 'Burton's moral compass has been destroyed by cardiovascular disease.'

Burton briefly addressed the court before he was sentenced, apologizing and saying he didn't know why he did what he did.

'I failed everybody, including myself,' he said.

Prosecutors argued that his continued professional activity following the stroke contradicted his claims of reduced mental capacity.

He continued to practice as a forensic pathologist, owning and operating his own business and testifying on complex matters in hundreds of cases, prosecutors said. He billed $45,000 per case or $500 an hour for his services.

Parker submitted a dozen character letters written by former district attorneys, defense attorneys and others who worked with Burton.

They describe him as brilliant, fair and professional, with many saying he was among the best expert witnesses they ever encountered.

Prosecutor John DeGenova argued that all of those people knew him in a limited professional capacity years ago.

US Attorney Byung J. 'BJay' Pak (left) and law enforcement officials announced that Burton, seen in displayed photo, had been indicted along with seven other individuals

Burton, he said, thought that 'his reputation, his stature and his intellect would keep him from having to deal with these consequences.'

Parker argued that Burton's past contributions mattered and noted that Burton's behavior had already cost him everything.

'He's lost his medical license. He's lost his practice. He's lost his reputation as one of the greatest pathologists in this country,' Parker said.

One of his greatest contributions was in the recognition and diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, work that led to laws in Georgia and other states that require autopsies whenever there is no obvious cause of death for a child, former DeKalb County district attorney J. Tom Morgan wrote in a letter.

Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter recalled that Burton's testimony and expertise helped secure the conviction of Charles Thomas White III even though no body had been found.

Burton's 'walk through of the work up of the crime scene was integral to convincing the jury that the victim was dead and had died at the scene,' Porter wrote.

Burton also worked on the infamous Atlanta child murders case, investigating the killings of black boys and young men from 1979 to 1981.

Some of the letters described a string of tragedies - the 1987 stabbing death of his only son, his stroke and a serious automobile accident - that took a tremendous toll on him.

Some recalled recent interactions that left them surprised and saddened at his diminished state. Most of the letter writers said they were unable to reconcile the man they knew with the behavior that landed him in court.

Burton pleaded guilty in July to similar charges in Cobb County and still faces charges in Cherokee County.
White schoolchildren who put a black pupil through a 'mock slave auction' and allegedly called him a 'n****r' will not face criminal charges, it emerged today.

The group of seven teenagers staged the event on a lunch break - tying the black boy to a post on school grounds and calling him a 'cotton picker', it was claimed.

The black boy was said to have become upset after he was chained to a lamppost, whipped with thin branches and called names at the unnamed school in Bath.

The boy was whipped and called names at the unnamed school in Bath (aerial view of the city)

Avon and Somerset Police today revealed officers have now concluded their investigation into the incident which officers treated as a hate crime.

The force said all seven youths admitted their involvement in the incident that took place on January 22. However, none of them were charged with a criminal offence.

Instead, two of them agreed to participate in 'community resolution', a form of restorative justice led by the victim that does not result in a criminal record.

Had the two youths not accepted this alternative, one of them would have been prosecuted. The boys knew this when making their decision, police said.

The victim's family were consulted about this course of action and their wishes were taken into account, according to the force.

A police spokesman told Bath Live: 'Every aspect of the incident has been taken into account, including the wishes of the victim's family, and as a result two boys will be subject to a community resolution process for their part in the offence.'

The spokesman added: 'Community resolutions are a powerful tool focusing on reparation and are considered to be the most appropriate outcome in this case.

'We take hate crime extremely seriously and recognise the devastating impact it can have on victims and their lives.

Avon and Somerset Police (whose former police station in Bath is pictured) today revealed officers have now concluded their investigation into the incident

'There's no room for this type of crime in Avon and Somerset and we'll continue to work with our partner agencies and communities to stamp out offences motivated by prejudice or hate.'

The Crown Prosecution Service is the body that decides whether criminal charges can be brought following a police investigation.

In this case, the CPS decided there was enough evidence to charge only one of the seven youths with an offence.

That youth was given an 'out-of-court disposal order', enabling justice to take place outside the court system.

In response to subsequent questions, police said: 'All youths admitted to being present at the incident as well as their roles during this incident to varying degrees.

'Having reviewed all the evidence, CPS and police felt CR (community resolution) was the most appropriate outcome for two of the group.

'CR has to be accepted by those taking part and if not accepted the CPS were only willing to charge one youth. However, this was explained and CR was accepted by both youths.

'By law, criminalising youths must be deferred when it is felt rehabilitation would better serve, and both CPS and police agreed rehabilitation through the CR process was the most appropriate outcome for this incident.'

A CPS spokesman said: 'The Crown Prosecution Service received a file of evidence from Avon and Somerset Police on May 16 relating to an incident involving seven youths at a school in Bath, Somerset, on January 22.

'Following receipt of this file, one youth admitted his involvement in the incident and was given an out-of-court disposal order.

'The evidence was considered in accordance with the code for Crown Prosecutors and the CPS concluded there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the remaining six youths.

'The CPS, through the police, has liaised with the victim's family and they have been consulted prior to the decision being made.'
Jeremy Corbyn claimed Nato was set up to 'promote a cold war with the Soviet Union' in a newly revealed speech.

The now Labour leader made the inflammatory remarks while he was still leader of the Stop the War coalition in August 2014.

The speech in Newport came just weeks after Russian troops marched into the Crimean peninsula and illegally annexed the Ukrainian territory.

Security Minister Ben Wallace derided Mr Corbyn as 'off his trolley' today after a video of the remarks circulated on Twitter.

He was also criticised by despairing Labour MPs who have long slammed Mr Corbyn for being soft on national security.

Security Minister Ben Wallace derided Mr Corbyn as 'off his trolley' today after a video of the remarks circulated on Twitter

Speaking in 2014 ahead of the Nato summit in Cardiff, he said: 'Why are we meeting?

'Because I think Nato needs to be taken to task and this absurd spatchcock of a history that Nato has been treating us to over the last few weeks needs to be challenged.

'I'll just give you a few dates: 1948, Nato was founded in order to promote a Cold War with the Soviet Union.

'That resulted in the formation of The Warsaw Pact. That resulted in 60 years of a ludicrous arms race which cost us all billions of pounds and dollars and damaged the civil liberties of people all over the world.

Labour MP Ian Austin said Mr Corbyn had turned Labour into a 'different party' with his anti-Nato stance

Jeremy Corbyn claimed Nato was set up to 'promote a cold war with the Soviet Union' in a newly revealed speech

'Come the end of the Cold War in 1990 that should have been the time for Nato to shut up shop, give up, go home, go away and the organisation for security and cooperation in Europe which had people on both sides of the then Iron Curtain coming together to promote a demilitarised peaceful Europe.

'Sadly that did not happen.'

Labour MP Ian Austin said: 'The great Labour leader Clement Attlee was instrumental in establishing Nato, which Jeremy thinks was set up to 'promote a Cold War with the Soviet Union'.

'Jeremy and the rest of them are completely outside our party's mainstream, moderate tradition. This is a different party.'

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: 'Jeremy Corbyn and Labour are committed to Nato membership, as laid out in our manifesto.'
A homeless woman sleeping in a cardboard box was killed as road crews cleared the vagrant camp she was living in.

Shannon Marie Bigley, 33, had only been living in the California camp outside of San Francisco for a short period of time before she was killed on August 1.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) workers took over the makeshift camp located in a grassy field alongside Highway 99 in Modesto and struck and killed her with the heavy machinery they were operating, according to Modesto Police Chief Galen Carroll.

Shannon Marie Bigley, 33, was asleep in a cardboard box when she was struck and killed by Caltrans workers clearing the homeless camp she lived in near Highway 99 in Modesto

Police are pictured gathered near the site where Bigley's body was found on August 1 after she was killed by road crew workers clearing the camp she lived in

At first her death was thought to be a homicide, but after police determined she was killed during the camp clean up, the investigation was handed off to the California Highway Patrol.

Caltrans confirmed the cause of Bigley's death on Tuesday. An investigation is ongoing and no further details of her death have been revealed.

As of Tuesday the camp was still standing.

Bigley was originally from Oregon and her last known address was in Stockton. She recently began staying at the encampment in Modesto, according to the Stanislaus County coroner.

The CHP released a statement earlier this month in light of Bigley's death.

Her body was found here in a grassy field off of Highway 99. As of Tuesday the encampment was still standing

A closer look at the campsite reveals the state of disarray bordering the highway

It was here that Bigley and other homeless people lived before the camp was ordered to be cleared

'Our sympathies go out to the family of the woman who was found earlier this month during an encampment cleanup along State Route 99 in Modesto. The incident is currently being investigated jointly by the CHP Fresno area office and the Modesto Police Department,' the statement said.

The horrific incident took place four months after the union that represents Caltrans workers filed a grievance regarding homeless encampment cleanups saying that workers were not given sufficient protective gear or training for that kind of work, however their grievance was rejected by the state, according to the Modesto Bee.

The union filed a new grievance on Wednesday, according to KCRA.

'If you look at their job classification, nowhere is it mentioned that they clean up homeless encampments,' Union chief Steve Courch said, requesting all such clean ups be halted.
A wanted Australian fugitive was left with 'zero chill' on Tuesday after he was cornered by police - whilst attempting to hide in a chest freezer.

In a truly bizarre arrest, Cody Allan Coppock was surrounded on a property at Yamba, 275km south of Brisbane on the NSW north coast, just before 9am.

The 28-year-old was literally yanked out of a freezer, which police confirmed was fully operational at the time, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Cody Allan Coppock tried to hide in a freezer when police raided a Yamba address on Tuesday

Coppock was taken to nearby Grafton Police Station on four outstanding warrants.

He appeared in Grafton Local Court on Tuesday, where bail was formally refused.

In February, Coppock was involved in an aggravated break and enter in Armatree, 480km northwest of Sydney, where three vehicles and a firearm were reported stolen.

He also rammed two cars to avoid being arrested.

Coppock was recently named by Crime Stoppers as part of Operation Roam, a public awareness program to help police hunt down on the run criminals.

Cody Allan Coppock can expect plenty of time behind bars following his recent arrest

In 2015, Coppock fled a crime scene after police found shortened rifles, knives and ammunition in a car he was driving in Coonabarabran.

Known to frequently change his appearance, Coppock often used aliases such as David Morris and Cody Gallegos.

He also has 'Gallegos' tattooed prominently on his forearm.


A woman has been left shocked when she found green-coloured flesh inside a roast chicken she bought from a Coles supermarket.

Kylie Mason bought the chicken from the Lithgow, NSW, Coles on Tuesday evening. She noticed the discolouration after bringing the chicken home and slicing it open.

Ms Mason took to Facebook to complain about the strangely coloured meat.

'Thought I'll do a baked chook for dinner last night, unfortunately we couldn't eat it,' she posted on Coles' Facebook page, alongside a picture of her purchase.

Ms Mason complained after finding green-coloured flesh inside her Coles roast chicken

Social media users were left disgusted by the picture of the discoloured bird posted online

Ms Mason told Daily Mail Australia she was in 'shock horror' when she started to pull the chicken apart.

She spoke to a Coles staff member who 'apologised several times' and 'gave [her] a refund.'

However, Coles supermarket claim the chicken would still have been safe to eat.

'When Coles told me it perfectly fine to eat I nearly vomited in my mouth. Put it this way it has turned us off chicken for quite some time!!' Ms Mason said.

In a comment to Kylie, the supermarket accounted for the green colour by explaining that the bird had 'flapped its wings too much' while it was alive.

The comment explained that the green colouring was caused by oxygen deficiency in the muscle, known as deep pectoral myopathy, and that it would not be 'harmful' to eat.

But despite this, the supermarket offered her a full refund for the bird as it did not conform to the chain's 'strict quality standards'.

However, others on social media were quick to show their disgust for the green-fleshed chicken.

One commented 'YUK....!!!' while another joked 'That's fowl'

Ms Mason later commented that the situation had been 'rectified' after she had spoken to a staff member from Coles Lithgow.

Daily Mail Australia has asked Coles for comment.
PRISONER OF WAR, CELEBRITY

McCain, became a public figure at age 31 when his bed-bound image was broadcast from North Vietnam in 1967. The North Vietnamese had figured out that he was the son and grandson of famous American military men  a 'crown prince,' they called him. He was offered an early release, but refused. McCain's captors beat him until he confessed, an episode that first led to shame  and then discovery. McCain has written that that's when he learned to trust not just his legacy but his own judgment  and his resilience. Less than a decade after his March 1973 release, McCain was elected to the House as a Republican from Arizona. In 1986, voters there sent him to the Senate.

THE KEATING FIVE

He called it 'my asterisk' and the worst mistake of his life. At issue was a pair of 1987 meetings between McCain, four other senators and regulators to get the government to back off a key campaign donor. Charles Keating Jr. wanted McCain and Democratic Sens. Dennis DeConcini of Arizona, Alan Cranston of California, John Glenn of Ohio and Don Riegle of Michigan to get government auditors to stop pressing Keating's Lincoln Savings and Loan Association. All five denied improper conduct. McCain was cleared of all charges but found to have exercised 'poor judgment.' 'His honor was being questioned and that's nothing that he takes lightly,' said Mark Salter, McCain's biographer and co-author of his new memoir, 'The Restless Wave.'

THE SENATE

McCain became his party's leading voice on matters of war, national security and veterans - and eventually became chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He worked with a Democrat to rewrite the nation's campaign finance laws. He voted for the Iraq War and supported the 2007 surge of forces there even as his own sons served or prepared to serve. But there was one thing that wasn't as widely known about him: McCain, owner of a ranch in Arizona that is in the flight path of 500 species of migratory birds, became concerned about the environment. 'People associate John with defense and national security, as well they should. But he also had a great concern for and love of the environment,' said Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican who traveled to the ends of the earth with McCain  to the Arctic Circle in 2004 and Antarctica two years later  on fact-finding missions related to climate change. Back on McCain's Arizona ranch, the senator gave Collins an extensive nature tour of the property. 'I particularly remember his love for the birds,' Collins said. 'He loved the birds.'

TOWN HALLS, STRAIGHT TALK

McCain in the 2000 election did something new: He toured New Hampshire on a bus laden with doughnuts and reporters that stopped at 'town hall' meetings where voters were invited to exchange views with the candidate. The bus was called the 'Straight Talk Express,' and that's what he promised to deliver at the town halls. The whole thing was messy, unscripted and often hilarious. And ultimately the events re-introduced McCain to voters as a candid and authentic, just a year after President Bill Clinton was acquitted of lying to Congress and obstruction. In New Hampshire that year, McCain defeated George W. Bush in an 18-point blowout, only to be pushed out of the race in South Carolina. But the town halls remained a fond McCain memory. 'The town halls were festivals of politics,' Salter said. 'They were so authentic and open and honest.'

'NO MA'AM'

McCain, in 2008 making his second run for president, quickly intervened when a woman in Lakeville, Minnesota, stood at a town hall event and began to make disparaging remarks about Democratic presidential nominee and then-Sen. Barack Obama. 'He's an Arab,' she said, implying he was not an American. 'No ma'am,' McCain said, taking the microphone from her. 'He's a decent, family man, citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about. He's not.' It was a defining moment for McCain as a leader, a reflection of his thinking that partisans should disagree without demonizing each other. But it reflected McCain's reckoning with the fear pervading his party of Obama, who would go on to become the nation's first black president.

CANCER

McCain last year was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the same aggressive cancer that had felled his friend, Sen Edward Kennedy, in 2009. Friends and family say he understood the gravity of the diagnosis  but quickly turned to the speech he wanted to give on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to shed the partisanship that had produced gridlock. Face scarred and bruised from surgery, he pounded the lectern. Some of the sternest members of the Senate hugged him, tears in their eyes. 'Of all of the things that have happened in this man's life, of all of the times that his life could have ended in the ways it could have ended, this (cancer) is by far one of the least threats to him and that's kind of how he views it,' his son, Jack McCain, told the Arizona Republic in January.

HEALTH CARE VOTE

Republicans, driven by Trump, were one vote away from advancing a repeal of Obama's health care law. Then McCain, scarred from brain surgery, swooped into the Senate chamber and, facing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, dramatically held up his hand. The thumb flicked down. Gasps could be heard throughout the staid chamber. McConnell stood motionless, arms crossed. Trump's campaign promise  and the premiere item on his agenda  was dead.

TRUMP

McCain tangled with Trump, who never served in the military, for years. As a candidate, Trump in 2016 claimed the decorated McCain is only considered a war hero because he had been captured. 'He's not a war hero,' Trump said at an event in Iowa. 'I like people who weren't captured.' Shortly before Election Day in 2016, McCain said he's rather cast his vote for another Republican, someone who's 'qualified to be president.' Trump fumed, without using McCain's name, that the senator is the only reason the Affordable Care Act stands. McCain responded: 'I have faced tougher adversaries.'
Serial rapist Robert John Fardon (pictured), now aged 69, will soon be a free man

The relative and victim of a convicted rapist has told reporters that he fears another attack if one of Queenslands worst sex offenders is released back into society without supervision.

Stephen Cohen reportedly spent much of his childhood with serial rapist Robert John Fardon, 69, and has told 7 News that he believes it would be 'open season on women and children' if he were let out.

Cohen said that he was one of Fardon's victims as a young boy, but was too scared to speak out and ask for help at the time.

'Fear of what would happen - I mean, one of the things he said to me [was]: ''you'll never be able to come back to bloody Pop's anymore'',' he said.

A Brisbane Supreme Court decision on Monday dismissed a Queensland government attempt to extend a supervision order against Fardon.

It means the 69-year-old, who has a history of attacking females dating back to the 1960s, will be released unmonitored into the community when the order expires in October.

Tearing up, Cohen added: 'I swear to God he'll do it [again], let's hope they stop him, that's all I can say.'

It will be 'open season on women and children' if he's released, said relative Stephen Cohen

Sharon Tomlinson, who was raped by Fardon when she was just 12, said the idea of him living in the community unsupervised should terrify people and that his advanced age should not reduce his risk of re-offending.

He was originally jailed in 1989 for the rape of a woman, and was kept locked up longer than his initial release date in 2003 after being deemed too dangerous to be returned to the community.

He was released on a supervision order in 2006, before being thrown back in jail in 2008 on another charge of rape - which was later overturned on appeal.

Sharon Tomlinson (pictured) who was raped at gunpoint when she was just 12 by a notorious Queensland sexual predator says people should be terrified of him living unsupervised

After a lengthy fight with the government, Fardon finally won his release on a new supervision order in 2014.

He has not breached any conditions of that order while living in the community.

Lawyers for Queensland Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath took the unusual step of seeking to have his supervision order extended beyond its October expiry date.

However, the government lost its Supreme Court bid on Monday, meaning Fardon will no longer be subject to curfews, counselling or restrictions on where he can live.

The government's lawyers had argued that Fardon remained a danger to the community without the order, which gave him support in times of stress, frustration and anger.

Among his reasons for dismissing the government's bid, Justice David Jackson said the risk of rapists re-offending 'becomes very low after the age of 65'.

Ms Tomlinson dismissed the suggestion Fardon, who has emphysema, was less of a risk due to his age.

'This man might be 69 years old but he is a sexual sadist ... what do you think he's going to do at 69? He's going to go for the more vulnerable, probably younger children or really elderly women or disabled women,' Ms Tomlinson told AAP.

Ms Tomlinson, who has previously agreed to be identified as one of Fardon's victims, was part of a vocal campaign in 2013 to keep him locked up

'I have no doubt about that.'

A spokeswoman for Mrs D'Ath told AAP she is examining whether there are any legal grounds for an appeal.

Ms Tomlinson, who has previously agreed to be identified as one of Fardon's victims, was part of a vocal campaign in 2013 to keep him locked up.

At the time, she told AAP of the harrowing day in 1978 when Fardon approached her as she played in the front yard of her Redcliffe home, asking her if she wanted to come for a cuddle of his newborn son.

Fardon's son had been born that day but Ms Tomlinson did not get to meet the baby.

Instead Fardon held a gun to her head, repeatedly choked her and raped her, with a smirk on his face.
Household energy bills could drop by as much as $400 under Federal Minister for Energy Angus Taylor's new plan.

Mr Taylor set out his priorities before his first speech to parliament today after being sworn into the role.

He will outline the plan, which is focused around better competition, better reliability, a price safety net for consumers, and steps to end price gouging, at a small business summit in Sydney.

'I'm focused on getting prices down while I keep the lights on. I've got one KPI. I've got one goal,' he told on The Australian on Thursday.

Minister for Energy Angus Taylor will outline his plan today, which is focused around better competition, better reliability, and a price safety net for consumers

'I'm focused on getting prices down while I keep the lights on. I've got one KPI. I've got one goal,' said Mr Taylor (pictured earlier this year)

'At the end of the day, we just want to get prices down. We're not going to get ideological about it; we just want to get the outcome. It's very pragmatic,' he said.

Mr Taylor says reducing emissions in line with Paris Climate Agreement targets, which previous plans had said was needed to provide certainty to the industry, is not part of his brief.

'Frankly, I think there is some naivety in the idea that governments can largely eliminate uncertainty, or should even try,' Mr Taylor said.

The price safety net Mr Taylor wants to implement is based around the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's proposed default market price to replace unregulated standing offers, which could save households up to $416 a year and small businesses up to $1457.

Mr Taylor takes charge of energy after it was broken off from the Environment portfolio by new PM Scott Morrison in a gesture signalling major market reform.

While working as a financial analyst for Port Jackson Partners in 2013, Mr Taylor authored a report that suggested the costs of electricity could be reduced by dropping the Renewable Energy Target.

The price safety is based around the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's proposed default market price to replace unregulated standing offers

Newly appointed Minister for Energy Angus Taylor has a plan that could slash the cost of electricity by $3.2 billion

Speaking at an event in 2013, Mr Taylor said dropping subsidies for wind farms would cut energy bills by more than $3billion.

Mr Taylor also argued emission targets could still be met and the savings could be up to $300 per household by 2020.

Energy and emissions targets have long been a dividing issue in party rooms with policies going as far back as the Rudd government's proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme failing to gain consensus.

The latest iteration of the policy, which Mr Turnbull called the National Energy Guarantee, was instrumental in his downfall because the conservative faction in the Liberal Party is staunchly opposed to the plan.

A key point was to legislate a reduction in emissions of 26 per cent, a number in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, but one critics said was pointless if big emitters did not follow suit.

As the new front bench was sworn in on Tuesday, Mr Morrison labelled Mr Taylor his 'most important minister'.

Mr Taylor also argued that emission targets could still be met and the savings could be up to $300 per household by 2020 (file picture)

'A tough job, but an extremely important one that has a big impact on so many Australian households and businesses,' Mr Taylor tweeted of the appointment.

Many see Mr Taylor, who has a Master of Philosophy in Economics from Oxford University, as the man to bring sense to the debate.

'The problem with energy policy for years is it doesn't focus on the energy, it focuses on if you are in favour of coal, wind, solar or hydro,' Mr Taylor said.

'What we should be wanting is reliable, affordable power that brings down our emissions.'

The 'Minister for getting energy prices down' as the new PM labelled him when he announced his new front bench on Sunday, has long been a critic of rushing into a transition to renewable energy, particularly the wind farms being built in his electorate of Hume.

'The obsession with emissions at the expense of reliability and affordability has been a massive mistake,' he told radio shock jock Ray Hadley two weeks ago.

Speaking at an event in 2013, Mr Taylor claimed that dropping subsidies for wind farms would cut energy bills by more than $3billion (stock photo)




A mother was horrified to find that her children were playing in asbestos that was illegally dumped on her property.

Soraya Van Tilborg was told by police and environment officers that her 22-hectare property in Kulnara, in the Central Coast of NSW, was contaminated with the toxic substance.

Officers believe that the property could have thousands of tonnes of harmful soil that the children have been playing in.

Officers believe that the Central Coast property (pictured) could have thousands of tonnes of harmful soil that the children have been playing in

Removing the waste from the property could cost the family millions, 7News reported.

Ms Van Tilborg is horrified that her children have come into contact with so much of the cancerous substance.

'I don't even want to think about it,' she said.

'I've been told not to let the kids play in the yard.'

The soil is a part of the 17,000 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated waste that was removed from the Green Square re-development in Sydney.

Police believe the soil was illegally dumped on the land and is linked to organised crime, but the family was told that it was clean landfill.

'It all looked very legitimate, everything seemed in order,' Ms Van Tilborg said.

Investigators say that just some of the waste was found on Ms Van Tlborg's property, but much of it is yet to be discovered.

Soraya Van Tilborg (pictured) was told by police and environment officers that her 22-hectare property was laced with asbestos

A police spokesperson said that investigators believe the illegal dumping operation is linked to organised crime.

A 48-year-old waste disposal company director was arrested in mid-August as he attempted to flee the country.

It is alleged that the man's company removed 600 truckloads of asbestos-contaminated building waste from the Green Square development since mid-2016, and then dumped it illegally.

He has been charged over the illegal dumping and is facing fraud offences totalling almost $4 million.
A female member of staff at a NSW school says a weight loss drug dramatically increased her sex drive, which led her to spend more than a year grooming a 15-year-old boy for sex.

Jackie Mary Hays, 51, claimed she began taking the drug Duromine four months before she targeted the teenage student while working as a support staff member at the Hunter Valley school, north of Sydney.

Hays, who pleaded guilty to grooming the boy for sexual activity between April 2015 and June 2016, claimed the weight loss drug increased her sex drive.

Jackie Mary Hays, 51, claimed she began taking the drug Duromine four months before she targeted the teenage student

Hays pleaded guilty to grooming the boy for sexual activity between April 2015 and June 2016

Hays would be making an application suggesting the drug had caused her to suffer mental health issues at the time of the offence

Legal Aid defence lawyer Gillian Jewison told Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday that Hays would be making an application suggesting the drug had caused her to suffer mental health issues at the time of the offence.

Prosecutor Stuart Ogilvy indicated the application - which came on the day Hays was due to be sentenced - would be opposed.

Magistrate Robert Stone, who spent Wednesday's lunch break reading a psychological report tendered by the defence, noted that some of Hays' friends 'observed she was off the planet' after taking the drug.

Mr Stone pointed out it was difficult to assess the seriousness of the offence given he did not know the content of explicit text messages sent by Hays to the schoolboy.

When the matter was first reported to police, the boy's phone was no longer in existence, and police could not retrieve the text messages.

Hays told police the boy was asking to have sex with her and she told him it could be arranged

Mr Ogilvy said when Hays was interviewed by detectives she described the text messages as 'filth'.

She told police the boy was asking to have sex with her and she told him it could be arranged.

'I said (to the boy) sure, absolutely, no problem,' Hays told police.

The teenager told police Hays wanted him to sneak out of home one night but he 'dodged it pretty well'.

Mr Ogilvy urged the magistrate to jail Hays given she was 47 at the time she was sending explicit text messages back and forth to the boy.

Hays was initially charged in mid-2017 with five offences alleging she had been sending explicit text messages and phoning two students

The prosecutor said the community expected offenders committing crimes of this nature to receive a significant penalty.

The magistrate noted a significant factor in the case against Hays - who faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail - was the need to protect the community.

Hays was initially charged in mid-2017 with five offences alleging she had been sending explicit text messages and phoning two students but four of the charges were later dropped after she agreed to plead guilty to the one count of grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity.

Police set up Strikeforce Minnamorra before Hays' arrest after being alerted by the school to the grooming allegations.

The hearing resumes on Thursday.
Local Tory associations were last night placed on guard against efforts by Ukip supporters to infiltrate the party.

In a memo to Conservative association chairmen, Tory officials urged vigilance against so-called 'entryism' by supporters of other parties.

The leaked memo reminds local officials they can block applications from people 'whose opinions or conduct shall, in their judgment, be inconsistent with the objects or financial wellbeing of the association, or likely to bring the party into disrepute'.

Local Tory associations were last night placed on guard against efforts by Ukip supporters to infiltrate the party. Ukip donor Arron Banks (pictured) has been banned from joining the Tory Party

It follows claims Ukip supporters are joining up in the hope of influencing Brexit policy and the outcome of the next Tory leadership contest.

Ukip donor Arron Banks has been banned from joining the Tory Party after urging Ukip supporters to sign up to 'unseat May' and replace her with a leader 'like Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg'.

Pro-Remain Tory Anna Soubry yesterday urged the party to suspend its current membership drive.

She said: 'I've called on the party chairman to end the membership drive until we can be confident we are not being infiltrated by people who are not Conservatives.'

Ukip donor Arron Banks urged supporters to sign up to 'unseat May' and replace her with a leader 'like Boris Johnson or Jacob Rees-Mogg' (pictured)

But former Tory deputy chairman Robert Halfon criticised Miss Soubry, saying: 'We should be delighted and welcoming new members whatever their Brexit views.

The essence of Soubry's view is that if any of the 17million who voted for Brexit join, that is somehow extremist 'infiltration'. That is bonkers.'

Theresa May yesterday played down the threat of entryism  but said the party had been right to ban Mr Banks from joining 'because he is somebody who has actively campaigned against the Conservative Party'.

A Tory source last night said the memo, drawn up by the party's head of membership Natalie Crosby-Jones, had been 'selectively' leaked.
A woman who fell pregnant and miscarried at age 11 after being raped by a paedophile former policeman is fighting to name her abuser.

Despite facing the serial child sex predator in court, Tracey May is unable to expose his identity due to a suppression order dating back to 2012.

A review of Victoria's legal system last year found adult victims of sexual assault should be able to identify their attackers after conviction, but Ms May still cannot speak out.

Despite facing the serial child sex predator in court, Tracey May (pictured) still cannot expose him, due to a suppression order dating back to 2012

The non-publication order, made when Ms May's abuser's court proceedings began, has no end date and no explanation for why it was put in place.

Chief Magistrate Peter Lauritsen said the order was made before the Open Courts Act was passed in 2013, which placed a five-year limit on suppression orders.

The act was passed to improve transparency in the state's justice system, but hundreds of orders are still issued every year, including blanket reporting bans.

Ms May said the man who raped her is being protected by the suppression order, which means she can't go public with his name - despite the fact he was found guilty.

'I faced him in court and I wasn't afraid for the first time in my life. And then to be told I couldn't speak his name,' she told The Age.

Her abuser, a former police officer with more than a dozen victims, raped nine children as young as five over an 18-year period to 1985.

One boy was brutalised in the back of a police van, while another was attacked at a police station.

After being reported by a parent in 1979, he left Victoria Police and moved north, attacking seven more children in New South Wales.

A woman who fell pregnant and miscarried after being raped by a paedophile former policeman as an 11-year-old is fighting to name her abuser (stock image)

Senator Derryn Hinch named the man, who was sentenced to 15 years' jail in 2016, using parliamentary privilege last year, but he cannot be named by the media.

Ms May said she will keep fighting to name the man, and refuses to be silenced after being made to feel ashamed as a child.

'I'll keep fighting to name him. I've had my voice taken away from me for so long, it's time I speak up,' she said.

Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies said although suppression orders are often put in place to protect victims, victims themselves are not being consulted.

'If a victim wants to go and make mention of what happened to them ... because they want to prevent what happened to them from happening to someone else, and they can't, then the victim is being further victimised by the court process,' he said.

The majority of the country's suppression orders are taken out in Victoria, and a 2017 review by former Court of Appeal judge Frank Vincent found 12 per cent of the 1594 orders made from 2014 to 2016 gave no grounds for suppression.

Blanket bans made up another 22 per cent, and did not specify what should be suppressed.

Chief Magistrate Lauritsen said suppression orders were a vital part of the justice system, and all parties had the right to appeal.
A new Netflix reality series is facing backlash after the cast was revealed to be nine wealthy light-skinned socialites, some of which were not even born in the country it's based on.

Made in Mexico follows the lavish lives of a Mexico City set but critics say the focus on the rich has come at the wrong time and the show's stars don't represent the what the average Mexican person looks like.

Twitter users hit back at the streaming service and producers for planning to broadcast what they deem as grossly inappropriate.

Hanna Jaff, is a 30-year-old, San Diego-born Mexican philanthropist, speaker and human rights activist and appears on the show

Liz Woodburn is a food blogger who left New York to start a new life in Mexico with her fiance. Chantal Truillo (right) is another USA blogger who used to work at Vogue

'#MadeinMexico could have been a series with an episode dedicated to each of the 31 states, that focused on the people, culture, food, music, agriculture, and history of each to show Mexicos diversity to the world but hey! more rich white people!' Daria wrote.

It comes just over a month after the country overwhelmingly elected Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as president. The left wing 64-year-old who won votes with his promise to prioritize poor people.

He feel corruption is to blame for approximately half the country being under the poverty line, reports Associated Press.

Made in Mexico centers around TV host, actor and model Carlos Giron Longoria

Roby Checa (left) is Kitzia's brother-in-law. Pepe Diaz (right) is a successful businessman

Manual Ibarra posted: 'Great, another netflix show about rich white mexicans (0.1% of our population). Absolute garbage.'

Twitter users aren't the only ones outraged at the idea of the series. Author Guadalupe Loaeza explained that skin tone has big value attached to it in Mexico.

'In the last elections we showed that we live in a democratic country. Nonetheless, we still suffer terrible atavisms related to classism and, what's worse, racism,' Loaeza, who has written many books about on the topic, said. 'More than money, the color of one's skin is definitive ... for whether one is accepted or not among the "rich boys and girls."'

While producers of the show have kept quiet and didn't respond to AP's multiple requests for comment, Hanna Jaff, a 30-year-old cast member, had something to say.

Born in San Diego, the Mexican philanthropist, speaker and human rights activist, disagreed that her fellow screen stars are not representative.

Shanik Aspe (left) is a TV personality, Columba Diaz (center) is a high fashion model, and Kitzia Mitre, is a fashion designer

Made in Mexico lands September 28 on Netflix but not everyone is happy about it

She believes portraying them for the family people with different backgrounds and professions they are, viewers may be able to relate on a level that everyone has problems, regardless of the class system.

Haff is keen for the show to offer up a positive perspective after shows like Narcos: Mexico, the new offering from Netflix this August that takes the focus away from Colombia, highlight the violent crime and drugs.

Then El Chapo adds to the stereotype with its tale about notorious Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin Guzman Loera.

'I wanted the world to see a different Mexico, from a different point of view,' she reasoned. 'I think there will always be negative and positive people, no? ... And in truth, the program is not a stereotype.'

Jaff says this despite the app description teasing the show reading: 'Get to know the opulent lifestyles and infamous dynasties of Mexico City's socialites and the expats vying for a spot in their exclusive social order.'

Those boycotting the show don't feel the same way.

Anger towards it also stems from the show being English-language.

Critics think it clearly caters to the wealthier and is something that is commonly a grievance with magazines and advertising.

Even in Spanish-speaking telenovelas, expensive weddings, homes and events are overdone now for a huge chunk of the country.

El Chapo adds to the stereotype with its tale about notorious Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin Guzman Loera (pictured)

President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is a left wing 64-year-old who won votes with his promise to prioritize poor people

Aside from Jaff other members of the cast are also American.

Blonde Liz Woodburn is a food blogger who left New York to start a new life in Mexico with her fiance.

Chantal Truillo is another USA blogger who used to work at Vogue.

Referring to them as 'mirreyes' roughly translating to 'my little kings', author Loaeza said it's a reflection of the social media influencers obsessed with parading their wealth or what at least seems to be privilege.

The vulgarity is something many are keen to get away from. As President Enrique Pena Nieto rounds out his term in November he leaves a legacy stained by corruption.

Mexico is a country known for the vast gap between rich and poor.

Carlos Slim (pictured February 2011) was the richest person in the world from 2010-2013 according to Forbes, with his net worth $66.3billion now

Carlos Slim was the richest person in the world from 2010-2013 according to Forbes, with his net worth $66.3billion now. But on the other side of the coin however, Chiapas and Oaxaca live in ramshackle homes.

While many won't be watching out of principle come September 28, others are intrigued, even if they don't agree with the message.

'I think that precisely because most of the population is so far from that, it makes people really curious about what it feels like to be in that person's place,' Jorge Romero, a 25-year-old Netflix user shared.

Christopher Alcantara, 32, wants to see what trends come from the show and quite frankly, the business administrator finds this time of programming entertaining.

He admitted: 'Morbidity sells, and without a doubt it would be very interesting to watch a pilot episode.'
Online gambling firms have been ordered to make it easier for customers to withdraw their winnings after an investigation found some were using unfair small print to hold back payments.

The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has taken action to ensure two companies make changes to their terms and conditions, and warned others they face regulatory action unless they do the same.

The announcement follows a two-year review by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that found internet bookmakers were making players withdraw their cash in instalments over an extended period.

Online gambling firms have been ordered to make it easier for customers to withdraw their winnings after an investigation found some were using unfair small print to hold back payments

The watchdog said that the practice risked encouraging customers to gamble again rather than simply pocketing the money and using it to cover living costs.

Some online firms were using laws originally drawn up to curb money laundering to carry out long-winded identity checks which had the effect of delaying payments to winning customers.

It named two websites, Jumpman Gaming and ProgressPlay, that had terms and conditions allowing them to confiscate money from accounts if players had not logged in for a certain period.

The CMAs investigation was triggered after complaints that online bookmakers had been using the small print of contracts to deny customers promotions, alter odds on successful bets and place unfair curbs on winning accounts.

Senior Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA, George Lusty, said: People choosing to gamble online should be able to walk away with their own money whenever they want to.

Jumpman Gaming and Progress Play are the first to commit to scrap their unfair withdrawal rules, but we expect companies across the sector to follow suit so no-one gets caught out with unfair terms and conditions when gambling online. The action was backed by the Gambling Commission, whose executive director, Paul Hope, said: We support the outcome of the CMAs investigation, and were pleased that both of the operators involved have committed to making changes that will make it fairer and simpler for customers to withdraw funds from their online gambling accounts.

Some online firms were using laws originally drawn up to curb money laundering to carry out long-winded identity checks which had the effect of delaying payments to winning customers

Gambling firms should not be placing unreasonable restrictions on when and how consumers can take money out of their accounts.

We now expect all online operators to review the findings published by the CMA today and ensure they update their own practices. Matt Zarb-Cousin, of the Campaign for Fairer Gambling, said: Its pretty scandalous that online bookmakers have been allowed to operate this way for so long. Hundreds of millions of pounds could have been lost unfairly by Wild West practices to tax-avoiding operators but no retrospective fines have been issued. s.poulter@dailymail.co.uk
Considering the amount a train ticket costs, it may come as a surprise to many commuters that one operator is looking for unpaid volunteers to help out at its stations.

Grand Central is trying to recruit the volunteers  or station ambassadors  to work at weekends and Bank Holidays, when the stations are unmanned or short-staffed.

Their duties include responding to passenger queries and providing them with a friendly welcome to the towns along Grand Centrals North East and West Riding routes.

In a post on Twitter, Sean English, chief operating officer of Grand Central Rail, revealed plans to install a new team of volunteers at Wakefield Kirkgate station.

Rail operator Grand Central is trying to recruit the volunteers  or station ambassadors  to work at weekends and Bank Holidays, when the stations are unmanned or short-staffed. (Stock photo)

He said: GC station ambassadors are a team of dedicated volunteers supporting customers/visitors on stations across our routes.

We are looking to introduce a team at Wakefield Kirkgate station. If you know of anyone that it is interested in volunteering please message me.

On its website the rail operator said it has more than 30 station ambassadors working at Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe and Brighouse.

Grand Central is operated by Arriva UK Trains, which in turn is owned by Germanys Deutsche Bahn.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of train drivers union Aslef, said: Ambassadors? Thats a line they used during the London Olympics.

Mr English wants unpaid slaves to man his galley.

Its outrageous Grand Central expects unpaid volunteers to look after passengers at stations which are unmanned because the company wants to boost its profits by not employing  and properly paying  people to do a job.

On its website the rail operator said it has more than 30 station ambassadors working at Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe and Brighouse.(Stock photo)

Describing it as essential for passengers security that stations are manned, he added: It is utterly wrong that Grand Central, in pursuit of bigger profits, wont pay for staff at stations like Wakefield Kirkgate.

And it is utterly wrong that Mr English is touting for ambassadors to do a job which should be done by properly trained, and properly paid, staff.

A Grand Central spokesman insisted: Community ambassador volunteers do not replace staff in safety related roles or any other capacity.

Grand Central has run a volunteer-based community scheme for over eight years on our North East and West Riding routes to welcome visitors to the area.

The use of volunteers to man stations emerges after an investigation by the Mail found rail firms rely on drivers doing overtime to keep the network running.

The probe found drivers with 18 of the 20 largest operators are on four-day weeks of no more than 36 hours and half are not even obliged to work Sundays.
An Australian mother-of-three who owns a $120,000 Hummer is enraging fellow motorists by using two spaces when parking her car  but she believes she has the law on her side.

Gillian Bromley from the Perth suburb of Sorrento bought the six-litre, five-tonne vehicle three years ago and describes it as her 'fourth child', but not everyone is so thrilled with her choice of car.

'I've had numerous people feel the need to vent their frustrations on my vehicle,' Bromley told Sunrise.

Many have left notes on the Hummer, abusing Bromley for taking up the two spaces she needs in order to fit her car into a carpark.

'You f***wit you don't need 2 parks,' one note read.

'Why not use 3 parking bays up moron,' wrote another.

One Twitter user questioned the need for such a big car when the owner lives in suburbia.

'It's hard enough trying to back out from parking spaces next to a four-wheel-drive which is dangerous and annoying,' they wrote after the Sunrise report.

The mother-of-three uses two spaces when parking her $120,000 Hummer

Bromley described her vehicle as her 'fourth child' but not everyone is so thrilled

Bromley told reporters that squeezing her car into a standard parking bay is inconvenient both for her and those she parks next to as it means neither party can get into or out of their cars.

Furthermore, local council law states that a person with a vehicle that is too wide or too long to fit into a single bay can park using two spots.

Many have taken to writing notes and leaving them on Bromley's car, calling her a 'moron'

But Bromley's latest interaction with a parking inspector at Karrinyup Shopping Centre left a bad taste in her mouth when he informed her she would receive an infringement notice if she didn't park in a single bay.

When Bromley said it was impossible to fit her car into a single space and asked what she was supposed to do, the inspector allegedly told her to 'buy a smaller car'.

'It's kind of bullying, and [in] today's world you're not allowed to do that,' Bromley said.

Tim Richards from Karrinyup Shopping Centre said that centre management was liaising with Bromley to address her concerns and 'offer suitable alternative parking options for larger vehicles given our bays are a standard size of 2.5m', The Stirling Times reported.

'The safety and wellbeing of the people who visit and work at our centre is our number one priority and this includes our car parks,' he added.
Police have charged a man and a woman after $20,000 worth of stolen goods, including baby formula and Manuka honey, was allegedly found in a raid on a business.

Victoria Police charged the 54-year-old man and the 50-year-old woman with handling stolen goods and possessing the proceeds of crime following the raid at a bottle shop in Sunshine, 14km west of the Melbourne CBD.

Police allegedly uncovered large amounts of cigarettes believed to be illegally imported, large amounts of cash and roughly $20,000 worth of stolen goods.

Police have uncovered large amounts of illegally imported cigarettes after bottle raid.

A man and woman are charged with stealing $20,000 worth of goods including baby formula.

The goods believed to be stolen included Manuka honey, razor blades, toothpaste, Kathmandu jackets and baby formula.

The man and woman have been bailed to appear at the Sunshine Magistrates' Court on December 14.
Dumped Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is heading to New York with wife Lucy for six weeks

Dumped Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is heading overseas with wife Lucy for six weeks, leaving his former colleagues to battle for his blue-ribbon seat of Wentworth.

Mr Turnbull's resignation from Parliament on Friday will spark a by-election, which could threaten the government's one-seat majority.

The latest ReachTel poll has the Liberal Party and Labor at 50 per cent each on a two-party preferred basis, in a sign voters could punish the government for knifing Mr Turnbull.

Although the polls suggest Wentworth could fall to Labor for the first time in history, the former prime minister won't be joining the Liberal's campaign to retain the seat.

On Sunday, he and his wife will fly to New York, where the pair own a two-bedroom Manhattan apartment they purchased for $4.5million in 2012.

The Turnbulls own this two-bedroom Manhattan apartment, purchased for $4.5million in 2012

The former prime minister won't be joining the Liberals' campaign to retain his seat

Senior Liberal MPs are said to be fuming Mr Turnbull won't be helping his successor campaign for his old eastern Sydney seat, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The Turnbulls' 1930s art-deco apartment, overlooking Central Park, boasts hardwood floors and decorative fireplaces, while the building has full-time doormen and elevator attendants.

'New York is my second favourite city [after Sydney] and I had been looking at property there for quite a while,' Mrs Turnbull told Fairfax at the time of the purchase.

'We wanted to be close to Lincoln Centre and Columbus Circle, a vibrant part of New York City, close to the subway hub and conveniently located close to midtown and to Central Park.'

The art-deco apartment boasts hardwood floors and decorative fireplaces, while the building (pictured) has full-time doormen and elevator attendants

Mr Turnbull's resignation from Parliament on Friday will spark a by-election in his seat of Wentworth

Meanwhile, business owner and City of Sydney councillor Angela Vithoulkas has joined the race for Mr Turnbull's soon-to-be vacant federal seat.

Ms Vithoulkas on Thursday confirmed she will stand as an independent in the Wentworth by-election, expected to be held in October.

She said voters in the eastern suburbs electorate needed 'stability, continuity and fearlessness', and vowed to bring that as a strong independent.

'I want to rebuild the faith people should have in their community leaders, and make them the priority, not a pawn in party politics,' she said in a statement.

Ms Vithoulkas is among dozens of business owners and landlords planning to file a lawsuit against the NSW government over the embattled Sydney light rail project.

Ms Vithoulkas is planning to file a lawsuit against the NSW government over the embattled Sydney light rail project

She claims the project forced her to close her CBD cafe after 16 years of trade.

Former Business Council of Australia executive director and same-sex marriage campaigner Andrew Bragg is emerging as the frontrunner to replace his friend Mr Turnbull as the Liberal candidate.

Former Australian ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma and former prime minister Tony Abbott's sister Christine Forster are also in the running for preselection, while Labor has preselected local businessman Tim Murray.

Independent Kerryn Phelps, another City of Sydney councillor, is also considering a tilt.
The horrifying moment a mother-of-two was sexually assaulted by a man in a train station was caught on CCTV footage.

The 51-year-old woman was walking up the steps at Nerang railway station, 72km south of Brisbane, in order to take her two children to the bathroom.

A man holding what appears to be a beer bottle walked down the stairs towards her before reaching out and groping her breast.

The man, who has since been identified as 20-year-old Troy Alan Williams, has today been sentenced to 15 months in prison with a two-year probation period.

The victim reported the incident to Queensland Police who then viewed the attack on CCTV footage.

Southport Magistrates Court confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that Williams pleaded guilty to 11 charges yesterday morning.

He was found guilty of a series of offences committed from April to July including sexual assault, assault occasioning bodily harm and public nuisance.

The victim reported the incident to Queensland Police who then viewed the attack on CCTV footage




Australia is set to swelter through a prolonged dry spring brought on by a tropical El Nino - but not until the nation endures one last deep freeze.

This spring will see drier and warmer conditions than last year, making for extra-hot temperatures heading into summer.

Recent bursts of rain delivered a slight reprieve for farmers struggling in brutal drought conditions, but predictions indicate the worst may be yet to come.

Australians can expect warmer and drier conditions on average this spring (illustrated above), with one more week of chilly weather expected before temperatures start climbing

Recent bursts of rain delivered a slight reprieve for farmers struggling in brutal drought conditions, but predictions indicate the worst may be yet to come

Steamy conditions and a lack of rainfall (illustrated) will also double the normal likelihood of an El Nino forming at the end of spring, making for extra-hot temperatures heading into summer

The maximum temperature will soar to above average, which is usually low to mid 20s for most of the country, from September to November, especially in the north, Weatherzone senior meteorologist Jacob Cronje told Daily Mail Australia.

'The minimum temperature will be above average, except for parts of South Australia and most of Victoria which will likely have below-average minimum temperatures, along with some parts of New South Wales,' Mr Cronje said.

'This is usually consistent with a high pressure system which brings lighter winds and fine and settled conditions.'

For southern coastal locations such as Adelaide and Melbourne, it is likely to be much hotter if an El Nino event occurs, which Mr Cronje says is due for November.

Further north in Queensland, the weather phenomenon will likely cause more individual extremely hot days and several warm spells.

Nights will be warmer throughout the country, excluding northern Australia and the southeast of the nation.

Recent bursts of rain delivered a slight reprieve for farmers struggling in brutal drought conditions, but predictions indicate the worst may be yet to come (frosty windscreen pictured)

The maximum temperature will soar to above average across the country consistently from September to November - but not before more frosty conditions occur (icicle pictured)

The increase will wreak havoc on farmers and intensify drought conditions across parts of eastern Australia (stock photo)

Many will welcome warmer days following record-breaking freezing temperatures on the east coast, but the increase will wreak havoc on farmers and intensify drought conditions across parts of eastern Australia.

Mr Cronje said while warm days and nights were predicted for most of spring, he wouldn't rule out the possibility of another cold snap at some point.

The Bureau of Meteorology said clear skies were likely, and there was a risk of frost and cold nights continuing in the south for the duration of spring.

El Nino during spring typically means below-average rainfall in eastern and northern Australia while daytime temperatures are typically above average over the southern two-thirds of Australia.

Mr Cronje said while warm days and nights were predicted for most of spring, he wouldn't rule out the possibility of another cold snap at some point (dead kangaroo pictured)

The upcoming seven days will remain chilly, with some early-morning frost still expected in the south east for the remaining winter days

THE WEEK AHEAD IN YOUR CITY SYDNEY THURSDAY: Min 11, Max 17 FRIDAY: Min 10, Max 21 SATURDAY: Min 12, Max 22 SUNDAY: Min 11, Max 17 MONDAY: Min 11, Max 17 CANBERRA THURSDAY: Min 1, Max 15 FRIDAY: Min 5, Max 13 SATURDAY: Min 5, Max 15 SUNDAY: Min 0, Max 13 MONDAY: Min -1, Max 14 PERTH THURSDAY: Min 7, Max 17 FRIDAY: Min 8, Max 17 SATURDAY: Min 7, Max 19 SUNDAY: Min 7, Max 21 MONDAY: Min 7, Max 20 BRISBANE THURSDAY: Min 9, Max 23 FRIDAY: Min 14, Max 26 SATURDAY: Min 15, Max 28 SUNDAY: Min 11, Max 28 MONDAY: Min 12, Max 22 MELBOURNE THURSDAY: Min 10, Max 13 FRIDAY: Min 9, Max 17 SATURDAY: Min 10, Max 14 SUNDAY: Min 6, Max 14 MONDAY: Min 5, Max 15 ADELAIDE THURSDAY: Min 10, Max 18 FRIDAY: Min 9, Max 17 SATURDAY: Min 10, Max 15 SUNDAY: Min 7, Max 14 MONDAY: Min 5, Max 16 HOBART THURSDAY: Min 7, Max 17 FRIDAY: Min 5, Max 17 SATURDAY: Min 7, Max 12 SUNDAY: Min 4, Max 13 MONDAY: Min 4, Max 14 DARWIN THURSDAY: Min 21, Max 31 FRIDAY: Min 21, Max 31 SATURDAY: Min 21, Max 32 SUNDAY: Min 21, Max 33 MONDAY: Min 22, Max 34 Source: Bureau of Meterology Advertisement

The weather events often result in severe droughts, bringing higher temperatures, lower than average rainfall and increased risk of bushfires, lasting between six months and two years.

This could prove catastrophic for parched Australian farmers who have been crippled by a years-long nationwide dry spell which has been described the worst drought in 100 years.

Australia will likely experience reduced rainfall, warmer temperatures, increased frost risk, and increased fire danger in the south-east.

There will also be a strong chance of record low rainfall, with El Ninos usually leading to record-breaking dry conditions.

Severe droughts of 1982, 1994, 2002 and 2006 were all associated with El Nino.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned the chances of an El Nino event are twice as high as usual, with it expected to start developing at the end of spring
'We are praying for her': The victim has been named as Cihan Sakine

A 30-year-old man has been arrested after a suspected hit-and-run collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian left a woman fighting for her life.

The man was detained at an address in Islington, north London, on suspicion of causing bodily harm, failing to stop and failing to report a collision after contacting police at about 11pm on Wednesday, Scotland Yard said.

Officers are continuing to appeal for information over the incident on Kingsland High Street in Dalston, east London, on Tuesday evening when a female pedestrian was knocked over by a cyclist on an electric-assisted bike.

The woman, 56, remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.

The injured pedestrian, has been named locally as Cihan Sakine, 56.

She was crossing the road when she was struck at around 5pm on Tuesday.

The cyclist involved in the collision in Dalston, East London, initially stopped after he was thrown from his electric bike but then fled moments later.

Pictured: Emergency services closed off Kingsland High Street on Tuesday after a woman was mown down by an electric bike

The victim was taken to hospital and remains on life support. It follows a number of fatal collisions between cyclists and pedestrians in recent years.

Kim Briggs was killed in February 2016 after cyclist Charlie Alliston crashed into her as she crossed the road on her lunch break.

Police released CCTV of a man suspected of the hit and run

Alliston was acquitted of manslaughter in September last year but convicted of causing bodily harm by wanton and furious driving  an 1861 law relating to Victorian carriage driving.

Mrs Sakine, who came to Britain from Turkey 20 years ago, is well-known in the Turkish community in Dalston.

One concerned friend, who did not want to be named, visited her at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, East London, on Tuesday night.

We are all praying for Cihan but the doctors said she is in a bad way and we are all hoping she can pull through, the friend said. She is very poorly and things do not look good at the moment. Last night police were looking for CCTV images of the cyclist, who is said to have worn a red top and jeans.

His red bike was found over an hour after the crash, abandoned near an alleyway around a mile away in Stoke Newington.

Caleb Grab, 30, who witnessed the horrific crash, said: Two cyclists were trying to dodge her but one hit her at the crossing. He must have been going at some speed to do that much damage.

One of the cyclists was bleeding from the head and dazed but only wanted to get out of there. He didnt say anything and ran away pulling his bike with him.

People were telling him to wait for the police and get treatment. They tried to stop him.

Emergency services arrived within minutes but were too late to catch the cyclist.

Police hunt: Officers want to trace the cyclist and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward

Another witness, who asked not to be named, said he heard a bang and thought there had been a car crash because of the sound.

Detective Constable Darren Case, of Scotland Yards serious collisions investigations unit, has appealed for more witnesses to come forward in a bid to find the cyclist.

Detective Constable Darren Case, Serious Collisions Investigations Unit [SCIU] said: 'This is a shocking incident as it appears the cyclist involved did not stop to assist the victim or contact the emergency services, instead making off.

'We need to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time. Did you see the cyclist before, during or after the collision? Maybe you are in possession of dash cam footage or filmed the cyclist on your mobile phone as he made off, if you did it is vital that you make contact with us.

'We are also appealing directly to the cyclist along with his friends and family who may know of his whereabouts, the pedestrian has suffered life threatening injuries as a result of this collision and it is important that you do the right thing and make contact with police.'

Anyone with information should contact the SCIU at Chadwell Heath on 020 8597 4874 or call 101 quoting CAD 5837/28 August.
So-called 'nanny state' laws governing pool fences, bike helmets and smoking are up for review, with politicians claiming people are tired of being treated like children.

Western Australia Liberal Democrats MP Aaron Stonehouse said the 'insane' laws are being reviewed by a parliamentary committee.

'Most Australians are sick of getting dictated to by bureaucrats,' he told Nine News this week.

So called 'nanny state' laws governing pool fences, bike helmets, vaping and smoking (smoker in a pub pictured) are up for review, with politicians saying people are tired of being treated like children

Western Australia Liberal Democrats MP Aaron Stonehouse said he wanted the 'insane' laws reviewed by a parliamentary committee

He said the committee was looking into various laws including smoking bans inside pubs and clubs.

'I think venues should be able to set their own policies. If you're a non-smoker and you don't like it, then you can go to the bar next door that has a non-smoking policy,' he said.

'There is a $45,000 fine for vaping in Western Australia, which is insane because everyone's doing it anyway.'

While the Western Australian government agreed to review the laws, Premier Mark McGowan said some of them were not up for negotiation.

The review could bring an end to compulsory helmets for all riders

While the Western Australian government agreed to review the laws, Premier Mark McGowan said some laws were not up for negotiation

He said seat belts, helmets and tough firearm laws are all 'here to stay'.

The review has already courted controversy, with the WA Royal Life Saving Club saying changes to laws governing pool fencing would likely result in death.

The Life Saving Club's Lauren Nimmo said more lenient fencing laws would likely result in more children drowning in backyard pools.

The committee is expected to hand down its report within 12 months.
A giant 539ft cruise ship ploughed into four luxury yachts while attempting to enter a harbour in Dartmouth, Devon, yesterday.

Witnesses reported seeing boat owners 'running from their vessels in pyjamas', as the liner headed towards smaller vessels which were moored in the bay.

Pictures show the moment the Sage Pearl II collided with a far smaller vessel, scarcely managing to scrape past as it attempted to enter the harbour.

This yacht, along with three others, were superficially damaged during the incident however nobody was injured.

Four luxury yachts came up against a giant 539ft cruise ship while sailing around Dartmouth harbour yesterday

Witnesses reported seeing boat owners 'running from their vessels in pyjamas', as the liner headed towards smaller vessels which were moored in the bay

The damage was caused to the yachts while the cruise ship tried to turn as it was being piloted by the harbour master at Dartmouth, Devon.

Dart Harbour Authority said it is now trying to track down the owners of all the boats involved in the incident and has launched an investigation.

Steve McMillan, 54, of Brixham, Devon, who witnessed the incident, said: 'The Saga Pearl II collided with four yachts on the way in to Dartmouth.

Pictures show the moment the huge boat collided with a far smaller vessel, scarcely managing to scrape past as it attempted to enter the harbour

This yacht, along with three others, were superficially damaged during the incident however nobody was injured

'She turned in too wide and people were running out of their boats, in their pyjamas on a nearby pontoon adjacent to the yacht club.

'It really was close.'

Mark Hubbard, chair of Dart Harbour, said no one was hurt in the incident.

The damage was caused to the yachts while the cruise ship tried to turn as it was being piloted by the habourmaster at Dartmouth, Devon

Dart Harbour Authority said it is now trying to track down the owners of all the boats involved in the incident and has launched an investigation

He added: 'The cruise ship Saga Pearl II, piloted by harbourmaster Captain Mark Cooper was brought into the Port of Dartmouth this morning.

'The ship has been berthed on the mainstream moorings.

'During a manoeuvre to turn, the ship clipped four yachts causing superficial damage.

Steve McMillan, 54, of Brixham, Devon, who witnessed the incident, said: 'The Saga Pearl II collided with four yachts on the way in to Dartmouth

'She turned in too wide and people were running out of their boats, in their pyjamas on a nearby pontoon adjacent to the yacht club'

He added: 'The cruise ship Saga Pearl II, piloted by harbourmaster Captain Mark Cooper was brought into the Port of Dartmouth this morning'

'No one was hurt in the incident and the harbour office is now making all efforts to contact the owners of the yacht involved.

'Records from the incident are being collated and will be analysed in order to identify exactly why this occurred and what can be learnt.'

The Saga Pearl II is currently on its final season hosting cruises for Saga touring Western Europe including England, France and Spain.

'The ship has been berthed on the mainstream moorings, during a manoeuvre to turn, the ship clipped four yachts causing superficial damage'

'No one was hurt in the incident and the harbour office is now making all efforts to contact the owners of the yacht involved'

'Records from the incident are being collated and will be analysed in order to identify exactly why this occurred and what can be learnt'

It has capacity for a maximum of 449 passengers and 220 crew members.

A spokesperson for Saga said: 'The Saga Pearl 2 arrived in Dartmouth this morning under pilotage by the harbourmaster.

'During a manoeuvre she came into contact with four small leisure craft causing superficial damage.

'Nobody was hurt in the incident and the harbour office are making every effort to contact the owners of the yachts involved.

'Damage to the yachts will be thoroughly assessed and any damage caused by Saga Pearl 2 will be rectified.'

The Saga Pearl II is currently on its final season hosting cruises for Saga touring Western Europe including England, France and Spain

It has capacity for a maximum of 449 passengers and 220 crew members
Two people have been detained in connection to the human remains found in two Bronx parks on Friday and Tuesday.

Daquan Wheeler, 31, was charged with murder, manslaughter, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon.

Additionally, 31-year-old Ciara Martinez was charged with criminal facilitation, hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy.

Daquan Wheeler and Ciara Martinez, both 31, were detained on Wednesday in connection to the killing of Lisa Marie Velasquez, 24

Velasquez was said to have died from a blow to the head and suffered multiple blunt impact injuries

The two were escorted from the 42nd Precint on Wednesday night in connection to the killing of Lisa Marie Velasquez.

Police identified Velasquez, 24, on Tuesday after officers found three bags of body parts at Barretto Point Park in Hunts Point that night and two in Crotona Park on Friday.

Velasquez was said to have died from a blow to the head and suffered multiple blunt impact injuries, ABC 7 reports.

Tuesday night, Police found three bags of body parts at Barretto Point Park in Hunts Point and two in Crotona Park on Friday

'I'm trying to find a way to tell her grandmother. It's not been easy for us,' aunt Jacqueline Perez explained to the New York Daily News on Wednesday.

The woman's grandmother, Iris Ginel, took Velasquez in when she was 12 years old along with siblings David and Vanessa.

The three witnessed the brutal murder of their mother - 37-year-old Marilyn Ginel - at the hands of ex-boyfriend Robert Coakley.

With assistance from his at-the-time girlfriend, who held Marilyn down, Coakley stabbed, strangled and beat the woman to death.

When Velasquez was 12, she and her two siblings witnessed the brutal murder of their mother - 37-year-old Marilyn Ginel - at the hands of ex-boyfriend Robert Coakley

At the time of the killing, Coakley is said to have warned the children that 'if you tell anybody I killed your mother, I'll kill you.' Marilyn was nine months pregnant at the time.

Her ex-boyfriend was convicted of murder and is currently serving 25 years to life behind bars.

'Lisa witnessed it. After that, my mother took custody of the kids,' Perez added about Iris Ginel. 'She's sick. She can't walk. She never recovered from her daughter being murdered.'

Police have apparently made two arrests in connection to the 24-year-old woman's killing

Sketch police provided when the head was found on Tuesday

Velasquez was last seen leaving her apartment at the Melrose Houses on August 21. According to police, she never returned.

'She came to my mother's house. She grabbed her bag. She left in a rush. She said she had to help a friend who was in danger. And then she ran out,' Perez claimed.

The 24-year-old was reported missing the next day by another aunt who lives in her building.

'The type of animal who would do this to another human being she was tortured,' Perez stated. 'She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to die this way. Whether she was a good girl or a bad girl, she didn't deserve this.'
Advertisement

A series of dramatic pictures show the moment a woman's life was saved after she was battered by a huge swell in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

The powerful images show the ordeal from beginning to end as the female swimmer begins to struggle in the huge waves at Bronte Beach on Thursday morning.

Surf lifesaver Andrew Reid, who helped save the swimmer, told Daily Mail Australia she was extremely lucky, with a number of factors contributing to her rescue.

'I had just walked in at 6.55am and a fellow lifeguard turned up because we start at 7am,' he said.

A series of dramatic pictures show the moment a woman was just moments from death after being being swallowed up by a huge swell battering the New South Wales coast

The powerful images show the ordeal from beginning to end as the female swimmer clearly begins to struggle in the rugged surf at Bronte Beach in Sydney's east on Thursday morning

'We were actually just looking out and checking the conditions to see how we would set up the beach and a massive set rolled in and I I actually joked I wouldn't want to be out in that today.'

It was at this moment that the struggling swimmer was noticed in the surf.

'I started running down and saw she was in a precarious spot copping 10-foot sets, she looked tiny and all I could think was how did she get out there?'

Mr Reid said as he made his way towards the rocks other lifeguards were making a beeline for the swimmer.

'The most direct route was the rocks but as I got closer she was further away,' he said.

One of the other lifeguards, Troy Stewart, used the rip to get to the swimmer, which Mr Reid said proved to be the quicker route.

The astonishing images show Mr Stewart reaching the swimmer right as she begins to sink under the surface of the water.

'I've seen a lot of people drown and I can say I think she was going under for the last time,' Mr Reid said.

'But then Troy got to her and pulled her up, it was amazing to see.'

The swimmer is dwarfed by the swell as it continues to roll in and batter her while she tries to get the attention of the lifeguards

Lifeguards make their way out to the woman, using a rip to get to her as quickly as possible

Mr Reid said the swimmer was screaming and in quite a bad way as his colleague got her above the waterline.

Another lifeguard, Anthony Carroll, was at the clubhouse participating in a Pilates class when he raced to the rescue, and he even made a separate rescue on his way out.

'A guy had actually jumped from the pool and tried to help but then he ended up getting into trouble too,' Mr Reid said.

As Mr Carroll made his way out he noticed the second rescue attempt going on, found the first man, rescued him and then raced to the struggling swimmer.

'She is a very lucky lady,' Mr Reid said.

'She had two of the country's best surf swimmers at the beach this morning, Troy Stewart and Wally Eggleton.'

Both men are decorated surf swimmers.

Mr Reid said each lifeguard took a different route to ensure at least one of them was able to reach the woman in time.

'In her defence she probably swims there every day but the ocean is a treacherous thing,' Reid said.

Once the swimmer was safe on dry land, Mr Reid said he was worried she still had salt water in her lungs, which would need to be dealt with at a hospital.

'It's known as secondary drowning,' Reid said.

'People actually inhale salt water when they drown and if there is any left in the lungs they could actually drown in their sleep, so you need to go to the hospital to get it cleared.'

The first lifeguard gets to the woman at the last possible moment as it appears she is about to go under the waves for the final time

Luckily he gets to her in time and is able to keep her head above water until a third lifeguard arrives with a paddle board

He said the woman was extremely grateful once she had been rescued.

'She expressed so much gratitude', he said.

'I carried her up the beach and she was saying 'thank you so much'. I believe she truly thought she was going to die out there.

'She gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.'

Mr Reid was humble about the role he and his colleagues played in the rescue despite their heroics.

'I'm a very small cog in that wheel today but great effort gets great results,' he said.

He also praised the whole surf community of Bronte.

Thankfully the lifeguards were just starting their shift when the incident happened at 7am

Once they reach the shore the sheer exhaustion of fighting a wild sea is obvious as the woman collapses under her own weight while being caught by lifeguards and witnesses
Budget apartments for rent in Melbourne's affluent area of St Kilda have been slammed online as 'a literal drug den' and a 'hell hole' by outraged guests.

Redan Apartments are advertised on TripAdvisor at around $105 per night, making them significantly cheaper than other rental accommodation in the city's inner suburb.

But users online have argued you get what you pay for with TripAdvisor reviewers saying it is 'the most disgusting, filthy and dilapidated accommodation ever'.

The apartments have been slammed online as 'a literal drug den' and 'hell hole' by outraged guests

Travelers complained of exposed wires and a smoke detector which was not functioning

Photos emerged of black residue on the bed sheets and reviews complained of a general lack of cleanliness

The disgruntled travelers posted photos including used syringes in the bins, exposed wires from a smoke detector and black residue on the beds.

Common complaints ranged from cockroach-infestations and bed bugs, to urine stains and blood stains on the wall and a general lack of cleanliness.

One guest described how she and her young family, including an 18-month-old baby, had booked the room at the last minute due to limited accommodation in the city. However they decided to stay somewhere else after taking one look at the room.

'Not the place to stay with an 18 month baby,' she criticised. 'The minute I walked in and saw the rubbish an mess on the floor I knew I had made a mistake.'

Reviews on the online travel company WotIf did not fare any better, with guests claiming that it was 'revolting' and 'would have been more hygienic to sleep on the streets'.

Common complaints ranged from cockroach-infestations and bed bugs, to urine stains and blood stains on the wall

Some defended the uncleanliness of the apartments, saying 'you get what you pay for'

Where they were asked to describe the 'pros' of the apartment, most reviewers wrote 'nothing'.

Some, however, defended the uncleanliness of the apartments, saying 'You get what you pay for' and pointing out that they were at least 'well located' and 'in a quiet neighbourhood [with] plenty of parking'.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Redan Apartments for comment.
As any driver will tell you, there's nothing worse than being stuck in a traffic jam. But one roads expert thinks he may have a solution that could end them for good.

Japanese Professor Katsuhiro Nishinari, who studies the mathematics of traffic jams, a discipline he calls 'jamology', says one counter-intuitive rule could wipe out traffic jams for good.

The average Sydney driver spends 156 hours stuck in traffic every year, but traffic would move faster if people slowed down, Mr Nishinari, who is in Melbourne for a Transport and Tourism Summit, said.

Scroll down for video

The average Sydney driver spends 156 hours in traffic every year

Traffic expert Katsuhiro Nishinari (pictured) says he has one simple rule to clear congestion

Mr Nishinari said Australian drivers could learn a lot from ants, telling news.com.au that 'ants never have traffic jams'.

The reason is because ants generally dont stop moving.

If people allowed just one extra second of distance between cars, the extra six-metre gap between them would remove the need to slam on the brakes, Mr Nishinari said.

He says if drivers just put an extra one-second gap between themselves and the car in front of them, traffic jams could be eliminated entirely

'It's counter intuitive but if we slow down it makes the flow faster. Slower is faster. That's the jamologist's big point,' he said.

He tested his theory on Tokyo's busiest freeway, asking eight cars to slow down and maintain the same headway along the Shuto Expressway.

With a slower, but consistent speed, a traffic jam didn't appear for 40 minutes, he said.

Recent surveys say Australian drivers think speeding slightly over the limit is acceptable. Pictured: peak hour traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with some lanes closed

But, Australians like to go fast, he said.

Aussie drivers speed and constantly change lanes when someone in front of them brakes, causing traffic to build up.

A recent survey by the NSW Roads and Maritime Services revealed a majority of drivers think speeding slightly over the limit is acceptable.

Men justify speeding because they believe they are safe drivers, while women speed because others around them are travelling over the limit.
A mother is frustrated after visiting seven stores in search for baby formula and going home empty handed.

It comes after Woolworths and Coles supermarkets across Australia have lifted their two tin per customer limit to eight tins per customer.

Samantha Mason posted an image of an empty Woolworths shelf to Facebook and has slammed the store for their insufficient stock.

Samantha Mason posted an image of an empty Woolworths shelf to Facebook and has slammed the store for their insufficient stock

It comes after Woolworths and Coles supermarkets across Australia have lifted their two tin per customer limit, to eight tins per customer

Ms Mason claims that the issue has been ongoing since she gave birth to her son, and will now have to upset him by changing formulas.

'This is getting ridiculous...I am now out of A2 formula for my son and have visited 7 stores,' her Facebook post read.

In early August, Woolworths made the decision to change their purchase limit of baby formula from two cans per customer to eight.

'This change is the result of improving formula supply in the market,' a Woolworths spokesperson said.

'We'll closely monitor our on shelf availability and feedback from customers as we work through this adjustment.'

Ever since the limit has been lifted, parents across Australia are having to hunt for tins of baby formula.

'I'm finding the shelves to be empty far more often than they are stocked,' Ms Mason told Daily Mail Australia.

Ms Mason (pictured) has frequented Coles, Woolworths, Big W, IGA and chain chemists in order to find their preferred formula

Woolworths and Coles supermarkets across Australia have lifted their two tin per customer limit, to eight tins per customer

Ms Mason and her husband have frequented Coles, Woolworths, Big W, IGA and chain chemists in order to find their preferred formula.

'My husband's record for formula trawling is 13 stores in one day,' she said.

The purchase of baby formula has been a hot-topic issue for months, after the demand for the Australian product grew in China.

It is believed to be safer and more pure than China's local products,

Professional shoppers are known as 'daigou' - a Chinese word that translates to 'buying on behalf of'.

Chinese Sydneysiders are frequently seen buying up produce from Australian chemists and sending them back home, or advertising them on social media to make themselves a sizable profit.

In mid August, members of a baby formula 'cartel' were caught on camera stealing tins of the powdered product to sell on the overseas market (pictured)

Chinese Sydneysiders are frequently seen buying up produce from Australian chemists and sending them back home

In mid August, members of a baby formula 'cartel' were caught on camera stealing tins of the powdered product to sell on the overseas market.

Security footage captured in a number of Sydney supermarkets shows what appears to be a gang of tradesmen in high-visibility clothing stuffing cans of formula into their bags and casually walking away.

In attempts to combat stockpiled baby formula, where some footage showed customers grabbing it off the trolleys before it could even reach the shelves, major supermarkets were forced to set consumer limits.

Woolworths announced in October 2017 that the supermarket chain was introducing a stricter limit in order to give all customers a fair chance.

Both Coles and Woolworths have now bumped their limit up to eight tins of baby formula per customer.
Shocking figures reveal at least one child in Australia is killed every month by being run over, usually by cars reversing their cars slowly in their driveway.

The data has been collected by Emma and Peter Cockburn, whose 15-month-old daughter Georgina was killed in a driveway accident seven years ago.

Emma Cockburn lost her daughter Georgina after she was run over by her father's trailer

Mr Cockburn, a builder, came home from work and was reversing his trailer into their garage when the tragedy occurred.

The Cockburns, from Young in south-west New South Wales, collect data from news reports, which show at least 12 children aged three or younger were killed due to vehicle-related accidents in driveways.

The reports conclude in many cases, the driver was the child's mum or dad reversing a car in a driveway.

Mr Cockburn, a builder was reversing his trailer before the tragic situation occurred.

In one incident, a two-year-old died when a family car rolled forward as his mother helped him go to the toilet at a highway rest.

Three children aged two to seven have been killed this year with two injured. Three of these tragedies occurred in New South Wales.

Mrs Cockburn has urged drivers not to rely too much on reversing cameras.

Figures show at least one Australian child is killed by being run over on driveways every month.

'It is a great tool to help you see behind your car but it won't stop you from hitting someone,' she told The Daily Telegraph yesterday.

After their daughter was killed, the Cockburns founded the Georgine Josephine Foundation to develop support services for families affected by low-speed vehicle accidents and the prevention of unintentional injuries and death.
Child neglect charges were dismissed on Wednesday against three of five people arrested at a remote desert compound in New Mexico, including Hujrah Wahhaj (pictured) due to a missed evidentiary hearing deadline

Three people were released from jail in Taos, New Mexico, on Wednesday after a judge dismissed charges of child abuse at their desert compound where a toddler's body was found, a defense lawyer said.

The judge dismissed charges when prosecutors failed to prepare for an evidentiary hearing within a 10-day period.

Lucas Morton, his wife Subhannah Wahhaj, and her sister Hujrah Wahhaj, left the jail in Toas with Subhannah's defense lawyer Megan Mitsunaga simply telling Reuters, 'They're out now.'

While they won't face punishment for the death of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj as a result of child neglect, the deceased's father Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, and his partner, Jany Leveille, remain behind bars for the charges.

The father of the dead boy and his partner pleaded not guilty Wednesday to new charges of child abuse resulting in death, after lesser charges were dismissed against them and other members of their extended family.



Hujrah Wahhaj (left) talks with her attorney Marie Legrand Miller during a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the Taos County Courthouse, Wednesday

Subhannah Wahhaj (left) sat with her attorney Megan Mitsunaga during a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the Taos County Courthouse, Wednesday

Lucas Morton (right) is now free. He's pictured listening to his attorney Aleks Kostich (left) argue for his release from jail during a hearing on a motion to dismiss

As far as the trespassing charges they all face, Mitsunaga claims they built a remote desert compound in northern New Mexico on the wrong plot of land by accident.

Law enforcement had found them living in filth near Amalia and the body was later discovered on the property after land owners called in police.

The defense lawyer also said she doesn't know whether prosecutors intend to file further charges.

However, Associated Press reports that prosecutors have other options for pursuing charges against the newly-released, including seeking indictments from a grand jury.

Prosecutor John Lovelace declined to speak about how they planned to pursue it

Judge Emilio Chavez ruled that he could not keep the three in custody because prosecutors missed the deadline to establish probable cause for the neglect charges.

Child neglect charges were dismissed against three of five people arrested at a remote desert compound in northern New Mexico where 11 children were found living in filth and the body of a 3-year-old Abdul-ghani Wahhaj (pictured) was discovered, due to a missed filing deadline

The Taos county jail, where two people accused of child abuse at a desert compound are still awaiting release

The child's father Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (from left) and stepmother Jany Leveille talked with attorneys Kelly Golightley and Tom Clark. They pleaded not guilty Wednesday to new charges of child abuse resulting in death after lesser charges were dismissed against them

Authorities are pushing ahead with other charges filed against the dead boy's father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj (pictured), and his partner, Jany Leveille

Jany Leveille could be charged for illegal immigration. Federal authorities say the native of Haiti, has been in the United States unlawfully for 20 years after overstaying a visitor visa

Another New Mexico judge today announced they would be dropping child abuse charges against two of the defendants due to the correct procedure not being followed.

District Judge Jeff McElroy criticized the office of Taos District Attorney Donald Gallegos for how the charges have been handled, citing a 'complete failure to follow procedures in prosecuting the case.'

Deputy District Attorney Timothy Hasson said they 'respectfully disagree'.

Right before they were released, Gallegos warned the decision-maker that they still represented a danger to the public and filed documents to request they be jailed without bail pending trial.

Referencing 'bizarre cult practices' and evidence they found of plans to carry out terrorist attacks, he stated that the released trio wanted 'to conduct future acts of violence against individuals and civic institutions'.

Authorities are pushing ahead with other charges filed in relation to the severely disabled boy who had been living with his mother in Georgia prior to his death.

Security was boosted at the judiciary complex in Taos, New Mexico where Morton, Subhannah Wahhaj and Wahhaj were awaiting release, amid threats against the state judge who cleared the way for the defendants to leave the county jail.

Judge Jeff McElroy said Wednesday about a possible public backlash after his decision: 'I urge everyone not to react to solely the information contained within the warrants that were filed but rather to the evidence as it gets developed in this case.'

A self-described Air Force pararescue veteran pointed out that the judge who dismissed the charges was forced to do so, because prosecutors didn't follow the proper process.

Twitter user @BKactual wrote on Wednesday: 'The judge had to do this by law, because the prosecutors chose not to file any paperwork on people who were abusing children, training them for school shootings and oh yeah there was a kids corpse on their property. What is going on there in New Mexico??'

Author Ari Armstrong responded to the news with a vague, 'Are you kidding me?' It wasn't immediately clear whether he was upset with the prosecutors, the judge, or both, but his disdain for the situation was obvious.

A self-described Air Force pararescue veteran pointed out that the judge who dismissed the charges was forced to do so, because prosecutors didn't follow the proper process

Author Ari Armstrong responded to the news with a vague, 'Are you kidding me?' It wasn't immediately clear whether he was upset with the prosecutors, the judge, or both, but his disdain for the situation was obvious

Eleven children were also found living in filth at the compound in Amalia, New Mexico; This photo, provided by the Toas County Sheriff's Department on August 6, shows the conditions

State forensic investigators announced on August 16 that the highly decomposed body found at the desert compound in Amalia, New Mexico was identified as the missing Georgia boy with severe disabilities.

Abdul-ghani Wahhaj was the son of Siraj Ibn Wahhaj.

The charges that could carry life sentences in connection with the boy's death.

The boy's badly decomposed remains were found this month inside a tunnel at the high-desert compound near the Colorado state line.

Prosecutors and law enforcement officials have accused Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Leveille of denying the boy proper medicine and health care as he died during rituals designed to cast out harmful spirits from the boy.

The boy initially was reported missing last year from Jonesboro, Georgia, by his mother after Siraj Ibn Wahhaj said he was taking the child to a park and didn't return.

Forensic medical investigators have not identified the cause and manner of the boy's death as they continue their analysis.

Prosecutors had pressed to keep the three in custody as they planned to present new evidence of an anti-government plot and talk of jihad and martyrdom among some members of the extended Muslim family that settled at the compound last winter.

New Mexico forensic investigators announced on August 16 that a highly decomposed body found at a desert compound in New Mexico has been identified as Abdul-ghani Wahhaj, a severely disabled three-year-old who had been living in Georgia with his mother; In this file photo, the extended family's makeshift living compound in Amalia, New Mexico is shown as it appeared on August 10

Among the evidence is a hand-written document called 'Phases of a Terrorist Attack' that was seized from the compound and includes vague instructions for 'the one-time terrorist' and mentioned an unnamed place called 'the ideal attack site.'

Prosecutors wrote in court documents that new interviews with some of the children taken from the site revealed that one of the adults, Morton, stated he wished to die in jihad as a martyr.

The documents also stated that defendants Leveille and Subhannah Wahhaj joked about dying in jihad.

Defense attorneys have noted that their clients have no record of criminal convictions and pose no risk to the public.

Federal immigration authorities say Leveille, a native of Haiti, has been in the United States unlawfully for 20 years after overstaying a visitor visa.

The charges against Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Leveille are tied to an extensive account of Abdul-ghani's death in a journal that prosecutors attribute to Leveille.

Prosecutors say the boy died in late December 2017 as his heartbeat faded in and out during a religious ritual aimed at casting out demonic spirits.
The National Enquirer has long explained its support for Donald Trump as a business decision based on the president's popularity among its readers.

But private financial documents and circulation figures obtained by The Associated Press show that the tabloid's business was declining even as it published stories attacking Trump's political foes and, prosecutors claim, helped suppress stories about his alleged sexual affairs.

The Enquirer's privately held parent company, American Media Inc., lost $72 million for the year ending in March, the records show.

And despite AMI chairman David Pecker's claims that the Enquirer's heavy focus on Trump sells magazines, the documents show that the Enquirer's average weekly circulation fell by 18 percent to 265,000 in its 2018 fiscal year from the same period the year before - the greatest percentage loss of any AMI-owned publication.

Confidential documents show the National Enquirer's circulation declined even as it published stories attacking Trump's political foes and, prosecutors claim, helped suppress stories about his alleged sexual affairs

The slide follows the Enquirer's 15 percent circulation loss for the previous 12 months, a span that included the presidential election.

More broadly, the documents obtained by the AP show that American Media isn't making enough money to cover the interest accruing on its $882 million in long-term debt and that the company expects 'continued declines in circulation and advertising revenues' in the current year.

That leaves AMI reliant on debt to keep its operations afloat and finance a string of recent acquisitions that are transforming the tabloid news industry.

That creditor backstopping AMI is a New Jersey investment fund called Chatham Asset Management.

Its top executive dined with Pecker and Trump at the White House last year, and the fund has both a history of Republican political donations and ties to the administration of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, which awarded it hundreds of millions of dollars in state retirement funds to manage.

AMI chairman David Pecker (pictured) has claimed that the Enquirer's heavy focus on Trump sells magazines

AMI's current debts stem from the declining fortunes of the magazine industry and a series of acquisitions.

Chatham has kept this number from ballooning further by converting some of the debt it is owed into shares in the company.

The publisher's precarious financials and reliance on Chatham are a backdrop to the publisher's growing entanglement in a federal investigation of allegations of hush money payments and violations of campaign finance laws.

Trump's longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty last week to criminal violations of campaign laws.

Cohen accepted prosecutors' claim that he, Trump and the National Enquirer were involved in buying the silence of an adult-film actress and a former Playboy model who claim to have had affairs with Trump.

Pecker and his top editorial deputy, Dylan Howard, have both received immunity in exchange for their cooperation.

The prospect that Pecker and AMI might not protect Donald Trump's (pictured) secrets forever has long been a concern

Along with Cohen, they are among the latest longtime Trump loyalists to be swept up in the federal investigations engulfing the president and his inner circle.

Neither AMI nor company officials have been charged in the case.

AMI did not provide an on-the-record response to detailed questions from the AP sent to Howard, Pecker and its outside spokesman.

But a confidential financial document obtained by the AP argues that investors should focus on its current cash flows and not its profitability.

Over the last two years, it has generated a combined $12 million cash flow from operations even as it has posted $160 million in overall losses.

AMI's brush with a campaign finance probe comes amid its recently announced efforts to refinance as much as $450 million in debt.

Despite the company's recent purchases of US Weekly and rival gossip publisher Bauer Media, revenue from AMI's existing publications continues to drop, the financial report obtained by the AP shows.

Pecker has long maintained an aura of absolute control over the Enquirer and its sister publications, boasting of his willingness to spend AMI's money to benefit Trump.

Trump's longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen (pictured), pleaded guilty last week to criminal violations of campaign laws

'The guy's a personal friend of mine,' he told The New Yorker magazine last summer, explaining why AMI paid former Playmate Karen McDougal $150,000 in a deal that prevented her from going public with her claim that she'd had an affair with Trump.

But Pecker owns only a small fraction of AMI, around 8 percent, according to the company.

More than 80 percent of AMI - as well as hundreds of millions of dollars of its debt - belongs to Chatham Asset Management, with billionaire investor Leon Cooperman owning an additional 7 percent.

Chatham declined to address questions about the Enquirer's relationship with Trump or the future of its investment in AMI.

But the firm released a statement saying Chatham 'has no involvement in the editorial process or the day-to-day business decisions of the company.'

David Larcker, a Stanford Business School professor who studies private equity and corporate governance, said it is normal for a firm like Chatham to give a company like AMI a long leash.

But the firm would be expected to investigate any time 'something large and unexpected happens' at a company it controls on behalf of the investors who are its limited partners. A firm like Chatham 'would owe the LPs an explanation,' he said.

Among Chatham's largest investors, according to public records, is New Jersey's public pension fund.

Chatham manages investment decisions for more than $300 million in pension holdings for the state.

Asked about AMI's alleged involvement with campaign finance law violations and hush money payments, state Treasury spokeswoman Jennifer Sciortino told the AP that 'we expect our investment partners to invest in good businesses with strong management teams that follow all applicable laws.'

She declined to say whether New Jersey had discussed AMI with Chatham, but said, 'We are in regular contact with our investment partners regarding underlying portfolio companies and we provide feedback when appropriate.'

In an interview last Friday, Cooperman deferred most questions to Chatham and AMI, describing himself as a passive investor and calling his 7 percent stake in the company 'negligible.'

Cooperman didn't offer any thoughts about AMI's alleged involvement with hush money payments, but he expressed confidence in Pecker.

'I think he's a very good quality guy, and is doing a good job running the company,' he said.

The confidential financial document obtained by the AP states that AMI's $882 million in long-term debt owed to creditors as of March is a competitive disadvantage that may compromise its ability to launch new projects, borrow additional money or even pay for 'general corporate requirements.'

Cooperman told the AP that AMI has lined up a prominent investment bank to help with its upcoming effort to raise capital and that he expects a prospective deal to be launched after Labor Day.

He said he expects AMI to convert more of its debt to shares in the company as part of that refinancing.

AMI paid former Playmate Karen McDougal (pictured with Trump) $150,000 in a deal that prevented her from going public with her claim that she'd had an affair with Trump

While the details of AMI's financial difficulties described in the confidential document haven't been previously reported, the prospect that Pecker and AMI might not protect Trump's secrets forever has long been a concern.

Trump and Cohen even discussed the possibility that the ties between Trump and the National Enquirer might someday unravel.

In July, Cohen released an audio recording in which the men discussed plans to buy McDougal's story of an affair with Trump from the National Enquirer.

Such a purchase was necessary, they suggested, to prevent Trump from having to permanently rely on a tight relationship with the tabloid.

'You never know where that company - you never know what he's gonna be,' Cohen says.

'David gets hit by a truck,' Trump says.

'Correct,' Cohen replies. 'So, I'm all over that.'

According to the documents accompanying Cohen's guilty plea last week, Trump's purchase of McDougal's story never occurred.
Rumours of TPG starting an unlimited $9.99 a month mobile phone plan have been circulating for months.

But Thursday's merger between TPG and Vodafone Australia could see the plan cancelled before it even begins.

The plan was supposed to offer unlimited data, calls and texts across Australia, and compete with Optus, Telstra and Vodafone.

But after the merger into Vodafone's customer base, industry experts say the company doesn't need to lower their prices heavily to compete.

The new merged entity will allow TPG and Vodafone Australia to better compete with Telstra and Optus (stock image)

Tommy Wu, a Senior Industry Analyst at IBISWorld, told Daily Mail Australia TPG's aggressive customer marketing isn't necessary anymore.

The reports of the plan first came to light in May 2018, when TPG was attempting to build Australia's fourth mobile network.

They tentatively stepped into the mobile phone plan market, offering customers six months free on an unlimited data plan to try the network.

At the time, Optus, Telstra and Vodafone were the only major Australian mobile companies.

TPG only had 1.9million subscribers, compared to nearly 10million for Optus.

However, the merger with Vodafone means that they no longer need to force their way into the market with cheap phone plans.

Vodafone Australia is set to merge with TPG Telecom into one $15billion company (stock image)

'With this merger we will be a more formidable competitor against Optus and Telstra,' TPG chairman and chief executive David Teoh said in a statement.

But when he was asked by the Sydney Morning Herald whether a $10-a-month plan could go forward, he said: 'Who knows?'

'TPG were trying to push into the mobile market, (and) that risked crowding out the mobile market,' Mr Wu said.

'If TPG continued, they would likely push forward the $10 plan, but now they have a foot in the door of the mobile market, they don't have to.'

TPG were planning on releasing a $9.99 unlimited monthly plan, but now the company doesn't need to compete so aggressively for mobile customers (stock image)

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Teoh said the merger announcement was an 'exciting step-change'.

'Together we will become a more effective industry challenger that strives to create competitively priced consumer products with the high levels of customer service that differentiates us in the market,' he said.

Vodafone chief executive Inaki Berroeta told The Sydney Morning Herald: 'We are doing this to really compete harder (with Optus and Telstra), we want to grow our market share'.

In a statement, he added 'We are confident that this merger will be highly beneficial to customers, shareholders and other stakeholders'.

'The big winners of this will be Australia's consumers, with the new company able to deliver even greater competition and value.'

TPG shareholders will own 49.9 per cent of the new merged group, with Vodafone Hutchinson Australia shareholders owning the rest.

Vodafone chief executive Inaki Berroeta (pictured) said 'We are doing this to really compete harder (with Optus and Telstra), we want to grow our market share'

'(The) merger will provide scale and financial strength to compete more effectively with Telstra and Optus, and be better able to invest and drive innovation, service and product improvement to benefit Australian telecommunications customers,' a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange said.

It has been described as a 'merger of equals transaction to establish Australia's leading challenger full-service telecommunications provider'.

TPG, which also own iiNet and Internode, has more than 1.9million subscribers in Australia, while Vodafone has about 6million.

The new company will be named TPG Telecom Ltd.

The merger is expected to be completed next year, subject to regulatory approval.
Tony Abbott has always had a loyal voter base in his electorate of Warringah, but his support is beginning to crumble following the Liberal Party leadership spill.

But not everyone on Sydney's northern beaches is happy following the former prime minister's helping hand in ousting Malcolm Turnbull, with one of his voters saying he made them 'embarrassed to be Australian'.

Voters from Warringah took to Mr Abbott's Facebook post congratulating Scott Morrison on his victory to express their disappointment in their MP.

Tony Abbott has always had a loyal voter base in his electorate of Warringah however after the Liberal Party leadership spill his strong foundation may have been compromised

'I've been a liberal voter for over 35 years and you DISGUST me. You just lost my vote and many others. FED UP...,' one user wrote.

'I live in your seat and Im a Liberal supporter but if you continue to be the candidate for this seat I will be deciding on which independent to vote for. You have embarrassed this country politically,' another added.

However for all the backlash and criticism being levelled at Mr Abbott a number of other people shared their support to his official Facebook page.

'This man CARES (sic) for his party and he would only do what is right, but some cant get this. Cant get loyalty,' one supporter wrote.

'Good on you Tony was hoping Peter Dutton would win though. Would like to see you as Prime Minister again. You work for the Australians,' another added.

'Wonderful to have Tony stay for the good of Australia, and her peoples', a third supporter wrote.

After former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) was ousted by the Liberal Party many of Abbot's supporters have spoken out against him and the party

A number of residents from his electorate spoke to news.com.au about their disillusionment with their MP.

'His name is mud at the moment  I voted for him but never again, one Manly resident said.

'I felt Malcolm was doing the best he could and the impact on (former foreign minister) Julie Bishop too, was unbelievable. Im almost embarrassed to be Australian at the moment.'

She went further and said Abbott was 'pure ego' and 'totally out of touch'.

Another Manly resident echoed those sentiments.

'He is just tired in the teeth and hanging around, I dont know what for, he just seems to be stirring the pot rather than genuinely being of service as a local member', he said.

Other voters from Warringah took to Mr Abbott's Facebook post congratulating Scott Morrison (pictured) on his victory to express their disappointment

Both former Prime Ministers, Mr Abbott and Mr Turnbull (pictured together) have a colourful history and are seen as the architects of each''s dismissal from the top job

Liberal MP Jason Falinski said while Mr Abbott has always had his detractors he has also always had his supporters.

'Among working people and retirees, mums, dads and families, the message I get is they like Tony and they like his involvement in the community, what hes done in the community and they dont see any better option in front of them,' he told news.com.au.

Mr Abbott retained the seat of Warringah in the 2016 election by a large margin, 61.6 per cent against the Greens 38.4 per cent.

In the 2013 election Mr Abbott also won by a similar margin, 65.3 per cent against Labor's 34.7 per cent.

TONY ABBOTT'S SIX POINT ELECTION PLAN Fix the Parliament: Reform the senate  make it a house of review, not a house of rejection  to end the gridlock and make Australia work again. Live within our means: Stop all new and frivolous spending to fix the budget and stop ripping off our grandchildren. Take the pressure off power prices: End further subsidies of intermittent and unreliable energy. Make housing more affordable: By scaling back immigration to migrants who can make a contribution from day one. Make Australia safe: Keep Jihadis off the streets. Stop hate-preachers. Make better use of the armed forces. Let police shoot-to-kill to save innocent lives. Celebrate Australia - dont run it down: End funding for bully bureaucracies and welcome straight talking. Source: tonyabbott.com.au Advertisement

The results show strong and long term support for Mr Abbott in his own electorate.

Mr Abbott has been in damage control since the Liberal leadership spill and has already released statements about how the country and its government can move forward.

'We need to give the public something to hope for; we need to give our own people something to fight for', the statement read.

He also set out a six point plan to achieving this goal including, fixing the Parliament, living within our means, taking the pressure off power prices, to make housing more affordable, to make Australia safe and to celebrate the nation instead of putting it down.

It remains to be seen if these focus points will resonate with the voting public.
Cheating to win is as old as sport itself but two Chinese pigeon racers took it to modern-day extremes when they hid the birds in milk cartons and hopped on a bullet train during the bird race.

It was no surprise then when their homing pigeons scooped the first four places in the Shanghai Pigeon Association's annual Grand Prix and total prize money of more than one million yuan (112,000).

But the pigeons' rapid times soon raised suspicions and race organisers turned the men in when the scale of the ruse emerged, the state-run Legal Daily reported.

A Chinese worker from the Shanghai Homing Pigeon Association releases pigeons during the 13th national homing pigeon race in Zhengzhou city, central China's Henan province in 2012. Two men cheated the same race in April 2017 and were each sentenced to three years in jail

The men hid the pigeons in milk cartons and boarded a bullet train to Shanghai during the race

The two men, surnamed Gong and Zhang, attempted to conceal their crime by killing the birds and giving up the prize money, the state newspaper said.

But it was too late and a Shanghai court handed the duo suspended sentences of three years for fraud.

The court also fined Gong 30,000 yuan (3,400) and Zhang 20,000 yuan (2,200), Legal Daily said, adding that they also broke competition rules by using older pigeons instead of one-year-olds.

Homing pigeon races are a sport dating back at least to the 1800s. The pigeons are raised in lofts, then taken hundreds of miles away and released. The first pigeon to fly home to its loft wins.

The two men went to great lengths to beat the opposition in the race in April last year from the city of Shangqiu in the province of Henan to Shanghai on China's east coast, a distance of about 750 kilometres (450 miles).

Auction goers inspect pure-blooded pigeons during a European pigeons auction in Sichuan

Homing pigeon races are a sport dating back at least to the 1800s. The pigeons are raised in lofts, then taken hundreds of miles away and released. The first pigeon to fly home wins

Gong and Zhang began their nefarious plan a year in advance, raising the pigeons at two feeding points, in Henan and Shanghai, to familiarise the birds with the locations.

After handing the pigeons over to organisers in Henan, rather than flying straight to Shanghai, the birds went to the feeding point elsewhere in the province.

There, they were concealed in milk cartons for the bullet-train ride - as live animals are prohibited on the trains - to Shanghai where they were released to the finish line and first place.

However, the man had released the birds too soon, shattering records for the race.

Gong and Zhang will not serve jail time unless they commit more wrongdoing - forgoing the prize money saved them from time behind bars.

Pigeon racing is popular among older people in China and Shanghai is considered the modern-day home of the sport.

Speeds vary depending on distance, but racing pigeons can fly about 150 kilometres per hour - fast, but not as fast as a bullet train.
Jenny McDonagh leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court this evening after she was bailed ahead of sentencing

A council finance manager who was supposed to be helping Grenfell Tower survivors secretly splashed 60,000 on credit cards meant for those made homeless by the blaze.

Jenny McDonagh stole money meant for survivors of the west London tragedy, spending it on holidays to Dubai and Los Angeles, as well as expensive dinners out, designer hairstyles and online gambling.

Victims of the fire reacted in fury to the news that one of the people meant to be helping them was instead pocketing money meant for survivors and victims' families.

The shocking case raises further questions about how Kensington and Chelsea borough council handled relief money in the wake of the tragedy, in which 72 people died.

A court was told she is also under investigation for suspected frauds against her former employers, Medway NHS Trust in Kent and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

A spokesman for the group Justice4Grenfell told MailOnline: 'We are always shocked at people who see this desperate situation and their only cause of action is to defraud. Some people don't have any scruples.

'It is appalling that people take advantage of a situation in which vulnerable people were waiting to be housed - this money could have been used for that purpose.

'The case also raises questions of scrutiny at the council. We are surprised that she was allowed to do this when she should have been properly monitored.'

Tonight she was spotted returning to her marital home after the court heard her husband was willing to accept her back.

McDonagh was pictured wearing a grey T-shirt and black trousers as she unlocked the door and fled indoors to hide from waiting journalists.

She immediately answered a knock at the door, confirmed her name and replied 'no comment' when asked if she had anything to say regarding her case, before closing the door again.

McDonagh pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by abuse of position, one count of theft by employee and one count of money laundering this afternoon.

The 39-year-old was pictured returning to her home after her court appearance on Thursday

Jenny McDonagh (left) leaves Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday evening after she pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position, theft by employee and money laundering

Jenny McDonagh, 39 (pictured) today admitted stealing money meant for Grenfell survivors

McDonagh, pictured with her husband Thomas, who, the court heard, 'does not want her to return to the matrimonial home' because of the scandal she had caused

What is the Grenfell victims fund and who is eligible for money? According to the Charity Commission funds of 28.5million have been raised in donations for survivors of the fire and families of victims. Money has come in from various charities including Artists for Grenfell and funds raised from football's Community Shield. The British Red Cross and the Kensington & Chelsea Foundation have been the leading fundraisers. Expenditure from the fund has included 100,000 available to the next of kin of each missing person who has died or is declared missing presumed dead. There were also payments of 3,500 for those who spent between six hours and four days in hospital. Those who spent up to a week in hospital were eligible for 10,000 while victims who were seriously injured and needed to stay in hospital for longer than a week could receive 30,000. There was also a grant of 15,000 which will go to each of the 140 households from the tower. The British Red Cross have a family travel fund and a grant of 8,000 will go to 26 households in Grenfell Walk. Advertisement

On her online CV she had listed the 'creation and maintenance of a system of payment in instalments' as one of her duties at the council.

Reacting to the case, Kensington MP Emma Dent Coad said: 'How on earth did a Council officer steal 62,000 of Grenfell funding without missing it for so long? It brings up very serious questions about who had access to the prepaid cards she used, and who was responsible for auditing this.

'A number of residents have already asked me if the Council will review this employee's work over the past 14 months? She may have been making life-changing decisions with the lives of vulnerable people. They will be devastated.

'This is a very serious breach of trust and the Council must conduct a full audit of donations to see if any more has been stolen.'

McDonagh has been ordered to resign her new job as a finance officer at a mental health charity.

She was told by a chief magistrate to quit her new job and was warned she faced at least three years behind bars for the crimes.

Prosecutor Robert Simpson told Westminster Magistrates' Court: 'She's someone who seems unable to stop herself.' The prosecutor added: 'She has another job at the moment, she's a finance officer in a mental health charity.'

Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said: 'She must resign that job.'

McDonagh stole pre-paid cash cards while working as manager of the Grenfell Fire fund at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, today's court hearing was told.

McDonagh returned to her home this evening after she admitted the offences in court today

After going inside her house she confirmed her name but said she would not comment

The local community remembers those who died in the blaze at a vigil held after the fire

The home of Thomas McDonagh, the husband of Jenny McDonagh, is pictured today

McDonagh took money from cards meant for Christos Fairbairn, who lived on the 15th floor of the tower was one of the last people to escape, and Sacha Salaabi, who is now one of the core participants in the Grenfell Tower inquiry

She even continued to use the stolen cards, which were meant for survivors without bank accounts, after police quizzed her under investigation in August 2018, the court heard.

In the case of one Grenfell victim, Edward Daffarn, he was given a pre-paid card by mistake, which McDonagh then used herself.

In total she took about 62,000 from pre-paid cash cards meant for several people, including Fadumo Ahmed, Sacha Salaabi and Christos Fairbairn, the court heard.

Prosecutor Mr Simpson said: 'Mr Daffarn always indicated he wanted money paid into a bank account, however initially by error he was issued one of those top-up cards in his name.

'He then indicated via his social worker he wanted payments to be made into his bank account.

'The defendant continued keeping the top up card alive and was responsible for it being topped up and used it to the tune in the subject of the charge.'

Mr Daffarn was among the Grenfell residents who expressed safety fears about the tower before the deadly blaze last June.

Prosecutor Robert Simpson described McDonagh as a 'serial fraudster' who 'lives beyond her means and gambles'.

Mr Simpson added that the fraud was 'unsophisticated' because she left a 'clear paper trail.'

He told the hearing: 'It was unsophisticated. Even though she was using fraud funds she was booking restaurants and hair appointments and so-on in her own name, thus the guilty pleas.

McDonagh took money from a card meant for Edward Dafforn, who had lived in Grenfell for 20 years and had campaigned about poor fire safety in the building

'The whole trail leads towards her. She spent quite a lot of money on online gambling. She spent 32,000 of which 16,000 was winnings and lost roughly 16,000 in online gambling.

'Even though she was using fraud funds she was booking restaurants and hair appointments and so-on in her own name, thus the guilty pleas.'

The prosecutor told the court that haircuts and dinners were booked under her own name.

Mr Simpson said McDonagh is married, but her husband originally did 'not want her to return to the matrimonial home' because of the scandal she had caused.

McDonagh's husband is now willing to accept her back into the family home, the court heard.

Her defence solicitor Robert Katz said: 'I have spoken to him. He's prepared to take her back. He was not prepared to. It was the initial shock and the concern about the press. He had no idea about this.

'He would like his wife back at home and he is supportive of her.'

A Kensington and Chelsea Council spokesman said: 'We take fraud very seriously and we have always taken action to root out Grenfell fraud wherever it takes place.

'Over many months our fraud team has worked with the police to build cases and push for prosecutions against anyone who sought to take advantage of last year's terrible tragedy.

'On this occasion it was one of our own members of staff who managed to defraud the council by getting past our own systems and processes. This is both shocking and unforgivable.

'We discovered the fraud and took action straight away, including strengthening our internal processes. We apologise to the survivors and families for any distress this may cause.'

The prosecutor said McDonagh had previously worked for the Medway NHS Trust, which is also investigating her for fraud.

He said: 'She worked for Medway NHS Trust in 2015 and 2016. They have been investigating her time working in that NHS Trust and there is a current fraud investigation launched in 2017 and ongoing by the NHS fraud investigators.

'It's suggested that she obtained about 35,000 by means of fraud when she was working for the NHS Trust.'

After leaving her job with the NHS, McDonagh then worked briefly for the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where she is also suspected of committing fraud.

Mr Simpson said: 'She was then working for the V&A museum in the interim period between NHS and having this job being in charge of managing people from the Grenfell fire fund.

'There's again a fraud investigation going on into her behaviour at the V&A museum.

'She was using her position to alter vendors' details on the system from having no bank account details to having her own personal Santander account details. That fraud had not got far enough for her to obtain anything from it.'

The court heard police also sought charges linked to the suspected V&A fraud.

But, Mr Simpson said: 'The person who was dealing with that over the telephone said that was a more complicated fraud, there was quite a lot of material. The NHS one is in the same position.'

McDonagh was working at Kensington and Chelsea borough council, which came in for strong criticism over safety at the tower before and after the fire. The council HQ is pictured

He added: 'She has, I'm told, friends in LA, she's already been to LA once this year. I'm told there is a trip to LA booked in October this year.

'Her husband does not want her to return to the matrimonial home as he doesn't want the press hanging around his house. The great worry is she gets another job and carries on defrauding.'

McDonagh, who appeared in the dock wearing a large green coat, showed no emotion as the details of her offending were relayed to the court.

McDonagh was bailed ahead of her sentencing in about one month at Isleworth Crown Court.

The conditions are that she must inform the police if she plans to accept further work, wear an electronic tag, surrender her passport and not apply for any travel documents.

Scotland Yard declined to comment on whether she would have any police protection until the sentencing.

The magistrate said: 'There's a starting point of three years. There are a number of aggravating factors, I suspect there is a gambling habit that's behind some of this.'

She becomes the 11th person to be charged with fraud offences relating to the Grenfell disaster, with five people put behind bars.

Some 72 people died as a result of the fire on June 14 last year.
Police are looking for at least four suspects who were seen on surveillance footage robbing a new California Apple store of thousands in iPhones and Mac computers.

In the brief clip of the Saturday incident, what appears to be four suspects make a dash for a Walnut Creek store and quickly grab $30,000 in merchandise.

As bystanders stare in amazement, the group scrambles in hopes that they won't be caught and make their rounds in under 20 seconds.

In the brief clip of the Saturday incident, four suspects make a dash for a Walnut Creek store and quickly grab $30,000 in merchandise

The group scrambles in hopes that they won't be caught in the fairly new store and make their rounds in under 20 seconds

The four exit the store and are then reported to have fled the scene in a black SUV, which a witness was able to capture leaving the scene, according toKRON 4.

Police were able to obtain the license plates of the black Mercedes SUV.

'We were lucky enough to have a citizen who saw the vehicle and copy down the license plate of the vehicle hopefully to identify the suspects in this case,' said Lt. Tom Cashion.

Police have identified the license plates number seen on the black Mercedes SUV that the group used to get away

The Walnut Creek Police Department is working with the Oakland police in hopes of apprehending the suspects.

Police have identified a person of interest, however, KTVU reports.

'That's what our investigators are working on right now, that this person was involved in this. And we have to go through photo lineups. H Have witnesses try to identify,' Cashion added.

They have identified the suspects as being in their mid 20's. All were wearing hoodies.

According to police, the previous Walnut Creek Apple store was robbed 27 times in the past two years.
A massive hoard of 5,600 historic coins has been discovered buried beneath a construction site.

The coins, made of copper and silver and dated from 1882 to 1940, were found by a former employee of Nexus in Toowoomba, Queenland in October 2016.

After an investigation by The Department of Environment and Science (DES) the finder was ordered to pay $1,828 for failing to report the discovery.

A massive hoard of 5,600 historic coins (pictured) has been discovered buried beneath a construction site

The coins, made of copper and silver and dated from 1882 to 1940, were found by a former employee of Nexus at a construction site (pictured)

Among the coins was a a 1927 silver florin, used in Australia before the switch to the decimal currency system in 1966.

'While the financial value of the coins is unknown, the historical value and importance is high,' a department spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'Under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992, a person who discovers an archaeological artifact ... must notify the Department of Environment and Science as soon as practicable after making the discovery.'

'The department's investigation concluded that the company involved complied with the Act.

Among the coins was a a 1927 silver florin (pictured, left, right), used in Australia before the switch to the decimal currency system in 1966

'However, an individual, who was an employee of the company at the time of the offence, was issued a Penalty Infringement Notice for the amount of $1,828 for failing to comply with the Act.'

Coin expert Jim Noble, of Noble Numismatics, said the florins were worth about $5 each for their silver content.

'These coins are very worn and were circulated for 20 years. Archaeologically not important. It is probably from a private hoard stashed in the ground,' Mr Noble said.

WHAT IS A 1927 AUSTRALIAN FLORIN? - Used before decimalisation in 1966 - 92.5 per cent sterling silver - 7.5 per cent copper - King George V on one side - 1908 Coat of Arms of Australia the other side with the words 'Advance Australia' - The florin was worth 20 cents immediately after decimalisation Advertisement

Nexus was the contractor in charge of excavating the site for the Toowoomba Range Second Crossing.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), which worked with Nexus, DES and archaeological experts to evaluate the discovery, said the exact find location would not be disclosed.

'The discovery is possibly the largest coin discovery in Australia,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'The specific location will remain confidential due to the potential risk of illegal trespassing on site.

TMR, Nexus and the Queensland Museum are now deciding on a long-term location for the coins.
Billionaire Anthony Pratt has come under fire over his decision to shut down two staff canteens selling cheap meat pies and sausage rolls.

Pratt, the owner of cardboard packaging giant Visy and Australia's richest man, is worth a staggering $13 billion.

Pratt was reportedly subsidising the canteens at the Visy Broadmeadows site to the tune of about $150,000 per year.

The canteens sold sausage rolls, hot chips and meat pies to workers.

Talk of closing the canteens began in 2017 and despite a proposal to do so being voted down that September, Visy decided to end its contract with canteen operator Spotless the following month.

Billionaire Anthony Pratt has come under fire from employees and the AMWU over his decision to shut down two staff canteens at a Visy Broadmeadows site

'Australia's richest man is stiffing these workers over a cup of coffee,' said Mick Bull from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU).

'It's ridiculous and it's corporate greed gone mad.'

Visy has since provided subsidised vending machines, meal vans onsite twice a day, two new coffee machines and an updated cooking facility  as well as a 50 per cent off trial of 'YouFoodz' (an online, healthy ready meals service).

But employees have hit back, saying that the new services are more expensive, not as convenient and offer less variety.

'For decades, Visy workers have been able to get a cheap cuppa to get them through those cold mornings,' Bull said.

'It's a little luxury that means a lot.'

Canteen operator Spotless sold sausage rolls, hot chips and meat pies cheaply to workers

The AMWU is arguing that Visy was not entitled to close down the canteen based on wording in the enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA), news.com reports.

The agreement states that the company 'shall not modify, remove or reduce any service or facility that has been provided without the agreement of the majority of employees and their representatives, provided that the facilities are not being deliberately misused, abused, damaged or defaced by employees'.

'Its pretty outrageous behavior by the company  they took the canteen closure off the bargaining table during EBA negotiations, and then turned around before the ink had even dried and closed it anyway,' Bull said.

Visy has replaced the canteen with other food services including a vending machine and onsite food van, but employees have said they are more expensive and less convenient

Visy, however, took the stance that the clause 'does not apply to the canteen in relevant respects and it has managerial prerogative to close the canteen and substitute it with an alternative food source'.

Fair Work Commissioner Sarah McKinnon has joined the debate and sided with AMWU, saying that there is no dispute that the canteen met the description of a 'facility'.

'It seems unlikely that, in seeking to preserve the benefit of the canteen for employees, the parties intended every change to the canteen area and every canteen service to be approved first by a majority of employees,' she said.

'It's corporate greed gone mad,' AMWU said

'Such a restrictive approach seems to me to be inconsistent with the objectives in clause 4 of the agreement including to achieve productivity gains, continuous improvement and an open and consultative decision making approach.'

She concluded the clause technically prevents Visy from modifying, removing or reducing the canteen and related services in such a way as to reduce the value of the benefit to employees.

McKinnon has invited both parties to file submissions relating to the issue by 6th September.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Visy for comment.
An Indian restaurant has been hit with thousands of dollars in fines after pet meat was found in the kitchen.

Cafe Marica, in Perth's southern suburb of Canning Vale, was ordered on Wednesday to pay nearly $14,000 in fines and court costs.

Owner Kopikaran Krishnasamy defended his restaurant, saying the meat was never served to people.

He also made the stunning claim it was not pet meat and only labelled so to avoid tighter food regulations.

Scroll down for video

Cafe Marica (pictured) in Western Australia has been slammed with a fine after being found with pet meat on the premises

The chef was found preparing food intended for a pet in the kitchen (stock image)

A spokesman for the business said the meat came to be in the kitchen because a chef couldn't properly read English.

'We usually buy our lamb from reputable buyers such as Woolworths or Coles,' he told the Armadale Community News

But on this instance they didn't when a customer recommended a different wholesale producer to the chef.

The mystery meat arrived in their kitchen in a box labelled 'pet meat', but the chef was unable to read it.

The chef began preparing the meat as if it were lamb, at the exact time a City of Gosnells food inspection officer entered the restaurant.

The chef was preparing the meat as if it was lamb, with a spokesperson saying the chef was unable to read the box labelled 'pet meat'

The restaurant claimed the salesman they bought the meat from put it in a bag labelled for pets to avoid tighter regulations.

The business was fined $12,000, with an additional $1382.30 in costs for failing to prevent pet meat being handled in where food was sold.
A man has been shot in the leg in broad daylight minutes after buying a pizza from a store in Sydney's inner west.

The victim, aged 31, was hit in the thigh about 11.15am on Hampden Street in Beverly Hills, and was rushed to St George Hospital for treatment.

Police blocked the street to the public and seized a white Range Rover from outside Yum Yum Traditional Lebanese Pizza where the man had 15 minutes earlier purchased an $8 meat and cheese pie.

A man was shot in the leg in broad daylight minutes after buying a pizza from a store in Sydney's inner west

Shop owner Sam said the man placed his order before leaving the store and never returning to collect it.

Sam said while the man bought pizzas from his store a lot, he would not consider him a regular customer.

Security video of the victim ordering the meal was passed on to police, who placed Hampden Street on lockdown following the shooting.

The location of the shooter was unknown and police did not reveal whether the gunman was still on the run.

A shocked bystander said there 'hasn't been a shooting here in months'.

Nearby worker Jacob Thomas said, 'You wouldnt think of anything like that happening around here.'
Two members of the Rebels bikie gang have been charged for the murder of a man who was gunned down in 2016.

Michael Davey was 30 years old when he walked out onto the driveway of a home in Kingswood, Western Sydney, and was executed just after midnight.

Two and a half years on from the brutal killing, two fellow gang members, both aged 29, have been charged over the murder.

Michael Davey (pictured) walked out onto the driveway of a home just after midnight and was shot multiple times

Two and a half years on from the brutal killing, two fellow gang members have been charged over the murder

Both men that have been charged were already in correctional facilities, ABC reported.

One of the men was charged on Tuesday and is currently in a Goulburn facility - he is set to face Burwood Local Court on September 17.

The man in the Silverwater correctional facility is still set to appear at Burwood Local Court later today.

The heavily tattooed bikie was nicknamed 'Ruthless', and was known by gang members as the 'Prince of Penrith'.

Mr Davey was told his girlfriend he was meeting a friend in front of the Kingswood property, just 100 metres from his own home, moments before he was shot.

Neighbours reported up to six gunshots and a screeching vehicle, believed to be the getaway car.

Mr Davey reportedly had a young son who was living with himself and his girlfriend at the time

Mr Davey, who fixed motorbikes for a living, described himself as a 'revhead' on social media accounts, which show a heavily tattooed man with a passion for the gym.

Mr Davey reportedly had a young son who was living with himself and his girlfriend at the time, Sky, when the shooting took place.

Around the time of the murder there were reports that the father-of-one was looking to get out of the bikie community, which was believed to be the reason for the shooting.

The possibility that bikie members turned on Davey hours before the assassination was an option police have been investigating since he was killed.
The actor who's been dubbed 'China's version of Hugh Jackman' has appeared in court over sexual assault charges.

Yunxiang Gao, 35, was seen leaving Sydney's Central Local Court on Thursday morning after his lawyers submitted an application to call prosecution witnesses for the upcoming hearing.

According to The Daily Telegraph his application is submitted in hopes that the hearing will identify there is not enough evidence to continue on with the sexual assault trial.

'Chinese Hugh Jackman': Yunxiang Gao Seen leaving Sydney's Central Local Court on Thursday morning after lawyer submitted application to potentially throw out upcoming trial

Gao was swamped by media as he donned a black turtle neck, black coat and long black trousers- covering up his mandatory monitoring ankle bracelet

Surrounded by a large pack of media, Gao dressed in black turtleneck and grey jacket, sporting a blunt black fringe after the brief court appearance.

The electronic monitoring bracelet he is required to wear to refrain him from fleeing the country was hidden underneath sharp black trousers.

Gao, as well as producer Jing Wang, 35 are being accused of sexual assault of a 36-year-old woman at Sydney's luxury hotel Shangri-La on March 27.

The pair had been partying after wrapping up TV series Love in Arayana in Sydney when the alleged assault took place and have both pleaded not guilty to the charge of two counts of aggravated sexual assault in company.

As standard practice, the Director of Public Prosecutions was reviewing the file and charges were being considered, the court heard.

The application is still being put forward despite DNA samples from Gao's blood and semen found on the hotel bed have been put forward by Police and were raised to Justice Lucy McCallum in NSW Supreme Court in June.

The 35-year-old actor as well as producer Jing Wang, 35 is being accused of sexual assault by a 36-year-old woman at Sydney's luxury hotel Shangri-La

Justice McCallum stated the crown case on lack of consent was very strong in some respects- she admits there are concerns raised on whether the complainant communicated this lack of consent.

She said knowledge of consent translated to Gao and Wang would be critically assessed at trial.

Gao was controversially granted bail on $3million in the Supreme Court and is now living in a $6,000-a-month property in up-market suburb Chatswood that his wife Xuan 'Michelle' Dong has leased out to be close to him during the trial.

Wang however, remains behind bars.

Gao and Wang will next have their matters heard on September 20.
Albino kangaroos are winning the survival of the fittest in drought-stricken New South Wales as their main predators struggle through the dry weather.

The ABC has received reports of an increase in sightings of the white kangaroos despite the breed having genetic vision and hearing dispositions, which would usually make them vulnerable to other wildlife.

The long-term effect of Australia's 5,614-kilometre dingo fence was also enabling the rare roos to escape from dingoes and wild dogs - their main predators.

Sightings of Albino kangaroos have increased as their predators feel pull of the drought.

'Over a lengthy period of time we've pushed our top order predator here on the mainland up over the dog fence, and by doing that we've upset the balance a bit,' University of Adelaide Marsupial Ecologist Dr David Taggart said.

'Being drier at the moment some of the kangaroos might be more inclined to come in close to settled areas and so people might be observing more.'

Ben Strong, from the Wanaaring store and caravan park, shared an image of an albino kangaroo he spotted on his Facebook page, which urged others to share their sightings on social media as well.

Ben Strong from Wanaaring store and caravan park shared his spotting online.

Wanaaring, a village north-west of New South Wales where the white roo can be spotted.

'Any time I put a post on Facebook, people say they've seen them in other areas and they post their pictures,' he said.

The stunning and rare white roos are the result of either albinism, a genetic mutation causing lack of pigmentation to the hair, eyes and skin or leucism, a fault in pigment cells that cause white fur without affecting the skin or eyes.
JetStar and Singapore Airlines are offering super-cheap flights to a range of holiday hot spots from Cairns for a limited amount of time.

Travellers in Cairns can grab a great deal to international destinations including one-way trips to Tokyo or Bali for as little as $199 and $139 respectively via JetStar.

Until Tuesday 4th September, jet-setters can also get away to Honolulu for $354 or Phuket for $324 one-way.

JetStar and Singapore Airlines are offering super-cheap flights to a range of holiday hotspots from Cairns for a limited amount of time

Travellers in Cairns can grab a great deal to international destinations including one-way trips to Tokyo or Bali for as little as $199 and $139 respectively via JetStar

And if you want to rack up some national tourism points, the airline is also offering one-way flights to Brisbane and Sydney for just $69 and $95 respectively.

Singapore Airlines, meanwhile, is dishing out a range of long-haul deals to destinations across Europe.

Operating via SilkAir, the Asian airline is offering return flights to Athens for $968, London for $1215 and Amsterdam for $1084.

Until Tuesday 4th September, jet-setters can also getaway to Honolulu for $354 or Phuket for $324 one way with JetStar

Other offers include return tickets to Bangkok and Beijing from $709 and $592 respectively, but youll have to get in before 12th September to catch them.

Terms and conditions apply across both airlines and the deals are subject to availability.

And if you want to rack up some national tourism points, JetStar is also offering one-way flights to Brisbane and Sydney for just $69 and $95, respectively
A council has been forced to clarify the closing of its waterfront rockpool due to an algal bloom - and not because Orlando Bloom was visiting.

'There are incorrect reports that the Strand Rockpool has been closed due to Orlando Bloom being in town. Please be aware that the Rock Pool is in fact closed due to an ALGAL bloom, NOT Orlando Bloom Council has advised the two are not related,' Townsville City Council tweeted.

The Strand Rock Pool in northeastern Queensland has been closed until further notice after council workers discovered Trichodesmium algal bloom in the water, Townsville Bulletin reported.

Townsville City Council tweeted the alert on Thursday informing residents that their waterfront rockpool is closed due

The Strand Rock Pool in northeastern Queensland has been closed until further notice due to algal bloom NOT Orlando Bloom (left)

According to the Australian Marine of Science, Trichodesmium is a blue-green algae.

The cells join up to each other in strings and clumps and will eventually rise to the surface of the water.

Surf Life Saving Queensland Townsville supervisor Russell Blanchard told Townsville Bulletin had a 'sewerage' odour and the beach next to the pool will remain open.

Orlando Bloom Orlando Bloom is an English actor

He is 41-years-old

He is from the United Kingdom

He is not an Algal Bloom Advertisement

Algal Bloom Scientific term is Trichodesmium

It is a blue-green algae

The cells join up in strings and clumps

They do not look like Orlando Bloom Advertisement
Only Fools and Horses actor Patrick Murray has revealed he is fighting lung disease.

Murray, who played Rodney Trotter's sidekick Mickey Pearce in the BBC sitcom, is suffering from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - a lung condition that can leave patients struggling to breathe.

The 61-year-old was due to take part in a charity bus trip to Margate to pay homage to the show's classic 1989 special 'The Jolly Boys' Outing'.

But he has had to pull out so he can be treated for 'breathing difficulties'.

Patrick Murray (pictured this year) who played Rodney Trotter's sidekick Mickey Pearce in the BBC sitcom, is suffering from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

His agent Mark Neale told The Daily Star: 'Pat was really disappointed to let so many people down, but he is having treatment and hopes to arrange it again later in the year.'

The actor, who married his wife Anong, 36, in Pattaya, Thailand in 2016, also has a two-year-old daughter, Josie.

Last year they were dragged into a visa row after the Home Office denied his mother and daughter's application to come to the UK.

The 61-year-old (pictured as Mickey Pearce in 2001) was due to take part in a charity bus trip to Margate to pay homage to the show's classic 1989 special 'The Jolly Boys' Outing'

He currently lives in Gravesend, Kent, an hour's drive from Margate, where he hoped to recreate the magic of the boys' day out from 1989. Now he has postponed the event until October.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.

It mainly affects middle-aged people or the elderly, particularly those who smoke.

The breathing problems tend to get gradually worse over time and can limit your normal activities, although treatment can help keep the condition under control.

Murray (pictured with wife Anong, 36) has had to pull out so he can be treated for 'breathing difficulties'
Mark Hamill has told a schoolboy who refused to retaliate against a bully because 'it's not the Jedi way' that the Force will always be with him.

Aiden Vasquez, 10, was hospitalized after being beaten up by one of his classmates at Two Bunch Palms Elementary School in Desert Hot Springs, California.

Aiden, who said 'he felt it in his soul not to fight back' needed stitches above his eye after the ordeal.

His mother Lizette Casanova told the story in a Facebook post accompanied by a shocking image of her son with a huge gash on his face.

Aiden Vasquez, 10, suffered a huge gash on his eye after being beaten by a bully at school

His mother Lizette Casanova told the story in a Facebook post which was shared 30,000 times

The Star War's fan's ordeal came to the attention of Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the film series, after being reported in the local paper.

Hamill praised Aiden for his 'courage and wisdom in the face of adversity' and said he was 'so proud' of the schoolboy in a heartfelt tweet.

The actor then signed off by saying: 'The Force will be with YOU... Always!!! Your fan, MH.'

The Two Bunch Palms Elementary pupil refused to fight back because 'it's not the Jedi way'

Aiden's uncle responded to Hamill's tweet with a picture of the 10-year-old giving a thumbs-up, writing: 'He's right here and says THANK YOU!'

Ms Casanova said she was pursuing legal action against the children who have 'persistently' bullied Aiden.

'This is the third year my son is bullied,' she wrote on Facebook. 'Last year he had to get stitches on his face from getting 'pushed', losing his breath on the playground for getting thrown down.'

'Now we're making hospital visits, and I'm pressing charges.'

Aiden's ordeal came to the attention of Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, who heaped praised on the youngster

Aiden needed stitches after suffering a 3in cut during the latest incident Monday.

Ms Casanova said it was the second time he had needed hospital treatment because of bullies.

She wrote: 'Aiden wants me to let everyone know he's doing fine all stitched up and numb... he said he felt it in his soul not to hit the kid back. It's not the Jedi way!'
Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller has hit back at claims that she is profiteering from Britain's departure from the EU following the release of her memoirs.

The investment banker rose to public prominence after she won a Supreme Court challenge over the Government's Brexit powers in 2016.

Since then, the mother-of-three says she has been the victim of vile death threats and online trolling, directed at both herself and her children.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, the businesswoman said she still receives daily abuse and blamed it on being 'both a woman and a woman of colour'.

Scroll down for more video

Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller (pictured on Good Morning Britain) has hit back at claims that she is profiteering from the departure from the EU following the release of her memoirs

The Guyanese-born activist said: 'It still carries on. We live in different times.

'For having an opinion and holding the government to account and ensuring they abide by the law, it seems I have upset people in an extraordinary way and it has unearthed a part of Britain I didn't know existed.

'What I've been told is that as a woman of colour it isn't my place to stand up and speak, as someone who came to the UK, although I was born British.

'If you have money and work hard and dare to succeed you get put into a corner and must be quiet, which I find extraordinary.

'It's very much because I'm a woman and a woman of colour; that seems to have irked a huge amount of people.

'It view it as bullies who target me and I never be a person to let bullies win.'

Speaking to Good Morning Britain, the businesswoman said she still receives daily abuse and blamed it on being 'both a woman and a woman of colour'

Nearly two years after challenging the decision to trigger Brexit without letting Parliament have a say, Ms Miller and her family live under tight security.

As part of her new memoirs, Ms Miller also reveals how she was sexually assaulted by a gang as a student and how the ordeal turned her into a terrified recluse.

In Rise: Life Lessons In Speaking Out, Standing Tall & Leading The Way, Ms Miller says she felt 'dirty, violated' after the attack but does not use the word 'rape'.

Asked if she thought she was profiteering from her role in Brexit to release the book, she said: 'I'm very successful in my business life, I don't think I need to profiteer.

'What I've done in my book is be emotionally naked. I'm doing it to reach out to people, so we can all understand each other.'

She also shot down rumours that she might make a foray into party politics and campaign for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats.

Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller (left and at the Supreme Court, right) says she has been the victim of vile death threats and online trolling, directed at both herself and her children

Ms Miller, who will give a speech at next month's Lib Dem Conference, added: 'Party politics do need reform but I feel I can help with that from the outside.'

In a bid to turn his anti-Brexit party into more of a movement, Sir Vince will declare plans for a huge remodel of party membership rules on September 7.

It would mean non-MPs could run in leadership elections.

Yet the rule changes will be seen as a snub to leadership contenders such as Jo Swinson, the deputy leader, Layla Moran and Sir Ed Davey.

Reports of Sir Vince's much anticipated speech sparked speculation that he is soon set to step down as leader.

Sources reportedly said that the 75-year-old would use his announcement to reveal plans to quit before the next general election scheduled for 2022.
A spiritual healer has been acquitted of detaining a Sydney man against his will to carry out a black magic exorcism involving cupping and cutting but found guilty of a lesser assault charge.

Riza Morinaj, 39, was found guilty of the less serious charge of assaulting occasioning actual bodily harm in company at a Sydney home in November 2016.

The victim, who can't be identified, testified he was held down on a bed as suction cups were placed on him and cuts made with a blade because relatives thought he'd been subjected to black magic.

That belief stemmed from his decision to move out of his mother's house with his wife who felt she was being treated like a slave.

Riza Morinaj (pictured) says that he's performed a black magic exorcism, involving slashing a man with a blade, on thousands of people

After almost three days of deliberations, a NSW District Court jury late on Wednesday found Morinaj not guilty of detaining the man in company occasioning him actual bodily harm.

The victim told the jury he didn't give permission for the Hijama - which involves the use of suction cups to draw blood and incisions made with a blade - to be performed when he and his wife attended a family function.

The procedure, which the man told police was 'voodoo s***', aimed to draw out black blood which was 'the evil', Morinaj testified.

The Melbourne healer told the jury he believed he had the man's consent for the procedure which had been arranged by the victim's grandfather.

He said the man was not held down, nor did he tell him to stop or say the suction cups were hurting.

Morinaj said he'd performed the procedure on thousands of people in many countries and would have stopped if there'd been any objections.

His barrister, John Selimi, submitted that the 'conflicted' man had wanted to appease his grandfather by engaging in the procedure but then had to 'fabricate a false story to keep peace with his wife'.

A man did not consent to an exorcism involving a blade, a Sydney court was told (Pictured: Riza Morinaj, who has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping and assault)

Crown prosecutor Ken Gilson described Morinaj as having 'supreme self-confidence' and being 'on a mission' to rid people of black magic.

He made a long-distance diagnosis 'through third party malcontents from the family' that the man was infected with black magic.

He urged the jurors to take note of Morinaj's evidence showing he had no doubt about his ability to diagnose, treat and cure people with black magic to decide whether he carried out the Hijama while 'riding roughshod' over the man's protestations.

Judge Helen Syme, who continued Morinaj's bail, will hear sentencing submissions on November 2.
This is the heartwarming moment a puppy showed some brotherly love to his ill sister recovering from a deadly virus in Egypt.

The two young dogs had been admitted to a veterinary clinic in Cairo where they had been diagnosed with parvo, a potentially lethal virus infection.

While the male had responded well to the treatment, the female puppy remained under the weather when vets came to check on them.

Footage shows the two dogs lying on a bunk in the clinic, with the brother having placed a comforting paw on his sister as she is receiving medication.

The male puppy is then seen carefully lowering his head on top of his sister's seemingly trying to show her some love and support.

Dr Mohammad Bu Yahya, who filmed the video in his clinic Africano Centre in the Egyptian capital said the pair had come in to be treated for parvo a few days earlier.

After he captured the adorable moment on his mobile phone, he posted it on social media where it was shared by thousands.

Sibling love: The male puppy is seen comforting his sister who was still recovering from parvo at a veterinary clinic in Cairo

I'm here sis: The loving brother places his head on top of his sister's in this heartwarming clip

He captioned the video: 'After four days of intensive treatment, and me spending all the night and day with them, the boy is getting much better but the girl still suffering

'He shows the love and care for his sister and asking us to help her.'

Dr Bu Yahya said both the puppies later made a full recovery from parvo.

The canine parvo virus - which causes lethargy, vomiting, fever and bloody diarrhoea - can kill puppies and young dogs if left untreated.

Dogs can contract the illness through faeces from a sick animal, infected soil, or fomites that carry the virus.
A police force has vented its fury at 'absolutely disgusting' bystanders who filmed an officer being knocked off his bike during a pursuit instead of helping him.

The West Midlands Police Road Harm Reduction Team tweeted on Wednesday it was 'very disappointed' about the incident that occurred on Stoney Stanton Road in Coventry.

The policeman was chasing down a suspected bike thief when he was knocked off his own bike.

Witnesses whipped out their mobile phones to film the incident, instead of rushing to help, according to police.

West Midlands Police Road Harm Reduction Team tweeted on Wednesday it was 'very disappointed' about the incident that occurred on Stoney Stanton Road in Coventry

The policeman was chasing down a suspected bike thief when he was knocked off his own bike

A bystander later posted a clip of the aftermath of the accident online, although he is not who the police are referring to.

The officer was taken to hospital and later discharged with 'bumps, bruises and a bit of shock', reported the BBC.

The West Midlands Police Road Harm Reduction Team wrote: 'Very disappointed to report that when one of our team was knocked off his bike while pursuing a stolen bike the first thing that people thought to do was to record the incident on their mobile phones rather than help the rider.

'Luckily we were close!'

The West Midlands Police Force Contact shared the tweet and added: 'Absolutely disgusting behaviour.

'For those filming our injured colleague...the difference between us & you is if you ever need our help in future, we will still respond.'

A bystander later posted a clip of the aftermath of the accident online, although he is not who the police are referring to

The officer was taken to hospital and later discharged with 'bumps, bruises and a bit of shock'. Pictured: Stoney Stanton Road where the incident occurred

Police are asking anyone with information about the stolen vehicle, described as a yellow off road bike, to contact them

Responding to shocked replies, the Road Harm Team account replied to a man who said his ambulance crew had gone through a similar experience, writing: 'I think people forget that we are still human underneath that uniform.'

The WMP Force Contact account added: 'Humans behind the uniform and humans behind the headsets, whether blue, red or green.

'Incidents like this are becoming all to common.'

Police are asking anyone with information about the stolen vehicle, described as a yellow off road bike, to contact them.
French fisherman claim hey are not to blame for the violent clashes in the 'scallop wars' raging in the English Channel because British boats attacked them first.

Skippers in France say they were 'rammed' by larger UK vessels earlier this week - and have now promised to stop up their protests as tensions continue to escalate.

They are now preparing to put pressure on their country's shops to take British scallops off shelves.

The dispute erupted off the coast Normandy earlier this week as crews there accused UK trawlers of 'pillaging' the shellfish in a row over access to the Seine Bay.

In a mounting war of words the French have said they have 'won the battle' and blamed Brexit on the confrontations saying it was hampering relations between the two nations.

How the situation looks in the Channel with tensions hightened as fishing crews clash over scallops off the coast of France

Fishing vessels had set off from Trouville-sur-Mer, Port-en-Bessin and Ouistreham to confront the English. It is not clear which ports the small British fleet were from

Eurosceptic MPs have put more pressure on the relationship, saying that French vessels should be banned from British waters after Brexit if they continue their attacks.

Maritime authorities have appealed for calm and branded the clashes - in which French fisherman threw stones, flares and pieces of anchor - 'very dangerous'.

Stephane le Francois, who was aboard one of the French boats, said: 'It was the British who rammed us.

'It was very heated and very scary. Very scary for us because these boats are a bit like my family and the young lad who was on this boat, he's only 18-years-old, and he was in shock.

French fishing officials later accused the British of 'pillaging' scallop supplies

'It's scary to have a big boat bear down on a small boat, particularly when the big boat was intentionally accelerating its engines.

'It didn't stop, it didn't reverse, and I was unable to help, so it was tough.'

Despite the clashes he said he would return to the waters if the British boats go back.

Fellow fisherman Julien Hue also vowed to go out again.

Fishermen Nathan and Callum Clark were among those attacked by the French this week. They said it was 'very scary' when French crews threw rocks and pieces of metal at them

Brian Whittington says he'll return to the seas off France despite the 'absolute nightmare' of being rammed by French trawlers on Monday night

He said: 'If ever they were to come back into our waters, then we will do the same again, but this time with larger numbers. We are now much more motivated.

'We won't use weapons, unlike what some people are saying in England, but we will have other things on board that are a little different. A little less aggressive.'

Anthony Quesnel, captain of La Rose des Vents, one of the boats damaged in the clashes, added: 'If we let them do what they want, they'll ravage the area.

'In the end, it's worth it, because they left.'

He told The Times: 'We won a battle but we haven't won the war.'

Michael Gove tells the French to stop the fishermen terrorising British trawler-men in the scallop wars Michael Gove (pictured outside Downing Street in May) said that the French authorities must crack down on the terrorising behaviour Michael Gove has backed British fishermen in the scallop wars - and told the French to bring order to their waters. The Environment Secretary hit out at the 'terrible' scenes British fishermen have been subjected to in the Channel. And he said it is clear that the British fishermen have every right to fish there. He said: 'My heart goes out to the British fishermen who were caught up in the terrible scenes that we saw happen earlier this week. 'They were fishing entirely legally, they had every right to be in those waters and we talked to the French authorities in order to ensure that we have a protocol. 'These are French waters - it's the responsibility of the French to ensure that those who have a legal right to fish can continue to fish uninterrupted.' It is understood that British minsters are in contact with the French administration in an effort to prevent a repeat of the scenes. Advertisement

French fisherman are said to be concerned that they will lose access to a rich supply of fish in British waters when the UK leaves the EU in March next year.

Under the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy registered fleets from any member state have equal access to EU waters.

But if the UK leaves the Common Fisheries Policy as expected, the UK will regain control of this territory and be free to set its own quotas.

Dimitri Rogoff, the President of the Normandy Regional Fisheries Committee, has stepped up the confrontation saying it was becoming 'more complicated to talk to the English' because of Brexit.

He said it was becoming 'more complicated to talk to the English' because of Brexit, and that previous informal deals with 'the looters' were being ignored.

Mr Rogoff said: 'This tension returns because we've not managed to find a satisfactory agreement with the British on the sharing of scallops.

'We have two totally different flotillas. On one side are the small Norman boats, and on the other side, factory ships which come from Scotland freezing scallops on board.

'This is about looting. We have been talking for years to try to share better, but we cannot do it currently.'

He added: 'The problem is that the scallop is not a species managed by Europe and subject to quotas.

'Each country does what it likes. And suddenly, some fishermen are concentrating on this species because it's easier and freer.

'The solution is to get along with your neighbours, but with the Brexit coming, it's more complicated to talk to the English.'

Talking about the day when Britain officially leaves the EU next year, Mr Rogoff said: 'Ideally, on March 29, if Brexit is introduced, the English sailors will not be able to come because they will be excluded from the community waters, but it will also present other problems for our boats.'

Earlier this week 40 French boats tried to stop five larger British boats from fishing 12 nautical miles off the Normandy coast, in the Bay of Seine.

The long-running dispute centres on a section of the Channel where French fishermen cannot harvest scallops until later in the year, due to domestic environmental laws.

They are furious that British boats gather up all the scallops beyond a 12-mile exclusion zone between May 15 and October 1, before they get the chance.

UK boats are entitled to fish in the scallop-rich area, but their presence has angered the French, who accuse the British of depleting shellfish stocks.

Tory Eurosceptics told Environment Secretary Michael Gove that Britain must take back control of its waters in the wake of the row.

Nathan Clark shows the damage done to his ship in the nighttime 'battle' this week

Robert Morley and Kieran McKimmey show some damage done to their ship Golden Promise

They said they felt 'angry and let down' as they hit out at Theresa May's Chequers Brexit deal and called on the Royal Navy to be put on standby.

The Daily Telegraph reported Tory Owen Paterson said on a WhatsApp group of Eurosceptic MPs: 'Our boats would not have to go over to French waters if they had fair access to our own.

'We should chuck Chequers and establish our full control of our EEZ [Exclusive Economic Zone] out to 200 miles.

'We should then start managing our waters properly, learning from competent maritime nations.'

Footage from Monday night showed French crews throwing stones and smoke bombs onto British ships

Earlier this year Eurosceptic MPs were furious after the government announced it would continue to accept EU quotas on fishing during the transition period after Britain leaves the EU in March next year.

In some parts of the UK, the quotas mean that British vessels are allowed to catch as little as 8 per cent of fish.

Sherryl Murray, the Conservative MP for South East Cornwall, said Britain should bar French ships from UK waters after Brexit.

She told the Telegraph: 'If we cannot safely fish French waters, which we have a legal right to do, a proportionate response would be to not allow them access to our waters.

First the scallops, now the crabs! UK fishermen accuse French rivals of sinking crab pots worth thousands of pounds French fishing boats are smashing up British crab pots amid furious rows between trawler crews on either side of the Channel, UK fisherman have claimed. British crews have now accused the French of destroying and damaging crab pots off the coast of Newquay and Padstow as they trawl the waters off Cornwall. Fisherman Martin Gilbert said he has he lost 50 crab pots, worth an estimated 3,000, after 10 French trawlers, some up to 85 feet long, entered waters where British crews usually fish. British fishermen have accused French trawler crews of smashing up their crab pots in the latest dispute between fishermen on either side of the English Channel He told local paper The Newquay Voice: 'What they have been doing is towing the crab pots out of the way so they can make room to drag their nets. Three boats in Newquay have been clobbered and a Padstow boat had 150 crab pots dragged away. 'There is an understanding that the French fishermen keep away from our crab pots and we stay away from theirs, but they encroach on our pots all the time. It is getting worse year on year.' Fishermen hope that, after Brexit, French boats will not be able to enter a 12-mile limit, potentially solving the issue. Advertisement

'Therefore I don't think relative stability can be the starting point for any future negotiations, they have unfortunately shown us this cannot happen.'

British fisherman have insisted they have done nothing wrong and will return to fish in the area at the end of this week.

Derek Meridith, who owns two boats involved in the dispute, said: 'The French need to stop taking the law into their own hands. It's terrorism. If we done it in this country we would be locked up as terrorists.'

Brian Whittington, skipper of the trawler Golden Promise, which was also involved in the battle, also plans to return.

He said: 'We'll go back. It's international waters - we're allowed there. Maybe the Royal Navy could help us next time.'

French boats sailed out from Trouville-sur-Mer, Port-en-Bessin and Ouistreham on the North coast of France to meet English scallop boats in the Seine Bay (shown by red marker)  a scallop-rich area off Normandy

Nathan Clark, skipper of the three-man Brixham based Joanna C, said it was 'very scary' when stones and flares were thrown at them.

He said: 'I've never had anything like it before. It was an absolute nightmare. Things being thrown at us and being rammed.

'My nephew Callum was petrified - it's his first year on the boats and he was scared for his life. We had to get him in the boathouse to get him under cover and away from the objects being thrown.'

But despite safety fears, the boat will return to the area later this week, with Mr Clark insisting: 'It won't stop us. We'll take a few days off but we'll go back out there again.'

Mike Park, chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association, lashed out at 'criminality and high seas piracy'.

'At sea there is always the threat that the smallest incident can lead to loss of life and it's extremely fortunate that no one lost their lives or was seriously hurt,' he said.

One of the British shops involved in the skirmishes was back in dock in Shoreham this morning

Dents were visible in the bow of the Honeybourne 3 this morning following the clashes

'We have emailed French colleagues and pleaded for an end to this messy affair.'

Locals in Devon have meanwhile warned that someone could be killed if something is not done to stop the clashes.

On Monday, a British fleet of four boats was up against at least 40 from Northern France. Crews claim the French Navy and coastguard stood by before police finally intervened.

Theresa May was asked about the issue and called for those involved to hold talks.

She told reporters: 'I think it's important we see an amicable solution to what has happened in the Channel.

'It's what we want and it's what France wants and we will be working on that.'

Tensions have run high for at least 15 years, during the so-called 'Scallop Wars'.

The French want their 'Anglo-Saxon' enemies to stay north of a line from Barfleur to Cap d'Antifer, both in Normandy, and only to use small vessels to avoid running down supplies.

But residents in Brixham, where some of the boats caught up in the dispute are based, have backed British fishermen.

On a local Facebook discussion, Andrew Elsey wrote: 'French pain in a***, I hope they get the book thrown at then as someone will get killed or hurt.'

Patricia Shears added: 'They have done exactly the same to us in our waters. We watched them cleaning out Torbay many years ago. Could see it all happening from our house.'

Some locals called for the Royal Navy to be sent out to protect British boats.

Barrie Deas, chief executive of Britain's National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, also urged calm from both sides.

Mr Deas said: 'We have raised the matter with the British Government and asked for protection for our vessels, which are fishing legitimately.

'The deeper issues behind the clashes should be settled by talking, not on the high seas where people could be hurt.'

Normandy fishing chief Dimitri Rogoff said: 'The French engaged the British to stop them fishing, they clashed with each other.'

He claimed the British were 'pillaging' the multi-million-pound scallop supply crucial to both the French and UK fishing industries. He said: 'Stones were thrown but there were no injuries or damage.

'The French regulation requires French fishermen not to exploit scallops between May 15 and October 1. The British do not have to respect this regulation.'

The UK has no such regulation, although in previous years an agreement has allowed both sides to fish fairly. This year, no such agreement is in place.
A British holidaymaker has been left fighting for life in a coma after being found unconscious in Magaluf with every bone in his face broken.

James O'Neill was found with horrific injuries, including all the bones in his face smashed and left him in a coma.

The 29-year-old was on a short break with friends in the party resort in Majorca when got separated from friends during a night out.

Mystery still surrounds how he came to be so severely injured and he is currently being treated in hospital.

Mystery surrounds how James O'Neill came to have horrific injuries, including all the bones in his face broken and is now left in a coma after a night out in Magaluf

Guardia Civil officers are trying to work out whether James was hurt in an accident or a vicious attack.

Members of his family flew out to the resort to be by his side after hundreds of people donated money to help pay for flights and passports for his parents.

Since a second GoFundMe page was set up to support the Liverpool fan, from Widnes, Cheshire, by a total stranger who made an incredible offer for James' parents, aunt and cousin to stay while they are visiting him in hospital.

Jon O'Neill, who says he is no relation to the family or James, posted on the public page offering the use his five-bed property in the area for free.

The first fundraising page set up for James raised over 5,000 in just 24 hours while a second one has raised almost 2,000.

James' cousin Chloe wrote on the page: 'As many of you will know our beloved cousin James O'Neill is in a critical condition in a hospital in Palma.

'This is the only thing we can think of to try and help his devastated mum & dad.

'We're aiming to raise as much as we can to cover their expenses, travel and accommodation so all the need to focus on is being beside James' bedside with his medical team.

'They are expected to be out there for a number of weeks. Your good wishes and support this far have been overwhelming & anything is appreciated to support them in this horrible time.

'We know he is as much loved by others as he is by us.'

This summer has already seen three British tourists die after falling from balconies at hotels on the 24-hour drinking strip of Magaluf.

At the start of the tourist season Spanish authorities pledged more officers would patrol in trouble hotspots in Magaluf to crackdown on violence.

Spanish authorities have promised a crackdown on violence with extra police patrols in the 24-hour party strip of Magaluf on the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca

Jon O'Neill wrote on the fundraising page: 'I've just read about James's tragedy and would like to offer any assistance that would be of help perhaps to James's parents or relatives that may be coming to Mallorca to be with James.

'I am in Mallorca now but will be returning to the Glasgow tomorrow evening/ Wednesday morning.

'I have a five [bed] house here and it's 10 minutes from Magaluf and same from the hospital.

'Just thinking that it would be more personal than a hotel room and for clarity it's a donation. NO COSTS.

'Coincidentally, my name is John O'Neill (unrelated to my knowledge) I don't know who will be reading this but I'm assuming it's Chloe so, Chloe if you're in Magalluff and want to have a chat feel free to give me a call now if you think this would be of any help to James's family.

'Or if there's any other way I could be of help. Finally and the above apart I wish James a speedy recovery.'

Natalie Ostick, another cousin of James, posted on Facebook after arriving in Palma with his parents Colin and Pauline.

She said: 'Family have been to meet with Jon this evening in Palma and we are all overwhelmed by his kind gesture at this terrible time.

'This should restore everyone's faith in humanity.

'We can't thank you all enough for your kind words. We've just landed in Palma.

'His mum & dad and they can't thank you enough. Hopefully the doctors give us some positive updates today.'
The interfile mastermind behind the murder of a woman in an attempt to steal her children will spend at least 23 years behind bars.

Samantha Kelly, who had four children of her own, was savagely beaten to death in January 2016 after her housemate, Christine Lyons, discovered she was unable to conceive and wanted Ms Kelly's children as her own.

Following the woman's disappearance Lyons renamed the children and enrolled them in a different school.

Christine Lyons (pictured) has been sentenced to 30 years behind bars for the murder and attempted murder of Samantha Kelly

Samantha Kelly (pictured), who had four children of her own, was savagely beat to death with a hammer

Lyons, 47, has been jailed for 30 years for the attempted murder and murder of Ms Kelly. She will not be eligible for parole for at least 23 years.

Supreme court Justice Stephen Kaye spoke of a 'heartless and thoroughly evil' killing of 'a loving, devoted and caring mother', during sentencing on Thursday.

Lyons was living with her partner Peter Arthur and Ronald Lyons at the time of the murder, 9 News r eported.

Ms Kelly lived in a bungalow at the back of property but her children lived in the main house.

It was devotion from the two men that led them to assist her in the murder, the court heard.

Samantha Kelly's body was found in a shallow grave, after Lyons failed several times to poison her with a drug overdose.

Ms Kelly was first given a 'cocktail' of sedatives, beta-blockers and antihistamines on January 20, 2016  but she did not die.

Lyons then told Arthur to find an 'alternative method' to kill Ms Kelly on January 22 or the early hours of January 23.

Ms Kelly was struck seven times in the head with a hammer by Arthur.

Her body was dumped in a shallow grave in bushland a month later.

Ronald, 46, was found guilty of assisting an offender after buying two shovels and helping Arthur bury the body in a dry creek bed.

Ronald, was sentenced to 12 years and six months for attempted murder and assisting with the murder on Thursday.

Arthur is serving a 22-year prison sentence after he fatally struck the disability pensioner and mother-of-four to the head repeatedly with a hammer.
Schools across England are facing a 'severe shortage' of teachers, according to a leading education authority.

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) added bigger class sizes in England were increasing pressure on teachers, who are increasingly teaching subjects without a relevant degree.

The independent think tank made the announcement ahead of the new school year - as schools the length and breadth of England face the same set of problems on recruitment and staff satisfaction.

Pay-rises are one way which the think tank recommends attracting and keeping staff and also attracting new teachers into the profession.

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) added bigger class sizes was increasing pressure on teachers, who are increasingly teaching subjects without a relevant degree (stock image)

David Laws, a former education minister and the the chairman of the EPI, said the 'government faces a significant challenge to recruit enough teachers - particularly in subjects such as maths and sciences'.

He added: 'It must already be a concern that as little as half of GCSE maths teachers have a maths or sciences degree.

'Of particular concern is the unequal access to subject-qualified teachers for more disadvantaged schools outside London.'

The think tank also warns that a lack of staff has worsened the teacher-pupil ratio. In 2010, the ratio was 15.5 pupils per teacher but that has risen to 17 in 2018.

Maths and science subjects are particularly difficult subjects from which to recruit graduates, who are often lured by better paid jobs in other careers.

Half of maths and physics teachers were leaving their careers after just five years, the EPI found.

The report highlights the wealth gap in access to well-qualified staff, particularly outside the capital.

In poorer areas outside of London, just 17 per cent of physics teachers have a relevant degree, in comparison to 52 per cent in affluent areas in the rest of the country.

London and the south-east of England, and Bath, north-east Somerset, Rochdale and Darlington are among the areas with the highest levels of teachers with a degree in their specialist subject.

Portsmouth, Hampshire, Newham, Barnsley and Doncaster are among the areas with the lowest number of teachers with a relevant degree in the subject they are teaching.

There have been calls for 'salary supplements' in subjects with staff shortages after recruitment targets for teaching have been missed for the past five years.

In poorer areas outside of London, just 17 per cent of physics teachers have a relevant degree, in comparison to 52 per cent in affluent areas in the rest of the country (stock image)

Report author Luke Sibieta said: 'The government should roll out a more ambitious scheme which offers incentives to teachers in a greater number of shortage subjects, covering more areas.'

Yet Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union, has called for a 3.5 per cent pay rise for all teachers.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds has been trying to push for a recruitment drive to help bolster numbers of staff in schools.

He has also pledged to cut teachers' workload to help make teaching a more attractive career, as well as removing bureaucracy or excessive accountability.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: 'The education secretary has been clear that there are no great schools without great teachers and his top priority is to make sure teaching remains an attractive and fulfilling profession.

'There are still more than 450,000 teachers in our classrooms - 11,900 more than in 2010 - and increasing numbers are returning to the profession.

'We recently announced a fully-funded pay rise for classroom teachers and we are working with school leaders and unions on a strategy to drive recruitment and boost retention of teachers and strip away unnecessary workload.'
Generous strangers have raised more than $250,000 to cover a critically ill woman's flight home to New Zealand after her insurance refused to cover the bill.

Mother-of-two Abby Hartley was on a well-deserved getaway to Indonesia when she started to experience severe pain shortly after arriving on August 1.

She was rushed to the nearest hospital, where she was placed into an induced coma before being quickly transferred to the ICU at BIMC hospital Nusa Dua to be treated for the twisted bowel.

A Givealittle page was launched on August 9 to raise money for the pricey hospital expenses and $137,000 bill to bring her home.

Scroll down for video

New Zealand mum, Abby Hartley (pictured, centre), has been in hospital in Bali since August 1 after suffering severe pain from twisted bowel

The page - which was set up to raise $268,000 - was cut on Thursday August 30 with $237,000 raised.

The family said they would cover the additional amount.

'There has been a lot of confusion around the funding and how much we are raising,' the Givealittle page said.

'As mum has been in hospital since the 1st of August our hospital bills have stacked up hugely due to the treatment mum has required- we are looking at roughly $100,000 by the time we can get her out and home.

'We have had a latest quote from the EVAC company for $168,000 so that brings us up to $268,000.'

In an earlier post on the fundraising page, daughter Sophie said her mother had become resistant to the antibiotics in Bali and needed to be flown home.

The family launched a Givealittle page was on August 9 to raise money for the pricey hospital expenses and $137,000 bill to bring Ms Hartley (pictured, left) home

Donations on the fundraising page were cut on Thursday after $237,000 raised. The family said they would pay additional costs to reach total of $268,000

She said her mother's condition was too unstable to fly on a commercial plane and would need a specialised aircraft to get to New Zealand.

The family was forced to launch the desperate plea to raise money after Mrs Hartley's insurance company refused to cover her medical costs because of a pre-existing condition.

Mrs Hartley was forced to undergo emergency surgery to remove her bowel a day after arriving in hospital.

Despite spending 48 hours in recovery, Mrs Hartley quickly took a turn for the worse and developed acute respiratory distress syndrome where she was only taking in 70 per cent oxygen.

The family of Mrs Hartley (pictured, centre-left) was forced to raise money after their insurance company refused to pay their mother's hefty medical bills

'The doctors made the call to put her into an induced coma and keep her on an oxygen machine to avoid any further deprivation of oxygen to her brain,' Mrs Hartley's daughter Sarah said.

'Dad told us kids to get on the first plane over from NZ as things weren't looking too good and mum needed all the support she could get.'

She was moved to a public hospital on the island on August 12 as doctors told the family her treatment would be cheaper.

The 'Help Abby Fight' page was created on August 9 and has already received more than NZD$119,000 (AUD$109,000) in donations.

'Our mum is fighting for her life in ICU in a hospital in Bali and unfortunately insurance company is refusing to cover any medical costs,' the campaign reads.

The Givealittle page will remain open to notify those following Mrs Hartley's journey.



Mrs Hartley (pictured right) saw her holiday plans in Bali turn into a nightmare after she was admitted to hospital on the island but saw her insurance company refuse to pay her bills
A grieving father who lost his two year old daughter to meningitis died within a year of her death after taking a Class A drug for the first time.

Leroy Parker, 31, from Clitheroe, Lancashire, threw himself into campaigning for greater awareness of meningococcal septicaemia following the death of his daughter Jazmin.

The toddler died just seven hours after she first showed symptoms.

But following Jazmin's death in November 2016 Mr Parker was left 'distraught and at a low point in his life', his inquest heard.

The toddler - described as 'a healthy, delightful little child' - had been taken ill the day after attending a local nursery school. Mr Parker and the child's mother, Rebecca Eatough, noticed a rash on her right shoulder and took her to Clitheroe Health Centre.

But as Jazmin was being taken out of her pram she became floppy and was rushed into Royal Blackburn Hospital where she died later that day. The couple later urged the government to vaccinate all children up to the age of 11 and increase awareness of the potentially fatal disease.

At the time of Jazmin's death Mr Parker told his local newspaper: 'There is a lot to get your head round. It really is heart-breaking. Our lives will never be the same without our beautiful daughter, but if we can raise enough awareness through our own awful personal experience and save as many lives as possible.

Leroy Parker, 31, from Clitheroe, Lancashire, threw himself into campaigning for greater awareness of meningococcal septicaemia following the death of his daughter Jazmin

'The government should act now to vaccinate all children who need it, no matter what the cost.'

Still at a low ebb, on September 22 last year Mr Parker - who was described by a coroner as a 'naive' drugs user - smoked up to six lines of heroin while at the home of his friend, Derek Pinch.

He fell asleep on a sofa but was later found unresponsive by another friend, Russel Summers, the following day. He was taken to hospital but died later that evening.

An inquest in Blackburn heard Mr Parker had also been on tablets to counter anxiety following Jazmin's death.

In a statement read to the inquest, Mr Pinch, who has since died from cancer, said: 'We socialised into the early hours and all had heroin. I had around 10 lines and Leroy did around five or six lines and Russel did around the same as me. We bought a ten bag each and our own.

'I don't drink alcohol, but I saw Leroy and Russel have one or two cans of alcohol each. We were up socialising and at around 6am we all went to sleep.

'At around 10am that morning, Saturday September 23, I woke up and went downstairs. Russel was already downstairs and Leroy was still asleep on the settee.

'Leroy woke up for a short period and we all took more of our heroin. I had around four to five lines. Leroy didn't have much as he wasn't really into heroin. I wasn't sure how much he took but he took some before he went to sleep again.

Still at a low ebb, on September 22 last year Mr Parker - who was described by a coroner as a 'naive' drugs user - smoked up to six lines of heroin while at the home of his friend

'Russel and I tried to wake him; he was asleep but still breathing. I went out with Russel for about 15 minutes and Leroy was asleep still, snoring.

'That evening, I was in the kitchen and and noticed that Leroy had stopped snoring. I went to check and he was not breathing. I checked his pulse and it was not strong. I called Russel downstairs and he came down and we put Leroy into the recovery position on the floor.

'Russel started giving chest compressions on Leroy and I ran 999. We were still working on Leroy until the paramedics arrived.

'They took him to the hospital. I believe that he suffers from anxiety and asthma, and a few years ago he lost his daughter to meningitis and I know that he took Xanax for that, although it did not see him use it at my place. I know that he does not have a heroin addiction and I am surprised he was using it at all.'

In a statement Mr Summers said: 'That night I bumped into Leroy in an underpass in Clitheroe and we went to Derek Pinch's. At approximately 4pm, I heard Pinch shouting my name and I came downstairs and I found Leroy on the sofa unresponsive. I gave home chest compressions while Pinch called the ambulance.

'The ambulance arrived but I don't know how long it took them. When the paramedics took over, I went outside. Leroy was taken into the ambulance and it drove off. I knew Leroy would likely be dead knowing his condition. The next morning, I saw his brother and he told me Leroy had died.'

Police found drugs and tin foil used for heroin use at the scene but concluded there were no suspicious circumstances.

Pathologist Dr Deepa Jacob said the levels of drugs in Mr Parker's system caused respiratory depression. He added: 'There were high levels of morphine in his system and traces of alcohol in smaller levels, and also levels of cocaine.

'The cocaine by itself did not kill him but the heroin was a very high amount and could have killed him on its own.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, Coroner Richard Taylor said: 'First of all, can I offer you my sincere condolences for loss and thank you for coming here today. I know it's not easy and it's difficult as a family to comprehend.

A coroner said the heroin use was 'out of character' and concluded he died of drugs overdose

'This was a low point in Leroy's life and he was very distraught by what happened to his daughter.

'There's no evidence to suggest that these drugs were forced into him. But this was out of character and was not what he did.

'He was a very naive heroin user and Dr Jacob said it was enough heroin to kill him alone.

'My findings is that his intention was to sleep off the heroin and he would be fine - but sadly that didn't happen. It is an unintentional outcome of an intentional action. He died having ingested an excess of drugs.'
A Democratic State Senator who called 911 on a reporter asking questions following a campaign event, claims the journalist threatened her at a North Miami Beach restaurant.

Senator Daphne Campbell called police just before 1.30pm on August 9, telling a North Miami Beach officer she was being threatening by a woman in a floral dress, the Miami Herald reported.

That woman was Miami Herald reporter Sarah Blaskey, who had attended Ms Campbell's reelection campaign event at the Duffy's restaurant to ask

Florida Democratic State Senator Daphne Campbell (left) called 911 on Miami Herald reporter Sarah Blaskey (right) for asking questions following a campaign event, claiming the journalist threatened her

'Can you please send a police for me, please, right now,' Campbell can be heard saying, as the operator asks for her location.

'I have a lady who threatened me a lot,' Campbell claimed.

'I'm not going to argue with no one. She threatened me right now. I need protection.'

Ms Blaskey was reportedly asking Campbell questions during a question-and-answer session following an event for candidates in the State Senate race.

When Ms Blaskey asked for an interview, she was refused and told to email her questions, the Herald reported.

However, when Ms Blaskey continued to listen to Ms Campbells conversations with voters, the senator walked to another table and called police, the newspaper reported.

The senator described the reporter as being white, wearing a colorful dress, and not having any weapons.

Police responded, but did not make any arrests.

Ms Blaskey tweeted about the incident, saying: 'Last time I checked, asking questions at a public forum was allowed ... Don't worry guys, cops didn't think the complaint was credible.'

The following day she wrote: 'Yesterday, I committed an act of journalism. Today, tomorrow, and everyday, I plan to do it again. Consider it premeditated.'

Herald executive editor Aminda Marques Gonzalez said in a statement reported by the publication that Ms Blaskey did nothing wrong.

'Sarah Blaskey was simply doing her job,' Gonzalez said. 'Asking a question is not a threat.'

Ms Blaskey is not the first reporter for Ms Campbell to report to authorities.

Earlier this year, Ms Campbell called the police on a reporter who was recording her speaking with members of the Miami Shores council and leaving after a meeting. Police did not make any arrests then either.
A railway worker died from a 'fatal' brain injury after he slipped on an uneven pavement on his way home, an inquest has heard.

Matthew Kelly, 40, died from a fatal brain injury after he slipped and fell over whilst walking along an uneven pavement in Accrington, Lancashire.

He was thought to be on his way home when he suddenly tumbled to the ground and hit his head on the floor. Paramedics called to the scene outside an Esso petrol station in Accrington, found Mr Kelly unresponsive on the ground.

The father the railway worker praised the police force for their 'very compassionate' response.

Mr Kelly's family were 'shocked and devastated' at his death, but praised the way police handled the situation

On February 17 2018 he was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital in a critical condition but died the following evening despite emergency treatment. Tests showed he died from a 'traumatic' brain injury.

Recalling the day of the accident his father Michael Kelly, 64, from Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire said: 'It was a nightmare. We had a knock at the door at 5am from Cleveland Police saying Matt was in Blackburn Royal.

'They said he was very severely injured in a fall outside. When we got there he was on a life support machine. We were fully told that there was no chance of any kind of recovery and any operation was impossible. We were there along with his brother Jonathan. We are all shocked and devastated.'

Mr Kelly had been drinking alcohol in the run up to the accident, but it was unknown whether or not this played a part in his death

We were there along with his brother Jonathan. We are all shocked and devastated.'

'The police have been absolutely wonderful and very compassionate.

'They have assured us they've found absolutely nothing to suggest it was more than a tragic accident. It does make it a bit easier to hear that. I wouldn't have liked to have thought that there had been any violence involved.'

'Matt was the sort of person who would make three friends in three minutes wherever he was. He was very social, very open and would really make a friend with anybody. I wish I had been a bit like him at times. It's comforting to know that he had so many acquaintances and friends.'

Mr Kelly fell outside the Esso garage in Accrington, paramedics were called to the scene but found him unresponsive

In a statement to the MailOnline, a spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: 'We have not been made aware of any problems involving the pavement in Abbey Street, Accrington by any of the agencies who investigated the death of Matthew Kelly.

Despite this, as part of our routine annual checks, we inspect all our pavements and no defects have been found at this location.

Our thoughts however are obviously with Matthew's family and friends at this very difficult time.'

In the lead up to the accident Mr Kelly had sustained a knee injury, which his father said he had sustained while walking the dog.

'He was up on the Coppice with his boisterous dog Paddy and was knocked over. He twisted his knee almost 90 degrees and dislocated his knee.

'They had to have the mountain rescue up there and bring him down. He was still off work because of this injury and I think it made him very susceptible to falling and slipping easily.'

Inquiries revealed Mr Kelly - who worked in the rail freight industry - had been drinking alcohol in the run up to the accident but it was unknown whether it played any part in the fall.

The inquest heard Mr Kelly had sustained a knee injury in the months before the accident. It is thought he had been walking his dog when he stumbled and dislocated his knee.

No background evidence was read by Mr Kelly's family at the inquest. But at the time his parents said they were 'shocked and devastated' by his death. His family believed the injury made him susceptible to falling over.

Mr Kelly was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital (pictured) where the neurosurgery department was notified of his arrival

In a statement, pathologist Muammer Al-Mudhaffer said: 'Matthew Kelly was found unresponsive on Abbey Street in Accrington on February 17, 2018. An ambulance arrived and he was taken to hospital where he passed away the following evening.

'An inquiry was conducted and no suspicious circumstances were found. Mr Kelly had been drinking that evening. He had previously sustained a knee injury which could have made him uneasy on his feet, and the pavement where he fell was a little uneven.

'There was a number of hours between the time of his fall and when he passed away, so the toxicology report has little value. It's not possible to say what was in his system at the time of his fall.

Mr Kelly had sustained a previous knee injury when out walking his dog on the Coppice (pictured) in Accrington

Gary Dixon, of the North West Ambulance Service said: 'A call was made to us at 23:28 and an ambulance was on the scene at 23:39.

'We responded to a 40-year old man who was unresponsive on the floor. He had fallen at a petrol station on Abbey Street in Accrington and there were a number of people at the scene.

Mr Kelly had sustained his previous injury on the Coppice (pictured), the knee injury, which was sustained whilst walking the dog could have made him uneasy on his feet

'The patient had been drinking and he then fell into the road and remained unresponsive. A police car had been flagged down and the patient had been moved out of the road to safety.

'It appeared to be a simple intoxicated fall, but he had irregular breathing which indicated cranium pressure. He was unresponsive and something was out of the ordinary.

'He was moved to the vehicle due to it being February and cold. Sadly the patient started to deteriorate with some profound symptoms. He was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital and the neurosurgery department was notified and he was handed over.'

Dr Peter James McDermott, a head consultant at Royal Blackburn Hospital said: 'Mr Kelly was brought in by ambulance and they said that he fell into the road and was unresponsive. On arrival, he was sadly unconscious.

'A wound to the rear of his head was noted and he was placed on a ventilator. There was concern that he had sustained a brain injury. It was believed that the injury was unsurvivable.

'He was transferred to the surgical care unit. It was clear the following morning that he had sustained a devastating brain injury. He deteriorated significantly in the afternoon and he passed away later that night.'

Recording a conclusion of accidental death, Blackburn coroner Richard Taylor said: 'There's nothing in the evidence to suggest that this is nothing other than an accidental death.

'It's hard to specify whether the injury to his knee caused him to be a little unsteady on his feet and contributed to his fall. I am going to record that he died from an injury sustained from the fall.'
A woman who became the 'ice queen' of a multi-million-dollar drug ring after her former boss was jailed has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

Jasmine Bourne, 28, was a low-level drug trafficker working in a previous Wangaratta drug syndicate in 2014.

Wangaratta, a small town in Victoria near the New South Wales border, is unofficially known as the 'ice capital' of Australia.

Bourne later set up her own syndicate, overseeing the sourcing of drugs from Melbourne after her boss Jessica Fogarty was jailed for seven years in 2016.

Jasmine Bourne, 28, (pictured) has been jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to six charges including trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine

In November 2016, she was arrested in possession of 79.2 grams of ice, a pen pistol, ammunition and a record of drug sales, according to The Age.

Judge John Smallwood handed down the sentence at Shepparton County Court on Thursday after Bourne pleaded guilty to six charges including trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.

In November 2016, the dubbed 'ice queen' of Wangaratta was arrested in possession of 79.2 grams of ice, a pen pistol, ammunition and a record of drug sales.

Bourne (left) began her own drug syndicate she operated out of Melbourne in 2016, three weeks after her previous boss was jailed - under whom she had worked as a low-level trafficker

More than three kilograms of ice was sold during 2016 worth about $872,000 as Bourne oversaw sourcing of drugs and collection of debts from Melbourne.

Judge Smallwood said a phone call between Bourne and her mother two weeks after she was taken into jail talked about items she was keeping in a safe.

Bourne said: 'It's got be done today, I'll give you a code and there's stuff to be burnt.'

The judge took into consideration the fact Bourne had suffered from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and 'went off the rails' when she got into a relationship with an abusive man.

Bourne took over from Jessica Fogarty (pictured), who was sentenced to seven years in prison for running the ice and cocaine syndicate in Wangaratta

With time already served, Bourne will be eligible for parole in 2021.

Jessica Fogarty traded drugs and guns as part of the multi-million dollar ring between 2010 and 2014, often settling debts with firearms.

In recent years, Wangaratta has become one of many regional Victorians towns now known as a hot-bed for drug use, with locals saying in 2016 more and more people were using ice and other methamphetamines.
The Commissioner of the Met Police has denied parts of London are 'no go areas' for police, but admitted that locals do sometimes cheers for criminals being tackled by her officers.

Cressida Dick made the comments after shocking footage showed two police officers being kicked and shouted at by a mob as they tackled a suspect in McDonald's in Hackney, east London.

The Met Police commissioner declined to comment on what happened, but insisted such incidents are rare and most of her officers are supported in their work in the capital.

Met Police commissioner Cressida Dick has accepted members of the public in London do sometimes cheers for criminals being tackled by police rather than help the officers

She told Good Morning Britain: 'It's completely unacceptable for people to dive in and try to get involved and pull [police officers] off. They are only putting themselves at risk.

'It's utterly unacceptable to kick a police officer in any circumstances... people need to give us the benefit of the doubt.'

She accepted that her officers are sometimes not supported by members of the public as they attempt to arrest suspects.

She added: 'A couple of weeks ago officers were under enormous attack and were being filmed and people were screaming and shouting and cheering when somebody got away who appears to have had a gun. This is wrong.'

'But people I think should understand that most officers, most of the time, don't encounter that. This isn't everybody in Hackney. This isn't the way things are across London.

'There are no "no go areas". Police officers are able to go about their business very well.'

Her comments came after bystanders were filmed shouting at and kicking police trying to tackle a suspect in Hackney, east London

Ms Dick insisted police welcome the extra scrutiny which comes from the public often filming arrests on their smartphones.

She said the footage, CCTV images and video from police body cameras made it easier for the force to deal with spurious claims made against officers.

The McDonald's footage has sparked a debate about attitudes towards the police in some areas and whether they have enough power to tackle yobs.

Ken Marsh, head of the Police Federation's London branch, yesterday blamed sentences for officer attacks being too lenient and a culture of policemen and women being told to 'expect' hostility from the public.

He said: 'I've openly heard judges say in court "you should expect it you're a police officer".

'When you start hearing things like that then there is a complete breakdown in society.'
A six-year-old boy who has been missing for a week after being snatched from a school oval in front of his classmates has been found safe and well.

Police found Phoenix Mapham, 6, safe and well in Canberra's Carwoola area late on Thursday afternoon.

His mother, Tessa Woodcock, was found nearby shortly after.

She was arrested and taken to Queanbeyan Police Station and is expected to be charged with the alleged kidnapping of her son, who she does not have custody of.

Scroll down for video

Missing schoolboy Phoenix Mapham (left), 6, has been found safe after one week. His mother Tessa Woodcock (right) has been arrested and faces kidnapping charges

Little Phoenix was last seen being driven away in a car allegedly by his mother Tessa Woodcock, in Weston Creek, Canberra at 1.30pm on Thursday.

Ms Woodcock does not have custody of her son.

In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Detective Station Sergeant Harry Hains appealed directly to the boy's mother and said police had serious concerns for son's safety and well-being.

'Tessa, we need to know your son is OK,' Detective Hains said.

'We are talking about his health, we are talking about his safety.



'You need to bring him to a place where we can verify that you are taking care of him.

'That could be a hospital, a doctors' surgery, a health facility or a police station.'

Mr Mapham described his son as a 'very caring boy who would always go out of his way to help if someone was upset'

Police searching for Phoenix and his mother issued the ACT's first ever amber alert.

The code is used to find children in abduction or high-risk missing child cases.

Prior to the young boy being found on Thursday, his father Cliff Mapham issued a desperate plea for him to be brought home.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Mapham said: 'I just want to know if he's safe, that's my main priority'.

He described his son as 'a very caring boy who would always go out of his way to help if someone was upset'.
Theresa May vowed to 'go further' in tackling plastics use today as she confirmed charges for bags are set to double to 10p.

The Prime Minister backed tougher action despite pushback from Philip Hammond, with Treasury insiders suggesting the increase from 5p is unnecessary and will looks like government 'profiteering'.

Environmental campaigners have hailed the success of the policy, which is said to have taken 13billion plastic bags out of circulation in the last two years.

A consultation paper unveiled by Mrs May raises the prospect of extending the levy to the estimated three billion bags handed out annually by smaller shops.

Among other measures to 'encourage further behaviour change' the document, being formally published later this year, will suggest lifting it to 'at least 10p'.

A consultation paper unveiled by Theresa May (pictured with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta today) raises the prospect of extending the plastic bag levy to the estimated three billion bags handed out annually by smaller shops

Environmental campaigners have hailed the success of the plastic bag policy, which is said to have taken 13billion plastic bags out of circulation in the last two years. The new announcement was made by the PM (pictured today with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at a press conference in the country) as she continues her Africa charm offensive

Pigs graze through waste in plastic bags near Nairobi, Kenya - where Mrs May is visiting today (file picture)

Speaking as she visited Kenya on the last leg of her Africa tour today, Mrs May said: 'We have taken huge strides to improve the environment, and the charge on plastic bags in supermarkets and big retailers has demonstrated the difference we can achieve by making small changes to our everyday habits.

'I want to leave a greener, healthier environment for future generations, but with plastic in the sea still set to treble we know we need to do more to better protect our oceans and eliminate this harmful waste.

'With over twelve million tonnes of plastic making their way into our oceans each year, plastic pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing the environment today.

'But marine litter is a global problem, and cleaning up our seas and oceans requires a global effort.

'The UK has been at the forefront of raising the importance of tackling plastics on the international stage, and I am delighted to see more countries across Africa sign up to our ambitious Commonwealth Alliance, and pledge action to reduce it.'

After Treasury sources pushed back at the suggestion plastic bag charges should rise over the weekend, Mr Hammond try to play down the row by saying the idea was under 'active consideration'.

Kenya imposed a total ban on plastic bags last year as it struggles to cope with pollution, with those breaking the law liable to hefty fines.

The PM announced more than 60million in UK Aid to boost global research and help other countries stop plastic waste from entering the oceans at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) earlier this year.

She said today that 250,000 of that funding will support the design and delivery of a Sustainable Blue Economy Conference to be hosted by Kenya in November.

The Prime Minister backed tougher action despite pushback from Philip Hammond (pictured right), with Treasury insiders suggesting the increase from 5p is unnecessary and will look like government 'profiteering'

Meanwhile, Seychelles, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Namibia and the Gambia have now joined the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance (CCOA).

A partnership sheme with UN Environment will see the UK pump 40,000 into a new 'plastic pollution' badge for schools and youth groups in Kenya.

Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment, said: 'The environment has already paid a heavy price for our addiction to single-use plastics. We simply can't allow that cost to extend to the next generation.

'That's why this support from the UK government to create and launch a plastic pollution badge with the Guides and Scouts is such an inspiring step in the right direction. This global partnership allows us to not just fight plastic pollution on the beaches, but to invest in the young minds that will preserve the planet for future generations to come.'
A Washington man beheaded his girlfriend in front of his three-year-old daughter because 'God told him to strike her down', police said.

Timothy Paul Hernandez, 32, said he was acting under God's command when he decapitated Vanessa Cons while their child watched on.

Hernandez and Cons were living in Mount Vernon with his parents who found the headless body when they returned from church at 12.45pm Sunday.

Timothy Paul Hernandez, 32, beheaded girlfriend Vanessa Cons in front of their three-year-old daughter (both pictured)

Hernandez said God ordered him to kill his partner after she refused to 'repent'.

The 32-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held on a $1m bond, local media reported.

Hernandez's parents went to church at around 9.30am on Sunday and found the body when they returned home.

Police arrested Hernandez at the nearby Cascade Mall in Burlington where he was shopping with his daughter.

Investigators said Hernandez recited two Bible verses to them when they approached him.

'Timothy advised that he had spoken with God, who told him to strike down his girlfriend  because she did not repent,' a detective wrote in the charging documents.

Hernandez told police God told him to strike her down because she would not repent. He decapitated her as their child watched on

'Timothy stated that he struck her down, and caused for her head to be removed from her body.'

'Each of the verses that were quoted had passages in them that spoke about women who did not follow God's word, so God stuck them down.

Hernandez is scheduled to be arraigned September 6 in Skagit County Superior Court.
China has attacked Donald Trump claiming the US is 'first in the world when it comes to twisting the truth' after the president accused Beijing of failing to rein in North Korea.

Trump doubled down on his suggestion that China was not helping to rein in its Cold War-era ally - a charge he first levelled when he cancelled a trip to North Korea by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that was due to take place this week.

'A lot of people, like me, feel that the US is first in the world when it comes to twisting the truth, and irresponsible and absurd logic,' Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular press briefing.

'This logic is not easily understood by all,' Hua said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying (pictured in January) derided the 'irresponsible and absurd logic' of the United States on Thursday

Trump's refusal to direct criticism at North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and instead blame other parties for a lack of progress comes despite reports the US received a belligerent letter from Pyongyang, which prompted Pompeo to cancel a planned trip to North Korea last weekend.

'We hope the US can play a positive and constructive role in settling the issue just like the Chinese. To solve the problem, it should look at itself instead of shifting blame,' Hua added.

Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said: 'China makes it much more difficult in terms of our relationship with North Korea'.

'Part of the North Korea problem is caused by the trade disputes with China,' Trump said.

But he insisted his ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping were 'great' and that he had a 'fantastic relationship' with the North Korean leader, whom he met in Singapore in June.

Trump said he was not considering resuming joint military exercises on the Korean Peninsula that Pyongyang considers 'provocative.'

Trump says part of the problem with North Korea is the US's troubled trade ties with China

Beijing is Pyongyang's sole major ally, and the main transit country for any goods entering the North.

Trump said that China - angered by US moves on trade - is no longer being as tough as it could be on North Korea.

'We know that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful!' he tweeted on Wednesday evening.

On the subject of military exercises, which the US suspended as a 'good faith' measure following Trump's summit with Kim, the president said 'there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint US-South Korea war games' though added these could resume if the need arose.

It came a day after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the Pentagon was not planning to suspend any more military drills, before appearing to backtrack on Wednesday by insisting 'no decisions' had been made on the matter.

Trump also reiterated his wish to fundamentally alter the trade status quo between the United States and China, the world's top two economies.

'We know that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful!' Trump tweeted on Wednesday

He said he needed to take a tough stance with Beijing on trade 'because it was really not fair to our country,' criticizing his predecessors who 'closed their eyes' to the issue.

In June, Trump and Kim pledged to work toward the 'complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula' although their joint statement was short on details for how that might be achieved.

Efforts stalled several weeks ago, and last week, Trump ordered Pompeo to cancel a planned trip to Pyongyang.

At the time, Trump said that he did not believe China was helping in the denuclearization process due to Washington's tougher stance on trade.

Pompeo said Tuesday that Washington remains ready to engage 'when it is clear that Chairman Kim stands ready to deliver on the commitments that he made at the Singapore summit to President Trump to completely denuclearise North Korea'.

According to the Washington Post, Pyongyang sent Pompeo a belligerent letter that prompted him to cancel the visit, though its precise contents were not known.

Meanwhile, Vox reported that Trump at June's summit pledged to sign a declaration ending the Korean War, and now the two countries remain deadlocked over who will follow through on their commitment first.

On Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters that Washington believes 'denuclearization has to take place before we get to other parts,' confirming that included such a declaration.
Advertisement

A Russian carmaker has launched a luxury version of Vladimir Putin's $300 million armoured limousine aimed at super-rich oligarchs.

A glitzy presentation at a Moscow motor show yesterday saw the unveiling of two models from the new state-owned Aurus brand - the Senat limousine and a smaller Senat sedan.

The Soviet-influenced luxury vehicle was created in a bid to lure mega-rich Russian oligarchs away from foreign brands such as Rolls-Royce.

The limo, described as offering 'uncompromising level of ballistic and explosive protection', will serve as Russia's new state vehicle and was seen in that role at the inauguration of president Vladimir Putin earlier this year.

The new brand, which is run by Russia's Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engine Institute (NAMI) was developed under the instruction of Putin, who wanted Russian-made presidential vehicles.

The new state-run Soviet-influenced luxury limousine was created to lure mega-rich Russian oligarchs away from foreign brands such as Rolls-Royce

The luxury vehicle has a hybrid electric motor and can go from zero to 62mph in less than six seconds. It's rear seats recline to 45 degrees and have custom designer downy pillows and a built-in refrigerator with Aurus-branded crystal glasses

The new Aurus is modelled on the armoured version built to protect Russian president Vladimir Putin which can be fully submerged in water and runs on tyres reinforced with steel to stop them going flat

The Senat Limousine has a 4.4-litre V8 engine jointly developed by NAMI and Porsche, with a hybrid electric motor to offer 590bhp and can go from zero to 62mph in less than six seconds.

It's rear seats recline to 45 degrees and are equipped with custom designer downy pillows along with a built-in refrigerator with Aurus-branded crystal glasses and fold-out tables with leather trim.

At his inauguration for a fourth presidential term in May Putin rode to the Kremlin in a boxy black Aurus limousine with a huge front grill.

This marked a return to the Soviet-era practice of leaders riding in domestically made ceremonial cars. In previous years, Putin has opted for a Mercedes instead.

Russia's Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov (left) and Aurus CEO Hilgert Franz Gerhard (right) unveiled the Aurus Senat vehicle, designed as part of the Kortezh project, at the 2018 Moscow International Motor Show at the Crocus Expo exhibition centre yesterday

Chief designer Vadim Pereverzev acknowledged the design influences for the Aurus Limousine included a model made for Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, the 1946 ZIS limousine, which also featured a huge chrome grille

Hilgert Franz Gerhard in the back of the Aurus Senat where the seats recline to 45 degrees and it has fold-out tables with leather trim

Little is known about the features of the Senat save that it can be fully submerged in water while keeping the occupants safe, and runs on tyres reinforced with steel to stop them going flat.

It was launched to rival US president's 'The Beast', which features night vision cameras, tear gas cannons, pump-action shotguns in the doors, a completely sealed main compartment capable of withstanding a chemical attack, and several pints of the Donald Trump's blood for emergency transfusions.

Putin's version is also bomb-proof and is even slightly bigger than the American president's specially adapted Cadillac.

The new Russian designs are influenced by Soviet-era cars produced only for top officials, the carmakers said, and the Kremlin has already received a number of the vehicles.

Chief designer Vadim Pereverzev acknowledged the design influences for the Aurus Limousine included a model made for Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, the 1946 ZIS limousine, which also featured a huge chrome grille.

Pereverzev told AFP that market research among Russians showed 'there is demand for a high-tech quality product made in our country, in particular for a car of such a class'.

He added: 'Consumers of such cars, you could say they are tired of Rolls-Royces, Mercedes and Maybachs,' said Pereverzev, who has worked with Italian brands including Fiat.'

The launch comes days after arms maker Kalashnikov shocked the industry by presenting a new electric car with a retro powder blue design.

Pereverzev added: 'I'd say that it was more that era that inspired our designers - an era of great achievements by our state when cars like the ZIS appeared.'

Putin showed off the Aurus when he arrived for talks in Helsinki in the bomb-proof limo that can be submerged underwater and is even bigger than President Trump's own vehicle The Beast

Vladimir Putin arrived for the summit with Trump in Helsinki in armoured presidential limousine, the Aurus Senat vehicle which took six years to build and cost $300 million to develop

Donald Trump's own presidential limousine, a Cadillac known informally as 'The Beast' is equipped with night vision cameras, tear gas cannons, 8ins of armour and pints of the president's blood

The cars were developed by a state enterprise called NAMI, which owns a controlling stake in the Aurus brand, in conjunction with Russian automotive group Sollers.

Russian state funding for the project came to around 12 billion Rubles (135 million) and Trade Minister Denis Manturov helped unveil the new luxury vehicle.

An investor from United Arab Emirates, Tawazun, also invested 110 million Euros in the build, Manturov said.

The brand is hoping to attract both wealthy Russians and international customers who currently opt for Western-made models.

CEO of the Aurus brand, Franz Gerhard Hilgert, said in his presentation: 'We will not sell this vehicle only in Russia, we will sell it abroad.'

The price of the model will be 'somewhere in between Mercedes and Rolls-Royce', said Hilgert, who used to represent Daimler Chrysler in Russia.
This is the startling moment a Tesla car loses control and becomes airborne before crashing into an elementary public school in Ontario, Canada.

The four-door Tesla Model S crossed the steep railway tracks at high speed before crashing into Assikinack public school's car park.

The 46-year-old driver, from Barrie, has since been charged with dangerous driving after both he and a passenger were treated for minor injuries, according to Barrie Today.

CCTV captured the car flying through the air as beams of light sweep across the road in video

Multiple angles of the car show it flying through the air at an incredibly high speed

An investigation found the car went airborne over railroad tracks and came down in the oncoming lane more than 100 feet away before crashing into a tree.

Multiple angles of the car show it flying through the air at an incredibly high speed.

Barrie Police warned fellow drivers on Twitter. It said: 'It may look "cool" and like something from out of the movies, but in reality the action of this driver put many lives at risk, including his own.

'He now faces Criminal Charges and will appear in court in October.'

An investigation found the car went airborne over railroad tracks and came down in the oncoming lane more than 100 feet away before crashing into a tree

The 46-year-old driver, from Barrie, has since been charged with dangerous driving
Advertisement

A tenth child has died after a fire broke out at a Chicago apartment during a slumber party where the youngsters had been left alone.

Adrian Hernandez, 14, died in hospital on Tuesday just a day after Cesar Contreras, also 14, passed away. The pair were the only two to be pulled out of the Little Village apartment alive after the blaze on Sunday.

Eight other children also died in the blaze and have been identified as iblings Maya Almaraz, three months, Ariel Garcia, five, Xavier Contreras, 11 and Nathan Contreras, 13, cousins Alanni Ayala, three, Gialanni Ayala, five, and Giovanni Ayala, 10, and friend Victor Mendoza, 16.

Police have launched a neglect probe after it was revealed that no adults were home when the fire broke out around 4am and no smoke alarms were fitted in the apartment.

Ten children have died in Chicago's worst house fire in decades. Pictured from bottom left are victims Ariel Garcia, five, Xavier Contreras, 11, Nathan Contreras, 13, Cesar Contreras, 14, and Maya Almaraz, three months. Also pictured center is their mother, who has not been identified and was not home at the time of the fire

Eight victims were found dead inside the property. Clockwise from top left, they are: Victor Mendoza, 16, Xavier Contreras, Gialanni Ayala, five, Alanni Ayala, three, Giovanni Ayala, 10, Nathan Contreras, Maya Almarez and Ariel Garcia

Investigators still don't know how the fire started but are looking into whether cigarettes or bottle rockets found on the back step could have been the cause. They have ruled out electrical issues.

Meanwhile building owner Merced Gutierrez revealed that he tried to evict the woman renting the apartment back in July for refusing to pay her rent.

Lawyer Raul Serrato told the Chicago Sun-Times that he filed a lawsuit against tenant Yolanda Ayala on July 20 and that the case was pending.

Serrato said Gutierrez had evicted Ramoncita Reyes, Ayala's mother, from a first-floor apartment in the same building in October 2016.

Adrian Hernandez, 14, survived the fire but later died in hospital alongside Cesar Contreras

A fire broke out in that apartment shortly after she was kicked out, Serrato claimed, but nobody was harmed.

The unit has been vacant ever since, with the children living in another apartment on the second floor.

Building records seen by the Sun-Times show that the second-floor apartment was cited for not having smoke detectors in October 2015, but that it was brought up to code by May the following year.

Authorities insist they found no evidence of alarms fitted in the apartment, but Serrato denies this, saying his client had installed them.

A fire department spokesman said the position of the children's bodies suggested they were not trying to escape the fire when they perished.

The death toll would have been 'lower, if not non-existent' had the apartment been fitted with alarms, the spokesman added.

Jessie Cobos leaned over a cross as he watched a local resident write the names of the victims who perished in the fire.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Cobos was a caretaker of Giovanni, Gialanni, and Alanni.

'I got a phone call stating that there was a fire on this block and the pastor wanted me to come pray for the family,' he said.

'I never knew I was going to come pray for my own kids,' he told the newspaper.

Another photo shows Cobos clutching a tiny Mickey Mouse plush toy as he tried to fight back his tears.

'Anything could happen from one minute or the next. If I could only go back to last night and give my kids one more hug, let them know that they are loved.'

Police say they still do not know the cause of the fire, which broke out early on Sunday morning in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. However, they have established that the children were left alone and the apartment had no smoke alarm

The home has been sealed off since the blaze while the sidewalk outside has been turned into a makeshift memorial for those killed. Investigators say it is likely none of the children would have died had alarms been fitted

A young boy ties his shoelace among tributes laid for the ten children killed in a Chicago house fire

Marcos Contreras (left) and his sister Amber Ayala mourn the loss of their siblings who were killed in an early-morning fire in the Little Village neighborhood

Jessie Cobos (right) leaned over a cross as he watched a local resident write the names of the victims who perished in the fire

According to the Chicago Tribune, Cobos was a caretaker of Giovanni, Gialanni, and Alanni. 'I got a phone call stating that there was a fire on this block and the pastor wanted me to come pray for the family,' he said

Mourners surround Cobos and a wooden cross that holds the names of six of the eight victims

Another photo shows Cobos (right) clutching a tiny Mickey Mouse plush toy as he tried to fight back his tears

Cobos is seen writing the name of a victim on a white wooden cross, which will serve as a memorial outside a home in the Little Village neighborhood

The fire tore through the home in Chicago Sunday morning.

A dog was also killed in the fire, while a firefighter was hospitalized in good condition.

A group of people were gathered outside the hospital, waiting for news of their loved ones, when they were told about the fatalities.

'I can't live without my babies,' one woman cried.

Commissioner Jose Santiago said the city has not had 'this amount of fatalities and injuries in one location' for 'many, many years'.

The fire started on the second floor of the building. The first floor was vacant.

Firefighters were called to the West Side building just before 4am and the fire was put out by 5.10am.

Those who were killed and injured were all transported to the hospital from the same residence.

The fire tore through the home in Chicago Sunday morning. A dog was also killed in the fire, while a firefighter was hospitalized in good condition

The cause of the fire has not been determined but no smoke detectors were found in the home, officials said

Commissioner Jose Santiago said the city has not had 'this amount of fatalities and injuries in one location' for 'many, many years'

Santiago revealed the fire could have taken even more lives if it wasn't for one quick-thinking woman who lived nearby.

'She had just gotten home from work. She smelled it. I think she saw it,' he said.

'And then she started immediately knocking on doors, ringing doorbells,' Santiago added.

Santiago said the woman 'saved a lot of lives' amid the horrific tragedy.

The building failed its last inspection in June due to electrical issues, according to the Building Department website.

The fire also caused another structure two buildings down to catch on fire. No injuries were reported in that building.

Red Cross workers were at the scene of the tragedy to provide support and hand out food and drinks to the grieving community.

Celena Roldan, the Chief Executive Officer for the Red Cross in Chicago and Northern Illinois, said the organization would provide mental health support and help the affected families find financial assistance.

It will also help organize funerals and community memorials in the next few weeks.

The Red Cross will work with the fire department to help install smoke alarms in the area.

Chicago firefighters walk under tape at the scene of the fire on Sunday morning. Firefighters were called to the West Side building just before 4am and the fire was out by 5.10am

People carry items away from the scene of the fire. The fire also caused another structure two buildings down to catch alight

American Red Cross workers remain at the scene after a fire tore through the West Side building on Sunday
A police hunt is underway to find a man who allegedly raped a 17-year-old boy in broad daylight.

The incident is said to have taken place around 6pm last Sunday in near a city centre car park in Gloucester, Gloucestershire.

Police are looking for the suspect, described as a black man aged between 40 and 50-years-old, around 5ft 8ins tall, with a beard or moustache and short black hair.

Police arrived to cordon off the crime scene as they carried out a search near the city centre car park

He was wearing a black hat and beige trousers, and carrying two carrier bags.

The alleged rape is being probed by specialist detectives from the Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) team in the Public Protection Bureau.

Police taped off scene for several hours on Monday as they combed the area for evidence.

Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting incident number 292 of August 26.
A notorious rapist will soon be released from jail to live in a secret tax-payer funded house without supervision.

Robert John Fardon will have his housing paid for and the location kept hidden to avoid a repeat of the Dennis Ferguson saga in which the rapist was constantly followed and harassed by vigilante groups after his release.

The Queensland Government lost an appeal on Monday to keep sex offender Fardon in supervised conditions.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O'Gorman had argued the government should be concerned for Fardon's welfare ahead of his October release, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported.

Fardon, who has an extensive history of sexual offending, including raping a 12-year-old girl at gunpoint, was jailed in 1989 for the rape of a woman.

Notorious rapist Robert John Fardon (pictured) will no longer be subject to curfews, counselling or restrictions on where he can live

His full-time release date for that offence was in 2003, but he was kept locked up after being deemed too dangerous to be in the community.

He was finally released on a supervision order in 2006, which he repeatedly breached before being thrown back in jail in 2008 on another charge of rape.

That conviction was later overturned on appeal.

After a lengthy fight with the government, Fardon finally won his release on a new supervision order in 2014.

Fardon will be officially released from custody in October, meaning he will no longer be subject to curfews, counselling or restrictions on where he can live.

With this freedom comes a wave of criticism from the likes of child safety advocates, and the Morecombe family.

Mr O'Gorman said he feared 'a repeat of the Dennis Ferguson vigilante fiasco when Ferguson was released from jail and was then hounded from one town and one address to another'.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties vice-president Terry O'Gorman (pictured) posed a concern for the 69-year-old felon's safety should his future housing situation be revealed to the public

Ferguson served 14 years in jail in Queensland for the abduction and sexual assault of three children.

'In light of the media hype over the last two days surrounding the imminent release of Fardon, the Attorney-General and the Corrective Services Minister must not give in to demands that if released next month Fardon's address should be made public.'

While Fardon has been determined as low-risk in relation to re-offending, Mr O'Gorman believes the onus is on the government to ensure he is well-equipped with a support service and housing when he is released.

'It is incumbent on the Corrective Services Minister to provide financial assistance to Mr Fardon on his release both for continued counselling and suitable accommodation in order to make good in practice the psychiatric opinion on which Justice Jackson acted earlier this week, namely that Fardon poses a low risk of re-offending.'

Lawyers for the Queensland government lost a Supreme Court bid on Monday to have Fardon's supervision order extended

He has not breached any conditions of that order while living in the community.

He has been living under a supervision order for the last four years, and his exact location was kept secret.

It is believed he was living with other sex offenders near a southeast Queensland jail.

The government's lawyers had argued Fardon remained a danger to the community without the order, which gave him support in times of stress, frustration and anger.

In dismissing the application Justice David Jackson said psychiatric evidence showed Fardon's risk of reoffending was low, and that he had shown a strong desire to remain out of prison.

Justice Jackson ruled there were 'not reasonable grounds' for believing he was an unacceptable risk if released.
An incensed homeowner has taken to Twitter after his neighbour allegedly dumped her rubbish all over his driveway - because she 'missed the binmen'.

Faisal Aldaoudi, from Streatham in south London, has shared jaw-dropping footage of the incident which he claims shows his neighbour disposing of her rubbish all over his drive.

Likening himself to super-sleuth Miss Marple, he shared a 17 second clip of the incident on the social media platform.

The footage shows the neighbour approaching the driveway before appearing to dump her rubbish all over it

The rubbish spills out of the bin in the footage - a lot of which has not even been put in a bag. Many of the items also appear to be recyclable, including pizza boxes and plastic bottles

Captioning the video, he says: 'They don't call me Miss Marple for nothing.

'Caught on our CCTV. Neighbour missed the rubbish collection so clearly decided we could have the lot on our driveway.'

He also tagged Lambeth Council into the tweet, hoping the footage would be brought to their attention.

It's about seven seconds into the footage that the remarkable scene starts to unfold.

A lady can be seen turning her green waste bin out all over the drive.

Many of the items in the bin have not even been bagged, making the clean-up job all the more difficult.

On top of this many of the items appear to be recyclable. Items including cardboard pizza boxes, milk cartons and tins can be seen spilling out onto the driveway.

The footage shows the rubbish left in a heap on the floor as the neighbour appears to walk away from the scene



Mr Aldaoudi's video has attracted some comments since posting on Tuesday.

Philip Sidaway wrote: 'That's not English behaviour, that's just pathetic behaviour. I hope they're prosecuted.

'Make sure you inform your local Cllr. Not right.'

While Marilyn wrote: 'What a despicable neighbor - report them.'

Lambeth Council has since responded to Mr Mr Aldaoudi's tweet, saying: 'Hello Faisal, that's not very neighbourly behaviour.

'Could you please email us with your details and a copy of the footage so that we can investigate?'

Mail Online contacted Lambeth Council to see how the investigation was progressing.

Cllr Claire Holland, Lambeth Cabinet Member for Environment, said: 'On the face of it, this is a blatant and shocking case of fly tipping on the public highway.

'We have a zero tolerance approach to fly tipping in Lambeth, which not only spoils our environment and really irritates residents, but also costs us a lot of money to clear up.

'We have contacted the person who posted the video to get further information so that we can investigate further with a view to taking robust action.'
Jordan Eite, 23, raped a woman that he had met on Facebook in early 2016

A rapist who had sex with a woman after he mistook her protests as part of her interest in fetish foreplay and sadomasochism has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Jordan Eite, 23, was invited to the flat by the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after they met online and she told him she had a bondage fetish.

A court heard they exchanged messages on Facebook which developed into being flirty and sexual, with her revealing an interest in sadomasochism.

The woman, who has a boyfriend, asked Eite round to her flat where they 'kissed and cuddled' before he stripped to his boxer shorts and got ready to stay to the night.

He said they kissed some more in the room where there was a whip and a riding crop before he pulled on her hair 'which she seemed to enjoy'.

Eite decided to take things further after she touched him underneath his clothing and he groped her over her clothing.

The pair then had sex despite her protests, which Eite claimed he thought was due to her kinky interest in sadomasochism.

He told police they had not agreed a 'safe word' beforehand and had misinterpreted her saying 'no' and being part of 'fetish foreplay'.

Eite, of Rugby, Warwickshire, denied raping the woman but changed his plea to guilty on the first day of his trial at Warwick Crown Court on Wednesday.

Eite, of Rugby, Warwickshire, denied raping the woman but changed his plea to guilty on the first day of his trial at Warwick Crown Court (pictured) on Wednesday

He was jailed for three-and-a-half years and ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

Sentencing, Richard Griffith-Jones said: 'Rape, it need hardly be said, is always a grave crime, and the sentencing guidelines reflect that fact.

'The circumstances of this crime are relatively unusual.

'At the time, you were 20, and you were a naive young man, and you formed a friendship with the complainant on social media.

'She, as she's quite entitled to do, enjoyed a flirtation with you which involved a sharing by her of intimate desires and characteristics she had with regard to sexual pleasure.

'But there was a fundamental misunderstanding which arose from your belief, for which there were no reasonable grounds.

'It is one thing for someone to agree to what is, in effect, theatre to accentuate sexual pleasure, with all the safeguards that are necessary.

'It is another for there to be no agreed theatre, but over-excitement on your part, and for that to overbear the fact that there is a right for someone to say no to sexual intercourse.

'There was accepted intimacy short of intercourse, but it remains an obvious right for someone to say no.

'She said that to you on a number of occasions, and you ignored that and, frankly, helped yourself.

'This is a very sad situation in which there are no winners.

'The fact remains that the basis on which you pleaded guilty on the day of trial, although a brave and honourable decision, is one you could have taken earlier.'

Prosecutor Tom Walkling said the incident took place in early 2016 after Eite and the woman had met each-other through Facebook and exchanged messages.

The woman, who has a boyfriend, asked Eite round to her flat where they 'kissed and cuddled' before he stripped to his boxer shorts and got ready to stay to the night

She invited him to her flat, and when he arrived, her flatmate and another person were there as well.

In Eite's basis of plea he said the other two went to bed, and he offered to leave, but she told him he could stay and pulled out a sofa bed for him to use.

Mr Walkling said: 'He decided to take things further, and in his state of arousal, he penetrated her, believing she was consenting, but he now accepts that belief was not reasonable.'

Eite eventually stopped, and when he was leaving after getting dressed, she kissed him goodbye.

She later sent him a message asking if he had got home safely, followed by another saying she just wanted to be friends, ending with four x's.

The woman finally made a complaint to the police a week later, and Mr Walkling said: 'She made it clear that she explicitly told him ''no,'' and that she did not want to have sex.

'He appears to have interpreted that through the lens of her interest in sadomasochism.'

Deputy Judge Richard Griffith-Jones told the court: 'Having been unhappy about being made to have intercourse, she spoke to her flatmate and then to her boyfriend.

'He was angry with her for having flirted and also angry with the defendant, and said ''If you don't report it, I will.'''

In his police interview Eite was asked whether, when she said no, he thought she was saying no or whether he thought it was part of her sadomasochistic interest, and he replied: 'I think I thought she was 50-50 about it.'

Mr Walkling said: 'He conceded that when he pressed on with what he thought was fetish foreplay, her saying stop and trying to push him away, it was at least sexual assault.

'They both agree that no ''safe word'' was ever agreed between them.

'No agreement had been made in advance, as would be usual for couples in such circumstances.'

Graeme Simpson, defending, argued that because of the unusual circumstances, the rape was at the lowest level under the sentencing guidelines, which the judge agreed.

Mr Simpson said there was a delay of about a year before Eite was charged, and he had now trained in bar management and has a stable relationship with a girlfriend who was standing by him.
College staff have paid tribute to a popular and witty A-level student who was found dead on the day he was due to collect his exam results.

The body of 18-year old Owen Williams was found off a rural road in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, after police received reports of a concern for safety.

Greenhead College's principal Simon Lett expressed his and the college's sadness following the death of the student.

Mr Williams was described as a 'strong team player and an enthusiastic learner'

'We are very saddened by Owen's death and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

'During his two years at College, Owen studied Business, Economics and Maths A-Levels, the Extended Project Qualification, and worked towards his Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

'A reliable, good-humoured and popular student, Owen will be greatly missed by Greenhead College staff and students. He was a strong team player and an enthusiastic learner who will be remembered for his wit and good humour.

Mr Williams' body was found at Hollins Hey landfill site off Blackley Road in Huddersfield

'His teachers commented on his enthusiasm for studying, initiative shown in lessons, wider reading and strong numerical skills. Cheerful, reliable and fully engaged, Owen had made full access to all opportunities available to him.

'He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.'

Mr Williams received his results on the morning of Thursday August 16. At 8.45pm, that night police found his body at Hollins Hey landfill site off Blackley Road.

The body of Owen Williams was found in a wooded area on the Hollins Hey Landfill Site (pictured)

A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: 'We were called to a wooded area off Blackley Road at about 8.45pm on Thursday August 17 after receiving reports of a concern for safety.

'Officers attended and found the body of an 18-year-old male. There are no suspicious circumstances.'

West Yorkshire's coroners office has opened an inquest into Owen's death. It was adjourned to a date to be confirmed.

The student was found dead in a wooded area off Blackley Road, the day he was due to pick up his A-Level results from Greenhead College in Huddersfield
A text message between a wedding magazine's editor and a photographer has revealed the publication's refusal to feature gay couples on its cover.

Photographer Lara Hotz noticed that White magazine didn't make any reference to gay couples during the 2017 postal survey, so she reached out to its editor.

A text message between a wedding magazine's editor and a photographer has revealed the publication's secret refusal to feature gay couples on its cover (pictured is a digital reproduction of the text message)

'I couldn't find any same sex marriage content that they had ever published, or any comments from them about it,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

Ms Hotz, whose images have graced the cover many times before, said she felt confident bringing up the subject given her previous relationship with the magazine.

But when the editor didn't reply, she reached out again - only to receive a blatant refusal via text, which said the magazine wouldn't feature gay couples.

In the text message, which was seen by AAP, Ms Hotz was told 'we aren't sharing Same Sex (sic) weddings at this point'.

Ms Hotz, who is married to her female partner, said she feels discriminated against and undervalued by White's previously unspoken policy.

'I imagine the majority of LGBTQI persons would be feeling hurt regarding not being represented equally or at all,' she told AAP on Thursday.

Separately many advertisers, photographers, videographers and celebrants have also taken to social media to share stories about their interactions with White.

Advertiser and photographer Ona Janzen was 'shocked' to hear White was refusing to cover gay weddings.

'If I had known they don't support SSM I wouldn't have chosen to spend a good portion of my marketing funds with their magazine, on principle,' she told AAP on Thursday.

Ms Hotz, whose images have graced the cover many times before, said she felt confident bringing up the subject given her previous relationship with the mag

Ms Janzen said it 'doesn't feel right' that a same-sex couple could subscribe to the magazine and be unaware it doesn't support marriage equality.

Ms Hotz insists she's not trying to force White to think like her. She simply wants the 'influential' magazine to be open about its position so people are informed before buying the magazine or advertising in it.

The photographer says most people in the industry support the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Advertiser and eco-wedding expert Sandra Henri was disappointed with White's 'silence' on the day the postal survey result was announced in mid-November.

'The silence has continued since then,' she told AAP.

Ms Hotz, whose photography frequently appears in the magazine (pictured), says she wants the 'influential' magazine to be open about its position

Ms Henri challenged White to have a trial period of 'diversity' in the magazine.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted White magazine for comment.

On its website, the publication states it is 'obsessed with changing the wedding culture to bring meaning back into marriage'.

Ms Hotz said the issue is more than just a difference of opinion between White Magazine and herself.

'This is an issue between hundreds of wedding professionals wanting answers,' she said.
A young mother forced to switch off her 10-day-old son's life support machine after she unknowingly passed the herpes virus on to him during his birth has called for all pregnant women to be tested for the virus.

Bar worker Kira Aldcroft, 22, from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, had a healthy pregnancy before son Leo Aldcroft was born nine days premature on August 9.

The mother-of-one had never experienced any symptoms of genital herpes apart from thrush, which she claims nurses told her was a common side effect of being pregnant, and so did not know she was harbouring the dormant virus.

But just eight days after Leo's birth, Miss Aldcroft's dream turned into a living nightmare when her son was rushed to hospital with suspected sepsis after he began to bleed from his mouth, before sadly passing away this month on August 19.

Kira Aldcroft, 22, from Prestwich, pictured with her son Leo, who sadly died eight days after his birth

Miss Aldcroft, pictured when she was pregnant with Leo, has now spoken out for all women to be tested for the Herpes HSV2 virus

Leo, pictured, was placed in an induced coma after Miss Aldcroft unwittingly passed the Herpes HSV2 virus to her son during his delivery

Doctors discovered the 22-year-old was carrying the Herpes HSV2 virus - a type of genital herpes - which she had unwittingly passed to her son during his delivery.

Miss Aldcroft is now speaking out to raise awareness of the deadly virus - just days after Leo died- and is calling for herpes tests to become obligatory for all mothers-to-be.

She said: 'I've always wanted to be a mum so being able to bring Leo home was just a dream come true, everything was finally perfect and everyone was happy.

'But as Leo was laid there in hospital with doctors and nurses surrounding him, it was a mother's worst nightmare.

'I was physically sick when the herpes test came back positive, as I had done everything humanly possible to give my son the best start in life.

'I could have contracted it before or during the pregnancy, as it can be dormant for months or years so there's no way of telling.

'I had no knowledge I had the virus, as there were no symptoms other than thrush, and if I had been offered a test during my pregnancy all this heartache could have been avoided.

'I'm now urging men and women to get tested. That's my message to everyone - not just pregnant women.

Baby Leo with Miss Aldcroft's mother Karen Tunnah. Just hours after Leo was first rushed to hospital doctors told his mother his liver and kidneys were failing

'I hope sharing Leo's story will save other lives.'

Herpes has two strains, which are both dangerous to babies as their immune systems are yet to have fully developed to fight off the virus.

Type 1 can cause cold sores, while Type 2 typically causes genital herpes, and the virus can be passed onto newborn babies during vaginal delivery.

As Leo fought for his life in hospital, medics told Miss Aldcroft her son's odds of surviving were dropping by the minute.

Unable to hold her baby boy, the 22-year-old and her mother Karen Tunnah had to look on helplessly as doctors fought to save his life.

Kira Aldcroft, 22, holding her son Leo after his birth. The 22-year-old is speaking out about her sad ordeal and also raising money for Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

But on the Sunday morning - just hours after he was first rushed into hospital - doctors told her his liver and kidneys were failing and that they would have to put him on a dialysis machine in order to keep him alive.

Leo was then moved to a private room as Miss Aldcroft was told it was time to get her baby boy baptised.

Soon after, Kira and her mother were given the devastating news that medical staff had found a clot and swelling on Leo's brain and that all his organs were failing.

It was then that Kira decided that her brave boy had suffered enough and she made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support machines.

She said: 'As Leo lay in hospital, all I wanted to do was to hold and to kiss him and to tell him that everything would be alright.

Despite his short life, his mother Miss Aldcroft, said her son touched the lives of all he met

'I told my baby boy to fight and that we were all on his side, and how much I loved him and wanted to return home with him.

'Leo's baptism was a nice moment to know I could bless him before he passed.

'I wanted to get him christened at Christmas, but obviously his time came a lot sooner.

'The consultant then told us his condition had worsened.

'Once I knew the status of Leo's health, I knew it was time for me as his mother to say 'enough is enough'.

'Once I'd decided that, I was then allowed to be next to him and be by his side.

'I fell asleep with my head on his incubator and held his hand and when it was time to stop the machines, they let me hold him.

Leo, pictured not long after his birth. His mother is now channeling her grief into campaigning for all mothers-to-be

'It was heartbreaking, as he took his last breaths in my arms, I held his hand and held him so close, and told him how proud I was of him.

'The doctors then left the room, and let me and my family have our time alone and a chance to say goodbye.'

Despite his short life, Miss Aldcroft is adamant her son touched the lives of everyone he met.

After Leo's death, the heartbroken mother was forced to return home, surrounded by the clothes and toys she had prepared for the tot just weeks before.

But she is now channelling her grief into campaigning for all mothers-to-be to undergo mandatory screening for all types of the herpes virus.

She said: 'Leo was the calmest, happiest baby you'd ever meet.

'He was a dream. I say to everyone he was born an angel.

'He never cried until that night.

'His death has been even harder because I came back to a house with all his things here.

'I can see all the things here that would have been.'

Miss Aldcroft is raising money for Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital on Go Fund Me
The daughter of a woman murdered by her double killer ex-boyfriend has told how she warned her mother he was a menace.

Janet Scott was stabbed and run over by Simon Mellors after she found out he had not long been released from prison for killing his previous partner, Pearl Black.

Mrs Scott's daughter Amelia Karnstein has now spoken for the first time of how she urged her mother to end the relationship before he attacked her too.

Tragically, Ms Karnstein's fears became reality when, months later, Mrs Scott was attacked and killed by Mellors at her Nottinghamshire home.

Janet Scott, 51, got in a relationship with Simon Mellors after he was released from prison for murdering a previous girlfriend. Mrs Scott didn't know about his crime at first but he eventually told her. Despite her daughter's warnings, Mrs Scott stayed with Mellors and he later murdered her too, before taking his own life before he could face justice

Mrs Scott's daughter Amelia Karnstein (pictured with a photo of her mother) has now told how she warned her mother that Mellors would kill her, but her mother 'was too deeply in love' and wanted to give Mellors 'the benefit of the doubt

Ms Karnstein (pictured with her mother) and her family want answers from the Ministry of Justice over why more wasn't done to protect her mother from convicted killer Mellors

Mellors, 56, had been convicted for murdering his partner, Ms Black, in May 1999 - but was freed on licence after serving a 12-year minimum term.

He met Mrs Scott in a bar in March 2017 the pair became close - but he kept from her his criminal past.

Eight weeks into their relationship, she realised that Mellors' claims about his career didn't add up and he showed her an online article about his previous conviction.

Recalling that time, Ms Karnstein said: 'Mum was too deeply in love by then and believed she was safe because he underplayed his convictions.

'When she sent me the links to his conviction I went hysterical and called her and said "Mum you can't do this, he's going to kill you too!" - and that's what happened.'

After being charged with Janet's murder, Mellors was found dead while in custody at HMP Manchester on February 25 while awaiting trial.

Ms Karnstein says her mother was too in love with her killer boyfriend to stop seeing him. The couple are pictured together at Christmas last year, not long before he murdered her

Mellors (right) had been jailed for life for murdering his previous girlfriend Pearl Black (left), but was released after 13 years

Ms Karnstein's family are now searching for answers from the Ministry of Justice after claiming her mother reported Mellors' behaviour to his probation officer multiple times.

She said: 'Wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt, mum stayed with him until New Year, because she wanted him to be able to celebrate his first one out of prison - but she didn't know that'd be her last.

'She even offered for the two of them to be friends, but then he started following her on her way to work.

'She used to call me worried about what would've happened if she didn't turn around and see him.'

Ms Karnstein, 20, spent ten months sat across the dinner table from her mother and her convict boyfriend.

Mother-of-six Mrs Scott is pictured, aged 40, with Amelia and her son John

Amelia said: 'Mum is very much a part of our lives every day - the house is covered in pictures of her and she's brought up in every conversation we have'

On January 29 last year, after an altercation at her house, Mrs Scott was stabbed by Mellors before he ran her over.

Ms Karnstein said: 'I was at university when it happened, and as soon as the police turned up at my door I knew he'd done something to her.

'They told me that it started at the house, where he stabbed her, but she was still alive until he'd driven a car into her near his home.

'When they told me what happened my world came crashing down, as much as I wasn't surprised by what he'd done, I never thought I'd lose my mum.

'He manipulated everyone he met but especially my mum and he completely wore her down.

'My mum was the kindest, most loving and forgiving person there was and I still can't believe she was taken from us.'

Ms Karnstein says she sat across the dinner table from her mother's killer before the fatal attack

This is the bedroom of the Nottinghamshire home where Mrs Scott was initially attacked

Amelia and her five siblings are striving to keep their mum's story and morals alive.

She said: 'Mum is very much a part of our lives every day - the house is covered in pictures of her and she's brought up in every conversation we have.

'She had three morals that she always stuck to: always travel, always put family first and always see the world for the best it could be - and that's what we live by.

'She was a very charitable person also, so we all try and do our best for charity and often sit down with families who have lost their parents and share our story with them.

'Although nothing is going to bring her back, there's things we strive to do every day to keep her alive and not let this monster have the last laugh.'

Ms Karnstein, pictured with her brother John, says her mother reported Mellors behaviour to probation officers before he went on to attack and kill her

Amelia said her world 'came crashing down' when she found out her mother had been killed

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'This is a tragic case and our sincere condolences are with the victim's family and friends.

'Serious further offences such as this are very rare, but each one is taken extremely seriously and investigated fully.

'A full review into this case is underway, and we will carefully consider the findings to make sure all possible lessons are learnt.'
Judge Karen Holt (pictured), 55, has been reprimanded by the Judicial Conduct Investigation Office for accessing confidential files in a case where her daughter was a witness

A top crown court judge who snooped on confidential files in a case where her daughter was a witness has been reprimanded for 'serious misconduct'.

Judge Karen Holt, 55, gained access to digital records about Cecil McCready, a music teacher who was facing trial at Guildford crown court for child sex abuse offences.

She claimed she was telling her daughter of the expected trial date and that she wanted to ensure the trial judge was not someone who knew her or her daughter.

Judge Holt, a crown court judge at Isleworth, was accused of accessing a wide range of materials, including witness statements made by her daughter and transcripts of interviews.

She also sent an email to police which 'risked being seen as an attempt to influence' the case, according to justice chiefs.

Criminal charges against her were thrown out earlier this year - but she was this week censured by the Judicial Conduct Investigation Office.

The Lord Chief Justice said Judge Holt's actions amounted to 'serious misconduct'.

A spokesman said: 'Her Honour Judge Karen Holt was the subject of a disciplinary investigation after she accessed digital records relating to a criminal case in which a family member was a potential witness.

'The judge also sent an email to the police, part of which risked being seen as an attempt to influence the conduct of the case.

'While accepting that the judge did not make improper use of the information she briefly viewed, and that her email had no influence on the case, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice concluded that Judge Holt's actions amounted to serious misconduct and have reprimanded her.'

Cecil McCready (pictured), was jailed for 12 months for child sex abuse offences. He had worked as a music teacher for 16 years

Judges are subject to strict rules that prohibit them from judging cases where they have a personal interest.

A note was sent to judges last year warning that browsing through digital systems 'out of curiosity or for personal reasons' would trigger a Judicial Conduct Investigations Office investigation or even a police investigation.

McCready was eventually jailed in March last year for 12 months after pleading guilty. He had admitted three counts of sexual activity.

The former music teacher had worked at Gordon's School for 16 years and led 50-strong drum band at the secondary, which is renowned for its music department.

The band regularly performed at charity events and fetes.

Prior to her reprimand, Judge Holt had presided over some of the most high-profile criminal cases during her time on the Crown Court bench.

In 2015 she sat on the trial of a finance director who was convicted of the date-rape of an airline stewardess.

A year before Judge Holt heard the appeal case of another judge, former immigration Michael Shrimpton.

Shrimpton had been convicted of a hoax after contacting the Ministry of Defence to warn about a supposed attempt to detonate a dirty nuclear bomb at the London 2012 Olympics.

Judge Holt's former chambers at 23 Essex Street in London is one of the biggest criminal law sets in the Inns of Court in London.

Barristers there routinely prosecute and defend allegations of serious violent criminal offences.

In 2004, acting as a barrister, Judge Holt successfully prosecutred a mother who left her son scarred for life with repeated whippings. The mother was jailed for 12 months.
A man who is accused of raping a woman on a first date organised through dating app Bumble has faced court.

David Gabrieli, 37, allegedly sexually assaulted a 26-year-old woman inside his Maroubra apartment, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, on January 30.

Police allege the accused forced himself on the woman, kissing her lips and breasts before raping her, 9News reported.

David Gabrieli (pictured) is accused of allegedly raping a woman he met on dating app Bumble in January

Mr Gabrieli then took the woman to Mascot Railway Station where she caught the train home and reported the alleged incident to police.

The divorced father-of-two allegedly impersonated a doctor when he first connected with the victim.

Mr Gabrieli was arrested by police on Wednesday after seven months of investigation and was taken to Maroubra Police Station.

He is facing five charges including two counts of indecent assault, two counts of aggravated sexual assault without consent and hindering a person executing a crime scene.

Defence lawyer David Brezniak told reporters outside Waverley Court on Thursday that Mr Gabrieli did have contact with complainant but he did not assault her.

Police allege the 37-year-old accused, who claimed to be a doctor, forced himself on the woman, kissing her lips and breasts before raping her (stock image)

Defence lawyer David Brezniak (pictured) told reporters outside Waverley Court on Thursday that Gabrieli did have contact with complainant but he did not assault her

'He is entirely innocent of the charges and he wants that to be compeltely clear,' Mr Brezniak said.

'He's a young man, he's 38, he's employed and he's got two young children and he just wants the matter resolved as expeditiously as able.'

Bumble released a statement following the alleged sexual assault and said the safety of its users was a priority.

'While we cannot comment on an ongoing case, any form of sexual harassment or assault if unacceptable to us and the safety of our users is our number one priority,' the statement said.

Mr Gabrieli is due to face court again next month.
Hamilton's King George came face to face with his character's six-times great grandson on Wednesday night.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended a charity performance of the hit musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, delighting the cast.

Harry took to the stage where he burst into song himself with a rendition of You'll Be Back - sung by the character of his great ancestor King George III in the musical.

Actor Michael Jibson, who plays the king, joked Harry had 'upstaged him' with the surprise performance.

Hamilton's King George came face to face with his character's six-times great grandson on Wednesday night

Actor Michael Jibson, who plays King George III, joked Harry had 'upstaged him' at his own play

Pictured: Family tree showing how Prince Harry and King George III are related

Mr Jibson also revealed that Harry asked him if his crown was heavy, and he admitted that it was indeed heavy.

The show's award-winning creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, tweeted: 'King George IIIs great-great-great-great-great-great grandson The Duke Of Sussex sang a few bars tonight.'

Other cast members took to social media to share their excitement at the royals being among the night's audience.

Rachel John, an Olivier nominated actress, who plays Angelica Schuyler in the musical wrote: 'Last night was epic...watch the lady behind Prince Harry that was me'.

She then shared a video of her jaw-dropping reaction when Prince Harry began to sing.

Actor Leslie Garcia Bowman wrote: 'A night we will all remember for the rest of our lives.'

Other cast members took to social media to share their excitement at the royals being among the night's audience members

King George III (pictured), who ruled from 1760 to 1820, is Harry's six-times great grandfather

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were introduced to the show's award-winning creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and his wife Vanessa Nadal before the group took their seats in the theatre's Royal Circle.

The event, which marks the royals' first public appearance in a month, was held to benefit Prince Harry's charity Sentebale, which works with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa.

Hip hop musical Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Ironically, the show pokes fun at one of Prince Harry's distant relatives, King George III, who is cast as a comical and out-of-touch character.

But Harry clearly took it in good spirit. After the show he got on stage and burst into song, mimicking one of the tunes sung by his ancestor, with the words 'you say'.

The Duke of Sussex after the performance meeting King George, cast and crew backstage at the Victoria Palace Theatre

After the show Meghan and Harry the cast and crew of the hit musical at the London theatre

After the show Harry took to the stage where he began to perform one of the musical's songs

The audience clapped and cheered at his surprisingly talented antics. But Harry quickly cautioned them not to expect more, saying of the show's creator: 'He did try but I said no.'

He thanked the audience for raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for his charity, Sentebale, and to the cast and crew.

He added: 'I don't know how you guys do this every single night, over and over again, and in this heat as well.'

Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda also proved a star turn as he told the audience that he came up with idea of putting King George in his show while he was on honeymoon.

'I wrote the song on my honeymoon and smash, cut to 2018 and I am sitting next to his sixth great-grandson, the Duke of Sussex....'
A Sydney beach looked more like a scene from Jaws as red patches filled the sea at a popular holiday spot.

Manly residents should not fret - there is not a murderous shark in the waters -but they have been advised to avoid swimming in the affected area.

The splotchy, red water is an algae-bloom, a WaterNSW spokesman told the Daily Telegraph.

Manly resident Keryn Hill said she got 'a bit of shock' when she spotted the red tide while hanging out her washing

He said that the algae bloom has been identified as noctiluca scintillansan, which is not known to produce toxins, however, it should be avoided as a precaution.

The blooms are often visible as a red discolouration in the water and can produce bioluminescence during the night when disturbed, he said.

Manly resident Keryn Hill said she got 'a bit of shock' when she spotted the red tide while hanging out her washing.

'Its definitely not a murky pink - it looks like blood.'

It was the second time this month an odd colour had been discovered in the waters near Manly.

A pink-red stain was spotted in waters at Manly Cove and Shelly Beach on August 15, the Manly Daily reported.
A new film about Neil Armstrong has left out the moment he planted the US flag on the Moon.

First Man  from the Oscar-winning director of La La Land Damian Chazelle  opened the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday.

Starring Ryan Gosling as Armstrong, the film begins in 1961 as the US trails the Soviet Union in the space race and takes viewers up to the Moon landing in 1969.

But while Gosling does declare the moment 'one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,' critics have noted the absence of the stars and stripes in the film, the Telegraph reports.

Scroll down for video

A new film about Neil Armstrong, played by Ryan Gosling (pictured at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday_ has left out the moment he planted the US flag on the Moon

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin raise the US flag on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission

When the Canadian actor was asked if the film deliberately took the focus away from US patriotism, he said the achievement 'transcended countries and borders,' according to the newspaper.

Gosling, 37, said he believes the Moon landing was widely seen as a 'human achievement' and that's what the film reflects.

He added that Armstrong, who died in 2012, was 'extremely humble' and deferred focus from himself to the 400,000 people who made the Apollo 11 mission possible.

'He was reminding everyone that he was just the tip of the iceberg  and that's not just to be humble, that's also true,' Gosling explained.

First Man begins in 1961 as the US trails the Soviet Union in the space race and takes viewers up to the Moon landing in 1969. Pictured, Gosling in the film

The Canadian actor (pictured as Armstrong in the film) said the achievement 'transcended countries and borders'

'So I don't think that Neil viewed himself as an American hero. From my interviews with his family and people that knew him, it was quite the opposite. And we wanted the film to reflect Neil.'

Gosling also joked that he may be biased because he is Canadian. Chazelle is French-Canadian.

The decision to place a US flag on the Moon was controversial at the time with debates over whether a United Nations flag should be used instead.

Armstrong himself said that his job 'was to get the flag there' and he was less concerned about what flag it should be.

He said Congress had decided that the Moon landing was a US project.

Co-produced by Steven Spielberg, First Man - which also stars Claire Foy - is based on a 2005 biography by historian James Hansen.

First Man is one of 21 movies in competition for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival which will be awarded on September 8.
Panasonic today confirmed it plans to move its European headquarters out of Britain and to Amsterdam after Brexit.

The Japanese electronics giant will make the shift to avoid tariffs and potential tax issues which they fear could hit businesses after Britain quits the Brussels block in March next year.

The move comes amid fears that the UK could crash out of the EU without a deal as politicians have only until the end of the year to thrash out a deal.

It remains unclear exactly how many jobs might be put at risk when the headquarters move from its current home in Berkshire.

The announcement is a major blow for ministers, who have been trying to convince businesses they have nothing to fear from Brexit.

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic has become the latest firm to announce plans to shift its European headquarters out of the UK ahead of Brexit (file picture of Panasonic HQ)

EU negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured yesterday in Berlin) has finally conceded he would have to offer Britain a unique deal on Brexit today in the first hint of a climbdown from Brussels

Panasonic is the latest in a number of companies who have said they will be moving their operations out of the UK ahead of Brexit.

Planemaker Airbus warned in June it could quit the UK if Britain leaves without a trade deal.

What is in Theresa May's Brexit blueprint? These are some of the key features of the Chequers plan being pushed by the UK government: A new free trade area in goods, based on a 'common rulebook' of EU regulations necessary. This will require the UK to commit by treaty to match EU rules

'Mobility' rules which will end automatic freedom of movement, but still allow UK and EU citizens to travel without visas for tourism and temporary work. It will also enable businesses to move staff between countries.

Continued UK participation in and funding of European agencies covering areas like chemicals, aviation safety and medicines

A 'facilitated customs arrangement', removing the need for customs checks at UK-EU ports. It would allow differing UK and EU tariffs on goods from elsewhere in the world to be paid at the border, removing the need for rebates in the vast majority of cases. This is designed to avoid the need for a hard Irish border. But in theory it still allows Britain to sign trade deals.

Keeping services - such as banking or legal support - outside of the common rule book, meaning the UK is completely free to set its own regulations. It accepts it will mean less trade in services between the UK and EU.

Continued co-operation on energy and transport, a 'common rulebook' on state aid and commitments to maintain high standards of environmental and workplace protections.

A security deal allowing continued UK participation in Europol and Eurojust, 'co-ordination' of UK and EU policies on foreign affairs, defence and development.

Continued use of the EHIC health insurance card. Advertisement

While Unilever announced in March it was moving its corporate HQ to Rotterdam, although it has claimed the decision is not Brexit-related.

Panasonic is understood to have made the decision to move amid fears that Japan could reclassify Britain as a tax haven if the UK follows through on threats to slash corporation tax after Brexit.

If this happens, the Panasonic would face a far heftier tax bill in its home country of Japan.

A string of other Japanese firms have revealed plans to move their European bases out of the UK, including banking giants Nomura Holdings, Daiwa Securities, MUFG and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group.

Carmakers Honda and Nissan are also among a raft of Japanese firms that employ large workforces in the UK.

Altogether there are 879 Japanese companies employing 142,000 staff in Britain, including Honda and Nissan - meaning any big shift in their operations out of the UK could plunge many jobs into doubt.

Panasonic would reportedly move staff dealing with auditing and financial operations out of the UK following the switch to Amsterdam, but keep those dealing with investor relations in Britain.

It is believed that up to 20 out of 30 employees could be affected.

But while some companies are shifting their operations, there is fresh hope that Britain will get a deal with the EU in time for Brexit.

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, yesterday said that Britain would get a unique deal - sending the pound soaring.

News of Mr Barnier's comments in Berlin sent the pound up by around 1 per cent and the currency was still trading at around the same level this morning.

It is the highest the pound has been for several weeks - but far below where Sterling stood before the EU referendum.

The pound was trading at 1.113 euros this morning following a sharp jump off of Mr Barnier's comments yesterday (pictured)

Emmanuel Macron, pictured in Finland yesterday with wife Brigitte, is set to tell European leaders that a cliff-edge exit would 'break links and poison relations' between EU countries

Mr Barnier has repeatedly insisted Britain must choose from an existing model used by either Norway or Canada - deal the UK say are unacceptable.

And in a fresh boost, reports have emerged today that French President Emmanuel Macron is eager to see a deal done - fearing that no deal would harm the EU project.

The French President reportedly believes a cliff-edge exit would 'break links and poison relations' between EU countries.

Mr Macron's vision for Europe would involve 'concentric circles' with eurozone nations in the inner ring and Britain in a second, The Times reports.

It came after the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier promised a 'partnership with Britain such as has never been with any other third country', sending the value of the pound on financial markets.
Peter Willsman (pictured leaving his home in Oxford earlier this month) sparked fury in July after he was secretly recorded blaming the Jewish community for inventing the anti-Semitism scandal rocking the party

An ally of Jeremy Corbyn who has has ranted about 'Jewish Trump fanatics' has issued a final plea to activists to vote him onto Labour's ruling body so he can defend the Labour leader against 'smears'.

Peter Willsman sparked fury in July after he was secretly recorded blaming the Jewish community for inventing the anti-Semitism scandal rocking the party.

In an angry diatribe at a meeting of Labour's ruling executive committee, he accused Jewish 'Trump fanatics' of 'making up duff information' to attack Mr Corbyn.

The left-winger is running to be re-elected to one of the nine coveted spots on the powerful NEC committee being voted on today - which has a vital role in disciplining activists and picking candidates.

And in fresh controversial comments today, he told HuffPost that he wants to get one of the spots so he can 'defend JC [Jeremy Corbyn] against all the appalling and unjust attacks and smears'.

Mr Willsman had been expected to be re-elected in today's NEC election, which finishes at noon.

But he is facing a far bigger battle to get one of the spots after Momentum - the influential Corbyn-backing group within Labour - cut ties with him after the secret recording was exposed.

While Momentum is expected to get their eight candidates elected, the ninth spot could go to Ann Black, a veteran left-winger.

The battle for the NEC is crucial as it is part of the effort by Corbynistas to tighten their grip on the party.

But it comes as Labour is being torn apart by the bitter anti-Semitism scandal, which has escalated over the summer.

Mr Corbyn has insisted that he is determined to root out anti-Semitism festering among some of his supporters.

But he has faced repeated accusations from Jewish leaders and his own MPs that he is turning a blind eye to the abuse and failing to stamp it out.

The party leadership has so far refused to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism - defying demands from many MPs and Jewish groups.

After any weeks of controversy they are expected to back down and take u the definition- but only with caveats that threaten to water it down.

Labour is being torn apart by the bitter anti-Semitism scandal, which has escalated over the summer. Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at the Edinburgh festival last week) has faced repeated accusations from Jewish leaders and his own MPs that he is turning a blind eye to the abuse and failing to stamp it out

And the row has escalated in recent days after MailOnline published a tape in which Mr Corbyn accused British Zionists of having 'no sense of English irony'.

In a speech at the Palestinian Return Centre in 2013, Mr Corbyn said: '[British Zionists] clearly have two problems. One is they don't want to study history, and secondly, having lived in this country for a very long time, probably all their lives, they don't understand English irony either.'

He added: 'They needed two lessons, which we could perhaps help them with.'

The revelation sparked furious condemnation, while the former chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks accused Mr Corbyn of being an 'anti-Semite' who 'defiles our politics'.

He said the tape are the most offensive remark by a British politician since Enoch Powell's infamous Rivers of Blood speech in 1968.

When the tape was exposed in late July, Mr Willsman apologised and said he was referring himself for equalities training.

He said: I am sorry for my behaviour in the last meeting of Labours NEC...

I am of course aware of appalling instances of anti- Semitism within our party, and am wholly determined to rooting it out...

I do not believe anti- Semitism is widespread in the party, and that was what my comments were trying to refer to, but we do have a problem which needs stamping out.

In diminishing the experiences of those who face anti-Semitism, I showed a lack of sensitivity... I will be referring myself [for] equalities training so I can better understand how to approach discussions of such issues in a respectful way.
A Pontins holiday park is being investigated by council health officials after complaints about its filthy conditions.

Disgruntled holiday makers have made several complaints to the camp in Prestatyn, Wales.

One holidaymaker Emma Allen, said she and her family had been left in tears by the state of their accommodation at the camp. Staff allegedly slammed the family for complaining, even telling them the the camp was not 'the Ritz'.

The family encountered mouldy cake at the camp's canteen and also suffered with stomach cramps

Holiday makers have made several complaints to the camp in Prestatyn, Wales

Ms Allen's family paid 500 for a four-night holiday, only to be allegedly told by staff: 'What do you expect? We're not a five-star hotel. It's not the Ritz.'

The family say they encountered mouldy pieces of cake in the canteen - which at its last inspection a year ago was given a five-star rating.

The family also said they had experienced stomach cramps and suffered from diarrhoea during their stay.

Of the almost 3,600 reviews on Trip Advisor, more than 1,700 rate Pontins Prestatyn as 'terrible'

The complaint by Mrs Allen is the latest to hit the camp following a slew of other complaints from other holiday makers

Mrs Allen made a complaint and sent a number of photographs to Denbighshire council, which is now conducting a formal investigation.

Mrs Allen said: 'I've been in touch with Environmental Health.

'They're going to do an inspection of the catering facilities. They said the photos I gave them were enough, and they will also be looking into the water in the pool.'

On arrival at the hotel the family discovered broken furniture, dirty cupboards and bedding that smelt of urine

A spokesman for Denbighshire council added: 'Following a recent complaint, officers from the council will be visiting the site to conduct an investigation.'

The complaint is the latest against Pontins in recent months, with a slew of negative reviews and images being posted on social media and TripAdvisor, slamming the 'terrible' standards at the family holiday park.

Of the almost 3,600 reviews on Trip Advisor, more than 1,700 rate Pontins Prestatyn as 'terrible', with a further 400 describing it as 'poor'.

The majority of the communal toilets were 'out of order' and the carpets were also dirty

One review from Zea S described the hotel as 'hell on earth'.

'I'm a carer for 3 and this was our little break away. Food still in a grimey smelly fridge and pizza still in the oven. Wardrobe doors missing and quilts and pillows minging. Told kids to stay in car until we had been and got cleaning stuff.

'Bathroom well that's another matter. Hairs and toilet roll in bath along with big blue circles god knows what they were but they wouldn't scrub off.

The hotel website states 'you will always find a friendly welcome at Prestatyn Sands'.

'It's a good job I have family close by so we could go for showers.

'We tried to stay out as long as we could do we didn't have to spend much time in the pit. Water also kept going off.

'Everyone please avoid.

The grievances range from stained beds and broken furniture to greasy crockery and toenail clippings on the floor.

Last month, a mother from Scotland also claimed to have been bitten by bed bugs after breaking out in a rash, following a stay there.

Pontins' parent company, Britannia, has yet to comment.
A hunter who thought he had shot and killed a 300-pound black bear with a bow and arrow, was mauled by the animal when he approached to take a closer look.

The man and two others were legally hunting bear in the San Bernardino Mountains of Riverside County in Southern California on Friday when the attack occurred.

'When he ran up to the bear, the bear attacked him and it mauled him severely,' Patrick Foy, a California Department of Fish and Wildlife captain, told ABC7.

A hunter who thought he had shot and killed a 300-pound black bear with a bow and arrow, was mauled by the animal when he approached to take a closer look (stock image)

The man and two others were legally hunting bear in the San Bernardino Mountains (pictured) of Riverside County in Southern California on Friday when the attack occurred

The man survived the attack, but was hospitalized for serious injuries to his upper torso and face.

His current condition is unknown and the bear later died from its wounds.

The department is investigating the incident.

Archery Bow-and-arrow bear hunting is legal in Southern California over the hunting season which runs from late August until early September, or until 1,700 bears are killed.

Hunters who obtain a license and bear tag are only allowed to use a bow and arrow and firearms are prohibited.

'Approaching an animal that's injured can be dangerous or can at least put that animal in a position where it's going to forcibly defend itself thinking it's under threat,' Foy said.

'Bear attacks are really, really rare.'
Britain's youngest EuroMillions winner Jane Park claims that she 'nearly died' after undergoing a Brazilian bum lift operation.

The millionaire, from Edinburgh, travelled to Turkey last summer for the procedure but suffered a severe reaction to the anaesthetic, leaving her face and lips swollen.

The 22-year-old, who won 1million on the EuroMillions when she was 17, has reportedly now spent about 50,000 of her winnings on cosmetic procedures.

Ms Park spoke about her own bum lift hell after a British mother-of-three died after undergoing the same procedure in Turkey.

Scroll down for more video

Britain's youngest EuroMillions winner Jane Park claims that she 'nearly died' after undergoing a Brazilian bum lift operation

The millionaire, from Edinburgh, travelled to Turkey last summer for the procedure but suffered a severe reaction to the anaesthetic, leaving her face and lips swollen (pictured)

Leah Cambridge, 29, suffered three heart attacks at the Elite Aftercare clinic in Ismir, Turkey, where several reality stars have also undergone the surgery.

Speaking on This Morning, Ms Park revealed that she underwent a bum lift in June 2017, but was left 'swollen from head to toe' and in 'constant pain'.

'It was horrible,' she said. 'I couldnt even open my eyes. It makes me sick thinking about it.

'When I woke up I was very cold and sore and I was told "youll come round a bit" and when I did I got up to go to the toilet and I was truly swollen from head to toe.

Ms Park (pictured) spoke about her own bum lift hell after a British mother-of-three died after undergoing the same procedure in Turkey

Speaking on This Morning, Ms Park revealed that she underwent a bum lift in June 2017, but was left 'swollen from head to toe' and in 'constant pain'

Ms Park (pictured) became obsessed with getting the surgery done after seeing pictures of several celebrities on social media who had undergone the same procedure

'I thought I was going to die. I didnt know what was wrong with me and they said Id had a reaction to the local anaesthetic.

'The aftercare wasnt good at all. I was crying and in pain. I was just told "youve paid for having this done".'

A Brazilian bum lift uses fat transferred from other areas of the body, such as the love handles, hips or stomach, to provide patients with a fuller derriere.

Clinics report the procedure, which costs between 6,500 and 10,000, has seen more than a 50 per cent increase compared to five years ago.

Ms Park became obsessed with getting the surgery done after seeing pictures of several celebrities on social media who had undergone the same procedure.

Leah Cambridge, who was a mother of three boys, is thought to have suffered complications very soon into the procedure. Doctors and nurses were unable to save her

She added: 'I saw loads of celebs, from The Only Way Is Essex and things, on social media and it just seemed like an easier route to lose weight

'In the procedure they take fat from unwanted places and put into your bottom and the thought of getting a bigger bum and taking that fat was great.

'For a couple of months I looked at clinics and I researched the celebrities who had it done and they said it was fine and all good.

WHAT IS A BRAZILIAN BUTT LIFT? A Brazilian Butt Lift uses fat transferred from other areas of the body, such as the love handles, hips or stomach, to provide patients with a fuller derriere. Clinics report the procedure, which costs between 6,500 and 10,000, has seen more than a 50 per cent increase compared to five years ago. The procedure's nickname was coined in 1996 after Dr Leonard Grossman was filmed performing fat transfer surgery on a patient from Brazil. The surgery takes anywhere from one to two hours to perform. The amount of downtime ranges from one to three weeks, plastic surgeons claim. HOW IT WORKS: 1. Liposuction to remove fat from abdomen/hips/thighs 2. Fat is 'processed' 3. Fat is injected into buttocks BBL STYLES: Upside-down heart, or 'A-shape': Much smaller waist and larger buttocks towards the bottom

Round: emphasis on increasing the size of the butt, not pulling in the waist or thighs HOW TO PREPARE: Don't smoke (increases infection risk and blood clot risk)

Don't gain weight (when you lose it again, your butt will change) RISK OF DEATH: Higher than most operations - 20 in 100,000 compared with 1 in 100,000. There are two major risk factors that can make a BBL fatal: Blood clots travel to lungs

Accidental injection of fat to blood vessel RECOVERY: 1. Don't work for 10 days 2. Don't sit for 6 weeks 3. Sleep on stomach 4. Final shape will take months or a year to form Advertisement

'I know that when you go under general anaesthetic theres a chance of things going wrong but I was of the impression that I was being closely monitored.'

Asked if she would undergo the treatment again, she said: 'Dont do it. People need to fully research it.

'Message someone whos had it done to find out their experience. If I knew what was going to happen, I would have never have done it.'

Leah Cambridge was having a Brazilian buttock lift to give her an improved hourglass figure when she suffered unexpected complications.

Her fiance Scott Franks, 31, said he was a broken man after losing his partner of ten years, but had spoken out to warn people considering the treatment.

The procedure, costing 5,000, was carried out at the Elite Aftercare private hospital in Izmir, Turkey, a few days ago.

It involved transferring excess fat from the patients stomach to her bottom, to improve its shape.

Mr Franks, a scaffolding manager, of Leeds, said: Leah was paranoid that she had excess weight from having three kids round her stomach.

I told her she was beautiful how she was but she really wanted it for her own confidence. I didnt think this would ever happen or could happen to her.

Elite Aftercare boasts that Lauren Goodger and Amber Turner, stars of popular ITV2 series The Only Way is Essex, have had cosmetic surgery there.

Celebrity Big Brother contestant Chloe Khan is said to have had a Brazilian butt lift at the clinic as well.

Clinic surgeon Dr Ali Uckan was caught on camera saying 'every time' he makes the implant as large as possible, when asked a question over size by a patient.

He also said there are huge risks involved - and that a mistake is 'life or death'.

In a new documentary series made by Cherry Healey, the surgeon said: 'I average two patients a day. The United Kingdom love BBL.

'In every surgery you have risks, like imbalance, bleeding, infection or clot. But if you just hit somewhere wrong and just rupture the internal organ...'

Asked whether the operation was a matter of 'life and death' he said 'yes'.

Jane became a millionaire after getting lucky with her first-ever ticket in 2013.

She has regularly complained winning the Euromillions prize ruined her life and even threatened to sue lottery operators Camelot for negligence, claiming someone her age shouldn't have been allowed to win.

Earlier this month she confessed that it was only the advice of family members which stopped her going bust after she went on a spending spree.
Top secret government files have revealed the truth behind Hitler's so called Fifth Column in Britain and the 70 men and women convicted of working for the Nazis.

The recently declassified documents from the National Archives have uncovered the stories behind those who turned traitor and spied for Germany during World War Two.

They committed crimes including espionage, sabotage, communicating with enemy intelligence, with some sentenced to death or handed lengthy prison sentences.

Most of the homegrown fascists were convicted in secret trials, with hundreds locked up without ever appearing in court, on the belief of MI5 that they were working for the Nazi war machine.

Former prostitute Dorothy O'Grady, left, who was sentenced to death for treachery, and Duncan Scott-Ford, who was executed for his crimes

The evidence has been uncovered in anew book, Hitler's British Traitors, said to be the 'first authoritative account of the British Fifth Column and the methods used by British security services to catch its members.

Author of Hitler's British Traitors: The Secret History of Spies, Saboteurs And Fifth Columnists, Tim Tate, writes in the Daily Express: 'How has this story remained secret for so long? The answer is that successive governments locked the files away from public scrutiny for more than 50 years.

'Even when they were quietly released to the National Archives, between 2000 and 2017, the de-classification process was haphazard.

'The files also make clear why this story was suppressed.

Duncan Scott-Ford, who sold naval secrets to the Germans, was hanged at Wandsworth prison in November 1942

Ms O'Grady, aged 20, in prison photographs taken at HMPHolloway in 1918. She was caught sabotaging military telegraph wires on the Isle of Wight and was in possession of detailed maps of defences along the south coast

Throughout the war the Home Office and MI5 were locked in a bitter argument over the sometimes ethically questionable methods adopted by the security services.

'They also reveal that many British traitors were wealthy individuals, among them members of the aristocracy and parliament, and that while the lowly foot soldiers of British fascism were executed, jailed or interned, the well-connected were protected  even as they plotted to betray their country.'

The first person to be sentenced to death was former prostitute Dorothy O'Grady, 42. She was caught sabotaging military telegraph wires on the Isle of Wight.

She was also in possession of detailed maps of defences along the south coast. She told police that she cut the wires so 'guns could not go into action' and was convicted at a secret trial at Christmas in 1940.

In 1940 British security services uncovered three well-organised conspiracies to overthrow Winston Churchill's government, led by Scottish Conservative MP Captain Archibald Ramsay, (left) and former Labour MP John Beckett

O'Grady was sentenced to death by hanging - but in February 1941, her sentence was changed to 14 years in prison.

George Armstrong was tried at the Old Bailey. He was found to have handed over details of British fleet transports to German intelligence.

He was found guilty after 15 minutes - and was sentenced to death. He was executed in July 1941.

The second person to die for his crimes was Duncan Scott-Ford, who sold naval secrets to the Germans. He was hanged at Wandsworth prison in November 1942.

The evidence has been uncovered in anew book, Hitler's British Traitors by author Tim Tate (right) which uncovers the stories behind the spies working for the Nazi leader (left)

Another individual who was working for Hitler's army was Gunner Philip Jackson, a 36-year-old soldier, who was caught offering to guide German bombers to their targets in Britain.

He was convicted of treachery in February 1942, but his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.

In 1940 British security services uncovered three well-organised conspiracies to overthrow Winston Churchill's government and replace it with a 'Nazi puppet' regime.

The plots were led by Scottish Conservative MP Captain Archibald Ramsay, former Labour MP John Beckett, and Dr Leigh Vaughan-Henry.

According to the MI5 files, Vaughan Henry led 18 cells and was in control of a network of safe houses and escape routes.

He planned to infiltrate British political parties with the intention of intimidating the countrys leaders - and 'bump off' those that he couldn't.

Other individuals discovered to be working for the Nazis included William Gutheridge and Wanda Penlington were two such members, who cut telephone wires to obstruct the emergency services.

Albert Munt, a London schoolboy, lit fires to guide German bombers to their targets And Edgar and Sophia Bray tried to smuggle plans for a new tank to Berlin.

A woman called Irma Stapleton stole experimental munitions and handed them to a man she thought was a Nazi spy.

Hitlers British Traitors: The Secret History Of Spies, Saboteurs And Fifth Columnists by Tim Tate will be published September 6 by Icon Books.
A struggling business owner who closed her restaurant due to poor sales has turned to crowd funding to avoid losing her second business.

Feed the Earthlings owner Teaki Page closed her vegan fast-food restaurant in Broadbeach in May after sales declined, so when her second business in Burleigh Waters started to suffer she reached out for help.

Ms Page posted a crowd-funding campaign for $5000 to help cover the costs of bills and back rent, which she blames on poor trade due to the Commonwealth Games.

A struggling restaurateur who closed her eatery due to poor sales has turned to crowd funding to avoid losing her second business

Feed the Earthlings owner Teaki Page closed her vegan fast-food restaurant in Broadbeach (pictured) after sales declined

The business owner told Gold Coast Bulletin she isn't proud of having to ask for money, but added it was her 'last resort' to save what she called a 'social enterprise'.

She added unlike other fast food chains, Feed the Earthlings has a sustainable approach to cuisine, with a focus on food that has a reduced impact on the environment.

'The only way I have been able to live with it is because we are a social enterprise, were not just a business, were part of a bigger community and a movement,' she said.

'We are an integral part of that and we are really making a difference.'

According to the restaurant's website, the eatery is 100 per cent vegan, with meat free, dairy free, and gluten free options, and was voted Gold Coast's best burgers.

The gofundme listing, which is titled 'Keep vegan Feed the Earthlings', has already raised $4000 of its target goal, along with plenty of positive feedback.

Business owner, Teaki Page said her restaurant is a 'social enterprise' with a sustainable approach to cuisine

'You guys are hugely important to reducing the divide between vegan and non-vegan food choices and demonstrating that delicious food does not have to come at the cost of living beings,' one person wrote of the crowd funding site.

'Wishing you guys all the best. What you are doing is brilliant three fold - for the animals, for the environment and for people's health. Get back up on top,' another person said.

A third person added: 'Best of luck bouncing back!'

SB Partners Business Advisers director Matthew Books told the Gold Coast Bulletin while crowd funding isn't a long-term solution, it had the potential to work short term.

However, despite the positive comments, not everyone agreed with the idea of businesses asking for handouts.

Public relations officer Andrew Meadowcroft told the publication crow funding wasn't a suitable solution, and was 'cheeky' given that customers already have to pay for food and services.

'I certainly wouldnt recommend that strategy,' he said.
Jack Shepherd (pictured in police interview) is still on the run - but he is appealing his manslaughter conviction after the speedboat crash that killed his date last year

A man found guilty of killing his date during a horror speedboat crash on the River Thames is appealing his conviction - despite being on the run.

Jack Shepherd, 30, has been in hiding since he was found guilty of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Charlotte Brown, 24 in July.

Shepherd failed to attend his trial and was sentenced to six years in jail in his absence at the Old Bailey, having skipped bail.

An arrest warrant was issued while Ms Brown's devastated family called for him to face justice.

On Thursday, a Court of Appeal official confirmed Shepherd's lawyers had lodged an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Scotland Yard has confirmed the missing defendant was 'still outstanding'.

Asked whether Shepherd had fled the country, a spokesman said: 'We are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry.'

Shepherd was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence after Charlotte Brown (pictured), 24, died following their date on his speedboat down the River Thames

Ms Brown died in December 2015 after being thrown from Shepherd's speeding boat during a champagne-fuelled late-night jaunt past the Houses of Parliament.

The court heard Shepherd had met Ms Brown on a dating website and had been trying to impress her at the end of their first date at the Shard.

After handing her the controls, the boat hit a submerged log and capsized, sending Ms Brown into the cold water.

Shepherd was rescued, having been found clinging to the upturned hull, while his date was recovered unconscious.

This was the speedboat used by Jack Shepherd which capsized on the river Thames in December 2015 leading to the death of Charlotte Brown

Prosecutor Aftab Jafferjee QC told jurors it was 'sheer madness' to take the boat out that night.

Jurors heard that life jackets had been tucked away, the kill cord was not connected, and the boat had a number of defects including faulty steering.

The defendant, who lived on a houseboat in Hammersmith and was originally from Exeter, had denied manslaughter.

He had informed his lawyers before the trial he did not plan to attend but continued to be in contact with them throughout.

At his sentencing, Shepherd's lawyer Stephen Vullo QC said his client could not face the Brown family in the dock and his decision not to come was 'cowardice'.
A Hamilton actress's stunned reaction to Prince Harry bursting into song during a charity gala has delighted Twitter users.

The hit musical's cast members were giddy with excitement to have Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the audience for a charity performance last night.

The excitement turned to awe when Harry belted out a quick rendition of You'll Be Back, a number performed by the character of his ancestor King George III.

Rachel John, an Olivier nominated actress who plays Angelica Schuyler in the musical, was especially stunned and dropped her jaw in amazement at the unexpected performance.

Rachel John, an Olivier nominated actress who plays Angelica Schuyler in the musical, was seen dropping her jaw in amazement at the unexpected performance

She took to Twitter to poke fun at herself, sharing the clip and writing: 'Last night was epic...'watch the lady behind Prince Harry' that was me'

She took to Twitter to poke fun at herself, sharing the clip and writing: 'Last night was epic...''watch the lady behind Prince Harry'' that was me'.

Twitter users were delighted by her surprise, saying they would have reacted the same way.

The show's award-winning creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, tweeted: 'King George IIIs great-great-great-great-great-great grandson The Duke Of Sussex sang a few bars tonight.'

Other cast members took to social media to share their excitement at the royals being among the night's audience.

After the show Harry took to the stage where he began to perform one of the musical's songs

Twitter users were delighted by her surprise, saying they would have reacted the same way

Actor Leslie Garcia Bowman wrote: 'A night we will all remember for the rest of our lives.'

Hip hop musical Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Ironically, the show pokes fun at one of Prince Harry's distant relatives, King George III, who is cast as a comical and out-of-touch character.

But Harry clearly took it in good spirit. After the show he got on stage and burst into song, mimicking one of the tunes sung by his ancestor, with the words 'you say'.

The audience clapped and cheered at his surprisingly talented antics. But Harry quickly cautioned them not to expect more, saying of the show's creator: 'He did try but I said no.'

The excitement turned to glee when Harry took to the stage and belted out a quick rendition of of You'll Be Back, a number performed by the character of his ancestor King George III

He thanked the audience for raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for his charity, Sentebale, and to the cast and crew.

He added: 'I don't know how you guys do this every single night, over and over again, and in this heat as well.'

Creator Lin-Manuel Miranda also proved a star turn as he told the audience that he came up with idea of putting King George in his show while he was on honeymoon.

'I wrote the song on my honeymoon and smash, cut to 2018 and I am sitting next to his sixth great-grandson, the Duke of Sussex....'
Mystery has surrounded the site of Jesus' 'first miracle' for centuries, but an answer may finally be at hand.

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus changed water into wine during the Wedding at Cana.

For hundreds of years, pilgrims have believed the site of the miracle to be Kafr Kanna, a town in northern Israel, where they visit the 20th-century 'Wedding Church'.

But the true location has long been debated  and now archaeologists believe the Cana of biblical times may be a dusty hillside five miles further north.

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus changed water into wine during the Wedding at Cana. It was once thought this took place in Kafr Kanna, a town in northern Israel, but archaeologists now believe the Cana of biblical times may be a dusty hillside five miles further north

Excavations there have revealed a network of tunnels used for Christian worship, marked with crosses and references to Kyrie Iesou, a Greek phrase meaning Lord Jesus

The Wedding Feast at Cana, by the Italian artist Paolo Veronese, 1562, depicts the biblical story of the Marriage at Cana, at which Jesus is said to have converted water to wine

For hundreds of years, pilgrims have believed the site of the miracle to be Kafr Kanna, a town in northern Israel , where they visit the 20th-century 'Wedding Church' (pictured)

It's the former site of Khirbet Qana, a Jewish village between the years of 323 BC and AD 324, where archaeologists have discovered a number of compelling clues.

Excavations there have revealed a network of tunnels used for Christian worship, marked with crosses and references to Kyrie Iesou, a Greek phrase meaning Lord Jesus.

There was also an altar and a shelf with the remains of a stone vessel, plus room for five more. Six stone jars like this held the wine in the biblical account of the miracle.

Dr Tom McCollough, who directs excavations at the site, said there were three other sites with a credible claim to being the Cana of scripture.

'But none has the ensemble of evidence that makes such a persuasive case for Khirbet Qana,' he said.

Archaeologists have discovered a number of compelling clues at the former site of Khirbet Qana, a Jewish village between the years of 323 BC and AD 324. The outline of a synagogue is pictured at the site

The Wedding Church in the town of Kafr Kanna, in northern Israel, is five miles north of Khirbet Qana - the place archaeologists now believe the Cana of biblical times was

Dr Tom McCollough, who directs excavations at the site, said there were three other sites with a credible claim to being the Cana of scripture 'but none has the ensemble of evidence that makes such a persuasive case for Khirbet Qana'. Pictured: The view over Galilee from Khirbet Qana

Greek inscriptions have been found in the tunnels, including a crucifix and a blessing

Among the artefacts uncovered in the tunnel was this griffin with gold leaf found near an altar

'We have uncovered a large Christian veneration cave complex that was used by Christian pilgrims who came to venerate the water-to-wine miracle.

'This complex was used beginning in the late fifth or early sixth century and continued to be used by pilgrims into the 12th-century Crusader period.

'The pilgrim texts we have from this period that describe what pilgrims did and saw when they came to Cana of Galilee match very closely what we have exposed as the veneration complex.'

As part of his evidence, Dr McCollough points to the work of first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus.

There was also an altar and a shelf with the remains of a stone vessel, plus room for five more. Six stone jars like this held the wine in the biblical account of the miracle. Pictured: A piece of pottery from the site marked with Hebrew script

Dr McCollough said excavations at the site (pictured) have shown that 'this was in fact a thriving Jewish village located in the heart of much of Jesus' life and ministry'

Water into wine: The first miracle of Jesus The transformation of water into wine at the Wedding of Cana is the first miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John. According to the Gospel account, Jesus, his mother and his disciples are invited to a wedding, and the wine runs out. Jesus ordered servants to fill containers with water and soon there was plenty of wine again. John adds that: 'Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and it revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him'. Christian tradition based on John 2:11 holds that this is the first public miracle of Jesus. The exact location of Cana has been subject to debate among scholars, with possible locations including the town of Kafr Kanna, in Galilee, about five miles northeast of Nazareth. Recent interest has focused on the ruined village of Khirbet Qana five miles further north while others have claimed it might be Ain Qana, in Southern Lebanon, which is closer to Nazareth. Advertisement

He said: 'His references to Cana align geographically with the location of Khirbet Qana and align logically with his movements.

'The reference to Cana in Josephus, the New Testament and in the rabbinic texts would argue the village was a Jewish village, near the Sea of Galilee and in the region of lower Galilee.

'Khirbet Qana fulfills all of these criteria.'

As for the better-known site at Kafr Kanna, Dr McCollough is sceptical. 'When tourists visiting Israel today are taken to Cana, they are taken to Kafr Kanna,' he said.

'However, this site was not recognized as a pilgrimage site for those seeking Cana until the 1700s.

'At this point the Franciscans were managing Christian pilgrimage and facilitating easy passage rather than historical accuracy.'

Dr McCollough believes the discoveries at Khirbet Qana could even bolster the case for the historicity of the Gospel of John.

He said: 'Our excavations have shown that this was in fact a thriving Jewish village located in the heart of much of Jesus' life and ministry.

'For the Gospel of John, Cana is in some ways, Jesus' safe place or operational centre. It is a place he and his disciples return to when they encounter resistance in Judea.

'I would argue our excavations warrant at least a reconsideration of the historical value of John's references to Cana and Jesus.'
A toddler celebrating her first birthday at a pool in south-east China took a tragic turn after a drowning incident has left her fighting for her life in hospital.

The girl, nicknamed Xiaoai, had been playing in an infant's pool at a leisure centre in Fuzhou city, Fujian province while her mother was seen texting on her phone.

Xiaoai had accidentally slipped out of her floating ring and struggled underwater for more than 90 seconds before being spotted by her horrified mother.

A one-year-old girl (circled) in south-east China's Fuzhou city was left submerged in the pool as her clueless mother was seen texting on her phone right beside the infant's pool

The mother (circled), identified as Ms Wu, said she had her back turned for a minute or two

She had been taken to hospital and remained in intensive care.

Surveillance footage of the heart-stopping incident on July 31 shows the little girl playing in the pool at about 5pm before flipping sideways and plunging her head underwater.

However, her mother, later identified as Ms Wu, did not notice her struggling daughter despite standing right next to the 10 square metre (107 square foot) pool.

The woman later said she turned her back on her child for about a minute or two to respond to some text messages from her friend, according to Haixia Metro.

The clip also showed that another child in the pool noticed the drowning girl and attempted to get the attention of the mother, but the clueless woman waved him off

Xiaoai was completely submerged for almost a minute and a half, wriggling her legs weakly underwater, before the mother noticed her and rushed to scoop her out of the water

The girl remained in intensive care at Fujian Provincial Hospital, according to Haixia Metro

At the same time, staff members of the centre had been called away from the pool to receive a goods delivery.

The clip also showed that another child in the pool noticed the drowning girl and attempted to get the attention of the mother, but the clueless woman waved him off.

Xiaoai was completely submerged for almost a minute and a half, wriggling her legs weakly underwater, before the mother noticed her.

Ms Wu rushed to scoop her daughter out of the water and attempted CPR before leaving the premises.

When she finally arrived at Fujian Provincial Hospital 20 minutes later, Xiaoai did not have a heartbeat and was not breathing and her face had turned purple, according to the report citing Dr Lin Shuqin.

Earlier this week, a three-year-old boy in north-west China's Hebei province nearly drowned in similar circumstances after struggling underwater for at least two minutes

After nearly 20 minutes of emergency rescue, doctors were able to restart the toddler's heart and transported her to intensive care unit.

The report stated that she still has not regained consciousness and remained in critical condition.

The manger of the infant pool has offered to cover part of the girl's medical expenses.

Earlier this week, a three-year-old boy in north-west China's Hebei province nearly drowned in similar circumstances after struggling underwater for at least two minutes.
This is the moment the Kenyan president appears to forget Boris Johnson's name during a press conference with Theresa May and refers to him as 'the bicycle guy.'

Uhuru Kenyatta, who came to power in 2013, was seeking to remind dignitaries and assembled media of the former foreign secretary's visit to the country.

However he had a spot of bother remembering Mr Johnson's name and ended up calling him 'the bicycle guy.'

Asked whether UK had been neglecting Kenya, Mr Kenyatta pointed to a visit by Boris Johnson.

'Last year, if you recall, the foreign secretary then Boris, um, Boris - Boris... Johnson. The bicycle guy.'

Mrs May managed to suppress a smile as her Tory rival was slighted during the press conference.

Uhuru Kenyatta, who came to power in 2013, was seeking to remind dignitaries and assembled media of the former foreign secretary's visit to the country

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta appeared to forget Mr Johnson's name and refer to him as 'the bicycle guy'

Mrs May could not resist a wry smile at the embarrassing incident - which demonstrated again her inability to escape mentions of her biggest Tory rival Boris Johnson (file image cycling in London)

Best for Britain supporter Layla Moran said: 'From the Prime Minister's African jaunt we have learned two things - the Maybot is about as catchy as Peter Crouch's robot and one day you are Brexiteer Foreign Secretary and the next you are just the bicycle lad.'

Speculation has been mounting Mr Johnson will launch a bid to oust the PM in the coming months.

His effort could be hampered by a reminder of his difficult time as Foreign Secretary, which was dominated by gaffes.

Mrs May is currently on a three-day visit to Africa meeting political leaders and unveiling support to tackle instability and boost security across the region.

Mrs May managed to suppress a smile as her Tory rival was slighted during the press conference

Theresa May walking with Uhuru Kenyatta while on the last stop of her three-country tour of Africa. She has also been to South Africa and Nigeria

She is the first British Prime Minister to visit sub-Saharan Africa for five years and the first to go to Kenya in 30 years.

Another key pillar of the visit is to promote trade opportunities and boost economic ties with African nations in preparation for when Britain leaves the EU next year.

The Prime Minister is travelling with a large business delegation and will firmly have trade in the forefront of her mind.

Yesterday she said Britain would fund a new 'cyber centre' to target UK paedophiles operating in Kenya, on the final stop of her tour.

Mrs May (pictured today being officially greeted in Kenya) is currently on a three-day visit to Africa meeting political leaders and unveiling support to tackle instability and boost security across the region

Asked whether UK had been neglecting Kenya, Mr Kenyatta pointed to a visit by Boris Johnson. 'Last year, if you recall, the foreign secretary then Boris, um, Boris - Boris... Johnson. The bicycle guy'

Speaking at a joint press conference with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, the Prime Minister confirmed the new ties between London and Nairobi.

The HQ will help police in the African country stop sick images being produced and distributed online.

Currently the Kenyan authorities do not receive information from US-based global tech companies flagging up vile material because they do not have secure enough communications.

The new project builds on previous work to set up Kenya's Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU).

Mrs May also hailed new trade links, insisting it was mutually beneficial and telling reporters: 'Investment here in Kenya will be good for Britain as well.'

The cyber unit is part of a wider UK-Kenya security agreement, which will be signed during the visit by Africa minister Harriett Baldwin and Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Monica Juma.

British support will also include helping Kenya tackle violence against girls and women, and sharing expertise to strengthen the procedures for processing complex terrorist and organised crime cases.

The deal will see aviation security boosted with machines to detect explosives, protecting the 100,000 Brits who visit Kenya every year.

Theresa May also went to meet British troops who are training Kenyan forces fighting the terrorist group al-Shabab.
Detective Asweina Gutty attacked her partner, who is also a female police officer, following a row over putting salt on a meal

An affair between two female detectives came to a violent end when one throttled the other for putting salt on the meal she had prepared.

Met Police Detective Constable Asweina Gutty screamed: 'Are you for real? I've spent hours making f***ing dinner and you've put f***ing salt in it' during the row.

The 34-year-old then attacked girlfriend Detective Constable Sharon Etheridge as she left to go home.

Gutty shouted: 'Just walk away and do what you do best, go back to your nice house and f*** your husband,' a court heard.

Gutty has now pleaded guilty to assaulting her ex at her home in Stoke Newington, north London, on May 27 and will be sentenced next month.

Describing the attack, prosecutor Edward Cohen told Westminster Magistrates Court: 'The defendant grabbed her around the throat and pushed her back, causing Ms Etheridge to bang her head against the wall.

'She tried to grab the defendant's wrist and pull it away and was in a state of shock and her head banged against the wall for a second time.'

Both officers are attached to the borough of Tower Hamlets and met last September while serving on Bethnal Green's Community Safety Unit.

The court heard Gutty was controlling during her relationship with the married woman

Mr Cohen said: 'Both the defendant and the complainant are females in a same-sex relationship. Ms Etheridge is married with children and living partly with her family.

'They met at work, where they are both serving police officers and the complainant came to Ms Gutty's flat on the day of the assault.

'They had an argument because the complainant put some salt in her dinner.

'The atmosphere soured and they ate in silence and Ms Etheridge went into the bedroom to get her things.

'The defendant kept trying to pull the keyring from Ms Etheridge's hand and they had a struggle over the keys,' added Mr Cohen.

'As she walked to the car park the complainant looked back and saw the defendant following her.

'The defendant said: 'If you try and do me over I'll come and find you.'

'Ten minutes later she started bombarding the complainant with texts, phone calls and WhatsApp messages.'

Gutty will be brought back before Westminster Magistrates Court next month for sentencing

In a statement to police, Ms Etheridge said: . 'We had an extreme connection, we became inseparable, being with her was amazing. I loved her so much.

'When my family found out I lost them, but if being with Asweina meant losing my family then so be it.

'Asweina screamed at me because I couldn't put stuff in a bag at the supermarket and because I left a used tissue near the bed.

'She did not want me to see my friends because of her jealousy. Her reactions were like a volcano, shouting at me and I'd apologise just to keep her calm.

'There were also insults like: 'Wh***, s**g' and: 'You white people.'

'Asweina became angry because I put salt in the dinner, like I was a small child that had done something dangerous. I felt belittled.'

She continued: 'I never in a million years expected to be the victim of domestic abuse. I always thought it was something that happened to other people, not people like me.

'I loved her so much, but the monster within her is more dominant than the loving woman I fell in love with.'

The pair met when they worked for the Met's Bethnal Green Community Safety Unit

Gutty claims her behaviour is the result of PTSD after being exposed to disturbing incidents in her police work.

She says a training course in March, last year 'triggered' her behaviour, which contributed to the end of her previous three-year relationship.

Gutty is currently on restricted part-time duties with the Met.

District Judge Nina Tempia said: 'What concerns me is she is a serving police officer prone to anger outbursts and she is dealing with members of the public.'

The case returns to court next month.
Theresa May today revealed she will not be watching the BBC's hit drama Bodyguard.

The Prime Minister suggested the tense programme was too stressful as it mirrors her experience as a former Home Secretary.

The BBC show starring Keeley Hawes and deals with a senior politician's struggle to respond to a deadly terror threat - as she begins a steamy affair with her close protection officer played by Richard Madden.

The BBC drama starring Keeley Hawes and Richard Madden (pictured left and right respectively) shows the politician struggling to respond to a terror threat

Hawes has indicated she drew inspiration for her character from real-life ministers, including researching Amber Rudd - was Home Secretary until resigning earlier this year.

Prior to that Mrs May had been in the high-pressure role since 2010.

Asked by journalists on her tour of Africa whether she would be tuning into the drama, Mrs May said: 'I watch TV to unwind - I'm not sure a drama about a female Home Secretary is the best way for me to do that.'

It is understood that Mrs May watched part of the first episode before she decided it was not for her.

The PM has previously revealed that she is a fan of US crime drama NCIS.

By contrast, Ms Rudd has praised the Bodyguard and told of her experience living with round-the-clock security.

She has also joked that she wants a starring role in a planned second series - but as a 'hardcore Bodyguard' rather than a politician.

Theresa May (pictured on her Africa tour this week) has said she will not be watching the drama. But Amber Rudd (pictured right) has suggested that she wants to make an appearance in the second series

Speaking about her character Julia Montague earlier this week, Line of Duty star Hawes was asked if she prepared by looking at real-life politicians.

'I very much did,' she said. 'Obviously at the time Amber Rudd was the Home Secretary, so we were aware that there might be those parallels that were going to be drawn.'

She added: 'We're very much not playing Amber Rudd. That wasn't what we were going to do.

'But, she's a very good example. She was brilliant for me to research.'
A super-clock with an error margin of less than one second every 40 million years and a synthetic sapphire at its heart will now be used to secure Australia's borders.

The Sapphire Clock, developed by a team at the University of Adelaide, will be used to help bolster a radar network designed to detect threats to national security.

Australia's current system uses radar signals to detect the distance of potential enemy planes and asylum seeker boats.

But experts say Sapphire, considered the world's most accurate clock, will 'allow the network to generate signals that are 1000 times purer than its current technology.'

The Sapphire Clock will be used to better pinpoint potential threats to Australia, and is considered the best in the world because it can keep time more accurately than any other

The sapphire (pictured) at the centre of the clock works better than other materials commonly used to tell the time

The clock was built as an upgrade for the pre-existing Jindalee Over-The-Horizon Radar Network, and has a super-cooled clear sapphire at its centre.

The sapphire at the centre of the clock works better than other materials to tell the time, such as ceramics or quartz crystals commonly found in watches.

The precious gemstone works in the same way a vibrating bell does.

Accurate clocks are necessary in making everyday items function better, Photonics and Advanced Sensing director Professor Andre Luiten told news.com.au.

'It's pretty magic stuff, they're sending signals out and a tiny, tiny amount of that power comes back.'

'The purer the signal, the smaller the change you can measure in the signal coming back and that gives you more precise information.'

'This will make all Australians safe.'

The clock will be incorporated into that system at Longreach next month.

It was recognised in Australia's leading science awards, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, in the category of outstanding science in safeguarding Australia this week.
Woody Allen's new film Rainy Day in New York may never seven see the light of day after Amazon shelved the movie following his adopted daughter's abuse claims.

The film, starring Selena Gomez, Jude Law and Elle Fanning, was expected to come out this year after wrapping filming in 2017, but Amazon has now announced that: 'No release date has ever been set for the film,' Page Six reports.

Allen also had a deal for another three movies with Amazon, which bought Rain Day for $25 million, but that appears to have stalled and the director has nothing due out next year.

This is despite the fact that the tech and media giant has been reportedly struggling for content for its new streaming service and is in talks with Paramount and Sony about developing original movies.

Woody Allen's (pictured) new film Rainy Day in New York may never seven see the light of day after Amazon shelved the movie following his adopted daughter's abuse claims

The film, starring Selena Gomez, Jude Law and Elle Fanning, was expected to come out this year but Amazon has now announced that: 'No release date has ever been set for the film.' Director Woody Allen chats with Jude Law, Rebecca Hall and Elle Fanning on set

Amazon's decision came after allegations of abuse reemerged from Allen's adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in the wake of the MeToo movement.

Farrow, 32, who first publicly accused him of abuse in 2014, claims she was molested by her adoptive father when she was just seven years old.

Now, there are reports that Hollywood could be turning their back on the director as a result of the widespread movement.

Farrow has publicly called out actors for working with or supporting Allen in the past.

Some stars associated with Rainy Day, including Timothee Chalamet, Selena Gomez and Rebecca Hall, have reportedly said they will donate their salaries from the movie to the Time's Up sex harassment campaign or other charities.

It comes after Allen's adopted daughter Dylan Farrow (left) gave her first TV interview this month saying she was telling the truth about being molested by him when she was seven

Allen has repeatedly denied the abuse claims made by Farrow and he was never charged

Farrow has publicly called out actors for working with or supporting Allen in the past

Allen, who has repeatedly denied the abuse claims made by Farrow, said she was was 'cynically' aligning herself with Time's Up movement. The director's sister and producer, Letty Armstrong, suggested Farrow was capitalizing on the movement.

Farrow hit back, telling the Times: 'If Woody Allen and his surrogates' response to this is that I'm capitalizing on a moment in which it is in vogue to carefully look at the facts, rather than rely on thin defenses from powerful men without question - a moment in which the truth is in fashion - I'd say they're right.'

Allen was never charged in relation to the allegations and has long denied them.

But Hollywood stars are continuing to distance themselves from the director.

Timothee Chalamet (above on set), one of the stars of the upcoming film, has already said he will donate his salary to charity

Colin Firth was the latest to refuse to ever work with Allen again in light of the sex abuse claims made by Farrow.

Firth starred in Allen's 2014 film 'Magic in the Moonlight,' shot before Farrow detailed the alleged abuse for the first time in her own words in an open letter published on a New York Times blog in 2014.

However he has now told the Guardian newspaper: 'I wouldn't work with him again.'

In recent weeks, actresses including Greta Gerwig, Rebecca Hall, Ellen Page and Mira Sorvino, have announced they regret working with Allen.

Oscar-winner Natalie Portman also told Oprah Winfrey in a televised interview with other actresses that she believed Farrow.
A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in west London on suspicion of terrorism offences in west London.

Local police officers raided the boy's home and found cannabis plants and an imitation firearm.

The anti-terror squad were then brought in to examine an unknown substance found at the address, which forensic experts are now analysing.

The Met Police's anti-terror squad after scouring the house of a 16-year-old boy after an 'unknown substance' was found by local officers who seized cannabis plants

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Further searches were carried out in the address and officers found items containing an unknown substance.

'As a precaution, specialist officers were called to the address and are now in the process of recovering the items, which will be sent for urgent analysis to determine what it is. Cordons remain in place around the address.'

The 16-year-old boy was initially arrested on suspicion of possession of an imitation firearm and cultivation of cannabis.

He was further arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and currently remains in police custody at a south London police station.
Sarah McGill (pictured) is being deported from the United States after having sex with a 14-year-old boy

A Scottish woman is being kicked out of the US after having sex with a 14-year-old boy who paid her $480 to take his virginity.

Sarah McGill, a 28-year-old hypnotherapist from Galashiels in Selkirkshire, was arrested in Florida in April.

She was facing up to 15 years in prison after the victim told police he had contacted McGill online before arranging to meet in a hotel room in Orlando.

But she was given five years' probation and ordered to leave the US immediately after being convicted of lewd or lascivious battery, The Mirror reports.

Her probation is set to be terminated upon her leaving the country, according to the newspaper.

However, it is unclear what her travel plans are.

McGill had been due to face trial next month after denying the charges against her.

The 14-year-old said he made contact with a woman named 'Sophia Belle' when he was searching online for prostitutes. Pictured, McGill

When police accused McGill of being a prostitute who charges hundreds of dollars, she said 'there is truth in that'

However, she told police that the possibility of a length sentence 'scared her' and prosecutors were willing to make a deal.

She was sentenced at the Orange County courthouse in Orlando on Wednesday.

It comes after she sobbed during a two-hour interview with police that she felt 'terrible' that the boy in question was a minor and insisted she didn't know beforehand.

In interviews with police, McGill said she had been travelling alone across the US but claimed she was sightseeing.

McGill (pictured at a hearing shortly after her arrest) had been facing up to 15 years in prison

However, when they accused her of being a prostitute, she said 'there is truth in that.'

'He wanted to touch me. We were talking and one thing led to another. That was it. I wish that I never took him upstairs. I feel like such an idiot,' she said.

'Whatever happened, I never had any ill intention. I'm just a very down-to-earth, normal person.'

She added: 'I've never been in handcuffs or anything like that so it's scary for me. I think I should leave the country and I think I should be told off. I don't want to go to jail. I'm really scared.'

McGill was arrested in April after having sex with the teenager in a hotel room at the Courtyard Marriot in Orlando.

The 28-year-old (pictured) was facing up to 15 years in prison after the victim told police he paid her $480 to take his virginity

The 14-year-old boy told police they met in a Marriott hotel room (above) in Orlando to have sex

The 14-year-old said he made contact with a woman named 'Sophia Belle' when he was searching online for prostitutes.

Police later identified that woman from her United Kingdom passport as Sarah Louise McGill and she was arrested.

According to her social media profiles, McGill is a professional clinical hypnotherapist and runs her own business in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The victim told police he had reached McGill on Quora.com, according to her arrest report.

McGill and the boy allegedly started texting each other before they arranged to meet.

The victim told police McGill had met him on the first floor of the hotel near the elevator before taking him up to her room.

Police raided McGill's hotel room (pictured above) and found her with another man. They also found condom wrappers, cash and unused condoms in the room

After they had sex, the victim said he gave McGill $480 as a 'donation' and left the room.

The victim also told police that he felt 'guilty' about sleeping with McGill but only did it because he felt peer pressure to lose his virginity.

Police said after speaking with the boy and his father, authorities went to the same hotel room and found McGill there with another man.

They allegedly found condom wrappers, cash and unused condoms inside a safe in her room.
Principal Pat Brennan-Barrett has now said all of its A-level courses would be cancelled in order to focus on new T-Level qualifications instead

Parents have blasted a college after bosses revealed they would be cancelling all of their A-Level courses just days before the start of term.

Dozens of students have now been left scrambling to find new places to study after Northampton College dropped the bombshell announcement yesterday.

Sixth form students at the college were due to attend an induction day today ahead of the start of term in just ten days time.

But principal Pat Brennan-Barrett has now said all of its A-level courses would be cancelled in order to focus on new T-Level qualifications instead.

Parents have today hit out after 40 pupils were left with little time to find alternative options.

Pippa Quinzel's son Lugh has autism and wanted to study maths, psychology and media at Northampton College.

She said: 'He has been left completely bewildered about this, he is overwhelmed.

'We had very specific plans in place for him.

'He had been over to the college a few times and he was really pleased to get the grades he needed.'

Lugh's place at college was confirmed last Thursday when he received his GCSE results.

Dozens of students have now been left scrambling to find new places to study after Northampton College (pictured) dropped the bombshell announcement yesterday

Sixth form students at the college (pictured) were due to attend an induction day today ahead of the start of term in just ten days time

But Mrs Quinzel, 40, from Northampton, said she only received a call at 11.45am on Wednesday informing her of the A-Level cancellation.

Now she does not know where Lugh will be studying this year.

She said: 'It was nearest college we could find that did A-Levels, it was the only one he could travel to.

What are T-levels? T-levels are new technical study programmes that will sit alongside apprenticeships and A Levels. They have been designed by the government to create the skills revolution needed to help boost the economy after Brexit. The UK is currently are placed 16 out of 20 developed economies when it comes to how many people have a technical education. T-levels will allow 16 to 19-year-olds to study in subjects like hair and beauty, construction, or catering and hospitality. The first T levels will be developed and phased in between 2018 and 2022. Advertisement

'But now we only have a week to consider this.'

Ryan Eberhard's step-daughter Maisie Sproson,16, of Upton, Northampton, was due to study English literature, chemistry and biology.

She wanted to take on academic subjects at a college because she preferred the idea of a college environment, which she felt could prepare her better for work.

Ryan said: 'She thought it would be more of an adult step into the real world.

'This really knocked her for six, she had her academic career all planned out.'

College staff are due to work with the pupils affected in order to find them a place in other Northampton schools or offer them equivalent BTEC qualifications, which the school say will not hinder their chances of getting a university place.

Ms Brennan-Barrett said: 'Northampton College will be one of the first providers to offer the Government's new technical qualifications, T Levels, and will be piloting a programme of 'Industrial Placements' to prepare for the change.

'As part of that transition, we have taken the decision to not continue with our current A-Level offering and will instead be focusing on ensuring students can continue their journey into higher education with BTEC diplomas - which are viewed by universities as an equivalent qualification.'
Advertisement

The contents of the home of a late Tory grandee who helped bring Margaret Thatcher to power are being sold by his family.

Over 100 items owned by Sir Edward du Cann, including a rare maquette sculpture of the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square, are going under the hammer for an estimated 90,000.

Sir Edward was an MP for 31 years and the longest serving chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee. It was his influence that led Thatcher to become the Conservative leader in 1975.

Sir Edward first met Churchill in 1951 and had played a key role in Margaret Thatchers rise to power and then her government

Despite his part in making her Britains first female prime minister, Sir Edward was not given a ministerial role, settling instead for chairman of the Treasury select committee.

He played a key role in making the parliament committee structure more important, was knighted in 1985 and left the Commons in 1987.

Sir Edward du Cann, one of the most influential public figures in Britain during the second half of the 20th century

He died last year aged 93 and numerous possessions for sale were taken from his living quarters at Barrington Court, a grand stately home close to his former Taunton constituency in Somerset.

Among the items being sold are several bronze sculptures of Prime Ministers Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher and Clement Atlee.

The 20inch tall maquette of Churchill was a prototype made by Ivor Roberts-Jones for the large-scale sculpture that stands in Parliament Square.

Sir Edward met Churchill when he first stood for election in 1951 as the Tory candidate for West Walthamstow - where the Prime Minister Clement Atlee was the sitting MP.

The maquette is unnumbered but bears the foundry stamp and Roberts-Jones' name and is expected to sell for 50,000.

A bronze bust and a maquette of Thatcher, both signed by artist Anthony Dufort, are also up for auction.

The maquette is a copy of one made by Dufort for the 7ft 3in statue of Lady Thatcher which is in the House of Commons.

That original maquette sold at a charity auction for more than 200,000, but this 19inch copy - one of an intended limited edition of nine but so far the only one created - has an estimate of 3,000.

The bronze bust is expected to fetch 1,000, while a bronze of Labour Prime Minister Clement Atlee, who defeated Sir Edward in 1951, is expected to sell for 400.

Sir Edward retired to Cyprus but kept two apartments in England, one in London close to the Palace of Westminster and one at Barrington Court.

The collection will be sold in the Dorchester saleroom on September 6, with over 100 items expected to go under the hammer

The whole of the collection is expected to bring in a staggering 86,000. The late MP's family are selling the collection

When Sir Edward retired to Cyprus he kept two apartments in England. The bust of Clement Atlee (pictured) is expected to sell for 400

He died last year aged 93 and numerous possessions for were taken from his living quarters at Barrington Court to be sold

This collection of furniture, paintings, pottery, rugs, and sculptures is taken from those apartments and totals 124 lots.

One object is a 17th century oak stool given to him in the 1980s by the 1922 Committee for his service as chairman.

It also includes ceramics that reflect his passion for political history including commemorative pieces to do with the Battle of Trafalgar, the repeal of the Corn Laws and commemorating election results.

This 17th century oak stool was given to him in the 1980s by the 1922 Committee for his service as chairman

Over 100 items from his collection are set to go on sale on September 6. The octagonal plaque on an oak joined stall (pictured) is estimated to sell for 200

His family have given political memorabilia important to his constituency to the museum in Taunton and hope his collection relating to the political career of the Duke of Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo will go to the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Guy Schwinge, of Duke's Auctioneers of Dorchester, Dorset, said: 'Sir Edward was a hugely important political and business figure.

'At the height of his career Sir Edward's name was rarely off the front pages and it is a great honour to be selling so many fascinating objects from his collection, which give a clear insight into the man behind the public figure.

'The bronze of Churchill is an iconic piece of sculpture.'

The collection will be sold on September 6.
Donald Trump has again savaged CNN for its 'hatred and extreme bias' and attacked NBC News, claiming its embattled chairman is 'about to be fired'.

In an Thursday morning tirade, Trump claimed Andrew 'Andy' Lack is about to be fired 'for incompetence and much worse.'

He also accused Lester Holt, the host of 'NBC Nightly News', of 'fudging my tape on Russia.

It is thought Trump was referring to an interview he did with Holt in which he admitted firing James Comey over the Russia investigation-- an admission that's become a key piece of evidence in the independent counsel's obstruction of justice investigation.

The President also renewed his assault on CNN.

The new barrage comes after Trump had already torn into CNN for a story which claimed that lawyer Michael Cohen was willing to provide evidence that Trump knew about a meeting between his son and a Russian lawyer who claimed to have dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on CNN and NBC on Thursday as he accused both networks of making up stories about him over Russia

Trump accused CNN of harboring 'hatred and extreme bias' against him after it reported that he knew about the Trump Tower meeting between his son and a Russian lawyer

The President then turned his attention to NBC News, accusing Lester Holt of 'fudging' an interview in which Trump admitted firing James Comey over the Russia probe, and raising the prospect that chairman Andy Lack is about to be fired

Trump ended the barrage by calling the media the 'enemy of the people', a phrase he has repeated several times over recent days

The White House has offered contradictory explanations about Trump's reason for firing Comey, but the President has never accused Holt of faking his interview before (pictured) and provided no evidence to back his claim

Trump wrote: 'The hatred and extreme bias of me by CNN has clouded their thinking and made them unable to function.

'But actually, as I have always said, this has been going on for a long time. Little Jeff Z has done a terrible job, his ratings suck, & AT&T should fire him to save credibility!

'Whats going on at CNN is happening, to different degrees, at other networks - with NBC News being the worst.

Andy Lack: NBC News chair under pressure Andy Lack, 71, is known to be under pressure at NBC News amid a torrid year for the network. He is facing questions over whether he knew about sex harassment by ousted anchor Matt Lauer, and whether a culture of harassment has existed at the network for years. Lack is also being scrutinized over several lapses in judgement, not least for paying $23million to tempt Megyn Kelly away from Fox News before her new show bombed. Meanwhile deputy Noah Oppenheim took the lead in spiking Ronan Farrow's Pulitzer-winning expose on Harvey Weinstein's alleged decades of sexual abuse, which was published by the New Yorker despite NBC investing considerable time and money in it. Oppenheim moonlights as a screenwriter on prestige films, but has denied ever having contact with Weinstein. Lack has also faced questions over why he sat on the Access Hollywood tape which contained Trump's infamous 'grab 'em by the p****' line that almost ended his presidential run. Furthermore, NBC's flagship shows, Today and Nightly News, have been performing poorly -- which is perhaps the reason for the 'incompetence' President Trump cited in his tweet. TV insiders say that NBC is expecting one or two major articles to be published in some unspecified publications about Lack and the alleged culture of sex harassment and lying at NBC News. This has put NBC News in a state of great agitation. Advertisement

'The good news is that Andy Lack(y) is about to be fired(?) for incompetence, and much worse.

'When Lester Holt got caught fudging my tape on Russia, they were hurt badly!

'I just cannot state strongly enough how totally dishonest much of the Media is. Truth doesnt matter to them, they only have their hatred & agenda.

'This includes fake books, which come out about me all the time, always anonymous sources, and are pure fiction. Enemy of the People!'

By 'Little Jeff Z,' Trump is referring to CNN boss Jeff Zucker, who is short of stature and presently on medical leave for a heart condition.

As for Holt, Trump has not previously accused him of faking any part of the interview where he spoke about the Russia investigation, although the White House has offered contradictory statements on the reason for Comey's firing. When Trump said NBC was 'hurt badly' by Holt's behavior, he may be referring to the drop in 'Nightly News' ratings over the last two years, which TV insiders attribute in part to Holt's antagonistic treatment of Trump when he moderated a 2016 presidential debate.

The President has alluded to unspecified 'bad behavior' by Lack in the past, tweeting in 2017 that NBC should 'investigate Andy Lack's past,' though he has never provided details.

However, in the year that followed Trump's demand of an investigation, Lack, 71, has come under increasing pressure at NBC over accusations that he presided over a culture of sexual harassment during his two tours of duty as NBC News boss, and that he deftly avoided an independent investigation once the sex scandals became public.

Even though he was close friends with pervy Matt Lauer for 20 years, even vacationing with the now disgraced TV star, Lack claimed he had absolutely no idea about Lauer's office sexcapades. This claim has been met with great skepticism within NBC.

Lack is also mired in a major mess of his own making - his disastrous hire of former Fox News star Megyn Kelly for $23 million a year. Kelly's hour of 'Today' is a very expensive bomb, rating substantially lower than the inexpensive hour it replaced.

Perhaps most seriously, Lack is under intense scrutiny for why NBC News sat on the explosive 'Access Hollywood' tape of Trump making lewd comments about women. The tape only came to light when it was leaked to the Washington Post. NBC claimed its lawyers had held up the tape's broadcasting, but the Post took only a few hours to vet it before publishing.

Further, Lack has been unable to coherently explain why NBC News spiked their reporter Ronan Farrow's bombshell investigation of sex pest Harvey Weinstein. Farrow would take his rejected story to the prestigious New Yorker magazine where it won a Pulitzer Prize. Farrow has accused NBC of not just passing on the story but trying to kill it outright, and threatening his NBC colleagues that they'd lose their jobs if they continued to report it.

Farrow is set to publish a book on the affair called 'Catch and Kill' which TV insiders believe will allege direct cooperation between Lack, his beleaguered deputy Noah Oppenheim (who is also a Hollywood screenwriter) and Weinstein to kill the story. NBC has denied any such collusion.

Trump's Thursday morning tweets followed other blistering messages on Wednesday night in which Trump sparred with CNN and Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein over their Russia story.

Trump said the network had been caught in a 'major lie' after Lanny Davis, lawyer for Michael Cohen, admitted being the source of the story and backtracked his claims.

Trump said 'CNN is being torn apart from within' over the story, while blasting Bernstein as 'sloppy' and a 'degenerate fool... who lives in the past'.

But Bernstein and the network clapped back, saying they stood by their reporting and would not be cowed by attacks from Washington.

The President accused CNN of being caught in a 'major lie and refusing to admit the mistake', while accusing Bernstein of being a 'degenerate fool' who 'lives in the past'

In a direct response to Trump, CNN said it stood by its reporting before adding: 'There are many fools in this story but Carl Bernstein is not one of them'

Bernstein also responded to Trump's attack, saying he would not be dissuaded from 'bringing the truth to light' with taunting

In a strongly-worded statement issued on Trump's preferred media of Twitter, CNN said: 'Make no mistake, Mr. President, CNN does not lie. We report the news. And we report when people in power tell lies.

'CNN stands by our reporting and our reporters. There may be many fools in this story but Carl Bernstein is not one of them.'

Meanwhile Bernstein tweeted: 'I have spent my life as a journalist bringing the truth to light, through administrations of both parties.

'No taunt will diminish my commitment to that mission, which is the essential role of a free press. CNN stands by its story, and I stand by my reporting.'

The saga began when CNN ran a report last month claiming that Cohen, Trump's long-time personal lawyer, had evidence that Trump knew in advance about a meeting between his son and a Russian lawyer during the 2016 election.

Donald Jr has admitted to taking the meeting after the lawyer offered him dirt on Hillary Clinton, possibly providing evidence that Trump was involved in collusion.

Cohen was willing to offer this evidence in testimony to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, CNN claimed, citing anonymous sources.

But Davis admitted to BuzzFeed News this week that he was a source for that story, and could no longer verify those claims.

The report also claimed that Davis had declined to comment on the record, when in fact he provided extensive comment.

Earlier on Wednesday Trump claimed that anonymous sources are typically 'fiction made up' by 'Enemy of the People' reporters.

'The fact is that many anonymous sources don't even exist. They are fiction made up by the Fake News reporters,' the president tweeted.

President Trump leaped at the chance on Wednesday to harangue the media for a debacle involving Michael Cohen's attorney Lanny Davis

Lanny Davis (above) has backpedaled on several key claims he made as an 'anonymous source' to news oulets, severely undermining the possibility that Cohen could tie President Trump to claims of Russian election interference

Cohen (above) pleaded guilty last week to several charges, which Davis says allowed him to finally speak out to clarify what he said as an anonymous source, now that the criminal investigation is ended

Trump claimed in a tweet Wednesday that anonymous sources are typically 'fiction made up' by 'Enemy of the People' reporters, even though Davis admits to making the claims he says he can no longer back up

'Look at the lie that Fake CNN is now in. They got caught red handed! Enemy of the People!'

A follow-up tweet claimed: 'When you see 'anonymous source,' stop reading the story, it is fiction!'

Davis says that he couldn't clear the record until Cohen pleaded guilty last week, because of the ongoing criminal investigation. CNN says it had other sources as well.

In a series of interviews, Davis backpedaled two assertions: that Cohen saw Trump being advised beforehand of the notorious Trump Tower meeting and that Cohen could testify that Trump was aware of Russian hacking.

Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has also made incorrect claims about the Trump Tower meeting and admitted in a New York Times profile this week to making mistakes in his unpaid representation of the president.

Former Trump attorney John Dowd said Wednesday on Fox News that Davis' conduct, which sparked a debate about how sourcing is handled by news agencies, was 'despicable' and 'indicative' of what Trump is up against.

'I don't know how he does it,' he said. 'It's a great burden on the presidency.'

Slamming Davis, a longtime defender of former President Bill Clinton, Down said: 'Lanny Davis is no surprise, I don't know why anybody would find him credible in the first place.'

Davis and Cohen's lack of credibility is at the heart of Trump's lawyers claims that Trump should not be charged as a co-conspirator in crimes that his ex-attorney says they committed together. Cohen told prosecutors that he paid off a woman who says she had sex with the married billionaire prior to the 2016 election on a direct order.

The CNN report, which received prime-time play on the network, raised the possibility that Cohen had and was willing to offer the special counsel additional, damaging information on Trump.

Top CNN reporters Jim Sciutto, Marshall Cohen and Carl Bernstein of Watergate reporting fame had bylines on the story.

Other outlets that raced to confirm the CNN scoop in July, including the New York Post and Washington Post, have now admitted that Davis was their source, and published the lawyer's apology for misleading them.

'I regret that I wasn't clear enough to The Post. I should have been more clear. I could not independently confirm the information in the CNN story,' Davis told the New York paper. 'I regret my error.'

Davis is also backing down from suggestions he made on television after Cohen's guilty plea about what his client could tell Mueller about Russian hacking during the 2016 campaign and allegations that Trump knew about it before it became public.

CNN is standing by its July report (above) that said Cohen was willing to testify that Trump knew about the Trump Tower meeting in advance

Davis told CNN that 'Cohen was an observer and was a witness to Mr. Trump's awareness of those emails before they were dropped,' Davis told the Washington Post, 'There's a possibility that is the case. But I am not sure.'

Giuliani and another Trump lawyer, Jay Sekulow, have also delivered incorrect information to the public.

Sekulow wrongly claimed that the president was not involved in a false statement that Trump was said to have dictated on Air Force One about his son's meeting at Trump Tower.

He admitted in an ABC News interview that he 'had bad information' and realized 'over time' that the claim he made was incorrect.

Giuliani wrongly told NBC News this month that he didn't know if participants in the meeting, including Trump Jr, ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, knew that lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya 'was Russian at the time.'

'All they had was her name,' Giuliani in the interview said.

In fact, emails released by the president's son make clear that he was explicitly told an attendee at the meeting would be a 'Russian government attorney' who wanted to provide damaging information to the campaign about Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump Jr. attacked CNN as 'literal fake news' after it Davis revealed he was the source for the misinformation on what Cohen was willing to testify. The president's son also claimed that Bernstein is a 'leftist hack.'

President Trump has denied claims that he knew about the Trump Tower meeting before it took place. He tore into news outlets that promoted Davis' claims in tweets on Saturday and Wednesday.

'Michaels Cohen's attorney clarified the record, saying his client does not know if President Trump knew about the Trump Tower meeting (out of which came nothing!),' Trump said in the Saturday tweet. 'The answer is that I did NOT know about the meeting. Just another phony story by the Fake News Media!'

He similarly ripped the 'fake news' on Wednesday for masking Davis' identity by allowing him to act as an anonymous source while saying in the same article that he refused to comment on the record.
The wife of a Baltimore detective who was fatally shot with his own gun last November has rejected an independent review board's conclusion that he committed suicide.

Officials had initially said Sean Suiter was fatally shot by a suspect during a struggle in a vacant lot in West Baltimore on November 15, but an independent review panel released a report this week saying the 43-year-old had actually killed himself.

The detective's wife Nicole Suiter spoke publicly for the first time since her husband's death nine months ago on Wednesday, calling the review panel's suicide conclusion 'outlandish'.

Scroll down for video

Nicole Suiter, the wife of a Baltimore detective who was fatally shot with his own gun last November, has rejected an independent review board's conclusion that he committed suicide

Detective Sean Suiter's wife Nicole spoke publicly Wednesday for the first time since the father-of-five's death nine months ago, describing how her husband was 'in a great mood' less than an hour before the fatal shooting on November 15

Nicole described how less than an hour before the shooting, she had been joking around with the father-of-five.

'Sean was in a great mood and happy spirit. We briefly joked about a video of him dancing that I took,' she told WMAR.

Nicole said nothing about his behavior resembled that of a man preparing to take his own life.

'I knew my husband very well. He wasn't a coward. He wouldn't have went out like that,' she said. 'He wouldn't leave his family like this. He had no reason to.'

The investigation into Sean's death is still open as police and the medical examiner's office look over the report from the independent review board.

Nicole and her attorneys decried the report, claiming that it is full of lies and inconsistencies.

'Im just shocked at what is contained in this report,' attorney Paul Siegrist said.

'Multiple facts are left out of this report. They give undue weight to certain facts and totally ignore everything else. They dont interview witnesses. They somehow arrive to Seans state of mind without speaking to his wife. This is garbage.'

Nicole and her attorneys decried the independent review board's report released Tuesday after months of investigation, claiming that it is chock full of lies and inconsistencies

Detective Suiter was shot in the head with his own gun on November 15 in a high crime neighborhood in West Baltimore. Authorities initially ruled the death a homicide

Sean was scheduled to testify in court in a police corruption trial the day after his death, which the report seems to suggest could have been motivation for his suicide.

The report refers to Sean as a 'subject' - a loose term that could refer to both a witness or a person of interest.

'Not only did the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Attorneys Office say that Sean was never a suspect but was only a witness, but the second round of indictments that came out involving Wayne Jenkins and several other officers, showed that Sean was an unwitting part of their larger drug conspiracy and their planting of drugs,' attorney Jeremy Eldridge said.

Nicole said she will continue to stand with protesters in Baltimore until she gets 'the truth'.

'Based on the fact that no one knew my husband better than I, I will not accept the untimely death of Sean as nothing other than a murder, which is being covered up for reasons unknown to me or my family,' she said.

A makeshift memorial for the veteran who served in Iraq is sits at the scene of the shooting

Suiter was fatally shot in the head while investigating a 2016 triple homicide with his partner in a high-crime neighborhood in West Baltimore.

Former Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, who was fired by the mayor in January, told reporters last year that Suiter approached a 'suspicious' man in a vacant lot between row houses, leading to a violent confrontation.

His partner could be seen on private surveillance video taking cover across the street, according to police.

Baltimore police originally said Suiter had been attacked and launched a manhunt, but after no arrests were made they convened the independent review board earlier this year to look into the homicide investigation.

The report released after months of review says the bullet entered from the right side of Sean's head, and that the detective was right-handed.

It also points out the lack of defensive wounds on Suiter's knuckles, hands or arms, along with the presence of shell casings from Suiter's weapon at the scene and the officer's DNA inside the barrel of the gun.

A spokesman for the city's medical examiner said Monday evening that officials would not discuss any cases still under investigation.
Andrei Makara, 40, attacked and raped a woman after he broke into her house in Brent, north west London on July 24

A 40-year-old man who cut his hand breaking into a house has been convicted of raping a woman inside the property who offered to help with the wound.

Andrei Makara, 40, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, as well as sexual assault and one count of robbery.

Harrow Crown Court heard the man broke into the house in Brent at 10.40 on July 24 while the victim was in the bathroom.

The woman, 31, head a large bang and downstairs and went down to investigate, when she was confronted by the man who was struggling to force his way through the front door.

Makara barged through the door with his shoulder as the woman attempted to lock it.

In an effort to appease Makara, the woman offered to bandage his hand, which had been injured during the break-in. She also decided to hand over her bank card in exchange for her safety.

He then picked up a scissors and raped the 31-year-old woman.

Later, Makara started threatened the victim and said he would kill her if she gave him the wrong pin number.

The attacker then stole a bicycle which belonged to the woman's husband and fled from the scene.

Makara will return to Harrow Crown Court, pictured, for sentence on September 26

The victim reported the robbery to police on the day of the attack and then said she had been raped two days later.

She was interviewed by detectives from the Met's Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command.

Makara will be sentenced at Harrow Crown Court on September 26.

Detective Constable Alan Wong from the sex crimes unit said: 'I would like to commend the victim for her bravery and having the courage to report the incident to the police.

'Her evidence was vital in ensuring a dangerous individual has been brought to justice.

'Understandably she has been left deeply traumatised, even having to move house within days. I hope todays conviction will give her some measure of comfort and closure.'
A passenger plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Moscow after a wannabe pilot punched a stewardess in the face and said there was a bomb on board.

The bearded student terrorised other passengers and crew, saying there would be an explosion 'soon'.

Davlatkadam Davlatkadamov, from the former-Soviet republic of Tajikistan, fought with other passengers before punching a stewardess in the face as she tried to calm him down.

The 25-year-old went 'berserk' by fighting, attacking the female flight attendant and then telling everyone to pray to Allah.

Davlatkadam Davlatkadamov was restrained by passengers and crew who bound his hands and feet with cling film until the pilot carried out an emergency landing

The Ural Airlines Airbus A321 returned to Moscow soon after take-off from Zhukovsky airport yesterday.

A video shows the 'air hooligan' after he was forced to a seat with his hands and feet bound together with cling film ahead of the emergency landing at Zhukovsky airport in Moscow.

A fellow passenger guarded him as the almost-full plane returned to Moscow - telling him to 'keep silent'.

At one point he slapped the troublemaker on the face.

Davlatkadamov was heard shouting: 'Let's pray! Pray to Allah! Pray to Allah! This plane will blow up!'

The bearded wannabe pilot said: 'let's pray! Pray to Allah! Pray to Allah! This plane will blow up!' after punching a flight attendant in the face

The Ural Airlines Airbus A321 returned to Moscow soon after take-off from Zhukovsky airport yesterday

The incident was on a scheduled flight from Moscow to Dushanbe, the capital Tajikistan.

A fellow passenger said: 'He went berserk on the flight.'

After landing the Davlatkadamov, a student in the Russian city of Omsk, was detained by police.

He faces a criminal investigation for hooliganism on board an aircraft.

Davlatkadamov refused to be tested for drugs and alcohol, it was reported.

The plane was searched for 40 minutes for a bomb before it was cleared to take off again for Dushanbe.

Today it was revealed the man behind the air rage had trained as a pilot and was studying production of aircraft engines in Omsk.

His father, who works at Dushanbe, said his son had applied for a Russian passport but was refused.

Passengers and crew guarded Davlatkadamov as the plane came into land and one even slapped him in the face and told him to 'keep silent'.

His father Saidkadam Davlatkadamov said his son had applied for a Russian passport but was refused.

Soon after take off from Zhukovsky airport yesterday the pilot carried out an emergency landing after Davlatkadamov attacked a stewardess and claimed a bomb was on board

Saidkadam Davlatkadamov said: 'For some reason, he did not succeed. Two weeks ago I got a call and he said that he was broken and upset.'

His father had ordered him to return home for 'treatment'.

Vera Gasnikova, a spokeswoman for Ural Airlines, said: 'He started a fight with another passenger and hit a stewardess. Her health is not in danger.

'She is in satisfactory condition, other passengers were not hurt.

'The unexpected landing is a serious expense for the airline and we have a right to sue the man for damages.'

The number of passengers and crew on board was not given but the A321 plane has a capacity of 220.

Ural Airlines is the fifth largest Russian civil airline.
Missing 71-year-old Margaret Kendrick was found dead in San Francisco's Marin County, more than 10 days after she disappeared

A 71-year-old museum employee who went missing earlier this month has been found dead.

Margaret Kendrick, who worked for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art 'suffered deeply from depression', her daughter Edana Contreras said.

An investigation into Kendrick's cause of death is still underway, and the Marin County Coroner's office said her body was found in in Marin County but gave no further details.

The elderly woman was last seen on August 18, and was reported missing the next day.

Her daughter, who had filled her social media profile with copies of a 'missing' poster, shared a heartfelt message with followers alerting them of Kendrick's death.

Kendrick (pictured left with daughter Edana, right) 'suffered deeply from depression', her daughter said while notifying friends on Facebook

'Sadly, my dear mother was found deceased in coastal Marin County,' she wrote.

'Although we spent many happy days together, she suffered deeply from depression.

'Many thanks for your caring thoughts and for spreading the word about our search.'

Friends commented on the post remembering Margaret as a 'superwoman' at work, and a kind hearted person with a warm smile.

'I cannot begin to even express my sadness at this news,' one man wrote. 'Your mother was a cherished colleague and friend.

'Her cubicle is directly in front of my own and she was an absolute joy and light each and every day. She made a point to greet me and chat every single morning without fail.

'Her absence will be profoundly felt by me and everyone else here at SFMOMA.'
The former National Security Agency contractor who was sentenced to more than five years in prison for leaking classified documents says she 'deeply regrets' leaking government secrets.

Reality Winner, 26, was sentenced to 63 months in jail on August 23 - the longest sentence ever imposed for a federal crime involving leaks to the media.

President Donald Trump has taken to Twitter to express sympathy for her 'unfair' sentence, calling it 'small potatoes' compared to 'what Hillary Clinton did'.

Scroll down for video

Former NSA contractor Reality Winner, 26, says she 'deeply' regrets leaking a government document to a news outlet in 2017, for which she was sentenced to 63 months in prison on August 23, pictured prior to entering courthouse

Her sentence is the longest ever for a federal crime involving leaks to the media, pictured arriving to Augusta, Georgia courthouse on August 23 with a New Testament Bible in hand

She shared a peace sign to reporters following her sentencing on August 23. On Thursday she thanked President Trump for tweeting that her punishment was 'so unfair'

'Ex-NSA contractor to spend 63 months in jail over "classified" information. Gee, this is "small potatoes" compared to what Hillary Clinton did! So unfair Jeff, Double Standard,' Trump tweeted on Friday.

For Winner, the President's words are a 'breath of fresh air', she said in a telephone interview from Lincoln County Jail to CBS.

'As of Friday, you know, even our commander in chief, President Trump, has kind of come out and said "Wait a minute, this is really unfair, there's this double standard here." And for that I can't thank him enough because for 16 months those words "so unfair" were actually not allowed by myself or my team or my family to say out in the public,' she said.

'So I just can't thank him enough for finally saying what everybody has been thinking for 16 months,' she added.

A day after her sentencing Trump tweeted that her jail time as 'so unfair' and her crime was 'small potatoes' compared 'to what Hillary Clinton did'

On Thursday Winner said: 'I just can't thank him enough for finally saying what everybody has been thinking for 16 months'. Trump is pictured yesterday

'I don't like to assume anything as to what's going on in his head, but the "small potatoes" was a breath of fresh air. It really made me laugh. It reminded me of me and my own family. We try to make a joke out of everything. We laugh every single day no matter how bad things get, and he really gave a whole sense of humor to the thing cause it is quite bizarre,' she said.

Winner was the first person to be sentenced under the Espionage Act under Trump.

She pleaded guilty 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.

She later mailed the document, believed to detail Russian government efforts to penetrate a Florida-based supplier of voting software, to online news outlet the Intercept.

The former Air Force translator was seen arriving to court for her sentencing last week in an orange prison jumpsuit with her hands shackled and clutching the New Testament from the Bible, smiling as she made her way inside.

When asked if she regrets the leak on Thursday she said: 'Yes, deeply'.

The publication to which she leaked the document has recognized her as a 'conscience-drive whistleblower' and condemns her severe sentence.
Jeremy Hunt today tore into Google for refusing to cooperate with British police in taking down sick child abuse images while agreeing to Chinese censorship demands.

The new Foreign Secretary accused the tech giant of betraying the 'values' they used to be so proud of.

His stern rebuke comes as Google has faced a flood of criticism for failing to take down criminal content and fake news.

Meanwhile, the tech giant has caved to Chinese demands and agreed to build a search engine for the country which will censor certain content from coming up.

Campaigners have branded the move an 'alarming capitulation on human rights' and warned it could be used to spy on dissidents.

Jeremy Hunt (pictured at the UN headquarters in New York last week) today tore into Google for refusing to cooperate with British police in taking down sick child abuse images while agreeing to Chinese censorship demands

The new Foreign Secretary accused the tech giant of betraying the 'values' they used to be so proud of in a stern rebuke on Twitter

And in a strident intervention on Twitter today, Mr Hunt said: 'Seems extraordinary that Google is considering censoring its content to get into China but won't cooperate with UK, US and other 5 eyes countries in removing child abuse content.

'They used to be so proud of being values-driven...'

His remarks are the latest in a series of stinging criticisms of Google and other tech giants for refusing to cooperate with police in taking down content.

MPs have lashed the Google and YouTube, which is owned by Google, for repeatedly failing to take down Jihadist content quickly when alerted to it.

While earlier this year the Commons Speaker warned that Google could be held in contempt of Parliament after it failed to take down a video by the banned fascist group National Action.

And after conducting a lengthy inquiry into the spread of fake news, MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee warned that tech giants are allowing bogus news to be peddled on their sites.

They warned that Britain is facing 'a democratic crisis founded on the manipulation of personal data, and targeting pernicious views to users, particularly during elections and referenda'.

Google (pictured, its headquarters in London's Kings Cross) has faced a flood of criticism for failing to take down criminal content and fake news

And they called for tech giants to be hit by fresh taxes and be made liable for the information they are putting up.

The row over Google's secret plans to build a search engine for China which blacklists certain information deepened this week when more than a dozen campaign groups wrote to the company objecting to it.

China is a one party state and democracy activists are routinely arrested and imprisoned for daring to speak out against the dictatorship.

The letter states: 'The Chinese government extensively violates the rights to freedom of expression and privacy; by accommodating the Chinese authorities' repression of dissent, Google would be actively participating in those violations for millions of internet users in China.'

In a statement, Google said it has 'been investing for many years to help Chinese users, from developing Android, through mobile apps such as Google Translate and Files Go, and our developer tools'.

It added: 'But our work on search has been exploratory, and we are not close to launching a search product in China.'

A Google spokesman said: 'We agree with Jeremy Hunt that child sexual abuse is abhorrent and must be removed, that's why we co-operate with governments to fight child sexual abuse online and why we offered to send a Google policy expert to the Five Eyes conference.

'Partnership is very important to fighting this problem and so we also work closely with other tech companies, the Internet Watch Foundation and NCMEC to keep child sexual abuse imagery off the web.'
President Donald Trump angrily pushed back on media reports about his sudden announcement of White House counsel Don McGahn's exit  and insisted his daughter Ivanka were not involved in his ouster.

He also said special counsel Robert Mueller's probe  which includes an inquiry into possible obstruction of justice with McGahn as a key witness  wasn't remotely a factor in the decision.

'The Rigged Russia Witch Hunt did not come into play, even a little bit, with respect to my decision on Don McGahn!' Trump tweeted Thursday morning.

Trump fired off a pair of tweets about the impending exit of McGahn, who has been by his side since his campaign and was witness to some of the most dramatic scenes of his presidency, such as decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey.

Trump also defended his daughter against a New York Times report that she had complained about an earlier story that detailed anger inside the White House against the extent of McGahn's cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller, as well as a suggestion that she was involved in a leak that helped precipitate Trump's announcement of McGahn's departure.

'Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner had NOTHING to do with the so called pushing out of Don McGahn. The Fake News Media has it, purposely,so wrong!' Trump wrote.

'You know, I had to approve it. We didnt claim executive ' Trump said, asked if he was upset that retiring White House counsel Don McGahn spoke to Robert Mueller's investigators

Then the president added about the press: 'They love to portray chaos in the White House when they know that chaos doesnt exist-just a smooth running machine with changing parts!'

Trump said he was 'very excited' about McGahn's replacement, though he didn't name the person. He misspelled the word 'counsel' as 'Councel'  an indication that Trump crafted the early morning tweet himself.

Trump tweeted that the Mueller probe 'did not come into play' in McGahn's departure

'I liked Don, but he was NOT responsible for me not firing Bob Mueller or Jeff Sessions. So much Fake Reporting and Fake News!' Trump wrote.

He was pointing to reports that McGahn threatened to resign during a high point of Trump's venting about Sessions and claim he would fire him. Such a move might have only bolstered a possible obstruction of justice case being explored by investigators.

Trump wrote that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump had nothing to do with McGahn's departure

The president also took a shot at fired FBI Director James Comey. His firing was the subject of conversations between Trump and White House counsel Don McGahn

Trump said McGahn wasn't responsible for him 'not firing' Attorney General Jeff Sessions or special counsel Robert Mueller

Sessions has recused himself from the Russia probe, but a successor might be able to take seize control of it or even dismantle it.

Trump sought to shape the McGahn narrative after new claims that the president's daughter,Ivanka Trump, had a hand in his departure.

President Donald Trump announced on Twitter Wednesday that McGahn's exit from the White House would come this fall. Trump issued the tweet just hours after an anonymous report that the White House counsel was on the way out.

The news followed a New York Times story last month that White House aides were surprised to learn the extent of McGahn's cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller  something that Trump himself said happened with his own express approval.

Nevertheless, Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, have been identified as among those displeased with the cooperation story. She 'complained bitterly' to her father about it, the Times reported Wednesday afternoon.

Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner (back left), have been identified as among those displeased with a story about White House counsel Don McGahn's cooperation with Robert Mueller's investigators

The report also identifies her as a suspected source for an Axios report that accurately forecasted McGahn's departure. Ironically, the report came on a day when Trump blasted anonymous sources as not to be believed.

The story notes that McGahn has been a 'frequent target' of Ivanka and Kushner, and states that McGahn believed the story got planted to force the president to go forward and announce his departure from the White House.

However, a source familiar with the situation told DailyMail.com Ivanka and Kushner had nothing to do with the Axios story.

Kushner survived reports last year that his days in the Trump White House were numbered. He was singled out for praise by the president this week in hammering out a new trade deal with Mexico.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto also acknowledged the president's son-in-law, who made an on-record appearance in a press call organized by the White House.

Despite the palace intrigue, President Trump hailed his retiring White House counsel as the president revealed he personally gave the green light for McGahn to submit to interviews with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators.

Trump lauded McGahn hours after he broke the news of McGahn's retirement on Twitter  not only to the nation but to McGahn himself.

'Hes a good man. Very good man. Don  excellent guy,' Trump said of the lawyer who was reported to have spoken to investigators for 30 hours.

Scroll down for video

'Don McGahns a really good guy. Been with me for a long time. Privately before this he represented me,' Trump said, saluting the inside lawyer after reports there have been strains in their relationship for months.

'A lot of affection for Don. Hell be moving on probably the private sector, maybe the private sector. And hell do very well. Hes done an excellent job,' said Trump.

Trump said he didn't have a problem with McGahn talking talking to Mueller, whose Russia probe has gone on for more than a year.

President Donald Trump's White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner arrives at the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018

President Donald Trump announced that White House counsel Don McGahn will be leaving his post.

Then he added: 'I knew he was going also. You know, I had to approve it. We didnt claim executive,' Trump said, ending his thought, and likely referencing executive privelege.

Then he backtracked: 'No I dont have to be aware, we have, we do everything straight, we do everything by the book. And Don is an excellent guy.'

Earlier Wednesday, Trump announced that McGahn  who cooperated with Special Counsel Robert Mueller but whom the president defended as not being a 'RAT'  will be leaving his post.

Trump lauded McGahn in comments from the White House

The Washington Post reported that McGahn learned about his departure from the tweet, without getting advance notice.

McGahn has cooperated with extensively with Mueller's investigators, who have been probing Russian election interference as well as potential obstruction issues such as the firing of FBI Director James Comey.

But he did so with a green light from Trump's original legal team. He also has been identified with Trump's successful push to stack the judiciary with conservatives to lifetime appointments.

Trump sent off McGahn, who will be leaving the White House this fall, with a compliment in a Wednesday tweet.

'White House Counsel Don McGahn will be leaving his position in the fall, shortly after the confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court,' Trump wrote. 'I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service!'

Trump insisted McGan is 'not a RAT' in a tweet after a New York Times report on his cooperation, which included 30 hours of interviews.

The two men have clashed and have a tense relationship.

White House counsel Don McGahn, follows Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh to his meeting with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018

Trump announced the coming departure on Twitter

Axios reported Wednesday morning on McGahn's departure  based on anonymous sourcing. Also on Wednesday, Trump attacked anonymous sources and said they were fake and should not be believed.

According to the report, McGahn favors as his successor Emmett Flood, who represents Trump in the Russia probe from inside the White House.

Earlier this month Trump tore into a New York Times account, which characterized McGahn's cooperation with Mueller as a potential threat to the White House.

Trump in a tweet invoked former White House counsel John Dean, who cooperated with prosecutors during Watergate, helping to ultimately bring down Richard Nixon.

'The failing @nytimes wrote a Fake piece today implying that because White House Councel Don McGahn was giving hours of testimony to the Special Councel, he must be a John Dean type 'RAT,' Trump wrote. The president misspelled 'counsel' in the tweet.

'But I allowed him and all others to testify - I didn't have to. I have nothing to hide......' the president added.

Dean responded: ''Trump, a total incompetent, is bungling and botching his handling of Russiagate. Fate is never kind to bunglers and/or botchers! Unlike Nixon, however, Trump won't leave willingly or graciously.'

Earlier Trump blasted anonymous sources  although an anonymously sourced report Wednesday morning anticipated the announcement Trump confirmed

McGahn  who was present throughout the chaotic early days of the Trump administration as national security advisor Mike Flynn was fired, the travel ban was drafted, Trump fired Comey, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself and Mueller was appointed  cooperated with the consent of Trump's original legal team.

Trump's current lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, told NBC's 'Meet the Press' this month Trump didn't did not raise executive privilege in hopes of bringing the probe to a speedy close.

'The president encouraged him to testify, is happy that he did, is quite secure that there is nothing in the testimony that will hurt the president,' Giuliani said.

McGahn previously served as a commissioner on the Federal Elections Commission and as the top lawyer on Trump's campaign.

He also oversaw the successful confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which Trump touts as one of his main accomplishments.

Out of the spotlight, he has also helped steer Circuit Court and District Court judges through the system.

Not all the nominees went through in the push to bill benches at the start of Trump's term.

Brett Talley, who was a 36-year old Justice Department official, withdrew despite clearing the Judiciary Committee after with a unanimous unqualified rating from the America Bar Association. It emerged that he failed to disclose blog posts he penned under a pseudonym including one backing the early Ku Klux Klan, as NPR reported. He also didn't disclose he was married to McGahn's chief of staff.

McGahn threatened to quit when Trump threatened to fire Mueller last June, the New York Times reported.
Crews worked Thursday to recover the bodies of three people who died when the glider they were in crashed in a heavily wooded section of Vermont's Sterling Mountain during what was supposed to be a 30-minute tour over the resort town of Stowe and the surrounding area.

While multiple agencies worked to bring the bodies off the mountain, an investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived Thursday at the Morrisville-Stowe Airport in Morrisville to begin the process of determining what caused the crash.

The glider was being flown by Donald Post of Stowe, a long-time pilot for Stowe Soaring.

Post, 70, was killed in the crash along with the passengers, Frank Moroz III, 58, and his wife Suzanne Moroz, of Hamden, Connecticut.

The pilot was 70-year-old Donald Post of Stowe.He was at the controls when the glider crashed

The other passengers were 58-year-old Frank Moroz III and his wife, 56-year-old Suzanne Moroz, both of Hamden, Connecticut

'It's a heavily wooded, dense area,' Vermont State Police Capt. Robert Cushing said at midday Thursday at a staging area in a remote section of Morristown. Crews were being ferried from the staging area to the crash site to carry out the bodies.

Cushing said it was expected to take most of the day to recover the bodies, which would then be taken to the office of the Vermont Medical Examiner for autopsy.

The glider took off about 11:30 a.m. Monday and was disconnected from its tow plane about 20 minutes later at about 4,500 feet just north of the airport.

The flight was supposed to last about 30 minutes and other customers were waiting for later flights, said Senior NTSB investigator Brian Rayner, who flew in from Washington to investigate the crash.

Recovery crews head into the woods of Vermont's Sterling Mountain, Thursday to help transport out the bodies of three people killed in a glider crash

Morrisville Police were notified the aircraft was missing at about 2 p.m. A search plane spotted the wreckage at about 5:30 about 1,000 feet from the summit of Sterling Mountain. Ground crews reached the site around 9:30 p.m. Thursday and found no survivors.

Rayner said Post was an experienced commercial pilot.

The glider, identified in a tweet by the NTSB as a Schweizer SGS 2-32, carried no on-board electronics, Rayner said.

In some cases, operators carry hand-held navigation and communication devices such as GPS units and cellphones.

The glider left the Morrisville-Stowe airport at mid-day Wednesday. Its wreckage was found late Wednesday night in a heavily wooded area of the mountain (file photo of Don Post)

'It is my understanding that this pilot did not utilize any of those objects and he stayed pretty close by locally and within sight of home base,' Rayner said.

He said he would be looking at everything that could have contributed to the crash, including maintenance records of the aircraft, the physical condition of the pilot and the weather.

He said it could take a year before the investigation into the cause of the crash is complete.

People at Stowe Aviation declined Thursday to talk about Post or what might have happened.
A woman claimed Kmart profiled her as a potential thief when she was trying to return two unworn jumpers.

Tracey, a mother from Melbourne, was left waiting for 20 minutes in the Dandenong store as staff searched CCTV cameras.

'She kept harping on that she hadn't seen me enter the store and that was infuriating me,' Tracey told Nine's A Current Affair.

'I just felt insulted and intimidated by them... I said to her are you implying that I've stolen the item?'

Scroll down for video

Tracey, a mother from Melbourne, was left waiting for 20 minutes in the Dandenong store as staff searched CCTV cameras

The two items in question were provided with a receipt, tags still attached, and within a two week time frame of purchase.

While she did ultimately receive her refund, Tracey felt targeted and took her concerns to Kmart's head office.

She said she was told by a customer service employee the retail giant was implementing facial recognition across a series of stores to trial it for wider distribution.

Dandenong, she was told, was a trial store.

While she did ultimately receive her refund, Tracey felt targeted and took her concerns to Kmart's head office

A Kmart spokesperson later clarified the choice of wording, saying the term facial recognition was incorrect.

They said a new customer service CCTV trial was being run within the store, which was more than likely the root of Tracey's issue.

Terry Hartmann, the vice president of facial recognition company Cognitec, said the tool had the potential to be used to identify shoplifters from other stores and clamp down on serial fraudsters exploiting return counters.

Kmart has since apologised and ceased the implementation of the trial.
California's favorite burger joint has come under fire after the restaurant donated $25,000 to the California Republican Party.

The donation was filed on Monday according to the California Secretary of State's website, and has spurred turmoil among the restaurant's fans.

The contribution was made ahead of midterm elections in Irvine, California, which is a part of Orange County - a Republican stronghold in the west coast.

In-N-Out Burger has sparked a boycott among its fans after the restaurant chain donated $25,000 to California's GOP on Monday in a public filing

The donation was filed in Irvine in Orange County, a Republican stronghold in the state, on Monday

The news broke on Twitter with a post saying: 'In-N-Out added a new item to their secret menu' with a picture of the filing.

Now Twitter users are calling for a boycott of the popular fast-food chain, many refusing to support In-N-Out if they sponsor the GOP and the Trump administration as the state rolls towards midterm elections.

However, this isn't the first time the burger joint has supported the Republican party.

In 2017 and 2016, In-N-Out gave $30,000 per year to the California GOP for general expenses, according to Los Angeles Magazine.

'This information will be painful to many of you, and you may act on it, or not, as your conscience demands,' one user wrote.

When the news was shared on Twitter, it sparked outrage and protest among restaurant-lovers

Et tu In-N-Out? Eric Bauman, Chair of the California Democratic Party, called for a boycott of the restaurant

However this isn't the first time In-N-Out has supported the GOP, the chain also made hefty donations to California's Republican party in 2016 and 2017

Fans vowed to avoid their restaurants as a sign of their protest against Republican support

Count me out: Restaurant goers said they'd avoid the popular California chain following donation

In-N-Out has donated to the California GOP in the past, their donation comes as midterm elections approach

Some users shamed the restaurant for their Republican support, claiming to refuse to return

Boycott! One user warned 'no way do they get my money now' following news of the filing

'I guess I wont be having any more #InNOut Burgers,' another user wrote.

'Et tu In-N-Out? Tens of thousands of dollars donated to the California Republican Party... its time to #BoycottInNOut - let Trump and his cronies support these creeps... perhaps animal style!' Eric Bauman, Chair of the California Democratic Party tweeted.

'In N Out donated $25k to the Republican party, aka no more Animal Style Double Doubles for me,' another fan echoed.

'Phooey! I've enjoyed the convenience of the drive-thru 3 miles from my house, but no way do they get my money now. #BoycottInNOut,' one Twitter fan wrote.

'@innoutburger looks like my family and I will be boycotting your restaurants from now on. You donate to the @GOP, that means you stand with Trump and all his bigotry. #ShameOnYou! #BoycottInNOut' one protester warned.

'Yo, In N Out could give the California GOP $30 MILLION in contributions and I'll still keep eating there. Republicans will never take back the state, no matter how many Double Doubles they sell,' another Twitter user echoed.
16-year-old Tiffany Taylor (pictured) was allegedly murdered by Rodney Wayne Williams in 2015. She was 20 weeks pregnant

A man who allegedly murdered a pregnant teenage prostitute has been ordered to stand trial.

Rodney Wayne Williams, 63, was charged with the murder of Tiffany Taylor after the 16-year-old went missing in July 2015.

Magistrate Athol Kennedy ordered Mr Williams to stand trial on Thursday after a two-and-a-half day committal hearing at the Beenleigh Magistrates Court.

Mr Williams has not entered a plea and a trial date has not been set, the Courier-Mail reported.

Ms Taylor's body was never found, despite search attempts by Queensland police and volunteers at bushland in the Fernvale area, 60 kilometres west of Brisbane.

Rodney Wayne Williams (pictured) was charged with the pregnant teenager's murder in July 2015. On Thursday, a magistrate ordered Mr Williams to face trial for the alleged murder

The court heard the pair were captured on a toll camera in Williams' vehicle the day Ms Taylor disappeared.

It is alleged that Ms Taylor was working as a prostitute when she vanished and Mr Williams agreed to pay $500 to spend half an hour with the teenager who was 20 weeks pregnant.

The court heard Mr Williams drove Ms Taylor to a dead-end street in Brisbane's southwest for sex.

However, Mr Williams allegedly had no money and killed her after an argument.

The two day committal hearing heard the pair were captured on a toll camera in Williams' vehicle the day Ms Taylor disappeared. Blood was also found in Mr Williams' car

Ms Taylor's body was never found despite search attempts by Queensland police and SES volunteers at bushland in the Fernvale area, 60 kilometres west of Brisbane

The court heard police found blood in Mr Williams' car and there was evidence he had attempted to clean the vehicle.

Mr Williams' lawyer Timothy Ryan said Ms Taylor had been contacted by up to 400 men for sex in the lead-up to her disappearance. Ms Taylor was also rumoured to have a drug debt.

The trial is expected to begin next year.
The bodies of a British couple who died on a Thomas Cook holiday in Egypt will be repatriated next week, the country's minister of tourism said.

John and Susan Cooper, from Burnley in Lancashire, died after falling ill at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada.

Egyptian minister Rania Al-Mashat announced today that forensic pathologists are carrying out 'detailed autopsies' on the bodies of John and Susan Cooper.

This process is expected to be completed next week.

Susan Cooper, 63, and her husband John Cooper, 69, were on holiday at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in Hurghada when they died within hours of each other

Ms Al-Mashat said: 'When the pathologists have completed their detailed forensic analysis our priority will be, of course, to then contact the Cooper family in England to explain the findings as they, more than anyone, need to know what took away John and Susan.

'Their bodies will then be repatriated next week with the Cooper family in England.'

Mr Cooper, 69, died in his room, while Mrs Cooper, 63, a Thomas Cook employee, is understood to have died after being taken to hospital.

Their daughter Kelly Ormerod said there was 'something suspicious' behind the deaths and described her parents as being in 'perfect health' hours before being taken ill.

Numerous former guests of the hotel have said food they were served at the resort was raw and undercooked.

It emerged today that Thomas Cook was successfully sued last month after a family suffered gastric illness while staying at same Egyptian hotel in April 2016.

The family of four from South Wales accused the tour operator of failing to ensure food and drink at the hotel was 'safe for human consumption' and permitted food to be 're-served or re-used on more than one occasion'.

Manchester law firm JMW Solicitors, who acted for the family, said Newport County Court ordered Thomas Cook to pay 26,000 in compensation and costs.

Mr and Mrs Cooper's daughter, Kelly Ormerod, has questioned how they could have fallen ill so quickly, saying there is 'something suspicious about their deaths

The family who sued Thomas Cook claimed they suffered stomach illnesses for around two months.

The case went to trial after Thomas Cook denied liability.

Joanne Brine, a partner at JMW Solicitors, said the firm commissioned a handwriting expert who found that the hotel's food temperature and cleaning records were completed by one person despite four different people apparently signing the entries.

She went on: 'It's very sad to hear of the deaths of John and Susan Cooper on what should have been a happy family holiday, yet also incredibly concerning given our experience with this hotel in regards to hygiene standards.

'The fact that we have brought concerns to Thomas Cook's attention about the accuracy and reliability of the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel's record-keeping should set off alarm bells for those investigating what the failings of the management team to safeguard the health of its guests may have been on this occasion.

'I sincerely hope that a thorough investigation will make sure that the family get the answers they need to understand exactly what happened inside that hotel room and to ensure the safety of future holidaymakers is prioritised.'

A family who suffered food poisoning at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in 2016 have since been awarded 26,000 in compensation

Thomas Cook said in a statement: 'The safety and well-being of our customers is always our first priority and we would never send customers to a hotel which we do not believe to be safe.

'We audit all 3,000 of our core hotels every year and so far this calendar year we have removed 47 hotels for health and safety reasons and a further 150 which did not meet our strict quality criteria.

'As well as the audits, our quality teams regularly inspect our properties and provide support, guidance and training to help hotels improve. We last audited Steigenberger Aqua Magic in July 2018.'

Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser flew to Egypt on Wednesday to meet the country's prime minister to discuss the deaths.

The firm is hoping to obtain permission from Egyptian authorities to access the hotel room where the Coopers were staying.

Mr Fankhauser has previously insisted there is 'no real evidence what caused the deaths' but pledged to support the family and Egyptian authorities to 'get to the bottom of it and to get to the cause'.
California's new earthquake early-warning system successfully sent out an alarm three seconds before a 4.4 magnitude tremor hit Pasadena.

While the quake caused little damage, it was felt over a large swath of area.

CalTech seismologist Lucy Jones reported getting the warning at her location seconds before the quake hit on Tuesday night.

Tuesday's quake hit La Verne at 7.33pm but was felt from Ventura County to Orange County more than 100 miles away.

California's new earthquake early-warning system successfully sent out an alarm three seconds before a 4.4 tremor hit Pasadena. Pictured is the shake map for the quake, showing that it moderately hit the city of La Verne, with a light effect in the Los Angeles metro area

CalTech seismologist Lucy Jones reported getting the warning (pictured) at her location seconds before the quake hit on Tuesday night

The amount of warning an area receives depends on how close it is to the earthquake's epicenter.

'Out of nowhere the room just started shaking,' Ruben Estrada, who was in class when the quake hit at La Verne University, told KTLA.

'Desks were everywhere, people were screaming. We were in a mad panic. But everyone made it out safely.'

The quake was followed by more than a dozen aftershocks and was the largest tremor in the Los Angeles metro area in three years.

Jones demonstrated how the early-warning ShakeAlert system worked. The system began beeping loudly to warn that it was approaching.

The sound became more rapid as it got closer and closer.

Many got the alert on a cell phone app called Quake Alert, whose goal is to send notifications to phones up to 60 seconds before a quake hits.

But the app is still in the testing phase, and not everyone got a warning on Tuesday night.

Many got the alert on a cell phone app called Quake Alert, whose goal is to send notifications to phones up to 60 seconds before a quake hits. Pictured is an example of what a warning message from the app would look like during an earthquake

CalTech University is one of the beta testers of the system, which is being developed by the US Geological Survey.

The early-warning system is meant to rapidly detect the beginning of an earthquake, estimate the level of expected ground shaking, and issue a warning, according to the California Integrated Seismic Network.

It works by detecting the first energy to radiate from an earthquake - known as the P-wave energy - which rarely causes damage.

The P-wave information can estimate the location and magnitude of the earthquake and provide warning before the S-wave - which causes the most damage - arrives.

While a few seconds of warning may not sound like much, it can be everything in a major earthquake.

This isn't the first time the early-warning system has worked. San Francisco received an 8-second warning before a 6.0 magnitude tremor hit Napa in 2014 (pictured)

A crack running down the center of an earthquake-damaged street after Napa was hit

'This is enough time to slow and stop trains and taxiing planes, to prevent cars from entering bridges and tunnels, to move away from dangerous machines or chemicals in work environments, and to take cover under a desk,' according to CISN.

Airports, oil refineries, pipelines, schools, universities, city halls, and libraries along the West Coast are planning or already testing the system.

West Coast map shows the amount of advance warning time that might be available from an early-warning detection system during future earthquakes

California hospitals are testing the system to give surgeons enough time to remove scalpels from patients, while office buildings are being rewired to automatically bring elevators to the nearest floor when the warning sounds.

Condominiums in the state are also being rewired so that residents have enough time to drop and take cover, according to the Los Angeles Times.

This isn't the first time the early-warning system has worked.

Scientists at the University of Southern California received a 10-second warning before a 5.3 quake hit near the Channel Islands in April.

And San Francisco received an 8-second warning before a 6.0 magnitude tremor hit Napa in 2014.

The USGS has been developing the early-warning system for years, but has struggled to find funding.

President Trump attempted to end federal funding for the program in one of his earlier proposals for the federal budget.

But Congress then approved a $1.3-trillion budget bill that included a $22.9million contribution to the system.

The USGS earlier promised it would issue limited public alerts from the system by the end of the year as long as funding wasn't cut by the government.

It is hoping to later install more sensors in Washington, Oregon, and parts of rural Northern California.

Similar systems are already in full swing in Japan and Taiwan and are being tested in central and southern Mexico.
The parents of two of the men suspected of raping and torturing a 17-year-old girl in Morocco have accused her of having a 'bad reputation' in the area.

Officials have arrested 12 men after Khadija Okkarou was kidnapped and sold to a gang who raped and forcibly tattooed her before she was dumped back at her family home near Beni Melal after two months.

The case has sparked outrage in Morocco as it emerged she endured extreme violence during the ordeal with a video was posted online showing her arms, leg and neck covered in tattoos and cigarette burns.

Parents of some of the accused have claimed the girl is 'lying', had been living promiscuously and 'wanted this'. Doctors say she has been badly affected by such accusations.

Speaking at the family home in Oulad Ayad, near Beni Melal, central Morocco, her mother said she fainted when she saw her daughter's desecrated body.

The extreme violence against the 17-year-old, called Khadija (pictured), has sparked outrage in Morocco since a video was posted online showing her arms, leg and neck covered in tattoos

Tattoo marks the hand on a 17-year-old Moroccan girl who told police she was gang-raped, forcibly tattooed and held against her will for two months, in Oulad Ayad

She said: 'I was caught off guard when those criminals brought my daughter and I saw her in this condition.

'I fainted ... I collapsed, seeing her like that, the tattoos, the burns, her honor lost.'

The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said: 'Why did they do this to my child? Are they beasts? Will my daughter ever return to the way she was?'.

The girl's parents initially refused to report her case to authorities, fearing the social stigma of sexual abuse in a Muslim country.

'But she insisted,' her mother said. 'She picked up the family records and just went to the gendarmes. I followed her.'

Khadija told authorities she was released in mid-August. Protesters have taken to social media to demand justice with the slogan: 'We are all Khadija'.

In an interview with Moroccan TV last week, the girl alleged that her kidnappers 'would assault me one by one,' burned her and didn't feed her or let her shower.

She displayed crude swastikas and other tattoos as well as cigarette burns on her hands and legs.

The teen said that two men kidnapped her at knife-point when she was visiting her aunt during the May-June holy month of Ramadan, before selling her to other men in exchange for money or drugs. She said her captors gave her drugs that knocked her out for days at a time.

The horrific account has sparked calls for an end to a culture that turns a blind eye to sexual assault and other violence against women, with nearly 75,000 people signing a petition urging action.

Tattoo marks on the girl's leg, after she was held against her will for two months, near Beni Melal, central Morocco. The girl's lawyer says authorities have arrested 12 suspects

Twelve suspects are in custody in the alleged kidnapping and rape, and three are still at large, according to Ibrahim Hashane, a volunteer lawyer who is pressing the case.

He said on Wednesday that an examining judge had ordered an investigation and a hearing was scheduled for September 6.

Meanwhile, the girl's hometown is divided over her account.

'Her testimony has generated a lot of compassion here, but some question her version of events,' said a man in his 50s who asked to remain anonymous.

According to a neighbour, the young girl has tried to 'keep out of sight' in the town, now abuzz over her video testimony.

'This girl kept bad company... we saw her going out with boys,' said Ahmed, who runs a grocery shop near Khadija's home.

According to him, relatives of some of the men she accused 'had proposed an arrangement and her father was ready to accept' until associations backing the girl's testimony intervened.

On a recent busy market day, the few women seen in the town were all wearing headscarves and the traditional djellaba robes.

'It's a conservative region,' said Mustafa, a truck driver sipping tea at one of the town's men-only cafes.

Here, as in many rural areas in Morocco, girls stay home, marry young and do not associate with boys.

Oulad Ayyad, which makes most of its money selling sweet beets and sugar, is part of the country's poorest region.

A general view of Oulad Ayad town, near Beni Melal, central Morocco where the 17-year-old Moroccan girl told police she was gang-raped, forcibly tattooed and held against her will

Young people have little access to education and services, according to a recent study published by Morocco's statistics institute.

Like many girls her age, Khadija left school when she was 12 because her family was too poor to pay the costs, residents told AFP.

'(She) was a bit free, her father allowed her to leave the house and lead her life as she wanted,' said Mustafa, who claimed to know the family well.

'This is not the case for most girls here,' he added.

Hassan, a coffee shop owner, said most of the town was 'upset' over what happened to Khadija.

'Most people have compassion for her because it can happen to anyone.'

Some of the detainees have admitted to the charges, according to Ibrahim Hachane, Khadija's lawer. But their admissions have failed to convince the teenager's detractors.

'Unfortunately, the machismo culture makes some people blame her for what happened to her,' said Hachane, a member of Morocco's Association for Human Rights.

Parents of some of the accused have accused the young girl of 'lying' and living promiscuously.

Dr. Abdenbi Halmaoui, who has accompanied Khadija throughout her various medical examinations, said she has been 'badly' affected by those who have questioned her testimony.

Twelve suspects are in custody in the alleged kidnapping and rape, and three are still at large, according to Ibrahim Hashane (pictured), a volunteer lawyer who is pressing the case

He has advised her family to take away her cellphone to prevent detractors from reaching her.

'She must receive psychiatric support because even though she is stable, she is disturbed,' Halmaoui told AFP.

In an article titled 'We are all Khadija,' Moroccan author and filmmaker Abdellah Taia, criticized what he called Morocco's rape culture and called on the government and King Mohammed VI to intervene. It was signed by dozens of Moroccan intellectuals.

'We will move on. A new source of collective excitement. Nothing will be done,' he wrote. 'And as always, it is women who pay the price of all the dysfunctions of a society that still does not want to grow.'

Abdelwahed Saadi, a social worker and neighbor of the teen's family, said no circumstances could excuse the alleged assault.

'This girl is a minor. She says she has been abused and raped. Her words must be taken seriously,' he said.

Concern about sexual violence gained momentum last year when video footage circulated online of boys on a bus ripping the clothes off a girl and groping her breasts, among other abuse. Neither the passengers nor the bus driver intervened.

In February, parliament passed a long-sought law recognizing some forms of abuse for the first time and criminalizing some forms of domestic violence. But critics say it doesn't go nearly far enough.

A survey by U.N. Women, a United Nations agency for the empowerment of women, carried out in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, and in some neighboring cities found that 41 per cent of the men surveyed believe that financial support justified marital rape.

Over 50 per cent reported having been emotionally abusive to their wives, and 15 percent acknowledged using physical violence against women.

The survey, conducted in 2016 and released in February, found that 62 per cent of the men interviewed believe women must tolerate violence to preserve family unity. The study questioned 2,400 men and women over three months. No margin of error was given.
A Muslim man accused of plotting a Christmas Day terror attack mocked an Australian loyalty oath, a court has heard.

Ahmed Mohamed, 25, is one of three men currently on trial for allegedly plotting a terror attack in Melbourne on Christmas Day in 2016.

Mohamed allegedly sent a text message to friend Omar Elhawli which ridiculed the citizenship Pledge of Commitment, The Herald Sun reported.

Ahmed Mohamed, 25, (pictured) is one of three men currently on trial for allegedly plotting a terror attack in Melbourne on Christmas Day in 2016.

'They can kiss my ass straight out,' Mohamed allegedly said in regards to the oath.

Detective Senior Constable Allison Cooper, formerly of Victoria Police's Joint Counter Terrorism Unit, read the text messages to the court.

In the messages, Mohamed allegedly mocked the oath while taking a swipe at other Muslims who took the vow, which promises to respect Australia's 'rights and liberties'.

'This too. From this time forward under God I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people whose Democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect and whose laws I will uphold and obey,' the text from Omar stated.

Mohamed replied by saying: 'They can kiss my ass straight out,' to which Omar said: 'I can't believe Muslims take this oath.'

Mohamed continued to write: 'Either they take the oath not knowing what it mean cos they don't have knowledge or because they just don't care ... They're like bani', which translated, means the people of Israel.

'They want Allah SWT', translated exulted and almighty, 'to show them a miracle'.

Along with Hamza Abbas, 23 and Abdullah Chaarani, 27, Mohamed is charged with conspiring or preparing for acts of terror targeting Flinders Street Station, Federation Square and St Paul's Cathedral.

Mohamed is one of three men charged with conspiring or preparing for acts of terror targeting Flinders Street Station (pictured), Federation Square and St Paul's Cathedral

Prosecutors allege the men purchased metal pipes from Bunnings in Broadmeadows, hydrogen peroxide from Chemist Warehouse, and light globes and batteries to make 'improvised explosive devices'.

It's understood the men allegedly planned for a terrorist act at a central location where people gather 'to maximise casualties'.

Each man has pleaded not guilty, but the prosecution alleges that the men were motivated by extremist ideology and hatred for Western counties.

The trial, which is expected to take up to ten weeks, continues.
Fernando Mendoza Cruz has been taken into custody after allegedly abducting three kids

A 37-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly abducting three children after an altercation with their mother.

Fernando Mendoza Cruz sparked an amber alert early on Thursday that stretched from Michigan to Indiana.

Police allege he took the three children, aged five and under, after he assaulted their mother about 10pm on Wednesday night.

Cruz is accused of abducting two-year-old Aldo Cruz, four-year-old Matteo Nieves and five-year-old Chelsey Lopez while their mom ran to a nearby gas station for help.

The amber alert was issued because police believed the three children were in extreme danger.

Officers said he was armed with a handgun and had threatened to harm both the children and himself.

The alert stretched into Indiana after Cruz took off from Sturgis, MI which is only three miles from the border.

About 9am on Thursday, Cruz was arrested and taken into custody.

The children were found with him, safe and well.
Donald Trump is accusing Justice Department 'boss' Bruce Ohr of colluding with his wife Nellie to deliver the dossier of salacious claims about the president's sex life to the FBI.

He wants Ohr to be fired by Jeff Sessions, mounting a campaign against both officials that seems to be gaining traction after key lawmakers said this week they'd support Trump if he axed his his attorney general.

'Wow, Nellie Ohr, Bruce Ohrs wife, is a Russia expert who is fluent in Russian. She worked for Fusion GPS where she was paid a lot. Collusion!' Trump said. 'Bruce was a boss at the Department of Justice and is, unbelievably, still there!'

The dossier that Nellie Ohr's firm commissioned was used as evidence in a search warrant to spy on a Trump associate and contained humiliating claims about the former businessman's conduct.

Donald Trump is accusing Justice Department 'boss' Bruce Ohr of colluding with his wife Nellie to deliver the dossier of salacious claims about the president's sex life to the FBI

Trump laughed at the irony of claims that his campaign may have colluded with Russia to meddle in the election in a Thursday tweet that accused the Ohrs of colluding with each other to put together and then give the document the president says is full of lies to national law enforcement

Ohr was an employee at the time at the opposition research firm Fusion GPS. The firm hired an ex-British spy, Christopher Steele, a friend of the Ohrs, to build the case against Trump on Hillary Clinton's campaign's behalf. The work was later funded by Republicans.

The dossier that Nellie Ohr's firm commissioned contained humiliating claims about Trump and Russian prostitutes

Trump laughed at the irony of claims that his campaign may have colluded with Russia to meddle in the election in a Thursday tweet that accused the Ohrs of colluding with each other to put together and then give the document the president says is full of lies to national law enforcement.

He demanded for the second day in a row that Ohr be fired, following a closed-door hearing on Capitol Hill where the government employee was subjected to intense questioning.

The president fumed at Ohr and Sessions in a Wednesday tweet, asking 'how the hell' he still has a job.

Trump has repeatedly targeted Ohr, who is also on the administration's list of officials who may lose their security clearance.

'Will Bruce Ohr, whose family received big money for helping to create the phony, dirty and discredited Dossier, ever be fired from the Jeff Sessions Justice Department? A total joke! the president asked in August.

President Trump has targeted Ohr repeatedly on Twitter and on Wednesday demanded again that Ohr be fired

Ohr has been reprimanded and relocated within Justice, but Trump has refused to let up.

'How the hell is Bruce Ohr still employed at the Justice Department? Disgraceful! Witch Hunt!' the president tweeted Wednesday.

Trump has cited Nellie Ohr's work with Fusion GPS, the firm behind the infamous and unverified Steele dossier, as a reason her husband should be dismissed.

Ohr's testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday fanned Republican flames that he should be dismissed.

The House is in recess this month, yet Republican lawmakers returned for the chance to question Ohr, who was in contact with Steele, while Democratic lawmakers were represented by committee staff, in the eight-hour grilling, ABC News reported.

He gave lawmakers 'a list of half a dozen' senior FBI and Justice Departments officials who knew about his interactions, GOP Rep. John Ratcliffe told Fox News' 'Hannity' Tuesday night.

Ohr had passed along Steele's information from their contact to the FBI, even after the bureau had terminated its formal relationship with Steele over the spy's leaks about their work to the media.

Republicans were also interested in how Steele's dossier ended up at the FBI.

Ohr's wife Nellie worked at Fusion GPS, the same firm that hired Steele to write the dossier, although it has been reported she did not work on that project.

'We've confirmed that Bruce Ohr was a willing and constant conduit between Fusion GPS, paid for by the Clinton campaign, and the FBI,' Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said on 'Fox & Friends' Wednesday morning without going into details.

'He knew he was providing hearsay and double hearsay that would never stand up in court,' Issa added.

Other Republicans said Ohr's testimony suggested the FBI had doubts about dossier's credibility when they sought a surveillance warrant on former Trump campaign official Carter Page in October 2016.

Trump and his allies claim that FBI surveillance of Page was a done through a tainted FISA warrant that relied on the Steele dossier.

Last month, documents released through a Freedom of Information Act request showed federal agents brought more information than the Steele dossier to court to obtain the warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Ohr is an expert on the Russian mafia and organized crime, work that brought him into contact with Steele, who specialized in Russia when he worked as a spy.

The two men met in 2007, when Steele still worked for MI-6 and Ohr was investigating Russian crime syndicates.

Steele went on to investigate ties between Trump and Russia for the research firm, Fusion GPS, where Ohr's wife Nellie worked as a contractor.

Trump has slammed Ohr repeatedly on Twitter and suggested he will take away his security clearance

Ohr had contact with former British spy Christopher Steele, whose unverified dossier alleged Russia had information it could use to blackmail Trump

Fusion GPS commissioned Steele to write the dossier on Trump that alleged the Russians have information they could use to blackmail the president, including an allegation - which Trump has denied - that he hired 'a number of prostitutes to perform a "golden showers" (urination) show in front of him' when he was in Moscow for the 2013 Miss Universe pageant.

Reports indicate Nellie Ohr did not work on the dossier and her time at Fusion GPS did not influence her husband's work at DOJ.

Trump and his allies claim the Steele dossier was politically motivated by those in the government who do not want to see Trump be president.

Democrats, meanwhile, argue the Ohr testimony is another attempt to prove a conspiracy theory they say does not have merit.
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Senator John McCain appears in an upcoming documentary filmed before his death warning the United States about president Donald Trump and his ties to Russia.

In a clip of Jack Bryan's Active Matters, McCain joins Hillary Clinton, Yahoo News chief investigative corespondent Michael Isikoff and others as they discuss Trump, the 2016 presidential election and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

The documentary debuts in theaters on August 31, less than a week after McCain died from brain cancer.

'The fact that there was an attack on the fundamentalthe absolute fundamentala free and fair election, should alarm all of us,' McCain says in a clip obtained by The Daily Beast.

Senator John McCain warns about president Donald Trump and Russia in an upcoming documentary called Active Measures. The film will be released on August 31, nearly a week after McCain (pictured) died from brain cancer

McCain is referring to numerous reports alleging that the Russian government meddled in the 2016 election, something Putin denies. Special counsel Robert Mueller has spent the past few months investigating the alleged collusion.

Isikoff appears in the film saying that possible Russian involvement 'spooked officials in the White House'.

'And that's the moment, I think, that the enormity of the Russian influence campaign really started to hit home,' he added.

Clinton added: 'People were seeing this dangerous, troubling activity coming from the Russians that was actually in our electoral system.'

During the two-hour documentary, Bryan argues that Russia has been cultivating Trump long before he was a presidential candidate. Rhode Island senator Sheldon Whitehouse explains that the Russians 'have a particular type of mark who they go after' and Trump fits the bill.

'They go after someone who has business resources, perhaps some shady morals so they are amenable to bribery. Or perhaps they're in a difficult financial situation or has either political connections or aspirations,' he said, adding: 'I've just described Donald Trump.'

In a clip of the film, Clinton called possible Russian collusion 'dangerous' and 'troubling'. She's pictured at a convention in July in Pittsburgh

'It should alarm us all,' McCain says of possible Russia collusion. Putin, pictured with Trump arriving at their July meeting in Helsinki, denied the allegations

Filmmaker Jack Bryan said he wanted McCain in Active Measures because of how vocal he was about Trump and Russia

Bryan also lays out multiple connections between the president and Putin allies. At one point in the film, McCain says Putin 'has no moral standards' and 'poses a threat to the world'.

Bryan said he wanted to include McCain in his documentary because of how vocal the senator was about alleged Russian meddling and the president's seemingly close bond with Putin.

'(McCain) was the most forceful voice in Congress at speaking out against Russian aggression and standing up for democracy worldwide,' Bryan told the Daily Beast.

'In 2004 when Putin tried to rig an election in Ukraine, John McCain stood with the Ukrainian people. In 2016 when Putin tried to do the same thing in America, he was one of the few voices in his party who refused to remain silent,' Bryan added. 'He and Hillary Clinton were Vladimir Putin's greatest adversaries in the United States, and without their voices it would be impossible to understand how and why our country arrived at this point.'
Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh (above in 2006) tried to cap payouts to 9/11 victims and their families at $500,000, records have revealed

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh tried to cap payouts to 9/11 victims and their families at $500,000, newly obtained records have revealed.

Kavanaugh served as associate White House Counsel to President George W Bush during the time that Congress was debating the parameters of the Victims Compensation Fund following the 2001 terror attacks.

According to a letter obtained by the New York Daily News this week, Kavanaugh tried to limit the federal government's liability in the attacks with a proposal that would limit the amount of compensation given out.

In an October 14, 2001, letter to Bush aide Kristen Silverberg, Kavanaugh wrote that 'three aspects of our proposal' were being questioned, one of them being a '$500,000 cap'.

Sen Chuck Schumer and other lawmakers quashed that proposal, and ultimately there were no limits set.

Payments from the fund ended up averaging a whopping $1.8million, ranging from $220,000 to $7.1million.

Special master of the fund Kenneth Feinberg decided compensation based on a number of factors including 'the economic loss suffered as a result of the victim's premature death' as well as 'pain and suffering'.

Kavanaugh, who was serving as associate White House Counsel to President George W Bush at the time of the 2001 terror attacks in New York City (above) and Washington, DC, tried to limit the federal government's liability in the attacks with a proposal that would cap compensation

Kavanaugh was nominated to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy in July by President Donald Trump.

The nomination has been met with strong pushback from Democrats, led by New York's Schumer.

'This window into the thinking of Brett Kavanaugh days after the horrific 9/11 terror attack raises real questions about Judge Kavanaugh's priorities and judgement, but it doesn't tell us everything we are entitled to know,' said Schumer.

The Trump administration is pushing for confirmation hearings to begin next week.

Those opposed to Kavanaugh's nomination have called out the fact that of a massive six to seven million pages of records generated over the longtime public servant's career, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has requested only about 900,000.

Only about 260,000 pages have been released to the public.

'Millions of pages just like these remain locked up and withheld from public view for no good reason. These documents prove we need his entire record, no matter how bad it looks,' Schumer said.

Kavanaugh was nominated to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy in July by President Donald Trump, whose administration is pushing for confirmation hearings to begin next week

The White House has defended Kavanaugh's role in the aftermath of 9/11, saying in a statement: 'As a public servant on September 11, 2001, Judge Kavanaugh confronted many difficult, at times unprecedented, legal issues in the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack on our soil.'

News of Kavanaugh's cap has not been received well particularly by the families it would have affected.

Merrilly Noeth, 73, who lost her 30-year-old son, Petty Officer Michael Noeth, when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11, called the cap 'absurd for many reasons'.

'Whatever payment goes to people's families should be largely dependent on the actual loss,' Noeth told the Daily News, noting that she received $1.3million from the fund.

In addition to providing financial support to people killed and injured during the September 11 terror attacks in New York City and Washington, DC, the fund aimed to protect the airline industry from financial peril.

There was widespread concern in the industry that thousands of victims' family members would sue the airlines for inadequate security measures, as screenings had failed to detect pocket knives on the 19 terrorists across four flights.

In order to receive payouts from the VCF, victims waived their right to sue the airlines.

A group of 95 victims declined to enter the fund so they could file legal claims against the airlines, ultimately settling for more than $500million.
Passers-by were left bemused after spotting a new cycle lane in a street - because it was just 30-feet long.

The very short new addition - mistakenly painted on by Brent Council contractors - has been mocked for its bizarre placing and size.

Damiano di Cere tweeted a picture of the strange sighting in north west London, saying the 'fantastic new cycle lane' was 'wide enough for a fat cat to waddle down it and get tired before reaching the end'.

Bungling workers have marked out a 30-foot cycle lane on a busy road in north west London

The cycle lane was installed on Chamberlayne Road in Kensal Rise during resurfacing works

A bicycle is able to traverse the entire cycle lane in a matter of seconds

He said: 'Fantastic new cycle lane on Chamberlayne Road leading up to Kensal Rise.

'It's well connected (to the pavement) and wide (enough for a fat cat to waddle down it and get tired before reaching the end).'

The average length of an adult bicycle is 62 inches - about a fifth of the entire cycle lane.

Brent council said it was mistakenly painted on by contractors who have been working to restore and update the gas mains along the road.

A spokesman described it as a 'genuine mistake.'

They added: 'The utility contractor working in that area has incorrectly marked and incorrectly curtailed the cycle lane and we have asked them to rectify this as soon as possible.'

Brent Council admitted their contractor made a mistake when reinstating the road
A tiny New Zealand town wants to ban cats under a new 'pest plan' to protect native wildlife.

Cat owners in the small Southland community of Omaui will need to have their feline friends de-sexed and micro-chipped, placed on a council list and monitored until the time of their death.

'Your cat can live out its natural life at Omaui happily doing what it's doing,' Omaui biosecurity operations manager Ali Meade told Newshub.

'But then when it dies, you wouldn't be able to replace it.'

A tiny New Zealand town wants to ban cats under a new 'pest plan' to protect native wildlife, saying domestic cats take a huge toll on native wildlife, killing large numbers of birds (stock image)

Cat owners in the small Southland community of Omaui (pictured) may need to have their feline friends de-sexed and micro-chipped, placed on a council list and monitored until the time of their death

The drastic new changes might spell the end for all cats in the coastal town, with those wanting to buy a new or replacement cat seen to be in breach of the Pest Management Act.

Environment Southland has proposed the changes to help protect biodiversity in the area.

Ms Meade said rules and regulations to monitor cat ownership in the area would have a huge positive impact on the environment.

She said trail cameras had been recording cats in the area to monitor the damage they're doing to the native flora and fauna.

'There's cats getting into the native bush, they're preying on native birds, they're taking insects, they're taking reptiles, all sorts of things. They're doing quite a bit of damage,' she explained.

The drastic new changes might spell the end for all cats in the coastal town, with those wanting to buy a new or replacement cat seen to be in breach of the Pest Management Act (stock image)

Omauri is home to 230 hectares of lowland and forest where native birds including the fantail (left), brown creeper, grey warbler, shining cuckoo kingfisher and the tui (right) live

'People have a choice,' Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said earlier in the year. 'Is it the native birds and wildlife, like the lizards, insects they want to thrive? Or is it the cat?' (Pictured: the shining bronze-cuckoo)

Omauri is home to 230 hectares of lowland and forest where native birds including the fantail, brown creeper, grey warbler, shining cuckoo kingfisher and the tui live.

'People have a choice,' Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said earlier in the year.

'Is it the native birds and wildlife, like the lizards, insects they want to thrive? Or is it the cat?'

But the proposals have angered local residents, who say they will actively petition and have accused the council of behaving 'like a police state'.

Resident Nico Jarvis told Otago Daily Times: 'It's not even regulating people's ability to have a cat. It's saying you can't have a cat'.

Submissions on the Southland regional pest management plan can be made until 23 October.
The pope is facing mounting pressure to quit as ultra-conservative members of the Catholic Church hierarchy continue to accuse him of covering for a cardinal in a sex abuse scandal.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to the US, dropped an 11-page bombshell at the weekend accusing Francis of ignoring abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Pope Francis 'knew from at least June 23, 2013, that McCarrick was a serial predator,' Vigano alleged. 'He knew that he was a corrupt man, he covered for him to the bitter end.'

The timing of the letter's release - right in the middle of Francis's landmark trip to Ireland - immediately raised speculation about a possible plot against the Argentine pontiff.

The Pope (pictured yesterday) is facing mounting pressure to quit as ultra-conservative members of the Catholic Church hierarchy continue to accuse him of covering for a cardinal in a sex abuse scandal

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano (pictured), a former Vatican envoy to Washington, dropped an 11-page bombshell at the weekend accusing Francis of ignoring abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick

Pope Francis 'knew from at least June 23, 2013, that McCarrick (pictured) was a serial predator,' Vigano alleged. 'He knew that he was a corrupt man, he covered for him to the bitter end'

Among some ultra-conservative Catholics, the pope is regarded as a dangerous progressive who is more interested in social issues than traditional Church matters.

But so far, Francis has remained silent, refusing to address the allegations and saying only that Vigano's missive 'speaks for itself'.

Since then, two of the pope's fiercest critics have stepped forward to support the archbishop.

Italian journalist Marco Tosatti, who runs a conservative and staunchly anti-Francis blog, boasted Tuesday that he had helped Vigano craft and edit his testimony before translating it into Spanish and English.

Tosatti praised the 'courage' of Vigano, who was never made a cardinal and was exiled to Washington as the Holy See's ambassador after blasting the Vatican for poor financial management.

On Wednesday, US cardinal Raymond Leo Burke - the pope's fiercest critic within the Vatican - backed Vigano's call for Francis to step down.

'I cannot say if it is wrong to demand the resignation of the pope, I only say that to get to that, you have to investigate and act on what's found,' Burke in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica.

'A resignation request is legitimate regardless. Anyone can make it for any clergyman who has made a grave error.'

This is not the first time Burke has moved against the pontiff.

In 2016, he was one of four cardinals who wrote a letter to the pope saying that he should be sanctioned for confusing Catholics after permitting people who have divorced and remarried to take communion in certain circumstances.

Among some ultra-conservative Catholics, the pope is regarded as a dangerous progressive who is more interested in social issues than traditional Church matters

Vigano, 77, is also no stranger to showing his disapproval of Francis - last year he was one of 60 conservative priests who signed a petition accusing the pontiff of 'heresies'.

Nonetheless, he told RAI television on Wednesday he 'never felt any desire for vengeance or held a grudge' against Francis.

Paul Elie, who lectures at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University, said the voices raised against Francis were a direct result of his tolerant outlook.

'Because Francis is not inclined to an authoritarian style, he has allowed a much greater degree of dissent to be expressed openly than his predecessors,' he told AFP.

People, he said, were speaking out 'much more than they used to.'

The storm surrounding McCarrick, 88, broke in June when American Church officials said allegations he had sexually abused a 16-year-old boy half a century ago were credible.

The investigation into Theodore McCarrick US cardinal Theodore McCarrick has been accused of sexually abusing a teenager while working as a priest in New York in the early 1970s. Pope Francis accepted the 88-year-old's resignation in July, making McCarrick just the second cardinal ever to lose his status. At the time, the Vatican announced that Francis had ordered McCarrick to conduct a 'life of prayer and penance' before a church trial over the allegations of sexual abuse, which included one claim involving an 11-year-old boy. McCarrick was previously one of the highest, most visible Catholic church officials in the United States and was heavily involved in the church's years-long response to allegations of priestly abuse there. McCarrick rose steadily and swiftly up the U.S. church's ranks, from auxiliary bishop in New York City, to bishop in Metuchen, to archbishop of Newark, and then to Archbishop of Washington, D.C. Francis received McCarrick's letter offering to resign from the College of Cardinals after a spate of allegations that the prelate had for years sexually abused boys and had sexual misconduct with adult seminarians. McCarrick had already been removed from public ministry since June 20, pending a full investigation into allegations that he fondled a teenager more than 40 years ago in New York City. McCarrick has denied these allegations. Another alleged victim says McCarrick exposed himself to him when he was 11 and continued a sexually abusive relationship with him for more than two decades. McCarrick has not responded publicly to these accusations. Advertisement

McCarrick, one of the most senior Catholic leaders to face allegations of abuse, denies that particular charge. But a month later, in an unprecedented move, Francis accepted his resignation as a cardinal.

Vigano, who served as ambassador between 2011 and 2016, claimed he had warned the pope back in June 2013 that McCarrick was sharing his bed with young seminarians and priests.

And he accused Francis of ignoring sanctions that were allegedly imposed on McCarrick by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009-10, condemning him to a discreet life of penance.

Vigano said Francis 'did not take into account' these sanctions and instead made McCarrick 'his trusted counsellor', consulting him on a number of cardinal nominations.

There is no public record of any such sanctions and it remains unclear whether Francis was aware of them.

But Vigano says Bishop Jean-Francois Lantheaume, a former senior Vatican counsellor, was there when McCarrick was informed about the sanctions by the Vatican's previous ambassador, who is now dead.

He said Lantheaume, who is currently serving as a priest in Genoa, was 'ready to testify' about that meeting in Washington DC.

Lantheaume did not respond to AFP's questions but told the Catholic News Agency that Vigano had told 'the truth'.

Even after he was sanctioned, photos have emerged showing McCarrick visiting Benedict at the Vatican. The retired pontiff's private secretary has said he will not be commenting on the matter.

And the US-based Catholic News Service on Wednesday released a video dated May 2012 when McCarrick was allegedly barred from appearing in public.

In it, Vigano is seen with him at a gala dinner in Manhattan, smiling and saying the cardinal was 'very much loved by us all'.

As debate raged over the latest developments in a long-running abuse scandal that has shaken the Church, Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the Vatican Insider website that although Vigano's allegations had caused 'bitterness' and 'concern', Francis remained 'very calm'.
A heart wrenching photo showing a small girl cradling a dead sheep has laid bare the devastating impact of Australia's recent drought.

The moving image was shared to a Facebook group set up to let thousands of people struggling across the country share how the drought has affected them.

The girl can be seen holding the limp animal under a beating sun on her family farm near Tenterfield, at the border of New South Wales and Queensland.

Tenterfield has received just 18.8mm of rain in August compared to an average of 55.3mm since 2010, while the entire state of NSW was declared to be in drought by the government earlier this month.

A heartbreaking photo of a small girl clutching a dead sheep like a teddy bear on the New South Wales-Queensland state border was posted on social media on Wednesday

A poem was also posted alongside the photo, with the small girl weeping in the poem that 'lamb's mum died' and that she will 'go and tell my mum'

A poem was posted alongside the photo by group member on Wednesday, in which the small girl weeps that 'Lamb's mum died' and she would 'go and tell my mum'.

The poem laments the impact of the continued drought in NSW, which has received less than 20 per cent of its usual rainfall since January, and southern Queensland.

In one line of the poem, the plight of the girl's family farm is revealed - with a farmer described as 'tired of the fight - her heart broken and body sore'.

In another verse, the poem says 'the waterholes are empty, the dams broken and dry, a little girl carries a lamb and she has a little cry.'

Partially written from the perspective of a farmer, the poem reveals that from a herd of 300 ewes 100 on the farm near Tenterfield have already died.

Commenters on the photo, posted to the One Day Closer To Rain Facebook, offered their thoughts and prayers and pledged to help the small girl and the farmer

Others said they hoped the current barren conditions would ease up soon and give way to rain, with New South Wales having received just 20 per cent of its usual rainfall since January

Commenters on the post, which has been shared more than four thousand times, showed their support for the suffering farmer and the girl in the photo.

One user commented: Words seem so inadequate when people are facing thing like this. We are all trying to do as much as we can. We just pray it's enough to help you all.'

Another added: 'Praying for you all to get the rain you need soon. So sorry.'

The photo is the latest reminder of the effects of the drought on livestock on Australia's eastern coast.

A jarring image of a baby lamb crying for its mother in NSW emerged earlier this month, and a record number of sheep were brought to auction on August 14 as drought-stricken farmers battled to feed their livestock.

Despite much-needed rainfall sweeping through much of NSW over the weekend, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned drier-than-average conditions in the state and in Queensland will continue into the Spring.
President Donald Trump has been calling Republican senators to vent his fury about Jeff Sessions - a scorched earth campaign that's seen decreased support for the attorney general among his former colleagues.

Trump has spent the past 10 days unleashing his ire at Sessions to 'any senator who will listen,' one Republican Senate aide told Politico.

Sessions has been a repeated target of the president's twitter rants as Trump has publicly expressed his frustration with his attorney general's unwillingness to interfere in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation or to fire senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.

President Trump has been calling Republican senators to vent about his attorney general

Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Trump's relationship declined when Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation

The negative campaign seems to have some positive effects for Trump as two influential Republican senators have indicated Sessions could be on his way out.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the current chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, who could take over the committee in 2019, each indicated to Bloomberg News earlier this month that there could be confirmation hearings for a new attorney general in the coming months.

Additionally Graham told NBC News on Tuesday that the president and Sessions' relationship was 'beyond repair' and he advised Trump to replace the attorney general.

'We need an attorney general that can work with the president, that can lead the Department of Justice,' Graham said on the 'Today Show.'

And when he was asked on CBS 'This Morning' if the president has cause to fire Sessions, Graham replied: 'I think you serve at the pleasure of the president.'

Grassley said he had he'd have more time for confirmation hearings for a new attorney general this fall than he did last year - a questionable remark given the Senate's busy fall schedule that will see his committee hold hearings on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the entire upper chamber work on funding the government.

The two senators are said to irritated by Sessions' opposition to a criminal justice reform bill they support.

And a source close to Sessions told CNN after Grassley's remarks that the attorney general wasn't going to be 'blackmailed' into supporting a criminal justice bill he didn't agree with.

The legislation, which Trump has tabled until after the election, is also supported by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Kushner, Graham and other senators have urged the president to include sentencing revisions in the package, an idea Sessions opposes.

Besides irritating Kushner, Sessions is also said to have lost the support of Ivanka Trump.

Trump raised the idea of firing Sessions in a phone call with Graham last week, congressional aides told Politico, although Graham advised him to wait until after the November election.

Sen. Lindsey Graham said the president and Sessions' relationship was 'beyond repair'

Sen. Chuck Grassley said he had he'd have more time for confirmation hearings for a new attorney general this fall

The president has also floated his plan to his legal team who have warned him such a move could feed Mueller's investigation into whether Trump obstructed justice in the Russia probe, a probe that was trigged by the president's firing of former FBI director James Comey.

But some of Trump's team feel that Mueller will make an obstruction case whether Sessions is fired or not.

The attorney general does maintain the support of one key ally in the Senate - Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

'I have total confidence in the attorney general; I think he ought to stay exactly where he is,' McConnell told reporters on Tuesday.

Trump's public fury at Sessions has increased since his former campaign manager Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts of bank and tax fraud and his former personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts of campaign finance reform.

The president told 'Fox & Friends' last week that Sessions 'never took control of the Justice Department.'

That prompted Sessions to fire back in a rare public statement on the criticism he's received from Trump.

'I took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in, which is why we have had unprecedented success at effectuating the President's agenda,' Sessions said.

'While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations,' he added.

Sessions, when he was a senator from Alabama, was one of Trump's earliest supporters on Capitol Hill - loyalty that earned him the top spot at the Justice Department.

But the two men's relationship soured when Sessions recused himself from overseeing the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election, a move that infuriated the president.

'The Russian Witch Hunt Hoax continues, all because Jeff Sessions didn't tell me he was going to recuse himself...I would have quickly picked someone else. So much time and money wasted, so many lives ruined...and Sessions knew better than most that there was No Collusion!' Trump tweeted in June.

Sessions announced his recusal in March 2017, citing a recommendation from the ethics office at the Justice Department.

'They said that since I had involvement with the campaign, I should not be involved in any campaign investigation,' Sessions said at the time.

Sessions is also said to have lost the support of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump

Jeff Sessions, when he was a senator, was one of Trump's first supporters on Capitol Hill

Sessions met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice during the campaign and did not disclose that to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his January confirmation hearing.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a Republican who was nominated by Trump to the number two slot at Justice, is overseeing the investigation.

Graham told CBS 'This Morning' the cracks in the Trump-Sessions relationship goes beyond the recusal.

'The problems between the White House and the president and Attorney General Sessions go well beyond the recusal. I hope they can repair these problems, but I don't see that happening anytime soon,' he said.
A soldier who was filmed by the FBI kissing the ISIS flag has pleaded guilty to supporting the jihadist group.

Ikaika Erik Kang, a 35-year-old sergeant first class in the US Army, admitted to four counts of attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

Kang, who is based in Hawaii, provided secret military information, a drone meant to track US troops and other support to undercover agents he believed were members of the terrorist organization.

Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, swore allegiance to ISIS and provided the terrorist group with secret military information

The disgraced soldier reached a plea deal with the US and agreed to serve 25 years in prison.

By at least early 2016, Kang had become sympathetic toward ISIS.

The FBI gathered information from sources he knew, worked with or lived with when it began an investigation in August 2016.

Kang provided digital documents that included sensitive information including the US military's weapons file, details about a sensitive mobile airspace management system, various military manuals and documents containing personal information about other troops service members.

Trained as an air traffic controller with a secret security clearance, Kang also provided documents including call signs, mission procedures and radio frequencies, 'all of which would have been helpful to ISIS,' US Attorney Ken Sorenson said.

At one of the meetings with agents Kang believed were part of the Islamic State, he swore loyalty to the group in Arabic and English and kissed an Islamic State flag given to him by a purported ISIS sheikh.

Here he kisses the ISIS flag during a meeting where he said he wanted to kill innocent Americans

At the same meeting he said he wanted to get his rifle and kill innocent Americans. He said: '[I'll] just go to downtown Honolulu and Waikiki strip and start shooting,' prosecutors revealed. After that, FBI agents arrested him.

'He was clearly enticed. But the law of entrapment is quite complex and often very difficult for the defense to prove,' Kang's defense attorney, Birney Bervar, said after the hearing.

In exchange for Kang's guilty plea, prosecutors said they won't charge him with additional crimes, including violations of the espionage act, other terrorism-related laws and federal firearms statutes.

Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of the military, but he betrayed his country, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said.

He was also trained as an Army combat instructor and recorded training videos he intended for Islamic State group members in the Middle East to use, Sorenson said.

The first class sergeant became fixated with beheading videos and watched them for hours on end. Pictured: He holds the ISIS flag to his forehead after swearing to fight for the group's cause

A confidential informant told agents Kang was obsessed with videos depicting terrorism beheadings, suicide bombings and other violence, and he watched them in his bedroom for hours daily.

Kang told the informant that if he became an Islamic State member, he would be a suicide bomber and attack Schofield Barracks, a sprawling Army base outside Honolulu, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Kang watched the videos for four to five hours each weekday and more on the weekends, the informant told agents in 2016. The informant 'remembered feeling sick to his stomach, while Kang laughed and insulted the victims,' the affidavit said.

Kang began researching Islam in 2014, couldn't wait to move to the Middle East to 'join the cause' and was 'only in the military for a paycheck,' the informant said.

The US government asked a judge to allow a tracking device to be placed on Kang's car in October 2016 and received several extensions.

Agents said in their applications for a tracking device that they needed to monitor him continuously because they feared he would carry out an attack.

Officials with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade told the FBI they were concerned about their ability to monitor Kang, noting that he was to return from leave on 25 May 2017 - the same day as a change-of-command ceremony.

Brigade personnel feared the large gathering 'represented a target of opportunity for Kang should he want to harm members of the unit.'

Kang is still in the Army, but his duty status is confined, said Lt. Col. Curt Kellogg, with the 25th Infantry Division. Because Kang is in civilian confinement, the Army isn't paying him, Kellogg said. He has been held without bail since his arrest.

Kang is expected to receive a 25 years in prison as part of a plea agreement when he is sentenced Dec. 10.
Pennsylvania has placed all of its state prisons on immediate lockdown after multiple staff members fell ill when they were exposed to an unknown toxic substance.

Since August 6, 29 staffers have become sick in 13 separate incidents throughout the state's prison system.

Visits have been suspended and mail rooms frozen to stop drugs getting in, according to State Corrections Secretary John Wetzel.

Pennsylvania has placed all of its state prisons on immediate lockdown Pictured: The State Correctional Institution at Phoenix in Collegeville

'The safety and security of our employees is my number one concern,' Wetzel said in a statement.

'Our state prisons, especially those in the western part of the state, have experienced recent incidents in which employees have been sickened and we need to get to the bottom of this now.'

Training on situational awareness and the use of personal protective equipment, 'especially gloves', will now be put in place for prison employees.

It comes as five inmates died from overdosing on tainted synthetic drugs in Arkansas and dozens were sickened in Ohio under similar circumstances.

In the last three weeks 29 staffers have become sick in 13 separate incidents throughout the state's prison system. Pictured: The State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill

Staff are also being advised to use 'extra caution' when new inmates are admitted into the prison.

Pennsylvania isn't the only state experiencing substance control issues within its prisons.

In Ohio, 28 people, including 23 correction officers, were taken to the hospital for evaluation after they may have been exposed to an unidentified illicit drug substance, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

Those evaluated also included four nurses and an inmate.
Advertisement

Britain is braced for final summer blast of summer as temperatures are set to rocket, after the Met Office apologised to Britons who complained of being soaked when they thought it would be dry.

Temperatures could rocket to 81F (27C) in the south of England next week, according to the Met Office, following a period of below-par weather for this time of the year.

Experts say temperatures could remain above average throughout September and possibly beyond.

People make the most of the weather as they take to the beach in Bournemouth ahead of the first day of the Bournemouth Air Festival today

Hundreds of people have taken to Bournemouth beach for the Bournemouth Air Festival

People zip line past HMS Diamond moored off of Bournemouth as they make the most of the weather ahead of the first day of the Bournemouth Air Festival

The south of Britain will see the drier and sunny weather from next week, while northern England and Scotland will be generally cooler and wetter.

Temperatures in the south will hit the mid 20Cs by the weekend, while some parts of the country could even hit 30C.

Higher pressure coming from the continent, combining with the lower pressures from the Atlantic could lead to an east-west split, whereby there is a fair bit of cloud in the west while the east remains sunny

Exacta Weather's James Madden said: 'High pressure is going to rebuild across the country this week and this will start leading to a gradual transition to warmer temperatures.

'We expect this set up to bring more in the way of sunshine and by the weekend we could be pushing the 30C (86F) mark in parts of Britain.'

And the latest government long-range outlook suggests that Britain is likely to stay warmer than normal over the next three months.

People enjoying the mild August temperatures in Bournemouth today (pictured). The latest government long-range outlook suggests that Britain is likely to stay warmer than normal over the next three months

Fair ground rides have been set up on Bournemouth beach, along the South Coast

A Met Office spokesman said: 'Sea surface temperatures across much of the northern North Atlantic Ocean remain below average.

'This pattern moderately increases the chances of high pressure over Northern Europe during September.

'In early autumn, high pressure is often associated with above-average temperatures.

'Meanwhile, sea surface temperatures close to the UK continue to be well above average following the hot summer.

'This also increases the chances of above-average UK temperatures, mainly in the early part of the outlook period.

'For September and for September-October-November as a whole, above-average temperatures are more likely than below-average temperatures.'

It comes after the Met Office predicted August would be warm and dry in their long range weather outlook for the month.

The Met Office said that long-range outlooks are mostly aimed at supporting avaiation and construction industries rather than being relied upon for detailed forecasts

Higher pressure coming from the continent, combining with the lower pressures from the Atlantic could lead to an east-west split, whereby there is a fair bit of cloud in the west while the east remains sunny

Despite the Met Office forecasting rain for the Bank Holiday weekend, there was confusion among some people who looked at the general forecast for the month. Rainfall across the country over the Bank Holiday Weekend has dampened some people's faith in forecasters.

Met Office spokesperson Graham Madge said: 'There was a lot of media speculation about weather in August.

'Our long range outlook suggested that it would be warmer and dryer than average, but that's a long way from suggesting that we were going to continue with heatwave conditions, and obviously we did see part of the month with very dry and warm conditions.'

'We certainly weren't predicting a heatwave for the whole of August.'

The Met Office said that long-range outlooks are mostly aimed at supporting aviation and construction industries rather than being relied upon for detailed forecasts.

They added meteorologists jobs have been made more difficult due to erratic weather conditions, ranging from this summer's long heat-wave to the freezing Beast from the East in February.

The Met Office has tried to win over some of the people who have been angry at the weather forecasts over the past few days

Graham from the Met Office said: 'We obviously need the public's trust on providing forecasts, but clearly there are limits to what meteorological science is able to provide at this moment in time, and we're quite clear that we can provide forecasts with a reasonable degree of accuracy out to five or seven days, but beyond that it's not possible to determine exactly what the weather is going to be like.

'In terms of apologising to the public, it's not fair to put us in that position because we haven't given a month-long forecast for August which promised a heatwave.'
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.
A California man has been arrested after allegedly threatening to bomb and shoot staff of The Boston Globe in retaliation for the newspaper's critical editorials about President Trump.

Robert Chain, 68, was arrested in his underwear at his Encino home on Thursday after making the threats in phone calls to the Massachusetts newspaper which he described as 'the enemy of the people', borrowing from Trump's unflattering descriptions of the press.

According to prosecutors, he called the newspaper after it made a rally cry to other outlets on August 10 to publish editorials on August 16 about Trump's combative relationship with what he calls the 'mainstream media'.

Over the course of a week, Chain called employees 14 times threatening to kill them, the US Attorney's Office said.

Chain owns multiple weapons including a 9mm carbine rifle he bought in May.

Robert Chain was arrested in his underwear at his Encino, California, home on Thursday morning at 6am. A SWAT team is pictured outside his home

Chain made the threats towards The Boston Globe in multiple phone calls over the course of a week after it called on other newspapers to publish coordinate anti-Trump editorials on August 16. Theirs is pictured

On August 16, when the newspaper published its scathing editorial of Trump as promised, Chain called up again and threatened to be at the office to shoot employees at 4pm.

In that call, he said: 'You're the f****** enemy of the people and we're going to kill every f****** one of you.

'Hey, why don't you call the F, why don't you call Mueller, maybe he can help you out buddy. Still there f****t? Alright, why, you going to trace my call?

'You're the f****** enemy of the people and we're going to kill every f****** one of you. I'm going to shoot you in the f****** head later today. 4 o'clock. Goodbye,

'What are you going to do motherf*****? You ain't going to do s***. I'm going to shoot you in the f****** head later today. 4 o'clock. Goodbye,' he said.

In another call, he said: 'Hey, how's your p***y smell today? Nice and fresh? We are going to shoot you motherf****** in the head, you Boston Globe c******ers. Shoot every f****** one of you.'

The specific threat prompted police in Boston to stand guard outside the office for the afternoon. The Globe also hired its own security when the threatening calls began.

On August 22, he called from a different number and said he wanted to get in touch 'because you are the enemy of the people and I want you to go f*** yourself.'

'As long as you keep attacking the President, the duly elected President of the United States, in the continuation of your treasonous and seditious acts, I will continue to threat, harass and annoy the Boston Globe, owned by the New York Times, the other fake news,' he said.

The FBI were able to trace him through 12 of the calls, made between August 10 and 17, after contacting Verizon, the phone provider for the newspaper. It was able to trace his number despite it coming up as 'blocked' whenever he called the office.

Chain was arrested at home in Encino, California. His home, where he lives with his wife, is pictured

There were a number of cars outside the man's home that were searched on Thursday by the FBI

The FBI then traced the number through Charter Communications to his home in Califa, Calfornia.

Chain is scheduled to appear in court in Encino on Thursday afternoon before being extradited to Boston to face charges.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said on Thursday: 'Anyone  regardless of political affiliation  who puts others in fear for their lives will be prosecuted by this office.

'In a time of increasing political polarization, and amid the increasing incidence of mass shootings, members of the public must police their own political rhetoric. Or we will.'

Chain has no prior criminal history. Records indicate that he owns two businesses - one is an investments company.

It is not clear if either is functional or successful. He and his wife Betty have filed for bankruptcy twice in the past.
The family of a prisoner who choked to death lying face down in his cell with dried Weet-Bix around his mouth have accused staff of negligence after pleas to save his life were allegedly ignored.

Vincent Kuru-Nathan, 21, died in his cell at a prison in Christchurch, New Zealand on May 15 last year after vomiting up his breakfast and choking on it.

The delay in responding to an alert from another inmate was one of many issues that occurred on the day of the prisoner's death, a report has found.

Vincent Kuru-Nathan, 21, (pictured) died in his cell at a prison in Christchurch, New Zealand on May 15 last year

His mother Missy Kuru said staff 'dropped the ball', and prisoners were entitled to the same rights as everyone else.

'You're talking about someone's life,' she told Stuff.

The prisons inspectorate report said Kuru-Nathan had gone to the dining area at 7.12am and returned to his cell with his breakfast.

He was last seen alive when he opened his cell door to put rubbish in a bin at 7.48am. He was called to report for work through an intercom but did not respond.

Ms Kuru said a relative of the prisoner who raised the alarm told her there was dried Weet-Bix around her son's mouth when he was discovered.

A prisoner found him lying face down in his cell and called for staff. When another prisoner called for help over the intercom staff did not take him seriously, it has been alleged. More prisoners arrived to help, finding Kuru-Nathan warm but 'bluish'.

He was placed in the recovery position as they, again, called for help.

Over the intercom, a senior staff member told them to go to medical.

'The [officer] appeared not to understand the seriousness of the situation,' the report said.

Once a custodial officer arrived Kuru-Nathan was lifted on to the bed and chest compressions began. A prisoner assisted in giving mouth to mouth. It took seven minutes to find the defibrillator following confusion over where the vital medical item was kept.

Vincent Kuru-Nathan, 21, (pictured) was found lying face down in his cell in Christchurch, New Zealand on May 15 last year

After being unable to find a shockable heart rhythm Kuru-Nathan had turned blue. When an emergency medical call was made the nurse was not wearing his earpiece and did not hear the call.

A guard alerted the nurse but there was another delay, it was 'impractical' to run the nurse's 25kg emergency bag 360m to the cell, the report said. Then the medical car was unable to be driven because its windscreen was frosted over.

A prison van was then used instead, but there was another interruption. The decision was made to drop three prisoners at their units on the way which caused a further two-minute delay.

The nurse arrived nine minutes after the emergency call was made.

Chest compressions continued until an ambulance arrived.

Vincent Kuru-Nathan, 21, (pictured) had been in the low security unit at the prison when another inmate found him lying face down on the floor of his cell

Kuru-Nathan was pronounced dead at 8.48am. A post mortem found he died due to asphyxia resulting from aspiration of gastric contents.

He had been in the prisons low security Te Ahuhu unit, serving a three-year, sentence for a number of offences including an assault which left a man with severe brain injuries.

Regional commissioner of Corrections Ben Clark said changes had been implemented to ensure staff respond appropriately to emergency calls. There were also instruments added to prison vehicles to de-ice vehicles.

The coroner's file remains open.
Jamie Oliver has told how he ploughed 12.7million of his own money into his struggling restaurant business last year after being given two hours to save the chain.

Earlier this year, the TV chef announced he was closing 12 of his 37 Jamie's Italian restaurants with 200 jobs affected.

He also came under fire for failing to pay suppliers after his upmarket steak restaurant Barbecoa crashed into administration.

Jamie Oliver has revealed he had to pump 12million of his own money into his struggling restaurant chain

Speaking about the crisis in an interview released today, Oliver told the Financial Times Magazine: 'I had two hours to put money in and save it or the whole thing would go to s*** that day or the next day... It was as bad as that and as dramatic as that.'

He revealed he initially plunged 7.5million from his own savings into his Italian restaurant chain, followed by a further 5.2million. The firm also took out 37million in loans from HSBC and other companies.

Oliver told the financial newspaper that his firm 'simply run out of cash' and raged at 'people supposed to manage that stuff'.

He said Brexit was among the number to factors which caused a 'perfect storm' for the company, as well as rental costs, local government rates and the increase in the minimum wage.

Barbecoa was said have owed 6.7million owed to creditors in the wake of the problems, although the group now insists everyone has been paid.

In today's interview, Oliver defended his brother-in-law Paul Hunt from the criticism he received in the wake of business's problems.

Oliver backed his under-fire brother in law Paul Hunt (pictured) in this week's interview

Mr Hunt, who is married to Oliver's sister Anna-Marie, was appointed to run Jamie Oliver Ltd in 2014.

He was described as an 'arrogant, incompetent failure' and 'a City boy from central casting' in the weeks after the financial issues.

But Oliver backed Mr Hunt, praising him as 'honest and fair' and insisting he had done a 'fantastic job' at the business.

He said Mr Hunt would go 'at the right time', but that he brought family members in because he trusted them not to steal from him.

Oliver seems to have won another of his battles today, after it emerged the government could ban the sale of energy drinks to children.

Earlier this year the group announced it was shutting 12 of its 37 Jamie's Italian restaurants

He has had led a high-profile campaign against junk food and its contribution to soaring childhood obesity in the UK.

The new restrictions will apply to drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, like popular brands Red Bull, Monster and Relentless.

Excessive consumption has been linked to a host of health and behaviour problems in children, from headaches to hyperactivity.
Two people have been charged in the deadly hammer attack on a woman whose remains were found in multiple trash bags left in two Bronx parks.

Daquan Wheeler, 31, was charged with murder, manslaughter, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon.

His girlfriend, 31-year-old Ciara Martinez, was charged with criminal facilitation, hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy.

The two were escorted from the 42nd Precint on Wednesday night in connection to the killing of Lisa Marie Velasquez.

'She was my friend,' Martinez told reporters of Velasquez as she was being led in handcuffed out of the police station. 'I loved her.'

Scroll down for video

Daquan Wheeler (left) and Ciara Martinez (right), both 31, were arrested on Wednesday in connection to the killing of Lisa Marie Velasquez (suspects pictured in old mugshots)

Grisly evidence: Investigators in protective suits are pictured examining black trash bags containing some of the remains of homicide victim Lisa Marie Velasquez, 24

Three garbage bags containing body parts were recovered from Barretto Point Park in Hunts Point, The Bronx, on Tuesday

As Martinez was being led away in handcuffs, she called Velasquez her 'friend' and said she 'loved her'

Wheeler, 31, was charged with murder, manslaughter, concealment of a human corpse, and other counts

Velasquez was said to have died from a blow to the head and suffered multiple blunt impact injuries

Police identified Velasquez, 24, as the victim in the grisly killing on Tuesday after officers found three black garbage bags containing body parts at Barretto Point Park in Hunts Point that night. Two others bags of human remains were recovered from Crotona Park last Friday.

Velasquez was said to have died from hammer blows to the head and suffered multiple blunt impact injuries, ABC 7 reports.

'I'm trying to find a way to tell her grandmother. It's not been easy for us,' aunt Jacqueline Perez explained to the New York Daily News on Wednesday.

The woman's grandmother, Iris Ginel, took Velasquez in when she was 12 years old along with siblings David and Vanessa.

The three witnessed the brutal murder of their mother, 37-year-old Marilyn Ginel, at the hands of ex-boyfriend Robert Coakley.

With assistance from his then-girlfriend, who held Marilyn down, Coakley stabbed, strangled and beat the woman to death.

Police found two bags of human remains in Crotona Park in The Bronx on August 24

Officers are seen working at the scene of the grisly discovery in The Bronx on Friday

When Velasquez was 12, she and her two siblings witnessed the brutal murder of their mother - 37-year-old Marilyn Ginel - at the hands of ex-boyfriend Robert Coakley

Coakley was said to have warned the children that 'if you tell anybody I killed your mother, I'll kill you.' Marilyn was nine months pregnant with her fourth child at the time of her death.

Her ex-boyfriend was convicted of murder and is currently serving 25 years to life behind bars.

Police say Velasquez (pictured) was trying to protect her friend, Martinez, from her boyfriend

'Lisa witnessed it. After that, my mother took custody of the kids,' Perez added about Iris Ginel. 'She's sick. She can't walk. She never recovered from her daughter being murdered.'

Velasquez was last seen leaving her apartment at the Melrose Houses on August 21. According to police, she never returned.

'She came to my mother's house. She grabbed her bag. She left in a rush. She said she had to help a friend who was in danger. And then she ran out,' Perez claimed.

Police sources tell CBS New York said Velasquez's endangered friend was Martinez.

They said Martinez and Wheeler had been arguing at their home on Longfellow Avenue. When Velasquez came to her friend's aid, both women called police to file a report accusing Wheeler of harassment.

Jacqueline Perez, the aunt of Lisa Velasquez crying near her home on East 156th Street on Wednesday

A uniformed police officer embraces a family member of the slain woman outside their Bronx home on Wednesday

According to sources, Wheeler left the apartment, then returned and continued arguing with Martinez. At one point, the man allegedly turned on Velasquez and bludgeoned her twice in the head with a hammer.

The 24-year-old was reported missing the next day by another aunt who lives in her building.

'The type of animal who would do this to another human being she was tortured,' Perez stated. 'She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to die this way. Whether she was a good girl or a bad girl, she didn't deserve this.'
The Trump administration has weighed in on a lawsuit claiming Harvard University discriminates against Asian American students in its admissions process.

A class action filed against the Ivy League school by Students for Fair Admission claims some Asian Americans were missing out on spots due to their race, as the university tried to 'racially balance' its incoming classes.

On Thursday, a statement from the Department of Justice said the Ivy League school had failed to show its use of race in the admissions process did not result in discrimination.

'No American should be denied admission to school because of their race,' Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement of interest filed to the court.

The Department of Justice has argued a class action filed against racial balancing in Harvard's admissions process should go to trial as the plaintiffs have 'compelling evidence'

'As a recipient of taxpayer dollars, Harvard has a responsibility to conduct its admissions policy without racial discrimination by using meaningful admissions criteria that meet lawful requirements.

'The Department of Justice has the responsibility to protect the civil rights of the American people. This case is significant because the admissions policies at our colleges and universities are important and must be conducted lawfully.'

The DoJ has argued the case should be sent to trial as the plaintiffs had produced 'compelling evidence' suggesting they had been discriminated against, and Harvard had not been able to prove they had not.

Harvard have previously tried to have the suit dismissed before it is sent to trial.

In its statement, the department claims there is substantial evidence suggesting 'Harvard admissions officers and committees consistently monitor and manipulate the racial makeup of incoming classes'.

The DoJ claims there have been stable racial demographics in the elite school's class intake from year to year, and notes the Supreme Court labelled attempts to racially balance a class 'patently unconstitutional'.

Harvard's admissions process takes many things into consideration, among them a 'personal rating'. The Department of Justice statement says this is based on 'subjective factors' and could amount to discrimination.

'Harvard scores its applicants based on 'subjective' factors such as 'likability' and being a 'good person' with 'human qualities',' the statement reads.

'Harvard admits that, on average, it scores Asian-American applicants lower on this 'personal rating' than applicants of other races.'

Harvard University have reportedly been unable to prove their admissions process did not discriminate against anyone based on their race, but former and current students say there is nothing wrong with the current methods used by the Ivy League school

The Justice Department is separately investigating Harvards admissions policies, a probe that could also result in a lawsuit.

Briefs filed in support of Harvard and its admissions policies by students and alumni at the end of July express concern about the rolling back of civil rights protections under the Trump administration.

The conservative founder of Students for Fair Admissions, anti-civil rights activist Edward Blum, has also been personally called out by the group for trying to encourage a less diverse student body.

In the 31-page brief, the group say they 'strongly condemn all forms of racial discrimination and urge the thorough investigation and redress of any credible allegations of racial discrimination in admissions'.

But the group say they do not believe the racial discrimination Harvard is currently accused of is legitimate, and believe it to be a targeted attack at existing racial protections.

'[We] equally condemn the attempt to manufacture conflict between racial and ethnic groups in order to revive an unrelenting agenda to dismantle efforts to create a racially diverse and inclusive student body through college admissions,' they wrote.

'Race consciousness is not at odds with racial equality.'
Israel wants to ban lap dances in strip clubs after declaring them 'a sexual act of physical contact intended to please'.

The State Attorney's office said the move aimed to wipe out an activity that 'in certain circumstances constitutes prostitution.'

Strip club owners flouting the rules would be committing a criminal offence under the new policy and can expect 'extensive measures' to be taken against them, the Deputy State Attorney warned.

Israel wants to ban lap dances in strip clubs after declaring them 'a sexual act of physical contact intended to please' (file picture)

Police have sent out written notices outlining the policy.

According to Jpost, Attorney Nitzan Kahana of the Task Force on Human Trafficking backed the move, adding: 'The treatment to root out prostitution in Israel has begun.

'Strip clubs are a major part of this industry, not only because of "back rooms" where women are abused for a full sexual act, but also due to the lap dances, posing for years as "an innocent dance" when it is apparent to all that they are essentially a sexual act of physical contact intending to please customers.'

It is the latest move in Israel aimed at fighting what Jpost calls 'exploitation of women for sexual acts.'

A recent bill was approved allowing customers to be fined for using prostitutes.

It also comes after a couple in Jerusalem were arrested over claims they tricked dozens of eastern European women into travelling to Israel to work in brothels.
A hospital worker overcome with jealousy accessed the medical records of her boyfriend's model ex in order to bombard her with a barrage of text messages.

Admin assistant, Amy Docker, 23, who worked at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north London, texted model Candice Collier calling her a 's**g bag' and telling her to 'go get more d***' in a stream of messages.

Candice, 28, received a barrage of texts from Docker, despite explaining she hadn't seen her ex-lover for almost six months.

Docker (pictured) had worked as an admin assistant at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London

Candice said that she 'couldn't believe it', adding the situation was 'so bizarre'.

'It's such an incredibly immature thing to do. I literally do not care about this man.'

The tirade of messages began when Docker, of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, was goaded by friends in a WhatsApp group.

The group included Candice's ex-boyfriend and a few other friends who started to tease her that she may have competition.

28-year old Candice (pictured) said she 'couldn't believe' Docker's behaviour and said it was an incredibly immature thing to do

Even though the friends were just joking, Docker became so enraged that she said she would get Candice's number.

Within minutes she had her mobile and home address and told them 'Ima bell her.'

She then messaged Candice out of the blue to brand her 'desperate' and a 'slag bag'.

Docker retrieved Candice's phone number and address by accessing her medical records

Hospital bosses launched a formal HR investigation following the incident, where Docker accessed Candice's personal records

Despite telling Docker that she was no longer with the man, Candice was told: 'Go get more d***', 'shut your whore mouth' and to 'jog on.'

Candice, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, told The Sun Online: 'It scares me that she's able to dig my contact details out. It wasn't just my number, she got my address as well.

'She might have had my medical records for all I know, how is she allowed to access this stuff?'

Docker (pictured) had been teased by friends in a WhatsApp group, who hinted that Candice might be her competition

'All it takes is a few harmless comments from mates and she's accessing my records and sending me abusive messages.'

In a statement to the MailOnline a spokesperson from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust said: 'Docker was employed by the Trust as an administrator and is no longer employed by the trust.'

Hospital bosses had previously confirmed to The Sun Online that a formal HR investigation was conducted into Docker regarding 'inappropriate accessing' of Candice's personal medical records.

Candice who often models for The Sun's Dear Deidre Photo Casebook said: 'I don't know what she's doing now.

'I just hope she's learnt her lesson.'

Docker is reportedly no longer seeing the man following the spat.
A 10-month-old baby choked to death despite desperate attempts by his mother to save him after being given a piece of apple during a family day out at the zoo, an inquest heard.

Benjamin Philip Masters, from Worthing, was in the picnic area with his brother Dominic and mother Lucy on April 18 at Drusillas Park, in Alfriston, East Sussex, when he started to choke on a piece of apple.

Lucy, who works as a member of cabin crew, used her airline training to give her son first aid.

Benjamin Masters was on a family day out at Drusillas Park in Alfriston, East Sussex, when he started to choke on a piece of apple

His mother Lucy desperately tried to save his life before park staff rushed over and started to administer first aid and CPR

The director at Drusillas Park, Cassie Pollard, provided a statement which said at around 11.20am a customer shouted that a child was choking outside Mungo's cafe at the zoo.

Staff rushed over and administered first aid and CPR as the 10-month-old had gone into cardiac arrest.

An ambulance was called and paramedics arrived on scene at the picnic area.

Daniel Hunt, from the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb), recounted in a statement how the team took over from Drusilla's staff administering chest compressions and the piece of apple was eventually removed.

Benjamin was then rushed to Eastbourne District General Hospital before being transferred to St George's Hospital in London, but sadly died there on April 24.

A family member with a touching tattoo tribute to Benjamin. The family has launched a crowdfunding page to raise money for St George's hospital in London

The heartbroken parents gave their permission to donate his organs to help other small children

Speaking at the inquest in Eastbourne town hall, his father Adam Masters thanked staff at Drusilla's as well as medical teams and hospital staff who worked hard to try and save his life.

He said: 'I wanted to come today because, having not been present, the timeline was very jumbled. It's helped to clarify that evidence for me and have a bit of closure.

'I'd like to thank everybody involved - the staff at Drusilla's and the medical team and the staff at the hospital did a fantastic job.'

Coroner Alan Craze said, 'A case like this is rare and distressing for absolutely everybody. I'm sorry to have put you through it. Thank you for coming, I hope the process will give you a certain amount of closure.'

He concluded an accidental death.

Benjamin's parents gave their permission to donate his organs to help other small children.

In a crowdfunding page to raise money for the unit in St George's Hospital which cared for Benjamin in his last days, his parents wrote, 'Our little angel donated his heart, his liver, both kidneys, pancreas and small bowel.

'Nothing can fill the huge void we have in our hearts for Benjamin but we want to give something back to the team at PICU.

'This page is to raise funds in Benjamins memory, to provide much needed facilities within the ward, to comfort parents when they have a seriously sick child being looked after by the dedicated PICU team.'

The page has raised more than 17,000 and is available here
A motorcyclist who attacked a taxi driver in the middle of traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge had to be dragged away by onlookers, a court has heard.

Kristian Constandinou, 20, pleaded guilty to assault and menacing driving on Thursday for an attack on a taxi driver.

He has asked the driver for forgiveness after punching him about eight times in the head and repeatedly kneeing him in the stomach.

Kristian Constandinou, 20, pleaded guilty to assault and menacing driving on Thursday for a brutal attack on a taxi driver

'I just kinda lost my cool, I guess,' Mr Constandinou told 7 News outside court.

'He kind of aggravated me, but I should have taken a moment to think about my actions and, ah, just let it go.'

Motorists yelled at him to stop but he continued.

He finally stopped once he pulled away by two motorists.

'I hope that you can find it in the kindness of your heart to forgive me,' he said.

Constandinou is due to be sentenced in October.
A British man has been found dead in the River Kwai in western Thailand, four days after disappearing in the wake of a blazing row with his girlfriend.

Robert Lyttle, 51, from Belfast, had been visiting Kanchanaburi, where Allied POWs built part of the infamous Burma Railway during the Second World War, with his partner Supapansa Pornkhunthod, 35.

The couple had been staying at a popular floating hotel, where rooms are made up of wooden rafts, near a waterfall on the River Kwai.

Tragedy: Robert Lyttle, 51, from Belfast, had been visiting Kanchanaburi, Thailand with his partner Supapansa Pornkhunthod, 35

Ms Pornkhunthod said that they had ended up in a furious drunken argument on Monday night, which had ended with her storming out of their floating hotel room to stay with a maid in the early hours of the morning.

She told police she returned to the room in the Sai Yok district the next day, but that Mr Lyttle had disappeared.

His dead body was found floating face down on the famous river - the setting of the classic 1957 film Bridge Over The River Kwai - by villagers this morning.

Ms Pornkhunthod said: 'We had driven from Bangkok to stay at a river lodge for a short holiday. On Monday night we were drunk and we were fighting.

'Robert was shouting until 3am and so I went out to sleep in a room at the resort with one of the maids.

Disappearance: Mr Lyttle, 51, and Ms Pornkhunthod, 35, had fought on Monday evening while staying at a floating hotel, after which Mr Lyttle, from Belfast, had disappeared

Discovery: The body was found floating in the river Thursday morning, and was identified as Mr Lyttle after it was recovered by emergency services

'I went back to the room in the morning and nobody was there. I asked people if they had seen Robert and they said they had seen him at 7am standing on the balcony in front of the room.

'Robert had a habit of quarrelling and we would often fight. Sometimes he would disappear for several days.'

Police began searching through nearby mountains and along the river for the holidaymaker on Tuesday but did not find him.

Locals noticed the body with no shirt and in a pair of black shorts floating further downstream this morning.

Officers arrived and pulled the corpse from the water before it was identified as the missing man.

Mr Lyttle had been missing for four days when his remains were found in the river

Inspector Chaiya Praiwon from the Sai Yok district police station said: ''The body is the British tourist who had been staying near the Sai Yok Sai Yai waterfall and who disappeared on the evening of August 27.

'After receiving notification officers quickly arrived at the scene and co-ordinated with rescue groups. The water was flowing very fast and the body was brought to the shore.

'Preliminary results of the post mortem examination have found that there are no signs or abuse or physical injuries.''

Inspector Chaiya said medics would perform a second forensic examination.

He added: 'The cause of death may be that he was walking and slipped into the river, or fell off the raft and into the river and disappeared.'

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the family of a British man following his death in Kanchaburi Province and are in contact with the Thai authorities.'
An Indian restaurant that was fined thousands of dollars after pet meat was found in the kitchen had 15kg of mutton on their premises when health inspectors arrived.

Cafe Marica, in Perth's southern suburb of Canning Vale, was ordered on Wednesday to pay nearly $14,000 in fines and court costs.

The dodgy mutton had been stored in clear plastic bags clearly labelled: 'Pet Meat - Not For Human Consumption'.

Cafe Marica (pictured) in Perth, Western Australia has been hit with a $14,000 fine after being found processing 15kg of meat, believed to be mutton, in clear plastic bags

Health officers from the City of Gosnells arrived at the restaurant to find 15kg of mutton being stored on their premises - which was being processed at the time of inspection by a chef on the premised (stock image)

Officers from the City of Gosnells found the owner Kopikaran Krishnasamy processing the meat when they came to inspect his restaurant, PerthNow reported.

Gosnells chief executive officer Ian Cowie said the breach related to the fact the pet meat was being kept in the same premises where food was being prepared.

Mr Krishnasamy took to Facebook to defend his restaurant, saying the mistake was due to an error with a supplier.

'We believe our mistake was trusting our supplier blindly and going ahead with the purchase back in February 2018,' he wrote.

'Since then we have immediately discontinued purchases from the supplier and stepped up our hygiene practices.'

'We are truly grateful no-one has consumed the meat and that the inspection officers have helped us save our customers from an unpleasant experience.'

A spokesman for the restaurant (pictured) said a customer had recommended a different supplier to the chef - who had been unable to read the box of meat properly when it arrived

A spokesman for the business said the meat came to be in the kitchen because a chef couldn't properly read English.

'We usually buy our lamb from reputable buyers such as Woolworths or Coles,' he told the Armadale Community News.

But on this instance they didn't when a customer recommended a different wholesale producer to the chef.

The mystery meat arrived in their kitchen in a box labelled 'pet meat', but the chef was unable to read it.

The chef was preparing the meat as if it was lamb, with a spokesperson saying the chef was unable to read the box labelled 'pet meat'

The chef began preparing the meat as if it were lamb, at the exact time a City of Gosnells food inspection officer entered the restaurant.

The restaurant claimed the salesman they bought the meat from put it in a bag labelled for pets to avoid tighter regulations.

The business was fined $12,000, with an additional $1382.30 in costs for failing to prevent pet meat being handled in where food was sold.
Labour was plunged into turmoil today after veteran MP Frank Field sensationally quit blaming Jeremy Corbyn for making the party a 'force for anti-Semitism'.

Mr Field, 76, told party bosses that after nearly 40 years as a Labour MP he was quitting the party whip and will sit as an independent.

Labour MP Wes Streeting warned the Labour now faces a 'catastrophic' split as others will follow Mr Field and quit.

In a letter detailing his decision made public tonight, Mr Field said Britain fought World War II to defeat Nazis - but under Mr Corbyn's watch that victory is being eroded.

Scroll down for video

Frank Field is pictured in Westminster tonight after he resigned the Labour whip, saying he would sit as an independent and attacking leader Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism

And In an interview with Sky News, he said he finally made the tough decision after former chief rabbi Lord Sacks accused Mr Corbyn of being an anti-Semite.

Lord Sacks was responding to a video, exclusively revealed by MailOnline, in which Mr Corbyn told a meeting that British 'Zionists' had 'no sense of English irony'.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said the resignation was a 'serious loss' for Labour and must be a 'wake up call' for the party. He said:

It reflects both the deep divisions in the party and the sense of drift engulfing us.

'It is a major wake up call. We cannot afford to lose people of such weight and stature.'

And Mr Streeting warned that Labour is teetering on the edge of a 'catastrophic split', telling Sky News: 'Frank Field isn't the first and I fear Frank Field wont be the last.'

Labour MP Lucy Powell took to Twitter to say that the party 'must do more' to tackle anti-Semitism.

The Manchester Central MP said: 'I spent much of today speaking to local party members who had been in touch to say they were resigning. Some had been subject to anti-Semitism from other members.

'I managed to persuade most to stay, but we must do more to demonstrate we are serious about tackling this issue.'

Frank Field, 76, (pictured on Sky News today) has announced his shock resignation from Labour's parliamentary party and blamed Jeremy Corbyn and the anti-Semitism scandal for his decision to quit

The move is a major blow for Jeremy Corbyn (pictured earlier this month at the Troxy in London) who has seen his party torn apart by the anti-Semitism scandal. Labour MPs have warned hat others will follow Frank Field - causing a split in the party

Labour MP Wes Streeting warned the Labour now faces a 'catastrophic' split as others will follow Mr Field and quit

Shadow justice secretary and Corbyn loyalist Richard Burgon said that Frank Field should be forced to hold a by-election so that voters can boot him out of office if they want to

Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh paid tribute to Frank Field's work on Twitter after the announcement

Labor Mp Neil Coyle hit back at Corbynista columnist Owen Jones' claim that Mr Field jumped before he was pushed, and said he helped lift millions out of poverty with his work

He added: 'I fear the political crisis facing the Labour Party now is the greatest we have faced since 1981.

'We have seen already this summer speculation of a split, I think this would be a catastrophic moment for the left in British politics.

'I think it would surrender the government of this country to the Conservatives for another term if not another generation.'

On the Conservative side, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: First met Frank Field when I was 19 and he spoke @UniofExeter. Admired him ever since. We have our political differences, but he's a man of integrity and principle. Sad what Labour has become.'

Fellow Tory MP Marcus Jones said: 'Frank Field is an honourable man. I was astonished at how a group of his own colleagues rounded on him so aggressively in an EU Withdrawal Bill debate. This looks like the final straw.'

Who is Frank Field MP and why has he quit the Labour Parliamentary Party? Frank Field has led the charge in some of the most high-profile crusades against British businessmen in recent times. As chair of the powerful pensions select committee, the veteran MP's most notable campaign was fought against retail tycoon Sir Philip Green over the collapse of BHS. Sir Philip owned the retailer for 15 years before selling it to serial bankrupt Dominic Chappell in 2015. It collapsed one year later, leaving in its wake 11,000 job losses and a 571 million pension black hole. An enraged Mr Field immediately set about pursuing Sir Philip with the aim of clawing back cash for pensioners. After hauling the billionaire to parliament and subjecting him to an hours-long roasting, and after a very public war of words, Sir Philip agreed to pay 363 million towards the pension deficit. More recently, Mr Field has trained his guns on another corporate debacle, that of Carillion. The outsourcer's liquidation in January left a 900 million debt pile and hundreds of millions of pounds in unfinished public contracts, as well a 800 million pension deficit. Mr Field has argued that Carillion's pensioners, suppliers and employees have borne the brunt of its failure, while former directors and the firm's auditors have raked in millions. In characteristic tone, the MP for Birkenhead earlier this year savaged Britain's big four accountancy firms - KPMG, PwC, Deloitte and EY - accusing them of 'feasting on the carcass' of Carillion and collecting more than 70 million in the process. Advertisement

Mr Field's shock departure comes just six weeks after John Woodcock quit the party blasting Mr Corbyn's leadership, and has fuelled fears the party will split.

It comes after many weeks of Labour civil war over the anti-Semitism scandal as Mr Corbyn has been hit by a series of highly damaging allegations about his views and failure to tackle the racism festering among some of his members.

In an excoriating attack on Labour under Mr Corbyn, Mr Field warned the party has been swamped with 'thuggish' recruits who are bullying long-standing members.

He said his resignation was a 'plea for action' and he desperately hopes that the party leadership will finally wake up and tackle the racism.

But Mr Field is refusing to quit as a Labour Party member - insisting hat he will not be bullied and 'driven out of town' and the party he has been a member of for 60 years.

It means that he faces being expelled form the party within a fortnight as the organisation's rules dictate that you cannot by member in Parliament while not being a Labour MP.

The Birkenhead MP was first elected in 1979 when Margaret Thatcher swooped into power, and continued as a Labour MP throughout the long years in the wilderness before Tony Blair's election.

He saw off an attempt by far-left activists to deselect him in the 1980s, and he has faced a similar treat in recent months after he backed Brexit.

Mr Streeting tonight said that Labour members are being 'badly let down' by the leadership's refusal to 'face down' ugly characters who have been recruited to the party's ranks.

He added: 'The Labour leadership need to move pretty fast to avoid the catastrophic split in the Labour Party that we saw in the 1980s.'

Mr Corbyn thanked Mr Field for his decades of service.

But the fightback among Corbyn loyalists kicked off immediately - with Labour sources claiming that the MP had been 'looking for an excuse to resign for some time'.

While Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary and Corbyn loyalist, called for Mr Field to fight a by-election so that voters have the opportunity to boot him out.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism organisation said Mr Field's decision to resign was further evidence the Labour Party had become 'infested with anti-Semitism.'

Euan Philipps spokesman for the Labour Against Antisemitism campaign group, said: 'The resignation of the Labour whip by Frank Field MP is a further sign that Jeremy Corbyn is failing to get to grips with the antisemitism crisis that has raged across the summer and engulfed his party.

'At a time when Labour should be providing a strong and credible opposition to Theresa May's government and fighting against a hard Brexit, we are instead seeing a senior Labour figure clash with Mr Corbyn over his handling of a crisis that is not only shameful but is almost entirely of the leader's own making.'

He added: 'Things must change: this situation cannot continue. If the Labour Party is to retain any semblance of its once-proud reputation of anti-racism then it is surely time for Mr Corbyn to do the decent thing and resign.'

Mr Field is the second Labour MP to resign the party whip and go independent in protest at Mr Corbyn's leadership.

He remains a card-carrying member of the party but will not follow orders from the whips office.

Who will be next to jump ship from Labour? MIKE GAPES has told colleagues it is 'over' for him. LUCIANA BERGER has faced appalling abuse online. WES STREETING is an outspoken critic of Mr Corbyn. KATE HOEY faces deselection in her constituency. MARGARET HODGE called Mr Corbyn an anti-Semite. CHRIS LESLIE is an arch-critic of the Labour leader. Advertisement

Barrow MP Mr Woodcock made the same move earlier this summer, and Mike Gapes, the Ilford South MP, has been the focus of speculation he could also resign.

He told MailOnline tonight he was still an Labour MP.

Labour leader Mr Corbyn has been embroiled in anti-Semitism scandal for months and last week MailOnline revealed footage of him dismissing British Zionists as not properly English.

Mr Field said this statement - and the former chief rabbi's condemnation of it - was the 'straw that broke the camel's back.

He told Sky News: 'The Jewish community in this country is desperately worried about our behaviour and I hope when the NEC meets in September that Jeremy will adopt the international definition on anti-Semitism.'

He also tore into the 'thuggery' and 'bullying' carried out by osme of the influx of new members - but vowed to stay on in the party.

He said: 'I ma not going to be run out of town by a group of people who have recently joined and until recently were standing against us.' That's not the life for me.'

In his letter Mr Field said: 'I am resigning the whip for two principal reasons.

'The first centres on the latest example of Labour's leadership becoming a force for antisemitism in British politics.

'The latest example, from last week, comes after a series of attempts by Jeremy to deny the past statements and actions by him were anti-Semitic.

'Britain fought the Second World War to banish these views from our politics, but that superhuman effort and success is now under huge and sustained internal attack.

In a letter to the party, it is thought Mr Field blames the continuing row over Jeremy Corbyn and anti-Semitism for his decision

'The leadership is doing nothing substantive to address this erosion of our core values.

'It saddens me to say that we are increasingly seen as a racist party. This issue alone compels me to resign the whip.'

Mr Field also raised concerns about the 'thuggish conduct' of some members in his local party and the lack of action against them.

He said the party's actions served to 'legitimise appalling levels of bullying and intimidation'.

Mr Field said that he intended to continue representing Birkenhead in Westminster as an Independent.

He added: 'I also intend, providence willing, to represent those views when the next election is called.'

A Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Jeremy Corbyn thanks Frank Field for his service to the Labour Party.'

A Labour source said: 'Frank has been looking for an excuse to resign for some time.'

Deputy leader Mr Watson said: 'This is a serious loss to the party... It is a major wake up call. We cannot afford to lose people of such weight and stature.'

The Campaign Against Antisemitism charity said Mr Field's decision to resign was further evidence the Labour Party had become 'infested with antisemitism.'

Corbyn loyalist frontbencher says Frank Field should hold a by-election after shock resignation A Labour frontbencher and Corbyn loyalist has said that Frank Field should hold a by-election after he quit hte party whip. Mr Field, who has been a Labour MP for nearly 40 years, announced he would now sit as an independent - blaming Jeremy Corbyn and the anti-Semitism scandal. But while other Labour MPs were paying tribute to Mr Field's work, Richard Burgon said he should be forced to fight another election. The shadow justice secretary tweeted: 'Politicians who are elected as Labour MPs by their constituents and who then leave the Labour Party should do the right and respectful thing and call a by-election straight away. 'They should ask for their constituents' consent to continue to represent them on a different basis.' Labour sources have since said that Field's wish to serve as an Independent MP while remaining a member of the party is 'not possible'. Under the Parliamentary Labour Party standing orders, which governs MPs, anyone who takes such action will usually get a letter asking them to retake the party whip within 14 days or face expulsion. Mr Field is understood to be meeting the chief whip on Friday to discuss the matter further. Advertisement

Gideon Falter, chairman of the group, said: 'It is very sad that after almost 40 years as a Labour MP, Frank Field felt morally compelled to resign the Labour whip because the party that was fiercely anti-racist when he joined it has now become infested with anti-Semitism.'

He added: 'The indications are that others may now follow where Frank Field has led.'

Tory chairman Brandon Lewis said: 'Frank Field's resignation is a damning indictment of Jeremy Corbyn's total inability to take action against bullying and anti-Semitic racism within Labour.

'Despite promising a 'kinder politics', time and time again Corbyn has allowed people to get away with doing and saying things which have no place in public life.

'If other Labour MPs don't follow Frank Field's example, they are continuing to endorse Jeremy Corbyn's abject failure to act.'

Theresa May yesterday warned Mr Corbyn that 'anti-Semitism is racism' as she demanded he finally act to stamp out vile abuse in Labour.

The Prime Minister offered her backing to ex-chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks who this week branded Mr Corbyn an 'anti-Semite' and compared him to Enoch Powell.

Speaking in Nigeria during her tour of Africa, Mrs May said Lord Sacks raised 'significant concerns' and was only the latest to speak out.

She said: 'I think the leader of the Labour Party needs to respond to those concerns.'

Yesterday he British Board of Deputies today wrote to Labour's General Secretary Jennie Formby with a renewed demand for action against anti-Semitism.

Chief Executive Gillian Merron said it was 'beyond contention' Mr Corbyn had shared platforms with anti-Semites and terrorist sympathisers.

And she said a video revealed by MailOnline of Mr Corbyn speaking in 2013 showed the Labour leader using a 'classic racist trope'.

A petition launched by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism for Mr Corbyn to resign has been signed by more than 30,000 people as the furious row continues to escalate.

Mr Corbyn is facing a fresh storm of controversy after MailOnline unearthed another video showing him accusing MPs of having their contributions to a debate written by the Israeli ambassador.

Earlier this week Lord Sacks (file image) said a tape of Mr Corbyn attacking English Zionist Jews was the most offensive remark by a British politician since Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech in 1968

Jews, including the Labour MP Luciana Berger (pictured) have repeatedly demanded Mr Corbyn tackle anti-Semitism inside Labour

In full: Frank Field's letter resigning from the Labour Party Birkenhead MP Frank Field has written to Labour chief whip Nick Brown tendering his resignation from the party. This is his letter in full: Dear Nick, I am writing with considerable sadness to inform you of my intention to sit as an Independent Labour Member of Parliament. I am resigning the whip for two principal reasons. The first centres on the latest example of Labour's leadership becoming a force for anti-Semitism in British politics. The latest example, from last week, comes after a series of attempts by Jeremy to deny that past statements and actions by him were anti-Semitic. Britain fought the Second World War to banish these views from our politics, but that superhuman effort and success is now under huge and sustained internal attack. The leadership is doing nothing substantive to address this erosion of our core values. It saddens me to say that we are increasingly seen as a racist party. This issue alone compels me to resign the whip. The second reason is that a culture of intolerance, nastiness and intimidation now reigns in too many parts of the Party nationally and is sadly manifest within my own Constituency Labour Party (CLP) in Birkenhead. This is, I fear, just one example of a phenomenon that has tightened its grip on CLPs across the country and is being driven, in part, by members who in previous years would never have been able to claim Labour Party membership. My original submission to the Party on a specific bullying issue goes back eighteen months. Many submissions have since come from me as well as from loyal Party members. No decisive action has been taken. At best, the Party's failure to act on these numerous complaints about the thuggish conduct of some members demonstrates a wilful denial. At worst, it serves to legitimise appalling levels of bullying and intimidation of lifelong Labour supporters. You know that I wrote to the Labour Party nine months ago about the atrocious behaviour of the then councillor Louise Reecejones. That Ms Reecejones should not be a member of the Party, let alone represent us in public positions, has been underscored by decisions taken by Wirral Council. As you know, she was found guilty of using her position as a councillor to intimidate members of the public. She has refused to apologise properly for her behaviour, and for breaching the Council's code of conduct, even though one of those on the receiving end of her attack has only now a precarious hold on their livelihood. The charge sheet against this individual's suitability ever to hold office, let alone represent the Labour Party, has been detailed to you in separate correspondence. While she was withdrawn as a Council candidate in Wallasey, she has still been able to join the Party's shortlist for another seat and continues to hold an official position within the local Party. I intend to continue to represent Birkenhead in Westminster, as I have had the honour to do so for almost 40 years, and I will continue to do so as an Independent Labour Member. I shall of course remain a Party member as I have been since 1960. The values I have espoused during this time will be same that will continue to govern my conduct and I also intend, providence willing, to represent those views when the next election is called. Few events would give me greater pleasure than to apply to the Parliamentary Labour Party for the whip. But great changes in the leadership's stance on the issues outlined in this letter will need to take place before I will be able to do so. Advertisement
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called the ABC 'numpties' after a comedy show mocked his Christian faith.

In a skit performed on the ABC's Tonightly with Tom Ballard on Monday, comedians Bridie Connell and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd tried to connect the nation's refugee policy to Mr Morrison's religious beliefs.

'The ABC can be numpties every now and then, but my faith teaches me to love each other and to turn the other cheek,' Mr Morrison told the Daily Telegraph.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has called the ABC 'numpties' after he was the subject of a Tonightly sketch that took aim at his faith

'I'm the Prime Minister and I work for all Australians every day - I'm on their side. I'm about bringing Australians together, not about creating differences and pushing them apart.'

Mr Morrison denied watching the ABC segment.

The musical skit, performed by the pair who dubbed themselves the 'Shadow Ministers,' featured lyrics such as: 'ScoMo is under the spell of Jesus' charm, and kids are under safety watch for self-harm.'

Other lyrics included: 'We love Jesus, Jesus, but not refugee-us' and 'to do what pleases Jesus, deny them all visas.'

Reverend Dr Michael Jensen from St Mark's Anglican Church said the skit was a 'cheap shot' and it would not have occurred if the Prime Minister was of the Muslim faith.

Hillsong Church Pastor Brian Houston claimed it was a double standard as the ABC is allowed to mock a white Christian male but minority groups are not targeted.

The skit was performed by comedians Bridie Connell and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd (pictured) who took aim at the new Prime Minister's Christian faith and compared it with the nation's refugee policy

'The vast majority of Australians would consider it unacceptable to ridicule someone for their faith, but sadly in some sections of the media, it is becoming common to denigrate people who unashamedly declare their Christian belief,' he said.

Mr Morrison is Australia's first Pentecostal Prime Minister, and vowed in December last year to fight back against discrimination and mockery of religious groups.

In his maiden speech, he said: 'My personal faith in Jesus Christ is not a political agenda.'

However, some have been quick to use it against him.

Many on social media were quick to defend the new Prime Minister, who is less than a week into his term.

On a Facebook response to the Tonightly act, one wrote: 'This is abhorrent editorial garbage. Completely disrespecting the views of many Australians and faith.'

A social media user questioned whether the show would go the same direction if the target was a Muslim

'This is abhorrent editorial garbage,' one viewer said of the controversial sketch

Some defended the sketch, saying it was taking issue with policy, as opposed to the religion

'Would they do this if he was a Muslim?' another asked.

Tonightly host Tom Ballard tweeted on Thursday that he was unhappy with reporting from the Daily Telegraph.

'To all the people saying 'I bet you wouldn't have the guts to make jokes about a MUSLIM', you should know that I make jokes about Barack Obama all the time,' he tweeted.

Tonightly was cancelled after two seasons, with its final show scheduled for September 7.

Tonightly host Tom Ballard tweeted on Thursday that he was unhappy with reporting from the Daily Telegraph (pictured)

Ballard responded to the social media criticism that he wouldn't make jokes about Muslim people in a tweet (pictured)
Advertisement

Fresh-faced young soldiers, among the very first to answer their nations call and volunteer to risk their lives for King and Country at the start of World War I, proudly line up for a photograph on the platform at Letchworth station, before heading off to fight.

The date is August 5, 1914. Only the day before, Britain had declared war, following Germanys invasion of Belgium.

As we now approach the centenary of the end of the conflict on November 11, this haunting photograph, which has been painstakingly colourised, stands as a poignant reminder of the sacrifice made by an entire generation of young British men who selflessly left their homes to face the artillery, machine guns, barbed wire, gas, mud and wretched trench conditions of the Great War.

Many, of course, never returned. Few platoons were to suffer as terribly as the one lined up at this Home Counties station.

The train these Tommies, from 12 platoon, E Company, Hertfordshire Regiment, were waiting for took them to Norfolk, where they trained for three months before joining the British Expeditionary Force. They caught a boat to the Continent on November 5 and, within days, were in action on the Western Front.

All the Hertfordshire Regiments battalions were part of the Territorial Force, which was to become the Territorial Army in 1921, and had no obligation under their terms of service to face combat overseas.

Historian Dan Hill is trying to uncover the fate of the soldiers from the Hertfordshire Regiment who were pictured at Letchworth train station about to head off to battle in 1914. This tabbed-up version shows the names of some of the soldiers in the picture

Despite that, these young men did not flinch and chose to join the fight on the Western Front.

But this isnt just a mesmerising image. The picture has been given new prominence by the remarkable efforts of historian Dan Hill, of Herts At War, a Lottery-funded project to uncover untold stories from the Great War, who has spent months trying to discover their fate.

He has conducted scrupulous research using local archives containing a vast number of images as well as obituary photographs.

Tragically, of the 11 he has so far been able to put a name to, it has been established that seven were killed, a much higher proportion than you would expect based on national casualty rates for the war as a whole, he says. He is appealing to the public for help naming the rest of the soldiers, as well as for more details about those who have been named.

Here, we tell the stories of the Tommies who have so far been identified . . .

Jack Satterthwaite

Jack Satterthwaite died on April 22 of 1916, while his brother Walter survived

Killed in action April 22, 1916

The platoon sergeant, Jack was a well-known face around town, as well as something of a star in the local football and cricket teams.

In the photograph, he is standing next to his father, James, who is wearing a flat cap and a dark suit with his arms folded.

One of Jacks informal duties as platoon sergeant was to write home to thank the Letchworth residents who sent the men gifts, such as cigarettes and socks.

He was shot in the chest during fighting at Festubert, in North West France, on April 17, 1916. He died of his wounds five days later, aged 25. Jack, a printer, had fought alongside his brother, Walter, on the Western Front.

Walter won the Military Medal for bravery, but was invalided out of the Army after being wounded in the leg a year after Jacks death.

Walter Flanders

Killed in action Nov 19, 1914

WALTER was one of eight children born to merchant seaman Edward Flanders and his wife Sarah, who died after the birth of their youngest child. His father was frequently away at sea, so he had placed the children in the care of a relative. His collier was lost at sea with all hands in 1913.

With their father gone, the childrens carer could no longer support them and they were sent to the workhouse. When one of them, Agnes, married and moved to a house in Letchworth, she took her siblings to live with her.

Walter arrived in Belgium as a private on November 6, 1914  and was killed aged 19 just two weeks later, on November 19. He is believed to have been buried alive when a German shell struck his trench. Walters brother, Valentine, who also fought in the war, carried a newspaper cutting about his death until he, too, was killed, at the Battle of Arras in 1917.

Records show that a Private Bill Johnson, also 19, was killed in the same bomb blast as Walter. Private Johnson was on the platform when this photograph was taken, but has not yet been identified.

The photograph was taken at Letchworth train station in Hertfordshire on August 5, 1914, and is of 12 platoon, E Company, Hertfordshire Regimen

Henry Mabbitt

Wounded

This boyish-looking soldier was wounded early in the war, invalided out of service and given an honourable discharge. He died aged 63 in 1959.

George Drury

Killed in action March 25, 1919

When a campaign for British volunteers was launched, thousands answered the call to fight. Among them were 250,000 boys and young men under 19, supposed to be the legal minimum age for armed service overseas.

George Drury was only 16 when he went to war. Like thousands of other brave teenage Tommies, he lied about his age to get to the Western Front.

He was wounded on three occasions and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry in 1918. George met his fiancee, a nurse, while recovering from his third wound.

He then volunteered to serve with British forces on the anti-Bolshevik White side during the Russian Civil War. He was killed by Russian machine-gunners while trying to rescue his wounded captain on March 25, 1919. At the time, he held the rank of Company Sergeant Major.

George Drury (left) and Fred Millard (centre) have been identified from the image. Both were killed in action in 1919 and 1916 respectively

Fred Millard

Killed in action Oct 4, 1916

The cheery private looking over his comrades shoulders in the photograph was killed at the Battle of the Somme.

The battle, which began on July 1, 1916 and lasted until November 1916, epitomised the horror of World War I trench warfare, with appalling casualties. By the end of the battle, the British Army had suffered 420,000 casualties  including 60,000 on the first day alone. The French lost 200,000 men and the Germans 500,000.

George Sherwood

Killed in action July 31, 1917

Another of the bloodiest engagements of the Great War was the Battle of Passchendaele. It began on July 31, 1917  which was to be the Hertfordshire Regiments worst day of the war.

About 620 men and officers attacked German positions at the village of St Julien in Belgium.

The huge bombardment had failed to destroy the enemy defences. Within two hours, all 20 officers of the Hertfordshires and 75 per cent of other ranks had been killed, wounded or captured. Among the dead was Private George Sherwood, aged 21.

Arthur Boardman

Killed in action Nov 18, 1914

Three months after this photograph was taken, Corporal Arthur Boardman, 21, became the platoons first casualty.

He was killed in the early hours of the morning as he went from trench to trench with ration supplies, close to the Belgian village of Zillebeke, near Ypres.

Shortly before his death, a comrade had warned him: Watch out for the machine guns  they are lively tonight, to which he is said to have selflessly replied: Never mind that  I have to look after the feeding of the men.

His death is starkly recorded in the Hertfordshire Regiments official War Diary with the words: 18-11-14. Remained in trenches. Corporal Boardman killed and one man missing.

Douglas Chisholm

Survived

Douglas Chisholm survived the war and moved to Southampton with his wife

He is seen in the photograph standing on the platform next to his future wife, Daisy, who was wearing a floppy sunhat and had come to wave him off. Both were bookbinders who met while working at J. M. Dents Temple Press in Letchworth, which produced the popular Everymans Library series of books.

His grandson, Michael Chisholm, 64, a retired university librarian, told the Mail that a black-and-white postcard version of the platform photograph had been passed down in his family.

He said: My grandfather Douglas was a volunteer before the war. He spent a year or so in France, then came back to England, where he was a musketry instructor in the Bedfordshire Regiment.

He married Daisy in 1918 before the end of the war while he was stationed in England. They had three children, of whom my father was the oldest.

During his time in the Hertfordshires, Douglas was friends with one of its most famous members, Second Lieutenant Frank Young (not pictured), who was awarded the Victoria Cross post-humously for his actions in September 1918 at the Battle of Havrincourt, during which he rescued two of his men who had been captured and, according to the official citation, bombed and silenced an enemy machine-gun.

Daisy, whose maiden name was Mabbitt, is thought to have been either the sister or cousin of Henry Mabbitt (pictured in the left of the photograph). Michael identified the older woman standing next to Douglas as Daisys mother.

After the war, Douglas and Daisy moved to Southampton, where he continued to work as a bookbinder  until his workplace was bombed by the Luftwaffe during World War II.

They then both went to work in a factory building Spitfires. Douglas died in 1953 aged 59.

Fred Wilkinson

Wounded

He can be seen casually smoking a cigarette as he waits for the train. One of his fingers was shot off on November 19, 1914, but after recovering, he went back to fight on the front line and survived the war.

William Smith

Killed in action July 31, 1917

Like George Sherwood, Private William Smith was among those killed on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele. He was aged 22. He has no known grave, but is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.

Raymond Quinn

Survived

He was aged just 14 when war was declared and served as a boy bugler in the company. In this picture, he is seen holding his bugle in a case. Boy buglers were typically responsible for sounding reveille, and so on. Giving battlefield orders, such as advance or retreat, by bugle had to stop, however, because of the noise of the guns.
Julian Assange is living a life of almost total isolation inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London amid failing health and fears he could soon be forced out, friends say.

Vaughan Smith, a journalist and supporter of Assange, says he is worried for his well-being after he was banned from using the internet, phones or having visitors.

Meanwhile there are rumors that Ecuador is being pressured to rescind Assange's asylum so he can be arrested by British police and potentially extradited to the US.

Julian Assange may be forced from the Ecuadorian embassy amid renewed American interest in him and Wikileaks and their involvement in the 2016 election

Robert Mueller is believed to be investigating whether Assange conspired with Russian hackers to leak DNC emails in the run-up to the vote

Robert Mueller is believed to be looking into Assange and Wikileaks as part of his Russian election meddling probe.

It is not known if Mueller has enough evidence to charge Assange, but he has already indicted a dozen Russians and three companies over the DNC email leak.

Charging documents allege communications between Russian agents posing as hacker Guccifer2.0 and 'Organisation-1' - believed by many to be Wikileaks.

Assange's supporters fear this renewed interest could persuade Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno, who has already called him a 'hacker', to sacrifice him, ABC News reports.

Supporters saying they've heard rumors that Ecuador - whose president, Lenin Moreno, has derided Assange as a 'hacker' - will revoke his asylum 'imminently'.

Even if Mueller does not charge him, Assange would almost certainly face charges over the leak of millions of highly-sensitive US diplomatic cables in 2010.

If he is kicked out of the embassy, he would be immediately arrested by British police for failing to surrender on a warrant related to a since-dropped rape case in Sweden.

While in British police custody, he could be hit with charges by American authorities, which would spark and extradition request.

Vaughn Smith, (right), Assange's long-time supporter, says he is worried for his heath after he was banned from having visitors or using the internet back in March

Speaking to ABC, Smith said that Assange was feeling the pressure when he last saw him just a day before visitation was banned.

Despite that, Smith believes he will stay put until he is forced out.

He said: 'Assange is a toughie. He is built to do this sort of thing.

'He is motivated by a belief that he is making a difference. From his perspective, he considers that hes doing the world a favor.'

Assange has been in self-imposed isolation inside the embassy since 2012 after a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden on charges of rape and molestation failed.

The activist said the request was a guise to get him into the hands of US authorities, who would likely lock him up for decades for the leak of diplomatic cables.

On March 28 this year, Assange was banned from having any contact with the outside world except via his legal team after he posted a tweet questioning the UK government's claim that Russia was behind the Novichok attack in Salisbury.
Abubaker Deghayes, 50, pictured outside of court, a former leader of the al-Quds Mosque in Brighton was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice at Blackfriars Crown Court in London

The father of two fighters who died in Syria, has been jailed after threatening to have his wife shot if she gave evidence against him.

Abubaker Deghayes, 50, a former leader of the al-Quds Mosque in Brighton and the brother of Guantanamo detainee Omar Deghayes, was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice at Blackfriars Crown Court in London.

He was charged with assaulting Einas Abulsayen, who claimed he rammed her face into the carpet and pushed his fingers up her nose in an attempt to remove the jinns or evil spirits from her body.

After she reported him to the police Deghayes went to her brother's house on November 27 and tried to speak to her but was prevented by the relative.

He told the brother: 'Tell Einas to leave the country for a few months so the police drop the case'.

Deyhayes was cleared of the exorcism assault, but jailed for trying to prevent his wife giving evidence.

Both juries were unaware that Deghayes had previously been accused of whipping his children with electric cable, sparking a social services inquiry.

The case was moved from Brighton so that the jury was not aware of his notorious family background.

In April 2014 his son, Abdullah Deghayes, 18, was killed by a sniper while fighting in Idlib Province for the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra.

His death was followed, nine months later, by his younger brother, Jaffar, who was still only 17.

A third brother, Amer, then 20, the eldest and first to arrive, was shot in the stomach in the same battle as Abdullah but remained in the country and was last active on social media in January 2017.

Abdulrahman Deghayes, 22, twin to Abdullah, was jailed for two years last September after admitting possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

Police found drugs, scales, deal bags, cash, a safe and burner phones at Deghayes home in Hove when they searched it on March 3, 2016.

The drugs, cocaine, ketamine, MDMA and amphetamines had a street value of just over 2000.

Another son, Mohammed Deghayes, 19, was jailed for four years for drug dealing at Lewes Crown Court in April.

He had been arrested in Coldean Lane, Brighton, in November 2017 by police who smelled cannabis in a car he was in.

Abdullah Deghayes, 18, was killed by a sniper while fighting in Idlib Province to the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jabbat al-Nusra



Abubaker Deghayes, who lives with his mother in Saltdean, Brighton, arrived in Britain from Libya in 1991.

He controversially had refused to stand for the court during his trial and the judge told him: 'You appear rather arrogant with no respect for the secular nature of our laws.

'You have refused to stand with the court opening and closing. This does not insult me but insults our proud legal system.'

Sentencing Deghayes to 18 months in jail, Judge Rajeev Shetty, added: 'You had no respect for a police investigation that was going to be decided by a court and you chose to intervene knowing that you wife was susceptible to pressure due to her involvement with the community and her love for you.'

Deghayes married Einas Abdulsayen, a pharmacy graduate who is also his cousin, in December 1991 and they separated in 2010, after the allegation of assaulting his children was made.

The court heard that Deghayes had sent a series of text messages, begging his wife to drop the case against him, and adding love heart emojis, kisses and flowers.

He told her that their eldest son, Amar had sent videos from Syria which showed they had a grandchild and added: 'We don't have much time left together. This is not fair what you are doing to me. You promised when we were children that we would be together for better or for worse.

'People are gossiping and their focus is on us. I can commit suicide if it makes you happy Einas. Have mercy on me.

'I am a weak creature I do not have any power left to control. We spent good years together, good days and bad days.'

He then went to his brother-in-law's house in Brighton on November 27 last year and told him to tell his wife to drop the case because it would be in the newspapers and would be an 'embarrassment to the family.'

Jaffar Deghayes, died nine months later in Syria when he was just 17 years old. A third brother Amer, the first to arrive, was shot in the same battle in Abdullah but remained in the country and was last active on social media in January 2017

When the brother-in-law, Mohammed Abulsayen, said the case was 'nothing to do with him', Deghayes added: 'What do you want me to do, hire someone to shoot her?'

Deghayes wife said she believed that he was mentally ill, telling the court: 'I felt Abubaker has schizophrenia and he needs to see a doctor. He pretends to be normal. He needs medicine or something.

'There is no reason for him to want to kill me to be honest. He loses control. It confirmed to me that he needs a doctor.'

The assault allegation followed an alleged visit to his wife at her flat when he was said to have wrestled her to the floor and forced her arm behind her back, wrenching it from its socket.

Mrs Abulsayen told the court that her husband believed she was possessed by evil spirits and was trying to exorcise them.

She told police that he wrestled her to the floor and at one point he put his fingers into her nose to try and get the spirits, known as jinns, out.

Appearing via video link, dressed in a black abaya and hijab, Mrs Abulsayen, told the court: 'He has been thinking for some time that I was possessed. He was telling me that I was possessed and he started talking to the jinn [spirit] that he thought I was possessed with, telling the jinn, 'get out of her'.'

'He was hitting me on my shoulder to get the jinn out of it. I couldn't resist him. He focused a lot on the shoulder, I felt pain.

'I said to him there is no jinn, this is not fair, please stop.'

Deghayes told the court that his wife blamed him for the death of his two sons and for introducing them to cannabis.

He claimed she had been mentally unwell since 1996 and claimed she was seeking revenge.

Deghayes denied being at the flat and told the court: 'I believe every Muslim has to believe in angels, they are mentioned in the Koran, but I have no experience of dealing with jinns. I am very cowardly when it comes to dealing with such things.'
A witness who was boating with her family off Santa Catalina island in Southern California on the night Natalie Wood vanished from her husband's yacht in 1981 claims she heard a woman crying for help and yelling that she was drowning for 20 minutes.

Marilyn Wayne told the creators of the popular new podcast Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood, that on the night of November 28, 1981, she was up on deck on board her boat she heard screams from a woman yelling for help.

Wayne, a retired stockbroker now in her mid-70s, first shared her account with The Mail on Sunday in 2011, claiming at the time that when she tried to tell police about what she had heard that fateful night, she was ignored.

A woman who was boating on November 28, 1981, off Santa Catalina island, not far from the yacht belonging to Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood (pictured together, left), said on a new podcast that she heard a woman's screams for help that night

Wagner has always maintained that Wood accidentally slipped and fell overboard from their yacht, Splendour, as she tried to tie up a dinghy after a night of heavy drinking

Wayne claimed the screams continued for about 20 minutes, from 11.05pm to 11.25pm, which dovetails with the timeline of Wood's disappearance from the boat

Waynes account was featured in chapter 7 of the 12-part podcast series, which was released on Friday.

Well, my son had a digital watch that we had just given him. so thats how we kept the time, minute by minute, she recalled.

And I was up on the deck and heard a woman yelling, Help me, somebody please help me, Im drowning!

Wayne said she told her boyfriend, John, to try to reach Harbor Patrol, which he was not able to do. All the while, she said she continued asking her son for the time.

So we had a minute-by-minute history of the time frame and the yelling went on from 5 after 11 until 11.25 and then it stopped, Wayne recalled.

Wood's husband Robert Wagner, who was on board his yacht Splendour along with his wife's former co-star Christopher Walken, has always maintained that the 43-year-old star of West Side Story accidentally slipped and drowned as she tried to tie up a dinghy against the boat after a tumultuous night of heavy drinking.

Wood's Brainstorm co-star Christopher Walken (left) was one of four people on board the yacht that night

Wayne also revealed that the next day, she and her boyfriend called police seven separate times, trying to report what they had heard out at sea the night Wood went missing, but their calls were never returned.

Then three days later, Wayne received a note that, according to her, stated something to the effect of, If you want to stay healthy, keep your mouth shut!

Also in chapter 7, Roger Smith, former Los Angeles County Supervising Rescue Boat captain who removed Woods body out of the water, told the producers of the podcast that Wagner could have saved his wife but he didnt.

Smith recounted that when he found the Hollywood star floating in the water, it looked like she had not been dead very long.

He recalled that when he slipped a ring off of Wood's finger, he noticed that her hands were still 'pliable,' meaning that rigor mortis had not set it by that point.

Two weeks ago, listeners of the Fatal Voyage podcast heard from Dennis Davern, the former captain of Wagner and Wood's yacht, who claimed that the couple and their guest, Walken, had been fighting and that Wood wanted to escape.

Davern said in the bombshell interview featured in Chapter 6 of the series that he believed Wagner killed his wife during a scuffle in their room, threw her overboard and then told the captain not to look for his wife.

Police re-opened the case into Woods' death in February 2018, and Wagner has been named as a suspect,but has so far declined to speak with authorities.
The uncorroborated rumor of suspected kidnappers freely roaming the streets in the Mexican state of Puebla ended in tragedy Wednesday afternoon when two innocent men were forced out of a jail cell and set on fire by a furious crowd that roared and clapped in unison.

An independent video obtained by Univision clearly shows the brazen attempt when a mob rushed inside a police station house and overpowered the officers, dragging Alberto Flores Morales, 53, and Ricardo Flores Rodriguez, 21, to the town's main plaza before they emptied jugs of gasoline over their bodies and lit them on fire, killing them both.

According to El Universal, the angry group was able to intercept a truck in which Morales and his nephew traveled in San Francisco Boqueron.

They had actually traveled the town to buy some materials, according to Televisa News, and stopped to have some alcoholic beverages near a school, which drew the suspicion of the villagers.

Independent video shows the angry mob leaving the police station with one of the innocent men that were later burned alive

Alberto Flores Morales and his nephew Ricardo Flores Rodriguez are placed on the back of a flatbed truck before they were set on fire

An unidentified body of one of the victims of the vigilante attack on Wednesday

The mob pulled out Morales and his nephew from the vehicle and physically attacked them because they thought that children were being held against their will inside the truck that was eventually set on fire.

Rodriguez's cousin told reporters they were actually arrested because they had been drinking on a road.

Cops from the municipality of Acatlan de Osorio descended on the hectic scene and were able to secure the safety of the battered men at about 3.30pm local time on Wednesday, according to an official police report.

Ricardo Flores Rodriguez (left) with his uncle Alberto Flores Morales (right) being safely held in a jail cell before an estimated crowd of 150 stormed the station house and set them on fire

Residents of the community of San Vicente Boqueron watch as the two innocent men are burned alive

The cops transported the injured men to the San Francisco Boqueron station house and placed them inside a cell for their protection.

Somehow, an estimated 150 upset town residents then took matters into their own hands and minutes later barged into the station house.

The crowd amazingly overtook the command center, breaking down its entrance door before finally reaching the cell where both men were secured.

The group then took Morales and Rodriguez outside the police station entrance and physically assaulted the pair. They burning them alive as onlookers recorded the gruesome scene.

Ricardo Flores Rodriguez (pictured with striped shorts) tries to free himself from the vigilantes

Mob drags one of the two relatives that were mistaken to have been child abductors

An onlooker records the wild scene in Mexican municipality of Acatlan de Osorio when a group killed two innocent men by setting them on fire outside a police station house

The state's prosecutor' office released a statement later in the evening stating that preliminary reports cleared Morales and Rodriguez, who were farm workers, of any crime involving the kidnapping of minors.

Morales' and Rodriguez's family members were informed of the events and tried getting the police force in a nearby town of the state of Puebla.

'Justice needs to be done. That's not right,' Morales' mother Petra Elia Garcia told Univision. 'They were family men. They were workers. We're countryside people.'

In a separate press release, the prosecutor's office also reprimanded the municipality's police for not sending in any negotiators that could have assisted in quelling the agitated crowd and admonished the police department for not having promptly contacted the state police for additional backup.

DailyMail.com reached out to the police department in Acatlan de Osorio, but an on-duty officer declined to comment citing the ongoing investigations. He requested that all inquiries be made through the prosecutor's office for the state of Puebla.

DailyMail.com also reached out to the prosecutors office, but they have not offered any comments.
Theresa May is today facing a backlash over her controversial proposal to ban the sale of energy drinks to schoolchildren.

The PM announced yesterday that ministers would consult on plans to make the sale of caffeine-heavy products like Red Bull to under-18s or under-16s illegal.

The drastic move comes amid fears that the drinks are helping fuel obesity, tooth decay, bad behaviour and sleep problems among young people.

But the free market think-tank IEA launched an excoriating attack on the proposal - branding them 'unnecessary and draconian'.

Chris Snowdon, Head of Lifestyle Economics at the think-tank, said: 'It is not clear what problem the Government is trying to tackle with this consultation.

'If the issue is the sugar in these drinks, then why isn't the Government proposing a ban on the sale of sugary drinks to people under the age of 18?

'If the issue is caffeine then why isn't the Government proposing a sale on coffee to people under the age of 18?

'Banning 17 year olds from buying lemonade or coffee would strike most reasonable people as crazy, so what is so special about energy drinks?

'The amount of caffeine in these drinks is less than would be found in a standard cup of coffee.'

The PM (pictured today in Kenya trying out a plastic telephone) announced yesterday that ministers would consult on plans to make the sale of caffeine-heavy products like Red Bull to under-18s or under-16s illegal

He said that while some there are some health and behavioural problems associated with children who drink lots of energy drink, criminalising them is 'unnecessary and draconian'.

And he attacked the PM's recent record of banning or slapping hefty charges on products in order to force people to change their behaviour.

He said: 'Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has recently made an issue of energy drinks and it seems that the Government is once again dancing to his tune.

'The Prime Minister's claim that energy drinks are cheaper than other soft drinks shows how little she knows about these products.

'This is proving to be a government that bans first and asks questions later.'

Since becoming the PM, Mrs May has introduced a sugar tax and a 5p charge on plastic bags which is set to double to 10p, it was announced today.

Research has found two thirds of young people aged consume energy drinks, and a quarter of 6-9 year-olds.

But one 250ml drink can contain around 80mg of caffeine  as much as a strong cup of coffee and equivalent to nearly three cans of cola.

Some also have 65 per cent more sugar than regular soft drinks.

A voluntary code has seen a number of bigger retailers stop selling the products to minors.

However, ministers have decided to act after concerns that smaller shops were flouting the advice - with cans in multibuy deals as cheap as 25p each.

Measures put out for consultation say a ban would apply to drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre.

The Red Bull website says it contains 80mg of caffeine in a 250ml can - equivalent to 320mg per litre.

The consultation asks for views on whether the ban should apply to under 16s or under 18s.

But a government source said: 'It is a question of how, not whether, we do it.'

Speaking yesterday, Mrs May said: 'Childhood obesity is one of the greatest health challenges this country faces, and that's why we are taking significant action to reduce the amounts of sugar consumed by young people and to help families make healthier choices.

'Our plans to tackle obesity are already world leading, but we recognise much more needs to be done and as part of our long-term plan for the NHS, we are putting a renewed focus on the prevention of ill-health.

'With thousands of young people regularly consuming energy drinks, often because they are sold at cheaper prices than soft drinks, we will consult on banning the sale of energy drinks to children.

'It is vital that we do all we can to make sure children have the best start in life and I encourage everyone to put forward their views.'

Celebrity chef and anti-obesity campaigner Oliver said: 'We have a massive problem with kids and energy drinks.

Celebrity chef and anti-obesity campaigner Jamie Oliver welcomed news of the restrictions

'Too many children are regularly using them to replace breakfast.

'Teachers from across the country have told me how their lessons are disrupted in classrooms because of these drinks, packed with stimulants.

'The energy drinks industry has never thought these products were suitable for children.

'They even say 'not for children' on the labels. The sale to kids should be stopped as soon as possible.

'It's really great news that the government is announcing their intention to stop selling these drinks to kids.

'I'm sure parents and health experts across the UK will happily tell the Government this is the right thing to do.'

Shops that flout a ban could be hit with punishments similar to those for selling cigarettes - a 2,500 fine. The consultation officially opens tomorrow, and will last 12 weeks.
Advertisement

When you've got hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of expensive cars outside your premises, you want the area kept nice and clean. Cue the doorman with the leaf blower.

Britain's supercar season is in full swing - as these pictures taken today outside the Dorchester Hotel in central London show.

Among the predominantly Arab-owned vehicles on display were Lamborghini Aventadors - which can cost around 300,000 - along with a Rolls-Royce Ghost (in excess of 240,000) and Dodge Viper (about 140,000).

Every summer, between July and August, bling kings from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have their cars flown over to the capital for weeks of fun, and to avoid the sweltering heat back home.

Scroll down for video

A doorman from the Dorchester hotel in central London keeps precious supercars safe from foliage with his trusty leaf blower. Around July and August each summer, car enthusiasts from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait have their cars flown over to London to show them off and have some fun

These are just some of the supercars spotted outside the hotel today. They include a yellow Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster (about 315,000), a blue Lamborghini Aventador (about 270,000), a black and white Lamborghini Huracan (about 180,000), a Rolls-Royce Ghost (about 240,000) and an orange Dodge Viper (around 150,000)

Also parked up was this Yellow McLaren 675 LT Spider, which can cost around 285,000. Arab-owned supercars arrive in London having been flown distances of around 3,000 miles - costing around 20,000 per vehicle

In the past, boy racers in nearby Knightsbridge have led to the council imposing Public Spaces Protection Orders  which deal with 'excessive level of noise nuisance, annoyance, danger or risk of harm or injury'.

They can be fined up to 1,000 for leaving their engines running while parked if they are causing a disturbance.

But the prospect of a fixed penalty notice and fine has failed to put off some wealthy drivers from flouting the law, with many still parking their pricey motors on double yellow and red lines.

The car owners, who also hail from Qatar and UAE, will happily pay a small fortune - in excess of 20,000 for a return journey - for their vehicles to be flown around 3,000 miles, and often leave them parked up on the streets of Knightsbridge and Chelsea.

And after coughing up the huge amount to transport the machines halfway around the world, the price of a few parking tickets is hardly likely to trouble them.
Advertisement

The U.S. immigration court system is straining to accommodate cases, with a 38 percent increase in the backlog since President Trump took office, according to a new analysis of government data.

Nationwide, there were 746,049 pending cases as of July 31  up from 542,411 at the end of January 2017, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.

'It's a fairly remarkable increase  nearly 40 percent in 18 months,' former immigration Judge Paul Wickham Schmidt told DailyMail.com. 'It shows that the policies being followed by this administration are making things worse rather than better.'

The increase in caseload has occurred unevenly, with 10 states responsible for the majority of the growth in backlogged cases.

While not every state has immigration court, immigrants living in each state have cases before an immigration judge. This map illustrates where people with pending immigration cases are living

Maryland had the highest increase (96 percent), with 33,384 backlogged cases as of July 31, compared to 17,074 at the end of January 2017.

Massachusetts followed, with a 76 percent increase to 26,782 cases, compared to 15,208 cases 18 months earlier.

No sane person would look at this and think that throwing more cases into this system would be a good idea. -Former immigration Judge Paul Wickham Schmidt

Georgia had the third highest increase at 67 percent (rising to 23,249 cases from 13,955), followed by Florida with a 57 percent increase (up to 50,544 pending cases from 32,233). California had a 48 percent increase and the highest overall backlog of any state with 140,676 unresolved cases, up from 95,252.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has sought to address the problem through a number of steps, however many experts say changes under the Trump administration are exacerbating the backlog.

'No sane person would look at this and think that throwing more cases into this system would be a good idea,' Wickham Schmidt said.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which oversees the immigration court system, announced earlier this month that it has hired 23 new immigration judges in an effort to take on the backlog and to offset the retirement of judges.

That change brings the total number of immigration judges to 351, with Department of Justice officials expecting to add another 75 in the fall.

Sessions says he has also introduced a 'streamlined' approach for hiring judges  a historically lengthy process  to bring the average hiring time down to 266 days, compared from 742 days in 2017, according to Department of Justice data.

In addition, the DOJ has introduced a new quota that would require immigration judges to close 700 cases a year.

Quotas 'would threaten the integrity and independence of the court and potentially increase the court's backlog,' according to the National Association of Immigration Judges, the union representing the judges.

Ten states were responsible for a majority of the increase in case backlogs within U.S. immigration courts since President Trump took office

Despite those efforts, experts say that a number of policy changes under the Trump administration continue to compound the backlog and more recent actions could worsen the situation in years to come.

'The problem is basic policy decisions in managing the workload,' said Susan B. Long, co-director of TRAC, which published the analysis. 'Historically backlogs have been rising for a very long time, so this is not a new problem, but they have accelerated since President Trump assumed office.'

Throwing a couple hundred thousand cases back into an already overloaded system is obviously going to have an impact. -Former immigration Judge Jeffrey S. Chase

Under the current administration, the DOJ has ended an Obama-era practice that gave the government prosecutorial discretion in immigration cases, which allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys to prioritize certain cases and deprioritize others by taking them off the docket indefinitely.

For example, officials could deprioritize cases in which an immigrant has been living in the country for many years without committing any crimes, who is also paying taxes and has close relatives who are U.S. citizens.

The goal was to allow the DOJ to focus more time and energy prosecuting immigrants who were convicted of other crimes, engaged in gang activity, or who had just crossed the border.

Long told DailyMail.com that 'tens of thousands' of cases could be reintroduced to the docket now that prosecutorial discretion has been eliminated.

Sessions also issued a decision earlier this year that takes away the authority of immigration judges to administratively close cases. Similar to prosecutorial discretion, administrative closures allowed a judge to close low-priority cases to make room on the docket for more serious offenses.

The backlog of immigration cases has risen steadily over the past decade

From Oct. 1, 2011 through Sept. 30, 2017, 215,285 cases were administratively closed, according to Sessions' decision.

Now those cases are being added back to the docket, former Immigration Judge Jeffrey S. Chase told DailyMail.com.

'Throwing a couple hundred thousand cases back into an already overloaded system is obviously going to have an impact,' he said.

In addition, the Trump administration is planning to terminate Temporary Protected Status for people from El Salvador in September 2019 and Haiti in July 2019. TPS is a designation for people from certain countries for whom it would be unsafe or not feasible for them to return home. Chase said putting an end to the program will add to the backlog in the future.

Long said that the increase in immigration crackdowns at workplaces and at the Southern U.S. border are primarily being handled by criminal courts, so those aren't having a huge impact on the backlog.

In many cases simple case 'churn'  when cases are postponed because a judge isn't available or unable to get to all scheduled cases in a day  is the cause of backlog, Long said.
The wife of a 30-year-old California pastor has paid tribute to the father-of-three after he killed himself amid his battle with depression.

Father-of-three Andrew Stocklein, the lead pastor at the mega Inland Hills Church in Chino, tried to take his own life last week inside the church having just returned to duties after time away to deal with his depression and anxiety.

He survived but the following day he died from his second suicide attempt. Police have not disclosed further details of how he took his life, according to the Christian Post.

'Last night, the love of my life, the father of my children and the pastor of our incredible church took his last breath and went to be with Jesus,' his wife Kayla Stoecklein posted in her tribute to Instagram.

'He is now in heaven with his dad, free of pain, free of depression and anxiety.'

Pastor Andrew Stocklein was 30-years-old when he killed himself last week following a battle with depression and anxiety, his wife Kayla (pictured together with their three sons) posted a touching tribute to her late husband

Kayla's tribute to her husband was posted in the days following his suicide on Saturday of last week. She touched on what a loving husband and father he was

Her beautiful tribute touched on not only the bond he had with his congregation, but also their bond as a couple and a family.

'He was an amazing husband, he truly made me better, made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world, and he loved me so deeply. We fit so well together, we were one. He was an amazing daddy, his three boys are going to miss him so much,' Kayla added.

And the doting mother and window heartbreakingly added 'I dont know how I am going to face this, I am completely heartbroken, lost, and empty. Never in a million years would I have imagined this would be the end of his story.'

As his wife reels from the loss, she urges anyone who is dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts to get help.

'If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or actions, please tell someone. Please make sure youre not alone, and please call a friend or family member before you make that irreversible decision. You are loved and valued more than you know!,' she added in her tribute.

Andrew was the lead pastor at the Inland Hills Church in Chino (pictured speaking to his congregation from the stage)

Andrew was the lead pastor at the megachurch, Inland Hills in Chino, California where his congregation is still coming to terms with his untimely death

Andrew's father, who founded the Inland Hills Church, died in 2015 of cancer at the age of 55.

A clinical psychologist and fellow pastor, Fernando Garzon, told CBN News about the unique pressures pastors face.

'Pastors have a real challenge in a sense that they give so much to so many people,' he said, 'and many times the standard of behavior and conduct for pastors is so much higher that they feel isolated.'

The church has created a GoFundMe page for the pastor's family.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) is staffed by trained counselors who respond to calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sandra Robles, 25, is suing Milwaukee County jail for allegedly forcing her to wear shackles as she gave birth on February 24, 2014

A former jail inmate has filed a federal lawsuit claiming she was forced to wear leg and arm shackles as she gave birth.

Sandra Robles, now 25, is suing Milwaukee County jail for allegedly forcing her to wear leg shackles where the chain was so short she couldn't reach the stirrups as she gave birth on February 24, 2014.

In her lawsuit, where she names the county and acting Sheriff Richard Schmidt, she says police refused requests by medical staff to have the shackles removed.

Robles, who now has two children and a job, says she was even denied full skin contact with her newborn as her hand was chained to the bed.

Even after she delivered her child, Robles wore the shackles to the restroom.

The lawsuit says the sheriff's office policy of shackling pregnant inmates while in the hospital was punitive and excessive, and that it violated Robles' civil rights, according to the Journal Sentinel.

'Preventing walking during the first stage of labor may deny the woman the benefits of labor acceleration and discomfort alleviation,' the lawsuit says.

'Preventing walking during the postpartum phase may enhance the risk of deep vein thrombosis and its life-threatening embolic complications,' it adds.

Robles was imprisoned at Milwaukee County in Wisconsin, pictured above, from mid-January to mid-March 2014

A Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office is yet to comment on the lawsuit.

Robles has no criminal record in Milwaukee County under that name. Her lawsuit does not indicate her current residence or why she was incarcerated at Milwaukee County from mid-January to mid-March 2014.

But this isn't the first time this jail has run into trouble.

A woman was awarded nearly $7million last year after she alleged that she was sexually assaulted while pregnant at the jail and forced to give birth in shackles as well.

According to court records, some 45 women have filed lawsuits over giving birth while shackled. The shackle policy was dropped in February 2017 unless a supervisor deems that restraints are necessary to prevent escape or injury.

Robles' suit is at least the fourth one to be filed over births by inmates since 2014.
President Donald Trump is canceling a scheduled pay raise for federal workers due in January, saying the nation's budget can't support it.

Trump broke the news in a letter to Congress sent on Thursday.

In the letter he states that the 2.1 per cent across-the-board increase scheduled to kick in come January would add billions to the federal deficit and that's on top of a $25billion locality pay raise.

'We must maintain efforts to put our Nation on a fiscally sustainable course, and Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases. I view the increases that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate,' the President wrote.

He added that 'both across-the-board pay increases and locality pay increases will be set at zero.'

Trump announced he's canceling January 2019 pay raises for federal employees on Thursday

The president sent a letter to Congress on Thursday revealing that the across-the-board increases and locality raises would add more than $25billion to federal deficit - a move that he deems 'inappropriate'

The decision will affect nearly 2.1million federal employees across the nation. About 1.7million of those live in areas outside the DC area, according to The Hill.

However the president added that cancelling the pay raise wouldn't affect the federal government's quality of workers.

He wrote that the government would place a focus on 'recruiting, retaining and rewarding high-performing Federal employees and those with critical skill sets'.

He cited Title 5 of the US Code of Laws in his decision which allows such financial decisions in 'national emergency or serious economic conditions' that affect 'the general welfare'.

Nine months ago Trump signed his $1.5trillion tax cut bill into law. Five months afterwards he signed a massive $1.3trillion spending bill.

Both bills stirred backlash, as critics said that the cuts only benefited corporations and wealthy Americans, but not the every day citizen.

Despite the cancelled pay raise, military members will still see their raise checks roll through with a 2.6 percent pay increase in the new year.

Trump's pay freeze has sparked outrage online.

The news broke on Twitter leading to outrage by politicians and federal employees alike

California Rep Norma Torres said Trump caused the federal deficit to skyrocket and is making federal workers pay for it by losing their raises

California Rep Eric Swalwell said: 'To the hard-working federal employees Trump just screwed by cutting pay - YOU MATTER'

'To the hard-working federal employees Trump just screwed by cutting pay  the folks who run our parks, protect our communities, & serve our veterans: YOU MATTER. If billionaires can get tax cuts, you should get a [cost of living adjustment]. You work hard for America & that should add up to something,' Rep Eric Walwell of California tweeted Thursday.

'Step 1: Blow a $2 trillion hole in the deficit to give tax cuts to the very wealthy. Step 2: Start a trade war requiring billion dollar bailouts. Step 3: Pretend federal workers are the problem,' Rep Norma Jones of California said.

'For President Trump, the federal workforce is just a punching bag,' Rep Gerry Connolly of Virginia said.

The American Federation of Government Employees has urged Congress to override the president's decision.

'President Trumps plan to freeze wages for these patriotic workers next year ignores the fact that they are worse off today financially than they were at the start of the decade,' AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr said.

'Federal employees have had their pay and benefits cut by over $200 billion since 2011, and they are earning nearly 5 percent less today than they did at the start of the decade,' he added.

Under the Trump administration the federal deficit has skyrocketed as a result of his mammoth tax breaks that's expected to reach $1trillion by next year and could grow to $1.5trillion by 2028, according to NBC.
Robert Chain, 68, was arrested on Thursday morning. The grandfather is accused of threatening to shoot staff at The Boston Globe for their anti-Trump coverage

The Californian grandfather arrested for threatening to shoot up and bomb The Boston Globe's offices in a series of foul-mouthed phone calls was described by neighbors as a loud 'know it all' who makes his female neighbors uncomfortable by cat calling them and constantly shouting.

Robert Chain, 68, was arrested in his boxers in a dawn raid on his home in Encino, California, on Thursday.

He is alleged to have called the Massachusetts newspaper 14 times between August 10 and August 22 threatening to shoot its staff because he was angry over their anti-Trump coverage.

Borrowing a phrase from Trump's book, he called its journalists the 'enemy of the people' and said he would be there at 4pm on August 16 to 'shoot them in the head'.

The threat triggered them to hire security and Boston police stood guard outside its offices as a precaution.

Speaking to DailyMail.com on Thursday, neighbor Tim McGowan, who has lived across from Chain for nine years, said he tended to avoid him.

'He's a loud guy. He's very bombastic and the few conversations I've had with him were enough to know he's not my kind of personality .

He's a loud guy. He's very bombastic and the few conversations I've had with him were enough to know he's not my kind of personality Neighbor Tim McGowan

'He's very opinionated and loud and a bit of a know-it-all.

'Nevertheless, I was completely surprised to hear to what level he would express his opinions, he said.

Mr. McGowan said the neighborhood was not one where residents displayed their political beliefs proudly.

He was surprised to learn that Chain was a Trump supporter and had no idea that he owned guns. The FBI found multiple weapons at his home on Thursday including a recently purchased 9mm rifle.

The neighborhood they live in is not particularly political, he said. At most, residents may sometimes place campaign signs in their yards for local elections.

McGowan said Chain, who is always at home while his lawyer wife Betty is at work, can often be heard yelling from their home.

Robert Chain was arrested in his underwear at his Encino, California, home on Thursday morning at 6am. A SWAT team is pictured outside his home

Chain made the threats towards The Boston Globe in multiple phone calls over the course of a week after it called on other newspapers to publish coordinate anti-Trump editorials on August 16. Theirs is pictured

Chain is pictured with his wife Betty and their adult son Andrew. Betty is a lawyer but it is not clear what her husband does for work, if anything. They have filed for bankruptcy twice in the past. He is shown, right, with their toddler grandson

'My wife avoids him all the time because she is not as patient as I am. She was just like, "He's a jerk." He would say stuff to her like, "hey beautiful" all the time. It just made her uncomfortable.

'He wears shorts and no shirt around his yard and he is overweight,' Mr. McGowan said.

It remains unclear what Chain does for work. His wife Betty is a lawyer but there is no tangible record of his career.

Mr. McGowan said his wife was also unfriendly.

'You're the f****** enemy of the people and we're going to kill every f****** one of you. I'm going to shoot you in the f****** head later today. 4 o'clock. Goodbye,

'Betty is a quiet type of person. I'd wave to her and two our of ten times she'd wave back and other times she wouldn't respond. I don't even bother anymore.'

According to prosecutors in Massachusetts, Chain called the newspaper for the first time on August 10 after it issued a rally cry to other publications asking them to join it in publishing an editorial about President Trump's attacks on the media on August 16.

On August 16, when the newspaper published its scathing editorial of Trump as promised, Chain called up again and threatened to be at the office to shoot employees at 4pm.

In that call, he said: 'You're the f****** enemy of the people and we're going to kill every f****** one of you.

'Hey, why don't you call the F, why don't you call Mueller, maybe he can help you out buddy. Still there f****t? Alright, why, you going to trace my call?

'What are you going to do motherf*****? You ain't going to do s***. I'm going to shoot you in the f****** head later today. 4 o'clock. Goodbye,' he said.

Chain was arrested at home in Encino, California. His home, where he lives with his wife, is pictured

FBI agents remove evidence from the home of Robert Chain in the Encino section of Los Angeles

In another call, he said: 'Hey, how's your p***y smell today? Nice and fresh? We are going to shoot you motherf****** in the head, you Boston Globe c******ers. Shoot every f****** one of you.'

The specific threat prompted police in Boston to stand guard outside the office for the afternoon. The Globe also hired its own security when the threatening calls began.

On August 22, he called from a different number and said he wanted to get in touch 'because you are the enemy of the people and I want you to go f*** yourself.'

'As long as you keep attacking the President, the duly elected President of the United States, in the continuation of your treasonous and seditious acts, I will continue to threat, harass and annoy the Boston Globe, owned by the New York Times, the other fake news,' he said.

The FBI were able to trace him through 12 of the calls, made between August 10 and 17, after contacting Verizon, the phone provider for the newspaper. It was able to trace his number despite it coming up as 'blocked' whenever he called the office.

There were a number of cars outside the man's home that were searched on Thursday by the FBI

The FBI then traced the number through Charter Communications to his home in Califa, Calfornia.

Chain is scheduled to appear in court in Encino on Thursday afternoon before being extradited to Boston to face charges.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said on Thursday: 'Anyone  regardless of political affiliation  who puts others in fear for their lives will be prosecuted by this office.

'In a time of increasing political polarization, and amid the increasing incidence of mass shootings, members of the public must police their own political rhetoric. Or we will.'

Chain has no prior criminal history. Records indicate that he owns two businesses - one is an investments company.

It is not clear if either is functional or successful. He and his wife Betty have filed for bankruptcy twice in the past.

On Thursday, Chain will appear in court charged with one count of threatening communications in interstate commerce. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

A Boston Globe spokeswoman issued this statement on Thursday after his arrest.

'We are grateful to the FBI, the US Attorneys Office, the Boston Police, and local authorities in California for the work they did in protecting the Globe while threats were coming in, for investigating the source, and for making this arrest.

'We couldnt have asked for a stronger response.

'While it was unsettling for many of our staffers to be threatened in such a way, nobody  really, nobody  let it get in the way of the important work of this institution.'
Homeless veteran Johnny Bobbitt, 35, is suing a couple set up a $400,000 fundraising campaign in his name, claiming that they stole some of the donated money

A homeless veteran is suing a couple who raised $400,000 for him through a fundraising campaign, claiming that they stole some of the donated money.

What began as a pair of selfless deeds has now led to a legal battle between Johnny Bobbitt, 35, and New Jersey couple Kate DeClure and Mark D'Amico.

Last November the homeless Good Samaritan used his last $20 to help McClure when she ran out of gas and was stranded on a Philadelphia roadway.

To thank Bobbitt, the New Jersey couple set up a GoFundMe account, which raked in nearly half a million dollars.

However, the heartwarming story turned nasty when Bobbitt accused McClure and D'Amico of dipping into the cache of donated money to buy things for themselves.

Earlier this week the couple said they hadn't handed over the funds because they were worried he would spend it all on drugs.

Bobbitt, who is back living under a Philadelphia bridge, is now taking the couple to court for committing fraud.

Scroll down for video

Bobbitt, left, made headlines last November after he used his last $20 to buy gas for stranded motorist Kate McClure, right, in Philadelphia. McClure and her partner Mark D'Amico set up a GoFundMe page to say thank you, but the relationship has since gone sour

Two pro-bono lawyers retained by Bobbitt last week have filed a lawsuit accusing McClure and D'Amico of committing fraud by dipping into donations intended for the 35-year-old

Bobbitt retained two pro-bono lawyers in Philadelphia last week, who filed the lawsuit seeking undisclosed damages and requesting that a judge to appoint someone to oversee the account. A hearing on the suit is scheduled for Thursday.

One of the two pro-bono lawyers Bobbitt retained last week, Christopher C Fallon, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that the legal action was taken after D'Amico ignored multiple requests for a full accounting of the money raised by the GoFundMe campaign.

'He's really left us with no choice but to go forward,' Fallon said of the suit, which seeks undisclosed damages and requests that a judge appoint someone to oversee the account.

McClure and D'Amico have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or misusing any of the money.

McClure and D'Amico appeared on Megyn Kelly Today on Monday, following the first theft accusations by Bobbitt, and insisted they were only trying to stop him from wasting the money

During an appearance on the Megyn Kelly Today show Monday, the couple admitted that just over $150,000 remains of the $400,000 raised over the last nine months.

They explained that they had initially put the money in their own bank account temporarily because Bobbitt didn't have one of his own - and had no ID or documentation to get one.

'We worked to get him all those things. That's takes so much time,' McClure said.

Meanwhile, the couple used the funds to buy Bobbitt a trailer, that he picked out, after he told them he didn't want a house.

'His dream - one of the first conversations I had with him was what he wanted,' said D'Amico.

'You can do anything you want in the world. You won the lottery, basically. I asked him what his dream was, he said to end up in Alaska in a travel trailer and living off the land and fishin hunting. I said, let's do it.'

They even allowed him to keep the trailer on the McClure property while they sorted out his paperwork, and he'd used their home to shower, and would walk in whenever he liked.

Eventually, the documents came through and they set up a bank account for Bobbitt, but by this time, D'Amico said they'd started to notice some 'red flags'.

Bobbitt is back living on the street nine months after the couple raised $400,000 for him because they have spent half the money, apparently on his care, and are withholding the rest

The biggest warning sign came after Christmas, when the couple say they deposited $25,000 into Bobbitt's account.

The money disappeared within 13 days - spent almost exclusively on drugs, D'Amico told Kelly.

'We saw the pattern developing. Every dollar he ever touched was used for drugs,' D'Amico said.

McClure said they tried to get Bobbitt to go to a rehab program but when he refused, they were worried to hand over the rest of the cash because they feared 'he was going to do something foolish and end up right back where he was'.

'I wanted to make sure at the end of the day when he was ready he had something left,' she said

D'Amico claimed that the reason only $150,000 of the donations remain is that '[Bobbitt] spent a lot of money'.

D'Amico explained that after GoFundMe took its cut, they were left with around $350,000 and that the $200,000 had been spent on his trailer, legal fees and court costs ,the hotel Bobbitt stayed in beforehand, an SUV, TV, laptop, two cell phones, and sending his parents money.

'Also his brother came into the picture and was living oppose our property, who is also an addict,' D'Amico said, adding that the rest, including the $25,000 he cycled through in 13 days, went on drugs.

McClure and D'Amico went to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon where they enjoyed a $500-per-person helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. McClure said it was a gift from D'Amico

The couple say they paid for their trips, her new BMW and his casino trips with their salaries. He is a carpenter and she is a receptionist for the state department of transportation

Yet the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the couple have since sold the camper for just $10,000, as well as the SUV, because Bobbitt wanted to use the money from the sale to move out of New Jersey. He claims he has received no money from the sale.

Meanwhile Bobbitt has accused the couple of embezzling his money for their own means - and splashing the cash on vacations and a new car - something they adamantly deny.

Although D'Amico does admit he used $500 of the donations to gamble at a casino, he insists that Bobbitt was with him and it was with his full permission.

WHERE DID THE MONEY GO? McClure and D'Amico say they spent $200,000 on 'care' for Bobbitt which included: A stay in a hotel A camper they have now sold An SUV which was not the one he wanted Two cell phones A TV A laptop $30,000 for GoFundMe's fee $25,000 on cash he spent on drugs Money he sent to his parents and gave to his brother $150,000 being held back Advertisement

D'Amico and McClure say they are in the process of setting up an independent trust for the remaining funds for Bobbitt and say they are happy to have a forensic account go through their spending to prove they haven't spent any of the funds themselves.

'That's what we're in the process of doing.'

But it's been tough for the pair who say they just wanted to do something nice for the homeless man who touched them with his kindness.

McClure broke down in tears as she described receiving death threats from people who assumed they'd stolen Bobbitt's cash.

'It's so hard to deal with, because people are getting one side of the story, and receiving death threats and threats to burn my house down and threats against my family and everything like that is so hard to deal with when we know that we did a good thing,' she said.

'I still believe that we did a good thing, and I would do it all over again.I would do it all over again for him.'

Meanwhile, Bobbitts is back on the streets after the couple reportedly sold his trailer and asked him to leaveMcClure's land, claiming he had stolen from them.

They've also sold the SUV but Bobbitt has not received a penny from the sales.

In April, McClure and D'Amico took Bobbitt to New York City for the first time (above)

GoFundMe is now working with a team of lawyers who have agreed to work pro-bono for Bobbitt to determine whether the money has been mismanaged.

'Giving him all that money, it's never going to happen. I'll burn it in front of him,' D'Amico said bluntly in a recent interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer.

In the meantime, the couple have enjoyed trips to Las Vegas and Los Angeles and McClure has purchased a new BMW. They insist they used their salaries.

He is a carpenter and she works as a receptionist for the state department of transportation. They both say they took 'significant' time off from work to help Bobbitt and they have not explained how they funded their lives during that hiatus.

In April, they took Bobbitt to New York City from New Jersey. They were pictured there together smiling happily for photographs.

Bobbitt is shown (left) before he became homeless and (right) after making the news for helping McClure. He said he believes the couple began wanting to help him but that they got carried away with the amount of money raised

Bobbitt says he feels betrayed by the pair and thinks their greed got the better of them once the money started pouring in.

'I think it might have been good intentions in the beginning, but with that amount of money, I think it became greed,' he said.

Homeless advocates have enrolled him in two rehab programs to try to rid him of his opioid addiction. He spends $15 a day on drugs and is living beneath a bridge.

When contacted by DailyMail.com on Friday morning, McClure did not immediately respond.

She told The Philly Inquirer she did not want to lose her job over the dispute.

GoFundMe spokesman Bartlett Jackson said the company was investigating the disagreement.

'When there is a dispute, we work with all parties involved to ensure funds go to the right place. We will work to ensure that Johnny receives the help he deserves and that the donors' intentions are honored,' he said.

Nearly 15,000 people donated to the page. It is no longer accepting donations.

Nearly 15,000 people donated $402,000 to get Bobbitt off the street after he helped out McClure. Now, GoFundMe is looking in to whether or not the money has been mismanaged

In her last update on it, McClure wrote: 'Now lets get down to some business. We've received a lot of comments and questions about what Johnny's plans are for this money and how it will be used.

'Hopefully this will answer them while keeping his privacy and the privacy of the people he is helping also.

'The first thing on the list is a NEW Home which Johnny will own!! He will never have to worry about a roof over his head again!! Second will be the dream truck he's always wanted... a 1999 ford ranger (yes I'm serious).

'There will also be 2 trusts set up in his name, one essentially giving him the ability to collect a small "salary" each year and another retirement trust which will be wisely invested by a financial planner which he will have access to in a time frame he feels comfortable with so when the time comes he can live his retirement dream of owning a piece of land and a cabin in the country.

'A bank account will be set up for him with funds for every day needs that will get him through until he finds a job. And lastly, he will be donating to a few organizations and people who over the last couple of years have helped him get through this rough patch in his life.

'This is a well thought out plan that Johnny his lawyer and financial advisor came up with in order to give Johnny the means to acclimate back into a "normal" life and also to protect him and ensure he has a bright future.'

Bobbitt said he was never given a lawyer and met once with a financial adviser.
A security guard who robbed and kicked a man to death has blamed the horrific murder on the fact he wasn't having sex.

Sheldon Russell Bentley claimed that the frustration of being 'involuntarily celibate' and stress from work have triggered the fatal attack on 51-year-old Donald Doucette.

Doucette, who was seeking help for alcoholism, had been passed out in an alley behind Lucky 97 supermarket, in Edmonton, Canada, where Bentley was working as a security guard on July 31, 2015, the Edmonton Journal reports.

Sheldon Russell Bentley (right) claimed that the frustration of being 'involuntarily celibate' and stress from work have triggered the fatal attack on 51-year-old Donald Doucette (left)

In an unprovoked attack, Bentley stole $20 from the unconscious man and then stomped on his stomach while wearing heavy combat boots. The attack causing two large tears in the soft tissue in his abdomen and massive internal bleeding.

Bentley and another security guard had then hauled him to his feet and rested him against a chain-link fence on the opposite side of the alley as blood pooled in his abdomen.

Chief medical examiner of Alberta Elizabeth Brooks-Lim testified in June trial heard the victim would have been in severe pain. He would have died within minutes from his injuries.

His body was found propped up against the fence by two passersby a short time later.

In court, Bentley was described as an angry, anxious man who would often bring weapons with him to work.

He would become enraged by people calling him 'Pee-wee' at work, because of his resemblance to Paul Reubens who played Pee-wee Herman, The Spectator reports.

Doucette, who was seeking help for alcoholism, had been passed out in an alley behind Lucky 97 supermarket, in Edmonton, Canada (pictured)

Bentley had also been 'involuntary celibate' for four years. Involuntary celibate, also known as 'incel', is a misogynistic movement of men who blame women for their total failure to have sex or find a partner.

'The fact that he had a frustrated state of mind in no way justifies attacking a vulnerable individual,' said Court of Queen's Bench Justice Paul Belzil as he sentenced Bentley to just four years in jail for a charge of manslaughter, on Wednesday - half the sentence which prosecutors had recommended for him.

Incels hit headlines after self-identified incel Alek Minassian, 25, allegedly rented a van and deliberately mowed down a crowd of people in Toronto, killing ten and injuring 16.

He faces multiple murder and attempted murder charges.

Minassian reportedly wrote on Facebook just minutes before the attack that: 'The incel rebellion has already begun' and 'all hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger.'

Rodger was another lone gunman who killed six people and injured 14 others near the University of California in 2014. He said in a YouTube video before the attack that he wanted to punish women for rejecting him.

Bentley stole $20 from Doucette (pictured) and then stomped on his stomach while wearing heavy combat boots

When Bentley was arrested, police found a pellet gun and nunchucks in his backpack.

Forensic psychiatrist Oto Cadsky wrote that Bentley appears to be a 'fearful man, afraid of the world around him', and would use the weapons to give him confidence.

Bentley felt he had a 'militaristic personality' with a sense of honor but also admitted feeling inferior to others.

He told the court he was 'sicked' by 'who I was' but still asked the court to free him, claiming he was not a threat to the public.

The court also heard that while Bentley had a job, he was 'working poor' and living in the YMCA.

'There was a lot of stress there,' the defense said.

Bentley was also abused as a child and had an unstable upbringing, according to a pre-sentence report.

Both the report and Cadsky found that Bentley had not taken responsibility for his actions.

'My father is an innocent man who did not deserve to die in an alley,' said Tianna Doucette-Moody, Doucette's daughter, said in her emotional victim impact statement.




Advertisement

John Lennon shares some cake with Yoko Ono, workers harvest salt in Ethiopia, while in Kentucky, a couple pose for the camera to illustrate the issue of white poverty.

Meanwhile, three ranks of society - the Army, the Church and the poor - are pictured in Ecuador.

These fascinating images were taken by pioneering photojournalist John Bulmer and highlight the turbulent decades of the 1960s and 1970s.

Born in Herefordshire in 1938, Bulmer - a grandson of the founder of the famous cider company - had been working with black and white film at the beginning of the 60s but the launch of The Sunday Times Colour Magazine in 1962 heralded in a new era.

And while the sudden switch to colour caught out some photographers, Bulmer made the adjustment seamlessly and became one of the magazine's key contributors.

A selection of his work can currently be seen in an exhibition - John Bulmer: A Retrospective in Colour - at the Observatory Photography Gallery in London.

Bulmer's commissions would take him to the four corners of a greatly changing world - chronicling life in more than 100 countries.

Just as European countries were withdrawing from their colonies, tensions were amplified by the contradictory forces of communist governments simultaneously attempting to expand their empires in Africa, South America and South-East Asia.

Bulmer, now retired and living in Hereford, would later branch out into documentary film-making, including one piece on the life of Van Gogh.

The exhibition, at 64 Marchmont Street, London WC1N 1AB, runs until December 5.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono share some cake at the Apple Offices, in London 1969. The milestone year saw Lennon leave the Beatles - and marry Yoko, with whom he would form the conceptual group, The Plastic Ono Band. Among the other celebrities that Bulmer photographed were Peter Sellers and Meryl Streep

Ecuador 1965, near Quito: This striking image, taken by photojournalist John Bulmer, was taken two years after a military junta had taken control of the government - and show three levels of society: from Army to the Church to the poor. The junta had proclaimed martial law and banned the Communist Party of Ecuador on July 12, 1963. The junta would eventually be overthrown in 1966

Harvesting salt in the salt flats at Massawa in Ethiopia circa 1965. The pictures seen here were all taken by Bulmer - a pioneering photojournalist, and grandson of the founder of the famous cider company. His photos have been shown in many galleries throughout the world, including The Gallery of Modern Art in New York, the Galerie David Guirand in Paris, and The Photographer's Gallery and The Courtauld Institute in London

'Curlers and chips', mill girls in Elland, Yorkshire, 1965. Although many of his assignments would take him abroad, Bulmer was a master chronicler of provincial Britain. These photos feature in an exhibition - John Bulmer: A Retrospective in Colour - at the Observatory Photography Gallery in London, and will run until December 5

Pyongyang, North Korea, 1973. People go about their daily lives in the totalitarian state. A nation steeped in the cult of personality, it was then governed by Supreme leader Kim Il-Sung. Bulmer's unerring eye was to distil the essence of the very contradiction that gave rise to communism; of the extremes of wealth and poverty made possible by capitalism within a single nation  exploring this division at home first and then later in France and the US

Lalibela, Ethiopia 1965. This fascinating image shows monks waiting for evening prayer. Known as Ethiopia's holiest city, it is famous for its 11 monolithic rock-cut churches which were chiselled into the rock 900 years ago - and believed to have been carved by hand

Pike County, Kentucky, 1967. A couple shot for a photo essay on white poverty. 'When I knocked on doors, I was often greeted by the barrel of a shotgun as the owner opened the door a crack. The mining companies were strip mining the hills and leaving their farms and streams polluted. Despite that, last year 80% of Pike County voted for Trump,' John Bulmer wrote on his Facebook page last December
A New Hampshire woman is behind bars after she allegedly ran down her next-door neighbors, killing a man and his dog, while drunk.

Catrina Costello, 38, was charged with two felony counts of second-degree assault, driving while intoxicated with serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of a crash that caused serious bodily injury, and violating a stalking order of protection.

Costello plowed into Stephen and Erin VanDelina while they were taking their dog for a walk near their home in Seabrook around 6.20pm on Wednesday night.

Stephen, 64, and the couple's German Shepherd, named Lucy, were both killed. Erin, 61, remains in the hospital in serious condition.

Catrina Costello, 38, was arrested after she allegedly ran down her next-door neighbors, killing a man and his dog, while drunk. The neighbors had a restraining order against her

Costello plowed into Stephen and Erin VanDelina (pictured) while they were taking their dog for a walk

The tragedy has completely rattled the tight-knit neighborhood. Residents described Stephen and Erin as kindhearted neighbors, and Lucy as a gentle dog.

Although Stephen and Erin were beloved by their community, the couple had decided to move from their home of 20 years because of Costello and her partner.

Problems between the neighbors - who lived next door to each other for five years - began in 2016, when Costello's pit bulls attacked Lucy and bit Stephen.

Costello and her partner began frequently harassing their neighbors, residents said.

'When Steve and Erin walked the dog, when they drove by, they would yell obscenities out and give them the finger,' Kay Henderson, who lived across the street, told The Boston Globe.

Stephen, 64, and the couple's German Shepherd, named Lucy, were both killed. Erin, 61, remains in the hospital in serious condition

Stephen and Erin were hit just blocks from their home in Seabrook around 6.20pm on Wednesday night

The couple sold their home of 20 years (pictured) and were just a week from moving away because things had become so bad with Costello and her partner

Stephen and Erin described four additional incidents of harassment in 2017 when they filed for a restraining order against Costello that year.

She was issued a one-year stalking final order, which expired next month, and was ordered to stay away from Erin and avoid stalking or abusing her and Stephen.

It also forbade Costello from coming within 50 feet of the couple's dog.

'Taken together, these repeated incidents would cause a reasonable person to fear for her safety,' the judge who issued the order wrote.

Problems between the neighbors began in 2016, when Costello's pit bulls attacked Lucy and bit Stephen. The couple got a restraining order (pictured) against Costello the following year

'VanDelina testified she feels threatened, doesn't know what the defendant is capable of, and feels she has been bullied, harassed, threatened, taunted, and yelled at.'

But things between the neighbors became so bad that Stephen and Erin decided it was time to leave behind the swearing and the threats.

An offer had been made on their house and a moving truck was parked outside their home on Thursday. They were preparing to move into their new home next week.

Brian Henderson said he doesn't believe the crash was an accident.

Neighbors said they are absolutely devastated by the tragedy. Pictured is a mail box that was knocked down by the crash just blocks from the couple's home

'To me, this is murder, really,' he told NECN. 'I hope its treated that way and I hope the police will figure out what really happened.'

The New Hampshire State Police and state attorney general's office are investigating. An autopsy for Stephen VanDalinda is scheduled for Thursday.

'It doesn't make any sense how the tragedy happened this way,' said neighbor Aboul Khan.

'We are praying that Erin gets better and hopefully she'll make it. Everybody is devastated.'
Country

United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
A top White House lawyer who provided guidance to administration officials navigating ethics rules is leaving at the end of the week  in advance of the departure of White House counsel Don McGahn.

Stefan Passantino  who responded that top official Kellyanne Conway acted 'inadvertently' when she told TV viewers to 'go buy Ivanka's stuff'  is leaving his post Friday.

He is one of several deputies to McGahn that have left the White House counsel's staff. Trump revealed on Twitter this week that McGahn would be leaving in the fall, then fired off a series of Tweets Thursday saying Ivanka Trump was not involved in 'pushing' him out, and saying his exit had nothing to do with the Russia probe, which he termed a 'witch hunt.'

The exodus of legal talent comes as a series of potential legal standoffs loom. Special counsel Robert Mueller continues his Russia probe, Trump continues to publicly discuss the potential firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, while Democrats are hoping historical trends will hold and allow them to gain seats or even capture the House.

White House ethics lawyer Stefan Passantino's (left) last day is Friday. He is being followed out the door by White House counsel Don McGahn (right)

Passantino has advised White House officials Kellyanne Conway and Ivanka Trump on potential ethics issues - including when Conway endorsed Ivanka's now defunct clothing line

Passantino advised Conway and pushed back at a top administration ethics official who recommended Conway fact sanction for her on-air promotion of Ivanka Trump's product line.

Passantino pushed back, saying the comment was made in a 'light, offhand manner,' therefore not triggering bans on using the White House for commercial promotion.

Initial reports on McGahn's departure have floated inside White House lawyer Emmett Flood as a likely replacement.

NBC http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/398864-wh-lawyer-in-charge-of-policing-trump-officials-ethics-to-leavereported Thursday that Trump's legal team is weighing in against the idea.

Flood has been boning up on legal strategy and would participate in White House efforts to contest a subpoena that could be issued by Mueller's office. Prolonged negotiations over having Trump submit to an interview have failed to bear fruit, despite Trump saying in the past he would like to be interviewed.

The Trump lawyers are reluctant to give up Flood's firepower, which would be of use when countering a potential impeachment. He previously represented Bill Clinton during his impeachment.

Former head of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub, who battled with Passantino, blasted his counterpart last month following a report on his likely departure.

He told The Hill Passantino was 'openly hostile' to the government ethics program.

'I'm glad to hear he's leaving,' Shaub said. 'He is a nice guy  charming even, and easy to like on a personal level. I'd want him as a neighbor, but not as an ethics official.'

He continued: 'He's done more harm than good in his brief stint in the White House. His detrimental influence on the government ethics program under the Trump administration was a factor in my decision to resign.'

Trump on Thursday angrily pushed back on media reports about his sudden announcement of White House counsel McGahn's exit  and insisted his daughter Ivanka were not involved in his ouster.

He also said special counsel Robert Mueller's probe  which includes an inquiry into possible obstruction of justice with McGahn as a key witness  wasn't remotely a factor in the decision.

'The Rigged Russia Witch Hunt did not come into play, even a little bit, with respect to my decision on Don McGahn!' Trump tweeted Thursday morning.

Trump tweeted that the Mueller probe 'did not come into play' in McGahn's departure

'You know, I had to approve it. We didn't claim executive ' Trump said, asked if he was upset that retiring White House counsel Don McGahn spoke to Robert Mueller's investigators

Trump fired off a pair of tweets about the impending exit of McGahn, who has been by his side since his campaign and was witness to some of the most dramatic scenes of his presidency, such as decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey.

Trump also defended his daughter against a New York Times report that she had complained about an earlier story that detailed anger inside the White House against the extent of McGahn's cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller, as well as a suggestion that she was involved in a leak that helped precipitate Trump's announcement of McGahn's departure.

'Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner had NOTHING to do with the so called 'pushing out' of Don McGahn. The Fake News Media has it, purposely,so wrong!' Trump wrote.
He underwent a hip replacement back in April and has had to put up with much distasteful speculation about the state of his health.

Naturally, however, Prince Philip, has taken it all in his stride and appeared to be as 'fit as a fiddle' as he drove himself about the Queen's Scottish estate this week.

The 97-year-old royal, who normally answers enquiries about his well-being, with a barked: 'Well do I look bloody ill?', was driving himself back down from an outing to Loch Muick, in the hills above Balmoral, on Wednesday when he was spotted jumping out of his car to open a deer gate.

Prince Philip, who normally answers enquiries about his well-being, with a barked: 'Well do I look bloody ill?', was driving himself back down from an outing to Loch Muick, in the hills above Balmoral, on Wednesday

The 97-year-old royal was spotted jumping out of his car to open a deer gate

According to one onlooker the royal quickly dismounted from his lofty Land Rover Discovery with the ease of a man half his age.

A startled cyclist riding along an adjoining dirt track stopped to chat for a few seconds before Philip got back into his car, drove through, dismounted once again to shut the wooden gate after him - and then continued on his way.

'He appeared to be in no pain or discomfort at all - far from it. Fit as a fiddle, really,' they said.

Philip, who retired from public duties last year and spends much of his time at Sandringham, has joined the Queen in Scotland for the summer.

He always insists on driving around the estate without any sort of entourage, despite his advancing years and recent periods of hospitalisation.

According to one onlooker the royal quickly dismounted from his lofty Land Rover Discovery with the ease of a man half his age
Heather Locklear, 56, has been slapped with three new charges for allegedly punching a cop and kicking a paramedic who were trying to subdue her after she crashed her Porsche while heavily intoxicated at her home in Thousand Oaks, California, in June

Heather Locklear is facing three new charges for allegedly attacking a cop and a paramedic earlier this summer.

The 56-year-old actress was arrested in June after emergency personnel responded to a call about a domestic disturbance at her home in Thousand Oaks, California.

Locklear had reportedly downed an entire bottle of tequila and was heavily intoxicated when she crashed her Porshe into a gatepost at the southern California mansion on June 23.

Authorities say she punched a cop and kicked an EMT when they tried to put her on a gurney after the crash.

The former Melrose Place star will now be charged with one count of misdemeanor interfering with a law enforcement officer and two counts of misdemeanor battery for the alleged attack, TMZ reported Thursday.

Scroll down for video

The former Melrose Place star who has spent the last two months in rehab is now facing at least eight charges stemming from the June 23 incident and domestic dispute in February

A source close to Locklear told DailyMail.com: 'The night [of the June 23 arrest], she was so hammered. The police came Sunday at six and then left.

'When they came back at midnight, it was because she tried leaving, she tried driving out in her Porsche. She smashed her Porsche into a pylon in her gate.'

The source said Locklear couldn't make it off the grounds because 'she was so wasted'.

Locklear was released from jail the morning after the alleged cop assault, and was rushed to the hospital less than seven hours later having taken an overdose.

She was held under a 5150 psychiatric hold before being transferred to a rehab facility, where she has been staying for the past two months.

Locklear is pictured leaving Ventura County Jail the morning after the June 23 altercation. Less than seven hours later she allegedly overdosed and had to be hospitalized

The three new charges announced Thursday have been added to five others for for felony domestic violence as well as battery against a cop after a fight with her boyfriend in February.

The paramedic she allegedly kicked, who has been assigned desk work for the moment, has hired a lawyer and is suing for medical bills, pain and suffering plus cash for emotional abuse by Locklear.

Locklear has not yet been charged with an incident one week before the June 23 arrest, when she allegedly choked her mother Diane, 85, and threatened to shoot herself.

She was cuffed and taken to a hospital following that altercation.
The long-awaited federal trial of a Puerto Rico woman accused of hiring a hit man to kill her rich Canadian husband began on Thursday, and the judge warned the jury 'it would get hot.'

A decade has gone by since Aurea Vazquez Rijos was charged with offering a man $3million to kill real estate developer Adam Anhang.

Vazquez at that point was no longer in Puerto Rico, and she was extradited three years ago from Spain with her 1-month-old baby after a lengthy manhunt.

'This is a murder case,' Jose Ruiz, assistant U.S. district attorney, said in his opening statement. 'It was to collect money from him.'

Anhang was killed September 22, 2005, at nearly midnight on a Friday, on the corner of a cobblestone street in the historic part of San Juan's capital.

The trial for Puerto Rico woman and former beauty queen, Aurea Vazquez Rijos, began on Thursday. Vazquez is accused of killing her rich Canadian husband, Adam Anhang, more than a decade ago. She is pictured in San Juan in September 2015

Vazquez Rijos (pictured again in San Juan in September 2015) was indicted in 2008, but she had already fled Puerto Rico and was living in Italy with her new husband and their twin children

He was hit in the head with an object and then repeatedly stabbed. Twelve hours earlier, he had told his wife he wanted a divorce, prosecutors said.

'That is something she didn't want,' Ruiz said, adding that the couples' therapist had earlier recorded her reaction in his notes: 'I am not going to let you go that easy.'

Alex Pabon Colon was identified as the hitman Vazquez hired for $3million to murder her husband.

Court documents state: 'Alex stabbed Adam several times while Aurea watched' and afterward, 'Aurea instructed Alex to injure her in order to give the appearance that Adams murder was the result of a robbery gone wrong.'

The couple had begun dating two years before the killing, with Anhang buying Vazquez a car, an apartment and a business in Old San Juan called 'The Pink Skirt.'

A day before the wedding, they signed a prenup, with Anhang's value estimated at more than $24million and Vazquez's at nearly $62,300. If Anhang died, his wife would receive $8million.

Six months after he was killed, Vazquez sued his parents seeking $1million in damages and $8million from his estate. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, she left for Florence, Italy.

Once there, prosecutors said she wrote emails to her family pleading for money.

Defense attorney Lydia Lizarribar rejected the allegations and told the jury that her client is innocent.

She said she would prove that Vazquez had been wanting to go to Italy to study and work since 2002, and that she was living there under her real name.

Vasquez Rijos is pictured with Adam Joel Anhang, who was her husband of six months before she allegedly murdered him

Real estate developer Anhang (pictured in handouts) was killed September 22, 2005 on the corner of a cobblestone street in the historic part of San Juan's capital

'She was not hiding at all,' Lizarribar said, adding that the couple was a perfect match and liked to travel together.

'The evidence will show that Adam was in love with his wife.'

Among those testifying in the trial is Alex Pabon Colon, whose nickname is 'The Crazy One.'

Prosecutors said he sold drugs at 'The Pink Skirt' and elsewhere, and that Vazquez, her sister and a friend agreed to hire him as a hit man.

They said he killed Anhang and injured Vazquez to make it look like a robbery, but that he forgot to steal Anhang's wallet and other belongings.

Prosecutors said he then told a friend what he had done and asked him to drive by the crime scene to ensure Anhang was dead.

Also testifying is a man who sued for wrongful conviction after he was convicted of killing Anhang and spent eight months in jail. He was released when Pabon was charged.

When police interviewed Vazquez, she said that a tall, black man with tattoos on his forearms had attacked them.

Vazquez Rijos is pictured during a hearing in Madrid in 2013. She was charged with offering a man $3million to kill Anhang, after he expressed he wanted to divorce her hours prior

In the weeks after the murder, prosecutors said Pabon kept sending letters to Vazquez's sister with demands for money and other things: 'I don't give a damn if the victim's old man kept everything,' they said he wrote.

Lizarribar, however, said that Pabon only mentions 'loans' in the letters, and that he does not specifically ask for a payment.

Meanwhile, Vazquez was thinking about moving from Italy to Israel, falsifying documents to prove she was Jewish and asking an attorney whether Israel had an extradition agreement with the U.S., prosecutors said.

In June 2013, she was arrested when she flew to Spain from Italy. Two years later, in September 2015, she was extradited to Puerto Rico.

A pair of female twins that she had with a man in Italy stayed with their father.

Abraham Anhang, the victim's father, told The Associated Press that he is looking forward to seeing an ending to the case.

'Closure is something we're praying for,' he said in a phone interview. 'Thirteen years is a very long time to wait for justice.'
The shackled woman who frantically rang doorbells at 3am in the morning looking for help was fleeing a convicted felon with a history of sexual assault, DailyMail.com can disclose.

Dennis Ray Collins - who shot himself to death after video of the woman went viral - was arrested in 2000 for attempted sexual assault, court records show.

He pleaded guilty to the second-degree felony and was given five years probation.

The woman, 32, was caught on camera ringing a bell in the suburban street in Montgomery, TX early on Friday morning. She had what appeared to be shackles on each wrist.

Cops said she is safe, and is now being consoled by her family having got in a car and driven to the Dallas-Fort Worth area immediately after ringing at least two doorbells in a the street next to the house she had fled.

The woman said the shackles were 'restraints commonly used in private intimate encounters,' Lt Scott Spencer, of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department said Thursday afternoon, during a press conference in Conroe, Texas.

Had Collins, 49, lived he would now be facing more serious charges, cops in Texas say.

'If he were still alive this would be a criminal investigation,' Lt. Spencer said.

'There are separate incidents but rolled into one there would be kidnapping and unlawful restraint rolled into sexual assault, so this could be a multifaceted investigation.'

Crime scene: The man shot himself at this house on the 18400 block of Sunrise Pines Drive at 11 am. He was 49 and the live-in-boyfriend of the 32-year-old woman caught on camera frantically ringing doorbells in a road nearby at 3am last Friday

Sex offender: The woman's 49-year-old boyfriend, Dennis Ray Collins was arrested and convicted of second degree attempted sexual assault in Houston, Texas, in 2000

Just a street away: How the mystery of where the woman came from was solved

Grim ending: Law enforcement surrounded the house where the 49-year-old man took his own life Wednesday, and said his girlfriend was safe and being 'consoled by her family'

The video, recorded on a security camera early on Friday morning, showed the 32-year-old woman desperately ringing on a doorbell in the Sunrise Ranch subdivision in Montgomery, Texas.

Homeowner Jennie Drude shared the video online and with police.

Collins's ex-wife called cops to Collins's rented house, just one street away from Drude's home, on Wednesday morning. The ex recognized the woman on the video.

'She was adamant it was the girlfriend in the video,' said Spencer. 'She had met her before.'

The ex was worried because Collins had texted her threatening suicide. Spencer said it was clear that he was upset by the video that had circulated widely on the Internet.

In a suicide note Collins 'admitted he did what he did to her that was seen in the video,' he added.

Cops met the ex at Collins's three-bedroom, single-story home on Sunrise Pines Drive. They had to force their way in and found Collins dead in a back bedroom with a single gunshot wound to his chest. A handgun was found nearby.

Investigators are declining to identify the woman, who in the video was dressed in only a shirt with no pants or shoes, and with broken shackles on both wrists, as she is said to be the victim of sexual assault. They say she is now with family in the Dallas area.

'She is very distraught about this,' Spencer said. 'She is embarrassed, upset and in shock that it has come to this.

'We are giving her her time and staying in communication with her.'

Spencer said Collins and his girlfriend had been renting the home for four months. 'Residents didn't recognize her as they hadn't been there that long.'

The woman broke free from Collins's restraints early on Friday. After ringing doorbells at two houses she returned home, got in a car and drove off to Dallas, Spencer said.

'What exactly occurred up to then I don't know, but her allegations of sexual assault are being taken seriously and are being investigated right now. She was in distress,' he added.

According to Collinss Facebook page he went to college in suburban St. Louis, Missouri, and he describes him as a general sales manager in the boating industry. He has several posts expressing his love for the St. Louis Blues NHL team.

Spencer said his department had been inundated with leads from around the world since the video went viral.

'If he were still alive this would be a criminal investigation,' Lt. Scott Spencer of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department said Thursday afternoon.

Sex offender: Dennis Ray Collins had been out of probation since 2005 for his conviction for sex assault. His ex-wife identified the woman as his girlfriend but when police got to his house, he had shot himself dead

The woman is seen on a resident's security camera, around 3am Friday approaching the door with no pants or shoes on. She has now been found safe.

The woman appeared to be in need of help- and now the cops in Sunrise Ranch, Texas are asking the public if they have any information

After she rings the doorbell, we get a better look at her face's profile as she appears to look nervously down the block

Jennie Drude's home security camera captured the chilling video of the woman who was ringing doorbells in Texas

'We received numerous calls - I couldn't give you a number but it was a lot - referring to missing persons, not just locally but throughout the United States and also internationally.

'Detectives were in contact with each of those law enforcement agencies to find out similarities,' he added.

In the seven-second video, the woman is seen emerging from behind a bush, she seems to be trying to be quiet, and she reaches for the doorbell.

She also tried to get attention from another house but by the time residents responded she was already gone.

Restraints are on her wrists. Drude described the woman as appearing to be out of breath from what she could see on her home's surveillance video.

Another resident, who did not want to be identified, told Click2Houston: 'We were dead asleep in our beds. My husband was woken up by doorbell ring. It rang probably 20 to 30 times.'

By the time her husband answered the door, no one was there.

'He walked outside no one was in sight. It's like she disappeared in thin air,' the resident said.

'It was kind of scary because this girl looked like she was just in a shirt. She looked like she had wrist restraints on her wrist and she was barefoot. You can see her with a worry on her face looking around,' the resident said.

Police canvassed the area and went door-to-door to speak with residents but none recognized the woman from the video. They are also reviewing other security footage from the area.

The area surrounding the rear of the small neighborhood is densely wooded.

Law enforcement canvassed the neighborhood, conducted a door-to-door check interviewing residents, and is currently reviewing surveillance camera footage from the area, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said.
Federal agents arrested 160 workers this week during an immigration investigation at a Texas trailer-manufacturing business  the largest raid of its kind in the past decade.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations division executed the raid on Tuesday at Load Trail in Sumner, Texas, about 100 miles northeast of Dallas.

An ICE spokesman confirmed to DailyMail.com on Thursday that officials believed it was the largest workplace roundup that the agency has conducted since 2008.

Federal immigration agents arrested 160 workers during a raid at Texas company that manufactures trailers

ICE officials said the goal of the ongoing investigation was not arrests, but to target the employer.

'Businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens create an unfair advantage over their competing businesses,' said Katrina W. Berger, special agent in charge, HSI Dallas. 'They take jobs away from U.S. citizens and legal residents, and they create an atmosphere poised for exploiting their illegal workforce.'

An employee who answered the phone at Load Trail declined to comment on Thursday.

Immigrant advocates condemned the raid and other enforcement efforts by the Trump administration, saying that it only serves to create a culture of fear in the Latino community.

'This is just further proof that the family separation stuff weve been seeing at the border that weve all been outraged about is just the tip of the iceberg,' said Carlos Guevara, a senior policy advisor with UnidosUS. 'These (workplace) operations stand to separate thousands of children from their parents.'

ICE officials said the investigation began with a tip to HSI indicating that the company was knowingly hiring people who were in the country illegally, many of who were using fake identification documents.

Each of the immigrants arrested was fingerprinted and being processed for removal from the country, though officials said that they will interview them and weigh whether any are eligible for humanitarian release during removal proceedings.

The Texas raid is the latest in a massive effort to target companies that are employing workers who are in the country illegally.

HSI announced in July a two-phase, nationwide operation in which it issued more than 5,200 audit notices to business across the country. The agency has been reviewing employers' hiring records to determine if they are complying with immigration laws.

The Texas raid is the latest in a massive effort to target companies that are employing workers who are in the country illegally

As of July 20, ICE had more than tripled the number of work site investigations it conducted so far in 2018.

Since October 1, 2017  the beginning of fiscal year 2018  ICE has opened investigations into 6,093 workplaces, compared to 1,716 in all of fiscal year 2017.

The agency also made 984 administrative arrests as of July 20 of this year, nearly six times the 172 officials made the year prior. Administrative arrests are when someone is accused of being in the country illegally, but they haven't been charged with any other crimes.

ICE officials also increased the number of criminal arrests it made, taking in 675 immigrants compared to 139 in all of 2017.

Altogether, the 1,659 arrests made so far in FY2018 amount to five times the 311 arrests of FY2017.
Charles So, 35, was arrested on Wednesday at the middle school where he teaches in San Jose

A San Jose teacher has been arrested over his alleged involvement in a road rage incident.

Charles So, was taken into custody after being found in his classroom with a loaded gun on Wednesday.

The road rage incident occurred on February 21. Police say it escalated to So attacking another man and stealing his cell phone.

It is not clear how the argument began or what finally led police to his classroom at Chaboya Middle School.

He was arrested at the end of the day on Wednesday and his gun was in his satchel. After being arrested, So, who is an eighth grade arts and language teacher, smiled in his mugshot.

The school insists he had no prior record and passed background and finger print checks as recently as August 19.

He was not working at the school at the time of the road rage incident.

'This is the first time this teacher's name has actually come to my attention, and that's kind of what you want at the beginning of the year.

'You want teachers that are just going to work with our kids and have a great start to the year. This is anything but,' school district spokesperson Charles Crosby told ABC news.

He added: 'There was nothing in the record to show that there was anything we should worry about. That's another issue that we would like a little clarity on because it's troubling.'

Parents were shocked by his arrest on Thursday.

He was booked into county jail on two felony charges; robbery and possession of a firearm inside a school.
An undocumented girl, who was ridiculed by a border patrol officer for crying after she was separated from her mother, has enjoyed her first day of school in the U.S.

Alison Valencia, six, became one of the poster children of President Donald Trump's 'zero tolerance' immigration policy, after trying to enter the country near Harlingen, Texas, and being berated by an officer for crying after being separated from her mother.

Heartbreaking audio was released by ProPublica. Throughout the recording Alison and other children are repeatedly heard screaming 'Mami' and 'Papa' just moments before the border agent drowns out their sobs with a joke.

Alison Valencia and her mother Cindy Madrid meet with the media after their release from two immigration detention centers in Texas in July

'Well, we have an orchestra here,' he's heard saying. 'Whats missing is a conductor.'

She was finally reunited with her mother a month later on July 13, after Trump signed an executive order ending the separation of children from their parents at border entry points. This week she started school.

Speaking in Spanish, Alison told Telemundo she was excited about taking on her first day of classes and wants to learn English. 'Today I was very sleepy when I awoke because only slept half the night,' she said.

Cindy Madrid and her daughter Alison Valencia arrived in the United States on June 13 and were immediately separated under President's Trump 'zero tolerance' immigration policy

'What excites me the most is being able to return to school, have new classmates, make new friends.'

Valencia and her mother, Cindy Madrid, 29, made it across the Rio Grande River on a raft that was operated by a smuggler on what was the last step of a month-long trip trying to flee the violent streets of El Salvador.

For a six-year-old already looking forward to her first day of classes, she already had one challenging task.

She must memorize her aunt's phone number so that if she were to be separated from her mother by officials from the United States Customs and Border Protection agency again then she could contact her.

After her first day she said: 'It went well and I made a lot of buddies,' Valencia said. 'We ate a lot of things for lunch.'

An unidentified undocumented child cries his/her parent after being separated upon entering the United States without the parent having the required documentation

Border patrol agent jokes about undocumented kids crying while being separated from their parents at a different immigration detention center

A Salvadoran mom and daughter share a heartfelt moment exactly a month after they were separated from each other and detained at different immigration detention facilities in Texas




Joe Biden slipped in several digs at President Donald Trump without calling him out by name at John McCain's memorial service on Thursday.

The former vice president highlighted qualities of the late senator that many would not associate with the president in his eulogy.

'It wasn't about politics with John,' Biden practically shouted from the pulpit at the North Phoenix Baptist Church. 'He could disagree on substance but it was the underlying values that animated everything John did. Everything he was.'

The harsh words come as the former vice president weighs a challenge to Trump in 2002.

Joe Biden highlighted qualities of John McCain that most would not associate with President Trump in his salute to the late senator

President Trump has said Biden would be a 'dream' to run against

'Where he would part company with you was if you lacked the basic values of decency and respect, knowing this project is bigger than yourself,' Biden added loudly.

Biden's salute to McCain offered a notable contrast to Trump.

'He could not stand the abuse of power, wherever he saw it' Biden noted of McCain, 'in whatever form, in whatever country.'

'It was always about basic values with John  fairness, honesty, respect,' he added.

Biden has said he will make a decision about a 2020 presidential bid by January 2019.

The former vice president has been helping Democratic candidates in the 2018 elections, most notably giving a boost to Democratic Rep. Connor Lamb, who won a March special election in a House district that heavily went for Trump in 2016.

Biden's eulogy for McCain peppered with his folksy talk that is a Biden trademark.

Biden teared up as he remembered his longtime friend John McCain

Former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden pause with hands over their hearts as they watch a military honor guard place the casket of Sen. John McCain into a hearse after a memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church Thursday

And, at times, it sounded like something one would hear at the campaign rally.

During certain moments, the former vice president grew animated when he spoke of the current political climate, his voice growing louder and his hands waving as he defended McCain's values and decried the lack of respect seen in Washington.

McCain's own feud with Trump goes back to the roots of the 2016 presidential election. The rift between the two men was never healed.

The late senator was one of the president's harshest critics and banned him from attending his funeral.

Biden's defense of McCain's values sounded like a direct rebuke of Trump.

'John understood that America was first and foremost an idea,' he said.

Joe Biden hugs Cindy McCain after the memorial service for the late senator

President Trump with first lady Melania Trump at a reception at the White House on Wednesday

Biden and McCain served in Congress together for more than two decades, forging a friendship that withstood the test of time and brutal presidential race that pitted the senators from opposing parties against each other

And Biden railed against the tone of politics in the nation's capitol.

'All we do today is to attack the opposition in both parties  their motives, not the substance of their argument.'

Biden would likely appeal to the same blue-collar voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio that helped put Trump in the White House.

Trump, meanwhile, said in July Biden would be his 'dream' Democratic opponent in the 2020 presidential contest.

'I dream about Biden. That's a dream,' he told CBS News when asked about the next presidential election.

Then he got in a dig at the former vice president.

'Look, Joe Biden ran three times. He never got more than 1 percent and President Obama took him out of the garbage heap, and everybody was shocked that he did. I'd love to have it be Biden,' Trump said.

It's unclear what Trump meant when he said Biden ran three times. The former vice president sought the Democratic nomination in 1988 and 2008 but didn't get it on either occasion. There was speculation he would throw his hat into the ring in 2016 but he ultimately didn't run that year.
More than 60 babies and mothers are feared to have died or suffered devastating harm at a maternity unit.

An investigation began last January into 23 suspicious incidents at the Shrewsbury and Telford hospital trust.

But the Mail can reveal that this number has almost trebled to an estimated 63.

The vast majority of the cases involve the deaths of babies and mothers during childbirth. The rest include babies suffering lifelong harm. Some parents say they were pressured into natural births in midwife-supervised units.

Rhiannon Davies of Ludlow Shropshire pictured with her daughter Kate just moments after her birth on Sunday 1st March 2009

They claim that a caesarean or forceps delivery would have stopped their babies suffering brain damage.

A number of deaths are blamed on midwives not monitoring foetal heart rates properly. All the cases occurred between 1998 and 2017.

Experts believe the failings could be even worse than those at the Morecambe Bay hospital trust in Cumbria, where 16 babies and three mothers died in 12 years. A source familiar with the issues said: The scale of this could put Morecambe Bay into the shade.

Concerns were first raised about the Shrewsbury and Telford maternity unit in 2009 following the death of Kate Stanton-Davies, just six hours after her birth.

Infection: Pippa Griffths (left) died aged one and Jack Burn (right) died at 11 hours old

A report found her death was avoidable and it criticised two midwives for failing to realise the birth was high risk and for ignoring parents concerns.

Midwives failed to spot infection Pippa Griffiths could still be alive today if midwives had realised she had a deadly infection. She was born at home in Shropshire in April 2016 but died 31 hours later from a group B streptococcus infection. A coroner ruled her death was avoidable and blamed a string of unforgiveable errors by midwives from Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust. The inquest heard staff missed a crucial opportunity to save Pippa when her mother Kayleigh Griffiths rang the maternity unit with concerns about her babys feeding. A second chance was missed when her mother rang hours later to report bloody mucus, a sign of a serious bacterial infection. This could have been treated had Pippa been taken to hospital as a matter of urgency. After she was born at 8.34am, a midwife was due to visit for a check up in the afternoon. However, the inquest heard she failed to turn up. Pippa developed a purple rash later that night and stopped breathing. After the inquest, Miss Griffiths said: Weve fought for her and fought for the truth and ultimately she could have been saved. Advertisement

Since then, dozens of other parents have come forward fearing their babies deaths could have been avoided.

In April 2016 Pippa Griffiths died at a day old from a preventable infection that was not picked up by midwives.

Jack Burn died from the same infection  group B streptococcus  in March 2015, 11 hours after he was born.

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt launched a review into the trust in January 2017. The investigation is being overseen by NHS Improvement, the hospital regulator, and Donna Ockenden, a senior independent midwife. It had been due to conclude this year.

But the hospital has now confirmed it is aware of 40 other cases.

The most recent involved the death of a 26-year mother who died from complications in childbirth in December 2017. Another two babies died that month.

Grieving families are now urging Mr Hunts successor, Matt Hancock, to intervene and broaden the scope of the review.

Rhiannon Davies, the mother of baby Kate, whose death triggered the investigation, said: This is the most toxic hospital in England.

It repeatedly puts mothers and babies at risk by failing to learn from its mistakes. It has fought us since 2009.

Kate is not baby number one. Yet no one bothered to learn and so sealed her fate  and mine, and that causes me almost unbearable pain.

Home birth: Parents Kayleigh and Colin with Pippa and her big sister

Baby Jack died 11 hours after birth Campaign: Hayley Matthews Jack Stephen Burn died 11 hours after being trapped in the birth canal for four minutes. His mother Hayley Matthews had been told that nothing was wrong with her pregnancy but later found out that Jack had been distressed for 20 minutes before delivery. He had also contracted group B streptococcus, the lethal infection carried by one in five women. Jack died in March 2015 at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, hours after another baby, Oliver Smale, died following similar complications. Olivers death was later deemed avoidable and is one of dozens being probed. Although Jacks death was not deemed avoidable, it is now being considered as part of the investigation. Miss Matthews, from Chirbury, west Shropshire, previously said: We would have both been in the hospital at the same time and there are so many parallels between the two cases. As with this poor boy, Jack got his shoulder stuck during delivery. They just left his head hanging while they went off to get someone to do something about it. A post mortem examination revealed that Jack had been starved of oxygen and had an infection on the lung and pneumonia caused by strep B. Miss Matthews is campaigning for routine screening of strep B, which is not NHS policy. She said: If Id have been tested for strep B during my pregnancy they might have picked up on it and given me antibiotics at an earlier stage and this means that Jack might still be alive today. Advertisement

Were talking about avoidable deaths. The Health Secretary needs to step in.

Kayleigh Griffiths, the mother of Pippa, said: All families that have suffered at the hands of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital deserve to be included under the Ockenden review. Otherwise things will be missed and there will be no learning.

We trust Donna Ockenden to do a good job but the trust is not open to change. There are going to be more cases as families are coming forward.

The NHSs maternity services are struggling to cope with a high birth rate, more complex deliveries to obese and older mothers and a shortage of midwives.

Concerns have also been raised that some midwives are obsessed with natural births and reluctant to get doctors involved even when labours start to go wrong.

Several families involved in the review say midwives ignored their concerns, including Mrs Davies and her husband Richard.

The 40 new cases  uncovered by Health Service Journal  were identified as part of an internal legacy review carried out by the trust.

The trust is also being investigated by the Care Quality Commission over concerns that patients in other departments are being treated like cattle.

A warning letter sent to managers last week said patients were being treated in corridors.

CQC inspectors said they were alerted to the problems by staff during an inspection.

The letter reads: Staff across all areas and grades raised concerns with us about this practice and told us they felt it was unsafe, demeaning, undignified, and disgusting.

Two staff members told us they felt patients who were boarded were treated like animals and cattle.

A spokesman for NHS Improvement said it would examine any extra cases.

Dr Kathy McLean, its executive medical director, said: Our independent review will consider everything it can to ensure Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is equipped to learn from the previous failings in its maternity and neonatal services.

This includes continuing to examine the 23 historical investigations identified in April 2017, as well as investigations that have been highlighted since then.

Working with CQC and others, we will ensure the trust has the right support in place to continue to improve its services for patients.

Jo Banks, women and childrens care group director at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: The reviews that Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals has commissioned independently from the Secretary of State-led review focus on many aspects of our maternity services. We believe this gives us the best opportunity to look at all the care we provide to learn and improve.

By working with external experts we can assure ourselves that we continue to learn and develop our service.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: We take any patient safety concerns extremely seriously. We have asked NHS Improvement to investigate whether further cases at Shrewsbury and Telford should be considered as part of the Ockenden Review, as well as assurance that the trust has taken steps to improve maternity services since these issues came to light in 2016.

Midwives' chief now in charge of ward safety

A senior midwife criticised for her part in the scandal was given a new job in charge of improving performance.

Cathy Smith was head of midwifery at Shrewsbury and Telford for nine years, from 2006 to 2015.

She was heavily criticised in a review into the death of baby Kate Stanton-Davies  for having a defensive attitude and being unwilling to learn from mistakes.

Staff across all areas and grades raised concerns with us about this practice and told us they felt it was unsafe, demeaning, undignified, and disgusting

But in 2015  the same year the review was published  she was moved to a role charged with improving the hospitals performance. She was appointed to be Kaizen Promotion Office Lead, kaizen is Japanese for continuous learning.

The role involves liaising with a leading US hospital, the Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, which has a world-class reputation for patient safety.

A spokesman for the trust insisted her job did not specifically involve patient safety but was more about transforming and improving the trust.

But in a first person piece  published on the trusts website  she wrote: Our partnership with Virginia Mason will help us to become one of the safest hospitals in the country.

Her salary has never been published but as a head of midwifery she was likely to have been earning in excess of 50,000 a year. The review which criticised Mrs Smith called into question her professional judgment.

It added: It can be argued that the head of midwiferys apparent reluctance to accept that there remained uninvestigated midwifery practice issues in this case suggest a defensive attitude which prevented the lessons required to be learnt from this case from being learned.

In September 2015 she flew out to Virginia Mason on behalf of the hospital to learn from its techniques.

At the time she said: I have received incredible support both from colleagues in my care group and from colleagues.

Chilling echoes of Morecame Bay

The scandal at Shrewsbury and Telford is feared to be even worse than at University Hospitals Morecambe Bay in Cumbria.

Up to three mothers and 16 babies are feared to have died at the trust from 2004 to 2016.

A report into the scandal pinned the blame on a group of dysfunctional midwives who referred to themselves as the musketeers and were obsessed with pursuing natural childbirth at any cost.

One victim was Joshua Titcombe who died in November 2008 aged just nine days from a preventable infection. His father James Titcombe is now a patient safety campaigner who was awarded an OBE in 2015 for his services towards improving care.

Three midwives, Jeanette Parkinson, Marie Ratcliffe and Lindsey Biggs, were struck off.

A report by the Professional Standards Authority earlier this year accused the Nursing and Midwifery Council of ignoring concerns of families and police.

The nursing watchdog was criticised for being more intent on protecting nurses reputations.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions is getting a presidential job guarantee  for the next 10 weeks.

President Donald Trump, who has been venting about Sessions for months and has fumed about his AG's recusal from the Russia probe, indicated Thursday Sessions is safe at least through the November elections.

In doing so, Trump is bowing to political reality that firing him would set off a firestorm that would set off some powerful Republicans who have become some of Trump's staunchest defenders. It could not only feature in a potential obstruction of justice probe, but could further elevate rule of law issues Democrats are trying to inject into the campaign, while Republicans are hoping to turn out their political base.

'I just would love to have him do a great job,' Trump told Bloomberg in an interview Thursday, offering something less than praise for Sessions' performance.

Although he said Sessions' position was safe through the mid-term elections, Trump wouldn't comment on whether he would remain afterwards.

President Trump has been calling Republican senators to vent about his attorney general

The show of temporary support comes after GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said earlier this week that the Trump-Sessions relationship was 'beyond repair.' Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said in a reversal there was time on the calendar for confirmation hearings if Trump puts forward a new nominee to be the nation's top law enforcement officer.

Oddly, Graham also issued a warning to Trump Thursday not to try to scuttle the Mueller probe, even though firing Sessions has been described by skeptics as one in a long series of moves that could lead to Mueller's removal.

'I just would love to have him do a great job,' Trump said of Jeff Sessions

Trump hates Sessions' Southern accent, and complains to aides that he 'talks like he has marbles in his mouth,' Politico reported

'There is no scenario where you can end this investigation, the Mueller investigation, through some political intrigue, and survive,' Graham told CBS. 'That's the end of you. The only person in America that can clear Donald Trump is [special counsel Robert] Mueller.'

Trump made the comment in a week where Trump announced the fall departure of White House counsel Don McGahn. In a Thursday tweet, Trump wrote that McGahn was not responsible for him 'not firing' Sessions and special counsel Robert Mueller. The tweet could be read as a possible indication Trump did consider or try to fire both men.

'I am very excited about the person who will be taking the place of Don McGahn as White House Councel!' Trump tweeted, originally misspelling the word counsel.

'I liked Don, but he was NOT responsible for me not firing Bob Mueller or Jeff Sessions. So much Fake Reporting and Fake News!' the president wrote.

The Washington Post this week reported that White House lawyers talked Trump out of firing Sessions.

Even with the public show of at least some confidence in Sessions, Trump has been calling Republican senators to vent his fury about his AG.

Trump has spent the past 10 days unleashing his ire at Sessions to 'any senator who will listen,' one Republican Senate aide told Politico.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Trump's relationship declined when Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation

Among the claims is that Trump regrets Sessions has no Ivy League credentials (he went to the University of Alabama), Trump hates his Southern accent, and complains to aides that he 'talks like he has marbles in his mouth,' according to the report  notwithstanding the South being a key component of Trump's political base.

Sessions has been a repeated target of the president's twitter rants as Trump has publicly expressed his frustration with his attorney general's unwillingness to interfere in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation or to fire senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr.

The negative campaign seems to have some positive effects for Trump as two influential Republican senators have indicated Sessions could be on his way out.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, the current chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, who could take over the committee in 2019, each indicated to Bloomberg News earlier this month that there could be confirmation hearings for a new attorney general in the coming months.

Additionally Graham told NBC News on Tuesday that the president and Sessions' relationship was 'beyond repair' and he advised Trump to replace the attorney general.

'We need an attorney general that can work with the president, that can lead the Department of Justice,' Graham said on the 'Today Show.'

And when he was asked on CBS 'This Morning' if the president has cause to fire Sessions, Graham replied: 'I think you serve at the pleasure of the president.'

Grassley said he had he'd have more time for confirmation hearings for a new attorney general this fall than he did last year - a questionable remark given the Senate's busy fall schedule that will see his committee hold hearings on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the entire upper chamber work on funding the government.

The two senators are said to irritated by Sessions' opposition to a criminal justice reform bill they support.

And a source close to Sessions told CNN after Grassley's remarks that the attorney general wasn't going to be 'blackmailed' into supporting a criminal justice bill he didn't agree with.

The legislation, which Trump has tabled until after the election, is also supported by his son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Kushner, Graham and other senators have urged the president to include sentencing revisions in the package, an idea Sessions opposes.

Besides irritating Kushner, Sessions is also said to have lost the support of Ivanka Trump.

Trump raised the idea of firing Sessions in a phone call with Graham last week, congressional aides told Politico, although Graham advised him to wait until after the November election.

Sen. Lindsey Graham said the president and Sessions' relationship was 'beyond repair'

Sen. Chuck Grassley said he had he'd have more time for confirmation hearings for a new attorney general this fall

The president has also floated his plan to his legal team who have warned him such a move could feed Mueller's investigation into whether Trump obstructed justice in the Russia probe, a probe that was trigged by the president's firing of former FBI director James Comey.

But some of Trump's team feel that Mueller will make an obstruction case whether Sessions is fired or not.

The attorney general does maintain the support of one key ally in the Senate - Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

'I have total confidence in the attorney general; I think he ought to stay exactly where he is,' McConnell told reporters on Tuesday.

Trump's public fury at Sessions has increased since his former campaign manager Paul Manafort was found guilty on eight counts of bank and tax fraud and his former personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight counts of campaign finance reform.

The president told 'Fox & Friends' last week that Sessions 'never took control of the Justice Department.'

That prompted Sessions to fire back in a rare public statement on the criticism he's received from Trump.

'I took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in, which is why we have had unprecedented success at effectuating the President's agenda,' Sessions said.

'While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations,' he added.

Sessions, when he was a senator from Alabama, was one of Trump's earliest supporters on Capitol Hill - loyalty that earned him the top spot at the Justice Department.

But the two men's relationship soured when Sessions recused himself from overseeing the investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election, a move that infuriated the president.

'The Russian Witch Hunt Hoax continues, all because Jeff Sessions didn't tell me he was going to recuse himself...I would have quickly picked someone else. So much time and money wasted, so many lives ruined...and Sessions knew better than most that there was No Collusion!' Trump tweeted in June.

Sessions announced his recusal in March 2017, citing a recommendation from the ethics office at the Justice Department.

'They said that since I had involvement with the campaign, I should not be involved in any campaign investigation,' Sessions said at the time.

Sessions is also said to have lost the support of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump

Jeff Sessions, when he was a senator, was one of Trump's first supporters on Capitol Hill

Sessions met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak twice during the campaign and did not disclose that to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his January confirmation hearing.

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a Republican who was nominated by Trump to the number two slot at Justice, is overseeing the investigation.

Graham told CBS 'This Morning' the cracks in the Trump-Sessions relationship goes beyond the recusal.

'The problems between the White House and the president and Attorney General Sessions go well beyond the recusal. I hope they can repair these problems, but I don't see that happening anytime soon,' he said.
A DJ who introduced electronic music to Burning Man more than two decades ago also says he's responsible for ruining the festival, which now attracts hundreds of thousands of people including celebrities and the wealthy.

Terbo Ted said he was the first-ever DJ at Burning Man. He said he was invited to the Black Rock Desert to play by the festival's co-founder Larry Harvey after his friends stumbled across an ad in a local magazine promising 'an experience in the desert'.

Ted said there was a phone number on the ad, and when he called it Harvey offered him and his friends to bring their music and a speaker system.

This was in 1992, a year after what began as a summer solstice ritual on the beach made its way to the Nevada desert.

A DJ who was the first to bring electronic music to Burning Man also says he ruined the week-long desert festival

Burning Man is held annual at the Black Rock Desert in Nevada and attracts hundreds of thousands of people

Some say that was time Burning Man morphed into a massive, week-long art festival, while others believe it was the beginning of the festival's downfall.

According to Ted, the San Francisco Cacophony Society brought Burning Man to the Black Rock Desert but didn't like the idea of sharing the space with Ted and his raver friends.

Terbo Ted is a DJ who was the first to play at Burning Man in 1992

'The pranksters blamed us for everything,' Ted told the San Francisco Gate. 'For us to bring dance music culture out there  they thought we were bringing consumer trash. They hated what we were doing.'

At the time, only a small group of people knew what Burning Man was. To help get more festival-goers -or burners - out to the desert Ted began heavily promoting it which led to more ravers, hippies and tech bros trekking out to Black Rock.

Ted, however, isn't solely responsible for the fall of Burning Man. The outlet points out that 'extravagant camps' throughout the playa, children who apparently attend with their parents, the addition of high-speed internet and the swarm of wealthy businessman and women are also causes.

Ted, who has attended the festival off and on over the past 26 years, said he has learned to appreciate what Burning Man has become.

'I accept it. It's going to be different every year,' he said. 'That it even happens is amazing, and it's the most modern city in the world. The culture's bigger than Larry. It's bigger than me; it's bigger than any one person. So you can't say anyone really owns it.'

Celebrities, models and the wealthy all trek out to Burning Man. Pictured are burners at the festival on August 29
Afghan interpreters promised the chance of sanctuary in Britain have been told it may be more than a year before decisions are made on their fate.

Dozens of translators who were the eyes and ears of British troops warn the delay leaves them exposed to a resurgent Taliban who have said they will die like dogs.

Britains longest serving translator was recently attacked by a suspected Taliban gunman outside his home in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

Two more say they are in talks with people smugglers to enter Britain illegally rather than face more months of uncertainty over their cases.

Threat: Ricky  here with documentary maker Ross Kemp, left  was shot at outside his home

It is 11 weeks since Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson gave fresh hope to translators by announcing he was tearing up a failed policy which meant the men who risked their lives for UK troops had been abandoned.

Officials said about 50 who served on the frontline in Helmand, and their families, would be granted visas to Britain under new qualifying measures.

The decision was a huge victory for the Daily Mails three-year Betrayal Of The Brave campaign, which highlighted how interpreters left in Afghanistan were shot at, issued with death threats and even executed on their doorsteps.

Writing in the Mail, Mr Williamson said: We will do what is right to honour their extraordinary service.

But translators, who were told to apply for their cases to be reviewed by a special UK unit in Kabul, say they feel betrayed again because of the confusion, lack of clarity and information.

Former SAS translator Abdul, 33, who worked on the frontlines of Helmand for five years, said: When I contacted the unit they could provide little information and said it could be more than a year before a decision was made.

There was no suggestion of an interview or fresh examination of my service or the threat to my family situation.

His concerns were echoed by Waheed, 26, who worked on the frontlines for three years and is negotiating with people smugglers over coming to the UK.

Mr Williamsons announcement gave us fresh hope but nothing appears to be happening, he said.

My best chance of living a safe life will be to try and come to the UK with people smugglers.

Shaffy, 28, who was branded an infidel spy and told he would die like a dog days after he was shown on TV with then prime minister David Cameron during a visit to Helmand, said: It is nearly three months since I gave my details to the unit and applied under the policy but I have heard nothing.

Under the old relocation scheme, interpreters had to be serving on an arbitrary date in December 2012 to qualify. They also had to have served in Helmand  the scene of the fiercest fighting  for at least a year.

Mr Williamson promised he would widen the qualifying period to include those who spent at least a year with British forces as far back as 2006

Mr Williamson promised he would widen the qualifying period to include those who spent at least a year with British forces as far back as 2006.

The qualifying period for the relocation policy now extends back to May 1, 2006  and those made redundant up to 2012. But translators claim there was no formal redundancy policy between 2006 and 2012.

Rafi, who was blown up in Helmand and became the superviser for all the UK militarys translators, said: I know of no one made redundant  contracts were just terminated  so this needs to be explained.

Three weeks after Mr Williamson announced the change in policy, suspected Taliban gunmen attacked Britains longest serving translator who had previously been refused sanctuary.

Two men opened fire as the 34-year-old translator, known as Ricky, returned home in his car in Kabul. Ricky jumped clear and ran inside his house. One bullet hit his seat. He said: I was very lucky. I believe it was the Taliban or Islamic State because of my work for the British forces.

Ricky said last night that British officials had accepted I am in danger but merely offered to relocate him in Afghanistan.

I have done 17 years service for the UK Government but now that I need their help, they are trying to leave me and my family here to the very real dangers, it is so disappointing, he said.

An MoD spokesman said: Our specialist team is working hard to identify which interpreters are eligible for relocation. This clearly takes time, as it requires close collaboration with other departments, the Afghan government and the International Organisation for Migration.
The actor who played Elvin in The Cosby Show is now working as a cashier at Trader Joe's, photos reveal.

A shopper spotted Geoffrey Owens, 57, behind a till at the store in Clifton, New Jersey, where staff earn around $11 an hour.

Wearing an ID badge bearing his name, the former star wore a Trader Joe's t-shirt with stain marks on the front as he weighed a bag of potatoes.

Karma Lawrence, 50, was grocery shopping with her wife, security manager Yanelle, 40, when she saw Owens at around 7.30pm on Saturday and snapped some photos.

Geoffrey Owens, 57, is pictured behind a till at the store in Clifton, New Jersey, where staff earn around $11 an hour

The former star wore a Trader Joe's t-shirt with stain marks on the front as he weighed a bag of potatoes. He is pictured left on Saturday and right during his time on the show

The medical secretary, from Clifton, said: 'I was just in Trader Joe's and I said to my wife, I said, "Wait a minute, that's the guy from The Cosby Show."

'She looked at him and said, "It looks like him. He's a little heavier."

'I pulled up a site on the internet to look at a picture of him and said, "That is him."

'I have never seen him at Trader Joe's before. I was getting a bunch of groceries and he wasn't really looking at anybody, but he said, "Have a nice day."

Owens played Elvin Tibideaux, the husband of Sondra Huxtable, on the final five seasons of NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, between 1985 and 1992.

The show's main character, Cliff Huxtable, was played by disgraced actor Bill Cosby, who is a convicted sex offender after being accused of abuse by over 60 women.

Owens played Elvin Tibideaux on the final five seasons of NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, between 1985 and 1992. He is seen here with disgraced actor Bill Cosby in an episode which aired in 1988

'I would have thought after The Cosby Show he would maybe me doing something different,' said Karma Lawrence, 50, who saw Owens (right) working in Trader Joe's

Owens went on to appear in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and That's So Raven and most recently starred in an episode of Lucifer in 2017.

Lawrence added: 'I used to watch The Cosby Show all the time; it was my favorite show. It was definitely him.

'I would have thought after The Cosby Show he would maybe be doing something different.

'It was a shock to see him working there and looking the way he did.

'It made me feel really bad. I was like, "Wow, all those years of doing the show and you ended up as a cashier."

'Other fans would be surprised for sure as well.'
I am writing with considerable sadness to inform you of my intention to sit as an independent Labour Member of Parliament. I am resigning the whip for two principal reasons.

The first centres on the latest example of Labour's leadership becoming a force for anti-Semitism in British politics. The latest example, from last week, comes after a series of attempts by Jeremy to deny that past statements and actions by him were anti-Semitic. Britain fought the Second World War to banish these views from our politics, but that superhuman effort and success is now under huge and sustained internal attack. The leadership is doing nothing substantive to address this erosion of our core values. It saddens me to say that we are increasingly seen as a racist party. This issue alone compels me to resign the whip.

The second reason is that a culture of intolerance, nastiness, and intimidation now reigns in too many parts of the Party nationally and is sadly manifest within my own Constituency Labour Party (CLP) in Birkenhead.

Frank Field MP represented Birkenhead from almost 40 years but revealed in a letter to party chief whip Nick Brown that he could no longer serve the Labour party

This is, I fear, just one example of a phenomenon that has tightened its grip on CLPs across the country and is being driven, in part, by members who in previous years would never have been able to claim Labour Party membership.My original submission to the Party on a specific bullying issue goes back eighteen months. Many submissions have since come from me as well as from loyal Party members. No decisive action has been taken.

At best, the Party's failure to act on these numerous complaints about the thuggish conduct of some members demonstrates a wilful denial. At worst, it serves to legitimise appalling levels of bullying and intimidation of lifelong Labour supporters...

Frank Field said the leadership is overseeing the 'erosion of our core values' which he firmly believes in

... I intend to continue to represent Birkenhead in Westminster, as I have had the honour to do so for almost 40 years, and I will do so as an Independent Labour Member. I shall of course remain a Party member as I have been since 1960. The values I have espoused during this time will be the same that will continue to govern my conduct and I also intend, providence willing, to represent those views when the next election is called.

Few events would give me greater pleasure than to apply to the Parliamentary Labour Party for the whip. But great changes in the leadership's stance on the issues outlined in this letter will need to take place before I will be able to do so.

Best wishes,

Frank Field
Silvio Berlusconi is ordered to pay his ex-wife 80,000-A-DAY in divorce settlement



Former premier's taste for younger women takes it toll on the Billionaire playboy

Despite ongoing scandal Berlusconi intends to run for a fourth time

Reports confirm that 27-year-old Francesca Pascale could be the new Italian 'first lady'

Silvio Berlusconi has been ordered to pay his second wife 82,000 a day as part of their divorce settlement.

Veronica Lario was awarded almost 30million a year by a court after a three-year legal tussle.

The former actress had wanted the 60million family villa and nearly 250,000 a month in maintenance, but settled for 2.5million a month.



Mr Berlusconi, 76, whose personal fortune is estimated at 3.7billion, keeps the villa near Milan as well as control of his business empire.

The judgment said the settlement would allow Miss Lario, 56, who has three children with the former Italian premier, to live in the manner that she was accustomed to during her marriage.

Veronica Lario (left) has won a divorce settlement from Silvio Berlusconi (right) worth 2.5 million



The couple married in 1990 and have three children together

The couple married in 1990 but first met ten years earlier when Mr Berlusconi saw Miss Lario appear topless in a play called the Magnificent Cuckold.

She filed for divorce in 2009 after her husband attended an underwear models 18th birthday party. Miss Lario said he had never turned up to any of his own childrens 18th birthday parties.



Mr Berlusconi, who is currently on trial accused of having underage sex with a prostitute, is now engaged to marry a 27-year-old TV presenter.

The couple met in a dressing room in 1980 after Berlusconi saw Lario perform in a Milan theater. They later married in 1990.



Berlusconi, 76, has kept sole possession of the 78m Villa Macherio, just outside Milan, which Lario, 56, claimed for herself after living there for more than 20 years.

The settlement was filed at Christmas time to give the ex-couple greater privacy, and according to reports Berlosconi's business interests remain untouched by the agreement.

It was Berlusconi's second marriage and the couple has three children - Barbara, 28, Eleonora, 26, and Luigi, 24.

Lario filed for divorce in 2009 as rumours of Berlusconi's bunga-bunga party nights at his other Milan villa of Arcore were starting to spread.

Lario played a major role in triggering Italy's prurient interest in her husband's lavish lifestyle and womanising.



New Models: Former girlfriend Nicole Minetti (left) has said Berlusconi's new fiancee Francesca Pascale will make an 'excellent first lady'



In 2007, the usually secretive Lario wrote an open letter to Italian newspaper La Repubblica - whose editorial line strongly opposed Berlusconi - demanding public apologies from her husband after he courted a future minister in his government, Mara Carfagna, on national television.

Berlusconi complied with Lario's demand and apologised.

However, two years later Lario went public again over Berlusconi's marital failings.



She described as 'indecent junk' the reported European Parliament candidacy of a number of showgirls for Berlusconi's party.

She also hit out at her husband for showing up at the 18th birthday party of Noemi Letizia, which led to widespread speculation about his relationship with the girl.

Berlusconi has now announced that he intends to run for Prime Minister again in Italy's forthcoming election. If he succeeds it will be his fourth time in office.

The media mogul has also confirmed that he is engaged to 27-year-old Francesca Pascale who sources say is now being groomed for the role of being Italy's 'first lady.'

Miss Pascale, the daughter of a wedding photographer who grew up in Naples, began dancing for a kitsch show on Telecapri station when she was 14.



She later left show-business, studied political science and became a provincial councillor for Mr Berlusconis centre-Right PdL party, but stepped down in July.

Earlier this month the billionaire media mogul confirmed their relationship on television, calling her 'beautiful on the inside and the outside'.



'Finally I feel less lonely,' Mr Berlusconi said. 'I am engaged to a Neapolitan, its official.'

Miss Pascale is said to be friends with Mr Berlusconis daughter, Marina, who is chairman of Italys largest magazine publisher, Mondadori.

Miss Pascale met Mr Berlusconi in 2004 when she was 19.

Yesterday, Nicole Minetti, an ex-showgirl and former girlfriend of Berlusconi, said she believes Miss Pascale would make an 'excellent first lady'.



Ms Minetti has been a member of Lombardys regional assembly since catching Mr Berlusconis eye while he was prime minister.



She was accused of procuring dancers and escorts for lavish bunga bunga parties, charges which she denies. Milan prosecutors are also investigating whether she improperly requested state reimbursements for 27,000 (22,000) in spa treatments, hotels and dinners.
Millions of homebuyers have shunned a property for sale because it doesn't have an upstairs bathroom, new research reveals.

Lower demand translates into smaller asking prices for those properties with only a downstairs bathroom, typically being six per cent cheaper - the equivalent of 13,580.

This potential loss due to not having an upstairs bathroom increases to 27,000 in London, according to the findings by Direct Line Home Insurance.

This three-bedroom terrace house in Northfields, Leicester, has a downstairs bathroom and is for sale for 158,000 via estate agents Seths

The family bathroom is downstairs at the rear of the Leicester property

It comes with a white bath suite that includes a bath tub with a shower overhead

It claims millions have decided against buying a property in the past as the bathroom was located downstairs.

However, having a bathroom downstairs can be appealing to a slither of buyers, especially if they are elderly and need to avoid challenging stairs to reach one upstairs.

It can also result in a potential bargain for buyers who may then choose to move the bathroom upstairs with the savings they could potentially make on the purchase price.

This modern three-bedroom home in Worcester Park, Surrey, has an upstairs family bathroom

The Surrey property is on the market for 450,000 via estate agents Browns Residential

The Surrey property has a family bathroom upstairs and an ensuite with the master bedroom

Dan Simson, head of home insurance at Direct Line, said: 'Downstairs bathrooms are usually found in older properties accessed through the kitchen and despite them featuring in thousands of homes across the UK, they divide opinion.

'With some home buyers actively avoiding properties like this and others finding them much more convenient, especially if they are less mobile or have young children.'

PERCENTAGE WHO ARE PUT OFF BY A DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM - BY REGION Region Percentage put off by a downstairs bathroom Estimated number of adults put off by a downstairs bathroom London 57% 3,916,000 North East 50% 1,063,000 North West 50% 2,879,000 East Midlands 45% 1,685,000 South East 44% 3,138,000 West Midlands 44% 2,023,000 Yorkshire & Humberside 44% 1,867,000 Northern Ireland 41% 597,000 South West 40% 1,790,000 Wales 37% 960,000 East of England 37% 1,790,00 Scotland 28% 1,219,000 UK total 44% 22,979,000 Source: Direct Line Home Insurance

The research claims a quarter of estate agents advise homeowners that if a property has a downstairs bathroom, they should consider relocating this upstairs before they put it on the market.

However, this can cost thousands of pounds, especially if the switch is not straight-forward and involves expensive building works.

Mr Simson added: 'Homeowners who are planning home renovations should let their insurer know about any changes being made to their house, as any work that involves walls being knocked down, floors being taken up, plumbing or electrical work, can result in damage to the property.

'Having builders and other trades coming and going with spare keys also increases the security risk.

'Once the building work has been completed, householders should inform their insurer of any changes that have been made to their property, as adding bedrooms or bathrooms can not only add value to their home, but also change their home insurance requirements.'

This three-bedroom terrace house in Geoffrey Road, Birmingham, has a downstairs bathroom

This Birmingham property is listed for sale via estate agents Purplebricks for 150,000

The family bathroom is downstairs in the Birmingham property

Direct Line Home Insurance claimed that the lack of desirability of downstairs bathrooms and the apparent negative impact on property prices may also be contributing to the increase in homeowners choosing to move them upstairs.

It said 45 per cent of estate agents reported that there are fewer properties with downstairs bathrooms listed now compared to five years ago.

The also research found that Londoners are most likely to be put off by a bathroom that is downstairs, with 57 per cent of those in the capital saying it would deter them from buying a property.

At the same time, people living in Scotland are the least concerned about the location of a family bathroom, with it only discouraging 28 per cent of purchases.
Many children may be dreading going back to school after the summer holidays.

However, new research shows children should not be rewarded for their attendance at school, as this makes them more likely to play truant.

Researchers studied schemes where children are given 'attendance awards', which are currently in place in part of California.

Far from improving overall behaviour, scientists found the practice  which is also used in some British schools  actually makes children more likely to skive.

According to the researchers, rewarding pupils for turning up for lessons sends them the message that 'normal attendance' is lower than their own.

This makes students feel like they should miss school in order to conform.

Scroll down for video

Many children may be dreading going back to school after the summer holidays. However, new research shows that children should not be rewarded for having good school attendance as it actually makes them more likely to play truant (stock image)

Researchers led by Harvard University studied data from some 15,000 secondary schools and found the 'attendance awards' policy was either entirely ineffectual, or pushed children to be more likely to play truant.

The study, published by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, found that prizes promised in advance made no difference to actual attendance levels.

The latest findings showed those who won the prize for attendance were less likely to maintain high attendance in future.

According to the BBC, these awards inadvertently have a 'demotivating' effect.

The winning students mistakenly believe their attendance is higher than expected, meaning they feel able to miss more days in the future.

They also feel they have performed better than was organisationally expected.

'A school leaders survey shows that awards for attendance are common, and that the organisational leaders who offer these awards are unaware of their potential demotivating impact,' researchers led by Dr Carly D Robinson wrote in the paper.

Researchers led by Harvard University looked at data from 15,000 secondary schools and found this 'attendance awards' policy was either ineffectual or even made children more likely to play truant (stock image)

'When people feel that they have exceeded the expectations for a socially desirable behaviour, they may subsequently become less likely to perform the socially desirable behaviour.

'Thus, the award may have resulted in recipients feeling allowed to miss a future day of school.'

This is because it mistakenly leads pupils to believe they have been exceptional in the past, rather than doing what was required of them.

'These findings have implications for when and how awards should be used to motivate desirable behaviours  and when they may backfire,' researchers wrote.

According to researchers, more than 80 per cent of corporations now use 'Employee of the Month' awards for top salespeople.

The study says there is conflicting evidence over the effectiveness of these schemes.

Employee absenteeism in the US is estimated to cost organisations $202 billion (155bn) each year.

'Given the prevalence of awards, there is surprisingly little empirical evidence on their impacts in the field,' researchers wrote.
Facebook should move more 'proactively' to address hate speech on its platform, the United Nations human rights chief has cautioned.

He warned that the social network needs to work out 'what side of the law they are on'.

The appeal follows a decision by Facebook this week to ban Myanmar's army chief as well as other top military brass linked to a possible 'genocide' against Rohingya Muslims following a recent investigation by the UN.

The social network is the prime source of news and information for many in Myanmar, but has also been used as a platform for the army and Buddhist hardliners to spread hate speech against the Rohingya and other minorities.

These individuals aired their support for the military's bloody 'clearance operations' last year that forced some 700,000 Rohingya over the border into Bangladesh in posts shared widely across Facebook.

The UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in early meetings with Facebook he did not think executives 'were taking it seriously'.

Al Hussein also urged the social network not to wait until a full-blown crisis to erupt before it decides to take action against hate speech.

Scroll down for video

The UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein (pictured) urged Facebook to more proactively address hate speech and know 'what side of the law they are on'

'We felt early on very uncomfortable with what we were seeing in Myanmar, (but) in the early meetings that we had with Facebook, I didn't think they were taking it seriously,' said Zeid, who is due to step down from his post as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights at the end of the week.

'Hopefully they've now awoken,' he told reporters in Geneva.

Facebook's ban included two official pages dedicated to the armys commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, which were used as the militarys primary outlet for information, especially around the crisis in the western state of Rakhine.

Al Hussein also warned there could easily be other cases 'where Facebook is the dominant medium in a country where you see a deterioration of human rights conditions and then their role would be brought into question.'

He cautioned the California-based company should be 'careful', since it risked being subpoenaed in possible future trials 'of those accused of the worst crimes.'

'We've seen from the jurisprudence of the past that if you've enabled, you've abetted, you've been an accessory,' Zeid said, stressing that while he was not accusing Facebook of that, 'they have to be sure that they know where they are and what side of the law they are on.'

The Jordanian national, who is set to be succeeded by former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, urged Facebook not to wait until a full-blown crisis erupts before it begins to take action against hate speech.

'They should be thinking proactively about what steps they will take to mitigate that,' he said.

Zeid meanwhile warned of going too far in the opposite direction, cautioning that 'there is also another danger (of being) overregulated.'

The northern wedge of Rakhine, the Myanmar state closest to Bangladesh, has been in lockdown since October 2016 deadly attacks by militants on border posts sparked a military response that left scores dead and forced tens of thousands to flee

HOW DID FACEBOOK CONTRIBUTE TO RIOTS IN SRI LANKA AND MYANMAR? What happened in Sri Lanka? Inter-religious violence in Sri Lanka, which left three dead back in March 2018, was in-part blamed on the spread of false information shared across Facebook. Various Facebook posts included content falsely contending Muslims were poisoning food given or sold to Buddhists. Buddhist mobs swept through towns and villages, burning Muslim homes and businesses and leaving victims barricaded inside mosques. The government blocked popular social media networks in an attempt to stop the violence from spreading, and thousands of police and soldiers spread out across the worst-hit areas. The police also ordered a curfew across much of the region for a third straight day, trying to calm the situation. What happened in Myanmar? People and groups in Myanmar also experienced real-world physical violence as a consequence of similar rumours spread on Facebook. Facebook use has grown exponentially in Myanmar since a quasi-civilian government opened up the telecoms sector in 2013, making it easier for people to access the internet in the largely Buddhist country. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since last August following a military crackdown in Rakhine state that has been likened to ethnic cleansing by the US and the UN, but which has been applauded by Myanmar nationalists online. Hardline monks gained notoriety for fanning anti-Muslim hatred through inflammatory posts. Back in February, Wirathu, a prominent face of Myanmar's Buddhist ultra-nationalist movement, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on Facebook. His tirades have been blamed for stoking sectarian violence, which have plagued Myanmar's transition to democracy. His page was removed in February. Advertisement

He pointed to recent comments by the US President Donald Trump, who has accused technology companies including Facebook, Google and Twitter of bias against him, slamming what he called 'rigged' internet search results.

Trump offered no details on what  if any  actions he might take on the issue, however a top White House aide suggested the administration may look at some type of regulation in response to the president's complaints.

Zeid insisted that instead of more government regulations, platforms' actions must 'be regulated by (international) human rights law.'

This is not the first time the UN rights chief has criticised Trump.

He has repeatedly warned that the US president's relentless attacks on the media are 'dangerous'.

On Wednesday, Zeid said Trump's recent statements 'have been very worrisome to me,' reiterating his warning that the president's words could trigger violence against journalists.

'All of us would be horrified, but perhaps not shocked if we heard of a journalist that was attacked and severely beaten for example at one of the rallies,' he said, stressing that if that happens 'the president would bear some responsibility.'

'As the campaigning seasons heat up, whether it be for the midterm elections or the presidential elections to come, the conduct of the president should be under very careful scrutiny by the international community and by this office,' Zeid said.
The 'tipping point' to save Earth from climate change lies within the next two decades.

That's according to climate scientists, who claim that if governments fail to act decisively to fight global warming, humanity could cross a point of no return by 2035.

After this, any action to halt the warming of our planet will not be enough to avoid 'dangerous' climate change, they said - which threatens to cause deadly heatwaves and flooding.

The research also shows the deadline to limit warming to 1.5C (2.7F) by 2100 - as laid out in the Paris Climate Accords - may have already passed.

Experts warned that 'very little time is left' to ensure the goals set out by the landmark agreement are met.

Scroll down for video

These graphs from the study show the probability of staying below the 1.5C (left) or 2C (right) global-average temperature increases, set by the Paris Agreement. The red curve shows how quickly we would reach a point of 'no return' if we increased the share renewable energy has of global power output by 1% each year; green, 2%; orange, 5%. The cases with (bottom panels) and without (top panels) technology to remove carbon emissions from the air are also shown

Scientists from the Utrecht Centre for Complex Systems Studies and Oxford University wanted to find the 'point of no return' for climate action.

By this they mean the latest possible year to start strongly cutting greenhouse-gas emissions before it's too late to avoid dangerous climate change.

'The "point of no return" concept has the advantage of containing time information,' said study lead author Matthias Aengenheyster, of Oxford University.

'We consider this very useful to inform the debate on the urgency of taking climate action.'

Using information from climate models, the team determined the deadline for starting climate action in order to 'likely' keep global warming below 2C in 2100.

They judged 'likely' as any scenario with a two-in-three chance or higher of reaching the goal, which was set by 195 nations in April 2016.

Global warming is already having a devastating impact on wildlife in the Arctic, including the endangered polar bear (file photo). The new research shows the deadline to limit warming to 1.5C (2.7F) by 2100 - as laid out in the Paris Climate Accords - may have already passed

Assuming we could increase renewable energy's share of global power production by two per cent each year, we would have to start doing so by 2035, experts found.

This marks the deadline for achieving the required reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from road traffic, homes and industry.

Otherwise, limiting global warming below 2C in 2100 - the target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement - will be 'unlikely', they said.

And, alarmingly, the cut off point for reaching the more ambitious 1.5C goal has already been reached.

THE PARIS AGREEMENT: A GLOBAL ACCORD TO LIMIT TEMPERATURE RISES THROUGH CARBON EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, is an international agreement to control and limit climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to below 2C (3.6F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F)'. It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) may be more important than ever, according to previous research which claims 25 per cent of the world could see a significant increase in drier conditions. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change has four main goals with regards to reducing emissions: 1) A long-term goal of keeping the increase in global average temperature to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels 2) To aim to limit the increase to 1.5C, since this would significantly reduce risks and the impacts of climate change 3) Governments agreed on the need for global emissions to peak as soon as possible, recognising that this will take longer for developing countries 4) To undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with the best available science Source: European Commission Advertisement

This means it is no longer even a possibility - barring 'radical action', reports the European Geosciences Union journal Earth System Dynamics.

If we were to reduce emissions at a faster rate, by increasing the share of renewable energy by 5 per cent each year, we would buy another 10 years.

'In our study we show that there are strict deadlines for taking climate action,' Professor Henk Dijkstra, a researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

'We conclude that very little time is left before the Paris targets [to limit global warming to 1.5C or 2C] become infeasible even given drastic emission reduction strategies.'
Support afterschool programs, support our future workforce Today, the Empire State Building shares a key characteristic with the streetlamps in downtown Flint. Theyve both swapped out their...

Proposal would make voting more difficult for many Michigan voters The right to vote was hard won. The League of Women Voters Flint Area is always working hard to educate...

Miller defends township clerks office Eight weeks ago, I was approached by concerned citizens to run as a candidate for the vacant clerk position in...
Advertisement

The kingdom of King Arthur's Camelot was in a town in the West Country, BBC presenter Nick Knowles claims.

Knowles, who is best known for presenting DIY SOS and National Lottery: Who Dares Wins, says the Knights Of The Round Table were most likely based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

Knowles claims he can 'prove' that King Arthur's legendary round table was placed at the centre of one of the largest Roman amphitheatres in Britain  and claims a historical expert agrees with him.

The BBC host made the claim during an appearance on The One Show, telling viewers: 'Me and a professor at Bristol University reckon Camelot is in Cirencester  and we can prove it.'

According to Knowles, the Roman amphitheatre in Cirencester is the most likely explanation because it is the only location that matches the claim in the legend that King Arthur was able to seat 5,000 knights without precedence.

The circular amphitheatre, which is believed to have fallen to the Saxons around AD 577, could hold the necessary number of people for the legend, Knowles claims.



The facts surrounding the real King Arthur are mired in myth and folklore, however historians believe he ruled Britain from the late 5th and early 6th centuries.

Arthur was believed to have sat his knights on a circular table so nobody was ever in a position of power or importance.

Scroll down for video

Pictured is the huge Roman amphitheatre on the outskirts of the town of Cirencester where BBC presenter Nick Knowles said the legendary kingdom of King Arthur's Camelot was

Legend says that during his reign King Arthur journeyed after the Holy Grail and fought a number of battles using his infamous sword, Excalibur.

He first appears in historical documents from the early 9th century, but much of what we know of the legendary king comes from the writings of Geoffrey Monmouth, who penned the history of Arthur in the 1100s.

Knowles said he could prove that the mystical court was in Cirencester's huge Roman amphitheatre.

Knowles, 55, appeared on BBC One's The One Show to talk about the upcoming Grenfell episode of DIY SOS, which he has presented for almost 20 years.

But as One Show presenters Alex Jones and Matt Baker introduced a segment about the abandoned Camelot theme park in the north-west, outspoken Knowles revealed that he knew the real location of the court.

'Me and a professor at Bristol University reckon Camelot is in Cirencester,' he said 'And we can prove it!'

He went on to explain that King Arthur met with his knights in the middle of the fortified, circular amphitheatre in the Cotswolds town.

Knowles claims he can 'prove' that King Arthur's legendary round table was placed in a huge Roman amphitheatre there - and says experts agree with him

Arthur was said to have sat his knights on the round table so that none was ever in a position of power of importance

Legend says that during his reign King Arthur journeyed after the Holy Grail and fought a number of battles using his infamous sword, Excalibur

WHERE COULD KING ARTHUR'S CAMELOT HAVE BEEN? Most scholars regard King Arthur's Camelot as totally fictional. Legend says that during his reign King Arthur met with his knights at a Round Table, journeyed after the Holy Grail and fought a number of battles using his infamous sword, Excalibur. Back in 2014 it was suggested that a place called Standish, near Wigan, was the most likely location of Camelot, the mythical court of King Arthur. The claims were made by Graham Robb, who carried out extensive geographical research in preparation for a book. In his work, The Ancient Paths: Discovering the Lost Map of Celtic Europe, he suggests it was the meeting place of two major Celtic pathways. Mr Robb, who won the Whitbread Book Award in 1997, says his geographical research makes it more plausible than ever that the small corner of Wigan could be the location of the mythical Camelot. However, historic writers have cited a number of places as potentially being home to Camelot. Geoffrey of Monmouth believes that it was in Caerleon in South Wales which is home to one of three Roman legionary forts in Brtain. Another writer John Leland said in his Itinerary of 1542 that Camelot was Cadbury Castle, which is an Iron Age hill fort near Yeovil in Somerset. Another famous account of King Arthur is Thomas Malory's 15th century work Le Morte d'Arthur, who claimed that Winchester Castle was Camelot. Advertisement

The huge Roman amphitheatre is one of the largest in the country.

It was built at a time when Cirencester was known as Corinium, and was second only to London in size and importance for Roman Britain.

The amphitheatre could hold 8,000 spectators before the Roman Army left Britain in around AD 408.

It is believed to have fallen to the Saxons around AD 577.

'So the story about King Arthur having a table where 5,000 knights could sit without precedence comes from the circular amphitheatre,' Knowles said.

'That's where King Arthur had his round table.'

The DIY SOS host is not the first to propose the theory about an amphitheatre.

Camelot historian Chris Gidlow also believes the ancient Roman structure was used by King Arthur.

Gidlow believes Arthur would have reinforced the 40-foot walls of a former Roman amphitheatre in Chester to create an imposing and well-fortified base.

According to the historian, Arthur's regional noblemen would have sat in the front row of the circular arena, with lower-ranked subjects in the outer stone benches.

Speaking ahead of a documentary about the theory that aired in 2010, Gidlow said: 'The first accounts of the Round Table show that it was nothing like a dining table but was a venue for upwards of 1,000 people at a time.

'We know that one of Arthurs two main battles was fought at a town referred to as the City of Legions. There were only two places with this title. One was St Albans but the location of the other has remained a mystery.'

The legend of King Arthur links him to 12 major battles fought over 40 years from the Scottish Borders to the West Country. One of the principal victories was said to have been at Chester.

The facts surrounded the real King Arthur (pictured left) are mired in myth and folklore but historians believe he ruled Britain from the late 5th and early 6th centuries. In a recent interview, Nick Knowles (pictured right), said the Knights Of The Round Table were based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Knowles, 55, appeared on BBC One's The One Show to talk about the upcoming Grenfell episode of DIY SOS, which he has presented for almost 20 years. He surprised locals by claiming the amphitheatre on the outskirts of the town of Cirenceste was the site where King Arthur placed his round table

DID THE LEGENDARY KING ARTHUR REALLY EXIST? Both the Historia Brittonum (History of the Britons) and Annales Cambriae (Welsh Annals), state that Arthur was a genuine historical figure, a Romano-British leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the late 5th to early 6th century. The 9th Century Historia Brittonum lists 12 battles that King Arthur fought, including the Battle of Mons Badonicus, where he is said to have killed 960 men - but some scholars have dismissed the reliability of this text. Tintangel Castle is popularly thought to be the legendary birthplace of King Arthur based on the discovery of a slate engraved with 'Artognou' which was found at the site in 1998. Silchester was the site of King Arthur's coronation and was able to continuously defend itself against the Saxons. The Roman name for Silchester was Calleba  similar to the name given to Arthur's sword, Excalibur. One of Arthur's celebrated battles against the Saxons was fought at Chester or the City of the Legion, as it was known in the Dark Ages. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of battle at nearby Heronbridge, and recent excavations show the amphitheatre was fortified during this period, with a shrine to a Christian martyr at its centre. This fits a description of Arthur's Round Table, which was said to be a very large structure, seating 1,600 of his warriors. During the 1960s, excavations by Philip Rahtz showed someone had inhabited the top of Glastonbury Tor during the so-called Arthurian period. According to the legends, this could have been King Meluas, who abducted Queen Guinevere to his castle at Glastonbury, or Arthur's warrior Gwynn ap Nudd, who was banished from his Palace on the Tor. In 1191, monks at Glastonbury Abbey found the body of a gigantic man, wounded several times in the head. The bones of his wife and a tress of her golden hair were also in the oak coffin. Found with the burial was an ancient lead cross, inscribed with 'Here lies buried the famous king Arthur with Guinevere his second wife, in the Isle of Avalon'. In 1962, archaeological evidence was found supporting the story that a tomb within the ancient church had been disturbed centuries previously. The whereabouts of the cross and bones are no longer known. However, Arthur is not mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle or any documents written between 400 and 820 - including Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Advertisement

Many other places have laid claim to being the famous home of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, and the other knights of the round table.

Back in 2014, it was suggested that a place called Standish, near Wigan, was the most likely location of Camelot, the mythical court of King Arthur.

The claims were made by Graham Robb, who carried out extensive geographical research in preparation for a book.

In his work, The Ancient Paths: Discovering the Lost Map of Celtic Europe, he suggests it was the meeting place of two major Celtic pathways.

Knowles said he could prove that the mystical court was in Cirencester's huge Roman amphitheatre. According to the BBC presenter, the Roman amphitheatre in Cirencester is the most likely explanation because it is the only location that matches the claim in the legend that King Arthur was able to seat 5,000 knights without precedence

The huge Roman amphitheatre is one of the largest in the country. It was built at a time when Cirencester was called Corinium, and was second only to London in size and importance

Camelot historian Chris Gidlow also believes the ancient Roman structure was used by King Arthur. Gidlow believes Arthur would have reinforced the 40-foot walls of a former Roman amphitheatre in Chester (pictured) to create an imposing and well-fortified base

It could hold 8,000 spectators before the Roman Army left Britain in around AD 408, and is believed to have fallen to the Saxons around AD 577

Camelot historian Chris Gidlow also believes ancient Roman structures was used by King Arthur. Gidlow believes Arthur would have reinforced a former Roman amphitheatre with 40-foot walls to create an imposing and well-fortified base

Although Knowles believes the legendary Camelot is located in the Gloucester amphitheatre, there is much historical evidence to dispute this, including historical writings from the likes of Geoffrey of Monmouth and John Leland

Mr Robb, who won the Whitbread Book Award in 1997, says his geographical research makes it more plausible than ever that the small corner of Wigan could be the location of the mythical Camelot.

However, historic writers have cited a number of other places as potentially being home to Camelot.

Geoffrey of Monmouth, who documented the legend of King Arthur in his book The History of the Kings of Britain published in 1136, believes that it was Caerleon, in South Wales that was home to one of three Roman legionary forts in Britain.

Another writer, John Leland said that Camelot was Cadbury Castle, which is an Iron Age hill fort near Yeovil in Somerset.

Another famous account of King Arthur is Thomas Malory's 15th century work Le Morte d'Arthur, who claimed that Winchester Castle was Camelot.
Russia is opening a brand-new 4.5 million ($5.9 million) cloning facility that aims to bring back the woolly mammoth and other long-extinct species.

Plans for the 'world class' research centre in the city of Yakutsk will purportedly be unveiled next month by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a major investment forum.

As well as woolly mammoths, Russian geneticists are set to study a number of extinct species, including the woolly rhinoceros, which died out 10,000 years ago.

The cloning laboratories  some sunk deep in Yakutsk's permafrost soil  aim to extend current research by Russian scientists, who are working closely with a team of South Korean specialists to restore the long-gone mammals.

Scroll down for video

Scientists have long poised that woolly mammoth DNA preserved for thousands of years in Arctic permafrost could be used to clone one of the animals, and bring them back from extinction. Russia is planning to open a new genetics facility to explore ancient DNA

Yakutsk, the capital of Russia's diamond-rich Sakha Republic, is a hot spot for frozen animal remains.

As many as 80 per cent of samples of Pleistocene and Holocene animals with preserved soft tissues discovered in Russia have been unearthed in the region.

DNA from the ancient animals can stay preserved in remains encased in frozen soil, known as permafrost, for tens of thousands of years.

It is hoped that by extracting DNA from these preserved remains, researchers will gain a better understanding of the biology behind some of the largest creatures to ever roam the Earth.

Woolly mammoths co-existed with early humans, who hunted the animal to use its bones and tusks for tools, shelter, as well as food.

The animal, which could weigh a maximum of 6000kg (6 metric tons), disappeared from its mainland range at the end of the Pleistocene era, around 10,000 years ago.

However, isolated populations of the animal are believed to have survived on St. Paul Island, in Alaska until 5,600 years ago and on Wrangel Island, in Russia, until as recently as 4,000 years ago.

Woolly mammoths are believed to have been wiped out because of a shrinking habitat caused by climate change, as well as hunting by humans, experts say.

Several international projects, including a team at Harvard University, are already racing to use preserved mammoth DNA to resurrect the ancient species.

The new Russian centre will 'aim to study extinct animals from living cells  and to restore such creatures as the woolly mammoth, woolly rhinoceros, cave lion and breeds of long-gone horses', according to the The Siberian Times.

The new facility, in the city of Yakutsk, will study the preserved DNA of several extinct species, including the woolly rhinoceros (artist's impression), which died out around 10,000 years ago

WOOLLY MAMMOTHS EXPLAINED: THESE GIANT MAMMALS ROAMED THE EARTH DURING THE PLEISTOCENE 10,000 YEARS AGO The woolly mammoth roamed the icy tundra of Europe and North America for 140,000 years, disappearing at the end of the Pleistocene period, 10,000 years ago. They are one of the best understood prehistoric animals known to science because their remains are often not fossilised but frozen and preserved. Males were around 12 feet (3.5m) tall, while the females were slightly smaller. Curved tusks were up to 16 feet (5m) long and their underbellies boasted a coat of shaggy hair up to 3 feet (1m) long. Tiny ears and short tails prevented vital body heat being lost. Their trunks had 'two fingers' at the end to help them pluck grass, twigs and other vegetation. The Woolly Mammoth is are one of the best understood prehistoric animals known to science because their remains are often not fossilised but frozen and preserved (artist's impression) They get their name from the Russian 'mammut', or earth mole, as it was believed the animals lived underground and died on contact with light  explaining why they were always found dead and half-buried. Their bones were once believed to have belonged to extinct races of giants. Woolly mammoths and modern-day elephants are closely related, sharing 99.4 per cent of their genes. The two species took separate evolutionary paths six million years ago, at about the same time humans and chimpanzees went their own way. Woolly mammoths co-existed with early humans, who hunted them for food and used their bones and tusks for making weapons and art. Advertisement

Eighty per cent of all finds of preserved tissue from Pleistocene and Holocene animals have been uncovered in Russia's Sakha Republic, of which Yakutsk - where the new facility will be based - is the capital. A preserved foal was discovered in the region earlier this month

Expert Dr Lena Grigorieva, who drafted the original plans for the centre, said: 'There is no such unique material anywhere else in the world.'

But scientists would also explore ways of helping fight human diseases, she said.

'We study not only Pleistocene animals  another line is the study of the history of settlement of the North-East of Russia,' she said.

COULD WE RESURRECT MAMMOTHS? Male woolly mammoths were around 12 feet (3.5m) tall, while the females were slightly smaller. They had curved tusks up to 16 feet (5m) long and their underbellies boasted a coat of shaggy hair up to 3 feet (1m) long. Tiny ears and short tails prevented vital body heat being lost. Their trunks had 'two fingers' at the end to help them pluck grass, twigs and other vegetation. They get their name from the Russian 'mammut', or earth mole, as it was believed the animals lived underground and died on contact with light  explaining why they were always found dead and half-buried. Their bones were once believed to have belonged to extinct races of giants. Woolly mammoths and modern-day elephants are closely related, sharing 99.4 per cent of their genes. The two species took separate evolutionary paths six million years ago, at about the same time humans and chimpanzees went their own way. Woolly mammoths co-existed with early humans, who hunted them for food and used their bones and tusks for making weapons and art. The most widely used technique, known as CRISPR/Cas9, allows scientists to create a hybrid animal from the preserved fossils of woolly mammoths and merging it with cells from a living elephant. The two species share 99.4 per cent of their DNA 'De-extincting' the mammoth has become a realistic prospect because of revolutionary gene editing techniques that allow the precise selection and insertion of DNA from specimens frozen over millennia in Siberian ice. The most widely used technique, known as CRISPR/Cas9, has transformed genetic engineering since it was first demonstrated in 2012. The system allows the 'cut and paste' manipulation of strands of DNA with a precision not seen before. Using this technique, scientists could cut and paste preserved mammoth DNA into Asian elephants to create and elephant-mammoth hybrid. Mammoths roamed the icy tundra of Europe and North America for 140,000 years, disappearing at the end of the Pleistocene period, 10,000 years ago. They are one of the best understood prehistoric animals known to science because their remains are often not fossilised but frozen and preserved. Advertisement

'Northern ethnic groups have a unique ancient genetic structure.

'Such studies will help in the study of rare genetic diseases, their diagnosis, prevention.'

The scheme of the new centre will be unveiled at the 4th Eastern Economic Forum, which is hosted by Putin and opens on 11 September in Vladivostok.

It will be based at Russia's Northern-Eastern Federal University (NEFU) which is seeking investment for the project.

Plans for the 'world class' research centre in the city of Yakutsk will be unveiled next month when Russian President Vladimir Putin hosts a major investment forum

The university has existing close cooperation with South Korean SOOAM Biotech Research Foundation, led by cloning expert Professor Hwang Woo-Suk.

There are also links between Russian scientists and Harvard University geneticist Professor George Church who plans to inset woolly mammoth genes into an Asian elephant embryo by 2020.

If successful, it will spawn a new mammoth-elephant hybrid.

There are plans for the revived species to roam free in Siberia's Pleistocene Park, which aims to recreate the habitat found in the north of Yakutia when the hairy giants once lived.
Crew inside the International Space Station are racing to patch a 'leak' likely caused by a collision with a small meteorite, officials say.

The 'micro fracture' in the $150 billion (115 billion) space station was discovered after astronauts noticed a drop in pressure.

This was caused by air from inside the ISS rapidly leaking out into space.

According to the head of the Russian space agency, the impact was sustained to the Soyuz spaceship that brought astronauts to the ISS back in June.

It is currently docked with the International Space Station.

Officials say the crew is not currently in any danger and will be able to patch the micro fracture from inside the space station.

Scroll down for video

Crew inside the International Space Station (pictured) are racing to patch a small 'leak' likely caused by a collision with a small meteorite

The International Space Station, or ISS, is a science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000.

'Overnight and in the morning there was an abnormal situation - a pressure drop, an oxygen leak at the station,' Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin told Russian news agencies today.

'A micro fracture was found, most likely it is damage from the outside.

'The design engineers believe it is the result of a micrometeorite,' he said.

The head of the Russian space agency said the incident presented no danger and said the fracture will be patched from the inside by the current crew.

Nasa confirmed the problem, saying it consisted of a 'minute pressure leak' and that the crew was in the process of repairing the damage.

The module is not needed to get the astonauts back to Earth so these issues will not cause problems for the descent.

'As flight controllers monitored their data, the decision was made to allow the Expedition 56 crew to sleep since they were in no danger', Nasa said in a statement.

'When the crew was awakened at its normal hour this morning, flight controllers at Mission Control in Houston and at the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow began working procedures to try to determine the location of the leak'.

According to the head of the Russian space agency, the impact was sustained to the Soyuz spaceship (pictured) that brought astronauts to the ISS back in June

Depressurisation is extremely dangerous for crews on board the ISS and this is not the first time a leak has happened in the ISS.

In 2007, another leak occurred in the station's Harmony module in the US section but officials said at the time the leak was no cause for concern.

'The crew are healthy and safe with weeks of air left in the International Space Station reserves,' ESA officials said in the statement following this latest leak.

'The leak has been identified and repair procedures are ongoing.'

Six men are currently orbiting Earth aboard the ISS, including NASA astronauts Drew Feustel, Ricky Arnold and Serena Aunon, as well as Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency and two Russian cosmonauts - Oleg Artemyev and Sergei Prokopyev.

EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. Crews have come mainly from the US and Russia, but the Japanese space agency JAXA and European space agency ESA have also sent astronauts. The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen. ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology. The US space agency, NASA, spends about $3 billion (2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, with the remaining funding coming from international partners, including Europe, Russia and Japan. So far 244 individuals from 19 countries have visited the station, and among them eight private citizens who spent up to $50 million for their visit. There is an ongoing debate about the future of the station beyond 2025, when it is thought some of the original structure will reach 'end of life'. Russia, a major partner in the station, plans to launch its own orbital platform around then, with Axiom Space, a private firm, planning to send its own modules for purely commercial use to the station at the same time. NASA, ESA, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working together to build a space station in orbit around the moon, and Russia and China are working on a similar project, that would also include a base on the surface. Advertisement

Last month, Russia completed the fastest ever same-day delivery mission to space after arriving at the ISS in just three hours and 48 minutes.

A Russian cargo ship carrying nearly three tons of supplies lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:51pm BST (5:51pm ET) on Monday 2, July.

The unmanned craft carried a fresh load of fuel, food and other supplies to the orbiting laboratory, docking at 2:39am BST Tuesday (9:39pm ET Monday).

Russian flights to the ISS often take days, but Progress MS-09 cut travel time down to under four hours using a new carefully planned, two-orbit trajectory.

The previous same-day spaceflight record was 5 hours and 39 minutes, set in 2013 by the Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-09M rocket.
Daily commutes should count as part of the working day because most of us spend the time catching up on work emails, scientists say.

Improved wireless internet connections on trains and advances to portable devices like laptops, smartphones and tablets mean our working hours have extended into our travels to and from the office, experts say.

Scientists found more than half of train commuters use the free Wi-Fi to send work emails  a habit they argue threatens to disrupt people's work-life balance.

Scroll down for video

Daily commutes should count as part of the working day because most of us spend the time catching up on emails, scientists say. Improved Wi-fi on trains and access to better laptops and smartphones means our working hours have extended (stock image)

Researchers at the University of West England surveyed 5,000 train passengers commuting on the London to Birmingham and London to Aylesbury routes.

The survey was carried out over a 40-week period during which time Wi-Fi access on the two services was incrementally improved by train operators.

The team found that as the Wi-Fi access improved, it had the effect of extending working hours through the laptops and smartphones carried by commuters.

Over half (54 per cent) of those surveyed using the Wi-Fi aboard the train were sending work emails.

This figure jumped to 60 per cent when faster Wi-Fi speeds were offered by the train operator.

According to the researchers, others used their 3G or 4G mobile data connections for the task.

As many as 60 per cent of commuters surveyed used Wifi to send work emails while commuting. According to the researchers, others used their 3G or 4G mobile data connections for the task

Interviews with customers by the researchers revealed that internet access was as important for commuters as it was for business travellers.

Many respondents expressed how they consider their commute as time to 'catch up' with work, before or after their traditional working day.

This transitional time also enabled people to 'switch roles', for example from being a parent to an office worker.

Other commuters liked the 'buffer' of being able to work when travelling.

Study co-author Dr Juliet Jain said mobile email access had caused a 'blurring of boundaries' between work and home life  and this now applied to commutes.

'How do we count that time? Do workplace cultures need to change?' she asked.

Rather than providing flexibility, the study showed people were adding working hours on top of their scheduled time at the office.

'There's a real challenge in deciding what constitutes work,' Dr Jain told a conference at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

Counting the journey as work could allow for more staggered commuter travel times, which would 'ease commuter pressure on peak hours' travel, she said.

But the change would mean employers would want 'more surveillance and accountability' for how employees were spending their commutes, she added.
Workers of the future could be given a boost thanks to a wearable robotic suit developed by LG.

Dubbed CLOi SuitBot, the AI-powered robotic suit boosts the leg movements of its wearer, letting them undertake tasks they normally wouldnt be equipped to handle.

The firm says it could to help warehouse workers who have to lift heavy objects.

The CLOi SuitBot can communicate with other service robots built by LG to become part of a 'smart working network' to co-ordinate around the factory floor.

A concept version of the technology was unveiled at a media launch during the annual IFA tech conference, which is held in Berlin from August 31 to September 5.

Scroll down for video

Workers of the future could be given a boost thanks to a wearable robotic suit being developed by LG. AI technology allows SuitBot to learn and evolve through recognition and analysis of biometric and environmental data

SuitBot was designed in collaboration with fellow South Korean firm, SG Robotics.

The firm has been studying how wearable robots can improve people's quality of life, including people with paralysis.

The collaborative effort  SuitBot  is part of LG's growing CLOi AI robot range.

Previous droids in the same range include a Cleaning Robot and Serving Robot.

SuitBot is aimed squarely at the industrial sector, however, its feasible medical versions of the same technology could be on the horizon if they prove successful.

AI technology allows SuitBot to learn and evolve through analysis of biometric and environmental data.

This allows it to cater to an individual worker's particular weaknesses as it learns about their movements.

According to LG, tailoring the movements and level of support for each individual also allows SuitBot to optimise its power consumption and conserve battery.

Despite this, LG has remained tight-lipped about the battery life of the suit.

Naturally rotating joints allow the CLOi SuitBot move in a more relaxed and natural way to enhance the lower body while walking, standing or working, according to LG.

Its sandal-type shoes and automatic adjustment feature allow the wearer to get in and out of the suit with ease, the Seoul-based electronics firm claims.

LG CLOi SuitBot is evidence of our full commitment to expanding our portfolio of service robots that deliver tangible convenience and innovation in our lives, said Song Dae-hyun, president of home appliances at LG.

The AI-powered CLOi SuitBot boosts the leg movements of its wearer, letting them undertake tasks they normally wouldnt be equipped to handle

SuitBot was designed in collaboration with fellow South Korean firm, SG Robotics, who have been studying how wearable robots can improve the quality of life of the people who use them, including people with paralysis

Its just one example of a wide range of revolutionary AI products designed to interact with users to dramatically elevate user convenience and create new opportunities to advance our robotics initiative into a next-gen growth engine.

There's no indication when the SuitBot will be commercially available.

SuitBot can connect to other LG service robots, first announced at CES 2018.

Each of LG's new robots  unveiled in January  is shorter than a human and moves via a hidden set of wheels at its base.

The first of the new machines is a server robot designed to carry food and drinks to customers at hotels and airport lounges.

SuitBot can also connect to other LG service robots, first announced at CES 2018. Each of LG's new robots is bin-shaped  unveiled in January  is shorter than a human and moves via a hidden set of wheels at its base

A built-in sliding tray installed into the assistant will collect the food and protect it while the robot is in transit.

The second is a porter robot capable of carrying hotel guests' luggage to and from rooms.

Lastly, LG will revealed a machine that works with customers at supermarkets, telling them product prices and then guiding them through the aisles.
Crop losses at the hands of swarms of hungry insects could double by 2050 as bug populations thrive in the warmer temperatures brought about by climate change.

The crops set to be hit hardest include wheat, maize and rice - particularly in northern climates - say scientists behind the shocking new study.

The research predicts that pest-induced crop losses will rise by between 10 and 25 per cent for every 1C the planet's surface warms.

Farmers should begin grow heat- and insect-resistant produce now in order to prepare for the crop-hungry bugs, scientists warned.

Crop losses at the hands of swarms of hungry insects could double by 2050 as bug populations thrive in the warmer temperatures brought about by climate change (stock image)

The research, from an international team of scientists, used computer models to predict increases in insect populations in a warmer world.

The biggest losses will hit many of the world's most productive agricultural areas, like the United States, France and China.

The study projects the proportion of European wheat crops lost to insects each year will double by 2050, while losses of North America maize will jump 40 per cent, even if countries meet their existing promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Co-lead author Professor Joshua Tewksbury, of University of Colorado Boulder, said: 'In some temperate countries, insect pest damage to crops is projected to rise sharply as temperatures continue to climb.

'This would put serious pressure on grain producers.'

Insects in a warmer climate are expected to be even hungrier and more numerous.

Warmer temperatures have been shown to accelerate an individual insect's metabolic rate, leading it to consume more food during its lifespan.

And while pest populations may decline in some hotter tropical areas, they are expected to increase elsewhere as temperatures rise and additional ecosystems become favorable to the insects.

The researchers calculated the potential for crop damage through to 2050 by combining climate projection data, crop yield statistics, insect metabolic rates and other demographic information.

Insect pestilence already reduces net yields of wheat, maize and rice, three staple grains that combined provide 42 per cent of total calorie consumption worldwide.

The new study calculated that just a 2C (3.6F) rise in global average temperature will result in total crop losses of approximately 213 million tons for the three grains.

The crops set to be hit hardest include wheat (pictured), maize and rice - particularly in northern climates, say scientists behind the shocking new study (stock image)

It found that Europe's bread basket, including Britain, could be among the hardest hit.

Currently the most productive wheat producing region in the world, pest impacts on European wheat could create total annual pest-induced yield losses that could top 16 million tons.

Eleven European countries are predicted to see 75 per cent or higher increases in insect-induced wheat losses - including the UK, Denmark, Sweden and Ireland.

Insects could also create major impacts on maize and rice yields in North America and Asia, respectively, according to the study.

The US, the world's largest maize producer, could see an almost 40 per cent increase in insect-induced maize losses under current climate warming trajectories, a reduction of more than 20 million tons annually.

Meanwhile, one-third of the world's rice production comes from China, where future insect-induced losses could top 27 million tons annually.

Professor Tewksbury said: 'On average, the impacts from insects add up to about a 2.5 per cent reduction in crop yield for every degree Celsius increase in temperature.

'For context, this is about half the estimated direct impact of temperature change on crop yields, but in north temperate areas, the impact of increases insect damage will likely be greater than the direct impact of climate on crop yields.'

The study recommended changes to global agricultural practices to adapt to the incoming changes.

These included increased selection for heat- and pest-resistant crops and new crop rotation patterns to reduce vulnerability to insects.

In some extreme cases, the researchers said that greater pesticide use may become necessary to secure regional food supplies, even at the cost of possible associated health and environmental damage.
Apple's rumored AR glasses could soon become a reality.

The iPhone maker confirmed late Wednesday that it acquired Colorado-based startup Akonia Holographics, which focuses on making lenses for augmented reality glasses.

The move is a signal that Apple has ambitions to make a wearable device that would superimpose digital information on the real world.

Scroll down for video

Apple confirmed late Wednesday that it acquired Colorado-based startup Akonia Holographics, which focuses on making lenses for augmented reality glasses

Apple issued a statement confirming it acquired Akonia Holographics.

'Apple buys smaller companies from time to time, and we generally dont discuss our purpose or plans,' the company said in a statement.

Akonia could not immediately be reached for comment. The company was founded in 2012 by a group of holography scientists and had originally focused on holographic data storage before shifting its efforts to creating displays for augmented reality glasses, according to its website.

In augmented reality, digital information is overlaid on the real world as in the popular game Pokemon Go.

Mobile phones use their camera system to do this on the phones screen, but major technology firms are racing to create glasses that will show digital information on transparent lenses.

Akonia said its display technology allows for 'thin, transparent smart glass lenses that display vibrant, full-color, wide field-of-view images.'

Apple last year launched augmented reality applications for its iPhones and iPads, and CEO Tim Cook has called augmented reality a 'big and profound' technology development

The firm has a portfolio of more than 200 patents related to holographic systems and materials, according to its website.

Akonia also said it raised $11.6 million in seed funding in 2012 and was seeking additional funding. It was unclear whether that funding ever materialized or who the firms investors were.

The purchase price and date of the acquisition were not made public, though one executive in the AR industry said the Akonia team had become 'very quiet' over the past six months, implying that the deal may have happened in the first half of 2018.

Apple has a history of buying smaller companies whose technologies show up years later in its products.

In 2013, Apple acquired a small Israeli firm called PrimeSense that made three-dimensional sensors. The iPhone X, launched last year, used a similar sensor to power facial recognition features.

Apple has increasingly moved into augmented reality technology. In 2017, it launched AR Kit, an augmented reality platform for developers to create apps and other software using the tech

APPLE'S AR GLASSES PATENT There has been speculation that Apple is developing an AR headset that may work in tandem with the iPhone. Catcher Technology, a Taiwanese company that manufactures metal casings for Apple products, may also make parts for Apple's AR glasses. In an interview with Nikkei Asian Review, Allen Horng, the chairman of Catcher Technology, did not confirm what project his company is working on, but there has been speculation that it's working on Apple's AR product given that the company already works with Apple on its product casings. The patent for the AR glasses (artist's impression) was the work of AR software development firm Metaio, which Apple acquired in May 2015 after it developed 'thermal touch' - a way to trigger actions in digital content via a person's heat signature The Apple AR glasses patent details a head-mounted, touch-screen display that could work alongside an iPhone. It also presents a way of representing points of interest (a landmark or an object such as a moving car) in a view of a real environment on an iPhone screen, with interaction functionality. As such, the iPhone could potentially connect to the AR headset, allowing the wearer to see point of interest in real time. Advertisement

Bloomberg last year reported that Apple was developing augmented reality glasses that could ship as early as 2020. Apple declined to comment on its plans or products.

But the company last year launched augmented reality applications for its iPhones and iPads, and CEO Tim Cook has called augmented reality a 'big and profound' technology development.

'This is one of those huge things that well look back at and marvel on the start of it,' Cook said of augmented reality on a conference call with investors last year.

The Akonia acquisition is the first clear indication of how Apple might handle one of the most daunting challenges in augmented reality hardware: Producing crystal clear optical displays thin and light enough to fit into glasses similar to everyday frames with images bright enough for outdoor use and suited to mass manufacturing at a relatively low price.

The Akonia acquisition is the first clear indication of how Apple will handle producing clear optical displays thin and light enough to fit into glasses. Pictured is the Google Glass

Augmented reality headsets currently on the market such as Microsoft's HoloLens and startup Magic Leaps Magic Leap One both use darkened lenses and are intended for indoor use.

Both are also intended for software developers testing the technology and cost several thousand dollars.

Apple last year filed a patent describing a head-mounted, touch-screen display that could work alongside an iPhone.

It also proposes a way to display relevant information, such as directions, or more details about a landmark, on screen in real-time and in the actual environment.
Early human ancestors started to get fat almost 12.5 million years ago, research has revealed.

Advanced tooth decay, weight gain, high blood pressure and gout are not just modern problems.

Many of today's lifestyle diseases may have their origin in a genetic mutation which first occurred in our ancestors many millions of years ago, scientists have found.

Diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and gout are diseases which claim millions of human lives each year, according to the World Health Organisation.

However, they also occur in our nearest relatives, the orangutan, gorilla and chimpanzee.

Scientists say that having stable higher blood pressure could have been, along with fat reserves, an important selective advantage for apes in Miocene Europe more than 12 million years ago.

This is because these conditions enable physical activity even when food is scarce.

Scientists found evidence of tooth decay in Dryopithecus carinthiacus (centre), the earliest representative of African apes and humans. The sugary foods which caused it are likely to have come from these plants (clockwise from top left): mulberry, grapevine, wild cherry, strawberry tree, sloe, hickory, chestnut, citrus and oleaster

For about ten years researchers have suspected that the human predisposition to what we call 'lifestyle diseases' may be due to our evolutionary history.

Unlike other primates, humans, gorillas, orangutans and chimps lack the enzyme uricase in our metabolism.

This leads to higher levels of uric acid in the blood and means sugars are transformed into body fat.

Fructose - unlike glucose - increases this fat storage effect.

Scientists believe the genetic mutation leading to its loss must have occurred in our last common ancestor with chimps, gorillas and orangutans  15 million years ago in what is now Europe.

Researchers from the universities of Tubingen and Dresden in Germany have now come up with paleontological evidence that shows our ancestors were suffering advanced tooth decay 12.5 million years ago.

They found evidence of this in the teeth of Dryopithecus carinthiacus, the earliest representative of African apes and humans, according to the paper published in Plos One.

The teeth were found in Carinthia, Austria, in 1953.

Madelaine Bohme from the University of Tubinge who led the study, said: 'This finding was a surprise to us, because the rise of tooth decay has always been placed in the context of early agriculture  the Neolithic revolution  some ten thousand years ago.'

'We have been eating more cooked starches since then,' she added.

A microscopic image of white fat cells from the eight million year old skeleton of the Oreopithecus bamboli primate from Tuscany. The conclusion that European great apes had substantial fat reserves was confirmed by analysis of this specimen

A comprehensive comparative study of the state of the teeth of 365 wild chimpanzees in Liberia showed that only 0.17 percent of them had signs of tooth decay.

'The tooth decay observed in chimpanzees is also much less pronounced than in the fossil primate,' said Jochen Fuss from the University of Tubingen.

But unlike the tooth rot often found in early farmers, the decay in the Dryopithecus carinthiacus teeth was due to high levels of sugar consumption.

To prove this, the researchers analysed the fossil pollen from trees, bushes and vines present in the layers of the site in Carinthia where the 12.5 million year old jawbone was found.

There they found at least nine species with high-sugar fruits, including grapes, mulberries, strawberry trees, chestnuts, oleaster, and types of wild cherry and plum.

The scientists also found 46 melliferous plants  so honey could have been an additional source of sugar.

According to the study, sugar was present for nine to ten months of the year, from March to December in the Miocene landscape of what is now Carinthia.

While today's primates can eat young leaves if no fruit is available, the European primates did not have that emergency option.

'Because of the low light intensity, or the short hours of daylight in January and February, and despite nearly tropical temperatures in the northern mid-latitudes, there was no new leaf growth in late winter,' Dr Bohme said.

Chemist Gregor Uhlig from the Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf said: 'To survive this starvation period, our ancestors had to put on reserves of fat.'

The team found that the fruits likely consumed by Dryopithecus at the end of the growth period in early winter from November to December had a high sugar and especially fructose content.

This in turn led to the formation of body fat due to the lack of uricase in the metabolism.

The conclusion that European great apes had substantial fat reserves was confirmed by the only complete skeleton known to date - that of the eight million year old Oreopithecus bamboli found in Tuscany.

In its preserved soft tissue there were closely-packed fat cells, similar in size and shape to those of modern humans.

'Many clinical studies have shown that high levels of uric acid in the blood lead to high blood pressure,' Dr Bohme said.

'A mutation which happened millions of years ago is largely responsible for early great apes being able to settle Eurasia and to produce an enormous diversity of species.

'We carry that legacy within us. But this advantage has turned into a handicap for us in a world of industrially-produced foodstuffs.'
Apple has sent out invites for the launch of the latest version of the iPhone.

It will take place on September 12th at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple's 'spaceship' HQ in Cupertino.

The golden 'gather round' invites show the circular HQ.

Scroll down for video

The launch will take place on September 12th at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple's 'spaceship' HQ in Cupertino.

It is believed that Apple is branding this year's lineup an 'S year' - meaning the new devices will mostly include internal improvements, instead of any major aesthetic overhauls, Bloomberg claimed earlier this week.

This tallies with previous reports that suggest Apple will launch three new models that resemble the existing iPhone X all-screen design on September 12th.

The three models are tipped to boast 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch and 6.5-inch displays.

All three models could have a battery charge that lasts for more than a day thanks to a new Apple-designed processor that is set to increase battery life by as much as 40 per cent.

A 6.5-inch iPhone, referred to internally as D33, will feature Apple's largest screen yet, as well as new features like the ability to view content in a side-by-side view.

While it will be the biggest phone in the lineup, Apple is said to be mulling whether or not it should drop the 'Plus' label for the 6.5-inch device, Bloomberg noted.

The 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch models will both feature improved processing speed and upgraded cameras. It's unclear what specific changes will be made.

Apple's big iPhone launch event is less than a month away and new details have surfaced about what the tech giant may have in store for the next iteration of its flagship device

Apple will try to appeal to price-sensitive consumers with a 6.1-inch model that's most akin to the iPhone 8, aside from the addition of a bezel-less screen.

The devices are also set to have a new processor, expected to be called the Apple A12, that will significantly improve the battery life in all three models.

The next-generation chipset will have an increased number of transistors, which are tiny switches that allow electricity to pass through the processor.

Last year's iPhone chip had a gap of 10 nanometres between each transistor, however, this year Apple is tipped to shrink that to seven nanometres.

Smaller gaps between transistors mean the chip can work more efficiently and requires less power to work, resulting in more battery life.

TSMC, the manufacturer behind Apple-branded processors, estimates its 7nm chips require around 40 per cent less power than their predecessors.

If Apple adopts the new chipset design for its new models, as analysts predict, iPhone users can expect a significant bump in battery.

Apple is also expected to include a number of battery life optimisations that will help to reduce battery drain when the phone is asleep, writes MacWorld.

However, the latest estimates are subject to a number of other details about the phone. Real-world battery life is also affected by other factors, including the number of apps, type of display, and the efficiency of cellular and Wi-Fi radios in the phone.

Apple has been widely rumored to be prepping three new iPhones for later this year. A leaked image reportedly shows the glass panels that will be used in the iPhone models

Elsewhere, the three new iPhone models are tipped to launch in several colours, include an aluminium (rather than stainless steel) chassis, and sport an LCD display.

Since all three models will feature an edge-to-edge display, they'll also have the gesture-based control system used in the iPhone X, which replaces the need for a home button.

Apple's facial recognition system 'Face ID' will also be included in all three devices.

Keeping with earlier rumours, Apple is expected to introduce dual SIM technology for the two larger phones in some regions, Bloomberg noted.

Including dual SIM support would allow users to switch between mobile carrier plans more easily. This feature is likely to appeal to international users who frequently travel to different countries.

Another detail that remains unclear is how Apple will brand its new smartphones.

It's unlikely to brand the new premium phones as the iPhone XS, as this is likely to be read by consumers as 'excess' or 'extra small'.

However, moving to the iPhone XI (iPhone 11) would signal a bigger aesthetic upgrade than the company might necessarily want, given that it is an 'S year'.

The iPhone isn't the only Apple device expected to get a facelift at this year's event.

Apple is also expected to release an Apple Watch with a bigger screen, as well as revamped iPad Pro models that feature slimmer bezels, Bloomberg noted.
Google has started selling its own USB security keys in a bid to stop customer's accounts being hacked.

The Titan Security Key, which comes with both USB and Bluetooth versions, is on sale now for $50 from Google's online store.

The USB security key works with desktop machines, and the Bluetooth version with mobile devices, and the pack also comes with a USB-C to USB-A adapter and a USB-C to USB-A connecting cable.

Scroll down for video

The Titan Security Key, which comes with both USB and Bluetooth versions, is on sale now for $50 from Google's online store.

'We're very sure of the quality of the security,' Christiaan Brand, a Google product manager for identity and security, said.

'We're very sure of how we store secrets and how hard it would be for an attacker to come in and blow the security up.'

The Titan should work on any device with a USB port or a Bluetooth connection.

'Titan Security Keys have extra 'special sauce' from Googlefirmware that's embedded in a hardware chip within the key that helps to verify that the key hasn't been tampered with,' the firm says.

It comes a day after Google said it has managed to completely stop its employee's account being hacked by requiring them to use physical security keys.

In 2017, the tech giant began giving out physical security keys to all 85,000 employees, according to KrebsOnSecurity.

Security Keys are inexpensive USB-based devices often costing less that $20, which require the user to log in to a Web site using something they know (the password) and something they have (e.g., a mobile device or USB key).

And since then, no employees have reported any confirmed takeovers of work-related accounts, Google said.

Google's advanced protection features include an option to require a physical USB security key to connect to a desktop computer before each log-in as a way to verify a user's identity.

Researchers say protecting your account with a password often isn't enough, and tech firms have developed new methods, often needing a mobile phone or a hardware key, such as the Security Key system used by Google.

A Google spokesperson said Security Keys now form the basis of all account access at Google.

'We have had no reported or confirmed account takeovers since implementing security keys at Google,' the spokesperson said.

'Users might be asked to authenticate using their security key for many different apps/reasons. It all depends on the sensitivity of the app and the risk of the user at that point in time.'

HOW DO I USE GOOGLE'S ADVANCED PROTECTION SYSTEM? The advanced protection features include an option to require a physical USB security key to connect to a desktop computer before each log-in as a way to verify a user's identity. Mobile log-ins will require a Bluetooth wireless device. Two Security Keys are required to enroll so that you'll have a backup key in case you lose your main key. A wireless-enabled key that can connect to both your computer and mobile devices should act as your main key, Google says. Advanced protection users will have their data walled off from access by any non-Google third-party applications, such as the Apple iOS mail client or Microsoft Outlook. The program also includes a more laborious and detailed account recovery process to prevent fraudulent access by hackers who try to gain access by pretending they have been locked out. Google created a web page to walk users through setting up advanced protection, including where to purchase USB and Bluetooth security keys on Amazon. Advertisement

The idea, known as two-factor authentication, mean even if hackers know your password, they still cannot log in to your account unless they also hack or possess that second factor - usually your phone or USB key.

The most common forms of 2FA require the user to supplement a password with a one-time code sent to their mobile device via text message or an app.

The Security Key used by Google uses a form of multi-factor authentication known as Universal 2nd Factor (U2F), which allows the user to complete the login process simply by inserting the USB device and pressing a button on the device.

Sites including Dropbox, Facebook, Github, and Google's services support the new devices, with more being added daily.

Currently, U2F is supported by Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.

Microsoft says it expects to roll out updates to its flagship Edge browser to support U2F later this year.

Apple has not yet said when or if it will support the standard in its Safari browser.

For non employees Alphabet's Google offers an 'advanced protection program' to provide stronger email security for some users such as government officials, political activists and journalists who are at a higher risk of being targeted by sophisticated hackers.

The $20 Yubikey that can be used on a desktop computer

Google users will have the ability to opt in to security settings aimed at protecting Gmail, Google Drive and YouTube data from phishing attacks.

The advanced protection features include an option to require a physical USB security key to connect to a desktop computer before each log-in as a way to verify a user's identity.

Mobile log-ins will require a Bluetooth wireless device.

Advanced protection users will have their data walled off from access by any non-Google third-party applications, such as the Apple iOS mail client or Microsoft Outlook.

The program also includes a more laborious and detailed account recovery process to prevent fraudulent access by hackers who try to gain access by pretending they have been locked out.

Although Google has previously supported the use of security keys for what is known as two-factor authentication, advanced protection users will have no backup log-in method available if they lose their keys other than the fuller account recovery process.

The rollout of a suite of new email security services follows a U.S. presidential election last year shaped in part by the disclosure of emails belonging to associates of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton that were obtained through phishing schemes.

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that those hacks, which included a breach of Clinton campaign manager John Podesta's personal Gmail account, were carried out by Russia as part of a broader cyber campaign to help Donald Trump, a Republican, win the White House.

'If John Podesta had Advanced Protection last year, the world might be a very different place,' said Joseph Lorenzo Hall, chief technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology, who was briefed on the new features by Google.

Hall said the new features would increase the number of high-risk consumers with strong protections against phishing campaigns.

But he noted that they may create compatibility issues among some who already integrate custom security tools with their Google products.

Google created a web page, g.co/advancedprotection, to walk users through setting up advanced protection, including where to purchase USB and Bluetooth security keys on Amazon.
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Advertisement

SpaceX is one step closer towards ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station, dubbed by many as the start of a 'new era for human spaceflight.'

Elon Musk's rocket company has completed the installation of a Crew Access Arm that will serve as a walkway for astronauts boarding the Crew Dragon capsule.

Four astronauts will walk across the futuristic bridge from a crew access tower at the historic 39A launchpad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to the Dragon, which will blast them into space.

Scroll down for video

Four astronauts will walk across the futuristic bridge from a crew access tower at the historic 39A launchpad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center to the Dragon, which will blast them into space.

SpaceX shared images of the newly constructed Crew Access Arm on Twitter.

'Crew access arm installed at Launch Complex 39A in Florida; will serve as a bridge for @NASA astronauts to board Crew Dragon,' SpaceX said in a tweet.

The firm is aiming for its first crewed flight in April 2019, while an uncrewed test flight will take place in November 2018.

SpaceXs crew flight test will be led by astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, with plans to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center in April 2019.

Crew Dragon can hold up to seven astronauts at one time, but the manned mission will only include four men on board.

The Crew Dragon capsule will blast off from launchpad 39A atop a 230-feet-tall Falcon 9 rocket.

SpaceX has been installing the Crew Access Arm at Kennedy Space Center's 39A launchpad for several weeks. The firm finished positioning it on a fixed service structure last week

It will surely be a landmark moment for US space exploration, as it will signify the first human spaceflight mission since 2011, when NASA's Space Shuttle was retired.

The Space Shuttle was a reusable spacecraft that ferried astronauts to and from earth and the International Space Station.

After the Space Shuttle retired, the US was forced to rely on Russia for spacecraft that could transport astronauts to the ISS.

WHAT IS ELON MUSK'S CREW DRAGON? The capsule measures about 20 feet tall by 12 feet in diameter, and will carry up to 7 astronauts at a time. The Crew Dragon features an advanced emergency escape system (which was tested earlier this year) to swiftly carry astronauts to safety if something were to go wrong, experiencing about the same G-forces as a ride at Disneyland. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule measures 20 feet tall by 12 feet in diameter, and will carry up to 7 astronauts at a time. However, the manned flight will have four astronauts on board It also has an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) that provides a comfortable and safe environment for crew members. Crew Dragon's displays will provide real-time information on the state of the spacecraft's capabilities, showing everything from Dragon's position in space, to possible destinations, to the environment on board. Pictured is the Crew Dragon spacecraft simulator. The Crew Dragon features an advanced emergency escape system to swiftly carry astronauts to safety if something were to go wrong Those CRS-2 Dragon missions will use 'propulsive' landings, where the capsule lands on a landing pad using its SuperDraco thrusters rather than splashing down in the ocean. That will allow NASA faster access to the cargo returned by those spacecraft, and also build up experience for propulsive landings of crewed Dragon spacecraft.

Advertisement

Astronauts Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley, Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover will fly the Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station in April 2019

Crew Dragon and Boeing's CST-100 Starliner will take the place of the now-defunct Spae Shuttle, as they each have crewed demonstration missions planned for later this year.

Even more historic, the spacecrafts will blast off from the same launchpad used for NASA's Apollo 11 mission, which landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon.

The launchpad, which was built in 1967, was also where Apollo 13 launched into orbit.

The access arm has been in development for several months now, but was installed at the complex on Monday.

It hangs roughly 200ft above the ground - or about 70ft higher than where the former Space Shuttle access arm was constructed - and will be kept in pristine condition.

WHEN DID NASA LAST LAUNCH CREWED MISSIONS FROM THE US? Shuttle Columbia is shown during lift-off from the Kennedy Space Center in 2003 NASA launched its first space shuttle, Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-1), from the Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981. In the three decades that followed, the space agency deployed a total of 135 missions from US soil. Columbia was only the beginning; following in its footsteps, NASA launched Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor to carry people to orbit. These launches also allowed for the construction of the International Space Station  the largest structure in space, thats now home to a revolving crew of astronauts from all around the world, conducting important experiments that continue to advance our knowledge of the cosmos. The shuttle missions came to an end with the Atlantis shuttle on July 21, 2011 after STS-135. In the years since, NASA has had to rely on Russian modules to send astronauts to the ISS, all of which launch from foreign soil. Now, the space agency has turned to the private sector to provide space taxi services, to take astronauts from US soil to the ISS. On August 3, 2018, NASA revealed astronauts would fly on the Boeing CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon. So far only SpaceX has successfully taken astronauts to the ISS, but it is hoped the first Starliner flight will happen in 2022. The shuttle missions came to an end with the Atlantis shuttle on July 21, 2011 after STS-135. Above, Atlantis lands at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fl, marking the official end of the 30-year program Advertisement

According to NASA, SpaceX continues to modify Launch Complex 39A from its earlier state, by removing over 500,000lbs of steel from the pad structure.

Pictured is the spacesuit to be worn by NASA astronauts that will travel to the ISS next year

In addition to the Crew Dragon mission, SpaceX is also using 39A to send cargo to the ISS, as well as to launch commercial payloads.

The first SpaceX mission from the historic launchpad took place in February.

Before SpaceX is able to conduct its manned mission to the ISS, it has to complete an unmanned test misision.

For the manned demonstration, called DEMO-2, the Crew Dragon will dock and undock with the ISS and then return back to earth.

NASA will examine data from the flight and make sure that it meets certain safety and performance requirements.

This will determine whether or not the spacecraft is suitable for regular trips to the ISS in the future.

While uncrewed flight tests were not required, both Boeing and SpaceX have volunteered to perform them before adding astronauts.

This was above and beyond the NASA requirement in the contract, said Kathy Lueders, Commercial Crew Program manager at NASA Kennedy.

Both partners said they really wanted to have an uncrewed flight test to make sure the integrated rockets, spacecraft and re-entry systems are all working as designed to be able to ensure the integrated system is functioning.

NASA launched its first space shuttle, Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-1), from the Kennedy Space Center on April 12, 1981.

THE HISTORIC LAUNCH PADS OF KENNEDY SPACE CENTER'S LAUNCH COMPLEX 39 Since the late 1960s, Pads A and B at Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39 have served as backdrops for America's most significant manned space flight endeavors - Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and space shuttle. Located on Merritt Island, Fla., just north of Cape Canaveral, the pads were originally built for the huge Apollo/Saturn V rockets that launched American astronauts on their historic journeys to the moon and back. An aerial view of Launch Pad 39A during the Apollo/Saturn era, taken in 1976. During the Apollo era, key pad service structures were mobile. Following the joint U.S.-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission of July 1975, the pads were modified to support space shuttle operations. Both pads were designed to support the concept of mobile launch operations, in which space vehicles are checked out and assembled in the protected environment of the Orbiter Processing Facility and the Vehicle Assembly Building, then transported by large, tracked crawlers to the launch pad for final processing and launch. During the Apollo era, key pad service structures were mobile. For the space shuttle, two permanent service towers were installed at each pad for the first time, the fixed service structure and the rotating service structure. On April 12, 1981, shuttle operations commenced at Pad A with the launch of Columbia on STS-1. After 23 more successful launches from A, the first space shuttle to lift off from Pad B was the ill-fated Challenger in January 1986. Pad B was designated for the resumption of shuttle flights in September 1988, followed by the reactivation of Pad A in January 1990. Advertisement

In the three decades that followed, the space agency deployed a total of 135 missions from US soil.

With the upcoming tests, NASA is now closer than it has been in nearly a decade to launching astronauts from the US, aboard capsules made here at home.
Advertisement

Scientists have for the first time detected water clouds deep inside the Great Red Spot on Jupiter.

The discovery inside the centuries-old storm, larger than planet Earth, sheds new light on how Jupiter developed - and if life could, or has ever, existed on it.

It reveals water on Jupiter is far more common that thought.

Scroll down for video

The NASA discovery inside the centuries-old storm, larger than planet Earth, sheds new light on how Jupiter developed - and if life could, or has ever, existed on it. Pictured, the Great Red spot.

COULD LIFE EXIST ON JUPITER? The prime candidate for life outside of Earth is still be Jupiter's moon Europa. In May NASA found evidence of plumes of water there. Elizabeth Turtle, a planetary scientist from John Hopkins University, said: 'We know that Europa has a lot of the ingredients necessary for life, certainly as we know it. 'There's water. There's energy. There's some amount of carbon material. 'But the habitability of Europa is one of the big questions that we want to understand.' However, NASA has previously mentioned the possibility of some form of life on Jupiter. 'At certain altitude's in Jupiter's atmosphere, there do exist chemicals that are necessary for some sort of exotic life form. 'The temperatures are warm enough and flashes of lighting could provided energy that drives the chemical reactions needed for life.' Advertisement

'The discovery of water on Jupiter is important in many ways,' said Clemson University astrophysicist Mate Adamkovics.

'Our current study focused on the red spot, but future projects will be able to estimate how much water exists on the entire planet,

'And, finally, where there's the potential for liquid water, the possibility of life cannot be completely ruled out.

'So, though it appears very unlikely, life on Jupiter is not beyond the range of our imaginations.'

The research also shows the planet may have migrated to its current location.

'Based upon all the exoplanets now known, it appears as if planets may form at a different place and then migrate in and/or out to where we see them today,' said Imke de Pater, a UC Berkeley professor of astronomy and a co-author of a report that appeared this month in the Astronomical Journal.

'So what happened in our solar system? Did Jupiter form beyond where Neptune is today?'

By peering into Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot with thermal-sensitive telescopes, NASA's Gordon Bjoraker said the space agency found chemical signatures of water in the planet's clouds.

The pressure of the water, the researchers concluded, combined with their measurements of another oxygen-bearing gas, carbon monoxide, imply that Jupiter has 2 to 9 times more oxygen than the Sun.

The finding supports theoretical and computer-simulation models that have predicted abundant water (H2O) on Jupiter made of oxygen (O) tied up with molecular hydrogen (H2).

It also raises the possibility of what NASA calls 'exotic life'.

The US space agency has previously said: 'at certain altitude's in Jupiter's atmosphere, there do exist chemicals that are necessary for some sort of exotic life form.

'The temperatures are warm enough and flashes of lighting could provided energy that drives the chemical reactions needed for life.'

The Great Red Spot is full of dense clouds, which makes it hard for electromagnetic energy to escape and teach astronomers anything about the chemistry within.

'It turns out they're not so thick that they block our ability to see deeply,' said Bjoraker.

'That's been a pleasant surprise.'

The data Bjoraker and his team collected will supplement the information NASA's Juno spacecraft is gathering as it circles the planet from north to south once every 53 days.

Among other things, Juno is looking for water with its own infrared spectrometer and with a microwave radiometer that can probe deeper than anyone has seen  to 100 bars, or 100 times the atmospheric pressure at Earth's surface.

'Water is a significant and abundant molecule in our solar system,' NASA said.

'It spawned life on Earth and now lubricates many of its most essential processes, including weather.

'It's a critical factor in Jupiter's turbulent weather, too, and in determining whether the planet has a core made of rock and ice.'

(left) The Great Red Spot is the dark patch in the middle of this infrared image of Jupiter. It is dark due to the thick clouds that block thermal radiation. The yellow strip denotes the portion of the Great Red Spot used in astrophysicist Gordon L. Bjoraker's analysis. Right, A model of the clouds in Jupiter's Great Red Spot showing three layers where temperature and pressure (red line) are such that ammonia (NH3), ammonium hydrogen sulfide (NH4SH) and water condense into cloud droplets. When viewing Jupiter from Earth, we see sunlight reflected from the highest ammonia clouds

Jupiter is thought to be the first planet to have formed by siphoning the elements left over from the formation of the Sun as our star coalesced from an amorphous nebula into the fiery ball of gases we see today.

A widely accepted theory until several decades ago was that Jupiter was identical in composition to the Sun; a ball of hydrogen with a hint of helium  all gas, no core.

But evidence is mounting that Jupiter has a core, possibly 10 times Earth's mass.

Spacecraft that previously visited the planet found chemical evidence that it formed a core of rock and water ice before it mixed with gases from the solar nebula to make its atmosphere.

The way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Juno also supports this theory.

There's even lightning and thunder on the planet, phenomena fueled by moisture.

'The moons that orbit Jupiter are mostly water ice, so the whole neighborhood has plenty of water,' said Bjoraker. 'Why wouldn't the planet  which is this huge gravity well, where everything falls into it  be water rich, too?'

Planetary atmosphere experts expect that there are three cloud layers on Jupiter: a lower layer made of water ice and liquid water, a middle one made of ammonia and sulfur, and an upper layer made of ammonia.

Bjoraker's team found evidence for the three cloud layers in the Great Red Spot, supporting earlier models. The deepest cloud layer is at 5 bars, the team concluded, right where the temperature reaches the freezing point for water, said Bjoraker, 'so I say that we very likely found a water cloud.'

The location of the water cloud, plus the amount of carbon monoxide that the researchers identified on Jupiter, confirms that Jupiter is rich in oxygen and, thus, water.

Bjoraker's technique now needs to be tested on other parts of Jupiter to get a full picture of global water abundance, and his data squared with Juno's findings.

'Jupiter's water abundance will tell us a lot about how the giant planet formed, but only if we can figure out how much water there is in the entire planet,' said Steven M. Levin, a Juno project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

A recent series of Nasa images shows a huge storm raging on Jupiter.

The swirling anticyclone can be seen gradually moving across the planet's surface in five images snapped just 17 minutes apart by the space agency's Juno spacecraft.

The pictures reveal the intricate details of Jupiter's marbled surface, and captures several of the planet's 'striking atmospheric features', including jets and vortices in its North North Temperate Belt, Nasa said.

Scroll down for video

New Nasa images show a huge storm raging on Jupiter. An anticyclone white oval, dubbed N5-AWO, can be seen at the centre left of the first image on the far left. It appears slightly higher in the second and third images as it moves across Jupiter's surface. A 'tempest' storm known as the Little Red Spot is visible near the bottom of the second and third images

From left to right, the sequence of images were shot between 00:54am and 1:11am ET (5:54am and 6:11am BST) on July 16 as the Juno spacecraft performed its 14th close flyby of Jupiter.

A huge anticyclone  a powerful, spinning storm caused by pressure differences in the planet's atmosphere - can be seen as a white oval, pictured in the centre-left of the planet on first image from the left.

Dubbed N5-AWO, the same storm can be seen travelling slightly higher in the second and third images as it skips across the surface of Jupiter, which measures more than ten times the size of Earth.

Another storm, known as the Little Red Spot, can be spotted at the bottom of the second and third images.

The massive, raging weather event, found in Jupiter's northern hemisphere, is the third largest anticyclone storm on the planet  stretching around 3,700 miles (6,000 km) long.

The reddish-orange band that is prominently displayed in the fourth and fifth images is the North North Temperate Belt, a series of atmospheric jet streams and vortices.

The timelapse was snapped by Juno's JunoCam imager while the spacecraft travelled from an altitude of 15,700 miles (25,300km) above the planet's top layer of cloud to around 3,900 miles (6,200km).

JunoCam's raw images are available for the public to peruse and process themselves, and the timelapse was created by citizen scientists Gerald Eichstadt and Sean Doran, Nasa said.

'Striking atmospheric features in Jupiter's northern hemisphere are captured in this series of colour-enhanced images from Nasa's Juno spacecraft,' the space agency added in a statement.

Juno has orbited Jupiter since 2016 on a mission to collect data of the mysterious planet's atmosphere.

Earlier this month, data from the spacecraft was used to solve a long-standing mystery underlying Jupiter's characteristic coloured bands.

Several strong jet streams flow west to east in Jupiter's atmosphere, which are similar to Earth's jet streams.

However, unlike on Earth where the jet streams meander across the surface, Jupiter's streams are more even, and there are no continents and mountains below Jupiter's atmosphere to obstruct the path of the jet streams.

How NASA's Juno probe to Jupiter will reveal the secrets of the solar system's biggest planet The Juno probe reached Jupiter in 2016 after a five-year, 1.8 billion-mile journey from Earth The Juno probe reached Jupiter on July 4, 2016, after a five-year, 1.8 billion-mile (2.8bn km) journey from Earth. Following a successful braking manoeuvre, it entered into a long polar orbit flying to within 3,100 miles (5,000 km) of the planet's swirling cloud tops. The probe skimmed to within just 2,600 miles (4,200 km) of the planet's clouds once a fortnight - too close to provide global coverage in a single image. No previous spacecraft has orbited so close to Jupiter, although two others have been sent plunging to their destruction through its atmosphere. To complete its risky mission Juno survived a circuit-frying radiation storm generated by Jupiter's powerful magnetic field. The maelstrom of high energy particles travelling at nearly the speed of light is the harshest radiation environment in the Solar System. To cope with the conditions, the spacecraft was protected with special radiation-hardened wiring and sensor shielding. Its all-important 'brain' - the spacecraft's flight computer - was housed in an armoured vault made of titanium and weighing almost 400 pounds (172kg). The craft is expected to study the composition of the planet's atmosphere until 2025. Advertisement

As a result, the jet streams on Jupiter are much simpler than those on Earth, causing less turbulence in the upper atmosphere.

Clouds of ammonia at Jupiter's outer atmosphere are carried along by these jet streams to form Jupiter's regimented coloured bands.

Unlike Earth, our Solar System's largest planet has no solid surface  it is an entirely gaseous planet, consisting mostly of hydrogen and helium.

Nasa's Juno spacecraft took this color-enhanced image at 1:23am ET (6:23am BST) on May 24, as the spacecraft performed its 13th close flyby of Jupiter. The region seen here is somewhat chaotic and turbulent, given the various swirling cloud formations, Nasa said

An international team of scientists, including from the Australian National University (ANU), studied recent evidence from Nasa's Juno spacecraft which examined these layers of gases.

This showed that Jupiter's jet streams reach as deep as 1,800 miles (3,000 km) below Jupiter's clouds, which are shades of white, red, orange, brown and yellow.

Experts say the interaction between Jupiter's atmosphere and its magnetic fields is responsible for the bright layers visible on the planet's surface.

Dr Navid Constantinou from the research school of Earth Sciences at ANU's, one of the researchers on the study, said that until recently little was known about what happened below Jupiter's clouds.

'We know a lot about the jet streams in Earth's atmosphere and the key role they play in the weather and climate, but we still have a lot to learn about Jupiter's atmosphere,' he said.

'Earth's jet streams have a huge impact on the weather and climate by acting as a barrier and making it harder for air on either side of them to exchange properties such as heat, moisture and carbon.

'Scientists have long debated how deep the jet streams reach beneath the surfaces of Jupiter and other gas giants, and why they do not appear in the sun's interior.'
An astronaut aboard the International Space station was forced to repair a tiny hole in the orbiting lab with his finger earlier today.

The 'micro fracture' believed to be around 2mm wide in the $150 billion (115 billion) space station was discovered after astronauts noticed a drop in pressure.

European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst reportedly put his finger over the hole initially, before crew patched it with tape.

Scroll down for video

European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst, pictured, reportedly put his finger over the hole initially, before crew patched it with tape. They are now trying to work out a more permanent solution.

The leak, which was detected Wednesday night by flight controllers as the Expedition 56 crew slept, resulted in a small loss of cabin pressure.

Flight controllers determined there was no immediate danger to the crew overnight, but alerted the crew as soon as they awoke.

'The leak has been isolated to a hole about two millimeters in diameter in the orbital compartment, or upper section, of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft attached to the Rassvet module of the Russian segment,' NASA said.

'The rate of the leak was slowed this morning through the temporary application of Kapton tape at the leak site.

'Flight controllers at their respective Mission Control centers in Houston and Moscow worked together with the crew to effect a repair option in which Soyuz commander Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos used epoxy on a gauze wipe to plug the hole identified as the leak source,' NASA later said.

The crew was also told to use a toothpick on the hole to aid photography and scale.

Crew inside the International Space Station (pictured) are racing to patch a small 'leak' likely caused by a collision with a small meteorite

However, one hour later, NASA astronaut Drew Feustel grew concerned about the Russian sealant plan and wanted it passed on to MCC-Moscow.

'We've got one shot at this and we don't want to screw it up,' he said, according to a livestream.

According to the head of the Russian space agency, the impact was sustained to the Soyuz spaceship that brought astronauts to the ISS back in June.

It is currently docked with the International Space Station.

The International Space Station, or ISS, is a science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth.

It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000.

Six men are currently orbiting Earth aboard the ISS, including NASA astronauts Drew Feustel, Ricky Arnold and Serena Aunon, as well as Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency and two Russian cosmonauts - Oleg Artemyev and Sergei Prokopyev.

'Overnight and in the morning there was an abnormal situation - a pressure drop, an oxygen leak at the station,' Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin told Russian news agencies today.

'A micro fracture was found, most likely it is damage from the outside.

According to the head of the Russian space agency, the impact was sustained to the Soyuz spaceship (pictured) that brought astronauts to the ISS back in June

'The design engineers believe it is the result of a micrometeorite,' he said.

The head of the Russian space agency said the incident presented no danger and said the fracture will be patched from the inside by the current crew.

Nasa confirmed the problem, saying it consisted of a 'minute pressure leak' and that the crew was in the process of repairing the damage.

The module is not needed to get the astonauts back to Earth so these issues will not cause problems for the descent.

'As flight controllers monitored their data, the decision was made to allow the Expedition 56 crew to sleep since they were in no danger', Nasa said in a statement.

Depressurisation is extremely dangerous for crews on board the ISS and this is not the first time a leak has happened in the ISS.

In 2007, another leak occurred in the station's Harmony module in the US section but officials said at the time the leak was no cause for concern.

'The crew are healthy and safe with weeks of air left in the International Space Station reserves,' ESA officials said in the statement following this latest leak.

'The leak has been identified and repair procedures are ongoing.'

EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. Crews have come mainly from the US and Russia, but the Japanese space agency JAXA and European space agency ESA have also sent astronauts. The International Space Station has been continuously occupied for more than 20 years and has been expended with multiple new modules added and upgrades to systems Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen. ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology. The US space agency, NASA, spends about $3 billion (2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, with the remaining funding coming from international partners, including Europe, Russia and Japan. So far 244 individuals from 19 countries have visited the station, and among them eight private citizens who spent up to $50 million for their visit. There is an ongoing debate about the future of the station beyond 2025, when it is thought some of the original structure will reach 'end of life'. Russia, a major partner in the station, plans to launch its own orbital platform around then, with Axiom Space, a private firm, planning to send its own modules for purely commercial use to the station at the same time. NASA, ESA, JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) are working together to build a space station in orbit around the moon, and Russia and China are working on a similar project, that would also include a base on the surface. Advertisement

Last month, Russia completed the fastest ever same-day delivery mission to space after arriving at the ISS in just three hours and 48 minutes.

A Russian cargo ship carrying nearly three tons of supplies lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:51pm BST (5:51pm ET) on Monday 2, July.

The unmanned craft carried a fresh load of fuel, food and other supplies to the orbiting laboratory, docking at 2:39am BST Tuesday (9:39pm ET Monday).

Russian flights to the ISS often take days, but Progress MS-09 cut travel time down to under four hours using a new carefully planned, two-orbit trajectory.

The previous same-day spaceflight record was 5 hours and 39 minutes, set in 2013 by the Roscosmos Soyuz TMA-09M rocket.
A rise in the number of deaths on the Matterhorn has been blamed on a hotel on the Swiss side 'charging too much' for people to stay in it.

The Swiss part of the Matterhorn has a complete ban on people using tents and it now costs 450 CHF (359) for a double room at the Hoernli Hut at the foot of the north-eastern ridge near the town of Zermatt.

In order to get around the charges, climbers are now said to be starting out from the Italian side of the mountain instead due to its lower costs. However, there are fears that on the Italian side, there isn't enough safety information for climbers or guides to advise them.

A rise in deaths on the Matterhorn is being blamed on an increase in people scaling the mountain from the Italian side (pictured), which experts say doesn't contain enough safety information

Nicole Maquignaz, the deputy mayor of Valtournenche in north west Italy, confirmed there had already been seven deaths on the Italian side of the Matterhorn this year as opposed to previous years when there were no reported deaths.

And she reportedly suggested that one of the main factors in the rise in deaths was the increase in prices at the Hoernli Hut, which were introduced following its renovation in 2015.

The deputy mayor told Swiss newspaper 20min that ever since then she has noticed many tourists, especially those from Eastern Europe, have chosen to spend the night in the campsite in her town so they don't have to pay the high prices and have started their climbs from there.

Traditionally, most people climbed the Matterhorn from the Swiss side, but prices to stay at the Hoernli Hut there before starting an ascent to the very top have increased

She explained that among other things, this means that important information about any immediate dangers that might be provided to people who stay in the hut are not passed on to those who had spent time in tents.

She said: 'It's even more difficult to warn alpinists against the risks because they are underway fully independently and without mountain guides who also spend the night in mountain huts.'

Head of the mountain guide association 'Zermatters', Nathalie Steindl, also admitted: 'Hoernli Hut had a type of campsite before where alpinists could spend the night on a smaller budget.'

It now costs 450 CHF (359) for a double room at the Hoernli Hut at the foot of the north-eastern ridge near the town of Zermatt, pictured

She added that this is now forbidden after the renovation and accommodation prices have been doubled.

Both Ms Steindl and Ms Maquignaz added that what isn't helping is the fact that more and more alpinists are ill-prepared and irresponsible.

The town of Valtournenche is launching a campaign on Thursday to raise awareness with tourists and hope to collaborate with the Swiss.

Ms Maquignaz said that 'the problem affects both communities', which had an otherwise good relationship.

The Zermatt Tourism office told MailOnline Travel: 'The municipalities of Zermatt and Valtournenche have good relations with each other. It has always been a problem that some climbers with insufficient equipment and without a guide climb the Matterhorn. And this problem affects us both.

'The problem is not that there are too few guides (neither in Italy nor in Switzerland), but that some mountaineers do not want to spend money on a guide. If they stay overnight at a campsite, there is no hut keeper to alert them to the dangers. The Matterhorn is a difficult mountain whose ascent should not be underestimated.

'With the new Hoernli Hut and the camping ban, we were able to reduce the number of mountaineers on the Swiss side and thus minimize accidents. From an average of 12 deaths per year, we fell to 0 in 2016 and two in 2017. We hope that our Italian friends will also find a solution. We very much welcome their awareness-raising campaign.'
Ryanair's new hand baggage policy of not allowing passengers to take small suitcases with them for free is against the law, a Spanish consumer rights group has claimed.

FACUA-Consumidores en Accion alleges that the airline's new system, which comes into force from November 1, is simply a way to make more money and recoup the millions of pounds worth of compensation paid following recent strike action.

It says that customers should be allowed to take all hand luggage on to an aircraft free of charge, but the Dublin-based airline has labelled the claims as 'clearly false'.

Ryanair's new baggage policy of not allowing passengers to take small suitcases with them for free is against the law, a Spanish consumer rights group has claimed

The consumer watchdog has been quoting Spain's Law of Air Navigation which, it claims, allows people to bring all hand luggage free of charge.

The only exception, it says, is if the piece of equipment or object is too heavy or too big in relation to the size of the plane, in which case staff can take it away.

FACUA quotes article 97 of the 'Ley de Navegacion Aerea' as ruling: 'The transport provider will be obliged to transport free of charge in the cabin, such as hand luggage, the objects and packages that the traveller carries with them.

'The only exceptions to deny transportation are safety reasons, linked to the weight or size of the object, in relation to the characteristics of the aircraft.'

The group has warned that Ryanair may be violating the regulations and has asked the Spanish Government to intervene.

But hitting back at the claims, Ryanair says: 'These claims are clearly false. No airline allows all passengers to bring all their bags on the aircraft.'

Under the new rules, from November, all passengers on Ryanair will need to pay for any bag that won't fit under the seat in front

WHAT IS RYANAIR'S BAGGAGE POLICY? Even seasoned fliers find Ryanair's baggage policy confusing, so here's what you need to know. The point of confusion with the policy centres around the carrier's assertion that every customer is granted a 'two free carry-on bag allowance'. This needs clarification, because what the airline actually means is that all customers can bring two free carry-on bags with them to the airport and up to the gate, but that the larger of the two bags will be transferred at the gate to the hold. Unless a 'priority boarding' fee is paid. Priority Boarding can be purchased at time of flight booking for 5 or 6 on selected routes. It can be added for 6 or 7 on selected routes up to 30 minutes before scheduled departure time on the Ryanair App. However, from November 1, the baggage policy is set to change again. Passengers without priority boarding wanting to bring a second big bag with them will have to pay between 8 and 10 to check in a bag up to 10kg or 25 for a bag over that weight (but not exceeding 20kg). However, if a passenger opts to pay for priority boarding, which costs between 6 and 8, they can still take two bags with them on board with no extra charge. All passengers will still be allowed to take one 'small personal bag' on board, to be placed under the seat in front. Advertisement

Under the new rules, from November, all passengers will need to pay for any bag that won't fit under the seat in front.

The current bag policy stipulates that unless a passenger has paid a nominal fee for 'priority boarding', if they turn up to the gate with a bag bigger than 35cm x 20cm x 20cm it is placed in the hold at no extra charge.

But from November Ryanair has said that passengers wanting to bring a big bag with them will have to pay between 8 and 10 for a piece of luggage up to 10kg or 25 for a bag over that weight (but not exceeding 20kg).

The fee has to be paid either at the booking stage or at check in - and the bag has to be checked in.

If a passenger turns up to the gate with a bag too large to be classed as hand luggage they will be charged a 25 gate bag fee.

However, Ryanair's priority boarding rules stay the same. If a passenger opts to pay for this, which costs between 6 and 8, they can still take two bags with them on board with no extra charge.

All passengers will still be allowed to take one 'small personal bag' on board, but this must be small enough to be placed under the seat in front.

Ryanair said it was increasing the size of the small carry-on bag that remains free to take on board from 14 to 20 litres.

The airline has already altered its luggage policy twice this year and says the latest changes were necessary because too many passengers were arriving at the gates with big bags and placing them in the hold has been causing delays.

Ryanair added: 'Our new lower cost 8 x 10kg checked bag (compared to the current 25 x 20kg checked bag) means that checked bag income will probably decline as we deliver more savings to Ryanair customers.'
If you get the feeling that planes seem more crowded than they used to be - then you're right.

Shocking statistics from the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics reveal that in 2017 there were a record-breaking 741million domestic-flight passengers in the U.S, up from 647million in 2005.

However, in that time the number of flights being operated has decreased 18.5 per cent and the average number of passengers on a US domestic flight since 2007 has risen from 69 to 91.

Figures have shown that although the number of airline passengers has increased, the number of flights has actually gone down

The decline in the number of flights is being blamed on airlines wanting to reduce costs and increase revenue by using larger aircraft and configurations that allow for more seats - a practice in the airline industry known as 'upgauging'.

Seth Kaplan, managing partner for the newsletter Airline Weekly, told Travel Weekly: 'The economics on the cost side always favor a larger aircraft.

'Upgauging also saves on engine maintenance and airport fees. There are just powerful incentives to try and get more seats per flights.'

To pack more passengers in many airlines have added added extra rows on to aircraft.

For example, in 2007 Southwest Airlines' 737 aircraft would carry 137 passengers but now the aircraft have been reconfigured to fit 143 passengers.

The decline in the number of flights is being blamed on airlines wanting to reduce costs and increase revenue by using larger aircraft and configurations that allow for more seats

JetBlue is reported to be adding two extra rows to its A320 aircraft, increasing passenger numbers from 150 to 162.

Also, in the mid-1990s, standard seating on a 777 aircraft was nine seats across and it is now not uncommon to see 10 seats in a row.

In addition, much larger aircraft have been introduced to the market such as the jumbo A380 aircraft, which is able to carry 853 people in a single class cabin.

But the economics of the A380 have proved daunting, with airlines having to operate every flight at full capacity in order to make a profit and the plane only being able to land at certain airports.

Earlier this year, Airbus was close to scrapping production of the A380 until Dubai's Emirates airline made a large order for new models.
Advertisement

This is the luxurious 3.4-acre private island retreat off the coast of Florida that has hit the market for $4.3million.

Mandalay Island off Sewall's Point boasts white sandy beaches and lush green trees and is accessed via a private bridge.

It also has a stunning main residence with three-bedrooms, two bathrooms as well as a spacious living room filled with natural light. While outside there is a swimming pool for potential buyers to take a dip in.

Mandalay Island off Sewall's Point in Florida has gone on the market for $4.3million. The island is 3.4 acres

The view of the waters around the island. The listing for the property describes it as the 'private island retreat of your dreams'

The island also comes complete with a second guest property nearby.

The listing for the island describes it as the 'private island retreat of your dreams'.

It explains: 'A tropical oasis with its tranquil blue waters, sandy white beaches, swaying palms and perfect south-eastern exposure begins to paint a picture of the island lifestyle.

'Once in a lifetime does an uber-property like this come on the market.

An aerial image shows the size of the main residence, which has a large swimming pool for potential owners to use

There are two properties on the island. The main one has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a spacious living room

The stunning view from the swimming pool at the main residence, which is surrounded by palm trees

The second property on the island. Both are reminiscent of seaside cottages and have been designed by renowned architect Peter Jefferson

'The property offers deep water and is accessed by a private bridge and has around 2,700 feet of shoreline surrounding island with an additional 10 acres of submerged land allowing for the ultimate in privacy and endless water fun.

'This unique property offers a family compound reminiscent of seaside cottages, designed by renowned architect Peter Jefferson.

'The island allows for plenty of room to host family and friends in a tranquil, laid-back atmosphere without leaving the urban benefits of shopping, dining and quick access to the ocean inlet and executive airport.'

The spacious living room within the main house, where owners can relax in peace and total privacy

One of the three bedrooms in the main house. The listing states: 'Once in a lifetime does an uber-property like this come on the market'
Tourists are being warned they could face fines of up to 900 if they take pebbles from a certain Greek beach.

Lalaria Beach in Skiathos, which is only accessible by boat, is extremely popular with holidaymakers, who have been known to fill their pockets with unique pebbles as free souvenirs.

But officials on the Greek island are worried that too many of the stones have been taken leading to a dramatic change in the landscape of the shoreline in the past 10 years.

The pebble-filled Lalaria Beach on the Greek island of Skiathos. Tourists are being warned they could face fines of up to 900 if they take pebbles home with them

And now they have introduced fines of between 360 and 900 for people who take pebbles without permission.

It has been reported that signs have been placed around the Lalaria beach telling tourists: 'Take pictures, not pebbles.'

Posters have also been given to boat operators and fishermen in the area so the message can be spread across Greece.

Thodoris Tzoumas, from the Cultural Association in Skiathos, told the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency: 'The rounded white pebbles we call lalaria (from the ancient word las which means stone) are created only in the specific area, which is accessible only by sea.

'In recent years, we have undertaken, in co-operation with the Skiathos Port Authority, an awareness campaign for the protection of the beach.'

Earlier this month, it was also reported that a man who took some pebbles from a Cornish beauty spot - Crackington Haven - found himself being hunted down by officials who demanded them back.

Officials have introduced fines of between 360 and 900 for people who take pebbles from Lalaria Beach without permission

In the end he was forced to travel hundreds of miles to return them or face prosecution.

Visitors could be fined up to 1,000 because the removal of stones leaves the area exposed to erosion, St Gennys Parish Council said.

Critics, however, claim that signs put up to deter visitors from taking them spoil the beach and that the council's approach is aggressive and heavy handed.
Earlier this month, Sony accidentally released a press photo showing tweaks made to he and his co-star's faces.

But Brad Pitt was looking as handsome as ever on Wednesday, as he was spotted on the set of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

The 54-year-old had a youthful glow about him as he crossed the set in a chic 1960s-inspired ensemble.

Back at it: Brad Pitt was focused on work Wednesday, as he was spotted back on the set of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

The A River Runs Through It star tucked a tight black t-shirt into retro white pants and was seen strutting across set.

He wore brown leather boots and accessorized with a classic-looking watch and silver belt.

His blond locks were neatly stylized featuring a part on the left and and his dimples were visible.

Focus: The 54-year-old actor looked concentrated and completely in character in a chic 1960s-inspired ensemble

The promo pics released by the studio back at the beginning of August, showed Brad standing alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in their late sixties garb for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming period piece.

A closer look revealed Leo's second chin hanging over the neck of his yellow turtleneck has magically been tightened.

Brad meanwhile had his Adam's apple smoothed over with some neck wrinkles digitally evaporated.

The production team told Page Six on Wednesday that the error was theirs, and that neither heartthrob had requested nor were even aware of the edits.

Touch up: The promo pics released by the studio back at the beginning of August, showed Brad standing alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in their late sixties garb for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming period piece

After: Sony accidentally released a press photo showing tweaks made to the leading men

 Slide me  Smooth: Brad had his Adam's apple smoothed over with some neck wrinkles digitally evaporated

Brad co-stars in the forthcoming flick with Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Richie, Dakota Fanning, and a slew of others.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood takes places in 1969 and centers around a television actor and his stunt double who return to Hollywood around the time of the Charles Manson murders.

The film is being directed by Quentin Tarantino from a script he wrote, and is due out next summer.

Earlier on Wednesday, the director finally announced that Australian actor Damon Herriman, 48, would be playing the role of Charles.

Retro: The A River Runs Through It star tucked a tight black t-shirt into the retro pants and was seen walking across set

Outside of work, Brad is currently going through an ugly and highly visible divorce from Angelina Jolie, 43.

On Monday, The Tourist actress cut ties with her power divorce attorney Laura Wasser and moved on to her new lawyer Samantha Bley Dejean.

The former couple have been in a legal dispute over custody of their six children: Maddox, 17, Pax, 14, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12, and 10-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.

On set: His blond locks were neatly stylized featuring a part on the left and and his dimples were visible

The divorce between the two Hollywood stars took a nasty turn earlier this month after Jolie allegedly accused Pitt, 54, of being a 'deadbeat dad'.

The actor responded by revealing he had paid millions to his estranged wife including lending her money to buy a family home in LA since she filed for divorce in September 2016.

After duking it out in public, the Maleficent star let it be known last week that she has had a change of heart and wants an amicable end to her marriage.

On set: Brad co-stars in the forthcoming flick with Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Richie, Dakota Fanning, and a slew of others

And last Wednesday, news broke that the celebrity exes, who share six children, have reached an interim custody arrangement.

The agreement means that a scheduled custody hearing will no longer go ahead, ET reported.

According to The Blast, Jolie and Pitt have agreed temporary custody issues for one month as a custody evaluation continues in Los Angeles.

The evaluate is gathering information from both parents as well as the kids.

Jolie and Pitt first met on the 2003 set of their 2005 thriller Mr. & Mrs. Smith and wed in 2014. They split in September 2016.
Stormy Daniels is set to return to the UK for an appearance at London nightclub G-A-Y, after she dropped out of joining Celebrity Big Brother on the show's launch night.

The former porn star, 39, is reported to be making a surprise appearance at the London nightclub on Thursday.

A source told Mirror Online: 'She's been booked to appear at the legendary G-A-Y, she's actually really excited about doing it.'

She's back: It was announced on Wednesday that Stormy Daniels will return to the UK for a surprise appearance at G-A-Y... after claiming CBB producers threatened to deport her

'Logistically its been a push, she'll land in Heathrow and head straight to the club, then after the appearance jump straight on another flight to another engagement.'

They then added: 'It should be a fun night, I'm sure she'll have a great time.'

Of her reported appearance, G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph said: 'The only clue I'm allowed to give is it's a G-A-Y weather warning, the clue is weather in the name, but it's not sunny, it's not a tornado, it's not a hurricane, it's...'

Hints: Of her reported appearance, G-A-Y owner Jeremy Joseph said: 'The only clue I'm allowed to give is it's a G-A-Y weather warning, the clue is weather in the name'

This comes after the adult actress claimed that Celebrity Big Brother producers threatened her with deportation if she didn't go on the British reality show.

In a tell-all TV interview on Loose Women last week she said, 'The live show started, I stayed at the hotel and they came back a couple of hours later and they said "you're either going to go on, stay in the house, follow the contract to a tee or we're deporting you in the morning".'

She then insisted: 'It is absolutely not true that I demanded more money - absolutely not true. As a matter of fact I tried to give away all of my money.

'No, it was never about the money. Anybody will tell you I don't care. I was trying to give the money away.'

Shock: This comes after the adult actress claimed that Celebrity Big Brother producers threatened her with deportation if she didn't go on the British reality show

The American adult film star was due to enter Celebrity Big Brother on the opening night, but pulled out of the Channel 5 show at the last minute, and a scheduled appearance on ITV's Loose Women the following day also did not go ahead.

In light of claims that she had a furious row with producers over her fee, Rylan Clark-Neal, host of the show's spin-off Bit On The Side, gave the full insight into what happened and even aired Stormy's full VT for viewers.

Rylan revealed that the former porn star pulled out a mere five hours before the Channel 5 show's launch after admitting she only wanted to appear for the launch and then leave.

Speaking at the beginning of Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On The Side, Rylan stated: 'Stormy Daniels arrived in the UK yesterday morning, and like every other housemate she filmed her profile VT. You should get to see it.'

Drama: The former porn star, who claimed she had an affair with US President Donald Trump, left Channel 5 in chaos after she pulled out of the reality series at the last minute

Chaos: In light of claims that she had a furious row with producers over her fee, Rylan Clark-Neal, host of the show's spin-off Bit On The Side, gave the full insight into what happened

Immediately Stormy was seen on the screen where she revealed: 'I'm currently involved in a huge media storm involving the US President.

'It has been shown on every news outlet around the world and it has drastically changed my life.'

Stormy continued: 'Everyone loves a good scandal, especially if it involves sex. I think I'm about to prove everyone wrong. I've taken on the US President, but now I'm here to take on the Big Brother house.'

Switching back to Rylan in the studio, he continued: 'Big Brother was thrilled and excited with Stormy, but five hours before Stormy said she wanted to appear only on launch night and leave.

Teaser clip: Stormy showed no fear and hesitation as she said: 'I've taken on the US President, but now I'm here to take on the Big Brother house'

'So Big Brother tried to work it out, but Big Brother is about celebrities entering the house, not entering the house and then leaving.

'Stories about Stormy demanding more money are false.

'We had her, she changed her mind and she went, but remember always remember no housemate is bigger than Big Brother.'

The explanation came after Celebrity Big Brother bosses stopped Stormy from appearing on Loose Women, according to reports.

What could have been: 'I'm currently involved in a huge media storm involving the US President': The spin-off show even aired Stormy's full pre-recorded VT for viewers

Details: Switching back to Rylan in the studio, he explained that Big Brother 'tried to work things out with her' after she expressed desire to stay for one night

The blonde was just seconds from going on the show when she was told that appearing on the ITV programme could get her in trouble with Channel 5 bosses.

Despite pulling out of CBB, she is still under contract with the show, which means she has to abide by the terms of the contract.

A TV insider told The Sun: 'Stormy has signed a contract for Celebrity Big Brother.

'If she breaks the contract they could potentially take her to court. No one wants this to happen of course, but by going on Loose Women she was breaking one of the conditions.

A CBB spokesman said: 'Stormy Daniels was booked to appear on the show several months ago and hours before the show was due to go live, informed the production team that she no longer wished to enter the house as previously agreed.'

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, earlier claimed a US custody battle over her seven-year-old daughter forced her to quit Celebrity Big Brother - not an attempt to push her fee over $1million.

Stormy, who claims to have had unprotected sex with Donald Trump after spanking him, was set to be the star of what producers promised would be its most-explosive series ever.

So close! The blonde was just seconds from going on the show on Friday when she was told that appearing on the ITV programme could get her in trouble with Channel 5 bosses (Pictured with Jane Moore)

CBB insiders claimed it was because the star demanded 100,000 ($125,000) on top of the 750,000 ($950,000) she had agreed for a week's appearance on the show.

However, her lawyer Michael Avenatti told MailOnline: 'There was never any pay dispute. [That is] completely false.'

'It was over a row with producers. They insisted she conduct herself in a certain way - they attempted to control her and produce a certain result, which she did not feel comfortable with.'

It is not clear what the new development in the US is, but DailyMail.com revealed that Stormy had been awarded joint custody of Caiden, after initially being ordered to stay away from the child and her estranged husband.

Stormy was best known as a big name porn star until she became famous around the world when she spoke out about her alleged fling with Trump in 2006.

In March she breached the terms of a non-disclosure agreement she signed with a Trump lawyer in 2016, in which she agreed not to discuss the President in return for a $130,000 payment ahead of his election win.
She enjoyed an on-set flirtation with 'hot truffle famer' Henry Terry on My Kitchen Rules earlier this year.

And Jazzey Rooney-O'Rourke is set to return to reality TV as a contestant on Channel Seven's new dating show Take Me Out, which premieres on Monday.

The 21-year-old waitress revealed on Instagram on Wednesday that she is hoping to find everlasting love with a 'tall, funny and loyal' man.

Scroll down for video

New gig: She's back! My Kitchen Rules' Jazzey Rooney (pictured) is returning to reality TV as a member of the 'Flirty Thirty' on Joel Creasey's dating show Take Me Out

During a Q&A session, Jazzey excitedly shared the news that will be appearing on the show, which is hosted by comedian Joel Creasey.

Describing her ideal guy as someone who is 'loyal, funny and respectful,' the Perth beauty added that she is also attracted to 'height, blue eyes and brown hair'.

British dating show phenomenon Take Me Out debuts in Australia on Monday September 3 at 7.30pm on Channel Seven.

Ready to find love: The 21-year-old waitress revealed on Instagram on Wednesday that she is hoping to find everlasting love with a 'tall, funny and loyal' man

A similar program called Taken Out, hosted by James Kerley, aired on Network Ten back in 2008.

The features a panel of women, called 'The Flirty Thirty', who are introduced to a series of potential dates one at a time.

Each female contestant stands in front of switch, which they press to indicate whether or not they are interested in the suitor.

Answering questions: During a Q&A session, Jazzey excitedly shared the news that will be appearing on the show, which is hosted by comedian Joel Creasey

Jazzey appeared on My Kitchen Rules earlier this year with her BFF Stella Cain, and they were eventually kicked off the show in the semi-finals.

During the show, she was rumoured to have struck up a romance with her co-star Henry Terry, 26.

However in April, Jazzey told TV Week: 'There's absolutely nothing with me and Henry in any way, shape or form.'
The Bachelor 'winner' Brittany Hockley has revealed she already wants to marry Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins two weeks after the premiere of the dating series.

The radiographer, 30, who has been revealed as one of the lucky final four finalists, said she can definitely see herself 'married' to the 30-year-old sportsman.

Speaking to Who magazine on Thursday, the brunette beauty confessed: 'We connect on so many levels and (on the date) we couldn't stop laughing - yeah I can definitely see myself married to Nick.'

Scroll down for video

'He'd make a nice husband!' The Bachelor 'winner' Brittany Hockley says she already wants to marry Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins. Brittany (right) pictured with Nick (left) during steamy pool scene on The Bachelor 2018

'I think Nick will make a great husband. He's very caring and affectionate and he actually has a side to him that I think a lot of people don't know about - a much deeper side, ' she went on explained.

'He's such a family oriented man - he'd make a nice husband,' she added.

In the instance the ex-Wallabies star does get down on bended knee during the grand finale, Brittany said she's not overly concerned about the engagement sparkler, but rather the 'thought' that has gone into the proposal.

Brittany also described her dream wedding.

'He's such a family oriented man - he'd make a nice husband': The radiographer, 30, (pictured) who has been revealed as one of the lucky final four finalists said she can definitely see herself 'married' to the 30-year-old sportsman

The NSW frontrunner told the publication she wants a small yet intimate affair on a beach with her nearest and dearest.

Although there is currently no official confirmation on who is the winner of the series, which was filmed several months ago, there's mounting evidence the 30-year-old finishes first.

Earlier this week, NW magazine reported the former rugby union star shocks everyone and 'marries' his chosen ladylove on the spot during the finale of the Channel 10 show.

'He said to producers he was not only ready to get down on one knee but he was also keen to get hitched,' a source told the magazine.

'We thought it was a joke, but he said he just wanted to "make her his missus" - and told the crew to call in "any old celebrant" who could make it happen.'

Prior to the show hitting our screens it was already believed Brittany made the final.

With a high level of interest around the show, paparazzi photos taken throughout filming had appeared to reveal the brunette was one of the lucky four finalists.

Multiple sets of pictures taken during the final shoot seemed to suggest she was joined by Sophie Tieman, Cassandra Wood and Brooke Blurton in the finale.

Final four: Prior to the show airing, it was believed Brittany made it to the finale alongside Sophie Tieman, Cassandra Wood and Brooke Blurton due to paparazzi pictures

The day before the series finally aired in August, Nick appeared to accidentally reveal a brunette was set to win his heart on the show.

Just 24 hours before viewers across Australia watched him meet all 25 ladies, the star appeared to slip up during an interview with Nova's Fitzy and Wippa.

When asked if he usually goes for blondes or brunettes, Nick responded: 'In the past, they have actually been sandy blonde and that's why I've had a big changer.'

Oops! The day before the series finally aired, Nick appeared to reveal a brunette was set to win his heart on the show during an interview with Nova's Fitzy and Wippa

Brittany and Nick's first official meeting during the debut episode was very telling.

Whereas the majority of the girls giggled through nervous introductions, it was revealed that Nick and Brittany had previously attended pre-school together.

The pair, both from New South Wales beach town Port Macquarie, then discovered they were also born in the same hospital.

Discussing their surprising past, Nick said: 'I was chasing a Brit in preschool. Actually, I think... Yeah. Was it you?'

A good star: Brittany emerged as a frontrunner during the first episode after it was revealed her and Nick attended the same pre-school in Port Macquarie

Quickly deleted: Both Brittany and Nick appeared to slip up with their social media posts during the launch episode too with identical posts looking at their first moment together

Both Brittany and Nick appeared to slip up with their almost identical social media posts during the launch episode too.

Nick's one single post about his starring Bachlor role so far, a 13 second Instagram Story clip during the launch, noticeably featured Brittany on his TV behind him.

'I hope you enjoy and it should be a barrel of laughs,' Nick said in the clip as the brunette appeared on screen in the background.

Brittany reportedly shared a similar post of the same scene to her Instagram Story at the same time that evening of her TV, but quickly deleted it, Bach fans forum claim.

The biggest blooper then occurred on August 24 after it was revealed that several members of Nick's family were now Facebook friends with Brittany.

Daily Mail Australia have contacted Network Ten for comment.
A-list celebrities including Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley and John Travolta are well-known adherents of Scientology.

And, according to KIIS FM's Jackie 'O' Henderson, her longtime co-host Kyle Sandilands once explored the controversial religion while living in Los Angeles - before backing out after learning that the church wanted a portion of his income.

Speaking on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Thursday, Jackie, 43, said: '[Kyle] was like, "This is all right, this is pretty cool, it's pretty flash", and then he found out they wanted 20 per cent of what he earns. So he was out of there!'

'They wanted 20 per cent of what he earns': Kyle Sandilands (pictured) 'tried out Scientology in Los Angeles' before rejecting the controversial religion, said co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson

Jackie added, laughing: 'He was like, "Forget about it, you're not getting my money!" It's weird how they do that.'

Jackie said that Kyle 'did one session' at a Scientology centre in Los Angeles.

'He loved that you could smoke inside,' she explained. 'So that was getting him in [to the religion] straight away and then he saw Tom Cruise's kid - Connor - walk past.'

RESPONSE FROM THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY The Church wishes Kyle well on his spiritual journey. The Church of Scientology does not tithe its members and the article is inaccurate. See FAQ. What has been said about the Church is often pure propaganda. For the real story of Scientology, see www.scientology.tv Advertisement

Claims: Speaking on KIIS FM on Thursday, Jackie (right) said: '[Kyle] was like, "This is all right, this is pretty cool, it's pretty flash", and then he found out [the church] wanted 20 per cent of what he earns. So he was out of there!' Pictured in October 2013

Controversial: The Church of Scientology, led by David Miscavige (pictured in September 2004), reportedly has quite an influence on the personal lives of its celebrity members

What is Scientology? The word Scientology literally means 'the study of truth' and is a religion based on the works of science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard. Essentially, Scientologists believe that the 'reactive mind' - the part of the mind that isn't under your control - exerts power and command over your thoughts and actions. The reactive mind is of no benefit to the individual as it's a source of irrationality, fear and nightmare. So through spiritual counselling called 'auditing', Scientologists reduce and eventually get rid of the power of the reactive mind. This, they believe, is a landmark step in the discovery of one's true nature, helping one to achieve spiritual awareness and freedom. Advertisement

The Church of Scientology, led by David Miscavige, reportedly has quite an influence on the personal lives of its celebrity members.

However, it is unlikely that outspoken Kyle, 47, will be joining any kind of religion any time soon.

In November 2017, he revealed that he lied about his religious affiliations when getting married to his first wife Tamara Jaber.

Kyle said at the time: 'I lied to the priest because I had to be whatever religion she was, Melkite Catholic, Hezbollah, I just lied and went "I'm that."

'He said, "Are you sure? You don't look Lebanese."'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kyle Sandilands and the Church of Scientology for comment.

The Kyle and Jackie O Show airs weekdays from 6am on KIIS 106.5
Upstart Crow

Rating:

Shop Well For Less

Rating:

The emblematic word in our easily offended era is mansplaining. Its when a male, probably white and middle-aged, pompously explains something to people who already understand it very well. Im doing it now.

Ben Eltons Shakespearean sitcom Upstart Crow (BBC2) is guilty of funsplaining. Every situation and gag is laboriously signalled in advance, and analysed in depth afterwards.

This isnt so much a comedy, more a weekly undergraduate caper around on the mechanics of Elizabethan humour and its relevance in the 21st century.

As it returned for a third series, the Bard (David Mitchell) was deconstructing the comic tropes of his Midsummer Nights Dream for puzzled Globe Theatre actors.

Ben Eltons Shakespearean sitcom Upstart Crow (BBC2) is guilty of funsplaining

Whole chunks of the dialogue could be lifted from the students guide York Notes, with a few smutty jokes in mock-Tudor couplets chucked in. These are based on Eltons conviction that any word rhyming with uff is unfailingly funny.

Getting a girl pregnant is knocking her up the muffly duffington. Scared yokels wet their puffling pants.

Eltons other running gag is that, though human nature never changes, feminism would seem ridiculous to Shakespeare and his pals. When the landladys daughter Kate (Gemma Whelan) points out that mischievous fairy Puck, in the Dream, is a sex abuser who drugs his victims, Will is incredulous.

An earnest discussion about female sexual consent ensues. Then its time for a crude pun You never forget your first Puck  and its on to the under-representation in literature of the FSNEP community: fairies, sprites, nymphs, elfs and pixies.

Whole chunks of the dialogue could be lifted from the students guide York Notes, with a few smutty jokes in mock-Tudor couplets chucked in

Nobody mentions the double meaning of fairy. That wouldnt be politically correct.

Later on, theres a bit of gratuitous Corbynism, as Will imagines a public transport system run by the State, for the benefit of all and the profit of none.

Its no surprise that Elton is a fan of Jeremy C. He famously loathed Margaret Thatcher, and he lives in Australia, which ought to be a safe enough distance if Corbyn ever becomes PM.

The final scene of Upstart Crow always has Will and wife Anne (Liza Tarbuck) smoking their pipes by the fire and discussing the weeks plot. Its like the summary at the end of a schoolboy essay: In conclusion, I think that . . .

Yet, there are laughs. I always groan as the twee penny whistle pipes up at the opening of Upstart Crow, but I know there will be chuckles, if just at Harry Enfields cameo and Mitchells high-speed verbosity.

Like so much current BBC comedy, its hardly sparkling, but its watchable.

Shop Well For Less (BBC1) adroitly avoids the pitfall of mansplaining by having two female presenters.

When Alex Jones and Steph McGovern start scolding families for flushing away hard-earned cash, they sound like they know what theyre on about. Often, the advice is crashingly obvious. According to them, its cheaper to take a ferry to a Normandy campsite than to fly to Majorca for an all-expenses-paid hotel holiday  well, whodathunkit?

But the Ingram family of South Wales did have some shockingly expensive shopping habits. I go for the brand names, said Nan, succinctly.

Steph and Alex added up that this was costing the family, with their two sets of twins aged 19 months and six months, a packet  7,000 in wasted housekeeping.

Sums like that are enough to make us re-examine our own supermarket receipts. And that cant be a bad thing.
Rapper Lil Pump has been pictured getting arrested in Miami, Florida on Wednesday night.

According to TMZ, the 18-year-old Gucci Gang hitmaker was pulled over by police officers while driving a black Rolls-Royce in the city.

In a police report, obtained by the publication, it stated that police officers stopped luxury vehicle after discovering the license plate on it actually belonged to a Mini Cooper.

Tough times: Lil Pump was pictured getting arrested on Wednesday in Miami after being pulled over by police while driving a black Rolls Royce

The reports goes on to state that when the musician was asked for his driving license, Lil Pump allegedly said 'he has never had one.'

Photos taken at the scene and published on TMZ show him being handcuffed and taken into custody.

Law enforcement later released his mug shot in which he's seen smiling broadly.

Since the news broke, the publication has reported that the Drug Addicts music maker had been released from custody and been issued with a traffic ticket.'

In custody: The 18-year-old allegedly told cops he doesn't have a valid driver's licence and he was taken into custody. Miami-Dade Police department released this mug shot of the rapper

Report: In a police report, obtained by the publication, it stated that police officers stopped luxury vehicle after discovering the license plate on it actually belonged to a Mini Cooper

A insider told TMZ: 'He was issued a ticket and will not have to appear in court... it'll be handled by his legal team.'

Lil Pump is best known for the song Gucci Gang, which was released August 2017 peaked at number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

The rapper - real name gazzy Garcia - had previously been arrested earlier this year for firing a gun into the door of his home in the San Fernando Valley outside Los Angeles.

TMZ reported at the time that he was taken to a juvenile detention center because he was 17 at the time. He turned 18 on August 17.

Lil Pump - real name Gazzy Garcia - is best known for his 2017 hit song Gucci Gang. He's pictured performing in stage at the Reading Festival in England, on August 26

Tough times: TMZ reported at the time that he was taken to a juvenile detention center because he was 17 at the time. He turned 18 on August 17

Recently, Pump released his new music video for Drug Addicts and starred Charlie Sheen, 52, who seemingly made reference to his drug abuse past.

The two could be seen wearing white doctor's lab coats as they push a cart full of 'medications' around in what looks like a shady hospital.

Charlie plays more of the straight man while Pump, whose real name is Gazzy Garcia, smokes, pops pills, and drinks cough syrup straight from the bottle several times throughout the clip.

The former Two-And-A-Half Men star's top had a bright pink 'Dr. Sheen' embroidered above the pocket.

Recent: Recently, Pump released his new music video for Drug Addicts and starred Charlie Sheen, 52, who seemingly made reference to his drug abuse past

The two are even shown riding on wheelchairs next to each other while being pushed around by several scantily-clad nurses.

Shortly thereafter the hospital turns into one big party as the patients both old and young could be seen having a fun time.

There are several eye-opening remarks about Pump's party lifestyle but perhaps none more shocking than him revealing when it began.

The Miami-based rapper said: 'Ive been smoking since I was eleven / Ive been popping pills since I was seven.'
The Duchess of Sussex is to appear in her first major Royal documentary since her marriage, talking about the Queen and Commonwealth.

Queen of the World, to be broadcast on ITV next month, will offer a unique insight into Her Majesty role as a figure on the global stage and the baton she is passing to the younger members of the family as they continue her passion for the Commonwealth.

Filmed over more than a year by Oxford Films, the crew has been given privileged access to the Queen, her family, her staff and her residences, as they tell the story of how the Commonwealth has been a central focus and passion throughout her life.

Meghan, 37, has given an interview to the team, as has her husband,Prince Harry, who has been named by the monarch as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador and says he and Meghan will make the young people of the Commonwealth a priority of their public work.

Scroll down for video

The Duchess of Sussex was interviewed at length by the team behind new documentary Queen of the World which will air on ITV next month (pictured today at a Hamilton show)

Interviews have also been given by Prince Charles, Prince William, Princess Anne and the Countess of Wessex.

The programmes will also feature cine footage from the Queen and Duke of Edinburghs private film archives and treasures from the Royal Collection.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (pictured on Wednesday) were interviewed alongside other members of the royal family

Its makers say the series will offer an unprecedented insight into Queens early years as Head of the Commonwealth - when she had the symbols of the then eight Commonwealth countries embroidered on to her Coronation gown - and how that number had risen to 53 by the time the Duchess of Sussex had the flowers of the Commonwealth sewn onto her wedding veil in May.

Jo Clinton-Davis, Controller of Factual at ITV, said: The Queen is a unique figure on the world stage, with a huge depth of experience having met more global leaders than any previous British monarch and serving longer than all of them.

Queen of the World which is being aired in September gives unique insight into Her Majesty role as a figure on the global stage

Meghan Markle (pictured on her wedding day) spoke to the documentary team about her new life as a member of the British royal family

This film is a rare opportunity to see Her Majesty up close and behind the scenes in this role, which means so much to her and has been so significant for Britain and the Commonwealth. Nicolas Kent, Creative Director for Oxford Films and Executive Producer for Queen of the World, added: The Queen is the most well-travelled monarch in history and its been fascinating to see how she has passed on her experience to the younger generations of the royal family.

With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex about to embark on their first Commonwealth Tour to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific exactly sixty-five years after the Queens first Commonwealth Tour, this series could not be more timely. Harry and Meghan will tour Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga in October.
Pete Davidson already has several tattoos dedicated to fiance Ariana Grande.

But the SNL favorite surprised many when he revealed the awkward origin story of his very first tattoo: a lyric by Ariana's ex Big Sean.

Opening up during a video accompanying his Variety cover, the 24-year-old explained how his ink of the phrase 'swerve life' was inspired by the Kanye West song Mercy, which Sean is prominently featured on.

Awkward inspiration: Pete Davidson revealed how his very first tattoo just happened to be plucked from a Big Sean lyric during a video for Variety

A 17-year-old Pete and his best friend Ricky decided on the matching ink all the way back in 2011, thinking it would be a timeless catchphrase.

'We were like, "That's gonna last forever," so now that's on our legs,' he laughed.

While the 'swerve' tattoo may have been his first, Pete made it clear the Ariana-inspired bunny ears on his neck are his favorite body art.

Mercy me: The SNL comic's inaugural ink was of the phrase 'swerve life', inspired by the Kanye West song Mercy, which Sean (above in June) is prominently featured on

Ears to you! While the 'swerve' tattoo may have been his first, Pete made it clear the Ariana-inspired bunny ears on his neck are his favorite body art

Youthful mistake: A 17-year-old Pete and his best friend Ricky decided on the matching ink all the way back in 2011, thinking 'swerve' would be a timeless catchphrase

Pointing to the solid black design behind his ear, the native New Yorker said matter-of-factly: 'Currently my favorite one is this one, this one's super sick.'

Pete and Ariana's whirlwind romance began around May and they were engaged by the start of June.

The couple share several matching tattoos of their own.

Permanent record: Pointing to the solid black design behind his ear, the native New Yorker said matter-of-factly: 'Currently my favorite one is this one, this one's super sick'

Linked: Pete and Ariana's whirlwind romance began around May and they were engaged by the start of June. Above, August 20

Bonding over Harry Potter, the duo both have permanent designs inspired by the JK Rowling fantasy.

The couple also share 'H2GKMO' tattoos, an acronym for 'honest to god knock me out.'

Ariana recently added a new forearm design to her collection of body art: a tattoo of the character Chihiro from Spirited Away.
Kathryn Dennis is making the most of summer's final days.

The Southern Charm star, 27, took to Instagram Wednesday to show off shots from her Bahamas vacation, in the wake of the end of the relationship between her ex Thomas Ravenel, 56, and his gal pal of a year, Ashley Jacobs, a 33-year-old nurse.

Dennis, who has two kids with Ravenel - daughter Kensington, four, and son St. Julien, two - brought along Southern Charm colleague Naomie Olindo, 25, and two other pals on the getaway.

Scroll below for video

Making a splash! Southern Charm star Kathryn Dennis, 27, took to Instagram Wednesday to show off shots from her Bahamas vacation, in the wake of the end of the relationship between her ex Thomas Ravenel, 56, and his gal pal of a year, Ashley Jacobs, 33

On her Instagram Stories, Dennis shared a series of shots from the idyllic sojourn, some of which took place aboard a vessel called Da Salty Pig. Dennis noted, 'But we ain't salty and we ain't a pig.'

Dennis, who was accompanied by a group of friends, took in the tunes of artists such as Tyga, Lauv and Cardi B as they enjoyed the sun and sand of the stunning island, as well as a nearby pool with plenty of unique flotation devices.

She shared a shot of herself on Pink Sands Beach on Harbor Island, showing off individual pink grains of sand stuck to her hand.

In one shot, she wore wearing a straw hat with an enormous brim, writing, 'i like em round and big.'

Luxe life: Dennis, who has two kids with Ravenel - daughter Kensington, four, and son St. Julien, two - looked to be making the most of the sunny surroundings

I like it: The redheaded beauty showed off some designer glasses by Gucci

Fun for all: Dennis brought along Southern Charm colleague Naomie Olindo, 25, and two other pals on the getaway

Brimming with beauty: Dennis enjoyed a bit of wordplay on this Instagram caption

While Dennis is having fun on her summer getaway, her ex Ravenel is clashing with Jacobs publicly following their breakup.

After Ravenel implied that his relationship with Jacobs buckled under the weight of infidelity on her part - he quoted a lyric from the 1987 Chicago song, If She Would Have Been Faithful - Jacobs told People she 'never cheated on Thomas' adding she thought Ravenel was seeking attention.

'We had agreed to go our separate ways, and I told him I wanted to see other people,' Jacobs told the outlet. 'When he saw that I was out with friends, he got angry and made assumptions that I was dating other guys.

Drama free: The mom-of-two was enjoying her island vacation amid her ex's public spat with his now ex-girlfriend

Glam: Dennis was outfitted in colorful clothes on her Bahamian sojourn

High drama: Thomas Ravenel, 56, and ex Ashley Jacobs, 33, have been at one another publicly amid their breakup

'And when he confronted me about it, I blocked him because it wasn't worth my energy. It's toxic and unhealthy. So he went on a tweet storm.'

Ravenel walked back the remarks in a tweet Wednesday.

'I have no information that Ashley Jacobs ever cheated on me,' Ravenel wrote on Twitter Wednesday. 'In fact as far as I know she has always been true and faithful especially during the really dark times. She didnt deserve my insinuations to the contrary.'

In prior tweets, Ravenel - a one-time treasurer for the state of South Carolina - said he 'should have intervened immediately' when Jacobs called out Dennis over her parenting on an episode of Southern Charm last month.

Jacobs would eventually apologize via Instagram for her 'reckless comments,' but Dennis blew off the mea culpa in a clip she posted to the site.
She split from radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands in 2010 after two years of marriage.

And during a rare interview on Thursday's The Morning Show, Tamara Jaber spoke fondly of her new lawyer boyfriend who she met while living in Los Angeles.

Describing him as a 'solid guy,' the 36-year-old Scandal'us star admitted that 'he's different to anyone' she's ever been with.

'He's different to anyone I've been with': Kyle Sandilands' ex-wife Tamara Jaber, 36, described her new lawyer boyfriend as a solid guy. Pictured with ex-husband Kyle Sandilands, 47

Despite not revealing his name, Tamara did share with co-hosts Larry Emdur and Sally Obermeder: 'He is very different to anyone I've ever been with. He is a class action lawyer. He has a firm. He's kind of just a solid guy. We get along.'

The brunette, who shot to fame on the second season of Popstars in 2001, also revealed how the pair crossed paths.

'I actually met my boyfriend, who I'm currently living with in San Francisco, in LA and he told me he was a lawyer in San Francisco, and we did that long distance thing for a while, and then I moved to San Francisco,' she explained.

Going strong: Despite not revealing his name, Tamara said on Thursday's The Morning Show: 'He is very different to anyone I've ever been with. He is a class action lawyer.' Pictured with her new beau

It's unknown how long the pair have been dating.

Tamara split from ex-husband Kyle Sandilands in 2010.

Following the couple's breakup she told Woman's Day in 2016: 'I will always love Kyle - we spent 10 years together - but I'm not 'in love' with him.'

Tamara relocated to the United States to start over following the painful split.

Tamara revealed how the pair met: 'I actually met my boyfriend, who I'm currently living with in San Francisco, in LA and he told me he was a lawyer in San Francisco, and we did that long distance thing for a while, and then I moved to San Francisco'

It was there that she met Ken Aseme, a former British rugby professional turned investment banker, at a bar in Los Angeles in 2011, following her breakup with Kyle.

Tamara previously told Daily Mail Australia of Ken: 'He's got a lot of swag. He's a typical athlete slash investment banker. I call him "Hollywood Ken". He's a very social person.'

However, the couple parted ways in 2015 after three years of dating.
She's the Ten's Eyewitness News reporter whose television career took a rather unexpected turn two years ago.

And on Thursday, this glamorous star reflected on just how far she's come after reaching her milestone 30th birthday.

Sharing a childhood snap to Instagram, the mystery TV personality appeared hardly recognisable - but can you guess who it is?

Guess who! She's one of Australia's most famous newsreaders who just turned 30... but would YOU recognise her from this sweet childhood snap?

The smiling little girl in the throwback photo is none other than former Bachelorette Georgia Love.

'Hands up if youre 30 today!' she captioned the image of herself posing in her family's backyard in Melbourne.

The weather presenter took another trip down memory lane just last week.

Familiar face: The smiling little girl in the throwback photo is none other than former Bachelorette Georgia Love

Last Wednesday, Georgia took to Instagram to post a series of charming flashback photos from her youth.

Georgia revealed she had discovered a collection of 'amazing photos' of herself while packing preparing to move house.

One vintage snap showed her as a baby smiling in her grandmother's arms. In another, a slightly older Georgia posed in a stylish blue outfit and hat.

A little fashionista! Just last week, Georgia took to Instagram to post a series of flashback photos of herself as a child

How cute! One vintage snap showed her as a baby smiling in her grandmother's arms

After several years as a reporter for WIN News in Tasmania, Georgia rose to national fame on The Bachelorette in 2016.

She fell in love with mechanical plumber Lee Elliott on the show and they recently celebrated their two-year anniversary.

Following her reality TV role, she was hired as a reporter and weather presenter for Ten Eyewitness News.
His chiseled features and and good looks have taken him around the world.

And it seems Jordan Barrett, who is based in New York, has picked up a slight American twang, revealing a different accent during an interview with The Morning Show on Thursday.

The 21-year-old, who is good friends with the likes of Gigi and Bella Hadid, made subtle R rolls and added an emphasis on vowels, particularly in a conversation about a recent snowboarding trip in Thredbo.

Scroll down for video

That sounds a little different! Australian model Jordan Barrett reveals an American twang during interview with The Morning Show

Throughout the chat words like 'so', 'there' and 'you' came across with more of an American tone.

Despite this, the Tom Ford runway model did his best to maintain as much of his Australian accent throughout.

This isn't the first time Australian exports have had to adopt an American accent.

Trying his best: Despite this, the Tom Ford runway model did his best to maintain as much of his Australian accent throughout

Earlier this year, fans of pop rock band 5S0S were left scratching their heads earlier this year when members of the band spoke with different timbres.

Guitarist Michael Clifford explained the reason for sudden American twang was because people around the world can't understand Australians.

In an interview with the Kyle And Jackie O show earlier this year he explained on behalf of the band: 'I think all of us kind of have to chameleon a little bit into other accents.'

They can't understand: Fans of pop rock band 5S0S were left scratching their heads earlier this year when members of the band spoke with different timbres. Guitarist Michael Clifford explained the reason was because people around the world can't understand Australians

'People in other countries just don't understand Australians and that's a fact.'

He added: 'If anyone from Australia has travelled overseas, no one knows what the f**k we're talking about, so you have to change your accent and you have to adapt.'

Though he reassured fans that he had not completely lost his distinct Australian timbre, saying: 'The second that I come home to Australia... I'm like straight away super Australian and I'm like 'oh yeah g'day mum, how are ya?'
She and her twin sister Mary-Kate are TV stars turned fashion moguls.

And Ashley Olsen showed off her own unique sense of style on Wednesday, as she stepped out for an iced coffee in Brentwood pairing a denim jacket with sweatpants.

The 32-year-old has been dating New York City-based artist Louis Eisner, 30, according to RadarOnline.

Sweating it out: Ashley Olsen showed off her own unique sense of style on Wednesday, as she stepped out for an iced coffee in Brentwood pairing a denim jacket with sweatpants

The former child star combined the low-key legwear with a pair of flip flops.

Beneath her jacket she wore a simple black T-shirt and slung over her left arm was a woven wicker handbag.

The Full House starlet wore her wavy blonde tresses untied and cascading down her shoulders and she covered her eyes with oversize aviator style shades.

New man: The 32-year-old has been dating New York City-based artist Louis Eisner, 30, according to RadarOnline. Seen together on Tuesday

On Tuesday, Ashley Olsen took a break from her booming career for a walk with her new man in Los Angeles.

The fashion designer and actress cut a casual figure in a graphic T-shirt with baggy track bottoms and a plaid cover up.

Her artist beau donned green track bottoms with a graphic hoodie, adding boots and small framed sunglasses.

Ashley and Mary-Kate's brand The Row is known for its minimalism, timelessness and attention to detail and fit.

One year later, the sister launched a second, more affordable brand called Elizabeth and James.

The lifestyle brand, which they founded in Fall 2007, includes clothes, fragrances, watches, jewelry, eyewear and handbags.

This year, Ashley and Mary Kate won Accessories Designer Of the Year for The Row at the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America Awards.
They're two of Hollywood's brightest stars who are set to appear on the eighth season of American Horror Story.

And Emma Roberts and Sarah Paulson, 43, were spotted shooting scenes for the upcoming series together in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

All dressed up in their characters, the veteran actress was even seen giving the 27-year-old some directions on set.

Scroll down for video

Listening to the pro! Emma Roberts was seen taking directions from Sarah Paulson on the set of American Horror Story on Wednesday in Los Angeles

Emma was dressed in form-fitting leather pants and a knitted cardigan and top.

She paired the look with stylish YSL cage heels and sported a pair of designer glasses.

The Nerve actress' blonde locks were styled straight and back off of her face and she appeared to be wearing a full face of makeup complete with a red lip.

She knows best: All dressed up in their characters, the veteran actress was even seen giving the 27-year-old some directions on set

Gorgeous: Emma was dressed in form-fitting leather pants and a knitted cardigan and top

Sarah was also dressed in a dark ensemble on Wednesday.

She opted for a T-shirt and a pleated maxi skirt.

The People vs OJ Simpson actress added to her statuesque 5foot6 height with a pair of cork platform slides and also had her short locks styled out.

Madison's back! Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Emma flaunted her trim physique in a sexy playsuit whilst in character for the show

The duo were joined by co-stars Taissa Famiga and Billy Porter.

Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Emma flaunted her trim physique in a sexy playsuit whilst in character for the show.

'I bring you Madison Montgomery on #ahs8. Does the b**ch survive the #apocalypse?' she captioned.
The late Michael Jackson would have turned 60 Wednesday.

So the stars turned out in full force at Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino in Las Vegas for a celebration in his honor, with guests including Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross.

In addition to being Ashlee's husband, 30-year-old Evan is the son of musical icon Diana Ross, who co-starred with Michael in the 1978 film adaptation of The Wiz.

Scroll down for video

Date night: The stars turned out to Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino in Las Vegas that day for a celebration in his honor, including Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross

While at the diamond birthday bash for Michael Jackson, Evan planted a kiss on the cheek of his wife, who is the sister of singing star Jessica Simpson.

Ross had buttoned himself into a glittering striped short-sleeved top, slipping into black pants and rolling the hems slightly upward.

He added a dapper touch with a black hat and slid into a pair of black shoes, cinching a leather belt around his enviably trim waistline.

Meanwhile, Ashlee swept her platinum blonde hair back into a low bun, emphasizing her winning features with a heavy dose of makeup.

Keeping close: While at the diamond birthday bash for Michael Jackson, Evan planted a kiss on the cheek of his wife, who is the sister of singing star Jessica Simpson

So swanky: Ashlee's glistening black mini-dress, which was cut off around mid-thigh, featured a plunging neckline and streaks of elaborate frills

Smitten: The couple couldn't resit packing on the PDA as they shared several sweet kisses

Her glistening black mini-dress, which was cut off around mid-thigh, featured a plunging neckline and streaks of elaborate frills.

The event venue was apt - Mandalay Bay is the site of ONE, the Cirque Du Soleil show dedicated to the work of the late King Of Pop.

Ashlee, who balanced that evening on barely-there ankle-strap stilettos, shares a three-year-old daughter called Jagger with Evan and a nine-year-old son called Bronx by her first husband, Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz.

Yellow brick road: In addition to being Ashlee's husband, Evan is the son of musical icon Diana Ross, who co-starred with Michael in the 1978 film adaptation of The Wiz, above

Mwah!: Ashlee swept her platinum blonde hair back into a low bun, emphasizing her winning features with a heavy dose of makeup

Star-studded: The loved-up couple posed with actress Gabrielle Union at the star-studded bash

The Wiz was based on a Broadway musical of the same name, which was in turn adapted from L. Frank Baum's iconic novel The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz.

In the film version of The Wiz, written by Joel Schumacher and directed by Sidney Lumet, Diana played Dorothy Gale opposite Michael's Scarecrow.

Michael died at the age of 50 in 2009 from a cardiac arrest he suffered after having had propofol administered as a sleep aid.

Stylish trio: Ashlee and Evan also socialised with Italian fashion designer Giuseppe Zanotti
Neil Patrick Harris is a man about his craft - as his husband David Burtka attested to speaking with SiriusXM Wednesday.

The celeb couple, in a dual appearance on In-Depth with Larry Flick to push the 2018 Wigstock Festival, revealed issues that developed at home when Neil, 45, lost weight and got rid of his body hair for his Tony Award-winning performance in the Broadway musical Hedwig & The Angry Inch in 2014.

Burtka, a 43-year-old actor-turned-chef, said it was 'a difficult time' after his husband of nearly four years underwent the physical changes for the titular role, a transgender rocker with huge dreams.

Scroll below for video

Coming clean: Neil Patrick Harris, 45, and husband David Burtka, 43, revealed issues that developed when Neil lost weight and got rid of his body hair for his role in the Broadway musical Hedwig & The Angry Inch in 2014 when they appeared on SiriusXM in NYC Wednesday

'I, as his husband  I like manly guys,' the Dearborn, Michigan native said. 'He had shaved his body, he had lost all this weight, he had become sort of asexual as this character ... he'd take his shirt off, I could see the bones in his back.'

Burtka, who met Harris on the set of his CBS series How I Met Your Mother, went in detail about the differences he saw reflected in Harris.

'There was no smell on him - his body was shaved, there was no hair on him, so he became this sort of androgynous being that I didn't sign up to marry.

'It was very strange ... not who I married,' said Burtka, who tied the knot with Harris in Italy in September of 2014, after a decade together. 'Also, being Hedwig is a tragic place to live.'

Looking back: Burtka said Harris 'became this sort of androgynous being' for the role

Different: Burtka said Harris 'had become sort of asexual as this character' in the musical

Neil, who captured the Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his efforts in the rock musical, said that 'the hard part [of the character] was the affectations, physically  [such as] walking with a sway and the overt femininity of the characterization that [he] had.'

Harris talked about the delicate balance of mastering the character without adding any unnecessary comical tone to it.

'That was hard to get into my whole body,' he said, 'without feeling like I was mocking it.'

And many more: The couple will celebrate their fourth anniversary next month

Master of the stage: Harris explained the difficulties of playing the role in the satellite chat
Advertisement

It has been just over nine years since their father tragically passed away.

And on Wednesday, Paris, 20, and Prince Jackson, 21, took to the red carpet, as well as the stage, at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas to honour their father on what would have been the pop sensation's 60th birthday.

Rocking a bohemian chic look for the ensemble at the start of the event, Paris showed her strong sibling bond as she placed a sweet kiss on Prince's cheek - who wore a red jacket reminiscent of his late father's style.

Family time! On Wednesday, Paris, 20, and Prince Jackson, 21, took to the red carpet, as well as the stage, at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas to honor their father Michael Jackson on what would have been the pop sensation's 60th birthday

Close: Rocking a bohemian chic look for the ensemble at the start of the event, Paris showed her strong sibling bond as she placed a sweet kiss on Prince's cheek - who wore a red jacket reminiscent of his late father's style

The stunning daughter of the King Of Pop, who is carving out a modelling and acting career in her own right, rocked a pair of retro, bell-bottom pants for her red carpet turn.

Paris paired the flashy garment with a cream-coloured Gucci T-shirt adorned with sequins, and wore a pair of silver platform heels on her feet.

The only daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe completed the throwback look with a bevy of necklaces and rose-tinted sunglasses.

Meanwhile, Prince seemed to take fashion cues from his late father, slipping the red letterman-style jacket on over a white T-shirt.

Honour: At the festivities, the pair accepted the posthumously awarded 2018 Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Legacy Award for Humanitarian Service honour on behalf of their father, who passed away in 2009

Famous family: The daughter of the King Of Pop rocked a pair of retro, bell-bottom pants for her red carpet turn, while Prince seemed to take fashion cues from his late father, slipping the red letterman-style jacket on over a white T-shirt

Era-defining: Paris paired the flashy garment with a cream-coloured Gucci T-shirt adorned with sequins, and wore a pair of silver platform heels on her feet

In her element: Paris looked happy and relaxed as she rocked up in style to celebrate the birthday of her late dad

Stunning: The only daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe completed the throwback look with rose-tinted sunglasses and slicked back locks

Brother/sister bond: The siblings looked happy and relaxed as they wowed on the red carpet, where Paris sweetly propped a kiss on Prince's cheek

Like father, like son: Prince seemed to take fashion cues from Michael's famous look from 1997 (R), slipping the red letterman-style jacket on over a white T-shirt

Prince completed the look by wearing trendy black denims, studded boots and accessorised with a heavy necklace.

The siblings looked happy and relaxed as they wowed on the red carpet, where Paris sweetly propped a kiss on Prince's cheek.

The night didn't end there as the twosome headed indoors and took to the stage to deliver a speech in tribute of Michael, who also has 16-year-old son Blanket.

Ensuring that the night was all about Billie Jean hitmaker, Paris and Prince proceeded to playfully execute their best versions of Michael's famous 'moonwalk.'

Doing their bit: The night didn't end there as the twosome headed indoors and took to the stage to deliver a speech in tribute of Michael

Dance floor: The night didn't end there as the twosome headed indoors and took to the stage to deliver a speech in tribute of Michael

Style star: Paris proved her rising fashionista status as she made a sensational outfit change, slipping her slender physique in a glamorous purple dress

Lovely: The number, which put full focus on her long, lean legs, boasted sequinned detailing, as well as an eye-catching ruffled train which fell to the floor

Babe: The inked beauty kept to her gorgeous hair and and make-up look for her second look

Big moment: The King of Pops children couldn't have looked happier as they accepted the posthumously awarded 2018 Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Legacy Award for Humanitarian Service honour on behalf of their father

Paris proved her rising fashionista status as she made a sensational outfit change, slipping her slender physique in a glamorous purple dress.

The number, which put full focus on her long, lean legs, boasted sequinned detailing, as well as an eye-catching ruffled train which fell to the floor.

The inked beauty kept to her gorgeous hair and and make-up look, while switching out her sky-high heels to a pair of sneakers - which is an exclusive Giuseppe Tribute To Michael Jackson Sneaker, and will be sold exclusively to FLANNELS online in October.

The King of Pops children couldn't have looked happier as they accepted the posthumously awarded 2018 Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation Legacy Award for Humanitarian Service honour on behalf of their father.

And speaking to Entertainment Tonight before the festivities, a proud Prince said: 'Being here today is definitely an awe-inspiring feeling, because our father was the King of Pop and he did so much.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight before the festivities, a proud Prince said: 'Being here today is definitely an awe-inspiring feeling, because our father was the King of Pop and he did so much'

Prince was also quick to add that the philanthropic-based accolade would make his father incredibly happy: '[This award] would make him prouder, I assume, than the musical accomplishments that he has been able to [achieve]'

'I don't really expect anyone else to understand': Paris added they remember and respect their late father in their 'own way'

L-R: Evan Ross, Quinn Tivey, Barbara Berkowitz, Paris, Giuseppe Zanotti, Prince Jackson and Sway Calloway

L-R: Quinn Tivey, Prince Jackson, Paris and Evan Ross

Together: Paris posed alongside Barbara Berkowitz at the event

'He did so much for the music industry, but I think he put emphasis and importance on the charitable contributions to humanity that he really used his platform to [support],' he continued.

Prince was also quick to add that the philanthropic-based accolade would make his father incredibly happy: '[This award] would make him prouder, I assume, than the musical accomplishments that he has been able to [achieve].'

Meanwhile, Paris added they remember and respect their late father in their 'own way', stating: 'I don't really expect anyone else to understand besides this dude right here. Im just happy to be with him.'

Prince added that the Billie Jean singer - who also has 16-year-old son Blanket Jackson - would be proud to receive the Legacy Award, which recognises his philanthropic efforts.

The Jackson two: Also at the celebrity-laden event were Tito Jackson [L] and Jackie Jackson [R], Vanessa Hudgens and Gabrielle Union, among others

Legs for days: Spring Breakers star Vanessa flaunted her incredible legs in a minuscule black sequined dress

Mane attraction: The breakout star of High School Musical swooped her raven tresses into a high topknot with a few loose tendrils framing her face

Also at the celebrity-laden event were Tito Jackson and Jackie Jackson, Vanessa Hudgens and Gabrielle Union, among others.

Spring Breakers star Vanessa flaunted her incredible legs in a minuscule black sequined dress.

The breakout star of High School Musical paired the revealing garment with a pair of skyscraper heels, also in black.

Meanwhile Breaking In actress Union kept it classy in a modest blue gown with a deep plunging neckline.

Ashlee Simpson wore a glistening black mini-dress, which was cut off around mid-thigh, featured a plunging neckline and streaks of elaborate frills.

Got the blues? Gabrielle Union kept it classy in a modest blue gown with a deep plunging neckline

Blonde bombshell: Ashlee Simpson wore a glistening black mini-dress, which was cut off around mid-thigh, featured a plunging neckline and streaks of elaborate frills

The blonde was joined by her coordinating husband Evan Ross, who couldn't peel his attention away from her.

Tinashe turned heads in a tiny white clinging mini-dress, which she teamed with a matching oversized Balenciaga jacket.

Angela Bassett, 60, looked absolutely gorgeous in a shiny metallic silver jumpsuit for the occasion.

Love is in the air: The blonde was joined by her coordinating husband Evan Ross, who couldn't peel his attention away from her

Stylish: Tinashe turned heads in a tiny white clinging mini-dress, which she teamed with a matching oversized Balenciaga jacket

Age-defying: Angela Bassett, 60, looked absolutely gorgeous in a shiny metallic silver jumpsuit for the occasion

Loving life: Usher was clearly in the mood to party as he showed off his fancy footwork in a sparkly jacket

Here come the boys! Mark Ronson (L), Blake Griffin (M) and Criss Angel (R) all looked super trendy for the event

Peep show: Eva Gutowski showed some skin in a dress with cut outs
She was among the stars who helped celebrate what would have been Michael Jackson's 60th birthday on Wednesday.

And Gabrielle Union looked absolutely stunning as she arrived for the party at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas hosted by the late King of Pop's family.

The actress, 45, walked the red carpet in a full-length shimmery blue and gold gown with black striping.

Party: Gabrielle Union looked absolutely stunning in a shimmery blue and gold gown as she arrived for a celebration of what would have been Michael Jackson's 60th birthday Wednesday

Gabrielle flashed a little cleavage in the number that was slashed to the waist and cinched with a wide black band. She then added a touch of glitz to the look courtesy of her Alexis Bittar earrings.

The stylish outfit pooled around her feet as she posed for photos.

The Being Mary Jane star wore her short hair sleekly styled.

She was made-up with black eye-liner and mascara and dark blusher with glossy red color on her lips.

Lovely: The actress, 45, flashed a little cleavage in the number that was slashed to the waist and cinched with a wide black band as she walked the red carpet at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

Honoring the pop star: Gabrielle shared this snap of herself at the party to her Instagram with the caption: 'Ready to celebrate the king of pop @michaeljackson #MJDiamondCelebration'

Gabrielle enjoyed a special performance of Cirque Du Soleil's Michael Jackson: ONE along with other VIP guests including Ashlee Simpson, Vanessa Hudgens, Usher and Tinashe.

The event was hosted by Michael's children Prince, 21, and Paris, 20, along with their uncles Jackie and Tito Jackson.

The pop superstar was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, and was the eighth of Joe and Katherine Jackson's 10 children.

He passed away on June 25, 2009, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 50 years old.

In his memory: The 'diamond' celebration was hosted by Michael's children, Paris, 20, and Prince, 21. Their father died on June 25, 2009, at is home in LA at the age of 50
Vanessa Hudgens paid tribute to the late Michael Jackson on what would have been his 60th birthday on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old looked leggy in a black sequin playsuit from Galia Lahav as she walked the red carpet at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas hosted by the Jackson family.

She caught up with fellow superstar Gabrielle Union, where they showed off some serious dance moves together, while celebrating the icon's life.

Leggy: Vanessa Hudgens showed off her legs in a sparkly black romper at a celebration of what would have been Michael Jackson's 60th birthday at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Wednesday

She's got the moves: Vanessa threw out some serious shapes in her killer heels and sparkling Galia Lahav ensemble alongside Gabrielle Union

The actress added inches to her height with a pair of high-heeled black sandal heels that revealed white polish on her toe nails.

She wore her dark locks up in a bun leaving a couple of long tresses loose to fall across her face.

Vanessa accessorized with long diamond earrings and a statement ring on her right hand, adding some further glamour to her look.

Ready to party: Vanessa's long-sleeved outfit hugged her curves and had a turtleneck collar and she flashed the peace sign at photographers as she walked the red carpet

Glam: The ladies looked absolutely stunning as they posed for a picture together

The 'diamond' celebration featured a special performance of Cirque Du Soleil's Michael Jackson: ONE followed by a party and other VIP guests included Ashlee Simpson, Gabrielle Union, Usher and Tinashe.

The event was hosted by Michael's children Prince, 21, and Paris, 20, along with their uncles Jackie and Tito Jackson.

The pop superstar was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, and was the eighth of Joe and Katherine Jackson's 10 children.

He passed away on June 25, 2009, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 50 years old.

In his memory: The 'diamond' celebration was hosted by Michael's children, Paris, 20, and Prince, 21

Famous siblings: Also on hand were the pop superstar's brothers Tito, 64, left, and Jackie, 67, right
Halle Berry was spotted out and about in West Hollywood on Wednesday.

The 52-year-old actress looked chic in a black top and distressed denim that she paired with Coach sandals and aviator sunglasses.

Berry, who wore her hair in natural curls, appeared makeup free on the outing.

Busy bee: Halle Berry was spotted out and about in West Hollywood on Wednesday

Fashionista: The 52-year-old actress looked chic in a black top and distressed denim that she paired with Coach sandals and aviator sunglasses

Halle stole headlines on Wednesday when she jokingly called out Prince Harry on Twitter after W Magazine released a photo tour of the royal's high school dorm room.

Like many teen boys, Harry decorated his walls with sultry images of his celebrity crushesincluding Berry.

'Ok, Prince Harry, I see you!' she tweeted, obviously flattered.

Busted! Halle stole headlines on Wednesday when she jokingly called out Prince Harry for having a photo of her on the wall of his high school dorm room. 'Ok, Prince Harry, I see you!' she tweeted, obviously flattered

The Catwoman star, who has seemingly defied the laws of aging, works out with her trainer, Peter Lee Thomas, five days a week.

'What keeps me motivated is my kids. I want to see my grandchildren,' she said during her new Instagram series #PHITtalks. 'I also want to model healthy living for my kids. I think what we do matters much more than what we say.'

Halle added: 'It's a lifestyle that I'm living. Do something everyday for the body, it's the only one you got.'

Berry is a mom-of-two.

She shares her daughter Nahla, age 10, with ex Gabriel Aubry.

And she co-parents her son Maceo, age four, with ex-husband Olivier Martinez.
Her wedding to Karl Stefanovic in December is set to be a star-studded affair.

And ahead of the ceremony, Jasmine Yarbrough was spotted flying out to Mexico on Thursday to finalise preparations.

Daily Mail Australia understands the Mara & Mine co-founder, 34, will spend several days at a luxury resort in San Jose del Cabo with wedding planners.

Scroll down for video

PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Get ready for the wedding of the year! Karl Stefanovic's fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough jetted off to Mexico on Thursday to finish planning their luxury nuptials. Pictured at Sydney Airport before her flight

During her whirlwind trip to North America, she will also stop by New York Fashion Week.

Mara & Mine is not being featured on the runway, but it is believed Jasmine is planning to use the event as a networking opportunity.

As she arrived at Sydney Airport for her first class flight, the blonde looked stylish in dark sunglasses, skinny black jeans and a white T-shirt.

Not long now! The 34-year-old shoe designer will marry the Today show host, 44, at a luxury resort in San Jose del Cabo in December

An insider told Daily Mail Australia that Jasmine will spend five days in Mexico finalising her wedding preparations.

The celebrity couple will exchange vows in a picturesque chapel at the One&Only Palmilla Resort, where they will also be staying.

The wedding will be a three-day affair with no expense spared.

Counting down the days! An insider told Daily Mail Australia that Jasmine will spend five days in Mexico finalising her wedding preparations

Busy woman: During her whirlwind trip to North America, she will also stop by New York Fashion Week. Mara & Mine is not being featured on the runway, but it is believed Jasmine is planning to use the event as a networking opportunity

Long flight: As she arrived at Sydney Airport for her flight, the blonde looked stylish in dark sunglasses, skinny black jeans and a white T-shirt

They have booked two villas, one at $11,600 per night and another at $15,000 per night.

The chapel where Karl, 44, and Jasmine will tie the knot overlooks the Sea of Cortez, and the bride has reportedly requested fireworks to accompany the nuptials.

Meanwhile, Karl's eldest son Jackson, 19, will not be attending the wedding.

Stunning location: The celebrity couple will exchange vows in a picturesque chapel at the One&Only Palmilla Resort, where they will also be staying

Living the high life! The wedding will be a three-day affair with no expense spared. Pictured: Karl and Jasmine at the beach earlier this year

A source previously told Daily Mail Australia that Jackson was also not invited to Karl and Jasmine's commitment ceremony in Sydney's Palm Beach in March.

It is possible the teenager will be in Europe when the wedding takes place, however, as he is currently there on a gap year.

Karl and Jasmine first met in December 2016, just a few months after the Channel Nine star split with his wife-of-21-years Cassandra Thorburn.

They became engaged at the start of the year.

Splashing out: Karl and Jasmine have booked two villas, one at $11,600 per night and another at $15,000 per night

Family matter: Meanwhile, Karl's eldest son Jackson, 19, will not be attending the wedding
Stand-up comedian Joel Creasey will make his hosting debut on Channel Seven's dating game show, Take Me Out next week.

And ahead of the highly-anticipated premiere, the blonde funnyman, 28, has shared some of his very own dating advice.

Speaking to OK! Magazine on Thursday, the hilarious television presenter urged fans to avoid 'messy' Mexican cuisine on a first date.

Scroll down for video

Funny stuff! Comedian Joel Creasey (pictured) has shared his very own dating advice ahead of the premiere of his new show Take Me Out

'A nursing home. And I always think Mexican is a real risk to have on a first date, very messy. The morgue's also not great,' Joel joked.

Joel, who's been dating model boyfriend, Jack Stratton-Smith for well over one year, also dished on his relationship deal-breakers.

'Bad feet, is that weird? I'm really anti-feet. That said, my boyfriend doesn't have great feet. I don't know, I'm pretty easy,' Joel said of the Melbourne-based looker.

'I always think Mexican is a real risk to have on a first date, very messy. The morgue's also not great': Ahead of the highly-anticipated premiere of Take Me Out, the blonde funnyman, 28, (right) has shared some of his very own dating advice. Joel pictured with his boyfriend Jack Stratton-Smith (left) at the Wizard of Oz Sydney premiere in 2018

'Bad feet, is that weird? I'm really anti-feet. That said, my boyfriend doesn't have great feet. I don't know, I'm pretty easy':Joel (left) who's been dating model boyfriend, Jack Stratton-Smith (right) for well over one year, also dished on his relationship deal-breakers

Joel jokingly said another stumbling point is a person who hasn't signed up to online streaming service, Netflix.

And on the subject of romantic relationships the self-confessed 'selfie-slut' revealed he prefers 'polygamy over monogamy for sure.'

Joel's sidesplitting interview comes ahead of the premiere of the Australian version of the British dating game show phenomenon on September 3rd at 7:30pm.

We have a date! The highly anticipated Australian version of British dating game show Take Me Out set to air next month with Joel as host

Joel took to Instagram last week to share a promotional snap of the show, in which he is pictured posing in front of 30 stunning girls who will appear on the program.

'Well I am so excited to announce we have a date! Take Me Out arrives on Australian screens on Monday September 3rd at 7:30pm!' Joel captioned the post.

He wrote: 'So pop the Yellowglen on ice, grab some ice-cream (that you can totally pretend you are going to serve in a bowl and not annihilate straight from the tub in one sitting) and watch me attempt to find dates for these 30 hilarious women.

Bigger and better: The program first appeared on Aussie TV in the form of 'Taken Out' all the way back in 2008

'We can't wait for you to see it. Strap in, strap up and strap on, Australia! We'll see you on Channel 7,' he added.

The series was a massive success overseas and was the number one rated show in the 16 to 34-year-old demographic in the UK.

In a new way to find love, the show will feature 30 women who will be introduced to potential dates at one time, with each woman in possession of a switch to indicate whether they are into the said bachelor or not.

To express their interest, they will switch their lights on, and if they are not interested their lights remain off - waiting for the next guy in line.

The Chinese version of Take Me Out, titled 'If You Are The One,' has gone viral this year thanks to their contestants' brutal honesty.
She starred in the titular role for 1998 film How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

And Angela Bassett still hasn't lost it after 20 years.

The 60-year-old actress looked absolutely gorgeous as she attended Michael Jackson Diamond Birthday Celebration in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.

She absolutely shined in a shiny metallic silver jumpsuit for the occassion.

Wow factor: Angela Bassett looked absolutely gorgeous as she attended Michael Jackson Diamond Birthday Celebration in Las Vegas on Wednesday night

Angela looked just as youthful and radiant as ever in the retro look featuring a sleeveless design and bell-bottomed trousers.

Her brunette tresses were worn down as they gently touched her shoulders as she accessorized with large hoop earrings.

She did not need to add much to her youthful face as she donned complementary make-up topped off with shiny lip.

Stunner: The evergreen 60-year-old star looked just as youthful and radiant as ever in the retro look featuring a sleeveless design and bell-bottomed trousers

Michael's two eldest kids Paris and Prince Jackson were in attendance at the gala event to honor their late, great father.

Prince -whose birth name is Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr.- wore a red jacket reminiscent of his father's style, while Paris went with a Bohemian chic look for her outfit.

The 20-year-old daughter of the King Of Pop rocked a pair of retro, bell-bottom pants for her red carpet turn.

Chips off the old block: Paris and Prince Jackson took to the red carpet to honor their father on what would have been the pop sensation's 60th birthday

She paired the flashy garment with a cream-colored Gucci T-shirt adorned with sequins, and wore a pair of silver platform heels on her feet.

The only daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe completed the throwback look with a bevy of necklaces and rose-tinted sunglasses.

Also at the celebrity-laden event were Tito Jackson and Jackie Jackson, Vanessa Hudgens and Gabrielle Union, among others.

Kiss kiss: Paris went with a Bohemian chic look for her outfit
Bachelor contestant Brooke Blurton, 23, has revealed the story behind the scar on her right collarbone.

The youth worker from Perth told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday that the scar is the result of an injury she suffered while playing rugby league.

'I broke my collarbone playing rugby league and had surgery to put a plate in,' she explained.

Speaking out: The Bachelor's Brooke Blurton reveals the painful story behind her collarbone scar after undergoing surgery to have a plate put in

Brooke shared a post-surgery snap to Instagram in December last year after the painful accident.

The photo shows her with a white bandage over her scar while wearing a black shoulder sling for her right arm.

Meanwhile, Brooke recently shared emotional details about her tragic past.

Injured: She shared a post-surgery snap to Instagram in December last year after the painful accident

Painful: 'I broke my collarbone playing rugby league and had surgery to put a plate in,' she explained

Speaking to OK! magazine earlier this month, the series' first ever Indigenous contestant said: 'I don't have a lot of family, unfortunately.'

She added that the hardest thing she has been through in her life was the death of her mother and grandmother.

'Mum and Nan dying when I was younger and having to grow up without any parents (was the hardest thing)'.

Will she win? Brooke is competing for Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins' heart

After overcoming the tragic loss of her mother to suicide at age 11, Brooke spent the rest of her upbringing living in fear of drug-fuelled violence.

However, she ultimately vowed to turn her harrowing experiences into something positive by helping others.

The volunteer mental health service worker previously discussed her struggles on SBS program Noongar Dandjoo.

'I don't have a lot of family unfortunately': Meanwhile, Brooke recently shared emotional details about her tragic past

Struggle: Brooke she said the hardest thing she has been through in her life was her 'Mum and Nan dying when I was younger and having to grow up without any parents

'I grew up in a country town in Carnarvon. I spent my childhood there up until I was about 11, when my mum unfortunately passed away - she committed suicide,' she told host Neil Coyne.

'That was a hard time, living in Carnarvon with my mum and nan, losing Mum, and then Nan actually passed away a month later.'

Brooke eventually went to live with her father, but admitted: 'To be honest, he wasn't that supportive.

'Growing up was pretty complicated. (There was) a lot of drug and alcohol violence in my childhood and I had an older sister who suffered from schizophrenia,' she said.

The future reality TV star somehow found the strength to push through her own mental health issues to become a role model for her siblings.

Her brother Troy told the program: 'Brooke was definitely someone I had to run to when I had problems.

Traumatic childhood: After overcoming the tragic loss of her mother to suicide at age 11, Brooke spent the rest of her upbringing living in fear of drug-fuelled violence

'I went through quite a bit of depression when I was on drugs, drinking a lot, wasn't really in the right place.'

As a result of her circumstances, Brooke was forced to either adapt and learn, or risk falling victim to the same problems that had affected her loved ones.

If you, or someone you know, needs support please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au
Cassandra Wood isn't letting the controversy surrounding her appearance on The Bachelor get her down.

Despite being branded a 'stage-five clinger' and receiving a less than desirable edit from Network Ten producers, the beauty, 23, spent last weekend partying in Sydney.

Cassandra joined a gang of her closest girlfriends at a property by Manly's Queenscliff Beach - and couldn't have looked happier during her big day out.

Scroll down for video

Living the single life? The Bachelor's Cassandra Wood parties with female pals in Sydney ...while ignoring fan backlash as she's branded a 'stalker' on the show

Each of the stunning group abided by a strict all white dress code for the evening.

Cassandra donned a backless lace dress with sexy sheer detail, and intricate floral design embellished throughout.

Two of the group were believed to be enjoying a birthday as they each raised a glass to toast the celebratory occasion.

During Wednesday's episode of The Bachelor, Cassandra was brutally shut down by the Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins.

What controversy? Despite receiving a less than desirable edit from Network Ten producers, the beauty, 23, spent the weekend partying in Sydney

Looking good! Cassandra donned a backless lace dress with sexy sheer detail, and intricate floral design embellished throughout

When she asked him about his feelings at the cocktail party, the 30-year-old awkwardly told Cass that his feelings weren't at 'the same level' as hers.

The harsh blow prompted Cassandra to storm off in the brink of tears.

'I think at the moment, you're maybe expressing [emotions] at a level here,' Nick said, raising his hands into the air.

'And I can't. I'm down here,' he added, lowering his hands.

Moving on? During Wednesday's episode of The Bachelor, Cassandra was brutally shut down by the Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins

However, Nick tried to soften the blow by telling Cassandra he 'would like to see where things go' between them.

'But I just - I just can't give you the same level you're on right now,' he added.

With the show being filmed months ago, it doesn't look like Cassandra is letting it get her down as the events are now aired across Australia.

Awkward moment: When she asked him about his feelings at the cocktail party, the 30-year-old awkwardly told Cass that his feelings weren't at 'the same level' as hers

Over it: With the show being filmed months ago, it doesn't look like Cassandra is letting it get her down as the events are now aired across Australia

Cassandra recently hit out at Bachelor bosses during an interview with Sydney Confidential.

Discussing the final edit of the show, Cassandra said: 'It is crazy. I didn't know I would be featured this much.'

'The first episode was pretty hard to watch because they only show certain things.'

'It is not a true portrayal of me and what people are saying that I am a stage five clinger and a stalker. It is nasty and untrue.'
They've shed their fair share of tears lately.

But Justin Bieber, 24, and his fiance Hailey Baldwin, 21, were all smiles on Wednesday as the couple left Hillsong church in Los Angeles.

Also at the same service as the smitten pair was Justin's rumoured former fling, Kourtney Kardashian.

Thumbs up: Justin Bieber, 24, and his fiance Hailey Baldwin, 21, were all smiles on Wednesday as the couple left Hillsong church in Los Angeles

The Baby hitmaker was decked out in an idiosyncratic ensemble for the evening of worship, tucking a floral print shirt into a pair of high-waisted black pants as he debuted a dramatically thicker moustache.

On his feet, Justin wore black sneakers and he covered his long blond tresses in a black trucker cap.

The Canadian crooner sipped on an iced coffee as he happily shook hands with waiting fans.

Style: The Baby hitmaker was decked out in an idiosyncratic ensemble for the evening of worship, tucking a floral print shirt into a pair of high-waisted black pants

Bright: On his feet, Justin wore black sneakers and he covered his long blond tresses in a black trucker cap

Forget something? The pop star appeared to have left his fly undone

Playful: Justin couldn't resist pulling a funny pose as he lunged in front of his fiancee Hailey

His model bride-to-be also grinned happily as the pair left the service.

The Drop The Mic host showed off her long, lean legs in a pink and white sweater dress, paired with white leather boots.

The niece of Alec Baldwin wore her blonde tresses pulled back in a high, loose bun.

She wore minimal accessories, slipping on a pair of simple gold hoop earrings.

New look: The popstar debuted a dramatically thicker moustache for his church visit

Comfy?: Hailey put on a leggy display as she wore an oversized pink and white jumper with white ankle boots with black soles and gold studs

Caffeine fix: The Canadian crooner sipped on an iced coffee as he happily shook hands with waiting fans

Happy girl: His model bride-to-be also grinned happily as the pair left the service

A source exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com that Hailey and Justin will attend Hillsong classes prior to going down the aisle.

'The marriage course is something which is encouraged and in some cases demanded by Hillsong pastors before they will marry you,' the insider confided.

'Justin obviously has a past; he had a long term relationship with Selena Gomez, and he wants to go into life with Hailey with a clean slate.'

Intimacy, conflict resolution, money matters and communication are all subjects that will reputedly be covered in the Hillsong lessons.

The couple have been spotted getting emotional in public lately, including one memorable New York bike ride recently in which Justin appeared to weep openly while Hailey consoled the Zoolander 2 star.

Booting up: The Drop The Mic host showed off her long, lean legs in a pink and white sweater dress, paired with white leather boots

Book learning: A source exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com that Hailey and Justin will attend Hillsong classes prior to going down the aisle

Serious: 'The marriage course is something which is encouraged and in some cases demanded by Hillsong pastors before they will marry you,' the insider confided

Smitten: The couple appeared more loved-up than ever as they walked hand-in-hand after the church ceremony

Getting ready: Intimacy, conflict resolution, money matters and communication are all subjects that will reputedly be covered in the Hillsong lessons

Justin and Hailey had a brief dalliance in 2016, but Hailey spoke to E! News that February and qualified that 'We are not an exclusive couple.'

Yet in the slipstream of his latest split from his on-off flame Selena Gomez earlier this year, Justin and Hailey had been back on in the weeks prior to their engagement.

Former teenage sweethearts Justin and Selena reportedly went on again late last year - but by this March, they were on a break.

Selena's mother Mandy Teefey told Gossip Cop in January she was 'not happy' her daughter had taken up with her used-to-be.

Emotional rollercoaster: The couple have been spotted getting emotional in public lately, including one memorable New York bike ride recently in which Justin appeared to weep openly while Hailey consoled the Zoolander 2 star

How times change: Justin and Hailey had a brief dalliance in 2016, but Hailey spoke to E! News that February and qualified that 'We are not an exclusive couple'

Picking up the pieces: Yet in the slipstream of his latest split from his on-off flame Selena Gomez earlier this year, Justin and Hailey had been back on in the weeks prior to their engagement

Winner are grinners: The couple smile as they leave the church

Milestone: Justin and Hailey announced their engagement in July after rekindling their romance

Kourtney Kardashian also attended the service. She and Justin were romantically linked in 2015.

Justin addressed rumors of a fling at the time by suggesting that he was being 'used' as a pawn in Kourtney's split from long-term partner Scott Disick.

He told The Bert Show: 'I'm being used, man. What can I say?... No, no, but for real, shes great. I've known [the family] for years.'

Kourtney shares three children with Scott - son Mason, seven, Penelope, four, and Reign, two - and they remain amicable for the sake of the family.

The couple split up in July 2015 after a nine-year relationship.

Casual: Hailey cut a casual figure as she styled her blonde locks into a high bun and appeared to go make-up free

Old flame: Also at the same service as the smitten pair was Justin's rumored former fling, Kourtney Kardashian. Seen here with pal Larsa Pippen [R]
A Connecticut man who hacked into more than 200 iCloud accounts of Hollywood stars and others has been sentenced to eight months in prison.

George Garofano, 26, was sentenced Wednesday at the Bridgeport U.S. District Court. After prison, he must serve three years of supervised release and perform 60 hours of community service, the Connecticut Post reported.

The North Branford man was one of four men arrested in the 2014 hacking scandal that led to private photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Upton and others being made public.

Scroll below for video

Justice: A hacker who preyed on Jennifer Lawrence among others was sentenced to prison on Wednesday in Connecticut. The actress, 28, was snapped in NYC in May

Authorities said the hackers used a phishing scheme that sent emails appearing to be from Apple security accounts that asked for usernames and passwords.

Garofano pleaded guilty in April and asked for leniency, saying he faces a lifetime loss of rights because of the felony conviction.

In the sentencing hearing, according to the paper, U.S. District Judge Victor Bolden told Garofano that '240 victims were affected' by the hacking, ranging from celebrities to Garofano's college classmate to random internet users.

He chided Garofano over spreding an assortment of 'very intimate photos and videos' that 'are not going away anytime soon.'

Glam: Dunst was seen last November at the Guggenheim International Gala in NYC

Bolden told the convicted hacker, 'You misrepresented your identification to get user names and passwords. Some were complete strangers, others you knew too well.'

The incident initially took place in September of 2014, and by March of 2015, FBI authorities seized Garofano's computer; he pleaded to one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer to gain information, according to the paper.

Garofano told the court he took 'full responsibility' for the 'huge mistake' and regrets it every day.

Out and about: Upton, who was hacked in the 2014 incident, was snapped last month in LA

It was probed by a Los Angeles grand jury that also charged Pennsylvania man Ryan Collins and Illinois natives Edward Majerczyk and Emilio Herrera; Collins received a sentence of 18 months, Herrera got 16 months and Majerczyk got nine months.

Garofano will enter custody October 10, the paper reported, noting that his attorney Richard Lynch has asked he serve his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institute Otisville in upstate New York.

Lawrence addressed the hack speaking with Vogue last year, saying it left her feeling 'blindsided' and 'terrified.'

The Silver Linings Playbook star said: 'Having your privacy violated constantly isn't a problem if you're perfect. But if you're human, it's terrifying. When my publicist calls me, I'm like, "Oh, my God, what is it?" Even when it's nothing. I'm always waiting to get blindsided again.'
She recently followed in the footsteps of her sisters Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner by appearing on the magazine.

And Kylie Jenner has now thanked fans for buying Vogue Australia after landing her first ever cover of the popular fashion magazine.

The entrepreneur, 21, took to her Snapchat to share her appreciation to her millions of followers and supporters.

Work it: Kylie Jenner has now thanked fans for buying Vogue Australia after landing her first ever cover of the popular fashion magazine

Kylie's gratitude comes after she shared several sultry images of herself with dramatically longer blonde hair.

In two photos, the mother-of-one showed off her incredible post-baby body and hour-glass physique in a strapless black figure-hugging dress.

She teamed the ensemble with a pair of chunky white and beige trainers, as well as a black Chanel handbag.

Grateful: The entrepreneur, 21, took to her Snapchat to share her appreciation to her millions of followers and supporters

Cover girl: Kylie's gratitude comes after she shared several sultry images of herself with dramatically longer blonde hair

Mwah!: In two photos, the mother-of-one showed off her incredible post-baby body and hour-glass physique in a strapless black figure-hugging dress

While another picture saw Kylie pose up a storm with her best friend Anastasia Karanikolaou on a large sun lounger.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the 21-year-old Kylie Cosmetics mogul had landed her very first Vogue cover; the September issue of Vogue Australia.

The beauty, who was photographed by Jackie Nickerson and interviewed by her sister Kendall, talked about her daughter Stormi and added that she is with her beau Travis Scott every night even though they have separate homes.

Yummy mummy: She teamed the ensemble with a pair of chunky white and beige trainers, as well as a black Chanel handbag

New look: Kylie debuted dramatically longer blonde locks as she added a full face of glamorous make-up

Dreams: Earlier this month, it was announced that the 21-year-old Kylie Cosmetics mogul had landed her very first Vogue cover; the September issue of Vogue Australia

On Instagram, the Life Of Kylie star wrote, 'VOGUE was once just a wild dream! Thank you @vogueaustralia for this cover!'

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star spoke about motherhood in the interview after welcoming her daughter, Stormi, in February with partner Travis Scott, she said: 'I dont think my life has changed since becoming a mum: I think the way I look at life has changed since becoming a mum. I think more of the future.

'I actually feel like I love myself more after I had Stormi. And Im trying to be ... I mean, Im already a positive person, but just having fun, being positive.'

She added: 'Im actually scrolling through Instagram right now, and it says that me and Travis dont live together, and so I just want to say that we never miss a night with each other, we go back and forth from my Calabasas house and the city home that we actually got together. So just if you wanted to add that in.'

Doting mum: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star spoke about motherhood in the interview after welcoming her daughter, Stormi, in February with partner Travis Scott
Diva Espana viewers have urged Gemma Collins to dump on/off boyfriend James Argent after she spent the entire episode crying over him.

The TOWIE star, 37, appeared in the one-off about her life on Wednesday night, but the storyline revolved around her relationship with Arg - who failed to show up on what was meant to be their romantic time away in Marbella.

After the scenes were shot, James, who has since reunited with his on-off girlfriend, was seen emerging from her house ahead of his return to rehab on Tuesday.

Emotional scenes: Diva Espana viewers have urged Gemma Collins to dump on/off boyfriend James Argent after she spent the entire episode crying over him

James is returning to rehab after a tricky stint and just a day before the show was aired he was seen leaving Gemma's house looking stoney-faced.

During the 90 minute show, Gemma was seen breaking down in tears on multiple occasions over her beau, seeking advice from her father and her friends, including their mutual pal, Chloe Sims.

Despite viewers witnessing Gemma splitting with her man, she has since rekindled their romance, a move that fans urged her to reconsider.

Taking to Twitter after the show aired, the GC posted: 'Thank you all for the amazing comments & support for my show! The response has been overwhelming not to mention trending No1 on twitter!

Some downtime: After the scenes were shot, James, who has since reunited with his on-off girlfriend, was seen emerging from her house ahead of his return to rehab on Tuesday

Speeding off: He looked downcast as he headed out on his moped ahead of his return to rehab

'I love Arg very much, He is working so hard. Were back together & happy! Goodnight everyone, Love the GC'.

Yet fans weren't pleased with her decision, responding: 'Gemma you are a beautiful lady who deserves to find love and happiness, but not at any cost....

'The right person will come along, but in the meantime, dont settle for second best. Arg is lovely but not right for you, move on babe your worth so much more. Much love.'

Hard times: He was looking deadpan as he headed into her home

Shock: Fans were left in shock when it was revealed he was returning to rehab

'I wanted nothing more than to see you and arg to be forever after watching you for years. However now all I want is you to find your happiness with someone who loves you as much as you love them you deserve more, @Chloe_Sims is right in everything she says xxx'

One fan even wrote a poem, sharing: 'Dearest Gemma / Let James go...

'James may say the words I Love You but he is never there to give you Support when you most need it / He will never change / He will sabotage your success...

On/off: The TOWIE star, 37, appeared in the one-off about her life on Wednesday night, but the storyline revolved around her relationship with James (pictured)

Deserves better? Despite viewers witnessing Gemma splitting with her man, she has since rekindled their romance, a move that fans urged her to reconsider

Proud: Arg was also subjected to a barrage of comments after he shared his support

'You will continue to feel lonely when you are with him / You deserve more / I hope you get your own Show'.

Arg was also subjected to a barrage of comments after he shared: 'Can't describe how proud I am of my girlfriend @missgemcollins #DivaEspana NUMBER 1 TRENDING on Twitter! Finally seeing the real her @ITVBe'.

Fans responded: 'Ohhhhhh I wish wish wish that she was still your ex girlfriend and she was able to move on to someone who deserves her'; 'when are you gona start treating her right???

'Either grow up ! Or do the right thing and let her go! For good , so she can move on !'; 'The whole show she was crying over you!'; 'And she'd be even better without you'; 'Did I miss something? I thought she dumped you?'

Emotion: Gemma Collins broke down in tears as she faced the prospect of a future without her TOWIE co-star beau James Argent on her show Diva Espana, before revealing she is now 'very happy' with her beau after rekindling their romance

During Wednesday's episode, Gemma shocked fans as she was seen jetting to Marbella to launch her clothing pop-up store, while facing uncertainty about her love affair with James, who recently announced his return to rehab.

The bubbly blonde said: 'Recently James has been all over the place again. It can be emotionally heartbreaking, James is a former addict and I am there for him 150 per cent,

'I am praying and willing him and working really hard to keep him on the straight and narrow. And if its not itll be a terrible shame because Ive put everything into this relationship'

'If anything happens, Ill be on my own, still childless, still unmarried and I'll have to start all over again.'

As her father Alan admitted Arg wasn't 'top dollar' for his daughter, Gemma burst into tears as he comforted her.

Candid: The GC, 37, shocked fans as she was seen jetting to Marbella to launch her clothing pop-up store, while facing uncertainty about her love affair with James, who recently announced his return to rehab

Difficult: Questioning her feelings for James, she said: 'Its really hard because things aren't great with James, because of him, not me'

Questioning her feelings for James, she said: 'Its really hard because things aren't great with James, because of him, not me.

'I have to keep going but I dont want to. Why do I love Arg so much? I love him more than I've ever loved anyone in my life.

Further emotional scenes saw the star travel to the pair's villa where she and co-star Chloe Sims removed all her belongings, including 200 worth of inflatables.

She said: 'I dont know much more of a support I can be because I'm struggling myself

'He wouldve been better off not promising me anything and I wouldnt have got my hopes up.

Yacht life: Gemma was joined by TOWIE co-star Chloe Sims who advised her to 'keep searching for her fairytale'

See ya: Further emotional scenes saw the star travel to the pair's villa where she and Chloe removed all her belongings, including 200 worth of inflatables.

'I havent heard from my boyfriend all day. I have to remember who I am'

A supportive Chloe said: 'Weve waited this long for the fairytale, why give up now. Dont settle for second best Gem.'

A defiant Gemma said: 'Im the best thing that ever came into his life' before plundering the villa saying: 'Theres 200 of inflatables here, anything Ive paid for Im getting.'

She also took expensive bedding, towels and her clothes, as she lamented: 'This couldve been a happy home

'I know its pathetic taking the washing stuff but I pick them up. Does he even notice? No.'

Pack your bags: She also took expensive bedding, towels and her clothes, as she lamented: 'This couldve been a happy home'

Earlier scenes saw Gemma so uncertain about the state of her romance, that she opted to stay in a hotel rather than meet up with James.

During a teary Facetime session Gemma said: 'You build me up and the minute I go I cant get hold of you, Im worried sick that I cannot reach you.

'Its only you that can make that decision if you want to get better.

James said: 'Im just going to work on it and take a bit of time for myself. You know how much I love you, Im gonna sort myself out, get back on track and make it up to you. I love you so much and I am going to get it sorted.

A distraught Gemma said: 'Im not turning my back on you.'

Giving up: Earlier scenes saw Gemma so uncertain about the state of her romance, that she opted to stay in a hotel rather than meet up with James'

Promise: James said: 'Im just going to work on it and take a bit of time for myself. You know how much I love you, Im gonna sort myself out, get back on track and make it up to you. I love you so much and I am going to get it sorted'

Speaking later, she said: 'Its so painful trying to help someone who doesnt know how much Im trying to help.'

Although Gemma was seen flirting and exchanging numbers with a DJ at her pop-up launch party later in the episode, the star confirmed her and Arg were well and truly back on.

On Instagram she penned: 'I just want to say I do love Arg very much. He is working so hard on himself & getting better, Im very proud of him. I cant ask for more then that! Were back together & were very happy!'

Fans were quick to praise the star for her feisty attitude as well as voice their opinions on her and Arg's romance.

James paid tribute to the star in an Instagram post on Wednesday, dubbing her his 'number one love' and 'the nation's favourite'.

Flirty: Although Gemma was seen flirting and exchanging numbers with a DJ at her pop-up launch party later in the episode, the star confirmed her and Arg were well and truly back on

Eyes on you: Gemma waxed lyrical about hunky DJ Jordan, saying she was 'obsessed' with him

Breaking his silence after entering rehab earlier this week, Arg shared a photo of the couple on a motorbike over the summer and said he's praying for a 'better future' for them.

'I want to say a huge thank you for all of your support. I'm doing well & Feeling good but I couldn't of done it without this one @gemmacollins1 (sic)' Arg wrote.

'Her show #DivaEspana is on @ITVBe Tonight at 9pm. I know It wasn't an easy show for her to make. It's not been the easiest of times but through it all she makes us laugh.

'I know she'll smash it tonight & here's to a better future for us both. My number one love always & the nation's favourite Diva, GC x'

This comes after it was revealed he has returned to rehab following his split from Gemma in a brave bid to tackle his demons.

Keeping it real: It was access all areas for the star's programme, including the moment she picked up a sweet treat en-route to Marbella

In a statement released to MailOnline, Arg said: 'It's not been an easy time but I'm happy to be back in a programme that gives me the ongoing support I need.

'I'm thankful for the incredible support I have received from my family, close friends and colleagues.'

The Sun reported 'He has been living under a dark cloud' and has decided it's time to 'focus on his health'.

They split in July after a series of rows but got back together this month after being pictured out and about together.

Family first: Gemma showed off her close bond with her nephew on the show

Reaction: Fans were quick to praise the star for her feisty attitude as well as voice their opinions on her and Arg's romance

James' issues were said to have put a huge strain on their relationship before he sought help.

James spent three months in a facility in Thailand over the festive season in 2016 in a bid to curb his wild ways and has revealed that he has checked himself in to a programme in order to get the 'ongoing support' he needs.

Arg has also spent time in The Priory for alleged drink and drug issues.
She has spent most of her summer soaking up the sun all over the world.

And Lady Victoria Hervey shows no sign of stopping, as she spent Wednesday in a bikini topping up her tan in Soho, New York while lazing around The Dominick hotel's rooftop pool.

The socialite, 41, flaunted her slim figure in the velvet-look triangle bikini, which featured nude straps and under-band.

Stunning: Lady Victoria Hervey, 41, wore a velvet green bikini, which featured nude straps and under-band as she relaxed poolside at the Dominick hotel in New York on Wednesday

The matching low-rise briefs allowed her to fully showcase her washboard abs as she reclined on a sun-lounger, chatting on her mobile phone.

Victoria displayed her long, toned legs while strolling around the pool at the five-star hotel, before taking a dip, and sipping on a drink to cool off.

The model accessorised her swimwear with a smattering of delicate gold jewellery, and carried her belongings in a large brown Louis Vuitton handbag.

The natural beauty styled her platinum locks into loose waves, and drew attention to her pretty eyes with a slick of mascara.

Stylish: The socialite flaunted her slim figure in the velvet-look turquoise triangle bikini, which featured nude straps and under-band

Chilling out: The matching low-rise briefs allowed her to fully showcase her washboard abs as she reclined on a sun-lounger, chatting on her mobile phone

Cooling off: Victoria displayed her long, toned pins as she strolled around the pool at the five-star hotel, before taking a dip, and sipping on a drink to cool off

Pretty: The natural beauty styled her platinum locks into loose waves, and drew attention to her pretty eyes with a slick of mascara

At one point, Victoria shielded her eyes from the New York sunlight with a pair of glamorous, oversized shades.

Victoria has been making the most of her jet-set summer by flying off to the hottest destinations including Mykonos, Cannes and Italy so far.

Although she has been travelling all over the world, she recently discussed her future plans to settle down and become a mum after realising her dream for a baby.

She revealed to The Mail On Sunday that she started freezing her eggs in a fertility clinic  which cost her 11,000  after letting years of partying slip away.

Chic: At one point, Victoria shielded her eyes from the New York sunlight with a pair of glamorous, oversized shades

Details: The model accessorised her swimwear with a smattering of delicate gold jewellery

Designer: Victoria carried her belongings in a large brown Louis Vuitton handbag

Victoria said: 'Like many women, Ive realised  nearly too late  that I am desperate to have a child.

'In fact, I want two. Which is why Im hoping science might be able to stop the clock until I can find the right man to be a father to my babies.'

Speaking about the experience on Lorraine later on, the blonde revealed: 'It was tough, it was emotional, I cried a lot...

'Not just the injections that you had to do daily, but you are put on the pills. You just feel like it is an emotional rollercoaster.'
The first season of Zumbo's Just Desserts flopped in the ratings in 2016 with viewers calling it a 'slow, boring and an unoriginal mess.'

But against the odds, Seven is rolling the dice on a second series of the reality baking competition hosted by pastry king, Adriano Zumbo, 36.

Reported in BandT, the network will also enlist the help of streaming giant Netflix and according to a Seven executive, this will help the show go 'international.'

Another serving? Seven joins up with Netflix to order a second series of Adriano Zumbo's Just Desserts...despite the first season suffering dismal ratings

'[Netflix] are making a contribution towards the production budget,' Seven director of contribution and rights Therese Hegarty told the Australian Financial Review earlier this week.

'We'll premiere the series on Seven in Australia and they'll go out with their international territories.'

Also featuring chefs Rachel Khoo and Gigi Falanga, Zumbo's Just Desserts lasted just one season and suffered dismal ratings.

Kitchen nightmare: Featuring chefs Rachel Khoo (right) and Gigi Falanga (left), Zumbo's Just Desserts lasted just one season and suffered dismal ratings

Following the premiere episode, viewers took to Twitter in droves to slam the show.

'Sheer, unadulterated hell. And that was just the weeks of trailers. The show is actually much worse,' viewers moaned while others pointed out glaring similarities to Network Ten's Masterchef.

Meanwhile, the announcement of a second series will be welcome news for Adriano whose dessert empire had entered voluntary administration earlier this month.

Lifeline: The announcement of a second series will be welcome news for Adriano whose dessert empire had entered voluntary administration earlier this month

Despite his eight Sydney and Melbourne eateries remaining open, Good Food reported the chef could soon amass debts of $10 million, nearly a decade after he shot to fame with appearances on MasterChef.

Adriano however was reported to have $8 million worth of assets, inclusive of equipment and company owned property.

In July, the 'pastry king' pocketed an impressive $1.7 million for the sale of his property in Balmain before moving with his girlfriend, My Kitchen Rules star Nelly Riggio, into a waterfront property in Sydney.

The culinary personality picked up a clean profit from the sale, with The Daily Telegraph reporting that he had bought the three-bedroom pad for just $675,000 back in 2003.
She is famed for parading a host of styles along the runway.

Yet Alessandra Ambrosio was trying out possibly her edgiest look to date on Thursday as she headed to Vun Nuys Airport in Los Angeles as she flew to Burning Man Festival where she was rocking a new braided hair style.

The 37-year-old Victoria's Secret veteran was pulling her best model pout as she headed into the airport in a vest and high-waisted tracksuit bottoms to best show off her abs while also displaying her new edgy style.

Braided up: Alessandra Ambrosio was trying out possibly her edgiest look to date on Thursday as she headed to Vun Nuys Airport in Los Angeles where she was rocking a new braided hair style alongside a casual ensemble

Alessandra looked stylish with her new do as she headed off with the blonde locks styled into braided twists which sat in longer lengths than her usual hair.

She was going for a Nineties-inspired look as she sported a tiny white tank top with a cropped shape to best display her taut abs to perfection.

Despite being in loose-fitting bottoms it was still clear to see how long and lithe her model legs were while she went low-key in trainers.

Keeping her make-up simple, she opted for a dewy finish while shielding her eyes behind a pair of oval lens sunglasses.

Don't be a-braid! The 37-year-old Victoria's Secret veteran was pulling her best model pout as she headed into the airport in a vest and high-waisted tracksuit bottoms to best show off her abs while also displaying her new edgy style

Blonde beauty: Alessandra looked stylish with her new do as she headed off with the blonde locks styled into braided twists which sat in longer lengths than her usual hair

Her romantic life has been the focus of much attention recently, after it was reported that she's embarked on a new relationship with handsome Italian Nicolo Oddi.

Her outing comes just days after it was reported that she'd embarked on a new romance with fashion line founder Nicolo, some five months after the announcement her ten-year engagement to Jamie Mazur had come to an end.

Nicolo created his own fashion line called Alanui with his sister Carlotta in 2016. Not much else is known about the Italian, although he may be the mystery man reportedly smooching and partying with Alessandra in Atlantic City recently.

Strutting her stuff: A source told Page Six: 'The two were very affectionate with each other, kissing and, when she wasnt dancing, they had their arms around each other'

Happy days! She revealed on Instagram that the edgy look was preparation

A source told Page Six: 'The two were very affectionate with each other, kissing and, when she wasnt dancing, they had their arms around each other.'

Meanwhile, Alessandra has been dedicated to filling her kids' summer with fun-filled days out to the beach and even a trip to Legoland in recent weeks.

The catwalk model has hung up her stilettos as she retired from modelling for Victoria's Secret Angel to focus on spending more time with her children.

Having a giggle: Meanwhile, Alessandra has been dedicated to filling her kids' summer with fun-filled days out to the beach and even a trip to Legoland in recent weeks

Mother-of-two Alessandra shares nine-year-old daughter Anja and six-year-old Noah with former fiance of ten years, Jamie Mazur.

The exes went their separate ways for good after reports of their split first emerged in March this year.

A source told Us Weekly at the time: 'They [have] been trying to keep their split on the down low... But Alessandra has been out and about ready to mingle and hasn't been taking Jamie to anything.'
They have been happily dating for four years after meeting on the show.

And TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou as revealed she doesn't want beau Tommy Mallet to make a huge romantic gesture by proposing on the show.

Joining co-stars Lauren Pope and Chloe Lewis on Thursday's This Morning, the reality couple admitted when the time comes they would like to keep their proposal private, but would consider throwing a huge engagement bash to be shown on-screen.

No thanks! TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou as revealed she doesn't want beau Tommy Mallet to make a huge romantic gesture by proposing to her on the show

Georgia told presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford she would be furious if Tommy decided to get down on one knee and pop the question.

She said: 'I'd go mad. I'd be fuming, I've done TOWIE for so long I would know I would know by the cameras, I think it would ruin it for me

'If it happens one day I think we would do like a party on the show, but that moment's got to be private.'

Back soon: The couple joined their co-stars Chloe Lewis and Lauren Pope on This Morning ahead of TOWIE's return this weekend

Open: Georgia said that after four years together she would prefer that if Tommy proposed it was a private moment

Celebration: The beauty added she would 'fume' if he did propose on the show, but added she would be happy to throw an engagement party that could be filmed

Jovial: Tommy also told presenters Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford: 'We want to take it at our own pace, we've got so much stuff going on at the minute'

Tommy added: 'We want to take it at our own pace, we've got so much stuff going on at the minute.'

Meanwhile Lauren is currently single as she has struggling to find love in recent years, saying: 'I don't know, I don't really have the best luck I don't pick the right guys really, I don't look for love if it happens it happens.

'I don't think me and men on the show is a good combination so I tend to date guys outside of the show.'

Single lady: Meanwhile Lauren - who is currently single - admitted she has had 'bad luck' finding love since joining the show

Open to it: She added that now she prefers to date men from outside the show

Free: Chloe (left) said that while she has been dating Danny Flasher for some time, she doesn't have an interest in him appearing on the show

Chloe also spoke about her off-screen relationship with Danny Flasher, saying she doesn't have any interest in bringing him onto the show.

She said: 'The show have asked me about him coming on, it's his choice he's got a good job.'

The cast's appearance came ahead of TOWIE's return to ITVBe this weekend, which sees many of the show's stars jet to Sardinia in Italy for a couples getaway.

It's back! The cast's appearance came ahead of TOWIE's return to ITVBe this weekend, which sees many of the show's stars jet to Sardinia in Italy for a couples getaway

Supportive: The stars also touched briefly on their TOWIE co-star James 'Arg' Argent's recent confirmation that he was returning to a rehab centre on Monday

Embattled: In a statement to MailOnline, Arg confirmed he was returning to rehab, as it was also reported he had reunited with girlfriend Gemma Collins

Going against the 'no carbs before Marbs' mantra, Georgia admitted she enjoyed tucking into some of Sardinia's most famous dishes, adding: 'Sardinia it was so pretty, we've been to Marbs for so many years now they're bored of us. We need to experiment new things. It's posher I think.'

The stars also touched briefly on their TOWIE co-star James 'Arg' Argent's recent confirmation that he was returning to a rehab centre on Monday.

In a statement to MailOnline he said: 'It's not been an easy time but I'm happy to be back in a programme that gives me the ongoing support I need.

'I'm thankful for the incredible support I have received from my family, close friends and colleagues.'

Backing up: In support of his friend Tommy said: 'Arg is on his own journey at the minute and we'll miss him being on the show for the time being. But he'll be back, its Arg!'

Glamour girls: All of the TOWIE girls were flaunting their fashion sense as they appeared on the ITV daytime favourite

Flawless: Chloe had her jaw-dropping curves on full display in a harem white lace jumpsuit and chunky nude heels, with her brown tresses in a mass of corkscrew curls

While it is clear their pal will not be appearing in all of the upcoming series, Tommy and Georgia had nothing but kind words to say about their pal.

Tommy said: 'Arg is on his own journey at the minute and we'll miss him being on the show for the time being. But he'll be back, its Arg!'

Georgia added: 'We just wish him well. He's got to do what he's got to do, obviously we'll miss him if he's not coming back but as long as he's alright, then we're fine'

Loved-up: Tommy and Georgia have been happily dating together, after first meeting on The Only Way Is Essex

Important: The stars also spoke out following reports that a British mother-of-three had died after a Brazilian bum lift in Turkey at a clinic reported used by many TOWIE stars

And following reports that a British mother-of-three had died after a Brazilian bum lift in Turkey at a clinic believed to have been used by many reality TV stars, Lauren spoke candidly about her own battles with botched surgery.

She said: 'It's a real tough one, it's not something we say people should go and do, I had a bad experience and we covered that on the show, it shows it's not all positive.

'I had PIP implants so I had to have them removed, we don't know the ins and outs of that specific story.'

Flawless: Georgia flaunted her figure in a black striped tracksuit and denim jacket, while Lauren rocked an orange silk strapless gown

Similarly Georgia spoke about her regrets in returning to work so soon after having rhinoplasty surgery last year.

'I regret filming so soon after it, when you have surgery you don't realise how long it's gonna take,' she said.

'I didn't think people would be so cruel, but it's not just stopped. I just love it now I feel like if someone takes a picture from the side, I did wait a good six or seven years to do it.'
She famously subscribes to the bohemian way of life in Byron Bay.

But on Thursday night, Elsa Pataky was dripping in head-to-toe Fendi as she walked the red carpet at the Italian label's flagship store opening in Melbourne.

The wife of Hollywood star Chris Hemworth stunned as she beamed for the flashing cameras in a striking ensemble worth an eye-watering $10,000.

She's got expensive taste! Elsa Pataky (pictured) stuns in head-to-toe Fendi worth a whopping $10,000 as she joins the likes of Jordan Barrett and Olympia Valance at the Italian brand's flagship store opening in Melbourne

Cutting a youthful figure, the Spanish beauty, 42, fended off the winter chill in a striking $4,600 navy bomber jacket with fur trim.

Turning her back towards the flashbulbs, Elsa commanded attention while flashing a dazzling smile as she showed off the unmissable Fendi logo on the jacket.

Flaunting her trim pins in a $1,650 grey wool miniskirt with check detail, the mum of three also accentuated her tiny waist in the stylish ensemble.

Fashionista: Cutting a youthful figure, the Spanish beauty, 42, fended off the winter chill in a striking $4,600 navy bomber jacket with fur trim

Change of pace: The glamorous event was a shift away from Elsa's bohemian way of life in Byron Bay with husband Chris Hemsworth and their three kids, India, six and four year-old twins Sasha and Tristan

Natural beauty: Allowing her style to take centre stage, she swept her blonde locks into a high pony while her make-up palette consisted of a dewy complexion, a pink lip and bold brows

Toting a $1,750 green leather handbag on her arm, Elsa stepped out in a pair of $2,090 embossed black leather knee-high boots.

Allowing her style to take centre stage, she swept her blonde locks into a high pony while her make-up palette consisted of a dewy complexion, a pink lip and bold brows.

Meanwhile, bad boy supermodel Jordan Barrett turned heads in a monochrome ensemble of black T-shirt and matching pants and brogues.

Handsome figure: Bad boy supermodel Jordan Barrett turned heads in a monochrome ensemble of black T-shirt and matching pants and brogues

Check her out: Also attending was actress Jodi Anasta who posed for the cameras in a striking coat while toting a grey clutch

Let your print do the talking: Former Neighbours star Olympia Valance stunned in a belted grey trench with abstract yellow detail and matching handbag

With his sandy untamed mane blowing in the wind, his knee-length black Fendi trenchcoat emblazoned with the brands designs along the collar and sleeves commanded attention.

Also attending was actress Jodi Anasta who posed for the cameras in a striking check coat while toting a grey clutch.

Her former Neighbours co-star Olympia Valance stunned in a belted grey trench with abstract yellow detail and matching handbag.

Meanwhile, fashion blogger Nadia Fairfax cut a chic figure in a two-tone polo neck, check ankle-length skirt and eye-catching clutch.

Neighbours beauty Mavournee Hazel, who Elle magazine branded the next Margot Robbie earlier this year, was eye-catching in head to toe denim.

So in trend: Fashion blogger Nadia Fairfax cut a chic figure in a two-tone polo neck, check ankle-length skirt and eye-catching clutch
They've had their well-publicised ups and downs - but Jonathan Rhys Meyers and his wife Mara Lane were pictured lovingly doting on their son on Thursday.

The trio attended the photocall for movie, The Aspern Papers during the 75th Venice Film Festival, where they looked blissfully happy.

Mara looked incredible going braless under a white tuxedo dress which had black detailing.

Family: They've had their well-publicised ups and downs - but Jonathan Rhys Meyers and his wife Mara Lane were pictured lovingly doting on their son on Thursday

She wore killer heels as she supported her husband at the event, who carried their one-year-old child.

Jonathan, 41, looked happy and healthy in his smart suit, worn over a white T-shirt, while little Wolf wore blue dungarees.

The Aspern Papers stars Jonathan and Vanessa Redgrave, who was also present at the event.

Smitten: The couple couldn't resist stealing a sweet smooch as the star-studded film event

Happy families: Jonathan and his wife Mara showered son Wolf with kisses at a photocall for The Aspern Papers movie at the Venice Film Festival

Power dressing: Mara looked incredible going braless under a white tuxedo dress which had black detailing

It is the first feature from director Julien Landais and is adapted from the novella by Henry James, which is based on the letters Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Mary Shelley's step-sister Claire Clairmont.

Set in the late 19th century, the cinematic offering sees the troubled actor play an ambitious editor Morton Vint, who obsessed with the romantic poet Jeffrey Aspern.

Travelling to Venice to find the poet's muse, Juliana Bordereau, played by Vanessa Redgrave, who lives in a palazzo with her niece Miss Tina, played by Joely Richardson, and is intent on controlling the secrets of their relationship.

Doing what he does best: Jonathan, 41, looked happy and healthy in his smart suit

New role: The Aspern Papers is the first feature from director Julien Landais and is adapted from the novella by Henry James, which is based on the letters Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote to Mary Shelley's step-sister Claire Clairmont

Sweet: The trio looked so happy to be spending the day with one another in the sunshine

His lucky mascot: Wolf wore the sweetest blue dungarees as he was involved in his father's special day

Big day: The family appeared in good spirits as they laugh and posed with each other for pictures

When Morton tries to manipulate Miss Tina to get to the letters, his real motivations soon become apparent. The flick also stars Poppy Delevingne, Jon Kortajarena and Lois Robbins.

Jonathan has vowed to stay sober after being detained following a drunken row with his wife, onboard a plane in July.

In an interview on Larry King Now, the actor admitted drinking doesn't 'suit' him as he spoke about the incident, which led to him being detained at Los Angeles' LAX airport when his plane touched down on the runway.

Candid: Jonathan and Mara couldn't resist sharing a giggle as they took their sunglasses off

Speaking out: In an interview on Larry King Now, the actor admitted drinking doesn't 'suit' him as he spoke about the incident which led to him being detained at LAX airport

Past mistakes: The Dracula star had accompanied his wife Mara and their one-year-old son on the flight from Peru

The Dracula star, who was accompanied by his wife Mara and their one-year-old son on the flight from Peru, recalled: 'My wife and I had been travelling since 3 o'clock in the morning from Peru back to Los Angeles. And they gave away our tickets  it was just a problem with the airline.

'We had our baby, who was teething at the time, and it was all kind of frustrating. So we eventually got on the flight and my wife went to sleep and I very stupidly decided to order a drink.

'When my wife found that I'd ordered a drink, she got very, very angry with me because I shouldn't drink. It doesn't suit me and I had been sober for a long time.'

Apologetic: Jonathan admitted he was 'upset' by his actions but had apologised to all involved in the incident and thanked police for being 'incredibly kind and understanding'

Open: He said: 'When my wife found that I'd ordered a drink, she got very, very angry with me because I shouldn't drink. It doesn't suit me and I had been sober for a long time.'

Jonathan admitted he was 'upset' by his actions but had apologised to all involved in the incident and thanked police for being 'incredibly kind and understanding'.

He continued: 'And so I felt that mistake and I got upset and I took out an e-cigarette. And the airline staff told me that I wasn't allowed to smoke an e-cigarette so I put it away.

'Then I spoke to the Los Angeles police once we got there, who were incredibly kind. Incredibly understanding. I apologised for my behaviour, and that's the entire story.'

Vow: Jonathan has decided to stay sober after being detained following a drunken row with his wife, Mara, onboard a plane in July
She shocked Bachelor fans everywhere when she announced her heartbreaking split with Jarrod Woodgate this week.

But on Thursday, Keira Maguire appeared to be bouncing back from the breakup as she took to Instagram to promote a line of hair extensions.

The 31-year-old recently told Who magazine that Jarrod dumped her for not having a 'full time job' and implied that the vineyard manager didn't take her career as an Instagram influencer seriously.

Back to work! Keira Maguire promotes hair extensions as she returns to her career as an Instagram influencer after claiming Jarrod Woodgate DUMPED her for not having 'a full-time job'

'Jarrod didn't like the fact I didn't have a full-time job... because my job was doing endorsements and he's about working hard in a nine-to-five job,' she said.

'He would make me feel bad about my lifestyle,' she continued.

The reality star said that she tried to prove her work ethic to Jarrod by getting her hands dirty and helping out on his family farm.

'Jarrod didn't like the fact I didn't have a full-time job': Keira has claimed that Jarrod didn't approve of her career as an Instagram influencer

Speaking out: 'He would make me feel bad about my lifestyle,' said the 31-year-old socialite

'He'd [critique] the way I did it and I really started to feel so insecure,' she said.

Keira and Jarrod found love while filming Bachelor In Paradise last year and shortly after, they moved in together.

The influencer relocated from Sydney to Jarrod's home in Brighton, Melbourne and they would often spend time together at his family vineyard, Toms Cap Vineyard Retreat in Gippsland.

Despite previously sharing their hopes for marriage and a baby one day, Keira announced their shock split after nine months of dating on Sunday.

Heartbreaking: Keira and Jarrod found love while filming Bachelor In Paradise last year and shortly after, they moved in together

'It is with a very sad heart but I have to let you all know that Jarrod and I have split up,' wrote the reality star.

'I'm sorry if anyone is disappointed or if I have let anyone down. Please respect our privacy as this is a very hard time for me.'

The reality TV twosome's romance went public in January when they were photographed canoodling on a beach together, months before Bachelor In Paradise had even aired.
Joanna Krupa debuted her shorter blonde locks when she headed to a press junket for Top Model in Warsaw, Poland on Thursday.

The 39-year-old stepped out wearing a candy pink dress which had a plunging neckline and was short in length.

The elegant number had delicate chiffon panels which trailed down to the floor and gave a glimpse of her toned golden legs and floated in the wind.

Perfect pastels: Joanna Krupa debuted shorter locks as she stepped out in a candy pink plunging mini with chiffon panels at a press junket for Top Model in Poland on Thursday

Figure-hugging: A belt cinched her in at the waist as she stepped out for a couple of snaps

A belt cinched her in at the waist as she stepped out for a couple of snaps.

She wore a pair of contrasting white stiletto heels which added some extra inches to her height.

Joanna has been on her honeymoon in her native Poland after tying the knot with businessman Douglas Nunes earlier this month.

Putting her best foot forward: She wore a pair of contrasting white stiletto heels which added some extra inches to her height

Special time: Joanna has been on her honeymoon in her native Poland after tying the knot with businessman Douglas Nunes earlier this month

Their marriage came just five months after they got engaged.

The model confirmed the news with an Instagram post from inside the church where she wrote: 'We did it! It was a very private and small family gathering.

'Wish I could have shared it with all the people that I love.'

The ceremony came almost exactly a year since she finalized her divorce from first husband Romain Zago, whom she had wed in 2013.

Something to say: The model confirmed the news with an Instagram post from inside the church where she wrote: 'We did it! It was a very private and small family gathering'

Joanna is the host and lead judge of the local version of America's Next Top Model.

Yet her life is not all glamour. Earlier this month she furiously tweeted that she had lost her luggage.

She wrote: 'You cant depend on @BritishAirwaysT unreliable for getting luggage. Still waiting! Dont fly British if you have an important event and need your luggage!'
Ewan McGregor's daughter Clara has admitted she regrets branding her father's new girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead a piece of trash.

In July, the production designer, 22, posted the scathing comment under an image of her father's girlfriend on an Instagram fan page dedicated to the star.

However, Clara has now remorsefully admitted that while it 'wasn't the most mature way to go about things', she kept seeing criticism towards her mother Eve Mavrakis after she was continuously tagged in the picture of Mary.

Remorse: Ewan McGregor's daughter Clara, 22, has admitted she regrets branding her father's new girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead a piece of trash

In a candid interview with Barbara McMahon in The Times, Clara admitted she was 'angry and upset' at the situation.

'There had been a lot building up to it and a lot to deal with, not to make excuses or anything, but, yeah, it wasnt my finest moment. But Im not afraid to speak out if I feel strongly about something,' she admitted.

Clara ensured to detail the situation in depth: 'I kept being tagged in this photograph and I was seeing negative things about my mum.

'I said how I felt and I didnt want to apologise for it. It wasnt the right way to go about things, but its a hard thing to wrap your head around when you feel you had this idea of what the family unit is and then to have that shift. Its very weird.'

Not a fan: In July, the production designer posted the scathing comment under an image of her father's girlfriend on an Instagram fan page dedicated to the star

'Piece of trash': In July, Clara lashed out at his girlfriend Mary Elizabeth Winstead in a social media attack

Honest: Clara admitted that while it 'wasn't the most mature way to go about things', she kept seeing criticism towards her mother Eve Mavrakis after she was tagged in the picture of Mary

Touching upon the day the surprising picture emerged of Ewan kissing Mary, Clara admitted that she already knew about the demise of his marriage to her mother, Eve Mavrakis.

Clara confessed: 'The picture surfaced on my little sisters birthday, but my dad didnt know it was going to come out. He didnt want us to see that, but, you know, there were paparazzi following them around.

Despite their recent family drama, Clara has insisted that she is 'close with her dad.'

She revealed: 'I love him and I always will. The relationships not going to end because of this.

'We are incredibly close and despite me strongly disagreeing with how hes gone about things, Ill always love him, and I hope hes happy, you know?

'Im not afraid to speak out if I feel strongly about something': Clara admitted she was 'angry and upset' at the situation

'Idea of a family unit': Clara ensured to detail the situation in depth: 'I kept being tagged in this photograph and I was seeing negative things about my mum'

'I wish them all the best, but Im staying out of that, for sure,' she concluded.

Nearly two months ago, the model took to the comments section of an image from a fan page for the Fargo star, who was first spotted with Ewan in October, to lash out at the page administrators for calling Mary beautiful.

A seemingly enraged Clara hit out in the comments section, as she penned: 'Most beautiful and talented woman on earth? (laughing faces) Oh man y'all are delusional. The girl is a piece of trash (smiley face) x'.

Clara has not been shy of airing her feelings on her parents' split after Ewan and Mary first went public with their budding romance in Los Angeles in November as he moves on from his wife of 22 years Eve.

Alongside Clara, Ewan and his estranged wife have three other children together - Jamyan, Esther and Anouk. The eldest of their kids was seemingly enraged when she saw the gushing post by a fan - leading to her 'piece of trash comment'.

MailOnline contacted representatives for Clara and Mary for comment at the time.

The McGregor family hit headlines after patriarch Ewan controversially filed for divorce from Eve in March  six months after being spotted kissing Mary.

'I wish them all the best': Despite their recent family drama, Clara has insisted that she is 'close with her dad'

Shocker: Nearly two months ago, the model took to the comments section of an image from a fan page for the Fargo star to lash out at the page administrators for calling Mary beautiful

It was claimed Ewan has been dumped by Mary because she was unhappy with being dubbed a 'homewrecker' however they have since reunited.

Clara is a prominent Instagram user, boasting a whopping 26,000 followers, and she litters her page with a combination of both stunning shots of herself and also artistic images - hence the now-deleted snap of Helmut Newton's work.

The Trainspotting and Star Wars actor blamed irreconcilable differences for the split from his wife, the mother of his four daughters who are aged between seven and 22. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Eve for comment.

Eve was reportedly left devastated after pictures were published last October of Ewan kissing his co-star in a London cafe.

Heartbroken: Eve was reportedly left devastated after pictures were published last October of Ewan kissing his co-star in a London cafe

His daughter Esther later posted a song on Instagram about the s*** I found online, singing: Seeing those pictures, theyre making me cry And I dont know how to forgive. I dont know if I can.

The news of Ewans reported split from Mary is revealed in the latest edition of US magazine Star. A source told the publication: Mary hated being labelled a home wrecker and the embarrassment it caused her.

'Its sad because a year ago Ewan and his wife were in great shape and then he decided to throw it all away for Mary. Now it looks like hes lost them both for good.

Eve told The Mail on Sunday, No, I hadnt heard, when asked if she knew about her husbands split from his lover. Asked for comment, she said: I really dont know. Sorry.

Happier times: Production designer Eve was said to be furious when her husband won the Best Actor In A Limited Series award at this years Golden Globes and thanked both her and his mistress

Production designer Eve was said to be furious when her husband won the Best Actor In A Limited Series award at this years Golden Globes and thanked both her and his mistress.

I want to take a moment to just say thank you to Eve who always stood by me for 22 years and our four children Clara, Esther, Jamyan and Anouk, he said. And there wouldnt have been any Ray [his Fargo character] without Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

When asked about his words, Eve said: No, I did not like his speech.

She called their divorce disappointing and upsetting before adding: My main concern is our four children are OK. Mary announced she was splitting from her husband of seven years Riley Stearns last May  as she filmed the series.
She's the award-winning actress who uses her fame to draw attention to humanitarian and political issues.

And Cate Blanchett looked every inch the power woman as she stepped out on day two of the Venice Film Festival wearing a crisp white trouser suit.

The movie star, 49, was joined by her eldest son Dashiell, 16, as she confidently strolled around in the Italian sunshine.

Making an impression: Cate Blanchett, 49, looked every inch the power woman as she stepped out on day two of the Venice Film Festival wearing a crisp white trouser suit

Cate's chic white double-breasted suit jacket featured bold black buttons, and was tailored to perfection.

The actress kept things practical, by slipping into a pair of flat black loafers with gold detailing for her outing and tied her look together with an eye-catching gold statement ring on her finger.

She carried an oversized stone-coloured tote bag over her arm as she chatted away to her teenage son.

Cate's blonde bob was styled straight and she shielded her eyes with a pair of glamorous gold-rimmed, bug-eye shades.

Family time: The movie star was joined by her eldest son Dashiell, 16, as she strolled around in the Italian sunshine

Gorgeous: Cate's chic white double-breasted suit jacket featured bold black buttons, and was tailored to perfection

Mother and son day: She carried an oversized stone-coloured tote bag over her arm as she chatted away to her teenage son who kept things casual in a red and black plaid shirt

Chic: Cate's blonde bob was styled straight and she shielded her eyes with a pair of glamorous gold-rimmed, bug-eye shades

Dashiell kept things casual in a red and black checked flannel shirt, dark jeans and a pair of trainers, clutching onto a holdall as he followers in his mother's footsteps.

Cate is mother to sons Dashiell John, 16, Roman Robert, 14, Ignatius Martin, 10, and adopted daughter Edith, four, with husband Andrew Upton, 52.

She is set to star in the children's fantasy film The House with a Clock in Its Walls, but Cate admitted she's not certain about how much longer she will keep acting.

She said: 'I don't know what I am going to do next as an actor, I never do really. But I feel like I've probably got a couple more years left in it, before I lose my sanity.'

The House with a Clock in Its Walls is released on 21 September.

Happy lady: As the pair climbed onto the boat which was awaiting them, Cate waved and flashed a wide smile

Earlier this week, Cate relived the horrors she saw when she visited camps full of Rohingya refugees forced to flee Myanmar in a speech to the UN.

In a speech to the Security Council in New York on Tuesday, the actress said nothing prepared her for 'the extent and depth of suffering' she saw when she visited camps in Bangladesh for the refugees who fled a violent crackdown by Myanmar's military.

Cate said she heard 'gut-wrenching accounts' of torture, rape, people seeing loved ones killed before their eyes, and children thrown into fire and burned alive.

'I am a mother, and I saw my children in the eyes of every single refugee child I met,' she said. I saw myself in every parent. How can any mother endure seeing her child thrown into a fire?'

'Their experiences will never leave me,' the two-time Academy Award winner told the packed building at the UN headquarters in New York.

Cate visited the refugee camps in Bangladesh in her role as a goodwill ambassador for the UN refugee agency in March this year.

Campaigner: Her interview comes a day after she relived the horrors she saw when she visited camps full of Rohingya refugees forced to flee Myanmar in a speech to the UN in New York

Shocked: In a speech to the Security Council on Tuesday, she said nothing prepared her for 'the extent and depth of suffering' she saw when she visited camps in Bangladesh

Outing: The star looked stylish as she stepped out with Dashiell

Chatty: Cate rocked smoky eye make-up for the day in Venice

Chic: Cate looked stylish in a black sweater and silk scarf

Delight: Cate laughed out loud as she enjoyed the day

Family first: The actress was spending quality time with her son
He's one of the world's top male supermodels, who always looks good on the runway or out and about.

And on Thursday, Australian personality Jordan Barrett looked stylish as he attended Fendi's flagship store opening in Melbourne.

The 21-year-old New York-based model dropped jaws as he sported a chic ensemble worth a whopping $8,000 from the luxury label.

Turning the red carpet into a catwalk! Male supermodel Jordan Barrett looks stylish wearing a whopping $8,000 worth of Fendi attire at the Italian label's flagship store opening in Melbourne

Posing for a series of dapper photos, Jordan wore a statement black wool coat that featured dramatic lapels adorned with the iconic FF motif in shades of brown.

Worth approximately $5,600,he paired the lavish garment with a simple loose-fitting black shirt and matching trousers.

The drop-crotch inspired trousers, worth $1,400, featured the same dazzling Fendi logo down each side of his leg.

Luxe: Posing for a series of dapper photos, Jordan wore a statement black wool coat worth $5,600 that featured dramatic lapels adorned with the iconic FF motif in shades of brown

And to complete the monochromatic look, Jordan wore a pair of $1,030 black running sneakers, embellished with a logo charm at the front.

Opting for a bed-head look, the The Byron Bay native styled his messy blonde tresses in beach waves around his face.

And on Thursday, Jordan made an appearance on The Morning Show where he revealed he had adapted parts of a different accent.

Expensive taste! To complete the monochromatic look, Jordan wore a pair of black running sneakers, embellished with a logo charm at the front and worth $1,030 AUD

He was heard making subtle R rolls and added an emphasis on vowels - seemingly having picked up a slight American twang.

Throughout the chat words like 'so', 'there' and 'you' came across with more of an American tone.

Despite this, the Tom Ford runway model did his best to maintain as much of his Australian accent throughout.
She left fans shell-shocked with her incredible silver gown on the red carpet on Wednesday.

And Izabel Goulart was oozing Italian glamour in a plunging pastel robe on Thursday as she exited her boat for the second day of the Venice Film Festival.

The 33-year-old Brazilian model showed off her jaw-dropping figure in the summer outfit as she headed into Venice for the next day of the festival.

Jaw-dropping: Izabel Goulart was oozing Italian glamour in a plunging pastel robe on Thursday as she exited her boat for the second day of the Venice Film Festival

In stark contrast to her red carpet look the evening, Izabel's maxi robe was a far more comfortable option, as it hung loosely on her figure and boasted an array of red and navy prints.

She accessorised the look with comfortably gold metallic block sandals, and was once again sporting her white bucket bag from the previous day.

Izabel shielded her eyes with black narrow-framed sunglasses and had her brunette tresses hanging in loose effortless waves.

Jaw-dropping: The Brazilian model showcased her incredible beauty in the plunging printed robe covered with a mixture different red and navy blue prints

Beaming: Izabel barely looked exhausted after stunning on the red carpet the evening before, as she made a triumphant entrance on the boat

Flawless: Keeping her brunette tresses styled into classic waves, she shielded her eyes with black narrow-framed sunglasses

Izabel put on a stunning display as she walked the carpet for the opening night gala of the festival, which saw the first screening of the Damien Chazelle film First Man.

The biopic - starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy - tells the tale of late astronaut Neil Armstrong and his quest towards the iconic 1969 moon landing.

It proved a triumphant evening for the film as it reportedly received a three-minute standing ovation upon conclusion, and many critics have offered the film glowing reviews.

Low-key: Proving she could reuse a good accessory, Izabel carried her essentials in a chic white leather bucket bag

Stunning: Izabel had put on a triumphant display on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival the evening before

Chic: She has already stunned with her style sense since touching down in Venice on Wednesday

Star-studded: Once again the festival is tipped to be another hot event for many stars in the film industry

It was re-teaming of sorts for director Damien and star Ryan, who also worked on the music La La Land, which was mistakenly named as the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2017.

Several other pictures set to make their debut at the festival over the next ten days are the remakes of A Star Of Born and Suspiria, the former of which will have it's premiere on Friday August 31.

Tipped for awards glory, the film stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper who also directs, in a tale that was previously performed by legends Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland.
Advertisement

His film has been hailed as one of the more eerie movies to be shown at Venice Film Festival this year.

Yet Jeff Goldblum, 65, brought a sense of fun to the red carpet at The Mountain's premiere as he posed up a storm alongside his glamorous wife Emilie Livingston, 35, on Thursday.

The renowned actor appeared to be in his element as he strutted his stuff down the carpet whilst hand in hand with his wife of four years, with the pair opting for contrasting black and white ensembles.

Stepping out in style: Jeff Goldblum, 65, brought a sense of fun to the red carpet at The Mountain's premiere as he posed up a storm alongside his glamorous wife Emilie Livingston, 35, on Thursday

Ensuring all eyes would be on him, Jurrasic Park actor Jeff donned an all-white tuxedo, teaming a fitted blazer and trousers with a crisp shirt and bow-tie, whilst opting for patent black dress shoes.

Meanwhile, Emily was a vision of beauty as she slipped into a black tulip gown with a bardot neckline that highlighted her hourglass curves whilst remaining demure.

The former Canadian Olympic gymnast added to the glamour by styling her glossy chestnut locks in a chic chignon bun, whilst she grasped a small black clutch and injected glitz with delicate diamond earrings.

Also dressed to impress for the premiere was Hannah Gross, who dazzled in a scarlet floor-skimming ballgown with a fitted bodice and black piping along the seams.

Dressed to impress: Ensuring all eyes would be on him, Jurrasic Park actor Jeff donned an all-white tuxedo, teaming a fitted blazer and trousers with a crisp shirt and bow-tie, whilst opting for patent black dress shoes

One to watch: The Mountain stars Jeff Goldblum, Tye Sheridan, Denis Lavant, Hannah Gross and Udo Kier and is being shown at the event whilst competing in the main competition

Leading man: The drama, directed by Rick Alverson, tells the story of a young man who, after losing his mother, goes to work with a doctor specializing in lobotomies and therapies

The Mountain stars Jeff Goldblum, Tye Sheridan, Denis Lavant, Hannah Gross and Udo Kier and is being shown at the event whilst competing in the main competition.

The drama, directed by Rick Alverson, tells the story of a young man who, after losing his mother, goes to work with a doctor specializing in lobotomies and therapies.

Discussing the movie at the photocall earlier in the day, Jeff expressed: 'I think Rick is a genius and this is a brilliant movie and poetical. 'I'm an idiot so I love to know what you are talking about here.

'For me, it's so rich, but I do love the ideas of the particularly human  but even more particularly American  utopian dream in its misguided elements, as Arthur Miller wrote about in Death of a Salesman, when a sculpture is too ambitious for notoriety, attention, glamour  empty glamour  and deluded fantasy, in too much proportion.'

Radiant in red: Also dressed to impress for the premiere was Hannah Gross, who dazzled in a scarlet floor-skimming ballgown with a fitted bodice and black piping along the seams

Sizzling in scarlet: Hannah had eyes all on her as she posed up a storm on the red carpet in her billowing gown

Meanwhile, Jeff married Emilie - who is his third wife - in 2014, following his previous relationships with Patricia Gaul and Thelma and Louise star Geena Davis.

Despite the challenge of having to raise two young boys - Charlie Ocean, two, and one-year-old River Joe - the loved-up couple still find time for romance.

He previously told Us Weekly: 'It's challenging. But we're very focused. We do OK. We have nice people who help us and they allow us to go on a sweet date night here and there.'

Suited and booted: Tye Sheridan looked dapper in a fitted black tuxedo and patent black dress shoes on the red carpet

The Independence Day actor recently admitted that having children in his 60s was 'right on schedule' for him, because he is just as healthy now as he was before.

Speaking to Lorraine in May, Jeff revealed he feels 'fit as a fiddle' and said of their two boys: 'They're just spectacular.'

As well as adapting to having children in later life, Jeff confessed that recently he has been reassessing his own behaviour in light of the #MeToo movement.

Revealing that he has been learning from the experiences of women in his life, he explained that he is trying to better himself.

Co-stars: : (L-R) Jeff Goldblum,Rick Alverson,Tye Sheridan and Hannah Gross attended The Mountain photocall
Golden Globe nominee Jessica Alba and her mini-me Honor emerged from beauty parlor Profumerie Douglas Italia in Milan on Wednesday with matching mother-daughter curls.

The 37-year-old mother-of-three toted a Christian Dior shopping bag as her 10-year-old purple-haired princess was glued to her iPhone.

The Mexican-American mompreneur - who relies on stylist duo Emily Current & Meritt Elliott - looked chic in a white pantsuit with an Aritzia blouse and slip-on booties for the pamper session.

Matching mother-daughter curls! Golden Globe nominee Jessica Alba and her mini-me Honor emerged from beauty parlor Profumerie Douglas Italia in Milan on Wednesday

Jessica accessorized her Italian stallion look with hoop earrings, a nameplate necklace, and a black cross-body bag.

Before getting into her car, Alba and her eldest child posed for a group selfie with the salon staff.

The Honest Company boss Insta-storied that she 'can't wait' to bring her $2B brand's cosmetics collection to Profumerie Douglas Italia.

The Pomona-born beauty has been documenting practically every moment of their '#motherdaughtertrip' for her captive, combined 27.9M social media followers.

Indulging: The 37-year-old mother-of-three toted a Christian Dior shopping bag as her 10-year-old purple-haired princess was glued to her iPhone

Relies on stylist duo Emily Current & Meritt Elliott: The Mexican-American mompreneur looked chic in a white pantsuit and slip-on booties for the pamper session

Doll face: Jessica accessorized her Italian stallion look with hoop earrings, a nameplate necklace, and a black cross-body bag

Smile, everyone! Before getting into her car, Alba and her eldest child posed for a group selfie with the salon staff

All business: The Honest Company boss Insta-storied that she 'can't wait' to bring her $2B brand's cosmetics collection to Profumerie Douglas Italia

Between meetings and family bonding, Jessica made time to shop for cashmere clothing at Falconeri.

Alba asked her fans for their dressing room opinion on a pink maxi-cardigan as well as a navy trench coat.

The Project Runway guest judge and little Honor - who arrived to Italy last Friday - 'had an awesome stay' at the luxe hotel Principe di Savoia while in Milan.

'Thank you Alfredo Carniola!' The Pomona-born beauty has been documenting practically every moment of their '#motherdaughtertrip' for her combined 27.9M social media followers

Spectrum of knitwear: Between meetings and family bonding, Jessica made time to shop for cashmere clothing at Falconeri

'This color!' Alba asked her fans for their dressing room opinion on a pink maxi-cardigan as well as a navy trench coat

'Night night!' The Project Runway guest judge and little Honor - who arrived to Italy last Friday - 'had an awesome stay' at the luxe hotel Principe di Savoia while in Milan

Jessica' son Hayes Alba; 8 months; and daughter Haven Garner, 7; were back in LA under the care of her husband of a decade, Pair of Thieves sock designer Cash Warren.

On August 20, Honor declared 'women should have the same opportunities as men' while delivering an impressive speech at the Women Excelling in Leadership and Living event.

Alba will next play Jade in Martin Owen's action crime-drama Killers Anonymous - hitting US theaters December 1 - alongside Sadie Frost and Gary Oldman.

'Moms out of town. You think we should rage?' Jessica' son Hayes Alba; 8 months; and daughter Haven Garner, 7; were back in LA under the care of her husband Cash Warren

Impressive! On August 20, Honor declared 'women should have the same opportunities as men' while delivering a speech at the Women Excelling in Leadership and Living event

Hitting US theaters December 1! Alba will next play Jade in Martin Owen's action crime-drama Killers Anonymous alongside Sadie Frost (2-L) and Gary Oldman (M, pictured July 11)

The El Camino Christmas actress also shot a mystery role in the second season of comedic police procedural No Activity, which streams this fall on CBS All Access.

'[Motherhood] makes me really try to be super efficient when Im at work, so that I can get here and get what I need done and then get home and do that, as well,' Jessica told People this month.

'I'm not trying to meander, you know? I really try to make the time here feel really good and full and complete and when I go home, that is family time.'
They got engaged this summer.

And Katharine McPhee and David Foster are evidently so wedding-minded, they went uninvited to a stranger's nuptials in Victoria, British Columbia last weekend.

Katharine, 34, and David, 68, were on their balcony at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel when they caught sight of the ceremony down below and decided to swing by, according to TMZ.

The wedding crashers: Katharine McPhee (second from right) and David Foster (left) made a surprise appearance at a wedding in Victoria, British Columbia last weekend

Their gambit was to sidle over to the guest book and sign it - which is where the bride, Whitney Madian, glimpsed them.

A roughly five-minute conversation ensued, during which Katharine and David told Whitney she had had a 'beautiful' ceremony.

Katharine also offered kind words about Whitney's ring - and went so far as to give Whitney a look at her own bauble, which she has kept from the public eye.

David and Katharine posed in the Oak Bay Beach Hotel alongside Whitney and her new husband Shant.

Nice gesture: They signed the guest book and got chatting with the bride Whitney Madian and new husband Shant

Katharine, who was spotted kissing her married Smash director Michael Morris while she was still with her husband Nick Cokas, eventually divorced Nick.

Meanwhile, David is three divorces ahead of Katharine, having most recently been married to erstwhile Real Housewife Of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Hadid.

Katharine made her Broadway debut this year with a limited run in the musical Waitress, which features a Tony-nominated score by Sara Bareilles.

Side by side: David is twice Katharine's age and three divorces ahead of her; the pair got engaged this summer, and their wedding date is unknown

Waitress opened on Broadway with Jessie Mueller in the lead role of Jenna Hunterson - the part Katharine played until June 17, per Playbill.

Jessie, who left Waitress last March, was competing with Katharine for Broadway audiences' attention - she was and is giving her Julie in a revival of Carousel.

The Waitress musical was adapted from Adrienne Shelley's 2007 movie, which starred Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto and the Andy Griffith.
Her name was conspicuously left off the guest list at her former employer David Jones star-studded collections launch earlier this month.

And on Friday, Jesinta Campbell took a veiled swipe at the high-end department store, claiming neither DJ's nor Myer could afford to work with her and husband, AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin.

'I don't know if department stores have the budget anymore, to be quite frank,' Jesinta told The Daily Telegraph.

'I don't know if they would have the budget for us!' Jesinta Campbell took a swipe at former employer David Jones claiming the high-end retailer couldn't afford her and AFL star husband Lance 'Buddy' Franklin as ambassadors

Replaced with supermodel Victoria Lee in December 2017 after two years as ambassador for David Jones, Jesinta, 27, is currently working with luxury store, Harrolds.

And the beauty - who now goes by the last name Franklin - said she was happy not to be 'boxed into one little department store.'

'I'm really happy being able to work alongside the likes of Harrolds now and really get the best of Australian and international fashion too, and not be boxed into one little department store.'

New pastures: Replaced with supermodel Victoria Lee in December 2017 after two years as ambassador for David Jones, Jesinta, 27, is currently working with luxury store, Harrolds

Sitting front row at last week's Myer Spring Summer Launch, Jesinta set tongues wagging she was set to sign with David Jones' competition.

And according to last weekends Sun Herald, '[Jesinta] and her manager Annie Kelly were spotted schmoozing Myer's new CEO John King post-show,' fueling rumours of a collaboration.

Crossing enemy lines? Sitting front row at last week's Myer Spring Summer Launch, Jesinta set tongues wagging she was set to sign with David Jones' competition (pictured L on the runway for DJs and R, at the Myer show last week in Sydney)

Meanwhile, the rumours come after longtime Myer ambassador Jennifer Hawkins was reportedly replaced with Elyse Knowles 'at a fraction of the price'.

Earlier this month, Jennifer, 34, took to Instagram to make the announcement that she will retire from working with the department store.

The former Miss Universe wrote: 'It was simply time to move on and Myer will always hold a special place in my heart.'

But reports suggest The Block winner inked a deal for $300,00 to replace Jennifer, who it's suggested was on a $1.3 million contract.
They've been inundated with work duties after their landslide victory on this year's Love Island last month.

And Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham appeared exhausted from their non-stop schedule as they wrapped up their shoot for a new advert with soft drink brand Lucozade in London on Tuesday.

Despite their downcast appearances, former barmaid Dani, 22, cut a typically stylish figure as she left the studios in a khaki green two-piece.

Busy bees: Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham appeared exhausted from their non-stop schedule as they wrapped up their shoot for a new advert with Lucozade in London on Tuesday

The daughter of actor Danny Dyer complemented her slender physique in the relaxed ensemble, which featured drawstring trousers and a matching cropped T-shirt.

Opting for comfort, the petite star strolled along the streets of the English capital in a pair of pale pink trainers by New Balance.

The brunette kept accessories at a minimum as she wore a selection of silver bracelets, and toted a designer bag by Louis Vuitton.

Hectic: Despite their downcast appearances, former barmaid Dani, 22, cut a typically stylish figure as she left the studios in a khaki green two-piece

Off she goes: The daughter of actor Danny Dyer complemented her slender physique in the relaxed ensemble, which featured drawstring trousers and a matching cropped T-shirt

Working hard: Opting for comfort, the petite star strolled along the streets of the English capital in a pair of pale pink trainers by New Balance

While framing her visage with glossy curls, Dani maintained her glamorous make-up look from the shoot as she enhanced her feature with a smoldering smokey eye look, lashings of mascara and nude lipgloss.

Meanwhile, her beau Jack, 26, put on a smart/casual display in a form-fitting cyan T-shirt, tied in with light wash skinny jeans.

Sustaining his blue colour scheme, the reality star sported a pair of box-fresh turquoise trainers.

All in the details: The brunette kept accessories at a minimum as she wore a selection of silver bracelets, and toted a designer bag by Louis Vuitton

Radiant: Dani maintained her glamorous make-up look from the shoot as she enhanced her feature with a smoldering smokey eye look, lashings of mascara and nude lipgloss

Finishing touches: The star framed her stunning visage with glossy curls, which cascaded down her back

Looking good: Meanwhile, her beau Jack, 26, put on a smart/casual display in a form-fitting cyan T-shirt, tied in with light wash skinny jeans

The TV personality was also spotted puffing on a cigarette before he and his girlfriend Dani headed to their next destination.

Just hours before, Dani took to Instagram to upload a shot of herself sharing a tender kiss with her beau as they shot the clip, which she revealed would be 'coming soon'.

Wearing a white lemon-and-polka-dot patterned crop top with a matching flamenco-inspired skirt, she was seen gently caressing her boyfriend's neck as she leaned towards him for the intimate display.

Coordinated: Sustaining his blue colour scheme, the reality star sported a pair of box-fresh turquoise trainers

Break: The TV personality was also spotted puffing on a cigarette before he and his girlfriend Dani headed to their next destination

Hard-working: The pair inundated with work duties after their landslide victory on this year's Love Island last month

Kent native Jack looked casually cool as he drew his girlfriend closer to lock lips with her on the set.

During their busy day, Dani took to her Instagram Story to share a peek behind the scenes, showing that the lovebirds had their own personalised Lucozade bottles, in between shots of her getting glammed up for her big moment before cameras.

Their rise to fame since debuting on Love Island this summer has been unprecedented, with such stars as Margot Robbie and Paris Hilton weighing in on the happenings in the Mallorca villa.

Popular: Their rise to fame since debuting on Love Island this summer has been unprecedented, with Hollywood superstars weighing in on the happenings in the Mallorca villa

New career: Following their success on the show, Dani recently landed a job as a host on Capital radio

A new life together: Since leaving the villa Jack and Dani's relationship has gone from strength to strength, with the pair even moving into their first home together in London this month

Happier times: Just hours before, Dani took to Instagram to upload a shot of herself sharing a tender smooch with her beau as they shot the clip, which she revealed would be 'coming soon'

Attire: The pair's ensembles complemented one another's as they posed together on the set

And Dani, who recently landed a job as a host on Capital radio, revealed the most famous person to message her on Instagram was Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown, 14, and divulged she was planning on going for lunch with the actress soon.

Responding who has been the most famous person to contact her via her DM's on Instagram, Dani said: 'That's an easy answer. Millie Bobby Brown.

'The girl actually watches Love Island, I couldn't believe it, I was like "Oh my god, Eleven!" But apparently we are going out for a bit of lunch soon, so yeah, I'm looking forward to that.'

Glamour girl: Dani also uploaded footage of herself getting glammed up for the shoot

Wow: The reality star praised her makeup artist's handiwork as she showed the complete work

It comes after Millie's co-star Noah Schapp revealed her love of the ITV2 reality show, as he messaged Ellie Brown after entering the villa, commenting 'I watch you with Millie.'

Meanwhile, Jack proved he's firmly in Dani's family circle as he enjoyed a roast dinner at Dani Dyer's granddad Bruv's house on Sunday and her actor father Danny.

The former stationery salesman took to his social media to share a photograph of the foursome all smiling and cuddled up.

He captioned the sweet snap with: 'Nice little roast round bruvs @bruv_loveislandlegend.'

Chilling out: Former stationery salesman Jack looked upbeat as he relaxed behind the scenes

Starstruck: The brunette beauty recently revealed that the most famous person to message her on Instagram was Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown

Plans: Dani said of Millie Bobby Brown, 'The girl actually watches Love Island, I couldn't believe it, I was like "Oh my god, Eleven!" But apparently we are going out for a bit of lunch soon'
She is expecting a baby boy by her beau Alexander Wraith.

And Francesca Eastwood, whose relationship with her man went public in May when news emerged of her pregnancy, was spotted out with him on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old daughter of Clint Eastwood slid her baby bump into a black cocktail dress, sipping on a green beverage as she strolled beside Alexander in Los Angeles.

Side by side: Francesca Eastwood, whose relationship with Alexander Wraith went public in May when news emerged of her pregnancy, was glimpsed out with him on Wednesday

In spite of the Southern Californian summer heat, Francesca flung a black cardigan over her ensemble, slinging on a black leather handbag.

Meanwhile, Alexander showcased his toned torso in a skintight white shirt, teaming the top with khaki shorts and a bulky pair of leather boots.

He also had a beverage in hand as he ambled about with his girlfriend outside The Poke Shack, a Hawaiian eatery and juice shop near Venice Beach.

Alexander, 34, already shares a seven-year-old called Trajan with his estranged wife Lili Gaildraud, from whom he separated in 2015.

Healthy living: The 25-year-old daughter of Clint Eastwood slid her baby bump into a black cocktail dress, sipping on a green beverage as she strolled beside Alexander in Los Angeles

He finally got around to filing for divorce in June, The Blast reported citing court documents. Alexander assured the site that 'everyone is moving on and happy.'

Francesca spent a week of 2013 married to Maroon 5 manager Jordan Feldstein, getting the union swiftly annulled after their impulsive Las Vegas wedding.

Jordan, the elder brother of Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein, died at 40 this past December of what the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office called a 'pulmonary thromboembolism,' with 'deep leg vein thrombosis' as 'Cause B.'

Layering up: In spite of the Southern Californian summer heat, Francesca flung a black cardigan over her ensemble, slinging on a black leather handbag

'Acute bronchopneumonia' and 'obesity' were listed as 'Other Significant Causes.'

Francesca is 88-year-old Clint's daughter by 66-year-old actress Frances Fisher, with whom he was in a relationship from 1990 to 1995.

Clint never went down the aisle with Frances, but he has had two marriages, one before his romance with Francesca's mother and one very shortly thereafter.

He has a fleet of children by multiple mothers, including the 32-year-old actor and sex symbol Scott Eastwood, Clint's son by Jacelyn Reeves, whom he never married.
Sophie Cookson (pictured), a star of the popular Kingsman films, will portray party girl Christine Keeler in a BBC drama

Sophie Cookson, a star of the popular Kingsman films, will portray party girl Christine Keeler in a BBC drama about the young woman at the heart of what became known as the Profumo Affair.

Six-parter The Trial Of Christine Keeler will explore Keelers role in the scandal that helped bring down Harold Macmillans Conservative government in 1963.

In 1961, she had a brief fling with John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War, who was married to film actress Valerie Hobson.

Profumo denied the affair in Parliament, but to further complicate matters, Keeler had also been seeing Soviet Navy Attache Yevgeny Ivanov.

The ensuing scandal hurled the young model and her friend, Mandy Rice-Davies, into the public spotlight, and ruined many of those caught up in it.

Stephen Ward, the society osteopath who introduced Keeler to his friends in high places, committed suicide during his 1963 trial for living off immoral earnings. Rhys Ifans is in complex negotiations to play Ward.

Other principal roles are still being cast for the limited series, which will begin filming on October 22.

Its based on a script by Amanda Coe, who wrote Apple Tree Yard.

Coe said in a statement last year that the Profumo case is the Salem witch trial meets O.J Simpson, calling it a perfect storm of gender, class, race and power that resonated still.

The drama reunites Coe with Ecosse Films, who worked with her on the mini-series Life In Squares.

Keeler, who died last December, once told me that the events she was involved in back in the early Sixties stole my life; a point that was echoed by her son Seymour Platt. He noted that his mother earned her place in British history, but at a huge personal price.

In 1961, Christine Keeler (pictured) had a brief fling with John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War, who was married to film actress Valerie Hobson

Rhys Ifans (right) is in complex negotiations to play Stephen Ward (left), the society osteopath who introduced Keeler to his friends in high places

The part of Keeler will certainly shine a bigger spotlight on Cookson. She did two Kingsman thrillers for director Matthew Vaughn and was superb in the short-lived Netflix drama Gypsy.

The 28-year-old actress just completed a run at Trafalgar Studios in the Tracy Letts play Killer Joe, alongside Orlando Bloom.

And her latest film, Red Joan, directed by Trevor Nunn  in which she shares the part of KGB agent Joan Stanley with Judi Dench  will be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.

Fiddler On The Roof call for Andy...

Andy Nyman is ready to shout it from the rooftops: hes going to play Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof.

The actor will be directed by Trevor Nunn in a production of the classic musical that will run at the Menier Chocolate Factory from November 23.

Nyman joked that after David Babani, the Meniers artistic chief, told him he had the part: I managed to pick myself off the floor and wanted to run up to the roof and shout out to everybody. Somehow, he managed to keep the news to himself, until he spoke to me.

Andy Nyman (left) will be directed by Trevor Nunn in a production of the classic musical Fiddler On The Roof. Barry Keoghan (right) is in the new film American Animals

The show about Tevye the dairyman  father of five daughters  who wants to keep his way of life as everything changes around him, has been a theatrical landmark since it was first staged on Broadway in 1964.

Nyman met with Sheldon Harnick, the veteran songwriter who wrote Fiddlers lyrics. He said, Dont play it for laughs. Play it straight. The actor said doing Fiddler would be an extraordinary opportunity, not least because his great-grandparents fled Lithuania and went through some of the ordeals fictional Tevye and his family endured.

And he said he felt close to his character, despite having a smaller brood. I have one daughter and one son, he said, adding that daughter Macy and son Preston are both actors.

Nyman will be appearing on big screens next year in Jungle Cruise with The Rock and Emily Blunt, and Judy starring Renee Zellweger.

Irish actor Barry Keoghan, who was in Dunkirk and The Killing Of A Sacred Deer, didnt think director Bart Layton would cast him in his new film American Animals. They were after star names, he said. But Layton watched Keoghans audition tapes and felt the young actor would be instantly believable as the Kentucky university student who teams up with bored friends to steal priceless manuscripts.

Keoghan laughed when I recounted what Layton had said. Instantly believable is a nice way of saying ugly actors. No, Im kidding. But I do know there were a bunch of pretty-boy actors after the roles in this film, Keoghan told me when we met for cold drinks on a scorching day.

The actor keeps a list of directors he hopes to work for on his mobile. Even if Im turned down by someone on the list, I dont get mad, because I feel well bump into each other again.

Watch out for...

Kate Winslet who will now be joined by Susan Sarandon in director Roger Michells film Blackbird, based on the Danish movie Silent Heart, about an unwell mother who tries to bring her two daughters together.

Diane Keaton had been set to make the picture but had to withdraw  for personal family reasons, not professional ones.

Kate Winslet (right) who will now be joined by Susan Sarandon (left) in director Roger Michells film Blackbird, based on the Danish movie Silent Heart

Ralph Fiennes, who is attending the Telluride Film Festival up in the mountains above Denver, Colorado, for the first screening of his film The White Crow, which he directs and also appears in.

Its about Rudolf Nureyevs defection to the west in 1961. Oleg Ivenko portrays Nureyev in the picture, that has a screenplay by David Hare.

The White Crow will also be shown at the BFI London Film Festival on October 18.

It looks like a bumper year for Telluride, an old mining town set high in the San Juan peaks. Yorgos Lanthimoss new movie The Favourite, should be a highlight. It stars Olivia Colman as Queen Anne, with Rachel Weisz as Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough and Emma Stone as Abigail Masham, a servant who vies with Sarah for the Queens ear, as it were.

Im hearing from those who have caught it that its a comedic beauty of a film that flips the usually stale Brit historical picture on its head. I also hear it will have maiden aunts sending for the smelling salts.

If you want to see for yourself, The Favourite will be shown at the London Film Festival on October 18 at a special gala.

Other Telluride films include Destroyer with Nicole Kidman, Mike Leighs brilliant Peterloo, Joel Edgertons Boy Erased, Alfonso Cuarons autobiographical Roma, and Robert Redfords last acting project, The Old Man & The Gun.
I Feel Pretty actress Amy Schumer has made a career of body acceptance (self-depricating or otherwise), and she had a very public way of shutting down her latest body shamer on Wednesday.

The 37-year-old Emmy winner - who boasts 14.5M social media followers - Insta-storied a faux before/after bikini pic crafted by a FaceTune enthusiast called 'Cewlguy.'

'So I think Amy looks great already,' the Instagram user captioned his controversial post. 'But man does she look way better [in] my OPINION in the second photo.'

'Boo!' Amy Schumer - who boasts 14.5M social media followers - was not impressed when a fan slimmed her down using an airbrush app called FaceTune

Here we go again! I Feel Pretty actress Amy Schumer has made a career of body acceptance (self-depricating or otherwise), and she had a very public way of shutting down her latest body shamer on Wednesday (pictured in 2016)

The March for Our Lives speaker politely disagreed with him commenting, 'I like how I really look. That's my body.'

'I love my body for being strong and healthy and sexy,' Amy wrote.

'I look like I'd give a good hug or have a drink with you. The other picture looks nice but it's not me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts as well. See, we're both right.'

Cewlguy profusely apologized to Schumer for his 'ignorance,' he removed the post, and he concluded that 'real is beautiful.'

The March for Our Lives speaker politely disagreed with him commenting: 'I like how I really look. That's my body. I love my body for being strong and healthy and sexy'

'I'm sorry!' Cewlguy profusely apologized to Schumer for his 'ignorance,' he removed the post, and he concluded that 'real is beautiful'

Amy joked about Hollywood's perception of her on the April 10th episode of The Late Show, saying: 'You know actresses say, "Oh I love cheeseburgers!" I'm what you look like if you have pasta and wine'

The Leather Special comedian joked about Hollywood's perception of her on the April 10th episode of The Late Show, saying: 'You know actresses say, "Oh I love cheeseburgers!" I'm what you look like if you have pasta and wine.'

The Meteor Shower thespian has been enjoying married life with Beetlebung Farm manager Chris Fischer, whom she wed on February 13 after five months of dating.

'I met the one,' Amy gushed on the April 20th episode of The View.

'Married 6 months today!' The Meteor Shower thespian has been enjoying married life with Beetlebung Farm manager Chris Fischer, whom she wed on February 13 after five months of dating (pictured August 13)

'I met the one': The Leather Special comedian and the 38-year-old chef reportedly met through her personal assistant aka Chris' sister (pictured August 1)

'It's not a long courtship but it's not like we had a great weekend in Vegas and threw in the towel...You know that I'm not like a fool. I'm not impulsive like that.'

Schumer and the 38-year-old chef - who's also a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author - reportedly met through her personal assistant (Chris' sister).

The Golden Globe nominee will next bring her Amy Schumer and Friends comedy tour to Florida's Seminole Hard Hotel & Casino in Hollywood this Friday night.
She's ready to give birth to her first child any day now.

And Kathryn Boyd looked healthy and happy as her husband Josh Brolin posted a beautiful photograph of her to his Instagram account on Thursday.

The actor, 50, shared a snap of the 30-year-old blonde beauty showing off her bar baby bump as she stretched out in a casual ensemble.

Expecting: Kathryn Boyd, 30, looked healthy and happy as her husband Josh Brolin, 50, posted a beautiful photograph of her to his Instagram account on Thursday

The Dead Pool 2 star captioned the snap: 'Si solamente me tocaras el corazon. If only you would touch my heart  Pablo Neruda/.'

'It is morning now, and the sun finds you, having watched the stars fade, as pink as the beginning of time.'

In the photograph, Kathryn was stretching out her arms in a sweatshirt, white tank top, and track pants.

Josh and his former assistant Kathryn have been married since September 2016 and they announced in late May that they were expecting their first child together.

Sweet words:The Dead Pool 2 star captioned the snap: 'Si solamente me tocaras el corazon. If only you would touch my heart  Pablo Neruda/.'; (pictured June)

The Goonies star has Eden and 30-year-old son Trevor with ex-wife Alice Adair, 52.

Josh and actress Alice were married from 1988 until 1994.

The No Country For Old Men star also was previously married to actress Diane Lane from 2004 to 2013.

Baby on board: Kathryn flaunted her perfect baby bump, as she stepped out shopping with her famous other half on Saturday

Eden followed her father and grandfather into acting and had a starring role in the 2015 coming of age comedy-drama I Dream Too Much alongside Diane Ladd and Danielle Brooks.

She has featured roles in the upcoming films Back Fork and Kingfish.

James has been married since 1998 to Barbra Streisand, 76.

Josh recently played the villain Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War and Cable in Deadpool 2.
Understated warmth: One of the finest, most intelligent and likeable voices on Radio 4 is to fall silent  for a while at least  as presenter Kirsty Young casts herself away from Desert Island Discs

Dismay! Even the seagulls are going to sound more plaintive as they wheel over Sleepy Lagoon. One of the finest, most intelligent and likeable voices on Radio 4 is to fall silent  for a while at least  as presenter Kirsty Young casts herself away from Desert Island Discs.

Yesterday, Kirsty, 49, announced she is suffering from 'a form of fibromyalgia', a chronic condition that can cause pain all over the body, and must 'take some time away' to restore her health.

We wish her well and hope her absence is not for ever, but certainly it will be for a season or so, starting next month after the final two episodes she has recorded go out on air.

It's a bit of an earthquake. In 76 years, the programme has had only four presenters: Roy Plomley, who invented the format and served a stupendous 43 years; next the relative fly-by-night Michael Parkinson, who did three; then 18 years of Sue Lawley before Kirsty took over in 2006.

For my money, Kirsty is the best presenter yet.

Plomley was a legend all right, but a creature from another century with his heavy, stolid masculine manner (guest Shirley MacLaine's cheery sweariness made him sweat a bit).

Michael Parkinson never quite suited the show. He never sounded happy and was possibly always a bit too TV.

Sue Lawley, stern schoolmarm that she is, got tremendous revelations out of some of her guests and never hesitated to push at awkward subjects, such as Gordon Brown's long bachelorhood and the spurious rumours it invited.

She also got Yoko Ono telling the world that when she was pregnant with her son, Sean, she and John Lennon discussed termination.

Yesterday, Kirsty, 49, announced she is suffering from 'a form of fibromyalgia', a chronic condition that can cause pain all over the body, and must 'take some time away' to restore her health. Above, with radio guest David Beckham

But at other times, Lawley would lurch into a surprisingly flirtatious chase-me-round-the-table manner with, for example, the likes of George Clooney, and quite forgot to pull him up on his answers. She didn't laugh much, either.

In contrast, Kirsty was relaxed and interested, classless in her soft Scottishness, sounding neither girlish nor stern but oddly maternal: striking up what felt like a real relationship, yet never hesitating to push, contradict or doubt an answer with a calm 'I don't believe you'. (She did this to Julie Burchill when the firebrand journalist claimed she didn't mind what people thought about her.)

That understated warmth is quite different from the soupy gush or playschool-banter of some of the other new generation presenters.

It also differs from the herds of mature gents  Bragg, Marr, Rev Coles, Clive Anderson, etc  who still dominate Radio 4 talk shows.

Born in East Kilbride, Kirsty Young began her broadcasting career in 1989 as a continuity announcer for BBC Radio Scotland, before moving to STV to present Scotland Today.

Her big break came in 1992 when she joined the newly launched Channel 5 as a newsreader on 5 Live, which famously brought its presenters out from behind the desk to deliver headlines. One year after her Desert Island Discs debut, she joined BBC One's Crimewatch and was with the show until 2015.

As the wife of businessman Nick Jones, the founder of Soho House (with whom she has two daughters), Kirsty has lived a life in close proximity to the celebrity whirl who frequent his international chain of private members' clubs.

This breadth of experience has served only to hone her interviewing skills, so today her modest-seeming interest in interviewees makes potentially tricky personalities uncurl, stretch like cats and forget to show off, and generally reveal their soft underbelly.

Kirsty's big break came in 1992 when she joined the newly launched Channel 5 as a newsreader on 5 Live, which famously brought its presenters out from behind the desk to deliver headlines. (Above, on the show in 1999)

Who else would have got Rolling Stone Keith Richards to emerge as such a cosy old boy, with his fulsome praise of rival rockers?

From great lives to lightweights, professors to popinjays, whether it's the former Irish President Mary Robinson or the preening Russell Brand, Kirsty nailed it.

Even the acerbic, veteran and notably unsisterly radio critic Gillian Reynolds  who had condemned Kirsty's style after the first three programmes  eventually acknowledged her quality. Oh, and came on Desert Island Discs herself to do so, earlier this year.

Part of the knack lies in trust. The late Terry Wogan went on the show three times and observed: 'I had Plomley, and then Sue Lawley, and then the wee Scots girl [and] if anybody's going to worm your more intimate secrets out of you, then Kirsty is the girl.'

Yes. You'd confide. Feel safe.

Actually, that atmosphere of trust is a vital, unacknowledged part of the programme itself. It is considered a kind of honour to be invited on: many interviewees admit they have been secretly listing their eight records and luxury item for years, in shy hope.

The point is that because of this sense of occasion, of being chosen, anyone invited on to Desert Island Discs knows several things.

Meanwhile, though, the Desert Island Discs chair must go to Lauren Laverne from 6 Music for the time being

They know they are considered in some way important. They know that they weren't just a last-minute filler when someone else dropped out. They know that the research will have been properly done.

So the host is prepared, the guest feels welcomed, and it's all recorded with no time limits. That helps.

The programme's other great strength, all credit to the late Mr Plomley, is that a choice of music reveals more about an individual than they are ever likely to reveal for themselves.

There are some tracks so frequently chosen  My Way, Beethoven's Ode To Joy, etc  that they tell you little. Some are startling, as when the soprano Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf chose seven of her own recordings, and the concert pianist Dame Moura Lympany, eight of hers.

Some guests are instantly loved for their choices: a lot of us purred when, in conversation with Kirsty, the actress Kathy Burke gave us a mixture of Sinatra and Lady Gaga, the Sex Pistols and T Rex, and as her luxury chose a life-sized, laminated photograph of James Caan from the TV programme Dragons' Den. She wanted it to 'bodysurf on'. Which topped Oliver Reed's rather more predictable demand for a blow-up sex doll.

Ambitious politicians' choices are often cautious, indeed boring, and other guests just seem to choose their discs out of pure perverse desire to be different.

The poet Ian McMillan asked for the American composer John Cage's 4'33'  four minutes and 33 seconds of silence. Nigella Lawson asked for Eminem and other rappers and claimed she longed to work with Dr Dre  not a single romantic melody for her fans to imagine smooching with her to.

But there are rare and wonderful moments, especially when someone digs out a record you have certainly never heard before.

I've never forgotten Roy Jenkins's demand for something crackly and ancient called The Soviet Airman's Song. I still sometimes find myself humming: 'Higher still and higher, follow the Soviet star / And every propeller is rrrr-roaring  Defend the USSR!' Even though I heard it only once.

Mostly, people's choices are heartfelt, reflecting their inward lives, and give the gentle Kirsty a chance to probe further (which she has become ever more adept at doing). Last year, to mark the 75th anniversary of the show, she revealed her own favourite guest was . . . Sir David Attenborough, although Noel Gallagher made her Top 10, too.

She has been a treasure in the job, and I am hoping vigorously for her return before too long.

Some conspiracy theorists say that, once recovered, she might be in the frame to host BBC1's Question Time when David Dimbleby quits at the end of the year. God forbid  she still has the TV looks, but would be utterly wasted in that ill-tempered bear-pit.

Bring her home to the Island! The gulls will be calling!

Meanwhile, though, the chair must go to Lauren Laverne from 6 Music for the time being.

Lauren is lively and intelligent, and nicely curious about people, but has no journalistic background and is emerging from a noisier, self-advertising pop and social media world.

That is not a criticism: to advance now through the hubbub and squawk of media  that is what this new generation must do; the age of slow-growth is well and truly over.

Laverne may be good. But dammit, Kirsty Young was great!
Peter Dutton says he personally intervened to save a French au pair from deportation because he thought it was a "bit rough" for a young woman with no criminal history to get kicked out of the country.

As immigration minister in November 2015, Mr Dutton intervened to free the 27-year-old from immigration detention after his office was lobbied by AFL boss Gil McLachlan.

Mr Dutton, who is now Home Affairs minister, said he weighed up the case based on its merit rather than the person who had referred it.

"I looked at it and thought it's a bit rough, there's no criminal history, she's agreed that she wouldn't work while I was here," he told 2GB radio on Thursday.

"As I understand it, she never overstayed the visa, hasn't committed any offences, and I thought it was an application of common sense."
Ashleigh Barty has overcome a bizarre mid-match stoppage to safely advance to the third round of the US Open for the second straight year.

Barty's cunning court craft and clutch serve was too much for Lucie Safarova, Australia's top-ranked player taking out the former French Open finalist 7-5 6-3 under lights on Show Court 17 at Flushing Meadows.

In setting up a likely third-round clash with Spanish superstar Garbine Muguruza, Barty had as much trouble dealing with a malfunction with the on-court PA system as she did with her erratic Czech opponent.
Two days before she arrived in Melbourne with $1.1 million worth of cocaine hidden in her false-bottom suitcase, Elisa Salatino didn't even have a passport.

The 40-year-old Italian woman initially turned down the offer of an all-expenses-paid trip from a friend and his associates, until he expedited travel documents for her.

Arriving at Melbourne Airport in February last year, her short break turned into anything but, when customs officials discovered she was smuggling 5.3kg of cocaine.

After 18 months behind bars and a nine-day trial, County Court Judge Irene Lawson on Thursday ordered Salatino spend 10 years in prison for importing a border controlled drug.

She wept as an Italian translator told her she must serve at least six years before she's eligible for parole.

Judge Lawson said Salatino, from Bari in southern Italy, was vulnerable and "somewhat naive" when exploited by her friend and his associates.

She met the man, a friend's brother, several months before her arrest and had come to enjoy his companionship in the tough period after the breakdown of a violent marriage.

It was he who suggested she take a break in Melbourne and arranged travel documents before driving her toward Rome airport.

A short distance away they stopped at a service station and when she returned from the bathroom another man she knew as "the bookkeeper" was at the car and together the men suggested she needed a bigger and stronger suitcase for the long trip.

They produced a Monza suitcase and she transferred her belongings into the new bag before getting into the taxi they'd arranged to take her the rest of the way, blaming traffic on their not being able to take her themselves.

When customs officials uncovered the false bottom, a wooden board under the lining, she denied knowing it was there.

Judge Lawson said there was no evidence Salatino had known or believed there were drugs in her bag, but the jury accepted the prosecution's case that she was reckless.

Salatino, whose friends described her as having good ethics, was working as an integration teacher, helping children with disabilities, when she was arrested and had just begun a volunteer paramedic course.

Given her foreign nationality she'll serve out her sentence in a maximum security prison.
Australian security agencies are keeping a watchful eye on local efforts to help people smugglers overseas after a boatload of suspected asylum seekers ran aground in far north Queensland.

Border officials are also ramping up surveillance efforts following the successful venture on Sunday, the first since 2014.

It's believed 15 of them have been taken to Christmas Island, while the remaining pair have been arrested by Australian Federal Police.

There are reports one of the men, the captain, made contact with people in Sydney before his arrest in an attempt to arrange transport from the area.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on Thursday would not confirm the details but said agencies were aware of onshore efforts to organise such vessels.

"We know they're in contact with people smugglers offshore," he told Sydney's 2GB radio.

"We know that there's money to be made and they will take money off these people to put them onto boats.

"We have a number of AFP and ASIO investigations underway on a regular basis around what involvement these people have had in trying to put together these vessels."

Mr Dutton said Border Force officials will learn lessons from the incident and will step up their efforts as a result.

"If we need to increase the hours of surveillance flights that we have then that will happen," he said.
South Australia will receive $72 million of federal funding to overhaul the state's notorious Port Wakefield Road, a major highway linking Adelaide to the Northern Territory.

The federal and state Liberal governments will work together to deliver the $90 million project, which involves duplicating the road at Port Wakefield and building an overpass for Augusta Highway.

"When it comes to ensuring that we have better, safer roads, the Commonwealth government is committed to doing just that," Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack told reporters on Thursday.
Rising Australian star Kurtis Marschall has smashed his personal best twice in less than an hour to finish third in the men's pole vault in an exhibition event at Zurich's central train station.

Competing before a large and enthusiastic crowd under the roof at the station, Marschall clinched third spot with a clearance of 5.86m - the best by an Australian in seven years.

He had also gone over successfully at 5.81m earlier in the competition, which bettered his previous best mark by 1cm.

The 21-year-old Marschall has enjoyed a breakout season, also winning gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.

Russian Timur Morgunov, competing as an authorised neutral athlete, claimed the victory in Zurich with a clutch final-round clearance of 5.91m.

Marschall now moves to Brussels for the Diamond League final on Friday (early Saturday AEST) before rounding out his European campaign at the Continental Cup in Ostrava next weekend.
A woman will have to pay the state of Queensland $1.9 million after a successful proceeds of crime action against her.

The Crime and Corruption Commission secured the order in Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday for the 39-year-old to pay Queensland $1,970,499.94 after she was charged with serious drug offences in October 2015.

During the police investigation more than $1.8m in cash was seized and the CCC was able to demonstrate the woman had significant unexplained wealth and property including the cash.
A petition calling on the NSW government to save Sydney's Luna Park is no laughing matter, with the fun park's operator saying a court ruling threatens its long-term future.

More than 5000 visitors to the amusement park have signed a petition calling on the coalition to intervene following the NSW Land and Environment Court decision.

But the operators need another 5000 signatures to ensure the petition is tabled in parliament.

The court ruled in mid-July that the park couldn't install a new ride, The Flying Circus, without a development approval.

The judgement means the amusement park must submit a development application every time it replaces, moves or installs a new ride.

Local residents worried about noise also have a say as part of the approval process.

Luna Park Sydney managing director Peter Hearne says the operator has spent more than $10 million over 20 years fighting legal cases.

He fears a group of affluent residents will use noise complaints to block new rides or further restrict park opening and operation times.

"The ruling is totally unviable," Mr Hearne told AAP on Thursday.

"It will take us at least, from the start of the process, nine months for each application with no guarantee it will be successful."

Rides are booked seasonally depending on demand and availability, he explained, making forward planning difficult.

The ruling will also apply to the amusement park's school holiday activities, including a pop-up ice-skating rink and outdoor cinema.

"I can't even bring in an inflatable jumping castle," Mr Hearne said.

The ruling will also delay the park's planned $20 million refurbishment announced in March 2017.

Luna Park, which opened its grinning doors in 1935, covers about three hectares on the north side of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Developers Brookfield Multiplex lease the heritage-listed site and park from the NSW government, with the deal expiring in 2044.

The NSW government placed legislative conditions on the site when it re-opened in 2004.

Mr Hearne says the park will not be appealing the court's decision, instead petitioning the government to exempt rides from needing a DA.
An ugly feud between the West Australian and federal governments over remote Aboriginal housing funding is becoming increasingly bitter and shows no sign of ending soon.

WA received $1.16 billion under the 10-year National Partnerships Agreement on Remote Housing, which expired in July, and was then offered $60 million over three years.

The state government complained loudly, launching a $245,000 advertising campaign accusing the Commonwealth of walking away from the state's most vulnerable people.

That's when relations between Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and WA Housing Minister Peter Tinley turned ugly.

Senator Scullion claims Mr Tinley initially agreed to the $60 million deal then reneged.

"Is this bloke really so incompetent that he had forgotten that we have been engaged in negotiations since December last year and it is because he reneged on our agreement that we are yet to resolve this issue?

"If so, it is high time he reconsider his position as housing minister," Senator Scullion said recently.

He's even slung the word "racist" at Mr Tinley and WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt, who is also Australia's first indigenous treasurer, accusing them of playing petty politics with people's lives.

Mr Tinley said he was disappointed by the personal attack.

"Descending to petty name-calling does not reflect well on Senator Scullion," he said earlier this week.

"His 'racist' comment is particularly offensive.

"I can hardly be 'racist' if I am calling for help for some of the most vulnerable people in the nation."

Senator Scullion has adopted the recommendation in last year's Remote Housing Review that the costs should be shared equally between the Commonwealth and jurisdictions, and he refuses to match the $91 million allocated by WA this financial year and $81 million in 2019-20.

That's because it's largely for services and his office insists it must be for new housing and refurbishments.

Asked about that on Wednesday, Premier Mark McGowan only replied Senator Scullion's commentary was "erratic and shocking".

"If there was anyone who should have been dropped from federal Cabinet, it was Senator Scullion," he said.

"He's a national disgrace and his behaviour on remote housing is appalling."

Labor Leader Bill Shorten also weighed in to the feud while taking a swipe at new special envoy for indigenous affairs Tony Abbott, saying he should convince Prime Minister Scott Morrison to stump up more cash.

"If they want a reset on treating first Australians with some degree of decency, Mr Abbott and Mr Morrison should reverse their cuts to remote housing," Mr Shorten said.

Mr Tinley says he will write to Mr Morrison asking him to intervene, while Senator Scullion has urged the WA government "to put forward a fair dinkum offer that the Commonwealth can consider and hopefully match dollar for dollar if we find it acceptable".

Victoria, NSW and Tasmania opted out of a new agreement, leaving the federal government negotiating with WA, South Australia and Queensland.
Water won't start flowing from Sydney's desalination plant for months after the facility is switched on again leading some to call for the NSW government to bring forward water restrictions.

The $1.8 billion plant will be ready to start after December 13, Resources Minister Don Harwin said on Thursday, but it takes some six months to reach full production.

Sydney's dam levels are predicted to fall below 60 per cent - the trigger to turn on the desalination plant - in December.

Dams are currently at 64.9 per cent and falling about 0.6 percentage points per week.

Mr Harwin told 2GB testing is unde rway at the desalination plant at Kurnell, which had part of its roof torn off during a 2015 storm.

A fight between its private owners and insurers delayed repairs and delayed testing until August 22.

Mr Harwin admitted there had been some "argy-bargy" but insisted the on-switch could be flicked by mid-December if necessary.

There was no need for water restriction just yet, he added.

"Sydney has one of the largest water catchments of any city in the world.

"We've got two years worth of water even if it doesn't rain, at all, any time in the next two years. There's no need to panic."

The desalination plant can produce up to 250 megalitres of fresh water a day - approximately 15 per cent of Sydney's water demand, according to the state government.

Water restrictions don't become compulsory until catchment levels reach 50 per cent.
Australia and Indonesia will take big steps towards a long-awaited free trade deal as Prime Minister Scott Morrison makes his first overseas visit.

The new leader will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday in Jakarta, where they will sign memorandums of understanding on trade and strategic security.

Negotiations for a free trade deal are almost complete, opening up two-way trade opportunities for universities, farmers, and manufacturing in two of the world's top 20 economies.

Mr Morrison will be officially welcomed to the presidential palace, where he will meet one-on-one with President Widodo, before a bilateral trade meeting.

"For many years, the relationship has been described as under-done," Australia Indonesia Business Council president Phil Turtle told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday.

"I don't think either country is in each other's top 10 trading partners.

"There is great opportunity now to have this agreement as a kickstart to try and do a lot better than we have been."

The agreement will free up Indonesia's university sector for Australian investors, allowing up to 67 per cent foreign ownership. Foreign investors are currently barred from majority ownership in an Indonesian university.

The deal, which has been discussed since 2012 and was initially due to be completed last year, should be signed later in 2018 after a legal vetting of documents.

Mr Morrison said he had "a really good chat" with President Widodo on the weekend ahead of their meeting on Friday.

"We're a government that believes in trade because trade creates jobs. We're a pro-trade government," Mr Morrison told reporters in Sydney.

Mr Morrison will also plant a tree at the palace.

Former prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was due to take the trip before he was deposed, but Mr Turtle said the change in leader would not affect the negotiations.
A man has been charged with assaulting an off-duty policeman in southwest Sydney.

Two off-duty officers were trying to arrest the 20-year-old at a Spring Farm service station on Thursday afternoon following an altercation when the man allegedly punched one officer in the face.

A third off-duty police officer who was driving past helped subdue the man. The officer who was punched was treated for facial swelling and bruising; the other two suffered minor injuries..

The 20-year-old man, who was treated for a cut above his eye, is due to appear at Picton Local Court on September 25 charged with common assault, assaulting a police officer and resisting an officer.
A Sydney company has been fined more than $112,000 after a young worker lost four fingers while working on a machine that bends and folds metal.

Duct Australia Pty Ltd, based in Wetherill Park, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with health and safety laws and was this week handed the penalty in the NSW District Court over the 2014 incident.

"This poor worker did not receive adequate training to operate this machine, and tragically four of his fingers were partially amputated," NSW Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said in a statement on Friday.
Google says it does not use political ideology to determine its search rankings

His attacks on Google drew headlines, but President Donald Trump would face an impossible task if his administration tried to regulate the leading internet search engine and its news results.

Legal and media experts say Google and other internet firms enjoy the same constitutional protections on free speech as news outlets, precluding any government interference with the search results that displease the president.

"Each search engine's editorial judgment is much like many other familiar editorial judgments," said Eugene Volokh, a University of California-Los Angeles law professor and author of a 2012 white paper on the constitutional First Amendment protection of search engines.

Volokh said in a blog post on Reason.com after Trump's remarks that algorithms developed by Google and others are "editorial judgments about what users are likely to find interesting and valuable. And all these exercises of editorial judgment are fully protected by the First Amendment."

Eric Goldman, co-director of the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University, said there is ample legal precedent for Google's free-speech rights.

"Search engines fully qualify for First Amendment protections for their search results. Numerous cases going back over 15 years have confirmed this," Goldman said.

"Any effort by Trump to 'fix' search engine results will violate the First Amendment. It's not even a close question."

- Trump's threat -

US President Donald Trump has said his administration would seek to act on what he claimed was bias by big internet firms

Trump's comments however stoked debate on the question when he assailed Google for what he termed "rigged" results that hide news from conservative outlets and promote content from what he called "left-wing" media.

Google countered the remarks by saying that "search is not used to set a political agenda and we don't bias our results toward any political ideology."

The president's comments follow criticism from Republican lawmakers including House majority leader Kevin McCarthy who claimed that "conservatives are too often finding their voices silenced" on online platforms.

Trump on Tuesday issued an unspecified warning to tech firms, presumably related to his claims that they suppress conservative views.

He repeated his claim on Wednesday, saying big tech firms "treat conservatives and Republicans very unfairly," but stopped short of calling for regulation.

"You know what we want? Not regulation, we want fairness," he told reporters.

Using the hashtag #StopTheBias, Trump later posted on Twitter what was purported to be a series of screen grabs that showed Google's home page promoted State of the Union addresses by former president Barack Obama but stopped when he took office.

Google said the video was factually incorrect, adding that "on January 30, 2018, we highlighted the livestream of President Trump's State of the Union on the google.com homepage," and screenshots circulated online appeared to confirm that.

- Don't regulate every interaction -

President Donald Trump this week issued an unspecified warning to Google, Facebook and Twitter to "be careful," presumably related to his claim that they suppress conservative voices

There is little evidence to show algorithms by online firms are based on politics, and many conservatives -- including Trump himself -- have large social media followings.

Analysts say it would be dangerous to try to regulate how search engines work to please a government or political faction.

"Google is a private company with its own algorithms and the government has absolutely no control in how it conducts business," said Ken Paulson, former USA Today editor who heads the Newseum's First Amendment Center and is dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University.

"The broader threat to First Amendment freedoms comes when the most powerful man in the world repeatedly says that you can only trust him, not news organizations or the search engines that deliver their coverage."

But even without constitutional protection, the idea of regulating billions of Google searches would be an impossible task.

"We deliberately don't regulate every interaction in the economy because we know it's unfathomable," said David Balto, a former Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department enforcement lawyer.

Balto maintained that Trump's suggestion "is an Orwellian concept that might fit well in '1984' but is totally inconsistent with our tenets of democracy."

Other analysts say the Trump comments are merely an attempt to rally his base and raise doubts about news organizations investigating him.

"Authoritarian regimes would love to have that power over search engines," said Ed Black, president and CEO of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, a trade group that includes Google and Facebook.

"The US government should be an advocate against this type of censorship."
Former US soldier Chelsea Manning freed last year after then US president Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence days before he left office, was due to talk at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday

US whistleblower Chelsea Manning, jailed for leaking classified information, is facing a ban from Australia with organisers of a speaking tour saying Thursday her visa application was likely to be refused.

The former soldier, freed last year after then US president Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence days before he left office, was due to talk at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday followed by engagements in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Suzi Jamil from Think Inc, which organised Manning's tour of Australia and New Zealand, said a "notice of intention to consider refusal" of her visa application was received from the conservative government on Wednesday.

"We are very disappointed to learn that the department of home affairs has taken this approach and will be vigorously advocating for her ability to enter Australia," Jamil told AFP.

"Ms Manning has many formidable ideas and an insightful perspective which we are hoping to bring to the forefront of Australian dialogue."

Jamil said Think Inc would "pursue all legal avenues to the minister and hope he will decide to allow the Australian public to hear about vital issues around data privacy, artificial intelligence and transgender rights".

The Australian government does not comment on individual cases but said anyone entering the country must meet the character requirements set out in the Migration Act.

"A person can fail the character test for a number of reasons, including but not limited to where a non-citizen has a substantial criminal record or where their conduct represents a risk to the Australian community," a spokesperson for the home affairs department added.

Manning, who was an army intelligence analyst, was detained in 2010 and jailed in 2013 for leaking over 700,000 classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The revelations by Manning, who is transgender and was then known as Bradley Manning, exposed covered-up misdeeds and possible crimes by US troops and allies.

Her actions made Manning a hero to anti-war and anti-secrecy activists but US establishment figures branded her a traitor.

She served seven years and during her incarceration battled for -- and won -- the right to start hormone treatment.

Manning's speaking tour has also generated lively debate in New Zealand, where she is booked for events on September 8 and 9.

She will need special dispensation to enter the country because of her convictions and the conservative opposition wants her barred, labelling Manning a felon who has shown no remorse and wants to profit by talking about her crimes.

New Zealand's immigration department is still considering her visa application.
A demonstrator attends a protest in Istanbul in July against China's treatment of its Uighur minority

China on Thursday sharply rebuked US lawmakers who called on President Donald Trump's administration to slap sanctions on Chinese officials involved in the internment of a Muslim minority in the country's far-west Xinjiang region.

"The US has no right to criticise China on this issue, to be a judge in this regard," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, pointing to America's own issues with racial discrimination.

"These lawmakers are receiving money from the American taxpayer, they should focus on their job... instead of trying to poke their nose in the business of other countries, trying to be the judge of human rights and even threatening to impose unreasonable sanctions on other countries," Hua added.

In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Wednesday, members of Congress from both parties called for sanctions against seven officials and two surveillance equipment manufacturers, The Wall Street Journal reported.

"Today I & a bipartisan group of 16 members of Congress asked @POTUS to use the Global Magnitsky Act to freeze the assets & ban the entry of Chinese officials responsible for the mass roundup of Muslims in internment camps in the #Xinjiang region," Marco Rubio said on Twitter.

China has denied allegations that one million of its mostly Muslim Uighur minority are being held in such camps.

A Chinese official told a UN human rights committee in Geneva earlier this month that tough security measures in Xinjiang were necessary to combat extremism and terrorism, but did not target any specific ethnic group or restrict religious freedoms.

China has branded reports of such camps "completely untrue", saying that the "education and training centres" to which "minor criminals" are assigned serve merely "to assist in their rehabilitation and reintegration."

But multiple NGOs and China experts believe the reality is far more sinister, saying accounts from former detainees and official documents point to a massive programme of political and cultural indoctrination.

Last year, China banned "abnormally long" beards and Muslim veils in Xinjiang -- which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan -- and ordered all car owners in the region to install GPS tracking devices.

Meanwhile in December 2017, New York-based Human Rights Watch reported that Xinjiang authorities were planning to collect bio data from all residents.
June 26: A female black rhino at Nairobi National Park awaits translocation to Tsavo East

It was a disaster that left wildlife lovers around the globe appalled and baffled.

Eleven of Kenya's precious black rhinos were transferred to a new home in what was supposed to be a routine operation in a country fabled for its conservation.

So how did all of them end up dead?

The primary cause of death, an official report found, was due to toxic levels of salt in the water of their sanctuary.

But an AFP investigation has found that the problem was well known and deep concerns were ignored.

Experts sounded repeated warnings about the site's unsuitability.

Yet the relocation project was pushed through -- and officials are now blaming each other for the fiasco.

The translocation was launched with great fanfare in late June by Kenya's tourism and wildlife minister, Najib Balala, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which donated a million dollars (860,000 euros) for the project.

Dubbed #TheBigMove, the operation would help ensure the survival of a species brutally depleted by poaching.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) describes the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) as Critically Endangered -- just one step away from being extinct in the wild.

Experts preparing for the translocation fitted a radio transmitter into the rhinos' horns to provide data about their location

Rhino from parks in Nairobi and Nakuru were sedated, loaded and transported to a new sanctuary in Tsavo East, a project that the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and WWF had spent six years preparing.

There, the rhino drank borehole water so salty that it corroded a metal grill around the pump valve, and no other wildlife would come near it, said Dr Benson Kibore, head of Kenya's Union of Veterinary Practitioners.

The saline water made the animals only thirstier, pushing them to drink more, drawing water out of their body tissue, thickening and slowing their blood. They were "desiccated", said Kibore.

A rhino named Bolt was the first to die, and the others soon followed. The last, Jack, was so weakened he could not fend off a lion attack that left him wobbling and alone, with huge gashes in his side before he succumbed days later.

- 'No way!' -

"I was horrified. I was very certain there was going to be a very big problem with those rhinos," said Nehemiah Rotich, a veteran conservationist and former KWS chairman.

At the time of the translocation, he was chief operating officer but had been tasked by the KWS board with looking closely into the project.

Rotich and some former members of the board -- the oversight body which has to approve major management decisions -- said they had blocked the transfer multiple times due to fears about the saline borehole water and the lack of vegetation.

"The site chosen wasn't a good one," Rotich told AFP. He visited it twice, arguing it was too arid and far from a river, requiring the drilling of two boreholes.

Discord came to a head in 2016, former board member Brian Heath said.

The board were told with just days' notice that a big ceremony was planned by KWS and the WWF to launch the transfer, just as a punishing drought was taking hold, he said.

"We said, 'No way!'" he recalled.

But pressure persisted, he said.

Both Heath and Rotich accused the WWF of "pushing hard" for the translocation. Their anger was echoed last week by prominent conservationist and former KWS chair Richard Leakey, who in a parliamentary submission slammed the WWF for "interference."

In October 2017, the board gave conditional approval for the translocation pending improved conditions at the site.

The board's mandate expired in April 2018.

By that time, the green light for the translocation had still not been given to the management.

Even so, the operation went ahead three months later -- in the absence of a new board.

- Blame-trading -

Evidence of the tussle over the translocation comes from a meeting in May 2017 attended by KWS officials and WWF's chief rhino expert, Martin Mulama.

Two sets of minutes were written, according to documents seen by AFP.

The first made no mention of concerns, but was amended after complaints from some present, leading to a second version that included the warning: "The prevailing habitat could not allow any translocation to take place."

A series of 15 water assessments by KWS, conducted between February and May this year, indicated that the water was at times up to three times saltier than recommended levels.

But Kibore claims that these crucial documents were not provided to vets even when the first rhino fell sick.

As a result, the vets wasted valuable time looking for other causes, such as a snake bite.

WWF's Mulama strongly denied pressuring anyone to push ahead with the translocation and insisted that sole responsibility lay with the KWS.

The WWF, he said, was not aware of problems with the sanctuary and had received "regular assurances from KWS that the site was suitable and safe."

"At no time would we do anything detrimental to the species we were trying to protect," Mulama said.

- 'A dark time' -

Former KWS board members accuse Balala of using his ministerial powers to authorise the transfer in their absence. Some observers have called for his resignation.

However, the minister, an energetic pitchman with a penchant for colourful bow ties, denied any decision-making role and in turn blames the board, telling AFP that if it had been so unhappy with the site, it should have cancelled the project entirely.

"My invitation (to the launch) was purely ceremonial. Did I know about water? Did I know the board was objecting? I was not even aware," he told AFP.

"If they want me to resign, just prove what role did I have in the process of the translocation," he said.

For Kenyan conservationist Paula Kahumbu, the problem is far greater than the wrangle of which individual signed off on the calamitous mission.

"Things failed at multiple levels, the lack of accountability from various authorities is of great concern," she said.

Kahumbu said the signs of turbulence within KWS, and recent developments such as the building of railways through national parks, and other encroaching infrastructure show it is "a very, very dark time for Kenya" and its wildlife.
The black rhino

Once it roamed Asia and Africa in the tens of thousands. Today, the rhinoceros has been driven to near-extinction.

Three of the five species of rhino are listed as critically endangered -- their numbers decimated by poachers who kill the giant mammal for its horn, used in traditional Chinese medicine or as a supposed aphrodisiac.

The two species found in Africa are the black rhino and larger white rhino, with genetically distinct northern and southern subspecies. Together they number between 25,000 and 30,000 on the continent today.

Kenya is home to one of the largest populations of rhinos in Africa, after South Africa. It also has only two remaining female northern white rhinos, whose species is on the brink of extinction after the last male died in March.

In 1970, Kenya boasted 20,000 black rhinos -- a number which plummeted 98 percent to only 350 in 1983, but has steadily crept up to over 700 due to conservation efforts.

Kenya is a pioneer of the sanctuary approach, placing rhino in fenced-off areas under the close watch of armed rangers equipped with thermal imaging cameras and drones.

Ironically, this success comes with its own set of problems as there is limited space for these rhinos. As a result, faced with a burgeoning human population, they cannot roam and expand their gene pool.

With black rhino populations thriving in parks in Nairobi and Nakuru, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) this year decided to move 14 rhinos to a new sanctuary in Tsavo East, in the southeastern Kenya, in an operation funded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

KWS has successfully carried out numerous so-called translocations of this kind.

But in this case, all 11 animals which were moved died. The three others were not transferred.

The figure represents more than the nine rhino poached in the country in 2017.

Despite the tragedy, officials underline the country's success in bringing down poaching in recent years, with 59 rhino killed in 2013.

South Africa, home of the largest rhino population, has lost over 1,000 of the animals annually over the past five years, according to the group Save The Rhino.
If they are fit enough to leave their beds, patients on the ground floor can talk to their loved ones through the windows

Outside a hospital in Algeria, worried relatives arrive daily in a desperate bid to talk to those quarantined inside -- the victims of the country's first cholera outbreak in more than 20 years.

Cases began appearing in early August and two people have so far died, with scores hospitalised in Boufarik, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Algiers.

Said, whose mother has been quarantined for 10 days, told AFP he is "tired and demoralised".

"I want to visit my mother. But they do not allow me access", he said.

Only suspected cholera admissions, confirmed cases and staff are allowed into Boufarik hospital's infectious diseases department, where 91 people have been quarantined.

For others, access is "formally forbidden", said manager Reda Daghbouche.

If they are fit enough to leave their beds, patients on the ground floor can talk to their loved ones through the windows.

Standing a metre (yard) or so in front of an open window with blue shutters, three women covered their mouths with veils or handkerchiefs, as they exchanged a few words with a relative.

And truck driver Fatah spoke through the bars of a locked door to his mother -- one of 59 confirmed cases.

"Thank God, she is now on her two feet -- when we brought her to the hospital she was in a serious condition, we thought we'd lose her", he said.

Fatah has visited his mother every day for 12 days and "hopes for her release very soon".

- Suspect watermelons -

Patients arriving at the hospital with acute watery diarrhoea and vomiting -- key cholera symptoms -- are immediately placed in isolation.

Samples are sent to the Pasteur Institute, the national body in charge of infectious diseases, to test for Vibrio cholerae bacteria.

It is Algeria's first outbreak of cholera in more than 20 years

Patients are rehydrated while they await results.

"Analysis takes from three to seven days", said Daghbouche.

Those who test negative are sent home, while confirmed cases are kept in hospital until tests show the Vibrio bug has disappeared.

In the hospital yard, a 35-year-old man kicked his heels, not quite sure what to do with himself.

He told AFP he has been cured of cholera, after eight days in hospital.

But around 10 of his relatives are still hospitalised, he added, declining to give his name.

Residents of Boufarik who live close to the hospital do not disguise their concern.

Many are poorly informed about cholera, which is transmitted through infected faecal matter, often via contaminated water or food.

A grocer told AFP he wears medical gloves in case "the banknotes are contaminated".

While the authorities insist tap water has not been compromised, the cost of mineral water has soared.

And anti-bacterial gel has sold out locally.

Meanwhile, watermelons -- allegedly the origin of the outbreak, since they absorb large quantities of untreated water -- won't sell for any price.

On Tuesday, 16 patients were allowed to go home from Boufarik hospital.

An elderly man jumped for joy, as he saw his daughter leave the isolation wing after 10 days inside.

He kissed the security guards who had stopped him from entering the wing.

The released patients ran to their relatives' cars, desperate to leave.

Those who remain in quarantine are like "prisoners waiting to be pardoned", said Fatah, disappointed that his mother remains inside.
Khady Dieye holds photographs of her husband who left the family home on Senegal's northern coast and boarded a dugout canoe in the hope of reaching Spain. Like many other would-be migrants, he disappeared, leaving his family not knowing whether he was dead or alive, stuck between hope and grief "Since then, we have not had any news of him," said Dieye, who lives in the small fishing village of Ndiebene-Gandiol near Saint-Louis.

In 2006, Khady Dieye's husband left the family home on Senegal's northern coast and boarded a dugout canoe in the hope of reaching Spain.

"Since then, we have not had any news of him," said Dieye, who lives in the small fishing village of Ndiebene-Gandiol near Saint-Louis.

Like many other would-be migrants, he disappeared, leaving his family not knowing whether he was dead or alive, stuck between hope and grief.

With thousands of migrants dying at sea every year across the globe, European and African governments are struggling to keep up with the deaths and identify the bodies, experts told AFP.

"Many migrants' bodies wash up here because of rip currents," said the local deputy mayor, Arona Mael Sow, referring to notoriously dangerous coastal areas where river and sea waters mingle.

Despite close collaboration with the police and firemen, "there are always bodies we are not able to identify," Sow told AFP.

So families like Dieye's go through the mourning process anyway, observing the proper rituals in this Muslim-majority country.

"We said the Koran and gave the alms five months later," added the 50-year-old, who lives with her four children on a small plot of land.

Dieye heads a support group for families of missing migrants with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which posts their pictures online to help with the search.

Another villager, Safietou Ndiaye, said it took her family seven months to accept the probable death of her brother in 2006.

But not all families manage to do so.

"Some keep the hope that their relatives are still alive," Ndieye said.

- Water damage -

Earlier this month, a canoe carrying 150 would-be migrants from The Gambia ran aground in Dakar, the Atlantic port city and capital of Senegal.

Fishing boats at Ndiebene-Gandiol near the northern Senegal city of Saint-Louis

Similar incidents have multiplied on the coast of Senegal and Mauritania in recent months -- sometimes with tragic outcomes.

And rescuing victims from the sea can make identification much harder because "bodies which have been taken out of the water have often started rotting," a security official in Saint-Louis told AFP.

In such cases, they are buried on the beach, he said.

Across the globe, the number of migrants who have died at sea is "enormous" but the rate at which they are identified remains "very low," said Jose Baraybar, a Paris-based forensic expert who works for the International Committee of the Red Cross and was addressing a meeting in Dakar.

So local residents have teamed up to do their own investigations.

"We discuss the disappeared, how to identify them from their clothes, watches, faces, identity papers," Dieye told AFP, saying her village was working with people from another village near Dakar.

- Lucky charms -

When two local boys died at sea in April, their relatives recognised them through the clothes and lucky charms they were wearing, Ndiebene-Gandiol's mayor said.

And in the neighbouring village of Pilote-Bar, bracelets and rings were found on corpses which helped with identification, according to Issa Wade, who heads another support group for the families of missing migrants.

But it gets significantly harder when the deaths occur hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

"The main issue is having information about the victims before they die," explained Baraybar.

"Without knowing who they were, if they were 1.80 metres tall, what they were wearing or whether they were wearing a ring or a bracelet, without having this information from the relatives, it is impossible."

The puzzle continues for forensic experts in places like Greece or Italy, when bodies are found in the Mediterranean.

In transit countries like Tunisia, "migrants conceal all information about themselves to avoid being sent back to their country" if arrested, said Moncef Hamdoun, who heads the forensic department at Charles-Nicolle hospital in Tunis.

"We have a database for Tunisians," but not for people from elsewhere, he said.

And when bodies end up in the sea, pictures are of little use, he said.
Police at the crime scene outside a Standard Chartered bank branch in Singapore. Bank robberies are extremely rare in the city-state, whose zero-tolerance approach to crime has made it one of Asia's safest cities

A British court has ruled a man suspected of carrying out a rare bank robbery in Singapore can be extradited after the city-state promised he will not be caned, officials said Thursday.

The government in London will now make the final decision on whether David Roach, a Canadian citizen, will be sent to the city-state to face justice, Singapore's attorney-general's office and interior ministry said in a statement.

Roach is wanted in Singapore for allegedly stealing Sg$30,000 ($22,000) from a Standard Chartered bank branch in 2016 after strolling in and presenting a threatening note.

He fled to Bangkok, where he was jailed on charges related to bringing the stolen cash into Thailand but authorities refused to send him to Singapore as the countries do not have an extradition treaty.

After his release, he was detained in January at London's Heathrow Airport while in transit en route to Canada, and Singapore requested that he be deported to the city-state. Singapore and Britain have an extradition treaty.

The British court decided on Wednesday "that the requirements for Singapore's extradition request under UK law have been met", said the attorney-general's office and interior ministry.

In a bid to get their extradition request approved, Singapore had agreed to a demand from London that Roach would not face corporal punishment if convicted.

Flogging with a heavy rattan cane, a legacy of British colonial rule, is a common punishment in Singapore, with convicted bank robbers facing a minimum penalty of six strokes, as well as at least two years in jail.

But Britain abolished caning as a punishment for criminals decades ago, and refuses to extradite anyone to a country where the punishment exists.

Roach is wanted in Singapore on one count of robbery and one count of money laundering.

Bank robberies are extremely rare in Singapore, whose zero-tolerance approach to crime has made it one of Asia's safest cities.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to visit China's President Xi Jinping in October

China on Thursday told Japan to "rein in its journalists" after Tokyo lodged a protest over Beijing blocking a Japanese reporter from covering a meeting between top diplomats from the two countries.

On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry excluded a reporter from the Sankei Shimbun -- a Japanese conservative daily critical of China -- from a media pool covering the start of a meeting between China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese vice foreign minister Takeo Akiba.

Other Japanese media covering the event in Beijing then boycotted the pool coverage in protest.

Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga confirmed Tokyo had lodged a protest with China over the incident.

"The Japanese government believes that respect for basic human rights including freedom of expression is a universal value in the international community, and ensuring those rights is important in any country," Suga told reporters in Tokyo.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying dismissed the criticism, saying Beijing had been "wrongfully accused".

"The Japanese government needs to rein in its own journalists," she told reporters.

"They should ensure that their media respects their host country, follows the rules... so as to enhance mutual trust and understanding between the two countries, instead of doing the opposite, this is common sense."

Akiba, who was in Beijing ahead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China expected in October, also protested to his Chinese opposite number Le Yucheng, Suga said.

Suga however said bilateral relations between the two regional rivals are improving.

"The date of Prime Minister Abe's visit is under coordination right now," Suga said, adding that "we hope to push up to a new stage the relationship between Japan and China through visits by high level officials."

Fumihiko Iguchi, executive officer of the Sankei Shimbun, described Beijing's actions as "unfair obstruction of legal newsgathering activities that cannot be ignored."

"We express our regret," he said in a Wednesday statement, adding that the daily "will do our best to continue giving our readers accurate information about the situation in China".
A member of the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, checks messages on his mobile phone

Khaled al-Idlibi was still speeding away with his brother perched on the back of his motorbike when he heard the air strike that levelled his neighbours' house in northwest Syria.

Those crucial extra minutes were thanks to a warning system that could help save civilian lives in an expected regime offensive on Idlib province, home to the last significant rebel-held area.

The Sentry programme, launched two years ago by two Americans and a Syrian coder, uses human observers and a network of sensors to compute a predicted impact location when Syrian or allied Russian warplanes take off.

The resulting estimate can then trigger air raid sirens near the target zone and send warnings to mobile phone applications, giving residents more time to take cover.

Idlibi, a 23-year-old media activist, lives in Maaret al-Shureen, a rebel-controlled town in Idlib.

On June 10 last year, he was picking up belongings he had left behind while fleeing from an earlier air strike when his smartphone suddenly lit up.

"I received an alert on Telegram that a new warplane had taken off towards the same area," he said, recounting that he and his brother jumped on their motorbike and rode to about a kilometre from the predicted impact spot.

Idlibi said "only three children were wounded that day" and estimated that up to 15 lives may have been saved by the Sentry alert.

- 'Huge spike in use' -

First launched in August 2016, the Sentry technology has become a sort of weather forecast service for many Syrians.

The system's creators say that it has proved its worth, including during the intense air campaign against the rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta, earlier this year.

Khaled al-Idlibi, a 23-year-old media activist, says he managed to escape an air strike thanks to a system that sends warnings to mobile phone apps

"We saw a huge spike in use as the campaign ramped up," John Jaeger, a co-founder of the Hala Systems firm that developed the technology used in Sentry, told AFP.

Jaeger, a former US diplomat and technologist who was looking for new ways to prevent civilian deaths in Syria, created the system with US entrepreneur Dave Levin and a Syrian coder whose identity is kept secret.

The system -- which Jaeger says is currently funded by Britain, Canada, the Netherlands and Denmark -- requires a human network on the ground to monitor areas and set up sensors.

It is therefore limited in which zones it can cover. It does not, for example, provide updates on US-led coalition warplanes targeting the Islamic State group in air strikes that have also routinely killed civilians.

Hala Systems estimates that its warning system is available to around two million people in Syria, most of them in Idlib.

Jaeger said that, while reliable statistics were hard to come by, data analysis showed that 27 percent fewer people died in air strikes on areas where Sentry was used.

- 8 minutes -

Residents who get an alert via social media, local radio stations or the air raid sirens that Hala triggers remotely have an average of eight minutes to seek shelter, Jaeger said.

The White Helmets, a network of rescuers in rebel-held areas, are actively involved in the development of Sentry, a technology that gives their staff extra time to mobilise.

White Helmets rescuers rush to an ambulance after receiving an alert in the rebel-held northern Syrian city of Idlib on August 26, 2018

"The civil defence's technicians are trying to develop this service so that it reaches civilians even without internet," the warning system's coordinator in northern Syria, Ibrahim Abu Laith, told AFP in Idlib.

He said 191 awareness sessions were held in recent weeks across parts of northern Syria vulnerable to government air strikes, so civilians know how to access Sentry.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, more than 350,000 people have been killed since the start of the Syrian conflict.

That figure includes around 33,000 civilians killed by regime and Russian air strikes and helicopter attacks.

Jaeger said he had not detected any attempt to disable the Sentry system by Syria's regime.

"They don't say they support it but I think they should. It's nobody's goal to kill as many civilians as possible," he said.

"If Russia or a government aircraft specifically wants to target you, there is little this system can do for you... We just want to prevent as many preventable deaths as possible."
South Korea this month temporarily banned from the streets BMW cars that had not yet passed safety checks

South Korean police raided German carmaker BMW's Seoul headquarters Thursday in connection with dozens of engine fires.

An official at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's white collar crime unit said officers were investigating whether the company covered up vehicle defects and had confiscated documents and other materials.

He declined to give further details but Yonhap news agency said a team of 30 investigators were involved. There was no immediate comment from BMW Korea.

"We will conduct a thorough investigation to reveal the truth," Yonhap quoted a police official as saying.

The move came after reports more than 40 BMW vehicles have burst into flames so far this year, with some parking lots refusing to accept the cars because of fears they could catch fire.

South Korea this month temporarily banned from the streets BMW cars that had not yet passed safety checks and dozens of BMW owners filed complaints seeking a criminal investigation into the firm, its local unit and their nine top officials.

BMW Korea last month started recalling 106,000 vehicles with an exhaust gas recirculation module, which it says caused the recent fires. The recall applies to 42 models, all with diesel engines.

The company is facing a series of legal actions over the issue in the country, and has said the problem was "not Korea specific".

In South Korea, six out of 10 imported cars are from Germany, with BMW selling nearly 39,000 in the first six months of this year, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.
Tens of thousands have been affected by the flooding in central Myanmar

Rescuers in boats negotiated muddy waters on Thursday to reach thousands stranded in central Myanmar after a dam overflowed, sending a torrent of water across farmland and villages.

No casualties have yet been reported but state media said more than 63,000 people in Bago region were affected after the Swar Chaung dam overflowed early Wednesday morning.

The dam's spillway, a structure that controls the release of more than 20,000 cubic metres of water held in Swar Chaung's levee, was broken by seasonal rainfall.

Slabs of concrete where the spillway once stood were left in ruins as a steady stream of water drained out of the reservoir and spilled out into surrounding farmland.

Making up a part of the dam's walls, the structure -- which engineers onsite called a "duck bill" -- once stood 120 metres (400 feet) high.

Local engineers walked along the edges of the dam's walls inspecting the damage, while authorities appeared to be absent from the site.

It is the second major regional flood caused by damage to a dam in weeks, after at least 35 people were killed, scores left missing and thousands displaced by a collapsed hydropower facility in neighbouring Laos.

AFP reporters in Bago province saw soldiers sporting orange life jackets employed to rescue the stranded, steering tin boats to waiting villagers huddled on mudflats.

Trucks were lodged in murky waters while roads had buckled under the weight of the waters, which continued to flow across the villages.

Reeling from the loss of his home, Wai Lin Aung, 27, said there was no warning from authorities on what to do after the dam overflowed.

Myanmar flood

"No one told us what we needed to do so we just monitored the water levels and as the situation became worse, we just ran," he told AFP, adding that he had stayed at a monastery overnight.

"How can I feel comfortable seeing my house destroyed? I have nowhere to live and nothing to eat."

Myanmar experiences a monsoon season that goes from June to November, but locals in Yedashe township said that they had never witnessed such a massive torrent of water.

"It was like something we couldn't believe," Phyu Thi, 35, said.

The heavy weight of the floods also fractured part of a bridge on the Yangon-Mandalay highway linking Myanmar's two biggest cities, throwing the country's traffic artery into disarray.

Minister of Construction Han Zaw said Thursday that 500 people are working to fix the road, which will take about two days.

"(We) are trying to get the situation of transportation back to normal as much as we can," Han Zaw said.

Currently more than 12,600 people have taken shelter in about 30 temporary camps, but many others are at a loss for what to do.

Kyi Win, 46, managed to return to his village to check on the state of his home but said he will continue staying in a temporary shelter.

"Some of the houses are completely destroyed," he said, explaining that the toilet of his house has been wrecked. "For now, I'll stay (at the monastery) because I can't come back here."

The deluge comes just weeks after heavy monsoon rains pummelled Myanmar, causing widespread flash floods that forced some 150,000 people to flee their homes.
Australia's hardline immigration policy has been heavily criticised by rights activists

Amnesty International joined 80 other NGOs on Thursday in urging Pacific leaders demand the closure of an Australian-funded immigration detention camp on Nauru when they meet in the tiny island nation next week.

The 18-nation Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) will hold its annual summit in Nauru from September 3-6, with delegates meeting just a few kilometres from the camp dubbed "Australia's Guantanamo".

It houses asylum-seekers who have tried to reach Australia by boat and are processed in remote facilities on Nauru and Papua New Guinea under Canberra's hardline immigration policies.

Australia says offshore processing is necessary to deter illegal boat arrivals and prevent deaths at sea on the treacherous journey.

Amnesty, along with the 80 other non-government organisations, released an open letter calling on PIF leaders to act and end "a stain on the region".

"Pacific island leaders cannot ignore this issue any longer and need to ensure that it is at the very top of the forum's agenda," Amnesty's Pacific researcher Roshika Deo said.

"This is a desperate situation that requires urgent action. Regional leaders must show that they will not stand by while the Australian government's abusive policies continue to risk more lives."

The rights groups said asylum-seekers on Nauru and PNG's Manus Island were subjected to "cruel and degrading treatment" that must stop.

"(There are) widespread reports of violence against refugees in Papua New Guinea and violence and sexual harassment of women and children on Nauru," the letter said.

There are currently more than 200 people in the Nauru facility, according to the Refugee Council of Australia, including dozens of children.

Rights advocates say they are suffering mental health issues under the strain of indefinite detention, with reports of despondent children harming themselves.

However, the Canberra-bankrolled facility has been an economic lifeline for Nauru, which has an area of only 21 square kilometres (eight square miles) and has depleted its only natural resource, phosphate.

The Nauru government has imposed strict conditions on media covering the PIF summit, threatening to revoke journalists' visas if they capture images of the camps or asylum-seekers.

It has also limited the number of reporters attending and barred Australia's public broadcaster, the ABC, after taking exception to its coverage.
Defence minister Song Young-moo, who was replaced Thursday, came under fire for mishandling a controversy over a defence intelligence unit

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday replaced his defence chief and four other ministers in a cabinet reshuffle after falling approval ratings in recent weeks.

Moon has driven a rapid diplomatic rapprochement with nuclear-armed North Korea, but defence minister Song Young-moo came under fire for mishandling a controversy over a defence intelligence unit.

In March, documents emerged detailing military plans to impose martial law against protesters demanding the ouster of Moon's predecessor Park Geun-hye last year, but Song failed to report them to the presidential Blue House.

Moon named Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and air force general Jeong Kyeong-doo to replace him.

It is normal for South Korean defence ministers to be former top military officers -- Song was previously an admiral.

Moon's popularity rating soared to 83 percent after his Panmunjom summit with the North's leader Kim Jong Un in April.

It has since fallen to a record low of 56 percent in a Realmeter survey last week amid mounting concerns over the economy.

Moon also named new ministers for education, industry, labour and gender equality in Thursday's reshuffle.
Malaysian chefs have reacted angrily to Singapore's bid for UNESCO listing of its hawker food centres

Singapore's bid to get UN recognition for its street food has sparked a cross-border culinary clash, with angry chefs in neighbouring Malaysia pouring cold water on the idea.

The city-state is home to many open-air food courts where vendors, known as "hawkers", serve dishes such as chicken and rice, noodles and meat skewers at relatively cheap prices.

Some hawkers have even been awarded Michelin stars by the culinary bible, which has had a Singapore edition since 2016.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced last week that Singapore will nominate its hawker culture to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage, describing the city-state's food centres as "community dining rooms" which form part of the country's identity.

But the move sparked anger in Malaysia, whose citizens have long claimed their own street food -- which shares many similarities with Singapore's -- is far superior to anything in their tiny neighbour.

"Even the Singaporean people come to Malaysia and enjoy our stalls", said Malysian chef Ismail Ahmad

Malaysian celebrity chef Redzuawan Ismail, commonly known as Chef Wan, told AFP he thought Singapore's UN bid was "rubbish".

"When you talk about hawkers, Singapore is not the only one to have hawker culture... Why (do you) need to go to UNESCO to patent? Is yours so special?" added the chef, who once appeared on a show with late American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.

Another well-known local chef, Ismail Ahmad, insisted that his country was a street food "paradise" and it should be Malaysia that was applying for UN recognition.

"Even the Singaporean people come to Malaysia and enjoy our stalls," he said.

But Singaporeans have dismissed the anger in Malaysia, insisting a UNESCO listing is about more than just food.

"It is about the street food culture heritage that bonds people together and is supported by the government and industry, because it is about the community," acclaimed Singaporean food critic K.F. Seetoh was quoted as saying in the city-state's New Paper newspaper.

"If you have it, flaunt it."

The countries have had testy relations since Singapore became an independent state in 1965 after being ejected from a brief union with Malaysia, but rows about food tend to get particularly heated.

Singapore plans to submit its nomination to UNESCO in March, and an announcement on whether the bid has been successful is expected in 2020.
Indian paramilitary troopers on patrol in Kashmir where a strike and curfew is in place

A general strike and curfew brought Indian-administered Kashmir to a standstill Thursday ahead of a landmark Supreme Court hearing centred on the region's autonomy.

Separatist leaders have threatened major protests if the Supreme Court annuls a constitutional provision that bars Indians from outside Kashmir from buying land or seeking government jobs in the territory.

Businesses, schools and public transport across Kashmir followed separatist demands to stay closed while government forces rolled out razor wire and spiked steel barriers across deserted roads in the main city Srinagar to block demonstrations.

Srinagar residents said they were prevented from going out on the streets by major deployments of police and paramilitary troops.

"It is a curfew. No-one can go out," one school teacher in the city told AFP.

Friday's hearing in New Delhi has caused a major spike in tensions, adding to the near daily deaths in battles between government troops and rebels.

Government forces killed two suspected rebels in a gun battle in the northern district of Hajin during search operations Thursday. On Wednesday, rebels killed four police officers while Indian troops killed two militants.

Separatist groups say the legal challenge against the special privileges, which date back to 1954, is a bid by India's Hindu nationalist government to alter Kashmir's religious make-up.

"I caution the freedom loving people of the state to remain vigilant against these ploys to change the Muslim-majority character of the state," top separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani said in a statement released late Wednesday calling for the strike.

Kashmir has been divided between Indian and Pakistani sectors since their independence and split in 1947. Both claim the former Himalayan kingdom in full.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to end Jammu and Kashmir state's special status in Indian law, saying it is an obstacle to outside investment.

Rebel groups have been fighting Indian government forces in Kashmir for decades, demanding an independent state or merger with Pakistan.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting.
Nigeria's central bank has ordered South African telecoms giant MTN to refund $8.13 billion (6.96 billion euros) that it allegedly illegally repatriated and fined four banks involved in the transfer.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said in a statement late Wednesday that MTN had not obtained approval before transfering the funds.

The banks had breached foreign exchange rules by failing to verify if the company had met all the requirements, it added.

The head-to-head dispute brings together the biggest telecoms group in Africa and the continent's biggest market.

"The CBN has asked the managements of the banks and MTN Nigeria Communications Limited to immediately refund the sum of $8,134,312,397.63,illegally repatriated by the company to the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria," CBN said.

Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank Nigeria Limited, Stanbic IBTC Bank Limited and Diamond Bank Plc were found to have helped MTN illegally repatriate $8.134 billion between 2007 and 2015, in breach of Nigeria's foreign exchange and anti-money laundering laws, it said.

The CBN said Standard Chartered was fined 2.4 billion naira ($7.86 million); Stanbic IBTC 1.8 billion naira, Citibank 1.2 billion naira; and Diamond Bank PLC 250 million naira.

The central bank said it took the action after a thorough inquiry.

"Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the Committee of Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria met with the management of... the banks as well as representatives of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited in Lagos on May 25, 2018," it said.

"This was to give all the parties fair hearing, towards taking an informed decision on the matter."

MTN management was not immediately available for comment on Thursday.

The sanction was the latest to hit MTN since it began operations in Nigeria 17 years ago.

MTN was fined $5.2 billion in 2015 by Nigeria's telecoms regulator NCC for failing to disconnect unregistered SIM cards on its network.

The fine was later reduced to $1.7 billion after a series of negotiations with the Nigerian government.
At odds: US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani

The United States on Wednesday accused Iran of bad faith for challenging Washington's renewed nuclear-linked sanctions against it at the UN's top court.

Iran has asked the International Court of Justice to order the United States to lift the sanctions, reimposed after US President Donald Trump pulled out of a multilateral 2015 accord.

Iran brought the case at the court in The Hague under a 1955 friendship treaty that predates the country's Islamic Revolution.

Washington told the court it had no jurisdiction to rule on the case, which it said was a matter of national security.

"Iran is not invoking the treaty of amity in good faith in this proceeding," US State Department lawyer Jennifer Newstead said in her closing argument.

"Iran cannot be permitted to draw this court into a political and psychological campaign" against the United States, she added.

During four days of hearings, Iran said the sanctions reintroduced this month are causing economic suffering for its citizens.

The US lawyers retorted that economic mismanagement was at the root of Iran's woes.

A second wave of US measures is due to hit Iran in early November, targeting its vital oil exports.

Closing the hearings, ICJ president Abdulqawi Yusuf said the court would issue a ruling "as soon as possible" but did not set a date.

"The judges are well aware of the political stakes," said Eric De Brabandere, professor of international dispute settlement at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

But "in principle the court will focus strictly on the legal aspects of the case", he told AFP.

Key economic statistics on Iran

Despite their 1955 Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations, Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic ties since 1980.

The ICJ was set up in 1946 to rule in disputes between countries.

The court is tasked with deciding only whether it has jurisdiction over Iran's request, De Brabandere said.

But he noted that "the political consequences of the decision are of course important," since either state would see a favourable outcome as "a huge victory".
Although pencak silat's Asiad debut was an undeniable success for Indonesia's medal tally, it's less clear whether the martial art was a force for good at the Asiad.

A fist-sized hole in the wall, an illegal kick in the back, a cry of biased judging -- as debuts go, martial art pencak silat's first Asian Games appearance was a little rocky.

The ancient Indonesian sport -- which allegedly originates from when a woman copied the techniques of a tiger to fight off a group of pestering men -- has ended up riling athletes and fans, and stirred old tensions among South East Asian nations.

Controversy began when Malaysia's Muhammad Robial Sobri took aim at Singapore's Sheik Ferdous Sheik Alauddin, powering a hard kick into his back as he lay on the ground.

That was followed by a protest from Mohd Al-Jufferi Jamari -- also a Malaysian, as well as the 2016 world champion -- when he withdrew seconds before the end of his final against Indonesia's Komang Harik Adi Putra, accusing judges of bias.

"I'm mad because the jury didn't give the point fairly," Al-Jufferi said, shortly after punching a hole in a nearby wall.

Although its debut was an undeniable success for hosts Indonesia's medal tally -- they bagged 14 of the 16 golds in Jakarta -- it is less clear whether the martial art was a force for good at the Asiad.

Videos of the incidents were shared widely on social media, and Indonesian spectators watching a clash between Malaysia and Vietnam in the 90-95kg final cheered loudly for the Vietnamese.

Erick Thohir, head of Games organising committee Inasgoc, said the sport had stirred tensions among neighbours.

"Especially regarding pencak silat there are complaints from the countries which lost," he told AFP. "Funny when Indonesia achieved so well, we get complaints."

"It's very unfortunate if other countries complain, especially, pardon me, Islamic countries which we or neighbouring Southeast Asia countries have good relationships with or often meet," he added.

Indonesia and Malaysia have long seen tensions in their relationship. Disputes have erupted over everything from the ownership of islands and the alleged poor treatment of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia, to the origins of traditional dances and songs.

At the opening ceremony, Malaysian athletes were booed as they paraded through the stadium.

Neither is it the first time the two countries have been at loggerheads over pencak silat. At the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia accused Malaysia of cheating in the men's doubles by inflating the score of the home athletes.

That accusation came after Malaysian Games organisers mistakenly printed Indonesia's flag upside-down in a commemorative magazine, prompting protests in Indonesia and revenge hacking attacks.
The stinging comments from Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein follow days of damning international criticism of Myanmar and its civilian and military leaders

Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi should have resigned as Myanmar's de facto leader over last year's brutal army campaign against the Rohingya, the outgoing UN human rights chief has told the BBC.

A military crackdown in response to attacks by Rohingya militants drove around 700,000 of the Muslim minority from Rakhine state into Bangladesh, where they have given accounts of widespread rape, murder and arson targeting their villages.

Suu Kyi, once lionised as a defender of human rights, has been pilloried outside her country for failing to speak up for the Rohingya or condemn the actions of Myanmar's army.

Instead, as streams of desperate Rohingya fled, Suu Kyi suggested an "iceberg of misinformation" had obscured the real picture of what had taken place inside Rakhine and backed the army campaign as a justified response to "terrorist" acts.

"She (Suu Kyi) was in a position to do something," UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in the interview with the British broadcaster.

"She could have stayed quiet -- or even better, she could have resigned."

"There was no need for her to be the spokesperson of the Burmese military. She didn't have to say this was an iceberg of misinformation. These were fabrications," he said.

His stinging comments intensify days of damning criticism of Myanmar and its civilian and military leaders from the United Nations.

A UN report on Monday said Myanmar's army chief Min Aung Hlaing should be prosecuted for "genocide" of the Muslim minority.

It also criticised Suu Kyi, the country's de facto leader and a one-time globally respected rights defender, for failing to use her "moral authority" to stem the violence.

Suu Kyi, Myanmar's star politician who still draws widespread devotion inside the country for her long struggle for democracy, has seen her reputation shredded internationally with rights groups turning on her over a lack of public empathy for the stateless Rohingya.

Myanmar's army has full control over defence and Suu Kyi's civilian government has no ability to check its power.

But Hussein said the Nobel Leaurate should have leveraged her status inside Myanmar to defang the military operation against the Rohingya -- or resigned -- instead of effectively acting as a cloak for their actions.

"She could have said look, you know, I am prepared to be the nominal leader of the country but not under these conditions," he said.

burs-apj/rma
Earnings have improved since a government campaign to clean up bad loans and risky lending, but a trade dispute with the United States could impact future profits

Chinese banking giant ICBC, the world's biggest bank by assets, posted solid profit growth for the first half of the year Thursday but warned that the US-China trade war could pose risks.

Net profit for Industrial & Commercial Bank of China climbed almost five percent to 160.4 billion yuan ($23.5 billion) between January and June compared to the same period last year, the bank said in a statement to the Hong Kong exchange, where it is listed.

The country's three other top banks posted similarly strong results this week.

China's second largest lender, China Construction Bank, said earlier this week that its net profit grew 6.3 percent to 147 billion yuan.

Agricultural Bank of China reported a 6.6 percent jump to 115.8 billion yuan.

Bank of China said net profit was up 5.2 percent to 109.1 billion yuan in the first half.

All of China's four biggest banks saw profit growth largely flat-line in 2015 and 2016 as concerns grew over rising bad loans.

Earnings have improved since a government campaign to clean up bad loans and risky lending in China's often chaotic and murky financial system last year.

The crackdown is seen as hitting smaller lenders and wealth management companies hardest, driving them to seek loans from the established banks in order to clean up their balance sheets.

But ICBC warned that the trade dispute with the United States could bring more risks for the bank in the future.

"The US-China trade frictions may in particular negatively affect multiple sectors, bringing more risks and disturbances to bank operations," ICBC said in the earnings report.

The United States has imposed steep tariffs of 25 percent on $50 billion of Chinese goods since July, with Beijing retaliating dollar for dollar.

US President Donald Trump has also threatened to impose tariffs on another $200 billion worth of Chinese goods.
Some ultra-conservative Catholics consider Pope Francis a dangerous progressive

Allegations that Pope Francis covered for a senior US cardinal accused of abuse have raised questions about a possible plot against the pontiff by figures within the Catholic Church's ultra-conservative hierarchy.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to Washington, dropped an 11-page bombshell at the weekend accusing Francis of ignoring sexual abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

Pope Francis "knew from at least June 23, 2013, that McCarrick was a serial predator," Vigano alleged. "He knew that he was a corrupt man, he covered for him to the bitter end."

The timing of the letter's release -- right in the middle of Francis's landmark trip to Ireland -- immediately raised speculation about a campaign against the Argentine pontiff.

Among some ultra-conservative Catholics, the pope is regarded as a dangerous progressive who is more interested in social issues than traditional Church matters.

But so far, Francis has remained silent, refusing to address the allegations and saying only that Vigano's missive "speaks for itself".

Since then, two of the pope's fiercest critics have stepped forward to support the archbishop.

- Resign -

Italian journalist Marco Tosatti, who runs a conservative and staunchly anti-Francis blog, boasted Tuesday that he had helped Vigano craft and edit his testimony before translating it into Spanish and English.

Tosatti praised the "courage" of Vigano, who was never made a cardinal and was exiled to Washington as the Holy See's ambassador after blasting the Vatican for poor financial management.

On Wednesday, US cardinal Raymond Leo Burke -- the pope's fiercest critic within the Vatican -- backed Vigano's call for Francis to step down.

In June, US church officials said allegations that Cardinal Theodore McCarrick had abused a minor nearly 50 years ago were credible

"I cannot say if it is wrong to demand the resignation of the pope, I only say that to get to that, you have to investigate and act on what's found," Burke in an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica.

"A resignation request is legitimate regardless. Anyone can make it for any clergyman who has made a grave error."

This is not the first time Burke has moved against the pontiff.

In 2016, he was one of four cardinals who wrote a letter to the pope saying that he should be sanctioned for confusing Catholics after permitting people who have divorced and remarried to take communion in certain circumstances.

Vigano, 77, is also no stranger to showing his disapproval of Francis -- last year he was one of 60 conservative priests who signed a petition accusing the pontiff of "heresies".

Nonetheless, he told RAI television on Wednesday he "never felt any desire for vengeance or held a grudge" against Francis.

- Sanctions controversy -

Paul Elie, who lectures at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs at Georgetown University, said the voices raised against Francis were a direct result of his tolerant outlook.

"Because Francis is not inclined to an authoritarian style, he has allowed a much greater degree of dissent to be expressed openly than his predecessors," he told AFP.

People, he said, were speaking out "much more than they used to."

The storm surrounding McCarrick, 88, broke in June when American Church officials said allegations he had sexually abused a 16-year-old boy half a century ago were credible.

McCarrick, one of the most senior Catholic leaders to face allegations of abuse, denies that particular charge. But a month later, in an unprecedented move, Francis accepted his resignation as a cardinal.

Vigano, who served as ambassador between 2011 and 2016, claimed he had warned the pope back in June 2013 that McCarrick was sharing his bed with young seminarians and priests.

And he accused Francis of ignoring sanctions that were allegedly imposed on McCarrick by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009-10, condemning him to a discreet life of penance.

Vigano said Francis "did not take into account" these sanctions and instead made McCarrick "his trusted counsellor", consulting him on a number of cardinal nominations.

There is no public record of any such sanctions and it remains unclear whether Francis was aware of them.

- Contradictions? -

But Vigano says Bishop Jean-Francois Lantheaume, a former senior Vatican counsellor, was there when McCarrick was informed about the sanctions by the Vatican's previous ambassador, who is now dead.

He said Lantheaume, who is currently serving as a priest in Genoa, was "ready to testify" about that meeting in Washington DC.

Lantheaume did not respond to AFP's questions but told the Catholic News Agency that Vigano had told "the truth".

Even after he was sanctioned, photos have emerged showing McCarrick visiting Benedict at the Vatican. The retired pontiff's private secretary has said he will not be commenting on the matter.

And the US-based Catholic News Service on Wednesday released a video dated May 2012 when McCarrick was allegedly barred from appearing in public.

In it, Vigano is seen with him at a gala dinner in Manhattan, smiling and saying the cardinal was "very much loved by us all".

As debate raged over the latest developments in a long-running abuse scandal that has shaken the Church, Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the Vatican Insider website that although Vigano's allegations had caused "bitterness" and "concern", Francis remained "very calm".
New recruits to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadist group train in Syria's only remaining rebel-held province in readiness for an expected Russian-backed government offensive that the UN has warned could spark a "humanitarian catastrophe"

Key brokers held last-ditch talks on Thursday on the fate of Syria's only remaining rebel-held province, hoping to stave off a government offensive the UN has warned could spark catastrophe.

Government forces have been massing around Idlib for days and looked poised to launch what could be the last major battle of the civil war that has torn Syria apart since 2011.

After retaking a succession of rebel bastions around the country this year, the government of President Bashar al-Assad has set its sights on Idlib.

The province's most powerful armed faction is the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadist group and neighbouring Turkey is trying to use its influence to avert a major offensive against it.

"The negotiations between Turkey and HTS are still under way," said the head of the Britain-based Syria Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdel Rahman.

Russia, whose 2015 military intervention in support of Assad helped the government reclaim much of the ground it lost in the early days of the seven-year conflict, wants the jihadist outfit to disband, he said.

"This is the condition set by Moscow to avert a broad offensive... Its launch hinges on the failure or success of these talks with HTS."

- Jihadist 'abscess' -

In comments published on its propaganda agency Ibaa, HTS appeared to leave the door open to a negotiated settlement.

Turkish forces are seen in a convoy near the Idlib province town of Saraqib on August 29, 2018 as Ankara seeks to use its influence with the jihadists of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group to avert a major government offensive against them

"The issue of the disbanding -- should it ever take place -- is one that would be discussed internally by the alliance's consultative council but not dictated by local or foreign parties," it said.

"We in HTS are striving to find an effective solution in the liberated Syrian north that would protect our people from a possible offensive by the criminal regime and its allies."

While Turkey actively sponsors rebel forces in Idlib, its influence over the former Al-Qaeda affiliate is less clear and Abdel Rahman warned the chances of success were slim.

"Turkey's relationship with HTS is a complicated one but may best be framed as cooperative animosity," said analyst Elizabeth Teoman, of the Institute for the Study of War.

Turkey, Russia and fellow regime backer Iran all operate "observation points" in Idlib as part of a "de-escalation" deal agreed last year that was meant to reduce bloodshed in the province.

But with a regime offensive looming, the Turkish military has been reinforcing its 12 monitoring posts.

During a press conference with his Saudi counterpart in Moscow on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hinted the assault may be imminent.

"It is necessary to disassociate the so-called moderate opposition from terrorists and at the same time prepare an operation against them while minimising risks for the civilian population," Lavrov said.

"This abscess needs to be liquidated."

- 'Humanitarian catastrophe' -

Iran's top diplomat also held previously unannounced talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gestures as he welcomes his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem in Moscow on August 30, 2018

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met the Turkish strongman for a hour but little filtered out on the nature of the discussions.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem was in Moscow Thursday for talks and reiterated his government's "determination to liberate the entire Syrian territory."

Russian media reported this week that Moscow has been reinforcing its military set-up in the region and currently has 10 warships and two submarines in Syrian waters.

The prospect of a massive Russian-backed offensive in a province that is home to some three million people -- half of them already displaced from other parts of Syria -- has raised fears of a new humanitarian tragedy.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday he was "deeply concerned about the growing risks of a humanitarian catastrophe in the event of a full-scale military operation in Idlib."

One of the fears is that the regime will resort to using chemical weapons, as it did during an offensive against rebels in the Eastern Ghouta enclave earlier this year.

The UN's Syria peace envoy called Thursday for a humanitarian corridor.

"I am once again prepared... personally and physically to get involved myself... to ensure such a temporary corridor would be feasible," Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva.

Syrian girls play outside a tent provided by a Turkish aid group at a camp in Idlib province, where half of the three million population have been displaced from other parts of the country

Another is the presence in the province of large numbers of fighters and civilians who have preferred to leave their homes rather than submit to Damascus rule.

Idlib has been used as a relief valve for those evacuated from other rebel pockets like Eastern Ghouta following their negotiated surrender to the regime.

But fighters who reject similar surrender deals for Idlib will have nowhere to go, heightening the chances of even deadlier battles if an all-out offensive is launched.

"The rebels, as well as desperate civilians, have sheltered in Idlib, but now there is no other 'Idlib' into which they can flee," the Soufan Group think tank said.
Fighting has left huge swathes of Syria's northern Idlib province in ruins

The UN's Syria peace envoy offered Thursday to travel to Idlib to help ensure civilians can leave through a humanitarian corridor amid fears of an imminent government offensive to retake the last major region controlled by rebels.

"I am once again prepared... personally and physically to get involved myself... to ensure such a temporary corridor would be feasible and guaranteed for the people so that they can then return to their own places once this is over," Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva.

His comments came amid fears the Syrian government, backed by long-time ally Russia, is mobilising for a military offensive to retake Idlib.

Idlib, which borders Turkey, is home to nearly three million people, up to half of whom are rebels and civilians transferred en masse from other territory that has fallen to Syrian troops after intense assaults.

A major military operation in Idlib would pose a particular humanitarian nightmare because there is no nearby opposition territory left in Syria where people could be evacuated to.

"There is no other Idlib," de Mistura said, stressing the need to ensure civilians can evacuate to nearby areas under government control, with guarantees their rights will be respected once they get there.

"It would be a tragic irony frankly if at almost the end of... a territorial war inside Syria, we would be witnessing the most horrific tragedy to the largest number of civilians," he said.

- 'Worst-case scenario' -

De Mistura stressed the need for "constructive, effective" support from Damascus, since the possible corridor would most likely need to lead into government-controlled territory.

"Short of going to Turkey, the civilians have no other option in order not to be where fighting may take place."

The most important thing, he said, was to avoid "a hurried escalation", which could easily lead to "the worst-case scenario."

"It would be quite tragic at this stage, having seen how difficult the seven years (of Syria's war) have been."

More than 350,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syria's war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Two years ago, de Mistura offered to go to eastern Aleppo and to personally escort Al Nusra fighters out of the besieged city.

"Al Nusra refused my offer to accompany them out, and they went to Idlib, and we lost two months at least and thousands of people died because of that," he said.

The UN envoy said there were an estimated 10,000 Al Qaeda and Al Nusra fighters in Idlib, along with their families.

While he stressed the legitimacy of battling such "UN-identified terrorists", he insisted efforts to defeat them did not justify putting the lives of some 2.9 million people in the area at risk.

"There is and can be no justification... to not avoid using heavy weapons in densely populated areas," he said.

On Wednesday, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that full-scale military operations in Syria's Idlib province could lead to a "humanitarian catastrophe" and cautioned against the use of chemical weapons.

De Mistura echoed that concern.

"The issue of avoiding the potential use of chemical weapons is indeed crucial," he said, stressing that such use "would be totally unacceptable."

"We are all aware that both the government and Al Nusra have the capability to produce weaponised chlorine, hence an increased concern by all of us."
Bosco Ntaganda (R) told judges he was a "revolutionary and not a criminal"

Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda told international judges Thursday he was a "revolutionary and not a criminal" as arguments drew to a close in his three-year war crimes trial.

Ntaganda, aged around 44, is accused of overseeing massacres of Lendu civilians by his rebel army in the Ituri region of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 and 2003.

"I am a revolutionary, but I am not a criminal," Ntaganda told the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

He faces war crimes and crimes against humanity charges for his role in the bloody conflict wracking the mineral-rich region.

Speaking in his native Kinyarwanda tongue, the rebel commander, on the final day of the hearing, said his own testimony during his trial was "an enriching experience which I will never forget."

"I am at peace with myself. These allegations are nothing more than lies," said Ntaganda, dressed in a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and blue diamond-patterned tie.

Ntaganda again took aim at his nickname "The Terminator", which was also used by prosecutors to describe him during the trial.

"I hope that you now realise that the 'Terminator' described by the prosecutor is not me," Ntaganda said, his glasses perched on his nose.

- 'Civilians slaughtered' -

Rwandan-born Ntaganda, also an ex-general in the Congolese army, had a reputation as a charismatic leader with a penchant for cowboy hats and fine dining.

He faces 13 counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity as a commander of the Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (FPLC).

The alleged crimes include murder, rape, sexual slavery and recruiting children under the age of 15.

Prosecutors on Tuesday told the trial that Ntaganda's fighters slaughtered civilians with machetes and disembowelled pregnant women.

The prosecutors also said Ntaganda was central to planning operations for the Union of Congolese Patriots and its military wing, the FPLC.

They said the FPLC killed at least 800 people as it battled rival militias for control of Ituri.

More than 60,000 people have been killed since violence erupted in the region in 1999, according to rights groups.

Ntaganda has been on trial at the ICC since 2015. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The first-ever suspect to voluntarily surrender to the ICC, Ntaganda walked into the US embassy in Kigali in 2013 and asked to be sent to the court.

Ntaganda is also a founding member of the M23 rebel group, which was eventually defeated by Congolese government forces five years ago.

Judges will now deliberate, but it may take months or even years before a verdict is handed down.
British Prime Minister Theresa May and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta address a joint press conference in Nairobi

British Prime Minister Theresa May held talks with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi on Thursday, promising post-Brexit trade continuity on the final leg of her three-nation tour of Africa.

The three-day tour is part of a campaign to promote Britain's global ambitions and strengthen relations with just seven months left until Britain formally leaves the EU.

Kenyatta said that May had offered assurances that Kenya's access to British markets would not be affected by Brexit.

"I don't see Brexit as meaning anything detrimental towards the strong trade ties we have," Kenyatta said.

After nearly two hours of talks at State House in the capital Nairobi both leaders referenced the historically close ties between Britain and its former colony, despite May's being the first visit by a British prime minister for 30 years.

"We wish to prosper together so let us do business together. We have democracy in common so let us defend it together," said Kenyatta. "And as for our common enemies, such as terrorism, let us fight it together."

May was eager to emphasise the opportunities for bilateral trade deals once Britain leaves the EU.

"Today we have looked to the future, to a renewed partnership that will unlock the incredible potential of the next generation to benefit our countries," she said.

"As Britain prepares to leave the European Union we are committed to a smooth transition that ensures continuity in our trading relationship with Kenya, ensuring Kenya retains its duty-free, quota-free access to the UK market."

"Continuity is what's important, to business, to traders: no cliff-edge, no sudden disruption to trading relationships," May added.

The leaders agreed to strengthen security cooperation and to ensure that proceeds of Kenyan corruption stashed in British banks would be repatriated to Kenya.

"We signed an agreement to ensure that any proceeds of corruption in Kenya that end up in the UK will be given back to the Kenyan people and spent for their benefit," May said.

She added that cooperation on anti-terrorism and law enforcement was not one way. "Already British terrorists and child abusers are in UK jails because of our cooperation," she said.

"Our co-operation today makes our people safer, more prosperous and more secure -- here in Kenya, and in the UK," she said.

Britain remains Kenya's biggest trading partner but the relationship has stagnated in recent years with Kenyan exports n growing only marginally and British exports to Kenya falling.

May's visit comes as Kenyatta returns from meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington and before he travels to Beijing to participate in a China-Africa summit as Beijing continues to piles funding and aid into the continent.
Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz faces a test in a range of elections on September 1, but has said that he will not stand in a presidential poll next year.

Mauritania, a frontline state in the Sahel's fight against jihadism, goes to the polls on Saturday for triple elections that will test head of state Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's record seven months before a presidential vote.

A record 98 parties will take part in legislative, regional and local elections for which more than 1.4 million people are registered. Potential run-off elections would take place on September 15.

Aziz, 61, came to power in a coup in 2008. He was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

He has been frequently accused by opposition figures and NGOs of rights abuses, including the arrest of a former senator and the "secretive" detention of a blogger accused of blasphemy.

He has said several times he will not seek a third mandate, something that would be against the West African country's constitution. But statements by his ministers and supporters have allowed opposition suspicions to flourish.

A lacklustre campaign ends on Friday, after rallies that drew sparse attendance despite a decision by the opposition to end a long electoral boycott.

Aziz slammed opposition leaders, calling them "villains" and "troublemakers," and appealed for votes to help his Union for the Republic (UPR) party "continue on the path of high achievement and the fight against mismanagement."

Opposition leader Ahmed Ould Saddah

Longtime opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah, who heads the Gathering for Democracy (RFD), called on voters to make "the necessary leap to get rid of dictatorship and generalised bankruptcy."

The UPR, which largely won a 2013 legislative election boycotted by almost all radical opposition parties, is campaigning largely on changes it made in the 2017 constitution.

Under it, the country's senate was abolished and a new national anthem and flag were ushered in. Voters endorsed the controversial measures, while the opposition warned they would give the president more power.

- Living standards -

On the economic front, authorities say growth has revived, with three percent in 2017 and a poverty rate of 31 percent, against over 40 percent in 2008.

The opposition, on the other hand, says there has been a fall in living standards since the introduction at the start of the year of new, lower-value bank notes. National debt equals GDP.

Mauritania, which hosted an African Union summit in July, has recently revived diplomatic ties with Morocco, after years of tension over the status of Western Sahara.

That territory, lying inland from the Atlantic coast beside northern Mauritania, was annexed by Morocco in 1975 after Spanish colonial rule ended.

The largely desert country also signed fishing and oil exploitation agreements with its southern neighbour Senegal earlier this year.

In July, a Mauritanian general took over the command of the G5 Sahel force. The armed forces work alongside Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Chad in a joint military operation aimed at tackling jihadists in the region with backing from Europe.
Xuecheng (R) is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China's growing #MeToo movement

The former head of China's government-run Buddhist association has been removed as abbot of a Beijing temple following a sexual assault investigation, officials said.

Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and abbot of Beijing's Longquan Monastery, is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China's growing #MeToo movement.

He is under criminal investigation after a report by fellow monks accused him of sexual and financial improprieties, including coercing several nuns to have sex with him.

Investigators had also uncovered evidence that his monastery had broken national financial rules.

A prominent personality in Chinese Buddhist life with a social media following of millions, Xuecheng's presence on China's Twitter-like Weibo service has been silent since August 1, when he posted a statement rejecting the sexual assault claims.

The Buddhist Association of China said in a statement the decision to remove him as abbot was made in a meeting last Friday after consulting a report by the country's top religious authority.

"We have removed Xuecheng as the abbot of Beijing Longquan Monastery," it said.

He had stepped down as head of the Buddhist association earlier this month.

The 95-page report, which circulated online late last month, contained allegations from two monks that Xuecheng had sent explicit text messages to at least six women.

The monks accused Xuecheng of threatening or cajoling the women to have sex with him, claiming it was a part of their Buddhist studies.

In their report, the two monks, who are no longer members of the monastery, said four women gave in to Xuecheng's demands.

Both men were also asked to leave Longquan monastery after news of the report broke.

Located on the outskirts of Beijing, the monastery has made headlines for combining Buddhism with modern technology, launching last year a two-foot high robot monk that dispenses mantras and karmic advice.

The #MeToo movement ignited in China earlier this year with more women starting to open up about sexual assaults, especially on university campuses.

Unlike in the West, where #MeToo has forced resignations and sparked widespread public debate, authorities in China have sought to control the discussion, sometimes allowing and at other times censoring social media commentary.
Bosco Ntaganda (R) told judges he was a "revolutionary and not a criminal"

Congolese warlord Bosco Ntaganda told international judges Thursday he was a "revolutionary and not a criminal" as arguments drew to a close in his three-year war crimes trial.

Ntaganda, aged around 44, is accused of overseeing massacres of Lendu and other civilians by his rebel army in the Ituri region of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002 and 2003.

"I am a revolutionary, but I am not a criminal," Ntaganda told the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Once a feared commander, Ntaganda now faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the bloody conflict wracking the mineral-rich but volatile region.

- 'Not the Terminator' -

Speaking in his native Kinyarwanda tongue, the rebel commander, on the final day of the hearing, said his own testimony during his trial was "an enriching experience which I will never forget."

"I am at peace with myself. These allegations are nothing more than lies," said Ntaganda, dressed in a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and blue diamond-patterned tie.

Ntaganda again took aim at his nickname "The Terminator", which was also used by prosecutors to describe him during the trial.

"I hope that you now realise that the 'Terminator' described by the prosecutor is not me," Ntaganda said, his glasses perched on his nose.

Rwandan-born Ntaganda, also an ex-general in the Congolese army, had a reputation as a charismatic leader with a penchant for cowboy hats and fine dining.

He faces 13 counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity as a commander of the Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (FPLC).

The alleged crimes include murder, rape, sexual slavery and recruiting children under the age of 15.

- 'Civilians slaughtered' -

Prosecutors on Tuesday told the trial that Ntaganda's fighters slaughtered civilians with machetes and disembowelled pregnant women.

They showed shocking pictures of disembowelled bodies and corpses with their throats slit.

The prosecutors alleged Ntaganda was central to planning operations for the Union of Congolese Patriots and its military wing, the FPLC.

They said the FPLC killed at least 800 people as it battled rival militias for control of Ituri.

More than 60,000 people have been killed since violence erupted in the region in 1999, according to rights groups.

Ntaganda has been on trial at the ICC since 2015. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

- Voluntary surrender -

Ntaganda is also a founding member of the M23 rebel group, which was eventually defeated by Congolese government forces five years ago.

The first-ever suspect to voluntarily surrender to the ICC, he walked into the US embassy in Kigali in 2013 and asked to be sent to the court.

On Thursday Ntaganda for the first time gave his reasons for handing himself over, saying the decision "profoundly changed my life".

"I truly felt the need to surrender voluntarily and face the charges against me," he said adding that he wanted to "publicly set the record straight."

Observers however said Ntaganda was possibly fearing for his life as a fugitive from a rival faction within the M23 movement.

Judges will now deliberate, but it may take months or even years before a verdict is handed down.

The ICC was set up in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes.

Closing arguments in Ntaganda's case have been followed with interest after the surprise acquittal of another Congolese rebel leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba.

Initially sentenced to 18 years for war crimes committed by his troops in the Central African Republic, Bemba was acquitted on appeal in June. He has since returned to Kinshasa hoping to run in presidential elections.

The acquittal was seen as a blow to chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's office. She has been criticised for targeting only African perpetrators for prosecution.

Ntaganda's former FPLC commander Thomas Lubanga was sentenced to 14 years in jail in 2012 -- the second conviction by the court since it was set up 16 years ago.
Proactiva Open Arms will work in Spain in the next few weeks and stay "as long as migratory pressure lasts," it said in a statement

A Spanish NGO Thursday said it will halt its migrant rescue missions off Libya to support operations in Spain, as it denounced the "criminalisation" of humanitarian groups in the Mediterranean.

Following a rise in migrant arrivals on the Spanish coast, Proactiva Open Arms said it will join rescue operations carried out by the Spanish coastguard in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Sea of Alboran, which separate Morocco from the EU member state.

It will begin work in Spain in the next few weeks and stay "as long as migratory pressure lasts," it said in a statement.

The decision comes after tensions over migration in Europe saw Malta and Italy repeatedly close its ports to NGO ships crisscrossing the Mediterranean to help migrants at risk.

"The intense campaigns of criminalisation of NGOs in the central Mediterranean and the launch of inhuman policies have caused not only the closure of Italian and Maltese ports, but the paralysis of many humanitarian relief organisations, at the same time as a rise in the number of migrants arriving near the south of Spain," the NGO said in a statement.

Proactiva Open Arms has been forced to land migrants rescued off Libya three times in Spanish ports.

Rescue boats which pull migrants from dangerously overcrowded boats have faced criticism from European politicians for aiding people traffickers.

Last week three volunteers on the island of Lesbos in Greece were arrested on suspicion of helping illegal migrants to reach the country in an operation that involved 30 NGO members, police claimed.

Earlier this year, three Spaniards and two Danes were also accused of trying to help migrants illegally enter Greece.

Nearly 28,000 illegal migrants have arrived on makeshift boats on the Spanish coast since January, close to the total number of arrivals for all of 2017 on both land and sea, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
British Prime Minister Theresa May and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta address a joint press conference in Nairobi

British Prime Minister Theresa May ended a three-nation tour of Africa in Kenya on Thursday, promising post-Brexit trade continuity and hoping to strengthen ties before quitting the European Union.

May's first Africa visit is part of a campaign to promote Britain's global ambitions and relations with just seven months left until Britain formally leaves the world's biggest trading bloc.

After meeting with May, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said he felt reassured, amid the uncertainty brought on by Britain's decision to quit the EU next year.

"I don't see Brexit as meaning anything detrimental towards the strong trade ties we have," Kenyatta said.

Both leaders referenced the historically close ties between Britain and its former colony.

However May is the first British prime minister to travel to Kenya for 30 years and, at one point, Kenyatta struggled to remember the surname of former foreign minister Boris Johnson, who visited last year, eventually referring to him as "the bicycle guy".

"We wish to prosper together so let us do business together. We have democracy in common so let us defend it together," said Kenyatta. "And as for our common enemies, such as terrorism, let us fight it together."

In Kenya, as in South Africa and Nigeria earlier this week, May was eager to ease worries and emphasise opportunities as Britain leaves the EU.

"As Britain prepares to leave the European Union we are committed to a smooth transition that ensures continuity in our trading relationship with Kenya, ensuring Kenya retains its duty-free, quota-free access to the UK market," she said.

"Continuity is what's important, to business, to traders: no cliff-edge, no sudden disruption to trading relationships," May added.

The leaders agreed to strengthen security cooperation -- with British soldiers regularly training in Kenya -- and to ensure that proceeds of Kenyan corruption stashed in British banks would be repatriated to Kenya.

"We signed an agreement to ensure that any proceeds of corruption in Kenya that end up in the UK will be given back to the Kenyan people and spent for their benefit," May said.

She added that cooperation on anti-terrorism and law enforcement was not one way. "Already British terrorists and child abusers are in UK jails because of our cooperation," she said.

"Our co-operation today makes our people safer, more prosperous and more secure -- here in Kenya, and in the UK," she said.

- Stagnating trade -

In Nigeria on Wednesday, May met with President Muhammadu Buhari and oversaw the signing of a security partnership agreement and establishment of an economic development forum.

She also held talks on stemming the migrant flow to Europe from Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.

On Tuesday, May kicked off her three-nation visit in Cape Town, South Africa, pledging to prioritise investment in Africa -- although it was her diffident dance moves rather than diplomacy that captured the headlines.

May declared her ambition for Britain to become the G7's biggest investor in Africa by 2022 and announced a new four-billion-pound ($5.1 billion, 4.4 billion euro) investment programme.

Britain remains Kenya's biggest trading partner but the relationship has stagnated in recent years with Kenyan exports growing only marginally and British exports to Kenya falling.

May's visit comes as Kenyatta returns from meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington and before all three of the heads of state she met travel to Beijing to participate in a China-Africa summit.

As the US and European nations have neglected the continent, African leaders have increasingly turned to China for no-strings-attached loans to fund large infrastructure projects and opened their markets to cheap Chinese goods.

"There has been a comparative decline in the UKs visibility in many parts of the continent over the last decade, just as many other states, including France, Turkey, China and Japan, have been upgrading their Africa engagement," wrote the London-based Chatham House thinktank.
According to The New York Times, Donald Trump sought to puchase all the 'dirt' collected on him over the past decades by the National Enquirer

Donald Trump sought to purchase all the "dirt" that the National Enquirer, a leading scandal sheet, had collected on him over the past decades, The New York Times reported Thursday.

The newspaper, quoting unidentified associates of Trump, said the plan was concocted with Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, who has implicated him in "hush payments" made before the 2016 election.

Cohen agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors this month that included an admission that he had made payments to silence two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump before he ran for the White House.

The Times said there was a plan to go even further -- purchasing all of the information collected on Trump since the 1980s by the National Enquirer and its parent company American Media.

The Times said the scheme, however, was "never finalized."

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The Times said the plan was alluded to in taped conversations between Trump and Cohen which were released last month.

Cohen, Trump's longtime personal attorney, pleaded guilty last week to making a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels and a $150,000 payment to Playboy model Karen McDougal, both of whom claim to have had sexual encounters with Trump.

The Times said it was unclear how much information on Trump, a fixture on New York's social scene since the 1980s, is still in American Media's possession.

American Media is owned by David Pecker, a longtime Trump ally who has reportedly been granted partial immunity to talk with prosecutors.

According to the newspaper, Pecker for decades ordered staffers of American Media to buy up troublesome stories about Trump and to bury them.

That was the case with McDougal's story which was purchased for $150,000 by American Media and then never published, it said.

Cohen pleaded guilty to two counts of violating campaign finance laws, along with six counts of fraud -- identifying Trump as his co-conspirator when it came to the hush payments.

Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong, telling "Fox and Friends" that the payments were not a "campaign violation."

"They didn't come out of the campaign," he said. "They came from me and I tweeted about it."
Roy Oliver, formerly with the police force of Balch Springs, Texas -- part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex -- was sentenced to 15 years prison for the April 2017 murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards

A white Texas ex-police officer was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the shooting death of a black teen, a rare case of a US officer convicted for using deadly force.

A jury found Roy Oliver guilty of murder Tuesday in the killing of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards. Oliver shot Edwards in April 2017, when he was a Dallas area police officer. Oliver was subsequently fired from the force.

The same jury on Wednesday handed the 38-year-old Oliver his prison sentence.

It was an exceedingly rare instance of a police officer being incarcerated for a high-profile questionable shooting, following a string of similar cases that stoked outrage but often lead to acquittals or no prosecutions at all.

Oliver had fired five bullets into a car full of teens, striking Edwards and killing him instantly.

Oliver, who was with the police force of Balch Springs - a suburb in the Texas-Fort Worth metroplex - had been responding to a call of underage drinking at a party. Edwards and his friends had been driving away from the event.

At trial, Oliver had argued that he thought his partner was in danger, because the car had been driving towards him.

But the ex-cop's partner contradicted that testimony with his own, saying he did not feel threatened at the time of the shooting.

Oliver's conviction made him eligible for up to 99 years in prison. The victim's family expressed disappointment that the final sentence had not been longer.

"We're thankful for the verdict that we received. Although we wanted more years, this is a start for us, and we can get some kind of closure," Jordan's stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, told reporters on Wednesday.

The jury deliberated for just two days before returning the guilty verdict.

Similar outcomes in other police shooting cases have proven mostly elusive, illustrating the difficulty of prosecuting officers in deadly encounters where split-second decisions are made.

Recent questionable cop shootings, often accompanied by official or eyewitness video footage, have fueled outrage across the United States and given rise to the Black Lives Matter activist movement.

Edwards family attorney Daryl Washington said Tuesday the teen's murder case was "about every African American, unarmed African American, who has been killed and who has not gotten justice."
Pupils and teachers gather on August 29, 2018 outside an UNRWA-run school in the Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus in the occupied West Bank

Jordan will host a fundraiser at the United Nations headquarters in New York next month to keep the agency for Palestinian refugees afloat, the kingdom's top diplomat said Thursday.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the meeting, set for September 27 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, "aims to provide financial and political support to UNRWA".

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has been struggling to balance its books since the United States announced in January it was cutting its annual funding by $300 million.

The Jordanian foreign minister said the New York event aims to "close the gap and put in place a plan that will ensure UNRWA's continued, ongoing funding for the coming years", Safadi said.

It will also "reaffirm that UNRWA is an organisation created by the UN General Assembly, with a clear and particular role, and this role must continue", he added.

Speaking alongside the Jordanian foreign minister, UNRWA director Pierre Krahenbuhl said the agency needs $200 million to continue its work until the end of this year.

"We're taking about human beings. We cannot wish 5.3 million Palestinian refugees away... these are people who have rights and for many years now, for decades, have faced a plight and an injustice that is simply immense," said Krahenbuhl.

The agency supports some five million registered Palestinian refugees and provides schooling for 526,000 children in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

But UNRWA has warned it currently only has the funds to keep its 711 schools open for the next month.

By the end of September, "UNRWA won't have a penny," the agency's spokesman Chris Gunness warned Wednesday.

The agency was created in 1949 to support 750,000 Palestinians who fled or were driven from their homes during the war surrounding the creation of Israel. Those still alive today along with their descendants are classified as refugees.

US President Donald Trump's adminstration has contributed $60 million to the agency in 2018, compared to more than $360 million last year.

Last week his administration announced further cuts to Palestinian aid, slashing $200 million in funding for programmes in Gaza and the West Bank.

Relations between Washington and the Palestinian Authority nosedived after Trump in December formally recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The Palestinian leadership has suspended contact with the US administration and says Washington can no longer play a mediation role in the Israel-Palestinian peace process.
The front page of the Boston Globe containing an editorial hitting back at President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media

A California man has been arrested for making death threats against employees of the Boston Globe, which recently organized a newspaper editorial response to attacks on the media by President Donald Trump.

Robert Chain, 68, of Encino, California, was arrested on Thursday and charged with one count of making threatening communications, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts said.

Chain was to appear in federal court in Los Angeles later Thursday and would eventually be transferred to Boston, it said in a statement.

"Everyone has a right to express their opinion, but threatening to kill people takes it over the line and will not be tolerated," said FBI special agent Harold Shaw. "Today's arrest of Robert Chain should serve as a warning to others that making threats is not a prank, it's a federal crime."

The Boston Globe and more than 300 other newspapers around the country published an editorial on August 16 decrying Trump's relentless attacks on the news media.

"Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current US administration are the 'enemy of the people,'" the Globe editorial said.

"This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president, much like an old-time charlatan threw out 'magic' dust or water on a hopeful crowd," it added in a piece entitled "Journalists are not the Enemy."

According to the US Attorney's Office, Chain called the Globe newsroom repeatedly between August 10 and August 22, threatening to shoot Globe employees and calling the newspaper the "enemy of the people."

The Globe, citing an affidavit filed in the case, said that Chain owns several guns.

It quoted him as saying in one call: "As long as you keep attacking the President, the duly elected President of the United States, in the continuation of your treasonous and seditious acts, I will continue to threaten, harass, and annoy the Boston Globe."

US Attorney Andrew Lelling promised such threats would be prosecuted.

"Anyone -- regardless of political affiliation -- who puts others in fear for their lives will be prosecuted by this office," Lelling said.

"In a time of increasing political polarization, and amid the increasing incidence of mass shootings, members of the public must police their own political rhetoric. Or we will," he said.

Chain could face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Hurghada where a British couple died within hours of each other on 21 August 2018

Egyptian pathologists should next week complete the autopsies of a British couple who died on holiday, officials said Thursday, pledging to "leave no stone unturned" in determining the cause of death.

John and Susan Cooper passed away last week after falling ill suddenly during an all-inclusive stay at a plush hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

Tour operator Thomas Cook moved all its other customers from the hotel after the couple died in what their daughter called "suspicious" circumstances.

The company said it was unclear what caused the deaths of the couple in their 60s, while Egyptian authorities initially pointed to natural causes and said there were no signs of violence.

Thomas Cook's chief executive Peter Fankhauser jetted into Cairo Wednesday to meet Egypt's prime minister and tourism minister and follow up on the investigations.

"Detailed autopsies on the two bodies are currently being conducted by a team of forensic pathologists," Tourism Minister Rania al-Mashat said in a statement Thursday.

"It would be inappropriate to attach a specific date to this but I anticipate this will be concluded during next week."

Mashat said Egypt would "leave no stone unturned in determining the actual cause of death" and would repatriate the bodies to Britain once the autopsies are completed.

Egypt's attorney general is also leading a separate probe "examining in forensic detail all hygiene aspects of the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel", the statement said.

Investigators "will test food, water and air conditioning", it said, with this work also expected to be completed next week.

Egyptian authorities have already said that there were no toxic gas leaks from the appliances in the couple's room.

Thomas Cook called the meeting with the Egyptian officials "constructive" and said it had been given reassurances that answers would be provided "as swiftly as possible".

Egypt's key tourism industry has been recovering from a devastating blow in 2015 when jihadists bombed a Russian airliner carrying holidaymakers from the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, killing all 224 on board.
A skiff sails off the waterfront of the southeastern Yemeni port city of Mukalla

The US Navy has intercepted a small boat packed with hundreds of automatic rifles in the Gulf of Aden, and has handed the sailors over to Yemeni authorities, a defense official told AFP on Thursday.

Investigators have not yet determined where the boat came from or where it was headed, but it was boarded in an area where the US Navy has previously confiscated Iranian-supplied arms destined for war-ravaged Yemen.

"We're not ready to pin this on anyone yet, we are doing an investigation of the evidence," the US official said.

The incident occurred Tuesday when sailors from the USS Jason Dunham boarded a small skiff that was having engine trouble and taking on water.

On board, they found about 600 bags filled with small arms -- mostly AK-47s -- totalling more than 1,000 rifles, the official said.

The skiff sailors were then transferred to the Yemeni coastguard. Their nationality was not released.

The official said it was the first time since 2016 that the Navy had made a small arms seizure like this.

Yemen's devastating conflict has left nearly 10,000 people dead since March 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened to fight Iran-backed Huthi rebels closing in on the last bastion of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's government.
European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom, pictured June 2018, says that the EU is willing to bring car tariffs with the US down to zero, but "it has to be reciprocal"

The European Union is prepared to scrap tariffs on cars with the United States in its proposed trade deal with Washington, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Thursday.

"We are willing to bring down ... our car tariffs to zero, all tariffs to zero if the US does the same," Malmstrom told members of the European Parliament meeting in Brussels.

"It has to be reciprocal. If that would happen, it would be good for us economically and good for them," she said in comments that shifted from an earlier position.

At the White House in July, US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pledged to work towards a limited trade accord that would eliminate transatlantic customs duties, but excluded the automobile sector.

The White House meeting defused a trade dispute that erupted after the US slapped tariffs on EU metals imports in June despite a months-long effort by top EU leaders and officials to appease Trump.

Senior officials, led by Malmstrom on the European side and by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for Washington, have been tasked with drawing the outlines of this agreement over the coming weeks.

"On the timetable ... Obviously we would seek to try to finalise this during the mandate of the Commission (which ends in autumn 2019)," Malmstrom said.

If negotiations are "limited ... I think that can be done," she said.

Malmstrom also insisted that whatever deal was reached would fall well short of the ambitions of the TTIP talks, an earlier attempt by Brussels and Washington to reach a wide-ranging trade deal that collapsed after the protectionist Trump took office.
Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman, pictured July 2018, says his government will scrupulously observe existing agreements with Syria, with which it shares a frontier

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Thursday that Israel will not be bound by whatever agreements the international community may reach on Syria after its civil war.

Speaking on a visit to the Israeli border with Lebanon, Lieberman said his government would scrupulously observe existing agreements with Syria, with which it which also shares a frontier.

Government forces have been massing around Syria's northwestern province of Idlib in recent days and look poised to launch what could be the last major battle of the seven-year war.

"We see various gatherings here and there; in Ankara, in Tehran, in Geneva, in other places too. They are talking about redesigning Syria after the battle for Idlib," Lieberman said in English.

"As far as the state of Israel is concerned, with all respect and appreciation for all agreements and all understandings, they are not binding on us," said the Israeli minister.

"What obligates us are solely the security interests of the State of Israel. All other understandings and agreements that are reached in all kinds of places are simply irrelevant from our point of view.

"We shall observe to the letter all previous agreements."

After the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Israel and Syria agreed an armistice which included a demilitarised border zone.

The two sides have never signed a formal peace treaty.

Turkey, Russia and fellow regime backer Iran all operate "observation points" in Idlib as part of a "de-escalation" deal agreed last year that was meant to reduce bloodshed in the province.

Israel has stayed out of the protracted civil war but insists that Iran, the Jewish state's arch-foe, withdraw its forces from Syria, which it sees as a threat.

Lieberman also told Israeli residents living near the Lebanese border that he had budgeted more than $60 million (51 million euros) to strengthen civil defence in the area, particularly in improving public bomb shelters and blast proofing of "educational institutions".

Iranian-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah is said by Israel to have tens of thousands of rockets that could be used against the Jewish state.

In 2006, Hezbollah fired 3,970 rockets into Israel during a 34-day war, according to Israeli authorities.

More than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and 120 Israelis, the majority soldiers, died in the fighting.
An employee of the Israeli protection gear manufacturer Masada Armour adjusts a new civilian bulletproof backpack, designed for schoolchildren, at the company's headquarters in Julis, northern Israel

An Israeli firm says it has sold US customers hundreds of its bullet-proof schoolbags, introduced in the wake of the Parkland school massacre.

"We designed a bullet-proof backpack at the request of our distributors in the United States after the huge trauma caused by the February shooting in Florida," Snir Koren, CEO of Masada Armor, told AFP on Thursday.

Nikolas Cruz, 19 at the time of the attack, allegedly opened fire and killed 17 people on February 14 in his former high school in Parkland, Florida with a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle.

He has said that he heard voices telling him to "burn, kill, destroy".

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for him, in a trial that could begin at the end of next year.

In a matter of months protective gear manufacturer Masada Armor, based in the northern Israeli town of Julis, developed its bullet-proof backpack and got it certified by the Israeli army and police.

"Since then, orders from the United States have been coming in," Koren said in Hebrew.

"In two months we have sold hundreds and are gearing up to increase production rates to 500 units per month."

The basic model, weighs around three kilograms, (six pounds) protects against 9mm pistol fire and sells for $500, he says.

An improved version, weighing five kilograms, is designed to give protection against high velocity rifles such as the AR-15 and the M-16 and Kalashnikov assault rifles and will sell for more than $700.

Koren says that while his bags are suitable for college students, they are too heavy for younger pupils.

"We are developing a lighter model for their type of morphology," he said.

The Parkland massacre -- one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent US history -- sparked a nationwide youth campaign for gun control.

After the shootings, US President Donald Trump said he was open to tighter gun control measures but has opposed a ban on assault rifles, a key demand of the student protesters.

He has also supported arming teachers.
Map and factfile on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, with which Iran will still comply despite the future of the deal being thrown into doubt after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in May 2018

Iran is sticking to the terms of its nuclear deal with world powers, a UN atomic watchdog report showed Thursday, despite ongoing uncertainty over its future.

The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency showed that Iran was still complying with the key parameters of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), agreed in 2015 by Iran and the US, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany.

It comes despite the future of the deal being thrown into doubt after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in May and re-imposed US sanctions.

The latest report says the IAEA had had access "to all the sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit".

The agency repeated language in its previous report emphasising the importance of "timely and proactive cooperation in providing such access" on Iran's part.

A senior diplomat with knowledge of the issue said that the language was a way "to send a message to Iran to prevent potential problems" rather than being caused by any particular behaviour on the part of the Iranians.

The report said Iran's stockpiles of low-enriched uranium and heavy water had both slightly increased since the last report in May, but were still under the limits agreed in the deal.

Iran's economy has been battered by the return of US sanctions following Trump's decision, undermining support for the deal within Iran.

- 'No avoiding' further talks -

On Wednesday Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran should be ready to "set aside" the JCPOA if it is no longer in the country's national interests.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pictured August 13, 2018, says talks should continue with European states, who have been trying to find a way to salvage the agreement

However, Khamenei said talks should continue with European states, who have been trying to find a way to salvage the agreement.

Last week, the EU agreed an 18 million euro package of assistance to Iran "for projects in support of sustainable economic and social development" in the Islamic Republic, the first tranche of a wider package worth 50 million euros.

Most foreign firms have abandoned investment projects in Iran, and the next phase of renewed US sanctions in November will hit the crucial oil sector.

Speaking on Thursday while attending meetings of EU foreign and defence ministers, the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that despite disagreements with Iran over other issues, "we believe that addressing regional disagreements with Iran can be done in a more effective manner if we maintain the nuclear deal in place".

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, also speaking in Vienna, said that in his opinion Iran was respecting "the fundamentals of the JCPOA".

However, he added that "Iran cannot avoid discussions, negotiations on three other major subjects that worry us," namely Iran's ballistic missile programme, the long-term future of its nuclear programme and its role in conflicts in the wider region.

In June, in a bid to mount pressure on the Europeans, Iran announced a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity with new centrifuges in the event that the agreement collapses, while still denying any desire to build a nuclear weapon.

Under the 2015 agreement, Iran can only enrich uranium to 3.67 percent -- far below the roughly 90-percent level needed for nuclear weapons.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem says that Western aggression "will not influence our determination to liberate the entire Syrian territory"

Syria's foreign minister said Thursday Western aggression would not prevent Damascus from retaking all Syrian territory, amid fears of an imminent government offensive against the rebel-held province of Idlib.

"A tripartite aggression or not, it will not influence our determination to liberate the entire Syrian territory," Walid Muallem said in Moscow after talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, referring to Washington, Paris and London.

Government forces have been massing around Idlib -- Syria's only remaining rebel-held province -- for days and looked poised to launch what could be the last major battle of the civil war that has torn the country apart since 2011.

Last week, the United States, France and Britain threatened to respond if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad uses chemical weapons in its offensive to retake Idlib province.

Muallem said that the government's main target was fighters belonging to Al Nusra Front jihadists.

"The Syrian command has taken a decision to defeat Al-Nusra Front in Idlib no matter the sacrifices that it would entail," Muallem said in Arabic, referring to the former Syrian affiliate of Al-Qaeda.

He insisted however that the authorities wanted to win back territory through reconciliation agreements.

"We are ready to make every effort to avoid victims among the civilians," he added.

On Thursday, key brokers held last-ditch talks on the fate of Idlib, hoping to stave off a government offensive the UN has warned could spark catastrophe.
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, pictured April 2018, and his administration have drawn criticism from Amnesty International for using "enforced disappearance as a longstanding tactic to silence critics"

Amnesty International on Thursday accused Nigeria's government of carrying out unlawful arrests and practising "enforced disappearance" -- detention without trial -- to suppress dissent.

"The Nigerian government has used enforced disappearance as a longstanding tactic to silence critics and instil fear in civilian populations," the rights watchdog said.

It said some detainees had been held incommunicado for up to nine years or more, without access to family or lawyers, and others have continued to languish in prisons despite court orders for their release.

Amnesty cited the case of journalist Abiri Jones, who it said had been detained by the Directorate of Secret Services (DSS) for two years without access to family or lawyers.

"At the beginning, the government denied detaining him, only to later release him following pressure from civil society organizations. It is unacceptable that many families are going through the same turmoil Abiri's family went through," said Osai Ojigho, head of Amnesty's Nigeria section.

The rights group said people suspected of links to the Boko Haram jihadist group, Niger delta oil rebels and pro-Biafran activists had suffered a similar fate.

Amnesty asked the government to account for some 600 Shiite members of a pro-Iranian group called the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), allegedly held since deadly clashes with the military in December 2015.

"We call on the Nigerian government, as a matter of urgency, to end unlawful arrests and incommunicado detentions," Ojigho said.

"Enforced disappearance is an instrument of intimidation that grossly violates human rights. It is unacceptable and must stop."

On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari drew the flak of opposition, civil society groups and lawyers for remarks on the rule of law.

Buhari, a former military dictator in the 1980s but who was elected in 2015 and is seeking re-election in February, said the "rule of law must be subject to the supremacy of the nation's security and national interest."
White House Counsel Don McGahn is leaving his post, US President Donald Trump has announced

President Donald Trump insisted Thursday that his daughter played no role in the abrupt departure of his top lawyer and pushed back at the notion of a White House in chaos, calling it "a smooth-running machine with changing parts."

The announced departure of White House counsel Don McGahn, who has emerged as a key witness in the Russia probe shadowing his presidency, was the latest in a long string of firings and resignations to buffet Trump's administration.

The New York Times reported that McGahn was not forewarned before Trump announced Wednesday on Twitter he would be leaving his post this fall.

The Times said Ivanka Trump had complained bitterly to her father after a report by the newspaper that claimed McGahn's testimony to Special Counsel Robert Mueller had been far more extensive than the president or his lawyers knew.

In a series of tweets on Thursday, Trump said Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, "had NOTHING to do with the so called 'pushing out' of Don McGahn.

US President Donald Trump, pushing back against reports of a White House in chaos, said it is a 'smooth-running maching with changing parts'

"The Fake News Media has it, purposely, so wrong!" Trump tweeted.

"They love to portray chaos in the White House when they know that chaos doesn't exist-just a 'smooth running machine' with changing parts!"

McGahn was a witness to several key episodes under scrutiny by Mueller, including Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey and his tensions with Attorney General Jeff Sessions over his recusal from oversight of the probe.

Trump has said all his aides had been encouraged to be transparent with the Mueller probe -- which he frequently denounces as rigged against him.

"The Rigged Russia Witch Hunt did not come into play, even a little bit, with respect to my decision on Don McGahn!" the president insisted on Thursday.

Later on Thursday, Trump branded the investigation "illegal" -- despite the fact his own Justice Department says the opposite.

"I view it as an illegal investigation," he told Bloomberg News.

Trump cited unnamed "great scholars" who say that "there never should have been a special counsel," according to the news agency.

- 'Unhinged' -

The frequent departures of high-level staffers in Trump's administration have created the impression of a temperamental leader dismissive of discordant voices.

With less than two years in office, Trump has gone through two National Security Advisers, a Secretary of State and a White House chief of staff to name just a few.

Former senior White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman released a tell-all book this month after her firing, which painted Trump as a racist and a liar with a "total lack of empathy."

"Unhinged," the new tell-all book by former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman

Trump responded to the book by the former contestant on his reality show "The Apprentice," whose White House role was unclear, by calling her a "dog" and a "crazed, crying lowlife."

Such outbursts have put Trump's closest aides in the delicate position of trying to explain his Twitter salvos.

White House press briefings, a daily tradition under previous presidents, have practically disappeared as the administration deals with the constant drip of revelations.

The latest? A New York Times story Thursday that claimed Trump sought to purchase all the "dirt" that the National Enquirer, a leading scandal sheet, had collected on him over the past decades.

The newspaper, quoting unidentified associates of Trump, said the plan was concocted with Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, who has implicated him in "hush payments" made before the 2016 election.

Cohen agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors this month that included an admission that he had made payments to silence two women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump before he ran for the White House.

The Times said there was a plan to go even further -- purchasing all of the information collected on Trump since the 1980s by the National Enquirer and its parent company American Media.

The Times said the scheme, however, was "never finalized" and the White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Trump has sought to escape the oppressive environment of Washington by ratcheting up the frequency of campaign-style meetings which he clearly enjoys.

He is to fly to Evansville, Indiana, on Thursday for what he promised would be a "big crowd rally."

"Will be a big night!" he tweeted.
France's deputy UN ambassador Anne Gueguen, pictured August 2017, says that the progress made in Mali "remains insufficient"

France said Thursday it would propose individual sanctions against leaders of armed groups accused of violating a 2015 peace accord in Mali.

"The progress made remains insufficient," France's deputy UN ambassador Anne Gueguen said, as the 15-member Security Council voted unanimously to extend a general sanctions framework for Mali.

Her British counterpart, Jonathan Allen, stressed, "We need to see progress from all parties."

Gueguen said France is proposing that mid-level leaders of armed groups who undermine the peace accord through criminal or terrorist activities be swiftly subjected to sanctions.

"Failure to respect the commitments freely undertaken by all Malian parties as part of the roadmap cannot remain without consequence," Gueguen warned in reference to the 2015 accord.

It was unclear whether Russia and China support such individual sanctions, however. Both had expressed reservations a year ago when the general sanctions regime was created at France's initiative.

In an August 8 report, UN experts singled out Alkassoum Ag Abdoulaye, chief of staff of the Coalition for the People of Azawad, accusing him of taking part in two attacks against Malian security forces, in 2017 and 2018.

The report also names another CPA leader, Mohamed Ousmane Ag Mohamedoune, as suspected of also violating the peace accord.

In their report, the experts recommended that the UN sanctions committee handling Mali "proceed without delay to consider the designation for targeted measures of individuals and entities engaging in or providing support for actions or policies that threaten the peace, security or stability of Mali."

The experts also pointed to "a worrying pattern of human rights violations" against civilians by Malian security forces during operations against extremists. Bamako has acknowledged faults.

In Mali, large areas are outside the control of Malian, French or UN forces, which have been targeted repeatedly in deadly attacks despite a peace agreement with predominantly Tuareg rebels, aimed at isolating jihadist militants.

In recent years, the attacks have extended to central and southern Mali as well as neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger.
A doctor gestures outside a hospital in the Algerian town of Boufarik, as the country deals with a cholera outbreak, on August 28, 2018

The cholera outbreak that struck Algeria this month is now confined to one of six areas originally affected and the number of hospital patients is falling, the government said Thursday.

"The epidemic is now limited to the Blida" area located around 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Algiers, the health ministry said in a statement.

The outbreak in early August was Algeria's first for 22 years, hitting Algiers, Blida, Tipaza, Bouria, Medea and Ain Defla.

The number of people newly hospitalised with suspected cholera has fallen by 56 percent in the past three days and 61 percent of the approximately 200 patients hospitalised since the outbreak began have returned home.

All patients admitted to El Kettar hospital in Algiers -- one of two hospitals nationally where suspected cases have been quarantined -- have been released, the ministry said.

Only Boufarik hospital, 20 kilometres south of the capital in Blida area, still hosts cholera patients.

Between the start of the outbreak and 28 August, there have been 62 confirmed cases, including two deaths, the ministry said.

Cholera is transmitted through infected faecal matter, often via contaminated water or food.

It causes acute watery diarrhoea and vomiting, causing dehydration that if left untreated can lead to death.
South Sudanese rebel chief Riek Machar (L), pictured August 5, 2018, and arch-foe South Sudan's President Salva Kiir (R) have held weeks of talks in Khartoum in search of a comprehensive peace deal to end the conflict

South Sudanese rebel chief Riek Machar on Thursday approved a peace deal with Juba that is expected to be formally signed at a summit of regional leaders, a Sudanese mediator said.

Machar and arch-foe South Sudan's President Salva Kiir have held weeks of talks in Khartoum in search of a comprehensive peace deal to end the conflict, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since 2013.

The warring parties have already inked several agreements, including a permanent ceasefire and a power-sharing deal that sees Machar returning as first vice president.

Machar had initially refused to approve the deal on Tuesday, before finally agreeing to it after mediation by Khartoum.

The deal has already been approved by Juba, and on Thursday Machar's group and representatives of some other rebel factions initialled it, an AFP correspondent reported.

"The final signing of the peace deal will happen at a summit of IGAD," Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dierdiry Ahmed said, referring to the East African bloc that has pushed the latest initiative to end the war.

"The date for the summit will be announced soon," he said, adding negotiations in Khartoum had now ended.

On Tuesday, Machar and other opposition groups said they had some reservations concerning the accord that had not been acknowledged.

The rebels had differences over the functioning of a proposed transitional government, how many states the country should be divided into and on the writing of a new constitution.

"The concerns of these parties will be discussed at IGAD summit," Ahmed said.

Earlier this month, Kiir and Machar signed a power-sharing deal that will see the rebel leader return as the first of five vice presidents.

That accord paved the way for drafting of a final peace deal and is expected to lead to the formation of a transitional government to be in power until elections are held.

South Sudan spiralled into a devastating civil war little over two years after it became independent from Sudan in 2011.

The conflict pitted Kiir against Machar after Kiir accused his former deputy of plotting a coup.

It has seen widespread rape and murder of civilians, often along ethnic lines, and uprooted roughly a third of the population.

A succession of peace deals have been signed between the two leaders only to be broken, most recently in December.
US modern dance choreographer Paul Taylor has died at 88

Paul Taylor, a towering figure of US modern dance who imbued his choreography with joyful, poetic exuberance, has died, his eponymous company said Thursday. He was 88.

Taylor, who died Wednesday, brought a radical new approach to the art form in the 1950s, creating a bridge between early modern masters like Martha Graham and Isadora Duncan and experimental contemporary dance.

He is one of the last giants of modern dance to pass away, after Graham, Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch. His dance company was one of the first from the United States to tour around the world.

"Paul Taylor was one of the world's greatest dancemakers, and his passing deeply saddens not only those of us who worked with him, but also people all over the world whose spirits have been touched by his incomparable art," said Paul Taylor Dance Foundation artistic director Michael Novak.

"We are grateful for your love and support as we begin to carry on his legacy with the utmost fidelity and devotion," added Novak, a dance company member who Taylor picked earlier this year to serve as his successor.

In a particularly provocative 1957 concert of seven works, Taylor's "Duet" had him standing motionless while his partner reclined looking "calm in an exciting way" before the curtain closed.

Most of the audience left, Graham dubbed him a "naughty boy" and Dance Observer published a review featuring four square inches (26 square centimeters) of blank paper.

That daring, convention-breaking spirit paved the way for the postmodern dance greats who emerged out of the Judson Dance Theater in the early 1960s like Trisha Brown, Steve Paxton and Yvonne Rainer.

Taylor collaborated closely with artists both avant-garde and established, including multiple pieces with designs by Robert Rauschenberg, others with music composed by John Cage and a decades-long collaboration with painter Alex Katz.

Through it all, Taylor kept a sense of humor, with a twinkle in his eye.

Among his roster of illustrious company designers was one named George Tacit.

It was only recently that Taylor admitted -- somewhat tacitly -- that he was in fact Tacit, having shied from making it known that he had designed costumes for a company that already bears his name.

- 'Great storyteller' -

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 29, 1930 in the wake of the Great Depression, Taylor grew up in the US capital and surrounding region.

While attending Syracuse University on a swimming scholarship, he discovered dance in books he read at the library and transferred to the Juilliard School in New York.

He assembled a small group of dancers in 1954, performing himself until focusing more exclusively on choreography 20 years later.

Taylor, who danced in his early years for Graham, Cunningham and George Balanchine -- considered the father of American ballet -- brought technical prowess and physicality to the art form, often coupled with chirpy, colorful movements, scores and costumes.

He gained national and international renown with pieces like "Aureole" (1962), initially intended to upset modern dance purists but ultimately celebrated by modern ballet companies with its accessible, upbeat Handel score and lightly swaying costumes.

Showing his versatility, a year later he created the bleak "Scudorama," where eight dancers shrouded beneath multicolored beach towels crawl across the floor -- set to a score that Taylor commissioned asking that it have the same tempo as Igor Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring."

In 1980, Taylor created a riotous work with a two-piano arrangement of the "Rite" score, the storyline featuring gangsters and a kidnapping.

"He was a great storyteller through his dance, and he was America's master modern choreographer," Bodyvox dance company co-artistic director Ashley Roland told AFP.

"He created a strong dance vernacular, especially through men, in pieces like 'Arden Court' and 'Cloven Kingdom.' He was a swimmer, and his arm movement drove his dance with power and grace."

Matthew Bourne, the British choreographer known for his all-male take on the Russian ballet classic "Swan Lake," mourned "a great loss," adding that Taylor's "influence and sense of pure joy in movement continue to be an inspiration to dancers worldwide."

- Prolific -

Taylor created more than 140 dances since 1954, performed by Paul Taylor Dance Company, its smaller ensemble Taylor 2 as well as other dance companies around the world.

Since 2014, his dance company has called Lincoln Center -- the performing arts hall in the heart of New York City -- its second home for a three-week season each year. It's a rare honor for a modern dance troupe.

Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, as the initiative is known, presents both works from Taylor's own repertoire as well as new pieces by leading contemporary choreographers.
Nigerian Senate President Bukola Saraki

The powerful head of Nigeria's Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday announced he would run in February's presidential elections against incumbent Muhammadu Buhari.

The move, by the country's third-highest politician, ratchets up the challenge facing Buhari and increases the electoral uncertainties in Africa's most populous nation.

"I hereby announce my intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming general elections in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)," Saraki said at a meeting with young people in Abuja.

"I do so with the firm conviction that I have what it takes to secure inclusive growth for Nigeria and Nigerians."

Saraki, 55, was born into one of Nigeria's wealthiest and most politically prominent families.

Ranked in Nigeria's political hierarchy behind Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Saraki has long been seen as having his sights on the top job.

In recent months, he became linked to a string of defections that appeared to be aimed at weakening Buhari.

On July 31, citing irreconcilable differences, he quit Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) and returned to his old party, the PDP.

During his time as president of the Senate, Saraki has had a running battle with the government.

He ran into legal problems that he said was because he had been marked out as a critic and rival by the presidency.

He was accused of flouting parliamentary rules to secure the position, of failing to disclose all his assets during his time as governor and of having links to a gang that carried out a brutal armed robbery in Kwara state that saw 33 people shot dead.

Buhari, elected on an anti-graft ticket, has been accused of using his fight against corruption to crack down on perceived political opponents.

Many political figures, including former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki are languishing behind bars despite several court orders for their release.

- Under pressure -

Buhari, a former military dictator in the 1980s, was elected in 2015.

He has announced his intention to seek a second term. He has the support of the APC's senior ranks, although a primary is required.

But the 75-year-old is under intense pressure to stand down on account of his age and failing health and faces criticism for his handling of the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency in northeastern Nigeria.

The president came under fire Tuesday from the opposition, lawyers and civil society groups for saying "the supremacy of the nation's security and national interest" was above the rule of law.

Buhari should be made to "answer for the litany of human rights violations in Nigeria, including documented disobedience to court orders, extra-judicial and arbitrary executions, unlawful arrests and political detentions," the PDP said.

- Primary boost -

On Wednesday, another heavyweight candidate said he would run in the PDP primaries -- Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former aide to Buhari and ex-governor of Kano province, who defected to the PDP in July.

Mainly Muslim Kano, home to 15 million out of Nigeria's population of around 180 million people, was a vital stronghold for Buhari in the 2015 elections.

Other power-players who have bolted from the APC are the governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose, and former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

"The biggest challenge now for PDP is to organize free, fair, and credible primary elections," said political analyst Chris Ngwodo.

If this can be achieved, the opposition will seize the limelight, he suggested.

"The primaries will be very competitive, and then capture public attention. All the excitment and all the dramas will be within PDP."

Buhari had begun the year as favourite for the elections, facing an opposition that was disorganised and weakened by the fight against corruption.

But, said Ngwodo, "I do suspect that for the president, (2019) will not be as easy as 2015."
Moroccan teenager Khadija Okkarou, pictured August 21, 2018, with her face blurred, says in an online video that members of a "dangerous gang" in her town kidnapped and held her prisoner for two months, raping and torturing her

The hometown of a Moroccan teenager who says she was kidnapped and gang raped is divided over her account of a case that has sparked outrage across the kingdom.

In a video posted online last week, 17-year-old Khadija Okkarou said members of a "dangerous gang" in her town had kidnapped and held her prisoner for two months, raping and torturing her.

But residents in the one-road town of Oulad Ayyad in rural central Morocco are split over what happened and why.

"Her testimony has generated a lot of compassion here, but some question her version of events," said a man in his 50s who asked to remain anonymous.

According to a neighbour, the young girl has tried to "keep out of sight" in the town, now abuzz over her video testimony.

In the video, she shows horrific scars allegedly from cigarette burns and rudimentary tattoos carved into parts of her body.

It has sparked a wave of solidarity on social media -- one petition has collected more than 70,000 signatures -- and demonstrations of support in her town.

But it's also brought out detractors.

- 'Arrangement' -

"This girl kept bad company... we saw her going out with boys," said Ahmed, who runs a grocery shop near Khadija's home.

According to him, relatives of some of the men she accused "had proposed an arrangement and her father was ready to accept" until associations backing the girl's testimony intervened.

On a recent busy market day, the few women seen in the town were all wearing headscarves and the traditional djellaba robes.

"It's a conservative region," said Mustafa, a truck driver sipping tea at one of the town's men-only cafes.

Here, as in many rural areas in Morocco, girls stay home, marry young and do not associate with boys.

Oulad Ayyad, which makes most of its money selling sweet beets and sugar, is part of the country's poorest region.

Young people have little access to education and services, according to a recent study published by Morocco's statistics institute.

Like many girls her age, Khadija left school when she was 12 because her family was too poor to pay the costs, residents told AFP.

"(She) was a bit free, her father allowed her to leave the house and lead her life as she wanted," said Mustafa, who claimed to know the family well.

"This is not the case for most girls here," he added.

Hassan, a coffee shop owner, said most of the town was "upset" over what happened to Khadija.

"Most people have compassion for her because it can happen to anyone."

- 'Machismo culture' -

Moroccan police have arrested 12 people -- aged from 18 to 28 -- over the case, with charges ranging from "trafficking a minor" to "rape", according to a judicial source.

Other charges include "torture and the use of a weapon to inflict injuries and psychological damage" and "forming an armed gang".

Some of the detainees have admitted to the charges, according to Ibrahim Hachane, Khadija's lawer.

But their admissions have failed to convince the teenager's detractors.

"Unfortunately, the machismo culture makes some people blame her for what happened to her," said Hachane, a member of Morocco's Association for Human Rights.

Parents of some of the accused have accused the young girl of "lying" and living promiscuously.

Dr. Abdenbi Halmaoui, who has accompanied Khadija throughout her various medical examinations, said she has been "badly" affected by those who have questioned her testimony.

He has advised her family to take away her cellphone to prevent detractors from reaching her.

"She must receive psychiatric support because even though she is stable, she is disturbed," Halmaoui told AFP.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland (C) before NAFTA talks with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in Washington, DC, on August 30, 2018

Optimism is high that the United States, Canada and Mexico are near the finish line for an agreement on a new North American Free Trade Agreement.

But as US and Canada officials continue to meet, there are three key issues to resolve:

- Dairy sector -

President Donald Trump has complained repeatedly about how Canada treats American dairy farmers, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged to defend "supply management" in the sector currently excluded from NAFTA.

The Canadian government dictates the production and price of milk, eggs and poultry through annual quotas and import duties of up to 275%.

The system put in place in the 1970s provides stable and predictable income for Canadian farmers, and although it remains a point of friction with its neighbor it has survived several attempts to dismantle it.

The United States, which has a dairy surplus, wants greater access to the Canadian market.

Ottawa could compromise and offer to open up a larger share of its market to US imports, as it did in talks with the European Union on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

But Trudeau could pay a price if he goes too far, particularly in Quebec, home to a large part of the country's dairy farmers.

A few weeks before legislative elections in the province, and a year before federal legislative elections, Quebec's Liberal Prime Minister Philippe Couillard warned Trudeau that he would face "serious political consequences" if he retreated on supply management.

- Intellectual property -

In announcing its agreement in principle with Mexico on Monday, the United States included stronger protections for intellectual property rights, an issue that especially touches the pharmaceutical sector.

The deal with Mexico specifically provides for the protection of drug patents for a period of at least 10 years, a provision that Canada resists in order to protect its generic drug industry.

In addition, Canada is substantially subsidizing the cultural sector, which includes films and books, which the United States is challenging.

- Dispute settlement -

Arguably the most thorny issue is NAFTA's trade dispute settlement mechanism: the United States wants to eliminate it but Canada insists on preserving it.

Chapter 19 of NAFTA establishes binational panels to resolve disputes, including over a country's use of tariffs to protect domestic firms from competition from cheap or unfairly subsidized imports.

Washington, which frequently uses the antidumping and countervailing duties in response to complaints from US businesses, argues Chapter 19 undercuts US law and would like to remove it.

But Ottawa has regularly used this provision to successfully challenge US duties, such as in the softwood lumber dispute.

In 1987, Canada's lead negotiator Simon Reisman walked out on negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement with the United States -- the precursor to NAFTA -- over the issue antidumping policies.

"Just as strong barriers make good neighbors, strong dispute resolution mechanisms make good business partners," Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has said since the start of the NAFTA renegotiation a year ago.

Mexico also has opposed elimination of Chapter 19, but had more pressing issues with the United States. This provision was not mentioned in this week's agreement between Mexico City and Washington.
The ICRC has been working since 2012 on a database of information on each of the estimated 17,000 cases of disappearance since Lebabnon's 15-year war ended

The Red Cross and Lebanese activists made a plea Thursday for the passage of a law to uncover the fate of thousands of people missing since the country's devastating civil war.

An estimated 17,000 people remain disappeared since Lebanon's 15-year war ended in 1990, but a draft law to create a commission of enquiry could help determine their fate.

The draft, in the works for years, has been approved by parliamentary committees and must now be voted on by the 128 lawmakers elected to office in May.

On Thursday, the International Day of the Disappeared, the International Committee of the Red Cross and families of the missing called on the MPs to pass it.

"Tell us where they are. Even if they're just bones," said Najla Qublawi, 56.

Her eight-year-old brother went missing in 1976 in an area outside Beirut and she said her family has spent decades asking Lebanese authorities about him and protesting to demand more transparency.

"I have hope with this draft law," said Qublawi, who fiddled nervously with colourful prayer beads as she spoke.

Thursday's call came during an artist exhibit organised by the ICRC to highlight the prolonged suffering of families aching to know what happened to their loved ones.

In one room designed as a cozy kitchen, a human form made out of grayish wire sits at a table facing an empty chair.

In another, an image shows a man standing by a car with an Iranian license plate, his face blocked out by a bright white circle.

The draft law would create a commission of enquiry led by the police and aided by special archeologists and anthropologists.

Since 2012, the ICRC has been working on a database compiling info on each disappearance case, including the area the person went missing and the clothes they were wearing at the time.

Later on, researches began gathering DNA samples from relatives of the disappeared in anticipation of the law's passage.

Lebanon held parliamentary elections in May for the first time in nearly a decade, presenting a new opportunity for families to learn the fate of their loved ones.

"The time is now," said Pablo Percelsi, the deputy head of ICRC's delegation, urging parliament to take action.

"Thousands will be delivered from their grief and the past can finally pass," he said.

"I promise you that we'll work forcefully on this," MP Roula Tabash, a lawyer and first-time parliamentarian from Beirut, told those gathered.
A combination photo based on two handout images provided by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in February 2018 shows captured British Islamic State (IS) group fighters El Shafee el-Sheikh (left) and Alexanda Kotey (right), in an undisclosed location

The Trump administration is considering sending some captured Islamic State fighters, including the two "Beatles," British citizens who took part in beheadings, to the military-run prison in Guantanamo, Cuba, NBC reported Thursday.

The prison could be used to jail indefinitely a number of "high-value" IS foreign fighters captured in Iraq and Syria, while sending less important detainees whose governments won't accept them to an Iraqi-run prison, NBC said, citing unnamed US officials and European diplomats.

NBC said among those being considered for transfer are Alexanda Amon Kotey and El Shafee el-Sheikh, two survivors of a four-man IS unit that saw kidnapped foreign journalists and others tortured and beheaded.

The captives have been dubbed "The Beatles" for their British accents.

Moving newly captured jihadists to Guantanamo would mark a shift in US policy by the Trump administration: after having peaked at 780 detainees, the facility has not received a new prisoner since 2008.

Most detainees have been released, and the current population is 40, including several key Al-Qaeda figures accused of plotting the September 11, 2001 and other attacks.

Their trials under the military justice system have stalled for more than a decade, and adding newcomers will raise concerns the Trump administration has little intention to respect their legal rights.

The US military recently repatriated two US citizens detained in Syria, and has sent their cases to civilian courts where they now face trial for supporting Islamic State.

A US military spokeswoman, Commander Sarah Higgins, had no comment about the NBC report and added: "there is no one identified for transfer to Guantanamo at this time."

"The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay is one disposition option for long-term detention of enemy combatants. Other options include transfer to foreign partners and prosecution in US courts."

- Working with Britain -

The cases of Kotey and Sheikh have been controversial in Britain.

According to unconfirmed reports, they were stripped of their British citizenship before they were captured in early 2018 in Syria, and the British government has made no effort to have them brought to Britain for trial.

British opponents of the death penalty have demanded that the US not be allowed to take control of them.

In July, Minister for Security Ben Wallace told parliament that the British government is "working closely with international partners to ensure that they face justice for any crimes they have committed."

At the same time, he said the British government's official position is that the Guantanamo prison "should close."

"Where we share evidence with the US, it must be for the express purpose of progressing a criminal prosecution, and we have made that clear to the United States," he said.
Libyans inspect damage left by a mortar shell near a market south of the capital Tripoli on August 30, 2018

Violent clashes resumed late Thursday afternoon between rival militias south of the Libyan capital, just hours after a truce was announced to end fighting that has killed almost 30 people since Monday.

The fighting broke out on Monday in suburbs south of Tripoli and continued into Wednesday evening after a truce collapsed, despite an appeal by the United Nations for calm.

The clashes had paused on Thursday after a ceasefire agreement announced by officials from western areas, but by late afternoon the hostilities had resumed.

Residents in the Khellat al-Ferjan area reported the use of heavy weapons and rifle fire.

Two teenagers were killed when a rocket hit a house in the Sebia district, according to a local official and AFP journalists on the scene.

The health ministry had earlier said at least 27 people were killed and 91 were wounded in this week's fighting, most of them civilians.

Fayez al-Sarraj, the leader of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), has tasked forces from western and central regions of Libya with ensuring the rivals adhere to the ceasefire.

These forces are meant to guarantee the withdrawal of the two rival camps from front lines and ensure normal life returns in the districts affected by the fighting.

- To be 'held accountable' -

The proposed pacifying forces consist mainly of powerful armed groups from the cities of Misrata and Zintan in the west, which are technically under the GNA's defence ministry.

Under the orders of Sarraj, who heads the Libyan army, these military units will be allowed to operate in the capital and its environs only until September 30, when they must leave.

The Misrata and Zintan militias controlled the Libyan capital from the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 until 2014, when a coalition of militias mainly from Misrata seized the city.

This week's fighting has pitted Tripoli militias loyal to the GNA against the so-called 7th Brigade.

This unit is from the town of Tarhuna southeast of the capital and is supposed to operate under the GNA's defence ministry.

In a televised speech, Sarraj said on Thursday that the 7th Brigade had been "dissolved" since April, before calling on the rival camps to respect the ceasefire.

In a joint statement, the embassies of Britain, France, Italy and the United States on Thursday said they were "deeply concerned about the recent clashes in and around Tripoli that are destabilising the situation".

"Pursuing political aims through violence will only further exacerbate the suffering of the population of Libya, and threaten broader stability", the statement said.

"Those who undermine Libya's peace, security and stability will be held accountable."

Separately on Thursday, the UN's refugee agency said it had helped earlier in the week to evacuate hundreds of migrants held in a detention centre close to where clashes were raging.

Some 300 migrants -- mainly from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia -- were transferred Tuesday to the capital's Abu Salim detention centre, "which is in a relatively safer location where international organisations can provide aid to them", the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said.

The Libyan capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups since Kadhafi's fall.

Successive transitional authorities, including the GNA, have been unable to form an functioning army or regular security forces and have been forced to rely on militias to keep the city safe.

In mid-2017, pro-GNA militias neutralised several rival groups in Tripoli. Since then, clashes have been rare.
Former US vice president Joe Biden, speaking at a memorial in Phoenix, Arizona for his friend John McCain, eulogized the late senator as a "giant" who worked across party lines to advance the nation's interests

Former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday eulogized late senator John McCain as an American "giant" whose belief in the soul of the country helped give citizens their confidence and optimism.

Biden led heartfelt tributes to the warrior and onetime Republican presidential nominee at a Phoenix memorial shortly before McCain's remains were to be flown to Washington.

"My name is Joe Biden. I'm a Democrat. And I love John McCain," he began as he praised his longtime Republican Senate colleague as "a giant among all of us," a hero whose character, courage and integrity helped inspire a nation.

"The bottom line is, I think John believed in us," said Biden, who occasionally wiped away tears as he recounted a friendship that marked a bygone-era of bipartisan cooperation in Washington.

"I always thought of John as a brother. We had a hell of a lot of family fights," but their closeness transcended political differences, he added.

Biden's poignant words came a day after more than 15,000 people, many waiting in 100-degree (38 degrees Celsius) summer heat, paid tribute to McCain at the Arizona state capitol.

Some two dozen senators from both parties attended Thursday's church ceremony, as did McCain's children and wife Cindy, who wore black mourning dress.

Biden said there was something "intangible" about the national outpouring of grief over the passing of McCain, who has been critical of President Donald Trump.

"I think it's because they knew John believed so deeply and so passionately in the soul of America. He made it easier for them to have confidence and faith in America," Biden said.

Hundreds of Arizonans were seen lining the streets to pay final respects as McCain's flag-draped coffin was then driven in a black hearse, escorted by four policemen on motorcycles, towards the airport for transport to Washington aboard a US military plane.

On Friday his remains will lie in state in the US Capitol, followed by a Saturday funeral service where former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama -- each of whom defeated McCain in their races for the White House -- will deliver remarks.

It is expected to be a fitting send-off for a political icon and former prisoner of war who came to epitomize respect, passionate debate and conciliation, especially in today's climate of political division.

McCain, who died Saturday at 81 after a yearlong battle with brain cancer, will be buried Sunday at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Trump is not scheduled to attend the funeral services.
Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano (L), a former Vatican envoy to the United States, says he told Pope Francis of sex abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick in 2013

US groups representing survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests called Thursday on the Vatican to publish a list of clerics accused of sexual assault.

The calls came after Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to Washington, dropped an 11-page bombshell letter on Saturday accusing Pope Francis of ignoring sexual abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

The 88-year-old former archbishop of Washington -- one of the most senior Catholic leaders to face abuse allegations -- resigned as cardinal in late July even as he denied the charges.

The Vatican dossier on McCarrick contains "underlying facts concerning Pope Francis and two other popes, Benedict and John Paul" that shows they covered up clerical sexual abuse, said Peter Isley with the group Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA).

The information "is in the pope's file, let's see it," he said at a press conference outside the Vatican's embassy in Washington.

Vigano's accusation brought to light a bitter split in the church between liberals who defend the pope and some ultra-conservative Catholics who see Francis as a dangerous progressive more interested in social issues than traditional Church matters.

According to Isley, "Liberal popes covered up child sex abuse just like conservative bishops covered (them) up."

In his letter, Vigano also linked homosexuality within the church to sexual abuse of children -- something Isley rejected as "utterly false, completely unacceptable and immoral."

For Isley, "there is a criminal network within the Catholic Church" that is "being covered up by bishops of all sides."

"That network has to be exposed and prosecuted," he said, claiming that the McCarrick dossier "will clear that up."

Becky Ianni, a DC area leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said that the real issue "is the church's systematic cover up of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults, abuses that come from both conservative and liberal camps."

"The cover up are part and parcel of the way the Catholic Church does its business," she added.

The US Catholic Church has been in upheaval over recent revelations of a massive pedophilia scandal in Pennsylvania involving more than 300 priests said to have abused more than 1,000 children.

Vigano's weekend letter "seems to be very opportunistic," said SNAP's lead counsel Pamela Spees.

She called for a federal investigation "in all church entities to find evidence of sex crime against children," and of the cover ups, which include sending priests abroad, all of which "would make the crimes prosecutable."
Malawi's former President Joyce Banda at the opening of the People's Party convention Blantyre

Malawi's ex-president Joyce Banda, who recently returned home after four years of self-imposed exile, was on Thursday reelected as her Peoples Party's PP) to lead it into next year's national elections.

As political parties readied for next year's elections, 1,800 PP delegates from around the country converged in the commercial capital of Blantyre to give Banda the mandate to attempt to wrestle power from President Peter Mutharikas Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), to whom she lost the 2014 elections.

Banda garnered 1,183 party votes against her little-known opponent Leonard Mphidza who polled 23 votes.

In her victory speech, Banda said she is geared up to lead the party she founded to the polls.

"I accept the task you have placed in my hands and I am grateful for the faith you have placed in me," she told the assembled party delegates.

"I am ready to work hard because the mandate has come from you. I am more rejuvenated because poverty has become worse since the PP left office," she added.

Banda laid out her manifesto, promising to restore electricity, education standards, to build a mining industry, to restore the fledging economy, provide affordable housing to the poorest and to provide health care for all.

"It is our right to get proper treatment," she said.

Malawi, one of the worlds poorest and most aid-dependent countries, will hold presidential, parliamentary and local council elections in May 2019.

Banda, 68, fled the country in 2014 when she lost power after being embroiled in the multimillion dollar so-called "Cashgate" scandal, the biggest financial misconduct by government officials uncovered in the country's history.

She returned to Malawi in April after four years of self-imposed exile, despite facing the threat of arrest over corruption allegations.

Banda, who served as Malawi's first female president from 2012 to 2014, says she has done nothing wrong and that the allegations against her are politically motivated.

She founded the PP in 2011 after splitting from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which is led by President Mutharika.

str- mgu/pvh
Yemeni children suspected of being infected with cholera, are treated at a hospital in the capital Sanaa, on July 24, 2018; the war-torn country has seen 1.1 million suspected cases since April

Yemen faces a possible third wave of a cholera epidemic, the UN warned Thursday, following a jump in the number of suspected cases over recent weeks.

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said current rains were increasing the risk of infection in the war-torn country, which has seen 1.1 million suspected cases since last April.

"The number of suspected cholera cases has been increasing over the last two months in Yemen," he said.

"Between the beginning of the year and mid-August 2018, nearly 120,000 suspected cases have been reported.

"Although this figure is lower than during the same period in 2017, the increasing rate of infections over recent weeks is raising concerns of a possible third wave of the epidemic."

Dujarric confirmed that medical supplies to treat over half a million people were ready for use in high risk areas.

The UN's warning follows that of the World Health Organization (WHO), which raised the alarm for a potential major surge in infections earlier this month.

The UN has described the situation in Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Since March 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition intervened to support government forces against Iran-backed Houthi rebels, the conflict has left over 10,000 people dead, and plunged over 8 million Yemenis into near-famine.
UNIFIL has 10,500 troops on the ground in Lebanon

The UN Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to renew for another year the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.

The measure backing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) calls on the Lebanese government to boost its naval capabilities, with the ultimate aim of drawing down the mission's maritime taskforce.

That requirement had been pushed by the United States, which also demanded better enforcement of the UN arms embargo against Hezbollah.

"It is unacceptable that Hezbollah continues to flout this embargo, Lebanon's sovereignty, and the will of the majority of Lebanese people," US diplomat Rodney Hunter said after the vote.

He blasted Iran for supporting Hezbollah and said the group is a "direct threat" to peace and threatens the stability of Lebanon.

But the text adopted by the Council does not mention Hezbollah by name, despite US demands.

"All states shall take the necessary measures to prevent, by their nationals or from their territories or using flag vessels or aircraft, the sale or supply of arms and related materiel to any entity or individual in Lebanon other than those authorized by the Government of Lebanon or UNIFIL," the resolution states.

A US diplomat said the aim of shrinking the UN maritime force, which consists of half a dozen military ships equipped with weapons and radar, was to cut the UNIFIL mission costs.

First set up in 1978, UNIFIL was beefed up after the 2006 Lebanon War, tasked with guaranteeing a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from a demilitarized zone on the border.

UNIFIL now has 10,500 troops on the ground monitoring the ceasefire and helping the Lebanese government secure its borders.

Israel's position on having an international naval force so close to its territory remains unclear.
President Donald Trump nixed a European Union proposal that would end tariffs on automobiles, and warned the United States could withdraw from the World Trade Organization if the global dispute resolution body does not "shape up"

President Donald Trump on Thursday reportedly rejected as "not good enough" a European Union proposal scrapping tariffs on automobiles, a move which threatens to amplify a simmering trans-Atlantic trade dispute.

Just hours earlier, the EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem had said the bloc was "willing to bring down... our car tariffs to zero" provided that the United States did the same.

"It's not good enough," Trump told Bloomberg News in an Oval Office interview, speaking of the Brussels offer.

"Their consumer habits are to buy their cars, not to buy our cars."

The White House in July sought to defuse the trade tiff when Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker met and pledged to work towards a limited trade accord that would eliminate customs duties, but excluded the automobile sector.

Trump on Thursday also compared the EU to China. He has reportedly threatened to slap import taxes on $200 billion in Chinese goods, as a trade war escalates with Beijing.

"The European Union is almost as bad as China, just smaller," Trump said.

He also warned that he could pull the United States out of the World Trade Organization.

"If they don't shape up, I would withdraw from the WTO," Trump said of one of the key anchors of the post-World War II multilateral trading system that the United States helped construct.

At a time when Trump's protectionist policies have sparked a wave of trade wars, the institution best placed to help settle trade differences is facing a deepening crisis.

This week Washington blocked the reappointment of a WTO judge, increasing the risk it could soon find itself unable to fulfil its key role in arbitrating disputes.
BOSTON (AP) - People taking whale watch cruises out of Boston usually have to travel miles out to sea to spot whales.

But several humpback whales have been spotted in the harbor in the last few days, providing thrills just a quarter mile from downtown Boston.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation posted a video on Twitter of a whale breaching, calling it a "beautiful and rare sight to see."

The presence of whales in the busy harbor also comes with a warning. The Coast Guard is urging mariners to use "extreme caution" and keep a safe distance from whales.

A spokeswoman for Boston Harbor Cruises, which offers whale-watching cruises, said company naturalists have identified five to six individual whales.

Experts say they will stick around as long as there is food.
MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (AP) - A coalition of government and business groups is kicking off a campaign to attract cruise ships to the Great Lakes.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and other officials are scheduled to attend an announcement of the "Cruise the Great Lakes" initiative Thursday on Mackinac Island.

The announcement will coincide with a port of call by Victory 1, a cruise line ship that regularly tours the Great Lakes.

The new marketing partnership includes several of the region's states and Canadian provinces, plus port authorities and local tourism agencies.

They say cruise ship tourism on the Great Lakes is expected to grow significantly in coming years. Eight ships were expected to visit this year, representing about 100,000 passenger port visits.

Two additional vessels plan to begin operating on the lakes in 2020.
In a story Aug. 29 about a former Texas police officer's murder conviction, The Associated Press erroneously referred to the school where Phil Stinson works as Bowling Green University. The school's name is Bowling Green State University.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Experts: Unusual factors in ex-Texas cop's murder conviction

Criminal justice experts say murder conviction of ex-Texas police officer for an on-duty shooting was extremely rare, but jurors had some unusual factors to consider

By CLAUDIA LAUER

Associated Press

Every case is unique, as is every jury. But experts say several factors seemed to stack up against former Texas police officer Roy Oliver this week when, in an extremely rare outcome, he was convicted of murder for a shooting that occurred while he was on duty.

Criminal justice experts tell The Associated Press that fewer than 90 officers have been charged with murder or manslaughter for such shootings since 2005. Less than half were convicted or pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Even more rare is a guilty verdict on a murder charge: That has happened only five other times in the last 13 years in cases involving non-federal law enforcement officers - and four of those convictions were overturned, according to Bowling Green State University criminologist Phil Stinson.

Criminologists have long said jurors are inclined to believe police testimony, and prosecutors have a high bar when trying to convince jurors that a law officer didn't fear for his or her life in the moments before a fatal shooting. But in Oliver's case, experts say, several factors worked against him.

Here is a look at some of those factors and the case:

THE CONVICTION:

Dallas County jurors weren't swayed by Oliver's claims that he was protecting his partner when he fired into a car full of black teenagers as it left a house party in Balch Springs last year. The shooting in the Dallas suburb killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.

The shooting occurred after Oliver, who is white, and his partner responded to reports of underage drinking at the party. Oliver initially said he opened fire as the car aggressively moved toward his partner.

But the police chief later said body camera footage contradicted the officer's version of events. Oliver was fired from the Balch Springs Police Department days later.

On Tuesday, Oliver was convicted of murder. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $10,000. His attorneys have said they'll appeal.

TESTIMONY

University of Pittsburgh law professor David Harris said a major blow to Oliver's case came from his partner, Officer Tyler Gross. Gross told jurors that while responding to the house party, he didn't fear for his life and never felt the need to fire his weapon. He also said he didn't feel like the vehicle that Edwards and his friends were riding in was trying to hit him.

Harris said that likely eroded jurors' trust in Oliver's testimony.

"To have a partner testify differently is an unusual thing to happen in itself, but to have a partner say he wasn't in fear ... that is a major blow to that guy saying he had a reasonable fear for his or his partner's life," Harris said.

Juries in such trials are told they have to consider how police make split-second decisions. Jurors then have to decide whether an officer was fearful in that brief moment, added Cara Rabe-Hemp, a professor of criminal justice at Illinois State University. In Oliver's case, she said, it appeared the jury was not willing to accept the reasonableness of his claim of fear.

VIDEO FOOTAGE

Prosecutors also showed jurors the police bodycam video that contradicted Oliver's original version of events, which experts said also likely played a role in the jury's perception of whether Oliver was being truthful about feeling threatened.

Harris said most police departments have some policy prohibiting officers from shooting at moving vehicles because, if the driver is shot, the vehicle can become an unguided missile with no one to stop it. The video showed the car moving away from officers.

"It's a really incredibly reckless thing to do, under the best of circumstances," Harris said.

Officers are often told to move out of the way rather than try to stop a car coming at them. Harris said a jury likely would see Oliver's actions as disregarding safety of others and acting recklessly.

THE VICTIM

In several cases where officers were charged in fatal shootings, prosecutors had to overcome jurors' tendency to blame the victim if the victim was in the midst of committing a crime or had a criminal history, the experts said.

Rabe-Hemp pointed to the case of Philando Castile, a Minnesota man who was fatally shot after calmly telling an officer that he was legally carrying a gun during a traffic stop in July 2016. Defense attorneys were able to convince a jury that the presence of the weapon caused the officer, Jeronimo Yanez, to react in fear. Yanez was acquitted.

But in Oliver's case, defense attorneys had very little to point to. Edwards was unarmed - investigators found no weapons in the vehicle - and prosecutors told jurors he was an "innocent child" whose last words were "duck, get down."

"It didn't seem reasonable that this officer would be fearful. I think that alone really altered that outcome," Rabe-Hemp said.

Harris said Edwards' age and character also were likely factors in the verdict.

"Every life is valued, but some lives get devalued. It shouldn't be like that, but it is," Harris said. "In this case, you had a 15-year-old kid, who wasn't up to no good. ... In many cases, juries do victim blame. But you couldn't make that happen here."
HARRISON, N.J. (AP) - Brian White scored his first MLS goal in his first start and the New York Red Bulls beat the Houston Dynamo 1-0 on Wednesday night to move atop the Eastern Conference.

New York (17-6-4) extended its undefeated streak to six games - with a fourth win during that stretch. The Red Bulls moved one point ahead of longtime Supporters' Shield leader Atlanta United with seven games remaining. Houston (7-12-7) is winless in its last nine matches - one away from tying a club record.

White, the No. 16 selection in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft, scored in the 55th minute on an easy tap-in. Luis Robles recorded his 59th career shutout.

New York, which ended a stretch of five games in 15 days, has won eight of the past 11 games in the series.
BOSTON (AP) - A popular Republican who seems nearly unbeatable. To his left, a pair of little-known Democratic hopefuls vying for attention and struggling to raise cash. To his right, a GOP challenger who claims the incumbent isn't nearly conservative enough.

It sounds like a red-state political scenario, but this is what the governor's race looks like in typically deep-blue Massachusetts, which holds its primary next Tuesday.

Republican Charlie Baker, a moderate seeking a second four-year term, has amassed more than $8 million in campaign funds, and polls consistently place him among the nation's most well-liked governors. This in a state with an all-Democratic congressional delegation and an overwhelmingly Democratic legislature, which hasn't voted Republican in a presidential election since 1984.

FILE - In this Thursday, July 27, 2017 file photo, Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker addresses a gathering after signing into law the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act during a ceremony at the Statehouse in Boston. Baker will face Scott Lively in the Sept. 4, 2018 Republican primary election. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Still, independents comprise more than 50 percent of the Massachusetts electorate, and Baker has found support from both middle-of-the-road voters and those who lean Democratic but are disgusted by hyper-partisan politics.

Voters, Baker said, often tell him "the thing they appreciate the most ... is that we really do focus on the work, not on the noise."

Baker has distanced himself from President Donald Trump, frequently criticizing administration policies and questioning Trump's temperament. He's scored points with many Democrats by signing bills to protect abortion rights; prohibit discrimination against transgender people; allow guns to be temporarily removed from dangerous individuals; raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour; and require utilities to increase reliance on renewable energy sources.

Jay Gonzalez, one of two Democrats hoping to unseat Baker, isn't convinced.

"A lot of people's starting point is, 'Yeah, he's popular and he seems nice. I'm glad he's not a crazy Republican and aren't we so lucky,'" Gonzalez said. "But when we ask people why (they) think he's doing a good job, it's never, 'He's done a great job fixing our transportation system,' or other issues."

Gonzalez and the other Democrat, Robert Massie, contend the incumbent's effort to appease both conservatives and progressives ultimately misleads voters.

"Charlie Baker has been trying to straddle a barbed-wire fence for a long time, trying to pretend he's a liberal and a progressive over here, and a Trump guy over there, and not standing for us," Massie said.

Neither contender has significant name recognition outside of Democratic activist circles.

Gonzalez served as secretary of administration and finance under former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick, an experience that he says prepared him for the complexities of managing state government.

Massie points to his nearly four decades of activism, beginning with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and later founding organizations that promoted corporate accountability and environmental sustainability.

Among Baker's weaknesses, both candidates say, is his failure to significantly improve the performance of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority - the transit system better known as the "T'' - which was crippled by a brutal stretch of winter weather in 2015 and continues to frustrate riders with frequent breakdowns and delays.

Baker cites progress in stabilizing finances and modernizing equipment, while acknowledging the T "has a long way to go." Democrats fault him for not seeking additional taxes for transportation and for never riding the trains himself to experience the issues commuters face.

For their part, neither Gonzalez nor Massie have outlined specific plans for new taxes after their favored approach, a proposed surtax on high earners known as the "millionaire tax," was ruled unconstitutional by the state's highest court.

Baker's sole Republican challenger is Scott Lively, an ultraconservative minister from Springfield with little money or staff. He calls Baker a RINO ("Republican in Name Only") while promoting an unabashedly pro-Trump agenda. So far, Trump hasn't returned the favor with an endorsement.

An organization Lively founded, Abiding Truth Ministries, was listed as a U.S.-based hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its anti-LGBT rhetoric. Lively disbanded the organization earlier in the campaign, and has made non-specific references to "mending fences" with the gay community.

The Democratic primary winner will likely struggle to compete financially in the general election. Gonzalez, endorsed by delegates to the Democratic state convention, reported a campaign balance of about $367,000 in mid-August. Massie, backed by the Bernie Sanders-inspired Our Revolution group, ended the same period with only $83,000 and has twice made personal loans to help keep his campaign afloat.

Their predicament isn't unheard of in Massachusetts, where four of the last five governors - including 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney - have been Republicans.

"I haven't been unhappy with (Baker) but I've never voted for a Republican in my life," said Stephanie Manzella, a history teacher from Yarmouth, who is undecided about how she'll vote this fall and won't simply cast a "kneejerk" ballot for the Democratic nominee.

"I feel Massachusetts has done well" under Baker, she said, adding: "I'm going to do my homework."

FILE - In this Saturday, April 28, 2018 file photo, Republican candidate for governor Scott Lively addresses the Massachusetts Republican Convention at the DCU Center in Worcester, Mass. Lively will challenge incumbent Gov. Charlie Baker in the Sept. 4 Republican primary. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson, File)

FILE - In this June 2, 2018 file photo, Democratic candidate for governor Jay Gonzalez speaks during the 2018 Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention in Worcester, Mass. Gonzalez will face Robert Massie in the Sept. 4 Democratic primary. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
Dr. Richard Strauss has been accused of abuse by more than 100 people. He killed himself in 2005

At least 145 people have provided firsthand accounts of sexual misconduct by a former Ohio State University team doctor accused of groping scores of male athletes and other students during his two decades there.

They're among more than 335 people interviewed by the law firm hired to investigate allegations raised this year about Dr. Richard Strauss, according to an update from the university's attorney that was read Thursday to an Ohio State trustees' committee by Provost Bruce McPheron.

The people interviewed by Seattle-based Perkins Coie so far include employees from athletics, the health center and human resources, as well as administrators from that time period, though some key witnesses are now deceased, according to the letter.

The team has searched 525 boxes of university records for relevant materials, and the investigators say that number likely will double as investigators continue trying to track down decades-old information from papers and people.

'The significant passage of time that has occurred since Strauss' tenure at the university brings with it the additional challenge of scattered witnesses who must first be identified, then located, and then willing to cooperate,' McPheron read.

The allegations dating from 1979 to 1997 now involve male athletes from at least 16 sports, plus Strauss' work at the student health center and his off-campus medical office. Investigators also are reviewing whether university officials properly responded to any concerns raised about Strauss during his tenure, and whether Strauss examined high school students.

No deadline is set for completing the nearly 5-month-old investigation, but the lawyers estimate their fact-finding efforts could wrap up this fall if no further avenues of inquiry arise.

Some of the trustees on the Audit and Compliance Committee also are on a task force monitoring the investigation.

'It is a very independent process, extremely comprehensive,' said one of them, trustee John Zeiger, who said the university will be straightforward about what the investigation concludes.

Some of the doctor's victims are now suing Ohio State University (pictured), claiming it facilitated the abuse

Strauss killed himself in 2005. His relatives have said they were shocked by the allegations and want to know the truth.

Many of the accusers who have spoken publicly allege Strauss groped them or conducted unnecessary genital exams. Some of them are plaintiffs in three related lawsuits filed against the school.

It's also the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, which is examining whether Ohio State has responded 'promptly and equitably' to students' complaints, including claims that school officials knew about misconduct by Strauss but didn't stop him.

Ohio State's chief compliance officer has said the university has responded appropriately since allegations about Strauss were brought forward this spring.

Some alumni say they raised concerns about Strauss to university employees as far back as the late 1970s, early in Strauss' tenure.

The university has a record of at least one documented complaint in 1995, when a student health center director said a student's complaint about being inappropriately touched by Strauss during an exam was the first such complaint he'd received.

Ohio State has urged anyone with information about Strauss to contact the outside investigators from the law firm Perkins Coie, which isn't proactively reaching out to possible victims out of concern for potentially re-traumatizing them.




MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the opening of the first public grizzly bear hunts in Wyoming and Idaho in more than 40 years, as he considers whether the government was wrong to lift federal protections on the animals.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen's order came just two days before the states prepared to open their grizzly bear hunting seasons on Saturday. It will remain in effect 14 days.

"The threat of death to individual bears posed by the scheduled hunts is sufficient" to justify a delay in the state's hunting seasons, Christensen wrote.

FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2013, file photo, a grizzly bear cub searches for fallen fruit beneath an apple tree a few miles from the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Mont. A judge will decide whether the Lower 48 states' first grizzly bear hunting season in more than four decades will open as scheduled the weekend of Aug. 31, 2018. (Alan Rogers/The Casper Star-Tribune via AP, file)

The move marked a victory for wildlife advocates and Native American tribes that sued over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision in 2017 to lift federal protections for 700 grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park.

"We're thrilled," said Mike Garrity, the executive director for plaintiff Alliance for the Wild Rockies. "Now the judge has time to rule without grizzly bears being killed starting Saturday morning."

The plaintiffs had argued the bears still face threats to their survival. Federal wildlife officials say the bears are thriving.

Fewer than two dozen bears would be allowed to be killed in the hunts.

Todd Hoese, an accountant and hunter from Gillette, Wyoming, expressed disappointment in Christensen's ruling.

Opponents of the hunt, he said, were ignoring the frequent grizzlies attacks on livestock, the impact bruins have on populations of deer and elk and the threat grizzlies pose to human. Hoese applied for but did not receive a grizzly bear hunting tag.

"They're just looking at it from the bears' perspective," he said. "The way that nature works is a balance and we don't have that balance. ...There are too many bears now."

Hunt opponents claim the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision last year that Yellowstone grizzlies are no longer a threatened species was based on faulty science. They also say they don't trust that the three states that have taken over bear management will ensure the bears' survival. They want the judge to re-classify the bears as threatened.

Among their arguments in court, attorneys for advocacy groups questioned how other threatened grizzly populations in the Lower 48 states would fare if the Yellowstone bears' status changed. They also said the federal wildlife agency ignored recent spikes in overall bear deaths that, when hunting is added to the mix, could cause an unanticipated population decline.

Roger Phillips, spokesman for Idaho Fish and Game, said he wasn't aware of the ruling and did not have an immediate comment.

Prior to Christensen handing down Thursday's order, Wyoming officials said they were willing to make adjustments to the state's hunting season, but placed a condition on doing so. Erik Petersen, Wyoming's senior assistant attorney general suggested the judge leave Wyoming, Montana and Idaho in charge of managing the bears - even if he decides the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service needs to revise its rule declassifying grizzlies as threatened.

"The likelihood of any significant harm to the population is essentially nil," Petersen said.

Department of Justice attorneys said the Fish and Wildlife Service considered all the plaintiffs' arguments and proceeded with lifting protections because there was no threat of extinction to the bears now or in the foreseeable future.

Petersen and attorneys representing Montana and Idaho said the people most affected will be the farmers and ranchers who live in grizzly territory and have increasing conflicts with bears attacking livestock. Those people have been cooperative with conservation efforts, but that attitude may change if federal protections are restored, they said.

The population of grizzlies living in Yellowstone was classified as a threatened species in 1975, when its number had fallen to 136. The Fish and Wildlife Service initially declared a successful recovery for the Yellowstone population in 2007, but a federal judge ordered protections to remain in place while wildlife officials studied whether the decline of a major food source, whitebark pine seeds, could threaten the bears' survival.

In 2017, the federal agency concluded that it had addressed all threats, and ruled that the grizzlies were no longer a threatened species needing restrictive federal protections.

That prompted six lawsuits challenging the agency's decision. Those lawsuits have been consolidated into one case that Christensen heard on Thursday.

Idaho's hunting quota is one bear. Wyoming's hunt is in two phases: Sept. 1 opens the season in an outlying area with a quota of 12 bears, and Sept. 15 starts the season in prime grizzly habitat near Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks. One female or nine males can be killed in those areas.

It would be Wyoming's first grizzly hunt since 1974 and Idaho's first since 1946. Twelve hunters in Wyoming and one in Idaho have been issued licenses out of the thousands who applied.

Montana officials decided not to hold a hunt this year. Montana held grizzly hunts until 1991 under an exemption to the federal protections that allowed 14 bears to be killed each fall.

Bear hunting is not allowed in Yellowstone or Grand Teton.

___

Brown reported from Billings.

___

This version corrects that Montana's last grizzly hunt was in 1991.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A day after announcing the departure of his White House counsel, President Donald Trump teased Thursday that he's excited about his choice for a replacement but isn't ready to share his new lawyer's name.

Trump said Wednesday on Twitter that Don McGahn will leave in the fall. He has been a consequential insider on Trump's legal team and a key figure in the administration's handling of the federal investigation into Russian election interference and possible Trump campaign collusion.

"I am very excited about the person who will be taking the place of Don McGahn as White House Councel!" Trump tweeted Thursday. He sent a later tweet that spelled "counsel" correctly.

In this Aug. 21, 2018 photo, White House counsel Don McGahn, follows Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh to meetings on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump is tweeting that his White House counsel, Don McGahn, will be departing in the fall after the Senate confirmation vote for Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Trump also took a shot at reports that McGahn had threatened to resign last year if the president continued to press for the removal of special counsel Robert Mueller as head of the Russia investigation.

"I liked Don, but he was NOT responsible for me not firing Bob Mueller or Jeff Sessions. So much Fake Reporting and Fake News!" Trump said, referring as well to his attorney general, who recused himself from the investigation, much to the president's annoyance.

Trump said Thursday that the Russia investigation was not a factor, "even a little bit," in his decision about McGahn's departure.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said at the White House Thursday that Trump will make the announcement about McGahn's successor. She offered no timetable.

McGahn has done "a fantastic job as White House counsel," she said, mentioning his work on deregulation and the president's judicial nominees.

McGahn's exit, which has been expected for some time, continues the churn of top officials as the administration sets records for turnover and the White House struggles to fill key vacancies.

Unlike some less-amiable separations, however, Trump praised McGahn as "a really good guy" who has done "an excellent job."

Trump said Wednesday that McGahn's departure had nothing to do with the lawyer's interviews with the special counsel. Pressed by reporters, Trump said he had approved the interviews and was unconcerned about anything McGahn might tell prosecutors.

"We do everything straight," he said. "We do everything by the book."

The departure of Trump's top lawyer will hit one of the most critical - and yet least visible - positions in the West Wing. Besides dealing with Mueller's investigation, McGahn has had important input on a range of issues from policy to personnel to national security.

He will remain at the White House until after the expected Senate confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Trump said

Emmet Flood, who joined Trump's White House in May as in-house counsel for the Mueller probe, has been considered a leading candidate to replace him and has the departing attorney's support, two administration officials said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

Asked about Flood on Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "People like him. He's super well-respected around the building. But there's not a plan locked in place at this point."

McGahn, 50, a top election lawyer who served as general counsel on Trump's campaign, has played a pivotal role in the president's remaking of the federal judiciary with young, conservative judges.

He also helped guide Trump's selection of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and the president's nomination of Kavanaugh and helped oversee a dramatic rollback of Obama-era regulations.

But McGahn's time has also been marked by tumult as he has been the main point of contact inside the White House for Mueller's investigation. He has met with investigators on at least three occasions for many hours at a time.

Trump's announcement came more than a week after a New York Times report that McGahn had been cooperating extensively with Mueller's probe.

Trump insisted at the time that his general counsel wasn't a "RAT" and contrasted him with John Dean, the White House counsel for President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors.

Senate Republicans aren't happy to see McGahn leaving.

Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, tweeted after the president's announcement: "I hope it's not true McGahn is leaving White House Counsel. U can't let that happen."

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hailed McGahn as the "most impressive White House Counsel during my time in Washington." He called the departure "sad news for our country."

When Trump announced McGahn's appointment in November 2016, he cited the attorney's "brilliant legal mind, excellent character and a deep understanding of constitutional law."

But McGahn quickly clashed with the president over the Russia investigation.

McGahn, a defender of executive powers, broke with some members of Trump's legal team as he encouraged a less-cooperative stance toward Mueller's investigation, believing it could constrain future presidents.

As members of Trump's legal team looked into potential conflicts of interest involving Mueller, Trump directed McGahn to call Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to raise the perceived conflicts and push for Mueller's ouster, a person familiar with the matter said at the time.

McGahn put off making the call because he disagreed with the strategy, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations.

When the president persisted in pressing the issue, McGahn told other senior White House officials that he would resign if Trump didn't back off. Trump let the matter drop, the person said.

The president later denounced the reports as "fake news."

___

Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

___

On Twitter follow Thomas at https://twitter.com/KThomasDC and Miller at https://twitter.com/zekejmiller and Superville at https://twitter.com/dsupervilleap

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway walks towards the West Wing of the White House, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

White House counsel Don McGahn walks towards the West Wing of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Washington. President Donald Trump is announcing that his White House counsel, Don McGahn, will be leaving in the fall after the Senate confirmation vote for Judge Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

White House counsel Don McGahn, follows Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh to his meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., at Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump urged evangelical leaders this week to get out the vote ahead of the upcoming midterm elections and warned of "violence" by opponents if they fail.

Trump made the dire warning at a White House dinner Monday evening attended by dozens of conservative Christian pastors, ministers and supporters of his administration.

Trump was stressing the stakes in November when he warned that, if Democrats win, they "will overturn everything that we've done and they'll do it quickly and violently," according to attendees and audio of his closed-door remarks obtained by media outlets, including The New York Times. He specifically mentioned self-described antifa, or anti-fascist groups, describing them as "violent people."

President Donald Trump pauses while speaking during a discussion for drug-free communities support programs, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Asked Wednesday what he meant, Trump told reporters, "I just hope there won't be violence."

"If you look at what happens ... there's a lot of unnecessary violence all over the world, but also in this country. And I don't want to see it," Trump said.

At the dinner, Trump talked up his administration's efforts to bolster conservative Christian causes and urged those gathered to get their "people" to vote, warning the efforts could quickly be undone.

"I just ask you to go out and make sure all of your people vote," Trump said, according to the Times. "Because if they don't - it's Nov. 6 - if they don't vote we're going to have a miserable two years and we're going to have, frankly, a very hard period of time because then it just gets to be one election - you're one election away from losing everything you've got."

Ohio Pastor Darrell Scott, an early Trump supporter who attended the dinner, said he interpreted the comments differently than the media has portrayed them.

"It wasn't any kind of dire warning," Scott said, "... except the things that we've been working on as a body of voters will be reversed and overturned."

"What he was saying," Scott continued, is that "there are some violent people ... but it wasn't that we've got to worry about murder on the streets and chaos and anarchy ... just that the things we've worked for will be overturned."

Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council and another attendee, said he, too, interpreted Trump's message as a warning not to be complacent.

While Trump did make a reference to antifa, Perkins told CNN, "I don't think anybody in the room suggested that there was going to be violence across the nation."

"I did not interpret him to say that the outcome of the election is going to lead (to) violence in the streets, and violence in the churches," he told CNN.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Fresh from a stunning primary upset that boosts the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and potentially scrambles the November midterms in the nation's premier political battleground, Florida's Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum says he's intent on bringing a flood of new voters to the polls in November.

"We're going to be wildly successful at getting more black voters, brown voters, young voters, poor voters, working class white voters to get out and vote for us," Gillum said.

"I honestly believe that the nature of this moment - what's happening at the national level - is fueling and will fuel a whole new segment of people who really want to see more decency, more respect, more humanity and also a brand of politics that says, 'I see you, I hear you and we have a plan to make your life better.'"

Andrew Gillum the Democrat candidate for governor answers questions during an interview on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Tallahassee, Fla.(AP Photo/Steve Cannon)

Gillum defeated better-funded candidates as the unapologetically liberal who's vying to become the state's first black governor. He'll face Republican Congressman Ron DeSantis, who won the GOP nomination with an assist from President Donald Trump's endorsement.

The questions are how much Gillum's nomination changes the dynamics in a state accustomed to tight elections and whether there's any spillover effect for the titanic Senate matchup between Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson and term-limited Republican Gov. Rick Scott.

Republicans and Democrats agreed Wednesday that the fundamental rules of Florida politics don't change: Both races at the top of the ticket will be close.

"In this environment, base voters on both sides are very likely to turn out, so this going to be a fight over the handful of people who are not already aligned with one or the other candidate," said Whit Ayres, who is polling for DeSantis and has extensive experience polling statewide and presidential races in Florida.

But Gillum's wild card is to change just which independents and casual partisan voters cast ballots in November. Republicans agree that he could boost nonwhites and younger voters, pushing the November electorate more toward what it looks like in a presidential year. Besides Gillum, that could boost Nelson, a 75-year-old white incumbent widely viewed as one of the most vulnerable Senate incumbents nationally.

It's the same strategy that Democrat Stacey Abrams, who joins Gillum as one of three black Democratic nominees for governor, is trying in GOP-leaning Georgia. And it's a contrast to the staid, centrist Nelson and Gwen Graham, Gillum's top primary rival.

"We'll be a good combination for each other," Gillum said of Nelson. "There are constituencies that Sen. Nelson has a stronger network of support with, and I think there are folks I have a stronger network of support with. It just so happens that I think the communities that most resonate with me happen to also be folks from communities that don't typically participate in midterm elections."

Indeed, changing the midterm electorate would upend a decades-long Florida trend of Democratic turnout dropping off precipitously in midterms. It's how Scott won two terms as governor even as President Barack Obama was winning Florida twice. And it explains why Republicans have near absolute control of state government in Tallahassee. And Republicans also argue that Gillum is simply too liberal, with his advocacy for universal health care and scrapping the current iteration of the ICE immigration enforcement agency.

Another warning for Democrats: They were outvoted Tuesday, with Republican ballots exceeding Democratic ballots by more than 100,000 in Florida's closed primaries that don't allow independents to vote.

"The results is clear: There is no blue wave in Florida," wrote Scott's Senate campaign manager Jackie Schultz Zeckman in a post-primary memo released publicly. Schultz Zeckman noted that while Democrats increased their primary turnout in comparison to the 2014 midterms, so did Republicans; the memo also cites Republicans garnering more new voter registrations in Florida since 2016 than Democrats.

The national liberal grassroots that embraced Gillum insists he's a net positive for Democrats.

"We're proud of the overall grassroots energy," said Maria Urbina, the political director for the national office of Indivisible, a group formed in opposition to Trump's election in 2016.

Beyond the GOP's statewide advantage Tuesday, Urbina pointed specifically to Democratic turnout spikes in Gillum's home county (Leon), in the densely populated Democratic hotbeds of Miami-Dade and Broward counties and in urban centers of Orlando and Tampa.

She described a statewide organization of "movement partners" - local Indivisible chapters and other groups like MoveOn.org - that she said will continue to add staff and volunteers to reach voters ahead of November.

Gillum noted that he endorsed Hillary Clinton over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, yet Sanders is now endorsing him. He said that is an example of Democrats getting unified.

"We're going to bring together Bernie supporters, Hillary supporters, Obama supporters. I think I've demonstrated that I have the ability to bring the entirety of our party together and I think that's what's going to be required if a Democrat's going to win in November," Gillum said.

----

Barrow reported from Atlanta.

---

Follow Farrington and Barrow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bsfarrington and https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP

Andrew Gillum the Democrat candidate for governor answers questions during an interview on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Tallahassee, Fla.(AP Photo/Steve Cannon)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - In a sign that the next 10 weeks could eclipse past campaigns in the nation's largest political battleground, Florida's race for governor swiftly became heated and personal after the surprising primary victories of Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis.

Gillum, a far-left Democrat seeking to become the state's first black governor, and DeSantis, a Trump-endorsed Republican, are political opposites. DeSantis assailed Gillum in a Wednesday television appearance that critics denounced as racist after the Republican called Gillum an "articulate" candidate, but said "the last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda with huge tax increases and bankrupting this state." President Donald Trump, also weighed in on the race by calling Gillum a "failed socialist mayor" on Twitter.

Gillum responded by decrying what he called the "gutter politics" of DeSantis that he said echoes the influence of Trump on American politics.

Andrew Gillum and his wife, R. Jai Gillum addresses his supporters after Andrew Gillum won the Democratic primary for governor on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, in Tallahassee, Fla. Gillum defeated former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham and four other candidates. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon)

"I think the Florida electorate is going to reject the politics of division," Gillum said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We're going to try to compel and appeal to the higher values of the people of the state of Florida."

The exchange between the two campaigns came less than a day after a primary outcome that appeared unthinkable a few months ago. DeSantis came from behind in the GOP primary with the help of Trump to beat Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who campaigned longer, raised more money and built party establishment support.

Gillum upset a field of five that included former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, who was hoping to become the state's first female governor and win the office once held by her father, Bob Graham. Gillum spent the least of the major candidates, but won the hearts of those who consider themselves progressives, and got a late boost from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

DeSantis, who has been a frequent guest on Fox News, took to the network to blast his general election opponent as someone who would hurt the state. But his interview came quickly came under fire by Democrats and quickly raged across social media.

"That was more than a dog-whistle," said U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat. "That was absolutely a racist, disgusting statement. I don't think there's any other way to interpret it."

The DeSantis campaign clarified that his comments were directed at Gillum's policies, not the candidate himself. "To characterize it as anything else is absurd," his spokesman Stephen Lawson said. Republicans also came to DeSantis' defense, contending that the media and Democrats were mischaracterizing what DeSantis said.

The backlash against DeSantis almost overshadowed that Trump also took shots at Gillum.

Trump on Twitter said that not only did DeSantis win but that "his opponent in November is his biggest dream." He called Gillum a "failed socialist mayor" who has "allowed crime and many other problems to flourish in the city."

Tallahassee has had one of the Florida's highest crime rates in recent years though it has been going down.

Gillum brushed off Trump's tweet, saying, "I'm a Democrat, but I have to tell you that not much what Donald Trump says is actually based in fact. The president does not scare me. If he's going to tweet at me he should @ me. And he ought to know he should be prepared to receive a response when appropriate."

The governor's race will probably become a referendum on Trump. Gillum in his remarks to supporters on election night said he and supporters would seek to counter the "dark days that we've been under coming out of Washington."

DeSantis also came out fighting, criticizing Gillum as "way, way, way too liberal for the state of Florida."

"That is not what Floridians want," DeSantis declared.

DeSantis based nearly his entire primary run on Trump and acknowledged his endorsement was the key.

"With one tweet, that kind of put me on the map," DeSantis said.

DeSantis, who turns 40 next month, is a former Navy lawyer who won his seat in 2012 running as a Washington outsider. He entered the governor's race a month after Trump's December tweet that he would make "a GREAT governor." Later Trump held a rally for him in Tampa.

Gillum, meanwhile, relied on a grassroots campaign in the big-money Democratic primary.

Gillum was a 23-year-old Florida A&M student when he became the youngest person elected to the Tallahassee City Commission in 2003. He was elected mayor in 2014. He's a gifted public speaker who did well in debates, often receiving the most applause, but the FBI is investigating Tallahassee city hall for alleged corruption. Gillum has said he's not a target.

Their policy differences are pronounced: DeSantis is pro-gun, and anti-tax; Gillum boasts about beating gun rights groups in a lawsuit and is calling for an increase in corporate taxes.

Gillum didn't make race an issue in the primary. But he acknowledged in a recent interview that it would be "big" to be Florida's first black governor.

___

AP reporter Joe Reedy, Tamara Lush in Orlando, Kelli Kennedy in Fort Lauderdale and Mike Schneider in Orlando contributed to this report.

Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, right, waves to supporters with his wife, Casey, at an election party after winning the Republican primary, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

FILE - In this July 31, 2018, file photo, President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis during a rally in Tampa, Fla. Florida voters are going to the polls, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, to select nominees to replace Republican Gov. Rick Scott in an election that's caught the attention of Trump. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

Rachelle Clegg holds an Andrew Gillum cutout as she cheers on gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum at his watch party at Hotel Duval in downtown Tallahassee, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018. (Joe Rondone/Tallahassee Democrat via AP)

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2018, file photo, Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam speaks at a rally in Tampa, Fla. Florida voters are going to the polls to select nominees to replace Republican Gov. Rick Scott in an election that's caught the attention of President Donald Trump and could see the daughter of a former governor win the nomination for the office he once held. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2018, file photo Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham thanks a campaign volunteer, Juan Sabater, 20, of Miami as she speaks to voters in an early "Get Out The Vote" tour in Miami Lakes, Fla. Graham is trying to fend off four challengers as she seeks to become Florida's first woman governor and to take the seat her father, Bob Graham, held from 1979 to 1987. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 27, 2018, file photos, Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine, right, addresses the media near the scene of a mass shooting at The Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Fla. Florida voters are going to the polls to select nominees to replace Republican Gov. Rick Scott in an election that's caught the attention of President Donald Trump and could see the daughter of a former governor win the nomination for the office he once held. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, file photo, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham speaks to voters in an early "Get Out The Vote" tour, in Miami Lakes, Fla. Florida voters are going to the polls, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, to select nominees to replace Republican Gov. Rick Scott in an election that's caught the attention of President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum celebrates his victory with supporters during his election watch party at Hotel Duval in Tallahassee, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018. (Joe Rondone/Tallahassee Democrat via AP)

Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, right, kisses his wife Casey at an election party after winning the Republican primary Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. DeSantis won Florida's Republican nomination for governor Tuesday, with the help of President Donald Trump's endorsement to overtake an opponent with a long history in Florida politics. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Andrew Gillum supporters Richard Lopez and Mara Cooper watch the screen as election results come in showing their candidate winning the Democratic primary for governor on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon)

Andrew Gillum supporters celebrate his winning of the Democratic primary for governor on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon)
PEARISBURG, Va. (AP) - A former Virginia police chief is accused of holding a woman against her will and sexually assaulting her.

News outlets report 46-year-old Kevin Matthew Buckland was arrested Tuesday and charged with abduction and sexual assault by force. A Virginia State Police release says both charges against the former Rich Creek police chief involve the same woman but stem from two different incidents.

A search warrant says Buckland also is accused of sexually assaulting another woman in April.

Buckland was the Rich Creek Police Department's chief and sole officer from 2003 to 2006 when he was fired following a disagreement with the town council. The Roanoke Times reports Buckland also has worked for the Giles County Sheriff's Office and the Narrows and Radford police.

It's unclear if Buckland has a lawyer.
ISLAMABAD (AP) - Thousands of hard-line Islamists angered over a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest marched toward Pakistan's capital Thursday after police briefly stopped them because of security reasons.

Later on Thursday, the Dutch lawmaker, Geert Wilders, said he was canceling the contest, saying the anger it generated could put more people than just him at risk.

"To avoid the risk of victims of Islamic violence, I have decided not to let the cartoon contest go ahead," Wilders said in a written statement.

Pakistani authorities place shipping containers at the entrance of diplomatic enclave in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Hard-line Islamists who started a march toward Pakistan's capital to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest have been stopped by police. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

Some 10,000 supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik group, which helped Imran Khan to become prime minister following last month's national elections, set out on their protest march Wednesday, calling on Khan to cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

The demonstrators were expected to camp out near Islamabad later Thursday.

Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims. Pakistan's government had vowed to protest the contest at the U.N.

Authorities blocked the capital's key roads by putting out shipping containers to prevent demonstrators from reaching near the area where the Dutch and other foreign embassies are located.

Earlier, police halted the march in Jhelum, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Islamabad but later it was allowed to resume, party spokesman Eijaz Ashrafi told The Associated Press.

He said they refused to disperse, saying the police will have to "kill us" to stop the march.

Ashrafi said they told Khan's government that it had two options: Cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands or kill them and "send our dead bodies to Lahore."

"So far, better sense has prevailed," he said. "We are 50 miles away from Islamabad."

The party's firebrand chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi in Jhelum also warned Khan to remove any hurdles.

"We are on roads to show to the world that we can die to protect the honor of our Prophet," he told demonstrators.

The rally came as emotions ran high in Pakistan against the cartoon contest.

Wilders has a history of inflammatory statements about Islam. The Dutch government distanced itself from the contest but had said it was committed to upholding the right to free speech.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Thursday that Islamabad conveyed its deep concern to Netherlands over the planned cartoon contest. He said the contest was a "deliberate and malicious attempt to defame Islam."

However, Faisal said Pakistan would avoid any unnecessary extreme action against Netherlands over the contest.

Also on Thursday, a Dutch judge extended by two weeks the detention of a 26-year-old man who allegedly threatened to attack Wilders.

___

Associated Press writer Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands contributed to this report.
JUBA, South Sudan (AP) - Emboldened by a new peace deal, civil war-torn South Sudan says it will resume oil production in a key region next month to make up for more than $4 billion of revenue lost during years of fighting.

South Sudan, with Africa's third-largest oil reserves, will renew drilling in northern Unity State for the first time since the fields were destroyed when the conflict began in late 2013, oil ministry officials told The Associated Press.

The goal is to have all five locations there operational by the end of the year and working alongside the oil fields in Upper Nile State, which operated throughout the civil war.

FILE - In this Sunday Oct. 1, 2017 file photo, a truck waits outside a closed petrol station of the Nile Petroleum Corporation in Juba, South Sudan. South Sudan says it will resume oil production in a key region in September 2018 to make up for more than $4 billion of revenue lost during years of fighting. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File)

South Sudan's economy is almost entirely dependent on exports of oil from its 3.5 billion barrels of reserves. Most of the oil rigs were shut down or destroyed by the civil war. The fighting that killed tens of thousands of people has also devastated the economy and sent prices for everyday items soaring.

Oil was central to South Sudan's potential when it won independence from Sudan in 2011. In the seven years before the civil war began, oil brought in more than $13 billion in revenue, according to the finance ministry.

South Sudan's government is optimistic about the resumed production, even attributing the peace deal signed early this month to the country's reserves.

"Without oil there probably wouldn't be peace right now," Awow Daniel Chuang, the oil ministry's director-general, told AP.

However, that peace is fragile. This week South Sudan's opposition briefly refused to sign the final peace agreement because of outstanding issues. It accused the government of using oil revenues to buy weapons, ammunition and politicians to undermine the peace, said opposition spokesman Mabior Garang de Mabior.

The goal of resuming oil production in Unity State is to help increase South Sudan's total output of 130,000 barrels per day to almost 300,000, which could bring in about $5 billion over the next few years, Chuang said. Another part of the goal is increasing Upper Nile State's output to 200,000 barrels per day.

The new peace deal was brokered by Sudan, which has a vested interest in its neighbor's oil production. As part of the initial agreement when South Sudan gained independence Sudan was entitled to more than $3 billion of oil revenue, $1.2 billion of which is still owed, South Sudan's oil ministry said.

The government also hopes to attract investors during the second local Africa Oil & Power conference in November in the capital, Juba.

While industry experts say the prospects look promising, some say efforts will be futile if the fighting resumes.

"There is enormous pressure to ensure that the peace deal holds and that Sudan and other neighbors play a big role in enforcing and ensuring peace," said NJ Ayuk, founder and CEO of Centurion Law Group and chair of the African Energy Chamber of commerce.

Currently there's great interest from Asian, African and Eastern European countries looking to "defy the odds" and operate in a difficult environment as there's still a lot more oil to be found in South Sudan, he said.

At least one oil group said it feels confident the situation in northern Unity State is secure enough to resume production.

"We've been to the field many times and have done assessments and there have been no incidents. Peace has come," said Angelo Chol Dongway, vice president for the Greater Pioneer Operating Company, a consortium of four oil companies licensed to operate there. They are the China National Petroleum Corporation, India-based Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, the Malaysia-based Petronas and South Sudan's state-owned NilePet.

Other international investors aren't as convinced.

"It sounds hopeful but internal politics, legal and economic stability have to be demonstrated," said an oil industry consultant for a large company who spoke on condition of anonymity because the consultant wasn't authorized to speak on the record.

South Sudan's oil sector has faced scrutiny by the international community for its alleged lack of transparency and use of state oil revenue to fuel the civil war.

Earlier this year the U.S. government placed sanctions on 15 of South Sudan's oil-related entities, including NilePet and the oil ministry, in an attempt to stem the flow of "corrupt official actors" using revenue to buy weapons and fund militias.

Some advocacy groups worry that the increased production could bring more corruption.

"Without stringent processes of accountability, well-connected politicians and their commercial collaborators are likely to cart this money away," said Brian Adeba, deputy director of policy at the Enough Project, a Washington-based advocacy group.

"This corruption in turn becomes an incentive for more violence against the state as aggrieved groups seek redress and a seat at the looting trough through the barrel of the gun."

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa
PATNA, India (AP) - Police have arrested a monk suspected of sexually abusing children at a Buddhist shelter and meditation center in eastern India, an official said Thursday.

Police officer Ram Kumar Chaudhary said the 55-year-old monk, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested on Wednesday in Bodh Gaya, a prominent Buddhist pilgrimage site in Bihar state.

He said police registered a criminal case against the monk, Bhante Sangh Priya, and were questioning 15 boys aged 10 to 12, some of whom complained to their parents about the monk's behavior.

55-year-old monk Bhante Sangh Priya, a Bangladeshi national, is escorted by police after being arrested in Bodh Gaya, in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Police say they have arrested the monk suspected of sexually abusing children at a Buddhist shelter and meditation center in eastern India. (AP Photo/Manoj Kumar)

Bodh Gaya is known for the Mahabodhi Temple Complex marking the site where the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment beneath a sacred Bodhi Tree. It is 110 kilometers (70 miles) south of Patna, the state capital.
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday became the first UK leader to visit Kenya in 30 years, bringing security and development funding to East Africa's commercial hub and neighboring Somalia as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March.

May met with President Uhuru Kenyatta on the last stop of her three-country Africa tour, which also included South Africa and Nigeria, the continent's top economies. The prime minister was travelling with a large business delegation as Britain wants to push its trade with Africa beyond the 31 billion pounds ($40.2 billion) registered last year.

"I want to ensure that the UK's relationship with Kenya and with Africa is more and more about private investment, about doing business and making the most of commercial opportunities together," she told reporters after meeting with Kenyatta. Britain is Kenya's largest foreign investor.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May inspects the honour guard after arriving to meet with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

No British leader had visited Kenya since Margaret Thatcher, and this is the first visit by a British prime minister to Africa in five years.

Kenyatta for a moment appeared to struggle to remember the name of former British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, calling him "Boris ... Boris Johnson, the bicycle guy. The bicycle guy, yeah, that one." Johnson has been an outspoken advocate of cycling in London.

Kenya, a former British colony, is a key ally in East Africa on trade and security. The British military has run a training camp for Kenyan troops for years.

May visited the British troops in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, who help to train peacekeepers with a multinational African Union mission in Somalia to handle the threat of explosives used by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa.

Britain's government said May's visit brought 7 million pounds in new funding for the AU peacekeeping mission, as well as 60 million pounds to help Somalis recover from drought. Another 25 million pounds will go toward helping the fragile Horn of Africa nation's government, which is struggling to assert control beyond the capital, Mogadishu, and certain other urban centers.

Al-Shabab is a constant threat in Kenya after the extremist group vowed retribution for that country sending troops to Somalia. Dozens of Kenyan police have been killed in bombings in recent months.

"We have democracy in common and we need to defend it together. And as for our common enemies such as terrorism we need to fight them together," Kenyatta said.

May noted Kenyatta's call for a transition from the AU peacekeepers to stronger Somali security forces and said Britain wants the same, adding that the UK is leading efforts to ensure the AU mission receives the funding it needs.

Concerns about the readiness of Somali troops to take over the country's security, however, remain high. The U.N. Security Council recently voted to delay the reduction of troops in the AU force from October to February and the target date to hand over security to Somali forces to December 2021.

May also pointed out Kenya's new push to combat widespread corruption, and the UK signed a new deal with the country to return stolen money hidden in British banks. The returned money will be used exclusively for development projects.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, right, laugh as she arrives to meet at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at a joint press briefing with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May inspects the honour guard after arriving to meet with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May shakes hands with a Kenyan military officer as Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, center, looks on as she arrives to meet at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, left, and Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, right, give a joint press briefing after meeting at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives for a joint press briefing after meeting with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May smiles at a journalist's question during a joint press briefing with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May speaks at a joint press briefing with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May smiles at a journalist's question during a joint press briefing with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May inspects the honour guard after arriving to meet with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, center left, and Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, center right, look on as a military band parades at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May inspects the honour guard after arriving to meet with Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, center left, and Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, center right, look on as a military band parades at State House in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The British prime minister is on a three-country Africa visit with a large business delegation as Britain seeks to boost economic ties ahead of a bumpy exit from the European Union in March. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
LONDON (AP) - Prince Harry sang and joked with Lin-Manuel Miranda on the stage of "Hamilton," after he and his wife Meghan joined audiences for a gala charity performance of the smash-hit musical in London's West End.

The royal couple sat in the royal circle at Victoria Palace Theater during the performance, and afterward they joined Miranda, the show's creator, on stage to thank the cast and crew.

Harry received enthusiastic cheers from the cast and audience as he sang the opening words to "You'll Be Back," a ballad about the "break-up" between Britain and America performed in the musical by the actor playing his sixth great-grandfather, King George III.

Britain's Prince Harry addresses the audience after a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Speaking about the character of the king, Miranda said he envisioned it during his honeymoon then quipped: "Smash cut to 2018 I'm sitting next to his sixth great-grandson."

He added it was "fun and surreal" to have Harry there because "you don't often get a direct descendent" of the characters to watch the show.

The royal couple, who had already seen the show, was hosting Wednesday's gala performance to raise money for Harry's charity Sentebale, which supports children affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex take their seats next to Lin Manuel Miranda for gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex take their seats next to Lin Manuel Miranda for gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet the cast after a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet the cast after a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Victoria Palace Theatre before attending a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet the cast after a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Victoria Palace Theatre before attending a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Victoria Palace Theatre before attending a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex Victoria Palace Theatre before attending a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, center, meet the cast after a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet the cast after a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, center, meet the cast after a gala performance of the musical Hamilton, in support of the charity Sentebale, at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, Wednesday, Aug. 29 2018. The evening will raise awareness and funds for Sentebale's work with children and young people affected by HIV in southern Africa. (Dan Charity/Pool Photo via AP)
CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) - Campbell Soup Co. plans to focus on its core snacks and soup business in North America and sell its international business and pay down debt.

The moves announced Thursday follow a review it began in May, when Campbell also announced the retirement of then-CEO Denise Morrison, as it faces changing food trends and potentially costly tariffs on aluminum and steel.

Interim CEO Keith McLoughlin also said the board is still open to evaluating other strategic options for the company.

FILE - This May 23, 2017, file photo shows a variety of Campbell's soups in a grocery cart at a store in Phoenix. Campbell Soup Co. plans to focus on its core snacks and soup business in North America and sell its international business, paying down debt. The Camden, N.J., company said Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, it's working urgently to complete all the moves by next July. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

The planned sales will leave Campbell Soup with brands like Pepperidge Farm and Snyder's of Hanover, which it acquired earlier this year to help move into a faster-growing business.

Campbell has been wrestling with declining soup and juice sales in a market crowded with competitors at the same time that many families are seeking foods they consider healthier and less processed. It had been trying to modernize by acquiring brands it said were more in line with changing tastes, such as Bolthouse Farms. But it has now put up that brand for sale as well as manufacturing operations in Indonesia and Malaysia and its business in Hong Kong and Japan.

The company also has faced headwinds due to recent changes in U.S. trade policy that increased costs. Earlier this year, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross famously held up a can of Campbell's soup in a CNBC interview to make the case that the Trump administration's steel and aluminum tariffs were "no big deal."

Campbell has said it expects steel and aluminum costs to rise, pushing its overall costs higher.

The company's planned divestments are the latest shift in the reconfiguration of the U.S. food industry. As major food makers struggle to increase sales, they've come under pressure from investors to boost profits through cost cuts, mergers and acquisitions.

Camden, New Jersey-based Campbell said it's working urgently to complete all the moves by next July. Assuming they are completed on schedule, the company expects fiscal 2019 earnings per share of $2.40 to $2.50 on an adjusted basis, down from $2.87 per share this year.

Fourth-quarter profit plunged 70 percent to $94 million, or 31 cents per share, as surging costs outpaced a revenue boost. Still, the results topped Wall Street expectations. Sales rose 33 percent to $2.22 billion, but fell short of forecasts.

Shares of the company slipped 1.4 percent to $39.42 in Thursday trading. The stock is down nearly 17 percent in the year to date.
LONDON (AP) - Japanese electronics giant Panasonic has become the latest company to announce plans to move its European headquarters out of Britain ahead of Brexit.

The company said in a statement Thursday that it plans to relocate from the U.K. to Amsterdam on Oct. 1 to "pursue improved efficiency and cost competitiveness while having easy access to the different markets within Europe."

The Nikkei Asian Review newspaper reported that the move aimed to avoid potential corporation tax issues linked to Britain's exit from the European Union next year. Quoting Panasonic Europe's CEO Laurent Abadie, the report said the move was also meant to help Panasonic avoid any barriers to the flow of people and goods after Brexit.

In its statement, Panasonic said the move can enable more cooperation with its holding company for subsidiaries outside Japan, as well as the group's financing arm, both already located in Amsterdam.

It said the move would affect fewer than 10 employees.

Other firms, including Airbus and Japanese banking giant Nomura Holdings, have revealed similar plans to move European bases out of Britain because of uncertainty over Brexit.
BEIJING (AP) - China on Thursday denied reports that it plans to deploy troops to Afghanistan, saying the neighbors are engaged merely in "normal military and security cooperation."

Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Wu Qian said reports in Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper and elsewhere that hundreds of People's Liberation Army soldiers are to man a base in eastern Afghanistan are "simply not true."

China shares a narrow border with Afghanistan in the remote Wakhan corridor region and is wary of the country's violence and chronic instability overflowing into its restless Xinjiang region.

FILE - In this July 24, 2017, file photo, China's defense ministry spokesman Wu Qian speaks during a news conference at the State Council Information Office in Beijing. China's Defense Ministry spokesman on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, denied reports that they planned to deploy troops to Afghanistan, saying the neighbors engaged merely in "normal military and security cooperation." (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

However, Wu said China, like other nations, is helping Afghanistan increase its defense capabilities, particularly in the area of counterterrorism.

"China and Afghanistan have normal military and security cooperation," he told reporters at a monthly briefing.

Afghanistan's ambassador to China, Janan Mosazai, said this week that Beijing is helping Afghanistan set up a mountain brigade to bolster counterterrorism operations, but that no Chinese troops would be stationed in the country.

"While the Afghan government appreciates this Chinese assistance and our two militaries are working in close coordination on utilizing this assistance, there will be no Chinese military personnel of any kind involved in this process on Afghan soil," Mosazai said.

China has sought to increase its presence in Afghanistan, including in dialogue with the Taliban, after 17 years of Western involvement that has left the country still at war.

Along with Pakistan, Iran and Russia, it is gaining a growing influence even as the United States spends billions of dollars covering much of the $6.5 billion spent annually to support the Afghan National Security Forces, which are struggling to contain an energized Taliban.

Despite the denials of Chinese military activity in the area, unconfirmed reports have shown what appear to be Chinese military vehicles operating in the Wakhan corridor, which lies in the shadow of the Hindu Kush mountains with Tajikistan to the north and Pakistan to the south.

Along with military assistance, China has provided equipment and training to Afghanistan's government as it seeks to secure the border and gain economic benefits within the country. Those include the Mes Aynak copper deposit, believed to contain about 450 million tons of the metal worth tens of billions of dollars.

Poor security and economic chaos in the country have prevented progress in moving forward on the mine, which also sits on an ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site.

___

Associated Press writer Gillian Wong contributed to this report.
GENEVA (AP) - Fearing a military offensive, the U.N. envoy for Syria proposed Thursday that civilians holed up in the rebel-held region of Idlib could evacuate to government areas - a move that would send many back into parts of Syria they once fled in its 7-1/2-year-old civil war.

U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura expressed fears of a "perfect storm" that could have a devastating impact on nearly 3 million people - nearly half of whom arrived from elsewhere in Syria - in the region largely controlled by al-Qaida-linked fighters. It came as Russia, President Bashar Assad's strongest military backer, announced major military drills in the Mediterranean Sea amid growing tensions over the enclave.

"Short of going to Turkey, the civilians have no other option in order not to be where fighting may take place," de Mistura told reporters of the evacuation plan, which is in its early phases and will need to be discussed with regional players. Russia expressed openness to the idea.

FILE - In this April 25, 2018, file photo, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Syria Staffan de Mistura addresses the media during a conference 'Supporting the future of Syria and the region' at the EU Council in Brussels. Fearing a military offensive, the U.N. envoy for Syria proposed Thursday, Aug. 30, that civilians holed up in the rebel-held region of Idlib could evacuate to government-held areas, a move that would in essence send many back into parts of Syria they once fled in its 7-1/2-year-old war. De Mistura expresses fears of a "perfect storm" that could have a devastating impact on nearly 3 million people, nearly half of whom arrived from elsewhere in Syria, in the region largely controlled by al-Qaida-linked fighters. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, File)

The evacuation proposal reflected rising concerns that Idlib could become the site of the latest humanitarian disaster in a country that has faced many of them during a war that has killed over 400,000 people and driven more than 5.5 million to flee abroad.

De Mistura said a proposal would be a "temporary" measure so that "people can then return to their own places untouched once this is over."

Ahmad Ramadan, a spokesman for the Syrian opposition's delegation to U.N. talks with the government, called de Mistura's proposal "unrealistic."

"It's very regrettable," he said. "The special envoy's role is not to call for a humanitarian corridor, but to call on Russia to stop the aggression."

Idlib is the last remaining refuge for the Syrian opposition since President Bashar Assad's forces began recapturing territory from rebels in 2015. The country has been consumed by war since demonstrations broke out against Assad in 2011.

Separately on Thursday, at a news conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said his government plans to "liberate" Idlib, but that its priority was "to negotiate peace with those who want to surrender."

Al-Moallem said the government tried to negotiate with a so-called reconciliation committee in Idlib, but al-Qaida-linked militants arrested most of the committee members.

The militants have arrested over 500 people accused of trying to negotiate with the regime in recent weeks, according to Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

De Mistura said 10,000 al-Qaida-linked fighters and their families are located in the densely populated region, which is now home to 2.9 million people, many of them already displaced.

After hosting nine rounds of fruitless talks between the Syrian government and opposition, de Mistura has recently focused his efforts on talks with the so-called "guarantors" of the peace process: Russia, Turkey and Iran.

De Mistura said he had no information about any "imminent attack," but pointed to information about military build-ups and messages of warning between the sides in Syria. He also spoke of "warnings and counter-warnings" between the United States and Russia, though he did not elaborate.

"We need to reduce the risk of unexpected escalation, and definitely look with great concern about any potential use of chemical weapons or any type of weaponized chlorine," he said.

The U.S. State Department said Thursday the best way to protect the civilians in Idlib is for Russia to compel the Assad regime to avoid a military offensive.

"The regime's past brutality in Aleppo, Ghouta, and southwest Syria, to include indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas, indicate that they cannot be trusted to protect civilians in any military offensive," the statement said. "Their past gestures at humanitarian pauses and corridors have not reduced the suffering caused by Russian and regime attacks. In fact, more than a million of the civilians currently living in Idlib previously fled regime control."

The U.S., Britain and France have warned they will respond to any use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday his country was engaged in talks with Iran and Russia to avoid a humanitarian calamity in Idlib. The leaders of Turkey, Iran, and Russia are slated to meet next week in Tabriz to discuss the mounting crisis.

The office of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday warned of the growing risk of a humanitarian catastrophe, and called for restraint.

De Mistura floated two options: one to not accelerate military escalation to allow more time for talks, and another to "allow and facilitate a credible - credible - humanitarian corridor to allow the civilian population to temporarily evacuate to a safer area."

"But that area most likely is under government control," he said. "So that requires a constructive, effective government support and a U.N. presence." He said he could travel to the area himself to help monitor an evacuation.

"We definitely intend to discuss it very intensely with the government," de Mistura said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Russian news agencies that Moscow is willing to discuss "the details, the general idea and what practical solutions there are."

It came shortly after Russia's Defense Ministry told Russian news agencies that Russia will deploy 25 ships, including a missile cruiser, and 30 jets for the maneuvers in the first week of September. The military says the drills will focus on anti-air and anti-submarine defense.

The drills were announced after NATO reported a Russian naval buildup in the Mediterranean.

___

Associated Press writers Philip Issa and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut and Susannah George in Washington contributed to this report.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem gestures as speaks to the media during the joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, following their talks, in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Muallem's Moscow visit comes as Moscow and Damascus are increasingly worried about a possible airstrike on government positions in Syria. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks to the media during a joint news conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem following their talks in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Muallem's Moscow visit comes as Moscow and Damascus are increasingly worried about a possible airstrike on government positions in Syria. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, center, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, enter a hall for their joint news conference followed their talks in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Muallem's Moscow visit comes as Moscow and Damascus are increasingly worried about a possible airstrike on government positions in Syria. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican's secretary of state says Pope Francis is "serene" despite the "bitterness and concern" in the Vatican over accusations that he covered up for an American ex-cardinal accused of sexual misconduct.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin says accusations from Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano created "great pain" within the Vatican.

But he said: "Pope Francis is a grace, including with these things that obviously create such bitterness and concern, but he has the ability to maintain a serene approach."

Pope Francis leaves after his weekly general audience, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Pope Francis lamented Wednesday how Irish church authorities failed to respond to the crimes of sexual abuse, speaking during his first public appearance at the Vatican after bombshell accusations that he himself covered up for an American cardinal's misdeeds. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

In an interview Thursday with Vatican Insider, a website close to Francis, Parolin declined to comment on the contents of Vigano's claims, repeating Francis' invitation to read it and judge.

Given that Vigano worked for him as a diplomat, Parolin said: "I hope that we all work in search of truth and justice."

Pope Francis sits in pensive mood during his weekly general audience, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Pope Francis lamented Wednesday how Irish church authorities failed to respond to the crimes of sexual abuse, speaking during his first public appearance at the Vatican after bombshell accusations that he himself covered up for an American cardinal's misdeeds. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Alec Baldwin has pulled out of playing Bruce Wayne's father in the "Joker" movie.

The actor told USA Today on Wednesday he has "scheduling" issues. Baldwin says he's "sure there are 25 guys who can play that part."

Baldwin was cast to play Thomas Wayne in the film, which features Joaquin Phoenix as the DC Comics villain.

FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2017, file photo, Alec Baldwin poses in the press room with the award for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series for "Saturday Night Live" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Baldwin has pulled out of playing Bruce Wayne's father in the "Joker" movie. The actor told USA Today on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, he has "scheduling" issues. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Robert De Niro also is part of the cast in the Warner Bros. movie, which is due in theaters in October 2019.
MOSCOW (AP) - Four Russian biathletes have been charged with doping offenses.

The Russian Biathlon Union says the cases against the four, who haven't been named, are linked to an earlier World Anti-Doping Agency investigation into Russian sport.

Neither the RBU nor the International Biathlon Union has named the four biathletes or provided any more details about the alleged offenses, though the RBU says three are retired and the fourth is not currently on the national team.

The issue of Russian doping tipped biathlon into chaos in April when Austrian police raided the IBU headquarters and the organization's president, Anders Besseberg, said he was stepping down.

Prosecutors allege Russian doping cases from previous years were covered up in return for an estimated $300,000 in bribes.

___

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
MOSCOW (AP) - The Latest on the Syrian conflict (all times local):

8:55 p.m.

Turkey's president says his country is engaged in talks with Iran and Russia to avoid a humanitarian disaster in Syria's rebel-held region of Idlib similar to one that unfolded in Aleppo in 2016.

FILE - In this Sept. 19, 2013, file photo, smoke rises after a TNT bomb was thrown from a helicopter, hitting a rebel position during heavy fighting between troops loyal to president Bashar Assad and opposition fighters, in a neighbouring village to Kafr Nabuda, in the Idlib province countryside, Syria. The campaign for Idlib, the opposition's only remaining stronghold in the country and now a refuge for over one million displaced Syrians, is likely to be the last major theater of battle after seven years of brutal civil war. (AP Photo/File)

Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke Thursday a day after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and ahead of a planned meeting between the Turkish, Russian and Iranian leaders next month.

Syrian government forces were expected to mount an offensive in Idlib, raising fears that it could become the site of the latest humanitarian calamity.

The battle for Aleppo razed half of the city and displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes, many of whom have not been able to return.

___

3 p.m.

The U.N. envoy for Syria is proposing that civilians evacuate the rebel-held region of Idlib into government-held areas, warning that nearly 3 million people in the region could face a "perfect storm" and a "chilling" military escalation ahead.

Staffan de Mistura told reporters Thursday that about 10,000 al-Qaida-linked fighters and their families are located in the densely populated region, which is now home to 2.9 million people, many of them already displaced during the country's 7-1/2 year war.

De Mistura has held several rounds of negotiations with Syria's warring parties in recent years but has made little progress toward ending the conflict.

He said Thursday the evacuation proposal was "potentially possible," and that he could travel to the region himself to help monitor it.

___

1:40 p.m.

Russia has announced major military drills in the Mediterranean Sea amid growing tensions over a rebel-held enclave in Syria.

The Defense Ministry told Russian news agencies on Thursday that Russia will deploy 25 ships, including a missile cruiser, and 30 jets for the maneuvers in the first week of September. The military says the drills will focus on anti-air and anti-submarine defense.

It says Moscow has notified international organizations of the drills, which may make it dangerous for aircraft and ships to operate in the area.

The drills were announced after NATO reported a Russian naval buildup in the Mediterranean.

Russia has provided crucial military support for Syrian government forces, which are expected to mount an offensive in the northern Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in the country.
BEIRUT (AP) - In a corner of northwestern Syria packed with nearly 3 million people, the government and its opponents are preparing for a final, bloody showdown.

The campaign for Idlib, the opposition's only remaining stronghold in the country and now a refuge for over one million displaced Syrians, is likely to be the last major theater of battle after seven years of brutal civil war.

It is also potentially the most dangerous.

FILE - In this Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017 file photo provided by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Civil Defense workers and Syrian citizens gather after an airstrike hit a market in Maaret al-Numan in southern Idlib, Syria. The campaign for Idlib, the opposition's only remaining stronghold in the country and now a refuge for over one million displaced Syrians, is likely to be the last major theater of battle after seven years of brutal civil war. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP, File)

The U.N. and aid workers are bracing for disaster, warning that up to 800,000 people are in danger of renewed displacement if a government offensive gets underway. A massive military buildup in nearby areas suggests an assault - at least to regain parts of the province - may be imminent.

Turkey, which backs the rebels in Idlib, has warned against a military solution and is reportedly negotiating with Russia in an effort to avoid a full-scale offensive.

Concern is mounting meanwhile over the potential use of chemical weapons, and the Russian navy is building up its presence in the Mediterranean Sea.

Here's a look at what lies ahead for Idlib:

THE OPPOSITION'S LAST REFUGE

After seven years of war, President Bashar Assad has largely quashed the popular revolt that erupted against his family's decades-long rule in 2011, which was inspired by the Arab Spring protests that swept the region that year.

Idlib now amounts to the last refuge for the opposition, as well as the al-Qaida-linked insurgents that have fought alongside it.

President Bashar Assad is determined to retake Idlib, and has vowed to eventually bring all of Syria back under his government's control.

At one point, the opposition controlled parts of Syria's largest cities and most of the territory around Damascus, the capital. But Russia launched an air campaign in support of Assad in 2015, and Iran has sent thousands of military advisers and allied militiamen to aid his forces. In the last year alone, the government has forced its opponents out of Damascus, Homs, Daraa, and Quneitra, four provinces and cities that were longtime opposition strongholds.

As government forces advanced, they offered residents and one-time opponents the choice either to reconcile with Assad's rule or board buses for Idlib, where al-Qaida-linked groups have eclipsed the moderate opposition.

Tens of thousands of people chose to leave to Idlib, fearing they could be face imprisonment, forced conscription, or worse at the hands of government forces.

Now they have nowhere left to turn, after other opposition pockets have collapsed, and Turkey has largely sealed its borders to new refugees.

___

THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS FACTOR

The U.S. State Department has said it will hold Moscow, an ally of Damascus, responsible if government forces use chemical weapons in the battle for Idlib.

U.N. investigators have already attributed several chemical attacks in Syria to government forces, including one attack using the nerve agent Sarin gas against the Idlib town of Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017.

That attack prompted the U.S. to carry out a rare strike against a Syrian military installation. In April, the U.S., France and Britain launched punitive strikes after a chlorine gas attack on a suburb of Damascus then held by the opposition. The U.S. also holds the government responsible for a Sarin gas attack that may have killed over 1,000 people in August 2013 in the Ghouta suburbs of Damascus.

Syria's government denies ever using chemical weapons and says it disposed of its stockpiles under an agreement brokered by the U.S. and Russia after the 2013 Ghouta attack.

Chemical attacks have only accounted for a small fraction of the estimated 400,000 people killed in the civil war.

Now, Moscow and Damascus say the U.S. is planning to fabricate a chemical attack or encourage rebels to execute one, as a pretext to launch renewed strikes against Assad's forces. But there is scant evidence that rebels have used chemical weapons in the past, and the U.S. has shown little appetite for taking forceful military action against the government.

On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said Washington was in "active" communication with Russia about preventing another chemical attack.

___

A CATASTROPHE IN THE MAKING

The U.N. says a battle for Idlib would cause a humanitarian catastrophe. With Turkey closing its borders to new refugees, it is unclear where civilians might go. Many are already living in camps in Idlib amid dire conditions, with 2 million in need of humanitarian aid.

The leaders of Russia, Iran, and Turkey are slated to meet next week in the northern Iranian city of Tabriz, where many are hoping for a deal to avert a calamitous battle over Idlib.

In the meantime, the government is amassing its forces around the province, and Russia has positioned at least 10 warships and two submarines off the coast, according to Russian media reports.

If a campaign does proceed against Idlib, it is likely to follow the formula set in previous battles. Russian and Syrian warplanes would launch wave after wave of devastating airstrikes, before government forces besiege towns and cities, forcing residents to surrender or starve.

FILE - In this Sept. 19, 2013, file photo, smoke rises after a TNT bomb was thrown from a helicopter, hitting a rebel position during heavy fighting between troops loyal to president Bashar Assad and opposition fighters, in a neighbouring village to Kafr Nabuda, in the Idlib province countryside, Syria. The campaign for Idlib, the opposition's only remaining stronghold in the country and now a refuge for over one million displaced Syrians, is likely to be the last major theater of battle after seven years of brutal civil war. (AP Photo/File)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the departure of White House counsel Don McGahn (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump is teasing his choice for a new White House counsel but isn't ready to share a name.

President Donald Trump speaks during a discussion for drug-free communities support programs, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Trump had announced Wednesday that current White House counsel Don McGahn will leave in the fall. McGahn has been a consequential insider on Trump's legal team and a key figure in the administration's handling of the federal investigation into Russian election interference and possible Trump campaign collusion.

Trump tweeted Thursday that he is "very excited about the person" who will be replacing McGahn.

Trump also denied reports that McGahn had threatened to resign last year if the president continued to press for the removal of special counsel Robert Mueller as head of the Russia investigation.

__

9:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump says the Russia investigation was not a factor, "even a little bit," in his decision about White House counsel Don McGahn.

Trump announced Wednesday on Twitter that McGahn will depart in the fall, likely after Judge Brett Kavanaugh's expected confirmation to the Supreme Court.

The president tweeted Thursday: "The Rigged Russia Witch Hunt did not come into play, even a little bit, with respect to my decision on Don McGahn!"

Word of McGahn's departure followed a New York Times report earlier this month on McGahn's extensive cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Trump has tweeted that he allowed McGahn to cooperate with the investigation, and that he has nothing to hide.

Trump calls the investigation a "witch hunt."

___

8:30 a.m.

President Donald Trump is signaling that he knows who will succeed White House counsel Don McGahn, saying he's "very excited" about the individual.

Trump did not announce a successor in his tweet Thursday but said: "I am very excited about the person who will be taking the place of Don McGahn as White House Councel! I liked Don, but he was NOT responsible for me not firing Bob Mueller or Jeff Sessions. So much Fake Reporting and Fake News!"

Trump announced Wednesday on Twitter that McGahn will leave government in the fall, after the expected Senate confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Emmet Flood - the in-house counsel handling Mueller's Russia investigation - has been considered a leading candidate to replace McGahn.

___

12:15 a.m.

There's another job opening in the West Wing of the White House, this time for the position of president's top lawyer.

White House counsel Don McGahn will be leaving the White House in the fall, adding to the record turnover in the 19-month-old Trump administration.

McGahn has been a key figure in the administration's handling of the Russia investigation as he's handled other legal storms for President Donald Trump.

In announcing McGahn's departure, Trump said Wednesday that his counsel's exit had nothing to do with McGahn's interviews with the special counsel investigating possible Trump campaign collusion with Russia in the 2016 election.

McGahn has played a pivotal role in Trump's remaking of the federal judiciary with young, conservative judges and has helped guide Supreme Court selections.
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Leaders of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations are meeting in Nepal to discuss regional trade, economic cooperation, security and peace.

The two-day summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation began Thursday in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. It groups Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The leaders are to discuss greater economic cooperation and sign an agreement for regional electricity connectivity that will open up energy trade among their countries.

Standing left to right are Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Justice and Chief Advisor of the interim government of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Wangchuk, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Myanmar's president Win Myint, Nepal's Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Leaders of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations are meeting in Nepal to discuss regional trade, economic cooperation, security and peace. (Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters via AP, Pool)

"Connectivity is a key enabler for robust regional cooperation. It is the very foundation, in which the edifice of economic integration can stand upright," Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli said in opening the summit.

He said member nations need to increase investments in regional transport networks.

"Better connectivity of roads, railways, airways, waterways will unlock our full potential. It can promote meaningful cooperation in trade and investment, energy, tourism and technology transfer," he said.

The leaders are also expected to discuss crime, drug and human trafficking, and terrorism.

"Our region is not immune from dangers of terrorism, organized crimes, drugs trafficking, human trafficking, and money laundering, among others. We must remain united in defeating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," Oli said.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bhutanese interim head of government Lyonpo Tshering Wangchuk, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Myanmar President Win Myint, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha are in taking part in the summit.
TOKYO (AP) - Japan protested to China on Thursday over its decision to ban a reporter for a conservative Japanese newspaper from covering talks between the countries' diplomats.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Japan lodged a protest over the exclusion of a Sankei Shimbun reporter from the opening of talks Wednesday between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba.

Sankei is known for its critical stance toward China.

Other Japanese reporters covering the event walked out in protest.

Suga said Japan protested later that day.

"Respect for basic human rights, including freedom of expression, as well as the rule of law, is a universal value in the international community and ensuring those rights is important in any country," he told reporters Thursday. "It is extremely regrettable that a case like this happened."

Akiba was in Beijing to discuss a possible visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China later this year.

For years, Japan and China have had disputes over history and ownership of islands in the East China Sea. Their relations have begun to improve as they mark this year the 40 anniversary of the signing of a friendship treaty.
BRUSSELS (AP) - In his sixth week of detention, Cafer Topkaya stopped counting the days in his prison diary, realizing he wouldn't be going home anytime soon.

Like many caught up in the crackdown after the failed military coup in Turkey two years ago, the 42-year-old naval officer had believed he could simply prove his innocence in court. But after weeks of sleeping on the floor in his cell, without enough food and with no explanation of the charges he faced, Topkaya said he understood the cards were stacked against him.

"After 39 days I lost my hope," he told The Associated Press in Brussels, where he rejoined his family this year after he managed to escape Turkey while on a conditional release from prison.

In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, Cafer Topkaya, a former naval officer posted to NATO, gestures, during an interview in his apartment in Brussels. After more than a year in prison in Turkey, Topkaya, fled the country and a potentially heavy sentence for crimes he says he did not commit. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

It's rare for military officers accused of supporting the coup to speak in public. Topkaya said he, too, was afraid to speak out - he doesn't feel entirely safe even in Belgium - but was inspired by the courage of a young Swedish woman whose recent protest aboard a passenger plane stopped the deportation of an Afghan migrant.

"Then I thought of the people in prison in Turkey. They can't meet with the press. They can't even meet with their lawyers. So they have no means to freely tell their stories, the things they endure," he said. "So I felt a responsibility to talk on behalf of them and to tell their story and my story."

Topkaya was working as a Turkish officer at NATO in Brussels when news broke of the military uprising against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that killed 250 people in July 2016. Erdogan blamed the attempted coup on Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally living in exile in the United States, and swiftly cracked down on suspected supporters of Gulen's movement across Turkey.

More than 130,000 people have since been purged from the public service. Over 77,000 have been arrested for alleged links to Gulen's network or Kurdish separatists, among them lawmakers, judges, prosecutors, military personnel, police and journalists.

Arrests continue, and the courts are swamped.

Topkaya, who says he supports neither Gulen nor Erdogan but the secular principles of modern Turkey's founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, said he only fully learned about the allegations against him 11 months into his ordeal.

The charge sheet said the father-of-three was accused of insulting Erdogan and government officials on Twitter. With a laugh, Topkaya noted that his supposed account was posting Tweets even when he was in jail without internet access.

The charge sheet also noted that he had used the ByLock messaging app that authorities say coup plotters communicated with, and that he was working for NATO. While Turkey is a longtime alliance member and hundreds of Turkish nationals are posted at NATO headquarters, being seen as pro-NATO or pro-Western is an indictment these days, Topkaya said.

If the charges seemed surreal to him, conditions in Sincan prison outside Ankara were all too real. Living with four men in a cell meant for three, Topkaya said he slept on the floor without heating in sub-zero temperatures that first winter.

"I had four pairs of socks and it was like my feet were still in ice buckets. Once I cried from being cold," he said.

When a U.N. monitoring team visited Sincan, inmates were given a second mattress, which Topkaya said felt "like sleeping in a Hilton suite."

Asked about Topkaya's case, a senior Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government rules, said only: "We refuse to associate with Gulenists and do not find it necessary to respond to their claims."

In a statement in December 2016 after visiting several Turkish prisons, U.N. envoy Nils Melzer said conditions were broadly "acceptable" though "significantly overcrowded." He noted inmate claims about "the freezing temperature" in one location, and "numerous allegations of torture and other ill-treatment."

Human rights group Amnesty International has reported extensively on cases of abuse and torture linked to the coup. Some of the worst punishment was reserved for military personnel.

Topkaya said he wasn't subjected to torture but spoke to prisoners who said they were.

Turkey's government insists it has a policy of zero tolerance to torture and says perpetrators are brought to justice.

This February, 16 months after Topkaya was lured to Ankara by commanders for an "urgent meeting" and detained, a judge granted him conditional release due to prosecution delays in substantiating its case, but he would have to report each week to police.

His diplomatic passport had been confiscated, but he still had an old normal one that was valid for a few more months and decided to use it. He fled to Greece a few weeks later and by March was back in Belgium, where his wife and children have refugee status.

"It was like coming to life again after death," he said. "For the first few days we couldn't talk much. We just looked at each other's face and laughed, and sometimes we cried."

In Turkey, though, Topkaya was called a traitor by his own brother, who applied to change his family name, according to Turkish media. The brother, who was also in the navy, was relieved of his duties because of his family ties to Topkaya and was waging a legal battle to be re-instated, media reports said.

"It's like a picture of what's happening in Turkey. Many families have been broken and split up like this," Topkaya said. "I still love him," he added. "I hope that like the rest of the nation he will one day wake from this dream and we will hug again."

FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014 file photo, flags flutter in the wind in front of NATO headquarters in Brussels. After more than a year in prison in Turkey, a former naval officer posted to NATO fled the country and a potentially heavy sentence for crimes he says he did not commit. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, Cafer Topkaya, a former naval officer posted to NATO, pauses, during an interview in his apartment in Brussels. After more than a year in prison in Turkey, Topkaya, fled the country and a potentially heavy sentence for crimes he says he did not commit. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

In this photo taken on Monday, Aug, 27, 2018, Cafer Topkaya, a former naval officer posted to NATO, looks at his diary, during an interview in his apartment in Brussels. After more than a year in prison in Turkey, Topkaya, fled the country and a potentially heavy sentence for crimes he says he did not commit. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, Cafer Topkaya, a former naval officer posted to NATO, looks at his diary, during an interview in his apartment in Brussels. After more than a year in prison in Turkey, Topkaya, fled the country and a potentially heavy sentence for crimes he says he did not commit. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, Cafer Topkaya, a former naval officer posted to NATO, points out letters and cards, received from his children while he was in prison, during an interview in his apartment in Brussels. After more than a year in prison in Turkey, Topkaya, fled the country and a potentially heavy sentence for crimes he says he did not commit. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
On a scorching summer day, Mark Stoeckle threw a bucket into the murky waters of New York's East River to fill up three small plastic bottles.

The biologist hopes the water he collected contains the genetic trail of the river's diverse life including all of its fish - and of course, the occasional rat.

'We've cleaned up the East River significantly, but we're still dumping a lot of stuff,' said Stoeckle of Rockefeller University.

In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 photo, Mark Stoeckle throws a bucket into New York's East River. Scientists say scooping a bottle of water or a sample of soil can be enough to detect the genetic material of endangered or elusive species. It's an approach that can help them better monitor and protect the environment.

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL DNA? Animals lose hair, scales and feathers as they move. They also discard skin cells and waste. All of these leave traces of genetic material that can be detected hours, weeks or even millennia later. Scientists say analyzing the DNA floating in waterways or hiding in soil, which they call environmental DNA or eDNA, promises to help in managing and protecting biodiversity. Advertisement

'This will give us a better idea of whether fish are recovering or not.'

He doesn't have to catch the slippery fish himself -a dangerous task given the river's rocky bottom and strong currents.

He just needs to look for the tiny bits of DNA they leave behind to track them.

Animals lose hair, scales and feathers as they move.

They also discard skin cells and waste.

All of these leave traces of genetic material that can be detected hours, weeks or even millennia later.

Scientists say analyzing the DNA floating in waterways or hiding in soil, which they call environmental DNA or eDNA, promises to help in managing and protecting biodiversity.

In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2018 photo, student Caroline Beit prepares to filter samples of water collected from the East River in New York. Scientists say scooping a bottle of water or a sample of soil can be enough to detect genetic material of endangered or elusive species. 'That, to me, is something of science fiction,' said Beit. (AP Photo/Emiliano Rodriguez Mega)

The tactic has become increasingly popular within the past few years and has already provided clues of ancient mammoths in Siberia, early warnings of frog die-offs in California and evidence of elusive sawfish in Mexico.

For Sam Chew Chin, a fish ecologist at York College in New York, the DNA sampling reminds him of childhood shows he loved such as Star Trek.

'Whenever they'd find a new planet, they would scan it for life,'' he said.

'Detecting environmental DNA is kind of the closest we come to being able to do that. It's pretty neat.'

Chew Chin said he used to be a 'muddy-boots and bloody-desk biologist.' Studying fish meant capturing them and eventually killing them.

Now, he searches for whales off of Long Island or fish in the Hudson River by testing water - an advance that has made his job faster and cheaper.

In this Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo, molecular scientist Tracie Seimon shows the equipment she uses to detect traces of DNA from water samples at her lab in New York City's Bronx Zoo. She hopes the approach will help scientists find additional Yangtze soft shell turtles and save the species from the brink of extinction. (AP Photo/Emiliano Rodriguez Mega)

It wasn't always like that. Nobody really cared about eDNA a decade ago, said Danish geneticist Eske Willerslev, who pioneered the technique.

He had been traveling to Siberia to sample permafrost. The frozen soil was so cold that he thought ancient genetic material could have remained intact throughout the years.

In 2002, with a handful of permafrost samples the size of a sugar cube, he was able to identify the genetic material of bison, horses and many different plants that lived hundreds of thousands of years ago. He also found the preserved DNA of mammoths.

Environmental DNA 'helps us reach the inaccessible,' said Willerslev from the Natural History Museum of Denmark, adding that this approach will play a key role in scientists' quest to understand nature.

Examples of this are appearing in other fields, where eDNA has changed how researchers think about conservation.

When Colleen Kamoroff spent the summer collecting water in 2015 from the lakes in California's Sierra Nevada, she saw a healthy group of native mountain yellow-legged frogs hopping around.

One month later, they were all dying. The culprit: a microorganism that has caused the decline of about 200 amphibian species around the world, called chytrid fungus.

In this Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016, a fisherman holds a smalltooth sawfish he accidentally caught in Barra de Cazones, Veracruz, Mexico. This was the last live specimen that was reported. Scientists are analyzing water for sawfish DNA in an effort to find more of these elusive animals. (Saaid Hernandez Osorio via AP)

Curious whether the frogs could have been saved if she had seen early signs, Kamoroff, a wildlife biologist who works for Yosemite National Park in California, started looking for chytrid fungus DNA in the water she had sampled. She was surprised to find it.

'Maybe if we knew they were infected at that point, we could have been more prepared. We could have started treating them' with medication, she said.

If a species is reduced to the verge of extinction, protecting the area where animals live or breeding them in captivity can sometimes help rescue it. It's been done before. But knowing where those last survivors hide is a common headache for conservationists.

Marine biologist Ramon Bonfil has spent more than three years looking for the last sawfish of Mexico where tropical waters were once teemed with the elusive and strange-looking rays. Now, they're nowhere to be found. The last specimen was accidentally caught in 2016. Other than that, no one has seen a live sawfish for almost a decade.

In this Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016 photo provided by Oceanos Vivientes, marine biologist Ramon Bonfil submerges a bottle into the waters of the Chetumal Bay in Quintana Roo, Mexico. For more than three years, Bonfil has been sampling Mexican waters to try to find the elusive and highly endangered sawfish. (Oceanos Vivientes via AP)

Gill nets, drones and fishermen have all failed to spot them.

Bonfil, however, discovered sawfish DNA in three water samples he took two years ago in the state of Veracruz. It's a weak signal, which could mean there aren't many creatures swimming around. But it's recent.

'The key is knowing where they are. Until we find them, we won't be able to protect them,' said Bonfil.

For Stoeckle, fishing for free-floating genetic material in the East River every week for the past couple of years has changed his outlook.

'It's a little bit creepy, the idea that you're swimming with the DNA of all these organisms,' he said.

'Now I'm aware that when I go in the water I'm really going in someone else's environment.'




Microsoft will begin requiring its contractors to offer their U.S. employees paid leave to care for a new child.

It's common for tech firms to offer generous family leave benefits for their own software engineers and other full-time staff, but paid leave advocates say it's still rare to require similar benefits for contracted workers such as janitors, landscapers, cafeteria crews and software consultants.

"Given its size and its reach, this is a unique and hopefully trailblazing offering," said Vicki Shabo, vice president at the National Partnership for Women and Families.

FILE - In this April 28, 2015, file photo, a man walks past a Microsoft sign set up for the Microsoft BUILD conference at Moscone Center in San Francisco. Microsoft says it's requiring its U.S. suppliers to offer their employees at least 12 weeks paid leave to care for a new child. The company announced the new parental leave policy Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

The new policy affects businesses with at least 50 U.S.-based employees that do substantial work with Microsoft that involves access to its buildings or its computing network. It doesn't affect suppliers of goods. Contractors would have to offer at least 12 weeks of leave to those working with the Redmond, Washington-based software giant; the policy wouldn't affect the contractors' arrangements with other companies. Leave-takers would get 66 percent of regular pay, up to $1,000 weekly.

The policy announced Thursday rolls out over the next year as the company amends its contracts with those vendors. That may mean some of Microsoft's costs will rise to cover the new benefits, said Dev Stahlkopf, the company's corporate vice president and general counsel.

"That's just fine and we think it's well worth the price," she said.

Microsoft doesn't disclose how many contracted workers it uses, but it's in the thousands.

The new policy expands on Microsoft's 2015 policy requiring contractors to offer paid sick days and vacation.

Other companies such as Facebook have also committed to improve contractor benefits amid unionization efforts by shuttle drivers, security guards and other contract workers trying to get by in expensive, tech-fueled regions such as the San Francisco Bay Area and around Washington's Puget Sound.

Facebook doesn't guarantee that contract workers receive paid parental leave, but provides a $4,000 new child benefit for new parents who don't get leave. A much smaller California tech company, SurveyMonkey, announced a paid family leave plan for its contract workers earlier this year.

Microsoft said its new policy is partially inspired by a Washington state law taking effect in 2020 guaranteeing eligible workers 12 weeks paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child. The state policy, signed into law last year, follows California and a handful of other states in allowing new parents to tap into a fund that all workers pay into. Washington will also require employers to help foot the bill, and will start collecting payroll deductions next January.

A federal paid parental leave plan proposed by President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, could rely on a similar model but has gained little traction.

"Compared to what employers are doing, the government is way behind the private sector," said Isabel Sawhill, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who has urged the White House and Congress to adopt a national policy.

Sawhill said it is "very unusual and very notable" that Microsoft is extending family leave benefits to its contract workers. Microsoft already offers more generous family leave benefits to its own employees, including up to 20 weeks fully paid leave for a birth mother.

Microsoft's push to spread its employee benefits to a broader workforce "sends a message that something has to happen more systematically at the federal level," said Ariane Hegewisch, a program director for employment and earnings at the Institute for Women's Policy Research. Until then, she said, it's helpful that Microsoft seems willing to pay contracting firms more to guarantee their workers' better benefits.

"Paid family leave is expensive and they acknowledge that," Hegewisch said. Otherwise, she said, contractors with many employees of child-bearing age could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage to those with older workforces.

Republican state Sen. Joe Fain, the prime sponsor of the measure that passed last year, said Microsoft's decision was "a really powerful step forward."

By applying the plan to contractors and vendors around the country, "it really creates a pressure for those state legislatures to make a similar decision that Washington made."

___

Associated Press reporter Rachel La Corte contributed to this article from Olympia, Washington.
MEXICO CITY (AP) - A cameraman from a TV station in the Caribbean beach destination of Cancun has been shot to death, according to local authorities.

The Quintana Roo state prosecutor's office said Javier Rodriguez Valladares of the Canal 10 station was shot to death along with another man Wednesday evening.

Authorities were investigating, but initially said it didn't appear to be work related because he was off duty. Journalists have often been targeted while not working.

The Quintana Roo Human Rights Commission said in a statement that Valladares was the third journalist killed in the state this year.

In July, Ruben Pat Cahuich, the director of the online news site in Playa del Carmen, Playa News Aqui y Ahora, was killed. In June, police reporter Jose Guadalupe Chan Dzib from the same outlet was killed.

Paris-based Reporters without Borders condemned Rodriguez's murder.

"Quintana Roo authorities must undertake an exhaustive investigation of this case and identify as soon as possible those responsible for this cowardly killing," said Emmanuel Colombie, director of the group's Latin America office.

Rodriguez is at least the ninth journalist killed in Mexico this year. More than 30 have been killed during the administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto who leaves office in three months.

In the first six months of 2018, the coastal state of Quintana Roo saw homicides rise 132 percent, to the equivalent of about 35 killings per 100,000 inhabitants.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Authorities in western Greece have arrested two people for allegedly trying to smuggle 71 migrants out of the country on a U.S.-flagged yacht.

The Greek merchant marine ministry said the yacht was stopped in the Gulf of Patras following a tip-off. The vessel is believed to have been heading for Italy.

The ministry says the suspects were identified as 25- and 27-year-old foreign citizens. No details were available on the nationalities of the migrants.

Thousands of migrants enter Greece illegally every year, mostly by sea from Turkey.

Border crackdowns by other European countries have made it increasingly difficult for them to continue their journeys to Europe's prosperous heartland.

Tens of thousands are stuck in Greece, including nearly 20,000 migrants stranded on the Aegean Sea islands where most smuggling boats from Turkey arrive.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippine government asked Filipinos in Malaysia on Thursday to brace for a possible crackdown on illegal immigrants in the Southeast Asian country, where it estimates about 400,000 Filipinos live illegally.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said a Malaysian amnesty program for illegal immigrants that began in 2016 ends Thursday and advised Filipinos, especially those without immigration permits, to expect a crackdown as early as Friday.

The Philippine Embassy in Malaysia has helped 5,844 Filipinos without immigration papers since the amnesty was launched in January 2016, the department said in a statement. It added that the number is less than 1 percent of the estimated 400,000 undocumented Filipinos in Malaysia.

"We are reminding our countrymen in Malaysia, particularly those without legal immigration status, that the amnesty program ends today," Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles Jose said in the statement.

Jose advised Filipinos who comply with Malaysian immigration requirements "to exercise due prudence and to ensure they carry their legal documents at all times."

The Philippine Embassy "is ready to provide assistance to Filipinos, who may be affected by the intensified immigration operations," Jose said.

The Philippines is a major labor exporter and has faced many migrant labor crises.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte banned the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait after the body of a Filipina housemaid was discovered in a freezer in a Kuwaiti home in February, in what he said was the latest in a growing number of deaths and abuse of impoverished Filipina maids in the oil-rich Arab nation.

Kuwait expelled the Filipino ambassador and recalled its envoy to Manila at the height of the diplomatic crisis, which later eased after the governments negotiated a new accord seeking better conditions for Filipino workers.

About a tenth of the more than 100 million Filipinos work and live abroad, many of them to escape poverty and a lack of opportunity at home. The earnings they send home have helped keep the Philippine economy afloat.

Many of the Filipinos in Malaysia have worked on plantations, in business establishments or as maids for decades. Crackdowns against illegal immigrants in Malaysia in the past have led to the deportation of thousands of mostly poor Filipinos, while others have languished in Malaysian jails.
BANGKOK (AP) - Human rights groups expressed alarm Thursday at Thailand's detention of more than 160 asylum seekers from hill tribe ethnic minorities in Vietnam and Cambodia, saying they face possible persecution if returned to their homelands.

Thai and international rights groups said the asylum seekers were rounded up Tuesday in a northern suburb of Bangkok and charged with immigration law violations.

The Thai group Human Rights Lawyers Association said some had cards from the U.N. refugee agency identifying them as having been certified as refugees. The group said the detainees, from the Jarai and other minorities, "fled persecution, discrimination and repression" in Vietnam and Cambodia.

In this Aug. 28, 2018, photo, Thai officers talks to refugee and asylum seekers in Bangkok, Thailand. Thai police rounded up more than 160 refugees and asylum seekers from ethnic minorities in Vietnam and Cambodia who are believed to be at risk of persecution if they are returned to their homelands. (AP Photo)

Many hill tribe minorities - often collectively called "Montagnards"- aligned themselves closely with the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, and were treated with suspicion and repression by Communist victors after the war. Some groups' identification as Christians continues to put them at odds with the ruling Communist authorities in Vietnam, and occasional unrest in their Central Highlands homeland always triggers sharp crackdowns.

Puttanee Kangkun, a human rights worker with the group Fortify Rights, said the 38 detainees from Cambodia could be sent directly back under a bilateral agreement, but there is no such agreement with Vietnam, which means the other detainees must face trial before any further action against them is considered. They were tried and found guilty Thursday, Puttanee said. Those unable to pay fines could be detained indefinitely.

She said officials from Thailand's Ministry of Social Development and Human Security had separated children from their parents in the arrested group to be cared for outside of detention centers until their parents are released.

The Human Rights Lawyers Association said that although Thailand is not part of the United Nation's 1951 Refugee Convention, it is still responsible under customary international law to not send back refugees who risk harassment or abuse, a practice known as "non-refoulement."

Thailand generally has had a history of tolerance toward asylum seekers as war and unrest in its neighbors in Southeast Asia caused people to flee. However, political and foreign policy considerations have sometimes resulted in hard-line actions, most notably in recent decades with the forced repatriation of ethnic Hmong to Laos and Muslim Uighurs to China.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - When "Sons of Anarchy" debuted in 2008, creator Kurt Sutter repeatedly heard the same comparison: it was the poor, white working class version of the HBO mob series, "The Sopranos."

Now that "Sons of Anarchy" spin-off "Mayans M.C." is set to launch, Sutter says he is prepared for it to inevitably be called the Latino rendition of the popular motorcycle gang drama. "But it's more than that," Sutter, the new series co-creator, told The Associated Press. "My hope is that as people get plugged into it...it becomes its own thing."

Yes, "Mayans M.C." focuses on similar motorcycle outlaw themes of crime, contradictions and divided devotions as its artistic predecessor. Yet, it aims to tackle the conflicted world along the U.S.-Mexico border amid poverty, a drug war and populations with blurred nationalities. It's also filled with Mesoamerican imagery, issues of ethnicity and references to the poor conditions along the border.

This image released by FX shows JD Pardo as EZ Reyes in a scene from "Mayans M.C.," premiering on Sept. 4. (Prashant Gupta/FX via AP)

The FX Networks series, which debuts on Sept. 4, is set in the fictional border city of Santo Padre, California, and follows Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes, played by J.D. Pardo, a fresh-out-of-prison "prospect" for a chapter of the Mayans, a Mexican-American motorcycle club. (A prospect is a potential member who must prove himself to the others). Reyes is coming to terms with his former life as a one-time promising student at Stanford University who now is inside the world of crime and Mexican cartels.

The Mayans were the sometimes rivals, sometimes allies of the Sons of Anarchy in the original series. The creators tease that Sons of Anarchy members may make occasional cameos in the new series.

Meanwhile, Ezekiel's butcher father, played by Edward James Olmos, serves as his adviser and sometimes confidante as the young Reyes seeks just to survive. Together the pair leads a majority-Latino cast who navigate the dark world of motorcycle gangs and tensions from immigration, cartel violence and race.

Pardo, a California-born son of an Argentine father and a Salvadoran mother, said he knew little about "Sons of Anarchy" until he heard about "Mayans M.C." So, one weekend, he binged watch the series and concluded he wanted the lead role in "Mayans M.C.," though he'd have to educate himself.

"It's the writing. It's everything," Pardo said. "I didn't ride motorcycles. I didn't know anything about bike culture. For me to be able to dive in that as an artist makes me feel like such a kid."

But he wouldn't have to educate himself about being Latino, Pardo said. That, he already knew from family.

Sutter said the idea for the project began years ago as FX sought to find productions similar to Sons of Anarchy but geared toward the growing Spanish-speaking market in Latin America. When "Mayans M.C." began to become a reality, Sutter said he realized immediately it needed to be different.

"I also know that a white guy from Jersey shouldn't be writing a show about people of color on his own," Sutter said.

Sutter soon tapped Boston-born filmmaker Elgin James to help give the show a distinct voice and a perspective from a writer of color. James, whose family background is Irish, African American and Dominican, is a former gang member who spent a year in prison for extortion and earned acclaim for his 2011 film, "Little Birds."

James said he wanted to utilize his experience from the gang world to shape "Mayans M.C." characters. Once an orphan and homeless, James said remembers how intoxicating it was be feared by flashing your gang name on hats or shirts.

"But what doesn't change is that you're still that little, scared kid inside," James said.

As a director, James said filming Pardo riding his motorcycle along the border fence and images of the La Virgen de Guadalupe with bullets draped around her like a soldier from the Mexican Revolution came organically. So did the introduction of the revolutionary character Adelita, played by Venezuelan actress Carla Baratta, modeled after the Mexican Revolution female soldiers known as "las adelitas."

The debut of the show at a time when immigration and President Donald Trump's rhetoric attacks of Latinos are consistently in the news was pure coincidence, James and Sutter said. Although both say they are seeking to humanize people who live on the border and those who are members of motorcycle clubs.

That humanizing effort comes without romanticizing that some motorcycle clubs are linked to a dangerous world, the creators said.

Last year in New Mexico, for example, police in tourist-friendly Santa Fe were forced to increase patrols and surveillance amid tensions between two Latino motorcycle gangs - the California-based Vagos and the Texas-founded Bandidos - that sparked a drive-by shooting and a hospital lockdown.

"The show is not for everyone," Olmos told the AP. "It's dark. It's powerful."

Still, Olmos said he enjoyed working with Sutter and James and the largely Latino cast to tell a story that will take viewers on an emotional journey.

"All I can say," Olmos said, "is that it's heartbreaking."

___

Associated Press writer Russell Contreras is a member of the AP's race and ethnicity team. Follow Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras

This image released by FX shows JD Pardo as EZ Reyes in a scene from "Mayans M.C.," premiering on Sept. 4. (Prashant Gupta/FX via AP)

This image released by FX shows Emilio Rivera as Marcus Alvarez in a scene from "Mayans M.C.," premiering on Sept. 4. (Prashant Gupta/FX via AP)
NEW DELHI (AP) - About 1,000 people protested near India's Parliament on Thursday demanding the immediate release of five prominent rights activists who were arrested for alleged Maoist links in a countrywide crackdown this week.

The protesters warned that freedom and liberty would be endangered if people don't resist such measures by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

India's top court on Wednesday granted some relief to the five activists, ordering that they be kept under house arrest instead of in police custody until it rules next week on a petition challenging their detentions.

An Indian girl holds up a placard during a protest opposing the arrests this week of five prominent rights activists, in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. India's top court ordered Wednesday that five activists arrested for alleged Maoist links be kept under house arrest instead of police custody until it rules next week on a petition challenging their detention. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Those arrested on Tuesday were Telugu-language poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira in Mumbai, and Gautam Navalakha and Sudha Bhardwaj in New Delhi and a neighbouring town.

Police have accused the five of delivering speeches that triggered protests and violence between low-caste Dalits and right-wing groups near Pune in December.

Police in Pune said they have evidence suggesting there was a plan by Maoists to target the country's "highest political functionaries," without providing any details, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

It quoted police officer Shivajirao Bodkhe as saying that investigators also have evidence suggesting the arrested activists have links with Kashmiri separatists who are fighting against Indian rule in the disputed Himalayan territory.

Leading Indian authors, lawyers and civil society leaders on Thursday demanded action against the police for what they called illegal arrests and an attack on the right to dissent.

Author Arundhati Roy said the activists represent the interests of millions of people, "so by arresting these people, you are arresting and silencing and stripping away the constitutional rights of whole populations."

The government says Maoist rebels, who are active in several states, are India's biggest internal security threat. The rebels, inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting the government for more than four decades, demanding land and jobs for the poor and indigenous communities.

In June, police arrested five other activists on suspicion of also inciting the Dalits, who have been marginalized for centuries and forced to perform jobs considered unacceptable by other castes.

Caste prejudice is endemic in Hindu-majority India, even though the constitution outlaws the practice and has made it a crime punishable by up to a year in prison.

Indian activist Vernon Gonzalves walks escorted by policemen at the Faraskhana Police Station in Pune, India, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. India's top court ordered Wednesday that five prominent rights activists arrested, Gonzales included, for alleged Maoist links be kept under house arrest instead of police custody until it rules next week on a petition challenging their detention. (AP Photo/Jignesh Mistry)
PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected the idea that an author close to him was offered a top diplomatic position because of the old boy's network.

Macron has named Philippe Besson as consul general of the French Consulate in Los Angeles. The 51-year-old Besson has no diplomatic experience and published a eulogistic book last year depicting Macron's winning presidential campaign.

His appointment is being criticized as cronyism, but Macron defended the decision Thursday. The president told critics to "come to their senses," saying he is not in the habit of handing out jobs as rewards.

French President Emmanuel Macron attends a joint press conference with Finland Prime Minister Juha Sipila at the Prime Minister's official residence Kesaranta in Helsink Finland,, Thursday Aug. 30, 2018. President Macron is in Finland on a two-day official visit. (Markku Ulander/Lehtikuva via AP)

Macron said: "I want and will continue to open up all positions of responsibility within the administration, in particular for top government administrators' positions, to people of talent and merit coming from other horizons."
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - A Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker canceled a planned Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest Thursday following death threats and concerns other people could be put at risk.

"To avoid the risk of victims of Islamic violence, I have decided not to let the cartoon contest go ahead," far-right opposition politician Geert Wilders said in a written statement.

Wilders, who for years has lived under round-the-clock protection because of death threats sparked by his fierce anti-Islam rhetoric, said he does not want others endangered by the contest he planned for November.

Pakistani protesters shout slogans during a protest against the planned anti-Islam cartoon competitions, in Karachi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Thousands of Islamists in Pakistan launched a march in Lahore toward the capital on Wednesday to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest later this year. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

The planned contest sparked angry protests in Pakistan and a death threat this week from a 26-year-old man, reportedly a Pakistani, who was arrested Tuesday in The Hague.

Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims.

"It's not just about me," Wilders said in the statement. Strong opponents of the event "see not only me, but the entire Netherlands as a target."

The contest was to have been held at the tightly guarded offices of his Party for Freedom in the Dutch parliament building.

Earlier Thursday, a Dutch judge extended by two weeks the detention of the man who allegedly threatened to attack Wilders.

Prosecutors said in a statement that an investigating judge ordered the suspect held while he is investigated on charges of making a terrorist threat, making preparations for a terrorist murder and incitement.

The Dutch government had been at pains to distance itself from the contest.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte last week questioned Wilders' motive for organizing the contest.

"His aim is not to have a debate about Islam. His aim is to be provocative," the prime minister said.

However, Rutte added that people in the Netherlands have far-reaching freedom of speech rights and the government did not intend to seek the contest's cancellation.

In a clear indication of the anger Wilders had generated, thousands of hard-line Islamists marched toward Pakistan's capital Thursday in protest.

Some 10,000 supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik group, which helped Imran Khan to become prime minister following last month's national elections, set out on the march Wednesday, calling on Khan to cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

Pakistani authorities place shipping containers at the entrance of diplomatic enclave in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Hard-line Islamists who started a march toward Pakistan's capital to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest have been stopped by police. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

Khadim Hussain Rizvi, leader of Pakistani religious party Tehreek-i-Labaik waves to his supporters during a march, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Lahore, Pakistan. Thousands of Islamists in Pakistan launched a march toward the capital on Wednesday to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest later this year. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Supporters of Pakistani religious group shout slogans during a march towards Islamabad Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018 in Lahore, Pakistan. Thousands of Islamists in Pakistan launched a march toward the capital on Wednesday to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest later this year. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) - Nigeria's presidential race sparked to life Thursday with the announcement by Senate president Bukola Saraki that he intends to run next year.

Saraki is the most well-known challenger yet to President Muhammadu Buhari, the former military dictator who won office in 2015 with vows to fight widespread corruption and Boko Haram extremists in Africa's most populous nation. Both have proven to be difficult tasks.

The 75-year-old Buhari has repeatedly faced questions about his health after extended stays in Britain for treatment, while offering few details. He has said he will run for a second term.

FILE- In this Friday, May 29, 2015 file photo, Nigeria's Senate President Bukola Saraki attends an event in Abuja, Nigeria. Nigeria's presidential race has sparked to life with the announcement by Senate president Bukola Saraki that he intends to run in the election in 2019. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba, File)

"Why are we not growing? There is no time to waste," the 55-year-old Saraki said while announcing his candidacy during a speech to young politicians in the capital, Abuja, to cheers. "I have decided to answer the call."

Saraki, Nigeria's third most senior politician, late last month defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress party to the opposition People's Democratic Party, which he left four years ago. He met with former president and Buhari rival Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday.

Days after Saraki's defection, Nigeria's political turmoil led to a dramatic standoff in the National Assembly early this month as agents of the Department of State Services prevented lawmakers from entering. Saraki called it "an act of cowardice by those seeking to carry out an illegal impeachment of the leadership of the Senate."

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, acting as president while Buhari was again in Britain, quickly fired the head of Nigeria's intelligence agency.

Buhari on Thursday in comments to the ruling party's national executive committee dismissed recent defections, saying that "the exit barely made a dent in our superstructure as they could not muster the figures they had envisaged to cause an upset" in the National Assembly.

The president also pledged "free, fair and credible" elections next year, repeating comments he made to British Prime Minister Theresa May on her visit to Nigeria on Wednesday.

Buhari's election win in 2015 was the first time in Nigeria's history that an opposition party had democratically taken control from the ruling party.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa
Advertisement

Three people have been arrested as protesters clashed over the toppling of a Confederate statue on the University of North Carolina campus.

Police used pepper spray to maintain order as around 300 people gathered around the site where the Silent Sam statue had stood until it was brought down last week.

A few dozen pro-Sam activists faced off against a larger group who had organized a 'dance party' to celebrate the statue's removal, officers said.

The statue was built as a monument to students who died fighting for the Confederacy, but has been the target of protests since the 60s for its racist history.

At its unveiling, UNC trustee Julian Carr gave a speech in which he talked about 'the purity of the Anglo-Saxon race' and 'horse-whipping a negro wench.'

Three people were arrested as protesters faced off on the University of North Carolina campus after a statue commemorating students who fought for the Confederacy was toppled last week

Two people were arrested for affray while one was arrested for resisting and officer, the University of North Carolina said (pictured, a police officer grabs a protester, though it is not clear if the man was arrested)

Police separated activists chanting 'go home Nazis' from those waving banners saying 'save our monuments' as around 300 people gathered on campus on Thursday night

A few dozen pro-Sam activists faced off against a larger group who held a 'dance party' to celebrate the statue's removal

Silent Sam has been a target for protests since the 1960s after UNC trustee Julian Carr gave a speech which talked about 'the purity of the Anglo-Saxon race' as it was unveiled in 1913

Another skirmish and several people taken into Graham Memorial pic.twitter.com/MCcjgfCJmK  WCHL & Chapelboro (@WCHLChapelboro) August 31, 2018

University spokeswoman Carly Miller said two people were arrested for affray, while a third was arrested for resisting an officer.

The university did not release their names, and did not say which side of the protests they were on.

Meanwhile a fourth person has been charged with helping to topple the statue.

The university released a new list Thursday of the current total of 14 people arrested in connection with two recent protests.

It says four people were charged with helping to topple the monument on August 20, while a fifth person was charged with wearing a mask before the statue fell.

The fourth person charged with misdemeanor counts of defacing a public monument and rioting is 18-year-old Margarita Sitterson.

Jonathan Fitzgerald Fuller, 27, Lauren Aucoin, 23, and Raul Mauro Arce Jimenez, 27, all were charged with the same offences last week.

Nine others were arrested during follow-up demonstrations near the statue's empty pedestal on Saturday.

Jimenez appeared in court along with Fuller and Aucoin on Thursday, and spoke afterward to supporters outside the courthouse.

He argued that students had asked UNC leaders for a long time to move the statue that they say symbolizes racism, but they refused.

He said the community acted when university leaders wouldn't, calling it a 'righteous show of people power.'

Asked if he's guilty of pulling the statue down, Jimenez said he and the other accused plan to fight the charges against them.

Dance party is growing in size. Drowning out anything from ACTBAC supporters in barricades around #SilentSam pic.twitter.com/sCtt71QLXb  WCHL & Chapelboro (@WCHLChapelboro) August 31, 2018

Student activists say they have been demanding the removal of the statue for years but were ignored, while those supporting Sam say their heritage is being destroyed

Pro-confederacy protestors receive a police escort through a shouting crowd to where the "Silent Sam" statue once stood before it's toppling last week

Protesters holding up a sign which read BLM, an acronym for Black Lives Matter, stand in front of the empty Silent Sam plinth

Demonstrators cover their mouths after police used pepper spray to maintain order on Thursday night

A police officer was also disciplined over the protests after displaying a tattoo resembling an anti-government group's logo.

Chapel Hill Town Manager Roger Stancil said Officer Cole Daniels was placed on administrative leave with pay, effective Monday.

He said people had raised concerns that Daniels displayed 'a tattoo that is associated with the '3 Percenters'', considered to be an anti-government 'patriot' organization by The Southern Poverty Law Center.

The concerns caused police officials to wonder whether he could be an effective officer in the community.

An internal investigation will determine any disciplinary action.

Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue was also facing questions over why he ordered his officers to back off from protesters even as it became clear they were trying to remove the statue.

Publicly released documents show Blue, whose officers were assisting with crowd control on the day, ordered them to give the protesters 'a lot of space' and 'stay way out'.

Another message from Blue told officers that they were too close to the demonstrators just moments before Sam was pulled from his pedestal.

Despite the statue being pulled down, Blue emailed officers the following day congratulating them on their work.

Pro-statue protesters are guarded by police as anti-statue activists shout 'pigs in a pen' and 'go home Nazis'

A man yells threats as protesters clash during a rally regarding the Confederate monument known as Silent Sam
CAIRO (AP) - Egypt's Tourism Ministry says the bodies of two British tourists who died under mysterious circumstances in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada are expected to be repatriated next week.

Thursday's statement says autopsies of John and Susan Cooper's bodies are being conducted and the findings will be communicated to their family once a forensic analysis is complete.

It says a team led by Egypt's top prosecutor is examining "in forensic detail all hygiene aspects" of the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel where the couple was staying. The team determined Saturday there were no toxic or harmful gas emissions in their room.

The Cooper couple's deaths last week prompted tour operator Thomas Cook to evacuate its 301 customers from the hotel as a "precautionary measure." Egyptian authorities dismissed any criminal motive.
MEXICO CITY (AP) - State prosecutors in the central Mexico state of Puebla say their preliminary investigation suggests two men burned to death by a mob had not committed any crime.

Some residents of Acatlan had beaten two men they believed were trying to kidnap children. Police initially detained the two men for their protection, but a crowd of about 150 people came to the jail, dragged them out and set them on fire.

The Puebla state prosecutor's office issued a statement late Wednesday saying it appeared the men had not committed any crime and were farmworkers.

In 2015, residents in Ajalpan, Puebla, beat to death two young men who were conducting a poll about tortilla consumption in their town. Rumors had spread in the area that children were being kidnapped.
Every case is unique, as is every jury. But experts say several factors seemed to stack up against former Texas police officer Roy Oliver this week when, in an extremely rare outcome, he was convicted of murder for a shooting that occurred while he was on duty.

Criminal justice experts tell The Associated Press that fewer than 90 officers have been charged with murder or manslaughter for such shootings since 2005. Less than half were convicted or pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Even more rare is a guilty verdict on a murder charge: That has happened only five other times in the last 13 years in cases involving non-federal law enforcement officers - and four of those convictions were overturned, according to Bowling Green State University criminologist Phil Stinson.

Former Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver, center, looks to his defense attorney Miles Brissette, right, before being taken away after being sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, in Dallas. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool)

Criminologists have long said jurors are inclined to believe police testimony, and prosecutors have a high bar when trying to convince jurors that a law officer didn't fear for his or her life in the moments before a fatal shooting. But in Oliver's case, experts say, several factors worked against him.

Here is a look at some of those factors and the case:

THE CONVICTION:

Dallas County jurors weren't swayed by Oliver's claims that he was protecting his partner when he fired into a car full of black teenagers as it left a house party in Balch Springs last year. The shooting in the Dallas suburb killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.

The shooting occurred after Oliver, who is white, and his partner responded to reports of underage drinking at the party. Oliver initially said he opened fire as the car aggressively moved toward his partner.

But the police chief later said body camera footage contradicted the officer's version of events. Oliver was fired from the Balch Springs Police Department days later.

On Tuesday, Oliver was convicted of murder. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined $10,000. His attorneys have said they'll appeal.

TESTIMONY

University of Pittsburgh law professor David Harris said a major blow to Oliver's case came from his partner, Officer Tyler Gross. Gross told jurors that while responding to the house party, he didn't fear for his life and never felt the need to fire his weapon. He also said he didn't feel like the vehicle that Edwards and his friends were riding in was trying to hit him.

Harris said that likely eroded jurors' trust in Oliver's testimony.

"To have a partner testify differently is an unusual thing to happen in itself, but to have a partner say he wasn't in fear ... that is a major blow to that guy saying he had a reasonable fear for his or his partner's life," Harris said.

Juries in such trials are told they have to consider how police make split-second decisions. Jurors then have to decide whether an officer was fearful in that brief moment, added Cara Rabe-Hemp, a professor of criminal justice at Illinois State University. In Oliver's case, she said, it appeared the jury was not willing to accept the reasonableness of his claim of fear.

VIDEO FOOTAGE

Prosecutors also showed jurors the police bodycam video that contradicted Oliver's original version of events, which experts said also likely played a role in the jury's perception of whether Oliver was being truthful about feeling threatened.

Harris said most police departments have some policy prohibiting officers from shooting at moving vehicles because, if the driver is shot, the vehicle can become an unguided missile with no one to stop it. The video showed the car moving away from officers.

"It's a really incredibly reckless thing to do, under the best of circumstances," Harris said.

Officers are often told to move out of the way rather than try to stop a car coming at them. Harris said a jury likely would see Oliver's actions as disregarding safety of others and acting recklessly.

THE VICTIM

In several cases where officers were charged in fatal shootings, prosecutors had to overcome jurors' tendency to blame the victim if the victim was in the midst of committing a crime or had a criminal history, the experts said.

Rabe-Hemp pointed to the case of Philando Castile, a Minnesota man who was fatally shot after calmly telling an officer that he was legally carrying a gun during a traffic stop in July 2016. Defense attorneys were able to convince a jury that the presence of the weapon caused the officer, Jeronimo Yanez, to react in fear. Yanez was acquitted.

But in Oliver's case, defense attorneys had very little to point to. Edwards was unarmed - investigators found no weapons in the vehicle - and prosecutors told jurors he was an "innocent child" whose last words were "duck, get down."

"It didn't seem reasonable that this officer would be fearful. I think that alone really altered that outcome," Rabe-Hemp said.

Harris said Edwards' age and character also were likely factors in the verdict.

"Every life is valued, but some lives get devalued. It shouldn't be like that, but it is," Harris said. "In this case, you had a 15-year-old kid, who wasn't up to no good. ... In many cases, juries do victim blame. But you couldn't make that happen here."

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that the name of the school where criminologist Phil Stinson works is Bowling Green State University, not Bowling Green University.

Former Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver, left, is led out by the bailiff after being sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, in Dallas. (Rose Baca/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on talks to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

Negotiators for the United States and Canada will meet again Friday morning to resume their urgent talks to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks to the media during a break in trade talk negotiations at the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland met for less than five minutes late Thursday night with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. She tells reporters she "had a couple of things to say."

Freeland came into the USTR building a total of four times Thursday. She and Lighthizer held the longest negotiating sessions since she arrived in Washington Tuesday.

On Monday, the United States and Mexico reached a deal on a revamped regional pact that excludes Canada.

__

8:45 p.m.

Canada's top trade negotiator says she and her U.S. counterpart will be carrying on urgent discussions well into Thursday night to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Leaving an evening session with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland tells reporters, "We are now going back to do some work based in the conversation we had and then we will be reconvening later this evening."

Thursday has featured the longest negotiating sessions since Freeland arrived in Washington Tuesday.

On Monday, the United States and Mexico reached a deal on a revamped regional pact that excludes Canada.

__

4:52 p.m.

Top Canadian officials briefed the leaders of the country's provinces and territories on the status of trade negotiations with the United States on a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement - in what might be a sign of progress in the talks.

Among those on the call were Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ambassador to the U.S. David MacNaughton and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is leading Canada's delegation in the talks.

Freeland described the call before returning to the negotiating table with U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer.

Earlier, she handed out ice pops to reporters awaiting the results of the negotiations in 90-degree heat outside Lighthizer's office.

___

11:53 a.m.

The U.S. Business Roundtable and the Business Council of Canada are urging trade negotiators to agree to a version of NAFTA that continues to include the United States, Canada and Mexico.

On Monday, the United States and Mexico cut a deal on a revamped regional pact that excludes Canada. Canadian negotiators are in Washington for talks that are aimed at reinstating Canada in a new version of the 24-year-old NAFTA.

"Forfeiting this three-nation partnership would destabilize North American supply chains, jeopardize jobs and undermine economic growth," the two business groups said in a statement.

___

11:47 a.m.

Canada's top trade negotiator says she's "encouraged" by urgent discussions that are intended to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Leaving a morning session with U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer, Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland tells reporters, "We continue to be encouraged by the constructive atmosphere that I think both countries are bringing to the table."

On Monday, the United States and Mexico reached an agreement to replace NAFTA, a 24-year-old pact involving those two countries and Canada. But the new deal excluded Canada.

Freeland hurried to Washington to try to repair the damage. She's seeking to forge a three-country deal by Friday, starting a 90-day countdown that would let Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto sign the pact before leaving office Dec. 1.

"We're working very intensively," Freeland says.
CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Police in Pennsylvania say a woman is suspected of stealing items from the vehicles of people attending a funeral.

Canonsburg police said Wednesday that police arrested 24-year-old Sabrina Hancock after receiving a tip she was in the area. The Observer-Reporter reports Detective Michael Ledger says Hancock initially denied involvement in the thefts, but says she later admitted to them.

Police say a number of people had items stolen from their cars while they were attending a Monday morning funeral.

Hancock was placed in Washington County Jail Tuesday night on a probation detainer. She is scheduled to be arraigned on multiple charges by video appearance.

No attorney information is available.
JERUSALEM (AP) - Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israel's prime minister, is suspected by authorities of accepting bribes in a corruption case involving Israel's telecom giant, Haaretz and other Israeli media reported Thursday.

Police investigator Uri Kanar told a Tel Aviv court that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife was a suspect, and that police have testimony that the Netanyahus and the owner of the Bezeq telecom company were cognizant of the implications of their actions.

The case deals with suspicions that confidants of Benjamin Netanyahu promoted regulations worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Bezeq in exchange for positive coverage of the prime minister in Bezeq's news website, Walla.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, and his wife Sara Netanyahu applaud during their visit to the synagogue in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Sara Netanyahu's lawyers dismissed Kanar's comments. Police declined to comment on the media reports regarding the case.

It was not immediately clear how Sara Netanyahu, who as the premier's wife does not hold public office, might be charged with bribery.

Police have questioned Netanyahu and his wife concerning the case, also known as Case 4000, but neither had been known to be directly implicated.

Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases, one involving accepting gifts from billionaire friends, and the second over trading positive media coverage for advantageous legislation for a newspaper.

The prime minister has denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the accusations as a witch hunt orchestrated by the media.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is wrongly claiming that Google shunned his State of the Union speech but promoted Barack Obama's addresses.

In a tweet Wednesday, Trump posts a video that shows Google promoting Obama's State of the Union address on its homepage from 2012 to 2016, while seemingly failing to do the same for Trump in 2017 and 2018.

"#StopTheBias," Trump tweets.

A cursor moves over Google's search engine page on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, in Portland, Ore. Political leanings don't factor into Google's search algorithm. But the authoritativeness of page links the algorithm spits out and the perception of thousands of human raters do. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

But it's not the case that Google never promoted Trump.

There are multiple archived versions of Google's homepage showing the tech company highlighting his State of the Union address in 2018.

A look at the claim:

VIDEO TWEETED BY TRUMP: "For years, Google promoted President Obama's State of the Union on its homepage. When President Trump took office, Google stopped."

THE FACTS: The video is incorrect as to Trump.

There's no dispute that Google promoted Obama's State of the Union speeches from 2012 to 2016, according to webpages captured by the Wayback Machine, an internet archive site.

In a statement, Google said it has not historically promoted "the first address to Congress by a new president, which is technically not a State of the Union address," so it didn't do so in either 2009, when Obama first took office, or 2017, Trump's first year as president.

For 2018, several web pages captured by Wayback Machine show the Google homepage advertising a livestream of Trump's speech with the words: "Live! Watch President Trump's State of the Union address on YouTube."

The archive site shows the webpages in Greenwich Mean Time, which is several hours ahead of the Eastern time zone in the U.S. That means the relevant images of the Google homepage promoting Trump's prime-time Washington speech on Jan. 30 are dated one day later, on Jan. 31, Mark Graham, director of the Wayback Machine archive site, told The Associated Press.

Separately, Google, which is based in Mountain View, California, provided a link to a Trump-focused Reddit page that features an image of the Google homepage advertising his 2018 State of the Union address.

Trump's tweet follows his accusations on Tuesday that Google and other U.S. tech companies are rigging search results so that they highlight negative coverage about him. His statements, offered without valid evidence, echo a conservative talking point that California-based tech companies run by CEOs with liberal leanings don't give equal weight to opposing political viewpoints.

___

Online:

Wayback Machine's archived versions of Google's homepage promoting Trump's State of the Union address:

http://web.archive.org/web/20180131022256/http://www.google.com/

http://web.archive.org/web/20180131022709/http://www.google.com/

http://web.archive.org/web/20180131022757/http://www.google.com/

http://web.archive.org/web/20180131023147/http://www.google.com/

http://web.archive.org/web/20180131023314/http://www.google.com/

http://web.archive.org/web/20180131024506/http://www.google.com/

___

Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd

Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - The Latest on a court hearing to determine if grizzly bears around Yellowstone National Park can be hunted or should have protections restored (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

A judge has temporarily blocked the opening of grizzly bear hunts scheduled for this weekend in Wyoming and Idaho.

A small group of grizzly bear advocates protest outside the U.S. District Court in Missoula, Montana, on Thursday, August 30, 2018. Wildlife advocates pressed a Montana judge Thursday to restore federal protections for a group of about 700 grizzly bears and block hunting that's set to begin this weekend, but the judge said he would not make an immediate ruling. (AP Photo/Matt Volz)

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen's Thursday order comes as the two states prepared to open the first grizzly bear hunting seasons in the Lower 48 states since Montana's last hunt in 1991.

The ruling is a victory for wildlife advocates and Native American tribes that sued over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision in 2017 to lift protections for 700 grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park.

The plaintiffs had argued the bears still face threats to their survival. Federal wildlife officials say the bears are thriving.

Fewer than two dozen bears would be allowed to be killed in the hunts.

___

2:05 p.m.

Wildlife advocates are asking for a temporary restraining order to block grizzly bear hunts scheduled in Wyoming and Idaho this weekend after a judge said he wouldn't make an immediate ruling in the case.

Earthjustice attorney Tim Preso told U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen at the end of a court hearing Thursday that stopping those hunts was the immediate goal of more than two dozen groups and individuals suing to restore protections to a group of bears in the Rocky Mountains.

They want Christensen to reverse last year's decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove grizzlies living in and around Yellowstone National Park from the list of threatened species.

Christensen said he needed more time to consider the arguments but he didn't specify when he would rule.

___

11 a.m.

A judge says he will not make an immediate ruling on whether protections should be restored to a group of grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains, as hunting seasons loom in two states.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen said Thursday he will issue a decision as quickly as possible but did not say whether he would rule before Saturday, when Wyoming and Idaho have bear hunts scheduled to begin.

Wildlife advocates and Native American tribes say the 700 bears living in and around Yellowstone National Park still face threats to their survival.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2017 ruled that Yellowstone grizzlies no longer need federal protections.

Government biologists say the bear population has recovered and is thriving.

Fewer than two dozen bears would be allowed to be killed in the hunts.

___

1 a.m.

Wildlife advocates hope to convince a judge that grizzly bears living in the Yellowstone National Park area face too many threats to their survival to add trophy hunting to the mix.

Over two dozen conservation groups, Native American tribes and individuals will argue Thursday in a Montana courtroom that about 700 Yellowstone grizzlies should continue to be protected under the Endangered Species Act because of conflicts with humans, changing food sources and a host of other obstacles.

Wyoming and Idaho have set Saturday as the opening day for the first grizzly hunting season in the Lower 48 states since 1974. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen said he will rule by then on whether to allow the hunts to proceed.

An appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is likely by whoever is on the losing side.

____

This story has been updated to correct that Montana last held a grizzly hunt in 1991.
HAVERHILL, N.H. (AP) - Lawyers for a man accused of killing his mother in a New Hampshire hospital intensive care unit say the man suffered from "delusional beliefs," and they may seek an insanity defense.

Valley News reports lawyers for 49-year-old Travis Frink wrote in court documents that he told police he was taken from the womb of his birth mother and subjected to a "sadistic scientific experiment."

Frink also told police he had not taken any medication and had not slept in a long time before the September 2017 shooting that killed 70-year-old Pamela Ferriere.

Authorities say Frink shot his mother multiple times at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon.

Court records show Frink had been hospitalized before the shooting and diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder.

He has pleaded not guilty.
NEW YORK (AP) - On one fateful European trip in 2013, Barry Jenkins wrote two scripts: "Moonlight," from Tarell Alvin McCraney's play, and "If Beale Street Could Talk," from James Baldwin's novel. "Moonlight" came together over just 10 days in Brussels. "If Beale Street Could Talk" was written over six weeks in Berlin.

Two years after "Moonlight," Jenkins' will release the other movie that came out of that luminous burst of creativity, one that he says happened only because he never expected anything to come of it.

Jenkins wrote "If Beale Street Could Talk," about two young lovers (Kiki Layne, Stephan James) whose budding, radiant love is violently disrupted by the false accusation of a racist police officer, without the rights to Baldwin's 1974 novel and little hope of getting them. At the time, he had made only the acclaimed micro-budget 2008 drama "Medicine for Melancholy."

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2017 file photo, director Barry Jenkins arrives at the Oscars in Los Angeles. Jenkins has unveiled the teaser trailer for his anticipated "Moonlight" follow-up, "If Beale Street Could Talk," based on the 1974 novel by James Baldwin. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

In an interview, Jenkins discussed adapted Baldwin's deeply beautiful and sorrowful book and moving on from the Oscars. "It's been a pretty good ride," said Jenkins. "It feels like a week has passed since the whole 'Moonlight' thing started."

ON WHAT 'IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK' HAS MEANT TO HIM

"I've always been enamored and humbled by the way Baldwin thinks. I think right now we're living in a time and a moment where so many things he was writing about are incredibly relevant to the American soul. In this book you have the American soul reflected in a very pure love between two black people. From the very first moment to the moment I sat down to adapt it, that just always stayed with me. I hadn't really seen a love of that sort of purity, that clarity turned into images. To me, it was about the journey, the challenge of taking the feeling that I found on the page and try to turn that into digital imagery."

ON WRITING A SCRIPT WITHOUT THE NOVEL'S RIGHTS

"I just didn't expect much to come of it. I remember writing it and thinking, 'I'm not going to consider this a waste of time. I'm going to consider the best use of time.' I had to consider myself that no matter what the outcome was that just the process of adapting it into a script was going to be thanks enough. And so once I really settled into that mind space, it was a really enjoyable writing process. And I think to be honest, the reason things went well with the estate when I came to them is that I wasn't thirsty, as the kids say. I just said, 'Hey, I love James Baldwin. I made a film six years ago for $15,000 and I adapted this book. I know I don't have the rights but if you guys want to read it, you can see exactly what I want to do.' And they listened. And it still took quite a few years. But without this air of pressure or this air of lustfulness to the material, they responded positively.

ON WRITING 'MOONLIGHT' and 'BEALE STREET' TOGETHER

"I don't think it was lightning striking. I really think it was just that I divorced myself from the results. It wasn't a goal-oriented process. It wasn't: I'm going to write a script that's going to get nominated for an Oscar. It wasn't: I'm going to write a script that's going to make the estate fall in love with me. It was: I'm going to write a script because I enjoy writing and I haven't done it in a while. I think I was just in a really, really good place. I think as an artist the air around you kind of affects how you approach your own work. And this was one of those periods in my life where there was just no air around me. It was just me and the work."

ON HIS CHOICES AFTER 'MOONLIGHT'

"It was an easy decision. I had said to myself before all these things happen with 'Moonlight,' I said to myself that this is what I want to do next. I felt it was important to honor that commitment, both to my collaborators and to the work itself. There was never really any doubt. In all that madness of Oscars, I knew what the next step was."

ON WINNING BEST PICTURE

"I'm still coming to terms, understanding what the hell all that meant. In the moment I thought, 'Oh, this is fine. It's a thing that happened. It's crazy.' But the further you get away from it, it still lingers. It's something that I'm still processing. But at the same time, I also realize that I have this great privilege to create, and I went eight years (between 'Medicine for Melancholy' and 'Moonlight') without being able to create."

ON SHOOTING 'BEALE STREET'

"There were profoundly emotional moments for me. There was a moment where I was sitting in a cafe in Berlin with a few dollars in my pocket and I was writing this thing with no real - if I'm being honest - no real hope that I would ever get to make it. And then here I am on set with all these fantastic actors actually fulfilling this dream. It was cathartic and incredibly emotional."

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP
NEW YORK (AP) - The political network created by the billionaire Koch brothers announced plans to support eight House Republicans on Thursday, pledging financial resources and activists to help re-elect several vulnerable congressmen deemed "principled" conservatives.

The first wave of endorsements includes a handful of sometime-critics of President Donald Trump, particularly on immigration and spending.

The announcement comes a month after Trump assailed the Koch brothers as "a total joke in real Republican circles." Days earlier, network patriarch Charles Koch had condemned the increased government spending under the Republican president's leadership and Trump's push for import tariffs.

FILE - In this Aug. 30, 2013 file photo, David Koch speaks in Orlando, Fla. The political network created by the billionaire Koch brothers is announcing plans to support eight House Republicans. The sprawling conservative organization on Thursday pledged its financial resources and army of activists to help re-elect several vulnerable congressmen deemed "principled" conservatives. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

Despite the clash with the White House, the Koch network remains one of the most powerful political organizations in the country. The sprawling organization is on pace to spend as much as $400 million on politics and policy ahead of November's election. And its coalition of trained activists across 36 states has no rival.

The candidates backed by the network's political arm, Americans for Prosperity, include eight men from seven states: Reps. Rod Blum and David Young of Iowa, Dave Brat of Virginia, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Steve Chabot of Ohio, Will Hurd of Texas, Erik Paulsen of Minnesota and Peter Roskam of Illinois.

For each of the candidates, Americans for Prosperity "will fully activate its grass-roots infrastructure through phone banks and neighborhood canvassing, as well as deploy targeted digital, mail and radio advertising," according to a statement.

Absent from the list are some of the nation's most vulnerable House Republicans including Reps. Barbara Comstock of Virginia and Mike Coffman of Colorado in addition to any Republicans from top House battleground states such as California, New Jersey or New York.

The Kochs, who devote substantial resources to pushing conservative policies at the state and national level, are active in New Jersey but do not have chapters in California or New York.

"While Americans for Prosperity is committed to opposing politicians who actively work to defeat good policies, we are proud to stand with lawmakers who champion legislation that helps improve people's lives," said AFP president Tim Phillips.

He added: "The candidates we are supporting this fall have each been strong, principled leaders."

All but one of the endorsed candidates, Hurd, supported efforts to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law, including the popular provision that required insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions.

All of them voted for the sweeping tax cuts and the GOP plan to ease banking regulations put in place after the 2007 financial collapse.

Most supported the White House-backed $1.3 trillion spending bill Congress adopted earlier in the year over the Koch network's objections. The opponents included three people on the endorsement list: Freedom Caucus members Blum, Brat and Budd.

Some of the group also oppose Trump's immigration policies. Hurd, in particular, has emerged as a vocal critic of the administration's move to separate immigrant families at the border and spend tens of billions of dollars on a huge wall. Paulsen supports a law that would protect many young immigrants in the country illegally from deportation, while Roskam opposed Trump's border separation policy as well.

The Koch network favors a more forgiving immigration policy in line with much of the business wing of the GOP.

"As we work to build progress in Washington, we will continue our pursuit of policy majorities that will move our country in the right direction by supporting leaders like these," Phillips said.
CHICAGO (AP) - The Latest on a roof collapse at a Chicago water reclamation plant (all times local):

4:20 p.m.

Ten people have been seriously injured after an explosion at a Chicago water reclamation plant that authorities say may have been caused by a buildup of methane gas.

This aerial frame grab from video by WFLD-TV in Chicago shows rescue personnel at the scene where several people were reported trapped inside a Chicago water reclamation plant after a fire and possible explosion caused part of the building's roof to collapse Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. (WFLD-TV via AP)

Chicago Fire Department officials say two of the 10 had to be rescued from the rubble after the explosion caused a section of the building's roof to collapse around 11 a.m. Thursday.

Firefighters pulled one person out shortly after the collapse. Commissioner Jose Santiago says it took about two hours to rescue the second person, who was "buried and entombed" by fallen debris. Paramedics attended to the man, who suffered a broken jaw and leg, until he could be extricated.

The other people who were injured were taken to area hospitals in serious-to-critical condition.

Authorities are investigating whether the explosion was caused by a buildup of methane, a byproduct of the treatment process.

___

1 p.m.

Authorities say at least eight people were injured after an explosion caused a section of roof to collapse at a Chicago water reclamation plant.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt tells the Chicago Tribune all of the injured were taken to area hospitals in serious-to-critical condition. At least two had been reported trapped inside the building on the city's far South Side when the explosion occurred around 11 a.m. Thursday at the one-story brick building.

Firefighters were seen rescuing one person from the building shortly after the collapse. The Fire Department later asked television stations to keep their helicopters away from the scene because the noise was making it difficult for firefighters to hear if anyone was still inside.

The cause of the explosion is unclear.

___

11:45 a.m.

Fire crews are responding to a report of people trapped inside a Chicago water reclamation plant after a fire and possible explosion caused part of the building's roof to collapse.

WLS-TV reports firefighters were seen rescuing one person from the building on the city's South Side.

Officials have said two to three people may have been trapped inside the building.

A fire department spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.
President Tran Dai Quang (middle) and leaders of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (Photo: VNA)



Before leaving, the State leader had a meeting with a delegation from the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), including its Chairman Ahmed Al Wakil, Secretary General and CEO Alaa Ezz, and President of Elsewedy Electric Ahmed El Sewedy.

President Tran Dai Quang affirmed that Vietnam always highly values the traditional cooperation and friendship with Egypt, expressing his hope that his visit will help lift up the bilateral ties to a new height.

He spoke highly of the all-round partnership between the two countries over the past year, but he held that economic and trade affiliation has yet to match the potential of both sides.

The two countries should work harder to raise two-way trade to USD1 billion by 2020, he said, stressing the role of businesses in enhancing economic-trade ties.

He affirmed that Vietnam is ready to create optimal conditions for Egyptian firms to connect with their Vietnamese peers and conduct market surveys, trade, investment and tourism promotion in Vietnam, while encouraging Vietnamese enterprises to seek opportunities in Egypt.

FEDCOC Chairman Ahmed Al Wakil said that the business community is interested in outcomes of President Tran Dai Quangs visit. He held that in order to reach the target of USD1 billion in two-way trade by 2020, it is necessary to enhance cooperation as well as the sharing of information and experience in agriculture, aquaculture, rice export, and information technology.

Located in the position connecting Asia, Europe and Africa, Egypt and the local business community are willing to act as a bridge for Vietnamese goods to access markets in the three continents, he stated.

President Tran Dai Quang lauded the efforts of the FEDCOC leader in connecting the business communities of Egypt and Vietnam. He said he hopes the federation will soon implement outcomes reached by leaders of the two countries during his visit, while promoting cooperation between FEDCOC and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as localities and enterprises of both sides, contributing to developing economy, trade and tourism in both Vietnam and Egypt./.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Authorities searched Thursday for a Canadian woman and her daughter who were reported missing in Northern California while bound for a camping trip along the coast.

Audrey Rodrigue, 29, and her 10-year-old daughter, Emily Rodrigue, were last heard from Sunday, when the mother texted her boyfriend in Canada.

It's believed they were headed to the Pigeon Point Hotel in Pescadero, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of San Francisco, but they never arrived.

This combination of undated photos released by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office shows Audrey Rodrigue, right, and her daughter Emily, of Canada, who have been reported missing. Authorities are searching for the women who were reported missing after arriving in Northern California for a camping trip. The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said they were reported missing Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (San Mateo County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Her boyfriend called authorities Monday after he didn't hear from her again, San Mateo County Sheriff's spokeswoman Rosemerry Blankswade said.

She said foul play is not suspected.

Rodrigue and her daughter arrived at San Francisco International Airport Saturday, rented a car and spent the night at a hotel in Burlingame, near the airport, Blankswade said.

The mother and daughter might have been spotted at a Six Rivers National Forest campground, 340 miles (550 kilometers) north of San Francisco, where they had reservations for Tuesday.

Authorities said they had no set plan for the trip and were choosing destinations as they traveled.

U.S. Forest Service rangers checked the camp area at the national forest and showed photos to other campers and staff, who said they thought they had seen the mother and daughter and that they appeared happy and not in distress, Blankswade said.

Officials are asking for the public's help because relatives are concerned.

"The area that they are traveling is so vast there is no way we can do it ourselves, that's why we need to get more eyes out there," she said.

The sheriff's office has also sent 'Be on the Lookout' fliers to local law enforcement, she added.

Mother and daughter are described as having blonde hair and blue eyes.

Audrey Rodrigue's Facebook page says she lived in Montreal. Blankswade said she did not know what city they lived in but that they had traveled to San Francisco from the province of Quebec.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - A startling rebuke of a local prosecutor and questions about legal tactics by a hard-charging sheriff are casting a shadow over efforts to prosecute members of an extended family who were arrested at a squalid New Mexico compound where the body of a 3-year-old had been hidden for months.

State politicians expressed alarm after child neglect charges were dismissed against all five defendants from the compound and three were set free with only misdemeanor trespassing charges against them. Allegations of anti-government plotting, jihad and martyrdom at the compound stocked with guns - drawn in part from FBI interviews with children - has done little to persuade judges of any immediate threat to public safety.

None of the suspects has known criminal convictions, while authorities blame the boy's death on his father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, and the father's partner, Jany Leveille. They remain jailed on more serious child abuse charges that can carry a life sentence.

FILE - This Aug. 10, 2018, file photo shows a makeshift compound in the desert area of Amalia, N.M. A New Mexico judge has dismissed child neglect charges Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, against three defendants arrested at the remote compound where 11 children were found living in filth and the body of a 3-year-old boy was discovered. (AP Photo/Brian Skoloff, File)

U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the Democratic candidate for governor, called the dismissal of neglect charges "inexcusable" and said she was "appalled at the failure to hold these defendants accountable." Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Pearce called for the resignation of local district attorney, who is a Democrat.

Two judges say they had no choice but to dismiss charges and free three defendants after the district attorney's office missed a 10-day deadline to show probable cause of a crime at a required court hearing, which was never requested.

"I don't know whether they are overworked, if they don't have enough people at their office. I don't see a district attorney here," Jeff McElroy, chief judge for the state district court, said in a courtroom Wednesday. "It is disturbing to me that the district attorney would put this court in that kind of a situation where we must comply with the rule, and we must dismiss this."

Taos-based District Attorney Donald Gallegos said Thursday that he intends to refile charges against the three or take the case to a grand jury.

Prosecutors from his office told the judges that they had expected the suspects to be released on house arrest under terms of a pretrial detention order, which would have extended the deadline to 60 days to hold the required court hearing.

Prosecutors are preparing to justify new charges of child abuse resulting in death and conspiracy to commit child abuse against Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Leveille. The couple pleaded not guilty Wednesday.

Hearings next week will decide whether the couple can be released until trial, with separate procedural questions looming over the case. The more serious charges against the couple initially were filed by the Taos County sheriff - a possible violation of state law, McElroy noted.

"I can't answer for the prosecution," Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe wrote in a Facebook post. "Taos County Sheriff's Office stepped up and put the search warrants and charges together lawfully and correctly without waiting on another agency any longer."

Prosecutors say the boy, Abdul-ghani Wahhaj, died in December 2017 during a religious ritual aimed at casting out demonic spirits. The exact cause of death has not been determined by forensic specialists.

The boy's mother initially reported him missing last year from Jonesboro, Georgia, after Siraj Ibn Wahhaj said he was taking the child to a park and didn't return.

The upgraded charges are tied to an extensive account of the boy's death in a journal that prosecutors attribute to Leveille.

The sheriff attests in his filing that all five adults at the compound knew that Abdul-ghani had a seizure disorder and took no action to protect him from harm or seek medical services as he died.

But child neglect charges were dismissed against Lucas Morton, his wife, Subhannah Wahhaj (sub-HANA' wah-HAJ'), and her sister Hujrah Wahhaj (hujh'-RAH wah-HAJ'). The women are Siraj Ibn Wahhaj's sisters.

Marie Legrand Miller, an attorney for Hujrah Wahhaj, expressed frustration at a lack of evidence and vague allusions to terrorist activities and responsibility in the boy's death - areas where no charges have been filed.

"My client has not been charged with anything involving Abdul-ghani's death, and I am fully prepared to vigorously defend her in this matter," she said.

The other two remain in the area without tracking devices, under release provisions for trespassing charges. The compound was installed on someone else's property, possibly by mistake.

Legrand Miller said Hujrah is allowed to the leave the state but has stayed as she seeks to visit and regain custody of her 8-year-old daughter.

"She is not hiding from the court," Legrand Miller said. "I'm trying to keep her safe obviously from anyone who might wish her harm."

All 11 children taken from the compound are in state custody, and it was unclear whether the released parents have visitation rights, according to Children, Youth and Families Department spokesman Henry Varela. An outside expert will evaluate the well-being of the children, who are not enrolled in school, he said.

Hogrefe said his deputies and the FBI are pouring over written documents and digital evidence.

In recent court filings, the sheriff and prosecutors say they discovered a hand-written document called "Phases of a Terrorist Attack" that was seized from the compound and includes vague instructions for "the one-time terrorist" and mentioned an unnamed place called "the ideal attack site."

Reviewing those filings Wednesday, Judge McElroy backed a previous order by state Judge Sarah Backus that found allegations of danger to the general community to be vague and unconvincing. Backus said no evidence was provided to back up accusations that the children were malnourished, dehydrated or otherwise physically neglected.

Hujrah Wahhaj, left, talks with her attorney Marie Legrand Miller during a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the Taos County Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Taos, N.M. Judge Emilio Chavez ordered charges against her and two other defendants dropped as the result of a deadline missed by prosecutors. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)

Lucas Morton, right, listens to his attorney Aleks Kostich, left, argue for his release from jail during a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the Taos County Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Judge Emilio Chavez ordered charges against Morton and two other defendants dropped as the result of a deadline missed by prosecutors. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)

Jany Leveille, from left, with her attorney Kelly Golightley, and Siraj Ibn Wahhaj with attorney Tom Clark listen to the prosecutor during a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the Taos County Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Judge Jeff McElroy ordered lesser charges of neglect against both defendants dropped as the result of a deadline missed by prosecutors. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)

Jany Leveille along with Siraj Wahhaj talks with with her attorney Kelly Golightley during a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the Taos County Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Judge Jeff McElroy ordered lesser charges of neglect against both defendants dropped as the result of a deadline missed by prosecutors. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)

Subhannah Wahhaj, left, sits with her attorney Megan Mitsunaga during a hearing on a motion to dismiss in the Taos County Courthouse, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Judge Emilio Chavez ordered charges against Wahhaj and two other defendants dropped as the result of a deadline missed by prosecutors. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP, Pool)
Google is toeing the line between helping you save time and creeping you out as it turns to machines to suggest email replies on your behalf.

The customized auto-responses come in the latest version of Gmail on the web and expand on a feature already available on Android devices and iPhones.

They're just one more example of how artificial intelligence is seeping into everyday online life, whether it's to tailor product recommendations or correct spelling.

Scroll down for video

Three Gmail automated response options for an email on an iPhone in New York. Google has begun suggesting auto-responses to emails such as these as the latest version of Gmail rolls out on web browsers. It's something Google has already offered on its apps for Android devices and iPhones.

HOW TO SWITCH GMAIL'S SMART REPLY OFF To disable the 'Smart Reply' feature on a mobile device, simply go to 'Settings' and uncheck the box next to 'Smart Reply.' But for now, there's no way to disable the feature on the web. However, users can return to the 'classic' version of Gmail on the web by selecting that option under 'Settings.' Advertisement

So far the new feature has been drawing mixed responses from users.

The new feature, called Smart Reply, offers three short responses, like 'It was great seeing you too,' or 'I'll look into it.'

Unlike standard auto-replies when on vacation, for instance, these are customized to an individual email based on its context.

If you select one, you can either send it immediately or edit it before sending.

The responses are automatically created using Google's artificial intelligence systems.

Humans aren't reading people's emails, but machines are scanning them.

Although Google stopped scanning email to target advertising in 2017, it still scans them to filter out junk mail, identify phishing scams and, now, to create suggested replies. (Yahoo and AOL, both owned by Verizon, still scan email for advertising.)

Google's suggestions draw on the text of your email.

Google says it doesn't analyze anything else, like attachments or photos, even though it scans them for security risks.

The analysis can include past conversations.

For example, if someone says 'Thanks!' more often than 'Thanks,' with no exclamation point, the suggested response would likely reflect that.

Brian Lam, a San Diego attorney who focuses on privacy and data security, said auto-replies represent 'a tradeoff between privacy and new features that consumers may want.'

Google has been scanning Gmail since its debut in 2004, so scanning for auto-replies shouldn't come as a surprise. Lam said he has no concerns as long as companies disclose they are doing this.

'There's a market incentive to behave responsibly,' he said.

'There's been consumer backlash when people get wind of companies that don't respect privacy. People decide not to use those services.'

Not every email will get suggestions - only those that Google thinks will lend themselves to a short reply.

Graham Gardner, a freelance photographer and leather-goods maker in Minneapolis, said he has used smart replies in Gmail several times over the past few months.

The customized auto-responses come in the latest version of Gmail on the web and expand on a feature already available on Android devices and iPhones.

HOW DOES GOOGLE'S SMART REPLY WORK? Although Google stopped scanning email to target advertising in 2017, it still scans them to filter out junk mail, identify phishing scams and, now, to create suggested replies. (Yahoo and AOL, both owned by Verizon, still scan email for advertising.) Google's suggestions draw on the text of your email. Google says it doesn't analyze anything else, like attachments or photos, even though it scans them for security risks. The analysis can include past conversations. For example, if someone says 'Thanks!' more often than 'Thanks,' with no exclamation point, the suggested response would likely reflect that. Advertisement

He said the speed of response can be helpful, particularly if he is on his phone and can reply with one tap.

'It can help with quick replies that don't need too much elaboration, so you can have peace of mind quickly and sort out more specific information in a full reply later,' he said.

But Maya Castro, an assignment editor for a TV station in San Francisco, said she sticks to her own voice when emailing, even though she's OK with auto-responses for text messages and Facebook chats.

'It boils down to tone and mood,' she said.

'Smart- or auto-responses show a lack of thought.'

Suggesting responses isn't the only way Google uses artificial intelligence to help people manage their emails, as it has been rolling out a new version of Gmail since April.

The new Gmail has 'Nudges,' a feature that reminds users to reply to emails it deems important.

Gmail also prods users who forget to include an attachment to an email that uses the word 'attached' or something similar.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Latest on a man arrested on suspicion of threatening to kill Boston Globe employees over editorials condemning President Donald Trump (all times local):

4:30 p.m.

A Los Angeles judge has set bond at $50,000 for a man charged with threatening to kill journalists at The Boston Globe.

FBI agents remove evidence from the home of Robert Chain in the Encino section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News via AP)

Magistrate Judge Paul Abrams set the bond during a court appearance by 68-year-old Robert Chain. He was arrested Thursday at his home in the Encino area of Los Angeles.

Prosecutor Matt Rosenbaum argued for Chain to remain in custody, saying he's a danger to the community, though adding there's no evidence Chain was planning to travel to Boston. He says 20 guns were seized during the search of Chain's home but didn't indicate whether any of them are believed illegally owned.

Defense attorney Andre Townsend argued for Chain to be released, saying he has no criminal record and isn't a flight risk.

Authorities say Chain threatened the Globe in retaliation for its coordination of a series of editorials condemning President Donald Trump's suggestion that journalists are "the enemy of the people."

___

3 p.m.

A man charged with threatening to kill journalists at The Boston Globe said in 2013 that he hadn't worked in more than 20 years and suffered from health problems.

Robert Chain made those remarks in court documents filed in a civil case brought against him by the U.S. government over unpaid student loans.

Chain said in a declaration filed in the case that he hadn't worked since 1989 and was receiving Social Security benefits.

He said he had a heart attack in 2005 and had continuing health issues.

Chain was arrested Thursday at his home in the Encino section of Los Angeles.

Authorities say he made the threats in retaliation for the Globe's coordination of a series of editorials condemning President Donald Trump's suggestion that journalists are the enemy.

___

11:40 a.m.

A neighbor of the Los Angeles man arrested on charges of threatening to kill Boston Globe employees says Robert Chain was loud and bombastic.

Tim McGowan said he was awoken at 6 a.m. Thursday by three loud bangs as police raided Chain's house.

Federal prosecutors say Chain made threats over a Globe-coordinated series of editorials condemning President Donald Trump's suggestion that journalists are the enemy.

McGowan says about 30 heavily armed officers and a tank-like vehicle were outside and Chain eventually emerged in handcuffs wearing only boxer shorts.

McGowan says Chain could frequently be heard yelling at his television during sporting events.

McGowan says he can't imagine Chain following through on threats, but can imagine him making them because he was a "big mouth."

___

4:40 a.m.

Federal prosecutors say a California man has been charged with threatening to kill Boston Globe employees over a Globe-coordinated series of newspaper editorials condemning President Donald Trump's suggestion that journalists are the enemy.

Prosecutors said Thursday that 68-year-old Robert Chain, of Encino, made more than a dozen threatening phone calls to the Globe's newsroom between Aug. 10 and Aug. 22.

Prosecutors say on the day the editorials were published in newspapers across the country, Chain called the newsroom and threatened to shoot Globe employees. That threat prompted a police response and increased security at the newspaper's offices.

It was not immediately clear if Chain has an attorney. Prosecutors say he's expected to appear in Los Angeles' federal court Thursday and be transferred to Boston at a later date.

FBI agents remove evidence from the home of Robert Chain in the Encino section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News via AP)

This photo shows the corner of Robert Chain's house in the Encino section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

This photo shows the front entrance of Robert Chain's house in the Encino section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

This photo shows the front entrance of Robert Chain's house in the Encino section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

This photo shows the front entrance of Robert Chain's house in the Encino section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News via AP)

Cars are parked in the driveway of Robert Chain's house in the Encino section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News via AP)

Surrounded by a white picket fence, this photo shows the front entrance of Robert Chain's house in the Encino section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Chain, who was upset about The Boston Globe's coordinated editorial response to President Donald Trump's attacks on the news media, was arrested Thursday for threatening to travel to the newspaper's offices and kill journalists, whom he called the "enemy of the people," federal prosecutors said. (David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News via AP)
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - The Latest on a cartoon contest in the Netherlands that has offended Muslims (all times local):

8:40 p.m.

Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders says he has canceled a planned Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest following death threats and concerns other people could be put at risk.

Pakistani protesters shout slogans during a protest against the planned anti-Islam cartoon competitions, in Karachi, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018. Thousands of Islamists in Pakistan launched a march in Lahore toward the capital on Wednesday to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest later this year. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

In a written statement issued Thursday night, Wilders said "to avoid the risk of victims of Islamic violence, I have decided not to let the cartoon contest go ahead."

Wilders, who has for years lived under round-the-clock protection because of death threats sparked by his fierce anti-Islam rhetoric, said he does not want others endangered by the contest he planned for November.

The contest was to have been held at the tightly guarded offices of his Party for Freedom in the Dutch parliament building.

It was the subject of protests in Pakistan on Wednesday.

___

5:20 p.m.

A Dutch judge is extending by two weeks the detention of a 26-year-old man who allegedly threatened to attack the organizer of a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest.

Prosecutors said in a statement Thursday that an investigating judge ordered the suspect held while he is investigated on charges of making a terrorist threat, making preparations for a terrorist murder and incitement.

The man, reportedly a Pakistani citizen, was arrested Tuesday in The Hague on suspicion of terror offenses after he allegedly posted the threat, in Urdu, on Facebook a day earlier. Prosecutors say he was not armed.

The upcoming contest is being organized by anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders. It has sparked protests in Pakistan. Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims.

Pakistani authorities place shipping containers at the entrance of diplomatic enclave in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Hard-line Islamists who started a march toward Pakistan's capital to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest have been stopped by police. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

Khadim Hussain Rizvi, leader of Pakistani religious party Tehreek-i-Labaik waves to his supporters during a march, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, in Lahore, Pakistan. Thousands of Islamists in Pakistan launched a march toward the capital on Wednesday to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest later this year. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Supporters of Pakistani religious group shout slogans during a march towards Islamabad Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018 in Lahore, Pakistan. Thousands of Islamists in Pakistan launched a march toward the capital on Wednesday to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest later this year. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
MONZA, Italy (AP) - Nico Hulkenberg is saying hello to the halo.

Hulkenberg has often dismissed the protective device on F1 cars, which was introduced this season, with the Renault driver saying last year that it looked stupid and wasn't necessary.

However, the halo's benefit appeared plain to see at the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend when Fernando Alonso's McLaren spiraled into the air and bounced on top of Charles Leclerc's Sauber during a dramatic first-lap crash.

Renault driver Nico Hulkenberg of Germany yawns during a news conference, at the Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy , Thursday, Aug.30, 2018. The Formula one race will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

"I think . whilst I am still not a big fan of halo and the device, I have to see the facts and admit that it does bring something to Formula One, especially the safety that we appreciate in the car," Hulkenberg said at a news conference on Thursday, ahead of the Italian GP.

"Yeah, divided, mixed feelings about it still but it's not down to me anyway," he said. "It is what it is."

Motorsport governing body FIA made the head protective device mandatory in F1 this year in order to protect drivers from potentially fatal impacts such as loose tires barreling at high speed, other flying debris and - in the case at Spa - one car landing on another.

The halo forms a semi-circular barrier around the driver's helmet in the front half of the cockpit, protecting the head without completely closing the cockpit. When first tested ahead of 2016, drivers were split as to whether they liked it with some criticizing the halo on aesthetic grounds.

"Looking back at the images we can't know what will have happened without it (the halo) but obviously I was quite happy to have it over my head," Leclerc said. "And as Nico said, I think it deserves to be in Formula One now, whether it looks good or bad, I don't think that matters anymore."

Alonso was sent airborne when Hulkenberg ploughed into the back of his car, but no one was harmed, with the device surrounding Leclerc's cockpit appearing to save him from a serious head injury.

"I think it's proven pretty useful and a good device," Hulkenberg said. "Obviously we can only speculate what would have happened without it but it looked pretty clear from the point that the tire marks were obviously all over the halo and from that point of view it's done a very good job, to keep the head safe."

The FIA has been looking at ways to improve cockpit protection and limit the risk of head injuries after French F1 driver Jules Bianchi - who was a close friend of Leclerc's - died in July 2015 and British IndyCar driver Justin Wilson died a month later.

Bianchi died at the age of 25, several months after massive head injuries sustained at the Japanese GP in October 2014.

Bianchi's accident at Suzuka occurred at the end of the race in rainy, gloomy conditions when his Marussia team car slid off the track and ploughed into a crane picking up the Sauber of German driver Adrian Sutil, who had crashed at the same spot one lap earlier.

"Speaking for Jules, it wouldn't have helped anything ... it was just a shock and the shock was too big," LeClerc said. "If it helped or not at Spa I have no idea but in some circumstances it can help so I think it's a good thing to have."

___

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Sauber driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco answers to reporters during a news conference at the Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy , Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The Formula one race will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
DENVER (AP) - A refugee from Uzbekistan convicted of conspiring to support a terrorist group and making plans to join the organization himself in 2012 was given an 11-year prison sentence Thursday but will receive credit for the more than six years he has been jailed in Colorado.

A jury in June found Jamshid Muhtorov guilty of three charges: Conspiring to provide $300 to the Islamic Jihad Union, providing or attempting to provide the $300 and providing or attempting to provide himself as support. The organization is an extremist splinter group that opposes the government of Uzbekistan and has been blamed for attacks there and in Afghanistan.

Judge John Kane in his sentence wrote that Muhtorov's "offenses are serious and his rhetoric is frightening" but did not include committing or planning violent acts in the United States.

Muhtorov's offenses did not warrant the 30-year sentence required by prosecutors but demanded punishment beyond the six years and seven months he has been jailed since federal authorities arrested him at a Chicago airport, Kane said.

"Muhtorov attempted to travel to join and to provide financial support to a terrorist organization," Kane wrote. "Regardless of whether his contribution aided orphans or whether he was limited to engaging in propaganda and recruiting, he would have furthered the illicit causes of a violent organization."

The lengthy case involved the first U.S. Justice Department disclosure that it intended to use information obtained through one of the National Security Agency's warrantless surveillance program. Muhtorov's attorneys unsuccessfully challenged the constitutionality of the program before the trial.

Muhtorov and his family arrived in Denver in 2007 through a refugee resettlement program. The family fled their home country of Uzbekistan, where Muhtorov had been beaten twice for his human rights work.

Prosecutors argued that he soon became frustrated and angry about life in the U.S. and emailed with the terror group, used codes to discuss the group with a co-defendant and intended to join them when he booked a one-way ticket to Turkey in 2012. Muhtorov's defense attorneys, though, said he never intended to take any action - either sending money or joining the group himself.

Prosecutors asked Kane to sentence the 42-year-old to 30 years in prison because he acted as a conduit between the group and other people, actively helping the organization.

Prosecutor Gregory Holloway suggested that a lighter sentence would fail to deter others from communicating with terror groups, including those that try to persuade people already living in the U.S. to plan and carry out attacks on Americans.

Muhtorov's history of human rights work in Uzbekistan demonstrated he has skills that he could have used in the U.S. but instead he became "enticed by the violence" of the group's propaganda videos, Holloway said.

"Here's a man who by his own account had the courage to stand up to a totalitarian regime," Holloway said. "And yet, when he got to a place where he had freedom, his outlet wasn't to continue supporting those causes."

Defense attorney Warren Williamson said the $300 prosecutors allege was intended to support the terror group went directly into a bank account and Muhtorov's wife spent it all on household items. He said Muhtorov booked the plane ticket intending to help his brother apply for refugee status, not to join the group himself.

He did communicate with the group and bragged about that to friends but never took action to support the organization, said Williamson, who asked that Kane not order further prison time for Muhtorov.

"The nature of these offenses ... is not like those of other real terrorism cases: blowing things up, planning to blow things up," Williamson said. "There is no act of violence in this case, and certainly no evidence of an act of violence in the United States."

Once Muhtorov is released, he will be transferred to immigration authorities, who requested a hold based on the Colorado conviction.

Muhtorov fears he will be jailed or killed if he is deported to Uzbekistan and U.S. proceedings to address those issues could last years, his attorneys said.

Even if immigration authorities grant Muhtorov a reprieve, they could terminate that status at any time, Kane wrote.
LAKEWOOD, Wash. (AP) - Staff say another nurse was attacked at Washington state's troubled psychiatric hospital this week, just days after an incident Sunday in which a patient is accused of punching a nurse, knocking her to the floor and stomping on her head.

Workers at Western State Hospital rallied Thursday to demand changes in the way officials assign dangerous patients to wards and to call for an increase in staffing. Newly appointed CEO Dave Holt and Tonik Joseph, deputy assistant secretary of the state's Behavioral Health Administration, spent about two hours hearing grievances from more than 80 workers gathered in an amphitheater. The workers shouted out or raised their hands to question the leaders.

"Every single day, staff at Western State Hospital get assaulted," said one worker. "Some of these people shouldn't be here," said another.

Workers rally at Western State Hospital in Lakewood, Wash., on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Assaults on staff at the psychiatric hospital have led to staff demanding changes to the way officials assign dangerous patients to wards. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle)

One nurse said she was assaulted multiple times by a patient who had committed more than 300 attacks during his time at the facility.

"We need more core staff and we need more adequate training for staff," another worker said.

Willie Saw, the nursing supervisor on duty Sunday, said the facility is so dangerous "I feel like every day I go to work, somebody is going to die."

The latest case involved a psychiatric nurse working on the high-security forensic unit at about 1 a.m. Wednesday. A patient walked up to the nurse and hit her in the head with his fist, according to the nursing report acquired by The Associated Press.

"When she fell to the floor he grabbed her head then hit her head twice on the floor, then stomped her head with his feet," the report said. "The patient remains very delusional and compelled to attack stating 'that wasn't no woman she is the KKK.'"

The 850-bed facility has been under investigation for years for health and safety violations. Past federal inspections also found a lack of qualified staff, fear of retaliation from managers and a focus on bureaucracy over staff safety. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in June pulled its accreditation and about $53 million in annual federal funds.

Staffing shortages at the hospital 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Seattle have added to the safety concerns, but the assignment of dangerous patients to less-secure wards is also a factor, staff said.

Saw said his staff can't handle the violent patients who are sent to his ward, and believes they should be held on the high-security forensics unit instead.

"I worry about patients on my ward, and I worry about my employees," Saw said. "Every day it's like we're waiting for the time bomb to explode."

Gov. Jay Inslee has asked for a full review of worker safety at the hospital and will work to make any needed changes, spokeswoman Tara Lee said.

"We take safety at Western State Hospital for patients and staff very seriously," Lee said. "We understand and appreciate the difficult and important work that state employees at WSH do every day."

Another nurse, Larry Herbert, said he had to take time off after being assaulted twice in six years. Most recently, Herbert said he was trying to help de-escalate a situation where a patient attacked four co-workers, instead, he was punched in the eye and tore three ligaments in his knee.

"I'm kind of afraid to go back to work," he said. "I love my job. We want to help the patients, but the assaultive patients prevent us and we are always in danger."

Laurie Burnett told AP that her husband is a therapist at the hospital but has been off work since January because he was assaulted by a patient.

"This patient is still in the same ward with no restrictions, while my husband is suffering from traumatic brain injury, PTSD, involuntary shaking, stuttering, loss of memory, and many other things," she said.

His loss of income has burdened their family to the point that they may have to file for bankruptcy "or start selling our furniture just to keep our heads above water," she said.

An ambulance leaves Western State Hospital in Lakewood, Wash., Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Workers at the psychiatric hospital were rallying Thursday to demand changes to the way officials assign dangerous patients to wards. (AP Photo/Martha Bellisle)

FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2005, file photo, a sign that reads "now hiring" is shown at Western State Hospital in Lakewood, Wash. The nurse who was brutally attacked at Washington state's troubled psychiatric hospital Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018 was only one in a series of assaults that have staff so on edge that they're holding a rally on Thursday, Aug., to demand changes to the way officials assign dangerous patients to wards. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, file)
A Las Vegas mother has been arrested on suspicion of murder after police found the body of her missing three-year-old daughter stuffed inside a duffel bag and stashed in a closet.

Dejah Hunt died of blunt force injuries before her body was found August 23, the Clark County coroner's office said. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Her mother, Aisha Yvonne Thomas, 29, told detectives that she panicked, wrapped Dejah's body in trash bags and a duffel after the girl became unconscious hours earlier.

Scroll down for video

Aisha Yvonne Thomas (left), 29, is accused of beating her three-year-old daughter, Dejah Hunt (right), to death and then hiding her body inside a duffel bag in her Las Vegas apartment

Police discovered the child's lifeless body inside Thomas' home on the night of August 23 (pictured, 19 hours after her violent death

Thomas said she had struck her daughter in the head for wetting her pants at 2am, according to a police arrest report.

Dejah fell to the floor and would not stop crying. Thomas said she gave her daughter some water and left the apartment to go to a grocery store for about 10 minutes.

When she returned, Thomas found Dejah wrapped in a blanket and not breathing in the master bedroom. She then allegedly wrapped her child's lifeless body in multiple white trash bags for the smell, stuffed it into the duffel bag and placed it in the bedroom closet.

Thomas was arrested after calling 911 and reporting that her daughter wandered away while walking to a grocery store with Thomas and her other three children.

Killed over bathroom accident: Thomas told police she hit Dejah in the head for wetting her pants. She then left the apartment and returned 10 minutes later to find the child dead

Officers began searching the area and found the body at 10pm - 19 hours after Dejah's beating death - in Thomas' apartment after noticing a 'wet and moldy smell' wafting from the closet.

Dejah's father, Don Edward Hunt Jr, 30, was in jail at the time.

He had been arrested August 19 by Las Vegas police investigating a domestic violence complaint at the apartment.

Thomas remains jailed without bail pending an October 1 hearing to determine if she'll stand trial on a murder charge.

Dejah's father, Don Hunt (pictured), was in jail at the time of his daughter's death on a domestic violence charge

Her court-appointed attorney, Sarah Hawkins, has said Thomas will plead not guilty.

Thomas' three other children, all under the age of three, have been turned over to child welfare officials, police said.

Jail records showed Thomas also faces multiple warrants for unpaid traffic infractions and separate felony bad check and misdemeanor obstruction charges.

Dejah's paternal grandmother, Teena Stansberry, has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for the toddler's funeral. As of Friday afternoon, nearly $2,000 has been donated.

'There's no more calling me Nana, there's no more of any of that from her,' Stansberry told KTNV of Dejah. 'And for me, this is a nightmare that I just want to wake up from.'
SAO PAULO (AP) - Brazilian President Michel Temer said Thursday that it would be "unthinkable" to close his country's border to Venezuelans fleeing political and economic turmoil.

Temer caused concern on Wednesday when he said in a radio interview that authorities were considering using chits to limit the number of Venezuelans entering the country. His office later issued a statement saying the chits would only be used to help Brazilian authorities better respond to the needs of Venezuelans. Tens of thousands have arrived in Brazil, and many are hungry or sick.

Temer reminded reporters on Thursday that his government has pushed to keep the border open as the state where most Venezuelans are arriving has tried to shut it.

Gen. Walter Souza Braga Netto, left, and Brazils' President Michel Temer, arrive for an update on the federal security intervention in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug.30, 2018. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

He implied his remarks were misinterpreted - possibly deliberately. He said closing the border is "unthinkable, non-negotiable."

Brazil's president also said that the military intervention decreed six months ago in Rio de Janeiro has been a big success.

The intervention was decreed in mid-February amid a spike in violence. It put thousands of soldiers in the streets and increased public security operations against drug-trafficking gangs that largely operate in poor areas. But some say it has not helped to address underlying issues like unemployment and income inequality.

Temer spoke to reporters at the end of a meeting held to evaluate the intervention scheduled to end in late December.

He said the government was satisfied with the intervention because "arrests have grown exponentially and the seizures of cocaine and marijuana have increased substantially."

Gen. Walter Souza Braga Netto, center left, and Brazils' President Michel Temer, center right, arrive for an update on the federal security intervention in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug.30, 2018. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Minister of Agriculture, Biosecurity, Food Safety, and Rural Communities Damien OConnor (Photo: VNA)



The PM welcomed Minister OConnor, who is also Minister of Trade and Export Growth, to visit Vietnam and recalled his successful visit to New Zealand in March 2018.

He took this occasion to thank New Zealand for providing official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam over the past time.

The bilateral cooperation potential remains huge, including the production of Vietnamese avocado for exports, he said.

New Zealand is hoped to help Vietnam organise production and create a value chain for Vietnamese dragon fruit to boost exports of this fruit to the world, the PM said.

The guest expressed his impression on the dynamic development of Vietnam and said he some working sessions with Vietnamese ministries, departments and localities to seek stronger collaboration in agriculture and other fields.

He agreed with the PMs proposal of building a value chain for Vietnamese dragon fruit and boasted that New Zealand has been successful in developing a value chain for its kiwi from the selection of good varieties to preservation and overseas shipment.

New Zealand is willing to support Vietnam in this field as well as in the management of food safety and other realms, he affirmed.

PM Phuc stressed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to the ASEAN-New Zealand strategic partnership and revealed that Vietnam will be Chair of ASEAN in 2020  the year marking the 45th founding anniversary of the bilateral partnership and fifth anniversary of the strategic partnership.

He asked New Zealand to closely work with Vietnam to host conferences between ASEAN and its partners.

The PM added that Vietnam is determined to ratify the Comprehensive Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2018 and hopes New Zealand will soon ratify this pact.

He urged the two countries to promote cooperation in trade and investment, especially increasing the bilateral trade which remains modest at present./.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Police said they arrested four San Francisco students Thursday in connection with a gunshot on a high school campus that injured no one but prompted a lockdown and canceled classes.

A gun and spent bullet casing was recovered on grounds of Balboa High School, San Francisco police spokeswoman Grace Gatapandan said.

She said one of the students is responsible for the gun and it discharged. The other three were arrested on suspicion of being accessories after the fact.

A woman gets emotional while waiting for her child to be released after a report of a shooting at Balboa High School on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in San Francisco. Police said they arrested three people Thursday after responding to a report of a gunshot inside the high school. A gun was recovered on school grounds, but police spokeswoman Grace Gatapandan declined to say if it had been fired. (Kevin N. Hume/The San Francisco Examiner via AP)

Police don't release the names of suspects younger than 18.

One student suffered a minor injury unrelated to the gunshot and was treated and released to their parents.

Officers were called to the school in the blue-collar Excelsior neighborhood on the city's south side around 11:15 a.m., and officers surrounded the campus with guns drawn.

The school was locked down and three others in the area went on lockdown as a precaution.

A news station's helicopter later captured video footage of police escorting a young male in handcuffs from the school to a patrol car.

Cindy Castillo, left, runs to her hug her sister Balboa High School sophomore Patricia Martinez, right, as they are reunited after a gun incident at the school Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in San Francisco. Police said they arrested three people Thursday after responding to a report of a gunshot inside the high school. A gun was recovered on school grounds, but police spokeswoman Grace Gatapandan declined to say if it had been fired. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Police officers carry automatic weapons at Balboa High School after responding to reports of an active shooter on campus in San Francisco on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. Police said they arrested three people Thursday after responding to a report of a gunshot inside the high school. A gun was recovered on school grounds, but police spokeswoman Grace Gatapandan declined to say if it had been fired. (Paul China/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Parents wait for their children to be released after a report of a shooting at Balboa High School Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 in San Francisco. Police said they arrested three people Thursday after responding to a report of a gunshot inside the San Francisco high school. A gun was recovered on school grounds, but police spokeswoman Grace Gatapandan declined to say if it had been fired. (Kevin N. Hume/The San Francisco Examiner via AP)
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - The long-awaited federal trial of a Puerto Rico woman accused of hiring a hit man to kill her rich Canadian husband began on Thursday, and the judge warned the jury "it would get hot."

A decade has gone by since Aurea Vazquez Rijos was charged with offering a man $3 million to kill real estate developer Adam Anhang. Vazquez at that point was no longer in Puerto Rico, and she was extradited three years ago from Spain with her 1-month-old baby after a lengthy manhunt.

"This is a murder case," Jose Ruiz, assistant U.S. district attorney, said in his opening statement. "It was to collect money from him."

In this Sept. 24, 2015 photo, Aurea Vazquez Rijos, who was accused more than a decade ago of the murder of her husband, the Canadian Adam Anhang, is taken to the Federal Court in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. The long-awaited federal court trial of Vazquez Rijos, accused of hiring a hit man to kill her rich Canadian husband has begun on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Puerto Rico, and the judge has warned the jury "it would get hot." (Carlos Giusti/El Vocero via AP)

Anhang was killed Sept. 22, 2005, at nearly midnight on a Friday, on the corner of a cobblestone street in the historic part of San Juan's capital. He was hit in the head with an object and then repeatedly stabbed. Twelve hours earlier, he had told his wife he wanted a divorce, prosecutors said.

"That is something she didn't want," Ruiz said, adding that the couples' therapist had earlier recorded her reaction in his notes: "I am not going to let you go that easy."

The couple had begun dating two years before the killing, with Anhang buying Vazquez a car, an apartment and a business in Old San Juan called "The Pink Skirt." A day before the wedding, they signed a prenup, with Anhang's value estimated at more than $24 million and Vazquez's at nearly $62,300. If Anhang died, his wife would receive $8 million. Six months after he was killed, Vazquez sued his parents seeking $1 million in damages and $8 million from his estate. Shortly after filing the lawsuit, she left for Florence, Italy. Once there, prosecutors said she wrote emails to her family pleading for money.

Defense attorney Lydia Lizarribar rejected the allegations and told the jury that her client is innocent. She said she would prove that Vazquez had been wanting to go to Italy to study and work since 2002, and that she was living there under her real name.

"She was not hiding at all," Lizarribar said, adding that the couple was a perfect match and liked to travel together. "The evidence will show that Adam was in love with his wife."

Among those testifying in the trial is Alex Pabon Colon, whose nickname is "The Crazy One." Prosecutors said he sold drugs at "The Pink Skirt" and elsewhere, and that Vazquez, her sister and a friend agreed to hire him as a hit man. They said he killed Anhang and injured Vazquez to make it look like a robbery, but that he forgot to steal Anhang's wallet and other belongings. Prosecutors said he then told a friend what he had done and asked him to drive by the crime scene to ensure Anhang was dead.

Also testifying is a man who sued for wrongful conviction after he was convicted of killing Anhang and spent eight months in jail. He was released when Pabon was charged.

When police interviewed Vazquez, she said that a tall, black man with tattoos on his forearms had attacked them.

In the weeks after the murder, prosecutors said Pabon kept sending letters to Vazquez's sister with demands for money and other things: "I don't give a damn if the victim's old man kept everything," they said he wrote. Lizarribar, however, said that Pabon only mentions "loans" in the letters, and that he does not specifically ask for a payment.

Meanwhile, Vazquez was thinking about moving from Italy to Israel, falsifying documents to prove she was Jewish and asking an attorney whether Israel had an extradition agreement with the U.S., prosecutors said. In June 2013, she was arrested when she flew to Spain from Italy. Two years later, in September 2015, she was extradited to Puerto Rico. A pair of female twins that she had with a man in Italy stayed with their father.

Abraham Anhang, the victim's father, told The Associated Press that he is looking forward to seeing an ending to the case.

"Closure is something we're praying for," he said in a phone interview. "Thirteen years is a very long time to wait for justice."

In this Sept. 24, 2015 photo, Aurea Vazquez Rijos, who was accused more than a decade ago of the murder of her husband, the Canadian Adam Anhang, is taken to the Federal Court in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico. The long-awaited federal court trial of Vazquez Rijos, accused of hiring a hit man to kill her rich Canadian husband has begun on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, in Puerto Rico, and the judge has warned the jury "it would get hot." (Carlos Giusti/El Vocero via AP)

Marcia Vazquez Rijos arrives at the federal court of Old San Juan to face trial for allegedly conspiring with her boyfriend, Jose Ferrer Sosa and her sister, Aurea Vazquez Rijos, in the 2005 murder of Canadian Adam Anhang, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The long-awaited federal court trial of Vazquez Rijos, accused of hiring a hit man to kill her rich Canadian husband has begun in Puerto Rico, and the judge has warned the jury "it would get hot." (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

Jose Ferrer Sosa arrives at the federal court of Old San Juan to face trial for allegedly conspiring with his girlfriend Marcia Vazquez Rijos and her sister Aurea Vazquez Rijos, in the 2005 murder of Canadian Adam Anhang, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The long-awaited federal court trial of Vazquez Rijos, accused of hiring a hit man to kill her rich Canadian husband has begun in Puerto Rico, and the judge has warned the jury "it would get hot." (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
A judge has denied conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' request to dismiss a lawsuit stemming from comments he made about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

The Infowars host is being sued for defamation in Texas by the parents of a 6-year-old who was among the 20 children and six adults killed in the Newtown, Connecticut, attack.

State District Judge Scott Jenkins ruled on Wednesday that the case can proceed.

Texas State District Judge Scott Jenkins on Wednesday denied conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' request to dismiss a defamation lawsuit stemming from comments he made about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre; Jones is seen here arriving the courthouse in Austin, Texas on April 19, 2017

Jones repeatedly called the Sandy Hook shooting attack 'a hoax,' before admitting it occurred.

His attorneys defended his speech in court as 'rhetorical hyperbole,' but denied it was defamation.

Jenkins also refused to dismiss another similar lawsuit against Jones, brought by a man who was falsely identified on the Infowars website as the gunman who killed 17 people at a Florida high school in February.
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say four people were killed when a small civilian plane crashed on a U.S. Air Force base in Florida.

Military officials told news outlets the Beechcraft B60 aircraft crashed Thursday morning in a remote area of Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle. Base spokeswoman Jasmine Porterfield says it crashed in a densely wooded area, several miles from the main runway.

The Federal Aviation Administration says the plane had been headed to Destin Executive Airport, across a bay from the base. Flight records say the plane departed from the Toledo Express Airport in Ohio.

Eglin officials confirmed that multiple people died after a plane crashed on the Eglin reservation Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that the plane is a Beechcraft B-60 aircraft that crashed while it approached Runway 14 at Destin Executive Airport at about 11 a.m. Emergency crews gather at a spot off of State Road 123 on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida to act as a staging area for the crash recovery effort. (Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP)

The victims have been identified as pilot Henry Nowakowski, along with passengers Carolyn Nowakowski, Patsy Nowakowski and Tom Seine. The plane is registered to Henry Leasing Company in Ottawa Lake, Michigan.

Eglin officials confirmed that multiple people died after a plane crashed on the Eglin reservation Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that the plane is a Beechcraft B-60 aircraft that crashed while it approached Runway 14 at Destin Executive Airport at about 11 a.m. Emergency crews gather at a spot off of State Road 123 on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida to act as a staging area for the crash recovery effort. (Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Judiciary Committee has added former Solicitor General Theodore Olson and former White House counsel John Dean to the list of witnesses who will testify next week in the confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh to serve on the Supreme Court.

Olson served as solicitor general in the George W. Bush administration. He's one of the country's best-known lawyers, having argued the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case that stopped Al Gore's recount in the 2000 presidential election. He'll offer backing to a former colleague in the Bush White House. Kavanaugh served as legal counsel and later as staff secretary for Bush.

Dean ultimately cooperated with prosecutors and helped bring down Richard Nixon's presidency, though he served a prison term for obstruction of justice. He has been a harsh critic of President Donald Trump and is listed as a Democratic witness. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Dean will "speak about the abuse of executive power."

FILE - In this July 19, 2018, file photo, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh glances at reporters during a meeting with Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., on Capitol Hill in Washington. Kavanaugh has frequently supported giving the government wide latitude in the name of national security, including the secret collection of personal data from Americans. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, file)

Democrats trying to defeat Kavanaugh's nomination have asserted that Trump chose him for the court because he would protect the White House from special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Kavanaugh has written that it would be appropriate for Congress to pass a statute that would allow lawsuits against a sitting president to be deferred until the president's term ends. He said Congress should consider doing the same with "respect to criminal investigations and prosecutions of the President."

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio and attorney Lisa Blatt will introduce Kavanaugh when hearings begin Tuesday.

Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, will also testify as a Democratic witness later in the week.
War photographer Paul Conroy has said he hopes a new documentary which captures the death of journalist Marie Colvin injects a sense of shame into the Syrian regime.

The award-winning American reporter was killed in a rocket attack just hours after telling the world that Syrian President Bashar Assads army was simply shelling a city of cold, starving civilians.

In February 2012 Ms Colvin travelled to the Baba Amr neighbourhood of Homs with Mr Conroy and Syrian translator Wael al-Omar on an assignment for the Sunday Times.

The 56-year-old was killed alongside French photographer Remi Ochlik when a rocket slammed into the ground by the front door of the makeshift media centre, sending shrapnel and splinters tearing through the building.

Marie Colvin with Paul Conroy (PA)

In the wake of her death, Ms Colvins family launched legal action against the Syrian government, charging it with arranging her death. Mr Conroy said documents have shown they were deliberately targeted.

He was speaking ahead of the cinema release of a documentary on September 7 about the fatal artillery attack called Under The Wire, based on his book of the same name.

I hope if any of the Syrian regime ever get to watch it I would love it to inject a sense of shame into them, the 54-year-old, from Anfield, Liverpool, told the Press Association.

It would be nice to think that for one moment they felt a sense of guilt or a brief flash of humanity where it hurts.

The attack also blasted a large hole in Mr Conroys leg and, after 23 operations, he said he has been left with a massive lump of scar tissue that looks like a shark bite.

It was after leaving hospital that he began to write his book, snatching periods of time from around 3am where he said there was a perfect balance between his pain levels and the amount of morphine coursing through his veins.

Writing every day during those hours, often with coffee and a cigarette in hand, Mr Conroy who described the process as very cathartic, said he only stopped for a week once he got to the chapter where he would have to write about the death of his friend.

A still from the documentary (Dogwoof)

I had spent a couple of months bringing her back to life, writing about her and trying to get her spirit and everything about her across  it just dawned on me that I had to kill her, he said.

I just wasnt ready to let her go for a second time  which is what it felt like.

Mr Conroy, who made a conscious decision to not be involved in the edit of the documentary, which has been directed by Chris Martin, said it is incredibly accurate.

It features interviews with those involved, including Mr Conroy, as well as unseen footage and audio of the attack which he said was smuggled out of Syria.

Leaving him on the edge of his seat the first time he watched it, Mr Conroy said the build-up to the attack was captured perfectly, as was the spirit of how he and Ms Colvin worked together.

One of my fears was if people came and just saw two people racing into this place, that they would have just asked Why are they doing that? It is just stupid  irresponsible and reckless, he said.

But he tells it in such a way that it draws people in.

The last half hour, for me, my palms were sweating  and I knew the ending.

With two decades of reporting from war zones under his belt, and a former gunner in the Royal Artillery, Mr Conroy, who now lives in Devon, said on the morning of the attack he thought the initial shelling aimed in their direction was just their turn for the morning barrage.

That was until he recognised the artillery process called bracketing, causing him to know that within minutes something bad was going to happen.

Losing large amounts of blood due to the huge hole left in his leg, and with the regime keen to end his life, it became a battle for survival for Mr Conroy as he fought to escape Syria.

Doing so through a tunnel, once in Lebanon he had to fly straight to London, which is where he found there was also a large piece of shrapnel in his side  millimetres from his kidney.

Waking up in hospital after surgery he said he was confused as to why doctors had cut him in half, and demanded they show him the X-rays to prove the metal was lodged in his body.

That was a revelation to me, I just could not believe it, he said laughing.

As he escaped Baba Amr, Mr Conroy said he promised those trapped in the besieged city, and those who helped him, that he would go out and tell their story.

Describing how his friend was quite rightly, proud of what she did, he said Ms Colvin always wanted to bear witness, and to give people a voice.

With his 2013 book and the documentary telling the story of what happened to her, and the atrocities they went to report on, he added: I hope she would be proud of what I have tried to do, that is really important to me.

Under The Wire will be in cinemas from September 7.
Donald Trump has said there is no reason to spend a lot of money on war games with South Korea, but warned he could instantly relaunch the exercises and they would be far bigger than ever before.

The US president made the comments in a series of tweets that primarily took aim at China, blaming it for a lack of progress on getting North Korea to end its nuclear programme following the presidents landmark summit with Kim Jong Un in June.

But there was also a loaded message for Mr Kim, mixing an expression of goodwill to the North Korean autocrat with an implicit military threat that will add to speculation over the direction of Mr Trumps attempted rapprochement with a long-time adversary.

Donald Trump (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The president believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint US-South Korea war games, Mr Trump said, citing what was presented as a White House statement.

Besides, the president can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before.

Mr Trump caught military leaders by surprise in June when he announced the suspension with the South, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should. He called the drills costly and provocative.

The cancellation was an olive branch to Pyongyang, which has long complained that the exercises were invasion preparations. Often the North has reacted to the exercises with its own demonstrations of military might, including firing a new intermediate-range missile over Japan last year as a countermeasure to the drills.

There was some hope that the gesture of shelving the exercises would foster goodwill and help nudge the North in the denuclearisation talks.

But beyond returning the apparent remains of about 55 US troops missing since the Korean War, and its continuing suspension in its missile and nuclear tests, there has been little movement from the North.

As a result, the US last week shelved a planned trip to Pyongyang by secretary of state Mike Pompeo, citing lack of progress on denuclearisation, but remaining open to future talks.

As doubts grow in Washington and beyond over Mr Kims willingness to relinquish his weapons, Mr Trump has been heaping blame on China, which is North Koreas traditional ally and main trading partner.

On Wednesday, the president accused Beijing of pressuring the North because of tensions in US-China trade relations, and also of providing North Korea with money, fuel, fertiliser and other commodities, which he said was not helpful.

China co-operated with the US last year in adopting tough international sanctions against North Korea and maintains it is still enforcing the restrictions adopted by the UN Security Council.

But in his tweets, Mr Trump also signalled that the US has its own military means of exerting pressure on Pyongyang. His remarks compounded confusing messages from the Pentagon over the past two days that have revived speculation over the drills.

On Tuesday, defence secretary Jim Mattis told reporters the US might carry out drills with South Korea next spring after cancelling a major exercise this summer. He said no decision had been made on when to resume military exercises, but his statements suggested the recent cancellation might not be repeated.
Samsung has unveiled a new ultra-high definition TV, one capable of 8K resolution  with four times the number of pixels as current top-end 4K screens.

The South Korean technology giant said its new Q900R QLED 8K range will also use artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically analyse and upscale the picture and audio quality to 8K regardless of its source and original format.

8K refers to the number of horizontal pixels in a screen  with this newest resolution having four times as many pixels vertically and horizontally as current top-end 4K screens, and 16 times more than standard full HD screens.

(Samsung)

Television manufacturers are increasingly pushing to put higher resolutions into their displays as they try to entice customers with better specifications and more life-like pictures.

Rival Korean firm LG has also announced an 8K television during the technology trade show IFA, which is currently taking place in Berlin.

Samsung said the growing demand for larger TVs meant advances in visual technology were also needed to fill those bigger displays.

Speaking at the trade show, vice president of Samsungs visual display business Jongsuk Chu said: At Samsung, weve worked tirelessly over the years to move the industry forward when it comes to premium picture quality, and the introduction of our QLED 8K with 8K AI Upscaling is an integral component as we look to the future of displays.

Were thrilled to introduce the Q900R to consumers and are confident that they will experience nothing short of brilliance in colour, clarity and sound on our new 8K-capable models.

The firms new 8K models will go on sale in the UK in mid-October, the company confirmed.
Two young men have been jailed for at least 30 years for the execution-style shooting a kind and lovable soul.

Khalid Farah, 26, was blasted with a shotgun at close range as he sat in a hire car in the early hours of November 11 last year.

He was outside a parade of shops in Lady Margaret Road in Southall, west London, when drug dealer Malique Thompson-Hill, 22, and Jermaine Paul, 23, pulled up in a stolen Volkswagen Tiguan with false number plates.

One of the killers, wearing a hood, got out and shot Mr Farah through the car window at point blank range.

Malique Thompson-Hill was one of two men found guilty of murder (Met Police/PA)

The victims passenger fled the scene on foot, even though he was not the intended target, the court heard.

The gunman then fired a second shot at Mr Farahs chest before speeding off in the Tiguan.

Mr Farah suffered massive blood loss and died two hours later in hospital.

Later that day, Joshua Folorunso helped to burn out the abandoned getaway car.

Following an Old Bailey trial, Thompson-Hill, of Southall, and Paul, of West Drayton, were found guilty of murder.

The court heard both men had previous convictions for drugs offences and possessing knives.

Judge Sarah Munro QC sentenced them to life with a minimum term of 30 years.

Jermaine Paul was also convicted (Met Police/PA)

She told them: Whilst there must be a reason why Khalid Farah was targeted and while I strongly suspect a drugs background in this case, this is no mitigation.

The only mitigation is your relative youth and immaturity.

It goes without saying that things must have gone very wrong in your childhood and adolescence for you to end up in the dock of the Old Bailey facing decades in prison.

Mr Farahs sister Hamda Farah said in a victim impact statement: Khalid was such an amazing son, brother and nephew.

He was a kind and lovable soul that made an impression with everyone he would meet. He would always be there for his family, financially, emotionally and physically, especially to our mother.

He was a hard-working, educated and determined young man that had his whole life ahead of him and never relied on handouts.

We feel a piece of all of us is gone forever, especially for his twin brother whose life was integral to Khalids from the very beginning and for my mother who has lost her child.

We are left lonely and isolated, aware other members of the Somali community with whom we are so integral have jumped to their own conclusions and suspicions, forcing us to take a step back.

Folorunso, 27, of Loudwater, Buckinghamshire, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and will be sentenced at a later date.
Thomas Cook was successfully sued last month after a family suffered gastric illness while staying at the Egyptian hotel where a British couple died, according to a law firm.

The family of four from South Wales accused the tour operator of failing to ensure food and drink at the hotel, in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, was safe for human consumption and permitted food to be re-served or re-used on more than one occasion.

Manchester law firm JMW Solicitors, who acted for the family, said Newport County Court ordered Thomas Cook to pay 26,000 in compensation and costs.

The claimants became ill while staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel on a Thomas Cook package holiday in April 2016.

The Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada (APTN/AP)

It is the same location where John and Susan Cooper, from Burnley, were staying when they died on August 21.

Mr Cooper, 69, died in his room, while Mrs Cooper, 63, a Thomas Cook employee, died after being taken to hospital, according to their daughter Kelly Ormerod.

She said there was something suspicious behind the deaths and described her parents as being in perfect health hours before being taken ill.

Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser flew to Egypt on Wednesday to meet the countrys prime minister to discuss the deaths.

Peter Fankhauser was meeting the Egyptian PM (Thomas Cook/PA)

The firm is hoping to obtain permission from Egyptian authorities to access the hotel room where the Coopers were staying.

Mr Fankhauser has previously insisted there is no real evidence what caused the deaths but pledged to support the family and Egyptian authorities to get to the bottom of it and to get to the cause.

The family who sued Thomas Cook claimed they suffered stomach illnesses for around two months.

The case went to trial after Thomas Cook denied liability.

Joanne Brine, a partner at JMW Solicitors, said the firm commissioned a handwriting expert who found that the hotels food temperature and cleaning records were completed by one person despite four different people apparently signing the entries.

She went on: Its very sad to hear of the deaths of John and Susan Cooper on what should have been a happy family holiday, yet also incredibly concerning given our experience with this hotel in regards to hygiene standards.

The fact that we have brought concerns to Thomas Cooks attention about the accuracy and reliability of the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotels record-keeping should set off alarm bells for those investigating what the failings of the management team to safeguard the health of its guests may have been on this occasion.

I sincerely hope that a thorough investigation will make sure that the family get the answers they need to understand exactly what happened inside that hotel room and to ensure the safety of future holidaymakers is prioritised.

Thomas Cook said in a statement: The safety and well-being of our customers is always our first priority and we would never send customers to a hotel which we do not believe to be safe.

We audit all 3,000 of our core hotels every year and so far this calendar year we have removed 47 hotels for health and safety reasons and a further 150 which did not meet our strict quality criteria.

As well as the audits, our quality teams regularly inspect our properties and provide support, guidance and training to help hotels improve. We last audited Steigenberger Aqua Magic in July 2018.
Presidents Tran Dai Quang and Abdel Fattah Al Sisi witness the signing of cooperation documents between Vietnam and Egypt (Source: VNA)



The joint statement said President Quang held talks with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, and met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aal and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

During the talks, the two State leaders discussed in depth bilateral, regional and international issues of common concern.

The two leaders affirmed that President Tran Dai Quangs visit is an important landmark in bilateral ties on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relationship. They expressed the belief that the outcomes of the first visit by a Vietnamese President will help consolidate political trust, expand cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, education and training, and promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

The leaders agreed to increase the exchange of all-level delegations through the channels of their governments, parliaments, localities, people and businesses, while optimising existing cooperative mechanisms such as the inter-governmental committee and political consultation, thus strengthening their strategic trust.

They expressed satisfaction at the two countries sound cooperation at regional and international forums such as the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly their support of each other in running for seats in UN agencies. Egypt valued Vietnams candidacy to be a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2020-2021 term. The two sides called on the international community to join hands to prevent and settle armed conflicts by peaceful measures in line with the UN Charters and international law.

The Egyptian side appreciated Vietnams backing of Egypts joining the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. The country pledged to support Vietnam in increasing cooperation with Africa and to work as a bridge between Vietnam and the African Union.

The two leaders agreed to continue promote bilateral ties in the fields of trade and investment, and committed to creating all possible favourable conditions to their businesses to access each others markets.

To soon achieve the goal of USD1 billion in bilateral trade, the two leaders held that the two countries should take synchronous measures, including advocating liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, supporting a rule-based, fair and inclusive multilateral trade system in which the World Trade Organisation plays the central role. They agreed to increase the exchange of business delegations and the sharing of information, and to hold regular trade fairs and exhibitions, while seeking business and investment opportunities in new fields such as garment-textiles, leather shoes, manufacturing mechanics, consumer goods, food processing, among others.

The two sides highly valued bilateral cultural cooperation and agreed to early organize cultural days/week and exchange in their respective countries.

The two leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperative deals between their ministries, agencies and localities.

Discussing in depth regional and international issues, the two sides held that peace and stability in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa or any other regions in the world is essential for human kinds development and prosperity. They vowed readiness to work together for progress and prosperity of their respective regions.

The two sides affirmed the importance of international cooperation in fighting terrorism, which is a common threat of peace-loving nations. They supported seeking peaceful solutions to the crises in several Middle East countries to ensure those countries unification.

The two leaders reiterated support of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the need for peaceful negotiation in order to reach a fair, comprehensive and final agreement for the Palestine issue on the basis of the two-State solution and the borderline before 1967 with East Jerusalem being the capital of the State of Palestine.

The two sides reiterated the wish and resolve to maintain a sea order in accordance with principles of international law as expressed in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea./.
A man has criticised Facebook after a sick sadist admitted posting offensive material about his dead 20-year-old daughter.

Paul Hind, 38, called Olivia Burt, a Durham University student who died from head injuries after an incident outside the citys Missoula nightclub in February, a sex worker and prostitute on the social media site.

South East Northumberland Magistrates Court heard on Thursday that the defendant, of Westacres in Wark, also doctored an image of the dead woman and posted pictures of children who were clearly terminally ill on her Facebook page on April 20.

Speaking after Hind had admitted four separate offences of conveying false information which was indecent or grossly offensive, relating to four dead people, Nigel Burt, from Hampshire, said his actions were a desecration of his daughters memory.

Describing how the postings had made him and Ms Burts mother, Paula Burt, feel physically sick, he said: The person who carried out this trolling can only be described as a sick sadist who knows that they are adding to our anguish and gets enjoyment out of this.

Nigel and Paula Burt said they felt `physically sick at Paul Hinds Facebook posts about their dead daughter, Olivia (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Even though the Facebook posts have now gone, we keep expecting them to reappear on some other social media platform.

This is causing us continuing anxiety and distress.

Mr Burt added: We would also like to say that our dealings with Facebook have compounded our misery.

He said the social media giants only tackle individual posts and not overall trolling, describing this method as hopeless.

As well as Ms Burt, Hind also targeted a tribute page for Hannah Witheridge, a 23-year-old who was killed on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014.

The other counts related to the deaths of Joe Tilley, 24, who was found dead at the bottom of a waterfall in Colombia in May, and 19-year-old Duncan Sim, whose remains were found at West Sands in St Andrews earlier this year.

Paul Hind said he was `deeply sorry after admitting trolling relatives of young people who died in tragic circumstances (Owen Humphreys/PA)

District Judge Kate Meek sent the case to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence on September 27, and praised the Burt family for sitting in on the proceedings.

Judge Meek also passed on her deepest condolences for the loss of their daughter and said that the defendant had only added to the already unimaginable pain that they were suffering.

Speaking outside court after the hearing, Hind said he was deeply sorry for his actions and that he had done them for attention.

Describing how he was suffering from mental health issues and was highly intoxicated at the time of the offences, he said: All I can say to the families for the actions I have committed is sorry, that is all I can say  sorry.

I dont expect them to accept any apology from me whatsoever for what I have done.

When asked whether his actions could be seen as worthy of a jail sentence, he said: From my point of view, personally, and for what I did, I would say yes.

I do deserve a punishment, and I dont just deserve a punishment of being banned from social media, trying to apologise to the parents and forgetting about the whole thing.

I have to be punished accordingly for causing people the anxiety and the stress I have caused them, theres no question about that.
Internet giant Google has been attacked for considering censoring content for access to Chinese markets  but still refusing to remove child abuse content.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt pointed out the apparent hypocrisy of being willing to censor for one reason but not another.

Google claimed to be proud of being values-driven, said Mr Hunt.

Google (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Seems extraordinary that Google is considering censoring its content to get into China but wont cooperate with UK, US and other 5 eyes countries in removing child abuse content. They used to be so proud of being values-driven...  Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) August 30, 2018

An open letter signed by 14 leading human rights charities, including Amnesty International, was sent to Google on Tuesday demanding the corporation drop its China plans.

The letter warned company boss Sundar Pichai the move would be an alarming capitulation by Google on human rights and could mean his company becoming complicit in human rights violations.

Google has not issued a public statement in response.

Meanwhile, tech giants including Google have snubbed an international summit to discuss removing content such as child abuse images and terrorist beheading videos.

The meeting was organised by the so-called Five Eyes nations  Britain, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Important meetings with UKs closest security partners at Five Country Ministerial in Brisbane - Australia, Canada, New Zealand & USA. United approach crucial in combatting global threats including terrorism, child sexual exploitation, organised crime & hostile state activity pic.twitter.com/7r4ngSYOQ0  Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) August 28, 2018

Home Secretary Sajid Javid had hoped to progress the issue on his visit to Australia this week.

He held meetings with Five Eyes counterparts on issues including how to tackle child abuse.
A paraglider allegedly intimidating and being abusive to people over the Sussex seafront has branded such complaints lies.

A man identifying himself as the paraglider denied flying low to annoy people in the area of Bexhill-on-Sea.

Police this week appealed for witnesses to support the investigation into reports the man had caused criminal damage, was hostile towards members of the public and had been generally behaving in an anti-social manner.

A paraglider (Steve Parsons/PA)

But the man, who said he has been paragliding for 25 years, dismissed the complaints.

This is the moment a paraglider sought by police interrupted @mrjamesob's Mystery Hour to hit back at the accusations that he's "abusive and hostile" to the publichttps://t.co/LIMqWWG7Bz  LBC (@LBC) August 30, 2018

Im a free-flying spirit and I live to fly and fly to live, he told LBC radio host James OBrien, who addressed the caller as Paul.

Asked if he was intimidating people on the seafront, he laughed and said: No. Im just there to fly.

I fly low because Im a paraglider pilot flying a hill which is exempt from the 500ft rule. Hill-soaring is hill-soaring.

The man uses Galley Hill, Bexhill-on-Sea, as a launch site.

Sussex Polices probe is being carried out in conjunction with the Civil Aviation Authority.

Sounds like this guy's the limit. Do you have any info about a para-glider who behaves aggressively towards anyone else using Galley Hill, #Bexhill, when he's around? Please let us know. https://t.co/7fhEA6kxmZ  Sussex Police (@sussex_police) August 29, 2018

Sergeant Simon Barden of Sussex Police said: Wed like to hear from anyone who has seen or experienced aggressive or disturbing approaches from this man.

A spokesman for Rother District Council said it has had numerous interactions with him over recent years.

He went on: Most recently we received a complaint in July from a member of the public who felt endangered when he was taking off from Galley Hill.

Our staff have also witnessed him flying low along the seafront in Bexhill. Coastal staff have been advised not to approach him but to collect evidence and report any incidents to the police.

There is a bylaw restricting taking off and landing along the area of the seashore and were currently collecting evidence of any contraventions and we will liaise with the police to support their investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sussex Police online or phone 101 and quote Operation Surfer.
Iran is continuing to comply with the nuclear deal reached in 2015 with major powers even after the withdrawal of the United States, a United Nations watchdog said.

In a confidential quarterly report distributed to member states, and seen by The Associated Press, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran has complied with the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

It says the agency had access to all sites in Iran that it needed to visit and that inspectors confirmed Iran has kept within limits of heavy water and low-enriched uranium stockpiles.

Irans government has been praised for cooperating with the IAEA (Vahid Salemi/AP)

After the US unilaterally pulled out in May, Germany, Britain, France, Russia and China reaffirmed their commitment to the deal, offering economic incentives in exchange for nuclear curbs.

Since the American withdrawal and reimposition of sanctions, Irans economy has started to struggle and its currency has plummeted in value.

The deal limits Irans enrichment and stockpiling of material that could be applied to a nuclear weapons programme.

In exchange, Tehran was granted widespread relief from international trade, oil and banking sanctions.

In the report, the IAEA welcomed the cooperation received from Iran.

Timely and proactive cooperation by Iran in providing such access facilitates implementation of the additional protocol and enhance(s) confidence, the report stated.
The bodies of a British couple who died on a Thomas Cook holiday in Egypt will be repatriated next week, the countrys minister of tourism said.

John and Susan Cooper, from Burnley, were staying in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada when they died on August 21.

Thomas Cook chief executive Peter Fankhauser flew to Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the deaths with prime minister Dr Mostafa Madbouly and minister of tourism Rania Al-Mashat.

Following the meeting, Ms Al-Mashat said detailed autopsies are being conducted by a team of forensic pathologists. The process is expected to be concluded next week.

The Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt (AP)

She went on: When the pathologists have completed their detailed forensic analysis our priority will be, of course, to then contact the Cooper family in England to explain the findings as they, more than anyone, need to know what took away John and Susan.

Their bodies will then be repatriated next week with the Cooper family in England.

A separate investigation led by Egyptian prosecutor Nabil Sadeq is testing food, water and air conditioning at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel, where the couple were based.

This will be robust, thorough and independent, Ms Al-Mashat insisted.

Mr Sadeq has previously said an inspection of the Coopers hotel bedroom found no harmful gas emissions or leaks.

Ms Al-Mashat added: It is crucial for everyone involved in the tragic passing away of John and Susan, none more so than the grieving Cooper family, that we get to the bottom of the matter and determine the truth based on evidence.

(PA Graphics)

A Thomas Cook spokesman said Mr Fankhauser reiterated his personal commitment, and the commitment of everyone at Thomas Cook, to get to the bottom of what went wrong.

The chief executive also met with British Ambassador to Egypt, John Casson, and Deputy Head of Mission, Helen Winterton.

Thomas Cook pledged to continue to work with the Egyptian authorities and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to prioritise the very best interests of the Cooper family.

The spokesman added: The well-being of our customers in Egypt remains of paramount importance.

Thomas Cook moved 300 guests out of the hotel 24 hours after the couple died as a precaution after becoming aware of an increased number of illnesses.

Mr Fankhauser confirmed that 13 customers had food poisoning but were not in a serious condition.

Thomas Cook has commissioned its own tests into food hygiene and air conditioning at the hotel, although it has not been granted access to the Coopers room. The results are due in the middle of next week.

Christi and Bobby Shepherd died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a Thomas Cook holiday bungalow in 2006.

A 2015 inquest jury concluded that the tour operator breached its duty of care over their deaths.
A serial abuser found guilty of a catalogue of violent and sexual crimes over a period of more than 20 years has been jailed.

Brian McTaggart, from Dundee, will serve a minimum of eight years and has been given an order of lifelong restriction.

The 54-year-old was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely after being sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow for offences committed against 18 people during the period 1980 to 2004.

Brian McTaggart has been jailed for a string of sexual offences (Police Scotland/PA)

He was convicted last year of 23 crimes including rape and indecent assault.

Kenny Donnelly, procurator fiscal for sexual offences, said: The devastation that McTaggarts actions have caused to so many peoples lives over the years is immeasurable, but thanks to their bravery in reporting their experiences he was caught and prosecuted.

I would encourage victims of sexual crimes, whenever they were committed, to come forward and report them in the confidence that they will be treated with professionalism and sensitivity by the police and our expert prosecutors.

An order for lifelong restriction sees high-risk violent and sexual offenders face intensive supervision if deemed suitable for release from prison after serving a minimum punishment period.

A 54 year-old man has been given an Order of Lifelong Restriction for a catalogue of violent and sexual offences spanning over 24 years https://t.co/zViYMlc7m8 pic.twitter.com/FdviqwdnY9  COPFS (@COPFS) August 30, 2018

McTaggarts sentencing follows an investigation by Police Scotlands domestic abuse task force which began in March 2016.

Detective Inspector Muriel Fuller said: McTaggart is finally being held to account for his actions.

This was a complex and protracted case which involved a large team of specialist officers carrying out inquiries across Scotland and the north of England.

The full extent and appalling nature of McTaggarts offending became apparent during the course of the investigation.
Theresa May will push ahead with plans to double the plastic bag charge, she has confirmed.

A charge of 5p is already made for every new carrier bag in supermarkets.

Now the cost is set to rise to 10p, despite reports of opposition from Chancellor Philip Hammond.

A charge of 5p is already made for every new carrier bag in supermarkets (Sean Dempsey/PA)

Launching a consultation, the Prime Minister said she would also consider rolling out the 5p bag tax to small retailers, which still supply three billion bags each year.

She said: We have taken huge strides to improve the environment, and the charge on plastic bags in supermarkets and big retailers has demonstrated the difference we can achieve by making small changes to our everyday habits.

I want to leave a greener, healthier environment for future generations, but with plastic in the sea still set to treble we know we need to do more to better protect our oceans and eliminate this harmful waste.

Speaking from Kenya, Mrs May said the 5p charge had led to 13 billion plastic bags being taken out of circulation in the last two years and seen sales in supermarkets drop by 86%.

#PlasticBag sales continue to fall. Were protecting our oceans with a world-leading ban on #microbeads, plans for a deposit return scheme for drinks containers and an intention to ban plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds: https://t.co/TUMI1A8Ufw #GreenBrexit pic.twitter.com/VcVAu3pcqX  Defra UK (@DefraGovUK) July 27, 2018

But Treasury sources are reported to have warned that increasing the charge to 10p could backfire, as it may look as though the Government is trying to profit from the tax.

Mr Hammond is reported to prefer tax incentives to charges, not only on plastic bags but also the planned latte levy on disposable coffee cups.

Regardless, Mrs May said she was delighted the UK was leading the way on tackling plastics on the international stage.

The Prime Minister has launched a new badge for the Girl Guides and Scouts, intended to inspire young people to become leaders in the fight against single-use plastics.

UN environment head Erik Solheim welcomed the new plastic pollution badge.

The environment has already paid a heavy price for our addiction to single-use plastics, he said.

We simply cant allow that cost to extend to the next generation.

This global partnership allows us to not just fight plastic pollution on the beaches, but to invest in the young minds that will preserve the planet for future generations to come.
Thousands of hard-line Islamists angered over a Dutch lawmakers plans to hold a Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest have marched toward Pakistans capital after police briefly stopped them.

Some 10,000 supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik group, which helped Imran Khan to become prime minister following last months national elections, set out on the march on Wednesday, calling on Mr Khan to cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

The demonstrators were expected to camp out near Islamabad later on Thursday.

The protest was held against the planned anti-Islam cartoon competition (Fareed Khan/AP)

Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims. Pakistans government has vowed to protest against the contest at the UN.

Authorities are blocking the capitals key roads by putting out shipping containers to prevent demonstrators from reaching near the area where the Dutch and other foreign embassies are located.

Earlier, police halted the march in Jhelum, about 100 miles from Islamabad but later it was allowed to resume, party spokesman Eijaz Ashrafi said.

He said they refused to disperse, saying the police will have to kill us to stop the march.

Mr Ashrafi said they told Mr Khans government that it had two options  cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands or kill them and send our dead bodies to Lahore.

So far, better sense has prevailed, he said. We are 50 miles away from Islamabad.

Khadim Hussain Rizvi is the leader of Pakistani religious party Tehreek-i-Labaik (K.M. Chaudary/AP)

The partys firebrand chief, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, in Jhelum also warned Mr Khan to remove any hurdles.

We are on roads to show to the world that we can die to protect the honour of our Prophet, he told demonstrators.

The rally comes as emotions are running high in Pakistan against the cartoon contest.

The cartoon contest is being organised by Geert Wilders, a Dutch lawmaker with a history of inflammatory statements about Islam. The Dutch government has distanced itself from the contest but says it is committed to upholding the right to free speech.

Pakistans Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Islamabad conveyed its deep concern to Netherlands over the planned cartoon contest. He said the contest was a deliberate and malicious attempt to defame Islam.

Mr Faisal said Pakistan would avoid any unnecessary extreme action against Netherlands over the contest.
A bereaved mother-of-four has described how she both cried and beamed with joy after a landmark legal judgement over the rights of unmarried couples.

Siobhan McLaughlin, 46, was refused bereavement benefits after her partner of 23 years, John Adams, died from cancer in January 2014 because the couple were not married or in a civil partnership.

But, by a majority of four justices to one, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday the current law on the allowance is incompatible with Human Rights legislation.

Ms McLaughlin said the experience had been an emotional rollercoaster, adding: I have cried, I have beamed with joy, I have cried more, its been surreal. I am really happy.

The special needs classroom assistant from Armoy, Co Antrim, was with Mr Adams, a groundsman, for 23 years and they had four children  Rebecca, 15, Billy, 16, Lisa, 21, and Stuart, 23.

John Adams (centre), who died in 2014, with his four children Stuart, Rebecca, Lisa and Billy (family handout/PA)

Following Mr Adamss death, Ms McLaughlin had to take on an evening job after being refused widowed parents allowance by the Northern Ireland Department for Communities.

She said she decided to fight the case because she felt it was wrong.

It was to fight that injustice, it was a case of, if this is what has to be done, then this is what has to be done, she said.

It wasnt a thought process of, this is too hard, and lets not do it, because that would have been just a cop out.

How then do you show your children not to give up at the first hurdle.

When you have an amazing team around you, you just go forward.

Solicitor Laura Banks, of Francis Hanna and Co, described the ruling as a significant victory not only for Ms McLaughlin and her children but for thousands of other families across the UK.

She said: An estimated 2,000 families each year are turned away from bereavement benefits because of this legislation which the Supreme Court has today clearly state is unjustifiably discriminatory.

We are absolutely delighted with this landmark decision and the tremendous impact it should have on the lives of families in times of great need.

We consider that it finally puts an end to this shameful, almost Victorian, discrimination.

We urge the government to act without delay to implement the required changes to the law for the benefit of bereaved families such as Siobhans.

Giving the lead judgement on Thursday, the courts President Lady Hale said the couples children should not suffer this disadvantage because their parents chose not to marry.

Ms McLaughlin said for her, it was always about the rights of bereaved children.

Ms McLaughlin (right) with her solicitor Laura Banks after the ruling (Brian Lawless/PA)

I am so delighted that the Supreme Court shared our view that the law as it stands has discriminated against my children, she said.

She went on to thank Citizens Advice and her legal team, adding: I hope that my taking and succeeding with this challenge gives others both confidence and courage to continue the challenge the unfairness and inequalities in our laws in Northern Ireland and throughout the UK.

Lady Hale said the purpose of the allowance was to diminish the financial loss caused to families with children by the death of a parent.

She added: That loss is the same whether or not the parents are married or in a civil partnership with one another.

But the judge said not every case where an unmarried parent is denied the allowance after the death of their partner will be unlawful.

The court also said it is up to the Government to decide whether or how to change the law.

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokesman said: We will consider the courts ruling carefully.

Widowed parents allowance was a contributory benefit and it has always been the case that inheritable benefits derived from another persons contributions should be based on the concept of legal marriage or civil partnership.

This ruling doesnt change the current eligibility rules for receiving bereavement benefits, which are paid only to people who are married or in a civil partnership.
Frank Field has led the charge in some of the most high-profile crusades against British businessmen in recent times.

As chair of the powerful pensions select committee, the veteran MPs most notable campaign was fought against retail tycoon Sir Philip Green over the collapse of BHS.

Sir Philip owned the retailer for 15 years before selling it to serial bankrupt Dominic Chappell in 2015.

Frank Field faced down Sir Philip Green (Isabel Infantes/PA)

It collapsed one year later, leaving in its wake 11,000 job losses and a 571 million pension black hole.

An enraged Mr Field immediately set about pursuing Sir Philip with the aim of clawing back cash for pensioners.

After hauling the billionaire to parliament and subjecting him to an hours-long roasting, and after a very public war of words, Sir Philip agreed to pay 363 million towards the pension deficit.

More recently, Mr Field has trained his guns on another corporate debacle, that of Carillion.

"No wonder Sir Philip Green and his fellow Taveta directors didnt want this report ever to see the light of day"@frankfieldteam on @FRCnews "devastating report on the BHS audit" managed by #PwC 's Steve Denison https://t.co/jJ7mqibh2t  Work & Pensions Committee (@CommonsWorkPen) August 15, 2018

The outsourcers liquidation in January left a 900 million debt pile and hundreds of millions of pounds in unfinished public contracts, as well a 800 million pension deficit.

Mr Field has argued that Carillions pensioners, suppliers and employees have borne the brunt of its failure, while former directors and the firms auditors have raked in millions.

In characteristic tone, the MP for Birkenhead earlier this year savaged Britains big four accountancy firms  KPMG, PwC, Deloitte and EY  accusing them of feasting on the carcass of Carillion and collecting more than 70 million in the process.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends the opening ceremony of the 10th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- About 3,000 people attended the opening ceremony of the 10th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives in Beijing Wednesday.

Chinese leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the ceremony.

On behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Zhao Leji delivered a speech at the event, expressing congratulations to the congress and extending greetings to returned overseas Chinese and their relatives, Chinese people living abroad and workers with the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (AFROC).

During his speech, Zhao expressed appreciation to the contributions made by returned overseas Chinese, their relatives and Chinese people living overseas as well as the patriotic sentiment, striving spirit and the confident image they displayed.

Zhao said the important discourses by President Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, on the work related to returned overseas Chinese affairs has provided the fundamental guideline for relevant work in the new era.

He also called on returned overseas Chinese, their relatives and Chinese people living overseas to keep firmly in mind the hopes of the Party and the people, uphold the greater national interests, promote Chinese culture and make new contributions to the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Decisions to honor models of returned overseas Chinese and outstanding individuals and groups under the AFROC and affiliated organizations were also announced at the ceremony.

2

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
 Why has Frank Field resigned the Labour Party whip?

Veteran Labour MP Frank Field gave two reasons for his resignation: the partys handling of antisemitism and a so-called culture of nastiness.

The MP for Birkenhead described Labour as a force for antisemitism in his resignation letter.

Frank Field gave two reasons for his resignation (Anthony Devlin/PA)

He wrote: The leadership is doing nothing substantive to address this erosion of our core values. It saddens me to say that we are increasingly seen as a racist party. This issue alone compels me to resign the whip.

 Is he the first MP to leave over this issue?

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock quit the party in July with a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyns leadership. He clashed with Mr Corbyn over his stance on nuclear weapons and antisemitism, but cited a number of issues in his resignation letter.

Reports have suggested Labour MP Mike Gapes (Ilford South) is ready to quit over antisemitism, and Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger has said comments made by the Labour leader left her feeling unwelcome in my own party.

 How long has the row been going on?

Claims of antisemitism have dogged Jeremy Corbyn since he became Labour leader in 2015, due to his life-long support for the Palestinian cause, which some say has involved supporting terrorists and antisemites.

In 2016, former London mayor Ken Livingstone and Bradford West MP Naz Shah were both suspended for making antisemitic comments.

An investigation by former Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti was criticised for being too soft in its conclusion that the party had an occasionally toxic atmosphere.

Now the issue has flared up again due to the Labour leaderships refusal to accept the globally recognised International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) guidelines on antisemitism in full.

 What has Labour said about the antisemitism claims?

Mr Corbyn told the Press Association: No antisemitic remarks are ever done in my name. I am totally opposed to it in any form whatsoever.

We will deal with it, as our society must deal with it.

The increase in antisemitic remarks, attacks and abuse in our society is unacceptable, as it is anywhere across Europe. We will deal with it.
The SNPs Westminster leader has given his fulsome support to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as Alex Salmond launched a crowdfunding appeal to fund his legal challenge against the Scottish Government over its probe into sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Ian Blackford said there is tremendous sadness that Mr Salmond, who led the SNP for 20 years, has now quit the party  but also stressed that the interests of the two complainers who had come forward are paramount.

He was speaking after former first minister Mr Salmonds crowdfunding appeal smashed through its 50,000 target within hours of being launched.

By 4pm on Thursday, he had raised more than 80,000 towards his legal action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

But his fundraising bid was blasted as astonishing and unbelievable by opposition politicians.

If you can, please help Womens Aid launch a legal challenge to the #rapeclause - the deadline is 9am tomorrow. If the target is not met by then, the money already raised is refunded and this disgraceful, anti-women policy will escape challenge. Lets get it over the line. https://t.co/SoEu8dnGGD  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 30, 2018

Meanwhile Ms Sturgeon, who succeeded Mr Salmond as First Minister in 2014, appealed on social media to her followers to donate to a campaign to fund a legal challenge to the UK Governments so-called rape clause.

Mr Salmond announced on Wednesday night that he had given up his membership of the SNP, 45 years after he first joined the party.

The shock move came after Ms Sturgeon had faced calls to suspend him from the party after allegations of sexual misconduct, dating back to Mr Salmonds time as first minister, had emerged.

The former leader said he had given up his membership in a bid to prevent internal division within the SNP.

Former first minister Alex Salmond has quit the SNP amidst misconduct allegations. (Jane Barlow/PA)

Mr Salmond, who strongly denies the claims against him, also stressed his absolute intention to rejoin the SNP just as soon as I have had the opportunity to clear my name.

Mr Blackford, speaking to members of the Scottish Parliamentary Journalists Association, dismissed any suggestion the former leaders resignation could split the party, insisting it is pretty united.

Asked about Mr Salmonds resignation, he said: My overriding emotion is one of great sadness.

But he added: I think what has to be paramount in this are the interests of those who have come forward. We need to make sure that people can come forward, fulsome in the knowledge that they will have anonymity, that they will be listened to, and that action that needs to be taken will be taken.

Thats the single most important factor out of all of this.

Mr Blackford also said: Its up to individuals on a private basis what actions theyve taken in relation to the crowdfunding.

Im not going to get into what individuals do, but I think you can interpret my remarks that I give absolute full support to the Government and I am absolutely fulsome in my support for the First Minister.

This is a party, a movement, that is pretty united.

I am not getting messages from people suggesting that there is civil war within the SNP, far from it.

What we have said is that we cannot treat anybody, whoever they are, any differently from how we would treat an ordinary party member.

I think there is a maturity in general within the SNP. There is strong support for the First Minister, for the Government.

Salmond puts Scottish independence first



Help support the costs of Alex Salmond's Judicial Review in the Court of Session. https://t.co/rQmb7GGLU4#forFairnesshttps://t.co/7S5qkoNvDq  Alex Salmond (@AlexSalmond) August 29, 2018

The two complaints against Mr Salmond were raised in January and he was informed of an investigation by the Scottish Government in March.

Police Scotland confirmed on Friday that the complaints have been passed to the force.

Mr Salmond is now taking court action against the Scottish Government, with papers lodged at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

He reiterated his strong denial of the allegations as he announced his resignation, saying: Let me be clear again. I refute these two complaints of harassment and I absolutely reject any suggestion of criminality.

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: Scotland now faces the incredible and unprecedented situation of its most famous former first minister appealing to SNP supporters for cash to take legal action against the Government he used to run.
Nine-man Rangers were made to do it the hard way as they survived two red cards to claim a place in the Europa League group stages following a 1-1 draw in Ufa.

It appeared to be going all so smoothly for the Light Blues when Ovie Ejaria curled home a precious away goal after just 10 minutes.

But Dmitri Sysuevs equaliser gave the Russians hope before Alfredo Morelos moment of madness put Rangers under the cosh.

Rangers are through to the Europa League group stages (Dmitry Mukhametkulov/AP)

The Colombian was sent off after collecting two quick-fire bookings and was followed down the tunnel by Jon Flanagan when the defender was also dismissed after the break.

But try as the hosts might, Gers refused to buckle and got the result which secured a 2-1 aggregate triumph and qualification to the main phase of a European competition for the first time since 2010.

Ejarias goal was just the start Rangers were looking for.

Morelos robbed Jamal Tabidze before Gers worked the ball to the left flank for Flanagan. The full-backs cross was only half-cleared by Ionut Nedelcearu and Ejaria made him pay as he swept a stunning finish into the corner.

Ufa initially looked shell-shocked but soon recovered.

Connor Goldson was forced to produce a last-ditch block on Sysuev on the half-hour mark  but two minutes later there was no denying the frontman.

Rangers defence had stepped up but Sysuev did not hang about for a flag and raced in to slot past Allan McGregor as the visitors appealed in vain for offside.

Gers boss Steven Gerrard needed his team to remain calm  but instead saw Morelos lose his head, first booting the ball away after giving away a foul. He then aimed a verbal blast at the linesman before completing his meltdown by giving referee Tobias Stieler a dismissive wave.

The German official already had a yellow card in his hand for the Colombians first offence and immediately flashed it a second time to leave Rangers stunned.

There was still eight minutes left of the half and Ufa sensed blood, coming close twice before the break as Sysuev flashed wide before teeing up Sylvester Igboun for a back-post header the Nigerian should have converted.

Ryan Kent almost fired Rangers back in front but Ufa keeper Aleksandr Belenov produced a stunning stop to deny the winger after a mazy run.

Ufa, though, were still giving Rangers cause for panic. Dmitri Zhivoglyadov fired over, Igboun again headed wide while Ivan Oblyakov somehow failed to hit the target when clean through on goal.

The task of keeping the Russians at bay grew even harder as Flanagan got his marching orders with 24 minutes left. The former Liverpool man had already been booked for a foul in the first half and looked stunned as he was given a second for a tame collision with the same man.

Ufa still needed two goals but McGregor was in defiant mood  brilliantly saving an Igboun header with a flying save  as was Gerrards back four as they put their bodies on the line time after time.

There was time for a couple of late scares as Vyacheslav Krotov flicked a header against a post while Tabidze did find the net only to see his header ruled out after a barge on Ejaria, but Gers stood firm through four nervous minutes of stoppage time.
Irelands president could be inaugurated at an earlier part of the day than usual to ensure it does not clash with the centenary of the end of the First World War, it has been claimed.

November 11 marks Armistice Day, the day after Michael D Higgins term in office finishes and the fresh mandate begins.

While the government said it would reflect on the matter, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said it is possible to have the Presidential Inauguration before the commemoration event takes place.

November 11 marks Armistice Day, the day after Michael D Higgins term in office finishes and the fresh mandate begins (Brian Lawless/PA)

Armistice is marked by holding two minutes silence at 11am while the president is inaugurated in a major ceremony broadcast live on television from Dublin Castle, usually at around midday.

Mr Flanagan said it was an issue that has arisen by accident and not design.

He said: I want to acknowledge that is raises a coincidence of days, the end of the term of office of President Higgins is the 10th November, the constitutional requirement is that, be it Michael D. Higgins himself or his successor, be inaugurated at the first opportunity, that will be the 11th November.

I believe however, it is possible to be inaugurated early in the day and the first role and function of the new president will be to engage on behalf of the state at the 11th November commemorations.

He said the President could have a busy first day in office, adding: This is an issue that has arisen by accident rather than design.

However I think its possible for president Higgins or his successor to have a very busy day on the 11th November, be in inaugurated into the institution of president and then perform the important official function of the World War One commemoration.

On Tuesday, Local Government Minister Eoghan Murphy ordered the election be held on October 26.
England boss Gareth Southgate refused to pile any pressure on Declan Rice over his international future.

The West Ham defender is being courted by England having played three times for the Republic of Ireland.

He is yet to play a competitive game so is eligible to switch allegiance to the Three Lions having been born in London.

Declan Rice is wanted by England. (John Walton/PA)

Rice, who has played 34 times for the Hammers, has Irish grandparents on his fathers side.

Southgate said: There are so many dual nationality players and he is a good player. He has a really difficult decision and there is a lot of pressure on him.

Im conscious he is a young man and theres a spotlight on him. He is with Ireland at the moment and as much as we think he is a very good player that decision has to lie with him.

Rice played for Irelands Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and Under-21 sides before making his senior debut earlier this year against Turkey.

He has been left out of the senior squad by boss Martin ONeill for the Nations League clash with Wales and a friendly against Poland to give him time to decide his future.
The UN envoy for Syria has proposed that civilians in the rebel-held region of Idlib could evacuate to government areas.

Staffan de Mistura expressed fears of a perfect storm that could have a devastating impact on nearly 3 million people  nearly half of whom arrived from elsewhere in Syria  in the region largely controlled by al Qaida-linked fighters.

It came as Russia, President Bashar Assads strongest military backer, announced major military drills in the Mediterranean Sea amid growing tensions over the enclave.

Short of going to Turkey, the civilians have no other option in order not to be where fighting may take place, Mr de Mistura said.

The evacuation plan is in its early phases and will need to be discussed with regional players. Russia has expressed openness to the idea.

The evacuation proposal reflected rising concerns that Idlib could become the site of the latest humanitarian disaster in a country that has faced many of them during a war that has killed over 400,000 people and driven more than 5.5 million to flee abroad.

Mr de Mistura said a proposal would be a temporary measure so that people can then return to their own places untouched once this is over.

Ahmad Ramadan, a spokesman for the Syrian oppositions delegation to UN talks with the government, called Mr de Misturas proposal unrealistic.

Its very regrettable, he said. The special envoys role is not to call for a humanitarian corridor, but to call on Russia to stop the aggression.

Idlib is the last remaining refuge for the Syrian opposition since President Bashar Assads forces began recapturing territory from rebels in 2015. The country has been consumed by war since demonstrations broke out against Assad in 2011.

Separately on Thursday, at a news conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said his government plans to liberate Idlib, but that its priority was to negotiate peace with those who want to surrender.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem for the talks in Moscow (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Mr Al-Moallem said the government tried to negotiate with a so-called reconciliation committee in Idlib, but al Qaida-linked militants arrested most of the committee members.

The militants have arrested over 500 people accused of trying to negotiate with the regime in recent weeks, according to Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group.

Mr de Mistura said 10,000 al-Qaida-linked fighters and their families are located in the densely populated region, which is now home to 2.9 million people, many of them already displaced.

After hosting nine rounds of fruitless talks between the Syrian government and opposition, Mr de Mistura has recently focused his efforts on talks with the so-called guarantors of the peace process: Russia, Turkey and Iran.

Mr de Mistura said he had no information about any imminent attack but pointed to information about military build-ups and messages of warning between the sides in Syria. He also spoke of warnings and counter-warnings between the United States and Russia, though he did not elaborate.

We need to reduce the risk of unexpected escalation, and definitely look with great concern about any potential use of chemical weapons or any type of weaponised chlorine, he said.

The US, Britain and France have warned they will respond to any use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Mrs Doyle from Father Ted has lent her support to the families of serial killer Stephen Ports victims  by knitting a tea cosy.

Actress Pauline McLynn, who starred in the hit TV comedy, has pledged a hand-made woollen as part of a fundraising drive, a campaign spokeswoman said.

As Craggy Islands pushy housekeeper, Ms McLynn was famed for foisting cups of tea on visiting clergy, with the catchphrase gwan gwan.

It is understood Ms McLynn is friends with Mandy Pearson, step-mother of one of Ports victims, Daniel Whitworth.

The families of three of Ports victims are trying to raise 10,000 to help fund legal representation at an upcoming inquest into the deaths.

Between June 2014 and September 2015, 43-year-old Port drugged, raped and killed four young men before dumping their bodies near his flat in Barking.

Victims (left to right) Daniel Whitworth, 21, Jack Taylor, 25, Anthony Walgate, 23, and Gabriel Kovari, 22 (Metropolitan Police/PA)

In 2016, he was handed a whole life sentence for murdering fashion student Anthony Walgate, 23, from Hull; Slovakian Gabriel Kovari, 22; chef Mr Whitworth, 21 from Gravesend; and forklift truck driver Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham.

The killings were finally halted, thanks in part to the determination of the Taylor family, who launched their own investigation.

It is hoped the fresh inquest into the deaths of all four young victims will shed light on why police failed to stop the murder spree before.

Earlier this month, Mr Taylors sister Donna told the Press Association: I think we are all hoping the inquest will highlight just what officers did not do when they could have done.

In the long run we are hoping for justice and certain officers to be held accountable.

So far, the CrowdJustice appeal has raised more than 6,200 of the target.

A charity event is also being held on Friday evening at the Dagenham Trades Hall to boost funds.

Murderer Stephen Port has launched an appeal against his convictions (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Meanwhile, the Judiciary has confirmed Port has lodged an appeal against his conviction at the Court of Appeal.

But a spokeswoman for the Justice for Our Murdered Boys campaign said: The victims families remain assured of the safety of Ports conviction. This changes nothing.
Richard Lochhead is to return to the Scottish Governments ministerial team after more than two years away from the front benches.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced her intention to appoint the former rural affairs secretary to be the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science.

Mr Lochhead, who stepped back from government in 2016 for family reasons, said he was honoured and privileged to be asked to rejoin the team.

Richard Lochhead has been nominated for a new ministerial role in further and higher education (Danny Lawson/PA)

The role was initially to have been filled by Gillian Martin but Ms Sturgeon dropped the MSPs ministerial nomination in June following a row over inappropriate language in a blog.

The Scottish Government said Mr Lochhead, the SNP MSP for Moray, will be able to undertake some ministerial duties immediately and is expected to be put forward for approval by Parliament next week.

Delighted to welcome @RichardLochhead back to @scotgov as the new Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science. https://t.co/5T9nr8C6Nm  Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) August 30, 2018

Ms Sturgeon said: Richard brings his significant experience to the role, having previously served in government for nine years and Im pleased he has agreed to become the new Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science.

He has been a hugely successful campaigning MSP in parliament over the last two years, particularly over the issue of delivery charges, and I know he will bring that energy and drive into government.

Mr Lochhead said: Two years ago, I stepped back from Government. That was the right decision for my family at the time.

Now, I am honoured and privileged to be asked to rejoin the Scottish Government ministerial team.

The further education, higher education and science role is an exciting opportunity not just to help shape one of the underpinning economic strengths of Scotland but also deliver on our ambitions for a fairer country. We owe that to our young people and our adult learners.

I look forward to getting to grips with this challenging and important agenda.

Congratulations @RichardLochhead - the college sector is looking forward to working with you. https://t.co/dgu85Trp26  Colleges Scotland (@CollegesScot) August 30, 2018

Responding to news of the intended appointment, Shona Struthers, chief executive of Colleges Scotland, said: Mr Lochhead is a vastly experienced minister who had previously served in the Cabinet for many years and that knowledge will be invaluable in his new role.

We look forward to working closely with the new minister and the Scottish Government to ensure that colleges continue to deliver for learners, employers, the economy, and communities.

Scottish Labours education spokesman Iain Gray added: After the sector has been without a minister all summer due to Nicola Sturgeons botched re-shuffle, Richard Lochhead has a big job on his hands.

He inherits a college sector where the attainment gap is as stubborn as ever, a lack of faith in the university student funding cap and he has to implement a reform in student support which ditched the reviews main recommendation.

Students dont need a new minister, they need a new government.
Three members of the Windrush generation who were wrongly deported to the Caribbean have died, the Jamaican foreign minister has said.

Jamaican authorities revealed the three had died before officials were able to contact them to help them to return the UK.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the revelation should shame the Government and called on the Prime Minister to personally apologise to the affected families.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the revelation should `shame the Government (PA)

Kamina Johnson-Smith, the Jamaican foreign minister, described the situation as unfortunate.

Ms Johnson-Smith told The Guardian: We have just received the information that they are dead. We have to find the families.

There are no mobile numbers on the national registry. You might end up in a community, asking if people know the people who live beside them. It can be quite painstaking. Our team is on it every day.

The deaths of these British citizens in Jamaica shames this government and the Prime Minister, who is the architect of the hostile environment policy that saw these British citizens deported https://t.co/WUKXKfZNbZ  Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) August 30, 2018

Peoples lives have been impacted in a serious way. Families have been impacted and that is a terrible thing.

Jamaican residents had felt a mix of hurt and anger when the scandal emerged, she said.

The Governments response to the crisis had certainly improved, Ms Johnson-Smith said, and it had not destabilised Jamaica-UK relations.

She added: We have maintained a collaborative approach. So far so good.

We are trying to play our part in ensuring that rights are restored where they have been taken away and a sense of justice is felt by persons who have been affected, and that this is all done in a timely way.

We want to be sure as best as possible that something like this does not happen again.

Ms Abbott blamed the hostile environment policy for the scandal, she said: The deaths of these British citizens in Jamaica shame this Government and the Prime Minister, who is the architect of the hostile environment policy that saw these British citizens sent to Jamaica.

Our fellow citizens dying thousands of miles from their homes, families and friends and our health service is the latest tragic injustice suffered by our fellow citizens as a direct result of the Tories hostile environment.

The Prime Minister must personally apologise to their families and loved ones.

The Home Office have been contacted for comment.
CAIRO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Egypt has killed 20 suspected militants in an air strike in its western desert and shootouts in the Sinai peninsula, the military said on Wednesday, part of ongoing operations.

The government launched military operations in February against Islamic State militants who have waged years of attacks on security forces and civilians, killing hundreds.

The airstrike in the western desert in an area being used as a "sanctuary and launching point for carrying out hostile actions" killed seven "highly dangerous" militants, the statement said.

Another 13 militants were killed amid shootouts with security forces in North Sinai and an area of central Sinai while 18 others were arrested, it added.

The statement did not say when the militants were killed. It also did not name those killed or link them to any specific group and it did not mention any casualties or wounded among the security forces. (Reporting by Omar Fahmy Editing by Gareth Jones)
Malawian doctor Ulemu Bridget Chikhadzula (C) learns to examine the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) results at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 28, 2018. Five doctors from Malawi participate in a two-month medical training at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University as part of a cooperation project between China and Malawi on maternal and child health. The healthcare project signed by the National Health Commission of China and the Ministry of Health of Malawi aims to improve the capabilities of Malawian doctors and promote the healthcare level for women and children in Malawi. The medical aids to Malawi include donating devices and medicine, sending Chinese doctors to deliver medical services in Malawi, and having Malawi doctors come to China to receive medical training. By the end of the first half of 2018, China has sent a total of 101 medical workers in 6 batches to Malawi to promote local medical development. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

8

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
BAGHDAD, Aug 29 (Reuters) - OPEC will discuss in December whether producers can compensate for a sudden drop in Iranian oil supply after U.S sanctions against Tehran start in November, the head of Iraq's state-oil marketer SOMO, Alaa al-Yasiri, told Reuters on Wednesday.

Yasiri said a sudden drop in Iran oil exports will have a negative impact on prices and market fundamentals.

Iraq has resumed crude shipments to Iran from its Kirkuk oil fields following a few days stoppage due to logistical issues, he said, adding that so far Iraq had only shipped 500,000 barrels and hopes to ship a total of 1 million before the November sanctions kick in. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
PARIS, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The French government will announce on Thursday the merger of CNP Assurances and La Poste, which will fall under state-owned investment fund Caisse des Depots, a government source told Reuters confirming a report in Les Echos.

Under the deal, La Caisse des Depots et Consignations, or CDC, would hand over its 41 percent stake in CNP Assurances in exchange for a stake in La Poste, which already owns a bank.

La Poste will then merge its bank, La Banque Postale, with CNP Assurances to expand the range of services it provides.

The French government, which owns both CDC and La Poste, wants to build up a state-owned company that would provide both banking and insurance services in the country's rural areas which are often neglected by private rivals.

A spokeswoman for CNP Assurances declined to comment. CDC and La Poste did not immediately respond for comment. (Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer and Myriam Rivet; writing by John Irish. Editing by Jane Merriman)
By Paul Carsten

ABUJA, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Nigeria's economy is expected to perform much better in the second half of the year, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said on Wednesday, following sluggish growth in the second quarter.

Largely dependent on its oil reserves, Nigeria began climbing out of its first recession in 25 years in 2016 as global crude prices rebounded and President Muhammadu Buhari's government implemented the early stages of a turnaround plan.

But the recovery has been relatively slow, and since the beginning of this year the pace has started to dip as the oil sector again struggles.

"We expect to see the growth figures doing much better," Osinbajo told reporters after the statistics office had released the April-June figures earlier this week.

"What you are seeing today is a snapshot but if you look at the long term, clearly we are going to be doing much better," he said, adding that a micro-credit programme for 2 million traders should begin to bear fruit in the coming months.

The pace of economic recovery has been a sore point since Buhari took power in 2015 on promises to rejuvenate Africa's largest oil producer. Flagging growth could spell trouble for Buhari as he seeks re-election in early 2019.

The vice president, however, said he expects a turnaround. "We're very optimistic and we're going to power into the next year," Osinbajo said. (Reporting by Paul Carsten; editing by David Stamp)
WASHINGTON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that American and Canadian officials negotiating a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) were probably set to meet a Friday deadline for an accord.

"They (Canada) want to be part of the deal, and we gave until Friday and I think we're probably on track. We'll see what happens," Trump told reporters before a meeting on opioids at the White House. (Reporting by Makini Brice Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
SHANGHAI, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Organisers of a new business leaders' forum spearheaded by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg have been forced to move the event to Singapore from Beijing amid growing China-U.S. trade friction and scheduling conflicts with another forum.

The Nov. 6-8 New Economy Forum in Beijing coincides with a massive new import fair in Shanghai that has been endorsed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and aims to demonstrate China's value as a powerful consumer of foreign goods and services.

With no end in sight to the escalating China-U.S. trade war, the Shanghai import fair has taken on heightened symbolic significance and officials are pulling out all the stops to ensure it is a success.

Its partner in China, the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, "asked that the New Economy Forum in Beijing be rescheduled to the fall of 2019 because of a growing number of scheduling conflicts in China this year", the forum said on its website on Thursday.

A source familiar with the matter said forum organisers had argued - ultimately unsuccessfully - that their event would complement the Shanghai import fair by bringing hundreds of top global business leaders to China at the same time.

However, rather than postpone the event, the venue for the inaugural forum was shifted to Singapore "because of its position as one of the world's leading international and business hubs", the statement said.

The second meeting of the forum would be held in Beijing next year, it said.

The China Center for International Economic Exchanges, a Beijing-based research institute headed by former vice premier Zeng Peiyan, did not reply immediately to an emailed request for a comment.

On launching the New Economy Forum in May, Bloomberg told the Financial Times its focus was on how the world and China could work together.

Bloomberg News, founded by Michael Bloomberg, competes with Reuters' parent Thomson Reuters Corp in providing news and information to banks, hedge funds and others. (Reporting by John Ruwitch Editing by Paul Tait)
At least 40 per cent of those within the Sri Lanka Army had joined after the end of the war in 2009, Kilinochchi Security Forces Commander Major General Nissanka Ranawana said.

He said this at a press briefing organized on Joint Field Exercise Cormorant Strike held at the Sri Lanka Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (SLEME) auditorium.

He said such exercises would be a platform to those who had joined the Army after the end of the war, to get an invaluable military experience.

Major General Ranawana said exercises were required to take on any future challenges against the country or its people.

This is the largest joint military field exercise. The participants are expected to train under 20 special missions some of them similar to the missions carried out during the war. The main objective of this exercise is to share the knowledge and skills with foreign forces and experiment new techniques, he said.

He said that the exercise would be conducted under the supervision of a Special Committee under the directives of the Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake. (Darshana Sanjeewa)

Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe
After a decade of country-wide efforts involving eight million members, the first-ever national policy for Sri Lankas historic cooperative sector has finally arrived at Cabinet level for approval, a communique from the Industry and Commerce Ministry said.



Once the approval by the Cabinet of Ministers for the National Cooperative Policy (NCP) submitted by Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is granted, the NCP will become the sole framework of reference and guidebook for Sri Lankas cooperative sector way forward.



Among the main themes of the new NCP are modernising the cooperative sector on par with other cooperative movements in the world, bringing in ICT, introducing self-financing, good governance, financial and credit methods, involving more youth and women in the sectors next stage and simplifying the legal set up for the sector to be more viable, the ministry communique said.



The 111-year-old Sri Lankan cooperative sector employs 46000 and packs a membership total of a little over eight million.



The Lankan cooperatives assets and savings base is estimated at Rs.418.4 billion (US $ 2.8 billion).



At present, there are 14454 cooperatives active across Sri Lankas nine provinces.

The policy has been finally approved this year by the Cooperative Ministers of all Provincial Councils, District Cooperative Councils and regional cooperative officials (representing their eight million members) unanimously. This go-ahead by the entire Lankan cooperative sector is the first such unanimous approval given by this sector for the NCP, the work of which began way back in 2008 and subsequently undergoing multiple revisions under different governments.



The draft policy formulated with the assistance from the International Labour Organisation will be handed over to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval.
On Monday, the United Nations behaving like Popeye the Sailor after a spinach drink, fired from all cylinders at Myanmar. A damning report by a UN probe team recommended that Myanmars military chief Min Aung Hlaing and several other military leaders should be investigated for genocide, and that the case be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).



Give a big applause to the UN probe team, which included familiar figures like human rights lawyer Marzuki Darsuman of Indonesia, and our own Radhika Coomaraswamy, for a job well done.

A day later, UN officials said that they would soon release another report holding different parties responsible for war crimes in Yemen.



The two reports give the impression that the UN has suddenly become emboldened to take on war criminals. But UN reports see little follow-up action, especially in cases where the perpetrator is protected by a powerful nation. Just because the UN has chided Myanmar, the regime is not going to stop its ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims. Just because of an incriminatory UN report, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the Houthis will not resolve, henceforth, to abide by international conventions on warfare and international humanitarian laws. To hell with the UN system, the perpetrators, with the backing of powerful states, will carry on with their crimes. In Myanmar, the Rohingyas will continue to be persecuted. In Yemen, children will continue to be victims -- like those who died in the school bus bombing last month -- and vital ports will continue to be under siege preventing food and medicine from reaching the sick and the starving.



Yet, the UN reports seem to be the best way out for the world body to absolve itself of the sins being committed under its very nose. In terms of follow-up action, the UN as an organisation lacks teeth. For instance, in 2016, the then UN chief Ban Ki-moon blacklisted Saudi Arabia for committing war crimes against children in Yemen. But within days, he removed Saudi Arabia from the list, under unacceptable pressure. Saudis, it is said, threatened to slash funds to UN programmes.



This was not the only occasion that the UN has buckled under undue pressure. In 2009, a UN fact-finding mission headed by South African jurist Richard Goldstone in a report accused Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas of war crimes during the Gaza war and recommended the case be referred to the ICC. But under pressure from the US and Zionist Lobbies, Goldstone recanted the report in 2011, though the other members of the panel stood by every word of it.



It is easy to appoint fact-finding missions and prepare damning reports. But what is challenging is genocide prevention. The UN will be worth its salt as the primary organisation tasked with maintaining world peace and security, only if it acts fast with the very first sign that something dreadful is going to happen.



Unlike an earthquake, genocide does not take place all of a sudden. It is predictable and preventable. Yet it takes place in full view of the international community. The system needs to be strengthened, if the UNs primary interest is to serve and save humanity. Otherwise, the UN conventions may seem empty words or routine while post-genocide UN resolutions and declarations will be akin to last rites over a dead body.



That the Responsibility-to-Protect concept came into the UN system only in 2005, some 60 whole years after the Nazi Holocaust, is a damning indictment of the international communitys lack of urgency in reinforcing the system.



At the core of this failure is big power politics. Often humanitarian intervention or non-intervention is tagged to a political agenda of a powerful state. War criminals are protected by a powerful ally in the UN Security Council. Millions of Palestinians have died without breathing the air of freedom, due to the US protection given to Israel, the oppressor and occupying power. In Saudi Arabias war in Yemen, it is the US made bombs that are largely responsible for the deaths of children. Then in the case of Myanmar, China, as usual, has come to its rescue. It has said Mondays UN report is not helpful in resolving the problem. Also backing Myanmar is Russia. Analysts say the report offers China another opportunity to drag Myanmar into its orbit, at a time when the new regime in Naypyidaw is, in a balancing act, improving its ties with the US.



Not again another Holocaust was the cry when the UN General Assembly, on December 9, 1948, adopted the Genocide Prevention Convention. Yet genocides keep happening. Three years before the convention was adopted, it happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.



Though the convention urges member-states to prevent genocide also in war and in peacetime, it happened during the Korean War, a war authorised by the UN. Some 3 million Koreans were killed within three years  two thirds of them civilians. In terms of the civilian-to-combatant ratio, the Korean War was far deadlier than World War II.



In the Vietnam War in the 1960s and the 70s, some 3.8 million people died. It is only those who say that everything is fair in love and war would not call the Vietnam Wars civilian deaths genocide. Then, in the Cambodian killing fields from 1975 to 1979, more than a million civilians were massacred by the Khmer Rouge regime which had the backing of China and the US.



The worst -- after the 1948 convention was adopted -- was the Rwandan genocide. Nearly a million people were massacred by Hutu gangs and government forces in a pogrom from April 7 to mid-July 1994. The world simply stood by and did nothing when the streets of Rwanda began to fill with Tutsi corpses. The UN had a peacekeeping mission in Rwanda but US and Britain ignored its calls for intervention.



Even after the failure of the international community in Rwanda, massacres and war crimes still take place. It happened in Srebrenica, with the UN soldiers remaining passive when the Serb forces led the Bosnian men and boys to their graves.



In another clear case of UN failure is the last stages of the separatist war in Sri Lanka in 2009. An internal UN report in 2012 said, Events in Sri Lanka mark a grave failure of the UN. Questioning the UN officials withdrawal from the warzone, the report implied that civilian lives would have been saved if the UN had acted differently. It said that following this systematic failure, the UN should in future be able to meet a much higher standard in fulfilling its protection and humanitarian responsibilities.

But, alas, hundreds of thousands of civilians have perished since then and continue to perish in conflicts largely due to the politicisation of the UN system. As nations, including big powers, call for a rule-based international order, they should first focus on making the UN system rule-based by freeing the Security Council from the dictatorship of the veto-wielding permanent five. This is a way to prevent genocide and war crimes.
SriLankan Airlines had reimbursed the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia approximately Rs. 24 million that it had allegedly spent to arrange a get-together organised to provide publicity to the newly appointed SriLankan General Sales Agent (GSA) for Russia.

This was revealed in front of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing irregularities at SriLankan Airlines, SriLankan Catering and Mihin Lanka by Upekha Abeysekera, Senior Manager, Revenue Accounting at the Airline.

This was when Udayanga Weeratunga was functioning as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia.

Last week it was revealed that Weeratunga had recommended a company, Sri Lanka Limited, to be appointed as General Sales Agent (GSA) for the national carrier in Russia. Writing to the SriLankan country manager in Russia in 2011, Weeratunga had said that Sri Lanka Limited could help the country build closer relationships with Russia and Ukraine and thus should be selected as the airline's GSA.

Although, the party was organized to celebrate the appointment of the airline's new GSA and SriLankan had agreed to bear the expenses, the Russian Embassy had footed the bill. This includes a payment of USD100, 000 for the venue (the Ritz Carlton) and another USD 84, 000 for the handling of VVIP movement. Our embassy had initially paid the bill and we reimbursed that amount, she told the commission.

Last week Shiromi Cooray, Manager Industrial Relations at SriLankan Airlines told the commission that this was the first time, according to her knowledge, that a diplomat has involved himself in the appointment of a GSA for SriLankan Airlines.

The PCoI heard that SriLankan started selecting GSAs, a sales representative for an airline in a specific country or region responsible for selling passenger and cargo space, after the departure of Emirates. Earlier it maintained its own offices in a number of countries. However, even under a GSA system, the airline retains a country manager and an officer in charge of finance, who are provided office space by the GSA. (Yoshitha Perera)
Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, who was treated at the Sri Jayawardanepura Hospital, was transferred to the Prisons Hospital today, Hospital sources said.

The Thera was discharged today after a surgery at the Hospital.

He was sentenced to 19-years imprisonment to be served in six years, for contempt of court by the Appeal Court early this month.

Video by Indika sri Aravinda, Janaka
Greece's new Shipping Minister Fotis Kouvelis (L) attends a swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed members of the government in Athens, Greece, on Aug. 29, 2018. Greece's reshuffled cabinet was sworn in on Wednesday in Athens after a mini-overhaul announced in the aftermath of the country's exit from bailouts after eight years on Aug. 20. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Greece's reshuffled cabinet was sworn in on Wednesday in Athens after a mini-overhaul announced in the aftermath of the country's exit from bailouts after eight years on Aug. 20.

Key portfolios in the economic team, the Foreign Affairs as well as the Defense Ministry remained unchanged.

One of the key figures in the new line-up announced on Tuesday was Olga Gerovasili, who was sworn in on Wednesday as Citizen Protection Minister.

Gerovasili is the first woman ever assuming this portfolio in Greece.

"The challenge is great, but I like challenges and I believe we will succeed... Security and citizens' protection is a right of the people," she told media upon her arrival at the presidential mansion for the swearing-in ceremony held in the presence of Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Among the main changes in the shake-up was the appointment of Alexandros Charitsis, Deputy Economy Minister until Tuesday, who was sworn in on Wednesday as new Interior Minister.

Fotis Kouvelis was sworn in as new Shipping Minister, and Myrsini Zorba, who was former member of the European parliament with the socialists, as Culture Minister.

The current government's term ends in September 2019.

4

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
The joint opposition today charged that the government was frightened about the anti-government protest campaign scheduled for Wednesday and was attempting to sabotage it.

Joint opposition member MP Kanchana Wijesekera told a news conference that the Road Passenger Transport Authority had been ordered to restrict the issuance of temporary road permits for September 5, 6 and 7 in order to decrease the number of vehicles travelling in those days.

The government is planning to prevent people from attending the protest campaign. This situation is reported from many areas across the country mainly in the Western Province, he said.

He said the government was also in an attempt to postpone the Parliamentary sessions scheduled to be held on September 4 and 5 in order to avoid the publication of the parliamentarians comments made during the sessions on the joint oppositions protest campaign.

It was reported that some party leaders had made a request to postpone Parliamentary sessions. We hope it will not happen, he added.

He said the joint opposition had also taken legal advice to proceed with the protest campaign if the government would take steps to sabotage it. He also said there was a possibility of getting the protest campaign extended to the following day (6) depending on the response of the government to their demands.

The Janabalaya Kolambata, anti-government protest campaign organized by the joint opposition is scheduled to be held on September 5 in Colombo at 2.00 pm and the venue of it will be announced on the day of protest. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)

Video by Susantha
President Maithripala Sirisena, who is in Nepal to attend the 4th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), today met President of Myanmar Win Myint in Kathmandu. Pix by President's Media
Senior Deputy Solicitor General Haripriya Jayasundara today told Court that there is no legal barrier for former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran to acquire the documents he sought earlier from the Singapore Interpol relating to the magisterial inquiry conducted into the controversial bond scam.

It was said that first suspect of the inquiry, Mahendran had recently requested copies of some documents relating to the allegations levelled against him and Copies of the warrant issued against him from the CID through Interpol.

SDSG Jayasundara confirmed that the CID has already sent an e-mail to the Singapore Interpol Unit on the instructions of the Attorney General regarding the demand of the suspect allowing him to get the requested documents from the Interpole.

SDSG Jayasundara also said that the prosecution is currently working on getting down first suspect Mahendran under the extradition law of the country. (Shehan Chamika Silva)
President Maithripala Sirisena called upon the leaders of the states in the Bay of Bengal Region to take collective steps against drug menace narcotics smugglers use ocean routes for drug smuggling.

Addressing the 4th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in Nepal, he drew the attention of the leaders to the drug menace which is a great obstacle for the progress of the world community.

It is the menace of drugs and narcotics, heroin, hashish, marijuana and other drugs that are smuggled into the country mainly by sea. This has largely affected our youth and the school children. Illicit drugs have become the most serious challenge and we require more advanced technology and training for our coast guard to fight drug smuggling at sea, he said.

I urge the BIMSTEC Association, the world community, and all the states to commit themselves to fight illegal drugs trafficking collectively and individually through a robust international programme that is more organized and stronger than now, President Sirisena said.

The President said that some powerful corporate groups sometimes even succeed in toppling governments and the leaders should be vigilant about them.

The BIMSTEC regional bloc is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, said President Sirisena and added that Sri Lanka, as an Island Nation wishes to make maximum use of the ocean with new light on ocean research, tourism, fisheries and marine resources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit to discuss ways to boost cooperation.

Modi arrived here this morning to attend the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

"Cementing cooperation with a valued neighbour and close friend. President @MaithripalaS and PM @narendramodi meet on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population. (Times of India)
Badulla District Parliamentarians, Dilan Perera said today that the 15 SLFP group of rebels are determined to form an SLFP government with other progressive forces by hook or by crook by the next Sinhala and Hindu New Year and put Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in his rightful place.

Mr. Perera vowed that a government sans the UNP would be formed with the cooperation of all the progressive forces like the MEP, LSSP, CPSL, NFF, PHU and DLF,

Mr. Perera also expressed his doubts on the conjecture floated by a group of Mahinda Rajapaksa supporters that the ex President could become the Executive President for a third time but added it would be great (Mal Hathai) if possible.

I have a problem in this claim that former President Rajapaksa could contest the next Presidential election and become President for a third time. If he could do it he is the best politician to be the next President and there is no doubt about it, he stressed.

Responding to a journalist at yesterdays weekly news briefing of the SLFP rebel group in Colombo as to what would be the position of incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena in case Mahinda wins the Presidential poll, Mr. Perera said the next Executive President who will be elected under the provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution will be a weak and powerless President.

Under the 19th Amendment, the Prime Minister is more powerful than the President. Therefore, Mahinda can become the all powerful Prime Minister under a weak Sirisena as the President, he said.

Mr. Perera who is also a lawyer said Nihal Jayawickrama, Prof. G.L Peiris and many others have floated this idea of Mahinda contesting the forthcoming Presidential poll and becoming Executive President for a third time as they like to think in that way but the reality was far away and the 19th Amendment was very clear about it.

He denied the remarks that had been made by Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva that President Sirisena or the SLFP Central Committee ever consented to the suggestion that the SLFP Ministers must quit the Yahapalana Government.

I wonder whether Minister De Silva whom I respect much and my district leader was suffering from dementia when he said this. Former Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa made the request in writing and Minister De Silva himself made a request to Prime Minister Wickremesinghe with the knowledge of party leader, President Sirisena to resign from the post of Prime Minister. I addition the proposal that the SLFP must quit the government was sumitted to the partys Central Committee but never discussed it or approved as General Secretary was Minister Duminda Dissanayaka. Minister De Silva further said at a later stage that SLFP Ministers in the government work in cahoots with those SLFP members who had quit the government to topple the UNP led government and form SLFP government. When the time comes both groups would joint to do the job, he added.

Mr. Perera said he expected that Mr. Perera would refrain from making what he called mongol remarks hereafter.(Sandun A Jayasekera)
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today that the technology-driven new media including social media is a source of non-traditional threat and becoming a global disruptive force.

The new media including social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and other websites are becoming global disruptive forces. We have seen the potential of this new media to de-establish nations and affect series of changes, he said.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe as the chief guest of the Colombo Defence Seminar organized by the Sri Lanka Army, delivered the keynote speech during the inaugural session held at the BMICH.

He underlined the need to continue intellectual interaction of this nature to resolve and identify global issues of defence relevance.

The nature of warfare are shifting from physical to online, or into the increased use of computers electromagnetism and artificial intelligence in commercial, economic, military and all other cutting-edge activities, the Prime Minister said.

He said it is essential to apply best practice approach to reduce national vulnerabilities immediate and to develop robust cyber security system to prevent the disruption by attackers with collaboration of all nations state.

Speaking on effect to the environment and climate change on the human life, the Prime Minister said that it is a significant factor which need a global attention.

New mechanism, both civil and military need to be created. Global security needs a global response. Global security challenges emanate from ongoing conflict and threats which may be man- duce or due to natural disasters. We as state need to be prepared for both. States need to cooperate by sharing intelligence, training and knowledges, Mr. Wickremesinghe said.

The Prime Minister said working relationship among security stakeholders, locally and internationally are the keys to success in meeting future security challenges.(Darshana Sanjeewa)
Digital marketing campaign in 3 key markets to kick off by end-next month

Govt. mulls opening up Palavi airport to attract more Indian tourists



By Harshana Sellahewa

Sri Lanka will see the arrival of 2.5 million tourists this year amid the amplified efforts to promote Sri Lankas tourism product at several key markets, according to Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga.



The minister made this statement on Tuesday at a press conference held to recognise Kandys Santani Resort and Spa for being the first local entity to be featured in the TIME Magazines Worlds Greatest Places list, published last week.



Amaratunga further said that at this rate, Sri Lanka is expected to see the arrival of four million tourists by 2020.



The minister said his proposal for the digital marketing campaign has been approved by the Cabinet and by end-September/October it would be carried out in key regions, namely, Europe, China and India.



Another launch is also expected to take place, which will focus on branding Sri Lanka as the ideal travel destination during the World Travel Market in London.

The minister said that the successful promotion on CNN and the planned branding and marketing campaign in November would bring more high-end visitors to Sri Lanka.



Amaratunga also said that it is being discussed at Cabinet level to open up Palavi airport, which would assist in increasing Indian tourist traffic.



There will be certain flights that come from South India that can bring about 70-100 passengers, which will be another incentive for Indians to come to Sri Lanka.

Like that, internal domestic airports are now being opened up. All this will contribute to increase the numbers of foreign arrivals, he said.



Touching on the debate on whether the minimum room rates for city hotels should be continued or revoked, Colombo City Hotels Association Chairman Shanti Kumar, who also spoke at the event, said that his association has requested to continue with the minimum rates for city hotels within Colombo. However, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) President Harith Perera said that the SLAITO stands against the minimum room rate, as they think that the market should determine the rate.



For example, Santani should not be regulated by a minimum rate as Santani has something unique to offer, so they can charge US $ 600 if they want. The same concept should be applied to the city hotels as well. Hopefully, if the rate is as per the product and as per the demand, as an association we feel that the numbers will increase, he said.
Sri Lanka was made a one of the taking points by Indias External Affairs Minister Susma Swaraj at the 3rd edition of the Indian Ocean Conference held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Sri Lanka is always a hot topic when discussions take place regarding the security aspects in the Indian Ocean. India has its concerns over Chinas influence in Sri Lanka and it wouldnt have come as a surprise when Swaraj met Sri Lankan Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe on the sidelines of the conference. It is reported that Swaraj had conveyed that India was willing to help Sri Lanka develop its ports and aviation facilities.

Despite India being the closest neighbour, Sri Lanka has readily accepted Chinas extended hand when offers were made to develop ports in the island nation. What has been of great concern to Indian and Japan is the 99-year lease of the Hambantota Port to China.

The Dailymirror Columnist Ranga Jayasuriya has summed up all this attention on Sri Lanka beautifully in his piece this week by saying that this islands administrators can take one of two options. Sri Lanka can look at all these probing Asian eyes on her as something annoying or make use of these nations so as to get the best benefits from the situation.

Sri Lanka seems to have understood very clearly Chinas ways of extending its control over strategic locations on the Indian Ocean. China is ready to throw big money in the guise of a hand that is helping in development and the debt burdened islands administrators see the opportunity as an offer they cant refuse.

Japan was running out of patience and sent its Defence Minister on a goodwill mission to Sri Lanka very recently. Japans representative was very clear about conveying the message from Tokyo that it didnt wish to see China having a military presence in Hambantota. For the record Sri Lanka has given this assurance to Japan.

At the conference in Vietnam, Wickremesinghe had affirmed that the security situation in the Indian Ocean should be looked at both a comprehensive and competing environment. He had added that the Indian Ocean region is set to define the destiny of the planet in the 21st Century. Wickremesinghe had pointed out that the world order had become more fragile, polarised and unpredictable.

This is the very reason why Sri Lanka has to play its cards right in maintaining its position of having three key ports in the Indian Ocean, which is now a Maritime Super Highway.

China is aggressively playing its role in establishing control over key locations on the Indian Ocean through its One belt one road strategy. India and Japan have already offered alternatives to what China is offering to those who are part of maritime traffic.

China has its own tussles with other Asian nations regarding the South China sea. Wresting control over key points in the Indian Ocean will help China immensely in stamping its authority in the South China Sea. This is why Sri Lanka needs to be careful in its dealings with China where the Indian Ocean is concerned.

As ties between Sri Lanka and China grow, Colombo entered into an agreement with Japan-when the latters defence minister made a visit here- to boost defense cooperation in the maritime sphere.

Maintaining ties with Japan and China has never been so tricky for Sri Lanka.

Given the highly sensitive situation in the Indian Ocean, it is important to assess the words of Swaraj at the conference in Vietnam. She had said that nurturing a climate of peace and stability in this region (Indian Ocean) is New Delhis foreign policy and added that India would continue to work on arranging projects to improve maritime logistics in Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka.

Now, little Sri Lanka needs to be alert big time!


What is a Montessori House of Children? It is not a pre-school, because the teacher does not teach children under six, but instead the directress directs the children on how to use the scientifically prepared apparatus. The trained adult and equipment form the environment, prepared to meet the God-given needs of the child, to develop and form a man or woman. The trained adult only helps the child to reach his or her destiny.

Unlike some adults, the children love this environment, where they are free to work. In some other countries, the Montessori Method of Education, which is now available in Sri Lanka only for children between the ages of 2  and 6, is carried right through, to the University. I hope someday, (I am 70 now!!) to learn and implement the Maria Montessori method, for children from 0 to 3 and 6 to 12 as well. Education begins at birth. In fact, what a mother is thinking, speaking and listening to, can affect the baby in the womb. I remember my first baby, moving vigorously in my womb, as I listened to some classical music records. She sings and teachers singing now.

I strongly believe, that the Montessori Method of Education is the best education, for the human being to be an integrated whole in body, soul and mind. It is futile to impart only knowledge, as we all know of the destruction that knowledgeable people have wrought. Education is not just the imparting of knowledge, to the mind. Montessori Education draws out of the children their inherent powers and helps them make the most of it. It is a help to life. I believe that the children in the villages should also benefit from good Montessori Houses of Children. I am very busy spending my money, time and effort to make that a reality. Why? Because I have greatly benefited personally, from the AMI Method of Education and desire to let other less fortunate children benefit from it too. I want to raise up a new generation of leaders, that have a strong will to do right and live right, in a world of crumbling values.A childs will should not be broken, (as some think it should)but be allowed to develop, in order to help him obey his parents. Its the good Montessori Education I had, which helped to develop my will.

Ive been in the field of Education, most of my life. I was the first lady to lecture in Maths in the Colombo Campus. While I was lecturing there, I did the two-year AMI diploma at St. Bridgets. Being an educationist from school days, (I started giving Maths tuition from the age of 15), I knew that I owed my ability to learn, understand and teach Maths, with little effort on my side, to both my Montessori foundation and my Saviour and Lord. I am not brilliant. Ordinary people like me can succeed, given the same opportunity. It cant be a coincidence that three of us in my Physical Science University batch, were also from the same Montessori class.My AMI Montessori Principal Lena Wickramaratne, went to India and studied directly under Dr. Montessori herself. Miss Joyce Goonesekera also went to India for the same purpose.

Ordinary people like me can succeed, given the same opportunity. It cant be a coincidence that three of us in my Physical Science University batch, were also from the same Montessori class.

In 1944 when Dr. Montessori together with her Son Mario Montessori visited Sri Lanka at the invitation of the Colombo Teachers Association conducted the First Montessori Training Course at Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena, Colombo 13 with more than 350 participants. Ms. Joyce Goonesekera assisted in giving the demonstrations of activities. Before returning to India Dr. Montessori handed over the legacy of Continuing the Montessori Training, to the Provincial Superior of the Good Shepherd Sisters. Joyce Goonesekera lovingly known as Aunty Joyce continued to work with great fidelity and commitment with the Sisters at the Good Shepherd Montessori Training Centre until her demise in November 2003. Since then the Training Centre, now situated at St. Bridgets Convent, Colombo 7 has had the privilege of Celebrating 25 Years, 50 Years, 60 Years, 70 years and now is getting ready to Celebrate 75 Years of Service to parents, little children and to those willing to dedicate their lives in the Service of Children.

I entered Methodist College, at the age of six, into the right class for my age, the Upper Kindergarten. I already knew my 12 times multiplication tables and could read any book in English or Sinhala. In the first few days itself, much against my mothers wishes, I was given a double promotion to Standard 2. I watched, my classmates standing up and reciting the multiplication tables. I never learned my tables in such a boring way, in the Montessori. My children and I, were able to enjoy our childhood and growing up years in playing, and taking part in extracurricular activities, without spending all our time and money on tuition.

I later taught at the Sri Jayawardanapura University, (formerly Vidyodaya) for 32 years. In 1973, I taught Maths to the entire Arts faculty of 700 students, in one lecture. It was a formidable task, but I was able to do it, thanks to the Montessori Principles, which I had learned. Actually it was easier to lay down the basics in Maths and then build, with these students who had never done any Maths in school. In later years, I found it more difficult; to undo the wrong ways of learning Maths, without understanding any of the concepts, but by meaningless rules. Thousands of University students have passed through my hands, but have no jobs, as they are unable to learn English. Language should be taught, at the age when the child absorbs all the languages spoken in his environment, which is till the age of six. Hence, it is my desire to bless the villages and the under privileged with English-speaking Montessoris.

My granddaughter loved it, when I played the zero game with her. Having understood the concept of the zero from it, (though she is supposed to be a slow learner), to my amazement, she correctly answered all the sums on the zero her parents quizzed her. It was her parents answers, which were wrong. My granddaughters of 14 and 10, exclaimed delightedly, when they spied my grading of colours, box 3, and wanted to play with it. I heard the older one say, I hate school. I enjoyed my days in the Montessori.

Dr. Maria Montessori was the first lady doctor in Italy and in many parts of the world. She was a psychiatrist and hence knew Psychology. So her method of education is based on Psychology. Montessori Psychology is different from general Psychology. Adults tend to draw up a syllabus, and teach it to the child. The child taught Dr. Montessori. Her education was based on observation of the child. It was Dr. Montessoris compassion and desire to meet the needs of the mentally defective children in the Asylum where she was the psychiatrist. She believed that education and not medicine would help these children. This led her to use apparatus made by educationists such as Seguin. When a test was set for both defective and normal children, the defective children only took a longer time to learn and some did even better in the test than normal children. This made her wonder why the normal child did not do better, so when she had the opportunity, she tried this equipment on normal children. She later, modified the equipment for them and developed it, by observing the children. The little child led her to her method. She discovered the child, as her books on Discovery of the Child, and the Secret of Childhood unfolds.

These early formative years are the most vital years of a human being when the formation of a person takes place. These are the years from 2  to 6, when the right education in the right environment prepared specially for it, is so necessary. We must never undervalue these precious years. The home too must be a prepared environment so that the child from 0 to 2  years, which is the unconsciously absorbent period, should not absorb bad things, but all the good things which are of value. The child at this age is unable to filter out the bad from the good and absorbs unconsciously, everything around him.The environment should provide good, such as the unity of the parents, as disunity brings unresolved trauma and confusion to the little minds. If that has not happened, then the correct Montessori environment from 2  to 6 can help to some extent correct it. One of the earliest Houses of Children was for hungry, orphan children, who were running about, traumatized by the greatest earthquake of that age, in Messina. They were silent, absent minded, and would not eat or drink. In the night people heard them screaming. Within six months people saw the change. They called it the conversion of the orphans of Messina They were healed not only physically but psychologically. Shouldnt this happen in Sri Lanka?

When a test was set for both defective and normal children, the defective children only took a longer time to learn and some did even better in the test than normal children





The Freedom of choice to work with any material the child knows to work with, is one of the basic principles of the prepared environment. So each child enjoys working with what he has chosen, which is what he needs to develop, at his own pace. The only punishment needed, is to stop the child from working with the materials. What Dr. Montessori discovered,was that the child learned through the repetition of his chosen activities, and thereby learned to concentrate. Adults often fail to understand the need of the child for this prepared environment and the childs desire to learn and develop according to the Laws of nature. We only shout dont touch , , dont meddle you cant,  dont carry that, you will break it, etc. The little ones must be shown how to, by breaking up the movement into separate steps, so that the child can learn to be independent and able to help himself dress himself, wash hands, wash and polish things, cut up vegetables, etc. All children love to learn these things.Every activity in the prepared environment has a direct aim and also an indirect

aim which is just as important to the child.

Movement of the hand and limb also increases the intelligence. Babies must be free to crawl, for then that part of the brain is prepared for reading later on. The children in the Montessori constantly uses their hands in coordinated movements, as they work on the materials.

My hope is to make this valuable education available to everyone, especially the underprivileged.

I want to do my part, in making Sri Lanka a far better place for everyone to live in unity and love.
Nakanyala Elina Shekupe (1st R) learns desert control in Minqin County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 26, 2018. Shekupe, 37, is an agricultural technology official from Namibia. She and 11 other students are taking part in a desertification combating and ecological restoration training course organized by China's Ministry of Commerce in Gansu. "I hope more and more African friends will come to China to learn new technology on desert control and benefit people in their hometown, " she said. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)

11

1

[ Editor: zyq ]
Two accomplices of underworld figure 'Makandure Madush' were nabbed with a T-56 assault rifle and ammunition by the STF during two separate raids at Homagama and Bandaragama on Wednesday night.

Police said the suspects were identified as Harsha Chandana Witharanage (35) of Homagama and Nirosh Thushara (36) of Bandaragama.

They said the suspects were close associates of Makandure Madush who allegedly managed underworld activities in Sri Lanka while being in Dubai.

Investigations revealed that the arrested were involved in drug peddling and had attempted to murder an individual in Ratnapura earlier this month.

The suspects were detained for further questioning till September 4 after being produced in the Homagama Magistrates Court. (Darshana Sanjeewa)
The UN independent expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, will be on an official visit to Sri Lanka from 3 to 11 September, at the invitation of the Government.



My visit aims at collecting first-hand information and examine questions related to debt and other financial obligations from a human rights standpoint, said Bohoslavsky. The purpose of the mission is to identify good practices, challenges and potential gaps to be addressed.

An important objective of my visit is to study the effects of public debt and related polices on the full enjoyment of human rights.



I am particularly interested in understanding how human rights standards are integrated in economic policies and examining ongoing reforms and programmes aimed at inclusive growth. I would like to grasp how these measures translate in potential improvements and challenges for the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights.



During his visit, Bohoslavsky will pay specific attention to the incorporation of human rights standards in international development financing, microfinance, and efforts deployed to prevent and combat illicit financial flows in the country.



I look forward to engaging with the authorities of Sri Lanka, civil society, academics, the international community and other relevant stakeholders, Bohoslavsky said.

He will hold a news conference in Colombo on September 11 at 11:00 am. The news conference is strictly limited to journalists. Bohoslavsky will submit a comprehensive report about his visit to the UN Human Rights Council in March next year.
The UN Independent Expert on foreign debt and human rights, Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, will conduct an official visit to Sri Lanka from 3 to 11 September 2018, at the invitation of the Government, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said a in a statement.

My visit aims at collecting first-hand information and examine questions related to debt and other financial obligations from a human rights standpoint, said Bohoslavsky. The purpose of the mission is to identify good practices, challenges and potential gaps to be addressed.

An important objective of my visit is to study the effects of public debt and related polices on the full enjoyment of human rights.

I am particularly interested in understanding how human rights standards are integrated in economic policies and examining ongoing reforms and programmes aimed at inclusive growth. I would like to grasp how these measures translate in potential improvements and challenges for the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights.

During his visit, the Independent Expert will pay specific attention to the incorporation of human rights standards in international development financing, microfinance, and efforts deployed to prevent and combat illicit financial flows in the country.

I look forward to engaging with the authorities of Sri Lanka, civil society, academics, the international community and other relevant stakeholders, Bohoslavsky said.

The Independent Expert will submit a comprehensive report about his visit to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2019.
The USS Anchorage- amphibious transport docks- joined the Sri Lankan naval ship Suranimila to conduct an exercise at sea in the Indian Ocean, on August 28, the US embassy in Colombo said today.

The exercise allowed the ships to improve each crews' knowledge and strengthen a wide variety of seamanship skills critical to operating throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific region, it said.

During the exercise, multiple ships sailed in formation to practice communications and maneuvering procedures. In addition to the Anchorage and Suranimila, two landing craft air cushions (LCACs), one AH-1Z Cobra helicopter, and one UH-1Y Huey helicopter participated.

The Sailors and Marines on the USS Anchorage were honored to work with our partners in the Sri Lankan navy during their port visit, said Rear Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of the Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet. The close teamwork we've seen in this visit, U.S.-Sri Lankan participation in multiple military exercises over the past year, and the hospital ship USNS Mercy's visit to Trincomalee in April reflects our mutual commitment to strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and Sri Lankan militaries.

For the Sailors aboard the Anchorage, it was also a chance to improve their skills with their Sri Lankan counterparts sailing alongside. A part of a growing U.S.-Sri Lanka naval partnership, the at-sea exercise follows the Anchorages theater security cooperation exercise conducted with the Sri Lankan Navy and Navy Marines, the Sri Lankan Navys inaugural participation in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise that concluded August 2, as well as the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Sri Lanka, held for the first time last year.

The Anchorage team and I had an incredible time in Trincomalee and we are proud to be serving alongside the Sri Lankan Navy, said Captain Dennis Jacko, Commanding Officer of the USS Anchorage. Not only do we increase our proficiency in communications, but we continue to build on a strong and lasting partnership with the Sri Lankan Navy.
A teacher demonstrates Chinese calligraphy skills for students during an activity at the first lesson of the new term at the Danzhai No. 3 Middle School in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 29, 2018. Schools in China prepared many activities for students to greet the new semester after summer vacation. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaohai)

6

1

[ Editor: zyq ]
The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh, Vice Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs Luong Thanh Nghi, along with representatives of Vietnamese agencies and enterprises operating in Cambodia.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Nguyen Thanh Dung, Director of Agribank Vietnam in Cambodia, Chairman of Vietnam Business Club in Cambodia, said that there are more than 200 Vietnamese businesses investing in Cambodia, with a registered capital of more than US$3 billion. The businesses have mainly invested in the fields of agriculture, telecommunications, finance, banking, aviation, logistics, health and education.

The Vietnam Business Club in Cambodia is expected to provide a space for Vietnamese businesses in Cambodia to meet and exchange, contributing to the promotion of cooperation on economics, trade and relations between the two countries. Through the club, businesses also have more opportunities to promote their products to other countries around the world.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Vietnam Business Club in Cambodia Nguyen Thanh Dung said that with the support of both Vietnam and Cambodia, the Vietnam Business Club in Cambodia in particular and other businesses in general will develop sustainably, bringing Vietnam-Cambodia trade turnover to US$ 5 billion.
Exports during the January-August period were estimated at US$155 billion, up 14.5% against the same period in 2017, while imports rose 11.6% to an estimated US$152.66 billion.

The first eight months of 2018 saw the foreign-invested sector record a trade surplus of USS$19.5 billion, while domestic enterprises suffered a deficit of US$16.7 billion.

The United States remained the largest market for Vietnamese exports, purchasing US$30 billion worth of goods in the January-August period, up 10.2% from the previous year.

The EU came second with US$27.7 billion worth of goods, followed by China with US$23.4 billion in imports.

Vietnamese exports to the ASEAN countries rose 16% to reach US$16.5 billion, while exports to Japan and the Republic of Korea were estimated at US$12 billion and US$11.8 billion respectively.

On the opposite side, China remained the largest source of Vietnamese imports with over US$41 billion in the first eight months of 2018, a year-on-year rise of 12.8%.

Vietnams imports from the Republic of Korea and ASEAN ranked second and third, with US$30.8 billion and US$20.5 billion respectively.
Rising Risks: Climate gentrification takes hold in Miami from CNBC.

By Diana Olick and Erica Posse

29 August 2018

(CNBC)  A modern glass home sits on the edge of the water in Miami Beach. The ground-level master suite has a soaking tub that looks out to the ocean, and the bedrooms glass doors allow the owner to roll out of the sheets and onto the yacht. It is listed for sale at $25 million.

Another Miami home sits on a garbage-strewn street in Little Haiti, about five miles inland. Its owner can walk out the front door and see a dead chicken in the street. It is listed for sale at $559,000, but some experts claim it is a better investment than $25 million mansion.

The mansion, while highly desirable and exquisitely appointed, is paradise at a price, because rising tides and increasingly extreme storms may already be lowering its value. On the other hand, the home in Little Haiti, which sits on high ground with little risk of flooding, is appreciating at a fast clip. It has nearly doubled in value in just the past two years, according to Zillow.

What we see here is a theory of climate gentrification that suggests that in Miami, higher elevation land will be worth more, said Harvard Universitys Jesse Keenan, who co-authored the first peer-reviewed study offering evidence of the existence of a climate change signal in the real estate market.The study tracked the values of more than 100,000 single-family homes across Miami going back 45 years.What we found is that the higher elevation properties are essentially worth more now, and increasingly will be worth more in the future, Keenan said. Populations, including speculative real estate investment will densify in these high elevation areas.Keenan claims home values on Miamis coast are already worth 10 percent less now than they would be if climate change didnt exist. [more]

Rising Risks: Climate gentrification is changing Miami real estate values  for better and worse

By Travis Dagenais

14 June 2018(Harvard Graduate School of Design)  In April, the Harvard Graduate School of Designs Jesse M. Keenan served as the lead author of the first published study to provide evidence of a climate-change signal in a real estate market. The studys findings have stoked a national and international conversation concerning the extent to which climate change is impacting peoples lives and households.Keenan positioned the implication of these findings within his broader theory of climate gentrification. As Keenan and co-authors write, climate gentrification is a descriptive theory proposing that, as climate change and its effects accelerate, certain geographies and property markets could become more or less attractive, based in part on levels of exposure to climate change-related effects and risks, as well as the contextual response to and capacity for addressing these impacts. For instance, rising seas may make traditionally sought-after coastal property less favorable, while inland higher-elevation properties suddenly become more desirable.Keenan and his colleagues study, titled Climate Gentrification: From Theory to Empiricism in Miami-Dade County, Florida, was published on 23 April 2018 by Environmental Research Letters (Volume 13, Number 5), and takes Miami-Dade County, Florida as a case study to explore the processes and market mechanisms wound up in the theory. Keenan and colleagues test two hypotheses: that price appreciation of single-family properties in Miami-Dade County is positively related to, and correlated with, incremental measures of higher elevation; and, that the rates of price appreciation in lower elevations, where flood risks are higher, have been outpaced by rates of appreciation of higher-elevation properties in recent years.The researchers findings validated both hypotheses and suggest the potential existence of consumer preferences that are based, in part, on perceptions and observations of flood risk and sea-level rise.The release of Keenan and his colleagues study was covered by two front-page stories at The Wall Street Journal. The study has since been covered by media from around the world in over a dozen languages. And, since the April release, Keenan has offered a series of elaborations on and discussions of his findings, including a two stories with Bloomberg News and a front-page feature in the Miami Herald.Renowned author and journalist, Andrew Revkin cited the paper as a rich new exploration. While Professor Isabelle Anguelovski lauded the work as a groundbreaking empirical paper. Dr. Rachel Cleetus, Lead Economist and Policy Director for Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists noted that Keenans research is innovative and ground-breaking. By bringing together empirical evidence of the effects of sea level rise on coastal property values, and subsequent impacts on economically vulnerable populations further inland who might be displaced by climate gentrification, his work shows how climate change is already altering our economy and society.More recently, Keenans work and perspectives have been covered by CNN, Slate, Fortune, Huffington Post, NPR, regional public radio, and elsewhere.Jesse M. Keenan is a member of the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, where he teaches courses and conducts research in the fields of urban development and climate adaptation. Keenans research in the built environment has been supported by or in partnership with a variety of global actors, including the American Institute of Architects, Audi, Carnegie Corporation, Goldman Sachs, Google, International Code Council, Hoover Institution at Stanford University, Knight Foundation, MoMA, Mori Foundation, Lennar Foundation, National Academy of Sciences, NASA, National Security Council, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Open Society Foundation, Regional Plan Association, Rockefeller Foundation, the White House, and the U.N.Keenan was nominated by the U.S. State Department and appointed by the U.N. this spring to serve as member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Keenan is concurrently serving as Research Advisor for Climate Adaptation Finance for Governor Jerry Browns Office of Planning and Research for the State of California and as Visiting Scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Jesse M. Keenan first to publish evidence of climate-change effects in a real estate market; WSJ, CNN, and others ground global coverage



ABSTRACT: This article provides a conceptual model for the pathways by which climate change could operate to impact geographies and property markets whose inferior or superior qualities for supporting the built environment are subject to a descriptive theory known as Climate Gentrification. The article utilizes Miami-Dade County, Florida (MDC) as a case study to explore the market mechanisms that speak to the operations and processes inherent in the theory. This article tests the hypothesis that the rate of price appreciation of single-family properties in MDC is positively related to and correlated with incremental measures of higher elevation (the Elevation Hypothesis). As a reflection of an increase in observed nuisance flooding and relative SLR, the second hypothesis is that the rates of price appreciation in lowest the elevation cohorts have not kept up with the rates of appreciation of higher elevation cohorts since approximately 2000 (the Nuisance Hypothesis). The findings support a validation of both hypotheses and suggest the potential existence of consumer preferences that are based, in part, on perceptions of flood risk and/or observations of flooding. These preferences and perceptions are anticipated to be amplified by climate change in a manner that reinforces the proposition that climate change impacts will affect the marketability and valuation of property with varying degrees of environmental exposure and resilience functionality. Uncovering these empirical relationships is a critical first step for understanding the occurrence and parameters of Climate Gentrification.

Climate gentrification: from theory to empiricism in Miami-Dade County, Florida
Save my User ID and Password

Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site.

Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site.
The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) held a press conference on the event in the capital on August 30.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President of the WEF Borge Brende will officially open the event and run a dialogue with the business community, said VCCI Chairman Vu Tien Loc.

The forum will focus discussion on the role of Vietnam in regional and global value chains, as well as introduce policies and business and investment opportunities in the Southeast Asian country, particularly in the fields of finance and infrastructure, he added.

More than 1,200 business representatives from the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as delegates from overseas business associations in Vietnam, embassies, diplomatic and economic representative offices, and international organisations are hoped to take part in the forum.

The event offers domestic and foreign enterprises an opportunity to meet with business leaders in ASEAN and beyond, gain an insight into Vietnams economy and understand its role in regional and global value chain, as well as study new business opportunities in key investment attraction fields in Vietnam.

Delegates are able to exchange experiences in various spheres and be updated on new business trends in the region.

According to VCCI Chairman Loc, the new driving force for economic growth lies in connectivity and creativity.

Vietnam is considered a key connectivity point between ASEAN and the global economy, he said, adding that the country is also the heart of the Indo-Pacific region.

The country is sparing no efforts in becoming an innovative economy, Loc said, noting that Vietnam is among the top 20 economies named for their entrepreneurial spirit, he noted.
Subscriber content preview

By ROB GILLIES

Associated Press

TORONTO  It started with President Donald Trump's attacks on Canadian dairy farmers. Then Washington slapped tariffs on Canadian steel, citing national security. There was that disastrous G-7 summit in Quebec. Now it's a new North American free trade agreement that excludes America's northern neighbor.

Canadians are stunned by the repeated broadsides from what has long been their closest ally and some have even begun boycotts.





. . .
Subscriber content preview

PORTLAND (AP)  Federal prosecutors in Oregon have charged six people with running two vast interstate trafficking operations that they say delivered marijuana grown in Oregon to Texas, Virginia and Florida.

U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said Wednesday that proceeds from the black market sales returned to Oregon as cash stuffed in airplane luggage or through the U.S. mail.





. . .
It's much easier for schools to get to net zero

Not only is it getting cheaper to install solar energy systems, but local grants and incentives are available to defray improvement costs.



By JACK NEWMAN

Sazan Environmental Services

Newman

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, energy consumption is the second-highest operational expense for schools. K-12 schools across the country spend $6 billion annually on energy bills, more than they spend on textbooks and computers combined.

Over the past 10 years, schools throughout the United States have targeted net-zero energy as a framework for delivering operational cost savings, student comfort, and increased educational and resiliency benefits. In fact, schools have outpaced all other building types in the net-zero energy marketplace, accounting for 37 percent of all verified and emerging net-zero buildings.

Energy savings

Net-zero energy measures can yield approximately 65-80 percent in energy savings beyond conventional schools. Developing net-zero energy schools is now more achievable than ever, especially with advances in energy-efficient appliances and incorporating age-old passive design strategies.

Photo provided by Sazan Environmental Services [enlarge] This elementary school in Arlington, Virginia, generates more energy than it uses in a year.





Best practices include using optimized building orientation, passive heating and cooling strategies, increased insulation, LED lighting, heat pumps, energy monitoring, and rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays that are connected to the utilitys power grid. In this grid-tied solar PV system configuration, solar power can reduce a schools energy demands from the utility company and generate surplus power to be exported back onto the grid for billing credits.

Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, is one of the larger examples in the nation. Opened in 2015, the school installed a 500-kilowatt solar array with 1,700 solar roof panels that makes the building net-positive energy, meaning it generates more energy than it uses over a calendar year.

Resiliency

In addition to monetary benefits, net-zero design can improve the student experience. Amarpreet Sethi leads DLR Groups Building Performance Design team.

She notes: Using good design principles to meet a net-zero goal for schools can also lead to an improved learning environment. It is key that schools first reduce energy consumption using holistic means  by improving daylighting, thermal comfort, indoor-air quality, and reducing global warming potential and carbon emissions. Improving the indoor environment further improves the return on investment through improved student performance.

One additional benefit of net-zero energy schools is the potential for providing resilient power for critical electrical loads and emergency systems. Combining rooftop solar PV and an energy-efficient design provides ideal conditions for incorporating battery storage systems to deliver off-grid energy capabilities.

National Electric Code mandates that grid-tied solar PV installations shut down during an outage, unless the system incorporates smart battery storage. Currently, the city of Seattle is deploying a solar-powered micro-grid with commercial-scale batteries to support resilient power in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, which incorporates a public education component focusing on the nexus between climate change and resiliency.

Students are taking action to advance these solutions through initiatives like the Seattle Youth Climate Action Network, UW Solar student organization, and Shoreline Community Colleges Clean Technology and Entrepreneurship program.

Local resources

Washington state has taken a leadership role on net-zero energy initiatives. In January, Gov. Jay Inslee signed Executive Order 18-01, aka State Efficiency and Environmental Performance, which mandates a net-zero energy design target for all state buildings. Washington state also offers renewable energy production incentives and grant dollars from the Department of Commerces Clean Energy Fund to support solar on existing K-12 schools.

Other solar energy grants, such as Seattle City Lights Green Up grant funding program, identify K-12 schools as eligible applicants, complemented by Seattle Public Schools Green Team grant funding each year.

Local coalitions such as Shift Zero have formed to unite the green building community around solutions-oriented approaches to help accelerate net-zero energy buildings, policies, programs and resources for the future of Washingtons built environment.

Community Solar programs offer district and community-scale renewable energy solutions, and other off-site energy procurement strategies continue to emerge, such as Puget Sound Energys Green Direct program, which procures wind power for large customers. And the University of Washington Clean Energy Institutes innovations in scalable thin-film solar PV applications, energy storage and smart controls promise affordable, scalable solutions for Washingtons clean energy future.

Certification programs

As net-zero buildings scale around the world, several certification programs verify performance and develop case studies, including the Seattle-based International Living Future Institutes Living Building Challenge and Zero Energy Certification program.

While net-zero energy definitions and certification programs vary, the feasibility of this design strategy has been proven in public and private projects, led by a growing number of energy experts in the local design and construction community.

One example of a local school using solar PV to meet net-zero goals is Seattles Bertschi School. It incorporates passive and active energy-efficiency measures, with more than 100 percent of the buildings net annual energy demand produced by renewable energy.

Bellevue School District has been a local pioneer in driving down the energy use of its new facilities, with Puesta del Sol Elementary School, currently in design, targeting net-zero by installing up to 300 kilowatts of PV panels.

A sensible choice

The availability of grant resources, net metering credits and renewable energy production incentives, coupled with rapidly reduced costs for installing solar PV, makes developing net-zero energy schools increasingly more financially viable and sensible.

Government agencies are encouraging sustainable design, and K-12 schools are implementing net-zero strategies into their performance goals. These strategies provide cost savings and benefits to students, teachers and the broader community.

Similar to how a tree operates within the carrying capacity of its site, net-zero energy schools can serve as a biophilic design strategy to limit environmental impacts while educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders.

Jack Newman is a sustainable design consultant at Sazan Environmental Services and formerly managed the Zero Energy Building Certification program for the International Living Future Institute.





Other Stories:
See-through schools spark interest in learning

When students see their peers working on cool projects, theyre more likely to participate.



By JORDAN KIEL

Bassetti Architects

Kiel

When it comes to designing successful 21st-century learning environments, studies have shown that daylight-filled spaces improve student learning rates between 7 and 26 percent.

But transparency isnt limited to access to natural light  it also significantly impacts the users experience within. It can impact whole-child awareness, professional development and a stronger school culture in powerful ways.

Hands-on learning

As designers of educational facilities, we are seeing an increasing emphasis on providing students with hands-on learning opportunities and project-based lessons rooted in the real world. This trend arises from the knowledge that curiosity and the desire to learn are hardwired into all people.

To honor this, the role of teachers is shifting from sage on the stage to one of guiding students through their learning pathway and helping them hone their skills as life-long learners. This type of educational delivery model encourages students to tinker, test, break and create.

When charged with designing spaces that support a shift towards more hands-on learning opportunities for students, we have found transparency to be one of the most useful tools in our architects toolbox.

Photos by Jeff Amram [enlarge] A transparent learning lab at Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming.





[enlarge] Students at Stewart Middle School in Tacoma can see from one end of the building to the other.





More participation

In our experience, transparency in school projects increases student interest and participation in hands-on learning opportunities, both during and after school.

The renovation of Stewart Middle School in Tacoma embraced transparency as a key design theme.

Users can literally look through the school from one end to another, generating an ethos of collaborative learning, while forming a sense of whole-school unity. Creative arts and science labs (da Vinci labs) have become the go-to spaces for class projects, as well as spaces for art displays, science experiments, media arts and performances. Relites line the Career Technical Education classrooms, performing double-duty as display cases where students can show off their work.

Teachers note that students are beginning to participate in classes and activities they previously did not consider because of the schools learning-on-display qualities. Robert Kroker teaches computer science and technology classes at Stewart and also heads up an after-school robotics club. Not only has he seen increased interest in his classes because of the schools transparency, his robotics club has grown from 11 to 28 students since the schools remodel.

At Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming, transparency in classrooms, labs and flex areas spark student interest and support the curriculum. The school is organized around multi-floor learning communities made up of four career-based academies and a freshman academy.

Project-based learning is accessible in highly transparent flex labs and science labs spread throughout the school. This visible learning and collaboration sparks student engagement and models critical skills for future success. Student interests pique involvement and student excitement ignites school pride.

A boon for teachers

Curiosity isnt relegated only to students  teachers also become inquisitive when different modes of learning are on display.

Ryan Booth, an instructional facilitator for Tacoma Public Schools, relishes the visibility in Stewarts shared spaces and believes it has fostered a more innovative approach to teaching. According to him, teachers see activities in labs and flex areas and ask each other about them during lunch.

You cant help but show everyone when youre doing really cool stuff, he said.

Booth also noted that, at times, school modernization can be met with resistance from teachers. His job is to help with the transition and encourage the use of modified or new spaces. Because teachers are more inclined to use flex areas when they can see and supervise students, transparency becomes key to flex area success.

Glass classroom doors at Stewart enable quick shifts in the teaching format from whole-class activities to small-group learning while teachers continue to oversee the work.

Booth recalled that the glass doors were not liked at first, about 60 percent of the staff [didnt use the doors] but now about 90 percent of the staff use them all day, every day.

School culture and safety

Transparency can also have positive impacts on school culture and student safety. On average, more than one out of every five students is bullied each year. Increasing the degree of transparency in schools affords more opportunities for passive supervision of common areas.

A school with an open central commons lets teachers allow students to test their independence as they develop, all within the safety of caring adults who are standing by and supporting them. Students feel secure knowing that dependable adult eyes are watching, decreasing the possibility of bullying.

In our experience, these emerging trends have shown significant positive impacts on learning environments. Transparency is a powerful tool for supporting lifelong learners and an amplified school culture.

Humans are natural learners, and the spaces we design to support education can help spark the voracious curiosity of our children if we just offer them things about which to be curious.

Jordan Kiel is a principal at Bassetti Architects and the project architect for Stewart Middle School in Tacoma.





Other Stories:
After two decades, UWs SLU campus nears completion

The second of three final-phase medical research buildings will open this fall. The last building begins construction in 2020.



By ANTHONY GIANOPOULOS

Perkins+Will

Gianopoulos

Nearly 20 years ago, the University of Washington envisioned a new urban campus for medical research unlike anywhere else in the world.

It would become a hub for the citys burgeoning biotech sector. It would spark the transformation of a neglected neighborhood into one of the countrys fastest-growing communities. It would set a new architectural aesthetic that would not only be purposeful but beautiful and sustainably driven.

Today, the UW School of Medicine South Lake Union campus is home to thousands of scientists, researchers and staff who work across its various buildings to develop life-changing therapies and cutting-edge medical breakthroughs. It serves as the centerpiece for the citys biotech industry, surrounded by leading health care and biotech organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the Allen Institute.

Public-private delivery

Photo by Benjamin Benschneider [enlarge] UWs new eight-story structure has office, research and outpatient clinic space.





Photo by Benjamin Benschneider [enlarge] A skybridge connects the two newest buildings.





Photo by Lara Swimmer [enlarge] UW School of Medicine moved into its first South Lake Union building in 2004.





Photo by Benjamin Benschneider [enlarge] Common spaces were designed to encourage collaboration.





When UW set out to create an academic research complex off its traditional campus and on an accelerated schedule, it needed a different kind of delivery method.

The institution looked to a public-private partnership, or P3, model for its efficiencies in process and in timeline. The School of Medicine selected an integrated P3 team of National Development Council, Vulcan Real Estate, Perkins+Will, Turner Construction Co. (first phase) and Sellen (second and third phases) to master plan, program and design the entire two-block campus.

The team was responsible for delivering more than 1.2 million gross square feet of space and seven buildings over a span of two decades using a model of delivery unique for a project of its kind.

The first phase of the two-block project focused on the south end of campus, renovating the Washington Natural Gas building into a modern biomedical research lab.

Phase two focused on the epicenter of campus, creating a five-story office tower with laboratory and research facilities connected by a new inner courtyard.

The third phase completes the west end with an eight-story building with clinics on the first three levels and research labs on the upper five levels, which is slated to open this fall. Facing Mercer Street, the final building is slated to begin construction in 2020.

The P3 process for phase one and two was so successful  delivered in 36-40 months vs. 48-52 months by conventional methods  that the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships recognized the team for its innovative approach to development.

The third phase is also being developed by P3, which like the first two phases is being led by the Perkins+Will team.

Building connections

The campus was designed to bridge connections between buildings, fostering opportunities for collaboration, education and interaction between its researchers and staff.

The design unites biomedical laboratories, bioinformatics labs, genomics research, administrative offices and support spaces across campus. With open floor plates in each building, accessibility is efficient and encourages people from various departments to interact.

Common spaces, conference rooms and break areas are also located on every floor to further encourage collaboration and teaming. All of these factors enrich the workspace and are vital to enabling scientific exploration and research.

At the same time, the design emphasizes integration within the neighborhood and surrounding community through features like a pedestrian-friendly path to the citys oldest park and a publicly accessible courtyard with a wooded boardwalk and suspended cable lights.

This transparency across the campus earned praise from the American Institute of Architects Washington Council, which noted it allows for a connection to the environment and vibrant natural light and seamlessly integrates stunning architecture with community purpose.

A new aesthetic

At the start of design, South Lake Union consisted primarily of dated, single-story manufacturing and automotive buildings.

With a modern design of aluminum, steel and glass, Perkins+Will introduced a new contemporary aesthetic to the neighborhood, and a look quite different from other medical and scientific buildings in the region. The rhythm of glass and aluminum curtain walls creates a modern visual experience unlike anything else in the neighborhood.

While designing a modern aesthetic, the team also introduced a new way of thinking about building performance and sustainability. Green strategies like chilled beams, radiant cooling systems, natural daylighting, exterior sunshades, sustainably harvested wood and low-water-use landscaping are embedded throughout the campus, highlighting the teams commitment to environmentally conscious design practices.

Once in a lifetime does a project of this caliber come to light, offering the rare opportunity for true transformation. From delivery model and programming to design and construction, innovative strategies were used to meet ambitious goals.

Its vision set into action the development of an emerging neighborhood, creating today what has become an icon of one of the worlds leading scientific communities.

Anthony Gianopoulos is a principal with the Seattle office of Perkins+Will.





Other Stories:
Eastside Preps versatile arts hall made for concerts, plays and yoga

With help from a sky wall, the theater balcony can be transformed into a lecture hall or activity space.



By ERIC PETERSEN

Schuchart

Petersen

TALI Hall is a new 105,000-square-foot performing arts building for Eastside Preparatory School in Kirkland. The letters it in its name stand for think, act, lead, innovate.

This building supports the schools commitment to connecting performing arts to learning across varying disciplines and the school community. Housing a 500-plus-seat auditorium, 21 classrooms, multipurpose spaces and conference rooms, the space was designed for maximum flexibility and adaptability.

Space transformation is key to this building. The auditorium transforms to meeting spaces, and a theater balcony becomes a lecture hall and moonlights as a yoga studio. Add in two floors of underground parking for 100 cars, and TALI nearly doubles the campus space for program and parking.

The project team worked closely, coordinating its design and construction efforts to get TALI Hall ready for its grand opening this coming school year.

There are a lot of moving parts when you build a project of this magnitude. It was important the team was on the same page, said TJ Modica, senior project manager at Schuchart.

Drawing on design cues from its sister building, the Macaluso Academic Collaborative, the building embraces the materials that compose it. Large expanses of glass and steel on the exterior transfer to the interior, and concrete columns and floors are left exposed, giving a glimpse into the buildings bones.

Structure takes form

Rendering by Public47 [enlarge] TALI Hall will have 21 classrooms, dedicated arts spaces and a 500-plus-seat auditorium.





Twenty feet below grade level, TALI Halls journey began with excavating more than 20,000 cubic yards of earth to make room for underground parking.

The combination of soil nails and a tieback system held back the remaining earth while the new 18-inch mat-slab foundation was poured. Add in columns and four post-tensioned slabs, and the four-story building began to take form.

A three-story atrium topped with a 40-foot skylight draws light and air into the building core, while a roof terrace creates a green space for interaction and learning.

Focus on arts

The school offers a wide variety of music, theater, choir, visual arts, art, photography and filmmaking classes.

These offerings allow students to progress from the basic understanding of the mechanics of a skill to proficiency in performance and expression. The new space complements these courses by creating a flex space that can be configured to meet the needs of the curriculum.

The auditorium has retractable seating to provide access for full-floor events and functions. It can also be configured for traditional proscenium-style and theater-in-the-round performances.

The balcony space has a sky wall that divides the theater and balcony, creating a 130-seat lecture space, a yoga studio or a multipurpose meeting space.







The technical spaces improve the teaching environment for theater with lighting/sound system upgrades and a wire tension grid for safe teaching 8 feet above the stage floor. Administrative offices and study spaces are distributed throughout the building, promoting spontaneous interactions among staff, educators and students.

Dedicated spaces

TALI Hall offers a solution to the high demand for expanded performing arts offerings. In the 2016-2017 school year, 94 percent of Eastside Prep students participated in at least one music, drama or visual art class.

The music program will benefit from dedicated classrooms and performance spaces with appropriate acoustic treatment, greatly improving the experience for both performers and audiences.

The theater program is looking forward to the flexibility the space has to offer. The stage is large enough to hold a full orchestra and choir, but can also be reconfigured to house smaller plays and performances.

The large set-making shop will facilitate more detailed instruction regarding construction processes and set design, enhancing the performance experience.

TALI Hall offers dedicated art spaces equipped with sinks, work space, cupboards and storage  something the prior spaces did not have.

The 2018-2019 school year will mark the 16th academic year for Eastside Preparatory School. What began with 16 students and six employees has grown to 470 students and more than 100 employees. Since its founding in 2002, Eastside Prep has stayed true to its commitment to help students create their own learning experiences in a kind and supportive environment.

We admit students as individuals, and they graduate as community members, said Terry Macaluso, Eastside Preps head of school.

Eric Peterson manages Schucharts Ground Up division. Schuchart is a family-owned, full-service general contractor serving commercial clients in the Puget Sound region.





Other Stories:
Studies suggest design really can affect how well students learn

Students do best when they have visual stimulation, natural surroundings and control over their environment.



By PHILIP RIEDEL and ALYSON MAHOE

NAC Architecture

Riedel

Mahoe

Environmental psychology is the interdisciplinary study of how our surroundings shape our behavior, mindset and performance.

The principles of environmental psychology have been applied to numerous settings, including work environments, retail spaces and health care facilities. As architects dedicated to creating next-generation learning spaces, we believe that the approach to designing educational environments has a lot of potential to benefit from this field.

While increasing evidence points to the correlation between the physical environment and academic success, studying the effects of environments on learning is notoriously difficult due to the variety of factors that affect learning outcomes for each student. That being said, scholars continue to study this relationship in order to further understand how a building can affect learning.

What research says

Recently, researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia reviewed thousands of articles searching for evidence of environmental effects on learning outcomes. Through this examination, they determined that emerging evidence shows a trend that spatial design does positively impact student learning outcomes. (Read the report online at http://bit.ly/2ME8ywO.)

Photo by Benjamin Benschneider [enlarge] Students at Wilson High in Tacoma can slide walls and move furniture to customize their study areas.





While admitting that the evidence is limited and more research is needed, University of Melbourne researchers found several studies in the last decade that show spatial factors account for a significant portion of the variance in learning outcomes.

These results affirm the findings of a previous study from the University of Salford in England, which support the idea that students in innovative learning environments significantly outperformed their peers in traditional schools.

The study grouped environmental factors into three categories, and identified which were found to be significantly influential:

 Naturalness: light, air quality, temperature, acoustics, links to nature

 Individualization: flexibility, ownership, connection

 Stimulation: complexity, color

High-performance building design (lighting, acoustics, air quality, etc.) accounted for 10 to 16 percent of the variance in student academic scores. Also, blended learning environments, which combine advances in technology with traditional teaching, account for a statistically significant improvement in scores.

So how can the results from these studies be applied by architects and planners interested in evidence-based design? NAC Architecture has had the opportunity to incorporate many of these design elements that have been found to support better learning outcomes in our recent pre-K-12 projects.

Links to nature

At Bellevue School Districts Bennett Elementary, abundant daylighting is provided throughout the school, particularly in learning spaces such as the library, classrooms and shared areas. Sunshades help avoid direct sunlight and reduce glare on the south side of the building.

The LED light fixtures automatically dim when daylight is sufficient. Operable windows in classrooms are combined with a ground-source heat exchange system for great indoor-air quality and temperature control.

All classrooms and shared areas have views to exterior green spaces, including courtyards and green roofs. Outside play areas take advantage of the sites terraced hillside and existing trees, creating a strong link to nature.

Personalized spaces

The new academic building at Tacomas Wilson High School features general classrooms, a culinary lab and a media classroom with a TV studio, all within a highly adaptable, collaborative environment.

A variety of learning spaces support flexibility and customization, including informal shared areas, classrooms that can be combined and/or opened to shared areas with operable partitions, a large learning stair and small conference rooms for focused group work.

Students feel ownership of the space when they utilize white-board walls, personalize the art gallery and pin-up display areas, and arrange the flexible furniture for impromptu discussions. Connections among these different spaces are enhanced by wide, shared learning areas with soft seating and clear sightlines.

Visual stimulation

The Salford study determined that the benefits of environmental stimulation form a curve.

While both the most complex and least complex environments create poor learning conditions, an intermediate level of complexity is optimal. Similarly, the study found that a mid-level of color benefits learning  present, but not too strong.

At the Lake Stevens School Districts new Early Learning Center, varying levels of visual stimulation were incorporated throughout the building.

An abstract tree made from wood slats and accents of colored glass at the lobby introduce visual complexity as students enter. However, this complexity is reduced in the classroom wings, which have soft textures and some curved walls and ceiling elements in the shared areas.

The colors in these learning areas are rich, but not overly bright.

Best practices

It is worth noting that all of the studies cited above mention the need for additional research. Even so, when taken together the findings provide actionable evidence that can inform our designs.

As we have seen in our own experience, the Pacific Northwest school design community understands many of the elements highlighted in this research as effective, considering them to be best practices for creating educational facilities.

It is useful to see the percentages associated with their impact, particularly when budget or schedule implications require choices to be made. Informed with this data, school designers can help their clients make the best decisions to provide optimal learning environments for students.

Philip Riedel is a principal at NAC Architecture and president of the Association for Learning Environments, Pacific Northwest Region. Alyson Mahoe is a member of NACs Research & Experience Development team.





Other Stories:
The first exhibition has 136 photos and three articles on display on the close relationship between the two parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos over the past time.

Meanwhile, the second exhibition displays 57 photos and 27 articles on the image of Vietnamese women during the fierce time of the resistance war. The pictures depict the struggle of Vietnamese women in the Southern region during the anti-American resistance war and the image of women in the Northern region during the Three Responsibilities movement.

According to Nguyen Thuy Phuong Hieu, Director of the Dak Lak Provincial Museum, the photo exhibition aims to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day of Vietnam, as well as the 88th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Women's Union, the 56th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 41 years since the signing of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Agreement.

The exhibitions will run until October 30.
Meet the Iraqi Assyrians Trapped in Immigration Limbo

( Mohamed Azakir/reuters/Newscom) AMMAN -- "Can you believe that I will be the grandson of an American?" Although he's in the Kingdom of Jordan, 24-year-old Iraqi refugee Remel Somo is thinking of Detroit. His relatives have been living there for years, and his grandmother is about to be naturalized. A week later, Remel has much more sobering news. Two of his classmates, brothers, have just had an accident while illegally crossing into Europe. One of them died, and the other is severely injured. They had waited four years in Lebanon, exhausting all legal means of leaving the Middle East. Chaldean-Assyrians, also known as Syriac Christians, have fled Iraq en masse, targeted over the past few decades for their ethnicity (neither Kurdish nor Arab) and religion. But rising anti-immigrant sentiments in the West have separated more recent Chaldean-Assyrian refugees from their relatives in the diaspora, with many families waiting for years--or risking their savings and lives--to reunite. Remel's aunt Reva fled Iraq in 2000--then 21 years old--when her brother was going to be conscripted into Saddam Hussein's army. "There was no future in Iraq," she complains, describing a climate of paranoia. Remel, who was a young child at the time, says that unsuccessful escapees from the draft were often mutilated. Reva's family traveled through Jordan to Austria, but eventually settled with their relatives in Michigan's decades-old Chaldean-Assyrian community. Reva is adamant that she and her siblings did not receive any welfare, even paying back their plane tickets. She initially worked ten hour days to pay off her debts. However, the hard work eventually paid off. Reva brought over her husband Hani from Germany. He now works six days a week in construction. Although she's friends with people from Detroit's many ethnic groups, Reva spends much of her time with the Chaldean Catholic Church: "it brings people together. It's like your Chaldean space." After volunteering daily at her children's school, Reva was offered a job there, where she now does a variety of tasks, including caring for special needs children. "I appreciate this country a million times," Reva says, "I did all the things here I couldn't do at home." But Remel's immediate family stayed in Iraq longer than any of their relatives, losing two people during the US occupation. Remel finally fled with his parents and siblings in 2016 after Islamic State (ISIS) conquered much of Iraq, as Remel's vocal stances on minority rights made him a potential target. The State Department recognizes ISIS' violence against Shiite Muslims, Yezidis, and Chaldean-Assyrians as a genocide, but at the same time, the U.S. has become less welcoming to Iraqi minorities. "[Iraqi Muslims] think it's easier for Christians, but the immigration process is random," Remel says. Despite the Trump administration's rhetoric about protecting Middle Eastern minorities, it has reduced the number of refugees the U.S. admits--including Christian refugees--to historic lows. President Trump has also attacked pathways for family unification as "chain migration." After the administration removed Iraq from its controversial travel ban, Immigration and Customs Enforcement aggressively went after Chaldean-Assyrian and Kurdish communities across America. Remel points out that Chaldean-Assyrians are victims of the very terrorists America is fighting. "[Chaldean-Assyrians] are thirsty to live free, pray free," he says. Reva has tried to bring her relatives from Jordan to America, but describes a Kafkaesque bureaucratic process that's only gotten stricter over the past few years. Hani is also trying to bring over his own niece, who worked with U.S. forces in Iraq.
After eight days of painting, 12 3D mural paintings were completed on August 30, thanks to efforts from 12 artists who are volunteers from different provinces and cities nationwide.

On Thursday morning, the paintings were handed over to the Management Board of Ly Son Marine Reserve in Ly Son island district. The murals are the result of a 3D painting volunteer programme on Ly Son Island co-organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Ly Son Marine Reserve, AkzoNobel and various partners.

The programme, launched on August 22, is part of a series of activities aimed at preserving the marine environment around the island.

The mural village promises to become an attractive tourist destination.

Apart from the 12 3D frescoes, there are many paintings on the entrances to local homes and the walls of households on Be (Little) Islet - under Ly Son Island, using Dulux Weathershield paint.

This is the second year that the programme has been implemented after its first launch in June 2017, with 12 frescos in various sizes focusing on the message of protecting the marine environment and the harmony between people and nature, while calling on the community to reduce the use of plastic bottles and bags.

Painters express their love towards the sea and islands in their paintings, encouraging local people to actively participate in protecting the marine environment.

The presence of the murals on the beautiful, romantic, island will also become a destination for community-based tourism, helping local people improve their livelihoods and reduce the pressure to exploit near-shore fisheries, said a representative from the organising board.

It is the people who find that the island they live on is becoming more green and beautiful through the creativity and enthusiasm of the artists and they will then find themselves responsible for contributing to the environmental protection here, the representative added.

We believe that a village in the middle of the sea with artful frescoes containing clear messages will inspire all locals and visitors to consciously preserve the beauty of one of the most unique places in Vietnam," said Le Nhung, a member of the volunteer group.

The first seven-color road in Vietnam was completed by the group of artists over one night.

Brilliant colours with good quality paint create lively murals.

The joy of a kid standing next to the new wall.

Local people enjoy the murals on a wall at Be Islet.

The murals convey the message of protecting the marine environment.

A tourist takes a photo with the new murals.
The joint statement said President Quang held talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aal and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

During the talks, the two State leaders discussed in depth bilateral, regional and international issues of common concern.

The two leaders affirmed that President Tran Dai Quangs visit is an important landmark in bilateral ties on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relationship. They expressed the belief that the outcomes of the first visit by a Vietnamese President will help consolidate political trust, expand cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, education and training, and promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

The leaders agreed to increase the exchange of all-level delegations through the channels of their governments, parliaments, localities, people and businesses, while optimising existing cooperative mechanisms such as the inter-governmental committee and political consultation, thus strengthening their strategic trust.

They expressed satisfaction at the two countries sound cooperation at regional and international forums such as the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly their support of each other in running for seats in UN agencies. Egypt valued Vietnams candidacy to be a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2020-2021 term. The two sides called on the international community to join hands to prevent and settle armed conflicts by peaceful measures in line with the UN Charters and international law.

The Egyptian side appreciated Vietnams backing of Egypts joining the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. The country pledged to support Vietnam in increasing cooperation with Africa and to work as a bridge between Vietnam and the African Union.

The two leaders agreed to continue promote bilateral ties in the fields of trade and investment, and committed to creating all possible favourable conditions to their businesses to access each others markets.

To soon achieve the goal of 1 billion USD in bilateral trade, the two leaders held that the two countries should take synchronous measures, including advocating liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, supporting a rule-based, fair and inclusive multilateral trade system in which the World Trade Organisation plays the central role. They agreed to increase the exchange of business delegations and the sharing of information, and to hold regular trade fairs and exhibitions, while seeking business and investment opportunities in new fields such as garment-textiles, leather shoes, manufacturing mechanics, consumer goods, food processing, among others.

The two sides highly valued bilateral cultural cooperation and agreed to early organize cultural days/week and exchange in their respective countries.

The two leaders witnessed the signing of several cooperative deals between their ministries, agencies and localities.

Discussing in depth regional and international issues, the two sides held that peace and stability in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa or any other regions in the world is essential for human kinds development and prosperity. They vowed readiness to work together for progress and prosperity of their respective regions.

The two sides affirmed the importance of international cooperation in fighting terrorism, which is a common threat of peace-loving nations. They supported seeking peaceful solutions to the crises in several Middle East countries to ensure those countries unification.

The two leaders reiterated support of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the need for peaceful negotiation in order to reach a fair, comprehensive and final agreement for the Palestine issue on the basis of the two-State solution and the borderline before 1967 with East Jerusalem being the capital of the State of Palestine.

The two sides reiterated the wish and resolve to maintain a sea order in accordance with principles of international law as expressed in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The PM welcomed Minister OConnor, who is also Minister of Trade and Export Growth, to visit Vietnam and recalled his successful visit to New Zealand in March 2018. He took this occasion to thank New Zealand for providing official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam over the past time.

The bilateral cooperation potential remains huge, including the production of Vietnamese avocado for exports, he said. New Zealand is hoped to help Vietnam organise production and create a value chain for Vietnamese dragon fruit to boost exports of this fruit to the world, the PM said.

The guest expressed his impression on the dynamic development of Vietnam and said he some working sessions with Vietnamese ministries, departments and localities to seek stronger collaboration in agriculture and other fields. He agreed with the PMs proposal of building a value chain for Vietnamese dragon fruit and boasted that New Zealand has been successful in developing a value chain for its kiwi from the selection of good varieties to preservation and overseas shipment. New Zealand is willing to support Vietnam in this field as well as in the management of food safety and other realms, he affirmed.

PM Phuc stressed that Vietnam always attaches great importance to the ASEAN-New Zealand strategic partnership and revealed that Vietnam will be Chair of ASEAN in 2020  the year marking the 45th founding anniversary of the bilateral partnership and fifth anniversary of the strategic partnership. He asked New Zealand to closely work with Vietnam to host conferences between ASEAN and its partners.

The PM added that Vietnam is determined to ratify the Comprehensive Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2018 and hopes New Zealand will soon ratify this pact. He urged the two countries to promote cooperation in trade and investment, especially increasing the bilateral trade which remains modest at present.






US dairy cooperative welcomes new US-Mexico FTA

US dairy cooperative Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative applauded a recent announcement that the US has reached a free trade deal with Mexico.



While full text of the deal has not yet been announced, the Office of the US Trade Representative has indicated that it would maintain zero tariffs on dairy and all other agricultural products and create standards for geographical indication.



Mexico also agreed to not restrict market access for commonly named US cheeses.

Congress will ultimately have to approve the agreement.

Both US President Donald Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto expressed support for Canada joining the agreement, but Trump said a separate deal may be necessary.

"This is terrific news. No country imports more of our dairy products than Mexico. The prospect of losing that market has caused a lot of anxiety over the past several months," said Brody Stapel, president of Edge Dairy.

"...we should celebrate this for the major step forward that it is and give the administration credit for making it happen. We should also encourage the administration to capitalise on this momentum in our negotiations with Canada and other existing and potentially new trading partners. Our dairy farmers want access to new international markets, and we don't want to lose the good ones we already have."

- Edge




Jamaica Broilers Group buys US feed mill in Georgia state



As part of an expansion in the US market, Jamaica Broilers Group (JBH) has bought a feed mill based in Georgia, US, for an undisclosed sum.

The company is currently finalising the asset purchases agreement with Crystal Farm Mills through its subsidiary Wincorp Properties, but has already taken over daily operations at the facility.



Speaking with Loop News, Ian Parsard, JBG's group senior vice president (finance and corporate planning), said the company has been growing its business in Jamaica, US and Haiti - the three markets in which it operates.



"So now, the acquisition of the feed mill is a continuation of that expansion we are experiencing in the US. We expect our revenues to grow as a result, as well as the profitability of the company," Parsard said.



He expects to see as much as 15% growth from that acquisition over the next five years, noting: "We could experience higher growth rate if additional acquisitions are done during that time period."



The purchase of the feed mill will enable the company to supply feed to their customers in Georgia and neighbouring states. It will also allow JBG to control the feed supply to its breeder flock operations located in north and south Georgia, according to Parsard.



"So it's beginning to build out an integrated poultry operation in the US, similar to what we have here in Jamaica," he explained. "It has synergies in terms of what we are currently doing as well as the prospects to continue the growth."



As it relates to JBG's most recent investment in its hatcheries, Parsard said the operation has been performing well.



"The performance of the hatchery is excellent, we have been done a lot of work, freshening up the hatchery, getting it up to the JB standards. So far, it has been performing well for us," Parsard said.



In the company's annual report, Stephen Levy, president of US operations for JBG, said the operations up north had experienced another remarkable year in profitability, growth, market diversification and presence.



For 2017 - 2018, Jamaica Broilers saw its profit decrease by 11% compared to the prior year. Revenue for the period, however, increased by 9%, with total assets of $31 billion, 13% more than the prior year.



- Loop




Aussie PM expected to ink free trade deal with Indonesia during visit

Newly seated Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hopes to ink a free trade agreement with Indonesia when he visits Southeast Asia's largest economy on Friday, Aug. 31.

The FTA is of utmost importance to Australia's agricultural sector, with wheat constituting half of Australia's agri exports to Indonesia.

According to a report by ABC, pressure was mounting on Morrison to secure the trade deal with Indonesia as grain growers foresee exports to expand even more under an FTA.

For example, Australia and China signed an FTA in December 2015 and agricultural exports rose 10% or more than A$1 billion (US$728.91 million) in the following financial year, according to the ABC report.

"For the grains sector, this is probably the most significant one we've had for quite some time," Andrew Weidemann, a grain grower from western Victoria, was quoted as saying in a report by ABC.

Australia's other top agricultural exports to Indonesia include live animals and beef, aside from sugar and cotton.

ABC said that if signed, this would be the fourth Asian trade deal secured by the Coalition Government, following agreements with South Korea, Japan and China.

It would be Indonesia's first free trade deal in almost a decade.
At the reception, Chief Justice Nguyen Hoa Binh informed the Lao Party General Secretary and President on the outcomes of talks between the supreme peoples courts of the two countries.

The two sides have regularly exchanged delegations and shared experience in judging activities and judicial reform at the central level. Meanwhile, many courts in the border provinces have signed memoranda of understanding to create a legal foundation for promoting cooperation in fighting crime. They have also coordinated to carry out joint activities, especially in judicial entrustment, in an effective manner, thus greatly helping with the settlement of criminal, civil and marital cases.

On the occasion, the official also presented VND500 million (over US$21,500) donated by staff of the Vietnamese court sector to help Lao people affected by the recent dam collapse.

Speaking at the reception, the Lao Party General Secretary and President spoke highly of the effective cooperation between both countries supreme peoples courts over the past.

Vietnam was the first country to help Laos overcome the consequences of the recent collapse of the Sepien-Senamnoi hydropower dam in Attapeu province, he said, affirming the response as a vivid manifestation of the special relationship of the two countries.
Turkey celebrates the 96th anniversary of Victory Day

Turkey on Thursday celebrated the 96th anniversary of Victory Day, which commemorates the resounding defeat of the Greek forces at hands of the Turks in the Battle of Dumlupnar in 1922.

It is the commemoration of the Turkish victory in the final battle of the 1919 to 1923 Turkish War of Independence. The battle was fought at Dumlupnar against Greek forces in western Turkey between August 26th and 30th. The war itself officially ended on October 29th, 1923, when Turkey was declared a republic and the modern secular state was established.

THE 96TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GREAT VICTORY

President Erdogan, senior government and high-ranking military officials and opposition leaders laid a wreath at Antkabir, the mausoleum of Turkish Republic's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in capital Ankara. "Today as a nation, we are proudly commemorating the 96th anniversary of the great victory, which led to our independence," Erdogan wrote in the Antkabir memorial book. "The recent increase in threats, violations and attacks on our country's sovereignty will never restrain us from reaching our ideals and goals."





Civilians were also allowed to attend the official ceremony, which was held under tight security measures. Earlier, Erdogan also issued a Twitter message to mark Victory Day. "August 30 indicates to us that there is always a clear path ahead towards achieving success, no matter how tough the circumstances are," he said.
This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon!

Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page?
The two trips, made at the invitation of Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, have recorded positive outcomes regarding the exchange of content between all sides, successful documents signed, as well as President Quangs sideline activities.

In Ethiopia from August 23-25, President Quang held talks with Ethiopian President Teshome and also had separate meetings with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Speaker of the House of Federation Keria Ibrahim.

His later visit to Egypt from August 25-29 took place at a time when the two countries are celebrating 55 years of diplomatic relations. President Quang held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and met with Speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aal and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

At the end of each visit, a joint statement was issued, setting out major orientations and laying the basis for bilateral cooperation in the near future.

Boosting economic, trade, and investment collaboration was a key aspect of the Vietnamese Presidents visits to Ethiopia and Egypt, which are substantial markets of around 100 million people each. Egypt is now one of the three leading economies in Africa, while the Ethiopian economy has grown at an annual average rate of 10% in the last decade.

At their meetings, President Quang and leaders of the two countries extensively discussed specific solutions to encourage and create favorable conditions for their business communities to engage in networking and market expansion. Vietnam can assist Ethiopia and Egypt in accessing the ASEAN market, while the latters can help Vietnam enter the considerable markets of the Middle East and Africa.

As part of its foreign policy, Vietnam has always attached importance to traditional ties with Africa, having established diplomatic relations with 53 out of the 55 countries to date. In 2017, Vietnam-Africa trade reached approximately US$6.7 billion.

Within the framework of his visit to Ethiopia, the Vietnamese President visited the headquarters of the African Union (AU) and met with Acting President of the AU Commission Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil.

At the meeting, President Quang stated that developing countries, like Vietnam and several African nations, should work together and support each other to increase their voices and roles at multilateral cooperation mechanisms, such as the Non-Aligned Movement, and the South-South cooperation framework.

He suggested that Vietnam and the AU set up an annual dialogue to implement synchronous and large scale collaborative projects with the region and other countries, thus enhancing their coordination at international forums to defend the interests of developing nations.

The two leaders agreed to study a cooperation model, as well as boost exchanges of information and experience in the fields of common interest, such as the UN peacekeeping mission, agriculture, education, infrastructure, IT, and telecommunication.
Cuong lauded NZs modern and eco-friendly agricultural industry, in particular its widespread organic farming which, he said, provides a model for not only Vietnam but other countries worldwide too.

According to him, NZs agricultural sector holds its strengths in technology, state governance, and manufacturing, while Vietnam still holds huge potential for its farm produce. However, the value of Vietnamese farm produce remains low with weak competitiveness and a lack of trademarks, and as such quality supervision is needed to expand its market range.

He said Vietnam needs NZs assistance with standardisation; chain management experience; personnel training for State agencies, schools, institutes, and businesses; and facilitation of cooperation among businesses.

Over the past few years, NZ has helped Vietnam through specific projects, particularly those regarding animal breeding and response to natural disasters.

The host wished that NZ would promptly offer technical support in building trademarks and developing markets for dragon fruit and kiwi fruit, adding that Vietnam will review procedures for joint projects so as to accelerate their progress and build specific cooperation schemes.

OConnor, who is also NZ Minister for Trade and Export Growth, said Vietnam and NZ have signed an agreement on food safety and biosecurity, adding that both sides could work closely together in the future granting e-licences to facilitate trade.

The guest expressed his support for ASEANs one-stop shop mechanism which, he said, will facilitate technological application and trade.

He added that NZ wants to supply food to the world and partner with Vietnam to improve its capacity and manufacturing. He hoped that Vietnam will assist the country in supplying products to the world.

At the meeting, the two ministers witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation.
Malaysias former spy chief Hasanah Abdul Hamid after her arrest WednesdayEight former agents from Malaysias foreign intelligence agency were arrested this week for allegedly stealing $12 million in government funds.

The arrests are part of an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission or MACC.

The agents worked for the Malaysian External Intelligence Organization or MEIO. Its former chief, Hasanah Abdul Hamid, was arrested earlier this week for allegedly diverting election funds.

MACC deputy commissioner Azam Baki told the press Thursday, We are looking into possible abuse of power by the officers involved, and the misuse of funds, which we believe were government funds.

Investigators recovered about $6.5 million in cash and valuables from MEIOs headquarters in Malaysias capital, Putrajaya, and other locations.

Azam said police also detained a Malaysian businessman with permanent residence status in the United Kingdom.

The money recovered from MEIO was probably brought into Malaysia from another country, Azam said.

He didnt directly link the money to the 1MDB scandal. But investigators are looking into that angle also, Azam said.

1MDB, short for 1Malaysia Development Berhad, was a sovereign wealth fund set up in 2009. Malaysian officials and others allegedly looted the fund, diverting up to $4.5 billion, according to the U.S. Justice Department and investigators in Switzerland and Singapore.

Earlier this month, former Prime Minister Najib Razak was charged in Malaysia with laundering about $10 million allegedly stolen from a unit of 1MDB.

He pleaded not guilty in court.

Najib headed 1MDB from 2009 until his ruling coalition lost power in elections in May.

Under the new prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, police have seized $273 million worth of cash, jewelry, handbags, watches, and other valuables from houses and condos owned by Najib and his wife.

A month ago, Indonesia returned to Malaysia a $250 million yacht allegedly bought with money stolen from 1MDB.

The U.S. DOJ alleged in 2016 court filings that more than $4.5 billion was looted from 1MDB from 2009 through 2015 by high-level officials of the fund and their associates. Najib wasnt named.

The DOJ filed forfeiture actions against nearly $1.7 billion of 1MDB-linked assets.

_____

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.
A former Geneva-based oil trader was given an 18-month suspended sentence for bribing officials in Africa in exchange for oil shipments.



Pascal Collard, a Belgian with Swiss residence, admitted bribing officials in the Congo and Ivory Coast.

The Swiss Federal Criminal Court said Tuesday he must also pay $33,850 in court costs.

Collard formerly worked for Geneva-based trading giant Gunvor.

He allegedly said his former bosses knew about the bribery, according to an investigative report by Public Eye, a Swiss transparency group.

Gunvor has denied the allegations. It wholly rejects the possibility of a conscious and desired involvement of any other employee or executive, the company said in a statement to Bloomberg.

Gunvor Groups revenues in 2017 were $63 billion. It has 1,600 employees in trading offices in Geneva

Singapore, Houston, Nassau, Stamford, Shanghai, and Dubai.

Gunvor told Bloomberg that Collard tried to fragment, compartmentalize and falsify information, purposely preventing his colleagues from having a concrete and overall view of the facts that have occurred in Congo-Brazzaville.

Public Eye alleged Tuesday that Gunvors CEO gave his approval for a Congolese public official to be hired as an intermediary.

A special advisor to the president of Congo received more than $10 million dollars in commissions through Geneva-based bank, Clariden Leu, Public Eye said.

About $2.4 million benefited the presidential family, particularly the First Lady of Congo Brazzaville, Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, and the President Denis Sassou Nguesso, according to Public Eye.

The Natural Resource Governance Institute published a report in 2016 that talked about the graft risk in oil trading and other commodities.

Public Eye said Tuesday, This landmark case shows that Switzerland needs to regulate the Swiss commodities trading sector.

____

Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog.
Zafer Bayram (Victory Day)

Every nation has days of special significance.

For Turkey, one of the most important days in the countrys history is August 30, Zafer Bayram (Victory Day).

Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I, Turkey was occupied by allied forces.

This led to the start of the Turkish War of Independence in 1919, with the Turkish forces led by General Mustafa Kemal.

Ataturk commanding his troops at the Battle of Dumlupnar. Image by Mustafa Sururi Taylan

Victory Day commemorates the Turkish victory over Greek forces in the Battle of Dumlupnar (August 26-30, 1922). The outcome of the battle, which took place in Kutahya province in western Turkey, determined the overall outcome of the Turkish War of Independence (1919-1923).

Although foreign forces left the country for good in the autumn of 1922, Turkish people accept August 30 as the date of the Turkish troops overall victory. Victory Day was first celebrated in only a few cities in Turkey  such as Ankara, Izmir and Afyonkarahisar  on August 30, 1923. It became a national holiday in 1935.

The day also honours the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Celebrations of joy and enthusiasm.

Victory Day is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm across Turkey and in the northern part of Cyprus. It is a celebration of the Turkish military and the Turkish republic. The main celebration is held at Ataturks Mausoleum in Ankara.

State officials attend a ceremony at Ataturks Mausoleum in Ankara (AA Photo)

Victory Day parade in Ankara in 2018 (Photo Mustafa Kaya)

All promotions in the Turkish Armed Forces take place on this day, and military schools hold annual graduation ceremonies on August 30.

Banks, council offices and the Turkish stock exchange will be closed on Victory day.

Zafer Bayram Kutlu Olsun

This article may also be of interest to you.

Sources: Wikipedia/Daily Sabah
Makeblock, a Shenzen, China-based STEAM education solution provider, closed RMB 300M (approx. US$44m) in Series C funding at the latest valuation of RMB 2.5 billion (approx. US$367m).

The round was led by CICC ALPHA, with participation from Yuexiu Industrial Investment Fund, GX Capital and Everest Capital (LMFVC).

The company will use funds to accelerate R&D, marketing and global operations.

Led by Jasen Wang, Founder and CEO, Makeblock provides STEAM education solutions (STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) having worked with over 1,600 global channel partners in over 140 countries and regions. More than 20,000 schools worldwide use its STEAM solution, including 7,000 middle schools in France and over 50% of middle schools in Hong Kong.

The company has over 500 employees and subsidiary companies in America, the Netherlands, Japan and Hong Kong.

FinSMEs

30/08/2018
Soma, a Helsinki, FInland-based decentralized platform that facilitates trade and social interaction powered by blockchain technology, received a 50k funding from Business Finland.

Soma will receive the sum in a Round One, which lasts for two months. Business Finland will assess the companys success in meeting predefined goals, among them the onboarding of retail and manufacturing partners for its upcoming pilot program. Pending the Round One, the company is eligible for 500k to 1m in Round Two and 3m to 20m in Round Three.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its go-to-market strategy and meet its growth targets for the remainder of 2018 and into 2019.

Led by Jukka Hilmola, co-founder and CEO, Soma is a peer-to-peer marketplace that utilizes blockchain technology to leverage social capital. The platform incentivizes users to engage in cooperative behavior using the platforms tokenized rewarding system. Additionally, its enterprise solution protects against forgeries and allows companies to streamline processes and access data points never before available to them.

FinSMEs

30/08/2018
Hiroshi Sakuma affirmed that Mitsubishi is investing in two BOT thermal power projects in Vietnam  Vung Ang 2 with a designed capacity of 1,200MW, and Vinh Tan 3 with a designed capacity of 1,980MW.

Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade and Mitsubishi signed an investment agreement in early 2017, including land lease and power purchase contracts.

Mitsubishi expects that the Vietnamese Government will soon resolve bottlenecks related to tax incentives in order to put the projects into operation, thus increasing the electricity supply capacity for the Vietnamese market, he said.

In addition to these thermal power projects, Mitsubishi plans to invest in an electric car manufacturing factory in Vietnam, he added, noting that the Japanese corporation is currently evaluating the feasibility of the project. It is looking forward to new regulations on environmental protection taxes in order to speed up investment in the factory.

For his part, Deputy PM Hue highly valued Mitsubishis business dealings and investment in energy, infrastructure, trade, and services, affirming that power projects are of national significance in Vietnam.

The Vietnamese Government attaches great interest to the Vung Ang 2 thermal power project and has already agreed on the foreign currency conversion of this project, he said.

He hoped Mitsubishi will continue the necessary works for the two sides to sign cooperation agreements on implementing the projects Vung Ang 2 and Vinh Tan 3 by October 2018 during Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs visit to Japan.

Vietnam hopes that Mitsubishi will promptly decide to invest in the electric car project, he noted.

The National Assembly of Vietnam will discuss and approve the draft law on environmental protection tax in the near future, he said, adding that there will be incentives commensurate with environmentally-friendly products.
He made the statement to the press following the leaders visits, highlighting the trips success as creating a historical milestone for bilateral ties.

Vietnam and Ethiopia agreed to step up the exchange of delegations, especially at a high level, in order to push the impetus for bilateral relations, while also intensifying their coordination at multilateral forums, particularly within the framework of the United Nations (UN).

Ethiopia also committed to sharing its experience with Vietnam in UN peacekeeping operations, Nam said.

Meanwhile, President Quangs visit to Egypt from August 25-28 demonstrated Vietnams wish to promote its relationship with the country in a practical and effective manner.

The two sides agreed to further enhance their ties; increase all-level delegation exchanges via Party, Government, and National Assembly channels and people-to-people diplomacy; and support each other at multilateral forums such as the UN, South-South cooperation, and the Francophone community.

Nam stressed that the main purpose of President Quangs visits was to forge economic, trade, and investment cooperation with Ethiopia and Egypt.

As such, the President held in-depth discussions with Ethiopian and Egyptian leaders on concrete measures to turn their potential into specific results, including creating favourable conditions for businesses to cooperate and penetrate the respective markets.

Vietnam offered to help Ethiopia and Egypt access ASEAN markets while, on the other hand, Vietnamese enterprises would further their reach to African and Arab markets through the two countries, Nam added.

President Tran Dai Quang holds talks with Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome. (Photo: VOV)

The leaders also talked about measures to reinforce collaboration in other fields like agriculture, telecommunications and information-technology, culture, tourism, fishery, transportation, and education-training.

During the visits, Vietnam signed several cooperation documents with the two countries, covering trade, agriculture, finance, oil, training, and cooperation between localities.

At the end of the visits, Vietnam and the two countries issued joint statements chalking up major orientations to boost bilateral ties in the future, the Deputy Minister said.

On this occasion, President Quang visited the headquarters of the African Union (AU) in the Ethiopian capital city of Adis Abiba and had a meeting with AU Acting President Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil to discuss cooperation orientations between Vietnam and the union, as well as its members in various spheres  economy, trade, and investment in particular.

The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) and the determination of AU member countries to step up reforms could create many opportunities for Vietnamese businesses if they know how to utilise them, Nam said.

He noted that President Quang and the AU Acting President concurred to soon establish a suitable dialogue mechanism to promote comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and the union, as well as closely coordinate with each other at multilateral forums, for the sake of developing nations.

* Presidents visits to Ethiopia, Egypt record upbeat outcomes
.       ,      ,     -          .               .       ,        .      . ...
The two sides should also boost their partnerships in education, science-technology and sports, Thuong told UYFC President Hun Many during their meeting in Hanoi on August 29.

He used the occasion to congratulate Cambodia on the successful organisation of its parliamentary elections in July, and the Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) on its victory in the elections, expressing his hope that the party will go on to reap great achievements in the time ahead.

Politburo member Thuong, who is also Head of the Party Central Committees Commission for Information and Education, said he believes that Hun Manys visit will contribute to enhancing the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia, and especially their younger generations.

The Vietnamese official extended his condolences to the victims of the recent fire in Phnom Penh and affirmed Vietnams consistent foreign policy that prioritises its relations with Cambodia.

For his part, Hun Many extended his greetings to the Vietnamese Party, State, and people on the 73rd anniversary of its National Day (September 2).

He said the UYFC will continue its close coordination with the VYF to constructively contribute to the fine neighbourliness, traditional friendship, and comprehensive, sustainable, and long-term cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia.

On the same day, First Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU) Central Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Youth Federation (VYF) Le Quoc Phong held talks with President of the UYFC Hun Many, in which Phong asked for promoting exchanges between the two countries youth.

Phong informed his guest about major activities of the Vietnamese youth over the past years and VYFs orientations in the next period, saying that the 11th National Congress of the HCMCYU was held successfully in late 2017.

He said in the next five years, the VYF will launch three major campaigns, namely voluntary youth, creative youth and vanguard youth in national defence, and three programmes accompanying young people in study, start-ups and social skill improvement.

The host suggested promoting the exchange of voluntary youths in localities of each side, especially in border provinces, offering mutual support in personnel training and at regional and global forums, and signing cooperation agreements for the new period.

Many, for his part, said UYFC chapters at all levels have raised young peoples awareness of their role in working for Cambodian people, abiding by law, and striving to become a core force of Cambodia.

He said in the near future, the UYFC will step up voluntary youth movement; form links with domestic and foreign organisations, communities and youth unions; ensure security, safety, legal justice and freedom for young people; add their demand into all-level development programmes; and hold vocational training courses on science-technology and social skills for them.
Rain Dove, the model Rose McGowan named in her statement on Monday, confirmed giving investigators a series of text messages in which Asia Argento allegedly admitted to a sexual encounter with a minor.

"I did it because its just the right thing to do," Dove, who prefers non-gendered pronouns, told Fox News on Wednesday.

"I gave this person the opportunity to be honest, and they chose not to be, and I didnt want to be complicit, so I turned them in to the police," the 28-year-old explained.

According to Dove, the text message exchange started when Argento reached out on the day before The New York Times article was published. In the bombshell report, Argento was accused by child star Jimmy Bennett of setting up a sexual encounter with him in California in 2013 when he was 17 and she was 37. The legal age of consent in California is 18.

"It basically said, 'Im in deep sh--. I just barely got this message that, like, Im going to be sunk," recalled Dove of the initial message.

When The New York Times reached out to Argento and her reps for comment on the coming report, Dove advised the actress how to respond, according to the outlet.

"I talked to her and asked her how much of it was BS and how much of it was real, and she said she was completely 100 percent innocent, and she just wanted to get back on track to being an activist in the community," Dove told Fox News. "So I offered to help walk her through the process of what she would need in order to clear her name."

Dove went on to explain that during the process, while asking Argento questions, "it became increasingly apparent that this individual was not only, not telling the truth, but that they didnt intend on ever telling the truth to the public."

"By the end of it, we went from, 'Never slept with anyone and did not do anything' to 'I slept with this person. Ive received nude images from them for years and didnt report them and/or asked them to stop, and Ive continued my communications with this person in a sexual manner.'"

Dove emphasized again that they gave Argento a chance, letting the 42-year-old know that they "felt very strongly that she should do something about it, she should say something, and try to live up to her own ethos."

However, two days after The New York Times article was published, Argento released a statement denying the accusations, saying in a statement given to reporter Yashar Ali: "I strongly deny and oppose the contents of the New York Times article dated 20 August 2018, as circulated also in national and international news.

"I am deeply shocked and hurt by having read news that is absolutely false. I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett."

Dove said they turned the text messages over to the police so as not to "rob" Bennett "of his truth" or the New York Times journalist who published the report "of her integrity." Dove also said they wanted Argento to "be able to stand behind the same truth that she demanded other people had."

"This wasnt a revenge thing, a punishment or a life lesson," Dove said, noting that "in the long run" it will be better for Argento to go through due process.

"If shes able to come back and really remedy with the community, I think its going to make her a stronger ally for the #MeToo movement," Dove explained, adding: "Shell be one of the rare faces who not only has been a victim, but has been the accused, and she can bridge a gap, but in order for that to happen, she has to own up to her own actions."

Dove said they turned over the messages to the police quietly and asked McGowan, 44, who introduced them, to stay silent about it as well.

"Then somebody leaked it to the press, and a lot of speculation swirled about who was the mysterious friend, AKA, that was me, but nobody knew who it was," said Dove, explaining that a few others were blamed as Asia's "friend," and that's why Dove decided to speak up.

"I realized that I wanted to stay silent and anonymous, but unfortunately people were getting injured in the process, so I only came forward to take responsibility for that, so that way there wasnt going to be any further harm to other peoples lives over something that was my doing."

Dove continued, "I spoke to [Argento] after the texts got leaked, and she was convinced Rose and I had leaked the text messages, but of course, in fact, we did not."

The model said they did tell Argento they turned over the messages. "I told her that, 'I have to be honest with you, I brought them to the police.' She said that Im a monster."

Dove added, "I just told her that in order for there to be justice, there has to be truth, and that justice will find its way, but you have to have truth on the table, and she was really angry at that."

A rep for Argento did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.

On Wednesday, Dove also released a lengthy statement on Twitter which read, "I can confirm that the text messages are indeed between Asia Argento and myself."

The statement continued: "When I reported them to police I remained silent socially because I didn't wish to be a part of the narrative or distract from the path to justice."

"While the conflict may feel murky- the situation is cut and dry," they added. "An individual admitted to sexual engagement with a minor (according to the age stated by California) which is an illegal act that can qualify as statutory rape. As well as such they admitted to receiving continued nude images without reporting/blocking the account/written rejection/or action.

"When the individual made it clear that they were not going to be honest about their engagement, I turned in materials that may contribute towards an honest investigation," Dove explained. "All victims deserve justice. Justice can rarely exist without honesty."

Dove went on to say that Argento "asked for assistance" during the case "declaring full innocence," so Dove "systemically took them through the list of things they would need to clear their name."

However, after explaining that they need to "have the intention to do whats necessary to rectify a situation," Dove shared that the actress "did not have that intention."

"This is a person who represents a certain ideal and who has called out for all those accused of sexual assault to be honest about their experiences in order to allow justice for the victims," Dove said. "However when the NYT statement came out, in which Asia denied any sexual engagement thats when it became clear that they were not going to follow their own ethics."

Dove revealed that Argento sent the "original statement" to them before it became public and before she allegedly "had admitted their sexual engagement."

"In it they were dismissive of the victim, put down the integrity of the reporter Kim Severson utilising the guilt power of the opinion of their deceased former partner Anthony Bourdain, and robbed all parties of their truth," Dove said of Argento's statement, adding that "It was painful to read."

Dove continued, "I had hoped that that narrative would change after our conversation but unfortunately the piece went straight to press."

The model explained that before they brought the information they had to the police, they spoke with McGowan.

"I was admittedly a little nervous because I knew that Asia was an important person in Roses life," Dove said, noting: "When confronted with the messages and knowledge that I was going to go to the police, Rose immediately agreed that it was the right action to take.

"No begging or bargaining. No anger. Just very matter of fact," they shared. "I know this is a painful loss of community in Roses life and Im proud of her dedication to the truth. Its tempting to many to cover for their loved ones during rough times, but when a victim is involved on the other end we must think of them. True justice has no bias."

Last week, Bennett, now 22, broke his silence in a statement obtained by Deadline, saying: "I did not initially speak out about my story because I chose to handle it in private with the person who wronged me.

"My trauma resurfaced as she came out as a victim herself. I have not made a public statement in the past days and hours because I was ashamed and afraid to be part of the public narrative."

On August 19, The New York Times reported, citing court documents, that Argento paid roughly $380,000 to Bennett after he confronted her regarding the alleged sexual encounter that took place in 2013 in a California hotel room.

In the documents, Bennett sought to sue Argento for the alleged encounter at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey, Calif. At that time, Bennett allegedly showed him notes she had previously written to him and gave him alcohol. She then reportedly kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, performed oral sex on him and then the two had intercourse.

Last Wednesday, TMZ published a photo and text messages that appeared to contradict Argento's claim that nothing sexual happened between she and Bennett.

The celebrity gossip site reported that the photo of Argento and Bennett  in which they both appeared topless  was taken in a hotel room back in 2013. Citing "sources," TMZ reported that the photo was taken after "intercourse."

TMZ also published text messages reportedly "between Argento and one of her friends" last week in which a person the site claimed was Argento admitted to having sex with a minor. It was unclear how TMZ obtained the photo and alleged conversation.
Just two days after it was announced that Alec Baldwin would be playing Batmans father, Thomas Wayne, in Joaquin Phoenixs Joker movie, he revealed that hes exited the project.

Variety confirmed the news on Wednesday after the actor told USA Today that hed be dropping out.

Im no longer doing that movie, he told the outlet. Im sure there are 25 guys who can play that part.

Thomas Wayne first entered the comic-book lore in 1939, the father of Bruce Wayne and husband of Martha Wayne. A gifted physician and philanthropist to Gotham City, his and his wifes murder would go on to serve as Bruce Waynes inspiration to become Batman and fight crime.

Baldwin also cited scheduling issues to USA Today, but just earlier on Wednesday, he had taken to Twitter to dispel rumors that his Thomas Wayne would be inspired by Donald Trump. Baldwin won an Emmy for portraying Trump on Saturday Night Live last year and is up for another Emmy for the role this year.

Let me state, for the record, that I have NOT been hired to play a role in Todd Phillips JOKER as some Donald Trump manque, Baldwin wrote. That is not happening. Not. Happening.

Phoenix will star as the titular villain in the Warner Bros. film, which will delve into how he became the Clown Prince of Crime. Todd Phillips will co-write and direct.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post.
Mike Rowe has made a name for himself by showcasing the unsung heroes of America, a task he says is made easier by the fact that he tries his best to avoid getting political, even in turbulent times.

The former Dirty Jobs host focuses his efforts today on addressing the skill gap thats reportedly left millions of jobs unclaimed. Through his foundation, mikeroweWORKS, he gives scholarship money to help teach those that are willing to learn a skill and do a dirty job.

In a recent interview with UPROXX, Rowe explained how his political opinions on the subject of the skill gap and the economy can end up polarizing too much of the country that he needs to hear his message.

Its tricky, because to say the economy is going great is a very macro thing to say. I think hes right in general terms, but thats cold comfort to a lot of people for whom the economy is not going great, he said when asked about President Trumps claims that the economy is better than ever. Look, the reason I avoid politics is that everything you say as a politician has to, by definition, be a generalization. You can only talk about the value of education in a very broad way. You cant really talk about whats best for the individual. You have to talk about whats best for the most people.

He continued: The reason the skills gap gets politicized is because opportunity has become politicized. People have to try and figure out what that really means to them. For instance, if I tell you that there are 6 million jobs today that cant be filled, typically my friends on the right will say, Well, thats because people are fundamentally lazy. My friends on the left will say, Well, thats because employers are fundamentally greedy.

While he stopped short of commenting on his own political opinions, he was willing to express what he thinks the issue with the skill gap is. He feels that the issue has to do with people misunderstanding the difference between a job and a career.

If a ditch-digger has become a non-aspirational job, well, okay, that happens to be the way the winds blowing right now, and I get it, he said. A ditch-digger, in and of itself, is not glamorous, and its not sexy, but digging ditches is a rung on a ladder. If you remove that rung, or if you make that rung so unappealing that nobody wants to step on it, then its going to be very hard for people in that vertical to get to whatevers next.
Looks like Kanye West and Drake's feud isn't coming to an end any time soon.

On Wednesday, West addressed their bad blood which was recently rekindled after the 41-year-old rapper produced Pusha T's album, "Daytona," which includes the song "Infrared" that takes shots at Drake. After Drake released "Duppy Freestyle" -- targeting both Pusha T and West -- in response, Pusha T released his devastating diss track titled "The Story of Adidon." The scathing track accused Drake of having a secret illegitimate son, as well as unearthed a photo of Drake wearing blackface, which Drake later addressed.

West was conciliatory towards Drake during his appearance on Chicagos 107.5 WGCI Morning Show, and insisted that he didn't give Pusha T the material for "The Story of Adidon." However, he did call Drake "insensitive" for continuing the feud during the time that West was taking a break in Wyoming after receiving massive backlash thanks to his infamous comments that slavery was a choice on "TMZ Live."

Kanye West Shares Texts With Caitlyn Jenner One Year After Falling Out With Kim Kardashian

We all got love for Drake, West said. We understand that he got upset about ["The Story of Adidon"]. I feel that it was insensitive for him to, in any way, stress me out in any way after TMZ, while Im in Wyoming healing, pulling all the pieces together, working on my music. And you know, well reconcile that one day because we got to, because we got work to do, and these voices is just too powerful.

He also claimed that the two feuded over a beat, which resulted in Drake sending him purple demon emojis.

When we talk about the Drake thing, it hits me in a really sensitive place, because you hang around people and they come to your house and be around your family and this and that," West said. "And they get mad about a beat and send you purple demon emojis.

Hours after West's comments, Drake hit back on social media, Instagramming a picture of him looking unbothered and tellingly captioning the snap with a purple demon emoji.

Kanye West Fights Back Tears While Apologizing for Slavery Comments

Earlier this month, Drake also dissed West during a show in Chicago, West's home state. Drake altered the lyrics to "Know Yourself" to take a shot at West's latest album sales for Ye. While the original lyrics are "Had a job sellin' Girbaud jeans/ I had a yellow TechnoMarine/ Then Kanye dropped, it was polos and backpacks," Drake changed the last line to "Kanye flopped."

In June, Drake's producer J. Prince appeared on "Sway in the Morning," and said that he personally called Drake to ask him not to release a second diss track in response to "The Story of Adidon" because it would have gone beyond the music and affected the "livelihoods" of both Pusha and Kanye.

After speaking with Kanye, I spoke with the brother, and he didnt want this," J. Prince said. "I saw this going to a place that I feel would have ended his career if Drake wouldve put out this song that he had on him. And definitely wouldve hurt families, and were not in it for that. Thats not Drakes character to tear a man down to that extent.

Drake's 11-Year-Old Fan Is Getting a Heart Transplant After Surprise Visit From Rapper
During a reception for the Governor of Yamanashi prefecture, Hitoshi Goto, who is on a working visit to HCM City, Nhan also emphasised that Vietnam-Japan relations in general, and those between HCM City and Japan in particular, have been developing strongly, especially in terms of trade and investment in recent years.

HCM City and various Japanese localities have fostered the exchange of delegations, cooperation activities, experience sharing in smart city development and urban management, he added.

The southern Vietnamese city wants to further strengthen its cooperation with the Japanese locality of Yamanashi in the spheres of biotechnology and seed production research, as well as the exchange of students, healthcare workers, training, and labourers, he said.

For his part, Hitoshi Goto said he appreciates and believes in the potential for HCM Citys development in the future, expressing his hope that the Vietnamese citys leaders would pay greater attention to promoting cooperation between the two localities.

While highlighting the potential and strengths of Yamanashi, the guest affirmed that there remains great potential for his locality and Ho Chi Minh City to expand their collaboration in tourism, and experience sharing in automation and artificial intelligence research.

Yamanashi has a high demand for labourers and trainees from Ho Chi Minh City to work in the prefecture, he noted.
A French judicial official says rape and sexual assault accusations against actor Gerard Depardieu are the subject of a preliminary investigation. The French film star denies the allegations.

The official said a woman filed a complaint on Monday near the southern city of Aix-en-Provence and the case was assigned to Paris prosecutors Wednesday.

The official requested anonymity in discussing the case Thursday because he was not allowed to disclose details about an ongoing investigation.

Depardieu's lawyer, Herve Temime, said on France's BFM TV that the actor "absolutely denies any rape, any sexual assault, any crime."

French newspaper Le Parisien and BFM TV said the woman, a 22-year-old comedian and dancer, reported that the 69-year-old Depardieu assaulted her on August 7 and August 13 at his Parisian home.
Fictional FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully can now investigate the paranormal and unexplained phenomena from inside your home.

The official Instagram account for The X-Files announced Wednesday that the shows protagonists are now available as Barbie dolls.

The X-Files is celebrating 25 years! the official "X-Files" account wrote. To commemorate the occasion @mattel has just launched a new official Mulder & Scully @barbie!

The X-Files aired for the first time on Fox on Sept. 10, 1993, with Gillian Anderson playing Scully, a skeptic, and David Duchovny as Mulder, a believer.

METALLICA RELEASES DETAILS OF 'HARDCORE' WATCH LINE WITH NIXON

Each $39.99 doll comes with a mini FBI badge and wallet, which display the faces of the real-life actors who played the characters.

The Scully doll also features the Catholic character wearing a crucifix and earrings.

This isnt the first time Mattel has released dolls related to the show.

io9 reports that a Ken and Barbie  dressed as Scully and Mulder  gift set came out in 1998.
A woman claimed in a podcast interview Friday that she heard a woman crying for help around the same time when it is believed Hollywood starlet Natalie Wood disappeared from Robert Wagners yacht.

Marilyn Wayne told the producers of Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood she heard screams from a woman yelling for help. Wayne said in a 2011 statement she had been sleeping on a boat in the harbor with her son and a businessman when she heard the screams.

Well, my son had a digital watch that we had just given him so that's how we kept the time, minute by minute. I was up on the deck and heard a woman yelling, Help me, somebody please help me, I'm drowning, she said.

NATALIE WOOD WAS WARNED ABOUT HORRIBLE WEATHER BEFORE TRAGIC DROWNING, CLAIMS BOAT CAPTAIN

Wayne said her boyfriend was trying to reach Harbor Patrol, while they kept asking her son what time it was. Wayne said the yelling went on from 5 after 11 until 11:25 and then it stopped.

Wayne heard the screams around the same time Wood mysteriously vanished from Wagners boat, The Splendour. The couple was hosting actor Christopher Walken at the time.

Wayne was allegedly ignored by authorities during their investigation, according to the 2011 statement.

In a separate interview, Roger Smith  the former Los Angeles County Supervising Rescue Boat Captain who removed Woods body from the water  claimed the actress could have been saved.

Wagner could have saved his wife but he didn't, Smith said.

Smith led the team who found Woods body floating in the water on Nov. 29, 1981. Smith said it didnt appear that Wood had been dead for very long.

She still looked like she hadn't been gone, dead very long, Smith said on the podcast. In fact, when I took off her ring on her hand, her hands were still pliable. You know, so nothing is set in yet. No rigor mortis at all. And her facial, she looked, she looked like she hadn't been dead very long.

The revelations come a week after Dennis Davern, the boat captain who was there on the night Wood died, said in the previous episode of the podcast that he believed Wagner was responsible for her death and that the actor put a stop to all the search efforts.

Davern claimed Wood, Wagner and Walken had been fighting, with the actress asking the boat captain to take her away and going as far as to call a seaplane to escape.

NATALIE WOODS SISTER LANA CLAIMS STAR WAS RAPED, REVEALS DETAILS OF HER SIBLINGS FINAL DAYS

After a fight between Wagner and Walken, Davern claimed Wagner went to drink with him. Wagner went back to check on his wife and a fight broke out between the two, and Davern said when he went to check on them, Wagner told him to go away. He believes Wagner threw Wood overboard soon after.

Davern said he made his way to the back of the yact and noticed Wagner at the swim steps and Wood and the dinghy missing. Davern said he tried to search for Wood, but Wagner brushed it off.

I saw the dinghy was missing and fired up the engines to start searching, Davern said. But [Wagner] said no, no, let's not do that. Let's just stay, let's have another bottle of wine.

Davern said it was him, not Wagner, who identified Woods body.

Woods body was found floating in the water off Santa Catalina Island. She was 43.

Fox News Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.
Plus-size model Tess Holliday revealed how she was able to get out of the worst mental health state of her life and recalled the time she was sexually assaulted.

Holliday, 33, spoke recently to Cosmopolitan UK about how she struggled from 2017 until the spring of this year.

"I remember very vividly driving in the car with Bowie [her son] and I thought to myself, 'I wish I could just disappear. I wish I could vanish.' It felt at that point like I was causing everyone around me so much pain. It felt like a never-ending black hole. I was so tired of hurting I just didnt want to be here anymore, Holliday told Cosmopolitan UK.

ALEC BALDWIN EXITS JOKER FILM, SAYS THERE ARE 25 GUYS WHO CAN PLAY THE PART

The model has been an outspoken advocate for body confidence after she created the #effyourbeautystandards campaign on Instagram. The model told the magazine she created the popular hashtag out of frustration and to take a stand against negative online commenters.

"I created [the campaign] out of frustration," she said "I was angry and sad that people kept commenting on my pictures saying, 'Youre too fat to wear that!' or 'Cover up! No one wants to see that!' And then one night I was lying in bed and thought, 'F--- that!' So I posted an image with four photographs of myself wearing things that fat women are often told we 'cant wear', and encouraged others to do the same."

The model said, in terms of weight, shes at her heaviest now than shes ever been before, and said she wished she loved herself sooner.

"I was a US size 16 to 18 my entire life before I had Rylee [her son]. I look back on those photos now and I dont wish I was that size, but what I wish is that I loved myself 120 pounds ago.

"Im at the heaviest Ive ever been in my life now and it took me being the heaviest to finally love myself," she continued.

PRINCE HARRY KNEW HOW TO SAVE HIMSELF FROM COLLAPSING IN GRIEF DURING PRINCESS DIANAS FUNERAL, BOOK CLAIMS

The model also opened up about being sexually assaulted twice by the same person, The Independent reported.

The first time I went back to his room. I thought he was cute, Holliday said of her attacker. I was into him, but I didnt want to have sex. He forced himself onto me."

The first time I let him do it, but I was also told I had no choice. And thats why I didnt realize it was rape. The second time I was in his living room and he started making moves on me. I didnt want it to happen and said no again, but it happened again, she continued.

Holliday has spoken about her sexual assault before in an Instagram post, where she shared her #MeToo story in October 2017.
Prince Harry still vividly remembers one of the most painful days of his life.

When the British royal lost his mother Princess Diana of Wales at age 12 in 1997, he was made to walk behind her coffin in front of millions of mourners.

Harry, now 33, shared how he really felt about that tragic day to British journalist Angela Levin, who was compelled to explore the pivotal events that forever shaped the man who is sixth in line to the throne.

Levin, a veteran journalist on royal affairs, recently published a new biography titled Harry: A Biography of a Prince, which was based on their exclusive conversations at Kensington Palace before his May 2018 marriage to American actress Meghan Markle.

Levin had accompanied Harry on his many engagements and shadowed him for more than a year.

Levin told Fox News she was initially wary of bringing up Princess Diana, who died at age 36 from injuries sustained during a car crash in Paris, to her youngest son. But it was Harry who opened up.

He suddenly stopped talking and he said to me how terrible it was for him at 12 to walk behind his mothers coffin in front of thousands of people with millions watching, she recalled. It was a terrible thing for him to do. And it wouldnt happen now. I was just transfixed by this outpouring of emotion.

The decision for Harry and his older brother, then-15-year-old Prince William, to participate in the heartbreaking march was reportedly a collective family decision. Friends of the royal family have claimed that it was their grandfather, Prince Philip, who reportedly told the grieving young boys, If I do it, will you?

Harry admitted he did whatever he could not to break down in front of the world.

He said the way he kept himself together was his determination not to cry in public, said Levin. He gripped his wrists very tight and he wasnt going to do it. And I think that was his way of distancing himself from the grief.

"He said he nearly cried when Elton John played Candle in the Wind, but he just about managed not to As a little boy, he somehow knew how to save himself from collapsing in grief.

And the days leading up to the televised funeral werent any easier. Harry shared he had a difficult time consoling strangers who screamed and cried over the news of Dianas death.

[The boys] walked up to shake hands with a few of the people who were wailing behind the barriers, said Levin. What he hated was that they were all wailing and crying over his mother, who never met her, didnt know who she really was.

"He was the one who lost his mother. And when they shook hands, he said their hands were all wet because theyve been wiping their eyes from all the crying. He didnt like that. All these people were grieving over someone they didnt really know.

And while William is set out to become the future king of England, Harry spent several years trying to find himself, often stirring controversy for his reported nightclub hopping and rumored flings. But ultimately, Harry realized he must keep his mothers legacy alive and use his royal title for good.

He wants to help the queen and take some of the responsibilities from her, explained Levin. "Shes 92. He said to me many times, I want to make a difference. I dont just want to be Prince Harry. I want to be known for what I do. My mother is looking down on me and I want to continue her work. I feel she is beside me and I want to do [work involving] HIV, AIDS, and landmines to carry on her work.

He told me it took him a very long time to want to grow up. He didnt want to grow up. And I think that is because he still in a way wants to be his mothers little boy. He still wants to please her.

Harry insisted some of the happiest days of his life were when he was in the army. According to the royal familys website, Harry served in the army for 10 years, rising to the rank of captain and undertaking two tours of Afghanistan.

He continues to honor his servicemen and promotes support for wounded men and women as they adapt to life post-injury.

In 2013, The Guardian reported Harry, who was a commander of the armys most sophisticated attack helicopter, fired at the Taliban during operations to support ground troops, as well as rescued injured Afghan and NATO personnel.

He said to me that he was the happiest in the army because he was just Captain Wales, said Levin. He wasnt Prince Harry. He loved being out in Afghanistan. He was brought back because someone leaked that he was there and it became too dangerous for him and the soldiers.

"He said one of the things he learned is that you cant do anything really well unless you work as a team. Hes now very team-minded.

Levin revealed that it was her observation of Harrys willingness to help others that initially broke the ice and resulted in candid conversations between the two.

I said, Your royal highness, I followed you for a year, she remembered. Ive seen how you are with people who have problems. I just wonder whether you also used these opportunities to give yourself therapy. Has it helped you as well to overcome some of your problems? There was a 50/50 chance I would have gotten thrown out.

There was a long silence, so I was sweating He said, after a minute or so, which felt like ages, Wow. Thats a really big question. Silence again. Youre right, of course.

Levin also insisted his marriage to Markle, now Britains Duchess of Sussex, came at the right time for Harry, who has the future on his mind.

I think this sort of lonely person who didnt know what to do with himself now has a team partner who is Meghan, she explained. I think also, he wants children very badly. He loves children. He gets along with them very well. Hes actually now grown up.

"And Meghan is quite motherly towards him. I think he needs that There were women who were here today and gone tomorrow But Meghan is different.

Levin hopes her book will show readers a genuine, caring side to Harry, one who is eager to carry on his mothers work, all while carving out his own role within the palace.

He has a brilliantly quick sense of humor, which makes people very comfortable, said Levin. He also can see right through people And hes incredibly intuitive, instinctive, and emotional. He loves people And hes a brilliant speechmaker.

"He definitely inherited those traits from his mother. And I think thats what makes him a fascinating young man.
It'll be almost 21 years since Princess Diana died, but her brother, Charles Spencer, continues to remember her legacy.

In a new interview with People Magazine published on Thursday, Spencer admitted that out of all the heatbreaks of his sister's early death, the one that sticks out the most to him is knowing that Diana will never meet her grandchildren, Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 3, and Prince Louis, 4 months.

"One of the great tragedies is that Diana would have been the best grandmother ever, Spencer told the outlet.

However, Spencer is happy that he gets to see Diana's memory live on through her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

I love seeing the sort of uncomplicated way that they deal with people, and put them at their ease, he shared, adding that Its so easy to connect the dots between them and their mother.

Princess Diana of Wales died at a Paris hospital following a car crash on August 31, 1997. She was 36.

Whats amazing to me is the passing of time, admits Spencer, noting that Prince William and wife, Kate Middleton, both 36, "are nearly the same age as Diana when she died."

He continues: I love the fact that theres still such veneration inside her immediate family for what she was, and what she meant. I think thats fantastic.

Looking back on the tragic day though, Spencer tells the magazine that at the time, he couldn't help but think that there was something he could have done.

I was furious, I wasnt just angry, he explained. [I thought] what could I have done. But you always think, God, I wish I couldve protected her. It was just it was devastating.

"I always feltintensely protective towards her," Spencer admits.

As for why he's speaking about his late sister now?

One of the reasons I wanted to talk now is because I think after 20 years, someone shifts from being a contemporary person to a person of history actually, he shared. And Diana deserves a place in history.

I think that its important for people who are under 35, who probably wont remember her at all, to remember that this is a special person. Not just a beautiful one.
Princess Dianas supermodel niece is turning heads in her latest photo shoot, but its not just for her jaw-dropping features.

Lady Kitty Spencer posed for Maria Claire Italia in Rome wearing a necklace called Happy Leaves by high-end jeweler Bvlgari that features marijuana leaves.

The 27-year-old, an ambassador for Bvlgari, modeled the necklace in two photos she shared on her Instagram account Thursday.

Best time shooting with @marieclaireitalia, she captioned one of the snaps. Loved working with @marieclaireitalia & their fabulous team.

The British socialite made global headlines in May when she attended her cousin Prince Harrys wedding to American actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle.

In April, Vanity Fair reported Harry, 33, wanted to make sure his mother wasnt forgotten on his wedding day. The magazine learned he invited the entire Spencer clan to the big day, including his niece and her father, Earl Charles Spencer, Dianas younger brother.

Harry always kept in close touch with the Spencers and they have all received invitations, claimed a family friend. Harry gets on well with his aunts and uncle and they have met Meghan. His cousins all have gotten the golden ticket  an invite to the ceremony and reception and the evening party.

The magazine noted Spencer has a special bond with her cousin. The top model, who lives in London, often partied with Harry in his 20s and is also friends with his ex-girlfriend, Chelsy Davy.

In February, Spencer, who is signed with Storm Management, walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbanas Secret & Diamonds show, along with other royals, wearing a tiara.

Storm Management is recognized in the fashion world for discovering British It girls Kate Moss and Cara Delevinge.

According to Storm Management, Spencer is the daughter of former fashion model Victoria Lockwood, who was born in England but raised in South Africa, where she studied psychology and English literature. She then pursued her education in Florence, where she studied art history and Italian.

In the U.K., Spencer completed her Masters in luxury brand management at Regents University and undertook a consultancy at The Financial Times.

Spencer has also kept busy in the fashion world. In addition to being spotted at shows and posing in photo spreads, she was also the star of Dolce and Gabbanas Spring/Summer 2018 campaign.

Despite her budding career as a sought-after model, Spencer told Vanity Fair in 2016 she wanted to make a name for herself beyond being Dianas niece.

I was so young [when Diana was alive], she explained. There are only a few memories, but special memories and happy memories, and Im so lucky to have those.

And just like Harry, Spencer has also dedicated her time to philanthropy. Storm Management notes Spencer is an ambassador and trustee for the military charity Give Us Time and Centrepoint, which supports young homeless people by helping them find work.

This role gives me the opportunity to express the utter respect I have for the men and women who serve this country in the armed forces, she said about her work with Give Us Time. For military personnel, the family network is the all-important backdrop to their professional lives.

 In my opinion, our service personnel and their families truly represent what is best about the United Kingdom. I am in awe of their strength and commitment to our country. I believe it is our individual responsibility to not only understand their challenges and sacrifices but to take action and help where we can.

In late 2017, Spencer told UKs Times she isnt fazed by the media scrutiny and even listed old Hollywood stars Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe as idols.

Throughout childhood and life, Ive had bigger curveballs thrown at me, things that matter more, she said. Ive had plenty of people tell me to lose weight, or change this or that, but I just dont worry I cant be bothered to feel competitive with other women. Its a waste of my energy.

The press has also wondered if Spencer would also find love like her cousin.

She told the Times, Ive never dated anyone English, so I need to work on that. None of my ex-boyfriends were English and none of them were right for me, so maybe an English guy is the one.

Still, she seemed perfectly content with her life these days.

I love the balance Ive got now, she said. Of all the years of my life, this has been the happiest.

Spencer, who is a member of British aristocracy, is not in line to the throne.
Bottoms Up Espresso is planning to open up a new location in Chico, Calif., but the idea appears to have residents hot and bothered  and not in the way the owners likely intended.

The bikini coffee shop chain, which already operates six locations in California with female baristas who wear little more than lingerie or swimwear, is drawing criticism from Chico residents, who have already raised concerns with the city manager, the Chico Enterprise-Record is reporting.

Theres nothing we can do. It hasnt opened, said City Manager Mark Orme, who told the Enterprise-Record that hes already gotten numerous phone and email complaints about the business.

SEE IT: OHIO MOM'S GRATEFUL NOTE TO TEEN WHO PURCHASED HER COFFEE GOES VIRAL

Another critic of the new Bottoms Up Espresso location concerns that the coffee shop will be opening just down the block from her dance studio, which is full of impressionable children.

The concern is that Hype Dance has 300-plus students coming in and out weekly and their exposure to the business is out of the kids control. This is their home, where they feel safe and comfortable, said Sarah Schneeweis, the owner of Hype Dance.

Schneeweis also told Action News Now that she doesnt want her students exposed to the baristas attire.

"My first gut reaction is, 'I don't want our kids to have to be exposed to that, she told the outlet. The inappropriate attire of the baristas working at this establishment does not align with what we're trying to teach our kids at this studio.

The founders of the coffee chain, meanwhile, argue that their baristas arent wearing anything Californians wouldnt see on a beach.

"We are a very classy business and pride ourselves on customer service and quality drinks. We have dress codes that expose less then you would see at a pool or beach," Bottoms Up Espresso CEO Nate Wilson tells Fox News.

Were trying to keep it classy, not trashy, Wilson added to the Enterprise-Record. There are no G-strings. We have a handbook and employee policies. Those policies help keep employees presentable.

LAST REMAINING BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO STORE GETS ITS OWN BEER

Schneeweis also took issue with the shops menu itself, which features drinks with names such as Sweet Cheeks and The Big O.

What if theres a little girl seeing that and asks what that is? she said.

As for now, Orme says the business has only obtained a license to operate, and as long as it conforms to the use of the property  the buildings previous occupants ran a coffee business, too  theres nothing that can be done.

That said, the mayor of Chico is making it known that many residents arent fans of the project.

Its unfortunate someone would come from out of town and put a business like this on one of our busiest intersections, said Chico Mayor Sean Morgan in an email to the Enterprise-Record.

Because the business doesnt violate any City Code  they make money selling coffee  there isnt anything immediate that government can do. I cant imagine the people of Chico will support such a concept, especially in that location. I expect the business to flame out and do so quickly as Chico already has a number of very successful, tasteful, well-run coffee houses.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Wilson co-founded the first Bottoms Up Espresso location in Modesto, Calif., in 2011. Wilson tells Fox News there are 12 other locations under development in the Sacremento area, along with more in Arizona.
Apparently even the animal kingdom is lovin it.

A McDonalds in Gothenburg, Sweden had an unexpected visitor swing by Wednesday night  a monkey that had escaped from the Gothenburg science center Universeum nine miles away.

The Goeldi's marmoset, a South American monkey, reportedly jumped from tables and picked at leftover food  though staff says it did not feed the exotic animal.

BROTHERS WHO BRUTALLY ATTACKED MCDONALD'S EMPLOYEE 'WILL BE DEALT WITH,' THEIR MOTHER SAYS

According to the Daily Mail, police were called to the fast food restaurant around 10:40 pm local time.

Peter Nordengard, a police spokesman, said to the Daily Mail, We think it's the same one [monkey that left the zoo], but I guess there aren't that many monkeys out and about at the moment.

We'll have to sniff around a bit to see if anyone brought it there. The most plausible explanation seems to be that someone left it there, he continued.

The Universeum reported the monkey missing at around 12:30 pm  over 10 hours before it was found at the McDonalds.

MCDONALD'S SPENT $25 MILLION APOLOGIZING FOR MAN'S MONOPOLY SCAM: REPORT

Some feel the monkey, a vulnerable species, was stolen.

It is extremely sad what happened, said Daniel Roth, a zoologist at Universeum, to the Daily Mail.

A spokesman for McDonald's told the Daily Mail, The monkey was stolen from a museum in Gothenburg and was, thankfully, found at one of our restaurants.

The monkey was then recaptured by museum staff. The monkey did not eat anything at the restaurant, to my knowledge, and the restaurant was closed when the monkey was discovered.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

The monkey is of a very unusual species and the museum is very grateful for the way in which this was handled by the franchisee and his staff. The monkey is now back at the museum and is doing well although a little stressed.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) asked Maine officials on Wednesday for permission to build a large grave to mark the site of a truck crash that resulted in thousands of lobsters spilling out onto a highway.

PETA hopes to memorialize the countless sensitive crustaceans who were killed during the Aug. 22 crash in Brunswick, the animal rights group said.

SEE IT: TIMES SQUARE STREET SHUT DOWN AFTER BEES SWARM HOT DOG STAND

Police said 7,000 pounds of live lobsters were destroyed and its suspected it was more than 4,500 lobsters that died, according to the Portland Press Herald.

The grave would remind everyone that the best way to prevent such tragedies is to go vegan, the animal rights group said.

A mockup of the gravestone shows a lobster with the words, In Memory of the Lobsters Who Suffered and Died at This Spot.

FLORIDA TOWN OF 'MAYO' CHANGES ITS NAME TO 'MIRACLE WHIP'

Maines Department of Transportation is reviewing the groups request, spokesman Ted Talbot told the Herald. He said temporary signs can be no larger than 4 feet by 8 feet and could be in public for up to 12 weeks. PETA hopes to erect a 5-foot memorial for the lobsters. It would be located on Route 1 in Brunswick.

It's unclear how much the gravestone would cost.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

PETA sparked controversy last week when the group erected a billboard in Maryland encouraging people to go vegan and stop eating crabs.

PETA said the sign was put up as part of a nationwide campaign to encourage diners to leave crabs and other sea animals off dinner plates and in their aquatic homes.
Syndicated News

Europe's Populists Take Their Fight to Sweden's Assyrian Utopia
Attending the event were ministerial leaders from four GMS countries  namely Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The annual meeting is part of the regional cooperation mechanism to discuss strategies and directions for the effective implementation of the agreement and strengthen cooperation between ASEAN member states.

Participating countries used the occasion to share experience and knowledge on haze pollution prevention as well as to consider the approval of a report submitted at the 13th meeting of the GMS technical working group on the implementation of the agreement.

Delegates discussed solutions and made important decisions related to forest fire management and haze pollution control in GMS countries in particular, and the ASEAN community in general, to produce a vision of a haze-free future for the region.

Host Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan affirmed that Vietnam is committed to utilising all necessary resources to implement effective sustainable forest management, as well as ensure the protection and development of forest resources with priority given to forest fire prevention and control.

Vietnam also calls for the comprehensive cooperation between GMS countries and international sponsors and organisations in jointly building an environmentally friendly community with sustainable development, he added.

The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution is an important agreement formed within the tradition of solidarity and cooperation between Southeast Asian and GMS nations, aiming to prevent and control fires while minimising negative haze impact on neighbouring countries. The agreement was signed in 2012 with the participation of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
Its not that uncommon to rain cats and dogs, but have you ever seen it rain fish?

Dozens of tiny trout fell from the sky in Utah, dropping from a plane into the crystal blue mountain lake below as part of the areas extreme fish stocking efforts.

BIKINI-BARISTA COFFEE CHAIN IN CALIFORNIA DRAWING CRITICISM FROM RESIDENTS NEAR NEXT LOCATION

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources posted a short video of the bizarre practice on Twitter last week, which shows the fish raining down from the aircrafts underbelly in a gush of water.

While the steep fall might look deadly, turns out that 95 percent of the fish survive the plummet thanks to their small size of about one to three inches, according to officials.

1 IN 50 AIRLINE PASSENGERS FINDS TRUE LOVE ON A FLIGHT, SURVEY FINDS

Typically, fish stocking is mostly done by trucks with holding tanks that carry the fish to a lake or stream, where they are then dumped into the water via pipes.

In centuries past, horses were used to pack in metal milk cans filled with fish and water to more remote areas. But by the 1950s, small airplanes became the preferred method, one that is still utilized today, UDWR biologist Matt McKell explained in a blog post.

Fish rained down from the sky in northern Mexico last year, though this instance wasnt intentional. Small fish accompanied a light rain in Tampico in September.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

According the U.S. Library of Congress, it's a phenomenon that has been reported since ancient times. Scientists believe that tornadoes over water  known as waterspouts  could be responsible for sucking fish into the air where they are blown around until being released to the ground.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Washington state has banned shellfish harvesting in the waterway between Vashon and Maury island after high levels of biotoxins were discovered in the shellfish.

The Washington state Department of Health and the Public Health division of Seattle and King County posted signs at the beaches in the area warning of the fatal Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) discovered in the seafood, Seattle Times reports.

UTAH DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE DROPS FISH FROM PLANE FOR 'EXTREME RESTOCKING' OF LAKE

PSP can be fatal if eaten and symptoms can begin immediately or within a few hours. Typically, they include tongue, lip, finger and toe tingling before potentially advancing to loss of limb control, difficulty breathing and nausea. In some instances, muscles paralysis and death can occur within 30 minutes, the Department of Health reports.

MAINE FISHERMAN CATCHES RARE 'GHOST LOBSTER'

Washington authorities said the PSP has been discovered in clams, geoducks, scallops, mussels and oysters at the beaches.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

State officials posted an interactive map of places where shellfish harvesting is prohibited.
Health officials say a Delaware woman has died from rabies, the first such death in the state since 1941.

The Delaware Division of Public Health said in a news release the unidentified woman lived in Kent County west of Felton.

According to the news release, the woman was admitted to a Delaware hospital in July after becoming ill. Officials say her condition quickly deteriorated and she was transferred to a Pennsylvania hospital for further treatment and testing.

MOM'S PRENATAL OPIOIDS MAY STUNT KIDS' LEARNING, STUDY FINDS

The woman died last week. Test results did not confirm the presence of rabies until recently, and the source of the disease hasn't been determined.

In 1941, a Newport boy died after being bitten by a stray dog.

Health and agriculture officials are asking residents to increase efforts to prevent exposure to rabies.
1,375 children.

Thats the number of kids living in the citys crumbling public housing developments who tested positive for dangerous lead levels since 2012, city Health Department officials finally disclosed Thursday.

The figure provides the first holistic count of the number children living in New York City Housing Authoring apartments who tested positive for lead exposure  and nearly doubles previous estimates.

Earlier this summer, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene quietly disclosed data that showed as many as 820 children under the age of six tested positive for lead levels the federal Centers for Disease Control consider dangerous.

DETROIT SCHOOLS SHUT OFF WATER OVER HIGH LEVELS OF LEAD, COPPER

However, those figures did not include a count of children who tested positive for lead poisoning in excess of the citys standard, which is less stringent than CDC standard. Federal prosecutors charged in their lawsuit against NYCHA that as many as 200 children may have tested positive at the city levels.

The new numbers from DOHMH finally provide a total count that includes both the CDC and city standards  to reach the higher new tally.

According to the figures, 303 public housing residents under 18 tested positive for lead exposure levels exceeding the CDCs level in 2012. That figure dropped to 248 children tested positive in 2013; 239 in 2014; 171 in 2015; ticked up to 177 in 2016; and then dropped again to 160 in 2017.

SOUTH CAROLINA STUDENT HOSPITALIZED WITH MENINGITIS

Another 77 children have tested positive between January and June of this year, bringing the total to 1,375.

By any measures you can see the number of children elevated blood lead levels have gone down. theyve gone down year on year since we have been collecting data separately by housing type for children in New York City, said Health Department Commissioner Mary Bassett.

Click for more from the New York Post.
A Pennsylvania woman is blaming contaminated contact lenses for spreading a rare infection that's threatening her eyesight and causing a throbbing pain.

Tori Gasho, 22, started noticing issues with her right eye shortly after graduating college at the start of the summer. Since then, her sight has only worsened  and now she's worried she could lose her vision in that eye completely.

"[It's] kind of like a stabbing feeling, kind of like there's something in my eye," Gasho described to WPVI.

LOST CONTACT FOUND IN WOMAN'S EYELID 28 YEARS LATER

Gasho was recently diagnosed with Acanthamoeba Keratitis  a serious condition caused by tiny amoebas called Acanthamoeba that infect the covering of the cornea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

These types of amoebas are commonly found in large bodies of waters such as lakes or oceans, but they can also travel through the air and seep into soil, the agency notes.

"It's all over, it's in regular tap water, pool water, the ocean, it's really all over the place," Christopher Rapuano, chief of the Cornea and External Disease Service at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, told WPVI.

OREGON WOMAN HAS 14 WORMS PULLED FROM EYE AFTER RARE INFECTION

People who wear contact lenses are more likely to contract the infection. In the U.S., roughly 85 percent of Acanthamoeba Keratitis cases involve contact users, the CDC last reported in 2012.

"Things like not cleaning contact lenses properly, sleeping in contacts is a big no, no. Swimming in contacts is a big no, no. Showering with them is not great either," Rapuano warned.

The best way to avoid getting an infection is to properly clean your lenses with contact solution  never tap water  daily, the CDC suggests.

The infection can be hard to treat, though there are several medications available to those with the infection. The medicine must be prescribed by your eye doctor, who will come up with a strict course of treatment that could last several months.

Gasho realizes she has a long road to recovery ahead of her. But for now, she just hopes to "get [her] eye open" and "see a little."
A South Carolina middle school student has been hospitalized with viral meningitis, prompting officials to send letters home to parents and order cleaning crews out of precaution. The student, who was not identified, attends Dacusville Middle School in Pickens County, and had the diagnosis confirmed on Wednesday.

While viral meningitis is less severe than bacterial, its still imperative patients seek out their health care provider. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only a doctor can determine if a patient has the disease, and while some may recover without treatment, others may fall severely ill. Babies younger than one and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe illnesses, but it can strike at any age.

DETROIT SCHOOLS SHUT OFF WATER OVER HIGH LEVELS OF LEAD, COPPER

Common symptoms include fever, irritability, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite. Those with mild cases typically recovery within seven to 10 days, according to the CDC. There are no vaccines available for viral meningitis, but washing hands, avoiding close contact with infected persons and cleaning frequently touched surfaces can help prevent illnesses from spreading.

The students parent had notified the district on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday when the diagnosis was confirmed. A letter to parents said that the school district was working with cleaning crews and the state Department of Health and Environmental Control.

DELAWARE REPORTS FIRST RABIES DEATH SINCE 1941

The germs that cause viral meningitis can be contagious, Wanda B. Tharpe, the schools principal, said in the letter, according to Greenville News. They can be spread through respiratory and oral secretions. Only a small number of people who get infected with the viruses that cause meningitis will actually develop viral meningitis.

Tharpe said they will continue to monitor any other illnesses and remain in contact with the DHEC.
A mother in Switzerland ignored her familys advice to stop pole dancing while pregnant, and was even on the pole hours before her contractions began.

Christina Spirig, a pole-dancing instructor, continued her sport up until her last trimester. The 31-year-old even claims pole dancing helped her recover quicker from her difficult labor.

Spirig, who already has an eight-year-old son, continued pole dancing throughout her pregnancy despite her familys fears.

CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICT'S 'PERMISSIVE' DRESS CODE WELCOMES TUBE TOPS, RIPPED JEANS

Some people were worried that I would fall, or I was putting my baby in an unnecessary risk, especially my close friends and my family. Other people gave me lots of compliments about the videos on Instagram, and other pregnant pole dancers asked me for advice on certain tricks," Spirig told the Sun.

My baby was always sleeping when I was dancing so it was never seemed distressed.

Spirig revealed she was on the pole just two hours before her contractions began, and was back pole dancing just seven weeks after she gave birth in June.

Christina, who owns Poledance Luzern, explained she took up the practice after the birth of her first child.

I have been doing pole dancing since 2010, after the birth of my son, when I wanted to find a sport like gymnastics that I could be really passionate about," she said.

When I saw a picture of a friend on a pole thats where the journey began," she added. Pole [dancing] can give you so many physical and mental benefits. You can get fit, muscular, flexible and balanced while doing it.

Its the combination of strength, flexibility, art and dance that make it such a forever passion.

AUSTRALIAN TOURIST GETS INCREDIBLE RESPONSE TO BIKINI PIC WHILE ON ITALIAN GETAWAY

But Spirig admitted there are risks involved with pole dancing while heavily pregnant.

From the beginning of my fifth month of pregnancy, when my belly really started to grow, I eliminated every trick that touched the pole with the belly and all the drops and flips," the mom of two said. Its important to make a smooth landing and to avoid hitting anything  It can be dangerous if you fall from the pole or if you crash into it with your belly," she added.

I also was inverting with more speed than just the strength it takes so that my abs could separate healthily  to give the uterus enough space. Its important to have a good body balance and to know what your body is capable of.

The longer youve already done pole dancing for, before you get pregnant, the better."

Spirig also credits pole dancing with her speedy recovery, saying it was "much easier because I practiced deep core activations which helped me to recover from my difficult labor.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Christina trained on the pole three to four times a week until she was six months pregnant, then reduced that to 45 minutes a week for the remaining two months.

At times it was hard to mentally accept that my body was changing and to be happy with everything that works and what doesnt work while being heavily pregnant," she admitted.

I listened to my body, and if it felt bad, weird or insecure then I wouldnt do something.

In my own opinion, its good to stay in the same level throughout your pregnancy or even to take a lower level class rather than try new things.

This story originally appeared in The Sun.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

About four years ago, I was browsing through one of Manhattans last remaining independent bookstores, when my cellphone rang. I didnt recognize the incoming telephone number, with its 202 area code, but I assumed it was a Fox News colleague from our Washington bureau.

When I answered the phone, a somewhat familiar but somber voice said: "Judge Napolitano, your reward for what you did today will not come from your colleagues or viewers or even on earth but in heaven."

What had I done to deserve this?

Earlier that day, Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California who was then the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, had defied her own committee members, congressional leadership from both houses of Congress and from both political parties, officials of the CIA, and even the Obama White House when she released on the floor of the Senate a 6,000-plus-page report detailing the use of torture by CIA officials in the George W. Bush administration -- all of it unlawful.

She actually made the report public while physically standing on the floor of the Senate, where her speech is absolutely protected from government retaliation by the Speech and Debate Clause of the Constitution.

That clause recognizes and protects for members of Congress their complete freedom of speech while on the floor of the House or Senate, while doing congressional work and while traveling to Capitol Hill. Thus, even though she revealed top-secret materials in the report -- which, if you or I had revealed them or if she had revealed them in Los Angeles rather than in Washington, would have constituted the crime of espionage -- she was immune from all prosecution.

In response to the Feinstein revelations, my Fox News colleague and friend Shepard Smith and I spent about 30 minutes on-air that afternoon on his Fox News Channel show discussing the criminal behavior Feinstein had revealed, the constitutional protections she, as a member of the Senate, enjoyed, and the political firestorm she had courageously ignited.

As a believer in the rule of law and the bodily integrity of all people, I was full of praise for what Feinstein had just done. When the government breaks the laws it has sworn to uphold, Shep Smith and I argued, the people have a right to know about it.

But many of Sen. Feinsteins colleagues did not see it that way. Many of those who never endured torture and those believing that the end justifies the means accepted the myth that torture works -- that the victim tells the truth; and in their view, obtaining the truth is worth the cost in lawbreaking and body-breaking.

Only one Republican senator publicly supported what Feinstein had just done. He was my caller that afternoon in the bookstore, John McCain.

I thought of his call and our many ensuing conversations when I learned of his death this past weekend, a few days shy of his 82nd birthday.

McCain and I had hundreds of conversations. He knew that I knew that he was a bellicose warmonger and an uncritical supporter of unlimited military spending; and he was often indifferent to the consequences of those views.

But he was also the victim of prolonged and horrific torture during the Vietnam War, which he could have avoided. He told me many times that torture so distorts the mind that the victims consequent speech is utterly unworthy of belief.

He had become the leading congressional critic of torture, the prime congressional mover of making it all unlawful -- the Bush Department of Justice notwithstanding, it already was unlawful at the time Bush ordered it -- and one of the few Americans anywhere who could speak on this detestable subject from the personal experiences of a victim.

Platitudes aside, the essence of the telephone conversation we had that day was that Bush had committed war crimes; that torture is absolutely prohibited by the Constitution, several treaties to which the United States is a party and numerous federal statutes; and that Sen. Feinstein had performed a positive public good by revealing it.

It was Sen. McCains view that even if he was powerless to prevent government lawbreaking, it is better for the American people to know painful truths than to remain in the dark.

Shortly after our phone conversation, McCain went to the floor of the Senate and delivered one of his classic tirades against torture. In it, he attacked President Bush, who ordered and authorized it, and President Barack Obama, who covered it up.

This week, those two former presidents. firmly in McCains crosshairs four years ago, are each delivering a eulogy at McCains funeral -- willingly, dutifully and at his request.

The John McCain I knew discussed only torture, the right to life, and immigration with me -- perhaps because he knew we disagreed on nearly all other matters. But this tough old Arizona bird, this lifelong warrior, this unorthodox maverick who really was neither a Republican nor a Democrat, knew how to keep friends and monitor enemies.

He was a multidimensional man in a secular era, and he was not happy about America at the end of his days.

Yet in this age of few heroes, and on topics that intimately touch the human heart and soul, he was the genuine article.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

In the middle of the liberal medias desperate efforts to convince us that President Trump is in trouble, there are an amazing number of victories that suggest he is winning. In fact, there are indications that he is winning a lot.

Lets start with Tuesdays primaries. In Florida, a fine, well-entrenched state Agriculture Commissioner and former U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam decisively lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to Rep. Ron DeSantis. The big boost for DeSantis came from President Trumps endorsement and a Trump robocall to Florida Republicans.

The contest for governor of our third-most populous state shaped up even better for Republicans as a hard-left Bernie Sanders-backed progressive  Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum  won the Democratic primary with 34 percent of the vote. The contrast between a pro-Trump DeSantis and Gillum will probably keep Florida in Republican hands in November.

Florida gave President Trump and Republicans a second boost as GOP Gov. Rick Scott won an important primary victory for a U.S. Senate seat. Scott has proven in his two campaigns for governor that he is an aggressive, effective campaigner. It is very likely the blue wave in Florida will disappear with the DeSantis and Scott victories.

It is clear that the presidents judicial and economic victories build his prestige, and that prestige is giving him the muscle to reshape the Republican Party.

In Arizona, President Trump won another primary victory when Martha McSally, a congresswoman and Air Force veteran (in fact, the first American woman to fly a fighter jet in combat) won the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.

President Trump praised McSally earlier this month at the signing ceremony for the National Defense Authorization Act. What looked at one time to be a close contest became a blowout, as McSally won 52 percent of the vote in a three-way race and was 24 points ahead of her closest competitor. Republican chances of keeping the Arizona seat are dramatically better with McSally as the nominee.

Beyond the primaries, President Trump has been winning amazing victories in nominating  and with the leadership of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., getting the Senate to confirm  federal judges. Where Hillary Clinton would have nominated radical judges, President Trump has been consistently nominating constitutional conservatives to the courts. This will have a profound impact on Americas future.

So far, President Trump and McConnell have confirmed 60 federal judges  this includes Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, 33 district court judges, and 26 court of appeals judges.

Additionally, President Trump has nominated more than 80 other judges across the federal system (including Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh). McConnell has been doggedly working to get these nominees confirmed, and I suspect he will drive them through the Senate before the end of the year.

So on judges, President Trump is winning an amazing victory for conservatism. No wonder the left is in a frenzy.

Finally, the breakthrough in trade negotiations with Mexico is, to use one of President Trumps favorite words, huge.

Most of the so-called experts had said the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) couldnt be renegotiated. They insisted President Trump had offended Mexicans so much with his harsh language that the Mexican government wouldnt come to the table. They asserted building the border wall would alienate the Mexican leaders. They were just plain wrong.

President Trumps progress on NAFTA sends five big signals:



Making good on a big, disruptive pledge that set his 2016 campaign apart from every other candidate, the president kept his word and is forcing a difficult negotiation toward success.

President Trump proved, once again, that tough language and tough negotiating can actually lead to breakthroughs. Unlike most politicians, Trump is willing to endure heat to achieve success.

As a result of his seriousness on trade, other countries are now approaching President Trump about trade negotiations (note German Chancellor Merkels call this week for trade talks).

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to be clever when he ambushed and attempted to embarrass President Trump during a press conference at the G-7 Summit in Canada. Trudeau is now discovering that Trump has a good memory. Canada now has virtually no leverage in trying to play catch-up with the U.S.-Mexico negotiations.

The Trump administrations continued attention to economic matters  despite the liberal medias daily efforts to get him and his team off-balance through dishonest reporting and smear stories  is paying off. The average American sees the economy getting better and better. And the average American increasingly thinks the success is due to President Trump.

It is clear that the presidents judicial and economic victories build his prestige, and that prestige is giving him the muscle to reshape the Republican Party.

It is an amazing story. No one in the liberal mainstream media apparently understands, but historians will look back on this period in amazement.

They will clearly see a political-cultural battle between an aggressive, effective, successful president and a disoriented, defeated and demoralized news media.

Clearly, President Trump is winning.
The event is hosted by the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association (VINASA) and the Vietnam-Japan IT Cooperation Club as part of activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties.

In his welcome speech, Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Minh Hong said that Vietnam-Japan cooperation in IT has been strengthened by state agencies and businesses, who act as a bridge between the IT associations of the two countries.

Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications and the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications have signed a number of agreements for comprehensive collaboration in radio frequency control, information security, ICT workforce training, and more, he noted.

The two sides have accelerated the implementation of an action plan for the development of digital industries within the framework of bilateral partnership towards 2020, with a vision to 2030.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan is currently facing a shortage of about 171,000 engineers, and is likely to lack a total 369,000 engineers  including 48,000 in the technology sector  by 2020.

The increasing demand for IT workers will open a huge opportunity for Vietnamese and Japanese enterprises to collaborate in times ahead, especially given that Vietnam has a large pool of ICT workers. Vietnam has around 290 colleges and universities offering IT courses with approximately 55,000 graduates each year.

The top trends of Industry 4.0  such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), and big data  together with Vietnams substantial IT workforce will pave the way for expanded IT cooperation between the two countries, said Nguyen Doan Hung, Vice Chairman of VINASA.

Held in Hanoi and Da Nang from August 27-31, the Japan ICT Day 2018 event has attracted 350 domestic and foreign delegates, including eight delegates from Japan. It features workshops, talk shows, and business-matching events to promote links between Vietnamese and Japanese IT firms, as well as the Hackathon Vietnam 2018 competition under the theme Smart City.

During the event, updated reports on the development of IT cooperation between Vietnam and Japan will be released.

Participants will be also provided with an overview of Japans IT industry. Leading IT firms of both sides will share information related to smart city projects in Hanoi and discuss the reality of Vietnam-Japan IT cooperation in new technology projects, including measures to improve the quality of future collaboration.

Japan ICT Day was first organised in 2007 and has been the best platform for Vietnam and Japanese companies seeking business co-operation opportunities over the past 10 years.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Just when we thought it was too good to be true that Democrats were still touting House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California as the face of their party, theyve come back with an even greater gift for Republicans  democratic socialist congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, running as a Democrat for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from New York City.

Over the last several weeks we've seen a dramatic increase in discussion of socialism and what it actually means, sparked mostly by the Democrats onboarding of the 28-year-old Ocasio-Cortez after her surprise primary victory that made her a House candidate.

Many conservatives get angry at the sight of Ocasio-Cortez on TV news programs. I welcome her  and the Republican Party should as well. We must appreciate the opportunity to contrast our free-market platform with the socialist ideas of a former bartender who has said she believes that "unemployment is low because everyone has two jobs."

Its a no-brainer that every Republican should welcome a debate with this disciple of democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, with her many radical positions.

I was a physician in rural Kansas for almost 30 years before I was elected to Congress in 2016. So personally, I believe the most practical way we can crush the rise of democratic socialists is to tear apart their most popular proposal: Medicare for all.

There is no such thing as Medicare for all. That phrase in and of itself is a complete and total scam.

Medicare only exists because a free-market health-care system allows it to exist. Medicare can only function within a relatively open market system that still inspires America's best and brightest to become doctors, nurses, and health-care innovators.

If you want to see what Medicare for all looks like, look no further than the last 25 years of the Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. I would encourage socialists like Ocasio-Cortez to ask a veteran dependent on the VA what he or she thinks of their government-run health care  but Ocasio-Cortez won't do that.

It is no secret that despite the strides President Trump and this Congress have made, there is still much work to be done for our vets when it comes to offering them quality health care.

No pundit, politician or health-care professional can deny that due entirely to the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) and government-mandated electronic medical records, more physicians and nurses are quitting or opting for early retirement than ever before.

What it all comes down to is control versus choice. The Democrats (socialists) fundamentally believe that Washington knows whats best for you and your family  better than you do. In contrast, the Republican Party still strongly believes that when given choices in the marketplace of products, ideas and health care, the individual knows whats best for his or her family.

Socialized medicine means agencies would have the power to decide which doctor you take your children to, or what hospital should treat your aging parents and relatives. A vote for these socialist Democrats means rationing health-care services, waiting months to see a primary care physician, and waiting two to three years for joint replacement or a basic heart catheterization.

There will be a government-coded formula for deciding which patients  if any  will be treated for Stage 4 cancer, dialysis or an organ transplant. Socialists and the modern Democratic Party know that as soon as they control your health-care, they control you.

The key to the Democratic (socialist) success is that they need you to be convinced that you need them. Just don't ask them how they're going to pay the $3 trillion per year price tag.

At its core, socialism is a pseudo-religious belief that big-government central planning can take what it wants and give what it wants. It is that very same reason why socialism always ends up dying by the same sword  tyranny.

Once socialism fails, there is nowhere else for the individual to turn. Because of the inevitable failure of socialism, the only people that prosper under its tyranny are the apparatchiks who control the central government. They always live well, while everyone elses families descend into horrific poverty.

For example, Google "Venezuela"  where some people in what was once a wealthy country eat out of dumpsters. Or research why China and Vietnam abandoned their failed five-year plans" of government-controlled economies and turned to free enterprise incentives so that they could feed their people.

Countries quickly learned that in the measly five acres their farmers were permitted to grow corps for sale at free-enterprise-based farmers markets, they produced more food than 100 acres they farmed for the state.

History is littered with the tattered remains of the socialist dogma of Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and now the Democratic Partys midterm platform.

Ocasio-Cortez and the socialists in Congress like to fly the banner of open borders and immigration. Well, I don't know a single immigrant in Kansas who dreamed of coming to the United States chasing the beaming light of socialism. Ill be damned if I turn my country and my grandchildrens future over to socialism.

Defeating the Democrats and their socialist poster candidates will remain our priority this fall, and we will succeed. In the meantime, Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are welcome back to my home state of Kansas anytime; they spend money in the state and get votes for the Republican Party.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

The legacy medias ongoing obsession with President Trump as they work to destroy his presidency has a side benefit for those who want a return of the establishment status quo: There isnt much coverage of a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. The Washington Times headline said it all, CDC: 72,000 died from drug overdoses in 2017, 42,000 from opioids.

Think about that: 72,000 Americans dead, in one year, due to overdoses.

The death toll is higher than the peak yearly death totals from HIV, car crashes, or gun deaths, reported The New York Times. Analysts pointed to two major reasons for the increase: A growing number of Americans are using opioids, and drugs are becoming more deadly  noted the newspaper.

Many things contribute to drug abuse, but there is one big factor our reliably liberal legacy media ignore: The disaster of ObamaCare and its destruction of our health care infrastructure. We know it made actual health care unaffordable, and then was combined with an economy that further destroyed the options of millions of under- and unemployed Americans.

We then had a president determined to convince the American public that doctors couldnt be trusted and that a pill could solve your problems. Because when the government is paying for your health care, they need to redefine what care really means.

Consider the focus of newly elected President Barack Obama. In 2009, the first year of his first term, Obama began a public campaign to convince people that going to the doctor can be fraught with risk, and even dangerous. He argued on multiple occasions that doctors want to perform surgeries and cut things off just to make a buck.

You come in and youve got a bad sore throat, or your child has a bad sore throat or has repeated sore throats, President Obama explained at Wednesdays press conference. The doctor may look at the reimbursement system and say to himself, You know what? I make a lot more money if I take this kids tonsils out,  the Wall Street Journal reported in June 2009.

He then immediately moved the argument to pill taking.

 If theres a blue pill and a red pill and the blue pill is half the price of the red pill and works just as well, he asked, why not pay half price for the thing thats going to make you well?  the Journal reported.

In other words, why trust a doctor when you can take a pill? Besides, its less expensive. Thats the point and the irony  saving your life is the only time the government is suddenly interested in cutting costs. Why? Because it means more money for the system and its bureaucrats.

In August 2009, Obama doubled-down on the theme that doctors cant be trusted and will cut off your foot for the money. At a health care forum in New Hampshire, the president said, [L]ets take the example of something like diabetes  if a family care physician works with his or her patient  monitors whether theyre taking their medications in a timely fashion, they might get reimbursed a pittance. But if that same diabetic ends up getting their foot amputated, thats $30,000, $40,000, $50,000  immediately the surgeon is reimbursed, the Media Research Center reported.

The American College of Surgeons pushed back on the smears, stating, We want to set the record straight.  He stated that a surgeon gets paid $50,000 for a leg amputation when, in fact, Medicare pays a surgeon between $740 and $1,140 for a leg amputation  noted the ACS. Three weeks ago, the President suggested that a surgeons decision to remove a childs tonsils is based on the desire to make a lot of money. That remark was ill-informed and dangerous, and we were dismayed by this characterization of the work surgeons do. Surgeons make decisions about recommending operations based on whats right for the patient, continued the ACS.

Unfazed, Obama continued his mission to prepare the American people for no actual health care but the less expensive pharmaceutical option. And he became even more blunt.

During a televised health care town hall in 2009 at the White House, The Wall Street Journal reported comments by Obama, After discussing ways we as a culture and as a society [can start] to make better decisions within our own families and for ourselves, he continued that in general at least we can let doctors know and your mom know that, you know what? Maybe this isnt going to help. Maybe youre better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller. 

A great deal of Trumps time is taken with cleaning up Barack Obamas and the Democrats deadly messes. The horrific report from the CDC of 72,000 overdose deaths last year remind us why Trump declared the opioid crisis a national health emergency.

The opioid crisis is, in part, the result of a nation that lost hope in its future and a bureaucracy that encouraged us into dependency. The good news is, Trump is delivering on his promise to make America great again, and solving the opioid crisis will be part of that continuing success.

This column originally appeared in The Washington Times.
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

California Democrats have declared war on one of the most popular family-owned hamburger chains on the West Coast.

Gabe Schneider, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist, discovered that In-N-Out Burger has been engaged in unseemly  if not downright scandalous  behavior.

In-N-Out added a new item to their secret menu, Schneider mischievously tweeted.

He then went on to explain that In-N-Out has donated $25,000 (gird yourselves, good readers) to the (no, really  gird yourselves) California Republican Party on Tuesday.

Oh, the humanity. Smelling salts, anyone?

In-N-Out is a beloved hamburger chain based in California and has a cult following. The chains double-double burgers, fresh-cut fries and a legendary secret menu have consistently landed it among the most favorite burger chains in the country.

In-N-Out is owned by a deeply religious family, known for discreetly placing Bible verses on hamburger wrappers and soft drink cups.

It's fair to say that In-N-Out is to beef what Chick-fil-A is to poultry.

So when the In-N-Out donation to the California Republican Party was exposed, Democrats and the mainstream media lost their lunch.

Left-leaning Fast Food Fans Lose Appetite After In-N-Out Burger Donates to California Republicans, Fortune.com announced.

Your Favorite Burger Chain Just Donated a Bunch of Money to the Republican Party, LAMag.com wrote.

In-N-Out Burger Angers Customers by Donating to Republican Party, US Weekly declared.

Eric Bauman, the chairman of the California Democratic Party, called for an immediate boycott.

Et tu In-N-Out, the state party chairman wrote on Twitter. Tens of thousands of dollars donated to the California Republican Partyits time to #BoycottInNOut  let Trump and his cronies support these creepsperhaps animal style.

Animal style, by the way, refers to a popular In-N-Out specialty hamburger and not something inappropriate.

So what  now it's morally offensive for business owners to back pro-business Republicans in a state that is run by decidedly anti-business lawmakers?

Fortune.com reports that In-N-Out also donated money to a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates who are considered cordial to businesses.

I don't seem to recall any Republicans calling for a burger boycott over that.

In-N-Out has not commented on the controversy, nor should it. The owners of the company have a right to donate as they see fit.

The Democrats attacks on In-N-Out are eerily reminiscent of the Great Poultry War of 2012  when liberals declared war on Chick-fil-A.

Feathers got ruffled when the companys owner made comments affirming the biblical definition of marriage. Soon, the restaurant chain was facing a full scale assault from Democrats, the mainstream media and Hollywood.

An armistice of sorts was declared thanks to the fine peacekeeping work of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Hundreds of thousands of supporters rallied by vowing to eat more chicken.

But in the ensuing years there have been some minor skirmishes in places like Chicago, Boston and New York City  where Democratic lawmakers tried to stop Chick-fil-A from opening up restaurants. Their nefarious scheme backfired.

All that is to say that Democrats should tread carefully. They do not want a beef with California voters over their double-double with special sauce.

I stood with Chick-fil-A during the Great Poultry War and I am proud to stand alongside In-N-Out Burger.

The most effective way to fight back is to eat more beef, California (with apologies to the Chick-fil-A cows, of course).
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo debated actress and activist Cynthia Nixon Wednesday night ahead of their Democratic gubernatorial primary next month.

At Long Island's Hofstra University, the two candidates engaged in an often contentious debate, which included accusations of lying on both sides.

CYNTHIA NIXON'S TEAM CITES SEXISM OVER ROOM TEMPERATURE AHEAD OF CUOMO DEBATE: REPORT

Nixon, a former co-star of HBO's "Sex and the City," went after Cuomo early on, calling him an "Albany insider" and a corrupt liar. She said that experience doesn't matter if a politician is bad at governing.

Cuomo shot back at Nixon, claiming she lives in a "world of fiction" while he lives in the real world while alleging that she doesn't understand the challenges of leading New York.

Identifying key factors of running the state such as fire management and the subway system Cuomo argued that the "main risk to the state of New York" is President Trump, and that the governor "need[s] to know how" to stand on the front lines.

Referencing the president's attacks on him earlier this month for saying America "was never that great," Cuomo said he stands up to Trump, but Nixon disagreed, and said the incumbent backed down fairly quickly.

While discussing New York City's MTA transit system, the two accused each other of lying and the back and forth got heated when Cuomo asked Nixon to "stop interrupting" him.

"Can you stop lying?" Nixon shot back.

"Yeah, as soon as you do," Cuomo responded.

'SEX AND THE CITY' STAR CYNTHIA NIXON COULD BE NEW YORK'S NEXT GOVERNOR: A LOOK AT HER POLITICAL ACTIVISM

Later, the governor accused his opponent of seeking political favors as a private citizen, mentioning a "tea house for Sarah Jessica Parker," Nixon's friend and co-star of their HBO show.

"That wasn't a favor?" Cuomo asked.

"I don't even know what you're referring to," Nixon said, to which Cuomo quipped she "should really read the newspapers."

According to the Daily News, Parker once emailed Nixon a complaint about Tea & Sympathy, a restaurant in the West Village. Parker reportedly passed on a message from the shop mentioning a fear of losing it's lease due to an issue with back taxes.

Nixon sent Parker's email to "several people" within Mayor Bill de Blasio's office, and his chief of staff said he'd look into it, according to the news outlet.

Cuomo promised that, if re-elected, he would not run for president in 2020 and would remain governor.

"I will serve four years as governor of the state of New York," Cuomo told the audience, adding that the "only caveat is if God strikes me dead."

The Democratic gubernatorial primary is set for September 13. The winner will face Republican Marc Molinaro and independent Stephanie Miner in November.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The California legislature on Wednesday voted to raise the age for buying long guns throughout the state from 18 to 21.

Senate Bill 1100, introduced by Sen. Anthony Portantino, was approved with a 26-12 vote and sent to Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown for a signature, The Sacramento Bee reported.

The bill would limit those who can purchase rifles to age 21 and above. State law already limits the sale of handguns to people 21 or older.

Portantino cited the February massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida  in which a 19-year-old used a AR-15-style gun to kill 17 people  as inspiration for the bill.

"The two most deadly recent school tragedies have been perpetrated by people under 21 with long guns, Portantino said Wednesday. "We should be sending our children off to school knowing they are going to be safe, healthy and get a good education."

Opponents of the legislation argued that people can obtain long guns through illegal channels and that state legislators should focus on making sure criminals and those with mental health issues cannot get guns themselves.

Republican Sen. Jim Nielsen said he thinks "bills like this miss the target," according to the Los Angeles Times.

"What is magic about 21?" Nielsen asked. "All of a sudden you are not a danger anymore?

The bill includes exemptions for anyone under 21 who serve as police officers, in the military or have valid state hunting licenses.
President Trump on Wednesday tweeted that there was no reason for joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea, dubbing them costly while describing his relationship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un as very good and warm.

However, he signaled that he could restart them if he wanted to, promising that they would be far bigger than ever before.

The president tweeted a White House statement, in which he said he believed the rogue regime was experiencing tremendous pressure from China amid trade disputes with the U.S. Simultaneously, North Korea was acquiring considerable aid from China, which is not helpful, Trump continued.

TRUMP TELLS SECRETARY OF STATE POMPEO TO CANCEL NORTH KOREA TRIP

Nonetheless, the President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games, Trump tweeted. Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before.

The statement went on to insist that any issues between the U.S. and China would be taken care of by Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who have a very strong relationship.

Earlier Wednesday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued a statement that three military exercises were suspended in order to provide space for our diplomats to negotiate the verifiable, irreversible and complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

"Our military posture has not changed since the conclusion of the Singapore summit and no decisions have been made about suspending any future exercises," he continued, adding that the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea was "ironclad."

SOUTH KOREA URGES MORE US-NORTH KOREA TALKS, DESPITE POMPEOS CANCELED TRIP

Following his June meeting with Kim Trump promised to end the war games with South Korea.

Earlier this week, Trump said hed asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cancel a planned trip to North Korea, citing insufficient progress towards denuclearization, while also faulting China.

I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Trump tweeted. Additionally, because of our much stronger trading stance with China, I do not believe they are helping with the process of denuclearization as they once were (despite the UN Sanctions which are in place).

Fox News Jennifer Griffin, Brooke Singman and Frank Miles contributed to this report.
The campaigns of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Democratic challenger U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke were said to be near a deal for debates ahead of their U.S. Senate showdown in November.

Cruz has repeatedly criticized O'Rourke for refusing his proposal of five debates  beginning Friday  ahead of the general election. ORourke, in turn, has accused Cruz and his campaign of dictating the terms of the proposed debates, the Houston Chronicle reported.

One of the challenges weve had is that Senator Cruz not only attempted to dictate the date, the place, the time, um, also the moderators, the subjects that we could talk about, ORourke told Houston Public Media.

So far the candidates' back-and-forth has come in the form of responses to the other's campaign ads and other rhetoric.

The Cruz campaign recently launched an ad accusing O'Rourke of voting against tax relief for Hurricane Harvey, which devastated southeastern Texas a year ago.

But O'Rourke said at the time that he didn't support the bill because the broader legislation lacked funding for other important programs. He added Tuesday that he supported other Harvey-related bills that directed more than $90 billion to hurricane victims, the Texas Tribune reported.

Meanwhile, the Texas Republican Party on Tuesday turned up the heat on O'Rourke, posting several old photos of the Democrat in a bid to convince him to debate Cruz.

One post shows a mugshot of ORourke from a 1998 DUI arrest. The accompanying text by the Texas GOP hints that perhaps the candidate was too impaired to debate Cruz.

Another photo shows a young ORourke with his punk rock band.

Sorry, cant debate. We have a gig, the text added by the Texas GOP reads.

Yet another photo of ORourke includes a scrawled caption, with the candidate supposedly writing that he couldnt debate Friday because he just got this killer board.

O'Rourke supporters, however, were quick to mock the Texas GOP posts.

This makes me like him more, one Twitter user wrote. We need elected officials whove lived life, who arent walking corpses in suits. #backfire

Definitely dont want to vote for this cool guy who did fun stuff and had friends, another user wrote.

The Texas GOP shot back, labeling would-be Beto supporters as Buzzfeed contributors, out of state liberals, and people who use the word rad.

Chris Evans, O'Rourke's spokesman, said O'Rourke's brushes with the law are old news.

"Beto talks about his arrests openly and often" and "has since his first campaign ever," Evans told the Associated Press in an email.

ORourke, for his part, was forthcoming in op-ed for the Houston Chronicle about his past. He said he spent a night in El Paso County jail in 1995 for jumping a fence at the University of Texas at El Paso, and was arrested three years later for drunken driving. He wasn't convicted in either case, he said.

After an event in Austin on Tuesday, O'Rourke said both his and Cruz's campaigns were talking about debating, the Houston Chronicle reported.

"I'm confident we'll work something out," O'Rourke said. "I'm pretty confident we're going to see debates."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Democratic lawmaker issued a startling warning to government officials involved in illegal deportations that they will not be safe from future punishment when Donald Trump is no longer president.

If you are a US government official and you are deporting Americans be warned, Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego tweeted early Thursday. When the worm turns you will not be safe because you were just following orders. You do not have to take part in illegal acts ordered by this President's administration.

Gallegos comments go beyond those of other Democrats, even those who've called for confronting Trump administration officials in public over immigration policies.

Chris Crane, the president of the National ICE Council, which represents thousands of ICE employees, accused Gallego of inciting violence against them as they enforce the nations laws and keep our communities safe.

It should be frightening to every American that a sitting member of Congress would threaten the safety of any person and their family, and incite the public to take acts of violence against them, let alone the lives of those whose job it is to protect us and keep us safe, Crane said in a statement.

Gallego, in a statement to Fox News, attempted to clarify his remarks.

Government officials who violate the law or the constitution will not be immune to legal consequences, Gallego said Thursday. They will eventually be held accountable for their actions, even if the Trump administration is refusing to do so.

A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not return a request for comment. There have been growing calls from Democrats in recent months to abolish the agency.

STATE DEPT. PUSHES BACK ON REPORT ABOUT HISPANICS BEING DENIED PASSPORTS

Gallego's warning was prompted by a story in The Washington Post on Wednesday that examined how the U.S. government has denied passports to Hispanics who have U.S. citizenship but are suspected of possibly having fraudulent birth certificates.

In a statement to Fox News on Thursday, a State Department spokesman blasted the Washington Post report, saying passport denials in these cases have actually declined under this administration. Both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations reportedly denied passports to people delivered by midwives in Texass Rio Grande Valley, though the practice was hindered by a court challenge years ago.

The facts dont back up the Washington Posts reporting. This is an irresponsible attempt to create division and stoke fear among American citizens while attempting to inflame tensions over immigration, said Heather Nauert, a State Department spokeswoman. Under the Trump Administration, domestic passport denials for so called midwife cases are at a 6-year low. The reporting is a political cheap shot.

But Democrats expressed outrage over the story, accusing the Trump administration of attacking minorities.

US citizens including #Veterans & law enforcement being jailed on suspicion of being Mexican, denied US passports, Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez said. Trump escalating attacks on US Latinos & people of color.

Americans are being held, targeted, and denied their rights because of the color of their skin, tweeted Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez. This is a disgrace to our democracy and a vicious assault on our community. We must make our voices heard. These families are counting on us.

This administrations anti-immigrant, nationalistic rhetoric and policies are now targeting U.S. citizens, in an attempt to deny them of the rights that our Constitution guarantees, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus tweeted. This is wrong, shameless and betrays our most sacred American ideals.

The State Department told The Washington Post they sometimes ask people suspected of having fraudulent papers to provide additional proof of birth. Those flagged are applicants who have birth certificates filed by a midwife or other birth attendant suspected of having engaged in fraudulent activities or those with both a U.S. and foreign birth certificate.

Individuals who are unable to demonstrate that they were born in the United States are denied issuance of a passport, the State Department told the paper.

In its story, the Post cited several examples, including a 40-year-old named Juan who reportedly says he was born in the United States, was delivered by a midwife in southern Texas and served in the Army, the Border Patrol and the state prison system.

I served my country. I fought for my country, the man said.
Embattled Justice Department official Bruce Ohr had contact in 2016 with then-colleague Andrew Weissmann, who is now a top Robert Mueller deputy, as well as other senior FBI officials about the controversial anti-Trump dossier and the individuals behind it, two sources close to the matter told Fox News.

The sources said Ohr's outreach about the dossier  as well as its author, ex-British spy Christopher Steele; the opposition research firm behind it, Glenn Simpsons Fusion GPS; and his wife Nellie Ohr's work for Fusion  occurred before and after the FBI fired Steele as a source over his media contacts. Ohr's network of contacts on the dossier included: former FBI agent Peter Strzok; former FBI lawyer Lisa Page; former deputy director Andrew McCabe; Weissmann and at least one other DOJ official; and a current FBI agent who worked with Strzok on the Russia case.

Weissmann was kept "in the loop" on the dossier, a source said, while he was chief of the criminal fraud division. He is now assigned to Special Counsel Muellers team.

The list includes several figures who have since attracted the scorn of President Trump as he decries the Russia probe and those involved in its early stages. Trump has been particularly tough on Ohr, given his wife Nellies past work for Fusion GPS, as the president alleges bias against him inside the department. Just Thursday morning, Trump complained on Twitter about Nellie Ohr's Fusion work and exclaimed, "Bruce was a boss at the Department of Justice and is, unbelievably, still there!"

Ohr's broad circle of contacts indicates members of FBI leadership knew about his backchannel activities regarding the dossier and Steele.

Congressional Republicans are still trying to get to the bottom of Ohr's role in circulating the unverified dossier, which became a critical piece of evidence in obtaining a surveillance warrant for then-Trump campaign aide Carter Page in October 2016. Ohr was grilled by House committees behind closed doors for seven hours earlier this week.

A Republican-authored House Intelligence Committee memo released in February said that Steele "maintained contact" with Ohr "before and after" the government fired the ex-British spy as a source. "Shortly after the election, the FBI began interviewing Ohr, documenting his communications with Steele," the memo said. "For example, in September 2016, Steele admitted to Ohr his feelings against then-candidate Trump when Steele said he 'was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate about him not being president.'"

In addition, Ohr's handwritten notes, reviewed by Fox News, showed that two weeks after the election, on Nov. 21, he made a list including Page, Strzok and the FBI agent  which may have been a reference to a meeting. "No [prosecution] yet. Push case ahead on M. May go back to Chris," he wrote. Congressional investigators told Fox News they believe the "M" likely refers to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who recently was convicted on tax and bank fraud charges in Virginia, and the "Chris" is Christopher Steele.

That same month, Steele was fired by the FBI as a confidential source over his contact with the media about the dossier.

According to court records, an FBI memo also states that Weissmann met as early as April 2017 with a group of reporters about Manafort. The timing appears significant, coming one month before FBI Director James Comey was fired and Mueller was appointed to lead the special counsel team.

Republican lawmakers who questioned Ohr earlier this week say the connections between Bruce Ohr and his wife Nellie, who did Russia research for the opposition research firm behind the dossier, were known.

"When they went to court, the FBI knew three important things. And they did not disclose this to the court," Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said. "They knew the Ohrs involvement in the production of the dossier. They knew that Chris Steele had this extreme bias against the president. And they knew who paid for the dossier. And they did not disclose these key facts to the court when they went there to get the warrant to spy on Carter Page and the Trump campaign."

Fusion GPS and its co-founder have not responded to Fox News' questions for this story, or previous reports. While Fusion GPS financial records were the subject of a lawsuit, and are not public, sources told Fox News that Nellie Ohr received "multiple payments" in 2016 from Fusion GPS, and the amounts were "not small change."

Fox News contacted lawyers for the current and former officials with whom Ohr was in contact, as well as Mueller's office, and they declined to comment or did not respond.

House Democrats say the focus on Ohr, a career civil servant whose portfolio did not include Russia, is being mischaracterized by Republicans, and his outreach on behalf of Steele was not prohibited or unlawful. As part of a "fact check" provided to reporters, Reps. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said, "In fall 2016, the FBI ended their formal relationship with Mr. Steele as a confidential human source due to his unauthorized disclosures to the press  not because of any factual issues with the 'dossier' or other information Mr. Steele had provided."

The senior Democrats continued: "When Mr. Steele subsequently reached out to Mr. Ohr with additional information, Mr. Ohr appropriately handed it off to FBI investigators to assess its credibility and potentially corroborate with other evidence. At the time, Mr. Ohr was the Director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and it was not his job to vet the accuracy of this information himself."
Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert doubled down after the FBI dismissed claims that a Chinese state-owned company hacked former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons private email server.

'[P]artisan politics, sadly, are very much at play within some of the leadership at the FBI," the Texas congressman said in a statement late Wednesday.

The Daily Caller first reported that the FBI was notified of the purported hack in 2015, when the Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) warned the bureau of the intrusion. The hack reportedly implanted code that generated a courtesy copy for almost all Clinton's emails -- which was then forwarded to the Chinese company.

A source briefed on the matter confirmed to Fox News the details of the Callers reporting. Gohmert also had told Fox News on Tuesday that the emails were obtained by a foreign countrys intelligence, though he declined to name the country in question.

But on Wednesday, the FBI sharply disputed the claims, saying it has not found any evidence the servers were compromised.

In his overnight statement, Gohmert argued it was the ICIG -- not the FBI -- that discovered the breach. He said the FBI conveniently omitted that detail.

CHINESE COMPANY REPORTEDLY HACKED CLINTON'S SERVER

Its not surprising that the FBI has not found any evidence regarding Clintons servers being breached, Gohmert, R-Texas, said. It was the Obama-appointed Intelligence Community Inspector General that discovered the breach. It was not the FBI that found it, so their statement was technically correct, but very deceptive in its omission.

The FBI also had referred Fox News to the Justice Departments Inspector General report, which was released in June, to push back on the Caller's reporting.

That report, which examined the FBIs handling of the investigation into Clintons private email server and her handling of classified information, detailed how the FBI conducted an intrusion analysis into the server to look for evidence of a breach.

Yet even that report acknowledges those efforts were limited.

The report notes the FBI was limited in its intrusion analysis due to the FBIs inability to recover all server equipment and the lack of complete server data for the relevant time period.'

The report also notes that the FBI identified vulnerabilities in Clintons server systems and found that there had been numerous unsuccessful attempts by potential malicious actors to exploit those vulnerabilities.

The report quotes an FBI forensics agent who said he did not believe there was any way of determining  100% whether Clintons servers had been compromised, but felt "fairly confident that there wasnt an intrusion.

Gohmert first raised the issue of the breach at former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzoks public testimony on Capitol Hill last month, asking whether Strzok was briefed about an anomaly on Clintons emails found by ICIG officials.

Strzok said he remembered meeting with the ICIG officials, but did not remember the details of the meeting.

Gohmert raised that exchange in his overnight statement.

When I asked Peter Strzok about this, he said that he remembered being briefed by the ICIG investigator but did not remember what it was about. That is not credible, Gohmert said, while accusing Strzok of trying to "protect" Clinton.

A spokesman for Clinton told The Daily Caller that the FBI spent thousands of hours investigating, and found no evidence of intrusion. Thats a fact.

The ICIG declined to comment.

Strzok was part of the Mid-Year Exam team at the FBIthe bureaus code word for the Clinton investigation. Strzok, who served on Special Counsel Robert Muellers team until his anti-Trump text messages were discovered, lost his security clearance in July and was fired from the FBI earlier this month.
Best time to travel

Autumn, which falls from early September to late November, is an ideal time to visit Hanoi. The weather is milder and drier, without the scorching sun of summer, making it the perfect time for sightseeing.

However, visiting Hanoi later in the year is also an interesting experience as holidaymakers can enjoy hot and tasty dishes in the chilly winds of winter.

Autumn in Hanoi falls from early September to late November

How to get there

There are a lot of airlines providing flights to Hanoi from all around the world, including Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Jetstar and Qatar. Visitors can also get in by train or sleeper bus.

Where to go and what to do

Hanois Old Quarter is the highlight of the citys tourism sector. With its dense population and busy trading activities, it is an ideal place to explore the traditional and unique features of Hanoi.

While Ho Chi Minh City is famous for Bui Vien, which is dubbed Western street for backpackers, Hanois Old Quarter is known for its international crossroad at Luong Ngoc Quyen  Ta Hien intersection, where visitors can have a few cold and fairly cheap fresh beers at the end of the day for a price of only VND10,000 (US$0.43) for a tall glass.

Hanois Old Quarter is known for its international crossroad at Luong Ngoc Quyen  Ta Hien intersection

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a place you shouldnt miss when in Hanoi. This was the place where President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, marking the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The mausoleum is open to visitors every day, except Mondays and Fridays. Visitors to the site are required to wear appropriate clothes and to act with respect. The site is free for Vietnamese citizens, while foreigners have to pay VND25,000 for a ticket to the Ho Chi Minh Museum and VND25,000 to the Presidents stilt house.

Another must-see tourist attraction in Hanoi is the Temple of Literature, Vietnams oldest university. Tickets cost VND30,000, people with disabilities and students with ID cards enjoy a 50% discount, while children under 15 can visit free.

Where to eat and drink

Pho (Vietnamese noodles) is a perfect choice to start a new day in Hanoi. With prices ranging from VND25,000 to VND40,000, Pho can be served at any time of the day in Hanoi. Two of the most popular types of pho are beef noodle soup and chicken noodle soup.

Other suggestions for breakfast include banh cuon (steamed rice pancake rolls), mien luon (vermicelli with eels), xoi (sticky rice), and of course, banh mi (fresh bread with tasty fillings).

Bun cha, a delicious and filling dish comprising charred and crispy slices of seasoned pork served with a bowl of fish sauce-heavy broth, a basket of herbs and rice noodles, can cost from just VND25,000 to VND35,000. Bun cha often comes with the delicious nem cua be (fried crab spring rolls).

Afternoon is a great time to have a cup of egg coffee. You might have to pay VND15,000 to VND20,000 to savour the creamy, rich taste of a sweet and eggy custard poured onto the dense Vietnamese coffee.

Afternoon is a great time to have a cup of egg coffee.

Fruit juices, smoothies and che (sweet beverages) are available at kiosks along Dinh Tien Hoang and Nguyen Huu Huan streets around Hoan Kiem (Sword lake).

For dinner, cha ca (grilled catfish seasoned with dill and shrimp paste) is a cant miss dish for visitors to Hanoi. When the dark of night fills the sky, visitors can join Hanoians at the bustling corner of Ta Hien  Luong Ngoc Quyen streets to taste the iconic street food of Hanoi, including nem chua ran (fried fermented pork rolls), nem chua nuong (grilled fermented pork rolls), grilled chicken feet, and roasted quails with honey.

Where to stay

Over recent years, the home stay industry has mushroomed in Vietnam and Hanoi in particular, with prices ranging from VND 550,000 to VND1.5 million per night for a room.

Some suggestions include O'Hanoi (33B Pham Ngu Lao), Tuti Downtown (98 Hang Buo), and Little prince home (8B Yen Hoa).

There are also budget hostels with full accommodation and equipment from VND200,000 to VND800,000. For those who want to enjoy a luxury retreat in Hanoi, there are many five-star hotels such as the Sheraton and Sofitel Metropole.

How to get around Hanoi

You can take a taxi, a xe om biker or a bus to get around Hanoi. If you are brave enough to ride a bike through the hectic streets of Hanoi alone, you can hire a bike for between VND50,000 and VND150,000 a day to save money.

The red open top buses take visitors to the 30 most popular local tourist attractions

Recently, the city has launched a double-decker city Hop on - Hop off tour, offering visitors three price options, starting at VND 300,000 for a ticket valid for four hours, VND 450,000 for 24 hours, and VND 650,000 for 48 hours.

The red open top buses cover a route of 25 streets with 13 stops, taking visitors to the 30 most popular local tourist attractions. The 13.8 km tour operates from 9am to 5pm daily with a frequency of 30 minutes.
John McCain's 106-year-old mother is expected to attend his memorial and burial services in Washington and Maryland later this week.

Roberta McCain called her middle son "Johnny." The Vietnam prisoner of war, Republican congressman, senator and two-time presidential candidate died of brain cancer Saturday at age 81.

In one of his books, McCain wrote that his mother "was raised to be a strong, determined woman who thoroughly enjoyed life, and always tried to make the most of her opportunities.

" ... my mother was raised to be a strong, determined woman who thoroughly enjoyed life, and always tried to make the most of her opportunities."  John McCain, referring to his mother, Roberta McCain

"She was encouraged to accept, graciously and with good humor, the responsibilities and sacrifices her choices have required of her," he continued. "I am grateful to her for the strengths she taught me by example."

Though she has now outlived him, Roberta once said her son liked to hold her up as an example of "what he hopes his lifespan will be."

John McCain also might have inherited his mother's sass, wit and rebellious streak.

He once answered the telephone to hear his mother say she was on a cross-country driving trip  by herself, in her 90s.

McCain wrote in his final book, "The Restless Wave," published this year, that his mother's "vivaciousness is a force of nature," but that although a stroke has slowed her once-brisk pace and has made speaking a "chore," she still has "a spark in her, a brightness in her eyes that would light up the world if she could resume her peripatetic life."

"Roberta is 106, but she's spunky," a close family friend told People magazine.

In February, McCain tweeted a video tribute to celebrate his mother's birthday.

"Happy 106th birthday to my wonderful mother Roberta  we love you mom!

Granddaughter Meghan McCain also posted a tweet honoring her "incredible Nana McCain," and daughter-in-law Cindy McCain called her a "true inspiration."

Roberta was a vocal and energetic supporter of her son during his 2008 presidential campaign.

Johnny is going to be the president of the United States and hes going to keep the traditions  and the standards high, she told a crowd of applause.

A native of Muskogee, Okla., Roberta Wright was nearly 21 and a college student in Southern California when she eloped to Tijuana, Mexico, in January 1933 with a young sailor named John S. McCain Jr.

He would go on to become a Navy admiral, like the father he shared a name with, and the couple would have three children  Jean, John and Joseph  within a decade.

McCain's mother raised the kids, with her husband away on Navy business most of the time. She didn't complain, and loved Navy life. The family lived in Hawaii and the Panama Canal Zone  where the senator was born in 1936  among many points in between.

Roberta and her identical twin sister, Rowena Wright, who died in 2011, often traveled around the world together.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Democratic congressional candidate's plan to combat sexual misconduct in public office if elected includes impeaching conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and opening a congressional hearing into allegations against President Trump.

In her campaign for Massachusetts 3rd congressional district, state Sen. Barbara LItalien has taken on the issue of sexual misconduct  from accusing a fellow Democrat of failing to help a sexual harassment victim to releasing a detailed platform on the need for accountability in public office, especially in wake of the nationwide #MeToo movement.

People in power need to stop waiting for the public to get outraged to do their jobs and start actively supporting victims. I believe thats part of my duty in elected office, LItalien said on her campaign website, touting her work tackling sexual misconduct as a state lawmaker.

I am going to give accountability for sexual misconduct the attention it deserves in Congress, she said. This will require extensive policy change, but it must also include talking about the elephant in the room in Washington, D.C. in the #MeToo era. We cannot claim to be serious about ending impunity for sexual misconduct when two of the most powerful men in the country have been credibly accused of sexual crimes and gotten away with it.

FOX NEWS MIDTERM ELECTION HEADQUARTERS

LItaliens campaign website links to a piece by Jill Abramson in New York Magazine which highlights women who have accused Thomas, a Supreme Court justice since 1991, of sexual misconduct. Abramson wrote its  time to raise the possibility of impeachment of Thomas because he allegedly lied under oath during his congressional hearings regarding allegations of sexual harassment.

Under oath, Thomas repeatedly denied accusations from Anita Hill  one of his accusers  that he talked about pornography, made inappropriate comments and sexually harassed her when she worked for him at the Department of Education. He's also called a claim that he groped a woman at a dinner party in 1999 "preposterous."

There is considerable evidence that Thomas lied under oath about his conduct in the workplace when accused of sexually harassing Anita Hill, and perjury is an established impeachable defense, LItalien said on her website.

LItaliens spokesman, Joe Katz, told Politico she is the first candidate to campaign for impeachment of the 70-year-old Thomas.

ME TOO MOVEMENT GIVES PASS TO DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

LItalien also said she would formally request a congressional hearing into the more than a dozen allegations of sexual misconduct against Trump  many of which surfaced during the 2016 presidential campaign. In December, three women called for a congressional investigation into their allegations.

"We cannot claim to be serious about ending impunity for sexual misconduct when two of the most powerful men in the country have been credibly accused of sexual crimes and gotten away with it."  Barbara L'Italien

Trump has continuously denied the allegations.

But aside from the two Republicans specifically mentioned in her campaign platform, LItalien has also slammed opponent Daniel A. Koh, former chief of staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who she claimed failed to help a city employee who accused her boss of sexual harassment, The Boston Herald reported.

That was his chance to stand up and do the right thing, and he didnt do it as evidenced by the fact that there is a lawsuit against the city of Boston, and he is named in that lawsuit, she said.

According to The Boston Herald, Hilani Morales, a Boston Health and Human Services employee, accused HHS chief Felix J. Arroyo of sexual harassment last year. He was suspended and ultimately fired.

It's unfortunate that a few days after a UMass Lowell poll shows Dan in the lead, Senator L'Italien resorts to false personal attacks. Thats not what people want to see from candidates. Rather, Democrats should be united in working to oppose President Trump and his disastrous policies, Kohs campaign manager, Rachael Goldenberg, told Politico.

LItalien faces a crowded field of Democrats vying for the seat in the September 4 primary elections to replace outgoing Rep. Niki Tsongas, also a Democrat. Rick Green is the lone Republican in the race.
Former Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday remembered late Sen. John McCain as a brother, saying that the two of them were cockeyed optimists.

Biden, attending a memorial service for McCain at a church in Phoenix, delivered a tearful speech, praising the longtime Republican lawmaker from Arizona for his fairness, honesty and respect.

John believed in the American people, Biden said. Not just the preambles. He believed in the American people.

Biden, vice president under Barack Obama, said he believed McCain's death had hit people so hard because of his deep belief in the soul of America.

Biden said that McCain, in his final statement before dying last Saturday, left us pretty clear instructions.

Believe always in the promise and greatness in America because nothing is inevitable here, Biden said, quoting McCain. He wanted America to be reminded and to understand.

Biden declared that McCains legacy is going to continue to inspire generations.

John McCains impact on America is not over, Biden said. It is not hyperbole. It is not over. I dont think its even close.

Biden, who served with McCain in the Senate, said the two got to know each other while traveling overseas together. On those trips, they would talk about family, politics and international relations.

John is going to take his rightful place in a long line of extraordinary leaders in this nations history, who in their own way stood for freedom and liberty, Biden said. I know John said he hoped to play a small part in that story.

"John, you did much more than that, my friend.

McCain, who survived five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, served three decades in Congress and went on to become the Republican Partys presidential nominee in 2008, died on Saturday at the age of 81.

In his last hours, McCain turned down further medical treatment.

McCain learned he had an aggressive form of brain cancer in July 2017. Doctors discovered the tumor during a medical procedure to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. He remained upbeat after the diagnosis, flying back to Washington days after surgery with a large scar visible above his left eye to participate in the Senates health care debate.

McCain suffered from the same type of cancer that had claimed friend Ted Kennedy and Beau Biden, the former vice president's son.

McCain had a complicated relationship with President Trump, who infamously attacked him during the GOP primaries leading up to the 2016 election. McCain, according to The New York Times, made clear to the White House that he did not want Trump to attend his funeral, and would prefer that Vice President Mike Pence be there.

Trump honored that request.

Biden, though, said that politics wasnt what was most important to McCain, but rather the underlying values.

Biden said that the late senator could not stand the abuse of power wherever he saw it, in whatever form, in whatever country.

Biden said that McCain fought for civility between politicians on both sides of the aisle, even in times of disagreement.

To paraphrase Shakespeare, Biden concluded. we shall not see his like again.

McCain's body returned to the Washington, D.C. area for the final time Thursday evening, when Air Force Two landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and various members of Congress greeted McCain's wife, Cindy, and their children.

McCain will lie in state under the U.S. Capitol Rotunda Friday, when a ceremony and public visitation will be held. A formal funeral service will be held at Washington National Cathedral on Saturday and McCain will be buried at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., on Sunday.

Fox News' Alex Pappas, Samuel Chamberlain and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Minnesota state House candidate used a racial slur in a recent campaign video  and hes not shying away from the decision to do so.

I want to be your state representative. I want to be your public servant. And I want to be your n-----, Kyle Greene, an independent, said in his first campaign commercial, which has been posted to his Facebook page.

Greene, whose platform is focused on judicial reform, is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Dean Urdahl in congressional district 18A. His ad stressed judicial reform" in red letters at the bottom of the screen, though didn't discuss his plan during the 30-second clip.

Greene told The Star Tribune he used the slur in order to have voters focus on the real issues at hand.

We need to unify as a society, and we need to stop dealing with trivial matters. The word  is part of the American history, regardless of the race, he said. Its part of my history being African-American, white and Cherokee Indian.

DEMOCRAT APOLOGIZES AFTER HURLING ANTI-ASIAN SLURS AT HER OPPONENT

On his campaign website, Greene argues the judiciary has allowed perjury, double jeopardy, prosecutorial misconduct, bribery, etc., to go unpunished when used against citizens who are not part of the good ol boys network in his district. If elected, Greene said he will hold government and other public officials accountable.

Greene is an organic farmer in Grove City, Minnesota, and has served in the Army National Guard, according to his campaign website.

FOX NEWS MIDTERM ELECTIONS HEADQUARTERS

He has not received any major endorsements in the state race thus far, according to The Star Tribune.

Grove City is located about 70 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Urdahl was first elected to the seat in 2002.
An obscure federal case being heard in Washington next month could determine whether Special Counsel Robert Muellers pending full report on Russian interference in the 2016 election gathers dust in a secret file  or sees the light of day.

The case involves one man's quest for records related to the 1956 disappearance of Columbia University professor Jesus de Galindez  and has nothing to do with President Trump, Russian collusion or Mueller.

But it deals with secrecy surrounding grand jury testimony, and that makes it relevant to the ongoing Russia probe.

The case, first reported by Politico, was brought against the Justice Department by 82-year-old author and attorney Stuart McKeever, who has followed the Galindez mystery for nearly 40 years. With a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals hearing set for Sept. 21, McKeever hopes the judge will order the release of secret grand jury witness testimony from the Galindez case.

If the judge rules in his favor, it could lay the groundwork for Muellers report, in full, to reach Congress as well. But if the judge rules in favor of the Justice Department, current law prohibiting the release of secret grand jury materials would stand. In turn, Congress and the public may only be able to see a partial Russia report.

McKeever told Fox News on Wednesday that he began seeking grand jury materials five years ago as part of his effort to publish his book, The Galindez Case, which was released in 2013.

My book is done. But I wasnt going to let this part of my efforts go, without finishing the pursuit of my journey, McKeever said in a phone interview.

Galindez disappeared in 1956, last seen in New York City. According to Politico, "there are indications that he was kidnapped and flown to the Dominican Republic." The mystery also involves the murder of an American pilot on the island, as well as trials related to a man accused of being an unregistered foreign agent for the Dominican Republic.

The story was also the subject of the 2003 film, "The Galindez File," which starred Harvey Keitel as an FBI agent bent on stopping a young doctoral student from uncovering the true fate of Galindez.

McKeever says the FBI has tried all along to keep a lid on the details. For decades, he has reviewed records related to the case.

He recalled one striking moment from his search in the early '80s: When I went to the court archives to examine trial records, the clerk asked, why do you want to see these records? I said, why are you asking me that? The answer was to let the CIA know you want to see these records.

'This is a nice table being set up for a fantastic fight over legal authority to release grand jury information.'  Former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova

That said to me, keep on going, McKeever said.

McKeever told Fox News, though, that if the judge does rule in his favor next month, the Justice Department would surely appeal.

I dont think they want this story told, McKeever said.

The Justice Department did not respond to Fox News request for comment regarding the case.

So  how does all this relate to Mueller's probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 election?

At issue is whether grand jury testimony can be released.

In terms of the Russia investigation, if the court in McKeevers case rules it does not have the power to release grand jury material, that could prevent Mueller from filing a report to Congress containing anything obtained via the grand jury empaneled in the case.

There have been exceptions in the past. A previous law allowed independent counsels to issue public reports regardless of grand jury secrecy, thus allowing Ken Starr to issue his report on his investigation into former President Bill Clinton.

But that expired in 1999. Further, former U.S. attorney Joseph diGenova said, Mueller is not even governed by the independent counsel statute.

Since Mueller was appointed under regulations, as opposed to under the independent counsel statute, there is no authority for him to issue a report violating grand jury secrecy, diGenova explained. If the Justice Department says he can, they are wrong.

DiGenova, who has worked with Trump's legal team, told Fox News that Mueller can author a report with the information obtained via the grand jury investigation, but would only be able to send that report to the Justice Departmentspecifically Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the special counsel probe.

From there, it could get watered down with redactions.

The special counsel declined to comment on the case, but pointed Fox News to regulations and reporting requirements for their office.

The regulations state that the attorney general, or in this case, Rosenstein, may determine that public release of these reports would be in the public interest, to the extent that release would comply with applicable legal restrictions.

One law that falls under legal restrictions and relevant law would be 6E, which governs grand jury secrecy. That law states that records, orders and subpoenas relating to grand jury proceedings shall be kept under seal to the extent and for such time as is necessary to prevent disclosure of matters occurring before a grand jury.

DiGenova said apart from grand jury information that has already been revealed as part of a criminal case -- like ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort's -- Rosenstein could not release grand jury information.

He would have to redact everything in the report with grand jury information and it would make the report useless, diGenova said. He would need to seek legislation.

Politico reported that should Democrats win back the majority of the House, they could subpoena Muellers Russia report as part of an impeachment inquiry.

But diGenova said Rosenstein would be directed by the president not to release it.

This is a nice table being set up for a fantastic fight over legal authority to release grand jury information, he said.

A congressional source, though, expressed doubt that the law itself could be changed while Trump is in office.

Pretend the House flips. If the Senate were to scrape the other 60 votes to pass [an amendment to the grand jury secrecy law], why in the world would the president sign this into law?

Regardless of what happens in regards to Muellers report, McKeever isnt fazed.

Im not interested in whether Muellers investigation is impacted or not, McKeever told Fox News. Thats not where Im at. Ive been on my journey to pry open the truth. Maybe that sounds corny, but thats me. Thats where Im at.
In 2008, she was chosen to be his running mate  potentially just a heartbeat away from the presidency.

But now former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, like President Trump, has been left off the list of invitees to the funeral of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, according to multiple reports.

My guess is, it came from Cindy, a source close to the McCain family told People magazine, referring to the late senators widow. She is very protective of Johns memory and legacy. Shes also a grieving widow. I think she wants to get through this as best she can.

My guess is, it came from Cindy. She is very protective of Johns memory and legacy. Shes also a grieving widow. I think she wants to get through this as best she can.  Source close to the McCain family, to People magazine

The message was sent through an intermediary, not directly from the McCain family, according to the report.

An NBC reporter tweeted that a Palin "family source" said, Out of respect to Senator McCain and his family we have nothing to add at this point. The Palin family will always cherish their friendship with the McCains and hold those memories dear.

Palin did not immediately respond to a Fox News email sent early Thursday.

A decade ago, it was McCains selection of Palin to be his vice president that catapulted Palin to the national political spotlight from relative obscurity in Alaska.

But their relationship quickly grew strained, amid accusations that Palin was often unprepared for media interviews, or had gone rogue by ignoring the advice of McCain campaign handlers.

Some critics charged that Palin was more interested in advancing her own career  and popularity among conservative voters -- than assuring the success of the McCain-Palin ticket, led by the more moderate McCain.

In May, McCain published a book titled The Restless Wave, in which he wrote that he regretted choosing Palin as his running mate instead of his close friend, former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut.

McCain and Palin ultimately lost the White House in 2008 to Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Ironically, Biden is scheduled to speak Thursday at a McCain memorial service in the senators home state of Arizona, while Obama has been invited to deliver a eulogy Saturday at a McCain memorial service in Washington, D.C.

Following McCains death from brain cancer last Saturday at age 81, Palin issued a pair of Twitter messages.

Today we lost an American original, she wrote. Sen. John McCain was a maverick and a fighter, never afraid to stand for his beliefs. John never took the easy path in life - and through sacrifice and suffering he inspired others to serve something greater than self.

Later, she wrote: John McCain was my friend. I will remember the good times. My family and I send prayers for Cindy and the McCain family.
It seems like just about everyone is unhappy with Google at one time or another, given its dominant role in helping the world sort through the endless flood of online information.

Politicians, journalists, entertainers, business owners and others all want their names, links, articles and videos to come up higher in the searches. For some, it's a matter of political life and death; for others, a matter of business survival; for still others, a question of sheer ego.

If you're pushed way down in the rankings, then as a practical matter, you don't exist.

President Trump has loudly added his voice, taking to Twitter to attack the search giant:

"Google search results for 'Trump News' shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake News Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent.

"Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal? 96% of results on 'Trump News' are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous. Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!"

So: The president wasnt reacting to some scientific study. He was citing a blogger, Paula Bolyard, from the conservative site PJ Media. She simply ran a series of searches for Trump News and reported that what she considers left-leaning sites comprised 96 percent of the total: CNN, by a wide margin, appeared most frequently, with nearly twice as many results returned as the second-place finisher, the Washington Post."

I ran my own test on "Trump News" that morning. The first story was from Fox; the second from CNN; the third was the Washington Post, reporting Trumps attacks on Google.

The three top tweets that came up: One from Fox's Stuart Varney, the next two from Trump himself.

The three top videos were from the Guardian, CNN and Fox.

There are many ingredients to Google's secret algorithm sauce, but the chief goal is to deliver what people are looking for, and that gives a huge advance to news sites that are already popular. CNN has a very high-traffic website, so of course it pops up a lot.

Keep in mind that Trump told Fox's Ainsley Earhardt that 80 percent of the media is fake news. So of course he wouldn't be pleased by an online search of the coverage about him.

Google's algorithms are open to criticism. The company says while its main mission is to deliver relevant results, it also endeavors "to promote original journalism, as well as to expose users to diverse perspectives."

But even if Google is intentionally tilting some results, is government regulation the answer? When Trump says it "will be addressed," who can write federal regulations that would ensure fairness and objectivity in search results? Wouldn't that inevitably raise questions about political interference?

Over at Facebook, meanwhile, a senior engineer caused a stir with an internal post titled "We Have a Problem With Political Diversity."

In what seemed to validate longstanding complaints about Facebook's culture, Brian Amerige wrote in a post obtained by The New York Times:

"We are a political monoculture that's intolerant of different views. We claim to welcome all perspectives, but are quick to attack  often in mobs  anyone who presents a view that appears to be in opposition to left-leaning ideology."

About 100 staffers have since joined an internal group called FB'ers for Political Diversity.

That may be a tiny fraction of the company's more than 25,000 employees, but Mark Zuckerberg knows he has a problem, which is why he and top officials have been both hiring and meeting with political conservatives.

Such complaints seem more frequent at Facebook and Twitter than at Google. But they underscore how much these tech giants have taken over our discourse, with our gradual consent. They are now the public square.
Most Republican governors support Brett Kavanaugh, President Trumps pick for the Supreme Court.

Kavanaugh has met privately with many senators on Capitol Hill, but he has not yet gone through a confirmation hearing. Ahead of the Senates decision on the federal appeals judge, more than 30 governors signed a letter in support of Kavanaugh, 53.

The governors said Kavanaugh's impeccable credentials demonstrate he is worthy of this nomination.

However, three Republican governors did not sign the letter. The three are from blue states and all are facing re-election this year.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner initially indicated that he would not sign the letter, but eventually did so.

Read on for a look at who did not sign the letter.

Charlie Baker, Massachusetts

Baker has stressed he believes a Supreme Court nominee should rule in favor of pro-choice issues.

Im a big believer in a womans right to choose, and I think that needs to be a fundamental part of the vetting process, Baker has said. I hope that is a fundamental part of the vetting process as they move forward here.

Larry Hogan, Maryland

Ben Jealous, the Democratic nominee for governor, has publicly called on Hogan to condemn Kavanaughs nomination to the nations highest court.

Phil Scott, Vermont

Scott told WCAX-TV he had not yet learned enough about Kavanaugh to sign onto the letter when asked by the Republican Governor's Association.

"I don't want to rubber stamp anyone. I don't know much about the nominee," he said. "If there had been a letter asking for a fair and open hearing on the confirmation, I would have signed it, but to blindly rubber stamp someone that I don't know a lot about -- I didn't think it would do great justice to anyone."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump has said that Attorney General Jeff Sessions is safe in his job until after the November midterm elections, Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

The website, which conducted an Oval Office interview with the president Thursday, reported that Trump declined to comment when asked if he'd keep Sessions on beyond November.

"I just would love to have him do a great job," the president said.

Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Sessions on social media over the attorney general's decision last year to recuse himself from the FBI's Russia investigation. Last week, the president tweeted that Sessions "doesn't understand what is happening underneath his command position" and told "Fox & Friends" that his attorney general had "never taken control of his department."

The president also said that the only reason he named Sessions attorney general was the former Alabama senator's early support in the 2016 presidential election.

The comments prompted a pointed response from Sessions, who said in a statement that "While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations."

Earlier this week, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told NBC News that the relationship between the two men was "dysfunctional" and "beyond repair."

"The president's lost confidence in Jeff Sessions," Graham said. " ... Is there somebody who's highly qualified that has the confidence of the president who'll also understand their job is to protect [Special Counsel Robert] Mueller? Yes, I think we can find that person after the election, if that's what the president wants."

Fox News' Brooke Singman, Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump said that there's no reason to spend a lot of money on military wargames with South Korea, but he warned he could "instantly" relaunch the exercises again and they would be "far bigger than ever before."

Trump made the comment Wednesday in a series of tweets that primarily took aim at China, blaming it for lack of progress on getting North Korea to end its nuclear program, following the president's landmark summit with Kim Jong Un in June.

But there was also a loaded message for Kim: mixing an expression of goodwill to the North Korean autocrat with an implicit military threat that will add to speculation over the direction of Trump's attempted rapprochement with a longtime adversary.

"The president believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games," Trump said, citing what was presented as a White House statement. "Besides, the president can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before."

Trump caught military leaders by surprise in June when he announced the suspension with the South, "unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should." He called the drills costly and provocative.

The cancellation was an olive branch to Pyongyang, which has long complained that the exercises were invasion preparations. Often the North has reacted to the exercises with its own demonstrations of military might, including firing a new intermediate-range missile over Japan last year as a countermeasure to the drills.

There was some hope that the gesture of shelving the fall exercises would foster goodwill and help nudge the North in the denuclearization talks. But beyond returning the potential remains of about 55 U.S. troops missing from the Korean War, and its continuing suspension in its missile and nuclear tests, there has been little movement from the North.

As a result, the U.S. last week shelved a planned trip to Pyongyang by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, citing lack of progress on denuclearization, but remaining open to future talks.

As doubts grow in Washington and beyond over Kim's willingness to relinquish his nukes, Trump has been heaping blame on China, which is North Korea's traditional ally and main trading partner. On Wednesday the president accused Beijing of pressuring the North because of current tensions in U.S.-China trade relations, and also of providing North Korea money, fuel, fertilizer and other commodities, which he said was not helpful.

China cooperated with the U.S. last year in adopting tough international sanctions against North Korea and maintains it is still enforcing the restrictions adopted by the U.N. Security Council.

But in his tweets, Trump also signaled that the U.S. has its own military means of exerting pressure on Pyongyang. His remarks compounded confusing messages from the Pentagon over the past two days that have revived speculation over the drills.

On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters the U.S. might carry out drills with South Korea next spring after having cancelled a major exercise this summer. He said no decision has been made on when to resume military exercises, but his statements suggested the recent cancellation might not be repeated.

Several U.S. officials acknowledged Wednesday that planning is going forward for the spring exercises, which require months of preparation.

"Routine planning continues for major U.S.-ROK exercises on the peninsula in accordance with the normal exercise program planning cycle," said Air Force Col. Patrick Ryder, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, referring to the acronym for South's official name, the Republic of Korea.

Other U.S. officials also said preliminary work on the drills has begun, noting that it is much easier to cancel an exercise than it is to slap one together quickly. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal conversations.

David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the initial planning for the exercises can begin a year in advance, including the funding, scheduling and movement of forces and units that will participate. As time goes on, planners would nail down the war game scenario and other details.

"We continue to plan for exercises, but we can stop them on a dime," said Maxwell, a retired Army colonel who served five tours in Korea. "We can't restart them on a dime."

He said the risk of a continued halt in the major drills would be a diminishing of skills and institutional memory between South Korean forces and the more than 28,000 U.S. troops based there. "The longer we go without exercises, the more risk there is that we will suffer significant challenges if there is a war," Maxwell said.

U.S. officials said Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, has taken steps to mitigate any loss of training by scheduling smaller exercises and staff drills.

A key challenge in Korea is that the bulk of the U.S. forces deploy for just a year, so they rely on the summer exercise to get familiar with the South Korean military and the ways allied troops coordinate and operate with them. The spring Foal Eagle drill is more expansive and includes fighter jets, maritime maneuvers, amphibious assault tactics and computer-simulated scenarios.


Filing the case with the ICJ, Iran has set the goal of calling upon the top UN tribunals judges to ask Washington to immediately lift its sanctions against Tehran. The lawyer representing Iran said that the US had publicly disseminated a policy aimed at producing the most serious damage to Irans economy and its companies, thus undoubtedly affecting Iranian citizens. Tehran asserted that the USs resumption of sanctions, which had been removed under a nuclear agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), breach the Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Rights signed between the two sides in 1955. Citing that many European countries support Irans position and have criticised the new US sanctions against Tehran, Iran expressed suspicion of the legitimacy of these measures.

In reply, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed the USs resolve to fight against Iran in this new battle, while accusing Irans filing of the case with the ICJ of interfering with the sovereign rights of the US to take lawful actions, including the reimposition of sanctions, which are necessary to protect its national security. US State Department Legal Adviser Jennifer Newstead, who heads a group of lawyers representing the US, asserted that Irans requests are beyond the adjustment scope of the 1995 treaty and that the ICJ has no jurisdiction in this case.

The ICJ was established by the United Nations (UN) in 1946, with the aim of resolving disputes between nations. Its rulings are binding, but it has no power to enforce them. For decades since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, both the US and Iran have ignored the ICJs decisions. Iran neglected a US lawsuit filed with the ICJ in 1980 concerning Tehrans arrest of US diplomats, which was ruled to be illegal by the court. In another case, the ICJ ruled that the 1995 treaty was still in force although the document had been signed before the Islamic Revolution. However, in 2003, the court ruled that US actions against Irans oil bases as well as Irans attacks aimed at US vessels did not violate the treaty.

A general view shows the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands August 27, 2018. (Reuters)

Despite a series of warnings on the implications of the withdrawal from the JCPOA, as well as the fact that there is no credible evidence for anti-Iranian allegations, the White House officially announced its withdrawal from the deal last May. Then, US President Donald Trump re-imposed a string of strict unilateral sanctions against Iran. Washingtons moves have had negative impacts on the Iranian economy, as Irans domestic currency lost half of its value and a number of international groups were forced to cease their operations in Iran. With the second US sanctions package aimed at the energy sector, to come into effect in early November, Irans economy will inevitably be shaken as its main source of revenue from black gold is tightened.

The USs confrontational moves have not only had a direct impact on the Iranian economy, but have also put Iranian President Hassan Rouhani under domestic pressure, as he faces the congressmens questions on how to resolve such a difficult economic situation at present. President Rouhani stated that, as serious as the economic issues might be, the risk of many people losing faith in Irans future and doubting the power of the Islamic nation is even more dangerous. The issues arising from the protests in January, as many Iranians showed their anger over rising prices, were one of the reasons why Iran sued the US for breaching the 1995 treaty.

Despite hearing litigation for only four days, the ICJ is expected to take months to decide whether to issue a ruling over Tehrans requests or not. Meanwhile, a final verdict on the case may take up to several years to be delivered. The tough policies and perspectives that the US and Iran have retaliated against each other are predicted to trigger a long and complex legal battle. In fact, this is just one of the moves that demonstrate the intolerance between the two nations that have a history of confrontation.
NASA and its Russian counterparts identified a tiny pressure leak on the International Space Station Wednesday, which may have been caused by a micrometeorite strike.

Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russian space agency Roscosmos told state news agency TASS that a micro-fracture was found in a side compartment of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft currently docked with the space station.

The fracture, he said, may be external damage and is believed to be the result of a micro-meteorite. The fracture caused a drop in pressure and an air leak on the station, according to Rogozin, who said that the problem has been resolved.

ASTRONAUT SCOTT KELLY: MY INCREDIBLE YEAR IN SPACE AND THE 'CRAZY RIDE' BACK TO EARTH

NASA said that flight controllers in Houston and Moscow spotted a minute pressure leak around 7 p.m. EDT Wednesday.

The space station crew is conducting troubleshooting and repair work on the leak, NASA explained in a blog post Thursday morning. "The leak has been isolated to a hole about two millimeters in diameter in the orbital compartment, or upper section, of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft attached to the Rassvet module of the Russian segment," the space agency explained. "This is a section of the Soyuz that does not return to Earth."

Once the hole was identified, crewmembers applied Kapton tape, which slowed the leak. "Flight controllers are working with the crew to develop a more comprehensive long-term repair," NASA added. "Once the patching is complete, additional leak checks will be performed. All station systems are stable, and the crew is in no danger as the work to develop a long-term repair continues."

UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE PREPS FOR THE RETURN OF MANNED SPACE MISSIONS FROM CAPE CANAVERAL

NASA and the Russian space agency Roscosmos operate the orbiting space lab along with the European Space Agency, Japans JAXA and the Canadian Space Agency.

Six crew members are on the ISS, led by station Commander and NASA astronaut Drew Feustel. NASA Flight Engineers Ricky Arnold and Serena Aunon-Chancellor are also on the space station, along with Alexander Gerst of ESA and Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev of Roscosmos.

The six crew members gathered in the Russian segment of the station after they were notified of the leak, NASA said.

The space station, which has been continuously occupied since November 2000, has an internal pressurized volume equal that of a Boeing 747, according to NASA.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
A man who was bitten by a suspected great white shark earlier this month at a Cape Cod beach said in his first interview on Tuesday he was able to escape after punching the predator in the gills.

William Lytton, 61, of Scarsdale, N.Y., told The Associated Press he was swimming a few yards from the shore at Long Nook Beach in Truro, Mass., when the shark bit down on his leg.

"I was terrified, but, really, there was no time to think," he told the AP after attending physical therapy session at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston.

The 61-year-old said he smacked the shark's gills with his left hand, which resulted in three torn tendons. Lytton told the AP he must have recalled from nature documentaries that the gills were one of the most vulnerable parts of the shark.

"It doesn't feel like I did anything heroic," he said. "A lot of this was luck."

GREAT WHITE SHARK SUSPECTED IN CAPE COD BEACH ATTACK

The shark missed critical nerves and veins, and didn't damage any of Lytton's bones, according to a trauma surgeon who treated Lytton. The 61-year-old still had to undergo eight surgeries, and was given nearly 12 pints of blood in addition to hundreds of sutures to stitch him back together.

"These were extensive, very severe injuries," trauma surgeon Eric Mahoney told the AP. "He had multiple lacerations from his hip down to just above his knee that went 75 percent around his leg. In two areas they went all the way down to the bone."

GREAT WHITE SHARK FOUND WASHED UP ON MASSACHUSETTS WITH RED HUE ON FACE, UNDERBELLY

Officials are still working to determine if Lytton was bitten by a great white shark, and are studying teeth removed from his leg. Numerous great white sightings have been reported in the area this summer.

The last shark attack that occurred in Truro was in 2012 when a Colorado man in Ballston Beach was bitten. He was treated and received 47 stitches. The area is a feeding ground for seals, which draw shark and a few witnesses reported seeing seals before the attack.

Despite the public's fear of sharks, the odds of being killed by one are roughly 1 in 3.7 million, according to the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

Fox News' Kathleen Joyce and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A hen in Hull, Texas was rather clucky when a massive snake decided to rest near the animal rather than make the chicken its next meal.

Sara Allison went to check her parents chickens one evening last week when she noticed a large snake curled up beneath a hen named Bernadette, WYFF-News reported.

Look at this dummy! Allison wrote in a southeast Texas Facebook group called What snake is this?

Too stubborn to get up when a rat snake wants a meal lol, she continued.

MORE THAN 300 VULNERABLE SEA TURTLES FOUND DEAD IN SEA OFF MEXICO

Unlike Bernadette, Allison was concerned for the hens life as well as the lives of the other chickens in the coop.

What do I do? she asked the groups members. I'm taking care of some stuff for my parents while they are sick and in the hospital. My brother hurt his back so he can't climb up the stairs to see if it's gone on its merry way tonight before he shuts the chickens up for the night.

Allison later wrote that the snake had lived in a broken-down Dodge Ramcharger near the chicken coop for roughly four years, occasionally snatching a few eggs. While it has never harmed any of the chickens, this was the first time she spotted the snake inside the coop, she told the news station.

I don't wanna hurt it since it's just had a meal or have chickens attack it after they're shut in with it, she wrote.

WEST VIRGINIA MAN ARRESTED AFTER 17 RATTLESNAKES FOUND IN HOME

Despite receiving a few suggestions that she should attempt to remove the serpent, it eventually went on its way.

I guess it figured it should high tail it outta there since it got caught, she joked on Facebook, adding that the snake is her fathers buddy and hed be really sad if it was gone.
The Army is arming Bradley Fighting Vehicles with heat-seeking Stinger air defense missiles to give the infantry carriers an improved ability to track and destroy enemy air threats such as drones, helicopters and low-flying aircraft.

Most current Bradleys are armed with TOW anti-tank missiles, a land weapon predominantly used for attacking enemy armored vehicles, bunkers or troop formations. Adding Stinger missiles will increase the attack envelope for the vehicles and potentially better enable them to protect maneuvering infantry and mechanized forces in combat.

As directed by the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Army is conducting a proof of principle to incorporate Man Portable Air Defense Systems back into the Armored Brigade Combat Teams by modifying two dozen Bradleys to carry Stinger Missiles in lieu of TOW Missiles, Ashley Givens, spokeswoman for Program Executive Officer, Ground Combat Systems, told Warrior Maven.

As anti-armor weapons, TOW missiles are not typically used to attack enemy air threats.

Current versions are capable of penetrating more than 30 inches of armor, or "any 1990s tank," at a maximum range of more than 3,000 meters. It can be fired by infantrymen using a tripod, as well from vehicles and helicopters, and can launch 3 missiles in 90 seconds, the Federation of American Scientists writes in a paper.

Stinger missiles, by contrast, are infrared-guided surface-to-air weapons with nearly twice the range as TOW missiles.

Adding Stingers to Bradleys is entirely consistent with the Armys broad strategic aims for the Bradley, which call for a highly-networked infantry carrier increasingly able to maneuver in support of ground infantry using long-range, high-tech sensors to find and hit targets.

The Army has chosen to increase the cross-country mobility of the Bradley, allowing it to go further into off-road situations to support infantry formations, Givens said.

An extended range TOW 2B Aero, engineered with a one-way radio link and range enhancing nose-cap, can hit targets more than four kilometers away; a Stinger missile, however, can reportedly hit targets out to eight kilometers.

Army information says a TOW Bunker Buster warhead consists of a blast type warhead designed to penetrate and then detonate inside Military Operations in Urban Terrain targets such as 8-inch double reinforced concrete, brick-over-block, and triple brick walls. The warhead utilizes both a cast titanium body and chisel style nose to allow better penetration capability while reducing ricochet probability.

The latest TOW upgrade uses Target Acquisition Systems that incorporate Far Target Location capability (ITAS-FTL), a technology which incorporates a global positioning satellite-based position attitude determination subsystem, Army officials said.

An Army paper says ITAS is the fire control system for the TOW missile and consists of integrated optical and second-generation forward-looking infrared sights and an eye-safe laser range finder. It offers improved hit probability by aided target tracking, improved missile flight software algorithms, and an elevation brake to minimize launch transients

The TOW ITAS system provides the Soldier an instant grid location of his position and of the target that he sees in his ITAS sight. It is accurate to a 60-meter CEP (circular error of probability), an Army report said.

Although described by Givens as a limited effort, integrating Stinger onto Bradley is a part of the broader Army Short Range Air Defense Strategy, an effort to strengthen air defense weapons across infantry brigade combat teams.

This is a limited effort designed to inform the Army on Short Range Air Defense employment techniques and considerations, she said.

The Army SHORAD program, already being built into Stryker vehicles, represents a service-wide strategic and tactical need to respond to near-peer type mechanized combat threats. Focused on heavily during the Cold War, when facing a Soviet threat, SHORAD faded a bit during the last 15 years of ongoing ground wars. The Taliban and Iraqi insurgents did not possess much of an air threat.

However, todays global threat environment is vastly different. Potential adversaries can easily acquire drone attack technology, as it is readily available on the international market. This means enemies could hold Army units at risk from the air in newer, more dangerous ways  and at farther ranges. Furthermore, the advent and proliferation of weaponized drones, enabled by growing levels of autonomy, could use long-range EO/IR to target and attack advancing infantry and armored units in ways previously not possible.

Chinese or Russian helicopters and drones, for instance, are armed with rockets, missiles and small arms fire. A concept with SHORAD would be to engage and hit these kinds of threats prior to or alongside any enemy attack. SHORAD brings an armored, mobile air defense in real-time, in a way that most larger, less-mobile ground missiles can. PATRIOT missile, for instance, is better suited to hit incoming mid-range ballistic missiles and other attacking threats. While mobile, a PATRIOT might have less of an ability to support infantry by attacking fast-moving enemy helicopters and drones.

Also, it goes without saying that any kind of major enemy ground assault is likely to include long range fires, massive air support as well as closer in helicopters and drones to support an advancing mechanized attack.

As a result, ground infantry supported by armored vehicles, will need mobile air defenses to address these closer-in air threats. This is where the Stryker or Bradley SHORAD comes in; infantry does not have the same fires or ground mobility as an armored Stryker or Bradley, and hand held anti-aircraft weapons such as a hand-fired Stinger would not have the same defensive impact as a Hellfire or Stinger armed armored vehicle. In a large mechanized engagement, advancing infantry needs fortified armored support able to cross bridges and maneuver alongside foot soldiers.

More Weapons and Technology - WARRIOR MAVEN (CLICK HERE)--
A British diver who was crucial to the rescue operation that saved 12 children trapped in a Thailand cave is preparing a libel claim against Elon Musk after the tech executive labeled him a pedo in July.

The Aug. 6 letter that a lawyer for Vernon Unsworth sent to Musk was first obtained by BuzzFeed News and seems to contradict a claim the Tesla CEO made on Twitter this week that he had yet to see any legal repercussions from his actions.

The letter says Unsworth is preparing a civil complaint for libel for false and defamatory statements in response to Musks tweeted allegation against him, which was subsequently deleted. The SpaceX founder later apologized, as well, saying hed spoken in anger.

GOOGLE REFUTE'S TRUMP'S ACCUSATION THAT IT SNUBBED STATE OF THE UNION

You published through three different tweets to your twenty-two million followers that Mr. Unsworth engages in the sexual exploitation of Thai children, and you did so at a time when he was working to save the lives of twelve Thai children, writes Unsworths lawyer L. Lin Wood, an Atlanta-based defamation expert, according to BuzzFeedNews. You did so without any basis. According to a subsequent Twitter post, you did so out of anger.

When BuzzFeed News reached out to Musk for comment, he did not respond to the letter but did question the outlets reporting about Unsworth, saying they were incorrect in labeling him a diver.

The war of words between the two men began after the British diver dismissed Musks attempt to build a submarine to rescue the Thai boys as a publicity stunt. Not long after, Musk sent three tweets alleging that Unsworth was engaged in the sexual exploitation of minors, said hed bet a signed dollar its true and labeled him a pedo guy.

Musks erratic behavior on Twitter and his fatigue from working 120 hours per week have led investors and analysts to question whether he should remain at the helm of Tesla.
Snapchat has apologized for a major gaffe that labeled New York City "Jewtropolis" on Snap Maps, leading users to blast it as "racist."

But the blunder  which is impacting the, iOS, Android, and desktop versions of the platform  still hasn't been fixed.

"Idk, doesnt Jewtropolis strike you as a little racist, @Snap ?" tweeted user @itsnathannow to the official Twitter account of Snapchat's parent company.

The Snapchat support account blamed the blunder on an apparent hack of Mapbox, the third-party mapping software that powers Snap Maps and other GPS maps like it.

"@pisceschrist Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Snap Map relies on third party mapping data which has unfortunately been subject to vandalism. We are working with our partner Mapbox to get this fixed immediately," tweeted the company.

Snapchat also sent the following emailed statement to The Sun apologizing for the mistake and promising a rapid fix:

"This defacement is deeply offensive and entirely contrary to our values, and we want to apologize to any members of our community who saw it. We are working with our partner Mapbox to fix this as quickly as possible," said a company spokesperson.

Sure enough, it seems that users of other maps (including StreetEasy, Zillow, CitiBike and Jump Bikes) that rely on the same external mapping data have also noted the location.

Mapbox told TechCrunch that the problem had been fixed.

This is now 100 percent fixed and should have never happened. Its disgusting, Mapbox CEO and founder Eric Gundersen told TechCrunch, adding were constantly scanning for this, and its an error on our part [to have missed it].

"The act of hate speech that has affected our map users has been resolved," Mapbox said, in a tweeted statement. "We will not accept hatred on our platform. We removed the attack within an hour of discovery and this is cleared on all maps at this time."

For the uninitiated, Snap Maps is a Google Maps-style feature stocked with public Stories from its users that lives inside its main app.

You can access Snap Maps by pinching on your smartphone screen  and Snapchat also brought it to the web in February, allowing users without an account to access it online.

But the feature has been mired in controversy since its June 2017 launch, with the police warning it could be used by pedophiles to stalk children.

Snapchat insists that location sharing is off on the app by default and that "it is simply not possible for a stranger to see where you are unless you have added that person as your friend."

This story originally appeared in The Sun.
President Donald Trump has been quietly unblocking more of his critics on Twitter following a court ruling that declared the act unconstitutional.

Trump's account stopped blocking at least 30 different accounts, which were quick to report the change starting on Tuesday. A number of journalists, video producers, self-described activists and a special assistant to President Obama were among those affected.

"If these individuals were blocked on the basis of their viewpoints, it's incumbent on the White House to unblock them immediately," tweeted the Knight First Amendment Institute, which said it'll continue to work with Justice Department officials to restore access to Trump's Twitter account.

'They Better Be Careful'

The controversy comes as the president has been attacking internet companies over what he says is censorship. On Tuesday, Trump accused Google of suppressing conservative news outlets from its search results. At a later press conference, he said the same about Twitter and Facebook.

"They better be careful, because you can't do that to people," Trump said. "We have literally thousands and thousands of complaint coming in."

Google denied any wrongdoing; "we don't bias our results toward any political ideology," it said.

Today, Trump complained about losing followers on his social media platforms. "You lose people and you say, where did they go, they get taken off," he said.

It's unclear if this was a reference to Twitter's July purge of "locked accounts" from people's follower counts, which reportedly resulted in Trump losing 100,000 followers.

Trump has not provided clarity on either point. But his attacks come after Google and Facebook banned conservative web show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones from their platforms.

Next week, the heads of Google, Facebook and Twitter are set to testify before a Senate committee on preventing "foreign influence operations" over social media platforms. However, Trump's accusations about suppressing conservative viewpoints will likely be a topic of discussion.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
Here's a joke by economist Mark Perry: What did socialists use before candles?

Electricity.

Recently, celebrity socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized ridesharing apps Uber and Lyft for creating financial hardship on cabdrivers. It's not untrue -- these new services have eased the grip cab companies have on cities bringing competition to a brutal monopoly that never saw it coming.

The upside for the consumer? More choices, better services and more flexible jobs for people who can either choose to drive full or part-time. It's turned thousands of folks into small businessmen. For the first time in years, you can actually call for a ride in New York City.

But the downside? Cab drivers are indeed suffering.

But I take this young socialist more seriously if her campaign hadn't spent four grand on Uber over two months or 2,500 bucks on Juno, another car service.

It's the eternal hypocrisy of all socialists. Whenever they end up condemning ultimately is something they need, because socialism doesn't create anything you can use. And when they do try to create something, it always makes things worse. What socialists could do to New York is what they've already done to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.

So you begin with electricity and trade it in for a candle. That was the joke.

They're like celebrity vegans who eat cheeseburgers in the dark, blissful that no one knows their hypocrisy as grease dribbles down their chin. Like Al Gore flying off to some green conference on a private jet. Or people Urbering to their next event while defending yellow cabs.

Except here we see the lie, which is why after a hundred years of soul and bone crushing socialism, smart people refuse to be taken for a ride.
Three suspects tied to a New Mexico compound where alleged Muslim extremists reportedly trained children to be school shooters were released from custody on Wednesday, hours after a judge dismissed all of the charges against them, Fox News confirmed.

District Judge Emilio Chavez on Wednesday dismissed charges against three of the five defendants -- Lucas Morton, Subhannah Wahhaj and Hujrah Wahhaj -- ruling that authorities violated the states 10-day rule.

Child abuse charges against them were dropped because prosecutors missed the 10-day limit for an evidentiary hearing to establish probable cause.

During a separate hearing Wednesday, Judge Jeff McElroy dismissed the same charges against fellow defendants, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Jany Leveille. However, charges leveled against them on Friday, in connection to the death of a missing 3-year-old boy, remained.

Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, the boy's father, and Leveille were charged with abuse of a child resulting in the death of a child and conspiracy to commit abuse of a child, Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe announced.

The five suspects were arrested by authorities after an Aug. 3 raid following a monthslong search investigating the disappearance of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj, a 3-year-boy with severe medical issues who went missing from Georgia in December. The occupants of the compound were "most likely heavily armed and considered extremist of the Muslim belief," an official said at the time.

Taos County Sheriff's deputies discovered 11 children at the compound, who were taken into the custody of state child-welfare workers. On Aug. 6, a childs remains were found on the property.

Siraj Ibn Wahhaj was allegedly training children to commit school shootings, according to prosecutors, who later alleged that the juveniles were taught how to use firearms, as well as tactical techniques, in order to kill teachers, law enforcement and other institutions they found corrupt.

Health officials confirmed earlier this month that the discovered remains were positively identified as the 3-year-old's.

Chavez said Wednesday that it was a very difficult decision to drop the charges but the rule left him with no option. Prosecutors could still seek charges for the three by asking a grand jury to indict them but offered no immediate indication on how they would proceed.

Fox News' Faith Mangan, Nicole Darrah, Matt Richardson, Katherine Lam and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh, participated in the meetings.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted the establishment and development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He said the bloc has tremendous economic potential with a strong market of over 630 million people. The groupings GDP growth has averaged 5.4% in recent years, well above the global average, and is projected to expand around this rate over the next five years, he noted.

ASEAN is forecast to become the fourth-largest economy in the world by 2030, just behind the US, China and the European Union (EU), he said, adding that strengthening regional economic cooperation and integration is the key for ASEAN to fully tap its potential, including pressing on with the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint 2025, as well as supporting an open and inclusive multilateral system amid growing trade tensions.

AEM 50 will run until September 1 with a series of related meetings such as the 32nd ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) Council Meeting and the 21st ASEAN Investment Area (AIA) Council Meeting.

ASEAN economic ministers are due to meet with their counterparts from dialogue partner countries namely Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US.

The sixth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial Meeting, the 11th Mekong-Japan Ministerial Meeting, and the 10th Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) Economic Ministers Meeting will be held as part of AEM 50.
Two people are in custody hours after police released the identity belonging to the human remains found in plastic bags this week at two New York City parks.

Chief Dermot Shea took to Twitter to announce that police apprehended two "perpetrators" involved in the death of 25-year-old Lisa Marie Velasquez.

Over the weekend, authorities located two plastic bags with body parts in Crotona Park in the Bronx, and then on Tuesday, about three miles away, three more bags containing human remains were found in Barretto Point Park, the New York Daily News reported.

Police identified Velasquez on Wednesday.

According to the city medical examiner, she died from "multiple blunt impact injuries of [the] head with skull fractures," the New York Post reported.

Relatives and neighbors told The New York Times that Velasquez was raised by her grandmother, after witnessing the death of her pregnant mother, who was stabbed and strangled in 2006 by her partner.

Police did not provide further details about the suspects in custody, but investigators were looking into a home Wednesday night on Longfellow Avenue in Longwood, where it is believed that the young womans body was dismembered, the Daily News reported.

Fox News Katherine Lam contributed to this report.
A paraplegic man who was shot and killed by Delaware troopers executing a search warrant at his home had a long criminal history that included convictions for drug trafficking, robbery and resisting arrest, court records show.

Delaware State Police said Wednesday that Robert Knox, 50, of Harbeson was lying in bed and reached for a handgun while troopers were in the home early Tuesday. A struggle over the weapon followed and two troopers fired their weapons at Knox, who later died at a hospital.

The incident is being investigated by the state police homicide unit.

Knox's father, Andrew A. Knox, 82, was arrested Tuesday and charged with possession of a firearm by a person prohibited and maintaining a drug property. He was released on $13,000 unsecured bail. A defense attorney who is expected to represent Knox said Wednesday that he was waiting to hear back from the family.

State police said Wednesday that Knox's arrest followed a three-week long drug investigation in southern Delaware that also resulted in the arrest of Andrew Ayers, 54. Ayers, who was arrested at a house in Milton, was being held on $100,200 secured bond.

Police said they recovered four handguns at the Knox residence, along with about 1.8 pounds (815.8 grams) of powder cocaine, 2.6 pounds (1,196.9 grams) of marijuana, 2.4 ounces (68.2 grams) of crystal methamphetamine, and 1.8 ounces (51.9 grams) of crack cocaine.

At the house in Milton, officer seized about 14 ounces (395.6 grams) of marijuana, along with crack cocaine and a loaded handgun. Ayers is facing drug delivery and gun charges. It was not immediately clear whether he has lawyer.

The elder Knox has previous convictions for possession with intent to sell drugs, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, burglary, theft and conspiracy.

Robert Knox was convicted of drug possession in 2015. He was convicted in 2003 of trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to deliver, delivery of a narcotic, reckless endangering and resisting arrest. He was also convicted of cocaine trafficking and conspiracy in 1994, and on robbery charges in 1988 and 1989.

According to a newspaper article at the time, Knox and his father were arrested in February 2003 after police found drugs and guns in the father's home. According to the article, Robert Knox tried to flee the scene in a car, driving toward police officers, two of whom shot at the car in self-defense.

Juanita Knox, Andrew's estranged wife, said she had spoken to him Tuesday, but she did not provide any other details.

"I really don't know the ins and outs of it yet," she said when asked about the shooting.

Knox said her son was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident in 2013.
A Pennsylvania man charged with 150 counts of rape involving one juvenile over a nine-year period made his first appearance in a Kansas courtroom this week.

Eric Millsap, 44, was ordered held in lieu of $1.5 million bond by Dickinson County Magistrate Judge Keith Collett. His next appearance is scheduled for Sept. 10.

Millsap was arrested May 31 at his home in McKeesport, Pa., by local police and detectives with the Abilene (Kan.) Police Department. He had requested formal extradition and did not arrive back in Abilene until Monday.

Millsap faces 178 counts of criminal rape and sodomy. Dickinson County Attorney Andrea Purvis has said that all 178 counts stemmed from alleged offenses against the same person.

Purvis said the alleged crimes took place between 2006 and 2015, when Millsap's alleged victim was between the ages of eight and 17. Millsap reportedly was living in Abilene and Dickinson County at the time.

Click for more from the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle.
The boyfriend of a Pennsylvania woman who was killed in a car crash last week confessed to cutting her vehicles brake lines in order to get a metal pipe that could be used to smoke crack cocaine, state police said Wednesday.

John William Jenkins Jr. was charged with criminal homicide in the death of Tammy A. Fox, who died after suffering serious injuries in the Aug. 22 incident, Trooper Bob Urban with the Pennsylvania State Police announced in a statement on Twitter.

MAN ARRESTED IN EX-PLAYBOY MODELS STRANGULATION DEATH IN PENNSYLVANIA HOME

An inspection of Foxs vehicle, which violently struck a tree during the crash in Scranton, revealed that her brake lines were severed, the statement said.

When Jenkins was interviewed by authorities, he confessed that on the night before the crash, he cut the victims brake lines while at their residence in an attempt to obtain a metal pipe that could be used to smoke crack cocaine, police said.

KANSAS WOMAN REUNITED WITH LOST DOG WEEKS AFTER HE WAS THROWN FROM VEHICLE IN FATAL CRASH

Urban confirmed to WNEP that the Foxs vehicle was tampered with.

99 percent of the time it's mainly operator error, but then when you look into it and that's why we have these inspections of vehicles, then we determine, 'Hey! This time it wasn't the operator.' This vehicle was actually tampered with and that's what caused the death in this crash, Urban said.
Sen. John McCain was eulogized Thursday as a "a true American hero"  and a terrible driver with a wicked sense of humor and love of a good fight  as 3,500 mourners crowded into an Arizona church to pay their final respects to the maverick politician.

Former Vice President Joe Biden recalled "the sheer joy that crossed his face when he knew he was about to take the stage of the senate floor and start a fight."

Biden, a Democrat who was among the fast friends the Republican senator made across the aisle, said he thought of McCain as a brother, "with a lot of family fights."

The service unfolded at North Baptist Church after a motorcade bearing McCain's body made its way from the state Capitol past Arizonans waving American flags and campaign-style signs for the lawmaker.

Family members watched in silence as uniformed military members removed the flag-draped casket from a black hearse and carried it into the church for a service featuring former Vice President Joe Biden.

McCain died last Saturday of brain cancer at 81.

At the church, a choir from the Jesuit-run Brophy College Preparatory school that two of McCain's sons attended sang "Amazing Grace."

McCain's longtime chief of staff Grant Woods, a former Arizona attorney general, drew laughs with a eulogy in which he talked about McCain's "terribly bad driving" and his wicked sense of humor, which included calling the Leisure World retirement community "Seizure World."

Woods recalled the way McCain would introduce him to new staff members by saying, "You'll have to fire half of them."

Another friend, Tommy Espinoza, president and CEO of the Raza Development Fund, called McCain "one of the greatest American heroes in our lifetime." The church's senior pastor Noe Garcia called McCain "a true American hero."

Twenty-four sitting U.S. senators, four former senators and other leaders from Arizona were expected at the service for the statesman, former prisoner of war and two-time presidential candidate.

As the 11-vehicle motorcade with a 17-motorcycle police escort made its way along the 8-mile (13-kilometer) route, people held signs that read simply "McCain," and cars on the other side of the highway stopped or slowed to a crawl in apparent tribute.

A few firefighters saluted from atop a fire engine parked on an overpass as the motorcade passed underneath on Interstate 17.

One man shouted, "We love you!"

The music chosen for the recession was Frank Sinatra's signature song, "My Way," paying tribute to a man who became known for following his own path based on his personal principles.

On Wednesday, a private service was held at the Arizona Capitol for family and friends. Cindy McCain pressed her face against her husband's coffin, and daughter Meghan McCain erupted in sobs.

McCain sons Doug, Jack and Jimmy, daughter Sidney and daughter-in-law Renee shook hands with some of the estimated 15,000 people who filed past the senator's casket to pay their final respects.

On Thursday, Michael Fellars was among those awaiting the motorcade outside the church. The Marines veteran said he was also the fourth person in line Wednesday to attend the viewing at the Capitol for the Navy pilot held prisoner by the North Vietnamese for 5 years after being shot down over Hanoi.

"He was about the only politician that I have ever known who cared for the people in his country, and he tried his level best to make it a better place in which to live," Fellars said.

Honor guard member Valentine Costalez praised McCain for championing the military during his Senate career.

"He's done so much for us," said Costalez, who stood watch earlier this week while McCain's body was at a funeral home.

After Thursday's church service, a military aircraft was scheduled to take McCain's body back east for a lying-in-state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, a service at the Washington National Cathedral on Saturday, and burial at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

___

Associated Press writers Anita Snow, Jacques Billeaud and Nicholas Riccardi in Phoenix contributed to this report.
A Wisconsin boy was rescued from a storm sewer Tuesday after an eagle-eyed firefighter saw the childs finger poking out of the manhole cover following severe weather in the area.

The 11-year-old boy was playing with his friends in a flooded drainage ditch in the Village of Harrison after heavy rain passed through the area around 6 p.m. The boy, who was not identified, got swept under the water and didnt resurface.

Rescuers arrived at the scene and found a bystander attempting to hold on to the boy  but it was no match for the raging water. The boy was swept into a culvert that led to the storm sewer.

Rescuers were then forced to predict where the boy may be flowing through the sewer system. Deputy Fire Chief Wesley Pompa, one of the people who responded to the scene, called the village road superintendent, Bob Kesler, to help map out the system.

At one point, they were standing above a manhole about 30 feet from the ditch when Pompa spotted fingers poking through an opening in the cover.

"He was hollering and talking to us and he was able to reach up for us," Pompa said.

The boy had found air pocket just beneath the manhole cover and was hanging onto a ladder leading up to the manhole. The firefighters pried the cover open and Pompa and Kesler lifted the boy to safety.

The child, who was alert and conscious, was taken to the hospital.

"I just thank God he was alive and he'd made it that long," Pompa said. "It could have gone a million different ways but this one way it worked out for him."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A discarded cigarette helped Illinois authorities track down a man who is suspected of brutally murdering a woman in 2009, police said.

Michael Henslick, 30, was identified as the man charged with murdering 22-year-old Holly Cassano nearly nine years ago, the Champaign County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Cassano was found dead in her mobile home in Mahomet, Ill., on Nov. 2, 2009. She had been stabbed 60 times and sexually assaulted, according to police reports.

"I still have problems sleeping because of it," said Toni Cassano, who found her daughter's bloody body that day, the News-Gazette of Champaign reported. "I don't know why. That's my biggest unanswered question."

Since then police said they relentlessly pursued the case, conducting more than 100 interviews and testing dozens of DNA samples, the News-Gazette reported.

Authorities used DNA evidence found at the scene of Cassanos murder, online genealogy databases, and public records before identifying Henslick as a suspect, the sheriffs office said at a Wednesday news conference.

Deputies watched Henslick for two days to try to obtain DNA evidence, authorities said. He was eventually seen discarding a used cigarette, which police recovered and sent to a lab for testing. Henslicks DNA matched with the DNA evidence from the crime scene, the sheriffs office said.

Henslick was arrested Tuesday around 6:15 p.m. outside Market Place Mall in Champaign and booked into the Champaign County Jail on a $10 million bond, according to the release.

Champaign County Sheriff Dan Walsh said Henslick had lived in the same mobile-home park as Cassano, attended the same high school for a couple of years, and had mutual acquaintances. He added that Henslick had been in and out of jail several times since Cassanos murder.

Henslick was arraigned Wednesday afternoon and charged with four counts of first degree murder, WAND-TV of Decatur, Illl., reported.
More than six decades after Emmett Till was savagely killed in a racially-motivated attack in Mississippi, a woman whose photograph he apparently boasted about to his murderers is speaking out for the first time.

Till, a 14-year-old boy from Chicago, was kidnapped in 1955 from his uncle's home in the town of Money and killed after he allegedly wolf-whistled at Carolyn Bryant Donham, a shopkeeper.

Two men  Donham's then-husband Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W. Milam  were charged with murder but acquitted in Tills slaying. The men later confessed to the crime in an interview with journalist William Bradford Huie for Look magazine, but weren't retried and are now dead.

In the 1987 documentary "Eyes on the Prize," Huie told filmmakers that Till's murderers "killed him because he boasted of having a white girl and showed them the picture of a white girl in Chicago," according to the Clarion Ledger.

The producer of the documentary, Henry Hampton, told NPR that Till showed the photo of the girl to friends in Mississippi claiming it was "his girlfriend." "In fact, it was his classmate," Hampton told NPR.

That girl turned out to be Joan Brody, who told the Clarion Ledger she ended up as Till's classmate at an integrated school because Chicago Public Schools kept fewer schools open in the summer and she needed more credits to attend another school where her family was moving.

"I want people to know that he did go to an integrated school and that he was a nice kid," she told the Clarion Ledger. "He was not the kid he was made out to be.

During the trial in 1955, Donham claimed that Till grabbed her by the waist, uttering an obscenity and mentioned something he had done "with white women before."

Brody told the paper she didn't know him to act that way.

"He wasn't a smart-alecky kid," she said. He wasnt a person to smart off to a white woman or any woman.

Three days after Till was kidnapped, his mutilated body was found in the muddy Tallahatchie River, weighted down with a cotton gin fan. His left eye was missing, and his right eye was dangling on his cheek. The body was identified only by a ring he was wearing.

EMMETT TILL KILLING REOPENED BY GOVERNMENT OVER 'NEW INFORMATION'

He could have been president, Brody told the Clarion Ledger. He was just a nice kid with a nice smile.

In July, a Justice Department report to Congress said the agency is reinvestigating Till's slaying after receiving what it called "new information."

The report didn't indicate what the new information might be, according to the AP, but it was issued in March following the publication last year of "The Blood of Emmett Till" by Duke University professor Timothy B. Tyson.

The book said Donham acknowledged in a 2008 interview she wasn't truthful when she testified that the 14-year-old Till grabbed her and whistled at her in a store in 1955. Donham spoke to Tyson for his book, possibly in the only interview she has given to a historian or journalist since the incident happened, according to the New York Times.

In the book, author Tyson wrote that Donham told him her testimony about Till accosting her wasn't true.

"Nothing that boy did could ever justify what happened to him," the book quotes her as saying.

Relatives of Till pushed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to reopen the case last year following publication of the book. Deborah Watts, Till's cousin and co-founder of the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation, told the AP it is "wonderful" that the killing is getting another look, but didn't want to discuss details.

Tills murder became a rallying point for the civil rights movement and the casket he was buried in is on display at the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The Till foundation did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The family of a black teenager who was killed by a Texas police officer who fired his weapon into a car leaving a house party slammed the officers 15-year sentence.

Jordan Edwards, 15, was unarmed when Roy Oliver, a police officer in Balch Springs, fired into a car that was filled with teenagers. Edwards, who was in the front passenger seat, was shot.

Police initially said the vehicle backed up toward officers "in an aggressive manner," but later admitted that bodycam video showed the vehicle was moving forward as officers approached. Oliver's partner told jurors he didn't believe his life was ever in danger.

He can actually see life again after 15 years and thats not enough because Jordan cant see life again, Edwards stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, said of Oliver after he was sentenced Wednesday night.

He can actually see life again after 15 years and thats not enough because Jordan cant see life again  Charmaine Edwards, Jordan's stepmother

Oliver's wife testified, saying in Spanish through an interpreter that she was concerned about their 3-year-old son, who is autistic. But the ex-officer's half sister testified against him, saying she felt compelled to do so after listening to testimony during the trial and that she hoped he "gets what he deserves."

Earlier Wednesday, Dallas County district attorney Faith Johnson said Oliver was a "killer in blue" and told jurors they could send a message that bad officers will not be tolerated.

Investigators said no guns were found in the vehicle. Oliver was firedfrom the Balch Springs Police Department days after the shooting.

The jury, which featured two black members out of 12 jurors and two alternates, acquitted Oliver on two lesser charges of aggravated assault stemming from the shooting.

It's extremely rare for police officers to be tried and convicted of murder for shootings that occurred while they are on duty. Only six non-federal police officers have been convicted of murder in such cases  and four of those convictions were overturned  since 2005, according to data compiled by criminologist and Bowling Green State University professor Phil Stinson.

Edwards' father has also filed a civil lawsuit in connection to the shooting. The jury's decision is not just about Jordan Edwards, but all other black men and women who have been killed and not received justice, said Daryl Washington, an attorney for the teenager's father.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
A former student at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) is facing several charges after he allegedly impersonated a doctor on multiple occasions and gave at least one patient a medical diagnosis, the Orange County District Attorneys Office says.

Ariya Ouskouian, 23, was charged this week with one felony count of providing a medical diagnosis while impersonating a doctor and eight misdemeanor accounts of representing oneself as a licensed medical practitioner, according to a statement released by the district attorneys office on Wednesday.

WOMAN WHOSE BODY FOUND IN BAGS AT NYC PARKS BEATEN TO DEATH BY BEST FRIENDS BOYFRIEND, COPS SAY

In May, Ouskouian allegedly diagnosed a man, who has not been identified, regarding a growth on his neck in a consult room at UCI. On seven different occasions between April and June, he also allegedly impersonated a doctor at Childrens Hospital of Orange County.

The Orange County District Attorneys Office claims Ouskouian told a security worker he was a doctor and later gained access to restricted floors of the childrens hospital.

Ouskouian is accused of claiming to have lost his hospital badge and requesting a temporary one be issued on each of these occasions, the office said in a statement. "When hospital staff became suspicious of the defendant and requested verification of his doctor status, Ouskouian is accused of providing the name of a UCI personnel."

WISCONSIN COUPLE KEPT THEIR CHILDREN IN MAKESHIFT CAGES, POLICE SAY

Ouskouian was arrested and charged Tuesday following an investigation by the Orange County Police Department. He was being held in the Orange County Jail, but was released Wednesday after posting $20,000 bond, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing jail records.

The former student could face three years in state prison and eight years in the Orange County Jail if hes convicted, according to the district attorneys office.

Court dates have not yet been finalized.
* Representatives of 12 countries and two international organizations participated in the China-ASEAN New Energy Forum that opened Wednesday in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. The two-day forum focuses on issues including cooperation in new energy, policies and measures in promoting new and renewable energy and new energy technological innovation.

* Myanmar's Yangon-Mandalay highway was temporarily closed Wednesday morning due to the collapse of a dam spillway triggered by flooding, according to a statement from the Ministry of Construction.

* China's central government has allocated a relief fund totaling CNY 220 million (about US$32 million) to flood-hit Shandong and Anhui provinces on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

* Morocco and Cuba on August 28 formally normalized their bilateral ties after decades of diplomatic spats, said the Moroccan Foreign Ministry.

* US Defense Secretary James Mattis said on August 28 that the United States has no plans to suspend any more military exercises with the Republic of Korea (RoK).

* Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 29 proposed softening the increase of retirement age for women, suggesting that it should be raised from 55 to 60 instead of 63, as in the original proposal.

* Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) published new figures Wednesday, showing that the net worth of the country stands at GBP10.2 trillion (US$13.15 trillion).

* UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Wednesday warned against military actions in Tripoli following violent clashes between government forces and militias that killed and injured civilians.

* Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will visit Jordan next month to hold talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II on broadening cooperation in key areas to advance shared aspirations for greater peace, progress and prosperity, the Philippine foreign department announced on August 29.

* The 2018 China Cybersecurity Week will be held from September 17 to 23, the Cyberspace Administration of China said at a press conference on August 29.

* Brazilian President Michel Temer announced on August 28 that the government decided to deploy armed forces in the border state of Roraima to restore order disrupted by an immigration crisis.

* Mexico, the United States and Canada may wrap up renegotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by the end of the week, a Mexican business leader said Tuesday, August 28.

* The United States and Turkey plan to conduct combined patrols in northern Syria to enhance security there, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford said on August 28.

* French President Emmanuel Macron called for more Danish involvement for a stronger EU defense, during a state visit to Denmark, on August 28.

* South Sudan's major opposition group on August 28 agreed to sign on a final peace deal after declining to do so earlier on the day, announced Sudan's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

* Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras proceeded to a cabinet reshuffle, government spokesperson Dimitris Tzanakopoulos announced on August 28 in a televised statement on Greek national broadcaster ERT.

* Taliban militants have dynamited a key bridge in Afghanistan's southern Uruzgan province, a provincial government official Sayed Shah Habibi said Wednesday.
A former Virginia police chief is facing charges of rape and abduction, authorities said this week.

Kevin Matthew Buckland, of Rich Creek, was arrested Monday and is being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail, The Roanoke Times Reported. The 46-year-old has been charged with abduction and sexual assault by force.

Buckland formally served as police chief for Rich Creek  located in Giles County  from 2003 to 2006. After a disagreement with the town council, however, he was fired.

WISCONSIN COUPLE KEPT THEIR CHILDREN IN MAKESHIFT CAGES, POLICE SAY

Virginia State Police said both charges against Buckland involve the same woman. In the first instance, in June, Buckland allegedly performed a non-consensual sex act. He later held the same woman against her will in August, Virginia State Police said in a news statement to The Roanoke Times.

Separately, Buckland was accused of sexually assaulting another woman in April, the newspaper reported, citing a search warrant dated May 25. However, no charges have been filed against Buckland in that instance.

WOMAN WHOSE BODY FOUND IN BAGS AT NYC PARKS BEATEN TO DEATH BY BEST FRIENDS BOYFRIEND, COPS SAY

Buckland attended an arraignment hearing on Wednesday morning, but no other court dates have been finalized at this time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Police have found a young Canadian mother and her daughter, who were reported missing by the womans concerned boyfriend after setting out for a camping trip in Northern California.

The San Mateo County Sheriffs Department announced that Audrey Rodrigue, 29, and her 10-year-old daughter, Emily, were located in good health and enjoying their California camping trip.

Rodrigue and daughter were reported missing on Monday after the womans boyfriend said he did not hear from her since Sunday.

The pair arrived at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, rented a car and spent the night at a hotel in Burlingame. Rodrigue reportedly texted her boyfriend the next day.

San Mateo County sheriffs spokeswoman Rosemerry Blankswade said before locating the pair that they did not suspect foul play.

Rodrigue and her daughter were last seen on Tuesday at Six Rivers National Forest campground, roughly 340 miles north of San Francisco, where staff said they appeared happy and not in distress.

Authorities said they had no set plan for the trip and were simply choosing destinations as they traveled.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Kentucky woman who told police she shot her on-again, off-again boyfriend and gave him the nose job he wanted has been found guilty in the slaying for the second time.

Shayna Hubers, 27, who argued the shooting was self-defense, was convicted Tuesday of fatally shooting Ryan Poston, 29, in October 2012.

Hubers was first convicted of murder for the slaying in 2015 and sentenced to 40 years, but it was overturned in August 2016 when a juror was discovered to be a convicted felon. Kentucky doesnt allow convicted felons to sit on juries.

3 EXTREMIST MUSLIM NEW MEXICO COMPOUND SUSPECTS RELEASED AFTER JUDGE DROPS ALL CHARGES

Hubers has been jailed for about five years and 10 months.

On Wednesday, a jury recommended a life sentence for Hubers a day after she was convicted for a second time, ABC News reported.

Her first chance at parole will be after 20 years, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Poston, a lawyer, was found dead in his home in Highland Heights, Ky. Prosecutors said Poston was planning on breaking up with Hubers on the night of his death. Hubers claimed Poston abused her during their relationship and she shot him in self-defense.

"I killed my boyfriend in self-defense," Hubers told a 911 dispatcher. She claimed they were arguing that night and an altercation occurred.

JENNIFER LAWRENCE, KATE UPTONS NUDE PHOTO HACKER SENTENCED TO PRISON

"He threw me across the room," Hubers said in the 911 call. I killed him."

The courtroom was showed footage of Hubers talking to officers from the Highland Heights police station. The video also showed her dancing and she was heard singing Amazing Grace and asking if she could call her mother, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

Hes very vain. One of our last conversations we had that was good was that he wants to get a nose job, Hubers told police. And I shot him right here. I gave him his nose job he wanted. I broke it.

The Poston family released a statement to ABC News regarding the jury's decision.

"Those who love Ryan now move forward with the integrity, dignity and kindness that Ryan exemplified throughout his life," the family said. "Today we embrace justice, and yet we do not feel joy. It has been six long and heartbreaking years without our beloved Ryan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Latest on services for Sen. John McCain (all times local):

7:45 p.m. EDT

Sen. John McCain's casket has arrived in Maryland ahead of ceremonies Friday at the U.S. Capitol.

McCain was flown to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington after a church service Thursday in Phoenix.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was at the base to greet McCain's widow, Cindy, and their children.

The six-term Republican senator from Arizona will lie in state under the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Friday for a ceremony and public visitation.

On Saturday, McCain's procession pauses by the Vietnam Memorial and heads for Washington National Cathedral for a formal funeral service.

McCain died last Saturday of brain cancer at age 81.

___

12:50 p.m.

Sen. John McCain has left Arizona for the last time as he makes his final flight to Washington, D.C.

An Air Force passenger plane carrying the casket of the six-term senator and two-time presidential candidate departed Thursday.

Hundreds of military service members stood in formation on the tarmac as McCain and his family left the Arizona Air National Guard base at the Phoenix airport.

McCain made the flight from Phoenix to Washington many times after first being elected to the U.S. House in 1982 and then to the U.S. Senate in 1986.

There will be a public viewing Friday at the U.S. Capitol and a service Saturday at Washington National Cathedral. He will be buried Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

He died Saturday of brain cancer at age 81.

___

12:10 p.m.

Sen. John McCain's family has gathered on a tarmac as military members took his flag-draped casket from a hearse to a plane that will take him from Arizona to Washington, D.C.

An Air Force plane that says "United States of America" will carry McCain and his family to the nation's capital Thursday.

It follows a memorial service in Phoenix attended by 3,500 people where former Vice President Joe Biden spoke.

There will be a public viewing Friday at the U.S. Capitol and a service Saturday at Washington National Cathedral. He will be buried Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

McCain died Saturday of brain cancer.

___

12:05 p.m.

The motorcade carrying the casket of Sen. John McCain has arrived at the Phoenix airport for his final flight from Arizona to Washington, D.C.

An Air Force plane will carry McCain and his family to the nation's capital Thursday following a memorial service in Phoenix attended by 3,500 people where former Vice President Joe Biden spoke.

There will be a public viewing Friday at the U.S. Capitol and a service Saturday at Washington National Cathedral. He will be buried Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

McCain died Saturday of brain cancer.

___

11:40 a.m.

The hearse carrying Sen. John McCain's casket has left a Phoenix church where thousands paid tribute to the longtime Arizona senator at his first memorial service.

The motorcade is now headed to the Phoenix airport for his final flight from Arizona to Washington, D.C. It follows a memorial service Thursday attended by about 3,500 people at North Phoenix Baptist Church.

An Air Force C-32 transport will carry McCain and his family to Joint Base Andrews for a public viewing Friday at the U.S. Capitol, a service Saturday at Washington National Cathedral and burial Sunday at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

McCain died Saturday from brain cancer at age 81.

___

11:35 a.m.

Military members have carried the flag-draped casket of Sen. John McCain out of a Phoenix church to the tune of Frank Sinatra's "My Way."

The longtime Arizona senator's wife and children followed out the casket following a memorial service Thursday where former Vice President Joe Biden, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and others told personal stories.

The casket has been loaded into a hearse in a motorcade that will head to the Phoenix airport for his final flight from Arizona to Washington, D.C., for several events.

___

11:30 a.m.

Vice President Mike Pence has paid tribute to the late Sen. John McCain, saying America will always remember his lifetime of service to the United States.

Speaking in Minneapolis at the American Legion's 100th annual convention Thursday, Pence said McCain served 5 years as a prison of war in Vietnam and "did not yield."

Pence says the Arizona Republican later became "one of the most unwavering advocates" of the American military ever to serve in Congress.

McCain died of cancer Saturday. American Legion leaders took Trump to task on Monday after flags at the White House, which flew at half staff through the weekend, were raised to full height on Monday.

Trump later relented amid criticism and ordered them lowered again at all federal installations through McCain's interment this Sunday.

___

11:15 a.m.

Former Vice President Joe Biden says he believes that Sen. John McCain's death has hit people so hard because they knew he believed so deeply and so forcefully in the soul of America.

Biden said Thursday at the memorial service for the longtime Arizona senator that he believed McCain gave Americans something to be proud of.

Biden says McCain's optimism is what made him special and a giant among others. He believes McCain's legacy will continue to inspire and challenge people in the future.

___

11:10 a.m.

Former Vice President Joe Biden spoke forcefully as he said politics wasn't what was most important to Sen. John McCain, it was the underlying values that mattered.

Biden said Thursday at the memorial service for the longtime Arizona senator that McCain "could not stand the abuse of power wherever he saw it, in whatever form, in whatever country."

He says McCain embodied basic values including fairness, honesty and respect.

Biden referenced how McCain fought for civility between politicians even if they disagree.

___

11:05 a.m.

Former Vice President Joe Biden says both he and Sen. John McCain knew how painful life could be.

Biden said Thursday at the memorial service for the longtime Arizona senator that the same aggressive brain cancer that claimed McCain also claimed their friend Ted Kennedy and Biden's son Beau.

Biden told McCain's family he understood that there was nothing anyone could do to ease their pain.

He said, "I pray you take some comfort knowing that because you shared John with all of us your whole life, the world now shares with you the ache of John's death."

___

10:55 a.m.

Former Vice President Joe Biden says he thought of Sen. John McCain as a brother, with 'a lot of family fights.'

The Democrat dabbed his eyes early in his speech Thursday at the Phoenix memorial service for the longtime Republican senator.

Biden says the two men got to know each other while making overseas trips together. They'd talk about family, politics and international relations. Biden says they were both "cock-eyed optimists."

Biden says that they understood it's all about trust and that he would trust John with his life.

___

10:45 a.m.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald says he felt the need to visit Vietnam to see what his friend, Sen. John McCain endured.

Fitzgerald also talked at McCain's funeral Thursday about how on the surface they could not have been more different: "He ran for president. I ran out of bounds." The NFL star says McCain was the epitome of toughness and he does everything I could to avoid contact.

But he says that while from very different worlds, they developed a meaningful friendship. He says it was the perfect example of what made him an iconic figure of politics and to the fellow man.

Fitzgerald says McCain celebrated differences and championed humanity. He says McCain didn't judge individuals on color of skin, gender or their bank accounts but the merit of their character and content of their hearts.

___

10:35 a.m.

A friend of Sen. John McCain's says the longtime Arizona senator works across the aisle.

Tommy Espinoza, president and CEO of the Raza Development Fund, said at McCain's memorial service in Phoenix on Thursday that he was a maverick.

He says during McCain's first race for Senate, McCain called him to ask if he would co-chair his campaign. Espinoza said he responded, "You know I'm a Democrat," drawing laughs.

Espinoza, then head of Chicanos Por La Causa, says McCain told him they were friends and he wanted his help.

He mentioned McCain's work for comprehensive immigration reform and says he believed it cost him a presidential campaign.

___

10:25 a.m.

Sen. John McCain's longtime chief of staff says the Arizona senator believed that "this Republican-Democrat thing is not that important."

Grant Woods said Thursday at McCain's memorial service in Phoenix that the senator believed that in the end, we're all Americans.

He drew laughs with stories about McCain, including a time he got in hot water for calling retirement communities that he needed to woo when he first ran for office "seizure world."

Woods said everyone would miss McCain's humor. He called McCain "America's hero" and said the senator believed in the Constitution and worked to defend it.

___

10:15 a.m.

Sen. John McCain's daughter Bridget read a bible verse at her father's memorial service in Phoenix before the longtime Arizona senator's chief of staff started the speeches.

Grant Woods drew laughs Thursday as he said McCain was a bad driver and would introduce Woods to new staff members by saying, 'You'll have to fire half of them.'

He said the 35 years he spent with McCain were a little harrowing, a little wild, a little crazy, but a lot of fun.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald are among other speakers at the church service.

___

10:05 a.m.

People who packed a Phoenix church for Sen. John McCain's memorial service have stood as his flag-draped casket was carried inside.

The crowd of 3,500 inside stood silently as the casket was placed before a set of floral arrangements Thursday and McCain's family entered behind it.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and other speakers, including Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, stood on stage.

A pastor opened the service with a prayer and the Brophy Student Ensemble sang "Amazing Grace."

___

10 a.m.

Military members have removed Sen. John McCain's casket from a hearse and carried it into a Phoenix church for his memorial service as the wife and children of the longtime Arizona senator watched.

Two of McCain's sons are in military uniform and daughter Meghan was crying Thursday.

Honorary pallbearers stood with the family Thursday and include the first Native American woman to serve on the federal bench and two popular Arizona athletes.

U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa, who is Hopi, retired Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Luis Gonzales and former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan are among 14 friends acting as pallbearers.

McCain was an avid sports fan and supporter of Arizona's teams. He became friends with many of the athletes in the area.

___

9:50 a.m.

The hearse carrying Sen. John McCain's casket has arrived at a Phoenix church for a memorial service.

The motorcade came Thursday from the Arizona Capitol where he laid in state. It passed saluting firefighters and dozens of well-wishers waving campaign-style McCain signs and American flags.

It passed a school where kids peered through the fence to catch a glimpse.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is among speakers at the church service, which will be attended by dozens of senators, other politicians and some professional athletes.

After it ends, McCain's body will be taken to the airport and flown to Washington, D.C. There will be a viewing at the U.S. Capitol before a memorial service featuring former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and burial at the U.S. Naval Academy.

___

9:30 a.m.

Several firefighters are standing on top of a firetruck on an overpass above a Phoenix freeway saluting a motorcade with a hearse carrying Sen. John McCain's casket.

Dozens of people, including schoolchildren of all ages, are holding McCain signs and American flags as they waited for the motorcade to arrive Thursday at a church for the longtime senator's memorial service.

McCain's staff says the campaign-style signs are replicas of his 2008 presidential campaign.

Raymond Celaya of Phoenix and others around him held the signs as they waited along a roadside. Celaya said he was most impressed with McCain's willingness to fight for his beliefs.

He says McCain "represented all of Arizona, not just Latinos like me."

___

9:20 a.m.

A hearse carrying Sen. John McCain's casket is driving in a motorcade along a Phoenix highway on its way to the memorial service for the longtime Republican senator and two-time presidential candidate.

Michael Fellars stood on a roadway outside of North Phoenix Baptist Church on Thursday waiting to see the funeral procession. Firetrucks were positioned along the route.

Fellars was the fourth person in line Wednesday to attend the public viewing honoring McCain at the Arizona Capitol.

As a veteran of the Marine Corps, Fellars said he was most impressed with McCain's advocacy on behalf of people who serve in the military.

He says McCain "was about the only politician that I have ever known who cared for the people in his country, and he tried his level best to make it a better place in which to live."

___

9:10 a.m.

A hearse carrying Sen. John McCain's casket has left the Arizona State Capitol and is taking the body of the longtime lawmaker, two-time presidential candidate and former POW to a Phoenix church for a public memorial service.

People carrying campaign style placards with the word "McCain" and holding U.S. flags lined part of the part of the 8-mile (13-kilometer) route the motorcade was taking Thursday to the North Phoenix Baptist Church.

The hearse is accompanied by Arizona Highway Patrol motorcycle troopers and vehicles with family members.

Former Vice President Joe Biden is among speakers for the church service.

After it ends, McCain's body will be taken to Sky Harbor International Airport and flown to Washington D.C., where it will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol building before a funeral service featuring former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

McCain died Saturday of brain cancer at age 81.

___

9:00 a.m.

Mourners have entered the North Phoenix Baptist church ahead of the arrival of Sen. John McCain's casket for a memorial service.

The church has is a spacious, half-circle indoor amphitheater with purple fabric seats and benches that holds 3,500. Red and blue lights illuminated two rows of chairs on the stage, which was lined by lilies and adorned with greenery and white rose floral displays.

Mourners were given programs with an image of a sunset.

Former Vice President Joe Biden will speak at the service, expected to be attended by 24 current U.S. Senators and four former senators and many Arizona politicians.

People holding U.S. flags and campaign style placards with the word "McCain" lined part of the 8-mile (13-kilometer) route that the motorcade with McCain's casket will take from the Arizona State Capitol to the church.

He died last Saturday of brain cancer and was 81.

___

8:10 a.m.

People are starting to line the route that a motorcade will take to bring John McCain's coffin from the Arizona State Capitol to a church for his memorial service.

Part of the 8-mile (13-kilometer) route was lined with U.S. flags and campaign-style placards that simply read "McCain."

A man with a white beard stood on one corner holding a sign saying "Senator John McCain: Because character counts."

Someone left a stuffed animal clinging to a nearby lamppost holding a sign reading "we will miss you."

McCain will be commemorated at Thursday at North Phoenix Baptist Church by former Vice President Joe Biden and other speakers. He died last Saturday of brain cancer at age 81.

His coffin will then depart for the airport and be flown to Washington, DC, where it will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol building before a funeral service featuring former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

___

7:30 a.m.

Several of Sen. John McCain's adult children thanked people who visited the Arizona State Capitol to pay respects to their father.

Sons Doug, Jack and Jimmy, daughter Sidney and daughter-in-law Renee shook hands Wednesday with some of the thousands of people who viewed McCain's flag-draped casket in the Capitol's rotunda

The afternoon and evening casket viewing followed a private service Wednesday morning.

A public memorial service will be held Thursday at North Phoenix Baptist Church before McCain's body is taken by motorcade to an Arizona Air National Guard base at Sky Harbor International Airport to be flown to Washington.

___

12 a.m.

The celebration of Sen. John McCain as a former prisoner of war and maverick politician enters a second day with a church service and a military salute before his casket departs his adopted state of Arizona for Washington.

A motorcade with McCain's casket leaves Thursday morning from the Arizona Capitol, where McCain has been lying in state so thousands of people could say goodbye.

Family and friends gathered there Wednesday for a private service, where Cindy McCain pressed her face against her husband's coffin.

Following a service at North Phoenix Baptist Church, McCain's casket will go to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport for a salute from the Arizona Air and Army National Guard.

Friday's visitation at the U.S. Capitol will be followed by a service Saturday at Washington National Cathedral.
A California man was arrested Thursday after he threatened to kill staff members at the Boston Globe following the newspapers recent editorial piece calling for publications nationwide to take a stand against President Trump's attacks on the media.

Robert D. Chain, 68, was charged with making threatening communications in interstate commerce, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. The California-native is accused of calling the Boston Globe newsroom more than a dozen times to threaten staff members since Aug. 10, when the newspaper first asked other publications to join in on the coordinated response, court documents stated.

Chain allegedly threatened to kill Boston Globe employees and said the newspaper was "the enemy of the people." On Aug. 16, when the Boston Globe published its piece against Trumps press attacks, Chain called the newsroom and threatened to shoot staffers in the head later today, at 4 oclock.

The threatening call prompted extra security at the building.

Todays [Thursdays] arrest of Robert Chain should serve a warning to others, that making threats is not a prank, its a federal crime, Harold H. Shaw, special agent in charge of FBIs Boston division, said in a news release. All threats are taken seriously, as we never know if the subject behind the threat intends to follow through with their actions. Whether potentially hoax or not, each and every threat will be aggressively run to ground.

Chain could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

TRUMP ACCUSES THE BOSTON GLOBE OF COLLUSION WITH OTHER PAPERS AS HUNDREDS RUN EDITORIALS AGAINST HIM

More than 300 publications across the country published columns to promote freedom of the press and push back at Trumps attack on the media. The Boston Globes piece, titled Journalists are not the enemy, wrote that replacing a free media with a state-run media is the first order of business for any corrupt regime taking over a country.

Today in the United States we have a president who has created a mantra that members of the media who do not blatantly support the policies of the current U.S. administration are the enemy of the people, the editorial board wrote. This is one of the many lies that have been thrown out by this president much like an old-time charlatan threw out magic dust or water on a hopeful crowd.

On Twitter that day, the president accused the newspaper of collusion.

The Boston Globe, which was sold to the Failing New York Times for 1.3 BILLION DOLLARS (plus 800 million dollars in losses & investment), or 2.1 BILLION DOLLARS, was then sold by the Times for 1 DOLLAR. Now the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press. PROVE IT! Trump tweeted on Aug. 16.

Fox News Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
A self-admitted MS-13 gang member with a violent criminal history was charged in the murder of a teen whose remains were found in New York a year after he was "viciously and barbarically" killed, officials said.

Carlos Benitez-Hernandez, 21, was arraigned Thursday on a second-degree murder charge in connection with the death of a teen, who authorities did not identify. Benitez-Hernandez was arrested Wednesday after authorities uncovered human remains in a shallow grave in East Meadow on Long Island.

The gang member was already in federal custody due to an immigration issue at the time of his arrest. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not returned Fox Newss request for information.

WHAT IS MS-13, THE VIOLENT GANG TRUMP VOWED TO TARGET?

Nassau County Police Department Det. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said in a Thursday news conference that authorities believe the motive for the killing is the gangs displeasure with the teens actions.

Its more gangs displeasure with his actions within the group, or it was something that they felt disrespectful to them or a threat to them, Fitzpatrick said.

Benitez-Hernandez is believed to have killed the teen about a year ago by using a machete or cutting instruments to stab him multiple times  the usual violent techniques by MS-13 gang members, according to Fitzpatrick. The gang is also known to kill people in wooded areas.

Prosecutor Jared Rosenblatt said Benitez-Hernandez had viciously and barbarically attacked the teen, Newsday reported.

Fitzpatrick said Benitez-Hernandez has a violent criminal history that includes gang assault, weapons charges and victim intimidation. At the time of the teens death, Benitez-Hernandez was out on parole.

Authorities believe there are at least five MS-13 gang members linked to the slaying.

Benitez-Hernandez on Thursday pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, Newsday reported.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Philadelphia snagged hundreds of phony state drivers' licenses over the past several months, the agency revealed Thursday.

Approximately 500 fake identification cards entered the Pennsylvania city in international air cargo since May and were taken by officers, the CBP said in a news release, adding that the agencys efforts kept the fraudulent documents out of the hands of underage students.

FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY CATCHES IMPOSTER TRYING TO ENTER US ILLEGALLY AT AIRPORT, OFFICIALS SAY

The agency claims theyve seized licenses from more than 20 states, in addition to Nigerian drivers licenses, and were said to have been sent from locations in Canada, China and countries in Southwest Asia, the agency said.

Counterfeit drivers licenses have historically been used by those under 21 years of age for the illegal consumption of alcohol, but fake IDs have also been used in criminal enterprises, such as identity theft cases and immigration fraud, Casey Durst, CBP Director of the Baltimore Field Office, said in the news release. Customs and Border Protection officers will continue to exercise extraordinary vigilance during trade enforcement operations and we remain committed to the safety and security of our nation every day.

WOMAN, 81, BUSTED SMUGGLING $870G OF HEROIN ACROSS US-MEXICO BORDER, COPS SAY

Among the obtained fake IDs were ones that were obvious fakes and some that were very good quality, according to the agency.

CBP turned many of the licenses over to state and university police investigators, the news release said. The remaining licenses will be destroyed.
A New Mexico district attorney is vowing to pursue prosecution against the extremist Muslim compound suspects who were released from custody on Wednesday just hours after all charges against the three were dropped.

District Judge Emilio Chavez on Wednesday dismissed charges against three of the five defendants -- Lucas Morton, Subhannah Wahhaj and Hujrah Wahhaj -- ruling that authorities had violated the states 10-day rule.

Child abuse charges against them were dropped because prosecutors missed the 10-day cutoff for an evidentiary hearing to establish probable cause. Chavez said it was a very difficult decision to drop the charges but the rule left him no choice.

The actions yesterday by the district judges do not affect our continuing efforts to prosecute the individuals as charged originally, Eighth Judicial District Attorney Donald Gallegos said in a statement on Thursday. While we disagree with the judges, they did their jobs. We will continue to do ours.

Going forward, our options are to refile the charges or take the cases to the grand jury. We are assessing and will decide which avenue to pursue. What is important to know is that we will continue to pursue prosecution of the cases.

During a separate hearing Wednesday, Judge Jeff McElroy dismissed the same charges against fellow defendants Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Jany Leveille. However, charges leveled against them on Friday in connection with a 3-year-old boy's death remained.

The five suspects were arrested by authorities after an Aug. 3 raid that itself followed a monthslong investigation of 3-year-old Abdul-ghani Wahhaj's disappearance. He has severe medical issues and disappeared from Georgia in December. The occupants of the compound were "most likely heavily armed and considered extremist of the Muslim belief," an official said at the time.

Taos County Sheriff's deputies discovered 11 children at the compound, who were taken into the custody of state child welfare workers. On Aug. 6, a childs remains were found on the property. The body was identified as that of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj.

On Thursday, Gallegos fought back against criticism of the prosecutors' handling of charges.

Finally, I have always welcomed criticism and, as public servants, our judges should also, Gallegos said in the statement. However, I ask that you be civil and respectful in your criticisms as that is more constructive. Cussing and threatening the people involved will not accomplish justice and serves no useful purpose. Remember, you do not have all the facts. That will develop as the cases progress."

Fox News Faith Mangan and Elizabeth Zwirz contributed to this report.
A police chief assisting with crowd control during a protest at the University in North Carolina last week told his officers to stand aside as demonstrators tore down the century-old Confederate monument known as Silent Sam, a report stated.

WRAL-TV obtained text messages and emails that showed Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue closely monitored the Aug. 20 protest as his officers backed up the UNC police force, who took lead in policing the Chapel Hill campus. The station used a public records request to obtain about 400 pages of emails and texts to and from Blue on the day of the protest and the day afterward.

The messages showed Blue instructing the officers to give the protesters lots of space and stay way out. Another message showed Blue telling Chapel Hill officers they were too close to the protesters. Not too long after, the demonstrators toppled the "Silent Sam" statue.

UNC CALLS OUT PROTESTERS UNLAWFUL AND DANGEROUS ACTIONS AFTER SILENT SAM STATUE TAKEN DOWN

Blue received several messages after the protest criticizing how his officers handled the incident. Still, Blue emailed his officers a day later and thanked them for their good work during a challenging time.

The actions by UNC campus police are also under scrutiny from university and legislative leaders. The UNC police have primary responsibility for patrolling campus, but the two departments assist each other.

Thom Goolsby, a UNC Board of Governors member, said officers were highly derelict in their duty by standing back and allowing these outside criminal elements to riot and destroy state property, the Herald-Sun reported.

SEVEN ARRESTS AS PROTESTERS CLASH AT UNC OVER TOPPLED SILENT SAM STATUE

Protests over the statue have flared in the past year with many decrying the memorial as a symbol of a racist heritage. The protest on Aug. 20 began with a series of speakers before the crowd moved to the quadrangle. Then, about two hours into the protest, a group surrounded the statue and pulled it down. Once on the ground, demonstrators kicked it and cheered.

Raul Jimenez, who was accused of helping pull down the statue, said on Thursday that the community brought it down with "a righteous show of people power" after university leaders declined their pleas to lawfully remove it. He made the statement during a brief appearance in court on misdemeanor charges of rioting and defacing a public monument.

No injuries were reported during the protest. Three people face misdemeanor charges of rioting and defacing a public monument.

Fox News Lucia I. Suarez Sang and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
An Uber driver in Florida fatally shot a man who trailed his car and tried to run him off the road early Tuesday in what a local sheriff called a "classic Stand Your Ground case."

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release the incident happened around 2:20 a.m. in Winter Haven after 34-year-old Jason Boek, believing his estranged girlfriend was the Uber's passenger, aggressively trailed the car of 38-year-old driver Robert Westlake.

"This is a justifiable homicide all day long," Sheriff Grady Judd said at a news conference. "You have the right to protect yourself. This is a classic stand your ground case. This was the intent of the law."

Earlier in the evening, police said a woman helped a female patron who was intoxicated at a bar get an Uber ride home. The women did not know each other, but the woman who helped the passenger began receiving threatening text messages from her boyfriend, Boek.

Judd said Boek was "explosive" and stalking his girlfriend at the bar and texted her that he was going to pursue the Uber driver and beat him up, FOX13 reported.

SHOOTER IN DEADLY FLORIDA 'STAND YOUR GROUND' CASE ARRESTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER

In dashcam video released by the sheriff's office, a truck driven by Boek pulls up alongside Westlake and tries to run him off the road. Once both vehicles were stopped, Boek got out and threatened to shoot the driver, according to the sheriff.

That's when Westlake, a concealed weapon permit holder who recently graduated from the police academy, fired one shot, striking Boek. The Uber driver then called authorities and attempted to revive Boek.

The bar patron was still sitting in the back seat at the time of the shooting and had no relationship to Boek or the woman who helped her get the Uber, Judd said.

"At the end of the day, the message is clear," he told reporters. "Don't mess with the Uber driver."

FATAL SHOOTING REIGNITES 'STAND YOUR GROUND' LAW DEBATE IN FLORIDA

Boek had an extensive criminal history, and was on probation until June of 2021 for a 2016 felony battery charge, according to the sheriff's office. Police found a glass pipe containing methamphetamine residue inside the truck driven by Boek before the shooting.

Westlake does not face charges in the incident, but the sheriff's office is continuing to investigate.

A fatal shooting in July outside a convenience store reignited debate over Floridas "stand your ground" self-defense law, renewing calls by civil rights activists and politicians to abolish the hotly debated statute.

The Associated Press contributed this report.
Iran and six world powers, namely China, Russia, Britain, France, the United States and Germany, struck a landmark agreement over Iran's nuclear program in 2015, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

However, US President Donald Trump decided to withdraw Washington from the deal on May 8 and re-impose sanctions, including oil embargo, on Iran.

"If we come to the conclusion that JCPOA cannot serve the national interests, we will leave it," Khamenei said during a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani and his administration.

The Iranian top leader also expressed dismay over the EU, saying the Islamic republic "pins no hope on Europeans over JCPOA and economic issues."

Iran has incessantly urged Europe to take "practical and tangible measures" to protect Iranian interests since the US pullout.

"From the words and the deeds of the Iranians, the Europeans should know about the reaction and the measures of the Islamic republic" in case the talks with them bear no result, Khamenei noted.

Iran is currently in talks with France, Britain and Germany to revive the blocking statute, a 1996 regulation that prohibits EU companies and courts from complying with foreign sanctions laws.
If you're over the sweltering heat and humidity that's blanketed much of the country this summer, get ready for a rough winter.

The Farmers Almanac is predicting a "colder-than-normal" winter from the Continental Divide on eastward, with "teeth-chattering" cold arriving in mid-February in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and even into the Southeast.

Contrary to the stories storming the web, our time-tested, long-range formula is pointing toward a very long, cold, and snow-filled winter," editor Peter Geiger said in a statement on the company's website. "We stand by our forecast and formula, which accurately predicted the many storms last winter, as well as this summers steamy, hot conditions.

Included in the frigid outlook is above-average snowfall expected for the Great Lakes and New England, with some snow expected to arrive in the Mid-Atlantic and New England by December.

As to when the cold may end, the Farmers' Almanac says that a stormy March could feature a potent East Coast storm that could keep snow on the ground into spring.

The Farmers Almanac says it bases its long-range forecast "on a mathematical and astronomical formula developed in 1818."

US OPEN CONSIDERS CLOSING ROOFS AS TEMPERATURES HEAT UP

It's not to be confused with the rival Old Farmer's Almanac, billed as the oldest periodical in North America, which also issues seasonal weather forecasts.

If you're looking for a milder winter ahead, Old Farmer's Almanac is calling for "above-normal temperatures almost everywhere in the United States," in addition to more rain instead of snow.

"Our milder-than-normal forecast is due to a decrease in solar activity and the expected arrival of a weak El Nino, which will prevent cold air masses from lingering in the North," the publication notes.

But don't go heading to the store for more shovels yet, as meteorologists say it's nearly impossible to figure out the weather that far ahead.

"The ability to predict events that far in advance is zero," Penn State Meteorologist Paul Knight told the Des Moines Register. "There's no proven skill, there's no technique that's agreed upon in science to be able to do that."

Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean may have also summed up the best way to take the chilly predictions.

"Grain of salt," she tweeted Thursday.
A Wisconsin couple was arrested last Friday for allegedly keeping children in makeshift cages in their home, police said.

Police arrested Travis Lanier Headrick, 46, and Amy Michele Headrick, 39, after receiving evidence that the couple was keeping their children in cages. On Monday they were charged with reckless endangerment, child neglect and false imprisonment, Monroe County authorities said.

Authorities found the couple kept their five children  four adopted and one biological  in the makeshift cages, including a so-called horse trough, in their Melvina home. Amy Headrick told police that her kids sleeping arrangement was closer to a glorified crib, according to the New York Daily News.

Amy Headrick admitted to investigators cages were zip-tied shut, the Daily News reported, citing a police complaint. She reportedly described the trough as a washable membrane.

I didnt want to put him in a bathtub and make him sleep in the bathroom, so I thought this was something I could wash and take out for him, she told authorities, adding that the child nearly fell out of a two-story window.

She described instances where one child would choke the other and defend the cages as protection for the kids.

At night when I am sleeping at 10, I dont know whats going on, she told officials. I dont want them choking each other. So I just make sure they're safe. Im not tying them up. Im not beating them, I dont even spank them.

The childrens ages were not revealed.

A witness told authorities the children were being abused and that one child was being held under a faucet while scalding hot or freezing water poured out, according to WEAU-TV. The witness also reportedly said the four adopted children ate the same things everyday: a bologna and cheese sandwich.

The couple was being held on $20,000 bond and are due in court on Sept. 6.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A womans boyfriend beat her best friend to death with a hammer before the couple dismembered the body, stuffed the remains in plastic bags and dumped them in New York City parks, police said Wednesday.

Daquan Wheeler, 31, and his girlfriend, Ciara Martinez, 30, were arrested and charged after Lisa Marie Velasquezs remains were discovered in Crotona Park and near the pier in Barretto Point Park in the Bronx last week. Authorities had released a sketch to identify the dismembered body.

Martinez, as she was being led out by police Wednesday night, told reporters that Velasquez was her best friend.

"She was my friend. I loved her, Martinez said.

HUMAN REMAINS IN PLASTIC BAGS FOUND IN 2 NYC PARKS BELIEVED TO BE SAME WOMAN, POLICE SAY

Wheeler and Martinez were in their Bronx apartment when they got into a heated argument, authorities told Fox News. Martinez called Velasquez to the apartment, where Wheeler allegedly bludgeoned the 25-year-old woman with a hammer. Martinez helped dispose of her best friends body, police said.

Its unclear when the incident occurred, but last Friday part of Velasquezs remains were discovered in Crotona Park. Police initially received a call of a suspicious package, but discovered two black bags with human body parts.

On Tuesday, a passerby spotted a foot sticking out of a plastic bag by the boardwalk that washed ashore in Barretto Point Park, about three miles away from the initial grisly discovery. Cops arrived at the scene and discovered a leg and a foot inside a bag. A second bag with human body parts were also discovered at the scene.

Wheeler was charged with murder, manslaughter, concealment of a human corpse, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon, the NYPD said. Martinez faces charges of criminal facilitation, hindering prosecution, concealment of a human corpse, conspiracy and tampering with physical evidence.

Wheeler has a past criminal history that included burglary and robbery charges. He has been arrested six times since 2002 and was on parole until 2019 for a recent prison stint at the time of Velasquezs alleged murder, PIX11 reported. He was convicted in 2008 of attempted second-degree murder and sentenced to seven years in prison, records provided by New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision stated.

Velasquezs aunt, Jacqueline Perez, tearfully recalled ABC7NY her last memory of Velasquez.

"The way she was tortured! For Christ's sake. She didn't deserve that," she told the news station. "The last thing my mother remembers is her coming, grabbing her bag and being in a rush, saying that she had to go help a friend that was in danger, and she ran out of the house."

"That's the last thing."
Convicted leaker Chelsea Manning will be barred from entering Australia for a scheduled speaking tour set to start Sunday, her event organizer said Thursday.

The Australian government sent Mannings team a notice of intention to deny the convicted leaker's entry, said Think Inc. who is organizing the event. The organizers said they gave the government more than 10 letters of support from individuals and organizers who support Mannings visit to Australia.

"Ms. Manning offers formidable ideas and an insightful perspective which we are hoping to bring to the forefront of Australian dialogue," Think Inc. Director Suzi Jamil said in a statement.

All non-citizens visiting Australia must fall under the character requirements put out by the Migration Act. Anyone can be denied if they fail the character test.

Think Inc. is calling on her supporters to lobby new Immigration Minister David Coleman to allow her into the country, where shes scheduled to speak at the Sydney Opera House and at two other events. While she can appeal, past precedent suggests the decision has already been made.

This isnt the first time Manning was denied entry to a country. Last year, she was barred from entering Canada, but was later allowed to appear at another event, Reuters reported.

After her trip to Australia, Manning is expected to travel to neighboring New Zealand. Immigration officials in New Zealand are expected to make a decision by Friday on whether to grant her a "special direction" visa.

She doesn't qualify for entry otherwise because she has a criminal conviction within the last 10 years for which she had a sentence exceeding 1 year, according to the country's visa rules.

Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison after she was found guilty of leaking military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks. She served seven years in prison before her sentence was commuted in 2017 by then-President Barack Obama.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
British fishermen are calling on the government to send in the Royal Navy to protect them from their French rivals in the bizarre conflict dubbed 'The Scallop Wars'.

On Tuesday a fleet of more than 30 French vessels rammed a group of six British scallop dredgers - an attack one shocked English fisherman described as like a scene out of Vietnam.

Flares, rocks and even petrol bombs were flung at the British ships and many in the UK have even gone as far as calling for warships to step in and protect the fishing fleet.

Brian Whittington, skipper of the Golden Promise, said: It was scary  Ive never experienced anything like it. Shackles, flares, rocks were being thrown.

Maybe the Royal Navy could help us next time.

Mike Park, chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association, told Fox News: "We are disappointed at the reaction of the French and we're disappointed the French were not willing to sit down and agree terms earlier this year.

"It's a dangerous enough profession as it is without this sort of action.

"It's the role of the Royal Navy to sort things out. We don't want them there to act as our protectors but we think it would be valuable to be able to ask for their support.

"The French Navy was there but they didn't get involved.

"We're still trying to set up a meeting with the French industry.

"We need to take the tension out of it, we can't put fishermen in harm's way."

FRENCH, BRITISH BOATS FIGHT OVER ACCESS TO SCALLOP-RICH WATERS, VIDEO SHOWS

Scottish lecturer Dean MacKinnon-Thomson added: Send in the Royal Navy to protect British fishermens legal rights. Cannot capitulate to violence and illegality on part of the French.

As extreme as it sounds, the Royal Navy has form for intervening in a fishing dispute.

The 'Cod Wars' were a series of disputes between Britain and Iceland running from the 1950s to the 1970s over the rights to fish in Icelandic waters.

At one point, 37 warships were mobilized in the disputed territory  and even went as far as ramming Icelandic vessels trying to stop British trawlers.

However, Britain conceded after Iceland threatened to leave NATO at the height of the Cold War, a move many saw as a national humiliation and an economic disaster.

The root of the latest conflict lies in the Baie de la Seine in the English Channel, a stretch of water just north of the Normandy coast famed for scallops, a flavorful shellfish commonly found on sheltered seabeds.

EX SCOTLAND LEADER RESIGNS FROM PARTY AMID SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS

British boats are allowed to dredge for scallops in the bay under European Union law, but French law bans the practice for locals between May 15 and October 1, when they reproduce.

The French are furious that the British scallop dredgers are allowed to pillage while they are forced to miss out on the valuable haul because of fears over conserving stocks.

The last engagement happened 15 miles off the coast of Le Havre in October 2012, when 40 French boats tried to ram the Brits and attempted to tangle their propellers using nets.

Since then, the two nations have observed a tense armistice after the UK agreed to keep larger boats away.

But Britain's plan to leave the EU  Brexit - has muddied the already murky waters.

THERESA MAY BUSTS OUT DANCE MOVES DURING VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA

Anti-European Union 'Leavers' are furious that the EU-loving French are trying to prevent British fishermen from making a living.

They also point out the French have no such qualms about fishing in British waters under the protection of EU law.

Top Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said: How about this  we take back control of our territorial fishing waters, we manage it properly and it's going to be worth 3-5 billion ($4-$6.5billion) every single year to this country.

As an island nation, in our hearts, this matters.

But 'Remainers' claim Europe-wide regulations are vital to prevent just this sort of territorial dispute, as well as protect fish stocks and the marine environment.

One said: So British boats go into French waters to scrape the scallop beds clean and the French are at fault apparently.

No better example of what Brexiters actually want - the right to plunder all planetary resources with no let or hindrance by regulation or reason.

Michael Gove, the British Conservative environment minister, who has been accused by his own party members of being weak on the issue, according to leaked WhatsApp messages seen by the Daily Telegraph, told the BBC the UK boats were fishing legally.

"My heart goes out to the British fishermen who were caught up in the terrible scenes that we saw happen earlier this week, he said.

"They were fishing entirely legally, they had every right to be in those waters and we talked to the French authorities in order to ensure that we have a protocol.

The head of Normandys fishing organization Dimitri Rogoff condemned the violence.

He told Reuters: There should not be any brawling, that could end badly. Our main UK counterpart has proposed we hold talks quickly in France, well receive a UK delegation in the coming days.

Rogoff said a lot of the tension arises from fishing methods.

Normandy fishermen tend to operate from small family-run boats, while some of the British vessels are larger 'floating factories' that process and freeze a massive amount of scallops.

In the past two years, we feel our British partners do not want to negotiate, maybe because of Brexit, Rogoff added.

If everybody dredges for scallops all year round, soon there will be none left.
Gunshots sent shoppers running for cover and prompted the evacuation of Toronto's busiest mall on Thursday, though police said no one was injured from the gunfire.

Toronto Police Supt. Rob Johnson said there was an altercation between groups of men in Toronto's Yorkdale Mall and one of them fired a handgun at least twice.

"Nobody was hit," he said.

Johnson said two people suffered minor injuries while trying to flee the mall. Police said they were looking for multiple suspects, including two men in their 20s, and said one had a handgun.

The mall was on lockdown and nobody was being let in. Police said the incident happened in the east side of the mall and were looking for witnesses and video. Hundreds of people milled about outside the mall after the incident.

Donald Mudavanhu said he was walking through the mall on the ground floor when he heard loud bangs. "Everyone just started running, there was a huge crowd of people," he said.

The 43-year-old said he ran into a nearby department store with dozens of others and scrambled up to the second floor. An employee then took him and others to a staff corridor at the back of the store where they squeezed into a tight hallway, Mudavanhu said.

"It was getting stuffy, it was getting hot," he said. "People were panicked, they didn't get any information."

The mall issued a statement saying it was closed for the rest of the day while police investigated the incident.

The Toronto Transit Commission said subway trains are not stopping at the mall.

The incident at the mall comes after a string of high-profile attacks in Canada's largest city. Last month a man with a handgun opened fire in a crowded part of the city, killing two people and wounding 13 before he either shot himself or was killed by police. In April, a man who linked himself to a misogynistic online community used a van to run down pedestrians in a busy part of Toronto, killing 10 people and injuring 14.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said he's relieved there are no reports of injuries from mall gunfire.

"Whether it is Yorkdale Mall or anywhere else in Toronto, people should not have to worry about gun violence breaking out," Tory said in a statement. "There are too many guns available to criminals in the city and I am determined to end that with the help of our police and our government partners."

Toronto has called for a ban on guns in the city and the federal government said it would study the issue. Montreal has called for a nation-wide ban.
A rare public protest by thousands of Hui Muslims this month was caused by local officials' recklessness, Chinese authorities said Thursday, without settling concerns a large mosque in the northwestern region would be razed.

The governor of the region of Ningxia and a regional Communist Party official said tensions had died out in the city of Weizhou, where thousands protested in early August to prevent authorities from demolishing the towering Grand Mosque. The protests were an unusually bold display of resistance against the party's efforts to dictate how religion is practiced.

"The reckless local government actions caused this incident," said Bai Shangcheng, director-general of the regional Communist Party committee's United Front Work Department, which oversees religious groups, at a news conference in Beijing. Local officials have been ordered to review the incident and "handle it properly and according to law," Bai said.

"The situation overall is under control," he said.

The Weizhou protest came as faith groups have seen their freedoms shrink as the government seeks to "Sinicize" religions by making the faithful prioritize allegiance to the officially atheist Communist Party. Mosques and churches have been stripped of religious imagery and Tibetan children moved from Buddhist temples to schools.

The governor of Ningxia had been out of the province when the protests erupted, Bai said, delaying an official response. After she returned, officials held an emergency meeting, ordered the local government to review its actions, and spoke with the Weizhou community.

"Local people are satisfied with our explanation, unlike what was reported by many media," said Xian Hui, the governor, at the press conference. "They are in a good mood now and live a normal and peaceful life."

The officials did not provide clear details on the fate of the mosque, an imposing white building that dwarfs the surrounding warren of brick and concrete homes. Its architecture of four minarets and nine domes tipped with crescent moons would be at home anywhere in the Islamic world, save for the large red and yellow Chinese flags fluttering from the ramparts and the wide central staircase.

The city's authorities at the time were clearly nervous about the unrest. They detained AP reporters and kept them from conducting interviews at the mosque, ultimately chasing them out of Weizhou.

Despite the assurances of local calm, Bai, the party official, said the Grand Mosque itself was still a problem. He gave no details but the county disciplinary inspection commission said in May that Weizhou authorities had failed to properly inspect what it said was an illegal expansion in the construction of the Grand Mosque.

"This mosque is different from others. Its legality is controversial," Bai said.
China on Thursday denied reports that it plans to deploy troops to Afghanistan, saying the neighbors are engaged merely in "normal military and security cooperation."

Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Wu Qian said reports in Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper and elsewhere that hundreds of People's Liberation Army soldiers are to man a base in eastern Afghanistan are "simply not true."

China shares a narrow border with Afghanistan in the remote Wakhan corridor region and is wary of the country's violence and chronic instability overflowing into its restless Xinjiang region.

However, Wu said China, like other nations, is helping Afghanistan increase its defense capabilities, particularly in the area of counterterrorism.

"China and Afghanistan have normal military and security cooperation," he told reporters at a monthly briefing.

Afghanistan's ambassador to China, Janan Mosazai, said this week that Beijing is helping Afghanistan set up a mountain brigade to bolster counterterrorism operations, but that no Chinese troops would be stationed in the country.

"While the Afghan government appreciates this Chinese assistance and our two militaries are working in close coordination on utilizing this assistance, there will be no Chinese military personnel of any kind involved in this process on Afghan soil," Mosazai said.

China has sought to increase its presence in Afghanistan, including in dialogue with the Taliban, after 17 years of Western involvement that has left the country still at war.

Along with Pakistan, Iran and Russia, it is gaining a growing influence even as the United States spends billions of dollars covering much of the $6.5 billion spent annually to support the Afghan National Security Forces, which are struggling to contain an energized Taliban.

Despite the denials of Chinese military activity in the area, unconfirmed reports have shown what appear to be Chinese military vehicles operating in the Wakhan corridor, which lies in the shadow of the Hindu Kush mountains with Tajikistan to the north and Pakistan to the south.

Along with military assistance, China has provided equipment and training to Afghanistan's government as it seeks to secure the border and gain economic benefits within the country. Those include the Mes Aynak copper deposit, believed to contain about 450 million tons of the metal worth tens of billions of dollars.

Poor security and economic chaos in the country have prevented progress in moving forward on the mine, which also sits on an ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site.

___

Associated Press writer Gillian Wong contributed to this report.
Scotlands former first minister, who once took the country to the brink of independence from the United Kingdom, has resigned from his party after being accused of sexual harassment.

Alex Salmond, a towering force in British politics for more than three decades, resigned from the Scottish National Party on Thursday amid an investigation into claims he harassed two members of staff when he was first minister in 2013.

He said he was quitting to prevent division in the party, but said he rejected any suggestion of criminality and is suing the SNP government over the way it handled the complaints process against him.

For my part I have always thought it a very poor idea to suspend any party member on the basis of complains and allegations, Salmond said in a statement. Innocent until proven guilty is central to our concept of justice.

STUNNING DINOSAUR DISCOVERY: 170-MILLION-YEAR-OLD FOOTPRINT FOUND IN SCOTLAND

However, he has been accused of dragging Scotland into the gutter for launching a crowdfunding effort to help pay for his legal costs. He asked supporters for $65,000 (50,000) to help cover the judicial review at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. He has already surpassed that target.

Rhoda Grant, a member of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Labour party, said: That an independently wealthy man with his celebrity and political power is to raise legal fees through a crowdfunder for a case ultimately linked to sexual harassment is unbelievable.

It suggests that he is sending a signal to those who have made allegations that he has the upper hand, she added. Decent people will rightly be furious that he is to raise money to take the Scottish Government to court. Alex Salmond is abusing his power, and dragging Scotland into the gutter.

THERESA MAY DISMISSES CALLS FOR 2ND BREXIT VOTE AS NINTH PARLIAMENT MEMBER RESIGNS

Jack McConnell, Salmonds predecessor as Scotlands leader, urged people to instead donate to charities which help victims of sexual assault and harassment. Nicola Sturgeon, the current first minister who took over from Salmond in 2014, shared a link on her Twitter account promoting Womens Aid.

In a statement on Twitter, Sturgeon said she felt a huge sadness about this whole situation and paid tribute to her friend and mentor for almost 30 years

But she added: The hard fact remains that two complaints were received by the Scottish Government that could not be ignored or swept under the carpet. Complaints must be investigated without fear or favor, regardless of the seniority of the person involved.

Scotlands Daily Record newspaper, which first reported the allegations last week, claims one of the two staff members accused an alcohol-fueled Salmond of making unwanted advances to her while at the first ministers official residence Bute House in Edinburgh in December 2013.

After being investigated by the governments permanent secretary Leslie Evans for eight months, the complaints were subsequently passed to the police.

Salmond first became leader of the SNP in 1990 and served for 10 years, during which time the Scottish Parliament was established.

He returned to the role and was elected first minister in 2007 when the SNP swept to power. He stepped down seven years later after leading, and losing, the campaign for an independent Scotland.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court passed an order decriminalising begging in the Indian capital, marking the first time since the country gained independence from British rule.

For many years, Indian activists have been protesting against Indias draconian anti-begging legislation that is based on an archaic British law against vagrants. The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act 1959 was first drafted for the state of Maharashtra and later copied by most others. Under Indias federal system, each state government has the right to draft its own laws on subjects classified as state subjects.

Begging is illegal in India and is punishable by imprisonment of between three and 10 years. The statute against begging has been written into the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act 1959, which has been followed by almost all of the countrys states thus far. Because the Indian Parliament has never created a central Act against beggary, all states have chosen to follow the law which was first drafted for the Indian state of Maharashtra. Activists claim that the Act provides no clear categorization of beggars, with homeless people and even migrant laborers currently categorized as beggars.

Under the present Act, anyone who has no visible means of subsistence and is found wandering in a public space is deemed a beggar. Those who solicit alms in a public place under any pretence including singing, dancing, fortune telling or street performing are also deemed as beggars.

The present Act gives discretionary powers to the police who can pick anyone up on a hunch that the individual is a beggar or a destitute.

Rather than rehabilitating destitutes, this treatment criminalizes the poor and those suffering from mental illness. If convicted under the old law, a person can spend anything between one to 10 years in a beggar's home.

The Delhi High Court was shown a petition by social activists Harsh Mander and Kartika Sawhney, which highlighted provisions of the Act which activists felt were harsh against the poor.

Permitting the arrest of any person begging without a warrant, taking the person to court, conducting a summary inquiry and detaining the person for up to 10 years are all among the 25 highlighted provisions.

These provisions cannot sustain constitutional scrutiny and therefore deserve to be struck down, said the passed court order.

However, the judgement will only be limited to the state of Delhi. Begging still remains a criminal offence in other states of India, barring Bihar.

Indias 2011 census suggests that there are only 370,000 beggars and vagrants in the country and their number has been on the decline, with a 41 per cent reduction since 2001 when the number of beggars was pegged at 630,000.

Activists have however pointed out that these numbers are severely under-reported and the state has no clear-cut policy when it comes to identifying beggars and vagrants.

After sustained pressure from activists, the Indian government had planned to do away with the draconian Beggary Act. A new law was being contemplated by the Central Government which outlined the rights it could give to destitutes while demanding help from the state.

The new legislation called the Persons in Destitution (Protection Care and Intervention) was also circulated amongst all state governments for suggestions.

The draft law claims to provide for the protection, care, support, training and other services to all persons in destitution and refers to destitution as a state of poverty or abandonment, arising from economic or social deprivation that requires support including age and infirmity, homelessness, disability and sustained unemployment. However, the Indian government stopped discussing the new bill in 2016.

"We can't have laws which penalise people for being poor. The existing laws crack down on those who are powerless and face discrimination. We need a law which respects the dignity of the destitute and acknowledges their potential," said Mohammed Tarique, coordinator of Koshish, an organisation which works on Homelessness and Destitution. Tarique played an important role in helping draft the new law.

The auther is a writer of the Indian Express and currently a fellow at the China Asia Pacific Press Center.
next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

Thousands of hard-line Islamists angered over a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest marched toward Pakistan's capital Thursday after police briefly stopped them because of security reasons.

Some 10,000 supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik group, which helped Imran Khan to become prime minister following last month's national elections, set out on the march Wednesday, calling on Khan to cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

The demonstrators were expected to camp out near Islamabad later Thursday.

Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims. Pakistan's government has vowed to protest the contest at the U.N.

Authorities are blocking the capital's key roads by putting out shipping containers to prevent demonstrators from reaching near the area where the Dutch and other foreign embassies are located.

Earlier, police halted the march in Jhelum, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Islamabad but later it was allowed to resume, party spokesman Eijaz Ashrafi told The Associated Press.

He said they refused to disperse, saying the police will have to "kill us" to stop the march.

Ashrafi said they told Khan's government that it had two options: Cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands or kill them and "send our dead bodies to Lahore."

"So far, better sense has prevailed," he said. "We are 50 miles away from Islamabad."

The party's firebrand chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi in Jhelum also warned Khan to remove any hurdles.

"We are on roads to show to the world that we can die to protect the honor of our Prophet," he told demonstrators.

The rally comes as emotions are running high in Pakistan against the cartoon contest.

The cartoon contest is being organized by Geert Wilders, a Dutch lawmaker with a history of inflammatory statements about Islam. The Dutch government has distanced itself from the contest but says it is committed to upholding the right to free speech.

Also on Thursday, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Islamabad conveyed its deep concern to Netherlands over the planned cartoon contest. He said the contest was a "deliberate and malicious attempt to defame Islam."

Faisal said Pakistan would avoid any unnecessary extreme action against Netherlands over the contest.
next Image 1 of 2

prev Image 2 of 2

Human rights groups expressed alarm Thursday at Thailand's detention of more than 160 asylum seekers from hill tribe ethnic minorities in Vietnam and Cambodia, saying they face possible persecution if returned to their homelands.

Thai and international rights groups said the asylum seekers were rounded up Tuesday in a northern suburb of Bangkok and charged with immigration law violations.

The Thai group Human Rights Lawyers Association said some had cards from the U.N. refugee agency identifying them as having been certified as refugees. The group said the detainees, from the Jarai and other minorities, "fled persecution, discrimination and repression" in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Many hill tribe minorities  often collectively called "Montagnards" aligned themselves closely with the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, and were treated with suspicion and repression by Communist victors after the war. Some groups' identification as Christians continues to put them at odds with the ruling Communist authorities in Vietnam, and occasional unrest in their Central Highlands homeland always triggers sharp crackdowns.

Puttanee Kangkun, a human rights worker with the group Fortify Rights, said the 38 detainees from Cambodia could be sent directly back under a bilateral agreement, but there is no such agreement with Vietnam, which means the other detainees must face trial before any further action against them is considered. They were tried and found guilty Thursday, Puttanee said. Those unable to pay fines could be detained indefinitely.

She said officials from Thailand's Ministry of Social Development and Human Security had separated children from their parents in the arrested group to be cared for outside of detention centers until their parents are released.

The Human Rights Lawyers Association said that although Thailand is not part of the United Nation's 1951 Refugee Convention, it is still responsible under customary international law to not send back refugees who risk harassment or abuse, a practice known as "non-refoulement."

Thailand generally has a history of tolerance toward asylum seekers in a region where unrest has led many in neighboring countries to seek refuge from war and unrest. However, political considerations, especially connected to foreign policy, sometimes result in hard-line actions, most notably in recent decades with the forced repatriation of ethnic Hmong to Laos and Muslim Uighurs to China.
Hustontown Center United Methodist Church food pantry disbursement will be held July 28, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Please pray for the family and friends of Joseph Sterling of Canton,...

Hustontown Center United Methodist Church will hold an Ad council meeting May 17 at 7 p.m. Happy birthday to Traci Chilcote, May 4; Richard Karper and Shannon Goscinski, May 7; Chelsea...


Thats when we stopped and said You know what, we really need to talk more to these people, so that was basically the process.

- Mulaka developer Edgar Serrano speaking to Variety about getting to know their subject.

There's a fine line when it comes to taking inspiration from different cultures and reflecting them into games, and in an interview with Variety, Mulaka developer Edgar Serrano stresses how important it is to remain respectful throughout the development process.

It's a topic that some indie devs run into when considering the content of their next game, and Serrano offers a unique insight into his experience getting to know the indigenous Tarahumara of northern Mexico whose folk lore would inspire Mulaka.

Serrano suggested developing an adventure game set within Tarahumara culture after wondering if it would be viable to create his own IP as opposed to chasing down work opportunities.

"One of the organizations that work with cultural stuff here in Mexico, we started talking to one of those guys and he told us if we had an idea for something cultural, maybe we could lock in some funds to make that happen," he explains.

Thus sparked the process of communicating with members of the Tarahumara community, which took Mulaka's development team about two years to accomplish. Because the community didn't have a group of representatives, they spoke to as many people as they could.

Marcelina Mustillos, the cultural governess of one of the biggest Tarahumara communities in the state, was the first to tell the developers she approved of their work. It was a step in the right direction.

She was all for it because she does have that vision of Whatever you can make to help us not be forgotten, then thats good, Serrano says. She pointed us towards other respected members of the community to get further blessings.

As the developers became more informed of their subject matter, it was easy to develop mechanics and narratives that accurately reflected the culture they were learning from.

"Mulaka fought a bear in a cave and that was a big red light because, as we now know, the bear is a big demigod for them so they would never purposely harm a bear, Serrano notes, referencing the error from the initial prototype.

Thats when we stopped and said You know what, we really need to talk more to these people, so that was basically the process.

In Mulaka, most of what youll find is a lot of those myths and legends taken as is and maintained as is, lead writer Guillermo Vizcaino adds.

Theres a very serious loss of culture going because of the whole globalization process and a younger generation of Tarahumara, they dont really know any of those legends or any of those myths so we wanted to keep those as they were told in the original folklore.

The Mulaka team were speaking as part of a longer interview around respectfully designing games inspired by indigenous cultures, so be sure to read the entire piece over at Variety.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A China-U.S. forum on financial technology (fintech), innovation and frontiers in Silicon Valley was held in Stanford University Tuesday.

Some 200 Chinese and American scholars, economists and entrepreneurs gathered at the 2018 China-U.S. Economist FinTech Innovation Forum, discussing the two countries' economic development and cooperation, fintech, blockchain, and financial security.

"In recent years, the world economy and scientific technology have experienced unprecedented profound changes," calling for theoretic innovation that may solve today's financial problems, said Zhuo Zhi, president of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) based in Chengdu, China.

Driven by modern information technology, finance and the internet have gradually developed in various forms and in various sectors, Zhuo said, adding that innovations will probably change traditional financial theory, reshaping financial structure, behaviors and decision-making.

The forum is a meaningful gathering of Chinese and American scientists, economists and scholars who are concerned about the future development of fintech innovations, Tang Jiqiang, founder and chief researcher of SWUFE Institution, said.

"The people-to-people communication and exchanges between scholars will help boost the development of U.S.-China relations in the right direction," Tang said.

"The friendly relations between China and the U.S. in the past 39 years have brought tangible benefits to both peoples," Ren Faqiang, China's deputy consul general in San Francisco, said.

"Entrepreneurs in the U.S. and China should continue to collaborate and cooperate, and look for the opportunities," Franklin Urteaga, former White House tech advisor, told Xinhua.

"I encourage entrepreneurs and CEOs of corporations in China and in America to collaborate, just like the Sino-U.S. innovation forum," Urteaga said, adding that cooperation and collaboration are a key component of innovation.

"You cannot innovate in a bubble, and so I really believe that we need to do more with the China-U.S. cooperation," he said.

The annual forum has been held for three times. The last meeting also took place in Stanford University.
Thank you so much to all the families that stopped by the Grunion for the Belmont Shore Business Association's Trick-Or-Treat on Second Street! We saw some fantastic costumes this year, did we catch you on the Grunion camera? Check out our photo gallery below.
World War I exhibition opens soon : Heres how Bonn experienced the end of the war in 1918

BONN They went into battle with confidence, but not much enthusiasm was left when they returned: An exhibition at the Stadtmuseum from September 5 commemorates the end of the war in 1918 and the suffering of those who remained at home.

Teilen

Teilen Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Tweeten

Tweeten Weiterleiten

Weiterleiten Drucken

It is November of 1918 and a sad column of soldiers march over the Bonn Rhein Bridge, the predecessor of today's Kennedy Bridge. Some cars, but mainly horse-drawn carriages, transport what the fighters of the German Reich could salvage after their defeat on the Western Front. Some passers-by in Bonn stop to take in the sight of those men, plenty of them blinded, maimed and traumatized.

Other Bonn residents make their way glumly through the November fog, over the bridge. The laughing faces and waving caps that could be seen in the city four years earlier when the troops left the city, are nowhere to be found in the historic photo. It will be one of the images representing the theme of the exhibition at the Bonn Stadtmuseum (City Museum) beginning September 5, 100 years after the First World War.

Macke goes to war

At the beginning of the war on August 8, 1914, historical photos show troops departing from the cemetery on Weststrae. The family of the famous painter August Macke was also there to say goodbye. Macke's son "Walterchen" had strapped on his toy sword and put on a helmet. "The soldiers sang and called out to the people," Macke's wife Elisabeth noted at the time. A short time later she received the devastating news: Her husband was killed on the Western Front. The losses were immense. After five weeks, only less than half of the soldiers who had so happily went off to war, were still alive.

There was no singing on the Bonn Rhine Bridge in 1918 in the November fog. Like hundreds of thousands of other soldiers once celebrated as heroes, these men also returned beaten and partially crippled from the war front, where they had gone just four years earlier.

They experienced the unimaginable

Written on their faces was the horror of senseless carnage. Bonn residents stood silently off to the side. Unimaginable things had happened. The First World War took the lives of 17 million people, looking back, a prelude to an even more murderous Second World War. The new exhibition at the Stadtmuseum is about the end of this war exactly 100 years ago. A team of curators and historian Erhard Stang, wanted to take a look at the impact of the war on everyday people.

There were the reports from the local press which continually called them the victors. The major loss of life was seen as necessary for the just defense of their country. Russia and Great Britain were made responsible for the outbreak of the war. But the shock over the ceasefire hit Bonn all the harder. The economic and social upswing that came with the outbreak of war in 1914, came to an abrupt end for Bonn and the surrounding communities. There was not much left after four years of war. Food, fuel, clothing and even cleaning supplies were scarce. Because of the lack of workers, many women had to take on mens jobs - only to vacate them when the men returned in 1918.

Bonn an important site for medical care

Since Bonn hardly played a role in supplying German armaments, it served mainly as a place for the wounded to receive medical care. In addition to the university clinics, numerous Godesberg spa facilities and the Beethoven Hall, even the Redoute was converted into a makeshift hospital.

Around 4,000 soldiers from Bonn were killed until the war ended in 1918, and there were also around 720 local and foreign students at the University of Bonn who lost their lives. Hardly a family was spared. Despite inadequate care, no one died of hunger. But in fall of 1918, the Spanish flu broke out, claiming the lives of 288 people. Tuberculosis hit the poorer segments of the population.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attends the opening ceremony of the 10th National Congress of Returned Overseas Chinese and their Relatives in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Returned overseas Chinese asked to back development, safeguard interests

No matter where they are or how far they have traveled, the safety and happiness of overseas Chinese will always be a top concern for their homeland, according to a message from the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Wednesday.

The message, released at the opening ceremony of a gathering of returned overseas Chinese, sparked warm applause from participants.

President Xi Jinping, together with many other leaders, attended the opening ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

The congress was attended by nearly 1,300 returned overseas Chinese and their relatives as well as more than 700 overseas Chinese from more than 110 countries.

On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and also secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC Central Committee, released the message at the opening ceremony.

Xi's remarks on the work of overseas Chinese have provided basic guidelines for the Party's work on overseas Chinese in the new era, Zhao said.

It is the common mission of all Chinese people, including overseas Chinese, to strive for the goal set at the Party's 19th National Congress: to secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and embark on a journey to fully build a modern socialist China, Zhao said.

Overseas Chinese are asked to remember the call from the Party and the people, spread China's voice, support the country's development, safeguard national interests, promote Chinese culture and make new contributions to fulfilling national rejuvenation and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Returned overseas Chinese and their relatives as well as other overseas Chinese have always remained attuned to the people of the homeland and made positive contributions and showed the spirit of patriotism and hard work, Zhao said.

Huang Xiaowei, Party secretary of the All-China Women's Federation, delivered a congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony on behalf of a number of people's organizations.

All people's organizations should guide the people to unite closer around the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core and strive for fulfillment of the Chinese dream, she said.
clarajancita at 30-08-2018 11:43 AM (3 years ago) (f)

Popular Catholic priest, Father Ejike Mbaka, who is a well-known supporter of President Muhammad Buhari, has 'attacked' the federal government over his latest experience in Abuja.

While speaking at the Adoration ground on Wednesday in Enugu State, the Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, alleged high level of the Federal Governments marginalization of Ndigbo in the scheme of things in Nigeria.

Popular Catholic priest, Father Ejike Mbaka, who is a well-known supporter of President Muhammad Buhari, has 'attacked' the federal government over his latest experience in Abuja.While speaking at the Adoration ground on Wednesday in Enugu State, the Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, alleged high level of the Federal Governments marginalization of Ndigbo in the scheme of things in Nigeria.

According to Reporters, the outspoken cleric said he is pained that in spite of his support for President Buhari, Igbo are so marginalized to the extent that he slept in Abuja for weeks to get a loan from the Bank of Agriculture to energize his farming vision in order to create jobs to teaming unemployed graduates.



The fiery preacher who made the disclosure during the flag-off of a three-day farmers empowerment programme by Multi-Life Savers, a corporative society made of 18 clusters with 5,000 members and visiting officials of the Bank of Agriculture, described the government agricultural programme as poor claim and fake.



He said the cooperative has 470 hectares of farmland with Certificate of Occupancy, but could not get loan because he was not a northerner.

According to Reporters, the outspoken cleric said he is pained that in spite of his support for President Buhari, Igbo are so marginalized to the extent that he slept in Abuja for weeks to get a loan from the Bank of Agriculture to energize his farming vision in order to create jobs to teaming unemployed graduates.The fiery preacher who made the disclosure during the flag-off of a three-day farmers empowerment programme by Multi-Life Savers, a corporative society made of 18 clusters with 5,000 members and visiting officials of the Bank of Agriculture, described the government agricultural programme as poor claim and fake.He said the cooperative has 470 hectares of farmland with Certificate of Occupancy, but could not get loan because he was not a northerner. Quote Whenever I went to obtain a loan from the Bank of Agriculture, they would tell me to get a commercial bank that will do this and do that. The commercial banks will asked me to brink the feathers of one snake and leg of a snake. This went on for many years and we are ready to impact significance into our agriculture; the only barrier is funding and encouragements, he said.



Mbaka begged the officials of the Bank of Agriculture to give his cooperative loans to help him create employment opportunities for the youths who have no jobs or either hope of getting a job.



He said: he said.Mbaka begged the officials of the Bank of Agriculture to give his cooperative loans to help him create employment opportunities for the youths who have no jobs or either hope of getting a job.He said: Quote Its a sad development; if a northerner has this kind of vision they would come around him, but here, we are alone. We started it in Adani and there was no help; there was flood and we lost N830 million and I went down to Nkereife. We had the largest poultry farm in the east of the Niger. In one day we lost 939,000 births.



"With the type of courage God gave to me, nobody knew and nobody will know apart from the fact that Im disclosing it now. No encouragement and they are longing for authentic farmers, and we are farmers.



So, please, on behalf of the adoration members, we want them to monitor the funding and implementation. We dont kill criminals here, we kill crime. If you go to Aqua Rapha investment Ltd, we have thousands of them working, yet, we dont have governments support apart from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who remembered us and created a road to this place.



"People thought President Buhari is helping me, but he is not helping us with one kobo. So, those who could have been helping thought he was helping and now he has become a hindrance.



If you go to the North, you would see how billions are spent there. If you go to my farm, there is a River that separates the land which makes it difficult for me to move equipment, and now, Im doing the bridge by myself without help from anywhere, yet, Im a priest.



So, Im representing the poor, that is why Im attacking many governments because when they cannot help the poor who I represent, and when the pressure is too much on me, I attack them.



Why cant the federal government which claims to support agriculture not help the agriculturist? So, it is a poor and fake claim. Why cant we have here a pilot farm that would be the eyes of this country?



We have in our aquaculture fishes one of the species which contains five billion fishes, but lack of good road to the farm led to the closure of that farm and the federal government is aware of this. So, for me, it is not just negligence, but wickedness and unhealthy marginalisation, because Im not from the North.



"If a northerner had this kind of vision, from the Central Bank, order will be given. There are subsidies here and there to be granted, not even loan. They will have to seek grants, give the farm grants for whatever it takes. That is why the Igbo are crying. Some of us have been friends with the president, but when you seat down and think deeper, you see his nepotism, Mbaka lamented. Mbaka lamented.

Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 30-08-2018 11:43 AM (3 years ago) | Hero
It is common for companies to organize various informal events where workers can come with their partners. One of those...
BEIJING, Aug. 29 -- Deepening the mutual trust of young people is of fundamental importance to the long-term cooperation and friendship between China and Japan, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Wednesday.

Li made the remarks in a congratulatory message to an exchange conference attended by more than 1,000 Chinese and Japanese university students at Peking University in Beijing to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship.

In his message, Li noted that 40 years ago, the leaders of the two countries made the decision to sign the treaty and affirmed various principles in the China-Japan Joint Statement in the form of law, setting the fundamental guidelines for bilateral relations.

Li recalled that he had recently exchanged congratulatory messages with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to mark the 40th anniversary of the signing of the treaty, in which both sides agree to carry on the spirit of the Treaty and work for the long-term healthy and stable development of bilateral ties.

China stands ready to work with Japan and follow the principles laid out in the four political documents signed between the two sides, the premier said.

He called on the two countries to see the past as a mirror, look forward to the future, deepen cooperation for mutual benefits, promote common development, and safeguard prosperity and stability.

Noting that youth represents the future, Li said the Chinese government would always support mutual visits and exchanges between young people of the two countries.

He expressed the hope that through Wednesday's conference, young people of the two countries will review the spirit of the treaty, expand the paths of communication, encourage and learn from each other, and enhance mutual understanding and trust to contribute to the long-term healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.

Abe also sent a congratulatory message to the conference, saying that Premier Li's visit to Japan in May was of great significance to the development of Japan-China relations.

Japan and China should develop a friendly and stable relationship, he said, adding the two sides should continue promoting exchanges between the young people and building more bridges of communication to enhance bilateral friendship.
Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday slammed US President Donald Trump's claim that China hacked the emails of 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, saying such allegations were nothing new.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying [Photo:gov.cn]

China is a champion of cybersecurity and opposes all forms of hacking attacks, ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing in Beijing.

Cybersecurity is a global issue which involves the interests of all countries in the world, and it needs the international community to safeguard it together, said Hua.

China calls on the international community to cope with the cybersecurity threats via dialogue and cooperation, on the basis of mutual trust and mutual benefit, she stressed.
A young Christian man in Karachi, Pakistan lost sight in one eye when armed, Muslim neighbors attacked his family, his father said.



Vikram John, 25, lost sight in his left eye after Muslim neighbors who had pressured his family to leave the neighborhood with months of harassment beat him and other family members on the night of Aug. 18, his father Alvin John told Morning Star News by phone.



"After exchanging a few hot words with the Muslim youths led by a political activist named Ihsan, Vikram came inside the house," Alvin John said. "Moments later, bricks and stones came smashing through our window glass and hitting our gate. The attackers threatened us, saying to move out of the neighborhood if we wanted to stay alive as they hurled curses and abuses on us."



Earlier in the evening, Vikram John was involved in a minor altercation with Muslim neighbors who had teased his 18-year-old sister, said his father, who 10 months ago moved the family to Karachi's Mehmoodabad No-II neighborhood from Sahiwal District in Punjab Province.



"This wasn't the first time they had harassed her," he said. "For months we had been requesting the boys' families to stop the hooliganism, but it seems that they had found this to be an effective tool to intimidate us, so the harassment continued unabated."



The Muslims have been harassing and intimidating the family, who belong to an Assemblies of God church, since they moved into the rented house, he said - teasing his children when they stepped out the doorway and mocking them for being Christian.



Although there is a sizeable Christian population in the Mehmoodabad area, the John family is the only one on their street of 15 to 20 Muslim families, he said, adding that the neighbors tried various antics to force them out.



"Soon after the Muslims started harassing us, I had made up my mind that I would not let my children suffer in this environment," he said. "I was waiting for the 12-month rental agreement to finish so that we could relocate to some other area or even go to Lahore and start afresh. I wish I had the financial means to leave that neighborhood earlier."



Alvin John said that when a group of Muslims started pelting their home with stones the evening of Aug. 18, they broke window panes and damaged the gate.



He said that the Muslim leading the assailants, Ihsan, was affiliated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a Karachi-based political party notorious for supporting gangs of assassins and extortionists in the financial hub of the country.



"After the attackers left the scene, I told some neighbors who had gathered there that we were going to launch legal action and sought their assistance in the matter," he said. "However, around 11 p.m., some 30 armed Muslims attacked our house again, this time forcing their way into our home. Someone had informed them about our intention to approach the police, so they had come to 'teach us a lesson.'"



He said that the assailants beat him and his two sons as his wife and daughter screamed in panic.



"They beat Vikram mercilessly while my younger [22-year-old] son Sunil and I made frantic efforts to save him," he said. "The Muslims beat us too, but our injuries are not serious. The attackers also broke the furniture and ransacked our other belongings."



Police and other security officers eventually arrived and took them to Jinnah Hospital, where they learned that Vikram John, a chemical engineering student, had lost sight in his left eye, besides serious injuries to other parts of his body, he said.



Alvin John said he suspects police have made no arrests because of the Muslim gang's political backing.



"I was contacted by the brother of a senator belonging to the ruling Pakistan People's Party, who assured us of support in registering the case and bringing the assailants to justice, but so far there has been no progress in the arrests," he said.



Mehmoodabad Police Inspector Muhammad Sarwar told Morning Star News that police were making efforts to arrest the accused persons.



"No one, including MQM or any other political or religious group, can go scot-free after committing such crimes," he said.



Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Sen. Saeed Ghani told Morning Star News by phone from Karachi that he had been informed about the incident by PPP Christian lawmaker Anthony Naveed.



"My brother Farhan Ghani, who is the chairman of the local municipality in Mehmoodabad, is already extending full cooperation to Naveed in helping the Christian family seek justice," Ghani said. "It is against Islam's preaching to target people belonging to minority communities, and PPP has always condemned religious extremism and persecution."



Pakistan is ranked fifth on Christian support organization Open Doors' 2018 Word Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.


Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation.
Ma Hongtao (center) Deputy Director General for the Department of International Affairs

An official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China has revealed to African journalists that China imports such items as tobacco, citrus fruit, cotton and fish meal from African countries under the China-Africa agricultural cooperation.

Addressing the journalists on Friday, Aug. 24, Ma Hongtao, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Affairs, also said that China exports rice, tilapia, green tea, garlic and many other agricultural products to Africa.

She said China and Africa have common challenges in developing agriculture, hence, they have formed a mutually beneficial agricultural cooperation.

Various memoranda of understanding (MOU) have been signed for bilateral and multilateral agricultural cooperation. 16 African countries have already signed the MOU, she said.

She revealed that they have now established agricultural demonstration zones in five African countries and over 50,000 local people have been engaged to work in those zones.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs official said they have given agricultural technical assistance to African countries 71 times, noting that 704 agricultural experts had already been sent to Africa in order to improve on agricultural methods.

We are also on the verge of dispatching 34 additional experts to African countries. Over 100 practical agriculture technology methods have been introduced in African countries, she noted.

In the area of human resource development, she said they have conducted 337 training workshops so far and have already trained 6,260 people from African countries in various agricultural fields.

Such training, which covers agricultural economy, planning, management and production technology, has played an active role in improving agriculture in African countries. Many of the trainees have become the backbone to the development of agriculture in their various countries, she noted.

Team of African journalists at the media outreach on China-Africa Agricultural Cooperation

Speaking on the issue of technology transfer to the African agricultural sector, she said they had introduced hybrid rice in Mali and Senegal among other countries, adding that the average yield per hectare is nine tons.

In 2016, China invested $1.27 billion in 108 agricultural enterprises in 35 African countries. In 2017, the total trade in agricultural products between China and Africa reached $6.02 billion, she revealed.

By the end of 2017, China-Africa agricultural research institutions had signed a number of cooperation agreements to address bottleneck issues facing African countries in agricultural development. This was done through agricultural science, technology research and development cooperation, technology transfer, technology dissemination, scientific and technological exchanges, she said.

Bai Lingyan, Deputy Director of the Public Diplomacy Office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who led the team of African journalists, told officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs that there were 29 journalists from 28 African countries present at the meeting.

These journalists are living, working and studying in China. They have already been here since February and they have visited some provinces and many ministries, departments, etc., in China, she said.

She said the meeting, focused on the media outreach on China-Africa agricultural cooperation, was very important, especially when both Chinese government officials and their African counterparts are preparing for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2018 Beijing summit in September.
Jimmy Pollard has been the coroner of Henry County, Ky., since 1986. Growing up in the small county of just 15,000, he spent a lot of time in the local funeral home, where the director took him under his wing from an early age. Pollard eventually became a licensed funeral home director himself and ran for office at the behest of many in the community when the coroner at the time decided to retire. For the past 30 years, hes run unopposed for all but two elections, and one of those was a write-in campaign. Its not a job you can say you like, Pollard says, but the part I get out of it is helping families get closure. And I do enjoy investigations.Kentucky has historically been considered a national model in its death investigations. It was the first state to implement a dual coroner and medical examiner system, something its had in place since 1973. That has given the state an important balance of elected leadership and forensic know-how. Coroners are elected county officials responsible for investigating any death thats deemed unnatural. Once elected, they go through death investigation training with the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice and are expected to keep up 18 hours of continuing education. They work with state medical examiners to determine the exact cause of death and decide whether an autopsy or toxicology test is needed, which a medical examiner would have to perform.But its a system that has been strained in recent years. Pollard, who also serves as director of the Kentucky Coroners Association, made headlines last year for convincing one state medical examiner to stay on after the doctor had announced his resignation, citing a lack of funding and resources to properly do his job. The National Association of Medical Examiners recommends that professionals not perform more than 250 autopsies a year; Kentucky is averaging about 280, according to Pollard. We need two more doctors. That would ease our caseload tremendously, he says. In Henry County, Pollard used to investigate around 26 cases in his county per year in the 1990s. In recent years, that number has risen to around 66.These issues arent singular to Kentucky. Coroners, medical examiners, forensic pathologists -- and people who wear more than one of those hats -- say their profession is more vital than ever before, particularly in the midst of the opioid epidemic. But low pay, long hours and heavy debt loads carried by young physicians make it hard to recruit and retain talented people.Americas system for investigating deaths is a patchwork quilt of different laws, procedures and job descriptions. From state to state -- and even from one county to the next -- there can be variations in how sudden deaths are handled. Unlike primary care or obstetrics, its the one specialty in medicine thats practiced differently depending on where you live, says Gregory Davis, former associate chief medical examiner for Kentucky.Confusing matters even more, qualifications for each title also vary depending on state statute. Coroners are overwhelmingly an elected or politically appointed position, a tradition that dates back centuries to when they were simply tax collectors for the deceased; Americas first coroner took office in 1636 in Plymouth County, Mass. Some states require a coroner to be a physician; other states only stipulate that you must be 18 and have no felony convictions.Medical examiners, on the other hand, must be licensed physicians. But even among the states that rely on medical examiners instead of coroners, there can be inconsistencies: A medical doctor doesnt necessarily have a background in forensics, which is key for accurate autopsies. How much death investigation training did we get in medical school? Davis asks. None.Theres been a debate raging for several years in the fields of death investigations and forensic pathologists on the right path forward. The National Academy of Sciences recommended in 2009 to abolish the coroner system and transition fully to using medical examiners for all death investigations. Its a move thats gaining some traction: Sixteen states and the District of Columbia now only have medical examiner offices. Eleven states just use coroners, and the rest have a mix of medical examiners and coroners, all with different qualifications and hierarchies. However, in states with a mix of both, coroners usually handle the death investigation, and medical examiners handle the actual medical aspect of it, like completing autopsies.Kim Collins, the president of the National Association of Medical Examiners, says she understands where the National Academy of Sciences is coming from with the recommendation to move solely toward the medical examiner system. But she argues that it ignores the larger problems of funding, resources and culture that cant be fixed by a title change. One size isnt going to fit all, she says. Its an entrenched system and these coroners have been here since colonial times. Youre just going to have to improve research and training.In many states, the office of coroner operates with a surprising lack of accountability. In 49 of Californias 58 counties, for instance, the coroner is also a sheriff, which experts say is a severe conflict of interest. In San Joaquin County earlier this year, a forensic pathologist accused the sheriff-coroner of pressuring him to change autopsy findings in cases that involved law enforcement. A 2016 county audit found that the same thing had happened four times that year. Similarly, a forensic pathologist in Boulder County, Colo., sued the coroners office in June, arguing that she was wrongfully terminated for refusing to change the manner of death on a death certificate when the coroner insisted. Colorado is a coroner-only state that stipulates merely that the elected coroner go through death investigation training.The bad systems are the ones where people without medical training think they can do it all, says Mary Ann Sens, the coroner for Grand Forks County, N.D. Sens says she is the only coroner in the state with a forensic pathology background. She doesnt have a problem with coroners not holding medical degrees, she says, as long as they defer to or consult with an independent medical professional, similar to the Kentucky system. The real hallmark [of a good system] is when medical decisions are made by a medical professional and are independent. If there was a jail death, I need to be able to say law enforcement messed up.Flipping through primetime network television, it would be easy to assume that America is overflowing with medical examiners. More than a dozen shows in recent years have centered on coroners or examiners. But the reality is that its becoming extremely hard to find enough qualified professionals to fill the job. There are currently only 500 board-certified forensic pathologists in the U.S., which is less than half of what the National Association of Medical Examiners recommends.Part of the problem is low pay. Its the one subspecialty of medicine where your pay goes down once you get that training, says Davis, the former examiner in Kentucky. On average, public-sector forensic pathologists make about half of what a primary care doctor in a private practice can make. And with medical student debt averaging near $150,000, accepting a public-sector job with a public-sector salary isnt enticing for many newly minted doctors. Whenever I have a presentation about my job, the first slide always says, I have the coolest job in the world, because I do, says Andrew Baker, chief medical examiner of Hennepin County, Minn. But Im worried about my profession. At the risk of sounding crass, the economics of being a forensic pathologist dont make sense when compared to a pathologist at a private hospital.The shortage of examiners has been worsened exponentially by the current opioid crisis. Prior to the opioid epidemic, we needed about 1,000 forensic pathologists across the country. So even before, we were already underserved by half, Baker says. Now, thanks to the explosive rise in opioid deaths, he estimates that America needs another 250 forensic pathologists just doing drug overdose autopsies.Coroners and examiners across the country have had to get creative to handle the surge of drug overdose deaths. The St. Louis County Medical Examiners office started using refrigerated trailers to hold bodies last year. Other counties have had to build more space or borrow room from local funeral homes or hospitals. Some jurisdictions are now forgoing a full autopsy and only conducting toxicology tests if an overdose is suspected.Despite the national attention on the drug crisis, its impact on coroners offices can be less well known. Im not sure how many lawmakers know who their medical examiner or coroner is, and know how many of the offices are on the brink of complete collapse, Baker says. They dont have enough money to do routine examinations, so they are on the verge of losing accreditation.The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner lost its accreditation briefly in 2017 when the National Association of Medical Examiners found the office had inadequate staffing and storage space for bodies. The Los Angeles County Coroners Office came close to losing its accreditation in 2016 because of delays in autopsies and toxicology tests.Back in Kentucky, Pollard says he is continually lobbying the county judge for a bigger budget, which isnt easy. I tell him that I cant say how many cases Im going to have, but I am going to have to complete them. More people are just dying in ways that need to be investigated, he says.Davis similarly recalls asking a state lawmaker for more resources. The lawmaker responded, Dead people dont vote, he says. I said, No, but their pissed-off relatives do. Like so many things, this just comes down to an issue of money.Spending more on death investigators isnt just important for keeping track of overdose deaths and giving closure to loved ones. It can be a vital public health tool in identifying new diseases and alerting the public to new strains of potentially lethal viruses. When deaths are adequately investigated, you notice patterns. In Albuquerque, for example, they are seeing a lot of respiratory-related deaths this year, which was pinpointed to be caused by deer mice urine, Davis says. Were on the frontline of public health surveillance. An investment in medical examiners and county coroners offices is an investment in public health. By learning how people die, it helps us all live.
The Detroit school district is shutting off drinking water to all of its schools after test results found elevated levels of lead or copper in 16 out of 24 schools that were recently tested."Although we have no evidence that there are elevated levels of copper or lead in our other schools where we are awaiting test results, out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our students and employees, I am turning off all drinking water in our schools until a deeper and broader analysis can be conducted to determine the long-term solutions for all schools," Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of the Detroit Public Schools Community District, said in a statement Wednesday.The move came even as officials from the city and the Great Lakes Water Authority sought to assure residents that water provided by the authority is safe to drink -- pointing to the district's infrastructure as the problem.Vitti, who will be creating a task force to determine the cause of the elevated levels and solutions, said he had initiated water testing of all 106 school buildings in the spring to ensure the safety of students and employees. Water at 18 schools had been previously shut off."This was not required by federal, state or city law or mandate," Vitti said. "This testing, unlike previous testing, evaluated all water sources from sinks to drinking fountains."The district isn't planning to test students."Dr. Vitti said ... he has no evidence at all that children have been impacted from a health standpoint," Chrystal Wilson, spokeswoman for the district, said later Wednesday, when asked by the Free Press.The Free Press was shadowing Vitti on a day in May when the issue of water quality in the schools came up during a cabinet meeting. Earlier that day, Vitti had learned that test results at several schools had come back showing elevated lead levels."I'm not playing around with this. ... it's a safety issue," Vitti said during that meeting.The district's building problems have been a constant source of frustration for Vitti. Earlier this summer, Vitti released details from a facilities review that found the district would need to spend $500 million now to fix the poor conditions in its schools. That price tag will rise to $1.4 billion in five years if the district did nothing.In May, Vitti said the district didn't make the right investments in facilities while it was under the control of state-appointed emergency managers from 2009 to 2016. Vitti became superintendent in May 2017."It's sending the message to students, parents and employees that we really don't care about public education in Detroit, that we allow for second-class citizenry in Detroit," Vitti said then. "And that hurts my heart and it angers me and it frustrates me that I can't fix it right now."At the 16 schools that had elevated copper and/or lead levels, the district took immediate action."I immediately turned off the drinking water at those schools and provided water bottles until water coolers arrive," Vitti said.The 16 schools bring to 34 the number of schools where the district has already shut off drinking water.Wilson said the drinking water will be shut off at all schools likely by the end this week, and certainly before the beginning of the school year Tuesday.District officials weren't readily able to answer questions about how the testing was conducted.Vitti said he had notified Mayor Mike Duggan of his decision to shut off the drinking water."The mayor's office plans to partner with us to determine challenges with water quality in our schools and solutions to them."John Roach, a spokesman for Duggan, said the mayor is "fully supportive" of the approach Vitti has taken."We will be supporting Dr. Vitti in an advisory capacity through the health department and the DWSD (Detroit Water and Sewerage Department) has offered to partner with the district on any follow-up testing that needs to be done," Roach said in a statement. "We also will be reaching out to charter (school) operators in the coming days to work with them on a possible similar testing strategy to the voluntary one Dr. Vitti has implemented."The water and sewerage department and the Great Lakes Water Authority also issued a statement that sought to assure "residents and customers of GLWA's regional system that they are not affected by the lead and copper issues" the district is experiencing."Aging school infrastructure (i.e. plumbing) is the reason for the precautionary measure of providing bottled water," the joint statement said.The statement said water treated by the authority meets and surpasses all federal and state regulations."The water at GLWA's treatment plans is tested hourly and DWSD has no lead service lines connected to any DPSCD building," the statement said.Wilson, asked whether the issue in the district is related to plumbing or water quality, said it's an issue that will be studied."A task force will be formed consisting of engineering and water quality experts" who will help the district "understand the cause and identify solutions," Wilson said.These are the 34 schools where drinking water has been shut off:* Ben Carson* Breithaupt* Bunche* Detroit Collegiate Preparatory* Edison Elementary School* John R. King Academy* Moses Field* Thirkell Elementary School* Thurgood Marshall* Wayne Elementary School* Burton International* Bow Elementary-Middle School* Carstens Elementary-Middle School* Carver STEM* Clark Elementary-Middle School* Detroit Lions Academy* Sampson-Webber Academy* Spain Elementary-Middle School* Academy of the Americas Elementary-Middle School* Adult Education- East* Bates Academy* Bennett Elementary-Middle School* Cass Technical High School* Roberto Clemente Elementary* Clippert Elementary Middle School* Coleman Young Elementary School* Davis Aerospace @ Golightly* Dixon Academy* Foreign Language Immersion* Hutchinson @ Howe* Keidan* Noble Elementary-Middle School* Marcus Garvey* Renaissance High School
Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis said Florida voters should not "monkey this up" by embracing the agenda offered by Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum.Gillum would be the state's first black governor. References to African-Americans as monkeys have a long history as a racist slur.Democrats quickly criticized DeSantis.U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat who represents most of Palm Beach County, said it was worse than a coded message. "That was more than the dog whistle. That was absolutely a racist disgusting statement," she said in a telephone news conference.On Wednesday afternoon, in a Fox News interview, Gillum didn't directly answer a question about whether he thought the comment was racist or a figment of speech. "In the handbook of (President) Donald Trump they no longer do whistle calls, they're now using full bullhorns and what I've got to say about that is that we've got to make sure that we stay focused, I think, on the issues that confront everyday people. I'm not going to get down in the gutter with DeSantis and Trump," he said.Stephen Lawson, communications director for the DeSantis campaign, said the comment had nothing to do with race."Ron DeSantis was obviously talking about Florida not making the wrong decision to embrace the socialist policies that Andrew Gillum espouses. To characterize it as anything else is absurd," Lawson said by email. "Florida's economy has been on the move for the last eight years and the last thing we need is a far-left Democrat trying to stop our success."DeSantis made his comments in a Wednesday morning interview on Fox, the cable channel preferred by Republicans.Here is what DeSantis said about Gillum:"Florida elections are always competitive, and this is a guy who although he's much too liberal for Florida, I think he's got huge problems with how he's governed Tallahassee, he is an articulate spokesman for these far-left views, and he's a charismatic candidate."I watched those Democrat debates and none of that is my cup of tea but he performed better than the other people there so we've got to work hard so that we continue Florida going in a good direction. Let's build off the success we've had with Governor Scott."The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda with huge tax increases and bankrupting the state. That is not going to work. That's not going to be good for Florida."U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Democrat who represents parts of south Broward and Miami-Dade counties, said the comment was telling coming from someone _ DeSantis _ who is close to President Donald Trump. (The president endorsed and strongly supported DeSantis' candidacy.)"They always find a way to add some sort of insult to African-Americans and make it racist. Monkeying this up is clearly communicating that. Someone else might see it a different way. As an African-American woman, that's the way I see it."After DeSantis' monkey comment erupted online, Fox News anchor Sandra Smith raised it on the cable channel. Smith, the anchor who conducted the original interview with DeSantis, read the campaign spokesman's statement _ and announced he was scheduled for an afternoon appearance on the channel."During the interview, he made what some are calling an inappropriate comment about his Democratic opponent, Andrew Gillum. DeSantis has since clarified his comment in a statement," Smith said. "We do not condone this language."The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee, decried the "use of Trump-like racist comments" as "despicable" _ and also said it was sending out a fundraising email to 1 million supporters nationwide in an attempt to raise money off the comment.The NAACP Florida State conference and the Florida Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said DeSantis should apologize. In an interview in MSNBC, Gillum avoided answering a question about whether he thought DeSantis should apologize.The use of "monkey" and "apes" to describe black people are "by far the best-known racist references to African-Americans in our national folklore," the NAACP Florida State Conference said in a statement. "It's only equal in racial semantics to the 'N-word.' "Discussion of the racist connotations erupted earlier this year when the comedian Roseanne Barr posted a tweet about Valerie Jarrett, who was a top adviser to former President Barack Obama.Barr wrote about Jarrett, who is black, that if "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby = vj." Barr's ABC sitcom was canceled as a result.During the Barr controversy, former Florida state Rep. Susan Goldstein, R-Weston, who had served as a county campaign chairwoman for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's presidential campaign, came under criticism after she likened Obama to the cartoon monkey Curious George.Asked directly about the monkey phrase during his time on Fox News, Gillum said "that part wasn't lost on me.""It's very clear that Mr. DeSantis is taking a page directly from the campaign manual of Donald Trump," Gillum said. "But I think he's got another thing coming to him if he thinks that in today's day and age Florida voters are going to respond to that level of derision and division. They're sick of it."
The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has placed prisons statewide on lockdown, after a series of incidents in which correctional officers were hospitalized in connection with exposure to an unknown substance."The safety and security of our employees is my No. 1 concern," Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said in a statement released Wednesday. "Our state prisons, especially those in the western part of the state, have experienced recent incidents in which employees have been sickened, and we need to get to the bottom of this issue now."That means visiting rooms are closed, non-legal mail service is suspended, and employees will be given training and personal protective gear to prevent further exposure.Wetzel cited media reports that 24 staff and inmates at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio, were sickened Wednesday morning -- and many received doses of naloxone -- after contact with a substance authorities said may be fentanyl.But whether fentanyl can actually sicken workers who come into incidental contact with it is another matter. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health describes fentanyl as a "potential hazard" and recommends that emergency responders use protective equipment. However, the American College of Medical Toxicology and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology issued a position paper last year describing the risk from incidental contact to the drug as extremely low. Medical authorities have warned against "opioid hysteria," and noted that just because someone received naloxone and later recovered doesn't mean it was an appropriate treatment.Here in Pennsylvania, state police are still working to identify the substance that sickened at least 23 officers at the state prisons at Camp Hill, Smithfield, Fayette, Greene, and Mercer over the last month.Six staffers were infected in a single incident Aug. 6 at Camp Hill, the DOC said in a statement. They were admitted to a hospital after searching a cell and packing an inmate's property. "All had either come into direct contact with a suspicious substance or had been in contact with someone who had contact with the substance. One employee required administration of Narcan and was admitted to the hospital," the statement noted. "Prison officials were informed that the entire hospital, including the ER, was shut down for decontamination."The DOC noted it has uncovered several instances of suspected smuggling in past weeks.On Aug. 21, the department outlined a series of measures in the works to improve security at the prisons.Those include purchasing body scanning devices, expanding the K-9 unit (and purchasing special doses of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone for dogs), and updating mail-delivery procedures. One option under review would involve contracting with a third-party vendor to scan and forward all incoming mail to prevent the possible delivery of illicit substances hidden under stamps or saturated into paper.Gov. Wolf issued a statement praising the DOC for working "diligently to address the emerging issue of synthetic drugs in our prison system. ... Today's action to lock down all of the state's correctional facilities is a necessary step to ensure the safety of our officers."The Pennsylvania State Correctional Officers Association president, Jason Bloom, said in a statement that the union was monitoring the situation."Corrections officers already work a very dangerous job," he said. "We expect the department to do all that it can to ensure this issue is eradicated in state prisons."
Description

GIS  30 August, 2018: A Memorandum of Understanding for the funding of the project Increasing Farmers Resilience to Climate Change by adopting an Agro Ecological Approach was signed, on 28 August 2018, between representatives of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) of the United Nations Development Programme and three cooperative societies.

The signing ceremony was held at the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute Head Office in Reduit in the presence of the Minister of Agro Industry and Food Security, Mr Mahen Seeruttun, the GEF-SGP Coordinator, Mrs Pamela Bapoo-Dundoo and other personalities.

In his address, Minister Seeruttun highlighted that the project is in line with measures being implemented by Government so as to mitigate risks and damages encountered due to climatic change. Emphasis is being laid on the shift to bio-agriculture as it will help to reduce the impact of climate change, increase soil fertility, make quality products available to consumers and preserve the environment, he underscored. In this respect, training, biofertilisers, insurance cover and financial support are being provided to planters by Government.

He pointed out that his Ministry is currently implementing the 2016-2020 non-sugar strategic plan. Some of the main priority strategies for attaining the goals of the non-sugar sector include enhancing food and nutritional security; promoting food safety and sustainable production systems; and developing resilience to climate change, he observed. He further pointed out that all the new projects activities can be successfully undertaken with the collaboration of all stakeholders.

The GEF-SGP Coordinator, Mrs Pamela Bapoo-Dundoo, for her part, underlined that more than 15 agricultural projects have already been financed by the GEF-SGP in Mauritius and Rodrigues. She recalled that discussions have been held with an expert from Puerto Rico to provide training to local planters in the field of agro-ecology.

The Increasing Farmers Resilience to Climate Change by adopting an Agro Ecological Approach Project, estimated at around Rs 10 million, will be funded to the tune of Rs 5 million by the GEF-SGP and will focus on the production of bees, sensitisation of planters and enhancement of drainage system. The three beneficiaries are La Chaumiere Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society Limited, Les Jardins Bio de Britannia Mixed Farming Cooperative Society Limited and Plaine Sophie Mixed Farming Cooperative Society Limited.
Description

GIS - 30 August, 2018: The Infotech 2018, providing a platform to showcase emerging avenues in the field of technology and bringing ICT closer to individuals as well as businesses, was officially launched yesterday in presence of the Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, at the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre, in Pailles. Some 600 invitees comprising exhibitors, sponsors and representatives of the public and private sector attended the event.

In his keynote address, Minister Sawmynaden underlined that the Salon Infotech has undoubtedly become a major annual event of the National Computer Board and has a key role in raising awareness, valorising the savoir-faire of tech-savvy individuals as well as fostering new business opportunities in ICT sector. Other objectives include increasing proximity to Government services through the provision of online public services; boosting opportunities in the sector; and promoting ICT literacy, he added.

Minister Sawmynaden highlighted that the ICT sector is viewed as one of the most dynamic sectors in the world, constituting a powerful tool to open up new prospects for future generations. On this score, he emphasised that Mauritius is poised to evolve as a regional ICT hub with its major digital transformation investments as regards Blockchain, Cyber Security, virtual reality in education, and Internet of Things in businesses.

He further pointed out that the National Open Data portal and Mobile Applications such as the Family Welfare Mobile Application, Emergency alert, Smart Police and Consumer Rights, amongst others, extend the benefits of technology to the wider population while ensuring an improved quality of life.

The Technology Minister seized the occasion to speak of the first Mauritian infrared Satellite to be deployed in 2019 which he qualified as a major milestone for the country. He stressed that the space project will allow the country to tackle three major problems of national priority set by the Government, namely: the monitoring of our ocean and the optimal management of resources, traffic congestion and natural disaster mitigation.

He recalled that with the inclusion of the Innovtech Conference and Demo Area, a new orientation was given to the Infotech last year in order to inform the public especially the youth of the new trends in the sector of technology. He added that some 300 people attended the Innovtech Conference thereby showing their keen interest to discover and learn more about the latest innovative products, services, apps and projects developed by Mauritians from the industry, institutions and academia. The Conference, he underscored, is a great opportunity for students wishing to develop their competencies and tap career opportunities in the sector.

Infotech 2018

The 25th edition of the Infotech 2018, expected to gather some 100 000 visitors, will be held from 30 August to 02 September.

The Infotech 2018 will include the following components:

 Innovtech Conferences over three days

 Innovtech Demo Area

 ICT Exhibitions

 3D Printing

 Gaming zone

 Virtual Reality

 Coding

 E-Government Services

The 2nd edition of Startup Weekend will be also organised with a view to encourage youngsters to develop their innovative concepts over the three days.

Opening hours

The Exhibition will be opened to the public as follows:

 Thursday 30 August 2018, 10.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs  Friday 31 August 2018, 10.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs  Saturday 1 September 2018, 10.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs  Sunday 2 September 2018, 10.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs

Free bus shuttles will be available to the public from Victoria & Immigration stations (Port Louis) and Place Margeot (Rose Hill) during the four-day exhibition.

Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http ://gis.govmu.org


Statecraft, a startup that was originally planning to work with local governments to wrangle housing data, has pivoted.The company, now called Openland, is focused on communications. The idea is to take some of the changes that have come into instant messaging in recent years and apply them to the complicated ecosystem that is real estate development.Its also secured a funding round worth $2.25 million, with about 30 investors on board including Sinai Ventures and Y Combinator.The messaging platform includes directories of users, communications channels, inter-organization messaging capabilities and template responses for the little questions that people are always asking. The company thinks that will help partners in the development market  think investors and developers  communicate faster and more informally, breaking up longer communications into manageable chunks.But Yury Lifshits, the co-founder and CEO of the company, is also thinking about local government officials who answer those peoples questions and do economic development work with them.Theres basically nothing out there right now that helps really chat between all those stakeholders, he said. Theyre stuck with paper, theyre stuck with email.For cities who are trying to drive development, they can use the tool to list available lots for developers who are looking for space.They can say, Hey, this city planning directory is available in this chat for the next few hours, anybody can ask questions and we will answer them, Lifshits said.Ideally, he said, the faster and more informal method of communication will speed up the process of getting new development built. The companys headquartered in San Francisco, where Californias housing price problems are especially acute, and public pressure is mounting to build more living space.Lifshits said a big part of the holdup in building more units is simply communication. In a press release, the company estimated that about half the time it takes to build something is spent on communications work  financing, getting permits, etc.  and the actual construction takes up the other half.Right now you kind of have to submit paper requests and fax something and pay a fee to ask a simple question and retrieve a document, he said.Its an area that more startups have focused on lately, with companies like idevelop.city and Symbium working to make it easier for developers to figure out where they can build and others, like Camino , is creating tools to help people run through the permitting process faster.As for Statecraft, its pivot to communications came from a revelation as it worked through its original concept.We realized that the data system is not mature enough to, even if we put together all the data points that exist in some systems, we still would not have a complete enough picture, Lifshits said. You need to go to the source and talk to all the stakeholders.
(TNS)  Three Internet companies will receive about $12 million combined in federal funding to provide broadband access to West Virginia communities lacking it.Funding from the Federal Communications Commissions Connect America Fund Phase II auction will go toward expanding Internet access in 7,962 locations, sorted by census blocks, throughout West Virginia, the agency announced Tuesday.The purpose of the funding  $11,997,199 for work in West Virginia thats dispersed over a 10-year period  is to provide quality Internet access to rural areas that providers wouldnt normally enter because of cost, according to the FCC. The auction, which wrapped up earlier this month, began July 24 California-based Viasat will be funded by $5.43 million from the FCC for work in West Virginia. The company, which uses satellite broadband technology, has been assigned 7,057 locations in West Virginia covering dozens of its 55 counties. Calhoun, Clay, Marshall and Wetzel counties, however, have more locations than most assigned to receive broadband access from Viasat.Viasats West Virginia service is in the baseline performance tier, or download speeds of at least 25 megabits per second, the FCCs minimum standard for broadband Internet service.About $122.5 million in total funding has been allocated to Viasat for work in 20 states, making it one of the auctions biggest beneficiaries.Chris Phillips, Viasats director of public relations, said the company is not yet able to comment on the matter.Bridgeport-based Citynet will be allocated $6.51 million from the FCC for work in 898 locations in Greenbrier, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Taylor and Webster counties.These funds, accompanied with our own private investment, will result in broadband being delivered at gigabit speeds to some of the most remote and rural areas in the state, said Chris Morris, Citynets senior vice president of business development and external affairs, in a statement. We look forward to completing the FCC review process so that we can get started building fiber into these areas.Hardy County-based Hardy Telecommunications will receive $47,435 to build a gigabit-speed connection in Hampshire County. The company said in July that it was eyeing a few census blocks in the Rio area of southern Hampshire County for its fiber network.The speed of Citynet and Hardy Telecommunications service funded through the auction is in the gigabit performance tier. That means Internet download speeds of at least one gigabit, the highest performance tier in the auction.Nationwide, about $1.49 billion out of an available $1.98 billion has been allocated to 103 providers total through the auction, the FCC announced Tuesday. According to the agency, 713,176 locations throughout the country will be served with high-speed Internet access as a result of the funding.The FCC says winning bidders must provide long-form applications to the agency that further detail their plans on how they will use the money. Once a winning bidders long-form application is approved, they will be authorized to start getting the funding.The FCC is tasking the winning providers to build out 40 percent of assigned locations within three years of receiving their funding, with buildout completed by the end of the sixth year of funding.The Connect America Funds first phase provided more than $9 billion to 10 large providers to expand Internet access in rural areas. Frontier Communications was one of the providers selected in that phase and said it expects to bring broadband to more than 89,000 households in high-cost areas of West Virginia by the end of 2020 with the FCCs help.Frontier did not receive any funding for work in West Virginia in the funds second phase.A map of what locations, sorted by census blocks, are set to benefit from the funding is available at fcc.gov/reports -research/maps/caf2-auction903 -results In 2019, the FCC expects to hold an auction with up to $4.53 billion available in mobile broadband funding for rural areas.
Code for America to Strengthen Brigade Network with $2 Million Knight Foundation Grant

Results for America Launches New Resources to Bolster Governmental Human Services Contracting

Code4PA Codeathon Spans Three Pennsylvania Cities, Addresses Opioid Crisis

This Weeks GovTech Jobs

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded nearly $1 million in funding to a project that will create a partnership between California State University, Los Angeles; the city of Los Angeles GeoHub; Community Partners; and Social Equity Engagement geo-Data Scholars (SEEDS).The project is aimed at fostering better use of the vast trove of available data in Los Angeles, specifically by supporting the citys GeoHub , which is a public platform that allows for visualization and downloading of location-based open data, as well as in analyzing data through layered maps and other functionality. The award from the NSF was announced this month , and the exact total is $948,683. The project is slated to begin Sept. 1, with an estimated end date of Aug. 31, 2021.The money will help to promote Los Angeles open data portal  especially among traditionally disadvantaged groups  as well as to provide training for citizens and nonprofits interested in learning to use big data and to better understand the benefits of data-driven government.As part of the project, Los Angeles will give California State University, Los Angeles, community groups and nonprofits GeoHub accounts to access software and apps related to big data for free. The project will foster training of faculty members who can subsequently train students in GeoHubs use.Code for America (CfA) will soon strengthen its brigades, through $2 million in funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.The money from Knight will help CfA expand its brigade program over the next two years. CfA is a nonprofit and nonpartisan national organization aimed at using tech to make government work better for citizens, and its brigade network is essentially a collection of civic technologists spread throughout the country who use development, design and other skills to support CfAs mission in their own communities.This new funding from the Knight Foundation will go toward establishing advisory councils to boost the impact individual brigades have in their communities. The idea is to essentially refresh the very model for the brigades, better positioning the many local groups to collaborate on civic tech projects with their local governments, organizers announced in a press release about the funding.CfA and its brigade network are almost inextricable at this point. CfA was founded in 2009 with the goal using tech to make government work better for actual people. It launched its brigade network in 2012, doing so by working with local governments and other partners at the community level.Knight Foundation made an early investment back then, and in the meantime, the CfA Brigades have grown from three to 77 today. The organization reports that it started with fewer than 100 volunteers and now includes as many as 25,000 people.Results for America, a group aimed at helping decision-makers in government benefit from data and evidence, has recently launched new resources for local and state governments looking to bolster human services contracting.These resources are diverse, and they have received insights and support from several prominent collaborators, ranging from officials at the New York Citys Office for Economic Opportunity to leadership in King County, Wash. Taken holistically, though, all of these new resources highlight ways to benefit from improving human services contracting with data.The first of these resources is Results for Americas new What Works Toolkit , which is essentially a five-step guide for policymakers about using data, evidence and other outcome-focused approaches for improving human services contracting. Prominent gov tech leaders Matt Klein of the New York City Mayors Office for Economic Opportunity and Lauren Sanchez Gilbert of BELL wrote a piece about putting ideas from the toolkit into action.Meanwhile, Results for America also released a new case study from King County, which highlights how government leaders there have transformed contracting for services for children and families in order to make them more data-driven and results-oriented.King County Executive Dow Constantine has been recognized for his administrations work, which includes offering more technical assistance and data analytics support to human services providers, ultimately fostering an increase in the number of community-based organizations that applied for available grants.Finally, Results for America will be training state and local policymakers about how to apply the recommendations from its aforementioned What Works Toolkit. The training is slated to take place this fall, and all interested parties are encouraged to contact Nichole Dunn at nichole@results4america.org Code4PAs 2018 Codeathon, a civic tech event with a focus on the nations ongoing opioid crisis, has expanded this year to include three cities throughout Pennsylvania: Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.Interested parties can now register for the event , which is slated to start on Sept. 21. This marks another year in which the annual event has expanded. Last year, it took place strictly in Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The addition of Pittsburgh gives it an even broader reach throughout the state.Hosted by the state-wide Code4PA civic tech group, the event taking place in September will convene technologists with a shared goal of planning tech projects aimed at addressing the opioid epidemic. Work will continue through the fall, with a second event planned for Oct. 20, during which teams will pitch their projects, with a grand prize winner receiving recognition from the governors office.The challenge for all participants is to use data from the states open data portal to generate ideas for the work. As in past years, the state is currently in the process of publishing new data sets for the event. A list of actively engaged data sets in process can be found here This week, a pair of new jurisdictions are looking to hire innovators to work in local government.San Jose, Calif., is currently in the market for an assistant CIO to join its team. Learn more about that posting here Meanwhile, San Antonio, Texas, is looking to hire an innovation specialist to join its team. More information about that posting can be found here
See the Department of Homeland Security announcement below. With the establishment of National Risk Management Center , there will be more of a focus on risks and the issues of infrastructure interdependencies. I find it hard to sometimes keep up with the bouncing-ball-of-names at DHS, but the announcement below gives you a bit of a scorecard  for now.As I understand it, there will be more of a function of combining functions and staff rather than hiring an entirely new staff.Critical Infrastructure Partners,I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few key changes and developments at the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD).On July 31, at the Department of Homeland Securitys first National Cybersecurity Summit in New York, Secretary Nielsen announced the National Risk Management Center within the Departments National Program and Programs Directorate (NPPD). The Center establishes an organizational approach to integrate risk management activities, perform joint strategic planning, and most importantly, develop collaborative solutions to reduce risk to critical infrastructure. Risk no longer exists in silos, and this better integrated systemic risk management will help make collective defense a reality.I have asked Deputy Assistant Secretary Bob Kolasky to serve as Director of the Center. Bob is uniquely qualified to lead this significant undertaking and ready for the challenge. In addition, Mark Kneidinger will join the Center as Deputy Director, bringing his experience as Director of Federal Network Resilience for our Cyber Security and Communications (CS&C) component.Since the Center was announced, it has initiated work streams to define and identify national critical functions; create the frameworks by which government and industry collectively manage risk; and initiate specific cross-sector activities to address known threats. The Center looks forward to working with industry as these efforts are launched.Until the Administration selects an Assistant Secretary for the Office of Infrastructure Protection, I have asked Steven Harris to serve as acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Scott Breor to serve as acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Infrastructure Protection. Both Steve and Scott bring a wealth of senior leadership expertise, from both DHS and the Department of Defense.Many of you may know Steven from his recent tenure as acting Director for our Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis, where he oversaw NPPDs integrated analysis of cyber and physical risks to the Nations critical infrastructure. He has also served as NPPDs Deputy Chief of Staff, working closely with the Directorates senior leadership to help manage day-to-day operations. Scott has held several senior executive positions with NPPD, most recently as the Director of the Protective Security Coordination Division where he helped spearhead our efforts to establish a regional structure and capability. Scott brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience within the U.S. government on both the military and civilian sides.Finally, there are two additional leadership movements of note: Enrique Matheu will be stepping into the role of acting Director for the Sector Outreach and Programs Division, while Linda Solheim leads an internal effort to enhance the Office of Infrastructure Protections activities around the mission of securing the nations soft target and crowded places.Please join me in congratulating Bob, Mark, Steve, Scott, Linda, and Enrique on their new positions. I have utmost confidence in their expertise and leadership capabilities and thank each of them for their continued commitment to the Department.Sincerely,Christopher C. KrebsUnder Secretary, National Protection and Programs DirectorateDepartment of Homeland Security
Senior government officials from several African countries concluded a three day visit to Bijie, southwest Chinas Guizhou Province recently.

Statistics from the UN in 2013 revealed that over 700 million people in Africa are living below the international poverty line of $1.90 per day, much lower than the figure of 1.7 billion in 1999. Guizhou, in comparison, currently have over one million people living in poverty.

The officials, comprising of ministers and directors from Botswana, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Mauritius, and a senior Africa Union representative went to Bijie to explore how the countrys poverty alleviation program was successfully tailored by the local government to lift people out of poverty.

They were thrilled when visiting Qianxi County, where 502,800 people were removed from poverty through agriculture as well as vocational training for over 88,500 people. About 700,000 more people will be helped using poverty alleviation methods by 2020.

In Haizi village, Qianxi County, the per capita income has risen from 4,000 RMB in 2014 to over 10,000 RMB in 2018, following the establishment of a cooperative between villages and the county committee. The villagers are engaged in the planting of peppers, kiwi fruit, Chinese onions and green plums.

The officials also visited the first farm of pure seedlings, created by Evergrande Group and Zhonghe Hengrui Group poverty cooperation project in Dafang County. Evergrande group constructed housing units to relocate 42 poor households in Hengda village.

The company, which is helping the local government to implement poverty alleviation programs, has been able to build 443 standardized vegetable greenhouses around the village. They plan to build the largest fruit, vegetable and cattle breeding bases in southwestern China.

The successful practice of poverty alleviation in Bijie reflects the strategic vision and foresight of the local government for innovative job creation through tailored projects and programs, said an official at the poverty alleviation office.

Speaking at the reception dinner, Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, a member of the African Union Committee for Rural Economy and Agriculture, said China has aligned the Belt and Road Initiative with its poverty alleviation program.

She disclosed that Africa and China were trying to strengthen MOU in terms of looking at poverty alleviation as one of the key areas of China-Africa cooperation.

Its important for us to address the issue of poverty alleviation on the continent and we need to drive our programs by learning from the Chinese experience, Sacko stressed.

Wei Guonan, Vice Governor of Guizhou Province, said that Guizhou has been the battlefield for poverty alleviation in China, adding that Africa and Guizhou have similar challenges and constraints in addressing poverty.
(TNS) - As a day shift supervisor for the Santa Fe Police Department, Sgt. Craig Ernst directs officers around the city, deciding which 911 calls take top priority and how many officers to send to which calls.But, Ernst told the Santa Fe City Council on Wednesday night, that job is getting more difficult. He has fewer officers at his disposal, he said, because the local police force is bleeding out officers, many of whom are leaving for agencies that pay higher salaries.Its getting really hard. We have minimum staffing levels that we are frequently not meeting, Ernst told councilors and Mayor Alan Webber.  We need to stop the bleeding.Dozens of Santa Fe police officers, their families and members of other law enforcement agencies lined the walls of an exhibit hall at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds for Wednesdays council meeting, where police union President Tony Trujillo outlined the departments struggles to recruit and retain officers.The biggest issue in keeping city officers? Pay, Trujillo said.City Manager Erik Litzenberg said he was looking forward to working with the department to try and help with the staffing issues.And earlier this week, Webber told The New Mexican he is working on a plan to boost incentives, such as affordable housing for officers on the force and signing bonuses.The City Council did not take action Wednesday to raise police officer pay during an informational presentation to the city leaders.Right now, our union anticipates the loss of 30 to 35 officers, if not more by the end of September, Trujillo told councilors.  Our officers are leaving our agency for one reason: That is higher salaries in order to support their families. Albuquerque Police Department and other agencies are paying those salaries.Since July, Santa Fe police have lost 13 officers to retirement and to other agencies, Deputy Chief Robert Vasquez told The New Mexican. Police Chief Andrew Padilla said there are 26 officer vacancies right now, which is about 15 percent of the force.Add to that the number of officers who are in training at the state Law Enforcement Academy, and there are 41 officers who are not currently working the streets, Padilla said.Some day shifts, Ernst said, there are only five or six police officers working the entire city. On some graveyard shifts, he said, hes seen staffing levels dip as low as four or five. Its not unusual, he said, for Padilla and the deputy police chiefs to jump in their cars and help officers in the field respond to incidents because staffing is so low.Ernst said low staffing raises concerns about not only civilian safety but also the safety of officers.Police cant catch as many criminals when theyre understaffed, he added, and wait times are climbing: Callers whove had their cars stolen sometimes have waited for two to three hours for a response, Ernst said. Hes had calls about fraud stall for five hours.Id like to be able to say that if you want to call a police officer, I can send you a police officer, Ernst said. But I cant.In addition to difficulty holding on to officers who leave the Santa Fe agency for better-paying jobs in other cities, Officer Corrine Jones told the council about difficulty recruiting officers.In her three years in recruitment, she said, shes seen a dramatic decrease in the number of people testing for police department jobs. While there used to be 20 to 25 people who came in to take qualifying exams, she said, on recent test days, that number was closer to eight or 10.To be completely honest, we arent attracting the individuals that we used to because our starting pay is not competitive anymore, Jones said. We start our cadets out at $19.11 an hour. Were not even competing with small towns like Edgewood. They are starting individuals out at $24 an hour.At the end of the presentation Wednesday, Padilla took the podium to urge the City Council to consider ways to help the police department.I know other departments may be feeling envious or What about me?  Padilla said. Without public safety, everything else would fall apart. We truly are the caretakers of the community.2018 The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, N.M.)Visit The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, N.M.) at www.santafenewmexican.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  Regional leaders in the telecommunication industry gathered at the State University of New York SUNY Cobleskill on Wednesday to discuss a federal package to fund broadband expansion.They were brought to together by U.S. Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, in the hopes of drafting a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture ahead of the Sept. 10 deadline, when comments close.Rural Utilities Services, an arm of the USDA, invited comments on the implementation of the e-Connectivity Pilot, a $600 million federal grant program to service underserved rural and tribal populations in the U.S.Faso asked for input from industry stakeholders in the 19th Congressional District for the letter, he said, to make sure that New York "is on the ground floor" of this pilot program. He anticipates this to be only the first round of an expanded pilot.We don't want to sit out this round, Faso said.New York state dedicated $500 million in its Broadband For All initiative that began in 2015, and stakeholders worry that New York may get shortchanged in this federal funding phase, despite still needing additional resources.While New York has expanded broadband access, there are still pockets of communities that are not covered.The stakeholders, seven in all, spoke of the challenges and successes of rural telecommunications in New York state. Issues with data, mapping and cost affect rural areas, where it is not only expensive to build infrastructure, but also to maintain.The consensus was that budgets should be allocated to each state and that funding should be put toward more accurate mapping and reporting to understand the scope of coverage and correct outdated data. Tim Johnson, chief executive officer of Otsego Electric Cooperative, suggested that factors of service, including affordability, latency, speed and capacity, should be criteria in the federal application process. Many in the roundtable discussion agreed.Jason Miller of Delhi Telephone Company said that New York's standard is 50-100 megabits, abbreviated to mbps, while the federal recommendation is 10-25 mbps, which members agreed is shortsighted.As Internet use increases, lower-capacity infrastructure will require another major upgrade in 10 years.Miller said that in 2016, the average household has eight connected devices. By 2020, that number is projected to increase to 14.Ten mbps can't support that, Miller said.Stakeholders added that telemedicine, an advancing field, will need greater speeds. With the number of people working remotely, broadband is a necessity to keep and attract residents, Faso said.As the country relies more on the Internet, the question of broadband access is more than one of convenience. Faso said that if the region is to combat population decline and an economic downturn, it must address its technological impediments.
On day two of the 18th North Carolina Digital Government Summit , three lawmakers from opposite sides of the political spectrum gathered for a conversation with the states technology leader on how state and local governments are doing at working together on IT and where tech may be headed.In a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Shannon Tufts, associate professor of public law and government and director of the Center for Public Technology at the University of North Carolina, two state senators and one representative agreed with Chief Information Officer Eric Boyette that while progress has been made toward collaboration, still more needs to happen. The three legislators present are members of the Joint Oversight Committee on Information Technology.Local governments, raise your hand, Tufts said, calling on attendees and asking the foursome: How much do you consider their perspective?Boyette said something of a disconnect has existed between state and local governments but praised counties and municipalities for their ability to move faster than we can and said: The partnership is there.The CIO, who has been in place since the spring of 2017, said hes committed to the 911 team to visit every one of the public safety answering points (PSAPs), or emergency call centers, around the state.Because the survey we got back from the PSAPs was, the board didnt really know what they do, Boyette said.Rep. Jason Saine, a Republican, who like his Committee colleagues, Democratic Sen. Jay Chaudhuri and Republican Sen. Jeff Tarte, is up for re-election in November, described an IT incident that struck one of his counties on a Friday afternoon and praised Boyette and his staff for working with the agency through the weekend.Thats something that the state government can do more of. And weve got a CIO sitting here who understands that, Saine said.A three-term mayor of Cornelius, a Charlotte suburb, Tarte said he stays in contact with his fellow mayors and county managers. He cited education as an example of a conversation topic, highlighting the need for products like Apple smartphones in schools to empower the hearing- and sight-impaired and said: One of the things people dont realize is, were working kind of a layer lower, sometimes.(Raleigh, the state capital, has been rumored for months to be a likely site for Apples fourth campus.)Speakers agreed on technologys potential to expand governments reach. Tufts cited the recent development of a chatbot by the city of Goldsboro to answer commonly asked questions and free up staffers, calling it an example of government got it right.Saine mentioned procurement as an area where state government can be a partner that can help local government.But Tarte, the founder of Applied Revenue Analytics, a multi-million-dollar consulting firm, pointed to augmented reality as an area where state and local dont have to be followers and should leverage the technology to their advantage; and highlighted identity management, blockchain and artificial intelligence as crucial going forward.Chaudhuri said more has to be done around data to truly enable collaborations, adding: I think if we want to build out systems that look at AI and predictive technology, then we have to do a better job of sharing and collecting data.Tarte, however, called AI and identity management the entire focus for the state of North Carolina,  the first for its promise in credit analysis. He praised identity management and blockchain for their potential to automate court systems and cut down on fraud.This becomes in a decade where you want to go. Our goal is to be the most technologically advanced state in the country. Theres no reason we cant achieve that with RTP and Raleigh, he said, referring to Research Triangle Park, the area that includes Raleigh, Durham, the town of Chapel Hill; and North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
(TNS)  An undetermined number of new jobs will be added to the 250-member workforce at the Oath data center in Lockport, company executives said Tuesday.The company, formerly known as Yahoo, will invest $32 million at its campus in the town of Lockport industrial park: $28 million to erect a third data center and $4 million for electrical improvements at one of the existing centers.The surprise announcement by Greg Sly, Oath's senior vice president for infrastructure services and operations, came at a news conference called to reveal winners of this year's round of corporate grants to community organizations, which were required as part of the massive incentive package that brought Yahoo to Lockport in the first place.Last year Verizon Communications acquired Yahoo and several Yahoo-connected brands, including AOL and the Huffington Post, and set up Oath as a digital content subsidiary. The Yahoo name continues online through several websites."We're happy to continue to invest in this facility. It's an important one for us," Sly said. "We have such a great partnership with the community and leadership here."The construction work should be complete in about eight months, Sly said. The work on the upgrades at the existing facility began Tuesday, he said.The existing 100 percent property tax exemption for the second of the two data centers will apply to the new one, said Marc R. Smith, the town's economic development coordinator. That exemption began in 2014 and is to last for 20 years."We are very aware that our success in Western New York is a direct result of the area's talented workforce, business-friendly environment and access to renewable energy resources that are all abundant in this community," said Paul Bonaro, Oath's vice president for data center operations in Lockport.The incentive package included an allocation of discount electricity from the New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Project.Sly said he expects about 100 construction jobs for the project. The new Oath employees will be hired in phases over the next eight months, he said."We like the area and the facility here. It's very economical for us, and there's a great work force here, but we're continuing to integrate. Oath is a growing and expanding company, so we have more servers coming in," Sly said. "We're putting some Verizon services in here as well."In addition, four AOL data centers, located in Virginia and California, are "collapsing" into the Lockport site, Sly said.He said he foresees continued growth at the Lockport site. Bonaro said the company owns about 20 acres of open land there, in addition to about 45 acres that have been developed."We have such a great relationship and such great tax incentives already, we're just continuing to leverage those," Sly said.About 110 of the Lockport employees work in a network operations center that replaced a consumer call center last year. The remaining 140 workers are involved in data center operations, Sly said."It's fantastic news for the Town of Lockport and also for Niagara County, actually for all of Western New York," said Paul W. Siejak, Town of Lockport deputy supervisor. "With all the grants announced today, what a win-win day for the Town of Lockport and the community altogether."The 20 grants announced Tuesday totaled nearly $510,000, some chosen by Oath and others by Empire State Development through the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. It was the fourth round of seven annual batches of grants the state required under terms of the incentive package.Some of the larger grants included $82,615 to Green Options Buffalo for a bicycle master plan and its implementation in Niagara Falls, and $50,000 to Lumber City Development Corp. for facade improvements along Oliver Street in North Tonawanda.Also, Oath gave $50,000 for improved lighting at the Taylor Theater in Lockport's Kenan Center, and $41,500 for an "air curtain" at the entrance to the Savor restaurant at the Niagara County Community College Culinary Arts Center in Niagara Falls, allowing for outdoor seating.
Esteban Ocon has admitted he had a seat fitting at McLaren's Woking factory.

Last week, it was rumoured the Frenchman could be ousted by Lance Stroll at Force India, but accommodated with immediate effect at McLaren.

However, it is believed the 2018 McLaren could not accommodate his 1.86m height.

"It's true that I went and it's true that that happened," Ocon is quoted by Spain's Marca.

It is an alarming turn of events for the talented Frenchman, who earlier looked set to join Renault for 2019.

"In Budapest we thought his future was clear," said Mercedes' Toto Wolff. "But it all changed within 48 hours.

"There is no point in complaining. Renault getting Ricciardo was a no-brainer. They had to go for it.

"It's unfortunate for Esteban, but we are continuing to help him to find a seat. There is a lot of interest and I'm very optimistic about the future," Wolff added.

(GMM)
Ballard Power Systems has entered into a strategic collaboration with Weichai Power Co., Ltd. which includes:

A substantial equity investment by Weichai in Ballard of approximately $163 million, representing a 19.9% interest in the company and reflecting a price based on a 15% premium to the 30-day VWAP; Establishment of a joint venture (JV) to support Chinas burgeoning Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) market; A $90-million technology transfer program to the JV related to Ballards next-generation LCS fuel cell stack and power modules for bus, commercial truck and forklift applications in China; and a commitment by Weichai to build and supply at least 2,000 fuel cell modules for commercial vehicles in China.





In addition, Zhongshan Broad-Ocean Motora current Ballard strategic investor and Chinese partnerhas agreed to invest a further approximately $20 million at the same 15% premium to maintain its 9.9% ownership position in Ballard. As a result, the Weichai and Broad-Ocean equity investments in Ballard will total approximately $183 million.

All the foregoing transactions are expected to close in Q4 2018, subject to completion of definitive agreements, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Established in 2002 and with listings on the Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchanges, Weichai Power Co., Ltd. is a leading automotive and equipment manufacturer specializing in the production of powertrains, automobiles, intelligent logistics, automotive parts and components. In 2017 Weichai manufactured more than 617,000 engines, 149,000 heavy duty trucks and 200,000 forklift trucks, and generated total revenue of 151.57 billion RMB (approximately $22.7B), with an employee base of 74,474 people.

Weichais investment will be subject to 2-year standstill and resale restrictions (subject to customary exceptions). For so long as Weichai holds at least 15% of Ballards outstanding shares, it will have the right to nominate two directors to Ballards board of directors, and Ballard will expand its board from the current seven directors to nine directors after closing. Weichai has also agreed that, in the event of a third-party offer to buy Ballard, Weichai will have the right to make a superior proposal or otherwise must vote its shares in accordance with the Ballard board recommendation.

Proceeds are planned to be used for investment in Ballards core fuel cell business and to support M&A transactions.

The new Ballard/Weichai JV will pay $90 million to Ballard under a technology transfer program for the exclusive rights to manufacture Ballards next-generation LCS fuel cell stack and certain LCS-based modules for the bus, commercial truck and forklift markets in China.

The JV will exclusively purchase Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs), a critical technology component of each fuel cell, from Ballard under a long-term supply agreement. Weichai and Ballard will fund pro rata shares of the JV based on a business plan that is currently under discussion. Weichai will hold three of five JV board seats and Ballard will hold two, with Ballard having certain shareholder protection provisions. Ballard will also retain an exclusive right to the transferred technologies outside China.

Broad-Ocean has also expressed an interest in acquiring a 10% ownership position in the JV, which would correspondingly reduce Ballards ownership position. Discussions regarding this investment are currently underway between the parties.

Weichai separately announced today that it has agreed to supply a minimum of 2,000 fuel cell modules for commercial vehicles in China by 2021. This is the largest announced planned commercial fuel cell vehicle deployment in history globally. Specific terms related to the supply of fuel cell power modules for commercial vehicles, including scope, product mix, pricing and timing of shipments, are under discussion between Weichai and Ballard.

Ballard is in ongoing discussions with existing partners in China to ensure continued support for products using current generation technology, and to facilitate a smooth future transition to products based on next-generation technology.

BMO Capital Markets acted as financial advisor to the Company in connection with this transaction.
With car2go, moovel, mytaxi/Intelligent Apps (mytaxi, beat, Clever Taxi and Chauffeur Prive), the mobility portfolio in the segment of Daimler Financial Services counted 24.4 million customers as of July 30, 2018. This represents an increase of 64% (compared to the previous year). The number of transactions reached 95.3 million in more than 110 cities around the world. This represents an increase of 64% in comparison to the same month of the previous year.

car2go had 3.3 million customers worldwide at the end of July. moovel, Daimlers Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) pioneer, grew by 68% compared to the same period last year (5.2 million customers).

The term Mobility as a Service (MaaS) represents the bundling of various kinds of passenger transport, such as bus, rail, car sharing, bike sharing and taxi to form a multimodal transport solution. In the ride-railing segment, the providers mytaxi/Intelligent Apps boast a total of 15.9 million customers (+74% compared to the previous year).

Subject to review and approval by the relevant competition authorities, Daimler Financial Services will contribute to the three business units of carsharing, ride-hailing and MaaS, in the mobility joint venture with BMW, which is due to launch in 2019. By uniting these growth areas, Daimler is underscoring its ambition in this market of the future.

We are moving full speed ahead towards our transformation to a mobility provider. In 2019, as Daimler Mobility AG, we will underscore our ambition with a new name. The mobility joint venture with BMW is part of our mobility strategy. With investments in new partnerships, new technologies and innovative mobility services, we are a strong partner for towns and cities. Klaus Entenmann, CEO Daimler Financial Services AG

The planned change of name highlights the business units transformation to a broad-based mobility service provider, the range extending from financing and leasing through fleet management and insurance to digital solutions for payment processing (Mercedes pay) and app-based services such as moovel, car2go and mytaxi.

Blacklane. Daimler Financial Services is continually adding to its portfolio of mobility services. This includes investments in companies, such as Flixbus, Turo, VIA, Careem and premium mobility provider Blacklane.

The Berlin-based start-up now offers its high-quality chauffeur services in 260 cities and 50 countries. Blacklane has added a separate service called Blacklane PASS (Premium Airport Services & Solutions), which is now available at more than 500 airports around the world. For US$100 dollars per person and service, Blacklane PASS lets air travellers avoid queues at security and immigration when arriving, departing or changing planes. For an additional US$50 dollars, the service provides access to business lounges.

moovel group payment and digital wallet options with Google Pay. Together with Google Pay, TriMet and INIT, the Daimler subsidiary moovel North America developed an innovative app that allows transit riders in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan region to tap-and-pay for their ride with Android devices.

The virtual transit fare card, known as the virtual Hop Fastpass card is the first of its kind regional transit fare system, allowing riders to tap their phones, just as they would a smart transit fare card. The Hop Fastpass app for virtual cards is available for download through the Google Play store.

With its MaaS platform, the moovel Group allows cities and transport companies to integrate various mobility providers in a single app. moovel offers city-branded smartphone applications and solutions that can be used by regional transport networks to manage mobility more efficiently and make local transport more attractive.

Investment in autonomous driving. Daimler Financial Services is also investing heavily in autonomous driving and corresponding fleet projects. In the second half of 2019, Bosch and Daimler will offer customers in a Californian city a shuttle service with automated vehicles on selected routes.

The aim of the pilot project is to demonstrate that mobility services, such as car sharing (car2go), ride hailing (mytaxi) and multimodal platforms (moovel), can be intelligently combined.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has issued a special High Performance Computing for Manufacturing (HPC4Mfg) call for proposals for projects aimed at addressing key challenges in US steel and aluminum manufacturing. (Earlier post.)

Funding of up to $1.2 million will be made available from the Advanced Manufacturing Office of the Department of Energys Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, for as many as four collaborative projects.

Selected industry partners will be granted access to HPC facilities and experienced staff at DOE national laboratories including Lawrence Livermore, Lawrence Berkeley, EEREs National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Argonne.

Specifically, the solicitation is aimed at US producers of primary and secondary steel and aluminum products who are interested in applying modeling, simulation and data analysis to improve energy efficiency, increase productivity, reduce cycle time, enable next-generation technologies, test control system algorithms, investigate intensified processes, lower energy cost and accelerate innovation.

Eligibility is limited to entities that manufacture steel and aluminum products in the US for commercial applications and the organizations that support them. Selected demonstration projects will be awarded up to $300,000 to support compute cycles and work performed by the national lab partners. Industry partners must provide a participant contribution of at least 20% of the DOE funding for the project.

The HPC4Mfg Program enables targeted collaboration between the DOE national laboratories and the US manufacturing industry to investigate, improve and scale methods that will accelerate the development and deployment of innovative energy efficient manufacturing. This solicitation is aimed at demonstrating the benefit of HPC toward these goals within one year.

Interested parties must submit a concept paper by 18 Sept. Finalists are expected to be notified in late October.
Known as the Gold Coast and home of cocoa, Ghana, a country in the north of West Africas Gulf of Guinea, attracts wide attention from Africa and the world for its unique scenery, rich resources, hospitable people and diverse culture.

China and Ghana, in recent years, have maintained close high-level exchanges and strengthened political mutual trust. Ghana firmly supports China on issues of the latters core interests and major concerns while China always backs Ghana for its efforts on economic transformation and national construction.

As a special arrangement, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo met with Chinese President Xi Jinpings special envoy immediately after the New Patriotic Party government took the office in January 2017. After that, the Vice President, first lady and foreign minister of Ghana also paid visits to China, injecting strong momentum into the development of bilateral relations.

China is Ghana's largest trading partner, and the bilateral trade soared from less than $100 million in 2000 to $6.675 billion in 2017.

China has propelled Ghana's economic and social growth and brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries through its investment, aid-programs, as well as project construction in Ghana, including the Bui hydropower station, the Sunon Asogli power plant, natural gas infrastructure, telecommunication networks, distance education projects, water supply projects and Africa World Airlines.

In addition, Chinese enterprises in Ghana are also actively fulfilling their social responsibilities and creating substantial job opportunities for the local community, winning high reputation from the Ghanaian government and people.

Besides, Chinese language is now trendy in Ghana. Ive encountered a number of Ghanaian young people who can speak good Chinese in the past three months since I worked in the country. I sensed their admiration and aspiration toward China, through which I can feel that amity between the people holds the key to state-to-state relations.

Statistics show that there are currently more than 6,500 young Ghanaians studying in China, and the number ranks the first among all African countries for four consecutive years.

A student from the University of Ghana named Duncan Bubune Yaw Acorlor who participated in the Chinese Bridge, the global Chinese proficiency and Chinese culture talent competition for university students, won the Second Prize, and the Best Online Popularity Award for his outstanding performance.

I give my thumbs up to him, and also expect more Ghanaian youths to learn Chinese, know more about China, and work with Chinese young people to be the pioneers in the new era.

President Akufo-Addo will attend the upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) this September and pay a state visit to China. Leaders of the two countries are expected to exchange in-depth views and jointly map out the future of China-Ghana relations.

I believe that his visit will further enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two heads of state, and promote bilateral ties and pragmatic cooperation in various fields. It will also benefit the people of both countries and make new contribution to the construction of a China-Africa community of shared future.

(Wang Shiting is Chinese Ambassador to Ghana.)
The Southwestern Wyoming Central Labor Council wants to help alleviate hunger in Sweetwater County.

The council will sponsor a food drive in conjunction with its annual Labor Day picnic. The picnic will take place on Labor Day, Sept. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Crossroads West Park. Food and beverages are provided and, as always, the picnic is free.

Please bring nonperishable food items to donate to the Food Bank of Sweetwater County. The Food Bank is in need of packaged side dishes, egg noodles, sugar, flour and canned meat other than tuna.

The Southwestern Wyoming Central Labor Council represents 18 local unions and thousands of workers in Southwestern Wyoming. Through the State AFL-CIO and local unions it educates the public on workers rights and issues. The council helps provide equal pay for working men and women, advocates for a voice and dignity in the workplace and for a safe working environment. The Council encourages its members to participate in the community and to spend their wages locally.
The Green River Community Choir started Tuesday, but its not too late to join.

The choir meets at 7 p.m. in the John Wesley Powell room at the Western Wyoming Community College Green River Campus.

The cost is $20. Auditions are not necessary, but a love for singing is a must. The choir is sponsored by the Sweetwater County Board of Cooperative Educational Services and is under the direction of Marlys Ciscar. Those who have questions can contact 871-4401.
The torta especial is one dish from Oxomocos new brunch. Photo: Noah Fecks

Every month in New York, theres a bewildering number of new dishes to eat, drinks to imbibe, and food-themed events to attend. Often, the hardest part is just figuring out whats really worth your limited time. So Grub kicks off each month with a curated collection of dishes, drinks, and events that should absolutely be on your agenda. Make your plans now.

1. Eat an all-tomato dinner cooked by New Yorks gelato master.

Meredith Kurtzman has been called the person responsible for New Yorks love of gelato. On September 13 ($40, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.), shell host a dinner at Archestratus Books + Foods celebrating one of her other culinary obsessions: tomatoes. The four-course dinner will include a gazpacho shot with fried chickpeas, pickled green tomato with mortadella ribbons and herby mayo, fregola with calamari and clams in roasted tomato broth, and sweet tomato crostata with crema.

2. Have lunch at one of Koreatowns best new restaurants.

Yoon Haeundae Galbi has been a welcome addition to Koreatowns dining scene, a nice spot for good, quality Korean barbecue and more (get the Busan neighborhood pancake, $17 during lunch and $21 during dinner) with a few twists. The Korean import has opened for lunch, adding to the neighborhoods excellent choices for a hearty afternoon meal. During the day, theyre serving an expanded menu of stews like chicken ginseng and black cod (both $15), plus rice dishes such as a stone-bowl octopus and bulgogi (both $15) over rice.

3. Drink birthday beers and eat Filipino tacos at a brewerys second-anniversary party.

KCBC is a laid-back and great place to drink craft beer any night of the week. On September 6, its owners will celebrate the brewery and taprooms second anniversary with a birthday party. Its going down from 5 p.m. until late, with brand-new Double IPAs for those who like it hoppy, collaboration brews and more beers, anniversary glasses and shirts, and Filipino tacos from pop-up Little Chef Little Kitchen. Theres no cover, and DJ Eat Records will provide the soundtrack.

4. Attend a street festival celebrating Queens diversity.

Viva la Comida was started in 2012 to celebrate the local flavors and diversity of Jackson Heights and surrounding neighborhoods in Queens. Held on the particularly diverse corridor of 82nd Street and now in its seventh year, the festival returns on September 15 from noon to 7 p.m. This years vendors include Tulcingo, the Arepa Lady, and Mysttik Masaala, who will serve food while musicians play roots, Latin, and jazz music.

5. Check out a wood-fired Mexican restaurants new daily brunch.

Who in their right mind wouldnt eat chilaquiles seven days a week? Greenpointers can at the popular wood-fired Mexican restaurant Oxomoco, which now serves the dish ($16) during its new daily brunch. There are, this being 2018, bowls with achiote tuna ($18) and grilled zucchini ($16) with salsa Veracruz. But if youre in need of more robust nourishment, there are three kinds of burritos ($12 to $14)  including one with grilled bacon and fried potatoes  and a torta especial ($18) with chorizo verde and chicharron on a concha.

Stone bowl bulgogi, chicken ginseng stew, and some banchan at Yoon Haeundae Galbi. Photo: Melissa Hom

6. Celebrate the restaurants of North Brooklyn.

The culinary block party that is Taste Williamsburg Greenpoint returns for its ninth year on September 16 (tickets are $55 for general admission or $85 for VIP). Benefiting the Firehouse North Brooklyn Community Center, the event brings together 40 local restaurants, including Pies n Thighs, Barano, Brooklyn Pizza Crew, and Lighthouse.

7. Go to a Viet Cajun seafood boil or Taiwanese and Vietnamese pop-up from Hanoi Houses acclaimed ex-chef before he leaves town.

While the now former Hanoi House chef John Nguyen is on his way out of town, hes found time to stick around a little longer to have some fun with pop-ups around town. On September 5 and 6 at the Basement, Nguyen and chef Helen Nguyen will throw a Vietnamese Cajun seafood boil. Then on September 17, hell head to East Williamsburgs Win Son for a four-course dinner (tickets are $75, seatings are at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.), called Bo Bo Kitchen. Cooked in collaboration with Win Son chef Trigg Brown, itll include cold noodles with sesame and peanut, mango salad with manila clam, Sun Gold tomato pie with tofu Parmesan and wuyuzi, and bun bo hue.

8. Feast on bratwurst and schnitzel at the NoMad Bar.

Cant make it to Munich for Oktoberfest? Itll be a lot cheaper, anyway, to go to the NoMad Bar, which will launch its NoMaderfest pop-up on September 22. Theyll serve a daily prix fixe ($58 for three courses) with specials like bratwursts, chicken schnitzel with jaeger sauce, and beer-battered apples.

9. Hit up New Yorks only outdoor night market when it returns for its fall season.

After a late summer vacation, the Queens Night Market will return on September 29 for its fall season. Itll still be every Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and is a great way to spend a night outside before it gets too cold. The markets rotating roster of vendors (80, at last count) is as voluminous and diverse as New York itself, and include Burmese Bites, the Malaysian Project, Caribbean Street Eats, and others.

10. And welcome back Urbanspaces outdoor markets for another season.

While talking outdoor markets, Urbanspaces Madison Square Eats returns on September 8 through October 5 (11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily) with vendors like Arancini Bros, Ice & Vice, and Palenque Arepas. So does Broadway Bites on September 24 through November 2 (same hours), featuring Daa! Dumplings, Enfes NYC, Kotti Berliner Doner, and others.

11. Head to a Brooklyn bookstore for two exciting food book events.

Books Are Magic will host Julia Turshen on September 8, when shell talk to New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino about her book Now & Again. Featuring 125 recipes, the book focuses on how to reuse and repurpose leftovers for easier cooking and less waste. Then on September 18, Tamara Shopsin will talk with Vacationland writer John Hodgman about Arbitrary Stupid Goal, her book about growing up in the Greenwich Village and her father Kenny Shopsins New York institution Shopsins. Both events are free.

12. Take a trip upstate for an annual festival celebrating everything and anything garlic.

When asked about your favorite dishes and sauces, do you think of dishes like pesto, bagna cauda, kimchee, and toum? Then join your people at the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival on September 29 and 30 (entry costs $10), and celebrate 25 years of all things garlic. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, and there will be garlic farmers, a garlic market, and food vendors serving lots of very garlicky food.

13. Have an Italian-ish restaurants new lunch burger, then brunch on egg pizza at a newish pizzeria.

Another good burger is always welcome. Add another one to your list: Jonathan Bennos Roman-ish Leonelli Taberna is now open for weekday lunch, starting at noon, with a menu featuring a burger ($19) topped with provolone, hot peppers, and pickles. Other dishes, should your tastes be less about beef, include baked ricotta ($17) with summer squash and orata ($23) with brown butter, lemon, capers, and almonds. While on topic of new Italian restaurants serving lunch, Rosemarys Pizza now does, too. The same pizzas will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. During weekend brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., theyll offer two new ones (both $17): a Carbonara, a la the classic pasta, and a Pan Frattau, with tomatoes, oregano, Fresno chilies, Pecorino, and eggs over easy.
News

25 years ago: Sultan Al Qasimi Centre recalls Sheikh Zayed honouring Sheikh Sultan

It is noteworthy that "Piece of the Month" is a project launched by Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi, and aims to highlight on a monthly basis one of the distinctive pieces from the collection of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.
Fire trucks are seen beside the ferry Eleftherios Venizelos at Piraeus port in Piraeus, Greece, Aug. 29, 2018. A passenger ferry with 1,016 people onboard returned to Piraeus port early Wednesday after a fire broke out while the vessel was en route to the island of Crete. The cause of the fire was under investigation. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Greek ferry, which had reported fire at the garage while sailing to Crete island on early Wednesday, docked at Piraeus port with no injuries, Greek authorities announced.

The fire was contained, and the passengers who spent four hours on the decks wearing lifejackets amid smoke disembarked from the ship shortly after sunrise.

Travelers who were welcomed by anxious relatives were accommodated at local hotels until a replacement ferry will sail to Crete.

The causes of the incident are investigated.

According to early information from the shipping ministry, the alarm went off after midnight as "Eleftherios Venizelos" which had departed from Piraeus port late Tuesday with 875 passengers and 141 crew members on board was sailing near the island of Hydra.

Konstantinos Stogiannis, a retired travel agent, was on board the ferry with his 9-year-old grandson in a group of 45 people.

"The people reacted very well. They led us all up to the deck, running to help us. They were great. Perfect," he said as he was waiting to find out whether one of the buses of his family business was damaged in the fire.

The ferry was also carrying 80 trucks and 152 smaller vehicles.

Travelers got worried when they heard the captain asking them to put on life jackets, but there was no panic, Stogiannis noted.

"Fear did not prevail, there was no panic. People explained to us that boats were ready for evacuation according to standard maritime procedures in case we need them so there will be no panic," he said.

"The most pleasant fact is that all people, all travelers were evacuated and there is no safety problem now," Fire Brigade Chief Vasilios Mattheopoulos explained.




Haiti - FLASH : Proposed amendments to the Constitution in favor of the diaspora





After 17 months of work, the Special Committee of the Chamber of Deputies on the amendment of the Constitution https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22775-haiti-politic-constitutional-amendment-the-diaspora-wants-representatives-in-parliament.html presented this week at the Karibe Hotel, thirty proposals for amendments to the Constitution, including two for the benefit of the diaspora. Proposals that according to the Deputy Jerry Tardieu, President of the Commission reflects overall, the opinion of citizens.



Diaspora representation in Parliament :

The Commission proposes that Haitians living abroad be represented in the Parliament of Haiti by 8 deputies and a senator.



Deputies and regions concerned: USA, Canada, South America, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and Asia and the Dominican Republic (1 Member of Parliament per country and region).



Plus 1 Senators for all Haitians living outside.



Diaspora : Nationality and right to vote

Regarding the restoration of political rights, the Commission proposes new constitutional provisions on nationality allowing the restoration of political rights for all Haitians without distinction, giving the right to vote in Haitian elections and parliamentary representation for Haitians living abroad .



In addition to these two important proposals for the diaspora here are some of the most important amendments :



Political system in Haiti :

The Commission proposes that the political system of the 1987 Constitution be replaced by another one in which the executive will be composed of a president and a vice-president elected by universal suffrage. The post of Prime Minister (the Primature) is eliminated.



Responsibility of the Head of State :

"That the President of the Republic is now liable to common law courts for crimes of corruption, that is to say, he is prosecuted for possible financial crimes and administrative mismanagement he allegedly committed in the exercise of his function as president. As long as he is president, he is liable to the High Court of Justice. When he becomes a simple citizen, he will be liable to ordinary courts in the forms provided for by law."



Reductions of parliamentarians and term of office :

The Commission proposes to reduce the number of parliamentarians to one senator per department and one deputy per arrondissement, whose mandate would be 5 years for all.



Municipal Management :

The Commission proposes that municipal cartels of three members be replaced by a single mayor elected by universal suffrage assisted by a municipal assembly composed of councilors (former member of CASEC) of each communal section. The Commission also recommends the elimination of the ASECs but to discuss the advisability of keeping the former city delegate, who would become a municipal councilor.



Account verification and discharge :

The Commission proposes that the audit of the public accounts should now be entrusted exclusively to the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Disputes (CSC/CA) for all categories of public accountants and that it will be the only authority authorized to grant the certificate of discharge.



Publication of laws :

The Commission proposes the obligation for the President of the Republic to publish the laws and other acts of the legislature and of the National Assembly in the official journal of the Republic within a period not exceeding 15 days (after the objection period of eight days). Otherwise, the Parliament would have the authority and the obligation to send the law to the Official Gazette of the Republic for promulgation.



Referendum :

The Commission proposes that Article 284.3 be completed by specifying the possibility of consulting the people by referendum on major decisions.



The Commission now intends to enter into discussions with the Senate so that Parliament can possibly make a proposal for a consensual amendment submitted for ratification to both Houses of Parliament before the end of the last parliamentary session (2019) to meet the deadline set for the Article 282.1 of the Constitution.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22775-haiti-politic-constitutional-amendment-the-diaspora-wants-representatives-in-parliament.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - RD : The mayor of Santiago continues to chase and expel Haitians





Abel Martinez, the mayor of Santiago who has been engaged for several months in the liberation of sidewalks and public spaces of the city, illegally occupied by our compatriots, said this week that the town hall will continue to chase, arrest and expel from its streets all Haitians in irregular migration situations who occupy sidewalks, public squares and other places for the purpose of illegal informal business activities, impeding the movement of vehicles and pedestrians with their carts recalling "It is totally forbidden for undocumented foreigners to be in the streets of Santiago to sell clothes, food or any other items."



Similarly, Mayor Martinez recalled that the law forbids sleeping at night in the streets and parks of Santiago and that he will continue to control, arrest and deport all Haitians in an irregular situation, especially those who violate the law.



Note that conflicts between Haitians and residents of Santiago are common and have really increased in violence from 2011 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2035-haiti-social-haitians-from-santiago-repatriates-starting-from-january-6th-2011.html



Since then, the town hall has no ceased to try to regain control of the city and free the city center which was invaded by a large number of Haitians. Recall that last July out of 451 Haitians controlled, more than 85% were in irregular migration and were deported to Haiti



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25105-haiti-dr-more-80-of-haitians-controlled-in-santiago-illegal.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25004-icihaiti-social-our-compatriots-stalked-relentlessly-in-dr.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24658-icihaiti-dr-inspectors-of-dominican-migration-attacked-by-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24224-haiti-dr-hundreds-of-haitians-arrested-in-santiago-and-deported.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23522-haiti-flash-more-than-250-haitians-arrested-in-santiago-dozens-of-false-documents-seized.html



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Diplomacy : The Ambassador of Haiti met the new President of Mexico





Wednesday, Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexico's newly elected President, met with ambassadors from 22 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. At the end of this meeting, Marcelo Ebrard, the next Secretary of Foreign Affairs offered a press conference in the halfway house where he declared :



"It was a very warm, very fraternal meeting, Mexico does not only want to see the South, but to find with Latin America and the Caribbean, a common vision of the future, what I say is very ambitious, but we want to achieve it. We are not talking about trade relations that are very important, but to find with the political will a common vision of the future. We live in a changing world threatened by protectionist tendencies in some countries and the weakening of multilateral institutions, in this environment we must bring countries closer together."



In his speech, the Ambassador of Haiti, Guy Lamothe, said "It was a meeting of family and neighbors, to discuss the family problems of Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean. We saw on the part of the President-elect a spirit, a will, as was the case during the campaign, to get closer to the South, the Caribbean and so that Mexico is more plural and that during his 6 years of mandate, Mexico is a beacon of integration, cooperation and rapprochement [...] Today, we discussed Group issues, in front of Mexico, with Mexico, for Mexico and for the Group. Mexico has diplomatic relations with all these countries, after the installation of the President, we will have to discuss bilateral issues.



The meeting was attended by the Ambassadors of: Guatemala, Belize, Haiti, Uruguay, Panama, Venezuela, Peru, Honduras, Colombia, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Ecuador.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Education : Important measures for a safe return to school





At the last special conference around the back to school (Monday, September 3), Inspector General Carl-Henry Boucher, Head of the Central Directorate of Administrative Police (DCPA) indicated that arrangements have been made with the traffic directorate to identify and list all motorcycle and public transit stations. Adding that to ensure security "7,000 police officers will be mobilized at the country level for the reopening of classes."



For his part, Commissioner Carmel Florent, Head of the Central Directorate of Traffic Police (DCPR) emphasized the measures taken to smooth the flow of traffic, including the completion of the work in progress and urged motorists to respect the traffic rules. In addition, he reminded that the circulation of trucks during peak hours is prohibited and invited parents to take their children to school in peace.



Divisional Inspector Jimmy Francois, who is in charge of the EduPol Community Policing Unit through his "Hello Schoolchildren" program, intends to accompany students for a successful school year. School police brigades, will be vigilant and intervene to prevent juvenile delinquency among students reminding key stakeholders that "the presence of schoolchildren in uniform in public places during school hours is prohibited" insisting on the prohibition of the consumption of alcohol and drugs in schools.



Ms. Nirva Chery Lapommeray, the Deputy Director of the Department of Civic Action at the Ministry of Youth confirmed that "For the start of the school year, more than 500 brigadiers will be deployed in 20 zones in the metropolitan area and more than fifty in each department."



HL/ HaitiLibre


























Haiti - News : Zapping...





Back to school and road safety

As part of the start of the school year the Ministry of Youth announced an activity to be held on Saturday 31 around the theme "Let's protect students". The purpose of this activity is to raise the awareness of vehicle drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists about the proper way to ensure safety and a good school year for students.



Grumbling at some unpaid publishers

To five days before the reopening of classes, some publishers denounce the government's failure to honor the commitments made to them under the textbook subsidy and endowment program. The heads of these publishers claim that they have not received funds from the Government so far for the work done.



A first in 40 years

In early September, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will officially open its office in Haiti. Note that this is the first time in more than 40 years that the CBD opens an office abroad.



The 2018-2019 finance bill late ?

Joseph Lambert, the Senate Speaker mentions the possibility for Parliament not to respect the deadline of September 30 for the vote on the draft budget law 2018-2019 in the absence of a legitimate Government.



Mirlande Manigat pleads for a new Constitution

Mirlande Hyppolite Manigat believes that the proposals for constitutional amendment issued by the Special Committee of the Chamber of Deputies "upset the constitution of 1987" and advocates preferably for the full writing of a new Constitution.



Me Andre Michel deplores

"I have just learned that the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Disputes (CSC/CA) granted full discharge to Sophia St Remy Martelly for her management at the head of the Presidential Commission COLFAM. I am overwhelmed by this decision of the Court [...]" lamented Michel Michel fierce opponent of the Government Martelly, who believes that "Several tens of millions of US dollars from the PetroCaribe Fund were diverted by Sofia Martelly through all" a series of phony programs "as Ti Manman Cherie...



HL/ HaitiLibre


















My Favorite Quotes Recent Quotes

Portfolio Summary Your most recently viewed tickers will automatically show up here if you type a ticker in the Get Quotes box on the top of the page.
(Reuters)  Activist hedge fund Elliott believes Walt Disneys (DIS.N) deal to buy assets from Twenty-First Century Fox (FOXA.O) has valued Sky (SKYB.L) at more than $34 billion, higher than any of the current offers for the British broadcaster, Britains takeover regulator disclosed on Wednesday.

To read this article:
(Reuters)  Activist hedge fund Taconic Capital Advisors said on Wednesday that it would sell a 3.55 percent stake in Iraq-based oil producer Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. Taconic Capital, a multi-strategy hedge fund which was founded in 1999, said it would explore the opportunity to sell 8.13 million shares in the Iraqi Kurdistan-focused oil firm.

To read this article:
Its proposal would make it easier for businesses with no more than 20 employees to lay off employees on personal grounds.

The Finnish government decided not to scrap its proposal to undermine the protection against unilateral termination of employees at small businesses in its newly completed budget session despite the demands and threats of trade union confederations.

The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK) and the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland (Akava) have all expressed their opposition to the proposal. SAK declared a couple of weeks ago that it will introduce workplace-specific measures unless the government abandons the proposal.

Ilkka Kaukoranta, the chief economist at SAK, told Uusi Suomi on Wednesday that the central organisation will continue to lobby against the proposal and determine its course of action in a meeting of its executive board next week.

Thats where well plan our response to [the proposal], he told.

Kaukoranta confirmed that the measures under consideration include strikes but stressed that the response may range from a few-hour work stoppage to a more widespread strike.

Yes, [there will be strikes] if the government stubbornly moves forward with this, he stated.

The Legislation Assessment Council is examining the impacts of the proposal. Kaukoranta believes if the council sided against the proposal, it would offer the government yet another opportunity to scrap the proposal.

Thatd be another opportunity for the government to backtrack on its decision. No bill has yet been presented to the Parliament. The government still has time to change its mind, he said.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi Suomi
Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) highlighted in a press conference that the government is poised to meet virtually all of its economic policy objectives, with the employment rate set to climb to 72 per cent and the budget deficit set to be wiped out in 2019.

The Finnish government unveiled its 55.3-billion-euro budget proposal for next year at the Government Palace in Helsinki on Wednesday, 29 August.

I have a slightly surprising piece of news: were set to put a stop to living on debt, he declared according to Helsingin Sanomat.

The government has already reached the objectives of increasing the ranks of the employed by 110,000, preventing an increase in the overall tax burden and putting an end to the increase in debt as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Our objective has been to make sure that taxes wont increase for anyone and that labour taxation is relaxed during our term in office  in a way that affects especially low and middle-income earners, said Petteri Orpo (NCP), the Minister of Finance.

This is a sensible tax policy and this graph shows that thats what weve done, he added.

Sipila, however, only discussed the sustainability deficit in passing, despite his government emphasising throughout its term in office that eliminating the 10-billion-euro deficit is one of its key objectives. The objective is likely to remain elusive unless the government manages to push through its long-discussed social, health care and regional government reform, writes Helsingin Sanomat.

The Finnish government wrapped up its two-day budget session on Wednesday, 29 August. It states in a press release that the budget proposal has been drawn up to promote social justice, alleviate the skills shortage, increase employment, enhance national security and support food production in Finland.

The budget is roughly a half-a-billion euros smaller than last year and shows a deficit of 1.4 billion euros.

The government details in its proposal a number of small appropriations for improving the employment situation and developing the education system in Finland. Helsingin Sanomat points out, however, that the funds earmarked for education and training are low in comparison to the education spending cuts of roughly 900 million euros introduced earlier in the current electoral term.

The measures to address the skills shortage include spending 20 million euros on providing short-term vocational and higher education programmes for unemployed job seekers and spending 10 million euros on facilitating the transition of people of immigrant backgrounds to working life.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
The poll indicates that well over one-fifth (21.9%) of the public are currently planning on casting their vote for the opposition party, signalling a surge of 1.7 percentage points from the previous poll conducted in June.

The Social Democratic Party has solidified its standing as the most supported political party in Finland, according to an opinion poll commissioned by Alma Media.

The National Coalition, on the other hand, recorded only a modest increase of 0.1 percentage points in popular support to 19.8 per cent. The Centre Party and Green League both recorded noticeable decreases in popular support, the former falling from 15.9 to 15.5 per cent and the latter from 13.9 to 13.1 per cent.

The Social Democrats has benefited from the lingering uncertainty around the social, health care and regional government reform, and the recent unrest in the ranks of the Centre and National Coalition, according to Alma Media. The opposition party seems to have also successfully convinced voters that the recent improvements in the economic situation are largely due to global economic cycles, rather than the efforts of the government of Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre).

The Left Alliance and Finns Party, meanwhile, remain locked in a battle for position behind the four most supported parties in Finland, with the Left Alliance dropping from 9.4 to 9.1 per cent and Finns Party rising from 7.8 to 8.0 per cent.

Support for the Swedish Peoples Party decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 4.2 per cent, that for the Christian Democrats by 0.2 percentage points to 3.7 per cent and that for the Blue Reform by 0.5 percentage points to 2.1 per cent, according to the poll conducted by Tietoykkonen between 13 and 25 August.

Over three-quarters (77.1%) of the 1,500 people surveyed were able and willing to say which party they would vote for if the parliamentary elections were held today. The poll has a margin of error of +/-2.4 percentage points.

The parliamentary elections will be held on 14 April 2019.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi Suomi
The Longines Master Collection: the Moon on her... The Longines Master...

Elegance, character and purity are the pillars of The Longines Master Collection, which is aimed at those who love the exceptional

Elegance, character and purity are the...
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.
Diplomatic efforts have resumed in an attempt to get the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam negotiations back on track

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) topped the priorities of both Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukris visit to Addis Ababa and his Sudanese counterparts visit to Cairo this week.

On Monday, Shoukri and Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel headed to Addis Ababa carrying a verbal message from President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

During their meeting with Ahmed the officials discussed the development of tripartite negotiations on the dam in light of efforts to implement the 2015 Declaration of Principles and the outcome of the last nine-party meeting held in Addis Ababa in May 2018, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said on Tuesday.

The meeting also discussed ways of pushing forward negotiations and removing any obstacles in the way of reaching a settlement that protects Ethiopian interests and Egypt water security, according to Abu Zeid.

The meeting also laid the groundwork for the expected encounter between Al-Sisi and Ahmed on the sidelines of China/Africa Forum in Beijing next month.

These continuous meetings keep the dialogue open and contribute to resolving pending issues, said a diplomat who preferred to remain anonymous.

The Shoukri-Kamel visit came two days after the Ethiopian prime minister announced a possible delay in the construction of the dam.

In his first press conference since coming to power Ahmed expressed disappointment that the contractor responsible for building the dam was lagging far behind the construction schedule. He warned that if we continue in this direction, the project may never see the light of day.

Commentators say any construction delays will provide Cairo with more time to negotiate pending issues related to the dams administration.

Time is a very important factor in this issue. A delay in the building process can give Cairo more time to resolve outstanding issues, said the diplomat.

The dam also topped the agenda of Shoukris meeting with his Sudanese counterpart Al-Dardiri Mohamed Ahmed in Cairo.

Their meeting was followed by a preparatory meeting to plan for the joint supreme committee expected to convene soon in Cairo.

Egypt and Sudan have taken part in various high-level meetings this year that have contributed to enhancing bilateral relations and boosting cooperation.

During a visit to Sudan last month President Al-Sisi said Egyptian-Sudanese relations were as eternal as the River Nile. He discussed bilateral ties with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al-Bashir and agreed to strengthen ties and work towards boosting trade, military and energy cooperation.

A quadrilateral meeting between Shoukri, his then Sudanese counterpart Ibrahim Al-Ghandour and the heads of the Egyptian and Sudanese security and intelligence services, was held in Cairo earlier this year.

The two countries issued a joint statement at the end of the meeting saying they had agreed on 11 points that will establish a framework for cooperation between the two states.

On Nile water the statement emphasised the importance of cooperation and coordination between the two countries within the framework of continuing commitment to agreements signed between them, including the 1959 agreement.

The 1959 agreement gives Egypt right to 55.5 billion cubic metres of Nile water a year and Sudan right to 18.5 billion cubic metres. Ethiopia has refused to acknowledge the water quotas.

The meeting contributed to easing tensions between Cairo and Khartoum, including over the disputed territory of Halayeb and Shalatin.

The media in both countries has contributed to escalating tensions which reached a climax when Sudan recalled its ambassador to Egypt in January without explanation. He returned two months later.

Sudan, which supports the Ethiopian dam project, has said it is also keen on preserving Egypts interests in receiving its share of Nile water.

Ethiopia began construction of the dam in May 2011. Cairo has repeatedly expressed concern that the dam could reduce its much needed quota of 55.5 billion cubic metres.

Negotiations between the three countries were suspended for three years but resumed in 2014 after Al-Sisi came to power and the Declaration of Principles was signed in March 2015.

The declaration states that no country should cause harm to the others and that the filling of the dams reservoir should be subject to the approval of both Egypt and Sudan.

The filling issue, together with protocols for the operation of the dam, continue to impede any agreement between the three countries.

Egypt has demanded the timetable for the filling of the reservoir be a minimum of seven years so as not to affect the flow of water to the downstream countries.

Two nine-party meetings were held this year to resolve the differences and fix a date for starting the studies that will assess the impacts of the dam on Egypt and Sudan.

The second nine-party meeting was held in Addis Ababa in May and concluded with a timetable being set to resolve pending issues.

We have charted a roadmap that, if successful, will be able to break through the difficulties that we have been facing, Shoukri told reporters after the meeting.

A ministerial meeting due to be held back-to-back with the third nine-party meeting on 19 June failed to materialise.

A scientific group has also been mandated to discuss and develop scenarios relating to the filling of the reservoir and the dams operation rules.

The group has held four meetings so far behind closed doors. It is comprised of 15 members, five from each country.

When completed GERD will be the largest in Africa, with a reservoir capacity of 74 billion cubic metres.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 30 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Back to the negotiating table

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Controversial questions over the assumption of war powers and the denial of civil rights that arose from 1861 to 1865 are every bit as potent and prevalent today.

For as long as there have been American wars, there has been scrutiny of the presidents who waged them. James Madison, officially the first chief executive to guide the United States through external conflict, quickly learned that Americans would make full use of their Constitutional right to question their governmenta right he helped createin the midst of war. Flash forward to 2007. President George W. Bush also finds himself under the political microscope, particularly over the decision to use specialized military tribunals to try enemy combatants detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The president is in good historical company, including that of one of the most revered figures in the world: President Abraham Lincoln.

During the Civil War, Lincoln decided to suspend the writ of habeas corpus, detain U.S. citizens and try them before a military tribunal. He paid dearly for those choices through a severe backlash from the public and the press. Then as now, the government walks a fine line between protecting the civil liberties we all hold dear and guarding the safety of our countrys citizens.

The decision to use tribunals inevitably elicits a variety of challenges from constituents, political coalitions, the press and the public in the form of legal action. This current attempt to expand executive power has led to accusations of forsaking civil libertiesthe same criticism that Lincoln endured. We know that Lincolns decisions have stood the test of time. We also know that the accusations characterizing Bushs actions as unprecedented are erroneous. But what can Lincolns wartime curtailments of civil liberties and expansions of presidential power teach us about these issues as they exist today? What light can closer examination of the atmosphere that inspired Lincolns choice to take extraconstitutional measures shed upon the Supreme Courts recent decision to halt the executive power to create military tribunals? And, in turn, what light can examination of the current attempts to expand presidential power in the midst of war shed on Lincolns presidency and his complex role in our nations history?

This article comes at a time of intense controversy and significant change in the relationship between civil liberties and presidential prerogative. In June 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-3 against the use of specialized military tribunals to try the enemy combatants detained at Guantanamo Bay a ruling described by The New York Times as the most significant setback yet for the administrations broad expansions of presidential power. The blow Hamdan v. Rumsfeld delivered to the power of the executive branch cast a shadow of uncertainty over the presidents broader strategy for handling the United States war on terror. By virtually heralding the stronger role the Supreme Court planned to play in supervising military prosecutions, Hamdans seemingly narrow holding could in fact signal the collapse of the bold and novel legal strategy laid out by the Justice Department after September 11, 2001. This strategy included exemption from the Geneva Conventions for people deemed by the administration to be enemy combatants, and the use of coercive styles of interrogation and secret surveillance.

Professor John C. Yoo, one of the principal architects of this legal response and a former member of the U.S. Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, spoke in strong terms of the possible effects of Hamdan. It could affect detention conditions, interrogation methods, the use of force, he said. It could affect every aspect of the war on terror. After the Supreme Courts decision, the parameters were rewritten for the tribunals, which are now referred to as military commissions. Congress signed the changes into law last fall, and as anyone following the news today knows, the Guantanamo hearings are proceeding. The intense debate over this issue will likely continue.

In many ways, Hamdan raises more questions than answers: When is a presidents expansion of power during wartime acceptable? What role does judicial review play in such expansion? How do President Bushs actions differ from those of Lincoln, and why and how is the public and judicial response so varied? An examination of the circumstances surrounding Lincoln at the time he grappled with the issue of civil liberties during wartime provides an interesting context for comparing Lincolns choices to the choices, and consequences, of military tribunals today.

To say that the situation facing Lincoln during the Civil War put him in a difficult political position would be a significant understatement. In the words of historian James G. Randall, No president has carried the power of presidential edict and executive order (independently of Congress) so far as he did.It would not be easy to state what Lincoln conceived to be the limit of his powers.

In the 80 days from his April 1861 call for troops and the convening of Congress in special session on July 4, 1861, Lincoln executed a series of important acts through a sheer assumption of presidential war powers. He increased the size of the Army and Navy; appropriated money for the purchase of arms and ammunition without congressional authorization; declared a blockade of the Southern coast (an act of war that arguably recognizes a belligerent nation); and, of course, suspended the fundamental privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.

Habeas corpus is a procedural method by which one who is imprisoned can file a writ in an appropriate court to have his or her imprisonment reviewed. If the imprisonment is not found to conform to the law, the individual is entitled to immediate release. With Lincolns suspension of the writ, immediate judicial review of imprisonment became unavailable, and prisoners could be held indefinitely without trial. The suspension triggered the most heated constitutional disputes of the Lincoln administration.

Lincoln avoided characterizing the situation facing the nation in 1861 as a civil war when he suspended habeas corpus, but instead noted the existence of combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings. He called on the militia to suppress said combinations. Only Congress of course is constitutionally empowered to declare war, but suppression of rebellion has been recognized as an executive function, for which the prerogative of setting aside civil procedures is placed in the presidents hands.

This issue is still hotly debated today. But despite Bushs aggressive tactics in the name of national security, and the aggressive judicial response that has followed, Lincoln did far more in his day. He made far-reaching decisions and crucial commitments while Congress was not in sessionall without having to worry about public polls.

It was events in Maryland that ultimately provoked Lincolns suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. Fort Sumter was fired upon on April 12, 1861; on April 19, the 6th Massachusetts militia arrived in Washington, D.C., after literally fighting its way through a hostile Baltimore; and on April 20, Marylanders severed railroad communications with the North, very nearly isolating Washington from that part of the nation for which it remained the capital. On April 25, the 7th New York militia finally reached Washington after struggling through Maryland as well.

The right of habeas corpus is so important to the structure of this countrys legal system that Lincoln actually considered the bombardment of Maryland cities as an alternative to suspending ithaving been authorized by the Armys general in chief, Winfield Scott, to shell hostile cities in case of necessity. By contrast, only in the extremist necessity was Scott to suspend the writ of habeas corpus.

Maryland was also the home of John Merryman, who expressed dissent from the course Lincoln was chartering in both word and deed and spoke out vigorously in favor of the South. He recruited a company of soldiers for the Confederate Army and became their drillmaster. Thus he not only exercised his constitutional right to disagree with what the government was doing but also engaged in raising an armed unit to attack and attempt to destroy that government.

Merrymans actions precipitated legal conflict between the president and the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Roger B. Taney. On May 25, 1861, Merryman was arrested by the military for various alleged acts of treason and detained at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. Shortly after Merrymans arrest, his counsel sought a writ of habeas corpus from Taney, alleging that Merryman was being held illegally. Taney, already infamous for his decision in the Dred Scott case of 1857, took jurisdiction as a circuit judge. On May 26, 1861, he issued a writ to Fort McHenrys commander, Brig. Gen. George Cadwalader, directing him to produce Merryman before the court the next day at 11 a.m. Cadwalader respectfully refused on the grounds that President Lincoln had authorized the suspension of habeas corpus.

To Taney, this was constitutional blasphemy. He immediately issued an attachment for Cadwalader for contempt of court. The marshal could not enter the fort to serve the attachment, so the old justice, recognizing the impossibility of enforcing his order, produced the now famous opinion, Ex Parte Merryman.

Notwithstanding the fact he was 85 years old, the chief justice vigorously defended the power of Congress alone to suspend habeas corpus. Taney took this position in part because permissible suspension was in Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution, the section describing Congressional duties. He ignored the fact that it was placed there by the Committee on Drafting at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 as a matter of form, not substance. Nowhere did Taney acknowledge that a rebellion was in progress and that the fate of the nation was at stake. He missed the crucial point made in the draft of Lincolns report to Congress on July 4:

The whole of the laws which were required to be faithfully executed were being resisted and failing of execution in nearly one-third of the States. Must they be allowed to finally fail of execution, even had it been perfectly clear that by the use of the means necessary to their execution some single law, made in such extreme tenderness of the citizens liberty that practically it relieves more of the guilty than of the innocent, should to a very limited extent be violated? To state the question more directly, are all the laws but one to go unexecuted and the government itself go to pieces lest that one be violated?

By addressing Congress, Lincoln had ignored Taney. At the time, nothing more was done about Merryman. He was eventually released from custody and disappeared into oblivion. Two years later, Congress resolved the ambiguity in the Constitution and permitted the president the right to suspend the writ while the war continued.

Five years later, after the final Union victory and with Lincolns own appointee Salmon P. Chase having taken the seat of chief justice, the Supreme Court reached essentially the same conclusion that Taney had in Ex Parte Milligan: The government, within the Constitution, has all the powers granted to it, which are necessary to preserve its existence.

Lincoln never denied that he had stretched his presidential power. These measures, he declared, whether strictly legal or not, were ventured upon, under what appeared to be a popular demand, and a public necessity; trusting, then as now, that Congress would readily ratify them.

But some individuals adamantly believed that in presenting Congress with a fait accompli, Lincoln had exceeded his authority. And like George W. Bush today, Lincoln faced a Supreme Court review over the constitutionality of his wartime actions. In 1863 the Supreme Court reviewed the validity of the initial war measures, the legal nature of the conflict and Lincolns assumption of war power. The Court issued a decision in the Prize Cases in March 1863, though the acts the decision reviewed had taken place in 1861. Before the high court was a question concerning one particular action: the seizure of vessels for violating the blockade, the legality of which had been challenged since it was set up by presidential proclamation without a congressional declaration of war. Of course, this seemingly particularized question had vast implications; the blockade was only one of the emergency measures Lincoln took, by his own authority, in the 80 days. It was a crucial question; were the Supreme Court to declare the act of setting up the blockade invalid, [i]t would end the war, and how it would leave us with neutral powers, it is fearful to contemplate! lawyer Richard Henry Dana Jr. wrote to Charles Francis Adams at the time the case was being deliberated.

In 1863, unlike in 2006, the Courts decision swung in favor of presidential power just barely. In a 5-4 decision, the three Lincoln appointees then on the Court joined the majority in upholding Lincolns decisions. Not surprisingly, the Lincoln administration met this narrow victory with great relief. The Court held that a civil war does not legally originate because it is declared by Congress; rather, it is the duty of the president, once the party in rebellion breaks allegiance, organizes armies, and commences hostilities, to resist force with force, and to meet the war as he finds it without waiting for Congress to baptize it with a name.

Naturally, the narrow victory only fueled the continuing dissent. Clement Laird Vallandigham, the best-known antiwar Copperhead of the era, was perhaps President Lincolns sharpest critic. He charged Lincoln with the wicked and hazardous experiment of calling the people to arms without counsel and authority of Congress; with suspending the writ of habeas corpus; and with coolly coming before the Congress and pleading that he was only preserving and protecting the Constitution. Vallandigham berated the president for demanding and expecting the thanks of Congress and the country for his usurpations of power. He was arrested by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside after speaking at a Democratic mass meeting at Mount Vernon, Ohio, on March 21, 1863. After being escorted to Kemper Barracks, the military prison in Cincinnati, he was tried by a military commission, found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment for the duration of the war.

After being denied a writ of habeas corpus, the still-defiant Copperhead applied for a writ of certiorari to bring the proceedings of the military commission for review before the Supreme Court. In the opinion Ex Parte Vallandigham, his application was denied on the grounds that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction over a military tribunal.

Of course, when the Court addressed the issue in Ex Parte Milligan after the war was over, it held that the writ of habeas corpus could only be suspended by Congress, and even then only in a situation where the civil courts were not operating. Even the charge of fomenting an armed uprising in a time of civil war was not deemed to be justification for usurping Congress right.

In 1942 the Supreme Court decided Ex Parte Quirin, a case in which prisoners detained for trial by military commission appealed a denial of their motions for writ of habeas corpus. The Supreme Court held that military tribunalsare not courts in the sense of the Judiciary Article [of the Constitution]. Rather, they are the militarys administrative bodies to determine the guilt of declared enemies and pass judgment. Ex Parte Quirin has since become the foundation for the current argument that the government has the right to hold enemy combatantseven Americansindefinitely, without evidence, charge or trial.

Today we are once again a nation at warthough the laws of war are different. After Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaida admitted to masterminding the horror that was September 11, hundreds of suspected al-Qaida and Taliban associates, not U.S. citizens, were arrested and detained at Guantanamo Bay as enemy combatants. President Bush proposed the use of military tribunals to try those individuals charged with terrorism. Such commissions do not enforce national laws, but rather a body of international law that has evolved over the centuries.

During the Civil War, Lincoln also declared martial law and authorized such forums to try dissidents because military tribunals had the capacity to act quickly; to gather intelligence through interrogation; and to prevent confidential information from becoming public. The Union Army conducted at least 4,300 trials of U.S. citizens by military commission, which reflected the disorder of the time. Lincoln answered his critics with a reasoned constitutional argument. A national crisis existed, and in the interest of self-preservation, he had to act. At the same time he realized Congress had the ultimate responsibility to pass judgment on the measures he had taken.

The Hamdan decision rests technically on narrow grounds, and Congress has given its seal of approval to most of the presidents subsequent proposals, as suggested by four of the Supreme Court justices. It may be time for another conclave in Geneva to create new protocols for a new kind of war. For this is indeed a new kind of war. The ever-shrinking global village in which we all live exacerbates the issues Lincoln faced nearly a century and a half ago. During the Civil War, Lincoln was concerned about the wars implications with Britain and France. Today Americans are even more acutely aware of how the United States is perceived not only by its allies but by the entire world, especially in matters of human rights, freedom and prudent use of power.

It is clear that the argument over Lincoln and civil liberties was as robust in his own time as in ours and deserves an equally careful reexamination by modern historians. The fact that Lincoln survived the firestorm over civil liberties that afflicted his administration with his reputation for statesmanship intact may be the most powerful argument for his judicious application of executive authority during a national emergency. Indeed, it may be the closest thing to a lesson we can extract from Lincolns exercises of extra-executive power. But the words of historian Mark E. Neely are both prescient and relevant here; he wrote more than 15 years ago: If a situation were to arise again in the United States when the writ of habeas corpus were suspended, the government would probably be as ill-prepared to define the legal situation as it was in 1861. The clearest lesson is that there is no clear lesson in the Civil Warno neat precedents, no ground rules, no map. War and its effect on civil liberties remain a frightening unknown.

Lincoln emerged from the controversy of expanded presidential powers and the subsequent judicial review as a powerful statesman whose dedication to preserving the Union is legendary. Now, as we again travel the often troubling, never clear road of extrapresidential power, walking the fine line between the preservation of civil liberties and the protection of a nation in the midst of conflict, Lincolns actions during the Civil War provide us with a richly textured background for contemplating this complex issue.

For additional reading, see Mark E. Neelys Fate of Liberty: Civil Liberties in Wartime, Brian McGintys Lincoln and the Court, and James F. Simons Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney.

Originally published in the June 2007 issue of Civil War Times. To subscribe, click here.
Gentlemen, we may not make history tomorrow, General Hubert Plumer reportedly told his staff, but we shall certainly change the geography.

IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF JUNE 7, 1917, ONE OF THE LARGEST NONNUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS in the history of the world erupted along a minor ridge in a tiny corner of Belgium. Ten thousand lives were snuffed out instantly. A gigantic red-and-black plume of smoke and debris blotted out the crescent moon as a shock wave of sound swept for miles in all directionsreaching, by some accounts, as far away as London and Dublin. For the men who detonated this explosion, perhaps the largest in history until an American B-29 dropped an atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, it vindicated years of planning and put an end to months of toil and terror in the mines of Messines.

World War I, replete with so much tragedy, brought some startling innovations. Most of these, such as tanks and new types of aircraft, were designed to break through or circumvent the network of trenches that scarred France and Belgium from the Swiss border to the English Channel. But none enduringly shattered the trench stalemate, and men continued to die in the millions on the Western Front. There seemed to be no way to escape the horrendous casualties from frontal assaults against massed machine guns and artillery.

To British and Dominion soldiers, no place better symbolized the wars inherent heroism and horror than the Ypres salient. Ypres, an ancient Flemish textile town with a magnificent medieval cloth hall, occupied a sliver of northwestern Belgium that German forces struggled and failed to capture for almost the entire war. While the British held Ypres after barely managing to repulse two major German offensives against the town in 1914 and 1915, their troops inhabited a narrow salient overlooked by the enemy on three sides. German artillery unceasingly pummeled the town and its environs. Reduced to ruins, the cloth hall became an icon of British tenacity. The troops who trudged past it on their way to the front thought of it as a gateway to hell.

At the beginning of 1917 the British commander in chief, Field Marshal Douglas Haig, aimed to break the German grip on Ypres as a preliminary to a larger offensive designed to aid his hard-pressed French allies and liberate much of occupied Belgium. He entrusted the execution of his plan to General Sir Hubert Plumer, commander of the Second Army that occupied the salient. Philip Gibbs, one of the most famous war correspondents of his day, described Plumer as almost a caricature of an old-time British general, with his ruddy, pippin-cheeked face, with white hair, and a fierce little mustache, and blue, watery eyes, and a little pot-belly and short legs. In reality, though, Plumer was a combat-hardened veteran of Britains imperial wars who founded his command reputation on precise planning and efficient staff work.

When Haig ordered Plumer to prepare for an offensive at Ypres, he discovered that the rotund little general had anticipated him by several months. Indeed, Plumer had been laying the groundwork for an operation to annihilate the German defenses south of the salient in a single blow. His plans success would not rely primarily on planes, tanks, or guns but on a few thousand miners from four nations and nearly 500 tons of explosives.

Military mining dates to ancient times. In the Middle Ages besieging armies dug tunnels to undermine castle walls. As technology developed, they laid and detonated explosives that reduced stonework to rubble. Earthwork field defenses and strongpoints fell victim to the same techniques during the Crimean War of 18531856 and the American Civil War, when Union forces detonated mines beneath Confederate works around Vicksburg and Petersburg in 1863 and 1864. But the assaults that followed often failed, typically because of poor timing and coordination by the attacking troops and the ability of the defenders to bring up reserves to plug gaps. In the First World War the British and French were slow to take up mining. The Germans did so with some success in 1914 and 1915, but never systematically.

Plumers decision to incorporate military mining into his plan to push the Germans back from Ypres resulted in part from the terrain-related obstacles opposing him. South of the Ypres salient the Germans occupied Messines Ridge. The ridge stretched approximately five miles as the crow flies, from the village of St. Yves (near the town of Messines) in the south to Hill 60, which was just below the salients tip in the north. Hill 60, standing nearly 200 feet above sea level, marked the ridges highest point. From the ridge the Germans enjoyed commanding views of the entire salient. Naturally, then, they fortified the ridge thoroughlyespecially Hill 60and planned to hold it indefinitely. Attacking infantry, no matter how well supported by artillery, would endure terrific casualties in any attempt to take the ridge, unless some other means were found to eject the German defenders first.

The visionary thinking that this challenge demanded was to be supplied by John Norton-Griffiths, an eccentric Member of Parliament and passionate imperialist known to his fellow lawmakers as Empire Jack. Like Plumer he was a veteran of Britains imperial conflicts, but Norton-Griffiths also had extensive experience in military and civilian engineering. At the outset of the war he had been supervising a sewer drainage project in Manchester that relied on clay-kicking. In this method, which had also been employed in building Londons Underground, workers braced their backs against tilted wooden boards facing the earth to be excavated. With their feet kicking modified spades, they chipped away at the earth face while an assisting kickers mate disposed of the debris behind them. The technique was simple but efficient in heavy clay soil.

Studying the military situation in France and Belgium, Norton-Griffiths quickly surmised that clay-kicking might be used for military purposes. The hidebound British War Office rejected his initial requests to field-test the technique in France, but after the Germans successfully detonated mines beneath British lines at Festubert on December 20, 1914, he was granted an audience with Lord Kitchener, the secretary of state for war. Kitchener at first expressed skepticism, to which the dynamic engineer responded by seizing a shovel from a nearby fire grate, plopping down on the floor, and giving an impromptu demonstration of clay-kicking. Amazed, Kitchener sent Norton-Griffiths to France, where he won over a succession of British generals and was given responsibility for recruiting, assembling, and training several tunneling companies for service on the Western Front.

Even as Norton-Griffiths set to work in the spring of 1915, the first British military mining activities were underway on Turkeys Gallipoli Peninsula. There, Australian and British troops improvised countermining techniques in response to underground operations by German-trained Turkish forces. Australian tunnelers, recruited from volunteers who had been miners in civilian life, were remarkably adept at subterranean warfare and quickly overpowered the Turks. Their talents would later prove useful at Messines.

Meanwhile, in France and Belgium, Norton-Griffiths had been touring the lines in a battered Rolls-Royce laden with cases of fine Scotch whisky. Touting his War Office authority,

which included the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel, he commandeered experienced miners for his tunneling companies from infantry formations. The cases of Scotch came in handy for soothing the wounded egos of infantry officers. After training in newly established mining schools, Empire Jacks molesas he preferred to call themmoved to the front, where they quickly made their presence felt in the fall of 1915.

While the British miners proved their worth, Edgeworth David, an Australian geology professor and polar explorer, persuaded authorities in his country to form their own tunneling units in September 1915 with an initial quota of just over 1,300 officers and men. Organized in three companies and recruited from experienced miners and technicians, including veterans of Gallipoli, the Australians arrived in France in May 1916 and were assigned immediately to Flanders. They found the mining of Messines Ridge well underway.

Norton-Griffiths had visited the Ypres salient in July 1915 and scratched out an informal sketch for detonating mines beneath the ridge. British engineering and mining officers subsequently transformed the sketch into a plan that Plumer initiated on a large scale in February 1916. From the beginning his goal was to blow up the entire crest of the ridge by detonating more than two dozen explosives-packed mines beneath every major enemy strongpoint. Two massive charges would target Hill 60.

In pep talks to the tunnelers, Norton-Griffiths suggested that their jobs would be easy. Just dig the mines, pack them with explosives, and return to your dugouts, he told them; after the order comes to trigger the charges, all you will have to do is sit back and watch the Germans going up in a grand fireworks display. But the task would be far more difficult, and protracted, than he imagined.

The tunneling companies from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Great Britain that dug toward Messines Ridge in the summer and fall of 1916 quickly discovered the utility of clay-kicking. The thick blue clay of Flanders was exceptionally difficult to work and foiled the tunnel-boring machines available at that time. Clay tunnel walls tended to swell after excavation, hopelessly encasing any large equipment. The alternative was clay-kicking. The Australians, detailed in sections, opened their pits at night to avoid observation, but they made certain everyone else knew who was doing the digging by erecting wooden kangaroos above the entrances to their shafts.

Shafts were dug straight down, to depths of up to 100 feet, before tunnels were pushed forward toward the enemy positions. Men sandbagged the telltale blue clay on removal and dispersed it at night to avoid detection by enemy aircraft. The tunnelers labored in shifts. Clay-kicking was exhausting, and so was the job of shoring up the galleries with wooden boards. Tunnels were prone to flood or collapse, and methane gas built up insidiously. Miners here, as in coal shafts, relied on mice and canaries to provide warning.

Nothing caused more stress, though, than the fear of enemy detection. Work had to be carried on in absolute silence. The scale of the British tunneling was so great, however, that the Germans quickly caught on. They dug their own tunnelsalso quietlyto discover and destroy their counterparts. The consequences of discovery could be grim. At times German troops broke suddenly through gallery walls and laid about with serrated knives, spiked maces, and pistols. More often they detonated small explosive charges known as camouflets to wreck galleries, entombing the tunnelers ormore mercifullykilling them outright.

In these aggressive tactics the British and especially the Australians gave as good as they got. They were fortunate to have had superior technology, especially the Frenchdesigned geophone. This was similar in appearance to a stethoscope. Listeners wore headpieces with two rubber tubes attached to microphones, which would be placed at various points on the gallery walls to detect enemy picks in action. The location of the enemy activity could then be pinpointed from multiple listening posts via compass and countermeasures taken. Detected and surprised constantly, the Germans soon found themselves losing the subterranean war. The most important British tunnels were pushed forward undetected.

BY THE SUMMER OF 1916 AN ASTONISHING 24,000 MEN WERE TUNNELING FOR THE ALLIES on the Western Front. Mines were being detonated everywhereso many, in fact, that one exploded every three hours in British sectors alone. The Australians exploded their first mine, a fairly small one, on June 6 near Ypres; but they mostly focused on the larger tunnels being dug into Messines Ridge. By November Canadian tunnelers had finished digging two large mines beneath Hill 60 and packing the chambers with 56,000 kilograms of ammonal explosives and gun cotton. The 1st Australian Tunneling Company took over from there to protect and maintain the charges until detonation. The Australians had no idea when the mines would be blown, and the Germans were working furiously to find them. Although the Canadians had done superb work in digging and charging the mines, the Australians would arguably have the tougher job in shepherding them through to the moment of detonation.

As soon as they entered the sector, the Australians worked aggressively to fend off German mining operations. But their worst nightmare seemed to come true almost immediately, as listeners detected signs of German tunnelers approaching one of the two mine chambers beneath Hill 60. If the Germans got too close, the Australian would have no choice but to evacuate the chamber or explode it prematurely, compromising Plumers offensive. There were no safe options for dealing with the threat. The Australians could do nothing and hope the Germans missed the chamber, or they could dig close to the enemy tunnel and explode a camouflet. But the Germans were now so close that the camouflet might also detonate the central mine chamber. Characteristically, the Australians chose the more aggressive option.

As the Australians inched toward the Germans, they used as little noise-deadening wooden propping as possible, even though it increased the chances that their tunnel would collapse on their heads. The closer they got, the more clearly they could hear the Germans picks working. Only a shower curtains width seemed to separate the two tunnels, and with each strike of a German pick, clods of clay tumbled from the roof onto the dogged Australians. Finally, on December 18, 1916, the tunnels were judged close enough, and the miners carefully packed 1,100 kilograms of explosive at the end of their gallery. The Australians slithered silently out of the gallery, clambered up the shaft, and waited in tense expectation.

The order to blow the camouflet was given at 2 a.m. the following morning. At that moment, according to one account, a huge tongue of flame leapt skyward from the enemys lines, and then all was deadly quiet. For an instant, the same fear was in every mind: that the primary charge had blown beneath Hill 60. But the explosion was too small; the central chamber was safe. Failing to deduce how close they had come to a crucial discovery, the Germans abandoned their operations at that spot.

Elsewhere beneath Hill 60, the subterranean war would continue for months. Only later did it become apparent how the Australians aggressive tactics had paid off. Here and elsewhere around Messines Ridge, the quantity and quality of the human and material resources that Norton-Griffiths and Edgeworth David had secured for their tunnelers simply overwhelmed the Germans. Though the German miners struggled heroically to countermine and blew numerous camouflets, they could not be everywhere at once. And they were overconfident. Each mining success reported to German army commanders led them to conclude that they had decisively thwarted the British. As a result, at a meeting in April 1917, the German generals decided not to redouble their mining efforts but to scale them back.

Plumer was unaware of the German decision but sensed that he was nearly ready. When Haig told him to plan and prepare an offensive for the beginning of 1917, Plumer did so with his customary thoroughness. He detailed three corps, from north to south the X, XI, and II Anzac, to attack the ridge concentrically. Their infantryincluding men from Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australiawould train exhaustively beforehand so that they could move according to meticulous timetables. Tanks would accompany their assault, while aircraft strafed, bombed, and spotted for the artillery. The big guns would play the most vital role aboveground, saturating the German positions with high explosives and poison gas for several days before the primary assault, and then accompanying the advancing infantry to suppress enemy fire. Everything, though, depended on the mines. They had to be completed and fully primed before the attack could begin.

As winter moved into spring 1917, Haig grew increasingly nervous. The French offensive on the Chemin des Dames that began on April 16 ended during the first week of May in blood-soaked confusion and widespread mutiny among the infantry. Haig was soon receiving cries for help from his allies to take pressure off of their front, even though the British had already attacked the Germans in another offensive near Arras. Most of the mines at Messines Ridge were ready to detonate, but Haig feared that German discovery of even one of them could wreck the whole offensive. He pestered Plumer to attack immediately, but the general held his ground. Nothing, he insisted, could move forward until every element of his plan was in place.

On June 1, finally, the British artillery bombardment began, pummeling the German primary trenches and strongpoints as well as rear areas. The devastation seemed immense, but the infantry knew that this did not necessarily ensure their safety. On the Somme in 1916, the artillery had pounded German trenches for several days until it seemed that not a single enemy soldier survived. But German soldiers who had ridden out the bombardment in their deep dugouts simply returned to their guns and in a single day (July 1, 1916) inflicted 60,000 casualties, including 19,000 dead, on the British. At Messines Ridge in 1917, the mines would be the infantrys only insurance against wholesale slaughter.

For the Australians, the tension became nearly unbearable. With no way of knowing that the Germans had cut back their countermining operations, the Australians continued to take casualties from camouflets and German artillery that pounded their dugouts. As the final days ticked down, the Australians checked and rechecked their explosives, shored up galleries, and listened for German countermining. Elsewhere along the ridge, so did miners from Britain, Canada, and New Zealand.

The waiting finally ended at 3:10 a.m. on June 7. As nine infantry divisions with about 80,000 men prepared to move forward, officers manning the entrances of 19 tunnelsthe total number that had been completed beneath Messines Ridge, some of them just hours earlierdetonated their charges within seconds of one another. At his post 437 yards from Hill 60, Australian captain Oliver Woodward was so nervous that he threw his electric switch too violently, accidentally touching his hand to a live 500-volt pole. As he reeled across his dugout, stunned by the sudden shock, the mines exploded in unison. E. N. Gladden, a British private waiting to attack the strongpoint, later recalled feeling his body suddenly carried up and down as by the waves of the sea. As he peered forward, the earth opened and a large black mass was carried to the sky on pillars of fire, and there seemed to remain suspended for some seconds while the awful red glare lit up the surrounding desolation. After a few moments, Gladden recalled, the sound leapt over us like some immense wave.

Soon the infantry surged forward into smoke and unnerving silence, with nary a rifle fired against them. Atop the ridge the soldiers discovered scenes of utter devastation. Hill 60 had two craters, one 90 yards across and 16 deep and the other 69 yards across and 11 deep. Each crater was surrounded by three-yard-high rims of concrete and debris, including fragments of equipment and men. Here and there a lucky survivor emerged to surrender, but the equivalent of an entire German infantry division had been eliminated in an instant. Messines Ridge was finally in British hands, breaking a major portion of the German grip on the Ypres salient and, in the long run, saving the lives of many Allied soldiers.

Unfortunately, the days that followed dashed some of Plumer and Haigs hopes. Pushing east from Messines Ridge, the British infantry again encountered well-prepared German defenses and paid the price, with 20,940 casualties before the battle closed on June 14. German casualties were comparable but included more than 7,000 prisoners, many of them stunned into helplessness by the explosions. Although the ridge fell, no breakout took place, and Haigs next offensive at Ypresthe Battle of Passchendaele, on July 31became a new byword for futility and slaughter.

The mining of Messines Ridge nevertheless marked an important if fleeting breakthrough in modern military history. The craters are still easily visible. In some places, mines that failed to detonate or were not completed in time lay sleeping below ground, still packed with explosives; a lightning strike detonated one of them in 1955. Hill 60 in particularthe subject of the 2010 movie Beneath Hill 60has become a testament to the bravery of the Australian tunnelers who ensured victory on that explosive June day in 1917 and to the 335 of them who died during the First World War. MHQ

Edward G. Lengel, a professor at the University of Virginia and director of its Papers of George Washington Project, writes frequently about the World War I era. His most recent book is First Entrepreneur: How George Washington Built Hisand the NationsProsperity (Da Capo Press, 2016).

This article appears in the Winter 2017 issue (Vol. 29, No. 2) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: The Day the Earth Blew Open
In service to the British empire in Canada and South Africa, American machine gunner Arthur Gat Howard lived up to his rat-a-tat nickname

Subordinates may have regarded portly British Maj. Gen. Frederick Middleton as pompous and plodding. But the 59-year-old commander of the Canadian Militiawho had been recommended for the Victoria Cross during the 1857 Indian Rebellion and honorably mentioned in dispatches in New Zealandwas no fool. As he surveyed the western Canadian village of Batoche through his binoculars on May 9, 1885, the old soldier knew he was in trouble.

In late March, when the Metis people (of mixed-blood European and North American Indian ancestry) allied with disaffected Crees and Assiniboines of the First Nations to overthrow the government of the District of Saskatchewan, Middleton had hastily raised a force of some 900 Canadian militiamen to put down the uprising. Although the Metis were undisciplined fighters, they were skilled at irregular warfare and expert marksmen armed with Winchester repeating rifles.

Other than a few squads of scouts and constables of the North-West Mounted Police, Middletons force largely comprised citizen soldier units from cities and towns back East. Armed mostly with old breechloading, single-shot Snider-Enfield rifles, the militia was better suited to the parade ground than warfare against a resourceful, mobile enemy fighting on his own turf. I went down the ranks, the general himself recalled of one training drill, and found that many of [the men] had never fired a rifle; some even had never fired any weapon at all.

On April 24, en route to the Metis stronghold at Batoche, Middletons force had stumbled into an expertly laid ambush at Fish Creek. During the sporadic firefight the Canadians had lost 10 killed and 40 wounded, and Middleton took a bullet through his fur service cap. A week later the general had received word that First Nations warriors at nearby Cut Knife Hill had defeated an attacking force under his subordinate, Lt. Col. William Dillon Otter, with similar losses.

Now, as Middleton cautiously marched his men toward the high ground overlooking Batoche, he likely hoped for some advantage to tilt the momentum in his direction. Suddenly, puffs of smoke and the whistle of incoming rounds alerted him to enemy snipers firing from two wood-frame houses in the distance. Middleton called for artillery to shell the houses. As his men wheeled one of the columns 9-pounder field guns into position, a lanky, bearded man in an unfamiliar blue uniform directed another gun carriage forward. Fixed atop it was a bundle of brass tubes that looked like some sort of plumbing fixture. Middletons advantage had arrived.

Lieutenant Arthur Howard of the Connecticut National Guard squinted down the gleaming topmost brass barrel and front sight of the new Gatling gun at his target, a cluster of two-story white houses beside a Catholic church a little over a half-mile away. Locking in the barrel, he cranked the breech handle, and the gun belched out fire and smoke, sending dozens of rounds ripping through the wooden structures. One caught fire, scattering its defenders. Seconds later from a window of the other house poked a white flag, waved frantically by its occupantsa huddle of priests, nuns and terrified Metis women and children. Though the target was somewhat questionable, the power and speed of Howards weapon had impressed Middleton and struck fear into the enemy snipers, who scrambled to find better fighting positions.

As Canadian forces resumed their advance on the fortified village, the Metis, firing from well-concealed rifle pits, halted the militia. The defenders also managed to thwart a prearranged flanking assault by the steamboat Northcote by lowering the towns ferry cable across the river, which sheared off the ships masts and smokestacks, knocking it out of the fight. The Metis then mounted a determined counterattack to seize a battery of field guns, but Howard quickly positioned his Gatling gun to repel the assault. Major Charles Boulton recalled the episode in a postwar memoir:

Howard on this occasion showed his gun off to the best advantage and very pluckily worked it with great coolness

The Gatling, which was being worked for the second time and was just getting into action, withHoward at the crank, turned its fire on the concealed foe and for the moment silenced them.Howard on this occasion showed his gun off to the best advantage and very pluckily worked it with great coolness, although the fire from the enemy was very hot for a time.

Middleton then directed Howard and his weapon to spearhead a flanking attack against the Metis. But even the superior firepower of the Gatling, which could send downrange some 400 rounds per minute, couldnt dislodge the Metis from their stoutly constructed rifle pits. Neither side could gain an advantage as the day wore on. Finally, in the evening Middleton fell farther back to high ground and constructed a zareba, or improvised stockade, using the wagons and other barriers.

The next day, May 10, the Canadian force hardened the zarebas fortifications and bombarded Batoche with the 9-pounders. On the morning of the 11th the general brought Howard and his Gatling with a squad of scouts on a reconnaissance in force to probe the Metis left flank. The Metis met each burst from the machine gun with steady return fire, ultimately forcing the party to withdraw to the zareba. But the general had gathered valuable intelligence on the enemy positions, thanks in part to the Yankee and his machine gun.

Middletons plan for the final assault was to employ Howards gun and one of the 9-pounders in a diversionary attack on the Metis left flank. On hearing the cannons initial rounds, Lt. Col. Bowen Van Straubenzie, commanding the bulk of the infantry forces, would lead the main attack on the Metis right flank.

At midmorning on May 11 the cannon and the Gatling gun opened up, which drew heavy fire from the Metis left flank as expected. However, due to strong winds Van Straubenzie never heard the cannon fire and failed to assault the right flank. When Middleton realized his plan had gone awry, he retreated to his tent in a blind rage, later admitting, I am afraid on that occasion I lost both my temper and my head.

What happened next is unclear. Either Van Straubenzie or Lt. Col. Arthur Williams or both then led an all-out infantry assault on Batoche, successfully dislodging the Metis, whose supply of ammunition was nearly exhausted. Three days later the Canadians captured Metis leader Louis Riel, whom they tried for treason and hanged. The Northwest Rebellion, as it came to be known, was over.

Canadian and British newspapers heralded the empires victory, and Queen Victoria herself knighted Middleton. Also lionized for his exploits, Howard earned the nickname Gat, which stuck to him for the rest of his life. But who was this Yankee soldier of fortune?

Arthur Lockhart Howard was born on Feb. 16, 1846, in Hinsdale, N.H., and attended school in Chicopee, Mass. At age 21 he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Carlisle Barracks, Pa. His enlistment form records his occupation as machinist, thus its conceivable the young New Englander was fleeing a life of industrial drudgery for the adventure of soldiering.

Howard served with the 1st U.S. Cavalry Regiment from 1866 to 1871. Existing records dont refer to him by name, but the unit history indicates that regimental detachments engaged hostile Indian bands in Oregon, Idaho Territory, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arizona, including pursuit of the legendary Apache war chief Cochise.

Returning to New England, the young machinist worked for vaunted arms manufacturer Winchester in New Haven, Conn., even registering a few of his own patents. In 1881 he ventured out on his own and established the cartridge-making firm A.L. Howard & Co. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the budding enterprise, though Howard soon found work with another cartridge manufacturer.

In the meantime, Howard returned to military service, joining the Connecticut National Guard in 1880 as a sergeant in the Governors Horse Guard. In 1884 he was promoted to lieutenant and given command of his regiments newly formed machine gun platoon. Around that time Howard came to the attention of Richard Jordan Gatling, inventor of the automatic weapon that bears his name.

When the Metis rebelled in 1885, the Canadian government sent Gatling an urgent request for his machine guns. Likely to ensure his innovation would be properly deployed, Gatling sought out Howard to accompany two guns to Canada. The Connecticut National Guard granted the lieutenant one months leave, though it stopped short of sanctioning his adventure in the Great White North. Gatling undoubtedly arranged some form of payment, as by then Howard had a wife and five children. In all associated paperwork the inventor refers to Howard only as a friend of the gun. The lieutenant had already earned himself a place of honor in Canadian military history for his stalwart actions at Batoche in May 1885. But his swashbuckling military career was far from over.

Following his exploits in the Northwest Rebellion, Gat Howard traveled repeatedly between Canada and the United States, eventually spending the bulk of his time in Canada. In 1886 he founded the Dominion Cartridge Co. in Brownsburg, Quebec, which manufactured ammunition for the Canadian government. Apparently, the travel put a strain on his personal life. After giving birth to their sixth childa son named Van Straubenziewife Sarah refused to join Arthur in Quebec. In November 1888 a lurid article in the New Haven Evening Register described one tempestuous public encounter between Arthur and Sarah, reporting, He had a very stormy interview with his wife and put into practice some of the tactics he learned while fighting Riels rebels. By months end the couple had finalized their divorce.

Remaining in Canada, Howard became a prosperous businessman. In addition to the rapidly growing cartridge factory, he invested in various other business ventures, including a failed lobster processing plant in Labrador. He married farmers daughter Margaret Green in 1895 and built an impressive mansion in Brownsburg.

Another period newspaper account offers a glimpse into Howards fiery disposition. In the encounter it describes, he apparently accused the U.S. Customs officer in Halifax, Nova Scotia, of turning a blind eye to smuggling. After a hot exchange of words, the two men came to blows.

In 1899 Canada dutifully answered the call of the British empire to provide troops for the brewing fight against the Boers in South Africa. The 1st Canadian Contingent comprised 1,039 troops under Lt. Col. Otter of Cut Knife Hill notoriety. But the force proved insufficient to bolster the beleaguered British army, and Canada was asked to provide a second contingent.

At a time in life when many men look forward to retirement, Howard was willingly off to combat

By late 1899 Gat Howard was a wealthy 54-year-old widower, second wife Margaret having died during childbirth in 1897. Howards business concerns were quite profitable, he was a 32nd degree Mason and a leading citizen of Brownsburg. But there was a war on in South Africa, and Howard wanted in on the action. At a time in life when many men look forward to retirement, Howard was willingly off to combat.

He reportedly offered to raise, equip and command a machine gun section for the 2nd Contingent, but the government declined his offer. Instead, it commissioned him a lieutenant and gave him a rather open assignment. A newspaper of the time summed it up: Howard is not to be attachedto any particular division or company but is to be something of a freelancein charge of the Maxim machine guns.

Howard set sail for South Africa from Halifax in January 1900. On arrival he commanded the machine gun section of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, which was equipped with one Model 1898 .30-caliber belt-fed Colt machine gun and one bulky, unreliable Maxim.

Joining a large British force in its advance on the Boer capital of Pretoria, the Canadian dragoons busied themselves with reconnaissance, flank protection, intelligence gathering and other scouting duties. Many in the column believed the Boers will to fight would crumble when Pretoria fell on June 5, but the Afrikaners were determined to continue their guerrilla war against British forces.

After the fall of the Boer capital, the dragoons manned outposts, protected rail lines and battled enemy commandos into early autumn. During one seek-and-destroy operation Howard deployed far forward with the Colt machine gun, risking capture or death. Bearing the hot-barreled weapon in his arms, he narrowly escaped encirclement by the retreating Boers, earning a stiff reprimandand likely grudging respectfrom the regimental commander for his bravado.

In his memoir With the Guns in South Africa Sir Edward W.B. Morrison, who during the war was a lieutenant in the regimental horse artillery, offered the following description of Howard:

Gat Howard has become almost as conspicuous a figure in the British army of South Africa as he was in the Northwest field force. He deservedly bears the reputation of being one of the bravest men in the army and, his critics add, one of the most reckless. Yet there would appear to be a method in his madness, because though he has been in many tight places, he has not lost many men.He is blessed with a positive optimism that makes him think he is always right.For a man of his years and physique he is a marvel of energy and endurance, and everybody likes Gat.

On Nov. 7, 1900, while Howard was on leave in Pretoria, Sergeant Edward J.G. Holland of his section earned the Victoria Cross for using the Colt machine gun to repel a Boer attack on an artillery battery. Morrison, an eyewitness to the action, noted, It is a good thing that Gat Howard was not out with it, or there likely would have been one more casualty on our side.

At years end the Royal Canadian Dragoons prepared to return home, but Howard wasnt going with them. British army commander Lt. Gen. Lord Herbert Kitchener hoped to raise irregular mounted units to defeat the Boers using their own unconventional tactics, and newly promoted Major Howard was authorized to recruit a 125-man force.

In January 1901 the Canadian Scouts (aka Howards Scouts) mustered for duty. Most of the troopers were Canadians who had served in mounted units, like Howards second-in-command Captain Charlie Ross, who was also a U.S. Cavalry veteran. Although all 114 of the original members of the Canadian Scouts were given the rank of sergeant, not all recruits were suited to be noncommissioned officers, particularly those who had signed on from the docks of Cape Town.

The scouts were organized into two troops of 30 men each and one 24-man machine gun section. Howard asserted his influence and expertise, equipping the unit with six Colt machine gunsthree times the firepower allocated to a typical regiment.

Shortly after mustering into service the scouts were assigned to a large British force charged with Kitcheners scorched earth mission to eliminate Boer resistance. Two scouts were killed and one of the machine guns fell into Boer hands on Jan. 27, 1901. Although the scouts did engage in firefights with Boer commandos, most of their time was spent evicting families and burning farms in the effort to deprive Boer forces of logistical support. We get so many sheep, Ross reported, that we have to kill hundreds every day and burn every wagon, buggy, saddle, etc., we dont require for our own use. We are leaving an awful trail of smoke and ruin wherever we go.

Unsubstantiated reports claimed the Canadian Scouts adhered to an unofficial policy of executing Boer prisoners, which would certainly not be unusual given the brutal nature of that phase of the war. It is also probable the Boer commandoes held Howards scouts in particular contempt, given their operations to destroy farms and displace civilians.

On Feb. 17, 1901, while patrolling for Boer commandos, Howard, Sergeant Richard Northway and a native scout spotted a cluster of wagons in a valley. Riding to investigate, the party came under fire from concealed Boers. The trio sought cover amid the wagons, but the Boers closed in, cutting them off. On hearing the distant gunfire, the remaining scouts charged in to rescue their commander. They arrived in the valley to find Howards lifeless body, with the other two men lying beside him severely wounded.

Major A.L. Howard (killed) has been repeatedly brought to my notice for acts of gallantry, Lord Kitchener noted

Reports vary regarding the specifics of Howards death. All concur he was shot in the arm, jaw and stomach. Some allege Howard had handed over his weapons and surrendered to the Boers, who had then executed the commander of the hated Canadian Scouts. Other reports suggest Howard fell during the initial firefight with the Boers. Still another claims the Boers shot Howard after hed refused to hand over his Masonic ring.

Lord Kitchener noted in his March 8 dispatch, Major A.L. Howard (killed) has been repeatedly brought to my notice for acts of gallantry. The American-born major was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his heroic service in South Africa.

So ended the remarkable life and career of Major Arthur Gat Howard, DSOU.S. cavalry trooper, Connecticut National Guardsman, Royal Canadian Dragoon and commander of the Canadian Scouts. Born in a small New England village, he became a valiant warrior and Canadian patriot who gave his life for the British empire.

P.G. Smith is a retired U.S. Army brigadier general who has written several articles for Military History. He is a visiting instructor at the U.S. Army War College and teaches counterterrorism strategy at Nichols College. For further reading he recommends Knowing No Fear: The Canadian Scouts in South Africa, 19001902, by Jim Wallace with Captain Michael Dorosz, and The Battle of Batoche: British Small Warfare and the Entrenched Metis, by Walter Hildebrandt.
Name: Thomas M. Nelson

Dates: 1833-1864

Allegiance: Confederate

Highest Rank: Lieutenant colonel

Unit: Nelsons Rangers

Service Record: Enlisted April 28, 1861, 4th Georgia Infantry, resigned in November. Formed Nelsons Rangers, April 1862, fought at Huntsville, Tenn., Richmond, Ky., Brices Cross Roads, raided in Mississippi and Alabama. Killed on July 14, 1864, at Harrisburg, Miss.

On April 28, 1861, a fortnight after the Union surrender at Fort Sumter, Private Thomas M. Nelson was among 83 volunteers assembled at the Albany, Georgia, railroad depot ready to defend the Confederate cause. The 28-year-old doctor had been assigned to Company E of the 4th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment and was en route to Richmond, Virginia.

Upon arriving in the capital of the Confederacy, Dr. Nelson was named surgeon of the 4th Georgia, though he would never fight with the unit. For unknown reasons, Nelson resigned his position in November and returned to Albany.

In April 1862, an independent cavalry company was formed called Nelsons Rangers, with the former surgeon as its captain. Eventually there were more than 130 men in the company, including four of Nelsons nephews.

In mid-August, Nelsons Rangers escorted Maj. Gen. E. Kirby Smiths 19,000-man Army of Kentucky as it marched from Knoxville, Tenn., to drive the Federal Army of the Ohio out of the Bluegrass State. Near the village of Huntsville, Tenn., the Rangers saw their first action when Captain Nelson led a successful cavalry charge on a Federal camp, overpowering its defenders. On August 30, the Rangers subdued an entire skirmish line during the Battle of Richmond (Ky.), a Confederate victory.

Smith was ordered to reorganize his army west of the Mississippi River in late 1862, and Nelsons Rangers were assigned to accompany him. But with winter approaching, the Rangers returned to their homes in Georgia to wait for spring. While the Rangers were heading west to join Smith at Shreveport, La., they were pulled back to help in Mississippi as Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman began their decisive Vicksburg campaign.

After Vicksburg surrendered on July 4, 1863, Nelsons unit was reassigned to the commands of Maj. Gen. Stephen Dill Lee and Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. The Rangers began conducting raids in northern Alabama and Mississippi.

Nelson returned to Albany that winter and married Fannie Tift on December 30. The following spring the Rangers were again serving as a cavalry escort for Stephen D. Lees army, and in June fought with Forrests 6th Mississippi Cavalry at the Battle of Brices Cross Roads. Nelson was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

After Forrests victory at Brices Cross Roads, Sherman ordered his troops to pursue and destroy the brash Rebel general. The two armies met on July 14, 1864, at the village of Harrisburg, Miss., near Tupelo. Nelson was killed while leading his men in that fight.

As Forrest later reported: [T]he battle of Harrisburg willstamp with immortality the gallant dead and the living heroes it has made. Prominent among the dead is Lieutenant Colonel Thomas M. Nelsona Lion-Hearted Officer.

Originally published in the June 2007 issue of Civil War Times. To subscribe, click here.
Matthew Naylor, president and CEO of the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., also sits on the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, which since its establishment by Congress in 2013 has worked to commemorate the nations participation in the war. On Nov. 11, 2018, the commission and its partners nationwide will mark the 100th anniversary of wars end on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month of 1918. Naylor, a native Australian who holds a doctorate from Curtin University in Perth, recently spoke with Military History about the significance of the war, the centennial, the museums mission and its plans beyond November 11.

What about World War I most interests you?

The war is deeply personal, as my grandfather was British and served in France. The conflict also contributed to the development of independence movements and the deconstruction of empires. It was the beginning of a new era and the emergence of a new world in many areasliterature, music, artand we saw the impact of new technologies. I also have a deep interest in how the world was reshaped and how the war was a fulcrum for clashing ideologies and new ways of thinking.

It is seen as a European war. How do you convey the conflict to American audiences?

One could argue it was World War I that launched the American Century and really brought the United States onto the world stage.

World War I is a very complicated story. In the popular imagination its messy, its cause is unclear, there were countries involved that arent around anymore. We at the museum present the story from a global perspective and from the point of view of all the belligerents. Our introductory film is fantastic and lays out the key players and the contributing factors. Once people learn that, they then begin to move into understanding the conflict and its enduring impact.

What was the significance of the United States entry into the war?

There is much to be learned from 191416, before the United States was in it. We were, of course, involved in other waysvolunteers, industry, finance. And the arguments leading to the American entry were influenced by the makeup of the country, which has parallels to the conversations today around immigration. At the time German immigrants comprised about 10 percent of Americas population.

We acquired two uniformsone German, one Americanboth worn by a Danish man. He was in German-occupied Denmark and served under the German flag. Then he sailed to the States to join his brother. He was probably conscripted and in 1918 went back to Europe wearing an American uniform. That example illustrates the complex nature of immigration and the difficult decisions being made by the United States. Some Army divisions spoke as many as 43 languages.

We still seek to identify what it means to be an American, and that was happening in 191416 and in many respects delayed the U.S. engagement in the war. But, of course, when Congress voted on April 6, 1917, there was spectacular growth from a standing U.S. Army of 100,000 to just over 4.5 million. In many respects the nation came together in quite a remarkable way that was defining for the American experience.

What are some standout items in the museums collection?

One is the Renault tank, one of only three that remain that were battle-damaged. When this particular tank was brought here, we discovered that inside are the names of mechanics who worked on it in Franceand some of them were from Kansas City. So not only does the tank illustrate the evolution in technology, but also it has a strong local connection.

Public relations and propaganda were born in World War I, and our poster collection depicts that. One of my favorites is of a mother with a child, sinking in the waterit was made after the sinking of Lusitania. Its a powerful, evocative and haunting image.

We also have a collection of gas masks, from gas goggles first introduced in 1915 to the masks they were using by the time the Americans arrived in France. To see them is quite haunting and terrifying.

What would you like to add to the collection?

We collect encyclopedically from all of the belligerents, which distinguishes us from other like institutions that primarily tell the story through the lens of their country or empire. We certainly tell the U.S. story, but that doesnt start until about halfway through. So we have a great many objects from other countries. About 97 percent of our collection is donated, and we are collecting almost every week. Last year we had about 286 accessions. Each accession could contain one object or as many as a couple hundred. The year 2017 was especially good for us in terms of accessions.

We have been looking for objects from Eastern Europe and the Eastern Front, and we were able to acquire quite a number of Russian objects. Were also looking for an original World War I aircraft. We dont have an originaltheyre difficult to come by and difficult to maintain, and simply looking after them is a challenge.

How will you maintain audience interest after the centennial?

Thats the existential questionwho are we post-centennial? In the last four years we have seen a 64 percent growth in the number of people coming into the galleries. Weve also had tremendous growth in our online engagement.

Were having a ceremony on November 11, but our commemoration will certainly continue after that. We have begun to look at such guiding questions as, What are the big themes that well speak to in the coming decade? Weve brought together museum professionals, military personnel and social historians for workshops to consider it. Im very excited about what the future is for us.

Above all, its an honor to have the opportunity to be stewards of the story, to preserve the objects

Were also interested in exploring the aftermath of the war, about the troops homecoming and readjustment to civilian life. A soldier coming back could be a different person. So what is home? Can you go home again? Through that lens we explore our responsibility to returning veterans and the responsibility of command.

Our work is to remember, interpret and understand World War I and its enduring impact. We want to explore fundamental questions that have application to the current context. How did wartime innovations affect social life as well as military life? The development of independence movements caused people to ask questions about identitywho are you? Issues of migration caused people in the war and postwar periods to ask that, and it is similarly being asked and re-asked today.

We feel very confident about who we will be post-centennial. The audience we know is deeply interested, and we have much to talk about. Above all, its an honor to have the opportunity to be stewards of the story, to preserve the objects. MH
Barbarians

The September 2018 feature Barbarians at the Gate was excellent. One minor oversight: Author Tang Long notes, Unlike traditional recurve bowmen, crossbowmen required minimal training to achieve proficiency. Within 10 days of instruction a peasant farmer could become a competent crossbowman. A recurve bow has a similar learning curve. What is near impossible to gain proficiency in is to ride on horseback and shoot arrows competently. One has to be raised riding and shooting at the same time to achieve this skill. Once achieved, it is frighteningly effective in battle. This was the technique used by my ancestors the Magyars (Hungarians), cousins of the Huns. And of course, as noted by the author, the Huns are descendants of the nomadic Xiongnu. I was taught that in ancient times a Magyar 5-year-old boy was expected to be able to ride all day with only a mouthful of milk as sustenance.

Imagine an open field battle. The Chinese or Roman armies are bunched together in formation. The Huns and Magyars are circling their troops, riding fast, raining arrows on the enemy. Each has four horses they rotate, thus never ceasing to attack. In addition, some arrows have built-in whistles, so field command can be signaled quickly and easily, facilitating tactics such as attack, withdrawal, right, left, center, etc. The withdrawal techniques worked well, as once the enemy broke ranks on the (fake) retreat, the horsemen would turn and could easily pick them off. Also, note that anyone who has shot a bow knows how hard it is to hit a target, much less a moving one. Yes, the enemy had archers too, but they were stationarynot very effective, as they were shooting at darting targets in space, while the bunched up enemy archers were themselves vulnerable.

The crossbow was effective because it was shot not in open field battle, but from ramparts above. Because it has much faster airspeed than a recurve, one does not have to be as accurate an aimer. It is like a rifleone with more speed per second that is easier to shoot.

Levente Lee Orth

Greenwood, Mo.

Editor responds: Thank you for expanding on the use of bows in ancient military history. The Parthians, a warlike ancient Iranian tribe, perfected the technique you mention of firing a volley from horseback during a feigned retreat, and from them derives the expression parting (Parthian) shot.

Beasts of Budapest

Nicholas Smiths article The Beasts of Budapest (September 20l8) brought back memories for me. I was born in the United States, but both of my parents were Hungarian. My dad came to America as a teenager in l912 (barely missing the Titanic and World War I). My mother came over several years after the war, also as a teen. I was only 11 years old at the time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, but I remember my dad being glued to the radio. My dad was an American first, but he still had relatives and feelings for his homeland. Hed have tears in his eyes and would cuss out the Soviets in English and Hungarian.

Dad not only hated communists but also hated Russia in general; his grandparents remembered when Hungary rose up against Austria in 1848, and Russia came to Austrias rescue. Like my dad, I am an American and served a tour in Vietnam (a little revenge against the commies, I guess), but Im always interested in articles concerning my ancestral home country. Your research director and onetime editor of Military History, Jon Guttman, shares a Hungarian background with me.

At any rate, it was a well-written and detailed article. While the young Hungarian rebels didnt gain their freedom in 1956, the revolution did prompt a more liberal policy from the communist government. A republic would have to wait until free elections in 1990.

Tom R. Kovach

Nevis, Minn.

Green Hell

I am continually pleasantly surprised when you keep coming up with stories I was not aware of, and you find a writer who makes it compelling and understandable in the context of the time and place in the world. War in the Green Hell, by P.G. Smith, in the July 2018 issue, was terrific and helps explain the Bolivian political situation today. Thank you.

David Hill

Palm Harbor, Fla.

Send letters to Editor, Military History, HistoryNet, 1919 Gallows Road, Suite 400, Vienna, VA 22182-4038 or via email. Please include name, address and phone number
Although the Confederates had won the first major battle in the state of Virginia in July 1861, Union forces still controlled large areas of the Old Dominion in the summer of 1862 and were threatening the Confederacys capital at Richmond on two fronts Major General George B. McClellan had completed his drive up the Peninsula and was poised to strike the city by June, causing plenty of anxious moments for the Rebel high command. It also didnt help that two of the three Confederate field officers holding the full rank of generalJoseph E. Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregardwere at odds with President Jefferson Davis, who, as a West Pointer and former secretary of war, never hesitated to offer opinions on military affairs. Johnston believed he should be the Souths top general, and Beauregard constantly complained that Davis was stifling his initiative. The result was a lack of confidence and communication between the president and these two proud officers.

Davis alternatives were limited. His favorite general, Albert Sidney Johnston, had been killed a few months earlier at the Battle of Shiloh. Adjutant General Samuel Cooper was already serving in the role he was best suited for. Braxton Bragg, a friend of the president, was in the midst of conducting a difficult campaign in the West. Then there was Robert E. Lee, a respected Regular Army veteran who had been offered command of Union forces following Fort Sumter. He declined the post when his native Virginia seceded. After some unimpressive field commands in western Virginia in early 1861 and a brief tour of duty supervising southeastern coastal fortifications, Lee was recalled to Richmond to advise Davis on strategy. It was due to fortuitous timing, and more than a little luck, that Davis subsequently placed Lee in command of the Confederacys largest and most important army in June 1862.

By the end of May, McClellan had backed Joseph Johnstons army to the outskirts of the capital, forcing him to launch a poorly executed attack on the Federals at Seven Pines (Fair Oaks) on May 31. When Johnston was seriously wounded riding the lines that night, it opened the door for Lee and his date with destiny. On June 1, Lee managed to disentangle the Rebel army from the mess at Seven Pines and then set about preparing for an offensive that would drive McClellan from the gates of Richmond. The series of clashes that would become known as the Seven Days battles had enough Confederate missteps that another Federal officer might have been able to turn the tide to the Norths advantage. But McClellan played right into Lees hands and helped ensure that Marse Robert would gain a lasting reputation as a brilliant commander.

In keeping with the spirit of this column, which encourages readers to visit and revisit theaters of war like central Virginia, we will not discuss the many actions in the area relevant to other Civil War campaigns. In their Footsteps will revisit this hallowed ground many more times in the future, just as every Civil War traveler should.

Beginning in Richmond, this tour will cover the Battles of Oak Grove, Beaver Dam Creek, Gaines Mill, Savages Station, White Oak Swamp, Glendale, Malvern Hill and related actions and sites. Although visitors can easily cover the ground in a single day, spreading this tour over two or more days will provide a much better experience. Outdoor activities on land and water can also enhance any trip. And if the heat and humidity become too much when visiting in the summer, great museums, shops and other indoor activities are plentiful in the culturally rich capital.

The Visitor Center for Richmond National Battlefield Park, on the grounds of the former Tredegar Iron Works at 470 Tredegar Street, is a good place to start. The center has exhibits, audiovisual programs, a schedule of living history and other events, and park interpreters to answer questions about the Seven Days battles and the defense of Richmond. From the Visitor Center proceed north to Broad Street, then east to 3215 E. Broad Street, site of the Chimborazo Medical Museum.

Named by a Richmond traveler after a volcano in Ecuador, Chimborazo Hill was home to one of the largest Confederate military hospitals. Construction of the facility started after Richmond was flooded with wounded soldiers from the First Battle of Manassas, and the hospitals 75-plus wards opened in October 1861. The location of Chimborazo, near transportation and a good water supply, and its exemplary chief surgeon and administrator, Dr. James McCaw, made it a model hospital for much of the war, though like other facilities it was plagued by supply shortages common in the wartime South. McCaw and his staff, including many women caregivers, made the most of available resources and even raised vegetables and had dairy cows on site. The museum has exhibits on the hospital and Civil War medicine in general. There is also a Confederate cemetery nearby.

From Chimborazo, take U.S. 360 (Mechanicsville Turnpike) north to the Richmond NBPs Chickahominy Bluff Unit. Before Lee could launch an offensive with his newly named Army of Northern Virginia, he needed Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Stonewall Jacksons Shenandoah Valley army to reinforce the troops defending Richmond. Jackson was just getting out of the Valley after throwing a scare into Washington so great that McClellan had been denied the second prong of his campaign, a large force under Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell that President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton ordered to remain in the vicinity of Fredericksburg to help protect the Union capital. Lee used the lull to send out a cavalry reconnaissance under a dashing young commander he had known before the war, Brig. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart.

Stuarts first Civil War assignment under Lee was a huge success. Beginning on June 12, he led 1,200 troopers, including little-known Lieutenant John S. Mosby, north on a ride around McClellans 100,000-man Army of the Potomac, returning to Richmond on June 15 with valuable intelligence. Foremost, he discovered that the V Corps under Brig. Gen. Fitz-John Porter had not refused and fortified its right flank north of Totopotmoy Creek.

The return of the Confederate horsemen to the capital provided a morale boost for Southerners even as Lees first order to his mento dig in and strengthen fortificationswas eliciting grumblings and derogatory nicknames for the general (e.g., the King of Spades) from some pundits.

Jackson arrived in Richmond ahead of his army, which was still in the process of marching the 120 miles from the Valley, and assured Lee that his men would arrive on June 26. Lee formed seven corps of unequal strengthmuch smaller than those that would later form his armyunder Jackson and Maj. Gens. Ambrose Powell Hill, Daniel Harvey Hill, James Longstreet, John B. Magruder, Benjamin Huger and Theophilus H. Holmes. Lees plan called for D.H. Hill, Longstreet and A.P. Hill to cross the Chickahominy River, which bisects the Peninsula east of Richmond, and attack Porters V Corps. Meanwhile, Jackson would cross Totopotmoy Creek and flank the Union force in an effort to cut its supply line at White House Landing. Before that could happen, however, McClellan on June 25 advanced his skirmish lines north and south of the Williamsburg Road to Oak Grove so he could bring his siege guns close enough to strike Richmond. In the ensuing attack, McClellans only tactical offensive during the Seven Days campaign, the Federals were slowed down by swampy terrain and gained only limited ground before darkness halted the fighting. Lee seized the initiative the following day.

Chickahominy Bluff, along Richmonds intermediate defense line, served as the vantage point from which Lee observed the opening of his offensive on June 26. Still visible here are traces of earthworks that were constructed after the Seven Days battles and manned whenever Richmond was threatened. Continue a short distance northeast on U.S. 360, then turn right on Va. 156 (now called Battlefield Park Route) to the marker for the Beaver Dam Creek Unit. This is the route the Confederates took in their advance on June 26.

Things went wrong for the Rebels from the outset. Jackson failed to appear as pledged by midafternoon. Modern analysis of the campaign has attributed the strange lethargy that seemed to envelop Jackson to stress fatiguecertainly he and his men were still exhausted by their strenuous Shenandoah Valley campaign. Further, the impulsive A.P. Hill started the attack independently against a well-entrenched Federal position. Rebel casualties were high, yet McClellan, believing he was outnumbered 2-to-1, had Porter withdraw his corps to Gaines Mill during the night.

The Confederates had been driving Federal pickets from Mechanicsville until the middle of the afternoon, only to be abruptly slowed by the difficult landscape surrounding Beaver Dam Creek near Ellersons Mill. The Park Service erected a footbridge across the creek in the past decade to show the perspective the two foes faced at this point, particularly the sloping ground the Rebels needed to traverse. Viewing the stream, millpond and eastern slope, and imagining abatis, earthworks and withering musket and cannon fire, it is easy to understand what Hills men were up against. The traces of Ellersons Mill can be seen on the eastern side of the creek.

At this point, return to Battlefield Park Route (Va. 156), turn right and proceed east to Va. 718, the turnoff for the Watt House Gaines Mill Unit. Historical markers along the route indicate troop positions and movements prior to the battle, as well as the site of Gaines Mill, just north of where the road crosses Powhite Creek. A marker at Walnut Grove Church indicates the site where Lee and Jackson met before this battle.

At Gaines Mill on June 27, in what would be their only tactical victory of the Seven Days battles, the Confederates attacked the V Corps across Boatswain Creek. Though isolated, Porters force had been reinforced to 36,000 men and was in a good defensive position, able to keep the Rebels at bay for five hours of vicious fighting. A breakthrough finally came on the Union left at 7 p.m., spearheaded by Brig. Gen. John Bell Hoods Brigade with support from Colonel Evander M. Laws Brigade and other units from Longstreets corps. The coordinated assault eventually forced Porter to retreat across the Chickahominy under cover of darkness.

The next day, McClellan ordered what he called a change of base, from White House on the Pamunkey River, the inland extension of the York River, to Harrisons Landing on the James. Many of McClellans subordinates, particularly Brig. Gens. Philip Kearny and Joseph Hooker, objected to the movementwhich they saw as a retreat.

The Watt House, which Porter used as his headquarters at Gaines Mill, is a restored 1835 farmhouse. The interior of the house is not open for public viewing. The mill itself was burned by Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridans cavalry in 1864. A trail leads to Breakthrough Point, where Hoods men began the successful Confederate assault in the evening. A spur trail leads to the position of the Union left during the battle and to a new monument to Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcoxs Alabama Brigade.

Return to Va. 156 and continue east and south across the Chickahominy near the site of Grapevine Bridge to U.S. 60 (Williamsburg Road). After crossing the tracks of the former Richmond & York River Railroad, the Fair Oaks station is located less than a mile to the left. Take Williamsburg Road a short distance toward Richmond. A historical marker indicates the site of the previously mentioned Battle of Oak Grove. Turn back to the west on Williamsburg Road. Just west of the intersection of U.S. 60 and Va. 33, a Virginia Civil War Trails (CWT) marker offers information on the Seven Pines battle, and nearby is Seven Pines National Cemetery. Continue west on U.S. 60 to where Va. 156 intersects it on the right. Take Meadow Road opposite Va. 156 to the north and around a curve to the left. You will soon come upon a Virginia CWT marker for Savages Station, the battle that occurred on June 29th.

On June 28, Magruder opposed the main Federal position south of the Chickahominy, aided by Hugers force. After conducting a reconnaissance of the Union position on the 28th, Lee was convinced that McClellans move to the James River was real. The next day he ordered Magruder to advance eastward along the Williamsburg Stage Road and attack what he anticipated would be the Union supply train guard. Instead Magruder ran into the Federal corps commanded by Maj. Gens. Edwin V. Sumner and William B. Franklin. It quickly became apparent that Magruder did not have an adequate battle plan.

Furthermore, Jacksons army was busy rebuilding the Grapevine Bridge and failed to get behind the Yankee position as Lee had hoped. The clash on June 29 caused more Confederate casualties and resulted in another tactical defeat, and the Federal march to the James continued. Meanwhile, Colonel Henry Hunt, in charge of McClellans Artillery Reserve Corps, had begun to post guns on Malvern Hill.

Lee continued to be aggressive on June 30, using all seven corps for the first time. At White Oak Swamp, Jacksons and D.H. Hills men were held back by the well-placed artillery of Franklins reinforced VI Corps. The Federals destroyed White Oak Bridge, one of two major river crossing points in the area, and Jackson, apparently still not sensing the urgency of the campaign, failed to get his men across a nearby ford. The fight at White Oak Swamp, however, was a sideshow to a larger battle taking place farther south: Glendale, also known as the Battle of Fraysers Farm.

The Battle of Savages Station on the 29th had begun at Allens Farm near Seven Pines and moved east to this area, where the Federal line ran perpendicular to the road and railroad. From Savages Station, return to the intersection with U.S. 60, cross it as the roadway becomes Va. 156 (Elko Road) and continue across the railroad tracks to the Virginia CWT marker for White Oak Swamp. Then continue south to the intersection with Charles City Road, and turn right as Va. 156 runs a short distance west until it turns left onto Willis Church Roadthe point where you enter the Richmond NBPs Glendale Unit.

While Jackson was bogged down at White Oak Swamp, Magruder failed to effectively commit his force to the fight taking place at Glendale. Hugers men had to clear trees that had been felled on the Charles City Road along which they were advancing, contributing to one of Glendales nicknamesthe Battle of the Axes. The small corps commanded by Maj. Gen. Holmes was checked by Brig. Gen. George Sykes division as Holmes attempted to get between the Federals and the river. That left the heavy fighting at Glendale to A.P. Hill and Longstreet, who assaulted four Federal divisions at 4 p.m. The Rebels were temporarily successful against Brig. Gen. George A. McCalls division until soldiers under Hooker, Kearny and Brig. Gen. John Sedgwick launched counterattacks that stabilized the Union line and protected the last of the withdrawing wagons. As the fighting raged into the night on June 30, McClellan withdrew his forces to Malvern Hill, where they were protected by the reserve artillery and the Union gunboats on the James River.

Glendale Visitor Center at the Glendale National Cemetery is a seasonally manned facility. At Darbytown Road and Va. 156, historical markers describe the Battle of Glendale. The left portion of the Union line extended south to the Willis Church, which burned down in the 1890s but has been rebuilt. The Battle of the Axes occurred along the portion of Charles City Road northwest of its intersection with Va. 156 at the Glendale Unit entrance. Holmes advance was stalled along Va. 5 (New Market Road), west of Malvern Hill. Continue south a short distance on Va. 156 to Malvern Hill.

The Federal defensive position on Malvern Hill was strong. Set up on a plateau in a 112-mile arc were three corps of infantry and a line of 100 guns. They were backed by the Federal gunboats and 150 cannons that had been placed in reserve. Even a coordinated assault by Lees entire force would have struggled against this daunting alignment. But Lee apparently did not provide definitive orders this time, and once again corps commanders did not have their forces prepared for an early strike. A plan by Longstreet to amass 140 guns so they could enfilade the Union position went awry when only 20 guns were manhandled into position. Those cannons were quickly silenced.

Lee directed his commanders to follow the lead of Brig. Gen. Lewis Armistead, who began to advance once the enfilading cannon fire did its work on the Federal defenses. When the artillery barrage failed, Lee searched for another plan of attack but did not inform his corps commanders. Armistead managed to advance and counter the deadly fire of Northern skirmishers, and Magruder, anxious to make amends after letting Lee down once already, brought two of Hugers brigades forward. Other disjointed and bloody assaults across the wheat fields at the base of Malvern Hill resulted in 5,355 casualties for the Southmore than a quarter of the total casualties suffered by Confederates during the campaign. Federal casualties were about 3,000 men (many of them missing and presumed captured), just less than 20 percent of what they would lose in the campaign. Despite the victory, the Federals continued their withdrawal toward Harrisons Landing.

Malvern Hill has interpretative markers, artillery pieces and walking trails. The Richmond NBP includes the area of a Federal salient held by the men under Brig. Gen. George W. Morell and adjacent land where the Confederates came close to breaking through before falling back. Other areas of Malvern Hill are being acquired by conservation groups to help preserve the battlefield. Two historic plantations southeast of Malvern Hill are open for touring. Berkeley Plantation, on Va. 5, served as McClellans headquarters. Shirley Plantation on Va. 608 was the birthplace of Robert E. Lees mother.

From Malvern Hill, take Va. 156 a short distance to the intersection with Va. 5 and return to Richmond via Va. 5 North. Or you can continue to the final stop on this tour, Drewrys Bluff, by entering I-295 south to Exit 15, taking Hundred Road a short distance west and turning right on U.S. 1/301 (Jefferson Davis Highway), then proceeding north to Va. 656 (Bellwood Road). A shorter route is to cross the river on the new Pocahontas Parkway, I-895, and follow U.S. 1/301 south to Va. 656, but be prepared to pay a toll. Head east and turn left on Fort Darling Road, the entrance to the Richmond NBPs Drewrys Bluff Unit.

The Confederate artillery position at Drewrys Bluff on the James River exchanged fire with U.S. Navy gunboats, including the ironclad USS Monitor, preventing them from reaching a position where they could shell Richmond. The earthen Fort Darling and its 8-inch Columbiad guns still stand guard over the James. Interpretive signs describe the duel with Union gunboats and the training of Confederate sailors and marines here. From Drewrys Bluff, return to Richmond via U.S. 1/301 or I-95.

In preparing for the Seven Days battles, Lee devised a plan that was ultimately successful in driving the Northern invaders from the gates of Richmond. Yet he was not particularly well served by his corps commanders, especially Jackson, and the Confederates suffered casualties that proved extremely costly given their limited troop resources.

By contrast, the subordinate officers in the Army of the Potomac showed great skill and valor in carrying out their assignments, but it was the armys leader who ultimately failed the North. By consistently overestimating Confederate troop strengths, despiteor perhaps because ofhaving access to several forms of intelligence, McClellan retreated to save his army just when he had the South in a precarious position.

Originally published in the June 2007 issue of Civil War Times. To subscribe, click here.
Egypt said it supports efforts by the government of Kenya to combat terrorism, sending condolences to the African country after a bombing killed five soldiers on Wednesday.

The foreign ministry said in a statement that Egypt "stands with the government and the people of Kenya in the face of terrorism."

It reiterated Egypt's determination "to support brotherly African countries in their efforts to combat and eradicate terrorism and achieve security, stability and development in the countries of the continent."

Five Kenyan soldiers were killed and 10 wounded on Wednesday when their car ran over a homemade bomb in northern Kenya's coastal Lamu Country.



Search Keywords:

Short link:


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.
Egypt police have identified and arrested those involved in the killing of a university student whose death has sparked public outrage over the past few days.

Bassam Osama, 23, was strangled to death by the father of his fiancee who then buried him in a gaping hole in an apartment kitchen that he tiled afterwards.

The father, a 55-year-old former chemist, said in a video broadcast on TV late on Wednesday that he killed Osama because the boy had revealed his "life secret" that he was fleeing a life sentence in a drug-trafficking case and had heard from his daughter that Osama was about to report him to authorities. The father had even forged a death certificate and lived incognito for years.

In the video, he appeared at an apartment in a leafy suburb east of Cairo where the incident took place and acted how he carried out the murder before he got into a police vehicle handcuffed.

The interior ministry said late on Wednesday it has identified and arrested seven others who aided and abetted the man in the murder, including his daughter Habiba who deceived her fiance into going to the apartment in Al Rehab city where he was killed, and six other men.

The body of the victim was pulled out of the hole where it was buried, the ministry said.

Police was first informed about the matter after the victim's brother reported his disappearance. The brother said in TV comments on Wednesday that Osama informed him that he was going to meet Habiba who called him hours later to say Osama did not show up. The brother claims Habiba knew about the crime.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


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.
Is It Time For US Music Industry To Speak With One Voice? [Emmanuel Legrand]

In the wake of a series of legal squabbles and lawsuits which have served to slow the progress of updating copyright law in the US, it may be time to for the music industry here to look to UK, who have faced similar issues in recent years, but emerged with a unified front in the form of UK Music.

_____________________________________

By industry journalist Emmanuel Legrand show blogs at Legrand Network

This summer, a group of American songwriters mounted a scathing attack against SESAC, accusing the US rights society of using last minute tactics to derail the Music Modernisation Act, the one piece of legislation that the whole industry has been battling for over the past couple of years. SESAC was pushing for an amended version of the bill that would allow third parties to continue to administer mechanical rights, in order to save the business of its subsidiary HFA.

The dispute went as far as songwriters calling for other songwriters (signed to SESAC) to leave the society since SESAC was allegedly working against their interests. Eventually, under the aegis of peace brokers (the NMPA and Senators who were urging for a compromise), the parties agreed to not only a cease fire, but to jointly promote a new version of the bill that would include a provision favourable to SESAC.

"It was pure appetite for self-destruction."

The point here is not to say who was right or who was wrong, but to highlight the simple fact that the sad war of words was, to say the least, one of the most counter-productive sequence impacting the interests of the US music community in ages. It was pure appetite for self-destruction.

It was an unwise event at a time when the MMA continued to faced serious challenges from Sen. Wyden, or SiriusXM, that have the potential to fully derail the over two-year process which saw the building of a full consensus in the industry, a unanimous vote by the House and a flying victory at the Senate's Judiciary Committee. The vision of one side of the industry bickering against another was devastating. There couldn't have been a worst image of the industry than one of divisions, rather than unity.

To the foreign observer, it had a feeling of deja vu. In 2005, British record label's trade body the BPI sued rights organisations MCPS-PRS Alliance (as it was then called) about, surprise!, mechanical rates, arguing that the Alliance was imposing licensing rates that were "unreasonable and unsustainable." The irony was that in that battle, the BPI had serious partners n crime in Apple, which was challenging the mechanical rates it had to pay on its iTunes Store, and six other online services.

Eventually, in September 2006, all the parties settled and agreed to a new rate. But during all these months the climate in the industry was despicable, with a war of words between the different sides that was clouding any other issue faced by the industry. And in the end, the only people who won anything from the cross-industry carpet-bombing werethe lawyers, as it transpired later that the litigation process cost over 10 million pounds to each party, for a zero-sum result. That money belonged to rights owners, not to lawyers.

UK Music, which still exists to this date and in over a decade has become indeed the voice of the industry and a formidable lobbying tool. Needless to say that the British government was looking at the music industry's civil war with disbelief. Reflecting on such disaster, a few sane minds, including those who waged the war in the first place, decided that enough was enough and that the industry had to grow up and present a different front. So the leaders of the industry's main organisations gathered to not only discuss a truce but go one step further and set up a structure that would serve as the industry's platform for discussion and also be the voice of the industry in its dealings with the government. Hence the creation of, which still exists to this date and in over a decade has become indeed the voice of the industry and a formidable lobbying tool.

Time For A Bold Move In the US?

Maybe time's up for such a similar bold move by the US music industry. It will not diminish the competition in the industry, but it will offer a position to reflect and to act, as one. It will strengthen the voice of the industry, and it will most certainly be welcomed by the bi-partisan members of Congress who are ready to support the industry's agenda.

Interestingly, this week we've seen an embryo of what such a coalition could achieve when 18 US music groups signed a joint statement outlining their concern about the copyright provisions in the renegotiated NAFTA trade agreement between the USA and Mexico.

By the way, UK Music worked because around the table you had the chief executives of all the organisations, not the second or third tier of executives. The high level representation on its board ensured that no time would be wasted in petty discussions, and solutions had to found internally before taking them public.

So, has time finally come for USA Music?

Emmanuel Legrand is a Washington, DC-based independent journalist.

Share on:
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has Wednesday, in Abuja, described the revelation by Lawal Daura, sacked Director General of the Department of State Security, DSS, that the recent barricade of the National Assembly by security operatives was a collective decision; as a vindication of its stand on the matter.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan in a chat with newsmen said Nigerians have now realised the need to vote out the All Progressives Congress, APC, led government in 2019.

He said, Nigerians will recall that we said the sack of Daura was to make him the fall guy. Now, we have been vindicated.

It is unfortunate that people who cannot tally figures and sequence events are the ones claiming to be governing our nation. Unfortunately, they have brought the nation down on her knees.

There is no doubt that Nigerians must prepare to rescue our nation come 2019 by voting in the PDP.
Finance & Development, September 2018, Vol. 55, No. 3 PDF version

Is There a Remittance Trap?

High levels of remittances can spark a vicious cycle of economic stagnation and dependence



Ralph Chami, Ekkehard Ernst, Connel Fullenkamp, and Anne Oeking

Ralph Chami: Avoiding the Remittance Trap

Workers remittancesthe money migrants send home to their familiescommand the attention of economists and policymakers because of their potential to improve the lives of millions of people. Amounting to over $400 billion in 2017, remittances rank between official development assistance and foreign direct investment in terms of size. Such massive financial flows have important consequences for the economies that receive them, especially when many countries receive flows that are large relative to the size of their exports or even their economies.

Many argue that remittances help economies in two ways. First, because remittances are person-to-person transfers motivated by family ties, these transfers from outside the country help relatives back home afford the necessities of life. But remittances also have the potential to fuel economic growth, by funding investment in human or physical capital or by financing new businesses.

Economists have worked to measure both of these effects. Many studies confirm that remittances are essential in the battle against poverty, lifting millions of families out of deprivation or bare subsistence. But at the same time, economic research has failed to find that remittances make a significant contribution to a countrys economic growth (see Chart 1).

The latter result is puzzling, especially given the finding that remittance income helps families consume more. Consumption spending is a driver of short-term economic growth, which in turn should also lead to longer-term growth as industries expand to meet the increased demand. But research that digs deeper into the remittance-growth nexus increasingly suggests that remittances change economies in ways that reduce growth and increase dependence on these funds from abroad. In other words, there is increasing evidence of a remittance trap that causes economies to get stuck on a lower-growth, higher-emigration treadmill.

Engine, shock absorber, or brake?

Consider the case of Lebanon. For many years, this country has been one of the leading recipients of remittances, in both absolute and relative terms. During the past decade, inflows have averaged over $6 billion a year, equal to 16 percent of GDP. Lebanon received $1,500 a person in 2016, more than any other nation, according to IMF data.

Given the size of these inflows, it should not be surprising that remittances play a key if not leading role in Lebanons economy. They constitute an essential part of the countrys social safety net, accounting on average for over 40 percent of the income of the families that receive them. They have undoubtedly played a vital stabilizing role in a country that has endured civil war, invasions, and refugee crises in the past several decades. In addition, remittances are a valuable source of foreign exchange, amounting to 50 percent more than the countrys merchandise exports. This has helped Lebanon maintain a stable exchange rate despite high government debt.

While remittances have helped the Lebanese economy absorb shocks, there is no evidence that they have served as an engine of growth. Real per capita GDP in Lebanon grew only 0.32 percent on average annually between 1995 and 2015. Even during 200515, it grew at an average annual rate of only 0.79 percent.

Lebanon is not an isolated example. Of the 10 countries that receive the largest remittance inflows relative to their GDPsuch as Honduras, Jamaica, the Kyrgyz Republic, Nepal, and Tonganone has per capita GDP growth higher than its regional peers. And for most of these countries, growth rates are well below their peers. It is important to recognize that each of these countries is dealing with other issues that may also interfere with growth. But remittances appear to be an additional determining factor rather than just a consequence of slow growth. And remittances may even amplify some of the other problems that restrict growth and development.

Stifling effect

Returning to the case of Lebanon, the countrys well-educated population could be expected to point to robust growth. Lebanese families, including those who receive remittances, spend much of their income on educating their young people, who score much higher on standardized mathematics tests than their peers in the region. Lebanon is also home to three of the top 20 universities in the Middle East, and researchers at these universities produce more research than their regional peers. Lebanons abundant remittance inflows could provide seed capital to fund business start-ups led by its well-educated citizens.

But statistics show that Lebanon has much less entrepreneurial activity than it should, especially in the high-tech information and communication technology sector. The size of this sector is less than 1 percent of GDP, and Lebanon scores very low on international gauges of this sectors development. Studies of the overall spending habits of remittance-receiving households in Lebanon show that less than 2 percent of inflows goes toward starting businesses. Instead, these funds are typically spent on nontraded goods such as restaurant meals and services, and on imports.

Instead of starting new businessesor even working in established onesmany young Lebanese choose to emigrate. The statistics are stark: up to two-thirds of male and nearly half of female university graduates leave the country. Employers complain of an emigration brain drain that has caused a dearth of highly skilled workers. This shortage has been identified as a leading obstacle to diversifying Lebanons economy away from tourism, construction, and real estate, its traditional sources of growth. For their part, young people who choose to seek their fortune elsewhere cite a lack of attractive employment opportunities at home.

Part of the remittance trap thus appears to be the use of this source of income to prepare young people to emigrate rather than to invest in businesses at home. In other words, countries that receive remittances may come to rely on exporting labor, rather than commodities produced with this labor. In some countries, governments even encourage the development of institutions that specialize in producing skilled labor for export.

But why would this situation develop and persist?

Research into both the household-level and economy-wide effects of remittances on their recipients provides an answer to this question. The impact on individual countries that receive significant remittancessuch as Egypt, Mexico, and Pakistanhas been studied, and cross-country analysis of a variety of countries that receive various amounts of remittances (and of those that send rather than receive remittances) has been performed as well. The insights from the academic literature can be combined into a consistent explanation of how and why economies that receive significant remittance inflows may become stuck at low levels of growth.

To begin with, remittances are spent mostly on household consumption, and the demand for all products (nontraded and traded) in an economy increases as remittances grow. This places upward pressure on prices. The flood of foreign exchange, along with higher prices, makes exports less competitive, with the result that their production declines. Some have referred to this syndrome as Dutch disease (see Chart 2).

Vicious circle

The effect of remittances on work incentives makes this problem worse, by increasing the so-called reservation wagethat is, the lowest wage at which a worker would be willing to accept a particular type of job. As remittances increase, workers drop out of the labor force, and the resulting increase in wages puts more upward pressure on prices, further reducing the competitiveness of exports.

Resources then flow away from industries producing tradable products that face international competition toward those that serve the domestic market. The result: a decline in the number of better-paid, high-skill jobs, which are typical in the traded sector, and an increase in low-skill, poorly paid jobs in the nontraded sector.

This shift in the labor market encourages higher- skilled workers to emigrate in search of better-paying jobs. Meanwhile, the cost of living for most families rises along with domestic prices, and the loss in competitiveness means that more products must be imported, hurting economic growth. This in turn increases the incentive for family members to emigrate so that they can send money home to help relatives shoulder the burden of the higher cost of living.

To make matters worse, remittances are often spent on real estate, causing home prices to rise and in some cases stoking property bubbles. This provides a motive to emigrate for young people seeking to earn enough to buy a home. The result of all this is a vicious circle of emigration, economic stagnation, rising cost of living, and more emigration.

Little incentive to change

Governments could potentially mitigate or break this cycle by taking steps to keep domestic industries competitive. But policies that can accomplish this, such as improving the education system and physical infrastructure, are expensive and take years to implement. And they require strong political will to succeed.

As research has shown, however, remittances have important political economy side effects (see Chart 3). In particular, large inflows allow governments to be less responsive to the needs of society. The reasoning is simple: families that receive remittances are better insulated from economic shocks and are less motivated to demand change from their governments; government in turn feels less obligated to be accountable to its citizens.

Many politicians welcome the reduced public scrutiny and political pressure that come with remittance inflows. But politicians have other reasons to encourage remittances. To the extent that governments tax consumptionsay through value-added taxesremittances enlarge the tax base. This enables governments to continue spending on things that will win them popular support, which in turn helps politicians win reelection.

Given these benefits, it is little wonder that many governments actively encourage their citizens to emigrate and send money home, even establishing official offices or agencies to promote emigration in some cases. Remittances make politicians job easier, by improving the economic conditions of individual families and making them less likely to complain to the government or scrutinize its activities. Official encouragement of migration and remittances then makes the remittance trap even more difficult to escape.

The absence of clear evidence linking remittances to increased economic growthand the lack of examples of countries that experienced remittance-led growthsuggests that remittances do indeed interfere with economic growth. The example of Lebanon, moreover, gives a concrete example of how the remittance trap may operate.

And if a remittances trap does exist, then what?

Clearly, given their importance to the well-being of millions of families, remittances should not be discouraged. Is the remittance trap simply the cost societies must bear in exchange for a reduction in poverty? Not necessarily.

Preventing the two downsides of remittancesDutch disease and weaker governancecould help countries avoid or escape the remittance trap. Improving the competitiveness of industries that face foreign competition is the general prescription for mitigating Dutch disease. Specific measures include upgrading a countrys physical infrastructure, improving the education system, and reducing the cost of doing business. Governments could also play a more active role in stimulating new business formation, including seed funding or other financial assistance for start-ups. At the same time, remittance-receiving countries must also push for stronger institutions and better governance.

Enhancing economic competitiveness and strengthening governance and social institutions are already considered essential to the inclusive growth agenda. But the remittance trap lends urgency to these goals. Avoiding this potentially serious pitfall of remittances may actually be the key to unlocking their development potential by removing a previously unrecognized obstacle to inclusive development.

PHOTO: ISTOCK/ RAMZIHACHICHO<

Opinions expressed in articles and other materials are those of the authors; they do not necessarily reflect IMF policy.
A number of US forces and equipment arrived at an Egyptian airbase in preparation for the joint military exercises "Bright Star 2018" due to be conducted from September 8 to 20.

The drills will take place at Mohamed Naguib Base, west of Alexandria, in addition to maritime exercises in the Mediterranean Sea.

Land, naval and air forces from Egypt, US, Greece, Jordan, Britain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Italy and France will take part in the drills.

Several countries, including Lebanon, Rwanda, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, DR Cong, Chad, South Africa, Senegal and Canada, were invited to monitor the exercises.

The drills are meant to exchange expertise among participating forces, hone their skills, develop operations and training mechanisms in combating terrorism, in addition to joint planning and management of military operations and training to confronting maritime security threats.

The exercises also aim at promoting stability in the region.

The Bright Star falls within the framework of joint drills, which the Egyptian Armed Forces conduct to promote military relations with sisterly and friendly states.

The drills also highlight the depth of the military relations between Egypt and the US as well as the strategic partnership binding the two sides.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


The teams at Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), The Indianapolis Foundation and Legacy Fund, have been watching the growing body of research that tells a dismaying story about the American Dream. Studies from The Brookings Institution, nationally, and locally in partnership with Indy Chamber and The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP); Stanford researcher Raj Chetty; and several others, confirm three things:

There is a growing gap between the affluent and poor in Central Indiana.

The chances of making it out of poverty are slim; the odds of doing better than your parents are narrowing.

A persons race has a profound impact on whether he or she has access to opportunity.

If we want Central Indiana to be a healthy and thriving community with inclusive economic growth, something has to change. At CICF, were going all in. We have a new mission: To harness people, ideas and investment to make this a community where every individual has equitable opportunity to reach their full potential  no matter their place, race or identity. We aim to create neighborhoods and environments that empower people, change unfair systems and dismantle institutional racism to make this a place where everyone can thrive, from Sheridan to the Southside  whether a product of the Appalachian Migration or The Great Migration.

Our staff and board have been laying the foundation for this work over two years. Weve already taken several important steps:

Every CICF employee and most of our board members have attended the intensive two-day Undoing Racism workshop, developed by the Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond and presented by Child Advocates of Marion County. This has helped us become smarter about the ways institutional racism impacts inequity. We have continued ongoing staff education and discussion about issues including education, mass incarceration, implicit bias and more.

CICF launched an ambassador program, featuring 36 diverse residents from neighborhoods and population groups in Marion and Hamilton counties. Trained in design thinking and empathy research, these ambassadors talked to their neighbors to assess the opportunities and needs in their neighborhoods. The result was a comprehensive qualitative report that, along with national and local research, and our deep knowledge of community will inform our work moving forward. For our regional community leadership to be effective we have to first listen and learn and do things with communities and not to them.

We hired our very first vice president of opportunity, equity and inclusion, Pamela Ross, who, among other duties, is leading efforts to change the culture at our foundation to one that explicitly prioritizes opportunity, equity and anti-racism. We know that the foundation cannot change the community outside our walls if we do not change what happens inside them by questioning everything we do and how we do it.

In 2016, we became one of the co-founders of the newly formed Community Foundation Opportunity Network, a national leadership and action network of 47 community foundations committed to narrowing the youth opportunity gap.

This summer, we embarked on an effort to synthesize and gather quantitative data that, coupled with qualitative information from ambassadors, will provide a picture of the state of equity in Central Indiana.

All of this preparation will help us craft strategic plans for Marion and Hamilton counties to put action behind our new mission and guide our work in the region for decades to come. We will officially debut our plans in the first quarter of 2019.

What lies ahead is not easy work. Issues related to equity are complicated and, often, controversial. We cannot promise to always get things right. In fact, we know that we will not. We do commit to remaining humble, learning and listening to our community. We want you to hold us accountable. Because CICF and its affiliates have always been dedicated to working with the community and our donors to address Central Indianas most pressing needs. And, right now, there is no more important work than this.

Brian Payne is president and CEO of Central Indiana Community Foundation.
Bill Cosby isnt giving up his fight to clear his name and, while the comedian awaits his Sept. 24 sentencing on aggravated indecent assault charges, supporters have launched an online petition seeking 1,000 signatures to help spur an investigation into Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele and Judge Steven ONeill.

The petitioners cite the sixth amendment, which states, in part, that an individual has a right to be confronted with the witnesses against him and to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

We wanted to organize and galvanize people because many of us who followed the trial or actually attended the trial, like I did, were very troubled with how everything went down, said Nicole Lawrence, who started the petition.

Lawrence seeks 1,000 signatures and, to date, shes already gathered more than one-third of that total.

It seemed as though Mr. Cosby didnt have a chance in hell with this prosecution and judge along with mainstream media who purposely did not check the backgrounds of [Cosbys accusers], Lawrence said, echoing the sentiment previously expressed by Cosbys wife, Camille, who in 2015 cautioned the media to do just that.

Lawrence has taken up the call and shes started a group called The Bill Cosby is Innocent campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in an effort she hopes will expose what really happened at trial.

In April, a jury found Cosby guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for a 2004 or 2003 incident between he and former Temple University employee Andrea Constand.

On the witness stand and in police statements, Constand flip-flopped repeatedly as to the type of relationship she had with the now 81-year-old comedian, who faces 10 years in prison for each of the three counts.

At one point, Constand told an investigator that she had never been alone with Cosby at his home except for that faithful night in which no one seems to remember exactly when it occurred.

During other testimony, she said she had been alone several times. While at first denying whether there had been any intimate contact, like kissing, Constand later admitted that there was.

Cosbys team contends that if the star was going to drug her as had been charged, then why is it that he never attempted to have sexual intercourse.

Hes going to jail because she put her hands on his penis and he put his hands in her pants, said Alice Durkin, a courtroom observer. Hes going to jail for foreplay. This is unreal and yet America has turned their backs on this man who had consensual foreplay and is going to prison because the prosecutor and the judge are caught up in this #MeToo stuff and, I believe, because Andrea Constand is white, Durkin said.

Louisiana attorney Gavin Richard of the Law Office of Gavin M. Richard LLC, which had no role in the case, has sent a letter to the state disciplinary board to protest Cosbys verdicts and what he believes is misconduct on the part of both Steele and ONeill.

He also lashed out at mainstream media.

I was greatly disturbed by the coverage by mainstream media which clearly pushed for a guilty verdict, Richard said.

Media should be impartial, as should our judicial proceedings. I felt that the media had a prejudicial effect on the trial. The judge allowed several witnesses to testify whose accusations were beyond 30 years, he said of ONeills decision to allow five other women to testify against Cosby.

Those women, whose stories had long been either discredited or had never been alleged before law enforcement or a courtroom, testified about incidents they claimed occurred as far back as 1981.

During Cosbys first trial, which ended in a mistrial, ONeill only allowed one other accuser to testify. Inexplicably, he reversed himself for the second trial, which resulted in guilty verdicts.

Mr. Cosby was neither charged nor convicted in regards to those [other women claims], Richard said.

The attorney also found problems with Steeles campaign for district attorney in which he vowed to get Cosby if elected.

Richard also said ONeill permitted outbursts that tainted the jury.

The judge allowed outbursts on the witness stand in front of the jury that was prejudicial, and on top of that, its my understanding that there were special interrogatories that were to be given during deliberations that the judge did not give, Richard said.

ONeill also allowed a juror to remain in the box after he was overheard saying, We can all go home, Cosbys guilty, even before the trial began.

The judge also failed to sanction two assistant district attorneys who publicly made racial remarks toward Cosby and his team.

So, it was highly-prejudicial and our legal system, which says innocent until proven guilty, seems to be in jeopardy, Richard said. Cosby was guilty until proven guilty. There were too many sixth amendment violations.
Katherine Johnson, who hand-crunched the numbers for Americas first manned space flight  a feat that finally got its Big Screen acknowledgement just two years ago, turned 100 on Aug. 26.

[On Sunday], we celebrate Alpha Kappa Alphas own, Katherine Johnson. Shes credited with crunching the numbers by hand that allowed NASA to launch the first U.S. astronauts into space, leaders of the Alpha Kappa Alpha said in a statement. We are women of many firsts. First and finest.

Many others paid tribute via statements and social media.

If you havent seen the movie about what she and other brilliant Black women at NASA accomplished, be sure to watch the fabulous movie, Hidden Figures, in her honor, said comic book writer Grace Randolph.

I stand on your shoulders, said Dr. Camille Alleyne. You blazed the trail which I and so many have had the privilege to walk on  Katherine, you are my hero. I love, honor and salute you.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), also paid homage to Johnson.

Katherine Johnsons historic contributions to the evolution of applied mathematics and aerospace science epitomizes her genius to overcome the scientific challenges of her generation, Chavis said.

Today, African-American women in particular should be inspired by the example of Katherine Johnson in STEM career fields, Chavis said. The NNPA salutes Johnsons transformative legacy that is no longer hidden.

The recipient of the 2015 National Medal of Freedom, and a 2016 People Magazine honoree as being among the 25 Women Changing the World, Johnson enjoyed a brilliant 33-year career at NASA and her life story finally was told on the big screen in Hidden Figures, the award-winning movie that starred Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae.

In an earlier interview, she told NNPA Newswire that she missed working.

Id go back now, she said.

After leaving her teaching job in 1953, Johnson began working for NASA and was able to calculate the trajectory for numerous space missions, including for the space flight of Alan Shephard, the first American in space and the trajectory for the famed 1968 Apollo 11 flight to the Moon.

Id do them over if I had to. Id do anything for anyone, she said.

At an early age, Johnson developed enviable math skills so much so that even NASA officials wrote a story about her titled, The girl who loved to count.

I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed  anything that could be counted, I did, Johnson said.

I entered college, I was 15. I was going to be a math teacher because that was it. You could be a math teacher or a nurse but I was told I would make a good research mathematician and they had me take all of the courses in the catalogue, she said.

When astronaut John Glenn went to the moon, Johnson said her Hidden Figures crew acted as the computer for the mission. She said calculating everything involved in the flight became like a geometry problem.

I felt most proud of the success of the Apollo mission. We had to determine so much. Where you were, where the moon would be and how fast the astronauts were going, Johnson said.

We were really concerned but the astronaut had to do it just as we laid it out. I was looking at the television and hoping that were right, she said.

Born in 1918 in West Virginia, Johnson was a research mathematician, who by her own admission, was simply fascinated by numbers, according to her biography posted by NASA.

By the age of 10, Johnson was a high school freshman  an amazing feat in an era when school for African-Americans normally stopped at eighth grade.

Her father was determined that Johnson would have a chance to meet her potential.

He drove the family 120 miles to Institute, West Virginia, where I could continue my education through high school, she said.

An achiever at the highest level, Johnson graduated from high school at 14 and from college at 18. By 1953, the growing demands of early space research meant there were openings for African-American computers at Langley Research Centers Guidance and Navigation Department  and Johnson found the perfect place to put her extraordinary mathematical skills to work.

Glenn requested that she personally recheck the calculations made by the new electronic computers before his flight aboard Friendship 7  the mission on which he became the first American to orbit the Earth.

She continued to work at NASA until 1986.

Her calculations proved as critical to the success of the Apollo Moon landing program and the start of the Space Shuttle program, as they did to those first steps on the countrys journey into space, according to NASA.

Still, Johnson said the book, the Academy Award nominated movie and her celebrated work with NASA arent her greatest accomplishments.

Just staying alive is the greatest accomplishment, she said.

In a statement, NASA also praised Johnson.

Today, retired NASA Langley mathematician Katherine Johnson makes her 100th trip around the sun as she celebrates her birthday.
One of the positions that I hold is that of president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus (NBCCC). This year, 2018, marks the 50th anniversary of this organization. NBCCC got its start when a group of African-American Catholic Clergy met in Detroit in 1968 shortly after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. At this meeting they sought to make a statement about the racism in our society and in the Catholic Church.

Of course, racism was not new in our society or in our church in 1968. It is something that our country and our church have had to fight since the beginning of our country. It is true that before the Civil War, three African-American brothers, the Healy brothers, were ordained priests. One went on to become bishop of Portland, Maine, and one went on to become president of Georgetown University. However, the complexion of these brothers was so light that people were not aware of their African heritage. And throughout their ministry they did not address their own African heritage.

In 1854, a young boy named Augustus Tolton was born into slavery in Missouri. It is believed that his father went off to fight in the Civil War and it was during that time that his mother took him and his sister and escaped into freedom. They ended up in Quincy, Illinois. Through the kindness of some Franciscans there in Quincy, Augustus became Catholic and over time felt the call to become a priest.

Because he was African-American, seminary in the United States would not accept him as a student. He eventually had to travel to Rome in order to pursue his seminary studies. Because of the prevailing attitude of the time Augustus felt that after he became a priest he would have to serve as a missionary in Africa or in the Caribbean. He persevered in his studies and was ordained a priest in the Catholic Church in 1886. Much to his surprise he was told that he would be returning to the United States being told: America has been called the most enlightened nation; we will see if it deserves that honor. If America has never seen a Black priest, it has to see one now.

Father Augustus Tolton returned to Quincy to begin his ministry. He became quite successful drawing large crowds of Blacks and whites. This made the white clergy of Quincy jealous and made life for Father Tolton so difficult that he was eventually transferred to Chicago. In Chicago, he continued to be successful in his ministry and became quite active in addressing the racial attitudes of the day.

Father Tolton was a tireless worker. However, during the first week of July in 1897, Chicago was hit by a heat wave where a number of people lost their lives overcome by the sustained heat of days. Returning form a priests retreat, Father Tolton got off the train to 105 degree heat and, according to the Chicago Daily News, died at Mercy Hospital at 8:30 p.m., a victim of heatstroke.

Today, efforts are underway to have Father Augustus Tolton declared a saint in the Catholic Church. We are faced with renewed fights against racism because of events that have taken place recently. The heroic efforts of Father Tolton living out his faith in the face of racism can be seen as inspiration for what we are facing in our world today. We look up to our saints as models and guides to follow. We certainly believe that Father Augustus Tolton ranks up there with all the other saints of the Church.

Father Kenneth Taylor is pastor of Holy Angels Catholic Church and St. Rita Catholic Church. He can be reached at fatherkt@mailhaven.com.
BEAUMONT, Texas (AP)  From its beginnings in the years after the Civil War, Beaumonts oldest Black church has witnessed the establishment of the areas first Black public school, weathered desegregation and this year will celebrate 150 years as a beacon of light in the community.

Born and raised in St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, Walter McCloney said he strives to keep his commitment (to the church) palatable.

The Beaumont Enterprise reports the 79-year-old church trustee said St. Paul A.M.E Church is a part of the legacy and vision of the spiritual builders who founded the church in 1868.

Were the beneficiaries of what they did, said McCloney, pointing to the vaulted ceiling and colorful glass windows that adorn the Waverly Street sanctuary.

McCloney, the third generation in his family to attend the church, said St. Paul was very special to him as one of the oldest black churches in Beaumont.

St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church grew out of a Methodist church organized for Blacks three years after the end of the Civil War, according to historical church documents. Members of the young church met on alternative Sundays in the basement of the Jefferson County Courthouse.

A Beaumonter since the close of the War between the States, church founder and former slave Woodson Pipkin was known for his quaint old timey ways and self-respecting habits, according to church documents.

Pipkin formally became the groups first pastor in 1872 and moved the church to the second story of his residence once located in the 900 block of Market Street. The church soon outgrew the upper story of Pipkins home and moved to a larger location on Beaumonts north side at the site of what is now Alice Keith Park.

On Sundays, the church doubled as a school where many church members learned to read and write, according to an account by local historian Judith Linsley.

Pipkin later donated a lot on Wall Street that was the center of activities for Blacks, witnessing countless births, deaths, weddings and civic ceremonies. St. Paul remained at the downtown location until the early 1960s, when the old building began to give way to age and decay, according to church records.

When the upper story of the churchs structure caved in, church members made do and held services in the basement. But when a fire destroyed the two-story building, the congregation raised funds to purchase the Waverly Street property.

St. Paul stands on their shoulders of longtime church members who have kept the faith, McCloney said.

In the 1940s and 1950s, St. Pauls was one of the largest Black churches in Beaumont, McCloney said, recalling the days at the downtown location when he and his friends would run to Fowlers Drug Store after Sunday school to get ice cream before the sermon.

While McCloney said he believed all churches that preached a positive message during the civil rights era were a part of the movement, St. Pauls played an active role in the community in the 1960s as a meeting spot for activists and NAACP members.

Alice Jefferson Tiller, whose family were longtime members of St. Paul, was one of the first African-Americans to enroll at Lamar University in 1956, according to McCloney.

While its membership has slowly dwindled, McCloney said he looks forward to reaching out to families and communities to become a part of the churchs legacy.

This is our family, said Bobbie Williams, who joined the church in the 1980s after moving here from Louisiana.

Williams said she joined St. Paul after feeling so at ease in the church.

Years ago, women werent seen in church without hats or gloves, Williams recalled, adding that St. Pauls down-to-earth and no-frills atmosphere made her feel welcome.

Williams used to sit in the same pew as the late Fayetta Donovan, one of Pipkins descendants, who Williams said was a lot of fun.

Whenever the preacher would preach too long, Donovan would begin to shake her keys to signal the end of the hour.

Ms. Donovan always said, if they preach too long, the people will lose their spirit, Williams said.

Church founders and organizers kept the faith for so long, McCloney said. He is proud to be a part of the tight-knit congregation and a lifelong member of that legacy.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross described the "Tier 1 waiver" for India as a "very important change" in India's status, adding that "it finally reflects India's status as a major defense partner of the U.S. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
A section of media reported that actress Disha Patani walked out of a film featuring Hrithik Roshan and her alleged beau Tiger Shroff as Roshan had flirted with her and made her feel uncomfortable. (IANS photo)
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi asserted Egypt's willingness to proceed with ongoing efforts to promote Palestinian national unity.

During a phone call with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, Sisi stressed that the legitimate Palestinian Authority should shoulder its responsibilities in the Gaza Strip again, saying this will help revive the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, said Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady.

The two sides also discussed the Palestinian reconciliation file, the spokesman said.

For his part, Abbas thanked Egyptian leadership and people for their role in backing Palestinians' rights and efforts to achieve inter-Palestinian reconciliation in a way that enables them to restore their inalienable right to establish a Palestinian state, with Al Quds (occupied East Jerusalem) as its capital.

The two leaders also agreed on continued coordination and consultation on issues of mutual interest.





Search Keywords:

Short link:


Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) New Democracy protest the arrest of poet and activist Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, Aug. 29. Police arrested five outspoken lawyers and left-wing activists during raids across the country Aug. 28 that drew condemnation from opposition parties and rights watchdogs who said it was a crackdown on critics of the government. (Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images)
By Finian Cunningham

August 29, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The death of Senator John McCain has provoked the predictable outpouring of mawkish and mendacious tributes from across the American political and media establishment.



Invariably, McCain the "maverick", which was one of his monikers, is being hailed as a "war hero" and "patriot". A nationwide orchestration of public emotion is underway to elevate a dubious, mean-spirited politician into some kind of saintly statesman.



The New York Times trumpeted with its top story: John McCain, War Hero, Senator, Presidential Contender, Dies at 81'.



American news channels, from CNN, CBS to ABC and the others, were wall-to-wall in broadcasting misty-eyed venerations of the Arizona senator.



McCain, who died from brain cancer at the weekend, was certainly a maverick figure, but hardly in a way that can be ascribed as valorous.



Like has-been pop stars whose record sales soar posthumously, so too McCain's passing proves the adage that "death can be a good career move". His tawdry, even reprehensible, biographical stock has suddenly become valuable political capital.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The former Republican senator was one of the most aggressive, warmongering politicians in the US, frequently calling for war or confrontation with Iran, Russia and other foreign nations. Yet this politician whose intemperate words violated international law for inciting war on multiple occasions is now being deified as some kind of honorable elder statesman and paragon of "American virtues".

Barack Obama, who won the presidency in 2008 against rival candidate McCain, led the official mourning and myth-making when he said: "we shared, for all our differences, a fidelity to something higher  the ideals for which generations of Americans and immigrants alike have fought, marched and sacrificed."

Another former president, George W Bush, described McCain as "a patriot of the highest order".

What utter balderdash. Two presidents who should be prosecuted for launching criminal wars  from Afghanistan, Iraq to Libya  have the audacity to proclaim McCain a figure of "American ideals".

Of course, the sycophantic American news media indulge this grotesque ritual of embalming a dead politician with lies and falsification.

The person they eulogize was a bomber pilot during the Vietnam War and who thus was complicit in the US genocide of millions of Vietnamese.

That was the war that GW Bush, like incumbent President Donald Trump, were too cowardly to fight in, both dodging the draft for imperial service.

Bush  who later waged war on Iraq killing over a million people  and his estimation of McCain as "a patriot of the highest order" have therefore no value whatsoever.

Besides when in 1967 McCain was shot down and imprisoned in Hanoi for six years, he reportedly collaborated with the North Vietnamese to reveal classified military information on his aircraft carrier and squadron members. McCain flew an attack bomber jet known as an A-4 Skyhawk. He may have been a hawk in the air above Vietnamese air defenses, but for his captors, he sang like a canary  admittedly after being tortured.

McCain was shot down during a bombing raid on a power plant in Hanoi, the North Vietnamese capital. That fact alone, targeting civilian infrastructure, is grounds for a war crime indictment. Not that such a legal nicety ever bothers American war planners and servicemen like McCain.

But, in the time-honored fashion of American myth-making, McCain's dubious record as a prisoner of war in Vietnam has been whitewashed by the US political and media establishment. He is roundly exalted as a "war hero".

That is partly why dying is a good career move for the likes of McCain. Through his death and all the official pious mourning, the long and vile record of American imperialist war crimes is magically transformed into a paean of noble patriotism.

McCains death is his last service to US imperialism in that it allows a preposterous re-writing of history. Instead of Vietnam and other subsequent wars that McCain supported as a politician being seen as they should be, as outrageously criminal, his media beatification becomes an opportunity to recast those wars as righteous acts of American idealism.

The other merit from McCains death is that it allows the US media to conjure up a supposed virtuous political image with which to attack the sitting Coward-in-Chief, President Trump.

Although they shared the same Republican party, McCain was often a critic of the Trump White House. His criticism was not based on any progressive argumentation, such as denouncing Trump over his pro-rich tax policies. McCain was mainly concerned to label Trump a traitor because of his willingness to engage normally with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, whom McCain often slandered without any substantiation as a murderer and thug.

By eulogizing McCain as a "patriot", the anti-Trump news media are trying to set up a standard by which to undermine the president. That standard is, of course, a travesty given McCain's record of endorsing war crimes.

For these reasons, we can expect the next few days to be one of hyper sentimentalism over John McCain. His abhorrent career as a war criminal and an inveterate warmonger is being laundered to reinforce American delusions about the heinous nature of US imperialist power and how it operates in the world. The outpouring of absurd praise is doubly intensified because it also serves as a vent for the obsessive political rivalry against Trump.

Dying is a good career move  RIP  for Revamping Imperialist Power.

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 " Sputnik " -

John McCain: War Hero Or War Criminal?

John McCain and the POW Cover-Up: The war hero candidate buried information about POWs left behind in Vietnam.


The Palestinians are destitute because Israeli occupiers, through larceny, have forced them into that condition



By Fawaz Turki

August 29, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Say what you want about how American administrations, from former president Harry S. Truman downward, have, over the years, treated Palestinians. But none was so actively engaged in gunning for them as the current one.

Relations between the present-day administration  an administration that from day one has trumpeted itself as the custodian of a mythical deal of the century  and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) took another nose-dive last Friday when leaders in Washington permanently cut more than $200 million (Dh735.6 million) in aid for the West Bank and Gaza, saying the appropriated funds will be redirected elsewhere, but didnt say where the money would go.

A State Department official, in another one of those typically obtuse statements this government agency is notorious for issuing with impressive ease, said the decision was made after a review to ensure these funds were spent in accordance with US national interests.

Americas cut of $200 million, along with the drastic cut in its contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in January this year, is calculatedly pauperising Palestinians and bringing them to their knees. This is an effort to educate them out of the folly of their putative recalcitrance.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Meanness? Gratuitous malice added to injury? Consider, in this regard, the Taylor Force Act, a legislative bill passed in the Senate in March this year, that proposed a termination of American economic aid to the PNA until the group ceased to pay welfare cheques to the families of those patriots who have fallen in the struggle against the occupation, and those political prisoners who have ticked off functionaries of that occupation with their activism. Never mind that the end result of this action is that families of breadwinners who are in graves or behind bars will now be rendered destitute.

But lets face it folks, we all know why Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have been pauperised and brought to their knees. Any person who does not see why, say after a brief visit to the Occupied Territories or after a cursory reading of the facts that define life there, will raise very serious doubts about the professional skills of his optometrist.

It is clear that Palestinians have been pauperised because, very simply, they are robbed of their land and water resources, and they were brought to their knees  their choked psyche gasping for breath  because they are an occupied people with little control over their social, political, economic, cultural and even daily lives.

You rob a Palestinian farmer or peasant of his land and you rob him not just of access to his traditional means of production, his ability to make a living, but you rob him of his honour as well. Yes, its encoded in the culture. In traditional culture, how you protect land, no less than how harvest its crops, defines your manliness  thus the Palestinian aphorism, used by those who have tilled the land since time immemorial, ardi-aardi, that is, my land is my womenfolk, interpreted liberally to mean that my land represents my dignity as a man, a man who must guard against its violation much in the manner that he guards against the violation of his womenfolk.

Then water. Water, of course, is key to economic development and central to the realisation of human promise, expanding as it does the scope of a peoples ability to lead lives that they value. Among economists and other social scientists, water is always integrated in their studies of human development, with the objective of creating an environment in which people will be able to explore their potential and enjoy healthy, productive, long lives. In fact, it will not be an exaggeration to say that water is life itself.

There are those who read and weep when perusing reports such as this one released recently by Amnesty International from which I cite this lengthy quote: The Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) do not have access to adequate, safe water supplies. Discriminatory Israeli policies in the OPT are the root cause of the striking disparity in access to water between Palestinians and Israelis. The inequality is even more pronounced between Palestinian communities and unlawful Israeli [colonies], established in the OPT in violation of international law. Swimming pools, well-watered lawns and large irrigated farms in Israeli [colonies] in the OPT stand in stark contrast to Palestinian villages whose inhabitants struggle even to meet their essential domestic water needs. In parts of the West Bank, Israeli [colonists] use up to 20 times more water per capita than neighbouring Palestinian communities, who survive on barely 20 litres of water per capita a day  the minimum recommended by the World Health Organisation for emergency situations response.

And its Palestinian water in Palestinian land were talking about here!

The moral of the story? The Palestinians are destitute because Israeli occupiers, through larceny, have forced them into that condition. And Israel was able to beggar them because it had always had the backing of the US. The US is punishing Palestinians for the condition it has itself put them in, in the first place, a condition that it now wants to exacerbate by choosing to cut aid.

The long and short of it is that for Palestinians, at this time in their history, there is no magic bullet and no saviour in sight to rescue them from their suffering.

Thank you fellows at the White House. Hope you all are getting a cheap thrill out of this spectacle.

Fawaz Turki is a journalist, lecturer and author based in Washington. He is the author of The Disinherited: Journal of a Palestinian Exile.
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi flew to Bahrain on Thursday on the first leg of a three-nation tour that includes China and Uzbekistan, El-Sisi's office said in a statement.

El-Sisi is due to hold talks with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and top Bahraini government officials about mutual ties and regional issues of mutual interest, presdiential spokesman Bassam Rady said.

From Bahrain, the president will then head to Beijing where he will take part in the Forum on Chinese-African Cooperation (FOCAC) along with 30 other African leaders the country will host for the September 3-4 event. The once-every-three-years event has seen China offer large loan packages for countries on the continent.

During the visit, El-Sisi is due to meet with China's President Xi Jinping and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. The two presidents are planned to sign a number of cooperation deals and memoranda of understanding in a variety of industries, the spokesman added. El-Sisi will also sit with top Chinese business executives to discuss boosting their investments in Egypt.

El-Sisi will end his trip in Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent, in what will be the first such visit by an Egyptian president. He will discuss with Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev ways to bolster bilateral ties with Egypt, and a number of deals are also expected to be signed during the talks.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


By Ramzy Baroud

August 29, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Hanan al-Khoudari resorted to Facebook in a cry for help when Israeli authorities rejected her request to accompany her three-year-old son, Louay, to his chemotherapy treatment in East Jerusalem.

The boy is suffering from an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma. Israeli authorities then justified their decision based on a vague claim that one of Hannans relatives is a Hamas operative.

The rights group, Gisha reported that the state remains unwilling to precisely define what it means to be a Hamas operative. Even if an explanation is offered, denying gravely ill Palestinians from receiving life-saving treatment remains an immoral and illegal act.

The state is sentencing the petitioners to death or a lifetime of suffering, said Muna Haddad, an advocate with Gisha. By petitioners, she was referring to seven Gaza women who were denied access to urgent medical treatment by Israel, which required them to leave the besieged Gaza Strip.

The suffering of Gaza women rarely makes headlines. When Palestinian women are not invisible in Western media coverage, they are seen as hapless victims of circumstances beyond their control.

The fact that a woman from Gaza is sentenced to death just because a male relative is shunned by Israel is quite typical behaviour from a country that oddly presents itself internationally as an oasis for equality and women rights.

It feeds into the false notion that Palestinian women are trapped in a conflict in which they play no part. Such misrepresentations undermine the political and humanitarian urgency of the plight of Palestinian women and the Palestinian people, as a whole.

In truth, Palestinian women are hardly bystanders in the collective victimisation. They deserved to be made visible and understood within the broader context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

The seven women who petitioned the Israeli court, and the story of Hanan al-Khoudari, are but a small representation of thousands of women who are suffering in Gaza without legal advocates or media coverage.

I spoke to several of these women  whose suffering is only matched by their incredible resilience  who deserve more than mere recognition, but an urgent remedy as well.

Shaima Tayseer Ibrahim, 19, from the town of Rafah in southern Gaza, can hardly speak. Her brain tumour has affected her mobility and her ability to express herself. She is determined to pursue her degree in Basic Education at Al-Quds Open University in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The pain that this 19-year-old is enduring is extraordinary even by the standards of impoverished, isolated Gaza. She is the oldest of five children in a family that fell into poverty following the Israeli siege. Her father is retired, and the family has been struggling, but Shaima has been determined to get an education.

She was engaged to be married after her graduation from university. Hope still has a way of making it into the hearts of the Palestinians of Gaza and Shaima was hoping for a brighter future for herself and her family.

But March 12 changed all of that.

On that day, Shaima was diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer. Just before her first surgery at Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem on April 4, her fiance broke off the engagement.

The surgery left Shaima with partial paralysis. She speaks and moves with great difficulty. But there was more bad news; further tests in a Gaza hospital showed that a tumour was not entirely removed and it must be quickly extracted before it spreads any further.

To make matters worse the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that it would no longer be able to treat cancer patients in the Israel-besieged enclave on August 12.

Shaima is now fighting for her life as she awaits Israeli permission to cross the Beit Hanoun checkpoint (called the Erez Crossing by Israel) to the West Bank, through Israel, for urgent surgery.

Many Gazans have perished that way, waiting for pieces of paper, permission, which never materialised. Shaima, however, remains hopeful, while her whole family continually prays that their eldest daughter prevails in her fight against cancer and resumes her pursuit of a university degree.

On the other side of Gaza, Dwlat Fawzi Younis, 33 from Beit Hanoun is living a similar experience. Dwlat, however also looks after a family of 11, including her nephews and her gravely ill father.

She had to become the primary breadwinner of her family when her father, 55, suffered kidney failure and was unable to work.

She would look after the entire family with the money she earned as a hairdresser. Her brothers and sisters are all unemployed. She used to help them, too, whenever she could.

Dwlat is a strong person; she has always been that way. Perhaps it was her experience on November 3, 2006, that strengthened her resolve. An Israeli soldier shot her while she was protesting with a group of women against the Israeli attack and destruction of the historic Umm Al-Nasr mosque in Beit Hanoun. Two women were killed that day. Dwlat was hit by a bullet in her pelvis, but she survived.

After months of treatment, she recovered and resumed her daily struggle. She also never missed a chance to raise her voice in solidarity with her people at protests.

On May 14, 2018, when the United States officially transferred its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, 60 Palestinian protesters were killed, and nearly 3,000 were wounded at the Gaza-Israel fence. Dwlat was shot in her right thigh, the bullet penetrating the bone and cutting through the artery.

Her health has deteriorated quickly since then, and she is now unable to work. But Israel still has not approved her application to be transferred to Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem to receive treatment.

Dwlat insists she will continue to be an active and empowered member of the Gaza community, even if it means joining the protests along the Gaza fence on crutches.

In truth, these women embody the remarkable spirit and courage of every Palestinian woman living under Israeli Occupation and siege in the West Bank and Gaza.

They endure and persist, despite the massive price they pay and continue the struggle of generations of courageous Palestinian women who came before them.

This article was originally published by "MEM " -

==See Also==

Israeli soldier who murdered Palestinian says : I have no remorse whatsoever : The occupation force soldier was caught on camera shooting 21-year-old Palestinian Abdel Fattah Al-Sharif in the head while he lay wounded on the ground in Hebron.

Gaza without Cancer Medicine as Haley Blames Arabs for Washingtons Sins

Gaza sinks deeper in its worse crisis yet: US-Israel scheme to choke off Palestinians is aimed at extracting more political capital for Tel Aviv to continue with its colonial project

The Deliberate Pauperisation of Palestine

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joy
By Diana Johnstone

August 29, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was ostensibly a conflict between two ideologies and two socio-economic systems.

All that seems to be over. The day of a new socialism may dawn unexpectedly, but today capitalism rules the world. At first glance, it may seem to be a classic clash between rival capitalists. And yet, once again an ideological conflict is emerging, one which divides capitalists themselves, even in Russia and in the United States itself. It is the conflict between American unipolar dominance and a multipolar world.

The defeat of communism was brutally announced in a certain capitalist manifesto dating from the early 1990s that actually proclaimed: Our guiding light is Profit, acquired in a strictly legal way. Our Lord is His Majesty, Money, for it is only He who can lead us to wealth as the norm in life. The authors of this bold tract were Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who went on to become the richest man in Russia (before spending ten years in a Russian jail) and his business partner at the time, Leonid Nevzlin, who has since retired comfortably to Israel.

Loans for Shares

Those were the good old days in the 1990s when the Clinton administration was propping up Yeltsin as he let Russia be ripped off by the joint efforts of such ambitious well-placed Russians and their Western sponsors, notably using the loans for shares trick.

In a 2012 Vanity Fair article on her hero, Khodorkovsky, the vehemently anti-Putin journalist Masha Gessen frankly summed up how this worked:

The new oligarchsa dozen men who had begun to exercise the power that money broughtconcocted a scheme. They would lend the government money, which it badly needed, and in return the government would put up as collateral blocks of stock amounting to a controlling interest in the major state-owned companies. When the government defaulted, as both the oligarchs and the government knew it would, the oligarchs would take them over. By this maneuver the Yeltsin administration privatized oil, gas, minerals, and other enterprises without parliamentary approval.

This worked so well that from his position in the Communist youth organization, Khodorkovsky used his connections to get control of Russias petroleum company Yukos and become the richest oligarch in Russia, worth some $15 billion, of which he still controls a chunk despite his years in jail (2003-2013).

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

His arrest made him a hero of democracy in the United States, where he had many friends, especially those business partners who were helping him sell pieces of Yukos to Chevron and Exxon. Khodorkovsky, a charming and generous young man, easily convinced his American partners that he was Russias number one champion of democracy and the rule of law, especially of those laws which allow domestic capital to flee to foreign banks, and foreign capital to take control of Russian resources.

Vladimir Putin didnt see it that way. Without restoring socialism, he dispossessed Khodorkovsky of Yukos and essentially transformed the oil and gas industry from the open society model tolerated by Yeltsin to a national capitalist industry. Khodorkovsky and his partner Platon Lebedev were accused of having stolen all the oil that Yukos had produced in the years 1998 to 2003, tried, convicted and sentenced to 14 years of prison each. This shift ruined U.S. plans, already underway, to balkanize Russia between its many provinces, thereby allowing Western capital to pursue its capture of the Russian economy.

The dispossession of Khodorkovsky was certainly a major milestone in the conflict between President Putin and Washington. On November 18, 2005, the Senate unanimously adopted Resolution 322 introduced by Senator Joe Biden denouncing the treatment of the Khodorkovsky and Lebedev as politically motivated.

Who Influences Whom?

There is an alternative view of the history of Russian influence in the United States to the one now getting constant attention. It is obvious that a Russian who can get the Senate to adopt a resolution in his favor has a certain influence. But when the deep state and the corporate media today growl about Russian influence, they arent talking about Khodorkovsky. They are talking about alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. They are seizing, for example, on a joking response Trump made to a reporters snide question during the presidential campaign. In a variation of the classic when did you stop beating your wife? the reporter asked if he would call on Russian President Vladimir Putin to stay out of the election.

Since a stupid question does not deserve a serious answer, Trump said he had nothing to do with Putin before adding, Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 [Hillary Clinton] e-mails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.

Many Trump opponents think this proves collusion. Irony appears to be almost as unwelcome in American politics as honesty.

When Trump revoked his security clearance earlier this month, former CIA chief John Brennan got his chance to spew his hatred in the complacent pages of The New York Times. Someone supposed to be smart enough to head an intelligence agency actually took Trumps joking invitation as a genuine request. By issuing such a statement, Brennan wrote, Mr. Trump was not only encouraging a foreign nation to collect intelligence against a United States citizen, but also openly authorizing his followers to work with our primary global adversary against his political opponent.

As Americas former top intelligence officer, Brennan had to know that (even if it were true that Trump was somehow involved) it is ludicrous to suggest that Trump would have launched a covert intelligence operation on national television. If this were a Russian operation to hack Clintons private server it would have been on a need-to-know basis and there is no evident need for Trump or his campaign team to have known.

Besides, Clintons private server on the day Trump uttered this joke, July 27, 2016, had already been about nine months in possession of the Department of Justice, and presumably offline as it was being examined.

Since Brennan knows all this he could only have been lying in The New York Times.

The Russians, Brennan went on, troll political, business and cultural waters in search of gullible or unprincipled individuals who become pliant in the hands of their Russian puppet masters.

But which Russians do that? And who are those individuals?

The Fixer-in-Chief

To understand the way Washington works, one can focus on the career of lawyer Jonathan M. Winer, who proudly says that in early 2017 the head of the Carnegie Endowment, Bill Burns, referred to him as The Fixer-in-Chief. Lets see what the fixer has fixed.

Winer served in the Clinton State Department as its first Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Law Enforcement from 1994-1999. One may question the selectivity of Bill Clintons concern for international law enforcement, which certainly did not cover violating international law by bombing defenseless countries.

In any case, in 1999 Winer received the State Departments second highest award for having created the capacity of the Department and the U.S. government to deal with international crime and criminal justice as important foreign policy functions. The award stated that the scope and significance of his achievements are virtually unprecedented for any single official.

After the Clinton administration, from 2008 to 2013, Winer worked as a high-up consultant at one of the worlds most powerful PR and lobbying firms, APCO Worldwide. As well as the tobacco industry and the Clinton Foundation, APCO also works for Khodorkovsky. To be precise, according to public listings, the fourth biggest of APCOs many clients is the Corbiere Trust, owned by Khodorkovsky and registered in Guernsey. The trust tends and distributes some of the billions that the oligarch got out of Russia before he was jailed.

Corbiere money was spent to lobby both for Resolution 322 (supporting Khodorkovsky after his arrest in Russia) and for the Magnitsky Act. APCO president Margery Kraus is a member of the Institute of Modern Russia, which is headed by Khodorkovskys son Pavel, with the ostensible purpose of promoting democratic values  in other words, of building political opposition to Putin.

When John Kerry replaced Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, allowing Hillary to prepare her presidential campaign, Winer went back to the State Department. Winers extracurricular activities at State brought him into the public spotlight early this year when House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) named him as part of a network promoting the notorious Steele Dossier, which accused Trump of illicit financial dealing and compromising sexual activities in Russia, in a word, collusion with Moscow.

By Winers own account, he had been friends with former British intelligence agent Christopher Steele since his days at APCO. Back at State, he regularly channeled Steele reports, ostensibly drawn from contacts with friendly Russian intelligence agents, to Victoria Nuland, in charge of Russian affairs, as well as to top Russia experts. Among these reports was the infamous Steele dossier, opposition research on Trump financed by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

But dirt seemed to pass the other way too. According to a Feb. 6 Washington Post story, Winer passed on to Steele the story of Trump being urinated on by prostitutes in a Moscow hotel with Russian agents allegedly filming it for blackmail material. The Post says the story was written by Cody Shearer, a Clinton confidante. A lawyer for Winer told the paper that Winer was concerned in 2016 about information that a candidate for the presidency may have been compromised by a hostile foreign power. Any actions he took were grounded in those concerns. Shearer did not respond to a request for comment from Consortium News. (Full disclosure: Cody Shearer is a member of the advisory board of the Consortium for Independent Journalism, which publishes Consortium News, and has been asked to resign.)

All this Democrat paid-for and created dirt was spread through government agencies and mainstream media before being revealed publicly just before Trumps inauguration. The Steele dossier was used by the Obama Justice Department to get a warrant to spy on the Trump campaign.

Winer and the Magnitsky Act

Winer played a major role in Congresss adoption of the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (the Magnitsky Act), a measure that effectively ended post-Cold War hopes for normal relations between Washington and Moscow. This act was based on a highly contentious version of the November 16, 2009 death in prison of accountant Sergei Leonidovich Magnitsky as told to Congress by hedge fund manager Bill Browder. According to Browder, Magnitsky was a lawyer beaten to death in prison as a result of his crusade for human rights.

However, as convincingly established by dissident Russian film-maker Andrei Nekrasovs investigative documentary (blacklisted in the U.S.), Magnitsky was neither a human rights crusader, nor a lawyer, nor beaten to death. He was an accountant jailed for his role in Browders business dealings, who died of natural causes as a result of inadequate prison care. The case was hyped as a major human rights drama by Browder in order to discredit Russian tax fraud charges against himself.

By adopting a law punishing Magnitskys alleged persecutors, the U.S. Congress acted as a supreme court judging internal Russian legal issues.

The Magnitsky Act also condemns legal prosecution of Khodorkovsky. Browder, on a much smaller scale, also made a fortune ripping off Russians during the Yeltsin years, and later got into trouble with Russian tax collectors. Since Browder had given up his U.S. citizenship in order to avoid paying U.S. taxes, he had reason to fear Russian efforts to extradite him for tax evasion and other financial misdeeds.

It was Winer who found a solution to Browders predicament. As Winer wrote in The Daily Beast:

When Browder consulted me, he wanted to know what he could do to hold those involved in the case accountable. As Browder describes in his book, Red Notice, I suggested creating a new law to impose economic and travel sanctions on human-rights violators involved in grand corruption. Browder decided this could secure a measure of justice for Magnitsky. He initiated a campaign that led to the enactment of the Magnitsky Act. Soon other countries enacted their own Magnitsky Acts, including Canada, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and most recently, the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities have been trying for years to pursue their case against Browder. Putin brought up the case in his press conference following the Helsinki meeting with Trump. Putin suggested allowing U.S. authorities to question the 12 Russian GRU military intelligence agents named in the Mueller indictment in exchange for allowing Russian officials to question individuals involved in the Browder case, including Winer and former U.S. ambassador to Moscow Michael McFaul, among others. Putin observed that such an exchange was possible under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty signed between the two countries in 1999, back in the Yeltsin days when America was posing as Russias best friend.

But the naive Russians underestimated the craftiness of American lawyers.

As Winer wrote, Under that treaty, Russias procurator general can ask the U.S. attorney general  to arrange for Americans to be ordered to testify to assist in a criminal case. But there is a fundamental exception: The attorney general can provide no such assistance in a politically motivated case (my emphasis). I know this because I was among those who helped put it there. Back in 1999, when we were negotiating the agreement with Russia, I was the senior State Department official managing U.S.-Russia law-enforcement relations.

The clever treaty is a perfect Catch-22. It doesnt apply to a case if it is politically motivated, and if it is Russian, it must be politically motivated. (The irony is that Muellers indictment of 12 GRU Russian military intelligence agents appears to be more a political than a legal document. For one thing, it accused the agents of interfering in a U.S. election but never charges them under U.S. electoral law.)

On July 15, 2016, Browders Heritage Capital Management firm registered a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice accusing both American and Russian opponents of the Magnitsky Act of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA); adopted in 1938 with Nazis in mind.

As for Russian lawyers attempting to bring their case against the Act to the U.S., the Heritage Capital Management brief declared:

While lawyers representing foreign principals are exempt from filing under FARA, this is only true if the attorney does not try to influence policy at the behest of his client. By disseminating anti-Magnitsky material to Congress, [lawyer Natalia] Veselnitskaya is clearly trying to influence policy and is therefore in violation of her filing requirements under FARA.

Veselnitskaya was at the infamous Trump Tower meeting in the summer of 2016 to lobby a possible incoming Trump administration to oppose the Magnitsky Act. A British music promoter, not a spokesman for the Russian government, offered dirt on Clinton in an email to Donald Trump Jr. No dirt was apparently produced and Don Jr. saw it as a lure to get him to the meeting on Magnitsky. Democrats are furiously trying to prove that this meeting was collusion between the Trump camp and Russia, though it was the Clinton campaign that paid for opposition research and received it from foreigners, while the Trump campaign neither solicited nor apparently received any at that meeting.

The Ideological Conflict Today

Needless to say, Khodorkovskys Corbiere Trust lobbied hard to get Congress to pass the Magnitsky Act. This type of Russian interference intended to influence policy goes unnoticed while U.S. authorities scour cyberspace for evidence of trolls.

The basic ideological conflict here is between Unipolar America and Multipolar Russia. Russias position, as Putin made clear in his historic speech at the Munich security conference in 2007, is to allow countries to enjoy national sovereignty and develop in their own way. The current Russian government is against interference in other countries politics on principle. It would naturally prefer an American government willing to do the same.

The United States, in contrast, is in favor of interference in other countries on principle: because it seeks a Unipolar world, with a single democratic system, and considers itself the final authority as to which regime a country should have and how it should run its affairs.

So, if Putin were trying to interfere in U.S. domestic politics, he would not be trying to change the U.S. system but to prevent it from trying to change his own.

U.S. policy-makers practice interference every day. And they are perfectly willing to allow Russians to interfere in American politics  so long as those Russians like Khodorkovsky, who aspire to precisely the same unipolar world sought by the State Department. Indeed, the American empire depends on such interference from Iraqis, Libyans, Iranians, Russians, Cubans  all those who come to Washington to try to get U.S. power to settle old scores or overthrow the government in the country they came from and put themselves in power. All those are perfectly welcome to lobby for a world ruled by America.

Russian interference in American politics is totally welcome so long as it helps turn public opinion against multipolar Putin, glorifies American democracy, serves U.S. interests, including the military industries, helps break down national borders (except those of the United States and Israel) and puts money in appropriate pockets in the halls of Congress.

Diana Johnstone is the author of Fools Crusade: Yugoslavia, NATO, and Western Delusions. Her new book is Queen of Chaos: the Misadventures of Hillary Clinton. The memoirs of Diana Johnstones father Paul H. Johnstone, From MAD to Madness, was published by Clarity Press, with her commentary. She can be reached at diana.johnstone@wanadoo.fr .

This article was originally published by " Consortium News " -

==See Also==

Lest we forget: Homeland Security tied to attempted hack of Georgia's election database: Report

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joy
By Philip Giraldi

August 29, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - It is ironic that the Robert Mueller investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and the Donald Trump campaign continues to turn up nothing while the evidence of Israeli interference in the U.S. political system continues to surface without any outrage being expressed by either the media or American politicians.

The most recent revelation concerns a payment of $10,000 given to former Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos in an Israeli hotel room in July 2017. A self-described Israeli businessman named Charles Tawil provided the money at the meeting, which was set up after Tawil flew to the Greek island Mykonos, where he met Papadopoulos and invited him to come to Israel to discuss some possible business relating to an oil and gas project in the Aegean Sea. Papadopoulos had met Tawil through an Israeli political strategist David Haivri, who is a hard-line Israeli settler with close ties to the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. Papadopoulos agree to do so, leaving his wife Simona in Greece.

Papadopoulos took the money as a retainer and signed a contract for additional consulting services at $10,000 per month before he returned to Greece, where he gave the money to an attorney friend to hold. He shortly thereafter flew to Dulles International Airport near Washington, where he was arrested on May 27th and charged with giving false statements to the FBI. He was convicted in October and is due to be sentenced next week.

In an email, Haivri explained how We discussed potential consultancy work for business in the Aegean, Cyprus and Middle East focusing on business related to gas and petroleum infrastructure because of Charles network of contacts and Georges specialization. The retainer would go firstly to cover [Georges] needs as he said that he had financial problems.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Haivri also described how the agreement quickly fell apart due to Papadopoulos immaturity. He concluded that After that the whole story fell apart. Charles left back to Washington and the story was over.

In an interview, Simona Papadopoulos identified several shady characters who she said approached her husband during and after the 2016 presidential campaign. She mentioned someone we met in Mykonos, an Israeli person who flew to Mykonos to discuss business. Papadopoulos was also approached by a number of other suspicious individuals who clearly were seeking to establish some kind of relationship with him, to include a Maltese named Joseph Mifsud, who might have had a Russian energy company connection; Sergei Millian, an alleged source for the notorious Steele dossier; and an FBI informant named Stefan Halper.

Tawil, who does not come up on normal records searches, is on Linkedin with zero biographical information. He claims to be the consultant for a company called Gestomar located in Silver Spring Maryland, which does not appear to exist. Papadopoulos reportedly believed him to be an Israeli spy and revealed the details of the contact to Robert Mueller, who appears to have done nothing with the information.

The approach to George Papadopoulos was typical spy tradecraft for recruiting a source. Papadopoulos was in financial difficulties, the agreement was to serve as a consultant for an unknown company by an individual using a cover name, and it was apparently presumed that the new spy would be able to report on details coming from inside the still-forming Trump government. Papadopoulos was introduced to the Mossad officer Tawil by Haivri, who is well known in political circles and therefore credible and non-threatening. This is, of course, largely speculation but one has to wonder why the possible Israeli attempt to spy on the new Trump Administration has been so ignored.

In an earlier manifestation of Israelgate, former Trump National Security Advisor Michael Flynn also was eventually forced to admit that he had lied to the FBI about what was said during two telephone conversations with then Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak.

The two phone calls in question include absolutely nothing about possible collusion with Russia to change the outcome of the U.S. election, which allegedly was the raison detre behind the creation of Robert Muellers Special Counsel office in the first place. Both took place more than a month after the election and both were initiated by the Americans involved.

The first phone call to Kislyak, on December 22nd, was made by Flynn at the direction of Jared Kushner, who in turn had been approached by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu had learned that the Obama Administrating was going to abstain on a United Nations vote condemning the Israeli settlements policy, meaning that for the first time in years a U.N. resolution critical of Israel would pass without drawing a U.S. veto. Kushner, acting for Netanyahu, asked Flynn to contact each delegate from the various countries on the Security Council to delay or kill the resolution. Flynn agreed to do so, which included a call to the Russians. Kislyak took the call but did not agree to veto Security Council Resolution 2334, which passed unanimously on December 23rd.

Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner the White Houses point man on the Middle East. He and his family have extensive ties both to Israel and to Netanyahu personally, to include Netanyahus staying at the Kushner family home in New York. The Kushner Family Foundation has funded some of Israels illegal settlements and also a number of conservative political groups in that country. Jared has served as a director of that foundation and it is reported that he failed to disclose the relationship when he filled out his background investigation sheet for a security clearance. All of which suggests that if you are looking for possible foreign government collusion with the Trumpsters, look no further.

Kushner was, in fact, trying to clandestinely reverse a decision made by the legally constituted American government and he was doing so on behalf of Netanyahu. He asked the soon-to-be National Security Advisor to get the Russians to undermine and subvert what was being done by the still-in-power U.S. government in Washington headed by President Barack Obama. In legal terms, this could be construed as a conspiracy against the United States that the Mueller investigation has exploited against former Trump associate Paul Manafort.

Together the Papadopoulos and Flynn tales suggest that it was Israel, not Russia, that sought to both collude with and even spy on the Trump Administration, which should surprise no one. Unfortunately, in spite of the evidence, the possibility that the interference will ever be subject to any Congressional investigation remains extremely unlikely.

Philip M. Giraldi is a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer who served nineteen years overseas in Turkey, Italy, Germany, and Spain. He was the CIA Chief of Base for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 and was one of the first Americans to enter Afghanistan in December 2001. Phil is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a Washington-based advocacy group that seeks to encourage and promote a U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East that is consistent with American values and interests.

This article was originally published by "AHT " -

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
Leaked Scenes from Censored Documentary Reveal Israel Lobbyist Astroturfing an Anti-Palestinian Protest





Exclusive leaked scenes from Al Jazeeras The Lobby  USA documentary show how Emergency Committee for Israel Executive Director Noah Pollak and the Hoover Institution astroturfed an inflammatory protest against the 2016 Students for Justice in Palestine national conference.



By Max Blumenthal

August 29, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The Grayzone Project has released scenes from an investigative Al Jazeera undercover documentary, The Lobby  USA, whose publication was blocked by the government of Qatar under Israel lobby pressure.

The footage reveals how Emergency Committee on Israel Executive Director Noah Pollak and the right-wing Hoover Institution organized an astroturfed a protest aimed at disrupting the 2016 Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) national conference.

According to one Hoover Institution campus fellow, This is the first foot soldier activity that I think weve been forced to do.

A Hoover fellow who identified himself as Marshall, explained the background of the protest: It was basically like Noah Pollak coming in and being like, Look, there are these jihadis who basically support suicide bombing, and theyre on a campus and you have to stop them.'

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Its a chance to shout at Arabs, another fellow interjected.

Marshall, who is African American, divulged his fear that some media outlet might publish a photo of Deon [another Hoover Institute fellow] and me together, and were just like clearly identifiable. Theyre like, Oh, who are these traitors who sold out to the Jewish conspiracy for money?'

He then joked: Im like, We did! We cost $50,000 plus benefits.

Later, as the bus neared the SJP event, Marshall aired more doubts about the staged protest: No, no, no  this is astroturfing Its when you set up fake protests.

Its not that astroturfing is wrong, its just that your astroturf has to be, like, committed, he lamented.

Months before Al Jazeeras investigative unit went undercover in the Israel lobby, it interviewed me about the way the lobby operates. In the footage presented in this clip, I can be seen explaining that its outfits in Washington have been manufacturing the image of a grassroots movement by taking corporate money and basically paying people to appear as activists.

A censorship campaign to conceal Israel lobby dirt

Pollaks Emergency Committee for Israel is part of a coalition of right-wing and Israel lobbying organizations that have devoted increasing resources to undermining the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, or BDS. Al Jazeeras censored The Lobby documentary exposes intensive collaboration between these US-based cut-outs, the Israeli military-intelligence apparatus, and pro-Israel oligarchs like Sheldon Adelson and Adam Milstein.

For that reason, Israel lobby forces enacted a pressure campaign that appears to have succeeded in suppressing Al Jazeeras release of The Lobby. The campaign consisted of visits by high profile Israel lobbyists Alan Dershowitz and Morton Klein to Doha, as well as threats from Congress to force Al Jazeera to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act if it aired the documentary. Qatar has since donated $250,000 to Kleins Zionist Organization of America and other hardline Israel lobby outfits.

Electronic Intifada reported in June that Qatar decided to nix The Lobby over national security concerns. According to reporters Asa Winstanley and Ali Abunimah, there were concerns in Qatari governing circles that release of the documentary could even prompt the US to pull its Al Udeid Airbase from the Gulf country at a time when it was under embargo from Saudi Arabia and UAE, both close allies of Israel and the US.

Despite the ban, pieces of the documentary have begun to trickle out. This August 27, Electronic Intifada released footage identifying Adam Milstein as a moving force behind the malicious anti-Palestinian blacklisting operation known as Canary Mission. The report came on the heels of a Grayzone exclusive naming pro-Israel lawyer Howard David Sterling as the owner of Canary Missions web domain.

The footage revealed here by the Grayzone shows in vivid detail how the Israel lobby has compensated for its lack of grassroots influence by essentially paying for protesters.

Xenophobic diatribes and terrorism charges just to provoke everyone

When the Hoover Institute conservative campus cadres arrived at their protest destination, they were herded into a room to receive their marching orders from Pollak and Yael Lerman Mazar, the director of legal affairs for the Israel lobbying outfit, Standwithus.

Lerman urged the protesters to use peaceful, good language. At the same time, she instructed them to stay on message with reporters by emphasizing that SJP is a hate group and that SJP endorses violence, terrorism, things like that.

Among the outlets that covered the staged protest was the Free Beacon, a neoconservative website whose publisher, Michael Goldfarb, has also served as an advisor to Pollaks Emergency Committee.

When the protesters finally assembled to confront SJP members, they unveiled provocative banners and barked inflammatory taunts.

Hey SJP, what do you think of this? Resistance? Child suicide bombers? Pollak shouted at the student activists.

Real baby killers, these terrorists. They kill women, they kill children, they dont care about anything, a Hoover fellow exclaimed.

They rape women too, all the time, remarked another.

During a private conversation with Tony, the Al Jazeera undercover reporter who filmed the documentary with a hidden camera, Pollak explained his smash-mouth strategy: The activism has to be very provocative and, like, attention getting and, like, total no-fucks-given. Were going to be more pro-Israel than you can even imagine. Just to, like, provoke everyone.

In arguing that his tactics were more likely to find an audience in the US than in the home country of Tony, the Israel lobbyist unleashed a xenophobic diatribe.

The majority of Americans are pro-Israel, Pollak said. Whereas, if you take a poll of Israel in the UK, its just pure hatred of Israel. Youre country, like, basically let half of fucking Pakistan move in. So you have a different problem than we do here.

This article was originally published by "Gray Zone " -

How Israel Spies on US Citizens : The Truths that Wont Be Heard

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.

Peace and joy
By Erin Kelly

August 29, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - WASHINGTON  The former chairman of the House oversight committee has written a new book alleging a deep state conspiracy by federal employees to protect former President Barack Obama and destroy President Donald Trump.

The premise of the book by former Utah Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz is spelled out in its lengthy title: The Deep State: How an army of bureaucrats protected Barack Obama and is working to destroy Donald Trump. It is scheduled to be released on Sept. 18.

"The Deep State is real," Chaffetz wrote, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. "They dont like exposure, accountability or responsibility. They fight back, outlast and work the system for their advantage. And they certainly dont like disruptive forces such as Donald Trump.

The deep state is a conspiracy theory promoted by Trump and some congressional conservatives that alleges that employees of federal agencies and the military are secretly conspiring to control or manipulate government policy.

Democrats and more mainstream Republicans have largely dismissed the conspiracy theory as nonsense.

Chaffetz resigned from Congress in June 2017  about six months into Trumps presidency - and took a job as a political analyst for the FoX News Channel and the FoX Business Network.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

While in Congress, Chaffetz served as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee from 2015 to 2017.

The committee is perhaps best known for its investigation of the Sept. 11, 2012, attack against the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Four Americans were killed in the attack, including U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens.

The oversight committee was one of eight congressional panels that investigated the attack. Ultimately, lawmakers found evidence of inadequate security at the consulate but did not find any evidence to support allegations that the Obama administration had covered up or lied about what happened.

However, the investigations did uncover the fact that Hillary Clinton used a private, unsecured email server while she was secretary of State  a revelation that led to an FBI investigation that she believes damaged her 2016 presidential campaign. The FBI concluded its investigation shortly before the election without filing any criminal charges against Clinton.

Without exposing Benghazi we might never have learned that Hillary Clinton was using her private email server to conduct government business and transmit classified information, Chaffetz wrote. Benghazi was a symptom of a much deeper problem at the State Department. Their decisions were based not on a security calculation, but on a political one.

Chaffetz also uses his book to go after the Department of Justice  a frequent target of both Trump and the extremely conservative House Freedom Caucus.

The DOJ should be protecting us, Chaffetz wrote. And yet it is the federal agency that stands head and shoulders above the rest in enabling the Swamp.

Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House oversight panel, said Chaffetz and other Republicans targeted the Obama administration but have refused to investigate anything related to Trump, according to the Tribune.

Despite issuing a steady stream of far-reaching subpoenas during the Obama Administration, the Oversight Committee has essentially gone dormant under the Trump Administration, and Chairman Chaffetzs successor has not issued a single subpoena to anyone, on any issue, ever, Cummings said.

This article was originally published by "USA-TODAY " -

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
President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Abuja met the UK Prime Minister Theresa May at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.

In a statement by Femi Adesina, Buharis Spokesman on Wednesday, he revealed what transpired in the bilateral meeting.

2019 elections and Buharis commitment

The president in the meeting assured the UK Prime Minister of his commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

In a bilateral meeting with the visiting Prime Minister, President Buhari welcomed UKs support at strengthening democratic institutions in the country.

I assure you that Im all out for free, fair and credible elections. Im very pleased that my party is doing very well. The High Commissioner will brief you more. The recent successes in polls in Katsina, Bauchi, and Kogi have boosted our morale greatly.

Nigeria has accepted multiparty democracy and that is putting politicians on their toes, forcing them to work harder.

On the anti-corruption campaign

Adesina said the President applauded the British support to the country, noting that the success of the fight was very important to ordinary people in the country.

We had great opportunities and resources between 1999 and 2014, due to high oil prices. But when we came in 2015, oil prices plunged to as low as 37 dollars per barrel.

What we have been doing since 2015 is to focus on infrastructure development, despite low earnings. Work is ongoing in roads, rail, power, and many others.

On Brexit

President Buhari noted that it provides an opportunity to strengthen the historic ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, Adesina explains.

We are nervously watching the development about Brexit because we know that the relationship had been on for a long time. I assure you that I am prepared to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.

On UKs support in fighting insurgency

The Spokesperson noted that Buhari thanked the UK government for the support on security and the fight against insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, as well as the improved trade relations between both countries.

I am very grateful to the British government under you leadership for the help in security, particularly your training team that is in our institution in Kaduna.

On her part, May expressed her joy on hearing of Buharis commitment to deliver a free and fair election. The Prime Minister also said she was pleased to be in Abuja to continue the excellent discussions she started with President Buhari in London in April, this year, particularly on security, trade, asset recovery and the fight against corruption.

Security and defence cooperation are very important steps to address Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa, May said.

On asset recovery, the Prime Minister told President Buhari

we do not want to hold anything that belongs to Nigeria people, but we follow the judicial process, which can be slow.

President Buhari and Prime Minister May witnessed the signing of two agreements: Security and Defence Partnership and Economic Development Forum Agreement
Popular female Nigerian DJ, Ifeoluwa Otedola aka DJ Cuppy has received a lot of backlash and support after she said she dumped feminism because some feminists are hypocrites.

The DJ in a recent interview with CityFM set the internet ablaze with are response on feminism. Cuppy who said she used to identify herself but dropped it because shes in a male dominated industry.

I used to consider myself a feminist until I realised that I didnt really understand it.

I dont like people that are hypocrites. People are out there speaking about womens rights, womens issues and behind closed doors, theyre doing kind of like crazy things.

I would never come out as a feminist because Im in a male-dominated industry.

There are certain scenarios where, Im not saying I have to water myself down, but I deal with men on a day to day basis and I realise that they are always going to think they are better than women.

Cuppy also said she no longer tries to change that some people think, she had a flourishing career as a DJ because of her fathers money.

I used to have this issue where people thought that my dad made my career. I cant kill myself because I cannot change the way people think. All you can change is what you do and how you act. I cannot change what you think about me. I can try and influence it but you are entitled to your own opinion. So if we go around as women, trying to change the way men think, we are going to tire ourselves out. What we need to do is focus on achieving our own goals, working on our own selves. Its important to talk about these issues and bring them to the surface but you must also limit the amount of attention you give them because the more energy you put into one thing, the less you can into another.

While some fans were disappointed at her for response, some others hailed her for it.

See reactions below

What I took from DJ Cuppy was:

1. Some feminists are hypocrites, so I dropped it. Which is like saying some Christians are hypocrites, so now I'm an atheist. 2. You can't change the oppressors opinion, so why bother. Your average Nigerian's attitude to systems of oppression.  Bruce Bateman Esq (@sugabillionaire) August 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/vasheti_/status/1035120456754446336?s=19

https://twitter.com/Hafymo/status/1035101693166403584?s=19

Feminism is a genuine struggle for equity and equality. I think its Bullcrap for DJ Cuppy to say the reason she stopped being one is cos of hypocrites, their hypocrisy did not/will not stop you from being a real feminist.  Lerd Chigbo a (@itschigbo) August 30, 2018

Dj cuppy went online to go and embarrass herself but you know what? we'll keep fighting for what it is we want freedom for  T baby (@cocomile_) August 30, 2018

Her supporters

https://twitter.com/realDewoye/status/1035128097291612160?s=19

DJ Cuppy has a whole foundation that does real work helping girls, DJ Cuppy is what e-feminists wish they were.  Oloye (@OluniyiGates) August 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/Kelvin_Odanz/status/1035121989877424128?s=19

https://twitter.com/Adazoee/status/1035137615723421696?s=19
The Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki, today while giving a keynote address in a dialogue for young aspirants under the Aegis of Not too young to run made the declaration to run for the Countrys highest political office.

Sarak, who recently dumped the ruling All Progressive Party to the Peoples Democratic Party said the need to yield to the teeming cry of the masses made him want to run for Presidency.

He then went ahead to highlight some of the serious challenges encountered by Nigerians but which the present administration ha7ve not been able to fix. He promised to fix all this if elected into power.

See challenges below:

1.He said poverty,hunger and lack of education have almost become a norm with with Nigerians.

2.He said unemployment is also one other area which the present administration have not been able to tackle.

3.He also said that it is time for Nigerians to rebuild the nation with new leadership.

4.He equally said that the economy is broken and needs a quick fix.

5.He then submitted by saying that the nation has now, more than ever, witnessed divisions along regional, religious and ethnic lines, a situation he believes should be addressed urgently in order for the nation to grow.
Ace musician, Davido has been making rounds on the internet lately after registering for NYSC at Lagos camp two days ago.

Today he was mobbed by fellow corpers as he arrived the camp for orientation.

Comedian Ayo Makun aka AY has taken to his IG page to react saying the camp should be called Davido Youth Service Corp.

He wrote;

This is @davidoofficial arriving NYSC camp as a Corper. Who is serving who? No number one citizen of Nigeria don get this kind welcome for NYSC camp before. Please permit me to call this DYSC (Davido Youth Service Corp). More importantly, I am so proud of Davido. Education is our passport to the future, no matter the amount you have in your bank account. I hope those who are planning to run away from school to become a Davido is seeing this?


Nigerians on social media have accused musician, Davido of dumping his used clothes on his producer, Fresh and Peruzzi, who happens to be his girlfriends cousin.

The accusation came after the music video of AZA, featuring Duncan Mighty and Peruzzi, dropped yesterday and in it, Peruzzi and Fresh were spotted rocking exactly the same shirt Davido once rocked.

However, some users have argued that there is nothing wrong in him doing that; others also noted that it could have been a coincidence as the two might have also bought the same clothes when Davido bought his own.

See more photos below:


Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi swore in on Thursday Major General Sherif Seif El-Din Hussein as new head of the Administrative Control Authority, the country's anti-corruption body.

Hussein is succeeding Mohamed Erfan, who has held the post since April 2015.

Hussein, 54, has served as commander of the Egyptian Armed Forces Infantry division. He also served as commander of Egypt's southern military zone, commander of the Egyptian peacekeeping forces in South Sudan, and the Defence Ministry's attache in Germany.

In recent months, Egypts Administrative Control Authority has uncovered several bribery-related cases involving senior state officials.

The cases have led to the arrest of the head of the Egyptian Customs Authority last month, the head of the state Food Industries Holding Company in May and the governor of the Nile Delta governorate of Menoufiya in January.

Outgoing head Arfan has been appointed as the presidential advisor for governance affairs, local media reported.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


A 7-year old girl in Lagos has exposed two married men who had abused her severally by telling their wives that she had slept with their husbands in their compound at Sanusi Street in Shomolu area of Lagos where they resided.

The suspects, Mr. Osuntunbo Dare, 42 and Idowu Gbolahan, 29, have been arrested for defilement.

After the act was exposed, residents in the area expressed surprise and wondered what the attraction was for the suspects to have done such.

It was gathered that the 7-year old victim had been subjected to sexual abuse since 2017 when Mr. Dare first defiled her and continued before Mr. Gbolahan later joined in the act in 2018. They were said to have continued but warned her not to tell anyone about what they were doing to her.

However, the whole thing got exposed after the mother of the victim suspected her, checked her private part only to discover that she had been defiled. The 7-year old then revealed what had happened mentioning Gbolahan and Dare as being responsible for the dastardly act and their wives were informed about what had happened.

The matter was reported to the police at the Gender Section of the Command who arrested the suspects and detained them for further interrogations.

It was gathered that it was at the Command that the suspects knew that both of them were secretly sleeping with the victim after the girl confronted them before the police.
Fashion runs in the family, said Kiss Daniels brother, Anidugbe Mofoluwato Uthman, CEO of Omg Fashion house.

He made the disclosure recently in the build-up to the companys next big step as it plans to launch its online fashion store.

The Omg fashion boss said with the aid of internet and e-commercel, he made his first millions at the age of 19 through his fashion business, even though he did not own a shop.

Speaking about his brand, he said; Were a clothing brand that sells various fashion brands and also make our own shoes and outfits. We run a mobile shopping service here in Lagos and also would be launching our online fashion store in a bit.

On his background and early days in the fashion retailing business, he said, I think I was 19 when I made my first million naira through my business. I started my business from a back bag to a bigger bag to a Ghana-must-go.

That was how we started because I did not have a shop. I was selling clothes from house to house. I have my clients. They call me and I would go to them with the outfits so they can buy. That was how we started and got our first shop, then the second shop. It has been a gradual journey and we thank God for what we have today.

The Omg fashion house boss went on to say, Our focus is to provide affordable fashion to every Nigeria and also be the leading brand in fashion entrepreneurship. We have built a brand for ourselves and would keep soaring. A lot of celebrities have been styled by our Omg Fashionhouse designs including my brother Kizz Daniels, CDQ, Falz the bad guy, Reekado Banks, Chidinma and a whole lot of up and coming artistes, he said.
Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial district, Ben Murray Bruce, this evening took to his twitter handle to call on Nigerians to support him in his quest to have the Federal Government, dedicate 20 percent of the National Budget to Education.

He even went further to ask Nigerians to identify the Senators representing them and pick up their phones to call them to support him in his quest.

Nigerians however did not agree with him as they took turns to fire heavy shots at him. Some even asked him how many people have his number in his constituency.

See what they said:

Charity begins at home Mobilize your colleagues to cut down your salary and unnecessary allowances first. Only then we can assure you of our full support.

 Bala Abdulmutallib Ibrahim (@Mutallab151) August 30, 2018

Sr, how many people in you constituency has ur ordinary number let alone hot line?

 iwonayousabi (@nayousabiall) August 30, 2018

Abegii, politician whe dey pass all hin bills for twitter na Suegbe eeee, na Suegbe ooo    !!!

 Olajide Elias (@ilyas_jide) August 30, 2018
A 49-year-old man, Gbenga Olomilua, has prayed to a Grade C Customary Court sitting at Inanlende, Ibadan, to go ahead and put an end to his marriage with the claim that his wife sleeps with every man in the area.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Olomilua told the court on Wednesday that his 10-year union with the plaintiff was characterised with cheating, nagging and disrespect.

I married her when she was nothing. Although I didnt pay her dowry, yet I took care of her and provided for all her needs to make her satisfied.

I work in Lagos, but I spend my weekends in Ibadan. Unfortunately, she used my absence as an opportunity to learn the acts of infidelity from her friends.

She is now an expert whose promiscuity has reached an alarming stage. She hardly stays at home to take care of the two kids from our marriage.

She is fond of nagging, and she will never listen to or obey my instructions and command as the husband.

In this regard, her decision to end the marriage is a welcome development, Olomilua stated.

Rashidat, 32, had earlier prayed the court to dissolve her marriage on grounds of brutality and unrest of mind.

She accused her husband of turning her into a punching bag when they quarrelled.

He even cut my hair with a razor in one of our fights. My lord, I am scared, because I am not sure of what he wants to do with my hair.

He does not treat me as a husband will treat his lovely wife. He maltreats me, never providing for my needs, she said.

Rashidat, therefore, said that since there was no more love in the relationship, the court should have both parties go their separate ways.

The President of the court, Chief Ramoni Olafenwa, thereafter, dissolved the union and gave the custody of the first kid to Olomilua.

Olafenwa directed the second child to remain with Rashidat and ordered the respondent to pay N4,000 as monthly upkeep allowance for the second child.

He admonished the parties to keep away from each other and maintain peace.
Fela Durotoye has emerged as the consensus candidate for the coalition of political parties under the Aegis of Presidential Aspirants Coming together(PACT), in a primary election that was observed by former Nigeria Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwezili.

He would now be the flag bearer of Alliance For New Nigeria(ANN), representing the interest of other 10 aspirants that stepped down for him.

Nigerians are however of a different view as some feel Kingsley Moghalu, one of the aspirants, would have made a better choice.

See what they said;

This PACT that threw up Fela Durotoye ahead of Kingsley Muoghalu will rank top of the most useless political move ever in Nigeria's democracy.

You guys are not ready to challenge Buhari sha

Let's wait for PDP's candidate too so we know if it's gonna be a deja vu  Illuminated (@cece4real) August 30, 2018

Im baffled as to why Fela Durotoye was chosen over Kingsley Moghalu. Moghalu is OBVIOUSLY the better of the two and has worked harder in his quest to be president than Durotoye. Its like these PACT guys are not serious at all.  Infovore (@0lawale__) August 30, 2018

This is trending on Twitter where there are no polling units but it's not trending on the street. Congratulation to President Fela Durotoye, the elected President of Lekki Peninsula.  'BodeAA (@Ojebodesteve) August 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/ArabOfficial_/status/1035244479463211008
Senate president Bukola Saraki shook the internet on Thursday, after he announced that he would be contesting next years presidential election.

Saraki, who recently defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) made the announcement while delivering a keynote address at a dialogue for young aspirants.

He said:

It is with all these in mind and taking account of the challenges that I have outlined, that I have decided to answer the call of teeming youth who have asked me to run for President.

Accordingly, I hereby announce my intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming General Elections in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I do so with the firm conviction that I have what it takes to secure inclusive growth for Nigeria and Nigerians.

The decision didnt come as a surprise to many Nigerians as Sarakis move to the PDP had sparked speculations earlier. However, while some hailed the senate president for the move, a lot, were of the opinion that Saraki should have waited but others, said he didnt stand a chance at all.

See reactions below

I admire bukola saraki but won't support him for president. APC is hoping for a situation were PDP presidential primaries will hold (winner emerges) and other presidential hopefuls will disagree with the process. The party has a lot of work to do by getting a consensus candidate.  UDO OLIVER (@Udo_Oliver97) August 30, 2018

Saraki and shenanigans. So it was always about the Presidency. PMB's second term just made it impossible for your ambition and that is why all the "rikishi" "mago mago" and intense hatred. Please choose Dino as your campaign manager.  Arinola I. Awokoya (@iyaboawokoya) August 30, 2018

Finally saraki has made his intention known.. Nd some youth are excited he is running for presidency!!!! I hope u all know he has nothing to offer  Omorinsola Ajifowobaje Avoseh (@rinsiwealth) August 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/NotJustSalman/status/1035189803468378113?s=19

It's pathetic seeing responsible group of people clamoring and clapping for same set of looters and deceivers driven by their selfish agendas. Upon all the pdp aspirant, saraki is the worse of them with no major achievements attach to his 8 years as governor.  bAkAtsInE (@_lukmanB) August 30, 2018

LOOOL! Saraki has just knocked on the door of his political abyss. Oh, he has opened it wide for the journey of no return.  J. (@Johannxs) August 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/Iboboii/status/1035185001023848448?s=19

Saraki declared to run for President in 2019? He must make Dino Melaye his running mate oo Let's know he's about to turn Nigeria into a comedy nation Wawuuuuu, Saraki you can't be for real.  Otunba ICE (@ManLikeIcey) August 30, 2018

Saraki should have waited,lol. He doesn't stand a chance. President ko.  Adiaha (@eddyfontaine) August 30, 2018

The ones who love Saraki

Curse him or hate him truth be told Saraki is the smartest politician in Nigeria  Owen (@BodaKola) August 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/MP_Muye/status/1035187856841617408?s=19
In a notice to over 80 syndicate members, Lloyds said that upon legal advice, the insurance market was satisfied that offering cannabis insurance in Canada wouldnt breach the UK Proceeds of Crime Act.

It is important that managing agents ensure that any cannabis risks have Canadian risk location only, read the notice, as reported by Reuters. In the same report, a Lloyds spokesman was quoted as stating that Lloyds does not intend to prohibit syndicatesfrom underwriting cannabis- related business in Canada, provided that syndicates themselves ensure all of their activities meet local and international laws.

In recent weeks, Hub International also announced that it would be offering comprehensive cannabis insurance for businesses in both the US and Canada.
Veteran Egyptian leftist and writer Hussein Abdel-Razek, a leading member of the Tagammu party, died on Thursday at the age of 82 after a long struggle with illness, the party announced in a statement.

Abdel-Razek served for years as a member of the party's political bureau and Editor-in-Chief of Al-Ahali, the party's paper.

He also served as chair of the Khaled Mohie El-Din Culture Institute.

Abdel-Razek was undergoing state-funded treatment at the Maadi military hospital at the time of his death.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


San Diego, CA - August 30, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Gopher Protocol Inc. (OTCQB: GOPH) ("Gopher"), a company specializing in the creation of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence enabled mobile technologies, including a global platform with both mobile and fixed solutions, is pleased to announce it started the development of Avant! AI Deep Neural Network (DNN) for advanced object detection. Object recognition is a computer vision technique for identifying objects in images or videos. Object recognition has become a key feature of deep learning and machine learning algorithms in the past decade. As we move forward with Avant! AI Engine development, a comprehensive image analysis is needed in order to detect and identify objects as having more precise and detailed object recognition is a crucial task especially for autonomous driving, anatomical/facial recognition and robotics. Avant! will need to precisely define an object's geometry in order to classify and identify them. In addition, it needs to locate objects contained within images, which is called object detection process. Gopher started the development of DNN, a machine learning based system, in order to achieve a prominent state-of-the-art object detection system. The system will capture object's parts, ratios and geometrical relations.

"The main challenges in objects detection is to define the representations and kinematics of the objects, expressing them as graphical models. This functionality will be achieved by our machine learning DNN (Deep Neural Network) model for Avant! AI," stated Danny Rittman, Gophers Chief Technology Officer. "Our Deformable Part-based system will consist of broad class of proprietary detection algorithms, used on images in order to achieve efficient classification and objects recognition," Dr. Rittman continued. "Using discriminative learning technique of graphical models allows for building high-precision part-based models for wide variety of object classes. We expect that our deep learning architectures will have the capacity to learn more complex models and produce robust training algorithms for Avant!. When fully developed, these architectures are expected to allow Avant! to recognize objects without the need for human intervention. Upon development, we expect the technology to provide a state-of-the-art technology for Avant! AI, enabling it to "see", locate, classify and identify objects, which we believe it will use in a wide variety of Gopher's future applications."

About Gopher Protocol Inc.

Gopher Protocol Inc. (GOPH) ("Gopher") (http://gopherprotocol.com/) is a development-stage company which consider itself Native IoT creator, developing Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence enabled mobile technology. Gopher has a portfolio of Intellectual Property that when commercialized will include smart microchips, mobile application software and supporting cloud software. The system contemplates the creation of a global network. The core of the system will be its advanced microchip technology that can be installed in any mobile device worldwide. Gopher envisions this system as an internal, private network between all enabled mobile devices providing shared processing, advanced mobile database management/sharing and enhanced mobile features.

Corporate Site: http://gopherprotocol.com

Press page/ press kit - http://gopherprotocol.com/?page_id=228

Consumer and product website for Guardian Patch: http://www.guardianpatch.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Companys ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Companys successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Companys products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release.

Contact:

Dr. Danny Rittman, CTO

Gopher Protocol Inc.

VM Only 888-685-7336

Media: press@gopherprotocol.com

SOURCE: Gopher Protocol Inc.

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 investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Contact each company directly regarding content and press release questions. 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. Disclosure: GOPH is a PR, social media and publishing client and compensates Investorideas.com: More disclaimer and disclosure info: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp, http://www.investorideas.com/About/News/Clientspecifics.asp

Additional info regarding BC Residents and global Investors: Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: http://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894. Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country.

Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp
The Live Your Truth event was co-hosted by the Center for LGBTQIA+ Student Success and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
While Apple has used OLED panels in its Apple Watch lineup for quite some time, its still a relatively new feature for the iPhone lineup. And it might not be sticking around for too much longer.

There have been plenty of rumors and reports outlining Apples future plans, where the company drops OLED for not only the Apple Watch family, but also the iPhone lineup, and in its place inserts microLED panels. There have been some suggestions that the company might use miniLEDs in the interim, but those have been few and far between up to this point. The general consensus seems to be that Apple will be waiting for microLED technology to be ready to go, and then adopt that tech for its touchscreen devices.

Now, Economic Daily News is reporting that representatives from Apple recently met with a company called AUO, which is a leader in microLED technology.

However, Apple has maintained friendly relations with the Taiwan panel factory. It has previously announced that it has established an advanced display R&D center with AUO in Longtan. This time, Apple visited AUO and other Taiwanese factories, indicating that Apple is still highly affirmed on Taiwans display technology. It is understood that Apple came to Taiwan to learn about AUO and Jingdians technology in Mini LED and Micro LED. Since Mini LED is often regarded as a transitional product before the maturity of Micro LED technology, and has entered mass production, the industry believes that if Apple intends to cooperate with Taiwanese companies, the target may be placed on Micro LED products.

Apple is expected to follow a similar path with microLED that it followed with OLED. That means we could see Apple adopt this new technology for its Apple Watch display first, and then, at some point after that, bringing that display over to the iPhone lineup. Nothing is guaranteed, though, and plans may change before we see any of this come to fruition.

Still, Apples attention on microLED has been around for quite some time. That extends to the acquisition of a company called LuxVue back in 2014. In March of this year we heard that Apple was working on its own microLED screens for the Apple Watch and iPhone lineup, and before that there were reports that Apple was in talks with PlayNitride to cooperate on the technology for future devices.

There are even Apple patents that include the future technology.

Our Take

Is Apple developing plans for the adoption of microLED displays in its future lineup of devices? Sure seems like it! Are we going to see it any time soon? Well, that depends on when you start the countdown. 2014, when Appel acquired LuxVue? Or this year, when Apple is reportedly meeting with one of the leaders in the technology?

What do you think? Are you ready to see OLED get replaced?

[via EDN
Remember the 2014 iCloud celebrity hack that managed to stir quite a bit of controversy? Well, the fourth accused hacker in the case has been sentenced to eight months of prison.

Connecticut redient George Garofano, 26, has been sentenced to eight months in prison for hacking his way into iCloud accounts of 240 people including celebrities and leaking their private and intimate photos on the internet.

Garofano has been ordered to serve eight months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty of his crimes in April this year and requested a prison time of five months followed by another five months of home confinement. The prosecutors, however, argued for a prison time of anywhere between 10 to 16 months which are in line with the federal guidelines. They argued that the young hacker showed little regard for the privacy of the people whose data he stole and could have even sold their photos to others for money.

Garofano, on his part, said that he has already suffered for his crimes and has worked hard to clean up his image since then.

He now stands before the court having matured, accepting responsibility for his actions and having not been in trouble with the law since, defense attorney Richard Lynch wrote. There is nothing to suggest that he would ever engage in this or any other criminal conduct in the future.

The three other hackers in the case have received a far worse sentencing period of anywhere between nine to 18 months.

The celebrity hack was carried out in 2014 via a phishing attack where the hackers posed as Apples security employees to get key account details from celebrities.

[Via The Guardian
China's Ambassador to Cairo Song Aiguo said on Thursday that the upcoming visit of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to China will give a strong thrust to strategic ties between the two countries in all fields.



In an interview with the Middle East News Agency Editor-in-Chief and Board Chairman Ali Hassan on Thursday, the Chinese diplomat hailed great achievements made in Egypt during the past four years, especially with regard to preserving the country's security and stability, as well as establishing several mega projects in a short period of time to achieve development.



China looks forward to President Sisi's visit, which is the fifth to be paid by the Egyptian leader to the Asian state, Song said.



He further underlined that Sisi's visits to China had contributed greatly to pushing forward bilateral ties.

Egyptian President El-Sisi left to Bahrain on Thursday on the first leg of a three-nation tour that includes China and Uzbekistan.

After Bahrain, the president will head to Beijing where he will take part in the Forum on Chinese-African Cooperation (FOCAC) along with 30 other African leaders the country will host for the September 3-4 event.

The once-every-three-years event has seen China offer large loan packages for countries on the continent.

During the visit, El-Sisi is due to meet with China's President Xi Jinping and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang.

The two presidents are planned to sign a number of cooperation deals and memoranda of understanding in a variety of industries, according to the Egyptian presidency spokesman added.

El-Sisi will also sit with top Chinese business executives to discuss boosting their investments in Egypt.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


BOUNCING BACK Second-grader Wyatt Hipp blows into an empty bottle, which is floating in a bucket of water, while Cora Weiner looks on during a lesson on buoyancy Friday at Melrose School....

School meetings relocating to Town Hall Parents interested in the policy making process of their childrens education now will be able to livestream those discussions from their homes. The school committee permanently will move its meetings...

A FRIGHTFULLY GOOD NIGHT AT FORT GETTY Dozens of costumed children attended Fright Night at Fort Getty at the park Saturday along the West Passage. The first-time event, which was conceived by Ray DeFalco, director of parks...
Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat discussed on Thursday in Cairo the deaths of two British tourists in Hurghada last week with Thomas Cook's CEO Peter Fankhauser, the minister of tourism said in a statement.

Minister Al-Mashat said that both PM Madbouly and herself assured the CEO of the British holiday company, which organized the John and Susan Cooper's trip to the Red Sea resort city, that the Egyptian authorities would leave "no stone unturned" in determining the actual cause of the death of John and Susan Cooper.

The statement added that "the same assurances have been given to Mr and Mrs Cooper's daughter Kelly Ormerod and the British ambassador to Egypt, John Cassen."

The prime minister reaffirmed to Mr Fankhauser the Egyptian government's commitment to total transparency in its undertakings, Al- Mashat added.

Last week, John Cooper, 69, died in his hotel room at the five-star Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada. Shortly after, his wife Susan Cooper, 64, was taken to the local Aseel Hospital after she suffered a loss of consciousness, but efforts to resuscitate her failed.

The Egyptian ministry of tourism said that a preliminary medical examination report showed that the British couple died of natural causes and that there was no evidence of criminal foul play.

The office of Egypt's prosecutor general issued a statement on Saturday saying that investigations revealed that no harmful gases were released by the air conditioner at a hotel room where a British couple died in the Red Sea governorate earlier this week.

On Thursday, Thomas Cook, the British holiday company, also issued its own statement following the meeting saying that it continued to speak with the Egyptian and British authorities to work together to prioritise "the very best interest of the Cooper family."

"The well-being of our customers in Egypt remains of paramount importance," Thomas Cook said in its statement.

The Egyptian prime minister assured Frankhauser that the Egyptian authorities are doing their utmaost to ensure that the investigation is comprehensive, transparent and provides the answers as soon as possible, Thomas Cook said.

According to the minister of tourism, a thorough autopsy is currently being carried out on the two bodies by a team of forensic pathologists.

Al-Mashat anticipated that the results of the autopsy would be available during next week.

"Once the pathologists have completed their detailed forensics analysis, our priority will be to then contact the Cooper family in England to explain the findings as they more than anyone need to know what happened to John and Susan," Al-Mashat said in a statement.

The bodies of John and Susan Copper will be returned to England next week, the statement continued.

The statement highlighted that investigations in the two death cases are being conducted by Egyptian Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek.

The prosecutor-general's team is currently inspecting and examining forensic details of all hygienic aspects in the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada where the British couple was staying, the statement explained.

Following the deaths, Thomas Cook offered its 300 customers at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel, where the incident took place, the choice to move from the hotel as a precautionary measure after the death of the Coopers or to fly them back to Britain instead.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday described militants in Syria's last big rebel-held enclave of Idlib as a "festering abscess" that needed to be liquidated.

Speaking after talks with his Saudi counterpart Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir in Moscow, Lavrov said militants were using civilians as a human shield.

Lavrov told reporters that there was a political understanding between Turkey and Russia on the need to distinguish between the Syrian opposition and people he described as terrorists in Idlib Province.

The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Moscow, says it aims to recapture Idlib, which has become a refuge for civilians and rebels displaced from other areas of Syria, as well as jihadist forces.

The region has been hit by a wave of air strikes and shelling this month in a possible prelude to a full-scale government offensive.

Russia has deployed several frigates to the Mediterranean via the Bosphorus, part of what a Russian newspaper on Tuesday called Moscow's largest naval buildup since it entered the Syrian conflict in 2015.

Lavrov said that Moscow was in close contact with Turkey on the situation in Idlib.

"This is the last hotbed of terrorists who are trying to speculate on the region's status as a de-escalation zone, who are trying to hold the civilian population hostage as human shields and bend to their will those armed groups ready to engage in dialogue with the government," Lavrov said.

"So from all points of view, this festering abscess needs to be liquidated," he said.

Lavrov also said Russia remained in contact with the United States on the situation in Idlib and that communication was happening between their two militaries.



Search Keywords:

Short link:


Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday held previously unannounced talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish presidency said, with the situation in Syria likely to have dominated the agenda.

With expectation growing of an offensive by Tehran ally President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's Idlib province bordering Turkey, Zarif held one hour of talks with Erdogan at his ruling party headquarters in Ankara Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who attended the meeting, said "bilateral ties... (and) Syria" were on the agenda, state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Zarif, who heads now to Pakistan, posted on Twitter after the meeting that the talks had been "fruitful".

He said they focused "on bilateral relations and regional cooperation in the face of malign US behaviour".

Iran has strongly supported Turkey as it was hit by sanctions from Tehran's arch enemy the United States which have caused the Turkish lira to nosedive in value.

Turkey has been keeping a wary eye on the possibility of the Idlib offensive, as it seeks to bring peace to Syria along with Iran and Assad's other main ally Russia.

Ankara has throughout the seven-year civil war in Syria supported rebels seeking to oust Assad but has put differences aside to form a three-way alliance with Tehran and Moscow.

Erdogan and his counterparts Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Russia's Vladimir Putin are due to meet in Iran for a third summit on Syria on September 7, Turkish reports have said.

But analysts say that Idlib, which is largely controlled by rebel groups, could test the alliance with Turkey, as Ankara warns a military solution could lead to catastrophe and a new influx of refugees across its borders.

Turkey has 12 military observation posts inside Idlib aimed at monitoring a de-escalation zone and media reports have said it has sent concrete blocks over the border to reinforce them in case of an assault.

But analysts also say Turkey is keen to preserve the three-way alliance and may be prepared to support a more limited offensive against the most extreme factions in Idlib.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday called on the West not to stand in the way of an "anti-terror operation" in Idlib.

Lavrov also said there is "full political understanding" between Russia and Turkey adding it was necessary to "disassociate the so-called moderate opposition from terrorists."

Search Keywords:

Short link:


British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt accused Google on Thursday of abandoning its moral values by failing to remove child abuse content while launching a version of its search engine in China that will block some websites.

The government has repeatedly criticised online platforms such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook for failing to remove abusive material or sexual content posted online even after they were notified.

"Seems extraordinary that Google is considering censoring its content to get into China but wont cooperate with UK, US ... in removing child abuse content," Hunt said on Twitter. "They used to be so proud of being values-driven."

Alphabet's Google plans a search engine in China that will block some search terms and websites, two sources told Reuters earlier this month, in a move that could mark its return to a market it abandoned eight years ago on censorship concerns.

Google declined to comment on Hunt's remarks.

Britain, the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand invited major technlogy companies to attend a meeting on tackling child abuse and extremism on their websites, but the firms declined to attend, the Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

Google did offer to send an executive to the conference but the offer was not taken up, a source at the company said.

In January, Prime Minister Theresa May used an address at the World Economic Forum in Davos to say investors should use their financial power to force internet firms into taking more responsibility for stopping militants and paedophiles using their platforms.

Google, which quit China's search engine market in 2010, has been actively seeking ways to re-enter China where many of its products are blocked by regulators.

Leading human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have urged Google not to bow to censorship demands in China because by doing so, they allege, the company would be complicit in the repression of freedom of speech.

Search terms about human rights, democracy, religion and peaceful protests will be among the words blacklisted in the search engine app, which The Intercept website said had already been demonstrated to the Chinese government.

The project is code-named "Dragonfly" and has been under way since the spring of 2017, the news website said.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maeet described the recent new positive outlook of the Egyptian economy by the international ratings agency Moody's as a "positive sign", a statement by Egypt's finance ministry read on Tuesday.

In an official statement, Maeet said his ministry is currently following the country's economic and fiscal reforms programme, which began in 2014, in order to sustain the economic growth that was prevalent in the last two years, while also increasing the number of job opportunities and attracting more foreign investments.

He added that the current rating should raise investors' trust in the Egyptian economy, which will help bring in more foreign direct investments and lower the cost of future loans for the public and private sectors.

Moody's has changed the outlook on the government of Egypt's long-term issuer ratings to positive from stable, and has affirmed the B3 issuer ratings in its research document published on Tuesday.

"Moody's decision to change the outlook to positive reflects the continuing structural improvements in the fiscal and current account balances, resulting from the ongoing implementation of the home-grown IMF-backed reform program. Moreover, early signs of business environment reforms offer the prospect of a sustainable, inclusive growth path capable of improving competitiveness and absorbing the country's rapidly expanding labor force," the document said.

The continued implementation of fiscal and economic reforms should sustain GDP growth converging to six percent, according to the US-based agency.

Moreover, Moody's expects that the energy subsidy bill will fall below 1% of GDP by 2020 from 4.1% of GDP in 2017.

These savings will be partly offset by cash transfers to low-income and vulnerable households, which should help maintain public support for the ongoing reforms and better direct government subsidies.

Since 2014, Egypt has introduced multiple subsidy cuts in fuel and electricity.

The decision of the American credit rating agency to affirm Egypt's B3 rating can be traced to its large and diversified economy and robust and rising growth potential that provides a high degree of resilience to external economic shocks and against continuously weak fiscal indicators, specifically debt affordability.

"Very weak debt affordability will maintain the government's annual gross financing needs at very high levels of about 30%-40% of GDP," Moody's said.

The B3 ratings also capture the low risk of a sudden political uprising that could negatively influence the economic progress through slowing down or reversing the current economic policy.

"Foreign and local currency bond and deposit ceilings remain unchanged; the foreign-currency bond ceiling remains at B2, the foreign-currency deposit ceiling at Caa1, and the local-currency bond and deposit ceiling at Ba2," said Moody's.

The research document concluded saying that the prospect of upgrading the rating was high if Moody's confidence is heightened in two areas. First, that the government's commitment to fiscal and structural economic reforms will be sustained through fluctuations in the economic environment and public acceptance of ongoing economic policies and second, that the country's susceptibility to external financing shocks will remain manageable.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


BROOKINGS, Ore.  Deputies arrested a wanted fugitive after a witness saw him breaking into boats at the Port of Brookings Harbor, according to the Curry County Sheriff's Office (CCSO).

The Brookings Police Department transferred a 911 call to CCSO on Wednesday just after 9 a.m. The caller reported seeing a white man in his 40s aboard a boat called the Windchime in the Port of Brookings Harbor near the Coast Guard Station. According to the caller, no one should have been on the boat at the time. The caller also believed that the same man had broken into another boat and stolen "numerous items."

When Deputy Jordan White arrived on the scene, he found that the suspect had been "confronted by a few locals and had jumped in the water." CCSO says that the deputy was able to get the man out of the water and detained him.

At first, the suspect gave Deputy White a fake name, according to CCSO. Investigators later identified him as Kevin Wayne King, a fugitive from the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville, wanted for Forgery charges. Further investigation found that King had broken into two boats in the harbor, CCSO said.

King was lodged in the Curry County Jail on two counts of Burglary II and Providing False Information to a Police Officer.

Deputy White also recalled that he had seen King the day before, parked overlooking the ocean in a white convertible near the Beach Front RV area. The convertible reportedly had a surf board in the passenger seat.

The deputy later returned to that area and found the same car parked there. Investigators performed a records check and determined that the car had been stolen a few days earlier from the Fort Bragg area in California. Deputy White also connected King to a series of crimes in Del Norte County, including a break-in at a motel and several thefts.

CCSO says that all of that information has been referred to the Curry County District Attorney, and could constitute additional charges against King.
Attorney General David Eby speaks during a press conference in the press theatre at Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday April 26, 2018. The British Columbia government has filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to recoup the costs associated with opioid addiction. The lawsuit filed in the B.C. Supreme Court was announced by Attorney General David Eby and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Egypt has agreed with Vietnam to import 1 million tons of white rice in three to four months after curtailing cultivation earlier this year, the head of the rice division of the Egyptian Federation of Industries said on Thursday.

"The visit of the President of Vietnam to Egypt resulted in a trade cooperation agreement involving the supply of 1 million tons of white rice, with the agreement coming into force next week," Rajab Shehata told Reuters by telephone.

"These quantities are in batches of three to four months, which will strengthen the strategic reserve of rice for the next year and the presence of domestic rice stocks in the markets."

In an attempt to rationalize the use of water resources, Egypt this year reduced the area allowed for rice cultivation and imposed tough new penalties on farmers who cultivate it illegally.

Traders said the policies would most likely push Egypt to import up to 1 million tons of rice next year after decades of surplus domestic production.

"Importation will be the responsibility of the government, not the private sector," Shehata said.

He did not mention the price of Vietnamese rice but said it would be cheaper than the rice imported from China.

Egypt consumes about 3.3 million tons of rice annually, and still expects to cover most of that amount through local harvest, which is usually done in August and September.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


ALBANY, Ore.  A man is suing an Albany construction company claiming he was fired for not attending Bible study.

Ryan Coleman said he was hired by Dahled Up Construction Inc. in October 2017. Soon after he started working there, he said he discovered his boss Joel Dahl required employees to attend a Christian Bible study during work time.

Coleman, who is not a practicing Christian, told Dahl he was not comfortable attending and that it was it illegal for him to require his employees to do so.

However, he said Dahl insisted he attend. Coleman said he believed he had no other choice and went to the Bible study in order to keep his job.

In April, Coleman said he once again told Dahl on the phone that he had a right not to attend the Bible study, and was then fired by Dahl.

Coleman claims Dahl and his company discriminated against him due to his religious beliefs and is asking for $800,000 in damages.

Dahls attorney Kent Hickman told the Oregonian that Dahl does require all his employees to attend Bible study and said it is legal because he pays them to attend.
COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. -- A former Cottage Grove police officer accused of stealing methamphetamine from the departments evidence locker has pleaded not guilty, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Phillip Allan Beach, 48, of Cottage Grove made an initial appearance Wednesday in federal court. Following his plea, Beach was released pending trial.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said the Cottage Grove Police Departments investigation revealed that between March 2010 and June 2015, Beach accessed numerous pieces of drug evidence from multiple cases.

Beach was suspended June 11, 2015, and later that month the department asked the Oregon State Police to investigate the case to determine if there were criminal charges. The investigation was transferred to the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI for investigation and prosecution.

A criminal complaint says that in May 2015, an evidence coordinator with the Cottage Grove Police Department reported to their supervisor that Beach accessed the departments evidence locker more frequently than other officers for no apparent reason.

A commander with the department examined the bag Beach was said to have accessed repeatedly and found that two plastic bags containing several ounces of meth crystals had been sliced open.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said in June of 2015, the Cottage Grove Police Department began an investigation into Beachs conduct, placing hidden cameras inside the evidence locker. On June 11, 2015, they said Beach was recorded entering the locker without signing in, accessing the evidence bag, and taking a small portion of the meth.

Investigators weighed the evidence bag afterward and found a 7.3 gram reduction in weight, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

The departments investigation also determined that at times Beach would indicate he was taking drugs to send to the crime lab for testing, but no drugs were sent, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. On at least one occasion, Beach is alleged to have replaced meth with salt to conceal his actions.
JUNCTION CITY, Ore. -- Patients and staff at the Oregon State Hospital and volunteers from Food for Lane County spent part of Wednesday picking ripe apples off 200 trees on the hospitals Junction City campus.

All of the apples are headed to food banks across the county.

Brad Bassi of Food for Lane County said its a project thats taken years to grow. Bassi said staff and volunteers with Food for Lane County planted the trees on the property in 2015 while the hospital was still being built, but this is the first year they've had a harvestable crop.

To be able to get produce from a local source, 10 miles down the road -- it's non-sprayed, it's a community effort, it's collaboration -- that's just fantastic, Bassi said.

Kerry Kelly, the deputy superintendent of the hospital, said volunteering gives patients a sense of purpose and allows them to connect to the community.

When people come into the hospital, it could be for two to three months up to a few years, and they can lose that connection pretty quickly, Kelly said. We all enjoy being able to give back to people that are not as fortunate as we are, and this gives our clients an opportunity to do this.

Kerry said some patients also volunteer at Food for Lane County as part of their service work. The skills they learn there and other programs can help them find jobs once they heal. Bassi said working with the Oregon State Hospital patients fits perfectly with their mission.

It gives them the opportunity to engage in a product that's meaningful and help in their recovery, and it's really special to have a collaboration like that, Bassi said.
The former antiquities minister tells the tales behind the discovery of the Khufus Solar Boat on the Pyramids Plateau in Giza in 1954

Egyptology is an exciting and rewarding field, and every discovery has a story behind it. The discovery of the Solar Boat of the Khufu in 1954 is one of the most interesting.

At that time, Mohamed Zaki Nour was chief inspector of antiquities at Giza, and Kamal Al-Mallakh was a young architect in the then Antiquities Service.

The area south of the Great Pyramid was buried under debris reaching a height of seven metres. But the idea of removing it came only after a visit by king Saud of Saudi Arabia, who commented on the debris during a visit. Al-Mallakh, being an ambitious and energetic young man, set his workmen to the task.

Their chief was Garas Yani, an Upper Egyptian who had been trained by some of the best foreign archaeologists.

In July 1954, Yani uncovered several huge limestone blocks lying next to each other at ground level. It was obvious to him that they covered a large pit.

In great excitement, he went to look for Al-Mallakh and found him in a downtown Cairo cafe with his close friends, the famous writer Anis Mansour and Maurice Guindi, a correspondent for the news agency United Press International.

As Mansour relates the scene, Yani was bursting with excitement as he called Al-Mallakh on the telephone when they were having lunch, saying Mr Al-Mallakh, we have found the boat of Khufu.

Whether with the advantage of hindsight, or as the result of an inspired guess at the time, Al-Mallakh said he had been convinced from the first that the southern enclosure wall had been built closer to the Pyramids than the northern and western walls precisely to conceal one or more boat pits, and that Yani had also known this.

Be that as it may, the announcement caused great excitement, and the group left the cafe in haste, jumped into Mansours car, and headed for Giza. Mansour recalls that the car broke down on the Pyramids Road from overheating. The curse of the Pharaohs, he said.

When Al-Mallakh arrived at the site, he found that the 41 limestone blocks seemed to be supported on a metre-wide shelf, and he broke through a massive slab to reveal a deep vault beneath his feet. His excitement grew, and his whole face lit up with a smile as he realised that a boat indeed lay inside and moreover appeared to be in a remarkable state of preservation. For the first time in 4,500 years, the sun shone on the timbers of the great cedar-wood vessel.

Guindi wasted no time in publishing an article on the find with UPI, and the New York Times ran story after story about the discovery of the Solar Boat. Anis Mansour later told me that he had called the distinguished Egyptologist Selim Hassan for his opinion about solar boats, and that meanwhile Al-Mallakh had embarked on a lecture tour in the United States to talk about the discovery.

Ever charismatic, the now famous Al-Mallakh shared his passion for Egypt with academic audiences across the country and gave various television and radio appearances. The tour was a great success.

When Al-Mallakh returned to Egypt, the journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal convinced then president Gamal Abdel-Nasser that the site was well worth a visit. Together with an entourage of military officers, Nasser visited it.

He listened as Al-Mallakh explained the discovery and its significance. Mansour, who was there, said he had heard Nasser say to Al-Mallakh that I did not come to see the discovery. I came to encourage you in your work.

However, at this point, the evil nemesis the ancient Egyptian god Seth decided to churn things up. It seems he almost never leaves us alone. Al-Mallakh was criticised by the Antiquities Service for publishing the discovery without its permission, and it was decided to send him to its Legal Affairs Office, which decided to cut 15 days from his monthly salary as a punishment.

Later, Zaki Nour, an antiquities inspector at Giza, claimed that he should have had the credit for the discovery. Meanwhile, Abdel-Moneim Abu Bakr, dean of the Department of Egyptology at Cairo University, wrote an article outlining six points supporting his theory that the vessel was not a solar boat at all, but a funerary barge that had been built to transport the body of the deceased king from the capital Memphis to the Pyramid site.

I have reviewed Abu Bakrs notes, and I have not found enough evidence to support his theory. In fact, during the excavation chips of cedar and acacia wood were found in the pit, along with traces of mud plaster covering the limestone blocks over it. In my opinion, this provides evidence that the Boat was built close to where it was buried.

Moreover, there is no indication that it was ever used on the Nile. For one thing, the deckhouse is not big enough for a comfortable journey, and for another it does not have any windows. The most important evidence, recently discovered in Wadi Al-Jarf near Suez, is a papyrus that tells us that the king lived in a palace at Giza and not in Memphis.

FIGHTING FOR HIS BELIEFS

Needless to say, Al-Mallakh continued to regard the vessel as a solar boat connected with the age-old myth of the sun god eternally journeying across the heavens.

Imagine his frustration, then, when he had left the Antiquities Service and the boat that had given him instant fame was taken out of his hands. He fought like a tiger for his views, and he ultimately lost his life in the battle. Even when he was no longer involved in the project, he continued to visit Giza to watch Haj Ahmed Youssef, chief restorer at the Antiquities Service, supervising the excavation and reconstruction of the oldest boat in the world.

Limestone blocks covering the pit were lifted using huge cranes, and a resinous solution was applied to the fragments of ancient matting to lift them up without damage. A platform had to be built over the working area to enable Youssef to conduct operations without putting pressure on the boat itself.

Eventually, the ancient timbers were lifted, treated, and restored. Built for a king, this vessel had been dismantled before being buried, and Youssef almost single-handedly spent 14 years putting this giant jig-saw puzzle back together. Al-Mallakh could only watch from the sidelines.

Al-Mallakh was a truly remarkable man. When he died in 1987, Egypt lost one of its most beloved sons. His appearance, which resembled a Pharaoh - tall and upright with a high forehead and a receding hairline - made him stand out on Cairos crowded streets.

Though he was forced out of the Antiquities Department, he was not the kind of person to harbour grievances. He turned his attention to journalism instead and became a reporter for Akher Saa magazine and Al-Akhbar newspaper. At this point he reinforced his friendship with Anis Mansour, and together they shared many adventures. I enjoyed reading about some of those in Mansours weekly column Ayamna Al-Helwa (Our Sweet Days) in Al-Ahram.

However, the two men were opposites. Al-Mallakh led an active social life and published little, while Mansour was not socially inclined and published more than 200 books. They were friends and rivals. They competed with each other, but they were as inseparable as twins. Mansour, a Muslim, and Al-Mallakh, a Copt, forever teased one another and entered into intellectual arguments. Their special friendship will never be forgotten, and when I became a close friend of Anis Mansour, he used to tell me stories about his friendship with Al-Mallakh.

When Al-Mallakh joined Al-Ahram and became the editor of its back page, he also made this his own. Writing in an appealing style that became his calling card, he was read by everyone. The headline was in his handwriting, and the page became so popular that many Al-Ahram readers began their day by reading the paper from the back.

We could not wait to see what he would write each day. He had imagination, talent, and an enormous interest in his own country and especially in Egyptology. In those days, not much was written in the press about the subject, but he described discoveries in simple language that made people love Egyptology. He encouraged me a lot when I became an antiquities inspector at Giza, and he even used to write about me using the expression the young archaeologist.

He predicted a good future for me, saying to me one day that you have the talent and the personality to be the director of Egyptian Antiquities. I will never forget one Friday when I was with him when suddenly a famous actress came into the office. He said, my dear, your appointment is at 11. You will need to wait in the other office while I finish speaking to Zahi Hawass. I could not believe that he had said this to such a famous actress.

A SECOND BOAT

One day, I borrowed a car from my friend Ezzat Al-Saadani, a writer in Al-Ahram. It was a Volkswagen and the petrol gauge was broken.

Al-Mallakh and I drove to Giza, and while we were coming back the car ran out of petrol in front of the Television Building in Cairo. Al-Mallakh and I began to push the car, and people stared at him, scarcely able to believe that this famous writer was pushing the car. He was a character that every Egyptian recognised, first coming up with the idea of the Cairo International Film Festival and appearing a lot on TV.

Even after I went to the University of Pennsylvania in the US as a Fulbright fellow to study for my doctoral degree, I visited him when I returned to Egypt on vacation. One day, he invited me for lunch at Anis Mansours villa in Giza.

There, I met important personalities, including the writer Tawfik Al-Hakim. The domestic video camera had just been invented at the time, and Al-Hakim was quite taken with it, happy to watch images of himself on the screen. He wanted to test out his appearance, being concerned about how he looked from one angle or another, and which was the most flattering. I remember he wiggled his moustache to see if it was noticeable on TV.

Toward the end of Al-Mallakhs life, the Antiquities Service gave permission for the magazine National Geographic to investigate the Second Boat pit at Giza, and he was upset about not being included on the team. He fought for his rights, but to no avail.

One night he called me at 9pm and talked for two hours about how upset he was at this treatment, his voice containing great sadness. I left for the United States the following day to attend the opening of a Ramses II exhibition in Denver, Colorado. Imagine my shock when I was awakened some days later by a call from Dorothea, his sister-in-law, telling me that he had passed away. I cried for two hours, my sorrow being perhaps even greater than what I had felt on the death of my own father.

After the restoration of the Second Boat, I hope the two boats can be exhibited together in the new Boat Museum currently being built near the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. I cannot stand the ugly building that currently contains the first boat beside the Great Pyramid, and I planned to transfer it when we began to build the new Grand Egyptian Museum.

The story of the Solar Boat never ends, but I hope I have been able to give Al-Mallakh the credit he deserved as the one who first discovered it. I myself was able to prove that it was indeed a solar boat that the king, as a god, would symbolically use for his voyages by day. It was called by the ancient Egyptians the mandjet boat, while the one used for the night journey was known as the msketet.

The oars of the boats were used to kill the wild beasts of the underworld, and the people would continue to worship the king after his death as a god.

A version of this article appears in print in the 31 August 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The Untold Stories of the Solar Boat

Search Keywords:

Short link:


DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  Iowa Democratic candidate for governor Fred Hubbell say he and his wife earned $3 million in 2017 and gave $1.3 million to charity.

Hubbell's campaign released details of his 2017 income and giving in announcing Wednesday that he would only release one year of his tax returns. The campaign said his 2017 returns would be made available to reporters Thursday and, if elected, he'll release them annually.

Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has released 10 years of returns online, showing 2017 income of $163,000 and $17,000 donated to charity. She has made Hubbell's wealth a campaign issue, suggesting he's out of touch.

Hubbell's campaign said that federal adjusted gross income for him and his wife Charlotte was just over $3 million. They gave $817,000 to charities, leaving a taxable income of $1.6 million. Their foundation donated an additional $458,650.

Hubbell served as a corporate director in 2017 and reported income from investments and other holdings. His family wealth dates to the 1800s.
ALBERT LEA, Minn.  A man arrested after a high speed chase is pleading guilty in Iowa and not guilty in Minnesota.

Michael Anthony Livingston, 31 of Albert Lea, was arrested on May 22 after a pursuit from southern Freeborn County into east central Winnebago County that authorities say hit speeds of up to 120 miles per hour. Law enforcement says it tried to pull over Livingston because he was wanted in connection to a domestic assault reported earlier that day, but he took off and wouldnt stop until he crashed in a field.

Livingston has pleaded guilty to eluding in Winnebago County. His sentencing is scheduled for September 7.

Court records state he entered not guilty pleas Thursday in Freeborn County to two counts of domestic assault and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.
RUSHFORD, Minn. - This time last year, Rushford-Peterson Schools were getting the new building ready in time for students to head back to classes, but superintendent Chuck Ehler says this summer was dedicated to implementing safety features around the area of the school.

"Last year with moving in and the excitement of all that, we were simply not able to, in that time frame, get all of the things that we wanted to have in place, so this summer afforded us the opportunity to address some of those other needs that are going to facilitate a safe campus for our student," he explains.

Students walking and biking to and from the school can look forward to freshly painted crosswalks, a new sidewalk along Pine Meadows Lane, and a flashing crosswalk across Highway 43.

"It's a very busy street both in the mornings and the afternoons and so having that in place just provides that extra assurance to our parents that if you're going to have your child walk to school, there's a means for them to get to and from school in a safe manner."

Freshman Jacob Meyer says he and his friends have already made use of the new sidewalk. "It's a lot easier and a lot safer for us."

Rushford-Peterson is also concerned about bus safety. Partnering with Bernard Bus Company, they are installing cameras in all of their school buses for the new year. "To assist us in monitoring student behaviors and assisting us in addressing and correcting any behaviors that might happen on the buses," explains Ehler. Bus drivers will have the ability to hit a button when there is an incident, and the time will be marked on the tape to be reviewed.

Classes begin Tuesday, September 4 for Rushford-Peterson students.
Egypt has been chosen to host the Russian International Camp organised by Russia's Ross Atom Foundation for the first time in the event's history. The camp is organised in Russia or in countries that cooperate together with Russia in the production of nuclear energy. Egypt became a cooperating country after the signing of the Dabaa Agreement by presidents Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Vladimir Putin.

As a result, the organizing committee of the Ross Atom Foundation invited the children of the world to come to Egypt to organize the Russian International Camp for this winter, and it is currently searching for the appropriate place for the camp to take place, with Alexandria, Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada being nominated as finalists. The camp is organised in cooperation with the Russian Cultural Centre in Cairo.

The aim of the camp is to enable children to learn about modern trends in contemporary art, while acquiring the abilities of self-determination and self-discovery. The camp also strives to make childrens lives bright and exciting with development of personal skills through the participation in artistic workshops in animation, engineering, invention, singing, theatre, painting, photography, and sports. The programme is supervised by a team of professionals as part of the educational initiative project of the Ross Atom School.

Ross Atom is Russias national atomic energy agency.

Aleksey Tevanyan, the director of the Russian Cultural Centre in Cairo, honoured the delegation of the Egyptian children who participated with 85 children from 10 countries in Turkeys Jonyuk camp held by Russia last June.

Search Keywords:

Short link:


OSAGE, Iowa  A Minnesota man is pleading not guilty to stealing thousands of dollars in tools in Mitchell County.

Kenneth Ray Nightingale, 35 of LeRoy, MN, is charged with 3rd degree burglary and 2nd degree theft. Authorities say Nightingale broke into a locked trailer at Iowa Select Farms in Riceville and took $8,000 worth of tools. The break-in and theft happened between December 7 and December 8 in 2017.

Charges were filed against Nightingale in February and he was picked up in Red Wing, MN, on an outstanding warrant on August 14.

No trial date has been set.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A Mason City man is facing his third felony domestic abuse charge in the past 15 months.

Jason Hoff, 45, is accused of strangling a woman resulting in bodily injury.

The incident occurred Tuesday at 1 a.m. in the 20 block of S. Jefferson Ave., according to court documents.

Police said the suspect and the victim got into a physical altercation before Hoff allegedly strangled the victim, impeding her breathing and hit the victim in the face with his hand.

The victim suffered bruising to the neck and face.

Hoff faced felony domestic abuse charges in May of 2018 and in June of 2017.
AUSTIN, Minn.  A wanted Rochester man has been captured in Austin.

Juan Paulo Martinez Jr., 20, was arrested Monday after Austin police, the Mower County Sheriffs Office, and the Rochester Police Departments Special Emergency Response Team executed a search warrant in the 3600 block of 1st Avenue SW.

Two warrants were issued from Olmsted County after Martinez failed to appear at hearings for charges of 1st degree aggravated robbery, 5th degree assault, simple robbery, theft, possession of a firearm after being convicted of a crime of violence, and 5th degree drug possession.

Austin Police Chief Brian Krueger says Martinez was taken into custody without incident.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  A man accused of strangling his girlfriend is pleading guilty.

Samuel Alexander Carlson, 37 of Rochester, entered a guilty plea Wednesday to domestic assault and violating a do not contact order. He was arrested June 10 after police say he threatened to kill his girlfriend and repeatedly assaulted her.

Carlsons sentencing is set for October 15. He remains in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center on $500,000 bond.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  An 11-year-old boy sucked into a flooded Wisconsin storm sewer was saved when an eagle-eyed firefighter saw the boy's fingers pop through an opening in a manhole cover.

The astonishing rescue Tuesday evening came as storms pounded the southern half of the state and southeastern Minnesota.

The Calumet County Sheriff's Office said the boy was playing with friends in a flooded drainage ditch after the rains passed around 6 p.m. in the Village of Harrison. He disappeared under the water and didn't surface.

A dive team, sheriff's deputies and volunteer firefighters responded. Deputy Fire Chief Wesley Pompa said that when they arrived they found a bystander trying to hold onto the boy but he was sucked into a culvert that led to the storm sewer.

Pompa said the water was rushing so quickly it would have sucked a full-grown man into the culvert.

The rescuers could do nothing except try to determine where the flow might take the boy. Pompa called the village road superintendent, Bob Kesler, to the scene to help map out the sewers.

Pompa and Kesler were standing on top of a manhole cover about 30 feet (9 meters) away from the ditch when Pompa saw the boy's fingers pop through an opening in the cover. The boy had found air pocket just beneath the manhole cover and was hanging onto a ladder leading up to the manhole.

The firefighters wrenched the cover open. Pompa and Kesler lifted the boy to safety.

"He was hollering and talking to us and he was able to reach up for us," Pompa said.

The boy was taken to the hospital, and authorities said he was alert and conscious after his ordeal. Pompa said he never got the boy's name.

"I just thank God he was alive and he'd made it that long," Pompa said. "It could have gone a million different ways but this one way it worked out for him."

A string of storms began moving through the region last week, flooding streets and farm fields and cutting power. One man was killed in Madison as he tried to escape from a flooded ditch last week.

State emergency officials said 20 counties have been affected by flooding over the last 10 days. Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday declared a statewide emergency, directing state agencies and the Wisconsin National Guard to assist local authorities as needed. The declaration also is the first formal step toward requesting federal assistance.

Hardest hit has been Wisconsin's southwestern corner. Up to 11 inches (28 centimeters) fell in the region Monday into Tuesday, forcing evacuations in La Crosse, Vernon and Monroe counties.

The area got another 1.3 inches of rain on Tuesday. The deluge stranded two Amtrak trains carrying about 400 passengers for hours because of flooding over the tracks. One train bound for Chicago was forced to stop near Tomah in western Wisconsin; another bound for St. Paul had to stop near Portage in south-central Wisconsin.

The trains sat on the tracks overnight. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said passengers were given complementary food and water and the trains are designed to accommodate passengers overnight. He said the trains are expected to get underway again Wednesday.

Parts of Interstate 90/94 were closed overnight due to standing water on the pavement and highways across southern Wisconsin have been rendered impassable. Emergency officials in Madison were still grappling with flooded streets on Wednesday morning and warned commuters to expect delays for days.

Several tornadoes were spotted Tuesday afternoon in Campbellsport, Lomira, Oakfield and Brandon, Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. The service has not confirmed that tornadoes hit in any of these locations. Possible tornadoes also demolished two barns in Fond du Lac County, killing about 100 cattle, Wisconsin Emergency Management spokeswoman Lori Getter said.

Some 12,000 We Energies customers were still without power Wednesday morning as utility crews worked overtime to restore service.

Southeastern Minnesota has also been struggling with flooding over the last few days. Tuesday night's storms largely missed that area, passing to the south, although some spots got hit hard.

Houston County officials, for example, reported 7 inches of rain and had to evacuate a campground and a tornado came down in Goodhue County, Minnesota Emergency Management spokesowman Amber Schindeldecker said. No evacuations have been reported to the state, she said.

Forecasts called for drier weather Wednesday and Thursday. More rain was expected Friday and Saturday.
Julie Gordon, Sharay Angulo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Canada said an agreement to salvage the trilateral North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is possible by a Friday deadline, but it will be hard work to resolve specific issues as talks with the United States entered a second day.

After more than a year of talks, Mexico and the United States announced a bilateral deal on Monday, clearing the way for Canada to rejoin talks to update 24-year-old NAFTA which accounts for over $1 trillion in annual trade between the three nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump set a Friday deadline for the three countries to reach an in-principle agreement, and warned he could proceed with a deal with Mexico alone and levy tariffs on Canada if it does not come on board with revised trade terms.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said meeting the Friday deadline is a possibility and Foreign Minister and lead negotiator Chrystia Freeland said she was encouraged by the talks and progress so far.

We recognize that there is a possibility of getting there by Friday, but it is only a possibility, because it will hinge on whether or not there is ultimately a good deal for Canada, he said at a press conference in northern Ontario on Wednesday. No NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal.

Freeland said she was optimistic that progress can be made this week, but she added: When it comes to specific issues, we have a huge amount of work to do.

She declined to name the specific issues, but said on Tuesday that Mexicos concessions on auto rules of origin and labor rights was a breakthrough.

Ottawa is also ready to make concessions on Canadas protected dairy market in a bid to save a dispute-settlement system, The Globe and Mail reported late on Tuesday.

After being sidelined from the talks for more than two months, Freeland will be under pressure to accept terms the United States and Mexico worked out. The U.S. Congress also wants a deal that includes Canada.

The three countries are aiming to seal a trade pact by Friday to allow Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to sign it before he leaves office at the end of November. The timeline accommodates a 90-day waiting period under U.S. trade law before Trump can sign the pact.

The political implications are big for the other two countries too. Republicans face mid-term elections in November and Trudeau a national one expected by October 2019.

The strategy is to get a better deal, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Wednesday.

STICKING POINTS

One of the issues for Canada in the revised deal is the U.S. effort to dump the Chapter 19 dispute resolution mechanism that hinders the United States from pursuing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Monday that Mexico had agreed to eliminate the mechanism.

To save that mechanism, Ottawa plans to change one rule that effectively blocked American farmers from exporting ultrafiltered milk, an ingredient in cheesemaking, to Canada, the Globe and Mail reported, citing sources.

Trudeau repeated on Wednesday that he will defend Canadas dairy industry.

Other hurdles include intellectual property rights and extensions of copyright protections to 75 years from 50, a higher threshold than Canada has previously supported.

I think that what they probably need by Friday is some indication from Canada to the Americans that its ready to play ball, that theyre ready to negotiate in good faith, said Mark Warner, a trade lawyer with MAAW Law, which specializes in Canadian and U.S. law.

If Chrystia Freeland goes down there and she starts going on and on about red lines again, then I think its all over, he added.

Reporting by Julie Gordon and Sharay Angulo; Additional reporting by Susan Harvey, Donia Chiacu, David Lawder, Makini Brice and Jeff Mason; Allison Martell and Anna Mehler Paperny in TORONTO; Writing by Denny Thomas; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Susan Thomas
Julie Gordon, Sharay Angulo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the United States and Canada expressed optimism on Wednesday that NAFTA negotiations could meet a Friday deadline for a deal, although Canada warned that hard work on a number of tricky issues was still needed.

Canada rejoined the talks to modernize the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement after Mexico and the United States announced a bilateral trade deal on Monday.

They (Canada) want to be part of the deal, and we gave until Friday and I think were probably on track. Well see what happens, but in any event, things are working out very well. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters outside the White House.

The upbeat tone contrasted with Trumps harsh criticism of Canada in recent weeks, railing on Twitter against Canadas high dairy tariffs that he said were killing our Agriculture!

Trudeau said he thought the Friday deadline could be met.

We recognize that there is a possibility of getting there by Friday, but it is only a possibility, because it will hinge on whether or not there is ultimately a good deal for Canada, he said at a news conference in northern Ontario on Wednesday. No NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal.

Trump has set a Friday deadline for the three countries to reach an in-principle agreement, which would allow Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to sign it before he leaves office at the end of November. Under U.S. law, Trump must wait 90 days before signing the pact.

Trump has warned he could try to proceed with a deal with Mexico alone and levy tariffs on Canada if it does not come on board, although U.S. lawmakers have said ratifying a bilateral deal would not be easy.

Canadian Foreign Minister and lead negotiator Chrystia Freeland said she was encouraged by the talks and progress so far, but added: When it comes to specific issues, we have a huge amount of work to do.

She declined to name the specific issues, but said on Tuesday that Mexicos concessions on auto rules of origin and labor rights was a breakthrough.

Ottawa is also ready to make concessions on Canadas protected dairy market in a bid to save a dispute-settlement system, The Globe and Mail reported late on Tuesday.

After being sidelined from the talks for more than two months, Freeland will be under pressure to accept terms the United States and Mexico worked out.

STICKING POINTS

One of the issues for Canada in the revised deal is the U.S. effort to dump the Chapter 19 dispute resolution mechanism that hinders the United States from pursuing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Monday that Mexico had agreed to eliminate the mechanism.

To save that mechanism, Ottawa plans to change one rule that effectively blocked American farmers from exporting ultrafiltered milk, an ingredient in cheesemaking, to Canada, the Globe and Mail reported, citing sources.

Trudeau repeated on Wednesday that he will defend Canadas dairy industry.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Trump administrations own anti-dumping duties on Canadian paper, used in books and newsprint, were thrown out by the U.S. International Trade Commission.

The independent panel ruled that about $1.21 billion in such paper imports from Canada were not harming U.S. producers.

Other hurdles to a NAFTA deal include intellectual property rights and extensions of copyright protections to 75 years from 50, a higher threshold than Canada has previously supported.

Theres nothing here that is not doable for Canada, said Brian Kingston, vice president for international affairs at The Business Council of Canada.

Weve got the best negotiators in the world, but they can only stay awake so many hours of every day.

Reporting by Julie Gordon and Sharay Angulo; Additional reporting by Susan Harvey, Donia Chiacu, David Lawder, Makini Brice and Jeff Mason; Allison Martell and Anna Mehler Paperny in TORONTO; Writing by Denny Thomas and David Lawder; Editing by Susan Thomas and Rosalba O'Brien
(Adds background)

WASHINGTON, Aug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has signed proclamations permitting targeted relief from steel and aluminum quotas from some countries, the U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday.

Trump, who put in place tariffs on steel and aluminum imports in March, signed proclamations allowing relief from the quotas on steel from South Korea, Brazil and Argentina and on aluminum from Argentina, the department said in a statement.

"Companies can apply for product exclusions based on insufficient quantity or quality available from U.S. steel or aluminum producers," the statement said. "In such cases, an exclusion from the quota may be granted and no tariff would be owed."

Trump, citing national security concerns, placed tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports.

The tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico took effect on June 1, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on May 31 that arrangements had been made with some countries to have non-tariff limits on their exports of the two metals to the United States.

Ross said the arrangement with South Korea was for a quota of 70 percent of average steel exports to the United States in the years 2015 to 2017.

The Brazilian government said at the time the U.S. quotas and tariffs on Brazil's steel and aluminum exports were unjustified but that it remained open to negotiate a solution.

Brazilian semi-finished steel exports to the United States are subject to quotas based on the average for the three years from 2015-2017, while finished steel products will be limited to a quota of 70 percent of the average for those years.

(Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Cooney)
(Kitco News) -Critical support in the gold market is holding for now but analysts are keeping a close eye on the $1,200-an-ounce level as the U.S. dollar finds new momentum in the marketplace.

Growing uncertainty and volatility in emerging-market currencies is weighing on gold prices as the U.S. dollar index trades at session highs. In particular, the Argentina peso and Turkish lira have seen significant selling pressure. The peso is trading at historic lows against the U.S. dollar. The U.S. Dollar Index last traded at 94.75 points.

The economic uncertainty in Argentina is particularly acute as the government on Wednesday asked the International Monetary Fund for an early release of a $50 billion loan. Currently the peso is down 45% on the year against the U.S. dollar. Many international investors are worried that Latin Americas third-largest economy could default on its significant government debt.

With renewed interest in the U.S. dollar, Comex gold futures have been pushed to session lows as it hold support at $1,200 an ounce. December gold futures last traded at $1,206.30 an ounce, down 0.42% on the day.

In the cash market, gold dropped below critical support; gold prices on Kitco.com show the metal last trading at $1,199.70 an ounce, down 0.55% on the day.

Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, said that while gold has seen a few positive sessions, the precious metal will struggle as long as there is a bid behind the U.S. dollar.

Until the U.S. dollar starts moving materially lower, gold prices will struggle to push past $1,200 an ounce, he said.

Not only is the U.S dollar strength hurting gold but analysts noted that central-bank activity could be weighing on the precious metal. Melek said that he suspects some emerging-market central banks are swapping gold for U.S. dollars, to get important credit and support their domestic currencies.

Phillip Streible, senior market analyst at RJOFutures, said that he also expects that some central banks are selling their gold to shore up their currencies.

Although gold futures are holding important support, Streible added that gold investors were dealt a big blow earlier this week after prices were unable to break through initial resistance at $1,220 an ounce.

I think we are seeing some investors give up on gold after it failed to break out, he said. This latest sell-off suggests that we are headed back below $1,200 an ounce.

Streible said that there are also reports that most South American commodity producers are aggressively selling their products to raise U.S. dollars to avoid a potential currency crisis. He explained that this aggressive commodity selling will weigh on gold and the general market.

Streible added that the key level to hold is $1,189.

If we fall back below $1,200, then investors better hope and pray that their life vest at $1,180 holds because if that breaks, then the Titanic is going down, he said.

Although gold prices could struggle in the near-term, Melek said that this EM volatility could ultimately be bullish on gold. He added this uncertainty could force the Federal Reserve to halt its monetary policy tightening.

Monetary policy not just in the U.S. will have to respond to the global uncertainty and that will be positive for gold, he said. I don think we need an obituary for gold just yet.
* Aluminium on-warrant stocks fall to lowest in over 11 years* Dollar adds pressure on metals* GRAPHIC-2018 asset returns: (Adds closing prices, dollar, strike) By Zandi Shabalala LONDON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Aluminium snapped a five-session winning streak on Thursday as trade tensions between the United States and top metals consumer China upstaged optimism over the chances of clinching a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Benchmark aluminium on the London Metal Exchange (LME) ended 1.8 percent lower at $2,132 a tonne, its biggest one-day loss in over two weeks. It hit a two-month high of $2,178 on Wednesday. The leaders of the United States and Canada expressed optimism on Wednesday that they could reach a new NAFTA deal by a Friday deadline. The latest trade talks between China and the United States ended last week without a deal. "Short-term market sentiment is really quite negative for metals, but the hit to demand from trade tensions might not justify the fall in prices that we have seen," said Capital Economics senior commodities economist Caroline Bain. "The negative trends, i.e. softer Chinese growth and the escalation in trade tensions, should negatively affect aluminium as well and if (U.S. President Donald) Trump goes ahead with tariffs on auto imports it could be particularly negative for aluminium demand."

POLL: Activity in China's factory sector is likely to have slowed for a third straight month in August as domestic demand remained weak and exporters faced rising uncertainties from the trade war with the United States, a Reuters poll showed. ALUMINIUM: Trump has signed proclamations permitting targeted relief from aluminium import quotas from Argentina, the U.S. Commerce Department said. In 2017 Argentina exported $763 million of aluminium, mostly to the NAFTA market. DOLLAR: A higher U.S. currency makes dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for non-U.S. firms, potentially dampening demand. It is also a relationship used by funds to generate buy and sell signals using numerical models. INVENTORIES: Cancelled warrants, material earmarked for delivery, rose by 24,850 tonnes, reducing on-warrant stocks available to the market to 781,475 tonnes, which is the lowest since March 2007. CHINA ALUMINA: China is shipping unusually high volumes of alumina for a second time this year to an international market desperate for the ingredient used to make aluminium, traders and analysts said, even as domestic prices rise and put pressure on smelters. STRIKE: Striking workers at Chile's state-owned Codelco's Andina copper mine rejected their employers' latest contract offer, the company and union said on Wednesday. The mine produced 220,000 tonnes of copper in 2017. OTHER METALS: LME copper finished 0.3 percent lower at $6,066 a tonne, zinc was down 1.8 percent to $2,467.50, lead ended 0.7 percent lower at $2,072, tin was up 1.4 percent at $19,195 and nickel lost 1.6 percent to $13,285.



<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Top Base and Precious Metals Analysis - GFMS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Additional reporting by Tom Daly Editing by Dale Hudson, David Goodman and Kirsten Donovan)

zandi.shabalala.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))LME price overview COMEX copper futures Base metals news All metals news All commodities news Metals diary Foreign exchange rates SPEED GUIDES ))
JOHANNESBURG, Aug 30 (Reuters) - South Africa's rand traded weaker early on Thursday, continuing to suffer on global risk aversion linked to the trade wrangle between the United Stats and China and financial turmoil in Turkey.

* At 0645 GMT the rand was 0.52 percent weaker at 14.4325 per dollar compared to a close of 14.3575 overnight in New York.

* The rand has fallen alongside other emerging market currencies on concerns that a trade truce between Washington and Beijing will be derailed by the NAFTA deal the U.S. signed this week with Mexico and Canada.

* Turkey's ongoing crisis has also hurt sentiment, with the lira < TRYTOM=D3> reeling after Moody's downgraded the credit ratings of 20 of the country's financial firms.

* "We see potential for the rand's further depreciation ... with the USD/ZAR possibly surpassing the 14.50 resistance level," said analysts at Continuum.

* Stocks were set to open lower at 0700 GMT, with the JSE securities exchange's Top-40 futures index down 0.44 percent.

* In fixed income, the yield on the benchmark government bond due in 2026 was flat at 8.94 percent.

(Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana Editing by Joe Brock)

Messaging: mfuneko.toyana.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Costco Wholesale has chosen Hyundai Card as its credit card partner over Samsung Card. Yonhap



Samsung Card's loss results from transition for new growth, analysts say



By Park Hyong-ki





Hyundai Card logo / Courtesy of Hyundai Card

The newly established alliance between Costco Wholesale Korea and Hyundai Card is expected to spur the credit card company and help it surpass KB Kookmin Card, according to industry sources and analysts.



Costco has recently chosen Hyundai Card, the No. 4 credit card as its new partner over Samsung Card via open bidding. Samsung had been Costco's partner for the last 18 years. Costco consumers will have to either use Hyundai Card or cash to buy products beginning May 2019 for the next 10 years.



Samsung Card is the second largest credit card company with a market share of about 20 percent, following Shinhan Card's 22 percent. KB Card is the third biggest with a 15.6 percent share, followed closely by Hyundai Card's 15.4 percent as of the end of March this year, according to the Financial Supervisory Service.



The news of Costco's new credit card partner came as a surprise given its longstanding relationship with Samsung, with the forecast that Samsung cardholders will face growing inconvenience as they will have to switch their cards to Hyundai.





Hyundai Card CEO Chung Tae-young, third from left, and Costco Wholesale Korea President Cho Min-soo, on Chung's left, sign documents for a partnership at Hyundai Card headquarters in Seoul, August 24. Hyundai Card CEO Chung Tae-young's Facebook
People enjoy beer during the Sinchon Craft Beer Festival. / Courtesy of Seodaemun-gu Office



Music concerts, various events awaiting beer lovers



By Kang Seung-woo



As the nation is still in the tail end of a strong summer heat wave, nationwide beer festivals are set to help people beat the heat.



Visitors will be able to taste innumerable domestic and imported beers that are not widely available and they can also grab some delicious side dishes, as well.



Together with a myriad of fresh tap beers, it will be an extra bonus that beer lovers will be able to enjoy concerts and various other events that could double their excitement.



Songdo Beer Festival



The festival that kicked off on Aug. 24 is coming close to an end on Saturday.



As its venue of Songdo Moonlight Festival Park in Incheon can accommodate 30,000 people, visitors can come and enjoy beer with family and friends. With magnificent fireworks and music available every day, the beer festival has boasted a star-studded lineup of musicians, including rapper Verbal Jint and punk band Crying Nut.



To continue the festive mood down to the wire, rapper BewhY and hip-hop trio DJ DOC are ready to wrap up the nine-day event by taking the stage on Friday and Saturday, respectively.



In addition, following the concert, an EDM party adds fuel to the festivities for the already-thrilled beer lovers.







Sinchon Railway St. Beer Festival



A beer event will take place in front of Sinchon Railway Station on Friday and Saturday as part of the Culture Bridge Project by Seodaemun-gu Office.



The Culture Bridge Project is a cultural festival to help local residents and tourists enjoy together and it is aimed at expanding the vibrant youth culture of Yonsei-ro Street.



The lineup for the beer festival features 10 craft beer companies, including Andong Brewing, that will offer 50 kinds of domestic and imported beers.



Along with the beer festival, there will also be a DJ party, cultural seminars, art classes, a great range of food options and many other programs and activities available throughout the festival period.



Gapyeong Craft Beer Festival



An annual craft beer festival is returning to Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, on Saturday and Sunday.



Marking its fourth edition, the event will be held in the city of Cheongpyeong right next to Cheongpyeong Station, a stop on the ITX train Gyeongchun Line.



Numerous craft breweries are set to participate in this event along with some tasty food vendors.



Sixteen participating brewing companies are divided into two groups. Group A breweries are comprised of Kabrew, The Table Brewing, Hand and Malt, Levee, Liquor and Joy, Wild Wave Brewing, Breitbach and Platinum, while Group B features Kona Brewing, Weizenhaus, Seoul Brewery, Jeju Beer, Craft and Culture, Kramer Lee, Craft Hans and Whasoo Brewery.



All breweries and food vendors will be taking only credit cards.



In addition, Good Times Rok, one of the three hosts, will be providing live bands, performers and DJs for this festival.



It runs noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.



Busan Craft Beer Festival



Busan, the nation's second-largest city and favorite tourist destination, plans to host its first beer festival Sept. 5 to 9.




Cultural leaders from Korea and abroad, including 10 delegates from 10 countries for the 9th Cultural Communication Forum, attend a function at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul Wednesday night. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI)



By Jung Da-min



The CICI, an international fraternity led by Prof. Choi Jung-hwa of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, again brought together interesting people from around the world for its annual 9th Cultural Communication Forum's Wednesday night event at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul.



There were 10 delegates from 10 countries, including U.S. comic writer Amy Chu and best-selling Israeli author Eran Katz. About 250 people from all walks of life were there to see them.



Former Prime Minister Han Seung-soo, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris and Korean Culture and Information Service Director Kim Tae-hoon were among the dignitaries.



According to CICI's survey of 214 foreigners and 222 Koreans on what images promoted Korea, the April 27 inter-Korean summit and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games topped the list.



Director of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games opening and closing ceremonies Song Seung-hwan was honored during the event with a K-culture communication award, the first by CICI, while winners of CICI's second annual video and photography contest were also honored.



Various activities added to the night's fun, including a tasting of traditional Korean beef jerky, the Guinness record holder for memory Eran Katz's number memorization presentation, traditional Pansori and a lottery drawn by actor Ahn Sung-ki.



The night concluded the CICI's Culture Communication Forum (CCF), held on Tuesday and Wednesday.



On Tuesday, delegates also enjoyed traditional Korean royal foods at a luncheon held by the traditional culture research center ONJIUM. They tasted Korean beef jerky at a dinner hosted by Korean traditional food researcher Kim Jung-ja, who is also one of the cultural delegates.





Ten delegates enjoy traditional Korean royal foods at a luncheon held by traditional culture research center ONJIUM. Courtesy of CICI



The following are interviews with three first-time visitors to Korea among the 10 delegates to the forum on the image of Korea.  ED.









First female professional "jamon slicer" Esther Sobrino of Spain





Esther Sobrino. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min

"Korean dishes reflect the country. They are healthy, nutritious and rich in flavors as Koreans mix different flavors," Esther Sobrino, the first female professional "jamon slicer" from Spain said. "I think Koreans have an intelligent palate."



Although it is her first visit to Korea, Sobrino's relationship with the country began before she joined the jamon business six years ago: She used to work for a marketing company advertising Samsung products.



As a long-time watcher and a first-time visitor to the country, Sobrino said she found cultural similarities between Korea and Spain.



"I think the social and cultural experience of Spain fits perfectly into your society," she said. "As Koreans have kimchi, we have jamon, and both of the foods take a long time before we put them on the table."



Indian documentary producer and photographer Benoy K. Behl





Benoy K. Behl. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min

If Korea and Spain share the same tastes, Korea and India have a similar philosophy, Indian documentary producer and photographer Benoy Behl said.



"I think philosophical similarities between the two countries have not been explored as much as they deserved to be explored," Behl said. "India and Korea have deep connections in their cultural roots, which we have forgotten, as we have been focusing so much on Western culture."



As a cultural historian, Behl said he also found that Korea is at a crossroads, where there is a great deal of modernization while some of the traditional culture is still surviving.



"Modernization and commercialization have already become parts of your culture, but Korea should not lose its own traditional values such as discipline and diligence," he said. "Many Koreans I've met told me that modernization in the country is going to the extent where families are not being created and children not being made. Koreans should be looking and exploring their identities, and cultural exchanges can provide such opportunities."



Chinese art critic and curator Qilan Shen





Qilan Shen. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min
The present and future of preschool education of the

Republic of Uzbekistan



The Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan pays special attention to the early development of preschool education. This is one of the priority directions of state policy. Understanding the extreme importance of the early stages of child development led to the need for a new ministry _ the Ministry of Preschool Education, which was established on the initiative of the President on Sept. 30, 2017.

Currently, there are 6,154 preschool education institutions in the country, and about 33 percent of preschool children are covered by preschool education. It should be noted that at the time of the creation of the Ministry, the total number of DOWs was only 4,893, thus their number increased by 1,261, which became possible due to the transformation of branches into separate preschool education institutions, new construction and development of the non-state sector.

The created favorable conditions for attracting private capital to the sphere of preschool education, as well as simplification of the licensing procedure, led to the fact that in a short time the number of non-state preschool education institutions increased by 2.5 times. Now in the republic there are 568 non-state preschool education institutions.

The development of the regulatory framework and the conditions for public-private partnership (PPP) in preschool education has become a major step towards the development of a network of non-state preschool education institutions. On April 5, 2018, Presidential Decree No. 3651 was signed, which approved the Regulations on Public-Private Partnership in the field of preschool education. This document provides various models of public-private partnerships as well as a number of benefits, including tax and customs, and the possibility of obtaining preferential loans for the organization of preschool education institutions.

Since the creation of the Ministry of Preschool Education with the assistance and support of the UNICEF International Children's Fund, positive results have been achieved in a short period of time:

A draft law on the early development of children of preschool age was developed;

State requirements for the development of children of early and preschool age have been improved;

The curriculum of preschool education based on the competence approach has been developed;

Implementation of the Education Management Information System (EMIS) was launched.

To address the personnel problem, short-term courses for the retraining of pedagogical staff in the sphere of preschool education were organized for the first time, and this was the first time not only for people with pedagogical education, but also for providing people with higher non-pedagogical education a flexible entry into the profession.

The government also pays attention to stimulating labor, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of 28.02.2018. "On measures to improve the terms of payment for certain categories of employees of state preschool education institutions" provides for a two-step increase in wages for Dow workers. At the same time, a higher wage increase was felt by those teachers who have higher education.

In order to create an innovative and stimulating education environment in conjunction with the Ministry of Construction of the Republic of Uzbekistan, considering the state of existing preschool education institutions, the Departmental construction norms and rules have been revised, based on the best international practices and taking into account modern requirements. The international experience of leading countries was studied, including: Korea, Great Britain and Finland. Particular attention was paid to constructive and planning solutions such as: standalone buildings of the kitchen, dining room with a heated passage from the main building, insulated floor in the group rooms. Also, when designing preschool education institutions under construction, there will be separate rooms for groups of short-term stay and universal (music, sports) halls. Construction will use energy-saving materials and products (insulation of the facade of the building).

For 2018, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan approved the Address Program for the Republic, which provides for new construction of 40, reconstruction of 298 and overhaul of 29 preschool education institutions.

The system of organization of healthy nutrition is revised _ it is allowed to conclude contracts with direct suppliers, seasonal menus have been developed, the system of outsourcing of services for catering in Tashkent and the Syrdarya region is launched in a pilot mode.

International cooperation is actively being established in the spheres of training, retraining and advanced training of pedagogical and managerial personnel in the field of preschool education, creating media content, developing new teaching and methodological and didactic materials, and the construction of preschool education institutions.

At the initiative of the Ministry of Preschool Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan, on July 2, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan adopted the Resolution "On the Establishment of the Puchon University (Republic of Korea) in Tashkent," where already in the academic year 2018/2019, education will be organized in the direction of preschool education.

Already today, you can give examples of attracting foreign investment in the form of sponsorship. So, Dow No. 324 of Mirzo-Ulugbek district of Tashkent is completely reconstructed and equipped according to the Korean model for the new academic year with the support of the company New Millennium and the University of Sijon (Republic of Korea).

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) has reconstructed and equipped the DOW No. 1 of the Kagansky District, Bukhara Region, Dow No. 104 of Samarkand and DOW No. 323 of the Yakkasaray District of Tashkent.

By International Children's Day with the support of domestic sponsors, attracted by the Ministry of Preschool Education, the non-functioning preschool No. 48 in Nukus was put into operation for many years. Under the decision of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan to support children from socially vulnerable segments of the population, half of the children will attend this DOW free of charge.

Currently, the Ministry of Preschool Education is actively working to attract foreign investment and implement various projects with international financial institutions.

In the period from 2019 to 2024, the project will be implemented jointly with the World Bank "Improving Early Childhood Development," worth $60 million.

Also, cooperation is envisaged for the development of projects with the Asian and Islamic Development Banks.

As a result of systemic reforms, the Ministry of Preschool Education provides for a significant increase in the coverage of children up to 2031 to 85 percent.

Particular attention will be paid to children at the age of six, covering them with compulsory free one-year preparation for school. Beginning in September 2018, a gradual transition will be implemented for one mandatory free year training of children for school, which will be piloted in all regions of the republic, in a number of selected areas. Thus, the coverage of children aged six by 2021 will reach 100 percent.

The main directions of increasing the enrollment of children aged three to seven with preschool education are:

Construction of new preschool education institutions;

Reconstruction, major repairs, equipping of vacant and vacant premises and buildings;

Development of alternative forms of preschool education institutions with a flexible work schedule, such as: short-stay groups, family preschool education institutions, the creation of preschool education institutions on one floor of new buildings under construction;

Development of a network of non-state preschool education institutions on the basis of public-private partnership;

Step-by-step transition to compulsory free one-year preparation of children for school aged six to seven on the basis of preschool education institutions, general schools and mahalla committees.


International Significance of the UN Resolution on Strengthening Cooperation in Central Asia



At the plenary session on June 22, 2018, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution on "Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian Region." According to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, which made a statement on this event the next day, the draft of the document, developed by Uzbekistan along with other Central Asian states, was unanimously supported by all U.N. members.



International Significance of the UN Resolution on Strengthening Cooperation in Central Asia



At the plenary session on June 22, 2018, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution on "Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian Region." According to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, which made a statement on this event the next day, the draft of the document, developed by Uzbekistan along with other Central Asian states, was unanimously supported by all U.N. members.



International Significance of the UN Resolution on Strengthening Cooperation in Central Asia



At the plenary session on June 22, 2018, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution on "Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian Region." According to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, which made statement on this event the next day, the draft of the document, developed by Uzbekistan along with other Central Asian states, was unanimously supported by all U.N. members.



BACKGROUND: Certainly, this event can be described as historical one not just for Central Asian countries. If we give insight into the nature of the resolution, it is difficult to overestimate its significance in a broader, international context.



From the conceptual point of view, the adoption of the resolution marked a new stage in the history of Central Asian countries as the region has been consolidating. Moreover, for the first time the Central Asian states have confirmed their ability not only to make joint actions to solve all common regional problems, but also to ensure the wellbeing and prosperity of Central Asian nations since they gained independence in 1991.



IMPLICATIONS: Importance of the Resolution for Uzbekistan



Initially, the adoption of such kind of document was initiated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 72nd session of the U.N. General Assembly in September 2017. In his speech in New York concerning the organization of the International Conference on Central Asia in Samarkand in November 2017, the Head of the Republic of Uzbekistan proposed to develop a U.N. resolution after the conference in order to support the Central Asian countries' efforts to ensure security and strengthen cooperation in the region.



The adoption of the resolution was not only evidence of the implementation of Uzbekistan's initiative, but also confirmation of international recognition and support of Tashkent's new regional policy.



The reason of this is simple: "Our main goal," President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted at the Samarkand Conference, "is to turn Central Asia into a stable, economically developed and prosperous region through joint efforts."



All partners of Uzbekistan from near and far abroad as well as highly influential international organizations totally understand and support our country. The world community clearly understands that Uzbekistan's modern policy is aimed at full disclosure of our nation's potential in the region without contradicting the other countries' interests. Shavkat Mirziyoyev's foreign policy course opens the way for the development of the entire region.



Importance of the Resolution for Central Asia



The Central Asian countries _ Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan _ not only actively supported Uzbekistan's initiative, but also cosponsored the U.N. General Assembly resolution on Central Asia. The document reflects mutual support of the Central Asian states' initiatives, which have made a significant practical contribution to strengthening regional security and ensuring sustainable development.



Particularly, the outcomes of the debate in the Security Council on Afghanistan in January 2018 when Kazakhstan chaired the U.N. Security Council as well as the regular holding of the World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan were reflected in the resolution. Moreover, the resolution included the results of the international conference dedicated to the problems of combating terrorism and extremism which was held in Tajikistan in May 2018. Central Asian countries welcomed an upcoming Summit of the Heads of States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in Turkmenistan. They have also supported Uzbekistan's initiative on the annual convening of the Central Asian countries leaders' consultative meetings.



In fact, the resolution has become Central Asian states' consolidated response both to regional problems, challenges and threats of globalization. Furthermore, the Central Asia countries have significantly strengthened their roles as independent actors of the international relations system as well as their capacity of being responsible for our region's present and future.



During the period of independent development of Central Asian countries such positive dynamics in the region is unprecedented. Nowadays they have reached a qualitatively new level of regional cooperation. And what are the reasons of this success?



Firstly, objective historical conditions that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Central Asian states gained their independence during the bipolar world order disintegration, associated with the emergence of new challenges and threats to stability, increased geopolitical rivalry and escalation of armed confrontation in neighboring regions. In addition, the security situation in the region was complicated by the heavy burden of internal political, socio-economic, ideological and other problems that the Central Asian countries faced in the 1990s and subsequent period.



At that time, newly independent Central Asian states were occupied with vital issues of state building, the search for self-identity in the global world. Essentially all states of the region lacked experience both in domestic and foreign affairs and had to concentrate, especially on their own problems, as well as on the most acute threats to regional security.



In particular, as American expert S. Comell notes, Uzbekistan played a very important role in Central Asia for 25 years. Since the early days of its independence, the country has taken a firm stand against radicalism and extremist ideologies, and has pursued a strong policy aimed at preventing the spread of extremist ideology in the region.



Deeply aware of the Central Asian nations' interests and destinies as well as the indivisibility of security, Uzbekistan has always committed to the priority of ensuring regional security as an important factor for development. In this context, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's words are not casual: "During the most difficult periods of the region's modern history, unlike many others, Uzbekistan managed to maintain peace and stability, to avoid escalating local conflicts into a major interstate confrontation as well."



Consequently, Central Asian countries'5 political systems and administrative institutions were formed and strengthened. Their own models and concepts of national development were elaborated and implemented. With the integration into the international relations system the Central Asian countries have accumulated great experience in building foreign policy, that requires a fresh look at the strategic prospects and advantages of regional cooperation in a globalized world.



Secondly, Uzbekistan's new regional policy in Central Asia. As the director of the Center for Central Asia and Afghanistan Studies of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) A. Kazantsev mentions, Uzbekistan has demonstrated quite a serious potential in resolving regional conflicts. Over the past two years, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev from scratch has managed to solve all the problems that existed in Central Asia, thereby laying the foundations for solving regional problems.



Currently, Central Asian countries express a firm readiness for constructive changes in bilateral and multilateral relations. The states of the region are more than ever concentrated on consolidating their efforts to increase their competitiveness in the world and strengthen the international political entity of the entire region.



Importance of the Resolution for the international community



The adoption of the U.N. resolution on Central Asia is an unprecedented event in the newest history of the states of the region, as it was unanimously supported by other countries from almost all continents of the world  Australia, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Europe. According to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, all the leading partners of Central Asian countries, including Russia, China, the United States and the EU, took active participation in the consultations on the document drafting.



In fact, the world community expressed its firm and unconditional support for Central Asian countries' efforts to deepen regional cooperation, which is one of the most important factors of stability and development of the region.



At present, it is acknowledged that Central Asia's security is an integral part of global security. In the current period when some regions of the world have been witnessing political tensions and conflicts, the strategic prospects for regional cooperation in Central Asia are of particular importance for international security. Growing uncertainty, turbulence and imbalances in the global economy require from Central Asian state a closer, coordinated interaction to find ways and implement common regional development projects.



Admittedly, the international community, including states of the region, recognizes that only a stable, dynamically developing and prosperous Central Asia can become an attractive, constructive and long-term partner. If the countries of the region are successful in this direction, then Central Asia can "become a new geopolitical laboratory of stability and peace in Eurasia."



CONCLUSIONS: The U.N. resolution on Central Asia, without any exaggeration, marked the entry of Central Asian countries into a new era of interstate relations. The Central Asian states uniquely placed their stake on regional cooperation and received the entire world community's support.



Today, there is solid reason to say that such changes have encouraged international partners to fundamentally reconsider their approaches to Central Asia. This gives them hope and confidence in maintaining security, development and prosperity of a strategically important region, located in the heart of Eurasia.



AUTHOR'S BIO: Dr. Batir Tursunov is Deputy Director of Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.





4








President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, left, and President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in sign the Joint Statement on comprehensive deepening of relations of the strategic partnership at Cheong Wa Dae on Nov. 23, 2017. / Embassy of Uzbekistan



Address of His Excellency Vitaliy Fen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea, to the readers of The Korea Times on the occasions of the 27th anniversary of independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan and 26th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea





Vitaliy Fen

It is a high privilege for me to address today the esteemed readers of The Korea Times on the occasions of the 27th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence and 26th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea.

After gaining independence, Uzbekistan took a worthy place in the world community. Over the years, a great creative work has been carried out. Human honor and dignity are exalted, well-being of people is ensured, appearance of our cities and villages has radically changed. Due to independence, we gained freedom, revived ancient traditions.

This noble work, taking into account modern requirements, is consistently and systematically being continued by the President of our country Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Uzbekistan is implementing foreign policy based on principles of peace and cooperation, mutual interest, respect and trust, without interference in the internal affairs of other states.

The ideas and initiatives forwarded by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the Action Strategy defined for 2017-2021 is opening wide opportunities for deepening socio-economic reforms, further strengthening trade, economic and investment cooperation with other states.

Today, Uzbekistan is demonstrating a steady pace of development in all spheres under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Effective multilateral foreign policy serves as an important factor of increasing the export potential and expanding economic opportunities of Uzbekistan.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the successive reforms that are being implemented in Uzbekistan are based on the noble idea according to which people must not serve the Government bodies, rather the Government bodies must serve the people, drawing attention to the fact that it is consonant with the main idea in South Korea  people are true owners of the state.

The foundation of bilateral relations between our states was laid on Dec. 30, 1991, when the Republic of Korea was among the first countries to recognize Uzbekistan's independence. Subsequently, diplomatic relations were established on Jan. 29, 1992. Ever since, our countries have been engaged in vigorous political dialogue. The intensity of close cooperation can be manifested by the fact that over the past 26 years there have been 15 summit meetings between our heads of state.

Within a short, from a historical point of view, period of time, our countries have gained enormous experience of mutually beneficial cooperation in political, trade-investment and cultural-humanitarian areas that serve as a solid foundation for further implementation of long-term projects between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea.

In general, over the 26 years of diplomatic relations a solid legal basis for bilateral cooperation has been laid which today encompasses more than 300 documents that streamline collaboration in different fields which further diversified Uzbek-Korean relations and filled them with practical content of strategic partnership between the two nations.

In further advancing and deepening bilateral cooperation, regular dialogue between the leaders of the two countries that has become one of the hallmarks of Uzbek-Korean bilateral relations played an important role.

On Nov. 22-24, 2017, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid a state visit to the Republic of Korea at the invitation of President Moon Jae-in.

The historical state visit of the President of our country His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Republic of Korea was comprehensively fruitful and determined new prospects of mutually beneficial cooperation between two countries.

Issues of financing large investment projects, further intensification of cooperation in the spheres of economy, energy, finance, investments, high technologies, increasing the trade turnover, expansion of humanitarian ties, strengthening cooperation between ministries and departments were discussed at the highest level negotiations.

Within the framework of the visit, over 60 documents worth more than $10 billion were signed in trade-economic, investment, financial, technical and other spheres. Of these, $4.5 billion are direct investment.












By Graeme Salt





As someone institutionalized (in the best possible sense) to the annual cycle of education, the start of the academic year feels for me the truest of "New Year" occasions to rival other calendars. It is an intense period for reflecting on the past year and projecting hope for the one upcoming, as we launch a school year to new and returning students, parents and colleagues.



One of the first practical tasks for any school leadership team at the start of an academic year in an international school is to welcome new members of staff to their school, city and often country. For me this year, that involved a number of visits to Incheon at some quite odd hours and not a little waiting at arrival gates.



If you are ever in need of a psychological lift, might I recommend a visit to an airport arrivals gate? During these hours I saw the most wonderfully warm and excited greetings between young and old, romantic partners, friends and colleagues. The sight of young children rushing to returning mothers or fathers, and the proud doting from grandparents to children and grandchildren is surely enough to lift anyone's heart.



Many will know that waiting for the arrival of a particular loved one at an airport triggers feelings of excitement, expectation and, in some cases, trepidation. There are similar feelings in me as I wait for future professional colleagues, as recruiting the best-fit teachers for your school is the most critical responsibility for any leader.



We all know great schools are never defined by facilities (as important as these are) but by the people that inhabit the classrooms and corridors, and the day-to-day interactions that take place between teacher and student, adult and child. Recruitment decisions simply must be well made: at a most basic level to ensure children's safety in schools, but more positively in the knowledge that great teachers shape great students and great lives.



It has been said the standards bar for international schools in Seoul has been raised in recent years. If we have played any part in that progress at Dulwich College Seoul, I am delighted and proud. Now the hope is that all schools will have adopted the highest standards of teacher recruitment and training for the safety and benefit of all Seoul's international children.



These must include safer recruiting practices such as receipt of written and verbal reference checks from previous school leaders; submission of a complete resume covering all education and employment from age 18 with qualifications checked; police clearances from all countries a teacher has worked in over the last 10 years; comprehensive safeguarding and health and safety training before starting in the company of children; and the signing of a clearly written professional code-of-conduct by all adults who will work with children.



Schools that follow these practices will warn away malevolent individuals seeking to work with children and set professional standards that, ultimately, will only enhance the quality of their own recruitment. Any school of any standing in Seoul must invest heavily in the careful recruitment, support and development of its teachers for they are the most influential component of any successful school.





Graeme Salt (Headmaster@dulwich-seoul.kr) is the headmaster of Dulwich College Seoul, a part of the Dulwich College International (DCI) network of schools.


President Donald Trump fired off an angry Twitter broadside against Google before the sun rose Tuesday, accusing the search company of skewing its results in favor of "fake news" outlets at the expense of conservative ones.



Relying on reporting from the right-of-center PJ Media site, Trump asserted that Google had "rigged" its search results to "shut out" stories about him from conservative and "fair media" outlets.



He went on to broaden his accusation: "Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. They are controlling what we can & cannot see. This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!"



Not long thereafter, Larry Kudlow, Trump's top economic adviser, told reporters that "we're taking a look at it."



It doesn't take much of a look to recognize what's going on here. Famously thin-skinned, Trump doesn't like the barrage of criticism he's getting online, much of delivered in the form of news and opinion pieces from the country's mainstream media. So in addition to trying to discredit those outlets as "fake news," he's now trying to sow distrust in the search engine that leads people to them  and, worse yet, threatening to take action against them.



Yet Trump has company on this issue. It's become an article of faith in some conservative circles that tech companies are warping their products and services to discriminate against conservatives.



Among other pieces of evidence, these critics point to incidents on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter that, they argue, show companies disproportionately downgrading or blocking content from conservatives. For example, they allege that Twitter tweaked its search function to make it harder to find some conservatives' feeds  an allegation that's been convincingly debunked by multiple analysts.



For its part, Google insists that its only goal is to deliver relevant search results, and that its engineers "never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment." The company won't say exactly how its continually updated search technology does work, however  that's a closely guarded trade secret.



Still, there's an easy way to judge whether Google has, in fact, cleverly rigged its search engine to elevate bad news about the president over the hosannas of a grateful nation. Search for Trump news on another site  Microsoft's Bing, say, or DuckDuckGo  and compare the results with Google's. There will be differences on the margins, but the thrust will be the same. Most of the results will come from mainstream news outlets with large audiences.



Users have to dig a little deeper to unearth links to smaller or more specialized sites. But will they bother? That's one of the things that critics of the tech platforms assert: The vast majority of internet users rely on the shortcuts that these platforms provide, and won't bother to hunt for the stories and tweets  conservative, liberal or otherwise  that don't get promoted.



Research bears that out, at least for Google, where 95 percent of users don't look past the first page of links. Don't blame Google for that. If anything, it's a sign of a worrisome lack of curiosity among internet users and an apparent disinterest in diverse information sources.



Even if Google were making conservative outlets harder to find, that would be within its right as a private company. Like liberals, libertarians and know-nothings, conservatives are not a protected class. If Google did put a leftist spin on its search results, however, it would be doing its users a disservice and inviting competition from search engines promising unfiltered or even right-leaning results.



Admittedly, Google's search algorithm doesn't rank sites purely on the basis of popularity and authenticity. European regulators fined the company more than $2.8 billion last year for favoring its own shopping service over competing comparison-shopping sites. But the company doesn't claim to be neutral  it claims to offer results that are relevant, which tells users that it's doing some kind of filtering.



Some conservatives are calling on the government to use antitrust law against Google and other tech giants that dominate their markets. But Trump seems to be calling for something different: Using the power of government to change how Google's technology works.



Such a big-government solution, turning Washington into a manipulator of search results, would be worse than the supposed problem it purports to solve. The president should stop Googling himself and pay more attention to the duties of his office.





The above editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


G20 education ministers to discuss policy challenges





By Esteban Bullrich and Vikas Pota





Vikas Pota Esteban Bullrich

This September, Korea's education minister will join G20 discussions in Mendoza, Argentina. This is the first time in the near two-decade history of the G20 that education ministers will meet to discuss global education trends and policy challenges.



The fact that, under Argentina's presidency, education ministers will have a place at the table for the first time is deeply significant. It is an overdue recognition that matters of economic growth, trade and development are inseparable from education.



And for the first time ever, a group of leading education-focused civil society.



This group will present the G20 ministers with four papers on how to create a highly motivated and professional teaching force; issues around education, equity and inclusion; how to match the future labor market with the right youth skills; and how education, young people and social media interact.organizations (CSOs) from around the world will also convene on the fringes of the G20, meeting ministers as well Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, to discuss how to solve the world's deepening education problems.
By Donald Kirk





The U.S.-Korea alliance is at a crossroads, and the North Koreans think they know what to do to send Washington and Seoul in different directions. How about demanding, repeatedly, a "peace declaration" that President Moon Jae-in also thinks would be great? Everybody wants peace. Nobody wants Korean War II, so why not all the protagonists in the first Korean War, North and South Koreans, Americans, Chinese too, sign a paper declaring the war's over and let us now live in everlasting peace.



The North Korean demand, however, is not intended to foster enduring peace. Rather, it is a pressure tactic artfully designed to deepen growing differences between Americans and South Koreans on how to get the North Koreans to give up their nuclear program. Moon, in his eagerness for reconciliation, has endorsed calls for a peace declaration, even a peace treaty, but may be overlooking considerations that stand in the way of that noble aim.



Among the most obvious is the United Nations Command. North Korea for years has been calling for dissolution of the command, formed at the outset of the Korean War. Beneath the U.N. banner, American and South Korean troops, joined by contingents from 16 countries, fought the North Koreans and Chinese for more than three years in a terrible war that ended in an armistice, not a treaty.



Amazingly, that armistice has guaranteed the peace needed for South Korea to grow into a global economic powerhouse while North Korea has squandered its resources on nukes and missiles that it's not likely to use barring some dreadful unforeseen miscalculation. Only this year has Kim Jong Un resolved to build up the North's decrepit economy while claiming he's done with building up his nuclear program.



As a condition for peace, however, we may be sure that North Korea would add demands that would essentially strip South Korea of the security of the UN Command, of the U.S. alliance and of numerous other safety measures needed to be sure the peninsula remains at peace. Among these are the UN Military Armistice Commission and the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission formed by the truce to make sure the former combatants stayed on their side of the demilitarized zone, also formed by the truce.



The North Koreans would love to see this elaborate structure fade into history. They have already shown what they thought of the neutral nations commission, which originally included Sweden and Switzerland as "neutral" on the side of the UN Command and Poland and Czechoslovakia on the Communist side. North Korea wanted nothing to do with Poland or Czechoslovakia after the overthrow of their Communist regimes. The break-up of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia gave one more reason for the North to forget about them.



The NNSC lives on with Swedish and Swiss officers monitoring adherence to the truce on the southern side of the DMZ many years after North Korea threw out the Poles and Czechs. The North Koreans would like the Swedes and Swiss also to go, leaving no "neutral" officers to investigate truce violations. The North would argue there's no need for them after all sides agree on "peace." Similarly, they would go on calling for withdrawal of America's 28,500 troops and closure of U.S. bases.



Moon will have a tough time persuading the U.S. to subscribe to a peace declaration as long as the North makes it a condition for doing something about its nuclear program. The American view is simple: The North Koreans first have to take steps to show they're serious about "denuclearization" in keeping with the carefully bland statement signed by President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June. There seems to be no way around this impasse.



North Korea is pressuring the South to pressure the U.S. not only on an end-of-war declaration but also on U.S. and UN sanctions, setting their removal as another key condition for denuclearization. Imposed after the North's missile and nuclear tests, most recently nearly a year ago, sanctions are hurting despite violations by the Chinese and Russians. No matter what the Americans might do to keep him happy, however, no one trusts Kim to give up his nukes and missiles. Assuming Moon does go to Pyongyang next month as advertised, he will have a chance to urge Kim to meet Trump for another summit and pick up where they left off in Singapore.



It's possible, knowing there's very little else Moon can do, that the North Koreans will back out of plans for a third Moon-Kim summit. Or Kim, receiving Moon in Pyongyang, might want him to sign a declaration preaching peace even if the Americans and Chinese avoid signing anything. Either way, let us pray Korea remains at peace as maintained by the Korean War armistice for more than 65 years.





Donald Kirk (www.donaldkirk.com) has been covering the ups and downs of peace in Korea since the 1970s.


By Baek Byung-yeul





JOBCALLME CEO Kim Sung-young / Courtesy of JOBCALLME
Jim Hoe, Aids Concern advocacy and community research manager, Mandy Cheung, the NGO's programme director, Bau Chung Sze-wan, assistant programme manager, and Jodie Fung Hoi-ying, assistant prevention officer. Photos from South China Morning Post



By Naomi Ng, Jane Zhang





A growing proportion of sexually active 14- to 25-year-olds in Hong Kong are choosing not to use protection during the act, reflecting a "serious lack" of proper education on the subject in school, an HIV prevention NGO said on Tuesday.



Aids Concern based its remarks on surveys done over five years with 3,013 young people, who had visited its centre in Jordan to get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.



While it did not give a breakdown on the number surveyed each year, the results showed that since 2014-15, the percentage of condom use across four groups  those having sex while in a relationship, with regular partners, with casual partners and with prostitutes  had declined.



Individuals were asked whether they had used a condom each time they had sex in the past six months.



In 2017-18, 71 per cent of people who slept with prostitutes used a condom, compared with 84 per cent in 2014-15. In 2013-14, the figure was 58 per cent.



But for the other three groups, the figure dropped over the same period. It fell from 56 per cent to 36 per cent for those sleeping with casual partners, 45 per cent to 27 per cent for those in heterosexual relationships, and from 38 per cent to 28 per cent for those with regular partners.



The main reasons respondents  of whom almost 70 per cent were male  gave was that partners asked them not to use protection, they felt there was a low risk of getting an STD, and they did not want "to spoil the mood".



Aids Concern added that less than half of those surveyed said they knew about contraceptive methods such as condoms or birth control pills.



"This means the remaining 55 per cent believe in other methods that don't have any scientific basis," said Jim Hoe Kwun-hung, the NGO's advocacy and community research manager.



"This shows that the respondents are seriously lacking in sexual education knowledge, which is quite worrying."





Aids Concern said the lack of understanding regarding the risks of unprotected sex was something that needed to be addressed.
Some 38 per cent of Americans saw China favourably in the Pew survey between May and June  down from 44 per cent at the same time last year. Photos from South China Morning Post



By Sarah Zheng





Americans have become less positive about China as trade tensions mount and they worry more about the Asian giant's growing economic clout, according to new data from the Pew Research Centre.



Only 38 per cent of Americans saw China favourably when surveyed by the Washington-based think tank between May and June  weeks before the trade war kicked off, with billions in tariffs levelled on both sides  down from 44 per cent at the same time last year.



"As trade tensions rise, fewer Americans see China favourably," the Pew report, published on Wednesday, said. "[There is a] resurgence in US concern over China's growing economy  most Americans say they are more concerned about China's economic strength than its military capabilities."



The findings, which drew from phone interviews with 1,500 individuals, showed economic threats were at the top of Americans' list of worries about the bilateral relationship as trade frictions intensified in recent months.







Washington and Beijing have traded billions in punitive tariffs since July, after months of heated accusations from US President Donald Trump's administration that China has employed unfair trade and intellectual property practices.



Among Trump's accusations is China's record-high trade surplus with the US, the long-term shift of manufacturing jobs from America to countries such as China, and Chinese theft of US technology.



In the Pew report, the majority of surveyed Americans  62 per cent  believed that US debt to China was a "very serious" issue, with 27 per cent saying it was "somewhat serious". Beijing holds around US$1.2 trillion in US Treasury bonds.



Other major concerns for most respondents were the threat of Chinese cyberattacks, China's impact on the global environment, the loss of US jobs to China, the growing trade deficit, and China's human rights policies.



But of the eight issues included in the survey, Americans reported being less concerned about China's tensions with Taiwan  the self-ruled island that Beijing claims  and its territorial disputes with neighbouring countries, notably in the resource-rich South China Sea.




Subscribe by email so you

never miss a post!
WAILUKU  Mayor Alan Arakawa and his administration will host a series of community meetings in September and October to receive comments and suggestions from the public regarding the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2019-20.

Citizens with an interest in the county budget are encouraged to attend a meeting in their local area and offer input either as individuals or on behalf of an organization. Both written and verbal comments will be accepted.

Tables will be set up to allow directors and staff from each county department to meet with members of the public, hear budget-related needs, listen to concerns and answer questions about various county-related issues.

Attendees will be given a form upon arrival at the meeting to determine their needs and to which department(s) their comments pertain.

The meeting in each community will begin with an overview by Arakawa and Budget Director Sandy Baz, followed by approximately one hour for attendees to submit comments at the various department tables.

This is a valuable opportunity for our citizens to have a say in how their taxpayer dollars are spent by the county, said Arakawa.

Many of the projects and new services that my administration has implemented over the years were a direct result of the input from these community meetings. Suggestions from the public help us prioritize what is best for our community and understand how to better serve our residents.

With all meetings starting at 5:30 p.m., the schedule is: Central Maui, Sept. 4, Velma Santos (Wailuku) Community Center; East Maui, Sept. 6, Hana Community Center; Upcountry, Sept. 17, Mayor Hannibal Tavares (Pukalani) Community Center; Paia/Haiku, Sept. 18, Haiku Community Center; West Maui, Oct. 1, Lahaina Intermediate School; and South Maui, Oct. 2, Kihei Community Center.

For more information on the community meetings, contact the County of Maui Budget Office at 270-7855 or visit www.mauicounty.gov/Budget.

Staff from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) office will also be present to offer information and gather public input on the use of the countys funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Community Development Block Grant is a federal program created by Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-383).

CDBG funds received will be utilized for housing and community development needs, primarily benefiting low- and moderate-income persons.

For information on CDBG, contact the County of Maui CDBG Program Office at 270-7213 or visit www.mauicounty.gov/CDBG.
Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

By Mike Roe and Annie Gilbertson

An Encino man was arrested this morning after alleged threats to kill journalists at the Boston Globe. Robert Chain allegedly started making threatening calls to the Globe's newsroom earlier this month after the newspaper coordinated a slew of nationwide editorials responding to President Trump's comments that journalists were "the enemy of the people."

Chain reportedly threatened to kill the paper's employees and echoed the president's comments, calling the Globe "the enemy of the people."

On the day the Globe's editorial came out in print, someone called the newspaper and threatened to shoot journalists in the head "later today, at 4 o'clock."

"Anyone, regardless of political affiliation, who puts others in fear for their lives will be prosecuted by this office," U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a statement. "In a time of increasing political polarization, and amid the increasing incidence of mass shootings, members of the public must police their own political rhetoric -- or we will."

There were 14 calls to the Globe between Aug. 10 and Aug. 22 connected with Chain, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was identified through phone records.

On the day of the editorial's print publication, this is what was said in one of the threatening calls, according to a transcript from the FBI:

"You're the enemy of the people, and we're going to kill every f---ing one of you. Hey, why don't you call the F (sic), why don't you call Mueller, maybe he can help you out buddy. Still there, f-----? Alright, why, you going to trace my call? What are you going to do motherf-----? You ain't going to do s---. I'm going to shoot you in the motherf---ing head later today, at 4 o'clock. Goodbye."

Several of the calls included threats to shoot Globe employees in the head, along with profanity and both sexual and homophobic references. Chain owns several firearms, including a new 9mm carbine rifle purchased in May 2018, according to the FBI.

Globe employees felt threatened and scared, according to the FBI. Local law enforcement maintained a presence outside the building to make sure Globe staffers were safe, with the Globe also contracting private security.

During a call on Aug. 22, when asked why he was making the calls, the caller said, "Because you are the enemy of the people. ... As long as you keep attacking the president, the duly elected president of the United States, in the continuation of your treasonous and seditious acts, I will continue to threats (sic), harass, and annoy the Boston Globe, owned by the New York Times, the other fake news."

"Everyone has a right to express their opinion, but threatening to kill people, takes it over the line and will not be tolerated," the FBI's Harold Shaw said in a statement. "Making threats is not a prank, it's a federal crime. All threats are taken seriously as we never know if the subject behind the threat intends to follow through with their actions."

Paul Gillespies, a survivor of the recent shooting at the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, tweeted his thoughts on the arrest:

As a survivor of the Annapolis #CapitalGazette newsroom murders I am glad to see the FBI taking these threats seriously and arresting those making them. Journalists are not "the enemy of the people", we are your siblings, parents, friends and neighbors, fellow humans. Be kind.  Paul W. Gillespie (@pwgphoto) August 30, 2018

Chain faces up to a five-year sentence and a fine of $250,000. He appeared in a federal courtroom full of reporters in downtown L.A. Thursday in a blue T-shirt, mustache and a magenta mullet that hung past his shoulders, his eyes heavy. His wife also sat in the courtroom.

At issue was whether he should remain in custody. The federal prosecutor said he should. When agents searched Chain's home in Encino, prosecutors said they found 20 firearms, with weapons on display throughout, including military grade canisters. Guns were also hidden - one in a sock drawer.

"He and his wife have a 2nd amendment right," said Andre Townsend, deputy federal public defender.

The defense questioned the logic of the theoretical danger, since all guns had been seized.

Judge Paul Abrams asked if federal agents had found anything that indicated travel plans to Boston, such as plane tickets. The prosecutor didn't know of any.

"I don't think it's appropriate to keep him in custody," Abrams said.

Chain is out on $50,000 bond and must surrender his passport. And the judge said if any guns are left to "get rid of it."

But the judge allowed for potential travel to Wyoming. Chain, retired from international sales and trade, has a home there and asked to attend a scheduled family trip. He still must receive permission before he leaves.

Chain will be traveling to Boston for his next hearing. While there, he isn't allowed within 500 feet of the Boston Globe.

The Los Angeles Times did not participate in the editorial page protest, not because it disagreed with the concept but because it wanted to maintain its editorial independence, they wrote.

On Aug. 22, the Associated Press also received a phone threat with the caller saying, "at some point we're just gonna start shooting you f---ing a-------," the AP's Amanda Lee Myers tweeted.

NOTE: The court document below contains graphic language and profanity. LAist redacted the home address of the man alleged to have made the threats.

News happens every day. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you and the community you live in. Now that we're part of KPCC, those stories (including this one you're on right now!) are made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism isn't cheap, but with your support we can keep delivering it. Donate now.
Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

One recent afternoon in a small courtroom high above Olive Street in downtown Los Angeles, a group of teenagers sat before an immigration judge, awaiting their fates.

Among them was Sandy, a 16-year-old girl in blue jeans and pink sneakers, her dark hair pulled into a ponytail. When the judge called her name, she walked up, accompanied by a lawyer from an immigration nonprofit representing her.

Sandy was seeking voluntary departure to Guatemala. It was the country she left along with her father before they were stopped at Arizona's U.S.-Mexico border in May as they entered the country illegally seeking asylum. They were separated by federal agents.

In recent months, the government placed more than 2,600 migrant children in federal shelters after they and their parents were detained under the Trump administration's zero tolerance policy. The separations drew national and international outrage, and the president rolled back on the policy.

Earlier this summer, a federal judge ordered the government to reunite the children under 5 with their parents by July 10. Children ages 5 to 17 were to be returned to their parents by July 26.

The deadlines have not been fully met.

A month after the court deadlines, hundreds of children remain separated from their parents and in the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the agency responsible for sheltering them. The process of reuniting these families has moved slowly. As of last Thursday, there were 528 kids who had yet to be returned to their parents.

The majority of these children - nearly 350 of them - are in the U.S. alone because their parents were deported without them. Sandy was one of these. Her father was deported and the girl was left behind. At the time of her court hearing, officials had placed her in a federal shelter in Fullerton.

WAITING AND WORRYING

In a small town in Guatemala's coffee-growing western highlands earlier this month, Sandy's mother and her father desperately awaited the return of their only child.

"We never thought they would take our daughter away," said Gloria Gomez, her mother, who spoke in Spanish with KPCC/LAist by phone. "I want them to return her to Guatemala as soon as possible."

She said her husband and daughter set out last spring for the U.S., accompanied by other local families. Gomez planned to eventually follow. She said life was difficult there, and they wanted for Sandy to live and study in the U.S.

The father and daughter made it to the border and asked agents there for asylum, she said.

"They asked for asylum, but they were told there wasn't any," Gomez said, "and that minors could not come in." Then they were separated, she said.

Gomez said her husband was threatened with six months in prison for entering the country illegally. Instead, within nine days, he was sent back to Guatemala without his daughter.

"My husband didn't know where they had taken her. Then she called me, and she told me she was somewhere in Los Angeles."

According to Gomez, officials said they would return her to Guatemala in 15 to 20 days. That didn't happen.

She said her husband, who was not up to speaking about their experience, returned home distraught without his daughter. "He still cries for her," Gomez said, and she feels helpless.

"My daughter is crying and we are so sad ... we are here all alone, and she is so far away."

DRAWN OUT REUNIFICATIONS

Federal officials have cited reasons for why hundreds of the migrant children have yet to be returned to their parents.

A court filing late last week listed several of them: Some children were separated from adults other than their parents; some parents declined reunification, an assertion that some parents have challenged, alleging they were coerced to agree; and a small number of children whose parents' background checks revealed crimes or other circumstances that federal officials said raised child safety concerns.

But the majority of cases are like Sandy's: their parents were sent back without them.

Once the children like Sandy were separated from their parents, they were designated an "unaccompanied minor," meaning they were treated like a minor who arrived without a parent or guardian, said Los Angeles immigration attorney Lindsay Toczylowski, whose firm represented Sandy pro bono.

"As an unaccompanied minor, you have the right to see a judge, and that is a really important protection for unaccompanied minors," explained Toczylowski, executive director of the legal firm Immigrant Defenders, which has taken up many of the separated children's cases.

Lawyers representing the children screen for kids, typically older teens, who wish to stay in the U.S. and seek asylum on their own, she said. Some families do reach this decision together, agreeing it's the best for child to remain here with relatives, she said.

But for kids like Sandy who want to return home, it's a complicated process. The unaccompanied minors must see a judge and get permission to depart the country, Toczylowski said.

This involves seeking what's called a voluntary departure, in which a person agrees to be repatriated voluntarily. And unlike a formal deportation, she said, it does not count as a strike against the individual eventually returning to the U.S. through some legal means.

Once the voluntary departure is granted, arrangements are made with consular officials in the home country to provide travel documents, such as a passport, Toczylowski said. The child is then flown home at the government's expense, typically escorted by an adult chaperone, and turned over to officials from their home government to be reunited with their parents.

During Sandy's recent court hearing in Los Angeles, Judge A. Ashley Tabaddor asked her several questions: had Sandy been in contact with her parents? Were they ready to receive her? To both, Sandy answered yes. And she swore under oath that she would leave.

The judge granted her voluntary departure. "Have a safe trip home," she told her.

A few days later, her mother said Sandy told her by phone that she would be coming home. At first, they were told it wouldn't be until September. But on Tuesday, her mother said she was told her daughter would return this week.

For a family separated more than three months, it was very good news.

News happens every day. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you and the community you live in. Now that we're part of KPCC, those stories (including this one you're on right now!) are made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism isn't cheap, but with your support we can keep delivering it. Donate now.
Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today.

Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe

For many tenants of a three-building apartment complex on Burlington Avenue in Westlake, the rent hikes announced earlier this year were a clear message from the landlord: pay up, or make room for someone else who can.

But residents of roughly half of the complex's 180 units say that message isn't palatable. It's why they've launched what organizers say is one of the largest rent strikes in Los Angeles's history.

As rents in Los Angeles continue to rise, the city is seeing a resurgence of this century-old advocacy tactic, which involves tenants withholding their rent checks to pressure their landlords into negotiating rents and often into improving building maintenance.

"People have to band together," said Trinidad Ruiz, an organizer with the Vermont Beverly local chapter of the Los Angeles Tenants Union (LATU), a volunteer organization that teaches renters their rights and how to use them. "A rent strike with one person isn't going to change anything. You need an entire complex to do the rent strike."

Organizers say the recent uptick in SoCal began with a 2016 strike in Highland Park. In that case, tenants living in the 60-unit, non-rent-controlled Marmion Royal building, across the street from the local Gold Line station, began withholding rent after the building was sold to a corporate owner that hiked the rent and started renovations while people continued living in the building.

Since then, desperate tenants in several buildings around the city have turned to the strategy, usually through the assistance of the (LATU) and a patchwork network of eviction defense legal clinics. In Boyle Heights, the Mariachi Tenants reached an agreement with their landlord in February after a months-long standoff following a rent hike. In Exposition Park, tenants in six buildings close to USC went on strike after a new owner served them with notices to vacate. In Long Beach, tenants in at least six different buildings have gone on strike this year, according to the Press Telegram. And other actions in smaller buildings are playing out beyond the headlines.

"They are in a no-win situation. When you're in a no-win situation, you fight," said Ruiz. "They aren't able to pay the rent, so they'll end up on the street. If they lose the rent strike, they'll end up on the street. Only if they win the rent strike, then there's a chance they'll stay."

RISING RENTS BUT LITTLE MAINTENANCE?

The strategy tenants in the Burlington complex are using is similar to that being deployed by others around SoCal and the country: they're withholding rent to force the landlord to take each of the striking tenants to eviction court individually, where they'll argue their case. It's a costly and intensive process, and tenants hope their landlord will give up and abandon the proposed rent increase, or at least be compelled to fix the building. But it's risky for the tenants; if they lose their case, they get evicted.

Like those in most of the other strikes in the Los Angeles area, the residents are mostly low-income, Spanish-speaking immigrants from Mexico and Central America who struggle to make ends meet.

Joana Ochoa's family, which includes her husband and their three daughters, is one of dozens in the Burlington buildings who have stopped paying rent after their rate went up multiple times between January and April. The total increase for them was about $350. Other tenants said they received similar rent hikes.

Ochoa said that picking up and moving to a new apartment is out of the question, a sentiment shared by other striking residents. In addition to the steep cost of moving, it's virtually impossible to find an apartment anywhere nearby at a rate comparable to what they've paid in previous years.

"If I move from here, I can't afford to pay $2,000 or $3,000 a month in rent," said Ochoa."It's too much, I just can't do that, and I can't find anything here close to what I paid."

Ochoa wouldn't say what her exact rent was, but the building's owner said rents were raised to match the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's fair market rate for Los Angeles, which the agency uses to determine some kinds of subsidies and rents in public housing units. HUD rates place monthly rent for a one-bedroom unit at about $1,300, and rent for a two-bedroom at about $1,600. Another tenant said they had been paying $900 for a one-bedroom unit before the increase.

Citywide, the median rate for a one-bedroom unit is about $2,200 per month, according to Rent Cafe, so even with the rent increase, the landlord argues, the Burlington buildings remain among the most affordable in the city.

But that doesn't mean the tenants currently living there can afford to pay it.

In Los Angeles and Orange counties, about a quarter of all households spend more than half their income on rent or are crowded into "severely inadequate housing," according to a report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) based on 2015 numbers.

Though Los Angeles is one of the 15 California cities that has rent control, all of the Burlington buildings were built in the late 1980s, more than a decade after the 1978 cutoff date for the city of L.A.'s Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Rent increases in buildings built before 1978 are limited to about 3 percent each year. No such provision exists for buildings built after.

One added wrinkle that may help the Burlington residents in court is the shabby condition of the apartments. The legal justification for their rent strike comes from a provision of California state law that says renters are allowed to withhold their monthly rent checks if a landlord fails to maintain a property to habitable standards -- addressing things like mold, vermin infestations and other poor conditions.

"The rent increase is legal, but [the landlord] also has to maintain the apartments," said lawyer Elena Popp, who heads the nonprofit Eviction Defense Network. "The lack of maintenance gave the tenants the opening to do a rent strike."

Walk through one of the Burlington buildings and the signs of dilapidation are clearly evident. Sewage residue from past backups is visible on the floors and walls in the building's parking garage. Paint peels away from moldy surfaces. Many walls are soft to the touch, hinting at leaky pipes behind. According to Popp, the rent hikes earlier this year prompted residents to question why the cost was increasing, but the building's condition wasn't improving.

"It was too much for a lot of people, particularly in light of all the bad conditions," said Popp, the lawyer. "For the first time, people started questioning, 'Why do we have hot water shut-offs so often? Why do we have to live with roaches? Why do we have to live with a pigeon infestation?'"

A representative for the building's owners, Lisa Ehrlich and Donald Crasnick, said that "all tenant complaints about maintenance issues are always immediately addressed." They also said that the owner hadn't raised rents in several years and that the recent increase is intended to cover rising maintenance costs.

"STORIES THAT ARE OLD, YET NOT OLD"

In Southern California, as elsewhere in the country, the rent strike tactic has come and gone through the years.

In the late '80s and early '90s, the Los Angeles Times covered several "bitter disputes" between landlords and tenants around the region. One in Anaheim that involved 67 tenants who lived in what their attorney called a "pit of squalor" dragged into a seven-year lawsuit. It concluded in 1992 when a Santa Ana judge ordered the landlord to pay $266,000 to the tenants. That strike stemmed from a larger action in 1985 involving almost 500 tenants in three Orange County cities, the Times reported at the time.

The high-water mark for rent strikes in the San Fernando Valley was 1978, when the Times covered eight tenant strikes in Van Nuys, North Hollywood and Encino. Most were settled, and some revolved around landlords who failed to reduce rents as promised if voters approved Proposition 13, which cut property taxes overnight.

Decades earlier, in the 1920s, rent strikes were semi-regular occurrences on Bunker Hill. By then, the once-stately neighborhood was popularly considered to be declining as its mansions were subdivided into tenement housing for L.A.'s newcomers.

It's a similar story in other parts of the country. Roberta Gold, a historian who wrote a book on tenant activism in New York City, said most strikes stem from familiar factors like a shortage of affordable housing and overcrowded conditions. "Stories that are old, yet not old. Still very familiar," she added.

Gold thinks the earliest rent strikes in the United States probably occurred in crowded downtown Manhattan tenements in the early 1900s. She said the tenant strikes were modeled after other forms of collective action in the labor arena and the consumer arena.

"People were familiar with labor unions and labor strikes seeking to exert leverage for workers at the point of production," said Gold. "They imported the language of labor organizing into tenant organizing, calling their groups 'tenant unions' and non-participating neighbors 'scabs.'"

She added that strikes basically became routine in New York until the Great Depression turned the city's housing market on its head, giving tenants the upper hand.

"RENT IS RISING EVERYWHERE ELSE"

Of course, the background for the Burlington strike today isn't the the progressive backlash to America's Gilded Age; it's Westlake's changing dynamics and the area's emerging gentrification.

New development is spilling into the neighborhood from adjacent Downtown L.A. and Koreatown, and the neighborhood's northern portion -- where the Burlington buildings are -- is just a few minutes' drive from the cafes and vintage shops of Sunset Boulevard. The striking tenants also live within the boundaries of the controversial proposed North Westlake Design District.

"We're very close to Echo Park, and people are buying apartments and remodeling them because we're so close. I think the landlord said to herself 'Well, rent is rising everywhere else, so why not me?'" said Ray Estrada, who lives in one of the buildings.

But before rent goes up, Estrada said he believes the building needs to be maintained to some basic standards.

"We're not complaining to say that we want free rent," he said. "No, we want to pay our rent, but we want to live in a safe environment."

For now, the Burlington tenants remain in court. The sheer number of individual Burlington cases mean it could take more than a year for the L.A. County eviction court system to process all of them.

But in other buildings, the ongoing stress of sustaining a strike, and the accompanying legal process, means tenants often end up leaving anyway. Organizers and tenants who participated in the Marmion Royal strike in Highland Park say most of the tenants involved have since left the neighborhood. Apartments in that building are now marketed as "creative flats."
Opening reception is 5-9 p.m. Friday Oct. 5

The walls along Barracks 14 in Liberty Station, once a plain deep tan, have received a creative, temporary makeover.

Beautiful murals depicting individuals in various emotional states now decorate the walls in black paint, overlaid by bright white birds, and a red and blue shadow lies across the ground as the sun shines through transparent tiles above the walkways, while children nearby climb along a large heavily-braided rope bench.

These are just a few of the sights currently available to those visiting the Arts District in Point Loma at Liberty Station.

The grand opening of Installations at the Station, will be 5-9 p.m. Oct. 5, during Friday Night Liberty, the first Fridays community event where all the art galleries and museums are open to the public, and dance performances and live music are also available.

The night will provide the perfect atmosphere for the community to fully embrace Installations at the Station. Hosted by the Naval Training Centers Art in Public Places Committee (with help from San Diego Art Institute), the art is part of the renovation of 26 buildings the NTC has been taking on since 2000, according to Alan Ziter, executive director of the NTC Foundation.

Hugo Crosthwaite works on one of his new murals at Liberty Station in Point Loma ( Courtesy )

Ziter suggests guests begin their viewing at 2770 Historic Decatur Road, between Liberty Public Market and Barracks 14.

Six of the 28 submitted projects will be featured, including works by David Krimmel, Karl Alex Roesch, Lissa Corona and Marina Grize, Jeremy Nuttall and Hugo Crosthwaite. Artist Josemar Gonzalezs work was also chosen by the NTC Foundation, but isnt expected to be showcased until early next year.

This temporary art display is part of NTC Foundation giving opportunities to allow people to enjoy the transformation of the Navy base into a more vibrant arts district. Ziter said the NTC Foundation allotted $60,000 for the project.

Jeremy Nuttall in the midst of his Rolling It Forward project made of community-contributed skateboards ( Courtesy )

Vicki Reed, chair of the Art in Public Places Committee, says that while guests are free to wander Liberty Station and enjoy viewing the art at other times, the opening event will be special because the majority of the artists will be present. Its a way to be with a creative community, she said.

In addition to creativity, budget, authenticity and other factors, the NTC Foundation website states that the art proposals featured in Installations at the Station, were chosen based on them relating to innovation and community engagement, and whether they showcased the history of San Diego, enhanced the dignity of the site and added to the creative hub of the Arts District.

For Krimmel, his use of 1,200 colored transparent tiles maintains those standards as they are intended to replicate the original tiles in Liberty Public Market, casting beautifully colored shadows along the ground and walls in the station.

Hugo Crosthwaite works on his murals at Liberty Station in Point Loma ( Chris Stone )

Roeschs braided rope bench is symbolic of tying together the cultures and lives of the Kumeyaay Native tribe, Spanish explorers and U.S. Navy  all of whom used that particular type of rope.

Between Barracks 16 and 17, by day or night, guests can see Corona and Grizes project: a light installation that reads Rest with you comes easy. The phrase is a nod to a tweet by the U.S. Navy in 2012, according to Ziter. The tweet read: Rest easy tonight, U.S. Navy has the watch.

According to Reed, the tweet prompted Corona and Grize to reflect on the concept of family. They realized, in Reeds words: Its not just the Navy that watches over us; we watch over each other, and the thought led to the art display.

Corona and Grizes light installation project ( Courtesy )

Nuttalls Rolling It Forward is an homage to the concept of Pay it forward, and is made entirely of skateboards painted by and/or contributed by the community, according to Reed. Together, the skateboards form a boat on the ocean waves, providing just the splash of color Ziter says he wanted for Installations.

Finally, Crosthwaites Column A and Column B: A Continual Mural Narrative Performance, located at Arcades Barracks 14, took two full weeks to finish. From Aug. 3 to Aug. 17, Crosthwaite painted 16 improvisational murals.

Ziter says Crosthwaites murals are, in part, inspired by Navy experiences and present-day issues: If you study the murals, youll see the empathy of family separation at the border on some of the walls, while youll see more contemporary images of San Diego in some of the other murals.

The community works on Jeremy Nuttalls Rolling It Forward project made of contributed skateboards ( Courtesy )

Additionally, Crosthwaites installation is recognized as being spontaneous and strongly influenced by his conversations with passersby during his two weeks of painting. Reed adds that to Crosthwaite, his artwork is more than just the final product; its also about the process and public performance.

The piece itself is not only what you see looking at the murals, but is actually just watching him work, Reed said.

Though Crosthwaite wont be unable to attend the opening of Installations at the Station due to prior engagements, Reed says the NTC Foundation is hoping to provide a video in the arcade of Crosthwaite discussing his art so guests may listen in and watch his improvisational painting.

The featured artists are, of course, highly-talented and well-recognized (and if they werent before, they will be now!). However, this display is not just for those with a well-trained eye for artistry. It is for the San Diegan, the historian, the painter, the wishers-that-they-could-draw-more-than-stick-figures and anyone else who simply enjoys beauty.

Come, enjoy, and dont be afraid to add a little extra color to your soul.

 Liberty Station is a mixed-use development on the site of the former Naval Training Center (NTC), off Rosecrans Street in Point Loma. The 361-acre project is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and many of the structures are designated as historic by the City of San Diego.

Dozens of the historical buildings are being adapted for stores, offices, schools and other purposes. libertystation.com

Sky Mosaic by David Krimmel ( Chris Stone )

Twineline by Karl Alex Roesch ( Courtesy )
FRONTLINE CANCER:

For some years, the rate of new colorectal cancer (CRC) cases in the United States has been dropping, thanks to increased screening. Men and women were advised to start getting colonoscopies at age 50, with follow-up frequency dependent on findings.

Then last year, a study led by American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers reported that new CRC cases were increasing among young and middle-aged adults. Indeed, once age was taken into account, those born in 1990 had double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared to people born around 1950, when risk was lowest.

That prompted the ACS to update its CRC screening guidelines, lowering the recommended age to begin screening from 50 to 45 years for people at average risk. (Persons at higher risk, such as those with a family history of CRC, should begin screening sooner, at 40 or even earlier.) But two other organizations that issue similar guidelines  the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force  have not changed their recommendation to start screening at age 50.

These public guidelines are important. They often become early, fundamental drivers to change and improved public health. The steady decline in CRC cases over the last decade is attributed, in large part, to people getting screened. But there remains debate and unanswered questions about what the 2017 ACS study about rising rates among younger people really says  and more importantly, what the change in ACS guidelines might portend.

In a recent paper, published in the journal Gastroenterology, a team of national experts, led by corresponding author Samir Gupta, M.D., an associate professor of medicine and gastroenterologist at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, explored potential consequences of recommending persons be screened for colorectal cancer first at age 45.

Not surprisingly, for a subject as complicated as this, their assessment was mixed.

On the positive side, they speculated early initiation of screening might result in more CRC cases detected and more CRC deaths prevented in younger persons. They noted this might be especially important for some racial and ethnic groups, such as blacks and Alaska Natives, who have a higher risk for young onset cancer. They also suggested that earlier screening might lead to more consistent, repeat screenings later in life.

But they raised concerns about potential unfavorable or unintended consequences in recommending screening at age 45 instead of 50 as public health policy.

For one thing, it might mean limited resources would be diverted to lower-risk, younger populations and away from higher-risk, older populations. For example, the incidence rate among 45- to 49-year-olds, even with the recent increase in CRC rates, is 34 per 100,000 persons. But for people aged 50 to 54, the incidence rate is almost double: 60.2 per 100,000; and quadruples by age 70 to 74: 143.5 per 100,000. Marshaling the majority of effort for those at highest risk arguably produces the maximum benefit.

Also lowering the age recommendation might exacerbate existing CRC disparities because younger adults who act on the new screening recommendation might be less likely to belong to the racial/ethnic, socioeconomic or geographic groups at greater risk of CRC.

Theres a broader financial implication too. Lowering the age recommendation would increase the screening pool by 22 percent, adding 21 million 45- to 49-year-olds to the 94 million 50- to 75-year-olds currently eligible for CRC screening. That means a lot more colonoscopies would need to be performed  not all necessarily covered by insurance.

Currently, it is unclear which of these possible outcomes will come to pass. Gupta and his colleagues call for caution in widespread implementation of recommendations for early screening for the entire population, and recommend that efforts to screen the highest risk populations, such as older individuals, those with a family history or those who are over age 50 who have never been screened intensify.

 Scott M. Lippman, M.D., is director of UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. Reach him at mcc-dir-lippman@ucsd.edu
Early in May 2017, the Transportation Security Administration initiated a pilot program at two domestic airports in which travelers were told to remove paper products  books, notebooks, and other documents from carry-ons before X-ray screening. I know: at this point, when the news cycle seems to have sped up as if through time dilation, that reads like ancient history, especially since less than two months later, the TSA announced that testing had been completed and there were no intentions of instituting those procedures nationwide.

All the same, weve been here before. In October 2001, the American Library Association announced its opposition to the Patriot Act, particularly Section 215, the so-called library records provision, which required librarians to turn over the records of patrons when asked to do so by law enforcement.

That provision was sunsetted out of existence in 2015, but the aftereffect lingers like (to borrow a phrase from Don DeLillo) an airborne toxic event. Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it, Nadine Gordimer once observed. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever.

What shes describing is a state of fear. Something similar might be said in regard to the TSA, which is not in the business of security so much as it is in the business of security theater: a form of magical thinking,  Bruce Schneier, a fellow at Harvard Universitys Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, has written, that relies on the idea that we can somehow make ourselves safer by protecting against what the terrorists happened to do last time.

Advertisement

Passengers going through a security checkpoint at Florida airport. (Wilfredo Lee / AP)

Schneiers right. There is no point, no value, in making travelers take off their shoes because one time, a lone individual tried to blow up an airplane with a sneaker bomb. In the United States, however, we have lost the thread of logic in the stories that we tell.

Just think about the headlines during the first twelve months of the Trump administration: the Muslim ban and the immigration raids, the Russia investigation, the paid-off porn star. Just think about the racist rhetoric that runs, like excrement, from the presidents mouth.

On the one hand, America has always been a racist country. On the other, that has never before been rendered as acceptable. No, we are in the midst of a broken story, and we have lost the ability to parse its lines.

David L. Ulin launches the new edition of The Lost Art of Reading Tues. Sept 4, 7:30 p.m. at Skylight Books.

Stories, Ive long believed, are connective, the only tool we have to reach out of our isolation, regardless of how fleetingly. This is as close as I get to faith, this notion that narrative can save us, even (or especially) if we cannot, finally, be saved.

And yet, living in this place and time, I wonder whether thats another disrupted narrative.

What if stories are not what we need, not what brings us together, but rather, as Schneier asserts, what we fear? Lets stay with that line of thought for a moment, because stories can be dangerous things. Those white supremacists in Charlottesville, with their Tiki torches and their khakis, were telling a story I would have thought wed put behind us, until the election of 2016 made me realize how naive Id been.

Its not that I believed racism, supremacy, had been vanquished; how could I, in a nation where, according to the Guardian, African American men between 15 and 34 were nine times more likely to be killed by police in 2016 than other Americans?

White Supremacists marching in Charlottesville, Aug. 11, 2017. (Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)

This is the narrative (or one of them) the supremacists and neo-Nazis sought to embody in Virginia: You will not replace us, they chanted as they marched. The phrase derives from a 2012 book by the French writer Renaud Camus called Le Grand Remplacement, which argues that Europe is being reverse colonized by immigrants of color, a clash of civilizations that amounts to an existential threat.

This is a ridiculous narrative, but it has staying power, going back to Cain and Abel, Exodus. What do we do with those we label other? For Camus, as for those in Charlottesville, the answer is simple: get rid of them. Here, we see the story trumpeted by the president from the first day of his campaign, and if you dont think thats important, consider the permission it bestowed, for instance, on James Alex Fields Jr., who killed thirty-two-year-old Heather Heyer and injured dozens of others when he drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters.

As a culture, we are experiencing the collapse of collective narrative: left and right relying on their own news sources, Raw Story and the Daily Caller, MSNBC and Fox News. Not only that, but even the factions are factionalized, and have been since at least the 1960s. Purity, the rabid fervor of the true believer (the same for all extremists, left and right), versus pragmatism, competence. I have been on both sides, and I cannot say what I now believe.

Highway I-15 (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Last winter, not long after the inauguration, I moved for four months to Las Vegas, which means I spent a lot of time driving through the rural West. Every few weeks, I would return to Los Angeles to see my wife and children: four hours, 273 miles through the Mojave, the Angeles National Forest, Primm, Baker, Barstow, Victorville, Ontario, like a lost verse from a pop song about the open road.

This, too, is a story, or perhaps more accurately, several stories. We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert, Hunter S. Thompson begins Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, when the drugs began to take hold. Whatever these towns may once have been, they are now roadside stops like any other, fast-food joints and outlet malls, snacks and cigarettes and gas. The great American homogenization, in which chains and cheap construction have yielded a landscape where towns appear interchangeable, although beneath their bland and echoed surfaces, Im sure, beat distinct and differentiated hearts.

The first time I made this drive  or one like it  was in 1968, on a family trip. I was not quite seven years old. Just past Barstow, we made the turnoff for Interstate 40, passing first through Needles, California, then Arizona; we would take three weeks to travel east. Then, as now, we were a nation divided, as we were once more in the 1980s, when I traversed these roads again. For hundreds of miles, radio gave up only farm reports and God talk, and when I stopped to eat or sleep or fill the tank, I was never unaware that I was a stranger in a strange land. You a Jew, boy? someone once asked in a small town in South Texas, and although he wasnt exactly threatening (more curious, I want to tell you), there was a moment when I wasnt sure how to respond.

Still, how strange could this land be if it were also so accessible, so available to me? I-40, for instance: it would carry me across New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee. I-15, were I to stay on past Las Vegas, would eventually bring me to Salt Lake City, Butte. There used to be a mileage sign in Wilmington, North Carolina, not far from I-40s terminus; Barstow, Calif. 2,554, it declared. You might read that sign as information or as metaphor, but for me it was an emblem of the commons, of the country as a landscape we all share.

A story can take you through a whole process of searching, seeking, confronting, through conflicts, and then to a resolution, Maxine Hong Kingston writes in The Woman Warrior, and not unlike her, this is the narrative I want to share.

And yet, every narrative is conditional  isnt that what reading has to tell us? Every narrative is a slice of a larger whole. All stories, if continued far enough, end in death, Ernest Hemingway notes in Death in the Afternoon, and he is no true-story teller who would keep that from you. Hes right, although it is also the case that most stories dont continue far enough, which means we have no choice but to engage with them as part of a continuum. Those narratives, they exist on either end of the page, before the action opens and after it is done.

I dont mean to trivialize our situation by referring to it through the lens of narrative, but rather to contextualize. This is how the world works: first we tell ourselves a story, then we dream our way inside it as a way of bringing it to life. Its why we have to be careful about the narratives we evoke or create, because they are bound by (or they bind) the limits of what we can imagine, the limits of our ability to think. The reason books and reading remain essential is because they are still the most effective mechanisms by which to crack open the universe. Think about it: when we read, we soul travel, in the sense that we join, or enter, the consciousness of another human. We empathize  we have to  because our experience is enlarged.

David L. Ulin is a 2015 Guggenheim fellow, and the former book editor and book critic of the Times. This essay is excerpted from the second edition of his book The Lost Art of Reading, which comes out Tuesday.
Diversity among first-time television directors saw key strides in the last nine seasons, with greater representation of women and people of color, according to a new study from the Directors Guild of America.

But the guild, which represents more than 16,000 members, cautioned that many first-time female and minority directors still face hurdles because of long-standing hiring practices in the TV industry.

The DGA said the study, released Thursday, focuses on first-time hiring of episodic TV directors between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. The study showed that 31% of first-time hires in the 2017-18 season were directors of color, up from 27% in the 2016-17 season and 12% in the 2009-10 season.

Advertisement

The study also found that 41% of first-time hires were women in the most recent season, an increase from 33% in the previous season and 11% in the 2009-10 season. Women of color accounted for 13% of first-time hires for the 2017-18 season, up from 9% in the previous season and just 2% in the 2009-10 season.

The hiring improvements covered in this report show an industry thats headed in the right direction today, but also one with a long road ahead to keep up with the increasingly diverse world tomorrow, DGA President Thomas Schlamme said in a statement.

Despite the changes found in the report, the DGA said that diverse directors continue to face an uphill battle when it comes to landing first-time jobs on TV productions. The guild said this is because productions tend to favor individuals who are already affiliated with a series for these jobs, rather than fresh faces who are new to the show.

The study found that about 202 directors who had never before directed episodic television were hired by studios, networks and executive producers in the 2017-18 season. Of these 202 people, 58% were series affiliated, meaning they were already connected with the series in the capacity as a writer, producer, actor or crew member.

Meanwhile, 35% were career-track directors. That means they had prior directing experience, but they were unaffiliated with the series or their affiliation was the result of their previous directing experience.

The practice acts as a bottleneck to the pipeline, limiting first breaks for diverse directors, the study said.

Schlamme said that for systemic change to occur, employers should give more first opportunities to diverse individuals.

Its not just the right thing to do; it is vitally important to keep our industry growing, changing and innovating, he said.

david.ng@latimes.com

@DavidNgLAT
In a contest to build the first drone that will fly alongside Navy carrier fighters, Boeing Co. has won a contract worth up to $805 million to build aerial refueling tankers, the Pentagon said Thursday.

Most of the work on the tanker drones, known as the MQ-25A Stingray, will be done in St. Louis, though 1.5% will be completed in San Diego, according to the Defense Departments contract listing. Boeing will receive $79 million of the total award amount to start.

The MQ-25 will be launched via catapult from the decks of aircraft carriers. The initial contract is for four aircraft, but the Navy said it eventually plans to spend $9.5 billion to produce 72 tankers. Research and development was estimated to cost an additional $3.8 billion. The first four drones are set to become operational by 2024.

Lockheed Martin Corp. and General Atomics were also competing for the contract. Both companies had been doing much work on their contending designs in Southern California, Lockheed Martin at its famed Skunk Works unit in Palmdale and General Atomics at its San Diego facilities.

Advertisement

The aircraft that currently make up carrier air wings  the F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-35 Lightning II fighters  have relatively short ranges compared with the planes they replaced, making refueling a higher priority. Potential adversaries such as Russia and China have the ability to threaten carriers hundreds of miles out to sea. Concerns about wear and tear on Super Hornets and their crew  which currently handle refueling duties, along with fighter tasks  also prompted demand for unmanned replacements.

Boeings MQ-25 drone will be powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, which is also used in the U.S. Air Forces Global Hawk and and Navys Triton drones.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga
Campbell Soup Co. is divesting its international operations and fresh-food unit, falling short of expectations for a sale of the entire company.

Despite pressure from activist investor Dan Loeb to find a buyer amid a three-year sales slump and a sliding stock price, the struggling packaged-food maker will pursue a turnaround plan to ignite soup and snack growth in its key U.S. market, according to a statement Thursday. Campbell is also boosting its cost-cutting target as it tries to slim down.

Its shares fell 2.1% on Thursday to $39.15. The stock has lost more than 18% of its value this year.

The companys board, which has been reviewing operations since the abrupt departure of Chief Executive Denise Morrison in May, plans to use the proceeds from the sales of brands including Bolthouse Farms and Arnotts, an Australian snack food company, to pay down debt. The businesses up for sale generated about $2.1 billion in net sales in fiscal 2018, according to the company.

Advertisement

Loeb has criticized the boards abysmal oversight and argued that the company should find a strategic buyer. Third Point, the hedge fund he runs, started building up its stake in Campbell after Morrisons departure. It said in a regulatory filing this month that it had partnered with fellow investor George Strawbridge to push for a sale of the company. They collectively hold about 8.4% of Campbell shares.

Third Point declined to comment. Strawbridge didnt immediately reply to a request for comment.

Campbells board considered a sale of the entire company during the recent review, according to the statement, but decided instead to refocus on its North American operations while also shedding assets in a move that could potentially make the company more attractive to buyers down the road.

The board remains open and committed to evaluating all strategic options to enhance value in the future, interim CEO Keith McLoughlin said.

In addition to announcing the potential asset sales, Campbell released quarterly earnings Thursday. The company said adjusted profit will be $2.45 to $2.53 per share in fiscal 2019, missing the average estimate of $2.67.

Asset sales

Campbell has struggled with declining sales in recent years as people seeking out less-processed foods turn away from its namesake soup. A push to add healthier brands to its portfolio with the acquisition of Bolthouse Farms had been hampered by operational issues. Now that unit is up for sale.

The focus for the company going forward will be soup and snacks in North America. Late in 2017, Campbell announced it was buying potato chip and pretzel maker Snyders-Lance for about $4.9 billion in a bid to find growth in salty snacks. In addition to its soup unit, Campbell has a snack division that makes Goldfish and Pepperidge Farm cookies.

Loeb said in the filing this month that Third Point had held conversations with McLoughlin, who took over after Morrison departed. Based on the talks, and subsequent statements from the company, Loeb said he believed a sale was being considered. And given the obstacles the company faces, the only justifiable outcome of the strategic review is for the issuer to be sold to a strategic buyer, he said.

Loeb said in the filing that the board of directors had permitted management missteps, dismal operating performance, and a series of ill-advised acquisitions to take an irreversible toll.

UPDATES:

3:10 p.m.: This article was updated with the stocks closing price.

This article was originally published at 6:50 a.m.
Disneyland visitors who explore the new Star Wars: Galaxys Edge expansion that opens next year will be invited to belly up to a dimly lit Star Wars-inspired cantina where  for the first time in the park  they can order alcoholic drinks.

New artist renderings released on the Disneyland blog Thursday show a dark tavern where Stormtroopers, bounty hunters, smugglers and other alien travelers crowd around a bar that serves various concoctions. The post says the tavern, dubbed Ogas Cantina, will serve libations for adults.

Walt Disney Co. representatives confirmed that the libations will include pre-mixed alcoholic drinks, a significant development at the attraction because Disneyland has never sold booze to park visitors, except to members of the private Club 33, an exclusive dinner club at Disneylands New Orleans Square.

Park goers who order drinks in the cantina wont be allowed to take them out into the park.

Advertisement

Walt Disney himself opposed the sale of alcohol in his parks, saying he felt the introduction of booze would ruin the family atmosphere.

The founder of the media giant was quoted in 1956 in the Saturday Evening Post as saying: No liquor, no beer, nothing. Because that brings in a rowdy element. That brings people that we dont want and I feel they dont need it.

But the decision to introduce alcoholic drinks at the park shouldnt come as a surprise.

Just as our theme parks have evolved since Disneyland opened, so have our guests desires, Disneyland spokeswoman Liz Jaeger said. Providing a memorable guest experience that exceeds our guests expectation is very much the essence of what Walt Disney set out to achieve, and we feel that Star Wars Galaxys Edge will offer that kind of experience.

At neighboring California Adventure Park, which opened in 2001, visitors can order beer, wine and mixed drinks at several restaurants. In 2012, alcoholic drinks were sold for the first time at a sit-down eatery at Walt Disney World in Florida. Several restaurants at the Magic Kingdom now offer alcoholic drinks.

Sales of food, beverages and merchandise generate nearly 30% of theme park revenue, with admissions generating about 53% of the take, according to a study by the International Assn. of Amusement Parks and Attractions, an industry trade group.

The No. 1 trend in amusement and theme parks globally is the inclusion of craft beer, signature cocktails and themed beverages in a controlled environment, said Ken Whiting, a board member of the International Assn. of Amusement Parks and Attractions and head of Whitings Foods, the food and beverage company for the Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.

UPDATES:

2:05 p.m.: This story was updated to include a comment from a theme park industry expert.

This article was originally published at 1:45 p.m.
Summer is rapidly winding down, but there are still openings to be caught around town  including a look at glittering Renaissance life and and a show that is all about tattooing. Here are five exhibitions and events to check out in the coming week:

All that Glitters: Life at the Renaissance Court, at the Getty Museum. No group in history has quite done bling like the Renaissance elite: there was gleaming armor, rich textiles, monarchs draped in brocaded everything  not to mention architecture studded with gleaming stained glass and other luxuriant details. This exhibition gathers illuminated manuscripts, paintings, drawings, household articles and accessories that convey the richness of life in a Renaissance court. Get ready for some serious shine! Through Dec. 2nd. 1200 Getty Center Dr., Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu.

Enrique Ramirez, Un hombre que camina, at the Grand Central Art Center. The Chilean-born artist is showing a new single-channel video that dwells, in rather magical ways, on issues related to migration and the ways in which globalism and digital life have connected once-disparate realms. Opens Saturday at 7 p.m. and runs through Nov. 11. 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, grandcentralartcenter.com.

A still from Enrique Ramirezs single-channel video, Un hombre que camina, on view at the Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana. Enrique Ramirez / GCAC

Ink, at the Museum of Latin American Art. A new exhibition brings together various histories of tattooing in L.A.  including those inspired by military culture, Chicano tattooing and other historic forms. This will be presented alongside works from the permanent collection that connect with the theme of tattooing. Through Feb. 3. 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, molaa.org.

Irving Penn, Worlds in a Small Room, Seen & Unseen, at Fahey / Klein Gallery. A solo exhibition of the influential photographers work brings together ethnographic studies undertaken during journeys to Peru, Morocco and New Guinea, among other locations. This will include a mix of well-known and previously unexhibited works. Opens Friday and runs through Oct. 6. An opening reception will be held on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. 148 N. La Brea, Hancock Park, Los Angeles, faheykleingallery.com.

Cuzco Town Photographer with Barefoot Girl, 1948, by Irving Penn on view at Fahley/Klein Gallery.. The Irving Penn Foundation

Nicole Reber and Eric Wiley, You Just Never Know Who Somebody Is, at These Days. A pair of artists from opposing coasts play with pop and surrealism in drawings, paintings and text works. Through Sept. 16. 118 Winston St., downtown Los Angeles, thesedaysla.com.

LAST CHANCE

Selected Affinities, at Christopher Grimes Gallery. A group show looks at the ways artists such as Allan Sekula, Connie Samaras, Miles Coolidge and others employ photography to describe aspects of human relations  such as Coolidges images of cargo containers transformed into migrant housing and a series by Sekula that examines the decline of fishing in a Spanish village. Particularly worthwhile is a video in the back room by Billy Woodbury that explores the lives of black dockworkers in Marseilles, France, in the years after World War II. Through Friday. 916 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, cgrimes.com.

"After the American Century, Workers Checking Fountain Nozzles," 2009, by Connie Samaras on view at the Christopher Grimes Gallery. Connie Samaras

Maiden L.A. in locations around Los Angeles. A county-wide survey, whose name riffs on the Hammer Museums Made in L.A. biennial, brings together happenings in small and under-the-radar spots where the vibe is more D.I.Y. than corporate art world. The programming includes a full roster of other art and performance events. Through Friday. See the website for a full schedule of listings and locations. maiden.la.

Elizabeth Withstandley, The Symphony of Names: No Man is an Island, at Winslow Garage. In a collaboration with Icelandic composer Gunnar Masson, Withstandley has created a video installation that dwells on the nature of place and names: A boy travels through the Icelandic countryside as an audio track comprising all 4,129 names from the government names list serves as melodic backdrop. Through Friday. By appointment only. 3540 Winslow Drive, Silver Lake, Los Angeles, winslowgarage.com.

Jonny Negron, Small Map of Heaven, at Chateau Shatto. Born in Puerto Rico and based in New York, Negron has long been inspired by the bright colors and sharp lines of comic books and Japanese woodblock prints. But he employs the forms in ways that are resolutely his own, creating intimate scenes that also feature aspects of the fantastical  such as lush landscapes and ghostly figures. Through Saturday. Bendix Building, 1206 Maple Ave., downtown Los Angeles, chateaushatto.com.

"Denissa," 2018, by Jonny Negron on view at Chateau Shatto. John Berens / Jonny Negron, Chateau Shatto

Sadie Barnette, Dear 1968, ... at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Barnette and her family recently obtained the 500-page file the FBI had amassed on her father, Rodney Barnette, during his time in the Black Panthers. The artist employs documents from the file along with other family objects as a point of inspiration for an installation that explores the intersection of the personal and the political in dramatic ways. Through Sunday. 1100 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, mcasd.org.

Made in L.A. 2018, at the Hammer Museum. It is the fourth edition of the Hammers always intriguing biennial and this years show, organized by Anne Ellegood and Erin Christovale, has brought together a wide-ranging group of artists, ages 29 to 97, exploring an even wider range of techniques, ideas and materials. This includes conceptual photographs by John Houck and Daniel Joseph Martinez, an ancient Egyptian-inspired temple by Mohn Award-winner Lauren Halsey, wry videos by Alison ODaniel and Gelare Khoshgozaran, a vast lobby mural by Eamon Ore-Giron and some incredible paintings of the female body  as seen by female artists  by Christina Quarles, Linda Stark and Luchita Hurtado. And thats just the beginning. Times art critic Christopher Knight describes the show as the best Hammer biennial yet. Do. Not. Miss. Through Sunday. 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood, Los Angeles, hammer.ucla.edu.

El Camino, 2016-17, by Aaron Fowler, in Made in L.A. at the Hammer Museum. Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times

This Brush for Hire: Norm Laich and Many Other Artists, at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Artists have long relied on fabricators to do everything from preparing materials to executing their work. This exhibition at the ICA LA looks at the work of one of those indispensable craftsmen: Norm Laich, who has helped produce iconic works for a range of Los Angeles artists, including Ed Ruscha, Paul McCarthy and Barbara Kruger. The show includes a range of signage, wall paintings and installations and will include a short documentary film on his life and work. An intriguing, generous look at an unnamed artist behind the art. Through Sunday. 1717 E. 7th St., downtown Los Angeles, theicala.org.

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Poetic Structure: Art + Engineering + Architecture, at the Mak Center for Art and Architecture. A specially built 27-foot long pavilion, which can be shaped and reshaped by human hands, will be used to display more than 30 scale models of the firms most recognizable buildings. Through Sunday. Schindler House, 835 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood, makcenter.org.

An installation view of 30 scale models designed by the architects at Skidmore Owings & Merrill at the MAK Center for Art and Architecture. Tom Harris / SOM

Lauren Halsey, we still here, there at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The artist has built a fantastical immersive environment inside the museums Grand Avenue location inspired by aspects of Afrofuturism and colloquial signifiers of black identity  a clever reimagining of the white cube. Through Monday. MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown Los Angeles, moca.org.

City and Cosmos: The Arts of Teotihuacan, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In its day, the ancient city of Teotihuacan was the largest urban center in the Americas  and the sixth-largest city in the world. Today, it is an iconic Mexican archaeological site. This exhibition presents recent findings from excavations at the sites three main pyramids. It includes more than 200 objects that help tell the story of the ancient city, including monumental sculpture and smaller-scale objects such as precious stones. Through Monday. 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, lacma.org.

How They Ran, at Over the Influence. A group show brings together a group of Los Angeles artists from different backgrounds and generations to reflect on the nature of the city they live and work in. This includes work by figures such as Uta Barth, Lisa Anne Auerbach, Jo Ann Callis, Kim Schoenstadt, Kerry Tribe and Monique Prieto, among many others. Through Wednesday. 833 E. 3rd St., downtown Los Angeles, overtheinfluence.com.

A work by Dinah Diwan from the exhibition "How They Ran" at Over the Influence. Dinah Diwan / Over the Influence

ONGOING

Pussy, King of the Pirates, at Maccarone. Inspired by the title of a Kathy Acker novel, this exhibition features work by 20 non-male artists who explore issues of the body, identity and gaze. This includes work by Eleanor Antin, Lisa Anne Auerbach, Sadie Barnett, Monica Majoli, Alison Saar and Sharon Lockhart  an all-star lineup. Through Sept. 8. 300 S. Mission Road, Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, maccarone.net.

Shinique Smith, Refuge, at California African American Museum. The multimedia artist is known for her bulbous assemblages crafted from old clothing and fabric, which she twists and ties and suspends from gallery ceilings and walls. Her paintings echo these bound and squeezed forms. Her first solo show at CAAM brings together works that evoke questions of homelessness and itinerancy. Through Sept. 9. 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, caamuseum.org.

Bamboo, at the Craft and Folk Art Museum. Bamboo baskets are often thought of purely as functional objects: vessels that contain and transport food and household goods. An exhibition at CAFAM, however, explores bamboo basketrys sculptural possibilities  including a large-scale bamboo installation inspired by mathematics (such as Fibonaccis sequence and the Golden Ratio) by Japanese architect Akio Hizume. Through Sept. 9. 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, cafam.org.

"Fire," 2016, by Yamaguchi Ryuun, at the Craft and Folk Art Museum in Los Angeles. Susan Einstein

Charting the Terrain: Eric Mack and Pamela Smith Hudson at the California African American Museum. A pair of artists explore aspects of Western landscape through abstraction. In his work, Mack creates intricate compositions that echo aspects of movement and the urban grid, while Hudsons works evoke the topographic  mapping devastation and rejuvenation. Through Sept. 9. 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, caamuseum.org.

Beyond the Nile: Egypt and the Classical World, at the Getty Museum. This exhibition at the Getty explores the cultural connections between Greece, Rome and Egypt through more than 200 rare objects  many on view in the U.S. for the first time. The show spans more than 2,000 years, from the Bronze Age to the late Roman Empire and includes stone vessels, pottery, sculpture, portraits and religious imagery. It also includes a more than 15-foot granite obelisk from A.D. 88-89 inscribed to the goddess Isis and the emperor Domitian, on loan from the Museo del Sannio in Italy. Through Sept. 9. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu.

Sidney B. Felsen, The Artist observed, at Gemini G.E.L. Felsen, a founder of the fabled print workshop Gemini G.E.L. has kept an extensive photographic archive of his time working with artists  including figures such as Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Serra, David Hockney, Tacita Dean and countless others. This exhibition presents images that he has snapped over the decades of artists at work and at play in the studio. Through Sept. 13. 8365 Melrose Ave., Beverly Grove, geminigel.com.

Sidney B. Felsen taking a self-portrait with Ellsworth Kelly in 1984. Sidney B. Felsen

When She Rises, at SPARC. This group exhibition is showcasing works by several dozen female artists  including SPARC founder Judy Baca and myriad artists from across the U.S., such as Lorraine Jones, Nani Chacon, Ofelia Esparza, Sofia Maldonado, Erin Yoshi and Loveis Wise  all exploring issues of social justice related to equality and ecology. As part of the exhibitions programming, there will be an arts and activism workshop and special screenings and panel discussions. Through Sept. 15. 685 Venice Blvd., Venice, whensherises.splashthat.com.

Remote Castration, at LAXART. A group exhibition uses the #MeToo and Times Up movements  and the ways in which they have drawn attention to abuses of power  as a way of reflecting on the ways in which feminist thought is addressed in contemporary art. The show will include work by figures such as Kathryn Garcia, Jenny Holzer, John Altoon and Paul McCarthy.Through Sept. 15. 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, laxart.org.

Todd Gray, Portraits, at Meliksetian Briggs. The Los Angeles artist, who recently received a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, is known for creating multimedia collages and assemblages that take photographic imagery from his own archive and then presents them in ways that comment on representations of blackness and the African diaspora. The work, part of his Exquisite Terribleness series, is centered on images of acquaintances and friends as well landscape and objects. Through Sept. 15. 313 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood, meliksetianbriggs.com.

"Samita," 2018, by Todd Gray at Meliksetian Briggs. Todd Gray / Meliksetian Briggs

My Veins Do Not End in Me, at the Mistake Room. The show examines the Salvadoran Civil War through the work of artists from three generations of a single Salvadoran family: Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio, his father, Juan Edgar Aparicio, and his late grandmother Maria de la Paz Torres de Aparicio. Through Sept. 15. 1811 E. 20th St., downtown Los Angeles, tmr.la.

Nery Gabriel Lemus, Yearning to Breathe Free, at the Grand Central Art Center. In a series of detailed watercolor paintings Lemus explores migration and the dreams of those that seek to breathe free (in a nod to the famous Emma Lazarus poem, The New Colossus). Also on view will be sculptures and the painted rugs he makes in honor of individual migrants who perished attempting to realize that dream. Through Sept. 16. 125 N. Broadway, Santa Ana, grandcentralartcenter.com.

Water and Power at the Underground Museum. This is the latest collaboration between the artist-run space founded by late painter Noah Davis and the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles. The show will feature a range of works by the likes of Olafur Eliasson, Robin Coste Lewis, Fred Eversley and Hans Haacke, among others. Through Sept. 16. 3508 W. Washington Blvd., Arlington Heights, theunderground-museum.org.

"Beauty," 1993, by Olafur Eliasson at the Underground Museum. Anders Sune Berg

Discovering Saar Ceramics, at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. In 1949, artist Richard Saar and his brother William opened a ceramic studio in a small Quonset hut in El Segundo. Saar Ceramics, at its height, would go on to employ a staff of eight and produce functional and decorative pieces with elegantly rendered abstract designs and charming animal figures. Does the name sound familiar? Well, Saar was, for a time, married to key Los Angeles assemblagist Betye Saar in the 1950s and 60s. Through Sept. 16. 399 N. Garey Ave., Pomona, amoca.org.

John Divola and Zoe Crosher, Grounded, at the El Segundo Museum of Art. In the 1970s, photographer John Divola explored the homes and other buildings that were condemned by an expansion of LAX airport in an area referred to as the Noise Abatement Zone. Thirty years later, Zoe Crosher captured the ways in which the airport makes its presence felt in daily life in the surrounding communities. This exhibition at ESMoA brings together dozens of their works, shot decades apart, for a unique view of a transitory space that marks the city in permanent ways. Through Sept. 22. 208 Main St., El Segundo, esmoa.org.

"LAX NAZ Forced Entry Site 26 Exterior A," 1975, by John Divola at the El Segundo Museum of Art. John Divola

Simone Kennedy Doig and Antonia Showering, at Baert Gallery. A two-artist show features work by a pair of emerging figurative painters: Doig (painter Peter Doigs daughter) and Showering, both of whom attended the Slade School of Fine Art in London. Through Sept. 22. 2441 Hunter St., downtown Los Angeles, baertgallery.com.

Philip Rich: Drawings, 1965-1967, at as-is.la. The Los Angeles artist met with success early in his career, including a solo exhibition at the coveted Ferus Gallery and inclusion in LACMAs Five Younger Los Angeles Artists exhibition in 1965. But mental health issues cut his career short. This show presents some of his extensive production of small line drawings, which often touched on pop and surrealist themes. Through Sept. 22. 1133 Venice Blvd., Pico Union, Los Angeles, as-is.la.

"Untitled #77," by Philip Rich, from an exhibition of drawings produced between 1965 and 1967 at as-is.la. Philip Rich / as-is.la

Don McCullin at Hauser & Wirth. The British photojournalist Don McCullin is perhaps best known for his striking war photography  such as his images of grizzled fighters and mourning families in Vietnam. But his range extends well beyond Southeast Asia. He is also recognized for his work chronicling disasters in what was then Biafra (today part of Nigeria), the conflict in Northern Ireland and the ravages of the AIDS epidemic across the African continent. The gallery is bringing together images from various reporting assignments, including Northern Ireland and the construction of the Berlin Wall. Through Sept. 23. 901 E. 3rd St., downtown Los Angeles, hauserwirth.com.

Larry Bell, Complete Cubes, and Mary Heilemann, Memory Remix, at Hauser & Wirth. The gallery also has two other key exhibitions. The first gathers the ethereal glass cubes made by Bell, a renowned California Light and Space artist whose attention to material, transparency and reflection have earned him a spot in the pantheon of minimalism. Separately, the gallery is showing California-born Mary Heilmanns first solo exhibition in more than 20 years  a broad survey that brings together paintings, ceramics and furnishings that capture her wide ranging interests, including abstraction, textiles, film and song. Through Sept. 23. 901 E. 3rd St., downtown Los Angeles, hauserwirth.com.

An installation view of "Larry Bell: Complete Cubes" at Hauser & Wirth. Mario de Lopez / Larry Bell, Hauser & Wirth

Entre Tinta y Lucha: 45 Years of Self Help Graphics & Art, at the Fine Arts Gallery at Cal State L.A. For 45 years, the community arts organization based in Boyle Heights (previously in East L.A.), founded by Sister Karen Boccalero and artists Carlos Bueno, Antonio Ibanez and Frank Hernandez, has supported the work of Chicano printmakers. Since 1973, the print workshop there has produced more than 1,000 art print editions and countless exhibitions. This show presents the work of some of the voices the space has nurtured over the years, including Barbara Carrasco, Enik One, El Mac, Gronk, Delilah Montoya, Judy Baca, John Valadez, Patssi Valdes, Ernesto Yerena and many more. Through Sept. 29. Cal State L.A., Fine Arts building, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, selfhelpgraphics.com and calstatela.edu.

Pairings: Painters & Sculptors, at Denk Gallery. A new exhibition pairs the works of a variety of sculptors and painters, such Martin Durazo and Jenn Berger and HK Zamani and Lana Duong, among others. Through Sept. 29. 749 E. Temple St., downtown Los Angeles, denkgallery.com.

Kiff Slemmons, Collective Presence, at Craft in America Center. Slemmons is a jewelry-maker who is known for her fabrications in metal but who turned to paper as a material after a stint at the Taller Arte Papel of Oaxaca, a paper studio founded by Mexican artist Francisco Toledo. She has worked with the material ever since, creating one-of-a-kind pieces that employ paper in striking and innovative ways. Through Oct. 6. 8415 W. 3rd St., Beverly Grove, craftinamerica.org.

In Focus: Expressions, at the Getty Center. An exhibition drawn from the museums permanent collection brings together portraits, figure studies and anonymous snapshots for a keen show exploring the wildly expressive nature of the human face. Through Oct. 7. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu.

Barry McGee, SB Mid Summer Intensive, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. A show of the Bay Area artists work gathers drawings, paintings and sculptural objects inspired by graffiti, sign painting, hobo markings and other aspects of contemporary urban culture. Plus, it will include a nod to the nearby Reagan Ranch Center. Through Oct. 14. 653 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, mcasantabarbara.org.

"Untitled," 2017, by Barry McGee, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara. Brian Buckley / Cheim & Read Gallery

Icons of Style: A Century of Fashion Photography, 1911-2011, at the Getty Museum. This exhibition gathers a centurys worth of fashion photography, beginning with images from the early 1900s by Edward Steichen that captured fashion in an artistic manner. The survey then goes on to include work by some of the most iconic photographers of the 20th century, such as Man Ray, Richard Avedon, Herb Rittz and Corinne Day. Its a striking look at fashion, photography and the stories these media can tell. Through Oct. 21. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu.

69: Deja Vu, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles. This exhibition explores the work of 69, an anonymous Los Angeles fashion designer who frequently works with denim to create garments that could function as movable sculpture, articles that frequently disregard gender, size and race in the way they are constructed and presented. In addition to 69s designs, the gallery will also be showing the videos and photographs that are used to promote the work  frequently executed in artful ways. Through Oct. 28. Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, moca.org.

"Denim Dean," by 69 on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles. Anthony Espino

Line & Color: The Nature of Ellsworth Kelly, at the Norton Simon Museum. The museum is featuring a suite of 27 color lithographs made by the artist in the mid-1960s, when he was just beginning to experiment with the medium  a challenging one for an artist whose work was based on the seamless, solid expression of color. Accompanying the exhibit are two large-scale paintings from the museums collection, as well as preliminary sketches that reveal his working process. Through Oct. 29. 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, nortonsimon.org.

A Handful of Dust: From the Cosmic to the Domestic, at the California Museum of Photography. Dust permeates the air around us. Dust will bury the cities we live in when we are gone. A group exhibition at UC Riverside brings together images produced over the last century that capture the various aspects of dust. The images are both benign and destructive, featuring the natural world, but also aspects of urban decay. Artists featured include John Divola, Man Ray, Gerhard Richter and Shomei Tomatsu. Through Dec. 9. UC Riverside Artsblock, 3824 Main St., Riverside, artsblock.ucr.edu.

Yunhee Min & Peter Tolkin, Red Carpet in C, at UCR Arts. Inspired by the writings of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who described music as liquid architecture and architecture as frozen music, Min and Tolkin have created an installation that fills the UCR Arts atrium with an undulating form constructed out of 150-foot bands of fabric and more than 17,000 colored paper tubes. Through Dec. 29. UC Riverside, 3824 and 3834 Main St., Riverside, ucrarts.ucr.edu.

Installation view of Yunhee Min and Peter Tolkins Red Carpet in C at UCR Arts at UC Riverside. UCR Arts

Judithe Hernandez, A Dream Is the Shadow of Something Real, at the Museum of Latin American Art. Hernandez is known for her work as a painter and muralist; the museum is showcasing more than two dozen of her recent works on paper: dream-like scenes that feature women and wildlife against slightly surreal landscapes. Also on view will be a number of Hernandezs early sketchbooks, as well as the museums recent acquisition, her canvas Les Demoiselles dBarrio, a feminist take on Picassos 1907 Les Demoiselles dAvignon. Through Dec. 30. 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach, molaa.org.

Striking the Iron: The Art of African Blacksmiths, at the Fowler Museum. A sprawling exhibition of more than 225 objects will examine the virtuosity of African blacksmiths of the 19th and 20th centuries, who forged iron objects  such as blades, elements of sculpture and musical instruments  that were as aesthetically pleasing as they were, in many cases, functional. Many objects, drawn from the Fowlers collection, are connected with rituals and the powers of the natural world. This is the debut of this traveling exhibition, which will then go on to the National Museum of African Art in Washington. Through Dec. 30. 308 Charles E. Young Drive N., Westwood, Los Angeles, fowler.ucla.edu.

"Power Figure (Nkisi Nkondi)," 18th to 19th century, on view at the Fowler Museum. Don Cole / Fowler Museum at UCLA

Gary Simmons: Fade to Black, at the California African American Museum. In a lobby installation  one that takes full advantage of its size and scale  Simmons pays tribute to forgotten African American actors and films. On a black background, the L.A. artist features the titles and names of films and individuals important to the early days of Hollywood history, but forgotten over time. Through Dec. 31. 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, caamuseum.org.

Childhood Left at the Station: A Tribute to the Children of the Kindertransport, at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. At the start of World War II, a non-denominational group supported by Jewish, Quaker and other groups called the Movement for the Care of Children From Germany organized to rescue children persecuted by the Nazi authorities in Germany. This exhibition brings together objects from 10 of the estimated 10,000 children who were rescued from Germany  many of whom never saw their parents again. Through Dec. 31. 100 The Grove Drive, Fairfax, Los Angeles, lamoth.org.

A kindertransport travel document for Rita Rimalower Berwald, mother of LAMOTH curator Michele Gold. Michele Gold

Rick Bartow, Things You Know but Cannot Explain, at the Autry Museum of the American West. This is the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the late Oregon-born painter, a member of the Mad River band of Wiyot. Bartow developed a career as an artist later in life  after his service in the Vietnam War and a period contending with PTSD. On canvas, he found inspiration, drawing from historic and contemporary European and Native American artistic traditions to create a fusion of something new: haunting and totemic images of creatures who channel grief and frailty. Through Jan. 6. 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, theautry.org.

Art of Three Faiths: A Torah, A Bible, and a Quran, at the Getty Museum. The Getty Museum acquired the Rothschild Pentateuch, a manuscript of the first five books of the Torah from the 13th century. It is now putting this rare document on display with other examples of illuminated sacred texts, including a Christian Bible and a Koran. Through Feb. 3. 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood, Los Angeles, getty.edu.

"Decorated Text Page (Book of Exodus)," from the Rothschild Pentateuch, on view at the Getty Museum. J. Paul Getty Museum

La Raza, at the Autry Museum of the American West. In its day, the civil rights publication La Raza, which was based in Lincoln Heights, served as a bible for the Chicano movement, covering protest, policy and everyday life for the Mexican American communities of Los Angeles. Over the years, the paper amassed an archive of 25,000 images, recently digitized by the Chicano Studies Research Center. Many are now on view as part of this PST: LA/LA show at the Autry  and in a time of political strife surrounding the issues of civil rights, this exhibition couldnt be more timely. Through Feb. 10. 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, theautry.org

The Archival Impulse: 40 Years at LACE, at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions. LACE, the historic Los Angeles art spot that gave key shows to Mike Kelley and groups such as Survival Research Laboratories in the 80s, is turning 40  and to mark the occasion, the organization has been poking around its metaphorical attic (aka its archive) to see what it might turn up. This show gathers elements from that archive as well as video works by a range of Los Angeles artists, including Jim Shaw, Susan Mogul and Reza Abdoh. Through Feb. 24. 6522 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, welcometolace.org.

A Journey That Wasnt, at the Broad museum. A group show drawn from the museums collection features work by more than 20 artists whose work dwells on the concept of time and its passage. This includes pieces by Ed Ruscha, Glenn Ligon and Sharon Lockhart and will feature the return of the video installation The Visitors, by Ragnar Kjartansson, a charming multi-channel installation that features a group of musicians playing a collective piece while seated in rooms of a decaying mansion. In other words: a welcome break from the news. Through February. 221 S. Grand Ave., downtown Los Angeles, thebroad.org.

L.A. Communities Through the Eyes of Artists, in the Passageway Gallery at Union Station. For 15 years, L.A.s principal train station has been showcasing work that reveals the city through the eyes of its artists. This year, it is showing a series of newly commissioned pieces  including Shizu Saldamandos depiction of Little Tokyo, Sam Pace on Leimert Park and Artemio Rodriguez on East L.A. On long-term view; no closing date set. Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St., downtown Los Angeles, metro.net.

Daniel Hawkins, Desert Lighthouse. The Los Angeles-based artist is obsessed with producing works that toy with ideas of grandiosity, failure and gestures that border on the Sisyphean. (One of his goals as an artist is to ultimately build a scale replica of the Hoover Dam.) Now, Hawkins has installed a 50-foot tall, fully functioning lighthouse in the Mojave Desert in the vicinity of Barstow. The piece even features a light to guide travelers through this rugged landscape. Directions and coordinates can be found on the website. On long-term view, Hinkley, Calif., desertlighthouse.org.

Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter 

carolina.miranda@latimes.com

Twitter: @cmonstah
On any given working day, the bustling lobby of the Netflix office building on Sunset Boulevard can feel like the heart of Hollywood, surging with the twinned energy of promise and anxiety as all manner of the famous and the aspiring pass on through.

One recent Sunday afternoon, it was calm, quiet and empty, save for five women who were having their portrait taken. They made for a formidable and accomplished group, and all have directed projects being released by Netflix by the end of the year.

Indie stalwart Nicole Holofceners The Land of Steady Habits, starring Ben Mendelsohn, is up first on Sept. 14. One week later, on Sept. 21, comes Haifaa al-Mansours romantic dramedy Nappily Ever After, starring Sanaa Lathan.

Advertisement

FULL COVERAGE: 2018 fall movie preview 

Tamara Jenkins first film in 11 years, Private Life, starring Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti, follows on Oct. 5. Sara Colangelos The Kindergarten Teacher, starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, which won the director a prize at this years Sundance Film Festival, debuts Oct. 12. And, finally, Susanne Biers post-apocalyptic Bird Box, starring Sandra Bullock and Sarah Paulson, bows Dec. 21.

And with that Netflix will release more films directed by women in the next four months than the combined six major Hollywood studios have released in the entire year to date. (For the record, that number for the studios is four. If you exclude one title from specialty division Sony Classics, its just three.)

Photos finished, the quintet sat down in one of the buildings many conference rooms, this one named for the childrens show Beat Bugs. Almost immediately the conversation veered toward why exactly theyve been gathered together, and whether asking them to unite leads to a productive conversation or a creative barrier.

I would imagine with the current conversation around women filmmakers, that several of you have been through some version of this moment before.

Jenkins: Every year, every decade that I make a movie  because I dont make them very much.

Does change happen and go away? Why does this conversation have to keep coming up?

Bier: Because its still a huge problem. It only keeps coming up because it hasnt gotten better fast enough.

Nicole Holofceners new film, The Land of Steady Habits, comes out Sept. 14. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Nicole, was directing the Amy Schumer sketch Last  Day, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patricia Arquette and Tina Fey, your version of answering these questions?

Holofcener: No. That sketch was just a really good job. It was so funny and so true. All of its true, and frustrating. I just dont think that putting all of us women in a room together without men is helping anything. Unless they start having male roundtables.

Bier: I agree. The fact that its a novelty, the fact that we might actually have nothing in common other than our gender, and there is this weird thing where were supposed to be aligned. And Id like to be aligned, but Id also like to be aligned with male directors.

Al-Mansour: I find its an important time now and roundtables like this give a chance to have our voice heard. I see it as an opportunity and we should seize it. More women? Yes, give us more. Because I come from a place where its really hard for women, I always try to see the glass half-full because otherwise you feel very depressed if youre thinking about what is lacking rather than what its giving.

Haifaa al-Mansours new film, Nappily Ever After, comes out Sept. 21. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Bier: I dont think I agree with you. Fundamentally I agree with the glass half-full, but I guess the frustration is its a little bit of a way of putting us in a box.

Holofcener: Were in the female ghetto. I think the more female-y female things get made, were still like this oddity. We still dont rank with the big boys. And were all the lucky ones too. We cant complain, were getting our films made.

Al-Mansour: But because there are few of us in the industry, we need a chance to explain our point of view. Whether it is sincere or pretend, there is a moment when we need to take it and voice our opinions on what we really want out of this.

Bier: I personally also feel some responsibility in terms of younger women. Younger women wanting to do this, showing its possible, that there is a way.

Colangelo: Theres something about our world now thats so scary, and the world on Instagram and Facebook and hashtags is so different from the reality. Hopefully thats not the case with women in film, hopefully were making more movies and all of this sort of cultural banter means something on the ground. And I think sometimes I feel that theyre getting better, then you see Stacy Smiths newest report and things are the same or even worse.

Jenkins: Thats the Annenberg study? I found that really depressing.

Bier: But you also have to see which movies are being made. In other words, the kind of movies are getting more polarized. Theres a whole slate of movies which are not being made at the moment, which are actually being made by Netflix or other TV entities, and those movies have a potential for a more diverse point of view.

Sara Colangelos new movie, The Kindergarten Teacher, comes out Oct. 12. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

READ MORE: Female directors from Jessica Jones and more are leading the charge on TV like never before 

Well, the other reason why you are all in this room is that your movies are being released by Netflix. Sara, your film was made independently and then picked up. What imprint does Netflix put on a movie?

Colangelo: I think had this been four or five years ago I might have been more skeptical to a day-and-date [release] or what that might have looked like. But its still going to be in theaters, people will have that experience. And in a way its exciting for the audience to be huge. Netflix, people can access it from other countries. So I think theres a lot of excitement and opportunity in that. And I think its really shifted in the last few years.

Holofcener: The freedom making a movie at a place like Netflix afforded me was enormous. They let me cast who I want, they didnt tell me to do anything different, they visited on the set just to say hi. Thats a great experience.

But does it change how you think of your projects?

Jenkins: Is it still a movie if its not a movie? If a tree falls and its not in cinemas in the same way? I think about that a lot, because I wrote it to be a movie, I never knew how it was going to be made. And Id think to myself, Well did Bergman shoot Fanny and Alexander different because it was a television series? First of all, our televisions are bigger than many screens at the Angelika Film Center, so I think that idea, in terms of scale and size, its just different. Have you been to the small cinemas where independent films are shown? Theyre in basements and the screens are tiny.

Holofcener: I feel relieved I dont have to worry about how long its going to stay in the theater. Thats always scary  Is it gone? I know its only going to be in the theater briefly, and then it can live forever as a postage stamp on everyones televisions. And more people will see it.

Bier: We all want to tell stories that are relevant to people. And it is somehow exciting to know that lots of people are going to see these stories. I think all of us put a lot of heart and soul and sleepless nights into everything we do and the least rewarding thing is when no one sees it. So I think its pretty amazing actually.

Colangelo: I wonder if viewership has changed due to Netflix, if people only watched films within their niche before because you had to buy a ticket to go in. And now, sometimes people shut it off after 10 minutes if its boring, but I wonder if theres another side to that, which is people trying new things.

Jenkins: I always wonder about the things youre getting, the algorithm that determines what youre fed, what they think that you like based on other things that youve seen. And thats the cultural equivalent of the political bubble problem. And youre not actually having that level of exposure youre talking about.

Tamara Jenkins new film, Private Life, comes out Oct. 5. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Holofcener: When I had my meeting with Netflix they said, Well, this person, who is the least likely person, watched Please Give. Everything before was violent thrillers and then they watched Please Give. So they offer strange combinations.

Jenkins: Actually, I think that they used a different word than algorithm. I think they used the phrase taste clusters. I could be wrong. But I remember thinking it sounded very strange. I wrote it down. It sounded like some culinary experiment.

Haifaa, theres a specific moment in your movie when Sanaa Lathan shaves her head. Its very powerful emotionally in the film, but it must be a big deal for the production. Both practically and creatively, how do you deal with that?

Bier: Was it the last day of shooting?

Al-Mansour: No. It was in the middle. It was for scheduling. We needed the before and after. The hair has its own journey, it has to grow and we have to fit the right wigs. But its moments like this you need to let the actors just take it. And its a very rare moment, she has to shave her head, it has to be all one take and all the emotions. I was a little nervous, as a filmmaker, its going to happen and its only going to be once. Thats what happens when youre on the same wavelength and you see the same movie. Once you are on the same wavelength it is magical.

Jenkins: Its a very interesting issue. The ability to control and release. Control and release. Thats the whole game, youre controlling and letting go. Actors jobs are so much about being fluent with their emotions. They are capable of expressing emotions in a way that a normal person isnt. Most human beings are not very good at expressing themselves. Actors are very good at expressing themselves. Theres that balance, which I think about a lot.

Susanne Biers new film, Bird Box, comes out Dec. 21. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

RELATED: Virtually every film coming out this fall 

Haifaa, your film is about the culture of African American women and their hair  given that there is something so culturally specific about that, what sort of challenge did it present for you?

Al-Mansour: I think it is culturally specific, but its a very universal story, about women and struggling with their hair. I have curly hair, and Id never want to be seen with that hair, so Id straighten it. I had that image in my mind for who I am based on where I come from. So I understood what it means to always feel you are not enough, the way you look. I sympathized with the character and her journey.

And yes, I made a very white film about Mary Shelley with Elle Fanning  thats another culture too that maybe I cant understand, but I understood what it means for a women to assert herself and have her voice heard as a creator, as an author, and to be ridiculed. So for me it is not the specificity of the culture, but the universal thing that I can relate to as a human being to the character that gives me the confidence to tackle something in a culture that is different from me.

Sanaa Lathan in Nappily Ever After. (Tina Rowden / Netflix)

Tamara, your film is drawn so directly from your life and your experience. Was there anything that felt like it was too personal, too close?

Jenkins: I mean, its fiction, but the emotional core of it I know very well. And I would say with The Savages too, and with The Slums of Beverly Hills, because its so specific to the way I grew up, even though they are autobiographical, fiction just takes over. I cant explain how that shift happens.

But yes, especially with [Private Life], because I found the whole process so traumatizing  when I was going through my fertility woes and I was downloading it to a girlfriend, who is herself a filmmaker, she said, You should write about this. And I said, No Im never going to make a movie about this. Its repellent, I would never do it. And then, you know, ten years later I was making a movie about it.

I was interested in writing about a marriage  that was sort of on my radar  about middle-aged marriage. And then the idea of infertility, the emotional trial of that, and having that be the landscape that this couple had to march through, to me became a great way of examining human behavior, the behavior of a marriage. It felt so primal.

Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti in Private Life. (Jojo Whilden / Netflix)

How conscious are you of the discussions about diversity and representation both behind the camera and in the stories that you tell? Its interesting that the idea of a white people problems movie is now a box of its own. What do you do knowing that will be a criticism down the line?

Jenkins: Its an interesting question. It could be a black couple thats having the same problem in my story. I dont know what the answer is in terms of this script, but its interesting, you were asking about the idea of taking something that is not your culture and making a movie about it. It seems like thats such an interesting moment that were in with regards to, Im making a movie about a transgender person but Im not transgender  is that a bad thing? Im a white female filmmaker, can I make a movie about a black male character? I dont know how to answer it simply, its a complicated thing. I love seeing movies that arent about people that are just like me. But I dont have a simple answer to the question.

Nicole, is that something you think about?

Holofcener: I knew when I made this movie it would get attacked for that. I feel like it will: Who cares about these rich white people and their badly behaved children? And Im ready for it. But to me it felt like a valuable story, a very rich story about humanity. And I can only tell one story at a time and tell what interests me.

I was much more aware of casting a more diverse crowd, that was very important to me. But thats what this book is about, these white Connecticut people. And Im not going to throw it in the garbage and say, Well, this is not a relevant story right now. Maybe its not, politically, but it meant something to me. And I got lucky enough to make it.

Ben Mendelsohn and Edie Falco in a scene from The Land of Steady Habits. (Alison Rosa / Netflix)

Al-Mansour: I think diversity goes beyond only race. For so long we didnt have a lot of even older white people [on screen]. There was a belief they didnt go to the movies. And now when they discovered that demographic, now we see a lot of movies about older people.

There are a lot of people who are marginalized out of what people who greenlight movies think are our target audience. Were used to seeing a lot of films targeted to those audiences. But the idea now has flipped, theres more representation. And its not only about race, it goes beyond that. Although I think race is very important.

Bier: Thats also where Netflix comes in, because naturally you have a super diverse audience. And that will eventually impact the stories we are telling. Organically there is an audience that is not that predictable and we all presume they are predictable. So I think its going to have an impact the other way around as well.

Jenkins: The question about diversity in terms of race versus diversity  just general diversity  I have never seen the movie that I made represented, which is a very specific kind of female perspective. I cant imagine a man making that movie. So it has its own diversity. It didnt check off every box, but its an interesting assignment. Are you going to cover the entire rainbow of diversity problems?

Bier: But also, any art is specific  really, really specific. So theres no chance of having a rainbow every time. We need to move the parameters for what is being made and not being made, but each project has to have its own truth.

SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter 

Mark.Olsen@latimes.com

Follow on Twitter: @IndieFocus
From Get Out to A Quiet Place to It, horror has rarely been hotter in Hollywood. And this October two especially ambitious genre updates hit the screen: David Gordon Greens slasher sequel Halloween (Oct. 19), set 40 years after John Carpenters 1978 classic, and Suspiria (Oct. 26), a remake of Dario Argentos iconic giallo, from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino.

Both high-profile reimaginings arrive in back-to-back weeks before Halloween, helmed by trusted filmmakers with respected pedigrees. And both will face the ultimate scrutiny when horror fans put them to the test: Honorable follow-up to a beloved genre property, or straight up blasphemy?

No pressure, right?

Im not a fan of the original Suspiria, to be honest, screenwriter David Kajganich bravely admitted over the phone, bracing for the backlash from Suspiria diehards with a laugh. Im a fan of it as an art piece, but as a narrative it makes almost no sense.

Advertisement

Dakota Johnson stars as Susie in Suspiria. (Amazon Studios)

FULL COVERAGE: 2018 fall movie preview 

Kajganich and Guadagnino were working on A Bigger Splash when the Italian director floated his longtime dream of remaking Suspiria, to which he had procured the rights. But with a horror film as beloved as Suspiria, one of Argentos best-known works, they knew they had to do it their own way  and do it right.

And by right I mean not to copy the original, not to draft off of its concerns, but to really use the situations that are so versatile to talk about a whole range of things thematically, Kajganich said.

Argentos influential original 1977 film, a nightmarish kaleidoscope of phantasmagorical electric hues, follows an American ballet student (Jessica Harper) who encounters supernatural intrigue at a German dance academy.

The original Suspiria doesnt do much to explore the concerns of the tumultuous world outside the schools doors. Kajganich and Guadagnino sought to recontextualize the bones of its central story to reflect the political chaos happening in the world at the time Argento made his original film.

Their Suspiria, stars Dakota Johnson as Susie, an American dance student who arrives at the prestigious avant-garde dance company run in Berlin by Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton). The disappearance of another dancer leads an elderly German psychoanalyst named Jozef Klemperer to play detective.

The new Suspiria very deliberately unfolds against the backdrop of 1977s German Autumn with historic events like the hijacking of a Lufthansa airliner playing out on news reports, hinting at larger thematic concerns. As research, Kajganich dove into writings by women of the time, watched the films of New German Cinema auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and even listened to a lot of Nico to set a mood.

It was a fascinating moment in history because you had a generation of students and young people who were sick in their souls about how much denial there was in their parents and grandparents generations about German culpability in World War II, said Kajganich.

The city was immersed in that struggle, and in the middle of all of that  or rather, behind all of that  there is this dance company, where an American is getting her education in a way in how a modern kind of fascism might look.

Halloween face-off

In bringing a new Halloween to the screen, Green and his collaborators were also mindful of how their film would bridge the decades since the original  and what modern audiences would bring to the story.

Their film, produced by Miramax, Trancas International Films and Blumhouse Productions and executive produced by Carpenter, picks up 40 years after the events of the original and canonically disregards the half-dozen other sequels that followed.

In 2018s Halloween, killing machine Michael Myers is back to terrorize the burbs  as seen in a gory, atmospheric, unbroken tracking shot in the five-minute reel shown exclusively at Comic-Con in July.

First, however, the horror icon also known as the Shape has to go through Jamie Lee Curtis older, wiser  and battle-ready  Laurie Strode.

In Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode. (Ryan Green / Universal Pictures)

RELATED: Virtually every film coming out this fall 

She has a line in the original film when shes talking to young Tommy Doyle at the climax of the movie, Green said of Laurie, who in the new film has been waiting decades to face off again with Myers. She says, Do as I say. And she says this line with a command that she hasnt had for the entire film. Do as I say.

We took that to be her mantra for our film, he continued. Shes taken that pivotal moment in her life, and her recognition of facing her fears, and now has been chanting that in meditations for 40 years. Shes reached a point of a perceived almost psychosis of authority and built from this ambitious, kind of romanticized academic school girl into a woman that you dont want to [mess] with.

With great appreciation for the 1978 original, Green had to walk a tricky balance between homage and innovation as he led the Halloween sequel forward.

To approach it with both honor and audacity was really important to me, he said. To service the characters that Carpenter created, the performance that Jamie Lee Curtis established, the music that is so genetically embedded in me to give me nightmares and keep me awake at night as a child  to try to do that to a new generation of children is very important.

At the same time I dont want to lose sight of my personal vision as a filmmaker, added Green, whose wide-ranging career includes All the Real Girls, Pineapple Express, Stronger and HBOs Eastbound & Down.

I feel like every movie Ive made up to this point adds up to be Halloween in some strange way, and thats really important to me, he said. To have the ownership of a film thats following in some extraordinarily significant footsteps.

Green still found himself running ideas by Carpenter, who co-wrote the first two Halloween films with Debra Hill and recorded new music for the new film.

And without tipping his hat in the direction hes taken the story, Green believes the real-world context of 2018 will inevitably shape how viewers see his Halloween.

What the audience can bring to it in terms of whats going on in the world, I think, is extraordinarily complex and is going to add to a very simplistic experience, he explained. Michael Myers hasnt evolved as a character in any way, shape or form [since 1978]; hes the essence of evil.

He has no character. He has no personality. He has no interests. He never has. Hes someone that is moving forward and reacting to the world around him, but not with any sort of conscious objective. And how the world around him reacts to his behavior is where our story comes to life.

Are the makers of Halloween or Suspiria sweating the soon-to-be-revealed fan reactions to two of horrors most beloved properties?

It was only when I started to hear the really concerned rumblings of Argento superfans that I thought, Uh oh! said Kajganich. I wonder if people will let this be its own thing. And I completely get that  I have my list of 10 films that if anyone dares remake it, I will take to social media immediately.

But, he added, Im excited for it to come out because I know that it will divide people  and we always hoped that it would.

jen.yamato@latimes.com

@jenyamato
When Oscar Grant, an unarmed, black 22-year-old, was fatally shot on New Years Day 2009 by a white Oakland transit police officer, calls for justice swept throughout the country. Angie Thomas felt them all the way in Jackson, Miss.

In my anger and frustration, I wrote a short story about a boy named Khalil who was a lot like Oscar and a girl named Starr who was a lot like me, she said.

Over the next five years  with the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Sandra Bland in similar circumstances  Thomas expanded that short story into what became her debut novel, The Hate U Give, which has now been adapted into a film.

They basically called her a hoodrat because they didnt like the way she spoke. But nobody celebrated the fact that she spoke. Novelist Angie Thomas on Trayvon Martins friend

Advertisement

I decided to turn this story into a novel because so many kids in my neighborhood and church, every time somebody called Trayvon Martin a thug, it felt like they were calling them thugs, she said. I wanted to write a book for them that says, I see you. I hear you. I understand you. I love you.

Hitting theaters Oct. 19, the film follows Starr (Amandla Stenberg), a 16-year-old black girl who witnesses the fatal police shooting of her best friend Khalil (Algee Smith, Detroit). His death catapults her into the spotlight of the Black Lives Matter movement in her town as she finds herself and her voice.

The picture, directed by George Tillman Jr., also stars Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall, Issa Rae and Common.

Director George Tillman Jr. and author Angie Thomas on the set of The Hate U Give. (Erika Doss / 20th Century Fox)

FULL COVERAGE: 2018 fall movie preview 

Tillman came across Thomas unpublished manuscript while he was on the set of Luke Cage. I read 30 pages and I was hooked, he said. The dialogue and language, it felt like us, coming from an authentic place.

After hearing that others were working to get the manuscript and that Stenberg was circling the lead role, he was on the phone with Thomas by early December courting the rights to make the adaptation. The pair connected on what the film should look like and what from the book had to be maintained in this big-screen version. They wanted to capture the sentiment of what its like to live as black people in a country where white supremacy and institutionalized racism marginalizes and oppresses them.

I was hungry and had to get it. Director George Tillman Jr. on securing the rights to the book The Hate U Give

I was hungry and had to get it, he said. It was the kind of movie Ive been dying to tell: authentic, culturally relevant, one that changes lives and is entertaining.

Fox 2000, the studio Tillman made Soul Food, Men of Honor and Notorious with, purchased the rights to the film at his request.

As an author, it does feel like when you give someone your book, its like giving your child away, Thomas said. But I gave this child to the best man to raise her.

Tillman ensured that Thomas was involved throughout every stage of production, from Audrey Wells script to casting, to on-set performances. And though its adapted from a young adult novel  one that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 77 weeks and counting since its February 2017 release  he never approached it from that perspective.

What [do] I know about a YA? he said with a laugh. What I do know is that todays movement is a young movement with young people leading the charge. Thats an energy I want to bring to the material. I never approached it as YA because the material is very adult.

While filming, Tillman said the spirits of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, black men killed by police within a day of each other, wafted through the set. As did the energies of the demonstrators in Ferguson, Mo., and the unrest in Charlottesville, Va. The hoodie Starr wears in the film is an homage to Martin.

Sometimes you have those projects where you know you have to go that extra mile and work extra hard because its not just for you, Tillman said. And for us, we wanted to be authentic to it. That holds a lot of responsibility and I felt it more than anything when we did the shooting [scene].

Amandla Stenberg as Starr in The Hate U Give. (Erika Doss / 20th Century Fox)

RELATED: Virtually every film coming out this fall 

And with the story centering on a black girl, Thomas hopes people will remember that though most of the headlines involve black men and boys, black girls shouldnt be left out of the conversation. Take for example the 15-year-old thrown to the ground in her swimsuit by a McKinney, Texas, officer, and the Columbia, S.C., teen who was forcibly thrown from a desk by a school resource officer. Or Rachel Jeantel, Trayvon Martins friend who was on the phone with him when he was confronted by his killer.

When this young lady bravely got up and spoke on Trayvon Martins behalf, so many people and the media berated her, Thomas said. They basically called her a hoodrat because they didnt like the way she spoke. But nobody celebrated the fact that she spoke.

With Starr, heres a black girl that knows how to code switch [between black and white communities] and say things that will probably make you more comfortable. But the thing is, are you going to listen?

Get your life! Follow me on Twitter (@TrevellAnderson) or email me: trevell.anderson@latimes.com.
Tiffany Haddish is having a great year.

Following a star-making turn in last summers surprise hit Girls Trip, the 38-year-old actress released a New York Times bestselling book (The Last Black Unicorn, published by Simon & Schuster), hosted the MTV Movie & TV Awards, became the first black female comic to host Saturday Night Live, landed a lead role in the sitcom The Last O.G. opposite Tracy Morgan, and debuted a Showtime comedy special, Tiffany Haddish: She Ready! From the Hood to Hollywood.

The verified Groupon Super User also became the companys newest spokesperson thanks to an anecdote she shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Advertisement

And the South Los Angeles native is showing no signs of letting up any time soon. This fall shell return to movie theaters opposite comedy heavyweights like Kevin Hart and Whoopi Goldberg in three movies opening within three months: Night School, Nobodys Fool and The Oath.

It feels good, she said by phone from the New York set of The Last O.G. It feels like I did exactly what I planned on doing.

As for what drew her to the three disparate roles (all of which were filmed after Girls Trip put her at the top of Hollywoods next big thing list), Haddish said that each one resonated with her soul.

They made me feel something, either laugh out loud or had something I agree with politically, she said.  Night School made me laugh out loud, like, four times when I read the script. The Oath is talking about something that I believe is possible and that I feel like we need to pay more attention to as a nation and as a people.

And then Nobodys Fool, now thats just me being straight up silly. When I read that script I laughed probably about six, seven times out loud. And it was, like, Man, this is me and my cousins all over again. I love it. It really reminds me of my family.

Below, Haddish breaks down each role, and her directors share why no one else could play these parts.

Night School

Kevin Hart, left, Tiffany Haddish and Taran Killam star in Night School, a new comedy from director Malcolm D. Lee (Girls Trip) that follows a group of misfits who are forced to attend adult classes in the long-shot chance theyll pass the GED exam. (Eli Joshua Ade / Universal Studios)

FULL COVERAGE: 2018 fall movie preview 

Release date: Sept. 28

Directed by: Malcolm D. Lee

About the role: Haddish plays Carrie, a nurturing but tough night school teacher who pushes her band of misfit adult students to earn their GEDs.

Sparring partner: Kevin Hart

Comedy style: Family fun but very quick-witted, Haddish said.

Why she was right for the part: The role of Carrie in Night School was different than Dina in Girls Trip because Tiffany has to deliver plot, drive scenes and at times be the straight one as opposed to landing the improvisational joke, said Lee, who also directed Girls Trip. However, because of Tiffanys fearlessness, sharp wit and ability to improvise against an established comedic genius like Kevin, I thought she could not only handle the role but elevate what was on the page in her evolution as an actor.

Haddish says: When we did Girls Trip, it was a lot of hours and a lot of takes. And when we did Night School, the difference this time is that we had Kevin Hart and hes, like, All right! Youve got 30 minutes! This is it! [laughs] So it was kind of like working with two directors. Malcolm was, like, All right were going to do this, were going to do that and then Kevin was, like, Hurry up! All right, lets do it! Which was really fun and funny to watch them kind of battle each other.

The Oath

Ike Barinholtz and Tiffany Haddish in The Oath. (Topic Studios / Roadside Attractions)

RELATED: Tiffany Haddish helps turn darkness into laughter at the Laugh Factorys Comedy Camp 

Release date: Oct. 12

Directed by: Ike Barinholtz in his directorial debut.

About the role: Haddish costars as Kai, a wife and mother who tries to keep the peace between her husband (played by Barinholtz) and in-laws after the government pressures citizens to swear an optional oath of loyalty to the president and causes deep divides among those with differing political views.

Her sparring partner: Barinholtz

Comedy style: Political humor, Haddish said. A little dry, but adventurous.

Why she was right for the part: When I first saw Tiffany in Keanu, I was taken with her authenticity and toughness, Barinholtz said. She only knows whats real. She was the singular face in my head when I was writing the character of Kai in The Oath. And, much to my dismay, she was the crews favorite person on set.

Haddish says: With The Oath, I was working with my best friend Ike Barinholtz, who was also starring in it. So it was like he was giving me directions but also we were helping each other and supporting each other. It felt really good, like how when I take acting classes and Id be, like, Hey, try this, or You should try that. It was really a great team effort, and it was a very positive and easy, fun set.

Nobodys Fool

Tika Sumpter, from left, Whoopi Goldberg and Tiffany Haddish in Tyler Perrys Nobodys Fool. (Chip Bergmann / CTG TP LLC)

RELATED: Virtually every film coming out this fall 

Release date: Nov. 2

Directed by: Tyler Perry

About the role: Haddish stars as Tanya, a wild child who looks to her straitlaced, by the books sister (played by Tika Sumpter) for help getting back on track.

Her sparring partner(s): Sumpter and Whoopi Goldberg

Comedy style: Thats just that hood classic comedy, Haddish said. That Friday, thats us right there feel.

Why she was right for the part: The role of Tanya was written for her, Perry said. I wanted Tiffany to cut loose, I wanted her to have as much range and fun as she wanted to. I didnt want to put a chain or net around her talent. Shes best left in her brilliantly raw, talented self. And, boy, did she deliver.

Haddish says: Tyler is a comedian. He needs to be doing stand-up comedy; the man is hilarious. And it was fast; it was like doing improv games but were not improv-ing because we had the script. It was just so much fun, like comedy sports. It was, like, How can I one-up myself? How can I one-up this situation? Super fun. And fast.

sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com

follow me on Twitter @sonaiyak
Its hard to imagine a more picturesque locale for a tale of sexual perversion and violent retribution than the mountain-flanked lakeside resort in Norwegian writer-director Kjersti Steinsbs slow-burn thriller Revenge. The story gradually finds its way to a predictable place, but the companys interesting along the way, and the scenery cant be beat.

Siren Jrgensen stars as Rebekka, who arrives at a small-town luxury hotel claiming to be a travel writer working on a story about proprietors Morten (Frode Winther) and Nina (Maria Bock).

Steinsb doesnt reveal Rebekkas secret right away. Instead, the movie builds tension by making her look like a coldblooded psychopath stalking an upbeat, ingratiating couple.

But Revenge becomes more fascinating once the titles meaning is clearer. The audience gets inside Rebekkas mind, seeing first how she gets distracted by how much she likes Nina, then following along as she sets a trap she hopes will reveal Morten for who he is, rather than just punishing him.

Advertisement

Revenge is confidently paced and well balanced between suspense and local color. The twisty plot straightens out too much in the last 15 minutes, but although the endings a bit of a fizzle, Steinsb is keenly attuned throughout to how hard it can be to exact a satisfying justice.

-------------

Revenge

In Norwegian with English subtitles

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Playing: Starts Aug. 31, Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills
My Favorite Year meets Nebraska in An Actor Prepares, a comedic road movie that doesnt take any fresh detours from its well-traveled route despite the presence of a very game Jeremy Irons.

He does Peter OToole proud as Atticus Smith, a hard-drinking actor whose unrepentant womanizing ways would make him a prime target of the #MeToo movement had the film been shot more recently than 2017 (with a billboard promoting Louis C.K. shown prominently perched over the Sunset Strip).

A former awards winner who now settles for lesser fare (like the detective-dog buddy movie Cops & Slobbers), Atticus suffers a heart attack ahead of the wedding of daughter Annabelle (Mamie Gummer), forcing him to drive cross-country with his long-estranged son, Adam (Jack Huston).

Its a given that by the time they reach their destination the dramatically different duo will arrive at the realization that they arent polar opposites after all, but one keeps hoping director Steve Clark, who penned the script with Thomas Moffett, would plot a few unexpected turns along the way.

Advertisement

Irons nevertheless plays the heck out of his self-absorbed character, tossing off quips like those regarding his heart condition (Its like being shot in the chest with a fat person), with mock-dramatic precision.

Although Huston (Angelicas nephew) and Gummer (Meryl Streeps daughter) are confined to more reactive roles, reflecting the family dynamic theme in the casting was a nice touch.

-------------

An Actor Prepares

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 37 minutes

Playing: Starts Friday, Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills
Aspiring filmmakers struggling with how to be specific yet universal  especially when it comes to material steeped in autobiography  should do themselves a favor and get to know French filmmaker Diane Kurys wonderfully unsentimental, captivating 1977 debut, Peppermint Soda (Diabolo Menthe), which chronicles a year in the life of two teenage sisters, children of divorce, and was drawn from Kurys own girlhood.

Newly released in a 2K restoration timed for its 40th anniversary, the film is a kinetic slide show of incipient maturitys roiling promise that Kurys makes both era-vivid (hello early 60s) and timelessly appealing (hello grades, teachers, parents, boys, freedom and politics). Especially for audiences who took to Bo Burnhams summer indie hit Eighth Grade, a heart-stopping time capsule about an outcast middle schooler, the tart, clear-eyed observations and swerving realities in Kurys coming-of-age classic make for a fitting hands-across-the-generations companion piece.

When the summer of 1963 ends after an extended stay with their father on the Normandy coast, 13-year-old Anne (Eleonore Klarwein) and 15-year-old Frederique (Odile Michel) greet the new year at their rigidly run lycee in very different places. While Frederique, outgoing and popular, floats on the confident high of a hot-and-heavy relationship with a smitten boy, withdrawn Anne is in that impatient phase when sexuality is mostly posturing, worry and misinformation. That makes schoolwork an untended afterthought, but with consequences when that means drawing the unwanted attention of mom (a wonderful Anouk Ferjac) and the threat of boarding school.

In a scene from Peppermint Soda, from left, Coralie Clement, Eleonore Klarwein and Odile Michel (Cohen Media Group)

Advertisement

Kurys shrewdly builds the movie with bits and pieces, naturalistic vignettes that hit certain emotional notes (bliss, resignation, rebellion) with staccato accuracy yet carry an overall tone that suggests a revealing pan across a pair of expanding consciousnesses. (Its a talent she would explore to even richer effect in her outstanding 1982 drama Entre Nous, which explored her parents marriage.)

The first half, centered on Klarweins disarming portrayal, her crooked mouth like a poker tell, is powered by Annes gurgling energy of academic malaise, eager friendship, biological issues and the dashed pleasures inherent in being the younger, more-scrutinized sibling.

The second half is more sobering, as we watch Frederique  breezily captured by Michel  tire of shallow companions (of both sexes) and flirt with older concerns, like her conservative schools biggest bugaboo: girls becoming political. The Algerian wars lingering effects draw Frederique away from rich best friend Perrine (Coralie Clement) and closer to Pascale (Corinne Dacla), a thoughtful schoolmate who memorably cuts short a frivolous civics class exchange to deliver a solemn account about witnessing a fatal police response to a student protest.

A scene from Peppermint Soda, from left, Coralie Clement, Eleonore Klarwein, Odile Michel and Marie-Veronique Maurin. (Cohen Media Group)

Kurys shrewdly builds naturalistic vignettes that hit certain emotional notes with staccato accuracy yet pan across a pair of expanding consciousnesses. Robert Abele

For a first film, Kurys, at the time a disillusioned actress-writer who reportedly had never held any kind of camera before, showed a remarkable assurance visually and rhythmically when mixing the serious with the playful. Working with the great cinematographer Philippe Rousselot, a master of light and texture who is now a Hollywood mainstay, Kurys discovered an observant, lived-in style with room for both Chaplinesque moments of comedy  usually involving school antics surrounding caricatured teachers  and sensitively handled scenes that get to the complex heart of adolescences isolation and frustration.

Peppermint Soda is, like its summer-cooling namesake, a concoction that signifies childhood, a refreshment likely to spark a memory. Kurys fondness for that time of fumbling and outgrowing is as fresh today as it was when it heralded a perceptive new filmmaking talent, especially because underneath these affectionately extracted remembrances is an unshakeable sisterly bond  of admiration, exasperation and watchfulness  that gives the story of Anne and Frederique a deeper hold. Its what makes Kurys flashcard dedication, crammed into the first minutes, funny initially and somehow poignant in reflection: To my sister  who still hasnt given back my orange sweater.

-------------

Peppermint Soda

In French with English subtitles

Not rated

Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes

Playing: Starts Aug. 31, Ahrya Fine Arts. Beverly Hills

More reviews by Robert Abele

In Memoir of War, Melanie Thierry captures Marguerite Duras wait for a lovers return

Doc Whale of a Tale is too low-key to make its point

Generation Wealth examines extreme consumerism with a self-probing eye

Anime trilogy Flavors of Youth deftly highlights the melancholic hold of the past

Amandla Stenberg leads the charge in the been-there, done-that dystopia of The Darkest Minds

Brazilian filmmaker beautifully captures a friends journey in Gabriel and the Mountain

Influences and overdirection trip up psycho-sexual thriller Elizabeth Harvest
A slow-building shiver of a movie, The Little Stranger tells a familiar but pleasurably engrossing story. Adapted from a 2009 novel by the Welsh author Sarah Waters, this atmospheric postwar gothic unfolds at a crumbling English manor where the repressed have decided to return  not with a vengeance, exactly, but with motives shrouded in uncertainty and sorrow.

Its a haunting that unfolds through the steady, skeptical gaze of a local doctor who is at once seduced by the grandeur of this country estate and blind to its lurking phantoms.

Bad frights, good manners, the timeless clash between rationalism and belief: We are in unassailable if hardly original dramatic territory. And the gifted Irish director Lenny Abrahamson, no doubt aware of the hovering specters of The Turn of the Screw, The Haunting of Hill House and their various literary and cinematic descendants, does not commit the folly of trying to outdo them. Until its unnerving third act, The Little Stranger plays less like a horror movie than a drama about a familys steady unraveling, punctuated by intimations of a deeper, weirder unease.

Abrahamsons weapon of choice is understatement. There are no whooshing camera movements, no cheap shocks, no sudden bursts of computer-generated ectoplasm. A pervasive gloom is achieved and sustained using little more than meticulous underlighting, moldering production design and stately compositions that capture the houses long-faded beauty and its cavernous emptiness. The director has more visual space to work with than he did in the first half of Room, his Oscar-winning 2015 film about a mother and son living in captivity, but he proves adept here at evoking a more implicit, psychological kind of confinement.

Advertisement

He also reaffirms his gift for dramatizing a story told by a curiously unreliable narrator, and distilling some but not all the authors vocal nuances into cinematic form. This is no small feat, since the stiffly restrained Dr. Faraday (a fine Domhnall Gleeson) is hardly the most emotionally expressive of protagonists, and Lucinda Coxons sharp script wisely refuses the crutch of voice-over. Instead the movie simply keeps us close to Faradays side as hes brought in to examine a nervous young maid, Betty (Liv Hill), at the venerable Hundreds Hall, which he fondly recalls having visited as a boy after the end of World War I.

Nearly 30 years later, England has emerged from another global cataclysm, and Hundreds Hall, not unlike Brideshead Castle before it, has fallen on hard times. So have the houses surviving residents, particularly Roderick Ayres (Will Poulter), a former pilot still recovering from serious war wounds. His mother, Mrs. Ayres (Charlotte Rampling, steely as ever), and his sister, Caroline (a splendid Ruth Wilson), maintain sharp wits and a chipper demeanor even in the wake of their dwindling fortune, which makes it inevitable that they will have to give up their estate.

Faraday quickly becomes enough of a family friend  and perhaps something more, in Carolines case  to object to the idea of their selling Hundreds Hall, a feeling rooted in his childhood attachment to the place. A few recurring flashbacks illuminate that boyhood visit, during which we glimpse Mrs. Ayres eldest child, Susan, who fell ill and died shortly thereafter. When strange things start to happen back in the present  an intimate cocktail party that turns startlingly violent, a sudden decline in Rodericks condition  you brace yourself for Susans ghost to make an appearance.

She does and she doesnt. Like some of the best ghost stories, The Little Stranger is in no hurry to solve its own mystery. Even when Abrahamson allows the steady drip of tension to finally give way to door-rattling, glass-shattering terror, there remains something fundamentally oblique and unreadable about precisely what is haunting the Ayres estate. Ive developed my own hunch, based particularly on the names Waters gives her characters, one of which directly invokes the dramatis personae of a famous Agatha Christie novel.

But hunches alone may not satisfy those moviegoers for whom nothing is scarier, or more off-putting, than a little narrative ambiguity. Happily, The Little Stranger has more than whodunit on its mind. Some of Abrahamsons earlier films, including Garage and What Richard Did, have shown an acute sensitivity to class, and here he duly acknowledges the envy that has driven Faraday, a housemaids son, into the company of an aristocratic family whose enviable way of life is swiftly passing away.

A fascinating counterpoint soon emerges in the form of Caroline, who seems all too ready to bid farewell to the good old days. Played by Wilson in the movies most memorable performance, Caroline is a figure of serene defiance, calmly and sometimes joyously pushing back against societys dismissal of her as a hopeless spinster. She gives this ghost story its fiercely independent spirit.

------------

The Little Stranger

Rating: R, for some disturbing bloody images

Running time: 1 hour, 51 minutes

Playing: In general release

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

Movie Trailers

justin.chang@latimes.com

@JustinCChang
Christian Dior is bringing bottles of Joy to the world, and the French fashion house has enlisted Jennifer Lawrence to help. In a short film for the soon-to-be-released fragrance Joy by Dior (shot by the frequent-but-unrelated JLaw collaborator, director and producer Francis Lawrence), the Academy Award-winning actress can be seen lolling poolside at a villa in the Hollywood Hills, diving into the water and floating on her back with arms spread wide as if to embrace the sky. Its all to the sounds of the Rolling Stones Shes a Rainbow.

Its a big deal for the house, which is positioning the new scent as its third pillar fragrance for women, following Miss Dior (launched in 1947) and JAdore Dior (1999). A pillar fragrance is a like a master brand. Its a stand-alone scent that will eventually be followed to market by multiple variations and limited editions. Miss Dior, for example, begat Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet and Miss Dior Absolutely Blooming, and olfactory riffs on JAdore Dior have included JAdore LOr and JAdore LAbsolu.

And everything about the new eau de parfum, from the concept behind the name to the megawatt celebrity fronting it, is aimed at millennials. Joy by Dior (50 milliliters, $100) will be available in stores worldwide in September.

The company had evolved and grown on these two pillars, said Claude Martinez, chief executive officer of Parfums Christian Dior. And, three years ago, we felt it was about time to add another one that appealed to the next generation of consumers.  The new generation in Europe and the U.S.  people in their 20s, Im talking about  are not that much in favor of fragrances. They are disconnected. A brand like Dior needs to be able to talk to them.

Advertisement

Jennifer Lawrence accepts her 2013 Academy Award for Silver Linings Playbook in a Christian Dior haute couture gown. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

Martinez added that while the fragrance market is more mature in the U.S. and Europe, the same cant be said for Asia. Thats where people are really discovering the category, he said. [And] we want to attract a new generation of consumers with a universal concept, which is joy. (Joy, you might recall, is also the name of a 2015 David O. Russell film starring Lawrence, but these two things are wholly unrelated.)

Martinez said Lawrence, a longtime friend of the house, perfectly epitomizes the concept of fleeting joy. (She also wore a white, strapless haute couture Dior confection when she won her 2013 Academy Award for Silver Linings Playbook and has appeared in a handful of beauty and fashion campaigns since.) Shes very spontaneous. ... She can be laughing one second and crying the next, he said. Joy doesnt last forever. It can disappear as fast as it appears, and [for us,] she is the true incarnation of this joy.

Unlike most of the famous folks who front fragrances, Lawrence had a hand in shaping the new Dior scent according to the man who created it. It was about six months into the project when she came to visit the laboratory, said Francois Demachy, the Parfums Christian Dior perfumer-creator. That was the first step [because] I wanted to get her impressions. So, I had her smell some of the very basic ingredients and then I just watched ... to try and get a sense of what she instinctively reacted to. Shes a very instinctive woman  very reactive and spontaneous  and, at that time, she showed that she was very sensitive to musky tones. (Although the actress attended a Dior-hosted dinner in West Hollywood earlier this summer in celebration of the fragrance, she wasnt made available for interviews about Joy by Dior.)

Diors master perfumer Francois Demachy, the nose behind Joy by Dior, said Jennifer Lawrences reaction to musk provided a starting point for the new fragrance. (Parfums Christian Dior)

Demachy said the way Lawrence reacted to the musk scent profile propelled him to explore making it one of the fragrances base notes. Theres also some woodsy notes to go along with the musk, he added, specifically sandalwood because sandalwood is fairly heavy in itself and accompanies musk very well. (Demachy, through a translator, took great pains to underscore that the musk ingredients used were of synthetic origin. We no longer use animal musks, he said, because you have to kill the animal to extract it.)

From there, Demachy layered in a floral-filled heart note of jasmine, rose and ylang-ylang (the last of which Demachy characterized as a very exotic and sunny note) and finished the fragrance off with a citrusy top note that included mandarin and bergamot.

The result is a bottle of pink-tinted juice thats bubbly, effervescent  and almost grassy  at first spritz before drying down to a delicate, uncomplicated floral. That, in turn, eventually gives way to a lingering but not heavy or cloying whiff of something earthy, woodsy and exotic. Overall, Diors new eau de parfum comes across as youthful, vibrant, organic and complex (but not overly complicated). Its a scent profile thats approachable in that it can be worn first and understood later.

Now, has Demachy managed to capture the essence of Jennifer Lawrence in a bottle? Maybe so. Maybe not. However, when it comes to evoking the notion of fleeting, spontaneously bursting bubbles of pure joy, Diors newest pillar fragrance definitely passes the sniff test.

adam.tschorn@latimes.com

For more musings on all things fashion and style, follow me at @ARTschorn.
Fitness for a cause in Los Angeles and Malibu; a new yoga studio opens in Echo Park; and a Culver City session on post-workout breathing. Check out these well-being ideas as we ease into fall.

Seek balance; raise funds

Given that it has a yoga studies degree program, Loyola Marymount University is a fitting venue for this years Project:OM Los Angeles, a yoga festival designed to raise funds for breast cancer organization Susan G. Komen.

Yoga apparel and accessories brand Manduka is hosting the Sept. 8 gathering. The day will kick off with an art battle  teams will unleash their inner artist on 10-by-30-foot walls. Later, they will move into an outdoor class with yoga instructor Kelsey Patel set to live music. There also will be food trucks, lounging areas and health food and beverage brands including Just Water, Justins Nut Butter and Health-Ade Kombucha.

An upcoming yoga and music festival will benefit the Susan B Komen organization for breast cancer. (Manduka)

Advertisement

Info: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 8, Loyola Marymount University, 1 Loyola Marymount University Drive, Los Angeles. Tickets priced at $40 and $100 include goodie bags. More information and tickets at projectom.manduka.com.

A Malibu gathering of the mighty

Up for a challenge? Sign up for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, now in its 32nd year. The two-day event includes an Olympic-level sequence  a 1.5K swim, 40K bike ride and 10K run. Or take it down a notch and try a shorter version, which can also be broken up as part of a relay team. Funds raised benefit Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Pediatric Cancer Research Program.

Our goal is to raise about $1.3 million, said Michael Epstein, executive producer of Motiv Sports, which is organizing the event. Spectators are welcome and can enjoy food trucks, wellness-related booths and exhibits, a sand castle station and free activities for children.

Info: Sept. 15 and 16 at Zuma Beach, Malibu. Races begin 7 a.m. $205 and up per person.

Yoga studio stretches into Echo Park

The third outpost of One Down Dog opens in Echo Park. (One Down Dog)

With the opening of her third location on Sept. 4, Jessica Rosen, owner and founder of the One Down Dog yoga studio, wants to bring classes like acro yoga and kundalini to the Echo Park neighborhood.

Our studios have a strong focus on community and fun. We want to bring a playful energy to the practice, and our variety is a big draw, she said. There are classes that focus on the rear, whole-body toning or cardio-heavy, energetic workouts. There is also a space for massages, reiki and sound therapy sessions. The venue joins One Down Dog locations in Silver Lake and Eagle Rock.

Info: Opening celebration for the public on Sept. 16 will include free classes starting at 11 a.m. New client memberships are $50 for a month of unlimited classes, thereafter $115. A single class is $22. 317 Glendale Blvd. onedowndog.com

Just breathe

At Different Breed a focused breathwork class follows an intense conditioning workout. (Different Breed)

Heres a way to come down after a high-energy workout: a focused breathwork session.

Different Breed, a Culver City fitness studio that opened in March, is holding its second Breathwork(out) event, a two-hour session that starts with resistance training and ends with concentrated breathing and relaxation.

When you do breathwork immediately following strenuous activity, it gets you into the right state of mind a little bit faster, said Kyle Shepherd, the studios founder.

The 30- to 45-minute workout component is a blend of running or rowing, box jumps or step-ups and core work. Participants then have a 30-minute break to socialize before moving into another 30 to 45 minutes of alternating between deep and shallow breathing; Shepherd says this clears your mind, is a good stress reliever, and allows you to leave in a good mental and physical state.

Info: 7:45 to 9:45 p.m. Sept. 7, Different Breed, 11918 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City. $30 per person, includes healthful refreshments. Register at differentbreedstrengthconditioning.com.

READ ON!

Yes, you can eat your way to beautiful skin

10 high-tech gadgets to help you get to sleep

How Scandals Katie Lowes hid her psoriasis
Property owners for decades have fought to keep Hollister Ranch largely to themselves  and earlier this year it seemed they had won.

But mounting public outrage has fueled multiple new efforts to open one of Californias most pristine stretches of coastline.

A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge this week allowed a coalition of community groups to challenge the controversial settlement granting access to only a set number of supervised tours or those who can paddle two miles in. Coastal officials had failed to represent the public interest, the coalition successfully argued, when they agreed to these terms behind closed doors.

Meanwhile, a California lawmaker introduced legislation that would lay the foundation for more aggressive strategies, such as acquiring private land for public use through eminent domain.

Advertisement

And the agency with the power to do so, the State Lands Commission, declared its support of the bill and said it has already started looking into possible ways to open Hollister Ranch to the public.

In the last couple months, we have had so much public outcry in the state of California about this particular issue, said Assemblywoman Monique Limon (D-Santa Barbara), who authored the bill. I simply cannot disregard the thousands of people, not just in my district but throughout California, calling for greater access.

The bill could help the state follow through on an ambitious public access plan held in limbo since 1982 amid numerous lawsuits from politically powerful landowners.

Its high time that the Legislature require implementation of what they required in 1982 and which Hollister has effectively ignored for 36 years, said Susan Jordan of the California Coastal Protection Network, one of the groups intervening in the settlement agreement.

Read more: Coastal advocates challenge deal that bars public from reaching Hollister Ranch by land 

The Hollister Ranch Owners Assn., which represents landowners in the 14,500-acre historic cattle ranch with 8.5 miles of coastline and coveted surf breaks, criticized the legislation as shortsighted and last-minute.

In a statement, the group said the 1982 access plan would dramatically increase human impact on a stretch of coastline that has always had limited human use, which could have irreparable effects on wildlife, habitat and cultural resources.

The Ranchs biological experts believe that this obsolete plan, if implemented today, would destroy environmentally sensitive coastal habitat and resources to construct parking lots, bathroom facilities, campgrounds and camp host residences, the statement said.

In a letter of opposition to the Legislature, the groups legal team said the new legislation was sprung on them at the last minute  tacked onto a bill, AB 2534, that was introduced as a way to provide outdoor education grants to underserved youth.

The bill, the letter said, would also directly impact the hard-fought legal agreement forged between Hollister landowners and the state Coastal Commission and Coastal Conservancy.

Whats the rush? said Steven Amerikaner, an attorney for Hollister Ranch. The purpose for this last-minute legislation is clear... to use this change in the law to argue for the settlement to be overturned.

The bills supporters, which include more than 20 environmental groups, the Coastal Commission and the state attorney general, say it is a separate mechanism to obtain access and would not affect the ongoing litigation. Instead, they say, it helps remove roadblocks that have prevented public access at Hollister and provides funds for acquisition and maintenance activities, such as vans, trail construction and repairs, signs and bike racks.

The clash over property rights and public access at Hollister Ranch began about 40 years ago when a group of landowners sued the commission for requiring public easements as a condition of their development permits. Rather than providing public access ways, they ended up paying an in-lieu fee of $5,000 created by the Legislature.

(Jon Schleuss / Los Angeles Times)

With these limitations, the states last shot for public access by land was its claim to a path that the YMCA had offered in 1982 as a condition of approval for a recreation center.

In the deal reached earlier this year, coastal officials agreed to stop citing their right to the YMCA offer.

Read more about the Hollister Ranch settlement 

As news trickled out, more than 1,500 people emailed the Coastal Commission lambasting the deal. Attempts to reach the beach by kayak have proved treacherous even for the most able-bodied and experienced.

Coastal commissioners have had second thoughts since the public backlash. Last week, they called on the State Lands Commission to consider using its legal authority, which includes the power to acquire private property for public use through eminent domain  a costly, complicated process that comes with its own set of legal challenges.

Other options could include land exchanges or negotiating new boundary lines.

Im remorseful that the Coastal Commission and the Coastal Conservancy have signed an agreement that ties our agencies options to improving access at Hollister Ranch. But the State Lands Commission can still save the day, said Coastal Commissioner Mark Vargas, who implored State Lands last week to join the fight. The details of that settlement show that in no way does this constitute reasonable public access.

State Lands Chairwoman Betty T. Yee acknowledged those remarks and said the agency is taking the issue seriously. Staff has already begun reconnaissance and tried driving and walking the Hollister Ranch area last week.

Read more: Amid backlash, Coastal Commission asks state to explore all potential options to open Hollister Ranch to the public 

Vehicles navigate the narrow, curvy Hollister Ranch Road with signs warning of trespassing. In a settlement agreement with the landowners association, state coastal officials agreed to give up a claim to public access by land. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A similar strategy is playing out at Martins Beach near Half Moon Bay  another high-profile access battle that has dragged on for years.

Gov. Jerry Brown in June approved creating an account that can be used to gather money to appraise, acquire and maintain a public access way at Martins Beach.

State Lands Commission staffers have suggested a public route operated like a park  with daily dawn-to-dusk hours of operation, trash bins and portable toilets. How exactly the commission would acquire this land is still being determined.

Eminent domain has always been politically controversial, said Richard Frank, who formerly served as Californias chief deputy attorney general for legal affairs and represented the Coastal and State Lands commissions.

On the one hand, he said, the Legislatures action this week is a statement of political will and a signal that lawmakers are prepared to examine and potentially implement all legal means to preserve and promote maximum public access to the coast.

On the other hand, it raises the question of whether the public should pay to acquire access to a beach that the public already technically has rights to.

An eminent domain proceeding or a forced acquisition would be a compromise of sorts, because some would argue that the public already has these rights, said Frank, who directs the California Environmental Law and Policy Center at UC Davis. But that oversimplifies the situation, in my view, because the scope of public rights in both Hollister Ranch and Martins Beach are hotly contested and less than clear.

The bill that could set this process in motion for Hollister Ranch passed a key Senate committee Wednesday and has until Friday to make it out of the Legislature. The legal battle over the settlement agreement will continue in court with a fairness hearing in November.

The public outcry has served as a wake-up call, said Vargas, the coastal commissioner. Theres momentum now for everyone to work together and actually get something done.

rosanna.xia@latimes.com

Interested in coastal issues? Follow @RosannaXia on Twitter.

UPDATES:

5:50 p.m.: This article was updated to clarify the history of the legal dispute at Hollister Ranch.

This article was originally published at 5:10 p.m.
A 68-year-old Encino man was arrested and charged Thursday with threatening to shoot employees at the Boston Globe after the newspapers editorial board pushed back against President Trumps frequent attacks on the press.

About two dozen federal agents in tactical gear and an armored vehicle arrived at the stucco single-story home of Robert D. Chain just before 6 a.m. Neighbors said they heard small explosions, like the bursting of flash-bang grenades, before Chain was led from his house dressed only in a pair of shorts.

Chain was charged with one count of making threatening communications and appeared in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S. attorneys office in Massachusetts. He was released on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston on Sept. 24.

Chain began making phone calls threatening to travel to the Globes offices and shoot employees shortly after the paper announced Aug. 10 that it was launching a coordinated campaign with other newspapers to publish editorials calling on Trump to end his rhetoric about the news media, prosecutors said.

Advertisement

Chain made 14 threatening calls, both from his home phone and his wifes cellphone, to the newspaper between Aug. 10 and Aug. 22, according to prosecutors. He called the Globe the enemy of the people  repeating one of Trumps most-used phrases for attacking the media  and threatened to kill newspaper employees, prosecutors said.

In one profanity-laced call made Aug. 13, Chain said, We are going to shoot you  in the head, you Boston Globe. Shoot every  one of you, according to court documents.

On the day the editorials ran in newspapers across the country, Chain called the Globe newsroom and threatened to shoot Globe employees in the head later today, at 4 oclock, prosecutors said.

Court documents indicated Chain was recorded on Aug. 16 saying: Youre the enemy of the people, and were going to kill every ... one of you. Hey, why dont you call the F? Why dont you call Mueller? Maybe he can help you out, buddy.

Local law enforcement responded to the Globes offices that day and maintained a presence outside the building.

Chain owns several firearms and bought a new 9-millimeter carbine rifle in May 2018, according to documents in the case.

Everyone has a right to express their opinion, but threatening to kill people, takes it over the line and will not be tolerated, Harold H. Shaw, special agent in charge of the FBI in Boston, said in a news release Thursday.

Todays arrest of Robert Chain should serve a warning to others, that making threats is not a prank, its a federal crime. All threats are taken seriously, as we never know if the subject behind the threat intends to follow through with their actions. Whether potentially hoax or not, each and every threat will be aggressively run to ground.

The Encino street where Chain lives, just north of the 101 Freeway, was lined with TV news trucks Thursday morning as neighbors tried to make sense of the charge against him.

Shadi Pezeshki, 47, the daughter of his next-door neighbor, said Chain had recently become a grandfather and once had helped take her father to a hospital. But she said his anger issues were known around the neighborhood.

On occasion, she said, he would shout and scream  sometimes even at flowers  but he would soon calm down.

Sometimes anger gets the better of you, she said, adding that she thought Chain would never harm anyone.

Law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss specifics of the case said the investigation has not tied Chain to any other specific threats against media organizations. The two sources said the investigation has thoroughly examined Chains activities.

Federal agents removed several long rifle cases, boxes of ammunition and unmarked boxes and loaded them into an SUV after conducting a search of Chains home.

Trump has made attacking journalists and the media a cornerstone of his political persona. He has mocked reporters, derided media outlets as fake news and called the media the opposition party.

I just cannot state strongly enough how totally dishonest much of the Media is. Truth doesnt matter to them, they only have their hatred & agenda. This includes fake books, which come out about me all the time, always anonymous sources, and are pure fiction. Enemy of the People!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2018

The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know its TRUE. I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2018

Earlier this month, Trump called reporters very dangerous & sick.

On Thursday morning, the president unleashed a torrent of tweets attacking television news networks and the media at large.

Truth doesnt matter to them, they only have their hatred & agenda, he tweeted.

The charge of making threatening communications in interstate commerce has a sentence of up to five years, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

UPDATES:

5:35 p.m.: This article was updated with details of Chains appearance in federal court.

2:55 p.m.: This article was updated with details on the arrival of federal agents at Chains home.

2:30 p.m. This article was updated with information from law enforcement sources and tweets from the president.

12:40 p.m.: This article was updated with information from the daughter of one of Chains neighbors.

10:10 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details from court documents.

This article was originally published at 9:05 a.m.
The Los Angeles City Council signed off today on a $298,000 settlement for a man who was arrested and held for 18 days in 2016 by Los Angeles police in the mistaken belief that he was responsible for a 2000 killing.

Police said they thought Guillermo Torres was Samuel Calvario, who was sought in the Nov. 9, 2000, shooting death of 31-year-old Daniel Felix. Investigators believed Calvario had adopted a new identity  as Torres  to evade police.

Torres was cleared after DNA testing determined he was not Calvario, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading no contest on April 3 to voluntary manslaughter and admitted to a gun-use allegation in connection with Felixs death.

Torres Los Angeles County Superior Court lawsuit, which was filed last year, alleged assault, battery, false imprisonment, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, abuse of process and civil rights violations.

Advertisement

The City Council approved the settlement on a 13-0 vote. Councilman Joe Buscaino, who is a former LAPD officer, and Councilman Mitchell Englander, who is a reserve LAPD officer, were absent. Both councilmen have recently been the only members to oppose some legal payouts involving the Los Angeles Police Department, including a $1.95-million settlement approved earlier this month for the family of Charly Africa Keunang, who was shot by police in skid row in 2015.

According to Torres lawsuit, the LAPD received an anonymous tip that someone wanted in Felixs killing was living at a particular address. Without having done proper DNA testing and taken other steps to prove the accuracy of the information, police arrested Torres on July 19, 2016, in front of his son and two fellow employees, the suit alleged.

Torres is five inches shorter than the actual suspect, according to his court papers.

The stress of being falsely arrested and accused of being Calvario led Torres to have an emotional breakdown and be hospitalized while in custody, according to the complaint.

He adamantly denied being the wanted fugitive, Samuel Calvario, the suit says.

Torres said he was released the next day and left on an unfamiliar street. He spent $100 for a cab to take him back to the San Fernando Valley, where he went back to work, according to his lawsuit.

Days later on July 25, police entered Torres home and held his wife, Susana, at gunpoint, leaving her fearing for her life, the suit states. Police directed her to take them to her husbands second job, where he was again taken into custody and later arraigned and ordered held on $2-million bail in the Felix killing, according to the complaint.

Torres had given fingerprint samples and submitted to DNA testing a week earlier, but police did not check to see if the evidence matched Calvario, the suit states.

Torres was held for 18 days until he was released Aug. 10, when the DNA testing was finally examined and police determined he was not Calvario. Charges against Torres were dismissed Sept. 8, according to his court papers.

The defamation claim stems from news releases the LAPD disseminated that falsely identified Torres as a suspected killer, the suit says. The untruthful information was reported by news outlets worldwide, according to the complaint.

Calvario was apprehended about three weeks after Torres was released the second time.
Inglewood police and the FBI have arrested 10 leaders of the Legends Crips gang on suspicion of manufacturing and distributing crack cocaine, as well as firearms possession, authorities said Wednesday.

The arrests, officials said, dealt a significant blow to the gangs hierarchy. The two-year investigation, which began as early as October 2016, came to a head late Tuesday night and Wednesday morning when around 200 agents made the arrests in Inglewood and Los Angeles, officials told reporters Wednesday at Inglewood City Hall.

This multiyear investigation began in partnership with the Inglewood Police Department following a spike in violence in the city involving the Osage Legend Crips and indications that the gang had evolved from a local street gang to an organized criminal enterprise, said Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles field office.

Agents from the FBIs Los Angeles field office and Inglewood police conduct a gang sweep Wednesday morning. (FBI)

Advertisement

According to a grand jury indictment, members of the 92 Osage Legend Crips (OLC) used a store called Stop and Shop Market in a strip mall on South Prairie Avenue as a front for manufacturing crack cocaine, then distributed it on the streets of Inglewood and South Los Angeles.

Several members of the gang discussed ways to make the shop appear like a retail store and would receive orders from crack cocaine customers and spotters, including by telephone using coded language, according to the indictment.

The gang members also used violence and intimidation, including firearms, to maintain and expand their drug-dealing territory, to protect themselves, their drugs, and their drug proceeds from rival gangs and drug-dealing organizations, and to collect payment from drug customers, the indictment alleges.

Investigators display firearms collected in a gang sweep in Inglewood late Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (FBI)

Prosecutors allege that after cooking the crack cocaine, the gang members delivered the drugs to customers at various locations, including a U.S. Vets office and the Social Security office in Inglewood.

The indictment charges 15 people, 10 of whom were arrested late Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Of the remaining five suspects, one was already in custody and the other four remain at large.

The suspects who remain at large are Andrew Bailey, 43; Steven Edwards, 20; Carnisha Connors, 29; and Delshawn Johnson, 41.

melissa.etehad@latimes.com

Twitter: @melissaetehad
Trav Robertson, chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, likes to tell people about Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcettis generosity.

Earlier this year, Garcettis political action committee donated $100,000 to help the mayors ideological brethren pay for a field campaign to register African American voters in that state.

Garcetti was the first elected mayor to do something like this, said Robertson, who informs candidates running for office about the donation.

The Democratic Midterm Victory Fund  Garcettis most ambitious fundraising endeavor yet to help his party  is boosting the mayors national profile and allowing him to forge alliances with party leaders as he considers a long-shot bid for the White House.

Advertisement

Launched last year to help congressional candidates and state parties ahead of the November midterm election, the committee had raised $673,000 through late June, according to a Times analysis of the most recent filings. Its one of the most concrete efforts by the mayor to expand his political presence beyond California as he tests the waters for a possible presidential run.

(Los Angeles Times)

Garcetti advisor Yusef Robb said the mayor makes phone calls to raise money for the committee and will appear at a September event to be headlined by comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Garcetti declined to be interviewed about the fund for this story.

Earlier this month, however, Garcetti told reporters that a Democratic majority in Washington, D.C., helps Los Angeles. He described his overall role as campaigning for California congressional candidates and those in other states.

As mayor, I need a majority that reflects the citys values to help on immigration, on the environment, on trade, whatever it is, Garcetti said. Its just as important to pick up a seat in North Carolina as it is in California numerically, but wherever I can, I start in my backyard, always.

Garcetti insists he hasnt decided whether hell challenge President Trump in 2020. But to some, the Democratic Midterm Victory Fund is the latest sign hes laying the groundwork for a future run.

His committees September event is committed to raising $100,000 each for the Democratic parties in three states  New Hampshire, Iowa and Nevada  that are the earliest to hold presidential primary contests. The event is set to bring in the same amount for parties in seven other states as well.

Hes probably trying to gather as many chits as he can, said Josh Putnam, editor of the blog Frontloading HQ, which tracks states presidential primaries.

Rick Jacobs, a Garcetti advisor who helps run the Democratic Midterm Victory Fund, said the Republican Party has invested deeply in state parties and candidates, which has helped that party win again and again.

Our strategy is really straightforward, Jacobs said. To give money where we can in a way that provides assistance and to invest in party infrastructure. We want to help build parties.

Already, committee donations have flowed to Democrats running in congressional races in California, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Nevada, Michigan, Utah, Texas, New Jersey, Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, according to the latest filings.

Last month, Robb flew to South Carolina  another early primary state  to help train candidates and activists.

The committee also is being tapped to fund some of Garcettis travels.

It helped pay for a New York trip in March  where the mayor met a donor, criticized leadership in Washington during an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers and accepted an award from Columbia University.

(Garcettis travel expenses have become an issue for the mayor. The Times is suing the city over its refusal to disclose how much taxpayers are spending on the security detail that accompanies him on his trips.)

Jane Demian, a committee member of the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council and member of the L.A. Tenants Union, supports flipping Republican seats. But Garcettis attention on national politics is at the expense of focusing on homelessness and housing, Demian said. This is a crisis and hes not acting like its an emergency.

Robb said its very important for the mayor to help elect people who will help L.A. and the rest of the country address the national homelessness crisis and tackle other pressing problems.

Michael Barth, president of the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats, said Angelenos are hungry for change at the national level.

Fundraising for Democratic Party operations and candidates at all levels is a crucial ingredient in making change happen, Barth said.

More than 70% of the Democratic Midterm Victory Funds contributions have come from California donors, including individuals or companies with ties to City Hall.

Because it is a federal committee, the fund doesnt have to comply with city campaign fundraising rules, including L.A.s prohibition on political contributions from lobbying firms.

Birdi & Associates, a technology consulting firm with contracts at Los Angeles airport and harbor facilities, gave $19,000 to Garcettis committee. Businessman Elon Musk, who is seeking to build transportation tunnels underneath the city, gave $2,500, filings show. And lobbying firm Kirra, whose clients include short-term rental company HomeAway and trash hauler Universal Waste Systems, gave $5,000.

Universal Waste Systems has a contract under Garcettis controversial RecycLA waste-hauling program.

Signal Hill businessman James Eleopoulos gave $5,000. He said in an interview that he disagrees with some of Garcettis policies, including raising the citys minimum wage, but donated anyway. I dont like the direction that Republicans are going, he said.

Separate from his fundraising for the Victory Fund, the mayor also is campaigning for congressional candidates in California and elsewhere.

Garcetti was billed as the special guest on an invitation for a fundraiser earlier this month hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler for congressional candidates Katie Hill of L.A. County, Katie Porter of Orange County and Mike Levin of San Diego County.

During a trip to Phoenix in June, the mayor popped into a gathering hosted by the Maricopa County Democratic Party, where he urged support for congressional candidate Greg Stanton during a speech to party activists.

Arizona will be a Democratic state again, Garcetti told the audience. We will rebuild and we will retake this country one county at a time, one race a time, one state at a time.

The mayor told reporters earlier this month that hes not any closer to finalizing his decision about whether hell run for president. Asked if he would make up his mind next year, Garcetti replied, Your guess is as good as mine.

Times staff writer Anthony Pesce contributed to this report.

dakota.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @dakotacdsmith
A 33-year-old woman sleeping in cardboard box in a homeless camp died this month after she was struck by machinery used by a California Department of Transportation crew to bulldoze the area.

Shannon Marie Bigleys last known address was in Stockton, but police said prior to her death on Aug. 1, she had set up camp in a grassy field where homeless people frequently sleep alongside Highway 99 south of Kansas Avenue. A Caltrans crew operating a front loader was clearing the area that day.

California Highway Patrol Officer Thomas Olsen said the departments multidisciplinary accident investigation team is still trying to determine how Bigley died. It is not clear when the investigation will be complete.

We owe it to the family members and the victim to do a proper investigation, Olsen said. Were not going to rush anything.

Advertisement

A man who said he witnessed the incident told a reporter at the encampment that her body was smashed.

The womans death also renewed lingering tensions among Caltrans workers, who have been tasked with cleaning up dozens of homeless encampments across the state.

The union representing Caltrans workers on Wednesday filed a formal complaint with the agency highlighting health and safety concerns related to the practice, which workers contend should not be part of their duties.

As we have said before, Caltrans is putting our members and the public at risk by requiring them to perform these homeless encampment cleanup duties, Steve Crouch, director of public employees for Local 39 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, wrote in the complaint.

Caltrans did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Our sympathies go out to the family of the woman who was found earlier this month during an encampment cleanup along State Route 99 in Modesto, the agency wrote in a statement to the Modesto Bee.

Crouch said Caltrans workers are not given protective equipment, training or vaccinations necessary to undertake the hazmat-type work. Homeless encampments where crews are dispatched often are littered with human waste and potentially hazardous items such as needles, which Crouch said poses a health risk for employees.

This is not work thats in their job specification, Crouch said. These are not hazmat crews. Theyre being sent unprepared into an unsafe and unhealthy area.

Crouch filed a similar grievance with the agency in April. In response, Caltrans officials told him they already were providing employees with necessary vaccinations and training and rejected the complaint, he said.

Keeping homeless encampments at bay is becoming a growing challenge as Californias unsheltered population continues to climb.

The tab for cleaning up homeless encampments across the state also has grown steadily over the past several years. Since 2012, Caltrans has spent about $29 million on it. Last year alone, the agency spent $10 million on the sweeps, according to a March performance report.

Crouch said he was told by Caltrans officials that its uncommon for crews to use machines to clear encampments. Before cleanup begins, a supervisor also is expected to survey the area and tag potentially hazardous items, he said.

We were worried about something like this happening, Crouch said. The thing that troubles me about the incident in Modesto is: Why didnt somebody walk it?

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @Hannahnfry
The Orange County Board of Supervisors this week ordered an investigation into recent revelations that more than 1,000 privileged phone calls between county jail inmates and their attorneys were improperly recorded over a three-year period.

The supervisors unanimous decision Tuesday directs the countys Office of Independent Review to delve into the issue and report back within 90 days.

The goal, board Chairman Andrew Do said, is to outline where we are, what happened  and, more importantly, what exposure we have as a county.

The boards vote came a week after the county sent a letter informing Global Tel Link Corp.  a contractor that oversees the jail phone system  that the county and Sheriffs Department are considering legal options regarding the breach that resulted in 1,079 privileged calls being recorded in violation of state law.

Advertisement

During a court hearing last week, GTL employees said the issue was a case of human error, as some 1,300 phone numbers designated as do not record were not properly transferred as part of a system update in January 2015.

Company officials also revealed that the same problem had happened twice before, in Pinellas and Charlotte counties in Florida.

In Orange Countys case, the company corrected what it initially called a technical error in July and no longer is recording attorney-client phone calls, according to GTL and Sheriffs Department officials.

Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who is running for Orange County district attorney this year, called for the immediate termination of GTLs contract and said he plans to put that discussion on the agenda for a future board meeting.

Depending on who listened to the calls, dozens of felonies may have been committed by jail personnel, compromising criminal cases, Spitzer said in a statement Tuesday. Our judicial system in this county is in crisis. We desperately need an outside, impartial investigation.

According to Spitzers office, GTLs contract comes up for renewal in November and is worth an estimated $4.6 million annually.

Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said she doesnt think were in a position to terminate, as there arent a lot of vendors out there that do this kind of work and provide these services.

In an Aug. 21 letter to GTL, the county counsels office mentioned possible legal options.

We believe GTL has breached the contract by failing to retain in the system the 1,300-plus phone numbers that existed prior to the upgrade [in] 2015, the letter stated. The fallout from this breach continues to grow, seemingly on a daily basis, and has captured significant media attention as well as the attention of the criminal defense bar in Orange County.

Moving forward, the letter continued, we request assurances from GTL that the system is presently working as required under the contract and that there will not be future breaches of a similar ilk  potentially impacting the rights of inmates.

Last week, an Orange County Superior Court judge appointed a special master to review the calls.

At Tuesdays board meeting, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens told supervisors that we have made it very clear to G-Tel, with the assistance of county counsel, that theres a real issue here and said she welcomes the Office of Independent Review investigation.

I think thats the only way that everybody will feel comfortable that this was looked at independently and thoroughly, she said.

Among the communications recorded by law enforcement was at least one jailhouse phone call in 2016 between Joshua Waring, son of former Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Lauri Peterson, and his then-defense attorney.

Waring, 29, is facing three counts of attempted murder and other felony and misdemeanor charges in connection with a shooting at a former Costa Mesa sober-living home in June 2016. He could face multiple life sentences if convicted.

His current defense attorney, Joel Garson, has been digging into allegations that law enforcement monitored and shared Warings phone calls in Orange County Jail while he was representing himself in his criminal case. Garson is trying to have the case dismissed on grounds of outrageous governmental conduct.

Money writes for Times Community News.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
A police captain alleged in a civil lawsuit filed against the city of Torrance on Tuesday that he faced retaliation after he lodged a discrimination and harassment complaint against the citys former police chief.

Capt. Martin Vukotic, who joined the Torrance police force in 1995, wrote in court papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that he was retaliated against and denied a promotion after he filed a complaint alleging former Police Chief Mark Matsuda made inflammatory comments about women, members of the LGBTQ community and Muslims.

Matsuda was suspended amid the controversy in February 2017 and announced his retirement four months later.

The Torrance city attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

Advertisement

Vukotic asserts in the lawsuit that the Torrance Police Departments top brass repeatedly discouraged him from filing the complaint against Matsuda.

Vukotic alleges that Deputy Chief Jon Megeff, then a captain, refused to participate in the complaint because it could cause the chief to distrust him in the future. Megeff was promoted to deputy chief in January. Vukotic wrote that he also vied for that position, but alleges he was passed up for the promotion as retaliation for his complaint against Matsuda.

Vukotic alleges Matsuda created a hostile work environment.

Then-interim Chief Michael Browne allegedly told Vukotic that the city manager and city council thought he was the devil for reporting misconduct against Chief Matsuda. Browne added that they wanted to lynch Vukotic, the lawsuit states.

Vukotic alleges in court filings that Matsuda once told a woman who was applying for a job at the department that she was good looking and then asked her to turn around in order to get a better look at her.

When an employee who is a lesbian voiced her concerns about how openly gay employees were being treated, Matsuda said she looked like a dude, the lawsuit alleges.

This is not the first time Matsuda has been ensnared in controversy.

Lt. Hector Bermudez, a 22-year member of the Torrance Police Department, accused Matsuda in 2017 of ordering him to halt a probe into possible criminal conduct by other members of the department.

Vukotic is seeking an unspecified amount of money for damages including loss of income, benefits and emotional distress.

laura.newberry@latimes.com | Twitter: @LauraMNewberry
In a major boost for a group of Asian Americans suing Harvard University over its affirmative action admissions policy, the Trump administration on Thursday signaled its support of a federal lawsuit against the university and contended that it illegally discriminates against Asian applicants in favor of whites.

The move by the Justice Department is the latest sign in what many civil rights groups contend is the administrations mounting attack on long-standing practices in which Harvard and other universities have used race as a factor in choosing who attends elite public and private schools.

The suit, filed by Students for Fair Admissions on behalf of Asian Americans who have been rejected from Harvard, is seen as a bellwether case that could reach the Supreme Court and potentially reshape affirmative action at Americas universities and colleges.

Students for Fair Admissions unsuccessfully fought the University of Texas in an affirmative action case two years ago that was ultimately decided in the Supreme Court.

Advertisement

In a filing Thursday in a Massachusetts federal court, Justice Department lawyers said Harvard illegally tries to racially balance its students, including using subjective personality ratings that give Asian Americans with otherwise stellar applications lower scores.

Though the filing does not mean the department is joining the lawsuit, it does give greater weight to the case.

READ: Trump administration rescinds Obama-era policies encouraging affirmative action and backs race-neutral school admissions 

Harvard, which has asked the court to dismiss the case, has denied discriminating against Asian Americans. Students for Fair Admissions in June released an analysis of Harvard admissions data criticizing its use of considering traits such as likability and kindness in compiling personality scores. Harvard said the study was flawed and did not fully account for its complicated admissions process.

Harvard does not discriminate against applicants from any group, and will continue to vigorously defend the legal right of every college and university to consider race as one factor among many in college admissions, which the Supreme Court has consistently upheld for more than 40 years, the university said in a statement.

In a statement outlining Thursdays court filing, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions said the department was stepping in to protect the civil rights of the American people.

No American should be denied admission to school because of their race, Sessions said. As a recipient of taxpayer dollars, Harvard has a responsibility to conduct its admissions policy without racial discrimination by using meaningful admissions criteria that meet lawful requirements. The admissions policies at our colleges and universities are important and must be conducted lawfully.

The issue has sharply divided Asian Americans  particularly between Chinese Americans and other Asian groups. Support for race-based preferences has plummeted among Chinese Americans, from 78% in 2012 to 41% in 2016, according to surveys by AAPI Data, a program based at UC Riverside that collects demographic data and conducts policy research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Support for affirmative action remained unchanged at 73% among other Asian American groups during that same period, the surveys found.

Nicole Ochi, an attorney with Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles, said Chinese language social media platforms such as WeChat have stirred opposition against affirmative action. She said flat-out lies have been posted, such as assertions that half of Asian Americans will get expelled from universities if affirmative action is brought back in such states as California, which banned public institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, sex or ethnicity with the passage of Proposition 209 in 1996.

Ochi said her organization supports Harvards claim that it is not intentionally discriminating against Asian Americans and believes that race-based admissions policies are legal. Although her nonprofit does not support racial quotas, it believes race should be one of many factors allowed in an admissions process that takes a broad and holistic view of an applicants background.

The reality is that racism and segregation continues to limit educational opportunities  for students of color, Ochi said. Asian Americans need to work with counterparts in the African American and Latino communities to increase diversity and reduce bias in schools and workplaces.

Since Californias ban on affirmative action took effect, the proportion of Asian Americans among admitted freshmen has slightly declined overall at University of California schools. The percentage of Asian Americans among UC Berkeleys admitted freshmen grew from 33.6% in fall 1996 to 40.5% in fall 2017. But it declined at UCLA and UC San Diego to about 35% last fall after surpassing 40% in 2009.

UCLA has increased its proportion of African Americans and other underrepresented minorities despite Proposition 209 using aggressive outreach and recruitment. Under UCs holistic admissions process, applicants are evaluated on 14 factors including grades, standardized test scores, high school coursework, special talents and academic achievement despite low income and other hardships.

The Justice Departments move follows several developments on affirmative action under Sessions that have taken it in the opposite direction of his predecessors in the Obama administration.

Last month, the department rescinded Obama-era guidelines encouraging the use of race to determine admission to educational institutions and suggested race-neutral policies were better. The removal of the guidelines, which the department said was part of a wider effort to cut down government regulations, reinstated ones used under President George W. Bush.

Last year, the department also opened a separate investigation into allegations against Harvards affirmative action policies that were raised in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of Asian American groups in 2015. That investigation is pending.

This is a Justice Department that has fully abandoned its mission and is now waging an all-out assault on efforts to promote diversity, said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in a statement Thursday. Although the case focuses on allegations of discrimination against a minority group, it could establish precedent affecting affirmative action practices across the board.

At the heart of this case is the unjustified presumption that test scores alone entitle a student admission to Harvard, and the unsupported allegation that race drives admission decisions, Clarke added.

Edward Blum, president of Students for Fair Admissions, said he welcomed the Justice Departments support.

Students for Fair Admissions is gratified that, after careful analysis of the evidence submitted in this case, the U.S. Department of Justice has concluded Harvards admissions policies are in violation of our nations civil rights laws, he said in a statement.

For years, affirmative action has been one of the most contentious issues in education in this country. The Supreme Court has upheld it several times, most recently in 2016, but the Harvard case  if it advances to the high court  could test it once again.

Supporters often point to studies showing that diverse schools lead to better outcomes for students of all races. Opponents frequently say students should be judged on merit alone and that affirmative action is a form of discrimination.

The retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy has left civil rights groups worried about the fate of affirmative action. Kennedy wrote the 4-3 majority opinion upholding the University of Texas admissions programs support of affirmative action in a 2016 case in which a white woman said she was not admitted in part because the school accepted members of minority groups.

President Trumps nominee to replace Kennedy, federal appeals court Judge Brett Kavanaugh, has not weighed in explicitly on affirmative action in previous cases. Yet, groups that oppose his nomination, including the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, have raised concerns over how he would rule on a variety of issues, including admissions practices that consider race.

Jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com

Teresa.watanabe@latimes.com

UPDATES:

4:40 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and reaction.

9:55 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting.

This article was originally published at 7:40 a.m.
President Trump is canceling pay raises due in January for most civilian federal employees, he informed Congress on Thursday, citing budget constraints. But the workers still could see a slightly smaller boost in their pay under a proposal lawmakers are considering.

Trump said he was nixing a 2.1% across-the-board raise for most workers as well as separate locality pay increases averaging 25.7%.

We must maintain efforts to put our nation on a fiscally sustainable course, and Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases, said Trump. The president last year signed a package of tax cuts that is forecast to add about $1.5 trillion to federal deficits over 10 years.

Trump cited the significant cost of employing federal workers as justification for denying the pay increases, and called for federal worker pay to be based on performance and structured toward recruiting, retaining and rewarding high-performing Federal employees and those with critical skill sets.

Advertisement

His announcement came as the country heads into the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Democrats immediately criticized the move, citing the tax cuts Trump signed into law last December. That law provided steep tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families.

Trump has delivered yet another slap in the face to American workers, said Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez.

Under the law, the 2.1% raise takes effect automatically unless the president and Congress act to change it. Congress is currently debating a proposal for a slightly lower, 1.9% across-the-board raise to be included in a funding bill that would require Trumps signature to keep most government functions operating past September.

Unions representing the 2 million-member federal workforce urged Congress to pass the 1.9% pay raise.

President Trumps plan to freeze wages for these patriotic workers next year ignores the fact that they are worse off today financially than they were at the start of the decade, said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents some 700,000 federal workers.

They have already endured years of little to no increases and their paychecks cannot stretch any further as education, healthcare costs, gas and other goods continue to get more expensive, added Tim Reardon, national president of the National Treasury Employees Union.

Cox said federal worker pay and benefits have been cut by more than $200 billion since 2011.

Congress has approved legislation to give military service members a 2.6% pay raise, the biggest in nine years, but funding for the pay raise has not yet been approved.

In July, the Trump administration sharply revised upward its deficit estimates compared to the estimates in the budget proposal it sent Congress in February. The worsening deficit reflects the impact of the $1.5 trillion, 10-year tax cut, as well as increased spending for the military and domestic programs that Congress approved earlier this year.

The administrations July budget update projected a deficit of $890 million for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, up from the February estimate of $873 billion. The $890 billion projection represents a 34% increase from the $666 billion in 2017.

For 2019, the administration is projecting the deficit will top $1 trillion and stay above that level for the next three years.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who represents many federal workers, blamed what he said was Trumps mismanagement of federal government.

His tax bill exploded the deficit, and now he is trying to balance the budget on the backs of federal workers, Connolly said.
The start of the school year has been delayed for more than 75,000 students in southwestern Washington state after teachers and districts failed to reach contract agreements, at odds mostly over salaries.

Teachers in seven school districts were on strike Wednesday, according to the Washington Education Assn., which represents state teachers.

More walkouts were possible in the state as the teachers union and the districts try to negotiate salary agreements.

Educators in Seattle  the states largest school district  voted Tuesday to authorize a strike unless a deal is reached by the time classes are set to begin on Sept. 5. Unions representing educators in other cities have also authorized walkouts.

Advertisement

Several dozen districts have already reached agreements on teacher pay, many with double-digit percentage increases, said Rich Wood, a Washington Education Assn. spokesman.

Teachers in most of the states 295 school districts opened contract negotiations in recent months after the Legislature in March approved an additional $1 billion for educator salaries in the upcoming school year. The Legislature in 2017 also included about $1 billion over a two-year period for salaries, starting this year.

The state had been under a Washington Supreme Court order to fully fund basic K-12 education. In late 2017, the court ordered the state to speed up its school-funding plan to meet a Sept. 1, 2018, deadline, and lawmakers responded with the additional money.

Local unions representing teachers say districts now have the money to give teachers competitive salaries. But some school administrators say they also have to balance raises with the need to provide other services.

In Vancouver, where teachers in two districts are on strike, dozens of teachers and supporters wore red and lined a street near a high school waving signs, the Columbian newspaper reported Wednesday.

The Vancouver Education Assn., representing the citys teachers, said the union proposal would use money sent from the state specifically for salaries and does not negatively affect students.

Vancouver school Supt. Steve Webb said on the districts website Tuesday that the district is committed to giving teachers and other employees fair and competitive wages, but added that we must do so in a fiscally responsible and sustainable manner.

Teachers in Longview, Battle Ground and Ridgefield are among those on strike.
A soldier based in Hawaii pleaded guilty Wednesday to trying to help Islamic State, telling a judge he provided secret military information, a drone meant to track U.S. troops and other support to undercover agents he believed were members of the terrorist organization.

Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang, handcuffed and wearing a prison jumpsuit, spoke in a clear voice when he told a U.S. magistrate judge that he was guilty of all four counts against him.

Your honor, I provided unclassified, classified documents to the Islamic State, Kang said, adding that he also provided the drone.

He agreed when Assistant U.S. Atty. Ken Sorenson described other support he provided to undercover agents that Kang believed were part of Islamic State, also known as ISIS.

Advertisement

By at least early 2016, Kang became sympathetic to the group, Sorenson said. The FBI gathered information from sources he knew, worked with or lived with when it opened an investigation in August 2016, Sorenson said.

Kang provided voluminous, digital documents that included sensitive information including the U.S. militarys weapons file, details about a sensitive mobile airspace management system, various military manuals and documents containing personal information about U.S. service members, Sorenson said.

Trained as an air traffic controller with a secret security clearance, Kang also provided documents including call signs, mission procedures and radio frequencies, all of which would have been helpful to ISIS, Sorenson said.

At one of the meetings with agents, Kang swore allegiance to Islamic State in Arabic and English and kissed an Islamic State flag given to him by a purported ISIS sheikh, Sorenson said.

He was clearly enticed but the law of entrapment is quite complex and often very difficult for the defense to prove, Kangs defense attorney, Birney Bervar, said after the hearing.

In exchange for Kangs guilty plea, prosecutors said they wouldnt charge him with additional crimes, including violations of the Espionage Act, other terrorism-related laws and federal firearms statutes.

He was also trained as an Army combat instructor and recorded training videos he intended for Islamic State group members in the Middle East to use, Sorenson said.

Kang was obsessed with videos depicting terrorism beheadings, suicide bombings and other violence, and he watched them in his bedroom for hours daily, a confidential informant told agents.

Kang told the informant that if he became an Islamic State member, he would be a suicide bomber and attack Schofield Barracks, a sprawling Army base outside Honolulu, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Kang watched the videos for four to five hours each weekday and more on weekends, the informant told agents in 2016. The informant remembered feeling sick to his stomach, while Kang laughed and insulted the victims, the affidavit said.

During the first week of September 2016, Kang told the informant that if he were to do something like shoot up a large gathering, it would be out of his hatred for white people, the wicked and non-Muslims.

Kang began researching Islam in 2014, couldnt wait to move to the Middle East to join the cause and was only in the military for a paycheck, the informant said.

The U.S. government asked a judge to allow a tracking device to be placed on Kangs car in October 2016 and received several extensions. Agents said in their applications for a tracking device that they needed to monitor him continuously because they feared he would carry out an attack.

Officials with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade told the FBI they were concerned about their ability to monitor Kang, noting that he was to return from leave on May 25, 2017  the same day as a change-of-command ceremony, the affidavit said.

Brigade personnel feared the large gathering represented a target of opportunity for Kang should he want to harm members of the unit.

Kang has been held without bail since his July 2017 arrest.

He is set to get 25 years in prison as part of a plea agreement when he is sentenced Dec. 10. He could have received a life sentence if he was convicted at a trial.
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Thursday, Aug. 30, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

The Democratic Midterm Victory Fund is L.A. Mayor Eric Garcettis most ambitious fundraising endeavor yet to help his party  and his national profile as he considers a long-shot bid for the White House. The committee had raised $673,000 through late June, according to a Times analysis of the most recent filings. Its one of the most concrete efforts by the mayor to expand his political presence beyond California. Will it make friends who will help him in 2020? Los Angeles Times

Not so fast

Advertisement

Property owners for decades have fought to keep Hollister Ranch largely to themselves  and earlier this year it seemed they had won. But mounting public outrage has fueled multiple new efforts to open one of Californias most pristine stretches of coastline. Los Angeles Times

Sacramento a go-go

Its been a frantic week in Sacramento as lawmakers try to push through legislation that could change California in profound ways. Heres a rundown of the last-minute actions:

Guns: Lawmakers sent the governor a bill that would raise the minimum age for buying long guns in the state from 18 to 21. Los Angeles Times

Wildfires: A bipartisan group of California lawmakers proposed on Tuesday to spend $1 billion to clear fire-prone trees and brush from across the state over the next five years while providing new relief for utility companies that have said wildfire costs could lead them to bankruptcy. Los Angeles Times

Bail: One day after Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation overhauling the states money bail system, the California bail industry is fighting back. A coalition of bail industry associations, crime victims groups and other opponents have launched a voter referendum drive in an attempt to block the implementation of the new law. Los Angeles Times

Climate change: A plan that would put the state on a path to phase out fossil fuels by 2045 is now on Browns desk. Los Angeles Times

Paint: A last-minute proposal for a deal in the California Legislature on cleaning up lead paint in homes across the state has failed. Los Angeles Times

Get the Essential California newsletter 

(Los Angeles Times)

L.A. STORIES

Update: Dr. George Tyndall, the USC gynecologist accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of students, has given up his medical license temporarily as he confronts a police investigation and a barrage of lawsuits. Los Angeles Times

Plus: The diverse group charged with selecting USCs next president includes a former Goldman Sachs executive, a prominent social worker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and the founding CEO of the nations largest health benefits company. Los Angeles Times

Has a ring to it: People in South L.A. like the idea of renaming Rodeo Road after former President Obama. Its the merging of a historic president [and] street with an iconic black community, one said. Los Angeles Times

The GOAT: The goats of the Angeles Crest Creamery are some of L.A.s most unsung food heroes. LAist

Looking up: Long Beach is considering a plan for a 40-story tower, which would be the citys tallest. Its part of a tower-building boom in the shoreline downtown. Curbed Los Angeles

Jobs, jobs, jobs: The L.A. metro areas job growth continues to lag far behind that of other big cities. Bloomberg

CRIME AND COURTS

Emotional day: The Pomona Police Department provided a special escort to the son of a fallen officer on the boys first day of school. San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Piece of the Rock: Some amazing photos of what Alcatraz looked like when it was a real prison. San Francisco Chronicle

Whats going on? The proliferation of white nationalist stickers in one North Bay town causes alarm and a police investigation. Press Democrat

Help is hours away: In rural areas, calling 911 means a long wait. Sacramento Bee

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Postponed: Republican congressional candidate Omar Navarros meeting with the FBI about a fake letter he posted to social media about his opponent, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), has been moved to next week, he said Wednesday. Los Angeles Times

Back in business: Former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is joining the board of publicly traded cannabis company MedMen, marking his return to the business world following a resounding defeat in Junes Democratic gubernatorial primary. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Its an art: Making soba by hand has made this Bay Area chef something of a legend. San Francisco Chronicle

Wed in the woods: In California, camping and weddings get married. New York Times

Makes you think: How the design of schools and other childhood landmarks effects how we view the world as adults. Los Angeles Times

Here we go again: Elon Musk returned to a controversial  and some would say counterproductive  topic, launching a new round of tweets implying that the rescuer of children in a Thai cave he accused of being a pedophile might actually be one. Los Angeles Times

Giving em away: The Taper has an idea to lure more young people to the theater: Free tickets. Los Angeles Downtown News

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

Los Angeles area: partly cloudy, 86, Thursday and Friday. San Diego: sunny, 82, Thursday and Friday. San Francisco area: partly cloudy, 66, Thursday; partly cloudy, 68, Friday. San Jose: partly cloudy, 75, Thursday; partly cloudy, 80, Friday. Sacramento: partly cloudy, 81, Thursday; sunny, 90, Friday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Todays California memory comes from David Fierro:

I am now living in Florida, but memories of my native California are as rich as the Golden State. Family picnics at Irvine Park and stealing oranges from the once ubiquitous groves; going from desert to snowcaps on the Palm Springs tramway; first snow at Big Bear; an introduction to art at Huntington Library; the night sky at Griffith Park Observatory; a burger at Tommys; doughnuts from Winchells; Dodger Dogs; Vin Scullys voice on the radio; chocolate makers on Ghirardelli Square; the smell of seafood at Fishermans Wharf; whale watching in Monterey Bay; Lake Tahoe; and the majestic redwoods and cliffs along the northern coast. This is the California I love and miss.

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
Opponents of a net neutrality proposal that would bar Verizon, Comcast and other broadband providers from meddling with Californians internet traffic have been robocalling senior citizens to warn them that the legislation would raise their cellphone bills. Its a scare tactic that consumers and their representatives in Sacramento should dismiss.

At issue is Senate Bill 822 by Sens. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), which would prohibit broadband providers from blocking, slowing down or otherwise interfering with legal transmissions on their data networks. It faces do-or-die votes this week in the state Assembly and Senate.

The robocalls, which were sponsored by a lobbying firm for broadband providers, delivered this message: Your Assembly member will be voting on a proposal by San Francisco politicians that could increase your cellphone bill by $30 a month and slow down your data.

The arithmetic is, shall we say, inventive. Broadband providers claim that cellphone rates would go up and service would degrade in part because SB 822 would prohibit them from collecting millions of dollars in fees from companies that interconnect with the providers networks to deliver data. But the bill would not ban interconnection fees; it would simply bar broadband providers from meddling with consumers data as it was being delivered to their networks.

Advertisement

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

SB 822 would also prohibit phone and cable companies from letting websites subsidize the consumers who use their services by paying their data charges. But that doesnt mean consumers bills would automatically go up. Some European countries have imposed this sort of restriction, yet mobile phone users there have higher data caps and lower data prices.

The point behind the legislation isnt to raise or lower cellphone bills; its to restore for Californians the net neutrality rules that the Federal Communications Commission repealed after Republicans took control in 2017. (The repeal is currently being challenged in court.) Those rules were designed to protect the openness and freedom from interference that have made the internet such a powerful source of opportunity and innovation. The idea behind net neutrality is that internet users, not the companies that connect them, should determine whats popular, which business models succeed, and what information flows across the net.

Ironically, the state version of the rules wouldnt incorporate the one feature of the repealed FCC rules that really might have lowered cellphone bills. Under the federal rules, consumers could have filed complaints with the FCC about the data charges they paid. SB 822 gives Californians no such power. Instead, it would give Californians a measure of protection that the federal government ought to provide, but no longer does.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
When President Trump nominated Jeff Sessions to be his attorney general, we were aghast. We called him the wrong man for the job because of his retrograde opinions on civil rights, sentencing, immigration and other issues.

So it was not just ironic, but absolutely mind-boggling, that only six months later, we found ourselves defending Sessions when Trump hinted he might be fired. And today, were doing so again.

Its not that we like Sessions any better than we used to, or that we think hes doing a good job running the Justice Department. But we fear that Trump wants to remove him for one simple reason: as a way to undermine the investigation of possible collusion between Trumps 2016 campaign and Russia. That must not be allowed to happen.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Advertisement

Sessions original sin in Trumps eyes is that he recused himself from matters connected to the presidential campaign, in which he was a conspicuous cheerleader for Trump  a decision that paved the way for the appointment of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and the investigation Trump incessantly attacks as a witch hunt. Sessions also has enraged Trump by not investigating Crooked Hillary and other political opponents.

That was clear in a remarkable exchange last week between the two men. In an interview on Fox News, Trump complained that I put in an attorney general that never took control of the Justice Department. Sessions responded: I took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in which is why we have had unprecedented success at effectuating the presidents agenda  one that protects the safety and security and rights of the American people, reduces violent crime, enforces our immigration laws, promotes economic growth, and advances religious liberty.

Then Sessions drew a telling distinction between these policy preferences  on which the president has a right to expect loyalty  and the attorney generals responsibility to fairly enforce the law: While I am attorney general, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations.

Trump replied on Twitter saying: Jeff, this is GREAT, what everyone wants, and so look into all of the corruption on the other side  meaning Trumps opponents and critics. The question is whether Trump will remove Sessions if he doesnt take that advice.

Some Republicans in Congress seem alarmingly willing to let him sack Sessions. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who once said that there would be holy hell to pay if Trump fired Sessions, now says the president is entitled to an attorney general he has faith in. Graham blithely suggests that Trump might replace Sessions with a new attorney general who would leave Mueller unmolested.

Were not convinced. Given Trumps belief that Muellers investigation is a witch hunt, why should we expect him to choose a new attorney general (or acting attorney general) who would respect that investigation, or resist entreaties by the president to investigate alleged crimes by his political opponents? Trump needs to be told that Sessions is fireproof.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
Few Republican elected officials have dared stand up to President Trump, and with the death of Sen. John McCain, the partys moral conscience has been silenced. McCain was everything Trump is not: a war hero, an enemy of dictators, and a patriot who, however imperfectly, lived a life devoted to causes greater than himself.

Trump, a draft dodger who cozies up to tyrants and is wholly captive to his selfish impulses, is redefining the GOP in his crude image. A party that once stood for American global leadership, welcomed newcomers of all races, and extolled public virtue is increasingly isolationist and xenophobic, and displays cultish devotion to a vulgar reality television star. Fox News, talk radio, and the conservative movement more broadly have fallen into line behind a president who commands 90% approval from Republicans. Aside from a handful of low-circulation magazines and newspaper columnists, few are keeping the flame of honorable conservatism alive.

To remind the American people that such a thing still exists, GOP elected officials who consider Trump unfit for the presidency should produce a weekly address, modeled on those traditionally delivered by the occupant of the Oval Office, to broadcast over radio and the internet. It would provide a glimpse of the alternate reality wherein a decent, articulate Republican is leader of the free world. Think of it as Radio Free GOP, broadcasting the virtues of limited government, personal responsibility and a foreign policy of freedom beyond the Iron Curtain of Trumpian demagoguery. (The GOP strategist Mike Murphy had a short-lived podcast by that name, a reference to Radio Free Europe, which beamed news and information to the captive peoples of the Soviet Union and its satellites.)

To remind the American people that such a thing still exists, GOP elected officials who consider Trump unfit for the presidency should produce a weekly address

Advertisement

The primary purpose of these addresses would not be to criticize the presidents policies. From judicial appointments to deregulation, from tearing up the Iran deal to recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital, conservatives have good reason to like much of what the Trump administration has accomplished and should not feel pressured into reversing their long-standing views just because Trump shares some of them.

Disliking the president personally, believing him to be temperamentally unsuited for the office, finding his rhetoric and behavior unconscionable  none of these things necessitates opposing each and every initiative undertaken by his administration. Unlike some Never Trump conservatives  with their knee-jerk hostility to everything Trump does  or the #Resistance  whose denizens labor under the delusion that they are living under a 20th century European-style despotism  Radio Free GOP would represent the presidents loyal opposition.

The tone would be forward-looking and upbeat, a contrast to Trumps nostalgia and negativity. The regular radio addresses Ronald Reagan delivered in the wilderness years between his unsuccessful shot at the 1976 GOP presidential nomination and his victory four years later can serve as a model. During this period, Reagan broadcast more than 1,000 commentaries, mostly written by himself, touching on subjects ranging from missile defense to the plight of Soviet Jewry to economic policy and everything in between. In so doing, he made himself familiar to millions of voters, presenting them with a positive vision to rival Jimmy Carters hectoring and malaise.

Featuring the likes of the bookish Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse and elder statesman Mitt Romney, Radio Free GOP would hold down the proverbial fort of Reagan conservatism, continuously proving that a better way is possible. The mere existence of Radio Free GOP  like the mere existence of McCain, his fellow Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, and those aforementioned Never Trump conservatives  would no doubt drive the president and his supporters crazy. Trump would probably smear its contributors as enemies of the people, as he has the mainstream media. A slur beloved by communist apparatchiks of yore, it makes the Radio Free moniker especially appropriate.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

The weekly address wouldnt stoop to the presidents level. Ideally, it would ignore Trump entirely, alluding to him only in oblique terms. The commentary for the week of his disastrous news conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, for instance, would have endorsed the Intelligence Communitys finding of Russian intervention in the 2016 election, pledged to prevent such an intrusion from ever happening again, and reminded listeners as to the ways in which Moscow threatens Americas alliances, interests and values. It would have expressed, in other words, what a Republican president of the United States should have said.

Engaging Trump directly risks George Bernard Shaws timeless observation that one should never wrestle with a pig because you get dirty and the pig likes it. Just ask Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

What Trump fears most is being ignored. And what he envies most are people (like the late McCain) better than him, who achieve renown not through demagoguery and deceit but personal sacrifice and courage. By acting as if he doesnt exist and appealing to our better angels, Radio Free GOP would help tear down the wall of Trumpian depravity.

James Kirchick, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, is author of The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues and the Coming Dark Age.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
Ive taken to walking in the early mornings when extreme heat makes it impossible to do otherwise. Walking clears my head. Its how I root myself; it helps me, literally and metaphorically, keep my feet on the ground. On hot days, it also has gotten me thinking about Los Angeles above the surface of the streets.

Im referring to shade, which I cant help but map informally as I stroll. By the end of my walks, I am sweaty and heat-saturated, looking for whatever patches of cover I can find in my mid-city neighborhood.

I know: Sun colors the Southern California mythos. Come to Los Angeles, Danny DeVitos character declares in the film L.A. Confidential. The sun shines bright, the beaches are wide and inviting, and the orange groves stretch as far as the eye can see. No one makes a legend out of shade.

Thats too bad, because when it gets hot, whatever takes the edge off is as essential as the sun. Think about it, how it feels to step outside after sunset, or into the morning haze of the marine layer. Just to imagine it makes me sigh with relief.

Advertisement

Theres a reason the best film noirs take place at night, and its not only that theyre shot in black and white. Los Angeles flexes, loosens its shoulders, out from under the tyranny of the sun.

Theres a reason the best film noirs take place at night, and its not only that theyre shot in black and white.

But mostly the sun wins. Shade is sparse here, even in adequately planted communities. My street has a decent number of mature trees: sycamores mostly, with some cypresses, one excellent redwood and a smattering of palms. Just a few blocks over, though, a line of new redbuds doesnt even reach my height.

And our urban forest is growing sparser. According to a study published last year by USCs Spatial Sciences Institute, tree and shrub cover in Los Angeles County declined by an average of 1.2% annually between 2000 and 2009. In 2008, Greg McPherson of the U.S. Forest Service reported that 21% of Los Angeles had tree coverage. Nine years later, the MIT Senseable City Lab Treepedia found that number had dropped to just 15.2%.

The causes are many: everything from mansionization  in which old houses are replaced by bigger ones extending to the edge of property setbacks  to tree disease, pests (especially the polyphagous shot hole borer, a beetle) and sidewalk repair.

Removing diseased trees, of course, or those that uproot sidewalks, is necessary  as long as theyre replaced. Too often, they arent, especially in less affluent neighborhoods.

The USC study found that Baldwin Park saw a 55% loss of green cover on single-family residential lots  from 70% to 31%  in the mere span of nine years. Downey, Compton and San Pedro lost 20% of their cover during the same span.

People think of trees as decoration, Deborah Bloome, senior director of policy and research for TreePeople, headquartered in Coldwater Canyon Park, told me recently, but really, trees are part of the citys infrastructure. And they appreciate over time.

What Bloome means is that trees add to human resilience in these warming times.

Cities around the world face dramatically intensifying extreme weather and climate impacts, begins a 2017 TreePeople report, including drought, long-term water shortages, flooding and extreme heat.

Thats especially the case in Southern California. For all that we like to imagine the region as Edenic, the reality is often the opposite. Since July 6, temperatures in Los Angeles have topped 90 degrees 20 times. Wildfires in Riverside, Orange and San Diego counties have ravaged more than 40,000 acres.

The urban forest can reduce street level temperatures, through shade as well as water evaporation, by as much as 3.6 degrees.

More to the point, planting and maintaining healthy trees offers a means to seize the warming future, to remake it on our terms. Do we have another choice? The U.S. Interior secretary blames environmental terrorist groups, not climate change, for the severity of Californias wildfires. The president is challenging the state on emissions standards for automobiles and rolling back clean air rules.

In 2006, then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced a Million Tree Initiative for Los Angeles. A good idea, but by the time he left office in 2013, fewer than half the promised trees were planted.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Now Mayor Eric Garcetti is developing another plan, OurLA2040, for growth over the next 20 years. In addition to more public transportation and affordable housing, expansion of the urban forest ought to be a centerpiece  and before 2040, please.

To look at the MIT Treepedia online map of Los Angeles is instructive. The basin is represented by a lattice of green and yellow-green lines interspersed with gaps and streaks of brown. What I see is faithful to what I see in my neighborhood: leafier streets north of Pico, less green along the sidewalks I frequent most.

I think about that one excellent redwood I pass by when I walk. It must account for some of the green near me. I was excited the first time I noticed it, as if an exotic visitor had moved in next door. These days, Im just glad its still standing, so that as the heat rises, I can find refuge in its shade.

David L. Ulin is a contributing writer to Opinion.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
To the editor: Well, what do you know? It seems the president may be human after all, as he is reportedly deeply wounded by having been excluded from Sen. John McCains funeral and other momentous events at which grace, decorum and compassion are called for.

What did President Trump expect? To continue without consequence bullying and humiliating people in his attempt to cover up his bottomless well of insecurities and feelings of inferiority, unconscious though they may be?

We reap what we sow, Mr. President. And even if he were familiar with this basic truth, hed think it didnt apply to him.

Carol P. Surface, Beverly Hills

Advertisement

..

To the editor: Everyone knows there was no love lost between Trump and McCain. Thus, rather than gush hypocritically, Trumps short but respectful message of condolence to the family was appropriate.

I have a worse taste in my mouth when I compare the terrible things Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said about presidential nominee McCain in 2008 to Schumers hagiographical eulogy after McCains death. It is easier to say nice things about the dead when they are no threat to your platform.

As someone who voted for McCain in 2008, I am waiting all my friends to call me and apologize for the nasty things they said about him, and me for supporting him.

David Goodwin, Pasadena

..

To the editor: Shunning is a time-honored, traditional method of influencing, encouraging or coercing acceptable behavior. Failing that, shunning seeks to reduce the influence of the shunned.

In the case of Trump, whose behavior falls measurably far outside whats acceptable, shunning is the appropriate response.

Nevertheless, the Republican Party practices enabling, which reinforces existing behaviors. If this persists, Trumps behavior will become the new normal.

Thomas Bliss, Sherman Oaks

..

To the editor: I understand that the Los Angeles Times customer base is very left-leaning, but must a story on the front page of the newspaper read like an op-ed article?

Using McCains death as an opportunity to slam Trump as front-page news is more than a little depressing. Worse, any attempt to dispute such biased reporting is interpreted as an attack on the free press.

Roger H. Hoh, Grass Valley, Calif.

..

To the editor: In 2006, I was a brigade-level staff officer and ethics instructor in the U.S. Army, and I was preparing for a second deployment to Iraq.

Before we deployed I taped to my office door an article by McCain denouncing the use of torture. McCain reminded us that torture is never effective, and he detailed how it damages our soul as a nation.

Whatever differences in political philosophy I had with him, I always admired his integrity, humility and personal courage.. He was a military and national hero, and he will be sorely missed.

Scott A. Sterling, Canyon Country

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
Newsoms budget proposes $3 million for Alzheimers research, brain task force By Melody Gutierrez Amyloid plaques, shown here in human brains, are a hallmark of Alzheimers disease. (UCLA School of Medicine) Gov. Gavin Newsom will call for the creation of a brain health task force and dedicate $3 million annually from the states general fund to Alzheimers disease research in the budget proposal he will release Thursday, a source close to the administration said. The money for Alzheimers research would target the new grants at understanding why the disease is more prevalent in women and people of color. Former California first lady and Alzheimers activist Maria Shriver pushed for the funding to be included in the state budget. Shriver said in a statement Wednesday that the funding would make California the first state to make understanding our brains a priority. The states former first lady, whose late father Sargent Shriver was diagnosed with Alzheimers, founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement, an advocacy group raising awareness about womens increased risk for developing the disease. In 2011, she wrote a comprehensive assessment on the disease, to which Newsom  then mayor of San Francisco  contributed a portion called What one city is doing. This is personal to me, just like it is to millions of California families, Shriver said. Alzheimers is one of the largest medical, social and economic crises in our state, and of our time. I am so proud that, once again, California is leading the way. Wiping out Alzheimers is going to require bold thinking, and there is no doubt in my mind that California is home to bold thinkers who can make this happen. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Gavin Newsom orders reinvention of troubled California DMV By Patrick McGreevy A line of people stretches around the South L.A. location of a California Department of Motor Vehicles Office on Aug. 7. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday ordered an overhaul of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, which has been plagued by hours-long wait times at field offices, computer crashes and voter registration errors involving tens of thousands of customers. Just a few days after taking office, Newsom appointed a top advisor to a new DMV Reinvention Strike Team to revamp the beleaguered agency over the next six months. By any metric, California DMV has been chronically mismanaged and failed in its fundamental mission to the state customers it serves and the state workers it employs, Newsom said in a statement, adding Its time for a reinvention. The governor appointed state Government Operations Agency Secretary Marybel Batjer to lead the strike team with a goal of modernizing the agency and enacting changes that improve customer satisfaction, employee performance and transparency. Newsom also ordered an accelerated review of initial findings of an ongoing audit ordered last year by Gov. Jerry Brown. The action was welcomed by lawmakers who have been critical of the DMV, including Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield). The egregious management failures of the DMV have been self-evident, which is why I have been calling for new leadership and a comprehensive independent audit of this troubled state agency over and over again as the problems grew significantly worse, Fong said. Last summer, Californians seeking new driver licenses complained of wait times of four to six hours at DMV offices, which the agency blamed partly on snafus caused by a rush of people trying to get Real IDs, a new identification card design required for airline passengers starting in late 2020. Delays were also blamed on computer crashes at DMV offices as the agency struggled to update its aging automation systems. The DMV also admitted that there were an estimated 23,000 errors as people either were unknowingly registered to vote or mistakes were made in their registration status as part of the states new motor voter program. The agency registered to vote as many as 1,500 people with legal U.S. residency but no citizenship. Last month, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto retired from the agency. Legislators were angered earlier this week when the DMV said it needed an additional $40 million to prevent the return of long lines at its field offices. In addition, the agency has been under fire for issuing driver licenses in the last year that do not comply with the federal Real ID standards requiring two forms of identification by applicants. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California police unions are preparing to battle new transparency law in the courtroom By Maya Lau Just as a landmark police transparency law is going into effect, some California police agencies are shredding internal affairs documents and law enforcement unions are rushing to block the information from being released. The new law, which begins to unwind Californias strictest-in-the-nation protections over the secrecy of law enforcement records, opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. But the lawsuits and records destruction, which began even before the law took effect Jan. 1, could tie up the release of information for months or years, and in some instances, prevent it from ever being disclosed. The fact that police unions are challenging this law is on some level not surprising, said Peter Bibring, director of police practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, one of the principal supporters of the new law. They have a long history of fighting tooth and nail against transparency. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Secretary of State Alex Padilla begins second term with challenge to ensure every Californian is counted By Jazmine Ulloa Secretary of State Alex Padilla takes the oath of office as his family stands by his side on Monday in Sacramento. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Secretary of State Alex Padilla was sworn in for a second term on Monday, saying he would continue the battle to protect the right to vote at a time when voter suppression efforts, online disinformation campaigns and interference from foreign adversaries have polarized the public and threatened to undermine trust in U.S. elections. I am doubling down on our fight here in Sacramento and in Washington, D.C., to defend our democracy, he said. Working on the front lines with so many of you, I know that our collective resolve has never been stronger. But the loudest applause came when Padilla promised to fight back against the Trump administrations changes to the U.S. census, saying he will ensure every Californian gets counted. Padilla, a former state senator and Los Angeles City Council member from the San Fernando Valley, led the cause for a new motor voter registration law in 2015, and a new system for online business registrations. But the programs have had experienced problems: More than 23,000 Californians were registered to vote incorrectly by the state DMV, the agency reported last year. On Monday, Padilla said he would continue to push back against false claims of voter fraud in California and pointed to the states voter turnout as proof that his office was involving more people in the democratic process, a promise he made when he was first sworn in four years ago. More than 12.7 million voters cast ballots in the Nov. 6 midterm election, representing roughly 65% of the states registered voters, the highest number of any midterm election since 1982, according to state certified results. I made that promise based on a shared belief that we are a stronger democracy and a better California when we hear all voices from all corners of California, and when those voices are not just heard but counted, Padilla said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Ricardo Lara, Californias first statewide officeholder to come out as gay, sworn in as insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara on the floor of the state Senate in 2016. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Ricardo Lara took the oath of office as California insurance commissioner on Monday, pledging action to boost healthcare coverage and combat climate change. Lara, a Democrat from Bell Gardens, is the first elected statewide officeholder in California who has come out as gay. He began his speech in downtown Sacramento by thanking LGBTQ leaders who came before him and celebrated the occasion. Today, because of you, weve shattered the pink ceiling, Lara said. In his inaugural speech, Lara announced the creation of an executive position in his office to address climate change. There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and our environment, Lara said. Our planet cant wait. Im ready, and I hope you are too. Lara served as a state legislator and in 2017 introduced a bill to create a single-payer healthcare system in the state. He promised to work with new Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand coverage across California. Lara was sworn in by retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who declared unconstitutional Californias Proposition 8 gay marriage ban. State Sen. President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) was on hand for the ceremony along with multiple other state lawmakers. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

New California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis says she will help expand access to universities in the state New Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, center, is shown in June talking with attendees at the Power to the Polls rally in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) More Californians should be given access to public universities, Eleni Kounalakis said as she took the oath of office Monday to become the states first woman elected lieutenant governor. Kounalakis was given the oath of office by Gov. Gavin Newsom, her predecessor in the job, who pledged they would work together. As lieutenant governor, Kounalakis serves on the University of California Board of Regents and the California State University Board of Trustees, she noted in a speech at her swearing-in ceremony at the main Sacramento Library. In that role, she said, she will be committed to expanding access to affordable public higher education here in our state. Its wise, its smart and it is the best way to address our rapidly changing digital economy. Kounalakis is former president of a development company founded by her father, Angelo Tsakopoulos, and served during the Obama administration as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary. In November, she won her first run for statewide office. Also attending the ceremony were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California meets Dutch Newsom, who steals the show at his fathers inauguration By Taryn Luna Gov. Gavin Newsom gives his inaugural address while holding his youngest son, Dutch. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) In the California political world, all eyes were on Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday until his 2-year-old son stole the show. Dutch, the youngest of four children in the Newsom brood, climbed onstage in the middle of his fathers inaugural address in a tent outside the Capitol on Monday. The unplanned moment saw the 51-year-old governors big day interrupted by the toddler, bringing levity to the ceremony. Newsom was recounting Gov. Jerry Browns last inaugural speech and reference to the Sermon on the Mount, a biblical story about two men who built separate homes on sand and rock, when Dutch approached his father, a pacifier in his mouth and blanket in hand. Now more than ever we Californians know how much a house matters and children matter, Newsom said, improvising as he scooped the boy into his arms. The governor kissed Dutch on the cheek and held him for several minutes as he continued with the speech. This is exactly how it was scripted, Newsom joked. Newsom eventually put his child down and Dutch walked to the edge of the stage before retreating behind the podium to hide from his mother, First Lady Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The crowd roared. Siebel Newsom was able to briefly divert her son only for him to return to the stage minutes later. She grabbed him again and this time, the crying toddler did not reemerge. When fires strikes, when kids cry and the earth shakes, well be there for each other, Newsom said. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who said the moment humanized Newsom, threw cold water on any theories that Dutchs cameo was planned. No, I know it was not, Garcetti said with a laugh after Newsoms speech concluded. I could see that look of absolute abject terror [on Newsoms face]. Weve all been there. Kids always think its about themselves and theyve proved it. California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) agreed. I worked in early childhood education for 20 years and theres no way you can ever get a child to do anything when you want them to do it, Rendon said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Fiona Ma takes oath as Californias new treasurer By Liam Dillon State Treasurer Fiona Ma. Fiona Ma took the oath of office in Sacramento on Monday as the states 34th treasurer, promising to boost Californias economy. Ma previously served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in the state Assembly and on the California Board of Equalization. I want to thank everyone for entrusting me with this important job. I understand my role here as your state treasurer is to build that financial wall around California so that we will remain the fifth-largest economy, Ma said in brief remarks. That is my promise to you. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye administered the oath to Ma. Following the ceremony, Ma held an ice cream social for guests. On Wednesday, she will host a public event in San Francisco to celebrate her swearing-in. State Treasurer Fiona Ma takes the oath of office. (Liam Dillon / Los Angeles Times) Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Expectations are high for newly sworn-in state schools chief Tony Thurmond Tony Thurmond shakes hands with retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco after taking the oath of office. (Melody Gutierrez / Los Angeles Times) Tony Thurmond took the oath of office as Californias state superintendent of public schools on Monday, promising a labor-friendly agenda before the teachers, students and Democratic officials who filled an auditorium at McClatchy High School in Sacramento to watch him being sworn in. We cant close the achievement gap without a great teacher at the head of every class, Thurmond said Monday to applause. We have to make sure we provide quality compensation and support to our teachers and our classified staff and all the educators who support our kids. Thurmond, a Bay Area Democrat who served in the state Assembly, won a hotly contested and expensive race with the help of labor leaders against charter school executive Marshall Tuck. The race took several days to sort out after Tuck held an initial lead in early returns on election night before falling behind thereafter. Thurmond was sworn in Monday by retired Alameda County Superior Court Judge Gordon Baranco. He was joined on stage by labor rights leader Dolores Huerta and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). Thurmonds former colleagues in the state Assembly took turns praising him and promising to be an ally in improving schools. Many said they expected Thurmond would be a strong leader focused on improving student outcomes. We know we are going to work hard to give you the money you need and the budget you need to fully fund education and our schools so we can put our money where our mouth is and make sure our children have everything they need, Assemblywoman Connie Leyva (D-Chino Hills) said. As state superintendent, Thurmond will oversee the education of 6.2 million students at 10,000 schools. Thurmond was a member of the West Contra Costa County School Board and a Richmond city councilman before he was elected to the state Assembly. Tony is the right man at the right time to fight the federal, Donald Trump, Betsy DeVos anti-child, anti-education, anti-civil and -human rights agenda, U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said. Tony is going to do that for us. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

State Controller Betty Yee takes oath of office with call for more affordable housing and healthcare State Controller Betty Yee California Controller Betty Yee took the oath of office Monday for a second term, saying she still has work to do addressing problems that include a lack of affordability in housing, healthcare and higher education. A San Francisco native, Yee is the chief financial officer of California  the fifth-largest economy in the world  having first won election to the post in 2014 before winning reelection in November. No region is spared from the widening inequality and increased poverty that plague our state, fueled by the lack of affordable, stable housing, the cost of healthcare and transportation, limited educational opportunities, student loan debt, displacement caused by disasters and more, she said. Yee was administered the oath of office by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento before an overflow crowd that included state Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and San Francisco Mayor London Breed. As a public official it is about governance that delivers results and stays accountable while upholding the underlying value of dignity for all, Yee said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra begins new term promising to fight Trump policies California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on Monday took the oath of office for a new term, saying he would continue his role as a leading challenger to Trump administration actions that he believes are counter to the states interests. Becerra, a former 12-term congressman, has become a national opposition figure to Trump, having sued the federal government 45 times since he was appointed as the states first Latino attorney general in 2017. Weve been a little busy stopping the dysfunction and insanity in Washington, D.C., from infecting California, Becerra told an audience during a swearing-in ceremony at the California Museum in Sacramento. Whether its the criminals on our streets or the conman in the boardrooms or highest office of the land, Becerra said, the California Department of Justice, well, weve got your back. Becerra won his first statewide election as the states top cop in November, two years after he filled the post vacated when predecessor Kamala Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate. He has peppered the Trump administration with lawsuits challenging federal policies on healthcare, the U.S. census, the environment and immigration. Our state builds dreams, not walls, he said in a direct criticism of Trumps proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. Just last week, Becerra led a coalition of 17 Democratic attorneys general in announcing an appeal of a federal judge in Texas that ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional. The ACA has been the law for nearly a decade and is the backbone of our healthcare system, Becerra said last week. This case impacts nearly every American  workers covered by employers, families, women, children, young adults and seniors  so we will lead the ACAs defense as long and far as it takes. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California Democratic Party Vice Chairman Daraka Larimore-Hall announces bid to lead group By Christine Mai-Duc Daraka Larimore-Hall. (Dominic Parisi / Courtesy of Daraka Larimore-Hall) Daraka Larimore-Hall, a top official at the California Democratic Party, said Monday hes running to replace former chairman Eric Bauman, who resigned abruptly in November after being confronted with allegations of sexual misconduct. Larimore-Hall, a longtime state party activist and former chairman of the Democratic Party of Santa Barbara County, was one of the party leaders who urged Bauman to resign following the allegations. In an email to supporters announcing his bid, he urged both structural and cultural change at every level of our Party. He also repeated his call for a top-to-bottom investigation of the allegations, the party and its culture. In a Times investigation, 10 party activists and staff members said Bauman made crude sexual comments and engaged in unwanted touching and physical intimidation in professional settings. In order to be where we need to be for 2020, we have to confront the culture of abuse and fear that allowed someone to behave in such a vile way for so long, Larimore-Hall said in an interview. We cant brush it aside or think that our activists or our candidates or our donors are going to forget about this overnight. Larimore-Hall said his first priority would be to fully investigate the allegations and restore rank-and-file confidence in the partys leadership. The second would be to refocus the party on political priorities as the 2020 presidential election nears. The Bauman episode, Larimore-Hall said, threatens to derail the Democrats plans to help defeat President Trump and keep the seven congressional seats gained in the midterm elections. Its definitely a crisis, Larimore-Hall said. But the component parts  the energy, the enthusiasm, the volunteers, the infrastructure  its still there. We just need to direct it toward something. Larimore-Hall was elected vice chairman of the state party in February following Baumans razor-thin victory over Bay Area activist Kimberly Ellis. Ellis has announced another bid for the chairmanship and former state Senate leader Kevin de Leon is also mulling a run. The vote will take place at the partys May convention in San Francisco. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom will vow to seize this moment, and swipe at Trump in Monday inaugural address By Melanie Mason Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family attend an Inauguration Family Event at the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Building on the theme of California exceptionalism that defined his campaign, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will depict the state as a guardian of progressive values and a counterweight to President Trump in his inaugural address Monday, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks. What we do today is even more consequential, because of whats happening in our country, read the excerpts obtained by The Times. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe  they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment. The speech casts Californias political stakes in a decidedly national scope, promising an agenda that will unify and be an example to the rest of the country. It contrasts the governing goals of Newsom, a Democrat, with that of Trump, the incoming governors perennial foil. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House, the excerpts say. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people. Newsom campaigned on an ambitious and wide-ranging platform, promising sweeping solutions on housing, healthcare, education and other issues that rank among Californians top concerns. In the weeks after his election, he struck a more muted tone, taking pains to emphasize his fiscal caution and need for patience in achieving those goals. The inaugural excerpts indicate a return to lofty pledges. While Newsom will vow to prepare for uncertain times ahead by building budgetary reserves and paying down debt, the prepared remarks quickly turn to a vow to be bold. Newsom has already floated several proposals for his first budget that carry significant price tags, including a nearly $2-billion plan to boost early childhood development for low-income families and a dramatic expansion of paid family leave from six weeks to six months. When asked for a preview of his inauguration speech during a news conference Sunday evening, Newsom predicted pundits would criticize his address as short on specifics. Well, of course, Im at an inaugural, Newsom said. But Ill be very detailed in the budget, a few days later. And then we will architect, in much more nuance and detail, in state of the state. I really see this as three opportunities  to communicate over the next few weeks our agenda, our vision for the state. Times staff writer Taryn Luna contributed to this report. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom-hosted benefit concert raises nearly $5 million for wildfire victims By Taryn Luna Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom speaks at a concert to benefit wildfire victims at the Golden 1 Arena in Sacramento on Jan. 6. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) On the eve of the gubernatorial inauguration, Californias political class rubbed elbows in Sacramento for a benefit concert hosted by Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and headlined by the rapper Pitbull. Newsom told the crowd gathered at the Golden 1 Center on Sunday evening that the fundraiser brought in nearly $5 million for the California Wildfire Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that supports the families of fallen firefighters and communities affected by wildfires. You know, a lot of folks feel anxious about not just politics, but government, Newsom said on stage before introducing the rapper and activist Common. But those firefighters, they are the antidote to the fear and cynicism; they are the manifestation of why government matters and why you should care. Top sponsors, including Salesforce, Kaiser Permanente and other interest groups, paid up to $1 million each to support the cause and curry favor with the new administration. Nathan Click, a spokesman for Newsom, said organizers sold more than 7,000 tickets. Several state lawmakers attended the concert alongside Capitol staff, lobbyists and business types, who mingled on the floor of the arena and offstage in private VIP areas. The rock band X Ambassadors and a duo called the Cold Weather Sons from the town of Paradise, which was destroyed by fire in November, were among several performers who entertained the crowd during the four-hour event. The California Rises concert is the final in a series of festivities held Sunday to celebrate the inauguration of Californias 40th governor. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum and his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. Newsoms inauguration is set to begin at 11 a.m. Monday on the steps of the Capitol. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Inauguration fever hits Sacramento as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom prepares to take office By Phil Willon Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom holds his son, Dutch, as he and his family attend an inaugural event at the at the state Railroad Museum Sunday. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom doesnt officially take the oath of office until Monday, but the parties celebrating his inauguration were in full swing all day Sunday. Newsom and his family were mobbed by well-wishers at the California State Railroad Museum at the Old Sacramento Waterfront in the afternoon, where his inaugural committee hosted a free party for families. He just has charisma. Hes able to really connect with people, said Rosielyn Pulmano, an attorney from Elk Grove who came to see Newsom with her husband, two sons and her niece. I think he cares about working Californians and a lot of their issues. Newsom arrived with his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their four young children, and the governor-elect spent a good deal of his time wading through crowds, taking selfies with supporters and signing autographs as music boomed in the background. As the family toured the inside of the museums locomotives and the bevy of exhibits, Newsoms two-year-old son, Dutch, was wide-eyed, impressed by all the train cars and seemingly a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Newsom said that for his son, all that was missing from the museum was Thomas the Train, popular fictional locomotive in childrens books and cartoons . If theres one thing I can contribute to Sacramento maybe its getting a Thomas the Train exhibit for the two years olds, Newsom joked when talking with reporters afterward. Newsom said he wanted to include such an event in his inaugural festivities to highlight families and children, whose wellbeing will be among the top priorities of his administration. Youll see that not only as a preamble to the inaugural and the budget that well be submitting next week, but I think itll be a big part of the administration, Newsom said. The museum event followed a private, high-dollar brunch at Sacramentos Crocker Art Museum. A steady rain failed to dissuade as many as 200 guests who sipped wine and dined on chicken and salmon while waiting for a photo with Californias new first couple. Seen at the event were representatives of some of the states most powerful political interests, among them organized labor, healthcare companies and tribal gaming interests. A few other high-profile guests attended, too, including Larry Baer, CEO of the San Francisco Giants, and Erika Jayne, a singer and cast member of the reality TV show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Im excited to see someone like Gavin  young, vibrant  taking over the state and leading us into the future, Jayne said after attending the brunch with her husband, attorney Tom Girardi. Hes got a lot of great plans. Attendees said the event, which was closed to reporters and held under a tent in the museums outdoor atrium, did not include prepared remarks by Newsom. Among those seen leaving the event were representatives of AT&T, the California Medical Assn., Uber, Kaiser Permanente and the State Building and Construction Trades Council. A fundraising invitation obtained by The Times offered bundled tickets to all of the inauguration events, including those on Sunday and the Monday ceremony, ranging in price from $25,000 to $200,000. The money will be collected by a committee specifically organized to pay for Newsoms inaugural weekend. Sundays festivities are scheduled to end with a benefit concert headlined by Pitbull at the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBAs Sacramento Kings, to raise money for the victims of Californias recent deadly wildfires. Among the attendees at @GavinNewsoms pre-inaugural leadership brunch: Real Housewife of

Bev Hills @erikajayne. Im excited to see someone like Gavinyoung, vibranttaking over the state and leading us into the future. Hes got a lot of great plans. pic.twitter.com/561NHiy2XQ  Melanie Mason (@melmason) January 6, 2019 Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

As Newsom inaugural events begin, he unveils more state budget promises on education and paid family leave Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, seen here last April, will propose new state budget efforts on paid family leave and education subsidies. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Californias incoming governor, who must send his first state budget plan to the Legislature this week, has already signaled a significant new focus on programs to help families and children from infancy to college. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom campaigned on a platform that included a number of child-focused efforts specifically aimed at helping lower-income families. The price tag for the initial efforts is expected to approach $2 billion  a cost paid out of an unrestricted tax revenue windfall that could be one of the largest in state history. Newsom may also seek help for families through new subsidies paid by California employers. The governor-elect is expected to propose a dramatic expansion of paid parental leave  from six weeks to six months  according to an internal document provided by a source close to the Newsom transition team, first reported on Sunday by the New York Times. The document doesnt offer a full explanation for how the program will be funded, saying instead that the budget will set a goal of ensuring that all newborns and newly adopted babies can be cared for by a parent or a close family member for the first six months. Employers across the state are currently assessed a payroll tax that helps offer a subsidy to parents who temporarily leave their job to care for a newborn. Newsoms plan, according to the document, would pay for some of the new costs by shrinking the mandated cash reserve of the state fund that administers the program, allowing more of the money to be paid in benefits. The increase in paid leave would not all happen at once but instead be phased in over a multi-year period. A task force to help implement the expanded care plan is also envisioned, according to the document. It would determine whether two parents could split the six months of paid leave and whether an extended family member could be enlisted to help care for the child of a single parent over the six-month period. The incoming administrations focus on young children will also include $1.8 billion in new spending on early childhood education programs, with a particular focus on training childcare workers and pushing for more California schools to offer full-day kindergarten. Those costs, according to an overview memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times, are considered to be a one-time expense while leaving the long-term costs of the effort to be determined later. More community college students would get free tuition under a third initiative expected in the new governors budget plan. Newsom will propose spending $40 million to offer a second year of tuition-free college to California students, according to an outline provided by a transition official, first reported by Politico. Students are already eligible for a single year of paid tuition under a plan agreed to by Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers in 2017. The incoming governor embraced the idea of free community college during the 2018 campaign as part of a broader focus on additional investments in higher education. Education is an economic development strategy, Newsom said at a higher education forum last spring. We need to significantly increase the investment from the general fund of this state on higher education. Theres no greater higher return on investment. Whether the proposal would be targeted to students based on a familys financial need is unclear. Many low-income students are already eligible for fee waivers at community colleges. The new governor must submit his full state budget plan to lawmakers no later than Thursday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gavin Newsom and his family decide Sacramento is the place to be The Old Governors Mansion State Historic Park in Sacramento. Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will move his family into the mansion. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and his family will give up the Marin County life and move to the Victorian-style governors mansion in Sacramento after he takes the oath of office Monday. Newsom and his wife, documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom, had debated whether or when to relocate to the state capital since his election in November. The couple have four young children and expressed reservations about moving in the middle of a school year. To best serve the people of California while also maximizing family time together, the Newsoms have therefore decided to move to Sacramento, said Newsoms spokesman, Nathan Click. On Monday, they will move into the Governors Mansion  along with their four children, their two family dogs, and their family bunny rabbit  and reside there for the immediate future. The Newsoms currently live in Marin County. Gov. Jerry Brown and his wife, Ann Gust Brown, moved into the grand house in 2015 after it underwent $4.1 million in renovations to update electrical and plumbing systems, as well as to remove lead-based paint and install a fire sprinkler system and other security features. The mansion was built in 1877 and has been home to 14 governors, but before Brown it had not housed a California governor for nearly half a century. The state bought the mansion from a wealthy Sacramento hardware merchant, Albert Gallatin, in 1903 for $32,500. It was one of the few California homes at that time to have indoor plumbing. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom announces top labor, business liaisons as he prepares to take office Julie Su will be secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency for Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday named two advisors on issues related to the California economy, each recognized for their expertise on business and labor. The incoming governor will appoint Julie Su as secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and Lenny Mendonca as chief economic and business advisor and director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development. Su, 49, has served as state labor commissioner under Gov. Jerry Brown since 2011 and has led an office tasked with the enforcement of Californias labor laws. She won a MacArthur Foundation genius grant in 2001 and previously worked as a civil rights attorney representing low-wage workers. In her new position, Su will be tasked with coordinating the work of several workforce departments in state government, including those that administer unemployment benefits and oversee the relationship between agriculture workers and employers. Mendonca, 57, has been a longtime advocate for rethinking government operations as co-chairman of the nonprofit organization California Forward. Previously, he was partner at McKinsey & Co., a global management consulting firm. While he will be a key advisor to Newsom on the states economy, Mendonca will also lead the office often referred to as Go-Biz, designated as a high-level way to encourage job growth and economic development. In his new role, Mendonca will help ensure that California is rolling out the welcome mat to current and future California businesses and growing a sustainable economy for every Californian, said a statement from the Newsom transition team. Newsom will take the oath of office as governor Monday. He has previously selected key advisors on the state budget, legislative affairs and the executive branchs wide array of agencies and departments. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Joshua Groban, aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, sworn in to California Supreme Court By Taryn Luna California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban gives remarks after he is sworn into the court by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. (Taryn Luna) California Supreme Court Justice Joshua Groban, a lawyer and longtime aide to Gov. Jerry Brown, was sworn into the states highest court Thursday in Sacramento. The ceremony marked Browns fourth appointment to the state Supreme Court and gave the seven-member bench a Democratic majority. We live in a highly chaotic, ever-changing and ever-confusing world, Groban said in prepared remarks at the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building. But Im happy to report that Im joining an institution whose fundamental purpose, at core, is to provide stability and consistency amidst this chaotic place we live. I look forward to doing that with a sense of reflection, respect, fidelity to the law and compassion. None of Browns appointees, Groban included, have judicial experience. Groban served as legal counsel to Browns 2010 gubernatorial campaign and joined the administration as a senior advisor to the governor, overseeing the appointments of some 600 judges over the last eight years. Prior to working with Brown, Groban, 45, practiced law for more than a decade. In perhaps his final public appearance before his successor, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, takes office next week, Brown pushed back on notions that he stacked the court. I dont want this to be known as a Brown court, the governor said before administering the judicial oath of office. First of all, the so-called Brown appointments do not agree with themselves and nor should they. They are individuals. They will differ. Its not anybodys court. The governor called the court a high calling and said Groban possesses the values for the job. Probably, next to my wife, Ive talked to no person as much as Ive talked to Josh Groban, Brown said. I think youve talked to him more, Californias First Lady Anne Gust Brown interjected. I cant tell you what the hell hes going to do, Brown later quipped. I warned him, dont screw up, at least not at first. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California campaign watchdog agency seeks law barring use of campaign funds to fight harassment claims Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). ( (Steve Yeater / Associated Press)) Elected officials accused of harassment or discrimination would be barred from using political contributions to cover their legal defense costs under legislation proposed by Californias campaign watchdog agency. The state Fair Political Practices Commission has agreed to pursue a law change to clear up confusion after an attorney for one former state lawmaker argued political funds could be used in such legal defenses. Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said putting a prohibition into the law would provide some much needed clarity. As chair, I would like to show the public their lawmakers are held to a standard that is above reproach, Germond said in a statement. People dont give money to campaigns for lawmakers to use it to defend their own bad behavior, so lawmakers shouldnt be able to use it in that manner. The issue came up a year ago when an attorney for former Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia) sought a formal opinion from the FPPC after the Senate launched an investigation that later concluded Mendoza likely engaged in a pattern of harassment against female aides. Mendoza resigned in February under threat of expulsion by the Senate. In a Jan. 10, 2018, letter, Cassandra Ferrannini, an attorney for Mendoza, wrote to the FPPC that she believed Mendoza should be allowed to establish a legal defense fund able to defray his legal expenses in defending himself against the allegations. The use of campaign funds for attorneys fees under these circumstances would fall squarely within the scope of legislative matters, since it involves the alleged conduct of a legislator with regard to legislative staff that he supervised, Ferrannini wrote. The commission staff originally issued an advice letter that said Mendoza may use campaign and legal defense funds to defend himself from claims of sexual harassment that arose directly out of his activities or status as a candidate or elected officer. But the panel later rescinded the letter after some members questioned using campaign funds to fight sexual harassment claims. That left uncertainty about what was allowed, which Germond said could be cleared up by a new law. The FPPC is still looking for a legislator to carry the bill, a spokesman said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias landmark police transparency law takes effect after court denies police union effort to block it California Supreme Court building (Eric Risberg / Associated Press) A new state law allowing the public disclosure of internal police shooting investigations has gone into effect after the California Supreme Court on Wednesday denied a bid by a police union to block it. The law opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. challenged the law last month, asking state Supreme Court justices to decide that the law only apply to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. The court rejected that request Wednesday, allowing members of the public to seek all applicable records held by police departments. Union president Grant Ward said in a statement that his organization was disappointed with the decision and is now seeking other legal options. We feel this is a statewide issue and should be considered accordingly, Ward said. Last month, the city of Inglewood authorized the destruction of more than 100 police shooting investigations and other records in advance of Jan. 1, when the disclosure law was scheduled to take effect. California law requires police departments to keep such records for five years, and Inglewood City Council voted to destroy records older than that. Mayor James T. Butts has said the decision had nothing to do with the new law. In Los Angeles, Police Chief Michel Moore has said that complying with the new disclosure rules could take hundreds of thousands of hours of work. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of the transparency law, has said she has no immediate plans to propose changes to it. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Few complaints of racial profiling are sustained by police agencies in California, state panel finds CHP Officer J. Nelson stands outside the office of Gov. Jerry Brown as activists in 2015 support requiring the tracking of police stops. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Law enforcement agencies in California sustain few citizen complaints of racial or identity profiling, according to a report Wednesday by a state panel set up to help reduce bias in policing. The states Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board recommended in its annual report that law enforcement agencies improve training and adopt clear guidelines for tracking and reporting data on who is stopped by officers. The panel said that 453 law enforcement agencies in the state received 9,459 civilian complaints in 2017, including 865 complaints alleging racial or identity profiling. Of the racial and identity complaints that reached a disposition that year, 1.5% were sustained, 14.6% resulted in officers being exonerated and 83.9% of complaints were not sustained or were determined to be unfounded, the report said. A clearer picture of the issue is expected from a 2015 law that requires police agencies to report demographic data on all detentions and searches. The first reports by the eight largest agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, are due to be submitted in April. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, whose office oversees the board, said tracking of all detentions and searches will be helpful to understand the scope of the issue. The Boards recommendations will help make our law enforcement agencies more transparent and promote critical steps to enhance, and in some cases, repair the public trust, Becerra said in a statement Wednesday. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California housing crisis podcast: What Minneapolis decision to end single-family zoning might mean for California A view of downtown Minneapolis in 2014 (Stephen Maturen / Getty Images) Theres a national movement brewing to roll back zoning rules in cities that only allow one house on a plot of land. The epicenter of that movement is Minneapolis, which passed a plan last month to eliminate single-family zoning citywide and let landowners build duplexes and triplexes on residential property. On this episode of Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast, we talk about the reasons why Minneapolis leaders took this action, including their desire to combat a history of racial exclusion and spur more housing density to fight climate change. We also debate how Minneapolis decision might affect housing politics in California. Our guest is Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender, who helped shepherd the new zoning rules to passage and a former San Francisco city planner. The episode also crowns 2018s Avocado of the Year  the most ridiculous story exemplifying Californias housing woes  and includes our predictions for the most under-the-radar important themes in housing politics in 2019. Gimme Shelter, a biweekly podcast that looks at why its so expensive to live in California and what the state can do about it, features Liam Dillon, who covers housing affordability issues for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau, and Matt Levin, data and housing reporter for CALmatters. You can subscribe to Gimme Shelter on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Google Play and Overcast. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

How young immigrant Dreamers made flipping control of the House a personal quest By Jazmine Ulloa Gabriela Cruz, who was brought to the U.S. illegally when she was 1, couldnt vote, but in the final hours before the Nov. 6 election, she was making one last run to get people to the polls. The sun was setting in Modesto when she found Ronald Silva, 41, smoking a cigarette on a tattered old couch behind a group home. He politely tried to wave her off until she reminded him he had a right that she as an immigrant without citizenship didnt have. It could really make a change for us, said Cruz, 29. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose almost $2 billion for early childhood programs (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Seeking to frame his new administration as one with a firm focus on closing the gap between children from affluent and poor families, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom will propose spending some $1.8 billion on an array of programs designed to boost Californias enrollment in early education and child-care programs. Newsoms plan, which he hinted at in a Fresno event last month, will be a key element in the state budget proposal he will submit to the Legislature shortly after taking office Monday, a source close to the governor-elects transition team said. The spending would boost programs designed to ensure children enter kindergarten prepared to learn, closing what some researchers have called the readiness gap that exists based on a familys income. It would also phase in an expansion of prekindergarten and offer money to help school districts that dont have facilities for full-day kindergarten. The fact that hes making significant investments with his opening budget is really exciting, Ted Lempert, president of the Bay Area-based nonprofit Children Now, said Tuesday. Whats exciting is the comprehensiveness of it, because its saying were going to focus on prenatal through age 5. A broad overview document reviewed by The Times on Tuesday shows that most of the outlay under the plan  $1.5 billion  would be a one-time expense in the budget year that begins July 1. Those dollars would be a single infusion of cash, an approach favored by Gov. Jerry Brown in recent years. Most of the money would be spent on efforts to expand child-care services and kindergarten classes. By law, a governor must submit a full budget to the Legislature no later than Jan. 10. Lawmakers will spend the winter and spring reviewing the proposal and must send a final budget plan to Newsom by June 15. Though legislative Democrats have pushed for additional early childhood funding in recent years  a key demand of the Legislative Womens Caucus  those actions have typically come late in the budget-writing season in Sacramento. Quite frankly, to start out with a January proposal that includes that investment in Californias children reflects a new day, state Sen. Holly J. Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) said. The governor-elect will propose a $750-million boost to kindergarten funding, aimed at expanding facilities to allow full-day programs. A number of school districts offer only partial-day programs, leaving many low-income families to skip enrolling their children because kindergarten classes end in the middle of the workday. Because the money would not count toward meeting Californias three-decades-old education spending guarantee under Proposition 98, which sets a minimum annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges, it will not reduce planned spending on other education services. Close behind in total cost is a budget proposal by Newsom to help train child-care workers and expand local facilities already subsidized by the state, as well as those serving parents who attend state colleges and universities. Together, those efforts could cost $747 million, according to the budget overview document. An expansion of prekindergarten programs would be phased in over three years at a cost of $125 million in the first year. The multiyear rollout would, according to the budget overview, ensure the system can plan for the increase in capacity. Lempert said the Newsom proposal is notable for trying to avoid the kinds of battles that in recent years pitted prekindergarten and expanded child care against each other for additional taxpayer dollars. The reality is we need to expand both simultaneously, he said. Another $200 million of the proposal would be earmarked for programs that provide home visits to expectant parents from limited-income families and programs that provide healthcare screenings for young children. Some of the money would come from the states Medi-Cal program, and other money from federal matching dollars. Funding for the home visits program was provided in the budget Brown signed last summer; the Newsom effort would build on that. Emphasizing a policy area with broad appeal in his first state budget could reflect Newsoms political sensibility about the challenges ahead. Democratic lawmakers and interest groups will be especially eager to see how Newsom addresses the demand for an overhaul of healthcare coverage in California  especially after a 2017 effort to create a single-payer, universal system fizzled. The path forward on healthcare is complex and costly, making early childhood education a more achievable goal in the governor-elects early tenure. Newsom is likely to face considerable demands for other additional spending. In November, the Legislatures independent analysts projected that continued strength in tax revenues could produce a cash reserve of some $29 billion over the next 18 months. Almost $15 billion of that could be in unrestricted reserves, the kind that can be spent on any number of government programs. Kim Belshe, executive director of the child advocacy organization First 5 LA and a former state health and human services secretary, said the initial Newsom budget proposal suggests the next governor will focus on a comprehensive approach to improving outcomes for children from low-income families. School-ready kids deserve quality early learning, strong and well-supported families, and access to early screening services, Belshe said. Newsom understands the whole child, multifaceted needs of our kids and is clearly ready to lead. Mitchell, the chair of the Senate budget committee, said shes eager to see the details of the governor-elects proposal to determine whether it might signal the beginning of an even broader expansion of early education efforts. Similar efforts have been hindered by a lack of money and ongoing debate over which services to help children 5 and younger need state funding the most. Universal preschool, in particular, has been debated for more than a decade. California voters rejected a ballot measure to fund a full prekindergarten system in 2006. Its clear theres a new movement afoot trying to engage on investment for universal preschool, Mitchell said. How we invest, and how we prioritize that investment, is going to be a great conversation for the coming months. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Politics Podcast: A final conversation with Gov. Jerry Brown No Californian has served longer as governor, signed more laws, granted clemency to more felons or waged more high-profile campaigns than Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown will leave behind a unique legacy when he packs his last belongings for the trip from the governors mansion in Sacramento to his Northern California ranch. His final two terms in office could be his most consequential. The governor reviewed some of the more notable moments from the past eight years in a far-reaching interview with The Times on Dec. 22. This weeks podcast episode includes extended portions of that conversation. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

A sagging economy could doom a 2020 ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes, Gov. Jerry Brown says Gov. Jerry Brown, at his Colusa County home on Saturday, said a ballot measure to raise commercial property taxes could struggle in 2020. (Randall Benton/For The Times) An effort to remove commercial property in California from the tax limits imposed by the landmark Proposition 13 could be felled by an economic slowdown, Gov. Jerry Brown said. In a Saturday interview with The Times at his Northern California ranch, Brown said liberal activist groups that have successfully placed the proposal on the November 2020 statewide ballot shouldnt read too much into early poll numbers showing support for the plan. That isnt as easy as you think, Brown said. Because youre going to be in a downturn of the business cycle. And youre talking many kinds of business. And the cost of doing business in California is already high. The ballot measure would allow counties to more frequently assess the market value of commercial property in California than allowed under Proposition 13, a 1978 ballot initiative that amended the state constitution to place strict limits on assessing property values and taxation for both homeowners and businesses. An analysis of the new measure, which qualified in October for the 2020 ballot, estimates it could bring in some $10.5 billion a year in new tax revenue. The business community will fight it, Brown said. And the minimum wage, the family leave, the environmental rules  business[es] have left California, thats going to be the big argument. And I think thats something you really have to think a lot about. The governor, who leaves office early next month due to term limits, declined to either endorse or oppose the ballot measure. He said Californias economic health in two years time could be a key factor in how voters weigh the proposal. Well be in a recession by then, Brown said. So its anybodys guess. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Inglewood to destroy more than 100 police shooting records that could otherwise become public under new California law By Jack Dolan Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) The city of Inglewood has authorized the shredding of more than 100 police shooting and other internal investigation records weeks before a new state law could allow the public to access them for the first time. The decision, made at a City Council meeting earlier this month, has troubled civil liberties advocates who were behind the state legislation, Senate Bill 1421, which takes effect Jan. 1. The law opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The legislature passed SB 1421 because communities demanded an end to the secrecy cloaking police misconduct and use of force, Marcus Benigno, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said in a statement. Inglewood PDs decision to purge records undermines police accountability and transparency against the will of Californians. California law says police departments must retain records of officer shootings and internal misconduct investigations for five years. The city of Inglewood, however, had kept records longer than that, including case files of police shootings dating to 1991. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the author of SB 1421, intended for her bill to allow public access to all qualifying records held by a department, no matter the date of the incident. Inglewood City Council approved the destruction of records that have been in the police departments possession  more than 100 cases  longer than required by law. The city staff report and council resolution describing the action makes no mention of the new police transparency law. Instead it says the affected records are obsolete, occupy valuable space, and are of no further use to the police department. It added the traditional method of destroying such records is to shred them. It is unclear whether the records have since been destroyed. A spokesman for the Inglewood Police Department along with Inglewoods city manager, attorney, clerk, four council members and Mayor James T. Butts, a former Santa Monica police chief, did not respond to requests for comment. Inglewoods City Hall is closed the last two weeks of December. The Inglewood Police Department has a reputation for secrecy and using excessive force. In 2008, the departments officers fatally shot four men in as many months, three of whom turned out to be unarmed. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a civil rights probe and found significant flaws in the way the department oversaw use-of-force cases and investigated complaints against officers. Civil rights advocates still question why Inglewood police opened fire on a couple found sleeping in a car in 2016, killing them both. California police have a long history of shredding records to avoid scrutiny of their actions. In the 1970s, the LAPD famously destroyed more than four tons of personnel records after defense attorneys began requesting them as part of criminal cases against their clients. The move resulted in the dismissal of more than a hundred criminal complaints. In response, the Legislature demanded that records be preserved but then took other measures, supported by police unions, to ensure the public had very little access to them, making California the most secretive state in the nation when it comes to police misconduct. Skinners legislation begins to unwind those laws, which have been on the books since 1978. No video or audio of the Dec. 11 council action is available on the citys website and neither are meeting minutes or any record of the decision. A city spokeswoman, Courtney Torres, confirmed that the council had voted in favor of the police records purge, and said all the relevant reasons for the decision were included in the city staff report. The Jan. 1 implementation for SB 1421 has prompted other police officials to act. A police union in San Bernardino is asking the state Supreme Court to determine that Skinners bill only applies to incidents that occur in 2019 or later. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner earlier this month warning that complying with the law in regard to older records in the departments possession could take hundreds of thousands of work hours. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Federal officials question California DMVs process for issuing Real IDs (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has notified the California Department of Motor Vehicles that its process for providing residents with federally recognized identification cards is not adequate. DMV spokesman Armando Botello said Friday that 2.3 million residents who received Real IDs under the current process will have to submit additional documentation when their cards are renewed in five years but will be able to use them in the meantime. The DMV is developing a way for residents to submit more documentation online or via email to comply with the stricter federal requirement, he said. But some state legislators are upset about delays in notifying them of the problem and say Homeland Security could eventually require additional documentation provided by current holders. The DMV has known for a month that millions of Real IDs theyve been dolling out are potentially invalid, Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) said. The DMVs only hope is that the Department of Homeland Security takes pity on California and gives the DMV more time to fix this mess. Real IDs are a new kind of driver license and identification card that federal law will require legal residents to present when boarding domestic flights or visiting military bases and other federal facilities starting Oct. 1, 2020. The DMV has only been requiring one form of documentation, including a current lease or utility bill, to verify the residence of a card applicant. But the federal government said in a Nov. 21 letter to the agency that two such documents are needed. On Friday, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto released a letter defending the current process but said her agency will start requiring a second document to prove residency in April. In order to minimize confusion among our customers, the CADMV will work to inform individuals who have been issued a Real ID under the current process that their card will be accepted for official federal purposes, even if their renewal occurs after the October 1, 2020, final enforcement date for Real ID, Shiomoto wrote to the federal agency. Legislative officials worry there is still a possibility that those issued Real IDs in the past might be required to present a second document to have their cards designated as compliant. The more complex process for obtaining Real IDs has led to hours-long waits for customers at DMV field offices this year, although wait times have been reduced recently by an increase in staffing. Shiomoto last month announced that she is retiring amid problems with the motor voter registration system and after the governor ordered an audit of her agency in response to the long wait times. On Friday, Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron of Escondido blasted the DMV for waiting a month to tell legislators of the problem. This is unacceptable and flies in the face of security for our citizens, which is what Real ID was created for in the first place, she said in a statement. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom taps Keely Bosler to be his finance director Keely Bosler, the director of the California Department of Finance, will continue in that role under Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. (California Department of Finance) Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom on Friday appointed Keely Martin Bosler as director of the California Department of Finance, continuing the role she has served under Gov. Jerry Brown since August. Bosler will become Newsoms chief fiscal advisor, and will play a pivotal role in shaping Newsoms spending plan for the state that will lay the foundation for his top policy priorities. Newsom must roll out his first budget plan within days of taking office on Jan. 7. Californias brighter future depends on a strong, stable fiscal foundation, Newsom said in a statement released Friday afternoon. Keely is an accomplished public servant of sound fiscal judgment. She understands that state budgets are more than numbers on a page  they are value statements affecting the fate and future of millions of families reaching for the California Dream. We are fortunate to have her on our team. Prior to being appointed finance director, Bosler served as Browns cabinet secretary for two years and, before that, as the chief deputy director for budget in the Finance Department for three years. Earlier this year, Brown picked Bosler to lead an audit of the Department of Motor Vehicles, which had come under fire for long wait times at DMV field offices and numerous computer problems, including errors in the new motor voter program that registered Californians to vote. As we have discussed, long wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles do not reflect the high standards of service that Californians expect from their state government, Bosler wrote in a letter in September to DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. The audit is still ongoing, but Shiomoto has since announced she will retire at the end of the year. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias legislative analyst, after decades of nonpartisan research for lawmakers, calls it a career Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor, who has led the state research unit since 2008, will retire on Dec. 31. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Only five people have led the independent research office of the California Legislature since its creation in 1941. And each of them has had a pretty simple mantra to live by in reviewing public policy proposals and government programs: Call it like you see it. The job of any analyst, to me, is you maintain that nonpartisanship, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said. Taylor, 65, will retire from the post at the end of December after a four-decade career with the research team that began, as he likes to tell it, just after the passage of the landmark property tax rollback, Proposition 13, in 1978. He became the leader of the office, with the title of legislative analyst, in October 2008. Two months later, state government found itself in arguably the worst fiscal crisis in its history  a projected shortfall that ultimately grew to $42 billion by the following winter. There were forces beyond our control, Taylor said of that time. But dont underestimate the policy changes that were made afterward. Those changes, most notably a boost in taxes paid by high-income earners and a robust state budget cash reserve fund, have helped lead to successive years of fully funded government services. The state is projected to have some $24 billion in reserves by the end of the current fiscal year. Taylor announced his intention earlier to step down this year. Leaders from both houses of the Legislature select the analyst, who leads a staff of almost five dozen researchers. The office provides in-depth reports on pending legislation, as well as on broader policy topics like education and healthcare, and produces an independent analysis for every proposed ballot measure. A succession of lawmakers and governors alike have praised or panned the work of the Legislative Analysts Office based on their own political worldview. Taylor said his staff is mindful that they work for legislators, but try to ignore the rhetoric that follows the release of a major report. People are going to do what theyre going to do with our information, he said. They dont always like it, but they appreciate that we give them our best advice. Taylor oversaw a transformation in the way the Legislative Analysts Office distributes its information, embracing the release of research reports through social media instead of relying on traditional printed copies and journalist roundtable events. But he said the work of the researchers has remained largely unchanged through the decades. Having an independent take on things, I think, is good for the Legislature, he said. No replacement for Taylor has been announced, which means a short transition for his eventual successor before Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom sends his first budget proposal to lawmakers in early January. Taylor, who lives in the Sacramento suburbs, said he will honor the tradition of his predecessors in stepping away from public policy debates in order to give the new analyst space to lead the team as he or she sees fit. He said he hopes to travel in the coming years and spend time with his children who have moved to the East Coast. Forty years in state government, Taylor said in why he was stepping aside now. Isnt that enough? Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Jerry Brown sues to save California sentencing laws By Don Thompson, Associated Press (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown sued Thursday to protect one of his signature actions in office, a voter-approved measure that allows most prison inmates to seek earlier release and participate in rehabilitation programs. His administration filed a lawsuit challenging a pending 2020 initiative that seeks to toughen criminal penalties as part of an effort to roll back reforms adopted by voters within the last decade. Browns lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court contends the measure lacked enough valid signatures to overturn a previously approved constitutional amendment. County officials and California Secretary of State Alex Padilla certified the signatures in July but said they were submitted too late to qualify for last months election. The lawsuit names Padilla and the ballot measures official proponent, Nina Salarno Besselman, president of the advocacy group Crime Victims United. Padilla said the measure exceeded the required roughly 366,000 valid signatures, equal to 5% of votes cast for governor in 2014. Browns lawsuit says he used the wrong threshold. It says changing the state Constitution requires 8%, or more than 585,400 signatures. That makes the pending initiative more than 150,000 signatures short, the lawsuit says. Hes wrong, said Jeff Flint, a spokesman for the campaign backing the measure. He predicted a judge will be reluctant to reject a measure that already has qualified for the ballot. The secretary of state told us how many signatures are required, and thats how many we collected, Flint said. Padillas office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The measure would reverse reforms adopted by voters through Proposition 47 in 2014 and Proposition 57 in 2016. Proposition 57 allows most inmates to seek earlier paroles, and Proposition 47 reduced some drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The combination has helped keep Californias inmate population below a population cap set by federal judges. Corrections department spokeswoman Vicky Waters said the measure gives corrections and parole officials broad discretion to protect our communities and fashion a rational system of rehabilitation and punishment. This new initiative unlawfully seeks to supplant the departments constitutional authority to implement these critical reforms to our criminal justice system. The pending initiative would shorten the list of crimes that qualify for earlier parole and change some theft crimes from misdemeanors back to felonies. It would also increase the number of crimes for which DNA is collected, a list that was limited when some crimes went from felonies to misdemeanors. Those supporting the tougher penalties say easing criminal penalties has increased the number of dangerous criminals on the streets, but those backing the changes say they have helped reduce mass incarceration and rehabilitate convicted criminals. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California Supreme Court orders records unsealed in pardon of ex-state Sen. Roderick Wright Former state Sen. Roderick Wright (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) The California Supreme Court has granted a request to unseal court records involving Gov. Jerry Browns decision last month to pardon former state Sen. Roderick Wright for felony convictions involving lying about living in his legislative district, officials said Thursday. The court order was in response to a request by the nonpartisan First Amendment Coalition, which argued that the public has a right to know what information went into the governors decision to grant clemency to Wright. This is an important victory for public access to court files involving the exercise of executive clemency, said coalition spokesman Glen A. Smith. We are gratified the court has recognized that these decisions should be subject to the same public access rules that apply to other judicial records under California law. The court gave Browns office until Jan. 2 to redact confidential material before giving the court documents that can be released to the public. The court files submitted by the governors office include letters of support for a pardon and an internal review of Wrights case. The court denied a motion to unseal the records of all clemency cases but left open consideration of requests on other individual cases. Browns office is currently evaluating the courts decision, said spokesman Brian Ferguson. The governor argued against unsealing records in a recent court filing that said confidentiality is consistent with historical practice and is supported by state law. In pardoning Wright on Nov. 22, the governor wrote: He has shown that since his release from custody, he has lived an honest and upright life, exhibited good moral character, and conducted himself as a law abiding citizen. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

California political watchdog agency fines BART, urges prosecution over using public funds for campaign A Bay Area Rapid Transit train leaves the station in Oakland in this 2013 file photo. (Ben Margot / AP) Californias state political watchdog agency on Thursday imposed a $7,500 fine against the Bay Area Rapid Transit District and called for a possible criminal or civil prosecution over allegations the district used public resources to campaign for a 2016 bond measure. The state Fair Political Practices Commission levied an administrative fine against BART for its failure to disclose spending on YouTube videos, social media posts and text messages to promote Measure RR, which authorized $3.5 billion in general obligation bonds. Though the panel lacks authority to seek criminal charges over the misuse of public funds, it also urged county district attorneys in the BART service area and the state attorney general to pursue possible criminal or civil charges over the spending of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes, Commission Chairwoman Alice Germond said. It is the concept of misusing public funds that I think we all here are very disturbed about, and we want to send a warning and not create a precedent that is a minor, little slap on the wrist, Germond said, adding that the referral to criminal prosecutors would further send a message that this is wrong. Commissioner Brian Hatch also called for the state Legislature to consider granting the FPPC power to go after public agencies that spend taxpayer money on campaigns. Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Orinda) called on the agency to increase the fine to the maximum level of $33,375. The proposed $7,500 fine represents a slap on the wrist for a very serious violation of the law and the publics trust, Glazer said in a letter to the panel. In supporting the fine recommended by the staff, Germond said BART has agreed to pay the penalty. Somebody did something wrong and they have admitted it, she said. A staff report said there were factors in favor of a fine below the maximum. Although the Commission considers BARTs violations to be serious, the absence of any evidence of an intention to conceal, deceive, or mislead; the voluntary filing of the delinquent campaign statement; and the absence of a prior record are mitigating, the report said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

California police union seeks state Supreme Court review of new law disclosing internal investigation records Los Angeles Police Department officers. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A police union is asking the California Supreme Court to block the release of internal officer investigations before a new state law takes effect next year. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Employees Benefit Assn. filed a petition Tuesday asking justices to rule that only investigations of incidents that occur after Jan. 1 would be available under the law  and not those the department has on file from years prior. The litigation comes after this years passage of Senate Bill 1421, which opens to the public for the first time internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, and the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department has told the union it intends to make available in response to public records requests all the information it has. The union is very concerned about any plans to retroactively apply Senate Bill 1421, Grant Ward, the unions president, said in a statement. We believe retroactive application violates our members rights and we hope the California Supreme Court will consider the serious issues raised by our legal challenge. The bills author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), does not agree with the unions interpretation. She has said her legislation should apply to all the records in a police departments possession because the law simply declared that affected records were no longer confidential. If the record exists, its disclosable, Skinner said. A decision on what records will be available under the law is key to how far-reaching it will be. If the court restricts access to incidents that occurred prior to 2019, those cases will not be subject to public scrutiny. The police union in San Bernardino County is not the only one raising concerns about the law. Earlier this month, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore sent a letter to Skinner expressing concern that his agency would be overwhelmed if the law required the department to disclose older incidents. Even if the law only applied to the previous five years, Moore wrote, it could take nearly 300,000 hours of work to comply with its provisions. The LAPD operates with a guiding principle of Reverence for the Law; as such, we will diligently comply with SB 1421, Moore wrote. We maintain, however, that a retroactive implementation of SB 1421 will be exceptionally burdensome and would require significant reallocation of front-line investigative personnel. Skinner said if complying with the law becomes untenable for law enforcement agencies that maintain records for a long time, she would consider modifications. But she said agencies did not raise this concern during discussion over the bill. SB 1421 went through multiple committee hearings, multiple floor debates, extensive opportunity for all parties to weigh in on concerns with its structure, she said. That was not an issue that was raised by law enforcement at the time. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Gov. Brown warns of backlash for Republicans in 2020 if Obamacare repeal is upheld Gov. Jerry Brown at the National Press Club in April. (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown warned Republicans on Tuesday that repeal of the Affordable Care Act would devastate the partys political chances in the 2020 election. Brown, speaking at a Sacramento Press Club event moderated by Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton and Brown family historian Miriam Pawel, said a federal judges ruling last week to strike down the 2010 law  if upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court  will build such a backlash that the Democrats will not only take over the Senate, theyll win the presidency and will win with the kind of momentum, particularly on the issue of healthcare, that [the law] will be replaced probably with something even better. The governor, who leaves office in less than three weeks, said he did not believe the ruling by a Texas judge would ultimately prevail. I think the decision will probably be overturned, Brown said. Few states have embraced the law championed by former President Obama more than California, both through its healthcare exchange, Covered California, and by expanding access to government-funded services under Medi-Cal. Some 12 million Californians now receive healthcare through Medi-Cal, and Brown said a final ruling affecting the federal dollars that subsidize that care would be a serious blow. California would not be able to afford it without the subsidy, the governor said. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Bars in Los Angeles, San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks (acuna-hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses, and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors, and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Bars in Los Angeles and San Francisco could stay open until 4 a.m. under new bill A bar in Sherman Oaks. (Acuna-Hansen) For the third year in a row, a California lawmaker is trying to keep bars open until 4 a.m. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is reintroducing legislation that would allow Los Angeles, San Francisco and seven other cities to extend the sales of alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants by an additional two hours. Nightlife brings people together, fosters creativity and innovation, supports small businesses and creates middle-class jobs, Wiener said in a statement. Its time to embrace our nighttime economy and give our cities the tools they need to foster the best nightlife possible. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill by Wiener, writing: I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. Should this years measure, Senate Bill 58, advance through the Legislature, Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom would decide whether to sign it into law. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has endorsed SB 58, saying the city should have more flexibility than it does now. Every community has its own needs, and cities should be able to make informed decisions about what nightlife hours make sense for residents, visitors and neighborhoods, Garcetti said in a statement. The bill would create a five-year pilot program where Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, West Hollywood, Long Beach, Coachella, Cathedral City and Palm Springs could decide to allow restaurants and bars within their cities to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. with the approval of the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Californias DMV director announces retirement amid problems with motor voter program (Kent Nishamura/Los Angeles Times) The director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles will retire at years end with a number of questions unanswered about the implementation of a major voter registration system and long wait times experienced by customers for much of the past summer. Jean Shiomoto will not continue in her current role as Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom takes office, and announced to staff several weeks ago her intent to retire at the end of the year after 38 years in state service, spokesman Armando Botello said in an email to The Times on Friday. Newsoms transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on who might lead the department in 2019. Shiomoto was appointed DMV director by Gov. Jerry Brown in the fall of 2013, having served in prior leadership roles with the department. DMV officials have been sharply criticized by lawmakers in recent months for delays in serving customers at its field offices across the state. Last week, DMV officials revealed errors in registering California voters for the November election  mistakes that followed a series of problems in the rollout of the states new motor voter registration system. Secretary of State Alex Padilla last week said he had lost confidence in Shiomotos leadership as a result of the voting registration problems. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

New law could break the stalemate over housing on the site of a near-vacant Cupertino mall By Liam Dillon For more than a decade, developers have tried to build new housing on the site of an all-but-empty mall in Cupertino, a city in the heart of Silicon Valley and home to Apple headquarters. A well-organized group of neighbors, upset about traffic, building heights and the potential loss of the communitys suburban lifestyle, turned away every plan. Now, for the first time, the stalemate might be broken  thanks to a decision made in the state Capitol. In an effort to address Californias housing affordability problem, legislators passed a law last year that requires cities and counties to approve housing projects if they comply with local zoning rules and other standards, forcing some resistant communities to agree to new homebuilding. In September, the city of Cupertino, citing the state law, approved developer Sand Hill Property Co.s proposal to build an office park and more than 2,400 homes where the Vallco Shopping Mall sits. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Local government was a last bastion for struggling California Republicans. Not anymore By Mark Z. Barabak Theres no shortage of watery metaphors to describe the disaster that befell California Republicans this midterm election. A blue wave. A Democratic tsunami. But the most apt may be a flood, with the casualties steadily rising as the vote count climbed in the days and weeks following Nov. 6. Eventually half the GOP congressional delegation was washed away, along with the entire slate of statewide Republican candidates. In Sacramento, Democrats claimed 29 of 40 state Senate seats and seized three-quarters of the 80-member Assembly  the largest number since 1883, when Chester A. Arthur was serving in the White House. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

For the Republicans left in Californias Legislature, fewer lawmakers will have to do more work By John Myers From January to late summer every year, the California Legislature is a perpetual motion machine. And in the new year, the people most likely to struggle in keeping up will be Republicans, vastly outnumbered but still responsible for representing millions of the states residents. There are 22 standing committees in the state Senate, plus at least a dozen more subcommittees or special committees. And after Novembers election, only 11 Republican senators will be left to divvy up the work. To the victors go the spoils. To the vanquished go the extra assignments. Read More Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Advertisement

Californias DMV failed to finish registering 329 new voters before November election (Los Angeles Times) Officials at the California Department of Motor Vehicles said Friday that the agency failed to send information for 329 new voters to state elections officers in time for the November election, the latest revelation in a string of mishaps regarding voter registration. Secretary of State Alex Padilla responded with a blistering letter, calling on Gov. Jerry Brown or Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom to replace Jean Shiomoto, the DMV director. The Director of DMV has lost my confidence and trust, Padilla wrote. In all, the agency revealed that 589 mailed voter registration records that should have been processed under election deadlines werent sent to Californias secretary of state until late November, including forms from 260 drivers who had intended to update their address on existing voter registration records. The DMV had been instructed to not send registration forms that came in after Oct. 22, but the voters in question had forms that were postmarked before the deadline. In some cases, when the postmark wasnt legible, the agency said, documents inside indicated the voter had intended to finish their registration in time for the Nov. 6 election. The DMV recognizes the pause in transmittals was an error and affected the timing of the registration of the 589 individuals referenced above relative to the November election, Shiomoto wrote in a letter to Padilla on Friday. The pause was due to a misunderstanding on the part of the department, for which we take responsibility. Those who were trying to update their address for voter registration would not have been blocked from casting ballots. But officials said its unclear whether any of the 329 new voters were able to participate in the election. Shiomoto said in her letter that DMV will work with elections officials. The errors were not related to previous DMV mistakes about registering voters, problems associated with the rollout of the states new motor voter law. In those cases, multiple registration forms were sent to local elections offices for some voters, some people were assigned the wrong political party preference and others who are noncitizens were incorrectly placed on the list of registered voters. DMV officials have yet to respond to questions posed by The Times over the last several weeks about who knew of those mistakes and when. Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print

Newsom appoints a labor advocate and a former staffer as his chief deputy Cabinet secretaries By Taryn Luna A labor advocate and a San Francisco political operative have accepted positions in Gov.-elect Gavin Newsoms new administration. Angie Wei, a Capitol insider with deep ties to organized labor in California, will serve as a chief deputy Cabinet secretary with a focus on policy development. As a legislative director and chief of staff at the California Labor Federation, Wei has represented more than 1,200 unions and 2.1 million workers in Capitol fights over a host of policy issues, including drug-pricing transparency and paid family leave. The governor-elect also tapped Jason Elliott, a policy advisor to Newsom during his time as mayor of San Francisco and a chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, as another chief deputy Cabinet secretary overseeing executive branch operations. Elliott and Wei will serve under Ana Matosantos, Newsoms previously
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey might as well be looking for a unicorn.

As he chooses a temporary successor for Sen. John McCain, the Republican governor will have to thread a needle that respects McCains legacy as a GOP iconoclast, but also recognizes the popularity of McCains political nemesis, President Trump.

The pressure couldnt be higher. McCains successor will likely be in place to cast a high-profile vote on Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Brett M. Kavanaugh. And Arizona voters will get an opportunity to weigh in  indirectly  on Duceys decision when he asks them on election day this fall for another term in office.

These are extraordinary circumstances in an extraordinary political moment, said Stan Barnes, a Republican political consultant in Arizona. Its got national implications, important Arizona implications and personal political implications for a governor.

Advertisement

The tension in Arizona is a reflection of the national divide within the GOP among Trump loyalists, Never Trumpers and those who try to wiggle into an uncomfortable spot between the poles.

Does the governor believe he somehow owes the politics of John McCain, or does he recognize the politics of Donald Trump? Barnes said.

More than half of Arizona voters  61%  want a successor who fits the McCain mold of an independent who is willing to buck his party, according to a recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling.

But any appointee will have to figure out how to embrace McCains maverick style without alienating Trump supporters in the state. Trump won Arizona in the 2016 election, albeit with one of the smallest margins  49%  of any state.

GOP leaders, meanwhile, want someone who will be a more reliable vote in the Senate, where Republicans hold a razor-thin, 51-seat majority. That means Republicans can only afford to lose one member in close votes, assuming all Democrats are united. McCain had a history of going his own way. Last year he famously cast one of the deciding votes to kill the GOP effort to repeal Obamacare.

Among the names floating in Arizonas Republican circles are McCains widow, Cindy McCain; former Reps. John Shadegg and Matt Salmon; former Sen. Jon Kyl, and top Ducey aide Kirk Adams.

When you look at who would be an uncontroversial steward of the seat, Jon Kyl is obvious, said Arizona GOP political consultant Jason Rose.

Some view Salmon as the Republican with perhaps the best electoral chances in 2020 and beyond. In 2002, he narrowly lost the governors race to Janet Napolitano.

Ducey is expected to announce a successor as soon as next week. A spokesman said the governor would not make an announcement or publicly speculate on a name until after McCain is interred at the U.S. Naval Academy on Saturday.

McCain and Ducey were close  a factor that could suggest that the formers legacy will play a role in the governors decision.

While a segment of the Arizona Republican Party was estranged from McCain, that was not this governor, Rose said.

One aspect of the decision will be whether he picks someone who more or less agrees to take the job for only two years, or whether he wants someone who intends to hang onto the seat and run again in 2020.

Appointing a so-called caretaker to the job would invite a wide open Senate contest in 2020 that Ducey could jump into. But that scenario appears less likely, according to Republican sources.

Because of the timing of the appointment, the person chosen will have to go before Arizona voters several times in the near future if he or she wants to remain in the job. A typical Senate term lasts six years. But he or she would have to be reelected in 2020  when Trump will also be on the ballot  to fill the last two years of McCains term and again in 2022 for his or her own full term.

The results of last weeks Arizona primary election  in which Rep. Martha McSally bested firebrands Kelli Ward and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for the GOP nomination in the race to replace Sen. Jeff Flake  suggest a successful model of supporting Trump without being as bombastic as the president.

Even Democrat Kyrsten Sinema has avoided making opposition to Trump the only selling point in her race, unlike Democrats running in states where Trump is less popular.

In Washington, McCains death leaves a void in the GOP, particularly on the issues that he championed, such as the military, national security and foreign policy. McCains was a singular voice whose support or opposition for an issue could determine the fate of legislation.

Anytime you lose a voice like that, then its one more moderating influence that youve got to go find, said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). You just want a good independent [senator], comfortable in their own skin, willing to settle for something less than you would even consider the ideal, if it moves in the right direction. Thats, to me, one of the single greatest losses.

The latest from Washington 

jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com

Twitter: @jenhab
Perhaps no recent major legislation has been shadowed as dramatically by legal battles as the Affordable Care Act that President Obama signed into law eight years ago.

Twice since 2010, the sweeping law, often called Obamacare, has ended up before the U.S. Supreme Court. In both cases, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joined the courts four more liberal justices to preserve the law.

If Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trumps choice to replace retiring Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, is confirmed this fall, he may not tip the balance on the court when it comes to the laws fate. But he almost certainly will have to weigh in on new cases with potentially far-reaching impact on Americans healthcare.

Here are some of the potentially consequential healthcare cases currently making their way through the federal courts.

Advertisement

Because the Supreme Court agrees to hear only a small number of cases every year, the court may not rule on all of these cases. But the justices will probably at least be asked to decide whether they deserve consideration.

Case: Texas vs. Azar

Whats at issue: A group of 20 Republican governors and attorneys general is seeking to invalidate the entire healthcare law. They argue that the law no longer can work because Congress last year eliminated a a penalty on people who do not have health coverage.

Why its important: If successful, the lawsuit could have a huge impact, effectively stripping health coverage from tens of millions of Americans. The Trump administration has backed portion of the argument being made by the GOP attorneys general, calling for the elimination of provisions of the law prohibiting insurers from turning away sick consumers.

Status: The case is scheduled for a hearing Sept. 5 in federal district court in Texas.

Prospects: The federal courts in Texas are among the most conservative in the country, making it very possible the case could advance. If the case makes it to the Supreme Court, it would potentially set up a third do-or-die moment for the healthcare law.

Case: Stewart vs. Azar

Whats at issue: A group of low-income residents of Kentucky challenged the Trump administrations move to allow Kentucky to impose work requirements on enrollees in the state Medicaid insurance program.

Why its important: The federal government has not historically allowed states to make work a condition for receiving Medicaid coverage, but starting with Kentucky, the Trump administration has approved a series of state requests to impose work requirements. These mandates, if allowed to stand, are expected to reduce health coverage and fundamentally change Medicaid.

Status: A federal judge in Washington, D.C., in June strongly backed the challenge to work requirements. The Department of Health and Human Services is now reconsidering Kentuckys request to impose the requirements.

Prospects: The Trump administration is widely expected to once again approve the request. That would spark another legal challenge, which could well get to the Supreme Court someday.

Case: New York vs. Acosta

Whats at issue: A group of 12 Democratic attorneys general are challenging a Trump administration regulation issued this year that makes it easier for individuals and small employers to band together to buy so-called association health plans that do not meet standards set by the Affordable Care Act. They argue the administration is violating the healthcare laws aim of establishing minimum insurance protections.

Why its important: The Trump administrations moves to loosen regulations on health plans have become a major flash point and test of the healthcare law. If allowed to move forward, proponents argue these moves will make health plans cheaper. But independent analyses have concluded that looser rules will mean more costly plans for sick Americans.

Status: The case was filed in July in federal district court in Washington, D.C., and is awaiting a hearing there.

Prospects: The challenge seems unlikely to get a positive reception from the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, if it ever gets that far. But future lawsuits are expected to challenge other administration moves to relax regulation  such as allowing more short-term health plans that also dont have to meet current insurance standards.

Case: West Alabama Womens Center vs. Miller

Whats at issue: The state of Alabama in 2016 passed a law barring a surgical technique known as dilation and evacuation, or D&E, which is commonly used to end a pregnancy in the second trimester. The ban was challenged in court by two abortion providers in the state.

Why its important: Alabama is among several conservative states that in recent years have passed new laws seeking to restrict access to abortion services. Other tactics have included limits on Planned Parenthood funding and additional licensing requirements for abortion providers. Some believe this case could give the Supreme Court the opportunity to revisit the broader issue of abortion rights set out by the court in its landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision.

Status: A federal appeals court in Atlanta in August unanimously upheld an injunction barring the state from the implementing the new restrictions.

Prospects: Many legal experts believe it is very likely the Supreme Court will take at least one case soon about state restrictions on abortion services.

Case: Columbus vs. Trump

Whats at issue: The city of Columbus, Ohio, and a group of other cities and individuals is suing the president, alleging that he is deliberately undermining the Affordable Care Act, thereby ignoring his constitutional responsibility to enforce the law and subjecting individual Americans to higher healthcare costs.

Why its important: This sweeping lawsuit, if successful, would represent a historic rebuke of a president for failing to follow the law and could force the administration to reverse a number of steps it has taken over the last two years to weaken the Affordable Care Act.

Status: The case was filed in August in federal district court in Maryland and is awaiting a hearing there.

Prospects: The case appears to be a longshot, but its arguments summarize the widespread feeling among many working in the healthcare system that the Trump administration has systematically worked to weaken the 2010 healthcare law.

Obamacare 101: A primer on key issues in the debate over repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. 

The latest from Washington 

More stories from Noam N. Levey 

noam.levey@latimes.com

@noamlevey
When President Trump threatened to take action against Google last week unless it altered its search engine to show more positive news about him from conservative sites, even his aides were flummoxed.

Was Trump proposingto regulate the internet, threatening to launch an investigation into one of the worlds biggest companies, or simply venting about something he saw on Fox News? They couldnt say.

Nineteen months into his presidency, confusion over how to interpret Trumps pronouncements has only grown as his impulsive tweets have increased to match the mounting legal and political pressure on him. Nearly two years after Americans elected a man supporters lauded for telling it like it is, his audiences  including West Wing aides, reporters, lawmakers, corporate boards and foreign leaders  routinely struggle to understand exactly what the president is trying to say.

For aides scrambling to figure out whether a statement or a tweet is an order or an aspiration, questions abound: Is the president trying to shift the medias attention? Sway public opinion? Send a signal of allegiance to supporters? Force his administration to reverse-engineer new policies from scratch?

Advertisement

You know by the result, is all that Hogan Gidley, Trumps deputy press secretary, would say when asked how to divine the answer.

In other words, stay tuned, as Trump likes to say.

Cabinet secretaries and Republican congressional leaders have wishfully dismissed Trumps more provocative pronouncements as bluster, or what House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) recently called trolling. But that dismissiveness can backfire, as Ryan learned when Trump followed through on a statement the speaker had initially brushed off  revoking a security clearance for former CIA Director John Brennan and threatening the same action against other Trump critics whod been national security advisors to Presidents Obama and George W. Bush.

Trumps loose talk can be advantageous, galvanizing supporters and commanding media attention. Yet allies, current and former aides and political observers also say the steady barrage of unexpected and unvetted messages is to blame for much of the chaos in the administration. It has stifled the policymaking processes that guided past presidents, upending legislation and diplomacy, fueling divisiveness, rattling markets and providing fodder for endless controversy.

Its not just Trumps public communications that confound. Advisors say his utterances in private settings often are just as ambiguous.

There are definitely times you come out of meetings and say, How did you take that? said Marc Short, until recently Trumps director of legislative affairs.

Such confusion has allowed advisors to push their own agendas. A former White House official attributed one of Trumps most-criticized policies  separating migrant children from their parents who cross the border illegally  to the administrations hard-liners who took Trumps harsh immigration rhetoric literally, rather than as venting over reports of migrant caravans on Fox News. Trump later reversed the policy after a bipartisan backlash, but hundreds of children remain separated from their parents.

Some allies press to surround Trump with advisors who know him well enough to talk him down, distract him or even ignore him.

Short likened the dynamic to his familys while he was growing up: Sometimes, I knew when my dad was blowing off steam versus when my dad was being serious.

Implicit in associates approach to Trump is a recognition they cant change him and the brash, hyperbolic style that was a hallmark of his careers in real estate and television.

He would go off and do damage, and we would do damage control, said Barbara Res, a top executive with the Trump Organization in the 1980s and 90s. We would warn him not to say things, and he would say them anyway.

Res said that employees often would ignore Trumps demands, believing he was merely venting or making sure someone else was to blame for mistakes or failure. Or they would come up with an alternative, then try to convince Trump that it was his idea.

She recalled that when they were building Trump Tower in Manhattan, Trump demanded changes to the finishes on the columns, hoping to make the marble appear thicker. That wasnt feasible, Res said, so she ignored the order. An architectural review later singled out the columns for praise, sparing Res further wrath.

The stakes are far bigger for a president dealing with North Korean nuclear threats or economic policy. Thats one reason previous presidents have been more careful with their words and willing to embrace a more disciplined decision-making process.

Typically, the White House chief of staff designates the appropriate staff experts to bring options to the president. After hes made a decision, aides draft talking points for the president and his team to unveil the policy to the public.

Trump has turned that dynamic on its head. Especially when he feels aides have stifled his instincts, hes fired off tweets  like the one last year ordering the military to reimpose its ban on transgender soldiers  or ad-libbed from his speech text, like when he announced he would be forming a space force as a new, sixth branch of the military, over Pentagon resistance.

He has often announced major staff changes on Twitter, catching the ousted aides off guard, among them former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, national security advisor H.R. McMaster, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and, just last week, White House counsel Donald McGahn. Trump tweeted that McGahn would depart this fall. The president has also humiliated senior advisors in tweets, comments and private asides  Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, in particular  while stopping short of firing them.

Trump has also called on Sessions to end the investigation into Russian election meddling and the presidents potential obstruction of justice. But White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said that Trump is simply expressing his opinion, not issuing an order.

Leon E. Panetta, who served as chief of staff and budget director for President Clinton and as CIA director and Defense secretary to President Obama, said Trumps style is no surprise.

Its the way he operated as a New York developer, and its the way hes operating as president of the United States, which is to disrupt, roll grenades into a room and blow things up and not have any particular strategy for how that disruption can be resolved, Panetta said.

When Trumps current chief of staff, John F. Kelly, called Panetta seeking advice about the job, Panetta said he told him that a coherent policy process was paramount. Kelly has tried to follow that advice, but the impetuous Trump has frustrated him.

Chris Whipple, the author of The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency, said Kellys job has proved to be mission impossible.

I dont see any likelihood anyone else could do it effectively, because this is someone for whom discipline and process is anathema, Whipple said of the position and this president. Nixon at his most unhinged would never in a million years say out loud the things Trump tweets every day.

Some tweets result from conversations with old friends and advisors whom Trump calls from the White House residence in the evening, after Kelly has gone home. Those confidants egg him on, some aides believe.

Longtime advisor Roger Stone, for one, said he had been urging Trump to be more aggressive and push back against his more cautious aides, including by getting rid of Sessions.

Stone said that because Trumps lawyers warn that firing Sessions could be seen as obstructing justice, the president is trying to stoke outside pressure on Sessions to quit. Hes trying to make it happen through public opinion as opposed to through his own authority, Stone said.

Stones own advice is blunt: Dont demand that Jeff Sessions do something. Order him to do it.

Trumps threats to take action often are not idle. He did order Brennans security clearance to be yanked and has pushed Sessions to open inquiries into FBI actions early in the Russia investigation.

Corey Lewandowski, Trumps first campaign manager, believes Trumps tweets and statements should be viewed as a signal of what the president wants to have happen, even if theyre not followed by immediate action.

But Lewandowski chose to act: When [Trump] asked for something to be accomplished, I always took it very literally and tried to execute it because I knew he was not going to forget in two weeks or a month.

Trump has followed through on controversial promises, notably withdrawing the U.S. from multilateral agreements like the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal and moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

He more often than not tries to do the thing he mentions in his tweets, said Tony Fratto, who served as deputy White House press secretary under George W. Bush. I dont know why people keep saying hes just trolling or blowing off steam.

Even so, the financial markets have learned to treat Trumps words selectively, ignoring some statements while taking others seriously. His seemingly offhand threat during a recent political rally to impose tariffs on foreign automobiles, for example, was all but ignored, while other trade threats have caused markets to swoon.

Nicholas Bloom, a Stanford economist who has followed the fluctuations, said that while Trump is more often ignored than his predecessors were, his rhetoric has caused more market ripples in his second year than in his first. Thats largely because more policy has followed, beginning late in Trumps first year with the signing of the tax cuts law, and extending into the more recent trade skirmishes with China, Canada and Europe.

Decoding Trump is like analyzing North Korean media: Most of the statements are meaningless propaganda, but there are a few nuggets of information in there, Bloom said.

Trumps remarks at political rallies are taken less seriously than comments from the White House, he said.

Much of his talk, though, is mood music, Bloom added. He had been promising a trade war with China since the election, but the markets got spooked when the frequency of tweets and comments went from weekly to daily.

For all the confusion, one thing has become clear: Trumps pronouncements, by their unpredictability, frequency and their many falsehoods, have diminished his capacity to speak convincingly to the country in times of national emergency.

Hes been extraordinarily lucky so far that he hasnt been tested by a major crisis not of his own making, Whipple said. When he is, Whipple added, hell have absolutely no credibility.

The latest from Washington 

noah.bierman@latimes.com | Twitter: @noahbierman

eli.stokols@latimes.com

@EliStokols
John McCains Straight Talk Express rolled into Sacramento one day during the 2000 presidential race, and I climbed aboard. It was an unforgettable ride.

Here was this top-tier presidential candidate willing to sit with a group of reporters and answer their questions until they had none left. That was highly unusual.

McCain didnt make news that day, but he did display his positive personality and dry wit. He was entertaining. It was fun. No temper flares.

The Arizona senator, then running in the California primary, stepped into the campaign bus at 7:15 a.m., filled a paper cup with coffee, avoided the doughnuts and headed to the rear. He took the middle seat in a horseshoe filled with reporters.

Advertisement

I enjoyed my hours of sleep last night enormously, he said. Both of them.

The candidates chartered plane had gotten stuck in the mud in Bremerton, Wash., delaying his flight four hours. He didnt get to a Sacramento hotel until 3 a.m.

Someone asked why he was hanging out with pesky reporters instead of napping.

Waiting for the opportunity to say something stupid in the next 45 minutes, he replied.

This was his daily routine in 2000: holding court with reporters for hours. He considered it good strategy, but it drove his aides batty.

Ive complained he has no time to strategize and think, McCain advisor Ken Khachigian told me back then. Hes got reporters sitting there all the time asking anything they want to. Hes totally exposed.

It helps me to get my point of view out, my philosophy, McCain told us. And I enjoy it. I apologize for enjoying being around a group of communists and Trotskyites.

By being open to the news media, McCain also was trying to polish his image that had been blemished by an influence-peddling scandal a decade earlier. He succeeded in that, but not his political candidacy. He lost the California primary to Texas Gov. George W. Bush  it wasnt close  and the next day dropped out of the race.

Eight years later, McCain won the California primary over Mitt Romney and captured the GOP nomination, then lost to Democrat Barack Obama in November.

Unfortunately, McCain changed his campaign style from 2000 to 2008. He wasnt nearly as open to the media.

Times political reporter Mark Barabak wrote in a McCain obit Sunday that the 2000 run was a joyful, insurgent romp, but the 2008 campaign was a cheerless grind  a slog.

More from George Skelton 

Still, at no time did McCain ever consider reporters enemies of the people. In fact, Ive never heard of any politician calling us that except President Trump.

This is what McCain told us on the bus about his treatment by the news media: I tell ya, every time Ive screwed up and I deserved it, I got it [in the news media]. When I dont screw up, I dont get it.

McCain freely admitted when he screwed up, unlike most politicians, particularly Trump.

Trump is a bottom-feeder who forages off the lowest human instincts of hatred, bigotry and vengeance. The presidents own incivility and pettiness were on full display when he refused for two days after McCain died Saturday to issue a statement honoring the Vietnam War hero and resisted flying the White House flag at half-staff.

Of course, Trump shamefully once said he didnt consider McCain, who survived 5 years as a war prisoner, a hero because he was captured.

Coverage of California politics 

Contrast Trumps bad manners with other recent presidents, especially Ronald Reagan, who would almost tear up at the sight of a military uniform.

Reagan didnt hold grudges. Or if he did, he didnt talk about it publicly. And he wasnt a revenge-seeker.

In fact, unlike Trump, Reagan couldnt bring himself to fire anyone.

Nobody, recalls his longtime political strategist, Stu Spencer. Nancy Reagan would orchestrate the firings herself, sometimes with Spencers help.

Instead of berating former opponents, Reagan would sometimes hire them.

Spencer was a prime example. After managing Reagans election for California governor in 1966, he became chief strategist for President Fords campaign in 1976. That angered the Reagan camp because the Californian jumped in against Ford and lost. But in 1980, Reagan hired Spencer back and won the presidency.

Spencer says Nancy Reagan called and asked him to meet her husband at the Los Angeles airport.

I felt funny, Spencer recalls. But we just sat down and had a conversation. It was like picking up where wed left off before 1976.

An even better example: George H.W. Bush. Reagan made him vice president after the two were bitter rivals for the GOP nomination in 1980. Then Reagan hired Bushs political guru, James A. Baker, as his White House chief of staff.

Reagan put his feelings about Bush behind him in the best interests of himself and the Republican Party, Spencer says.

Trump wouldnt know his own best interests. If he did, he would have immediately ordered the White House flag lowered to half-staff and kept it there. And without hesitation he would have issued a formal statement  not a juvenile tweet  saluting a great American war hero and senator who could work with Republicans and Democrats alike.

McCain was eulogized in the California state Senate, run by Democrats.

At this time we need [McCain-like] inspiration, Senate leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) said. Someone who reminds us we can step beyond our little boxes.

We need another Straight Talk Express.

george.skelton@latimes.com

Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter
Jane Austen left this world more than 200 years ago, and the British author completed only six major novels before her untimely demise at 41. Yet her literary legacy refuses to die. In the last 20 years she has been given Shakespearean-level attention on film, TV and the stage. The latest iteration: a theatrical adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, which opens South Coast Repertorys Mainstage season on Sept. 7.

Every generation, it seems, rediscovers Austens gifts of observation.

Who better to describe the particular attractions of Austen than those who manage her fan clubs? Two members of Jane Austen societies, which participate in all things Austen, from historical lectures about Regency architecture to dance classes, explained some of the reasons the author has such a strong following.

I think shes really a timeless writer, said Susan Wampler, president and regional coordinator for the Jane Austen Society of North America/Southwest (there are 76 regional groups in the U.S. and Canada). And her writing has great clarity. If you look at other writers of her era, it takes a little getting used to their language.

Austens stories and characters also ring true to todays reader, Wampler added. The people you meet in her novels you frequently see today: the spoiled rich kid, the guy whos just a player but comes across as charming, the know-it-all authority figure, parents who arent the most ideal parents, and even the heroes and heroines are flawed.

In her richness of character development, Wampler rates Austen even higher than Charles Dickens, who ruled Victorian literature a few decades later. For the most part, Dickens wrote broadly, often in caricatures. Austens characters always feel like real people.

Laura Frears of the Valley Area English Regency Society also admires Austens characters and the artful way she develops them over time.

In the course of her stories, you see the character flaws of each individual, she said. And you see the consequences of their flaws  what happens when they defy institutions and behave in a wanton or foolish fashion.

Wampler said Austens keen sense of feminism was expressed at a time when women held little real power. Women werent even able to inherit property, for the most part. Yet Austens women are brilliant and many can hold her own with any man.

Frears insists that its important to interpret the behavior of Austens characters within their historical context in order to understand them completely.

Why was Mrs. Bennett in Pride and Prejudice so focused on finding husbands for her five daughters? It wasnt just vanity. She knew that if they didnt marry, her daughters could face very bleak futures  either become governesses or go out in society and sell themselves. There was no protection for a female other than marriage.

Wamplers Austen fixation didnt start in high school; she discovered the author after she began her career.

Im a writer, so Im a great reader as well, and I admired her craft, she said. But it started when my sister, and I began watching a BBC version of Pride and Prejudice in the early 1980s.

For Frears, it was a chance encounter at a science-fiction convention.

It all started in 1981, she said. I went to a class called Regency dancing. (Austen was an expert dancer and her novels frequently feature scenes of social dancing.) Well, I immediately fell in love with it. Not just the dancing, but the teacher was explaining things about what aristocratic people did in that era, and what their posture and attitude said about their standing.

Wampler works in communications for not-for-profit companies, so her professional writing is nonfiction and utilitarian, for the most part.

But she finds herself emulating certain Austen qualities in her work.

Her style is so subtle and persuasive and beautiful, she said. I do read her when Im trying to elevate my style and get a complex point across.

Frears, a classical music radio program host for much of her career, has taught Regency-era dancing for the last four decades in both Northern and Southern California.

I try to keep it focused on what Jane would have done, she said. We dance for 90 minutes then we relax with real tea and cucumber sandwiches. It feels like the real thing.

If You Go

What: Sense and Sensibility

Where: Segerstrom Stage, South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

When: Previews Sept 1-6. Opening night Sept. 7. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays; ends Sept. 29

Tickets: $23-$91

Information: (714) 708-5555 and www.scr.org
What could it be? Its no mirage. For the Costa Mesa Police Department, its a case of Sabotage.

Channeling their inner Beastie Boys, department employees donned fake bushy mustaches and mouthed the words to one of the hip-hop groups signature hits in a video released this month as part of the lip sync challenge, a nationwide video craze in which public safety employees dance and pretend to sing well-known songs.

The Costa Mesa PDs offering is modeled on the Beastie Boys music video for the 1994 single, but with an twist  doughnuts.

Yes, the video centers around a cruller caper, with officers combing the city in search of the scoundrels who absconded with their pastry provisions.

Sabotage resonated with us for many reasons, police spokeswoman Roxi Fyad wrote in an email. The joke was that the doughnuts were being stolen from the PD and it felt like we were being sabotaged.

You know how much we love our doughnuts.

Another reason the song was an appropriate choice, she said, is that the original video was an homage to classic cop shows such as Hawaii Five-O and Starsky & Hutch.

We knew we werent going to dance in a video, so we chose an action video to parody and have fun with, Fyad said.

Like any good television episode, the departments video features a surprise ending revealing an unlikely culprit  but readers will have to see it for themselves.

The Costa Mesa Police Departments video features officers searching the city for doughnut thieves. (Courtesy of Costa Mesa Police Department)

Throughout the summer, members of police and other public agencies across the country have been strutting their stuff in an ever-escalating musical battle. When they post their videos, they typically call on others to join in, spreading the challenge to a wider audience.

Recently, the trend has taken root in Orange County, with agencies such as the Sheriffs Department, Probation Department and district attorneys office crafting entries of their own.

Lip sync challenge submissions routinely catch fire online. For instance, the entry from the Norfolk Police Department in Virginia  featuring personnel grooving to the song Uptown Funk  has been viewed more than 76 million times on Facebook.

Since the release of the Costa Mesa entry about two weeks ago, it has racked up more than 41,000 Facebook views, making it the Police Departments most watched video ever on that platform, according to Fyad.

Internally, the officers loved participating and were proud of the final product, she said. It was truly a collaborative effort.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoney
It is disappointing, but not necessarily surprising, that blogger Steve Smith has taken to once again bashing Newport-Mesa schools, its school board, the performance of its students, and most recently, the safety of our schools.

His misleading article has been published with apparently no fact checking or editorial review. Smith selectively picks out bits of information that, taken alone, misinterpret the progress and successes of our schools.



For the record: An earlier version of this post included a photograph that mistakenly identified the subject as Trustee Karen Yelsey. The photograph was, in fact, of Trustee Martha Fluor, and has been removed.

Specifically, with his Aug. 6 commentary in which he states, Preventing the next school shooting depends on vigilance, not gizmos. But the absence of any psychological component to the districts safety proposals underscores the need for new trustees and new ways of thinking in this election year.

Mostly, I am outraged by Smith and the Daily Pilot for publishing Smiths misleading musings. I would like to point out a number of facts, things that Mr. Smith seems to deliberately avoid in his writings because they dont support his unfounded diatribes.

The fact is: NMUSD is hiring four additional school psychologists  at a cost of over $480,000  who will share in the delivery of psychological support services, conduct risk assessments and participate in crisis response and threat assessment teams. This is in addition to the investment made in 2017 to hire two additional social workers at a cost of $250,000.

The fact is: NMUSD is reconfiguring the current roster of school social workers to provide drug and alcohol education and intervention directly from each school zone social worker and the social work interns assigned to that zone. This structure effectively adds another social worker to serve an additional caseload of students and manage social work interns with their caseloads.

The fact is: NMUSD is recruiting 20 social work interns for the 2018-19 school year. Each of these interns will manage a caseload of students who are struggling at home, at school, or at both places. They will be supervised by their mentor school social worker and connected to school-community partnerships to enhance services to families when the districts services have been exhausted.

The fact is: NMUSD has hired a coordinator of student services to pick up responsibilities like homelessness, foster youth issues, truancy and attendance, among other responsibilities. This will allow the director of student services to focus attention on emerging safety issues like custody and divorce matters, civility issues and threat assessments.

The fact is: NMUSD is investing a great deal in training related to the psychological component, including:

Training on a threat assessment team model in partnership with the FBI and other community agencies on Sept. 14. This training will focus on identification and responses to potential threats including, but not limited to, school shooters.

Development and implantation of a three-year plan to increase restorative culture practices throughout the district.

Annual training on suicide prevention, identification and response to all K-12 teachers.

Annual training on LGBTQ support for all secondary teachers and administrators.

Ongoing training for administrators in the areas of school discipline.

Updates to safety committees created for the collective bargaining units.

Refresher training on crisis response.

Continuing with the district-wide support of positive behavior and intervention systems to enhance school climate and promote positive school-student relationships.

Exploration and information gathering on the possibility of conducting universal screenings for anxiety and depression among students.

The fact is: NMUSD is investing in partnerships to improve school safety, among them are:



Continuing with a community alliance partnership that links services in the community to students and families.

Partnering with Challenge Success in the Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor high school zones to enhance school climate and mitigate student alienation.

Using the Raptor Visitor Entry System to manage red flags in Aeries.

Using Titan as the Districts emergency broadcast platform.

All of the facts stated above were presented by our director of student services, Phil DAgostino, at the Aug. 23 School Threat and Violence Prevention Symposium. The symposium was put on by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center and InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector institutions.

DAgostinos presentation on Taking a Holistic View Towards Reducing School Violence: One Districts Approach to Leveraging Resources and Enhancing School Safety was met with overwhelming praise by the over 150 participants from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as a sizable number of participants from the private sector, schools and universities.

Every Newport-Mesa school board member and all district administrators are committed to working collaboratively with parents and teachers to continue improving the safety of all concerned.

We dont have a problem with the community being critical of the things we do. We welcome input because we are a part of this community and believe our passions run in the same direction: to support all students and families.

But when an individual takes to using misleading statements to score cheap political points in an election year and undermine the publics trust on a critical issue like student safety, Im not going to stay silent.

Karen Yelsey is a Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee.
Prosecutors have filed charges against a former UC Irvine student accused of pretending to be a doctor at UCI and Childrens Hospital of Orange County, officials said Wednesday.

Ariya Ouskouian, 23, of Irvine was charged Tuesday with a felony count of providing medical diagnosis while impersonating a doctor and eight misdemeanor counts of misrepresenting oneself as a licensed medical practitioner, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

Officials allege he claimed to be a doctor while diagnosing a patient about a growth on his neck at a UCI consult room May 3. He also is accused of impersonating a doctor at CHOC at least seven times between April 23 and June 4.

In each occasion, Ouskouian claimed to security that he had misplaced his hospital badge before requesting a temporary one, the district attorneys office said.

When hospital staff asked for verification of his status as a doctor, he provided the name of a person with UC Irvine, authorities said.

The defendant is further accused of convincing the UCI personnel of his alleged doctor status. The UCI personnel then verified Ouskouian to CHOC, the DAs office said.

CHOC alerted the Orange Police Department, which investigated the case.

Ouskouian was arrested Tuesday and released on bond Wednesday afternoon, according to Orange County Sheriffs Department records.

Authorities provided no further information about Ouskouian.

If convicted of all charges, he could face three years in state prison and eight years in Orange County Jail, authorities said.
With crucial series against Arizona and Colorado scheduled over the next two weeks, the Dodgers altered their pitching rotation so Clayton Kershaw will face both division foes. Kershaw will pitch on Saturday against the Diamondbacks, with Hyun-Jin Ryu starting in Kershaws place on Friday. The switch sets up Kershaw to start again next weekend at Coors Field.

At this time of year, when theres 30 games left, to maximize each starter and put them in the best position to have success only makes sense, manager Dave Roberts said before Wednesdays game against Texas.

In between the two in-division series, the Dodgers will face the Mets, who are on pace for 90 losses. The Dodgers entered Wednesday trailing both teams by a game in the National League West. The club has a 4-8 record against Arizona, but a 7-6 record against Colorado.

If the Dodgers choose, they could also set up their rotation so both Rich Hill and Walker Buehler could join Kershaw in facing both division rivals.

Advertisement

Every game is very difficult, but when youre playing a division rival, that essentially counts as two games, Roberts said. To have the guys that you want in a particular matchup, thats what we feel comfortable with.

Puig still awaiting judgment

Yasiel Puig underwent his hearing for his appeal of the two-game suspension he received after striking Giants catcher Nick Hundley on Aug. 15. Puig was in the lineup for Wednesdays game, and Roberts indicated he was unsure when the appeal would be decided.

Theyre still deliberating, as far as the recourse, Roberts said. I know its been pushed back. How long, I dont know.

Rosscup arrives, move to follow

Zac Rosscup, the left-handed reliever, met the team at Globe Life Park before Wednesdays game. Roberts said the team would activate him from the disabled list before Thursdays game.

Rosscup spent 10 days on the disabled list with a strained left calf. He has a 6.75 earned-run average in eight outings with the Dodgers.

andy.mccullough@latimes.com

Twitter: @McCulloughTimes
In this era of OKCupid, Match.com and Tinder, it is hard to remember what dating was like in Los Angeles before the internet came along, but I remember  like it was yesterday 

I went on coffee dates, dinner dates, drinks after work dates, and even a lunch date where, when I returned from the restroom, my date had disappeared. I also went on a seemingly nonstop series of fix-up dates arranged by friends, relatives and work colleagues. On one of those many blind dates, I took my fix-up to an opening at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, where I happened to run into two colleagues from work.

And when I attempted to introduce my date to them, I could not remember her name. I thought, There must be a better way.

Are you a veteran of L.A.'s current dating scene? We want to publish your story

Advertisement

I decided to look for alternatives to fix-up dates. I had my priorities  I knew I wanted to meet a Jewish woman, so I subscribed to the Jewish Journal weekly newspaper for its personal ads. I read them for six months before mustering the courage to write a letter. (Yes, a letter. This was 1989.) When I finally took the plunge, I answered four ads, figuring that would increase my odds. To make myself stand out, I added a ghostwritten letter of recommendation (typed, double spaced) from my grandmother. She vouched for me being a nice Jewish boy seeking a nice Jewish wife. I then mailed the four handwritten replies, and I waited.

But in dating, as everyone knows, it takes two to tango. So to fully understand my story, you need to know someone elses story too 

::

After putting in a full day at work in the marketing department of a medical device company, Marian had been moonlighting  selling cars nights and weekends at the now long-gone Barish Chrysler on La Brea (if youre over 35 your family probably bought a car there) to save money for grad school. And she was willing to try alternative ways of initiating a relationship.

When her family pressed her and her brother, who was also single at the time, to sign up with a fledgling local dating service she thought, Why not give it a try? After completing a questionnaire on her hobbies and interests, plus likes and dislikes, she went to the matchmakers office for the results.

I have good news, said the matchmaker. Weve found you a match in the system. The bad news: The match is your brother.

More L.A. Affairs columns

A few months later, a distant relative invited her family to a dinner party. Once there, she met an older gentleman and they chatted amiably. In the course of conversation, she mentioned that she sold cars. He asked for her business card, and she thought, Cool, I might sell him a car  glad I came to the party after all. The gentleman took her card but never followed up. And she forgot all about it.

Meanwhile, friends who met, and married, via a personal ad in a local paper inspired her to follow their lead. That couple and many of her girlfriends encouraged her  her family was skeptical  but she thought, What have I got to lose?

After reviewing the ad copy shed seen from so many other hopefuls, she was certain of one thing based on her skills in marketing: Her ad would not include the common phrase in so many of those listings  romantic walks on the beach.

Her strategy worked. The replies began pouring into Box No. 3942. Each week, she received a manila envelope filled with them. Some were typed, others handwritten, and some crudely photocopied as if they had been sent to dozens of women  over 40 letters in total. With her girlfriends help, she made three piles: yes, no and maybe. Fortunately, grandmothers letter of recommendation made the difference. I made it into the yes pile.

When she finally called me, we chatted awkwardly for a few minutes. She said she liked the letter from grandma. Then she asked me for my last name (which I had purposely omitted in a bid to create some mystery). I told her it wasnt a common Jewish name, but when I said it out loud her response was immediate  and she sounded surprised.

Do you have any relatives in Omaha, Nebraska? she asked. I said, Yes, quite distant ones, but my male relative was involved in a messy divorce and we stayed friendly with the wronged wife.

Thats the correct answer, she shouted. The wife is my aunt!

I then asked for her last name. And when she told me, it rang a bell in my memory. I walked over to my desk and picked up the business card Id set aside long ago.

Do you sell cars? I asked her.

Yes, but how did you know about that? she said. (That information hadnt been in the text of her ad.)

I have your business card, I said. My father had given it to me the Sunday after he attended a distant relatives dinner party.

I remembered that when I took the card from my fathers outstretched hand I had declared, confidently, Thanks, Dad, but I can get my own dates. (Just to be on the safe side, though, Id kept the card in my own maybe pile. It had her picture on it, and I thought, Shes cute, no harm in keeping it, but not really intending to call her.)

At the end of our phone conversation, we agreed to go out.

On our first date, I took Marian to the country and western bar the Palomino Club in North Hollywood for KCSN-Kissin Country Night. No cover and $1.50 beers. Although it was hard to carry on a conversation while the band played, we had a great time sharing the long table with some biker and country fan couples.

Within a year, we were engaged. Weve been married 26 years.

In the Jewish tradition, we say something is bsheret or meant to be. Although, for years, my father claimed all the credit.

The author and his wife live in Los Angeles. He is a former television producer and currently a senior vice president at a financial firm.

L.A. Affairs chronicles the search for love in and around Los Angeles. If you have comments or a true story to tell, email us at LAAffairs@latimes.com.

MORE L.A. LOVE STORIES 

Im black. Hes white. Heres what happened

I went on a bunch of blind dates with total losers

I was sleeping alone in a strangers bed  and falling for him

home@latimes.com
Several Wuhan residents wear parachute packs during the open-day events at the PLA Air Force Airborne Corps' barracks, in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo by Zhang Chang/China News Service]

Two military barracks in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, opened to the public recently and offered displays of their equipment as well as wrestling, rope walking and rock climbing.

More than 3,000 people attended the events on the morning of Aug 15, part of a national plan aimed at bringing the military and citizens closer together by opening more than 600 barracks to the public.

The two barracks in Wuhan belonged to the People's Armed Police Force and the PLA Air Force's Airborne Corps.

Officers and soldiers performed demonstrations of their combat skills, such as wrestling and bayonet fighting, and displayed weapons and equipment used in training - things rarely seen, let alone touched, by members of the public.

In the barracks yard of the airborne corps, the main site of the activities, sweating participants gathered around parachute packs, waiting for a chance to wear them, even though the temperature was around 35 C.

Others took the chance to talk with soldiers, asking them how the weapons and equipment on display worked and what they were used for.

"I'm a military fan and have been considering joining the People's Liberation Army, so I wanted to learn more about their equipment," said Liu Zhenhao, a sophomore student, who learned about the open day from an announcement at his university. He had to pass a short national defense knowledge test to qualify for the visit.

Li Qian, a 65-year-old retiree, scored 92 out of 100 points in the test. A fan of both the military and photography, he took photos of the soldiers from different angles throughout their performances.

"I learned more about both the military equipment and their developments by participating in the activity," Li said. "I will share the photos and what I learned today with my family."

While not all participants were big military fans like Liu and Li, many welcomed the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about the PLA and its equipment.

"This is my first time to take such a close look at the military, and it's really exciting," said Chen Yijun, a senior student at college who visited the barracks with his girlfriend.

Zhu Hao, 27, a soldier from the Air Force barracks, was in charge of introducing some of the equipment, which he has been training with for eight years.

"Many people have seen similar equipment in TV dramas or movies, so they were interested to know more about it. We hope people can get to know us better through activities like this," Zhu said.

The plan to open more than 600 barracks to the public, announced last month, covers four of the PLA's five branches - the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force - and the People's Armed Police Force.

To help the public better understand the achievements of China's national defense reform and developments in its military, the barracks will be opened during major festivals and on commemoration days.

"We hope the public will be able to truly see what the military and its soldiers are like," Zhu said.
Canadas Federal Court of Appeal on Thursday quashed the approval of the contentious Trans Mountain pipeline expansion that would nearly triple the flow of oil from the Alberta oil sands to the Pacific Coast.

The decision means the countrys National Energy Board will have to redo its review of the pipeline. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government approved Trans Mountain in 2016 and was so determined to see it built that it announced plans this spring to buy the pipeline.

It faces stiff environmental opposition from British Columbias provincial government and activists, including indigenous groups. Houston-based Kinder Morgan earlier halted essential spending on the project and said it would cancel it altogether if the national and provincial governments could not guarantee it.

In a written decision, the court said the energy boards review was so flawed that the federal government could not rely on it to approve the pipeline. The court concluded the federal government failed in its duty to engage in meaningful consultations with First Nations before approving it.

Advertisement

Meaningful consultation is not intended simply to allow indigenous peoples to blow off steam, the decision said.

The court decision is a blow to Trudeau, whose government is having a bad week after Canada was left out of new free trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico. Talks to include Canada are now taking place in Washington.

Now the incompetent Trudeau govt owns a pipeline it cant build, Lisa Raitt, deputy leader of the opposition Conservative Party, tweeted.

Kinder Morgan shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the $4.5-billion Canadian (U.S. $3.4 billion) sale of the pipeline to the government shortly after the court decision was announced.

The pipeline would allow Canada to diversify oil markets and vastly increase exports to Asia, where it could command a higher price. Canada has the worlds third-largest oil reserves, but 99% of its exports now go to refiners in the U.S., where limits on pipeline and refinery capacity mean Canadian oil sells at a discount.

Canadas finance minister is due to speak later Thursday.

The court decision is a victory for indigenous leaders and environmentalists, who have pledged to do whatever necessary to thwart the pipeline, including chaining themselves to construction equipment. The Trans Mountain expansion would cause tanker traffic to balloon from about 60 vessels a year to more than 400 as the pipeline flow increases from 300,000 to 890,000 barrels per day.
A news cameraman was shot dead the night before his wedding day in the Mexican resort city of Cancun this week.

The death of Javier Rodriguez Valladares triggered outrage in the state of Quintana Roo, where two other journalists have been slain in the last two months, and across Mexico, one of the worlds deadliest countries for news media workers.

Then, new details emerged.

Rodriguez had never received threats and had not covered the controversial issues  politics and crime  that tend to get Mexican journalists targeted, according to the president of the television station where Rodriguez worked.

Advertisement

Rodriguez had been operating a used car business on the side, and may have been involved in some sort of financial transaction at the time of his death, said Carlos Toledo, the president of Cancuns Channel 10.

Questions surrounding his killing highlighted the difficulties in determining exactly why some journalists are slain in Mexico, where reporters are regularly targeted because of the stories they publish, but where more general violence has also hit record levels.

@Tucanal10 lamenta la perdida irreparable de nuestro companero camarografo Javier Rodriguez Valladares quien formaba parte del equipo de Noticias.



Nuestro mas sentido pesame a familiares y amigos. pic.twitter.com/tWBPN7uoII  Canal 10 (@Tucanal10) August 30, 2018

Several facts are clear.

Shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday, authorities were alerted to a shooting near downtown Cancun, according to a statement from the state prosecutors office.

Rodriguez had been killed, along with another man whom authorities have not publicly identified. Rodriguez was supposed to wed his fiancee on Thursday, his colleagues said.

Prosecutors said in the statement that because Rodriguez was not dressed in his work uniform at the time of his death, they did not believe that he was targeted because of his journalism.

Press freedom advocates have complained in the past that Mexican law enforcement authorities often fail to properly investigate attacks against journalists, which occur here at rates seen only in war zones such as Syria.

The vast majority of such attacks go unsolved. Rodriguezs death comes on the heels of two other recent unsolved killings of journalists in Quintana Roo, a state that has seen record levels of homicides in recent months.

Last month, Ruben Pat, the news director of the online site Semanario Playa News, was shot to death in Playa del Carmen, about 40 miles south of Cancun.

Pat, who had published stories about crime and politics, had previously reported being detained and beaten by local police officers after he published a story about alleged ties between a drug cartel and the local police chief.

A month earlier, another reporter at Playa News, Jose Chan Dzib, was shot to death in the town of Saban, also in Quintana Roo state.

Pedro Canche Herrera, who runs another news site in Quintana Roo, complained Wednesday night on Twitter that journalists in the state were becoming part of a mourning guild.

He criticized Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquin for recently traveling to Europe to promote Cancun as a tourist destination at the same time that the state has been engulfed in violence, which authorities blame on criminal groups battling over drug sales.

There were 395 homicide investigations opened in the state in the first seven months of 2018, more than twice as many as the 169 investigations during the same period last year. Nationwide, Mexico is also set to break homicide records this year.

After eight bodies were discovered across Cancun in a single day last week, the U.S. State Department updated its travel advisory for Mexico, warning American visitors to exercise increased caution in Mexico due to crime.

Mexican authorities have emphasized that the regions rising violence has occurred far from the hotels and other popular tourist destinations that line Quintana Roos coastline.

Rodriguezs slaying took place about two miles from beachside hotels.

Toledo, the station president, said he does not believe Rodriguez was killed because of his work, in large part because the station doesnt cover Mexicos spiraling violence, as is common among other outlets here. Instead, Channel 10 focuses on the regions tourism and economic development, Toledo said.

We dont cover that stuff, Toledo said, referring to violence. It doesnt contribute to making our society better or to increasing tourism, he said. And anyway, it would put our employees at risk.

Jan-Albert Hootsen, Mexico representative of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said there were much more questions than answers and called on authorities to perform a thorough investigation.

Were unsure at this point whether the cameraman was in fact the target of the attack, Hootsen said.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum

UPDATES:

12:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at 7:50 a.m.
Sara Netanyahu is a suspect in a bribery case targeting her husband, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a police superintendent said Thursday in court.

The police official, Uri Kaner, appeared at a court hearing on so-called Case 4000, a corruption investigation in which the prime minister is suspected of loosening regulations for Bezeq, the countrys largest telecommunications firm

In return, he and his wife were allegedly given positive coverage on the companys popular Walla News website.

In response to a question from the attorney for Iris Elovitch, the wife of Bezeq owner Shaul Elovitch, Kaner said Sara Netanyahu is suspected of receiving bribes.

Advertisement

Later Thursday, Israeli media reported that Yair Netanyahu, the 27-year-old son of the prime minister and his wife, is also a suspect in the case.

Sara Netanyahus attorneys called the accusation against her absurd.

So what if the police said it, they said in a statement. This is completely false.

The prime ministers office released a statement mocking the case by asserting that police might as well have investigated the Netanyahu family dog Kaia, who died in February.

Kaia is lucky she passed away before she could be added to the circle of suspects who are suspected of bribery, the statement said. Theres no limit to the absurdity, and anyway, coverage of Prime Minister Netanyahu on the Walla site was and has remained negative on a regular basis.

Police allege that when Netanyahu was serving as the minister of communications  a post he held from 2014 to 2017 in addition to being prime minister  he helped Shaul Elovitch, a personal friend, by giving his company reprieve from various telecommunications rules.

Police have questioned the prime minister 11 times regarding this case, most recently for four hours on Aug. 17, after which he announced through a spokesman that the polices case has finally collapsed.

An attorney representing Israels state prosecutor said that the investigation is in advanced stages and he expects it to be concluded in the next six months.

At Thursdays hearing, Kaner said there remain people who were not interrogated in this case.

The timing is crucial for Netanyahu, a four-term prime minister who faces elections next year and is under investigation in multiple corruption inquiries.

In February, police issued a recommendation that he be indicted in two cases. Atty. Gen. Avichai Mandelblit is expected to rule next month on whether to follow that recommendation.

In one of the cases, police allege that Netanyahu improperly accepted expensive gifts from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and other businessmen with interests before the Israeli government.

In the other, Netanyahu is accused of negotiating with Arnon Mozes, publisher of the wide-circulation tabloid Yediot Aharonot, for favorable coverage in exchange for government action aimed at harming a competing newspaper, Israel Hayom.

Netanyahu has intimated that he would not resign even if charged, which would take Israel into uncharted legal territory.

His wifes alleged involvement in the Bezeq case is not her first brush with the law.

In October, she is scheduled to go on trial for fraud and breach of trust in a case in which she and a former deputy director-general of the prime ministers residence allegedly charged the state about $100,000 for gourmet meals enjoyed by her family but falsely claimed to be for public events.

Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent.
One morning last month, the residents of Fuah and Kfarya got word that it was time to leave.

I didnt believe it at first, said Jamal Faour, 33, who works for the Syrian army as a photographer. We no longer believed anything.

For more than three years, the towns  whose residents support the government  have lived under a siege imposed by rebels in Idlib province fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad. Evacuations had been promised before, only to be called off.

But on July 18, a total of 121 buses pulled into Fuah and Kfarya. The 6,900 townsfolk, carrying little more than suitcases, crammed onboard.

Advertisement

As the convoy trundled through rebel-held territory, people on the sides of the streets lobbed rocks and shoes.

When the ragged evacuees finally reached Al Eis, the last rebel-controlled area before entering the government-held city of Aleppo, an Al Qaeda member carrying an AK-47 entered one bus and launched into a tirade.

You have no place in Idlib, you rawafidh! Abu al Yaqthan al Masri shouted in a scene captured on video and posted on social media by pro-rebel outlets.

The term he used is a slur against Shiite Muslims  and it was a telling indication of the division wrought by seven years of civil war.

The conflict started as part of the Arab Spring movement pushing for democratic reform across the region. But it morphed into a sectarian conflict as outside powers got involved and turned Syria into a microcosm of the regions politics and religious strife.

Fuah and Kfarya became trapped in the middle.

Most of the 40,000 residents were Shiites, which made them a minority in their predominantly Sunni province. Before the war, the religious differences never amounted to much.

They would marry from our families, we would marry from theirs, recalled Faour, who lived in Fuah but worked as a computer teacher in the nearby Sunni-dominated city of Binnish.

(Los Angeles Times)

But after so long under siege  their residents used as bargaining chips in the battle between Assad and the myriad groups trying to overthrow him  the two towns are deeply and painfully divided from the communities surrounding them.

In peace, members of Assads Alawite sect  an offshoot of Shiite Islam  had a significant presence in Syrias security and intelligence service. But much of the governance and major business interests remained in the hands of the Sunni majority, 74% of the population.

In war, Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar bankrolled hard-line groups that became the vanguard of the opposition and attracted jihadis from around the world. Shiite-dominated Iran, meanwhile, dispatched paramilitaries from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan to bolster government troops.

Whereas Idlib and other parts of northern Syria became bastions for anti-Assad forces, Fuah and Kfarya remained firmly under government control. Many residents enlisted in popular committees, citizen brigades that were trained and funded by Iran and the Lebanese Shiite party and armed group Hezbollah.

The split between the towns and the neighboring communities deepened in 2015, when the Army of Conquest, an alliance of Al Qaeda and other hard-line Sunni groups, drove government troops from most of Idlib and encircled Fuah and Kfarya.

The rebels  using a starve and surrender tactic the government had long employed  vowed to massacre the 17,000 Shiites still there.

Across pro-government areas in Syria, protests spread demanding the civilians of Fuah and Kfarya be saved.

Iran brokered a solution that fall, after Hezbollah mounted its own siege on the rebel-held Damascus suburbs of Zabadani and Madaya, both of which are predominantly Sunni.

Working with Turkish and Qatari intermediaries, Iranian officials held a secret meeting in Istanbul with representatives from the Army of Conquest. United Nations officials were there as observers, according to a high-placed Western humanitarian worker in Syria. There was no Syrian government presence.

The deal was known as the Four Towns Agreement. The Army of Conquest agreed to spare Fuah and Kfarya. In exchange, Hezbollah agreed to spare Zabadani and Madaya.

And going forward, the number of people allowed to leave one set of towns  and the amount of aid going in  would be matched in the other set.

The Syrian government began sending 20 planes every month over Fuah and Kfarya to drop bread, fuel, ammunition and other supplies. But the deliveries were never enough. The U.N. described the situation in the besieged towns as catastrophic, with civilians trapped in a cycle of daily violence and deprivation.

As the government shut down rebel enclaves across the country, it granted the militants safe passage to rebel-held areas of Idlib, sometimes in exchange for the evacuation of civilians in Fuah and Kfarya.

The transfer deals often went awry, buffeting those civilians between the threat of death at the hand of the jihadis and the promise of evacuation or a government advance that would break the siege.

One deal, brokered by Qatar in 2017, was supposed to evacuate all four towns. But a suspected rebel car bomb killed more than 100 residents from Fuah and Kfarya as they were about to enter government-held areas.

Many had given up hope of ever leaving, according to Zain Abideen Taleb, a 54-year-old lawyer. After his wife and their ill child left as part of a swap in 2016, he told her that he probably would never see her again and she should assume he would die fighting.

We watched all these rebels leave in Homs, Aleppo, Zabadani, Madaya and Ghouta, Taleb said, listing the names of onetime rebel enclaves. The militants were always calling us hostages, a government weak spot they wouldnt give up at any price.

Last month, the Sunni jihadis began to mass for a large attack on Fuah and Kfarya.

The impending offensive was the impetus for a deal to evacuate the two towns, according to a jihadi commander in a video interview with pro-opposition outlet Zaman al Wasl.

The Iranians communicated with us and said they would exchange 1,500 people in regime prisons and some of the jihadi warriors, said the commander, who used the nom de guerre Abu Abed.

On the day of the evacuation , when the buses finally began rolling away, the dominant emotion in the towns was relief.

Does anyone leave their house, memories and land and be happy? Taleb said. But it got to the point where we wished to go.

In the aftermath of the evacuation, the jihadis blitzed into the towns. They looted, desecrated Shiite shrines and welcomed Sunnis who had been displaced by government campaigns.

They renamed the towns for two caliphs revered by Sunnis: Farooq and Siddiq.

The evacuation placed all of Idlib in the hands of the anti-government forces. But it also cleared the way for the Syrian government and its Iranian and Russian allies to launch an assault on the province in hopes of taking it back and consolidating power in the countrys northwest.

That has given the former residents of Fuah and Kfarya  who are scattered across Syria  hope that they might soon return and rebuild their lives.

Taleb and his 48-year-old brother, Yahya, said they would have no trouble living near Sunnis in Idlib.

Things will return as they were. In any society where you have bad people in control this is what will happen, Yahya said by phone.

But Mohammad Hassan Taqi, a Fuah resident who had headed the towns crisis committee, was less certain.

Well get the towns back, but living there will be almost impossible, he said.

There were victims  there will be revenge. It will be 10 years until things go back to as they were.

nabih.bulos@latimes.com

Twitter: @nabihbulos
Helps meet Chinese military needs, future commercial requirements

A Chinese defense company said independently mastering chip-making technology is crucial to overcoming foreign restrictions.

China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) has independently developed high-tech machines used to make integrated circuit (IC) chips, including 28-nanometer ion implanters and 200-millimeter chemical mechanical polishing equipment, according to a statement the company sent to the Global Times on Wednesday.

The machines were showcased at an IC technology exhibit in Beijing, the statement said.

China needs to have the equipment and technology to make IC chips as foreign companies used to dominate the industry, Zhang Cong, CETC technical director, told the Global Times.

"Foreign companies not only set high prices but also determined the quality of products they sold to China," Zhang said, noting that foreign companies never sold equipment capable of producing more advanced military chips.

Foreign technologies have evolved to the third generation, but foreign companies were only willing to sell first generation equipment to China, Zhang said.

China relied heavily on imports of high-end IC chips due to restrictions on manufacturing equipment, base materials and technologies. The country spends more than $200 billion a year on IC imports, the CETC statement said.

After China recently mastered the second generation technology, foreign companies greatly reduced their prices for first generation machines and agreed to sell second generation equipment to China, Zhang said.

"Independently mastering the manufacturing technology is good for the industry in China, as we can choose our domestic products and buy foreign products at a lower price," Zhang noted.

China is still behind the cutting-edge in IC chip production, and further efforts are needed to improve the domestic technology, Zhang said.

CETC is a state-owned technology group which focuses on the defense industry. The company delivers key components to Chinese military satellites, missiles, aircraft, vessels and vehicles, the company's website said.

"As basic components of weapon systems, IC chips play a key role in missile guidance, ballistics calculation, target recognition and intelligent control," Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Without advanced IC chips, weapons cannot perform as they were designed to, he said, noting that a country's security is dependent on domestically made IC chips for this reason.

Being able to independently make IC chips means that China not only meets the military requirements for chips but also future commercial uses, he said.
Cape Coral City Council rejected a hearing examiners recommendation and unanimously denied a special exception to allow a boat rental company to install a gas tank at the Del Prado Boulevard strip mall where it does business.

The council sided with neighbors on the canal where Paradise Boat Rental is located. Those residents expressed concerns about compatibility, possible pollution to the canal and a failure to meet the basic requirements.

Paradise Boat Rental is at 3013 Del Prado Blvd.

Were obviously pleased the council followed the law and applied the facts to it appropriately, said Eric Feichthaler, the attorney who represented the Cornwallis and Palaco Grande neighborhood associations. Everyone in this room is pro-business, but at the end of the day, their application did not fit in with the requirements of city code.

Michael Dixon, owner of Paradise Boat Rental, said he needed the fuel pump as a way to fill up his rental boats as opposed to filling them through five-gallon containers and to remain competitive in the boat rental business and profitable through a mark-up on refueling.

The applicant, Bob Gerrero, is the owner of the strip mall where the rental place is located.

Dixon also said that much of what the residents were hearing was through faulty information and hyperbole that resulted in near hysteria, and that City Council should not listen to what they had to say, which drew a buzz from the dozens of residents who came to the meeting.

Feichthaler said the special exception Dixon sought is for self-service only stations such as what they have at most convenience stores. He also cited numerous code violations at the strip mall from a previous boat rental and said that the 500-gallon fuel tank is not vital to the health and welfare of the residents.

City staff also made a presentation stating the exception did meet all standards for compatibility, location, setbacks, lot frontage and access.

Staff recommended approval of the fuel tank under numerous conditions in regards to buffering, the use to refuel their boats only, tank size limits and numerous other conditions.

Since Feichthaler made the residents case so thoroughly, public comment was brief, with most everyone expressing their concerns.

Resident Dan Sheppard was for the plan, however. He said much of what the residents were feeling was fear from what they went through from the previous business that was there. He also said the tank is a better alternative than a five-gallon container, which he saw explode one time.

I see people filling up their five-gallon jugs and put them in the garage or along the side of the house. Thats extremely unsafe, Sheppard said. Having the five-gallon containers pollutes even more.

City Council came to the conclusion that the rental place had existed without the fuel pump and will continue to do so.

My big issue is its the wrong thing in the wrong place, said Councilmember Rick Williams, who refused to support it.

Councilmember Jennifer Nelson made a motion to pass a resolution to overrule the hearing examiners ruling, which passed 8-0, much to the glee of the community.

I am so relieved because as one of the council members said it was the wrong application for the wrong place. We were so concerned about fire, water pollution and Im delighted with the result, said resident Joan Hampton.
Stock Market News

SSE Headlines - SSE pleased UK regulator has provisionally cleared planned merger of its energy retail business with Npower 30-08-2018 01:29



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
As Marshall prepares to return from its bye week, Marshall head coach Charles Huff wants his team to remember the lessons of the season's first half - good and bad - in preparation for the final five weeks of Conference USA play.
This photo taken on August 1, 2017 shows Chinese People's Liberation Army personnel attending the opening ceremony of China's new military base in Djibouti. (AFP)

Chinese military personnel wont be stationed at the Beijing-funded counter-terrorism camp being built in Afghanistan, the Afghan envoy to China, Janan Mosazai, said on Wednesday.

The militaries of the two countries are working in close coordination on setting up a counter-terror mountain brigade in the northern Badakhshan region.

There will be no Chinese personnel under any circumstances, Mosazai said in a statement.

He was reacting to a report in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

The report said the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is likely to send hundreds of military personnel to Afghanistans isolated Wakhan Corridor in Badakhshan after they complete building a camp in the area.

If true, the development would have been worrying for India, which recently agreed to jointly implement a capacity-building project with China in Afghanistan.

It was agreed on by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during their informal summit at Wuhan in April.

Citing sources, the report said this would be the first time that China would have a military presence in the area, a narrow strip of inhospitable and barely accessible land extending about 350 km from the northern Afghan province of Badakhshan to Chinas Muslim region of Xinjiang.

Sources told the newspaper that the Afghanistan base would have a different role than the one in Djibouti  where China has deployed more engineers and builders than combatants  because the training camp is located close to Xinjiang, which Beijing sees as the main source of the three forces  separatism, terrorism and extremism  behind a series of violent attacks in the region in recent years.

Rejecting the SCMP report as false and baseless, Mosazai said: The Chinese side is providing assistance to Afghanistan so that we can set up a mountain brigade in the north of Afghanistan in order to enhance our counter-terrorism operations in the region.

There will be no Chinese military personnel of any kind involved in Afghan soil, said mosazai. China also denied the report.
WISCONSIN DELLS  What if each day, every Catholic prayed 10 minutes and read five pages of a great Catholic book?

What if every Catholic gave one percent more of their income to their Church this year and did one thing each week to intentionally share Gods message with others?

If every Catholic did these four things, the Catholic Church would be staggeringly different, according to the Dynamic Catholic Institute.

The institutes mission is to re-energize the Catholic Church in America by developing world-class resources that inspire people to rediscover the genius of Catholicism.

Find Your Greatness event in Dells

To help people find out how to develop these life-giving spiritual habits of engaged Catholics, Saint Cecilia Parish in Wisconsin Dells is hosting the Find Your Greatness event.

The parish invites people to attend this event on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and discover how to master the four signs of a dynamic Catholic in their life.

The four signs are prayer, study, generosity, and evangelization.

Participants will also learn how to help their parish apply the four habits in order to engage disengaged Catholics and re-energize their community.

Speaker for this event is Dominick Albano. Albano writes content for Dynamic Catholic programs and travels the country as a speaker for the Find Your Greatness event. He also speaks at parish missions, conferences, mens groups, school events, youth groups, and retreats.

This half-day event at Saint Cecilia also includes live music. Doors open an hour before the event. It is recommended that people arrive at least a half hour before the start of the event to collect event materials and find a seat.

Parish group outings are encouraged and welcomed, said Fr. Eric Sternberg, pastor of Saint Cecilia Parish.

This event is not recommended for childen.

Information and tickets

Tickets can be purchased for $25 through The ticket includes admission to the event as well as a bag full of resources from the Dynamic Catholic Institute on the day of the event.

For more information, visit dellscatholic.com or call the parish office at 608-254-8381.
China has denied an accusation by U.S. President Donald Trump that it hacked the e-mails of Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent in the 2016 election.

"We are firmly opposed to all forms of cyberattacks and espionage," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular briefing Wednesday. She said China is a staunch defender of cybersecurity.

Trump tweeted shortly after midnight that China had hacked Clinton's e-mails, without offering any evidence or further information, and suggested that the FBI and Department of Justice should investigate.
Myanmar is rejecting the findings of a special United Nations investigative panel accusing the military of genocide and other human rights abuses during last year's crackdown against the minority Rohingya Muslims.

The fact-finding mission issued a scathing report Monday on the military's crackdown on the Rohingya in northern Rakhine state last August. The investigators have called for General Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of Myanmar's army, and five other generals, to be tried for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

But Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay told state-run media Wednesday that "we don't agree and accept any resolutions" by the UN's Human Rights Council, which sanctioned the report, because it refused to allow the investigators to enter the country.

Zaw Htay said the government had established its own Commission of Enquiry to respond to "false allegations" made by the UN and "other international communities."
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today unveiled a new webpage featuring information about the importance of rural e-Connectivity and the ways the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing to help deploy high-speed broadband infrastructure in rural America.

"Rural high-speed broadband e-Connectivity is as important for economic development as rail, roads, bridges and airports  and as vital as the buildouts of rural telephone networks were decades ago," Perdue said. "USDA is committed to being a strong partner with rural leaders in deploying this essential infrastructure."

Reliable and affordable high-speed internet e-Connectivity acts as a catalyst for rural prosperity by enabling efficient, modern communications between rural American households, farms, ranches, businesses, schools and health care centers. Yet, according to the Federal Communications Commission, 80 percent of the 24 million Americans who lack broadband access live in rural areas and on tribal lands.

USDA plays an important role in helping rural communities bridge this infrastructure gap through program investment, strategic partnerships and best practice implementation by investing in rural telecommunications infrastructure. This new website will provide direct access to information on our decades-long programs that offer more than $700 million per year for modern broadband e-Connectivity http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTgwODI5Ljk0MjI4NzYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE4MDgyOS45NDIyODc2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDM0NDUzJmVtYWlsaWQ9cnVzc0BtYXRyLm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9cnVzc0BtYXRyLm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&100&&&https://www.usda.gov/broadband in rural communities. In the coming months, USDA will almost double these longstanding programs with an additional $600 million to expand rural broadband infrastructure in unserved rural areas and tribal lands.

As we are working to set up the new pilot program, USDA wants to hear the thoughts and needs of Americans living and doing business in rural communities. The new website includes a feedback form for the general public and interested stakeholders to provide input on the design and requirements of the new pilot program.

In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Forces findings to President Trump, which included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America.

To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTgwODI5Ljk0MjI4NzYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE4MDgyOS45NDIyODc2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDM0NDUzJmVtYWlsaWQ9cnVzc0BtYXRyLm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9cnVzc0BtYXRyLm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&101&&&https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/rural-prosperity-report.pdf . In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTgwODI5Ljk0MjI4NzYxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE4MDgyOS45NDIyODc2MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDM0NDUzJmVtYWlsaWQ9cnVzc0BtYXRyLm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9cnVzc0BtYXRyLm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&102&&&https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/rural-task-force-infographic.pdf .

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit http://www.rd.usda.gov.
The Republic of Mauritius has launched a new streamlined digital solution to help visitors to the country navigate their travel document requirements with ease.

Ever since Mauritius began reopening its borders earlier this year, arrivals to this Indian Ocean island nation have had to fill in no fewer than five official forms before landing, including three new documents relating to Covid-19 regulations.

In addition to the existing Disembarkation card and Health Declaration form, incoming passengers also have to each fill in the Public Health Passenger Locator form, the Public Health Covid-19 Passenger Self- Declaration form and the Covid-19 Laboratory Request form.

Aware that this procedure can be tedious or confusing for travellers, the Mauritian government launched the Mauritius All in One Form project on Friday 8 October to make the whole process far simpler. Rather than filling out five separate forms, passengers can fill out just one form and their details will be automatically and seamlessly used to fill out the necessary documents. All travellers will have to fill in the required personal details such as their flight number, date and time of arrival and place of embarkation. They will then receive a PDF of all the completed forms, which they can print and sign, as well as a PDF to retain for their own records containing all the information they have submitted. This can all be done before the traveller even gets to the airport, meaning they will be free to enjoy their flight with complete peace of mind.

All five forms will be available on the websites of ATOL (www.mauritiustravelform.com), Air Mauritius (www.airmauritius.com), MTPA (www.mauritiusnow.com and www.mymauritius.travel) and also on the mobile application mymauritius launched jointly by ATOL and MTPA.

Those who wish to do so can continue to fill in the forms manually during their flight. However, this initiative will allow tourists, foreign nationals and Mauritians to embark on their journey to Mauritius safe in the knowledge that they have already completed all the required documents in a move will also make the disembarkation procedure at the airport more fluid.

Partager et informez vous aussi......

0 shares Share

Tweet

LinkedIn
Two days of heavy rains left one person dead and three others injured and inundated 831 houses and shops in Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province and Daejeon, according to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Some 137 people had to abandon their homes.

Some 200 to 400 mm of torrential rains fell in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province.

Torrential rains on Wednesday brought devastating flash floods that inundated houses and brought traffic to a standstill.

According to the fire station in Seoul's Nowon district, five cars were swept away Tuesday evening as the Jungnang Stream spilled over its banks.

Firefighters rescued people from four of the cars later in the evening, but one was washed into the stream and the driver was found dead in the small hours.

"We suspect that the driver was unable to escape and drowned because the stream swelled so abruptly," a police officer said.

A flood in Sinchon in Seoul's Seodaemun district on Tuesday was caused by trash clogging drainway.

"Storm drains were clogged with cigarette butts and dead leaves," a district official said.

Pedestrian traffic was banned across the Jamsu Bridge and on the promenades along the Cheonggye Stream in downtown Seoul.

More heavy downpours are expected until Friday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said.
The North Korean nuclear crisis appears to be returning to the same point it had reached before the summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June.

Dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea has ground to a halt as the North made it clear it has no intention to take significant steps by reporting its nuclear weapons arsenal or agreeing to a timeframe. The U.S. has canceled a visit by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang, apparently because of a "belligerent" letter from the North and its insistence on declaring a formal end to the Korean War first.

Washington also ramped up sanctions against the North and is leaning on Seoul to hold off from opening a liaison office in North Korea.

Cheong Wa Dae is trying to downplay the latest developments by saying it now has a bigger role to play as a "facilitator and mediator" of rapprochement. But U.S. pressure is compounding woes for the South ahead of another inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang flagged for next month.

The U.S. is also hinting that it could resume joint military drills with South Korea, which the North dreads. Defense Secretary James Mattis said Tuesday, "We have no plans at this time to suspend any more exercises."

Trump halted the drills after the Singapore summit in a gesture that struck many as rash and unwarranted since Kim had not asked for it.
Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok on Wednesday spoke with a senior adviser to the ruler of the UAE amid a fresh flare-up in a spat with the emirates over a secretive military deal.

Im spoke on the phone with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, a senior adviser to the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. They talked for 25 minutes to "discuss Khaldoon's visit to prepare for a visit by Crown Prince Mohammed to Korea," according to Cheong Wa Dae.

The UAE wants Seoul to turn the secretive military memorandum of understanding signed by the Lee Myung-bak administration into a formal military pact, but Seoul has demurred, saying there are too many pitfalls in forming an alliance with only one Gulf country.

Seoul sent Im to Abu Dhabi last year amid diplomatic friction over attempts by the Moon Jae-in administration to revise the deal. Khaldoon came to Seoul in January this year. But according to Cheong Wa Dae, Khaldoon's upcoming visit has nothing to do with the conflict.

Earlier, on Tuesday, a Cabinet meeting approved the extension of Korea's Akh Unit's stay in the UAE, which now goes to the National Assembly.

A presidential spokesman said Im and Khaldoon "didn't discuss the issue of turning the MOU into a military pact or winning National Assembly ratification" for it.


Fives days have passed since U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled his trip to North Korea, but the North has yet to issue an official response. Instead, Pyongyang is pressuring South Korea to live up to promises from the April cross-border summit.

The official Rodong Sinmun daily said Wednesday, "We need to urge the implementation of the historic joint declaration if we are to keep pursuing the current political tide heading toward reconciliation and reunification. The North and South must combine the will of our people and solve the problems involving reunification by ourselves without relying on outside powers."

The tactic of trying to drive a wedge into the South Korea-U.S. alliance by alternately appealing to nationalist sentiment in South Korea and threatening to go over its head to the U.S. is a tried and tested one.

Otherwise the North is busy preparing for its 70th founding anniversary on Sept. 9 and all diplomacy has been put on the back burner.
Thousands of small business owners rallied in downtown Seoul on Wednesday to protest against the minimum wage hike.

Some 15,000 to 30,000 small business owners from across the country defied torrential downpours to express their discontent. Lawmakers from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party including floor leader Kim Sung-tae and interim leader Kim Byung-joon also took part.

The protest started at 4 p.m. and continued for more than three hours. Jaegal Changkyun, the head of the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, said in a speech, "The minimum wage hike designed to benefit low-paid workers is driving small business owners to extinction."


Record youth unemployment is prompting a growing number of university graduates to learn practical skills like welding to boost their chances of landing any kind of job.

Of the 8,662 new students Korea Polytechnic University admitted into its two-year degree program this year, 1,334 had already attended other universities. In 2015, only 455 out of its 9,323 new students came from other universities, so the proportion increased threefold.

In KPU's one-year certificate program, 27 percent of new students are university graduates.

A KPU staffer said, "Most of the graduates who come to our school have tried for two or three years to find jobs." University graduates typically turn up their nose at anything but a job with a big conglomerate, but KPU connects students with small and mid-sized companies.

Kim Joon-seok, a professor at KPU said, "Most large businesses these days prefer skilled workers who can immediately put to work."


According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff here, the Chinese Y-9 spy aircraft flew into Korea's ADIZ from southwest of Ieo Island around 7:37 a.m. without identifying itself as protocol requires.

The incursion came only a few hours after U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis hinted at resuming joint military drills with South Korea and was the fifth such incident this year.

A Chinese military reconnaissance jet flew into Korea's air defense identification zone again without warning on Wednesday. It flew to an area about 96 km east of Gangneung on the east coast before turning back.

The aircraft stayed within the ADIZ for about four hours and 13 minutes before leaving around 11:50 a.m.

The Air Force scrambled F-15K fighter jets right after the Chinese spy plane came into the KADIZ, watching it and sending warnings.

The Chinese pilots told them they were on a normal training flight in international airspace, and continued their flight.

Air defense identification zones are not territorial airspace but require incoming planes to identify themselves to the county that claims them. International practice is for foreign military and civilian aircraft to seek permission from military authorities of relevant countries 24 hours before entering such zones.

This year, Chinese military aircraft violated the KADIZ on Jan. 29, Feb. 27, April 28, July 27, each around the time of a major event for the Korean Peninsula -- before and after the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the day after the inter-Korean summit, and the day when North Korea repatriated remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War.

"This could be a message that Seoul should not forget China's influence on the Korean Peninsula," said Park Won-gon of Handong Global University. "Or it could be an attempt to divert attention away from its own bareknuckle military activities."
Rox United U12 Raiders get tripped up by Palumbo
Letter to editor: Congress can get this right
IKEA has racked up W470 billion in sales in the fourth year since its launch in Korea (US$1=W1,116).

Country retail manager Andre Schmidtgall told reporters on Wednesday that sales from September 2017 to August 2018 came to W471.6 billion, up 29 percent on-year.

That makes IKEA the third largest furniture company in Korea, after Hanssem with W2 trillion in sales and Hyundai Livart with W888.4 billion.
Draft regulation would preserve respect for Nanjing Massacre

From:ChinaDaily | 2018-08-30 08:24

A draft regulation to protect the national memorial ceremony for victims of the Nanjing Massacre was submitted for deliberation at a session of the Standing Committee of the Nanjing municipal people's congress, which opened on Tuesday in Jiangsu province.

Under the draft, speech that distorts or denies facts of the massacreincluding behavior such as taking photos or videos of people dressed in Japanese uniforms at memorial sites, or appropriation of the names or portraits of victims, survivors or martyrswill all be banned and punished.

It states that vehicles and ships should sound their horns and pedestrians should pause to mourn the deceased in silence for one minute during the ceremony on National Memorial Day. It also suggested compiling textbooks and organizing school activities related to the national memorial.

The legislation will protect the memorial ceremonies, promote patriotism and enhance the cohesion of the Chinese nation, said Long Xiang, head of the Nanjing municipal people's congress.

The Nanjing Massacre was carried out by Japanese troops after they captured the city on Dec 13, 1937. Over six weeks, they killed 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers.

In February 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, designated Dec 13 as National Memorial Day for victims of the massacre to mourn the deceased and expose the war crimes committed by Japanese invaders.
DTC Product; CEO Events; Hedging Firms Making Moves

Is there a place for age or sex discrimination in mortgage banking? Of course not. So the court case earlier this month involving Sacramentos Summit Funding and Rick Ruby (LOs know him from CORE) is being followed closely by the industry. At this point Summit and profit participant Rick Ruby lost a $1.6 million binding arbitration case. In other legal news, even as states and local governments are passing so-called ban-the-box laws, the Eighth Circuit has upheld a Wells Fargo employment policy that allowed the bank to fire employees, or not consider job applicants, based on criminal records. Erin Mulvaney reports that the court ruled against 10 African-American and Latinos who alleged discriminatory employment practices. And the courts are involved in the shut down of St. Louis American Equity Mortgage, trying to find new revenue streams to pay off creditors.

Lender Products, Services, and Events

Todd Duncan recently launched his FREE 1-Hour Broadcast, Disrupt or Die: How to Win With Value. The response was overwhelming and exceeded capacity effecting hundreds of Originators who wanted access to the content. Todd believes Originators need to adjust their business model and disrupt the industry through value. He will launch two rebroadcast options of this game changing event TODAY ONLY for those who missed out. If you want to stay a step ahead in these challenging times dont miss out on this event! Click here to register here for Disrupt or Die.

BBM enterprise strategy specializes in NQM and Non-Agency Direct to Consumer Marketing. With rates on the rise it is imperative that you transition your marketing to the new frontier of credit. NQM production is projected to grow by 3x in 2019 and BBM is prepared to help you compete in this space. If your organization is looking to expand into targeted direct to consumer marketing or enterprise level marketing strategies aimed at the NQM and Non-Agency consumer, BBM has the right solution for your firm. For more information about BBM Marketing Services and about becoming an approved origination partner please contact Bill Senteno or visit www.bbm.company.

ARMCO launched its Fraud Case Manager, a customizable, secure platform that increases efficiency and analyzes fraud investigation data. ACES Risk Management (ARMCO), the leading provider of technology for loan quality and compliance testing, data validation and analytics, announced the launch of Fraud Case Manager, the industrys first technology for managing and analyzing fraud investigations. Fraud Case Manager provides lenders with a secure, fully configurable web-based alternative where they can manage all fraud investigations in one central location, and address all major risks associated with traditional fraud case management methods. For example, users can track any detail of any case in seconds rather than searching through numerous spreadsheets and technologies. They can limit usage to authorized parties rather than using open access documents like spreadsheets. Fraud Case Manager allows users to analyze data and create comprehensive reports that provides valuable insights for strategies going forward, rather than remaining unaware of trends and reacting to repeated issues as they arise.

On Saturday, October 20 more than 1,500 independent mortgage brokers, loan originators and processors will come together at the AIME Fuse 2018 National Conference to learn from industry experts about how they can access the best technology, originate more loans each month and become a marketing expert for their own business. AIME Fuse will unite the nations most passionate mortgage professionals around a singular focus: to celebrate and enhance the value of independent mortgage brokers. This is the inaugural national event for the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) and will be held at Bellagio Las Vegas. Use code FUSEEARLY18 to register for only $75 ($125 value) until August 31st. Register for AIME Fuse 2018 here.

Lenders One CEO Michael Kuentz will be hosting a CEO Symposium in Fort Worth, TX, September 26-27 for prospective members to share his vision for the future of the Lenders One mortgage cooperative. Weve heard from our members that the current market is one of the toughest theyve ever faced. With so many disruptive players around us, its never been more important for mortgage bankers to embrace new ideas to compete in these dynamic times, said Kuentz. Lenders One recently rolled out several new solutions at its Summer Conference in Salt Lake City including a total eClose solution with DocMagic; an MSR optimization engine with Incenter; an M&A connector; and a talent acquisition and retention offering with Hoops HR. If you are interested in joining Michael in Fort Worth, reach out to Michael Kuentz by September 5.

Congratulations to Susie Garza, PrimeLending EVP, Director of Joint Venture Strategy and Licensing for being named one of HWs 2018 Women of Influence! Under her guidance and brilliant leadership, the PrimeLending Ventures line of business has grown exponentially. Through the Joint Venture platform, PrimeLending has partnered with some of the nations most prestigious home builders, providing them with the tools, resources and support to quickly and confidently develop a business that offers financing solutions to their customers. As a result, joint venture partners can create an additional and predictable revenue stream, grow their companys brand image and maximize their customers lifetime value. If youre a home builder who is interested in learning more about generating incremental revenue and strengthening your brand, contact Mike Matthews at (972) 852-8238.



Capital Markets

Optimal Blue announced the completion of integration with Freddie Macs Loan Selling AdvisorSM application programming interface. By connecting the two platforms in real-time, Optimal Blue has enabled significant workflow efficiencies for its clients by fully automating the process of pricing Freddie Mac loans and securing Freddie Mac commitmentswith the initial goal of bringing additional operational improvements to Freddie Mac sellers and servicers that utilize Optimal Blues innovative whole loan trading platform, Resitrader. Available immediately to all Resitrader clients without the burden of time-consuming system upgrades, this integration enables users to seamlessly acquire Freddie Mac pricing data and facilitates comparisons against alternative executions such as bulk bids. Additionally, this advanced integration enables the automated commitment of Freddie Mac loans by returning trade confirmations directly back to the Resitrader user, thus eliminating the need to utilize multiple systems to conduct a single transaction.

Compass Analytics has integrated its product, pricing and eligibility engine, CompassPPE with Essent Guaranty's mortgage insurance platform to enable mutual clients to obtain immediate and accurate real-time rate quotes on loans exceeding 80% loan-to-value. As soon as a loan officer runs a search for loan options through CompassPPE, the pricing engine interacts directly with Essent Guarantys platform to provide MI pricing with multiple options for lender-paid coverage, borrower-paid single premium, and borrower-paid monthly premium coverage.

Freddie Mac and Tradeweb announced an agreement under which approved institutions will be allowed to exchange directly with FHLMC (or via dealers using Freddie Mac Dealer Direct) legacy FHLMC MBS via Tradeweb into new UMBS (55-day delay like FNMA) as part of the Single Security initiative with the exchange offer expected to commence in May 2019. On Tradeweb, it is expected that investors will need to identify eligible FHLMC MBS to go with carry depending on settlement date.

Most of the economic indicators released over the last week continued to show moderate growth in the US economy, however housing data for July underperformed. Overall, the labor market remains strong and household balances sheets show increased savings and manageable debt loads. New home sales declined 1.7 percent in July and the supply of new homes increased to 5.9 months worth; more or less the same supply as one year ago. Existing home sales waned for the fourth consecutive month, down 0.7 percent in July, as a steady increase in home prices has begun the reduce demand. However, inventory is still at a tight 4.3 months worth. The median home price for all housing types, which has now increased for 77 consecutive months on an annual bases, was $269,000 in July.

At the Feds recent central banking conference in Jackson Hole, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated intentions to continue to gradually increase the Fed funds target despite criticism that the Fed is both increasing rates too quickly and too slowly. As such the markets are pricing in a 96 percent probability of another 25-basis point increase at upcoming September FOMC meeting.

The labor market continues to tighten with job openings elevated across industries and there is now less than one unemployed person per job opening. The adjusted job opening rates for low-skill and high-skill industries are at all-time highs. However, the labor market for lower-skill jobs looks to be tightest. While the adjusted opening rate for high-skill jobs has fluctuated around its current level for most of the past two years, the low-skill opening rate has continuously trended upward. The highest industry-specific job opening rates are clustered in lower skill industries, namely the transportation, warehousing & utilities industry. The rate for this industry has more than doubled since early 2018, while openings in the retail sector are also elevated.

Higher-skill jobs are not immune from worker shortages, however. The information industry has an elevated adjusted job opening rate compared to historic norms. Irregular hours and low wages may be discouraging workers from pursuing careers in fields with some of the highest opening rates. As more workers pursue higher education and look to enter office jobs, fewer are training for low-skill jobs, contributing to a reduced pool of workers applying or qualified for jobs in fields such as manufacturing or transportation. In addition, lower workforce participation rates for workers with less education may be exacerbating labor shortages in low-skill industries. Facing difficulty finding qualified workers, employers are likely to continue to ease job requirements and provide more training. The labor scarcity may force wage and benefits growth to pick up.

Yesterday was another snoozer although the long bond showed relative strength and the yield curve flattened further. (That doesnt directly impact 30-year mortgage pricing, however, given early payoffs  which is why we watch the 10-year.) The 5-yr yield, 10-yr yield, and 30-yr yield spent the second consecutive session near their respective 50-day moving averages. The second estimate for Q2 GDP (4.2%) included a downward revision to personal spending growth (from 4.0% to 3.8%) that was offset by a higher estimate for nonresidential investment growth, government spending, and a downward revision to imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP.

This morning weve had July personal income and spending/consumption (+.3%, +.4%), weekly jobless claims (+3k to 213k), and PCE Prices (). After this initial volley we find rates little changed from Wednesdays close: the 10-year is chopping around 2.87% and agency MBS prices are up or down slightly depending on coupon and maturity.



Employment and Promotions

We at City National Bank believe that cultivating complex financial relationships will always require genuine high-touch service, producing results that exceed our discerning clients expectations. Financial expertise, trust and authenticity are the basic qualities we hold in the highest regard and consistently apply to the client experience. If your approach and qualifications line up with the City National brand of mortgage banking, we look forward to hearing from you. As we continue to grow, despite a contracting mortgage market, our Residential Lending Division is searching for Private Mortgage Bankers, Private Mortgage Banker Leads and Residential Lending Consultants in Orange County/San Diego, the Bay Area and the greater Los Angeles area. The roles call for entrepreneurial mortgage bankers who specialize in sourcing and cultivating banking relationships with high-net-worth clients, while providing City Nationals extraordinary client service. To learn more, visit CNBCareers or contact Bridget Purviance, Talent Acquisition (213-673-9155).

It's time for standalone/self-generating MLOs to face reality. The ability to thrive and grow in this career has never been so uncertain. Realtor referral business is threatened by existential changes in real estate, major mortgage players are aggressively buying market share, and consumer behaviors are changing fast. Many MLOs are contemplating an array of career options that offer little promise of the financial freedom and independence this industry has traditionally offered. Lionsgate Real Estate Group (a division of American Capital Corp) is taking the lead to offer professional MLO's a better option - the position of "Hybrid Agent." As the Home of the Hybrid Agent, our platform allows MLO's to compliantly practice loans and real estate in CA and TX. Create more value for consumers, increase your ROI, become your own best referral partner, and decrease your misery index by exponents. Contact Brett Bonecutter, Executive Director, to learn more. More states are coming soon - feel free to inquire.

HomeStreet Bank, one of the largest community banks in the West, announced that Mark DeWitt (NMLS ID# 633221) has taken on a new role as VP Area Manager based in the Del Mar Home Loan Center in San Diego. Mark is a 15-year industry veteran, previously serving as an outstanding HomeStreet Bank branch manager and holding several roles as a home loan officer. Congrats!
Joyas Zhu is the Country Director of Huawei Technologies for Nepal. Huawei is one of Nepals fastest growing smartphone brands in the country. He came to Nepal last year after spells in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Mexico. He spoke to Onlinekhabar about the future of Huawei in Nepal and the new Nova series phones.

Excerpts:

Most phone companies sell their phone through a retailer. Any specific reason why Huawei opened an office in Nepal?

We opened an office here because we believe in long term business. We want to be here for 50 years. Our strategy is to stay here for a long time. We dont want to come here for commercial purpose we have to leave our mark here.

Apart from selling phones, what else is Huawei involved in?

At Huawei, we have four business groups. First is consumer business which involves selling consumer products like phones, tablet and various accessories.

Another part is selling networking equipment which is one of Huaweis main businesses. Our enterprise business gives government and police suggestions and solutions on how to use technology in their day-to-day activities.

We have recently started cloud business in Nepal, which is in its early stage. This office has all of those departments which is why I say mobile is only one part of our business.

How important is the Nepali market for Huawei?

It is important but not as much because the Nepali market is not very big. Adding to that, the economy is not developed either. But as a brand, we want to be in as many countries as possible. As of now, we are present in around 170 countries and through all our businesses have served almost 30% of the worlds population. We want to serve the entire world. This is why we try to go to different countries and provide good service to our customers, which helps us build our brand.

Innovation has been an important part of Huawei. What kind of innovation are you working on right now?

Every year we invest a lot in research and design. We spend around 14% of revenue in research and design. Its quite a lot if you look at it. We also have a special experience research centre in 15 countries like India, Japan, France and USA.

Every country works on one aspect. For example, the French centre works mostly on design. Similarly, the German centre is where our best technical expertise comes from. Recently these centres have produced many innovative products like quad-camera and an AI processor.

Do all Huawei phones come to Nepal?

Only some phones make it here. We are not like other brands which have a lot of products in the market. We only bring those phones which we think will sell here in Nepal.

Huawei only launches 6-7 models every year because we want all models to be good. In Nepal, we sell four series  the P series, the Y series, Mate series and the Nova series along with some high and low end tablets.

What is different in the new Nova series?

The new Nova is young, fashionable and stylish. We have focused more on the camera because people like to share a lot of pictures on social media. Why we have a 24 megapixel front camera along with a 2 MP camera which make the selfie experience different to other phones. We have worked a lot on the design too, which is quite beautiful.

What challenges are you facing in Nepal?

Nepali market is quite challenging. The first challenge is the policies which are quite unstable. Then there is the exchange rate which keeps on changing. Adding to that, the government which increases the taxes. This year they increased the import tax and VAT. All of these factors impact our price. You can see that the price of the phone is quite high compared to the other markets due to the tax rates.

We also have competition from other brands that have retailers bring phone at a cheaper rate, which creates a problem for us.

How much do you spend on advertisements?

We spend 10% of our budget on marketing and branding. It is a consumer product and we spend like any other brand. We do that because we want people to experience our products which will help us stand out. It will help us in the longer run. We need to focus more on our product and user experience than marketing.

Why should a consumer buy Huawei?

Weve seen that people who buy our phones recommend others to buy it too. That I believe is because our phones are good which is why we have got good reviews.

Our quality is good and our battery is durable. The speed is good too along with our camera is as good as any in the market. The reason people should use us is because we focus on technology and try to make better products every time.

Any plans of assembling phone here?

We havent thought of that yet as there are various factors that we have to look at. Its not easy to do that in Nepal because there is no industry here. Everything has to be exported, which mean a lot of cost.

The policies of the country also do not help. We feel that there is not a need at the moment and if in the future there is a need, we will sure do it. For example, we do that in India because the market is huge there.

Why should consumers look for new Huawei products in the future?

Our vision is to make Huawei the most popular smartphone brand in Nepal by 2021. We also want to make sure our brand image is high too. The Mate and P series has done well all over the world. Now we want the Nova series to drive us forward which puts us on the map which also helps the sale of our other phones.

The Nova 2i we launched last year did quite well capturing 30% of the market segment. The new Nova 3i is doing well too and it is like that the market share will increase.

It might also help us sell our low end product y5 and y6 which has a lot of competition in the market from Oppo and Vivo.

How has the response been for the new Nova phone?

It was better than expected as it exceeded our expectation. The first day, 2,000 phones were sold within two hours. The Nova 3 was out of stock, especially the purple colour. Now the phones have recently come.
Cannabis Insights Tool Rolls Out in California

In the US, cannabis industry business intelligence platform Headset has extended its Headset Insights trend analysis solution to cover California's legal cannabis industry.



Headset, which was launched last year in Washington, Colorado and Nevada, collects data in real-time, directly from the industry's POS (point-of-sale) systems, and reports back to operators to guide their business decisions. The new Headset Insights service has been designed to deliver market trends based on aggregated sales data collected from retailers and dispensaries in real-time. Using this service, the firm says operators can better understand the competitive landscape, know their brands' position in the market, and identify opportunities for future product development.



Founder and CEO Cy Scott (pictured) comments: 'We are delighted to be able to now offer California market data to our customers helping companies get a better sense of category, segment, brand and product trends as the California cannabis industry continues to mature and cement itself as the largest market in the world. Although the market is quite new, our data already shows that California is behaving in a significantly different way than other recreational markets'.



Web site: www.headset.io .




How can one educational program teach all the skill sets regional industry requires? Michigan Tech has designed a way.

Industry is not a monolith. One employer needs to hire people with electrical skills. Another is looking for employees who understand fluid power systems. A third needs someone who can read blueprints. How can one educational program meet all their needs?

Partnering with Bay de Noc Community College and funded by the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Labor, state agencies and industry, Michigan Technological University has helped craft an educational program to meet industrys needs. Its an initiative in industrial automation, robotics and controls to help students earn credentials from certificates to associate degrees to bachelors degrees. The development of the tools and curriculum will prepare Michigan Tech students to join the workforce.

Mechatronics: Automation, Robotics, Controls

Whats mechatronics? Aleksandr Sergeyev, a professor of electrical engineering technology in Michigan Techs School of Technology and principal investigator on the project, explained in a recent presentation to the American Society for Engineering Educations 2018 Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration.

Mechatronics is a hybrid of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering. It is a multidisciplinary field that includes elements of mechanical engineering, electronics, computer engineering, telecommunications, systems engineering, robotics, automation and controls.

And it is the wave of the future. The International Federation of Robotics estimates that by 2019, more than 1.4 industrial robots will be installed in factories around the world.

Meeting the educational needs of this growing industry was a priority of the partnership between Michigan Tech and Bay College, Sergeyev says. But creating separate academic programs to meet each of the diverse requests from area employers was impractical.

Instead, he worked with Mark Highum, chair of the Technology Division at Bay College, and Scott Kuhl, associate professor of computer science at Michigan Tech, to design a single program.

Aleksandr Sergeyev, a professor of electrical engineering technology in Michigan Techs School of Technology, wants to help students and companies meet the needs of future industry.

Specialization to Meet Industry Needs

The program is a stackable credential model that includes introductory coursework in each skill set and enables students to customize the rest of their education to focus on the particular regional industry or employer that most interests them.

Students can choose to earn a single certificate and enter the workforce with it, Sergeyev explains. Or they can go on to earn an associates degree, enabling them to obtain employment requiring this more advanced skill set. They also have the option to transfer their entire Bay College education to Michigan Tech to earn a bachelors degree in electrical engineering technology.

This model not only works well for students. It provides area employers with potential workers who have entry-level skills as well as associates or bachelors degree graduates with higher skill sets.

Robotics and Automation are New Normal in Industry

Nick Kaufman, vice president of Kaufman Engineered Systemsthe largest integrator of FANUC robots in the USAsays because automation and robotics will continue to be used more and more and new developments will continue to take place, the workplace will need more technicians to maintain, program and design the automation installations.

"We will continue to see areas where manual labor is being replaced by automation, and we need people to support these systems. Students coming out of school need to have the necessary training so they can support this growth." Nick Kaufman, Kaufman Engineered Systems

He went on to say: The initiative led by Sergeyev focuses on the courses and education to provide the students with the ability to achieve a technical training to complement the theoretical side. I hope we can see the model applied more. This is very important in the support for robotics and automation being installed today.

Raymond Guzowski, principal engineer in dispense applications and systems of FANUC America and a long-time member of the Industrial Advisory Board of Michigan Techs School of Technology Electrical Engineering Technology program, said: FANUC has supported the Industrial Advisory Board of the School of Technology at Michigan Tech for approximately 25 years. In the past several years under Sergeyevs leadership, the university has invested in the development of robotic programming classes using FANUC training cells.

"With the addition of these skills, Michigan Tech students become more valuable to potential employers. FANUC itself has hired a number recent graduates to fill its own staffing requirements." Raymond Guzowski, FANUC America

A number of employers have signed on, including Engineered Machine Products in Escanaba, which has three apprentice programs based on the mechatronics course. Lake Shore Systems, based in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, uses the mechatronics certificate as its apprentice program, according to Mark Highum at Bay College, and three mechatronics students are working at Verso Paper in Escanaba and Stewart Manufacturing in Hermansville.

The program also offers workshops for industry personnel, K-12 and postsecondary educators, and K-12 students. The Dickinson Iron Independent School District recently added a mechatronics program, Highum says. We have partnered on a fifth-year program that enables their student to complete the Bay College mechatronics program after just one year beyond high school.

Hands-on Practice with Robotic Arm Simulation

A key element in the mechatronics program is student access to practice with robotics technology. Scott Kuhl, an associate professor of computer science at Michigan Tech, and Sergeyev have worked with nine computer science, electrical and mechanical engineering technology undergraduate and graduate students to develop robotics simulation software called RobotRun that makes the learning experience easily accessible.

We enjoyed creating a unique, free, open-source software package that helps make industrial robotics training more accessible to everybody, Kuhl says.

Mechatronics: A Model for Future Technology Education

The mechatronics program is entering its fourth year. We are currently pursuing various venues to continue supporting the program financially, so we can continue developing existing and new software and hardware functions in the field of robotics, Sergeyev says. Examples include a tele-operated robotic workcell, enhanced functions of RobotRun, and software including the implementation of robotic vision and a robotic portal for self-learners.

The mechatronics partnership has already caught the attention of the governor and Michigans Talent Investment Agency. Both have visited the mechatronics and robotics lab at Bay College, and the agencys director has expressed interest in participating in future partnerships.

Michigan Tech and Bay College hope to see their model adopted widely. Already, Sergeyev says, many universities and community colleges are using the softwarewhich was freely disseminated during the workshops conducted by the institutionsto teach concepts of industrial robotics. The program offers a path to equip students with educational opportunities in a high-demand industrial field, industrial certification and production of well-prepared graduates with a strong background in industrial automation and controls.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, the University offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Home  Business  Kathmandu View Tower to have 16 storeys, four more than what building code approves

Kathmandu, August 30

Though the existing building code has a provision that no buildings taller than 12 storeys can be built in Kathmandu Valley, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has allowed a private company to construct a 16-floor tower at Purano Bus Park.

In January 2015, the KMC and a construction company signed an agreement to built the 29-storey Kathmandu View Tower. However, the magnitude-7.6 earthquake on April 25 in the same year not only halted the construction plan, but also forced the government to revise the building code and restrict the construction above 12 storeys.

Since then, the company was lobbying for the approval for 29 floors as per the earlier contract. Now, the negotiations have reached almost final stage as the local government agreed to let the company add four more storeys on the existing standard.

The KMC Public Private Partnership Section chief Mahesh Kafle says the building will have more than 12 storeys, but the exact number has not been fixed yet.

But, a source at the company claims it has been fixed and the construction works will resume on September 1.
It was 30 years ago when the final 35-cent toll was collected at the Wallingford tollhouse on the Wilbur Cross Parkway.

The tollbooths closed for good at 11 p.m. on Friday, June 24, 1988. The next Monday, workers began removing booths along the Wilbur Cross and the Merritt parkways. At that time, the Wallingford booth was 37 years old.

Connecticut decided to abolish tolls in 1983 when a tragic accident at a Stratford tollbooth killed seven. Phasing out the tolls along the Connecticut Turnpike started two years later.

The accident in Stratford occurred when the driver of a tractor-trailer allegedly fell asleep at the wheel and crashed full speed into a line of cars waiting to pay the toll, causing an explosion and fire.

In September 1985, a series of highway fatalities prompted Gov. William ONeill to order all of the turnpike tolls closed two months ahead of schedule.

The parkways, which run south from Meriden to the New York state line in Greenwich, had toll plazas in Wallingford, Milford and Greenwich.

The state legislature decided to close state toll booths along the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways soon after closing them on Interstate 95. Besides safety, they also cited concerns about emissions from cars waiting to go through the plazas, the Record-Journal reported at the time.

Those who supported ending the tolls said their demise would be fairer for residents living nearby and make the four-lane highway safer.

Not everyone was for the elimination of tolls, and those who opposed the move pointed to increased traffic now that the road would be free, and increased damage to the road with heavier traffic. Millions in state revenues was also projected to be lost. In the 80s, the parkway tolls generated $13 million annually, but cost the state about $6 million to collect.

Now with the state facing billions in unfunded infrastructure repairs, some lawmakers are considering re-establishing tolling  particularly electronic tolling  in an effort to reclaim some of that revenue.

About five years ago, Rep. Pat Dillon, D-New Haven, introduced a bill in the legislature that would re-establish border tolls in the state. Her proposal came as Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the DOT started to seriously study the issue of tolls, also pointing out the states revenue from its gasoline tax is set to decline as cars became more fuel-efficient.

This year, under Malloys direction, the State Bond Commission approved $10 million in financing for a study of establishing electronic tolling on most state highways.

Tolls could raise as much as $1 billion per year, with up to 40 percent coming from out-of-state motorists, as estimated by Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker. That number could be closer to $600 million to $800 million, depending on the level of discounts given to in-state residents.

The future of tolls has ignited fierce political debate moving into the November elections.

Both the Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont and GOP candidate Bob Stefanowski have spoken out against the study, but Lamont remains open to the idea of trucker-only tolling, while Stefanowski views tolling as a tax, which goes against his no-tax pledge, according to the CT Mirror.

bwright@record-journal.com

203-317-2316

Twitter: @baileyfaywright
MERIDEN  A city man has pleaded guilty to a federal cocaine trafficking charge after he threw a package of cocaine out of his car while leading state police on a pursuit last year.

Joel Cruz, 35, pleaded guilty Thursday in Hartford Federal Court to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 28.

On Sept. 2, 2017, Cruz led state police on a high-speed chase from Interstate 95 in Milford to Interstate-91 in New Haven, according to a U.S. Department of Justice statement. During the pursuit, Cruz threw a package containing about two pounds of cocaine out of his car.

Cruz was found with almost $35,000 cash when he was apprehended near exit 5 on I-91, the statement said.

blipiner@record-journal.com

203-317-2444

Twitter: @BryanLipiner
By Bryan Lipiner

Record-Journal staff

SOUTHINGTON  Local elementary schools will dismiss early Thursday due to expected temperatures near 90 degrees.

The towns eight elementary schools do not have air conditioning, and temperatures in many classrooms were recorded in the low to mid-80s Wednesday.

The high temperature Thursday is forecast to be 89 degrees.

It will not be possible to cool those rooms sufficiently overnight to avoid the potential for an extremely uncomfortable environment Thursday afternoon, Superintendent of Schools Tim Connellan said in a statement. I cannot imagine that much productive learning can take place when the heat index climbs to the levels we are experiencing currently.

Flanders, Hatton, Plantsville, South End and Thalberg elementary schools will dismiss at 12:10 p.m. and Derynoski, Kelley and Strong elementary schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. After Care programs at the YMCA will run as scheduled.

The towns middle schools and high school will have full day schedules Thursday and dismiss at regular times. Connellan anticipates a full day for all schools on Friday.

blipiner@record-journal.com

203-317-2444

Twitter: @BryanLipiner
SOUTHINGTON  High school and middle school students returned to school Thursday for a full day, but extreme heat forced an early dismissal at the towns elementary schools.

Parents were notified Wednesday that elementary schools would close shortly after noon on the first day because of a lack of air-conditioned classrooms.

I dont understand why the middle schools and high schools have air conditioning but the elementary schools dont, said Jamie Sencio, a mother of two children who attend Derynoski School. If it was just my fifth-grader, I would have said stay home. 

But her younger daughter was eager to attend her first day of kindergarten. For Sencio, that meant waiting in the line with other parents in front of the school to pick up her daughter before racing the bus home to be there when her fifth-grader was dropped off. Kindergartners cannot ride the bus on the first day.

They have a long weekend coming up too, Sencio said.

Superintendent of Schools Tim Connellan announced the early dismissal in an e-mail to parents on Wednesday.

Data collected (Wednesday) showed that many of the classrooms were already in the low to mid eighty degree range early this morning, Connellan said in the email. It will not be possible to cool those rooms sufficiently overnight to avoid the potential for an extremely uncomfortable environment Thursday afternoon. I cannot imagine that much productive learning can take place when the heat index climbs to the levels we are experiencing currently.

Some parents waiting to pick students up at Derynoski shared similar complaints, while others said the decision was correct even though the situation might be difficult for some parents.

Kim Kelly never considered keeping her two children home after receiving the e-mail.

Its a great first start and shows them what to expect, Kelly said.

Second-grader Jonah Tonn was disappointed he had to leave his classroom and friends early.

Yeah, I wanted to stay, Jonah said.

Initially though it was a little ridiculous, said Jonahs mother Tiffany Tonn. I really hope this school gets air.

There are long term plans to install air conditioning in the elementary schools and it was added to the capital improvement budget last year. But the district had other projects to complete, such as the middle school renovation and the elementary school enrollment study.

The Derynoski building, because of its age, requires more work to renovate than the towns seven other elementary schools.

Its there on the table, Connellan said. We have to find a way to have our elementary schools air conditioned, so we dont have disruptions in the educational process.

The YMCA also runs its after school program that enrolls about 50 children in the elementary school. According to YMCA Executive Director John Myers, while other town schools have some air conditioned areas, Derynoski is a challenge.

Our staff is going to be trying to find the coolest place in the school or outside under the shade, Myers said. We encouraged parents that if they can pick them up to do so, but were there for them if they need us.

Derynoski principal Jan Verderame said that, with the exception of the heat, the first day of school went smoothly.

The kids were raring to go, Verderame said. Typically on the first day, they are are excited to be in and ready to learn. Everything went smoothly.

mgodin@record-journal.com

203-317-2255

Twitter: @Cconnbiz
International

UN warns against full-scale military assault in Syrias Idilib

United Nations, Aug 30 (IANS) | Publish Date: 8/30/2018 11:02:30 AM IST

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the growing risks of a humanitarian catastrophe in the event of a full-scale military operation in the northern Idlib province of Syria.

Guterres statement followed the briefing a day before by the director of operations for UN humanitarian affairs John Ging to the Security Council. Ging warned such a government offensive in Idlib has the potential to create a humanitarian emergency at a scale not yet seen in the seven-year civil war, Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking through his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Guterres reaffirmed that any use of chemical weapons is totally unacceptable, in an apparent response to allegations that emerged recently of possible staging of chemical attacks in the province.

The US, Britain and France have warned that they will respond appropriately to any chemical weapons attack in Idlib, a warning repeated at the Security Council on Tuesday by the three countries.

Russia, for its part, said Syrian rebels are preparing a chemical attack, which Moscow said the West would use to justify a strike against the Syrian forces.

Guterres called on the guarantors of the Astana process, namely Russia, Iran and Turkey, to step up efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation in Idlib, the last remaining de-escalation zone, one of the four that the process helped to create.

Complementary to the Geneva talks, the Astana process kicked off in early 2017 with a meeting providing for indirect talks between the Syrian government and rebel factions in the neutral Kazakh capital. In tandem with the Geneva talks, the process aims to achieve a peaceful and stable solution to the conflict in Syria.

Concluding his statement, Guterres urged all parties to take all necessary measures to safeguard civilian lives, allow freedom of movement, and protect civilian infrastructure.
Anuradha Shukla By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Despite the 15-day timeline given by the Allahabad High Court to the Centre to decide and take action on power sector NPAs under Section 7 of RBI Act, the government seems likely to leave the 'mess' to the RBI and the banks.

According to government sources, neither the Finance nor the Power Ministry has a roadmap for the knotty problem yet. On August 27, the Allahabad High Court had refused to give any relief to independent power producers against the February 12 circular of the RBI, which specified that if a resolution was not found by August 27, these accounts should be sent to bankruptcy courts.

The court also mandated initiating insolvency proceedings by lenders against defaulting projects and gave 15 days to the Centre to decide and take action under Section 7 of RBI Act. However, sources in the Finance Ministry said that the government would rather let RBI take any necessary course of action.We had different views on power sector NPAs. But if the RBI has taken that stand, we would let them go ahead with it... Hope they remain pragmatic on what they do, a senior official from the Finance Ministry told TNIE. He added that the Power Ministry is yet to give them their final report on the sectoral impact of the move and until then, it would be difficult for the ministry to come up with a concrete plan.

Everyone has different figures on impact and we are working with the Power Ministry on numbers. One solution where most stakeholders including RBI agree is to form a public sector AMC that manages banks NPAs either directly or by bidding at NCLT auctions. But that will mean infusing capital, which would not be easy, the official added.

Meanwhile, Finance Ministrys Principle Economic Advisor Sanjeev Sanyal said that the matter is being discussed and a decision is being made. We will look at all options and take appropriate action.

Economic Affairs Secretary S C Garg also told reporters on Thursday that there is a panel headed by the Cabinet Secretary which will take a call on whether to invoke Section 7 of the RBI Act or not.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Hours after the Delhi High Court granted interim bail to former Bhushan Steel promoter Neeraj Singhal, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) on Wednesday, approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the order.

In an urgent mentioning seeking a stay on the bail order, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that We dont want another Mallya.

Senior advocate CA Sunderam, appearing for Singhal, said, Cant defeat celebrated right of liberty.

The Additional Solicitor General said, Yes, celebrated for duping Rs 2,500 crore.The court agreed to hear the case on Thursday morning. Earlier in the day, Delhi High Court granted interim bail to former Bhushan Steel promoter Neeraj Singal, who was arrested for allegedly syphoning off over Rs 2,000 crore from bank loans using more than 80 associate companies.

A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel granted interim bail to Singal on furnishing of a personal bond of `5 lakh with two sureties of Rs 2 lakh. It directed the accused not to leave the country without prior intimation to the court concerned. The bench also directed that Singal not influence the witnesses in the case in any way. The court passed the order on Singals plea challenging his arrest by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) on August 8 and continued custody in the matter.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The Kerala floods will have an adverse impact on microlenders, general insurers, gold financiers and banks like Federal Bank and The South Indian Bank, a report said today.

However, on the positive side, a spurt in credit demand and increased remittances will help the financial institutions, rating agency India Ratings said in its report.

ALSO READ | Kerala floods Timeline: Story of the state's worst flood in 90 years

"The Kerala floods could materially affect the unsecured lending (microfinance institutions), SME businesses and the state's agriculture output, resulting in higher loan slippages and insurance claims," it said.

The agency, however, said that even though loan delinquencies will shoot up due to the floods that have claimed over 470 lives, the actual haircuts which the financiers will have to take will differ from asset to asset.

It said apart from the MFIs, two-wheeler and consumer durables financiers will have to take severe haircuts, while the pain will be a bit lesser for agri loans, motor insurance and loans against property.

Among all the lenders, it specifically pointed out that Federal Bank and The South Indian Bank may witness a 25 per cent rise in non-performing assets immediately, but added that both have sufficient profits and capital buffers to take care of the strain.

ALSO READ | Kerala Floods: 55 lakh people affected by flood, government informs HC

The agency, however, warned that any forbearance as provided under the RBI's guidelines for natural calamity would delay the recognition of the delinquency, which may increase the ultimate credit costs for banks and non-bank lenders.

There can be an increase of up to 1.5 times in credit demand as the state seeks to come out of the crisis, but credit will be available to better-rated borrowers alone, it said.

Gold financiers could see higher auctioning post-moratorium as their borrowers largely depend on agricultural activities for servicing loans, it said, adding that high-value gold loans will actually grow because of the floods.

Microlenders had a Rs 2,100 crore exposure to the state with 2.7 per cent of them unpaid for over 30 days, it said, adding that there can be a "spike" in non-repayment because of the floods.

ALSO READ | Kerala floods exceptional, Centre should allow foreign aid: NCP chief Sharad Pawar

"Microfinance players would face a higher impact and we will decide on any rating action based on the expected impact on profitability and capital buffers," the note said.

For the general insurance companies, the agency said there can be a claim impact of over Rs 1,000 crore, but the actual impact on the industry will be minimal as most of it will be covered through reinsurance and catastrophe covers.

"This would also lead to incremental higher growth for many general insurance companies post normalisation where the need for a cover against future catastrophes would increase with personal awareness," it said.
By UNI

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu is leading the Indian delegation for the 6th RCEP Trade Ministers' Meeting which begins in Singapore on Friday.

The Minister will participate in the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) Ministerial Meeting) meeting consisting of 10 ASEAN countries and six ASEAN FTA partners namely, India, China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The meeting is being held on 30th-31st August 2018.

ALSO READ | India to press for balanced, inclusive outcome of RCEP at Singapore meet

"India has been constructively engaged in the RCEP negotiations with an aim to work towards a high quality, balanced and inclusive outcomes that take into consideration sensitivities and interests of member countries. The Ministers will give guidance to the Trade Negotiating Committee of RCEP to enable negotiations move forward," the release stated here.

On 1st September 2018, Mr.Prabhu will take part in the 6th East-Asia Economic Ministers' Meeting (EAS-EMM), attended by Trade and Economic Ministers of 10 ASEAN countries and 8 Dialogue Partners of ASEAN including India, China, US, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The Ministers will deliberate on the current global economic situation and exchange views on promotion of rule-based multilateral trading system and its importance to the stability and effective functioning of the global economic order.

This will be followed by the 15th India-ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting (AEM) which will take stock of the current level of trade and economic engagement between India and ASEAN.

During the meeting the Indian Commerce Minister will take up the issue of initiating the review meeting of the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement with a view to enhancing utilisation of the bilateral FTA for mutual benefit.

ASEAN is amongst the fastest growing markets in the world and presents substantial trade and investments opportunities for India.

ASEAN has emerged as the second largest trade partner of India in 2017-18 with bilateral trade valued at US$ 81.33 billion, comprising 10.58 pc of India's total trade with the world.
By Express News Service

KOCHI:For the past few months, a family from Karor Lal Esan in Pakistan had been searching for paediatric cardiothoracic surgeon Dr John Valiattu. At last, they found him on the website of Believers Church Medical College, Tiruvalla.

It was Dr Valiattu, a surgeon at Royal Hospital in Muscat, Oman, who performed the first surgery on five-month-old Afiya in 1998. She was born with a heart condition called Truncus Arteriosus and had to get her heart valve replaced. The second surgery when she was 13 was also a success.

Afiya and her family eventually moved back to Pakistan. When it was time for the third surgery, her father Hafeez Malik approached top hospitals and specialists in Pakistan. But they guaranteed only a 40 per cent success rate. It was then that the family started searching for Dr Valiattu, who had also shifted to Kerala in the meantime. After contacting Believers Church Medical College, they applied for a medical visa to visit India.

Afiya, a postgraduate student in IT at Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan, came to Kerala with her sister Dr Riswana and brother Shuhaib in the first week of July.In the last week of July, a complicated six-hour-long surgery was performed by a team comprising Dr Valiattu, Dr Kannan R Nair, anaesthetists Dr Sajith Sulaiman and Dr Benson Abraham, heart-lung machine technicians Salim and Anantitha, anaesthesia technicians Senthil and Bibin and six nursing staff.

After the successful surgery, Afiya and her siblings returned home.Afiyas sister Dr Riswana, who is a radiologist, said that if India and Pakistan were on friendlier terms, many patients there would be able to access medical facilities in India.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Expressing shock over the death of actor-turned-politician Nandamuri Harikrishna in a road accident, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that it was an irreparable loss to both his family and Telugu Desam Party. As a mark of respect to Harikrishna, son of former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and founder of TDP, NT Rama Rao, the government announced a State mourning on Wednesday and Thursday.

A visibly shaken Naidu cancelled all his programmes and rushed to Narketpally immediately after hearing the news. Speaking to reporters later, Naidu said Harikrishna was a unique leader and worked hard in taking the TDP to masses. He had unique qualities and was an outspoken leader. He called a spade a spade. He was the Sarathi of NT Rama Raos campaign vehicle Chaitanya Ratham, which took the TDP closer to the people. His efforts as Transport minister when I became Chief Minister also proved his capabilities, he observed.

Governor ESL Narasimhan, Opposition Leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, BJP State president Kanna Lakshminarayana, State cabinet ministers and others also condoled the death of Harikrishna. They recalled the contribution of Harikrishna to the fields of cinema and politics.

Harikrishna was born at Nimmakuru village in Krishna district on September 2, 1956. He was the fourth son of NTR. He studied till SSC at Senior Secondary School in Chennai. A favourite of his father, Harikrishna made his film debut as a child artiste in Sri Krishnavataram in 1964.

A chip of the old block, Harikrishna joined the politics and played a crucial role in NTR Rama Raos whirlwind tour of Andhra Pradesh after the TDP was formed. Harikrishna was also known to be a rebel in the family. He sided with his brother-in-law Chandrababu Naidu when the latter rebelled against NT Rama Rao. Following this, he got a berth in Naidu cabinet in 1995, and subsequently got elected as a legislator in 1996 from Hindupur and continued as the minister till 1999. Thereafter, following the differences with Naidu, he launched his own political outfit, Anna Telugu Desam Party and contested 1999 elections. He did not win any seats.

After patching up with his brother-in-law in 2006, he rejoined the TDP and was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 2008. After 2014 elections, Harikrishna maintained a low profile and remained a politburo member of the TDP.

Harikrishna married his first wife Lakshmi on February 22, 1973. They got two sons  Janaki Ram and film actor Kalyan Ram and a daughter Suhasini. Later, he married Shalini with whom he got a son, film actor Junior NTR. Janaki Ram died in a similar road accident in 2014.
Shilajit Mitra By

Express News Service

Director Pawan Kauls upcoming film, The Answer, traces the spiritual journey of James Donald Walters, an American youngster who drops out of college to become a disciple of Yogi Paramahansa Yogananda. Walters, who later became Swami Kriyananda, is played by Leonidas Gulaptis, while Yogananda is essayed by Victor Banerjee. Yoganandas globally-renowned book, Autobiography of a Yogi, is one of the many sources used for the film.

My wife (Maya Bhate Banerjee) had read the book many years ago and attended the Kriya Yoga workshops. She introduced me to the teachings of Yogananda. I am a believer, absolutely. I live in Dev Bhoomi (Uttarakhand). When you trek in the mountains, you cannot be an atheist; the isolation and insignificance you feel is quite overwhelming. I grew up in the jungles of Assam and was later schooled by the Irish Christian Brothers. They inspired me to take up social service and charity. Ive been a spiritual person all my life, Victor Banerjee tells us.

Praising Pawan Kaul for translating a deeply internal story into a big-screen experience, Banerjee adds, Kriyanandas book, The Answer, was written as a very relatable autobiography. It has a very simple storyline. Pawan Kaul is a very sensitive and measured filmmaker; he is also a devotee of Kriya Yoga and understands the subject from within.

Sharing his process of approaching the character, Banerjee says, I dont dress like a sanyasi to become my character. My process is simple: I keep reading the script over and over again until something clicks. It could be something as simple as a line of dialogue or how the character ties his shoelaces. Once that click happens, I am locked onto the person. When I come on set, I am always in character. Its almost like a robotic performance, I call it my form of Zen.

Banerjees repertoire extends to both commercial and art films in English, Hindi, Bengali and Assamese. He has worked with international directors like David Lean, Roman Polanski, James Ivory, Jerry London, and  closer home  Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen. His last Bollywood appearances were in Fever and Gunday, besides independent ventures like Unfreedom, Delhi In a Day and Children of War.

I love all forms of storytelling. Indian cinema, whether commercial or independent, is doing well for itself. We should stop obsessing about appreciation from the West or other cultures. I devote a lot of time to a regional cinema and support their voices. Bollywood is cancer which has taken over our culture. Unfortunately, cancers dont cure themselves. They have to be burnt with radiation or something. But on a broader scale, theres a lot of variety in Indian cinema. Im very proud to be a part of it.
Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday decried the arrest of Left-leaning activists and said the country was heading towards a dictatorship. He also slammed Bihar's Nitish Kumar-led government over the rise in crime against women. "Several intellectuals and activists have been arrested on the charge of conspiring to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is not a good indication. The country is heading towards a dictatorship," said the ailing former Bihar chief minister before he left for Ranchi to surrender in a special CBI court.

The 70-year-old leader, who has been out of jail on bail since May 11 following his conviction in four cases of the Rs 1,000-crore fodder scam, looked frail and walked unsteadily. Jharkhand High Court asked him last week to surrender before a special CBI court in Ranchi by August 30.

"I do not long for the comfort in a hospital. I have been treated at hospitals in Mumbai and Delhi. I am still unwell due to infections. But I have full faith in the judiciary, and I am sure of getting justice," said Yadav. "I, my wife Rabri Devi and my son Tejashwi Yadav have been framed in false cases. With the general elections drawing near, they (BJP-led NDA) hope to get relief by keeping my entire family engaged and worried. But they will be disappointed," said Yadav.

He also attacked Bihar CM Nitish Kumar over the rise in crime in the state. "The rapes at the Muzaffarpur shelter homes and the spate of murders and robberies show that there is absolutely no law and order in Bihar. Nitish Kumar is like Nero, who was playing the flute when Rome was burning," said Yadav.

Special CBI courts in Ranchi have handed him jail terms for 27 years and a half after finding him guilty in four cases of the 22-year-old fodder scam. Yadav's wife Rabri Devi, also a former Bihar CM, and their son Tejashwi Yadav, currently Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Assembly, left for New Delhi on Wednesday to appear before a court there in the Railways' hotel tender scam case. The appearance is scheduled for Friday.

"He (Lalu) is levelling baseless charges against the government to divert the people's attention from the massive corruption he and his family have engaged in for years. He forgets that the fruits of crime and corruption are never sweet," said Bihar deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.
By PTI

PUNE: A letter, which the Maharashtra police claim to have recovered during its multi-city raids two days back, alleges that one of the five arrested activists Gautam Navlakha was in contact with Kashmiri separatists.

The undated letter in Hindi, written by some 'Comrade Sudha' to some 'Comrade Prakash, also talks about giving financial help to the "comrades" working in the "interiors", as is supposedly done by backers of militants and stone pelters in Kashmir.

Navlakha was one of the five Left-wing activists arrested for alleged Maoist links during raids by the Pune police at nine places across various states on Tuesday.

Others arrested were Left-leaning poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in Mumbai and trade unionist and lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj in Haryana's Faridabad.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into a conclave -- Elgar Parishad -- held in Pune on December 31 last year, which had allegedly triggered violence at Bhima Koregaon in the district the next day.

The Supreme Court, after being approached by some prominent people to challenge the arrests, ordered yesterday that the five should be kept under house arrest till September 6.

Yesterday, special public prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar had told the Pune court that the police has seized some letters which showed a connection between the Maoists and other banned organisations including some outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

A letter, a copy of which is in PTI's possession, reads: "Comrade Ankit and Comrade Gautam Navlakha are in contact with Kashmiri separatists."

It was not clear from the letter as to who "Sudha", "Prakash" or "Ankit" are.

It goes on to say: "After Saibaba's imprisonment, there is an atmosphere of fear among urban cadres. To minimise that fear, there is a need to provide monetary package to the comrades working in interiors on the line of financial aid provided by Kashmiri separatists to the stone pelters, militant organisations and their families."

Such aid, the letter states, will make the "comrades" mentally stronger to face any situation.

"Saibaba" apparently is former Delhi University teacher G N Saibaba who was convicted for Maoist links last year.

The letter also says that "Comrade Prakash" could be consulted for legal aid for a case pertaining to the use of pellet guns which is in the Supreme Court.

The writer of the letter also talks about a need to publicise videos of alleged human rights violations in the Kashmir valley by the "enemy" on social as well as other media.
By ANI

BODH GAYA: A Buddhist monk of Bodh Gaya's Prajna Jyoti Buddhist School and Meditation Centre was on Wednesday taken into custody for alleged sexual abuse of 15 children from Assam, who were studying at the institution.

"The children had complained about the monk to their respective guardians. Also, they informed us that they were thrashed, mistreated and sexually abused while staying in the school. We are investigating the matter now and will take relevant action," DSP Rajkumar Shah said.

This comes at a time when the Bihar government is being strongly criticised by the Opposition parties over the growing number of cases of sexual harassment in the state.

Earlier this year, Mumbai's leading research institute -Tata Institute of Social Sciences - stated in a report that the girls are falling prey to sexual abuse at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur.

The police had rescued 44 girls living in the vicinity and had arrested 11 employees working at the shelter home on July 24. The medical reports of twenty-nine girls indicated that sexual contact was established with them.
By UNI

KATHMANDU: The fourth BIMSTEC Summit got underway here on Thursday with the host Nepal making a fervent appeal to strive to work for a peaceful and prosperous Bay of Bengal region and to fight out terrorism.

In his opening remarks at the inaugural session, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said the success of the regional grouping will depend on uninterrupted connectivity.

Mr Oli, who is the chairman of the regional grouping, also made a strong pitch to work for an atmosphere of confidence and for "level playing field."

"Enhanced people to people contact and enhanced trade will be vital," he said adding "we need to take bold measures as well".

He said the fourth BIMSTEC Summit has a special significance as it is being held at a time when the world is "watching our gathering with keen interest".

"We have gathered here to make the region peaceful and prosperous," he emphasised and underlined the need for regional cooperation.

"Now is the time to act. Now is the time to translate promises into results," he said.

Indian PM Modi earlier in the day arrived at Kathmandu to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit. Modi said yesterday that his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu signals India's highest priority to its neighbourhood and a strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia.

In a statement before leaving for Nepal for the two-day summit, Modi said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit whose theme is 'Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region'.
By PTI

PUNE: The CBI, which is probing rationalist Narendra Dabholkar's murder case, today told a court here that it would be taking custody of three men arrested by Karnataka police in the Gauri Lankesh murder case.

The CBI had earlier said there was a link between the accused in the two cases.

The Pune court today extended till September 1 the police custody of Sachin Andure, one of the alleged shooters who killed Dabholkar.

The Central Bureau of Investigation told the court that it wants to interrogate Andure and Sharad Kalaskar, the alleged second shooter, together.

Kalaskar was arrested by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) earlier this month in an explosives seizure case.

As Kalaskar is in ATS's custody till September 3, the CBI wants to take Andure to ATS's office where both can be questioned together, said CBI lawyer Vijay Kumar Dhakne, seeking extension of custody.

Further, three accused in journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case -- Amol Kale, Amit Digvekar and Rajesh Bangera -- will be produced before the Pune court in the Dabholkar murder case on Friday, the prosecutor said.

"A CBI team is in Bengaluru and completing court procedure to get their custody (from Karnataka police) in the Dabholkar case," said Dhakne.

The central agency had claimed earlier that one of the accused in the Lankesh case had handed over a country-made pistol, three bullets and a magazine to Andure.

Andure gave it to his brother-in-law Shubham Surle, a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, on August 11 this year, and Surle handed it to his friend Rohit Rege, as per the CBI.

The pistol was suspected to have been used in the Lankesh murder, an agency source said.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer opposed the extension of Andure's custody, arguing that the CBI has not made any progress in Dabholkar case, and if it wanted to bring Andure and Kalaskar face to face, it should have done so earlier.

Judicial Magistrate S N A Sayyad, however, agreed to the agency's request and extended Andure's custody.

A court in Mumbai yesterday rejected the CBI's plea seeking the custody of Sharad Kalaskar in Dabholkar case.

The court had said he cannot be handed over while in ATS custody.

Acting on a tip-off from the ATS following the arrest of Kalaskar, the CBI arrested Sachin Andure, a resident of Aurangabad district, on August 18, in the Dabholkar case.

Dabholkar was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants in Pune on August 20, 2013.
Mukesh Ranjan By

Express News Service

RANCHI: RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, out on provisional bail since May 11 on medical grounds, surrendered before a Special CBI Court in Ranchi on Thursday following directions of Jharkhand High Court to surrender by August 30. Jharkhand High Court turning down his application seeking 3 months extension to the provisional bail granted earlier to him on medical grounds, had directed him to surrender the CBI Court before it gets expired on Thursday.

"Lalu ji was taken to Birsa Munda Central Jail directly from the Court after he surrendered before the Special CBI Court of SS Prasad in fodder scam case RC 68A/96 following which he was admitted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) after completing all formalities," said Prasad's advocate Prabhat Kumar. As per the directions of Jharkhand High Court, he will be under supervision of RIMS doctors, who might also seek advice from the doctors of Asian Heart Institute in Mumbai, where the RJD Chief was currently undergoing treatment for fistula, he added. "He also appeared before the Special CBI Court of Pradeep Kumar in other fodder scam cases RC 38A/96 and RC 64A/96 and informed that he had already surrendered before the Court of SS Prasad," said the advocate.

According to RIMS Director RK Srivastava, the RJD chief is currently under the supervision of Dr. Umesh Prasad of Medicine Department and has been admitted to cardiac ward located in superspecialist wing of the hospital. "A six-member medical board headed by Medical Superintendent Dr. Vivek Kashyap has been constituted which will examine and take decision on his health conditions," said the RIMS Director. Medical reports of Asian Health Institute have been handed over to Dr. Kashyap, according to which the RJD Chief will be provided medical treatment as and when required, he added. Srivastava said that medical bulletin is likely to be released by Friday after reports of the tests conducted on him is obtained.

The RJD Chief was on provisional bail since May 11 after his petition, seeking provisional bail on medical grounds, was allowed by the Jharkhand High Court granting provisional bail of six weeks which was further extended several times on similar grounds. Before granted provisional bail, Prasad was lodged in Birsa Munda Central Jail since December 23 last year after a Special CBI Court convicted and sentenced him for three-and-half-year jail term in a fodder scam case RC64A/96. Subsequently, he was sentenced in three other cases related to the fodder scam.
Abhijit Mulye By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Dalit scholar and general secretary of Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR), Dr Anand Teltumbde, whose house in Goa was raided by the Pune police on Tuesday, said the government was now terrorising the people with the use of draconian laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Meanwhile, rights activists from 37 organisations condemned the government and demanded release of all the rights activists arrested and branded as Urban Naxals in a joint Press conference here on Wednesday.

The state has now come to a stage of being terrorist. The process of law enforcement itself becomes a punishment of sorts with the unconstitutional legislations like the UAPA, Teltumbde said while narrated the events when his house at Goa was raided by the police on Tuesday.

What happened with me can happen with anybody. This is undeclared Emergency. The previous Emergency was constitutional. But whatever going on now is simply horrific, he said.

Teltumbde, senior professor and Chair, Big Data Analytics at the Goa Institute of Management, said he was not present at his house during the raid and came to know of it later.

The activist said in his role as a public intellectual, he has been critical of the policies of the government which he said were voiced in not a superficial way but with scholastic discipline.
Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: The head monk of a Buddhist meditation centre in Bihars Bodh Gaya was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing 15 child monks aged between six and 12 hailing from Assam, police said on Thursday.

Bhante Shanghpriya Sujoy, who headed Prasanna Jyoti Buddhist Novice School and Meditation Centre at Mastpura village under Bodh Gaya police station, was produced before the chief judicial magistrates court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

The FIR against him has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act. The victims are being medically examined. Their statements will be recorded by a magistrate on Friday, said Bodh Gaya DSP Raman Chaudhary.

The matter came to light after the parents of some child monks from Assams Karbi Anglong district came to Bodh Gaya upon receiving complaints from them about physical and sexual abuse by the head monk. The guardians, after hearing the harrowing details of the abuse from the children, approached police.

Coming just two months after the alleged sexual abuse of minor girls at a government-funded shelter home in Muzaffarpur district came to light, this incident sparked outrage across Bihar. Gaya SP Rajeev Mishra said police are looking at every aspect of the case.

All the 15 children and their parents have been placed under police security at Assam Bhawan near the Vishnupad shrine in Bodh Gaya. The other 17 children who studied at the meditation centre are kept there under police security, said officials.

The meditation centre was run by an NGO named Prajanna Social Welfare Trust. The children had been taking Buddhist meditation lessons at the institute for about a year. The accused allegedly had been asking them to come into his bedroom and sexually abusing them. Those who protested used to be thrashed, the victims told police.

When the shocked guardians of the 15 young monks demanded an explanation from Bhante Shanghpriya Sujoy, he expelled the child monks citing gross indiscipline. This led to the guardians approach police, said an official.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRI NAGAR: Militants on Wednesday ambushed a police party in militancy-infested Shopian district of south Kashmir, killing four policemen and taking their weapons. In a separate encounter in Anantnag district, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including a top commander, were killed. A police officer said militants fired on a police party at Arhama in Shopian district in the afternoon. He said militants attacked the cops when they were repairing a police officials escort vehicle which had developed a problem.

The official said four policemen sustained critical injuries and were evacuated to nearby hospital. However, all the four injured policemen succumbed to injuries in the hospital. The deceased policemen were identified as Constable Ishfaq Ahmad Mir, Constable Javaid Ahmad Bhat, Constable Mohammad Iqbal Mir and SPO Adil Manzoor Bhat. After the militant attack, security forces launched a combing and search operation to track down the militants responsible for the attack. However, no arrests were reported.

Meanwhile, security forces shot dead two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen during an encounter in Anantnag district.

A police official said that acting on specific inputs about the presence of militants, a joint operation was launched by the police, CRPF and Army personnel in Muniward area, near Khanabal in Anantnag district.

While the security personnel were conducting searches, they came under fire from militants. The fire was returned by the troops. In the ensuing encounter, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed. The deceased militants were identified as Hizb Commander Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Kachroo and Umar Rashid Wani of Khudwani. Kachroo was the top Hizbul Mujahideen militant and was active since 2012.

Police said he was involved in a series of attacks on security forces.

Top rebel killed

The deceased militants were identified as Hizb Commander Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Kachroo and Umar Rashid Wani of Khudwani. Kachroo was the top Hizb militant, active since 2012. He was involved in many attacks on security forces.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The wife of human rights activist Vernon Gonsalves, arrested by the Pune police for suspected Maoist links, today claimed that the BJP-led government is labelling persons from minority community as "terrorists" if they call the Modi government "communal".

"If any person from the minority community merely says that the Modi government is communal, he is labelled a terrorist," Susan Abraham, who is a lawyer, told PTI.

The Pune police had on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states and arrested five, including Gonsalves, as part of a probe into the violence at Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune after an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year.

They police brought Gonsalves to his house in suburban Andheri today, a day after the Supreme Court ordered that the activists be kept under house arrest at their homes till September 6.

Susan alleged that the government was indulging in "double standards".

"There is a growing demand for strict action against right-wing Sanatan Sanstha for actual unlawful and terror activities but the government refuses to label it as a terror outfit," she said.

She questioned the arrest of Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, along with her husband.

"What is the connection of Bharadwaj and Navlakha to Koregaon-Bhima incident," she said.

"My husband told police that they arrested him illegally based on fabricated charges. Police know very well that he has no connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence," she said.

Gonsalves' son Sagar said it was "bizarre" to see that books easily available in a public library and in public domain were used as "evidence" to arrest his father.

"When the Pune police team raided our home, it was bizarre to see them going through these books. These were books you can see anywhere in public domain," he said.

"They were picking out books which mentioned Maoist and Naxal names or something related to revolution. They were later kept aside, while a police officer took some books. Those books were later packed and kept as evidence," he said.

"Some of the books police searched belonged to me," Sagar said.

Asked if his father was fine after the ordeal, Sagar said, "He is fine. But it hurts to see him undergo such hardship."

Susan said her husband has health issues and his blood pressure had shot up before being taken to Pune on Tuesday.

"This (spike in blood pressure) was alarming even for the police and he had to be admitted to a hospital in Andheri before being taken away to Pune," she said.
By PTI

BALLIA: Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar today distanced himself from the new front floated by disgruntled SP leader Shivpal Yadav.

"I have nothing to do with the Samajwadi Secular Morcha, which was launched by Shivpal Singh Yadav yesterday," Rajbhar said here.

Rajbhar, who has been critical of the bigger alliance partner BJP, asserted that his SBSP had no tie-up with the morcha and its alliance with the ruling party will continue.

"Although I have had a number of meetings with Shivpal Singh Yadav in the recent past, in none of these did we discuss politics," said the minister for backward classes welfare in the Yogi Adityanath government.

Shivpal Yadav floated his morcha yesterday, saying he will seek the support of 'neglected' workers in the Samajwadi Party.

He had also said he would unite the small parties in the state.

But Yadav, who remains an SP legislator, did not clarify whether his morcha will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, who visited the party office in Lucknow today, evaded a question on the front announced by his brother.

"I am here for a condolence meeting for Samajwadi leader Darshan Singh Yadav. Ask this question tomorrow," he told reporters.

Shivpal Yadav was removed from the post of SP state unit's president after his nephew Akhilesh Yadav assumed charge as national president last year, edging out Mulayam Singh Yadav.

He had met Rajbhar the night before launching the new front.

But both leaders maintained that the meeting was personal and not political.

Earlier in June, the SBSP president had triggered speculation after he was closeted with Shivpal Singh Yadav in the Varanasi circuit house for over 15 minutes.

While both leaders had called the meeting just a courtesy, political overtones were read into it as the minister has been targeting the state government every now and then.

That meeting had also assumed significance as Rajbhar had at one time defended Akhilesh Yadav over the alleged damage done to the official residence that he vacated in Lucknow.


By ANI

BANDIPORA: A militant was gunned down by the security forces and the body of another was recovered during an ongoing encounter in Hajin area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district here on Thursday.

The search operation is underway.

Yesterday, four policemen lost their lives in a terrorist attack in South Kashmir's Shopian district. According to the police, a police party came under indiscriminate firing by a group of terrorists during the afternoon hours in Shopian's Arhama.

This came after two terrorists from Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were gunned down in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.

(More details awaited)
Siddhanta Mishra By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In the posh Nehru Enclave locality in South Delhi, all roads led to block number R3, where activist Gautam Navlakha lives, on Wednesday. The buzz in the area has refused to die down since Navlakha was arrested by the Pune police.

Television crews with OB vans have been stationed outside the complex since Tuesday afternoon. The entrance gates have been blocked by four police barricades. Around a dozen policemen in uniform, and some in civilian dress, were on the side and opposite footpaths, sitting on bikes and looking at their mobile phones and occasionally chatting among themselves.

The residents of the area and passersby were puzzled at all the commotion. People on their bikes, in their autos and pedestrians stopped, enquired about the police and media presence and moved on. This has been going on for two days. I am tired of telling people the same thing again and again, said Prahlad, who has been selling tea for over a decade near R3 block.

He said Navlakhas partner often comes to his shop to buy cigarettes. They are kind to me. Their children are also respectful. I am shocked to know they are linked with wrong people; its hard to believe, he added. There is a maternity hospital near the residential block. This is shocking. At first, when I saw the police, I thought some VIP must be visiting the hospital, said Nandlal Gulati, owner of a bathroom fittings supply store.

The guard at the hospital, however, had uncharitable views about the activist. The man is eccentric and rude. Many times, he leaves his car at the entrance of the hospital. If we object, he argues and makes a lot of noise, he said.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha today said there is a tendency in India to worship people in power and asserted that Narendra Modi is seen as a "charismatic leader" because he is the Prime Minister.

He was speaking at a book launch event here.

"There is a 'national' weakness in us that we start worshipping people in power. We need to get rid of this," Sinha said.

Replying to a question on Modi's leadership and four years of his government, the former Union minister said he (Modi) was in power so he appeared charismatic.

"Today Modi is seen as a charismatic leader because he is the Prime Minister, he will not be charismatic when he will not be in power, that is how people look at it," Sinha said.

Recalling his old association with Modi, the former BJP leader said he had seen a "humble" Modi.

But he (Modi) has now risen rapidly, Sinha said.

Without naming anyone, the former Finance Minister added that some of the charismatic leaders were in jail today.

Sinha had handled the crucial finance and external affairs ministries during the previous BJP-led NDA government.

He had left the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) recently and has been critical of the Modi government on various issues, including demonetisation and the Rafale deal.
By UNI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning left for Kathmandu to participate in the two-day fourth BIMSTEC Summit getting underway later in the day.

"I am confident that the Fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit will further consolidate the progress made thus far under BIMSTEC, and will chart the course for building a peaceful and prosperous Bay of Bengal Region," Prime Minister wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday evening.

Mr Modi further wrote, "My participation in the Summit symbolises India's highest priority to our neighbourhood and our strong commitment to continue deepening our relationship with the extended neighbourhood in South-East Asia.

The Summit this year focuses on the theme 'Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region. Prime Minister will be interacting with various nation heads during the Summit.

"On the margins of the BIMSTEC Summit, I will have the opportunity to interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand," he wrote.

In a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli, Indian Prime Minister will review the progress made in the bilateral ties since Mr Modi's last visit to Nepal in May this year.

Prime Minister Oli and Mr Modi will also inaugurate the Nepal Bharat Maitri Dharmashala at the Pashupatinath temple complex.

According to diplomatic sources, Mr Modi is likely to hold one-on-one interaction with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also.
By Express News Service

Rajasthan University student union elections has taken an ugly turn as the NSUI state president, Abhimanyu Poonia and Rajasthan University's presidential candidate from NSUI, Ranveer Singhania, were attacked on Wednesday night. They were on their to the Aravali hostel in University campus when the attack took place.

The NSUI candidates were taken to the hospital for treatment and in their statement, they blamed the BJP government for the violence.

Rajasthan University is heading towards student union polls and the voting will take place on Friday. The student wings of both BJP and the Congress, ABVP and NSUI respectively, are competing for key posts.

According to the police, the attack happened late on Wednesday night while the students were returning to their hostel. Ranveer Singhania and Abhimanyu Poonia were beaten by almost half a dozen people, who were hiding near the Vivekanand statue close to the University. "They were both badly injured and were taken to Sawai Maansingh Hospital. Luckily, they are out of danger at the moment", Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Hanuman Prasad said.

Police has filed a case against unknown assailants who are yet to be caught. The situation took a decisive political turn when both the student victims sat on a protest against BJP as soon as they got out of hospital. They say that this is engineered by the government. "University administration, despite all the security arrangements, wasn't able to protect us, which proves that the government is behind this attack", alleged Abhimanyu Poonia.

Refuting the allegations ABVP has put the blame back on NSUI itself. He said that infighting within NSUI is responsible for the attack and the candidates are using it to gather sympathy votes. "Three rebels from NSUI are fighting for the post of the president which has led to the resentment within NSUI over ticket distribution. Their own people are behind the attack and not us, "said ABVP leader Bulbul Pathak.

Another ABVP leader, Arjun Tiwari, has been released a video talking about the incident on social media. He says," the incident is fabricated and they have used color to replicate blood. There is no witness to the event and they are using these stories as they are aware that they are losing the elections."

The RUSU polls this year have become important as the state assembly elections are planned just after three months. As the student union elections are scheduled for Friday, police has said the attack might have been politically motivated. The state politics has also intensified after the violence in student elections.

Former CM Ashok Gehlot and state PCC chief Sachin Pilot have condemned the attack. They have demanded that the matter should be thoroughly investigated and attackers should be arrested at the earliest. After the incident, security has been heavily beefed up in the campus. Student union elections are seen as an entry point for stepping in state active politics and many students from student politics go on to play a key role in state politics. Although the Lingdoh committee has laid certain rules for free and fair elections, setting guidelines for the money to be spent by candidates over campaigning, these rules are seldom followed. In the last few years, it is seen that the candidates spend money to win and influence the students. But this is the first time that aggression has broken into violence just a day before the elections.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Revolutionary writer and founder of Virasam, Pendyala Varavara Rao, who was arrested by Maharashtra police from his Jawahar Nagar residence in Hyderabad on Tuesday afternoon and later taken to Pune returned home early Thursday morning. His name had cropped up in an alleged communication, suggesting a plot to kill prime minister Narendra Modi in June 2018.

Meanwhile, it's business as usual at the writer's apartment where he has been kept under house arrest since this morning. Residents of the apartment are being allowed to move freely. Even food delivery boys are being allowed to go inside as usual after signing the visitors' register.

Anala, Rao's daughter said that armed police personnel are sitting outside their house. She, however, alleged that the cops who were speaking nicely in the morning when Rao was dropped have begun to behave rudely after his friends and well-wishers started coming to meet him.

Since morning there has been a steady stream of activists, writers and

lawyers coming to meet Varavara Rao, who is under house arrest.

The police who are on bandobast duty allowed all of them to meet Rao at his residence. Those who met with Rao include academicians Prof G Haragopal, Prof Gaddam Laxman, women's rights activist Sandhya, advocates V Raghunath of CLC, High Court advocate Suresh and Arunank.

"They should allow anyone and everyone to visit Rao. House arrest only means Rao's movements need to be restricted to home and it does not mean that supporters and media cannot meet Rao at home. Who decides who should be allowed to meet and who should not," said Sandhya while coming out of home. However, none of them divulged any details of their conversation with Rao inside home.

The police also allowed son-in-law senior journalist KV Kurmanath and nephew, journalist N Venugopal to meet Rao.

However, media persons were not allowed anywhere near the home. Senior journalist and president of Indian Journalist Union (IJU) Amar Devulapally who reached Rao's residence in the morning was not allowed inside the building premises and he had to leave.

All the activists who met Rao criticised Telangana police of high handedness for controlling their meetings with Rao.

Two police personnel from Pune are also on guard outside Rao's house.

The 78-year-old was brought to the city from Pune in an Indigo flight that reached Hyderabad's RGI Airport at 4.20 a.m., following Supreme Court order on Wednesday that he should be placed under house arrest.

READ| Literature and hard disks seized from Varavara Raos residence; three of his associates also raided

He reached home at 6.30 a.m. to a quiet welcome. When Express spoke to his wife Hemalatha, she said that Rao reached home safely. Around 4-5 policemen including an inspector were seen posted outside Rao's house in the morning whereas some policemen were also present inside his house.



A few close relatives of Rao, including his nephew and senior journalist, N Venugopal were allowed to visit Rao. Till Wednesday night there was no clear information as to how Rao will be brought to Hyderabad as there were speculations that he will be brought by road.

The Pune police, currently investigating the alleged case of an anti-terror law, took the assistance of the State police to execute the SC order. The order said that the five activists should be kept under house arrest till September 6. Any violation will be considered as a cognisable offence, according to police.

Police escort writer Varavara Rao to his Jawahar Nagar residence on Thursday. (Photo | EPS)

Another police official, speaking to Express on Wednesday night, said the Telangana police will implement the order of house arrest and will provide the required bandobust.

"The number of police personnel to be deployed will be decided depending on the situation. There will be a conflict if he tries to step out of the house,'' said Jitender, Additional DGP (Law and Order).



Scores of people, agitated by the arrest including a number of social activists, may want to meet Varavara Rao (while in house arrest), but it is not going to be easy. Only a few people would be allowed to meet him.



"In normal parlance, a house arrest means that the person is meant to be kept inside the house, remain calm and not incite people," a senior police official said adding that not everyone would be allowed to meet the activist because it is against the purpose of house arrest.

''The order copy would set the record straight on what role we have to play, usually policing is a State subject and the Pune police would not be part of the bandobust,'' he added.



Explaining further, P Viswa Prasad, DCP, Central Zone said: "a house arrest in a regular parlance is a preventive arrest. Until and unless the person doesn't attempt to step out, it would be normal. But if the person steps out, it will be a cognisable offence and the guards at the place would ask the person to get inside."



"Usually a sub-inspector and four home guards or two guards would be posted," he added.
By PTI

SRINAGAR: Two Pakistani Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir today, police said.

Acting on credible inputs about the presence of terrorists at Par Mohalla in Hajin area of Bandipora, security forces launched a cordon and search operation, a police spokesman said.

During the searches, the terrorists fired upon the forces' personnel, he said.

"In the ensuing encounter two terrorists were eliminated. From the incriminating material seized from the site of the encounter, it is learnt that both the killed terrorists were from Pakistan and identified as Rizwan alias Jindaal and Ali alias Maaz," the spokesman said.

He said the slain men were affiliated with the LeT and involved in several attacks on security establishments and atrocities on civilians in the area.

"Huge quantity of arms and ammunition including rifles, magazines, pouches etc and incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter," he added.
By PTI

BAREILLY: A youth who returned from Dubai where he worked as a tailor was lynched in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district on suspicion that he had stolen a buffalo, police said today.

Shahrukh, 20, was beaten to death last night in Bholapur Hadoliya village under the Cantonment police station area here.

Four people have been arrested, said Superintendent of Police (City) Abhinandan Singh.

Shahrukh and three others had gone out last night when a group of locals caught hold of them, suspecting that they had stolen a buffalo.

He was thrashed by the group while his associates managed to escape, police said.

He was admitted to hospital in a serious condition and later succumbed to injuries, Shahrukh worked in Dubai as tailor and had recently come home, Singh said.

According to the post-mortem examination, severe beating was the cause of death, the SP said.

Both sides have lodged FIRs. Shahrukh's brother has filed a complaint against 20-25 unnamed persons and three of his associates.

The side which alleged buffalo theft have also lodged a case, the SP added.
Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: In an event that has shocked entire West Bengal, which is currently grappling under political violence over formation of panchayat boards that has claimed 10 lives in the past five days, a three-year-old boy was shot in the head after his mother, a winning BJP candidate, joined Trinamool Congress over formation of panchayat board at Manikchak in Malda district of West Bengal on Thursday.

The condition of the boy is critical and he is undergoing surgery at Malda Medical College and Hospital. Sources revealed that BJP's winning candidate Putul Mondal had joined TMC to help the ruling party form the panchayat board at Manikchak gram panchayat in the district. Out of 10 seats of the gram panchayat, BJP had won 10 and TMC 8. However, Putul Mondal's joining of TMC equaled the seats won by the two parties to nine each, thus bringing a stalemate. As a result, armed assailants barged into her residence on Thursday afternoon and after verbal argument over her quitting BJP and joining TMC, opened fire at the three-year-old son of Putul Mondal.

"Putul Mondal won on BJP ticket but joined TMC. BJP workers shot at her son's head as retribution. The child is in ICU and is undergoing surgery. His condition is critical," TMC Malda district President Dulal Chandra Sarkar said. State BJP President Dilip Ghosh said: "If any BJP worker is involved in the incident, we will hand him over to the police and take in-party action but before that state government has to stop violence. Every life is important. We have lost many BJP workers right from filing of nomination for panchayat elections. We do politics not to get beaten up. We can't sit and get killed. I condemn this act but we cannot be blamed for this," he said.

Without naming BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit out at the party saying: "Some people are marketing murder and terror as politics' new model. We want to stop that. "On the other hand, sporadic violence continued across the eight villages in Amdanga of North 24 Parganas district on Thursday which remained tense a day after three political activists were killed at point blank range and over 2,500 country bombs lobbed during CPM-TMC clashes over formation of panchayat boards.

Police continued recovery of unexploded bombs and cars entering the area were thoroughly searched on Thursday morning while bomb explosions were randomly heard in the afternoon and gunshots were heard as police surrounded a group of armed cadres suspected to be involved in the killings. However, only one person was detained.

Meanwhile, another TMC worker Khairul Haque succumbed to his injuries at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri on Wednesday evening after being injured in TMC-Congress clash in Uttar Dinajpur district on Tuesday, taking the total number of political activists killed over formation of panchayat boards across West Bengal over the past five days to 10.
Shan A S By

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Taking into account the extensive damage at Pampa and nearby areas in the recent flood, the Police Department that oversees crowd management have requested the state government to make prior online booking mandatory for pilgrims and also sought a cap on their number during the November pilgrimage window.

Also Read | Outside agency for rebuild plan of Sabarimala

The request was placed by State Police Chief Loknath Behera during a meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss about the re-construction of infrastructure at Pampa that was battered by flood water, sources said.

Police said the department has requested the government to limit the number of pilgrims to 80,000 per day. This can be done by making booking through Virtual Q, a software launched by the police IT cell, the government was told.

Though a formal announcement on the fate of the police proposal is expected by Friday, sources revealed the department has already started upgrading its software to meet increased traffic.The IT wing has been asked to update the site by the first week of September to handle the heavy traffic. The devotees can check the availability of slots and can book the ones that are convenient for them, a source said.

IG Manoj Abraham, nodal officer of Cyberdome, said the mandatory online booking and curb on the number of pilgrims will help in better crowd management.Since the basic infrastructure at Pampa has been destroyed, there is not much the police can do in controlling the crowd but put a cap on the pilgrims number. We are planning to erect facility for those using Virtual Q at Nilakkal. They will be screened there and those who came without prior booking would be send back, Manoj said.

However, those using traditional routes to reach Sannidhanam need not have to book their slot as the police peg their number at less than 4,000.The traditional routes are less used and the number of people who use those tracks come around 4,000. Thats a negligible figure and we are not bothered about those coming via those routes, Manoj said.
By Express News Service

VISAKHAPATNAM: YSR Congress president YS Jaganmohan Reddy has promised to make 100 per cent literacy in the State and take care of education of every child. Addressing a mammoth public meeting at Anakapalli in the district on Wednesday, he said according to the 2011 Census there is 32 per cent illiteracy in the State and the YSRC aims to change the situation by ensuring that everyone in the State is literate.

He said if his party is voted to power in the 2019 Assembly elections, his government would carve out a separate Anakapalli district and work for its overall development. Stating that the TDP government had completely neglected the fee reimbursement scheme, resulting in high dropout rate among BC, SC and ST students, he promised total fee reimbursement if his party comes to power.

Our government will sanction `20,000 per student every year towards hostel and mess charges. Besides, every family, which comes forward to join its children in schools, colleges or universities, will be provided with `15,000 financial assistance, he announced.

On the proposed merger of Anakapalli municipality with the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), the YSR chief wondered what benefits its people of the town would get if the decision was implemented.

Jagan alleged that whenever TDP comes to power, it weakens the cooperative sector.Naidu, in order to promote his family-owned Heritage Dairy, had strategically made Visakha Dairy a family organisation and forced Sangam Dairy in Guntur district to go the same way. He attacked TDP for its latest Malli Nuvve Ravali campaign.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka completes 100 days in office on Thursday. A grand oath-taking ceremony, two coordination committee meetings, 27 cabinet ministers and one legislative session later, challenges are still mounting for H D Kumaraswamys government.

While the coordination committees sub-committee approved a common minimum programme, the contents are yet to be made public. H D Kumaraswamy has been alleging that conspiracies are at play to topple his government, at a time when the opposition is making predictions with deadlines for his government. After creating flutter with his letters on various issues, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs statements about returning to the top post is doing little to help the government breath easy.

While those in the government continue to assert that the JD(S)-Congress coalition will complete its full five-year term, at the end of 100 days, challenges have only mounted for Kumaraswamy. Government is safe and there are no confusions. Some people, opposition, and others are trying to create confusion. Whatever the issues, we will sort it among ourselves, said Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara while briefing the press about the governments 100 days in office. The coalition partners, while claiming that the common minimum programme is ready, are mum about when it would be presented.

While the Chief Minister claims that his government is functioning smoothly, the indiscriminate transfer of officials has become an irritant for ministers. There is utter lack of coordination when officials are transferred. There is no consultation with the departments minister, a senior minister in the government told The New Indian Express. The Chief Minister, in an interview, denied the same. He insisted that all transfers - the root cause of discomfort in the government - was done at the behest of ministers.

While floods ravaged seven districts in the state, 16 districts are drought-hit. The Kumaraswamy government, that focused its energies and efforts on the farm loan waiver for the better part of its 100 days in office, is now engaged in the relief and rehabilitation of flood-affected districts with no help coming in from the Centre yet. Siddaramaiahs upcoming foreign trip is now giving the coalition government jitters. The former Chief Minister will visit Europe with cabinet ministers K J George and R V Deshpande by his side leaving the government guessing. Cabinet expansion, appointment to boards and corporations and finally, the implementation of the massive farm loan waiver are the challenges that lie ahead for the coalition partners.

Despite facing allegations of being anti- North Karnataka, Kumaraswamy believes that the perception about him has changed for the better in the last three months. The opposition, however, continues to accuse the government of failing on all fronts. There is neither coordination in the government nor mutual trust between partners. No development works are taking place despite this government being in power for 100 days now. People are the ultimate losers, said BS Yeddyurappa, state president, BJP.
By PTI

BENGALURU: The Karnataka police's SIT probing the Gauri Lankesh murder case is hunting for at least five more people, and insists the leadership of Hindu right outfit 'Sanatan Sanstha' was aware of the activities of its "footsoldiers" in the killing of some rationalists.

The five men are based out of Goa and Maharashtra adjoining the Karnataka border, an SIT official said, adding they had taken part in the crimes.

As the SIT started cracking the murder of Lankesh, a journalist-activist with strong anti-Hindutva views, leading to the arrest of key players in the killing of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and M M Kalburgi, it discovered the wide network of operatives of the gang involved in these incidents.

"The leadership of Goa-headquartered Sanatan Sanstha was aware of the activities of its footsoldiers and lower rung cadre. We cannot subscribe to this statement that the leadership was not aware of it. They definitely knew about these plots," the official claimed.

He, however, said it was "tricky" to say the outfit had morphed into a terrorist organisation.

The official, however, said there were sufficient reasons to invoke the stringent Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act against the gang members.

KCOCA is the Karnataka version of MCOCA, the law in place in Maharashtra to curb underworld activities, often dubbed as draconian by civil rights groups.

Several people with alleged links to the Sanstha have been arrested in connection with these killings, but the outfit has insisted they were not its members.

Sanatan Sanstha spokesman Chetan Rajhans recently said some people with so-called "progressive mindset" and political parties like the Congress and the Left bloc were trying to put the organisation in the dock without providing evidence of any wrongdoing.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara had said on Tuesday the state police was yet to establish the role of Sanatan Sanstha in the killing of Lankesh.

Lankesh, an outspoken critic of pro-Hindutva ideology, was shot dead outside her residence here on September 5 last year.
By Express News Service

KOCHI:The state government on Tuesday submitted before the High Court nearly 55 lakh people in 775 villages were affected by the floods. The death toll reached 445, while 15 persons were reported missing from May 29 to August 25, it said. The state filed the statement in response to a batch of petitions seeking a directive to declare the flood and other natural calamities in the state as national disaster.

ALSO READ | Kerala floods Timeline: Story of the state's worst flood in 90 years

The state said more than 10,000 km of PWD roads and thousands of km of village roads were badly damaged, in addition to the hundreds of bridges in flood-hit districts. The government has taken all possible measures to meet the crisis. The warning regarding the possibility of heavy rainfall and consequent landslides and floods was issued and publicised by the State Disaster Management Authority via the media, it said.

The government submitted its reservoirs were under surveillance since the onset of monsoon. Twenty major irrigation structures and four barrages were kept under surveillance by the Irrigation Department. Around 59 dams of KSEB and one dam of KWA were also closely monitored. Specific shutter operating protocols and precedence were revisited and reaffirmed. All dams were opened following set protocols and precedence. Due to heavy downpour and increased outflow from dams, vulnerable areas downstream were severely affected, it said.

The government said it led the rescue operations in a scientific manner. For flood-affected area mapping, the National Remote Sensing Centre was approached on July 18 for providing data from radar satellite images, it said.

For rehabilitation, reconstruction and dealing with environmental issues, a comprehensive plan will be prepared. Around 2,646.7 metric tonnes of non-biodegradable waste was collected till August 25 and was being suitably disposed of. The squads cremated 13,858 animal carcasses and 3,26,160 avian carcasses, the state said.

The state said restoration of electric supply was being done on a war footing. Of the 50 flood-hit electrical substations, 41 have been repaired and started functioning. Of the 16,158 transformers damaged, 13,477 have been recharged. The number of connections disrupted was around 25.6 lakh, of which 21.61 lakh have been restored.The state has accepted in principle a proposal to make available interest-free loans to repair damaged houses.

The Kerala Water Authority suffered losses to the tune of Rs 460.42 crore as on August 24, the government informed the High Court. Potable water supply through 122 water treatment plants and 365 non-water treatment plants of the KWA were affected by the floods. A fleet of engineers and technical support team was deployed for the immediate restoration of the damaged structures. As on August 24, 92 per cent of production capacity was restored.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Reena Abraham, the petitioners counsel, submitted the amount in CMDRF could be disbursed at the discretion of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers. If the fund, donations, and peoples contributions are utilised for any other purpose, it will amount to misappropriation. Last year, the Cabinet had sanctioned Rs 25 lakh from the CMDRF to the family of an NCP leader.

The petitioner also pointed out the misappropriation of the tsunami fund and cited the inquiry commissions report which said, While tsunami-affected districts of Alappuzha and Kollam figure high in expenditure, some unaffected districts like Kottayam, Idukki and Wayanad also show high expenses.

Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad submitted the amount received in CMDRF towards flood relief wont be diverted. To this, the court said there may apprehensions in peoples minds regarding the funds utilisation. The amount and the material collected after August 15 for relief should be used for that purpose only. There should be a mechanism to ensure the amount is spent properly. For this, the entire process should be made transparent. This will ensure the fund reaches the right beneficiaries. Donors will then feel confident about contributing to the funds in future, too, it said.

Prasad said the allegation that Ockhi fund was diverted was baseless. Not a single penny given to CMDRF will be diverted.Though Reena Abraham cited the Gujarat High Court judgment pertaining to the utilisation of flood relief fund, the court observed there was no need to link the Gujarat case with the present issue.

Let us do what is best for Kerala, observed the court, which also relied upon the assurance given by Prasad and said the circumstances in Kerala were peculiar than other states.

Courts poser on monitoring relief collection

The High Court has enquired whether there is any mechanism to monitor the collection of flood relief fund and materials by NGOs and other private parties, including media houses. The government replied that it couldnt prevent NGOs and others from collecting money. The state will ensure the money collected towards flood relief is duly transferred to the said fund.

Loans by global players would be ideal for state

TPuram: Economist B A Prakash said loans extended by global players were ideal as they were long-term assistance with minimum interest. He opined the Salary Challenge or donations alone cannot help tide over the crisis. Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said there was no contra-diction in his partys stand. We werent against foreign assis-tance per se. What we oppose are loan conditions against the states interests and intervention of other agencies, he said.
By IANS

NEW DELHI: Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will on Thursday hand over a cheque for Rs 8.9 crore to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-ravaged state.

The money was collected through voluntary contributions by Navy personnel from their salaries.

Lanba, along with Southern Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral A.K. Chawla, Navy Wives Welfare Association (NWWA) President Reena Lanba and NWWA Southern Region head Sapana Chawla on Wednesday visited Muttinakam village in Ernakulam district of Kerala to review the relief work.

Relief material worth about Rs 25 lakh from NWWA was handed over to area officials.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, the Navy chief said that he was closely monitoring the situation in Kerala, where the Navy deployed its personnel and assets during the floods.

He said that Indian Navy has selected Muttinakam in Varapuzha Panchayat and Cheriya Kadamakudi in Kadamakudi Panchayat for undertaking rehabilitation/reconstruction initiatives following inputs from area administration and visits by naval officials.

Rehabilitation kits (800 for Muttinakam and 500 for Cheriya Kadamakudi) containing essential items like clothing, cleaning gear and utensils were distributed on the occasion.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: While flood scare in lower catchments of Mahanadi has sparked panic among people, a blame game has ensued with Odisha Government slamming Chhattisgarh for releasing excess water in the river system without prior consultation.

Coming down heavily on Chhattisgarh Government for not adhering to the dynamic operation rules of reservoir for flood management, BJD vice president and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra said the unilateral action of the neighbouring State is reprehensible.

We were apprehending such trouble from Chhattisgarh which has been illegally constructing dams and reservoirs on the upper stream of Mahanadi violating all established norms and rules. Now, it has been proved to be true. We condemned such action of the neighbouring State, Mishara told reporters here.

We now fear that Chhattisgarh will create problem during non-monsoon months by blocking the flow of water in the river system. This is precisely the reason why the State Government moved the Supreme Court challenging the action of Chhattisgarh, he said.

Asserting that his party will continue to protest the deceitful action of Chhattisgarh at different forums, the BJD leader slammed the Raman Singh Government for lack of proper planning to manage flood water.

Alleging that the neighbouring State is constructing a large number of dams and barrages on the upper catchments of Mahanadi to provide water to its industries, Mishra said the Chhattisgarh Government has a faulty barrage system and it does not adhere to operational schedules.

Reacting to BJD allegations, Water Resources Minister of Chhattisgarh Brijmohan Agarwal said his State was spared from a possible flood because Odisha opened the gates of Hirakud Dam. If both States maintain coordination there will be no problem, he added.

Meanwhile, Water Resource Secretary PK Jena took up the issue with Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal who was in the City on some official business.

I have been informed about the release of flood water in Mahanadi by Chhattisgarh Government. I will take up the matter with the Raman Singh Government, Meghwal said and added that the water sharing dispute between the two States should be resolved through discussions.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: With the districts in the downstream of Mahanadi river facing threat of low to medium flood, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday asked officials concerned to remain prepared for any eventuality.

Reviewing the flood preparedness at the Secretariat here, Naveen asked Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi and other officials to keep a close watch on the situation.

He asked the officials to put in place adequate measures such as early warning system, timely rescue and relief operation besides supply of drinking water to tackle the possible flood situation.

The State Government has issued flood alert for 11 districts along the Mahanadi belt after 25 gates of Hirakud dam were opened on Tuesday evening following incessant rain in the upstream of the river.

After the meeting, SRC Sethi said currently, six lakh cusec of water is flowing in Mahanadi at Mundali which is expected to reach 8.5 lakh cusec anytime after Wednesday night.

Though the possibility of flood is less, the flow of water may affect low-lying areas of Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh, Nayagarh, Angul, Cuttack, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Khurda and Jajpur districts, he said.

Sethi further said NDRF and ODRAF teams have been deployed in Puri, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack. A disaster response force has also been deployed in Bhadrak district where a flood-like situation in Salandi river has inundated many low-lying areas.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI : A host of national leaders, including former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and senior Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad, are visiting Chennai today (August 30) to participate in a meeting organised by the DMK to commemorate the party patriarch M Karunanidhi who passed away on August 7.Party sources said that Nitin Gadkari had confirmed his participation in the event to be held at the YMCA ground at Nandanam here in the evening. Initially, BJP national president Amit Shah had expressed his willingness to attend the event but he backtracked following objections from a section of the local leaders of his party.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi to skip, Amit Shah to attend meet for M Karunanidhi

Deve Gowda, who had a close relation with Karunanidhi, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Pawar, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy, IUML national president KM Kader Mohideen and Trinamool leader Derek O Brien are participating in the event.

Chief Ministers - Nitish Kumar (Bihar), Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), N Chandrababu Naidu (Andra Pradesh) and V Narayanasamy (Puducherry) - have also been invited to the remembrance meeting, sources said. The meeting will be chaired by DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan. Party president MK Stalin and treasurer Durai Murugan will address the gathering.

US House member pays homage to Karunanidhi

A member of the US House of Representatives from the State of Illinois paid homage to former CM Karunanidhi in the House on Friday last, thereby ensuring Karunanidhi becomes a part of the Congressional record. Democrat Danny K Davis, a member of the Black Caucus and representative of the 7th congressional district of Illinois, said the Tamil American constituents had told him about Karunanidhis demise.

Davis said Karunanidhi was a man from the lowest rung of the social ladder who climbed the highest political mountains, but kept his lifestyle simple and his thoughts and actions fixed on the highest aspirations for all of his people. He also observed how Karunanidhi had never lost the 13 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, which he contested in his 80-year-long political career.

Stalin put to rest alliance rumours

TNCC president S Thirunavukkarasar on Wednesday said DMK president MK Stalins speech at his partys general council meet had cleared the air on the alliance between DMK and the BJP. Talking to reporters at the airport here, he said, Stalins speech has put a full stop on speculations about a political realignment in the State, he said.

Dayalu Ammal discharged from hosp

Dayalu Ammal, wife of the late CM M Karunanidhi was discharged from Apollo Hospital on Greams Road on Wednesday. She was admitted for old age ailments on Tuesday night. According to hospital sources, the octogenarian was discharged from the hospital around 4.30 pm.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI : A day after launching a scathing attack on the BJP government at the Centre and AIADMK government in the State, DMK president MK Stalin on Wednesday said that his partys twin goal is to unseat both governments. In an epistle written to his cadre, he continued to hit out on both BJP and AIADMK. We have two immediate goals. One to chase away AIADMK govt with public support, which is being run to swindle the exchequer,  he said.

Also Read | Stalin takes charge, attacks saffron party

Stalin said, The other goal is to unseat the BJP-led Union government which is trying to saffronise the nation by digging a grave for social justice, destroying the ethos of diversity, infringing upon the States rights and imposing religious fanaticism. Training guns at the BJP, he said the countrys integrity was facing a bigger threat because of the Modi-led governments authoritarian approach and an undeclared war was unleashed against the national races having their own language and living in each of the States.

Saying that elections were the better opportunity to defeat both BJP and AIADMK, Stalin underscored that his partys goal was to dethrone both governments even if the polls were held either separately or together. The DMK president said that attempts to create confusion among his friendly parties would not fructify.

Calls on veteran Communist leader SankaraiahDMK president MK Stalin on Wednesday called on veteran Communist leader and former CPM State secretary N Sankaraiah at his residence.

The newly-elected DMK president was accompanied by treasurer Durai Murugan. Besides seeking blessings of Sankaraiah, he inquired about his health, party sources said. Flays arrest of human rights activistsCondemning the arrest of human rights activists and demanding their immediate release, Stalin on Wednesday tweeted, Brazen attempt by the Union government to imprison its critics reflects an authoritarian mindset that disregards civil rights. The space for dissent is essential to democracy, he said.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: With thousands converging around Harikrishnas residence in Humayun Nagar, roads towards Mehdipatnam, Banjara Hills, Khairatabad and Begumpet were full of traffic. Neighbourhoods such as Shantinagar, Bazarghat, Asifnagar, Mallepally and Nampally were also severely affected. As of 8.20 pm, the city traffic police reported slow movement of traffic.

However, going by the outcry on social media the diversions didnt work too well. One user commented on Facebook, The traffic situation due to this diversion is horrible. Since the roads in Asif Nagar, Vijay Nagar Colony and nearby areas are too narrow, big cars, trucks, buses are creating a huge problem.

Traffic advisory for today

With the final journey of N Harikrishna slated today, traffic police on Wednesday issued numerous diversions across the city.Since procession starts at 4 pm, traffic police urged those proceeding towards Mehdipatnam via NDMC to go via Ayodhya Junction, Bazar Ghat, Asif Nagar. Police also urged commuters from Old City to take Puranapul-Attapur road and proceed to Gachibowli.
u mahesh By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD:The roads leading up to the venue for the Pragathi Nivedana Sabha in Kongarakalan are drenched in pink as TRS leaders have made lavish arrangements for the massive public meeting to be held on September 2. Towering cutouts of top party leaders are dotting the 2,000-acre ground where over 25 lakh supporters are expected to come. Even the stretch of Outer Ring Road (ORR) leading up to the venue has been spruced up by party flags, and special LED lights have been installed.

To fly in the chief minister, a new helipad has been constructed to cut the travel time to the location that is 60 km away from the city. In addition to arrangements for emergency medical services, 1,000 CCTV cameras with a control room for close surveillance are also in place.

Along with 10,000 police personnel who will be monitoring the programme, bomb squad team will also be deployed. A massive 100x40 feet dais has been constructed at the venue of the meeting along with a separate enclosure for the party leaders. Party workers have installed huge party hoardings, flexies, air balloons and large screens to allow easy view of the proceedings during the meeting. Arrangements for bio-toilets and emergency medical service camps are also being made. As many as 500 volunteers will be pressed into service on the day to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to the supporters. Parking facility has been arranged. The slots will be district-wise to avoid any confusion.Currently, 15 heavy machines are working 24 hours to clean and level the ground ahead of the meeting.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD:It does not matter for Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) if the Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) forge an alliance in the state. Our own surveys indicate that the TRS will win 100 seats, TRS MP K Kavitha said.

In an informal chat with reporters here on Wednesday, Kavitha said that the TDPs presence was nil in Telangana. There is no TDP in the state. Congress is a very distant Opposition to TRS. Congress future is very bleak. If such parties join hands, it really does not make a difference to TRS, Kavitha said.Asked about why the TRS was conducting a massive public meeting on September 2 with an estimated 25 lakh people when the TRS was so strong, Kavitha explained: Even in the era of social media and house-to-house contact by the party workers before the elections, the voice and presence of TRS face K Chandrasekhar Rao really matter. The influence of KCRs speech will have a lasting impact on the minds of the people, even in the era of social media. KCR will connect to the people directly.

She said that while giving the progress report of the TRS government in the Pragathi Nivedana meeting, Rao would also expose the failures and misdeeds of the Opposition Congress. The Congress failed miserably. It even created hurdles for development work. They filed hundreds of cases against projects including Kaleshwaram. During the present crisis in Kerala, the Opposition and the ruling party are working together. I do not see such a high standard Opposition here. The Opposition failed in the state. The TRS fulfilled the aspirations of the people in four years, Kavitha remarked.

Asked about the TRS relations with BJP, Kavitha reiterated the partys stand that the TRS maintained government-to-government relations between the state and the Centre, and that the TRS was not an alliance partner of BJP. She said that KCRs idea was to float a non-BJP and non-Congress Federal Front in the country. She said that though TRS could not forget Sonia Gandhi for delivering Telangana, the day-to-day affairs of the state Congress in the last four years obstructing development could not be approved. Asked about what was the big challenge for the TRS in next elections, Kavitha said, Our big challenge is to popularise the development work taken up by the TRS government to every household in the state.

She said that there would be no major reshuffle of sitting MLAs in next Assembly elections. The party is grooming our MLAs and prompting them to serve the people. We have suggested some course correction to them, Kavitha added.

Explaining the arrangements for the September 2 meeting, Kavitha said that they were planning to mobilise 25,000 people for each Assembly segment. Around 30 ambulances, 300 to 400 toilets to each block would be set up.
By AFP

ROME: Rome will Thursday ask the European Union to rotate the ports where migrants rescued at sea disembark, with France and Spain top of the list, a defence ministry source said.

"The proposal aims for a rotation of landing ports ... our goal is to ensure that Italy is not the only one taking charge of the problem, but also other member states," the source told AFP.

Italian Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta will travel to Vienna on Wednesday and put the plan to her European counterparts during an informal meeting the following day.

The proposal calls for a revision of the EU's military operation codenamed Sophia -- currently commanded by Italy -- and under which all migrants rescued disembark at an Italian port.

Sophia was launched in June 2015 following a series of deadly shipwrecks involving migrants.

According to La Stampa newspaper, Italy's idea is to rotate landings between Mediterranean ports, with a particular emphasis on France and Spain, with Greece and Malta also sharing the load.

Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio last week threatened to stop billions of euros of EU funding over migration, accusing Europe of turning its back as Italy grapples with seemingly endless migrant arrivals.
By PTI

LONDON: Britain's treasury minister today used the example of a UK bakery exporting naan to India as a "go-getting" reshaping of post-Brexit Britain as a global trading nation.

Liz Truss, UK's Chief Secretary to the Treasury, during a visit to Signature Flatbreads in Befordshire, said that a company in the east of England selling India its own traditional bread is a sign that the region can expand its exports base as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU).

"Selling naan breads in India from a company based in Dunstable would once have been unthinkable, said Truss.

"It's this type of entrepreneurial, and go-getting, spirit that will help the UK make a success of this once in a lifetime opportunity to reshape Britain, she said.

She noted that east of England exports are already worth 29 billion pounds per year, which is set for a boost after Brexit.

Truss added: We are in a terrific position to take advantage of the new trading horizons open to us after Brexit, and I know that businesses in Bedfordshire and beyond are raring to go.

"The east of England is flourishing, and we are hugely committed to ensuring this region and its businesses step out into the world and benefit from our new independent trade policies.

" Signature Flatbreads, which exports its bread across Europe and the Middle East, was set up in India in 2008 and runs a factory in Nashik.

In 2009, the company sold 50 per cent of its UK and India business to Ayrzta, which claims to be the world's third-largest bakery.

During her visit to the factory in Dunstable, Truss was on a mission to stress that businesses like Signature Flatbreads in Bedfordshire, and across the region, will be able to boost trade opportunities, bringing in more income and creating more jobs in the region once the UK leaves the EU.

She said the government is investing in the infrastructure that Bedfordshire needed and the new Woodside Link road had helped connect businesses to the Dunstable area, making it more practical to set up a business and transport goods.

The investment has already generated 2 billion pounds for the local economy, the minister said.

Successful exports mean the East of England economy was valued at more than 147 billion pounds, according to recent figures.

This represents more than 8 per cent of UK total output, the UK Treasury said in a statement.

And a growing export economy has also helped bring unemployment to record low levels in the region at just 3 per cent, it noted.

The minister was on tour of the region to spread the message that the government is delivering on the referendum result and is forging a new trading relationship with the rest of the world.

Earlier this week, as part of British Prime Minister Theresa May's tour of Africa, the government had said that a UK trade agreement with South Africa and other African nations will be ready to enter into force as soon as the EU deal no longer applies to the UK.
By AFP

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused China of complicating Washington's relationship with North Korea by rendering its ally economic assistance, as talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization are at a standstill.

But he insisted his relationship with Kim Jong Un remained "very good" and said he was not considering resuming joint military exercises on the Korean Peninsula that Pyongyang considers "provocative."

Trump's refusal to direct criticism at Kim and instead blame other parties for a lack of progress comes despite reports the US received a belligerent letter from Pyongyang, which prompted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cancel a planned trip to North Korea last weekend.

"China makes it much more difficult in terms of our relationship with North Korea," Trump said at the White House, though he insisted his ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping were "great."

He also noted his "fantastic relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, whom he met in Singapore in June.

"Part of the North Korea problem is caused by the trade disputes with China," Trump said.

Beijing is Pyongyang's sole major ally, and the main transit country for any goods entering the North. Trump said that China -- angered by US moves on trade -- is no longer being as tough as it could be on North Korea.

"We know that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful!" he tweeted on Wednesday evening.

On the subject of military exercises, which the US suspended as a "good faith" measure following Trump's summit with Kim, the president said "there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games" though added these could resume if the need arose.

It came a day after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the Pentagon was not planning to suspend any more military drills, before appearing to backtrack on Wednesday by insisting "no decisions" had been made on the matter.

Trump also reiterated his wish to fundamentally alter the trade status quo between the United States and China, the world's top two economies.

He said he needed to take a tough stance with Beijing on trade "because it was really not fair to our country," criticizing his predecessors who "closed their eyes" to the issue.

Belligerent letter

In June, Trump and Kim pledged to work toward the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

But those efforts stalled several weeks ago, and last week, Trump ordered Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cancel a planned trip to Pyongyang.

Pompeo said Tuesday that Washington remains ready to engage "when it is clear that Chairman Kim stands ready to deliver on the commitments that he made at the Singapore summit to President Trump to completely denuclearize North Korea."

According to the Washington Post, Pyongyang sent Pompeo a belligerent letter that prompted him to cancel the visit, though its precise contents were not known.

US news site Vox meanwhile reported Trump at June's summit pledged to sign a declaration ending the Korean War, and now the two countries remain deadlocked over who will follow through on their commitment first.

On Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters that Washington believes "denuclearization has to take place before we get to other parts," confirming that included such a declaration.
By Associated Press

ISLAMABAD: Hard-line Islamists who started a march toward Pakistan's capital to protest a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest have been stopped by police.

In June, far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who is known for his views against Islam, announced a contest for cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad. According to Guardian, there are already 200 entries for the competition, and the winner will receive prize money of USD 10,000.

Some 10,000 supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik group, which helped Imran Khan to become prime minister following last month's elections, set out on the march Wednesday, calling on him to cut ties with the Netherlands.

The party's spokesman, Eijaz Ashrafi, says police halted the march on Thursday in Jhelum, some 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the capital, Islamabad. He says the protesters refuse to disperse, and that police will have to "kill us" to stop the march.

Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims. Pakistan's government has vowed to protest the contest at the UN.

The Dutch government refused to take responsibility for the contest as the politician is not part of the government. However, they responded that banning the contest would curb the freedom of expression.
By AFP

BAGO: Rescuers in boats negotiated muddy waters on Thursday to reach thousands stranded in central Myanmar after a dam overflowed, sending a torrent of water across farmland and villages.

No casualties have yet been reported but state media said more than 63,000 people in Bago region were affected after the Swar Chaung dam overflowed early Wednesday morning.

The dam's spillway, a structure that controls the release of more than 20,000 cubic metres of water held in Swar Chaung's levee, was broken by seasonal rainfall.

(Photo | AFP)

It is the second major flood caused by damage to dam in weeks in the region, after at least 35 people were killed, scores left missing and thousands displaced by a collapsed hydropower facility in neighbouring Laos.

AFP reporters in Bago province saw soldiers sporting orange life jackets employed to rescue the stranded, steering tin boats to waiting villagers huddled on mudflats.

Trucks were lodged in murky waters while roads had buckled under the weight of the waters, which continued to flow across the villages.

Reeling from the loss of his home, Wai Lin Aung, 27, said there was no warning from authorities on what to do after the dam overflowed.

"No one told us what we needed to do so we just monitored the water levels and as the situation became worse, we just ran," he told AFP, adding that he had stayed at a monastery overnight.

Labourers work to restore a flood-damaged bridge on the outskirts of capital Naypyidaw on August 30, 2018. (Photo | AFP)

"How can I feel comfortable seeing my house destroyed? I have nowhere to live and nothing to eat."

Myanmar experiences a monsoon season that goes from June to November, but locals in Yedashe township said that they have never witnessed such a torrent of water.

"It was like something we couldn't believe," Phyu Thi, 35, said.

The heavy weight of the floods also fractured part of a bridge on the Yangon-Mandalay highway linking Myanmar's two biggest cities, throwing the country's traffic artery into disarray.

Minister of Construction Han Zaw said Thursday that 500 people are working to fix the road, which will take about two days.

"(We) are trying to get the situation of transportation back to normal as much as we can," Han Zaw said.

Currently more than 12,600 people have taken shelter in about 30 temporary camps, but many others are at a loss for what to do.

Kyi Win, 46, managed to return to his village to check on the state of his home but said he will continue staying in a temporary shelter.

AFP reporters in Bago province saw soldiers sporting orange life jackets employed to rescue the stranded, steering tin boats to waiting villagers huddled on mudflats.

(Photo | AFP)

"Some of the houses are completely destroyed," he said, explaining that the toilet of his house has been wrecked. "For now, I'll stay (at the monastery) because I can't come back here."

The deluge comes just weeks after heavy monsoon rains pummelled Myanmar, causing widespread flash floods that forced some 150,000 people to flee their homes.
By AFP

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron came under attack from the opposition on Thursday after describing his countrymen as "Gauls who are resistant to change" during a trip to Denmark.

The comments came during an exchange with French expatriates in the Scandinavian country, which Macron has long admired because of its economic model that mixes a strong social security system with rules allowing companies to easily fire workers.

"Let's not be naive, what is possible is linked to a culture, to a people who are the product of their history," Macron said on Wednesday afternoon.

"These Lutheran (Protestant) people, who have experienced transformations in recent years, are not like the Gauls who are resistant to change," he said, using a term for the ancient tribes that roamed France more than 2000 years ago.

The remark echoed previous comments by Macron saying the French "hate reforms" and that the country is "unreformable".

He prefers instead to talk about a "transformation" under his leadership.

The 40-year-old former investment banker is trying to push through his own version of Denmark's "flexi-curity" model of flexibility and security by loosening French labour law and reforming the social security system.

But the opposition back home seized on the remarks.

"As usual, he scorns the French while overseas. The Gauls will take great pleasure in responding to his arrogance and contempt," said far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Leftwing MP Alexis Corbiere from the France Unbowed party denounced Macron for his "staggeringly stupid remarks".

"Macron in Denmark is not only contemptuous of his own people but also very ignorant about the Gauls who were incredibly progressive," he added.

Nepotism row



But the president was quick to respond while in Finland where he is on the second leg of his Scandinavian trip.

"You need to step back from the controversy and social media," Macron told reporters, describing his remarks as "a light-hearted moment".

"I love France and the French people, make no mistake. I love it in all of its components."

And he also defended a decision to appoint French writer Patrick Besson as consul general in Los Angeles.

Besson, who has written some 20 novels, is a close personal friend of Macron and his wife Brigitte who penned an overwhelmingly positive book on how Macron captured the French presidency in May 2017.

"There is no cronyism in exchange for favours," Macron said, indicating he would "continue to open up all of the top state jobs to people with talent and strengths from all walks of life."

The criticism comes as problems mount for the centrist leader who swept to power promising to end decades of high unemployment and reform the European Union.

He suffered a major political scandal this summer when a senior security aide was filmed manhandling protesters, and his poll ratings have slumped to their lowest-ever levels.

On Tuesday, he suffered a major blow to his green credentials when his popular environment minister resigned live on radio, saying the government was doing too little and was influenced by "lobbies".
By AFP

GENEVA: Washington has launched an international trade complaint against Russia's decision to hike tariffs on some US goods last month, according to a document circulated to World Trade Organization members Wednesday.

Russia announced on July 6 that it had raised duties on some imports from the US from 25 to 40 per cent, in retaliation for a similar move by Washington.

In Wednesday's filing, the US administration charged that the tariff hike was "inconsistent" with several international trade rules, and highlighted that Moscow does not impose similar tariffs on other WTO members.

Washington said it was, therefore, seeking WTO "consultations", which constitute the first step in a full-blown legal challenge before the global trade body.

The move comes after Russia in June filed its own challenge at the WTO, accusing Washington of multiple violations of international trade rules in connection with its decision to slap 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium.

It is among a number of powerful WTO members -- including the European Union, China, India, Mexico, Turkey and Canada -- who are fighting back against President Donald Trump's controversial trade policies.

Under WTO rules, if 60 days pass without consultations resolving the dispute, Switzerland can ask the body to set up dispute panel, triggering a long and likely costly legal battle.
By PTI

LAHORE: India has rejected Pakistan's objections on its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river, a Pakistani official said today, as the crucial high-level bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty concluded here.

After the conclusion of talks, the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Meher Ali Shah told reporters that there would be no briefing and statement on the issue.

"It is a sensitive matter and we were conveyed (by the Foreign Office) not to speak on it. The Foreign Office will issue a statement in this regard," Shah said.

Another official of the Pakistani side, on the condition of anonymity, said India rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal hydropower projects on the Chenab river.

"India has hinted at continuation of work on both the hydropower projects," he said.

"Pakistan may approach the international forums defined in the Indus Waters Treaty over New Delhi's refusal to accept the requests as narrated in the detailed objections," the official said.

Pakistan has made it clear that it will have no option but to appointment neutral experts and take the case to the International Court of Arbitration in case India fails to address its concerns which are genuine, he said.

"India has invited Pakistan to send its experts to the sites of two projects -- the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal -- on the Chenab river next month to have their apprehensions redressed," a senior official of the Water Resource Ministry told PTI after the talks.

The official further said the both sides also agreed to develop a 'technical memorandum' over this matter and exchange it in the next meeting scheduled for later this year in India.

"Pakistani authorities asked Indians to reduce the height of the Pakal Dul's reservoir up to five metres.

India has also been urged to maintain 40-metre height above sea level while making spillways' gates of the Pakal Dul project besides clarifying the pattern and mechanism for the water storage and releases," Dawn quoted one of the participants of the meeting as saying.

"Similarly, Pakistan raised some technical concerns over design of the Lower Karnal hydropower project, requesting India to address them at the earliest," the report said.

India was represented by a nine-member delegation of the Indian Water Commission led by Commissioner P K Saxena.

Yesterday, Shah said Pakistan raised objections on the 1000MW Pakal Dul and the 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects and a detailed discussion will be held during the talks.

"We had also raised concerns over construction of dams on Pakistani rivers and India did not bother about it and continued doing the same," Shah said, adding India will reply to Pakistan's queries on the controversial water projects.

Former Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah told PTI that the successive Pakistani governments had given much importance to its water disputes with India.

"India does not bother about Pakistan's objections.

It begins work on building hydro power projects on the Pakistani rivers and the Pakistani government raises objections afterwards.

Unless the Pakistani government seriously takes up these matters with India it will not get relief," he said, adding that Pakistan also needs to plead its case in the World Bank.

According to an official of the Pakistan Water Commission, Pakistan has been raising reservations over the designs of the two projects  1000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects on River Chenab  and would like India to either modify the designs to make them compliant to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty or put the projects on hold until New Delhi satisfies Islamabad.

"The two sides will in talks also finalise the schedule of future meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission and visits of the teams of the Indus commissioners," he said.

Pakistan has also challenged the discharge series of River Lower Kalnai at Dunadi for winter months and estimated permissible pondage of 0.38 cubic megametres compared to Indian design pondage of 2.74 cubic megametres.

The Lower Kalnai project is on a left bank tributary of Chenab and can have gross storage of about 1,508-acre-feet of water.

The Indian delegation will return home tomorrow.

India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

The water commissioners of Pakistan and India are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works, but Pakistan had been facing a lot of problems in timely meetings and visits.

The last meeting of the Pakistan-India Permanent Indus Commission was held in New Delhi in March during which both the sides had shared details of the water flow and the quantum of water being used under the 1960 treaty.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers.

However, there have been disagreements and differences between India and Pakistan over the treaty.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: The Trump administration today backed Asian-American students who have filed a lawsuit against the Harvard University over the Ivy League institution's alleged racial discrimination against them in its admission process.

The Justice Department filed a statement with a federal court alleging that the prestigious university has failed to demonstrate that it does not unlawfully discriminate against Asian-American students on the basis of race.

The Statement of Interest was filed in the ongoing case in federal court in Massachusetts.

Students For Fair Admissions, an organisation of students and parents, filed a lawsuit in 2014, alleging that Harvard intentionally discriminates against academically strong Asian-American applicants when making admissions decisions.

Harvard, however, has said that it does not discriminate and will fight to defend its right to use race as a factor in admissions.

It argued that its admission of Asian-Americans has risen 29 per cent over the last decade.

In the court filing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions today said, No American should be denied admission to school because of their race.

As a recipient of taxpayer dollars, Harvard has a responsibility to conduct its admissions policy without racial discrimination by using meaningful admissions criteria that meet lawful requirements.

" This case is significant because the admissions policies at our colleges and universities are important and must be conducted lawfully, he said.

As a condition of receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer funding every year, Harvard specifically agrees to not discriminate on the basis of race in its admissions decisions, the Department of Justice said.

"However, the students and parents who brought this suit have presented compelling evidence that Harvard's use of race unlawfully discriminates against Asian-Americans," the Justice Department said.

In today's filing, the US urges the court to grant the plaintiffs the opportunity to prove these claims at trial.

Under Supreme Court precedent, Harvard must demonstrate that its use of race does not result in illegal discrimination, it said.

Harvard has failed to do so, and the Department filed a Statement of Interest that argues the plaintiffs should be allowed to proceed to a trial, it said.

"While Harvard admits to using race in its admissions process, it has failed to provide any meaningful criteria to explain how it weighs race against other factors in a candidate's application (e.g., test scores and extracurricular activities), and how it limits its use of race to ensure that no illegal discrimination occurs," the Department of Justice said.

Supreme Court precedent requires Harvard to provide such an explanation, which it has failed to do in this case, it asserted.

In its filing, the Department of Justice said the evidence shows that Harvard uses a personal rating that may be biased against Asian-Americans.

Based solely on a review of the applicant's file, Harvard scores its applicants based on "subjective" factors such as "likability" and being a "good person" with "human qualities".

Harvard admits that, on average, it scores Asian-American applicants lower on this 'personal rating' than applicants of other races, Justice Department said in its court filing.

Substantial evidence also demonstrates that Harvard admissions officers and committees consistently monitor and manipulate the racial makeup of incoming classes, which has resulted in stable racial demographics in Harvard's admitted classes from year to year, it alleged.

The Supreme Court has called such attempts to "racially balance" the makeup of a student body "patently unconstitutional".
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
Oxford's Word of the Year

Is an 'Attention-Grabbing' One
(Newser)  "The Lord had a different plan for me, maybe for me to be left behind and help the survivors." So speculates Michelle Shields, who in an alternate universe would be dead. In this one, she's very much alive, having stayed home on a fateful Sunday from services at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, due to her husband's back pain and the late night the couple had had watching a grandchild. While they were home, her son-in-law murdered 26 people. In what the Washington Post calls a "rare interview," Shields speaks with Emily Wax-Thibodeaux about how life is coming together 11 months after Devin Patrick Kelley's shooting spree and suicide. Wax-Thibodeaux paints Shields as a woman on a mission: to show up for the survivors.

story continues below

"I dont like going in there," Shields says of what was the church; now it's a near-empty room, with 26 rose-adorned white chairs arranged where each victim was killed. But she's there often, facilitating visits from out-of-towners who want to pay their respects. Two of those chairs are particularly jarring for her: Shields' 71-year-old mother, Lula Woicinski White, was killed, as was her best friend, Karla Plain Holcombe. Shields says the three women, plus Sherri Pomeroy, the pastor's wife whose 14-year-old daughter was killed, were the self-dubbed "four amigos. ... Now there are only two of us." Read Wax-Thibodeaux's full piece, in which Shields recounts how tense things had gotten with Kelley, who had barred Shields from coming to the hospital after the birth of his daughter. (Read more Longform stories.)
(Newser)  Kanye West started his summer by causing an uproar when he told TMZ that slavery was a choice. Now he's ending the summer by saying he's sorry for those comments. The apology came during a wide-ranging, and at-times-tearful, interview on Chicago's WGCI, per Rolling Stone, during which West also talked about Drake ("We'll reconcile that one day"), his bipolar diagnosis (that's what caused the slavery comment), and his support for President Trump ("He knows that he can't be the greatest president without the acceptance of the black community").

story continues below

"I don't know if I properly apologized for how that slave comment made people feel," West said, per CNN. "So I want to take this moment right now to say ... I'm sorry for people who felt let down by that moment." West also said he is reinventing himself and soon the fans will meet a "new Ye," per Billboard, adding "You're going to feel the impact of new relationships and new ideas and the exposures that I've gathered." WGCI host Kendra G later tweeted: "Thank you @kanyewest for apologizing  I received it. Thank you." (Read more Kanye West stories.)
(Newser)  Four nurses, 23 prison guards, and an inmate were sickened Wednesday at Ross Correctional Institute in Ohio, and officials believe the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl may be to blame, CNN reports. The incident began around 9am when an inmate showed signs of a possible drug overdose; 29 people ended up sickened, with the sickest individuals being those who responded to his bedside, the AP reports. They were treated with naloxone, a drug used to combat opioid overdoses. A doctor says the symptoms victims experiencedincluding nausea, sweating, numbness, and drowsinesswere consistent with fentanyl exposure. Officials believe contraband fentanyl may have been dispersed in the air by a fan, but the incident is still under investigation.

story continues below

In an apparently unrelated incident, state prisons were on lockdown in Pennsylvania after 29 people in 10 prisons over the course of recent weeks required treatment after exposure to an as-yet-unidentified substance. Victims have reported symptoms after being exposed to what is in some cases described as a liquid synthetic drug. And in Arkansas, five inmates at Varner Supermax have died since Sunday after suspected drug use, the Arkansas Times reports. About a dozen others have received medical attention, and though examinations are still ongoing, officials suspect K2, a dangerous form of synthetic pot, may be involved. (Read more fentanyl stories.)
(Newser)  Rain Dove, the model dating Rose McGowan whose texts with Asia Argento about Jimmy Bennett got leaked to TMZ, confirms what McGowan said earlier this week: Dove reported the text messages to law enforcement after Argento allegedly admitted in them that she had sex with a then-17-year-old Bennett when she was 37. "The whole entire thing really just tipped at the point of yes, this person engaged with this individual when they were a minor and that is considered in California, I believe it's statutory rape," Dove tells CNN. Dove met Argento in June through McGowan, who got close to the Italian actress after they both came forward to say they had been raped by Harvey Weinstein. Dove tells the New York Times that Argento reached out to them (Dove is gender nonbinary and prefers nongendered pronouns) the day before the Times broke the story about Argento and Bennett.

story continues below

"[Argento] said, 'Someone has some dirt on me. Im in really, really big trouble," Dove tells the Times. Dove says Argento was looking for support, and initially denied having sex with Bennett, but later admitted to it. Dove advised her to be honest, but when she came out with her official statement after the Times story brokein which she denied having sex with BennettDove contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which is investigating the case. Dove tells Fox News that Argento called them a "monster" after finding out the texts had been reported. "I just told her that in order for there to be justice, there has to be truth, and that justice will find its way, but you have to have truth on the table, and she was really angry at that," Dove says. Dove adds that Argento accused Dove and McGowan of also leaking the texts to TMZ, but Dove insists someone else is responsible for that; Dove did share the texts with a small group of people in order to ask for advice. Dove has also released a lengthy statement on Instagram. (Read more Asia Argento stories.)
(Newser)  For the very early part of the morning, the headlines focused on the possibility that Florida could get its first black governor thanks to Tuesday's primary results; for the latter part of Wednesday, they focused on three words Andrew Gillum's Republican opponent had to say. In an interview with Fox News, Ron DeSantis said this (video here): "The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda with huge tax increases, and bankrupting the state. That is not going to work, that is not going to be good for Florida." Cries of racism ensued. Five reactions:

Florida Democratic Party chair Terrie Rizzo told the Tallahassee Democrat "it's disgusting that Ron DeSantis is launching his general election campaign with racist dog whistles."

NBC News political reporter Ali Vitali tweeted this: "DeSantis' spox tells me this is something the congressman says 'frequently' to express something that was messed up or not done right. Spox says it 'had nothing to do with race or anything like that' but just talking about the situation in Florida."

story continues below

Slate reports the Fox News host DeSantis was speaking to, Sandra Smith, had this to say in a later segment: "A little while ago, we had Ron DeSantis ... on for an interview to discuss the Florida election. During the interview, he made what some are calling an inappropriate comment about his democratic opponent, Andrew Gillum. We do not condone this language and wanted to make our viewers aware that he has since clarified his statement."

Gillum spoke to MSNBC on Wednesday and said it's "clear" DeSantis "is going to join Donald Trump in the swamp. We're going to leave them there, and we continue to press toward a higher mark."

Fox News Insider reports DeSantis himself addressed the controversy Wednesday night on Hannity, saying "It has zero to do with race" and everything to do with socialism. He said a vote for Gillum would make Florida take a "turn to left-wing socialist policies that will absolutely devastate this state" and are "not good for any race, color, or creed."

(Read more Florida stories.)
(Newser)  Chelsea Manning won't be permitted to enter Australia for a speaking tour scheduled to kick off at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday after that country's Department of Home Affairs deemed the American classified document leaker failed to meet character requirements. While the Australian government won't address Manning's case specifically, per the AP, a person having a criminal record could cause them to fail the character test. Manning, a former US Army intelligence officer, was convicted of leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks and served seven years in prison. Manning also has speaking dates scheduled in New Zealand. That country's government is still considering whether to grant her a "special direction" visa, which she would need due to her conviction. In a statement, Amnesty International says Australia's decision sends a "chilling message that freedom of speech is not valued." (Read more Chelsea Manning stories.)
(Newser)  Last week, the AP reported that the National Enquirer kept unpublished stories about Donald Trump locked away in safe. Now the New York Times adds a coda: Trump tried to buy everything in that safe, stories going back about 20 years. The newspaper reports that Trump discussed the strategy with former attorney Michael Cohen. "It's all the stuffall the stuff, because you never know," Cohen tells Trump on one of the conversations he secretly recorded. The story explains that David Pecker, a Trump friend who runs the tabloid's parent company, made sure that no negative Trump stories saw the light under his watch, especially in the run-up to the election.

story continues below

Trump, however, worried what would happen if something happened to Pecker. Maybe he gets hit by a truck, he says in the recording. The solution? Buy up everything in the safe, per the Times. "We'll have to pay him something," Cohen says of Pecker. However, the deal never came to pass for reasons that remain unclear. Also unclear: Does the big stash of information still exist, or did Pecker have it destroyed? Both Cohen and Pecker have struck deals with federal prosecutors investigating hush-money payments made to two women alleged to have had affairs with Trump. Read the full story. (Read more National Enquirer stories.)
(Newser)  Sen. John McCain was eulogized Thursday as a "true American hero"and a terrible driver with a wicked sense of humor and love of a good battleat a crowded church service for the maverick politician that ended with the playing of Frank Sinatra's "My Way." Addressing an estimated 3,500 mourners, former Vice President Joe Biden recalled "the sheer joy that crossed his face when he knew he was about to take the stage of the Senate floor and start a fight." Biden, a Democrat who was among the fast friends the Republican senator made across the aisle, said he thought of McCain as a brother, "with a lot of family fights." The service for the statesman, former prisoner of war and two-time presidential candidate unfolded at North Phoenix Baptist Church after a motorcade bearing McCain's body made its way from the state Capitol past Arizonans waving American flags and campaign-style McCain signs, the AP reports. After it ended, McCain's body was flown to Washington, DC.

story continues below

Neither Biden nor other speakers uttered President Trump's name, but Biden made what some saw as a veiled reference to the president when he talked about McCain's character and how he parted company with those who "lacked the basic values of decency and respect, knowing this project is bigger than yourself." Biden said McCain "could not stand the abuse of power wherever he saw it, in whatever form, in whatever country." (McCain clashed openly with Trump, who mocked McCain for getting captured during the Vietnam War. Two White House officials said McCain's family had asked that Trump not attend the funeral services.) Dabbing his eyes at times, Biden also referred to his own son's death from cancer, saying of the disease, "It's brutal, it's relentless, it's unforgiving." And he spoke directly to McCain's widow, Cindy McCain, in the front row: "You were his ballast."

(Read more John McCain stories.)
New York:

Googles plans for enabling access across India and the role of technology in empowering Indian users were discussed as IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad met the internet giants India-born CEO Sundar Pichai.

Prasad visited Googles headquarters in Mountain View, California on Wednesday, according to a statement from Google.

During the visit to the Google Campus, Prasad met senior members of the leadership team at Google to discuss the role technology can play in empowering Indian users and addressing challenges unique to India.

Prasad was briefed about Googles plans in India for enabling access, Indic language computing, Artificial Intelligence solutions for social good and capacity building of startups and Small and Midsize business.

Also Read | Indias Act East policy drawing investments, says Godrej

Prasad was also shown demonstration of cutting-edge innovations on the Google Campus, along with a glimpse into upcoming features in popular Google products.

Digital payments have played a pivotal role in Indias growth story and they are driving the digital revolution in India, Prasad said, adding that companies like Google are an integral part of the Indian governments efforts to digitally empower Indias citizens.

At the meeting, Pichai said it was great to discuss with the Indian leader the countrys exciting digital transformation thats bringing lots of new opportunity to the region. Its a privilege to be a part of it.

During his visit to California, Prasad held discussions with several leading technology and business CEOs and senior executives including venture capitalists focused on the Indian market.

The meetings discussed the need to work collectively to better manage technology challenges like data privacy and security issues, especially in the context of next-generation technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things, according to a statement by the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM).

Read More | Abbott India lines up 100 product launches over the next five years

NASSCOM President Debjani Ghosh said expressed confidence that the digital transformation opportunities in India, as outlined by Prasad, will open doors for investors to establish and participate in Indias rewarding growth story.

With innovation and digitisation at the heart of both the countries DNAs, we are sure that our synergies with the business community in California, will lead to a long and fruitful symbiotic relationship.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

Private sector lender Yes Bank on Thursday said it has received RBIs approval for the continuance of Rana Kapoor as managing director and CEO of the bank till further notice from the central bank.

In June this year, Yes Banks shareholders had approved the re-appointment of Rana Kapoor as the chief executive and managing director for three years, subject to final approval from the Reserve Bank of India.

We wish to inform you that the Bank has received the RBIs approval that Rana Kapoor may continue as Managing Director & CEO of YES Bank till further notice from RBI, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

Also Read | RBI releases annual report for 2017-18, says 99.3 per cent of demonetised notes returned to banks

Shares of the bank had slid in the past few sessions amid pending approval from RBI on Kapoors re-appointment.

The stock declined 1.12 per cent to close at Rs 361.90 on BSE on Thursday.

Putting speculation to the rest, RBI approved the reappointment of Rana Kapoor as MD and CEO of Yes Bank but did not specify the period.

The Bank had sought permission from the RBI for the reappointment of Kapoor for a period of three years starting September 2018 onward.

Earlier this year, RBI denied a three-year extension to Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma despite board endorsing her reappointment.

Kapoor was among the founding team of Yes Bank, along with Ashok Kapur who died in 2008. As a promoter, Kapoor and his family own a 10.66 per cent stake in the bank. He has been the banks CEO since 2004.

Read More | SBI seeks quashing of ED proceedings attaching firms property

The banking sector has seen increased regulatory scrutiny over the last two years as the RBI has tried to push for appropriate recognition of bad loans. The asset quality review initiated in December 2015 has led to an increase in bad loans over Rs 6 lakh crore across banks, including Yes Bank.

Banks were asked to disclose divergences in bad loan reporting. As a result, the RBI judged gross NPAs at Rs 8,373.8 crore for Yes Bank for 2016-17 against declared gross NPAs at Rs 2,018 crore. Thus, there was a divergence of Rs 6,355 crore or three times the reported amount.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In a major development in aviation sector in Northeast India, Bhutans flagship carrier DrukAir will be starting new international flight operations between Guwahati and Singapore. The new flights will take-off on September 1 next from Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International (LGBI) Airport, Guwahati.

The announcement was made by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the ceremonial launch programme held at Hotel Vivanta by Taj in Guwahati on Thursday.

Bhutan Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay was also present at the launch event.

Also Read | Jet Airways to start 28 new flights next month

With the launch of the new route by DrukAir, the flight will be the only international flight to connect Paro in Bhutan via Guwahati to Singapore.

Terming the initiative as historic, Sonowal said that diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan would receive a boost with the launch of new flight by Drukair - Royal Bhutan Airlines connecting Guwahati with Singapore.

Sonowal expressed his deep appreciation to the Royal Government of Bhutan and Drukair - Royal Bhutan Airlines for the endeavour to connect Guwahati directly with Singapore.

While acknowledging the deep-rooted relationship between India and Bhutan, Sonowal also said the new development are the outcomes of bilateral talks between Bhutan and Assam.

On August 2, Bhutans Consulate General Phub Tshering met Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi and discussed various pertaining issues, including flight operations, trade, tourism and so on.

Read More | Nagaland flood: 12 dead, thousands homeless in deluge-hit state; CM seeks relief from Centre

Apart from facilitating trade and improve people to people contact among Bhutan, Assam and Singapore, the new initiative in aviation sector would also give a major fillip towards strengthening social, cultural and economic ties.

Bhutan has always been our most exotic and resourceful neighbour with its unique and vibrant ethnicity and is known for promoting peace and human values, he said.

The new connecting flights to Singapore will help boost Assam as its position as the gateway to South East Asian countries.

(With PTI inputs)
Mumbai:

Actor Vicky Kaushal says it is "surreal" to be a part of Karan Johar's Takht, a film which will require him to tread one of the "scariest territories" as a performer.

Directed by Johar, Takht is based in the Mughal era and chronicles the story of two warring brothers.

Also Read | Are Malaika Arora, Arjun Kapoor dating each other?

Takht is one of the scariest territories I am going to enter as an actor. I can't give out the details but for sure, it's going to be something. I am filled with excitement and anxiety. It's a good space as an actor. I am really anxious about what I'm getting into," Vicky told PTI.

The actor recalls the time he got a confirmation call for the magnum opus while he was shooting for Uri in Serbia and "flipped" when he heard the good news.

"To see your name on a Karan Johar poster is as dreamy as his films. It took me some time to let it sink in that I'm one of the leads in a Karan Johar film. It is one of his biggest films ever so it feels surreal, overwhelming."

Also Read | Varun Dhawan doesnt trust Alia Bhatt! Heres the reason

Vicky recently worked with Johar in the director's short in Lust Stories.

"I've grown up watching his films, I've seen Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham so many times. He is an extremely special filmmaker. Just to be a part of one of his films, it's huge," he added.

Takht also stars Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Bhumi Pednekar, Janhvi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Left parties across India, on Thursday, will stage agitation at the historic Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to protest against the Centre's 'unethical crackdown' on five right activists, who were detained over their alleged connection with Bhima-Koregaon violence in Maharashtra on January 1.

"There will be a protest at Jantar Mantar on Thursday by the Left and all progressive groups against the unethical crackdown," Communist Party of India (Marxist) General secretary Sitaram Yechury told ANI.

Left-wing parties along with several eminent personalities have been protesting the country-wide raids by the Pune police, terming it a brazen attack on democratic rights and civil liberties.

Read | Bhima Koregaon violence: SC orders house arrest of activists till September 6

On Wednesday, a group of activists moved the Supreme Court, asking an immediate stay on their arrest. The CPI(M) has also urged the court to withdraw the cases against the activists and release them immediately.

Later in the day, the apex court ordered to keep the activists under house arrest till September 6, 2018, saying dissent was the "safety valve of democracy". They have also issued a notice to the Maharashtra police, seeking a response from the government by then.

Read | Gurugram: Three of family found dead inside house; one-year-old dies in hospital





Supreme Court order: Following the SC order, all of the activists will be taken to their respective residences on Thursday.



On Tuesday, Lawyer and trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj, revolutionary poet P Varavara Rao, civil rights activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha, and lawyers and activists Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves were arrested over an alleged Maoist activity, that rocked Maharashtra's Bhima Koregaon on January 1 during the 200th anniversary celebration of a British-era war.



There are also reports that all of the five activists had funded the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune, held a day before the Bhima-Koregaon violence.



The police team also searched the residence of Father Stan Swamy in Ranchi but could not arrest him due to lack of evidence. The Bhima-Koregaon violence is believed to be the assassination attempt of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the lines of former PM Rajiv Gandhi.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The Opposition Congress on Thursday fired a salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of direct involvement in Rs 1,30,000 crore mega Rafale scam and demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the defence deal with France. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of lying to the nation and pointed out that India-France joint statement clearly stated that the 36 aircraft in question will be of the same configuration.

There are clear facts in Rafale case. Anil Ambani has a45000Cr debt. He formed the company 10 days before the deal. What is the deal between Anil Ambani and PM Modi? the Congress president asked.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi reveals real reason behind PM Modis demonetisation move

I have no problem in creating a Joint Parliamentary Committee, where all facts can be disclosed, he added.

Earlier in the day, the Gandhi scion had reminded Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of the 24-hour deadline to set up an all-party Parliamentary Committee to probe the alleged scam in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France.

On Wednesday, the Congress president had challenged Jaitley to form an all-party lawmakers' panel into what he called the Great Rafale Robbery. The Finance Minister, however, refused to form the JPC to probe the alleged Rafale scam, terming Congress partys claims a "complete falsehood".

Also Read | After breathing fire on Stalin, elder brother Alagiri pleads to re-enter DMK

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The opposition Congress on Thursday started a protest march towards PM Narendra Modi's house over the alleged Rafale scam, claimed by party president Rahul Gandhi. The Congress leaders have announced a gherao of PM Modis residence in Delhi over the same. The protest came a day after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in an exclusive interview to ANI rubbished Gandhi's allegations over Rafale deal, terming it a Kindergarten debate.

To clear the air on controversies surrounding Rafale deal, Jaitley said, "What was negotiated from 2015 to 2016 and finally executed in 2016, with the escalations and the currency variations, the basic aircraft price turns out to be 9% cheaper. Is the Congress party aware of this?".

Quantum in defence is always large. Therefore, quantum doesnt mean anything. Please produce a shred of evidence that Government of India has anything to do with any of the offset suppliers for any contract, whether under UPA or NDA the finance minister explained.

Launching a series of fresh salvo on the Congress president, Jaitley further stated, "I have, at least twice, repeated this sentence, how much does he know and when will he know? Can you compare a basic aircrafts pricing with a loaded aircraft? Can you compare simple aircraft with a weaponized aircraft?

Congress must remember that it cant fool people all the time. This is a government to government arrangement. Offset has nothing to do with this contract. The government will purchase 36 fully-loaded aircraft from France, no private party involved. Governments role ends, FM Jaitley lambasted. Read Full Story Here.

Read | Rafale Deal: Congress begins series of events to expose alleged corruption



Meanwhile, in what could be a big reason of embarrassment for Rahul Gandhi, Reliance owner Anil Ambani broke his silence over the much talked about Rafale deal, saying that Rahul Gandhi is uninformed and unaware.

Terming Gandhi's allegations "baseless, ill-informed and unfortunate," Ambani further said, "truth alone will prevail" as the charges are driven by "malicious vested interests and corporate rivals."

Ambani, the multi-millionaire business tycoon was addressing the media and was asked why he chose to exclude the Congress president in the Rs 5,000-crore defamation case filed by his company on the Rafale deal.

"I have personally written to Gandhi stating that the Congress has been misinformed, misdirected and misled on the Rafale deal by malicious vested interest and corporate rivals," the Reliance chief said while interacting with reporters on the sidelines of RInfra's power business sale to the Adani group in Mumbai.

Gandhi too did not take long to launch a scathing attack and took to Twitter to announce a 24-hour challenge in response to Jaitley's accusation of "peddling untruth" on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Read | Why Rafale deal cant become a scam

"Mr Jaitley, thanks for bringing the nations attention back to the GREAT RAFALE ROBBERY! How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee to sort it out? Problem is, your Supreme Leader is protecting his friend, so this may be inconvenient. Do check and revert in 24 hrs. Were waiting!".

Mr Jaitley, thanks for bringing the nations attention back to the GREAT #RAFALE ROBBERY! How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee to sort it out? Problem is, your Supreme Leader is protecting his friend, so this may be inconvenient. Do check & revert in 24 hrs. Were waiting!  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 29, 2018

Thursday too, the Congress president posted a tart reminder to the finance minister, saying "Dear Mr Jaitley, Less than 6 hrs left for your deadline on the #Rafale JPC to run out. Young India is waiting. I hope you're busy convincing Modi Ji and Anil Ambani Ji about why they should listen to you & approve this! @ArunJaitley".

Dear Mr Jaitley,



Less than 6 hrs left for your deadline on the #Rafale JPC to run out.



Young India is waiting. I hope you're busy convincing Modi Ji and Anil Ambani Ji about why they should listen to you & approve this! @ArunJaitley  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 30, 2018

Read | Congress to organise 'Rafale deal morcha' on July 30

The Congress has announced 'PM House Gherao' at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to Nepal to take part at BIMSTEC Summit in capital city Kathmandu.

Modi will leave for India later on Friday.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Disgruntled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally, the Shiv Sena on Thursday said that Hindus were being dubbed as 'terrorists' in their own country under Narendra Modi government by merely adding up different cases.

The party said that killings of Pansare, Dabholkar, journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist MM Kalburgi could be individual conspiracies and the mastermind may not be the same.

Referring to the recent police action against five activists for suspected Maoist links, the Shiv Sena in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana' said, "The naxal supporters who had been arrested were termed 'purported' supporters of Naxalism while Hindutvavadis were directly termed as Hindu extremists."

Also Read | Arrests of activists a declaration of emergency: Rights groups

The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, said that it was surprising that Hindus in India were being termed terrorists, especially in the 'Modi-Fadnavis' regime.

Earlier this month, the CBI had arrested Sachin Andure, one of the alleged shooters in the Dabholkar murder case, and told a Pune court that the killings of Lankesh in Bengaluru last year and Dabholkar in Pune in 2013 were linked.

The Maharashtra ATS has also arrested five right-wing activists in connection with the seizure of a large cache of explosives and arms earlier this month.

Also Read | Activists held for alleged Moaist links, CPI-M terms action a brazen attack on democratic rights

The CBI recently sought custody of one of these five men, Sharad Kalaskar, to question him in connection with Dabholkars killing, but its plea was rejected by a Mumbai court.

(With inputs from PTI)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Two terrorists were killed and several others trapped in an encounter with security forces in Hajin area of Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on Thursday. "An encounter has started between terrorists and security forces in Bandipora's Hajin. The body of the second terrorist has been recovered from the encounter site; operation continues." according to reports.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hajin area of the district early this morning following specific information about the presence of militants in the region. The gunfight was underway when the last reports came in.

Here are the Highlights on Bandipora Encounter:

# 12:07 pm: On the basis of specific input an operation was launched in Hajin by Army, CRPF and Police. Two terrorists have been killed and search operation underway. Arms and ammunition have been recovered: SP Pani, IGP Kashmir

# 11:19 am: Body of the second terrorist has been recovered from the encounter site; operation continues.

Hajin encounter: Body of second terrorist has been recovered from the encounter site; operation continues. #JammuandKashmir https://t.co/LViW56ZEif  ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2018

# 09:10 am: One terrorist has been killed, operation continues.

# 06:46 am: An encounter has started between terrorists and security forces in Bandipora's Hajin. 2-3 terrorists are reportedly trapped.

#JammuAndKashmir: An encounter has started between terrorists and security forces in Bandipora's Hajin. 2-3 terrorists are reportedly trapped. More details awaited.  ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2018

Read | Wanted criminal held for robbing cash van, killing 2 men at Narela: Police

Earlier on Wednesday, another encounter ensued when the militants opened fire on the forces. According to police, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including its commander, one of the oldest surviving terrorists, were killed in the operation at South Kashmir's Anantnag district.

The slain terrorists have been identified as Altaf Ahmad Dar alias Ataf Kachroo alias Moin of Hawoora Mishipora and Omar Rashid Wani of Khudwani Kulgam. Both Dar and Wani were involved in many civilian atrocities and attacks on police personnel and security establishments.

Read | Three persons, who duped people at ATMs, arrested after an encounter with the police in Greater Noida

Being parts of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, they also managed to keep close coordination with other outfits for unleashing terror.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

RJD supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, who was found guilty in multi-million Fodder scam case, on Thursday surrendered before a CBI court in Ranchi. Yadav was out on a provisional bail, which has expired on Thursday, August 30, 2018. Last week, the Jharkhand High Court rejected Lalu's plea to extend the bail and therefore directed the RJD chief to surrender before the CBI court by August 30.

Later in the day, the RJD chief was shifted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) from Birsa Munda Central Jail and will undergo medical treatment.

Talking about the latest development Prabhat Kumar, Yadav's Lawyer said, "Doctors of Asian Heart Institute (Mumbai) will do a checkup of Lalu Prasad Yadav and then inform Court about his condition".

Doctors of Asian Heart Institute (Mumbai) will do a check up of Lalu Prasad Yadav and then inform Court about his condition: Prabhat Kumar, Yadav's Lawyer after Yadav surrendered before Court earlier today. pic.twitter.com/Ob3enmpHCL  ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2018

Ahead of his surrender in the court, Jharkhand Vikas Morcha chief Babu Lal Marandi paid a visit to Yadav in Ranchi.

Read | Bihar: Tej Pratap denies rifts with Tejashwi Yadav, says he is very close to my heart

In May, Yadav, who was awarded 14 years of imprisonment in the Dumka Treasury case, had been released on a three-day parole to attend his son Tej Pratap Yadav's wedding in Patna.

Later in the month, Yadav was granted six weeks' provisional bail owing to his ill health. He was admitted to the RIMS hospital in Ranchi and at the Delhi AIIMS, for treatment of various ailments.

Post that, the former Bihar chief minister was shifted to a Mumbai hospital but discharged on August 25 after doctors declared him fit.

Read | IRCTC scam: Lalu Prasad, wife, son summoned as accused in IRCTC scam case

However, during this period, Lalu was restrained from taking part in any public function, political activity or issuing statements to journalists or any of the media houses.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In a new twist in the arrests of five activists, the Maharashtra police has made a startling claim that one of them was in contact with Kashmiri separatists. Maharashtra police has said that a letter recovered during its multi-city raids alleges that Gautam Navlakha, a Delhi based journalist who was one of the five Left intellectuals arrested for alleged Maoist links, and one Ankit was in contact with the separatists.

According to news agency PTI, the undated letter in Hindi was written by some Comrade Sudha to some Comrade Prakash and talks about giving financial help to the comrades working in the interiors.

The letter, a copy of which was in PTIs possession, reads - Comrade Ankit and Comrade Gautam Navlakha are in contact with Kashmiri separatists.

Also Read | Hindus being dubbed 'terrorists' under Narendra Modi regime, says Shiv Sena

It further states, After Saibabas imprisonment, there is an atmosphere of fear among urban cadres. To minimise that fear, there is a need to provide a monetary package to the comrades working in interiors on the line of financial aid provided by Kashmiri separatists to the stone pelters, militant organisations and their families.

On Tuesday, the Pune police had carried out multiple raids at the residences of five Left-leaning activists across the country and arrested them for their alleged Maoist links. The raids were carried out as part of a probe into a conclaveElgar Parishadheld in Pune on December 31 last year, which had allegedly triggered violence at Bhima Koregaon in the district the next day.

The police had arrested revolutionary writer Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in Mumbai, trade unionist and lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj in Haryanas Faridabad, and journalist Gautam Navlakha in Delhi.

Also Read | Activists held for alleged Moaist links, CPI-M terms action a brazen attack on democratic rights

The arrests triggered a massive outrage across the country with some prominent activists approaching the Supreme Court to challenge the police action. The apex court on Wednesday ordered that all the five activists should be kept under house arrest till September 6.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kathmandu:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he had extensive deliberations on various aspects of India-Sri Lanka ties during a meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena here, and expressed willingness to assist the country in any way that it desires.

Prime Minister Modi had a positive exchange of views with Sri Lankan President Sirisena on strengthening development cooperation and other areas of bilateral ties, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.

The two leaders met in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on the sidelines of the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit which is being held from August 30-31.

Also Read | India, China in talks to establish hotline between defence ministries: Beijing

Delighted to meet President @MaithripalaS. We had extensive deliberations on various aspects of India-Sri Lanka friendship, Modi tweeted.

Cementing cooperation with a valued neighbour and close friend. President @MaithripalaS and PM @narendramodi meet on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu, the Prime Ministers Office tweeted.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, during a briefing, said Prime Minister Modi met President Sirisena and the two leaders reviewed a development cooperation that the two countries are undertaking together.

A number of projects that we are doing in Sri Lanka was discussed and the prime minister reiterated that India is fully committed to ensuring that we will assist Sri Lanka in any way that it desires in taking these projects forward.

Read More | PM in Nepal: Narendra Modi arrives at inaugural session of 4th BIMSTEC Summit

We would like to see the development of Sri Lanka as something to which India has contributed which is of mutual benefit to the region, he said.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Kathmandu:

Making a strong pitch for enhanced regional connectivity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that India is committed to work with the BIMSTEC member states in the critical sector and to combat the menace of terrorism and drug trafficking.

Also Read | Rafale Deal: Congress begins series of events to expose alleged corruption

"I believe that there is a big opportunity for Connectivity - trade connectivity, economic connectivity, transport connectivity, digital connectivity, and people-to-people connectivity," he said while addressing the inaugural session of the 4th BIMSTEC summit in Kathmandu.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population and has a combined gross domestic product of USD 2.8 trillion.

"India is committed to work with the BIMSTEC member states to enhance regional connectivity," Modi said.

This region has become a meeting point for India's Neighbourhood First and Act East policies, Prime Minister Modi said.

"The Bay of Bengal holds special significance for the security and development of all of us," he added.

"There is no country in the region which has not suffered from terrorism and trans-national crimes such as drug trafficking linked to networks of terrorism," he told the summit which was inaugurated by Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.

Modi said India is ready to host a conference under BIMSTEC frame-work on narcotics-related topics.

The BIMSTEC member states situated between the Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal face frequent natural disasters such as flood, cyclone and earthquake, Modi said and called for "cooperation and coordination" among them in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

"As no single country can move alone for attaining peace, prosperity and development, we need to collaborate and cooperate with each other in this interconnected world," he said.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi says he supports punishment to those involved in 1984 anti-Sikh riots

"We need to work together in the areas of trade, economic, transport, digital and people-to-people connectivity for our common benefit," he added.

"We not only have diplomatic relations with all BIMSTEC countries but (we) are strongly connected by civilisation, history, art, language, cuisine and shared culture," the prime minister said.

He also offered to host a conference in the areas of agricultural research and various other initiatives, including for start-ups, for the common benefit of the member states.

For research on art, culture and other subjects in the Bay of Bengal, India would set up a Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies at Nalanda University, he said.

Prime Minister Modi said India will host International Buddhist Conclave in August 2020 and invited all BIMSTEC member states to attend the event as the guest of honour.

He also said that India is committed to enhancing its national knowledge network in the field of digital connectivity in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

Modi offered to hold BIMSTEC Youth Summit and form a BIMSTEC Women Parliamentarians Forum.

He also hailed the BIMSTEC Multinational military exercise being held in India in September.

The summit was attended by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Thailand Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha, Myanmar's President Win Myint and Chief Advisor to the Government of Bhutan Gyalpo Tshering Wangchuk.

Addressing the summit, Nepal Prime Minister Oli said BIMSTEC is not a substitute to the SAARC and the two organisations can complement each other.

Also Read | After breathing fire on Stalin, elder brother Alagiri pleads to re-enter DMK

Oli underlined the need for implementing the BIMSTEC poverty plan as well as Millennium Development Goals for the common benefit of the member states. He stressed on the need for deeper economic integration and collaboration among the member states for speedy development of the region.

"An early conclusion of the agreements on trade in goods, trade in services, investment, mutual assistance in customs matters, dispute settlement and trade facilitation is the need of the hour to enable BIMSTEC to effectively move forward," he added.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his much-touted demonetisation move that "failed" to achieve all its stated objectives and said that the decision was not a mistake but a deliberate move to help few people to turn their black money into white.

PM had promised that black money, terror funding, and fake currency will be eradicated. The RBI annual report proves that all his objectives failed, Gandhi Said while addressing a press conference at Congress headquarters in Delhi.

On Wednesday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its annual report for 2017-18 revealed that demonetisation did nothing to India as over 99 per cent of the banned notes returned to the bank.

Also Read | After breathing fire on Stalin, elder brother Alagiri pleads to re-enter DMK

The Gandhi scion claimed that the real reason behind the demonetisation was nothing but to help few of PM Modis industrialist friends convert their black money into white.

I want to state the real reason of Demonetisation to everyone. Demonetisation was not a mistake, it was a deliberate move: PM Modi's 10-15 capitalist friends were defaulters. He helped them to turn their black money into white, he said.

Also Read | Bhima Koregaon violence: Left parties to stage protest at Jantar Mantar against activists' arrest

The Congress chief also slammed the Narendra Modi government for increasing NPA of banks and said it increased almost 600 times under the BJP-led NDA government.

During UPA regime, NPAs were a2.5 lakh crore. It has now jumped to a12.5 lakh crore, Gandhi added.

Watch Rahul Gandhi's press conference here:

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

NASAs New Horizon spacecraft has detected its next flyby target, an icy world past Pluto, more than 160 million kilometres away and over four months ahead of its New Years 2019 close encounter. The New Horizons probe, which flew past Pluto in 2015, is set to encounter the Kuiper Belt object, referred to as 2014 MU69  named Ultima Thule  on New Years Eve and New Years Day, 2019. Discovered in 2014, the object MU69 is more than 6.5 billion km from Earth.



ALSO READ |Breast cancer at primary stage can shutdown its own spread: Study

The image field is extremely rich with background stars, which makes it difficult to detect faint objects, Hal Weaver, New Horizons project scientist from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland, US, said in a statement.

It really is like finding a needle in a haystack. In these first images, Ultima appears only as a bump on the side of a background star thats roughly 17 times brighter, but Ultima will be getting brighter and easier to see as the spacecraft gets closer.

This marked the teams first attempt to find Ultima with the spacecrafts own cameras and that the object is very close to where scientists predicted.

The Ultima flyby will be the first-ever close-up exploration of a small Kuiper Belt object and the farthest exploration of any planetary body in history, shattering the record New Horizons itself set at Pluto in July 2015 by about 16 billion km, NASA said.



ALSO READ | NASAs InSight mission to find how Mars mountains formed

We now have Ultima in our sights from much farther out than once thought possible. We are on Ultimas doorstep, and an amazing exploration awaits said New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern, from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

A fascinating 'UFO landing pad' has been built in the middle of the Argentinian desert by a man who claims aliens told him to construct it, according to reports. Swiss man Werner Jaisli says he was contacted by aliens through a telepathic message where they told him they needed a landing spot on Earth.



ALSO READ | NASAs InSight mission to find how Mars mountains formed



"They landed about 100 metres above our heads and projected on us a beam of light that made us both see their own brightness Werner Jaisli was quoted as saying by Argentine newspaper El Tribuno.



Jasli made a large star with 36 points that measures 48 metres in diameter. The spectacular space terminal is a collection of rocks which form the shape of a star - known as an 'ovniport' - near the small town of Cachi in the province of Salta.



ALSO READ | NASAs New Horizon spacecraft spots next target, 160mn km away



"The funny thing is that it did not affect our vision. Something began to bubble through my brain: it was an order. They asked me telepathically to build the airport," he said.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

India and China are holding talks to update a 12-year-old defence agreement and establish a hotline between the two defence ministries as part of the confidence-building measures, a top Chinese defence ministry official said on Thursday. During Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi last week, the two sides had in-depth discussions on how to further implement the important consensus reached between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Wu Qian said.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi lambasts PM Modi for not discussing Doklam issue during his China visit

Modi and Xi had reached a consensus on managing various aspects of India-China relations during their first-ever informal summit in Wuhan in April. This included the two militaries, especially in the backdrop of the Doklam standoff.

The hotline between the two militaries would enable intensified communication between both the headquarters and hence, it was considered to be a major Confidence Building Measure. This would deter tensions between border patrols and a measure to avoid standoffs like Doklam.

The 73-day standoff in Doklam, near Bhutan over Beijings construction of a road in the area, raised tensions between India and China. The standoff concluded as both the countries agreed to disengage.

Wu stated that both the countries are also in consultations to work on a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the defence ministries.

"In 2006, India and China signed a MoU on defence exchanges and cooperation. The Indian side conveyed its willingness to sign a new version of the MoU. China holds a positive attitude towards it and the two sides are in communication with each other," Wu said.

The 2006 MoU concentrated on establishing and monitoring frequent exchanges between the leaders and high-level functionaries of the defence ministries, annual defence dialogue and holding join military exchanges among others.

"If the dragon and elephant dance together, they will both gain and it will help Asia continue to be prosperous. If they compete and fight with each other, it will benefit neither but others," Wu said.

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi says he supports punishment to those involved in 1984 anti-Sikh riots

"We hope and willing to work together with India to actively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of the state to enhance communication and coordination, to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, to appropriately manage our differences and to facilitate our military relationship in a healthy steady manner," Wu said, adding that Wei had extended an official invitation to Sitharaman to visit China.

Wei's talks with the Indian leaders focussed on "how to deepen security and military exchanges and cooperation and how to strengthen defence confidence-building measures," Wu said, highlighting the salient aspects of Wei's visit to India.

"They specifically talked about setting up an exchange mechanism for visits between the two defence ministries, set up a direct confidential phone line between the two defence ministries, strengthening exchanges at all levels including defence authorities, theatre commands and different services.

"They also talked about setting up a hotline on border issues between adjacent military commands. They also talked about how to better play the role of defence and security consultations mechanism and the meeting mechanism between the working delegations of the defence ministries," Wu said replying to a question on how China views the outcome of Wei's visit to India.

The discussions between the two sides include a direct phone line between the two defence ministries and regional military units, Wu said.

On the delay over the establishments of a direct hotline between the two military headquarters, he said that the two sides are in talks about the specifics.

"In the next phase the two sides will keep contacting and coordinating with each other regarding the specifics," Wu said.

So far, a hotline facility between the military headquarters of India and China have not been established due to procedural issues, as per the statement released by the officials.

Also Read | Rafale Deal: Congress begins series of events to expose alleged corruption

Stressing on the importance of good relations between the two countries, Wu said China and India are very important countries in Asia and have important responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and stability.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

In yet another unabated killing of press person, a Mexican television reporter was on Wednesday shot dead by an unknown assailant in the resort city of Cancun in Mexico.

Javier Enrique Rodriguez Valladares, who worked as a cameraman and reporter for Canal 10, was found dead, becoming the eighth journalist to be killed this year in a country notoriously dangerous for the media, the local television news channel tweeted.

Canal 10 said Rodriguez Valladares was mainly a cameraman but also did interviews and features on political issues.

Also Read | Famed Malaysian Hindu temple complex gets technicolour paint job

Another man was also shot dead along with Rodriguez Valladares, while they were walking down a street in the city centre, the official said.

According to official reports, there was no immediate indication the murder was related to his work. However all possible avenues of investigation remained open.

Rodriguez Valladares is the third journalist to meet a violent death in Quintana Roo state in the past two months.

Ruben Pat, editor-in-chief of the Playa News weekly, was shot dead outside a bar in Playa del Carmen in July, not far from the tourist hotspot.

Read More | Sri Lanka arrests two Indians on suspicion of match-fixing

In 2017, 11 journalists were killed in Mexico.

According to various freedom of speech organisations, more than 100 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000. The vast majority of those crimes have gone unpunished.

(With inputs from agencies)

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Bahrain For All in association with ConsultuntNivs and the Executive Committee of Bahrain Hotels Concierge Group, affiliated to Les Clefs dOr have launched an initiative to provide free lifetime dental services to the special needs children. An event was held in this regard, which aimed at educating special needs children on dental hygiene and its importance.

The event saw Nivedita Deshpande, founder of Bahrain for All, signing an MOU with Ceram Dental Clinic represented by Mohammed Al Ansari, executive and financial director and Ali Abdul Wahab, chairman and director.

According to the MoU, Ceram Dental Clinic would be providing five free dental services every month along with providing a lifetime dental services for special needs children. Speaking to Tribune, Khalil Alyaman, President and Founder of BHCG said, Bahrain Hotels Concierge Group (BHCG) is a local association of Concierge Affiliated to Les Clefs dOr UAE. Around 35 members working in over fourteen five-star and fourstar hotels, these members are an elite fraternity, globally connected, committed to professional development, and driven to setting new standards for guest service perfection they have common interests and goals.

They have their own sources of inside information, intelligence and communication. The association is non-political, non-religious and definitely not a trade union of any sort but is based on the friendship between members to assist international travellers and tourist."
I nformation Affairs Minister and Head of the Bahrain Institute of Political Development (BIPD), Ali Al Romaihi hailed deep-rooted historic relations binding Bahrain and Egypt, lauding steadily-growing ties which are based on mutual respect between the two brotherly leaderships and peoples.

Bahraini-Egyptian bilateral relations achieved landmark strides under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and President Abdul Fattah El Sisi, he said.

In a statement to Middle East News Agency (MENA), he described outstanding and strategic relations binding Bahrain and Egypt as a model to emulate for fraternity, political, economic, security and media partnership.
A 26-year-old Bangladeshi national will stand trial for forging motorcycle licence.

The defendant is said to have been assisted by two counterfeiters. The papers included a forged signature of an officer, who was among those responsible for holding driving tests.

I was approached by two fellow nationals, who told me that they could get me a motorcycle licence without any training and tests, and I accepted. I paid them BD100 for that, but I didnt know that they would forge the signature of an officer, the 26-year-old man told officers.
A 20-year-old Bahraini man will serve three years in prison for attacking police officers after he was held guilty by the High Criminal Court.

The incident happened in 2015 when the officers were assigned to escort the defendant, who was detained in connection with a criminal case, to his house to seize the weapons he used to commit the crime.

However, as soon as he saw his family members he assaulted the officers in a bid to escape from them, the court heard. He is said to have bitten one of this officers leg causing a wound.
The Hague : The United States told UN judges yesterday they had no jurisdiction to rule on Tehrans demand for them to order the suspension of debilitating nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. Washington cited security concerns in its first legal response to a suit by the Islamic Republic, which is suffering increasing economic chaos.

Iran has argued that US President Donald Trump breached a 1955 treaty with his decision to reimpose the sanctions after withdrawing from a multilateral nuclear accord. But US State Department lawyer Jennifer Newstead told the International Court of Justice in The Hague that it lacks prima facie jurisdiction to hear Irans claims. She argued that the United States had the right to protect its national security and other interests.

The treaty cannot therefore provide a basis for this courts jurisdiction in the case, she said. Sanctions on Iran had been lifted under a landmark 2015 accord with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. In return, Tehran made commitments not to seek to develop nuclear weapons. But Trump said the deal did not do enough to curb the threat from Iran.

He pulled out of the accord in May and began reimposing sanctions this month, alarming other signatories to the deal. In the first day of hearings at the ICJ on Monday, Irans lawyers said the sanctions were threatening the welfare of its citizens and disrupting tens of billions of dollars worth of business deals. The US lawyers held Iran to blame for its economic woes. They have deep roots in the Iranian governments mismanagement of its own economy and repression of its own population, Newstead said.
A father has been captured driving a minibus with his 13-year-old daughter strapped to the back of the moving vehicle in Turkey. The shocking footage, which became one of the most watched videos on Turkish social media this week, shows the young girl tied to the vehicle on a country road in the Cankiris Yaylakent district, north of the capital Ankara.

Turkish authorities detained the father and took him into custody after the video, which was captured by the passenger of another car, emerged. Police identified the driver, named only as Idris K, after searching the vehicles registration number. The father-of-eight said his daughter was strapped to the back of the minibus after insisting on being placed on the vehicles bicycle carrier.
Ottawa : Canada wants free trade with the ASEAN bloc, Trade Minister Jim Carr said on the eve of a trip to Thailand and Singapore for exploratory talks. His comments follow a breakthrough in US-Mexico bilateral talks to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that saw Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland interrupt a European trip to rejoin trilateral NAFTA negotiations in Washington. Carr on the August 28-30 trip will look to promote bilateral trade and investment with Thailand and Singapore -- which, along with Canada, is expected to soon ratify the Trans Pacific Partnership -- and press for free trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Expanding into the Southeast Asia region will help Canadian-owned businesses access one the worlds fastest-growing markets, he said in a statement. Canada and the EU provisionally entered into a free trade pact last September, as NAFTA appeared to falter and the US exited from the Trans Pacific Partnership. A deal with the ASEAN bloc, which includes Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Burma and Cambodia, would give Canada access to 650 million consumers. Ottawa is also eying free trade with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, which form the Mercosur bloc, and has suggested a trade deal with China is also in the works, which if successful would make Canada the first Western nation to do reach a free trade deal with Beijing.
Manama : IKEA Bahrain organised a Family Day event at its stores premises prior to its much-anticipated opening, recently. Around 1500 guests were invited to the exclusive event, which was held on August 28, to get a first look of the store. Our employees each invited four family members to attend the event before the store officially opens, said IKEA Bahrain Store Manager Fatima Gustafson. The IKEA Bahrain team also invited selected guests who were supportive in bringing the IKEA project to life. This included people from IKEA employees family members, contracting company, government officials, and media members, she stated.

To date, all IKEA employees have undergone rigorous training to ensure they perform well. The IKEA Family Day was an opportunity to conduct an operational test wherein we invite people to shop and help us prepare to operate the store in the best way. This will identify if we have gaps in the process, explained Gustafson. It is important for us to run smooth operations to take care of our customers and give them a good shopping experience, she said. From a safety perspective, it will allow us to take care of the store environment so both customers and IKEA store co-workers can be in a safe environment, she stressed.

Based on the teams observations, insights and family interactions, adjustments may be made to the processes. Guests will be able to make themselves feel at home and truly experience the shopping journey at IKEA, with all room settings built entirely from IKEA products, she said. Adding to the customers experience, every area in the showroom will have a sales desk where specialists can answer questions or offer home furnishing advice. Customers will find that everything in store has price tags that also contain important information about size, colour, craftsmanship, measurements, features and care. Tags on large items will also tell customers where to pick them up in the self-serve furniture area.
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Prime Minister Theresa May that the 2019 general election will be free and fair.

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Prime Minister Theresa May that the 2019 general election will be free and fair.

The President gave the assurance in Abuja on Wednesday, adding that he was committed to conducting free, fair and credible elections.





This was contained in a statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.





The Prime Minister arrived Abuja on Wednesday morning and a bilateral meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.





The statement said that Buhari welcomed UKs support at strengthening democratic institutions in the country.





Buhari said, I assure you that Im all out for free, fair and credible elections. Im very pleased that my party is doing very well. The High Commissioner will brief you more. The recent successes in polls in Katsina, Bauchi, and Kogi have boosted our morale greatly.









Nigeria has accepted multiparty democracy and that is putting politicians on their toes, forcing them to work harder.





On the anti-corruption campaign, the President applauded the British support to the country, noting that the success of the fight was very important to ordinary people in the country.





We had great opportunities and resources between 1999 and 2014, due to high oil prices. But when we came in 2015, oil prices plunged to as low as 37 dollars per barrel.





What we have been doing since 2015 is to focus on infrastructure development, despite low earnings. Work is ongoing in roads, rail, power, and many others.





On Brexit, President Buhari noted that it provides an opportunity to strengthen the historic ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.





We are nervously watching the development about Brexit because we know that the relationship had been on for a long time. I assure you that I am prepared to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.





The President also thanked the UK government for the support on security and the fight against insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, as well as the improved trade relations between both countries.





I am very grateful to the British government under you leadership for the help in security, particularly your training team that is in our institution in Kaduna, he said.





According to Adesina, in his remarks earlier before the bilateral meeting, the Nigerian leader underscored the need for UK support on reviving of Lake Chad, which is a means of livelihood for millions of people.





He told the visiting Prime Minister that Europe and China were already conducting an in-depth study on recharging the Lake through inter-basin transfer from the Central African Republic.





In her remarks, Prime Minister May, who welcomed the assurance by the Nigerian government on credible elections in 2019, said she was pleased to be in Abuja to continue the excellent discussions she started with President Buhari in London in April, this year, particularly on security, trade, asset recovery and the fight against corruption.





Security and defence cooperation are very important steps to address Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa, May said.





On asset recovery, the Prime Minister told President Buhari, we do not want to hold anything that belongs to Nigeria people, but we follow the judicial process, which can be slow.





The Prime Minister appealed to President Buhari to use his position as ECOWAS Chair to keep the issue of human trafficking on the front burner in the sub-region.





President Buhari and Prime Minister May witnessed the signing of two agreements: Security and Defence Partnership and Economic Development Forum Agreement.




The National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress will today (Thursday) take a final decision on whether to choose its candidates using the direct or indirect mode of primaries.It is also expected to deliberate and agree on the modalities for the nationwide membership registration/revalidation of members.The NEC is also to take a final decision on the provisional dates contained in an earlier correspondence to INEC. The APC had proposed September 8th for its nationwide congresses to elect delegates for the national convention and September 24th as the date for the nomination of its governorship candidates.The NECs decision today will be taken even as one of our correspondents gathered in Abuja on Wednesday that opinions were divided over which method would best serve the interest of the party.A top ranking member of the party, who was privy to discussions at the National Working Committee and the partys caucus meetings held on Tuesday, said, The general opinion in both meetings tilted more in favour of the direct primary because the experiment succeeded with the recent primaries in Osun and Bauchi states.The APC National Vice Chairman (South-South), Hillard Ita, told The PUNCH, The final position of the party as regards the method to be used for our primaries will be taken at NEC. Be patient, we will make it public after the meeting. Our party under the leadership of Adams Oshiomhole is transparent.It was however gathered that most of the partys governors had expressed reservations about the direct primary method.A governor in the South-West was said to have threatened to leave the party if the leaders imposed the method on him.Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, on Wednesday, the National Vice Chairman, North-East, Mustapha Salisu, told reporters while there were arguments for and against the direct primary, only the partys NEC, which is the second highest decision-making party organ, was empowered to take a final decision on the issue.He said the direct and indirect methods were both provided for in the APC constitution, noting that they were basically the same in terms of outcome. He explained that the difference was in the process and logistics required.Salisu said, The direct primary is not a new mode of primary. It is something that we have been practising before with the advancement of Electoral College that we have decided to go indirect.If you remember, part of the parties that formed the merger was the CPC (Congress for Progressive Change). In the CPC in 2011, we went through direct primaries and we didnt find it funny because there were some pre-requisites we didnt meet before we embarked on those primaries.If you walk down memory lane, we couldnt field candidates in Kastina, Kaduna, Kano and Bauchi states because the processes were very porous. Many candidates emerged and there were so many court orders restraining us from sending names to INEC. In the end, we would send a dummy. That was how we entered into the election without clear candidates and you remember a lot of House of Representatives seats that we won were later annulled by courts because of the fault in the processes of the primaries.He noted that the direct primary method was easier for councillorship and ward chairman positions because the party would be dealing with an almost homogenous society where many people were related either through blood or marriage.Salisu said, But when you want to do a direct primary at the governorship level, senatorial seats and House of Representatives and the House of Assembly members, it is beyond that of the ward primaries. A lot of supervision is required; otherwise, even people from another ward can come and create trouble.On the news that a decision had been taken on the mode for the primaries, he said, I am aware that some members of the House of Representatives from certain parts of the country are circulating text messages to their colleagues that a decision has been reached as to the nature of the primary to be used by the party.The NWC deliberated on the matter, the reason why I am doing this is that some people are trying to mislead members of the public, claiming that some decision came from the party or an organ of the party.Any decision that will come from the party will be disseminated officially from the spokesperson for the party. We should wait for the outcome of the NEC tomorrow.In response to a question on whether the partys NWC is divided on the issue, he said, I cannot say divided, because division is a big word for us to use on a family issue. Actually, there may be divergent views, and all these divergent views will be trashed out at the NEC.Responding to another question whether he suspected a hidden agenda by party members from a section of the country, he said, Before now, I didnt have any feelings that there was possibility of conspiracy, but when I see people planting stories, I now begin to suspect.If one region feels that that is what is best for it, I think it can canvass that at the regional level and give us reasons why it needs that.I want to believe that in a democracy, the majority (should) have their way and the minority have their say. So, they have the right to wish and if we decide to make it flexible, definitely what they want will be given to them in their own various states, but one thing I want to assure you is that we will not succumb to regional imperialism so long that we are acting within the constitution.On the issue of the registration of party members, he said, Even the decision on registration of party members will be rectified by the NEC. Actually, we have a proposal that we are going to give to the NEC. Then the NEC will now decide whether to continue or not but I want to assure you that the basic prerequisite for direct primary is a voter register and membership cards which can be verified. Until we have that, I dont think we will toe the line of direct primary.Ambode says APC constitution allows direct, indirect primariesMeanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday night said both direct and indirect primaries were allowed by the constitution of the APC.He said the underlying factor was to ensure that all party members were allowed to be part of the decision to elect the partys candidate.Ambode spoke with State House correspondents shortly after he joined others to attend a meeting of the partys national caucus at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.He said, The fact remains that the constitution of our party allows us to carry out our primaries and elections using direct or indirect primaries.The whole essence is for us to deepen democracy and also allow our members to participate in this whole process.The idea is once you have party members that are able to take decisions on who should represent them, I think we would have gone a step higher and better than other parties, that makes us a better party.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and his deputy, Suleiman Lasun are conspicuously absent from the on-going National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress.The two are currently the highest ranking members of the party in the legislature, following the decision of the Senate President Bukola Saraki to dump the party to join the opposition.Sarakis deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, is a member of the PDP.Although the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, related their apologies to the meeting, party watchers note that Dogara and Lasun are among top party leaders who have, at one point or another, voiced their displeasure with the happenings within the party.Lasun was particularly unhappy with the direct method adopted for the Osun Governorship Primary, which he participated in and lost.The APC NEC is expected to announce a decision as to whether this system will be adopted for subsequent primaries.
Former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has revealed that state governors during the last administration shared billions among themsel...

Former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has revealed that state governors during the last administration shared billions among themselves.





Obi said this on Wednesday morning while analysing the state of the economy on Channels TV.





He recalled how the former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala begged the State Governors at the time to save for the future in the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), a programme that was meant to save fund for the nation, but most of them refused and shared the money.





Obi said, Over the years, things have gone wrong, I remember Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala crying every day to governors to save these monies and invest in the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), a programme that was meant to save fund for the nation to cater for a rainy day as presently experienced.





All of us disagreed and said lets share it. Some governors even went to court to get the federal government to allow them to share the money among themselves. 





Further speaking, Obi called on the federal government to stop borrowing as they keep plunging Nigeria into poverty.





Borrowing for consumption will not grow the economy, it gets to a state where you cant control it. The amount being used to service our debt today is high, we use almost 60% to service them and we are borrowing more, its escalating.





World Bank and IMF have warned Nigeria against rising debt.





You are borrowing money and the issues that it was supposed to affect is not coming down. Unemployment is worsening. Our unemployment rate moved from 14.8% to 18.8% this year, which means more people have lost their jobs.




The national leadership of All Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organisation, yesterday stated that it would interface with governors of the South East zone to forestall break down of law and order during the September 14 sit-at-home order declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.The group further advocated an exercise devoid of violence and action capable of leading to loss of lives and property within the region, insisting that IPOB must change its strategy and ensure peoples lives are not lost in their struggle for self-determination.In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the deputy national chairman, All Nigeria Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organization, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro sued for peace as IPOB marks anniversary of the invasion of Nnamdi Kanus home in Abia State.The statement read in part: Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organization will interface with South East Governors on the need to save Igbo land from any act that will bring down law and order in face of IPOB/MASSOB struggle for self determination and Biafra agitation. Its necessary that such meeting will bring back the stakeholders in Biafra agitation to ensure peace in quest for self determination.Inspite of the fact that any group is entitled to self determination and freedom to observe any day as a means of expressing their anger or protest over perceived injustice and seek better ways to ensure redress through legal and constitutional channels, Ethnic Nationalities Youth Organisation calls for a peaceful means of doing same and avoid actions capable of breaking down law and order.We urge IPOB to consider the economic loss of the people of the South East and ensure that the sit-at-home on September 14th should not expose Igbo youths to death and other kinds of losses.
A Peoples Democratic Party presidential aspirant, Sule Lamido, has stated that Nigerians, under President Muhammadu Buhari, have been starved to the extent that they cannot protest hike in the prices of essential commodities in the country.Lamido stated this on Wednesday in Bauchi while addressing delegates and supporters of the party in Bauchi State.He said he was in Bauchi to seek the support of the PDP delegates to elect him as the partys presidential candidate to enable him to defeat Buhari in 2019 and restore the values of democracy which the President has destroyed.He described the officials of the All Progressives Congress in the Federal Government as thieves who he said had deceived and disunited Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines.Lamido, the immediate past governor of Jigawa State, accused the present administration for being selective in its fight against corruption, saying if you are in the PDP they will say you are a thief , if you are in the APC you are a saint. What kind of justice is this?He added, Governor Samuel Ortom has spent three years governing Benue State , immediately he dumped the APC, the EFCC began investigating his administration. We are aware that the APC is shielding corrupt personalities that are supporting the party and if you are in the APC all your corruption are forgiven, but if you are in the PDP you are a thief.We are in democracy you threatened people that you will jail so and so persons, a leader doesnt threaten his subjects, he treats them with justice ,compassion and mercy not jail threat. Intimidation cant change the destiny of whoever God has prepared to become the next president come 2019. I believe in the entrenchment of democracy in the country.The presidential aspirant, who traced the history of politics in Nigeria from the first republic down to the present third republic, accused the APC government of bringing untold hardship on Nigerians by introducing anti-people policies contrary to the fake pledges they made during the campaign.
A 21-year-old woman from Hong Kong who though she was undergoing a mock wedding test to secure a job as a wedding planner ended up officially married to a total stranger from mainland China.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told authorities that her ordeal began in May of this year, when she saw a social media posting about a job as a make-up artist apprentice. It offered a monthly salary of HK$14,000 (US$1,800) as well as free training, and required no previous work experience at all. Most people would call that too good to be true, but the young woman decided it was the opportunity of a lifetime. Turns out she was wrong.

Photo: StockSnap/Pixabay

After applying for the job, the 21-year-old woman was convinced to train as a wedding planner instead, as she could earn even more money, depending on commissions. It just so happened that she had a particular interest in wedding planning, so she didnt require much convincing. She then took a free wedding planning course in Hong Kong and was told that in order to get her diploma, she would have to travel to Fuzhou, in mainland Chinas Fujian province, where she would take a final exam that included a mock wedding to a man of similar age.

Apparently, the woman only started suspecting that something wasnt right, when she and this man she was pretending to marry were taken to a local government office where they signed an official-looking document. However, her doubts were quickly put to rest by the mock wedding organizers who reassured her that they know the mayor and would void the marriage certificate as soon as the test was concluded.

It was only after returning to Hong Kong and telling one of her friends about the bizarre test that the woman realized she had been scammed into marrying a total stranger. Her job opportunity dissolved and the people she had been in contact with vanished as soon as she signed her official marriage certificate.

Photo: blazejosh/Pixabay

The woman remains married for now, and may have to file for a divorce in order to regain her single status. It is unclear who the man she married is, but his motives are not too hard to figure out. Cross-border marriage scams are quite common in China, as mainland residents get to apply for residence in Hong-Kong if they marry someone already living there. Only 150 permits are issued every day.

The 21 year-old lady was taken advantage of while she knew nothing about the circumstances, said Tong Kang-yiu, director of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU). Her biggest loss is to have a marriage record and it has caused her psychological damage.
In 1980, Portugal was shocked by the story of Maria Isabel Quaresma Dos Santos, a 9-year-old girl who had spent her entire childhood in a chicken coop, deprived of any human interaction and affection. Because of the effects growing up with chickens had on her behavior, Isabel became known as Chicken Girl.

According to an article published by the Diario de Noticias newspapers in 1980, Maria Isabel Quaresma Dos Santos was born on July 6, 1970, on a farm in Tabua, in Portugals district of Coimbra. When she was only one year old, her mother, who doctors would later diagnose with severe mental problems, locked her away in the chicken coop, because she didnt consider her as part of the family. Maria Isabel would spent the next 8 years of her life in this place, surrounded only by chickens and surviving on the same food as the birds  grains, cabbage leaves and whatever leftovers the family would feed them.

Interestingly, Maria Isabels older brothers did not share her fate. They lived normal lives, slept in the family home, went to school and interacted with other children from the local community. It was later revealed that everyone in Tabua knew about the girl growing up in the Dos Santos chicken coop, but no one ever denounced the family to the authorities or try to help her in any way. Tabua was a small rural community in those times, and people focused on working in the fields instead of getting mixed up in the affairs of their neighbors.

Photo: KoillokDoido/Wikimedia Commons

Although the story of the Chicken Girl  as newspapers referred to Isabel at the time  only broke out in January of 1980, the girl had an opportunity to escape her inhuman prison four years before. In 1976, one of her aunts filed a complaint against her parents and tried to get her examined by doctors. She was diagnosed with severe disability by doctors in Coimbra, who added that she needed to be hospitalized for rehabilitation. However, there were no institutions that would take her in, so after being rejected by several hospitals and mental facilities, the aunt had no choice but to take her back to her family.

It wasnt until 1980, when Maria Bichao, a radiology technician at Torres Vedras Hospital, exposed the girls case to the media that things actually started moving in the right direction. Bichao had been made aware of Maria Isabels situation by other nurses at the hospital and wanted to help. She took the girl to her home for 15 days, but soon realized that she needed professional help, so she contacted journalists from the Portuguese capital about the conditions she had been living in and the effects this had had on her physical and mental state, hoping to raise awareness about her case.

Its hard to imagine that anyone can survive in the conditions that this child has lived in for years. But even more shocking is that her case had been denounced four years ago without any institution taking the necessary steps to resolve it, wrote Maria Catarina, a journalist from Lisbon.

Manuela Eanes, Portugals First Lady at the time, played a big part in this story, arranging for Isabel to be taken to a rehabilitation center in Lisbon. Doctors there were shocked by her animal-like behavior and severe mental disability.

From what I have observed so far, I can say that this is a child suffering from an intellectual insufficiency most likely caused by affective and social abandonment. Isabels behavior is at an elementary biological level, that is, primary reactions of an animal or human being, Joao dos Santos, director of the Center for Child Mental Hygiene in Lisbon, told the O Jornal  newspaper in February 1980.

Portuguese newspaper Expresso reported that despite being profoundly sad and afraid, Maria Isabel couldnt even cry, because crying is the first form of communication between human beings and she had had almost no contact with humans during most of her childhood.

Even more shocking were the reports about the way Maria Isabel mimicked chicken behavior. She took small steps and constantly moved her arms, as if they were wings. She did not speak and only emitted cackles to express herself. Because she had only been fed chicken food, the girl exhibited severe growth problems, and despite being ten years old, her brain had stagnated to the level of a two year olds.

Photo: Archive

Even a decade later, Maria Isabel Quaresma Dos Santos still exhibited gestures and behavior characteristic of the place she had grown up in. She moved with small, quick steps and flapping her arms remained one of the main ways she expressed herself. At age 27, she was able to move by herself on flat surfaces and had become less aggressive.

Despite not speaking, she is very intelligent, independent, and has adapted very well to her environment. She knows how to show what she wants and what she does not want, Cristina Conceicao, a psychologist working with Maria Isabel, told Expresso in 2002.

Maria Isabel Quaresma Dos Santos has been living in a medical facility in Fatima for the last 16 years, and without revealing too many details, to preserve the dignity of the patient, the Expresso newspaper reports that she is well. Isabel recently turned 48-years-old.

The story of Portugals Chicken Girl has been retold for nearly four decades, but earlier this year, an investigation by the Expresso revealed that the newspapers of the 1980s may have exaggerated their reporting. It was true that Maria Isabel had been living in a chicken coop, but only because her mother, who had suffered brain damage due to meningitis, would leave her there unattended while working in the fields. However, neighbors say that there were no chickens, as the family was very poor.

Isabels chicken mimicking was apparently all made up by the newspapers to sell more copies. She did indeed suffer from severe mental deficiencies due to lack of human contact and affection, but her behavior apparently had nothing to do with imitating birds, it was just how she expressed herself.

Caretakers at the institution Isabel has been living in for the last 22 years have always been very protective of her, refusing to let anyone photograph her, and even denying requests from Portuguese and foreign scientists wanting to study her. She apparently has the cognitive level of a 4-year-old.

Sources: Instituto de Educacao, Expresso, Expresso 2
#Democratic Party DP presidential nominee vows sweeping real estate reform Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee of the ruling Democratic Party, vowed Tuesday to carry out sweeping real estate reforms as the No. 1 priority of his presidency, apologizing...

#KCTU Prosecutors demand 1 1/2-year prison term for labor leader over illegal rallies Prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 1 1/2-year prison sentence for the head of a militant umbrella labor organization for organizing a series of rallies earlier this year in violation ...
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.
The Shackled Mystery Woman In Texas Is Safe

By Kristy Puchko | Miscellaneous | August 30, 2018 |

Its the middle of the night. 3AM. Theres a ring at your door. Groggy, you lumber from your bed, down the stairs, to the door. But no one is there. Maybe you write it off as an irksome prank. Maybe you hear another doorbell chime in the distance. But then you see the video from your security camera, and a chill runs down your spine. Who is she? Is she okay?

Its like something out of a horror movie or a nightmare. Theres a woman. Barefoot. Furtive. All shes wearing is a long t-shirt. Andare those shackles dangling from her wrist? Then, just as swiftly and mysteriously as she came, she is gone.

Texas police are working to identify a barefoot young woman with what appeared to be broken restraints around her wrists who rang a home's doorbell before disappearing.https://t.co/GplkYu7oxo pic.twitter.com/aHdZSPCM96  CBS 7 (@CBS7News) August 29, 2018

We were dead asleep in our beds. My husband was woken up by doorbell ring. It rang probably 20 to 30 times, a resident who asked to remain anonymous told KPRC. He walked outside, no one was in sight. Its like she disappeared in thin air.

This occurred in Montgomery County, Texas, last Friday. A mystery woman rang five doorbells in the Sunrise Ranch neighborhood but was gone from each before anyone came to the door. While searching for her, police released the haunting video above in hopes of identifying her as a missing person. Online, the video was shared over 32,000 times with people across the nation hoping to solve the mystery and help this seemingly suffering woman. Today, ABC News reports she has been identified, is a victim of domestic violence, but is now found and safe.

Her name is being withheld from the press. And the details of what happened that night have not come out. What we do know is that yesterday deputies checked on a 49-year-old, Sunrise Ranch resident whod made suicidal comments, and found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The mans girlfriend was mentioned in the suicide note but absent from the scene. Police identified her as the mystery woman, and are currently in talks with her as they continue their investigation.

This will be a massive relief to those who saw the video and felt afraid for her or compelled to help. Lets hope this brings the internet sleuthing about her identity to a close, and leave this woman her privacy. We may never know her name or her full story, but revealing either should be her choice. Our hearts go out to her as she moves forward.

Stories like this shine a light on domestic violence, an issue too often shoved into the shadows. If you want to help combat domestic violence, consider a donation to RAINN.

 Why is Donald Trump Attacking the Media So Vociferously Today? | Hugh Jackman's 'The Front Runner' Trailer Tracks Patient Zero Of Our Current Political System 

Kristy Puchko is the managing editor of Pajiba. You can follow her on Twitter.

Header Image Source: Montgomery County Sheriff
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
If Iran Accepts 'Iran-U.S. Treaty of Amity' Then Namazis Should Be Released

08/30/18

Source: Radio Farda

A prominent U.S. human rights activist and the international attorney of Iranian-U.S. dual citizens Baquer and Siamak Namazi has linked his clients' case to the Iran-U.S. Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights.



Siamak Namazi with his father, Baquer Namazi

www.freenamazis.org

#FreeTheNamazis

Since Tehran has sued Washington for violating the 1955 treaty, Jared Genser argues, one can assume that Iran still respects the treaty and does not recognize the United States as a hostile government. Therefore, Genser says, the verdicts against Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer, should be withheld.

In October 2016, 82-year-old Baquer Namazi and his 46-year-old son, Iranian-American businessman Siamak, were sentenced to 10 years in prison each on the charge of collaborating with hostile states. The sentences were upheld in August 2017.

On August 28, their U.S. counsel emailed a press release to the Center For Human Rights In Iran (CHRI) stating that their lawyers in Iran had lodged an appeal with the Iranian Supreme Court arguing that their convictions cannot legally stand because they were convicted of collaborating with the United States, a "hostile state." But according to Article I of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, to which Iran is a party, "[t]here shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran."

The press release added that in a ruling in a case identical to the Namazis' in 2014, Iran's Supreme Court explicitly stated that "no government [including the United States] is in a state of hostility with Iran" and that "political differences" are not sufficient to classify a state as hostile. It accordingly reversed the conviction of an Iranian under the very same law under which the Namazis were convicted because it found the United States could not be properly classified as a hostile state.

"Baquer and Siamak Namazi have a right to seek a review of these heavy sentences, and we did so on their behalf on August 20 with Branch 33 of the Supreme Court, which we hope will result in freedom for both of them," their Iranian lawyer, Mehrdad Ghorbani Saraei, told CHRI.

Baquer Namazi, a former UNICEF official, was arrested in Tehran in March 2016 by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) weeks after visiting Iran in the hope of assisting the release of his son, who had been arrested in October 2015.

In addition, international counsel to the Namazis also filed a complaint on August 28 with Diego Garcia-Sayan, the UN's special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

According to the counsel's press release, "It requests that he begin an investigation into the Namazis' detention emphasizing that (1) Iran's reliance and recognition of the Treaty of Amity prevents it from legally sustaining the conviction of the Namazis, and (2) the judiciary in Iran clearly cannot be independent or impartial because it was the very same judge and appeals court in the 2014 case whose finding that the U.S. was a hostile state had been reversed. Thus, in light of Iran's affirmation of the validity of the Treaty of Amity as well as the Supreme Court prior precedent, those courts should have no choice but to acquit the Namazis."

During the past two years, the elderly Namazi has been hospitalized several times for heart-related issues, including in February 2018, when he was granted eight days of medical leave from Tehran's infamous Evin Prison.

Siamak Namazi's requests for furlough have been repeatedly rejected. His family continues to submit requests, Ghorbani Saraei told CHRI
No Consequences For Iran's President Rouhani After Speech On Economic Performance

08/30/18

Source: Radio Farda

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appeared before parliament on Aug. 28 to answer questions on his government's handling of Iran's economic struggles.



Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

One day after Iranian Parliament grilled President Hassan Rouhani over his economic performance, it appears that there is no plan for further investigation as Majles Speaker Ali Larijani said on Wednesday August 29 that there will be no follow-up of the case.



Based on Majles procedures, the case should have been handed over to the Judiciary and Rouhani should have appeared before judges to defend his performance as he failed to convince members of the Parliament about the failure of his economic policies.



However, according to the procedure, the Majles should prove that the President has broken the law. Speaker Larijani has ruled out violation of the law by Rouhani.



"The issue is clear and is based on the Parliament Rules of Procedure," Larijani said, adding, 'The questions from the president will not be referred to the Judiciary because the legislators have not mentioned any case of violation or disobedience of law in their questions from President Rouhani."



According to the law of amendment of Article 213 of the Parliament Rules of Procedure, a question from the president will be sent to the Judiciary, if majority of the representatives present in the session are not convinced with the response of the president to a question and the topic under question is proved to be a violation of law or disobedience of the law by the government.



Meanwhile, Guardian Council Spokesman, Abbasali Kadkhodaei also admitted on Wednesday that majlis' internal regulations and bylaws are obscure about the case.



"It is up to majlis to clarify the ambiguity and decide upon the outcome of a situation when a majority of the representatives present in the session are not convinced with the response of the president to a question(s)," Kadkhodaei reiterated.



Nonetheless, the conservative allies of the Supreme Leader, who have recently increased their pressure on the so-called moderate President, are insisting to find a way to refer the controversial questions to the judiciary.



Indicating to the fact that Rouhani's responses did not convince 200 MPs on Tuesday, a prominent conservative legislator, Hossein Ali Haji Deligani, challenged majlis speaker, asking, "Whether questioning the President was in vain?"



Haji Deligani argued that majlis' Research Center and Government Accountability Office, as well as numerous Parliamentary Commissions, have repeatedly reported on violation of law and ignoring rules by President Rouhani and his Administration.



"All these reports should be combined and pave the way for referring the questions raised by MPs to the judiciary for further investigation," Haji Deligani maintained.



Another conservative MP and member of parliament's influential Legal & Judicial Commission, Mohammad Dehghan also argued that it is up to the legislators, not majlis' board of directors, to say whether the case should be referred to judiciary or not.



"Parliament's board of directors is not authorized to assess MPs decisions; it is dutybound to obey the representatives' will and transfer the case to the judiciary," Dehghan argued.



Nonetheless, the speaker of the parliament has stressed that, in such matters, majlis board of directors has the final say.



The embattled Rouhani, who has been under pressure for the last eight months to dismiss his economic team amid the country's worsening economic crisis, attended a parliamentary session on Tuesday. He had earlier promised to grab the opportunity to share "truth" with



the "nation". However, his responses did not reflect any substantial "truth", while his conservative MPs successfully used the stage to grill him with a barrage of criticism.



Rouhani's performance in response to MPs questions was so weak that it even his own supporters and allies have publicly criticized it.



Questions raised by Iranian MPs from President Hassan Rouhani about the current economic situation are not to be referred to the Judiciary as there has been no example of violating or disrespecting a law by the government, the Islamic Republic's official news agency, IRNA, cited the Majlis (Parliament) speaker as saying on Wednesday.



Ali Larijani made the announcement while responding to a legislator about the possibility of referring the question to the Judiciary.



Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Guardian Council (GC), Abbas Ali Kadkhodaei, also described parliament's internal regulations on questioning the President as "dubious". On Tuesday, August 28, President Rouhani was summoned to Majlis to answer five questions raised by 82 out of 290 Iranian MPs about his government's failure to control goods and currency smuggling, continuation of the banking sanctions against Iran, increased rate of unemployment, growing economic depression and the downfall of the value of the national currency, rial, against hard currencies.



Apparently, Rouhani's responses, save the one on the continuation of banking sanctions imposed on Iran, failed to "convince" the MPs.



Earlier, several MPs, including hardline cleric Mojtaba Zolnour and former Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' commander, Javad Karimi Ghoddousi had cautioned that the MPs, if not convinced by Rouhani's responses, would refer the case to the Islamic Republic's judiciary.
Unhappy with US bans UK trying to maintain trade with Iran

08/30/18

Source: Press TV

Britain is reportedly trying to maintain trade with Iran in face of returning US sanctions and is even seeking tips from Japan on how to dodge US bans without being implicated. According to a report by the Times, London recently held clandestine talks with Tokyo in search for ways to maintain banking links with Iran and to import Iranian oil.





The Times added that Tokyo has been consulted by Britain's Foreign Office and Treasury officials because of its record of independently signing oil deals with Tehran and handling insurance contracts during previous sanctions areas on the nation.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We have been clear about our determination to preserve the Iran nuclear deal.

"We are working with European and other partners, to ensure Iran continues to benefit from sanctions relief through legitimate business, for as long as Iran continues to meet its nuclear commitments under the deal."

The Japanese are still importing Iranian crude oil and Tokyo reportedly wants to instigate talks with Washington about avoiding the adverse impacts of the Trump-imposed sanctions, added the report.

During past sanctions on Iran, Japan found legal loopholes to allow it to import oil despite the global restrictions.

Now, Japanese officials are saying they require Iranian oil and they cite exemptions from Trump's sanctions as among their highest priorities for the nation's energy industry, according to a report by the Express.

UK ministers want to follow suit and continue to import oil from Iran and the UK is seeking exemptions which would allow UK companies to carry on operating in key sectors in Iran, added the report.
Iran's look at the Caspian Sea is security oriented

08/30/18

By Bahman Aghai Diba, PhD International Law of the Sea



Presidents of Caspian Sea countries signing the agreement on August 12

(photo by Islamic Republic News Agency)

The share of Iran from the Caspian Sea will be the smallest part of this body of water. None of the other littoral states (Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan) of the Caspian Sea is ready to accept anything more than this for Iran. At the same time, the Iranian part of the Caspian Sea (almost 13 percent of the Caspian Sea) has not any important oil and gas resources that is so far identified by any method. Even if new and economical resources of oil and gas are found in this sector in future, their exploration and exploitation requires high investment and technology (this sector is the deepest part of the Caspian Sea). Iran has none of them in the proper level. Again, if it has any of them, it would be easier and more profitable for Iran to use them in other places (such as the Persian Gulf). Therefore, it is possible to say: Caspian Sea has not high economic priority for Iran.

On the other hand, the Caspian Sea and its littoral states can pose a security threat for the regime of Iran. Most of the Caspian littoral states are very interested in having good relations with the Western, especially the US, government and companies. Azerbaijan Republic is an ally of the US and it has very close relations with Israel. In recent years, when the issue of a possible attack against Iran has been discussed, Azerbaijan is named as a possible route for this. Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan attach great importance to the Western companies for development of their resources in the Caspian Sea.

While conflicts between Iran and US is still widespread and peaceful solutions for removing the conflicts are not so promising due to the policies of the Iranian regime (the US and its allies want Iran to stop regional interfering and support of terrorism) , the possibility of confrontation is growing. If this happens, the Caspian littoral states, except then Russia, will be in the opposite side of Iranian regime. For the same reason, the regime in Iran that attaches the highest priority to its survival, is more concerned about the military-security issues in The Caspian Sea, rather than resources in the seabed or even Iran's share of the whole area. The regime in Iran has been using every legal and political occasion, to block the presence on non-littoral states, especially the US, in the Caspian Sea, with cooperation of the Russians who have similar worries. Iran and Russia have used all meetings of the Caspian littoral states in the last twenty years or so to put pressures on the other Caspian sates to keep the West out of the region.

The recently concluded Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, has not really anything about the most important issue that it was supposed to address: the legal regime of the Caspian Sea or in fact what belongs to whom in the area. Some of the relevant officials of the states have indicated that these matters such as the criteria for delimitation of the national sectors of the Caspian littoral states, will be determined in other documents later. If so, what was the hurry to conclude an agreement which is not solving the problem? The answer is in the chapters of the new convention prohibiting the presence of non-littoral sates in the Caspian Sea and the commitments of the littoral states not to let their territory in the Caspian Sea (without knowing where it is exactly) to be used for attacking others.



About the author:



Bahman Aghai Diba, PhD International Law of the Seas, is the author of several books. His latest books were published in 2011:
Former Finance Minister, Seth Terpker says the NPP government has failed to go the extra mile in ensuring economic growth and expansion.



According to Mr. Terpker, government is not spending enough to ensure that the economy expands.



I do stand by the assertion that government isnt spending enough to expand the economy, Mr. Terkper told Johnny Hughes Thursday.



Speaking on TV3 New Day, the former Finance Minister said he expected the economy to perform much better than it is doing currently under the NPP administration.



I expect the economy to perform better, so the question is, if you have all these revenues flowing in, what is going on? It means that much on the expenditure is going to consumption, and the most popular one for example is the Free SHS, Mr. Terkper noted.



Former Finance Minister, SEth Terkper (R) with New Day Host, Johnnir

He said some government policies such as the Free SHS could have been implemented better to save government some money.



When you go to advanced countries, what they have is Senior High Schools with quality education in communities. You target it, you target those who cannot afford, and you do not include those who can afford.



According to Mr. Terkper, the recovery of crude oil prices, and the fact that Ghana is getting additional crude oil from the TEN and Sankofa fields should be enough to generate revenue for government to enhance economic growth.



Mr. Terkper noted that some policies by the government are over ambitious, which he noted, has effect on its delivery in terms of performance of the economy.



He said that these overambitious programmes, which he did not mention, cannot be sustained fiscally.



The former Finance Minister further noted that he is hopeful Ghana will grow to become a middle income country.



My timeline is that, in 25 years, we would harness our resources and become a middle income country and remain that way.







Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP) has called for a review of contracts that are given to companies mandated to drill oil in the country.



According to the Executive Director of the Centre, Mr Benjamin Boakye, such a move is necessary as most companies that have signed contracts with Ghana after its oil discovery have failed to deliver on their agreements with the country.



ACEP also said some of the companies had refuge in the preliminary ruling of the International Tribunal for the Law of the sea (ITLOS) which placed injunction on field operations in the disputed area until the determination of the case between Ghana and Ivory Coast.



Those companies outside the disputed area also significantly failed to deliver on their obligations.



According to Benjamin Boakye all such contracts must be reviewed and cancelled where necessary.



The petroleum contracts define how the industry is shaped, they define investments in the sector, because we do not have the money to produce oil ourselves we end up encouraging and inviting foreign participation with regards to the contract, he stated.



Mr. Boakye was of the view that companies that fail to deliver on their contracts must have their contracts terminated.



So we propose to the ministry that on the back of that information that some companies are just sitting on the oil blocks they need to invite them and see whether they can renegotiate the processes and cancel the contracts of those that cannot do the work.



Meanwhile Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, Senyo Hosi stated that it is important that the oil resources are properly utilized to get the best economic benefit out of it.



We need to come up with a proper formula that can enable us attract the right investors, the loan that we take to develop our resources. For you to really maximize the economic situation you have to optimize the economic resources and the resources are not being optimized. People do not have technical capacity, people do not have financial capacity



He added, There is the need for increased accountability in the entire chain and those companies that did not abide by the contracts must be dealt with.

Source: citi









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
Labour Consultant, Austin Gamey, has advised workers of defunct UT and Capital Banks to appeal to the Governor of the Central Bank to get their monies paid them.



The workers should in all humility meet Dr Ernest Addison to get him to activate his discretionary powers given to him under Act 930 to jump the queue of all indebtedness and pay them part of their monies and wait for the rest, Mr Gamey told Business Finder in an interview.



The Bank of Ghana (BoG) in August 2017, revoked the licenses of UT and Capital Banks and handedthem over to GCB Bank.



The liabilities of the two banks, according to the regulator, overwhelmed their assets, leaving the BoG with no option but to undertake a purchase and assumption transaction as the least costly method of dealing with a collapse.



According to Mr Gamey, section 135 of the BoGAct 930 lists according to prioritisation, how pay outs should be affected, which include paying all statutory indebtedness of the defunct back including customers.



The workers are fourth or fifth on the list and they cannot be jumped; if they will or must be jumped then the law gives the Governor of the Bank of Ghana the discretionary powers to intervene maybe on humanitarian grounds and instruct the payment of some of their monies,



The Labour Consultant advised the workers to engage the Governor and let him know their plight, one year after the collapse of the banks.



They should explain to him that they have had no jobs to do since their jobs were truncated by GCB Bank and so they are unable to cater for their dependants; They should calmly tell him that they are aware that the customers are more important but the truth is that they, the workers are also customers of the same bank and so have suffered double jeopardy, Mr Gamey advised.



He explained that in situations that the workers were owed monies spanning a period of six months, the law allows part payment of those monies, not all, so that the depositors who are the customers of the bank who have now become victims of the circumstance will have to be taken care of first.



In this case the depositors monies far exceed what will be realised from the assets of the defunct banks, and that is the reason the BoG had to come in with additional funds to be able to pay depositors.

Source: The Finder









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
Hundreds of farmers in parts of the Eastern Region have been educated on the concept of genetically modified organisms (GMO) at a forum organised for stakeholders in the agricultural sector.



The forum, held at Somanya, was to demystify GMOs and encourage farmers to embrace the technological breakthrough in agriculture.



The Alliance for Science Ghana and Programme for Biosafety Systems organised the forum, in collaboration with Ensign College of Public Health and Rite FM, a local radio station that focuses on the agricultural sector.



It was on the theme: The Role of Modern Technology in Improving Agricultural Productivity and Livelihood.



Food security



The National Coordinator of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Dr Richard Ampadu Ameyaw, said: GMO is not a chemical, it is nothing scary but a technology that is used to develop food crops based on the best species.



He said although genetically modified technology had not been adopted in Ghana yet, it would serve as the best solution to food security.



He indicated that with GMO, the nation would not have experienced the recent challenge of the fall armyworm because GMOs were engineered to be disease and pest-resistant.



GMO will save farmers money as they will not have to spray their crops against diseases and pests. Currently, we are polluting the environment with the spraying of chemicals to prevent crops from being attacked. With GMO, the production cost of farmers will go down and their yields will go up, he said.



Farming as business



The President of the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association of Ghana (NFFAWAG), Mr Davies Narh Korboe, called for the intensification of awareness of biotechnology because not much had been done in that regard.



He called for a national dialogue on the issue of GMO for a decision to be taken on the way forward as it appeared that the state was currently divided, with some being for it while others were against GMO.



No policy on GMO



A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr George Oduro, said the government had not adopted GMO as an agricultural policy.



During the open forum, some of the farmers said the scientists were concealing some of the negative effects of GMOs from the public, as they were only propagating the positive aspects.



We have heard here that if an animal which is a pest attempts to eat a GMO crop that is engineered to be pest-resistant, the animal will die. Anything that can kill an animal can kill human beings too, one of the farmers said.



They pleaded with the government to procure farming equipment such as irrigation facilities, tractors and other implements that could be put into a pool at the district offices to be rented out to farmers who could not afford them as part of interventions to transform the agricultural sector.



GMOs have been a topical issue in Ghana since 2011. Activist groups, including Food Sovereignty Ghana, the Coalition For Farmers' Rights, Advocacy Against GMOs, Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, and various individuals have argued against its introduction.



The Biosafety Act 2011 (Act 831) has already permitted the introduction of GM foods on confined field trials including GM rice and cowpea in the Ashanti Region and cotton in the three northern regions.



GM seeds have "terminator technology, a genetic composition that makes it impossible for seeds from one season to be replanted in the next.



This results in farmers having to purchase new seeds during every planting season.

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
President of Groupe Nduom, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has called on pension fund managers in the country to stop the use of Ghana's national pension funds to support foreign banks to the detriment of local ones.



According to him, the practice where managers of such funds run to the aid of foreign organisations with local funds at a period the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has pegged the minimum capital requirement at GHS400 million, is a bad one.



Speaking at the launch of UG-GN Re Pensions and Insurance Research Fund in Accra on Thursday, 30 August 2018, Dr Nduom said such conduct constitutes a huge disincentive to locally-owned banks.



How can those monies be used to support foreign banks and foreign organisations and governments and not local banks, local investment companies and so on? he questioned.



The business consultant said he has evidence of people who have taken our pension money as pension fund managers, from local investment houses, local banks [and] given them to foreign-owned organisations and banks and investment companies.



The former presidential candidate said pension funds have more monies beyond the needs of local banks to meet the minimum capital requirement, and if special dispensation was given, this same local pension fund money can be used to finance, Im not talking about what all the local banks need, because you have to review them and look at the ones practising good [corporate] governance who are serious and doing the right things.



He, therefore, charged the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) and other regulatory authorities to re-examine the use of such pension funds which could be the solution to struggling local banks.







Source: classfmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited has donated 500 hundred dustbins to support the Kumasi Metropolitan Assemblys Keep the City Clean and Green Project.



This initiative is part of the Banks contribution towards a clean and green Kumasi. It is also to ensure that indigenes of Kumasi are healthy and strong.



At a brief ceremony in Kumasi, the Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Julian Kingsley Opuni said, We at Fidelity Bank are not only interested in the financial well-being of our customers but also their physical well-being. We believe in the vision of the KMA to make Kumasi clean and green, hence our support for this sanitation project.



We believe these 500 dustbins will significantly help in reducing insanitary conditions in the Kumasi Metropolis. Fidelity Bank is also open to collaborate more with the KMA in other areas of development, he added.



Fidelity Bank is well known for its contribution to Community Projects through initiatives in the past such as donation towards the construction of the new maternity block for the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The Bank has also in the past organized several financial literacy programmes for students in tertiary institutions to empower them to make sound financial decisions.



Additionally, Fidelity Bank in partnership with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and SNV Netherlands Development Organization, supports the deprived farming communities in the northern part of Ghana through education on the essence of savings. Farmers who achieve their set savings target are rewarded with fertilizer, weedicides and mobile phones. So far 679 farmers have undergone the training and over 380 farmers have been rewarded.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has welcomed the decision by German car manufacturing giant, Volkswagen, to establish a vehicle assembly plant in Ghana.



According to the President, an agreement between Volkswagen, the Government of Ghana, and a local Ghanaian company for the assembly, and, ultimately, the production of automobiles in Ghana has been reached, after a business meeting between officials from Ghana and a German business delegation.



The President disclosed this at a joint press briefing held as part of the official visit of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel to Ghana, on Thursday, August 30, 2018, at the Jubilee House in Accra.



Addressing the press, which comprised the local and international media, President Akufo-Addo said, there are so many areas that our bilateral relationship has offered us, but the key part of it for me is the emphasis on investment and trade corporation.



He emphasized Ghanas determination to deal with the matters confronting our country such as youth employment, the desire of our youth to seek greener pastures elsewhere by improving the management of our national economy.



President Akufo-Addo stressed that The stronger the economy we have, the more opportunities it gives to the young people and obviously the pressure that will be on them to embark on those hazardous undertakings will be dealt with.



He told the press that, in so doing weve set for ourselves a vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid, a Ghana which will depend more and more on mobilizing its own internal resources to confront the issues of development that there are before us.



In all of this, President Akufo-Addo indicated that there are a lot of opportunities here, and we are hoping that this business delegation that you have brought with you will see the opportunities that there are in several of the flagship programmes of our government, the One-District-One-Factory, the industrial parks that we are determined to create.



President Akufo-Addo also assured Chancellor Merkel of Ghanas continued corporation with the international community on issues bothering illegal migration.



On the threat of terrorism, President Akufo-Addo thanked Chancellor Merkel and Germany for the assistance towards fighting this threat and the jihadist menace.



Within our modest means, we will continue to play our effective role, because clearly it is in our interest to do so. It is in our interest to contribute to ridding the region of these instruments of destabilization and destruction, he assured.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Government and the clergy today [Wednesday] could not take a decisive resolution on how to proceed with the controversial National Cathedral project although the issue was raised at the breakfast meeting at the Jubilee House.



According to the clergy, the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral project were yet to meet and come to a consensus on the matter, hence they could not make conclusions at the breakfast meeting.The meeting between the government and the clergy on the project became necessary following the loud public outcry over plans to evict some judges from their homes to make way for the construction of the 5,000-seater capacity cathedral.



While some have questioned the relevance of the construction of the Cathedral and the governments involvement in the project, others are questioning the decision to use a prime area like Ridge in Accra, which is already developed.



But according to the Vice Chairman of the Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches, Victor Osei, the Board of Trustees will hold a meeting next week to agree on the way forward.



He said it is inappropriate for the board to make public statements on the matter especially at a time when public tension on the subject is high.

Sometimes it is better to let the fire come down before you come out and make certain statements. In the midst of flames, people say a lot of things. If you go to Nigeria, there is a National Cathedral, there is a National Muslim Cathedral. In a lot of countries, these things are there, so I dont think [in] Ghana [it] is anything strange if people decide to come together to aid government set up a national cathedral, he said.



While discounting claims that the board has remained silent on the matter, he said it is seriously considering the arguments and will soon take a decision on it.



The board of trustees is not silent on this issue. You should allow people to say all that they want to say, they should vent out their spleen and then at the end of the day you come out when things are calm and say this is what is going to be done. But in the midst of the discussion, it is absolutely sometimes inappropriate to come out with things I believe that the board will come together, he said.



The board is expected to meet on Tuesday 4th September, 2018, and will meet with President Akufo-Addo subsequently to take a final decision.



Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has highlighted the relevance of such engagements with the clergy which he said will help him inform them about the intentions of the government while listening to their respective concerns.



I also felt that on a periodic basis, it will be good for me to meet with you [clergy] so that we can also deal with matters that are of concern to you and matters that are of concern to me as the head of government. Im hoping that what we are doing here today is going to be a regular feature of my government, so something like a couple of times in a year we have an opportunity to meet and I will hear your considerations and you will hear the things that are on the heart and minds of government because it is important that from the different angles from which we approach the public interest, we work together, Akufo-Addo said.



It doesnt mean we agree on everything, but it means we have an attitude of cooperation, Akufo-Addo added.



VIDEO-

Source: UTV/citinewsroom.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Ghanas former ambassador to the USA and Ashanti Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Ohene Agyekum, is in hot waters according to Mr. Andy Owusu, as he risks being banned from entering or engaging himself in any activities of Manhyia palace.



Mr. Owusu, a stalwart of the New Patriotic Party has noted that Mr. Agyekum is to face the Traditional legal counsel of Manhyia, to explain why he chose to ignore the historic celebration of Asantes and Akyem, when the Asantehene made a historic visit to Ofori Panninfie in the Eastern region, last week, but chose to join former President Mahamas event to re-launch his presidential bid.



The NPP scribe, who is an aide to the Ashanti Regional NPP chairman adds that any adverse verdict on Mr. Agyekum from Manhyia, may spell doom for his ties with the seat of the golden stool, as he could face a life ban from the Palace.



The 16th occupant of the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, made what many had described as "a triumphant entry to Akyem-Abuakwa State", where he joined his brother Okyenhene Amoatia Ofori-Panin, of Akyem-Abuakwa, to mark the 75th anniversary of the death of Ofori-Panin.



Ohene Agyekum together with former president Mahama were absent at Kyebi; and the reason was that the latter was re-launching his flagbearership ambition to lead the NDC.



Andy Owusu, claims it is understandable for former president Mahama to champion countless agenda to pitch Akyems against Asantes, however, he sees it as blasphemous for Mr. Agyekum who is a native of Asanteman to support his former boss grand agenda against the Asanteman and Okyeman.



This move, Andy Owusu noted had now eventually exposed the former Ambassadors anti-Asante traits as he has been exhibiting since.



His absence, together with his boss the former president, was a big statement, and an endorsement of what people always think about their abhorrence for Asanteman and Akyem-Abuakwa.



Andy Owusu is asking Manhyia Palace to ensure Mr. Agyekum face the music, should he fail to give tangible reasons for his absurd 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
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has urged delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to elect candidates of integrity into the leadership cadre of the party.



In a message to the NDC delegates ahead of their Regional elections this weekend, Mr. Rawlings noted that the outcome of the elections will potentially affect the party's future.



He therefore asked the delegates to "reject those whose conduct and lack of genuine commitment have contributed to the weakening of the party."



According to him, "In the recent past the monetization of our internal selection process has adversely affected the fortunes of the party. I therefore urge you to resist the influence of money and material inducements from those who are more interested in themselves and their selfish interests than in building a strong and effective party".



In a statement issued by Kobina Andoh Amoakwa of his Communication Directorate and copied to Peacefmonline.com, Mr. Rawlings advised the delegates to only "elect those who respect the essence of team work and who are principled, truthful and sincere.





Below is the full text of his message:



Delegates from all 275 constituencies will assemble at various designated centres to perform a very important democratic function on behalf of party constituents this weekend.



The outcome of these conferences will go a long way in determining the future direction of the party.



To ensure the consolidation and re-invigoration of our party, I urge delegates to listen to their constituents and elect persons of integrity who genuinely have the party at heart.



In the recent past, the monetization of our internal selection process has adversely affected the fortunes of the party. I, therefore, urge you to resist the influence of money and material inducements from those who are more interested in themselves and their selfish interests than in building a strong and effective party.



The rank and file must take the destiny of the party into their own hands and reject those whose conduct and lack of genuine commitment have contributed to the weakening of the party.



Delegates must elect those who respect the essence of teamwork and who are principled, truthful and sincere. Let us establish through the outcome of our regional elections, that we have learned from our recent past.



My best wishes to all our candidates and delegates.



Issued By:



Kobina Andoh Amoakwa

(Communications Directorate)







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday April 13, 2018. Manitoba RCMP say an officer is in serious condition in hospital after being shot late Wednesday in what they call a "serious incident" near the town of Onanole, about 100 kilometres north of Brandon. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe

Bobi Wine does not have to aspire to be President in order for him to lead a peaceful revolution against President Museveni. But even if he was to be President, he would make a good one. I will explain why.

Andrew Mwenda, as usual, gets it wrong trying to dismiss him and undermine him yet the man is giving them sleepless nights.

This kind of Bobi Wine sensation has happened in Burkina Faso where music legend Karin Sarma mobilised people to end dictator Blaise Campore s rule when he attempted to change the Constitution.

The talk of Bobi Wine having no ideological grounding is diversionary. Bobi Wine like any other person will evolve and get support from those who have the knowledge and skills. Bobi Wine understands life from personal experience and from a lay mans perspective.

Aspiring to improve peoples lives is enough ideology. It does not need an idealistic 10 point programme that never comes after 33 years.

Thats Why alliances are there. You notice he is close to Gen. Mugisha Muntu and others.

For Museveni, when you have been in power for 33 years, you stop being human, you become super human and forget peoples struggles. Does Museveni for example after 33 years know what it means to buy fuel, pay bills, buy food for the family, pay medical bills, fees etc.

Bobi Wine understands life from his personal struggle in the ghetto and he would aspire to address the challenges that an ordinary Ugandan faces. Thats an ideology.

The job of running the economy is for technocrats at BoU and Ministry of Finance not the President.

Ideology:

At the moment, its very difficult to define the ideology of NRM and its leaders. The biggest ideology now is to retain political power under any circumstances even it means being brutal.

The reason Bobi Wine gets support is because there is an ideological vacuum. NRM is selling a Wolokoso ideology that the young generation cannot identify with. They preach one thing and do another.

The historical ideological position of NRM has long been abandoned. Kiiza Besigye adequately explains this in his paper which has since caused him all these problems including a threat of Court Martial.

You can call Bobi Wine whatever you like but he is clearly pulling the rug under Musevenis feet. What kind of intellectual engages in petty insults- lumpens etc.

If you noticed, Museveni in his recent social media activity has written the name Bobi Wine more than 100 times. Bobi Wine is giving Museveni sleepless nights. Thats Why you Mwenda a super intellectual has now diverted from your sweet melody Anti Besigye campaign to Bobi Wine becsuse thats where the prize is at the moment. The NRM propaganda team is in full drive with all sorts of ridiculous allegations: Bobi Wine is supported by LGBThe is an agent of Western powers, if he is that means they have assessed and see him fit for the job.

To suggest that Bobi Wine supporters are riff raff is wrong. Time will prove you wrong. I know many of my friends, well educated and polished people who may not necessarily support Bobi Wine for the Presidency but they see in him a messenger and a force that will either push Museveni to the tipping point or force him open up the debate on succession.

Right now, Museveni and NRM after amending the Constitution, after torturing people in Arua, they do not have a moral ground to claim a more superior ideology than Bobi Wine. They make Bobi Wine look like a heavenly messiah sent by God to redeem the country from a violent and intorelant regime.

Bobi Wine does not need to be like Museveni because anyone who will try being like Museveni is rejected by a large section of Ugandans. M7 is nolonger a role model for good governance.

If Bobi is nothing as you claim, ignore him, dont write about him, dont try to kill him, dont suppress his riff raff supporters and see what will happen.

Finally, the country does not operate on the single hand of the President, until Museveni suffocated all the institutions that should run a country, things were going okay with institutions doing the job.

When you, Mwenda, wrote about M7 personalizing the country and turning it into the monarchy, thats exactly what you have forgotten.

In a situation where there is separation of powers, where institutions have their autonomy, where there is no state sponsored corruption, the President is largely ceremonial, that is why the Constitution does not require someone with a PhD to be President or someone with past experience as a President.

Intellectuals:

In Uganda now, its very difficult to tell the difference between an intellectual and a fool/riffraff. The so called Intellectuals are the ones supporting everything that goes against standard practices of an ideal society where knowledge and freedoms are fundamental to the operations of a country. I have seen intellectuals supporting the torture of civilians. What kind of intellectuals are these or what is the difference between these intellectuals and riffraaff? The country is divided between non voting intellectuals and voting riff raff. So the one with riff raff can easily take the day.

When M7 went to the bush and even when he came out, a majority of the fighters were worse than riffraff, just a bunch of armed young people with no experience in governing a country, perhaps thats why we have all these mistakes.

Finally, our countrys problem is not ideological, our problems are unemployment, misuse of public resources, patronage, impunity, and then leaders who overstay in power, those who get a running stomach when the issue of succession is brought up for discussion.

Leave our Bobi Wine alone. #PeoplePower

======================================================================

Mr Fortunate Ahimbisibwe is a seasoned Kampala journalist currently on a sabbatical to the UK

Related
KAMPALA High Court judge, Musa Ssekaana has ordered the CDF David Muhoozi and CMI to unconditionally release Eddy Ssebuufu alias Eddie Mutwe, the arrested bodyguard of Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.

The judge this morning heard and granted a habeas corpus application that was filed by Eddie Mutwes lawyer Anthony Kusingura in the absence of the CDF and CMI representatives in court.

A habeas corpus application is made while seeking a person under detention to be brought before a judge or magistrate but mainly to secure that persons release unless lawful grounds are shown to justify their continued incarceration.

Justice Ssekaana ordered that Eddie Mutwe should either be released or produced in court by not later than September 4, 2018.

Kusingura of Kiiza Mugisha Advocates filed a habeas corpus in court saying operatives of the Special Force Command arrested Eddie Mutwe on August 25 from Ssemakokiro plaza in Kamwokya within Kampala.

He said that Eddie Mutwe has been unjustly deprived of his fundamental human right to liberty and produce him in court within 48hrs of arrest as its enshrined within the constitution.

No charges have been brought against Eddie Mutwe in any competent court of law and no explanation has been accorded to him or his next of kin for his continued detention, Mr Kusingura said.

The military has ensured that he remains incommunicado since his arrest and his kin and kith are anxious about his state of health given the mistreatment and torture most recently visited on the person of his friend and boss Bobi Wine, Mr Kusingura adds.

However the police and the UPDF have since denied being behind the arrest of Eddie Mutwe and while speaking at a joint security press briefing at the Police Headquarters in Naguru last Saturday -CDF Gen David Muhoozi wondered why the Army would arrest Bobi Wines bodyguard.

Eddie Mutwe and Selector Devie, Bobi Wines official DJ, were picked from Red Pocket Pub in Kampala at around 1 am on Saturday morning by men believed to be security operatives.

Related
KAMPALA  The United States government together with the Universal Parcel Services (UPS) Foundation, the American Red Cross and the Uganda Red Cross Society have jointly launched a disaster and epidemic preparedness programme in Uganda.

The programme set to start in Kampala and Kasese, which has been earmarked as the most vulnerable district is aimed at helping business communities get prepared to be able to prevent and detect possible epidemics in a bid to safeguard their business that have suffered losses.

The project contributes to the countrys commitments to achieve a set of goals under the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) and the International Health Regulation (IHR) framework.

Speaking at the launch of the Business Preparedness Initiative on Wednesday, August 29, the US Ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac said the initiative (BPI) is complementary to the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Program, recently launched and funded by USAID.

Uganda Red-Cross Society SSecretary-General, Robert Kwesiga their focus to support the businesses in the one year programme is because small and medium enterprises are the backbone of most economies.

He said the Business Preparedness Initiative will help build the capacity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kampala and Kasese to be disaster resilient and withstand disaster impacts in communities in the wake of disasters.

Related
By Andrew Mwenda

Uganda has a new hero: Bobi Wine. He is being presented to us domestically and internationally as the symbol of our struggle for democracy, freedom, liberty and social transformation. Even some of our intellectuals are treating him as an alternative to President Yoweri Museveni. This is the pathway to disaster.

I sympathize with Bobi Wine having been brutally tortured by a cruel state security apparatus. However, this cannot blind me to the strategic risk he and his radical extremist supporters pose to the values of liberty and freedom that I treasure. And neither is it lost to me that he lacks even the most rudimentary understanding of our politics and economics.

Bobi Wines only qualification as an alternative to Museveni is that he is critical of the status quo. Our intellectuals dont care what he stands for, the values he represents, the policy alternatives he proposes, the leadership abilities he has demonstrated, the alliances he is cultivating and the organizational ability he has exhibited.

Museveni government has dictatorial tendencies, exercises brutality against its opponents and sold off our economy to multinational capital. So there is a need for change. But such change needs a broad coalition of Ugandans who believe in liberal democratic ideals and who feel that we need to give our citizens a bigger role and voice in our economy. Bobi Wine and his radical extremists are not what we need.

Y et this is not the concern of Ugandan intellectuals. They want Museveni to go and hope political freedom and economic prosperity will work themselves out with iron necessity (to use Karl Marxs expression). They do not think about the nature of the alternative. This is the tragedy Uganda faced in 1971. Milton Obote had abrogated the constitution, abolished kingdoms and jailed opponents. So our elites embraced Idi Amin with tragic consequences. We are on the same road again.

African elites always argue that our continent has been cursed by bad leaders. Yet these same elites exhibit the worst irresponsible behaviour when selecting leaders. They embrace demagogues shouting empty slogans against incumbent governments without making any effort to assess the leadership qualities of such characters. When these new leaders come to power and repeat the blunders of their predecessors, the same African elites take to media and elsewhere to complain that the problem is leaders. But these elites are the ones who select the wrong people in the first place.

Every government promotes policies that reflect the interest of its social base. So what is Bobi Wines support base? It is not manufacturers with a vested interest in industrial transformation. Neither is it large-scale commercial farmers with the vested interest in the modernization of agriculture. They are not traders who seek policies that promote free trade.

Instead, they are largely less educated or inexperience and unemployed or underemployed angry youths looking at opportunities for salaried employment. At best, therefore, a Bobi Wine government can only produce Musevenis patronage politics without the presidents finesse.

If Bobi Wine became president, he has to reward his riffraff supporters with jobs. But they lack basic skills or experience for professional jobs. He cannot force the private sector to hire them. Neither can he recruit them into the states professional jobs. The only place he can hire them is in security services  army, police and intelligence organisations  which are always the dumping grounds of the lumpen supporters in poor countries. This brings us to their values, which will be reflected in their work.

The Bobi Wine supporters I encounter online are radical extremists  uncouth, anti-democratic, intolerant of dissent and heavily reliant on their prejudices and rumours of facts to guide their political decisions and actions. They dominate social media where they indulge in unrestrained cyberbullying  forgery, slander, blackmail and lies. If they can terrorize their opponents with the little power they have on social media, what would happen if they gained control of the states powerful instruments of repression like the police, the army and the prisons?

Now under HE Bobi Wine, these lumpens will be the men and women in charge of Internal Security Organisation, police and army. They will be the ones collecting and analysing intelligence. President Bobi Wine himself will be intellectually handicapped to distinguish fiction from fact, slogans from policy. This is the raw material from which destructive tyrannies have historically been nurtured.

Bobi Wine is rich in rhetoric and demagoguery but extremely poor on values and policies and vision. I know what he is against  Musevenis government and its corruption and incompetence. I do not know what he stands for because he has not articulated it anywhere. Mobilizing popular anger is easy. Organizing people around a set of policies backed by values is difficult. I share the frustration many Ugandans have towards Musevenis government. I also find it extremely incompetent and corrupt. But for Christs sake, Museveni is a much more enlightened and informed person than Bobi Wine can ever be in the next 100 years.

In 1981, Museveni was seen and presented himself as a left-wing radical. But he allied himself to conservative forces in Buganda and the rest of Uganda. For example, he got Yusuf Lule, the archconservative, to lead the NRM. He also secured many businesspersons to his coalition such as Moses Kigongo, Mathew Rukikaire, Sam Male, Katenta Apuuli etc. Furthermore got the Catholic Church especially through Cardinal Nsubuga and Catholic bishops across the country to his side.

And then he brought on board the royals of Buganda, Toro and Ankole.

Therefore, even though many of his fighters in NRA were radical leftists, his core political support was conservative, providing the necessary brakes and restraints on his radical politics. This way we need to see the young Museveni as militarily astute and politically brilliant. From the word go he demonstrated responsible politics.

So I find it difficult to embrace any and every opposition politician simply because they oppose Museveni. Africa has seen so many critics of government coming to power through a wave of populism. Except for a few exceptions, they have turned out to be worse than the ones they removed. Our nations have seen very many changes of government without much change in the quality of governance.

So change is not the missing ingredient in Africa. What is missing is qualitative change in governance, or what the young Museveni called fundamental change. Of course, upon taking power, Museveni proceeded to reproduce the old politics of corruption and patronage that characterized Africa, best exhibited by Mobutu sese Seko of former Zaire, Omar Bongo of Gabon, Daniel arap Moi of Kenya etc.

So Ugandans are at it again  like all other Africans elsewhere  turning a demagogue who is backed by intolerant radicals, into a hero. How can we repeat these mistakes over and over again and then continue to blame leaders instead of ourselves who propel them to power?

Museveni has refused to condemn those of his troops who tortured Bobi Wine and other Ugandans. Bobi Wines enlightened supporters (if they exist at all) never condemn the cyberbullying perpetrated by his radical extremist supporters. Bobi Wine is out of jail.

I can predict that he will never condemn those of his supporters who indulge in cyberbullying, intimidate and physically assault his opponents. His radical extremists have been doing all this evil without reproach from him. Therefore, like Museveni, Bobi Wine wants power and nothing more.

It is, therefore, saddening that Ugandan elites clamouring for Bobi Wine are silent on the lack of values among the forces propelling this upstart in politics. Even worse is the lack of any policy alternative for Uganda. Surely, if opposition to Museveni blinds anyone to the thuggish character of Bobi Wines supporters, then this country is headed for disaster. I know where Uganda stands now: on Musevenis frying pan. But I dont agree that we should push ourselves into Bobi Wines fire.

===================================================================

Andrew Mwenda is a senior Ugandan journalist and the founder and owner of The Independent

Related
A mandescribed by the New York Daily News as a "career crook"allegedly rammed an unmarked police vehicle on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Monday injuring two officers. Peter Guarneri, 47, faces 40 criminal charges after the wrong-way pursuit, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Police suspected Guarneri in a string of burglaries, when he allegedly hopped into a stolen 1999 Ford Econoline van in Brooklyn and headed toward the bridge. Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authorities officers in three separate vehicles started pursuing him, and an off-duty NYPD detective, James McCullough, cut him off and stopped his Toyota Camry in front of the van, authorities said.

Guarneri rammed the Camry from behind, and refused to get out of the van, spurring one of the TBTA officers, Eddie Fung, to smash his hand through the drivers side window, according to a criminal complaint.

He then maneuvered past McCulloughs Camry, drove all the way down to the Staten Island side of the span, pulled a U-turn, and headed back to Brooklyn.

Thats when he slammed into an unmarked Fusion carrying NYPD Officer Stephanie Mazza and Sgt. Albert Cabello, according to the complaint. He rammed their car several times, trying to power through it, then jumped out and made a final, futile run for it, prosecutors said.

Mazza, who was driving the Ford, suffered neck and back pain, while Cabello suffered a cut to his head and pain to his right knee.

Guarneri has 32 past arrests.
The Broward Sheriff's Office Deputies Association said Tuesday in a news release that BSO owes employees about $12 million in underpayments and past pension contributions, but the agency's general counsel told Local 10 News Wednesday that the number is actually in the thousands.

According to the news release, a recent arbitration hearing affirmed that BSO has been underpaying its employees for hours worked.

"This is a huge victory for current as well as retired employees," Union President Jeff Bell said in a statement. "The union attempted to resolve this matter for a fraction of the cost and agreed to language changes in the contract to favor BSO months ago. The sheriff is trusted as the gatekeeper of public funds and unfortunately, he let personal feelings related to a no-confidence vote get in the way of saving the public at least $10 million."

Payments are expected to be made to employees affected by Sept. 30.
Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with an attempt to take a scooter from an off-duty police officer, according to a report in the Washington Post.

According to police, the attackers beat the officer, but did not get his scooter.

The male subjectsone 17 years old and the other 15 years of age  were arrested Tuesday and charged with carjacking and assault on a police officer.

An investigation remains ongoing.
A former police officer with the Fairfax County (VA) Police Department turned himself in to Maryland police and was charged with multiple counts of child abuse in the death of his six-month-old daughter Harper in October 2017.

According to Fox News, Jason Colley faces charges of first degree child abuse, first degree child abuse resulting in death and child abuse in the first degree resulting in severe physical injury. Colley was also charged with first degree assault, according to an online statement from the Frederick County States Attorney Office.

Andrew JezicColley's attorneytold the Washington Post that his client plans to plead not guilty and he and other lawyers will "vociferously assert his innocence."

"He's been a police officer in good standing. Hes had no discipline issues on the job. He's someone that appears to be widely supported by his colleagues on the force, and he has no record," Jezic added.

Trial dates have not yet been set.
Sergeant Michael Burkett, Officer Jared McKinney, and Officer Brandon Zwick chose a Tony's Brick Oven Pizzeria in downtown Gulfport in part because it was so close to the PD where they were training. Image courtesy of Sergeant Michael Burkett.

A small group of officers with the Pass Christian (MS) Police Department recently took a quick lunch break while attending a Fentanyl class at Gulfport PD.

Sergeant Michael Burkett, Officer Jared McKinney, and Officer Brandon Zwick chose a Tony's Brick Oven Pizzeria in downtown Gulfport in part because it was so close to the PD where they were training.

"We ordered our food from the friendly waitress and were promptly served," Burkett told POLICE Magazine. "I had ordered the Italian sub and it was a delicious blend of grilled peppers and cheese over salami, capicola, and prosciutto on Focaccia bread. I plowed through my sandwich while cutting jokes to cheer up the younger guys."

Burkett said that the chef suddenly appeared at their table with the check with a solemn look on his face.

"I thanked him and he said 'you're welcome.' I told the guys I was picking up the check, being the oldest coptradition, right? When I opened the checkbook, there was a receipt that showed a zero balance and a handwritten note from "Tony's Staff" stating that they prayed for all police officers to return home safely each day."

"We pray that while police officers are keeping our communities safe, they keep themselves safe!" the note read. "May all officers return home unharmed at the end of each day. Thanks you for all you do! Tony's Staff."

Burkett laid the open checkbook on the table so they could see the note and snapped a picture.

He then posted the image on Facebook, where it's been shared by more than two thousand people.

"I couldn't believe the thoughtful gesture of picking up the lunch tab for three people AND taking the time to write such a loving message to three strangers who were not in even in uniformwe were in casual class attire," Burkett told POLICE Magazine.

"I thanked the chef and we tipped the waitress. I put the photo on social media to let people know how wonderful the staff were, and let it be known this restaurant was a friendly haven for first responders. Luckily, my post was shared a lot and the local media shared the story. I hope the restaurant thrives and I repay their kindness."
When a witness took to Facebook Live to stream the lead-up to the imminent death of an armed 18-year-old suspect at the hands of a Metro Police SWAT sniper, it only served to inflame an already intense situation, Clark County Assistant Sheriff Charles Hank said.

Obviously, we cannot stop someone from doing this. But we ask the community to think about what is more important: displaying an intense situation on social media or being socially responsible? Hank said Tuesday afternoon.

For roughly 70 minutes Saturday morning, the Facebook user stood a few yards from officers as they dealt with an erratic and taunt-flinging Roosevelt Brown, whod been accused of firing a gun at a family members apartment.

Several times, police pleaded with the live streamer to go back inside.

He ignored them.

Officers responded shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday to an apartment. People there told them that one of their family members, Brown, had fired a round at someone inside, missing, and then shot a second bullet from the outside, Hank said.

Arriving officers spotted him running away but lost him, Hank said. A perimeter was set up and he emerged from a dumpster in the neighborhood about an hour later.

Shortly after, the Facebook user captured the next 70 or so minutes of the standoff. Brown kneeled with a gun pointed at his head, paced around, sat down, and got on top of a car as he yelled at the officers who desperately pleaded with him to surrender.

A short clip Hank broadcast showed Brown raising his right arm, aiming the gun at officers in front of him. Thats when a Metro SWAT officer fired the single shot that brought Brown down. Brown died later at a local hospital, the Las Vegas Sun reports.
MUMBAI, August 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Partnership between TimesPro and Monash College invites applications from students who wish to study business in Australia

The number of Indian students studying abroad is increasing rapidly, and a nearly 50% surge in the past decade is proof of the pudding. As per UNESCO data, by August 2017, over 3,00,000 Indian students were studying abroad. The reasons for an Indian teen to pursue higher studies abroad are myriad. International universities offer a vast variety of courses and better quality of education. That apart, the independent thought process that a student imbibes by way of global education is one that also enables youth to explore more opportunities. The prestige a family feels while their ward is studying and staying abroad, is of course, additional motivation.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/699016/TimesPro_Logo.jpg )



What is students' choice?

As per government of India data, while the study-abroad options for Indian students may be as many as 86 countries, the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada are the most popular choices. Of the total number of students abroad in 2017, a whopping 69.5% chose the aforementioned countries as their destination for higher studies. Even though traditionally the USA leads the charts with just over 1 lakh Indian students, Australia has been emerging as the recent favourite. As of August 2018, Australia houses over 68,000 Indian students, up 16.8% from 2017, says data released by the Australian High Commission in India. Both countries believe education to be a flagship sector as part of their bilateral relationship, and are doing everything they can to encourage exchange.

Why Australia?

Australian universities have an impressive international reputation. The environment is safe, and immigration policies favourable. Australia offers world class standards of living with considerably lower expenditure than the USA and the UK. Up for grabs are attractive work opportunities to students, which can offset living costs to a bare minimum. Equal opportunities are ensured for students who have graduated out of a specific course, from any university in the country. The biggest advantage however, is the work rights - Australia allows students a work visa for two years post study. A student can completely recover the expenses incurred during the study period in these two years.

Study options in Australia

Australian universities are actively working on increasing awareness among Indian students. Education institutes in India such as TimesPro, in conjunction with varsities such as Monash and Queensland among others, are offering pathway programs to make global education not only more accessible, but also less expensive. A pathway is a learning experience that provides international students lateral entry to various undergraduate or graduate programs at universities, by offering them an academic foundation and essential language skills. Pathway programs enable Indian students to join international courses on Indian shores and then continue their degree abroad at a later stage. This is especially beneficial for students who, after graduating school, may have missed admission into the international universities of their choice but do not want to have gaps in their education.

One such program is the Monash College International Pathway Program (MCIP) by TimesPro, conducted over eight months in India, specifically designed for students who wish to study business or commerce undergraduate degrees at Monash University. With MCIP, one won't just learn theories and trends, but also develop a more creative and confident mind-set with hands-on training and practical exposure. After successful completion of the program and meeting entry requirements, one will have guaranteed* entry into second year at Monash University.

*terms and conditions apply

A global education inculcates a sense of global citizenship. The 'Land of Oz' a not just a brilliant option for education for young boys and girls, but is also a beautiful country with a unique culture, waiting to be embraced.

About TimesPro:

TimesPro is a part of Times of India Group's Times Professional Learning (TPL). Established in early 2013, it offers a variety of courses in sectors such as banking, analytics, digital marketing, data science, SAP and many customized programs. As a professional skilling powerhouse for graduates and working professionals, TimesPro equips students with key skills that allows a student to kick start his or her professional career. TimesPro's vision is to convert demographic potential into demographic dividend by making Indian youth employable with right skill set.

To know more visit http://bit.ly/2POoYBz or Call +91-9873251786

Media Contact:

Sheetal Tambe

[email protected]

+91-7045186001

TimesPro

SOURCE TimesPro
DEZHOU, China, Aug. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- What would your dream house look like? Like science fiction, green energy, technological connectivity......such futuristic houses recently appeared at Solar Decathlon China 2018 (SDC2018), which was held in Dezhou, Shandong Province, China during the period August 3-17.

Solar Decathlon (SD) is an international collegiate competition that challenges student teams to design and build full-size, solar-powered houses. With technologies and innovations from world-leading R&D and design teams, SD aims to integrate solar energy, energy conservation and architecture design in a new way so as to design and build comfortable, livable, sustainable and fully functional solar houses.

The SDC2018 Competition was staged by Dezhou Municipal Government, with the concept of 'Green Growth, Green Life'. 19 teams consisting of 34 schools from 8 countries and regions were required to build a 120-200m2 one- or two-storey solar house that can be put to permanent use. Each house was to be equipped with all essential household appliances such as TV, refrigerator, washing machine, and computer that could be fully powered by solar energy equipment.

The students' designs provided valuable references to the rural revitalization strategy and they delivered solutions for pressing social issues such as future urban development and the aging effect.

Team SEU-TUBS (Southeast University / Technical University of Braunschweig) mixed crop stalks into the bricks used for their house (crop stalk content of 65%), which was harder yet lighter than ordinary house bricks; Team THU (Tsinghua University) incorporated a water collection and self-cleaning system, to efficiently convert rainwater into potable water; the (S)LOW House designed by Team B&R (The University of Hong Kong / Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture) aimed to bring people back to nature and a simple life; Generations designed by Team XJTU-WNEU-POLIMI (Xi'an Jiaotong University / Western New England University / Politecnico di Milano) focused on designing a villa community for the elderly and a smart home.

SOURCE Dezhou Municipal Government
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Rapid Growth: What is Inforum all about?Becky Puckett-Wood: Its hard to comprehend this now, but in 1962 when Inforum was founded, women were not allowed to belong to business organizations or attend their meetings. We were a pioneer for the advancement of women in business by giving them a place to learn, network, support each other, hear from thought leaders, and find speaking opportunities.Here, our work is advanced by the West Michigan Regional Council whose members are visible and active in the community. Theyre also important to making sure our programming is important and relevant locally. For example, they were the impetus behind bringing #MeToo founder Tarana Burke to keynote our annual Capstone dinner.RG: How is it different than our local Econ Club?BP: We and the Economic Club both believe in informing and inspiring our members with new ideas and exposure to thought leaders. But thats just one of the things we do [at Inforum]. We also provide a broad array of leadership development programs and networking and volunteer opportunities to women and companies.RG: Why do you think its important for women to specifically connect with other women?BP: Women share common experiences and face common challenges. Connecting with other women builds professional and personal networks and provides a circle of trusted allies who can advise, aid, support, and amplify your efforts.RG: How do you keep women active and engaged within the organization?BP: We offer a range of affinity groups focused on commonalities including emerging leaders and living and/or working in the lakeshore area, and conversations at breakfast, lunch, or dinner! These are all volunteer-led and we create new groups as member need arises. We offer STEM role model volunteer opportunities through partnerships with other local organizations. Members also serve as ambassadors who volunteer at events and as regional council and committee members, among other things.RG: What are some specific issues our local female leaders are facing right now?BP: Historically, women in West Michigan have played very significant roles in our businesses and community, but they have not always received recognition for their efforts. We are a city that often recognizes the efforts of men (i.e. "founding fathers") when we talk about our history, and that translates into the women and girls in our community not always having visible role models that show what is possible through hard work and dedication. Recently, we have been delighted to to see women very recently named CEO at two very large local employers: Tina Freese Decker at Spectrum Health and Andi Owen at Herman Miller . These are very visible and important appointments, but we still have much work to do.RG: What does your annual Capstone dinner highlight?BP: Its an evening of celebration and connection and weve had great speakers. For example, CMS Energy CEO Patti Poppe was our keynote last year. Inforum works year-round to provide exceptional content. Our Capstone dinner highlights timely leaders to provide insight and inspiration to attendees. This event provides access to true trailblazers, while also inviting attendees to network with each other and build relationships through facilitated, thoughtful table conversations.RG: How did Tarana Burke (#MeToo movement founder) come to be your Capstone speaker this year?BP: The #MeToo movement has sparked important conversations around the globe, but as the founder of the movement, Tarana Burke has been thoughtfully considering these issues for some time. She speaks with authority. When talking about sensitive topics, it is exceptionally important to provide access to knowledge. Ms. Burke offers a key historical perspective, personal knowledge, and real-time insights. Her perspective will be rich and welcome.RG: Why do you think its important for Inforum to highlight the #MeToo Movement?BP: Its really about recognizing the movements visibility and impact. Its opened the door for the productive conversations that lead to good results. We are seeing leaders in all areas and at all levels being held accountable for behavior, but more importantly, we see dedicated work to create environments that are safe to all. This isnt fast work, but it is important, and stretches across industries and sectors.RG: Have you received any pushback from wanting to bring this issue further into light?BP: The companies who support us are committed to unleashing their best talent  which means considering the entire talent pool and taking intentional steps to provide opportunities and remove the barriers that get in the way. Weve received significant corporate support specifically for this event.RG: What do you hope your guests biggest takeaway will be?BP: We hope theyll have a better understanding of the history and impact of the #MeToo movement, and leave feeling inspired and energized, with new knowledge and new connections. Hearing Ms. Burkes words with a group will be powerful and the table conversations will provide new perspectives. This collective experience will be transformative for many.Jenna Morton is the RapidChat correspondent for Rapid Growth Media.
Russian court rules troubled VIM Airlines owes $44 million to creditor

 RIA Novosti, Alexander Tarasenkov

10:59 30/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 30 (RAPSI)  The Commercial Court of Tatarstan has granted a claim filed by RNGO company seeking to include a 3 billion-ruble ($44 million) debt of the troubled VIM Airlines into the creditors demands list, the court ruling reads.

A bankruptcy claim against the air carrier filed by RNGO will be considered in late September.

In April, the Eleventh Commercial Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal filed by VIM Airlines against initiation of a bankruptcy monitoring procedure against the company. The airline appealed the February 19 ruling of the Commercial Court of Tatarstan. The court found the motion filed by RNGO to be justified and initiated the monitoring procedure against the airline.

According to a representative of VIM Airlines, the company has enough property to pay debts, and it expects additional 500 million rubles ($8.6 million) to be transferred from the budget.

In December 2017, the airlines CEO Vyacheslav Kononenko said that the company was facing a serious problem in that it cant pay salaries because of debts to the Federal Tax Service (FTS) reaching 500 million rubles ($8.8 million). According to Kononenko, all funds transferred to the airlines accounts are automatically blocked and transferred to tax authorities.

On October 17, 2017, a criminal case was launched over premeditated bankruptcy of VIM Airlines. In September of the same year the court returned a bankruptcy claim against the airline back to the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA). According to the court, due to the social tensions surrounding the activities of the airline, the applicant decided to recall the motion.

Investigators believe that certain top managers and owners of the air carrier intentionally made losing bargains in 2016 and 2017 including those aimed at siphoning of assets abroad. The deals led to enormous financial outlay and undoubtedly resulted in the companys failure to pay debts to creditors in full.

According to investigators, employees of VIM Airlines continued to sell tickets to clients despite being aware that the airline was not able to transfer passengers because there were not enough funds to buy fuel. Investigators believe that the employees embezzled more than one million rubles ($17,000).

VIM Airlines CEO and chief accountant Alexander Kochnev and Yekaterina Panteleyeva have been arrested as part of the case. Co-owners of VIM Airlines Rashid Mursekayev and Svetlana Mursekayeva fled Russia and are currently residing abroad, according to investigators. Allegedly Mursekayev and Kalashnikova fled Russia to hide from investigative authorities. In December, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow issued an arrest warrant for Mursekayev in absentia.

Investigators also believe that between 2015 and 2017 the defendants abused their office positions to buy overpriced aviation fuel from companies controlled by Mursekayev.
Russian journalist convicted of extremism released

 TASS, Artyom Geodakyan

11:45 30/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 30 (RAPSI) - RBC news agency journalist Alexander Sokolov convicted of extremism has been released after recalculation of his prison sentence in accordance with new legislation, attorney Alexey Chernyshev has told RAPSI.

In July, President Vladimir Putin signed a bill on recalculation of terms of imprisonment into law. Amendments were proposed to the Criminal Code of Russia. Under the law, 1 day in a detention center would be counted as 1.5 days in a general regime penal colony or 2 days in a penal colony settlement.

In August 2017, four members of the referendum initiative group For Responsible Authorities, Sokolov, publicist Yury Mukhin, civil activists Kirill Barabash and Valery Parfyonov, were found guilty of extremism.

Sokolov was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, while Barabash and Parfyonov were given 4 years behind bars. Barabash was also stripped of his lieutenant colonel rank. Mukhin received a 4-year suspended term and additional 4 years of probation. Prison terms of Barabash and Parfyonov were later reduced by 2 months.

The defendants were indeed members of the initiative group, which, the authorities believe, is the successor of earlier banned Peoples Will Army (PWA), Mukhin told RAPSI earlier.

Sokolov, Parfyonov, and Barabash were charged with continuing to run the prohibited in 2010 Peoples Will Army, earlier headed by Mukhin. After the PWA was banned, the accused founded the Referendum Initiative Group seeking to make the authorities directly answerable to the people through changing the countrys Constitution.

Nevertheless, the prosecution said that in fact Mukhin and his supporters had attempted to destabilize the political situation in Russia and accomplish a regime change with illegal means.

In 1995, Yury Mukhin, a proponent of radical change, founded the Duel newspaper, which attempted to reach out to Russian conservatives and far left. The newspaper was banned in 2009 on grounds of extremism.
Kyrgyz native gets 6 years in Russian prison for terrorist recruitment

 RIA Novosti, Andrey Stenin

14:59 30/08/2018

ST. PETERSBURG, August 30 (RAPSI) - Kyrgyz native Azizbek Rustamov has been sentenced to 6 years in prison for propagating radical Islam and recruiting new members for the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations banned in Russia, RAPSI has learnt in the Moscow District Military Court.

The defendant is the brother of another Kyrgyz native Atabek Rustamov involved in the case.

According to case papers, in August 2016, two Kyrgyz natives Atabek Rustamov and Uula Islambek Oibek attempted to recruit the terrorist organizations through WhatsApp messenger.

The WhatsApp chats contained videos and messages propagating radical Islam and calling for using force against non-Islamic people, committing terrorist attacks and participating in warfare on the side of the Islamic State militants.

Eight persons including the brothers were arrested in St. Petersburg on suspicion of aiding and abetting terrorism on April 5, 2017.

In early August, Feruza Inakov received 6 years in a penal colony. Oibek was also convicted and sentenced. Several other men were charged with failure to report to the police that they were being recruited to the terrorist organizations.
Russian court mitigates sentence for defendant who failed to report terrorist recruitment

 RIA Novosti, Maksim Bogodvid

16:33 30/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 30 (RAPSI)  A court in St. Petersburg has mitigated sentence for Kyrgyzstan native Iskander Nurbayev, who was found guilty of failing to report to the police that he was subjected to recruitment to terrorist organizations, the United press service of St. Petersburg courts has told RAPSI.

The court ruled to decrease fine imposed on Nurbayev from 50,000 rubles ($735) to 20,000 rubles ($294) because he was at one time placed in detention.

Nurbayev has pleaded guilty in full and his case was reviewed under a special procedure.

Other defendants in the case are three natives of Kazakhstan, who have Russian citizenship, Shukhrat Satymbayev, Aizhigit Aitmatov and Bakhodir Madrakhimov. Satymbayev was fined 50,000 rubles but was freed from punishment.

According to case papers, in August 2016, Kyrgyz natives Atabek and Azizbek Rustamovs along with Uula Islambek Oibek and Feruza Inakov attempted to recruit the defendants to the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organizations banned in Russia through WhatsApp messenger.

The chats contained videos and messages propagating radical Islam and calling for using force against non-Islamic people, committing terrorist attacks and participating in warfare on the side of the Islamic State militants. The accused persons were being recruited for over a year but did not report this to the police.

The Moscow District Military Court sentenced Oibek, Inakov and Azizbek Rustamov to real prison terms for terrorist recruitment.
Accomplice of convicted Russias ex-top anti-corruption official Sugrobov gets 3 years

 RIA Novosti, Aleksei Panov

17:05 30/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 30 (RAPSI)  The Moscow City Court has sentenced Pavel Dashin, a defendant in the case involving convicted Interior Ministry's Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Departments ex-chief Denis Sugrobov, to 3 years in prison, the courts press service has told RAPSI.

The defendant was found guilty of abuse of power. In addition to the prison term, Dashin was stripped of his rank of major. The trial was held behind closed doors.

In April 2017, the Moscow City Court found Sugrobov guilty of organizing a criminal group, abuse of office and provocation of bribery. In December, the Supreme Court of Russia mitigated his sentence from 22 to 12 years in a high security penal colony.

Other Interior Ministrys officers involved in the case, Salavat Mullayarov, Ivan Kosourov, Vitaly Cherednichenko, Yevgeny Shermanov, Sergey Borisovsky, Sergey Ponomarev and Andrey Nazarov, received prison terms ranging from 17 to 20 years. One more defendant, businessman Igor Skakunov, was sentenced to 4 years in high-security prison. Gennady Sobolev, ex-officer of the Interior Ministry's Economic Security and Anti-Corruption Department, received a 3-year prison sentence for abuse of authority.

Sugrobovs deputy Boris Kolesnikov, who committed suicide in 2014, was also found guilty. The case against Kolesnikov was closed because of his death.

All convicted officers were stripped of their ranks by court order.

According to investigators, Sugrobov and Kolesnikov tried to provoke a Federal Security Service (FSB) officer by offering him $10,000 a month for his protection. Sugrobov has been charged with organizing a criminal group, abuse of power and bribery.

Kolesnikov was arrested in February 2014. In June, he jumped out of a window during questioning at the Investigative Committee. Later, the Basmanny District Court said no evidence was found of assisted suicide.

In total, 10 people became defendants in this case with case materials making about 400 volumes. Thirty persons were recognized as aggrieved parties, thirteen of whom filed suits seeking to recover in total 218 million rubles (about $3.5 million) from the defendants. Later, victims withdrew their claims.

Sugrobov, 42, is one of the youngest police generals. He obtained the rank of Lieutenant General at the age of 36.
Russian court upholds sentence for Ukrainian neo-Nazi battalion's mercenary

 RIA Novosti, Vladimir Pesnya

18:00 30/08/2018

MOSCOW, August 30 (RAPSI, Kirill Ryabchikov)  The Moscow City Court on Thursday upheld a 4-year prison sentence given to Russian national Roman Zheleznov in absentia for fighting as a mercenary of the Ukrainian neo-Nazi Azov Battalion in Donbass, RAPSI reported from the courtroom.

Under Russian legislation, a mercenary is an individual who is hired for monetary gain and is not a citizen of the country that is involved in an armed conflict or hostilities, who has no permanent residence in that country, and who has not been sent to the said country in an official capacity.

According to Russian investigators, in July 2014, Zheleznov came to Ukraine and voluntarily joined the Azov Battalion for fighting in Donbass. Then spokesperson of Russias Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin said that Zheleznov, was fighting in Ukraine for 4,000 hryvnias (about $309 at that time) a month.

The Azov Battalion is a far-right paramilitary unit of hundreds of volunteers that reports to the Interior Ministry of Ukraine. It has been doing much of the frontline fighting in Kievs war with the self-defense forces in eastern Ukraine.




EMPEROR PALPATINE

The Last Jedi Star Wars Universe Action Figure

The Emperor Palpatine featured on this page was originally planned to be part of the final assortment of action figures in The Last Jedi branded Star Wars Universe collection, along with C'ai Threnalli and First Order Flametrooper figures. The wave didn't get released in the traditional manner. The C'ai Threnalli was released in Canada in February, 2018, and the Emperor Palpatine was found in Europe on a multiple language card. The Flametrooper and C'ai Threnalli found U.S. release as internet releases, but at the time of publication, the actual Emperor Palpatine figure on this page is the only one documented on a North American Card. It was found In August, 2018 at an independent toy store in Vancouver, British Columbia. We have little doubt that more will come up, but at this point no one can predict how scarce this figure will be as time passes.
Posted by Jeremy on at 07:19 PM CST

Buckle up and jump into hyperspace with thePack, a new skin pack available today in the Minecraft Marketplace! Whether youre a driver, a pilot, a smuggler, or even a droid (droids read Minecraft.net? Neat!), this pack will give you a skin suitable for every adventure.Do you see yourself as part of the legendary duo of Han Solo and Chewbacca? Or as the suave and charming Lando Calrissian (and honestly, if it turned out we made this entire skin pack just as an excuse to make a Minecraft version of Donald Glover  could you really blame us)?With over 30 skins to select from, you can rock the beloved space scoundrels style three different ways or change things up a bit and select one of his many companions! If youre not feeling heroic, villains a-plenty fill our newest skin texture pack, including Dryden Vos, Enfys Nest, the Cloud-Riders, and the iconic Imperial Stormtroopers.No need to travel to a galaxy far, far away to add a new look to your adventures  theyre available in the Minecraft Marketplace today!
A steady demand environment, prudent debt management and faster absorption of office space gave them an edge over others.

Realtors in south India, especially from this city, attracted a major chunk of private equity (PE) investment over the past four years.

A steady demand environment, prudent debt management and faster absorption of office space gave them an edge over others.

According to research firm Venture Intelligence, South-based players saw fund infusion of $6.5 billion (Rs 45,600 crore) from large fund houses, starting 2014 till date.

In this calendar year, PE entities infused $1.6 billion in many large realty firms based out of Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, across 16 deals.

In the period from 2014, realtors in the western region (led by Mumbai and Pune) saw the highest amount of PE investment, of $10.3 billion.

Those in the National Capital Region (NCR) attracted nearly $5.3 billion.

In the south, Hyderabad-based Phoenix Group saw the highest amount of investment - $652 million - from PE players Indiabulls, Altico Capital and Canadian pension fund CPPIB, among others.

Bengaluru-headquartered Embassy Group had investment of $638 mn from global PE majors Blackstone, Warburg Pincus and Xander Group, among others.

Another Bengaluru-based developer, Prestige Group, saw investment of $450 mn from Xander, Singapore wealth fund GIC and Red Fort Capital, among others, in these years.

Other developers having attracted a significant amount of PE funds are Shriram Properties, Nitesh Estates and Salarpuria Sattva.

Developers and realty consultancy firms believe faster urbanisation, with higher office space absorption and prudent debt management, are key reasons for this bullish outlook of PE entities.

According to a recent Knight Frank report, Bengaluru was top in office space absorption during the first half of this calendar year. In this period, it absorbed 33 per cent of the total leasing volume of 21.7 mn sq ft across the country.

The city had witnessed 6.5 mn sq ft of overall office leasing during the first half, growth of 13 per cent over the same period last year.

"Majorly driven by financial services firms and co-working operators, apart from e-commerce and start-ups, went the report.

On the growing interest of PE players, another city-based developer with a large housing presence said a conservative approach to debt was another reason.

Traditionally, South-based developers have low debt on their books, with a manageable debt to equity ratio.

"That's one reason why many players in the southern region didn't face problem when the market was going through a rough patch, said a top executive at a Bengaluru-based realty.

Given the momentum seen in office leasing, realtors also feel the flow of funds from PE will grow in the coming quarters.

Commercial real estate will continue to do well, as there is not much supply, Ravindra Pai, managing director of Century Real Estate, had said earlier.

Photograph: Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters
With their net debt estimated at Rs 1.15 trillion, the merged entity will not be in much of a position to dole out freebies, says Romita Majumdar.

IMAGE: Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla with Vodafone group CEO Vittorio Colao. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

The upcoming Vodafone India and Idea Cellular merger is unlikely to be accompanied by disruptive pricing (subscriber plans) as the telecom industry, a three-player market that has long been in the throes of price wars, is now seeking to collectively raise revenues.

While the industry is holding its breath to find out what surprises the new Vodafone-Idea brand will spring for subscribers, most analysts are certain that as far as mobile user plans are concerned, the new company will not announce any major freebies.

For one, the companies are already carrying forward a large debt component. Secondly, as pricing is a function of competitive dynamics, telco prices are expected to stabilise given that there will only be three players going forward.

"Both Idea and Vodafone would be focusing largely on getting their brand equity right. They have to reconcile two very distinct subscriber bases and any major change could disbalance their relationships with these subscribers," said a telecom analyst who did not wish to be quoted.

Further, with the net debt estimated at Rs 1,150 billion, the merged entity will not be in much of a position to dole out freebies. Analysts have noted that given Reliance Jio's penchant for slashing prices and extending offers, price war isn't a strategy any of the incumbents are likely to toy with.

Vodafone India and Idea Cellular are awaiting a nod from the National Company Law Tribunal, the last clearance they need before they can register their merged entity -- Vodafone Idea Ltd.

"Industry subs have consolidated towards large telcos but multi-SIM phenomenon remains high. We, therefore, expect average revenue per user (ARPU) to remain subdued for another 6-9 months as customer stickiness will be a challenge in a multi-SIM environment and lead to likely delay in price hikes," noted a UBS report recently.

However, analysts do note that there will be a period of churn when the subscribers are integrated across the new ecosystem. During that phase, for a short period, the company might introduce competitive pricing.

"They can't go to extremely competitive rates for the simple reason that Vodafone consumers identify with a certain price-quality range and they are not likely to disrupt it," noted another leading telco analyst.

"Low broadband net adds and higher churn (5.2 per cent) are attributable to Idea's strategy to not aggressively pursue adoption of unlimited bundled plans in an effort to keep channel costs (subscriber acquisition costs) under check," SBICAP Securities had noted in a report post June quarter results.

The report further noted that Idea's ARPU continued its decline in Jun'18 and was the lowest since FY12. Blended ARPUs of Rs 100 (down 29 per cent YoY) was driven by voice ARPU of Rs 73. The company's continued ability to monetise voice successfully in an industry rapidly shifting to bundled plans remains a concern as the fall in ARPUs led to a 2.9 per cent QoQ decline in revenue.

Vodafone's ARPU declined 3.3 per cent over the last quarter and 27.6 per cent yoy to Rs102/sub/month in the June quarter.

"With the merger approval in place, the ensuing quarter's operating performance, subscriber retention and RMS trend would be the key monitorables. Combined entity would have Rs 260 billion cash after fundraising and sale of towers, and the same would be utilised for capex and interest outgo for FY19," noted a report by Emkay earlier in the month.

Knowing the Idea management, we believe that once revenue repair happens, the company would deliver robust operating leverage. But, the same seems to be some time away at the current juncture, the report said.
'Washington must retain control over any peace process until the Taliban gets worn out,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

IMAGE: Smoke rises from the site of an attack in Kabul, August 21, 2018. Photograph: Mohammad Ismail/Reuters

Through the past week, the US-led Afghan war against the Taliban transformed as a struggle over engaging with the Taliban in peace talks.

The US successfully stalled the Russian format on Afghanistan slated for September 4 in Moscow by instructing President Ashraf Ghani to drop out of the event.

The US was infuriated that the red line was breached when the Taliban accepted the Russian invitation to the meet in Moscow.

The US intends to keep the monopoly over engaging the Taliban. Essentially, Washington must retain control over any peace process until the Taliban gets worn out and no longer insists on the pre-condition on vacation of US/NATO occupation.

Russia empathises with the idea of Afghanistan regaining its sovereignty and independence. On the contrary, the US' broader global strategies require it to maintain military bases in Afghanistan.

Washington is apprehensive that the Russian format (which comprises SCO member countries plus Iran) will inevitably lead to a regional consensus supportive of Afghan sovereignty.

This put Ghani in a spot.

He cannot afford to antagonise Moscow, but has no option but to follow the American instructions.

According to the Russian foreign ministry readout of a phone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ghani on Monday, August 27, the latter pleaded that he needed more time to 'develop Afghanistan's consolidated position on this issue'. They agreed to 'jointly work out a new date' for the Russian format.

The US won, but then Russia hasn't entirely lost.

The point is Ghani didn't challenge the raison d'etre of the Moscow format as such. He sought postponement of the Moscow format.

Meanwhile, on Monday, some strange news drifted in from the remote Afghan-Tajik border region in Takhar on the foothills of the Pamir Mountains: An unidentified aircraft conducted an air strike on the Afghan side of the border.

The local authorities in Takhar have confirmed the bombing. However, the Afghan defence ministry in Kabul keeps silent.

The Radio Liberty and Free Europe, a mouthpiece of US intelligence, reported: The origin of the aircraft was unclear. Tajik officials denied its warplanes or helicopters were involved, as did Russia, which has a sizable military contingent in Tajikistan.

At this point, the mystery deepens.

The Afghan air space is entirely under the control of the US and NATO, which indeed has sophisticated capabilities to identify any intruder. Evidently, the NATO is shying away from identifying the aircraft. Why?

Do not be surprised if an attempt has been made by the US to destabilise the sensitive Afghan-Tajik border region in Takhar province, which has been relatively peaceful under Taliban control.

The US has alleged that Russia has had direct dealings with the Taliban across the Tajik border. As regards Monday's bombing incident, a Taliban spokesman merely said the aircraft bombed a hideout of smugglers.

Moscow is categorical that neither Russian nor Tajik planes were involved. A spokesman for the US forces in Afghanistan has also denied any US air strikes in the area.

To be sure, the two parties who know precisely what happened would be the US, which controls the Afghan air space, and Russia's Gissar air base on the outskirts of Dushanbe, which controls the Tajik air space.

Maybe, it was not an aircraft but an UFO from another planet that was involved?

The great game moves centre stage, for sure.
'Ludicrous they might be, but they are not without threats -- much like letters that appear suddenly in homes of those opposing the government.'

'One must exercise some caution before believing in them,' says Uttaran Das Gupta.

IMAGE: Revolutionary writer P Varavara Rao seen here following his arrest by the Pune police in Hyderabad, August 28, 2018. Photograph: PTI Photo

Since the Maharashtra police revealed a Maoist plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi in a Rajiv Gandhi-type incident, of which they learnt from a letter, the number of such epistles seems to have multiplied like rabbits.

While the veracity of such letters is yet to be verified, they remind one of another such high-profile Naxalite case, that of Dr Binayak Sen.

For the uninitiated, Dr Sen, a Bengali paediatrician based in Chhattisgarh, was accused of having close links with Naxalites, and arrested and sentenced in a sedition case.

Among the evidence presented against him in court was an e-mail written by his wife, Illina Sen, to 'one Fernandes of the ISI'.

The Telegraph reported on December 17, 2010, the prosecution had argued that Dr and Ms Sen were members of an international terror ring and what could the ISI be but Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence?

Unhappily for the prosecution though, it turned out that the ISI in this case was the Indian Statistical Institute and 'Fernandes' was Walter Fernandes, its former head and friend of the Sens.

States are no strangers to being creators of fiction.

The current letters also reminded me of the most sensational conspiracy theory from the first half of the 20th century: The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

The text, proven to be fabricated as early as 1921 by The Times of London, purported to be the minutes of a meeting in which senior Russian Jews planned global domination.

The earliest known edition of this text was published in Russia in 1903, right before anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian empire, killing nearly 5,000 and forcing many to flee.

Some scholars such as Cesare De Michelis, professor of Russian literature at the University of Rome and an expert on the Protocols, have argued that those responsible for the forgery could be directly linked to initiating the anti-Semitic riots.

To misquote Shashi Tharoor, this 'farrago of fiction and hoaxes' forms the cornerstone of Umberto Eco's remarkable novel, The Prague Cemetery (2011).

Eco has claimed elsewhere that the novel has little invention and mostly history. He does invent a fictional forger, Simone Simonini, whom a New York Times critic describes as the Forrest Gump of evil, 'always present where the action is'.

Fed on stories of a Jewish bogeyman by his anti-Semitic grandfather, Simonini grows up to be a professional forger suffering from a split personality. He is the only fiction in Eco's novel; almost everything else is fact.

The Protocols, in real life and also in Eco's novel, was plagiarised from a variety of sources, and the labyrinth of hoaxes is sometimes impossible to negotiate without getting completely lost. A primary source is an 1864 political pamphlet satirising Napoleon III, which landed its author, Maurice Joly, in jail for 15 months.

Apparently two-fifths of the Protocols are copy-pasted from Joly's work, which in turn was heavily inspired by Eugene Sue's popular novel The Mysteries of a People. In it, the villains are Jesuits. So where are the Jews?

They were introduced by French cleric Augustin Barruel, a sort of master of conspiracy theories who had earlier claimed that Freemasons had orchestrated the French Revolution.

If you think this is too much, hold on: Barruel's falsification was expanded upon by novelist Hermann Goedsche, a Prussian agent, who included a chapter in his novel Biarritz (1868) about a Jewish cemetery in Prague.

This chapter had a life independent of the novel, and was widely circulated in Europe. After its translation into Russian, it became another source for the Protocols.

This wildly popular false document would become a favourite with none other than Adolf Hitler.

Professor Randall L Bytwerk, in his essay 'Believing in Inner Truth', claims that though most senior Nazis knew that the Protocols was a spurious document, they nevertheless happily used it for propaganda.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler writes: 'They are based on a forgery, the Frankfurter Zeitung moans and screams once every week: The best proof that they are authentic.'

Sounds familiar to current global leaders calling the established media liars?

The Nazi party's official publishing house, Eher Verlag, had published a German version of the Protocols in 1920. By 1933, it had been reprinted 13 times, and Der Schulungsbrief reviewed it in 1937, claiming: 'He who knows The Protocols of the Elders of Zion understands why Jewry uses every lying method to dispute the genuineness of these protocols. Jewry's ruthless drive for world domination was stopped only by National Socialism.'

During the famous Bern trials, the Nazi party's propaganda machinery projected the attack on the veracity of the Protocols as an international Jewish conspiracy.

Even now, neo-Nazis often use the Protocols on their Web sites for propaganda.

In a 2002 article, Eco claimed: 'It is enough to visit certain racist Webs ites, or to follow anti-Zionist propaganda in the Arab countries, to see that anti-semites have still found nothing better to do than to recycle, yet again, those ludicrous Protocols.'

Ludicrous they might be, but they are not without threats -- much like letters that appear suddenly in homes of those opposing the government.

One must exercise some caution before believing in them.
'My only interest is that the law is upheld for each and every citizen.'

'Whenever this case is decided, it will be protection for you and every Indian.'

'I just want the rule of law of to be followed.'

IMAGE: A protest against the police raids on the homes of activists and their subsequent arrests in New Delhi, August 29, 2018. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo

'Dissent is the safety valve of democracy and if you don't allow these safety valves, it will burst,' said a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, on the arrests of five civil rights activists -- Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bhardwaj and Gautam Navalakha.

On August 29, the apex court ordered that Rao, Gonsalves, Ferreira, Bharadwaj and Navlakha be kept under house arrest till September 6.

The action comes after historian Romila Thapar, economist Prabhat Patnaik, social actvist Devaki Jain, sociologist Satish Deshpande and lawyer Maja Daruwala filed a plea against the arrests that were made across the nation on August 28.

Maja Daruwala, Advocate for Civil Liberties, explains to Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf why she and the other eminent petitioners approached the Supreme Court.

What is your reaction to the Supreme Court order in regard to the arrests of the five activists?

What I and the other petitioners are doing is a very simple thing. We are only asking the court to make sure that the police and the State follow the Constitutional safeguards that are required for arrest.

The main thing is that we shouldn't have to go to the Supreme Court. We should be able to have these rights, just as an ordinary babu (person); be it you or me. That is all what we want.

This petition was not for some great action against the State or for some ideology. This is just us asking for our Constitutional rights that have been given to us against arbitrary arrest and against what amounts to abuse of power.

This should not happen to anybody. Today it has happened to these people across the country, tomorrow it can be you or me.

Be it a poor person, rich person, disabled person, dishonest person, it does not matter. Let's have this as ordinary routine.

Why did you take this matter to the Supreme Court?

My only interest is that the law is upheld for each and every citizen.

Whenever this case is decided, it will be protection for you and every Indian.

I have no axe to grind. I have no ideology on these matters. I don't want to prove anything, whether they are terrorists or not.

I just want the rule of law of to be followed.

These five people are purportedly linked to the Naxalites.

I know nothing about all that. Nobody is a terrorist until you prove it. Nobody is a good person until you prove it. I know nothing about all these things.

I just know that the Constitution gives everybody safeguards whether they are Hindu, Muslim, Tamil, Jesuit or anybody.

And that is what this country is based on and that is the rule of law. You cannot break that, not even God Almighty can break that.

The charge against them is that of planning to assassinate Prime Minister Modi.

I don't know that charge. Where are you getting this (information) from?

IMAGE: Human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj after she was arrested by the Pune police in Faridabad. Photograph: PTI Photo

That is what the police is claiming.

The police are claiming and they must prove according to the processes of law.

That is why we have a court and that is why we have the police and that is why we have a prosecution and that is why we have legal aid and that is why we have an appeal system so that everything goes on in the way it should go.

You cannot come and do something which is against the process of law. Whatever be the charges, be it theft or anything.

What should the police have done in this case rather than arresting them?

I can't say what the police should have done, but clearly they have not done what they should have.

There are procedures for arrest and arrest must be reasonable and there must be reasonable provision for arrest.

What if I come to you tomorrow by entering your house and say, for example, a lady called Maya says you are a crook, corrupt and bad and I am taking you in (for arrest). There must be some reason to take you in.

Police powers are not to walk into your house and take you in on unreasonable ground. There must be some prima facie proof. That prima facie proof must be in the public.

There are procedures. If it is less than seven years (sentence), they must give you notice.

If it is more than seven years, then they can take you in and ask you questions.

You have a right to bail, you have a right to a lawyer.

You have a right to be treated properly. You have a right not to be hurt, harmed and tortured.

You have a right not to have your property trespassed on or your family and friends threatened.

Those are all rights of law.

But the police do arrest people on doubt and detain people.

It is not on doubt that the police can arrest you, but it is on proper use of discretion.

If 25 things are stacked up against you, then they will arrest you.

And even if the police arrest you, they have to arrest you openly and not secretly.

The police is the law and the last thing any policemen can do is break the law.

Journalists talk of national and anti-national. What you all think I do not understand. Anti-national are only those people who do not obey the Constitution.

There are many who compare the current situation to the Emergency. Do you believe so?

I just feel the police must follow the law.
Three of the five noted rights activists held for their alleged links with the Maoists were on Thursday brought back to their homes in Mumbai and Hyderabad from Pune after the Supreme Court ordered the Maharashtra police they be kept under house arrest and not in their custody.

IMAGE: Revolutionary writer P Varavara Rao hit out at the Centre and the Maharashtra government, saying there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than calling those fighting against fascist policies conspirators. Photograph: PTI Photo

Alleging that the activists were being framed, Leftist poet and writer Varavara Rao, who was brought to Hyderabad by air, hit out at the Centre and the Maharashtra government, saying there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than calling those fighting against fascist policies conspirators.

Describing dissent as the safety valve of democracy, the apex court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra police that the five activists be kept under house arrest at their homes until the next day of hearing on September 6.

Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, were sent to Mumbai by road, said a police official in Pune.

Gonsalves reached his home in Mumbais Andheri suburb around 7.30 am.

His wife, advocate Susan Abraham, said, Vernon reached home safely and we welcomed him.

Gonsalves claimed he was being framed with fabricated letters to save those who were really responsible for the clashes between the Dalits and upper caste Marathas at an annual event near Pune.

Ferreira was taken to his home in Charai area of Mumbais neighbouring Thane district, an official said.

While trade unionist and lawyer Bharadwaj is confined to her home in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Navalakha to his Delhi residence, Rao, Gonsalves and Ferreira were brought to Pune on Tuesday night.

Maharashtra police on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states on Tuesday and made the five arrests, sparking a chorus of outraged protests from human rights defenders.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into the violence at Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune after an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year.

We have our own police officers and personnel along with the local police from the respective cities, who will be deployed at their residences, said Punes Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, who is the investigation officer in the case.

IMAGE: Social activist-lawyer Arun Ferreira brought back to his residence and placed under house arrest, in Thane. Photograph: PTI Photo

As the three activists returned to their homes, leading intellectuals and civil society members demanded action against the Maharashtra police for launching a vicious and malafide attack against human rights activists and called for an immediate end to such political acts of vendetta.

The arrests of the five activists, in a nationwide crackdown on Tuesday, highlights the violation of all due procedures and is a mockery of the legal system, said a joint statement signed by author Arundhati Roy, lawyer Prashant Bhushan as well as activists Aruna Roy and Jignesh Mevani among others.

The statement released at a joint news conference in Delhi also demanded that police return the laptops and mobiles seized during the illegal arrest of the activists.

Till elections, it will be divert and rule, Roy said while targeting the Modi government. Lok Sabha elections are due before May next year.

Mevani accused the government of wanting to divert attention from real issue and discredit the Dalit movement.

Varavara Rao said the case in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima clashes should have been filed against the central and Maharashtra governments and not human rights activists.

This is a false case. If the fight against fascist policies is called a conspiracy, then there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than this (calling the fight a conspiracy), Rao told reporters at the airport in Hyderabad.

Calling the raids on prominent activists and intellectuals as an attempt by the government to strike terror among those fighting for the marginalised, Jharkhands civil society members, including economist Jean Dreze, demanded the immediate release of the five arrested people.

Social activist Stan Swami, whose residence was also raided on Tuesday, alleged that the government was silencing those who were working for the marginalised and voiceless sections of the society.
China has alerted India about the rising water in river Tsangpo, called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam, leading to possibility of floods in downstream areas, Arunachal Pradesh MP Ninong Ering said on Thursday.

A senior official of the Union water resources ministry said it was an unprecedented situation on the Chinese side where Tsangpo broke a 150-year record with swollen waters and hence China has shared the information with India.

Ering said the communication from China came following heavy rains in that country after which Tsangpo was in spate.

The local authorities told me that the Chinese government has conveyed to Indian government that there is a possibility of floods in parts of Arunachal Pradesh. We have taken the alert seriously and cautioned people, he said.

According to a Chinese government report, 9020 cumec of water was discharged into Tsangpo/Brahmaputra river as observed at various stations on Wednesday.

The MP said Siang has been calm till Thursday but people in East and Upper Siang districts were cautioned.

My own village is in danger of getting flooded, he said.

The Union water resources ministry official said Indian experts have analysed the data shared by China and came to the conclusion that the effect may not be so strong in the country even through it was an alarming situation in China.

This was the first time this year that China shared the river data with India, the official said.

China began sharing data from May 15, while it started sharing data for the Sutlej river from June 1. The sharing of data came after the two sides held talks over the issue in March this year. The data is shared twice daily until October this year.

Last year, China had said that the hydrological gathering sites were washed away due to floods. It coincided with the 73-day Doklam stand-off that took place during the peak monsoon period.

The Brahmaputra originates from Chinas Tibet and flows into Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called Siang, and then Assam, where it becomes Brahmaputra, and later drains into the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh.

China provides data from three hydrological stations -- Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia, lying on the mainstream of the Brahmaputra, also known as Yarlung Zangbu by Beijing -- and from the hydrological station at Tsada for the Sutlej river, known as Langqen Zangbo.

The Yancun hydrological site recorded unprecedented floods.

They shared data as per the MoU between us. We analysed the data and found that there was no danger on the Indian side, said another ministry official.

There is nothing to panic as the Central Water Commission has reported that the water level at the Grand Canyon of Tsangpo on August 14 was 8070 cumec and an increase should not inflict severe damages, Arunachal government officials said in Itanagar quoting the Chinese communication.

The unusually high waves in the Siang river have created fear among the people of the two Arunachal Pradesh districts and the administration has cautioned the people to refrain from venturing into it for fishing, swimming and other activities, an official said.

Large scale erosion was seen on the left bank of the river towards Lower Mebo of Mebo sub-division in East Siang district in the past few days and 15 houses were washed away in Seram-Ramku village, the official said.

Mebo MLA Lombo Tayeng, who is also an advisor to Chief Minister Pema Khandu, told newsmen at the state Assembly premises today that river water at present is totally muddy which indicates that there might be some activities in the Chinese side.

The MLA also urged upon the Centre to take up the matter with Beijing and sought flood control measures.

A red alert has been hoisted for residents of Borguli, Seram, Namsing, Mer and Sigar villages on the left bank of Siang as water volume in the river is rising, he said adding it was due to large scale siltation on the river bed.

In the neighbouring districts of Dibrugarh and Dhemaji in Assam, the authorities have taken precautionary measures in view of Assam state disaster management authority and Central Water Commission warning that there may be unprecedented rise in the water level of Brahmaputra river as a result of release of excess water by China.

Reports from Dibrugarh said the districts deputy commissioner Loya Maduri has directed the stakeholders to remain alert about the possible rising of water level of the Brahmaputra.

Similar measures have also been taken in Dhemaji district, official sources said.

In October last year, Siang river had suddenly turned turbid which prompted the Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to take up the matter with China.

Ering had alleged the water turned muddy following construction activity by China in the upstream.
As the controversy surrounding Rafale deal escalates, here is an explainer and a timeline relating to India's purchase of 36 combat jets from France for an estimated Rs 58,000 crore.

What is Rafale?

Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter jet designed and built by Dassault Aviation.

The Rafale jets are considered one of the most potent combat jets globally.

What was the United Progressive Alliance deal?

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft in 2007 after the defence ministry, headed then by Congress leader A K Antony, cleared the proposal from the Indian Air Force.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder).

In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology.

The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.

Details of the negotiated price per Rafale were not officially announced, but it was suggested by the then UPA government that the size of the deal would be USD 10.2 billion.

The Congress claimed per aircraft rate including avionics and weapons was zeroed in at Rs 526 crore (As per Euro exchange rates prevailing then).

What was the deal finalised by Modi government?

During his visit to France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 10, 2015, announced India will purchase 36 Rafale jets in a government-to-government agreement.

After the announcement, questions were raised by the Opposition on how the PM finalised the deal without approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security.

A joint statement issued on April 10, 2015, after talks between Modi and then French President Francois Hollande, said they agreed to conclude an Inter-Governmental Agreement for supply of 36 Rafale jets on terms that would be better than conveyed by Dassault Aviation as part of a separate process underway.

The statement said the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered on the same configuration as had been tested and approved by Indian Air Force, in clear reference to negotiations and testing process for the Rafale jets under the UPA government.

The Final deal

India and France signed an Euro 7.87-billion (Rs 59,000 crore approximately) deal on September 23, 2016 for 36 Rafale jets.

The delivery of the aircraft will start from September 2019.

The deal was finalised on the basis of the procurement procedure followed under the UPA government.

The allegations

The Congress has been accusing massive irregularities in the deal, alleging that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government.

The party has also demanded answers from the government on why state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal.

The Congress has also sought to know price details of the aircraft and how the rate per aircraft has gone up from Rs 526 crore to Rs 1,670 crore.

The government has refused to share the details, citing a secrecy clause of a 2008 pact between India and France.

Congress' A K Antony, who was defence minister in 2008 when India and France inked an inter-governmental agreement on defence procurement, said the government's claim that the secrecy clause was forcing it to not reveal price details of the deal was "totally wrong".

The party claimed that Qatar had purchased 12 Rafale fighter jets in November 2017 for USD 108.33 million per aircraft (Rs 694.80 crore).

The Congress has also alleged the government was benefiting the Reliance Defence Ltd through the deal as the company has set up a joint venture with Dassault Aviation to execute the offset obligation for the Rs 59,000 crore deal.

The party has alleged Reliance Defence was formed just 12 days before the announcement of the Rafale deal by the prime minister on April 10, 2015.

The RDL has rejected all the charges.

Under India's offset policy, foreign defence entities are mandated to spend at least 30 per cent of the total contract value in India through procurement of components or setting up of research and development facilities.

On October 3, 2016, the RDL and Dassault Aviation announced a joint venture in the aerospace sector and a year later, foundation stone of a manufacturing facility was laid in Mihan, Nagpur.

The government's response

Around two years back, minister of state for defence, while replying to a question in Parliament, had said the cost of each Rafale aircraft is approximately Rs 670 crore but did not give details of prices of associated equipment, weapons and services.

Later, the government refused to talk about the prices.

It has been maintaining that the cost of 36 Rafale jets cannot be "directly compared" with the original proposal to buy 126 combat aircraft as "deliverables" were significantly different.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley wrote a Facebook post on Wednesday, accusing Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi of "peddling untruth" and carrying out a "false campaign" on the deal.

He said the deal signed by the NDA government was on better terms than the one agreed to in 2007 under the UPA regime.
The government is in no mood to buy the privacy and security argument pitched by WhatsApp, whereas the American firm says traceability will undermine end-to-end encryption and the private nature of the app, creating potential for serious abuse.

Kiran Rathee and Karan Choudhury report.

With the privacy argument falling flat in the wake of extreme pressure from the government, which is firm with its demands to trace source of fake news, WhatsApp is working out solutions to stop the flow of such messages on its platform.

Facebook's chat app, with over a billion users globally, is training people to spot fake messages and running advertisement campaigns, creating awareness about the effects of misinformation.

For the past few months, WhatsApp has been at loggerheads with the government, which has time and again alleged the app was being used to spread misinformation, causing law and order problems.

To fulfil the government's demands, WhatsApp has partnered Digital Empowerment Foundation to create awareness about the need to verify information.

In the run-up to the assembly and general elections, the DEF will hold as many as 40 training sessions for community leaders such as government officials, administration representatives and civil society organisations in 10 states where there have been cases of violence, triggered by messages on WhatsApp.

In addition, the DEF will train over 30,000 of their own grassroots level members in seven of the 10 states.

"Our goal is to help keep people safe by creating greater awareness about fake news and empowering users to help limit its spread," says Ben Supple, public policy manager at WhatsApp.

The app initiated a radio campaign this week to create awareness about misinformation circulated via the platform.

Sources say the stand-off between WhatsApp and the government will not end soon.

The government is in no mood to buy the privacy and security argument pitched by WhatsApp, whereas the American firm says traceability will undermine end-to-end encryption and the private nature of the app, creating potential for serious abuse.

The company reiterated its position after the meeting between Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and WhatsApp Chief Executive Officer Chris Daniels.

Officials in the IT ministry, however, say WhatsApp needs to agree to the demands or face a ban in the country, where it serves over 200 million users.

"A ban will be the last resort if the chat messenger and other platforms like Telegram are stubborn. We are not ruling out that option. But it will be like capital punishment, which we don't intend to take," a senior official in the IT ministry said.

Over the past few years, countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia have called for data from WhatsApp for cases related to national security and terrorism.

Last year, the UK asked WhatsApp to come out with a technical solution to enable intelligence agencies to access its end-to-end encrypted messages.

The firms payments platform, WhatsApp Pay, has also been at loggerheads with fintech experts, who allege it is flouting the National Payments Corporation of India guidelines.

It is ready to set up base in India and is finalising on a chief of operations and its headquarters, one of the major demands of the government for firms planning to run fintech operations here.

The company is, however, keeping quiet on the Reserve Bank of India's orders to store financial data onshore in local data centres.

It is also planning to set up a 100-150 member team and is in the final stages of selecting a head of operations for the chat messenger.

At present, WhatsApp runs all its operations from its base in Singapore.

"To support our users in India and to continue our investment in the country, it's our top priority to hire a local leader, who can help us build a team on the ground," a WhatsApp spokesperson said.
IMAGE: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with her Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe in New Delhi last week. Photograph: Press Information Bureau of India

India and China are holding talks to update a 12-year-old defence agreement and establish a hotline between the two defence ministries as part of the confidence building measures, a top Chinese defence ministry official said on Thursday.

During Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi last week, the two sides had in-depth discussions on how to further implement the important consensus reached between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Wu Qian said.

Modi and Xi, during their first-ever informal summit in Wuhan in April, reached a consensus on managing various aspects of India-China relations including the two militaries, especially in the backdrop of the Doklam standoff.

The hotline between the two militaries was regarded as a major Confidence Building Measure as it would enable both the headquarters to intensify communication to avert tensions between border patrols and to avoid standoffs like Doklam.

Tensions between India and China reached their peak during a 73-day standoff in Doklam near Bhutan over Beijing's construction of a road in the area. The standoff ended after both sides agreed to disengage.

Wu said both the countries are also in consultations to work on a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the defence ministries.

"In 2006, India and China signed an MoU on defence exchanges and cooperation. The Indian side conveyed its willingness to sign a new version of the MoU. China holds a positive attitude towards it and the two sides are in communication with each other," Wu said.

The 2006 MoU focussed on maintaining frequent exchanges between the leaders and high-level functionaries of the defence ministries, annual defence dialogue and holding joint military exchanges among others.

"If the dragon and elephant dance together, they will both gain and it will help Asia continue to be prosperous. If they compete and fight with each other, it will benefit neither but others," Wu said.

"We hope and willing to work together with India to actively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of the state to enhance communication and coordination, to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, to appropriately manage our differences and to facilitate our military relationship in a healthy steady manner," Wu said, adding that Wei had extended an official invitation to Sitharaman to visit China.

"Wei's talks with the Indian leaders focussed on "how to deepen security and military exchanges and cooperation and how to strengthen defence confidence building measures," Wu said, highlighting the salient aspects of Wei's visit to India.

"They specifically talked about setting up an exchange mechanism for visits between the two defence ministries, set up a direct confidential phone line between the two defence ministries, strengthening exchanges at all levels including defence authorities, theatre commands and different services.

"They also talked about setting up a hotline on border issues between adjacent military commands. They also talked about how to better play the role of defence and security consultations mechanism and the meeting mechanism between the working delegations of the defence ministries," Wu said replying to a question on how China views the outcome of Wei's visit to India.

The discussions between the two sides include a direct phone line between the two defence ministries and regional military units, Wu said.

On the delay over the establishments of a direct hotline between the two military headquarters, he said that the two sides are in talks about the specifics.

"In the next phase the two sides will keep contacting and coordinating with each other regarding the specifics," Wu said.

So far both the militaries have not been able to operationalise efforts to establish a hotline facility between their military headquarters due to procedural issues, officials said.

Stressing on the importance of good relations between the two countries, Wu said China and India are very important countries in Asia and have important responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and stability.
IMAGE: Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy meets Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Friday. Photograph: ANI

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and urged him to take early decision on cabinet expansion of the coalition government.

The chief minister also said that the Janata Dal-Secular-Congress coalition government is secure under the leadership of senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

In a brief meeting with the Gandhi at his residence, Kumaraswamy also apprised him about the 100 day performance of the coalition government.

In the meeting, I have requested the Congress president to take early decision on expansion of the cabinet and appointment of corporation Boards chairman, Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting.

At present, the cabinet comprises 16 Congress and 10 JD-S members, including chief minister and deputy chief minister, and as per rule four more can be added, one from the JD-S and three from the Congress.

Kumaraswamys discussions with Gandhi also comes on the eve of the JD(S)-Congress Coordination Committee meeting scheduled for Friday to iron out differences in the alliance that has arisen after Siddaramaiah's remarks about becoming the state chief minister.

Asked about the remarks, he said: He (Siddaramaiah) is a leader. If he expresses desire to become CM, what's wrong in that.

The coalition government is secure under the leadership of Siddarmaiah. Siddaramaiah is necessary for the coalition government to run safety, Kumaraswamy said.

Already, Siddarmaiah has given clarification that he would become the chief minister if people desire in the next election, the CM said.

Despande (senior Congress leader) too may have desire to become chief minister. There is no no need to interpret and understand it in a different way, he added.

R V Despande is a revenue minister in the coalition government in Karnataka.

Asserting that the coalition government was successful in completing 100 days in the state, the chief minister said: "People in the state have various expectations. My first goal is to fulfil their expectations in the coming days."

The 100 days of honeymoon period is over and the government will start implementing the blue print in the coming days, he added.

The chief minister further said that the government was successful in taking officers into confidence. They have to work considering the wave length of the coalition government, he added.

Already, the government has announced farm loan waiver and given certain directions to officials to implement the budget proposals, he stressed.

Kumaraswamy is also scheduled to meet the President Ramnath Kovind and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to submit proposal seeking relief to flood hit Kodagu in the state.
Rashtriya Janata Dal president and fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad surrendered on Thursday before two special Central Bureau of Investigation courts on expiry of his provisional bail for treatment of various ailments, after which he was taken to the Birsa Munda Jail and then to a hospital for checkup.

IMAGE: RJD leader Lalu Prasad arrives to surrender at the CBI court in connection with multi-crore fodder scam case in Ranchi. Photograph: PTI Photo

Prasad, who reached from Ranchi from Patna on Wednesday, had been directed by Jharkhand high court to surrender before the CBI courts by Thursday.

After his surrender before Judge S S Prasad in connection with fraudulent withdrawals from Chaibasa Treasury, Prasad's advocate Prabhat Kumar said his client had been suffering from various ailments.

The judge directed doctors of the Birsa Munda Jail, where he had been lodged following his conviction in December last year, to consult doctors who were treating Prasad.

The judge said Prasad can also be treated by Dr Umesh Prasad at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science.

As the provisional bail was applied for three fodder scam cases, Prasad also surrendered before the court of M P Mishra in connection with the Deoghar and Dumka treasury cases.

Prasad has been convicted in four fodder scam cases, the first being on September 30, 2013.

After his surrender before S S Prasads court, the former Bihar chief minister was taken to Birsa Munda Jail as per the procedure and then taken to RIMS here for a check up after being referred to it.

The Jharkhand high court had on August 24 refused to extend the provisional bail after Prasads counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi prayed for an extension for three months for treatment and medical care for anal abscess, kidney stone and enlarged prostate glands.

CBI counsel Rajiv Sinha had objected to the extension of provisional bail, saying he had already availed about 12 weeks for his treatment and required medicare was available at the RIMS as well.

After being sent to jail in December last year following his conviction in fodder scam cases, Prasad had spent a considerable time at RIMS Hospital and at the AIIMS in New Delhi for treatment of his various ailments.

He was also treated at the Mumbai hospital for three weeks and was discharged on August 25.

He had been released on six weeks provisional bail on May 11 by Jharkhand high court for medical treatment, but was restrained from taking part in any public function, political activity or issuing statements to the media during the period.
On Wednesday, August 29, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley challenged Rahul Gandhi on accusations the Congress president and his party have made about the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft for 7.85 billion euros after an agreement between then French president Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi in April 2015.

Jaitley posed 15 questions to Rahul Gandhi.

Ajai Shukla places Jaitley's questions and the Opposition's charges placed alongside each of them.

On delay

Jaitley's question 1. The United Progressive Alliance suffered from decision-making paralysis. Wasn't the decade-long delay in the Rafale purchase due to UPA's incompetence and indecisiveness? Opposition's charge There was no 'decade-long delay.' From 2004 to 2007, the Indian Air Force framed the fighter's requirements; from 2007 to 2011, the IAF conducted flight tests and only in 2011 did the IAF select the Rafale and Eurofighter. In 2012, the Rafale was found cheaper and price negotiations began with Dassault. The role of the government began only in 2012.

Jaitley's question 2. Did the UPA's delay compromise national security, given the IAF's urgent need for fighters? Opposition's charge If the UPA's delay had compromised national security, why did the NDA wait for more than one year before buying the Rafale in 2015? In fact, security was compromised by reducing the number of Rafales from 126 (in the UPA tender) to just 36, and doing away with the 'Make in India' component.

Jaitley's question 3. Was the UPA's failure to buy the Rafale motivated by 'collateral considerations' like in Bofors? Opposition's charge The UPA did not buy the Rafale, so there is no question of bribes. If there are questions of 'collateral considerations', they relate to Anil Ambani, and how he mysteriously replaced Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in the deal.

On facts

Jaitley's question 4. How has Rahul Gandhi given contradictory figures for cost of the Rafale: Variously Rs 700 crore, Rs 520 crore, Rs 540 crore and Rs 526 crore. Opposition's charge Why is the government refusing to release the real figures, both of Dassault's 2007 bid and the cost of the current contract. The defence minister had vowed to release the figures, but then backed off, citing a secrecy agreement with France, which does not even apply to commercial aspects.

Jaitley's question 5. Is the Congress aware of the Rafale price that Dassault quoted in 2007 in its winning (L-1) bid? An escalation clause in that bid would have raised the price until the last fighter was delivered. Has forex variation been considered? Opposition's charge The Rafale price in Dassault's 2007 was hinted at by then defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who said in April 2015 that 126 Rafales would cost about Rs 90,000 crore. That comes to Rs 715 crore per aircraft. Why is the government refusing to release the real figures?

Jaitley's question 6. Is the Congress aware that, comparing basic aircraft price, along with the escalation clause, the NDA has signed the deal at a price 9 per cent cheaper than what the UPA would have paid? Opposition's charge In the absence of official figures from the government, the deal price of Euro 7.8 billion for 36 fighters indicates a far higher cost than what the government claims  a multiple of more than three times higher.

Jaitley's question 7. Can Rahul Gandhi deny that, adding on India-specific adaptations and weaponry,would have made the 2007 L-1 price at least 20 per cent higher than what the NDA negotiated in 2016? Opposition's charge The India-specific enhancements are a fiction, meant to hide the full cost of the Rafale. The Joint Statement issued in Paris by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francoise Hollande in April 2015 mentions that 36 fighters would be in the same configuration as the 126 fighter tender of 2007.

Jaitley's question 8. Can Rahul Gandhi deny that the total contract cost of 2016, with add-ons, future supplies and maintenance, is more favourable than the 2007 L1 offer? Opposition's charge The cost agreed to by the government in 2016 is far higher than the 2007 bid. In that respect, it contradicts the Paris Joint Statement of April 2015, which pledged a contract at a more favourable price. Role of private industry

Jaitley's question 9. Can Rahul Gandhi deny that the Government of India has no contract relating to the Rafale with any private industry? Opposition's charge All 36 Rafales will be supplied fully built "and there is no manufacturing of these 36 aircrafts in India." In abandoning the "Make in India" component of the 126-fighter tender of 2007, where 108 fighters were to be built by HAL, the NDA government has surrendered a great opportunity to build up India's aerospace industry. These fighters should have been built in India.

Jaitley's question 10. Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) under the UPA's own offset policy can select their own Indian offset partners and the Indian government has no say in this. Opposition's charge The Offset Guidelines give the defence minister the responsibility to approve all offset contracts. Besides, it is no coincidence that Dassault has abandoned HAL and chosen Anil Ambani, who is known to be close to the BJP.

On procedure

Jaitley's question 11. Is Rahul Gandhi aware that there are two ways of acquiring defence equipment -- either competitive bidding or through an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA)? Opposition's charge There is a laid down procedure for approving an IGA. This was not followed at the time Modi announced in Paris in April 2015 that he had asked France to supply 36 Rafale fighters.

Jaitley's question 12. Can Rahul Gandhi deny that the UPA itself had in 2007 shortlisted the Rafale as technically- acceptable and L1 in price competition? Opposition's charge The Opposition has no quarrel with the selection of the Rafale. It was a mistake to bring down the numbers from 126 to just 36 fighters, leaving the IAF short of numbers.

Jaitley's question 13. Can Rahul Gandhi deny that the urgency of defence requirement caused New Delhi and Paris to 'execute the supply of 36 Rafale aircraft at terms better than the 2007 offer of the UPA?' Opposition's charge The contract for 36 Rafales was concluded on highly unfavourable terms and at a far higher cost than the 2007 offer.





Jaitley's question 14. Can it be denied that both the Price Negotiation Committee and the Contract Negotiation Committee negotiated for 14 months before concluding the deal? Opposition's charge The cost that was agreed upon was unfavourable to India.






The National Investigation Agency on Thursday arrested Syed Shakeel Yousuf, son of globally wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, in connection with a 2011 terror funding case for allegedly receiving money from his father.

An NIA spokesman said in Delhi that Shakeel, at present working as a laboratory assistant at a prestigious government hospital, was picked up from Rambagh locality of Srinagar and placed under arrest.

The spokesman said, "In an operation on Thursday morning, NIA team along with the police and CRPF arrested Shakeel in a terror funding case".

He is the second son of Salahuddin who has been arrested by the NIA in connection with the case.

Earlier in June this year, his another son, Shahid, who was working in the agricultural department of the Jammu and Kashmir government, was arrested in the same case.

The NIA alleged Shakeel used to receive funds through a US-based international wire transfer company from Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, another accused in the case who is absconding and based in Saudi Arabia

The agency alleged Shakeel was "one of several Indian contacts of Bhat" who had been in telephonic contact with him for receiving money transfer codes

The case, registered by the NIA in April 2011, relates to transfer of money from Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir through hawala channels via Delhi, which the agency believed was used in funding terrorism and secessionist activities

The NIA has so far filed two charge sheets against six people including G M Bhat, a close aide of pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Siddiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga.

All four are in judicial custody.

Two others -- Mohammed Maqbool Pandit and Bhat -- were also charge sheeted by the NIA but are absconding. An Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued against them

Shakeel's father Mohammed Yusuf Shah -- better known as Syed Salahuddin -- was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Department of State.

Besides heading terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, he is the chairman of the United Jehad Council (UJC), a conglomerate of terrorist outfits operating in the Kashmir Valley.

The NIA had also registered two others cases related to terror funding -- one in November 2011 and the other in May this year.

The agency had filed a charge sheet against 10 people including Syed Salahuddin in the April 2011 case.

In the recent case, the NIA arrested 10 people including some close relatives and aides of Geelani.
Basil George led an amazing rescue mission making it possible for a helicopter to land and rescue people in the Kerala floods.

In an admirable community effort, he and his team swam through strong currents, broken walls and floating snakes to help friends and strangers.

Rediff.com's Archana Masih on how a single man inspired a community on a most difficult day.

IMAGE: An Indian Air Force helicopter piloted by Squadron Leader Sneha Kulkarni lands on the make-shift helipad built by locals under Basil George's guidance. Photographs: Kind courtesy Rahulraj

A retired assistant air traffic controller from the Indian Air Force, Basil George's training in the IAF came handy in the greatest hour of need.

When waters were head high near his home in Neduvannur, Kerala, he led a team of local volunteers to set up a helipad near a temple to rescue those who needed urgent medical attention.

People were stranded on rooftops for three days. George, who served in the IAF for 18 years, identified a flat surface on a higher ground and along with locals, prepared the helipad in two-and-a-half hours.

"The only obstruction was a coconut tree which was cut within minutes. Somebody managed to find chuna (lime) to make white markings. I knew what the landing requirements were -- so we cleared the approach path by removing cattle and vegetation," says George, who was deployed at the Kargil helipad for 46 days during the Kargil War, and now works in the Kerala State Industrial Enterprises as a fire-cum-safety officer.

With one of his phones washed away and the other dead, he was able to establish contact with rescue workers after someone offered an inverter to charge his mobile battery.

In the early hours of August 18, through the help of Jania Mathew who was helping in coordinating rescue work, he was able to contact a doctor in the rescue mission. The doctor, in turn, connected him to a colonel in the Indian Army who assured him that an air force pilot on a rescue sortie would contact him.

"I told the pilots the exact location of the helipad and what arrangements we had done. Finally Squadron Leader Sneha Kulkarni and Flight Lieutenant Deepak were able to make a landing and rescue 7 people," recalls George.

WATCH: Squadron Leader Sneha Kulkarni lands the helicopter on the helipad. She and Flight Lieutenant Deepak made another sortie to deliver food and medicines. Video: Kind courtesy, Rahulraj

"The locals were very ingenuous. They even sent smoke signals and had cleared the area in a way that enabled us to make a safe landing," remembers Squadron Leader Sneha Kulkarni, whose unit based in Sulur, Coimbatore, deployed 16 pilots, 6 engineers and 30 ground crew.

The pilots made another sortie later in the afternoon to deliver medicines and food.

One of the rescued was a patient needing dialysis; another, a pregnant lady. The lady delivered a healthy baby.

"Seeing the helicopter gave confidence to the people. It was God's plan and I was only a tool," says George over the phone, where he is busy cleaning his home and the surrounding area, simultaneously assessing the loss and damage.

"Material loss can be recovered but life is priority -- we swam through the flood waters without injury and snake bites which is a blessing."

"Together, we, the people, did it," emphasises George

Uncomfortable about taking credit himself, George repeatedly asserts it was a community effort.

"We need to train youngsters about disaster management -- about flood rescue, setting up camps, maintaining hygiene etc. It is an important factor in national building," he adds.

IMAGE: Locals make a raft out of banana trees to carry food and water and also to provide support from the strong water current.

Two days before setting up the helipad, Basil George and his family had spent the night of August 15 on the terrace of their home. They were evacuated by locals to a camp near the temple.

At the camp there was talk of 75 people stranded in a mosque for two days. Two floors of the mosque were under water.

George took charge and asked for volunteers. Twenty five men came forward and he led them into the rescue effort.

A bamboo raft was made to carry water and food.

Ropes were tied between poles and trees to provide support in the strong current as they made their way to the mosque.

They had to be careful not to get sucked into submerged wells.

They had to avoid collapsed walls, glass chards, thorny bushes and snakes.

When a lorry laden with bananas was discovered, some dove in to bring out the fruit which was put on the raft and distributed to stranded people.

While swimming through a tapioca patch, they pulled out the roots and carried it to the mosque.

En route, they distributed water and food to people.

The group also bound floating branches together into a small raft and left drinking water on it for those in need.

IMAGE: Basil George's own home was submerged. He led the rescue from a relief camp and is currently busy cleaning up his home and surrounding area.

"We started swimming towards the mosque at 8.30 and reached at 2. Out of the 25, only 9 of us could make it. It was too difficult for the rest in the dangerous and raging water," says George.

An old woman was rescued in a large cooking vessel used for preparing biryani.

It was evening by the time they made their way back to the camp. "I had swum through the day. On reaching back, I discovered my body all over was bitten by insects," he says.

Seven years after he left the air force after serving the country in places as diverse as Agra, Leh, Kashmir including an overseas posting in Bhutan, Basil George led the way in serving his community during its worst natural crisis.

But he thinks of himself as no hero.

"As citizens of this country, everyone is serving the country," he says. "There is no age, community, caste, region, religion. We all came together for each other."
Sudan: UN's planned cuts to Darfur mission risk rights protection

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 18 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Sudan: UN's planned cuts to Darfur mission risk rights protection, 18 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de1aa.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 18, 2018 2:50PM EDT

Security Council Should Preserve Monitoring, Reporting Across Region

(New York)  The United Nations Security Council should ensure that its peacekeeping mission in Sudan's Darfur region continues to conduct human rights monitoring and public reporting in all of Darfur. The mandate of the joint African Union-United Nations mission in Darfur (UNAMID) is due for renewal by the end of June 2018.

The Security Council is expected to approve drastic cuts in the mission, including closing 14 UNAMID team sites and a plan for withdrawal in two years. The African Union Peace and Security Council has already approved the plan. The plan under discussion would limit the mission's area of operation to 13 sites around Jebel Marra, the mountainous area where government forces have repeatedly attacked civilians while engaging in operations against rebel groups.

"The UN's proposed cuts would effectively end the peacekeeping mission's core human rights and protection role in most of Darfur, which would be a mistake" said Mausi Segun, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The Security Council needs to ensure that UNAMID will continue monitoring and reporting publicly on abuses throughout Darfur or it will share responsibility for pushing Darfur off the world's agenda."

A special report on June 1 by the chairperson of the African Union Commission and the UN secretary-general outlines the plan to downsize the peacekeeping mission. Outside the new operational area, the mission would primarily support other UN agencies in development and humanitarian activities. The UNAMID peacekeepers would no longer carry out regular patrols across the region, which humanitarian agencies have often relied on for security.

The report acknowledges the reconfiguration "would no longer allow UNAMID to continue the monitoring, verification and reporting of protection of civilians' issues outside the greater Jebel Marra area," and that the other UN agencies have "limited scope to monitor, raise, and address protection concerns."

On June 12, the African Union Peace and Security Council expressed concerns about the proposed reduction in the mission's area of operation. It said that thedrawdown should be guided by the situation on the ground so as not to "create a security vacuum and expose civilian populations." It also said that the mission should continue to cover "the whole geographic Darfur," since it is mandated to protect civilians from imminent threat across the region.

The review process, which began in 2014 amid Sudan's insistence that the UN needed an exit plan, led to significant cuts to the mission in 2017, with the closure of 11 team sites and the addition of a presence in Golo in Jebel Marra. Human Rights Watch warned at the time that the downsizing reflected a "false narrative about Darfur's war ending" and that any reductions should leave flexibility for the mission to respond to evolving threats and to strengthen the mission's human rights monitoring and reporting capacities.

Sudan has obstructed the work of the UNAMID human rights staff by delaying visas, denying access and preventing staff recruitment. Instead of accepting these limits, the Security Council should bolster the section's work and make its responsibility to report on violations across the region more explicit. Even if their physical access is limited by the drawdown, UNAMID human rights officers could still do remote research, which the mission could report publicly, Human Rights Watch said.

While the African Union Commission's special report recommends that the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights should open an office in Sudan, the office has had little success in negotiating permission to work in the country. The Sudanese government's long practice of intransigence and obstruction leaves little hope that the office would be able to fill the vacuum left by UNAMID, Human Rights Watch said.

The Darfur conflict, which began in 2003, has been marked by large-scale government air and ground attacks on civilians, destruction and burning of civilian property, and mass displacement. More than 2.7 million Darfuris remain displaced, with 1.6 million living in over 60 camps, and hundreds of thousands in refugee camps in Chad.

In 2005, the UN Security Council referred Darfur to the International Criminal Court in resolution 1593. The International Criminal Court brought charges against President Omar al-Bashir and four other officials on charges including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Sudan has refused to cooperate in the investigation and no suspects are in custody, but the Security Council has taken no meaningful steps to insist on cooperation with the investigation. The prosecutor will make her 27th report to the UN Security Council on her office's work in Darfur on June 20 as part of her twice-yearly briefings to the council.

There was less fighting in Darfur in 2017 following the Sudanese government's ceasefire declarations prior to the US lifting of its economic sanctions against Sudan. However, while government aerial bombing of villages in Darfur declined, government security forces, including the notoriously abusive Rapid Support Forces, continued ground attacks on civilians in violation of international humanitarian law.

During fighting in Jebel Marra between March and April 2018, government forces attacked and burned dozens of villages, killing an unknown number of civilians and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes, UNAMID reported. The African Center for Justice and Peace Studies documented at least 23 civilian deaths from government attacks. In addition, longstanding patterns of rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, sexual violence, and discrimination on the basis of gender, as well as a culture of impunity, persist across Darfur, Human Rights Watch said.

In February, the UN special representative of the secretary-general on sexual violence in conflict raised concerns about continued reports of sexual violenceespecially against displaced women and girls, and the deep-seated culture of denial in Sudan around sexual violence. In April, following a visit to Sudan, the UN independent expert on human rights in Sudan reported that government security forces were committing sexual violence against women and girls, and that North Darfur authorities were holding 117 detainees without charge under emergency laws.

"Everything we know about Darfur indicates a pressing need for human rights monitors to continue their work, especially where the mission will no longer have team sites and peacekeepers," Segun said. "The Security Council shouldn't adopt this shortsighted proposal, but instead should keep a spotlight on Darfur."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Russian journalist facing criminal charges for posting court transcript

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 19 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Russian journalist facing criminal charges for posting court transcript, 19 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de1ca.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 19, 2018 12:01AM EDT

Authorities Say Posting is 'Incitement to Terrorism'

By Vladislav Lobanov, Research Assistant

Russian journalist Viktor Korb.  2017 Evgeniya Lifantyeva

In the early hours of May 18, a team of police and security officials raided the apartment of Viktor Korb, a journalist from Omsk. One of the agents shoved a search warrant in Korb's face and the team conducted a 10-hour search, turning his home upside down. They seized all electronic devices, documents, and archives belonging to Korb and his family. This was how Korb learned that on May 16, the Omsk Investigative Committee had opened a criminal case against him. Two and half weeks later, he found out the charges: incitement to terrorism, justification of terrorism, or terrorist propaganda.

The charges stem from an excerpt of a court transcript posted on April 21, 2015 on Korb's web-site, Patriofil, which he has been running and moderating for eight years. It's a fragment of the closing speech made by a controversial Russian blogger, Boris Stomakhin, at his trial in April 2015. The court found Stomakhin guilty of justifying terrorism and sentenced him to five years in prison for his publication about the December 2013 Volgograd bombings. Stomakhin, who ran his own publication, titled Radical Politics, had two prior criminal extremism convictions, from 2006 and 2014, also connected to his writing.

Stomakhin's closing speech indeed contains odious, offensive views. The transcript posted on Patriofil is based on a publicly available YouTube video of Stomakhin's court speech. Nowhere in the publication does Korb express support of what Stomakhin said in his speech.

This is not the first time the authorities have gone after Korb. In 2015, they fined him for "disseminating extremist materials" after he posted on Patriofil a cover of Radical Politics. In 2014, a hosting provider unexpectedly shut down Patriofil without warning or notification. After Korb moved his site to another hosting platform, the site has been functioning with no problems.

Korb told me that at no point in the past three years did the authorities issue him any warning about the posting of Stomakhin's closing speech, or any other activities.

Now, Korb faces similar criminal charges as Stomakhin, and up to seven years in jail. On May 20, police detained Korb at the airport as he was about to leave Omsk for Moscow. Officials kept him in custody until the plane departed without him. Korb said that when the police released him they "politely but firmly" told him he was not allowed to leave Omsk due to an ongoing criminal investigation.

Human Rights Watch has documented a number of cases of Russian authorities bringing groundless charges for online speech, including for reposting alleged "extremist" information. Now there is one more. The charges against Korb should be dropped.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Gambia: Fully probe anti-mining protesters' deaths

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 20 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Gambia: Fully probe anti-mining protesters' deaths, 20 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de1ea.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 20, 2018 12:01AM EDT

Inquiry, Officers' Arrests Positive First Steps

The Gambian authorities should thoroughly investigate the alleged excessive use of force by police causing the deaths of two anti-sand mining demonstrators on June 18, 2018, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said today. The Gambian government should accelerate the reforms needed to ensure that government security forces have the supervision, training, and equipment needed to police demonstrations in accordance with international human rights standards.

Witnesses said that police fired live ammunition at demonstrators in the village of Faraba Banta, killing local residents Bakary Kujabi and Ismaila Bah, and wounding at least six others. President Adama Barrow issued a news release the same day stating that he had opened an investigation and that all mining in the area had been suspended. The government also said that five police officers involved in the shooting were in police custody and will be suspended while investigations are conducted.

"The alleged excessive use of lethal force by the security forces has conjured up painful memories from Gambia's recent past," said Sabrina Mahtani, West Africa researcher at Amnesty International. "The government's promise to investigate is a positive move. Gambians should be able to hold demonstrations safe from disproportionate and excessive use of force by the security forces."

Members of Gambia's Police Intervention Unit (PIU), a police paramilitary force, clashed with residents of Faraba Banta, 50 kilometers south of the capital, Banjul, after local residents blocked mining-related traffic.

A journalist who observed the protest told Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, "As soon as [police reinforcements] came out of the vehicle they started firing live bullets. They did not issue a warning or alarm." Another journalist in the village, Pa Bojang, said that police officers detained him for six hours, slapped him, and confiscated his voice recorder.

Witnesses told Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International that protesters threw stones and burned vehicles, injuring more than a dozen police officers. Gambia's police chief, Landing Kinteh, said in a June 18 media statement that police leadership, "did not authorize the use of firearms" by police in responding to the protests.

Several protesters arrested on June 18, including those injured, remain in police custody, and face possible charges for destruction of property. Injured detainees should receive medical attention and a court should promptly review the necessity of their continued detention. Those responsible for destroying property or committing other offenses should be prosecuted in accordance with international fair trial standards.

A May 26 protest in Faraba Banta against sand mining, which provides sand for concrete for construction, had also led to clashes between local residents and police, with officers firing teargas and rubber bullets to disperse at times violent demonstrators. Faraba Banta residents say that sand mining will damage the rice fields they rely on for food and income. The Police Intervention Unit had maintained a presence in the village following the May 26 clashes.

The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials state that the intentional lethal use of firearms by security forces "may only be made when strictly unavoidable in order to protect life." Furthermore, "[i]n the dispersal of violent assemblies, law enforcement officials may use firearms only when less dangerous means are not practicable and only to the minimum extent necessary."

The Guidelines on Policing Assemblies in Africa, adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, state that, "firearms must never be used to disperse an assembly" and that intentional use of lethal force is prohibited "unless it is strictly unavoidable to protect life." Where force is used, law enforcement officials must ensure that medical assistance is rendered to any injured person.

"Gambia's Police Intervention Unit has a history of using excessive force against demonstrators, and escaped censure during former President Jammeh's abusive rule," said Jim Wormington, West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The Gambian government needs to show that it can conduct credible investigations and appropriately discipline or prosecute those responsible for abuses."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Indonesia: New counterterrorism law imperils rights

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 20 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Indonesia: New counterterrorism law imperils rights, 20 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de20a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 20, 2018 7:45PM EDT

Revise Act to Uphold Protections While Meeting Security Concerns

(New York)  The Indonesian government should seek to amend provisions in the newly enacted counterterrorism law ("CT Law") that threaten human rights protections, Human Rights Watch said in a letter sent on June 11, 2018, to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and other officials.

After suicide bombings by attackers aligned with the Islamic State in the city of Surabaya in May, Indonesia's parliament on May 25 approved long-pending revisions to the CT Law. While the new law contains some improvements, it risks undermining human rights and could weaken efforts to counter extremist threats.

"The Indonesian government's counterterrorism measures should not come at the expense of fundamental rights," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "The new counterterrorism law has provisions that will facilitate rights violations by authorities and ultimately undermine public safety."

The new law relies on an overbroad and ambiguous definition of terrorism. The definition could be used to target peaceful political activities of indigenous groups, environmental advocates, and religious or political organizations.

The CT Law also allows for prolonged pre-charge and pre-trial detention that increases the likelihood of torture and other ill-treatment in custody. It extends the period that police can detain terrorism suspects without charge from three days in the 2003 law to a maximum of 21 days. And it permits prosecutors to unilaterally extend pre-trial detention for terrorism suspects from 180 days to 240 days.

The law empowers authorities to "open, examine, and confiscate mail and packages by post or other means of delivery . . . and intercept any conversation by telephone or other means of communication" suspected of being used for planning or committing terrorist acts. These provisions could be used to authorize massive, disproportionate surveillance that violates privacy rights.

The new law also expands counterterrorism enforcement activities to the Indonesian armed forces. While the deployment of armed forces in response to domestic security threats may be justified in certain cases, extended military deployment in a civilian policing context carries serious risks, in part because military personnel typically do not receive law enforcement training. In addition, the Indonesian military justice system has an egregious track record investigating and prosecuting human rights violations by military personnel.

"The Indonesian government should recognize that violating human rights in the name of counterterrorism merely benefits armed extremists over the long term," Adams said. "The government should act to revise the counterterrorism law so that it meets international standards."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Letter on Indonesia's new counterterrorism law

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 20 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Letter on Indonesia's new counterterrorism law, 20 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de22a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 20, 2018 7:45PM EDT

To President Joko Widodo and Speaker Bambang Soesatyo

Your Excellencies,

I am writing on behalf of Human Rights Watch to express our concerns regarding the amended Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism Law (the "CT Law") that the Indonesian parliament passed on May 25, 2018, which amends the 2003 law. The amended law was enacted following the horrific Surabaya suicide bombings on May 13-14, 2018.

We wish to express our condolences to the victims of those attacks and their family members. We recognize that those incidents underscore that the Indonesian government has a responsibility to keep those under its jurisdiction safe, and that the new statute includes some improvements from the previous law. However, certain aspects of the new CT Law risk undermining key human rights protections and ultimately weaken efforts to counter armed threats from extremists.

Human Rights Watch is particularly concerned about the following elements of the CT Law:

1. Overbroad Definition of Terrorism

The new CT Law relies on an overbroad and ambiguous definition of terrorism. Article 1(2) defines terrorism as any act that uses "violence or threat of violence to create a widespread atmosphere of terror or fear, resulting in mass casualties and/or causing destruction or damage to vital strategic objects, the environment, public facilities, or an international facility." Article 1(4) defines "the threat of violence" as including any "speech, writing, picture, symbol or physical, with or without the use of electronic or non-electronic form which may incite fear in a person."

While there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism, the definition in the new CT Law goes far beyond the definition endorsed by the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, which defines terrorism as "an act committed with the intent to kill, cause serious bodily injury, or take hostages with the aim of intimidating or terrorizing a population or compelling a government or international organization."

Human Rights Watch's research has shown that prosecutors in dozens of countries have used similarly broad counterterrorism laws to prosecute acts of political dissent that result in property damage, such as demonstrations. In Indonesia, we are concerned that the broad definition of terrorism could be used to target peaceful political activities of indigenous groups, environmental advocates, and religious or political organizations.

We urge you to do the following to avoid human rights violations linked to overbroad definitions of terrorism under the CT law:

Ensure that the CT Law's implementing regulations provide a much narrower and specific definition of terrorism and terrorist activities that mitigate the dangerously ambiguous definition in the law.

Ensure that police and prosecutors apply the law in a way that does not infringe on protected rights and freedoms by only prosecuting acts that qualify as "genuinely of a terrorist nature," as set out by the UN special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism.

2. Lengthy Pre-Charge and Pre-Trial Detention Periods

Article 28 of the CT Law extends the period that police can detain terrorism suspects without charge from three days in the 2003 law to a maximum of 21 days. That compares to a 24-hour period that police can detain suspects for non-terrorism-related crimes.

Article 25 of the CT Law permits the prosecutor to extend pre-trial detention for terrorism suspects from a maximum of 180 days under the 2003 law to 240 days, or up to 290 days with approval of the chief magistrate of the district court.

Prolonged detention without charge, particularly when coupled with restrictions on detainees' ability to challenge that detention in court, creates conditions conducive to torture and other ill-treatment that will go unnoticed by the courts and unsanctioned by law. The insertion in article 28(3) that the arrests and detention of the suspect during the pre-charge phase will be done in accordance with the "principles of human rights" is welcome, but will do little in guaranteeing the rights of suspects.

Prolonged pre-charge detention, particularly when not authorized by a judge, may also violate the right to liberty under international law. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is party, states that anyone arrested or detained for a criminal offense "shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power." Furthermore, anyone deprived of their liberty by arrest or detention has the right to "take proceedings before a court, in order that that court may decide without delay on the lawfulness of his detention and order his release if the detention is not lawful."

The UN Human Rights Committee, an international expert body that monitors state compliance with the ICCPR, has explicitly interpreted this provision to apply to "all persons deprived of their liberty by arrest or detention," including persons held in pre-charge detention. The committee has increasingly interpreted prompt appearance before a judge to be within 48 hours.

We urge you to take the following step to address these lengthy pre-charge and pre-trial detention periods:

Urge parliament to promptly amend the CT Law so that all those taken into custody are brought before a judge within 48 hours to be formally charged and able to contest the basis for their detention.

3. Anonymous Witnesses in Terrorism Prosecutions

Article 34A of the CT Law states that "witnesses, experts, and rapporteurs" in terrorism prosecutions will be provided protection including "confidentiality of identity." While the authorities may take measures to protect witnesses, international law requires that prosecutors allow suspects to adequately defend themselves, including by calling and examining witnesses.

We urge you to seek amendments to article 34A that would:

Ensure that any measures taken to protect the security of witnesses do not infringe upon the right of defendants to have a proper opportunity to question and challenge witnesses against them at some stage of the proceedings.

Ensure that any concealment of witnesses' identities is limited to cases where the measure is shown to be necessary and justified by serious and objective reasons.

4. Overbroad Surveillance Powers

Article 31 of the CT Law allows Indonesian authorities to "open, examine, and confiscate mail and packages by post or other means of delivery . . . and intercept any conversation by telephone or other means of communication suspected of being used to prepare, plan, and commit a Criminal Act of Terrorism." These provisions could potentially be used to authorize massive, disproportionate surveillance that violates privacy rights.

To prevent possible massive, disproportionate surveillance, we urge you to:

Ensure that all surveillance powers are fully set out in clear, publicly accessible laws. Those laws should include safeguards for ensuring the surveillance is strictly necessary and proportionate, and should specify, for example, the nature and scope of the surveillance, the standards and procedures for surveillance requests and approvals, the circumstances under which a government agency may share surveillance data with others, how and for how long the surveillance data will be stored, at what point individuals will be notified that they were monitored, and a system of effective remedies for any abuses. Vaguely worded, potentially broad provisions are not sufficient.

Ensure that this law cannot serve as a basis for mass surveillance. Surveillance should be limited to what is strictly necessary for achieving a legitimate aim, such as preventing or investigating serious crimes. Any interceptions should be as targeted as possible and should use the least intrusive means available.

Ensure that the monitoring is proportionate. The government should reconsider the yearlong duration of these orders and impose much more limited periods of surveillance; a year of surveillance may capture very large amounts of data and be extremely revealing of sensitive aspects of personal life.

5. Deployment of Indonesian Armed Forces in Counterterrorism Operations

Article 43 of the CT Law specifies that the Indonesian Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI) may be deployed in "combating acts of terrorism." The passage of the new law coincides with the establishment of the military Joint Special Operations Command (Koopsusgab), which involves the army special forces, the marine corps, and the air force's special corps.

The deployment of armed forces in response to domestic security threats may be justified in certain cases. However, extended military deployment in a civilian policing context is undesirable and carries serious risks.

Military personnel are trained and traditionally deployed to neutralize an enemy force through lethal force during times of armed conflict in which the international laws of war apply. Their training typically does not significantly involve law enforcement operations. Policing operations, in contrast, are bound by international human rights law, which restricts use of force to the minimal amount necessary to keep order, and to use lethal force only when there is an imminent threat to human life.

In addition, accountability for abuses by the military in Indonesia remain the sole jurisdiction of Indonesia's military courts. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly expressed concerns that the Indonesian military justice system lacks transparency, independence, and impartiality, and has failed to properly investigate and prosecute alleged serious human rights abuses by military personnel.

The CT Law specifies that the details regarding the involvement of the military in counterterrorism operations will be stipulated in a Presidential Regulation. We urge you to take the following steps to prevent and appropriately respond to abuses by the military during counterterrorism operations:

Ensure the Presidential Regulation restricts participation of military forces in counterterrorism operations where involvement of the military is strictly necessary and proportionate. It should include specific provisions that limit the scope, levels, and duration of the military deployment.

Ensure that military troops deployed in counterterrorism operations have appropriate training in law enforcement and abide by the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which apply to all security forces outside of armed conflict situations.

Coordinate with parliament to establish a body within the Indonesian House of Representatives tasked to monitor the application of the CT Law in line with respect for international human rights standards, and to monitor military actions as well as those of the police in accordance with international human rights law.

Ensure the House of Representatives monitoring team can investigate any alleged abuses committed by military forces.

Seek legislation that would allow for the prosecution of military personnel who commit serious human rights violations in the civilian courts.

6. Expanded Application of the Death Penalty

The 2003 CT Law permitted imposition of the death penalty against "anyone who commits violence or threatens violence that takes 'massive casualties' or destroying strategically vital objects, using chemical or biological weapons, transferring illegally any firearms or explosives into Indonesia to be used for 'terrorism acts' and for any person who masterminds those actions." The amended CT Law also allows the death penalty for anyone "who intentionally incites others to commit a criminal act of terrorism."

International human rights law discourages the use of the death penalty and mandates that it only be applied to the most serious crimes, such as those resulting in death or serious bodily harm. The new CT Law would allow the death penalty to be carried out for crimes that did not reach this level of grievousness.

In 2008, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled "Moratorium on the use of the death penalty," which 104 states voted in favor of. Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as cruel and inhuman punishment, one that is plagued with arbitrariness, prejudice, and error wherever it is applied.

We urge you to take the following steps to address the human rights implications of the expanded application of the death penalty:

Impose a general moratorium on the death penalty until such time that capital punishment can be banned in Indonesia.

Encourage parliament to remove the death penalty from the 2018 CT Law.

7. Problematic Aspects of Measures to Protect Victims of Terrorism

Articles 35 and 36 of the new CT Law provide expanded measures to protect and assist victims of criminal acts of terrorism, including through the provision of medical, psychosocial, and psychological rehabilitation; restitution to the family in the event of death; and compensation. The law also formalizes the involvement of Indonesia's Witness and Victim Protection Agency (Lembaga Perlindungan Saksi dan Korban, LPSK)  an independent body established in 2006 that has been providing financial compensation and rehabilitation programs to victims of crimes.

Support for victims of terrorism is included as a key component of the 2006 UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. It is evoked in section I, which encourages national systems of assistance, and section IV, which urges governments to promote and protect the rights of victims. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime report on good practices emphasizes that "the enactment of legislation on the rights of victims contributes to empowering victims of terrorism and is in itself an effective message against violent extremism and terrorism," and creates goodwill among the general population.

8. Ensuring Preventive Measures Do Not Violate Human Rights

The new CT Law stipulates that the government should adopt measures to prevent "criminal acts of terrorism," and appoints Indonesia's National Counter-Terrorism Agency as the lead agency in such efforts.

The law also provides for the establishment of a national terrorism alert system, counter-radicalization projects for individuals and groups vulnerable to radicalization, and a deradicalization program for prisoners accused of "criminal acts of terrorism."

The details of such measures are left for future government regulations.

Coordinated national efforts to stem extremist attacks need to comport with international human rights standards. They should not infringe on the rights of individuals to freedom of religion, belief, opinion, or expression that is nonviolent. Participation in so-called deradicalization programs may only be required as part of a sentence upon conviction for a recognizable criminal offense.

We urge you to ensure that international human rights standards are upheld in drafting relevant implementing regulations on preventing criminal acts of terrorism, and that you:

Consult with nongovernmental organizations who represent members of affected groups to minimize possible discriminatory regulations.

Seek to ensure that the regulations do not exacerbate existing grievances and thus increase the likelihood of violent extremism.

We would be happy to meet with you as well as officials involved in these issues to discuss these matters further.

Sincerely,

Brad Adams

Asia Director

Human Rights Watch

CC:

Dr. Hatta Ali, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Dr. Anwar Usman, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court

Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Commander of the National Armed Forces

Gen. Tito Karnavian, Chief of the National Police

Muhammad Prasetyo, Attorney General

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Will Australia provide justice for Afghanistan war crimes?

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 20 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Will Australia provide justice for Afghanistan war crimes?, 20 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de26a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 20, 2018 12:14PM EDT

Need to Protect Witnesses as Probe Uncovers Special Forces' Assault, Murder

By Patricia Gossman, Senior Researcher, Afghanistan

A soldier searches a house in a village in Baluchi pass in Uruzgan province, November 1, 2007.  2007 Reuters

The accounts are both shocking and horribly familiar.

Soldiers acting as if they were above the law assault and murder civilians in a barbaric competition to outdo each other. New recruits compelled to prove themselves by killing. The victims are not enemies in battle but the elderly, men with disabilities, a farmer on his way to buy flour  essentially anyone who can't fight back.

The accused? Members of Australia's elite special forces, the Special Air Services (SAS).

The SAS are under investigation in Australia in a case that may be involve the "most serious and high-profile allegations" the force has faced. According to a Fairfax Media report, such crimes became a routine part of SAS operations in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province between 2006 and 2013. One soldier shot dead an elderly unarmed man in an initiation ritual. Another kicked a handcuffed Afghan civilian off a cliff and then executed him. Other soldiers removed a man's prosthetic leg and took it back to Perth to use as a souvenir drinking vessel.

These and other alleged SAS crimes committed in Afghanistan are under investigation by New South Wales Judge Paul Brereton. Those familiar with the charges describe a culture of competitive violence and a "complete lack of accountability" within the elite force. Witnesses in the investigation, including SAS soldiers who have agreed to testify, have received threats warning them of retaliation if they do.

Australia's SAS join the ranks of other ostensibly elite forces whose crimes are emblematic of the worst aspects of the international coalition's involvement in Afghanistan. In 2015 the US reopened a criminal inquiry into the alleged torture and murder of 17 civilians by an army Special Forces unit between 2012 and 2013  no information has been released since the inquiry began. Since early 2016, the UK authorities investigated allegations that British Air Services troops murdered at least 53 civilians between 2009 and 2011, snatching some from their beds, handcuffing and hooding them before shooting them dead. The inquiry into these allegations was shut down.

Australia needs to do better, most importantly by ensuring the protection of witnesses who come forward and by prosecuting those threatening retaliation against them. Only by transparently investigating the alleged war crimes and prosecuting those responsible can Australia bring some measure of justice to the victims and end impunity in the SAS.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
If Trump won't act on Egypt's repression, Congress needs to keep up the pressure

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 21 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, If Trump won't act on Egypt's repression, Congress needs to keep up the pressure, 21 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de28a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 21, 2018 9:00AM EDT

Egyptian Authorities Arrest US Citizen, Government Critics

By Elisa Epstein, Advocacy Coordinator

U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi walk the colonnade at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 3, 2017.  2017 Reuters

The arrest in Egypt of American-Egyptian dual citizen Amir Nagy, who founded an academy for children's development in Nasr City, should be a wake-up call to the Trump administration on the questionable effectiveness of its quiet, behind-the-scenes advocacy on human rights in Egypt.

Authorities held Nagy incommunicado for two days before charging him with belonging to a banned political group, said Aya Hijazi, the founder of Belady Foundation, created to help Egypt's street children, and a former political prisoner herself.

Even good news in Egypt, such as President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's May pardon of over 300 prisoners  including Ahmed Etiwy, a US citizen rounded up in a 2013 protest  is coupled with repression. That same month, al-Sisi's security agencies arrested activists Wael Abbas, Hazem Abd al-Azim, and Amal Fathy on charges that seem to be solely based on their social media posts and peaceful activism.

US President Donald Trump has made clear he is not interested in publicly discussing human rights with al-Sisi, favoring instead a quiet diplomatic approach. Publicly, Trump has called al-Sisi a "fantastic guy" and read-outs from their early phone calls and al-Sisi's visit to Washington in April 2017 focused on rebuilding the partnership and security and trade concerns. Yet behind the scenes, Trump urged al-Sisi to release Egyptian-American Aya Hijazi from prison and cautioned al-Sisi against signing a draconian law that would criminalize the work of many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

True, the Egyptian government did release Hijazi. But the NGO bill was signed into law, in breach of al-Sisi's assurances to Trump.

For now, the bill remains frozen. That coincides with a US State Department decision, citing the NGO law, to withhold some of Egypt's aid pending progress on democracy and human rights.

However, since the aid reduction, the Trump administration has issued little public response to Egypt's worsening situation. This crackdown, aimed at silencing Egypt's critical voices, begs a more proactive approach from the US, especially when Egyptian Americans are caught up in the process.

Private diplomacy can work, but smart politicians know when to change their strategy. It's time for the Trump administration to reassess its Egypt policy. If they won't take the initiative, it's up to Congress to step up to the plate. A prime time to do that is during this morning's debate over the Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations Bill, when the Senate Appropriations Committee decides which programs around the world  and in Egypt  to fund.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Iraq: Change approach to foreign women, children in ISIS-linked trials

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 21 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Iraq: Change approach to foreign women, children in ISIS-linked trials, 21 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de2a4.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 21, 2018 12:01AM EDT

Rushed Proceedings, Lack of Due Process, Disproportionate Sentences

(Beirut)  Iraq's judiciary should change its approach to dealing with detained foreign women and children who are accused of affiliation with the Islamic State (also known as ISIS), Human Rights Watch said today. Since January, Iraq has proceeded with rushed trials against foreigners on charges of illegal entry and membership in or assistance to ISIS without sufficiently taking into account the individual circumstances of each case or guaranteeing suspects a fair trial.

Most foreign women are being sentenced to death or life in prison. The Iraqi justice system is also prosecuting foreign children, ages 9 and up, on similar charges, and sentencing them in some cases with up to five years in prison for ISIS membership and up to 15 years for participating in violent acts.

"Iraq's 'one size fits all' approach to women who traveled to live under ISIS or to children whose parents brought them along is producing unjust outcomes in many instances," said Nadim Houry, Terrorism/Counterterrorism director at Human Rights Watch. "Iraqi justice should take into account their individual circumstances and actions and give priority to prosecuting the most serious crimes while exploring alternatives for lesser ones."

Human Rights Watch attended the trials of seven foreign women and three foreign children. Human Rights Watch also spoke with relatives of detainees and some of the lawyers representing them, and reviewed media reports of trials of at least 72 foreign women. The prosecuted women are from a number of countries, including, Turkey, Russia, France, Germany, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Most of the foreign women and children held in Iraq belong to a group of more than 1,300 foreigners detained by Iraqi forces last August during the battle for the ISIS stronghold of Tal Afar in the northwest of Iraq. A security source told AFP news agency that the group was composed of 509 women and 813 children, though the overall number of foreign women and children in detention is believed to be higher based on information from sources close to the penitentiary system in Baghdad.

In September, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi stated in an interview that most of the women and children were not guilty of a crime, and that his government was "in full communication" with their home countries to "find a way to hand them over." But Iraq appears to have changed its approach and starting in January 2018, proceeded to prosecute women and children ages 9 and up. Meanwhile, the women and children are detained in overcrowded conditions.

A relative of one woman held with her 2-year-old child for months in an airless leaking cell near Mosul with about 25 other women said: "The food they were getting was barely enough to keep them alive. Many were sick but no doctor ever came to see them. One of [her fellow] inmates gave birth right in the cell."

Despite several requests from Human Rights Watch, Iraq has not issued any statistics about how many trials of foreigners it has conducted.

In accordance with Iraqi law, suspects have access to a defense lawyer and a translator is provided, though in many instances the translator was without any qualification and was chosen from people in attendance. However, opportunities for a meaningful and substantive defense were lacking in the cases reviewed by Human Rights Watch. Lawyers told Human Rights watch that they rarely have access to their clients before the hearings and in the cases monitored, judges were quickly dismissive of the defendants' arguments, including their claims that they had simply followed their husbands or had been coerced to and had not supported or officially joined ISIS.

Human Rights Watch is not in a position to assess the veracity of these claims and recognizes that some women may have contributed to abuses perpetrated by ISIS. However, judges should ensure that the defendants and their representatives are able to prepare and present all evidence in their defense, including the individual circumstances through which they ended up in Iraq and examine what their contribution was  if any  to ISIS abuses.

The lack of opportunities for a substantive defense, the broad nature of the charges, and the speed with which the trials are conducted, indicate that these trials fall short of fair trial standards. In addition, disproportionately lengthy prison terms may violate the prohibition on cruel and inhuman punishment. Assuming imprisonment is warranted in a particular case, the question of proportionality turns then on the length of the sentence. Prison sentences should take into account the seriousness of the offense and the culpability of the offender.

Membership in an illegal group, especially one responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, could warrant severe sentences, but in the cases monitored by Human Rights Watch Iraqi authorities did not seem to sufficiently examine what drove a particular person to travel to ISIS territory or the actual role  if any  of these women in the organization. In this context, sentencing women to 20 years in prison or the death penalty merely because they traveled to live under ISIS, married an ISIS fighter, or received a monthly stipend from ISIS for the death of their husband risks violating the principle of proportionality. Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all cases.

Some of the foreign children prosecuted may have been responsible for acts of violence while simultaneously being victims of ISIS themselves. International juvenile justice standards call on national authorities to make efforts to seek alternatives to prosecution, and to prioritize rehabilitative measures with the aim of reintegration of children into society. Authorities should incarcerate children only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period. In 2007, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child found holding children criminally responsible below the age of 12 "not to be internationally acceptable."

Particularly troubling is Iraq's approach to children who are only accused of membership in a group like ISIS and not of any specific violent act. In 2016, the UN secretary-general criticized countries that respond to violent extremism by administratively detaining and prosecuting children for their alleged association with such groups. His special representative for children and armed conflict has also stated that child soldiers should not be prosecuted "simply for association with an armed group or for having participated in hostilities."

The Iraqi authorities should prioritize prosecuting those responsible for the most serious crimes while seeking alternatives to prosecution for those who may have traveled to join or live under ISIS under constraint or who personally harmed no one in Iraq, Human Rights Watch said. Alternatives might include reparation, community service or participation in national truth-telling processes. In dealing with children, the authorities should focus on rehabilitation rather than punitive measures.

Iraq is responsible for ensuring the safety and basic rights of women and children in its custody. But their home countries' and other foreign embassies should encourage Iraqi authorities to ensure that all defendants, including the countries' own nationals, have a fair trial with due process rights and are not sentenced to death.

Iraq should develop a national strategy that prioritizes the credible prosecution of those responsible for the most serious crimes and the international community should support programs to provide alternatives to detention and prosecution, including rehabilitation and reintegration programs for children suspected of ISIS affiliation.

Iraq should prosecute child suspects only as a measure of last resort and with the purpose of any sentence being to rehabilitate and reintegrate the child into society. Those brought by their parents to Iraq should not be prosecuted for illegal entry if they had no choice in the matter. The authorities should also drop prosecutions for children for mere affiliation with ISIS if they did not commit any other crime themselves.

Sentences should be proportionate to the crimes committed. The broad prosecution under terrorism charges of all those affiliated with ISIS in any way, no matter how minimal, could lead to unfair results and ultimately dilute responsibility for the horrible crimes committed by ISIS.

"Under Iraq's current approach, those who killed for ISIS are basically getting the same sentence as those who simply married ISIS members and had children," Houry said. "Such an approach does not advance justice nor does it advance victims' rights. Iraq should change tack."

Prosecution of Foreign Women

Iraqi criminal proceedings involve a two-stage process. An investigative judge conducts an investigative hearing and then refers the case to trial before a three-judge panel. In the cases monitored by Human Rights Watch of those charged in connection with ISIS crimes, victims of ISIS did not attend trials and played no role in the proceedings.

The trials before the panels that Human Rights Watch attended lasted less than 10 minutes, with the presiding judge asking the defendant the same set of questions about when and how they entered Iraq, where their husband is, if they believe in ISIS ideology, and if they received any money from the extremist group.

Sentences are issued on the same day as the trial. Almost all cases reviewed ended with a life sentence, which in Iraq amounts to 20 years in jail, or the death penalty. Human Rights Watch has not been able to confirm if Iraq has carried out any of the death sentences issued against foreign women.

As required by Iraqi law, the women are represented by a lawyer, who is usually appointed by the court. However, lawyers told Human Rights Watch that they rarely have access to their clients before the hearings. Some said they did not have access to the evidence against them. In all trials that Human Rights Watch attended, the role of the lawyer was marginal and in no case did the lawyer's arguments or evidence appear to have an impact on the outcome.

The presence of translators is required under Iraqi law if the defendants do not speak Arabic, but the qualifications of the translators varies greatly. Some consulates provide translators when their nationals are being tried. But in other cases, translators are ad hoc. In one trial of a woman from Trinidad and Tobago for which Human Rights Watch received information, the court relied on the translation of a journalist in attendance. In another, the court relied on a local Iraqi man who knew Persian and who happened to be in the courthouse that day on other business. When no translator is available, proceedings are postponed and women are sent back to jail.

In none of the cases Human Rights Watch reviewed or attended did the judge ask the women about specific violent actions or their participation in supporting abuses or violations by ISIS. In all the cases, judges were quickly dismissive of the women's claims that they had simply followed their husbands, or had been coerced and had not supported or officially joined ISIS. However, in some cases, such claims appear to have swayed the court to impose a life sentence as opposed to the death penalty.

Many relatives of detainees told Human Rights Watch that their relatives had simply followed their husbands, or in some cases were compelled to do so. A Russian woman whose sister is on trial in Iraq said:

My sister's only fault is that she fell in love when she was just 19. A young silly girl. She didn't know a thing. She left home, married the man she was in love with, and then, he took her to Syria. He told her that he knew better [than her] and that as his wife, she had to follow him wherever he went. When she first called me she was crying, she wanted out  but she was helpless, she had no documents, nothing. I wanted to come and get her. I tried. But by that time, the border was no longer open.

Human Rights Watch is not in a position to assess the veracity of these claims. However, judges should ensure that the defendants are able to present such evidence at trial. Iraqi authorities have told Human Rights Watch that they do not have the capacity to carry out such investigations but judicial requests for cooperation to these women's home countries could assist in overcoming logistical challenges.

Prosecution of Foreign Children

In Iraq, children can be held criminally responsible for their actions from the age of 9. Children accused of affiliation with ISIS are tried before the same criminal court reviewing terrorism cases for adults. However, according to a local lawyer, their cases are heard in a chamber within this court that specializes in juvenile justice.

A lawyer who has represented many foreign children accused of terrorism in Iraq summarized the situation:

For children between the ages of 9 and 13, the courts are more lenient, though you can still be prosecuted for illegal entry and in some cases, for membership in ISIS. If you are just prosecuted for illegal entry, your sentence is usually between six months and one year. For membership, you get three to five years. If you are accused of participating in a violent act, like planting a bomb, then you can get between five and 15 years.

He said that Iraq has conducted about 400-500 trials of children accused of affiliation with ISIS, including dozens of cases of foreign children, who are also being charged with illegal entry into the country. Human Rights Watch attended the trials of two children from Azerbaijan, ages 13 and 14. Both were sentenced to six months in jail for entering the country illegally even though they were respectively 10 and 11 when their parents brought them to Iraq and said they had no choice in the matter. The 13-year-old had not seen his mother in five months.

Older children are subject to harsher sentences. An Iraqi court sentenced a 16-year-old German national whose case garnered much media attention, to six years in jail  five years for ISIS membership and one year for entering Iraq illegally.

Detention Conditions

Foreign children under age 3 are usually kept in jail with their mothers in often overcrowded cells. Those between 3 and 9 are usually separated from their detained mothers and put in foster institutions run by the Iraqi state. Those between 9 and 18 are held in juvenile detention facilities, a lawyer following the cases told Human Rights Watch. Foreign orphans are kept in local orphanages. Some foreign children have been transferred to their home countries while many others are still waiting to be transferred.

While Human Rights Watch has not been able to visit detention facilities, it received multiple reports about overcrowded conditions at the prisons where the foreign women and children have been held since they surrendered to Iraq forces in August 2017.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Philippine school kids may face mandatory drug tests

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 22 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Philippine school kids may face mandatory drug tests, 22 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de2c6.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 22, 2018 1:30PM EDT

Failing Drug Screening Could Have Deadly Consequences

By Phelim Kine, Deputy Director, Asia Division

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's murderous "war on drugs" may soon place thousands of primary school children in harm's way.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) announced on Friday that it is seeking the authority from the Dangerous Drugs Board to impose annual surprise drug screening tests on teachers and school children starting from the fourth grade. PDEA has justified the move as an attempt to identify 10-year-old potential drug users so they "can get intervention while they are still young."

But this proposal, the latest dangerous outgrowth of Duterte's anti-drug campaign which has already claimed the lives of dozens of children, will place school children at grave risk. It marks a drastic extension of mandatory drug testing already in place for all college students and applicants, and will effectively allow the police to extend their "anti-drug" operations to primary school classrooms. Imposing mandatory drug testing on schoolchildren when Philippine police are committing rampant summary killings of alleged drug users puts countless children in danger for failing a drug test.

The PDEA said that drug test results will be confidential and the Dangerous Drugs Board announced it will negotiate guidelines for the mandatory testing program "to ensure rights of students are protected and their safety is guaranteed." But the government's repeated dismissal of the deaths of dozens of children in "drug war" killings by police and unidentified gunmen as "collateral damage" suggests that children's safety won't be a top priority.

The mandatory testing of children for drug use raises other human rights concerns as well. Taking a child's bodily fluids, whether blood or urine, without their consent may violate the right to bodily integrity and constitute arbitrary interference with their privacy and dignity. Depending on how such testing occurs, it could also constitute degrading treatment, and may deter children from attending school or college for reasons unrelated to any potential drug use, depriving them of their right to an education.

The government should provide children with accurate information about the potential risks of drug use, not put them in the crosshairs of a summary killing campaign that has already claimed the lives of more than 12,000 Filipinos.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Iraq: Displaced families blocked from returning

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 24 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Iraq: Displaced families blocked from returning, 24 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de304.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 24, 2018 1:00AM EDT

No Security, Military Reason for Arbitrary Restrictions

(Baghdad)  Iraqi army soldiers at two checkpoints in Anbar governorate have arbitrarily prevented a group of displaced families from returning home in what appears to be an act of collective punishment, Human Rights Watch said today.

The families were taken to camps for displaced people in Anbar after being blocked from returning in late February 2018 and again in early June. The families were displaced by fighting against the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) in 2014 and now want to return. The area has been under the control of the Iraqi government since February 2015. The families are from the Sa'ada tribe, whose members have been accused of affiliating with ISIS, Anbar residents told Human Rights Watch.

"Baghdad authorities have rightly said many times that families from areas retaken from ISIS should be able to return to their homes if they want to," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "It is unacceptable for soldiers to arbitrarily block residents from going home, in direct contradiction to the central government's orders to facilitate safe and voluntary returns."

On May 2, 2018, Human Rights Watch interviewed three residents of al-Khalidiya Central Camp for displaced people who are originally from al-Baghdadi, a town in Anbar governorate 180 kilometers northwest of Baghdad. They said they fled al-Baghdadi in August 2014 after anti-ISIS forces began fighting ISIS fighters in the town with airstrikes and ground-fired munitions. Iraqi security forces retook the town in February 2015, and since then the town has remained relatively stable despite a few attacks in the area over the past months, but no one has returned. The two women and a man interviewed said they had applied through the camp managers for security clearance to return home in early 2018 as part of a group of 51 families from al-Baghdadi living in two camps in al-Khalidiya.

The camp managers said they obtained permission for their return from the camp's security forces and from both the Anbar Operations Command and the neighboring Jazeera Operations Command. At about 3 p.m. on a day in late February, 18 of the families boarded three government buses from Iraq's Transport Ministry planning to return home.

One woman, 43, said the buses reached the al-Akouba checkpoint at about 9 p.m. Soldiers from the army's 7th division stopped them and checked their identity cards. "After holding us there for an hour and a half, they said that we were not allowed to return to our homes and had to go back to the camp," she said. "They didn't give us any reason why."

A Sa'ada sheikh said that even though the families had clearance, forces of the Jazeera Operations Command, which controls the checkpoint, chose not to recognize the clearance. The sheikh said that on April 21, the commander of the Jazeera Operations Command assured him that the military had no problem with the families' returning home, but that the mayor of al-Baghdadi was pressuring him to get his forces to block the returns.

The sheikh said as he met with the commander, the mayor arrived and told the commander that the families could not return because they were ISIS supporters. Neither the mayor nor the commander made any reference to concerns around the security situation in al-Baghdadi, he said.

"If the government stops me from returning home, that means I am not an Iraqi anymore," said a second woman, who is 29. "Otherwise I would have a right to my home."

Three al-Baghdadi residents in al-Khalidiya Central Camp and the sheikh told Human Rights Watch that in early June, another group of at least nine al-Baghdadi families who had obtained the necessary security clearances boarded government buses again for al-Baghdadi. The people interviewed said they were in touch with the families during the journey and that they said that this time they were allowed to pass through al-Akouba checkpoint, but that they were stopped at a checkpoint run by the army's 9th division in al-Baghdadi and taken to another Anbar camp for the displaced. Once the families arrived, the people interviewed lost contact with them.

Human Rights Watch wrote to Haidar Ukaili, a representative of the Prime Minister's Advisory Council, on June 12, asking why the families from al-Baghdadi were prevented from returning home and what measures were being taken to allow their return. He stated in a reply email on June 14, that a group of 18 families were stopped from returning on April 27 "due to not having security permits" but that on June 3, 11 families were allowed to return to al-Baghdadi. Human Rights Watch has not been able to verify that 11 families were allowed to return and whether these families included those stopped by the 9th division in al-Baghdadi in early June.

Ukaili's email made clear that other than the 11 families who were reportedly allowed to return, other families had been blocked from returning either "due to not having security permits" or because, as his email said, "There is caution with the return of the rest of the families due to fears of retaliation as some of the family members belong to ISIS. Therefore, they were told to wait for the time being until the issue is resolved tribally."

In the cases Human Rights Watch documented, the people interviewed said that the families had the needed security permits, which appears to be supported by the fact that Ministry of Transport buses were sent to the displacement camp to return them home.

At the same time, Ukaili's email implies that al-Baghdadi families are being penalized collectively because some have relatives who were members of ISIS. It is not the first time Iraqi authorities have contended that families related to ISIS suspects cannot remain in their own communities for their own safety.

Since 2014, Human Rights Watch has reported on scores of incidents across Iraq in which local authorities prevented families from returning home. All of the reports have been linked to allegations that the families supported ISIS because their relatives or communities had been accused of ISIS membership. Displaced people have the right to voluntarily and safely return home once the reason for their displacement no longer exists.

It is a basic international standard that punishment for crimes should only be imposed on people responsible for the crimes, after a fair trial to determine individual guilt. Imposing collective punishments on families, villages, or entire communities is strictly forbidden and is a war crime. Members of aid groups monitoring returns in Anbar told Human Rights Watch that the situation with the al-Baghdadi families is just one of many similar incidents there. On May 27, they said, security forces and tribal leaders prevented more than 50 families from returning to their homes in various towns in west Anbar, and sent them into secondary displacement in camps. Lack of coordination on security clearances between the various operations commands allegedly played a critical role, they said.

The authorities should immediately facilitate the return of families who want to return to areas not affected by ongoing military operations, including from the camps, Human Rights Watch said. They should also allow families to choose to stay in camps with unrestricted movement into and out of the camp and unrestricted communications, or to allow them to relocate elsewhere.

Anbar's new Returns Committees, established in April along with equivalent committees in other governorates to facilitate a consultative and principled returns process, should advocate with local and Baghdad authorities on behalf of the al-Baghdadi families to facilitate their return.

Baghdad authorities should take transparent steps to sanction all officials, including from Iraq's military and security forces, who prevent people from returning home unlawfully or as a form of collective punishment, including considering criminal charges where appropriate.

"If the Iraqi government is serious when it insists that if there is no evidence that individuals have links to ISIS they are innocent under the law, it needs to demonstrate that any officials who break the law will be punished," Fakih said.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Kyrgyzstan: Activist faces extradition, risk of torture

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 24 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Kyrgyzstan: Activist faces extradition, risk of torture, 24 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de324.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 24, 2018 10:00PM EDT

Withdraw Order; Register Asylum Claim

A Kyrgyzstan court on June 25, 2018, is to resume consideration of a Kazakh activist's appeal against his extradition to Kazakhstan.

Kyrgyzstan's prosecutor general's office on May 21 granted Kazakhstan's extradition request for Murat Tungishbaev, the activist and critic of the Kazakh government. Tungishbaev would face a serious risk of torture and ill-treatment and of politically motivated prosecution in Kazakhstan.

"Kazakhstan has a long record of trying to silence people who have critical, dissenting views," said Mihra Rittmann, Europe and Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The Kyrgyz authorities should protect Murat Tungishbaev from being extradited or forced back to Kazakhstan, where he would face politically motivated charges, as well as risk of torture."

Tungishbaev, 40, co-founded the human rights group Liberty in 2011. The group has worked on freedom of assembly, anti-discrimination, and other human rights issues. Tungishbaev fled Kazakhstan in 2012, after security services summoned him for reporting on the oil workers' strike and an outbreak of violence in the town of Zhanaozen in 2011. For two years after he fled, Tungishbaev worked for the opposition online television channel 16/12.

Kyrgyzstan's Committee on National Security (GKNB) arrested him on May 10, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, at the behest of the Kazakh Prosecutor General's office. The Kazakh prosecutor has accused Tungishbaev of "financing the activities of a criminal group, as well as storage, distribution of property, development of financing channel" and "organizing or participating in an organization after a court decision to ban its activities [on grounds of] extremism . . . .'"

Kazakh authorities have accused Tungishbaev of financing and participating in the activities of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK), an unregistered opposition movement that a Kazakh court in March found "extremist" and banned.

Fearing a forced return, Tungishbaev filed an asylum application with Kyrgyz migration authorities on May 15. But officials at the temporary detention facility where Tungishbaev is being held have denied requests by the State Migration Service to meet and interview Tungishbaev, a prerequisite to processing his asylum claim.

On May 31, Tungishbaev and his lawyer, Nurbek Toktogunov, contested the extradition order.

Human Rights Watch sent a letter to Kyrgyzstan's prosecutor general on June 7 urging him to withdraw the extradition order, given the serious risk of torture and ill-treatment and of politically motivated persecution if Tungishbaev is extradited or otherwise forcibly returned to Kazakhstan.

Toktogunov argued in court on June 19 that Kyrgyzstan has an obligation to protect Tungishbaev from the risk of torture and cannot under international law extradite Tungishbaev to Kazakhstan.

Ill-treatment and torture in detention is common in Kazakhstan. In its Concluding Observations on Kazakhstan from December 2014, the United Nations Committee Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment noted that it is "particularly concerned about persistent allegations of torture and ill-treatment committed by law enforcement officials, including the threat of sexual abuse and rape, in temporary detention isolation facilities (IVSs) and remand centres (SIZOs) under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Security Committee for the purpose of extracting 'voluntary confessions' or information to be used as evidence in criminal proceedings."

On May 28, Kazakhstan's Coalition Against Torture, a group of 47 anti-torture human rights organizations and independent experts, issued a statement opposing Tungishbaev's extradition emphasizing that "degrading, inhuman, cruel treatment, as well as torture are widespread in the Republic of Kazakhstan" and that "annually, the Coalition registers more than 200 complaints of torture or other types of rights-violating treatment."

In Kazakh law, the definition of "extremism" is overly broad and is used to silence free speech, Human Rights Watch said. The Kazakh Criminal Code includes a range of non-violent behavior in its definition of "crimes of extremism," including the vague and overbroad offense of "inciting social, national, tribal, racial, class, or religious discord."

Since March, authorities in Kazakhstan have increased harassment of perceived supporters of Democratic Supporters of Kazakhstan. On May 10, the authorities rounded up dozens of people across Kazakhstan who appear to have rallied in response to call by the group. Dozens were fined or placed under administrative arrest for participating in the peaceful, but unsanctioned, protest.

Kyrgyzstan is a party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which it ratified in 1998. Kyrgyzstan is also bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Under both conventions, Kyrgyzstan is strictly prohibited from expelling or extraditing a person to a country where they face a risk of torture.

That would prohibit Kyrgyzstan from extraditing or forcibly returning Tungishbaev to Kazakhstan under any circumstances and regardless of the charges against him.

Kyrgyzstan is also a signatory to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and is under an obligation not "to expel or return ('refouler') a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion."

The GKNB should facilitate the State Migration Service's urgent access to Tungishbaev to begin processing his asylum claim, Human Rights Watch said. And until his asylum claim is reviewed in full, Kyrgyzstan should not extradite or expel Tungishbaev under any circumstances.

"It's highly worrying that the migration authorities have not been given access to Tungishbaev in detention," Rittmann said. "It is Tungishbaev's right to claim asylum given his fears of persecution, and Kyrgyzstan's obligation to register and give full consideration to his claim."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Erdogan wins Turkish presidency again

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 25 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Erdogan wins Turkish presidency again, 25 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de344.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 25, 2018 4:04PM EDT

Should Honor Campaign Pledge to Lift State of Emergency, Strengthen Rule of Law

By Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey Director

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured another election win, and this term will have even greater presidential powers than before. His June 24 win brings fully into force constitutional changes that introduce a presidential system of governance, eliminate the role of prime minister, and weaken parliamentary and judicial oversight.

Erdogan won the presidency with nearly 53 percent of the vote. His Justice and Development party won a reduced majority in separate parliamentary elections, making it reliant on its alliance with the far-right Nationalist Movement party.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe reported that the elections were free, as voters could choose from many parties, but not fair.

Government control or influence over Turkey's media meant that most television channels, loyal to the president and his party, devoted far more coverage to their campaigning and speeches than all opposition parties combined.

The past two years have seen a steep increase in courts jailing reporters, government critics, and political opponents, including elected members of parliament and human rights defenders. That control of Turkey's judiciary deepened when the president last year assumed a greater say in top judicial appointments.

Since the failed July 2016 military coup, Erdogan and his cabinet have kept the country under a state of emergency, giving them an enormous advantage over opponents. Ruling by decree they changed hundreds of laws overnight without parliamentary debate or scrutiny. Parliament's role was severely diminished even before the constitutional changes brought in following a referendum in April 2017. Some of the presidency's new powers are similar to those enjoyed under the state of emergency.

During the election, Erdogan pledged to lift the state of emergency. Doing so would be the right thing for the country. It would be an important first step to demonstrate to the 47 percent who voted for other presidential candidates that he intends to govern for the whole population and protect their rights.

Many more steps are also urgently needed. One such step should focus on restoring public confidence in the courts and mending Turkey's broken justice system. Bold measures to secure the release of journalists, human rights defenders, politicians, public officials, judges, prosecutors, and thousands of ordinary people wrongfully jailed would be a start.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Gambia: 2 Togolese among victims in migrant murder case

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 25 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Gambia: 2 Togolese among victims in migrant murder case, 25 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de363.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 25, 2018 7:55AM EDT

Victims Seek Justice for 2005 Killings Linked to Ex-President Jammeh

(Dakar)  Two Togolese have recently been discovered to be among about 50 West African migrants massacred in 2005 by a paramilitary unit controlled by former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International said today. The victims' families said that the Togolese government should support efforts in Ghana to investigate and prosecute the case.

In July 2005, the Togolese nationals, Yawovi Agbogbo and Kossi Odeyi, left Senegal on board a motorized canoe with several dozen Ghanaians as well as Nigerians, Senegalese, Ivorians, and one Gambian, with a view to reaching Europe. Three days later, Agbogbo called his family to say that they had been arrested in Gambia, but they never heard from him again.

"We believe Yawovi Agbogbo and Kossi Odeyi were among those murdered along with the Ghanaians by a death squad taking orders from former President Jammeh," said Reed Brody, counsel at Human Rights Watch. "We hope Togo's government will support efforts in Ghana to bring their killers to justice."

A report published on May 16, 2018 by Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International, revealed that the migrants were killed after being detained by Jammeh's closest associates in the army, the navy, and the police. Some victims were cut up with machetes and axes and others were shot. The groups based their report on interviews with 30 Gambian former security officials, including 11 officers directly involved in the incident.

Following the publication of the report, several families of the Ghanaian victims called for justice for their relatives.

Agbogbo's family, after hearing information on the report on Radio France Internationale, also came forward.

"In July 2005, Yawovi had told me he was going to leave for Europe in a boat," said Nestor Womeno, Yawovi Agbogbo's brother. "Three days after that conversation, he called me from Gambia to tell me they had been arrested and were in a police station."

Womeno has not heard from his brother since. He later found out he had been killed, but said he did not know the circumstances until the report was published.

Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International found that on July 22, 2005, the anniversary of Jammeh's taking power in the Gambia in 1994, the Gambian navy arrested the migrants and accused them of being mercenaries involved in a coup attempt.

Among the group of about 50 migrants, only Martin Kyere, a Ghanaian, is known to have survived. In February 2018, he told Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International that he managed to escape just before other migrants were apparently murdered: "I thought, 'We're going to die.' But as the truck went deeper into the forest, I was able to get my hands free. I jumped out from the pickup and started to run into the forest. The soldiers shot toward me but I was able to hide. I then heard shots from the pickup and the cry, in Twi [Ghanaian language], 'God save us!'"

Despite efforts by Ghana, whose nationals made up the greatest number of victims  about 40  as well as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations to investigate the case, no arrests were made while Jammeh was in power.

A joint ECOWAS and UN report, which was never made public, concluded that the Gambian government was not "directly or indirectly complicit" in the killings and forced disappearances but that "rogue elements" in the Gambian security services, "acting on their own," were responsible.

The evidence disclosed in Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International's investigations, however, shows that those responsible for these murders were not "rogue elements" but the "Junglers," a paramilitary unit operating under Jammeh's orders.

In Ghana, Kyere, the victims' families, and several human rights organizations have called on the government to investigate based on this new evidence and to ensure that Jammeh is extradited to Ghana for trial. In response, Ghana's information minister, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, announced on May 28 that the Justice and Foreign Affairs Ministries were considering the Ghanaian victims' request as well as the legal and diplomatic implications.

The two Togolese families added their voices to the appeal for prosecution of those responsible for these killings and said that Togo should support efforts for Ghana to investigate the crime.

"We are calling for justice for our brother and compensation to enable us to support his two orphans' education," said Anani Aduro, the brother of Kossi Odeyi.

"Togo, which lost two of its citizens in the massacre, has a real role to play in this case" said Benedict De Moerloose, head of criminal law and investigations for TRIAL International. "Togo will be able to support Ghana in uncovering the truth about these crimes. Togo will thus be able to participate in a justice effort of paramount importance."

Jammeh's 22-year rule in Gambia was marked by widespread abuses, including forced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and arbitrary detention. He sought exile in Equatorial Guinea in January 2017 after losing the December 2016 presidential election to Adama Barrow.

Following Jammeh's departure, Gambian and international human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International, opened the "Campaign to Bring Yahya Jammeh and his Accomplices to Justice" (#JammeTITLEJustice) in October 2017. The campaign calls for the prosecution of the former president and others who bear the greatest responsibility for his government's crimes, in compliance with international fair trial standards.

President Barrow has suggested that he would seek Jammeh's extradition from Equatorial Guinea if the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, which is expected to begin work in Gambia in the next few months, recommends prosecuting the former president. However, the government, as well as international activists and experts, believe that the political, institutional and security conditions do not yet exist in Gambia for a fair trial of Jammeh that would contribute to the stability of the country and the region.

President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea has been more reticent. After saying in January that he would "analyze [any extradition request] with [his] lawyers," a week later he said he wanted to protect Yahya Jammeh "to ensure that the other heads of state who have to leave power do not fear for subsequent harassment."

The UN Convention against Torture, which Equatorial Guinea has ratified, requires a country in whose territory a torture suspect is found to refer the case for investigation or extradite that person.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Turkmenistan: Report of inquiry to German cybersecurity firm

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 25 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Turkmenistan: Report of inquiry to German cybersecurity firm, 25 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de37a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 25, 2018 12:01AM EDT

Tech Company Should Disclose Business Dealings with Turkmen Government

A screen showing a portrait of Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov inside the terminal of the newly built airport in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, September 17, 2016.  2016 Reuters

(Berlin)  German technology companies should publicly disclose whether they are considering sales to the Turkmenistan government, Human Rights Watch said today. They should also reveal what steps they have taken to assess whether any technology sold is likely to be used by the government to block websites and carry out surveillance in violation of human rights.

In February 2018, Turkmen state media outlets reported that a senior vice president at Rohde and Schwarz, a major German technology firm, had met with Turkmenistan's President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. A person knowledgeable about the issue told Human Rights Watch that the government was seeking technology for monitoring and blocking mobile and satellite communications, which would also enable the government to block internet access.

"The Turkmen government controls all media, arbitrarily blocks access to information, and carries out surveillance on communications to identify and persecute critics," said Wenzel Michalski, Germany director at Human Rights Watch. "Rohde and Schwarz should publicly disclose whether it's considering selling technology to Turkmenistan, with its record of repressing rights, and how it is addressing the possibility its technology will be used to further rights violations."

Turkmenistan's government, one of the most repressive in the world, tightly controls access to the internet in the country, censors the media, and brutally represses all dissent, Human Rights Watch said.

In a March 2018 letter to Rohde and Schwarz, Human Rights Watch asked whether it was considering, or had already carried out, such technology sales to Turkmenistan. Rohde and Schwarz's response did not confirm or deny whether the company has sold or plans to sell to Turkmenistan, saying it "does not disclose information on its business and customers in security-relevant areas."

Companies have a responsibility to respect human rights, which means that they should undertake credible human rights due diligence to determine whether their activities could contribute to human rights abuses and take mitigating measures to ensure company actions do not facilitate or exacerbate human rights violations. In this case, when selling technology to any government, if due diligence indicates the government may use the company technology to persecute critics or facilitate violations of rights to freedom of expression or privacy for example, the company should not proceed with the sale.

Rohde and Schwarz declined to provide to Human Rights Watch any information about its due diligence practices that would ensure that the sale of its technologies is not used or misused by governments to aid in human rights violations. In a letter dated March 27, the company stated that the company has an "internal compliance process" that "covers all compliance-relevant areas of our business." But it did not provide any specific details about this process and how the company ensured that its sales did not further human rights violations.

The Turkmen government controls all print and electronic media, and foreign media outlets often cannot be accessed in Turkmenistan. Authorities have repeatedly targeted Radio Azatlyk, the Turkmen service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the only source of Turkmen-language alternative news available in the country, by blocking its website and broadcast, and persecuting people who work for the outlet as freelancers.

The government closely monitors electronic and telephone communications, and in several well-documented cases, the authorities have arrested activists very soon after they posted comments under aliases.

The government seeks to isolate Turkmen citizens from information and communications that are perceived as sensitive, even mildly critical of the government, or that expose government shortcomings, Human Rights Watch said. Internet access is severely limited, heavily state-controlled, deliberately slow, and very expensive.

The country's only internet service provider is state-operated, and many websites, including all foreign media and political opposition websites, are blocked, as are platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and Skype, as well as virtual private network providers. Since 2012, under the guise of urban beautification, the authorities have forced residents to dismantle their private satellite dishes.

The German government should ensure that no German companies play any part in the Turkmen government's use of surveillance to prevent and punish criticism of the authorities or use of technologies to unlawfully restrict access to information.

"The German government should start asking some questions about what companies like Rohde and Schwarz are doing to ensure they are playing no part in facilitating human rights violations in Turkmenistan, or elsewhere," Michalski said.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Why families flee Central America to the United States

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 25 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Why families flee Central America to the United States, 25 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de3a3.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 25, 2018 5:21PM EDT

Gangs Threaten Children, Parents

By Zama Neff, Executive Director, Children's Rights Division

A Honduran mother and her 3-year-old daughter wait with fellow asylum seekers on the Mexican side of the Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge after being denied entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers near Brownsville, Texas, U.S., June 24, 2018.  2018 Reuters

Maria* and Carlos* never wanted to leave Honduras with their three children, they told me. But then gangs began threatening Carlos and their 13-year-old son Eddy*. The family moved houses, but one evening masked men came to their little shop. "They pulled out a pistol," Carlos told me, and said, "'Open up or we'll kill you.'" After that, "They took everything. They only left the refrigerator and the freezer. And they said if you go to the police, it will be the end of you. You will have no family, nothing. You know who you're dealing with." The men gave them 24 hours to get out.

Maria and Carlos are among the dozens of Honduran and Salvadoran parents and children my colleague Mike Bochenek and I interviewed on the Mexico-Guatemala border in March. Their stories followed common themes: boys threatened to join gangs, girls facing rape by gang members, parents extorted and killed.

Some said they would stay in Mexico, but were terrified of gang members from their countries moving around there. Additionally, some knew Mexico's migrant system was more likely to lock them up than offer legal protection and, at best, would leave them without work and their children without school  for months or years. For many, the United States offered the best chance for safety.

When the couple finished their story, Carlos, who had a black rosary around his neck, was wiping his eyes. Maria shifted uncomfortably, her ankle, injured from a fall on the journey, elevated in a chair.

We turned to their daughter Lilian*, 7, who wore a pink ruffled dress and had spread a paperback of Christian bible stories across her knees. She read to us through two missing front teeth, her older brother leaning over her shoulder and helping with the long words.

I met this family three months ago. By now, they could have made the dangerous journey to the US border. If they did, I wonder if Eddy, Lilian, and their 3-year-old sister Ana are still with their parents. Are strange teenagers changing Ana's diaper? Were they faced with the impossible choice of being deported together to serious risk of danger or staying separated in an abusive detention system?

Will this little family be whole and safe again?

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Addressing torture in Uganda

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 26 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Addressing torture in Uganda, 26 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de3ba.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 26, 2018 12:01AM EDT

Five Actions Police Can Take

By Maria Burnett, Director, East Africa and the Horn

Riot police block a driveway on the outskirts of Uganda's capital Kampala, February 20, 2016.  2016 Human Rights Watch

Uganda's new police leadership has expressed a willingness to address police torture and mistreatment of suspects, a welcome commitment. Between 2012 and 2016, the Uganda Human Rights Commission received over 1,000 allegations of police-orchestrated torture, but the real numbers of those tortured in custody are likely much higher.

This, despite the fact that Uganda is party to the United Nations Torture Convention and one of only 10 African countries with anti-torture legislation. Sadly, there has been wide gap between the aspirations of those documents and implementing the obligation to end torture in Uganda.

On June 26, the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, we offer these five concrete actions senior police leadership should take to work to end police torture:

Publicly declare a zero-tolerance policy for torture and mistreatment of anyone in police custody. Send a circular to all police posts making clear that any officer responsible for torture or mistreatment will face both administrative and criminal sanctions, as appropriate to their personal liability. This could include a prison sentence and job loss. The circular should also be available to the general public.

Mandate senior police officials to encourage people to report allegations of torture or mistreatment by police. They should also proactively question those detained or imprisoned to ascertain if they faced mistreatment or torture during police custody and then document those allegations of abuse. Officers should investigate all allegations in collaboration with the directorate of public prosecution, ensuring charges are brought under the Torture Prohibition and Prevention Act, where appropriate.

Publicly and unequivocally disband all of Uganda's unregulated paramilitaries, including Kiboko Squad, the Boda Boda 2010, Crime Preventers, Kifeesi, and other such units created by the past administration.

Ensure police training makes clear the distinction between the role and function of police and of the military in enforcing law and order. Trainings should emphasize non-partisan policing and teach skills of crowd control and policing based on international standards on use of force and firearms. This means learning to use restraint in protests, how to de-escalate situations to protect the rights of protesters, how to apply nonviolent means before resorting to force, and to use lethal force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life.

Work with parliament to establish a new, genuinely independent police oversight body with the legal powers to initiate prosecutions in cases of police misconduct.

The promises of Uganda's police leadership to take on torture are good news. But without learning from the past and taking robust action to address abuses, police torture will continue unchecked.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Indonesian reporter dies in police custody

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 26 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Indonesian reporter dies in police custody, 26 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de3e3.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 26, 2018 5:20PM EDT

Circumstances of Muhammad Yusuf's Death Underscore Dangers Faced by Journalists

By Michelle Winowatan, Intern, Asia Division

Police officers sit outside a court in Jakarta, Indonesia May 9, 2017.  2017 Reuters

Indonesian journalist Muhammad Yusuf died in police custody earlier this month after being detained for more than five weeks on hate speech and criminal defamation charges.

The police arrested Yusuf in Indonesia's Kotabaru regency after writing articles critical of the owner of palm oil company PT Multi Saran Agro Mandiri and the company's alleged illegal land acquisitions. The stories allegedly violated Indonesia's Law on Information and Electronic Transactions, which punishes defamation disseminated via the internet with up to six years in prison.

The circumstances of Yusuf's arrest and subsequent death, which authorities have blamed on complications linked to "breathing difficulties and chest pain," have prompted the announcement of an investigation by Indonesia's National Commission for Human Rights.

The commission has good reasons to be suspicious. Members of Yusuf's family along with Sawit Watch  a nongovernmental organization that monitors palm oil company activities in Indonesia  are blaming his death on medical neglect by the police. Yusuf's wife, Arvaidah, said that the police ignored her pleas for Yusuf to receive medical care linked to stomach and cardiovascular illnesses and had rejected her requests for Yusuf's release on medical grounds. Surya Mifta, the chief detective at Kotabaru police department, said he rejected that request because he said Yusuf was "not being cooperative."

The circumstances of Yusuf's death underscore the dangers faced by Indonesian journalists. Human Rights Watch has documented the vulnerability of reporters in Indonesia to harassment, intimidation, threats, and assault by Indonesian police and military personnel. Although Indonesia's 1999 Press Law provides explicit protection for journalists, including up to two years in prison and fines of 500 million rupiah (US$44,000) for anyone who physically attacks a journalist, an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship has developed in many newsrooms due to abuses and threats by state security forces that go unpunished.

The Alliance of Independent Journalists, a nongovernmental media rights advocacy group, has reported that incidents of security forces or government officials assaulting journalists jumped to 66 in 2017 from 40 such cases in 2014.

Ensuring a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into Yusuf's death would go a long way toward demonstrating the Indonesian government's commitment to protecting the country's fragile media freedom.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Iran: People with disabilities face discrimination and abuse

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 26 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Iran: People with disabilities face discrimination and abuse, 26 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de3fa.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 26, 2018 11:45PM EDT

Ensure Equality, Accessibility in Services, and Community Life

(Brussels)  People with disabilities in Iran face discrimination, abuse, and an inaccessible environment, Human Rights Watch and the Center for Human Rights in Iran said in a joint report released today.

The 71-page report, "'I Am Equally Human': Discrimination and Lack of Accessibility for People with Disabilities in Iran," documents the everyday barriers people with disabilities meet when going to government offices, healthcare centers, and when using public transportation. People with disabilities also regularly face stigma and discrimination from government social workers, healthcare workers, and others. Many remain trapped in their homes, unable to live independently and participate in society on an equal basis with others. The Iranian authorities should immediately amend discriminatory laws and practices and create a clear plan for making public services and facilities accessible.

"People with disabilities in Iran are cut off from society because of discrimination and inaccessible public buildings and services," said Jane Buchanan, deputy disability rights director at Human Rights Watch. "The government should immediately issue statements at the highest level that discrimination against people with disabilities has no place in Iran and make a clear, time-bound plan for ensuring accessibility of transportation, social services, and health care."

Human Rights Watch and the Center for Human Rights in Iran conducted in-depth interviews with 58 women and men with various disabilities, as well as with disability rights advocates and specialists across Iran.

The World Health Organization and World Bank estimate that 15 percent of the world's population has some kind of disability. For Iran, with a population of over 80 million, this means approximately 12 million people have some kind of a disability. The government has not collected disaggregated data on the number of people with disabilities, including during the 2016 national census.

Human Rights Watch and the Center for Human Rights in Iran found serious problems in the work of Iran's State Welfare Organization, the main agency tasked with providing services to people with disabilities. People interviewed said that government social workers insulted and humiliated them and did not provide essential information about services and equipment. They said that the agency's services and equipment provided for assistance are often of low quality, do not address people's needs, and can only be obtained through lengthy and complex procedures.

Many of those interviewed said they had to depend on family members or close friends for help with basic needs, such as eating, getting dressed, or daily hygiene. The government has not allocated sufficient resources to develop a system of personal assistants, who can be key to the independence and equality of many people with disabilities.

Public transportation, roads, and buildings are frequently inaccessible. For example, some buses have ramps accessible for people who use wheelchairs or walkers, but bus drivers may not know how to open the ramps. In larger cities with metro systems, some stations have elevators, but they are often out of service. Some wheelchair users resort to using escalators, despite the dangers.

Hassan (not his real name), who uses a wheelchair in Tehran, said: "I try to avoid using escalators, but sometimes I have no other choice. With my heavy wheelchair . . . , getting on the escalator feels like a suicide [mission]. Once, I almost fell. Had I not been lucky, I could have sustained a deadly injury."

People with physical disabilities often cannot access medical clinics or hospitals because many do not have ramps or elevators. Blind people and those with low vision said that they do not go to healthcare facilities alone because buildings are not accessible, and staff do not provide them with the assistance they need. Deaf and hard of hearing people said that they cannot use healthcare services independently due to the lack of sign language interpreters.

Medical staff may give treatment to people with disabilities without their informed consent or fail to provide them full and accurate information about treatment and treatment options. For example, electroconvulsive therapy is often unnecessarily carried out without informed consent on people with psychosocial disabilities, mental health conditions, or conditions in which it is not likely to be helpful. The treatment is used in psychiatric hospitals in many countries to treat bipolar disorder and severe depression.

"The first time I had electroshock, a heart physician visited me the day before," said Jafar (not his real name), who has psychosocial disabilities. "Then, they took me for the shock, and it was only then that I learned what it was. I forgot many things after that. They did it every other day.

The government of Iran has taken some steps to ensure the rights of people with disabilities. A national agency has begun assessing the accessibility of public buildings. In March 2018, parliament adopted a new disability law that increases disability pensions and extends insurance coverage to disability-related healthcare services. The new law does not explicitly prohibit discrimination, however. Other laws and policies remain discriminatory and some include derogatory language, such as "mentally retarded," "crippled," and "insane."

The International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Iran ratified in 2009, prohibits discrimination and guarantees the right of people with disabilities to live independently and be included in the community on an equal basis with others. Governments must ensure that the physical environment and services provided to the public are accessible on an equal basis. To achieve this, Iran should prepare a time-bound plan with concrete steps for creating an accessible environment and specifying interim measures to reduce barriers while fulfilling the long-term policy, Human Rights Watch and the Center for Human Rights in Iran said.

"The government of Iran should make sure that the millions of voices of people with disabilities are properly heard and they are treated as active and equal members of society, not subjects of charity and pity," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Philippines: 'Anti-loitering' arrests target poor

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 26 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Philippines: 'Anti-loitering' arrests target poor, 26 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de41a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 26, 2018 6:00PM EDT

New Police Campaign Has Nabbed 8,000 Suspects, Many Detained in Overcrowded Jails

(Manila)  The Philippine National Police (PNP) should immediately end a "crime prevention" campaign that has disproportionately targeted "loiterers" in low-income areas of Manila and other cities, Human Rights Watch said today. Since June 13, 2018, police have arrested more than 8,000 people and detained many in detention facilities, already dangerously overcrowded due to mass surrenders of drug suspects linked to President Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs."

The great majority of those arrested are known as "tambays," shirtless men who congregate on city streets in poorer neighborhoods, often drinking alcohol in public. Typically, they are not brought before a judge, but detained for a period and then released, though sometimes criminal charges are brought. Police have focused the anti-loitering campaign in the same communities that have been the epicenter of "drug war" summary killings, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 people since mid-2016.

"The Philippine National Police are conducting a 'crime prevention' campaign that essentially jails low-income Filipinos for being in public," said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia director. "This campaign threatens to retraumatize residents of communities already terrorized by 'drug war' executions and is risking the detainees' health and safety."

President Duterte has sent vague messages about the campaign, increasing the likelihood of abuses. He ordered a "strict" crackdown against loiterers whom he also warned constituted "potential trouble for the public." Then on June 22, he said he never ordered the police to arrest so-called "loiterers." Two days later, the Metro Manila police chief, Guillermo Eleazar, said that police had mostly only "accosted" rather than arrested suspects in the anti-loitering campaign and that he had forbidden his personnel from using the term tambay in the campaign. But Eleazar said police would continue to enforce ordinances  a task normally relegated to neighborhood officials.

Several thousand suspects are detained in grossly overcrowded detention centers with poor and inhumane health and hygiene conditions. Overcrowding of Philippine jails has long made them hazardous to detainees' health because of inadequate food, ventilation, health care, and toilet facilities. As a result, pulmonary illnesses such as tuberculosis, skin infections, diarrhea, and sepsis run rampant among detainees.

Torture and other forms of ill-treatment are also common. A detention cell in a Quezon City police station designed to hold 40 people has been holding 135 suspects arrested in the "anti-loitering" campaign. On June 22, police initially attributed the death in detention of Genesis Argoncillo, a "loitering" suspect arrested for being shirtless in public, to "difficulty breathing." However, Argoncillo's death certificate indicated that his body bore signs of foul play including "multiple blunt force trauma" in his "neck, head, chest, and upper extremities."

There are indications that the police enforcement of the "anti-loitering" campaign is arbitrarily ensnaring Filipinos who are lawfully on the streets at night. Two call center agents complained that police arrested them on June 16 for "loitering" as they stood on a street corner outside a friend's house. The arresting officers have since been dismissed.

The campaign against "loiterers" is based on long-existing local ordinances prohibiting men from being shirtless and other offenses. It has provoked intensive public backlash by evoking memories of arbitrary police targeting of the urban poor during the 1972-1981 martial law period under the late President Ferdinand Marcos. The government has sought to counter that criticism by insisting that it is merely pursuing a legitimate crime-prevention campaign and that it will not affect citizens "who do nothing wrong."

"The Philippine National Police are again demonstrating their preference for wielding fear, intimidation, and arbitrary arrest to target vulnerable communities rather than respect for the rule of law," Kine said. "The Philippine government should protect the basic rights of all Filipinos rather than let the police demolish them on the pretext of a 'crime prevention' campaign."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Ukraine: Fatal attack on Roma settlement

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 26 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Ukraine: Fatal attack on Roma settlement, 26 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de43a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 26, 2018 12:01AM EDT

Stop Impunity for Hate Crimes

(Kyiv)  Ultranationalists attacked a Roma settlement near Lviv in western Ukraine on June 23, 2018, killing one person and injuring several, including one child.

According to media reports, this is the sixth attack on Roma settlements in Ukraine in the last two months  one other in Lviv, one in Ternopil also western Ukraine, and three in Kyiv.

"This attack should be a final wake-up call for Ukraine's police to take decisive action against hate crimes," said Tanya Cooper, Ukraine researcher at Human Rights Watch. "Radical groups have not been held accountable for their attacks on Roma people, which could not but have emboldened them to commit more attacks. Now someone is dead."

Ukraine's authorities have not responded adequately to the growing number of violent attacks and threats promoting hate and discrimination in Ukraine by members of violent radical groups.

A group of men in masks attacked the settlement, in the woods near Lviv, late in the evening of June 23. Media reports said that the attackers were armed with knives and killed a 24-year-old man, and seriously injured four more people  a 10-year old boy, two 19-year old men, and a 30-year old woman.

The suspects are reported to be members of a radical group called Sober and Angry Youth. Some members of this group have ties to the former volunteer battalion Azov, which fought in eastern Ukraine and is implicated in numerous allegations of unlawful detention, torture, and other abuses.

Police have arrested seven suspects, all Lviv residents. Authorities opened a criminal case into the murder, which carries a prison term of up to 15 years. According to an Interior Ministry spokesperson, the police were also investigating other violations, including offences under part 3 of article 161, which outlaws "violation of equality of citizens due to their racial and national identity or religious beliefs."

Sergiy Knyazev, the head of Ukraine's National Police, issued a statement condemning the attack and promising that those responsible would be held accountable. He also said that the National Police and the Interior Ministry were monitoring the investigation. He admitted that such attacks had become more frequent and called the attackers "immoral" and the attack "unjustifiable."

Since the beginning of 2018, human rights groups have documented at least two dozen violent attacks, threats, or instances of intimidation by radical groups such as C14, Right Sector, Traditsiya i Poryadok (Tradition and Order), Karpatska Sich and others against Roma people, LGBT people and activists and rights activists in several Ukrainian cities.

Law enforcement authorities have rarely opened investigations. In the cases in which they did, there is no indication that authorities took effective investigative measures to identify the attackers, even in cases in which the assailants publicly claimed responsibility on social media.

Media reports indicate that some municipal administrations have recruited people from groups that promote hatred and discrimination to conduct "policing activities" during peaceful protests.

On June 14, Human Rights Watch together with Freedom House, Amnesty International, and Front Line Defenders released an open letter addressed to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, and General Prosecutor Yuri Lutsenko. The groups condemned the growing number of hate crimes in Ukraine and the impunity for those responsible, calling on Ukraine's law-enforcement to take urgent steps to stop and punish those responsible for attacks.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church condemned the attack in a statement on its website and called on the authorities to investigate and hold those responsible accountable "so every person in Ukraine regardless of their national, ethnic, and religious identity could feel as a worthy and equal citizen of their country."

The US embassy in Kyiv and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe also condemned the attack and called for justice.

"The immediate action by Ukrainian police is reassuring, but more needs to be done to stop hate crimes and prevent more deaths," Cooper said. "Until Ukraine's law-enforcement starts holding these and other attackers accountable for their crimes, people in Ukraine will not feel protected by the state."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
UN expert spotlights LGBT poverty in Ghana

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 26 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, UN expert spotlights LGBT poverty in Ghana, 26 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de45a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 26, 2018 1:39PM EDT

LGBT People Routinely Discriminated Against in Job Market

By Wendy Isaack, Researcher, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program

Ghanaians who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) suffer widespread discrimination and abuse both in public and in family settings.

A UN expert on Friday urged Ghana's government to decriminalize adult consensual same-sex conduct to protect the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.

The expert, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Phillip Alston, also expressed concern about how stigma and discrimination against LGBT people undermines their ability to find meaningful work. Alston presented his report to the UN Human Rights Council.

Conversations I had with numerous LGBT people in Ghana underscored the urgency of legalizing adult consensual same-sex conduct. For example, a 26-year-old lesbian described the frustration she felt when her employer fired her after he found out she was a lesbian. A 28-year-old lesbian echoed these sentiments, saying "the problem in Accra is that LGBT people can't get jobs, nobody wants to hire them, and when family members find out about your sexual orientation, they don't pay your school fees."

While visiting Ghana in April, Alston found that "stigmatization and discrimination make it impossible for [LGBT] individuals to become productive members of the community when disclosure of their sexual orientation is likely to lead to them being thrown out of their jobs, schools, homes, and even their communities."

While interviewing LGBT people in Ghana In December 2016 and February 2017, I found that while people are rarely prosecuted, the law criminalizing same sex conduct contributes to violence against LGBT people and gives tacit state approval for anti-LGBT discrimination when it comes to employment, education and health services. The combination of criminalization and stigma produces severe economic consequences for LGBT Ghanaians.

Several LGBT people told Human Rights Watch that the lack of work has forced them to rely on sex work to survive. "The government should recognize that we are human beings, with dignity, not treat us as outcasts in our own society," said a 40-year old lesbian from Cape Coast. "We want to be free, so we can stand tall in public  this will make it easier for us to get an education, learn a trade, get jobs and be useful and productive Ghanaians."

Ghana's government should decriminalize consensual same-sex conduct and act swiftly to protect LGBT people from discrimination, intimidation, and violence. Ghanaian authorities should also engage in a constructive dialogue with the LGBT population to better understand its needs, and ensure they are protected by labor laws and anti-discrimination policies.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Yemen: Minimize harm to civilians in Hodeidah

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 26 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Yemen: Minimize harm to civilians in Hodeidah, 26 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de47a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 26, 2018 6:23AM EDT

14 NGOs appeal to President Macron on the eve of a humanitarian conference on Yemen in Paris

(Paris, 26 June 2018) 14 humanitarian and human rights organizations today urged Emmanuel Macron and the French government to use all means at their disposal to press their allies, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, to minimize harm to civilians during the attack on Hodeidah city, home to Yemen's most important port. The international humanitarian conference on Yemen organized in Paris on Wednesday 27 June will be useful only if it contributes to preventing this new humanitarian disaster and improving the protection of civilians across Yemen, say NGOs.

The Saudi and Emirati-led coalition launched an attack on June 13 against Houthis around Hodeidah port, on the west coast of Yemen, through which more than 70% of imports enter the country. Hodeidah is a lifeline for more than 20 million Yemenis who rely on outside aid to survive. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths warned two months ago that an attack on Hodeidah could "in a single stroke, take peace off the table". Fighting for port control also poses a disproportionate risk to civilian populations.

Even before the Hodeidah attack, Yemen was facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, directly linked to three years of conflict and the warring parties' restrictions on humanitarian aid and access, including the coalition-imposed sea and air blockade on parts of Yemen under Houthi control. UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen, Lise Grande, on Friday warned of the threat of a new cholera outbreak due to a possible water system break down in Hodeidah  just months after Yemen grappled with the largest cholera epidemic in modern times with over one million suspected cases.

Thousands of people have already been displaced by recent fighting and the risks to civilians from the Hodeidah offensive are all the more serious given the track record of all parties to the conflict. In three years of war, the coalition forces have repeatedly violated international humanitarian law, using explosive weapons with wide area affect in densely populated areas, bombing schools and hospitals, and blocking aid and access. The Houthi forces they are fighting have also laid antipersonnel landmines, restricted humanitarian access and indiscriminately shelled densely populated areas in Yemen.

France's willingness to do more to address the crisis in Yemen is welcome. However, several NGOs have recently expressed, in an open letter to President Macron, their concerns about the humanitarian conference on Yemen of 27 June, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia  a party to the conflict  , as a major offensive is under way. The French initiative, now downgraded to a meeting of experts, will be judged on its ability to secure clear commitments from Saudi Arabia and its allies to minimize risks to civilians during the Hodeidah attack and across Yemen, NGOs said today.

The 14 signatory organisations call on France to:

Publicly warn of the risks to civilians during an attack on Hodeidah and call on all parties to take immediate steps to provide safe passage to civilians fleeing, allow unimpeded access for aid and commercial imports to the broader population and access by humanitarian agencies, as required by international humanitarian law.

Condemn indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks against civilians by all parties.

Suspend French arms transfers to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates where there is a substantial risk of these arms being used in Yemen to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law; and allow for increased parliamentary oversight over arms sales.

The 14 signatory organisations are: ACAT, Alliance internationale pour la defense des droits et des libertes, Amnesty International, Action Contre la Faim, CARE France, Handicap International, Human Rights Watch, Observatoire des Armements, Norwegian refugee Council, Medecins du Monde, Premiere Urgence Internationale, Salam for Yemen, Save the Children, SumOfUs.

Dr. Jean-Francois Corty, International Operations Director, Medecins du Monde

"The blockade of the coalition, which is akin to collective punishment, and the attack on Hodeidah amplify the deterioration of living conditions and access to care for civilians. France must actively pursue a conflict resolution diplomacy to limit the worsening of the humanitarian crisis."

Fanny Petitbon, Advocacy Manager, CARE France

"The port of Hodeidah is the lung of Yemen. It is the entry point for 70% of food, medicine, gas and humanitarian aid. If the port stops working, people will not be able to support themselves for long: the stocks will not last more than two months and the whole country is at risk of asphyxiation. France must use all the levers at its disposal to immediately stop the offensive on the city and support the UN efforts to take control of the port and accelerate the peace process. This is the only way to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe."

Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

"More and better aid is urgently needed for millions faced with starvation, disease and deprivation. But only cease-fire and peace talks can end this man-made hemorrhage of human lives. The Paris conference must therefore focus on ending this senseless war. France, the US, UK have earned big money on arms sales to those waging war and we demand they use their influence to push Saudi Arabia and the UAE to the table, just as we demand that Iran use their leverage on Ansar Allah before the conflict escalates beyond hope."

Anne Hery, Advocacy Director, Handicap International

"Bombing civilians in Yemen is a crime, not war. France's engagement only makes sense if it does not compromise on the protection of civilians and humanitarian access throughout the Yemeni territory."

Stephanie Lord, Hodeidah Field Coordinator, Action Against Hunger (ACF)

"In Hodeidah, our teams support more than 4000 children suffering from acute malnutrition per month on average and complete more than 7,600 medical consultations per month. However, the current military intervention in Hodeidah is leaving hundreds of thousands of women, men and children stranded without any support or access to humanitarian aid. We are extremely worried about not being able to reach people in need as the warring parties advance, leaving civilians caught in the middle."

Racha Mouawieh, Yemen Researcher for Amnesty International and author of the report "Stranglehold: Coalition and Huthi obstacles compound Yemen's humanitarian crisis"

"For the last three years, the restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition have prevented Yemenis from obtaining vital products they desperately need. The deadly military offensive carried out by the coalition against Hodeidah will aggravate an already catastrophic situation and endanger millions of civilians. France must stop looking away while Yemen slowly suffocates."

Benedicte Jeannerod, France director, Human Rights Watch

"The battle of Hodeidah raises huge concerns about its potentially devastating impact on civilians throughout Yemen, already suffering during more than three years of conflict from large-scale violations by all sides, notably the Saudi-led coalition. France and Saudi Arabia have undertaken with great fanfare a humanitarian conference on Yemen. Its usefulness will be judged by its concrete results for civilians: the end of unlawful attacks on civilians, unrestricted access to humanitarian assistance, and ensuring civilians can flee the fighting for safety. France should act consistently with its claimed support for human rights in Yemen, by ending all weapons sales to the Saudis, who have repeatedly violated the laws of war and taken no action against those responsible".

Helene Legeay, Maghreb/Middle East Program Manager, ACAT

"France is officially expressing its concern over the humanitarian crisis affecting Yemeni civilians, but is proving much more silent with regards to the sale of French weapons that could be used against these same civilians. In contravention of the Arms Trade Treaty and the Military Programming Law, it has still not published its annual reports on its exports of war materials. This silence is more than dubious."

Olivier Routeau, Operations Director, Premiere Urgence Internationale

"The risk to the civilian population of Hodeidah is now immense. These populations' access to basic services will be interrupted if the assault continues or in case of attempted encirclement of the city. Drinking water distribution networks are already damaged, in an area where temperatures will soon rise to extreme levels, and cholera will re-emerge seasonally. The urgency to find a diplomatic solution for Hodeidah and its port has never been higher."

Tony Fortin, Research Officer, Observatoire des Armements

"Although there is suspicion of massive French arms involvement in Yemen  including Leclerc tanks in Hodeidah province  the government has still not published its annual report to Parliament on arms sales. In doing so, the State violates its own law since the deadline for the publication of such data is set on June 1st by Law No. 2013-1168 of December 18th, 2013. This reflects a clear delay compared to other European powers (The United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands) in which Parliaments have access to data on arms contracts and have broad supervisory powers in the matter "

Sadek Alsaar, President, Salam For Yemen

"Beyond the conflict that has killed more than 10,000 people and injured 50,000, the blockade on Yemen is deadlier than the fighting. The attack on the port of Hodeidah, the main point of entry for food and humanitarian aid, is likely to worsen the situation of this country, where 90% of food needs are imported."

Eoin Dubsky, Campaign Manager at SumOfUs

"The urgency of the situation in Hodeidah should more than ever convince the French government to respect the Arms Trade Treaty. More than 101,000 people signed the SumOfUs petition calling on President Macron to stop French arms exports to countries involved in the Yemeni conflict. A recent survey conducted by YouGov for SumOfUs indicates that 75% of French people are in favor of suspending these exports, while nearly 70% support greater parliamentary oversight on these issues."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Do Indonesia's abusive 'virginity tests' hurt UN peacekeeping operations?

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 27 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Do Indonesia's abusive 'virginity tests' hurt UN peacekeeping operations?, 27 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de49a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 27, 2018 3:56PM EDT

Government Unable to Meet Female Recruitment Targets

By Phelim Kine, Deputy Director, Asia Division

The Indonesian government is seeking "creative ways" to boost the number of women in the police and military so it can meet its objective of more female personnel for United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Here's an idea: Stop inflicting discriminatory "virginity tests" on female applicants to the Indonesian Armed Forces and National Police. The military and police have required such "tests" for decades and they are likely a strong deterrent for women who justifiably feel that an invasive and degrading "two-finger test" is too high a price to pay to serve their country.

Earlier this month, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi promised to address the shortage of female Indonesian UN peacekeepers. Women constitute only about 4 percent of Indonesian military personnel and just 7 percent of police personnel. There are only 81 female police and military personnel out of a total of 2,694 Indonesians deployed to nine separate UN peacekeeping operations around the globe.

The Indonesian National Police have inflicted "virginity tests" on female applicants since at least 1965. All branches of the Indonesian military have used "virginity tests" for decades and, in certain circumstances, also extended the requirement to the fiancees of military officers. Neither current Indonesian Armed Forces chief, Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, nor National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian have responded to Human Rights Watch's repeated calls to ban the practice.

Virginity testing is a form of gender-based violence and is a widely discredited practice. In November 2014, the World Health Organization issued guidelines that stated, "There is no place for virginity (or 'two-finger') testing; it has no scientific validity." "Virginity tests" have been recognized internationally as a violation of human rights, particularly the prohibition against "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" under article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and article 16 of the Convention against Torture, both of which Indonesia has ratified.

If the Indonesian government is serious about boosting the number of female peacekeepers in its ranks, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should order Indonesia's police chief and armed forces commander to immediately ban "virginity tests" of female applicants.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Hong Kong: Freedoms rapidly deteriorating

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 27 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Hong Kong: Freedoms rapidly deteriorating, 27 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de4ba.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 27, 2018 8:00PM EDT

Chief Executive Should Uphold Rights at 21st Anniversary of Handover

(New York)  Hong Kong's protection of civil and political rights is deteriorating at a quickening pace, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. July 1, 2018, is the 21st anniversary of Hong Kong's transfer from British to Chinese control.

"The Chinese government has kept chipping away at Hong Kong's freedoms, and has stepped up these efforts in recent years," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. "From publicly intimidating an academic for his peaceful speech to barring pro-democracy figures from public office, what emerges is a chilling offensive against basic rights in Hong Kong."

Human Rights Watch wrote to Lam in June 2017, shortly after she was selected by a Beijing-controlled election committee, urging her to protect freedoms in Hong Kong from Beijing's encroachments. Human Rights Watch received a response stating that the "contents are noted," which did not address any of the substantive issues.

Since then the Hong Kong government has taken further steps to restrict fundamental rights guaranteed to citizens by Hong Kong's functional constitution, the Basic Law, and international human rights law. These include: further unwarranted prosecutions of pro-democracy figures and an effort to exclude them from public office; an orchestrated rhetorical attack by Hong Kong and mainland authorities against an academic for expressing his peaceful opinion; growing interference with academic and publishing freedoms; and the possible introduction of a national anthem law that will infringe on free expression rights.

Human Rights Watch called on Lam to:

Lift political restrictions on the right to stand for elections and reopen the process for political reform, and communicate to Beijing that Hong Kong people support genuine universal suffrage;

Drop all charges against opposition leaders and pro-democracy activists for their peaceful activities;

Retract the government's criticism of a professor for expressing his peaceful opinion, and reiterate the government's respect for free expression;

Review instructions to textbook publishers and retract those that aim to censor political expression;

Withdraw the national anthem bill; and

Investigate the Hong Kong bookseller Lee Po's alleged abduction from Hong Kong and the extent to which the Chinese government has interfered with publishing freedom in Hong Kong.

"Chief Executive Lam has repeatedly failed to defend the freedoms of Hong Kong people from heavy-handed Chinese interference," Richardson said. "But it's not too late for Lam to stand up to Beijing and defend Hong Kong people's rights."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Kyrgyzstan extradites activist to risk of torture

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 27 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Kyrgyzstan extradites activist to risk of torture, 27 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de4da.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 27, 2018 5:13PM EDT

Kyrgyz Government Flagrantly Denies Activist's Rights, Violates Their Obligations

By Mihra Rittmann, Researcher, Central Asia

Kyrgyzstan has extradited a Kazakhstan activist back to his country  even though he faces politically-motivated criminal charges and is at risk of being tortured.

It is utterly outrageous.

Kyrgyz officers took Murat Tungishbaev away late on Tuesday night, a day after a Bishkek court upheld an extradition order issued by Kyrgyzstan's prosecutor general. They did it without allowing him any time to appeal, as he has the right to do under Kyrgyz law.

It is also bitterly ironic. They bundled Tungishbaev off on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Yet Tungishbaev is in now custody of Kazakhstan's law-enforcement, where he is at real risk of torture and ill-treatment. The UN has previously expressed "particular concern" about "persistent allegations of torture and ill-treatment committed by law enforcement officials" in Kazakhstan.

Tungishbaev had a pending asylum claim in Kyrgyzstan. But Kyrgyz officials prevented migration officers from interviewing Tungishbaev  who was in a holding cell  to begin processing his claim.

Tungishbaev should never have been sent back to Kazakhstan while his asylum claim was pending.

Tungishbaev fled Kazakhstan in 2012, after security services summoned him for reporting on the oil workers' strike and an outbreak of violence in the town of Zhanaozen in 2011. For two years after he fled, Tungishbaev worked for the opposition online television channel 16/12. Kazakhstan authorities have accused Tungishbaev of supporting the activities of an unregistered opposition movement, the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK), that a Kazakh court in March found "extremist" and banned.

Tungishbaev is one of many critical voices Kazakh authorities have tried to silence through politically-motivated criminal charges.

Kyrgyzstan's international partners  the United States; Germany; the United Kingdom; and the European Union, which is currently considering upgrading relations with Kyrgyzstan  should take serious note of Kyrgyzstan's abject failure to respect their international obligations to protect Tungishbaev and uphold his rights.

Extraditing an activist to risk of torture, keeping a human rights defender locked up for life, banning rights defenders and journalists from Kyrgyzstan, restricting media freedoms, bride kidnapping, domestic violence  these and other rights abuses persist in the face of Kyrgyzstan leadership's claims to "create a state where human rights are respected, on democratic principles."

Tungishbaev's extradition is a stark reminder just how much work there is still to do to ensure basic rights protections for people in Kyrgyzstan.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Letter to Philippine police chief Oscar Albayalde

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 27 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Letter to Philippine police chief Oscar Albayalde, 27 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de4f4.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 27, 2018 7:45PM EDT

Re: Philippine National Police and Human Rights

Dear Director General Albayalde,

Congratulations on your recent appointment as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Human Rights Watch is an independent, nongovernmental organization that investigates and reports on violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by governments and non-state armed groups in more than 90 countries around the world.

Since the late 1980s, Human Rights Watch has worked on human rights issues in the Philippines and provided input to the Philippine government. With your appointment, you have an opportunity  and the responsibility  to address continuing human rights concerns in the country. As the Philippines is a party to the major international human rights treaties, we urge you to ensure that the PNP meets the Philippines' international legal obligations.

You have publicly stated that human rights play a crucial role in the government's anti-drug campaign and is committed to observing the rule of law. However, we note that the so-called war on drugs, in which the PNP's own records found more than 4,000 people to have been killed, has been a major human rights catastrophe.

We urge you to take all necessary and appropriate action to prevent abuses by PNP personnel; to ensure prompt, transparent, and impartial investigations of alleged rights abuses in which PNP personnel were implicated; and to take appropriate action to ensure that personnel who commit abuses are appropriately held to account.

The following human rights issues should be a priority for the PNP under your leadership:

"Drug War" Killings

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "drug war" has resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 men, women, and children by police and police-backed vigilantes since it began nearly two years ago. Research by Human Rights Watch as well as the United Nations, the media, and other nongovernmental organizations found that many of the killings were summary executions in which police or their agents planted weapons and drugs on bodies and then claimed the victims had "fought back." No one has been held to account for these killings.

The government's own #RealNumbersPH puts the death toll in police operations at 4,279 from July 1, 2016 to May 15, 2018. While appearing as a guest on the show "The Chiefs" on One News, you asserted that 608 cases have been filed against police officers for deaths related to the "drug war," suggesting that these officers are either in custody or suspended from service. However, the Internal Affairs Service of the PNP reported instead that the 608 cases are merely "pending cases" for "summary hearing procedure." It is not clear to what extent the PNP has taken action in any of these cases.

Moreover, by the government's own documentation, the 2017 accomplishment report of the Presidential Communications Office, there have been more than 16,000 killings  what the government calls "homicide under investigation"  related to the "war on drugs" that were committed by unidentified assailants from July 2016 through December 2017. Human Rights Watch's own monitoring indicates that killings by unidentified gunmen of drug suspects continue daily, in addition to killings by police during anti-drug operations.

We urge you to make public on a regular basis specific information on the 608 cases and any future cases filed against police officers for alleged misconduct in the anti-drug campaign, including the status of the cases and the specific action being taken against police officers facing criminal and administrative action.

We also urge you to ensure that the thousands of killings by unidentified assailants be thoroughly and impartially investigated and to provide the public updates on the status of these cases.

"Death Squad" Killings

A recent report by Rappler said that an average of four people are killed each day by riding-in-tandem shooters, and that since October 11, 2017, a total of 880 people have been shot dead and 47 injured. The report noted that the attacks were committed by a total of 1,071 suspects, the vast majority of whom  1,008  remain at large.

These findings are consistent with Human Rights Watch monitoring and research. So-called riding in tandem executions bear strong similarities with the modus operandi and victim profile of the Davao Death Squad, the Tagum Death Squad, and other assassination groups. Their victims include street children, suspected drug dealers, petty criminals, businessmen, and local politicians.

A May 2014 report on summary killings in Tagum City identified specific police officers assigned to the Tagum City Police Office with complicity in the operation and control of the so-called Tagum Death Squad. To our knowledge, the PNP has not initiated an investigation and prosecution of officers allegedly involved in unlawful killings there.

We urge you to undertake a thorough and transparent investigation of police complicity in the country's "death squads." It is critical that you publicly disavow the use of death squads as a legitimate crime-control strategy and especially police involvement in them. We urge you to make public PNP findings on specific "riding in tandem" cases it has investigated, and the actions taken.

A key test of your and the PNP's commitment to protecting the human rights of all Filipinos is to be as transparent as possible with the public about the steps and efforts that your office takes to address these issues, even when police are involved in wrongdoing. This also means cooperation with such institutions as the Commission on Human Rights both at the national and local levels, the media, and civil society organizations. We urge you to publicly direct all police officials to cooperate fully with these entities.

Thank you for your consideration. We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss these and other human rights issues with you at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Brad Adams

Asia Director

Human Rights Watch

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Algeria: Inhumane treatment of migrants

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Algeria: Inhumane treatment of migrants, 28 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de514.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 28, 2018 12:00AM EDT

Pregnant Women, Children, Asylum Seekers Among Thousand Expelled to Desert

(Beirut)  Algeria has deported thousands of men, women, and children since January 2018 to Niger and Mali in inhumane conditions, and in many cases without considering their legal status in Algeria or their individual vulnerabilities, Human Rights Watch said.

Human Rights Watch in April and May interviewed 30 sub-Saharan migrants of various nationalities who said that the Algerian authorities had raided areas where migrants are known to live, arresting them on the streets or on construction sites, and expelled them en masse at the border with Niger or Mali, in most instances with no food and little water. They described being forced to march dozens of kilometers in the desert, in high temperatures, before reaching towns where they found assistance or private transportation.

"Algeria has the power to control its borders, but that doesn't mean it can round up people based on the color of their skin and dump them in the desert, regardless of their legal status and without a shred of due process," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.

All the migrants interviewed said that they were rounded up with dozens and sometimes hundreds of other sub-Saharan migrants, on the streets, during nighttime raids in neighborhoods where migrants are concentrated, or at their work places. They said that in most cases the police or gendarmerie agents did not ask to verify their documents.

Some who said they had a valid visa or a certificate from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stating that the agency is reviewing their claim for refugee status tried in vain to convince the security forces that they were in Algeria legally. One migrant said, "They told us: 'You are all illegal here; you have no right to be in Algeria.'"

Those interviewed said that Algerian police beat migrants, denied their requests to take their money and possessions with them, and on several occasions stole their phones and other possessions. The summary expulsions also separated families.

Emanuele, 30 years old, from Cote d'Ivoire, told Human Rights Watch she is eight months pregnant and living with her 2-year-old boy in Oran, where she cleans homes. On April 24, the police came to her neighborhood, called Coca, in Oran, at 4 a.m. and she said they rounded up everyone with darker skin without allowing them to collect their money or their other belongings. She said police later bussed her and her son, together with 100 other people, among them another pregnant woman and a woman who had a newborn, from Oran to a warehouse in Reggane, in the province of Adrar. They spent a day there. Then at 5 a.m. on April 26, authorities pushed them on trucks, bussed them to the border, and ordered them to march into Mali. She said she had only two small bottles of water for her and her son.

We marched for hours before we reached In Khalil. Can you believe it? Me eight months pregnant, with a 2-year-old boy, marching in the desert? It was so hot we could barely breathe.

Another migrant from Guinea, who was arrested in Tlemcen on April 12 and taken to the Mali border four days later, said, "I have nothing left. I lost everything. I arrived in Gao without a penny in my pocket, without a phone, and with only trousers and a shirt on. We have been treated like animals."

Ahmed Ouyahia, at the time President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's cabinet chief, said on July 7, 2017, that migrants are a "source of criminality and drugs," and that the authorities need to protect the Algerian population from this "chaos."

Interior Minister Noureddine Bedoui, told news agencies on March 22, 2018, that "repatriations" of migrants are carried out "at the request of their country of origin." However, the migrants interviewed all said that they were not offered an assisted voluntary repatriation, either through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) or through contacts with their consulates or embassies.

The overall number of sub-Saharan migrants expelled from Algeria since the beginning of the operations of mass expulsions, in December 2016, is not known. Bedoui told parliament on March 22 that Algerian authorities have repatriated about 27,000 sub-Saharan migrants in the last three years.

The IOM told Human Rights Watch on June 27 that, from January 1 to May 18, it had rescued more than 7,000 migrants of various non-Nigerien nationalities expelled at the Niger border. The agency also said that, in 2018, it had registered 22 convoys carrying 9,037 citizens of Niger  3,008 women and 6,029 men  expelled by Algeria.

In Gao, Mali, a nongovernmental organization said it has assisted more than 600 sub-Saharan migrants expelled from Algeria since the beginning of the year. On June 9, it said it had rescued 125 migrants expelled from Algeria that week.

On May 22, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the Algerian government to "cease the collective expulsions of migrants."

Algeria is a party to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, which prohibits collective expulsions of migrant workers and their families and requires examining and ruling on each potential expulsion individually. The convention applies to all migrant workers and their families, irrespective of their legal or work status.

Law NA 08-11 of June 25, 2008, on the Conditions of Entry, Stay and Movement of Foreigners in Algeria, gives authorities the power to expel foreigners who illegally entered Algerian territory or whose visas have expired, but requires them to notify the person, who is given between 48 hours and 15 days to leave the territory. The person has up to five days to challenge the decision before an interim relief judge at the administrative tribunal, who has 20 days to decide on the legality of the decision. The expulsion is suspended pending the decision. Human Rights Watch found that the Algerian authorities did not follow this procedure in the cases documented.

As a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1987 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Algeria is barred from forcibly removing any refugee or asylum seeker to a place where they would face a threat of being persecuted, or anyone else to a place where they would probably be tortured or subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment. The claims of anyone expressing such fears should be examined in full and fair procedures while the person remains in the country. Despite being a party to the Refugee Convention, Algeria has not adopted any legal framework recognizing the asylum-seeking process or the status of refugees.

The Algerian government should end the arbitrary and summary expulsions of migrants and develop a system for the fair and legal processing of irregular migrants. It should include the right to challenge their expulsions and facilitate the timely voluntary repatriation of migrants who wish to return to their country of origin.

The following are accounts by people interviewed by Human Rights Watch. Their names have been changed for their protection.

Expulsions at the Niger Border

Between April 6 and 25, 2018, Human Rights Watch interviewed 25 sub-Saharan migrants from countries other than Niger who were either forcibly expelled across the border into Niger or who managed to extricate themselves at the last minute. Those who had been arrested either in Algiers or in Oran said that the authorities had captured them in groups, especially in late night or early morning raids, and took them to a detention center for one or two nights. Those arrested in Algiers were held in a camp in Zeralda, about 30 kilometers from the capital. Those arrested in Oran were held in a detention center in Bir el Djir, in Oran.

In most cases, the authorities then bused them to a camp in Tamanrasset, 2,000 kilometers south of Algiers, loaded them into trucks and took them past In Guezzam, the last Algerian town before the border. There the authorities dropped them off, with little water and no food, and told them to walk toward Assamaka, the first town in Niger, about 20 kilometers from In Guezzam. In one case, the person said he was transported with Nigeriens to Arlit, in Niger.

The UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a May 22 statement that, "From Tamanrasset, Nigeriens are transferred by bus to Agadez in Niger, while the others are crammed into big trucks to be transferred to the Nigerien border where they are abandoned and left to walk hours in the desert heat to cross the border into Niger."

Expulsions at the Mali Border

Human Rights Watch interviewed five people who were expelled across the Malian border. They were arrested in various towns, such as Oran, Ghardaia, Tlemcen, and Laghouat. Authorities had gathered them in a detention center in Reggane, a city in central southern Algeria where they stayed for one to several days. Then, the authorities bused them to Bordj Badji Mokhtar, the last town before the Mali border. Armed Algerian gendarmes then trucked them to the border and ordered them, at gunpoint, to march in the direction of Mali.

Each said they walked in the desert for about six hours to reach In Khalil, the first town in Mali, where they then boarded privately owned trucks heading toward the town of Gao.

The House of Migrants (La Maison des Migrants), a nongovernmental organization based in Gao, said that as of May 3, it had assisted more than 650 migrants in 2018. The association reported four waves of migrants expelled from Algeria, arriving on March 6, 7, 19, and 21. On June 15, it said it had received another 120 migrants expelled from Algeria the previous week.

Armed militant groups linked to al-Qaeda operate in northern Mali, along with criminal gangs and armed smugglers. The UN secretary-general, in his September 2017 report on the situation in Mali, stated that "the prevailing insecurity undermines the rule of law and the provision of basic services, particularly in the north and in some parts of the center."

Summary Arrests, Expulsions Apparently Based on Racial Profiling

Human Rights Watch interviewed nine men who were among a group of about 70 migrants arrested together on March 26, at a place where migrants socialize in Ain Beniane, an Algiers suburb. Four said they were irregular migrants working on construction sites or as daily workers; one said he was an asylum seeker; one said he was married to an Algerian woman and had four children and a residency permit; three others said that they were legally in the country with Malian passports. Following their arrest, the migrants were jailed for two days.

The 70 were all tried together for "illegal entry into Algerian territory" and "prostitution," convicted the same day and given six-month suspended sentences. They consistently described a trial conducted in Arabic, with no interpreters or defense lawyers, and no real opportunity to defend themselves. After the court pronounced their sentences, the police took them to Zeralda, and from there to Tamanrasset. Those who held a valid visa or papers allowing them to stay in Algeria said that they attempted repeatedly to show their papers and gain their release, to no avail.

The collective expulsion of migrants and the disregard for their distinct statuses suggests that the Algerian authorities are arresting men and women based on their skin color instead of an individual assessment of their cases, as required by international law.

One of the nine, Kevin, a Cameroonian, said he has lived in Algeria for 19 years. He married an Algerian woman and has four children, all Algerian nationals. When the police took him to the commissariat of Ain Beniane, he showed his marriage certificate and his children's birth certificates, which he carries with him. The police refused to release him.

After spending two days in the police cell, he and the others appeared before the prosecutor, who ignored his pleas and asked only for his name and told him to sign a paper. The prosecutor then sent the group to court, where they were convicted the same day. The police took him to Zeralda, where his wife came and begged the police to release him, but they refused. He was bused with the others to Tamanrasset, where he managed to persuade the head of the camp to let him go before the expulsion to Niger.

Bernard, who holds a Malian passport, was expelled with the others across the Niger border, but was able to make his way back, on April 11, to Algiers, where his wife and 4-year-old child live. On May 1, Bernard went to the Houari Boumediene airport in Algiers, at 8 a.m., to take a flight to Abidjan, where he intended to stay for a few days. He told Human Rights Watch, speaking over the phone from Zeralda, that the police did not let him take his flight and instead confined him and six other Sub-Saharan migrants of various nationalities, inside the airport police post. Human Rights Watch saw a photo of Bernard's boarding pass for the flight to Abidjan.

Bernard also said the police never explained why they detained him, and gave him nothing to eat or drink, during the more than 24 hours they detained him at the airport. At noon on May 2, he said, the police took him and the six other Sub-Saharans from the airport to the camp at Zeralda, where they slept the night on sheets of cardboard. On May 3, he sent Human Rights Watch a text message saying that they were being transported to Tamanrasset. He counted 14 busloads of migrants when they left Zeralda.

On May 9, he said, the authorities deported him with hundreds of other migrants, most from Niger, to the Niger border. The IOM mission in Niger received them and transported them all to Arlit, Niger where he was staying when last in touch with Human Rights Watch.

None of the migrants interviewed said that authorities offered them the option of an assisted voluntary repatriation, either through their countries' diplomatic services or through the IOM. Several said that, given the hardship of deportation through the desert, they would have liked to contact the IOM to facilitate their return to their countries.

Article 23 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families states that "migrant workers and members of their families shall have recourse to the protection and assistance of the consular or diplomatic authorities of their State of origin or of a State representing the interests of that State whenever the rights recognized in the present convention are impaired. In particular, in case of expulsion, the person concerned shall be informed of this right without delay and the authorities of the expelling State shall facilitate the exercise of such right."

Lack of Due Process to Challenge Deportations

None of the migrants interviewed said they had been told when arrested of their rights as foreigners in Algeria or under international law, including the right to legal representation under the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

For example, Omar, 30, from Guinea, said that he had worked on a construction site in Tlemcen since entering Algeria in February 2017. He said that, on April 12, 2018, he was sleeping in a shared room on the construction site when gendarmes swarmed in, roughed him up, and did not allow him to take his phone or other belongings. He said that he asked the gendarmes to let him collect two months of salary before leaving, but they pushed him outside the room. He saw that they were clearing men from the other rooms too and beating those who resisted.

The gendarmes took the men to a gendarmerie detention center, where they held Omar for three days along with dozens of other migrants of various nationalities. He said the gendarmes left them for an entire day without food and hit those who protested. On the third day, the gendarmes gave each of them a document to sign in Arabic, which the migrants could not read, and did not mention a right to call a lawyer or their consulates.

They were later bused to a detention center in Reggane, where men and women were separated. The gendarmes beat the men who tried to insist on staying with their wives and, for some, with their children. Omar said they remained at the Reggane detention center for a day. At 4 a.m., on April 16, the gendarmes forced the men into a truck and took them to Bordj Badji Mokhtar. From there, other gendarmes drove them to an area near the border and ordered them, at gunpoint, to march toward Mali. He said they walked for hours under the hot desert sun. When they arrived in In Khalil, Mali, Omar and others arranged with a private transporter to take them to Gao:

I have nothing left. I lost everything. I arrived in Gao without a penny in my pocket, without a phone and with only trousers and shirt on. We have been treated like animals.

Abuse, Harsh Treatment During Arrest, Expulsion

Of the 30 migrants interviewed, five reported that Algerian authorities used violence against them during raids; seven others said that they witnessed such violence.

Police arrested Elizabeth, 45, from Ghana, on April 9, in Oran. She had been living in Algeria for six years and earned a living cooking for the African community in a migrant neighborhood in Oran. She was in her pajamas when the police knocked on her door at night, saying they were conducting a routine document check. They did not let her take anything with her, not even her purse.

They took her and her four children, aged 3 to 13, to a camp in Oran, where she saw hundreds of men, women, and children, including babies. The following day the police loaded them on buses. They arrived at Tamanrasset two days later, where police took them to a camp outside the city, holding them in converted shipping containers.

On April 11, at around 10 p.m., the police started herding everybody onto trucks. She said that she and other women refused to obey. A policeman beat her on her head with a baton until she lost consciousness. When she woke up, she was in a small clinic inside the camp. After that they took her back with her children to the container in Tamanrasset. She said that throughout their arrest and trip to Tamanrasset, they were only given some biscuits and water.

Speaking by phone from Tamanrasset on April 10, Elizabeth said she had lost everything. All her savings remained in the house where she lived. She had friends who were not arrested to check on the house, and they said that thieves came after the round-up and stole everything, including her refrigerator, clothes, and furniture.

Henri, from Cameroon, has lived in Oran since 2015, working at a construction site. He lived with his pregnant wife:

On March 14, Algerian police officers, accompanied by the [Algerian] Red Crescent, came to my house and told me that I have 30 minutes to collect a few things and leave the house because I was being deported. Then, they put my wife and me in a bus and took us to a detention center. When we got there, I asked if I can have our luggage back and one of the police officers hit me on the face. Suddenly, I was surrounded by police officers who fired their taser guns at me. They pushed my wife a little but did not beat her. A young woman with the Red Crescent who witnessed the abuse sympathized with my wife's condition and told them to let us ago. We were released, but they kept all of our things.

Many of the migrants reported losing their belongings, ranging from not being allowed to collect wages owed them to confiscation of phones and sometimes meager savings during arrest. For many of them, these possessions were never returned, despite promises from the security forces to return them when they reached the Tamanrasset detention center.

Article 15 of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, which Algeria has ratified, says that "no migrant worker or a member of his or her family, shall be deprived of property, whether owned individually or in association with others."

Lack of Respect for Asylum Seekers' Rights

Human Rights Watch interviewed two asylum seekers who have pending refugee requests and who were forcibly taken to the border. One was expelled; the other said he managed to jump off the truck and evaded expulsion.

Lucas, 27, from the Ivory Coast, had lived in Algeria for more than a year and had worked on a construction site in Regaia, 40 minutes from the capital. He said he fled Ivory Coast because he had been a victim of acts of revenge after the civil war.

Lucas said that he decided to apply for asylum with the UNHCR in Algeria. He could not reach their office at first, fearing arrest, but sent the UNHCR a request by fax, in November 2017. After a first visit to the office, Lucas received a UNHCR certificate, which Human Rights Watch reviewed. It said it was valid until July 28, 2018 and that "as an asylum seeker, this person is under the mandate of the UNHCR and should be most notably protected against any forcible return to a country where he could be exposed to threats against his life and freedom, until the final determination of his refugee claim." UNHCR also gave him a number to call in case of emergency or arrest.

Lucas was arrested on March 5, when police came to the construction site and started to confiscate everyone's phones and money. He said he managed to reach someone at the UNHCR emergency number who told him not to worry and that the police would release him. Later that day, he was taken to Bab Ezzouar police station, where he asked the police officers to verify the UNHCR document that he had with him, but they refused.

I told the police that I have legal papers, so you should either call my consulate or release me, but one of the officers at the police station said, "I can detain all of you here and no one will be able to help you."

Lucas said he was then taken to Zeralda detention camp, with other migrants, among whom he identified 12 asylum seekers. He said they left Zeralda at 7 p.m. and arrived the next day in Tamanrasset. There, they were put on a truck and driven to the Niger border. That's when, Lucas said, he seized the opportunity, along with another migrant, to jump off the truck:

We walked and walked in the desert until we reached the first village and there we found somewhere to sleep. The guy who was with me had another phone that he kept hidden from the police, so we made one more attempt and called UNHCR, who said that they will find a way to bring us back to Algiers.

Lucas said they stayed in Tamanrasset for a few days, then they rode with the help of smuggler to Ain Salah. At Ain Salah, they tried to buy a bus ticket, but no one would sell then one. He and his friend paid a private driver to take them to Algiers.

Jack, a Cameroonian who came to Algeria in December 2017, works on construction sites. He said that he comes from the Anglophone part of Cameroon and had fled due to ongoing political turmoil.

He said police arrested him on the street, in the Ain Beniane neighborhood, on March 26:

I had a certificate issued by the UNHCR, when the police caught me, but I was told in the commissariat that it doesn't mean anything and that they would still deport me. When I reached out to UNHCR through the emergency number they gave me, they said that I should not panic and assured me that they will come down to the commissariat where I was held and ask the police to release me. But the police took me to Zeralda, and from there to Tamanrasset.

Authorities then transported him to a point between the town of In Guezzam and the Niger border. He walked in the desert with dozens of others until they reached the Nigerien border village of Assamaka. He stayed a few days there before crossing back to Tamanrasset, where he worked and collected enough money to pay for private transportation to Algiers.

The UNHCR office in Algiers told Human Rights Watch that the agency "is following the situation very closely. Cooperation with relevant authorities at all levels is maintained and we have been able to successfully advocate for the release of a number of asylum-seekers and refugees registered with our Office who have been affected by these operations."

International law admits the possibility that a receiving state could transfer an asylum seeker to a third state where their refugee claim could be processed. However, the UNHCR guidelines on "bilateral and/or multilateral transfer arrangements of asylum-seekers" puts several conditions for such a transfer. It requires an individual assessment "in each case as to the appropriateness of the transfer, subject to procedural safeguards." The transfer should not take place if there are no guarantees the person "will be protected against refoulement," i.e., return to a place where they would face danger.

Algeria does not appear to have followed these UNHCR guidelines before expelling asylum seekers in the cases documented.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Nigeria: Rising toll of middle-belt violence

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Nigeria: Rising toll of middle-belt violence, 28 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de554.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 28, 2018 9:39AM EDT

Urgently Step Up Investigations; Hold Attackers to Account

Men march along a truck carrying the coffins of people killed in Makurdi, Nigeria January 11, 2018.  2018 Reuters

(Lagos)  The death of at least 86 people in attacks on six villages in Plateau State, Nigeria, is the most recent in a shocking spate of reprisal violence between nomadic cattle herders and farmers. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari promised to end the violence and hold those responsible to account, but has so far failed to do so.

"The carnage in Plateau State is a clear indication that the decades-long conflict has reached new levels of brutality," said Mausi Segun, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The frequency of these deadly attacks demonstrates the government's failure to ensure safety and security in the region."

This latest clash began when farmers allegedly killed five herdsmen whom the farmers accused of trespassing on their land. In apparent retaliation, herdsmen attacked villages in the area, killing and injuring villagers, including women and children. Local media reported a statement from Danladi Ciroma, North-Central zone chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, an umbrella body for cattle herders, saying that the attack must have been retaliatory because of the unresolved killing of herdsmen and theft of hundreds of cows belonging to his members in the area.

Plateau is one of the states in Nigeria's North Central region worst hit by decades of communal conflict between predominantly Christian farming communities and mostly Muslim cattle herdsmen. Local groups report that between January and March 2018, 1,078 people died in the violence in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, Nassarawa, Adamawa, Kwara, and Kogi states. In Benue State alone, 102,000 children, 60 percent of the 169, 922 people displaced by the conflict, have been forced out of school. Although the conflict is increasingly described in religious terms, competing claims to land and other resources are at its core.

In a 2013 report, Human Rights Watch found that the failure of authorities to bring those responsible to justice is one of the major drivers of the cycles of communal violence in Kaduna and Plateau states. In recent months, there have been no public reports on investigation by the police into the violence in the middle belt. Just five people in Adamawa State have been tried and sentenced for killings in the region since 2017.

Community leaders say that the inadequate deployment of security forces to protect lives and property has led them to advocate self-help defensive efforts, as well as retaliatory attacks against those responsible for, or perceived as being responsible for, previous attacks. In May, a former defense minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, called on people in his home state of Taraba to stop depending on government security forces, who he said were not neutral, for protection, and instead to defend themselves against attackers.

In response, the federal government described General Danjuma's call as an "invitation to anarchy" that should be disregarded. Following the recent Plateau killings, the Nigerian Police announced the deployment of a Special Intervention Force to restore peace and security in the area.

"Nigerian authorities need to do more than debunk self-help calls if they want people to trust and cooperate with them," Segun said. "Even-handed, prompt, and thorough investigations, followed by fair trials of those responsible for the violence, are effective ways to unequivocally send this message."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Pakistan: Ensure Ahmadi voting rights

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Pakistan: Ensure Ahmadi voting rights, 28 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de574.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 28, 2018 10:45PM EDT

Repeal Discriminatory Laws Against Religious Community

(New York)  The Pakistani government should immediately act to allow the full and equal participation of members of the Ahmadiyya religious community in the general elections scheduled for July 25, 2018, Human Rights Watch said today. The government should drop discriminatory provisions in the electoral law that effectively exclude Ahmadis because of their religious beliefs.

The Ahmadiyya community regards Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of their sect, as a prophet, a claim that the dominant Muslim faiths and Pakistani law reject. To register as voters, Ahmadis must either renounce their faith or agree to be placed in a separate electoral list and accept their status as "non-Muslim." Self-identification as Muslims, however, is the cornerstone of Ahmadiyya religious belief, and thus they end up not voting at all.

"The elections in Pakistan can't be 'free and fair' if an entire community is effectively excluded from the electoral process," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "Religious disagreements cannot justify denying people their right to vote."

Anti-Ahmadiyya violence has intensified in the past year, exemplified by the government's pandering to groups using inflammatory language against the Ahmadis and seeking to exclude them from the political process. Human Rights Watch interviewed 13 members of the Ahmadi community to discuss entrenched problems in their participation in elections.

Elections held in 1985 under the military dictatorship of President Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq reversed universal voting rights and introduced a system of separate electorates that required non-Muslims to register as a separate category and vote for non-Muslim candidates. To vote, the Ahmadis had to register as non-Muslims. Since then, Ahmadis have in practice been denied the right to vote in local, provincial, and national elections.

In 2002, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf abolished the separate electorate system and restored the original joint electorate scheme with one major amendment. Through an executive order, he created a separate category for Ahmadis. Executive Order No. 15 states that elections for the members of the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies shall be held on the basis of a joint electorate, but the "status of Ahmadis [was] to remain unchanged." As a result, Pakistani citizens have been moved to a single electoral list, leaving only Ahmadis on a "non-Muslim" list. The new Election Act 2017 retains the provisions regarding the status of the Ahmadis. If anyone raises an objection against a particular voter identifying them as non-Muslim, the election commission can summon the person and ask that they declare they are not Ahmadi or be put on a supplementary special voter list.

"The choice is between practically renouncing our faith or vote," said an Ahmadi activist. "This is not a real choice. It would have been better had the government outright banned Ahmadis from voting since then they would rightly receive international criticism for doing that."

In addition to being denied suffrage, the Ahmadiyya community has faced deadly violence by militant Islamist groups. The separate list of all registered Ahmadi voters with contact information places them at greater risk of targeted attacks. In recent years, hundreds of Ahmadis have been injured and killed in bombings and other attacks by militants.

The government effectively legalizes and even encourages persecution of the Ahmadiyya community. The penal code explicitly discriminates against religious minorities and targets Ahmadis in particular by prohibiting them from "indirectly or directly posing as a Muslim." Ahmadis are prohibited from declaring or propagating their faith publicly, building mosques, or making the call for Muslim prayer.

Pakistan's "Blasphemy Law," as section 295-C of the Penal Code is known, makes the death penalty mandatory for blasphemy. Under this law, the Ahmadi belief in the prophethood of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad is considered blasphemous insofar as it "defiles the name of Prophet Muhammad."

"This is a vicious cycle," said an Ahmadi businessman. "We are persecuted and discriminated by laws which ensure that we don't get a voice in the parliament, and since we don't have a voice, there is nothing that we can do to have these laws changed."

The authorities continue to arrest, jail, and charge Ahmadis for blasphemy and other offenses because of their religious beliefs. In several instances, the police have been complicit in harassment and filing of false charges against Ahmadis, or stood by in the face of anti-Ahmadi violence.

Pakistani laws against the Ahmadiyya community violate Pakistan's international legal obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), including the rights to freedom of conscience, religion, expression, and association; to profess and practice their own religion; and to vote and be elected at genuine periodic elections. Pakistan ratified the ICCPR in 2010.

The government of Pakistan should also investigate and prosecute as appropriate intimidation, threats, and violence against the Ahmadiyya community by militant Islamist groups.

"The Pakistani government's continued use of discriminatory laws against Ahmadis and other religious minorities is indefensible," Adams said. "As long as such laws remain on the books, the Pakistani government will be seen as a persecutor of minorities and an enabler of abuses."

Persecution of the Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan

The Ahmadiyya community has long been persecuted in Pakistan. Since 1953, when the first post-independence anti-Ahmadiyya riots broke out, the relatively small number of Ahmadis in Pakistan have lived under threat. The community boycotts the census but estimates that there are approximately four million Ahmadis in Pakistan out of a total population of 220 million.

Between 1953 and 1973, this persecution was sporadic, but in 1974 a new wave of anti-Ahmadi disturbances spread across Pakistan. In response, Pakistan's parliament, instead of acting to protect the community, introduced constitutional amendments that defined the term "Muslim" in the Pakistani context and listed groups that were deemed to be non-Muslim under Pakistani law. The amendment, which went into effect on September 6, 1974, explicitly deprived Ahmadis of their identity as Muslims.

In 1984, Pakistan amended its penal code, giving legal status to five ordinances that explicitly targeted religious minorities, including a law against blasphemy; a law punishing defiling the Quran; a prohibition against insulting the wives, family, or companions of the Prophet of Islam; and two laws specifically restricting the activities of Ahmadis. On April 26, 1984, General Zia-ul-Haq issued these last two laws as part of Martial Law Ordinance XX, which amended Pakistan's Penal Code, sections 298-B and 298-C.

Ordinance XX undercut the activities of religious minorities generally, but struck at Ahmadis in particular by prohibiting them from "indirectly or directly posing as a Muslim." Ahmadis thus could no longer profess their faith, either orally or in writing. Pakistani police destroyed Ahmadi translations of and commentaries on the Quran. They banned Ahmadi publications, as well as using any Islamic terminology on Ahmadi wedding invitations, offering Ahmadi funeral prayers, or displaying the Kalima  the statement that "there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is Allah's prophet," the principal creed of Muslims  on Ahmadi gravestones.

In addition, Ordinance XX prohibited Ahmadis from declaring their faith publicly, propagating their faith, building mosques, or making the call for Muslim prayer. In effect, virtually any public act of worship or devotion by an Ahmadi could be treated as a criminal offense.

With the passage of the Criminal Law Act of 1986, parliament added section 295-C to the Pakistan Penal Code. The "Blasphemy Law," as it came to be known, made the death penalty mandatory for blasphemy. General Zia-ul-Haq and his military government institutionalized the persecution of Ahmadis as well as other minorities in Pakistan with section 295-C. The Ahmadi belief in the prophethood of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was considered blasphemous because it "defiled the name of Prophet Muhammad," meaning that Ahmadis can be sentenced to death for simply professing their faith. Though the numbers vary from year to year, Ahmadis have been charged every year under the Blasphemy Law.

In October 2017, after parliament changed the language of the oath for incoming members by replacing the words "I solemnly swear" with "I believe" in a proclamation of Muhammad as the religion's last prophet, hardline Islamist groups held protests in the federal capital, Islamabad. They viewed the change to be "blasphemous" and to be extending a concession to Ahmadi beliefs. The government blamed a "clerical" error for the change and quickly restored the earlier wording.

Ahmadis also face legal barriers in obtaining government identification and travel documents. Pakistani law requires citizens to declare their religion when applying for a Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) or passport. Every person who declares themselves a Muslim when applying for a passport has to sign a declaration titled "Declaration in the Case of Muslims" that states, "I consider Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani to be an imposter nabi and also consider his followers . . . to be Non-Muslims." The identification card application process requires a similar declaration.

The requirement effectively mandates Ahmadis to renounce a tenet of their faith to obtain basic travel documents. One consequence of the passport declaration has been to bar Ahmadis from performing the Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage that Ahmadis believe to be a religious duty.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Russia: Sweeping arrests of Jehovah's Witnesses

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Russia: Sweeping arrests of Jehovah's Witnesses, 28 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de594.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 28, 2018 12:01AM EDT

Religious Persecution, Other Abuses

Since 2007, dozens of pieces of Jehovah's Witnesses' literature have been banned and placed on the federal registry of banned extremist materials. Pictured here, stacks of booklets distributed by a local leader of a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation in the Siberian town of Gorno-Altaysk are seen during a court session on December 16, 2010. 2010 Reuters/Alexandr Tyryshkin

(Moscow)  Law enforcement authorities across Russia have carried out a sweeping campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses in recent months, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities have carried out dozens of home searches, raids, interrogations, and other acts of harassment and persecution.

The authorities are holding 18 men in pretrial detention on charges of organizing, participating in, or financing the activities of an "extremist organization" solely for their religious activities. Several others are facing the same charges and are under house arrest or subject to travel restrictions. The charges carry a maximum 10-year prison sentence. Russian authorities should release those in detention immediately, drop the charges, and halt the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses.

"The Jehovah's Witnesses are simply peacefully exercising their right to freedom of religion," said Rachel Denber, deputy Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The Jehovah's Witness faith is not an extremist organization, and authorities should stop this religious persecution of its worshipers now."

Human Rights Watch interviewed four lawyers defending Jehovah's Witnesses in five regions and a representative of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Human Rights Watch also reviewed court documents, media reports, Russian government statements, and Federal Security Service (FSB) photos and videos purporting to show the raids.

The raids and arrests stem from an April 2017 Russian Supreme Court ruling that banned all Jehovah's Witnesses organizations throughout Russia. The ruling declared the Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center, the head office for 395 Jehovah's Witnesses branches throughout Russia, an extremist organization and ruled that all 395 be shut down. The ruling, which affects more than 100,000 Jehovah's Witnesses across Russia, blatantly violates Russia's obligations to respect and protect religious freedom and freedom of association.

Russian authorities should reverse the ban on the organization's activities and remove the "extremist" designation, Human Rights Watch said. Meanwhile, they should leave Jehovah's Witnesses free to practice their faith.

Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia and other former USSR countries have faced persecution in the past. During the Soviet era, they were arrested and imprisoned in labor camps, including in Siberia. Within the past decade, worshipers across Russia have faced persecution, intrusive home searches, and arrests, and have been denied rights to freedom of assembly, association, and religion.

In 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against Russia for closing the Moscow branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses and refusing to allow the group to re-register. The court found violations of articles 9 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protect freedom of religion and association, respectively. In addition to awarding monetary damages, the court said that Russia should review the domestic decisions that led to the violations. Russia has refused to carry out the judgments in that case and several others brought by members of the Jehovah's Witnesses. On the contrary, Russia has continued to persecute Jehovah's Witnesses, seeking the group's complete dissolution in Russia.

From April to June 2018, law enforcement raids targeted Jehovah's Witness communities in at least 11 regions throughout Russia, from Saratov region in southwestern Russia to Primorsky Krai in Russia's far east. Police carried out the raids, often accompanied by a combination of FSB officials wearing masks, armed personnel of the Interior Ministry Special Task Police Force or National Guard, and representatives from the Investigative Committee, Russia's criminal investigation service.

The authorities, who obtained search warrants or entry permits in most cases, confiscated personal computers, mobile phones, bank cards, passports, religious literature, and, in some cases, housing deeds. Dozens of Jehovah's Witnesses, including at least one child, were taken to local investigative offices for questioning. Others were detained and later charged.

A lawyer representing a Jehovah's Witness who is in pretrial detention in Murmansk Region told Human Rights Watch that the authorities' actions contradict religious freedom guarantees in the Russian Constitution. "The [Russian] constitution says that you can practice your faith together with others, but as it turns out, that's a crime," said Yegiazar Chernikov, of the Sverdlovsk Lawyers' Association.

In at least two regions, armed officers threatened the worshipers with firearms, in one case pointing a gun at a person's head, a lawyer familiar with the incident told Human Rights Watch.

A Jehovah's Witnesses representative told Human Rights Watch that approximately 160 Jehovah's Witnesses have fled Russia to seek refuge abroad.

On June 20, Russia's Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights announced that it had asked the prosecutor general's office to verify the legality of criminal prosecutions against Jehovah's Witnesses practicing their faith. A week earlier, several of the spouses of the men in pretrial detention had sent a letter to the chair of the council, Mikhail Fedotov, urging him to ask President Vladimir Putin to end the raids and arrests and to restore freedom of religion in Russia.

Over 150 Russian activists, journalists, and academics  including several members of Memorial, Russia's foremost human rights group  signed and published an open letter urging the authorities to immediately release those in detention and to reverse the Supreme Court's decision to liquidate the Jehovah's Witnesses' organization.

Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia  like all people in Russia  should be able to peacefully exercise their rights to freedom of religion and association, Human Rights Watch said. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Russian Constitution as well as the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Russia is a party.

Under international law, freedom of religion includes the freedom to practice one's religion or belief both individually and in community with others, in public or in private, and through worship, practice, and teaching. Russia already has many rulings against it for its failure to respect the freedom of religion of faith communities and minority religious groups, such as the Church of Scientology, the Salvation Army, and the Jehovah's Witnesses

"Russia should do right by its national and international obligations to respect freedom of religion," Denber said. "Russian leadership should make sure that law enforcement is honoring and protecting that right, not trampling on it."

Raids Aimed at Intimidation

The Jehovah's Witnesses are a peaceful religious community. The consistent show of force in raids in many locations in Russia was disproportionate and seemed aimed at sending a strong message of intimidation, Human Rights Watch said.

In most regions, the authorities arrested people they singled out as leaders and organizers of the local Jehovah's Witnesses community for such actions as recruiting new members and distributing religious literature that the authorities label "extremist."

On May 16 in the Orenburg Region, in southwest Russia, law enforcement personnel searched 18 homes in four cities and charged nine people. Two are in pretrial custody and another is under house arrest.

On May 17 in Birobidzhan, in southeast Russia, representatives of the Jehovah's Witnesses reported that about 150 law enforcement personnel raided the homes of at least nine Jehovah's Witnesses, confiscating photos, bank cards, money, and computers. An official reportedly said that the operation was code-named "Judgment Day." One person was arrested and charged with organizing activities of an "extremist organization" but was released from pretrial detention eight days later.

On April 18 in the town of Polyarny in the Murmansk Region, in northwest Russia, armed law enforcement agents raided at least seven homes and arrested two men. They took several others into custody for questioning and later released them. Police also took a 16-year-old girl into custody and questioned her at the local investigative unit for several hours. A video posted on the Murmansk Investigative Committee's website shows men wearing camouflage uniforms and helmets forcing open a door to an apartment.

The arrest and raid campaign took place as the trial of a Jehovah's Witness who is a Danish citizen, Dennis Christensen, continues in Orel, a city in western Russia. Christensen, who was arrested in May 2017, is being tried on charges of organizing activities of an "extremist organization" and faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence if convicted. He has filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights alleging, among other things, that his arrest constituted unlawful interference with his right to freedom of religion.

Another Jehovah's Witness in Orel, 55-year-old Sergei Skrynnikov, was charged on May 8, 2018, with participating in the activities of an "extremist organization."

A lawyer who is defending three Jehovah's Witnesses in two regions said that throughout the past eight months, FSB agents in the Orenburg Region and the Republic of Bashkortostan conducted wiretapping, videotaping, and other surveillance of Jehovah's Witnesses' activities  for which they said they had warrants  as part of the investigation. In some cases, the lawyer said, authorities placed recording devices in Jehovah's Witnesses' homes.

Earlier in 2018, police raided more than two dozen Jehovah's Witnesses' homes in Belgorod and Kemerovo. Two Jehovah's Witnesses in Belgorod are facing extremism charges.

Saratov and Shirokoe, Saratov Region

On June 12, authorities in Saratov Region, southwestern Russia, raided at least seven homes of Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Saratov and village of Shirokoe. According to the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, special forces officers broke down doors and confiscated computers, books, notebooks, photographs, bankbooks, and passports. The authorities took at least 10 people to FSB offices for questioning.

Three were detained and charged with organizing activities of an "extremist organization." They are: 43-year-old Konstantin Bazhenov, 35-year-old Aleksei Budenchuk, and 33-year-old Felix Makhammadiyev. On June 14, the Frunzensky District Court placed all three in pretrial detention until August 12.

Tomsk, Tomsk Region

Law enforcement raided several homes and cars belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses in Tomsk between 10 a.m. on June 3 and about 2 a.m. the next day, the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reported. Officers confiscated Bibles, mobile phones, tablets, computers, photographs, money, bank cards, and other personal possessions. They took about 30 people to the police anti-extremism center for questioning.

According to a statement by the Tomsk Investigative Committee, the searches were part of a joint FSB and Internal Affairs Ministry investigation into meetings of Jehovah's Witness residents in Tomsk. Investigative authorities allege that worshipers studied prohibited, "extremist" religious materials and carried out organized religious activities in violation of the Supreme Court's ruling against the Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center.

Representatives of the Jehovah's Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that 48-year-old Sergei Klimov was detained after a search of his home on June 3, was charged with organizing activities of an "extremist organization," and will remain in pretrial detention until August 4.

Magadan, Magadan Region

The Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reported that on May 30, FSB and law enforcement officers arrested Konstantin Petrov, 31; Yevgeny Zyablov, 41; and Sergei Yerkin, 61, after searching their homes in the city of Magadan (Magadan Region). On the same day, authorities in Khabarovsk (Khabarovsky Krai) detained Ivan Puyda, 39, based on a court order from Magadan. All four are accused of organizing activities of an "extremist organization" and will remain in pretrial detention until July 29.

Naberezhnye Chelny, Republic of Tatarstan

Police and FSB officials searched the homes of 10 Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny, in south-central Russia, on the evening of May 27. The Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reported that the searches lasted "well into the night."

Investigators arrested Ilham Karimov, 37; Vladimir Myakushin, 30; Konstantin Matrashov, 25; Aydar Yulmetyev, 24, on suspicion of organizing and participating in the activities of an "extremist organization" and placed them in pretrial detention until July 25. The Naberezhnye Chelny City Court displays records of all four hearings. According to the religious freedom monitoring group Forum 18, Karimov, Myakushin, and Matrashov have appealed their pretrial detention.

Perm, Perm Krai

The Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reported that on the evening of May 22, Aleksandr Solovyev, 48, and his wife, Anna, were detained at the railway station in Perm, in the Ural Mountains region, after returning from a trip abroad. Law enforcement then searched the couple's home and reportedly seized property deeds, photographs, several Bibles, and a Wi-Fi router.

Anna was released, but her husband was held for two days. He was released on May 24, and the Sverdlovsk District Court ordered him confined to house arrest. According to Forum 18, he is being investigated on charges of participating in the activities of an "extremist organization."

Before the 2017 Supreme Court ruling banning the Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center, Solovyov chaired the Perm Jehovah's Witnesses congregation, according to the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia website.

Birobidzhan, Jewish Autonomous Region

On May 17 in Birobidzhan, southeast Russia, police raided the homes of at least nine Jehovah's Witnesses. The raids were carried out by approximately 150 law enforcement officers. An official reportedly said that the operation was code-named "Judgment Day."

On May 18, 55-year-old Alam Aliev was placed in pretrial detention until July 13 under suspicion of organizing activities of an "extremist organization." The FSB stated that its request to detain Aliev "was motivated by the fact that the crime is classified as grave" and because "[t]he suspect may impede the criminal proceedings, put pressure on witnesses, and also evade investigative and judicial authorities." Following an appeal by Aliev's lawyer, Aliev was released from detention on May 25 but still faces charges.

Orenburg, Orenburg Region

On May 16 in Orenburg Region, Investigative Committee authorities, FSB officials, and armed National Guard officers searched 18 homes in four cities. Vitaly Svintsov, a lawyer representing two Jehovah's Witnesses in the region, told Human Rights Watch that nine people were charged with organizing or participating in the activities of an "extremist organization." Two of them, Aleksandr Suvorov and Vladimir Kochnev, both 38, remain in pretrial custody until July 14. Twenty-six-year-old Vladislav Kolbanov remains under house arrest. The other six remain under travel restrictions while the investigation is ongoing, Svintsov said.

Photographs of some of the raids posted on the Orenburg Investigative Committee website show FSB officials and riot police in bulletproof vests and masks approaching Jehovah's Witnesses' residences.

A statement by the Orenburg Investigative Committee said that investigative operations were "carefully planned and organized" by law enforcement with the aim of "seizing documents and items relevant to the criminal case, as well as identifying other persons involved in unlawful activities." Investigators allege that the suspects "organized activities of a subdivision of Jehovah's Witnesses [Administrative Center] by calling and holding meetings, organizing the recruitment of new members, and communicating the contents of religious literature to meeting participants."

Shuya, Ivanovo Region

Forum 18 reported that law enforcement raided four homes in the town of Shuya, western Russia, early on the morning of April 20.

Dmitry Mikhailov, 33, was arrested on May 29, over a month after his home was searched and placed in pretrial custody until July 19. He is being accused of "financing extremist activities."

On April 20, the Ivanovo Region Investigative Committee released a statement about the home searches, alleging that since the beginning of 2018, Jehovah's Witnesses in Shuya had been studying literature "containing statements degrading human dignity . . . and elements of propaganda of the exclusivity of one religion over another."

Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai

Several homes belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses were reportedly raided on April 19 in the far-east city of Vladivostok.

Human Rights Watch was able to confirm that on April 23 Valentin Osadchuk, 42, was placed under arrest by Frunzensky District Court on charges of participation in the activities of an "extremist organization" after authorities searched his home and confiscated computers, notebooks, and other devices. He remains in pretrial detention until September 20. Representatives of the Jehovah's Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that five others face the same charges but remain at liberty subject to travel restrictions.

Polyarny, Murmansk Region

On the evening of April 18 in the town of Polyarny in the Murmansk region, armed law enforcement raided at least seven homes and arrested two Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Markin, 44, and Viktor Tifimov, 61. Others whose homes were searched were taken to the local investigative unit for questioning and later released without charge.

The Murmansk Region Investigative Committee stated on its website that National Guard officers and FSB officials who led the home searches confiscated computer drives and religious literature. A video posted to the website shows men wearing camouflage uniforms and helmets forcing open a door with a pry bar. The Investigative Committee said that beginning in April 2017, the suspects had allegedly "organized activities of the religious organization [Jehovah's Witnesses] by convening and holding meetings, organizing the recruitment of new members, and leading studies of religious texts at meetings."

Markin's lawyer, Arli Chimirov, told Human Rights Watch that armed officers broke down Markin's door and told him and his 16-year-old daughter, who was at home with him, to lie on the floor while law enforcement threatened them with firearms and searched the apartment. Markin's daughter was escorted to the investigative unit and was questioned for several hours along with her mother, who arrived some time later.

On April 23, 2018, the Polyarny District Court placed Markin in pretrial custody until June 11. Markin's lawyer unsuccessfully appealed the decision. According to court documents on file with Human Rights Watch, investigative authorities requested that Markin be placed in pretrial detention because of the risk that he "may continue criminal activities, threaten participants in the legal proceedings, hide or destroy evidence, and also fail to attend preliminary court hearings." On June 4, Markin's pretrial detention was extended to October 11.

Tifimov's lawyer, Yegiazar Chernikov, told Human Rights Watch that beginning in October 2017, investigators had been collecting as evidence audio and video recordings of conversations among Jehovah's Witnesses. Chernikov said that on several occasions, a woman involved in the investigation invited Tifimov to her home, where audio and video recording devices were in place, and asked him questions given to her by investigative authorities and designed to incriminate him.

Tifimov was originally detained until June 12, 2018, but his pretrial detention was extended until October 11.

Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan

The religious freedom group Forum 18 reported that approximately 60 law enforcement officers, some of them armed, raided eight homes in the city of Ufa, south-central Russia, on the morning of April 10. Investigators confiscated personal belongings, books, and photographs. The lawyer representing one of the Jehovah's Witnesses who was detained said that authorities threatened worshipers with weapons, in one case holding an automatic weapon to a person's head.

At least 20 people were reportedly taken to the Lenin District Investigative Department for questioning and fingerprinting but were later released. One girl was called for questioning, but when she showed up for the meeting with her mother and the director of her school, the investigator failed to appear.

On April 12, Anatoly Vilikevich, 32, was arrested on suspicion of organizing activities of an "extremist organization," and placed in pretrial detention. Vilikevich's lawyer, Vitaly Svintsov, who appealed the order, told Human Rights Watch that on June 21 the Supreme Court of Bashkortostan overturned the lower court's decision and placed him under house arrest.

A statement by the Bashkortostan Republic Investigative Committee alleged that Vilikevich had organized a local chapter of the banned Jehovah's Witnesses Administrative Center. Investigators who searched his home confiscated "prohibited literature," the statement said.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Turkey has no excuse to ban Istanbul pride march

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 28 June 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Turkey has no excuse to ban Istanbul pride march, 28 June 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de5b4.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

June 28, 2018 4:29AM EDT

Protect, End Discrimination Against LGBTI Community

By Boris Dittrich, Advocacy Director, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program

Istanbul's sixteenth Pride March is set to take place on July 1. But even as the city's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community (LGBTI) and supporters prepare to celebrate next week, it is unclear whether they will be free to do so.

The Istanbul Governor's Office has banned the Pride March since 2015, citing security concerns and the need to uphold public order. It has also invoked the excuse that selected locations were not suitable for public assemblies. Nevertheless, in recent years, some people tried to gather in spite of the bans, and police responded harshly, using excessive force to arrest and disperse participants.

Far-right and ultra-nationalist groups have also attempted to stop LGBTI people from marching, citing public morality and values. Authorities have perversely used these threats as further justification to ban the march.

Banning LGBTI activities and events is becoming routine and widespread in Turkey. Bans on the Istanbul Pride March and Trans Pride March have been followed by the Ankara Governor's November 2017 ban on all LGBTI-related events in the city and the cancellation of LGBTI events in several other cities in Turkey.

LGBTI and human rights activists have filed several criminal complaints against these government bans and various threatening groups. Restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association for LGBTI people in Turkey not only violate those fundamental human rights, but place Turkey in violation of its international obligations.

As a member of the Council of Europe, Turkey should adhere to the Council's standards to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. A 2010 recommendation provides that members states should ensure everyone can enjoy their freedom of peaceful assembly without any discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. It also says governments should not misuse legal and administrative provisions to impose restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly on grounds of public health, public morality, and public order.

The Istanbul Governor's Office should lift its arbitrary bans and allow the Pride March to take place this year. Turkey has an obligation to ensure LGBTI people are able to fully enjoy their rights to peaceful freedom of expression, association and assembly free of discrimination. Law enforcement authorities assigned to uphold public order should remember they are there to protect those participating in the march.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Indonesia: Anti-LGBT crackdown fuels health crisis

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 1 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Indonesia: Anti-LGBT crackdown fuels health crisis, 1 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de5f4.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 1, 2018 9:01PM EDT

Discriminatory Police Raids Violate Rights, Undermine HIV-Prevention Efforts

Indonesian authorities are fueling an HIV epidemic through complicity in discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The government's failure to halt arbitrary and unlawful raids by police and militant Islamists on private LGBT gatherings has effectively derailed public health outreach efforts to vulnerable populations.

Indonesian authorities are fueling an HIV epidemic through complicity in discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The government's failure to halt arbitrary and unlawful raids by police and militant Islamists on private LGBT gatherings has effectively derailed public health outreach efforts to vulnerable populations.

The 70-page report, "'Scared in Public and Now No Privacy': Human Rights and Public Health Impacts of Indonesia's Anti-LGBT Moral Panic," documents how hateful rhetoric has translated into unlawful action by Indonesian authorities  sometimes in collaboration with militant Islamist groups  against people presumed to be LGBT. Based on in-depth interviews with victims and witnesses, health workers, and activists, this report updates a Human Rights Watch August 2016 report that documented the sharp rise in anti-LGBT attacks and rhetoric in Indonesia that began that year. It examines major incidents between November 2016 and June 2018, and the far-reaching impact of this anti-LGBT "moral panic" on the lives of sexual and gender minorities and the serious consequences for public health in the country.

"The Indonesian government's failure to address anti-LGBT moral panic is having dire consequences for public health," said Kyle Knight, LGBT rights researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of the report. "The Indonesian government should recognize that its role in abuses against LGBT people is seriously compromising the country's response to HIV."

Beginning in early 2016, politicians, government officials, and state offices issued anti-LGBT statements  calling for everything from criminalization to "cures" for homosexuality, to censorship of information related to LGBT individuals and positive reporting on their activities.

The government's response to the country's HIV epidemic in recent decades has helped slow the number of new infections. However, widespread stigma and discrimination against populations at risk of HIV, as well as people living with HIV, has discouraged some HIV-vulnerable populations from accessing prevention and treatment services. As a result, HIV rates among men who have sex with men (MSM) have increased five-fold since 2007 from 5 percent to 25 percent. And while the majority of new HIV infections in Indonesia occur through heterosexual transmission, one-third of new infections occur in MSM.

The anti-LGBT moral panic and unlawful police raids have made public health outreach to the most at-risk populations far more difficult making wider spread of the virus more likely, Human Rights Watch said.

Throughout 2017, Indonesian police raided saunas, night clubs, hotel rooms, hair salons, and private homes on suspicion that LGBT people were inside. In total, police apprehended at least 300 people in 2017 alone because of their presumed sexual orientation and gender identity  a spike from previous years and the highest such number ever recorded in Indonesia.

Nigrat L., a 47-year-old transgender woman outreach worker in Jakarta said, "Violence will always be there  it always has been with us. It's just part of our lives. It's normal. We just know it as our bad luck that day, and maybe tomorrow too, or maybe tomorrow will be better."

The raids sometimes were preceded by police surveillance of social media accounts to discover an event's location, and at times featured officers marching unclothed detainees in front of the media, public humiliation, and moralizing presentations of condoms as evidence of illegal behavior. Three police raids in 2017 shut down MSM HIV outreach "hot spots," places where outreach workers would routinely meet and counsel MSM, as well as provide condoms and voluntary HIV tests. In at least two of the well-publicized raids, in Surabaya and West Java, police openly used condoms as evidence in exposing and humiliating MSM detainees in the media.

"It is devastating that these clubs have closed  they were the only places where we could find the community," said an HIV outreach worker in Jakarta. "Clubs were hot spots for us because we knew that even the discreet guys felt safe about their sexuality inside, so we could do HIV testing and give condoms and they wouldn't be scared to participate." Another outreach worker said that "we see more and more MSM waiting to get really sick before they seek help or even ask questions about HIV."

In December 2017, Indonesia's constitutional court rejected a petition that had sought to criminalize sex outside of marriage as well as adult consensual same-sex conduct specifically, calling the case "legally unsound" and warning against over-criminalization. Meanwhile beginning in January 2018, versions of the draft Criminal Code that featured troubling proposed provisions on criminalizing consensual sexual relations began circulating through various parliamentary committees. The government representative on the drafting task force has since expressed opposition to outright criminalization of same-sex conduct, but sex outside of marriage remains a criminal offense in the draft.

After a February visit to Indonesia, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights stated that "LGBTI Indonesians already face increasing stigma, threats and intimidation. . . . The hateful rhetoric against this community that is being cultivated seemingly for cynical political purposes will only deepen their suffering and create unnecessary divisions."

"The vitriolic anti-LGBT rhetoric from public officials that began in early 2016 effectively granted social sanction and political cover to violence and discrimination," Knight said. "To correct its course, the government needs to uphold its commitments to 'unity in diversity' by halting and investigating unlawful police raids and ensure discrimination is not enshrined in its laws."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Myanmar: Free Reuters journalists, drop case

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 1 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Myanmar: Free Reuters journalists, drop case, 1 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de614.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 1, 2018 8:15PM EDT

Reporters Face Longer Sentences Than Soldiers Convicted in Massacre

(New York)  Myanmar authorities should release two Reuters journalists detained for investigating a military massacre of Rohingya Muslims and drop the case against them, Human Rights Watch said today. On July 2, 2018, a Yangon court will hear final arguments on whether to charge Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, under the 1923 Official Secrets Act, which carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

The journalists were detained on December 12, 2017, after being invited by police officials to meet at a restaurant in Yangon, where they were handed rolled up papers allegedly linked to security force operations in northern Rakhine State. The Myanmar Police Force announced that the journalists were arrested for "illegally obtaining and possessing government documents," with the intent "to send them to a foreign news agency." For more than six months, the two men have been held without bail while evidence has emerged showing police misconduct and conflicting official accounts.

"Myanmar authorities set up and arrested the two Reuters journalists because of their work exposing a massacre of Rohingya by the military," said Brad Adams, Asia director. "The authorities have turned to tactics long-favored by past military juntas  locking up and prosecuting those exposing the truth."

Prior to their arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were investigating the September 2017 killing of 10 Rohingya men and boys by the Myanmar military in Inn Din village in northern Rakhine State. Reuters published an in-depth report based on their investigation in February, reconstructing the chronology of the attack through accounts from security personnel and villagers who took part in the military operation. The commanders of a military unit and paramilitary police battalion that carried out the abuses in Inn Din were sanctioned on June 25 by the European Union and Canada.

Since January 2018, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have attended weekly hearings at a Yangon courthouse while being held at the notorious Insein Prison, with their requests for bail and dismissal denied.

Witness accounts of the arrest point to a case of entrapment. In April, a police captain testified that Police Brig. Gen. Tin Ko Ko had ordered the officers to "trap" the journalists by handing them "secret documents" as a pretext for their arrest. Shortly after testifying, the captain was sentenced to one year in prison under the police discipline act and his family was evicted from government housing.

The prosecution's case has been marked by inconsistencies and irregularities, indicating possible misconduct in the original police operation. During the hearings, one arresting officer testified that he was unaware of proper procedures for recording arrests, while another admitted that he had burned his notes on the arrest. An additional witness for the prosecution wrote the location where police claim the arrest took place on his hand. Police also submitted as evidence documents they allege were discovered on the reporters' phones, which were searched without a warrant. Defense lawyers have asserted that the information provided by the police to the reporters was already in the public domain at the time of the arrest.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are accused of violating section 3(1)(c) of the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years for anyone who "obtains, collects, records or publishes or communicates to any other person any secret official . . . document or information" that may be "useful to an enemy." Under the act's draconian provisions, criminal penalties are imposed for sharing documents without any requirement that the disclosure pose a real risk of harm, contrary to international standards on freedom of expression.

In particular, section 3(1)(c) does not require that the conduct result in any actual harm to national security or even create a significant risk of such harm. The overly broad and vague provisions should be amended to penalize only conduct that can be proven to pose a concrete risk to national security, and to eliminate the criminal penalties for journalists and other nongovernmental personnel who receive information.

After their arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were held incommunicado for two weeks, during which they were deprived of sleep and forced to kneel for hours during interrogation, according to defense lawyers. Human Rights Watch called for any evidence gathered through ill-treatment to be thrown out.

The use of torture or other coercive methods, including prolonged sleep deprivation, to obtain information from detainees is prohibited under customary international law as well as international human rights treaties. Article 15 of the United Nations Convention against Torture, which Myanmar has not ratified, provides that any statement "made as a result of torture shall not be invoked as evidence in any proceedings," a restriction also outlined in the UN Human Rights Committee's General Comment 32 on fair trial rights.

The attack at Inn Din was one of a number of massacres carried out by the Myanmar military during its campaign of ethnic cleansing in northern Rakhine State, which has driven more than 720,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh since August 2017. The government has repeatedly denied allegations of military abuses and refused to allow access to the region to independent investigators, including the UN Fact-Finding Mission and the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar.

While the government has claimed that it will take action against security force personnel implicated in abuses if presented with "concrete evidence," the only case in which soldiers have been detained for crimes committed in Rakhine State since August relates to the massacre exposed by Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. In January, the Myanmar government announced it was investigating the killings of "10 Bengali terrorists" in Inn Din, using a derogatory term for Rohingya. Seven soldiers were sentenced in April to 10 years in prison for their involvement in the massacre, which the government framed as a failure to "hand over to the police" the 10 men and boys, asserting they were lawfully arrested members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militant group.

The day after the announcement, Wa Lone reacted to the soldiers' sentences after his appearance in court. "The culprits who committed the massacre were sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, the ones who reported on it  us  are accused under a law that can get us imprisoned for 14 years," he called out to reporters on the courthouse steps. "Where is the truth and justice? Where is democracy and freedom?"

"The Reuters trial is a test case of press freedom under Aung San Suu Kyi's government," Adams said. "If the Reuters journalists are charged, authorities will be following in the footsteps of the military junta. Foreign governments should call for justice for Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and an end to the arrest and imprisonment of journalists for doing their jobs."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Yes, we can end the military use of schools

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 2 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Yes, we can end the military use of schools, 2 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de634.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 2, 2018 2:49PM EDT

UN Report Shows Why More Countries Should Join Safe Schools Declaration

By Bede Sheppard, Deputy Director, Children's Rights Division

First the bad news: the United Nations secretary-general's annual report on children and armed conflict found a 35 percent increase in violence against children compared to the year before. But there's good news too: incidents of armed groups  be they government forces or rebel groups  using schools for military purposes are down 14 percent from the previous year, with 188 schools affected.

That's important for students who have safer schools to learn in, and raises hopes that new generations will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to rebuild their countries after years of war.

Stopping fighters from turning schools into barracks and bunkers is gaining increasing attention since the development of the 2015 Safe Schools Declaration, an agreement through which countries commit to take common-sense steps to refrain from using schools for military purposes.

Globally, incidents of military use of schools  as verified by the UN  have fallen by almost a third since 2014. But in countries that have endorsed the declaration, there's been an even greater drop in reported incidents  50 percent down since 2014. This downward trend is particularly encouraging because it coincides with improved monitoring of the phenomenon, something that often  initially at least  makes it appear as if violations are increasing.

At the same time, in countries that have not endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, there's been a 97 percent rise in the reported incidents of military use of schools since 2014.

Looking specifically at government forces of countries that have joined the declaration, their use of schools has fallen by almost 20 percent since 2015, with the steepest drop reported in Afghanistan.

By contrast, there's been a 14 percent uptick in the use of schools by the forces of governments that have not endorsed it.

Disappointingly, there was an increase over the last year in reports of the military use of schools in three countries that have endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration: Nigeria, Sudan, and South Sudan. But both Nigeria and Sudan have recently taken steps to reassess their policies. South Sudan should start holding soldiers to account who don't abide by existing military orders.

So far, 75 countries have joined the Safe Schools Declaration. The countries detailed in the UN report that have not endorsed  Burma, Colombia, India, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Pakistan, Philippines, Syria, and Thailand  should join next.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Afghanistan's ceasefires expire; attacks on civilians resume

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 3 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Afghanistan's ceasefires expire; attacks on civilians resume, 3 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de653.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 3, 2018 10:56AM EDT

Suicide Bombing Kills Sikh Parliamentary Candidate

By Patricia Gossman, Senior Researcher, Afghanistan

Afghan Sikh men carry the coffin of a bombing victim in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, July 2, 2018.  2018 Reuters

The two headlines could not have been more jarring.

"Casualties drop by half last month compared to June 2017," the nongovernmental Afghan Civilian Protection Advocacy Group reported on July 1, a decline attributed to overlapping unilateral ceasefires by the Afghan government and the Taliban.

"Suicide Attack Targets Sikhs in Jalalabad," screamed a headline just hours later, a story that documented a devastating suicide bombing that killed 19 people. Among the dead was Avtar Singh, the only Sikh candidate for the October parliamentary elections; another prominent Sikh civil society activist; and other Hindus and Sikhs from among Afghanistan's smallest minority communities.

Although Sikhs and Hindus have lived in Afghanistan for centuries, the vast majority have left in recent decades, fleeing endless armed conflict and rising intolerance. Their communities shrunk from about 220,000 in the 1980s to 15,000 after 1992. As of 2018, only about 1,350 remain in Afghanistan. "It is over for us, we are finished, they have massacred us," the relative of one of those killed said.

The Jalalabad attack was the latest in what has already been a bloody run-up to the elections. Both the Taliban and the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) have attacked voter registration centers. The Taliban have threatened and abducted election staff members in Ghor and Jawzjan. In the bloodiest attack, claimed by the ISKP, suicide bombers killed at least 60 and injured 138 at a voter registration center in Kabul.

The Taliban and government ceasefires only overlapped for three days, during which unprecedented scenes of Afghan soldiers and police and Taliban members taking selfies, sharing in Eid prayers, and feasting together circulated widely in the media. But the unexpected camaraderie set off alarm bells for the Taliban leadership, who feared losing control of their fighters, and hastily called them back to their proverbial trenches as soon as the three days were up.

For Afghans, the brief ceasefire lull may seem like a mirage now. With less than four months to go before the elections, Afghan civilians can be expected to pay the highest price.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Tunisia: Lawmaker sentenced for blog

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 3 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Tunisia: Lawmaker sentenced for blog, 3 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de66a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 3, 2018 12:00AM EDT

Sent to Military Trial for Criticizing the Army

(Tunis)  A military court sentenced a member of Tunisia's parliament to three months in prison on June 26, 2018, for a Facebook post criticizing the army, Human Rights Watch said. Yassine Ayari, the parliament member, has faced numerous military prosecutions for his Facebook posts mocking military top brass.

The military prosecutor charged Ayari with "high treason," a capital offense under article 60 of the penal code, for a Facebook post published on April 28, 2017. He also charged Ayari with "defaming the army" under article 91 of the Code of Military Justice and "offending the President of the Republic" under article 67 of the penal code. The court convicted Ayari only on the charge of defaming the army.

"The relentless prosecution of a peaceful critic of the army and the president  and by a military court, no less  is the mirror opposite of what should be happening in a democratic transition," said Amna Guellali, Tunisia director at Human Rights Watch.

Ayari, running as an independent, won a seat in parliament in December 2017, to represent Tunisians living in Germany. He was sworn in on February 7, 2018, and has participated actively in parliamentary work in Tunisia.

He was also sentenced on March 27 to 16 days in prison for another blog post. He did not serve his sentence. In 2015, Ayari spent more than four months in prison after a military court sentenced him for defaming the military high command on his Facebook account. Tunisia should stop trying civilians in military courts, Human Rights Watch said.

Human Rights Watch reviewed the court files of the most recent case. On April 28, 2017, the military prosecutor opened an investigation into whether Ayari had "published a Facebook post containing expressions likely to undermine the dignity of the military institution by criticizing the decisions of its high commanders, in addition to defaming the President of the Republic, the commander of the military forces." The case file includes a screen shot of a Facebook post attributed to Ayari.

The post alleges that President Beji Caid Essebsi has tried to use the military to repress the population. The post refers to other "failed attempts" by former presidents Habib Bourguiba and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali to quell protests by resorting to the army and commends rank-and-file soldiers and some military commanders who refused to obey orders to use force against protesters. The post calls the president a "clown," among other epithets.

In a June 26, 2018 Facebook post, Ayari, who is currently in Germany, announced that he will not appeal the sentence because he does not want to give the military court another chance to pursue this "travesty of justice." Ayari has immunity from arrest unless the parliament, the National Constituent Assembly, votes to lift it or he voluntarily renounces it. In a Facebook post, he declared that he has renounced his parliamentary immunity, "to have a clean slate," and that he is ready to serve his sentence.

Since the ouster of Ben Ali in January 2011, military prosecutors have used article 91 of the military code to try civilians. That article punishes with up to three years in prison anyone who "commits ... outrages against the flag or the army, offenses against the dignity, reputation or morale of the army, or acts to undermine military discipline, obedience and the respect due to superiors, or who criticizes the action of military hierarchy or the military officers, offending their dignity."

Prosecutions for defaming the army or other state institutions are incompatible with Tunisia's obligations under article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). In 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which monitors implementation of the covenant, issued guidance to states parties on their free speech obligations under article 19 that emphasized the high value that the ICCPR places upon uninhibited expression "in circumstances of public debate concerning public figures in the political domain and public institutions," adding that, "State parties should not prohibit criticism of institutions, such as the army or the administration."

Allowing the prosecution of a civilian before a military tribunal is a violation of the right to a fair trial and due process guarantees, Human Rights Watch said. The Resolution on the Right to a Fair Trial and Legal Aid in Africa noted that "[t]he purpose of Military Courts is to determining offenses of a pure military nature committed by pure military personnel."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Ethiopia: Torture in Somali region prison

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 4 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Ethiopia: Torture in Somali region prison, 4 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de693.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 4, 2018 11:00PM EDT

Senior Officials Implicated in Nonstop Regimen of Abuse

Prison officials and security forces have arbitrarily detained and tortured prisoners for years in the notorious regional prison known as Jail Ogaden. Ethiopia's new prime minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, should urgently order investigations into the horrific situation, and the government should ensure regional security forces and officials are held accountable.

(Nairobi)  Prison officials and security forces have arbitrarily detained and tortured prisoners for years in the notorious regional prison known as Jail Ogaden. Ethiopia's new prime minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed, should urgently order investigations into the horrific situation, and the government should ensure regional security forces and officials are held accountable.

The 88-page report, "'We are Like the Dead': Torture and other Human Rights Abuses in Jail Ogaden, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia," describes a brutal and relentless pattern of abuse, torture, rape, and humiliation, with little access to medical care, family, lawyers, or even at times to food. The prison's security forces, including the Somali Region's notorious paramilitary force, the Liyu police, are implicated. The unit reports to the Somali Region president, Abdi Mohamoud Omar, known as Abdi Illey. Most prisoners are accused of some affiliation with the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), a banned opposition group, but most never face charges or trials.

"Ethiopia's new prime minister admitted security forces have tortured Ethiopians, but he has yet to tackle Ethiopia's culture of impunity and ensure accountability for abuses by the security forces," said Felix Horne, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "The horrific situation in Jail Ogaden requires immediate and transparent investigation into the actions of the regional president, other senior Somali Region officials, and the Liyu police."

In a remarkable break with the government's normal posture of denial, Ethiopia's prime minister acknowledged in a speech before parliament on June 18 that security force personnel engage in torture. He did not speak of abuses in Jail Ogaden in particular or comment on what the government would do to ensure accountability for torture throughout Ethiopia or justice for the victims.

Human Rights Watch interviewed almost 100 people, including security force members, government officials, and 70 former detainees and documented abuses in Jail Ogaden between 2011-early 2018.

"I was kept in solitary confinement in complete darkness for most of my [three year] detention," one former prisoner said. "I was only taken out at night for torture. They [prison officials] did many things to me  they electrocuted my testicles, they tied wire around them, and they put a plastic bag with chili powder over my head. I often had a gag tied in my mouth so I wouldn't scream too much."

Detainees said they were stripped naked and beaten in front of the entire prison population and made to carry out humiliating acts in front of fellow inmates to instil fear.

"They once made me lie naked on the ground in front of everyone and roll around in the mud while they beat me with sticks," said Hodan, 40, who was imprisoned without charge for five years. "Once they made an old man stand naked with his daughter . . . you would feel such shame after these treatments in front of all the other prisoners."

Prisoners said that top jail officials, including senior Liyu police officials, not only ordered torture, rape, and denial of food, but personally took part in the rape and torture. In overcrowded cells at night, head prisoners further violently interrogated detainees, passing notes on to prison leaders, who then selected people for further punishment.

The serious overcrowding, torture, starvation and disease outbreaks. grossly inadequate food, and water and lack of health care and sanitation led to deaths in detention.

Many children are born in Jail Ogaden, including some allegedly conceived through rape by prison guards. Female prisoners described giving birth inside their cells, in many cases without health care or even water.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Lebanon: A year on, no answers on deaths in custody

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 4 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Lebanon: A year on, no answers on deaths in custody, 4 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de6aa.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 4, 2018 12:00AM EDT

Release Investigation into Why 4 Syrians Died

(Beirut)  Lebanon's army should release the findings of its investigation into the deaths a year ago of four Syrians in custody, Human Rights Watch said today. Despite evidence of torture, the military prosecutor announced on July 24, 2017, that an investigation showed the men had died of natural causes. The army has never released the full results of the investigation.

On July 4, 2017, the Lebanese army issued a statement saying that four Syrians had died in its custody following mass raids in Arsal, a restricted access area in northeast Lebanon where many Syrian refugees live. A doctor with expertise in documenting torture reviewed photos of three of the men provided by their family lawyers to Human Rights Watch, which showed widespread bruising and cuts. He said the injuries were "consistent with inflicted trauma in the setting of physical torture" and that "any statement that the deaths of these individuals were due to natural causes is inconsistent with these photographs."

"When four men die within days of arrest, and photos of their bodies show marks consistent with torture, the public deserves a full accounting of what happened," said Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "But a year after these deaths, we still do not have clear answers about why they died, or steps that the army has taken to ensure that this never happens again."

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have both publicly urged the military to release the results of its investigation. Human Rights Watch also made the request in a meeting with the army commander, Joseph Aoun, on July 24, 2017, and again raised the issue in a letter to the army on June 27, 2018, but has received no response. The army had previously told Human Rights Watch and local media that it would publish the findings of the investigation.

A group of UN experts wrote to the Lebanese government on October 3, 2017, requesting information about this case. The experts include the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, and the special rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions; on the independence of judges and lawyers; and on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The government of Lebanon responded on December 15, 2017, but the response is not yet public.

After the announcement of the deaths, Human Rights Watch spoke with a family member and a close acquaintance of two of the Syrians, who said that they had no known serious health conditions. Both said that the army gave no reason for the arrests and did not notify the families of the deaths.

Additional evidence supports the allegations of abuse and torture during the arrests in Arsal and subsequently at military detention facilities. A witness in Arsal told Human Rights Watch that he saw 34 of the men who were arrested after they were released and that they had marks on their hands, legs, and backs, and in one case, on a former detainee's head. Human Rights Watch also spoke with five of the men the army arrested during the raid who were subsequently released. They said that army personnel beat and ill-treated them and other detainees in custody.

Under international law, Lebanon has an obligation to investigate deaths in custody and hold those responsible to account. Under the latest draft of the UN Human Rights Committee's General Comment No. 36 on the right to life, states parties to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including Lebanon, should make public the findings, conclusions and recommendations of an investigation into deaths in custody.

Lebanon has an obligation under international law to publish the results of the investigation when a detainee dies in custody. Loss of life in custody, especially when accompanied by reliable reports of an unnatural death, creates a presumption of arbitrary deprivation of life by state authorities, which can only be rebutted on the basis of a proper investigation that establishes the state's compliance with its obligations under international law.

Human Rights Watch and local human rights organizations have long documented reports of torture and ill-treatment by Lebanon's security services, including the army. Impunity for violence is a recurring problem in Lebanon. Even when officials have initiated investigations into deaths, torture, or ill-treatment, the investigations have often not been concluded or the findings made public. Human Rights Watch has not been able to identify any case in which military personnel have been held to account for torture and ill-treatment of detainees.

"If this investigation does in fact show that these men died of natural causes, it is in the army's own interest to make that public," Fakih said. "Calling for a public accounting into allegations of torture is not an attack on the Lebanese army, but about ensuring accountability and the rule of law."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
China: Free rights lawyers, reinstate law licenses

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 5 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, China: Free rights lawyers, reinstate law licenses, 5 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de6d4.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 5, 2018 8:00PM EDT

Ahead of '709' Anniversary, Justice Minister Tells Lawyers to Support Communist Party

(New York)  The Chinese government should immediately release human rights lawyers who have been arbitrarily held since a nationwide crackdown began in July 2015, Human Rights Watch said today. Authorities should restore all wrongfully revoked lawyers' licenses to practice.

Beginning on July 9, 2015, known as "709," Chinese police rounded up and interrogated about 300 human rights lawyers, legal assistants, and activists across the country. While most were released within weeks, at least one has been forcibly disappeared and four others have received long prison sentences. Authorities continue to harass, surveil, and deny licenses to other rights lawyers.

"President Xi Jinping's claims that China is ruled by law will ring hollow so long as lawyers are detained at the whim of authorities," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. "Each day lawyers are unjustly jailed darkens the stain on Beijing's already poor rights record."

Beijing lawyer Wang Quanzhang has been detained awaiting trial on charges of "subversion of state power." The authorities have denied Wang access to family or legal counsel, and he has not been heard from since his apprehension three years ago. There are reports that he has been tortured in custody.

Other lawyers and activists prosecuted since the 709 crackdown include lawyer Zhou Shifeng and democracy activist Hu Shigen. In August 2016, a Tianjin court convicted the pair of "subversion" and sentenced them to seven years and seven-and-a-half years in prison respectively. In November 2017, a Hunan court sentenced lawyer Jiang Tianyong to two years in prison for inciting subversion. Jiang's wife said that he told his father during a prison visit in June 2018 that he was forced to take an unidentified medication and his memory had deteriorated considerably. In December 2017, a Tianjin court convicted human rights activist Wu Gan of subversion and sentenced him to eight years in prison.

In the past year, Chinese authorities have also detained at least two lawyers who represented other lawyers implicated in the 709 crackdown. In October 2017, Shenyang authorities detained Li Yuhan and later charged her with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble." Li, who suffers from coronary artery disease and other health issues, has been denied bail. Li represented Wang Yu, a human rights lawyer who was detained during the 709 crackdown. In January 2018, authorities detained Yu Wensheng, alleging he had "incited subversion of state power." Before his detention, the Beijing Bureau of Justice revoked Yu's license and rejected his application to establish a law firm. Yu had represented Wang Quanzhang.

Chinese authorities have over the past year also revoked or suspended the licenses of a number of lawyers who were detained during the 709 crackdown but later released. Several other lawyers have been unable to find work due to police pressure on employers. According to Ministry of Justice regulations, lawyers' licenses are cancelled if they have not been employed by a law firm for over six months.

Since their release in August 2016, lawyer Wang Yu and her husband, legal activist Bao Longjun, have not been able to find employment after authorities repeatedly warned law firms not to hire the couple.In March 2018, lawyer Zhang Kai alleged that the authorities had forced his employer to fire him. In April, lawyer Xie Yanyi and Li Chunfu found that their licenses were marked "cancelled" on the website of the Beijing Bureau of Justice. The Beijing Lawyers' Associate later informed Xie that it was due to his past "regulation-breaking behavior." In May, the Beijing Bureau of Justice revoked the license of lawyer Li Heping, citing Li's criminal conviction. The previous year, in April 2017, a court in Tianjin found Li guilty of subversion and imposed a three-year suspended sentence.

Since August 2017, authorities have also revoked or suspended the licenses to practice of a number of other human rights lawyers, some of whom have represented those affected by the 709 crackdown. In June 2018, the Hunan Bureau of Justice revoked the licenses of Wen Donghai and Yang Jinzhu, alleging that their "disorderly court conduct" has caused "adverse effects on society." Wen and Yang represented Wang Yu and Zhou Shifeng respectively.

In addition, Chinese authorities have continued to harass and intimidate human rights lawyers and their families, including frequently ordering them not to speak to the media, restricting their movement, and installing surveillance cameras around their residences. In April, Li Wenzu, wife of detained lawyer Wang Quanzhang, embarked on a 100-kilometer march to advocate for her husband's release. Police intercepted her and briefly put her under house arrest along with her 5-year-old son. In May, after meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to China, Xu Yan, wife of detained lawyer Yu Wensheng, was followed by police on the street and prevented from taking taxis.

Meanwhile, on July 1, during a national lawyers' conference, the government-controlled All-China Lawyers Association added language to its charter calling on lawyers to "firmly safeguard the authority of the Communist Party which has comrade Xi Jinping as its core." The minister of justice, Fu Zhenghua, also said at the same occasion that lawyers' associations must "unwaveringly uphold the Party's comprehensive leadership over lawyers' work."

The United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers states that everyone should have "effective access to legal services provided by an independent legal profession." Governments should ensure that lawyers are able to perform their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper interference and should not suffer or be threatened with prosecution or administrative, economic or other sanctions for acting according to their recognized professional duties.

"The Chinese government sees the role of lawyers as advancing the interests of the Communist Party, not upholding their clients' rights," Richardson said. "The licenses of mistreated lawyers should be restored immediately."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Angolan journalists' acquittal a victory for free speech

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 6 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Angolan journalists' acquittal a victory for free speech, 6 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de6f4.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 6, 2018 1:03PM EDT

Court Upholds Freedom of the Press and Expression

By Zenaida Machado, Researcher, Africa Division

A court in Luanda, Angola's capital, today acquitted investigative journalist Rafael Marques and editor Mariano Bras on accusations of insulting the state, a huge victory for press freedom in a country where the media have often been targets of government repression.

The two journalists were charged on June 21, 2017 with "outrage to a body of sovereignty and injury against public authority," under Angola's Law on Crimes against State Security, after publishing an article about an alleged illegal land acquisition involving the attorney general, Joao Maria de Sousa.

The article  first published on Marques' website MakaAngola in November 2016 and re-published by O Crime, edited by Bras  alleged that de Sousa unlawfully acted as a property and real estate developer in addition to his official duties. It also suggested that former President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos supported the attorney general's actions.

State prosecutors argued that the journalists acted in bad faith and violated the ethical principles of journalism. But the judge disagreed.

In reading the almost three-hour long verdict, judge Josina Ferreira Falcao highlighted the importance of public servants being exposed to criticism and scrutiny. "This court believes that we would be doing very bad as a society that wants to progress, if we punished the messengers of bad news," she said.

The unexpected ruling is a victory for freedom of the press in a country where the media has been on a tight leash, with authorities often repressing coverage of cases of corruption involving government officials, through intimidation and abusive use of defamation laws.

On January 23, 2017, then-President Dos Santos signed a media law that limits freedom of expression, despite opposition from the journalist's union and rights groups. The Angolan union of journalists called the law "a political tool to intimidate the press."

Following today's historic court ruling, the Angolan government should now go further and seek to amend the 2017 media law so that journalists are able to do their jobs in a free environment.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Jakarta police 'shoot to kill' order may foster summary executions

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 6 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Jakarta police 'shoot to kill' order may foster summary executions, 6 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de714.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 6, 2018 1:05PM EDT

Anti-Crime Campaign Echoes Duterte's Murderous 'Drug War' in Philippines

By Phelim Kine, Deputy Director, Asia Division

A group of mobile brigade policemen patrols near the Mobile Police Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Depok, south of Jakarta, Indonesia, May 9, 2018.  2018 Reuters

Officials in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, have authorized police participating in a one-month anti-crime campaign launched this week to use deadly force against criminal suspects who resist arrest.

"If there is resistance [from the muggers and thieves], our chief has ordered us to act firmly and quickly [to shoot]," said Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono. "It is not negotiable."

That's dangerous advice given that Indonesian police already have a reputation for summarily executing criminal suspects. A University of Melbourne analysis indicated that more than one-third of the total police killings from January to June 2017 occurred after the suspects had surrendered to police. International law only permits lethal force when there is an imminent threat to life.

Yuwono's sinister rhetoric is reminiscent of the language used by Philippine police officials running President Rodrigo Duterte's murderous "war on drugs." And that's no accident  over the past two years several senior Indonesian police officials have expressed support and admiration for Duterte's anti-drug campaign that has claimed the lives of more than 12,000 Filipinos.

Indonesia's National Narcotics Agency (BNN) head, Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso, in September 2016 called for Indonesian police to adopt Duterte-style "drug war" methods. Waseso sought to justify such illegal law enforcement tactics by stating that "the life of a [drug] dealer is meaningless." He reiterated that stance in July 2017 with praise for Duterte's drug war, saying that it "shows he is taking care of his citizens." That same week, the National Police chief, Gen. Tito Karnavian, made an explicit reference to Duterte's campaign when unveiling a new approach to combating drugs in Indonesia: "shooting drug dealers."

In February, Karnavian awarded former Philippine National Police Director-General Ronald dela Rosa its highest honor, the Medal of Honor. Karnavian praised dela Rosa, who is implicated in possible crimes against humanity for his role in "drug war" extrajudicial killings, for his "rock star-like inspiration to the Indonesian national police" on how to combat illegal drugs.

Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo should immediately shut down this Duterte model of crime control, or risk culpability for a mass killing campaign that threatens Indonesia's still-fragile rule of law.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Uzbekistan: Man's 13-year detention revealed

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 6 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Uzbekistan: Man's 13-year detention revealed, 6 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de733.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 6, 2018 4:25AM EDT

Reports of Ill-Treatment Show Need for Transparency, Monitoring

(Paris)  Uzbek authorities should immediately and unconditionally release an Afghan citizen whose 13-year imprisonment and alleged torture in custody have only recently become known, the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia, International Partnership for Human Rights, and Human Rights Watch said today.

Muhammad Hasan ogli Abdulhamid, 45, a citizen of Afghanistan, was detained in Pakistan in 2005 at the request of Uzbek security services and sent to Uzbekistan. According to reliable sources, he was subjected to ill-treatment, accused of ties with an Uzbek opposition figure, and sentenced to 15 years in prison on vague charges of extremism. He has been held despite significant violations of due process, including of the right to appeal his sentence. Several sources close to Abdulhamid provided information about his imprisonment to the rights groups in April 2018.

"Credible allegations that a foreign national has been imprisoned on vague extremism charges for 13 years without being able to challenge his detention and subjected to ill-treatment raise serious concerns that Tashkent should immediately investigate," said Steve Swerdlow, Central Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Abdulhamid's case underlines how important it is for the Uzbek government disclose information about the thousands of people imprisoned since the 1990s on such charges and to examine each case."

In 2005, Abdulhamid was traveling to Afghanistan via Pakistan, where he was detained at the request of Uzbek authorities and sent to Tashkent. Sources close to Abdulhamid reported that after his arrival in Uzbekistan, officers from Uzbekistan's National Security Services tortured him. The security services, known commonly by the Russian acronym SNB, have recently been renamed the State Security Services, or SGB. His interrogators accused him of being associated with an exiled opposition figure Muhammad Salih, who is now based in Turkey.

At the time of his arrest, Abdulhamid asked to be allowed to meet with Afghan consular officials but was refused, the sources said. In 2006, Abdulhamid was charged under article 159 of the Uzbek criminal code concerning threats to the constitutional order, convicted, and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Three people who were imprisoned with him in Uzbekistan's Bekobad prison No. 64/21 told the rights groups that Abdulhamid told them that he had never met or even heard of Salih, never communicated with him, and had not previously travelled to Uzbekistan. The former prisoners said that Abdulhamid has never been given a copy of the sentence in his case that would allow him to appeal or challenge his detention.

One of these sources also said that on more than one occasion he had heard Abdulhamid cry out in pain from another room where he was being interrogated. The sources said that officials with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited Abdulhamid at Bekobad in 2010 and 2011. However, in the following years, on the eve of ICRC prison visits, the sources said, authorities had moved him to a separate, detention center to hide him from the delegation.

Uzbek authorities should expeditiously examine Abdulhamid's case and immediately release him given the multiple violations of due process, the groups said. They should also establish a national independent mechanism to ensure that each such case connected with the application of extremism charges (articles 159, 216, 244-1, and 244-2 of the criminal code) is re-examined and that anyone wrongfully convicted is released and fully rehabilitated.

"Abdulhamid's case is troubling on so many levels and riddled with violations of due process, beginning with his arrest in Pakistan and continuing on through his trial and ill-treatment in prison," said Nadejda Atayeva of the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia. "Uzbekistan's convictions of people on extremism charges will continue to raise concerns as long as authorities continue to keep these cases shrouded from public scrutiny."

Since assuming the presidency in September 2016, the Uzbek government led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has released approximately 30 people imprisoned on politically motivated charges, including journalists, human rights defenders, and other activists. But thousands of people imprisoned on such charges, including for extremism, remain behind bars.

Among them are Andrei Kubatin, Akrom Malikov, Rustam Abdumannapov, scholars; Mirsobir Hamidkariev, a film producer; Aramais Avakyan, a fisherman; Ruhiddin Fahriddinov (Fahrutdinov), a religious figure; Ravshan Kosimov, Viktor Shin, and Alisher Achildiev, soldiers; Nodirbek Yusupov, a deportee from the US; and Aziz Yusupov, the brother of a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist.

The Uzbek government should immediately release everyone imprisoned on politically motivated charges, or detained following serious violations of due process, providing them with full rehabilitation and access to adequate medical treatment, the groups said. The Uzbek government should amend its criminal code provisions relating to extremism that are commonly used to criminalize dissent and bring the criminal code into compliance with Uzbekistan's international human rights obligations.

In November 2017, Mirziyoyev signed a decree prohibiting the courts from using evidence obtained through torture, and forbidding legal decisions based on any evidence not confirmed during trial. The decree, which came into force in March 2018, states that prosecutors will be required to check whether physical or psychological pressure was exerted on a defendant or their relatives. If enforced, the decree could help prevent torture and other ill-treatment in detention in Uzbekistan.

Uzbek officials have indicated an openness to cooperate with United Nations experts by inviting the UN special rapporteur on the independence of lawyers and the judiciary to visit the country. The Uzbek government should combat systematic torture by allowing the UN special rapporteur on torture to visit the country as well during 2018. The authorities should also close Jaslyk prison and ratify the Optional Protocol to the international Convention Against Torture, all longstanding recommendations by UN bodies.

"Uzbekistan's convictions on extremism charges will continue to raise concerns as long as there are due process violations and a lack of transparency," said Rachel Gasowski of IPHR. "The government's agreement to allow the UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers to visit is a positive step, and we hope that his visit will facilitate revision of criminal cases on fabricated charges, including the case of Muhammad Hasan ogli Abdulhamid."

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Nepal: Transitional justice reform an urgent need

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 7 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Nepal: Transitional justice reform an urgent need, 7 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de74a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 7, 2018 9:55PM EDT

Current Draft Law Does Not Meet International Standards on Prosecuting Worst Crimes

(Geneva)  As the Nepal government begins a process of consultations around proposed amendments to the transitional justice mechanisms, two international organizations have called on authorities to take into account concerns of all stakeholders and to ensure that the amendments comply with international human rights standards and international crimes. The current draft law fails to address the many gaps in Nepali law that make it difficult to prosecute, especially at senior levels, for international crimes such as torture and crimes against humanity. The Nepal government has ensured an extension of its two transitional justice commissions while also committing to future amendments to comply with international standards and Supreme Court rulings, the groups said. The government is holding consultations around a proposed Commission on the Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons (CEIDP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) (Amendment) Bill.

"While Nepal has engaged in a transitional justice process over the last few years, with official commissions collecting complaints, holding meetings and generic consultations throughout the country, this is still without any tangible result, and victims say it has left them confused," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "For a successful, internationally accepted process, the authorities in Nepal should focus on providing justice to victims, not engage in trying to get perpetrators off the hook."

Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists issued the statement after the Nepal government shared a draft bill purportedly to amend flaws in the laws of the CEIDP and TRC Acts. Ahead of submitting further analysis and recommendations in the consultative process, the organizations said that Nepal authorities should take into account concerns of all stakeholders, including the groups representing victims of serious crimes by all sides during the civil war, other civil society organizations, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Nepal's new government under Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli of the Nepal Communist Party promised that the Nepali law on transitional justice would be brought into conformity with international law and standards as had been directed several times by the Supreme Court. After years of previous governments failing to comply with the Supreme Court rulings, the new attorney general had announced that reforms to the law were underway, which victims' groups said gave new hope, and as explicitly requested by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and human rights organizations.

While positive changes are noticeable including in relation to reparations, the proposed law authorizes the two transitional justice commissions to authorize prosecutions without strengthening the commissions themselves, proposes a special court without clear guidelines on impartial investigations, and includes a section permitting non-custodial sentences for the most serious crimes. These raise concerns that the proposed draft may not meet international standards of justice and accountability.

The two commissions, which experts say require crucial bolstering, have conducted country-wide hearings and gathered nearly 60,000 cases between them. Victim groups complain that the process has been arbitrary and confusing.

The organizations also noted a number of continuing obstacles to justice, which the bill has not addressed. These include the continued failure to incorporate specific crimes into Nepali law that are serious crimes under international law, including torture, enforced disappearance, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. In addition, the bill provides for the wholly inadequate sanction of short-term community service as an alternative punishment for those convicted of serious crimes, which may constitute effective impunity. Nor does the bill address the question of command and superior responsibility for such crimes, leaving doubt as to whether those at the highest levels of authority will be held accountable for these crimes.

The international organizations were invited to a meeting with the attorney general and other stakeholders on June 21 but did not have a translated draft available ahead of the discussion.

However, during the consultation, the groups stressed the need for meaningful consultations on the bill. The organizations noted also that universal jurisdiction, which allows for any state to prosecute those believed to have engaged in torture, enforced disappearance, or other serious crimes under international law, will remain an available option for victims to seek justice in cases of serious abuses during the civil war.

"Without a justice process that meets international standards for prosecuting the most serious crimes, such as torture and enforced disappearances, anyone suspected of such crimes in Nepal risks arrest, extradition, and prosecution in the many countries that are committed to prosecuting such crimes," said Ian Sedierman, Legal and Policy director at International Commission of Jurists. "It is very welcome that the Nepal government is finally looking to address longstanding demands of war victims and should use this opportunity to abide by its obligations, draw up security sector reforms, and pave the way to end impunity."

Background:

Nepal's civil war, fought between the insurgent Communist Party of Nepala"Maoist (CPN-M) forces and the government, ended in 2006. The armed conflict lasted a decade and led to nearly 13,000 deaths, 1,300 reported enforced disappearances, abductions, torture, and ill-treatment, including sexual violence; and other abuses by both parties. The war led to an extraordinary effort by the United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights to set up an office in the country, charged with monitoring and mapping conflict-related issues. The office issued a report on the violations they monitored. The UN also set up a separate United Nations Monitoring Mission in Nepal, which was charged with monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement.

However, since then, Nepal's political leaders and security forces have all obstructed any efforts at accountability promised under the peace agreement, leading to concerns over commitment of the government towards its stated goal of securing transitional justice for victims of the war.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Reuters journalists charged in Myanmar

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 July 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Reuters journalists charged in Myanmar, 9 July 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87de76a.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

July 9, 2018 3:30PM EDT

Targeted for Exposing Massacre of Rohingya

By Shayna Bauchner, Senior Coordinator, Asia Division

A judge in Yangon formally charged two Reuters journalists on Monday for possessing confidential government documents in the latest blow to press freedom in Myanmar. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, detained for the past seven months during preliminary hearings, will now face trial for allegedly violating Myanmar's colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

The judge decided to proceed to trial despite strong evidence for dismissal  witness accounts pointing to entrapment, indications of police misconduct in the investigation, and prosecution witnesses with contradicting testimonies.

The two journalists were detained in December after meeting with police officers who handed them papers in an apparent setup, since corroborated by several witnesses, including an officer who testified that the police were ordered to "trap" the journalists by planting "secret" documents on them.

In the months before their arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo had been investigating a massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar security forces in September 2017 in Inn Din village, northern Rakhine State. The massacre was part of the military's campaign of ethnic cleansing that drove more than 720,000 Rohingya into neighboring Bangladesh. Myanmar authorities, who have denied extensive evidence of mass atrocities, appear to have targeted Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo because their reporting threatened the government's tightly controlled narrative.

"The government can arrest us like this, waste our time in the court for many days, and stop us from being able to write news," Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo wrote in a letter from prison. "But we want to tell them, right here, that they can never hide the truth."

After an initial thaw in the country's long-repressed media environment, the new civilian administration under de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has cracked down on free speech. Since 2016, scores of cases have been filed against journalists and activists for perceived criticism of the government or military under a slew of repressive laws.

The charges against Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo for their uncovering of atrocities reflect more than just the dire state of free speech in Myanmar. They show the lengths the government will go to silence and punish those who expose its brutal ways.

Link to original story on HRW website

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Libya: Tawergha IDP Camp Attacked by Militia in Danger of Further Attack and Demolition

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 August 2018 Cite as Amnesty International, Libya: Tawergha IDP Camp Attacked by Militia in Danger of Further Attack and Demolition, 10 August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87edb54.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

This morning a militia group belonging to the Ghnewa brigade attacked the Tariq Al-Mattar IDP camp in Tripoli, home to over 500 families who were displaced from the town of Tawergha in 2011. The attack appears to be in retaliation to a violent altercation which took place between young men in the camp some two weeks ago, resulting in the death of one armed militia member from the Ghnewa brigade. Najia Bounaim, Amnesty International's North Africa Campaigns Director said:

"We have received first-hand accounts from people in the Al-Mattar camp describing the attacks they have experienced at the hands of the militia over the past few days. While families were sleeping during the night, armed militia broke down the doors to their makeshift homes, stealing money and household items and kidnapping 77 men and a 13-year-old boy. The armed group gave people in the camp until late this afternoon to vacate the camp as bulldozers sit poised to demolish everything. Now, former residents tell Amnesty International, the camp is empty. Families have taken from their belongings what they can and have nowhere to go.

"This abhorrent attack demonstrates the level of intimidation and collective punishment imposed by militias on displaced people in the Al-Mattar camp. The environment of impunity which the Libyan government has fostered is emboldening militias to get away with these appalling abuses.

"The Libyan authorities need to take serious measures to reinstate the judiciary and disarm and demobilize militias, and serious steps towards holding the perpetrators to account. They must immediately intervene to prevent armed groups from forcibly evicting people from the camp, protect the camp residents from further violence, and ensure the safe release of the those who were kidnapped in this morning's raid. Further, it is essential that the Government of National Accord takes the lead in enabling and securing the safe return of the Tawarghas to their hometown of Tawergha. This includes monitoring the return and settlement process, rehabilitation of homes, schools, and infrastructure of the town."

Background

The Tariq al-Mattar IDP camp is home to over 500 families displaced from their home town in Tawergha since 2011, when the town was used as a launching ground for a pro-Gaddafi offensive against the city of Misratah. As a result, the entire population of 40,000 Tawerghans were forced to flee the town and have not been able to return. Tawerghans have been displaced, living in makeshift housing and sporadic camps throughout the country ever since.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Libya: 45 Sentenced to Death for 2011 Killings

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 22 August 2018 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Libya: 45 Sentenced to Death for 2011 Killings, 22 August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87f9a94.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Government of National Accord should uphold the de-facto moratorium on the death penalty and move toward complete abolition. Libya's Supreme Court, in its review of the verdict, by the Tripoli Court of Appeals, should critically evaluate the evidence in the case, including whether confessions were extracted through torture or other illegal means.

"A judiciary that is in shambles has no business sentencing defendants to death by the dozen," said Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The quest for justice for past crimes can be fulfilled only through trials that are fair, not through judicial killings."

Since the end of the 2011 revolution that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, the right of defendants to a fair trial has continued to be undermined by obstacles to accessing lawyers, the use of coerced confessions as evidence, lack of access to court documents, and prolonged arbitrary detention, with no respect for due process. Human Rights Watch has also documented intimidation, threats, and attacks by armed groups against lawyers, prosecutors, and judges. Courts and prosecutors' offices are only partly operational and are shut in some parts of the country.

The trial relates to the killing of protesters during the 2011 revolution. In an incident widely referred to the "Abu Saleem Highway Massacre," Gaddafi sympathizers and members of his security forces in August 2011 allegedly ambushed and killed 146 anti-Gaddafi protesters in the Abu Saleem area of Tripoli, the capital, and hid some of the remains. Various armed groups started to round up people allegedly involved in the killings after the 2011 revolution ended. However, prosecutors only started interrogating the suspects in 2014. The case went to court in August 2015.

Human Rights Watch in October 2015 interviewed some of the defendants at a prison known as "Al-Roueimy" in the Ain Zara area of Tripoli. Defendants described ill-treatment that appeared to amount to torture at various detention facilities, including one run by the Abu Saleem Council, an armed group controlling the area since 2011. The defendants also said they had lacked access to lawyers during their interrogation, and initial court sessions. A defendant also said that armed guards would accompany defendants to interrogation sessions with the prosecutors, which they found intimidating.

A statement on August 15 by the Justice Ministry of the internationally backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli said that the court had originally charged 128 people in the "Abu Saleem Highway" incident. In addition to the 99 sentenced and 22 acquitted by the court on August 15, one defendant was freed under an amnesty law, three died in detention in circumstances that the statement did not elucidate and the cases of the remaining three had been tried previously.

Both the prosecutor and defendants can seek a review by the Supreme Court cassation chamber. Also, under Libyan law, the Supreme Court reviews all death sentences and must confirm them before an execution can be legally carried out.

In an August 19 statement, the Justice Ministry emphasized that "the defendants in this case were given a fair trial and that all judicial guarantees were made available to them."

International human rights law upholds every human being's inherent right to life, and for countries that have not agreed to ban the death penalty completely, it limits the death penalty to the most serious crimes, typically crimes resulting in death. It strictly forbids the application of the death penalty in any case in which it does not appear that the defendant received a fair trial. In Libya, the death penalty appears frequently in legislation as a proposed punishment for various crimes, including at least 30 articles of the Penal Code.

Human Rights Watch opposes capital punishment in all circumstances because of its inherent cruelty and its irreversible and inhumane nature.

No death sentences have been implemented since 2010.

The August 15 Justice Ministry statement said that the court president and members, the defense lawyers, and relatives of victims and the defendants were present during the reading of the verdict. The statement makes no reference to whether the defendants attended.

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
The Disappeared in the MENA - Neither Dead Nor Alive

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 30 August 2018 Cite as Amnesty International, The Disappeared in the MENA - Neither Dead Nor Alive, 30 August 2018, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5b87fb8c4.html [accessed 2 November 2021] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

She's tried every single day for many many years without success. And yet, this morning, she'll wake up and try again. She'll answer calls from journalists who will ask her: how many years has it been? She will say: 7 years, 25 years, 36 years, an unfathomable number of years.

It's the International Day of the Disappeared and  for just a few minutes today  she will have everyone's attention and she will ask them not to forget her loved one. She will plead with rulers, with politicians, with men too attached to their guns. She will tell them she'll never lose hope but in her heart, she knows it's getting harder to hold on to hope.

She has many names. In Algeria, her name is Nassera Dutour. In Lebanon, her name is Wadad Halawany. In Syria, her name is Fadwa Mahmoud. And yet, her face is the same anywhere in the Middle East, anywhere in North Africa: tired, pensive, lined with worries, uncertainty, and pain.

Her story is too common across the region, from Iran to Morocco, from Yemen to Libya. Can you count how many people have been disappeared in just the time you've been alive?

The Families of the Disappeared

The associations are called some variation of "Families of the Disappeared"  but it's always the daughters, the mothers, the sisters, the women left behind. Since its creation in 1998, the Algerian association, SOS Disparus, has been seeking truth and justice for thousands of missing persons who disappeared during the internal conflict which engulfed the country in the 1990s and after. Thousands of cases of enforced disappearances took place, with no proper investigation of the cases.

Using every mechanism known to pressure the national authorities, SOS Disparus reached out to the international mechanisms available: more than 4000 cases were submitted to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and dozens to the Human Rights Council and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. The group also published reports, books and documentaries. They continue to patiently call for justice, peacefully protesting in the Algerian streets for the past two decades. They have faced it all: violent dispersal, arrests, harassment by the authorities who to this day, deny any responsibility.

"Twenty years after the establishment of the association, many of our members, mothers of disappeared who lived in hope, died in despair without knowing," Nassera Dutour, spokesperson for the association whose son disappeared in 1997, told Amnesty International. "So long as we have a breath of air, we will fight for truth and for justice to be done for the disappeared. We will keep moving forward even if the Algerian authorities ignore us because we know that the world has seen us, sees us and hears us."

In Lebanon, women began a movement in search for their missing loved ones in 1982, right in the midst of the armed conflict. They are still campaigning today. For over 35 years, they have relentlessly protested, marched, investigated, campaigned, advocated, screened movies and displayed photos in mass exhibitions in public streets. They have spared no effort.

Local and international organizations have identified sites of mass graves, but the authorities refuse to protect these. A draft law to investigate the fate of the disappeared sits in Parliament, awaiting a vote. The families have declared this August the month of the disappeared in hope of ramping up pressure to pass the law. Thousands of people remain missing to this day.

The Wars that Took Them

Disappearances have long been a staple of Iraq's cycles of violence, both under the authoritarian rule of the former Ba'th regime and during the US invasion and subsequent occupation in 2003. Thousands and thousands of men and boys have gone missing since the fight against the armed group calling itself the "Islamic State" (IS) started in Iraq. The massive number of recent disappearances has remained largely unacknowledged by the Iraqi and Kurdish authorities, as well as by the international community. Despite the prominence of this issue in Iraq, there is no centralized and unified mechanisms to tackle it. The disappearance of male members of a family can often create significant hardship for the family ranging from lack of sense of security to blocks on obtaining civil identification preventing access to education, pensions, and marriage.

"Whenever we're in Iraq talking to people, the issue of disappearances will always come up," said Razaw Salihy, Amnesty International Iraq Researcher. "Women and men, clutching photos and IDs of their missing loved one, approach us to ask where they can register their family members. It has touched the lives of Iraqis with destructive consequences."

In Libya, militias and armed groups affiliated to rival governments regularly abduct men and women from their homes or workplace. Victims are targeted for their perceived political opinions, regional origin, profession, or perceived wealth in order to extract cash ransom. Jaber Zain, who has been missing since 25 September 2016 is a prominent example of the targeting of activists. Jaber was abducted after he regularly participated in conferences and meetings on human rights and published Facebook posts critical of the role of militias in Libya and of the situation for women's rights. To date, the Libyan authorities have failed to disclose Jabir Zain's whereabouts nor have they ever investigated enforced disappearances or the other crimes committed by militias and armed groups.

In Aden, Yemen, on a hot afternoon in early May as temperatures neared 40 degrees, an Amnesty International researcher observed as a group of mothers whose sons have been missing since they were detained by UAE-backed forces nearly two years ago gathered outside the house of the Yemeni Minister of Interior. Families are not provided any information about where the detained are taken and are left trying to navigate a confusing structure of security forces, where different forces have been carrying out arrests. Mothers, wives, and sisters of those forcibly disappeared have been holding protests for nearly two years now, making the rounds between government and prosecution offices.

In Yemen, testimony after testimony echo the same sentiments. "Shouldn't they [the detainees] be given a trial? Why else are there courts? They shouldn't be disappeared this way  not only are we unable to visit them, we don't even know if they are dead or alive," said the wife of a detainee who has been held incommunicado for more than two years.

***

In Syria, more than 80,000 people have gone missing since the start of the crisis in 2011. It's a deliberate campaign by the government, carried out as part of an organized, widespread attack to collectively punish the civilian population. Tens of thousands have been subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, and enforced disappearance. Amnesty International has called this a crime against humanity. The families suffer the unbearable agony of not knowing what has become of their disappeared relatives.

In 2016, a few Syrian women got together and created "Families for Freedom," a group seeking solidarity (and solace) to pressure the Syrian government and armed groups to reveal the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones  and to have them returned safely. Fadwa Mahmoud is one of these women. In 2012, her son Maher and her husband Abdulaziz both disappeared in Syria. "I am a mother," she says, "and my son is not merely a son to me. He was my friend, my companion. But I have faith that one day Maher, and all those disappeared will return to Syria."

Systematic and Deliberate

In Egypt, the government has been using enforced disappearances as part of a systematic strategy to suppress the opposition and is now even targeting the families of the forcibly disappeared. Hanan Badr el-Din last saw her husband Khalid on the news, injured after attending a protest in in 2013 and could get no news of him after that. Determined to discover the truth, she visited police stations, prisons, hospitals, and morgues and never stopped searching. Hanan co-founded a group of families searching for their loved ones. Four years into her search, during a prison visit Hanan was arrested by guards and later charged with being part of a 'banned group' which carries a heavy prison sentence. The other co-founder of the families of the disappeared coalition, Ibrahim Metwaly who had been searching for his disappeared son Amr, was arrested on 10 September 2017 at the airport, while on his way to Geneva to talk about enforced disappearances at the UN.

In 2016, Amnesty International documented how the National Security Agency (NSA) has been abducting, torturing, and forcibly disappearing hundreds in an effort to intimidate and silence peaceful dissent. The practice is still ongoing, as security forces continue to forcibly disappear critics. In some cases, families find their disappeared relatives in the morgue, while the authorities claim that they were killed in gunfights.

Destroying Mass Graves

In Iran, the authorities have never taken responsibility for the massacre in which thousands of political dissidents were forcibly disappeared and extrajudicially executed in 1988. Prisoners from across the country were detained incommunicado and no news of them was heard for months. Reports circulated among relatives that prisoners were being executed in groups and buried in unmarked mass graves. Distraught family members searched the cemeteries for signs of freshly dug trenches. From late 1988 onwards, families were verbally informed by authorities that their relatives had been executed. However, their bodies were not returned and their burial locations were not disclosed. Today, the number of victims from the mass killings of 1988 is still unknown, although minimum estimates are between 4,000 and 5,000. For nearly three decades, the Iranian authorities have persistently concealed the fate and whereabouts of these victims. No Iranian official has been investigated or brought to justice, and some of the alleged perpetrators continue to hold political office or influential positions in the judiciary.

Families in Iran have been threatened, harassed, and jailed for seeking truth and justice for their loved ones. In recent years, authorities have embarked on a deliberate effort to destroy vital forensic evidence that could hamper the rights to truth, justice and reparations. They are destroying suspected or confirmed mass grave sites that will make it impossible to establish the truth about the scale of the crimes and obtain justice and reparations for the victims and their families. In one shocking example from the city of Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, the authorities have bulldozed over a mass grave site in order to build a boulevard and create a park directly on top.

***

In Palestine, enforced disappearances are not systematic or widespread. However, there are cases that remind us that the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and the Hamas de facto administration in the Gaza Strip have a blemished track record. On 12 March 2002, six Palestinian men, Ali al-Kadir, Taiseer Ramadhan, Nazem Abu 'Ali, Shaker Saleh, Ismail Ayash and Mohammad Alqrum all "disappeared" while in custody in a Palestinian Authority (PA) detention centre in Salfit (central Palestinian West Bank). In Gaza, Hamas forces abducted a man and subjected him to enforced disappearance in the first week of Israel's military offensive in Gaza in the summer of 2014.

To date, the Palestinian authorities have failed to investigate the allegations of torture against these men and no one has been brought to justice for their enforced disappearance.

Incommunicado Detention

The Gulf states tell another story and the authorities employ a different  though just as painful  strategy: incommunicado detention. Individuals are arrested without explanation, held sometimes for months, without their family knowing much about their whereabouts, or what charges are they are facing, or if they'll ever see their loved ones again.

In the United Arab Emirates, prominent human rights defender, Ahmed Mansoor, is one example of the practice. Over a year since his arrest, his family still does not know where he is imprisoned even though he has been brought to trial and sentenced to 10 years. In Bahrain, Sayed Alawi was held almost completely incommunicado for 385 days  his family did not see him and were not informed of his whereabouts, though he was granted a handful of extremely brief phone calls in which he couldn't disclose his location. When he finally went to court, it was as one of the first civilians tried under Bahrain's then-new system of military jurisdiction. Alawi's co-defendant Fadhel Sayed Abbas was in the same incommunicado situation for 400 days.

Today, We Remember

It is one pain that is felt across the MENA region today as we remember and re-iterate our calls to reveal the fate of those disappeared and to ensure their safe return. The numbers add up to hundreds of thousands and the years add up to decades. And those who campaign tirelessly deserve our support and our solidarity, as if they were our own mothers, as if their loved ones were our children. So long as we remember, all hope is not lost that one day they will return.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Japan will on Thursday release July numbers for retail sales, headlining a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.

Retail sales are expected to ease 0.3 percent on month and climb 1.2 percent on year after rising 1.5 percent on month and 1.8 percent on year in June. Large retailer sales are called lower by 0.7 percent on year after gaining 1.5 percent in the previous month.

New Zealand will see July figures for building permits, as well as August results for the confidence index and activity outlook from ANZ.

Building permits tumbled 7.6 percent on month in June, while the business confidence index score was -44.9 in July and the activity outlook came in at +3.8.

Australia will provide July numbers for building approvals, plus Q2 figures for private capital expenditure.

Building approvals are expected to fall 2.0 percent on month and 3.0 percent on year after jumping 6.4 percent on month and 1.6 percent on year in June. Capex is tipped to add 0.6 percent, up from 0.4 percent in the three months prior.

Hong Kong will release retail sales data for July, with forecasts suggesting an increase of 8.0 percent on year - slowing from 9.8 percent in June.

Malaysia will see July figures for producer prices; in June, producer prices were down 0.7 percent on month and up 0.1 percent on year.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Hays plc (HAS.L) reported that its profit attributable to equity holders of the parent company for fiscal year ended 30th June 2018 rose to 165.8 million pounds or 11.30 pence per share from 139.1 million pounds or 9.54 pence per share last year, reflecting the Group's higher operating profit, lower net finance charge and lower effective tax rate.

Profit before tax was 238.5 million pounds up from 204.6 million pounds in the prior year.

Alistair Cox, Chief Executive, said, "Looking ahead, conditions remain positive in virtually all of our . We are investing significantly in key growth markets where we see structural and market share opportunities, notably Germany, France and the USA. We continue to build on our scale and diversity and are focused on driving profitable, cash-generative growth. The sheer scale and diversity of our global platform combined with our highly experienced management teams means we are well-positioned to capitalise on the growth opportunities identified in our 2022 plan."

Net fees increased by 12% on both an actual and like-for-like basis. Operating profit was 243.4 million pounds, up 15%, again on both an actual and like-for-like basis. Exchange rate movements reduced net fees by 0.1 million pounds, but increased operating profit by 1.0 million pounds.

Turnover grew to 5.75 billion pounds from 5.08 billion pounds last year. Turnover for the year to 30 June 2018 was up 13% on both an actual and like-for-like basis. Operating costs were 12% higher than prior year, primarily due to 11% growth in average Group headcount and a rise in commission payments in line with the increase in net fees.

The Board proposes to increase the final core dividend by 22% to 2.75 pence per share resulting in an increase to the full year dividend to 3.81 pence per share, up 18% on prior year. The Board recommends the payment of a special dividend of 72.9 million pounds, equivalent to 5.00 pence per share, up 18% on prior year.

The final dividend and the special dividend will be paid, subject to shareholder approval, on 16 November 2018 to shareholders on the register on 5 October 2018.

The company expects Group headcount growth in the first-quarter of fiscal year 2019 to be up c.3-5% sequentially, including the impact of our normal seasonal graduate intake. This will be primarily driven by our International businesses, particularly North America, Asia and Europe, including Germany and France.

Importantly, moving into fiscal year 2019, we increasingly overlap tough growth comparators from the prior year, especially in Australia and Europe.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
California state legislature has passed a bill to establish a blockchain working group, to examine the potential benefits of the technology to the state.

Both houses of the state legislature finalized the bill, which will now be headed to the governor for approval, as per public documents.

The bill 2658, which was first introduced in February 2018, defines blockchain as a mathematically secured, chronological, and decentralized ledger or database. As per the bill, the Secretary of the Government Operations Agency will require to form a blockchain working group on or before July 1, 2019.

The working group will consist of appointees from both technology and non-technology industries, appointees with a background in law, as well as representatives of privacy and consumer organizations. The State Chief Information Officer, the Director of Finance, or their designees, one member of the Senate, and one member of the Assembly will also be part of the group.

The group would require to submit their study to the Legislature on the potential uses, risks, and benefits of the use of blockchain technology by state government and California-based businesses by no later than July 1, 2020.

The study needs to include recommendations for modifications to the definition of blockchain, among other things.

In other states, Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy in June signed SB 443 into law, establishing a blockchain working group to study the technology and a plan to foster the expansion of the blockchain industry in the state. The New York state legislature in May progressed a bill to create a blockchain task force.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Canadian shares are likely to open on a slightly sluggish note on Thursday, with investors making cautious moves due to worries about U.S.-China trade tensions. The data on Canadian GDP, will also set the tone for the market's

early moves.

Energy stocks may edge higher, tracking firm crude oil prices.

The GDP data for the month of June will be released at 8:30 AM ET. Data on Canadian average weekly earnings will also be out around the same time.

In U.S. economic news, initial jobless claims and personal income data are scheduled to be released at 8:30 AM ET.

The U.S.-China trade tensions continue to escalate with China resolutely retaliating against U.S.' moves to impose tariffs on Chinese goods that get into the U.S.

Reports say that U.S. tariffs on another $200 billion of Chinese goods will likely take effect later next month. The Chinese government has warned the Trump administration to back down. A retaliatory move by China is certain to

adversely impact the global .

Meanwhile, Canada is back at the table to negotiate and modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Earlier in the week, Mexico and the U.S. had announced a bilateral deal. U.S. President Donald Trump said recently that if Canada and U.S. could not reach a deal, more tariffs on imports of Canadian cars will be imposed by his

administration. He has set a Friday deadline for the three countries to reach an in-principle agreement.

On Wednesday, the benchmark S&P/TSX ended up 34.75 points, or 0.21%, at 16,390.29, after scaling a low of 16,339.06 and a high of 16,432.89 intraday.

In company news, TD Bank Group reported earnings of nearly $3.11 billion in its latest quarter, up from $2.77 billion in the same quarter last year, boosted by growth in its U.S. . The bank said the profit amounted to $1.65 per diluted share for the three months ended July 31, up from $1.46 a year ago.

BRP Inc. has raised its financial guidance, after reporting a second-quarter profit of $41 million. The company now expects its normalized earnings per diluted share for the year to increase 30 to 35% compared with the previous

year. Earlier, the company had predicted a growth of 24 to 30%.

Resolute Forest Products Inc. (RFP.TO) announced that it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with ND Paper LLC, a subsidiary of Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited, for the sale of its Fairmont, West Virginia, recycled bleached kraft pulp mill, for $55 million plus certain elements of working capital, payable in cash.

In commodities, crude oil futures for October delivery were up $0.47, or 0.68%, at $69.98 a barrel.

Natural gas futures for October were edging up $0.018, or 0.63%, to $2.881 per million btu.

Gold futures for December were declining $1.70, or 0.14%, at $1,209.80 an ounce.

Silver futures for September were lower by $0.132, or 0.90%, at $14.565 an ounce.

Copper futures were down $0.021, or 0.75%, at $2.716 per pound.

Asian ended mostly lower as worries about the escalating Washington-Beijing trade war overshadowed investor optimism about the NAFTA trade talks.

European stocks fell on Thursday, as renewed concerns that China's growth is slowing and Brexit fears overshadowed signs of progress in NAFTA talks.

In economic news from Europe, the number of unemployed in Germany fell by 8,000 from the previous month, in line with expectations while the jobless rate remained stable at 5.2 percent in August, as expected, the Federal Labor

Agency said. This was the lowest since German reunification in 1990.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
The Maltese government has partnered University of Malta to provide 300,000 euros or $351,000 in scholarships over the next three years for eligible students pursuing post graduation courses related to Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs).

The scholarship will be applicable to students, starting this academic year, doing their Masters and Doctorate level courses at the University of Malta, with their main study component being related to Blockchain and DLT.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the University of Malta and the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA). The University of Malta website has also immediately opened for applications.

The Maltese government formed the legislative framework to attract foreign investors and blockchain startups, and it is now in the process of creating the human resources to support the operating companies.

Apart from requiring technical experts to build and operate their systems with these technologies, they will also require non-technical workforce that has expertise in the financial services, legal services and even managerial roles.

Malta is actively building a supportive regulatory and technical infrastructure for DLTs, ICOs and virtual currencies to become the world's first blockchain-regulated state.

Malta is welcoming cryptocurrency and blockchain businesses as the small Mediterranean island nation plans to transform itself into a fintech hub and a crypto-friendly "Blockchain island."

In early July, the Maltese parliament passed three bills to set a regulatory framework and drive innovation in blockchain-like technologies. The government hopes these laws will attract foreign fintech companies to establish themselves in the country.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Technology News
Here is a wrap of the main news from the cryptocurrency and blockchain space over the past 24 hours.

Iran To Lift Cryptocurrency Ban In Sept.; Plans Own Digital Coin

The government of Iran is planning to lift the blanket ban on cryptocurrency and launch its own national cryptocurrency backed by Iranian rials, according to reports by state-controlled media. The country is expected to deliver new digital currency regulations in September. The proposed launch is expected to help the country overcome the heavy financial sanctions imposed by the US. It is expected that the state-backed cryptocurrency will be similar to bitcoin with transactions carried out on an online ledger called a blockchain. But, the public can not mine it as the infrastructure will be private.



Over 200 ICOs, Crypto Projects Being Probed In US, Canada

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced that more than 200 active investigations into Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and cryptocurrency-related investment products have been initiated by state and provincial securities regulators in the United States and Canada. While some of the enforcement investigations involve suspected securities fraud, regulators are finding many other potential violations of state and provincial securities laws, including failure to properly register a product before it was offered to investors.

Britain looking to apply blockchain tech. to secure digital evidence

The British Government's Ministry of Justice is exploring ways to deploy Blockchain and Digital Ledger Technologies (DLTs) for securing digital evidence and identity information . It plans to trial DLT solutions for inter-agency evidence sharing later in 2018. The use of DLT will enable protection of digital evidence and guarantee the integrity of evidence chains. It will help maintain chronological record of the creation/access/modification of digital evidence by which entity, from what location, to enable the reconstruction and examination of the sequence of events, and actions leading to the current state of the digital evidence.

University of Malta offers $350,000 in Blockchain study scholarships

The Maltese government has partnered University of Malta to provide 300,000 euros or $350,000 in scholarships over the next three years for eligible students pursuing post graduation courses related to Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs). Malta is welcoming cryptocurrency and blockchain businesses as the small Mediterranean island nation plans to transform itself into a fintech hub and a crypto-friendly "Blockchain island."



California Legislature Passes Bill To Establish Blockchain Working Group

California state legislature has passed a bill to establish a blockchain working group, to examine the potential benefits of the technology to the state. As per the bill, the Secretary of the Government Operations Agency will require to form a blockchain working group on or before July 1, 2019. The working group will consist of appointees from both technology and non-technology industries, appointees with a background in law, as well as representatives of privacy and consumer organizations. The State Chief Information Officer, the Director of Finance, or their designees, one member of the Senate, and one member of the Assembly will also be part of the group.



Steady rise in students' interest in crypto, blockchain courses: Survey

A nationwide survey of students and universities in the United States has found a growing roster of crypto and blockchain courses amid a steady rise in students' interest in both the subjects. The survey was conducted by US digital currency exchange Coinbase in partnership with research firm Qriously. 42 percent of the world's top 50 universities now offer at least one course on crypto or blockchain. Blockchain and cryptocurrency courses are most prominent in the U.S. compared to other countries.



Current Prices

As of this writing, since yesterday, Bitcoin is trading down 2.67 percent at $6877.12, and Ethereum is 4.69 percent lower at $279.21 on Coinbase.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Panasonic Corp. (PCRFY.PK, PCRFF.PK) plans to move its European headquarters from London to Amsterdam ahead of Brexit. The move by the Japanese electronics giant is to avoid potential tax issues linked to the U.K.'s scheduled exit from the European Union.

Laurent Abadie, CEO of Panasonic Europe, told the Nikkei Asian Review that Japan could treat the U.K. as a tax haven if the country lowers its corporate rate.

He added that the decision to shift headquarters will also help the company to avoid any barriers to the free flow of people and goods thrown up by Brexit.

Abadie reportedly said out of the 20 to 30 people employed at the London office, up to 20 people who handle auditing and financial operations will be moved to the Netherlands. Panasonic has been considering relocating for the past 15 months.

Later, Panasonic UK said in a Facebook post, "You may have read today that Panasonic Europe is moving its regional headquarters from the UK to Amsterdam. We can confirm that no Panasonic UK operations will be affected by this move."

Panasonic's European business includes offices in Spain, Germany and elsewhere.

Several multinational companies have said they plan to move jobs out of the UK as Brexit approaches. Japanese financial companies including Sumitomo Mitsui, Daiwa and Nomura have already decided not to maintain their EU headquarters in the UK.

The UK is trying to lure businesses to the country with low taxes. The country plans to gradually reduce its corporate tax rate to below the current 20 percent to retain multinational companies after its exit from the European Union in March next year.

In June, Airbus (EADSF.PK, EADSY.PK) had said that the UK exiting the European Uinon next year without a deal would lead to severe disruption and interruption of the company's production in the UK.

The aircraft maker feared such a scenario would force it to reconsider its investments in the UK, and its long-term footprint in the country.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
President Donald has Trump blamed China for undermining U.S. efforts towards North Korea's denuclearization.

"The President feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government," said a White House statement Trump posted on Twitter.

Trump tried to substantiate his point by saying Washington knows that "China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities," apparently to help its ally overcome the biting effects of U.S. sanctions.

Also, in a major deviation from what Defense Secretary James Mattis said the previous day, the president said he saw no reason to resume joint war games with South Korea.

Mattis announced at a Pentagon news conference on Tuesday that the U.S. had decided to restart joint military drills with South Korea, a reversal from one of the key assurances given by Trump to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a historic summit in return for the communist nation's denuclearization pledge.

Mattis said the suspension of the drills as a show of "good faith" toward North Korea has not yielded the intended result.

Following the Singapore summit, the U.S. and South Korea had agreed to suspend several of the largest military exercises "as a good faith measure," Mattis told reporters.

Known as Ulchi Freedom Guardian, the annual defensive war game involving the U.S. and South Korean defense forces has been highly provocative in the eyes of Pyongyang.

Negotiations on denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula are ongoing and within the realm of the State Department, but at this time, there is no discussion about further suspensions, the Defense Secretary said.

But Trump said the next day that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is "very good and warm," and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games.

"Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before," the White House said.

The U.S.-China trade disputes and other differences will be resolved in time by President Trump and China's great President Xi Jinping, the statement added. "Their relationship and bond remain very strong," according to the White House.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
President Donald Trump continued his assault on the media in a series of posts to Twitter on Thursday, singling out CNN and NBC News as well as "fake books."

As part of an ongoing feud with CNN, Trump called on AT&T (T) to fire CNN president Jeff Zucker to "save credibility."

"The hatred and extreme bias of me by @CNN has clouded their thinking and made them unable to function," Trump tweeted.

"But actually, as I have always said, this has been going on for a long time," he added. "Little Jeff Z has done a terrible job, his ratings suck, & AT&T should fire him to save credibility!"

Trump has repeatedly attacked CNN after a report from the cable news network indicated the president's former personal attorney Michael Cohen was willing to provide incriminating evidence to special counsel Robert Mueller.

The report cited "sources with knowledge," although Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis later stated he was the source and backtracked on his claims.

While the CNN story said Davis declined to comment, the network maintains the report was based on multiple sources and has stood by its reporting.

Trump also targeted NBC News in a separate tweet, suggesting NBC News and MSNBC Chairman Andrew Lack is about to be fired.

"What's going on at @CNN is happening, to different degrees, at other networks - with @NBCNews being the worst," Trump tweeted.

"The good news is that Andy Lack(y) is about to be fired(?) for incompetence, and much worse," he added. "When Lester Holt got caught fudging my tape on Russia, they were hurt badly!"

Trump appeared to be referring to an interview with "NBC Nightly News" anchor Lester Holt during which the president seemed to admit his decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey was related to the investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

The president's ire was not limited to news networks, however, as Trump also took aim at so-called "fake books" about his presidency.

"I just cannot state strongly enough how totally dishonest much of the Media is. Truth doesn't matter to them, they only have their hatred & agenda," Trump tweeted.

"This includes fake books, which come out about me all the time, always anonymous sources, and are pure fiction," he added. "Enemy of the People!"

The tweet from Trump follows the recent dustup over the release of former White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman's tell-all book titled "Unhinged: An Insider's Account of the Trump White House."

(Photo: Gage Skidmore)

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
After ending the previous session roughly flat, treasuries moved moderately higher over the course of the trading session on Thursday.

Bond prices saw modest strength for much of the session before climbing to new highs going into the close. Subsequently, the yield on the benchmark ten-year note, which moves opposite of its price, fell by 2.4 basis points to 2.860 percent.

Treasuries benefited from renewed trade concerns late in the session after a report from Bloomberg said President Donald Trump intends to move ahead with plans to impose tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports as early as next week.

Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg said Trump intends to impose the tariffs after a public comment period ends next Thursday, September 6th.

Bloomberg noted some of the people cautioned that Trump hasn't made his final decision and may enact the tariffs in installments.

The modest strength seen among treasuries earlier in the session came amid uncertainty about trade talks between the U.S. and Canada ahead of a Friday deadline to reach a deal.

On the U.S. economic front, the Labor Department released a report showing a modest uptick in initial jobless claims in the week ended August 25th.

The report said initial jobless claims crept up to 213,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 210,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to edge up to 214,000.

A separate report released by the Commerce Department showed personal income and spending both increased in line with economist estimates in the month of July.

The Commerce Department said personal income rose by 0.3 percent in July after climbing by 0.4 percent in June. The increase in income matched expectations.

The report also said personal spending climbed by 0.4 percent in July, matching the increase in the previous month as well as economist estimates.

Developments regarding trade may impact on the on Friday as U.S. and Canadian officials seek to reach an agreement on an overhaul of NAFTA before the end-of-the-week deadline imposed by Trump.

Traders are also likely to keep an eye on U.S. economic reports on Chicago-area activity and consumer sentiment.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
In the wake of the recent shocking spate of arbitrary arrests of 5 rights activists and under the draconian UAPA, and raids on the premises of 5 others by the Maharashtra Police on 28 August 2018, PUDR, PUCL and WSS invite you to attend a press conference on 30 August 2018, Thursday at the Press Club (Raisina Road) at 4 pm.

We condemn this attempt to distract the public from this real conspiracy with a fabricated one. We condemn the crushing of dissent. We stand in solidarity with all those who speak for our fellow citizensa rights.

This too at a time when the investigation into the assassination of Gauri Lankesh, MM Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar has revealed bombs, guns, camps for arms training, hit lists and plans for what can rightly be called acriminal conspiracya to use violence to kill, crush diversity and dissent, undo the Constitution, and the India it promises all of us.

Who are some of these alleged aconspiratorsa who have either been taken into custody or had their homes searched? Sudha Bhardwaj is an advocate and the national secretary for Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). Father Stan Swamy is an active campaigner against communalism in Jharkhand. Arun Ferreira is an activist who has also written on issues such as casteism, communalism and economic inequality. Varavara Rao is a Marxist writer and teacher of Telugu literature. Gautam Navlakha is a civil rights activist, journalist and writer. Anand Teltumbde is a respected writer, civil rights activist and political analyst. K. Sathyanarayana is a professor a dalit studies scholar.

We demand immediate release of the arrested individuals, dropping of all false and malicious charges, as these arrests are politically motivated and unjustified.

The arrests should be seen in continuation with the recent attacks on pro-justice voices such as Swami Agnivesh, Umar Khalid and many other student activists from Delhi to Lucknow. A BJP lawmaker from Karnataka even advocated the murder of aintellectuals.a Both the arrests and the physical attacks on justice loving people must be seen in a series of attempts to stifle dissent and deny social justice.

The so-called raids carried out on the houses of these activists are aimed at creating a spectacle, as the writings and views of these intellectuals are already publicly known and are well documented. This seems like a conspiracy to divert attention from the gravity of the Sanatan Sanstha conspiracy to carry out serial bomb attacks on Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi! The same Sanatan Sanstha was also involved in the murder of Gauri Lankesh, as per the ongoing investigations by Karnataka police. Todayas arrests have been carried out in order to give cover to the murderers of Gauri Lankesh. People like Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha and others who have been arrested are friends of the people who have dedicated their entire lives to the betterment of the Indian public. By arresting them, the BJP is only exposing its insecurities and its intolerance to any dissent or criticism of its policies.

We, the undersigned, are shocked by the serial raids across the country on the homes of activists and public intellectuals who are critical of the government and the ruling party at the Centre. The arrests of prominent activists and intellectuals Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Kranthi Tekula and others, are nothing but an attempt by the government to strike terror among those who are fighting for justice for the marginalised. This is also an attempt by the BJP to invent a false enemy and engage in scaremongering in order to polarise the 2019 elections in its favour. Already, the government and the media houses close to the BJP have been trying to spin a false narrative of a Maoist conspiracy since June, 2018. Terms like aurban naxalsa are invented in order to stifle any criticism of the government. We have learnt that the Delhi Police, after having arrested Sudha Bharadwaj, waited for Republic TV to arrive before taking her to the court. This simply shows that the arrests are incomplete without the accompanying sensationalist media propaganda to demonise activists, human rights defenders and intellectuals.

4.

STATEMENTS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS

Statement from Human Rights Forum (HRF)

Press Release

28-8-2018

Hyderabad

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) unequivocally condemns the arrests of social activists and leftist intellectuals including Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao and several others by the Pune police today. The arrests are part of a clear design to lock down on democratic dissent, undermine free speech and create a climate of fear. This is quite alarming.

These arrests as well as the raids on the homes of a total of nine persons in Delhi, Ranchi, Bombay and Hyderabad are plainly intended to persecute dissenters and those critiquing rights violations by governments. They are based on utterly vague and numerous flimsy and sweeping accusations. According to information available, the highly undemocratic legislation - the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 is being invoked against those arrested. The UAPA is a draconian statute that is in open contempt of fundamental political freedoms and should not have any place in a civilised society. It affords free rein to the police to target and harass virtually anyone they wish to. It allows presumption of guilt, and alleged aintentiona to commit crimes to become the basis of arrests, incarceration, and prolonged denial of bail.

These raids and arrests are part of a concerted onslaught by the State to clamp down on politics that is inconvenient to the ruling dispensation.

Slapping the label Maoist has become the routine option for the State to crack down on dissent. The adiscoverya of incriminating Maoist literature/letters is of a piece with this dubious strategy.

The real intent is to criminalise the democratic activity of these activists, harass them and ensure their extended incarceration. We demand the immediate dropping of the spurious charges against all those arrested and their unconditional release.

S Jeevan Kumar (HRF AP&TS Coordination Committee member)

VS Krishna (HRF AP&TS Coordination Committee member)

o o

Amnesty International India

Bangalore/Delhi: 28 August 2018 7:05 pm

Crackdown On Activists Cannot Become The Order Of The Day

The nationwide crackdown on activists, advocates and human rights defenders is disturbing and threatens core human rights values, Amnesty International India and Oxfam India today said jointly in response to the massive crackdown on rights activists in the country by the Maharashtra state police.

aTodayas arrests is the second of such crackdowns on rights activists, advocates and journalists who have been critical of the state. All these people have history of working to protect the rights of some of Indiaas most poor and marginalized people. Their arrests raise disturbing questions about whether they are being targeted for their activism,a said Aakar Patel, Executive Director, Amnesty International India.

aThese arrests cannot become the order of the day. The government should protect peopleas rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly instead of creating an atmosphere of fear,a said Amitabh Behar, CEO, Oxfam India.

According to media reports, the Maharashtra state police have arrested Chhattisgarh-based human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj, Maharashtra-based social activist Vernon Gonsalves, former secretary of Peopleas Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) Gautam Navlakha, Maharashtra-based activist Arun Ferreira, and Telangana journalist Varavara Rao. The premises of several other activists like Anand Tetlumbde and Father Stan Swamy were also raided.

In June this year, five activists were arrested on the suspicion of inciting caste-based violence on 1 January in Bhima Koregaon, Maharashtra. Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and several sections of the Indian Penal Code.

For more information please contact:

Smriti Singh

Email: smriti.singh[at]amnesty.org.in

Phone: 080 493 88 000

o o

Peoples Union For Civil Liberties (PUCL)

Press Statement: 28th August 2018

PUCL STRONGLY CONDEMNS AND DENOUNCES THE ARRESTS UNDER THE DRACONIAN UAPA OF:

1. Sudha Bharadwaj, PUCL National Secretary

2. Gautam Navalakha of PUDR,

3. Prof. Anand Teltumde of CPDR,

4. Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, advocates, and

5. Vara Vara Rao, noted poet and rights activist.

PUCL also denounces the simultaneous multi-city raids conducted today, 28th August 2018 in a concerted and pre-meditated manner across the country at the premises of other eminent human rights activists including:

Father Stan Swamy in Jharkhand;

Senior Writer and Poet Varavara Rao, as also the houses of his two daughters and sons-in-law, Anala and the Hindu journalist KV Kumaranath; and Pavana and her husband, Prof. Satyanarayana, of English and Foreign Languages University;

Namaste Telangana journalist Kranthi Tekula in Hyerabad;

Anand Teltumbde in Goa;

Gautam Navlakha in Delhi,

Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Susan Abraham, Advocates in Mumbai.

PUCL asserts that the arrests and raids are nothing but a targetted crackdown and attack by the police and state on civil liberties and democratic rights activists across the country in a concerted attempt to crush human rights interventions and silence voices of dissent;

Such systematic and pre-meditated crackdown on human rights activists is unprecedented and unheard of in a democracy and PUCL strongly condemns this unconstitutional crackdown by the state and police ;

PUCL stands firmly in solidarity with advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, National Secretary, PUCL and the other human rights activists who face raids and have been arrested under false and fabricated charges.

We would like to point out that in a Habeas Corpus petition filed before the Delhi High Court, his transfer on transit warrant to Pune has been stayed pending further hearing of the habeas corpus petition tomorrow 29th August, and he is currently under house arrest. As per sources, Anand Teltumbdeas house in Goa was raided by the police in a completely illegal manner, in his absence, after procuring keys from the security guard. While some news channels state that the raids and arrest have been made in the Pune case of Bhima Koregaon caste violence, where the prime accused are Hindutva right wing groups and leaders who are enjoying state impunity and at large, some other news agencies are alleging that the arrests are linked to claims of alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

It is pertinent to note that just last month on 4th July 2018, a scurrilous, motivated, fabricated and malicious media propaganda and hate campaign was run by Republic TV and its anchor Ms. Shivani Gupta, Deputy Editor Mr. Shrawan Sen and its Managing Director, Mr. Arnab Goswami, by way of a series of programmes presented as aSuper Exclusive Breaking Newsa and also showcased by way of a national debate on Prime Time TV. Relying on a fabricated letter allegedly addressed by her to a Maoist named aComrade Prakasha, the channel repeatedly aired, completely false, unsubstantiated and scurrilous accusations against Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, falsely profiling her as aUrban Naxala . The allegations were categorically denied by Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj in her rebuttal statement. The programmes were aired with headers ofa#UrbanNaxalsExposeda and similar allegations were made against other human rights activists like Mr. Gautam Navlakha in part 2 of the programme, via a second letter supposedly procured by the Channel. PUCL has previously issued a statement dated 7th July 2018 strongly condemning the incident and demanding strict action against the Channel. Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj also issued a legal notice in respect of the Channelas illegal acts.

The current arresta and raids are taking place in the backdrop of the arrests of five human rights activists a Advocate Surendra Gadling, Professor Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raut and Sudhir Dhawale a who were also arrested under UAPA on 6th June 2018, relying on a similar fabricated letter produced by Republic TV allegedly addressed to the same "Comrade Prakash", in the same Pune case. Following this, on 7th June 2018, Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj had addressed a press conference organized by the Indian Association of Peoples Lawyers (IAPL) in New Delhi to condemn the arrest of Advocate Surendra Gadling of the Nagpur High Court. Susan Abraham, Arun Fererreia and Vernon Gonsalves are in fact representing the Bhima Koregaon accused in Court.

Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj has been a dedicated trade unionist for more than three decades and has served as a general secretary of its Chhattisgarh branch, during which time the branch did remarkable work in the State. She is also associated with the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, which was founded by the late Shankar Guha Niyogi. She started her legal practice in the year 2000 and has since, fought innumerable cases of workers, farmers, adivasis and poor people in the fields of labour, land acquisition, forest rights and environmental rights. Since the year 2007, she has been practicing in the High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur and was nominated by the High Court to be a member of the Chhattisgarh State Legal Services Authority. She also supported young lawyers to set up the Jagdalpur Legal Aid group as a civil society initiative to provide legal aid to incarcerated Tribals. She is a visiting faculty at the National Law University Delhi, where she teaches the course on tribal rights and land acquisition.

PUCL believes that the intention of the state and police in targeting the aforesaid human rights activists by foisting false and fabricated cases against them, is clear and apparent from their profiles of work. All the aforesaid human rights activists targeted in this multi-city aoperationa by the police have been tirelessly involved in advocating the cause and fighting for the rights of the most poor, marginalized sections of society against serious state violations and unscrupulous corporates. They have stood for the principles of human rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution and the international standards on human rights.

PUCL strongly condemns the actions of the state and police. This simultaneous crackdown against human rights activists across the country signals the imposition of an unofficial Emergency in our nation and is a direct attack on Indian democracy. This is a deliberate strategy of the state to target noted human rights activists in a clear act of reprisals against them for calling out the human rights violations by the state and police, and to intimidate those who are fighting for justice.

PUCL cautions the public at large on the concerted efforts underway to stifle voices of dissent and threaten the democratic fabric of the country.

In light of the above, PUCL makes the following urgent demands:

1. PUCL calls upon the state and the police to immediately and unconditionally release human rights activists, Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navalakha, Anand Teltumbde, Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, and Vernon Gonsalves and withdraw the false and fabricated case against them;

2. PUCL calls upon the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to urgently intervene to ensure the release of the human rights activists and to order an immediate, transparent, effective and impartial investigation into the simultaneous multi-city raids and arrests of the human rights activists by the state and the policeon false and fabricated accusations and charges ;

3. PUCL also calls upon the democratic minded citizens of India to condemn the unprincipled manner in which human rights activists are being targeted and oppose such insidious and collusive attempts by State agencies and media outfits to silence human rights activists against the vindictive State policies and action ;

4. PUCL further condemns the constant profiling as aUrban Naxals/ Maoistsa and criminalisation of human rights activists working tirelessly against the stateas anti-people actions and policies, in an attempt to malign them and influence public sentiment.

Mr. Ravi Kiran Jain, National President, PUCL; Dr. V. Suresh, National General Secretary, PUCL

o o

o o

Text of Statement from PEN Delhi and PEN South Asia

August 29, 2018

A Dark Day for Democracy and Freedom of Expression

PEN Delhi and PEN South India join large numbers of Indian citizens in unequivocally condemning the arrests and searches conducted on the homes of human rights activists, writers and thinkers on the 28th of August. Sudha Bharadwaj, lawyer and rights activist, known for her work with tribal and womenas rights, P Varavara Rao, poet, activist and teacher, Gautam Navlakha, journalist, writer and human rights activist were arrested suddenly, with extensive searches being conducted on their homes and with material such as laptops, books and notes being confiscated. Vernon Gonsalves, activist, and Arun Ferreira, activist, writer and cartoonist, were also arrested. Other activists and intellectuals, including Anand Teltumbde, K Satyanarayana, KV Kurmanath and Father Stan Swamy had their homes searched. These intellectuals and activists have consistently spoken out on behalf of the poor and marginalized, and have used their writings in the service of human rights. It is a dark day for India when crackdowns and arrests target those who fight for human rights, while murderers such as those who killed journalists, thinkers and writers, Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh are yet to be convicted. Pen Delhi and Pen South India stand in solidarity with the activists and writers and their right to freedom of thought and expression.

o o

Statement by WSS

Fascism at our doorstep

Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS) Condemns Arrests of Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Gautam Navlakha and Varavara Rao. WSS strongly condemns targeted attack on democratic rights activists, blatantly retributive actions of Maharashtra Police and demands immediate and unconditional release of all arrested activists, lawyers, writers and journalists.

Convenors Ajita, Nisha, Rinchin and Shalini;

Email ID againstsexualviolence[at]gmail.com

WSS strongly condemns the arrests of its member Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, and activists Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao, and the raids at the homes of Father Stan Swamy, Dr. Anand Teltumbde, Prof. K. Satyanarayana, Pavana, Anala, Kurmanath, Kranti Tekula and others conducted by the Maharashtra police along with the state police of Telangana, Jharkhand, Goa and Delhi. These searches and arrests are a diversionary tactic to draw attention away from the spine chilling revelations about Hindu Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti in connection to the assassinations and bomb terror which they have been masterminding.

On the 28th of August, in a coordinated operation, days before the 90 day period for judicial custody period of the five arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case end, several well known academics, lawyers, writers, poets, priests and journalists have been arrested and their homes raided by the police. Just under three months following the arrests of Professor Shoma Sen, Advocate Surendra Gadling, activists Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson and Mahesh Raut, the Maharashtra police appear to be persistently cracking down on all voices that have stood in solidarity with them. This coordinated effort to harass and malign human rights activists all over the country is intended solely to create a sense of terror amidst the democratic people of this country and must be seen as a war against democracy. Despite the fact that no incriminating evidence has emerged in these cases, with no respect or regard for the law, the police continues to arbitrarily arrest and detain activists, lawyers, writers and professionals who have dedicated their lives to ensure that justice is served where it is due.

Following orders sent by the Swargate police station in Pune, all of those targeted through raids and arrests today have the following charges against them a IPC Section 153, 505, 117,120B; UAPA Sections 13, 16, 18, 18b, 20, 38, 39, 40. These charges include promoting enmity between people, public mischief, abetting commission of offences, criminal conspiracy, unlawful activities, terrorist acts, raising funds for terrorist acts, recruiting for terrorist acts, being members of terrorist organisations, support for terrorist organisations and providing funds for terrorist organisations. With these charges, the police are making all efforts to brand democratic activists as aterroristsa and ensure that they are kept in custody for extended periods of time. It is well known that the use of draconian laws like UAPA in cases, when contested in court, invariably fall apart. But the time spent by those charged under these laws is meant as a punishment even if they are eventually acquitted of all charges. Thus, the tactics of the police force is clear. It is meant, now, not merely to spread a sense of fear amongst all those who oppose its brutal ways but as retribution for daring to speak out.

Sudha Bharadwaj, who is a WSS member, is a lawyer and trade unionist who has been tirelessly advocating for the rights of workers, adivasi communities and other marginalised groups for the last three decades in Chhattisgarh. Since 1986, she has been working with the labour movement in Chattisgarh that grew out of the work of the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, advocating for the rights of workers in the mining belt of Bhilai and other areas. Sudha is also a part of a legal organisation called Janhit which takes up cases of illegal land acquisition, violations of forest rights and environmental issues. Janhit has supported democratic movements like Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, which takes on issues of forced evictions, movements in Sarguja fighting against violations of laws like the Forest Rights Act and Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA), etc. Apart from the scores of cases she has fought for workers across the state, Sudha has also argued cases of human rights violations against Adivasi communities in the Chhattisgarh High Court. She has extended her support to different democratic groups working for constitutional rights such as the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which she represents currently as its National Chairperson, the Indian Association of Peoples Lawyers (IAPL). She is also a visiting professor at the National Law University, Delhi.

Sudha Bharadwaj has been facing harassment since Junea18 when Republic TV produced a fabricated letter charging her of unlawful and terrorist activities along with Arun Ferreira and Gautam Navlakha. In July this year, Father Stan Swamy and 19 activists, writers, and professionals were charged with sedition by the Jharkhand police. Today in early morning raids across the country, the Maharashtra police have simultaneously targeted the homes of all these human rights activists, seized all electronic devices, including Sudha and her daughteras phones, laptops, pen drives, and password to social media accounts, and diaries with empty pages - raising concerns of potential police tampering and fabrication of evidence. Father Stan Swamy had to endure hours of questioning along with raids where they seized his phone, laptop and all electronic items they found at his residence. Gautam Navlakha was taken to Saket court, where the division bench of Delhi High Court has stayed his transit remand to Pune. The irony of holding Gautam Navlakha under UAPA is not lost on us, as he has been outspoken about the draconian and undemocratic nature of UAPA, and earlier POTA, TADA. Varavara Raoas home in Hyderabad was ransacked by an extraordinarily large contingent of police that gheraoed his apartment complex and deliberately created panic amongst the residents. His daughters and sons-in-law Pavana and K. Satyanarayana, and Anala and Kurmanathas homes were also raided, as was the home of journalist Kranti Tekula. Dr. Anand Teltumbdeas home in Goa was searched in his absence after taking the key from the guard outside raising alarms about potential fabrication and planting of evidence as well as clearly indicating trespass on private property.

Vernon Gonsalvesa family, including partner Susan Abraham, clearly stated that they have no idea why he has been arrested as no reasons were given. Arun Ferreira has also been picked up from his home in Thane by the Mumbai police in the afternoon after being interrogated all morning. All of them are expected to be taken to Pune to the Vishrambagh police station. It is crucial to note that Arun Ferreira and Susan Abraham were representing the five arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case. By arresting the lawyers of the five arrested in June, the police has essentially crushed the judicial process and further vitiated the environment of fear.

All this continues while those responsible for the violence at the traditional Bhima-Koregaon celebrations are not only roaming scot free, but also enjoying the utmost support of those in power. The Hindu Sanathan Sanstha, Milind Ekbote and Sambaji Bhide are being treated like royalty and mass murderers are being garlanded by ministers, while those carrying on Ambedkars fight for justice and protecting constitutional values of Liberty, equality and fraternity are being arrested as a threat to national security and for spreading  disaffection in societya!

This repression, along with the terror unleashed in Maharashtra after Bhima Koregaon and in many states after the 2 April protests, not only reveals the anti-dalit nature of the State, but it also makes clear that creating a sense of terror and helplessness amongst the democratic people of this country is the primary intention of the Maharashtra police. In this open assault on democratic people of this country, the police force a both state and central a have played the role of agents of terror instead of upholding the law. The Modi-Shah regime has brought fascism to our doorsteps. The arrests of well known democratic rights activists from across the country, with the police trawling for any and all persons it considers a threat, is particularly targeting activists who have stood resolutely by the dalits, adivasis, Muslims, and worked all their lives for the betterment of marginalised sections of the country, in line with a true democratic spirit. This is meant to strike terror amongst the vast majority of people who have been daring to speak out against the anti-people policies of the state a be it opposing land acquisition, against relentless loot of resources, displacement and brutal violence committed by the security forces against the people of this country and standing tall in the face of Brahmanical fascism in all its forms. By using terms like aUrban Maoistsa for democratic rights activists, the police working with the BJP and RSS makes an effort to malign and isolate those raising uncomfortable questions while shielding right wing leaders like Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide despite all evidence. Today, we are faced with the challenge of standing united against a ruthless state apparatus that abuses the law to its own ends. The use of several sections of IPC and UAPA reveals the desperation of the state to project intellectuals, activists, lawyers, writers and journalists as criminals. The BJP-RSS machinery uses the institutions of the state to serve its own ends while blatantly trampling on democratic principles. The retributive nature of the Maharashtra police is an extension of this policy that can only be termed fascism. We are now living under a state of emergency.

Laws like UAPA have no place in a democratic country. The law has been routinely used to suppress dissent and disagreement with those in power. Such laws give the state and its apparatus undue power to define and brand people as aterroristsa at will. Such a branding is not just arbitrary but also is an abuse of power and vindictive. In times when the aterroristsa have come to find an image and identity in our mind, such actions by the government are ways of branding and defaming people. Additionally the same charges seem to be conspicuously missing when people are killed and maimed in the name of cow aprotectiona .

It is up to us to fight back and reclaim our democratic space in this country. The arrest of Professor Shoma Sen, the harassment of Professor GN Saibabaas partner Vasantha, the harassment and now arrest of Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj, three of our members who have been working across the states of Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, to expose instances of sexual violence and abuse by the police and right wing agents are now finding themselves facing the might of the state. In light of these arrests of democratic rights activists, WSS is determined to remain united and fight back against this assault on our democratic rights with unwavering conviction and resolve. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case.

We appeal to all citizens to rise as one and defend the country against the current decimation of the Rule of Law and the terror being unleashed by the State against its people.

Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS)

o o

Statement from SAHMAT Condemning Arrest of Activists

http://www.sacw.net/article13878.html

o o

Statement by Peopleas Alliance for Democracy and Secularism against arrest of five Intellectuals and Activists on 28 August, 2018 http://www.sacw.net/article13880.html

o o

Jharkhandas civil society condemns recent raids on Stan Swamy and other human rights activists http://www.sacw.net/article13883.html

o o

India: 5 More Rights Activists Detained | Stop Prosecuting Dissent; Repeal Abusive Counterterrorism Law - Press Release by Human Rights Watch https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/30/india-5-more-rights-activists-detained

o o

Statement by Anand Teltumbde on the Police Acton against him on 28 August 2018 http://www.sacw.net/article13879.html

o o

aCase against me is nothing but an absolute fabricationa - Full Statement by Stan Swamy http://sacw.net/article13893.html

o o

Release the wrongfully arrested activists: Full text of petition filed by Romila Thapar and others https://scroll.in/article/892151/this-timely-novel-explores-a-dystopian-asian-future-the-result-of-interference-with-nature

o o

Notice from NHRC [The Official National Human Rights Commission]
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Wednesday hit out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for his demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe Rafale deal and accused him of lying over the issue.

"Your lies to fool the nation are self-evident when Rafale price you quote vary in Delhi, Karnataka, Raipur, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Parliament. But the nation's IQ is higher than yours!" Shah said in a tweet.



His remarks came hours after Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government was trying to cover up a "scandal with scandal" and asked why it was "scared" of a JPC probe.





Responding to Gandhi's charge and demand, the BJP chief said: "Why wait 24 hours when you already have your JPC - Jhoothi Party Congress?"



Earlier, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in a blog post termed the Congress charges on the Rafale deal as "complete falsehood."



Hitting back, Gandhi said the government should then accept a JPC probe.


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Thursday to participate in the two-day Fourth Bimstec Summit. "The Prime Minister landed in Kathmandu a short while ago. He will be taking part in the Bimstec Summit being held in the city," Modi's office tweeted around 9 a.m.



Ahead of his departure, Modi on Wednesday said that his participation in the event symbolises the priority India accords to deepening ties with India's extended neighbourhood in Southeast Asia.



"My participation in the Summit symbolises India's highest priority to our neighbourhood and our strong commitment to continue deepening our relationship with the extended neighbourhood in Southeast Asia," he said in a pre-departure statement in New Delhi.



"During the Summit, I will have interactions with all the leaders of Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) to further enrich our regional cooperation, enhance our trade ties and advance our collective efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous Bay of Bengal region," he said.



Bimstec came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration.



It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.



The bloc brings together 1.5 billion people, or 21 per cent of the world's population, and has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.



The main objective of Bimstec is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.




Stating that all countries of Bimstec seek peace and prosperity, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that this will be possible only if there is connectivity in all forms between member states of the regional bloc.

"Each of our countries seek peace, prosperity and happiness, but in today's inter-connected world, we cannot achieve this alone," Modi told the inaugural session of the Fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) Summit here.



"We have to move together, help each other and complement each other's efforts.





"I believe that the biggest opportunity for this is connectivity - trade connectivity, economic connectivity, transport connectivity, digital connectivity and people-to-people connectivity."



Modi also called for taking the process forward for Bimstec coastal shipping and motor vehicle agreements.



Bimstec came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration.



It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.



The bloc brings together 1.6 billion people, or 22 per cent of the world's population, and has a combined GDP of $2.8 trillion.



Its main objective is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.



With the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) virtually rendered ineffective as a bloc, India has been giving more importance to Bimstec in recent times.



India is the lead country for cooperation in four priority areas: counter-terrorism and transnational crime, transport and communication, tourism and environment as well as disaster management.



Modi said the Bimstec region had the Himalayas on one side and the Bay of Bengal between the Pacific and Indian Oceans on the other.



"So it comes as no surprise that India's Neighbourhood First Policy and Act East Policy, both converge in the Bay of Bengal."



The Prime Minister said India was ready to host a Bimstec Start-up Conclave to ensure contact and connectivity between entrepreneurs of the member states.



"Our countries are mostly agriculture-centric and are fighting the fears of climate change," he said. "In this connection, India will host an international conference on agricultural, research, education and development."



In terms of digital connectivity, Modi said India was committed to expanding its National Knowledge Network to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan and proposed to include Myanmar and Thailand as well.



He called upon all the Bimstec member states to participate in the India Mobile Congress to be held in October this year, coinciding with a Bimstec ministerial conclave.



Inviting all Bimstec member states to the International Buddhist Conclave to be held in India in August 2020, he said New Delhi would also like to to organise a Bimstec Youth Summit and a Bimstec Band Festival.



He said India will also offer 30 scholarships in Nalanda University and 12 scholarships for advanced medicine in the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry for Bimstec students.



"Along with this, we will also offer short-term courses for tourism, environment, disaster management, renewable energy, agriculture, trade and WTO under ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation)," Modi said.



The Indian leader said that countries linked with the Himalayas and Bay of Bengal regularly faced natural disasters.



"For this, cooperation and coordination between our countries in terms of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts are necessary," Modi said.



Calling for strong steps to strengthen regional security cooperation, he welcomed the Bimstec Multinational Military Field Training Exercise and army chiefs' conclave to be held next month.



Stating that all nations in the region had faced the problems of terrorism, trans-national crimes connected with terror networks and drug trafficking, he said all these countries should fight the issues unitedly.
Due to the misleading news aired by Samoa TV1 on Tuesday night (28th August 2018) regarding the sudden passing away of Marama Sainimere Vesikula who was a beloved member of our family, I am compelled in my capacity as the legal guardian of Marama in Samoa to provide this brief to set the record straight.

It is important for the media and all concerned that there is no conclusive evidence so far to suggest that Maramas passing away was caused by the medication she took for Filariasis.

It is also important for all concerned that our family had raised the same issue with the Ministry of Health, and we trust that the Management and medical staff of the National Hospital are following due processes for cases of such nature.

While we appreciate the role of the media when it comes to matters of public importance, we also expect the media to make every effort to provide fair and factual reporting.

The details of Maramas passing away aired by TV1 news on Tuesday evening are grossly misleading and far from the truth. None of the sources used by TV1 were present at our home when Marama fell sick, neither at the hospital when she was admitted. The information used in TV1 news item is therefore a serious misrepresentation of the truth and hence a breach of journalism ethics.

As a result of TV1 news item, Maramas photo is now spread virally on the social media before our families attend to her proper burial. To compound matters, the Ministry of Health and Government of Samoa are unjustly implicated in this news item and thus drawing venom from the members of the uniformed public in Samoa and abroad on social media unfairly.

The most painful effect of TV1 irresponsible reporting is borne by our family and in particular our innocent children who are struggling emotionally with Maramas sudden passing away. Our family is now a random target of some malicious comments from some uninitiated members of the public on social media for no good reason.

The untimely passing away of Marama has shattered our family into pieces. And to add the pain of unfair criticisms from unfamiliar members of the public on social media due to irresponsible reporting is crucifying pain indeed.

We appreciate TV1 Managements effort to retract its story on Marama Sainimere Vesikula aired on Tuesday 28th August 2018 and a public apology. Ma le faaaloalo.

Mataafa Dr. Desmond U. Amosa
The Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Papalii Niko Lee Hang, yesterday opened a conference that hopes to change lives of young offenders by feeding them the word of God.

The 2018 Teen Challenge Samoa Youth conference also heard from other speakers including former Attorney General, Aumua Ming Leung Wai.

Held at the Apia Harvest Centre Church, Papalii, who is also the Patron on Teen Challenge Samoa, said the programme has been very successful in rehabilitating the lives of many young offenders.

The two-day conference is being attended by more than 100 youths - including young offenders on probation.

Speaking during the opening, Papalii said Teen Challenge highlights the unwavering commitment of the church leaders to make a difference in the lives of young people  especially those who have had a rough start.

The objective of this programme is to empower the youth of Samoa through a faith-based programme that will strengthen their body mind and spirit, he said.

There are three pillars of this program, counseling and rehabilitation; outreach programme with students in schools and youth outreach programmes.

Papalii added that a M.O.U. was signed with the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration to formalise the relationship.

The programme does more than rehabilitate young offenders. Young couples have received marriage counseling to help them rebuild their families.

To date there are 10 volunteers working to make a difference.

The Minister added that the conference is to empower the youth to spread the good work conducted through the program they are a part of.

It is also for the youth to minister the word of God to other youths who are in dire need of assistance; those who going through problems; peer pressure; and other issues pertaining to the young men and women.

The Teen Challenge Programme is run by Apia Harvest Centre Senior Pastor, Reverend Faafetai Fata. The Director is Eric Poe.
To mark the 40th Anniversary of the Samoa Observer, a series of selected articles printed over the last 40 years will be re-published in the next two weeks, to show our readers the issues covered by this newspaper over the years and the personalities that made the headlines.

First Published: 27th September 1979

I suppose I can get away by saying  Happy Birthday and I wish you well. Id like to say a little more.

The Observer was launched one year ago by way of indulging the caprice of a somewhat querulous reporter who believed that he could do better on his own.

It was a brave effort because striking out on newspaper business in Apia has not by and large brought good fortune let alone spiritual and mental fulfilment.

There was a tendency therefore for people to say when the first issue appeared in the streets of Apia very good for a start but can the effort be sustained.

One year later I will have to acknowledge even if a little grudgingly that the Observer has become an established feature of the Apia scenery.

On the face of it, it seems that it has weathered its teething problems and on the face of it seems happily headed being a survivor.

I say on the face of it because the financial position of the Observer is unknown to me but it surfaces faithfully every week.

As a paper it is well put together even if occasionally its logic isnt.

It is, one year later, better patronised by business and even by patrons who ironically the Observer spends most of its time rubbishing.

The last reason why I say it is heading happily towards the status of a survivor is that the Editor seems, again on the face of it well bale to indulge his idiosyncrasies even to the point where he feels he can thumb his nose at politicians, bureaucrats, their values and their cocktail parties, and still manage to retain his contacts  deep throat and all.

But aside from the Editor, there are several outside contributors: - the cartoon with the caption And whose confidence dost than proclaimeth, or the skylab cartoon where the chief prays with a tenuous note of reproach, Almighty God what have you got against my taro patch has made a lasting imprint in my mind.

The Oliana column frothing anger or it is resentment, Lapa Ifi striving to make a legitimate case and very often succeeding ensures lively reading.

Mixed bag indeed. If I were asked to sum up Well of course the paper reflects the characters of the reporters  idealistic, cranky, cantankerous, bullheaded sometimes right and frequently wrong but it is redeemed by the fact that its never dull and it is always stimulating.

Nevertheless, I look forward to another year of being in turns, lifted, prodded, annoyed, misrepresented  which reminds me that the headings PM wants CJ out and Appealing to PM is time wasting does not represent fair reporting.

With all that I hasten to say, I wish the Observer many happy birthdays.

God bless.
To mark the 40th Anniversary of the Samoa Observer, a series of selected articles printed over the last 40 years will be re-published in the next two weeks, to show our readers the issues covered by this newspaper over the years and the personalities that made the headlines.

First Published: 14th May 1981

Striking public servants and supporters numbering some 10,000 people took to the street on Monday in a protest march retaliating an ultimatum from government to return to work by 4pm the same day or dismissal procedures would be executed.

Chanting and waving placards saying such slogans as: Delay of Justice is Injustice, Ola i le PSA Solidarity, I Dont Want to Suffer in the Future and such, the protesters marched peacefully along Beach Road to Vaisigano, back to Sogi in front of WSTECs and returned to the reclaimed area.

There they sat around the rest of the day having meals brought to the place by protesters themselves, playing band music and sometimes dancing.

The gathering scattered in the evening and it is not clear how many have heeded the governments ultimatum.

According to the Public Service Commission (PSC), lists from government departments indicating how many workers returned to work on Monday should be received today.

At the PSC itself, one girl worker returned to work on Monday.

But governments ultimatum was reached in a meeting of the Head of State, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II and Cabinet late last week.

The ultimatum was that all striking public servants (they are estimated to be more than 3,000) returned to work by 4pm or they would be sacked.

It also stated that a commission of enquiry to look into the PSAs request for a wage increase, meanwhile, would start its investigations.

The government appointed commission of enquiry is made up of an MP and Church leader, Tofilau Eti, manager and businessman, William Keil, former manager of the EPC, Sasa Tevita, Aiono Fuatau, solicitor, Rapi Vaai and PSA Secretary, Tile Laumea.

In a meeting of the PSA on Monday before the start of its protest march, Prime Minister Tupuola Efis request to address the meeting was turned down by the PSA executive.

But in that meeting, the PSA refused to have representative in the commission of inquiry.

The inquiry is believed to be underway. It is understood though that the recommendations of the commission would be given for Cabinets approval.

On Tuesday, the PSAs executive again with the Prime Minister who informed that since the governments advice to return to work was not acted upon, no further negotiations on the dispute would be necessary.

The PSA executive says they were given the idea that they were all sacked.

On Tuesday night, a notice by the director of Education, Perefoti Tamati was given over the 2AP advising government teachers to report to the department for talks regarding their return to work.

Only a handful of teachers turned up and it is not clear what has been agreed on in the talks.

But the striking public servants have accepted that they were now unemployed and some of them have retrieved their belongings from the departments they worked for.

Meantime, the PSA is believed to be seeking court action to question the legitimacy of its members dismissals.

In its decision calling strikers to work by Monday afternoon, the government indicated it would be granting them special leave under section 13 of the Public Service Regulations 1979.

Sections 13 reads: In special circumstances, the commission may grant any employee special leave of absence with or without pay on such terms and conditions as it sees fits.

Failure of the strikers to return to work would mean that they would have forfeited office under section 39 of the Public Service Act 1977, reasoned government.

Section 39 says that an employee who continues to be absent without permission for a period of not less than 2 weeks shall be deemed to have forfeited office.

The PSA dispute is in its seventh week now.

But Part 2 of section 39 of the PSC Act 1977 states that if the employee subsequently satisfies the Commission that there was a valid reason for his absence and for his failure to inform the Commission earlier of that reason, the Commission may reinstate the employee; and in such a case the employee shall be deemed not to have forfeited office, but to have been on leave without pay from the Public Service during the period of absence.
CARLSBAD

Centerpoint Plaza sale

NKF Capital Markets has announced the sale of Centerpoint Plaza, 5901 Priestly Drive. The property is a class A three-story, multi-tenant office with 97,823 square feet of space. NKF Capital Markets Executive Managing Director Brunson Howard and team represented New York Life Real Estate Investors on behalf of an institutional client in the $26.8 million transaction to the buyer Hill Companies. Centerpoint Plaza was completed in 2007. It is roughly 87 percent leased to tenants that include Thomson Reuters, Wells Fargo, Colliers and FBI, among others. The location gives immediate access to El Camino Real and Palomar Airport Road within a growing executive residential and retail development.

ESCONDIDO

Advertisement

Big Lots holds grand reopening

Big Lots celebrates the grand reopening of its newly remodeled store at 1625 E. Valley Parkway starting at 8:30 a.m. Friday. This store will reflect a new format, part of a broader initiative to reposition the brand as a community retailer offering trustworthy value and friendly service. The first 50 shoppers entering the store on Friday and Saturday receive a reusable shopping bag filled with tasty treats from Big Lots. The company will also kick off a dollar-for-dollar match program benefiting Solutions for Change for every reward dollar earned by Big Rewards loyalty members at the Escondido store over a six-week period. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

NORTH COUNTY

Foreign fellowships available

The Council on Foreign Relations is offering two overseas fellowships, one in Canada and one in Japan. Both are geared for mid-career U.S. citizens who have shown a commitment to a foreign-policy career. The International Affairs Fellowship in Canada provides fellows the opportunity to spend six to 12 months at a Canadian institution working on U.S.-Canada relations. The program awards a stipend of $95,000 for 12 months. The International Affairs Fellowship in Japan, brings American professionals to Japan to study and work on U.S.-Japan relations. The program is for those without substantial prior experience in Japan. Fellows receive a stipend as well as relocation funding. Application deadline is Oct. 31. Visit cfr.org/fellowships and/or email fellowships@cfr.org.

Employees honored

Seacrest Village Retirement Communities, a senior housing and health care facility providing four levels of care in Encinitas and Poway, recently named its Toast of the Town employees for July. These employees were honored for excellent customer service and contributions to the organization: Broch Kittell, janitor; Behrouz Rafie, maintenance assistant; Katie Park, Life Enrichment assistant; Miguel Pantoja, Certified Nursing Assistant; and Linda Stewart, LVN Resource Nurse. Visit seacrestvillage.org.

VISTA

Property management class offered

The North San Diego County Association of Realtors will host Property Management: Legal Responsibilities, Minimizing Risk and Creating Rewards, from 10 a.m. to noon today at the NSDCAR Service Center, 906 Sycamore Ave. Cost is $45 for members and $60 for nonmembers. Instructor is Rick Snyder, a California Association of Realtors director, honorary life CAR member and chairman of NSDCARs Professional Standards Committee. Topics include relationship management with owners and tenants, mold insurance, and financials and record keeping to minimize risk for tax and legal purposes. Call (760) 734-3971 or visit nsdcar.com/education.

Please send items to laura.groch@sduniontribune.com.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
After 21 years of running one of Julians best-known businesses, a place bird lovers from all over the county drive up the mountain to visit, Rick and Brenda Campbell are reluctantly closing their The Birdwatcher store in September.

Its very bittersweet, said Brenda Campbell. Closing the store is not what we wanted. We wanted somebody to buy it and continue it. But time marches on and were not getting any younger. We want more time to travel and see our grandkids.

For years the store has served a dual purpose. Its a service business where locals buy their birdseed and feeders. There no longer is a feed store or a hardware store in town. The local economy has become almost entirely tourism based.

The Birdwatcher is also a gift store offering tourists and locals alike a vast variety of bird-themed items: humming bird feeders, greeting cards, T-shirts, books, stuffed toys and more.

Advertisement

I get lots of people coming up to get birdseed even though they can get it in San Diego, Rick Campbell said. It gives them an excuse. They like coming here and then they go get a pie and go shopping other places. We are truly a destination store so it kills us to have to do this.

Its really a bummer, thats for sure, said Robin Boland, vice president of the Julian Chamber of Commerce. The Birdwatcher has been a great draw to Julian. Lots of people come up to Julian exclusively to visit that store.

Three years ago the Campbells decided they were looking for a way out and tried in earnest to find a buyer who would continue the business. But it never happened.

Brenda and I have built this through our own passion and love of the business. We just cant find anybody with that kind of commitment, Rick said. We wanted to retire but the people that came forward were just interested in the bottom line, what they would get out of the store, not what they would have to put into it.

Business has always been good at the store, but recently Ricks health has not.

Various ailments, including shingles which attacked his face and eye earlier this year, have forced the couples decision to close the doors. Once they sell all the merchandise, they plan to lease the building at the corner of 4th and B streets for whatever type of business its new operators plan to run.

I feel like Im abandoning the birds of Julian, Brenda said. The locals will need to go down the hill (thats the way Julian residents talk about driving to Ramona or San Diego) to get their seed. Some people will do that but others just wont feed the birds anymore.

Rick Campbell, who co-owns The Birdwatcher store in Julian with bags of bird seed. The store is closing in September after 21 years. (J. Harry Jones /San Diego Union-Tribune)

Rick said his doctor has told him to get rid of the shingles he needs to reduce the stress in his life. The doctor said I need to quit, he said.

The Campbells will still live in Julian where theyve been for more than 40 years. Before opening the bird store, Rick, 68, owned a feed store for 18 years and Brenda, 65, owned a gift shop.

They have been putting 60 to 70 hours a week into The Birdwatcher for decades and say its simply time to stop.

We raised our kids here. Rick said. Its safe. It has a small town feel. Its a great place to live.

The store still appears to be fully stocked but thats an illusion. Usually they have $100,000 in extra inventory stored on the second floor of the store. Now its virtually empty, Brenda said.

The couple want their loyal customers from all over the county to know whats happening ahead of time.

We dont want them to drive up here and be surprised to find the doors closed, Brenda said.

Rose Mary Gossman moved to Julian about the same time the store opened its doors.

Over the years it has become my go-to gift shop because they have fabulous greeting cards, dish towels, books, calendars, she said. Im just really sad. Brenda and Rick have done a wonderful job. They would go to the trade shows several times a year and their stock was always up to date. Certain times of the year Im in there weekly buying bird seed.

Roz Brooks, an 18-year Julian resident, had similar thoughts.

Its a wonderful shop and they are great people, she said. They are going to be really missed, both the store and themselves.

She called the store unique, and both Rick and Brenda Campbell friends.

As opposed to so many of the tourist stores we have up here, this one is just not catering to the tourists but also to the actual birdwatcher, the people who enjoy the birds and stock up on the seed and all sorts of different things, Brooks said. Were going to miss the fact that the store is not there and well miss the happy, smiling faces that weve become used to over the years.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Vegans cant live by juice alone, so one of the regions longest-established, cold-pressed juice cleanse companies has opened an all-organic cafe in Encinitas.

OH! Juice Cafe (the OH is short for organic health) opened its doors in November at The Lofts mixed-use project in downtown Encinitas.

The cafe serves a variety of plant-based vegan bowls, toasts, smoothies, salads and soups and it also serves as a tasting bar and take-out shop for its $12.50-a-bottle superfood-infused juices.

OH! Juice was started in 2013 by 29-year-old Encinitas resident Hanna Gregor. She holds a degree in nutrition from Penn State, where she played on the womens rugby team.

Advertisement

After graduating in 2012, the Maine native moved to San Diego where she found a job at a downtown San Diego juice detox shop. The shop later closed but Gregor used the tools she learned in managing that business to start OH! Juice in 2013.

The business started out with her and a former partner making juices in a commercial kitchen and selling them at farmers markets in Little Italy, Hillcrest, Rancho Santa Fe and Vista.

A fruit and granola bowl served in a coconut shell at OH! Juice Cafe in Encinitas. (Courtesy photo)

In 2016, she opened a combination kitchen, retail store and juice tasting room at 5631 Palmer Way at the Carlsbad Gateway Center, a commercial/industrial park where several artisan foodmakers, including Prager Brothers Artisan Bread, produce and sell their products onsite.

Because of her background in nutrition, Gregor said her favorite part of her job is creating the juice blends and teaching customers about the healthful benefits of cleansing with organic, cold-pressed juice drinks.

The business makes and sells 19 juice blends custom-made for energy, weight loss and detoxing. Theyre made with local fruits and vegetables as well as more exotic superfood ingredients like reishi and cordycep mushrooms, maca root, moringa leaf, baobab and camu camu.

Gregor said the juices, which have a 5- to 7-day shelf life, are cold-pressed in a heat-free centrifugal press, packaged in glass bottles and sold either individually or in 1- to 5-day cleanse packages.

Free juice tasting sessions are offered at both the Carlsbad and Encinitas stores, where Gregor enjoys taking customers through the 10-minute tastings herself.

She opened the Encinitas cafe last year as a way to expand on her companys brand with healthful food items sourced almost exclusively from local farms and bakeries.

A garden toast, left, and two smoothies at OH! Juice Cafe in Encinitas. (Courtesy photo)

Her underwriter and partner in the Encinitas cafe is Doug Kimmelman of Rancho Santa Fe. Kimmelmans wife, Carol  who passed away from ovarian cancer last year  was a longtime OH! Juice customer.

A chalkboard on the wall of the cafe lists the local suppliers, including Prager Brothers in Carlsbad, Barry Korals Tropical Fruit Farm in Vista, Bee Wise Farms in Escondido, JR Organics Farm in Carlsbad, Om Organic Mushroom Nutrition in Carlsbad and Sage Mountain Farm in Anza.

The cafes all-day menu features acai, yogurt, kelp noodle, black rice and grain bowls, cold smoothies and hot drinks, toasts, salads and soups. The shop also has a grab-and-go prepared foods and juices case.

OH! Juice Cafe

Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

Where: 90 N. Coast Highway, Suite 212, Encinitas

Phone: (760) 487-1896

Online: ohjuicecleanse.com

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Jason Fowler, new principal at Bonsall High School. (Courtesy photo)

BONSALL

New principal named at Bonsall High School

Jason V. Fowler is the new principal of Bonsall High School. Before coming to Bonsall, he was principal of Nuview Bridge Early College High School in Riverside County, where he helped to establish programs and policies that led to the school being named one of the top 100 high schools in America by Newsweek. He has been in education for 20 years, as principal, assistant principal, dean, college professor and classroom teacher. He has worked in traditional high schools, continuation schools and with charter programs. He has a doctorate from Argosy University and several masters degrees from New Mexico State University.

Advertisement

Jason Soileau will be the new principal at Del Mar Heights School. (Courtesy photo)

Alison Fieberg will be the new principal of Sage Canyon School. (Courtesy photo)

Brigitte Blazys is the new director of the Early Childhood Development Center in the Del Mar Union School District. (Courtesy photo)

DEL MAR

New leaders join school district

The Del Mar Union School District has hired several new administrators. Brigitte Blazys is the new director of the Early Childhood Development Center. She was director of Pacific Beach Presbyterian Preschool for the past five years, and also was a preschool teacher. Alison Fieberg will be the new principal of Sage Canyon School. She has been with DMUSD since 2004, serving as an assistant principal at two schools, a teacher on special assignment doing district-level work, and a primary and upper-grade classroom teacher. Jason Soileau will be the new principal at Del Mar Heights School, replacing Wendy Wardlow, who retired after 18 years. Soileau was a principal, assistant principal and teacher in Texas.

ESCONDIDO

Library launches 1000 Books program

The Escondido Public Library kicks off its free 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program next week to promote learning to read for children ages birth to 5 years. Even before school begins, kids get critical literacy skills from parents and caregivers. Reading, discussing books and singing aloud contribute to a childs language development skills. Events will be held during Baby Lapsit storytime from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday as well as during the Toddler Tales storytime from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 6 in the Turrentine Room. The events will discuss how the program works, registration, and how to log progress. Visit escondidolibrary.org/1000books; call the Youth Services Desk at (760) 839-5456. The library is at 239 S. Kalmia St.

FALLBROOK

Free student meals start at grade school

The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District has updated its policy for serving meals to students under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs for the 2018-19 school year. All students will be served free lunch and breakfast at the Fallbrook Street School, 405 W. Fallbrook St. No fee or application required. Contact Carissa Iwamoto, director of child nutrition services, at (760) 731-4352 or ciwamoto@fuesd.org.

NORTH COUNTY

Connect with Outdoor School at open house

Learn about Cuyamaca Outdoor School, home of San Diego Countys original 6th Grade Camp, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 8 at the annual open house in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. Parents, teachers, principals, students, alumni and anyone interested in outdoor education are invited to spend the day connecting with nature. Visitors can tour the campus, participate in hands-on science activities, try rock climbing, and more. The open house is at the school, 12561 Highway 79, Descanso. Find details and directions at bit.ly/2Mi4aEs.

Bus yields roughly $300K in donations

SDCCU Stuff the Bus, held with the San Diego County Office of Education and iHeartMedia radio stations, yielded nearly 6,000 filled backpacks and more than 230,000 school supplies to prepare students as they start a new school year. The SDCCU school bus toured this summer, making numerous stops to collect supplies. The community could also drop off supplies at various locations, including at any SDCCU branch. The supplies donated were valued at nearly $303,000. Stuff the Bus benefits county students who are experiencing homelessness, with supplies going to 40 school districts and 21 charter schools. According to the county, more than 22,000 school-age children were identified as homeless during the past school year. Visit sdccu.com.

POWAY

Teacher chosen for C-SPAN conference

Aimee McCoy, a social studies teacher at Mesa Verde Middle School in the Poway Unified School District, recently attended the C-SPAN Middle School Summer Educators Conference. She was one of two San Diego County teachers and 58 educators from across the nation selected to attend C-SPAN educators conferences in Washington, D.C. Also attending was social studies teacher Shoshana Adams of Valhalla High School in El Cajon. Educators heard guest speakers and explored C-SPAN Classrooms free teaching resources. McCoy and Adams competed with teachers nationwide to attend the conferences. C-SPAN provided roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations and meals for the two days. Visit www.c-span.org/classroom.

SAN DIEGUITO

High school board to videotape, post meetings

The San Dieguito Union High School District will soon be videorecording and posting its board meetings. The board decided not to live-stream the meetings, but rather to post the videos to its YouTube channel within 72 hours. The board voted 3-2 in May to buy a mounted non-moving camera that was installed in the board room this summer.

SAN MARCOS

Womens club offers annual scholarship

GFWC Contemporary Women of North County (CWONC) offers an annual scholarship to a local student who will be attending either Palomar or MiraCosta College. At a recent meeting, members were introduced to the 2018 scholarship recipients, Patricia Oshita and Kim Kelly. Oshita is working on becoming a registered nurse and Kelly plans to become an optometrist. The GFWC Contemporary Women of North County Scholarship is based on grade-point average, financial need and community service. CWONC is a local nonprofit club of the General Federation of Womens Clubs and serves the community by volunteering support to women and children, the military and their families, and local humane societies. Visit cwonc.org, gfwc.org or cfwc.org.

Alyssa Goodyear, a 12th-grader at Santa Fe Christian Schools, with Principal Matt Hannan. She was honored for the third year in a row with a Presidents Volunteer Service Award for her exemplary volunteer service, (Courtesy photo)

SOLANA BEACH

Student wins award for volunteer service

Alyssa Goodyear, a 12th-grade student at Santa Fe Christian Schools, was honored for the third year in a row with a Presidents Volunteer Service Award for her exemplary volunteer service, logging more than 250 volunteer hours per year. She has attended SFC since sixth grade and hopes to become a veterinarian. She is also involved in Chamber Chorale, theater, American Mathematics competitions and the soccer team. Outside of school, she plays club soccer year-round, sings, and plays guitar and piano. Her service projects have included working with the homeless and elderly, a mission trip to Taiwan, raising awareness and money for a friend battling leukemia, and working with animals at the Helen Woodward Animal Center. The award is given by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. Winners received a personalized certificate, an official pin, medallion or coin and a congratulatory letter from the president of the United States. Visit presidentialserviceawards.gov/the-award.

VISTA

Early education open house at preschool

Childrens Paradise Education Center hosts an early education curriculum open house from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at 211 Main St. This is an opportunity to gain insight into the centers education practices, learn more about the curriculum used at each developmental level and explore the innovative materials created in class. This event is open to professional educational staff or administration, students, parents or anyone interested in learning more about creative and effective early educational curriculum. No RSVP needed. Contact Nicole Steele, director of programs and education, at nsteele@childrensparadise.com or (760) 407-8500, ext. 205.

Please send items to laura.groch@sduniontribune.com at least 10 days before events.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
Updates to a climate action plan designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could also improve traffic safety and quality of life for Vista residents, speakers said at a City Council discussion of the plan Tuesday.

Since early June, the city has held six public hearings seeking input on the revised plan, which details ways to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the hazards of a warming climate, such as hotter summers and more intense wildfires.

On Tuesday, council members added their feedback on the plan, but the most impassioned comments came from more than two dozen speakers who urged the city to make infrastructure and transportation improvements they said would make the city both safer and greener.

Climate is a worldwide problem, and we all have to do our part, speaker James Wang said. Some people ask, what can one small city do. But every city got us where we are, and every city can help get us out of it, too.

Advertisement

About half of the citys emissions come from cars and trucks, and nearly a third are generated by energy use, according to the plan. Although the city is on track to cut emissions through increased use of solar and other renewable energy in coming years, greenhouse gases will rise again as the citys population increases, according to John Conley, community development director for the city.

California law calls for local governments to bring greenhouse emissions down to 1990 levels by the year 2020, and to reduce those by an additional 40 percent by 2030, and by an additional 80 percent by 2050.

The city surveyed residents about their priorities for climate action, and received 150 votes, Conley said. The top three measures that residents preferred were community choice aggregation programs, which allow cities to purchase energy on behalf of residents; urban forest initiatives; and hiring a full-time staff member to supervise the climate action plan, he said.

Speakers also said they want to see better transit options in Vista. Middle school student Stephanie Martinez said she confronts speeding vehicles, lack of sidewalks and poorly marked crosswalks as she waits for public transportation to get to school. Improving street safety and bus structures would fight both traffic hazards and climate change, she said.

The city should work with North County Transit to build bus shelters with benches and trees, Martinez said. If we make these changes it will be easier for people to use buses and walk, and we will have less people driving cars, less pollution, and less greenhouse gases.

The plan also calls for greening the city through urban forests, to help cool neighborhoods, cut energy use and absorb carbon emissions.

We request areas with more trees and vegetation, in order for our community to fight against the heat from global warming, said Angelina Cruz, a resident and volunteer with Poder Popular, a local organization that organizes through Vista Community Clinic. The shade that trees provide will encourage us to walk more and use our cars less. At home it will help us save energy when were not using our air conditioning because of the heat. The shade of the trees will improve the air quality that we breathe, and will also make Vista a more attractive place to live in, to work and to play.

The council hearing comes on the heels of a statewide climate assessment released earlier this week by the California Natural Resources Agency, which warned that climate change will be more destructive and costlier for California than previously believed.

This update is very timely given the latest state climate report, said Brian Morales, a Vista resident and business owner who said that energy-efficient lighting and other investments could improve Vistas climate and its commerce.

The city report doesnt only benefit our environment, he said. It also helps our businesses.

Other cities in the county, including San Diego, Chula Vista, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas and La Mesa, have already adopted climate plans. Although other jurisdictions have called for 100 percent renewable energy use by mid-century, Conley said Vista doesnt consider that attainable, and hasnt adopted that goal.

Resident Lisa Wellens said Vista should be more ambitious about its climate measures. She urged officials to aim for 100 percent renewable energy, and consider community choice aggregation, which would allow the city to choose which energy sources it uses.

There are a lot of great measures possible, she said. It will also produce stable rates for our residents. And the potential revenue from community choice aggregation can assist with other measures in our climate action plan.

Council members said they supported tree planting and increased transit options. Councilwoman Amanda Rigby pushed back against suggestions that the city isnt doing enough to tackle climate change.

Ive heard people comment that our climate plan is great on paper, but were not really doing anything, she said. And thats not true. We are working on things. I would urge staff to work more with North County Transit.

deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan
The future of Chula Vistas drone program is in Mexico.

For nearly a year, a Silicon Valley software company has been testing new drone technology with the Ensenada Police Department.

That technology, which allows drones to be flown on autopilot while officers view live footage from miles away, led to more than 500 arrests and a 10 percent decrease in crime in Ensenada since October 2017, said Chris Rittler, the CEO of Cape.

In Ensenada, more than a third of emergency calls were gone on arrival, meaning the suspects left before police arrived, Rittler said. Drones show up to scenes within minutes and often times capture criminals red-handed.

Advertisement

One promo video shows patrol officers arriving at the front of a house as two burglars carrying a flat-screen TV jump the back fence. The suspects lose the officers by jumping several fences in a dense residential neighborhood, but the drone never loses sight of them.

Capes work in Ensenada matters to Chula Vista because the company is also working with the Chula Vista Police Department.

Since May, the department and tech company have been participating in a federal drone-testing program designed to help federal regulators develop new rules for operating drones.These rules will affect law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Chula Vista is really setting the benchmark for the whole of the U.S., which is really just super impressive, Rittler said.

Several regulations need to change before Chula Vista can use drones like the Ensenada Police Department.

Current Federal Aviation Administration rules require people to maintain a clear line of sight with airborne drones. That means a police officer, working in tandem with the drone pilot, has to be physically looking at the drone any time it is in the air.

Should those regulations change, the Chula Vista Police Department could use Capes technology to send autonomous drones all over the city like they are currently doing in Ensenada.

Chula Vistas long-term goal is to have a fleet of about eight or nine drones set up throughout the city so that they could respond to any emergency call within two minutes.

Currently, it takes patrol vehicles on average more than 6-and-a-half minutes to respond to emergency calls, according to Police Department data.

Apart from faster response times, having a live feed of what is happening on the ground can help officers determine how to allocate resources  for example, is a collision a fender-bender that requires traffic control, or a potentially fatal rollover that needs an ambulance.

Drone footage can also help officers be more informed of potential risks on the job  is there a large dog in the backyard, for instance. If so, the watch commander can call animal control to avoid hurting the dog or the officers.

The Chula Vista Police Department doesnt want to move too quickly.

In most things, we try to be in the cutting edge, said Capt. Vern Sallee, who oversees the program. In this one, we purposefully tried not to. We didnt want to be the agency out there making the mistakes.

The department has been working on its drone program for three years but has only just begun using drones in training exercises and official police work such as warrant sweeps. A large part of the slow roll-out is public perception of drones and police surveillance.

We realize ... thats the biggest concern our community has, Sallee said. They dont want a police surveillance state. They dont like the idea of the Police Department essentially having free arieal reign to look into their backyards.

To draft its drone policies, which specifically prohibit officers from using drones for random surveillance or general patrol, the department met with local residents and worked with the ACLU, Sallee added.

Additionally, police hope to establish a website that the public can use to see police drone flight patterns and basic information about why they were deployed.

The department has four drones, paid for with a donation from the Chula Vista Police Foundation.

During a recent test in Chula Vista, several residents walked up to officers and asked about the program. Generally speaking, the response has been positive, Lt. Chris Kelley said.

A few residents even asked if the department would let civilian drone pilots participate, added Kelley.

I wouldve thought we wouldve had more resistance, Kelley said. The signals I get is that they want this technology used to find grandpa when he wanders off.

Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter
Southwestern College has been awarded a $200,000 grant to expand services offered at its Veterans Resource Center.

The funding from the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office will create a tutoring program and a part-time position for an outreach coordinator, among other services at the center.

We want to improve and increase our services, and make sure that we have an adequate amount of space to support the high number of veterans we serve here, said Jonathan J.D. White, the resource centers coordinator.

Southwestern College serves between 1,600 and 1,700 veterans and military-affiliated students. The resource center has been open to veterans, military members and their spouses and children since 2014.

Advertisement

Patti Larkin, director of veteran services and financial aid, said veterans and military-affiliated students represent a sector of the population on campus that continues to grow. As a result, the Veterans Resource Center has outgrown its space.

Were kind of limited in the number of students we can serve, White said.

The center intends to expand its space to include study rooms and office space for counseling  from transferring to a four-year university to taking advantage of benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Other plans include expanding the centers computer lab.

Administrators and staff are also looking at larger spaces on campus to relocate the resource center.

White said the outreach coordinator will allow more students to take advantage of the services available on and off campus.

We want them to get as much help and assistance as they need, with a wide variety of programs that were fortunate enough to have in San Diego that support our veterans and their families  and active duty, he said.

The center is working with the colleges Academic Success Center, which offers tutoring, to offer a program in which veterans can tutor other veterans.

Navy veteran Gregory John Jubinal, who studies automotive engineering, said the center offers students with similar journeys a place to congregate, feel welcome and build a community. Jubinal, 32, enlisted in the Navy in 2004 as a cook and was medically discharged in 2015.

Like other veterans, Jubinal started college years after he graduated high school.

Coming to college 15 years later, there was anxiety, nervousness. I was feeling very overwhelmed, he said. When I found out about the Veterans Resource Center, I started finding people just like me, and it made the transition very well. I made a lot of good friends along the way.

The Bonita resident said the center is a popular spot on campus, which means it can get crowded at times.

By getting the grant and expanding the Veterans Resource Center, I believe that it will give more opportunities to veterans and accommodate more veterans at the same time, he said.

Southwestern College is set to receive the grant in October and will work on expanding the services at the resource center this school year.

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
Say goodbye to the unofficial end of summer with food and drink specials hosted by local restaurants and bars this Labor Day weekend.

Waterbar in Pacific Beach will party down with $4 Budweiser, bourbon and rye whiskey cocktail specials and barbecue cookout specials. Friday through Monday. 4325 Ocean Blvd., San Diego. (858) 888-4343. waterbarsd.com

Level Four Pool Bar & Lounge kicks off the holiday festivities with Punch the Clock Friday featuring punch-style cocktails and bites for $3 starting at 3 p.m. and going up $1 every hour until 6 p.m. The pool lounge will become an adult playground with games like giant Jenga. Tacos and boozy paletas will be offered at the Taco Cart from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Siesta Sundays is nothing but laid-back beats and umbrella drinks, poolside 1047 Fifth Ave., San Diego. hotelpalomar-sandiego.com

Upstairs, the Arriba Room at Curadero will serve street food from its taco window from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. In between eats, challenge friends to some tabletop classic games in the lounge. 1047 Fifth Ave., San Diego. hotelpalomar-sandiego.com

Advertisement

Upper East Bar in East Village will offer food and drink specials Saturday through Monday. For $8, try an all-beef bacon-wrapped hot dog with nacho cheese pickled jalapeno or a beer-braised bratwurst served with sauerkraut, onion and whole grain mustard. From noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, escape the afternoon with a DJ and drink specials, including $20 bottles of dry rose and $5 draft beers. Wind down the weekend with tequila drink specials and DJ music on Monday. 616 J St., San Diego. (619) 531-8744. hotelsolamar.com

Union Kitchen & Tap Encinitas will throw a 90s-themed Labor Day Weekend Blowout with live music on Saturday from 10 p.m. to close; karaoke on Sunday from 10 p.m. to close; and a Brunch & Day Party with bottomless mimosas ($15 per person) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. 1108 S. Coast Highway, Encinitas. (760) 230-2337. localunion101.com

Banana Loaf French Toast (Backyard Kitchen & Tap)

Backyard Kitchen & Tap celebrates Labor Day weekend with brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with dishes like biscuits and gravy, chilaquiles burrito and banana loaf French toast. On Monday, the restaurant will offer 20 percent off for all active or retired military and first responders. 832 Garnet Ave., San Diego. (858) 859-2593. backyardpb.com

Second Chance Beer Company is marking its third anniversary with an island-inspired limited release beer as part of a collaboration with Maui Brewing Company. The new beer is an Imperial Pilsner infused with jasmine flowers. The celebration kicks off at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at both locations: 4045 30th St., Suite A, San Diego and 15378 Avenue of Science, Suite 222, Carmel Mountain Ranch. On Sunday, a special brunch and beer pairing will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Carmel Mountain Ranch location. Tickets are $50 per person. secondchancebeer.com

Pacific Beach AleHouse will offer $5 PB Alehouse Hangloose house brew and $10 Poptails along with DJs spinning at 10 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and all day Monday. 721 Grand Ave., San Diego. (858) 581-2337. pbalehouse.com

Chicken and Waffles (Union Kitchen & Tap Gaslamp)

Union Kitchen & Tap will host a Labor Day brunch with favorites like confit duck hash and eggs, chicken and waffles and stuffed French toast. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday through Monday. All military, first responders and union workers will receive 20 percent off on Monday. 333 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. (619) 795-9463. gaslampunion.com

Old-fashioned doughnut with a shot of whiskey glaze (Hundred Proof)

Hundred Proof will host an Aperol Spritz-themed brunch on Labor Day. Sweet and savory items include grilled shrimp and avocado toast and an all-new, old-fashioned doughnut with a shot of whiskey glaze. The Aperol Spritz cocktail is priced at $8. 4130 Park Blvd., San Diego. 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday. (619) 501-6404. hundredproofsd.com

JRDN at Tower23 welcomes Labor Day guests with $6 well cocktails, house wine and bubbly, 14-ounce Sapporo drafts and four-ounce hot or cold sake. Libations can be paired with the chefs plate, a selection of sushi, sashimi and nigiri. 4 to 6 p.m. Monday. 723 Felspar St., San Diego. (858) 270-2323. 523hotel.com/jrdn

T.W.H. Sangria (The Westgate Hotel)

The Westgate Hotel invites guests to relax this Labor Day with the Latin sounds of Julio de la Huerta at the renovated Plaza Bar. Sip on the T.W.H. Sangria with rose, Strega Ligueur and stone fruits while you enjoy the California Cheeses with Point Reyes Blue, Humboldt Fog Goat, Fiscalini Cheddar, tomato chutney and local honey. Monday. 1055 Second Ave., San Diego. (619) 238-1818. westgatehotel.com

The Creamery at Barona Resort & Casino will serve its premium house-made ice cream on Labor Day, offering guests nearly 30 rotating flavors like cinnamon bun, salted caramel and chocolate malted crunch, as well as soft-serve and yogurt, milkshakes, classic banana splits, ice cream sodas, floats and malts. 10 a.m. to midnight Monday. 1932 Wildcat Canyon Road, Lakeside. barona.com

Whats happening

Caribou Coffeehouses are now located inside all San Diego-area stores. (Einstein Bros. Bagels)

Einstein Bros. Bagels outposts will house Caribou Coffeehouses at all San Diego-area stores. To celebrate the partnership, guests can enjoy $2 mochas and lattes through mid-September. Locations: Chula Vista, Hillcrest, San Diego Airport Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, Point Loma, Mission Valley, Friars Village, Serra Mesa, Pacific Beach, Del Cerro. einsteinbros.com

Sea180 Coastal Tavern kicks off the month of September with its End of Summer Sunset Luau. The menu includes Huli Huli chicken, coconut shrimp, sweet potatoes, fresh locally caught fish, pineapple fried jasmine rice and a roasted pig. Pair the South Pacific fare with live music, Polynesian dancers, fire dancers and sunset views. 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday. 800 Seacoast Drive, Imperial Beach. $59.95 per person. Reservations: (619) 631-4949. dinecrg.com

Choices the Buffet at Pala Casino Spa & Resort will offer a Labor Day menu with dishes like oysters on the half shell, chilled snow crab, whole Atlantic salmon, barbecue pork ribs, chicken skewers, grilled hamburgers, pizza, pasta and its new Mongolian grill. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday. 11154 Highway 76, Pala. Reservations: (760) 510-2299.

Sammys Woodfired Pizza & Grills Green Flash Dinner Series features a five-course menu expertly paired with a brew by Green Flash Director of Beer Education, Dave Adams, who will guide diners through each course. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. 12925 El Camino Real, Suite J-21, San Diego. $30 per person. bit.ly/2LX6d0G

You & Yours Distilling Company will partner with SMARTS Farm to present an interactive cocktail class. After meeting at the You & Yours Tasting Room, attendees will walk over to SMARTS Farm in downtown San Diego, where youll learn about urban gardening and pick cocktail ingredients fresh from the garden. Attendees will then return to You & Yours for a lesson on preparing two cocktails using the herbs and garnishes picked fresh at the farm. Must be 21 years or older. A portion of the ticket sales will benefit SMARTS Farms youth program courses. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. 1495 G St., San Diego. $55 per person. bit.ly/2nY1qO2

New menus

New Zealand Brekkie (Queenstown Bistro at Westfield UTC)

Queenstown Bistro at Westfield UTC is serving weekend brunch and happy hour offerings. The new brunch menu, served on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes dishes like the traditional New Zealand brekkie with cheesy eggs, grilled tomato, NZ baked beans, toast and country potatoes. The new weekday happy hour dubbed Afternoon Tea includes a selection of cocktails, wines, beer and house-made sangria, as well as a variety of small bites, such as a slider version of Queenstowns lamb burger. All happy hour items are priced at $5 and are available from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. 4545 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego. (619) 546-0444. queenstownbistro.com

Grant Grill Lounge will launch its new Tall Sails cocktail menu Labor Day weekend. Priced at $13 each, the sailiing vessels menu includes: The Royal Clipper, made with vodka, Branca Menta, Swedish Punsch Liqueur, homemade pistachio orgeat, grilled pineapple juice; Star of India, made with scotch, Cherry Heering, dry vermouth, seasonal citrus, kiwi-strawberry soda; USS Constitution, made with aged rum, rye, birch syrup, tobacco bitters; and The Concorde aka Booty Juice, made with Nolets Gin, Hine Cognac, Chareau Aloe Liqueur, grapefruit juice, Domaine Sante All-Sass Riesling Nectar. The Old Man and The Sea, a bottled cocktail ($95), is made with plantain mate-infused local rum, absinthe, Maraschino Liqueur, Blue Curacao, Guarapo sugarcane juice, Clarified Guava Juice, Pacific Ocean sea salt. 326 Broadway, San Diego. (619) 744-2077. grantgrill.com

Crab cake tostada (Mission Avenue Bar & Grill)

Mission Avenue Bar and Grill will revamp all three of its menus starting on Tuesday. Brunch? How about truffled deviled egg salad, fried chicken eggs Benedict or veggie scramble with potatoes. Lunch and dinner options range from shrimp pot pie and crab cake tostada to baby back ribs and beef tartare. Libations include more than 100 whiskeys, hand-poured drinks, cocktails on tap and all California smaller-batch brews. 711 Mission Ave., Oceanside. (760) 637-2222. missionavenuebarandgrill.com

carolina.gusman@sduniontribune.com
Ask Colin Quinn about the countrys current state of affairs, and he wont hesitate to give you an answer.

Quinns eager to encapsulate what he calls the downfall of the United States, providing much-needed reflection, both lighthearted and thoughtful, on where things could be headed.

When I did Unconstitutional,  Quinn says of his 2013 one-man show, Id say that this country is breaking up and you would hear the audience gasp as if to say that I shouldnt say that. Today, when I say its breaking up, I get a reaction like, Yep, so what? Tell us something we dont know. It shows how the world has changed in the past five years.

An astute observer of current affairs and an ardent student of history, Quinn has made a career of holding a mirror to the evolution of the nation, society and cultural norms. The Brooklyn native did shoot to national prominence anchoring Saturday Night Lives legendary Weekend Update news segment in the late 90s, after all, just as the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal rocked the country. In the years since, hes fostered an eclectic career that included hosting the round-table Comedy Central series Tough Crowd and plum acting roles in movies like Trainwreck and television series like Girls.

Advertisement

In addition, hes thrown out the norms of a traditional stand-up career by writing and starring in an acclaimed series of one-man shows, the most recent being the Jerry Seinfeld-directed New York Story, which had a successful Broadway run before finding a larger audience on Netflix.

Comedy becomes limiting. Jokes are great and funny, but I wanted to push it to see where it goes, says Quinn. I wanted to explore it before I go off this planet. Its that combination of wanting to communicate while being funny and at the same time questioning whats going on in this world.

Each show has been based around a certain topic, which Quinn pulls apart bit by bit.

My first show was about the history of the world (Long Story Short), my second show was the history of the country (Unconstitutional) and my third show was the history of New York (New York Story). My latest hour was the hardest to write because Im trying not to repeat stuff.

Its that new hour of material that Quinn is bringing to Harrahs Resort Southern California on Friday (with Norm Macdonald) and touches on Quinns aforementioned thoughts about our current state of affairs.

Everybody agrees the breakup of the United States is happening, so theres no point in pretending its not a thing, he says. In the show, I talk about our founding fathers and our government. I say, how would you have done it if you were in charge of a country? Everybodys an expert on whats wrong, but nobody ever has an idea of what to do about it. I have my own solutions.

Quinns latest hour comes during a transitional phase in not only America (or his own life after suffering a heart attack in February) but comedy at large, with the art form shedding some of its biggest stars in recent years due to both controversy and the changing tastes of an increasingly politically correct culture.

Theres supposedly this whole movement of consciousness and over-analyzation of comedy thats taking place, Quinn says, pointing out that the current growing pains of the perceptions of humor are nothing new. Its maybe closer to 12 or 14 years old. I remember in the 90s some comedian friends of mine were saying college students were writing letters based on their jokes saying they were offensive. Maybe its become more pronounced now, but its been happening for a while.

Since humor has evolved from the buttoned-up 50s to the anything-goes nature of later decades and is now buttoning up again, could it all be chalked up to being cyclical?

Everyone says that, but it still morphs into something else, he muses. I understand why people get annoyed by certain comedy. I get annoyed by certain comedy too. But the whole principle is, whos to determine whats funny? I dont know where comedy goes from here.

Norm Macdonald and Colin Quinn

When: 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31

Where: The Events Center, Harrahs Resort Southern California, 777 S. Resort Drive, Valley Center.

Tickets: $38-$187 (18 and up only)

Phone: (800) 653-8000

Online: ticketmaster.com
In just the last year, Jahja Ling, the conductor laureate of the San Diego Symphony, has traveled to Taiwan, Singapore and his hometown of Jakarta, Indonesia, as well as Cleveland and Tampa Bay. But to attend the exhibit that will trace and honor his life and career, Ling wont need to go far.

Located right in his longtime neighborhood, the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center on Saturday opens the world-premiere exhibition of Maestro Jahja Ling. The San Diego Symphonys music director from 2004 to 2017, Ling was the first conductor of Chinese descent to become a music director of a major orchestra in the United States.

Ling moved to Bonita the same year he joined the symphony. He lives there with his wife, Jessie Chang, and their daughters, Priscilla and Stephanie. Both gifted pianists, Ling and Chang have taught many aspiring Bonita residents since they arrived.

Wendy Wilson-Gibson, executive director of the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center, believes that the Ling exhibit is right in line with the museums objective of documenting the lives of interesting South Bay residents.

Advertisement

Was it a challenge featuring a globe-trotting conductor with such a varied and busy life?

In this process, if someones organized, its very easy, and if they arent, it can be hard, said Wilson-Gibson, who spent many hours with Ling sifting through material. Jahja is so precise and organized with photos. He has documentation of every symphony hes conducted and every award he has received.

He has the same enthusiasm in this as he has in his musical endeavors. Hes been excited about every aspect of the exhibit.

That is no mean feat, given its many components. On display will be performance videos, many of Lings plaques and awards, some of his personal correspondence, and more than 200 photographs.

An exhibit about Lings career would be lacking without an aural component. The museum will feature excerpts of music, which Ling helped choose. The selections have been taken from what he has conducted over the years, including pieces from the dozen or so albums he has recorded with the San Diego Symphony and other orchestras.

An interactive display will be in a room with instruments arranged in the same way they would be in an orchestra. A person standing at the small podium will be able to wave a baton at a trombone or a snare drum, for example, and hear that specific sound.

A great team worked on that, Wilson-Gibson said. Its a good way to introduce visitors to the world of conducting, as well as the elements of a symphony.

Music education has been a key part of Lings work. He founded the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra in 1981 and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra in 1986. His other prestigious educational endeavors include stints at Boston University Tanglewood Institute and the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Starting with his early life in Jakarta, the exhibition follows Lings path through his schooling, guest-conducting throughout the world and serving as music director of orchestras, concluding with the San Diego Symphony. It also covers his deep faith and involvement with Indonesia-based Stephen Tong Evangelistic Ministries International.

The Bonita Museum has one main exhibition every year, and its always a blend of culture, art and history, said Wilson-Gibson, adding that a commissioned sculpture of Lings hands by local artist Carol Webb will be on display.

We tell the story of Jahja as a person and show what a conductor does, Wilson-Gibson said. Another thing important to us was an educational emphasis to help kids understand his process: how he was able to get where he is today.

Maestro Jahja Ling

When: Sept. 1 through Sept. 30. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. On Saturday, Sept.8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Ling will be in the museum to walk visitors through the exhibition.

Where: Bonita Museum & Cultural Center, 4355 Bonita Road, Bonita

Tickets: Free

Phone: (619) 267-5141

Online: bonitahistoricalsociety.org

Wood is a freelance writer.
Newport Beach chef Jamie Gwen has partnered with Smart & Final on recipes that celebrate summer produce.

Among those recipes is this easy watermelon and feta salad, which Gwen recommends as the perfect start to a summer get-together.

Gwen recently was a competitor on the Food Networks Beat Bobby Flay. Shes also the host of a nationally syndicated radio show, Food & Wine With Chef Jamie Gwen. See more of her recipes on her website, www.chefjamie.com.

Summer Watermelon and Feta Salad

Serves 4

Advertisement

2 cups baby or wild arugula

1 small/individual watermelon, cubed

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (the chef recommends First Street brand, sold at Smart & Final)

12 fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

Freshly ground pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Arrange the arugula on a large serving platter and top with the cubed watermelon. Crumble the feta over the watermelon and sprinkle with the fresh mint. Season the dish with the lemon zest, cracked pepper and a generous drizzle of olive oil.

chris.ross@sduniontribune.com
The San Diego USO held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at the soft opening of its new Liberty Station headquarters, which the organization says will help it better serve the local active-duty military community.

The location, at 2790 Truxtun Road, augments the three existing USO centers  downtown, San Diego International Airport and the Military Entrance Processing Station.

While the USO is well-known for hosting entertainers overseas for troops, it has moved recently to offer more services to help those transitioning out of the military.

Our brick and mortar locations have been very successful, said Lorin Stewart, CEO of USO San Diego. What we want to do is try to go outbound, get out of the brick and mortar and start producing programs  out in the community we serve.

Advertisement

The new USO headquarters in Liberty Station, at 3,800 square feet, includes offices, conference space, a kitchen and a lounge area (pictured). (Andrew Dyer/ Union-Tribune)

The new space spans 3,800 square feet and includes offices, conference rooms, a kitchen and lounge area.

Ashley Camac, the director of operations and programs at USO San Diego, said the new headquarters would be a hub for local service members and their immediate families.

On Monday, the USO and Google announced a new program to train service members and their spouses. Camac said anyone interested could now come to the new headquarters for information.

The transition services are currently happening here, so if anybody walks in and they want to get connected to somebody who helps with resumes or can help in the job search  we can do that, she said.

Retired Army Gen. George W. Casey, a former Army chief of staff and the chairman of the USO Board of Governors, said the organization is looking for new ways to serve the military.

This 77-year-old organization is not resting on its laurels, Casey said. Were continuing to do new things to support the men and women of the armed forces and their families.

Casey also talked about the scope of the military presence in San Diego.

More than 8 percent of the active duty military in the United States is here in San Diego, he said. By my calculations, since the USO was stood up, some 35 million men and women have served the United States of America in peace and war, and the USO has been there with them at home, in an airport and overseas.

Rep. Darrell Issa was on hand to receive an award from the USO for his service to the military while in Congress. He talked about what the USO meant to him while on active duty in the Army.

I knew they were there, they were always there, he said. The USO was there to get you home, keep track of you and to be there for you and your family.

Contact Andrew Dyer via email or Twitter.
August 30, 2005 The San Diego Union-Tribune

The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina smashed into the gulf coast and flooded the city of New Orleans.

Within days, levees in New Orleans were breached and more than 80 percent of the city was underwater, stranding tens of thousands of people.

The death toll from the storm is estimated to be at least 1,200, and as many as 1,800.

In the days after Hurricane Katrina, the federal government came under heavy criticism for what many saw as a slow, uncoordinated response to one of the nations worst natural disasters.

Ripples from flooding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina reached San Diego County in a variety of ways.

Hundreds of San Diego-based National Guard soldiers were among those who dispatched to the disaster area, and evacuees who had lost everything were welcomed in the city.

Here are the first few paragraphs of the story:

LIKE A TON OF BRICKS

Storm swipes New Orleans, rips Mississippi

By Joseph B. Treaster and Kate Zernike, New York Times News Service

NEW ORLEANS -- Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast with devastating force at daybreak yesterday, sparing New Orleans the catastrophic hit that had been feared bu t inundating parts of the city and heaping damage on neighboring Mississippi, where it tossed boats, ripped away scores of rooftops and left many of the major coastal roadways impassable.

Packing 145-mph winds as it made landfall, Katrina left more than 1 million people in three states without power and submerged highways even hundreds of miles from the center of the storm.

Officials reported at least 55 deaths, with 50 alone in Harrison County,Miss., which includes Gulfport and Biloxi. Emergency workers feared they would find more dead among people trapped in their homes and in collapsed buildings.

Jim Pollard, a spokesman for the Harrison County emergency operations center, said a number of people were found dead in an apartment complex in Biloxi. Seven others were found in the Industrial Seaway.

While Katrina proved to be less fearsome than had been predicted, it was still potent enough to rank as one of the most punishing hurricanes ever to hit the United States. Insurance experts said that damage could hit $26 billion, which would make it the costliest storm on record.

In New Orleans, most of the levees held, but one was damaged and floodwaters rose to rooftops in at least one neighborhood.

Katrina's howling winds stripped two 15-foot sections of white rubbery fabric off the roof of the Superdome, where as many as 10,000 evacuees were sheltered.

View anniversary front pages online at sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years. For more from the Union-Tribune digital archives, go to newslibrary.com/sites/sdub. Searching is free, with registration. A fee is required to view full stories.
A South Bay martial arts instructor has been charged with molesting a 13-year-old girl at his home in National City two weeks ago.

Gabriel Abel Gonzalez, 39, pleaded not guilty in Chula Vista Superior Court on Wednesday to four felony counts of committing a lewd act on a child.

He is accused of touching the girl on four private parts of her body on Aug. 18.

His bail was raised from $100,000 to $400,000 because of the number of charges, Deputy District Attorney Julie Lynn said.

Advertisement

The alleged victim was not a student at the gym where Gonzalez worked. Authorities have said they have no evidence that any students or other children are victims.

Gonzalez turned himself in to National City police on Saturday, but was released until Monday, when he was arrested and booked into jail.

Gonzalez, who has made a living as a personal trainer at various gyms, was hired about six months ago to teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Chula Vista Jiu-Jitsu Club, according to his own former trainer.

Elias Gallegos, 42, owner of Alliance BJJ Eastlake, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu training gym, said Gonzalez has been his student for 15 years.

He came up through me, from a white-belt (novice), Gallegos said in an interview. He couldnt pay, so he helped me in classes as an assistant instructor. He was doing a great job.

When other students under Gallegos opened the Chula Vista club about a year ago, they later took on Gonzalez as an instructor, Gallegos said.

Gallegos said he received an anonymous phone call last Friday from a person who claimed Gonzalez had molested a girl and persuaded her to keep quiet about it.

He confronted Gonzalez about it that night.

He took a deep breath and said, Let me explain, Gonzalez said. It made me sick to my stomach. I lost it. I said, Thats it, youre done, youre fired.

I told him he had two options  go on the run or turn himself in.

Gonzalez gave him details on exactly what he had done to the girl, when, and where, Gallegos said.

Gallegos then called the alleged victims father, a friend, and told him when he had learned.

It was one of the most difficult conversations Ive ever had, Gallegos said.

He said that on Monday he convened a meeting with parents of his young martial arts students and told them what had happened with Gonzalez.

Everyone was numb, in shock, Gallegos said.

You hear about it (child molest allegations) but when it comes home to you  I feel like Im in a bad dream. Its devastating. I would have said Gabe is my brother, before.

You see people try to hide it, but I want people to know I have zero tolerance here.

The alleged victims father called Chula Vista police on Saturday to report the molestation. A police official said they took a report out of courtesy, even though the allegation was that the abuse occurred in National City, at Gonzalezs home.

The Chula Vista police report was then forwarded to National City on Monday, and officers there used the complaint as a basis for arresting Gonzalez, authorities said.

pauline.repard@sduniontribune

Twitter: @pdrepard
The fundraising gala that the San Diego Community College District will hold on Sept. 20th has raised more than $100,000 in advanced revenue, breaking the goal it set when actress Annette Bening was chosen as the main speaker.

The district says that only a few tickets remain for the gala, which will be held at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

This is the first major fundraising event in the history of the district, which includes Mesa College, Miramar College, and San Diego City College, Bening, a four-time Academy Award nominee, attended Mesa, where she studied dramatic arts from 1976-78.

Much of the revenue from the gala will be used to support San Diego Promise, a program that covers the tuition of full-time students who are working to earn an associates degree. The program also provides money for text books.

Advertisement

The first year of the program is underwritten by the state. The second year is underwritten by the district, which will have about 2,000 Promise students this year. Thats a roughly three-fold increase over last year.

This event has always been been intended as a friendraiser first and a fundraiser second, said Jack Beresford, a district spokesman. Our fundraising efforts for the San Diego Promise have only been going on in earnest for about a year and we really need to expose philanthropically minded individuals to the program.

Having an A-list star like Annette Bening is a tremendous opportunity to attract people who have not been directly involved with the District, its colleges or San Diego Promise.

Bening earned Academy Award nominations for her performance in four films, The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia and The Kids Are All Right.

The 60-year-old Bening told one interviewer, I didnt picture myself as a movie actress. I began to think about it around college. I remember thinking, Well somebody has to be in them, so maybe I could do that eventually. Its all been a surprise.
Razor Scooter rolled into San Diego this month to compete in the growing market for dockless mobility options.

While dockless bikes seem to be on the wane, scooters have gained in popularity in recent months.

Are dockless bikes on their way out as electric scooters surge? 

Users can unlock the scooters and bikes using a phone and then drop them anywhere. The business comes in contrast to the docked model, where users must pick up and return bicycles to a fixed station.

Advertisement

We are thrilled to be joining this vibrant community, Danny Simon, CEO for Razor USA, said in a statement. Our specially designed shared e-scooters create a better shared ride for San Diegans to make the experience convenient, safe, and fun. We are dedicated to continuing to work with the city on how to best be a strong partner for the community.

Razor, which was also launched in Long Beach, will now compete locally with Bay Area startup Lime and Southern California-based Bird.

The company that started the dockless electric scooter phenomenon, Bird is now seeking a $2 billion valuation and is considered the fastest growing startup in history. Bird announced Wednesday that it had created a new platform to help cities manage its scooters, including features that would warn riders where they could and could not ride and to report unsafe riding or parking.

Lime is racing to catch up, touting a worth of over $1 billion, also in anticipation of going public.

Seeing the opportunity for growth, Lyft and Uber are now preparing to launch their own scooter options and also purchased this year bike-sharing companies Motivate and Jump, respectively.

To entice users, Razor is offering folks in San Diego three 15-minute rides for free. On Thursday, it is hosting a pop-up event and helmet giveaway from 11 am to 1:30 pm at the corner of Harbor Drive and Market Street near the Kansas City Barbeque.

The company said its scooters have been custom designed to provide a smoother ride, with an inflatable front tire and a wide-deck steel frame. Razor launched its first electric scooter in 2003.

As opposed to other scooter companies, Razor touts an in-house maintenance crew to repair and charge the vehicles. Other companies, such as Lime and Bird, use contract workers to perform such functions.

Dockless scooters get laissez-faire treatment in San Diego as other California cities regulate emerging industry 

The city of San Diego has largely declined to regulate the emerging industry. It has yet to release comprehensive data on how many people have been injured in accidents involving the electric scooters, but there have been reports of concussions, broken bones and intoxicated riding.

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
A lawsuit brought by South Bay cities alleging the federal government is not doing enough to prevent and treat the flow of Tijuana sewage into the U.S. can move forward, a San Diego federal judge ordered this week.

The ruling, filed Wednesday, comes a day after U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller toured pumps and water-capture basins in the Tijuana River Valley to get a first-hand look at the issue.

The order allows the lawsuit to proceed on claims that the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission violated the Clean Water Act by allowing wastewater from canyon water-capture basins to spill into the surrounding environment without the proper permit. Veolia Water North America  West, which operates the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant for the government, is also named in the complaint.

However, the judge granted the governments motion to dismiss a second claim under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, finding that the U.S. cannot be held liable for the state of water treatment systems in Mexico.

Advertisement

At best, USIBWC transports waste through the flood control conveyance, Miller wrote. However, that transportation is passive in nature, merely permitting the waste from Mexico to flow through the system. ... As a result, Plaintiffs have not adequately alleged that USIBWC plays a more active role with a more direct connection to the waste that flows through the flood control conveyance.

The judge is allowing the plaintiffs  the Port of San Diego and the cities of Imperial Beach and Chula Vista  to file an amended complaint within 14 days to address legal issues with its Resource Conservation and Recovery Act claim.

The lawsuit is fighting back against a long history of wastewater flows in canyons along the border and toxic, closed beaches.

The government argues that before the $344 million treatment facility was built in the 1990s, millions of gallons of raw sewage would flow into the Tijuana River Valley. The South Bay cities and port contend that the infrastructure needs to be improved.

The South Bay plant, west of San Ysidro, was designed to handle 25 million gallons of wastewater per day, to treat the overflow of sewage that escapes the Mexican treatment facility, either because the facility is over capacity or temporarily malfunctioning.

The wastewater is treated and then channeled to the Pacific Ocean under a federal environmental permit.

The IBWC also collects wastewater at five canyons along the border, routing the sewage to its treatment plant. But the lawsuit alleges that when the collector inlets are closed or the volume reaches the basins capacity, the polluted water flows into downstream drainages untreated.

The judge found that the water overflowing into the canyons appeared to violate the terms of the environmental permit, which only allows treated water to enter into the ocean.

Much of the legal argument surrounds whether the effluent is considered to be one body of water, or two distinct bodies. Miller said the international border complicates the matter.

Plaintiffs argue because the polluted water in the flood control conveyance comes from a body of water in Mexico, it introduces pollutants into the waters of the United States for the first time, thereby adding pollutants in violation of the CWA, he said. The parties could not identify any case, and the court is aware of none, in which a court addressed a CWA claim in which polluted water enters the United States from another country.

Still, he said there was not enough evidence for him to decide the matter at this point, saying it needed to be litigated further.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
The director of San Diegos Public Utilities Department has resigned, after less than a year as head of the citys troubled water agency.

The resignation of Vic Bianes from the department was disclosed in a memo dated Wednesday from Kris Michell, the citys chief operating officer.

The city will conduct a nationwide search to find Bianes successor, Michell wrote. Meanwhile, Matt Vespi will serve as interim director.

Bianes became director late last year. Shortly thereafter, complaints of huge water bill overcharges sparked public outrage.

Advertisement

Michell also listed several reassignments of key city officials to the department, and the temporary hiring of an experienced water official to help reform the agency.

The effort will be led by Assistant Chief Operating Officer Stacey LoMedico, Michell said. LoMedico will perform  a full analysis of water operations, identify further systemic issues, and help implement solutions developed by the leadership team.

The city has hired county water engineer Frank Belock as a provisional employee to help with the reforms, Michell said in her Wednesday memo.

Belock was deputy general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority, which imports the great majority of water used in the county. He retired in July 2016.

He is also familiar with the City of San Diego having served as the Water Department Director and Acting Deputy City Manager, Michell wrote.

Frank is a registered professional Civil Engineer, knows water operations, brings institutional knowledge and has experience with other agencies which will be impactful in developing meaningful solutions that will be implemented.

While Belock helps as a provisional employee, interim director Vespi will get the departments finances in shape, Michell wrote. Vespi is assistant director of the finance department.

His experience will equip him to ensure PUD manages its budget appropriately and improves in the areas that the Department has been deficient, she wrote.

Johnnie Perkins, the deputy chief operating officer, will continue oversee the departments adoption of the reforms, suggested in a July 26 report by City Auditor Eduardo Luna.

The report found numerous inaccuracies in water bills, with 71 percent of errors committed by 10 of 36 meter readers. The department also didnt have any method of measuring the performance of meter readers.

A subsequent analysis by the San Diego Union-Tribune showed that single-family homes serviced by the citys water department were collectively overcharged by more than $2 million last year  with some residents receiving bills for tens of thousands of dollars.

The findings were based on data obtained from the city, following a Public Utilities Department audit that found customers received at least 2,750 incorrect water bills in 2017.

In addition, meter readers improperly used supervisor codes to bypass controls on reporting abnormal meter readings.

The day Lunas report was released, Mayor Kevin Faulconer pledged sweeping reforms of the department to reduce errors and make employees more responsive to the public.

Earlier in August, Luna announced he would be leaving his job to take a similar position in the city of Beverly Hills. His term was set to expire later this year.

Related reading

San Diego water bill audit finds thousands of errors, meter readers can bypass accuracy checks

City officials apologize for water bill errors

How to fight an outrageous water bill

Skyrocketing water bills in San Diego prompt internal city investigation

Hungry meters
A teenage boy who had been sitting in a car with friends in Southcrest was stabbed Wednesday night.

San Diego police reported that the boy, 15, was in a car with friends on Newton Avenue at South 41st Street when a group of five people walked up to them and began yelling and demanding they get out of the car just after 10 p.m.

The boy got out and was stabbed by one of the male members of the group. Others in the group yelled at the people in the car to get out, but they refused, according to the police report.

Someone in the group then smashed the windshield, and then the five people fled.

Advertisement

Medics transported the victim to the hospital, where he was being treated for wounds that were not life-threatening.

Communications broadcast over police scanners indicated that investigators may have initially believed the attack was gang-related. On Thursday, police reported that did not appear to be the case.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Staff writer Alex Riggins contributed to this report

Homeless Playlist  On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
What started as a heartwarming tale has become a legal potboiler.

A homeless veteran handed over his last $20 on Thanksgiving to a young New Jersey couple that had run out of gas in Philadelphia. In a show of gratitude for Johnny Bobbitt, Kate McClure and Mark DAmico set up a GoFundMe page that raised over $400,000 for the vet.

The ensuing chapters of this story have taken a more sinister tone. Bobbitt has filed a lawsuit, accusing the couple of fraud and conspiracy for cutting him off from his stash of cash while they spend it on luxury items, reported nj.com.

An injunction application has been administered to halt the pair from accessing funds raised on his behalf.

Advertisement

The defendants have expended more than half of the monies raised, and they continue to deprive (Bobbitt) access to the funds that were raised for him, reads the lawsuit.

McClure and DAmico have gone on the defense, denying theyve siphoned any of the funds, but did admit to depositing the loot into their bank accounts to stop Bobbitt from using drugs again.

In an interview with Megyn Kelly, the pair claimed to have received death threats.

Its so hard to deal with when we know we did a good thing, said a teary-eyed McClure. I would do it all over again. I would do it all over again for him.

The lawsuit also alleged the couple had misappropriated Bobbitts funds for their personal piggy bank to fund a lifestyle that they could not otherwise afford.

In a previous interview, Bobbitt was puzzled by how McClure and DAmico could afford a BMW and vacations.

DAmico did cop to taking $500, which he said wasnt for personal use, but claimed he repaid the debt.

McClure and DAmico claimed Bobbitt blew through $25,000 in 13 days and felt uneasy handing over the entire amount to him.
A construction worker was injured Thursday afternoon in Chula Vista when an excavator he was operating overturned on a steep hill, fire officials said.

The accident happened around 12:50 p.m. near Via Maggiore and Via San Vitale in a housing development under construction in the northeast corner of the city, Chula Vista Fire Department Battalion Chief Rich Brocchini said.

He was operating the Bobcat toward the bottom of a hill, about 200 feet down, when it tipped over and slid down just a very short amount, Brocchini told the Union-Tribune. It was a very good thing he was wearing his seat belt.

The injured worker was able to crawl out of the overturned construction vehicle, but his injuries made it so he couldnt hike to the top of the hill, fire Capt. Brad Carlin told OnScene TV.

Advertisement

Medics took the victim to a trauma center, though it wasnt immediately clear how serious his injuries were, Brocchini said.

The rescue was a little bit difficult just due to the steepness of the slope here and the distance we had to travel, Carlin told OnScene TV.

Four firefighters made their way down to the injured victim, loaded him in a rescue basket and attached the basket to a large wheel, which they used to help move him up the steep grade, Brocchini explained.

It was pretty intense, it was a big operation, but the rescuers worked very fast, Brocchini said.

The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, or Cal/OSHA, was expected to investigate the incident.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
About a dozen mysterious lights lit up the sky west of San Diego on Wednesday night, with their appearance also setting social media ablaze with theories regarding their source.

Uma Aggarwal and her son, Rishi Aggarwal, were in their Pacific Beach home when they first noticed the lights a little before 8:20 p.m., Uma Aggarwal said in a phone interview.

They were hovering in place and they were extremely bright, Aggarwal said. It was the craziest thing.

A cellphone video the family began recording at 8:21 p.m. showed the lights quickly fade away.

Advertisement

Twitter users reported seeing the lights from as far east as La Mesa and Lakeside, and as far north as the San Pasqual Valley near the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Some tweeted  mostly jokingly, it appeared  that the lights signified the start of an alien invasion. Other users theorized the lights were likely flares from military aircraft.

A Coast Guard spokesman said his agency had nothing to do with the lights. Around 9:20 p.m., personnel at the National Weather Service said the agency had not heard about the lights or received any calls about them.

Fox 5 reported that Naval Base Coronado claimed responsibility for the lights. A spokesperson reportedly told the television station that they were flares deployed from an aircraft squadron as part of training exercises about 30 miles off the coast.

The Navy did not immediately return a call from the Union-Tribune seeking comment Wednesday night.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
A male pedestrian was struck and killed by a pickup truck while standing on Interstate 5 in Chula Vista early Thursday morning.

The California Highway Patrol reported that the man had been seen standing in the northbound lanes of I-5 and looking up at the sky at about 4 a.m. A Nissan Frontier pickup struck the man, and the driver pulled over and cooperated with the CHP.

The number four lane, Palomar Street offramp and the Main Street onramp were closed after the incident.

Advertisement

Homeless Playlist  On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
A man was stabbed Wednesday night in San Diegos Southcrest neighborhood in an attack investigators believe may have been tied to gang activity, police said.

The stabbing was reported about 10:10 p.m. on Newton Avenue and South 41st Street, though few details were immediately available, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said.

Medics took the victim to a hospital, but it wasnt initially clear how seriously he was injured, Buttle said.

Police were searching for a man and woman as possible suspects in the attack, Buttle said. According to police radio traffic, the male suspect claimed a gang affiliation before assaulting the victim.

Advertisement

Detectives from the San Diego Police Departments gang unit were expected to investigate the stabbing.

Twitter: @Alex_Riggins

(619) 293-1710

alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com
Robb Kulin, a UC San Diego graduate who stirred a lot of excitement locally last summer when he was chosen for astronaut training by NASA, has resigned from the space agency for unexplained reasons.

Kulin will formally leave NASA on Friday, becoming the first astronaut-in-training to leave that position in the past 50 years.

NASA and Kulin have declined to discuss the reasons for his departure.

The resignation comes as a surprise to many, especially after Kulin spoke so effusively of joining the astronaut corp. He told USA Today last year, If we could really try to help people realize that borders are something that we create, and theyre not natural, I think we would just make the world a better place,

Advertisement

If he had remained with NASA, Kulin likely would have served on the International Space State or flown in a new manned spacecraft that the space agency is developing.

Kulin, 34, was one of three people with San Diego ties who were selected for astronaut training last year. The others are Jonny Kim, a University of San Diego mathematics student who went on to become a Navy SEAL, and Matthew Dominick, who earned a bachelors degrees in electrical engineering at the University of San Diego. He later became a Navy fighter pilot.

Kulin earned a masters degree in materials science and a doctorate in engineering at UC San Diego, then went on to become an engineer at SpaceX in Hawthorne.

More than a dozen astronauts were either born or grew up in San Diego, or went to school here or performed military service at local bases.

The astronauts include Charlie Bolden, a former space shuttle pilot who went on to serve as administrator of NASA, William Anders, who was one of the first three astronauts to fly to the moon, Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman to travel in space, and the late Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. She later joined the faculty at UC San Diego.

NASA announced its most recent astronaut-in-training class in June 2017. The agency chose 12 candidates, the largest class in nearly two decades. More than 18,000 people submitted applications.
Supporters of Proposition 6, the November ballot initiative to repeal the gas tax, allege road construction workers hired and supervised by Caltrans were illegally passing out campaign literature Tuesday along state Route 78 encouraging motorists to vote against the measure.

Carl DeMaio, chairman of the Yes on Prop. 6 campaign, said while cars were stopped along the highway between Ramona and Julian where a road-paving operation is underway, motorists were given flyers by the workers urging a no vote.

During a news conference at the Yes on Prop. 6 campaigns headquarters in Escondido, DeMaio showed a video taken by a motorist in which a worker handed him a flyer. The worker said he was working with Caltrans.

They just told me to hand it out, the worker said.

Advertisement

Photos taken by witnesses and Yes on Prop. 6 campaign workers who went to that stretch of highway after being contacted by several people, showed a Caltrans supervisor sitting in his truck near where the flyers were being handed out and a photograph of a box filled with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of flyers.

In 25 years in politics, I have never seen the behavior we are about to describe  the misuse of taxpayer funds being used in a political campaign. It is shameful, it is outrageous and it is criminal, DeMaio said.

DeMaio said he has sent letters to the San Diego District Attorneys office, the California Highway Patrol and the California Fair Political Practices Commission urging the filing of criminal charges for misuse of public resources for a campaign activity as well as not reporting in-kind political contributions.

The letters to the agencies say the activity occurred near Sutherland Dam Road where a miles-long, road-paving operation has been going on for some time. It identifies a firm hired by Caltrans to perform the work, Manhole Adjusting Inc. of Pico Rivera, and Mehrdad Nabizeh, a Caltrans engineer.

On Wednesday, Caltrans released a short statement from Director Laurie Berman:

Caltrans is looking into the matter, but it is our understanding that these individuals were private contractors, not Caltrans employees, Berman said. Regardless, the Department does not condone political advocacy or the distribution of campaign information on work project sites and is contacting its contractors to remind them of this.

Caltrans declined to answer further questions.

The No on Prop. 6 campaign also released a statement Wednesday.

The No on 6 campaign very carefully follows all rules prohibiting the use of public resources for campaigning and often reinforces those rules to anyone involved with the campaign. We had no knowledge of this incident, but denounce any inappropriate use of public resources or venues for campaign purposes.

DeMaio said there is no question about what transpired.

 Video courtesy: "Reform California - Yes on 6"

This is an open-and-shut case of abuse of taxpayer funds and the use of taxpayer funds in a political campaign, which is expressly and clearly prohibited by California state law, he said.

Appearing at the news conference was one driver who had been given a flyer. Margaret Drown, of Santa Ysabel, looked a bit shocked by being in the spotlight with television crews and reporters staring at her.

Drown said she was handed a flyer while stopped along the road and then watched as the worker went up to drivers behind her.

I looked at it and realized what it was, she said. I thought, well thats interesting. So when he came back I stopped him and I asked him, why are you handing out this flyer and he said, its my job. Im just really happy to have the work.

Prop. 6, the Voter Approval for Future Gas and Vehicle Taxes and 2017 Tax Repeal Initiative, would repeal the gas and diesel tax increases and vehicle fees that were enacted in 2017 by the state. If approved, voter approval for fuel tax and vehicle fee increases would require voter approval in the future.

If the initiative fails, it would mean keeping the fuel tax increase, including the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 in place and allowing the state Legislature to continue to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees through a two-thirds vote of each chamber and without voter approval.

Opponents of the repeal argue the money raised by the tax is needed to address a $130 billion backlog in state infrastructure repairs and maintenance.

Supporters of the initiative, who gathered nearly 1 million signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot, say the tax increase will cost an average family of four about $700 per year and that the tax revenue goes into the states General Fund, meaning theres no guarantee the money will be used to fund the transportation fixes the government claim will happen.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
When Andrew Gillum stepped up to accept the Democratic nomination for Florida governor, he went back to the beginning  back to his working-class roots, back to the lesson he learned at an early age from his grandmother.

She would say, Bring it home, he said. Baby, it aint just about you. ... There was a belief that if I went far in life, we would all go far in life, that if I did good, we would all do good. Well, Florida, yall know what? Weve got to bring that sense of community, collection and collectivism back to the state of Florida.

Gillums upset victory in Tuesdays primary made the 39-year-old Tallahassee mayor the first African American to win a major party nomination for Florida governor.

The win immediately set up Gillum as a national champion of the Democratic left and will almost surely turn the contest for governor in the nations largest swing state into one of the most intensely watched elections of the year  a test for the partys progressive wing and for racial politics in the Trump era.

Advertisement

Gillum, a strongly liberal candidate who comes endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), now confronts Rep. Ron DeSantis, a staunchly conservative Iraq War veteran and Fox News commentator who wooed the Republican base  and the president  by presenting himself as a Trump loyalist.

Looming over the contest is the question of whether a black, left-of-center Democrat can win Florida. Within hours of the last primary votes being counted, the fraught issue of race had already taken center stage.

During the campaign, Gillum stood on a platform of Medicare for all, a $15-an-hour minimum wage, abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, standing up against the National Rifle Assn., and repealing Floridas so-called stand-your-ground law  which justifies a persons use of lethal force in certain cases.

DeSantis quickly went on the offensive, presenting his rival as a far-left socialist who would cripple the states economy and usher in an apocalyptic era of high crime.

Im trying to make Florida even better; he wants to make Florida Venezuela, DeSantis said in a postelection interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News. This guy cant even run the city of Tallahassee. Theres no way Florida voters can entrust him with our entire state.

But it was another remark Wednesday morning on Fox that generated the most attention: DeSantis warned Floridians not to monkey this up by choosing Gillum, drawing protests from Democrats, who accused him of using a racially charged phrase.

Its disgusting that Ron DeSantis is launching his general election campaign with racist dog whistles, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said in a statement.

A spokesman for DeSantis said it was absurd to say the candidates comment was racial in nature.

He was obviously talking about Florida not making the wrong decision to embrace the socialist policies that Andrew Gillum espouses, said the spokesman, Stephen Lawson.

Democrats, however, were not about to let the issue drop. Gillum, also doing an interview on Fox, said DeSantis was mimicking Trump.

In the handbook of Donald Trump they no longer do whistle calls  theyre now using full bullhorns, he said, adding that voters are sick of it.

Gillum has played down the significance of his skin color, emphasizing that his campaign was geared toward all voters.

Asked in a postelection interview by CNNs Don Lemon about vying to be the states first black governor, Gillum responded, Im vying to be the next governor of the state of Florida. I just so happen to be black.

Born in Richmond Heights, a blue-collar community about 15 miles southwest of downtown Miami, Gillum has made much of his origins, branding himself during the primary as the only non-millionaire in the race.

His mother, Frances, was a bus driver who pressed clothes in a dry cleaning shop in the summer. His father, Charles, was a construction worker who took on side jobs selling fruit and vegetables on a street corner.

Gillum was the first of seven siblings to graduate from high school and college; at 23, he became the youngest city commissioner in the history of Tallahassee. At 35, he was elected mayor.

Throughout the primary, the conventional wisdom was that Gillum was a longshot. Critics noted that Tallahassee has the highest crime rate in the state. Its city hall is the subject of an FBI investigation into corruption. Gillum counters that he is not the target of the inquiry and has emphasized Tallahassees progress in having the fastest-growing economy in the state per capita and its tripling of solar energy production.

Although vastly outspent by his rivals, Gillum was boosted in late June when Tom Steyer, the billionaire Democratic donor from Silicon Valley, announced that his NextGen America organization would commit $1 million to Gillums campaign. In the final week of the race, Steyer, fellow billionaire George Soros and anonymous donors offered a last-minute boost of $650,000.

Even as Gillum gained in late polls, his rivals largely attacked one another, giving him a clear path in a multi-candidate field.

Gillum was flying a campaign under the radar, said Michael McDonald, associate professor of political science at the University of Florida.

Gillum ended surging ahead of four wealthy challengers, beating the more moderate establishment favorite, Gwen Graham, a former member of Congress and daughter of a former Florida governor and U.S. senator, by 34% to 31%.

Although Florida has famously been one of the countrys most evenly divided states in presidential elections, a Democrat has not won its governorship in more than 20 years. Some party strategists  and many Republicans  believe Gillum is too far to the left to break that streak.

Others, however, note that the strategy of nominating a moderate, white politician has failed repeatedly for Democrats in the state. Gillums victory in the primary showed he has an ability to inspire young and minority voters to the polls.

What you saw in Gillums win is the changing of the guard generationally in Florida, a pattern youre seeing across the country, said Susan MacManus, a political analyst and professor emeritus of political science at the University of South Florida.

While Florida is often seen as a state of aging retirees, MacManus noted that about half of Floridas current registered voters are in the three youngest generations  Gen Xers, millennials and now Generation Z. Among Florida Democrats, the majority of registered voters are nonwhite.

Gillums victory echoes what happened next door in Georgia in May, when Stacey Abrams became the first black female candidate to win the Democratic nomination for governor. Yet, unlike Georgia, which is a predominantly black-white state, Floridas minority composition is far more diverse, with greater numbers of Latino, Asian and Caribbean blacks, as well as African American voters.

He kind of fits an Obama mold, McDonald said of Gillum. Obama hit the stage as a relatively unknown candidate, but was able to excite the progressive side of the Democratic Party. Thats what the mold is for him.

While much has been made of his endorsement from Sanders, Gillum has pitched himself as someone who can unite all wings of the Democratic Party. He is quick to note he was a committed supporter of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign.

Our candidacy has the ability to bring together the Hillary wing, the Barack Obama wing, the Bernie Sanders wing, he told Lemon on CNN.

Honestly, if were going to win in November, we have to have a candidate that can bring those folks together and [bring] some disaffected Republicans right along with us. But the way were going to do it is not by capitulating and shrinking from what we believe, but by giving our voters a reason to go out and vote for something.

jenny.jarvie@latimes.com

@jennyjarvie

UPDATES:

3:05 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment by DeSantis spokesman and a further comment by Gillum.

This article was originally published at 12:30 p.m.
After more than a decade of attempts to ban smoking at California beaches and parks, environmentalists have advanced new legislation to prevent lighting up in certain public places.

The proposals, approved Thursday by the Senate, now go to Gov. Jerry Brown, who vetoed three previous bills on the issue.

Supporters feel this years devastating wildfires have bolstered their argument and given their proposals new urgency.

Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) emphasized the fire-related need for the legislation during floor debate in the Assembly.

Advertisement

The 2017 California wildfire season was the most destructive one on record, and the 2018 season is not off to a great start, Levine said. This bill is a common-sense approach to lower the risk of forest fires and will help curb pollution.

Levine noted many of the wildfires that Cal Fire responds to are started by carelessly discarded cigarettes.

Cal Fire responded to an average of 47 wildfires each year caused by smoking during the five-year period ending in 2017, the agency reported.

Environmentalists and health groups have pushed for expanded smoking rules for years, arguing that second-hand smoke presents a cancer risk, while cigarette butts littering beaches and park trails are toxic to wildlife and spoil the states natural beauty.

Sen. Steve Glazer (D-Concord) made that point to colleagues after authoring two smoking-ban bills this year: one for beaches and one for parks.

California is home to some of the nations most scenic beaches and parklands, he said. Its imperative that we protect our precious natural resources and ensure that we provide the people of California a clean and smoke-free space.

But similar appeals have not persuaded others in the past, including the governor.

If people cant smoke even on a deserted beach, where can they? Brown asked in his veto message last year. There must be some limit to the coercive power of government.

Lawmakers who failed in prior attempts at a ban have pared back this years legislation.

One of Glazers bills sent to the governor bans smoking  including marijuana and electronic cigarettes  in state parks, but allows officials to exempt certain areas from the ban. The other bill would apply the same restrictions to beaches, but only where the state has posted signs warning that smoking is banned.

Im hoping that Gov. Brown will see that we refashioned the legislation to give him flexibility on where a smoking ban could be acceptable, especially with increasing fire risks, Glazer said.

Levine also introduced a bill, which was approved Friday. His measure would apply only to designated picnic areas at state parks and beaches. Narrowing the bill to where families congregate and eat makes sense, Levine said, noting that California banned smoking in restaurants long ago.

Think of picnic areas as outdoor restaurants, he said.

Levines bill that was vetoed last year proposed a fine of $50, while Glazers last effort would have fined offenders $100. Brown objected to the proposals, noting that the cost of breaking the law could reach $485 with court fees included, which he said was excessive.

This year, both Glazer and Levine are proposing $25 fines.

Bills to ban outdoor smoking have been introduced since 2004, when legislation to prevent people from lighting up on beaches failed to make it out of the Senate.

A 2010 bill by then-Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach) was vetoed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the cigar-loving Republican who called the bill an improper intrusion of government into peoples lives.

The theme was taken up by others in the GOP during floor debates this year.

Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) read Browns 2017 veto message on the Assembly floor and said he agreed with the Democrat.

We should not restrict the freedoms that some Californians can still enjoy, Harper said, noting it is already against state law to litter state beaches and parks.

Harper also attacked the wildfire argument.

As we know, beaches themselves are not flammable, he said.

Levine offered another possible strategy to get the governor on board.

I would invite Gov. Brown to take a drag on a cigarette on his ranch in Colusa, Levine said in reference to the rural homestead where the governor plans to live after leaving office in January.

Coverage of California politics 

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcgreevy99

UPDATES:

3 p.m. Friday: This article was updated to reflect that the Legislature approved the bill by Assemblyman Marc Levine.

This article was originally published at 1:35 p.m. Thursday.
State budget officials knew the plan to expand the California power grid to include a swath of western states would cost as much as $700,000 but didnt provide a financial analysis to lawmakers during a key hearing two weeks ago, according to emails obtained by The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Emails between Department of Finance analysts and officials at the Public Utilities Commission and other state agencies show that analysts began studying the fiscal impact of the so-called western power grid in early July.

When the Department of Finance appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Aug. 13, a top official told lawmakers she had no report on how joining the California power grid with as many as 14 states would affect the budget.

No file on this measure, Finance legislative director Jolie Onodera told the committee.

Advertisement

Department of Finance spokesman H.D. Palmer said the staff collected information about the bills costs before the Aug. 13 hearing but had not finalized its report.

Finance may provide the Legislature with its analysis of the fiscal implications of legislation at the time it is considered before the Appropriations Committees of both houses, Palmer wrote by email. However, the Legislature also has available to them both fiscal and policy analyses that are produced by their respective staffs for their review and consideration.

Finance analysts had been working on their report since at least July 3, the emails show, and the finished product was due nearly a week before the Appropriations Committee hearing.

The AB 813 analysis was due yesterday, but there were significant changes made this week, analyst Millie Yan wrote to a colleague Aug. 8. The hearing is still on Monday.

A primary responsibility of the Department of Finance is to produce professional evaluations of how proposed legislation affects state spending.

These analyses inform both the Governor and the Legislature of the fiscal and programmatic implications of the bills, including mandated costs to local governments, the departments strategic plan states.

Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, who as Senate president has a strong hand in whether the bill passes the statehouse, did not respond Wednesday to questions about lawmakers who were told that Finance had no file on the expanded-grid legislation.

Atkins has not said whether she supports or opposes the bill.

A separate review released by the Appropriations Committee staff on the day of the hearing said analysts could not tell whether the bill would benefit or harm consumers because they lacked critical information. The review arrived at the same $700,000 figure as the Department of Finance estimate. Although the information is similar, key legislation generally gets analyzed by committee staff and the Department of Finance.

The lack of a report from the Department of Finance is significant because the bill, which will be passed or passed over before the close of the legislative session late Friday, would rewrite the way California manages its electricity flow.

At issue is regulatory control of thousands of miles of transmission poles and wires and the states authority to dictate the sources that producers use to generate electricity.

Supporters say an expanded power grid would allow California to streamline the delivery of electricity and reduce rates for millions of consumers, in part by allowing excess wind and solar power to be sold in other states.

Critics say it would do away with state authority to prioritize renewable power over less climate-friendly sources like coal and natural gas by giving up the governors right to appoint directors of the state grid manager, known as the California Independent System Operator, or CAISO.

The state energy commission said it would cost that agency $37,500 to implement the law.

The state utilities commission estimated costs of at least $660,000, mostly for lawyers to study the legal impact of transitioning CAISO from a government nonprofit to an entity run by energy industry insiders from multiple western states.

The emails obtained this week show that rank-and-file employees at both Finance and the Public Utilities Commission knew the legislation was favored by the governor and commission President Michael Picker.

We currently do not have any comments, concerns or perspective to provide on this bill as its largely been funneled through President Pickers office and the Governors Office, commission staffer Grant Mack wrote to Finance on July 23. Im happy to discuss more over the phone.

According to the emails, the Air Resources Board also reviewed the legislation and determined that the fiscal impact would be minimal.

GO (Governors Office) is running point on this bill, an air board employee wrote to a Finance analyst on July 18, nearly a month before the Appropriations Committee hearing. We have no policy concerns.

The air boards fiscal analysis said that even though no specific new funding was identified, the agency may require more resources down the road.

Although minor and absorbable work relies on existing resources, multiple bills with minor and absorbable or up to provisions are additive and will result in additional new resource needs, it stated.

Also on July 18, one Finance analyst alerted a colleague to a news report raising questions about a CAISO study from 2016 concluding that an expanded grid could save consumers up to $1.5 billion a year.

Theres a link in this article to a nonpartisan report on the issue -- could be helpful for the bill analysis, principal analyst Amanda Martin wrote to Yan. I heard about that on NPR yesterday, Yan replied. Glad to have a nonCAISO study.

Onodera, who was copied on the exchange, weighed in a short time later. Thank you Amanda this issue is fascinating (and complex)!

The grid-expansion plan was placed into whats called a suspense file by the Appropriations Committee on Aug. 13. Days later the bill was moved to the Rules Committee chaired by Atkins, who will decide whether to move it forward.

Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
The same DNA testing technology that bagged the Golden State Killer has now been used to solve the brutal 2009 murder of a 22-year-old mother in Illinois, authorities say.

Discarded cigarette butts and litter were crucial to the arrest of Michael Henslick, accused of stabbing Holly Cassano 60 times in Champaign County nearly nine years ago.

Cassano was found dead in her mobile home after she was last seen alive on Nov. 1, 2009, according to Oxygen. She was also sexually assaulted.

This case has troubled the sheriffs office for years, Champaign County Sheriff Dan Walsh said during a press conference on Wednesday.

Advertisement

Holly Cassano was murdered in November of 2009. (Champaign County Sheriffs Office)

After years of struggling for leads, investigators identified the 30-year-old Henslick as a suspect by using the services of Parabon NanoLabs, which provides DNA phenotyping services for law enforcement agencies.

It was this type of DNA phenotyping that was instrumental in the arrest of suspected serial killer Joseph DeAngelo, who is believed to be responsible for a dozen murders and 50 rapes in California.

So it doesnt matter that they havent had their DNA tested through another arrest or crime scene, we dont need their DNA, CeCe Moore, chief genetic genealogist with Parabon, told ABC News. We need somebody from their family to have tested in order to resolve these cases.

Once Parabon helped identify Henslick as a suspect, investigators compared his discarded DNA to the evidence found at the crime scene. He was arrested in the parking lot of a mall in Champaign on Tuesday and has been charged with murder.

Authorities would not reveal a possible motive, but both Cassano and Henslick went to the same high school and lived in the same mobile home community.

Holly and our arrestee did know each other, as they had mutual friends and acquaintances, but that was the extent of the relationship, Sheriff Walsh said during the press conference.

Henslick has a history of arrests, but was not ordered to give a DNA sample until 2015. However, he continually failed to appear and did not give the sample, authorities said at the press conference.

He is being held on $10 million bond.
Partisanship had no place at the packed North Phoenix Baptist Church Thursday in Arizona as friends, family and politicians on both sides of the aisle gathered to honor the life of Sen. John McCain.

Former Vice President Joe Biden delivered an emotional tribute to his fallen friend, wiping tears from his eyes as he recalled a man who could not stand the abuse of power wherever he saw it, in whatever form, in whatever country.

McCain passed away Saturday at the age of 81 following a year-long battle with an aggressive brain cancer.

Biden, a Democrat, praised McCain as a lawmaker and war hero who placed his belief in America above politics and partisanship.

Advertisement

It wasnt about politics with John, we could disagree on substance. It was the underlying values that animated everything John did, everything he was, he said. It was always about basic values with John. Fairness, honesty, dignity, respect. Giving hate no safe harbor, leaving no one behind. And understanding that as Americans we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves.

Former Vice President Joe Biden gives a tribute during memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church for friend Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). (Matt York / AP)

Two dozen sitting U.S. senators, four former senators and other leaders from Arizona were expected at the service for the statesman, former prisoner of war and two-time presidential candidate.

Members of the Arizona National Guard escorted McCains wife, Cindy McCain, and the rest of his family from the Arizona State Capitol Building, where mourners had gathered to pay respects to the states late senator on Wednesday.

More than 12,000 people filed through the rotunda to view McCains casket, some waiting in line outside in the Phoenix heat for hours.

The motorcade transporting McCains casket drew hundreds more to the streets.

A few firefighters saluted from atop a fire engine parked on an overpass as the motorcade passed underneath on Interstate 17.

One man shouted, We love you!

Arizona Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald and McCains longtime chief of staff Grant Woods, a former Arizona attorney general, both spoke from the pulpit of the church, where McCain once attended services.

Woods drew laughs as he talked about McCains terribly bad driving and his sense of humor, which included calling the Leisure World retirement community Seizure World.

Sen. John McCain died at the age of 81 following a year-long battle with brain cancer. (Cliff Owen / AP)

Following the service, McCains casket was escorted to the Air National Guard base at the Phoenix airport, where it was transferred to a military aircraft bound for Washington D.C.

On Friday, McCains casket will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol, where friends, family and the public will similarly be able to remember his life of service.

Sen. Henry Clay was the first person to lie in state at the Capitol when he died in 1852  since, only 30 others have been granted the honor. McCain will be the 31st, joining a select group that includes presidents such as Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.

A motorcade with McCains casket will depart Saturday morning for the Washington National Cathedral. It will pause at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where Cindy McCain will place a ceremonial wreath to honor those who lost their lives during the decades-long conflict.

Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush are expected to speak during the weekend service.
Roy Oliver, the ex-Balch Springs police officer charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Jordan Edwards, an unarmed 15-year-old, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday.

Oliver, 38, was found guilty of murder Tuesday, prompting audible gasps from a packed courtroom. He was found not guilty of two lesser counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant.

Edwards family embraced the verdict, but said the sentence was too light.

He can actually see life again after 15 years and thats not enough because Jordan cant see life again, Charmaine Edwards, Jordans stepmother, said of Oliver.

Advertisement

Mothers Against Police Brutality, a Dallas-based group, also wanted a harsher penalty, saying in a statement that Olivers sentence is not at all commensurate with his crime.

The verdict marked an extremely rare murder conviction for shootings involving on-duty police officers.

Daryl Washington, an attorney for Edwards father, said though it could have been longer, the sentence still sends a message.

Odell Edwards and Charmaine Edwards, parents of Jordan Edwards, react to a guilty of murder verdict during a trial of former cop Roy Oliver, who was charged with the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, at the Frank Crowley Courts Building in Dallas on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018. (Rose Baca / AP)

We know that there are parents all over this country who would love to see the person who took the life of their kid spend the next 15 years in prison, he said.

Oliver and another officer, Tyler Gross, responded to a house party in Dallas as Edwards left the scene in a vehicle. Cops then heard gunshots.

Oliver fired at the vehicle, fatally striking Edwards. He claimed his partners life was in danger, while Gross testified that he did not fear for his life.

Prosecutor Mike Snipes called Edwards an innocent kid who was not doing anything wrong.

Olivers defense team said it had started the process of seeking an appeal. His attorneys said he would be eligible for parole after seven and half years, but they also said they were concerned about his safety in prison and that authorities will take extra precautions to protect him.

With News Wire Services
I am a strong advocate of voting rights, direct representation, and enfranchising all parents in regards to public schools and K-12 education. However, moving to subdistrict-only elections for the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Board of Education right now would not serve any of these purposes. Even worse, it could further disenfranchise the very people seeking to ensure their children and interests are prioritized by SDUSD and the Board of Education.

There are several considerations to be made prior to modifying the election process for the board.

Related: How San Diego Unified School District is violating voters rights

Because San Diego Unified allows students to attend schools outside their subdistrict, the mobility of students should be evaluated in any decision regarding school board elections and representation.

Advertisement

A snapshot of enrollment numbers at SDUSD high schools reveal that schools in subdistricts A, B, and C rely heavily on students in subdistricts D and E, south of Interstate 8 (I-8) to fill their enrollment (according to the SDUSD 2016-17 Residency Report).

The high schools in subdistricts D and E (which correspond to San Diego City Council Districts 3, 4, 8, and 9) are primarily attended by resident students who live within the school boundaries. In contrast, the high schools in subdistricts A, B, and C (which correspond to City Council Districts 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7) are primarily attended by nonresident students, mostly from south of I-8 areas.

The current SDUSD election system is a two-step process. It gives subdistrict voters an opportunity to select the top two candidates in the primary and then gives all voters in the district an opportunity to have a voice in all subdistricts in the general election. This is important because it provides parents of nonresident students a voice in who represents their childs school, especially those who live south of I-8 and send their children to school north of I-8. If SDUSD moved to subdistrict-only elections today, parents of nonresident students would lose that voice.

We should take great care to avoid disenfranchising parents by limiting their ability to vote for the school board member who represents the school their child attends.

Apportioning the school subdistricts is also a concern when thinking about changing the San Diego Unified Board of Education election system. SDUSD is currently apportioned by school population rather than student addresses. Because a large number of families who live south of I-8 send their children to schools north of I-8, three of the five subdistricts are almost entirely in north San Diego. If the district was apportioned by student addresses, it would be the reverse: three of the five subdistricts would be almost entirely in the south.

To ensure compliance with all applicable state and federal election statutes, as well as local requirements, a full demographic analysis and impact study should be conducted before any changes to elections are made.

Subdistrict-only elections using the currently drawn subdistricts would not help; it would disenfranchise a large percentage of low-income parents, as well as parents in communities of color who live south of I-8. Absent an effort to reapportion the school district, changing the election process for SDUSD Board of Education simply does not make sense. Subdistrict-only elections only make sense when the apportionment of districts is fair and informed by rigorous analysis.

If fair and direct representation is the goal of the proponents who want to change how we elect members to the SDUSD Board of Education, the election process should only be modified after careful and deliberate analysis of the population, school enrollment and student mobility. Only then can SDUSD be reapportioned in a more equitable manner. This will serve to empower and improve constituent voice and representation.

Moving to subdistrict-only elections right now would be akin to reapportionment and redistricting of city, state and federal elected offices (which happens every 10 years) before completing the census. It risks disenfranchising students and parents. And that would be irresponsible.

Rice-Wilson is the associate director at Alliance San Diego and was also one of the 24 people appointed to the SDUSD Board of Education Advisory Committee on School Board Elections.
The California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) states that an at-large method of election may not be imposed or applied in a manner that impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election, as a result of the dilution or abridgment of the rights and the privileges of members of a protected class.

The board elections of the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) violate this clear mandate. In 2016-17, the San Diego County Grand Jury had received multiple complaints from San Diegos diverse and underserved population and began an investigation on the current election process regarding term limits and district-only elections. The findings confirmed not all interests within our community are being represented. The San Diego Grand Jury Investigation Report filed on May 9, 2017, states:

The diversity within the San Diego Unified School District has not always been reflected among the school board trustees and by instituting subdistrict elections, a large part of the election process should be returned to the people. We recommend that all SDUSD school board trustee candidates be elected only from within their home subdistrict.

Related: Why San Diego Unified should not switch to subdistrict elections

Advertisement

Currently each of the SDUSDs five subdistricts nominate the top two candidates for their board representatives in the primary election, but the entire city chooses the representative for each subdistrict in the general election. The process does not align with City Council or other publicly elected San Diego offices. In fact, it does not align with the other three largest school districts in the state. In recent months, numerous school districts have opted for district-only elections to avoid potential lawsuits and comply with CVRA.

The San Diego City Council agreed with the conclusions in the grand jury report. It directed the SDUSD to engage the community and get feedback on whether to place a ballot initiative that addressed the report. The result: 60 percent of the voters favor district-only elections. In the face of this consensus, Advisory Committee Co-Chair Clare Crawford now claims that a shift to district-only elections had not been adequately researched. The SDUSD seeks to discredit its own survey because it does not like the results.

These comments insult the diligence of the San Diego County Grand Jury and the clear majority who spoke up. The district had the resources of a $2 billion organization and a professional facilitator, and it unilaterally established the format and the questions. Despite its deliberate effort to slant the outcome, it turns out that the district was unhappy with the results, so instead it criticized its own tool.

In a more glaring omission, the SDUSD was not included in a September 2017-2018 diversity study conducted by the Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI) entitled Boards and Commissions in the San Diego Region Lack Diversity. According to CPI Director Kyra Green, who succeeded Clare Crawford in her position, this was because there is already so much focus on the city of San Diego. It is ironic that District D school board Trustee Richard Barrera sits on the board of CPI and is the secretary treasurer of UFCW Local 135. See a conflict?

Since its inception, the SDUSD has had a total of three Latino trustees and one Asian trustee. The student population for SDUSD is 45 percent Hispanic and 30 percent African-American, Asian, Chinese, Asian Pacific and multiracial. As a result of the abridgment of voter rights, over 100,000 students and families of the SDUSD are being disenfranchised.

So why are voters being denied the right to vote on subdistrict elections in 2018? We believe it is because board members Barrera, Evans and Payne are up for re-election in 2020.

On July 23, 2018, Community Voices for Education (CVE) sent a demand letter to the City Council requesting that it place district-only elections for SDUSD on the November 2018 ballot or face a lawsuit for violating the CVRA. No response was received. On behalf of all homeowners, students, teachers and parents in SDUSD, CVE is now forced to actively pursue legal remedies to assure everyone receives a fair vote and that the disenfranchisement of our education system is remedied.

It is time to place our kids first.

Caslavka is president of Community Voices for Education. a coalition of parents, community members and stakeholders working together to bring accountability, transparency and representation in the San Diego public education system.
We Californians realize there is a horrific housing crisis, especially for our most severely vulnerable citizens. However, as family members who live 24/7 with of some the most severely mentally ill and hardest to house, we know Proposition 2, the No Place Like Home Act $2 billion bond for homeless housing on the Nov. 6 ballot is not the way to go.

Related: Proposition 2: Help for those in need

The nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office states that voter approval means less funding would be available for local mental health services, to the tune of at least $2.2 to $3.6 billion statewide over 30-40 years. Therefore, along with No votes by the Contra Costa Mental Health Commission, the Contra Costa affiliate of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) strongly urges a no vote on this proposition. Heres why:

Over the first eight years, the states 59 local behavioral health agencies would lose at least $546.2 million or 7 percent annually in their Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) treatment services funds because of Proposition 2 bond payments. Over 30 years, the $2 billion bond construction and repayment costs balloon to at least $4.2 billion, and over a likely 40-year repayment period, balloons to at least $5.6 billion whether or not each agency wins its competitive bid.

Advertisement

In addition, at least $100 million or 5 percent overhead is included for ongoing program administration by a new state bureaucracy. Also, $200 million in noncompetitive funding is included and there is an 8 percent competitive set-aside for counties with 200,000 or less population.

For every $1 spent on brick and mortar construction throughout the state, there would be $2.10 in reduced annual treatment services funds for 30 years ballooning to $2.80 over 40 years to pay off bond indebtedness costs.

For San Diego County, this means $11.5 million annual reduced MHSA treatment services funds including $6 million in annual bond indebtedness costs.

Proposition 2 is unnecessary because in 2017, the Legislature, through Assembly Bill 727, allowed counties to accumulate MHSA capital funds up to 10 years, enabling them to pay as you go both to build housing and help pay rent subsidies for these clients. This proposition goes against the intent of the MHSA approved by the voters in 2004 to allow counties maximum home rule flexibility to best determine how to spend their MHSA allocated funds, whether for treatment and/or housing.

The measure leaves out the elephant in the room by totally ignoring the recent state audit which uncovered $2.5 billion in counties unspent MHSA funds. AB 727 will allow counties to easily use these funds for new housing and ongoing supportive treatment. This approach would allow counties to preserve their MHSA funding flexibility and allow them to best respond to the demonstrated needs of their local stakeholders, not out of touch state bureaucrats!

Proposition 2 does not specifically fund treatment and services but relies on existing treatment programs, funding for which will be severely taxed by ongoing bond repayments, to fill this gap. Brutally hard experiences have taught us that merely a roof over your head does not work for our most severely mentally ill loved ones.

Successful supportive housing projects, such as Stevenson House near Washington, D.C., have funded on-site ongoing supportive treatment and life skills rehabilitation services. Proposition 2 does not provide funding for this type of much needed supportive housing for our most severally mentally ill citizens. This means fewer badly needed on premises 24/7 wraparound Assertive Community Treatment and Intensive Case Management programs.

Proposition 2 does not address the NIMBYism stigma rampant in many local zoning ordinances which strive to keep supportive treatment facilities and housing for the severely mentally out of neighborhoods. We honestly fear billions in funds being wasted because of legal battles waged against housing the most severely mentally ill among us. The unintended tragedy will be even more of our loved ones either on the streets, locked up in jails (the asylums of last resort!), or, even worse, dead!

We firmly believe a better way is to defeat this measure and have the Legislature direct the 59 behavioral health agencies allocate their MHSA percentage of the $2 billion and administer their own local No Place Like Home programs.

This would eliminate massive drain of bond payments on their MHSA treatment and services funding and eliminate at least $100 million in unnecessary state administration bureaucracy expenses. It would allow agencies to design programs which best meet their local stakeholders and clients needs.

For San Diego County, this could mean an $11.5 million annual local No Place Like Home program without any bond payments. That, not Proposition 2, is the way to go!

Dunn is legislation committee chair, National Alliance on Mental Illness-Contra Costa, and chair of the Contra Costa Mental Health Commission; Crowder is executive director, NAMI-Contra Costa; Madison is president, NAMI-Contra Costa.
Preserve the separation of church and state

Re Trump warned evangelical leaders of violence from Democrats if Republicans lose the midterms (Aug. 28): According to my understanding of our democracy and our Constitution, there is, or was, a separation of church and state.

When did this change? The posture used to be that churches, in order to autonomously keep them separate from political influences and government taxation (as a business), are admonished to refrain from taking political stances from the pulpit. This is just another example of executive overreach from Donald Trumps pulpit.

Howard J. Harvey

Advertisement

Escondido

Revolution could come from either side

Rudy Giuliani warned that Americans would be up in arms. You could only impeach him for political reasons and the American people would revolt against that (Sky News).

So now a tin horn lawyer, the one still working for the Donald Trump, is warning America not to impeach his boss.

I retort to Giulliani and whomever is left of the Trump loyalists, perhaps not impeaching the president, would foment a revolt by the other two thirds of America who dont approve of this president.

G. Lance Johannsen

Carlsbad

Trump mentioned Antifa as being violent people  while speaking to church leaders. I just wonder why he didnt mention the Klan?

Surely, he knows history, he knows what happened in Charlottesville, but this president chooses extreme partisanship over any intellectual and balanced view of history. He behaves more with a mad-dog mentality than with any sense of decorum or scholarship.

Is this the trend in America and the world in these days of nationalism - I have mine, the Hell with the rest of you? Lets hope that the world is better than that.

Chet Chebegia

San Marcos

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
Authorities on Thursday arrested and charged a Southern California man after threatening to shoot and kill Boston Globe staffers, whom he called enemy of the people, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

Anyone  regardless of political affiliation  who puts others in fear for their lives will be prosecuted by this office. In a time of increasing political polarization, and amid the increasing incidence of mass shootings, members of the public must police their own political rhetoric. Or we will, said U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling.

News of the arrest of Robert D. Chain, 68, of Encino, reverberated nationwide and renewed fears that President Donald Trumps rhetoric may incite violence against journalists.

Just hours before his Justice Department shared news of the arrest, Trump again used the term enemy of the people to describe journalists while stating how totally dishonest much of the Media is.

In a nine-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, FBI investigators said Chain made numerous calls to the newspaper threatening to travel to Boston and kill newspaper employees.

The complaint says Chain called several times between Aug. 10 and Aug. 22. Notably, the complaint says Chain made those threats after the Boston Globe announced a coordinated effort by more than 350 news organizations to publish editorials defending the free press.

The complaint includes the specific language Chain used in his threatening call, which also made reference to special counsel Robert Mueller:

Youre the enemy of the people, and were going to kill every [f-----] one of you. Hey, why dont you call the F, why dont you call Mueller, maybe he can help you out buddy. Still there [f----]? Alright, why, you going to trace my call? What are you going to do [motherf----]? You aint going to do [s---]. Im going to shoot you in the [f-----] head later today, at 4 oclock. Goodbye.

In a separate call, Chain was asked why he was calling. To which he responded:

Because you are the enemy of the people, and I want you to go [f---] yourself. As long as you keep attacking the President, the duly elected President of the United States, in the continuation of your treasonous and seditious acts, I will continue to threats, harass, and annoy the Boston Globe, owned by the New York Times, the other fake news.

The New York Times company sold the Boston Globe to John W. Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox in 2013.

The threats and the specific use of the term enemy of the people raised alarms across news organizations at a time journalists have come under fire for covering the Trump administration. On Twitter, journalists, politicians, analysts and others said words matter and that Trumps rhetoric could get someone killed.

The death threats come two months after a gunman entered the newsroom of The Capital Gazette in Maryland and fatally shot five staffers and injured two others in late June. In mid-August, editors the Boston Globe asked editorial writers in newspapers across the U.S. to write their own editorials denouncing attacks on the press.

Among the hundreds of news organizations that joined that effort on Aug. 16 was The San Diego Union-Tribune. Its sister newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, and other prominent outlets like the San Francisco Chronicle, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal did not participate.

Authorities warned against using violence in political rhetoric.

Everyone has a right to express their opinion, but threatening to kill people, takes it over the line and will not be tolerated, said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.

Even still, that did not convince Trump supporters, some of whom noted that the media is to blame as well.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, the Boston Globe said this would not deter its journalists from doing their work. Dan Adams, a Boston Globe reporter, echoed that sentiment.

Capital Gazette photojournalist Paul Gillespie, who has said in interviews that he dove under a desk when a gunman opened fire on his co-workers in Annapolis, Maryland, in July, also weighed in on Twitter on Thursday, expressing relief that the FBI is taking such threats seriously and making arrests.

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez

Read The Conversation on Flipboard.
Rancho Bernardos Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol is looking for some service-oriented adults to join its unit and mission of helping out the San Diego Police Department in keeping their community safe.

The patrol, which recently celebrated its 26th anniversary, has 25 volunteers, half as many members as it had five years ago, said Administrator Dave Piccus. Participation has largely declined due to members advancing years and their subsequent retirement from the program. Citywide, the program has around 270 RSVP members.

Volunteers must be at least 50 years old, have a valid California drivers license, pass a background check and complete a free training academy. Members do not carry a weapon. They are asked to commit to volunteering at least three days a month (a shift is typically 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays) plus attend a monthly Wednesday meeting in RB.

Rancho Bernardos unit was the first organized in the city in 1992 and, due to its members efforts and contributions, inspired similar programs to start in other law enforcement agencies locally and around the world, according to SDPD officials.

As of July 31, the RB RSVP members contributed 441,000 hours of volunteer service since their founding, Piccus said. That time has included a wide assortment of activities. Examples include conducting free house checks while residents are on vacation. Last year they made sure 235 homes were safe and secure while the residents were away and this year have so far checked 135 homes.

Piccus said each patrol car conducts daily bank checks twice a day on 15 banks within Rancho Bernardo. We drive through the parking lots as a visible deterrent, he said. When school is in session they visit Turtleback and Westwood elementary schools in the morning and afternoon.

Members also visit nine elderly Rancho Bernardans enrolled in the free You Are Not Alone program. Depending on the YANAs preference, the RSVP members visit them in person or check in with them on the phone up to five times per week. Many volunteers have said this is their favorite activity.

Christy Bonner, a RB RSVP member of nearly seven years, said the YANA program is the most rewarding aspect of being a volunteer. When I first came in the office to join RSVP they were talking about their YANAs, she said. Being a widow myself, when I am older, I would want someone to check on me, having no family in the area. ... They keep track of you and give a feeling of security.

The families appreciate it because youre on the front line to see their health or behavior changing when you visit them, she said. We can call the family to say it might be time for (the YANA) to have more help or you should see for yourself how (your relative) is doing.

Bonner said there are definitely more elderly shut-ins throughout Rancho Bernardo who could benefit from the free service considering the size of its retiree population. She said some of the resistance to signing up could be their fear of a lifestyle change. All of a sudden, they think, they are not as independent as they used to be and that their family might think it is time to move them to a care facility, she said. It is a big step accepting help from outside the family and home.

Kathy Sturdivant, a RB RSVP member for three years, said she likes best the sense of doing something good for the community. Were helping the police department with smaller, insignificant duties that they are too stretched (to do). Those include delivering files and other items from the departments Northeastern Division headquarters in Rancho Penasquitos to downtown and assisting with traffic control during incidents.

Her favorite activity has been fingerprinting children at community events. The prints and digital photos are given to parents in case they ever need them and not kept by the RSVP or SDPD. The children are cute, she said of their interactions. Most of those fingerprinted are between the ages of 4 and 12.

Bonner, who has lived in Rancho Bernardo for 20 years, said her husband, John, died in 2010. After that she spent more time walking around her neighborhood and noticed the RSVP cars as members drove around. Subsequently, she found some lost keys and mail and turned them into the RSVP office in the Rancho Bernardo Library with the hope they could be returned.

The group also appealed to her because of its service provider aspect. Her father is a retired fireman in Seattle and husband a retired Navy master chief. Im used to being around uniformed people in some capacity ... my family seemed to be service oriented in one way or another, and this would keep me busy, Bonner said.

Sturdivant, a Rancho Bernardo resident of 13 years who recently became the RB RSVP units assistant administrator, said she became familiar with RSVP through her job at the Superior Court. I would see these cars with uniformed people that said volunteer on the side of the car and thought when I retire Id like to do that.

She retired in 2014 and by early the next year started going on ride alongs to get a better idea of the duties involved. I went on ride alongs with a couple great members, enjoyed that and went to the academy, she said.

Among lessons Sturdivant said she has learned is how good it feels to volunteer for your community. She added, Theres really nice people out there volunteering their time ... great people Ive met through RSVP.

Bonner, the RB units office duty manager and field training officer, said she has learned that she can do many things and has gotten to know the Rancho Bernardo community a lot better. I also learned we are a RSVP family that can rely on each other ... we get along.

Try it, Sturdivant said as advice to those considering membership. That is why we offer the ride alongs, you can think about it ... and decide if this is what you like to do. Most do enjoy it. It is not a significant contribution (of time) ... and we have a very fluid schedule if you go on a trip ... or have another volunteer job.

Those interested in joining RB RSVP can visit its storefront on the Rancho Bernardo Librarys second floor, 17110 Bernardo Center Drive, between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays or call 858-538-8146.

Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.com
China Syndrome

Oh, the iron-y. The Trump Administrations 25 percent tariff on imported steel is denting business at American Keg Co., a factory that uses only U.S. steel.

American Keg CEO Paul Czachor explains that the tariff hurts for two reasons:

1. The tariff only applies to raw steel, not finished steel products  such as Chinese beer kegs.

2. The tariff has dried up steel imports, causing demand  and prices  to rise for U.S. steel.

Advertisement

Both developments are testing the mettle of American Keg, the only U.S. keg maker relying entirely on domestic steel. Not only is the Pottstown, Pa., factory paying more for raw materials, its losing ground to Chinese competitors.

We have a lot of patriotic customers who wanted to buy an all-American product, said Czachor, noting that many of those patriots run California breweries. But its a little harder for them to swallow now. Weve seen our business tail off significantly.

Before the tariffs, American Kegs half keg  a 15.5-gallon container  sold for about $105, $10 more than the Chinese import. Now were talking about $115 or $118 for a half-keg, Czachor said, and the import is still $95.

Czachor, who recently laid off one-third of his 30 employees, was in Washington last week. His message: slap tariffs on Chinese kegs.

This isnt because were an inefficient company looking for a bailout, he said this week.We would put our product and quality against anyone in the world. We just want a level playing field.

Beer Curious, or My Editors Random Questions

Q. Youre always yammering about craft beer. What the heck is that?

A.The Brewers Association, a national trade group, uses three criteria to define craft beer. This beer comes from breweries that are independent, with no more than 25 percent of the company owned by outside parties; traditional, using time-honored ingredients (primarily water hops, yeast and malted barley) in more than half of their alcoholic products; and small, producing fewer than 6 million barrels a year.

Small isnt what it used to be. Originally, the craft designation only applied to breweries making fewer than 2 million barrels. But when Boston Beer Co., maker of Sam Adams and an industry powerhouse, blew past that barrier, small became larger.

How much larger? 6 million barrels equals 330 million six-packs.

Kings of Beer

Alert readers may wonder how I can rave about Bam Biere (4.5 percent alcohol by volume), a tart farmhouse ale from Michigans Jolly Pumpkin brewery, given last weeks lukewarm review of another tart farmhouse ale, Saison Prestige.

Its all a matter of degree. Bam Bieres tartness is expertly modulated, the lime zest and sour pear flavors laid over a base of gentle spices and wheat toast. The dry finish leans toward those underlying bread-and-pepper notes, making it easy to take another sip.

This is loosey goosey beer style, with a wide range of flavor profiles. Youre free to choose your own farmhouse ale adventure, and Ive chosen mine.

Beer and Murder

Lisa Brackmanns new suspense novel, Black Swan Rising (Midnight Ink, $24.99), begins with a mass shooting at a craft brewery on Convoy Street.

She kills because she loves.

After several years working in China, Brackmann recently returned to her native San Diego. I really felt like one of the biggest changes I saw was the growth of the craft beer industry, she said. It felt like such a positive development, and not just because I like beer.

It gets people out of their homes, gets them out into the community.

The novels plot involves murder sprees, polarized politics, misogyny and beer. And while bloody mayhem isnt great publicity for San Diego ales and lagers, dont worry. Black Swans ill-fated brewery  Crooked Arrow  is fictitious.

Bear Roots: Alive and Growling

Among those who had heard the rumors that Bear Roots was ready to sell or close: Terry Little, the Vista brewerys owner.

Ive heard all kinds of weird stuff, Little said, but were staying active and viable.

Last weekend, in fact, Little signed a contract for a new five-year lease on his brewery. In April, he opened a downtown Vista tap room and it, too, has a five-year lease with an option for another five years.

The rumors of Bear Roots demise are false, yet Little believes they are rooted in some true developments.

I recently stepped down from San Diego Brewers Guild as vice president because I have three children under five and my wife would like me at home more often, he said. And I am selling my house and we might buy a house in Bend, Ore.

The plan, he said, is to move the family to Bend and then become a more-or-less absentee owner.

Id be flying back and forth to San Diego quite a bit, Little said. I have a good staff  I havent done the day-to-day supervising for awhile.

Best of the Week

Second Chances third anniversary party is a three-day affair, beginning 5:30 p.m. Friday at the brewery, 15378 Avenue of Science, Suite 222, San Diego. Guests will be able to order the anniversary beer, an imperial pilsner with jasmine flowers that was made in collaboration with Maui Brewing.

South Pacific-themed flights of tropical IPAs, saisons and porters will be poured Saturday at the brewery  where guests who make a charitable donation can take a shot at dunking the brewer  and the North Park beer lounge, 4045 30th St., Suite A.

Sunday, the brewery will host a Taste of the Islands beer brunch, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets, $50, are available at secondchancebeer.com.

Beer Videos

Twitter: @peterroweut

peter.rowe@sduniontribune.com
For a fan of horse racing and its equine athletes, Michael Blowens view outside his window each day at sunrise borders on the surreal.

Out behind the house in rural Kentucky stands the most handsome of stallions  a 24-year-old whose gray coat with small black flecks brings back warm memories to so many.

Silver Charm became racing royalty when the Bob Baffert trainee captured the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 1997 before coming up three-quarters of a length short of seizing the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes.

Silver Charm went on to a stud career that included a stay in Japan, and he returned to his native state in 2015 as a donation by owner Beverly Lewis. The oldest living Preakness champion, the horse enjoys the perks of celebrity at Old Friends Equine, a farm and tourist attraction in Georgetown, Ky., founded by Blowen.

Advertisement

I look out my window at him every morning, and as long hes standing up, and Im standing up, Im happy, Blowen said Wednesday with a laugh over the phone.

I just got back from Saratoga, he continued, and I was wearing my Silver Charm hat. People say how great he was, and I say, Yeah, he lives in my yard. And they go, What?! 

Blowen and his wife, Diane White, are former Boston Globe writers who took a buyout in 2001 and made a Green Acres life change from urban hustle to languid small-town Kentucky. Or at least it started that way, until they began working on Michaels vision of a retirement home for racehorses.

Ive learned that if you have a really good idea, no matter how bad you are at it, it eventually works, Blowen said.

Today, Old Friends draws 20,000 visitors a year to see more than 175 retired or rescued horses. Beyond Silver Charm, the star attractions include another 2002 Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem, Game on Dude, Alphabet Soup, Little Mike and Amazombie.

Old Friends operates on a $1 million annual budget, much of which comes from donations among people in the industry, and Saturday at Del Mar it will hold a unique fundraiser.

Equine artist Dagmar Galleithner-Steiner has produced a book, The Art of Old Friends, ($39.99) and will be signing copies from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. near the fountain and the entrance to the Turf Club. Shell be joined by Bob and Jill Baffert  the latter of whom sits on the Old Friends board.

Galleithner-Steiner, who is donating all proceeds from the book to Old Friends, spent eight years painting with pastels and drawing the residents of the retirement farm.

This is huge for everybody. Its a true tribute to the horses, Blowen said. The thing that Dagmar sees in these horses  I dont even see in all of the time Ive been around them. Its almost as if shes painting them from the inside out. Shes an amazing artist.

Game on Dude  best known for sweeping the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic in 2013  graces the books cover. Inside, there are mix of popular champions and some thoroughbreds who were hard knockers who had little success.

Blowen said he believes its important to not just cater to former stars. One horse, Mikethespike, made 125 starts in 10 years. Another, Easy Grades, was a former Kentucky Derby contender who won only eight times in 81 starts.

Timothy James is a horse rescued from an abandoned Kentucky farm, and Winning Dubai came to Old Friends following the hurricane in Puerto Rico.

At Old Friends, the horses have plenty of room to roam, and Blowen said some of his favorite times are when the summer evenings turn cool and they race each other around their large pens.

They still enjoy jumping around and playing with each other, Blowen said. Its amazing to watch.

The gelded horses run in packs, while the stallions have their own paddocks. Game on Dude, Blowen said, is the sweetest horse you can imagine, while with War Emblem, its his way or the highway.

There are few more personable or intelligent than Silver Charm, who seems to be able to tell time. Hell move up to the fence just before visitors arrive so that he can pose for pictures and be fed carrots.

When Silver Charm was donated to us, it was like getting Elvis, Blowen said.

Painting Silver Charm, Galleithner-Steiner said, was a challenge because of the little black spots on his coat. True to her nature, she obsessed over getting them right.

Born in Germany, Galleithner-Steiner, 43, rode horses as a child and worked at a harness racing track outside of Munich while in college. She said it was there that she learned to pick out the details that distinguished each horse.

She is married to and has a 3-year-old son with former jockey Joe Steiner, and they rent a house on the Old Friends property.

Galleithner-Steiner said she got one of her first big breaks when Del Mar commissioned her to do a portrait of 2014 Pacific Classic winner Shared Belief. She has subsequently painted Classic champions Beholder, California Chrome and Collected.

Those opportunities gave me a lot of confidence, she said.

Her pastel renderings of the horses are so sharp and accurate that they are sometimes mistaken for photographs  which can be frustrating at times, considering the painstaking hours Galleithner-Steiner spends.

Ive had that a lot with the book, she said. People say, Nice photo. But as soon as they hear that its a painting, they become more interested.

The book was a daunting project. Galleithner-Steiner admitted to becoming so overwhelmed several years ago that she tossed out many of her drawings and notes. Unbeknownst to her at the time, her husband retrieved them from the trash.

Im grateful, she said. If this is your passion and what you love to do, you always get drawn back into it. You feel that tugging at you, that calling.

Among their beloved old horses, she and Blowen very much have that in common.

Notable

Favored Creative Instinct ($2.80), trained by Peter Miller and ridden by Tyler Baze, easily won the $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes for 2-year-old Cal-bred fillies on Wednesday at Del Mar.

Sports Videos

tod.leonard@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutleonard


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.
Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join

Your Weekly Checkup is our online column by Dr. Douglas Zipes, an internationally acclaimed cardiologist, professor, author, inventor, and authority on pacing and electrophysiology. Dr. Zipes is also a contributor to The Saturday Evening Post print magazine. Subscribe to receive thoughtful articles, new fiction, health and wellness advice, and gems from our archive.

Order Dr. Zipes new book, Damn the Naysayers: A Doctors Memoir.

Information collected by the World Health Organization (WHO) from 4,300 cities in 108 countries indicates that 9 out of 10 people breathe air that contains high levels of pollutants, which are responsible for 7 million deaths annually. The pollutants are a complex mixture of solid and liquid droplets containing sulfates, nitrates, carbon, and other toxins that are inhaled into the lungs with each breath.

Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today

Outdoor air pollution contains thousands of components derived primarily from cars, industry, power generation, and home heating using oil, coal, or wood. Such pollutants can lead to health problems including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, blood clots, strokes, inflammation, and heart disease, mainly coronary artery disease.

Pollution concentrations often vary during the day, depending on weather conditions such as wind direction and speed, temperature, and sunlight that affect chemical reactions that produce toxins such as ozone. Traffic-related pollutants, like ultrafine particles and soot, often peak during the morning and evening rush hours, causing high exposure for commuters.

Even though people in most Western societies spend about 90% of their time indoors, predominantly in their own homes, outdoor air pollution infiltrates buildings, and most of the exposure typically occurs indoors. The problem is especially prominent when solid fuels are used for cooking and heating, or from cigarette smoking in the home.

More than 80% of the worlds population lives in areas in which particulate matter reaches or is above thresholds recommended by the World Health Organization. The WHO data show that U.S. cities on the polluted list include Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Napa, Calexico and Fresno, California; Indianapolis and Gary, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; and St. Louis, Missouri. More than 40% of the worlds population does not have access to clean cooking technology or lighting, making travel to cities like Peshawar and Rawalpindi, Pakistan; Varanasi and Kanpur, India; Cairo, Egypt; and Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia risky from an air pollution perspective. Cleaner air can be found in some cities in Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Alaska, and Hawaii.

What Can We Do about Air Pollution?

Fortunately, air pollution is a modifiable condition that can be reduced by replacing driving with walking, biking, or taking public transportation. For outdoor joggers, exposure to high levels of air pollution does not reduce the benefits of physical activity on both the incidence and the recurrence of heart attacks. Individuals at risk, such as those with heart problems or the elderly, can stay inside when air pollution levels are high. Installing filtration equipment in the home ventilation system can also reduce exposure.

Finally, we need to urge our politicians to develop standards for environmental risk factors such as air pollution and pass laws to protect us from these health risks.
Getting your birth certificate, deed, or unclaimed property is pretty straightforward  as long as you take a few precautions to avoid ripoffs and scams.

Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join

Steve Weisman is a lawyer, college professor, author, and one of the countrys leading experts in cybersecurity, identity theft, and scams. See Steves other Con Watch articles.

Having a certified copy of your birth certificate is important if you are applying for a passport, applying for public benefits, enrolling in a school, enlisting in the military service, claiming a pension or insurance benefit, or getting a drivers license. Often people have misplaced or lost the original certified copies of their birth certificates and need a new certified copy. As with most tasks today, the first place many people turn to is Google or another search engine. This will bring up a long list of companies offering to get your birth certificate on your behalf from your birth states Bureau of Vital Statistics.

Simple and easy as can be, and what possibly could go wrong?

Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today

For starters, not all companies that offer this service are legitimate. You might complete their online form and provide your credit card information for payment only to have that information turned over to an identity thief who runs up charges on your credit card. And, of course, you never get your birth certificate. While it is a simple matter to have the fraudulent charges removed, it will be necessary for you to obtain a new credit card number, which can be an inconvenience, particularly if you have regular charges made to your credit card. If you used a debit card, you even run the risk of having the bank account your debit card is tied to emptied if you do not report the fraud immediately. The laws that protect you from fraudulent debit card use are not as strong as those that protect you from misuse of your credit card. Never use your debit card for anything other than an ATM card.

You may wonder how scammers are able to get their websites listed high in internet search results. When ranking websites for listing in a search engine search, neither Google, Bing, nor any of the other search engines inquire as to whether or not the particular website is legitimate or a scam. Instead, the ranking is done by algorithms that analyze many factors. Anyone who is adept at manipulating the algorithms can improve their ranking. Scammers will also pay the search engines for an ad that will appear at the top of the page.

But it gets worse.

Even if you manage to find a service that will actually order your birth certificate for you, they might charge you five times the amount you would pay on your own. This is particularly outrageous when you consider how easy and cheap it is to order a copy of your birth certificate on your own directly from your birth states Bureau of Vital Records.

The National Center for Health Statistics provides links to the Bureau of Vital Statistics for all the states and U.S. territories, along with instructions for ordering your birth certificate on your own.

There is a similar scam related to obtaining copies of the deed to your home or information about abandoned property. The scam usually begins with a call, email, or letter informing you of the importance of having a copy of the deed, and that the company contacting you can obtain a certified copy of your deed for as little as $90.

Having your original deed or a certified copy of it is not very important once your deed has been recorded in your local Registry of Deeds (although it is a good document to have with your personal records). Obtaining a copy of your deed on your own from your local Registry of Deeds is simple and rarely costs more than a few dollars. In May 2018, Ohio passed a law requiring specific disclosures to consumers be made when a fee is requested to obtain a copy of a deed on your behalf. The disclosure must include the actual cost charged by the Registry of Deeds and also prohibits charging a fee of more than four times that cost. However, other states have not yet passed similar laws so you must be alert to this legal scam of overcharging you for a copy of your deed.

Finally, you might receive emails or letters informing you that billions of dollars of unclaimed or abandoned money is being held by various states, and some of that bounty has your name on it. For a fee, the person or company contacting you will help you find that property and claim it for you.

Its true that various state agencies are holding more than $24 billion of unclaimed money: State laws require financial institutions, such as banks, to turn over money from inactive accounts to the state. Among the assets held by these state agencies are savings and checking accounts, stocks, uncashed dividend checks, certificates of deposit, and utility security deposits. However, you dont need the help of these companies to retrieve your unclaimed assets. You can easily find out if money or other assets of yours are being held and then claim those assets on your own. The best place to start is at the website of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Here you will find links to the abandoned property agencies in your state, where you can determine if you are owed anything and, if so, start the simple claim process.

As with so many things, often the best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join

This column by American studies professor Ben Railton explores the connections between Americas past and present.

One hundred fifty years ago, Andrew Johnson became the first president of the United States to be impeached.

In 1864, facing a stiff challenge to his reelection campaign from Democratic nominee (and former Union general) George McClellan, President Abraham Lincoln decided to replace his current vice president, Hannibal Hamlin, on the ticket with a Democrat, Tennessee Senator and military governor Andrew Johnson. This choice allowed Lincoln and Johnson to run under the banner of the newly created National Union Party, emphasizing opposition to the Confederacy across the nation (and especially in contested border states like Tennessee). It was a pragmatic and clever strategic move, and likely contributed greatly to Lincolns eventual easy victory over McClellan in November 1864.

Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today

Yet as early as inauguration day, March 4, 1865, there were indications that Lincolns practical decision might have also been a mistake. Johnson may have been drunk at the inauguration (he had been witnessed drinking heavily at a party the night before and asked Hannibal Hamlin for two additional drinks just before the inauguration began), and in any case delivered a rambling, belligerent speech that was hastily cut off when Hamlin swore him in as the new vice president. And this ominous opening foreshadowed what would become, after Lincolns tragic April 14th assassination, one of the most divisive and destructive presidencies in American history.

Johnson continued his pattern of belligerent and bellicose public statements as President. When supporters came to the White House in February 1866 for a Washingtons Birthday celebration, Johnson addressed them in another long, rambling speech, highlighting his own accomplishments more than 200 times and attacking men still opposed to the Union who were as much laboring to pervert or destroy [fundamental American principles] as were the men who fought against us. When pressed by audience members, he named Congressman Thaddeus Stevens and Senator Charles Sumner (among others) as these enemies. In August and September of that year he would embark on a national speaking tour unprecedented for a sitting president; known as the Swing Around the Circle, the tour featured more than twenty rallies in which Johnson continued to attack Congressional enemies and make the case for his divisive Presidential Reconstruction policies ahead of the November midterm elections.

Those extreme Presidential Reconstruction policies truly defined Johnsons divisive and disastrous administration, both on their own terms and in contrast to what might have been the case had Lincoln not been killed. Although Johnson had been perceived as a moderate on issues of slavery and sectionalism prior to and during the Civil War, as president he revealed himself to be both a staunch ally of the neo-Confederate South and a virulent white supremacist. Among his earliest presidential proclamations, Johnson first recognized a provisional Virginia government that was practicing policies of forgiveness toward ex-Confederates and then provided federal amnesty for nearly all ex-rebels. He went on to support additional amnesty policies such as one that allowed ex-Confederates (such as former vice president of the Confederacy Alexander Stephens) to serve in Congress; since Johnsons administration likewise opposed proposals for African American voting rights, nearly all of the Southerners elected to Congress in these early post-war years were former Confederates.

Johnsons opposition to post-war rights for African Americans went far beyond opposing suffrage proposals. In February 1866 he vetoed a bill that would have extended the vital operations of the Freedmens Bureau beyond the agencys scheduled 1867 abolition, claiming that the law would not be consistent with the public welfare. In March of the same year he vetoed the groundbreaking Civil Rights Bill, arguing in his veto message that the distinction of race and color is by the bill made to operate in favor of the colored against the white race. Johnson also opposed the 14th Amendment and campaigned extensively (if unsuccessfully) against its ratification by the states, solidifying his administrations overall hostility to nearly all Reconstruction measures that focused on civil rights rather than reintegrating the Confederate South into the nation as smoothly as possible.

All those conflicts contributed to Johnsons February 1868 impeachment by the House of Representatives, but it was his blatant, authoritarian violation of a specific law that directly precipitated the Congressional action. During his 1866 speaking tour, Johnson had pledged to fire Cabinet secretaries who did not agree with him (especially those who had been appointed under Lincoln), and in March 1867 he vetoed the Tenure of Office Act, which required Senate approval for such firings; Congress overrode his veto and passed the act into law. Throughout that year Johnson battled with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, a Lincoln appointee and advocate of Congressional Reconstruction, harsher treatment of former Confederates, and African American rights. In August, with Congress out of session and unable to approve any Cabinet actions, Johnson demanded Stantons resignation; when Stanton refused, Johnson suspended him and replaced him with General of the Army Ulysses S. Grant. The conflict continued for many months, and when Johnson permanently dismissed Stanton in February 1868 without gaining Senate approval as required by law, the House of Representatives voted 128 to 47 to impeach.

After a three-month trial in the Senate, featuring so much wheeling and dealing that Johnson and his allies would later be investigated by Representative Benjamin Butler for bribery, the Senate on May 16, 1868, fell a single vote short of the two-thirds majority necessary to convict the president. Johnson would complete the remainder of his term, but as a deeply unpopular president; even his own Democratic Party denied him the 1868 presidential nomination in favor of former New York Governor Horatio Seymour (who would lose to the Republican nominee Ulysses S. Grant). On Christmas Day, 1868, Johnson took advantage of one of his last opportunities to further his neo-Confederate and white supremacist agendas, issuing a blanket amnesty that covered all former Confederates including the Confederate President Jefferson Davis.

Johnsons political career did not quite end with Grants election, as he made a successful run for a Tennessee Senate seat (at that time still decided by the state legislature) in early 1875. He would only serve for a few months before dying unexpectedly of a stroke in July, but during that time expressed his neo-Confederate views one last time (his only official remarks during his brief Senate term), criticizing Grants use of federal troops in Louisiana and asking, How far off is military despotism? One final belligerent and extreme remark from a president who remains one of the most divisive and destructive in American history.
Singapore -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/29/2018 -- Ace Financial Accounting Pte Ltd is one of the most sought finance companies based in Singapore and Malaysia. For many years, the company has been offering quality and affordable Audit &Assurance, Financial Accounting, Human Resource, Tax, and Corporate & Secretarial services for all companies based in Singapore. The relevant institutions have certified and approved the services offered by the company to meet the required industrial quality standards.



While commenting on the nature of their services, the company's Account Director, Joe Chong said, "At Ace Financial Accounting Pte Ltd, we are committed to 100% satisfaction of our clients through the provision of quality financial services. Over the years, we have been able to build an excellent reputation in the industry. We offer Professional Accounting and Bookkeeping Services in Singapore at a budget-friendly price. We have invested in skilled and talented staff that is committed to delivering exceptional services to our esteem clients. Our company is proud to be one of the most sought companies and strives to come up with outstanding payroll, secretarial, tax, and secretarial services. Our services cover all the requirements of the industry and are offered by top professionals."



The company adopts a cost-effective mode of service delivery, which enables them to charge a reasonable price for all their services. To ensure their clients' accounts stay on the right track, the company maintains a timely accounting for record keeping. As stipulated by the Singapore Companies Act, all companies in the country must keep proper books of accounts. Ace Financial Accounting Pte Ltd is committed to providing all companies credible accounting services in compliance with the Companies Act.



On the reason why one should opt for their services, the Accounting Director added, "We are not just an ordinary financial company. Over the years, we have built a large clientele through the provision of outstanding services. Our customers love us because we strive to meet their strict specifications. We are driven by the passion for helping companies achieve financial stability. Our financial services can help any company in effective allocation of resource. Our financial accounting services are varied in nature. Those intending to get Company Incorporation in Singapore should not hesitate to contact our customer care team."



The company has employed a committed customer care team who attend to all customer inquiries in a timely and friendly way. All companies looking forward to getting credible financial accounting and secretarial services in Singapore and Malaysia can contact the customer care team and rest assured of timely feedback.



About Ace Financial Accounting Pte Ltd

Ace Financial Accounting Pte Ltd is a private company with many years of experience in the provision of quality and affordable financial services. For more information about business registration in Singapore, one can visit the company's website or contact their customer care team.



Contact details:

Company name: Ace Financial Accounting Pte Ltd

Address: 3 Philip Street, #19-01, Singapore 048693

Tel: +65 6969 2085

Contact page: https://www.acefinancial.com.sg/contact-us/

Website: https://www.acefinancial.com.sg
Zanesville, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/30/2018 -- Rea & Associates, a regional CPA and business consulting firm, recently pulled back the curtain on Ohio's opioid epidemic to analyze the drug's impact on employers in a recent episode of unsuitable on Rea Radio, the firm's award-winning weekly podcast series. Episode 144, "Ohio's Opioid Epidemic," features Renee West, SHRM-SCP, human resources manager at the firm, who touches on a side-effect of opioid use that is not typically talked about  it's impact on the workforce from the business's perspective.



According to a spokesperson with Rea & Associates CPA Firm, the interview dives into a struggle most employers report they are facing, finding qualified applicants to fill their open positions.



"You're already looking at a tight labor market," explained West on the episode. "It's very frustrating from an employer's standpoint when you're trying to find key talent and, sometimes, they don't pass that drug screen. It's a very big concern and it's one that continues to increase, not only in the small areas, but large areas as well. It's everywhere."



During the interview, West reports statistics that state more than 350,000 Americans have died from opioid overdoses between the years of 1999 and 2016. According to West, it's easy to solely classify opioids as illicit substances like heroin and fentanyl, but the epidemic also includes prescription drugs like oxycodone and methadone. Today's opioid problem does not discriminate. As a result, employers have had to find new ways to address the issue among their existing and incoming workforce.



"One of the questions I receive a lot is, as an employer, what can we do when hiring if we have an individual that we want to hire that we know is maybe a recovering addict? What are our legal obligations," said West. "A current illegal drug user is not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act," she continued. "However, if you have an employee who is a recovering addict, they are protected. It's important to know, as an employer, what your rights are and what your employee's rights are too."



According to a spokesperson with Rea, the episode also covers what resources are available to help employers combat the opioid epidemic as well as information about House Resolution 6, which shifts opioid costs to employer healthcare plan.



"While these discussions can be difficult, they are necessary," said Dave Cain, a principal with Rea and host of the firm's weekly podcast. "Some of the topics we cover on unsuitable might be hard to talk about but, as consultants, we are doing nobody any favors by staying silent. Only when we can have an open conversation about these issues can we truly help business owners find new and creative ways to address their biggest challenges."



Listen to episode 144, "Ohio's Opioid Epidemic," at www.reacpa.com/insight/episode-144-ohios-opioid-epidemic.



About Rea & Associates

Founded in 1938, during the hardships of the Great Depression, Rea & Associates has established a proud reputation of serving as a financial guide to individuals and businesses, alike. Today, according to the firm's website, Rea employs a team of more than 300 professionals and industry specialists across 13 Ohio-based offices.



To learn more about the company, visit www.reacpa.com.



Rea & Associates CPA Firm

Becca Davis

905 Zane Street, 2nd Floor Zanesville, OH 43701

800-837-0804

https://www.reacpa.com/zanesville-cpa-firm/
A new radiation sensor developed by Purdue University researchers is a wearable, disposable, film-type device fabricated on a paper substrate with cells of the yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) patterned between two electrodes and used as a smart material. The device, described in the journal Advanced Biosystems, is sensitive to radiation when dry and is read by activating it with water.

Radiology workers are regularly exposed to low doses of radiation when they obtain patient imagery, such as X-rays.

While protective gear largely keeps workers within a safe range of radiation exposure, absorbing a little bit is still inevitable.

Radiation doses creeping above regulated guidelines pose risk for developing conditions such as cancer, cataracts, skin irritation or thyroid disease.

Currently, radiology workers are required to wear badges, called dosimeters, on various parts of their bodies for monitoring their radiation exposure, said Purdue University Professor Babak Ziaie.

They wear the badges for a month or two, and then they send them to the company that made them. But it takes weeks for the company to read the data and send a report back to the hospital. Ours give an instant reading at much lower cost.

The success of the teams sensor lies in the quick and measurable response of yeast to radiation: the higher the radiation dose, the higher the percentage of yeast cells that die.

Wetting the badge activates the cells that are still alive to eat glucose and release carbon dioxide  the same fermentation process responsible for brewing beer and making bread rise.

When carbon dioxide bubbles at the surface, ions also form. The concentration of these ions increases the electrical conductivity of yeast, which can be measured by hooking up the badge to a readout system.

We use the change in electrical properties of the yeast to tell us how much radiation damage it incurred, said Dr. Rahim Rahimi, from the Purdue Universitys Birck Nanotechnology Center.

A slow decrease in electrical conductivity over time indicates more damage.

Numbers from the readout system translate to rads  the units used by entities like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to specify limits on how much radiation human tissue can safely absorb.

Skin of the whole body, for example, shouldnt be exposed to more than 7.5 rad over a three month period.

The researchers could detect a radiation dose as little as 1 millirad in the yeast badges, which is comparable to current commercial badges.

Yeast also is known to be genetically similar to human tissue. Data from the badges can, therefore, inform future work on how radiation damage happens to human DNA and proteins.

For yeast, it seems that radiation primarily affects the cell walls of the membrane and mitochondria, said Dr. Manuel Ochoa, also from the Purdue Universitys Birck Nanotechnology Center.

Since biologists are already familiar with yeast, then were more likely to understand whats causing the biological effects of radiation in organic matter.

_____

Chang Keun Yoon et al. Yeast Metabolic Response as an Indicator of Radiation Damage in Biological Tissue. Advanced Biosystems, published online August 8, 2018; doi: 10.1002/adbi.201800126
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser
"If someone in our community is harassing anyone or repeatedly breaking rules, theyre out. Were not interested in them being part of our community."

- Senior community manager Paul Elsy details CCP Games' policies and practices

Polygon reached out to several game developers to ask how theyre equipped to deal with harassment, following up on similar questions asked to numerous companies two years back.

While responses were limitedseveral either declined to or didnt reply to Polygons questions three companies did offer comments on their policies, granting developers a look at some of the systems other studios have in place to mitigate harassment both toward devs and community members.

Riot Games and Nintendo both offered statements about their own social media and harassment policies that can be found in the full article. CCP Games senior community manager Paul Elsy, meanwhile, spoke with the publication on the phone about how he handles harassment toward CCP devs or EVE Online community members online, and the sometimes-severe steps the company takes following incidents.

If someone in our community is harassing anyone or repeatedly breaking rules, theyre out. Were not interested in them being part of our community. If we see abuse in-game, well shut them out. And if we see abuse coming to us via social media platforms, well report them and request that the persons account be shut down, Elsy told Polygon. Even today we saw a member of the community dox another member. Thats an automatic permanent ban.

Elsy explains that while some issues on sites like can be shut down with a firm warning, the Iceland-based company also maintains a relationship with the local police force in Reykjavik in case of comments that include specific keywords, like suicide.

Elsys full conversation with Polygon can be found in the article itself alongside comments from Riot Games and Nintendo. Meanwhile, the original story from 2016 can be found on Polygon as well.
Heads of Agreement with MCC for a fixed-price EPC contract covering detailed engineering and on-site construction of Clean TeQ Sunrise



Delivery of the EPC contract will reduce financial and project execution risk

Front-end-engineering and design (FEED) planned to commence in 4Q 2018

EPC proposal includes a detailed capital cost estimate similar to the Definitive Feasibility Study

MCC brings deep experience in nickel/cobalt project development and operations, and their investment in battery raw material production

MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mr Robert Friedland and Mr Jiang Zhaobai, Co-Chairmen of Clean TeQ Holdings Limited (Clean TeQ or Company) (ASX/TSX:CLQ; OTCQX:CTEQF), and Mr Sam Riggall, Chief Executive Officer, are pleased to announce the signing of a Heads of Agreement (Agreement) with Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd (MCC), confirming the selection of MCC as a key project delivery partner for the Clean TeQ Sunrise Project (Project).

MCC is headquartered in Beijing and is part of China Minmetals Corporation, the largest and most internationally-focused mining company in China.

The selection of an EPC delivery model and the appointment of MCC as a project delivery partner is an important milestone, which is expected to deliver significant benefits, including:

Leveraging MCCs strong experience in the design, construction and operation of lateritic nickel/cobalt mining, processing and refining operations

Decreasing the financial and project execution risk to Clean TeQ via the transfer of risk via the EPC contracting arrangements

Providing opportunities for low cost procurement and pre-assembly through MCCs extensive network of suppliers

Enhancing the debt-carrying capacity of the Project and potentially opening up opportunities for Chinese capital support for Clean TeQ Sunrise

Details of the Agreement

Having signed a Heads of Agreement, Clean TeQ and MCC will now move to finalise negotiations on the Front-End-Engineering and Design (FEED) contract, which is expected to be concluded in coming weeks. Under the FEED contract, MCC and one of its subsidiaries, China ENFI Engineering Corporation (ENFI), will work with Clean TeQs owners team to manage project scope, critical design criteria and equipment and materials selection during this phase. This approach is expected to help ensure good alignment between activities in China and Australia and strong collaboration between the parties as the optimal plant design and selection of critical materials and equipment is determined.

Once the FEED contract is agreed, Clean TeQ and MCC will work toward negotiating a detailed fixed-price EPC contract for detailed engineering and construction of the process plant infrastructure, based on the summary terms and conditions contained in the Heads of Agreement. Several critical commercial aspects of the EPC contract have already been agreed as part of the Heads of Agreement negotiation, with a final detailed and binding EPC contract containing a lump-sum price expected to be agreed during the first half of 2019.

To support its on-site activities, MCC is planning to engage experienced, tier-one Australian construction contractors during the construction phase.

The indicative EPC proposal received from MCC includes a capital cost estimate that is not materially different from the capital estimate contained in the Definitive Feasibility Study (announced on 25 June 2018). Accordingly, there is no material impact on the outcomes of the Definitive Feasibility Study or the National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report titled, Sunrise Nickel Cobalt Project, New South Wales, Australia NI 43-101 Technical Report, with an effective date of 25 June 2018 (the NI-43-101 Report) (announced on 7 August 2018).

A majority of the FEED work will be run from Clean TeQs Perth office, resourced with an integrated owners team of engineers and project managers. As the project progresses to detailed engineering, work will migrate to engineering offices located in China. A handover of engineering activities and mobilisation of the team has commenced. This handover is expected to result in a small delay to the overall Project schedule of around 3 months, with formal construction expected to commence by mid-2019.

In parallel with FEED activities, a China-based Clean TeQ owners team, focused on engineering oversight, procurement, quality control and assurance and pre-assembly activities will be established in Beijing.

Clean TeQ intends to separately appoint an Australia-based contractor to manage design and construction of the non-process plant (i.e., non-MCC scope) infrastructure required for the Project. Non-process plant infrastructure will include the accommodation facilities, water pipeline, power line, tailings facility, water storage pond and ancillary support infrastructure. A number of parties are being assessed by Clean TeQ for this role, with a formal appointment to be announced in due course.

About MCC and ENFI

Headquartered in Beijing and part of China Minmetals Corporation, MCC is Chinas largest mining and metals engineering and construction group with extensive experience in the design, engineering, construction and operation of base metals processing operations. MCC has a strong track record of delivering projects similar in scope and scale to Clean TeQ Sunrise, including the successful development of the low-cost, long life Ramu NiCo Operation (Ramu) in Papua New Guinea. Ramu is majority owned and operated by MCC and is one of the largest producers of cobalt outside of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. MCC also has significant experience in building and operating large-scale nickel and cobalt refineries, where it has ownership interests in production facilities which supply the lithium ion battery industry supply chain. MCC have an established business in Australia, with their capability focused in Perth.

MCC subsidiary China ENFI Engineering Corporation (ENFI), will partner with MCC for the critical design and engineering of the process plant refinery. ENFI, established in 1953, is a specialist metallurgical and mining engineering business with extensive experience in the design and engineering of non-ferrous metals projects globally.

Comments

Clean TeQs Co-Chairman, Robert Friedland, welcomed the agreement. MCC and ENFI, part of China Minmetals Corporation, are considered to be some of the worlds leading mining and metallurgical construction and engineering groups, and I am delighted that they have been selected as project partners for our Clean TeQ Sunrise Project. There is very strong alignment between MCC/ENFI and Clean TeQ which will ensure we can, together, build and deliver a truly world-class Project, he said.

Clean TeQs Chief Executive Officer, Sam Riggall, also commented, The appointment of MCC/ENFI is another key milestone for the development of Clean TeQ Sunrise. Throughout our discussions, we have been impressed with MCCs and ENFIs level of experience and knowledge in the design and construction of hydrometallurgical projects and their strong interest in the development of the Clean TeQ Sunrise Project.

Negotiation of a fixed-price EPC contract, which we will be working on over coming months, will deliver significantly lower financial and project execution risk, and places Clean TeQ in the best position to deliver the Project successfully.

With MCC now engaged, Clean TeQ can continue to progress the build-up of our delivery team in preparation for the construction expected to commence in mid-2019.

Financing Update

Clean TeQ is currently engaging with numerous industrial end users who understand the strategic importance and value of the Project and have shown particular interest in securing long-term supply of the raw materials which are critical to their businesses. These end users include major vehicle and consumer electronics manufacturers as well as participants across the lithium ion battery supply chain. Discussions with these parties, focused on product offtake agreements, as well as the opportunity for equity investment at Project level, are progressing constructively.

In addition, as announced in November 2017, four mandated lead arranger (MLA) banks  Societe Generale, National Australia Bank, Natixis and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)  have been engaged to arrange and syndicate a finance facility including debt finance as well as working capital and other credit facilities. The MLA banks will make best efforts to provide a total of US$500 million of the total credit facilities required for the development of the Project, with the balance of the debt facilities to be raised through a syndication process. The debt financing will be contingent upon completion of a successful due diligence process, agreement of terms and conditions, credit approval and syndication.

Following completion of the Definitive Feasibility Study in June, the banks technical advisor has been engaged and technical and other due diligence is underway.

Further information on MCC and ENFI can be found on their websites, below:

MCC: http://www.mcc.com.cn/

ENFI: http://www.enfi.com.cn/

For more information, please contact:

Richard Glass, Investor Relations (Australia) +61 3 9797 6781 Evan Young, Investor Relations (North America) +1 647 808 2141

About Clean TeQ Holdings Limited (ASX/TSX: CLQ)  Based in Melbourne, Australia, Clean TeQ is a global leader in metals recovery and industrial water treatment through the application of its proprietary Clean-iX continuous ion exchange technology. For more information about Clean TeQ please visit the Companys website www.cleanteq.com .



About the Clean TeQ Sunrise Project  Clean TeQ is the 100% owner of the Clean TeQ Sunrise Project, located in New South Wales. Clean TeQ Sunrise is one of the largest cobalt deposits outside of Africa, and one of the largest and highest-grade accumulations of scandium ever discovered.

About Clean TeQ Water  Through its wholly owned subsidiary Clean TeQ Water, Clean TeQ is also providing innovative wastewater treatment solutions for removing hardness, desalination, nutrient removal, zero liquid discharge. The sectors of focus include municipal wastewater, surface water, industrial waste water and mining waste water. For more information about Clean TeQ Water please visit www.cleanteqwater.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this news release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, the Clean TeQ Sunrise Project, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as may, would, could, will, intend, expect, believe, plan, anticipate, estimate, scheduled, forecast, predict and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Companys current expectations regarding future events, performance and results, and speak only as of the date of this new release.

Statements in this news release that constitute forward-looking statements or information include, but are not limited to statements regarding: expected benefits of the Agreement between Clean TeQ and MCC; anticipated timing for the execution of a FEED contract among the Company, MCC and ENFI and the anticipated collaborative alignment it is expected to achieve between activities in China and Australia; anticipated timing to execute a final detailed and binding EPC contract and that it will have no material impact on the outcomes of the Definitive Feasibility Study or the NI 43-101 Report; and construction expected to commence by mid-2019. Readers are cautioned that actual results may vary from those presented. All such forward-looking information and statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by Clean TeQs management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believe are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information or statements including, but not limited to, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts to perform as agreed; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure, or delays in the development of infrastructure, and the failure of exploration programs or other studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued studies, development or operations. Other important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements also include those described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently filed Annual Information Form available under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.




SYDNEY, Australia, Aug. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The flurry among Australian businesses seeking to comply with new data-breach regulations has triggered a surge in demand for the masking component of a total data solution offered by market newcomer Delphix.



This capability forms part of the Delphix Dynamic Data Platform (DDDP), which also accelerates app development by up to 50%, while facilitating speedy and safe flows of data throughout cloud and other environments.

Delphix is reporting dramatic business growth in Australia because it enables increasingly massive volumes of data to flow speedily and in self-service format to developers, quality assurance testers and AI/BI engineers without risking security.

Richard Gerdis, Vice President of Sales for Delphix Asia Pacific and Japan said: Data breaches continue to hit the headlines as organisations struggle with information security, following recent regulatory developments in Australia, Southeast Asia and Europe. We can ease the tension that now exists between the need to move masses of data rapidly throughout multiple environments and keeping it totally secure.

He added: Our customers turn to us because the Delphix Dynamic Data Platform automatically detects confidential information, masks data irreversibly and ensures all sensitive elements become invisible. Masking is better than encryption, which can be bypassed, and our users do not need programming expertise.

Algorithms mask everything from names and social security numbers to images and text fields, and can be customised to match specific security policies.

The DDDP also includes pre-packaged masking sets for healthcare and financial information, and comes with the ability to perform tokenisation  a process that obfuscates data sent for processing, then reconstitutes it on return.

Vice President, IDC Asia Pacific IT Security Practice, Simon Piff said: Delphix appears to have come up with a simple solution to a problem commonly faced by businesses today. I think the companys future looks eminently promising, but a challenge will be its ability to scale up swiftly enough.

Businesses in Australia are hungry for a total solution following implementation of the Privacy Amendment (Notifiable Data Breaches) Act 2017 as of February 2018. Shortly before that time, the GFK research firm discovered three out of five Australian businesses were unaware of their obligations under the Act.

Then the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner received 242 alerts in the first 90 days of the notifiable data breaches (NDB) scheme going live.

Gerdis said: Our ability to help organisations enjoy data efficiencies of the highest order while maintaining the utmost compliance has helped us achieve a 50% spike in new business in just the last four months.

The DDDP allows data to be delivered securely to every stakeholder in any environment  and at a speed that facilitates rapid development and delivery of applications and solutions.

Customers say Delphix is reducing task times from weeks and days to just minutes. A global IT giant, for example, says it is now moving data faster by a factor of 100, while an online ticketing operator claims it is launching applications 100 times faster than before.

Delphix expects to see strong growth its customer base in Asia Pacific by the end of the year - following a recruitment spree in the first half of 2018 - in hotspots such as Melbourne, Sydney, Tokyo and Singapore.

This year alone, the company has won industry recognition from Gartner  for data masking and application development  as well as from Deloitte, Inc. Magazine and other notable organizations.

Globally, the company serves some of the largest brands in the world, including two of the top-five banks, two of the top-five telecoms players, two of the top-five health insurance firms, and two of the top-five retailers.

About Delphix

Delphix's mission is to free companies from data friction and accelerate innovation. Fortune 100 companies use the Delphix Dynamic Data Platform to connect, virtualize, secure and manage data in hybrid cloud environments or anywhere it might live. For more information visit www.delphix.com

Follow Delphix on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
English Lithuanian

Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius, AB (hereinafter  the Company or ESO), code 304151376, registered office address Aguonu St. 24, Vilnius. The total number of the registered ordinary shares issued by Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius, AB is 894 630 333; ISIN code  LT0000130023.

Acting in accordance with Article 37(2)(7) of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, the Decision of the Board of the Company regarding the conclusion of the contract on the sale of the public electricity supply operations (hereinafter  the Business segment) with Lietuvos Duju Tiekimas, UAB (hereinafter  LDT) was approved by the Supervisory Board of the Company on 29 August 2018 on the basis of positive opinion of the Audit Committee of the parent company Lietuvos Energija, UAB.

The Business segment sold by the Company to LDT is represented by the public electricity supply operations carried out in the territory specified in the license for the public electricity supply operations for the benefit of the customers referred to in Article 43 of the Law on Electricity of the Republic of Lithuania at State-regulated prices together with the assets, rights and obligations assigned to the Business segment.

On the basis of the valuation conducted by an independent property valuer UAB Ernst & Young Baltic, the price of the Business segment being sold was set at EUR 30,520,000 (thirty million five hundred twenty thousand euros) that the LDT shall pay to the Company. Given that the public supply electricity operations constituting the Business segment are continuous which causes changes in the Business segment in the period from the cut-off balance sheet of 30 June 2018 until the transfer of the Business segment on 1 October 2018, the price of the Business segment as specified below can be adjusted.

According to the provisions of the Contract, the ownership rights to the Business segment shall be transferred to LDT on 1 October 2018, on the basis of the Statement on the Transfer-Acceptance of the Business segment signed by the Company and LDT. Until that date the Company will continue operating as a public electricity supplier.

Having sold the public energy supply operations to LDT, the Company will continue generating proceeds for the distribution of electric energy and natural gas, operation, maintaining, control and development of electricity and natural gas grids, ensuring their safety and reliability.

The customers will be notified of any changes in the organisation of the public supply of electricity in advance.





Representative for Public Relations of Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB Tomas Kavaliauskas, e-mail: tomas.kavaliauskas@eso.lt, tel. +370 61751616

Attachment
Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke was cited in local media as saying the government will conduct a feasibility study on building the port.

He said the feasibility study would be carried out by the Port Klang Authority (LPK) from November and was expected to take about a year.

"After the study is done, the findings will be tabled to the Cabinet for a decision whether to offer the job to a concessionaire through open tender or appoint a company based on their capability," Loke said.

He said the study would encompass 16 aspects including marketability, environmental impact assessment and social impact on the local community.

Read More: Mahathir's shock Malaysian election victory puts China Belt & Road investments in spotlight

Loke noted that the Carey Island project, which will be the third and largest container terminal in the area involving a land area of 283 ha and which is slated to have massive capacity of 30m teu, will not have an immediate impact on the existing terminals at Northport and Westport as it is meant to be a long term project to meet future needs. Both Northport and Westport in Port Klang will reach their maximum capacities by 2025.

Loke also responded to a previous announcement by the former transport minister Liow Tiong Lai last year that the project was to be undertaken by Chinese investors, by noting that no company from China had stated its commitment to do the job.
Kouvelis, 70, is a colourful independent, has no known knowledge of shipping, and has flirted with politics across the board, though usually on the left.

He takes over the Piraeus portfolio as the countrys seafarers reiterated they will go ahead with a planned 24-hour strike 3 on September. A meeting of the Panhellenic Seamens Federation (PNO) at the time of Kouvelis' appointment decided to go ahead with the action, though owners of ferries working in the domestic network claim it will leave 180,000 passengers, 50,000 cars and over 3,000 trucks stranded. Indeed, the seafarers have threatened to extend their action past just one day.

The Association of Greek Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN) in a letter, August 21, to the PNO, proposed the renewal of the workers collective labour contract. Seafarers are demanding salary hikes and tax breaks. SEEN points out that of the 14 PNO demands, 12 concern other competent bodies and can only be solved "as part of a general change in government policy for workers and pensioners".

Kouroumplis, 66, had been Minister since November 2016, having replaced Thodoris Dritsas. The outgoing Minister, a veteran socialist and ex-Interior Minister and Social Solidarity Minister, becomes the ruling Syriza partys parliamentary spokesman. Long standing deputy Shipping Minister, Nektarios Santorinios, remains in his position, though his title changes to alternate Minister.

With a general election scheduled for next spring, but expected to happen sooner Tsipras' close associates stayed though some new faces were brought in while key ministry posts in the 53-strong cabinet were untouched. Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos all kept their jobs.
Press Release

August 30, 2018 De Lima denounces death threat vs anti-drug war priest Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has denounced the death threat against activist priest Fr. Amado Picardal who is being deliberately targeted for speaking out against extrajudicial killings under the Duterte administration's bloody war on drugs, De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad, said the death threat on Picardal's life is a serious matter that should not be put on the back burner. "It must be taken very seriously. There should be a thorough investigation of reports on suspicious men 'casing' out his movements and threatening his security so that these blatant threats on his life can be stopped," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 369. In his Aug. 26 blog post, Picardal claimed he found himself the target of a death squad and "almost became a victim of extrajudicial killing and the 4th priest to be killed under the Duterte Regime" because he criticized Mr. Duterte. "Has President Duterte finally ordered my hit? Or is it just some zealous henchman trying to please him? My source informed me that that the order came from Malacanang. But I cannot confirm it. I do not have the complete answer. All I know is that there is a death squad determined to kill me," he wrote. Picardal, who has been in hiding for fear of his safety, narrated that some workers in a Catholic monastery that he visits in Cebu City confirmed seeing motorcycle-riding men watching the compound, including a pair who asked for his whereabouts. According to him, he believes he also became a target of the dreaded death squad when he acted as the spokesperson of the Coalition Against Summary Execution which monitored EJKs and assisted the Commission on Human Rights-which De Lima formerly chaired-and the Human Rights Watch to investigate these killings. Under Duterte's administration, three priests have already been killed including Fathers Richmond Nilo and Marcelito Paez of Nueva Ecija, and Mark Ventura of Cagayan. Despite these threats, De Lima said she remains confident that Fr. Picardal will not lose courage in challenging the death squads and their leaders, as he continues to help the families of EJK victims in their search for justice. "Any harm that will befall him can only be attributed to the powers-that-be who are responsible for the thousands of killings of poor Filipinos. The threat on Fr. Picardal is just another manifestation of the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of EJKs in the country," she said. The Senator from Bicol reminded the Redemptorist priest that he is not alone on his fight, saying, "We are with Fr. Picardal every step of the way. Fr. Picx, hindi ka nag-iisa. We pray for your safety and continued strength." De Lima, a staunch advocate for human dignity, was the first public official who called for a Senate investigation into the spate of extrajudicial killings under the administration's murderous war on drugs barely two weeks since she assumed office. Even in detention, she continues to speak up against the murderous policies of the Duterte administration that resulted in the death of thousands of suspected drug offenders as well as innocent children and students.
Press Release

August 30, 2018 De Lima files a bill raising statutory age of rape from 12 to 18 Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has filed a measure seeking to raise the age of sexual consent from the current 12 to 18 years old in a bid to protect young people from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse. De Lima, a known human rights advocate here and abroad, filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1949 which seeks to increase the age of consent in order to provide a stronger protection of children, particularly against the crime of rape. "It is vital to delineate childhood from adulthood, and to take a second look at the choices we allow our children, despite the scarcity of their experience and wisdom to independently take," she said. "In increasing the age of consent to 18 years old, the State is sending a message - loud and clear - the youth will be protected by all means and at all costs," she added. Under the present law, notably Republic Act (RA) No. 8353, also known as the "1997 Anti-Rape Law," rape is committed against a victim who is under 12 years old or is demented. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the country's age of sexual consent is however alarming because it is by standards in many countries to be one of the lowest in the world and the lowest in the region. "It is imperative that we look into the realities that surround the Filipino youth," the former justice secretary said, pointing out that in the Philippines, a 12-year-old has only reached his or her 6th grade who has barely gone through puberty. She noted a 12-year-old hardly knows about sexual intercourse due to the lack of sex education, including being prohibited from availing condoms and other contraception until reaching age of majority or she has conceived or suffered a miscarriage. "Allowing our children at the tender age of 12 years old to decide on their own whether the time is proper to engage in sexual intercourse would be like abandoning them blindfold in a tunnel of mazes," she said. "In putting the age of consent on the same level as that of the age of majority, the State would safeguard the innocence of the youth, prevent sexual predators from deflowering our children, and finally put premium on the virtue of the hope of this nation," she added. Based on the latest records of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Davao City has the highest number of rape cases among major cities in the country, registering a 42 rape cases during the 2nd quarter of this year. In the same official records, 41 rape cases were registered in Quezon City, followed by 32 in Manila City, 24 in Cagayan de Oro City, and 21 in Zamboanga City during the same quarter of 2018.
Press Release

August 30, 2018 STATEMENT OF SEN. LEILA M. DE LIMA IN COMMEMORATION OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE VICTIMS OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE Today the world observes the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance as institutionalized in the 2010 General Assembly Resolution of the United Nations. I join this day of remembrance to honor the lives of each individual victim of enforced disappearance, many of whom were human rights defenders in their respective countries. In the Philippines, there are about 2,344 reported victims with the highest data during the years of Marcos dictatorship. We have become familiar with the cases of Jonas Burgos, Sheryl Cadapan, Karen Empeno, and the numerous recent victims of the sham drug war of Rodrigo Duterte. In the 2017 Universal Periodic Review of the Philippines, member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council recommended some remedial measures, including the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. In 2012, Republic Act No. 10353, or the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act of 2012, was enacted. Besides criminalizing enforced disappearance as an egregious act against life and personal security, it also underscores the constitutional authority of the Commission on Human Rights to undertake unannounced visits to places of detention and confinement, an important mechanism to ensure that persons deprived of liberty, including those arbitrarily arrested and detained, would remain alive and safe from torture or any degrading treatment. As we remember the missing, let us endeavor for a better world for all of us, where there is no place for fear and violence. Let us work together in crafting and promoting laws and internationally recognized standards that fully respect the dignity of every human person. Let us all strive for a world without the desaparecidos. LEILA M. DE LIMA
Press Release

August 30, 2018 Gatchalian urges MIAA to address "simple things" to improve passenger convenience Senator Win Gatchalian hopes that the short-term solutions airport authorities are working on to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) would focus on "the simple things" that would have a big impact on airline performance and improve passenger convenience. During the Senate Public Services Committee hearing on the Xiamen Air runway excursion incident at NAIA, Gatchalian showed a photo, which he said he took during one of his flights, of passengers boarding a Philippine Airlines plane from the ground despite the availability of a tube or jet bridge at one of the gates of NAIA Terminal 3. "Based on the terminal access points, there are about 50 terminal access points in NAIA, and based on these access points, kaya naman po na sabay-sabay bumaba at umakyat sa mga eroplano. So ibig sabihin mas mabilis po 'yong deplaning at mas mabilis po 'yong boarding. Unfortunately, this is a normal occurrence na nakikita namin sa bagong terminal sa Terminal 3 na mayroong tube pero 'di ginagamit. And as you can see here, there were senior citizens, pregnant women, parents holding children while boarding in the rain, but the tube was not used. And this contributes to the delay," Gatchalian said. He added that he approached the maintenance crew and was informed the tube was not being used because the spare parts for its repair had not yet arrived. "Sana 'yong mga short-term solutions natin, maaddress 'yong mga ganitong simpleng bagay na napakalaking bagay para sa ating mga pasahero. These spare parts will improve the turn-around time, will improve passenger convenience, and it will improve on-time performance of the airline," Gatchalian told Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal. The lawmaker said based on his research and upon talking to aviation experts, the slow boarding and deplaning of passengers cause longer turn-around times for aircrafts, which in turn decrease the maximum events per hour (take-offs and landings per hour) on NAIA's two intersecting runways. "Secretary Tugade mentioned short-term solutions and we did our research. Itong intersecting runways, hindi po ito iba sa ibang bansa. In fact, sa Turkey sa Ataturk Airport, and sa [London] Heathrow, intersecting runways din po sila. But these airports can accept 60 to 65 events per hour or 60 to 65 takeoffs and landings per hour. Right now, the maximum at NAIA is only 50 events per hour. And one of the reasons na natuklasan namin at naririnig din namin ay 'yong turn-around po ng aircrafts ay mabagal," he said. "My point is: focus on the simple things that can improve the number of takeoffs and landings of our current airports," he stressed. Moreover, Gatchalian said airlines are losing almost ?4 billion a year due to their aircrafts being forced to go on holding patterns and circle NAIA as they are unable to land because of congestion. "That ?4 billion can be translated into ticket discounts if we can avoid these kinds of delays," he said.
Press Release

August 30, 2018 Lacson Bill Gives Government Stronger Teeth vs Terrorism

More at: https://pinglacson.net/2018/08/30/lacson-bill-gives-government-stronger-teeth-vs-terrorism/ The government may soon gain a much-needed boost in its fight against terrorism, with a bill filed by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson. Senate Bill 1956, the proposed "Anti-Terrorism Act of 2018," enhances the Human Security Act of 2007 with provisions on foreign terrorists and additional predicate crimes. "While an anti-terror law in itself cannot solve the problem of terrorism, an intensified one can however give the government and the law enforcement agencies the much-needed tool in dealing with the emerging threats of terrorism," said Lacson, who headed the Philippine National Police from 1999 to 2001 and who played a key role in crafting the Human Security Act of 2007 (Republic Act 9372). Lacson lamented that while RA 9372 has been in effect for more than 10 years, gaps in the law prevented authorities from implementing it properly. He added the occupation of Marawi City by the Maute Group in 2017 "revealed the many loopholes of the current anti-terrorism law." He noted the Philippines was ranked the 12th most affected by terrorism by the Global Terror Index in 2017. The recent bombing incident in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat suggests that neither martial law nor the Bangsamoro Organic Law could guarantee peace in Mindanao, Lacson pointed out. "Instead, it is my view that the National Security Council and our ground security forces should take a hard look at their security plans and strategy especially in the South and try to avert the vicious cycle of talking peace with one tribal group while alienating the others," he said. He added the Moro Islamic Liberation Front came into being and became a dominant armed force in Mindanao after we dealt peace with the MNLF. But as government discusses peace with the MILF, a breakaway group is sowing terror. Foreign Terrorists, Terrorist Acts Lacson's bill uses the term "Terrorist Acts" instead of "Terrorism," to remove the requirement of the acts being perpetrated for the purpose of coercing the government to give in to a specific demand. "This has the effect of punishing the act of committing crimes that sow widespread extraordinary fear and panic, and not the purpose behind the commission of such acts," he said. Also, the bill penalizes foreign terrorists, including those who travel to a state other than their state of residence for committing or organizing terrorist acts; and those residing abroad who come to the Philippines in transit to commit or take part in terrorist acts to target countries. But the bill makes it clear that terrorist acts shall exclude legitimate exercises of the freedom of expression and right to peaceably assemble "where a person does not have the intention to use or urge the use of force or violence or cause harm to others." Additional Predicate Crimes, Other Penalties Lacson's bill adds three predicate crimes to the 12 in the present law. These are: - RA 9208, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 - RA 9165, Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 - RA 10175, Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 Covered as well are other analogous acts that tend to cause death or serious bodily injury, or intend to cause risk to the health, safety or security of the public, or intend to seriously interfere with, disrupt or destroy critical infrastructure. Also covered are acts using weapons of mass destruction, proscribed under relevant treaties and conventions where the Philippines is a state party. The bill punishes those recruiting another person to serve in or with an armed force in a foreign state; publishing an ad or propaganda; and other acts with the intention of facilitating or promoting the recruitment of persons to serve in any capacity in or with such armed forces. It penalizes as well the crime of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, proposal to commit terrorist acts, and inciting to commit terrorist acts - which are punishable by life imprisonment without parole. Accomplices to terrorist acts may face imprisonment of 17 to 20 years, while accessories face imprisonment of 10 to 12 years. Public officers found guilty of terrorist acts face perpetual disqualification from holding public office and forfeiture of their retirement benefits. Surveillance, Detention Under the bill, law enforcement or military personnel may conduct surveillance on suspected terrorists upon written authorization by the Anti-Terrorism Commission, and upon granting of a judicial authorization by the Court of Appeals and the regional trial court that has territorial jurisdiction over the area where the suspected persons are located. The judicial authorization shall be good for up to 90 days. Surveillance conducted without a judicial authorization may mean imprisonment of 10 to 12 years. If no case is filed after the judicial authorization lapses, the law enforcement or military official shall inform the subject of the surveillance. Failure to do so may mean imprisonment of 10 to 12 years. In case of an actual or reasonable belief of imminent terrorist attack, the ATC may file an ex-parte application before the CA or RTC to instruct the Department of Information and Communications Technology to compel telecom and internet service providers to produce all customer information and call and text data records of any person suspected of terrorist attacks. Access to any information gathered through surveillance shall be limited to the applicants, duly authorized ATC personnel, hearing justices or judge, clerk of court, and duly authorized personnel of the hearing or issuing court. Law enforcement or military officers or any custodian who destroys the recordings, notes or memoranda face imprisonment of six to 12 years. Unauthorized revelation of classified materials will be punishable by imprisonment of six months to six years. Meanwhile, the bill allows the detention of a suspect for up to 30 days even without a valid arrest warrant, provided that the detention was a result of the surveillance defined in the bill. However, false prosecution may be punishable by damages of up to P50,000. Furnishing false or spurious evidence is punishable by imprisonment of panfi12 to 20 years. Anti-Terrorism Commission Under the bill, the Anti-Terror Council is transformed into the Anti-Terrorism Commission, an agency attached to the Office of the President for policy coordination. The ATC shall be headed by the Executive Secretary as chairperson, and have four commissioners appointed by the President, with the rank of undersecretary. The ATC has the power to: - Monitor the progress of investigation and prosecution of all persons accused and/or detained for terrorist crimes - Enlist the assistance of and file appropriate action with the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze the funds and other assets of those suspected of terrorist acts - Coordinate with other states, jurisdictions, international entities and organizations in preventing and combatting international terrorism - Act on relevant resolutions from the United Nations Security Council, and on foreign requests The ATC shall also lead the formulation and implementation of a strategic plan to prevent and combat terrorism, enlisting the assistance of government agencies and non-government organizations. It shall investigate motu propio or upon complaint any report of abuse, malicious application or improper implementation of the provisions of the bill. In the interim, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency shall serve as the ATC's secretariat. The Commission on Human Rights shall give the highest priority to the investigation and prosecution of violations of civil and political rights of persons in relation to the implementation of this Act. Schools to Promote Peace, Inclusivity The bill requires the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to promulgate rules promoting peace and inclusivity in schools. "Any school, learning center and training institutions found to be promoting or encouraging acts of violence, extremism, terrorist acts or any act prohibited by this bill shall have its license revoked and shall immediately cease operation," Lacson said.
Press Release

August 30, 2018 Transcript of Sen. Joel Villanueva's ANC Headstart interview on SOGIE Karen Davila: This isn't a proposal pushing for same sex marriage. Am I right? Senator Joel Villanueva: It shouldn't be. The author of the measure already admitted that it is not, not even a prelude to same sex marriage. So if it is really an anti-discrimination measure, we should work on it. KD: In social media, you are lumped with Senate President Tito Sotto, Senator Manny Pacquiao who are known conservatives. You understand? But it seems now that you are sharing it. SJV: It's not just the three of us, Karen. There are so many senators out there. Believe me, they are not as vocal as the three of us. Because of the issues that we are confronting is that somehow now it appears that we are trying to legislate based on feelings. For example, if I feel like a woman today, I can go to the women's bathroom. What would prevent the Congress from passing a measure na anti-discrimination na based on age naman, for instance. Na ang sasabihin naman for example, yung bata 15 years old nagda-drive ng sasakyan tapos ang sasabihin niya 'E I feel like I'm 22 years old. I'm 15 years old but I feel like I'm 22 years old.' KD: But that's taking it too far. SJV: Exactly. That is if you do it. That is if you legislate a law based on how you feel. KD: But this is why I have to correct you about the LGBT community. It's not on how they feel, it's what they are identified with. SJV: I respect that. I wanted to protect that preference on how you wanted to be identified. That's why we have to come up with mechanisms to make sure that it will not be abused. For instance, there's a group of people laughing and you feel na ikaw yung pinagtatawanan based on your identification. What if di naman ikaw (yung pinagtatawanan)? And you filed charges against these people? KD: But how would you prove it in court naman? SJV: How? How? KD: I want kasi what's in the bill. I'll give you an example. You are a private corporation and you have all types of employees. Someone comes in who identifies herself as a transgender. The boss says, 'You know what? I respect your gender identification but we are an investment firm. You need to wear pants.' That's more concrete. That's very real ah. Let's discuss that. Sabi niya, 'we respect your preference but you cannot cross-dress but then sabi ng LGBT community, 'Cross-dressing for us is how we are identified.' Paano yun? SJV: I would support the company because that's the company culture e. KD: That you have to dress like a man? SJV: If it's a uniform then you have to dress... KD: Hindi, walang uniform. Civilian. SJV: But Karen the example is like the student manual of some universities. It's the same thing. If you cannot submit to the culture and the policy, beliefs of this religious organization...you have to respect it. KD: That's why I took out the religious side. This is a company. Isn't that discrimination? Because I can't Imagine telling someone 'You know, dress like me. Because I think the way I dress is the right thing.' SJV: Paano if it's a company policy? It is a company policy that they don't allow cross-dressing. So it is your choice if you want to apply for this company or not. KD: You don't see that as discrimination? SJV: I don't see it because there's a company policy e. If there's a company policy, it is a different story when all of a sudden company policy changes because there's someone applying here for a job. KD: Who's to say that a man cannot wear a skit? That's the question, e. SJV: That's a company policy e. If there's none... KD: But a woman can wear pants. I can dress like a man. I don't think my boss can stop me. SJV: If it has nothing to do with your work. For instance, if you're going to a crane for instance and you wanted to... KD: Hindi yan yun e. Ang issue ng discrimination is something like that. You're in an office and you... SJV: I already answered, Karen. If it is a company policy, you have to submit. It has nothing to do with your competence. It has nothing to do with the job being asked of you. It is a company policy and how you dress. KD: And you don't feel that discriminates their right to express themselves? SJV: Yes. Because that is a company policy e. KD: Is Senator Risa willing to remove that? SJV: I will raise it in the coming (deliberations). KD: Because religious freedom is one thing. But talk about normal companies. I think that's the bigger issues. Yung sabihan ka ng boss mo, you're in a BPO... SJV: If you talk about public sector for instance baka pwede pa e, but this is a private company, Karen. For example, you are a world-class designer of wedding gowns. Ang talagang magwwear lang nito ay yung body of a woman and then there comes a guy who wanted to wear it. May kontrata ka na gawan siya ng tarje de boda. And you declined because yun nga ang design mo e. Will you be criminalized for not selling the dress? Yes. How would you protect these designers? KD: This is quite interesting because there's a big range. SJV: That's what we want to address. Again, I am for anti-discrimination measures. We love the LGBT community. I have a lot of friends who are LGBT personalities and I hope and pray that we'll be able to come up with measure that will really address anti-discrimination practices. KD: Ok. On that note, Senator Joel Villanueva, What a pleasure to have you. You were very passionate about the SOGIE. SJV: Everything, everything. Thank you.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FinCanna Capital Corp. (FinCanna) (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) a royalty company for the U.S. licensed medical cannabis industry is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Robert Kamm to its Board of Directors.



Mr. Kamm has over 25 years of experience operating and advising businesses from large Fortune 500 corporations to venture capital backed companies and has served on Boards of Directors of both public and private companies during this time period. He also formerly held the position of Vice President of Union Bank, Los Angeles. Mr. Kamm currently represents FinCanna on the Board of Directors of Cultivation Technologies Inc., a FinCanna investee company.

Mr. Kamm is currently a principle and the Entrepreneur in Residence at Sandy Hill Venture Capital. Founded in 2007, Sandy Hill is a San Francisco Bay area firm that invests in and advises emerging business in the Clean Tech, Fintech, Healthcare, Internet Security, and Software industries. Mr. Kamm is an active participant in the Bay Area investment community and is an original and active member of the Keiretsu Forum. Founded in 2007 the Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of over 2,500 accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional investors. It is one of the largest angel investment organizations globally with 52 chapters on 3 continents, whose members to date have invested over $800 million dollars in over 800 companies.

Mr. Kamm is also an active member of Pitchforce, a San Francisco based forum that assists young entrepreneurs seeking venture capital. Mr. Kamm holds a Masters of Business Administration degree in finance and strategy from UCLA.

We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Kamm to our Board of Directors, said Andriyko Herchak, President and CEO of FinCanna Capital. Bob has a wide range of business expertise and skills all of which will serve us well as we begin to accelerate our growth trajectory over this next time period. He has an exceptional history of identifying and building high growth companies and we look forward to him applying his talents to the future success of FinCanna. I would also like to thank Mr. Jeff Tindale for his invaluable service on our Board of Directors since FinCannas inception and welcome his continued involvement with FinCanna on our Board of Advisors.

I am delighted to be joining the Board of FinCanna, said Mr. Kamm. Ive been actively involved in the cannabis space since 2016 and see an enormous opportunity in the US and California in particular. I believe the FinCanna royalty business model is ideally suited to support the industry as it breaks out into its next level of growth. Ive spent most of my career identifying, analysing and building high growth companies and I look forward to applying my skill set with FinCanna. The company has assembled a solid portfolio of royalty investments and I welcome the opportunity to play an integral role with the FinCanna team as it pursues its continued development and expansion.

Mr. Jeff Tindale has resigned from the FinCanna Board of Directors making way for Mr. Kamms appointment. Mr. Tindale will continue to act on FinCannas Board of Advisors.

On August 29, 2018 FinCanna issued a total of 450,000 incentive stock options to a director and an advisor with an exercise price of $0.30 per share and a term of five years.

About FinCanna Capital Corp.

FinCanna provides financing to top-tier companies in the licensed medical cannabis industry in exchange for a royalty on revenues. FinCanna, led by a team of finance and industry experts, is building its diversified portfolio of royalty investments in scalable, best-in-class projects and companies in U.S. legal states, with a focus on California. For additional information visit www.fincannacapital.com and FinCannas profile at www.sedar.com.

FinCanna Capital Corp.

Andriyko Herchak, CEO & Director

Investor Relations:

Arlen Hansen

Kin Communications

1-866-684-6730

CALI@kincommunications.com

Cautionary Note Regarding 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, statements about how the developing U.S. legal regime will impact the cannabis industry. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the 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 risks identified in the CSE listing statement and other reports and filings with the applicable Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the respective companies 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. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by applicable law.
Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri has stood aside from her portfolios while Ministerial Services investigates a staffing issue in her office.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today said she's accepted Whaitiri's offer to relinquish her portfolios while the probe takes place. The PM was told of the matter yesterday.

"Meka Whaitiri has told me she will be fully cooperating with the investigation, which will be thorough and conducted as quickly as possible," Ardern said in a statement. She said neither she nor Whaitiri will comment further on the matter while the investigation is underway citing "privacy concerns".

Whaitiri is the second minister in less than a week to come under scrutiny after ICT Minister Clare Curran was demoted from Cabinet and stripped of her open government portfolios. Whaitiri sat outside Cabinet and was touted as a potential candidate to get elevated to the inner circle of the executive.

Kris Faafoi will take over as acting customs minister, while Whaitiri's associate roles in agriculture, Crown/Maori relations, forestry and local government will revert to the lead ministers. Her delegations include animal welfare and Maori agribusiness, and developing innovation and upskilling in the forestry sector.

Her stand-down comes a month before new customs law takes effect, aligning the 20-year old legislation to new business practices and technology. It also comes at a time when Customs New Zealand has been operating with an acting comptroller, Christine Stevenson, since June last year.

The previous comptroller, Carolyn Tremain, was appointed chief executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment earlier this month, having held the role in an acting capacity since June last year.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

2nd November 2021 Morning Report

DGL Group Limited (NZX: DGC) AUSBlue and Profill Industries Acquisition Complete

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Wins Top Australasian Award

T&G Global Limited (NZX: TGG) Sale and Leaseback of 22 Whakatu Road, Hastings

ArborGen Holdings Limited (NZX: ARB) ArborGen Holdings Announces Sale of ArborGen's ANZ Business

Z Energy Limited (NZX: ZEL) Negotiations with Refining NZ

1st November 2021 Morning Report

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited (NZX: AFT) US FDA Accepts Maxigesic IV New Drug Application

The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) Update on Customer Negotiations

General Capital Limited (NZX: GEN) Subsidiary General Finance Update


Vectors major shareholder is seeking a special meeting to formally remove company chair Mike Stiassny from that role.

Entrust, which holds 75 percent of the firms shares on behalf of customers of the former Auckland Electric Power Board, said it has taken the unprecedented step due to an irrevocable breakdown in its relationship with Stiassny, who is due to step down at the companys annual meeting in October.

Entrust chair William Cairns said the trustees made the difficult decision last week.

Since May, when Entrust decided not to support Mr Stiassnys re-election, his behaviour has changed, Cairns said in an emailed statement.

We have lost confidence and it is now time to take action to remove him as chairman.

The trust has sought a special meeting on or before Oct. 5. The Vector AGM is scheduled for Oct. 29 - three days after voting closes for the Entrust elections.

Cairns said that since May Stiassny had made a number of decisions the trust did not consider were in the interests of shareholders, including delaying the companys AGM by a month. His suggestion to media that the trust may look to sell down its holding in the company to help Auckland fund its infrastructure deficit had also caused unnecessary distress to consumers.

There is no basis in fact for this suggestion and Entrust is concerned that these comments were made by Mr Stiassny for the purpose of discrediting trustees and furthering a personal agenda.

Stiassny said the call for the special meeting is the second time some trustees have tried to threaten him in order to change the date of the annual meeting.

He said it was "simply bizarre" that the trust would want to incur the added cost of a special meeting when they know he has no intention of staying on the board.

"This is not an attempt by me to stay on. I am stepping down and they know it," he told BusinessDesk.

He said the date of the annual meeting - which will follow the upcoming Entrust elections - was set by the Vector board. While previous meetings have been in September, they can be held any time before Christmas, he said. The meeting had never been scheduled for September and the board members voted individually and not, as the trust's statement would suggest, at his direction.

"I think that is offensive to my fellow directors and would infer that they would act improperly."

Stiassny said the call for the special meeting appears to reflect heightened infighting within the trust.

"It is sad and it is disappointing because they are the 75 percent shareholder in Vector."

Investors were surprised in May when Entrust, formerly the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust, opted not to support Stiassnys re-election as chair.

Today Cairns reiterated that that decision was based on tenure and was made after taking independent advice.

Stiassny joined the Vector board in 2002 and has chaired the company for most of the past 16 years. In that time the firm acquired the Waitemata and Wellington networks of UnitedNetworks, bought gas distributor NGC, expanded into broadband and started its own metering business. It subsequently sold its Wellington power network and non-Auckland gas pipelines and has expanded into commercial-scale solar and battery storage, and metering in Australia.

Disharmony among Entrust trustees seems to have increased ahead of the coming elections. Earlier this week trustee Karen Sherry told Stuff that Stiassny's removal had been unprofessional and lacking in transparency. Earlier this year trustee James Carmichael went to court to challenge the eligibility of fellow trustee Paul Hutchison to stand during the 2015 elections. Last month the trust said Carmichael would be replaced on the Vector board by Michael Buczkowski.

While the trust vote will close before the Vector AGM, the final official count - including special votes - is not expected to be completed until Oct. 31.

Last week Stiassny told journalists and analysts after Vector's full-year earnings announcement that there had been a lot more "noise" in the financial community during the past eight months about the possibility of Entrust selling down its stake to help Auckland Council meet its funding needs. The council is the capital beneficiary of the trust.

Today Cairns reiterated that the current trustees have no plans to sell down the Vector holding.

Entrusts shares in Vector are not for sale and we are committed to the ongoing payment of dividends to the community, based on Vectors financial performance  end of story.

(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:

2nd November 2021 Morning Report

DGL Group Limited (NZX: DGC) AUSBlue and Profill Industries Acquisition Complete

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Wins Top Australasian Award

T&G Global Limited (NZX: TGG) Sale and Leaseback of 22 Whakatu Road, Hastings

ArborGen Holdings Limited (NZX: ARB) ArborGen Holdings Announces Sale of ArborGen's ANZ Business

Z Energy Limited (NZX: ZEL) Negotiations with Refining NZ

1st November 2021 Morning Report

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited (NZX: AFT) US FDA Accepts Maxigesic IV New Drug Application

The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) Update on Customer Negotiations

General Capital Limited (NZX: GEN) Subsidiary General Finance Update


Warehouse Group now expects its full-year adjusted net profit to be approximately 10 percent higher than it previously forecast and announced plans for a $25.6 million impairment of goodwill related to Torpedo7 as it expands into physical stores.

"Following a stronger than expected end to the trading year in its core Red Sheds and Noel Leeming businesses" the company now expects adjusted net profit for the 12 months to July 29 to be in a range of $58 million to $59.5 million versus the $50 million to $53 million range it forecast in March, it said. The result is 12 percent to 15 percent lower than the prior year, but includes the full accrual for this years Short Term Incentive Plan, it said.

It also said it proposes recognizing a $25.6 million impairment of the goodwill relating to Torpedo7, which is the full remaining goodwill carrying amount that was created when the Warehouse Group bought the business in 2013 and 2014.

The proposal to write-off Torpedo7s goodwill is primarily attributed to the repositioning of that business from an online pure play model to a combined physical store and online business, consistent with other retail businesses in the group, it said.

"As a consequence of that shift, the future cash flows, which reflect an investment in a store expansion programme, no longer support the goodwill valuation associated with the original acquisition."

The strategy to expand into physical retail to drive scale in the business is supported by the relative out-performance of the existing Torpedo7 stores compared to online channels, it said.

In support of the strategy, it will also relocate the majority of Torpedo7s operational functions from Hamilton to Auckland, sell the Shotgun supplements business, fold-in the No.1 fitness business as a product category rather than a standalone business, and scale back the Australian online presence.

Warehouse Group said it proposes that the non-cash impairment be recognised in The Warehouse Groups statutory accounts for the 12 months to July 29, to be released on Sept 21.

This impairment, however, remains subject to audit by The Warehouse Groups auditors, PwC.

The stock last traded at $2.04 and is down 1.9 percent so far this year.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

2nd November 2021 Morning Report

DGL Group Limited (NZX: DGC) AUSBlue and Profill Industries Acquisition Complete

Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Wins Top Australasian Award

T&G Global Limited (NZX: TGG) Sale and Leaseback of 22 Whakatu Road, Hastings

ArborGen Holdings Limited (NZX: ARB) ArborGen Holdings Announces Sale of ArborGen's ANZ Business

Z Energy Limited (NZX: ZEL) Negotiations with Refining NZ

1st November 2021 Morning Report

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited (NZX: AFT) US FDA Accepts Maxigesic IV New Drug Application

The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) Update on Customer Negotiations

General Capital Limited (NZX: GEN) Subsidiary General Finance Update


Dublin, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The Corporate Reputation of Pharma Companies, 2017 - The Patient Perspective of 52 Skin Patient Groups - Skin Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering

Skin patient groups are more appreciative of pharma than patient groups in most other therapy areas - especially companies that are demonstrating an increasing investment in skin-conditions R&D

The percentage of skin patient groups believing that the pharma industry's corporate reputation was Excellent or Good has increased in the last few yearsfrom 45% in 2015, to 60% in 2017. The latter figure is significantly higher than the equivalent 2017 average among patient groups of all therapy areas (43%). Furthermore, skin patient groups ranked the pharmaceutical industry 1st out of nine healthcare sectors for corporate reputation in 2017 (in 2016, they had ranked the industry 2nd).

The reason for these positive views has much to do with some pharma companies' latest R&D output in the field of dermatology. The importance that skin patient groups place on new product development can be seen from Chart 2, which compares the views of skin patient groups with those of the attitudes of patient groups from 22 other specialties.

Thus, in 2017, as many as 62% of the 52 skin patient groups thought that the pharmaceutical industry was Excellent or Good at innovation. Only patient groups specialising in pulmonary hypertension and haemophilia were more positive about the industry's ability to innovate in 2017.

Attitudes to pharma differ by type of skin patient group

However, attitudes among the various types of skin patient groups vary, according to the scale of pharma investment in their particular dermatological area. For instance, patient groups specialising in alopecia are more negative towards pharma's R&D than those specialising in atopic dermatitis, eczema, or psoriasis.

How can pharma improve?



The 52 skin patient groups respondent to the 2017 'Corporate Reputation of Pharma' survey used their comments to outline some of the issues facing new skin-treatment products:

The need for a more holistic approach to skin diseases and their treatment (involving not just medication).

More convenient methods of administering dosage. One suggestion was the creation of patient-advocacy boards, through which patients could give their feedback regarding the development of pill bottles, blister packs, aids to help opening the above items, etc.

High prices can form a barrier to patient uptake of skin treatments (particularly in countries where skin conditions such as psoriasis are still considered a mere cosmetic, rather than a truly medical, problem). Pricing is a factor that, in general, requires to be tackled-especially with the launch of costly biologics. Patient groups add, though, that their views can help establish real medical needs - not just those determined by clinicians and pharma - thereby validating access to treatment.

Respondent skin patient groups suggested that the pharmaceutical industry could better determine real patient safety concerns by gathering information on patient experiences. For instance, many patients with a skin condition would like to receive an assurance that a product does not contain allergens (such as perfume). Patients also want access to continuously-updated patient-safety information, above and beyond what is contained in the medicine's patient-information leaflet.

A number of skin patient groups referred to their familiarity with the range of challenges faced by patients with skin conditions. Such in-depth expertise means that greater consultation with patient groups by the industry could only enhance the quality of R&D.

Report Highlights



Novartis was ranked overall 1st for corporate reputation out of 15 companies in 2017 by skin patient groups familiar with the company. The company was also ranked 1st for as many as nine of the 12 indicators of corporate reputation by skin patient groups familiar with it.

was ranked overall 1st for corporate reputation out of 15 companies in 2017 by skin patient groups familiar with the company. The company was also ranked 1st for as many as nine of the 12 indicators of corporate reputation by skin patient groups familiar with it. Sanofi made the biggest leap up the corporate-reputation rankings among skin patient groups familiar with it - ranking 9th in 2017, compared with 15th in 2016.

Companies Mentioned



Abbvie

Amgen

Astrazeneca

Bayer

Boehringer Ingelheim

Celgene

Eli Lilly

GSK

Janssen

Leo Pharma

Merck & Co

Novartis

Pfizer

Roche

Sanofi

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/39rlpq/corporate?w=12





Did you know that we also offer Custom Research? Visit our Custom Research page to learn more and schedule a meeting with our Custom Research Manager.
Arlington, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE: RST), a world leader in technology-based learning solutions, today announced that John Hass, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Tom Pierno, Chief Financial Officer, will be participating at upcoming September investor conferences as follows:

On September 6, Rosetta Stone will be participating in the Dougherty 2018 Institutional Investors Conference to be held at the Millennium Hotel in Minneapolis, MN.

On September 13, Rosetta Stone will be participating in the BMO 18th Annual Back to School Conference to be held at the InterContinental Barclay in New York, NY. John Hass, President and Chief Executive Officer, will host a fireside chat at 4:15 p.m. E.T. A link to a live audio webcast will be available prior to the event, and archived for a period of 180 days, on the Rosetta Stone investor relations website at http://investors.rosettastone.com.

On September 13, Rosetta Stone will also be participating in the Lake Street Best Ideas Growth (BIG) Conference to be held at the Parker New York in New York, NY.

On September 27, Rosetta Stone will be participating in the Barrington 11th Annual Fall Investment Conference to be held at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, IL.

About Rosetta Stone Inc.

Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE: RST) is dedicated to changing people's lives through the power of language and literacy education. The company's innovative digital solutions drive positive learning outcomes for the inspired learner at home or in schools and workplaces around the world.

Founded in 1992, Rosetta Stone's language division uses cloud-based solutions to help all types of learners read, write and speak more than 30 languages. Lexia Learning, Rosetta Stone's literacy education division, was founded more than 30 years ago and is a leader in the literacy education space. Today, Lexia helps students build fundamental reading skills through its rigorously researched, independently evaluated, and widely respected instruction and assessment programs.

For more information, visit www.rosettastone.com. "Rosetta Stone" is a registered trademark or trademark of Rosetta Stone Ltd. in the United States and other countries.
BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PCS Edventures!.com, Inc., (PCSV) a leading provider of K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education programs and drone products, today provided an operational update for its second quarter of Fiscal Year 2019.

Revenue for Fiscal Year 2019 second quarter-to-date (through August 24, 2018) has exceeded $850,000, which is a 51% increase in revenue reported for the same quarter last fiscal year. July sales more than doubled for FY19 versus FY18.

Another production run of the Companys flagship education drone, the RubiQ, is well underway. While PCS continues to oversee the manufacturing of the drone, the Company is in the final stages of negotiating the outsourcing of RubiQ production. Outsourcing production will free up human resources and provide additional efficiencies as the Company prepares for significantly increased sales volumes.

PCS has initiated the process to file its financial statements and company updates on the OTC Markets website, found at https://www.otcmarkets.com/. The Company has uploaded annual and quarterly reports to the site and updated Company-related information. The Company is investing resources in these actions to better accommodate investors and provide a method through which they can access user-friendly communication about PCS Edventures, thus ultimately enhancing the liquidity of the Companys stock.

In July, the Company purchased 1 million shares of restricted stock from an investor for 2.5 cents per share. The Company is in the process of retiring the shares to reduce the outstanding share count.

Mike Bledsoe, President, commented, We continue to gain momentum on RubiQ sales and are already preparing for greater volume. Our recent purchase of our stock is an indication of managements confidence about the Companys future and its dedication to shareholders.

Todd Hackett, CEO, said, Given our desire to properly communicate our progress to investors, we are providing our financial disclosures and information on the OTC Markets site. This is an important first step in improving our stocks visibility and liquidity.

For more information about PCS Edventures!, visit our website .

About PCS Edventures!

PCS Edventures!.com, Inc. (OTCPK: PCSV) is a Boise, Idaho company that designs and delivers technology-rich products and services for the K-12 market that develop 21st-century skills. PCS programs emphasize experiential learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) and have been deployed at over 7,000 sites in all 50 United States and 17 foreign countries. https://edventures.com.

_ _

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934; actual results could differ materially from such statements.

Contact

Investor Contact: Mike Bledsoe 1.800.429.3110, mikeb@edventures.com

Investor Relations Web Site: pcsv.global
Japan protests as reporter blocked from covering China FM



Tokyo, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



Japan has lodged a protest with China about freedom of speech after Beijing blocked a Japanese reporter from covering a meeting between top diplomats from the two countries.

On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry excluded a reporter from the Sankei Shimbun -- a Japanese conservative daily critical of China -- from a media pool covering the start of a meeting between China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese vice foreign minister Takeo Akiba.

Other Japanese media covering the event in Beijing then boycotted the pool coverage in protest.

"The Japanese government believes that respect for basic human rights including freedom of expression is a universal value in the international community, and ensuring those rights is important in any country," top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo when asked about the incident.

"From this viewpoint, it is extremely regrettable that this kind of affair happened, and we have lodged a protest to the Chinese side," added Suga.

Akiba, who was in Beijing ahead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China expected in October, also protested to his Chinese opposite number Le Yucheng, Suga said.

Suga however said bilateral relations between the two regional rivals are improving.

"The date of Prime Minister Abe's visit is under coordination right now," Suga said, adding that "we hope to push up to a new stage the relationship between Japan and China through visits by high level officials."

Fumihiko Iguchi, executive officer of the Sankei Shimbun, described Beijing's actions as "unfair obstruction of legal newsgathering activities that cannot be ignored."

"We express our regret," he said in a Wednesday statement, adding that the daily "will do our best to continue giving our readers accurate information about the situation in China".
By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent.

Agree
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd6032620)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd67ec2a0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd6032620)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd67ec2a0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd6065af0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd67ec2a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd67ec2a0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5afa088)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd657d140)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd657d140)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd64b7910)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd6427e10)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd64b7910)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd6427e10)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd6496bf8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd6427e10)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd6427e10)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5afbf48)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd64bcc98)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd64bcc98)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd5ee84f0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd68b4b40)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd5ee84f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd68b4b40)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fd646f600)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd68b4b40)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd68b4b40)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fd5af9b78)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd689e7e0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd689e7e0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
English French

Paris, August 30, 2018 - Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services, announces that Angelo Piccirillo has been named Group General Counsel as of September 1st, 2018. Piccirillo will assume responsibility for leading the Global Transversal Legal function, including the Group and Regional legal teams. He succeeds Bob Stern, who is retiring as of August 31, 2018 after 33 years in the company.

Prior to this role, Piccirillo was General Counsel for Global Client Contracts, MED Region, and Corporate Services Segment worldwide at Sodexo. During his 10-year tenure with Sodexo, he helped build the global legal and contract management expertise of the Group, supporting a variety of international client contracts and strategic operations.

Before joining Sodexo, Angelo Piccirillo worked for leading multinationals in the oil and gas industry, and law firms. Angelo Piccirillo is Italian and resides in France.

About Sodexo

Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 100 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over 50 years of experience: from food services, reception, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from services and programs fostering employees' engagement to solutions that simplify and optimize their mobility and expenses management, to in-home assistance, child care centers and concierge services. Sodexo's success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 427,000 employees throughout the world.

Sodexo is included in the CAC 40 and DJSI indices.

Key figures (as of August 31, 2017)

20.7 billion euro in consolidated revenues



427,000 employees



19th largest employer worldwide



80 countries



100 million consumers served daily



11.8 billion euro in market capitalization (as of April 11, 2018)

Contacts
Zone 3 officers responded to a call Saturday night, Aug. 25, around 9 p.m., of an armed robbery at the Rite Aid in the 200 block of Virginia Avenue in Mt. Washington.

Police determined an adult male entered the store, approached a clerk, demanded money and threatened to shoot the clerk. The suspect displayed a gun in his waistband.

The clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of money and the suspect fled.

When police responded, a witness approached officers with information on a possible suspect. Based on that information, officers went to a home on Greenbush Street and found the suspect on the sidewalk.

Other witnesses provided positive identification of the suspect. Video surveillance from the store also showed the suspect.

As a result, Randy Keller, 48, of Beltzhoover was arrested and charged with robbery.

A police spokesperson noted the arrest is a reminder of the importance of community and witness cooperation as an essential piece in violent crime investigations.

Earlier this month, Major Crimes Commander Victor Joseph told the media, "It is no secret that when the community cooperates with law enforcement, those perpetrating violent crimes are held accountable for their actions. ... The value of this type of trust and cooperation cannot be overstated. It sets the community norms as to what types of behavior will not be tolerated by the community, thus reducing the number of violent crimes in that community."
LONDON, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immutep has reported encouraging progress from its in-house and partnered programs over the past few months. Interim data from the TACTI-mel combo study included a 61% response rate from the start of the Keytruda monotherapy screening period among subjects who went on to receive eftilagimod alpha (efti or IMP321) combo therapy. Partners GSK and Novartis are progressing their in-licensed LAG-3 programs into Phase II or proof of concept studies, which increases the likelihood that these programs will return significant value to Immutep. Our valuation has increased to $387m or $12.80/ADR (from $333m or $10.41/ADR).



Our valuation increases to $387m (from $333m). We have increased the probability for the programs partnered with Novartis and GSK, and have increased the forecast uptake of efti in lung cancer. Our valuation is equal to $12.80 per ADR on an undiluted basis (vs $10.41) or $9.08 after accounting for dilution from options, warrants and convertible notes (vs $7.61).



Click here to view the full report.

All reports published by Edison are available to download free of charge from its website

www.edisoninvestmentresearch.com

About Edison: Edison is an investment research and advisory company, with offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East and AsiaPac. The heart of Edison is our world-renowned equity research platform and deep multi-sector expertise. At Edison Investment Research, our research is widely read by international investors, advisers and stakeholders. Edison Advisors leverages our core research platform to provide differentiated services including investor relations and strategic consulting.

Edison is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority .

Edison is not an adviser or broker-dealer and does not provide investment advice. Edisons reports are not solicitations to buy or sell any securities.

For more information please contact Edison:

Dr Dennis Hulme, +61 (0)2 8249 8345

Maxim Jacobs, +1 646 653 7027

healthcare@edisongroup.com
NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global ridesharing market is expected to witness a CAGR of 16.4% to reach USD 148.7 billion by 2024. Increasing vehicular emission leading to move towards a green economy, and demand for reduction of on-road traffic is likely to give impetus to the market growth over the forecast period. Furthermore, integration of smart phone technology with ridesharing services is also expected to fuel the market growth during 2018 to 2024.



Ridesharing is an arrangement connecting passengers with drivers, in a privately or business owned vehicle. Major transport network companies (TNC) use peer-to-peer (P2P) ridesharing business model and charge a commission fee to provide the connecting tools to the customers in the form of a website or an smart phone application. With the move towards a green economy, nations across the globe are looking for a way to restructure their urban transport network, which is likely to give impetus to the market over the forecast period.

Key findings from the report:

The global ridesharing market is likely to experience a CAGR of 16.4% from USD 59.6 billion in 2018 to USD 148.7 billion by 2024

is likely to experience a CAGR of 16.4% from USD 59.6 billion in 2018 to USD 148.7 billion by 2024 Based on expanse, the intra-city segment held the largest share of the market in 2017 and the trend is likely to continue over the forecast period.

held the largest share of the market in 2017 and the trend is likely to continue over the forecast period. Based on ownership, privately owned segment held the largest market share in 2017 owing to major transport network companies using privately owned vehicles

held the largest market share in 2017 owing to major transport network companies using privately owned vehicles Asia Pacific (APAC) is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period. This can be attributed to increasing focus on restructuring the urban transport network and major transport network companies (TNC) investing in the APAC market

is expected to register the highest CAGR over the forecast period. This can be attributed to increasing focus on restructuring the urban transport network and major transport network companies (TNC) investing in the APAC market Based on type, commuting ridesharing segment held the major share in China and the trend is likely to continue from 2018 to 2024

held the major share in China and the trend is likely to continue from 2018 to 2024 On the basis of business model, peer-to-peer segment held the largest share in 2017

held the largest share in 2017 Some of the key companies operating in the market include Uber Technologies Inc.; Lyft Inc.; Mytaxi; Grab; Didi Chuxing Technology Co., Ltd.; Carma Technology Corporation; Gett; BlaBlaCar; ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd.; and Yandex.Taxi, among others

Intra-city segment : Poised to experience fastest growth over the forecast period

Intra-city segment held the largest share of the market in 2017 and the trend is likely to continue over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the major market share of dynamic and daily commuting demographic. Moreover, the traffic congestion problem is likely to propel the market growth over the forecast period.

Browse full research report with TOC on Global Ridesharing Market Outlook, Trend and Opportunity Analysis, Competitive Insights, Actionable Segmentation & Forecast 2024 at: https://www.energiasmarketresearch.com/global-ridesharing-market-outlook-report/

To purchase report: sales@energiasmarketresearch.com

Ridesharing market - Regional insight

Geographically, Asia-Pacific (APAC) is likely to witness the fastest CAGR during 2018-2024. This can be attributed to the huge population in the region. The commuting demographic of this region is likely to be the fastest growing segment in China and India. Moreover, increasing focus on restructuring the urban transport network in the region and major transport network companies (TNC) investing in the APAC market are likely to give impetus to the market growth over the forecast period. Europe and North America are expected to experience significant growth during 2018-2024, owing to strict government regulations limiting vehicular emissions.

The report segments ridesharing market on the basis of type, expanse, target demographic, ownership, business model, and region.

By Type

Commuting Ridesharing

Dynamic Ridesharing

Fixed Long Distance Ridesharing

By Expanse

Intra-city

Inter-city

By Target Demographic

Commuters

Families

Others

By Ownership

Privately Owned

Company Owned

Business Owned

By Business Model

Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

Business-to-Business (B2B)

Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

By Region

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

Middle East and Africa (MEA)

Central and South America

About Energias Market Research Pvt. Ltd. -

Energias Market Research launched with the objective to provide in-depth market analysis, business research solutions, and consultation that is tailored to our clients specific needs based on our impeccable research methodology.

With a wide range of expertise from various industrial sectors and more than 50 industries that include energy, chemical and materials, information communication technology, semiconductor industries, healthcare and daily consumer goods, etc. We strive to provide our clients with a one-stop solution for all research and consulting needs.

Our comprehensive industry-specific knowledge enables us in creating high quality global research outputs. This wide-range capability differentiates us from our competitors.

Contact:

Mr. Alan Andrews

Business Development Manager

For any queries email us: info@energiasmarketresearch.com

To purchase report: sales@energiasmarketresearch.com

Call us: +1-716-239-4915

Visit: https://www.energiasmarketresearch.com/
Trump idea on regulating Google 'unfathomable'



Washington, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



His attacks on Google drew headlines, but President Donald Trump would face an impossible task if his administration tried to regulate the leading internet search engine and its news results.

Legal and media experts say Google and other internet firms enjoy the same constitutional protections on free speech as news outlets, precluding any government interference with the search results that displease the president.

"Each search engine's editorial judgment is much like many other familiar editorial judgments," said Eugene Volokh, a University of California-Los Angeles law professor and author of a 2012 white paper on the constitutional First Amendment protection of search engines.

Volokh said in a blog post on Reason.com after Trump's remarks that algorithms developed by Google and others are "editorial judgments about what users are likely to find interesting and valuable. And all these exercises of editorial judgment are fully protected by the First Amendment."

Eric Goldman, co-director of the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University, said there is ample legal precedent for Google's free-speech rights.

"Search engines fully qualify for First Amendment protections for their search results. Numerous cases going back over 15 years have confirmed this," Goldman said.

"Any effort by Trump to 'fix' search engine results will violate the First Amendment. It's not even a close question."



- Trump's threat -



Trump's comments however stoked debate on the question when he assailed Google for what he termed "rigged" results that hide news from conservative outlets and promote content from what he called "left-wing" media.

Google countered the remarks by saying that "search is not used to set a political agenda and we don't bias our results toward any political ideology."

The president's comments follow criticism from Republican lawmakers including House majority leader Kevin McCarthy who claimed that "conservatives are too often finding their voices silenced" on online platforms.

Trump on Tuesday issued an unspecified warning to tech firms, presumably related to his claims that they suppress conservative views.

He repeated his claim on Wednesday, saying big tech firms "treat conservatives and Republicans very unfairly," but stopped short of calling for regulation.

"You know what we want? Not regulation, we want fairness," he told reporters.

Later Wednesday, Trump posted on Twitter what was purported to be a series of screen grabs that showed Google's home page promoted State of the Union addresses by former president Barack Obama but stopped when he took office, using the hashtag #StopTheBias.



- Don't regulate every interaction -



There is little evidence to show algorithms by online firms are based on politics, and many conservatives -- including Trump himself -- have large a social media following.

Analysts say it would be dangerous to try to regulate how search engines work to please a government or political faction.

"Google is a private company with its own algorithms and the government has absolutely no control in how it conducts business," said Ken Paulson, former USA Today editor who heads the Newseum's First Amendment Center and is dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University.

"The broader threat to First Amendment freedoms comes when the most powerful man in the world repeatedly says that you can only trust him, not news organizations or the search engines that deliver their coverage."

But even without constitutional protection, the idea of regulating billions of Google searches would be an impossible task.

"We deliberately don't regulate every interaction in the economy because we know it's unfathomable," said David Balto, a former Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department enforcement lawyer.

Balto maintained that Trump's suggestion "is an Orwellian concept that might fit well in '1984' but is totally inconsistent with our tenets of democracy."

Other analysts say the Trump comments are merely an attempt to rally his base and raise doubts about news organizations investigating him.

"Authoritarian regimes would love to have that power over search engines," said Ed Black, president and CEO of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, a trade group that includes Google and Facebook.

"The US government should be an advocate against this type of censorship."
Court blocks construction of Canada pipeline to Pacific



Ottawa, Canada, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



A Canadian court on Thursday quashed the government's approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline to the Pacific, siding with indigenous people worried that increased tanker traffic will harm whales along the coast.

The ruling was cheered by opponents of the nation's largest resource project in decades, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's administration suggested it had been dealt a temporary setback and vowed to carry on.

In its decision, the Federal Court of Appeal said Ottawa -- which is expected to close a deal on Friday to buy the pipeline from Kinder Morgan for Can$4.5 billion (US$3.5 billion) -- must take a second look at the project, taking greater care to consult with indigenous tribes and consider marine traffic impacts.

"We are absolutely committed to moving forward with this project," Finance Minister Bill Morneau told a press conference in Toronto.

"We want to make sure the project proceeds, but we want to make sure it moves ahead in the right way," he added, explaining that the government would review the ruling to see how it can address environmental and indigenous concerns.

The 1,150-kilometer (715-mile) pipeline was to move 890,000 barrels of oil a day from landlocked Alberta province to the Pacific coast for export overseas, replacing a smaller crumbling conduit built in 1953.

Trudeau took a political gamble when his government approved the project in 2016 after an environmental review, saying it was in the "national interest" as it would help ease Canada's reliance on the US market, and get a better price for its crude oil.

A slim majority of Canadians support the pipeline's construction, according to recent polling.

But it has continued to face stiff opposition from environmentalist activists -- who once supported Trudeau's rise to power -- and indigenous tribes concerned that increased shipping from a marine terminal at the end of the route in Vancouver will impede the recovery of killer whale populations in the area.

Greenpeace and others called the court's decision a "major victory" for indigenous rights and efforts to curtail global warming.

"They can say they consulted, but they never, ever, ever got our consent," said Lee Spahan, chief of the Coldwater First Nation, which led the legal challenge.

For others on both sides of the issue the decision was confirmation that the regulatory process for approving major resource projects in Canada is "flawed."



- 'Broken regulatory system' -



"This decision is yet another example of how Canada's broken regulatory system is undermining Canadian competitiveness and driving away investment," commented Perrin Beatty, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

The court concluded that the National Energy Board made a "critical error" in not considering marine shipping impacts, leading to "unacceptable deficiencies" in its recommendations to the government to greenlight the project.

It also said the government failed in its constitutional duty to "engage, dialogue meaningfully and grapple with the real concerns of the indigenous applicants so as to explore possible accommodation of those concerns."

At the same time the decision was posted, Kinder Morgan shareholders voted overwhelmingly (99.9 percent) at a meeting in Calgary, Alberta to approve the pipeline's sale to the federal government.

The company temporarily halted construction earlier this year, saying it was concerned that feuding between the governments of Alberta and British Columbia, which sided with environmental groups fiercely opposed to the project, created undue political risks.

That prompted Ottawa's offer to take it over, effectively nationalizing the pipeline in a bid to bring a swift end to legal challenges and illegal protests at construction sites.

Morneau said it also aimed to reassure foreign investors, and advance Canada's climate goals.

Currently 99 percent of Canada's oil is sold to the United States at a discount, and access to the Pacific coast is seen as key to diversifying the world's sixth largest oil producer's energy exports.

Access to new oil markets is also key to Canada meeting its Paris climate target because Alberta -- the nation's single largest pollution emitter -- agreed to take action against carbon emissions only if it gained access to new markets for its oil.
Senior Republican calls for reopening of Google probe



Washington, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



A senior Republican senator on Thursday urged US regulators to reopen an antitrust investigation into Google, citing "important developments" since the review was closed in 2013.

Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah called on the Federal Trade Commission "to reconsider the competitive effects of Google's conduct in search and digital advertising."

Lawmakers have no official role in determining how the independent agency manages its investigations, but Hatch's call comes amid growing complaints from some activist organizations and following a series of antitrust investigations targeting Google in the European Union.

Hatch said he was concerned about "purportedly anticompetitive conduct" by Google cited in a recent report on the CBS program "60 Minutes," and other reports that Google "decided to remove from its platforms legal businesses that the company apparently does not agree with."

"There have also likely been other important changes to the market in the five years since the close of the FTC's investigation, including the shift to mobile platforms," Hatch said in his letter to FTC chairman Joseph Simons.

Hatch stated that "Google does have a long track record of providing valuable services and making important, innovative contributions. But much has changed since the FTC last looked at Google's conduct regarding search and digital advertising."

Google has also been a target of President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers who allege the search giant suppresses conservative voices.

In January 2013, the FTC found no evidence that Google unfairly preferences its own content on its search results page and demotes its competitors' content.

The regulators added they "have not found sufficient evidence that Google manipulates its search algorithms to unfairly disadvantage vertical websites that compete with Google-owned vertical properties."

Then-FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz said at the time, "While not everything Google did was beneficial, on balance we did not believe that the evidence supported an FTC challenge to this aspect of Google's business under American law."

In the most recent case in Europe, the EU in July slapped a record 4.34-billion-euro ($5.04 billion) antitrust fine on Google, saying it illegally used its Android operating system to strengthen the dominance of its search engine.
Microsoft requires US suppliers to offer parental leave



San Francisco, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



Microsoft said Thursday it will begin requiring US suppliers to offer employees at least 12 weeks of paid parental leave when they have or adopt children.

The new policy applies to suppliers with 50 or more employees who do substantial work for the US technology giant, according to Microsoft general counsel Dev Stahlkopf.

"We recognize today's announcement comes during an ongoing national dialogue about the importance of paid parental leave," Stahlkopf said in an online post, while noting that only 13 percent of US workers in the private sector have access to paid parental leave.

"The case for paid parental leave is clear."

Three years ago, Microsoft began requiring major suppliers to provide paid time off for workers, and parental leave was described as a reasonable next step.

"Paid time off is good both for employers and employees," Stahlkopf said.

The technology giant planned to work with US suppliers during the coming year to implement the paid parental leave policy, which calls or workers to be paid as much as $1,000 for each of the 12 weeks they are given off.

Microsoft acknowledged that the benefit could result in ramping up its own costs, but promised a process for addressing that issue with suppliers.

"When parents can take time off work to care for their families, everyone -- their kids, their companies, and their communities - benefits," Melinda Gates, the wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, said in a tweet.

"Great to see."



- Ripples -



Microsoft said the requirement was inspired by legislation in several US states including Washington, where the technology firm is based.

A law set to take effect in Washington State in 2020 will require that employees who qualify get 12 weeks paid parental leave.

Microsoft opted to move before the law took effect, and wanted to help extend the benefit to employees of suppliers located outside the state, according to Stahlkopf.

Family advocacy groups welcomed the news, and expressed hope that US legislators and other companies would champion the cause.

On Twitter, the Family Values @ Work coalition congratulated Microsoft.

"Offering paid leave isn't just the right thing to do, it's good for the bottom line, helps increase gender equity in the workforce - and worker prosperity," the organization said.

General Mills on Wednesday announced it is ramping up family leave benefits.

Beginning next year, the US food giant will begin providing 18 to 20 weeks paid leave to new mothers while giving 12 weeks paid time off to fathers, partners, and adoptive parents.

"General Mills has been making food people love for over 150 years and our employees have always been our secret ingredient," chief human resources officer Jacqueline Williams-Roll said in a release.

"We want to keep innovating in how we meet their evolving needs."

A 2016 Pew Research Center study based on data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found the United States was the only one of the 41 member countries without any mandated, paid parental leave.
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement
SAN FRANCISCO and TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kalytera Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX VENTURE: KALY and OTCQB: KALTF) (the "Company" or "Kalytera") today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2018. (All dollars U.S. unless otherwise noted.)



The Company recorded net income of approximately $5.9 million ($0.04 per Common Share) in the second quarter of 2018, compared with a net loss of approximately $1.9 million ($0.01 per Common Share) in the second quarter of 2017. The Companys net income in the second quarter was primarily attributable to an increase of approximately $8.9 million in financial income in connection with convertible equity and debt instruments previously issued to investors, offset by an increase in research and development expenditures of approximately $1.3 million.

Operating Expenses

Research and development expenses increased to approximately $2.3 million in the second quarter of 2018 from approximately $1.0 million in the second quarter of 2017, due primarily to an increase in subcontract research costs incurred in the second quarter of 2018 relating to the advancement of the Companys ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in the prevention of acute graft versus host disease, and share-based payments, offset by decreases in salaries and benefits, as a result of the separation from the Company by the Companys former Chief Executive Officer in June 2017, and subcontract research costs and laboratory supplies, resulting from the termination of Kalyteras pre-clinical development programs in the treatment of bone disease.

General administration expenditures decreased in the second quarter of 2018 to $760,000 from $890,000 in the second quarter of 2017, due primarily to a decrease in audit costs as a result of filings made in the second quarter of 2017 in connection with the acquisition of Talent Biotechs, Ltd., insurance costs, patent registration costs, office and other general and administrative costs, including communication expenses, a decrease in board member fees as a result of a decrease in the number of the Companys directors, a decrease in salaries and benefits as a result of the separation from the Company by the Companys Chief Executive Officer in June 2017, and investor relations costs, offset by increases in consulting and management fees as a result of discounts on shares recorded in the second quarter upon issuance of Common Shares for payment for services to the Salzman Group and in legal and professional fees associated with the Companys reporting costs and legal fees.

As of June 30, 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $740,000. On August 8, 2018, the Company announced the closing of a public offering (the Offering) for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $3.3 million. On August 16, 2018, the Companys investment bank, Echelon Wealth Partners, exercised its over-allotment option in full, for additional gross proceeds of approximately $500,000. Following the close of the Offering, Kalytera made a cash payment to the former Talent shareholders of approximately $2.0 million.

The Company funds it operating costs through a combination of cash and equity payments to its creditors. The Companys largest creditor during calendar 2018 and calendar 2019 will be the Salzman Group of Israel. Under agreements with the Salzman Group, the Company may elect to pay amounts due to the Salzman Group in either cash or through the issuance of common shares. The Company believes that it has sufficient cash to fund its cash operating costs (costs that will be paid in cash to creditors other than the Salzman Group) beyond year-end 2018, including expenses for the clinical development of its lead product program, CBD in the prevention of GVHD.

About Kalytera Therapeutics

Kalytera Therapeutics, Inc. is pioneering the development of CBD therapeutics. Through its proven leadership, drug development expertise, and intellectual property portfolio, Kalytera seeks to establish a leading position in the development of CBD medicines for a range of important unmet medical needs, with an initial focus on GVHD and treatment of acute and chronic pain.

Cautionary Statements

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation in respect of its product candidate pipeline, planned clinical trials, regulatory approval prospects, intellectual property objectives and other statements containing the words "believes", "anticipates", "plans", "intends", "will", "should", "expects", "continue", "estimate", "forecasts" and other similar expressions. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risk that future clinical studies may not proceed as expected or may produce unfavourable results. Kalytera undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although Kalytera believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking information has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Kalytera's control. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and is made as of the date hereof. Kalytera disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information

Robert Farrell

President, CEO

(888) 861-2008

info@kalytera.co

Colwell Capital Corp.

Graeme Dick

1-403-561-8989

graeme@colwellcapital.com
US accuses Iran of bad faith over sanctions lawsuit



The Hague, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



The United States on Wednesday accused Iran of bad faith for challenging Washington's renewed nuclear-linked sanctions against it at the UN's top court.

Iran has asked the International Court of Justice to order the United States to lift the sanctions, reimposed after US President Donald Trump pulled out of a multilateral 2015 accord.

Iran brought the case at the court in The Hague under a 1955 friendship treaty that predates the country's Islamic Revolution.

Washington told the court it had no jurisdiction to rule on the case, which it said was a matter of national security.

"Iran is not invoking the treaty of amity in good faith in this proceeding," US State Department lawyer Jennifer Newstead said in her closing argument.

"Iran cannot be permitted to draw this court into a political and psychological campaign" against the United States, she added.

During four days of hearings, Iran said the sanctions reintroduced this month are causing economic suffering for its citizens.

The US lawyers retorted that economic mismanagement was at the root of Iran's woes.

A second wave of US measures is due to hit Iran in early November, targeting its vital oil exports.

Closing the hearings, ICJ president Abdulqawi Yusuf said the court would issue a ruling "as soon as possible" but did not set a date.

"The judges are well aware of the political stakes," said Eric De Brabandere, professor of international dispute settlement at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

But "in principle the court will focus strictly on the legal aspects of the case", he told AFP.

Despite their 1955 Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations, Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic ties since 1980.

The ICJ was set up in 1946 to rule in disputes between countries.

The court is tasked with deciding only whether it has jurisdiction over Iran's request, De Brabandere said.

But he noted that "the political consequences of the decision are of course important," since either state would see a favourable outcome as "a huge victory".
Iran still abiding by nuclear deal terms: IAEA



Vienna, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



Iran is sticking to the terms of its nuclear deal with world powers, a UN atomic watchdog report showed Thursday, despite ongoing uncertainty over its future.

The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency showed that Iran was still complying with the key parameters of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

It comes despite the future of the deal being thrown into doubt after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in May and re-imposed US sanctions.

The latest report says the IAEA had had access "to all the sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit".

However, the agency repeats language in its previous report emphasising the importance of "timely and proactive cooperation in providing such access" on Iran's part.

The report said Iran's stockpiles of low-enriched uranium and heavy water had both slightly increased since the last report in May, but were still under the limits agreed in the deal.

Iran's economy has been battered by the return of US sanctions following Trump's decision, undermining support for the deal within Iran.

On Wednesday Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran should be ready to "set aside" the JCPOA if it is no longer in the country's national interests.

However Khamenei said talks should continue with European states, who have been trying to find a way to salvage the agreement.

Last week, the EU agreed an 18 million euro package of assistance to Iran "for projects in support of sustainable economic and social development" in the Islamic Republic, the first tranche of a wider package worth 50 million euros.

Most foreign firms have abandoned investment projects in Iran, and the next phase of renewed US sanctions in November will hit the crucial oil sector.

In June, in a bid to mount pressure on the Europeans, Iran announced a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity with new centrifuges in the event that the agreement collapses, while still denying any desire to build a nuclear weapon.

Under the 2015 agreement, Iran can only enrich uranium to 3.67 percent -- far below the roughly 90-percent level needed for nuclear weapons.
Iran 'cannot avoid' expanded talks on nuclear issue: France



Vienna, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



Iran "cannot avoid" talks on thorny issues like its ballistic missile programme and role in Middle East conflicts, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned Thursday, as European powers work to rescue the beleaguered nuclear deal with Tehran.

France, Germany and Britain are leading European efforts to save the landmark 2015 deal to curb Iran's nuclear programme, which was thrown into crisis in May when US President Donald Trump withdrew and reimposed sanctions.

Critics of the accord -- which was also signed by Russia and China -- say it is too narrowly focused on the nuclear issue and does nothing to curb Iran's meddling in regional conflicts or its programme to develop conventional ballistic missiles.

The European Union is trying to find ways to maintain oil and banking ties with Iran after the second phase of US sanctions kicks in in November, and Le Drian said it was important to find ways to keep the Islamic republic trading.

But he warned that Tehran must keep up its side of the deal, and be prepared to expand talks.

"Iran must respect the fundamentals of the JCPOA (nuclear deal) and I think that is the case," Le Drian said as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Vienna.

"But Iran cannot avoid discussions, negotiations on three other major subjects that worry us -- the future of Iran's nuclear commitments after 2025, the ballistic question and the fact there is a sort of ballistic proliferation on the part of Iran... and the role Iran plays to stabilise the whole region.

"We must talk about these three subjects, Iran must be aware of this and that's the message I send to them from Vienna."

Despite European pledges to keep providing Iran with the economic benefits it received from the nuclear deal, many major companies have already pulled out of the country for fear of US penalties.
Iran 'cannot avoid' expanded talks on nuclear issue: France



Vienna, Aug 30 (AFP) Aug 30, 2018



Iran "cannot avoid" talks on thorny disagreements with world powers, France's foreign minister warned Thursday, as a report from the UN's atomic watchdog confirmed Iran was abiding by the 2015 deal on its nuclear programme.

"Iran must respect the fundamentals of the JCPOA (nuclear deal) and I think that is the case," Jean-Yves Le Drian said as he arrived for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Vienna, adding that the accord was "essential for our security and essential for nuclear non-proliferation".

"But Iran cannot avoid discussions, negotiations on three other major subjects that worry us -- the future of Iran's nuclear commitments after 2025, the ballistic question and the fact there is a sort of ballistic proliferation on the part of Iran... and the role Iran plays to stabilise the whole region.

"We must talk about these three subjects, Iran must be aware of this and that's the message I send to them from Vienna," he said.

Le Drian's latest comments echo some of the reasons given by US President Donald Trump for his dramatic withdrawal from the agreement in May and re-imposition of US sanctions.

Washington says it wants to bring Iran back to the negotiating table but Iranian leaders have expressly ruled out renegotiating the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, agreed in 2015 by Iran and the US, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany.

Since Trump's move European countries have pledged to find ways to salvage the deal and to keep providing Iran with the economic benefits it received under the agreement.

However, many major companies have already pulled out of Iran for fear of US penalties.

The next phase of renewed US sanctions in November will hit the crucial oil sector.



- 'Sending a message to Iran' -



Also on Thursday a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency showed that Iran was still complying with the key parameters of the JCPOA.

The latest report says the IAEA had had access "to all the sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit".

The agency repeated language in its previous report emphasising the importance of "timely and proactive cooperation in providing such access" on Iran's part.

A senior diplomat with knowledge of the issue said that the language was a way "to send a message to Iran to prevent potential problems" rather than being caused by any particular behaviour on the part of the Iranians.

The report said Iran's stockpiles of low-enriched uranium and heavy water had both slightly increased since the last report in May, but were still under the limits agreed in the deal.

Iran's economy has been battered by the return of US sanctions following Trump's decision, undermining support for the deal within Iran.

On Wednesday Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran should be ready to "set aside" the JCPOA if it is no longer in the country's national interests.

Last week, the EU agreed an 18 million euro package of assistance to Iran "for projects in support of sustainable economic and social development" in the Islamic Republic, the first tranche of a wider package worth 50 million euros.

Le Drian said that along with Germany and Britain, France was actively exploring ways to put in place "financial mechanisms" to make sure Iran could continue taking part in international trade.

Also speaking on Thursday while attending meetings of EU foreign and defence ministers in Vienna, the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said that despite disagreements with Iran over other issues, "we believe that addressing regional disagreements with Iran can be done in a more effective manner if we maintain the nuclear deal in place".

In June, in a bid to increase pressure on the Europeans, Iran announced a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity with new centrifuges in the event that the agreement collapses, while still denying any desire to build a nuclear weapon.

Under the 2015 agreement, Iran can only enrich uranium to 3.67 percent -- far below the roughly 90-percent level needed for nuclear weapons.
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gravitas Financial Inc. (CSE: GFI) (Gravitas or the Company), is pleased to announce that The Mint Corporation (TSX-V:MIT) (Mint) has filed second quarter results with a substantial gain for the period ending Jun 30, 2018.



On May 31, 2018, Mint announced, along with Gravitas, that it had completed the restructuring of its Series A and Series C debentures, resulting in a debt reduction of approximately $39 million. As a result of that restructuring, Mint has recognized a gain of $46,158,564 in its financial statements and Mint has substantially strengthened its balance sheet. The decision by one of Mints largest stakeholders to swap debt for equity was a great vote of confidence in Mints business outlook and growth prospects.

The financial statements also reflect a favourable decision concerning the recognition of HST input tax credits. Canada Revenue Agency initially refused input tax credits claimed by Mint in respect of expenses incurred in the course of providing management services to Mints UAE companies. Mint went through an extensive appeal process and in May 2018 the government agreed that Mints appeal should be allowed. This will also assist Mint with HST claims going forward. Mint expects to receive $690,160 in respect of HST claims previously written off.

Vikas Ranjan, President of Gravitas Financial stated, We are pleased that this debt conversion has formally concluded and is now reflected in the financial statements of Mint Corp. This development significantly strengthens Mints balance sheet. We believe Mint is now well positioned to leverage their strong technology platform and captive cardholder base of over 400,000 customers to accelerate business growth.

ABOUT GRAVITAS FINANCIAL INC.

Gravitas is an investment holding and merchant banking firm with a focus on financial services, financial technology and mining verticals. It has an active presence in North America, as well as in the fast-growing international regions including China, India and the Middle East. Gravitas seeks to make strategic investments in high quality and well-managed wealth management, financial technology and mining companies and aims to generate significant shareholder value through the growth in its investments.

ABOUT THE MINT CORPORATION

The Mint Corporation (TSXV: MIT), through its majority owned subsidiaries (the Mint Group), is a globally certified payments company headquartered in Toronto, Canada with its primary business in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Mint Group is approved by the UAE Central Bank, Mastercard and UnionPay as a third-party payment processor. Mint Group processes over US$1 billion in payroll annually for hundreds of corporate clients and financial institutions and the Mint Group community consists of approximately 400,000+ cardholders. Mint Groups clients include some of the leading blue-chip companies in the UAE.

Mint Group provides employers with automated payroll services and a proprietary Automated Teller Machine (ATM) network for their unbanked employees. Mint Group community members are issued a personalized, globally accepted, MasterCard or UnionPay card and a linked mobile wallet, where their salaries are deposited. This mobile wallet effectively becomes the employees bank account.

Mint Group intends to offer (subject to regulatory approval) a comprehensive suite of services through the mobile wallet, including remittance, overdraft, loans, mobile phone top-up, and insurance, among others. The mobile wallet enables unbanked employees to purchase services and spend through the wallet.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Brent Somerville, Investor Relations, Gravitas Financial Inc.

Email: brent@gravitasfinancial.com

Tel: 647-846-4105

Vikas Ranjan, President, Gravitas Financial Inc.

Tel: 647-252-1674

www.gravitasfinancial.com
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.
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EEStor Corporation (TSXV: ESU; the Company) announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2018. All amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars.



Financial Results

The net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2018, with the comparative results for the comparable period in the prior year, are summarized as follows:

Three months ended June 30, 2018 Three months ended June 30, 2017 Net loss $1,112,418 $2,012,097 Non-controlling interest $411,908 $400,581 Total loss $1,524,326 $2,412,678 Net loss per share $0.01 $0.02

Additional details are contained in the Companys unaudited interim financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis (quarterly highlights) which have been filed and are available for viewing and download at www.sedar.com.

Ian Clifford, Founder and CEO of the Company commented, We continued to make significant progress in our core technology during our most recent quarter and are continuing to invest heavily in advancing ongoing licensing discussions.

About EEStor Corporation

EEStor is a developer of high energy density solid-state capacitor technology utilizing the companys patented Composition Modified Barium Titanate (CMBT) material. The company is focused on licensing opportunities for its technology across a broad spectrum of industries and applications.

The Companys success depends on the commercialization of its technology. There is no assurance that EEStor will be successful in the completion of the various enhancement phases underway to warrant the anticipated licensing opportunities in the technology. Readers are directed to the "Risk Factors" disclosed in the Companys public filings.

For additional information please contact:

Ian Clifford Kevin Spall

Chief Executive Officer Chief Financial Officer

EEStor Corporation EEStor Corporation

Tel. 416-535-8395 ext. 3 Tel. 416-535-8395 ext. 2

Ian.Clifford@EEStorCorp.com KSpall@EEStorCorp.com

Nick Jones

Vice President - Technology

Sparkpr

Tel. 44-7832115362

Nick.Jones@sparkpr.com



Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements and documents referred to in this release, other than statements of historical fact, may include forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties that face the Company; such statements may contain such words as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, and may be based on management's current assumptions and expectations related to all aspects of the power and energy storage industries, consumer demand for energy storage products and solutions and the global economy. Risks and uncertainties that may face the Company include, but are not restricted to: EEStor may not be able to replicate test results in mass produced commercial products; the EEStor capacitor and energy storage technology may not be successfully commercialized at all, in a manner providing the features and benefits expected while under development, or on a timely basis or the Company may not be able to successfully incorporate this technology into its current or proposed products or the products of others; steps taken by the Company to protect its proprietary rights may not be adequate or third parties may infringe or misappropriate the Company's proprietary rights; the Company has a history of losses from operations and may not be able to obtain financing, if and when required or on acceptable terms due to market conditions or other factors, to fund future expenditures for general administrative activities, including sales and marketing and research and development, expansion, strategic acquisitions or investment opportunities or to respond to competitive pressures; competitors may develop products which offer greater benefits to consumers, have greater market appeal or are more competitively priced than those offered by the Company; the Company may be exposed to product liability claims which exceed insurance policy limits; the Company is dependent on the ability and experience of a relatively small number of key personnel; new products introduced by the Company may not be accepted in the market or to the extent projected; new laws and regulations may be enacted or existing ones may be applied or governmental action may be taken in a manner which could limit or curtail the production or sale of the Company's products; and the Company may be negatively affected by reduced consumer spending due to the uncertainty of economic and geopolitical conditions.

These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained in this release, when estimates and assumptions have been used to measure and report results. There can be no assurance that any statements of forward-looking information contained in this release will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

These and all subsequent written and oral statements containing forward-looking information are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any statements of forward looking information that speak only as of the date of this release. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's filings with the various Canadian securities regulators which are available online at www.sedar.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.
Lexington, Kentucky, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Blue Grass Airport officials, Congressman Andy Barr and distinguished guests gathered today for a celebratory groundbreaking ceremony for a new aircraft rescue and firefighting facility to protect central Kentuckys flying public.



This new facility is part of a five-phase, multi-year program to enhance operational safety on the airfield and improve the efficiency of aircraft movement. While the primary emphasis of this program focuses on the realignment of the airports main taxiway and additional connectivity for general aviation aircraft, the project also incorporated the relocation of the airports snow removal equipment complex in 2015 as well as this upcoming relocation of the airports aircraft rescue and firefighting facility. The relocation of these two facilities will make the necessary improvements to the taxiways possible.

Completing this project will not only enhance our rescue and firefighting capabilities, it will also put us one step closer to completing this multi-phase project to improve overall safety and efficiency at Blue Grass Airport, said Eric Frankl. Protecting the traveling public is a tremendous responsibility and Blue Grass Airport places the utmost emphasis on making sure its first responders have the necessary resources and facilities. We are fortunate to have such a dedicated and skillful team that responds to emergency calls when needed.

Funding for the new $15 million aircraft rescue and firefighting facility is being provided by Federal Aviation Administration airport improvement grants as well as airport operating revenue and passenger facility charges. Combined costs for the entire five-phase program are expected to be approximately $66 million once completed.

As a native Lexingtonian, Ive witnessed firsthand the continued growth of the Blue Grass Airport into a true hub for visitors and economic opportunity, said Congressman Andy Barr. Todays groundbreaking represents another step in a plan that will provide additional job creation and economic growth for Central and Eastern Kentucky and beyond. I would like to especially thank Executive Director Eric Frankl and the Airport Board for their hard work and continuous efforts to advance important projects such as this and to establish Blue Grass Airport as a first class regional airport for the Commonwealth.

On behalf of the Airport Board, I would like to extend our gratitude to the Federal Aviation Administration and Congressman Andy Barr for recognizing the significance of this initiative, said Van Alford, chairman of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board. We are also thankful for the ongoing assistance from Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul and their valuable support of our efforts to position the airport for continued success and future growth.

This new 23,196-square-foot facility was designed by Crawford, Murphy & Tilly and CR Architects and is being constructed by The Walker Company of Kentucky. It will accommodate 18 full-time officers and four bays for aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles. All bays provide officers with immediate access to the airports runways, ramp and terminal building and two of the bays are constructed in a drive-through design. Features of the new facility will include equipment storage, offices, dormitories, training rooms, kitchen facilities and locker rooms for staff. It will replace the current aircraft rescue and firefighting building that was constructed in 1979.

Located in Lexington, Kentucky, Blue Grass Airport is served by four major airlines providing non-stop and connecting service to hundreds of destinations worldwide. The airport serves more than 1.3 million passengers annually and supports our community with an economic output exceeding $370 million. Receive the latest airport news by liking us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bluegrassairport or following us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bgairport
Growing up the daughter of a modern Orthodox rabbi and attending Block Yeshiva High School, Dodi Smason felt a strong Jewish identity, she said.

So after graduating high school in 2009 and starting at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Smason sometimes felt lonely on campus because there was little-to-no organized Jewish student life.

With my Jewish identity being one of the biggest parts of my life, it was just difficult to not feel like I could really engage with that on campus, said Smason, who helped start the schools Jewish Student Association her senior year.

Smason, whose father is Rabbi Zeev Smason of Nusach Hari Bnai Zion in Olivette, now aims to make sure that current Jewish undergrads in St. Louis have a better experience.

ADVERTISEMENT



She is directing a new program, The Network, an initiative of the Orthodox organization Chabad, to build Jewish life on local campuses with fewer Jewish students than, say, Washington University.

The program aims to reach any Jewish student  from Orthodox to unaffiliated  at UMSL, St. Louis University, Webster University and St. Louis Community Colleges Forest Park and Meramec branches. Some of the schools already have active Jewish Student Association chapters. Maryville University has its own robust Hillel.







The initiative has received $24,000 from Jewish Federation of St. Louis and $4,000 from the Kranzberg Family Foundation. The organization estimates that there are more than 200 students participating in Jewish life at the various campuses. Smason will help individual Jewish student groups at the schools organize separate events and hold larger functions, such as a monthly Shabbaton, with students from all the schools. She aims to hold three events each month.

What The Network hopes to accomplish is connecting all the campuses together, so it makes us one big family, while still allowing (individual chapters) to maintain their own identities, said Smason, who is now studying for a masters degree in nutrition and human performance.

The Network will hold its first event, a barbeque, on Sunday, Sept. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Chabad on Campus  Rohr Center for Jewish Life at Washington University.

Otherwise, most of the events will take place at the individual campuses. Rabbi Hershey Novack, a director of the Wash U Chabad center, had previously tried to just bring students from other campuses to Wash U for events but found that it didnt work well, he said.

Its important for students who study in St. Louis but not at Washington University to know that they matter, said Novack. And they deserve focused energy, support and resources.
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As in previous eras of technological change, the voice of workers continues to be vital in helping to define the future of work  to ensure that a generation from now Labour Day remains an annual celebration of the value of workers and a society that produces good, fair-paying jobs. We must apply human intelligence to make sure that artificial intelligence and automation build income and stability not just for corporations, but also for workers and the community.



Whether you are a doctor, accountant, factory worker, truck driver, retail grocery clerk or almost any other occupation, the impact of automation and artificial intelligence is being felt everywhere. According to recent studies from the Brookfield Institute and the Mowat Centre, millions of Canadian jobs could be lost to automation over the next ten years, and hundreds of thousands of other jobs could be replaced by short-term precarious jobs.

Unlike previous eras where jobs lost to new technologies were eventually replaced by new kinds of good jobs, there is no guarantee that without coordinated action this will happen again. So, for the future of work to be a good future, what it is going to take is for all stakeholders in the job economy to work together. This means government, workers and their labour organizations, and business.

The direction of the future of work can not be left up to corporations alone. The evidence is that corporate tax breaks that were meant to stimulate job creation havent worked  with the majority of that windfall payed out to shareholders in stock buy backs and dividends, as well as in labour-reducing technology. With corporate profits at record levels, it is fair to consider that some of those profits should be taxed to support retraining and transition programs for workers displaced by new technologies. Even billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates has suggested such a robot tax, to support a universal basic income and retraining plan.

Governments also have a leading role to play  along with unions, the private sector, and educational institutions  to develop a National Skills Strategy to identify training, education, and apprenticeship needs for the future job market. Unions are an ideal partner to deliver retraining. For example, our own union delivers one of the most comprehensive online skills training programs in the country, and like a number of other unions, is ready and able to work with both governments and employers in helping workers prepare for the new jobs of the future.

In the face of the precarious gig economy, governments must also be vigilant in enforcing employment standards to prevent the exploitation of contract and agency workers. Employment Insurance & Training programs must also be revisited, in an era where retraining for the jobs of the new economy may take longer and require extended support.

We cant be complacent about what is happening now and what lies ahead. Work is vital for income, but it is more than that. A job, along with family and health, make up the core of most peoples lives. Work is part of being social and provides connections to co-workers and the community. For young people, we must also strive to make sure that in the face of automation and AI, young workers can still expect fair employment, good wages, and the opportunity for career development. For older displaced workers, we must commit as a society to provide the resources they need to overcome the impacts of automation.

Automation and artificial intelligence cannot be allowed to be job and community-destructive. But left solely to the private sector or government, they could be. It means more than ever, working women and men we must work even harder to put workers rights, and the rights and well-being of families on the public agenda. The new world of work must not be imposed. Workers must help to define it and control it. The new world of work must mean good jobs. They are fundamental to a strong Canada, a fair work world, and a just and thriving future.

Paul Meinema is the national president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada, www.ufcw.ca ), representing more than a quarter-of-a-million workers in every aspect of the food chain, as well as healthcare, security, and other key economic sectors across Canada.

CONTACT:

Michael Forman, Communications Director

UFCW Canada

mforman@ufcw.ca

416-679-3408

www.ufcw.ca

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/93327833-7271-40c5-8e87-a8358a115740

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/044a99f0-0af4-45d7-949c-97954b95c0a2
Having a voice and being seen are two fundamental aspects of human well-being. In science, participatory methods help mobilize people who otherwise may be marginalized or silent to provide their views and insights, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive knowledge generation. But more can still be done.

In a study recently published in Ecology & Society, centre researchers Vanessa Masterson, Maria Tengo and Shauna Mahajan, a former centre Masters student now with the World Wildlife Fund, present reflections on the use of photovoice, a method where members of a community are invited to take photographs to actively represent their own perspectives and experiences.

Request publication

Understanding the effects of change

Photovice as a method has been used in public health research to encourage self-representation and expression of issues from people who may otherwise be overlooked. In this study, the researchers wanted to examine how this method could help understand how complex social and ecological changes affect peoples lives. This is important because impoverished local communities are often passive or left out of news stories and research about environmental changes.

In Kenya, there has been a shift away from top-down management of marine resources and towards community-based approaches. This has resulted in a network of community-managed reserves called tengefus. Understanding how this change has affected both the environment as well as the community has been a source of scientific interest for years but researchers have struggled to properly document important aspects of peoples lives.

In the South African case, specifically the former Transkei homeland of South Africa, researchers have worked to document the agricultural decline and circular migration to urban areas. The region has witnessed a long-term decline in cultivation and animal husbandry so it was important to understand what these areas offer those who remain in the rural hinterlands.

Handing out cameras



Masterson and her colleagues invited members of the area in Kenya and South Africa to capture changes in the environment around them and how this affected their lives.

In the Kenyan case, individuals were given cameras and asked to photograph what in nature/the marine ecosystem contributes to your wellbeing and show through your photographs how/if your wellbeing has changed.

In South Africa, participants were asked to photograph what the rural place and landscape means to you.
Svensk sammanfattning: "Dags att satta klimatsakerhet i centrum"

A Stockholm based cross-institutional knowledge hub on the security implications of climate change was launched during the 2018 World Water Week in Stockholm. The hub, called the Stockholm Climate Security Hub, will provide science based support for managing climate-related security risks and is supported by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and builds on the complementary strengths of the four institutions.

"The Swedish Government has put climate security on the agenda of the UN Security Council the last year, so this new hub will provide the four research institutes with a very interesting opportunity to contribute with our science to ongoing work in the whole UN system," says Victor Galaz, associate professor in political science and centre deputy director.

Bridging an institutional gap

In spite of a growing understanding that climate change is influencing the international peace and security agenda, many experts still perceive an institutional gap for addressing these risks within the UN system. As a consequence, Sweden and many other member states support the development of an institutional home for climate-related security risks in the UN system.

In its contributions to the new hub, the Stockholm Resilience Centre (SRC) will draw on previous and current collaborations and research on climate resilience, biosphere stewardship and development, in particular from the Global Resilience Partnership (hosted by the SRC), GRAID (also hosted by the SRC), the Programme on Ecosystem Change and Society and Swedbio .in addition to other on-going national and international research collaborations.

SRC has been deeply involved in research and policy collaborations with both the SEI and SIWI for many years and now look forward to work more closely together with SIPRI.

Already in December 2017, SRC co-hosted a seminar with SIPRI and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs on response strategies to climate-related security challenges. The seminar concluded that there is a need to better identify and respond to the risks of instability and conflict arising from the interaction of climate change, environmental and ecological degradation and social, economic, demographic and political factors. This also summarizes quite well the overarching challenges that the new climate security hub will focus on.
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.
At the end of July China put a new type of photo satellite into orbit; the Gaofen 11 optical remote-sensing satellite. This one has a claimed resolution of 10cm (able to capture objects on the surface that are less than four inches wide). Previously only American photo satellites had that degree of resolution. Current American photo satellites have a resolution of about 2 cm (less than an inch). Meanwhile, the Americans have four improved KH-11 (sometimes called KH-12s) satellites in orbit, the last of these launched in 2013. The first of new KH-11s (sometimes called KH-13s) is to be launched before the end of 2018 and, like the KH-12s, will cost over $4 billion each.

China describes its Gaofen photo satellites as being put into orbit for largely non-military uses and to reduce Chinese dependence on commercial photo satellites. That is largely true but what makes a photo satellite a military grade photo reconnaissance satellite are a lot of additional features that rarely make it into official press releases. Since these satellites can be seen (in great detail) and photographed from the ground it is easy enough to judge the exact purpose of photo satellites. The latest Geofens look a lot like American KH-11s put into service during the 1990s and has a mirror (lens) diameter of 1.7 meters. The four American currently KH-11s in orbit have 2.4 meter mirror diameter. Thats the same size as the mirror in the Hubble space telescope, which was turned on distant galaxies rather than the earth surface.

In other respect, the Chinese were correct in saying they wanted to reduce their dependence on commercial photo satellites. In 2015 the American NGA (National Geospatial Intelligence Agency) recently admitted what everyone already suspected, that it gets most of its satellite photos from commercial satellites. This was no secret inside the military. Thats because, since the late 1990s, when commercial photo satellites began to show up, military users were quick to buy and use this unclassified data. The commercial photo satellites gradually caught up with their military counterparts (which first appeared in the 1960s) and got even more business from the military. What really got this movement going was the 2005 appearance of Google Earth (earth.google.com). This easy-to-use web-based app revolutionized military intelligence. The military didn't like to admit it at first. But Google Earth putting so much satellite photography at the disposal of so many people, in such an easy-to-use fashion, also made much more information available to military professionals (and terrorists, and criminals and academics as well). All of these military users quickly appreciated what a splendid new tool they had.

To the U.S. Department of Defense, Google Earth's major problem was not the ease-of-use, but the manner in which it showcased the shortcomings of the NGA, which was responsible for taking the satellite photos, spiffing them up as needed, and getting them to the troops. Trouble is, the stuff still wasn't getting to the troops that needed it when they needed it. This was made very obvious when Google Earth showed up and demonstrated how you can get satellite images to anyone, when they need them and do it with minimal hassle.

The NGA and other government agencies liked to keep all satellite (and aerial) in classified archives, just in case they contained some secrets a potential enemy could use. Google Earth did great damage to this attitude. Changing minds in the military intelligence community isnt easy. The restricted access to satellite photos is an old problem. Since the 1980s (when lots more satellite images became available, often on very short notice) generals, and other officers with access to "satellite imagery" have been complaining about the difficulty they had in getting their hands on this stuff or passing it on to the officers and troops who need it most.

Hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent on photo satellites since the 1960s, and the troops always seemed to get leftovers, if anything and usually too late to be of any use. Yet the satellite people regularly conned Congress out of more money so they could build more satellites and neat systems that would get the satellite imagery "to the troops." The goods never arrived, or never arrived in time. Generals gave angry testimony before Congress about this non-performance after the 1991 Kuwait War. The satellite people seemed contrite and said they would make it right. If given the money to do it. They got the money and the troops got nothing.

Then the troops got access to Google Earth in 2005 and saw firsthand what they have been missing. To make matters worse the software Google Earth uses to get the job done was first developed for the NGA. But the way the NGA operates you had to worry about security considerations and all manner of bureaucratic details before you could deploy a useful tool so they really couldnt use the Google interface on a wide scale. Mention that the troops in question are fighting a war and the NGA will point out that you still have to deal with security and keeping the paperwork straight.

Soon after 2005, the troops were beating NGA over the head with Google Earth and Congress took notice. However, NGA bureaucrats were close at hand and the angry troops are far away. Progress was still slow. But at least the troops had Google Earth. Unfortunately, so does the enemy. Nevertheless, over the next decade, the army was able to go directly to commercial satellite photo providers who, every year, were putting up more capable photo satellites. Many of the photos from these new satellites were higher resolution and not available on Google Earth. But the army could afford to buy them (as could other commercial customers) and give the troops instant access because all these commercial satellite photos were unclassified.

After a while, NGA stopped pouting and got on board with the use of lots of unclassified satellite photos. This also spurred the NGA to make the high quality (high resolution and with other enhancements) spy satellite photos more easily available to the troops, or at least the army intel and planning specialists who worked out the details of how battles would be fought. This led to other intel agencies making their data (especially from electronic data collection satellites) available quickly (often in real time) to the troops who needed it.

While Google Earth opened the floodgates and gave the troops instant access, what happened first was the availability of high-resolution satellite photos that could be of use to combat forces. This began in the 1960s with the first appearance of the KH (Key Hole) series of photo satellites. The first film camera satellite, KH 1, went up in 1959 but the first successful one was in 1960. Thus until the 1970s the film-using satellites supplied coverage of hostile nations. The KH 1 through 9 series satellites sent the film back in canisters (for high-resolution pictures), to be developed. The Keyhole 9, the first of which went up in 1971, was not only the last of the film satellites but the largest and most capable. Its basic design was used by the subsequent digital camera birds. The KH 9 could cover large areas at high (for the time) resolution of .6 meters (24 inches). This was more than adequate to spot and count tanks, aircraft, and even small warships. The 19th, and last, KH 9 went up in 1984. The KH-9 was a 13 ton satellite with multiple cameras and 4 or 5 reentry vehicles for returning the film for developing and analysis. The KH-9s were nicknamed Big Bird.

The age of film began to fade when the first digital satellite, the KH 11, was launched in 1976. These birds were large, nearly 15 tons, and the digital cameras could obtain better resolution and broadcast the photos back to earth. The resolution was such that objects 70mm (a few inches) in size could be identified from 200 kilometers. Digital cameras were more flexible than film and eventually surpassed film in all categories. The KH-11 telescopic cameras operated like a high-resolution TV camera. Images were captured continuously and transmitted to earth stations. Computers were used to finish the process and produce photos identical to those taken by a conventional film camera. You could even have motion pictures, as well as indications of heat and the nature of the various items. KH-11 could often tell what kind of metal an object on the ground was made of.

All this did not come cheap. These birds cost over $400 million each and lasted three or four years, depending on fuel usage. Moreover, you needed two of them up at the same time in order to guarantee coverage and save the birds from having to change orbit too frequently. The most recent KH-11, the 15th, was launched in 2013. There have been at least four models of the KH-11 since the first of five "Block 1s" was launched in 1976. Since the 1960s over a hundred KH series satellites have been launched. The Big Bird film using KH-9s didnt last long because once their film supply was gone they were useless.

The next generation of digital satellites, the KH-12 (officially improved KH-11), was supposed to have been launched in 1987. But because of problems with the space shuttle (one had exploded during launch), only a belated KH-11 was launched in October 1987. The KH-12 was delayed, even though it had several advantages over the KH-11. Along with improvements in ground data processing equipment, the KH-12 could send back data in real time. You could watch events on a large, high-resolution screen as they were happening. This would also allow military headquarters and other users to get their satellite information directly, without going through a CIA or NRO (National Reconnaissance Office) processing center. Data from the more esoteric sensors would still have to be studied by the specialists elsewhere. The KH-12 was expected to make users even more enthusiastic about satellite reconnaissance. It did, in the form of a much upgraded KH-11. Actually, these birds were called KH-12s but are still officially known as KH-11 and still are. That is something of a tribute to the capability and flexibility of the original KH-11 design, the first of which went into orbit during 1976.

The flood of photographic and electronic data was growing far larger than the force of analysts available to make something of it. In addition to the KH series birds, there were radar and SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) satellites constantly broadcasting data. Then there are the Defense Support Program satellites, which use heat sensors to locate the hot plumes of missile launches. So although no new KH-11s have been launched since 2013 there have been plenty of new spy satellites put into orbit, especially radar satellites for monitoring the earths surface in any kind of weather.

There still isn't a real KH-12 (a new design), and that's partly because commercial photo satellites have become cheaper and more convenient for military use. Many KH-12 features were simply added to subsequent KH-11 models. This was cheaper than building the new KH-12 design and involved less paperwork. Thus, those in charge of American space operations are asking that less money be spent on developing new satellites and more spent on building up a reserve of GPS and communications satellites that can quickly be launched to replace wartime losses. The Department of Defense has already been buying more commercial satellites, rather than much more expensive, usually late, and sometimes canceled, custom designed military birds. Contributing to this change were bumbling bureaucrats who mismanaged development projects and journalists who headlined the failures.

In 2007 the Department of Defense agreed to spend $10 billion to build two military-grade photo-satellites, similar to the ones already in orbit, plus two commercial grade photo satellites. This uncharacteristically prudent behavior was forced on them by Congress. The politicians were angry over the failure of the Department of Defense to design and build a new generation of military photo satellites. For example, in 2005 the U.S. canceled the Future Imagery Architecture (FIA) system. This disaster cost the government more than $10 billion when a poorly conceived and run effort to create a more powerful new generation of intelligence satellites failed. Instead of FIA, the two existing military photo satellites were simply replaced with similar designs. In addition, the Pentagon bought two commercial photo satellites, for about $850 million each, to replace what the Department of Defense is currently spending on photos from commercial photo satellite companies. The two commercial birds, which were owned by the Department of Defense.

The FIA (Future Imagery Architecture) system was to be a new generation of smaller and more numerous spy satellites that would provide more coverage of targets down below and, because of the larger number of satellites, a more difficult target for anyone seeking to destroy the U.S. spy satellite capability. The KH series birds were to retire in 2005, replaced by FIA satellites. The project, begun in 1998, was poorly designed and managed. In retrospect, it was doomed from the start because of a lack of technical talent on the government side and the selection of the low bidder (Boeing) that lacked the experience and capabilities to carry out a job like this. When FIA was canceled in 2005 work continued on individual new satellites. One of the FIA designs, the Topaz radar satellite managed to see two in orbit by the end of 2013. The KH birds are not going to retire by the end of the decade, having been extended by the continued use of the KH-12. This is not a new design but a much improved and upgraded KH-11. The KH-12 always existed as a nickname for the latest version of the KH-11.

It has long been suggested that the government just rely on commercial photo satellites for their low resolution (able to detect vehicles and buildings) photo satellite needs. But the military and intelligence agencies often need more photo satellite time than the commercial companies can provide. The government also wants to ensure secrets are kept by having complete control over at least a pair of commercial grade satellites.

The two new government-owned commercial birds took over the task of tracking troop movements, bases, and military operations in general. The two new high resolution, military grade, spy satellites were improved versions of existing ones. These are used to get detailed (able to detect something smaller than an inch) photos of something the commercial grade images (able to detect something 30-45 cm/12-18 inches in size) found interesting.

The troops and military planners are also big users of Google Earth, which annoys the people running the military satellite program. But for many military satellite needs, Google Earth does the job. The two military, commercial grade, photo satellites eliminated the potential for information leaks (about what the military is buying images of) and provide much more capacity to do low-resolution jobs.

The people who run the military satellite system are increasingly concerned with wartime needs, and that is what brought out the request for spare GPS and communications satellites. These are relatively cheap, compared to the spy satellites, and most needed if a future war spreads to the orbital zone and puts some American birds out of action. There is also growing concern about the debris in orbit and the increasing risk of satellites being damaged, or destroyed, by these small fragments of older satellites and the rockets that put them there. China and Russia are paying a lot more attention to techniques for destroying satellites and the most likely targets are all American.
President Bouteflika appears to have carried out another purge of the security forces leadership before he left for Switzerland yesterday. This was not sudden as in late June Bouteflika fired a senior police general, Abdelghani Hamel, who has the head of the National Security Division and considered one of the few remaining potential rivals in the 2019 presidential elections. Hamels personal driver had been arrested on a cocaine trafficking charge but there was no apparent connection to Hamel. Since Hamel was seen a potential rival for Bouteflika any excuse would do to remove the rival candidate. Over the next two months, there were indications that this was indeed another purge. This was made easier by the fact that the police had been corrupted by the drug gangs, who had the cash to offer bribes too large for many police officials to refuse. Even the military was aware of this and had become reluctant to work with police in many cases because they feared shared intelligence data would be for sale by corrupt cops.

Bouteflika has often eliminated potential rivals via crackdowns on corruption. There was a power struggle in 2013 that went public with the 2015 arrest of Abdelkader Ait Ouarab. This was the guy who led the counter-terror campaign in the 1990s that defeated the Islamic terrorists. Ouarab continued serving until he retired (apparently under pressure) in late 2013. All this internal strife has been going on, quietly, for over a decade. Things heated up in early 2013 when Bouteflika had his stroke and was disabled. Pro-reform members of the senior leadership pushed for Bouteflika to resign followed by free elections. The Bouteflika clan and corrupt officials allied with the Bouteflikas got organized and resisted. No one wanted a civil war, but the two sides were sharply divided and a compromise was not possible. By late 2013 it was clear that most Algerians wanted the government to clean up the rampant corruption and that there was support for that on the inside led by several senior Intelligence officers. Most of the corrupt officials and their civilian allies belong to the extended family of the elderly Bouteflika. The clans of several other families that led the country after freedom was achieved in the 1960s have dominated government and the economy ever since. The Bouteflikas were apparently slow to realize that their most dangerous political enemies were the senior people in the intelligence and security agencies who had decided that some fundamental changes (cleaning up the corruption) were needed. There were also a lot of military officers who favored anti-corruption reforms. Fortunately for Bouteflika many senior military commanders were corrupt, some because they felt refusing the economic perks offered when they achieved high rank would be seen as disloyal. Bouteflika always believed the loyalty of the military was essential to keeping his corrupt crew in power. Yet by late 2013 many Bouteflika loyalists noted the split within the military and began moving more of their assets out of the country, just in case. Thats because if theres another large-scale uprising and the military refuses to suppress it (or, worse, splits or falls apart because of disagreements among officers) the current government is done.

Bouteflika realized that most of the troops favored anti-corruption efforts. After 2013 the purged, and thus more loyal intelligence services will devote most of their efforts to ensuring the loyalty of the army and police. There had already been hints of trouble after the 2013 stroke. In late July 2015 local media revealed that the government had unexpectedly replaced three of the most powerful generals in the military (the heads of counter-intelligence, the Republican Guard and presidential security). This was immediately linked with two other odd events. First, there was the large number of troops showing up at the presidential residence in July. Whatever was going on there was never made public. Finally, there is the fact that president Bouteflika had not spoken or appeared in public for months and many Algerians believed he was dying or at the very least not getting any better. Then in August 2015 general Ouarab was arrested and in mid-September came the news that general Mohammed Medien was retiring. In power since 1990 Medien headed the powerful DRS (intelligence and security department) and was always believed more powerful than the president. But he was only two years younger than Bouteflika and rarely seen. It is still unclear what his views on corruption and the current political situation was. Medien was mostly concerned with keeping tabs on Islamic terrorism and other threats to Algeria.

The security forces have a lot of competent commanders and the forced retirements of so many senior commanders provides promotion opportunities for those who appear most loyal (to the ruling families). The security services continue to be effective, making Algeria one of the safest (according to international security firms that monitor that sort of thing) in North Africa and the Middle East. Yet the persistence of pro-reform officers in the security forces is a mixed blessing for the ruling families and a ray of hope for Algerians in general. The need for reform is also necessary to get the most out of being one of the safest nations in North Africa. That designation does not mean being safe from the many corrupt practices that Algerian criminals (and local officials) impose on tourists and commercial visitors. One of the more visible examples of this is how many public beaches have been illegally taken over by criminal gangs that coerce tourists to pay illegal fees to park and be on the beach. Complaining to the police or local government often does not work because bribes are paid to ensure the gangsters are not interfered with. This sort of thing costs Algeria a lot of tourism income and efforts to clean up the corruption that makes it possible is still difficult.

Stubbornly Defending Islamic Terror

There is still some support for Islamic radicalism in Algeria although those who speak openly of an Islamic solution to the corruption and government mismanagement can expect to be harassed, or worse, by the security forces. This persistent support for Islamic law and rule by clerics is usually denied news coverage everywhere with one exception. It is common for some wealthy Moslems to openly support Islamic conservatism and, directly or indirectly, Islamic terrorists. For example, a wealthy Algerian businessman has paid the fines (over $350,000 worth) for over 1,500 European Moslem women who wore the veil that conceals the face (except for the eyes) despite laws against it. This face covering practice is illegal in many European countries, not because it makes the masked Moslems difficult to identify but because Islamic terrorists (male and female) have frequently used such Islamic clothing to disguise their identity as well as conceal weapons or suicide bomb vests. These wealthy Moslems are often the primary support for Islamic charities that divert some or all of their money to support Islamic terrorism. This continues to be a problem with wealthy Persian Gulf Arabs who have long financed groups like al Qaeda and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) even when their governments explicitly outlawed such contributions. Since 2001 there have been more restrictions placed on such stealthy funding for Islamic terrorists but it continues. The wealthy donors can afford lawyers, accountants and bribes for corrupt bankers to make the donations anyway. Some of these donors prefer open and high-profile philanthropy and will, for example, pay for young Moslems to travel to nations with a lot of madrassas (Islamic schools). Sometimes this is legitimate, but often it is a cover for getting new recruits to the many madrassas in some countries that are notorious for pushing Islamic terrorism as the solution for everything. Some wealthy Moslems even paid for local Moslems (as in Indonesia) to travel to the Middle East to live in the new Islamic State that ISIL ran between 2014 and 2017 in Iraq and Syria.

August 27, 2018: President Bouteflika replaced three more senior army generals including the land forces commander and two more of the six regional army commanders. Later in the day, Bouteflika left the country for Switzerland where he will undergo unspecified medical treatments. Bouteflika has yet to completely recover from his 2013 stroke.

August 23, 2018: The government announced that an anti-corruption investigation would lead to the replacement of a number of senior military and police commanders. The changes include replacement of several security commanders, including the one in charge of capital security. Two of the six regional army commanders were replaced.

August 18, 2018: In Bouira province (120 kilometers southeast of the capital) an Islamic terrorist bomb went off killing a 12 year old child and wounding four others aged 10-16.

August 11, 2018: In the far south (Tamanrasset province, 2,000 kilometers south of the capital) near the Mali border Sultan Ould Bady, a veteran Mali al Qaeda leader, surrendered to an army patrol. Since May the government has publicized border zones where Islamic terrorists seeking to surrender can cross while armed and not be shot on sight. Islamic terrorists seeking to surrender are advised what to do when they encounter troops. After the surrender of Bady was revealed there were rumors he had actually surrendered (or been captured) in late June (when a group of unidentified Mali Islamic terrorists surrendered) and that was kept secret while Bady was interrogated and what he revealed was acted on. Intelligence indicates there are a growing number of Islamic terrorists in northern Mali who want to get out of the terrorism business. Algeria has about 80,000 troops guarding its 3,000 kilometer long border with Mali and Libya and has been effective in detecting, if not always stopping. Those crossing illegally.

July 30, 2018: In the east (Skikda province, 500 kilometers from the capital) troops patrolling a mountainous area encountered four Islamic terrorists who were killed, along with seven soldiers, in a gun battle.
In July 2018 Russia finally demonstrated its new BTR-MDM tracked airborne armored vehicle being airdropped (by parachute) with its three man crew on board. The BTR-MDM landed, via parachute, in front of a large audience. The crew detached the vehicle from the parachute gear, started the engine and drove off. Other troops landed via individual parachutes were able to get on board and move away from the drop zone. The demonstration marked the completion of a twelve year effort to design, develop and build the BTR-MDM.

The BTR-MDM effort began in 2006 when Russia announced an upgrade program for the equipment of its airborne forces. A new version of the BMD armored vehicle, the BTR MD (nicknamed Rakushka) was to be produced, but slowly (nine years to deliver 499 of them). The BTR-MD was basically the old BMD (an infantry fighting vehicle with a turret) with the turret removed and the body of the vehicle expanded. The BTR-MD began as an eight ton vehicle designed to be dropped by parachute or delivered slung under a helicopter. It was armed with two machine-guns (12.7mm and 7.62mm). By 2008, even before production began, the design was upgraded to the 13 ton BTR-MDM. Development prototypes were revealed in 2013 and troops began receiving production models by late 2014.

The MDM model could carry two tons of cargo or 13 personnel. It was armed with a RWS (Remote Weapons Station) that enabled a crew member to operate a machine-gun (7.62mm or 12.7mm) from inside the vehicle. There was also a manually operated 7.62mm machine-gun next to the RWS weapon. The BTR-MDM has a top road speed of 70 kilometers an hour and can travel 500 kilometers on roads before needing to refuel. Going off-road that is reduced to 350 kilometers. The vehicle is amphibious and can move at up to ten kilometers an hour in the water. The vehicle can stay in the water for up to seven hours at a time. The lightweight armor protects against machine-gun fire and most shell fragments. The BTR-MDM will be the standard armored infantry carrier and cargo carrier throughout the VDV (Rapid Reaction Force). There are also ambulance and command post versions.

The 2006 decision called for airborne troops to get new gear across the board, and the brass expected this to double their combat power in the next few years. The airborne forces were the main component of the VDV. The new equipment includes modern communications, computers and sensors. The airborne troops are among the best trained and led in the Russian armed forces. Lacking the large standing army Russia possessed for centuries, the current strategy is to substitute quality for quantity. Even after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia is still the largest country on the planet. But the 2008 world financial crises hit the Russian defense budget hard and that slowed things down. It took four or five years for these projects to get revived.

The introduction of the BTR-MDM was part of 2013 decision to form a new major command, the VDV which incorporates all airborne, special operations, and marine troops. All these will operate under one VDV commander and VDV staff. The air force and navy will supply transportation in addition to vehicles each unit has and access to the national railroads. The air force and navy will also provide fire support as needed. The VDV staff will prepare and maintain lists of potential trouble spots and come up with a plan for which VDV units can most quickly respond and exactly how they will do that.

The BTR-MDM was not the first of the new VDV armor vehicles to paradrop with crews. The similar 13.6 ton BMD-4M, which entered service in 2004, was the first such vehicle to do so. The BND-4M has a turret, more weapons and can carry six infantry plus crew. This vehicle has been parachuted down with the crew of two on board but not in public. VDV commanders noted that dropping these vehicles via parachute is not done regularly as it does cause some additional stress on the vehicle. In addition drops with crew on board are even rarer and only done in peacetime to test the concept, which would be done more frequently in wartime. Something the VDV officers did not comment on how many vehicles could be moved at one time. The answer is not much. The Russian air transport fleet is aging and shrinking as there is not enough money to upgrade that force.

VDV will have control of about ten percent of Russian military personnel. This is also the most skilled lethal personnel in the Russian military. They are a diverse group. Russia has ten Spetsnaz special operations brigades with about 12,000 of these elite troops in service. The Spetsnaz brigades contain about 1,600 troops, at full strength, and the army is still having a hard time getting volunteers for these units. Airborne forces consist of four divisions and four separate brigades of airborne (parachute and air landing) troops with a total strength of 35,000 troops. There will also be several support brigades, including a training brigade. There are about 9,000 marines, which include several hundred naval commandos. VDV will also have some support troops based with their fighting units. In 2016 a further expansion of the VDV was announced, to include more contract troops as well as special VDV support (logistics, communications, transportation and so on) that would eventually add another 20,000 personnel.

Russia has long used these units as quick reaction forces but now that will be the main task of these elite units and more money and effort will be applied to improve skills and speed of execution.
SAVANNAH, GA, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smoke Cartel, Inc. (Ticker: SMKC), a leading online retailer and wholesaler of glass water pipes , vaporizers , and other related accessories for the cannabis industry, today announced it has received a notice of allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the mark Cinderwitch to use for the Companys branded product line of electronic smoking accessories.



Smoke Cartel currently has nine branded product lines to service different demographics in the smoking accessory market. Cinderwitch products include butane torches and electronic lighters and are sold on SmokeCartel.com and to the Companys wholesale customers through Glassheadswholesale.com . The Cinderwitch line also carries the Viosparc lighter, which received allowance for patent of its design earlier this year. The Viosparc is Smoke Cartels first patented design and will be brought to market under the Cinderwitch brand later this year.

We are always thrilled when one of our branded names passes a step at the US Patent and Trademark Office as we continue to protect our unique brands and increase our intellectual property portfolio,  said Smoke Cartel CEO and Chairman Darby Cox.

The official USPTO Notice of Allowance is for U.S. Trademark SN 87430033: CINDERWITCH: Docket/Reference No. KS-1722-1(D). Smoke Cartel is now proceeding with registration of the trademark.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at : http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/70ec776a-ad13-4328-9088-e69dc7c6bca4

About Smoke Cartel, Inc.

Smoke Cartel, Inc. (Ticker: SMKC) is one of the leading online retailers of glass water pipes, vaporizers, bubblers, spoons, oil and dab rigs, smoking accessories, and cannabis accoutrements. The Company provides a wide variety of high quality products, reliable customer service, and rapid dependable shipping. Smoke Cartel offers 24-hour support and online chat services to ensure the customer experience is timely and professional. Smoke Cartel operates a transparent business model which is important in an industry with varying state regulations and significant scrutiny. The Companys website at www.smokecartel.com offers fast load times and optimizations, making the product search process quick and seamless.

(Certain matters discussed in this press release may contain statements, estimates and projections that involve risks and uncertainties in Smoke Cartel, Inc.s (the Company) business that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the statements made herein. Such statements, estimates and projections constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Smoke Cartel undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. The recipient of this information is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. No representations or warranties are made as to the accuracy of such forward-looking statements or whether any of the projections included herein will be realized.)

Attachment
A soldier fires an AT4 weapon at a training area at Fort Drum, N.Y., Aug. 22, 2018. The soldier is assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Army photo by Sgt. Michael A Parker

X

0 20

Help Keep Us Soaring





We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month.

Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways:
ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 28, 2018) Aviation Boatswain's Mates (Equipment) Airman Megan Brewington, left, and Abraham Amoateng conduct communications as an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Jolly Rogers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Abraham Lincoln is underway with Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12) conducting Operational Test-1 (OT1) for the F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian M. Wilbur)

X

0 20

Help Keep Us Soaring





We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month.

Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways:
The Hamas fire kite (and balloon) attacks from Gaza have diminished, largely because balloon shipments are no longer allowed into Gaza and Israeli attacks on construction and launching sites have disrupted and discouraged this still-popular form of attack. Since these attacks began in early May Israeli firefighters have had to deal with nearly 1,200 fires. The kites and balloons are more of a nuisance than a threat. Yet in the Arab media, the fire kites get a lot more attention than in the Israeli press. Arson is not a new tactic for the Palestinians as they have been setting fire to Israeli crops and woodlands since the 1930s. Launching kites from inside Gaza means you are unlikely to get arrested for arson but there is increased risk of getting killed by Israeli air or artillery attacks.

Russia

Russia is backing away from Iran in general because Iran is becoming more of a liability than an asset. Working closely with Iran in Syria was mainly about the 2015 treaty that lifted most sanctions on Iran and enabled Russia to do a lot more business in Iran. That did not work out as the corruption inside Iran delayed a lot of the expected new business and the Arab oil states pointed out that anyone who was really close to Iran would be getting a lot less business from the Arab states in general and the Arab oil states (which controlled more oil than Iran) in particular. Then the Americans pulled out of the 2015 treaty in March and are restoring many of the sanctions. European nations are finding that the U.S. revival of sanctions makes it impossible for many European firms to do business in Iran. Then there is the continued Iranian threats to attack Israel, especially from newly established bases in Syria. Israel has made it clear it will not allow those bases to remain and has warned Russia to stand aside when Israeli airstrikes hit the Iranians in Syria. Now Russia, the Americans and Israel have agreed to cooperate in getting Iran out of Syria. Turkey and Iraq would also prefer this. Until recently there were few press releases or other official announcements about this but you can see the plan unfolding as Iran finds itself abandoned in Syria and under growing attack. Russia has long-term interests in the Middle East and opportunities in Syria because of deals already made with the Assad government. Russia has been on good terms with Israel for a long time and sees that as more important than anything Iran has to offer.

Russia made it clear for over a year that it sides with Israel when it comes to Syria and a long-term peace deal. Despite that Israel has concluded that Russian pressure will not persuade Iran to back off on their efforts to increase Iranian controlled military forces in Syria and then launch attacks on Israel. But Russia will cooperate with Israel and has an open channel with Iranian military leaders. This means the Russians can explain, in terms the Iranians can better understand and accept, what their military position is versus Israel. That explains the recent Iranian withdrawal of its mercenary and special operations forces from the Israeli border. As a practical matter, this means Iran withdrew the easily identifiable and resolved to work on new techniques to better disguise its forces so they can get near the Israeli border. Iran takes advantage of the fact that Russian aircraft handle most of the aerial and electronic reconnaissance for the pro-government forces. The Russians can show what their high-res and multispectral photos of Iranian troops revealed and add what their electronic eavesdropping picked. All the Russians will say about the Israelis is that the Israelis are even better at this stuff. How much better the Russians wont say. In part thats because they are not sure and Russia does not want to anger Israel, which has been on good terms with Russia far longer than Iran.

Russia demonstrates its pro-Israel proclivities by openly accepting Israeli use of Jerusalem as their capital and moving functions normally held in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This angers many Moslems, and especially Iran. This support for Israel is one the few things the United States and Russia agree on these days. The durability of this alliance is mainly a matter of paying attention to who can do what. For example, unclassified rankings of the most powerful nations tend to include tiny Israel in the top ten, as in; U.S., Russia, China, Germany, Britain, France, Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE (United Arab Emirates). These rankings combine economic, technical, military and diplomatic capabilities. Israel may be small in population but they are world class in many technology areas, have nukes and the most capable armed forces in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and UAE have much of the world oil reserves and armed forces they have built up over decades at great expense and, to the surprise of many (including Iran) made it work. Their combat pilots are competent and their anti-missile defenses work (as they have intercepted over a 100 ballistic missiles, many of them Iranian made, fired by Yemeni Shia rebels at targets in Saudi Arabia.) Iran and Turkey are not in the top ten and Russia notices that. Despite all that the Israeli alliance with Russia is unwritten and has limits. Yet it is real because Israel has not attacked any Russian targets with its growing air offensive against Iranian forces.

Iran And Syria

A major complaint of the Iranian protestors is the long and futile effort by their government to destroy Israel. Iranian leaders need a win against Israel and they are not having much luck in getting one. Israel has told the Assads that if they stick with Iran they will be destroyed. The Assads realize that the Iranians are fanatics about destroying Israel and that the Israelis have demonstrated their ability to counter any move the Iranians make. Moreover, all the other Arab states consider the Assads traitors for aligning themselves with the Iranians, who are quite openly at war with Arab control of Arabia and much else. Worse, no one has much sympathy for the Assads, who have very few good qualities. Despite this, the Assads apparently try to side with Russia and Israel rather than Iran.

What this comes down to is the fact that Iran is a foreign (Indo-European, not Arab) power that wants to increase its direct control over Syria. Russia and Israel do not have such ambitions. Many Iranians (but few of their leaders) note that the three most powerful Middle Eastern states (Israel, Saudi Arabia and UAE) are now allies, mainly against Iran. While the Turks are now led by a nationalistic Islamic leader who also wants to destroy Israel the Turks also admit that Iran is a traditional rival and the Arabs are not as weak as they were during the centuries the Turks (the Ottoman Empire) ruled them. Many Turks are smitten with the nationalism thing, just as they once were when they had an empire. But the Turks didnt get their empire and then transition to a modern, industrial age state when the empire collapsed a century ago by being stupid. The only dummies at this point are key factions of the religious dictatorship that rules Iran.

The anti-government protests inside Iran continue, despite increasingly desperate measures by the government to calm things down. The main reason for the protests is the economic woes and those are getting worse. The senior clerics running Iran are also divided over what to do. Iran can no longer posture and negotiate from a position of strength because their potential is diminishing along with their local and foreign support.

Canceling Hereditary Refugee Status

The United States is proposing a novel solution to the Palestinian problem; cancel the unique status Palestinian refugees were granted by the UN after Israel was created that enables Palestinian refugees to pass their refugee status on to all their descendants. No other refugee group has ever been granted that status. As a result, the original 700,000 Palestinian refugees have grown to over four million. The UN established the UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) to provide for the support of the original refugees and succeeding generations. The U.S. is the largest contributor to the UNRWA effort that provides most of these refugees with benefits on other refugees get. Now the U.S. announced it will stop paying $350 million a year for this.

Western efforts to obtain a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians keep failing because of Palestinian refusal to give up demands that Israel cannot accept (if they want to continue to exist as a Jewish state). What caused this mess was a mistake made by the Arab world over sixty years ago when the UN was persuaded to grant Palestinian refugees hereditary status. Initially, this was because the Arab nations were certain that they would eventually be able to crush Israel and allow Palestinians back to homes and property they had fled at the urging of other Arabs. As part of this policy no Arab nation would permit Palestinians to become citizens but instead always treated them as refugees and confined them to camps (which were usually special towns and neighborhoods just for Palestinians). But by the 1970s it was pretty clear that the Israelis had become too powerful militarily (and now had nukes) for the Arabs to defeat. Instead, the Arab nations got behind various proposals for a peace deal. Some progress was made by the 1990s but Palestinian radicals refused to allow any peace agreement and threatened civil war is Palestinian leaders did not renounce peace proposals and work towards the destruction of Israel.

One obstacle to any peace deal was Palestinians insisting on Israel recognizing "right of return without discrimination." That means that the Palestinians who fled the newly formed Israel in the late 1940s, and their millions of descendants, can return to Israel and get all their abandoned property back. Israel would also have to pay compensation. While most of those original refugees are now dead, many Palestinians would not return, but enough could do so and change the demographic composition of Israel, turning it into a country with an Arab majority. This, for both the Palestinians and Israel, is the equivalent of "destroying Israel." This is something all Palestinian factions want to accomplish, and Israelis want to avoid. Getting around this obstacle would be very difficult, as the Palestinian public has endured decades of Palestinian (and Arab) media messages insisting that the right of return is an essential part of any peace deal. Westerners believe that money (a bribe) might make this problem go away. That could backfire because the real problem is the Arab decision in the late 1940s to not offer citizenship to any Palestinian refugees. The other Arab states insisted that Palestinian refugees must remain stateless, preferably living in refugee camps (and receiving food and other aid from largely Western donors). At the time, an equal number of Jews were expelled from Arab countries. All these Jewish refugees found new homes, most of them in Israel. Thus just giving the Palestinian refugees a few hundred billion dollars would not be sufficient. They need citizenship somewhere, either in the country where they are currently refugees or in the West. Undoing this old Arab error, which the Arab nations insisted on and Palestinians went along with, has not been easy. Now the Americans are willing to act, which is meaningful since the United States has always been the largest supplier of aid for the Palestinian refugees. The Americans can make this work because now most Arab states are hostile to Palestinians who have regularly acted in a self-destructive manner and now refuse to even form a united government that someone could negotiate with. But the American approach also puts some responsibility on other Arab nations to change their citizenship policy (which is similar for all foreigners, not just the Palestinians) and make it easier for Palestinians who have been living among them for decades to become citizens.

Of the original 700,000 Palestinian refugees, only about 50,000 are still alive. In 1967 there was another wave of Palestinian refugees as Israel took control of the West Bank and about 300,000 West Bank Arabs joined the Palestinian refugee community. Over 50,000 of these are still alive. Most of the original refugees would be willing to accept cash or property compensation and permission to settle in areas where that they could be citizens, not refugees. Some 10 percent would even be willing to move to Israel, where the Arabs who did not flee became Israeli citizens and prospered. Many of the original refugees settled in the West, where they could become citizens. But that was complicated by the unrelenting Arab demands that Israel must be destroyed. For Arab nations, that attitude has mellowed and most Arab nations see Israel as an actual or potential ally and economic partner. But the Palestinian refugee community still insists Israel be destroyed.

Meanwhile, the worst threat Palestinians face is themselves. Hamas and Fatah continue refusing to cooperate. Fatah opposes an Israeli ceasefire deal with Hamas until Fatah has control of Gaza, which Hamas refuses to let happen. Fatah continues to be crippled by corruption, which is one reason why Hamas still has support in the West Bank despite Palestinian police cooperating with Israel to find and arrest (0r kill) Hamas members in the West Bank. In Gaza Hamas seems incapable of controlling its various factions, each trying to be more radical than the other and too many of them eager to violate any ceasefire agreement. Some Hamas radicals welcome another Israeli invasion as that would create more opportunities to kill Israelis by firing a lot more rockets and fighting Israeli forces inside Gaza urban areas, which have been prepared for this sort of thing. The fighting would cause a lot of destruction in Gaza and kill civilians there, which would turn Hamas into a victim. That puts pressure on Arab states to condemn Israel as well as send more cash. After the last war, in 2014, Hamas was able to divert much of that reconstruction money to military projects. Some Hamas leaders point out that Arab donors are aware of how the aid for Gaza scam worked last time and are not ready to get robbed again. But the Hamas radicals live in an imaginary world that is occasionally shot to pieces by reality. They dont seem to care and Hamas leadership cannot control what they created.

Egypt has been frustrated by its attempts to broker a unification deal for Hamas and Fatah as well as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The unification talks are currently suspended and the ceasefire discussions unable to overcome factionalism inside Hamas.

August 29, 2018: In the West Bank Israeli police uncovered and destroyed a Hamas communications network run by the widow of a man killed while carrying out a 2010 attack that left four dead. The Hamas network used women to move information around the West Bank to other Hamas cells.

August 28, 2018: In the West Bank Israeli police arrested 27 Palestinians wanted for participating in various forms of violence against Israel. Because of this and similar operations Israelis praised the Palestinian police for their cooperation.

August 27, 2018: A growing number of senior Israeli politicians are giving up on trying to make peace with Hamas. The Israeli leaders are going public this and joining the majority of Israelis who have also come to this conclusion.

In Egypt (390 kilometers south of Cairo) police raided an Islamic terrorists hideout and killed five Islamic terrorists and seized weapons, equipment and documents.

August 25, 2018: In Egypt (Sinai) ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) attempted to attack a police checkpoint but were detected and repulsed. Four of the dozen or more attackers died as did four policemen. ISIL later claimed a successful attack that killed twelve police but the police cannot hide their losses (there are funerals and the dead are hailed as heroes in the media) and local civilians reported the reality of a failed attack. What was unusual about this attack is that it was rare. The Egyptian counter-terror campaign that began in February continues and has killed some 350 Islamic terrorists so far and arrested over a thousand suspects. At least once a month the military releases a summary of recent operations and the list always contains many hideouts and much equipment (and weapons) seized as well as many (often fifty or more) mines and roadside bombs disabled. These operations are doing a lot of damage to Sinai based smuggling operations. The government is telling the smugglers (usually Bedouins) that if they want to avoid these counter-terrorism raids, dont work with the Islamic terrorists, especially ISIL. That has had some impact although by now most of the Sinai tribes have turned against ISIL, which is now the primary Islamic terror group operating in Sinai.

August 24, 2018: In Gaza, the Friday attacks on the border fence continued. Today Hamas gathered about 5,000 civilians to try and get through the border. Nearly 200 were wounded as they were repulsed.

Hamas condemned Palestinian police in the West Bank for finding a disabling a large roadside bomb apparently intended for use against one of the Israeli military convoys that regularly use that road.

The U.S. announced it was cutting its aid to Gaza and the West Bank by another $200 million a year. The money is being assigned to aid projects elsewhere in the world. The Americans have always been a major contributor of economic aid to the Palestinians but given the continued corruption and calls for the destruction of Israel (and failed attempts at making it happen), the United States believes it has better uses for its aid money elsewhere.

August 22, 2018: In Gaza, the UN says it has no more aid money to pay for fuel to keep hospitals and water supply facilities working. The UN needs $4.5 million for the fuel and is running out of donors who will respond to emergencies in Gaza. This is the result of more aid donors cutting ties with Gaza because so much of the aid money is diverted by Hamas to support terrorism and other illegal activities.

August 21, 2018: In Egypt, the government has succeeded in doing what it was elected to do; fix the economy. GDP growth has increased and is now nearly 6 percent a year. The government is aiming for 7 percent by 2022. Unemployment is lower (9.9 percent versus 12 percent a year ago) and the borders are largely safe and neighbors non-threatening. Gaza, Libya and Yemen are still violent but Egypt has been able to protect itself by sealing its Gaza border and tightly restricting access. All this economic success is important if Egypt is to develop its newly discovered natural gas fields and export the growing quantity of natural gas it does not need for the local economy. Currency reforms and effective counter-terrorism efforts have brought back foreign investors. Egypt is now considered a safe place to visit and invest in. At the same time, Egypt is returning to the police state ways that the 2011 revolution sought to address. The Mubarak dictatorship was overthrown in 2011 but elections brought to power an Islamic party (the Moslem Brotherhood) that lost most of its support when it announced plans to turn Egypt into an Islamic dictatorship. The resulted in another retired general, like Mubarak, elected amid promises to improve public safety and the economy. General Sisi, as head of the government, has managed to do that. But not much interest in dealing with the corruption and harsh government policies like Internet censorship and a growing list of restrictions on what Egyptians can legally say or do when it comes to politics or criticizing the government.

August 20, 2018: In the south (Gaza) an armed Palestinian trying to get though the security fence was killed when he opened fire on Israeli soldiers who sought to arrest him. The dead man turned out to be a nurse who had worked for an NGO (Doctors Without Borders) in Gaza.

In Egypt (north Sinai) a roadside bomb killed a soldier and wounded four others.

August 19, 2018: An American official confirmed that the United States, Israel and Russia agreed that Iran must not be allowed to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Apparently, the Syrian government agrees with this as there have been some recent clashes between Assad forces and Iranian mercenaries.

August 18, 2018: In northern Syria, an army intelligence officer working for the Syrian Army Palestinian Department was assassinated by gunfire. Israeli involvement was suspected.

August 17, 2018: In Gaza, the Friday attacks on the border fence continue. Today the attacks on the border fence were somewhat less intense but still involved explosives and firebombs thrown at the fence and a few Palestinians getting across. Those are the ones who are shot and two were killed (and 25 wounded) by gunfire. In March Hamas began its current campaign against Israel which, like all the earlier ones, is not working and has gotten over 170 Gazans (and one Israeli) killed so far.

In Jerusalem, a Moslem man was leaving a mosque when he pulled out a knife and tried to attack two nearby policemen, who shot the man dead.

August 14, 2018: In eastern Syria (Deir Ezzor province) Iranian mercenaries have been fighting with Syrian Army (Assad) troops for control of the Al Bukamal crossing into Iraq. Apparently, there is a dispute between the Assads and Iran over who will control border crossings for routes that are part of the Iran to the Mediterranean land route. This route is essential to supporting any Iranian military expansion in Syria and Lebanon.

August 13, 2018: Israel recently seized three shipping containers carrying balloons for Gaza and this has contributed to a reduction in the number of fire balloon attacks into Israel.

August 12, 2018: In Egypt (outside Cairo) police, acting on a tip, raided a building and found six armed Islamic terrorists who resisted arrest and fired on the police. The suspects refused to surrender and all were killed.

August 11, 2018: Israel released satellite photos showing the massive damage done by a July 22nd attack on an Iranian run missile assembly plant in northwest Syria.

In Egypt (north of Cairo) heavy security around a Christian church prevented a suicide bomber from getting in. The attacker detonated his explosives outside the church killing only himself. Police quickly identified the bomber, raided his home and found weapons and bomb-making materials and documents that led to the arrest of six suspects who also possessed weapons and bomb-making materials.

August 10, 2018: In the south (Gaza) there were still attacks on the border fence by crowds of Palestinians despite the ceasefire. Hamas insisted that the border protests did not count. There was less border fence violence but still a lot of people trying to get through the fence and one Palestinian was killed and 40 wounded.

August 9, 2018: Israel used airstrikes and artillery to hit Hamas targets in Gaza. Three Palestinians were killed. This was in response to yesterdays Hamas attacks on Israel and was the largest such exchange since 2014. This led to Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire which took effect a midnight but did not last long.

August 8, 2018: Hamas fired 180 rockets and mortar shells into Israel. Although 30 were intercepted by Iron Dome there were still seven wounded on the Israeli side of the border.

August 4, 2018: In northwest Syria (the city of Masyaf) Aziz Asbar, a senior Syrian scientist died when his car exploded. Asbar ran many programs at the main government research center for advanced weapons in Masyaf. Israel is the prime suspect, although it could have been any number of rebel groups because this research center was also in charge of developing and manufacturing chemical weapons. The Aziz Asbar was linked to design and construction of new underground factories for assembling Iranian ballistic missiles. Asbar also got credit for designing the barrel bombs shoved out of helicopters and transports onto pro-rebel civilians to encourage them to flee the country. Even the Assads believe Israel carried out this attack because it requires skilled operatives and planners to make it work as well as agents apparently able to operate anywhere in Syria. Killing Asbar not only removes a key person in the Syrian special weapons effort but also reminds the Syrians that cooperating with Iran will lead to more targeted assassination and airstrikes on Syrian locations used by Iran. Asbar was known to have worked closely with Iran on various projects including delivering weapons from Iran to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon via Syria.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe.

WARWICKSHIRE Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe is supporting calls on the Government to reclassify Spice and other synthetic cannabinoid substances as Class A drugs.

Along with 19 other Conservative Police and Crime Commissioners Mr Seccombe is a signatory to a letter to Home Office Ministers calling for the change, describing synthetic drugs as presenting the most severe public health issue we have faced in decades.

The open letter has been penned by Lincolnshire PCC Marc Jones, asking for the reclassification to Class A so that the dealers who peddle this misery are treated with the same severity and concern as those dealing heroin.

Currently, Spice (also known as Black Mamba) and other synthetic cannabinoids are classified as Class B drugs  meaning they are illegal to produce, supply or import into Britain and putting them on the same footing as cannabis. However, as the Commissioners point out in their letter, the effects of so-called zombie drugs are much worse on the individual and communities.

The letter reiterates that PCCs are very supportive of Governments wish to tackle illegal substance misuse in general but calls for the creation of a new national strategy to deal specifically with synthetic drugs to provide an effective and consistent approach and to improve the level of support for those hooked on the drugs.

The letter adds: As public health and substance misuse services are not currently taking the lead in meeting this growing challenge it is falling to the police to respond to public concerns of community safety, adding yet further to policing demand without addressing the underlying issues.

We would urge that synthetic cannabinoid products are reclassified from class B to class A. At present, the current justifications for the classification of B are rooted in the chemical similarities which Spice shares with cannabis. However, such parallels are purely chemical, as the physical and psychological effects these substances have on their users are on a much more extreme scale to those of cannabis.

In practice they are more comparable with class A drugs such as heroin and it is therefore imperative that it and the dealers who peddle this misery are treated with the same severity and concern.

It is also vital that the level of support to those hooked on Spice is placed firmly on the agenda, including pathways away from criminalising the vulnerable where possible and ensuring appropriate services are in place to treat their addiction.

There is evidence of a growing problem caused by synthetic drugs, with the Office for National Statistics linking 27 deaths in 2016, while West Midlands Ambulance Service was reported last year to be attending around 200 calls a month to cases of people suspected of taking Black Mamba across the region.
NASHVILLE, TN , Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE - LIG Assets, Inc. (OTC PINK: LIGA) (also known as the "Leader in Green Assets" or "LIGA") addresses the following recent trading activity of the Companys stock. On Wednesday, August 29th LIG Assets management became aware of an unaffiliated stock promotion entity informing their investor base about LIG Assets as an investment consideration. As a result, their efforts contributed to over 100 million of LIGAs common stock shares being traded on the open market on August 29th.

LIG Assets President, Marvin Baker, states, While we would encourage every investor to strongly consider investing in LIGA, we do not engage in, support in any way or condone any third party stock promotional entities attempting to interfere in the normal trading activity of LIGA stock or our shareholders investment decisions. Chairman Aric Simons added, LIGA is founded on principles of integrity and implementing its strategic business plan in an effective, profitable manner. Thus, management sees no necessity to artificially stimulate investor interest; the results speak for itself. LIGA will continue to operate with transparency and remain true to the commitments we have made to our valued shareholders who I believe are the best to be found anywhere in the OTC market.

LIG Assets would also like to publicly disclose that no Company Officers or any member of the Companys management team were involved in these promotional efforts in any way, and the Company has not and will not engage in any dilution of stock or conversion of any notes.

Baker states, We certainly welcome the large amount of new shareholders and interested investors that are now aware of LIGA and our Companys investment potential, as we remind our loyal shareholders that LIGA needs absolutely no help from anyone outside of the Company to confirm what we and they already know  LIGA is on the verge of constructing our first model home that will showcase and demonstrate LIGAs amazing homes and technologies, and as I have stated publicly that when we complete our first LIGA home, we will be in a position to begin building and selling thousands of homes, and in fact, we are already lining up pre-sales and building contracts in several states. In addition, LIGA continues to progress developing its first complete subdivision of sustainable homes in Brentwood, Tennessee." Baker continues, For the benefit of our recent new shareholders, please read the About LIGA Homes section below for a very brief description of what LIGA does and why LIGA shareholders are so encouraged by their investment in our Company, and of course to invite them to attend our LIGA 2018  3rd Annual "Sustainability Impact Conference" on Monday, September 24th from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm CST at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC). Each and every speaker at the conference is a strategic partner of LIG Assets and has a financial stake in the Company or otherwise benefits from LIG Assets operations and success."

Additional conference details and the entire speaker list will be posted on the Companys website, at www.LeaderinGreenAssets.com , and will be updated from time to time prior to the conference date. The conference is considered an "open house" as it will open its doors to anyone that wants to attend at no cost. However, since space is limited and lunch will be provided, we urge interested attendees to notify the Company, by email at Aric@LigAssets.net if they plan to attend.

LIG Assets has confirmed some of our speakers will include Chairman Aric Simons, LIGA's President and CEO of BGTV Direct Marvin Baker, Partner and Renowned Environmentalist Robert Plarr, LIGA's CEO Allan Gillis, President of LiveStor Jim Gillis, President of LIGA Homes Linda Byrd, Lig Developments Todd Hubbard, Buck Lake Ranch's Ron Weimer and CFO Doug Vaughn will all speak at the conference and many more will be announced soon. Additionally, LIGA will be updating attendees on the land acquisitions in Brentwood, Tennessee, Panama City Beach, Florida & Angola, Indiana and plan to demonstrate the progress of their other subsidiaries LiveStore America, LIG Developments, LIGA Homes, BGTV Direct & LIG Assets 20%-owned Earth Revival's stem cell / health & wellness centers products, and feature many of LIGA's state-of-the-art building materials / products. Speakers will further attest to their relationship and commitment to the new management team at LIG Assets, its strategic plans, advanced products, current respective industry climate, and further enable attendees to understand how these diverse resources will combine to change the way we build, improve healthy living, extend life, save on utilities, and improve the environment.

About the Nashville Entrepreneur Center:

The Entrepreneur Center (EC) became the front door for entrepreneurs aspiring to create companies in Nashville with the opening of its flagship facility at 105 Broadway in August of 2010. In June of 2013, the EC moved to its current location in one of the many Trolley Barns on Rolling Mill Hill.

Originally a vision of the Partnership 2010 initiatives of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the EC began in 2007 with the mission of raising the quality of resources available to Nashville's entrepreneurial and small business communities. The EC represents a partnership of local and state government support, private interests and the Nashville business community at-large. Please visit www.EC.co for more information.

The Nashville Entrepreneur Center

41 Peabody Street

Nashville, TN 37210

Tel: (615) 873-1257

URL: www.EC.co

About LIGA Homes:

LIGA Homes unique residential and commercial developments utilize specially designed and manufactured recycled "element resistant" steel framing, in addition to toxic free magnesium oxide building materials and panels that are 100% mold, fungus, termite and rot resistant and fire resistant against temperatures up to 3500 degrees Fahrenheit as well as famed environmentalist Robert Plarr's exclusive "maximum rated" R-60 insulation -- combining to create disaster resistant materials and structures that can withstand up to a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and sustained gale force winds up to 175 MPH while negating damage caused by rain and flood exposure. With the addition of Plarr's green and renewable systems and products, LIGA Homes is now capable of providing affordable, fully sustainable and disaster resistant living environments  LIGA Homes is at the forefront of this new and improved direction for the green, sustainable and construction sectors.

For more information about LIGA Homes visit - www.LIGAHomes.com or contact the Company directly at 833-LIGAHOMES

General inquiries: ContactUs@LIGAHomes.com

About LIG Assets, Inc.:

LIG Assets, Inc. in association with Robert Plarr is the emerging "Leader in Green Assets" -- focused on exclusive green, renewable energy and sustainable homes, living systems, technologies and components to be utilized in the residential and commercial real estate acquisition and development projects currently under way and now individual product sales, as well as rapid expansion into other sectors via acquisitions, mergers and joint venture partnerships. LIG Assets, Inc. trades on the pink sheets under the ticker symbol "LIGA".

LIGA Homes in association with the Companys other wholly-owned subsidiary, LIG Developments, LLC., a steel framing manufacturing and design entity incorporated under the LIG Assets corporate umbrella will fast track LIGA Homes development as an emerging pioneer in the green and renewable energy sectors having successfully created the worlds first earthquake, flood, hurricane and fire resistant homes and structures that are 100% fully sustainable and disaster resistant  from individual green systems and homes to fully sustainable communities and commercial centers - completely revolutionizing the sustainable and renewable construction movement forever!

For additional information about LIG Assets, Inc., Robert Plarr, and/or how to purchase our exclusive homes, structures, products and technologies or to subscribe online to LIGA's free Shareholder Newsletter for regular updates and alerts regarding important Company developments Please visit the Company's website at www.LeaderInGreenAssets.com -- also follow LIGA at Twitter.com/LIGAssets .





Forward-Looking Statements
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BLOK Technologies Inc. ("BLOK Tech" or the "Company") (CSE: BLK) (FRANKFURT: 2AD) is pleased to announce that Manu Varghese, Chief Product Officer of its 100% owned subsidiary Greenstream Networks Inc. (Greenstream) was one of eight people in the world selected as a member of the Hyperledger Certification Committee focused on creating the first Hyperledger Fabric Certification examination. The committee included selected industry experts from technology companies IBM, Oracle, Altoros, Huawei, and the Blockchain Training Alliance. The committee also included key Hyperledger Fabric maintainers and community architects.



In addition to being part of a select group at the forefront of developing Hyperledger best practices, access to this community provides Greenstream, and its parent, BLOK Tech, with unprecedented support and validation for its technology development initiatives. Together, leading-edge blockchain developers such as Greenstream are contributing to the Hyperledger code-base and building out new technology applications on Hyperledger Fabric, a blockchain framework and one of the Hyperledger projects.

The committee focused on defining the program goals, scope and exam blueprint for the new Certified Hyperledger Fabric Administrator examination. Once certified, a Certified Hyperledger Fabric Administrator (CHFA) will be able to effectively build a secure Hyperledger Fabric network for commercial deployment. The certification examination will be the First Official Hyperledger Fabric certification by the Linux Foundation and is aimed to be the gold standard in enterprise blockchain technology. CHFA is a performance based examination which evaluates the hands-on capabilities of the participant to administer a commercial Hyperledger Fabric deployment.

Key responsibilities of the committee were to define Certification, the number of levels, titles, program goals, provide subject matter expert (SME) support, and conduct alpha and beta testing while supporting the public launch of the exam. The committee worked to define the exam blueprint containing the specific exam domains and topics, script and program the exam items, and their relevant weight within the exam to determine the exam passing score.

It is a great honor to be a part of the Hyperledger Certification Committee and support the community in creating a performance based certification exam, said Manu Varghese, Chief Product Officer of Greenstream. The Certified Hyperledger Fabric Administrator certification blueprint is carefully curated to reflect the up-to-date demand in the enterprise blockchain ecosystem. This will help in bridging the industry with the right talent pool & thereby enriching the growth of the industry."

Hyperledger is an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies. It is a global collaboration, hosted by The Linux Foundation, including leaders in finance, banking, Internet of Things, supply chains, manufacturing and Technology. In joining these two prestigious communities, Greenstream will be collaborating in a community with global technology companies such as: IBM, Cisco, Intel, SAP and JP Morgan as well as blockchain start-ups from around the world.

The Linux Foundation has provided unparalleled support for open source communities through financial and intellectual resources, governance structure, IT infrastructure, services, events, and training. Dedicated to building sustainable ecosystems around open source projects, The Linux Foundation is working with the global technology community to solve the worlds hardest problems through open source and creating the largest shared technology investment in history. The Linux Foundation is the umbrella organization for more than 60 open source projects accelerating open technology development and commercial adoption. Hyperledger is the fastest growing open source organization in the history of The Linux Foundation. It now counts over 230 member organizations since its inception in 2016.

About Greenstream Networks Inc.

Greenstream is engaged in the development of a blockchain-enabled supply chain integrity platform for the legalized cannabis industry. The federal government has laid out a roadmap to have cannabis legalized nationwide in 2018. With this in mind, Greenstream is in the process of developing a technology architecture to address the supply chain integrity needs for this new regulatory environment, providing the industry the ability to manage from seed to sale. Greenstreams platform provides a unified secure solution for licensed cannabis producers, merchants, consumers and government entities helping them transact, track, access, share and authenticate the movements of legal cannabis through all levels of the supply chain.

For additional information on Greenstream and other information, please click on the link to visit the website at Greenstream Technology

About BLOK Technologies Inc.

BLOK Technologies Inc. is a public company that invests in and develops emerging companies in the blockchain technology sector. The Companys approach is to provide capital, technology and management expertise to the companies it develops. With core technology being developed for the leading cannabis supply chain integrity network, BLOK Tech continues to grow its business into adjacent industries and emerging technologies. The Company systematically identifies early-stage technologies with potential to disrupt and innovate within their industry and invests the necessary resources to ensure the success of their projects.

For additional information regarding BLOK Tech technologies and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at BLOKTECHINC.COM

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Robert Dawson

President & CEO

For further information, please contact:

James Hyland, B.Comm.

Vice President Corporate Development, Director

(604) 442-2425

jamie@bloktechinc.com

Statements in this news release may be viewed as forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. There are no assurances the company can fulfill such forward-looking statements and the company undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Such forward-looking statements are only predictions; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the company, some of which are beyond the companys control.
Lisa Hirata made a stop in Sidney as part of her bicycle journey across the country, receiving the offer of a soft bed from a local resident over her normal tent accommodations. Her four-month trip began in Seattle and had zig-zagged across the western U.S.

Like a busy bee flitting from flower to flower, a young Seattle, Wash. woman landed in Sidney over the weekend, getting her first taste of what Nebraska has to offer.

At 25, Lisa Hirata has been traveling the western United States in a wandering course, much like a honey bee looking for the best flowers to draw from. But instead of pollen, Hirata is drawing from the experiences of life and the people it brings across her path.

Her course is not only zig-zag, but extremely wandering as she makes her way east. She went down the west coast to California, across to New Mexico, up to Yellowstone, back down through Colorado and is on her way back north. Hirata said she doesn't really have a route of travel with the exception of her destination of Minnesota and a week-long canoe trip with friends. Along the way, "I'm just going to places I've wanted to see."

In between, she runs through small towns along the way soaking in what experience they have to offer. When she reached Sidney, she was looking for a place to pitch her small tent when a local family offered to let her stay at their home.

That's the type of thing she said stands out about her trip.

"The people I've met," she said quickly when asked what stands out so far. "Like when I stopped here and they (her Sidney family) offered me a place to stay. That happens a lot, more than you would think."

And each stop brings a learning experience. In New Mexico, she met a family that had built a home of recycled materials, living completely off the grid. In Sidney, she learned about Runzas - described as one of the things unique to Nebraska that she should try as she crosses the state.

But whether it's a Runza or a national park, each gives Hirata an experience - the primary purpose behind her trip.

While she rides about 80 miles or so a day, Hirata said she likes taking her time.

"It's never about mileage," she said. "It's about the experience. Sometimes I'll go another way because someone told me about an interesting town or area.

She enjoys being outdoors - which fits into her background and the career she's followed so far. She has taken a month-long kayaking adventure from Seattle to Alaska with her brother. After college, she put her degree in environmental studies to work on the east coast, teaching young people about the outdoors by taking them on camping trips for days to a couple of weeks.

But this trip is one for her. She worked for months to earn enough for the trip. She learned some bicycle repair so she could handle minor problems. But she does admit, not all her preparation was as good.

"I got clip-on shoes so my feet would stay on the peddles better during the long days," Hirata said. "But I only got them about a week before I left and I wasn't used to them. One time I couldn't get them unlatched and I just fell over."

She laughs at the memory, saying more practice would probably have been helpful, "but it's also been part of the experience."

At five feet with a slim build, it appears Hirata might be outweighed by her touring bike and array of packs that carry her belongings. She said she has learned how to manage, though, making good time as she travels. She does, however, go slower through hilly terrain, which makes her mileage totals diminish.

In her bags are a change of clothes, sleeping bag, tent, tools, a paint set, food, small cook stove and fuel, and water - "lots of water."

She carries about three days worth of food, knowing that at times she may not always be near a store, but figures in those three days she'll be able to find a place to re-stock. As for the paint set, she said she does occasionally get the chance to paint - sending the finished product back to family.

Otherwise, she listened to music and, she says with another laugh "I talk to myself."

Hirata said she hasn't worried a lot about her safety, even in the light of recent national news. She is mindful, "but I don't dwell on it a lot."

By mid-October, Hirata's adventure will be over. She set out July 4 and gave herself four months to travel, expecting to turn south after her stop in Minnesota. She said she had to give herself the deadline to stop.

"Otherwise, I'd just keep going."
Owen Palm, left, and Cheyenne County Tourism Director Kevin Howard speak following Wednesday's meeting on Blueprint Nebraska held in Sidney. Palm is the President and CEO of 21st Century Holdings (Scottsbluff) and co-chair of Blueprint Nebraska.

Sidney is facing a challenge, an uphill battle some would say, of finding work for all of the available workforce in the county, a blossoming workforce idled by no choice of their own.

Sidney is unique because many other communities in Nebraska are desperately seeking employees for the jobs they have open.

That is according to Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce.

"We represent all businesses in the state," Slone said. "Our job is to focus on all businesses in Nebraska."

Slone said one of the issues facing the state is the level of taxation, particularly property taxes and income taxes. He said finding a work-ready workforce is also one of the top four issues. He said the state has at least 55,000 jobs that can't be filled. He said the cure to the taxation is population growth. Population growth comes by housing and by a quality of life that draws people to a community.

"We've got businesses that would grow 10, 20 30 percent but they can't find the workers," he said.

He went on to say some of the issues are federal, not just state. Slone said the state chamber of commerce works with the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He talked about several bills that came before the Legislature in 2018 including one that prevented a $226 million income tax increase and another that prevented a personal property increase. One bill addresses the housing shortage and another addresses Internet service in rural areas.

He said the big picture is the economy is changing. He said in a few years, the agricultural community will not have more farmers, but there will be more companies supporting farming. He added there will be an increase in GPS guided farming also.

"Nebraska is at a crossroads," Slone said.

He said part of the future is reconnecting the youth with the business community. He recalled when he was young, knowing and respecting most of the business owners. That is a connection often lost to the recent generation, according to Slone.

"We have to do a really good job with the K-12 population. We can't afford to lose them," he said.

Slone then introduced State Sen. Jim Smith as the executive director of Blueprint Nebraska. Blueprint Nebraska is an effort to gather feedback from Nebraskans and for the Blueprint Nebraska team members will visit dozens of communities and events across the state, reaching every economic development region.

He said the state having a positive future depends on all of the state working together. He added Nebraska needs to also do a competitive analysis of Nebraska compared to other states as far away as Texas.

He said the State needs to work with the private sector, and the effort needs to be transparent.

"We cannot be seen in any way of working behind closed doors," Smith said.

He said Blueprint Nebraska is a long range plan that must be actionable, not left on the shelf.

Smith and Slone encourage people to complete an online survey at blueprint-Nebraska.org.
Although it is not directly within his powers, the mayor, Francisco de la Torre, wants to progress a project for a new stretch of fast road to link Chilches and Fuengirola, going around the metropolitan area of Malaga and making use of the city's second bypass.

The draft of this initiative, which was presented last November, will soon include a detailed traffic survey of the area, which is to be carried out by Trn Taryet, a Madrid-based consultancy firm with experience in this type of project analysis. Its fee will be 56,870 euros and the study will take about three months to complete.

The firm's mission will be to determine the demand for such a road and also the model for a toll motorway, which would be run by a concessionary company for a determinate period. A study carried out earlier by the ARCS company indicated that the new road would cost about 764 million euros.

This sum would include two new stretches of dual carriageway. One, 28 kilometres in length, would link the eastern motorway at Chilches with the second westerly bypass around Malaga city, east of the intersection with Las Pedrizas toll motorway. The second, 21 kilometres long, would connect the Hiperronda with Fuengirola, going around Alhaurin de la Torre to the north and crossing the Sierra de Mijas via a large tunnel. For the latter option, Promalaga has asked the consultancy firm to consider a bypass running in an arch from Las Pedrizas motorway to the north of Alhaurin de la Torre, crossing the present toll motorway and the Guadalhorce highway.

Third option

It also includes a third option, to connect the northern part of the city with the Marbella area by a bigger road which would pass west of Cartama and through Coin. For all these options, the council proposes two lanes in each direction, separated by a 12 metre central reservation so new lanes could be added in future.

The idea also includes complementary actions such as widening the lanes on the existing stretch of dual carriageway between Chilches and the link with Velez-Malaga, and an additional lane in each direction on the Guadalhorce highway.
ITHACA, NY, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GiveGab, the Nonprofit Giving Platform, today announced an investment of $1.5 million from New York Ventures, the venture capital arm of Empire State Development (ESD). GiveGab will use the funding to build out its sales and engineering teams, refine its SaaS platform, and for other ordinary working capital requirements.

This investment will add to the companys tremendous growth over the last six months, bringing GiveGabs Series A funding to over $9 million. GiveGab plans on using the funding to continue to innovate in its best-in-class giving day and year-round fundraising platforms.

New York Ventures meets the critical capital needs of New York State's innovation economy by providing funding to high-growth startups as they move from concept to commercialization, through early growth and expansion. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing state economy, encourage business investment and job creation, and support diverse, prosperous local economies across New York State.

Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner, Howard Zemsky said, New York Ventures is proud to assist companies like GiveGab that are bringing high-skilled jobs and economic activity to Upstate New York. By investing in new and innovative firms, we can encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs to settle and create jobs in the Southern Tier.

GiveGab is thrilled to receive an additional $1.5M in growth funding from New York Ventures. We've worked with Brian Keil and others from ESD for many years, and we're excited to be at the stage to best benefit from additional growth capital from such a great partner. ESD brings support and experience that provides value far above the monetary commitment, said Charlie Mulligan, GiveGab CEO and Co-founder.

About New York Ventures

New York Ventures is the venture capital investment arm of Empire State Development, New York States chief economic development agency. New York Ventures meets the critical capital needs of the states innovation economy by providing funding to high-growth startups as they move from concept to commercialization, through early growth and expansion. More information is available here.

About Empire State Development

Empire State Development (ESD) is New Yorks chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomos Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of I LOVE NEW YORK, the States iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.

About GiveGab

GiveGab is the Nonprofit Giving Platform, providing an easy and enjoyable way for fundraising professionals to raise money online. Designed for cause-based organizations, community foundations, and the higher education sector, GiveGab offers a complete suite of products and services for year-round fundraising, giving days, and more.
English Lithuanian

Siauliu Bankas AB, company code 112025254, domicile address Tilzes st. 149, LT-76348 Siauliai, Lithuania.

On 29 August 2018 Siauliu Bankas AB (hereinafter referred to as "the Bank") received a notification regarding resolution of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania dated 28 August 2018 to impose a fine amounting to 0.03% from the total annual operating income of 2017, i.e. EUR 28 113 of the Bank. The Bank of Lithuania, following Article 4 (1) of the Law on Consumer Credit of the Republic of Lithuania, imposed the fine based on the fact that the information provided in the standard sample of the Banks consumer credit advertisement announced on television was shown in a smaller font compared to the information of the promotional text and was displayed too short.

The imposed fine will have no effect on the Bank's results and financial position. Advertising its financial services the Bank complies with the principles of responsible lending, seeks and will seek in the future to duly fulfil legislative requirements set for advertisements of financial services.

Director of Marketing and Public Relations Department Daiva Griksiene shall provide the additional information and is available on tel. +370 41 420 564.
Take A Mulligan: The Big 7-0

Here is the $64,000 question. Just exactly how old is old? In my teens, I figured it was about 35 but when I was getting close to that age, it ...
Overland Park, Kan., Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giesting Financial, based in Batesville, Indiana, will join Prime Capital Investment Advisors (PCIA), continuing PCIAs growth in 2018. Giesting Financials current services will be complemented by PCIAs robust operations and support services, as well as expanded wealth advisory services. The partnership will also enable Giesting Financial to provide retirement plan consultation through Qualified Plan Advisors (QPA).



We have known of Prime Capital Investment Advisors for some time and have been impressed with their leadership team and operational structure. Recognizing the benefits we can provide our clients, agreeing to the partnership was an easy decision, said Mark Giesting, owner and principal of Giesting Financial.



Mark and his team have built a tremendous business based on the same principles we operate under at PCIA  serving clients to help them achieve their lifes ambitions. We could not be more excited to welcome them to our network of advisors, said Glenn Spencer, CEO of PCIA.



2018 has been a year of growth for PCIA. We are thrilled that Mark and his team have agreed to join PCIA and leverage our resources to better serve the Indiana market as we continue our plan to build a national brand and serve clients across the country, said Tim Hakes, president and vice chairman of Prime Capital Investment Advisors.



The announcement comes on the heels of recent announcements of PCIAs expansions into Florida, Houston and Northern California as part of a planned growth strategy. The company has also bolstered its executive team by hiring industry veteran Spencer as CEO.



About Prime Capital Investment Advisors Prime Capital Investment Advisors provides a client-centric, team approach to full-service financial planning, including fee-based asset management and wealth management. The firm has several locations throughout the United States, with investment advisor representatives serving clients across the nation.



Securities offered through Private Client Services, Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory products and services offered through Prime Capital Investment Advisors, a Registered Investment Advisor. Prime Capital Investment Advisors doing business as Qualified Plan Advisors, QPA. Private Client Services, Qualified Plan Advisors, and Prime Capital Investment Advisors are unaffiliated entities. 6201 College Blvd., 7th Floor, Overland Park, KS 66211

Attachment
Colt Technology Services today has announced the launch of its On Demand offering in Singapore, as well as the expansion of its SD WAN service across the Asia Pacific region.

The two new solutions expand on Colt's earlier roll-out of a 100Gbps metro network in the country in 2017, as part of its commitment to the government's Smart Nation initiative.

Both solutions leverage the advanced capabilities of the Colt IQ Network, which connects to more than 850 data centres and over 27,000 on net buildings globally. The Colt IQ Network also encompasses 51 metro area networks and 207 cities worldwide. In Singapore, Colt's owned and operated network provides Singaporean firms with a fully-managed, end-to-end connected network, and a standard of customer service, which is unmatched in the local market.

With its SD WAN expansion, Colt's customers can now benefit from features such as application based traffic steering, real-time service changes via an interactive customer portal and virtual routing, as well as firewall services enabled via Network Function Virtualisation (NFV).

Solutions are delivered via universal CPEs, which are now also available on a self-install basis for faster customer delivery. Colt provides a range of network access options including delivery over Colt's owned fibre network, third party internet and 3G/4G radio access at remote sites, with customers also being able to prioritise traffic using advanced routing techniques.

As enterprises continue to demand greater agility, higher performance and network expense optimisation, the demand for managed SD WAN solutions has also accelerated. Analyst Firm Gartner forecasts that global enterprise spending on SD WAN products will grow at a 30.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) through 2022, to become a USD $1.8 billion market.[1]

Meanwhile, Colt's On Demand proposition allows businesses to take full control of their networks, allowing them to scale their bandwidth up and down in near real-time, bypassing legacy service delivery processes and lead times.

Through the use of the On Demand portal, organisations are able to move at the pace of change required by businesses by taking control of an agile, living network, creating new global business models to manage their revenue opportunities in today's digitally transformed, cloud-enabled world.

Colt's SD WAN and On Demand services are powered by the Colt IQ Network, ensuring that globally Colt is able to provide cost efficient and reliable business continuity, bandwidth growth management, as well as enhancing the end-user experience in the cloud.

"These two solutions are bringing Colt's advanced SDN and NFV capabilities to Singapore, which is leading the world in integrating technology in ways that benefit the everyday lives of its citizens. It's for this reason that Colt wants to support these efforts in Singapore with the best in digital infrastructure available today," explains Peter Coppens, Vice President Product Portfolio, Colt Technology Services.

"Through Colt's SD WAN and On Demand services, Singapore enterprises can now take full control over their agile, high bandwidth network in the way that best suits their business needs. It's such technology that truly allows organisations to undertake the digital transformations required to thrive in the business environment of today."




In June, it was announced that Australias electric highway has been rolled out. This highway, a three-year project which involved installing charging points for electric vehicles in every populated region of the country, is part of a voluntary initiative run by the Tesla Owners Club of Australia (TOCA) which splits the costs of installation with the Australian Electric Vehicle Association. With more than 10,000km of power gaps just a few ago, today this electric highway spans an over 17,000km. This means that motorists can drive their vehicles anywhere in the country without having to rely on gas or diesel.

In sync with Teslas announcement, the Netherlands added Tesla Powerpacks to 20 of its universal charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) helping cars run on sunlight-generated energy while balancing the electric grid while allowing non-Tesla electric cars to charge as well. With 200 solar panels providing clean energy, this system ensures that the energy sourced is stored at night through a 400kW/800kWh Powerpack system. This means that sunlight can potentially charge all EVs even at night as supercharging is set to be expanded throughout Europe. This latest station marks the tenth anniversary of Smart Solar Charging which has resulted in the creation of numerous EV charging stations and the installation of 6,000 solar panels.



In cooperation with Tesla, Renault has supplied a fleet of 150 Renault ZOE electric vehicles. Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, also plans to coincide the accelerated deployment of these solar array with the introduction of the new Supercharger V3, due to be released later this summer. Tesla has confirmed that it will add solar arrays and Powerpacks to its already existing grid-based charging stations even if this is thus far confined to a few stations. The expectation is that we should prepare for more solar arrays to be thoughtfully installed in urban centers and highways in order to avoid the creation of carbon emissions typical of power plants.

In the U.K., electric vehicles face many more challenges because sunlight is not nearly as abundant as in Australia. In this way, charging EVs can be challenging even in the daylight hours. So the thought of solar array charging stations is not yet a priority in the country. A related disagreement is whether or not Britain has enough charging points for the eventual boom in the EV market. One perspective is that the country is woefully undersupplied with charging points as only 3 per cent of supermarkets have charging points. And the rapid chargers which can fill 85 per cent of an EV battery in 30 minutes are even less common.

On the other side of this argument, a report last year from Transport & Environment states that there are only 20 EVs on sale in Europe as compared to 417 conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, a fact which has slowed down the EV market uptake. This study shows that there are more than enough charging points in Britain (six cars per charging point), with the current EU recommendation being 10 cars per charging point. The conclusion of this report is that the infrastructure for charging EVs is more than adequate while locating the problem with the EV manufacturers which are dragging their feet in creating more models.

Yet Britain is precisely where Australia was just three years ago in creating its charging infrastructure. The latest estimate is that the entirety of Britain needs 100,000 EV charging points by 2020 and there are companies desperate to be stakeholders in this burgeoning industry such as Swedish energy giant Vattenfall, which has moved quickly into the British EV market.

By creating charging points around the country so that EV drivers will have access to charge their vehicles at work and in public spaces, Vattenfall is breaking with the British trend where drivers must currently charge their vehicles within specific networks where they are a member and have paid a subscription.

There are various EV manufacturers in Britain which are offering viable alternatives to the pricey Tesla which starts at 62,000 and the Jaguar, which come out ust under 60,000. Manufacturers like Nissan, Ford and Bradshaw (for industrial EVs) are hitting the ground running and are pushing the British EV market forward. But the transfer to EVs is not rising in proportion to the ecological urgency at hand, nor is it offering consumers the choices they seek.

Still there are areas of improvement needed in the development of more charging points in the country, especially Wales and Devon where the distance to the nearest charging point is anywhere between 12 and 45 miles respectively. That said, the British government is offering up to 4,500 off zero-emissions cars through its Plug In Car Grant, making the higher purchase price and showroom costs much more bearable for the consumer. Since the beginning of 2011, more than 144,000 EVs have qualified for this grant but there isnt the broad range of choices of purely electric vehicles.

Given that Britain is considering banning all non-electric cars by 2040, we need to start turning our sights towards EVs while encouraging the creation of solar charging stations that will not put pressure on the electric grid as people transition from fossil fuel vehicles towards renewable sources like solar, wind and hydropower.

Edited by Maurice Nagle
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Degreed, the lifelong learning platform, today announced Dan Lyons, Carla Arellano, and Jean-Marc Laouchez as keynote speakers for the nearly sold-out LENS 2018 Conference. Dan Lyons, the New York Times best-selling author of the newly published book Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us, joins Carla Arellano, Partner in McKinseys OrgSolutions group, and Jean-Marc Laouchez, Senior Client Partner and President of the Korn Ferry Institute, to round out a full-day agenda.

The theme of this years LENS event, the business of building skills, aims to teach business and learning leaders how to drive success by understanding the newest and smartest ways to harness technology and data to discover, build, and measure the skills their companies need. The fourth annual LENS conference will feature a full day of thought leadership, workshops, and case studies from experts like Peter Fox, Global Head of Digital Learning and Talent Technology at Citi; Tim Munden, Chief Learning Officer at Unilever; Barry Murphy, Global Learning Lead at Airbnb; and Louise Welch, Senior Director, Enterprise Learning and Development at Capital One.

Were bringing together the worlds best minds in learning and talent to give business leaders a bootcamp in optimizing their companies for the future, said Degreed CEO, Chris McCarthy. Knowing what skills your people have and what skills they need is vital to success. We believe Dan, Carla, and Jean-Marc each bring unique and important viewpoints on the business of building skills and were excited to have them as part of a packed agenda.

LENS will take place Thursday, October 4 at Center415 in New York City. Those interested in attending can view the full agenda and purchase tickets at: https://lens-nyc-2018.degreed.com/

About Degreed

Degreed is an award-winning learning platform built for the way today's workers really build their expertise and grow their careers. Degreed integrates organizations' internal talent systems with the world's largest ecosystem of open learning resources  millions of courses, videos, articles, books, podcasts and more from thousands of sources. So now, organizations and their people can personalize, share and track all their development  however and wherever they learn. Founded in 2012, Degreed is headquartered in San Francisco with additional offices in Salt Lake City, New York City, and Amsterdam.

Media Contact:

Todd Tauber

VP of Product Marketing

todd@degreed.com
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, a coalition of small businesses in Canadas cigar and specialty tobacco market, known as Small Guys Cigar Group, are drawing attention to the dire impact that a pending regulation will have on their niche industry. Tabled on June 25th by the Federal Government, Plain Packaging would require the standardization of all tobacco products sold in Canada. A move that could see more than 180 local tobacconist stores shut down country-wide.



The coalition is made up of small businesses in the cigar and speciality tobacco space including importers, manufactures, distributors and retailers. The coalition hopes that Health Canada will grant them an exemption under the proposed Plain and Standardized Packaging regulations.

The regulation currently sits inside a 75-day consultation period which comes to an end September 6, 2018.

At its core, the regulation is intended to reduce the appeal of tobacco products to consumers, particularly among young people. Although cigarettes are the perceived primary target of the regulation, cigars and pipe tobacco were rolled into the sweeping changes with no distinction made between cigarettes and other specialty tobacco products.

We are completely distinct from cigarettes in nearly every aspect from our production and packaging to our customer base, said Colm OShea, Executive Vice President, House of Horvath Inc. Our products are 98% consumed by adult smokers and do not appeal to youth by appearance, taste or price. Our typical customer is more than 30 years of age and consumes cigars for special occasions only.

Since the proposed regulations were announced in June, the coalition has been tirelessly seeking an exemption to plain packaging through their campaign, Better Cigar Plan, which asks supporters, retailers and customers to submit their feedback during the consultation period and formally request the exemption.

The ask is not without precedent.

In 2016, the United Kingdom formally exempted cigars and pipe tobacco from their legislation citing a myriad of evidence that overall smoking rates for cigars were significantly lower than cigarettes and particularly lower for younger age groups. Shortly thereafter, France and Belgium followed suit and also exempted cigars from plain packaging regulation.

The UK, France and Belgium should be sourced as international best practices to help guide this process for Canada or we will see an irreversible impact to small business retailers, manufacturers, importers and distributors, said OShea. In what could become one of the most ambitious overhauls of the Tobacco Act in generations, it is prudent that we look at other countries and jurisdictions for best practices and key learnings.

Precedent aside, the industry also cites a magnitude of other relevant factors to exempt cigars and pipe tobacco including packaging complexities, product safety and quality implications.

The data is in favour of their argument.

The cigar and pipe tobacco industry account for less than 1% of all tobacco use in Canada. Furthermore, cigars are also well below Health Canadas 2035 incidence goal of 5%-- and are already at an incidence rate of 2%i.

Today, there are more than 180 small, family-owned tobacconists across Canada. Many of which have been staples in their respective communities and neighbourhoods for generations.

We are small businesses and responsible retailers who have already been compliant with more regulation than nearly any product in Canada, said OShea. Without this exemption, many of our businesses will close as we simply cannot comply with standardization due to the nuances and uniqueness of each product that we produce. We ask health Canada to consider the serious impacts of this regulation and spare the industry the devastating consequences that will surely follow.

For more information, please visit bettercigarplan.ca

Media Contact

laura@hofhcanada.com





_____________________________



i Reference to Waterloo University, Propel Report (2017) https://bit.ly/2w40R9U




Volta Finance Limited (VTA)  Dividend Declaration

*****

Guernsey, 30 August 2018

Volta Finance Limited (the Company) announces that it has declared a quarterly interim dividend of 0.15 per share payable in September 2018, amounting to 5.5 million. The ex-dividend date is 6 September 2018 with a record date of 7 September 2018 and a payment date of 27 September 2018.

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 September 2018.

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 Portfolio Administrator

Sanne Group (Guernsey) Limited

voltafinance@sannegroup.com

+44 (0) 1481 739810

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

Legal Entity Identification code (LEI): 2138004N6QDNAZ2V3W80

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 717 billion in assets under management as of the end of December 2016. AXA IM employs approximately 2,420 people around the world.

Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CROPS Inc. (TSXV:COPS) is pleased to announce that it has closed the final tranche of its previously announced private placement financing of convertible debentures and warrants (see CROPS news releases August 8 and 27, 2018) by the issuance CAD$500,000 worth of unsecured debentures, plus 3,125,000 warrants.

The debentures have a term of three years, and are convertible, at the election of the holder, into common shares of the Company at the rate of CAD$0.08 per share (for a maximum of 6,250,000 shares) if converted in the first year, or at the rate of CAD$0.10 per share (for a maximum of 5,000,000 shares) if converted in the second or third years. The warrants are exercisable at a price of CAD$0.08 per share for up to three years.

The debentures will bear interest at an annual rate of 10%, which will be paid quarterly in common shares of the Company, subject to stock exchange approval at the time.

The proceeds from the final tranche of this placement will be used for general working capital purposes. All of the debentures and warrants issued in this financing have a resale restriction for four months following the respective issuance dates.

About CROPS

CROPS is developing the Bayovar 12 phosphate deposit located 40 km from the coast in the Sechura District of northern Peru. Bayovar 12 hosts a large resource of highly-reactive sedimentary phosphate rock - a key raw material input for phosphate fertilizers and vital to world food production. Reactive phosphate rock from Sechura is a natural, slow-release source of phosphorus that can be applied directly to crops. As well, elemental phosphorus from Bayovar 12 can be used in various industrial applications.

For further information, please visit our web site www.crop2o5.com .

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Simon Ridgway, Chief Executive Officer

Symbol: TSXV-COPS

Shares Issued: 58.7 million

For further information, contact:

Gordon Tainton, President

Tel: 604-248-8380; Fax: 604-682-1514

Email: info@crop2o5.com

Website: www.crop2o5.com

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 Companys Bayovar 12 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 relate to, among other things, information regarding the Companys plans for the Bayovar 12 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 Companys quarterly and annual filings with securities regulators and available under the Companys 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 Companys stated goals for the Bayovar 12 project 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.
Coming Soon Join Columbia Childrens Theatre this October for the musical production of Ragtime! At the dawn of a new century, everything is changingand anything is possible. Set in the volatile melting...

This week at Picnic in the Park Theres nothing better than great music and great companyin the best neighborhood around. Town Theatre will present a second series of concerts by some fantastic performers that have graced not...
SMITHFIELD, Va., Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield  is giving bacon lovers the ultimate bacon prize with its first-ever Bacon for Life sweepstakes, kicking off just in time for International Bacon Day. Starting Saturday, September 1 through December 31, 2018, fans can visit Smithfield.com/BaconForLife to learn how to enter to win Smithfield bacon for life. Think about it, bacon cheeseburgers, bacon pancakes, bacon smores, bacon-wrapped anything bacon-wrapped everything for life. Whether you like your bacon cooked crispy or chewy, incorporated into every meal or served as a simple breakfast side dish, Smithfield is taking it to the next level and making all your bacon dreams come true.



Bacon lovers everywhere can purchase specially marked packages of Smithfield bacon at their local grocery store. A unique code will be included inside every pack sold; using this code, fans can visit Smithfield.com/BaconForLife to enter.* While the grand prize winner will win bacon for life, more than 1,000 runners-up will be awarded select bacon merchandise ranging from a bacon-centric bicycle and bacon-themed corn hole boards to bacon koozies and bacon catch-phrase glasses; perfect for professing your bacon love.

At Smithfield, we celebrate bacon on a daily basis and are inspired by the passion people have for it, said Michael Merritt, senior director of brand marketing for Smithfield Foods. The bacon phenomenon is here to stay and the Bacon for Life sweepstakes is our opportunity to reward those bacon loyalists who have supported Smithfield over the years from early morning breakfasts to late-night snacks and every meal in between.

Were not bacon this stuff up! Look for specially marked packages of Smithfield bacon at your local grocer through the end of the year and visit Smithfield.com/BaconForLife to enter and for official rules.*

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. Sweepstakes ends 11:59 p.m. ET on 12/31/2018. Open to legal residents of 50 U.S. states and D.C. who are 18 or older. Void where prohibited. For complete Official Rules, visit www.smithfield.com/baconforlife . Sponsor: Smithfield Foods, Inc.

About Smithfield

A leading provider of high-quality pork products, Smithfield was founded in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, establishing the town as the Ham Capital of the World. From hand-trimmed bacon and slow-smoked holiday hams to marinated tenderloins, Smithfield brings artistry, authenticity and a commitment to heritage, flavor, and handcrafted excellence to everything it produces. With a vast product portfolio including smoked meats, hams, bacon, sausage, ribs, and a wide variety of fresh pork cuts, the company services retail, foodservice, and deli channels across the United States and 30 countries abroad. All of Smithfields products meet the highest quality and safety standards in the industry. To learn more about how Flavor Hails from Smithfield, please visit www.Smithfield.com , www.Twitter.com/SmithfieldBrand , and www.Facebook.com/CookingWithSmithfield . Smithfield is a brand of Smithfield Foods.

About Smithfield Foods

Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathans Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cooks, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curlys, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com , and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn .

Media Contact:

Hunter PR for Smithfield

Michael Bernardini

(212) 679-6600

mbernardini@hunterpr.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fe8e489-ac06-4945-b272-68e80357b201
DRAPER, Utah, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. ( FLXT ) is pleased to announce it has recently received multiple, follow-on production orders from global market virtual reality leader, Manus VR. The orders, totaling $45,000, are expected to be delivered during the current quarter. Flexpoint anticipates future orders continuing to grow in size and frequency.



Manus and their award winning technology will be at the forefront of this fast growing industry. We look forward to being an essential partner with them as interest in their technology accelerates, commented Paul Sexauer, Flexpoints Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

The Manus VR glove offers a revolutionary new VR experience by tracking hands in real-time. Manus VR is the worlds leading company for data gloves and is one of the few companies that measure the orientation of your hand which allows full finger tracking. The glove is completely wireless and along with Flexpoints sensors includes other technology partners. The product provides plugins for many of the major platforms. The Manus VR Gloves brings solutions for training simulations, robotics, health/medical purposes and motion capture VR arcades. The B2B market has seen the value and has proven to be more rapid than expected.

Established in 2016, Manus VR successfully brought to market a feature-rich glove offering. The glove integrates a number of technologies into a unique and truly inspired design. Manus has further realized their vision in supplying the industrys finest components that integrate with various VR hardware platforms offered by such notable companies as HTC, Vicon, Xsan and others. Some of their more recent, visionary customers include ESI Group and WorldViz .

Flexpoint is proud to be fully integrated into the virtual reality product from a prestigious firm like Manus." Sexauer further commented, We continue to cherish and support what has become a long-term business partnership that is mutually beneficial. This relationship grows stronger as we continue to enhance and improve the technology. This validates and reinforces our unique position in the rapidly evolving VR market.

VR/AR will be an $80 billion market by 2025 according to Goldman Sachs. By comparison the TV market is $99 billion, the tablet PC market is $63 billion and the video game industry is $11 billion.

In addition to the gloves, Manus VR has developed a software development platform (SDKs) that enable customers like those named above, to design and build applications that extend far beyond virtual reality. This opens up a strong portion of the market that includes manufacturing, retail, healthcare, engineering, military and real estate applications.

Please visit http://www.flexpoint.com/ for more information or https://manus-vr.odoo.com/.

About Manus

The Manus VR glove will revolutionize the VR market. It is set to play a huge role in the virtual reality revolution. Manus VR believes in open innovation through sharing knowledge and experience. The possibilities of the Manus gloves are virtually endless and extend far beyond virtual reality.

In October 2014, Manus VR was selected from 10,000 candidates who took part in the Dutch Startup Bootcamp HighTechXL, together with eleven other participants. The program helped Manus VR accelerate and build the business in just three months. After the programs Demo Day in February 2015, the company signed up leading development partners and clients. Furthermore, it was fully funded at record speed, enabling the company to further develop the product.



Since developing the first working prototype in 2014, Manus has been a fast-growing company. It has grown around 300% and developed a functioning product in combination with a strong development platform.

About Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc.

Flexpoint Sensor Systems, Inc. (FLXT) is an innovative technology firm specializing in developing products that feature the Company's patented Bend Sensor and related technology. The Bend Sensor is a groundbreaking sensing solution that is revolutionizing applications in the automotive, safety, medical and industrial industries. The Bend Sensor single-layer, thin film construction cuts costs and mechanical bulk while introducing a range of functions and stylistic design possibilities that have never before been available in sensing technology. Flexpoint's technology and expertise have been recognized by the world's elite business and academic innovators for over 17 years. The company is setting a new standard for sensing solutions in the "smart" age of technology.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that certain statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" and involve both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such uncertainties include, among others, certain risks associated with the operation of the company described above. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results.

Contact Information:

Flexpoint Sensor Systems

Clark Mower, President

801-568-5111

Brokers and Analysts

Chesapeake Group

410-825-3930
HOUSTON, TEXAS, USA, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Only one month remains until the flagship event hosted by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) kicks off in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The World Workplace Conference and Expo runs Oct. 3-5 with the multi-faceted theme, Create Your Own Success. Registration is open at www.worldworkplace.org.



What: World Workplace Conference and Expo

When: Oct. 3-5, 2018

Where: Charlotte Convention Center, 501 South College Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, USA



Facility management (FM) is a thriving US$1 trillion global industry practiced by 25 million professionals worldwide. In recent years, strategic FM has evolved into a core business discipline that delivers operational resilience, improved productivity and health, and a measurable competitive edge. From innovative workplace strategies that help recruit and retain the best talent to smart building technology that adapts the built environment to specific needs in a sustainable way, FM is driving the business opportunities of tomorrow.



World Workplace is the original all-encompassing learning and networking event on facilities and how to manage them. Theres program value for FM professionals at every point of their careers and across all types of facilities. World Workplace remains the gold standard for discovering new ideas and technology impacting the FM industry.



About IFMA

IFMA is the world's largest and most widely recognized international association for facility management professionals, supporting 24,000 members in more than 100 countries. This diverse membership participates in focused component groups equipped to address their unique situations by region (136 chapters), industry (16 councils) and areas of interest (six communities). Together they manage more than 78 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$526 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies professionals in facility management; conducts research; provides educational programs, content and resources; and produces World Workplace, the world's largest series of facility management conferences and expositions. To join and follow IFMA's social media outlets online, visit the association's LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr pages. For more information, visit the IFMA press room or www.ifma.org.

Attachment
DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA) , the worlds first InsurTech accelerator focused solely on innovation for the insurance industry, is pleased to announce the agenda for InsurTech Week 2018, and the companies selected to participate this year.



Held this year from October 22-26, InsurTech Week 2018 will bring 16 startups to Des Moines, Iowa, home to the GIA, more than 80 insurance companies, and tens of thousands of insurance professionals. Activities during InsurTech Week are designed to amp up the networking and education opportunities for this diverse group of companies offering solutions for all segments of the industry, including:

The GIAs annual cohort program is a longer, more immersive, educational accelerator experience for early-stage InsurTech startups where funding is given, and equity is taken, said Brian Hemesath, managing director for the GIA. InsurTech Week is an additional opportunity for the GIA to offer growing companies a chance to build a stronger network of startup peers and engage with our GIA investors and mentors while showcasing innovative solutions to the insurance community.

The InsurTech Week agenda is now available on the GIA website, and includes opportunities to schedule 1:1 networking meetings and educational sessions which will give the countrys largest concentration of insurance professionals exposure to the startups products and services. The activities scheduled during InsurTech Week in Des Moines (#InsurTechinDSM) are open to invited guests, professional mentors with the GIA program, and insurer investors in the GIA.

As evidenced by this years list of invited companies, InsurTech Week caters to a more mature startup field than the early-stage companies typically a part of the GIAs regular, 100-day cohort which runs from January through April each year. While the companies who apply and are selected to participate in InsurTech Week have often already completed pilots and proof-of-concept (PoC) projects with insurers, secured seed funding, or successfully gained traction with insurer customers, the networking opportunities during the week in Des Moines are always valued very highly.

You can have great tech and some fantastic ideas, but you are going to need foundational relationships, said Allan Egbert Jr., co-founder of AskKodiak and a past participant in InsurTech Week. The GIA is the best place to establish those connections when you are embarking on your InsurTech journey.

For information on both GIA InsurTech Week 2018 and the GIAs annual cohort, please visit www.globalinsuranceaccelerator.com .

About the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA)

Launched in 2015, the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA) fosters innovation in and for the insurance industry via a mentor-driven, 100-day program. GIA supports an annual cohort by providing each graduate company $40K of seed money in exchange for six percent equity. During the program, cohort members get insurance-specific mentoring via 1:1 meetings with industry executives, as well as basic business infrastructure assistance, coaching on garnering investments, and product-specific insights into strategies for increasing applicability to and feasibility for the insurance industry. The GIA extended network includes insurance company investors, startups and mentors from across the global business and insurance communities. For more details please visit www.globalinsuranceaccelerator.com .

Media Contact:

Jennifer Overhulse

St. Nick Media Services

(859) 803-6597

jen@stnickmedia.com
Toronto, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Restaurants Canada, the largest association representing foodservice and hospitality businesses in Canada, today announced a new partnership with Cyberisk Chek Inc., an innovative cyber security solution provider. The partnership will give foodservice operators a new tool to defend against online threats to their customers and their operations that can significantly hurt their bottom line.



Available exclusively to members of Restaurants Canada, the Cyberisk Chek online analysis tool provides businesses with a detailed assessment of their current cyber security risks, and provides a cost-effective, step-by-step action plan to resolve issues.



Our industry processes billions in credit card transactions annually, and these everyday interactions are a magnet for cyber criminals, said Troy Taylor, Restaurants Canada Vice President, Operations. They know that many foodservice operations do not have the necessary levels of preparedness to defend against an attack. And as businesses respond to increasing demand for more customer-facing technology, they are increasing their risk points and need to protect themselves accordingly.



Even a single cyberattack could critically, if not fatally, injure business operations for small- and medium-sized businesses, according to industry statistics.



Cyberattack stats:

 60 per cent of small to medium-sized businesses go out of business within six months of a cyberattack

 70 per cent of cyber attackers deliberately target small businesses

 71 per cent of cyberattacks hit businesses with fewer than 100 employees

 $180,000 is the average loss that small- and medium-sized businesses sustain from cyberattacks



The number of businesses experiencing losses from cybercrime is increasing in Canada, and so is the scale of their losses. The number of businesses reporting losses of more than a million dollars has risen from 1 per cent to 7 per cent in two years.



The simplest attacks, such as email phishing scams, can have devastating consequences for small business owners and consumers who dont know how to recognize them, said Domenic Trotta, President and CEO of Cyberisk Chek. Our goal is to provide a simple, cost effective self-assessment tool that will help operators gauge their cyber risk points and outline steps they can take to minimize their exposure.



Through the Cyberisk Chek analysis tool, foodservice businesses receive a profile report that provides a simple and effective action plan tailored to their operations.



Assessing their level of preparedness for a breach is the first step to understanding what to do next, said Taylor. Restaurants Canada is proud to play a leading role with Cyberisk Check to provide foodservice operators with tools to understand their vulnerabilities so they can outmaneuver attackers and safegaurd the trust of their customers.



To start your Cyberisk Chek analysis, visit https://info.restaurantscanada.org/rc-cyberisk-chek, or call 1-800-387-5649 ext. 8006 and speak to a Member Services representative to learn more about this exclusive offer for members of Restaurants Canada.





About Restaurants Canada

Restaurants Canada (formerly CRFA) is a growing community of more than 30,000 foodservice businesses, including restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. We connect our members from coast to coast, through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant community. Canadas restaurant industry is an $85 billion industry, directly employs 1.2 million Canadians, is the number one source of first jobs and serves 22 million customers every day.



About Cyberisk Chek

Cyberisk Chek provides an integrated solution for both companies and individuals who are concerned with the safety risk from cyber threats. We provide an in-depth analysis that allows you to very clearly distinguish which areas need to be focused on to mitigate risk. We then provide a step by step action plan to reduce future threats. Our proprietary Cyber Risk Preparedness Percentage Score TM provides a baseline for future measures and is an integral component for insurance and financial institutions. The score is used in determining credit worthiness, underwriting rates and policy limits. Our global solution is based on industry accepted questions and rating formulas and is implemented in all forms of industry, companies and associations worldwide.
Scottsdale, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nexus, a cryptocurrency and blockchain enterprise is excited to announce its partnership with BitSpace, a technology company that specializes in blockchain and exponential technology. The partnership is focused on supporting decentralized internet access and associated opportunities for people throughout the world through the use of Nexus advanced blockchain technology, satellite initiatives, and BitSpace international connections. Both companies are committed to the decentralization vision, where all individuals can come together to create and use new distributed systems that better serve humanity in day-to-day life.

Im happy to see BitSpace looking ahead to find solutions in space that can solve problems here on earth. We look forward to working together to open up more opportunity in Europe and Low Earth Orbit. said Colin Cantrell, founder and chief architect of Nexus.

BitSpace has created a community platform in the Nordic region and will work with Nexus to arrange mutually beneficial community events and educational conferences. They also aim to explore opportunities to connect and integrate businesses pursuing blockchain and space technologies.

Nexus and BitSpace intend to collaborate with American and Norwegian Universities to support academic research with the goal of advancing decentralized technology and associated space applications.

We believe that Space Technology combined with Blockchain represents an exciting opportunity to decentralize the future and we are very excited to discover this realm with Nexus Earth, said Manuel Lains, CEO BitSpace.

About Nexus:

Nexus is an innovative open-source blockchain technology and digital currency designed to improve the world through advanced peer-to-peer networks. Nexus focuses on solving the current challenges of speed and scalability in the blockchain industry and provides world-class quantum resistance through its many innovations. Enabled by its partnership with Vector Space Systems, we aspire to combine blockchain technology with ground-based MESH networks and satellites to facilitate the formation of a decentralized and distributed internet. Nexus will enable people to take control of their personal and financial freedom, empowering humanity in the process. For more information and to see how you can help build the future, visit www.NexusEarth.com

About BitSpace:

BitSpace is a technology company that specializes in blockchain and exponential technology. Their headquarters is based in Oslo, Norway and they are now expanding their operations internationally throughout Europe. With more than 20 years collective experience within the blockchain sector they allocate their resources towards community growth, incubation, and software development. The mission at BitSpace is to help build the future through emerging technologies that include Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Space, and Virtual Reality. To find out more you can visit www.bitspace.no

###

Attachment
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeedMD Inc. (TSX-V:WMD) (OTC:WDDMF) (FSE:4WE) (WeedMD or the Company), a federally-licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis, is pleased to announce it will host an open house on Thursday September 6, 2018 at 11am, for representatives of the media, local area dignitaries and business leaders in celebration of the inaugural harvest that commenced this week at its modern greenhouse in Strathroy, Ontario.



In recognition of one of the most technologically-advanced cannabis cultivation greenhouses in Canada, WeedMDs CEO Keith Merker, his leadership team and members of the Board of Directors will be on hand to kick-off the event.

Specific details about the festivities including agenda, location, ways to RSVP and register for complimentary transportation for media travelling from either Toronto or London, Ontario can be found here.

Please note, in accordance with Health Canadas security and safety regulations, access to the site will be strictly controlled. Only registered and approved media representatives and specially invited guests will be permitted to access the secured site.

For more information, access our updated investor presentation here and 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 medical cannabis and oils under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). The Company operates a 26,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Aylmer, Ontario, and a second cultivation site at its greenhouse facility located in Strathroy, Ontario, representing 610,000 sq. ft. or 14 acres under glass. WeedMD has entered into supply agreements in addition to strategic relationships with established cannabis brands. WeedMD is focused on providing medical cannabis to the seniors' markets in Canada through its proprietary seniors care program. It is dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners and furthering public understanding of the role that medical cannabis plays  including as it pertains to regulatory requirements, indications and potential side effects.

Notes to editors: Photos and videos of the First Harvest will be available at www.weedmd.com following the event.

Follow WeedMD On:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weedmd/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/5020743/

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. 222

Email: investor@weedmd.com

To learn more, visit us at www.weedmd.com

For Media Inquiries:

Marianella delaBarrera

Corporate Communications & Public 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
BANGOR, MAINE, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Husson University is continuing to grow. At a time when other private colleges throughout New England have been closing, Husson will enroll the largest incoming class in its 120-year history this fall.



Over 1,000 new undergraduate and graduate students will begin their studies at Husson this September. The undergraduate growth has been tremendous. A total of 829 new undergraduate students will begin their studies this fall. This represents an increase of 16.9 percent over the previous year.



Husson has just the right blend of outcome-focused academic programs at an affordable price point, said John Champoli, vice president for enrollment management. In fact, a 2018 analysis of data collected by U.S. News & World Report of college tuition and fees revealed that Husson University is least expensive private four-year college in New England. This, combined with a high quality education, makes Husson University an incredible value.



This increased demand for a Husson education is helping to fuel a construction boom on the Universitys campus. In September 2017, just one year ago, Husson added housing for 72 more students when it had a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new townhouses. This fall, all of the residential housing available to Husson students, including the townhouses, are filled to capacity.



The demand for student housing continues to be strong, said Pamela Kropp-Anderson, dean of Student Life. Students want to be on campus and enjoy everything that Husson has to offer.



One of programs on campus thats helping to drive increased growth is Hussons nursing program. In August 2017, there were 285 students enrolled in Husson Universitys Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Today there are 342 students enrolled in that same program. Thats an increase of 20 percent in just one year.



To help accommodate this growth, and anticipated future growth, Husson University will break ground on a new Wellness Learning Center in the fall. Included in this 3,700 square-foot facility will be Husson Universitys Student Health Services and Counseling Services. In addition, this new facility will have four state-of-the-art simulation labs designed to give nursing students hands-on experience.



One of the most ambitious projects being undertaken are plans for a new College of Business building. Husson University is already the home of Maines largest business college and demand for business education continues to be strong. Forty percent of the students who attend Husson University are in College of Business programs. In fact, the College produces the largest number of MBAs in Maine. For the past several years, the number of Husson MBA graduates has been more than twice that produced by the University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine combined. Husson University anticipates breaking ground on this new building in 2020.



Hussons faculty, strong academic programs, and commitment to experiential learning have been a big part of the Universitys success. In addition to having in-depth academic knowledge, our faculty members have extensive experience in the fields they teach, said Dr. Lynne Coy-Ogan, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost at Husson University. Students who graduate from Husson are well prepared to become successful working professionals. The more success our graduates have, the more interest there is in our programs. As you can see, were experiencing a period of phenomenal growth. This University has a bright future.



For more than 100 years, Husson University has prepared future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent superior value in higher education. Our Bangor campus and off-campus satellite education centers in Southern Maine, Wells, and Northern Maine provide advanced knowledge in business; health and education; pharmacy studies, science and humanities; as well as communication. In addition, Husson University has a robust adult learning program. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu.



# # #

Attachments
HUNTINGTON, N.Y., Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Opioid Epidemic is an incredibly complex and multifaceted problem facing America. We wanted to investigate the developments in medications, funding, and therapy programs for opioid addiction on the national and state levels. One of the leading problems contributing to the Opioid Epidemic is that people who want to quit their opioid pain medication often cannot due to painful opioid withdrawal syndrome. In response, state and federal governments have increased funding for opioid withdrawal therapy. I have identified Vermont and Massachusetts as two states with high prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) as well as extensive healthcare coverage. The combination of crisis and funding means that these states have the pressure necessary for innovation in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) as well as the resources necessary to make it possible. The healthcare environment in these states has produced innovative care management structures that prove beneficial for long term OUD recovery.



Background on MAT

Most people experience severe withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking opioids that restrict their ability to get off of the medication. In response to widespread opioid dependence and overdose deaths, health professionals may prescribe medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which combines behavioral therapy and medications to treat substance use disorders. These medications relieve withdrawal symptoms and psychological cravings. Methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone are used to treat opioid dependence and addiction to short-acting opioids such as heroin, morphine, and codeine as well as semi-synthetic opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone. Methadone and buprenorphine have a significantly lower induction hurdle, the ability to initiate therapy, than naltrexone (Vivitrol). However, methadone has a higher addiction potential than buprenorphine. The therapy must be administered with careful supervision at federally certified opioid treatment programs or clinics.

Traditionally, there has been a deficit in the number of buprenorphine prescribers, largely because doctors were required to attend an 8-hour training course and buprenorphine was not necessarily covered by a persons insurance. However, in recent years, federal and state restrictions on buprenorphine have lessened due to the rise in the opioid crisis. Thus, buprenorphine has gained traction as a more accessible opioid withdrawal therapy.

Buprenorphine is a breakthrough therapeutic because it is the first medication that can be prescribed and given to individuals in a doctors office. According to the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000, doctors can now prescribe buprenorphine in a variety of settings including community hospitals, health departments, and prisons. In 2013, Suboxone (a buprenorphine-naloxone tablet) sales were $1.55 billion  more than those of Adderall and Viagra combined that year.

The sales of Buprenorphine and usage of MAT may be at an all time high because states have taken action and implemented OUD treatment programs across the country. The National Safety Council (NSC) conducted an extensive review of OUD literature, state legislation and data to create a report on the status of the opioid crisis1. The paper evaluates each state's progress in fighting this epidemic, based on the number of these six key actions achieved:

Mandating prescriber education Implementing opioid prescribing guidelines Integrating prescription drug monitoring programs into clinical settings Improving data collection and sharing Treating opioid overdose Increasing availability of opioid use disorder treatment

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/36c37e13-3461-4680-bffa-dd438acfa616

The NSC used these indicators to score states that are failing, lagging, or improving with regard to combatting the opioid crisis. State progress in this report was based on best available data as of Dec. 31, 2017. Nevada and New Mexico were the only two states this year that met all six key actions and no state met zero key actions. Although the country as a whole is making great strides, efforts vary greatly from state to state. Some states like Florida, Ohio and Kentucky focus primarily on gathering data and decreasing the number of opioid prescriptions. Others like Massachusetts and Vermont place a greater focus on MAT availability and prescriber education.

Overall, the NSC explains that none of these indicators is a solution in itself. Prescriptions like buprenorphine and methadone keep physical cravings at bay so that patients may focus on addressing psychological issues and reconnect to social support networks. That said, many drug treatment programs address the psychological and social aspects of addiction, but do not include medication as a necessary component. If people leave rehab without MAT, they are more likely to die than if they hadnt completed rehab, Dr. Kelly Clark of CleanSlate addiction treatment centers says. We need to develop a structured, standard model of care and then adapt it for each person. A full assessment and individualized treatment should be a core piece of best practices. Success of programs like those Dr. Clark describes often depends on public private partnerships. This kind of funding traditionally depended on the states, but has seen more federal attention since the Affordable Care Act was passed.

MAT Funding

In a 2016 report by the IMS Institute2, it was revealed that only 1 in 10 people who need drug and alcohol treatment receive it. Not everyone who needs treatment wants it, but enough do to create long waiting lists across the country. In West Virginia, the state with the highest rate of overdose deaths, there are a mere 171 beds for detox and 151 for longer-term residential treatment. In New Hampshire, another state with astronomical OUD rates, Medicaid patients wait as long as six weeks for a publicly funded residential bed. The small subset of users who have private insurance can generally gain quick access to facilities that cost up to $10,000 a week.

Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) significantly increased access to MAT treatment centers across the country. Nationwide, public funding accounts for about 32% of total buprenorphine prescriptions, significantly more than before 2010. Soon, the number of beds in New Hampshire is expected to more than double thanks to new state and federal funding. OUD admissions to specialty treatment facilities increased 18% in expansion states.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/644ac4bb-1a65-472f-9469-360bfb212e90

Although ACA Marketplace states broadened access to MAT, some other states have obtained waivers to access Medicaid expansion and used the additional funding for local plans to mitigate the opioid crisis. Of particular interest in this category are Vermont and Massachusetts. Each state provides some of the greatest access to MAT in the country. The two states spend more than any other state per capita on buprenorphine. Vermont, in particular, covers almost 70% of requests for buprenorphine, indicating that the state has successfully increased the number of buprenorphine prescribers, versus the National Average of 24%. Vermont may have high buprenorphine utilization, but OUD coverage in hospitals lags well behind Massachusetts. In 2015, Vermont public payers covered 54% of all opioid-related hospital discharges. In Massachusetts that same year, public payers covered 76% of all opioid-related hospital discharges. Vermonts emphasis on buprenorphine versus Massachusetts focus on hospital intake of OUD patients indicates where these states prioritize care for OUD individuals.

OBOT Models in Vermont and Massachusetts MAT System

The cause behind these states high buprenorphine need and MAT coverage may be that both Massachusetts and Vermont have become leaders for OUD care across the country. The common theme between these states is the success of their office-based opioid treatment program (OBOT) models: The Vermont Hub and Spoke and the Massachusetts Collaborative Care Model.

Massachusetts initiative to disseminate the office-based opioid treatment was developed in Boston Medical Center. In 2007, the state voted to expand the implementation of the OBOT to fourteen community health centers (CHCs) beginning in 2007. The Massachusetts Collaborative Care Model for the buprenorphine therapy, in which nurses work with physicians, play a central role in the evaluation and monitoring of patients. The OBOT model consists of 1) screening and assessment of the patients appropriateness for office-based treatment; 2) MAT induction; 3) stabilization; and 4) maintenance.

Vermont uses a similar OBOT model within its Hub and Spoke Model3. The hubs offer the screening, high-intensity MAT, and stabilization. The spokes maintain a persons recovery through sustaining MAT, community support, and counseling services. Today, Vermonts nine hubs serve some 3,000 patients; most have unstable lives and/or co-occurring mental illnesses.

Vermont has had surprisingly more success than Massachusetts. Vermonts per capita cost incurred by the opioid crisis was less than two-thirds that of Massachusetts ($1,919 versus $3,151), a relatively effective system for Vermont4. Since the implementation of the Hub and Spoke Model, the system has seen a 92% drop in drug use, 89% decrease in emergency department visits, and 90% reduction in both illegal activities and police stops/arrests.

Multifaceted Approach to OUD

What is consistent among Massachusetts and Vermont, other than expansive healthcare coverage and high OUD rates, is that innovation started at the ground level5. Dr. John Brooklyn in Burlington, Vermont conceived the Hub and Spoke Model. Massachusetts OBOT structure expanded from Boston Medical Center. People within each system observed patients and realized that addiction was similar to any other chronic condition. The disease required multifaceted teams to care for both the acute and long-term needs of individuals, so that they did not drop out of the system.

Katie Marvin, M.D., a primary care physician in Vermont who runs one of the spokes at a federally qualified health clinic in Stowe, noted that she collaborates the sheriffs department, recovery centers, mental health specialists, hospitals, and the health department to form a community-wide approach to prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement. For example, the MAT coordinator  originally a nurse assigned to her practice and now a social worker  has helped the sheriff assess and triage patients. We are working together for the people in our towns and families who need help and answers, Marvin says. Without an individualized care team, these complex individuals were slipping through the cracks of the healthcare system.

Although Vermont and Massachusetts have some of the highest cost nationwide for OUD, their investment in treatment may soon pay off. In one study, patients with opioid use disorder who received MAT had slightly lower total health care spending, on average, than those who had other forms of treatment for opioid addiction. It will take time to realize whether OBOT care management of OUD will save states money, but there are likely overall savings to states from lower rates of incarceration and higher rates of employment.

Vermont and Massachusetts have become the countrys standard for effective OUD treatment6. The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) is working to create a Medicaid incentivized program designed after these states OBOT healthcare structures.

This report was researched and written by Katherine McDonough, Graduate Intern, Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical. Kate can be reached at kate@sen-jam.com.

About Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical

Sen-Jam Pharmaceuticals Mission is to Create Value by Developing Novel Pharmaceutical Solutions for Large Unmet Needs using the 505(b)2 development pathway and Selling or Licensing these Assets. Sen-Jams Exulta product line is based on Opioid Free Pain Relief with GI Protection for Extended Use. Sen-Jam Pharmaceutical is focused on providing a new therapeutic solution to the Opioid Crisis.

For more information, visit www.sen-jam.com or contact Christine@sen-jam.com .

____________________________

1 Prescription Nation 2018: Facing Americas Opioid Epidemic. National Safety Council, 27 June 2018, http://www.nyscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/RxNation-2018-web.pdf.

2 Use of Opioid Recovery Medications. IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics. Accessed 1 Aug. 2018.

3 Brooklyn, J. R., & Sigmon, S. C. (2017). Vermont hub-and-spoke model of care for opioid use disorder: development, implementation, and impact. Journal of addiction medicine, 11(4), 286.

4 Newman, Katelyn. The Per Capita Cost of the Opioid Crisis. U.S. News and World Report, 20 Mar. 2018.

5 Hostetter, M., & Klein, S. (2017). In focus: Expanding access to addiction treatment through primary care. Transforming Care: Reporting on Health System Improvement Retrieved from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletters/transforming- care/2017/september/in-focus

6 Mikow, Asher. Overview of Medication-Assisted Treatment Clinical Pathway and Rate Design Approach. The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, Feb. 2017, https://www.medicaid.gov /state-resource-center/innovation-accelerator-program/iap-downloads/reducing-substance- use-disorders/mat-overview.pdf.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Reza Kartosen-Wong (The Jakarta Post) Amsterdam  Thu, August 30, 2018 11:58 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877083bff 3 Opinion Indonesia,Independence-Day,Dutch-colonialism,history,The-Netherlands Free

The Netherlands recently commemorated the victims of Japanese aggression during World War II.



During the annual national commemoration of Aug. 15, 1945, Prime Minister Mark Rutte laid a wreath at the Indisch (Indies) Monument on behalf of the Dutch government. This is rather hypocritical, given the Dutch government has never officially apologized for all the Indonesian victims of Dutch colonial rule and aggression.



In itself the national commemoration of Aug. 15, 1945  known as the East Indies Commemoration  is an honorable event, as it pays tribute to the many Dutch nationals who died and suffered during World War II in Southeast Asia. Also, it stresses that the war ended in August 1945 when the Japanese capitulated and not in May when the Germans did so in Europe.



This is a much needed reminder, as Dutch imaginations and commemorations of World War II have always centered around the German occupation of the Netherlands and the Holocaust  while the atrocities in the former Dutch East Indies and Southeast Asia have generally been deemed of lesser importance.



Thus, the main Dutch national commemoration on May 4 prioritizes the experiences of World War II in Europe, as does history education in Dutch schools.



Awareness of the horrific events during the war in Southeast Asia has been growing slowly but steadily among the Dutch. This can be attributed to the East Indies Commemoration, but perhaps more so to successful and outspoken writers whose relatives were killed, held in internment camps, or suffered otherwise from the Japanese occupation.



They have indeed made the Dutch imagination of World War II more inclusive by adding previously unknown or ignored experiences and voices of the victims of Japanese aggression.



Ironically, the East Indies Commemoration itself has been criticized for its lack of inclusiveness since it began in the 1980s. Earlier, it had been accused of whitewashing the war by foregrounding the plights of white Dutch or totokvictims.



Subsequently it began to include the war experiences of Indo-Europeans and Maluku people who were stigmatized as pro-Dutch.



And only recently has the Commemoration briefly mentioned the significantly larger group of indigenous Indonesian victims of Japanese occupation. Also, attention is being paid to the bersiap (get ready) period following the Japanese capitulation during which rogue Indonesian rebels killed many Dutch civilians.



Ultimately, the various Dutch national commemorations reinforce the flawed notion of the Dutch as victims who fought heroically against evil peoples: Germans, Japanese, and indeed, Indonesians.



This is all the more problematic as Dutch soldiers who fought a colonial war against Indonesians in the 1940s are commemorated as well. Among them many soldiers committed war crimes including burning down villages, torturing captives and mass executing Indonesian civilians.



The Indonesian victims of 350 years of Dutch colonial occupation are still not officially commemorated by the Dutch. In fact, many Dutch still see the colonial era as a glorious era highlighting Dutch ingenuity and commercial instinct.



Prewar Dutch East Indies is still some idyllic place instead of a territory where the Dutch were involved in oppression, exploitation, plunder, extreme violence and even genocide.



This positive imagination of the colonial era recalls the white innocence raised by professor Gloria Wekker: the persistent belief that Dutch are heroes and victims, not perpetrators. Evidence to the contrary causes cognitive dissonance and is discarded, denied or downplayed.



Fortunately, a number of important Dutch writers, journalists, and researchers including Griselda Molemans, Alfred Birney, Marion Bloem, Reggie Baay and Remy Limpach offer more balanced perspectives and are furthering awareness of this dark side to Dutch history.



The Dutch governments engagement with Dutch colonial history betrays a neocolonial mindset infused with notions of moral superiority and white innocence.



The Dutch government has never wholeheartedly apologized for 350 years of Dutch colonial rule and aggression. It has not even officially recognized Aug. 17 as Indonesias independence day. Instead, the Dutch government sticks with Dec. 27, 1949  the day the Netherlands transferred sovereignty to Indonesia.



Indeed, in 2005 then-foreign minister Ben Bot joined Independence Day celebrations in Jakarta, but afterwards it was made clear this was a de facto recognition of Aug.17, 1945.



Officially recognizing Aug. 17, 1945, was  and apparently still is  a taboo for the Dutch government, as it would mean acknowledging that the Netherlands waged war on a sovereign Indonesia. This might offend Dutch veterans who were involved. It might also mean the Dutch government would be held accountable and would face claims and lawsuits from Indonesian victims and survivors  and rightly so.



During his visit to Jakarta in 2005, Bot expressed regret for the violence after World War II; it was not an apology. And in 2013 the Dutch ambassador apologized for mass executions in Java and Sulawesi  but only after the victims widows took the Dutch government to court. Still, this was nowhere near a full apology, let alone an all-encompassing and unreserved admission of guilt.



The Dutch government likes to see itself as a moral authority, and is always quick to admonish other non-western nations for their mistakes past and present.



But they are reluctant to sincerely reflect on the crimes committed by the Dutch against Indonesians during the colonial occupation. Even as these still impact the lives of Indonesian victims and survivors.



Referring to the East Indies Commemoration, PM Rutte tweeted that the events during World War II in Southeast Asia remind us that freedom and security are not self-evident and that we should handle these with care.



But as long as the Dutch government does not unreservedly acknowledge that Dutch colonial rule deprived Indonesians of freedom and security and offer apologies, these words ring hollow.



To make amends, Rutte can start by officially recognizing Aug. 17, 1945 as the day Indonesia became independent from the Netherlands. In doing so, he would explicitly respect Indonesian sovereignty and agency regarding independence.



Such a statement would implicitly acknowledge that the Dutch military operations in the 1940s were indeed acts of war against an independent Indonesia and not  as is the dominant narrative in the Netherlands  a matter of the Netherlands dealing with insurgents in its territories.



And finally, it would force the Netherlands to reconsider this overly positive self-image of Dutch people as heroes and victims only, which would rebuke the notion of Dutch moral and cultural superiority that has gained strength in recent years with the rise of white nationalist and white supremacist rhetoric in mainstream Dutch politics.

***

The writer is a lecturer in media and culture in the department of media studies at the University of Amsterdam.

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 Farahdiba Bachtiar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 16:33 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877091ee1 3 Opinion The-Conversation,pertamina,Rokan-block,oil-and-gas,Chevron-Pacific-Indonesia,oil-and-gas-industry Free

Indonesias decision that state-owned gas and oil company Pertamina will take over one of the countrys most productive oil blocks from US energy firm Chevron shows a push towards a nationalist agenda ahead of the countrys presidential election in 2019.

But despite this shift towards protectionism, Indonesia under President Joko Jokowi Widodo still practises a mixed model economic policy.

The precious Rokan block

Chevron is a major oil producer in Indonesia and has operated the Rokan block in Riau on the island of Sumatra, one of the countrys most strategic oil blocks, since 1931. Its contract with Indonesia will end in 2021. Under a regulation, Chevron is able to request an extension. However, the government decided to reject the request and gave the block to Pertamina as the state company came up with a better offer.

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Pertamina claimed that the deal could help Indonesia save US$4 billion a year in oil import spending and cut downstream costs in the long term. The acquisition will also improve Pertaminas upstream and downstream businesses.

However, concerns are growing over the Indonesian governments decision to give the oil block to Pertamina.

Some have claimed that the decision lacked transparency. Global financial services company Moodys Corporation was pessimistic about the deal. It said the deal would become too much a burden for Pertamina as it required the company to spend $70 billion over 20 years.

www.katadata.co.id , Author provided

The nationalist agenda

The Rokan block deal tells us that the Indonesian government is pushing for an inward-looking economic policy. Such a policy tends to limit foreign direct investment and to impose tariff and non-tariff barriers to support national economic interests.

Previously, the government, via its mining holding company PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum), clinched a deal with US giant miner Freeport-McMoran to buy 51% of Freeport Indonesias equity. The deal gives Inalums control of the worlds largest gold mine, the Grasberg mine in Papua. However, many have doubted its capacity to manage the mine.

For the Freeport deal, Inalum paid US$3.85 billion along with other costs for future exploration. Inalum had to borrow from 11 banks for the acquisition.

Many fear Pertamina may encounter the same problem as the Rokan deal will be a long-term financial burden on Pertaminas performance.

In 2017, Pertaminas net profit dropped by 19% to Rp33.7 trillion (US$2.3 million) on higher costs.

https://katadata.co.id/

The return of the old model

The nationalist agenda behind the Rokan block and Freeport deals reflects the bigger picture of Indonesias current development strategy.

Analysts like Edward Aspinall, Eve Warburton and Jeffrey Wilson have argued that the Indonesian government is bringing its business sectors closer to its nationalist agenda of past decades.

The sentiment against liberal economy policy within Indonesias society and the global economic slowdown have motivated the government to implement such inward-looking economic policies.

This nationalist agenda is very strategic for leaders to secure votes. President Jokowi is seeking a second term in next years presidential election.

To support his candidacy, Jokowi seems to have promoted his nationalist agenda. The Freeport and Rokan block deals are examples of how he defended national interests in strategic sectors.

Political scientist Eve Warburton, from the Australian National University, said the nationalistic agenda under Jokowi was a new normal.

Indonesian leaders tend to come up with populist and protectionist agendas to secure votes. These agendas include fuel and electricity subsidies as well as cash for poor people.

These policies were adopted under Jokowi and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Jokowis mixed model

Jokowis economic policy, however, is not purely nationalistic. Some of his economic policies have been driven by an outward-looking strategy as well. An outward strategy promotes foreign investment and privatisation to spur economic growth.

While protecting national interests in Rokan blocks and Freeport mines, Jokowi also pushes for foreign direct investment in infrastructure projects. Having both strategies in place, Jokowis economic policy is a mixed model.

Jokowis mixed model is not a novel approach in Indonesia. Throughout the New Order regime, Suharto practically led Indonesia under a dualistic economy. In his early days, Suharto put his trust in prominent Indonesian economists who advocated outward-looking strategies.

Suharto implemented a series of economic reform packages. These included investment procedures that opened up some sectors to foreign direct investment.

Despite his liberal policies, Suharto was also known for his nationalistic policies. Under his administration, imports were decreased and the agricultural and energy sectors gained some protections. He also made local private businesses a part of national industrial policy.

Learning from the past

So what kind of economic policy works best for Indonesia?

The mixed economic policy may be best at the moment. While it serves the national interest, it also allows some space for reforms and opportunities for international cooperation.

Putting aside the continued debates over the Rokan block, lets see what the government and the company will do next.

It is important to note that a nationalist agenda should serve the public interest rather than elites and particular groups.

The government also needs to be more careful in making any economic policy, because these come with long-term implications.

For example, Suhartos bad economic policy against the background of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 led to political and social unrest that ended his regime.

Finally, the public needs to keep a close watch on the governments commitment to economic reform and better corporate governance, including the transparency of state-owned firms.

***

Farahdiba Bachtiar, PhD Candidate, RMIT University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. (NYSE American: CTO) (the Company) today announced the closing of the sale of approximately 21 acres of land (the Williamson Crossing Parcel) for approximately $6.7 million, or approximately $325,000 an acre, to Unicorp National Development, Inc., of Orlando, Florida (Unicorp). The transaction included Unicorps assumption of an existing contract, with a different third party, for the sale of approximately 2 acres, which were included in the 21 acres. The Company estimates the gain on the sale to Unicorp to total approximately $1.5 million, or $0.20 net of tax. The contract closed today was entered into on August 1, 2018. The Company expects to use the proceeds from this transaction in the acquisition of a single-tenant income property pursuant to the 1031 like-kind exchange structure.



Year-to-date, the Company has sold more than 2,580 acres of land for an aggregate of more than $37 million, or approximately $15,000 per acre. As compared to the Companys guidance for 2018, this total equates to nearly 69% of the low end of the range of $55 million and approximately 54% of the high end of the range of $70 million.

The Company entered into two additional land contracts with Unicorp, as described in the following summary:

A contract to sell approximately 101 acres for approximately $9.5 million, which equates to approximately $94,000 per acre. The 101-acre parcel is part of the Companys approximately 187-acre parcel located north of LPGA Boulevard and bordered by Williamson Boulevard to the west of the parcel and Clyde Morris Boulevard to the east of the parcel; and A contract to sell approximately 14 acres for $3.8 million, which equates to approximately $277,000 per acre. This land parcel is located at the southwest corner of LPGA Boulevard and Clyde Morris Boulevard.

Since August 1, 2018, the Company has also entered into two additional land contracts with two other developers for land located east of Interstate 95, as follows:

A contract to sell approximately 20 acres located north of LPGA Boulevard (and east of Clyde Morris Boulevard) for $4.0 million, reflecting a price per acre of approximately $200,000; and A contract to sell approximately 18 acres located on the west side of Clyde Morris Boulevard (south of LPGA Boulevard) for $570,000, reflecting a price per acre of approximately $32,000.

The Company also announced that it has been in discussions with North American Development Group (NADG) regarding NADGs interest in modifying its contract for the approximately 35 acres remaining under its contract with the Company to reduce the amount of acres NADG would purchase. There can be no assurances on the likelihood that such an amendment will be completed, the timing of doing so, or the resulting modifications in financial terms.

In addition, the Company today announced that the purchase and sale agreement pertaining to 80 acres on the west side of Williamson Boulevard and north of LPGA Boulevard for potential proceeds of $16 million was terminated by the buyer. The Company is in discussions with another third party that is potentially interested in acquiring the 80-acre parcel.

After the sale of the Williamson Crossing Parcel and the contracts newly entered into and the terminated contract, all noted above, the Company currently has nineteen (19) executed purchase and sale agreements with fifteen (15) different buyers, which in the aggregate represent the potential sale of nearly 4,400 acres, or approximately 79% of our remaining land holdings, with anticipated sales proceeds of more than $179 million, or approximately $41,000 per acre. Each of the transactions are in varying stages of due diligence by the various buyers including, in some instances, having made submissions to the planning and development departments of the City of Daytona Beach and other approval and permitting activities with other applicable governmental authorities. In addition to other customary closing conditions, most of the transactions are conditioned upon the receipt of approvals or permits from various governmental authorities, as well as other matters that are beyond the Companys control. If such approvals are not obtained, the prospective buyers may have the ability to terminate their respective agreements prior to closing. As a result, there can be no assurances regarding the likelihood or timing of any of these potential land transactions being completed or the final terms thereof, including the sales price.

Finally, the Company announced that its $3.0 million mortgage loan on a land parcel in Daytona Beach Shores, Florida was paid off at maturity in August 2018, resulting in an unlevered IRR of approximately 14% for this one-year duration investment.

About Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co.



Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. is a Florida-based publicly traded real estate company, which owns approximately 2.1 million square feet of income properties in diversified markets in the United States, as well as nearly 5,500 acres of land in the Daytona Beach area. Visit our website at www.ctlc.com .

We encourage you to review our most recent investor presentations which are available on our website at www.ctlc.com.

SAFE HARBOR

Certain statements contained in this press release (other than statements of historical fact) are forward-looking statements. Words such as believe, estimate, expect, intend, anticipate, will, could, may, should, plan, potential, predict, forecast, project, and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they were made, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words. Although forward-looking statements are made based upon managements expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect upon the Company, a number of factors could cause the Companys actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Such factors may include the completion of 1031 exchange transactions, the availability of investment properties that meet the Companys investment goals and criteria, the modification of terms of certain land sales agreements, uncertainties associated with obtaining required governmental permits and satisfying other closing conditions for planned acquisitions and sales, as well as the uncertainties and risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There can be no assurance that future developments will be in accordance with managements expectations or that the effect of future developments on the Company will be those anticipated by management. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 08:12 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087706c944 4 Editorial #Editorial,Australia-Indonesia,bilateral-relations,CEPA,trade-agreement,Scott-Morrison,Australia,Jokowi-administration Free

We welcome, again, a new leader on our doorstep: Scott Morrison, who was inaugurated last week in Canberra. On Friday, President Joko Jokowi Widodo is set to greet his third Australian state guest since Tony Abott and Malcolm Turnbull.



Prime Minister Morrison can check out all the earlier advice from prominent experts and long-time associates of Indonesia in Australia on how best to deal with and benefit from their big northern neighbor  because much of the sound suggestions have barely been acted upon when highly dynamic internal politics have prompted change of Australian leadership once more. For instance, the warm banter in the sweltering Tanah Abang Market in Central Jakarta in late 2015 between Jokowi and Turnbull reflected amicable ties, allowing both leaders to further discuss critical bilateral and regional issues in the following years. Yet the two governments still have to push for stronger trade relations, among other things.



Hopefully, PM Morrison will finally be the Australian leader to sign the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) after negotiations were stalled for nearly a decade before being revived in 2016. Borrowing from the Indonesia-Australia Business Council, make it happen!



It is indeed an honor that new Australian leaders have traditionally visited Jakarta as part of their first overseas visit. But they would be even better welcomed if they could walk the talk and better contribute to our two-way trade.



Figures for Australias trade with Malaysia and China , for instance, are far higher than those with Indonesia.



Behind our leaders, their aides have worked hard to increase cooperation, apart from patching up any differences. Julia Bishop, deputy of Turnbulls Liberal Party, was one of 13 Cabinet members who resigned as Morrison secured the party leadership, and her replacement should be able to work closely with Indonesias Retno LP Marsudi.



The newly announced foreign minister is Marise Payne, the former defense minister who is thankfully already familiar with Indonesias government.



Indonesians will be especially wary of Morrisons background as Abbots minister for immigration and border protection. The infamous stop the boats policy has continued despite outcries that turning back boatpeople in the middle of the ocean  even when Australias authorities deem it safe to do so  violates international conventions, including those on refugees and others on the basic human rights to safety and life itself.



But Indonesia will also need to prevent and firmly deal with corrupt authorities suspected of complicity with human traffickers, while turning a blind eye to overcrowded, rickety boats setting sail for Australia.



As members of the Bali Process comprising dozens of nations dealing with refugees, both Indonesia and Australia have yet to secure better ways to deal with the waves of people fleeing their own governments and societies who continue to repress and persecute them.



Australia remains Indonesias vital ally, particularly in the face of constant threats, be it from terrorism or an overbearing China. Despite Indonesias stops and starts, our partnership with Australia is crucial in making the region safer and more prosperous for all.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin - (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia  Fri, August 31, 2018 00:06 1159 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087709be05 4 Inforial Free

With vast natural resources, diverse tourist attractions plus a strategic location, Banten is poised to become the worlds great investment destination.

Banten province is witnessing an upward trend in annual foreign direct investment (FDI). The value of realized foreign investment and domestic investment has been on the increase for the last three years. In 2017, investment flowing to Banten reached Rp 55.82 trillion (US$3.8 billion), higher than the previous year, which stood at Rp 52.23 trillion, with 2,980 projects.

Correspondingly, entering 2018, thanks to the Banten provincial administrations persistence in promoting the regions investment potential, Banten has seen an upward trend in investment. The realized investment for the first semester of 2018, for instance, was recorded at Rp 29.99 trillion, with 2,055 projects, according to the Investment Activity Report (LKPM) obtained by local investment office One-Stop Integrated Services (DMPTSP).

The increase in the realized investment has signified foreign investors growing interest in investing their capital in Banten. Based on the report, realized foreign investment in Banten province for the first semester ranked third after West Java and Jakarta, with an investment value of Rp 21.97 trillion from 1,518 projects. Meanwhile, domestic investment ranked seventh, with investment value of Rp 8 trillion and 537 projects.

The increase in the value of investment annually has proven that Banten has become one of the main investment destinations, for both foreign investment and domestic investment. Even from 2015 to 2017, Banten ranked in five big positions and as of the first semester of 2018, realized foreign investment jumped to the third position in investment destinations in Indonesia.

Relying heavily on the regions potential and geographical location is highly insufficient to boost investment growth. Through the DPMTSP, the Banten government has taken breakthrough steps, which include enhancing the ratio of the ease of doing business, changing the behavior of bureaucrats, establishing a taskforce to settle bottleneck related to business license, ensuring security, et cetera.

To fulfill investors substantial need for a simple, quick and effective service related to business permits, the Banten administration has applied an online one-stop-integrated service, making it unnecessary for investors to repeatedly visit relevant technical agencies to meet the proposed license conditions.

Related to the high demand for a quick and efficient business license process, a significant step has also been taken by enhancing the capacity of officers in charge to enable them to provide better services and to create ease and comfort for prospective investors to start and develop their business.

In this respect, the Banten administration has also obliged all of its regency and town administrations to set a taskforce whose major tasks are to bridge, solve and reduce the obstacles in the investment process, either in the license application phase or the implementation (debottlenecking). The taskforce is expected not only to help the Banten administration monitor the investment process but also to handle the arising license-related issues.

Apart from that, the Banten administration has also set up an integrated licensing program, or online single submission (OSS), to comply with Government Regulation No. 24/2018 on the electronic integrated business services, aimed at providing ease for investment in Indonesia. Under the OSS system, investors can handle nearly all of the licensing process, starting from the making of a corporate deed to obtaining a commercial license.

Investment security for investors

Ensuring comfort and security is a prerequisite for investments. Therefore, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has teamed up a mutual work team with the National Police, with the two parties signing a working guideline for the coordination of protection and security for business in 2016. As an investment destination, the Banten administration, in collaboration with the regional police, is always ready to maintain the investment climate.

The Banten provincial government ensures security for the investors, starting from the licensing process, an inventory of the possible security disruptions around the investment activities to quick assistance in the event of a demonstration and unwanted violent actions by thugs.

Investment in tourism sector

Banten Governor Wahidin places the tourism sector as his priority program because Banten has great tourism potential, which includes special economic zone (SEZ) Tanjung Lesung. According to him, it is highly important to manage tourism destinations well and give a good impression to tourists visiting Banten. Currently, the Banten provincial government is focusing on the improvement of road access to local tourist attractions, including the area of Sultan Banten, known as Banten Lama (Old Banten) and Tanjung Lesung Beach.

For this reason, local administration has spurred the acceleration of various strategic national projects (PNS) to boost tourism in Banten, such as the SEZ of Tanjung Lesung, reactivation of the Labuan-Panimbang railway, the development of an 84-kilometer-long Serang-Panimbang toll road and the revitalization of Banten Lama.

The efforts to revitalize Banten Lama have seen much progress following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Banten provincial government and the Serang municipality in July.

For example, a canal in the area, which was formerly a slum and dirty area where illegal businesses operated, has been cleaned up as it will be developed into a water tourism facility. An old mosque has also been revitalized, with its front yard already looking clean, neat and orderly. A bus terminal has also been built close to the house of prayer to provide more tourists with easy access to the site.

The initial phase of the development of Banten Lama is expected to be completed in December. Banten Lama will have a new face as a religious tourism destination and is expected to attract more domestic and international travelers, which will boost investment in tourism and other sectors.

On the other hand, the government is focusing its attention on boosting investment to develop tourism potential. As one of the 10 national priority destinations, the Tanjung Lesung Beach area takes center stage, especially with the area expected to welcome 1 million tourist arrivals in 2019, as the government has targeted.

The Tanjung Lesung area covers an area of 1,500 hectares, with diverse tourism potential, including the beauty of the natural beach, flora and fauna diversity and a wealth of exotic cultures.

Apart from the property and leisure sectors, investors can also take the opportunity to invest in the transportation and logistics sector and other service sectors that support tourism business-related activities in the area.

The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status for the Tanjung Lesung area is expected to make the area attractive to investors.

The status of Tanjung Lesung Beach area as an SEZ is expected to benefit investors because the area has already provided what investors need: the master plan for long-term development, basic infrastructure such as power supply, a clean water plant, a waste management plant, land with certificates etc, according to Poernomo Siswoprasetijo, president director of PT Banten West Java Tourism Development, a developer of the Tanjung Lesung Beach area.

. (./.)
Hollywood star Ryan Gosling said Wednesday that he tried to learn to fly to play astronaut Neil Armstrong in an emotional new biopic about the strong but silent space hero.

The Canadian actor renewed his Oscar-winning partnership with La La Land director Damien Chazelle for First Man, which tells how Armstrong overcame tragedy after tragedy to become the first man to walk on the moon.

Gosling revealed how he took flying lessons so he could get inside the mind of the engineer and test pilot as the film opened the Venice film festival.

"I thought what I should do was learn how to fly. Neil could fly before he could drive. But not too long in when the instructor asked me to take the plane into a controlled stall, I thought 'this is a terrible idea'," the actor told reporters.

"There was a reason why Neil Armstrong was destined to be one of the best pilots of all time and I'm not.

"There was something very different about him and a lot of other astronauts," Gosling said.

Read also: Venice shoots for the Moon in Hollywood-heavy film festival

It took a "certain breed of person to get into a plane that has never been flown before and push it to its breaking point for the sole purpose of furthering our knowledge of aeronautics".

Chazelle, who is half French and half Canadian, said the astronauts were universal heroes.

"When I first saw a Gemini I thought it was just part of the spacecraft -- but it was the whole thing. I wanted to capture how terrifying it felt searching in the void of space in flying tin cans."

Gosling, 37, and Australian co-star Jason Clarke paid tribute to the courage of the astronauts, admitting that just grappling with the claustrophobia of the space capsules was enough for them.

"The crew created capsules that were too authentic," said Clarke. "It was a kind of meltdown. We had a seriously hard time sitting in the capsule locked in our space suits with three levels of doors closing on you."

British star Claire Foy, who played Armstrong's late wife Janet, said the film owed a "huge debt" to Armstrong's sons and his late widow Janet, who helped vet the script and met the actors.

Asked what he looks for in a director, Gosling joked: "Good hair. A strong head of hair is important. And Damien (Chazelle) is half-Canadian, so that helps as well."
The action series Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan starring American actor John Krasinski is set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on Aug. 31.

Watch brand Hamilton features its Khaki Field Auto Chrono timepiece, worn by leading man Krasinski, who takes on the role of Jack Ryan.

"Rugged, robust and ready for anything, the watch draws on Hamilton's rich military history," the watchmaker said in a statement ahead of the series premiere.

The watch features 42-millimeter stainless steel that is PVD coated in full black along with a sporty black rubber strap to complete the look. It also boasts a Swiss-made H-21 automatic movement with 60 hours of power reserve, as well as chronograph and day-date functions.

Read also: Writers JD Payne, Patrick McKay to script Amazons Lord of the Rings

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, co-produced by Paramount Television and Skydance Television, is an adaptation of the Tom Clancy hero.

The series follows the titular character Jack Ryan, an up-and-coming Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst who is thrust into a dangerous field assignment for the first time, where he uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication among a new breed of terrorism that threatens destruction on a global scale.

The one-hour, eight episode political thriller also stars Wendell Pierce as James Greer and Abbie Cornish as Cathy Mueller. (liz/wng)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 17:18 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087709345d 2 Sports #2018AsianGames,#AsianGames2018,#waterpolo,#Iran,#China,#final,Asian-Games-2018,water-polo,Iran,China Free

Iran and China crushed their respective opponents to secure semifinal spots in mens water polo at the Asian Games on Thursday.

Iran proved too strong for Saudi Arabia in their quarterfinal match, which saw the Persian Gulf team win 15-7. Iran had 30 attempted shots at goal in the match, while Saudi Arabia had 25. Iran now have a chance to avenge their group match defeat to Kazakhstan, if the Central Asian defending champion manages to beat host Indonesia in their quarterfinal encounter.

Meanwhile, China outclassed South Korea 12-4 and will face the winner of the quarterfinal match between Japan and Singapore.

Kazakhstan won the gold medal at the previous Games in Incheon, South Korea, four years ago and is tipped as the red-hot favorite to retain their title this year.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 09:08 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877078a12 4 Business biodiesel,b20-biodiesel-mix,Aprobi,comments Free

Biodiesel companies have confirmed that they are ready to meet the recently established quota for biodiesel as part of the governments efforts to expand the mandatory use of B20 fuel starting in September.

Theres absolutely no problem. The fatty acid metyl ester [FAME] industry doesnt take any issue whatsoever, the general director of the Indonesian Biofuel Producers Association (Aprobi), MP Tumanggor, said on Tuesday as quoted by kontan.co.id.

Previously, the government announced that biofuel producers would have to supply approximately 940,000 kl of the commodity from September to December.

Biofuel producers would be fined Rp 6,000 (US 4 cents) per liter should they fail to meet the supply deadline, Tumanggor added.

In accordance with the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministerial Decree No. 14/2018 on biodiesel supply and use financed by the Indonesian Oil Palm Estate Fund (BPDP-KS) issued on Aug. 24, oil and gas companies that fail to produce B20 will risk losing their business permits and paying a fine.

According to Tumanggor, biofuel companies will conduct regular checks to detect human errors that may potentially delay deliveries. Aprobi members have also expressed their readiness to meet the governments production capacity, he added.

Biodiesel companies have produced 12 million to 14 million kl of biodiesel. Of the figure,

2 million kl have already been delivered for Septembers B20 policy. (rfa/bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 15:48 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087708c772 1 Business PTDI-aircraft-industry,Boeing,MoU Free

Boeing and Indonesian aircraft company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore collaborative areas of opportunity to include manufacturing technology, certification, as well as support and maintenance of vertical lift products.

We see this memorandum as an important step in support of Indonesias vision for current and future economic development as well as the growth of the countrys aerospace sector, said Boeing Southeast Asia president Skip Boyce said in a press release on Thursday.

Boyce said the MoU demonstrated commitment to the growth of Indonesias aerospace industry and providing advanced capabilities to the armed forces.

Meanwhile, PTDI president director Elfien Goentoro said the company was a key partner in building Indonesias aerospace sector and had demonstrated core competences in aircraft design and development, structure manufacturing, production and services for commercial and military aircraft.

PTDI has been a supplier to Boeing Commercial Airplanes and this agreement will expand our collaboration on the military side with opportunities in vertical lift capabilities, he said.

Boeings relationship with Indonesia goes back to 1949 when Indonesias national flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, began operations flying special transportation with a Douglas DC-3.

Boeing and Indonesias partnership covers commercial aviation, defense, space, research and technology. On the military side, the Indonesian government signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the US government in August 2013 for eight AH-64E Apache helicopters, the worlds leading multi-role attack helicopter. Deliveries of all eight helicopters were completed earlier this year. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi/Jakarta  Thu, August 30 2018

A landmark ruling by the Jambi High Court has exonerated a 15-year-old rape victim of all criminal charges, but it will be some time before she can return home.

In a controversial case that captured the attention of local and international news media, the teenager, who was raped by her 18-year-old brother, had been sentenced to six months in prison by the Muarabulian District Court after she was found guilty of aborting her eight-month pregnancy.

The Jambi High Court on Monday changed her fate and acquitted her of all charges, saying she had the abortion while under extreme duress.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30 2018

The government is seeking to lure more funds from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to finance infrastructure projects in the country as it searches for alternative source of financing to reduce the strain on the state budget.

Speaking after a closed-door meeting with AIIB president Jin Liqun in Jakarta on Wednesday, National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said the government was seeking to increase the AIIBs loan portfolio in the country.

In the meeting, I conveyed [to Jin] that we would prepare a list of infrastructure [projects] that could be funded by the AIIB, both as a sole financier or as co-financier with other institutions such as the World Bank or Asian Development Bank [ADB], said Bambang.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 18:06 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308770948b7 1 World #Malaysia,#Indonesia,Anwar-Ibrahim,meeting,Jokowi,bilateral-relations Free

Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim has expressed hopes for Indonesia and Malaysia to further strengthen bilateral relations during his cordial meeting with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at Bogor Palace on Thursday.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who accompanied Jokowi during the occasion, said Anwar's visit was a form of silaturahmi (friendly gathering) with the President after he became president of Malaysia's People's Justice Party (PKR) on Aug. 5.

In the closed-door meeting, during which they discussed various issues, Retno said that Anwar also conveyed regards from Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who expressed to Anwar his positive impression of the result of Mahathir's recent visit to Indonesia.

"Tun [Mahathir] also expressed [to Anwar] the commitment to strengthen relations with Indonesia," Retno told journalists on Thursday. "Pak Anwar Ibrahim even said [to Jokowi] that now was the right time for Indonesia and Malaysia to improve ties."

Jokowi once again raised the issue of the protection of Indonesian nationals living in Malaysia as well as the importance of the neighboring countries to fight together against the European Union's plan to restrict exports of crude palm oil.

Anwar was released from prison in May after Mahathir won a shock election over former prime minister Najib Razak.

When asked whether or not Anwar visited Jokowi on the latter's invitation, Retno said she had to check the details, however, she added that Anwar visited Indonesia from time to time and so his meeting with the President was usual.
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This Labour Day, Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley will be speaking at a media event at the statue of Adam Beck at 8:45 a.m.



This Labour Day, we are sending a clear message to Doug Ford: Hands off our rights, said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. Workers in Ontario are not going to let Doug Ford take away our hard-fought rights. Its time for this government to do right by Ontarians.

Ontario workers fought for and won long overdue improvements to Ontarios labour and employment laws including paid sick days, fairer scheduling and equal pay for equal work provisions. Other victories included protections for workers engaged in a labour dispute, making it easier to join a union, and five days paid leave for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

A key victory was legislating an increase to the minimum wage to $15. The increase is scheduled for January 1, 2019 and will benefit 1.7 million workers who earn at or near the minimum wage in Ontario. Doug Ford has said he will repeal it.

We are not going to be silent while Doug Ford repeals those gains and strips Ontarians of their rights or further disadvantages the working people of this province, said Buckley.

Media event: When: Sept 3, 2018 at 8:45 a.m. Where: Statue of Adam Beck, at Queen and University Speakers: John Cartwright  President, Toronto & York Region Labour Council

Chris Buckley  President, Ontario Federation of Labour

Deena Ladd  Co-founder & coordinator, Workers Action Centre

Joy Lachica  Executive Board Member of Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario

Aleem Tharani  ATU Local 113 & TTC Riders

Please join the OFL to celebrate our wins and prepare to work in solidarity for decent work for every worker in Ontario and tell Doug Ford Hands off our rights!



The OFL represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter .

For further information contact:

Meagan Perry

Director of Communications,

Ontario Federation of Labour

mperry@ofl.ca l 416-894-3456

cope343
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 19:44 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877097e4f 4 Business Retno-Marsudi,IA-CEPA,Scott-John-Morrison,visit Free

Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi has said there is no plan to sign the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economy Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) during the visit of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday.

She said on Thursday that major parts of the IA-CEPA had been completely negotiated, but that there were still a number issues that needed further negotiation.

"Substantial issues have been completed, but there are a number of issues that require further negotiation. The negotiations are still ongoing. We still dont know what level of progress will be reached tomorrow, Retno said at the Bogor Palace in West Java as quoted by kontan.co.id.

Retno did not elaborate on which issues remained unsettled in the IA-CEPA. She said only that the matters related to technical issues, the negotiation of which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Morrison is scheduled to meet with President Joko Jokowi Widodo at the Bogor Palace. It will be his first foreign trip after his inauguration as the Australian prime minister last Friday.

His visit reflects Australia's commitment to improving bilateral relations with Indonesia, said Retno.

The IA-CEPA talks began in 2010. The latest round of talks took place in Jakarta from Dec. 4 to 8, 2017, when negotiators were initially expected to wrap up talks. However, they failed to settle their differences.

If agreed to, the IA-CEPA will cover trade, investment, education, tourism and security matters. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Oslo, Norway  Thu, August 30, 2018 07:47 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087706b4a2 2 World #Myanmar,Aung-San-Suu-Kyi,Nobel-laureate,Rohingya,genocide Free

Norway's Nobel Institute said Wednesday it had no intention of withdrawing its Peace Prize from Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi after a damning UN report termed the treatment of the Rohingya people as "genocide."

"There is no question of the Nobel Committee withdrawing the peace prize," director Olav Njolstad said.

"The rules of the Nobel Peace Prize do not allow it," he added.

A UN probe released Monday detailed evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity "perpetrated on a massive scale" against the Rohingya, including acts of rape, sexual violence and mass killings.

At a UN Security Council session on Tuesday, a number of countries -- including the United States, Britain, France and Sweden -- called for Myanmar's military leaders to be held accountable.

Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 when she was detained by the military for championing democracy and human rights.

She was only allowed to leave Myanmar to recieve the award 21 years later as the military apparently eased its iron grip on the country.

As the Rohingya crisis has deepened in the past year with the flight of hundreds of thousands to neighbouring Bangladesh, Suu Kyi has come under increasing international pressure to speak out about their plight.

So far however she has said very little and steadfastly avoided any critical comment of Myanmar's military.

The Nobel Peace Prize committee had warned last year about the worsening situation in Myanmar and had urged all parties to do "everything possible to end discrimination against and persecution of minorities."

Njolstad repeated that statement, adding: "This call is not any less timely after the UN report."

The Myanmar government on Wednesday bluntly rejected the UN's findings.

"We didn't allow the (UN Fact-Finding Mission) to enter into Myanmar, that's why we don't agree and accept any resolutions made by the Human Rights Council," government spokesman Zaw Htay said, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

He pointed to the formation of Myanmar's own Independent Commission of Enquiry, which he said was set up to respond to "false allegations made by UN agencies and other international communities."
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 11:35 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877082907 1 Politics Sandiaga-Uno,PKS,Islam,santri,presidential-election Free

Vice presidential candidate and businessman Sandiaga Uno admitted that he had no clue what the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) was talking about when it portrayed him as a santri di era pos-Islamisme (a pious Muslim in the era of post-Islamism).

In an apparent attempt to calm its constituents after presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto unexpectedly picked Sandiaga and not a senior PKS member as his running mate, the Islam-based party was quick to label Sandiaga, who attended a Catholic school, a santri (orthodox Muslim) as opposed to abangan (nominal Muslim).

That was the first time I heard the term [post-Islamism], as I never attended a pesantren [Islamic boarding school], he said during a show on Kompas TV on Wednesday night, referring to the night of his nomination.

The term post-Islamism is actually a term coined by Iranian sociologist Asef Bayat to roughly describe a new generation of Muslims, young and affluent, who easily blend Islamic values and popular culture.

The PKS, in a desperate attempt to sell the Prabowo-Sandiaga pair as a nationalist-religious ticket, believes that Sandiaga is the poster boy of post-Islamism in Indonesia. Such a move was probably triggered by President Joko Jokowi Widodos decision to name Maruf Amin, arguably the most influential cleric in the country, as his running mate.

But Sandiaga said he was confused by the term, although he claimed that he had worked with pengusaha santri (Muslim businessmen) under Nahdlatul Ulama.

He said: When [PKS leader] Pak Sohibul Iman mentioned the term, I wondered what it was. (ahw)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  Thu, August 30, 2018 09:49 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087707d525 2 World #SaudiArabia,#Yemen,Saudi-Arabia,rejection,UnitedNations,Yemen,war-crime Free

A Saudi-led coalition battling in Yemen on Wednesday dismissed as inaccurate a report by UN investigators that highlighted possible war crimes in the conflict-torn country including deadly air strikes by the alliance.

"We affirm the inaccuracies in the report and its non-neutrality," the coalition said in a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency.

"The report did not mention Iran's role in the continuation of the war... and its continued support for the Huthi" militias.

The coalition added that it would later provide a "comprehensive and detailed legal response" to the report.

In their first report released on Tuesday, a team of UN-mandated investigators said all parties in Yemen's bloody conflict have committed a "substantial number of violations of international humanitarian law".

Many of these violations may amount to "war crimes", the report said, pointing to widespread arbitrary detention, rape and torture.

The report said coalition air strikes had caused "most of the documented civilian casualties", pointing to a large number of strikes on residential areas, markets, funerals, weddings and medical facilities.

It said there were "serious concerns about the targeting process applied by the coalition," pointing out that in many cases there were no apparent military targets in the vicinity of the attacks.

Yemen's devastating conflict has left nearly 10,000 people dead since March 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition intervened to fight Huthi rebels closing in on the last bastion of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's government.

The UN human rights office said Tuesday that some 6,660 civilians were among the dead, while more than 10,500 had been injured.

The UN has already described the situation in Yemen as world's worst humanitarian crisis.

UN-backed talks between Yemen's government and the Iran-aligned Huthi militias are to open in Geneva on September 6 -- a first step toward resuming peace negotiations that broke down two years ago.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Gisela Swaragita, Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman and Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30 2018

An extended traffic policy implemented for the Asian Games (Asiad) has cleared Jakartas roads for athletes and officials participating in the quadrennial event, many of whom have claimed they have experienced little congestion in the city.

United Arab Emirates jet ski athlete Ali Allanjawi told The Jakarta Post that he was being treated like a king during his stay in Jakarta.

There was only [one] traffic jam on our first day [in Jakarta], after we exited the airport [Soekarno-Hatta Airport]. But afterward, we have been treated well by the organizers, he said after winning a gold medal in the runabout limited category.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 10:25 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087707f63a 4 Business telkom,Komodo-Bonds,issuance,drop,global-challenges Free

State-owned telecommunications company PT Telkom finance director Harry M Zen has said the company postponed its plan to issue Komodo Bond, initially to collect US$1 billion due to global economic fluctuation.

The plan to issue Komodo Bond is temporary dropped because of the global factor, he said as quoted by kontan.co.id in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Global financial market fluctuation has pushed the rupiah exchange rate down, which increases investment risk in Indonesia and also automatically increases cost of funds of bonds issuers.

Harry explained the company had not yet had alternative funding for next year as it was still in the process of finalizing capital expenditure (capex). He declined to reveal the companys capex for next year, but usually, it puts aside 25 percent of its revenue for capex.

Harry explained that this year, Telkoms revenue is projected to grow by mid-high single digits (from 5 to 9 percent). If the companys revenue grows by 5 percent, its revenue would be Rp 134.67 trillion (US$9.18 billion) and the company's capital expenditure would be Rp 33.67 trillion.

Harry said Telkom planned to issue medium term notes (MTN) worth Rp 1.5 trillion, but he stressed that it was not an alternative of the Komodo Bond because the proceeds of the MTN issuance would be used for debt reprofiling.

The issuance of MTN aimed at reducing the companys burden of banking interests, which was projected to increase due to Bank Indonesias policy that increased its reference rate to 5.5 basis points, he added. (bbn)
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Thu, August 30, 2018 08:08 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087706c8c8 2 World #DonaldTrump,DonaldTrump,lawyers,Russia-medlling,#Russia Free

Donald Trump said Wednesday that White House counsel Don McGahn would soon be leaving his post, a crucial shift as the probe into Russia's election interference probe closes in on the US president's inner circle.

McGahn, who has advised Trump on dealing with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, also has been interviewed at length as a cooperating witness by Mueller's team.

He will be leaving his White House post "in the fall," Trump said via Twitter.

The 50-year-old lawyer is one of the few people left in the White House who had a senior role in Trump's election campaign, where McGahn was general counsel.

His replacement, according to media reports, could be his current deputy White House counsel Emmet Flood, a Washington veteran who represented president Bill Clinton when he faced impeachment in the late 1990s.

Trump also maintains a team of private lawyers led by former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani to deal with his personal legal troubles.

- Helped fill courts with conservatives -

McGahn's departure will come "shortly after the confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court," Trump said.

"I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service!" he added.

As the president's official legal advisor, McGahn has served Trump well, advising on relations with Congress and the Justice Department as well as dealing with Mueller.

He has also been at the center of one of the Trump administration's biggest political successes: placing dozens of pro-Republican, conservative judges on the Supreme Court and other federal courts around the country.

McGahn was instrumental in Trump's nomination of both Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh -- judges with strong conservative records -- to the Supreme Court.

But his personal relations with Trump have been formal and at times testy, as he has tried to protect the president from a slew of accusations and investigations into his personal behavior, his business, and his campaign's alleged collusion with Russians in the 2016 election.

According to media reports, McGahn has struggled to prevent the president from acting on his impulses to interfere dangerously in the Russia investigation.

He also has had to mediate the deep tensions between Trump and the Justice Department over the probe.

According to the New York Times, McGahn threatened to quit in June 2017 rather than carry out Trump's directive to fire Mueller, just weeks after he was named.

McGahn has also pushed back when Trump has sought to oust Attorney General Jeff Sessions, also out of frustration over the Mueller probe.

- Witness against Trump? -

Those and other episodes, including the firing of FBI director James Comey, have made McGahn a potentially important witness as Mueller examines whether Trump illegally tried to obstruct the investigation -- an offense that could lead to impeachment.

Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that McGahn had "cooperated extensively" with Mueller's team, taking part in at least three interviews totaling 30 hours.

Trump, who has repeatedly called the probe a "rigged witch hunt," said he had authorized his team to "fully cooperate" with investigators.

But the Times said McGahn's cooperation arose in part from a feeling that he needed to protect himself, and speculation quickly mounted about whether McGahn's testimony could harm the president.

Trump suffered a one-two punch in court this month, when his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations and former campaign manager Paul Manafort was found guilty of tax and bank fraud.
Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, August 30, 2018 10:19 1160 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087707e431 1 City Garuda,flowers,installation,MURI,rawa-belong-flower-market Free

Flower sellers of the Rawa Belong flower market cooperative set a new Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) record for making a Garuda statue from tuberoses, on Wednesday.

The Garuda statue, which was named Sang Garuda Mewangi (the Fragrant Garuda), was strung together by 50 flower sellers using at least 25,000 tuberose stalks. The installation graces the Rawa Belong market lobby in West Jakarta and was officiated during the 2018 Gebyar Bunga flower festival on Wednesday.

Garuda is a mythical bird and the countrys national symbol.

Jaya Suprana, founder of MURI, said the installation had set a new record for the most tuberoses used in a Garuda statue.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, who was also present at the occasion, expressed his appreciation to the flower sellers.

This is a gift from the flower sellers to Jakarta and the citizens of Indonesia, he said in a speech.

Eldi Andi, the West Jakarta municipality secretary, said to make the installation, a truck load of tuberoses was supplied from Ambarawa, Central Java.

The Gebyar Bunga festival is an annual event that has been held since 2015. At each festival, flower sellers in Rawa Belong exhibit their flower creations. This years festival was held from Aug. 27-29. (gis)
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) roads are notoriously chaotic, crowded and dangerous.

Over 8 million motorcycles and 500,000 cars clog the city streets everyday, not to mention the common sight of street daredevils who recklessly go against the flow of traffic in the city, in which only 10 percent of the residents rely on public transportation.

Therefore, the best way to enjoy the city is, sometimes, simply by staying away from the roads as much as possible.

Recently, tourists and residents have been provided an alternative mode of transportation with the Saigon water bus. Saigon is the name of the former capital of Vietnam under French colonial rule. The water bus service, which had its maiden cruise on Nov. 25, 2017, is meant to ease traffic jams in the city and spur tourism development on the Saigon River.

The Jakarta Post observed that dozens of local tourists enjoyed their family outing by taking the water bus service. Some preferred to stay on the rear deck instead of the air-conditioned cabin to enjoy the citys skyline from a distance. Over the past five years, investors and developers have been transforming the skyline of its 24 districts with a rapidly growing number of mixed-use glass-and-steel skyscrapers.

Tourists can start their journey along the 10.8-kilometer water bus route from Bach Dang wharf in District 1 through District 1, 2, and Bin Thanh, before ending at Linh Dong ferry terminal in Thu Duc District.

Passengers only need to pay 15,000 dong (70 US cents) per trip regardless of distance. Three boats are in use capable of accommodating 75 passengers at a time, or 1,000 passengers per day.

Passengers will need between 45 and 50 minutes to traverse 12 stops including three minutes for passengers embarking and disembarking at each stop.

Read also: Five must-visit places in Vietnam

The city has one-third of its architectural heritage sprawling along rivers and canals suitable for tourism development.

The service operator is reportedly working on plans to expand a second water bus line connecting a 10.3 km route from Bach Dang to Lo Gom in District 6.

HCMC has more than 112 rivers and canals making up about 1,000 km of waterways, underlining the importance of developing water transportation.

The city administration has been aiming to raise public transportation usage to 20 percent by 2020. Under a waterway tourism development plan, at least seven tour routes are situated in Saigon, Dong Nai, Nha Be, Soai Rap and Long Tau rivers as well as other internal canals.

Every year, the number of tourists traveling by waterways reaches 450,000.

The HCMC authority has also reportedly been trying to find the money to finance the development of nine metro, monorail and tramway projects in coming years to encourage people to use public transportation and leave their motorcycles and private cars at home.

Vietnam is among the Southeast Asian countries with the lowest public transportation usage.
English Icelandic

Revenue EUR 172.6 million, up by 1.1% from Q2 2017 Volume in liner services up 2.9% driven by increase 6.3% growth in container liner Volume in forwarding services up 10.9% driven by 36.6% growth in dry cargo

EBITDA EUR 14.9 million, down by EUR 1.8 million from Q2 2017

Net earnings EUR 4.6 million compared to EUR 4.9 million in Q2 2017

Equity ratio 49.7% and net debt EUR 128.8 million at the end of June

The EBITDA guidance for the year 2018 is unchanged and according to current assumptions the results will be in the lower to mid-range of EUR 57 to 63 million

GYLFI SIGFUSSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO

After a challenging first quarter of the year 2018, the second quarter EBITDA results are more in line with our expectations. The company invested in a new weekly sailing system by adding two vessels to its sailing routes and is therefore going through a transformation period. It takes time and effort to build up volume on the weekly services but we are optimistic about our plans and the outlook for volume bookings are very positive for Iceland import and export, Trans-Atlantic trade and Short-Sea. In the second quarter, volume of cargo for the PCC factory in Husavik, Iceland started to materialize which strengthens the volume on the Gray route serving the Iceland coastal route. In August, Eimskip secured more volume from UK, through new customers that will contribute volume growth on the Gray route. Trans-Atlantic volume on the Green route between North America and northern Europe and Scandinavia is continuing to build up, with around 44% growth in volume in the second quarter.

Volume in the second quarter of 2018 in Eimskips liner segment is in line with our expectations or up 2.9% in comparison with the second quarter 2017, driven by 6.3% growth in container liner volume in relation to Trans-Atlantic trade, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, despite much less car imports to Iceland. Revenues in the liner segment amounted to EUR 115.9 million, a decrease of 1.4% from same period last year, mainly explained by currency exchange rates, a drop in revenues in Norway and lower revenues from car imports to Iceland. EBITDA for the liner services was EUR 10.2 million compared to EUR 11.8 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Volume growth in the second quarter of 2018 in Eimskips forwarding segment was 10.9%, mainly driven by 36.6% growth in dry forwarding with revenues amounting to EUR 56.8 million, a growth of 6.6% from last year. EBITDA for the forwarding services was EUR 4.7 million compared to EUR 4.9 million in the second quarter of 2017.

Net finance expense in the second quarter amounted to EUR 0.9 million compared to EUR 2.8 million for the same period last year. The fluctuations in international freight rates, currency and bunker prices are always challenging.

The net earnings for the second quarter 2018 are similar to last years second quarter and amounted to EUR 4.6 million compared to EUR 4.9 million for the same period last year.

In August, Eimskip started new port calls in Poland and Lithuania during the mackerel season, responding to market needs. The new building program of the two specialized 2,150 TEUs container vessels is on track for delivery in the middle of the year 2019. The intended co-operation with Royal Arctic Line is being evaluated by the Icelandic Competition Authority. Eimskip acquired a 51% stake in an operating company, Tromsoterminalen AS, in Norway that has plans to develop both a terminal and a larger coldstore operation in Tromso. Tromsoterminalen is currently operating a 7,000 ton coldstore serving the seafood industry. In the first half of the year, Eimskip opened offices in Copenhagen and Las Palmas expanding its service network.

Volume and revenues from new customers in the liner system are expected to increase the profitability of the company for the remainder of the year. In addition, the company expects to realize gains from a number of short-term initiatives to improve the operation and its profitability, e.g. off-hire of one vessel in Norway, lowering of operational container cost, reduction in salary cost, fine-tuning of the sailing system, increased synergies between offices and other measures. The EBITDA guidance for the year 2018 is unchanged and according to current assumptions the results will be in the lower to mid-range of EUR 57 to 63 million.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Gylfi Sigfusson, President and CEO, tel.: +354 525 7202

Hilmar Petur Valgardsson, CFO, tel.: +354 525 7202

Hallgrimur Bjornsson, Investor Relations, tel.: +354 825 7212, investors@eimskip.is

Attachments
This August we have seen no different with further liberation of womens choice and heightened awareness surrounding particular health issues faced by women and young girls. Indeed, the chief shifts this week have centered on abortion, period poverty and menopause becoming ever-fading taboos owing to increased focus on such topics in both government and mainstream media. Here is a round-up of three recent key shifts in the female health sphere and how such changes may impact female experience in the future.This week, England has followed in the footsteps of Scotland and Wales by allowing women undergoing pregnancy terminations to self-administer their second abortion pill at home. The reform, due to be enacted by the end of this year, was instigated primarily because of many reports by women experiencing miscarriage symptoms whilst travelling home from abortion clinics. Currently, women seeking abortion within their first 10 weeks of gestation are required to take two pills in the abortion clinic, administered 24-48 hours apart. However, the new legislation will see women being given the choice to take their second pill either at the clinic, as is current procedure, or at home, avoiding the chance of miscarrying during travelling. Professor Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, said the legal shift will guarantee women are provided safe and dignified care throughout the difficult experience. The motion has been supported by leading medics including Professor Lesley Regan, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, who said the move was a major step forward for womens healthcare. It is also supported by numerous activist groups including the Womens Equality Party and Humanists UK.The Scottish government has become the first in the world to establish a scheme providing free sanitary products in universities, schools and colleges.The initiative, costing 5.2m, was announced by the Scottish government following a preliminary trial in Aberdeen. The government have designed the scheme alongside the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Colleges Scotland, Universities Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council. The initiative is deemed crucial after a recent survey of 2,000 individuals by the Young Scot uncovered that around one in four respondents had faced difficulties accessing feminine hygiene products. The Communities Secretary, Aileen Campbell, said: Our 5.2m investment will mean these essential products will be available to those who need them in a sensitive and dignified way, which will make it easier for students to fully focus on their studies. Hey Girls, a Scottish social enterprise company which has been tackling period poverty since its inception further highlighted the importance of the move by calling it a real milestone in the fight against period poverty.The final major womens health news story this week concerns a push for the normalisation of menopause by Dr Andrea Davies, professor at the University of Leicesters business school. She has been encouraging fellow academics to say the word menopause three times per day in a pledge to raise awareness over the struggles surrounding this particular aspect of womens health. Menopause is the biological process which occurs when a middle-aged woman transitions to being infertile, typically around the age of 51. It can cause many unpleasant symptoms, lasting four years on average, including hot flushes, headaches, loss of concentration and depression. One of Dr Davies wishes is for women to be able to announce in a meeting when they are experiencing a hot flush adding that what Ive seen in the data and from anecdotal stories and some of my own interviews is women are leaving work because they feel embarrassed, undermined or unable to cope. She goes on to say that workplaces can make simple changes to be more accommodating to menopausal women including providing desk fans and water fountains, dedicating rest areas and introducing special absence policies as suggested in a report by the Government Equalities Office. Dr Davies has also established the monthly Leicester Menopause Cafe, open to men and women, as part of her attempt to reduce the taboo surrounding menopause and its associated issues. The cafe aims "to avoid any closeted words or acronyms and just say menopause  preferably three times a day, to make it unremarkable" as well as making it clear "that menopause should not be a womens only issue. Ultimately, this weeks events appear to reflect the shifting face of the wider female experience which we have already observed this year including the lifted ban on Saudi women driving and increased exposure of sexual harassment in the workplace. 2018 may indeed prove to be the tipping point for womens issue recognition on a global magnitude.
A group of school pupils from Bath have admitted tying up a black classmate and subjecting him to a mock "slave auction.

The shocking incident took place in January at an unnamed school, it was later reported to police and subsequently treated as a suspected hate crime by Avon and Somerset officers.

Photo: Pexels

As a part of a restorative justice action plan, two of the teenagers who admitted their involvement took part in a community resolution process. This is a private agreement between themselves and the victim, possibly including an apology or a form of compensation, which does not go on their criminal record.

Seven teenagers, including the two who underwent the resolution process, admitted their involvement in the racist incident, however, the roles each of them played have not been revealed and

police have refused to confirm many details about the attack.

A police spokesperson said: Every aspect of the incident has been taken into account, including the wishes of the victims family, and as a result two boys will be subject to a community resolution process for their part in the offence.

Community resolutions are a powerful tool focusing on reparation and are considered to be the most appropriate outcome in this case. Community resolutions are always rigorously monitored to ensure they are effective and the involvement of Sari (Ed: anti-racism charity)will be a key part of this process.

We take hate crime extremely seriously and recognise the devastating impact it can have on victims and their lives. Theres no room for this type of crime in Avon and Somerset and well continue to work with our partner agencies and communities to stamp out offences motivated by prejudice or hate.
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Camrova Resources Inc. ("Camrova" or the "Company") (TSX-V: CAV; OTC: BAJFF; SSEV: CAVCL, CAVUSD) wishes to announce that it has entered into a debt conversion agreement with certain arm's length creditors and non-arm's length creditors (the Debt Conversion Agreement) of the Company to settle an aggregate of Cdn $146,583 of debt in consideration for the issuance of an aggregate of 1,954,440 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of Cdn $0.075 per share (the Debt Settlement).



The shares for debt transaction constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as insiders of the Company will receive 870,000 common shares of the Company in connection with the Debt Settlement. The Company is relying on the exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the shares for debt transaction with the insider does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company did not file a material change report in respect of the related party transaction at least 21 days before the closing of the debt settlement, which the Company deems reasonable in the circumstances as the Company wishes to improve its financial position by reducing its accrued liabilities.

The board and management of Camrova believe that the proposed Debt Settlement is in the best interests of the Company because it allows the Company to preserve its funds for operations.

The Debt Settlement will not create a new control person holding more than 20% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of the Company. The Debt Settlement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The common shares issued pursuant to the Debt Settlement will be subject to a statutory four month and one day hold period.

Camrova is pleased to announce that its shares recently commenced trading on the Santiago Stock Exchange Venture ("SSEV") offering access to the Latin American Integrated Market ("MILA"), Latin America's largest stock trading platform. Camrova's shares trading on the SSEV will be denominated in Chilean pesos under the trading symbol "CAVCL" and will also be denominated in US dollars under the trading symbol "CAVUSD".

About Camrova Resources Inc.

Camrova is a Canadian mining company. Camrova owns a 7.3% interest in the Boleo copper-cobalt-zinc mine located in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The Boleo Mine is projected to annually produce approximately 30,000 metric tonnes of copper, 700 metric tonnes of cobalt and 10,500 metric tonnes of zinc sulfate. The commissioning phase of the processing plant is complete, commercial production has been declared and the operator is actively seeking solutions to improve cash flow. Camrova is working to identify and evaluate alternative project opportunities that are consistent with its technical expertise and have the potential for near-term generation of cash flow and value creation.

For further information, please contact Camrova's CFO Kris Misir at 647-632-3444 (email: kris.misir@camrovaresources.com) or Interim CEO Tom Ogryzlo at 416-271-0879 (email at info@camrovaresources.com).

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.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information (forward-looking statements). These statements can be identified by expressions of belief, expectation or intention, as well as those statements that are not historical fact. 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. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include the ability of the Company to obtain TSXV approval and complete the Debt Settlement Agreement. The forward-looking statements are based on our current estimates, expectations and projections, which the Company believes are reasonable as of the current date. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements and as a result undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties can be found in the Company's reporting documents filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including its Management Discussion and Analysis. Forward-looking statements are given only as at the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.




Highlights include Carson of Venus Flames Beyond #1, Zorro Legendary Adventures #4, and Pink Panther Pink Winter Special #1.

Source: American Mythology

CARSON OF VENUS FLAMES BEYOND #1

(W) Carey Christopher Paul (A) Cyrus Mesarcia (CA) Michael William Kaluta

Carson of Venus faces his most epic adventure yet in The Flames Beyond. Carson Napier and his love Duare believe they have at last found a refuge from the dangers of Amtor in the peaceful city of Sanara, where Carson is the adopted son of the jong of Korva. But when Carson and Duare's element-powered airplane is attacked by a flock of raging angan bird-warriors, they find themselves caught in the web of Varlek Sar, a power-hungry scientist from the technocratic dystopia of Havatoo. Carson of Venus The Flames Beyond #1 comes with three covers - Main by legendary comic artist Michael Kaluta, Variant by Cyrus Mesarcia, and limited-edition B&W cover also by Kaluta.

In Shops: Dec 26, 2018

$3.99

CARSON OF VENUS #2 PIRATES OF VENUS

(W) Len Wein (A/CA) Michael William Kaluta

This is the thrilling conclusion to the masterpiece adaptation of Pirates of Venus by comic book legends Michael Kaluta and Len Wein! Edgar Rice Burroughs' incredible imagination takes off as "Wrong Way Carson" makes his historic trip to Venus and encounters a world of fantastic creatures and civilizations. Carson of Venus #2 Pirates of Venus comes with two covers - Main and Limited-Edition B&W Cover by living legend Michael Kaluta.

In Shops: Nov 28, 2018

$3.99

ZORRO LEGENDARY ADVENTURES #4

(W) Jean-Marie Nadaud (A) Robert Rigot (CA) Francisco Cueto

American Mythology is proud to deliver classic stories that have never been seen in English and share the legendary exploits of the original masked hero with his fans worldwide. Zorro Legendary Adventures #4 comes with two covers - Main and Limited-Edition Blazing Blades of Zorro by Francisco Cueto.

In Shops: Nov 28, 2018

$3.99

DRIVE IN FRIGHTS GN VOL 01

(W) S.A. Check, Pat Shand, Mike Wolfer (A) Rich Bonk, Scottie Watson, Demi Mandir

It's a triple feature of frights as American Mythology collects its original Drive In Frights titles in one nightmare drenched collection. Volcanosaurus is more terrifying that a hurricane of flying sharks! More bone chilling than an invasion of giant snow scorpions! And more destructive than gargantuan slithering snakes throwing down! Erupting from the very Earth comes an unimaginable threat - giant lava breathing dinosaurs! Meteor Swarm delivers an unstoppable horde of terrifying space hornets that has descended upon Earth and they are going to eat their way through every living thing in their path. And in Beast Hunter X the monsters of legend are being exterminated, facing certain extinction at the hands of a new breed... The super-beasts, more cunning, bloodthirsty and unstoppable than their predecessors!

In Shops: Nov 28, 2018

$19.99

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 TRADING CARDS SERIES 2

Jonah Heston, Crow T. Robot, and Tom Servo are back with hilarious new MST3K antics captured on ultra-high def futuristic collectible cardboard squares! 40 10-card packs of trading cards in a pop-up retail style box. Card series includes 78-card 'Experiment' base set, 118-card 'Invention Exchange' subset, 36 Anaglyph 3D cards, 99 'Riff It' Retro Stalgic style card subset, 47-card DVD Menu Art subset and chase and hit cards including 24 different limited edition MST3K Art Cards by Macarie Claudiu, 4 different Unique Faux Film Cell diecut cards, 63 different Sketch Card Gallery subset, 21-card KTMA era subset, 9 different Full Metal Box Topper cards, Genuine unique printing plate with Certificate of Authenticity, Genuine Sketch Cards, and more. Full checklist printed on the inside of each wrapper. Free pair of 3D glasses inside each box!

In Shops: Nov 28, 2018

$95.00

PINK PANTHER PINK WINTER SPECIAL #1

(W) Todd Clark, Mike Wolfer (A) Horacio Domingues (A/CA) Diego Tapie (Variant) Diego Tapie

The holidays are here and we're celebrating by giving you the gift of Pink! In the Pink Panther Winter Special, we deliver some wonderful snowy shenanigans with Pink and his pals. This is the must-read cartoon caper of the year and no matter if you are a saint or a scrooge, you'll be laughing along with us this holiday season. Stuff your pink stocking with silliness with the Pink Panther Winter Special! The Pink Panther Pink Winter Special #1 comes with three covers - Main by Diego Tapie, Holidaze Surprise by Horacio Domingues, and a 350 copy Limited-Edition Retro Animation variant.

In Shops: Nov 28, 2018

$3.99

THREE STOOGES HOLIDAYS READER SET

Hey you, numbskulls! Have you missed out on the return of The Three Stooges to comics? Well quit yer lollygagging and check them out with this fun value priced reader set of three seasonal comics: Merry Stoogemas, Curse of FrankenStooge, and April Fools Day Special! There's enough nyuks here to keep you laughing til' the New Year!

In Shops: Nov 28, 2018

$8.99
Baldwin was going to play Thomas Wayne.

Source: io9

n Monday it was revealed that Alec Baldwin was going to appear in the solo Joker movie as businessman Thomas Wayne, famous for dying in alley or something. Baldwin tweeted on Tuesday that he was not going to be in the film.

Let me state, for the record, that I have NOT been hired to play a role in Todd Phillips JOKER as some Donald Trump manque.

That is not happening.

Not.

Happening.  ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) August 29, 2018

Baldwin later told USA Today:

I'm no longer doing that movie. I'm sure there are 25 guys who can play that part.

Baldwin must not be able to take time away from his busy schedule playing Donald Trump on SNL.

Directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Joker is set to release October 4, 2019.
Ottley revealed the reference on Reddit earlier this week.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

On Monday, artist Ryan Ottley took to Twitter to reveal an ex-Mormon reference he snuck into Amazing Spider-Man #4, following his resignation from the religion this year. The CES Letter patch on Spider-Man's suit refers to a book by Jeremy Runnells, described as:

'one Latter-Day Saint's honest quest to get official answers from the LDS Church on its troubling origins, history, and practices. Jeremy Runnells was offered an opportunity to discuss his own doubts with a director of the Church Educational System (CES) and was assured that his doubts could be resolved. After reading Jeremy's letter, the director promised him a response. No response ever came.'

Unsurprisingly, Marvel caught wind of this, since Tom Brevoort spends all day on Reddit instead of doing his job. Marvel released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter regarding the removal of the image.

"The art reference in Amazing Spider-Man #4 was included without awareness by Marvel of its meaning," Marvel told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. "As a policy, Marvel does not permit hidden controversial messages in its artwork. The reference will be removed from all subsequent printings, digital versions and trade paperbacks."

What's strange is that Marvel changed all the patches on Spider-Man's suit, probably as a back-up in case any of the others reference Mormonism in some way.

Ottley also released a statement regarding the situation.

"I've spoken with Marvel about my recent artwork, and I have no animosity toward members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My entire family are members, as are many of my friends, and I would never include anything mean-spirited about them or their beliefs. The reference was in regards to a subject I am interested in and a personal decision I made in my life. It has nothing to do with the character, the story, or Marvel."

The digital edition of The Amazing Spider-Man #4 already features the new artwork, with a second printing scheduled for September 19.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regulus Resources Inc. (TSXV:REG) (Regulus or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has mailed out the materials for the shareholder meeting to be held on September 21, 2018 in connection with the proposed plan of arrangement (the Arrangement) among Regulus, Sibanye Gold Ltd. (Sibanye) and Aldebaran Resources Inc. (Aldebaran). Aldebaran is a recently formed company that will acquire the Argentina projects currently owned by Regulus and will also be party to a joint venture and option agreement with Sibanye whereby Aldebaran can earn up to an 80% interest in the Altar copper gold project, also in Argentina. Each shareholder of Regulus will receive one share of Aldebaran for every three Regulus shares held as of the effective date of the Arrangement. See the Companys press release dated June 29, 2018 for a more complete summary of the proposed transaction. The shareholder meeting materials have also been filed on the Companys SEDAR profile. Materials have also been filed and mailed for the warrant holders meeting to be held at the same time.



The Company also announces that it has received approximately $2.16 million from the exercise of 1.35 million warrants since June 29, 2018. The Company has also entered into short term loan agreements with certain directors and officers for a total of $1.56 million. The loans are unsecured, bear interest at the rate of 10% per annum and are repayable on September 30, 2018 unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The proceeds from the ongoing warrant exercises and loans will enable the Company to continue its current drill program at the AntaKori copper-gold project in Peru pending closing of the $20,140,000 financing announced by the Company on August 22, 2018. The Company expects to repay the loans before the due date from the proceeds of the ongoing warrants exercises.

For further information on Regulus Resources Inc. or Aldebaran Resources, please consult our website at www.regulusresources.com or contact:

Regulus Resources Inc.

John E. Black, CEO / Director

Phone: +1 303 618-7797 mobile

+1 720 514-9036 office

Email: john.black@regulusresources.com

About Regulus Resources Inc.

Regulus is an international mineral exploration company run by an experienced technical and management team, with a portfolio of precious and base metal exploration properties located in North and South America. The principal project held by Regulus is the AntaKori copper-gold-silver project in northern Peru. The AntaKori project currently hosts an inferred resource of 294.8 million tonnes with a grade of 0.48% Cu, 0.36 g/t Au and 10.2 g/t Ag based upon 17,950 m of drilling by previous operators (see Southern Legacy Minerals press release of July 3rd, 2012 - Southern Legacy Minerals and Regulus merged in 2014 and kept the name Regulus Resources Inc.). Mineralization remains open in most directions and a significant drilling campaign is currently underway to confirm and increase the size of the resource.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press 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, objective, ongoing, may, will, project, should, believe, plans, intends and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. In particular this press release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the completion of the Financing, the repayment of the loans and the timing thereof; Although Regulus believe that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because Regulus cannot give any assurance that they 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. The forward-looking statements and information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of Regulus, including expectations and assumptions concerning: the satisfaction of all conditions to the closing of the Offering and on the time frames contemplated. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including but not limited to: risks related to the receipt of all necessary approvals for the Offering. Regulus cautions that the foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is not exhaustive.

The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Regulus undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement 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 policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Altai Resources Inc. (ATI, TSX VENTURE; US SEC Rule 12g3-2(b) File # 82-2950) (the Company) is pleased to announce that at its annual general meeting of the shareholders held on August 30, 2018 in Toronto (the Meeting), Dr. Niyazi Kacira, Dr. Mehmet F. Taner, Mr. Jeffrey S. Ackert, Mr. Raymond Savoie and Ms. Maria Au were elected as Directors of the Company.



The Company expresses its deepest gratitude to Dr. Didier Pomerleau for his long term service and contribution as a director to the Company and wishes him all the successes in his future endeavors.

In the Meeting, I&A Professional Corporation, Chartered Professional Accountants was appointed as Auditors of the Company.

On August 30, 2018, the Company has granted to 5 directors and one officer a total of 1,200,000 options to purchase common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per share and expiring August 29, 2023. The grants are to replace options that have been exercised or expired without being exercised.

ABOUT ALTAI

Altai Resources Inc. is a resource company with a producing oil property in Alberta and exploration gold and gas properties in Quebec.

For further information, please contact

Maria Au, Secretary-Treasurer

Tel: (416) 383-1328 Fax: (416) 383-1686

Email: info@altairesources.com Internet: http://www.altairesources.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.
HOUSTON, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Epsilon Energy Ltd. (Epsilon or the Company) (TSX:EPS) recently reported second quarter 2018 financial and operating results and is announcing an agreement with an experienced local operator in the Anadarko Basin, Oklahoma to appraise Epsilons acreage in the NW STACK.

Mr. Michael Raleigh, Chief Executive Officer, commented, We are excited to begin the appraisal drilling process on our acreage in Dewey County, Oklahoma. An acreage trade and development agreement with an experienced operator will allow each company to manage risk through technical collaboration and increasing gross exposure in the over-pressured condensate window. Several industry participants have been active in the area providing us with encouraging results in both the Meramec and Osage intervals. The drilling phase is scheduled to begin with two wells planned before year end.

In the Marcellus, we have begun a leasing program of targeted acreage that Epsilon will operate with the intention to drill and complete wells next year. Additionally, realized natural gas prices are improving as Northeast Pennsylvania continues to increase transportation capacity out of the basin. The much anticipated Atlantic Sunrise expansion to the Transco system (1.7 Bcf/d) is expected to commence service in September. Gas markets have reacted accordingly, narrowing the natural gas price differential to Henry Hub and improving summer prices to levels not experienced in many years.

Epsilon participated in an investor conference in Chicago on August 28th sponsored by Seaport Global to begin to spread the news about our companys attractive cash generation capability, extremely low debt, shareholder value and our excellent growth opportunities. Epsilon will post an updated company investor presentation in early September.

Highlights for the second quarter and material subsequent events following the end of the quarter through the date of this release include:

EBITDA of $3.6 million for the quarter.



After-tax Net Income of $0.7 million for the quarter or $0.013/share.



Marcellus working interest (WI) gas production averaged 23 MMcf/d for the second quarter of 2018.



Gathered and delivered 22 Bcfe gross (7.5 Bcfe net to Epsilons interest) during the quarter through the Auburn System which represents approximately 72% of the maximum throughput.



Auburn Gas gathering and compression services included third party gas of 0.8 Bcfe during the quarter or approximately 9 MMcf/d.

Financial and Operating Results

Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Revenue by product - total period ($000) Natural gas revenue ($000) $ 3,414 $ 5,882 $ 8,260 $ 11,774 Volume (MMcfe) 1,783 2,382 3,683 4,792 Avg. Price ($/Mcfe) $ 1.91 $ 2.47 $ 2.24 $ 2.46 Exit Rate (MMcfepd) 23.7 30.0 23.7 30.0 Oil and condensate revenue ($000) $ 90 $ - $ 217 $ - Volume (MBOE) 1.37 - 3.48 - Avg. Price ($/bbl) $ 66 $ - $ 62 $ - Natural gas liquids revenue ($000) $ 96 $ - $ 125 $ - Volume (MBOE) 4.43 - 6 - Avg. Price ($/bbl) $ 22 $ - $ 22 $ - Midstream gathering system revenue ($000) $ 2,823 $ 2,067 $ 5,917 $ 4,242 Total $ 6,423 $ 7,949 $ 14,519 $ 16,016

Capital Expenditures

Epsilons operational capital expenditures were $0.3 million net for the three months ended June 30, 2018. Epsilon spent $0.3 million on an additional acquisition in the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma, $0.2 million on completion costs of upstream wells and the Auburn Gas Gathering system, and $0.3 million on leasehold costs in Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. These expenditures were offset by a $0.5 million refund of an advance payment for a well that was developed for less than the original cost estimate.

Operational Guidance

Oklahoma Anadarko Basin

In March 2017, Epsilon entered the Anadarko basin to provide oil, liquids and natural gas exposure to complement our existing dry gas assets in Northeast Pennsylvania. Today, Epsilon is announcing a partnership with a successful private operator with long term experience in the NW STACK to develop a portion of each companys Dewey County position in the over-pressured oil-condensate window. Our partner has significant expertise in the design and execution of current generation horizontal wells targeting the Mississippian formation, having drilled and completed 40 wells, and the developed the requisite infrastructure systems to maximize production and minimize operating expense. Our partner will drill and complete the first well in each section with Epsilon retaining the right to drill and operate subsequent wells on Epsilon contributed sections in the agreement.

NE Pennsylvania Marcellus

Epsilon proposed three wells to the operator and other working interest owners in Q1 2018. All working interest owners elected to participate in the wells and the operator is obliged to drill these wells within the year.

The table below details Epsilons well development status at June 30, 2018:

March 31, 2018 June 30, 2018 Gross Net Gross Net Producing 98 23.7 91 20.3 Shut-in 1 0.5 8 3.9 Waiting on pipeline 1 0.0 - - Waiting on completion - - 1 0.0 Drilling - - - -

Second Quarter Results

Epsilon generated revenues of $6.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018 compared to $7.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016. The Companys Upstream Marcellus net revenue interest production was 1.7 Bcfe in the second quarter.

Realized natural gas prices averaged $1.91 per Mcf in the second quarter of 2018 and have improved further subsequent to quarter end as a result of new transportation capacity becoming available in the Northeast as major projects commence service. Operating expenses for Marcellus Upstream operations in the second quarter were $1.6 million.

The Auburn Gas Gathering system delivered 21.5 Bcfe of natural gas during the quarter as compared to 28.2 Bcfe during the first quarter of 2018. Primary gathering volumes decreased 10.9% quarter over quarter to 15.4 Bcfe. Imported cross-flow volumes decreased 24.6% to 6.1 Bcfe from 11.1 Bcfe during Q1 2018.

Epsilon reported net after tax income of $0.7 million attributable to common shareholders or $0.01 per basic and diluted common share outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2018, compared to net income of $2.5 million, and $0.05 per basic and diluted common share outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2017.

For the three months ended June 30, 2018, Epsilon's Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Income Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA") was $3.6 million as compared to $5.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2017. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily due to lower natural gas prices, and lower production volumes.

Adjusted EBITDA

Epsilon defines Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before (1) net interest expense, (2) depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, (3) recovery of prior impairments of oil and gas properties, (4) non-cash stock compensation expense, (5) unrealized gain on derivatives and (6) other income. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by IFRS.

Management believes these non-IFRS financial measures facilitate evaluation of the Company's business on a "normalized" or recurring basis and without giving effect to certain non-cash expenses and other items, thereby providing management, investors and analysts with comparative information for evaluating the Company in relation to other oil and gas companies providing corresponding non-IFRS financial measures. These non-IFRS financial measures should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, measures for financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS, and that the reconciliations to the closest corresponding IFRS measure should be reviewed carefully.

About Epsilon

Epsilon Energy Ltd. is a North American onshore natural gas, oil and liquids production and midstream company with a current focus on the Marcellus Shale of Pennsylvania and the NW STACK area in the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward looking statements. The use of any of the words anticipate, continue, estimate, expect, may, will, project, should, believe, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and the forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon.

The reserves and associated future net revenue information set forth in this news release are estimates only. In general, estimates of oil and natural gas reserves and the future net revenue therefrom are based upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, such as production rates, ultimate reserves recovery, timing and amount of capital expenditures, ability to transport production, marketability of oil and natural gas, royalty rates, the assumed effects of regulation by governmental agencies and future operating costs, all of which may vary materially from actual results. For those reasons, estimates of the oil and natural gas reserves attributable to any particular group of properties, as well as the classification of such reserves and estimates of future net revenues associated with such reserves prepared by different engineers (or by the same engineers at different times) may vary. The actual reserves of the Company may be greater or less than those calculated. In addition, the Company's actual production, revenues, development and operating expenditures will vary from estimates thereof and such variations could be material.

Statements relating to "reserves" are deemed to be forward-looking statements as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, that the reserves described exist in the quantities predicted or estimated and can be profitably produced in the future. There is no assurance that forecast price and cost assumptions will be attained and variances could be material.

Proved reserves are those reserves which are most certain to be recovered. There is at least a 90% probability that the quantities actually recovered will equal or exceed the estimated proved reserves. Undeveloped reserves are those reserves expected to be recovered from known accumulations where a significant expenditure (for example, when compared to the cost of drilling a well) is required to render them capable of production. They must fully meet the requirements of the reserves classification (proved, probable) to which they are assigned. Proved undeveloped reserves are those reserves that can be estimated with a high degree of certainty and are expected to be recovered from known accumulations where a significant expenditure is required to render them capable of production.

The estimates of reserves and future net revenue for individual properties may not reflect the same confidence level as estimates of reserves and future net revenue for all properties due to the effects of aggregation. The estimated future net revenues contained in this news release do not necessarily represent the fair market value of the Company's reserves.

Contact Information:

281-670-0002

Michael Raleigh

Chief Executive Officer

Michael.Raleigh@EpsilonEnergyLTD.com

Special note for news distribution in the United States

The securities described in the news release have not been registered under the United Stated Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the 1933 Act) or state securities laws. Any holder of these securities, by purchasing such securities, agrees for the benefit of Epsilon Energy Ltd. (the Corporation) that such securities may not be offered, sold, or otherwise transferred only (A) to the Corporation or its affiliates; (B) outside the United States in accordance with applicable state laws and either (1) Rule 144(as) under the 1933 Act or (2) Rule 144 under the 1933 Act, if applicable.





EPSILON ENERGY LTD.

Interim Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(All amounts stated in US$)

Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Revenues: Oil, gas, NGLs and condensate revenue $ 3,600,738 $ 5,882,030 $ 8,602,533 $ 11,774,427 Gas gathering and compression revenue 2,822,381 2,066,623 5,916,854 4,241,525 Total revenue 6,423,119 7,948,653 14,519,387 16,015,952 Operating costs and expenses: Project operating costs 2,135,948 1,620,988 4,845,319 3,684,398 Depletion, depreciation, amortization and

decommissioning accretion 1,416,089 2,377,016 2,847,467 4,780,482 Stock based compensation expense 113,540 89,237 228,552 142,519 General and administrative 740,665 1,000,845 1,465,539 1,926,654 Total operating costs and expenses 4,406,242 5,088,086 9,386,877 10,534,053 Operating income 2,016,877 2,860,567 5,132,510 5,481,899 Other income and (expense): Interest income 1,524 332 2,432 25,756 Finance expense (50,514 ) (80,987 ) (95,910 ) (1,075,694 ) Realized gain on commodity contracts 12,916 140,815 119,373 387,975 Net change in unrealized loss on commodity contracts (857,984 ) 1,538,097 (593,459 ) 780,587 Other expense 12,150 5,213 13,692 5,169 Net other income (expense) (881,908 ) 1,603,470 (553,872 ) 123,793 Net income before tax 1,134,969 4,464,037 4,578,638 5,605,692 Income tax expense - current 632,141 - 1,772,824 - Income tax expense (recovery) - deferred (197,755 ) 1,916,992 (256,604 ) 2,782,501 NET INCOME $ 700,583 $ 2,547,045 $ 3,062,418 $ 2,823,191 Net income (loss) per share, basic $ 0.01 $ 0.05 $ 0.06 $ 0.06 Net income (loss) per share, diluted $ 0.01 $ 0.05 $ 0.06 $ 0.06 Weighted average number of shares outstanding, basic 54,961,824 52,898,013 55,002,193 49,387,496 Weighted average number of shares outstanding, diluted 54,984,360 52,924,015 55,024,517 49,414,352



EPSILON ENERGY LTD.

Interim Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

(All amounts stated in US$)





June 30, December 31, 2018 2017 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 11,826,828 $ 9,998,853 Accounts receivable 3,037,744 3,366,021 Restricted cash 557,403 556,864 Commodity contracts - 259,544 Other current assets 134,361 252,631 Total current assets 15,556,336 14,433,913 Non-current assets Oil and gas interests: Intangible exploration and evaluation costs 18,006,834 17,451,553 Property and equipment (net) 81,039,937 84,459,776 Total non-current assets 99,046,771 101,911,329 Total assets $ 114,603,107 $ 116,345,242 EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 4,700,205 $ 5,433,824 Commodity contracts 333,915 - Income taxes payable 914,128 2,644,527 Revolving line of credit 900,000 2,900,000 Total current liabilities 6,848,248 10,978,351 Non-current liabilities Decommissioning liabilities 2,494,383 2,806,783 Deferred tax liability 18,592,991 18,849,595 Total non-current liabilities 21,087,374 21,656,378 Total liabilities 27,935,622 32,634,729 Equity Share capital 144,043,592 144,304,163 Contributed surplus 11,563,086 11,334,534 Deficit (78,162,611 ) (81,242,299 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income 9,223,418 9,314,115 Total equity 86,667,485 83,710,513 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 114,603,107 $ 116,345,242



EPSILON ENERGY LTD.

Interim Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(All amounts stated in US$)

Six months ended June 30, 2018 2017 Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 3,062,418 $ 2,823,191 Adjustments for: Depletion, depreciation, amortization and decommissioning accretion 2,847,467 4,780,482 Debenture accretion and fee amortization - 267,773 Net change in unrealized loss on commodity contracts 593,459 (780,587 ) Stock-based compensation expense 228,552 142,519 Income tax expense 1,516,220 2,782,501 Changes in non-cash balances related to operations (3,789,378 ) (160,409 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 4,458,738 9,855,470 Cash flows from investing activities: Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties - E&E (555,281 ) (4,699,951 ) Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties - PP&E - (1,088,000 ) Additions to oil and natural gas properties - PP&E 259,971 (91,208 ) Change in working capital related to capital asset additions (917 ) (51,337 ) Deposits on acquisitions - (900,000 ) Changes in restricted cash (538 ) (25,333 ) Net cash used in investing activities (296,765 ) (6,855,829 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Buyback of common shares (243,301 ) - Common stock issued through rights offering - 17,984,665 Redemption of convertible debentures - (29,520,436 ) Exercise of stock options - 50,243 Repayment of revolving line of credit (2,000,000 ) (9,560,000 ) Net cash used in financing activities (2,243,301 ) (21,045,528 ) Effect of currency rates on cash and cash equivalents (90,697 ) 1,360,105 Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 1,827,975 (16,685,782 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 9,998,853 31,486,593 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 11,826,828 $ 14,800,811 Cash and cash equivalents consist of: Cash $ 11,826,828 $ 14,800,811 Cash and cash equivalents $ 11,826,828 $ 14,800,811



EPSILON ENERGY LTD.

Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation

(All amounts stated in US $000)
Recover your password.

A password will be e-mailed to you.
To the younger generation, Grindelwald is most familiar as a villainous character from the Harry Potter franchise. But did you know it is also the name of a mountain resort in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland?

The pretty alpine village, which has just 105 permanent inhabitants, is popular with British skiers in the winter season. Yet when the snow melts and the temperatures rise, it transforms into a buzzing summer destination for hikers and adrenaline junkies looking for their next fitness fix.

The gently winding village is lined with traditional wooden chalets, shops selling watches, trinkets and outdoor clothing, and neat little hotels with flower-covered balconies. Yet Grindelwalds crowning glory is its scenery: surrounded by vast, snow-topped mountains and acres of lush, green fields dotted with pine trees, the stresses of everyday life feel far, far away.

As alpine resorts go, there are few places on earth which offer such a huge range of outdoor activities and experiences. Heres our pick of the best.

Activities on the majestic Mannlichen

At 2,343m above sea level, Mannlichen is a popular starting point for hikers and offers plenty of activities for both adults and children. It can either be reached by gondola from Grindelwald, or via an aerial cable car from Wengen. The latter offers seven minutes of uninterrupted views of the Lauterbrunnen valley as it edges towards the station. From there, it is just a 15-minute walk to the summit.

At the top of Mannlichen theres a giant cow-themed childrens playground which includes bouncy udder trampolines and a huge cow tongue slide.

One of the more unusual activities on Mannlichen is the Summer Gemel, a gravity powered three wheeled cart with a lever in the centre that controls the speed. It may sound a little bonkers but its easy to handle and so much fun.

The winding, downhill trail takes between 30 and 45 minutes to complete, depending on how many times you want to stop and take photos. The lovely views are accompanied by the cheerful clinking of cow bells, and there are plenty of places to stop and take in the view, including a little hut with three traditional alpenhorns.

Defying gravity at Grindelwalds glacier canyon

Located around a 35 minute walk from the centre of village is the glacier canyon. It was formed by the now defunct Lower Grindelwald Glacier and until the 1920s it was an important site for ice harvesting, and huge blocks of ice were transported to all corners of the globe.

Nowadays, the canyon has been transformed into an adventure attraction. A sensory walkway is flanked by 300m vertical rock walls and the choppy waters of the Lutschine River and weaves through exposed rock galleries and tunnels, leading to the Spiderweb: a 170m squared net which stretches over the Lutschine River. You can walk, jump and crawl on the surprisingly bouncy net as water rushes and roars below.

If youre feeling very daring, have a go on the Interlaken Canyon Swing. Standing on a platform perched 90m above the canyon, youll be attached to a harness and told to jump. Youll free fall 70m, reaching speeds of up to 120kph (70mph) before swinging between the vertical rocks of the canyon as the river flows below your feet. I took on the challenge (see the video below) and can report that it was one of the most incredible experiences of my travelling life.

Adventures at Grindelwald First

The Grindelwald First is a minor summit on the slopes of the Schwarzhorn, which can be reached by gondola. Surprisingly it wasnt until the 1900s that the lure of mountain exploration became popular.

From the top of First, you can glimpse the indomitable north face of the Eiger, which famously claimed the lives of five climbers in 1936. Even now, the murder wall is considered one of the most challenging ascents in the world.

Fortunately, the trekking opportunities at First are much less risky, and one of the most popular routes is the trail leading to Bachalpsee Lake, whose turquoise waters provide a stunning contrast to the snowy mountains. It is a gentle two-hour round trip iwith some excellent photography opportunities.

We recommend completing the walk in the morning and returning to the First Mountain Restaurant to enjoy a delicious bubbling pot of cheese fondue. Then head outside and take part in the Tissot Cliff Walk, a secure but vertigo-inducing pathway that hugs the craggy cliffs on the summit.

Return to Grindelwald in style via zip line, mountain cart or scooter. This begins with the First Flyer, which transports you from First to Schreckfeld via a four-person 800m steel cable, reaching speeds of up to 84kph (52mph).

Hop off the Flyer and walk the short distance to the First Mountain Carts. The summer sledges are pimped with impressive off-road wheels and you can travel at speed down the 3km track towards Bort. The mountain carts have hydraulic brakes to ensure you are always in control. Complete the final stretch of the journey from Bort to Grindelwald on the cutely named Trottibikes,  a mix of scooter and bicycle.

Jungfraujoch: Europes highest railway station

Jungfraujoch, also known as the top of Europe, is the continents highest railway station at 3,454m. Opened in 1912 the train carries passengers through several villages before entering a 7km tunnel through the mountain.

Before reaching the final station, you make a brief stop at Eismeer where you can get out and admire the view of the Eiger north face. Unfortunately, our view was blocked by dense layers of cloud, but on a clear day it is meant to be very impressive.

Jungfraujoch is probably the closest thing youll get to a tourist experience in Switzerland. One of the highlights is the viewing platform, but only if its a clear day  we experienced a blizzard and a total whiteout. Theres an ice palace with some impressive animal ice sculptures  you may even spot Scrat from Ice Age.

Complete your tour with a mooch around Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven. The interactive exhibition teaches you how Lindts famous chocolate confections are made, and the chocolate shop is much cheaper than youd expect.

Fact File

STAY: The 4* Hotel Belvedere is both classy and comfortable, and has a fantastic outdoor saltwater Jacuzzi (click here for our full review).

PARTY: Every Wednesday theres live music in the village throughout July and August, with a live band, plenty of drinks and a buzzy atmosphere.

GET THERE: The easiest way to reach Grindelwald is by train. It takes about three hours to travel from Zurich International Airport to Grindelwald (changing at Bern and Interlaken). If youre planning on using the train a lot during your trip, we highly advise purchasing a Swiss Travel Pass, which allows unlimited travel throughout the rail, bus and boat Swiss Travel System network. You may also want to purchase a Jungfrau Travel Pass if you are spending more than three days in the region.

MORE INFO: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-gb/grindelwald.html
NOT FOR DISSEMINATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES



TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TSX-V: MIT - The Mint Corporation (Mint or the Company) announces that it has completed the sale of $305,000 of promissory notes at par. This is the first closing of a private placement of up to $2,500,000 promissory notes, described in the Companys news release of August 10, 2018. Purchasers received 610,000 bonus warrants, each bonus warrant entitling the holder to purchase one common share of Mint for $0.20 at any time during the period ending August 30, 2019 (subject to acceleration as described in the earlier news release).



The private placement is a related party transaction under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 (MI 61-101) because $100,000 of promissory notes, and 200,000 bonus warrants, were issued to insiders and related parties under MI 61-101. The private placement is exempt from the valuation and shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101. Having regard to the exemptions, the Companys desire to receive the subscription proceeds and the receipt of the related party subscriptions after filing the material change report following the announcement of the private placement, the Company believes that it was reasonable to close the private placement at this time.

The Company paid finder compensation of $4,000 and 8,000 finder warrants. Each finder warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of Mint for $0.20 at any time during the period ending August 30, 2019.

The bonus warrants and finder warrants are non-transferable. In addition, the bonus warrants, finder warrants, and common shares issued upon exercise of those bonus warrants and finder warrants are subject to a four month hold period which expires on December 31, 2018.

The securities offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy nor will there be any sale of these securities in any province, 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 province, state or jurisdiction.

About Mint

The Mint Corporation (TSXV: MIT), through its majority owned subsidiaries (the Mint Group), is a globally certified payments company headquartered in Toronto, Canada with its primary business in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Mint Group is approved by the UAE Central Bank, MasterCard and UnionPay as a third-party payment processor. Mint Group processes over US$1 billion in payroll annually for hundreds of corporate clients and financial institutions and the Mint Group community consists of approximately 400,000+ cardholders. Mint Groups clients include some of the leading blue-chip companies in the UAE.

Mint Group provides employers with automated payroll services and a proprietary Automated Teller Machine (ATM) network for their unbanked employees. Mint Group community members are issued a personalized, globally accepted, MasterCard or UnionPay card and a linked mobile wallet, where their salaries are deposited. This mobile wallet effectively becomes the employees bank account.

Mint Group intends to offer (subject to regulatory approval) a comprehensive suite of services through the mobile wallet, including remittance, overdraft, loans, mobile phone top-up, and insurance, among others. The mobile wallet enables unbanked employees to purchase services and spend through the wallet.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The Mint Corporation

Vishy Karamadam

647-352-0666

www.themintcorp.com
Domestic demand for cars continued to plunge last month as the number of models built for the UK fell by 35 per cent, new industry figures show.

A total of 121,051 cars left production lines in July, which is nearly 15,000 fewer models, or an 11 per cent decline, compared to the same month last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

The biggest decline was in the number of models built to be sold in the UK, which fell from 29,872 in July 2017 to 19,414 last month  a 35 per cent decline. It follows a 47 per cent fall in June.

Car manufacturing: Nearly 15,000 fewer models were built in July compared to last year

Cars manufactured for export - which remains the biggest market with about eight in ten cars produced in the UK being sold abroad - fell by a much smaller 4.2 per cent to 101,637.

But this follows a 6 per cent increase in June. And it's problematic in light of looming Brexit as the EU is Britain's biggest trading partner, accounting for 53 per cent of cars produced for export.

The SMMT played down July's overall decline and blamed 'a raft of factors' for the fall in output, including model changes, seasonal and operational adjustments and preparation for the introduction of new emissions standards.

'While the industry is undoubtedly feeling the effects of recent uncertainty in the domestic market, drawing long term conclusions from monthly snapshots requires a health warning,' said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.

'The bigger picture is complex and month by month fluctuations are inevitable as manufacturers manage product cycles, operational changes and the delicate balance of supply and demand from market to market.'

The SMMT said the sector was on track to meet its 2018 expectations, with 955,453 cars built in the first seven months of the year.

While production for the UK is currently down 16 per cent compared with the same period last year, exports dipped by a smaller 1.2 per cent.

Falling: The SMMT blamed 'a raft of factors' for the fall in output

Unite's assistant general secretary Tony Burke said: 'Today's car figures once again underline the critical need for Theresa May to avoid a cliff-edge Brexit.

'The UK's car workers and those in the supply chain have worked tirelessly to make Britain's car industry a global leader.

'With Government confusion over diesel continuing to take its toil it would be a betrayal if a jewel in the crown of UK manufacturing was sacrificed on the altar of a hard Brexit.'

Stuart Apperley, head of UK Automotive at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: 'While consumer confidence has been rising in the EU, elsewhere motorists need a lot more encouragement to invest in a new car amid so much uncertainty.

'Even the usual spike in output as factories ramp up production ahead of summers shutdowns wasnt enough to outweigh the fact that governments in a number of our export markets appear reluctant to give modern diesel engines the vote of confidence they deserve.

'The UKs Road to Zero makes clear that the government sees hybrid engines, at least, as part of the long-term future for cars. But while that has been helpful, and may have boosted sales of todays hybrids, it hasnt totally reassured those looking to buy new cars that pure diesel engines wont be punished during the lifetime of their next vehicle.'
Vodafone has struck an 8.4 billion deal to merge its Australian operations with a rival and create a powerful new player.

It said the tie-up with TPG Telecom would help it take on bigger rivals Telstra and Optus.

Vodafone Australia, jointly owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison and Vodafone Group, will take a majority 50.1 per cent stake in the merged group  to be called TPG Telecom Limited  and TPG will hold on to the remaining 49.9 per cent.

Sign of the times: Vodafone said the tie-up with TPG Telecom would help it take on bigger rivals Telstra and Optus

The new company will be listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and have combined revenues of more than 3.4 billion. Vodafone and TPG said that the deal would allow them to cut out duplicated costs and make savings across a bigger network.

Nick Read, the group finance chief of Vodafone who will become chief executive in October, said: This transaction accelerates Vodafones converged communications strategy in Australia and is consistent with our proactive approach to enhance the value of our portfolio of businesses.

The combined listed company will be a more capable challenger to Telstra and Optus, and will be much better placed to invest in next-generation mobile and fixed-line services to benefit Australian consumers and businesses.

It is expected the merger will complete in 2019, if it receives backing from regulators and shareholders.

The combined Australian company will be headed by TPG boss David Teoh as chairman. Inaki Berroeta will be chief executive.

The deal comes as Vodafone is also merging its Indian operations with Idea Cellular.
MBABANE  Swazi Africa Textiles (Pty) Ltd has accused ATUSWA of allegedly harassing its management by demanding access to employees of the company.

According to the proprietor of the company, Grant Reid, is because the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) was granted an award by the court which gave it power to demand entry into the premises of the company to meet its employees.

Swazi Africa Textiles, which is represented by Labour Management Consultant Musa Hlophe, has taken ATUSWA to the Industrial Court seeking a rescission of the award. While the rescission application is being determined, Swazi Africa Textiles wants the court to suspend the operation of the award. The award was granted after ATUSWA took the company to court for an order compelling the latter to engage and bargain collectively with it in terms of a Recognition Agreement signed with SPRAWU.

ATUSWA also prayed for an order interdicting Swazi Africa Textiles from violating terms of the recognition agreement.

In the founding affidavit, Reid denied signing any recognition agreement with ATUSWA and authorising anyone in the company to do so. He also denied signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ATUSWA which was allegedly presented by the union at a meeting on July 10, 2018. The MoU, according to Reid, was rejected by the companys management, a decision he said he had conveyed to all parties during a meeting on July 3, 2018. Reid narrated that after he opened the business in July 2014, he learnt about an agreement that he supposedly had with SPRAWU. He denied that he had personally given permission for any agreement to be signed on his behalf. SPRAWU and other unions combined to form ATUSWA. Reid informed the court that in June 2018, he received a letter demanding that the management hold wages negotiations with ATUSWA. He alleged that they met with ATUSWA representatives later that month after which the union threatened to take the matter to CMAC.

Negotiations

On July 3, 2018, we met with the representative of the respondent (ATUSWA) by the name of Bongani Ndzinisa, to begin the negotiations process only to discover that he had no proof that indeed the company had actually recognised the respondent in terms of the Industrial Relations Act of 2000, submitted Reid. He further stated that the meeting was therefore postponed so that ATUSWA could produce evidence of the alleged agreement. Reid alleged that it was discovered that Swazi Africa Textiles recognised SPRAWU and ATUSWA was like a federation which could not recruit individual employees from the shop floor. He said ATUSWA could recruit other recognised unions registered in terms of Section 27 of the Industrial Relations Act, and not individual employees. He submitted that ATUSWA decided to abort the meeting and allegedly threatened to report a dispute to CMAC, which they did on July 16, 2018. Reid told the court that ATUSWA allegedly delivered a letter of withdrawal of the dispute before the hearing that was set for July 30, 2018. The matter, according to Reid, was urgent because the award granted to ATUSWA, which is yet to respond to the allegations, entitled the company to negotiate with an entity it did not recognise.
NGABEZWENI - His Majesty King Mswati III is a happy man.

The King declared his happiness when commissioning the thousands of maidens at Ngabezweni Royal Residence yesterday. Speaking through Indvuna yembali Nonduduzo Zubuko, the King said he was pleased by the attendance and the performances the maidens rendered prior to the commissioning. Itsi imbube iyatfokota ngemgcumo nangemdlandla leninawo mbali, said Zubuko in vernacular loosely translated: the King is happy with your attendance and performance. The Monarch then commissioned the young maidens to fetch the reed at Bhamusakhe, which is situated at Luyengo, while the older maidens were commissioned to fetch the reed at Mpisi Farm at Mafutseni. May God and the ancestors be with you, have a safe journey. Bring quality reed, the King said.

Zubuko also led the maidens in thanking Their Majesties for the gifts which included sneakers, t-shirts, sanitary pads and food. The maidens received their gifts upon arrival at Ngabezweni Royal Residence. This was after they marched from Ludzidzini Royal Residence where they had received words of wisdom from Her Majesty the Queen Mother. In random interviews with the maidens, some stated that they would keep their sneakers for future use due to their high quality. Its true, we have to use the sneakers during the course of this event but I will keep mine for future use because they are beautiful and more comfortable that the ones I have, said one of the maidens. Other maidens sent their sincere gratitude to Their Majesties for the sanitary pads. They said sanitary pads were something that girls should always have in their possession, however, some did not afford to buy them. The maidens were led by Princess Sikhanyiso, who surfaced when they left Ngabezweni Royal Residence. The talented princess showed her vibrancy as she entertained the maidens with her dance moves. Nobody wanted to leave without photographing her as she left the royal residence.
Estimados amigos,

Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia.

Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro.

Gonzalo Raffo de Lavalle

Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras.

Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada.

Helenio Herrera

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.

Karl Marx

If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

Sun Tzu









We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.



Paulo Coelho
MBABANE  Tensions reached beyond boiling point yesterday after police officers reportedly used tasers on nurses who were walking to the Ministries of Public Service and that of Health, to deliver petitions.

The bone of contention was a dispute about which route they should use as they went about their mission. Some nurses under the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) claimed that police manhandled and used tasers on them during their march to the two ministries. The nurses claimed that they were shoved out of a certain store along Gwamile Street and further assaulted with a taser by a male officer. They reported their grievance to the Mbabane Police Deputy Station Commander Amos Dlamini, who had a conversation with the affected nurse. That male police officer manhandled me and further used a taser without any provocation. As a result I had to leave my money with the shop attendant, narrated the affected nurse as she pointed at the police officer who allegedly used the taser on her.

Dlamini later gave her permission to go back to the shop she was referring to and get her money. This was at a stage when police and those who participated in the march clashed several times over which route they should use to go to the ministries.

Police instructed the marchers, who included members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) and the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) to mention a few; to use Zwide Street and not any other. The marchers argued that they could not use the said route because their intention was not to go to the Central Transport Administration (CTA) but to the ministries. SWADNU President Bheki Mamba had earlier addressed them and informed them that the Municipal Council of Mbabane declined to give them permission to march along Mdzimba Avenue (street along the Freedom Park). Mamba said although they were aware that this was a public road which they could use, they would respect the municipal council and not march along it.

Comrades, we will not march but we will disperse, walk to the Engen Filling Station without singing and then march to the Ministry of Health, Mamba said. However, as they dispersed and walked in different directions, police blocked them. They particularly formed a three-line human shield along Mdzimba Avenue and blocked any person wearing a SWADNU t-shirt and others whom they suspected were part of the march. The first line of the police barricade was formed by police officers who were armed with batons. About two metres behind these was another line of officers who carried shields and were armed with batons. Behind them was yet another line of police officers who wore riot gears, carried batons while others were armed with guns.

Meanwhile, behind them there was a Casspir and a riot vehicle from the Operational Support Service Unit (USSU). There was pushing, shoving and exchange of heated words as those who were part of the march argued that they were not marching but walking to where they would then embark on their intended march.




Most likely your TV has optical audio output and/or HDMI-ARC. You need both the TV and soundbar to have ARC to work.

Both usually have to be turned on in the TV menu. You sometimes have to turn the TV speakers off and change the audio output to PCM in the same menu to get it working.
The George Economou Collection presents a solo show by Jenny Saville, one of the key proponents of the Young British Artists movement, hailed as one of the most interesting, complex, ambitious and instinctive figurative painters in the world today. This show presents an overview of Savilles work from 1993 to 2015 and includes early work, as well as as a group of paintings made between 2004 and 2014 that focus on the human head. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

George Economou Collection, 80 Kifissias,

Maroussi, tel 210.809.0519-563

Read more at ekathimerini.com

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: flickr.com
New Horizons IV: A global study of the youth and student traveller, offers a comprehensive, global perspective on the under-30 travel market and its evolution since 2002

There is no shortage of speculation, curiosity, and concern for the habits and motivations of millennials and gen Z consumers, wysetc.org notes in the following article:

Fortunately for the travel industry, the newly released publication, New Horizons IV: A global study of the youth and student traveller, offers a comprehensive, global perspective on the under-30 travel market and its evolution since 2002.

The report is based on the New Horizons Survey, which is conducted by WYSE Travel Confederation every five years. In 2017, the survey attracted more than 57,000 responses from 188 countries and territories. Here are six millennial and gen Z travel trends revealed in New Horizons IV and why the travel industry should take notice.

1. Travel splurging

When the New Horizons Survey asked millennial and gen Z travellers what they were willing to splurge on during their trips, they were clear on their preference for experiential purchases. Thirty-seven percent of respondents were willing to shell out extra cash for food and drink experiences. Traditional travel luxuries, such as airfare upgrades, were favoured least.

Industry insight: The 2017 New Horizons Survey also revealed a 26% jump from 2012 in the level of activities young travellers undertake while in a destination. Adding unique, one-of-a-kind experiential elements to the basic travel journey might be more productive than trying to develop premium travel products aimed at millennials.

2. Growing information intensity and utilisation of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)

The number of different information sources used to research the main trip has climbed steadily, from three in 2002 to more than 10 in 2017. Friends and family were still the most used information sources in 2017, but the importance of social media and comparison or referral websites grew significantly from 2012.

Not surprisingly, more information is being gathered online at the cost of face-to-face interaction or printed information sources. A decade ago, physical travel agent offices took over 70% of youth travel bookings  in 2017 much of this business had shifted online, either directly to suppliers or via Online Travel Agencies (OTAs).

Industry insight: New media and booking platforms will be crucial travel planning resources for the next generation of youth travellers, generation Z. These digital natives have grown up with smartphones and wifi and are significantly less likely to use tourist information offices and tour operator brochures. Nearly three-quarters of gen Z respondents made at least one booking via smartphone in 2017.

3. Top destinations for young travellers

Although the top destinations remain largely the same as in 2012 and 2007, a few noteworthy shifts are revealed from the 2017 New Horizons Survey. While the USA remains the top destination for young travellers, it lost some of its share from 2012. Also, Australia came back into the top 10 for the first time in a decade.

Industry insight: Young people are still interested to visit the US, but are also deciding to explore other less-visited destinations. Given the slight decline in long trips of 120+ days and an increase in shorter trips, long-haul destinations will need to start rethinking how to attract young travellers undertaking longer stays for study, working holidays, au pairing, and other cultural exchanges.

4. Rise of digital nomadism

The advantage of a global survey such as New Horizons is the ability to evaluate the current size of the still-emerging digital nomad population. In 2017, only 0.6% of millennial and gen Z travellers labelled their travel style as digital nomad over more traditional labels such as backpacker or traveller. However, 0.6% of all youth travel represents 1.8 million trips.

Digital nomads manage their location independence by making extensive use of Airbnb (56% used on their last main trip). They are the most likely group to book their air travel via computer, smartphone or tablet (85%) and they often use OTAs to book accommodation (55%). Digital nomads are three times as likely to use a co-working space compared with other travellers.

Industry insight: The digital nomad is beginning to transform some destinations. More co-working spaces are springing up and high-speed wifi is a given. Although still small in numbers, digital nomads have an influence on other young travellers through blogging travel and lifestyle advice.

5. The three keys to millennial and gen Z traveller happiness

Millennial and gen Z travellers indicated three significant factors in their travel happiness: destination, trip length, and activities. Traveller happiness hits fever pitch at one month, however, travellers also reported an uptick in happiness on trips from three to six months duration. The 2017 New Horizons Survey found that the more in-destination activities and experiences people have while travelling, the happier they are. Trips to Mexico, Japan, Indonesia and Peru make millennial and gen Z travellers the happiest.

Industry insights: Travelling to a different world region and for a longer period seems to lead to greater levels of happiness for young travellers. In general, those travelling outside of their home region reported being happier than travellers on journeys within their home region.

6. Generation Z is the future of youth travel

Gen Z is already on track to become the largest generation of consumers by the year 2020. These digital natives are bringing their own flavour to the youth travel market. For example, generation Z is just as likely as generation Y to make online bookings. However, they use OTAs and third-party websites less. Gen Z travellers are also more social than millennials and more likely to want to connect with locals.

Industry insights: Gen Z already seem to be more activity-focussed than millennials. The use of social media for information searching and booking is also likely to increase and morph as new channels emerge.

New Horizons IV: A global study of the youth and student traveller, is free for WYSE Travel Confederation members and available for purchase by non-members. To learn more about the benefits of WYSE Travel Confederation membership or to join the global network, contact us.

Read more at wysetc.org

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: pixabay.com
Major fluctuations in daily travel spending by holiday-makers in Greece continued to differentiate tourists from northern Europe, the US, Russia, other EU countries and neighboring states.

Based on provisional data by the Bank of Greece, the balance of travel services in June 2018 showed a surplus of 2,172 million, compared with a surplus of 1,872 million in June 2017. More specifically, travel receipts in June 2018 rose to 2,330 million (up 16.0%, from 2,008 million in June 2017), but were partly offset by travel payments, which rose to 158 million (up 16.5%, from 135 million in June 2017). The rise in travel receipts was due to a 22.3% increase in inbound traveller flows, as average expenditure per trip fell by 28 or 4.7%. Net receipts from travel services accounted for 84.0% of total net receipts from services and more than offset (110.5%) the goods deficit.

In January-June 2018, the balance of travel services showed a surplus of 3,762 million, up from a surplus of 3,147 million in the same period of 2017. This development is attributed to an increase, by 18.9% or 771 million, in travel receipts, which were partly offset by travel payments, which rose by 16.8% or 156 million. The rise in travel receipts mainly reflected a 19.1% increase in inbound traveller flows and, to a lesser extent, an increase in the average expenditure per trip by 3 or 0.6%. Net receipts from travel services offset 37.9% of the goods deficit and accounted for 66.8% of total net receipts from services.

Travel receipts

In June 2018, as mentioned previously, travel receipts rose by 16.0% year-on-year. In more detail, receipts from residents of the EU28 increased by 24.5% to 1,688 million, while receipts from outside the EU28 fell by 1.9% (June 2018: 583 million, June 2017: 595 million). The higher receipts from within the EU28 were due to increases in receipts from euro area residents by 20.1% to 944 million and in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries by 30.6% to 744 million (June 2017: 570 million). Among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany rose by 23.1% to 407 million and receipts from France rose by 19.9% to 122 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom increased by 6.5% to 414 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia fell by 14.9% to 63 million, while receipts from the United States rose by 10.8% to 131 million.

In January-June 2018, travel receipts totalled 4,848 million, up 18.9% relative to the same period of 2017. This development was driven by a 29.6% increase in receipts from residents of the EU28, which came to 3,422 million, as receipts from residents outside the EU28 edged down by 0.2% to 1,287 million. In particular, receipts from euro area residents increased by 29.8% year-on-year to 2,129 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU28 countries rose by 29.3% to 1,293 million. Specifically, receipts from Germany rose by 44.5% to 972 million, while receipts from France increased by 11.9% to 276 million. Receipts from the United Kingdom also increased, by 7.0% to 707 million. Turning to non-EU28 countries, receipts from Russia decreased by 23.4% to 99 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 5.4% to 288 million.

Inbound traveller flows

The number of inbound visitors in June 2018 rose by 22.3% year-on-year to 4,104 thousand. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 18.0%, as did visitor flows through road border-crossing points, by 37.0%. This development is attributed to higher visitor flows from within the EU28 (up 29.7%), as visitor flows from outside the EU28 rose by 5.7%. In greater detail, the number of visitors from within the euro area increased by 16.4% to 1,425 thousand, while visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries also rose, by 44.5% (June 2018: 1,584 thousand, June 2017: 1,096 thousand). Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany increased by 24.3% to 568 thousand, while visitors from France increased by 23.6% to 186 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom increased by 15.2% to 578 thousand. Turning to non-EU28 countries, visitors from Russia decreased by 9.2% to 99 thousand, whereas visitors from the United States increased by 21.4% to 150 thousand.

In January-June 2018, the number of inbound visitors rose by 19.1% to 9,456 thousand, compared with 7,941 thousand in the same period of 2017. Specifically, visitor flows through airports increased by 18.3%, as did visitor flows through road border-crossing points, by 22.2%. In the period under review, the number of visitors from within the EU28 rose by 26.2% year-on-year to 6,726 thousand, while visitors from outside the EU28 rose by 4.6% to 2,731 thousand. Visitors from within the euro area rose by 22.3%, as did visitors from the non-euro area EU28 countries, by 30.6%. Specifically, the number of visitors from Germany increased by 38.9% to 1,456 thousand, while the number of visitors from France increased by 11.0% to 459 thousand. Visitors from the United Kingdom rose by 10.5% to 1,058 thousand. Finally, turning to non-EU28 countries, the number of visitors from Russia fell by 18.7% to 152 thousand, whereas the number of visitors from the United States rose by 16.5% to 348 thousand.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Neosmyrnian License: CC-BY-SA
The reputation of the marble sculptors of Pyrgos has traveled beyond the island, as they have taken part in major restoration projects, including the Acropolis in Athens, but also abroad

Pyrgos is a village on the Aegean island of Tinos renowned for the craft, which dates back hundreds of years here.

With the craft passed down through dozens of generations, it comes as little surprise that the village resembles an open-air museum. Family crests on snow-white houses, iconostases, public fountains, signs and smaller objects all reveal that marble is an intrinsic part of life in what is Tinoss second-biggest settlement after the main town, Hora.

The reputation of the marble sculptors of Pyrgos (also known as Panormos) has traveled beyond the island, as they have taken part in major restoration projects, including the Acropolis in Athens, but also abroad.

A volley of pings from hammers striking stone rings out from the Pyrgos School of Fine Arts as students learn the craft. The school, which belongs to the Greek Ministry of Culture and is funded by the Evangelistria of Tinos Foundation, is instrumental in propagating the tradition of marble crafts.

We have students from all over Greece, who come here because they want to learn how to work marble either for art or to do restorations, says sculpture professor Leonidas Halepas, a graduate of the Athens School of Fine Arts who returned to Greece recently after several years abroad.

Halepas has run the Tinos school for the past three years and together with teachers in painting and marble sculpting teaches some 40 pupils. Its a three-year course that is open to all age groups. Our students are aged from 18 to 45 and 35 percent are women, he notes.

The school, which has been in operation for 63 years, is also a stepping stone to the Athens School of Fine Arts, as it offers two scholarships a year for the respected institution.

Read more at ekathimerini.com

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Saudi Aramco Upstream Technology Company (SAUTC), a Saudi Aramco company, has signed an agreement with Russias Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) for joint research primarily to explore oil and gas industry innovation with focus on upstream technology.



a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russias Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) to promote cooperation in the area of joint research, primarily to explore oil and gas industry innovation with specific focus on upstream technology.



Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Saudi Aramco and MSU will conduct programmes and projects to include developing new advanced materials applied in the oil and gas industry as well as methods and techniques for reservoir and oilfield data acquisition, analysis and computational modelling.



The collaboration will also entail both parties organizing bilateral joint laboratories, symposia, workshops and conferences. A new Saudi Aramco Research Center will also be established at MSU Science Park in Moscow.



Saudi Aramco welcomes this collaboration with Moscow State University, an institution that is distinguished both by its venerable history and its academic prestige, notably in advanced upstream disciplines, said Mohammed Y Al-Qahtani, Saudi Aramcos senior vice president of Upstream.



In this era of accelerating technology and innovation, strategic collaboration between industry and academia is vital for impactful solutions to societys most pressing priorities and challenges, he said.



Lomonosov Moscow State University has a vast experience of fundamental research in the areas of geophysics and geochemistry, digital modelling and big data analytics, and collaboration with Saudi Aramco will assist in turning theoretical ideas into practical developments and innovations, said Andrey A Fedyanin, vice-rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University.



MSU welcomes the achievement of the milestone in partnership with Saudi Aramco, the worlds largest integrated oil and gas company. We believe that the signing of the MoU will give a new impulse for our cooperation.  TradeArabia News Service
Penspen, a leading global provider of engineering and project management services to the energy industry, and Nigerian engineering firm Crestech, have jointly won a major contract for four gas projects in the Niger Delta.



This is the largest contract to date signed by the duo after forming a strategic alliance in November 2016.



The project management consultancy services contract was awarded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) across four gas projects in the Niger Delta region.



The scope of services under the project management consultancy (PMC) contract includes the following four identified critical gas development projects; Oil Mining Lease (OMLs) 24 and 18 Joint Development, OMLs 26,30,32,42 and Makaraba Clusters Development, OML 13 Cluster Development, OML 35/62 Okpokunou / Tuomo West Cluster Development.



The scope of work covers project management services, as well as personnel support, throughout the duration of the planned gas development, initially expected to be completed by 2020, it stated.



On the contract win, Penspen CEO Peter OSullivan said: "Our partnership with Crestech allows us to deliver the full range of work required by NNPC in Nigeria and this highlights a positive step in our relationship and growth in the region."



"The strategic alliance allows the best of both companies to be brought together to deliver positive results for clients," he noted.



"The seven gas projects will help NNPC to achieve its overall gas supply goals to support Nigerias National Gas Policy (NGP) 2017. We look forward to working with NNPC and Crestech over the next four years," he added.



Crestech Engineering's Managing Director Gbola Sobande said the company was excited to play such a key role in moving Nigeria closer to its gas development goals.



"Jointly delivering a project of great significance to Nigeria, along with Penspen, will help strengthen the relationship between the two partners, while also further solidifying Crestechs position as a leading indigenous oil and gas engineering company that is recognised across Nigeria," he noted.



"The partnership allows Penspen and Crestech to provide engineering, project management and asset integrity services for oil, gas and energy assets in Nigeria. This project will combine Penspens global expertise with Crestechs strong domestic reputation," he added.



A major global player, Penspen has been providing engineering, project management, asset management and integrity services to the oil and gas industry worldwide for over 60 years.



Originally founded in the UK in 1954 as Spencer & Partners, the company has now grown to include over 1,000 engineers with major offices in London, Aberdeen, Houston, Abu Dhabi, and Bangkok.-TradeArabia News Service
Operations at Duqm Airport's new passenger terminal is set to launch in September, Oman's Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced.



The announcement comes after the completion of the project and the success of operating tests with the participation of all relevant parties, the ministry said in a tweet.



"Right now we are taking vital measures to facilitate operations and passengers flow in the new terminal," it said.



Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, said: "Operation of the new passenger terminal at Duqm Airport comes in line with the progress taking place in Omans civil aviation sector. It is also an important addition to the economic zone in Duqm and the wilayats of the Governorate of AlWusta in general, due to its contribution in revitalising tourism and socioeconomic status.



The Ministry of Transport and Communications announced that the commercial operation of the passenger terminal at Duqm Airport will commence on September 17. - TradeArabia News Service
QUICK TAKE: OpenGamma on Using AI to Aid Compliance

Artificial intelligence  AI  can be used for more than just front office trading.

What about the back office and compliance?

Absolutely, said Peter Rippon, CEO of OpenGamma, in a discussion with Traders Magazine. He said that there is a pressing need for funds to use automation to identify the most efficient ways to trade and reduce the burden of compliance.

"Its common to hear that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is forcing funds to rethink their business. However, there are actually operational requirements that can be addressed most easily using AI, Rippon began.  In a market where regulation has become a huge drag on capital, AI is being used to reduce the burden of compliance. Just look at how complicated MiFID II reporting is proving to be. The way certain rules have been written means firms actually need to generate data in order to comply - which is why machine learning is perfectly suited.

He continued: "Take the cost and charges disclosure requirements, the problem is that you dont have the data you need to publish the information required in the first place. For example, with some OTC derivatives, transaction costs cannot be directly observed. As a result, the required information will need to be calculated from large volumes of transaction data.

Rippon said there is a massive knowledge deficit in understanding how complex regulatory models drive a funds capital consumption. Some funds, he explained, are employing quants - which is an expensive burden just to make sense of these models.

As such, there is a pressing need for technology to automatically identify the most efficient ways to trade, he said.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:
A large-scale winter wheat sowing campaign began in Turkmenistan. By tradition, the start of sowing was blessed by elders. Having sown the first seeds, they passed on the symbolic sowing baton to machine operators.

The sowing area will total 760 thousand hectares in the current agro-technical season, and farmers are expected to harvest 1,600 million tons of grain from the sown fields in 2019.

More than 2,600 ploughing tractors and 7,800 tractor-cultivators of CASE, CLAAS, JOHN DEERE and BELARUS brands will be operated all over Turkmenistan in the current campaign. The departments of Daikhan Bank (Farmers Bank) will be dealing with all financial issues related to the sowing campaign.

 TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021
Meeting the urgent humanitarian needs of millions of displaced and returning Syrians inside the country is the immediate priority of the UN Refugee Agency and other aid organizations, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said during a visit to Syria on Thursday.

Grandi was speaking in Douma, Eastern Ghoutas main city, located some ten kilometres outside the capital, Damascus. The area suffered widespread destruction during years of fighting, culminating in an intense battle when the government retook control of the city earlier this year.

Thousands of families fled the city during the recent violence and preceding years of conflict, with 125,000 people currently living in the area compared with a pre-crisis population of some 300,000.

Amongst the collapsed buildings and piles of rubble, however, some of the recently displaced are returning to try to rebuild their homes and lives. But with few dwellings left unscathed and even the most basic services in short supply, Grandi warned that the humanitarian needs of the population remained immense.

Although of course a lot of people are still displaced from their homes, many have returned, Grandi said. They are trying to live a normal life amidst the ruins, with very little resources, struggling to normalize life that has been disrupted by so many years of war.

There are children here amidst the ruins that need to go to school, that need to be fed, that need to be clothed.

There are children here amidst the ruins that need to go to school, that need to be fed, that need to be clothed, he added. What we must do is help the people, beyond all politics  and the politics of this conflict, as we all know, are quite complex. For the time being, its the immediate humanitarian needs that need to be urgently met.

Now in its eighth year, the Syria conflict has seen more than 5.6 million refugees flee to neighbouring countries in the region, while according to OCHA figures a further 6.6 million remain displaced within the country. So far this year, more than 750,000 previously displaced Syrians have returned to their areas of origin.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi stands in front of destroyed buildings in Douma, Syria.  UNHCR/Bassam Diab

Walking the streets of Douma, the High Commissioner saw returning residents clearing rubble from their homes with shovels and wheelbarrows, and shopkeepers displaying eggplants and tomatoes in newly refurbished store fronts.

He also met residents still barely able to make ends meet. Mohammad, a 75-year-old widower, said he, his son and his two daughters were lucky to survive when a mortar struck their house during the recent fighting, collapsing the buildings upper floors.

They now live in two ground-floor rooms that they were able to clear of debris, and rely on donations from neighbours and mattresses, blankets and kitchen items provided by UNHCR to get by. We need everything, he said. We dont have anything here. Nothing at all.

As well as distributing relief items and shelter rehabilitation kits, UNHCR has established a network of 97 community centres across the country to provide educational and vocational courses for children and adults, as well as protection services to vulnerable displaced and local Syrians.

We need everything. We dont have anything here. Nothing at all.

It has also funded the rehabilitation of vital infrastructure such as schools and health clinics. On Thursday, Grandi visited a bakery and civil registry in the southern city of Daraa refurbished with funding from UNHCR.

The former provides more than 200,000 loaves of bread a day to locals, while the registry helps Syrians who have been unable to obtain birth certificates, marriage certificates and other official papers during years of conflict to get the documents they need in order to access services and rebuild their lives.

The previous day, in Damascus, the High Commissioner had wide-ranging discussions with Dr. Faisal Mekdad, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other senior Syrian officials.

Grandi acknowledged the governments statement of last month welcoming refugees back. Both he and his government interlocutors agreed that refugee repatriation can only be based on a voluntary decision by refugees themselves, and needs to take place in safe and dignified conditions, and to be sustainable for the longer-term. Grandi conveyed to the Syrian officials the concerns refugees cite regarding return.

According to UNHCR surveys and focus group interviews in neighbouring countries, these include the fragility of the security situation in some parts of the country, the presence of unexploded ordinance and physical risks in other areas, and the need for guarantees that they will remain safe on return and that their rights will be respected.

For some, military conscription and fear of punishment for having fled or refused to fight are key deterrents. Legal obstacles and challenges in reclaiming property or having their civil documentation or education certificates recognized are also cited.

For many refugees, their homes have been destroyed, access to basic services is disrupted, and they are concerned over how they will provide for their families. Grandi observed that many of these challenges are starting to be addressed, which is encouraging, but much more remains to be done.

Syrian women have always been strong, but now we are even stronger.

Small numbers of refugees have returned to Syria since the beginning of the conflict  over 90,000 refugees from neighbouring countries in the last three years. Since early 2017, UNHCR, UN agencies and NGO partners have been engaged in preparedness and planning for an eventual larger-scale organized return.

For those Syrian refugees choosing to return, UNHCR offers support. Examples include helping refugees to reclaim their documents, addressing the specific needs of particularly vulnerable individuals, and identifying and finding solutions for unaccompanied and separated children.

In his meetings, the High Commissioner also expressed his concern about the situation in Idlib, and his hope that any military offensive there is conducted in a manner that respects human lives, spares civilians and doesnt create new refugees.

Grandi also visited a community centre in the Dweila neighbourhood of the capital, where he met 48-year-old Mariam Ghanoum, who was taking a vocational training course in painting and decorating having been displaced from her home in Rural Damascus more than 7 years ago.

She said she planned to paint her own house once they are able to rebuild it, and perhaps establish a business painting other rebuilt homes. Im learning this skill hopefully to make some money, but also to empower myself, she said. Syrian women have always been strong, but now we are even stronger.
Refugees and migrants sleep on the floor at Tariq al-Sikka detention facility in Tripoli, Libya, in May 2017.  UNHCR/Iason Foounten

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in a joint effort with IOM, UNOCHA and the Libyan Department for Combatting Illegal Migration (DCIM), organized on Tuesday an urgent evacuation of some 300 refugees and migrants held in Ain Zara detention centre in Tripoli. Tensions have been on the rise in the capital in recent days and armed groups are fighting in the immediate vicinity of the centre. Hundreds of refugees and migrants detained in Ain Zara were in clear danger of getting caught in the hostilities.

Those evacuated were mainly Eritrean, Ethiopian and Somali nationals. All have been moved to the Abu Salim detention centre, which is in a relatively safer location where international organizations can provide aid to them.

UNHCR is distributing basic aid items, including blankets, while IOM is providing mattresses, food and water.Medecins Sans Frontieres is providing water, food and first medical consultations.

UNHCR, as a matter of principle, opposes detention of refugees and asylum-seekers in need of international protection, but we are present wherever refugees are, in order to provide them with life-saving assistance and to advocate for their release from detention.

UNHCR and its partner LibAid also visited a school in Tripoli where over 35 displaced Libyan families have sought shelter from the hostilities in Ain Zara, Salah al-Din and Khallat al-Farrjan Sala areas (south of Tripoli). These families are traumatized and in urgent need of food, drinking water and basic aid. UNHCR is working in coordination with the authorities and relevant partners to help these families.

UNHCR continues to monitor the developments closely and is standing ready to respond to any new and immediate humanitarian needs.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
Why it matters

What is the agreement that has been reached and why does it matter?

About 60 per cent of the worlds refugee population lives in around 10 countries, all in the global south. Refugees often live in the poorest parts of these countries. The global compact is a response to the need for the international community to come together and help these countries that are particularly affected by refugee movements. Thats the whole purpose.

We have just ended an 18-month process of intense engagement with all 193 Member States of the United Nations plus all other stakeholders  non-governmental organizations, the private sector, faith communities, refugees themselves, and the World Bank.

Its a miracle that in todays world where there is a lot of polarization, where we see a lot of divisiveness, we actually managed successfully a multilateral process to address one of the most sensitive issues  refugees.

The global compact is a document that consolidates practices acquired over many years and often over decades, and puts forward a new vision of how the international community will engage with countries that are particularly affected by refugees.

If a country today is affected by an influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees or, by even ten or twenty thousand, what should the international community do to assist this country? Thats the question that the global compact answers.

But why a new international agreement? Does this mean the Refugee Convention is not fit for purpose?

The Refugee Convention focuses on rights of refugees and obligations of States, but it does not deal with international cooperation writ large. And thats what the global compact seeks to address.

The 1951 Convention does not specify how you share the burden and responsibility, and thats what the global compact does. It responds to one of the major gaps we have faced for decades.

How it will make a difference

What tangible difference will the compact make in the lives of refugees or the communities that host them?

We would see better education for refugee boys and girls, as well as better access to health services for all refugees, and more livelihood opportunities. We would also see a different way host communities engage with refugees, hopefully moving away from the encampment policies that we still have in too many countries.

Host countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Iran, those in Central America, or Lebanon  with its infrastructure and health services enormously challenged by hosting a million refugees  would get the support they need to meet both the needs of refugees and the communities that host them.

The compact would make sure that countries like Lebanon are supported. Not just from a humanitarian perspective but from a development cooperation perspective. And thats what is new.

Also, we would aim to get more resettlement places and find more ways refugees can move to third countries  such as through family reunification, student scholarships, or humanitarian visas, so that refugees can travel safely (what we call complementary pathways). There would be more support in the form of standby arrangements, providing technical support to host countries in many areas  from gathering and analyzing data to managing the environment.

But if the compact is not legally binding, can it really make a difference?

The UN General Assembly will adopt the global compact; that is our expectation, and once thats done, it demonstrates a very strong political commitment of all 193 Member States to implement it, even if its not legally binding.

In todays world, thats how multilateralism is often done.

The mechanics of responsibility sharing: how its all going to work?

Paint a picture for me on how its all going to work when theres a new refugee crisis with hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing to, say, Bangladesh. What should happen?

First of all, when a country is hit by a large-scale influx, such as in Bangladesh or Uganda with the latest influx of Congolese refugees, we quickly need to know the needs of the people and the impact on the receiving country.

Then we have to present the needs in terms of financial support, humanitarian assistance, and development cooperation to the international community writ large. We would need to see if some countries come forward and say: yes Im going to pledge funding; I am going to help on the education front; I will help with technical expertise through standby arrangements to ensure jungles dont disappear due to a huge influx of people to a certain area (which is currently happening in Bangladesh); yes, we are going to increase resettlement.

So, what we want to achieve is a very quick galvanizing of support: political, financial, and resettlement support, so that countries  when they are faced with such a situation  feel that they are not on their own, that they are not isolated, or that no one cares. That actually yes, the international community cares about the people, but also the country that is affected. And it stands in solidarity, and acts in solidarity with them. That is really the purpose.

So is it really about drawing together various existing tools, and ensuring they happen faster, and more systematically?

The idea is very much to trigger and activate mechanisms that are faster, more equitable, more predictable, and more comprehensive.

What will it take to build confidence among host countries to let refugees work, own businesses, live outside of camps, and generally have more progressive policies for refugees?

It is important to recognise the incredible challenge for countries like Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, or Rwanda, which have their own development challenges, to be confronted suddenly with the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people.

But if countries can also see crisis as an opportunity and adapt their policies accordingly, this can be turned into an advantage. This means saying: okay, this is a remote part of the country, we have this influx of people, we have international engagement, and (so) lets use it so that both the refugee population and the host community can benefit from boosted development cooperation. This means we do not just develop and focus on one camp, but we focus on the area where refugees are hosted and live with local communities. And we make sure that we build the infrastructure, the roads, the electricity grid, the water supplies that benefit refugees and also the host communities. We also build the livelihood opportunities that go along with that.

Of course to do this, you need investment. You need an initial strong, robust response. You need the support and solidarity. So thats what we hope to secure with this new approach, and its a strong case to make to countries.

Relationship between the refugee and migration compacts

There are in fact two global compacts in the works  one on refugees and one on migrants. How do they relate to each other, and are there two?

The New York Declaration that was adopted in September 2016 gave birth to two compacts: one on refugees and one on migration. They were set in train by the same declaration, but pursue very different objectives.

The migration compact really started from scratch. For the first time, at the level of the General Assembly of the United Nations, you had an intense discussion on the benefits of migration, on what migration brings to countries, but also some of the challenges countries face when they are dealing with migration issues. Thats what the global compact on migration tries to address. It puts together a holistic view of migration in todays world.

There is a very strong human rights basis for everyone on the move. Thats clear.

At the same time, there is a legal distinction for those who, for valid reasons, cannot return to their country of origin, because of conflict, because of war, because of serious human rights abuses, because of massive inequality that leads to discrimination, because of gang violence, and so forth. For these people a specific legal regime has been established to protect them, and it is people in these situations that the refugees compact addresses.

The World Bank is involved in the global compact, and funds will be made available. The question is why hasnt this been done before?

Perhaps I can talk about this in the context of partnerships. What the global compact does is it embeds the response to host countries, host communities, to the refugees in a much broader partnerships approach.

It actually looks at what the private sector can bring to the table, what faith communities can bring to the table, what the international financial institutions can bring to the table, and over the last three years, we have seen a sea change in the way, for instance, the World Bank group engages with refugee hosting countries.

The World Bank has established a so-called refugee sub-window, a specific financial instrument for low-income countries affected by forced displacement  US$2 billion for a couple of years  to help address the socio-economic impact of refugee flows into a particular part of a country.

What has happened is there is a realization within the international financial institutions that the impact of forced displacement can be a shock to the system  on water, sanitation, education, health, and you need to invest in the system so that it can cope with a much larger population, and that has happened over the last three years.

In a way, what the global compact does is not just build on existing partnerships, but also expand some of them and bring in new partners. And one of the big new partners that have come in are these international financial institutions.

This Q&A was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated to reflect recent progress in developing the compact.
Counting end as ECI declares result of by-elections 02 Nov 2021 | 8:08 PM Shimla, Nov 2 (UNI) The Election Commission declared the result officially for the October 30 bye-elections to Mandi Parliamentary and three Assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh, as the counting ended here on Tuesday. see more..

NELC adopts Tawang Declaration 02 Nov 2021 | 8:02 PM Itanagar, Nov 2 (UNI) North East Leaders Connect (NELC), a forum of young achievers from the

NE region, has adopted the Tawang Declaration at the 10th anniversary of Young Leaders Connect meet in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh on October 31 and November 1, pledging to ensure sustainable harnessing of the regions abundant natural resources. see more..

Kerala reports 6,444 fresh Covid cases, 45 deaths 02 Nov 2021 | 7:58 PM Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 2 (UNI) Kerala reported 6,444 fresh COVID positive cases and 45 deaths on Tuesday showing no respite from rising number of COVID cases in the State. see more..

BJP candidate Rajender retains Huzurabad Assembly seat 02 Nov 2021 | 7:58 PM Hyderabad, Nov 2 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and former Minister Etala Rajender retained the Huzurabad Assembly seat by defeating his nearest TRS rival Gellu Srinivas Yadav by a margin of 23,855 votes on Tuesday. see more..
Indian, Taiwanese firms sign MoUs to deepen industrial collaboration

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) Indian and Taiwanese companies on Wednesday signed MoUs for

wide-ranging collaboration to further strengthen the ongoing industrial collaboration.

The MoUs were signed in the presence of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary Ramesh Abhishek and Ms Mei-Hua Wang, Vice Minister, Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan at the second India-Taiwan Industrial Collaboration Summit.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Abhishek and Taiwanese Vice Minister spoke of the need to tap the growing opportunities for business and industrial collaboration in India.

Taiwan's excellence in electronics and smart phone manufacture and India's talent and skills, conducive business environment and liberal investment policies provide the right opportunity for collaboration.

The summit was also addressed by the Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC), Tien Chung-Kwang; Vice Chairman of Indian Affairs Committee, CNFI, Mr Feng-Tzu Tsai; FICCI Electronics & White Goods Manufacturing Committee Chair Som Mittal and Co-Chair of FICCI Committee & President and CEO, Panasonic India Manish Sharma, according to an official statement here.

UNI RSA SB 1835
Srinagar, Aug 30 (UNI) Curfew-like restrictions have been imposed in downtown and parts of civil lines in the summer capital, Srinagar as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident following a two-day strike called by separatists against any move to weaken the Article 35 A of the Constitution.

About six petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court, demanding scrapping of the Article. However, mainstream political parties, including National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Communist Party of India (M), Kashmir Bar Association, traders and civil society, have filed counter petitions demanding continuation of the Article.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, has called for a general strike from today. The petitions challenging the Article will come up in the Supreme Court tomorrow.

All gates of historic Jamia Masjid in the downtown were closed since early this morning to prevent people from entering there.

To prevent any law and order problem and in the interest of safety and security of general public and property, restrictions under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in the areas falling under the jurisdiction of police station Safa Kadal, M R Gunj, Khanyar, Nowhatta and Rainawari. Similar restrictions have been imposed in parts of areas under the jurisdiction of police station Kralkhud and Maisuma, police said.

However, the situation on the ground was entirely different as hundreds of security force personnel had been deployed to strictly implement the restrictions. Repeated announcements were being made directing people to remain indoors as curfew has been imposed since early this morning.

The main Nallahmar road from Chattabal to Khanyar has been closed for any traffic or pedestrian movement. Security forces have closed the road with barbed wire and by parking bullet proof vehicles in the middle at Nawa Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Bohri Kadal and Khanyar. However, the main road to S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) was open though only patients and medical staff were being allowed after property checking their identity cards and other documents.

All roads leading to historic Jamia Masjid, stronghold of chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Omar were closed at Nowhatta, Gojwara and Rangar stop. Even the media persons were asked to take alternative routes to reach the worship place. Similar restrictions have also been imposed in Rainawari, Mallakha and Kathidarwaza crossing.

Additional security forces have been deployed in the areas under police station Maisuma in the civil lines and Kralkhud in the old city. Paramilitary forces and state police personnel have been deployed in strength on Moulana Azad road, being used by VIPs, including Governor, his advisors and top bureaucrats to reach civil secretariat, seat of the government.

Security forces have also been put under alert elsewhere in the city to prevent any demonstration.

UNI BAS SV 1138
Police are searching for a man with a large forearm tattoo who is suspected of stealing an iPad, a briefcase, and sneakers from Paul Manafort's banker's midtown Manhattan apartment and also burglarizing another nearby home.

Police revealed that the two incidents took place over the span of a few hours on August 27th and August 28th. The first burglary occurred around 10 p.m. on Monday, at an apartment building near West 56th Street and 8th Avenue, where investigators say he entered a 38-year-old man's fourth floor apartment through an unlocked door. He stole a skateboard, cellphone, and laptop but was then was confronted by residents of the building, police say, before being chased out of the building.

The suspect fled toward 55th Street and 7th Avenue with the items, which were valued at $2,950.

Later, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the suspect entered the apartment of David Fallarino, who handled former Trump campaign chairman Manafort's loans, near West 58th Street and 7th Avenue. According to the NYPD, Fallarino was asleep at the time but heard his front door slamand then noticed his terrace door was openand discovered his briefcase, iPad, and a pair of sneakersvalued at $2050were taken.

Fallarino's eight-months pregnant wife was also in the apartment at the time, and he told the Post that she's very "scared."

The Post also reports that the suspect "forced open a ground-floor door at the former Park Savoy Hotel on West 58th Street around 1:30 a.m., building workers said. He made his way to the roof of the building...and scaled a barbed wire-lined fence onto the adjoining building, where he let himself into David Fallarinos penthouse."

The suspect is described as having a shaved head and a tattoo on his right forearm, and was last seen wearing a dark colored T-shirt, black shorts, and black and white sneakers. Surveillance footage from the second incident was released by police, in hopes the public can identify the suspect:

Anyone with information in regard to these incidents is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.


Remarks:

Registration information from the United Kingdom on SES-15 (international designator 2017-026A)
Governor Andrew Cuomo and challenger Cynthia Nixon sparred for an hour last night at Hofstra University on Long Island, where each candidate seemed determined to pack as much vitriol as they could into their only debate ahead of the Democratic primary on Thursday, September 13th. The acrimonious encounter featured Cuomo accusing Nixon of being a political neophyte who "lives in the world of fiction," and Nixon dismissing Cuomo as "a corrupt corporate Democrat" who stood up to Trump "about as well as he stood up to Putin. Here's what stood out most from last night's clash (full video below):

Governor Cuomos presidential aspirations for 2020 are really, really, really dead. (Unless they arent.)

It was a question he knew was coming, and his answer was ready: No, hes not interested in running for president in the next election. Yes, he would serve out all four years of this third term, if elected. As he started to add one caveat, the audience groaned, but then he finished the sentence, saying the only thing that would keep him from completing the term would be if God strikes me dead. Dont expect this to fully end speculation, however, at least not until history buff Cuomo quotes William Tecumseh Shermans immortal refusal: "I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected."

Both candidates are fully in touch with their inner pushy New Yorker.

One might have thought the candidates' desire to appear gubernatorial might make Cuomo attempt to stay calm and aloof (but not condescending) and make Nixon attempt to be assertive (but not caustic). Nope. Their mutual disdain was on full display. Nixon repeatedly stepped on Cuomos answers, at one point leading him to say, Can you stop interrupting me? and her to reply, Can you stop lying? Cuomo somewhat dialed back his mansplaining tendencies, but they were in full force when he tried to insist that the city, not the state, is primarily responsible for the subway system and when he declared that if Nixon, like many actors, incorporated herself, by definition she is a tax-dodging corporation whose political gifts amount to corporate donations.

Gov. Cuomo: Can you please stop interrupting? Can you please do that?



Cynthia Nixon: If you stop lying, I will stop interrupting.#NYGovDebate https://t.co/O6QSfL7PC8 pic.twitter.com/LAd0b9NAmV  CBS News (@CBSNews) August 30, 2018



The state runs the MTA. @NYGovCuomo knows this. I know hes really bad at it  every New Yorker does  but he cant just pretend its not his fault because its election time.  Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) August 30, 2018



President Trump is at the heart of two very different political visions (or at least talking points).

Cynthia Nixon might well have supported single-payer health care long before Donald Trump took office. But Trump and his movement have given new urgency to an agenda shes not afraid to call Democratic socialism. For her, that means universal healthcare, free public universities, greater spending on housing and increased control over rent guidelines. For Cuomo, combating the Trump White House means defensive warfare. Wednesday night, the Governor spoke about counter-attacking the Trump administration with lawsuitsfor instance over the separation of immigrant childrenrather than about initiating bold new policies.

If either Cuomo or Nixon occupies the Governors office next year, New Yorkers will need to make sure they keep their promises.

Both said they support the MTA maintaining current fares, rather than raise them as scheduled. Cuomos escape hatch is that he said hell only do it, if New York City kicks in half the money to cover a projected $325 million shortfall from not hiking fares. Nixon said shed take no salary.



The third rail of 2018 New York State gubernatorial politics is Bill de Blasio.

Dont touch him! In a debate with almost no common ground, Nixon and Cuomo both agreed that Do you want Mayor de Blasios endorsement? is not a yes-or-no question. Nixon said this election isnt about endorsements - as if an election ever is, and as if shes not interested in any encomiums from anyone. And Cuomo did a somewhat more elaborate tap dance: "Dont get me wrong. I love Mayor de Blasio. Im sure he loves me, in a strange sort of way. After 30 years, we have a dysfunctional relationship. He makes his own political decisions, not me. Yes or No? repeated debate host Marcia Kramer. No Yes or No. He makes his own political decisions. I dont tell him what to do.

Here's the debate in full. Again, the primary is Thursday, September 13th. Here's how to find your polling place.
Wyoming Farmers Market Conference and Annual Meeting in Casper Sept. 28-29

Farmers, market managers and vendors will have the opportunity to network at the Wyoming Farmers Market Conference and Annual Meeting Friday and Saturday, September 28-29, at the Agricultural Resource and Learning Center, located at 2011 Fairgrounds Road in Casper, to learn from the experts at this information-packed conference.

Registration for the conference is $50 for both days and includes lunches.

The conference will kick off with a program, titled "Foodpreneur." Marty Butts, owner of Small Potatoes -- a national marketing, advocacy and consulting firm that specializes in working with small-scale and startup food product companies seeking to launch and grow their businesses -- will discuss how to start production, market and sell food products. The Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is sponsoring Butts visit to Wyoming. The fee for his presentation is $15, and attendees can register at www.wyomingsbdc.org.

The SBDC is a partnership among the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Business Council and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBDC focuses on educating small-business owners and potential owners on how to successfully start and operate small businesses. The SBDCs main office is located at UW.

Cole Ehmke, a UW Extension agricultural entrepreneurship and personal financial management specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, will present "Value Adding Products in Wyoming." For those interested in greenhouses, a "Dome Greenhouse Building Workshop" will be offered starting Friday afternoon.

Saturday will feature presentations on microgreens, bee and honey production, online marketing, undercover veggies, grape growing, heritage orchard establishment, weed and pest management, and grant writing. Lunch will be included each day, with the annual meeting held during lunch Saturday.

Conference co-sponsors include the Wyoming Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Program, the Wyoming SBDC Network and the Wyoming Business Council.

Wyoming SBDC Network programs and services are available to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities, if requested at least two weeks in advance. For clients with limited English proficiency, language assistance services are available. For more information, call the SBDC at (307) 382-0947 or email pbaker@uwyo.edu.

For specific schedule information and to register for the conference, go to www.wyomingfarmersmarkets.org. For additional conference information, call Ted Craig or Linda Stratton at (307) 777-6592.

The Wyoming SBDC Network is a business-advising group of the Wyoming SBDC, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Market Research Center and SBIR/STTR Initiative. The networks mission is to help Wyoming entrepreneurs succeed. Advising and most market research activities are free of charge to Wyoming residents.

The SBDC is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. SBA. Additional support is provided by the Wyoming Business Council and UW.

For more information, go to www.wyomingsbdc.org.
Earlier this week, Rose McGowan released a detailed statement regarding recent allegations that Asia Argento sexually assaulted a former underage co-star. McGowan explained that the person she's dating, gender-nonconforming model and activist Rain Dove, was the one whose text messages with Argentoin which she seemingly admitted to having sex with Jimmy Bennett while he was underagewere leaked by TMZ. Dove has now issued their own statement explaining their role in all this: "When [Argento] made it clear that they were not going to be honest about their engagement, I turned in materials that may contribute towards an honest investigation. All victims deserve justice. Justice can rarely exist without honesty."

In the text messages that TMZ published last week, Argento wrote: "I had sex with him it felt weird. I didn't know he was a minor until the shakedown letter." Another message read, "The public knows nothing, only what the NYT wrote. Which is one sided. The shakedown letter. The horny kid jumped me."

"An individual admitted to sexual engagement with a minor (according to the age stated by California) which is an illegal act that can qualify as statutory rape," Dove added. "As well as such they admitted to receiving continued nude images without reporting/blocking the account/written rejection/or action."

Dove, who prefers they/them pronouns, said in a statement given to the Times that Argento came to them asking for assistance in handling the initial NY Times story on the sexual assault. "Occasionally in the past individuals have come to me knowing that they were guilty, they admitted the guilt off the bat, and my space in their life has been guiding them through the rehabilitation process with the community and shifting their negative actions into proactive ones so that they can be productive members of the community again while justice also prevails," they wrote. "The key to agreement to assist is that they have the intention to do whats necessary to rectify a situation. Unfortunately Asia did not have that intention."

When Dove saw Argento's statement to the Times strongly denying the accusations, and instead claiming that her late boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, paid her accuser out of compassion, Dove decided to take action.

This is a person who represents a certain ideal and who has called out for all those accused of sexual assault to be honest about their experiences in order to allow justice for the victims. However when the NYT statement came out, in which Asia denied any sexual engagement thats when it became clear that they were not going to follow their own ethics. I had received the original statement from Asia before they put it out into the world, before they had admitted their sexual engagement. In it they were dismissive of the victim, put down the integrity of the reporter Kim Severson utilising [sic] the guilt power of the opinion of their deceased former partner Anthony Bourdain, and robbed all parties of their truth. It was painful to read. I had hoped that that narrative would change after our conversation but unfortunately the piece went straight to press. Before bringing this information to police I did speak with Rose McGowan as they are the person who introduced me to Asia. I was admittedly a little nervous because I knew that Asia was an important person in Roses life. When confronted with the messages and knowledge that I was going to go to the police, Rose immediately agreed that it was the right action to take. No begging or bargaining. No anger. Just very matter of fact. I know this is a painful loss of community in Roses life and Im proud of her dedication to the truth. Its tempting to many to cover for their loved ones during rough times, but when a victim is involved on the other end we must think of them. True justice has no bias.

Dove said that they sent the texts to the Los Angeles Country Sheriffs Department, which is investigating the case. Argento has accused Dove and McGowan, who has broken off contact with Argento, of leaking the texts to TMZ and other news outlets, which they denied to the Times. Dove said that they did "share the texts with a small circle of people seeking advice, and suspects that might be how the information came out."



Asia Argento posted a photo of her and accuser Jimmy Bennett on Instagram around the time the incident allegedly happened.

On August 19th, the NY Times reported that Argento had paid $380,000 to Bennett (who once played her son in a movie), right in the midst of her publicly accusing movie producer Harvey Weinstein of assaulting her.

Dove added in their statement that the cases involving whether or not Argento sexually assaulted Bennett, or Bennett extorted Argento, or Weinstein assaulted Argento should all be treated separately and equally seriously. Argento's "choice to lie to the NYT does not mean that they are lying about [Weinstein]. Their accounts for that case should be held separately and fairly," Dove said.

"Asia has contributed a strong voice to the #MeToo movement and encouraged many in their nation as well as around the globe to come forward with their truths. Perhaps, despite where public opinion may be over time, through honesty, dialogue and rehabilitation this person can become a strong advocate for justice once again. Especially uniquely as a person who is experiencing both sides of the coin."
Local elections are getting more attention than usual in this politically-charged year, and first-time voters are having a big impact. New voters are the reason Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez smoked the race against Joe Crowley in an off-year primary. Now, state senate newcomer candidates, campaigning in her mold, are getting big splashy profiles. Even Cynthia Nixon, who is trailing Governor Cuomo by 30 points, is saying that polls dont matter, because they are not capturing the wave of new voters who will decide this election. Maybe you are one of them.

Maybe you learned that the New York State Senate is kind of a shitshow, and not just because the former leader of the State Senate was convicted of corruption (dont worry, so was the leader of the Assembly). But also because the Republican-controlled Senate has blocked laws from abortion access to speed cameras in school zones. This obstruction was empowered by a group of turncoat Democratic Senators who formed the Independent Democratic Conference [IDC] and caucused with Republicans for years until they returned to the fold in April. Now theres a batch of newcomers who are trying to replace them for good.

So how do you find out who you are going to vote for? Well, its pretty likely that youll pull out your phone and Google Who is running in my district? You find whosontheballot.org and put in your address. And if you are in one of 19 districts (13 in the city, 6 in the rest of the state) then you are in luck. You have a State Senate candidate you can vote for in the primaries. Now all you have to do is Google the candidates and see what they are all about... but you may have some trouble with that if you live in District 15, 17, 23, 31, 32, 35, or 38. At least one candidate in those districts does not have a website. And maybe most surprisingly, its not just the lazy, entitled officeholder who didnt bother with a website. Four incumbents dont have websites, but neither do three challengers.

State Senator Diane Savino, a Democrat who represents Staten Island, does not have a website, despite having two Democratic challengers in the primary. Her campaign spokesperson, Thomas Musich, told Gothamist in an email that Senator Savino uses multiple ways to communicate with those living in her district about her campaign, including Facebook and Twitter as well as traditional methods like door knocking and phone calls. She prioritizes methods of communication that facilitate conversations with voters.

Thomas Leon does not have a website, but his Facebook page, where he has campaign flyers up, says that the candidate for the 31st District is the President of Computer Hospital, studied electrical engineering in Ukraine, and lives in the Dominican Republic. Luis Sepulveda, State Senator in NY-32, who doesnt have a campaign website, is a vegan, according to his Twitter page. Both Leon and Sepulveda did not return a request for comment.

Of the candidates that do have websites, 28 candidates do not have the date of the primary election on their front page. (Its Thursday, September 13th, for voters registered with a major political party.) Some websites have it in small letters, halfway down unrelated pages, or on tweets embedded on other pages, or on the last line of an About page. Others dont have it at all. Six of the seven websites that do have the primary date displayed on the front page of their websites are challengers.

A candidates website is like a resume. Most look exactly the same, but the ones that shine have some unique personal details that just stick out to you. Amanda Kirchgessner, who is challenging Michael Lausell in the 58th District, which includes Ithaca, spent 16 years waiting tables. Jessica Ramos, challenging incumbent Jose Peralta, in District 13, which includes Jackson Heights and Corona, does not have a drivers license. Pramilla Malick, who is up against Jen Metzger in District 42 just northwest of the city, has photos of herself in a bee costume and being cut out of chains in a protest. Julie Goldberg, challenging incumbent David Carlucci in the 38th District, which includes Rockland County and Ossining, has a video on her website explaining the IDC, narrated by Edie Falco!

Some state senate candidates who dont have to worry about the September primary also have websites, with revealing details all their own. Anthony Arias (District 26, which includes the financial district) likes to post memes on his Instagram account, which is embedded on his website.

Pete Holmberg (District 28, which includes the Upper East Side) has received some brutal honesty in his day, like You're partying too much and everybody knows it and He's just not that into you. He is now ready to deliver brutal honesty to Manhattan. Jeremy Cooney (District 56, which includes parts of the city of Rochester) was born in an Indian orphanage, and has adorable pictures of his beagle, Lentil, on his Instagram page.

But websites are far more than just places to display your personality and platform, they are places to reach new voters. In New York City, 12 campaigns informed me that they have campaign literature in multiple languages, but only seven candidates have multiple languages that on their website. Only one is an incumbent. Tirso Santiago Pina's campaign website front page is solely in Spanish. He is running in District 31, which stretches from Hell's Kitchen to Inwood. The Pina campaign did not return a request for comment.

In the race for governor, Cynthia Nixons campaign website has Spanish translations. Andrew Cuomos does not.

Despite the perceived cost for a statewide candidate to have translations on their website, those that have done it say that it isnt that hard. Andrew S. Gounardes, whose website is translated into Russian and Chinese, told Gothamist that his campaign just recruited volunteers to write the translations. Its not that complicated, said Gounardes.

The idea of not translating the website simply didn't occur to us, said Michael Kinnucan, a spokesperson for the Julia Salazar campaign, in an email. The Salazar campaign website is translated into Spanish. It's surprising that some candidates in North Brooklyn don't do this. (Salazar is challenging incumbent Senator Martin Dilan, who represents north Brooklyn and part of Queens in District 18.)

People appreciate the effort of translating the website, Zellnor Myrie, whose website is translated into Spanish and Chinese, told Gothamist. (Myrie is challenging former IDC Senator Jesse Hamilton in the 20th Senate district, which includes Crown Heights, Brownsville, and Park Slope.) The best way to connect with potential voters is still face to face, said Myrie, but a website is still a very important piece of the campaign.

Lots of people who are engaging for the first time are very plugged in, said Myrie. When he has campaigned at subway stations, he found that people will walk away, look up the website, then come back and talk to him.


While NamA Bank thrived, Saigon Bank's bad debts are now double the ceiling set by the state

The total bad debt volume of Ho Chi Minh City-based NamA Bank fell to VND391 billion ($17.3 million) by the end of June 2018, taking a 44.7 per cent plunge compared to the VND708 billion ($31.3 million) earlier this year, according to the banks financial statement.

Similarly, its bad debt ratio slid to 0.95 per cent from 1.95 per cent early this year.

Falling bad debts led to a sharp rise in the banks first half pre-tax profit, which touched VND335 billion ($14.8 million), three times as much as in the corresponding period of 2017.

NamA Bank is also the first bank reaching its full-year profit target, which was set at VND320 billion ($14.2 million).

By the end of June 2018, the total bad debts volume at BacA Bank amounted to VND436 billion ($19.3 million), making up 0.73 per cent of the banks total outstanding loan balance.

Its provisioning costs in the first six months shed 15 per cent on-year to VND210 billion ($9.3 million), leading to a 47 per cent jump in the banks total consolidated pre-tax profit which surpassed VND434 billion ($19.2 million), equal 47 per cent of the full-year target.

Also during the period, privately-held Kien Long Bank succeeded in tackling nearly VND150 billion of bad debts it had earlier sold to state-owned Vietnam Asset Management Company (VAMC). The bank had then posted VND121 billion ($5.4 million) in pre-tax profit, fulfilling 30 per cent of the years plan.

Apart from banks that saw positive developments in their bad debts, several other banks reported a worsening situation.

Bad debt volumes at VietBank rose sharply from VND387 billion ($17.1 million) early this year to VND547 billion ($24.2 million) by the end of June 2018. Its bad debt ratio rose from 1.35 to 1.73 per cent during the period.

A typical case of sharply rising bad debts among banks of modest size was Saigon Bank whose bad debts ratio surpassed 6 per cent at the end of June 2018, while the limit set by the state is 3 per cent.

Similarly, PG Bank saw a 12.9 per cent jump in its bad debts volume in the first half, which touched VND780 billion ($34.5 million) as of June 30, 2018.

Its bad debt ratio then inched up from 3.23 per cent earlier this year to 3.75 per cent by the end of the second quarter. PG Bank is in the process of merging with Ho Chi Minh Citys major commercial lender HD Bank in a deal which is expected to be wrapped up this year.

A typical case of sharply rising bad debts among banks of modest size was Saigon Bank whose bad debts ratio surpassed 6 per cent at the end of June 2018, while the limit set by the state is 3 per cent.

Since its establishment in October 2013 to the end of 2017, VAMC, dubbed as Vietnams bad debt bank, succeeded in recouping about VND81.5 trillion ($3.6 billion) of bad debts out of the VND307.9 trillion ($13.6 billion) total principal bad debt volume.

During the period, VAMC bought 26,221 debts of 16,269 customers of credit institutions.
CapitaLand acquired prime residential site in Ho Chi Minh City for $61 million

The site is located in one of the fastest developing areas of Ho Chi Minh CityDistrict 2with a total area of over 60,000 square metres. This is the 13th residential development of CapitaLand in Vietnam. The development is expected to yield more than 100 landed residential units, targeted for completion by 2021.

Lim Ming Yan, CapitaLands president and group CEO, said that the company was pleased to bag another highly coveted site in Vietnam, where its ninth residential development in the fast-growing District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City will be built.

Strong economic development, rapid urbanisation, and the rising affluence of its population continue to fuel demand for quality residential developments in the country.

CapitaLand has been seeing year-on-year growth in home sales in Vietnam, which are continually contributing to the groups earnings. As of June 30, 2018, 93 per cent of CapitaLands launched residential units in Vietnam have been sold.

We expect to hand over more than 30 per cent of the 2,680 units in Vietnam that have been sold in the second half of 2018, Yan added.

He added that this is CapitaLands third acquisition in August, as the company continues replenishing its land bank.

It is in line with our strategy to reconstitute our portfolio by deploying capital gain into higher yielding assets in high-growth markets such as Vietnam. CapitaLand will continue with our disciplined investment approach to build a sustainable residential pipeline, while ensuring an optimal mix between trading and investment properties, as well as a balanced allocation between emerging markets and developed markets, he added.

According to Chen Lian Pang, CEO of CapitaLand Vietnam, D2eight, the companys first landed residential development in Vietnam, was sold out within a day of its launch on April 8, 2018.

This demonstrates customers confidence in CapitaLands projects and underscores the robust demand for quality landed residential properties in the market, Pang said.

According to Savills Vietnam, landed property transactions dominated Ho Chi Minh Citys residential transactions with a high absorption rate of 66 per cent in the second quarter of 2018.

Vietnam is the third largest market for CapitaLand in Southeast Asia, after Singapore and Malaysia.

Earlier this year in March, CapitaLand announced a joint venture to develop a 0.9-hectare site in Tay Ho district in Hanoi to build an integrated development, catering to the needs for vibrant live-work-play spaces.

This latest acquisition will add to CapitaLands existing S$1.1 billion (approximately $806 million) portfolio in Vietnam, comprising of two integrated developments, close to 8,000 quality homes across 12 residential developments, two retail malls, and more than 4,800 serviced apartment units in 21 serviced residences across seven citiesHo Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Haiphong, Halong, Danang, Binh Duong, and Nha Trang.
Oversupply is putting growing pressures on cement consumption

Since the beginning of the year, cement and clinker consumption in the domestic market was growing modestly amidst an estimated oversupply of 30 million tonnes.

Figures from the Ministry of Construction show that 52.4 million tonnes of cement were sold in both the domestic and export markets in the first seven months of this year, a 27 per cent jump on-year and equal to 62.3 per cent of the annual projection.

Of this volume, 17.65 million tonnes of cement and clinker came from export, garnering $656.3 million in export value, up 63.2 per cent in volume and 73.4 per cent in value compared to the same period in 2017.

According to Nguyen Quang Cung, chairman of Vietnam Cement Association (VNCA), growth in cement consumption in the domestic market was very slow.

VNCA reports show that cement consumption in the domestic market was slowing down since 2015 until end of 2017.

Cung therefore anticipated a slight increase of about 3 per cent in cement consumption in the domestic market this year, against a rosier export prospect as several export markets, such as China and the Philippines, have increased cement import from Vietnam.

Not many cement makers can follow The Vissais example, as the company boasts its own international seaport and effective logistics services to ship products to southern and overseas markets.

A source from privately-held major cement producer The Vissai Group, which owns two cement factories in Ha Nam provinces Thanh Liem district with a combined capacity of three million tones, said they are facing mounting hardships in boosting sales.

It is extremely hard to sell products in Ha Nam or Ninh Binh due to the strong presence of cement factories. Our remedy is to boost sales in the southern market and increase exports, said Hoang Manh Truong, the companys chairman.

Not many cement makers can follow The Vissais example, as the company boasts its own international seaport and effective logistics services to ship products to southern and overseas markets.

As the cement oversupply is reaching a critical level, a raft of new cement production lines are expected to begin production after 2018, thus escalating pressures on cement consumption.

These include Song Lam Cements production lines 3 and 4 of The Vissai, with an annual capacity of 3.8 million tonnes, ThaiGroups Kaito Ha Tien Cement in Binh Phuoc province (4.5 million tones), and Tan Thang Cement at Hoang Mai Nghe An JSC (1.8 million tones).

In this context, VNCA proposes the government to loosen the pace of cement projects from now to 2025, while simultaneously focusing on raising product quality to mitigate pressures on the cement sector. This is an urgent need, Cung said.
Mekong Delta provinces face a risk of heavy floods in low-lying areas. - VNS Photo

The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, which said that water levels in the Mekong Delta are rising at alarming levels, has issued a warning level of 2 and 3.

On August 25 water levels rose to 3.86m at Tan Chau Station on the Tien River and at 3.38m at Chau Doc Station on the Hau River, but did not exceed the warning level 2.

However, by August 31, floods are expected to rise to 4.2m at Tan Chau Station and 3.7m at Chau Doc Station, surpassing the warning level 2 by 0.2m.

On September 5, water levels are forecast to peak at 4.15m at Tan Chau Station on the Tien River and 3.65m at Chau Doc Station, about 0.15m above the warning level 2.

This is expected to affect agricultural production and the livelihood of residents in low areas.

From September 12 to 14, the peak of flooding is predicted to reach 4.5m at Tan Chau Station and 4m at Chau Doc Station, reaching warning level 3.

This will cause serious flooding that threatens to destroy infrastructure and livelihood of local residents.

Meanwhile, downstream areas could reach warning levels of two and three, and some places surpassing level 3.

On Monday, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control issued an instruction on immediate response to mitigate possible losses and damage caused by heavy floods in the Mekong Delta region.

Accordingly, localities in the region must be prepared to deal with heavy floods, including ensuring safety for children and students.

Households that need to move to the concentrated area will be supported by local authorities.

Authorities have also been told to closely monitor changes in floods and rains, ensure information flow to local governments at all levels, adjust production schedules and warnings, and relocate people living in areas under threat of inundation and landslides.

Group patrols and guard forces must regularly check dyke systems, embankments, drainage and water systems, riverbanks and coastlines, especially in upstream areas.

Disaster prevention

Provinces in the delta are responding to natural disaster risks byensuring the safety of local residents and farm production.

An Giang and Kien Giang provinces, for example, have agreed to release water from two flood-regulating dams, Tha La and Tra Su, tomorrow, three days earlier than scheduled, according to Lu Cam Khuong, deputy director of An Giang Provinces Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The annual release of water from the dams will ensure safety for the dyke system and agricultural production activities downstream of both areas outside and inside the dyke.

On Tuesday, flood waters peaked at 3.95m at Tha La Dam and 3.99m at Tra Su Dam, exceeding the second warning level.

Meanwhile, water levels reached over 3.66m on Vinh Te Canal, threatening 700ha of autumn-winter rice in Tri Ton Districts Lac Quoi Commune. Tran Van Cuong, head of Tri Ton Districts Sub-department of Agriculture and Rural Development in An Giang Province, said the local authority had helped farmers in the district reinforce and upgrade a sewerage system to protect 150ha of rice yields.

On Saturday, local farmers said the drainage system beganleaking water caused by powerful floodwaters rising on Vinh Te Canal in Lac Quoi Communes Vinh Phu Hamlet.

Localities are mobilising all resources to reinforce sewage and drainage systems to protect people and property from rising floodwaters.

To minimise possible losses, farmers have been told to harvestcrops earlier than usual.

Tra Vinh Province is implementing 14 construction projects with total investment cost of more than VND1.7 trillion (US$73 million), according to the local Committee for Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue.

Of the figure, about VND647 billion ($28.8 million) will be used for erosion-prevention projects along riverbanks and the coast.

The projects include building dykes along the Co Chien River to protect the My Long Town residential area in Cau Ngang District, and anti-erosion works; planting mangrove forests to protect sea dykes in Hiep Thanh and Dan Thanh communes, Duyen Hai and Tra Cu districts, and Dinh An Town; and reinforcing dykes and embankments.

More than VND581 billion ($25 million) has been allocated to upgrade sea dykes and river dykes, while nearly VND189 billion ($8.1 million) will be used for the upgrade and expansion of Dinh An fishing port in Tra Cu District and to build safe shelters for fishing boats. The rest will be invested in two projects that aim to prevent saltwater incursion, and dredge and upgrade canal systems, increase the number of clean water-supply construction for local residents affected by severe drought and saline intrusion.

Kim Ngoc Thai, vice chairman of Tra Vinh Provinces Peoples Committee, said since the beginning of the year, high tides have damaged several roads in Tra Vinh City and Tieu Can Districts Tan Hung Commune.

The province has recorded dykes totalling a length of 1,300m and about 300sq.m of embankments damaged by high tides.

Additionally, heavy rains along with tornadoes have destroyed about 100 houses and numerous hectares of crops in the province.

In the first eight months of this year, total losses and economic damage caused by natural disasters reached over VND3 billion ($128,790), Thai said.

To minimise the loss, the province issued regulations against illegal encroachment on rivers, canals, and coastal areas and is planting more mangrove trees to cover riverbanks, sea dykes and coastlines.

It is also limiting the development of prawn farming along rivers or near dykes.

Local authorities are encouraging local residents to plant nipa palm trees and water hyacinth to create mud flats that could prevent landslides.
Vietnam can learn good lessons from other countries, which are successfully boosting a digital economy, Photo: Le Toan

The main hall of the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake was packed with several hundreds of people last Tuesday, who arrived as representatives of international organisations, embassies, and the media, as well as experts, to attend the ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship in the Fourth Industrial Revolution conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The event was focused on how Vietnam can develop its digital economy in the context of Industry 4.0, stressing the need for Vietnam and other ASEAN nations to take advantage of their IT potential to capitalise on opportunities offered by Industry 4.0. This conference was also the first in a series of events to be held ahead of the hallmark conference ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Hanoi during September 11-13, 2018.

Lessons from Indonesia

At the conference last Tuesday, Indonesian Ambassador to Vietnam Ibnu Hadi made an impression by talking about the way Indonesia welcomes Industry 4.0, a set of highly disruptive technologies including artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain, and 3D printing that are transforming social, economic, and political systems and putting pressure on leaders and policy-makers to respond.

Indonesia, with GDP exceeding $1 trillion last year, has a population of 265 million people, 132.7 million of whom use the internet, 177.9 million use smartphones, and 130 million are active social media users. With this great potential, we already have a roadmap for Indonesia 4.0, Hadi told VIR. In 2017, Indonesia began to remake itself with a view to turning itself into one of the 10 biggest economies by 2030.

The Indonesian government has selected five key sectors for the initial adoption of Industry 4.0, including food and beverage, textile and clothing, automotive, chemicals, and electronics. These sectors would need a very high level of digitalisation in the future, and they are the biggest contributors to the Indonesian economy, the ambassador said.

Currently, the Southeast Asian region has 10 unicorn startups with over $1 billion in valuation and e-commerce platform-based operations, including Go Jek, Traveloka, Tokopedia, Bukalapak, Grab, Lazada, Sea, Garena, Razer, and VNG. Four of these, namely Go Jek, Traveloka, Tokopedia, and Bukalapak, are from Indonesia.

Vietnam is on the right track towards creating a digital economy. It also has comparative advantages in the above-mentioned sectors, just like Indonesia. So if Vietnam exploits its great potential in internet coverage and smartphone usage, it will soon be able to develop itself into a digital economy, as Indonesia is doing, Ambassador Hadi said. Some of these firms have appeared in Vietnam, like Go Jek, Grab, Lazada, and Traveloka.

Currently, Indonesia is more or less in the same category as the five largest regional economies  Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Singapore is the most advanced. The difference is Indonesia is the largest economy, so the potential is relatively larger. That is why we have a larger number of the biggest unicorn startup companies, Hadi noted.

Potential

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications, as of late June 2018, Vietnam had about 136 million mobile phone subscribers  including 2G, 3G, and 4G services. Some 54.2 per cent of the countrys population use the internet. Notably, Viettel is planning to pilot its 5G service next year, which will be officially launched by 2020.

Vietnam ranked 89th globally in e-government development in 2016, and this rank can improve if the Vietnamese government manages to tap into the potential of internet usage.

The Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index conducted over more than 14,100 Vietnamese people late last year showed that 37.97 per cent of respondents have internet in their homes, up from 31.34 per cent in 2016. Nearly 92 per cent use the internet for up to five hours a day. Some 84.2 per cent read information on smartphones and personal computers, with nearly 58 per cent using smartphones.

Vietnam is striving for sustainable growth by improving the quality of growth and taking advantage of the opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to increase labour productivity and competitiveness and move higher up in the global value chain, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son told the conference.

Vietnam is working to become one of the worlds 10 biggest software and digital content outsourcing service nations, with about one million employees in the IT field by 2020, Son said. About 60 per cent of Vietnams population are under 35 years of age. They have quick access to new technology and about 55 per cent of the population use the internet.

According to Tran Dinh Thien, former director of the Vietnam Economics Research Institute, these are great foundations for Vietnam to build a digital economy. Vietnam has many opportunities in Industry 4.0. However, the problem now is applying the lessons from the region, such as Indonesia and Singapore, to Vietnam and integrating data among ministries, agencies, sectors, and individuals into one integrated and shared system, Thien said.

Tapping into the potential

According to Dennis Brunetti, president of EuroCham Vietnam, which represents over 1,000 European firms in the country, to fully reach its potential, Vietnam needs to invest more heavily into education and training.

The government and universities should cement their co-operation to produce sufficient qualified human resources for the country, Brunetti said. I think Vietnam will have a brighter future if it can take advantage of opportunities arising from Industry 4.0.

Nguyen Trong Nghia, deputy CEO of state-owned VNPT-IT, noted that the government is now beginning to develop policies related to digitalisation, and VNPT is supporting the government on this path. We have signed 20 deals with cities and provinces nationwide to develop smart cities, Nghia said. By 2020, we will have to recruit about 5,000 IT engineers, but this will be difficult as there is already a shortage of them, Nghia said.

Meanwhile, Ambasador Hadi underlined that Indonesia spent a great deal of money on human resources training to meet the requirements of Industry 4.0.

With improvements in education and training services, the Indonesian e-commerce market has been strongly developing in many sectors, such as fashion and beauty ($2.47 billion), electronics and physical media ($1.27 billion), travel-accommodation ($2.42 billion), furniture and appliances ($1.29 billion), and toys and hobbies ($1.44 billion).

The five main technologies to support the development of Industry 4.0 are the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, human-machine interfaces, robotics and sensor technology, and 3D printing, Hadi said. Vietnam can also learn from this experience to develop its digital economy.
Locals spend billions on realty abroad - illustration photo, AFP Photo/FREDERIC J. BROWN

According to the US National Association of Realtors (NAR), this recently-released number propelled Vietnam into the top 10 of countries with buyers in US real estate during this one-year period.

According to Pham Do Chung Thuy, vice president and country treasurer of Bangkok Bank, the Vietnamese government has not outright banned transferring money abroad to buy homes, while detailed guidelines on how to transfer have not been released either.

This is one of the challenges for buyers and bankers when they are involved in any case of money being transferred to buy property abroad, Thuy said. According to her, a deal to buy property abroad is seen as an investment abroad and thus regulated by the Law on Investment, under which companies and individuals are permitted to set up an investment abroad. Bangkok Bank and other banks are using this law to support buyers.

Despite the foreseen risks of buying homes abroad, many Vietnamese people are still paying millions of dollars to buy homes in their dream countries such as the US and UK. For them, it frequently carries the purpose of a residence in addition to the purpose of an additional investment or having an accommodation for their children when they move abroad for education.

Lieu Nguyen, NAR presidents liaison to Vietnam, commented that there are ample business opportunities both with Vietnam and Vietnamese homebuyers in the US.

Many Vietnamese people are currently investing in the San Francisco Bay area, southern California or Texas, because there are large Vietnamese communities in these locations, said Nguyen.

Not only the US, but also properties in the region, including Thailand, are attracting rich Vietnamese homebuyers. This has prompted many foreign developers to take roadshows to Vietnam to introduce their projects to local buyers.

Just last week, Thailand-based Sansiri expanded its business to the Vietnamese market by announcing an exclusive strategic partnership with Denzell to sell their properties in Thailand to Vietnamese home-buyers.

Via Denzell, Sansiri will allow Vietnam-based clients to invest in international real estate and to easily gain access to Sansiris prominent projects in the most attractive destinations of Thailand such as Hua Hin, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok.

According to Apichart Chutrakul, CEO of Sansiri, Vietnam is one of the most attractive overseas markets for international business. With the rise of interest in Thai properties in the Asia Pacific region and the partnership with Denzell Vietnam, we want to build up and provide a good portfolio of projects to Vietnamese buyers, Chutrakul said.

The demand for homes in Vietnam is increasing, because the country now boasts the fastest-growing ultra-rich population in the world. Recent government efforts to equitise many state-owned enterprises, rapidly growing private equity investments, a 7.38 per cent year-on-year increase in GDP in the first quarter of 2018, and the presence of a range of large-scale companies like Samsung and Warburg Pincus also do their part to increase the demand, he added.

According to Kingston Lai, CEO of Denzell Vietnam, Thailand is now considered a better option to invest due to fewer taxes, average prices starting from VND3 billion ($132,743), and great rental yields at 6 per cent per annum in Bangkoks city centre and at 7-8 per cent per annum in holiday resort areas.

Sherri Anne Choo, a representative of Berkeley Group, told VIR on a recent trip to introduce London properties to Vietnamese home-buyers that the company is seeing stronger interest from Vietnam, especially from parents who wish to send their children to London for education and are looking to invest in properties at the same time.

This is the main customer group for us. In Ho Chi Minh City, we are observing younger investors looking for properties with the goal of investment in capital growth and rental yields, and London offers a stable asset, Choo said.

We have brought along projects that have been successful for us so far due to their excellent location, especially their proximity to schools, good transport links, and safe neighbourhoods with convenient amenities that also present an investment opportunity. These are the most important factors for our Vietnamese clients, Choo added.
Thai investors are behind some of the largest recent deal in renewable energy

Most recently, B. Grimm Power Plc., through its subsidiary B Grimm Renewable Power 2 Ltd., has completed the $35.2 million acquisition of its solar photovoltaic power project in Vietnam as part of the expansion of its portfolio of overseas renewable power projects.

Notably, B. Grimm bought an 80 per cent stake in Phu Yen TTP JSC, the project company investing and developing a 257MW PV scheme in the south central coastal province of Phu Yen.

The remaining part of the project will be developed by Truong Thanh Vietnam Group JSC (TTVN).

The above deal is part of SET-listed B. Grimm's rapid expansion of power generation equity in Thailand and overseas.

At the same time, TTVN Group completed the sale of 80 per cent stake in the Binh Nguyen solar power project in Quang Ngai to Sermsamg International Co., Ltd. for $17.6 million.

Vietnam currently has a wind power capacity of 140MW, with a goal to reach 6,000MW by 2030, according to government data.

Also in June, the firm partnered up with one of the largest Vietnamese conglomerates, Xuan Cau Group, to develop the biggest solar power plant in Southeast Asia with the combined capacity of 420MW.

These deals are some of the most recent outstanding transactions conducted by Thai investors in the renewable energy sector.

Earlier in April, Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited, the third largest energy producer in Thailand, announced the plan to establish a joint venture with a domestic firm to develop a solar farm in Tay Ninh province with a 51 per cent stake owned by Gulf.

According to the plan, the project will have the total investment capital of $66 million. The construction is expected to be kicked off in June this year and will start to generate power in June 2019 with the capacity of 48MW.

With 2,400 hours of sunshine per year, Tay Ninh is considered an ideal destination for solar farm investors.

Regarding the wind farm sector, in February, Thailands largest solar energy company Superblock Pcl. plans to invest $1.76 billion to install 700MW of wind farms in Vietnam.

The first phase of the investment will cost about $650 million and consist of three near-shore farms with 142MW of capacity in Bac Lieu, 98MW in Soc Trang, and 100MW in Ca Mau province, all in southern Vietnam.

The second phase (360MW) will also be built in these three provinces and construction will begin when the first phase is concluded.

Jormsup Lochaya, chairman of Superblock Pcl., said that the construction of these projects has already begun and expects the sites to be operational by 2020.

"The Feed-in-Tariff the Vietnamese government pays foreign investors is at $9.35 for solar and $9.80 for wind farms, which are very good rates," Jormsup said, adding that his company also planned to invest more in renewable projects in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan, with the aim of becoming a regional player.

However, to date, the investor has yet to issue further information on the projects.
The Vinalines initial public offering (IPO) on September 5 is just around the corner. What investment opportunities are there for investors?

Vinalines will auction off more than 488.8 million shares or 34.8 per cent of its stake on September 5, thus reducing the state holding to 65 per cent. As shareholders of Vinalines  the countrys largest ship-owner, largest port operator, and leading logistics services provider  investors will share the ownership of the biggest closed-value chain of seaports, shipping, and logistics services in the country.

In 2017, shipping made up 42 per cent of Vinalines total revenue, while ports and logistics accounted for 28.7 and 29.3 per cent, respectively.

Regarding debts, the companys long-term debts were reduced from VND3.07 trillion ($135.84 million) in 2015 to VND1.6 trillion ($70.79 million) in 2017, while its equity rose from VND10.37 trillion ($458.84 million) to VND12.5 trillion ($553.09 million) over the same period, thus reducing the long-term debt/equity ratio from 30 to 13 per cent.

Business performance is improving, with net revenue and pre-tax profit forecast to hit VND505 billion ($22.35 million) and VND180 billion ($1.96 million), respectively, in the second half of 2018. The figures will be raised to VND1.05 trillion ($46.37 million) and VND222 billion ($9.8 million), respectively, in 2019.

Vinalines enjoys favourable market conditions as Vietnams trade volume is forecast to continue growing in the coming years from 299 million tonnes to 842 million tonnes by 2030, while the domestic cargo volume is also projected to ascend to 115.5 million by 2020 from 72 million tonnes in 2016.

What is more, the enforcement of upcoming free trade agreements will drive imports and exports of seafood, farm produce, textile and garment, and rice between Vietnam and international markets. With these advantages, investors who invest in Vinalines shares with par value of VND10,000 ($0.44) per share now will make huge profits in the future.

Many forecasts show that there is a possibility that Vinalines could join the string of companies that recently failed with their IPOs after the collapse of the strategic stake sale. How are you planning to avoid this?

The failure of the strategic state stake sale in early August raised doubts about the attractiveness of Vinalines. We could not find a strategic investor because of the time limitations required by legal documents. Potential investors did not have enough time for due diligence and decision-making.

In recent days, many more powerful domestic and international groups, including SK Group, SK Shipping, SK Securities, and many others, showed their interest in the IPO. We worked with many of them. Besides, logistics and seaports remain among the most attractive industries to foreign investors. Vinalines is a springboard for any investors who want to expand to and in Vietnam, as well as go international.

Vinalines now still holds stake in a number of loss-making units. What is the giants divestment plan?

We will divest stakes in 18 member companies, nine of which will be totally divested. These nine are Vitranschart, Tin Nghia Industrial Park Development JSC, Petec, Sesco, Inlaco Haiphong, Haiphong Maritime Investment and Trading JSC, Dong Do Marine, OSTC (previously named NOSCO), and Vinalines Nha Trang. We will cut our holding in nine others, namely VOSCO (from 51 to 49 per cent), Vinaship (from 51 to 36 per cent), Haiphong Port (from 92.56 to 65 per cent), Danang Port (from 75 to 65 per cent), Can Tho Port (from 99.05 to 51 per cent), Cam Ranh JSC (from 80.9 to 51 per cent), Cai Lan Port (from 56.58 to 51 per cent), Transvina (from 56 to 51 per cent), and Khuyen Luong Port (from 49 to 36 per cent).

What are the groups investment plans to cash in on the future growth of international trade?

Vinalines is planning to invest in deep seaport development. In the north, we aim to develop six container and general terminals at Lach Huyen International Gateway Seaport. In particular, we are waiting for the governments approval to build berths 3 and 4 and will co-operate with our partners to develop a grain handling port. In central Vietnam, we will also invest in eight container terminals, five general berths, and four others for oil tankers at Lien Chieu Seaport in Danang. In southern Vietnam, we will develop two more wharves at Vinalines Hau Giang General Port.

In logistics, Vinalines will develop ICDs and logistics centres in Lach Huyen-Haiphong, Danang, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Hau Giang with an area of 10-30 hectares each. We will develop an integrated supply chain to create added value for our customers. For shipping, we will develop a fleet with a total load of 1.1 million deepwater tonnage, with container vessels making up 13 per cent.

By 2020, we aim to maintain our leading position in the Vietnamese maritime industry and become a famous brand in the region by 2030.
What reason would a for-profit company have to shelve a feature film starring Timothee Chalamet, Selena Gomez, Rebecca Hall, Jude Law, and Elle Fanning...aside from the fact that the director is Woody Allen, long-accused of having sexually abused his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow (but not the one he married)? While Amazon Studios isn't saying as much, they have nonetheless decided not to release A Rainy Day in New York, Allen's latest film which they reportedly bought for $25 million.

Page Six reports that the film "may never be released," noting it was slated to come out this year. However, they note that Amazon is now saying, "No release date has ever been set for the film."

As The Cut points out, "filming wrapped last fall, before the post-Weinstein reckoning refocused the publics attention on Allens alleged history of abuse."

That was followed with the stars of the film speaking out. Chalamet even declared: "I dont want to profit from my work on the film, and to that end, I am going to donate my entire salary to three charities: Time's Up, the LGBT Center in New York and RAINN." Hall, who previously starred in Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona, donated her salary to Times Up.

The movie, by the way, reportedly contains scenes depicting a 44-year-old man (played by Jude Law) having sex with an underaged girl, a 15-year-old played by Ellie Fanning.

Allen entered a deal with Amazon Studios via former head Roy Price, who resigned last October after being accused of sexual harassment by a producer. As The Atlantic noted earlier this year, Allen is "still on the hook for three more films" (if they don't sever the deal). According to his IMDB, there is one untitled project in the works for 2020, although Page Six reported Allen has yet to secure financing for that project.

We've reached out to Amazon Studios for further comment, and will update if we hear back.
Mister President,

The crimes of 11 September 2001 have never been judged in your country. I am writing to you as a French citizen, the first person to denounce the inconsistencies of the official version and to open the world to the debate and the search for the real perpetrators.

In a criminal court, as the jury, we have to determine whether the suspect presented to us is guilty or not, and eventually, to decide what punishment he should receive. When we suffered the events of 9/11, the Bush Junior administration told us that the guilty party was Al-Qaida, and the punishment they should receive was the overthrow of those who had helped them  the Afghan Taliban, then the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.

However, there is a weight of evidence which attests to the impossibility of this thesis. If we were members of a jury, we would have to declare objectively that the Taliban and the regime of Saddam Hussein were innocent of this crime. Of course, this alone would not enable us to name the real culprits, and we would thus be frustrated. But we could not conceive of condemning parties innocent of such a crime simply because we have not known how, or not been able, to find the guilty parties.

We all understood that certain senior personalities were lying when the Secretary of State for Justice and Director of the FBI, Robert Mueller, revealed the names of the 19 presumed hijackers, because we already had in front of us the lists disclosed by the airline companies of all of the passengers embarked - lists on which none of the suspects were mentioned.

From there, we became suspicious of the  Continuity of Government , the instance tasked with taking over from the elected authorities if they should be killed during a nuclear confrontation. We advanced the hypothesis that these attacks masked a coup detat, in conformity with Edward Luttwaks method of maintaining the appearance of the Executive, but imposing a different policy.

In the days following 9/11, the Bush administration made several decisions:

 the creation of the Office of Homeland Security and the vote for a voluminous anti-terrorist Code which had been drawn up long beforehand, the USA Patriot Act. For affairs which the administration itself qualifies as  terrorist , this text suspends the Bill of Rights which was the glory of your country. It unbalances your institutions. Two centuries later, it validates the triumph of the great landowners who wrote the Constitution, and the defeat of the heroes of the War of Independence who demanded that the Bill of Rights must be added.

 The Secretary for Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, created the Office of Force Transformation, under the command of Admiral Arthur Cebrowski, who immediately presented a programme, conceived a long time earlier, planning for the control of access to the natural resources of the countries of the geopolitical South. He demanded the destruction of State and social structures in the half of the world which was not yet globalised. Simultaneously, the Director of the CIA launched the  Worldwide Attack Matrix , a package of secret operations in 85 countries where Rumsfeld and Cebrowski intended to destroy the State structures. Considering that only those countries whose economies were globalised would remain stable, and that the others would be destroyed, the men from 9/11 placed US armed forces in the service of transnational financial interests. They betrayed your country and transformed it into the armed wing of these predators.

For the last 17 years, we have witnessed what is being given to your compatriots by the government of the successors of those who drew up the Constitution and opposed at that time - without success  the Bill of Rights. These rich men have become the super-rich, while the middle class has been reduced by a fifth and poverty has increased.

We have also seen the implementation of the Rumsfeld-Cebrowski strategy  phoney  civil wars  have devastated almost all of the Greater Middle East. Entire cities have been wiped from the map, from Afghanistan to Libya, via Saudi Arabia and Turkey, who were not themselves at war.

In 2001, only two US citizens denounced the incoherence of the Bush version, two real estate promoters  the Democrat Jimmy Walter, who was forced into exile, and yourself, who entered into politics and was elected President.

In 2011, we saw the commander of AfriCom relieved of his mission and replaced by NATO for having refused to support Al-Qaida in the liquidation of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Then we saw NATOs LandCom organise Western support for jihadists in general and Al-Qaida in particular in their attempt to overthrow the Syrian Arab Republic.

So the jihadists, who were considered as  freedom fighters  against the Soviets, then as  terrorists  after 9/11, once again became the allies of the deep state, which, in fact, they have always been.

So, with an immense upsurge of hope, we have watched your actions to suppress, one by one, all support for the jihadists. It is with the same hope that we see today that you are talking with your Russian counterpart in order to bring back life to the devastated Middle East. And it is with equal anxiety that we see Robert Mueller, now a special prosecutor, pursuing the destruction of your homeland by attacking your position.

Mister President, not only are you and your compatriots suffering from the diarchy which has sneaked into power in your country since the coup detat of 11 September 2001, but the whole world is a victim.

Mister President, 9/11 is not ancient history. It is the triumph of transnational interests which are crushing not only your people, but all of humanity which aspires to freedom.
Chris Netflixworth. Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images

If you cannot be bothered to leave your house to see Chris Hemsworths giant muscles in a movie theater, do not fear, for Chris Hemsworths giant muscles are coming to a relatively smaller screen near you. Per Deadline, Chris Hemsworth is making a Netflix movie that is sadly not a rom-com like the best Netflix movies but is about Chris Hemsworth extracting a kidnapped Indian boy while playing a man whos physically brave but an emotional coward. Titled Dhaka, directed by former Chris Evans stunt double and Marvel movie stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave, written by Joe Russo, and produced by him and his brother Anthony Russo, the movie will shoot in Thailand and India, because you can do that with Netflix money.
Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

In late June, New York governor Andrew Cuomo quietly ordered the suspension of an ongoing investigation into whether the Manhattan District Attorneys office had mishandled sexual-assault allegations made against Harvey Weinstein in March of 2015. As it turns out, this decision came just a few days after Weinsteins former lawyers firm donated $25,000 to Cuomos reelection campaign, according to an illuminating new report.

According to the report, which was published on Capital & Main, Cuomos campaign received a $25,000 donation from Weinsteins former laywer David Boiess firm on June 20. On June 26, Cuomo ordered the investigation into the DAs handling of the Weinstein case to be halted for six months  an investigation, notably, that stemmed from the fact that Boies had donated $10,000 to District Attorney Cy Vancebefore Vances office dropped the Weinstein case. (Per a letter obtained by Page Six, Cuomos justification for halting the probe was that it could potentially obstruct the criminal case against Weinstein.)

A spokesperson for Boies, Schiller & Flexner also denied any sort of arrangement between the governor and Boies, telling Capital & Main in a statement that, since 2009, the law firm has donated more than $245,000 to Cuomos gubernatorial campaigns.

Neither Mr. Boies, nor anyone from his firm, ever discussed Harvey Weinstein or Mr. Vance with Mr. Cuomo, or anyone from his office, at any time, the spokesperson said. Mr. Boies is a longtime supporter of Mr. Cuomo and his contribution in June was consistent with his contributions to Mr. Cuomo over years past.

Update, August 30: In a statement to the Cut, Cuomos press secretary Dani Lever argued that no contribution of any size influences any government action.

The reported story about a recent contribution from David Boies firm to Governor Cuomo is completely irrelevant to any pending Attorney Generals investigation or prosecution because Boies stopped representing Harvey Weinstein as early as November of 2017, she said.
Photo: Eric Fougere - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

French actor Gerard Depardieu has been accused of rape and sexual assault by a 22-year-old actress and dancer, the BBC reports.

The actress filed a formal complaint with French police on Monday, alleging she was sexually assaulted by Depardieu, a 69-year-old icon in the French film industry, according to French radio. A lawyer for Depardieu told AFP that the actor absolutely denies any attack, any rape.

Le Parisien reports the actress told police she had been assaulted by the actor twice this month at Depardieus home in Paris. In both instances  which allegedly took place, respectively, on August 7 and 13  the actress had reportedly been at Depardieus residence for an informal rehearsal of a play. The actress had also reportedly been receiving professional advice from Depardieu.

According to the BBC, the unnamed actress initially made a statement to police in Lambesc, southern France, and the case was then passed to prosecutors in Paris.

This is a developing story. We will update as more information becomes available.
Bring on My Brilliant Friend: HBO has released the first teaser for its Elena Ferrante adaptation, due in November. Directed by Saverio Costanzo, the eight-episode series follows the friendship of Elena Greco and Raffaella Lila Cerullo. The girls meet as primary-school students in 1950, and the teaser shows them running around their Italian neighborhood and causing a ruckus. Child actors Elisa Del Genio and Ludovica Nasti were chosen for the lead roles out of the almost 9,000 children who auditioned. The HBO show maintains the books Neapolitan dialect, and adds English subtitles.

Related
Photo: Jan Thijs/Amazon Prime Video

In the first episode of Jack Ryan, theres a moment when its easy to buy that this really is a Tom Clancy story. Ryan, played in this Amazon series by John Krasinski, is at a fancy-pants party that he didnt want to attend. Hes accosted by his former Wall Street boss and asked, with all the subtlety of a falling anvil, to sell out the government by revealing inside information about the current political strategy toward North Korea. Polite but firm, Ryan demurs. Frustrated now and not sure how to entertain himself at this boring party, Ryan then turns his attention to an attractive woman, Cathy (Abbie Cornish), who also happens to be his ex-bosss daughter. With a promising pickup in motion, a glint of Krasinskis earlier role as Jim from The Office flickers across his face. Hes pleased with himself. Then every party guest turns to the horizon, where a helicopter comes swooping out of the sky and lands dramatically on the lawn. Military personnel leap out, sprinting to tell Jack Ryan that he has to go  hes needed in Yemen. Before being pulled away, he turns back to Cathy. I dunno, maybe I could ? he tries, apologetically, as the helicopter pilot cuts him off: Sir, we have to go. He cannot finish his thought. Duty calls.

In that scene, at that small moment, Krasinski is Jack Ryan. Hes the CIA analyst of legend, the character from Clancys novels who claims to be just a pencil pusher, but who invariably finds himself on a plane wearing a flak jacket. Hes the guy who, in earlier feature-length incarnations, was played by Harrison Ford, wearing rolled-up shirtsleeves and a grim smile. That Jack Ryan often seemed a little embarrassed by the fact that hed been put in this position. Fords off-center smile in that role communicated how much hed really rather have just stayed at home if he could. But, dammit, as long as Jack Ryan had to be here, he was going to do the thing right.

That version seems like a throwback figure of militaristic, white hypermasculinity thats overdue for reconsideration, but I still wish there were more of Fords take on the character in this series. When Ryan does show some personality here, often in the scattered, small romance scenes with Cathy, hes appealing. He has hints of self-deprecation and comic timing. In that scene with the surprise helicopter, hes almost even amused by the spectacle hes created. But in too many other places, hes a blank, a furrowed brow, a silent grimness with no hint of an accompanying crooked smile.

Some of that stems from how the character is written. Ryan is a man of few words, and he tends to get straight to the point. But the central sketchiness of Jack Ryan is because theres just much less of him than youd expect in a show called Jack Ryan. Huge chunks of the series are spent with other characters: with the Big Bad, Mousa bin Suleiman (Ali Suliman); with Suleimans wife, Hanin (Dina Shihabi), whos uncomfortable with her husbands radicalism; with Suleimans brother, Ali (Haaz Sleiman); and with a U.S. drone pilot named Victor (John Magaro). In many cases, that distance is a good thing  Jack Ryan devotes a lot of time to trying to contextualize Ryans anti-terrorism raison detre inside a global picture of terrorism and its causes. Suleimans vendetta against the West is motivated by trauma he experienced in childhood thanks to United States intervention in the Middle East; hes not evil for evils sake. Modern warfare, especially the ethics and collateral damage of the U.S. drone program, keep the shows world from tilting too far in the direction of pure jingoism.

In the first six episodes made available for critics, though, the tricky things  like Suleimans legitimate grievances against the West, or drone pilot Victors immense reticence about his role in ending human life from a bunker thousands of miles away  touch Jack Ryans life very little. The world may be messy, and in the grand scheme of things, there may be nuance and history and moral uncertainties. But Jack Ryan doesnt linger on those details to create shadow or depth in its protagonist. The show gestures at ambiguity, and at the edges of its map, the borders between righteousness and zealotry get thinner and less clear. In the center, though, at the axis around which everything spins, the math is simpler. Jack Ryan: good. Terrorists: bad.

If Jack Ryan spent more time shading in Ryans personal world, there might be more chance for the character to feel three-dimensional. It couldve made his affection for Cathy into something more than an obligatory demonstration of heterosexuality, or turned his relationship with his boss James Greer (Wendell Pierce) into something more complex than surface-level, gruff male respect. I hope that Pierces Greer gets even more time in later episodes because his character  a man recently demoted from a higher post, an American military official who converted to Islam in adulthood  is one of the most interesting of the main cast, and Pierces performance is the one that most draws your attention.

Krasinski does perform the action bits well, which is good because there are many of them. In Jack Ryans world, threat is a thing full of grenades and poison gas and more grenades and bullets and maybe a terrible biological weapon, and did I mention the grenades? The show is designed around a particular vision of terrorists and terrorism, and its one that betrays a distinct, unwavering, slightly retrograde worldview of what constitutes a foreign threat to the United States. Its uninterested by Russian hackers trying to dismantle American democracy, or leaked state secrets that escalate into a damaging global trade war. This Jack Ryan is here to stop the next 9/11. We know this because he mentions 9/11 several times in the first episode.

More than anything else, what struck me about Jack Ryan is how much of it is built on a worldview defined by what Ryan fears. No one else sees what a danger Suleiman poses, until he forces them to. Hes worried that a bombing may happen at any moment, and usually, his fear is validated. Its a worldview I understand: Its hard not to see the appeal of a show about a world full of terrifying things thats also ready-stocked with a man like Jack Ryan, whose mere presence is a promise that the scary thing will be neutralized. But its exhausting to live in that world all the time. I wish Jack Ryan were less focused on the fear, and more of it could be like that one glorious moment when a helicopter materializes out of nowhere and gives Ryan the chance to be debonair. If Jack Ryan is the white male superhero we must rely on to save the world, itd be nice to know him a little better. Itd be nice to spend less time stuck inside his inescapable dread.
Oscar Isaac and Nick Kroll in Operation Finale. Photo: Credit: Valeria Florini / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures

The title of Operation Finale denotes the Mossads celebrated mission of 1960, when a team of Israeli agents slipped into Argentina to capture Adolf Eichmann, the so-called architect of the Nazis Final Solution. The hard part wasnt kidnapping him (a good German, he was described as metronomical in his habits) but smuggling him out of the country before Fascist-leaning Argentineans and/or Eichmanns Nazi compadres could stop them. And Eichmann was a slippery fellow. Although Hannah Arendt coined the phrase the banality of evil to describe this nondescript man who claimed only to be following orders, Eichmann was an extraordinary psychopath. After making it logistically possible to poison and/or incinerate millions of enemies of the Reich, he used his wiles to wriggle out of the Allies grasp and start a family in South America. He was as un-banal as they come.

His discovery and kidnapping is a great story, and you can read all about it in Neal Bascombs gripping Hunting Eichmann (long subtitle: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the Worlds Most Notorious Nazi). Read it in lieu of seeing the sluggish, un-gripping Operation Finale. It opens with the German-born Israeli Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac, who co-produced) gumming up a 1954 attempt to capture Eichmann, after which he becomes Gods Loneliest Man, haunted by a woman we learn is his sister. She was either hung or machine-gunned, depending on whose memory were watching. Let me backtrack.

Eichmann (Ben Kingsley) also has visions, and its unclear how the woman in his fantasy connects with Malkins sister, if at all. Theres a problem when you cant keep ghosts of Holocaust victims straight.

The pacing is off from the first scenes, thick with exposition but skimpy on clarity. An Argentine girl, Sylvia (Haley Lu Richardson), who is either part or all Jewish but keeps that under wraps catches the eye of a blond Aryan (Joe Alwyn), who turns out to be Eichmanns son, Klaus. On their first date, he meets her father (Peter Strauss, of network mini-series fame), who, though blind, susses out that Adolf Eichmann is in the hood. Perhaps its Klauss name that clues him in, or the part where Klaus says his uncle thinks Jews pop up like mushrooms. On their second date, Klaus brings Sylvia to a Nazi rally, from which she runs weeping. Klaus wonders, Could she be Jewish? Sylvia confirms the man with whom Klaus lives is not his uncle when Klaus says father. The master race, ladies and gentlemen.

Meanwhile, in Israel, Malkin attempts to enlist the help of his ex-girlfriend, Hanna (Melanie Laurent), a doctor who lost a patient on the last Mossad mission to kidnap an ex-Nazi. I took a Hippocratic oath, she tells him. This is Eichmann, he responds. A fellow agent warns Hanna that Malkin will let her down: You know he lets everyone down. But Hanna does come along, if only to keep Malkin in her sights. Simon Russell Beale toddles in as David Ben-Gurion to remind the team of the momentousness of their task. They fly to Argentina via different airports, shown in a graphic I couldnt begin to follow  and who cares? The Israelis have a training montage. Malkin sits with Hanna, gazing into the Argentine night. I saw [Eichmann] with his son, he says. Beautiful little boy. Watching the trains go by. Hanna says, Were going to get him, an oddly inapt response. She plainly needs to retake the Hippocratic Oath.

The director of Operation Finale is Chris Weitz, who did beautifully with the comedy About a Boy (which was also deftly narrated) and then inexplicably moved on to movies like The Golden Compass (a nonstarter) and the second Twilight dirge. Here, working with Matthew Ortons muddy script, he never finds a pulse  amazing given this particular story as well as Alexandre Desplats score, which is thunderous with the odd plink for texture. Orton likely cribbed the idea from Argo of adding a chase to the runway and last-second takeoff, but theres no snap to it. Weitz doesnt have Ben Afflecks shamelessness  or his talent for ratcheting up the stakes.

The fleeting good moments in Operation Finale come from a few of the actors. Greg Hill has a seething presence as the agent whod like to finish off Eichmann on the spot. Nick Kroll is very entertaining as the Mossad coordinator on the ground, not for anything specific he does but because he comes with his own energy cell. Hes alive onscreen. As for Sir Ben, well, no one would mistake the half-Indian actor for Aryan, but hes a credibly smug bastard. In his best scene, he accepts bits of food from Isaacs Malkin while blindfolded, opening his mouth like a bird and chewing exaggeratedly, as if mocking his captor. And his eyes flash with pleasure when he stops pretending he was a cog in the machine and lets his pride in killing his countrys enemies shine through. But most of the time you cant tell if youre seeing Eichmanns eccentricities or Kingsley doing a sort of Nazi Hannibal Lecter  the banality of ham.
Apparently we are still taking about Dorindas drinking problem or lack thereof and the women still are not understanding what the argument is fundamentally about. Ramona says, If Luann said youre drinking too much  but that is not what Luann said. She didnt say anything about the amount or frequency of Dorindas drinking. She said, Youre turning. This was never about Luann lecturing Dorinda about drinking too much because Luann found sobriety; this was always about Luann trying to correct Dorindas behavior.

Dorinda tries to say that she wasnt drunk during that exchange at dinner in Cartagena, but I do not believe that. I also do not believe that Dorinda doesnt take pictures of things with her iPad, because of course she does. Regardless, she was behaving like a jerk, much like she behaved like a jerk when she sliced her hand open and yelled at Bethenny in Mexico, much like she behaved like a jerk when she was screaming, Clip! in a crowded restaurant in the middle of the day. Even if Dorinda got drunk like that once a year, I wouldnt want to be around it because Dorinda sometimes turns into a vicious animal after shes been drinking. Thats what Luann was talking about and, regardless of whether or not she has a problem, she needs to address how she treats others.

Sonja Tremont Morgan of the Mount Gay Rum Morgans summed it up perfectly when Dorinda told her she cant say anything because shes always drunk: Yeah, but I dont get drunk and insult my friends vaginas. Exactly, Sonja. Thank you. She gets drunk way too often, but Sonja only makes a fool of herself. If shes going to insult someones vagina, its going to be her own. She is like a Tasmanian Devil when shes drunk, but when she finally stops spinning you realize that shes completely naked and hasnt been to the waxer in at least six months. Sure she inconveniences her friends by getting sloppy, but at least she never screams at them and insults them. She is the kind of drunk I dont mind being around.

The craziest part of all though is that Dorinda wont take credit or responsibility for any of it. She doesnt see either her drinking or her bad behavior as a problem and continues to excuse it. If I were her friend in this situation, I would need her to cop to at least one of them so that we could move forward.

Speaking of drinking, the topic then shifted to Luann. Do we really need to see her clip package? Do we really need to talk about her journey when she wasnt even there to elaborate on it or defend herself? Couldnt we have just cut this all out and made this two episodes? Hmmm? I guess not.

We did get some good information from Bethenny about Luann. We learned that Bethenny essentially had an intervention with her and a few other people after Bethenny gave her boyfriend at the time, Dennis Shields, Luanns case. Anyone who follows the Housewives closely knows that Dennis has since died of an overdose. That is why the New York ladies need to be filmed all the time. Theyre always only a millimeter away from catastrophe. I was ready to hear that Sonjas new apartment was inside that hot dog cart swarming with bees.

Andy told us a bit about the lawsuit filed by Luanns kids and Bethenny told us that it was a catalyst both to her drinking and to her going to rehab (possibly just to miss this inquisition at the reunion). For a change, this reunion actually filled in some of the gaps behind the scenes that we had been lacking. My favorite new bit of info comes from Ramona, who says that she told Luann some awful things about her ex Tom last year during their Mexico trip. It was the same night Luann got so drunk she fell into the bushes  possibly because she was trying to forget all about her ex.

The other stunning revelation was that the arrest itself might have led to Luann being back in rehab. Both Bethenny, her current bestie; and Dorinda, her current enemy, say that she was feeling herself a little bit after the success of her cabaret show. She let her ego go out of control because she felt like her trouble with the law made her even more famous. I never thought of that and, while it seems a little bit backwards, I can totally appreciate as Dorinda says that she confused fame with infamy. Dorinda ends by saying that maybe Luann should get her very own reunion special. Andy replies, I look forward to that, as if she didnt get one already last year when she divorced Tom immediately after the filming of the reunion. See, people. We need year-round coverage.

The final event of the night was that Tinsley spoke. Haha. Just kidding. She didnt say anything at all, even when the conversation was about her. The last big fight was between Carole and Bethenny. I spent most of this season being #TeamCarole because weve seen Bethenny treat people like crap for a decade on this show. (Well, maybe not a decade, but at least the past five years.) She displayed it when she asked Carole for an example of how she was bullied and then Bethenny kept trying to get the last word saying, Okay, go ahead  Okay, go ahead, every time Carole was trying to talk. She really wouldnt let her express herself, when last episode she got all upset when Carole tried to interject on her.

However I am not #TeamCarole anymore. Im not #TeamBethenny either. Im #TeamNoOne. I am #TeamMakeItStop. Just as Andy said, and the producers pulled out the montage to prove, both of these women trashed each other the entire season. Yes, they were supportive to each others faces, but by the time the sit-down interviews were filmed, the gloves were off. Then, once they saw those interviews, the gnawing rot of uncomfortable dislike that seeped into their friendship metastasized and became so huge that it was like the chasm Gandalf fell into in Fellowship of the Ring. It was some from which they shall not pass! [Staff slam!]

Andy asked them what caused this rift and neither of them had a good answer. They both say that they had different priorities for awhile and thought they would get back to normal, but something prevented them. They started to hurt each others feelings a little bit but it was usually over silly miscommunications that suddenly became huge things. I think the real problem is, to get over those things required one of the women to eat a shit sandwich and say they were sorry, or take some responsibility for something she might not have felt she really did wrong. Someone needed to veer off the road in this game of friendship chicken. But it never happened. They both crashed and burned and were here looking at the most boring car fire to ever happen on the Real Housewives.

It is boring because we know it is moot. It is boring because we know it is over. It is boring because we know that both women are totally overreacting to what started off ostensibly as nothing but turned into hatred probably because of the format and nature of reality television itself. Do you want someone to blame? Blame it on the thing that brought us all here. Blame it on the thing that is bigger than both of them. Blame it on the thing that we love more than we love #TeamCarole or #TeamBethenny. Blame it on the one thing that wont change, and that we would never want to.
Ruth Wilson. Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

Ruth Wilson has repeatedly said that shes not allowed to talk about her Affair character Alisons death late into the fourth season. (When Vulture caught up with her at an event earlier this month, Wilson told us that she didnt have a say in Alisons arc, or her death.) Now in a New York Times interview, however, the terms of Alisons death seem even more mysterious: Wilson said Alison wasnt killed off because of the shows pay inequality (earlier this month, Wilson said that shes sure co-star Dominic West gets paid more than her, even though she won a Golden Globe for her work on the show). She also told the paper that she didnt leave The Affair for another role, as rumored:

It isnt about pay parity, and it wasnt about other jobs, Ms. Wilson said. She added coolly, But Im not really allowed to talk about it.

There was a meaningful silence. There is a much bigger story, she eventually volunteered, urging me, more than once, to contact Sarah Treem, a writer and producer of the show.

When the Times contacted Treem, the producer repeated an earlier explanation offered by Showtime: The character of Allison had run its course. By completing her arc this season, the consequences of her death will lead to compelling story lines for our final season. Previously, however, Treem told The Hollywood Reporter that Alison was killed off because of Wilsons decision to leave the show. Can someone grab that GIF of Oprah saying So what is the truth!
Lutz Ebersdorf. Photo: Amazon Studios

No director has done more for Thirst Twitter than Luca Guadagnino, the only man who has not disappointed us yet in the year of our Lord 2018. Guadagnino introduced us to Timothee Chalamet and reintroduced to us to Armie Hammer with last years Call Me by Your Name, a movie about love, sex, and peaches. With his next movie, the horror remake Suspiria, Guadagnino is poised to present the next boy to inspire Timmy-Armie levels of adoration: the 82-year-old newcomer Lutz Ebersdorf who, according to the director, lights up the screen as Suspirias male lead, Dr. Jozef Klemperer.

The Klemperer character wasnt in Dario Argentos original Suspiria, and seems to be an ally to the Dakota Johnson character, who suspects witchy happenings at her Berlin dance school. We wanted to have a fresh face. Someone who was born on screen with this movie, Guadagnino told Deadline about casting the mysterious first-time actor. Like his character in Suspiria, Ebersdorf is a Kleinian psychoanalyst. We wanted someone who could embody the tragedy of the 20th Century somehow. His character wants to try to survive but also claw back what he has lost. Guadagnino has an eye for internet-boyfriend material  is Ebersdorf the next talk of the Tinseltown?
Child abuse charges against three of five adults who lived at a New Mexico compound where a child was found dead were dismissed Wednesday, court documents show.

The 11 counts of felony child abuse against Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhannah Wahhaj, and Lucas Morten were dismissed because a judge ruled they didn't have a preliminary hearing in the 10-day time frame required by New Mexico state law for defendants in custody, a state courts official told CNN.

Continents and regions New Mexico North America Southwestern United States The Americas United States Child abuse Children Crime, law enforcement and corrections Crimes against persons Criminal offenses Demographic groups Families and children Family members and relatives Population and demographics Society Criminal law Law and legal system

They were released from Taos County Adult Detention Center on Wednesday, according to reports from CNN affiliates. CNN has not yet confirmed their release with law enforcement and attorneys for the trio.

Two other defendants, Jany Leveille and Siraj Wahhaj, also had 11 child abuse charges dropped but were arraigned on felony charges in connection with the death of 3-year-old Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, said Siraj Wahhaj's attorney, Thomas Clark.

They face one count each of intentional abuse of a child resulting in death and conspiracy to commit intentional abuse of a child resulting in death (child under 12). Not-guilty pleas were entered by the court on each defendant's behalf.

They have a bail hearing Tuesday morning. A previous decision by a judge to grant bail sparked controversy. State District Judge Sarah Backus received more than 200 phone calls and emails criticizing the move, some of which contained threats, said spokesman Barry Massey of the New Mexico Courts.

Criticism for prosecutors

Taos County District Court Judge Jeff McElroy called out prosecutors Wednesday for being incompetent during the arraignment, according to affiliate KOAT.

McElroy said the case was "a situation where the court is being caught between very public, very shocking information and a complete failure to follow proper procedures in prosecuting the case."

The judge added: "I don't know if they are overworked or they don't have enough people at their office. I don't see the district attorney here or the chief deputy district attorney, but it is disturbing to me that the district attorney would put this court in that kind of a situation."

CNN reached out to 8th Judicial District Attorney Donald Gallegos for comment but received no response.

The child's remains were found at a ramshackle New Mexico compound where authorities say they discovered the adults living in squalor with 11 starving children.

Police raided the compound August 3, hoping to find Abdul-Ghani. His mother in Georgia said the boy had been missing for more than eight months. Days later searchers found his remains.

The boy was last seen leaving his Jonesboro, Georgia, home with his father, Siraj Wahhaj, in late November. His mother has said he couldn't walk, suffered seizures and required constant medical attention.
"This is us, this is classic southern small town," Tere Richardson, Athens Main Street Director.

The classic, southern small city of Athens may look different in the next 3-5 years. Right now, the consulting group, "Athens Main Street" is working with business owners, citizens and community leaders to decide the future of the city. They plan to answer 3 questions this week.

"What are the assets of downtown Athens, what is downtown Athens lacking, and where would you like to see it in the future," Amy Higginbotham, store owner.

Amy Higginbotham has been a business owner in downtown Athens for 5 years and is apart of the discussion.

She told WAAY she has a few ideas for where Athens can improve.

"Downtown needs to be more consumer friendly so that's safety, of course, walk-ability, and growth all around," Higginbotham.

After this week the group will make a plan on which changes are to come. This could mean more music, restaurants, or apartments.

"They will leave, crunch some data, and then we'll get a plan to implement in the next 3-5 years," Richardson.

The 20,000 dollar cost will come from city and county funds and grants. There are 23 other Alabama cities working with the nonprofit consulting group, Main Street Alabama including Decatur and Florence. The last meeting in Athens is Wednesday at 5:30 in the Athens City Hall
Right now registration is open for a free carpentry course in Athens. This 6-week course will happen at the Limestone County Career Technical Center in Athens starting September 25th. Its all because of what the Alabama Home Builders Foundation told WAAY31 is a major labor shortage in our area. The class will cover safety, construction layout, blueprints, and more.

You can sign up by emailing Kory Boling, the Foundation Executive Director, at koryboling@hbaa.org
The Alabama Attorney General's Office says they were notified about Jimmy Spencer's 2017 parole hearing but the Franklin County District Attorney says he was not.

The Attorney General's Office sent us this following statement about Jimmy Spencer the man who was paroled and is now charged with killing three people in Guntersville.

"The Attorney General's Office was notified. However, Mr. Spencer was improperly categorized as a "non-victim" offender. As a result, our Office of Victim Assistance was not alerted to his violent past. This case also raises concerns with the Board's risk assessment procedures and whether the implementation of this process is failing the public. The Attorney General grieves the loss of life and is working with prosecutors and law enforcement from around the state on a solution to the issues raised in this case.

Alabama law is very clear, anytime a person comes up for parole the Attorney General's office and the District Attorney of the county of conviction must be notified. The WAAY31 I-team has uncovered the current law exempted the parole board from notifying Jimmy Spencer's original victim in Franklin County about his 2017 parole hearing.

The original victim was notified in 2008 and 2013, but law enforcement officials are always supposed to be notified.

Franklin County District Attorney, Joey Rushing, told WAAY31 he's gone through many documents and cannot find where the parole board attempted to notify him about Jimmy Spencer's 2017 parole hearing.

Under the Justice Reinvestment Act of 2015 it created an electronic notification system. If you are a victim you can go in and specifically follow a persons case and get parole hearings dates but you must sign up for that. For district attorney's it's a bit different because they have so many cases to be notified about.

"I absolutely do not think there was ever a notice sent on this case or else we would have had it," said Rushing. "I am not making excuses, obviously if there was a notice sent I would have it in a file, or the victim or the attorney general someone would have gotten a notice and we would have known Spencer was up again."

With the new electronic system it's all automatic. A computer compiles the names and sends out the notice letters to District Attorney's like Rushing. He even showed us some recent parole notification letters he's received but he says in other cases he doesn't get the notices, which is illegal under Alabama Code 15-22-23.

"I had one the other day where I did not receive a notice on. The victims did get a notice they came in and said, 'hey we haven't heard from you' and I said what about? and they said so and so is up for parole and I said I sure didn't know that," said Rushing.

Rushing said he immediately wrote a letter to the parole board in that specific case asking them to deny parole for an inmate but he says once again there is a flaw.

"There's another case that obviously slipped through the system. It's a bad situation when you just get these electronic submission forms sent in the mail and sometimes they get here sometimes they don't," said Rushing.

To prove the parole board did not properly send out notifications and to essentially hold them accountable is hard to prove.

"The thing about it, with the computer and everything being transmissions and computer generated letters there is no way to go back and check that somebody did put that person in a computer and send that out," said Rushing. "Just from talking with all the individuals who normally get a notice on that list and nobody got a notice. That let's me know that Mr. Spencer was brought up for parole without any parties being notified."

It's also interesting to point out that under Alabama Code 15-22-23 it says the Parole Board cannot grant parole to anyone without proper notification being sent out to District Attorney's and the Attorney Generals Office.
WAAY 31 is working to learn more about gunshot detectors and surveillance cameras the City has installed to help fight violent crime. Huntsville Police is testing them out on three different streets in North Huntsville.

"I think it's really good. I really like it. I hope and pray it's going to help and keep trouble out of here," said Sharron Lim.

Although the trial program only started two weeks ago, Huntsville Police say officers are seeing results. Captain Jeffery Rice told us theres no record of any criminal activity on Sonya Drive since the surveillance started. However, that's not the case everywhere.

"In our other areas, we have received some gunshot detection information and what not," Rice said.

Rice said he's excited north Huntsville is testing the technology but thinks if the test program expands it should spread across the city. Councilman Devyn Keith said he's heard a lot of positive feedback from the community.

"We've gotten more calls and I think Captain can agree to it that they want more cameras. Again, I think we need to take time to figure out what we should do with the cameras and what we shouldn't do. What effects on the community they have what effects they do not," said Councilman Devyn Keith.

However, if neighborhoods change their mind about technology and think like it's hindering privacy instead of making areas safer. Keith said the city would reevaluate their placement.

"These things can be moved. The community comes together and says they're all uncomfortable. If the majority don't want them and they feel safe in their neighborhood then we will call Huntsville utilities and take them down," Keith added.

Now the City hasn't said how long the trial program for the devices will last. They're currently testing out the devices for free and still are working to secure funding if they decide to purchase them.
WAAY31 is learning the Limestone County District Attorney's Office is understaffed and they fear if they don't receive more help soon, cases could be delayed for years.

District Attorney Brian Jones is seeking $200,000 from the county commission and additional funding from Madison, Huntsville, and Decatur to hire more help.

"I feel like if I knew someone that had just been killed i would want that to be solved quickly, not have to wait a couple of years to figure out what happened," Raudel Armenta, who lives in Athens, said.

Jones says if he doesn't get help soon, that's exactly what might happen to crime victims in Limestone County.

"As this office starts to dwindle in resources, we're going to make an adjustment in our ability to try cases, we're going to start picking and choosing which ones we can prosecute and which ones we can't," Jones said.

The District Attorney's Office does not have enough money to hire more employees and with an increasing caseload, Jones can't do it all himself. Jones is looking to hire at least two new employees.

"I want to address it now because if it gets worse, then I'm going to have to explain to one of these victims, I'm sorry I can't get to you for 2 to 3 years."

Jones says there is currently a two year delay to hear felony cases that go to trial. If he does not receive the help he needs, cuts will be made and the waiting period to hear cases will only get longer.

"If we reduce the number of prosecutors and the number of support staff that number is going to go even higher," Jones said.

Jones also needs the help of Huntsville, Madison and Decatur. If a driver receives a traffic ticket from a Madison or Huntsville police officer in Limestone County, Jones argues his office should receive a solicitors fee of $23.50 from that citation. It's money he says he needs and is not getting, and with more people moving to the area, Jones is worried his case load will continue to grow.

"They see new houses, apartments. Unfortunately being the District Attorney, I see it as a dramatic spike in crime."

Jones says the money requested would be enough to hire two new assistant district attorneys. Each position would cost approximately $66,000. So far he has not received a decision from the county commission.
In 1983 Richard Berkowitz and Michael Callen, two gay men in their twenties, published a manual called How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: One Approach, under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Sonnabend. At this early point in the AIDS epidemic, it was unclear exactly how the disease spreadwhether from a single agent or a []
WATERFORD is the most sunny city in Ireland and the county is second in the sunshine league, being pipped to first place by our...
CHANGES to the junction between New Street and Barrack Street have backfired, becoming yet another source of traffic chaos in the heart of the...
IMAGINING Arts was about all we could do over the last 18 months or so, but now we need imagine no more. Celebrating its 20th...
... but you will need to show proof of jab get into bars STUDENTS heading to college in September will not have to be vaccinated...
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) approved the Mercator Implementation Plan for Zimbabwe in September 2017. One of the Strategic Objectives of the Plan is to strengthen and expand ZIMRAs Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) and Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) programmes.

With financial support under the WCO ESA Finland Project, a PCA/PTP (Preferred Trader Programme) Benchmark Visit for ZIMRA officials took place from 13  17 August 2018 at the South African Revenue Service in Pretoria, South Africa. A delegation of five officials from ZIMRA which included Head of Compliance and Risk, Manager Compliance, Manager Risk and PCA Officers attended the Benchmark visit. They were accompanied by the ZIMRA Mercator Programme Advisor and a WCO PCA expert.

The objective of this mission was to assist ZIMRA in strengthening its PCA capacities and expanding its AEO programme to include a broad range of compliant traders from Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the region, and also improve knowledge and skills of auditors to carry out Customs audits, especially system-based audits that support the trader segmentation and facilitation approach.

The Benchmark Visit covered information on the SARS PTP processes from application, processing, client engagements activities, risk management and trader profiling, and PCA activities, covering system documentation and walkthroughs. Highlight of the mission was a visit to Nissan South Africa, a SARS Preferred Trader who shared experiences and processes for best practice. Most importantly, lesson learnt was the importance of establishing trust and relationship between Business and Customs. This approach has unlocked tangible benefits for both SARS and Preferred Traders and improved trade facilitation.

During the feedback and closing session, the ZIMRA delegation expressed gratitude and appreciation to SARS and the WCO for organizing this mission. The participants stated that this exposure will assist in expanding ZIMRAs AEO programme and enhance its PCA capacities as work on Zimbabwes adherence to the WTO TFA requirements is under way.
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 30, 2018 | 11:20 AM | KUTTAWA

An investigation into former Kuttawa City Clerk Katie Harrison has led to an arrest warrant being issued, but police have not found her to take her into custody.According to a statement from City Attorney, Jay Matheny, officials, "discovered financial irregularities associated with its general operating account, as well as its community events account." They contacted law enforcement and have been cooperating with the subsequent investigation by Kentucky State Police.The city is still conducting their own internal investigation and has reported findings to an auditor. They hope to get a report in coming weeks, and have asked a CPA to reconcile the city's books.Trooper Jay Thomas from Kentucky State Police told West Kentucky Star they are still investigating the clerk's office. He said an arrest warrant for Harrison has been obtained, and more charges against her may be filed. Thomas said since the warrant has been issued, police have not located Harrison in the state of Kentucky.While the city is prohibited from discussing personnel matters, multiple media inquiries about Harrison prompted Matheny to say, "the City of Kuttawa can confirm that Katie Harrison is no longer an employee," and they have no knowledge of her whereabouts.

On the Net:
By West Kentucky Star Staff Aug. 30, 2018 | 06:29 AM | DRAFFENVILLE

Representatives of the Marshall County High School student body will go to Louisville next week to receive Kentucky's annual 9-1-1 Hero Award.The award is given annually at the Kentucky Emergency Services Conference to someone who has shown great courage during an emergency situation. It is presented by the Kentucky Chapter of the Association of Public-safety Communications Officials, and the Kentucky Emergency Number Association.The groups are recognizing the students as a group for their bravery and strength shown during an active shooter event at their school on Jan. 23. On that morning, a 15-year-old student brought a weapon to school and began shooting other students. The shooting left two students dead and 15 other students injured.The MCHS student body will be represented by students Tristan Cline, Devon Evans, and Gracie Steffen. Superintendent Trent Lovett and Marshall County High School Principal Patricia Greer will also be in attendance, along with Marshall County Judge-Executive Kevin Neal and Deputy JudgeExecutive Brad Warning.

I am so proud of the courage they displayed during this tragic situation, Superintendent Lovett said. I understand this award is usually given to an individual, so for the award to be given to our student body as a group is a great honor.

KSP Commissioner Rick Sanders said his detectives were very impressed with how the students handled themselves on that fateful day.

These young people displayed amazing courage during the shooting, said Sanders. Even more remarkable was the way they conducted themselves after the incident, providing interviews to assist investigators at a time when their emotions were greatly challenged.

The award presentation will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Louisville on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at 1:00 p.m.
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.
Pine Grove native Douglas Fordyce has recently illustrated his first childrens book, Percy Gets A Family! Fordyce said illustrating a childrens book is something he has always wanted to do. He started drawing before he started school. Then, in college, he studied illustration and design. He attended Columbus College of Art and Design, as well as OSU. He received a BSA in Painting and Drawing.

Fordyce has always paid the bills with art. He taught for a while, but most of his adult life has been spent doing graphic design. He has worked with a lot of small businesses like restaurants and hair salons, designing logos and marketing material. He also painted for years and owned a gallery for five years. He has kept very busy with other art and didnt really have time to illustrate.

However, a friend of Fordyces connected him with Julia Applegate, who wanted to write a childrens book about a big orange cat. Fordyce and Applegate met about two years ago and discussed the project. Applegate gave Fordyce photos of her cat, and he began his work from there. The book was recently printed.

Fordcye explained the book was very specific about where it took place in Columbus, Ohio. So to get inspiration, Fordyce took his camera and went to the area to take pictures of the neigborhood. He also took more pictures of Percy the cat. He uploaded those on his computer screen and started figuring out what he wanted to draw.

He said his father, who lives in Pine Grove, was the model and inspiration for one of the characters in the book, a cranky old man. He said in reality, his father is not cranky at all, but a very kind man. However, he wanted to honor him in the book.

Fordyce is originally from Pine Grove. He said his parents have always been very supportive of his art. His mother, Carol Fordyce, enrolled him into some adult art night classes at West Virginia Northern Community College. He became interested in oil painting in the fourth grade, and then after that, once the college was convinced Fordyce could do the work, he was taking classes all the time. Whether it be water color classes, drawing classes, he was always in some class. He spent a lot of his free time in high school going into the woods with a backpack and water color and would sketch and paint what he saw.

He said his parents would go to yard sales and purchased old used frames. His dad, Gareald Fordyce, would clean them, paint them and acquire glass.

Douglas said when was in high school, he was told that he couldnt do anything with art. Unfortunately he believed the person who told him that. So when he first moved to Columbus, Ohio, he went to computer school for one semester. He would do his computer homework and then draw. Art has always been what makes Douglas happy. He said it is a real blessing to have some artistic talent and desire. He realized, after he became an adult, that most people dont have that. He said he feels very lucky to be able to have that and to be able to pursue it.

Douglas said he would like to tell kids interested in drawing to Believe in yourself, and draw everything. Dont let anyone tell you that you cant succeed, because you can.

Mr. Fordyce will be at the Pine Grove Public Library, located in his hometown, on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 10 a.m. for a book signing of the book, Percy Gets A Family! For those that cant make the event, the book can be purchased online at www.percygets.com.
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.
Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain.

Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred.

For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here.
Emily and Tyler Delaney lost their belongings and their two dogs  who were family  in a fire on August 19.

It was the third fire in Pine Haven Trailer Park in five months. No cause has been determined for any of these fires.

The cause of a fire in April, where the residents were unharmed, is undetermined. The cause of a fire in July that killed three young children is still under active investigation, according to Rome's fire chief. The cause of the fire that destroyed the Delaney's mobile home and killed their dogs is also under active investigation.

Rome Fire Chief Ron Brement said none of the fires appear to be connected. Still, the couple and others who live at Pine Haven are skeptical and are still looking for answers.

We knocked on the door to the management building at Pine Haven and were told they were not talking to us.

Emily Delaney tells us she and her husband are looking for a new place to live.

"One fire, two fires, there's something going on," Delaney said.

Delaney and her husband got married on a Saturday, and their home went up in flames the day after.

"We got home Sunday around 1 p.m. I took a nap because I was exhausted," she said. " At 5 p.m. or so we left the house to spend some time with friends."

Later that evening came a text from their neighbor saying their home was on fire. That neighbor even made an attempt to save their dogs, but the flames and smoke were too intense.

They had brought their wedding gifts inside. The gifts were burned in the fire, but worse, their two dogs died in the fire.

"We lost everything," Tyler Delaney said. "Everything else can be replaced, but not our dogs...we laid them in a grave face to face, locking arms, in our comforter."

As they prepare to start over, the young couple found out they did not have insurance.

"Fire damage isn't covered," they said. " We have like three outfits of clothes and that's it."

Others in the community, including Rome's mayor, representatives with the American Red Cross and the Oneida County Health Department took notice that this is the third fire in this trailer park in five months.

The fire department teamed up with the county and the Red Cross over the weekend to bring an education initiative to the trailer park, but also to distribute smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and information on fire safety.

Rome's fire chief said the local American Red Cross and the fire department installed 76 smoke alarms in 41 homes in the park. Brement also said they left information on the doors of 130 mobile homes, offering information on inspections and telling residents where they can get free smoke alarms.

Brement said, "Under the circumstances that we had [at Pine Haven], we felt we needed to blanket that whole area and answer questions about fire safety."

As for the questions residents have about fire safety at the trailer park, the fire that killed three young children and the fire that killed two dogs at Pine Haven remain under investigation.

Individual trailer owners are responsible for the power once it comes from the hookups at the trailer park.

Brement said, "Trailer parks, through the county have several degrees of requirements that they have to abide by."

Still some residents seem uneasy.

One woman we spoke with said she already has plans to move.

"We're moving out, " Jennie Beckwith said. She said she's lived in Pine Haven for ten years. "We bought a house. We are getting out of here. I am not staying here."

The Red Cross offers smoke alarms to anyone who needs one with no income or eligibility requirements. Residents simply can call (315)733-4666.

If you'd like to help out the Delaney family, click here to donate to a GoFundMe page set up by family members.

If you'd like to help the Croad family, who lost three children in a fire, click here to donate to their GoFundMe page.
CLINTON  A sophomore at Hamilton College is facing a felony criminal sexual act charge, according to New York State Police.

Twenty-year-old Morgan Little of West Palm Beach, Florida was arrested Thursday and charged with felony third-degree criminal sexual act.

Police say Littles arrest followed an investigation into a report of sexual assault on the Hamilton College campus, which allegedly occurred on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 25.

Little was processed and taken to the Oneida County Jail while he awaited arraignment.

The investigation was conducted by the New York State Police Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit.
(NBC News) Thirty-seven years after President Jimmy Carter left the White House, he is still hard at work.

President Carter and his wife Rosalyn found a new role building homes with Habitat for Humanity.

"It's been one of the greatest things that's ever happened to us," the 93-year-old former president says.

The non-profit organization builds homes for families struggling to buy their own homes.

Their latest project is the construction of more than 20 homes near South Bend, Indiana ... a project that's attracted roughly 2,000 volunteers.

The Carters have been involved in Habitat projects across the nation and around the world. They were attracted to the organization for what it is, and what it isn't.

"Habitat charges full price for the houses, and the people who are going to occupy the house put in hundreds of hours of work on their own house, so it's not a charity," President Carter explains.

Carter's first project with Habitat was about 35 years ago, and he believes the organization's mission is still relevant.

"I would say that the need for low income housing has increased greatly every year since I've been working on Habitat houses," he says.

Read more: http://bit.ly/2Pn3nPL
Mohawk Valley Health System officials say the plans to build a new hospital in downtown Utica are still on their targeted timeline.

By this time next year, the buildings that currently lie within the new hospital footprint will be leveled and the foundation will be in the midst of being poured. The group that opposes the hospital says thats not the case.

In a tiny conference room at St. Elizabeth Medical Center on Thursday, officials with MVHS held a news conference to provide updates on the progress being made on the new downtown hospital.

They say that so far, the original timeline is panning out, and they also discussed financing.

"This is a $480 million project  $300 million of that is coming from the state grant, the other $180 million is coming from MVHS financing, said Robert Scholefield, executive vice president/COO for MVHS.

Scholefield says theyve selected a lending institution for the $180 million not being covered by New York State, and they plan to announce that lender in the coming days.

At the news conference they also discussed the properties that lie within the hospital footprint. MVHS says that of the 35 property owners, 19 are in the process of a purchase agreement  14 have already signed, four of them were verbal agreements.

But representatives with the No Hospital Downtown group say those numbers likely arent accurate.

They should be held accountable to say which property owners, said Jim Brock. No one from No Hospital Downtown is going to attack anyone or disparage anyone for signing a purchase option agreement.  Thats not who we are."

Another source of contention is the Utica Police Department. MVHS officials say the maintenance garage lies within the footprint but the station and court house are not included.

It depends on which map you look at. Whether its a map that they meant for people to see or not to see, Brock said.

MVHS says that so far there are six property owners who have not responded or have flat-out rejected any agreement to sell. When asked when eminent domain would be factored in, Scholefield said that will likely happen in December.

Back in April, Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri and Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente issued a statement saying that the city would use eminent domain to acquire the properties within the hospital footprint, and the county will use it to acquire properties within the footprint for the hospitals parking garage.
BOONE COUNTY, Ind, (WISH) -- The parents of a 4-month-old child have been arrested on child abuse charges.

An investigation into 23-year-old Mark Crudup and 20-year-old Rochelle Withers began when the Indiana Department of Child Services contacted officials that a 4-month-old had been admitted to the hospital with suspicious injuries.

It was found that the child had multiple fractures throughout his body, with some appearing to be fresh while other fractures appeared to be healing. The fractures were found to be on various locations of the child's body.

After reviewing evidence and interviewing family members, both Crudup and Withers were arrested.

Both suspects face a felony charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.




China News on Women





Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page
A UN fact-finding panel issued a report on Monday calling for the prosecution of six senior Burmese generals on charges of genocide over their role in the state persecution of the countrys Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority. The document is the sharpest rebuke by the international body against the Burmese regime, since it launched wholesale ethnic cleansing last year.

The findings by the UN body follow a series of reports documenting mass killings, the destruction of entire villages and the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya from Rakhine state in the countrys north-west.

Since last August, the military has conducted a series of brutal operations across Rakhine, on the pretext of combatting Rohingya insurgents. The Burmese government brands the Rohingya, who have lived in Burma for decades, or even centuries, as Bengalis or illegal immigrants and has called for their removal to neighbouring Bangladesh.

The UN report condemned the Burmese militarys actions as gross human rights violations, which are shocking for their horrifying nature and ubiquity, and undoubtedly amount to the gravest crimes under international law.

The six senior generals named in the report include Min Aung Hlaing, the commander in chief of the army, who plays a key role in the military-backed civilian government. The report recommended that Hlaing be among those investigated and prosecuted for overseeing genocide.

The panel rejected the claims of the army that their actions were a defensive response to insurgent attacks, noting that brutal army incursions into Rakhine had been planned at the highest levels of the military prior to small-scale rebel actions in August, 2017.

The report stated that the coordinated character of the military onslaught was demonstrated by the fact that many of them were strikingly similar. In different villages, army personnel had arrived and begun firing indiscriminately. The same modus operandiof rounding up men and boys and sexually abusing women and girls then burning the entire villagewas present in many of the cases examined.

According to the UN panel, almost 400 villages have been destroyed and close to three quarters of a million Rohingya have been forced to flee, most of them to squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh. It stated that an estimated death toll of 10,000 was conservative.

Significantly, the report held Burmas civilian government, including First State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, as responsible for the massacres.

Suu Kyi has been promoted for decades in the West as a heroic fighter for democracy. She played the central role in the stage-managed move from open military dictatorship, to nominal civilian rule in 2011. Freed from a decades-long house arrest, she rapidly assumed the leading role in the new government.

The transition, which maintained the dominant role of the military generals in Burmese politics, was overseen by the US and the major European powers. The holding of stage-managed elections was used as a pretext for normalising relations with Burma.

Washingtons aim was to undermine Burmas close ties with China and draw the geo-strategically critical country into the US-led military encirclement of Beijing, in preparation for war against China. It coincided with the Obama administrations 2011 launch of the US pivot to Asia, a vast military build-up in the Asia-Pacific, which included the strengthening of military alliances strategic partnerships throughout the region against China.

The UN report coincides with mounting concerns in Washington over Burmas ongoing economic and military ties to China. As is invariably the case, the condemnation of war crimes by the US and the other major powers is entirely selective and always aligned with their own predatory geo-strategic interests.

The UN findings have been accompanied by calls from the US political establishment for tougher action against the Burmese regime, including expanded sanctions targeting the top military generals. This is viewed as a means of ramping up pressure on Burma, to force it out of Beijings orbit.

An editorial by the Washington Post, which has close ties to the US State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency, yesterday called on the Trump administration to replicate the actions of the UN, by labelling the actions of the Burmese military as genocide.

The White House has previously branded the persecution of the Rohingya as ethnic cleansing. Explicit use of the term genocide, however, would provide the grounds for sharp sanctions against the military top brass. Five army commanders and two army units were hit by US Treasury sanctions earlier this year, while broader sanctions legislation has yet to pass the Congress.

The Washington Posts posture of outrage over the events in Burma is utterly hypocritical. It has maintained a deafening silence on the US-backed bombardment of Yemen, which has seen the Saudi Arabian regime conduct a genocidal campaign against Houthi minority rebels.

The paper has agitated for ever-more direct US intervention against Syria, as part of the protracted regime-change operation against the government of Bashar al-Assad, and has played a central role in the campaign by sections of the US military and intelligence establishment for an escalation of the US confrontation with Russia.

The real concerns underlying the demands that the Trump administration step up its moves against Burma were spelled out in an accompanying Washington Post article that warned about Chinas growing influence.

The article stated: Beijing expects to secure access for its companies to a resource-rich neighbor on the Indian Ocean and a strategic partner in efforts to tamp down criticism of Chinas more muscular exercise of power in the region.

It noted that Burma, occupies an important role in Chinese President Xi Jinpings signature Belt and Road plan to build infrastructure and deepen trade ties throughout Eurasia. Beijing is seeking to establish a China-Myanmar (Burma) Economic Corridor, including through the development of a massive Indian Ocean port in Kyaukpyu, in Rakhine state.

Washington has been openly hostile to the Belt and Road initiative, which it views as a direct challenge to its attempts to secure unbridled hegemony across the geo-strategically critical Eurasian landmass. If it were to become operational, the plan would facilitate trade relationships that could bypass US-dominated economic trading blocs and regional institutions.

The Washington Post article indicated that there are divisions within the US ruling elite over how to respond to China and Burmas deepening ties. These are indicated by the apparent hesitancy of the Trump administration to expand sanctions, and the alleged attempts by Republican Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, to block the passage of legislation targeting Burma.

Citing prominent strategic analysts at Washington-based think tanks, the article stated that if the US presses ahead too quickly with its escalation of pressure on the Burmese generals and civilian leaders, this would risk drawing them further into Beijings orbit and could allow China to regain regional prestige befitting an emerging superpower.

In other words, US strategy towards Burma is dictated by its drive to retain hegemony throughout the region, on behalf of the Wall Street banks and corporations that view Chinas economic rise as a threat to their own predatory interests.
Family, friends, neighbors and even strangers attended a vigil yesterday to mourn and commemorate the lives of ten children who died in a horrific house fire early Sunday morning in Chicagos working class Little Village neighborhood.

The ten children, whose ages ranged from 5 months to 16 years old, were having a sleepover when a fire sparked in the back of their building quickly spread as they slept. The fire killed eight immediately, with two more dying from fire injuries in the hospital. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

The vigil was a powerful display of solidarity by the working class residents of Little Village. Balloons, candy, posters, candles and hand-written notes, along with photos of the children who perished, ornamented the sidewalk in front of the building of the fire. Family members provided food as guests gave their condolences and stayed throughout the evening to comfort the family of the lost children.

The horrific fire is one of the worst tragedies in Chicagos history. But the vigil has been virtually ignored by the citys Democratic Party leadership. No one from Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office or the office of Alderman George Cardenas of the 12th Ward, in which Little Village resides, attended.

In an attempt to absolve himself of responsibility, Emanuel said yesterday, I want to know how it got started. Why it happened.  When the investigation is done, were gonna know more before you start pointing fingers of whos to blame.

As the World Socialist Web Site wrote yesterday, Responsibility for this tragedy lies squarely with the ruling class and its political representatives. For decades, the Democratic Party has led the savage attacks against the working class through school closures, the gutting of good paying jobs and the erosion of affordable, safe and decent housing. They must be held accountable for creating the conditions which led to the Little Village house fire.

WSWS reporters spoke to family members of the children that died as well as workers who came to mourn the horrific tragedy. There was an outpouring of grief as well as anger at the political establishment.

Gerardo, grandfather to some of the children who died, was emotional as he spoke about his loss. Three grandchildren of mine have gone. How do you think I should feel? Theres no way to express how I feel. I wake up in the middle of the night, I hardly sleep, I have been having nightmares that I am playing with my grandkids, and I wake up in the middle of the night. Thats never going to go away. I need to make myself strong for my daughter, Priscilla. She cant talk about her loss.

The children came over for a sleepover. They were having a pajama party and they went to sleep. The fire didnt start when they had a pajama party. The landlord didnt have any fire alarms. He also had some violations with the electricity. We dont know the full truth here.

While the media and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has been quick to blame the mother and the family, Gerardo countered, Its not the fault of the family. Working class families like us need safe housing. We cant afford to live in a city like Chicago. These people that have all this wealth, we should use their money to help poor people. Its not happening though.

The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, and they blame everything on us! This mayor closed 50 schools. I will never vote for him. And his police kill people. And then look at our moron president Thats the state of the world.

Gregorio, a friend of Gerardo added, I feel so bad for what happened. The children were four, six and ten years old. I knew them through Gerardo. The condition of the houses here for working class families are not built for safety. They dont care.

If its in the rich parts of the city or the suburbs, they will do anything for safety. If you dont provide fire extinguishers and fire detectors, children will die sleeping like this. The politicians only go for money, not for safety. We need people that take care of the poor people like us. We do the work. We have to eat and pay the rent.

Enrique, a friend of the family and a community organizer, spoke out against the attempt by the media to blame the victims. This was a modern day, low income working class family, he noted. DCFS has been blaming the family and reporting on the mothers prior violations. How many violations does this system have? What about the smoke detectors? Why not provide the family with the resources instead of shunning them? This is a problem with the system itself. If a family doesnt have a job, help them get a job. We dont get those resources here.

The mayor and the aldermen didnt come here. They declined our invitations. They want to sweep this under the rug. The landlord had so many violations. And the house next door had an explosion last year. They are playing games with the ten kids lives, and the politicians want to commit a blasphemy by blaming the mother!

These kinds of circumstances will continue to happen in our neighborhoods. Our parks dont have water because they are contaminated with lead. Where is the city to help us? Ten kids from the community died. Its a massive tragedy. The working class has come here to support us. Not the politicians.

Yolanda is doing her best to stay strong. She lost five children, her babies. Its amazing the media is not investigating how the system and the city failed this family.

Elsa, a city worker who lives nearby in Little Village came to show her support and spoke out against the terrible housing conditions for the working class. The landlords dont put smoke detectors in many apartments. My daughter with four kids lives in an apartment where he doesnt put any smoke detectors in there. Her porch is almost caving in. Anything could happen to them too just like it happened here. These landlords should be given violations and fines. They charge rents from $1,000 to $2,000, and they have rats in the houses. People are struggling to pay rent here.

The politicians and the wealthy neglect us. We have no good housing in Little Village. I see the conditions in different neighborhoods. For single mothers in particular, there are no good options. The alderman and the politicians who are blaming the families are totally wrong. They dont represent the working class  they represent the rich! They have their hands in the cookie jar.

Construction is happening for the upper class in the rich north neighborhoods and downtown. Theres nothing new happening for our neighborhoods. And they take TIF [tax increment financing] money for places like Englewood and put it for rich neighborhoods. They say theres no money. We generate the money! Some of the families working for the city pay $1,200 month for health insurance. They make all the profits while we are all struggling for everything. We need a movement to fight for jobs, housing, healthcare and everything. This is a crooked city. Alderman Solis in Pilsen sold out. The politicians are liars and we do all the hard work. We are treated wrong and it shouldnt happen. We need to rise up and speak up for our rights.
This is the third part of a four-part series. Parts one and two were published August 28 and August 29, respectively.

Developments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union cannot be explained without taking into account the role of Pabloite revisionism in this region throughout the post-World War II period.

Pabloism, named after one of its main spokesmen, Michel Pablo, emerged as a revisionist tendency within the Fourth International in the wake of the war. Expressing the interests of a growing layer of the middle class that benefited from the post-war restabilization of capitalism and the suppression of the working class through its old bureaucratic leaderships, the Pabloites questioned the very legitimacy of the independent existence of the Fourth International. Whether in the Stalinist-ruled countries, the advanced imperialist countries or the oppressed colonial and former colonial countries, the Pabloites advanced a line that repudiated the founding principles of the Fourth International: above all, the need for the political independence of the working class and the building of the Fourth International as the world party of socialist revolution.

Completely abandoning the Trotskyist analysis of Stalinism, the Pabloites ascribed a revolutionary role to the Stalinist bureaucracy in Eastern Europe and Asia. They wrote off the working class as an independent force entirely, arguing that objective social reality consisted essentially of the capitalist regime and the Stalinist world. [1] Based on this assessment, the cadre of the Trotskyist movement had no independent role to play. Rather, the Fourth International was to be liquidated into whatever national mass parties of the working class and oppressed masses existed.

With regard to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, the Pabloites advanced the concept of the self-reform of the bureaucracy. The Fourth Internationals call for a political revolution to overthrow the Stalinist bureaucracy, restore workers democracy and return to the program of international socialist revolution was turned by the Pabloites into its opposite. What they called the political revolution was to be accomplished not by the working class under the leadership of the Fourth International, but by a section of the Stalinist bureaucracy itself, which would supposedly enact reforms that would lead to a peaceful transition from Stalinism to socialism. The role of the working class (and the Trotskyist movement) was reduced to that of a pressure group, which would help push forward the supposedly reformist faction of the bureaucracy.

James P Cannon

The Pabloite tendency was opposed by the orthodox Trotskyists in the Fourth International, led by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) in the US. The Pabloites were expelled from the Fourth International through the formation of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) in 1953. In the founding document of the ICFI, the Open Letter, James P. Cannon, the leader of the SWP, restated the basic principles of international Trotskyism:

1. The death agony of the capitalist system threatens the destruction of civilization through worsening depressions, world wars and barbaric manifestations like fascism. The development of atomic weapons today underlines the danger in the gravest possible way. 2. The descent into the abyss can be avoided only by replacing capitalism with the planned economy of socialism on a world scale and thus resuming the spiral of progress opened up by capitalism in its early days. 3. This can be accomplished only under the leadership of the working class as the only truly revolutionary class in society. But the working class itself faces a crisis of leadership although the world relationship of social forces was never so favorable as today for the workers to take the road to power. 4. To organize itself for carrying out this world-historic aim the working class in each country must construct a revolutionary socialist party in the pattern developed by Lenin: that is, a combat party capable of dialectically combining democracy and centralismdemocracy in arriving at decisions, centralism in carrying them out; a leadership controlled by the ranks, ranks able to carry forward under fire in disciplined fashion. 5. The main obstacle to this is Stalinism, which attracts workers through exploiting the prestige of the October 1917 Revolution in Russia, only later, as it betrays their confidence, to hurl them either into the arms of the Social Democracy, into apathy, or back into illusions in capitalism. The penalty for these betrayals is paid by the working people in the form of consolidation of fascist or monarchist forces and new outbreaks of wars fostered and prepared by capitalism. From its inception, the Fourth International set as one of its major tasks the revolutionary overthrow of Stalinism inside and outside the USSR. 6. The need for flexible tactics facing many sections of the Fourth International, and parties or groups sympathetic to its program, makes it all the more imperative that they know how to fight imperialism and all of its petty-bourgeois agencies (such as nationalist formations or trade union bureaucracies) without capitulation to Stalinism; and, conversely, know how to fight Stalinism (which in the final analysis is a petty-bourgeois agency of imperialism) without capitulating to imperialism.

Pabloism abandoned each and every one of these principles. Its program was liquidationism all down the line. Historically, it emerged at the very point when Stalinism entered its death crisis: 1953, the year of the split within the Fourth International, was also the year of Stalins death and the beginning of a series of mass working class uprisings throughout Eastern Europe that challenged the Stalinist bureaucracy. Three years later, the revelations of Khrushchev at the 20th Party Congress confirmed the Trotskyist analysis of the counterrevolutionary role of Stalinism.

In working to destroy the Fourth International, the Pabloites played a key role in propping up the rule of Stalinism and maintaining the political dominance of Social Democracy and the trade union apparatuses in the advanced imperialist countries. The Pabloites constituted a critical factor in the establishment and maintenance of the post-war capitalist order.

Whenever there was a direct challenge to the Stalinist bureaucracy from the working class in Eastern Europe, the Pabloite International Secretariat (IS) swiftly and aggressively intervened, sowing illusions in the self-reform of the bureaucracy and working to prevent the building of sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International. They thus consciously sabotaged the development of the political revolution by the working class against the bureaucracy.

This intervention assumed particularly stark dimensions in Czechoslovakia in 1968. In a tragic irony of history, a key role in the intervention of the Pabloites in Eastern Europe was played by Ernest Mandel, who had, while still an orthodox Trotskyist in the 1940s, played an important role in developing the Fourth Internationals analysis of developments in Eastern Europe.

Once he had capitulated to Pabloism, however, Mandel became a pioneer of the theory of the self-reform of the bureaucracy. He explicitly articulated an orientation toward the nationalist wings of the respective Stalinist bureaucracies, writing:

The opposition within the CPs capitalizes on national feeling. The struggle for the national road toward socialism thus takes on there a highly progressive and revolutionary value, contrary to that in the CPs of the West, where it generally covers up a turn toward codified rightist opportunism. Gomuka in Poland, Nagy in Hungary, tomorrow perhaps Hernstedt or Ackermann in East Germany, by becoming in the eyes of the masses symbols of a struggle for national emancipation are creating favorable conditions for a renewal of popularity for the CP (through its national tendency) and permitting the political revolution under oppositional communist leadership to mobilize national feeling in its favor... [2]

The ever more unrestrained adaptation to and glorification of nationalist forces would become the hallmark of Pabloite intervention in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, from Gomuka, himself an ardent anti-Semite and Polish nationalist, to more extreme nationalist factions within the Soviet Union. Czechoslovakia was no exception. There, the Pabloites glorified the Dubcek wing of the bureaucracy, which consciously worked to foster nationalist sentiments and divisions between the Czech and Slovak workers, while pushing for its national road to socialism, i.e., pro-capitalist reforms.

Ernest Mandel

Making use of the possibilities for traveling to and from Czechoslovakia (almost 700,000 people traveled from Czechoslovakia to capitalist states from January 1968 to April 1969), the International Secretariat was able to establish close ties with Petr Uhl, who was to become one of Czechoslovakias leading dissidents.

Uhl had been to Paris in 1965 and 1967, where he had met Alain Krivine, a leader of the French Pabloites. In October 1968, Uhl, who was then working as a teacher at a Prague technical school, formed a group of between 50 and 100 people that was in political sympathy with the IS. They soon founded the Revolutionary Movement of Youth. In this they were assisted by Sibylle Plogstedt, who had come to Czechoslovakia as an exchange student. Plogstedt was a member of the West German Pabloite group GIM (Group of International Marxists) under Jakob Moneta. According to the biographer of Ernest Mandel:

Uhl and his comrades unleashed a storm of activity, including organizing the massive turnout for Jan Palachs Prague funeral in January 1969. Palach was the student who had immolated himself in Wenceslas Square in protest against the Russians and died from his burns. Plogstedt requested Mandel to send a stencil machine quickly With Jakob Monetas help, Mandel arranged to have the machine shipped to Prague. Uhl and Mandel met a few times in Berlin and discussed the challenges facing the Czech anti-Stalinist opposition. [3]

The government cracked down on Uhls group a few months later. Plogstedt, Uhl and several others were arrested. A year later, they were sentenced to jail (Plogstedt to two-and-a-half years, Uhl to four years.) Once released from jail, Uhl emerged as one of the leading dissidents in Czechoslovakia. He was an early signer of the famous Charter 77, one of the most important documents of the Czechoslovak and Eastern European dissident movement. In the years to come, he worked closely with Vaclav Havel. He helped edit the news bulletin of Charter 77 and contributed to the volume The Power of the Powerless, a collection of essays by leading Czechoslovak dissidents.

Uhl Petr

In his essay, The alternative community as revolutionary avant-garde, Uhl started by offering a quasi-Trotskyist assessment of the need for political revolution in Eastern Europe and social revolution in the West (without at any point mentioning either Trotsky or the Fourth International). He continued by promoting the Pabloite conception of the self-reform of the bureaucracy as the basis and starting point for political revolution, and the self-management system that had been advanced especially by Ernest Mandel as the model for a genuinely socialist organization in Eastern Europe.

Finally, Uhl insisted that the alternative community, not a political party of the working class, let alone the Fourth International, was the revolutionary avant-garde in the political revolution. This alternative community was to be politically undifferentiated. Uhl insisted on its openness, while praising revolutionary Catholics in the Czechoslovak underground. He then wrote:

Only a community consisting of both informal and institutionalized groups with experience in action and practice can become the new type of avant-garde that can genuinely express the main interests of oppressed society. In such a revolutionary avant-garde, various alternative associations can join forces informally. Such revolutionary associations do not exclude the organizing of various groups, and perhaps even of political parties. On the contrary, such groups, often in connection with other groups, may play an important role in the anti-bureaucratic struggle. [3]

This kind of argumentation, completely devoid of any class analysis of social and political tendencies, opened the way for collaboration not just with sections of the bureaucracy itself, but also with very right-wing, nationalist forces. Indeed, the open collaboration with nationalist and even fascist forces in the politically amorphous dissident movements throughout Eastern Europe and the USSR, and especially during Gorbachevs perestroika, was to become a hallmark of Pabloite politics.

With this kind of anything goes line, the Pabloites and their helpers in Eastern Europe propped up the pro-capitalist tendencies within the dissident movement, which challenged the Stalinist bureaucracy from the right, and helped provide the ideological and political basis for the restoration of capitalism. Meanwhile, left sections of the intelligentsia and the working class were disoriented and subordinated to right-wing forces.

Virtually all of the chief Pabloite representatives and collaborators, whether in Czechoslovakia, Poland or the USSR, ended up as advisors to the Stalinist bureaucracy in the process of capitalist restoration in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Petr Uhls role as advisor to the Civic Forum of Vaclav Havel , which negotiated the reintroduction of capitalist property relations and the destruction of the Czech and Slovak Socialist Republics at the Round Table in the fall of 1989, was only one example of many. (See also: Capitalist restoration in Russia: A balance sheet).

To be continued

**

End notes

[1] Quoted in: David North, The Heritage We Defend. A Contribution to the History of the Fourth International, Mehring Books 2018, p. 184

[2] Quoted in Ibid., pp. 309-310

[3] Jan Willem Stutje, Ernest Mandel. A Rebels Dream Deferred, Verso 2009, p. 176

[4] Petr Uhl, The alternative community as revolutionary avant-garde in The Power of the Powerless. Citizens against the State in Central Eastern Europe, ed. by Vaclav Havel et al. Routledge 2016, p. 197
US Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is reportedly considering the diversion of federal school money normally used to provide mental health resources for students and expand learning options and classroom technology to purchase guns instead. In the wake of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting last February, which killed 17, the Trump administration is calling for hardening schools and arming teachers to the horror of educators and students around the country.

DeVos created a federal school safety commission and held listening sessions in Kentucky and Washington, DC, which featured speakers calling for privatizing education with school vouchers and increasing police known euphemistically as school resource officers. Many participants, however, called for additional counselors and mental health specialists. Even at these carefully vetted events virtually no one endorsed the Trump demand to arm teachers.

The commission is expected to include a section in its report on the best practices for arming school personnel. In rural Lee County, Virginia, the school board has already voted to use grant money for arming teachers. Its a cheap way to add security to our schools and the best option we could do, school board Chairman Mike Kidwell said. Any state or federal funds, in my opinion, that could go toward arming someone like this is money well spent.

Both Oklahoma and Texas have now asked for clarification on the legality of using federal funds through the Student Support and Academic Grants section of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to purchase firearms. The federal fund contains $1.1 billion specified for ensuring safe and healthy students, emphasizing access to a well-rounded education, which includes a wide variety of disciplinessuch as music, the arts, social studies, environmental education, computer science and civics. It makes no mention of arming teachers or militarizing schools.

DeVos has not responded to these requests yet, but could choose to approve a school district or states plan to use the money for firearms or training teachers to use them unless Congress intervenes. Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), who chairs the Senate education committee, said states have the right to use those federal dollars to make schools safer for children. The ESSA, passed under the Obama administration in 2015, gave states far more decision-making powers over federal dollars than previously.

Meanwhile, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, the site of the Parkland school shooting, opened its doors two weeks ago with a massive police presence. Students walked to class amid German shepherd attack dogs, helicopters, three resource officers, three security specialists, and a dozen campus monitors patrolling the halls at all times. The cost for this outlay was $6.5 million.

Michigan school districts are allotting millions towards upgrading schoolsnot for teacher education, improving technology, or ensuring clean water, but for emergency alert systems. School staff are meant to act in case of emergency, using ballistic shields anchored to outer doors or bricks to break windows, and are being trained in managing defense systems.

The Democratic Party promotes gun control as the antidote to school violencein 2014, the Obama administration provided twenty-six US school districts with assault rifles, grenade launchers, and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. The Department of Defenses 1033 program has shipped over $5.1 billion in military gear to law enforcement agencies, college campuses and school districts across the US.

Meanwhile the massive defunding of public education spearheaded under the Obama administration and implemented under both Democrats and Republicans has left schools unable to hire sufficient teachers, school counselors, nurses or support staff. Florida enacted statewide measures to require police or armed guards at every school after the Parkland shooting, but unsurprisingly districts are struggling to meet this mandate. Floridas total state funding between 2008 and 2015 was cut by 22 percent, the second highest drop in the United States.

Likewise, education spending has also fallen sharply across the board throughout Texas since the 2008 recession. Recently, the state was criticized by the US Department of Education for failing to provide adequate special education. Only 8.6 percent of Texas students are funded to receive special education, with thousands of students left without access.

A report issued last week shows that schools are bereft of counselors to aid and advise students. The student-counselor ratio is a scandalous 482 to 1, according to the recent data. Our intention in producing this data is to shed light on the often unmanageable caseloads public school counselors must serve, the report says. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of no more than 250 students for each counselor, but only three states, New Hampshire, Vermont and Wyoming, reported that level of staffing in the new study.

The defunding of public education and the militarization of schools are part of the relentless class war that has long been waged against the working class. The epidemic of school violence in the US is the result of the breakdown of American society, the endless wars waged by the United States and the promotion of militarism and violence and the explosive growth of social inequality. While the super-rich have pocketed untold fortunes both political parties express nothing but contempt for the masses of working people and youth who face ever more desperate conditions.

During the wave of student walkouts and mass protests that culminated in the March for our lives demonstration in Washington D.C. on March 24, which involved nearly one million protesters, participants demands went way beyond the Democratic Partys call for gun control, and included demands for full funding for public education and mental health services, and an end to war and social inequality.
Hundreds of multi-day trawler owners and their workers protested at Galle Face in central Colombo last week to demand the Sri Lankan government reduce recent rises in the cost of diesel fuel. In May the government increased diesel from 95 rupees per litre to 110 rupees, and in July lifted it again to 118 rupees (about 73 US cents).

The increases have crippled the small-scale fishing industry and drastically affected the living conditions of fishermen, farmers and other small producers and traders who depend on diesel and kerosene.

Demonstrators gathered at Galle Face on August 23 carrying placards with slogans that read: We dont need subsidies but reduced fuel prices, Dont destroy the multi-day fishing industry and Rulers! Dont pick pockets by hiking up fuel prices.

The protest was called by the All Island Multi-day Vessel Owners Association (MVOA). The organisers had planned to present a letter containing their demands to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in the hope that this would pressure the government to reverse the fuel increases.

The government, however, responded by deploying police who blocked the rally, claiming it would inconvenience the public. A senior officer threatened to take action against the demonstrators telling them that they could only present their demands to the presidential secretariat.

Under pressure from angry demonstrators, MVOA president Sujith Fernando rejected the police threats, declaring that the fishermen had been deceived twice this year and they needed to do something that government would feel.

The fishermen rallied at Galle Face and then attempted to march toward the presidential secretariat only to be confronted by police armed with batons and water cannons who brought in steel barricades to block the march. An anti-riot police squad was also on stand-by.

Police said they would only allow 11 MVOA representatives to meet with presidential secretariat officials. While angry fishermen said they would not move without a resolution to their concerns, MVOA officials directed the protesters to withdraw.

Sri Lanka has almost 4,650 multi-day vessels which supply deep-sea tuna to large seafood companies for export to Europe, America and other foreign markets. Around 30,000 families are dependent on the industry, which is a major source of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka.

Last weeks demonstration is part of a wave of protests this year by Sri Lankan fishermen against fuel increases, the rising cost of fishing equipment and other necessary items.

In May, tens of thousands of small-boat fishermen protested in coastal areas across the country over a 130 percent increase in the price of kerosene. Fishermen demanded the government reduce kerosene to its previous level of 44 rupees per litre. In the face of this mass opposition the government temporarily cut the kerosene price to 70 rupees per litre and promised subsidies but refused to lower diesel prices. Predictably, Colombos subsidy promises have not materialised.

The governments fuel increases are in line with the social austerity and privatisation measures demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Under the new arrangement Sri Lankan petrol, diesel and kerosene prices are directly determined by the world market. The IMF did not release the fourth instalment of a bailout loan until Colombo implemented the new price formula.

Multi-day fishing vessels, which spend several days at sea, usually consume between 10,000 and 15,000 litres of diesel which, together with food, bait, ice and other expenses, cost between 1.6 million to 2 million rupees each trip.

The income from each fishing harvest is then dividedhalf for the vessel owner and the other half equally between the workers. Losses are allocated in the same way amongst the workers as a debt and deducted from the income of the next fishing expedition.

Last weeks hour-long discussion between MVOA representatives and a presidential secretariat official was futile. MVOA President Fernando told the media that the official would look into steps taken by the fisheries ministry and had suggested a possible future discussion with President Sirisena. Protesting fishermen denounced the empty promises.

Like the trade unions, MVOA claims that a meeting with Sirisena will resolve the disastrous situation facing workers in the fishing industry are bogus. The government functions as a direct tool of the IMF in ruthlessly imposing its austerity measures. The MVOAs claims that the economic problems facing small boat owners were solved by the temporary reduction in kerosene prices are also false.

Sunil, a fishing worker from Mahawewa, near Chilaw told the WSWS reporters that he had recently sold his fishing vessel.

Im a professional fisherman. Our last fishing expedition yielded an income of just 2.1 million rupees against an expenditure of 1.9 million rupees. When the workers share, half of the profit, was divided among the six workers, each one only received 16,000 rupees. Forty-three days hard work were required for this amount, which is scarcely enough to eke out a living for two weeks let alone settle our previous debts.

Fishing vessel owners, he explained, face a real crisis. One of my friends, a vessel owner, told me that he had to pawn all of his jewellery for the first time in his life last month to settle a 1.5 million rupee debt.

Rogus, a fisherman from Thoduwawa near Chilaw told the WSWS: Every day the price of essentials increases which makes life hard. The cost of preparing fishing nets has also gone up by thousands of rupees. No lasting solution to our problems can be found from the government in power.
Hostiles

Hostiles, written and directed by Scott Cooper, based on a story by Donald E. Stewart; The Road to Nickelsville, a documentary by Derek Armstrong McNeill

The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic and a killer. It has never yet melted. -D.H. Lawrence

The lead character in Scott Coopers new film Hostiles, a movie set during the ruthless suppression of the Native American population in the US in the latter part of the 19th century, seems to have been specifically crafted in the spirit of Lawrences false and ahistorical aphorism.

Wes Studi and Christian Bale in Hostiles

The terse film, sparing on dialogue, centers on the figure of Capt. Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale), a US soldier, and his transformation from single-minded Indian-hater into a more tolerant being.

The story, on which the screenplay is based, was authored by the late Donald E. Stewart (1930-99), best known for co-writing the screenplay for Missing, directed by Costa-Gavras, inspired by the true story of American journalist Charles Horman. The latter disappeared in the bloody aftermath of the US-backed Chilean military coup of September 1973.

Hostiles opens in 1892 in Fort Berringer, New Mexico, as the mass destruction of the Native Americans is winding down. Blockerwhose emotionally corseted condition matches his nameis charged by his commanding officer with escorting a dying Cheyenne chief, Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi), back to his tribal lands.

Pathologically hostile towards Native Americans, Blocker initially refuses. However, threatened with a court-martial, he is forced to accept the command. Blocker knows the Native languages, as well as the territory between New Mexico and Montana. And, perhaps so the scriptwriters can impress the ghost of D. H. Lawrence, he reads Julius Caesar in the original Latin.

Soon after leaving the fort, Blocker has his men brutally place the Indians, Yellow Hawk and his family, in chains. Along the route, he picks up another hostile, Rosalee Quaid (Rosamund Pike), whose family has been murdered by a Comanche war group. Convinced by Yellow Hawk that the cavalry faces danger from the hostile Comanches, Blocker unchains his charges. A Comanche attack does take place, leaving many causalities, but, more importantly, breaking down barriers between Blocker, Rosalee and their Cheyenne companions.

However, the most savage hostiles turn out to be, first, a group of white fur traders who abduct some of the women, and then a quartet of white ranchers, hell-bent on preventing the now-deceased Yellow Hawk from being buried in his ancestral land.

Hostiles does not concern itself with a trivial subject nor does it adopt a light-minded approach. This timeframe in American history is obviously a critical and bloody one. Furthermore, the Western as a genre has a long pedigree in American filmmaking, as Cooper himself acknowledges: When youre shooting those landscapes and dealing in themes that John Ford and Anthony Mann and Howard Hawks certainly mined, theres no doubt people will compare you to them.

Wes Studi, Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike in Hostiles

The international cast was clearly committed, including supporting performers, such as Adam Beach, Peter Mullan, Scott Wilson, Timothee Chalamet, Ben Foster and others. Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi captures the rugged beauty of the varying landscapes through which Blocker and his party pass on their 1,500 mile trek.

One sequence stands out in particularwhen Minnie McCowan (New Zealand actress Robyn Malcolm), the wife of Mullans Lt. Col. Ross McCowan, bitterly points out: Those folks in the Indian Bureau ought to come out here and spend a few weeks at Fort Winslow or on a reservation. The sickness, the starvation, the conditions those poor souls have to live under is nothing short of inhumane. Come out here, theyd understand.  Theyre human beings. They deserve to be treated as such. And need I mention they were here first?  That theyre dispossessed at our handand have received nothing.

Unfortunately, such moments are rare, and for the most part, the script is fairly pedestrian.

Cooper has a history of quasi-serious efforts (Out of the Furnace, Black Mass, Crazy Heart) that tend to skim the surface of important issues, including historical ones.

This is the case too with Hostiles, a relatively formulaic film, containing a potential thats never realized. Its structure is annoyingly symmetrical, with all of its elements, personalities and episodes funneled into the final, predictable image of the thematically critical family unit consisting of former Native American-haters and a Native American child.

In an interview with moviemaker.com, director Cooper asserts that he wanted to speak to whats happening in America today, in terms of race. The racial divide in our country is widening. Were living in polarized times, and I wanted to speak to this notion that we need to better understand one another and to reconcile. I think America needs to heal.

This a provocative claim at odds with American reality. The great divide in the US is the social one, between the wealthy and the working population of all backgrounds. Far from that gap healing, it is widening and setting the stage for great class battles.

Despite everything, it is still astonishing that the upper middle class in Hollywood and elsewhere is largely oblivious to social inequality, a fact staring the filmmakers in the face. But they are resolutely oriented in a different directiontoward race and gender. The staggering reality that three individuals are wealthier than the poorest half of the American population hardly intrudes on the consciousness of this milieu, barricaded from the harsh conditions of the vast majority.

Wes Studi and Tanaya Beatty in Hostiles

The analogy Cooper makes between the decimation of the indigenous population in the 19th century and presumably the racialist attitudes or policies of present-day white America is deeply false and disoriented.

The persecution of the Native Americans by the US authorities was not driven by racism, although racist ideology came into play as justification and legitimization. It was a clash between two antagonistic and irreconcilable types of socioeconomic organization: the American ruling class was obliged to uproot all non-capitalist and pre-capitalist forces, including the Native American tribes, in its drive to subjugate the continent and make way for modern industrial capitalism. Cooper hints at the process himself with the films final image of a huge locomotive fiercely wheezing in the middle of the barren wilderness.

The directors reference to the Westerns of John Ford, Anthony Mann and Howard Hawks is also misleading, even leaving aside the degree to which American filmmakers were forced into the parable genre in the late 1940s and early 1950s because the McCarthyite atmosphere made shooting hard-hitting contemporary dramas problematic.

Taking the Western genre at face valueon the one hand, a figure like Ford was vulnerable to the conceptions and prejudices of his time, including a definite view of the struggle with the Native American population and the ultimate triumph of American civilization and democracy. Within those distinct limitations, however, he made profoundly honest and sensitive works. As the German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder once told an interviewer, he admired the American directors who told naive stories and worked from the idea that the USA is the land of freedom and justice.

In any event, a great deal of water has flowed under the bridge since the late 1940s and early 1950s. Given the decayed, toxic state of American capitalism, looking at its history straight in the face, and not naively, ought be a central occupation of todays artists.

The Road to Nickelsville

Several residents of a homeless encampment in Seattle, known as Nickelsville, are interviewed in the 44-minute documentary, The Road to Nickelsville, directed by Derek Armstrong McNeill.

The Road to Nickelsville

Nickelsville (named derisively for Seattles then mayor Greg Nickels in 2008) was cleared out by police in March 2016. The film, released in 2017, is now available online.

Some of the comments in the documentary are striking and true.

Colin, an engineer: I know from my own experience, having had a middle class lifestyle, people are strung out. Theyre living from paycheck to paycheck. What would I say to people who think it couldnt happen to them? It comes suddenly.

Desiree: If I had to say anything to the neighborhood about Nickelsville, I would tell them that we are all the same. We do have our struggles, but were a small community trying to make it by.

At one point, the citys mayor declares: We are involved in a homeless crisis the likes of which we have never seen since the Great Depression.

Unfortunately, the movie limits itself sharply. It provides very little social or historical context for its treatment of Seattles homeless epidemic. National homelessness figures compiled by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show that with an estimated count of 11,643 in 2017, King County, in which Seattle is located, trails behind only Los Angeles County and New York City in overall homeless population. That number includes people living in shelters and other facilities, as well as outdoors.

King County also ranks third in the number of unsheltered homelesspeople living in vehicles, tents and on local streets. The 5,485 unsheltered people counted in the county in 2017 represented a 21 percent increase over the previous years tally. And as of July 2018, there were 12 formal homeless encampments around Puget Sound.

What smacks one in the face while watching the documentary is the absence of any reference to the fact that two of Americas three wealthiest individuals make their home in the Seattle area and that, generally, the region is infested with billionaires and multi-millionaires. In other words, the city embodies in the starkest fashion the acute social polarization in America, something apparently too troubling to be dealt with by the filmmakers.
The government of Puerto Rico Tuesday raised its estimate of the number of Puerto Ricans who lost their lives to 2017s Hurricane Maria from 64 to 2,975. This figure makes Maria the worst natural catastrophe on territory claimed by the US since the Galveston, Texas flood of 1900.

The near 50-fold increase in the death toll exposed what millions on the island already knew: that the authorities had long deliberately concealed the real human cost of the storm. It is also a searing indictment of the criminal negligence and indifference of both the US ruling establishment and its two major parties, as well as that of the territorys own governmental authorities.

Governor Ricardo Rossello officially adopted the new figure for the number of Hurricane Marias victims following the release of a study commissioned by his government and carried out by George Washington Universitys Milken Institute School of Public Health.

The study appears to be the most scientifically rigorous and detailed thus far, drawing on demographic data that the Puerto Rican government had previously hidden from the public. It compared the death rates between September 2017 and February 2018 to earlier periods dating back to 2010. The researchers also factored in the mass exodus of people fleeing the desperate conditions prevailing in Puerto Rico, marked by interminable power outages, for the US mainland.

During this period, Puerto Ricos population fell by 280,000, an 8 percent drop, making the increased number of deaths all the more extraordinary.

Earlier studies had already provided far higher numbers than the ludicrously low death toll maintained by the Puerto Rican government for nearly a year. Research done by Penn State based on death certificates had come up with an estimate of 1,139 deaths. Another study done by Harvard University, based on interviews with a random sample of some 3,300 households, yielded an estimate ranging between roughly 800 and 8,500, with a median figure of 4,645. This number was embraced by many Puerto Ricans who were outraged by the deliberate underestimate maintained by the Puerto Rican and US governments.

The Harvard researchers noted that this median figure was likely too low, and that the real number of deaths was probably higher than 5,000. No doubt the George Washington study also represents a serious underestimation of the real number of fatalities.

The George Washington study noted that many Puerto Rican doctors and hospitals had failed to follow protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control, and attributed deaths to the storm only where people were directly killed by the immediate destruction wrought by its winds and rain. Those who died because they could not get medical care or medications, were cut off dialysis and oxygen equipment because of the lack of electricity, or had medical conditions that they would not have confronted absent the wholesale destruction of the islands infrastructure were not linked to Maria. It added that some doctors were reluctant to relate deaths to the hurricane due to concerns  about liability.

Among the more important findings of the George Washington study was the vastly disproportionate impact of the storm in terms of deaths among the poorer layers of Puerto Rican society, compared to the wealthy and the middle class.

It found that the risk of death was 45 percent higher, and remained so until the end of the studys period in mid-February, among populations referred to by researchers as low socioeconomic development municipalities. For poorer inhabitants of the island generally, the chance of death was 60 percent higher.

A graph included in the study shows that, while the death toll increased among all layers of the population between September and October 2017, it rose far more sharply for the poorer layers of the population and continued to increase between October 2017 and February 2018, even as it leveled off for wealthier social layers.

The finding only confirms that Maria, like all natural disasters, served to lay bare the conditions of poverty, social crisis and inequality that existed before the storm ever made land.

The study also found that men over the age of 65 continued to confront a higher rate of deaths through the end of the survey period.

The George Washington researchers warned that, had the study continued, it would almost inevitably have tracked a continuing elevated death rate for these layers of the population, particularly given the protracted conditions of deprivation on the island, with a lack of electricity continuing for some until only weeks ago.

A proposed second phase of the George Washington study would aim at recording the names of those who died and providing in each case a cause of death, based on an examination of death certificates as well as interviews with families and medical personnel. The Puerto Rican government has yet to fund this stage of the inquiry.

The Trump administration responded to the latest death toll estimate with its inevitable brutish callousness. At a White House meeting Tuesday, Trump praised his administration for doing a fantastic job in Puerto Rico, despite the incontrovertible evidence that thousands were left to die because of its criminal negligence and insufficient aid.

The grotesque self-praise from the White House echoes the tone adopted by Trump when he staged a brief visit to Puerto Rico just two weeks after the storm, throwing paper towels to storm victims and congratulating the islands governor and other officials for having avoided a real catastrophe like [Hurricane] Katrina, which claimed over 1,800 lives in New Orleans and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He repeated the official death toll of 16 being put out by authorities in San Juan at the time. At the time, millions of people were still digging out from the storm, and everyone knew that far more people had lost their lives.

In addition to the widespread popular hatred for Trump and the US authorities, there is intense anger against Governor Rossello and his local administration for failing to reveal the real scope of the tragedy inflicted upon the islands population and to secure the resources needed to confront it.

The George Washington study contained damning criticism of local authorities, pointing out that their emergency planning contemplated only a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, leaving them grossly unprepared for Maria, which hit Puerto Rico as a Category 5 storm. It also faulted a lack of communications between local and central authorities, and said, in relation to the number of deaths, that information was intentionally held to evade blame.

In an interview published Wednesday by San Juans leading daily, El Nuevo Dia, Rossello repeated at least seven timesby the papers countthat he had confronted an unprecedented catastrophe, in an attempt to justify the failure of his administration in the face of the disaster. Asked about his complicity with Trump in grossly underestimating the death toll and affirming that Puerto Rico had avoided a real catastrophe, Rossello responded, Im not perfect. I make mistakes. Hindsight is 20-20.

The reality is that the government in Puerto Rico, together with the Trump administration and both the Republicans and Democrats in Washington, has been focusedboth before and after Maria struck the islandnot on ameliorating conditions of poverty and social deprivation, but on extracting profits for Wall Street bondholders under conditions of the islands fiscal bankruptcy. It is estimated that Puerto Rico, still confronting the protracted health emergency wrought by Maria, will pay $1.4 billion on debt restructuring over the next six years, an amount that significantly exceeds the entire budget of the islands Health Department.
Teachers in Seattle, Washington voted Tuesday night to authorize a strike by the start of the school year on September 5 if a tentative agreement is not reached between the local school district and the teachers union. The strike authorization vote was held at a general membership meeting of the Seattle Education Association (SEA), which is negotiating a contract for over 5,000 teachers, support staff and other educators in the states largest school district.

Thousands of teachers turned out to the downtown hall where the meeting was held. Though the meeting was closed to the media, teachers told the WSWS Teacher Newsletter that educators were in a militant mood and repeatedly demanded a strike vote as union officials stalled. Teachers are particularly angry over stagnating wages, which cannot keep up with rising living costs. Seattle is 24 percent more expensive than the typical US city, and the cost of a two-bedroom apartment is nearly 80 percent higher than the national average.

The strike vote is the latest expression of opposition after the series of statewide revolts by educators in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, North Carolina and other states earlier this year. Teachers in Los Angeles, the second largest school district in the United States, are currently voting on strike action.

As in these earlier struggles, teachers in Seattle and throughout the state of Washington are pitted against the entire political establishmentDemocratic and Republicanalong with the trade unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT). The unions, which have collaborated for decades in the bipartisan assault on public education, have sought to isolate each section of teachers and prevent their battles from coalescing into a nationwide fight.

The strike vote takes place as teachers in several smaller school districts in the state of Washingtonincluding Battle Ground, Longview, Vancouver, Hockinson, Ridgefield, Evergreen and Washougalhave walked out, cancelling classes. Of the 295 districts in Washington state, more than 200 do not yet have a teacher contract in place.

I am livid at the state and the school board too, Rob, a math teacher at Mercer Middle School in Seattle, told the WSWS. I am ready to go shut down traffic. We need to make sure some action happens. I just bought a house in Seattle and pay higher taxes with a lower wage. Thats the America we live in.

We got student loans to pay. We got house mortgages, credit card debt. I want to have kids at some point. But I cant afford that life. Its an entire structural change that we need to make in order to afford the life our parents had. I cant comprehend how structurally messed up it is. Im a socialist.

Hannah, who works in the district as a speech therapist, said she was fighting for smaller class sizes, and more support. She said higher wages were needed so we can live and work in the same city. Theres a lot of teachers moving to south Seattle because they cant afford the rest of Seattle.

The fact that teachers are struggling with low incomes while Boeing and Amazon rake in record profits is heartbreaking, she added. For us as specialists, we dont get office space. We are often asked to work in the halls and have no space to do the work we are trained to do.

When asked what she thought about a statewide strike, Hannah said, Its super important for everyone to be on board for it. Teachers are some of the hardest working people, but they are some of the most underpaid.

Vita, a Head Start teacher for young children, said, I am here for our kids. They deserve all of us. But were stressed out and cant even live in Seattle. Its insane. The companies and politicians dont prioritize education, Vita said. That just shows how little they care about children. Theyre being shot up in schools, and they dont care about the kids or the teachers. Its just about money for them. In my class I have homeless children. America is supposed to be this perfect land where children are cared for, and theyre in shelters.

Even though she has college degrees and is employed, Vita said, I always feel like we are one pay check away from homelessness. We have to fight, we have to have a struggle, she concluded.

Funding for public schools in Washington, like states around the country, has stagnated or fallen since the financial crash of 2008. School funding in the state rose by only 2.7 percent between 2008 and 2015, and teachers have suffered a freeze on cost-of-living raises for years. Meanwhile, Democratic Governor Jay Inslee engineered the largest corporate tax cut in US history in 2016, handing over $8.7 billion to Washington-based airline manufacturer and defense contractor Boeing.

Teacher contracts are being renegotiated around the state because of a recent court ruling. In late 2017, the Washington Supreme Court found that the state had failed to fulfill its paramount responsibility to educate Washington children and ordered officials to provide an additional $8.3 billion in funding over two years, including some $2 billion specifically allocated to increase teacher pay.

In response to the growing militancy of teachers statewide, the Washington Education Association (WEA) recommended its local affiliates request 15 percent pay increases for certified teachers and 37 percent increases for support professionals. This is far less than teachers lost as a result of the pay freeze and is inadequate to meet the states growing cost of living.

The local Seattle Education Association is currently bargaining for much less than the 15 percent increase, demanding between 8 and 10 percent. In 2015, the SEA sold out a five-day strike, accepting a 9.5 percent raise over three years, along with punitive teacher evaluation schemes. This was in line with the collusion of the NEA and AFT with the Obama administrations corporate-backed school reform agenda and expansion of for-profit charter schools.

Poll after poll shows widespread public support for teachers and their fight to defend the right to quality education. The main obstacle to this struggle is the unions, which are feverishly working with the Democrats to prevent a statewide strike in Washington and to push through another reactionary deal that is entirely acceptable to the corporate and financial elite.

Aiding and abetting the unions are a host of pseudo-left organizations, including the International Socialist Organization and Socialist Alternative, which insist that teachers subordinate themselves to the authority of the unions. In a recent blog post, ISO member Jesse Hagopianwho is also a leading member of the Social Equity Educators (aka Social Equality Educators) caucus in the SEAfalsely presented the 2015 Seattle strike and statewide walkouts earlier this year as victories and promoted illusions in the Democratic-controlled state legislature.

Hagopian called for teachers to support regressive tax increases, which will hit working-class families the hardest, to fund a meager 15 percent pay increase. Speaking like a capitalist politician, Hagopian lectured teachers that demands for higher pay raises are complicated in Seattle by the fact that the legislature lowered the amount of money Seattle Public Schools could raise from local levies from 37 percent to 24 percent of its budget in the coming years. Thats exactly why the SEA should only agree to a one-year contract. Take advantage of the $2 billion in new state funding now. Then, once the contract is signed, we build a campaign to pass the local school levy and immediately begin organizing to get all WEA locals to demand that the legislature lift the levy lid and finally fulfill their obligation to fully fund education.

The full funding of education is not possible without a frontal assault on the entrenched wealth of the corporate and financial elite. The unions, which are aligned with the Democrats and defend the capitalist profit system, are thoroughly opposed to this. That is why teachers must elect rank-and-file committees in every school and community, independent of the unions, to mobilize parents, students and broader sections of the working class in a statewide strike of educators in Washington. These committees must strive to link up workers in Seattle and Washington with workers throughout the country and prepare a general strike to fight for the social rights of the entire working class.
Arsene Tchakarian, the last remaining survivor of the Manouchian Group, died on August 4, 2018, at the age of 101. This group, named after its leader Missak Manouchian, included sympathizers of Leon Trotsky. It was the most famous organization of the Immigrant Work Force (MOI) section of the Sharpshooters and Partisans (FTP) resistance network, controlled by the Stalinist French Communist Party (PCF) during the Nazi occupation of France in World War II.

Tchakarian barely escaped arrest in November 1943, during raids by the 2nd Special Brigade of the French General Intelligence (RG) agency, tasked with the killing of communists. After a show trial of 23 prisoners, the Gestapo shot them all in Mont-Valerien prison on February 21, 1944, except for Olga Bancic, who was beheaded on May 10, 1944, in Stuttgart. After the executions at the Mont-Valerien, French collaborationist and Nazi authorities widely spread the infamous anti-Semitic Red Poster that denounced the Manouchian Group as a criminal army of Jews and foreigners.

Arsene Tchakarian in 1944

Three quarters of a century after Manouchians execution, history has fully borne out Trotskys criticisms of Stalinism. Aligned with the Soviet bureaucracy that would restore capitalism in 1991 in the Soviet Union, the European Stalinists blocked the overthrow of the fascist capitalist class after World War II. Now, under the aegis of the European Union (EU) and French President Emmanuel Macron, the French bourgeoisie is tearing up what remains of the social and democratic rights won by the workers during the liberation from Nazi occupation, and rehabilitating neo-fascism.

This gives renewed contemporary significance to the struggles of the Manouchian Group, and the courageous example it set in the face of Nazi-Vichy repression.

Tchakarian was born on December 21, 1916, at Sabandja in the Ottoman Empire, which his parents fled amid the massacre of Armenians by the Turkish regime during World War I. Coming from a communist family, he participated as a member of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) in the 1936 French general strike.

There, he came to know Missak Manouchian, an Armenian poet and Citroen auto worker, who had joined the Communist Party after the attempted fascist putsch in France of February 6, 1934. He was surrounded by a group of communist workers. This group would ultimately include not only Armenian workers, but also Italian and Spanish workers, who had fought the fascist regimes of Mussolini and Franco, as well as many Jewish workers and youth from Poland, Hungary, and Romania. It would ultimately include over 100 men and women.

Missak Manouchian

While under PCF authority, the Manouchian Group was critical of Stalinist policy. After the strangling of revolutionary situations, due to the counterrevolutionary role of the Stalinists in the Spanish civil war and the French general strike, its members opposed the Stalin-Hitler Non-Aggression Pact of 1939. This was a politically reactionary and ultimately unsuccessful attempt by Stalin to forestall a Nazi invasion of the USSR by abandoning all opposition to the Hitler regime.

Despite the torrent of Stalinist slanders and lies that were poured on Trotsky and other Old Bolshevik leaders of the October Revolution during the Moscow Trials and the Great Purges, all of whom would be murdered by Stalin, the Manouchian Group included a member closely linked to Trotsky.

Arben Dawitian, known politically as Tarov, and, in the Manouchian Group, as Manoukian, and who was shot together with Manouchian in the Mont-Valerien, had been a member of the Left Opposition, led by Trotsky inside the USSR in the 1920s. He had joined the Bolsheviks in 1917 and served in the ranks of the Red Army. In 1925, he was expelled from the Communist University of the Transcaucasus, due to his support for the Left Opposition.

A Tarov

Arrested in 1928 together with thousands of other Left Oppositionists, and deported and imprisoned for seven years, he underwent isolation and torture in the USSR. Having escaped to Iran in 1935, he wrote from there, in French, a Personal Appeal to the World Proletariat, published in English as Tarov Reveals Torture of Real Bolsheviks in Stalins Prisons. It revealed to the world the persecution of the Left Opposition, which the Stalinist regime was trying to hide from the world proletariat at the time.

After Trotsky called for a collection of funds for Tarov, the latter was able to travel to Paris and join the Russian group of Left Oppositionists there, led by Leon Sedov, Trotskys son.

Accompanied by a great deal of publicity, the Trotskyists published Tarovs deposition to the Paris commission of inquiry into the Moscow Trials. However, Marc Zborowski, an agent of the Stalinist secret police, who had been infiltrated into Sedovs circle, managed to block the publication of Tarovs memoirs, titled In the prisons of the Russian Thermidor. After Sedovs assassination by the Stalinists in 1938, Tarov/Manoukian abandoned contact with the Trotskyist movement.

In 1940, Tchakarian and Manouchian both fought in foreign units of the French army against the Nazi invasion, after the signing of the Stalin-Hitler pact, defying PCF orders for neutrality in face of the Nazis. Demobilized after the French defeat, Tchakarian joined the Manouchian Group towards the end of 1940, clandestinely distributing anti-Nazi leaflets.

Faced with the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, and the increasingly virulent and ultimately genocidal repression of the Jews by the French collaborationist regime, the Manouchian Group decided to take up arms. Its members did not take this decision lightly. They knew that among German troops in France, there were many workers who had been members of the German Communist Party. However, they decided that they preferred to take up arms rather than wait passively for deportation to the Nazi death camps.

The Manouchian Group was one of the most active in the Paris resistance and most feared by the Gestapo, organizing 15 attacks per month, on average, and undermining the Vichyite myth of Nazi invincibility. From July 1942 to November 1943, it organized over 200 operations (grenade attacks, shootings, assassinations, train derailments, and other acts of sabotage) against the occupying troops. These operations were carried out in broad daylight in occupied Paris, which was controlled by the Gestapo and the French police.

When Manouchian took up a leading position in the FTP-MOI in May 1943, Tchakarian was named head of the first section of triangle commandos, a group that carried out approximately 115 operations between June and September. After a wave of arrests decimated other FTP groups, the Manouchian Group was one of the last to carry out active resistance in Paris in the summer of 1943.

One of its most spectacular actions was the assassination, on September 28, 1943, of SS General Julius Ritterthe head of the hated Obligatory Work Service (STO) requisitioning agency that deported French workers to Germany to work in factories for the German war effort.

Tchakarian escaped arrest in November 1943, thanks to support from sympathizers in the French police. In May 1944, he was taken out of the Paris area to Bordeaux. In June 1944, he joined the Lorris maquis (rural resistance militia) in the region of Orleans, where he participated in the taking of Montargis.

In line with the PCFs anti-Trotskyist policy, the survivors of the Manouchian Group went on to participate, not in the Liberation of France and Europe from capitalist rule, but in the foundation of a post-war capitalist regime, which covered over the crimes of the ruling class. At the end of the war, Tchakarian received an officers commission and several medals. He later returned to his job as a tailor, while also serving as a researcher for the French Defense Ministry.

To be continued

* * *

Further reading:

Tarov Reveals Torture of Real Bolsheviks in Stalins Prisons

[4 August 1935]

Increasing Oppression the Path of Bureaucracy: Leon Trotsky Analyses the Revelations of the Bolshevik Tarov

[6 September 1935]
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  Doctors in Illinois can now prescribe marijuana as a painkiller thanks to a new law intended to counter a growing opioid abuse epidemic.

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the bill into law Tuesday allowing physicians to temporarily prescribe cannabis for pain relief, effective immediately.

News 10 caught up with one local person who supports the drug's legalization. He wants to remain anonymous so we are not showing his face or sharing his name.

We can tell you that he deals with chronic pain from a work-related injury. He says he took opioids that his doctor prescribed for the pain but he felt himself getting hooked.

This scared him so he turned to marijuana to manage his pain.

Its the worst pain you could imagine. [Marijuana] makes it livable. If lawmakers would legalize medical cannabis I feel like it would cut down on the opioid and heroin epidemic.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reports that 11,000 people have died from opioid overdoses since 2008. In 2016, opioid abuse killed nearly twice as many people as traffic accidents.

Rep. Kelly Cassidy was the House sponsor. The Chicago Democrat says the plan reforms pain treatment and provides more options to patients.

The law creates a pilot program which includes safeguards against the abuse of medical marijuana.

To find a registration form, click here.
STURGIS, Mich.  An Amber Alert issued Thursday morning was canceled after three missing children were found safe and the suspect was taken into custody.

The Amber Alert was initially issued early Thursday morning by Michigan State Police, and then it was extended into Indiana just before 8 a.m.

The alert was issued because the tree children were believed to be in extreme danger.

Police say 37-year-old Fernando Mendoza Cruz assaulted the childrens mom around 10 p.m. last night. When she fled to a nearby gas station in Sturgis, Michigan to call 911, Cruz took the children.

Police say he was armed and threatened to harm himself and the kids.

Cruz and the children were found around 9 a.m. The children were unharmed and Cruz was taken into custody.

No other details have been released at this time.

The childrens pictures and names have been removed since they are juveniles.

This story was orgionally posted on CBS4Indy.com
Tupelo Partly Cloudy 50 Hi: 62 Lo: 48 Feels Like: 50 More Weather Columbus Partly Cloudy 50 Hi: 65 Lo: 47 Feels Like: 50 More Weather Oxford Partly Cloudy 46 Hi: 58 Lo: 45 Feels Like: 42 More Weather Starkville Partly Cloudy Hi: 63 Lo: 47 Feels Like:  More Weather

Variably cloudy skies will be the rule for our area on our Tuesday. This will keep our temperature down a bit in comparison to the last few days.
FULTON, Miss. (WTVA) - Sixty new jobs were added to Fulton with Mueller Industries.

Gov. Phil Bryant and company officials cut the ribbon on the companys new warehousing and distribution operations in Fulton.

The project is a $3.83 million corporate investment.

Mueller manufactures and distributes plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration and industrial products, including tubes, fittings and valves.

The company chose to expand in Fulton by adding a distribution facility adjacent to its manufacturing facility to help meet an increase in consumer demand.

We are proud to be able to work with MDA, the Itawamba County Board of Supervisors, Three Rivers Planning and Development District and the city of Fulton in bringing these new facilities, and opportunities, to fruition, said Mueller Industries CFO Jeff Martin.

The Mississippi Development Authority and Itawamba County provided assistance for site preparation.

The 60 new jobs have been filled, bringing employment at the companys Fulton location to 615 workers.
JACKSON, Miss. (WTVA) - A minor victim was rescued from the care of an alleged producer of child porn.

Rudolph Lurding, 56, was arrested Friday in Southaven on a warrant out of Louisiana, where the alleged crimes occurred.

He was charged with three felony counts of production of porn involving a juvenile under the age of 13 and three felony counts of sexual battery under the age of 13.

An investigation into a previous, unrelated case of child porn led investigators to Lurding.

Attorney General Jim Hood says the minor victim is safe and Lurding was booked into the DeSoto County jail before being extradited to Louisiana this week.

Hood says Lurding had recently moved to Mississippi from Louisiana.

If convicted, he faces a sentence of up to 372 years.
WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A drug bust at a home in Crawfordville led to the arrest of five people in Wakulla County.

On June 21, the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office organized a search warrant at 15 Quapaw Street in Crawfordville.

During the search, deputies found a large bag of a "green leafy substance" believed to be synthetic marijuana from the homeowners bedroom as well as drug paraphernalia in the form of homemade pipes and bongs.

While being interviewed by deputies, Malcolm McFarlian admitted to the possession of the "green leafy substance," but denied it was synthetic marijuana. After doing more interviews, deputies found out that the drug paraphernalia found in a shed on the property belonged to Raven Harris and Kaylynn Crum.

The evidence was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for analysis and determined to be the drug "spice," or synthetic marijuana.

Last Wednesday, deputies obtained arrest warrants charging Malcolm with possession of synthetic cannabis and Harris and Crum with possession of narcotic equipment.

On Wednesday, when deputies went to arrest Malcolm and Crum, they also found Admiral Barwick, who has been the subject of recent "Wanted Wednesday" Facebook posts by WCSO.

Tyler Metcalf was also arrested for obstruction after he tried to stop deputies from arresting Malcolm, Crum, and Barwick.

All five were taken to the Wakulla County Jail.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Nearly 3.6 million Floridians cast ballots during this week's primary election.

Four years ago, turnout was just over two million.

Overall, 27 percent of eligible voters went to polls. While that number may seem low, turnout was less than 18 percent during the 2014 primary.

Republicans and Democrats alike say voter interest was extremely high for the 2018 midterm election, with spikes in participation happening in heavily Democratic counties like Broward and Palm Beach as well as GOP strongholds like Collier and Sarasota counties.

Florida State University Political Science Professor Carol Weissert says voters on both sides feel there are issues that directly affect them.

More is always good in the voting world. Goodness knows that there are lots of issues in Florida right now, with environmental issues, education issues, and gun issues," said Weissert. "So, on the issues side, you would think people would get out and vote.

Among Democrats, voter turnout for the primary reached its highest rate in 40 years.

Former Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant hopes the enthusiasm continues through the November general election.

Its too important in Florida. We cant let, what many of us consider, the deterioration of our state to continue," said Tant. "We are going to step up and step forward in unprecedented ways.

The highest voter turnout during this weeks election was in small Franklin County in the Florida Panhandle, where 56 percent of citizens voted.

On the other end, less than 21 percent of eligible voters went to the polls in Osceola County in suburban Orlando.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say an Uber driver claimed self-defense after he fatally shot a man during an altercation in central Florida early Tuesday morning.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of 34-year-old Jason Boek of Winter Haven, Florida.

According to a press release from the sheriff's office, an enraged Boek who believed his girlfriend was inside aggressively trailed a car driven by 38-year-old Uber driver Robert Westlake.

Westlake told authorities that Boek was trying to force him off the road. Once both vehicles were stopped, Boek threatened to shoot the driver. Unknown to Boek, the Uber driver had recently graduated from the police academy.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It was an historic night in Tallahassee Tuesday night, as Mayor Andrew Gillum beat out political legacy, Gwen Graham, for the Democratic nomination for Governor.

Less than 45,000 votes separated the two candidates.

Gillum is now the first ever black nominee for governor in the state of Florida.

He still has a few city commission meetings left, including some critical workshops and hearings about the budget.

But it's clear his focus will be on the campaign trail.

Mayor Gillum was able to win Leon County with 46 percent of the vote.

Former mayor John Marks told us Gillum will need to raise more money, which means he'll be out of town more often.

Marks said the notion that Gillum is neglecting the city's needs is "hogwash," but that the mayor will need to balance his duties with his ambitions.

"Delicately, let me put it that way. He has to be very conscious of what's needed for locally here, what's needed locally in the city of Tallahassee, and obviously, he's going to have to campaign up until November," said Marks. "So, it's going to be a daunting task, it's going to be difficult, but Andrew can do it."

Marks also said part of Gillum's big win was reaching millennials across the state, taking advantage of social media and the thousands of college students here in Tallahassee.

We also talked to Jon Ausma for some perspective. He's the longest-serving member of the Democratic National Committee in Florida.

He said Gillum has a progressive voice and mission that the Sunshine State needs and in order to win the governor's race, he'll have to spend time away from Tallahassee.

Ausman said Gillum is the one who can break Florida's 20-year stretch of Republican governors.

"Andrew needs to bring it home. I mean, he knows that he's in another 60 days of campaigning. He needs to campaign as hard as he can every single day. He needs to raise the resources necessary in order for him to get his message out -- and he needs to stay on point," said Ausman. He should not shift much more towards the middle. He should stay on his progressive side to get people enthused."

Ausman said the city will continue to run even if Gillum isn't in town.

Gillum's Chief of Staff confirmed to us that Gillum's last day as mayor will be Nov. 19.

We also contacted his campaign office to speak with him, but didn't get a response.
LEON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - U.S. health officials are asking the Trump administration to declare Sexually Transmitted Diseases a public health crisis in America.

That's because a new report from the Center of Disease Control shows rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia have gone up.

Nearly 2.3 million cases were reported in the U.S.

This tops the previous record in 2016 by over 200,000 cases.

Locally, Leon and Gadsden Counties both have very high rates of Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Infectious Syphilis.

In 2015, the rate of these three STDs was 1,042 per 100,000 residents in Gadsden County. And in Leon County it was 1,357 per 100,000 residents.

Florida's overall average in 2015 is 587 cases per 100,000 residents.

With students just returning to classes at Florida State, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College, this is a concern. The health department says in Leon County, people from ages 15 to 24 are considered high risk.

Currently, the Leon County Health Department is seeing an increase in Chlyamidia and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

According to the 2018 County Health Rankings, Leon County leads all of Florida's 67 counties of newly diagnosed cases.

The department is taking initiatives to try to decrease the amount of people effected by educating people on how to fight against STD's.

"I think awareness and preventative measures makes a difference. Being able to know your sex partner's status," said Dale Harrison, Regional STD Area Manager. "Also, to use preventative measures like condoms and thing of that nature."

The department also offers an STD prevention program that provides confidential counseling, testing, and treatments for anyone exposed to or diagnosed with an STD.

Doctors here hope to see change within the community. They recommend that you get tested regularly in order to put your health first.

All three diseases are treatable, but if left untreated, women could suffer from permanent damage to the reproductive system, and men to the prostate.

Heart and nervous system issues are also concerns for patients.
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Authorities say a traffic stop for a suspended drivers license led to them finding opiates and morphine inside a Live Oak man's car.

David Dominguez, 44, was arrested by the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, at about 3:55 p.m., while a deputy was on routine patrol, he saw Dominguez driving a car, which he knew from prior incidents, did not have a valid drivers license.

Dominguez admitted to the deputy that he did not have a drivers license. A check of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles records confirmed that his license had been suspended since 1998.

Dominguez also told the deputy that there was a bag containing used syringes and a spoon in the center console that had morphine residue on them.

When the deputy conducted field tests on the syringes, they tested positive for the presence of opiates.

Based on the evidence, Dominguez is being charged with driving while license suspended and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was taken to the Suwannee County Jail.
MARIANNA, Fla. (WTXL) - Investigators have determined that a 92-year-old Marianna man was shot and killed during a robbery.

The Marianna Police Department says investigators determined that 92-year-old Chatman Adams of Marianna was shot and killed during a robbery at a home in the 2800 Block of Edenfield Street.

At this time, items have been sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Laboratory for analysis.

The incident remains under investigation.

If you or anyone you know has information into this homicide, you are urged to contact the Marianna Police Department at 850-526-3125 or Chipola Crimestoppers at 850-526-5000.

MARIANNA, Fla. (WTXL) - The 92-year-old old man who was found shot to death inside a Marianna home has been identified.

The Marianna Police Department said that officers responded to a residence in the 2800 block of Edenfield Street about a deceased person Monday morning.

When they arrived, they found a man's body inside. Investigators later determined that the man died from a fatal gunshot would.

That man has now been identified as 92-year-old Chatman Adams of Marianna.

This case is still under investigation by the Marianna Police Department. If you or anyone you know has information into this homicide, you are urged to contact the Marianna Police Department at 850-526-3125 or Chipola Crimestoppers at 850-526-5000.

MARIANNA, Fla. (WTXL) - An investigation is underway after a 92-year-old man was found dead in Marianna Monday morning.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirmed that they, along with the Marianna Police Department, are on the scene of a death that may have involved homicide.

Multiple agencies are currently on the scene on Edenfield Street. Early reports indicate a 92-year-old man may have been the victim.

Officials confirm an FDLE crime scene unit is on scene.

This is a developing story. Stay with us for details.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee dance minister accused of sexually assaulting a victim last year is back in jail for repeatedly contacting the victim to try and persuade him to drop the charges.

Curtis Cooper, 38, was rearrested on Tuesday on the original sexual battery charge.

According to court documents, the victim told police in July 2017 that Cooper had sexually assaulted him while at a Tallahassee hotel for a church conference. When asked about the hotel, Cooper told police that the events leading up to the alleged sexual battery were a "lie" and denied any sexual contact with the victim.

However, on May 25, 2018, the victim called a state attorney in the case and said he wanted to drop all charges against Cooper.

An incident report says that the victim stated he and Cooper had spoken, they were "cool" and had resolved everything. Based on the call, the state attorney felt Cooper may have been victim tampering. Additionally, documents note that Cooper was ordered by a judge to have no contact with the victim.

When the state attorney interviewed the victim, he confirmed that he initially spoke with Cooper after his arrest via a "3-way" call with a member of Cooper's dance group.

According to the incident report, the victim said he and Cooper apologized to each other. When asked if Cooper admitted to the sexual assault, the victim confirmed he did.

The victim said that he felt pressured to file a report about the incident. He never wanted "it to go this far," but stated that he had been truthful when he gave his account of what happened during the initial investigation.

The incident report says the victim said he has communicated with Cooper multiple times since his arrest via calls and text messages, with the last communication being on May 25. The victim said he spoke to Cooper earlier that day about the victim's call to the state attorney.

Based on the incident report and Cooper's violation of his release conditions, the state filed a motion to revoke Cooper's $10,000 bond.

A warrant for Cooper's arrest was electronically filed on Aug. 14.

On Tuesday, documents say officers stopped Cooper's car in the area of Thomasville Road and 7th Avenue for ran red light. While talking to Cooper, officers discovered he had a warrant out for his arrest and took him into custody.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee dance minister has been arrested, accused of sexually assaulting a victim he invited to a church conference.

Curtis Cooper, 37, was arrested on Thursday and charged with sexual battery.

According to a probable cause document, the victim told police in July that Cooper had sexually assaulted him while at a Tallahassee hotel.

The victim said that the weekend of July 8, Cooper, in partnership with Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, hosted a dance conference. He told police Cooper invited him to come along and "paid for everything" including a room at Hotel Duval.

The victim stated that he was showering and getting ready for church at the hotel when Cooper forced him to the bed and sexually assaulted him.

According to the documents, Cooper left after the incident.

The documents say that when a Tallahassee Police officer went to interview Cooper, he denied the allegations, saying that the church organization paid for the victim's expenses.

Cooper explained that he organized the dance conference and that the victim was invited to take part in the conference as a drummer. He said that the victim's family was also invited but the victim was the only one who attended.

When asked about the hotel, Cooper told police that he had fallen asleep July 8 without realizing it, woke up early in the morning, and left the room.

He also told officers that the events leading up to the alleged sexual battery were a "lie" and denied any sexual contact with the victim.

Police wrote that during the interview with Cooper, he kept mentioning an investigation in Blountstown where he was accused of an inappropriate relationship with a male and female victim, both under the age of 18.

When police looked into it, they discovered that the case Cooper mentioned involved a 12-year-old victim who told investigators he knew Cooper because he was the dance instructor at his church.

According to the probable cause document, Cooper had been arrested for sexual battery in connection to the incident back in 2004.

Officers wrote that they were also aware of another case in 2014 where Cooper had been accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old. However, documents say authorities were never able to establish probable cause, leaving the case inactive.

Cooper is currently in the Leon County Jail on a $10,000 bond.

He is the owner and founder of Community-Based Dance Ministry Inc. in Tallahassee.

According to the Reign Dance Company's website, Cooper was one of the founding directors of Divine Praise Dance Ministry of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

He is also listed as one of the company's members.

MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go.
VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - A south Georgia food bank will use an award of $50,000 to help with efforts to feed the community.

Officials with Second Harvest in Valdosta say the money will not go to food directly. It will go to a new software system.

They say the system will help them make inventory and distribution for the non-profit more efficient.

Officials with the food bank say they are hoping to expand their reach beyond the 16.5 million meals they served last year.

"By giving us this grant, Conagra is making it possible for us to do more to help put food on the table for families who need it, here at home," said Eliza McCall, Chief Marketing Officer of Second Harvest.

Second Harvest leaders say without the grant from the The Foundation, getting the software necessary would not have been possible.

That same foundation also donates food to the food bank.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-29 22:51:25|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba here Wednesday.

Noting that Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Japan in May put bilateral ties back on track, Wang said the momentum of improvement in bilateral relations, which had gone through twists and turns, is worthy to be cherished.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Wang said the two countries should adhere to the four political documents and the four-point principled agreement signed between the two sides and safeguard the political basis for bilateral ties.

China stands ready to expand practical cooperation with Japan on innovation and the third-party market, and promote the building of the East Asian Economic Community as well as the regional integration process, he said.

For his part, Takeo Akiba said the Japanese side was happy to see that bilateral ties are back on track and is willing to work with China to promote the advancement of bilateral ties.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-29 22:56:26|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

A launching ceremony of a national-level platform to alert the public about online rumors and refute slander is held in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2018. The platform is hosted by the Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center under the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and operated by xinhuanet.com. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A national-level platform to alert the public about online rumors and refute slander was launched in Beijing Wednesday.

The platform is hosted by the Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center under the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and operated by xinhuanet.com.

The platform operates under the guidance of 27 units, such as the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and the National Development and Reform Commission.

The platform allows the public to quickly discover and debunk rumors floating around online, while at the same time throwing light on pseudoscientific theories.

So far, more than 40 rumor-refuting platforms have been integrated into the national one. Cutting-edge technology is also utilized to improve performance at tackling online rumors.

While the internet has become a vital source for the public to acquire daily information and express opinions, a number of problems including spreading rumors and illegal information, continue to exist and disturb social order.
File photo taken on April 19, 2018 shows the construction site of Colombo Port City in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Invested and developed by the China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC), Colombo Port City is the project between China and Sri Lanka under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, especially the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. (Xinhua/CHEC)

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will have a positive impact in bringing countries together and benefiting the world economy, U.S. experts said at an innovation forum held in Stanford University on Tuesday.

The BRI is "positively influencing the world economy," Franklin Urteaga, tech advisor to former U.S. President Bill Clinton's administration, told Xinhua at the annual 2018 China-U.S. Economist FinTech Innovation Forum.

The BRI, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, focuses on increasing development and connectivity between regions.

The BRI is bringing countries together for cooperation, and "when you look at areas that have cooperation, you are getting positive result," Urteaga said. "I think it will generate 25 percent of the global GDP."

Kenneth Judd, senior fellow of Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said the BRI is benefiting the world economy because it is creating greater access for other countries to the Chinese market and markets in other countries.

"It will be easier for products to flow from one place to another, and this is the transportation network in general," he said.

The forum brought together around 200 Chinese and American scholars, economists and entrepreneurs who discussed China-U.S. economic development and cooperation, fintech and development trends, blockchain, and financial security.

The event has been held for three times. The last meeting also took place in Stanford University.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-29 23:41:43|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Fire trucks are seen beside the ferry Eleftherios Venizelos at Piraeus port in Piraeus, Greece, Aug. 29, 2018. A passenger ferry with 1,016 people onboard returned to Piraeus port early Wednesday after a fire broke out while the vessel was en route to the island of Crete. The cause of the fire was under investigation. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ATHENS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Greek ferry, which had reported fire at the garage while sailing to Crete island on early Wednesday, docked at Piraeus port with no injuries, Greek authorities announced.

The fire was contained, and the passengers who spent four hours on the decks wearing lifejackets amid smoke disembarked from the ship shortly after sunrise.

Travelers who were welcomed by anxious relatives were accommodated at local hotels until a replacement ferry will sail to Crete.

The causes of the incident are investigated.

According to early information from the shipping ministry, the alarm went off after midnight as "Eleftherios Venizelos" which had departed from Piraeus port late Tuesday with 875 passengers and 141 crew members on board was sailing near the island of Hydra.

Konstantinos Stogiannis, a retired travel agent, was on board the ferry with his 9-year-old grandson in a group of 45 people.

"The people reacted very well. They led us all up to the deck, running to help us. They were great. Perfect," he said as he was waiting to find out whether one of the buses of his family business was damaged in the fire.

The ferry was also carrying 80 trucks and 152 smaller vehicles.

Travelers got worried when they heard the captain asking them to put on life jackets, but there was no panic, Stogiannis noted.

"Fear did not prevail, there was no panic. People explained to us that boats were ready for evacuation according to standard maritime procedures in case we need them so there will be no panic," he said.

"The most pleasant fact is that all people, all travelers were evacuated and there is no safety problem now," Fire Brigade Chief Vasilios Mattheopoulos explained.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 02:12:24|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that innovative thinking on mediation in resolving conflicts is a necessity.

"As the conflict landscape has changed, so has our understanding of what constitutes an effective mediation process. Innovative thinking on mediation is no longer an option, it is a necessity," said the UN chief at the Security Council's debate on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Mediation and the Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts.

"War is becoming increasingly complex, and so is mediating peace," he said.

According to a concept note circulated by Britain, which is the Council president of this month, the debate was intended to provide member states with the opportunity to consider the role of the UN in both "leading and supporting inclusive mediation efforts, how it can be strengthened, and how the Security Council and member states can best support these efforts."

Speakers were presenting their views on how the Council can support mediation at many different levels, ranging from the local to the international level, which was the core theme of the debate.

"Today, internal conflicts frequently take on regional and transnational dimensions. Many feature a deadly mix of fragmented armed groups and political interests, funded by criminal activities," said Guterres at the debate.

"Conflicts around the world drag on for years and decades, holding back development and stunting opportunities," he added.

Comprehensive peace agreements are "becoming more elusive and short-lived. Political will wanes, international attention drifts," said the secretary-general.

"I urge you to commit to more effective use of mediation as a tool to save and improve the lives of millions of people around the world," the UN chief said.

Again, the secretary-general talked about the importance of prevention diplomacy.

"As bad as the situation is in many parts of the world, I am convinced that it is within our power to tackle and reverse these trends," he said.

"This is why, since the beginning of my tenure, one of my key priorities has been a surge in diplomacy for peace," he added.

"We must make prevention our priority. But prevention also includes investment in mediation, peacebuilding and sustainable development," said the secretary-general.

The UN chief noted that "we must be bold and creative in bringing together the avenues and capacities that are available for mediation."

He told the debate that he was grateful to former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, a member of his high-level advisory board, who traveled to Liberia on his behalf to support the peaceful transfer of power after the 2017 elections.

"This is just one example of how we can deploy board members in the cause of conflict prevention," he said.

"The board's members have experience and networks across the entire spectrum of mediation. I look to them to provide tailored advice, to find new entry points, and to help train and build capacity amongst our partners," the secretary-general added.

"Discreet engagement also plays a role," Guterres said, while speaking about the weight of engagement in mediation.

"Continuing talks with the Taliban, despite years of war and continued fighting, and away from the glare of publicity, allows for positions to be clarified. Renewed engagement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has also benefitted from this approach," the UN chief noted.

As for private mediation actors, the secretary-general said that the UN works with these actors including non-governmental organizations, "which may have greater freedom to establish contacts and foster dialogue with armed groups, militias and others."

"Meanwhile, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, an enormous range of other actors, national bodies and civil society groups, including women's organizations, religious leaders and young activists, play a part in mediation at a local and community level," he said.

"Mediating an end to today's complex conflicts means we must bring all these tracks together, in a coordinated way," the secretary-general noted.

"We must also find new ways to pursue the more inclusive approaches that are critical to successful mediation," he said, adding "that is what we in the United Nations are trying to do."

"I continue to offer my good offices and personal engagement wherever they can add value, alongside my envoys and special representatives, drawing on the experience of the entire United Nations and those in the broader mediation community," the UN chief said.
The Armenian government today approved the receipt of 65 emergency resuscitation vehicles and related equipment provided by China at no charge.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan thanked China for the assistance, noting that it underlines the high level of relations between the two countries.

We will no longer face the problem of rejecting emergency calls due to a lack of ambulances, said Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan.

55 of the vehicles will be allocated to medical organization in Yerevan and the provinces. The rest will be held in reserve.

Some ambulances currently in use will be transferred to Armenias Department of Corrections.

The above photo shows some of the 200 medical ambulances that China has already sent to Armenia free of charge as a result of an agreement signed this March.

In 2011, China gifted twenty emergency resuscitation vehicles and 68 ambulances to Armenia.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 03:42:42|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed on Wednesday as foreign-owned shops were looted in Johannesburg's Soweto suburbs, a city official said.

Starting from Tuesday, shops owned by foreigners were looted over accusations that they sold fake and expired goods.

"Upon arrival, it was discovered that the situation was extremely volatile with reports that two persons having been killed during the course of the violence," said Michael Sun, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety in the City of Johannesburg.

"So far, it is reported that three suspects have been arrested for murder and the possession of illegal firearm while 12 others have been arrested for public violence," Sun said.

"Reports of attacks on shops owned by foreign nationals are said to be spreading across the area," he said.

He called on the community not to loot shops or resort to violence.

Acting Government Communication and Information System Director General Phumla Wiliams said such looting actions are unlawful and will not be tolerated.

"Government urges members of communities to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and cooperate with the relevant authorities by reporting or lodging complaints about unsafe goods and products," said Williams.

He appealed to the community to allow relevant state agencies to address the concerns.

"We appeal to members of the public to cooperate by reporting fake or substandard goods," said Williams."We urge the law enforcement agencies to take swift action against establishments that are responsible for manufacturing such goods and products."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 03:57:45|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

LISBON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese ports saw cargo volumes fall by 4.8 percent in the first half of 2018 compared with the same period last year, the Mobility and Transport Authority (AMT) announced on Wednesday.

Ports in mainland Portugal processed 46.4 million tonnes of cargo between January and June, compared with the 48.6 million tonnes handled in the first half of 2017.

The fall is due to a drop in activity at Sines, by far Portugal's busiest port. Sines accounted for 50.2 percent of the total cargo volume for the year, but handled 9.9 percent less cargo than in the corresponding period in 2017.

Most significantly it saw a 14.6 percent reduction in transshipment volumes, whereby cargo is reloaded onto other ships or transferred to rail or road transport.

But it wasn't all bad news: Sines registered a 7.1 percent increase in hinterland traffic, which is when goods continue their journey on land through Portugal.

Sines is especially recognized for its transhipment capacity and is the only port in Portugal able to process container ships with a 20,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent units) capacity. On Aug. 3, its XXI Terminal welcomed its biggest ever ship, the 399-meter, 20,568 TEU capacity Madrid Maersk.

Portuguese ports handled 95.9 million tonnes of cargo in 2017, the country's record year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 03:57:47|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj Wednesday met with the UN Secretary-General to Libya Ghassan Salame, discussing military escalation in Tripoli between government forces and armed militias.

The officials met in the capital Tripoli and discussed Tripoli developments, the cessation of hostilities and UN's engagement with international community in this regard, said the UN Support Mission in Libya in a statement.

Salame stressed the need to protect civilians, end the violence immediately, and start ceasefire talks, the statement said.

Earlier on Wednesday, the UN Mission warned against military actions in Tripoli following violent clashes between government forces and militias that killed and injured civilians.

Southern Tripoli has been witnessing violent clashes between government forces and armed militias, which has so far killed five and injured 33 others, according to the Ministry of Health.

The reasons for the clashes remain unknown, with growing tensions and military mobilization over the past few days between armed groups from outside and inside the city in southern Tripoli.

The Interior Minister Abdulsalam Ashour told a local TV channel on Monday that a ceasefire agreement in Tripoli had been reached. However, clashes occurred despite the ceasefire announcement, according to a local security source.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 08:11:29|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Nakanyala Elina Shekupe (1st R) learns desert control in Minqin County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 26, 2018. Shekupe, 37, is an agricultural technology official from Namibia. She and 11 other students are taking part in a desertification combating and ecological restoration training course organized by China's Ministry of Commerce in Gansu. "I hope more and more African friends will come to China to learn new technology on desert control and benefit people in their hometown, " she said. (Xinhua/Chen Bin)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 08:07:17|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Aug. 29, 2018 shows the general view of the Security Council's debate on the Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Mediation and the Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts, at the UN headquarters in New York. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that innovative thinking on mediation in resolving conflicts is a necessity. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 08:18:34|Editor: Liu

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the northwest district of North Waziristan, once the safe haven of the terrorist groups, vowing to eliminate terrorism from the country, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has said.

Militant groups used to term North Waziristan, a tribal district bordering Afghanistan, as their headquarters from where they used to launch attacks across Pakistan. An intensive operation started in June 2014 by the Pakistani armed forces to wipe out all such elements and establish peace in the region.

According to the ISPR, the army chief addressed a gathering of local tribal elders on Wednesday and appreciated the local population for their support and cooperation for the security forces during the operation.

He told the tribal elders that terrorism and development cannot go together, urging them to continue to play their role to ensure that the unrest does not return and their area can attain maximum development in the post-militancy era.

"No conflict ends through kinetic operations alone. There is always a post operations rehabilitation and development effort," said the army chief, while stressing on the continuation of the stability operations and progress on the socio-economic sector in the region.

Tens of thousands of local people had to migrate and live in camps in different parts of the country following the launch of the military operations in the region.

Following the success of the operations, the Pakistani government and army have been rehabilitating the area by reconstructing roads, government offices, schools, markets and houses which were destroyed during the operation.

According to the local government in the area, almost all the displaced people have returned to their homes in North Waziristan.

The army chief also observed the progress of setting up a fence along the 2,430 km long Pak-Afghan border to stop the movement of the militants in the hilly border areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 08:23:36|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government has formed a new authority, the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority, to regulate the country's print and electronic media, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said.

The minister told a press briefing on Wednesday that the new government has decided to merge the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and Press Council of Pakistan into the new body.

The new authority will monitor print, electronic and cyber media simultaneously in an effort to save national resources, said the minister. "A single regulatory authority should overlook all mediums, and the same laws and censors should apply on all of them," he added.

Senior journalists from print and electronic media will be hired for top positions of the newly formed body besides professionals, the minister added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 09:08:42|Editor: Liu

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia's peak scientific body has revealed a plan for six dams in the nation's north, transforming the region into the "next great food bowl."

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) blueprint, released on Thursday, identified the potential to create 370,000 hectares of agricultural land, creating 15,000 jobs and boosting the economy by 5.3 billion Australian dollars (3.8 billion U.S. dollars) each year.

Under the plan, two new dams would be built in the Northern Territory (NT) near Darwin, boosting the city's economy by 2.6 billion Australian dollars (1.9 billion U.S. dollars), and four in Queensland near Cairns.

The study was the result of 2.5 years of work by more than 100 CSIRO scientists who conducted a comprehensive analysis of water and soil in northern Australia.

Matt Canavan, minister for Northern Australia, said the report supported the construction of the "next great food bowl in our nation."

"It would deliver enough water in most years to fill Sydney Harbour more than two times," he told News Corp Australia on Thursday.

"This information should lead every government to hasten towards this opportunity. We have growing demand for food in Asia, abundant soils and water, and it's time for our country to once again take on a large agricultural nation-building initiative."

According to the CSIRO, the construction of all four Queensland dams would cost 2.8 billion Australian dollars (2.04 billion U.S. dollars).

When finished, those four projects would deliver 2,800 gigaliters of water annually.

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the agriculture-centric Nationals Party, Michael McCormack, said the proposal had his full support.

"The Coalition stands ready to develop this with anybody who wants to come forward and work with us," he said.

"We want to make sure that it gets carried forward. We'll be campaigning on it for sure."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 10:08:53|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- New Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has departed on his first official overseas visit to Indonesia.

Morrison will meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday where negotiations on a free-trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations will be finalized and a comprehensive strategic partnership signed.

An agreement on an FTA would mark the end of eight years of negotiations between the two countries.

Although negotiations on the FTA are expected to be concluded, the deal will not be formally signed.

A trade deal will also be announced that will allow Australian universities to own a stake in Indonesian institutions.

"Our close collaboration across economic, security and strategic domains makes both countries stronger, safer and more prosperous," the prime minister said in a statement on Thursday.

"I look forward to working with Indonesia's president to lay the foundation for the next stage of our bilateral partnership."

An FTA with Indonesia is expected to be welcomed by Australia's agriculture sector.

Wheat makes up approximately 50 percent of Australia's exports to Indonesia, followed by cotton, live animals, sugar and beef in the top five.

When signed, the Indonesia FTA will be the fourth Asian trade agreement secured by the current Australian government following deals with China, South Korea and Japan.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 10:28:58|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday expressed deep concern that a full scale military assault in Syria's Idlib province risks a humanitarian catastrophe and urged all parties to preserve the last de-escalation zone in the war-torn country.

His remarks came after reports of a "false flag" chemical weapon attack allegedly staged by the Syrian government troops to provoke military response from one or all of the allies Britain, France and the United States.

"The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the growing risks of a humanitarian catastrophe in the event of a full-scale military operation in Idlib province in Syria," said chief UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. "The secretary-general once again reaffirms that any use of chemical weapons is totally unacceptable."

"The secretary-general urgently appeals to the Government of Syria and all parties to exercise restraint and to prioritize the protection of civilians," said Dujarric, adding that Guterres called for efforts to "find a peaceful solution to the situation in Idlib, the last remaining de-escalation zone."

"The secretary-general further calls on all parties to take all necessary measures to safeguard civilian lives, allow freedom of movement, and protect civilian infrastructure, including medical and educational facilities, in accordance with international humanitarian law and human rights law," the spokesman said.

On Tuesday, British Ambassador Karen Pierce in a Security Council meeting echoed remarks by delegates from the United States and France, saying that Britain would respond accordingly if the Syrian troops again use chemical weapons.

She also told the panel that the Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) said earlier Tuesday that Britain and the "white helmets" civilian rescuers are preparing for chemical attacks against the Syrian people.

"I am happy to rebut any allegation that the British government or British forces engages with terrorists on the ground in Syria," the London envoy said.

Pierce appealed to Russia to "use all its persuasive powers to convince the Syrian authorities not to attack their own population and never again to use prohibited chemical weapons."

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons against its own people in previous related disputes.
Sasun Khachatryan, the head of Armenias Special Investigative Service (SIS), told reporters today in Yerevan that he is sure that those responsible for the death of eight civilians and two police officers in March 2008 will be identified.

The current government has reopened the investigation into the events following the contested February 2008 presidential election that ushered Serzh Sargsyan into power in Armenia.

Robert Kocharyan, the outgoing president at the time, has been charged with usurping state power at the time. He had been detained but was later released by a higher court.

Khachatryan replied to a criticism voiced by Kocharyan that the investigation carried out by the SIS has nothing to do with the ten deaths.

I leave that up to you - whether our work has anything to do with the ten victims, or whether the cases of usurping state power and the deaths have been linked. What Im saying is that everything is and will be done, and Im very hopeful, that this case, including the part about identifying those responsible for the deaths, will be closed.

Khachatryan avoided answering a reporters question whether Sargsyan or Nikol Pashinyan, then a protest organizer and now Armenias prime minister, would be called in for questioning by the investigative body.

It remains a secret who will be called in for questioning and when. As a principal Ive said it once before that all those possessing pertinent information in the case will be summoned. As to the details of who will be called and when, we will limit the information to an amount that does not undermine the investigation, Khachatryan said.

He said that a large number of citizens have filed requests to be registered as injured parties in the investigation, and they have the theoretical right to do so.

In a formal sense, everyone subjected to material, moral or other injury due to a crime can apply and be registered as an injured party. However, rational limits must be placed. If we use the logic that the right of freedom of movement of all in Armenia was violated, and that all need file for injured party status, it would really disrupt the work of those conducting the investigation, Khachatryan said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 11:14:05|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

YANGON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) has submitted a plan to the government for stabilizing the rising exchange rate, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday.

The four-point plan, submitted to State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi during a recent meeting with local business leaders in Nay Pyi Taw, was outlined as promoting export sector, investment, import substitution and reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar.

Suggestions also included reviewing the entire export supply chain, applying demand-based agricultural policy, earliest implementation of banks' support services towards export, providing tax incentives to potential export products, public-private partnership towards effective development of export and earliest formation of National Export Promotion Council.

Moreover, the government was urged to let foreign banks bring in foreign capital to expand their businesses in the country.

UMFCCI called on the government to reduce reliance on U.S. dollar by strictly forbidding pricing, trading and payments by dollar in the country and conduct trading with currencies of neighboring countries as an alternative.

Over a recent period, U.S. dollar exchange rate rose sharply to over 1,500 Kyats against 1 U.S. dollar in Myanmar domestic market, following an announcement of the Central Bank of Myanmar (CBM) about removing trading band of +/- 0.8 percent on exchange of Myanmar Kyat against U.S. dollar to control market fluctuation in the wake of continuous kyat depreciation.

Some businessmen forecast that prices of commodities and goods could rise due to the high exchange rate in local market.

The exchange rate in the international market is forecast to continuously jump.

Meanwhile, the CBM is monitoring the foreign currency market to prevent price manipulation, a key reason for exchange rate destabilization.

Also, the CBM has been selling about 100,000 U.S. dollars' notes daily to private banks to cope with demand, aiming to stabilize currency exchange rate in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 11:24:06|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

by Yan Lei

TOKYO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Japan has once again made irresponsible remarks in its annual defense white paper about China's normal and justified maritime activities.

Such an action will do no good to the bilateral relationship which has been warming up recently. Neither will it do any good to regional stability.

It is hoped that Tokyo can make more efforts to enhance mutual trust with Beijing and safeguard regional peace and stability, instead of seeking various excuses for its own expansion of armaments.

Japan's defense ministry released a defense white paper for 2018 on Tuesday, which, while summarizing the country's defense policy changes, also mentioned the so-called "increased military activities" that "constitute a threat" to regional security.

The report devoted some 35 pages to making irresponsible remarks on China's national defense system and its normal and justified maritime activities in the East and South China Seas, claiming that such activities constitute "a strong concern" for Japan.

Beijing has repeatedly made it clear that China's navy and air force activities are in line with international law, domestic law as well as national defense needs.

Japan also has no right to make carping comments on China's legitimate activities near the Diaoyu Islands, which are China's inherent territory in all historical, geographical and legal terms, and for which Japan has made unjustified claim.

The Japanese defense white paper has also said that "there is no change" in Japan's view of the threat posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s nuclear weapons and missiles, though admitting the DPRK's commitment to denuclearization made at a summit with the United States in Singapore on June 12 is "significant."

Analysts here pointed out that by hyping up the regional threat, Japan is trying to make excuses for its continued expansion of military power, its purchase of expansive U.S. armaments, and its attempts to revise the pacifist Constitution.

Japan has been showing a growing ambition for military expansion, with its military expenditure reaching record highs over the past few years despite heavy burdens to the country already deep in debt, its planned introduction of the U.S.-developed land-based Aegis Ashore missile shield, and its attempt to "strengthen defense capabilities in new fields such as cyberspace and outer space," among others.

Japanese media also reported the government's plan to update the National Defense Program Guidelines, which is expected to further boost Japan's defense power to "deal with the increasingly severe security situation surrounding Japan."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has declared candidacy for his third consecutive term as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and if reelected, he will become the longest-serving prime minister in postwar Japan.

As Abe's security policies are to be in the limelight, it's advisable that Japan should make more efforts to support political solution of the Korean Peninsula issue, and enhance mutual trust with China to promote regional peace and stability, instead of making lame excuses for fueling an arms race.

For Japan, it is worth noting that to deal with the so-called "increasingly severe security situation," the proper solution would be dealing with the challenges through cooperation and coordination of the international community.

Meanwhile, given the uncertainties now facing the global economy, Japan should also cherish the rapprochement of relations with China, and walk the talk to meet China halfway and consolidate this positive momentum to benefit the people of the two neighbors.
Photo taken on Sept. 2, 2015 shows the scenery of Attabad Lake in northern Pakistan's Attabad. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

by Raheela Nazir

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's new government under Prime Minister Imran Khan has demonstrated mammoth interest to support tourism in Pakistan.

In his first speech to the nation after being elected as prime minister, Imran Khan said Pakistan has god-gifted tourist sites and the country is bestowed with huge tourism potential. He vowed to promote tourism to strengthen the country's economy.

"The government will promote and position Pakistan as Asia's Best Kept Secret in the global tourism market in order to boost tourism," Raja Khurram Nawaz, a lawmaker of the ruling Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) told media recently.

He said four new tourist resorts would be opened every year to promote the tourism industry, adding that the government will revamp the accommodation infrastructure and transport services across the country.

As the new government has shown determination and keen interest to improve and promote the tourism sector by taking result-oriented measures, Pakistan's tourism sector is optimistic and expecting a further boost.

Photo taken on April 26, 2017 shows a view of the Lahore Fort, or Shahi Qila in Urdu, in Lahore, east Pakistan. The Lahore Fort, listed by the UNESCO as a world heritage in 1981, contains marble palaces and mosques decorated with mosaics and gilt. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

Hamayun Iqbal Shami, Chairman of Pakistan Economic Forum Islamabad, told Xinhua that tourism is considered as one of the most important sectors to increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Apart from the GDP, it is also one of the important indicators which depict the improved security situation in the country.

"Pakistan can double its GDP size within a few years if tourism is established on a scientific and technical basis. It can create around 10 million new jobs and substantial share in tax revenue and earn handsome foreign exchange too," Shami opined.

While appreciating and being hopeful about the vision of Imran Khan to make tourism one of the priorities, Shami was of the view that tourism is an important sector which can solve Pakistan's economic difficulties in a short time span.

He said many countries are getting 30 percent of its GDP from the tourism sector, but tourism earning in Pakistan only makes up around two percent in the GDP, mainly due to the war on terrorism, nominal marketing, outdated public and private sector infrastructure and services.

Khawaja Ali Imran, director of the Tourist Service at the Ministry of Tourism of Pakistan, told Xinhua that "the incumbent government will definitely improve the tourism industry as the newly-elected prime minister has shown special interest and attention for its improvement and promotion."

"We need to devise a patent and effective tourism policy at the federal and provincial level to further improve tourism," the official said.

He stressed the importance of promoting tourism at the international level and attracting big international tourism marketing companies to cooperate with Pakistani ones.

Photo taken on July 12, 2016 shows the view of Badshahi Mosque in eastern Pakistan's Lahore. The Badshahi Mosque, or the "Imperial Mosque", which was commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1671 and completed in 1673, is the second largest mosque in Pakistan. (Xinhua/Jamil Ahmed)

Tameezudin Khan, a resident of the country's northwest Chitral district, who owns a hotel in Kelash valley and has been engaged in the hoteling business for the last 18 years, said that for many years, tourists were scared of visiting far-off valleys in Chitral due to the fear of militancy but as the security situation improved, the area has seen an upsurge in the number of tourists.

"During the last five-year tenure of the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government, the tourism sector has witnessed a remarkable improvement in attracting tourists both locally and internationally due to the adoption of vibrant tourism policy," the hotel owner said.

"As the PTI has assumed power at the center recently, I hope the Pakistani tourism industry will thrive under their leadership."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 11:34:09|Editor: Chengcheng

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Sentiment among South Korean businesses hit an 18-month low, boosting worry about economic recovery amid the worsened consumer confidence, central bank data showed Thursday.

The business sentiment index (BSI) stood at 74 in August, down 1 point from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).

It marked the lowest since February last year, keeping a downward trend for three straight months. The figure below 100 indicates pessimists outnumbering optimists.

Concerns mounted about economic recovery amid the worsening consumer sentiment, which hit the lowest in 17 months this month.

The BSI among manufacturers shed 1 point over the month to 73 in August. The figure for non-manufacturers lost 2 points to 74 in the period.

The prospective BSI for September came in at 77, up 4 points from a month earlier. It marked the first rebound in three months as the government unveiled an expansionary budget plan for next year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 12:14:19|Editor: Chengcheng

Video Player Close

HANOI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's banking system reduced its bad debt ratio to 2.09 percent in late June from 2.46 percent in late December 2016, according to the country's central bank on Thursday.

Since the Vietnamese top legislature's resolution on handling bad debts of credit institutions on a trial basis took effect in August 2017, all credit institutions have handled bad debts of 138.29 trillion Vietnamese dong (6 billion U.S. dollars), said the Banking Supervision Agency under the State Bank of Vietnam.

The settlement of non-performing loans is also being accelerated to further lower the bad debt ratio.

By the end of June this year, all credit institutions had total charter capital of nearly 519.11 trillion Vietnamese dong (22.5 billion U.S. dollars), up 1.3 percent against the end of 2017, and up 6.3 percent compared with the end of 2016.

Meanwhile, they had combined equity capital of more than 720.43 trillion Vietnamese dong (31.3 billion U.S. dollars), up 9.1 percent and 21.1 percent against the end of 2017 and 2016, respectively, said the agency.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 12:54:24|Editor: Chengcheng

Video Player Close

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's steel industry on Wednesday requested the United States to remove import tariffs on Mexican steel before the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation is completed.

The National Iron and Steel Industry Chamber (CANACERO) said in a press statement that the tariffs, which the United States has maintained against Mexico and other countries since June, are inappropriate and put the North American free market at risk.

"While the steel and aluminum sectors are those affected today, we must be aware that other sectors could be affected at any moment under this proposal, nullifying the benefits of the treaty," CANACERO said.

"It is imperative that the Mexican government defend its national industry and request the exclusion of Section 232 (tariffs on aluminum and steel) for Mexico before completing negotiations," it added.

In June, the United States applied 25-percent tariffs on steel imports and 10-percent on aluminum imports from Mexico, the European Union and Canada.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration used Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, claiming that the move was in the interest of national security.

According to CANACERO, Mexican exports of steel to the United States fell 37 percent in the month after the tariffs were applied. Meanwhile, exports from the United States to Mexico have been maintained.

Mexico and the United States announced Monday an agreement in principle on the renegotiation of NAFTA. A Canadian negotiating team has been looking at the agreement in Washington since Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there could be an agreement between all three countries ahead of a Friday deadline set by Trump.

Talks to rewrite NAFTA began last year at the insistence of Trump who called NAFTA the worst agreement signed by the United States. He has threatened to abandon it on several occasions.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 13:19:29|Editor: Yurou

Video Player Close

SYDNEY, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea's (PNG) Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia has called for an increase in the number of the country's judges on Thursday, citing a recent expansion of the judicial system to a three-arm structure, with the addition of an appeals court.

Salamo said the judiciary needs an increase of 80 judges to fill new roles, and he will be submitting a proposal to the government to amend the National Judges Act and increase the current ceiling number of 42.

"It will take 60 to 80 judges to keep the new three-arm structure functioning in the country," Salamo said.

According to Salamo, the country's current number of judges is well below the internationally accepted average.

"New Zealand's population is one half the size of PNG's population, but they have over 150 judges - a ratio of one judge to around 50,000 people," Salamo said.

"PNG's ratio would be one judge to almost 200,000 people."

Salamo also pointed to a change in the nature of cases facing PNG courts, saying that 50 years ago the caseload in the Supreme and National courts was 30 percent civil and 70 percent criminal.

"Now it has been reversed - 30 percent criminal and 70 percent civil," Salamo said.

"However the number of judges is half the required number."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 13:34:31|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least five people have been killed and 12 others injured in a road accident in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said Thursday.

"The accident occurred near Mohkampur industrial area in the state's Meerut district when a van rammed into several vehicles, including bikers, while attempting to speed away after mowing down a cyclist late Wednesday night," a police official said.

While the cyclist as well as four others died on the spot, those injured had been admitted to a nearby hospital, where the condition of four were said to be serious.

"The bodies of the deceased have been sent for an autopsy," the official added.

Eye-witnesses told cops that the driver was speeding and lost control of the vehicle while overtaking another vehicle that led to him mowing down the cyclist.

A probe has been ordered into the incident. "The van driver was caught and thrashed by local residents, being handed over to us. We have booked him for rash and negligent driving and mulling whether to press murder charges against him," the official added.

Road accidents occur in India mostly due to poor driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 13:54:33|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

VANCOUVER, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Canada and the United States are in "extremely intense" talks to reach a deal on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) ahead of a Friday deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland said in Washington on Wednesday that officials from both sides are working on some remaining sensitive bilateral disputes, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

Trump announced Monday that the United States and Mexico had reached a preliminary bilateral trade pact that would replace NAFTA and that Canada should join the deal or face tariffs against Canada's automobile manufacturing industry.

The Friday deadline is probably a good thing insofar as it has Canada at the table again, said John Ries, an international trade expert from the University of British Columbia.

"Both sides have known what the issues are and what each side is proposing, but they haven't really sat down and worked really hard at coming up with compromises," Ries told Xinhua on Wednesday. "This is creating a lot of focus to really resolve issues that they've known about and they're not going to get resolved by not talking."

It remains to be seen if the Friday deadline is a hard one, said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a visit to northern Ontario on Wednesday.

"I understand that the Americans and the Mexicans very much want to try to get things done by Friday and we're seeing if we can get to the right place by Friday," Trudeau said. "But as I've said all along, it has to be the right deal for Canada and that's what we're staying firm on."

Canada still has the bargaining power, said Ries, because it appears that U.S. lawmakers and Mexico are pushing for a tri-lateral deal and that could limit Trump's ability to single-handedly control NAFTA's fate.

Trudeau's Liberal government, according to media reports on Wednesday, would be willing to give the United States more access to its supply-managed dairy industry, one of the main sticking points in the negotiations.

The United States and Canada are still working through several issues, including wages and country-of-origin details in the auto manufacturing industry, intellectual property right protection, dispute settlement mechanisms and duty-free limits for cross-border shopping.

"The U.S. does have the advantage of being the big lucrative market," Ries said. "I think they are playing that to their advantage."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 13:54:33|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writer Zhu Dongyang

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his assertion that China shall be blamed -- at least partly -- for the current logjam of Washington-Pyongyang talks.

Trump tweeted that he "feels strongly" that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is under "tremendous" pressure from China. Accusing Beijing of providing considerable aid to Pyongyang, he also threatened to "instantly start the joint exercises again" with South Korea and Japan that "will be far bigger than ever before."

It was not the first time that Trump made such a statement, and may not be his last time either. A breakthrough in talks with the DPRK, which was supposed to be his diplomatic "jewelry on the crown," would be a major boost for the mid-term elections; anything otherwise will be seen as a blow to the deeply troubled White House.

In fact, Washington's provocations and military threats never came to a stop even around the Singapore summit. Hostility between Washington and Pyongyang remains barely surmountable.

The U.S. share of blame was considerable, given its reluctance to offer any substantial commitment to the DPRK's security, its insatiable request for the DPRK to denuclearize within a year, and its exaggeration of results of the Singapore summit, making it hard for the U.S. team to accept any lesser concessions.

Meanwhile, "verifiability" and "irreversibility" have been Washington's favorite words when it comes to the DPRK's denuclearization. Yet, such standards demand two-way efforts.

The Pentagon's saying that it has no plan as to whether to continue suspending major U.S.-South Korea drills in the next year is a setback from its previous promise of an "indefinite" suspension.

U.S. media also reported on Wednesday that Trump told Kim Jong Un, the DPRK's top leader, that he would sign a war-ending declaration with the DPRK soon after the Singapore summit, yet he has failed to do so.

Instead, Washington "has repeatedly asked Pyongyang to dismantle most of its nuclear arsenal first, before signing such a document," irritating the DPRK and casting doubt on the United States' own credibility.

The U.S. accusation of China's aid to the DPRK is also untenable, contradicting the widely recognized fact that China has strictly abided by the UN Security Council resolutions.

It is advisable that Washington understand the full implication and purposes of these resolutions that highlight both sanctions and conversations, and strive for an ultimate denuclearization through dialogue rather than maximum pressure.

The U.S. deliberate distortion of the UN resolutions, reluctance to pay the due price for its security, and ignoring China's decades of peace-making endeavors would obstruct the political settlement of the Peninsular issues.

Instead of repeating the rhetoric and levying pressure, it is high time for the current U.S. administration to reconsider its DPRK policy and change its course toward a constructive direction.

Patience and perspective can never be over-emphasized for a complex geopolitical issue like the Korean Peninsula. Many options to solve it remain open to discussion, yet attempts to get everything with nothing or even to pull the chestnuts out of the fire shall never be included.

Now the ball is in Washington's court, not China's.
Yerevan police say they have located and arrested Kevin Oksuz, wanted in the United States for providing false information and documents to the House Committee on Ethics.

According to a police statement issued today, Oksuz came to Armenia to start a business and has registered a company in the country.

Oksuz is said to be a president of a non-profit that seeks to foster friendly relations between Turks and Americans via greater tourism to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

In 2013 Oksuz and others invited several US Congressmen to Azerbaijan and Turkey on a private visit. Hes been charged with submitting false documents to the Ethics Committee, claiming that the organization never received financing from any source either directly or indirectly.

An investigation reveals that organization actually didnt pay for all the expenses and received additional financing, including money from the Azerbaijani state-owned Socar Oil Company.

Nine congress members and 32 staff members received gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 14:09:38|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen (R) shakes hands with Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 30, 2018. (Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China and Cambodia pledged here on Thursday to broaden pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in all fields.

The pledge was made at a meeting between Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Song stressed that the CPC is willing to boost friendly exchanges with the ruling Cambodian People's Party and learn from each so as to achieve new and greater progress in the development of bilateral ties.

For his part, Hun Sen who is also leader of the Cambodian People's Party said his country is willing to work together with China to deepen exchanges between the two parties and broaden pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in all fields.

Song visited Cambodia from Tuesday to Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 14:19:41|Editor: Chengcheng

Video Player Close

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Brazilian presidential office released on Wednesday an official statement denying that they intend to limit Venezuelan immigrants' entry into the country or close the border to Venezuela.

The government has repeatedly denied any intention to close the border, which was requested by the authorities of its northernmost state of Roraima.

Roraima borders Venezuela and is Venezuelan immigrants' main entrance into Brazil.

Earlier in the day, President Michel Temer said in a radio interview that the government is considering distributing queue numbers to organize the entry into Brazil. Some 800 Venezuelans are estimated to enter Brazil every day through Roraima.

However, it does not mean a restriction of any form in the immigrants' entry, but only a measure to "improve a humanitarian treatment in Roraima," the government stated.

In the interview, the president criticized Venezuela for refusing Brazil's help, which according to him, could have prevented such a large immigration as well as "disharmony in the South American continent."

He also reaffirmed the government's intent to move the immigrants to other states in order to reduce Roraima's burden.

Roraima is the least populated state in Brazil and has been facing significant challenges in dealing with an extra demand for public healthcare, education, housing and public security due to the large immigrant population.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 14:24:42|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

HARBIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Police on Thursday caught a runaway suspect responsible for a deadly fire that has killed 20 in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

The fire started early Saturday morning at Beilong Hot Spring Leisure Hotel in Songbei District, and was put out hours later.

Police said the runaway suspect, Li Yanbin, was responsible for the hotel's fire safety and was found to have fled the premises after the fire broke out. Police offered a bounty up to 300,000 yuan (43,900 U.S. dollars) for tips of her whereabouts.

An initial police investigation blamed the hotel's fire safety as the cause of the accident.

The legal representative of the hotel is under criminal detention while two other hotel managers are under investigation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 14:34:44|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

HANOI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam gained over 19.4 billion U.S. dollars from exporting garments and textiles in the first eight months of this year, up 14.9 percent on-year, the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association said on Thursday.

In the eight-month period, the value of Vietnamese garments and textiles, including T-shirts, jackets, dresses and fabrics exported to China, surged 43.1 percent, to ASEAN up 33.9 percent, to Japan 21.9 percent, to South Korea 17.7 percent, and to the United States 10.4 percent.

Vietnam, which is among the world's five biggest exporters and producers of garments and textiles, may make garment and textile export turnovers of 35 billion U.S. dollars this year, 1 billion dollars higher than the target set for the year, partly due to the signing of new free trade agreements, the association predicted, adding that its turnovers were 31.2 billion U.S. dollars last year.

However, Vietnam had to spend over 8.5 billion U.S. dollars importing cloth in the first eight months of this year, up 16.1 percent, the association said, noting that most of local cloth has yet to satisfy quality requirements of the country's key garment export markets.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 14:49:49|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Taliban key commander Qari Qayum is among four militants who have been killed in the northern Baghlan province, an army spokesman in the northern region said Thursday.

"The security forces have pounded Taliban hideouts in parts of Dand-e-Ghori district of Baghlan province and the death of Taliban notorious commander Qari Qayum has been confirmed. He was killed along with three of his armed men," Mohammad Hanif Rezai told Xinhua.

Eight more insurgents were also wounded in the offensive, the spokesman added.

Dand-e-Ghori, just 5 km outside the provincial capital Pul-e-Khumri, has been regarded as a Taliban hotbed in the restive Baghlan province.

The elimination of Qari Qayum could be a major blow to the Taliban militants in Baghlan province, the official added, without providing more details.

Taliban militants are yet to make comment on the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 14:59:51|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A 55-year-old surrendered hardcore Naxalite has been killed by left-wing rebels in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh to deter others from giving up arms, police said Thursday.

The incident took place in Cholnar village in Dantewada district late Wednesday night.

"Podia Wadde, a dreaded Naxalite who masterminded a blast that killed seven security forces personnel, surrendered before police a couple of days ago. We had advised him against returning to his village, but he went back and was killed," a police official said.

"A manhunt has been launched to track down the perpetrators of the crime," he added.

Chhattisgarh is among the several Indian states often hit by Naxalite violence. The left-wing insurgency began in the eastern state of West Bengal in late 1960s, spreading to more than one-third of India's administrative districts.

Though major offensives by security forces in recent years have pushed the rebels back to their forest strongholds and the levels of violence have fallen, but hit-and-run attacks are still common, killing hundreds of people, mostly security personnel, every year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:22:13|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next

A teacher demonstrates Chinese calligraphy skills for students during an activity at the first lesson of the new term at the Danzhai No. 3 Middle School in Danzhai County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 29, 2018. Schools in China prepared many activities for students to greet the new semester after summer vacation. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaohai)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:09:52|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

Tourists are seen in the old city of Havana, Cuba, on Aug. 24, 2018. Havana's 18th edition of the "Rutas y Andares" (Routes and Tours), a socio-cultural program, makes use of Havana's many museums and historical sites to bring Cuban families closer to the heritage of the capital and the country to foster national identity and social values. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez)

by Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A unique cultural program has attracted the attention of over 14,000 Cubans this summer to discover Havana's historical, architectural and social secrets.

Havana's 18th edition of the "Rutas y Andares" (Routes and Tours), a socio-cultural program, makes use of Havana's many museums and historical sites to bring Cuban families closer to the heritage of the capital and the country to foster national identity and social values.

"The project offers the possibility to learn and have fun in a big open space like our city center. Participants can express their opinion, participate and be part of the conservation effort being done by actively engaging in different activities," Carlos Alejandro Diego, a young volunteer in the program, told Xinhua.

As a geography major at the University of Havana, Diego decided to dedicate two months of his summer vacation to helping the program which runs until Aug. 31.

Just like the young college student, Esperanza Miranda, a senior citizen, and college professor Odalys Perez, are two repeat participants of the program. Every summer they and their families enjoy the activities on offer.

This year there are four routes, including visits to 30 museums, chosen for their locations and relations to the program's theme.

There are also five walking tours through Cuba's Old Town and other lesser known areas of the city where ongoing restoration work can be appreciated.

"By participating in this project we share experiences with friends, meet new people and have fun. At the same time, we are aware of the importance of preserving Havana which next year will turn 500 years old," Miranda said.

The retiree said this recreational option has a very cheap price at only 5 Cuban pesos (0.25 U.S. dollar) per ticket, which includes up to three adults and three children.

"The project lets us appreciate the history of places we normally walk by in a haste but while we do the tours we can learn the city's secrets and untold stories," said Perez.

Along with her teen daughter, the college professor told Xinhua the program has become a truly educational experience for its participants who acquire knowledge and interact with highly trained professionals, who offer lectures and guided tours.

One of these experts is the young art historian, Liset Valderrama, who designed one of this year's four routes.

Valderrama said the program seeks to make features of Cuban culture visible, including those placed on UNESCO's Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

"The impact is very positive. Routes and Tours has served to enhance, promote and safeguard that heritage that belongs to Havana's Old Town and ultimately all Cubans," she explained.

For Valderrama, it is an experience that she has been passionate about for a long time. She joined the program as a teenager, then became a listener and later a guide.

"It's very interesting what happens in the project, we've seen generations grow up, children who came with their parents or grandparents and now participate with their spouses and families," she added.

So Cuban families are central to the project, said the expert.

At the end of each summer, families who participated in the most activities win prizes to enjoy more tours.

This year, 456 families won awards, said Katia Cardenas, creator of Routes and Tours and director of Cultural Heritage for the Office of the Historian of the City of Havana.

"We have a clever audience that helps us alert others about the urgent need to protect our heritage for future generations," said Cardenas.

The project, she said, had the character of a small community but it has evolved into a true cultural tourism option much appreciated by Cubans throughout the island.

Along with the traditional tours and events, 52 virtual routes were added this year, she said.

This opened up the program to a new audience previously unable to participate due to age or disability, explained the director.

Many other workshops were given including one for infants with special educational needs.

"The project has been a very important heritage educational experience, encouraging love for the city and its values," Cardenas added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:09:52|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's approval rating remained steady this week on the rising controversy over Moon's economic policy, called incomed-driven growth, a weekly survey showed Thursday.

According to the survey by local pollster Realmeter, support for Moon inched down 0.3 percentage points over the week to 55.7 percent this week.

The result was based on a poll of 1,506 voters conducted from Monday to Wednesday. It had 2.5 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level.

Moon's support scores hovered around the middle of 50 percent for three straight weeks as controversy mounted over Moon's income-driven growth policy, which aims to reinvigorate the economy by increasing household income, bolstering innovative industries and creating a fair market.

The progressive economic policy encouraged liberal voters to support Moon, but conservative voters moved away from his supporting group.

In a separate Realmeter poll, 49 percent of respondents supported the income-led growth policy, while 32.4 percent opposed it.

It was based on a separate survey of 501 voters conducted Tuesday. It had 4.4 percentage points in margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level.

Amid the rising controversy over the economic policy, approval ratings for both the ruling and the main opposition parties declined this week.

Support for Moon's ruling Democratic Party edged down 0.7 percentage points over the week to 41.2 percent this week, while the figure for the key conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party dipped 2.8 percentage points to 17.7 percent.

The minor progressive Justice Party gained 12.1 percent of support this week, maintaining its approval rating above 10 percent for about two months.

The minor conservative Bareun Future Party won 7.1 percent of support, and the center-left Party for Democracy and Peace garnered 2.6 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:19:53|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

by Wang Shoubao, Habtamu Liben, Zheng Kaijun

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- After she finished grade 10, Selamawit Kegna's parents started looking for a groom for their daughter because they thought since she was not a good student she would not be able to support herself.

Then a friend told the teen how she could earn her own livelihood.

A Chinese-owned jeans factory in the Eastern Industry Zone on the outskirts of capital Addis Ababa was looking for workers.

"I came and applied for a job at once," the 19-year-old said, sitting in front of a sewing machine in the factory.

After three weeks of training, Kegna was officially recruited. Now as a seamer, she earns 1,500 to 2,000 Ethiopian birr (ETB) (55 to 73 U.S. dollars) a month, and is looking forward to a totally different life.

Kegna is proud that the pairs of jeans she and her colleagues produce not only serve the Ethiopian market but can be also exported to other African countries and even Europe.

"I often get bonuses, which really encourages me to work better," she said.

The factory employs over 300 young people who are mostly from nearby areas, with the majority of them being women.

"I have a savings account now and deposit 700 ETB (26 dollars) every month. I am also paying my own expenses," she said. "The way things are going, I will be able to buy a sewing machine after a year and half. Then I may return to my hometown and open my own shop. I can make uniforms for schoolchildren and clothes for other people."

Kegna also plans to continue her education once she saves enough.

The Chinese-built industrial zone, the first of its kind in Ethiopia, has been attracting young people from nearby agricultural towns.

While Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, it is still one of the poorest, with a per-capita income of 783 dollars a year, according to the World Bank. The Chinese factories in the industrial zone not only provide jobs for young Ethiopians, but also give them the perception of a career.

After getting a degree in economics from Mekelle University, 22-year-old Seble Assefa looked for a white-collar job. But though she spent a year trying to land a suitable job, she couldn't find anything. It made her join Shanghai Textile's factory in the industrial zone as a temp.

Initially, she received a monthly salary of 1,500 ETB (about 55 dollars), which was lower than the average for a graduate. Still she thought herself lucky, considering that she had been unemployed for almost a year since graduation.

In two months, Assefa was promoted as a line supervisor and today, she is in charge of 60 workers. Her salary has gone up by 1,000 ETB (about 37 dollars) a month and she has more training opportunities.

"I learned one important thing here -- always strive for better opportunities," she said. "I am no longer looking for a job within my academic background. I am now looking for further opportunities in the textile and garment sector."

She thinks there is great potential in the sector in Ethiopia. "God willing, I will have my own sewing machine and shop in the near future," she said.

Ethiopia's textile and apparel industry has experienced major developments in recent years, thanks to the wide availability of raw materials, cheap labor and low energy costs. Ethiopia wants to become a textile and apparel hub in Africa, giving the sector top priority as it strives to become a middle-income country by 2025.

For that, it envisages strengthening cooperation with China.

The Chinese-built industrial zone, inaugurated in 2010, currently hosts 83 factories. The government frequently commends it as a cornerstone of the transition from an agriculture-based economy into an industrial powerhouse in the next 10 years.

Chinese investment plays an indispensable role in Ethiopia's industrialization drive, President Mulatu Teshome said when he visited the Eastern Industry Zone in mid-August.

"A decade ago, the land the Eastern Industry Zone currently lies on was just agricultural land. But with hard work, it has become ... a showcase of high-quality industrial factories in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, pulp and textile," Teshome said.

The industrial zone is a positive impetus that is motivating Ethiopians to dream of a better future, the president said. "I hope our local entrepreneurs will learn from the success of the Eastern Industry Zone and take this opportunity to enter into the manufacturing sector."

(Xinhua reporters Zhao Zhuoyun and Wang Yanan also contributed to this report.)
Armenian Minister of Defense Davit Tonoyan today, in Yerevan, discussed military cooperation issues with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills and James Thompson, the U.S. Embassys newly appointed military attache.

According to a ministry statement, Tonoyan described the situation on the Karabakh Line of Contact to the U.S. diplomats.

In the context of military cooperation between the two countries, the sides noted the importance of events, scheduled for September, to mark Armenias fifteen years of cooperation with the Kansas National Guard.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:24:55|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

HANOI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Under a new circular issued by Vietnam's central bank, the Chinese currency renminbi, or yuan, will be formally allowed for payment in Vietnamese border areas with China, helping foster border trade between the two countries.

According to the circular on foreign exchange management issued on Tuesday by the State Bank of Vietnam, which will come into force on Oct. 12, individuals and certain kinds of organizations can use yuan for payment of goods and services, the central bank's Foreign Exchange Management Department said on Thursday, noting that payment can be made via banks or in cash in yuan or Vietnamese dong.

The organizations include commercial banks and branches of foreign banks licensed to conduct foreign exchange transactions in Vietnam; branches of banks located in border areas and border gate economic zones of Vietnam and China; those trading in duty-free goods, providing services in isolated areas at international border gates, or engaging in bonded warehouses in border regions; the Vietnam-China Border Gate Economic Zone; and others conducting payment activities in Vietnam-China border trade.

The new circular has completed a legal framework for payment in border areas, and standardized foreign exchange activities in the areas, Can Van Luc, Vietnamese banking and finance expert, senior advisor to the chairman of the Bank for Industry and Development of Vietnam, told Xinhua on Thursday.

The circular has concretized a decree on payment in border areas by the Vietnamese government, which took effect in January this year, and replaced a decision made by the central bank in 2004 on payment in yuan in the areas.

"The implementation of the new circular will facilitate payment in Vietnam-China border areas, encourage and promote their border trade in particular and their two-way trade in general," he stated.

Nguyen Thi Mai, a 37-year-old Vietnamese trader in Tan Thanh border gate in Vietnam's northern Lang Son province bordering China, told Xinhua on Thursday that traders like her have already used yuan for payment with Chinese partners.

"Payment in yuan through banks and in cash in border areas is convenient. So the new circular is good for us because it formalizes the payment," she said.

Vietnam has seven provinces sharing the border with China, including Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Cao Bang and Dien Bien.

Vietnam exported 23.4 billion U.S. dollars worth of goods to China in the first eight months of this year, posting a year-on-year surge of 25.2 percent, according to the Vietnamese General Statistics Office.

Meanwhile, China remained Vietnam's biggest import market with turnovers of 41.4 billion U.S. dollars, up 12.8 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:24:56|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

CAPE TOWN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Eight people were killed and about 30 others injured early Thursday when a bus crashed nearly 300 km east of Cape Town in South Africa.

The death toll could rise as passengers still lay trapped under the wreckage, Kenny Africa, traffic chief of the Western Cape Province, said.

Emergency and rescue workers were on the scene outside Beaufort West, a small township, while transportation officials were re-directing traffic from the crash site.

The cause of the accident is being investigated. The bus was traveling from Cape Town toward Beaufort West.

Traffic accidents are a daily phenomenon in South Africa, particularly during holidays, with more than 700,000 crashes a year on average, and three children dying every day due to road accidents, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:34:58|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's agriculture ministry said Thursday that it has strengthened inspections on U.S. beef imports after a mad cow disease case was reported in the United States.

A six-year-old cow in Florida tested positive for the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), marking the sixth mad cow case in the United States since 2003.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs increased the sampling inspection of U.S. beef from the current 3 percent of the total to 30 percent, planning to take necessary quarantine measures.

The ministry has requested the U.S. Department of Agriculture for additional information on the mad cow case.

South Korea is currently importing U.S. cattle younger than 30 months that are rid of specified risk materials (SRM).

South Koreans are sensitive to the mad cow disease, which can cause the fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in 2008 to protest against U.S. beef imports on growing worry about the mad cow disease.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 15:39:58|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Two policemen were killed on Thursday in a suicide car bomb attack in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk in northern Iraq, a provincial security source said.

The attack took place in the morning when a suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden car into a checkpoint manned by federal police at a village in Hawijah area, some 50 km southwest of the namesake provincial capital city of Kirkuk, Mostafa Abdul-Razzaq from Hawijah police told Xinhua.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State (IS) militant group, in most cases, is responsible for such suicide attacks that target security forces and crowded places such as markets, cafes and mosques across Iraq.

During the past months, dozens of IS militants fled their former urban strongholds in Mosul, Salahudin Province and Hawijah area in the west of Kirkuk, after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas by major anti-IS offensives.

However, many IS remnants have resorted to hideouts in mountainous and rugged areas near the rivers of Tigris and Zab, as well as Himreen mountain range that extends to neighboring provinces of Salahudin and Diyala.

In December 2017, Iraq officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group.

However, militant remnants regrouped in urban and rugged areas, carrying out attacks against security forces and civilians despite operations from time to time to hunt them down.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 16:15:04|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China can significantly reduce its soybean imports, a major source of fodder, by putting more low-protein feed in the troughs, experts have said.

"The country is able to reduce up to 10 million tonnes of soybean imports annually by applying low-protein feed in pig farms," said Li Defa, head of the China Feed Industry Association.

Pork is China's staple meat, and pig farms consume the lion's share of feed products. The country imported 95 million tonnes of soybeans last year, a majority of which was made into 70 million tonnes of soybean meals, said Li, who is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Li said feed with a lower share of protein but supplemental artificial amino acids can offer the same energy to farm animals and will not affect the quality of the meat.

The alternative is also economically appealing for being able to reduce swine fodder cost by at least 30 yuan (about 4.3 U.S. dollars) per tonne, he said.

To reduce farmer's dependence on soybeans, Li also suggested adopting more soybean meal substitutes such as meals from canola and cottonseed.

"In a nutshell, the answer is two-fold: we can use more low-protein feed and increase the domestic soybean supply," he said.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said China's soybean planting area would increase by about 667,000 hectares this year.

"Soybean meal substitutes will be the automatic choice given the price hikes of soybeans," Hu Bingchuan, an agriculture researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua.

"Soybean usage can be reduced as buyers opt for more cost-effective substitutes," Hu said, adding that ample grain supply in the global market also provides China with a lot of leeway to meet its domestic demand.

"So far, the global crop market has remained a buyer's market," Hu said. "Over the past several decades, prices of agricultural products have stayed stable amid long-term adequate supply."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 16:15:04|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Annie Wu Suk Ching receives an interview with Xinhua in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 22, 2018. (Xinhua/Qin Qing)

by Zhu Yuxuan, Zhang Huan, Zhan Yan

HONG KONG, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Annie Wu Suk Ching deserves her reputation as "Ms. 001". As the founder of Beijing Air Catering -- registered as "Sino-Overseas Joint Venture 001" in Chinese mainland, Wu has been dancing with China's reform and opening-up which started 40 years ago.

As an entrepreneur from Hong Kong, Wu has a Chinese dream in her patriotic heart. She is always eager to devote herself to China's development. And now, at the age of 70, the flame in her heart grows stronger. Together with her fellows, Wu carries on, working for the next generation and China's stronger status in international arena.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

"The director of Civil Aviation Administration of China told my father that China had no experience of bringing in overseas companies. They had no concrete idea on this unprecedented matter, but they were willing to make this deal," said Wu.

"My father said that he had confidence in China's reform and opening-up policy as we Chinese shared the same ancestral roots. Then my father and the director shook hands as confirmation," she said.

After the meeting, an airline catering company emerged. Before the official approval by the central government, Wu and her father made thorough preparations for the launch of Beijing Air Catering. In order to establish China's first airline catering before the opening of regular flights between China and the United States, Wu and her father raised 5 million Hong Kong dollars (640,000 U.S. dollars) by themselves to get equipment installed, while overcoming obstacles like non-native chefs' refusal to work in Chinese mainland.

"Without any other example to follow, we had to grope our way at that time. With confidence in our motherland, we were determined to do a good job, not only for our company but also for the people who also had expectation on China's future," said Wu.

In 1980, Beijing Air Catering was launched by the central government, marking the start of the overseas-funded enterprises, to be followed by Beijing Jianguo Hotel, Schindler, Dynasty Winery and others.

By the end of 1985, Beijing had approved 8,355 overseas-funded enterprises. In the first half of 2018, about 30,000 such companies were set up in China.

Looking back over the past 40 years, Wu attributed her success to bringing in an advanced business model and management strategy to the joint venture besides capital and technologies.

Starting from scratch, Wu got herself and her partners who were used to working under the planned economy well-informed about legal rules, concepts of joint-stock companies, double entry bookkeeping, and the clock-in system, and finally cultivated China's first joint venture into a pioneering enterprise covering 70 percent of the catering market at Beijing Capital International Airport.

China's rapid growth after the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy is reflected by the growth of "Sino-Overseas Joint Venture 001," said Wu.

PIONEER IN MOTHERLAND

Bustling between Hong Kong and the mainland never bores her. "Since 1979, I have dedicated myself and my business to China's reform and opening-up for almost 40 years. How lucky I am to witness decades of development and changes of my motherland!"

This paragraph is written in the preface of Wu's autobiography "Dialogues and Quotations of China's Reform and Opening-Up." This book offers readers a window on Wu's magnificent life: how she shuttled back and forth between Hong Kong and the mainland over the years, how she did business, education and charity, and how she served as a pioneer in her motherland during China's reform and opening-up process.

At the beginning of the reform and opening-up, businessmen from Hong Kong brought capital, technologies, talents, management experience and international market networks to the mainland, and helped the mainland grow into the world's factory.

To meet the mainland's increasing demand for professional services, Hong Kong further boosted its service sectors. After Chinese mainland entered the World Trade Organization, Hong Kong played a key role as a financial center thanks to its international strengths.

According to recent statistics, Hong Kong is the largest source of overseas direct investment in the mainland. By the end of 2017, among all the overseas-funded projects approved in the mainland, 44.9 percent were related to Hong Kong interests. Cumulative utilised capital inflow from Hong Kong accounted for nearly 60 percent of the total.

"Hong Kong is a city, as well as the country's Special Administrative Region, which serves not only its own citizens, but also the whole nation," said Wu.

With such a belief, she has frequented more than 30 provinces and cities in Chinese mainland and organized about 100 overseas delegations to visit the mainland. She paid special attention to under-developed areas.

Encouraged by tremendous changes in the motherland, Wu and her fellow Hong Kong entrepreneurs expect more.

"Reform and opening-up was China's first step. We will go further," said Wu firmly.

"SUPER CONNECTOR"

Wu described Hong Kong as a "super connector" between Chinese mainland and other nations, and she favors Hong Kong's role as such a connector.

"We're so honored to invite members from the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) to Hong Kong. You can experience economic and social development after the handover of Hong Kong. You're also welcome to lead more cities in China to the world," said Wu in 1997, bidding for WTCA General Assembly to be held in Hong Kong for the first time.

A number of Hong Kong contributors have thrown themselves into paving the path to a wider world when the mainland started to "go outside" in the 1990s. Wu was among them. As a member of the WTCA council, she arranged overseas commercial activities for mainland companies and organizations. As a patriotic businesswoman, she funded study tours across the United States for Chinese teenagers.

"As an international platform, Hong Kong serves different roles in different stages of China's development. China now has entered a new era for building socialism with Chinese characteristics. So Hong Kong now functions as a major node on the Belt and Road Initiative to introduce Chinese enterprises into markets along the Belt and Road," she said.

"As an important city in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong can develop its strong points with high-level international competition to keep the Greater Bay Area in line with other famous bay areas over the world," said Wu.

Wu believes that the roles of Hong Kong and Hong Kong businessmen have been updated from an instructor to a partner as China's reform and opening-up deepen comprehensively.

Hong Kong used to lead the mainland into the international markets by bringing in advanced elements. Now Hong Kong will assist the mainland to make China more competitive in the world.

"Loving your motherland is the life-long romance," said Wu, "Ms. 001."

(Video editors: Cao Ying and Geng Linlin)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 16:30:07|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday named five new ministers, including a defense chief, in his first cabinet reshuffle since he took office in May last year.

Jeong Kyeong-doo, 58, the incumbent chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), was nominated to replace Defense Minister Song Young-moo.

If confirmed, he would be the first Air Force general to become the country's defense chief in two decades.

A minister nominee is required to undergo a parliamentary hearing though the nomination requires no approval of the unicameral National Assembly.

Rep. Yoo Eun-hae of the ruling Democratic Party, 56, a two-term lawmaker, was named as new education minister who doubles as deputy prime minister for social affairs.

Sung Yun-mo, 55, the current chief of the Korea Intellectual Property Office, was tapped to lead the trade, industry and energy ministry.

The labor ministry will be led by former vice labor minister, Lee Jae-kap, 60. Rep. Jin Sun-mee, 51, a two-term ruling party lawmaker, was nominated as the new minister of gender equality and family.

Four other vice-ministerial-level officials were named, including the head of the Office of Planning and Coordination at the spy agency as well as chiefs of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Central Officials Training Institute and the Cultural Heritage Administration.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 17:10:12|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- South Korean police on Thursday raided the main office of BMW Korea, the local unit of German carmaker BMW, on probe into whether it hid vehicle defects causing engine fires.

About 30 investigators stormed the BMW Korea office earlier in the day, according to local media reports.

It came three weeks after tens of BMW vehicle owners filed the case with the Seoul police, claiming the automaker may have concealed documents relevant to the engine fires.

About 40 BMW vehicles have caught fire this year though no injury nor fatality was reported.

The German carmaker blamed the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), a component to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions, for the recent engine fires, but some of vehicle owners suspected BMW may have hidden the real cause of the fires.

BMW Korea began a voluntary recall of more than 106,000 vehicles last week, but fire accident was reported from BMW vehicles not subject to the recall.

A total of 1,226 BMW vehicle owners reportedly planned to file a damages suit with the Seoul Central District Court Friday against the German automaker, seeking 15 million won (13,500 U.S. dollars) in compensation each.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 17:50:29|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A senior commander of the hardliner Islamic State (IS) group named Yaser Khurasani along with five others has been killed in the eastern Nangarhar province, said a statement of Afghan national army Corps 201 Selab stationed in the region on Thursday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 17:50:29|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's banking and insurance regulator has vowed to step up efforts in curbing financial risks and deepening reform and opening-up in the sectors.

China's economy has maintained steady growth with good momentum this year, yet new challenges remain given potential financial risks and existing illegal financial activities, according to a meeting of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) held on Wednesday.

The commission stressed that banking and insurance regulators should strengthen efforts in preventing Internet financial risks and unswervingly curb property bubbles.

Since the beginning of the year, the CBIRC has enhanced its supervision on Internet financial risks, especially Internet loans. A total of 1,483 banks and insurance companies were fined 1.64 billion yuan (about 241 million U.S. dollars) from January to July in 2018.

The commission also highlighted the importance of strengthening financial services to better serve the real economy while constraining financial risks through deepening supply-side structural reform.

By the end of July, loans issued from banking and financial institutions grew 12.4 percent year on year. Loans in the infrastructure sector saw a 9.9 percent growth while the agriculture-related loans rose 7.2 percent year on year.

It was decided at the meeting to deepen reform and opening-up in the banking and insurance sectors and substantially widen market access.

Banks and insurance companies are encouraged to explore diversified and sustainable financial plans to provide financial services for countries along the Belt and Road.
Stedje Family Honored

2018 Honored Family: Stedje

Released by Campus Communications on 08/29/2018



Goodwell, Okla. An interesting story with roots in Norway spanning two continents, two countries, and three states, the Stedje Family is native to the Oslo Community located 15 miles southeast of Goodwell, Okla. This large Norwegian family has 28 members spanning four generations who attended Panhandle State University. 15 Bachelors Degrees were earned from Panhandle State from 1939 to 2014. The Stedjes who attended include six farmers/ranchers, nine teachers, counselors, bankers, a technician, a musician, and salesmen.



Jens Larson Stedje moved to America in 1869. After spending some time in Wisconsin and Iowa Jens Michael purchased land in 1916 in Hansford County, Texas. In 1922, the family made the move to the Oslo Community The unexpected death of Jens Michael left his wife, Clara, alone to care for the five children and to manage their farm. Clara Stedje instilled in her children the importance of education, hard work, honesty, and love. The five children remained connected to the Oslo Lutheran Church and Community. Their descendants continue to be active in the area.



Marie, Clifford, and Anna Marie Stedje (wife of Gordon Stedje) are in the first generation of Panhandle State attendees, with Anna Marie graduating with a BA in Elementary Education and taught in Gruver, Texas.



Clifford Stedje attended Panhandle A&M in 1939 & 1940 and became a machinist at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, Kan. He served in the US Army Air Corp working on B-17 and C47 aircrafts. After WWII, he started farming and ranching with brothers James and Gordon in the Oslo community.



Mike, Judy, Dennis, Kathy, Lynn, Jan, and Steve Stedje, Diane Stedje Battles, Marilyn Stedje Doege and Barbara Stedje Wise all attended between 1966-1975.



Mike graduated from Panhandle in 1969 with a BS in Business and Lynn graduated 1972 with a BS in Agronomy. Mike and Lynn formed Stedje Brothers and farmed and ranched for 46 years.



Mikes wife, Judy, graduated from Panhandle State with a BS in Psychology. She earned her masters degree and now works as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Guymon, Okla. Mike and Judys grandson Heath Gammon (son of their daughter Tamra Stedje Gammon) attended classes at Panhandle State.



Lynns wife, Jan, graduated from Panhandle with a BS in Speech and Home Economics.



Also in the second generation of Panhandle State graduates are Dennis and Kathy Stedje. Dennis graduated with a BA in History in 1971. He farmed in Oslo until his death in 2000. Denniss wife Kathy graduated in 1978 with a BA in Elementary Education. She was a beloved teacher in Morse, Texas until her death in 1997. Their legacy at Panhandle State continues with the Kathy and Dennis Stedje Memorial Scholarship which is open to students participating in the Livestock Judging program. Their 2 children, Shelley Stedje Singleton and Scott Stedje, also attended Panhandle State.



Of the 16 third generation Stedjes and spouses who remained in the Oslo/Gruver areas, 14 of them attended classes at Panhandle State and eight of them earned degrees between 1995-2004.



Mikes son Brent Stedje and his wife Julie Rouser Stedje graduated in 1995. Brent graduated with a BS in Animal Science. Julie attended Panhandle State and is an LVN in Spearman, Texas. Brent and his brother Tim farm/ranch as Stedje Livestock.



Lee Stedje is the son of Lynn. He graduated in 2000 with a BS in Agronomy and Industrial Technology. He was part of Sedje livestock until 2012 when he began work with DCP and then Tri-County Electric as technician in the service department. Lees wife, Becky, graduated in 2000 with a BS in Animal Science/Education.



Krista Stedje Davis graduated in 2002 with a BS in Biology Education. Her husband, Buster Davis was on the rodeo team at Panhandle in 1978-1979. Buster is the Senior Vice President at Gruver State Bank. Jill Stedje Watson graduated in 1997 with a BS in Mathematics.



There are several Stedje family currently at Gruver ISD. Erica Salmans Stedje married to Scott Stedje graduated with a BA in Elementary Education and teaches fourth grade. Julie Latta Stedje, married to Tim Stedje, took classes at Panhandle State that allowed her to fulfill prerequisites to become the districts speech-language pathologist. Jill Stedje Watson is Calculus teacher and Krista Stedje Davis teaches Chemistry and Physics at Gruver High School.



The Stedje Family also has an artistic side. Sisters Brianne and Lauree Beth Stedje Marshall attended classes at Panhandle State. Lauree Beth graduated with a BA in Music and a minor in History. Lauree Beth and her husband live in Oklahoma City. After earning her masters degree, Brianne returned to Guymon as a counselor at Panhandle Counseling and Health.



Panhandle State has been an integral part in the education of the Stedje Family and has assisted them in becoming a successful family who contributes greatly to their community through their faith, values, service, and vocations.






Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 17:50:32|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

DUBAI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Emirates Foundation, a United Arab Emirates (UAE) philanthropic foundation, announced on Thursday the renewal of its partnership with British BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd, state news agency WAM reported.

The Emirates Foundation is set up by the government of Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, to facilitate public-private funded initiatives for the empowerment of youth across the Gulf state.

Its partnership with BP was established in 2005 and designed to support youth development programs throughout the UAE, a major oil supplier keen on reducing its dependence on oil through investments into education.

The extension agreement was signed by Maytha Al Habsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation, and Salem bin Ashoor, general manager and chief representative of BP.

Under the new agreement, BP will continue its support for the Emirates Foundation's overall program portfolio until the end of August 2019, particularly in the areas of Innovation and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

"Our partnership with BP over the last decade has significantly contributed to shaping the Science and Technology ecosystem in the UAE, impacting the lives of hundreds of youths across the nation through their journey to pursue STEM as a field of study and career," said Habsi.

Ashoor also hailed the UAE foundation's continued contribution to "the nation's long-term progress and sustainability by empowering, inspiring and supporting the youth of the UAE to make a difference while facilitating positive social changes."

The UAE is home to branches of the majority of the Fortune 500 companies, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy, and many of them run programs with the UAE government to promote youth and education.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 17:55:33|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,000 nursing healthcare professionals from across Africa as well as the United States and Britain will meet in Nairobi next week to discuss ways of improving healthcare in the region, organizers said on Thursday.

The five-day East, Central and Southern Africa College of Nursing conference which will open in Nairobi on Monday is organized by the Engineering Council of South Africa in partnership with Amref Health Africa Institute of Capacity Development.

Amref Health Africa in Kenya Country Director, Meshack Ndirangu, said the conference will provide insightful recommendations on how to scale up universal health coverage, including the integration of community health volunteers into the formal health system.

The conference will enable nursing healthcare professionals together to share experiences, research findings and foster networks and linkages that can help to improve health outcomes across Africa.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 17:55:33|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Thursday extended, for the second time, another six-month pre-trial detention of former opposition leader Kem Sokha, who has been behind bars almost a year on treason charges.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court Investigating Judge Ky Rithy on Thursday morning held a hearing at the Trapaing Thlong Prison in southeastern Tboung Khmum province, where Sokha is being detained, and decided to extend his pre-trial detention again, according to a warrant of further detention seen by Xinhua.

In the warrant, Ky Rithy ordered the prison chief to extend a further temporary detention of Kem Sokha until there is a new decision.

Kem Sokha, president of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested on Sept. 3 last year and charged with treason for conspiring with a foreign power in an attempt to overthrow the government. The 65-year-old former opposition leader is facing up to 30 years in prison if found guilty of committing treason.

More than two months after his arrest, the CNRP was dissolved by the Supreme Court and 118 senior party members were banned from joining politics for five years.

Chan Chen, one of Kem Sokha's lawyers, was disappointed with the court's decision, saying that the court should grant bail to his client since he had not committed the alleged crimes.

"We regret that the judge extended the detention of our client for another six months," he told Xinhua. "The court has placed him in a pre-trial detention for nearly one year already, so I think this period should be long enough for them to complete investigations into the case."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 17:55:33|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in Kenya early Thursday for a day-long official visit aimed at boosting bilateral relations between the two countries.

May who is accompanied by several business persons is expected to hold meetings in Nairobi including bilateral meeting with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta at the state house.

May, the first British PM to visit Kenya in over 30 years after her predecessor Margaret Thatcher toured the east African nation, will also witness the signing of two bilateral agreements.

According to British High Commissioner to Kenya, Nic Hailey, the visit will deliver investment, strengthen UK-Kenya partnerships in security and development and support the crucial fight against corruption.

"UK and Kenya will sign a new agreement to repatriate proceeds of corruption and crime to Kenya when Prime Minister May visits Nairobi this week," Hailey said on Tuesday.

The two will then address a joint press conference and announce new areas of cooperation and financial support. The visit is part of a three-nation Africa tour that has since taken the British PM to Nigeria and South Africa.
Zimbabwean students celebrate their graduation at Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) in Harare, capital of Zimbabwe. (Xinhua file photo)

by Tafara Mugwara

HARARE, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The exponential growth of Chinese universities as world class institutions has resulted in the Asian country emerging as a popular overseas study destination among Zimbabwean students.

Pamhidzai Matambanadzo from Obepa Education and Scholarship Center said the dramatic increase in Zimbabweans students seeking higher education in China ahead of traditional study destinations can be explained in part by the Chinese government's commitment to higher education and China's technological advancements over the past decades.

"Technology in China is far much advanced, and students prefer to go where technology is more dynamic. Engineering programs are the ones that attract most students. The most popular program is civil engineering, followed by aircraft engineering, mechanical engineering and software engineering," she said.

Matambanadzo said lower tuition fees and scholarships provided by Chinese universities also attract many students.

At the FOCAC summit held in Johannesburg in 2015, the Chinese government pledged to provide 30,000 scholarships to African students during the three years till 2018.

While the Chinese government is using its financial ability to grab a growing share of students seeking higher education abroad, the rise of China as a strong competitor in the education sector has also spurred the trend.

Chinese universities have performed well in global rankings in recent years. China's top universities, Tsinghua University and Peking University broke in the global top 20 for the first time in 2017 in the Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings.

In addition, another seven Chinese universities appeared on the league's top 100 schools in 2018.

Lydia Porusingazi, a financial analyst at an insurance firm in Harare, who graduated with a Master's degree in Quantitative Economics at Shanghai University in 2013, said students head to China for various reasons.

"China is going global. Historically many students have preferred western countries like the UK and the United States. But as the importance of China's economy and the quality of its higher education increases, so does the country's appeal as a top study destination for international students," she said.

"Most Zimbabwean students go to China to pursue an education that is affordable, while others go for the chance to develop business connections, considering that China is Zimbabwe's largest overseas trading partner," she added.

Porusingazi, who is going back to China for a doctorate program through the Chinese Government Scholarship University Postgraduate Program said due to Chinese visa rules, most international students cannot stay in China after completing their education.

"This prevents brain-drain, since most students who graduate in Chinese institutions are very likely to return home, unlike their counterparts in English speaking countries like South Africa, UK or Australia," she added.

Her sentiments were supported by Herbert Mushangwe, a Professor at the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe (UZCI).

"From our statistics, all students will at one point come back to Zimbabwe, there are some who remain in China for a while, the period of stay in China ranges from 2 to 4 years after they graduate. However those who want to settle still come back home to secure stable jobs," he said.

The Confucius Institute is a non-profit public organization affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education whose aim is to promote the teaching of the Chinese language and culture and to facilitate cultural exchanges.

CIUZ, which was established in 2006, is one of more than 500 Confucius Institutes scattered all over the world.

Since 2006, more than 5,000 students have enrolled for Chinese language courses at CIUZ, and the Confucius Institute has provided scholarships to more than 500 Zimbabwean students to further their studies in China, many of them have since returned home and are working in Zimbabwe.

One of Mushangwe's students Stella Rudo Mandaza who will be enrolling for a Chinese language program at a university in Beijing this September said she never intended to learn Chinese when she graduated from high school.

"I chose to further my studies in China because Chinese is the most spoken language in the world making it an important language for business," Mandaza said.

Another student, Tafadzwa Anthony Mutambarade is confident that he will come back to Zimbabwe to put to use the skills that he has gained.

"By going to further my studies in China I will be actually using the language on a daily basis, I will come back to Zimbabwe fully equipped to use Chinese in different situations given that China has become Zimbabwe's major economic partner." he added.
File photo of Chinese and Namibian workers at the Husab Uranium Mine, a Chinese-invested project in Namibia. (Xinhua)

WINDHOEK, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Safety helmets, overalls, safety shoes and lab coats are what Catherine Shifotoka, and Iyaloo Amadhila wear on a daily basis at a Chinese-owned mine in Namibia.

Twenty six-year-old Shifotoka works as a Junior Metallurgical Engineer, while Amadhila, 27, is a Chemist at the Husab Mine, one of China's biggest single investments in Africa, and over the years the duo has managed to climb the ladder from trainees to their current positions.

Shifotoka studied Bsc (Honours) Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Namibia, while Amadhila graduated with a BSc Degree in Chemistry and Geology (Honours) in 2015 at the same university.

Upon completion of studies the two were enrolled at the graduate trainee program at the Husab mine for two years.

"I have been with the mine for two and half years now, of which the two years I have been a Metallurgical Engineering Trainee and successfully completed my training program. I am currently employed as a Junior Metallurgist," Shifotoka told Xinhua in an interview.

According to her, when she started the career at the mine, she had been actively involved in plant operations. Part of her daily tasks involved analyzing and interpreting performance trends and variances and subsequently initiating the required changes in the plant.

"As a young and dedicated Metallurgist over the two year training program, I was privileged to have met and worked with some of the best project engineers the world has to offer. I was quite fortunate to have been involved in such a distinguished and diversified project," she added.

Shifotoka told Xinhua that since then her growth at the uranium mine has been huge.

"I gained hands-on experience on the entire processing plant circuit, with extended insights on the processes which play an extremely huge aspect on the recovery of uranium from the ore we receive from mining," she explained.

According to Shifotoka, her plans are to continue growing and build her career.

"I would like to continue contributing to the effective concentration and purification of uranium production by continuously developing new methods to increase uranium concentration in solution streams," she said.

Amadhila, one the other hand, told Xinhua that upon completion of her studies in 2015, she got employed at the mine as a graduate Chemist.

"In this role, I went through a training program for two years which groomed me and allowed me to pick up the skills, expertise and technical know-how required for my current position," she added.

During her training she picked up a lot of experience as she was involved in exciting projects such as the setting up of the lab.

"This was a great experience as it allowed me to learn from my seniors and practically apply the theoretical knowledge gained at university. Upon successful completion of my program, I was then promoted to Chemist," she added.

Amadhila said working for the mine has been a great opportunity and she feels privileged to be part of such a dynamic team of individuals from all walks of life.

According to the two young women, since the development of the mine, its contribution towards employment creation, skills transfer and the country's economy as a whole has been stellar.

"Being part of the employees at the mine has improved the economic situation of many people and in doing so, contributed to the country's economic growth. I believe that Husab mine has made great strides in the development of semi-skilled, skilled and professional employees. The graduate internship program is a classic example of this," Amadhila said.

Despite the various challenges associated with the mining industry, the two young ladies are convinced that if they continue to work hard, they can significantly contribute towards the overall performance of the mine as well as gain exposure to other areas of the operations.

Currently the Husab mine is one of the biggest uranium mines in the world. Permanent employees at the mine were numbered at 1,620 by the end of 2017, in addition to 176 temporary employees and 522 contractors.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:15:37|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

by Magdalena Stoszek, Han Mei

WARSAW, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Five years ago, China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aiming to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Under the initiative, a railway service was launched, linking the Chinese city of Chengdu with Lodz in central Poland.

Today, it has become not only a popular logistics route for China to trade with Europe, but also the fastest direct freight route between the two sides. The service has also boosted the development of the Polish transport and logistics industry.

"The Belt and Road Initiative certainly had a positive impact on the development of the entire Polish TSL (Transport-Spedition-Logistics) sector as well as many companies -- including our company," said Marcin Dobruchowski, president of Spedcont, a Polish company which operates a cargo terminal in Lodz.

"We commenced cooperation with China less than five years ago," Dobruchowski said. "The first trains from Chengdu came once a week and included only imported cargo. Today however, trains to and from Chengdu depart every day and the trade cooperation is developing very well, with the number of containers transported on the Belt and Road route growing."

In 2016, around 250 trains arrived at the Spedcont terminal. Last year, the number doubled. Now, the terminal operates about 50 trains in both directions each month.

"Taking into account the current trends and market situation ... more investments are planned for this and next year," Dobruchowski said.

The BRI has brought rapid changes to market conditions. The company has benefited from this and invested a lot, Dobruchowski said.

"The terminal is one of the largest facilities of (its kind) in Poland. We have permanently increased (its) operational capacity so that we can handle more containers from China," he said.

Another Polish logistics company, PKP Cargo, is making similar changes to meet the development of rail freight transport between China and Poland within the next few years.

PKP operates the Malaszewicze Logistics Center, one of the largest railway terminals in Europe. Around 60 percent of the center's capacity is being utilized now. In 2026, its capacity will increase almost four times. The company is now systematically increasing its reloading capacity and implementing a long-term investment program.

"The dynamic growth of transportation within the BRI has stimulated the development of Polish logistics companies, both in terms of potential and optimization of the transport process and border procedures," Czeslaw Warsewicz, chief executive officer of the company, said. "In future, we (will) sign more detailed agreements regarding the development of transport within the Belt and Road."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:20:37|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

HOUSTON, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The chief of China General Chamber of Commerce-USA (CGCC) on Wednesday called on the governments of China and the United States to solve the ongoing trade tensions via negotiation.

Xu Chen, chairman of the New York City-based CGCC, the largest non-profit organization representing Chinese enterprises in the United States, told a seminar here that he still believes a compromise can be achieved through dialogue and negotiation.

"There are simply no winners in a trade war. Both nations can innovate and benefit far more through increased trade and cooperation," Chen said.

According to a recent CGCC survey, Chinese investments have directly created more than 200,000 jobs across the United States. CGCC member companies -- about 1,500 Chinese and U.S. companies -- have accumulatively invested over 120 billion U.S. dollars in the U.S. economy and directly supported over 1 million jobs in the country.

"China's market has gradually opened to both U.S. products and services in virtually every industry. U.S. companies have grown significantly in China and they continue to benefit from China's growth and growing middle class, and expanding consumer market," said Chen.

In the state of Texas, investment from China has reached almost 10 billion dollars and created thousands of jobs. The growth of Texas goods exports to China from 2008 to 2017 was recorded at 88 percent while that of service exports to China from 2007 to 2016 was at 288 percent, according to Chen.

The commercial leader said, "These growth rates are similar to (those of) other U.S. states as well and should be a clear sign of success in the U.S.-China trade paradigm."

Meanwhile, Chen stressed that China recognizes that there are concerns from the United States regarding investment and trade, and China has worked diligently over years to resolve.

Organized by CGCC, the seminar, titled "Chinese investment in the U.S.: the path forward," focused on current trade tension between the United States and China, as well as the future of Chinese investment in the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:30:39|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

ULAN BATOR, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the biggest project of the 21st century, providing broader opportunities for international cooperation, a Mongolian expert said.

"There are no other projects in the world like the BRI which connects (about) 70 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania," Dashdorj Bayarkhuu, a professor at the Mongolian Diplomatic Academy, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

According to him, under the BRI framework, international cooperation in areas including infrastructure and the economy could benefit the whole world.

This year marks the fifth year since the BRI was first put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 to expand cooperation and relations between China and other countries.

"Mongolia has supported the BRI from the onset and actively participated in it," Bayarkhuu said.

He added that Mongolia's wish to dovetail its Prairie Road development strategy with the BRI is an example of Ulan Bator's support for the initiative.

Highlighting landlocked Mongolia's geo-strategic location, he said it can gain a lot from the BRI. The construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor, for example, will bring benefits to the Mongolian economy and all Mongolian citizens.

Mongolia and China should continue to deepen cooperation in this regard and accelerate the implementation of bilateral agreements as soon as possible, he added.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi last Friday met with the governors of five western provinces of Mongolia. The officials expressed their readiness to strengthen cooperation, especially with their neighboring Chinese provinces, in areas including agriculture, tourism, border trade, cultural exchanges and infrastructure.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:35:40|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

NANJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Yang Lifeng, a 30-year-old foreman in a mechanical processing workshop in the city of Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, is worshipped by his fellow migrant workers, as he foresaw the trend of robot invasion in factories five years ago.

The native from northern China's Hebei Province arrived in Suzhou and heard Foxconn, the world's largest electronics contract manufacturer, cut thousands of jobs in the city to replace them with robots.

Aware of the threat, Yang, with a junior college degree, started to take computer numerical control (CNC) lessons at his own expense, while working a factory job in the Suzhou Tianze Precision Machinery Co. Ltd.

The factory began to introduce automation equipment in 2015, reducing the number of workers to 100 from 500.

Yang's foresight to learn CNC not only saved him from being laid off but also provided him with the opportunity to become a mechanic foreman in the Jiangsu factory, the largest manufacturing province in east China.

Earning a higher salary than his fellow laborers, Yang bought an apartment in the city last year and settled down like a local, a dream of many struggling migrant workers in China.

Industrial robots are rapidly gaining on human workers in economic powerhouses in China's eastern and southern regions.

As labor costs rise, industrial employers have become more and more interested in the efficiency of robots.

According to the International Federation of Robotics, China installed around 138,000 industrial robots last year, accounting for one-third of the global market and representing a 58-percent growth rate year on year. The robot sales are expected to reach 150,000 units in 2018.

"There is only one way that you don't lose your jobs to robots -- control them," Yang often lectured his fellow workers, calling on them to acquire more skills.

Yang is not the only one with such forward thinking. China's new generation of migrant workers born after 1980 has become mainstream in the workforce.

In 2017, the number of young, rural-urban migrants reached 145 million, surpassing 50 percent of the total migrant workforce for the first time, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

However, the NBS statistics also showed that 48 percent of the young migrant workers are employed in the service industry, an increase of 1.3 percent, while in manufacturing and construction industries, employment rates are down by 0.6 and 0.8 percent respectively. A labor shortage prevails in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

"Compared with the older generations, young migrant workers have more job choices, especially in the booming service sector," said Zhu Tianshu, director of the Kunshan Human Resources and Social Security Bureau in Suzhou.

He said local factories are in need of technicians and engineers. These jobs are largely for the younger generation.

Statistics from NBS showed that in 2017, 10.3 percent of the country's migrant workers had a college education, up 0.9 percent from the previous year.

Zou Nongjian, a professor at Nanjing Normal University, said more and more technical colleges in China are working with companies in curriculum creation and talent training so that graduates can have better chances to enter companies for internship experience and gain practical skills.

"People with better skills find better jobs in cities," said Li Xing, 26, working in the German-invested Bosch Automotive Products (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.

Li said since the company introduced robots into the workshops three years ago, it has also set up a training center where workers can take training courses in machinery, electronics and engineering to become robot operators.

"The company encouraged us to grasp more skills. During training, my work hours were reduced, but my salary increased," said Li, who has become one of the company's 6,000 robot operators.

He still wants to improve and is working on a technician certification test. Once passed, the certificate could add value to his career development. He aims to be a workshop foreman in five years.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:40:41|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BELGRADE, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Pilot of a powered paraglider lost his life early Thursday morning near the city of Subotica after he lost control and crashed into a field.

The accident took place near the sport airport "Bikovo", some 200 kilometers north of the Serbia's capital Belgrade at around 6:30 a.m.

According to the media, 39-year-old Sasa Dzoganovic from the nearby city of Backa Topola who was a beginner in paramotoring, succumbed to injuries as a consequence of the fall.

Milan Radojcin, president of the aeroclub "Ivan Saric" who provided training for the pilot, told Serbian national broadcaster RTS that the deceased had 20 flight hours, and explained that this was his first independent flight.

According to witnesses, immediately after the take-off, the man started circling around the runway, and three minutes later he crashed into a farm next to the airport.

"We have noticed that he is starting to circle, instead of attempting a landing. Most probably the problem was not in the aircraft, but in something unexpected that happened," Radojcin said.

Police and the Commission of the Civil Aviation Directorate are expected to determine the cause of the accident.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:45:44|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Russian military has successfully test-fired a new interceptor missile at the Sary-Shagan test site in Kazakhstan, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

According to previous Russian Defense Ministry reports, the new missile was successfully tested at the Sary-Shagan test site in February, April and July this year.

The statement did not provide more details, but the ministry's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) commenting on the July test, said that the new missile, which can reach a speed of four km per second, has no equal in the world.

"In a real environment, this will mean that the enemy's warhead will be successfully destroyed at the maximum height and distance from the protected object," Krasnaya Zvezda wrote.

The newspaper said that the missile will possibly start mass production in the near future and gradually replace the models in service since 1995.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:45:46|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The value of total retail sales in July rose 7.8 percent over the same period last year to 38.9 billion Hong Kong dollars (4.99 billion U.S. dollars), statistics showed on Thursday.

The revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in June climbed 11.9 percent over a year earlier, according to the Census and Statistics Department of the government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the volume of total retail sales in July rose 5.9 percent over a year earlier.

For the first seven months taken together, the value of total retail sales expanded 12.6 percent over the same period last year.

Analyzed by broad type of retail outlet, the value of sales of jewellery, watches and clocks and valuable gifts rose the most by 16.8 percent. On the other hand, the value of sales of books, newspapers, stationery and gifts shrank 1.4 percent in July compared with a year earlier.

A government spokesman said retail sales grew visibly over a year earlier in July thanks to solid demand from local consumers as well as visitors, though the growth was at a decelerated pace.

Looking ahead, favorable labor market conditions and sustained expansion in inbound tourists should continue to support retail sales performance in the near term, the spokesman said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:45:47|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

MANILA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in Tuesday night's blast in Isulan in the Sultan Kudarat province in the southern Philippines has risen to three, police said on Thursday.

Sultan Kudarat Provincial police chief Noel Kinazo told Xinhua in a telephone interview that the second critically wounded person has also died in a local hospital on Wednesday night, bringing the total death toll to three.

Kinazo said more than 30 people, including two soldiers and a militiaman, were injured when an improvised explosive device rocked Isulan around 8:35 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The homemade bomb was planted under a parked motorbike along a busy highway, he added.

He has earlier said that the explosion occurred while residents are celebrating a local holiday.

The military pinned the blame for the attack on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a spin-off of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that forged a peace pact with the government.

However, a BIFF rebel denied any involvement in the attack.

Nevertheless, the military and the police are on heightened alert.

"The threat is always there, that is why we are on heightened alert to thwart all hostile plans by the lawless group," said Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of an Army Infantry Division based in the southern Philippines.

The military said the BIFF has about 300 members.

Established in 2010, the BIFF is among the armed groups in Mindanao in the southern Philippines that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 18:50:48|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

ABUJA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Local police on Thursday confirmed eight people were killed and three others wounded following an attack by suspected cattle raiders in Nigeria's central region.

Ninety-five houses were burned by the attackers who wreaked havoc on Foron district located in Barkin Ladi area of Plateau State on Wednesday, the police said.

A police spokesman Terna Tyopev also told Xinhua that 310 cows were rustled during the attack.

An investigation has been launched by the police to apprehend the suspects, Tyopev said.

At least 86 people were killed in a similar attack on several villages in Plateau State on June 23.

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| 2018-08-30 19:00:49|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China will soon roll out a new scheme to curb the rise in nearsightedness - or myopia - among children and teenagers for the sake of their health and the nation's future.

Authorities have sought public opinions on the scheme, which is jointly drafted by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Health Commission (NHC).

The scheme aims to greatly reduce the myopia rate among the Chinese teenagers to bring children a "bright future," as demanded by President Xi Jinping in a recent instruction.

The high incidence of myopia among students, which affects more and more children at a younger age and undermines their health, is a major problem concerning the future of the country and the Chinese nation, Xi instructed after reading a recent media report on the problem.

The scheme aims to keep the myopia rate among 6-year-old kids at around 3 percent by 2030, with the incidence among primary school kids to drop below 38 percent, and the rate among junior and senior high school students to fall below 60 percent and 70 percent respectively.

About 36.5 percent of the fourth graders and 65.3 percent of the eighth graders have poor eyesight, according to an MOE report released in July this year.

Another report by a health research institution under Peking University showed more than 70 percent of high school and college students were nearsighted, warning China may be short of labor with qualified eyesight in sectors like aerospace, sophisticated manufacturing and the military in the future if myopia worsens.

Increased school workloads and heavier use of electronic devices are regarded as major reasons leading to the worsening nearsightedness.

According to the MOE report, 14.7 percent of fourth-grade students and 19.2 percent of eighth-grade students on average spend over an hour everyday doing maths homework, while 43.8 percent of the fourth graders and 23.4 percent of the eighth graders take extra maths training outside classes.

The scheme encourages children to spend more time outdoors and orders schools not to leave written assignments to first and second graders.

Jiao Yahui, an NHC official, said the children and their parents need to raise their awareness to protect the eyesight for the kids.

The scheme also introduces indicators to assess the performance of local governments on their measures to control myopia of children under their jurisdictions.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:00:49|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

MANILA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight bound for Cotabato City in southern Philippines from Manila was delayed for several hours on Thursday after a male passenger cracked a bomb joke prompting airport authorities to conduct an investigation.

Authorities said the aircraft was supposed to take off at 7:30 a.m. local time at Manila's International Airport but returned to the terminal due to a faulty air-conditioning system.

While the plane was returning to the terminal a male passenger was heard saying that the cause of the delay was because of a bomb on board.

The passengers who heard the joke reported it to the airline crew, prompting aviation authorities to conduct a thorough inspection of the aircraft, its passenger and their luggage.

The passenger joker is now in the custody of the airport police station.

Under the Philippine law, a person can be fined of not more than 40,000 pesos (roughly 749 U.S. dollars) or face a jail term of not more than five years, or both, depending on the court's decision.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:10:50|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- France wants Sweden and Norway to join the French security initiative, French President Emmanuel Macron said here on Wednesday at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.

Finland announced its interest in joining the initiative last week. Nine European nations had joined earlier, including Finland's southern neighbour Estonia.

"Europe is beginning to feel more responsibility for its security," Niinisto said. "If we want to promote the values we appreciate, we must look strong."

Macron said France and Finland shared the view on security, although "small differences may exist".

The press conference given by the two presidents will be followed by another in the afternoon with Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila.

Anna-Stina Heikkila, an analyst of the national broadcaster Yle, said the visit was important to Finland. France is increasing its profile on the European security scene and it is necessary for Finland to be part of the development.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:20:51|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

LONDON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Brexit talks between London and Brussels may not meet their self-imposed October deadline for a divorce deal, Britain's Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has said.

Raab told a parliamentary committee that October remained the goal, but there was a "possibility it may creep beyond that."

As Britain and the European Union (EU) prepare to resume talks this week, Raab said that the two sides were aiming for October, "but there is some measure of leeway."

"As we enter the final phase of the negotiations in the lead-up to the October council -- and the possibility that it may creep beyond that -- we want to see some renewed energy," he said.

Britain and the EU aim to hammer out an agreement on divorce terms and future trade by a European Council summit in October so that it can be approved by individual EU countries before the UK leaves the bloc on March 29, 2019.

But talks have stalled amid divisions within Britain's Conservative government over how close an economic relationship to seek with EU, and the UK has ramped up planning for a disruptive "no deal" Brexit.

A proposed divorce agreement hammered out by British Prime Minister Theresa May's government last month proposed to keep the UK close to EU regulations in return for free trade in goods.

The proposal, known as the Chequers plan, was intended to keep Britain within a single market for goods within the EU while excluding services and other free movement obligations. It was rejected by Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator. But he said in Berlin earlier that the regional bloc was "prepared to offer a partnership with Britain such as has never been with any other third country."

EU leaders claim Britain wants to "cherry pick" aspects of membership in the bloc without the full cost and responsibilities.

Raab said Britain and the bloc were 80 percent of the way to a withdrawal deal and urged the EU to show "pragmatism" in the negotiations.

"I'm confident that a deal is within our sights," the British official added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:30:54|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

KIGALI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Rwandan government Thursday launched the issuance of identification cards (IDs) for refugees in the country that will allow them access to public and private services, employment and to move more freely in the country.

Rwanda's minister in charge of refugee affairs De Bonheur Jeanne D'Arc and Ahmed Baba Fall, Representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to Rwanda, launched the issuance of the IDs in Rwandan capital Kigali.

The launch started by issuing 2,761 refugee identity cards in Kigali City and the distribution will proceed in other parts of the country, the minister explained.

Verification is ongoing in Nyabihekerefugee camp located in Gatsibo district, eastern Rwanda.

Minister De Bonheur explained that the issuance of refugee IDs is fulfillment of the commitment made by Rwandan government at the United Nations leaders' summit in September 2016 in New York.

The move is part of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework aimed at making refugees self-reliant by empowering them to enroll in several economic development initiatives, according to the ministry.

According to Ahmed Baba Fall, helping refugees rebuild their lives calls for concerted efforts from host countries and the UN.

Rwanda currently hosts about 153,000 refugees mainly from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to statistics of the ministry of refugees.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:30:54|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Participants of Bangladesh-China Youth Camp pose for group photos during an orientation program at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Aug. 30, 2018. An orientation program was organized here Thursday for students participating in the 2nd Bangladesh-China Youth Camp to be held next month in Chinese province Yunnan. (Xinhua)

by Naim-Ul-Karim

DHAKA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- An orientation program was organized here Thursday for students participating in the 2nd Bangladesh-China Youth Camp to be held next month in Chinese province Yunnan.



A total of 150 Bangladeshi students will pay a two-week visit to the Chinese province under the China-Bangladesh Youth Exchange Program.

This is the 2nd edition of Bangladesh-China Youth Camp after the first one held also in Yunnan in September last year.

Students who were selected from various educational institutions from different parts of the country will visit prominent cultural and historical sites, top educational institutions in parts of Yunnan.

During the orientation program organized by the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka, officials and student representatives including those from Dhaka University, North South University briefed the students about the visit.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Zhang Zuo, Professor ASM Maksud Kamal, President of Dhaka University Teachers' Association GU Ahsan, vice chancellor of North-South University, among others, were present at the program.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chinese ambassador said the two countries have been working to expand further cooperation in culture, education, tourism and other fields.

He said, "Looking at your (participants) young faces right now, it reminds me of my younger self, and also my kid. You are the future of Bangladesh, the foundation for the people-to-people connectivity between our two countries, and the helmsmen for the future of the world."

He expressed the hope that the students could make full use of the coming two weeks to explore Yunnan and China, to learn about Chinese history and culture, to communicate with the young people and make more Chinese friends.

To implement agreements reached by leaders of the two countries, the Chinese Embassy has been working with the headquarter of the Confucius Institute, Yunnan University, the Confucius Institutes at University of Dhaka and North-South University, and CRI-Shanto-Mariam Confucius Classroom, to successfully launch the Youth Camp.

Representatives of some institutes also spoke on the occasion and appreciated the youth camp and highlighted the Chinese support as part of Belt and Road Initiative for developments of Bangladesh and countries elsewhere in the world.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:40:56|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

GAZA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip said the prospect of an Egyptian-sponsored cease-fire agreement with Israel will be decided in two weeks, the local news website Palestine Now reported Thursday.

The remarks by Yahya Sinwar came during a four-hour meeting with writers and political analysts at his office in Gaza City on Wednesday evening.

"In two weeks, the prospect of the calm agreement will be clear and by mid-October, the Palestinian citizens of Gaza will notice the positive changes, if the efforts of Cairo prosper," Sinwar told the meeting.

Meanwhile, he denied that the negotiations in the Egyptian capital have promised an airport for Gaza in the Israeli city of Eilat or a seaport in Cyprus.

"Hamas seeks a calm agreement without paying any political price," he noted.

Sinwar also threatened that Hamas could "keep the sirens wail in central Israel for six months" if no cease-fire is reached.

Over the issue of the Palestinian territory, Sinwar insists on "a Palestinian state from the (Mediterranean) Sea to the Jordan River" as the "ultimate goal" despite the temporary acceptance of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

He also accused Fatah party of "trying to erase the presence of Hamas in the Gaza Strip."

"The Palestinian National Authority must lift the punitive measures on Gaza, form a unity government and a Palestinian National Council that elects a real Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee," Sinwar noted.

The Hamas chief in Gaza revealed that his movement is working with regional and international partners to alleviate the financial crisis of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and to create jobs for 50,000 unemployed and recent graduates.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:45:59|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with Cote d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Aug. 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held talks with Cote d'Ivoire's President Alassane Ouattara in Beijing, and the two leaders agreed to promote bilateral ties to a new high and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcome.

Ouattara, on a state visit to China, is to attend the upcoming 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi welcomed Ouattara to the FOCAC summit and said it will contribute to the building of an even stronger community with a shared future of China and Africa, push forward the development of their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, as well as unity and cooperation among developing countries.

Since the establishment of their diplomatic relations 35 years ago, China and Cote d'Ivoire have witnessed increasingly wider cooperation with fruitful results, Xi said, stressing that China appreciates Cote d'Ivoire's abidance of the one-China principle, supports Cote d'Ivoire in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development rights, and in choosing a development path in line with its national conditions.

The Chinese president called on both sides to firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns.

Calling trade and economic cooperation a propeller for China-Cote d'Ivoire ties, Xi urged the two sides to jointly enhance the Belt and Road Initiative, align their development strategies, and facilitate common development featuring high-quality and sustainability.

Xi urged both countries to combat security challenges, play a constructive role in promoting peace and security in Western Africa and the whole African continent, and strengthen coordination in the United Nations (UN) Security Council so as to safeguard rights and benefits of developing countries.

For Ouattara's part, he called China a great friend of Cote d'Ivoire, saying the people of his country value their traditional friendship with the Chinese people.

Ouattara expressed his admiration of China's reform and opening-up achievements as well as his solid support for the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi, adding that Cote d'Ivoire will press ahead with the West African Economic and Monetary Union's cooperation with China within the framework of the initiative.

Speaking highly of China's efforts in protecting developing countries' rights on multilateral occasions, Ouattara voiced his appreciation of China's active participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

The FOCAC summit will definitely achieve success and become a historic event in Africa-China cooperation, Ouattara added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:46:00|Editor: Xiang Bo

Video Player Close

SUVA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Fijian government is making more moves towards a cashless society.

Fiji's Education Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum signed on Thursday a Transactive Banking Agreement with Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Bank in order to move towards a cashless economy.

The Fijian Education Ministry had to issue around 18 cheques daily to teachers for their allowances, he said, adding that all payments, money transfers and other financial responsibilities will now be conducted through the e-banking service called ANZ Transactive.

The Education Ministry can also obtain account balances and transaction reports at the click of a button.

Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, who is the president of COP 23 (the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), said earlier he was determined to reduce carbon emissions in Fiji by using less paper.

Since last December, all payments made by the Fijian government departments have been switched to be done electronically without issuing cheques, adding to Fiji's change of becoming a cashless society.

Head of the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Bank in Fiji Saud Minam said recently that the Fijian people were adapting well to the switch of using electronic platforms, and businesses were also conforming to limiting the use of paper.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:46:00|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Thursday stressed the importance of doing a good job of strengthening aesthetic education to ensure the healthy growth of the country's youth, both physically and mentally.

Xi, also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a letter replying to eight senior professors with the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) who wrote to him about China's aesthetic education.

In his letter, Xi expressed appreciation for their contributions and achievements in both aesthetic education and fine arts.

Noting that aesthetic education plays an important role in shaping a more beautiful mind, Xi said it is necessary to improve it, as the professors had suggested.

Also, as the CAFA celebrates its centennial anniversary, Xi called on the institution to adhere to the right direction in education and implement the CPC's education policy to foster students with love and create great works of art.

First founded in 1918 on the initiative of renowned Chinese educator Cai Yuanpei, the CAFA is China's first modern school specialized in fine arts.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:51:02|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- State prosecutors have searched the premises of DZ Bank in connection with the so-called "Cum-Ex" financial scandal, Germany's second largest lender confirmed on Thursday.

According to Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper (SZ), the Frankfurt-based institute stands accused of causing 149 million euros (174 million U.S. dollars) in damage to fiscal authorities with the same illicit method which has previously already been discovered at other major banks during Cum Ex investigations.

The scandal, which originally came to light in Die Zeit newspaper, is widely considered to be the largest tax fraud scheme in the history of Germany. Domestic and international banks and some investment funds used loopholes in stock trading regulations over the course of several years to strip the German state of billions of euros.

Official estimates put the total damage caused by the fraudulent practices at as high as 31.8 billion euros.

Scores of lawyers, lobbyists, and banking staff were found to have assisted their clients with two lucrative "Cum-Cum" and "Cum-Ex" methods of diverting funds from taxpayers.

Cum-Cum is a practice whereby financial institutions help foreign investors secure tax rebates they are not entitled to.

Cum-Ex is more complex and was formally outlawed in 2015. A tax bill is settled by the owner of stocks once before being claimed as a refund twice, or even multiple times. The profit thus achieved is then split again between the parties to the transaction.

A long list of major banks were found to have participated in and benefited from the multibillion-Euro scheme. However, the latest revelations that DZ Bank was among them was described as particularly unsettling by SZ given the lender's history and ethos.

DZ Bank is the flagship institute of Germany's "Volks and Raiffeisen" banking sector, a group of cooperative credit organizations which were set up in the 19th century to assist impoverished farmers.

After first encountering evidence of Cum-Ex practices by staff, the bank's management fired two employees and repaid the taxman 149 million euros. Nevertheless, SZ reported that the recent raid highlights that the Frankfurt State Prosecution Office is not fully satisfied with internal disciplinary procedures at DZ bank.

Prosecutors list four suspects in their ongoing Cum Ex investigations of DZ Bank. The institute said that although it was unable to suspend two out of the four suspects due to legal reasons, it is currently seeking financial compensation from them for their involvement in the scandal.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:51:03|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least seven militants were killed and five others sustained injuries as a clash erupted between security forces and Taliban group in Maiwand district of Afghanistan's southern Kandahar province on Wednesday night, deputy to provincial police chief Abdul Bashir Khaksar said Thursday.

The clash, according to the official, flared up after the militants stormed some security checkpoints and the government forces, in counter-offensive began targeting the militants from ground and air, leaving seven insurgents dead and wounding five others.

Khaksar also added that the government forces would continue to target the militants elsewhere in Kandahar.

Taliban militants are yet to make comment on the report.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:56:03|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party on Thursday rejected the threat of U.S. peace envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt to find an alternative to the Palestinian Authority.

"Greenblatt's threat will not break out our determination to continue to reject the new upcoming U.S. peace plan in the Middle East, known as the 'Deal of the Century,'" Fatah said in an e-mailed press statement.

These threats will never stop the Palestinians from confronting all the attempts to isolate the Gaza Strip from the entire occupied Palestinian territories, the statement added.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole and legitimate representative of all the Palestinians, is the only party that has the authority to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian people, it highlighted.

In an earlier written statement published in the media, Greenblatt demanded that "the Palestinian Authority should be part of the solution for the Palestinians in Gaza and Palestinians as a whole."

"If not, others will fill that void," he added.

Meanwhile, Fatah reiterated its objection to reaching a truce agreement with Israel before the end of the internal Palestinian division between itself and the Islamic Hamas movement, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007.

"No unilateral or individual talks should take place with the occupation (Israel) on calm or truce in Gaza, and this has to be accomplished through a national Palestinian consensus, and this can only happen after ending the internal division," the statement read.

Egypt and United Nations Special envoy Nikolai Mladinov have been sponsoring talks with Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip, aiming at reaching calm and improving the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the impoverished enclave.

On Wednesday evening, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas chief in the Gaza Strip, said the prospect of an Egyptian-sponsored cease-fire agreement with Israel will be decided in two weeks, local news website Palestine Now reported.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 19:56:04|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the 12th chairpersons' meeting of the 13th NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature Thursday heard several reports on the deliberation of bills and drafts at its chairpersons' meeting, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the meeting.

Li Fei, chairman of the NPC's Constitution and Law Committee, introduced the review results of the draft e-commerce and soil pollution and control laws, and draft amendments to the Individual Income Tax Law.

Zhang Yesui, chairman of the NPC's Foreign Affairs Committee, reported on review results on a treaty of extradition between China and Barbados.

Yang Zhenwu, secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, made reports on deputy qualifications, as well as official appointments and dismissals.

The reports will be submitted for review at the ongoing bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee running from Monday to Friday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:01:05|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

SHENZHEN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- In the Hollywood blockbuster, Interstellar, the astronauts hibernate for years during long-distance space travel.

Low-temperature dormancy is a feature in many sci-fi novels and movies. Can humans get into a low-energy consumption state like hibernating animals by reserving energy, and reducing body temperature and metabolism?

Chinese scientists are looking for the key to regulate body temperature.

Scientists have found the hypothalamus, an area in the central lower part of the brain, is responsible for regulating body temperature. But traditional methods cannot determine exactly which neurons play the key role.

Wang Hong, a brain scientist at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led her team to mark the neurons responsible for setting and regulating body temperature in mice by means of a cutting-edge genetic biology technique.

In the in-vitro experiment, they found 20 percent of the neurons in the hypothalamus of mice showed reaction to heat. Those neurons had a common feature: they all expressed a gene called TRPM2.

In further experiments, they injected the drug, Clozapine N-oxide, into mice to activate the neurons expressing TRPM2. The body temperatures of the mice dropped from 37 degrees centigrade to 27 degrees centigrade in two hours. With the metabolizing of the drug, their body temperatures returned to normal after about 10 hours.

The team found the change in body temperature caused no harm to the health of the mice. Their study was published in the academic journal, Science, in September 2016.

Chinese scientists are not alone in such research. NASA is reported to have funded SpaceWorks Enterprises aerospace engineering company to study hibernation systems that could be used in human missions to Mars.

Wang's team is focusing more on medical applications.

Studies showed that if the brain can be cooled soon after a patient has a stroke, it can help protect the nervous system. Mild hypothermia therapy was introduced into the clinical treatment of stroke in the 1990s.

However, the therapy requires sophisticated instruments, and is hard to apply in emergency treatment.

"We hope to find the target area in the brain, and develop a drug that can drop the body temperature of the patient immediately after a stroke to protect the nervous system," Wang said.

"We are still not quite clear about why low temperatures help protect the nervous system. It's commonly believed that reducing the metabolic rate of cells depresses the production of free radicals."

Next, Wang's team plan to conduct experiments on primates to find out whether the neurons expressing TRPM2 can play the same role in regulating body temperature.

"The discrepancy between different species is the most difficult problem. We don't know if we can develop a drug that can regulate human body temperature. We still need a lot of study," Wang said.

Even if the researchers master the technique to regulate human body temperature, can hibernation be realized in space travel?

"It still seems like a distant dream," Wang said. "Just solving the problem of regulating body temperature cannot realize hibernation, since many other factors such as circadian rhythms and nutrition must be taken into consideration. How to wake the dormant astronaut is another complication."

Some scientists worry about the social and ethical issues of artificial hibernation. What if a person who has slept for many years awakes to find that he or she is much younger than his or her offspring? What if they cannot adapt to a world that has changed during the long sleep?

"Luckily we still have a lot of time to discuss artificial hibernation before it is realized," said Wang. "Nevertheless, regulating body temperature according to our needs will be the first step."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:06:05|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2018, in Gaborone, capital of Botswana, shows Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi in an interview with Xinhua. The upcoming 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be a successful and unique one to further boost cooperation between China and the African continent, said Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi. (Xinhua/Yang Mengxi)

GABORONE, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be a successful and unique one to further boost cooperation between China and the African continent, said Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

It will also offer an opportunity for Botswana to better understand China and for the two sides to lift their relations to higher levels, Masisi added in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The president expressed high expectations for the summit scheduled for Sept. 3-4 in Beijing, which is themed "China and Africa: Toward an even stronger community with a shared future through win-win cooperation."

"My expectations ... are that not only is it going to be successful (but) it is going to be interesting and unique because we are going to have this forum in China," said Masisi, who will lead a delegation of 50 senior government officials and business leaders to attend the summit.

African countries will have the benefit of interacting with more Chinese businesses, industries and officials, he added.

"I find this mechanism to be very well thought-out because, (with) China being the second biggest economy in the world, it makes much more sense for it and African countries to come together" and "jointly articulate the new directions" for China-Africa ties, said Masisi.

The summit meanwhile offers a fresh opportunity for the Botswana people and government to understand China even more, and that will help further promote bilateral ties, said the president, who will also pay a state visit to China during the trip.

Recalling the past more than 40 years of bilateral relations, Masisi said there have been a lot of positive feedback and initiatives.

"It is a national progression on our part to sustain, deepen, broaden and strengthen our relations with China, particularly that China itself has become so much more sophisticated, developed and open to the world in terms of their achievements," he said.

China, noted the president, has helped Botswana build railways and telecommunications infrastructure, and provided it with agricultural technology.

Hailing the Chinese community in Botswana for its contribution to local economic growth, he said, "the Chinese community's role here has been very impactful."

"A lot of developments in Botswana are a result of the sheer hard work of the Chinese people in our country," he said, citing the Chinese role especially in building universities in his country, such as the Botswana International University of Science and Technology.

In a message to the Chinese people, the president said: "To China, her President and citizens, we admire and hold you in very high regard! Keep the innovation, friendliness and international outlook as bright as the Chinese spirit!"

"Your friends in Botswana wish the very best for a successful One China!" he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:11:07|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Rafic Hariri International Airport (RHIA) in Lebanon's capital Beirut is in need of 100 million U.S. dollars for renovation and expansion, said Lebanese Public Works Minister Youssef Fenianos on Thursday.

"Ever since the creation of this airport, we have not been capable of changing any of its equipment," the minister was quoted by the National News Agency as saying at a press conference.

Fenianos also vowed to ensure the full transparency of all the potential tenders submitted for the renovation and expansion of the airport.

Earlier this year, Lebanese Finance Ministry approved 18 million dollars in funding for the expansion of RHIA.

The funding came following a steady increase in the passenger number at the airport since 2008, according to a study released by the airport's Research and Studies Department in March 2018.

The study predicted that as many as 10 million passengers would travel via the RHIA by 2020 while the airport has the capacity of hosting only 6 million passengers annually.

The number of passengers at the airport in August has reached 1.2 million.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:16:08|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Public Security Thursday issued a class-A wanted order for 10 fugitives suspected of gang crime.

The security authority called on the public to provide information and actively report gang-related criminal activities, adding that those who provide information that leads to an arrest will be rewarded.

China has taken a tough stance and stepped up efforts to crack down on gang crime.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:26:09|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Families of the Lebanese who disappeared in the civil war held a sit-in on Thursday in downtown Beirut, calling upon the authorities to establish a national commission to find these missing people, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

An estimated 17,000 Lebanese people, including civilians and soldiers, went missing during the 15-year civil war starting in 1975.

"We have not been capable of reaching any concrete results in pursuit of our cause," said the protesters.

The draft law prepared for the establishment of the commission was already sent to the parliament pending approval, NNA said.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun suggested in April that a national database be established to include all missing persons and their information to raise public awareness.

Also in April, a campaign, titled "the list of disappeared in all of Lebanon," was announced to push for a law demanding the establishment of an independent national body to reveal the fate of the missing in the civil war.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:36:11|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian national police on Thursday unveiled that a terror suspect shot dead one policeman and severely injured another in West Java province.

National police spokesman Inspector General Setyo Wasisto said the perpetrator is a member of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah, which is associated with the Islamic State (IS).

The anti-terror squad of the national police has found out the identity of the attacker and has been tried to capture the man, the spokesman said.

The shooting on the two policemen, according to the police, occurred when they were patrolling on a toll road in Bandung district.

The two police personnel halted the patrol when they saw the perpetrator and two fellows sit on the side of the road and urged them to stay away as it was dangerous.

One of the three suddenly shot at the police.

One of the two policemen died after being rushed into a police hospital in Jakarta, and another survived with serious injuries, said Wasisto.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:36:12|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least eight militants have been killed and the Taliban attempt to overrun Nasai district in northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province were foiled, provincial police spokesman Sanaullah Rohani said Thursday.

The government, according to the official, has sent reinforcement to Nasai district and the Taliban militants, after leaving eight bodies behind, fled the area.

Four militants and three police personnel were injured in the fighting, the official said, adding that the situation is under control in Nasai district.

Taliban militants who are in control of parts of Badakhshan province are yet to make comments.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:41:16|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers spoke highly of the implementation of the country's infectious disease prevention and control law during panel discussions at the ongoing session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee on Thursday.

The lawmakers held the discussions while deliberating a report based on a round of inspections conducted by the top legislature between May and July in eight provincial-level regions that was submitted to the NPC Standing Committee Tuesday.

Li Rui, a lawmaker, said an efficient system of infectious disease prevention and control had been set up in recent years. "Public health care infrastructure has been continuously improved, and effective steps such as immunization programs have also been taken."

The lawmakers offered advice concerning a number of challenges mentioned in the report, such as higher dissemination risks due to increased population mobility, deficient quarantine and monitoring on transportation of live animals and birds, and insufficient efforts to curb sexually transmitted diseases spread through unprotected sex.

"Prevention and control at primary-level should be strengthened," said Jia Ting'an, a legislator, who suggested that medical personnel at primary-level institutions should be better trained and, operations should be well regulated to improve warnings for infectious diseases.

"Prevention and control of zoonoses, which were involved in several epidemics in recent years, should be placed high in our work," said Li Xueyong, a lawmaker.

"Education regarding the law on infectious disease prevention and control also needs to be provided to a wider range of people," Li said.

Official data showed that a total of 19,796 people died from infectious diseases on the Chinese mainland in 2017.

The infectious disease prevention and control law was enacted in 1989 and revised in 2004 and 2013.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 20:46:18|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, addresses the opening ceremony of the China-Eurasia Expo in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Aug. 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

URUMQI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The sixth China-Eurasia Expo, a three-day international fair, opened Thursday in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Under the theme of "The Belt and Road -- Wide Discussion, Joint Contribution and Shared Benefits", the expo drew participants from more than 700 domestic and foreign companies.

The exhibition area covered 70,000 square meters, with various display zones involving investment and cooperation, poverty alleviation, and featured products.

Since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, China has deepened pragmatic cooperation with other countries under the framework of the initiative, yielding substantial achievements, Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua said at the opening ceremony.

Hu said that China is willing to expand areas of cooperation with other countries, create new trade growth points, enhance investment and industrial cooperation, and speed up interconnectivity networks through the projects in railways, highways, ports, energy, and telecom.

China will unswervingly deepen reform in all areas, expand opening-up, improve trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, said Hu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Hu encouraged enterprises in Asian and European countries to seize the opportunity and work together with their Chinese counterparts to develop more extensive and in-depth cooperation.

He voiced the central government's support for Xinjiang to open wider to outside world and play a bigger role in China's opening up.

The China-Eurasia Expo, which serves as an important platform for exchanges and cooperation between different countries and regions, will conclude Saturday.

The fifth expo saw a total of 18 billion U.S. dollars worth of contracts signed.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:06:22|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

The first China-Africa Forum on Tropical Agricultural Science and Technology Cooperation is held in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Deng)

HAIKOU, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A forum on tropical agriculture cooperation between China and African countries opened Thursday in Bo'ao, south China's Hainan Province.

During the two-day meeting, more than 100 government officials and agricultural experts from China and African countries will discuss how to enhance cooperation in areas such as technological innovation and talent training, and establish a sustainable platform for exchanges.

China and African countries are complementary in agricultural research, investment and trade, with great potential for cooperation, Li Hongtao, deputy director of Foreign Economic Cooperation Center under China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said at the opening ceremony.

The forum promotes exchanges in tropical agriculture and contributes to South-South cooperation and the cooperative relationship between China and African countries, said Patrick Karangwa, director general of Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB).

The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences signed cooperation agreements with RAB, Zambia Development Agency, and Zambia Agriculture Research Institute at the forum to deepen collaboration in promoting the quality of agricultural products and developing training programs.

According to the academy, it has sent 32 Chinese agricultural experts to Africa for technical assistance and has trained hundreds of Africans since 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:16:24|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

GAZA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A senior Hamas official said on Thursday that there is no link between peace with Israel and reconciliation with rival Fatah party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Khalil al-Hayya, a Hamas politburo member, told reporters in Gaza that the 12-year siege on the Gaza Strip has to be lifted "and therefore, the suffering of our people has to find an end."

Over the past few weeks, Egypt and United Nations Special envoy Nikolai Mladinov have been sponsoring a dialogue between Hamas and Israel for a long-term truce that lifts the Israeli blockade and improves the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

"In order to have a sea passage, we must have a seaport for the Gaza Strip," said Hayya.

The Gaza Sea "is our window to the world and we want a direct connection with the world under the supervision of the United Nations," he added.

Hayya also said Hamas will stop both the release of arson kites and balloons from the Gaza Strip into Israel and the weekly "March of Return" rally if Israel ends its blockade on the coastal enclave.

However, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, his Fatah Party and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) opposed the "unilateral" signing of a truce deal with Israel by Hamas or other non-PLO factions.

Abbas insisted that Hamas must first end the internal Palestinian division which has lasted more than 11 years, since Hamas violently seized control of Gaza in the summer of 2007.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:26:25|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Lebanese provincial official called on the state government to contain the smuggling of apples to Lebanon to provide legal protection for the domestic industry, an online newspaper reported.

"We want the government to take serious measures to stop the smuggling of apples, in addition to supporting us in opening new markets for our produce," Abed Al Ilah Zakaria, head of Municipalities Syndicate in the northernmost province of Akkar, was quoted by Elnashra, an independent online newspaper, as saying.

A large number of Lebanese farmers make their livings by cultivating apples, Zakaria noted.

Lebanese farmers have, on many occasions, appealed to the authorities to support the agricultural sector by adopting different measures.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:36:27|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

TUNIS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Libya has high expectations for the upcoming Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to strengthen China-Libya communication and cooperation, Chinese Charge d'Affaires in Libya Wang Qimin has said.

"Prime Minister Fayez Serraj of Libya's national unity government pins his hopes on the FOCAC Beijing summit to enhance Libya's cooperation with China in varied fields," Wang told Xinhua ahead of Serraj's trip to Beijing to attend the FOCAC summit on Sept. 3-4.

Serraj has expressed Libya's full support to the FOCAC summit to push forward the China-Africa win-win cooperation, build a closer China-Africa community of shared future, and deepen the China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership, Wang said.

In July, China and Libya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on co-building the "Belt and Road" during the eighth ministerial meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) held in Beijing.

The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Africa and Europe along the ancient Silk Road trade routes. Its main goal is to seek common prosperity for China and the countries involved, through co-building development projects.

The MoU signing will give a boost to Libyan economic development, as the war-torn country seeks win-win cooperation with China within the frameworks of the FOCAC and CASCF, Wang noted.

Libya looks forward to cooperating with China in the fields of infrastructure, energy, telecommunication, finance, technology, vocational training, health, and local governance, he said.

"Libya hopes for earlier return of Chinese companies to the country to help with its reconstruction and improvement of the living conditions," Wang said.

The lingering violence, conflicts and chaos in the northern African country since the 2011 uprising that overthrew former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi forced most foreign companies, including Chinese ones, to leave the country, which dealt a heavy blow to the Libyan economy.

Libya hopes Chinese companies will help build projects in the areas of housing, electricity, and irrigation, with an aim to realize national stability and usher in a new era for the development of the China-Libya ties, Wang said.

Chinese companies are still waiting for the appropriate time to return to Libya if the security situation there allows, the Chinese envoy noted.

"The Chinese government, meanwhile, will actively work to facilitate earlier return of Chinese enterprises to Libya," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:36:27|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is considering putting in place a law to fast track development of nuclear energy, a government official said on Thursday.

Simon Kachapin, chief administrative secretary of the ministry of energy and petroleum, told journalists in Nairobi that the nuclear regulatory bill was recently passed by cabinet and will soon be tabled in parliament.

"The law will provide a framework that will guide and provide oversight for the implementation of nuclear power plants as per international standards," Kachapin said during the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification presentation ceremony for the Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB).

Kachapin said Kenya is currently assembling all the necessary infrastructure so that it can begin construction of a 1000-megawatt nuclear power plant by 2022.

KNEB is further undertaking sites studies geared at identifying potential sites for nuclear power plants in Kenya.

Kachapin said the ideal site will ensure Kenya exploits nuclear power in an environmentally sustainable way.

He said nuclear power will help Kenya further diversify its sources of energy that is currently dominated by hydro, geothermal and thermal power energy.

The official observed that Kenya also needs to rely on nuclear power to reach the goal of having an electricity generating capacity of about 30,000 MW up from the current estimate of 2,400 MW.

Kachapin said the government has already made good strides in the endeavor to commission nuclear power plant including review of its nuclear power program report card by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The nuclear agency said it is undertaking stakeholder involvement activities to sensitize Kenyans on nuclear technology and its intended use for power generation.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:46:29|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

LJUBLJANA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian Prime Minister-designate Marjan Sarec has put forward the line-up of what is to become the 13th Slovenian government after it was endorsed by parliament, according to national media on Thursday.

Sarec's LMS party is to have four ministers in the cabinet, while the Social Democrats (SD), three, Modern Centre Party (SMC), four, Alenka Bratuscek Party (SAB), three, and the Democratic Party of Pensioners (DeSUS), two, said the report by Slovenian Press Agency STA.

On Wednesday, the presidents of the five parties signed a coalition agreement, pledging to work together in a minority government under Sarec from 2018 to 2022.

The list of the cabinet ministers came as the result of coordination by the above five parties.

LMS candidates are to become ministers of finance, interior, health, and public administration. The SD is handling the ministries of justice, education and culture.

The foreign, economy, labour and environment ministries are to be governed by SMC. SAB ministers will be in charge of overseeing infrastructure, EU cohesion policy, and Slovenians abroad. DeSUS will take on the defense ministerial position as well as the agriculture ministerial role.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:51:30|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- An Ethiopian military helicopter crash in central Oromia regional state left all 17 people on board dead, state media outlet Ethiopia News Agency (ENA) reported on Thursday.

The helicopter owned by the Ethiopian Air Force had taken off on Thursday morning from the eastern Ethiopia city of Dire Dawa and was scheduled to arrive at Ethiopia's main Air Force base in the central Ethiopia city of Debre Zeit when it crashed about 50 km from its final destination.

ENA said among the 17 dead were two children and two women. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:51:30|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

HEFEI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A six-wheeled robot travels underground in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, to detect warning signs of defects inside the pipeline network.

"It looks like a toy car at first, but it's much more complicated than that," said Xu Mao, the robot's operator.

The pipeline robot, developed by Wuhan Easy-Sight Technology, is composed of four parts -- crawler, camera, cable reel, and controller.

A full charge can enable the robot to work for four to five hours, covering a distance between 800 and 1,000 meters in the underground pipeline.

The robot made its debut last month in Shushan District. It will carry out inspections of the underground pipeline network stretching 150 kilometers.

"Whether the pipe is leaking, damaged or blocked. we can clearly see its interior situation through high-definition cameras embedded in the robot," said Qi Chuanshuai from the provincial construction engineering and testing institute, a partner of the pipeline robot project.

The real-time data including video images of the pipe will be uploaded and displayed on a computer.

"If we find any problems, we stop the robot and record the flaws," Xu said. "We report the defects to local government, who will arrange the repair and maintenance as soon as possible."

With the rapid development of cities, it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage underground pipelines. Among all the difficulties, detecting flaws in the sewage and rainwater pipelines come first.

Many other cities such as Wuhan, Nanjing, Shenzhen, and Shanghai are using the robots to patrol their pipelines, the robot's developer said.

Equipped with environmental detection sensors, the robots can monitor temperature and humidity, noxious gases, oxygen levels and smoke density, while providing illumination in real time.

"Compared with human workers, robots are able to enter smaller pipes and are immune to poisonous gases in sewage pipes," said Ge Shengli from Shushan District's city management company.

"No digging is required and there is no need to interrupt traffic," Ge added.
File Photo: Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un (2nd L) and U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd R) sign a joint statement in Singapore on June 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Ministry of Communication and Information of Singapore)

by Xinhua writer Zhu Dongyang

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his assertion that China shall be blamed -- at least partly -- for the current logjam of Washington-Pyongyang talks.

Trump tweeted that he "feels strongly" that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is under "tremendous" pressure from China. Accusing Beijing of providing considerable aid to Pyongyang, he also threatened to "instantly start the joint exercises again" with South Korea and Japan that "will be far bigger than ever before."

It was not the first time that Trump made such a statement, and may not be his last time either. A breakthrough in talks with the DPRK, which was supposed to be his diplomatic "jewelry on the crown," would be a major boost for the mid-term elections; anything otherwise will be seen as a blow to the deeply troubled White House.

In fact, Washington's provocations and military threats never came to a stop even around the Singapore summit. Hostility between Washington and Pyongyang remains barely surmountable.

The U.S. share of blame was considerable, given its reluctance to offer any substantial commitment to the DPRK's security, its insatiable request for the DPRK to denuclearize within a year, and its exaggeration of results of the Singapore summit, making it hard for the U.S. team to accept any lesser concessions.

Meanwhile, "verifiability" and "irreversibility" have been Washington's favorite words when it comes to the DPRK's denuclearization. Yet, such standards demand two-way efforts.

The Pentagon's saying that it has no plan as to whether to continue suspending major U.S.-South Korea drills in the next year is a setback from its previous promise of an "indefinite" suspension.

U.S. media also reported on Wednesday that Trump told Kim Jong Un, the DPRK's top leader, that he would sign a war-ending declaration with the DPRK soon after the Singapore summit, yet he has failed to do so.

Instead, Washington "has repeatedly asked Pyongyang to dismantle most of its nuclear arsenal first, before signing such a document," irritating the DPRK and casting doubt on the United States' own credibility.

The U.S. accusation of China's aid to the DPRK is also untenable, contradicting the widely recognized fact that China has strictly abided by the UN Security Council resolutions.

It is advisable that Washington understand the full implication and purposes of these resolutions that highlight both sanctions and conversations, and strive for an ultimate denuclearization through dialogue rather than maximum pressure.

The U.S. deliberate distortion of the UN resolutions, reluctance to pay the due price for its security, and ignoring China's decades of peace-making endeavors would obstruct the political settlement of the Peninsular issues.

Instead of repeating the rhetoric and levying pressure, it is high time for the current U.S. administration to reconsider its DPRK policy and change its course toward a constructive direction.

Patience and perspective can never be over-emphasized for a complex geopolitical issue like the Korean Peninsula. Many options to solve it remain open to discussion, yet attempts to get everything with nothing or even to pull the chestnuts out of the fire shall never be included.

Now the ball is in Washington's court, not China's.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 21:56:31|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- An increasingly likely disorderly exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU) could lead to a new financial crisis in Europe, German finance minister Olaf Scholz warned on Thursday.

Speaking during the ongoing "Handelsblatt" banking conference in Frankfurt, Scholz cautioned that it was still "difficult to say whether (a post-Brexit agreement) can be reached" before London crashes out of the bloc on March 29 2019. As a consequence, the minister recommended to business leaders to make the necessary preparations for a "disorderly Brexit" until it was too late.

Scholz' comments were made on the same day as EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told the radio station "Deutschlandfunk" that companies urgently needed to draw up plans for the worst-case scenario.

In a further sign of growing concern that London and Brussels will fail to clinch a deal to govern their future relationship, representatives of both sides pushed back a deadline by which they hope to conclude corresponding negotiations from mid-October until mid-November.

The German finance minister told guests at the "Handelsblatt" conference that he had spent long nights strategizing with his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire to ensure that Berlin and Paris were prepared for all eventualities. A focal point of their discussions had hereby been placed on eliminating risks to the stability of the European banking system stemming from a potentially chaotic Brexit.

Germany and France are both advocating for members of the Eurozone to take more ambitious steps to complete the single currency area's banking union. Amongst others, the two countries have made vague proposals for the existing European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to be transformed into a permanent European Monetary Fund (EMF) to act as a supranational lender of last resort during financial crises.

Scholz admitted on Thursday that industrial policy directed to help shape the European banking sector had been neglected by governments during past years. "This did not serve the interests of our business location. As a consequence, I believe that it must gain a new importance in political considerations," he said.

Several financial industry representatives have complained that Berlin has so far done too little to actively lure British-based banks to relocate to Germany in the wake of Brexit. Nevertheless, Scholz expressed confidence that a large amount of the Euro-Clearing business now concentrated in London would begin to gradually shift to continental Europe, "including to Frankfurt".
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:01:32|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BUCHAREST, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Romanian Business Environment Ministry on Thursday launched a national online business platform "Business Romania" to facilitate communication and information exchange between business people and companies across the country.

This is the first national business online platform launched by the government, different from those existing ones operated by chambers of commerce or industry.

"The Business Romania Platform is team-working between us, public representatives, and the Romanian business community," Paula Pirvanescu, state secretary with the Ministry of Business Environment, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, told the opening of the International Business Forum ongoing from Thursday to Friday at Parliament Palace in Bucharest.

"This platform will be a portal for the presentation of all business operators, and all central and local administration bodies that want to promote their national, local and regional projects," Pirvanescu said, inviting business people to join the platform.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:06:33|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

by Zhou Xiaotian and Cheng Nan

LANZHOU, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- With decades of success against desertification, China shares its modern techniques and experiences in sand control with African countries.

Elina Shekupe Nakanyala, a Namibian agricultural official, came to China for the first time to attend a training program about desertification control in Minqin County, northwest China's Gansu Province, this year.

Under instruction from Chinese technicians, Nakanyala dug grooves into the ground and filled them with grass, skillfully using a spade to build a stretch of grass pane sand fence, a proven method to alleviate shifting sands and conserve water.

"Nearly a quarter of Namibia is covered by sand. It's a matter of primary importance to learn effective techniques against desertification so that we can solve food problems," said Nakanyala.

The training program has been held in Gansu for almost 30 years, with nearly 1,000 technical workers and government officials from 87 countries trained, including those in Africa. The government-sponsored training courses combine in-class learning and field practice, focusing on theories and techniques of desertification control as well as ecological restoration.

"I really cherish this opportunity to study in China," said Kabo Mogotsi, a Botswanan official of agriculture, who is also on this year's training program. "I hope for more collaborative efforts against desertification between our two countries."

Minqin is a man-made oasis located between Badain Jaran and Tengger, two large deserts in China, with the area totaling 85,000 square kilometers.

In an effort to keep the deserts from converging, a vast haloxylon forest planted by the locals has bound the sand tightly to the ground. The haloxylon species is a sand-fixing plant used abundantly since the 1970s in areas with low precipitation.

"I have been to many countries, but it is rare to see places like Minqin," said Aymen Gadallah, an Egyptian desert researcher. "Chinese sand fixation and afforestation technologies have played a positive role here."

"With automated equipment, about 330 hectares of grass pane sand fence can be created each day. And we use spray and drip irrigation to accelerate the growth of the plants," said Liu Hujun, director of International Cooperation Center of Gansu Desert Control Research Institute.

China has reversed the expansion of its deserts. An average of 4,400 square kilometers of desertified land has been restored each year since 2000, according to statistics.

"China is at the forefront of sand prevention and control," Liu said. "It is urgent to share our methods with other parts of the world."

"Africa has entered a stage of rapid development and should take actions as early as possible to maintain sustainable development," said Li Fengting, a professor of UN Environment-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development in Shanghai. "Chinese environmental technologies are more application-oriented with lower costs, which is ideal for Africa."

In 2017, the China-Africa environmental cooperation center was launched in Kenya, and China announced an international alliance for green development under the Belt and Road Initiative with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), to provide the experience of ecological governance to more countries plagued by desertification.

"China has created new technologies and practices in the construction of a green homeland," said Erik Solheim, executive director of UNEP. "Not only does it meet domestic needs, but also brings benefits to developing countries in Africa."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:11:34|Editor: ZD

Video Player Close

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng (R, front), also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Japan's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso (L, front), who is here to attend the seventh China-Japan finance ministers' dialogue, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A senior official Thursday said that China and Japan have broad prospects for cooperation in economic and trade fields.

Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and China's vice premier, made the remarks in a meeting with Japan's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, who is in Beijing to attend the seventh China-Japan finance ministers' dialogue.

Han said that China attaches great importance to Sino-Japanese relations. With the joint efforts of both sides, China-Japan ties have returned to the normal path of development.

Han expected the two sides to make good use of the mechanism of the finance ministers' dialogue, implement the important consensus of leaders of the two countries, and actively expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in economy and finance.

China is willing to work with Japan to maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, said Han, adding that China welcomes companies from all over the world, including those from Japan, to strengthen their investment in China.

Aso said that the Japanese side is willing to further implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders in May this year and promote two countries' trade and economic development.

Later Thursday afternoon, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He also met with Aso in Beijing.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:36:37|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

YANGON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Demonstration of use of China-assisted 200KW biomass gasification power generator was held in Nyaungdon, Myanmar's Ayeyarwady region, on Thursday.

The biomass gasification power generation project was implemented with the technical assistance of China's Science and Technology Ministry.

At the event, Dr. Zaw Min Naing, deputy director-general of research and innovation department of Myanmar, thanked China for sharing emerging poly-generation technology which could protect environment from pollution.

He expressed his belief that the project could be a great help to Myanmar government's plan of nationwide electricity supply in 2030 , expressing willingness to enhance more technology cooperation between Myanmar and China in the future.

Yang Shouzheng, counselor of the Chinese embassy in Myanmar, said that the biomass power generation technology could be promoted in Myanmar through the project which was started in 2015.

Xiang Changwan, leader of Kunming Dianyan New Energy Technology Development Company which developed the technology, said that the biomass gasification power generation technology can be used to convert into electricity and biomass charcoal to meet the growing electricity demand in Myanmar.

He also pledged to develop such power generator in cooperation with Yangon Sino Technology Company, aiming to promote application of biomass energy utilization in Myanmar.

The biomass gasification power generator can convert waste paddy husk into electricity without any harm to environment and can run for 24 consecutive hours for one month.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:41:38|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

British Prime Minister Theresa May (L, front) and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta address a joint media briefing at State House in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Aug. 30, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived in Kenya early Thursday for a day-long official visit aimed at boosting bilateral relations between the two countries. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango)

NAIROBI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan and British governments on Thursday pledged to deepen trade and investment partnership under the post-Brexit arrangement.

Visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May and Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said talks between the two countries are underway to come up with a new framework of trade.

"I want to ensure that the UK's relationship with Kenya and with Africa is more and more about private investment, about doing business and making the most of commercial opportunities together," May told a joint news conference in Nairobi shortly after the two leaders led their respective delegations in bilateral talks.

She assured Kenya of continued access of Britain's markets through the current duty-free arrangement after the exit of Britain from the European Union.

May who led a 29-member delegation of business executives said trade links between Britain and Kenya will continue to be strengthened to enhance economic partnerships, adding that many investors from her country have an appetite for investing in Kenya.

She said Britain is the largest foreign investor in Kenya and it is London's "ambition to be the G7's number one investor in Africa by 2022."

"So as Britain prepares to leave the European Union we are committed to a smooth transition that ensures continuity in our trading relationship with Kenya, ensuring Kenya retains its duty-free, quota-free access to the UK market," May said.

On his part, Kenyatta said Kenya is looking forward for more investments from both its traditional and new partners to meet its socio-economic agenda.

"Kenya is open for business for all. And we are not going out there with a begging bowl. No! We are saying that Kenya is an attractive investment destination for foreign companies to come, and get a very good dividend while creating jobs, and helping us further our development agenda," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:46:39|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Thursday that any possible international peace agreement on Syria will not "apply to" Israel.

"International agreements with Syria after Idlib don't bind Israel," Lieberman told reporters during a tour along Israel's northern border with Syria.

"The only thing that concerns us is the security interests of the State of Israel," the minister was quoted by local news media as saying.

Idlib is the last major rebel-held stronghold in Syria that Syrian government troops are poised to launch an offensive to retake it, in a bid to end the seven-year civil war.

Lieberman vowed that Israel will "continue to act in Syria as will be deemed necessary for its security."

His remarks came amidst talks of a possible agreement to end the seven-year war in Syria.

Iran and Syria have just reached a deal on maintaining Iranian military presence in the war-torn country. Meanwhile, the leaders of Russia, Turkey and Iran are expected to hold talks in Iran next week to discuss ways to find a political solution to the Syrian civil war.

Israel has been increasingly concerned by Iran's efforts to establish a permanent military presence in Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials have been urging Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump to force Iran to completely withdraw its forces from Syria.

Iran's military cooperation deal signed with Syria earlier this week renewed Israel's concerns.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu reiterated his threat to launch strikes at Iranian military targets in Syria.

"The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will continue to take strong and determined action against Iran's attempts to station forces and advanced weapons systems in Syria," he said.

"No agreement between Syria and Iran will deter us," he added.

Israel's air force has carried out dozens of airstrikes inside Syria, usually targeting allegedly Iranian sites or weapons convoys of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah forces.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:46:39|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday arrived here for a two-day official visit during which he will meet with the Pakistani leadership, a statement from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Zarif is the first foreign top diplomat to visit Pakistan after the new government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan took over the charge earlier this month, the ministry said.

The Iranian foreign minister is scheduled to meet with Imran Khan, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the foreign ministry said.

Soon after his arrival, Zarif had a meeting with Asad Qaiser, speaker of the National Assembly, the lower house of Pakistan's parliament.

According to a statement issued from the speaker's office, Qaiser told the Iranian foreign minister that the two countries had close relations for decades which should be further strengthened for the bilateral benefits.

Qaiser said that close relations between the two sides are vital for development, prosperity and peace in the region, adding that they should further cooperate in the fields of trade, investment and energy.

Zarif appreciated Pakistan's sacrifices and successes in the war against terrorism and extremism, saying that Iran is Pakistan's close partner in its efforts to establish peace.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:51:40|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The recent clashes in the Libyan capital of Tripoli have killed 41 people and injured 123 others, the Health Ministry said Thursday.

The ministry said in a statement that the death toll of civilians and soldiers is likely to rise as it "was only recorded by the field hospital in southern Tripoli."

Southern Tripoli has been witnessing violent clashes since Monday between government forces and armed militias.

The reasons for the clashes remained unknown, but there had been growing tensions amid military mobilization in the past days by armed groups from outside and inside the city.

Libyan Interior Minister Abdulsalam Ashour told a local TV channel on Monday that a ceasefire agreement in Tripoli had been reached.

However, clashes renewed on Wednesday despite the announcement, a local security source said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 22:51:40|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Over 25 Russian battleships and 30 warplanes will participate in military drills in the Mediterranean on Sept. 1-8, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday, after Western countries threatened to bomb Syria again.

The naval force will include ships from the Russian Northern, Baltic, Black Sea fleets and the Caspian Flotilla and they will be led by missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov, the ministry said in a statement.

The air force will consist of Tu-160 strategic bombers, Tu-142MK and Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft, Su-33 and Su-30SM naval aviation fighters, it said.

The group will work out a set of tasks for anti-aircraft and anti-subversive and sabotage defense as well as protection against mines, the ministry said.

The Russian embassy in the United States said in a statement on Facebook that ambassador Anatoly Antonov earlier this week met U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey and Acting Assistant Secretary David Satterfield.

Antonov expressed to the U.S., Moscow's concerns about U.S. signals of preparing new strikes on Syria on the pretext of possible uses of "chemical weapons" by Syrians.

"We warned the U.S. not to engage in another baseless and unlawful aggression against Syria. The new aggravation in Syria would not be in anyone's national interest and only terrorists would benefit from it," Antonov said.

On Aug. 21, the United States, France and Britain said in a joint statement that "we remain resolved to act if the (Syrian President Bashar) Assad regime uses chemical weapons again."

On Aug. 26, the Russian Defense Ministry said that English-speaking foreign experts were preparing a false-flag "chemical attack" in Syria using chlorine-filled rockets so that the Syrian government will be accused.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a news briefing Thursday that Moscow had information that a large volume of toxic substances had been delivered to the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib.

The substances were apparently meant to be used in a staged provocation, she said.

The U.S. armed force can build up a grouping capable of launching a massive missile strike against Syria within 24 hours, she said.

According to Zakharova, around 70 aircraft with 380 cruise missiles of the United States, France and Britain have been deployed at bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Greece.

Two U.S. destroyers with 38 Tomahawk cruise missiles on board are already in the Mediterranean and they can be joined by four more warships with at least 112 Tomahawks, the spokesperson added.

The consequences of the possible aggression of the West against Syria are unpredictable and it will deal a severe blow not only to the Syrian population but also to global security, Zakharova warned.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:01:42|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

GENEVA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura on Thursday called the parties to the Syria war to facilitate a credible humanitarian corridor to allow civilians from the Idlib area to temporarily evacuate to safer places.

Speaking to a group of journalists, the envoy also called the parties not to accelerate military escalation and give more time for discussions aiming at avoiding the worse-case scenario.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:06:43|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenya and Britain on Thursday signed an agreement to repatriate proceeds of crime and corruption stashed away in Britain's jurisdictions.

The agreement was signed during a meeting between Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and visiting British Prime Minister Theresa May in Nairobi.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Nairobi, Kenyatta said there was no turning back on the war on corruption and economic crimes.

"Fighting corruption is an important aspect for my legacy besides the Big Four Agenda," he said shortly after the two leaders led their respective delegations in bilateral talks.

On her part, the British PM said that besides repatriation of the proceeds of corruption, her government will support efforts to prosecute and conclude all major corruption cases in the country.

The two countries also signed agreement on the renewal of security pact between the two countries.

The agreement will enable Kenya to receive support for border control and aviation security through training programs and equipment for border, airline and immigration staff.

Other areas of co-operation under the agreement include countering violent extremism, terrorism and trans-national crime through sharing of information and profiling of major masterminds and beneficiaries of these crimes.

May said her government is training with Kenyans to promote stability in East Africa and beyond.

She lauded Kenya's efforts to stabilize Somalia and the signing of a peace deal in South Sudan under African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) respectively.

May also announced that Britain will soon unveil a package for AMISOM, the peacekeeping team that comprises Kenyan soldiers in the war-torn country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:11:43|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A current roadmap for China-Africa cooperation in the new era is one eagerly awaited outcome of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will begin on Sept 3.

Themed "China and Africa: Toward an Even Stronger Community with a Shared Future through Win-Win Cooperation," the summit will be a significant diplomatic event hosted by China this year and attended by the largest number of foreign leaders to date.

Here's what to expect from the summit:

XI JINPING'S SPEECH

Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the summit, attend and deliver a speech during the opening ceremony of the High-Level Dialogue of China-Africa Leaders and Business Representatives, and the 6th China-Africa Business Forum.

He is expected to propose new ideas to strengthen relations with Africa and announce new measures for pragmatic cooperation.

Xi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will both chair a roundtable discussion, where Chinese and African leaders will discuss China-Africa relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

There will also be bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit.

"President Xi attaches great importance to the China-Africa relationship. These activities will help promote political mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Africa," said Zhou Yuxiao, China's ambassador for FOCAC affairs.

REUNION

This year is the third time the summit has convened, following the inaugural 2006 summit in Beijing and the 2015 summit in Johannesburg, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

African leaders and the chairman of the African Union (AU) will be in attendance, and the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General will be the esteemed guest, joined by 27 international and African groups as observers.

The interest in the forum is a result of China's growing influence on the African continent and proves the FOCAC has been pragmatic and efficient, analysts said.

"Established 18 years ago, FOCAC has led international cooperation with Africa and has become a significant marker of South-South cooperation," said Li Dan, director of Africa Studies Center of China Foreign Affairs University.

TWO DOCUMENTS

The summit will conclude with the signing of a declaration and an action plan, providing guidelines for China-Africa cooperation for the next three years.

The documents are expected to build on the outcomes of the Johannesburg summit, during which Xi announced 10 major cooperation plans to promote industrialization and agricultural modernization in Africa. Most of the plans have been implemented.

"For three years, cooperation between China and Africa has deepened and political mutual trust promoted," said Li Dan. "It is expected that the Beijing summit will offer a more comprehensive plan that reflects the new situation."

"The fundamental goal of China-Africa cooperation is building a closer China-Africa community with a shared future. This will be a priority in the next phase of cooperation," Zhou Yuxiao said.

FUTURE COOPERATION

The summit aims to build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future, further dovetail China's Belt and Road Initiative with African development, set a new path for a higher level of China-Africa cooperation and deepen people-to-people exchanges.

Li Dan said cooperation would not only be enhanced in traditional areas but also expanded to the environment, peace and security. By promoting innovation, coordination and sub-regional cooperation, all members will benefit from the outcomes of the summit.

The summit will link the Belt and Road Initiative with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union's Agenda 2063 and individual countries' development plans to explore new territory for Africa's revival.

"African countries have been positive about the Belt and Road Initiative," Li Dan said. "Clearer answers as to how and where they can participate are also expected from the summit."

FOCAC is a proven, effective platform for pragmatic China-Africa cooperation, and the Belt and Road Initiative is an important public good China is offering to the world. Combining the two will help the China-Africa relationship take a major leap forward and elevate cooperation, Zhou Yuxiao said.

"Given the complex and changing international situation and the development of individual countries, China-Africa wisdom and solutions that can be helpful to global governance are expected from the summit," Li Dan said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:11:43|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CHANGCHUN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Aerobatic flights, model plane shows and hostage rescue by airborne troops... This is not a military training or an air show, but the opening ceremony of the Aviation University of Air Force (AUAF) in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, on Thursday.

Dubbed by spectators as the "most stunning university opening ceremony," it impressed the audience with awesome stunts, attracting waves of applause and cheers.

The university is the country's only one training pilots, with more than 1,400 freshmen being admitted this year.

"Look, there's a helicopter!" A shout from the audience drew everyone's eyes to a distant roar from above.

A transport helicopter, escorted by an armed helicopter, hovered in the sky. A group of soldiers rappelled from the helicopter onto the ground.

This was a demonstration of hostage rescue by airborne troops. The troop changed tactical formations, swiftly approached a lone house where "terrorists" lived, broke into the house, shot the "terrorists" and rescued the hostages.

"This is so different from the movies. To see a hostage rescue myself is much more breathtaking," said Feng Xuan, a 27-year old spectator.

Performances by the Sky Wing Air demonstration team and other teams and individual planes brought the show to a climax with their visual feasts of speed, strength, passion and art.

The planes soared and disappeared into a cloud and, within a second, emerged from the other side.

"Wow! Exciting!" Ten-year-old Duan Jiyang, an airplane fan, became exhilarated when hearing the deafening roar of fighter planes. His brother is one of the freshmen and he said he also wants to go to the AUAF.

After watching the brilliant show, Fan Xinbo, a freshman, said "I dreamed of being a pilot as a child. I have learned about flight before, but I was still deeply touched when I heard the fighter and saw the pilots wave their hands at us."

"I began to see myself as a pilot as I stepped into the university. A pilot is not only an occupation, it's more of an honor," he said.

Wang Xiaohua, the mother of freshman Li Mingyang, came from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to participate in her son's opening ceremony. "The show is so powerful. My son is going to join the air force. I'm so honored and thrilled."

"My son became fond of air force when he was in junior high school. He has been paying great attention to protecting his eyesight, building up his body and studying very hard. He got to this university after rounds of selections. It's never easy," she said.

The air force equipment exhibition was packed with throngs of visitors.

Seventy-four-year-old Song Peijun and his wife came from the city of Tonghua in southern Jilin. He carefully read the introductions of the fighters, bombers and all-terrain vehicles, and posed for photos with every piece of equipment.

"After seeing the show, I feel that our air force is developing very fast. Now I feel assured of the strength of our air force, and I am very confident and proud," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:21:45|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 30, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday held talks with Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio in Beijing, and the two leaders agreed to further promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

Bio is on a state visit to China and will attend the upcoming 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 47 years ago, China and Sierra Leone have always been good friends who stand together through thick and thin, and share weal and woe, Xi said.

He recalled that the two countries' joint fight against the unprecedented Ebola epidemic has become well-known throughout the international community, and Sierra Leone was one of the countries supporting the People's Republic of China in restoring its lawful seat in the United Nations.

China highly appreciates Bio's long-time adherence to the one-China principle, Xi said.

China will never forget old friends, he added, stressing that developing solidarity and cooperation with African countries has always been an important basis of China's foreign policy and this principle will not change because of China's own development and its rising international status.

Noting that China respects the independent decisions of Sierra Leone's people, Xi expressed his willingness to facilitate mutual high-level exchanges, strengthen communication in governance experience, and expand cooperation in fields including infrastructure, agriculture and fisheries, health care, education, and security capacity building.

The Chinese president also called on the two countries to continue their mutual support on multilateral occasions, and promote stable and further development of bilateral relations.

Bio said Sierra Leone's relations with China have withstood time and enjoyed a solid basis.

He said China has provided valuable assistance in Sierra Leone's economic and social development and stressed that the country's people will never forget the fact it was China that took the lead in providing assistance during their most difficult time in combating Ebola.

Bio said that Sierra Leone is willing to learn from China's development experience, promote bilateral ties, actively participate in the Belt and Road construction, and deepen cooperation with China in various fields. Bio said his country is committed to enhancing communication and coordination with China in multilateral affairs, so as to safeguard the legitimate rights of African countries.

After the talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of some cooperation documents.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:26:46|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writers Zhang Dailei, Gu Zhenqiu

LONDON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China should be proud about the changes and achievements that are happening in its education sectors since the country's reform and opening up 40 years ago, said a senior expert at a renowned international education association.

Kevin Ruth, chief executive of the London-based Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS), told Xinhua in a recent interview that ECIS, one of the world's oldest and biggest international school organization established in 1965, has realized China's flourishing need for international education cooperation and thus looked into China through building up partnership with Chinese schools.

EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

He said China, since its implementation of reform and opening up policy, wants its citizens to have a very international perspective while being rooted in their home culture.

"Internationalized education is a good way to help the citizens understand the relationship between their home culture and the different international cultures. The interactions that a country's citizens have with citizens from other countries translate into influence of that country on the international scale. And I think from what I've read and what I've seen, that's the direction in particular that China is looking to go," he noted.

The total number of Chinese people who have overseas study experience has reached over 5 million during the past 40 years, and the year 2017 alone saw more than 600,000 Chinese students studying abroad, according to latest statistics released by Chinese government.

"Chinese citizens studying or working in other cultures are representatives of China. In some ways people come to know you and to learn about your culture and appreciate you more," Ruth said. "Ideally this will lead to better conflict resolution and more peaceful relations around the world."

At the same time, an increased number of bilingual and international schools have been set up in China, which is "the demonstrable evidence that China is very intentional about opening up to expand educational opportunities for its citizens," said the expert, adding that he believes the Chinese educational reforms have positive carry-on effect over generations.

LOOKING EAST

Since his appointment as the head of ECIS in 2014, Ruth has began to lead the Europe-focused organization to look towards East.

"Historically, people look to Europe for international education as benchmark, because of the quality and heritage. But having visited other areas of the world, I feel that in China, southeast Asia, Middle East, there is so much going on in terms of schools and the amount of innovation and there are high quality schools elsewhere in the world. And now Europe is slowly beginning to look East to think what are they doing."

For decades ECIS, originally named as the European Council of International Schools, served its members from European and American countries. Now it updated its name, with the aim to reflect its growing global membership while keeping the same acronym.

Last year, ECIS opened its very first office in China, providing services to both international schools and local educational institutes in China who have the desire to improve and maintain their qualities. It has so far drawn about a dozen members in China, doing business both in English and Mandarin.

The ECIS China office also plans to launch an international education forum in Beijing next March.

REMARKABLE CHANGES

Having visited some schools in China, Ruth said he saw some "very remarkable, forward-thinking" Chinese schools.

"For example, one bilingual kindergarten we visited in Beijing is probably the most modern, progressive forward-thinking kindergarten I have ever visited anywhere," he said.

"They knew their methodology of education very well and they had constructed an environment that stimulates children. It was just not about test, not about measuring standards. It's about helping the children's curiosity grow, making sure the children understand their surroundings, making sure they are learning Chinese and English. What they had done was to look at several models, I believe both from America and Britain, but they translate these models into a context that makes sense in Beijing because the students are all Chinese," he recalled.

The expert also noted that the number of international students coming to study at Chinese universities is increasing, which demonstrates that the quality, fame and international perspective of Chinese universities are improving steadily.

"Some people think Chinese educations are very strict, without changing. And they hear that Chinese families are interested in new things like curiosity or autonomy education but they don't believe it's happening yet. But I saw it. It is happening, in the schools that are more advanced than some other schools I've seen in the UK, in the U.S., and elsewhere. So I think China should feel very proud about the fact that these changes are already happening," said Ruth.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:26:46|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

TRIPOLI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj on Thursday ordered the military commanders in central and western Libya to stop the ongoing clashes in south of the capital Tripoli.

In an order, Serraj requested the military commanders to "supervise the ceasefire and stop the clashes in southern Tripoli and withdraw all forces in the areas of the clashes."

He also instructed them to "have all of their military camps and sites handed over to their previous military units that were stationed there before the clashes by Sept. 30."

Southern Tripoli has been witnessing violent clashes since Monday between government forces and armed militias, which have so far killed 41 people and injured 123 others.

The reasons for the clashes remained unknown, but there had been growing tensions amid military mobilization in southern Tripoli in the past few days by armed groups from outside and inside the city.

Interior Minister Abdulsalam Ashour told a local TV channel on Monday that a ceasefire agreement in Tripoli had been reached.

However, clashes renewed on Wednesday despite the announcement, a local security source said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:46:50|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

VALLETTA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The first group of migrants who disembarked in Malta from aboard the MV Aquarius on Aug. 15 have left Malta on Thursday to be relocated in France.

The Aquarius was at the center of an international spat between Malta and the European Union (EU) after the island had initially refused to allow the ship's 141 migrants to disembark.

The vessel had been stranded at sea for four days as Italy, Malta, Tunisia and Spain all refused it entry to their ports. A diplomatic solution was eventually found after other EU countries, amongst them France, agreed to share the migrants between them.

All 141 migrants will be relocated among France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:51:51|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, China, will serve as a platform whereby China and Africa will take measures to build on the existing cooperation and affirm support for multilateral trading system, a senior official of the African Union (AU) has noted.

In an interview with Xinhua on Thursday in Addis Ababa, the AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga, said FOCAC is a mechanism whereby China and Africa strengthen cooperation in different areas and in win-win situations.

The FOCAC Beijing summit, scheduled for Sept. 3-4, will run under the theme, "China and Africa: toward an even stronger community with a shared future through win-win cooperation."

Reiterating that the two sides are cooperating on issues related to peace and security, infrastructure and industrialization among others, Muchanga said the upcoming summit will move bilateral cooperation to a new level.

"FOCAC is a mechanism where Africa and China have agreed to cooperate in the framework of win-win cooperation; and this is founded in a lot of areas, peace and security, issues of infrastructure development which we talked about and issues of industrialization. So, when we are meeting in the coming few days in Beijing, China to look at the next step of cooperation between the two, we agree on list of priorities we are going to engage in the coming few years," he said.

Reiterating that the FOCAC summit comes at a time when a number of countries tend to be inward looking, the commissioner said, "So, we are looking at FOCAC as a mechanism where Africa and China will affirm the importance of the multilateral trading system."

Noting an interdependence among countries, he said, "we assure prosperity among countries."

The commissioner said the spirit of the upcoming summit is very good that China and Africa are going to build on the existing cooperation so that they move it to the next level and to be more positive.

Expressing belief that the summit will be successful, the AU Commissioner for Social Affairs Amira Elfadil, who is also acting Chairperson of the AU Commission, told Xinhua recently that the preparation for the summit has been well.

Speaking of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the commissioner said it complements Africa's efforts in developing infrastructure to connect the countries on the continent so as to enable them to move goods and services faster.

Access to modern and efficient infrastructure promotes production, and thereby attracts investments, which in turn leads to more personal incomes, he said this when commenting on the BRI's significance to the African development.

Citing the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway and other similar projects on the continent, Muchanga said the BRI is "most welcome" in Africa.

"The Belt and Road Initiative comes to complement our efforts as Africa is developing infrastructure to connect the countries of Africa as way of making it possible for them to move across Africa more speedily," he said.

"So, it is most welcome. And when you have got infrastructure you will move goods more efficiently, more speedily; you are promoting greater production. So, investments will come in. So, they the two are related. And when there is efficiency and productivity, it means that the incomes goes up," he noted.

"So, the Belt and Road Initiative is not just for promoting the development of infrastructure across Africa, it is also going to boost production, it is also going to raise incomes of Africans, and we welcome it," the commissioner added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-30 23:51:51|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted Resolution 2432 renewing the sanctions regime on Mali established by Resolution 2374 last year and the mandate of the Panel of Experts.

Resolution 2432 renews until Aug. 31, 2019 the provision for a travel ban and the asset freeze. It also extends until Sept. 30, 2019 the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which is expected to produce a mid-term report no later than Feb. 28, 2019, a final report no later than Aug. 15, 2019, and periodic updates in between, as appropriate.

The resolution requests the secretary-general to take the necessary administrative measures as expeditiously as possible to re-establish the Panel of Experts, in consultation with the committee, drawing, as appropriate, on the expertise of the current members of the panel.

Although Resolution 2374 requested the secretary-general to create, in consultation with the committee, a group of up to five experts, only four were appointed, as Russia opposed the appointment of the fifth expert.

The Security Council on Sept. 5, 2017 adopted Resolution 2374 establishing a targeted sanctions regime on Mali.

The resolution, which was adopted unanimously, imposes a travel ban and assets freeze on individuals and entities engaged in actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, or stability of Mali.

It establishes the Sanctions Committee on Mali and requests the secretary-general to create, for an initial period of 13 months, a panel of experts to support the committee's work.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:11:56|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni recieves an interview with Xinhua in Entebbe, Uganda, Aug. 26, 2018. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is crucial to Africa's fast-track development by opening up the continent for more trade within and with outside it. (Xinhua/Zhang Gaiping)

by Ronald Ssekandi, Zhang Gaiping

ENTEBBE, Uganda, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is critical to Africa's fast-track development by opening up the continent for more trade within and with outside it.

Museveni told Xinhua in a recent interview that the China-proposed Initiative, based on the experience of the ancient Silk Road that linked Europe to Asia, is critical to a fast-track economic development in Africa.

Compared to the ancient trade route, "Now we are using modern means to link in order to trade, and so I benefit from you and you benefit from me. These routes can be road routes, waterways or airways. They are all called routes," Museveni said.

He said Uganda is already benefiting from the Initiative that is expected to link the landlocked country to the outside world. He cited the Chinese-built Kampala-Entebbe Expressway linking the Ugandan capital to Entebbe International Airport, the country's gateway to the world.

China is also financing the expansion and upgrading of Entebbe International Airport so that it is able to better handle passenger and cargo traffic to and from the east African country.

Official figures show that after completion of the first phase of the airport expansion, the cargo center can handle up to 150,000 metric tonnes of goods, compared to the previous 69,000 metric tonnes.

Museveni, who will attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) on Sept. 3-4, said he will be seeking China's assistance in building the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to link his country to the Kenyan seaport of Mombasa. Kenya is already constructing its section of the SGR leading to Uganda.

"We are likely to advance the project of the Standard Gauge Railway that is in the government-to-government (talks)," he said.

Experts say the SGR will reduce the cost of transport and spur economic development. The railway line is also expected to reach the border areas with Rwanda, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It will shorten the trip between Mombasa and Kampala to only two days from the current 14 days, according to the Ugandan government. It is planned that a freight train will be able to carry up to 216 20-foot containers and travel at a speed of 100 km per hour, while a passenger train transporting up to 960 people at a speed of 120 km per hour.

Museveni said he supports the idea of aligning the BRI with the United Nations sustainable development goals, and regional and national development plans.

"To align policies ... if you say you want Uganda to become a modern country, then you need electricity, piped water, modern telephones, and transport," he said.

Museveni said he also supports the China-proposed vision of building a community of a shared future for mankind.

"That is how it should have been in the beginning. Even from a selfish point of view, it is good that I am rich but you are also rich. Because when you are rich and I am also rich, I can buy from you and you can buy more from me," Museveni said.

Uganda agrees with China on supporting multilateralism as opposed to unilateralism, and that globalization is an irreversible trend.

Museveni said China plays a positive role in global affairs, while noting, "It has helped Africa to get out of the blackmail of some of the Western countries, which wanted to treat African countries as if they are slave countries."

The Ugandan president said Uganda and China share similar interests in international affairs.

Politically, "China does not believe in imperialism, we don't believe in imperialism. We don't believe in other countries interfering in the affairs of other countries," he said.

"Maybe what you should concentrate on is economic cooperation. Even there, we have never had a problem only that at the beginning China was also still a developing country but now they have got much more capacity, they have helped us so much," Museveni said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:11:58|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China will devote, in a more active role, into the ASEAN and China Cooperative Operations in Response to Dangerous Drugs (ACCORD) mechanism, and continue to reinforce the intelligence exchange and law enforcement cooperation with ASEAN countries, said a senior Chinese narcotics control official here on Thursday.

In his speech at the 5th ASEAN Senior Officials on Drug Matters - China Coordination Meeting, Wei Xiaojun, deputy secretary-general of China's National Narcotics Control Commission, told his ASEAN colleagues that China has always been closely cooperating with ASEAN member countries in the field of drug control.

"At bilateral level, China maintains high level cooperation with almost all ASEAN countries in intelligence sharing, joint drug enforcement operations, personnel training and exchanges. In 2017, we organized law enforcement or forensic training courses for over 100 foreign drug enforcement officers from ASEAN countries," he said at the meeting.

Facing alarming transnational drug crimes, China believes that ACCORD should and will play a more important role on the way forward in channeling ASEAN and China drug control cooperation, and tackling regional drug problems jointly.

"With the framework of ACCORD, China has participated in activities for years, and contributed to its development," Wei said.

"China has made 50,000 U.S. dollars contribution every year since 2014 to ACCORD channeling through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) regional center."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:17:00|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

PARIS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Diplomatic officials form France, the United States, Italy and the UK on Thursday expressed concerns over a new wave of violent fighting in Libya which they said would further destabilize the country and put global security on edge.

"The international community is closely monitoring the situation. We warn against any further worsening of the situation and call on all parties to work together to restore calm and engage in a peaceful dialogue," they said in a statement released by the French Foreign Ministry.

The diplomats stressed that "any attempt to compromise the security of Libya is unacceptable," noting that "the use of violence to achieve political goals will only exacerbate the suffering of the Libyan people and threaten global stability."

The Libyan Health Ministry said on Tuesday that 27 people had been killed in three days of clashes between Libya's UN-backed government and armed militias in southern Libya.

Since the 2011 uprising to oust former leader Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been plunged into chaotic violence and political instability which has helped the terrorist cell flourish and put the security of the Maghreb region at risk.

North Africa's main oil exporter, since then, has been struggling to make a transition to democracy. It suffers from political division, with two rival parliaments and governments battling for legitimacy.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:17:00|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BUCHAREST, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Romania has discovered a new insect species for the country's fauna -- the steppe weevil, the Romanian Ornithological Society (SOR) announced on Thursday in a release.

According to SOR, the discovery was made in July, in a fauna monitoring activity in the Delta of Moldova by a biologist team of the bird conservation organization.

The new species, Leucomigus candidatus, is a species of beetle and was found and identified by biologist Alexandru Pintilioaie, who works as an entomologist in the European project implemented by SOR in the northeastern area.

Pintilioaie explained that it is a specie of beetle that does not stand out for ordinary people, since its maximum length is only 16 mm. However, it is a giant compared to other species of weevil that reach only two to three millimetres in length.

According to the SOR, the species lives in North Africa, Asia and Europe, where it can be found only in the steppe regions of the European part of Russia and Ukraine.

In Ukraine, it is a protected species included on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Since 2018, the species is part of Romania's fauna and the species is expected to be present in other similar habitats in the eastern, southeastern and southern parts of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:17:00|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- As the Syrian army is close to launching a major offensive against the last major rebel stronghold in Syria, major powers' bickering increases, analysts said.

The United States, France, and Britain have recently renewed threats to launch strike at Syria, claiming the Syrian government forces are planning a chemical attack on the rebels in Idlib.

Last week, the three powers warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that "we remain resolved to act if the Assad regime uses chemical weapons again."

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton reportedly said that Washington is prepared to take strong military action against Syria if Damascus allegedly uses chemical weapons, noting that this time the response will be stronger than the previous one in April.

The U.S., together with Britain and France, launched a missile attack on Syrian military positions in April over alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian troops. At that time, they claimed they targeted the facilities involved in the manufacture of chemical weapons in Syria.

Syria and its major ally, Russia, have rejected such claims, saying that Washington is using such a pretext to push the rebels to stage a chemical attack to justify a U.S.-led strike on Syrian troops.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said recently that the U.S., Britain, and France intend to launch a new missile strike on Syria after the Syrian opposition forces make a provocation with use of chemical weapons in Idlib.

For this very purpose, the USS guided missile destroyer Sullivans arrived in the Persian Gulf a few days ago with 56 cruise missiles onboard.

Russia said eight containers with chlorine had been brought to Idlib by the rebels to make the provocation, charging that British special services are involved.

On Saturday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned "the Americans and their allies against taking new reckless steps in Syria."

Analysts said that Washington is inflaming the situation as it t fears that the possible recapture of Idlib by the Syrian army will end all cards of pressure on Damascus.

Maher Ihsan, a Syrian political expert, said the tide in Syria has been turned in favor of the Syrian government, which, after over seven years of war, has regained much of the rebel-held areas across the country with the help of Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah.

While U.S. President Donald Trump has talked more than once about the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, it will not happen overnight as Washington wants to secure its interests first, Ihsan said.

Analysts said that the U.S. will not withdraw before receiving the guarantees or seeing the actual withdrawal of Iranian military from Syria.

Then the U.S. wants guarantees that U.S. companies can have a share in the oil sector in areas in eastern Syria. Moreover, the U.S. wants full information obtained by the Syrian government about the foreign militants among the rebels and their whereabouts.

Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper recently revealed that a secret meeting took place in Damascus in July between Syrian security officials and a U.S. delegation, which put forwarded the three aforementioned demands as conditions for its withdrawal from Syria.

The Syrian side responded by saying that the U.S. entered Syria illegally and as long as they are still in Syria, they will be dealt with as a force of occupation, the report said.

The Syrian side also refused to promise to end Iran's presence in Syria, citing that the relationship between Syria and Iran as well as Hezbollah is strong and fixed.

Damascus also said that its priority in the post-war era is to cooperation with the allied and friendly countries instead of giving preferred treatment to companies of the countries that fought Syria.

For its part, Iran sent its defense minister, Amir Hatami, to Syria on Sunday to meet with Syrian officials. More importantly, the top Iranian official signed a deal with Syria on military cooperation.

In his interview with the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen TV, Hatami said that "the most important item in the military cooperation deal with Syria is the reconstruction of the Syrian army and defensive industries so that it could return to full capacity."

He noted that the axis of resistance, which comprises of Iran, Hezbollah and Syria, is always ready to respond to any attack on Syria.

As for Russia, Moscow has been holding talks with Turkey, a key patron of the rebel groups in Idlib, on resolving the situation there through separating the terror-designated groups, such as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, from other militants, who could agree to reach reconciliation with the government.

On Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir that "there should be a quick work to separate the opposition from terrorists and at the same time to prepare for an operation against the terrorists in Idlib."

He revealed a possible agreement has been reached between Turkey and Russia, saying "military men of Russia and Turkey are discussing how to translate what has been agreed upon politically on the ground."

For Turkey, the situation needs to be resolved without a major war in Idlib as it has interests there. This explains that there are reports that Ankara is pressuring the al-Qaida-linked groups to dissolve themselves.

Turkey's main interest in Syria is to secure its border from the Kurdish militias in northern Syria. The Kurdish-led groups have started negotiating with Damascus about the future of their areas in light of the deteriorating U.S. relations with Turkey.

Turkey is also reportedly wanting a share in the reconstruction process of Aleppo in northern Syria near Turkey.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held talks on Wednesday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with Syria on the agenda of the talks.

Later, Zarif posted on Twitter after the meeting that the talks had been "fruitful."

Amid this international frenzy, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem visited Moscow on Thursday where he held talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov.

He said in Moscow that Syria is at the last stage to end the crisis and liberate all areas from terrorism.

"The U.S., Britain, and France are unhappy to see that their schemes have failed in Syria that's why they want to attack Syria," he said, warning that the U.S. and its allies "must endure the catastrophic results of their aggression."

For his part, Lavrov said the U.S. and its Western allies intend to use the chemical weapons file as a pretext to attack the Syrian army.

He also charged that Washington is backing down on its pledge to withdraw from Syria under several pretexts.

"The U.S. side is trying to prevent the international community from helping Syria in the reconstruction process and the rebuilding of the Syrian economy," the top Russian diplomat said.
File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on the South Lawn before the leaders' meeting about the NAFTA trade agreement at the White House in Washington, U.S. Oct. 11, 2017. (Xinhua/REUTERS)

VANCOUVER, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Canada and the United States are in "extremely intense" talks to reach a deal on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) ahead of a Friday deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland said in Washington on Wednesday that officials from both sides are working on some remaining sensitive bilateral disputes, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

Trump announced Monday that the United States and Mexico had reached a preliminary bilateral trade pact that would replace NAFTA and that Canada should join the deal or face tariffs against Canada's automobile manufacturing industry.

The Friday deadline is probably a good thing insofar as it has Canada at the table again, said John Ries, an international trade expert from the University of British Columbia.

"Both sides have known what the issues are and what each side is proposing, but they haven't really sat down and worked really hard at coming up with compromises," Ries told Xinhua on Wednesday. "This is creating a lot of focus to really resolve issues that they've known about and they're not going to get resolved by not talking."

It remains to be seen if the Friday deadline is a hard one, said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a visit to northern Ontario on Wednesday.

"I understand that the Americans and the Mexicans very much want to try to get things done by Friday and we're seeing if we can get to the right place by Friday," Trudeau said. "But as I've said all along, it has to be the right deal for Canada and that's what we're staying firm on."

Canada still has the bargaining power, said Ries, because it appears that U.S. lawmakers and Mexico are pushing for a tri-lateral deal and that could limit Trump's ability to single-handedly control NAFTA's fate.

Trudeau's Liberal government, according to media reports on Wednesday, would be willing to give the United States more access to its supply-managed dairy industry, one of the main sticking points in the negotiations.

The United States and Canada are still working through several issues, including wages and country-of-origin details in the auto manufacturing industry, intellectual property right protection, dispute settlement mechanisms and duty-free limits for cross-border shopping.

"The U.S. does have the advantage of being the big lucrative market," Ries said. "I think they are playing that to their advantage."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:22:02|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

CAIRO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi flew to Bahrain on Thursday on the first leg of a three-nation tour that also includes China and Uzbekistan, Sisi's office announced.

Sisi will hold talks with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and top Bahraini government officials about mutual ties and regional issues of mutual interest, presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement.

After Bahrain, Sisi will fly to Beijing to participate in the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) slated for Sept. 3-4.

During the visit in China, Sisi will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The two presidents are planned to sign a number of cooperation deals in a variety of industries, Rady said, adding that Sisi will also meet with top Chinese business executives to discuss boosting their investments in Egypt.

Sisi will end his trip in Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent, in what will be the first such visit by an Egyptian president, the presidency spokesman said.

The Egyptian president will discuss with Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev ways to bolster bilateral ties. A number of deals are also expected to be signed during the visit.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:32:04|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Li Zuocheng (2nd L), member of China's Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, meets with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (1st R) in Moscow, Russia, on Aug. 30, 2018. Li Zuocheng and Russian defense officials have discussed ways of strengthening strategic coordination between the two militaries and safeguarding regional and global security. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

MOSCOW, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Senior Chinese military officer Li Zuocheng and Russian defense officials have discussed strengthening strategic coordination between the two militaries and safeguarding regional and global security in Moscow.

Li, member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and chief of staff of the CMC Joint Staff Department, met Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Thursday and Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov on Monday.

The two sides discussed implementation of the consensuses reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

At the fifth meeting of chiefs of staff of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members on Tuesday, Li noted the current challenges of a Cold War mindset, regional anti-terrorism and geopolitical problems.

China upholds the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, Li said, adding that China always preserves global peace, contributes to global development and maintains international order.

Li suggested SCO members adhere to the Shanghai Spirit, guard against penetration of external forces, keep internal solidarity, while creating new areas of cooperation.

The Shanghai Spirit features mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development.

Participants of the meeting observed "Peace Mission-2018" SCO joint anti-terrorist drills in Russia's Chelyabinsk on Wednesday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 00:37:05|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese films will be played on Lebanon's national TV channel Tele Liban for one month starting Thursday.

A delegation from China Movie Channel and Tele Liban signed an agreement for this purpose on Thursday in the presence of the representatives from the Chinese Embassy.

Hassan Falha, director general of the Lebanese Information Ministry, said that the agreement aims at strengthening the bilateral ties on the cultural and media levels.

"Lebanon can also act as a bridge between China and the rest of the Arab world when it comes to media and culture," he said.

Jiang Zuyang, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy, said during the signing ceremony at the office of Tele Liban that the movies "will exhibit both varieties and characteristics of modern Chinese films."

Jiang said that this will help the Lebanese know more about the Chinese culture and traditions, which will serve as a starting point to start bilateral cooperation in the film sector.

For his part, Hassan Shakkour, head of programs at Tele Liban, said he is sure that the new Chinese films, which will be screened every Sunday and Thursday, will be of great added value to the Lebanese audience.

Zhang Ling, head of the delegation from China Movie Channel, praised the historical China-Lebanon relations.

The movie screening, which is part of the Month of Chinese Films 2018, will play a role in further boosting the China-Lebanon ties, she said.

Zhang also gave an overview of the film industry in China, which has one of the biggest movie industries globally with around 9,169 movie theaters and 50,766 screens.

"In 2017, China produced around 970 movies, generating 8.8 billion dollars of income," she added.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:12:09|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- "Multilateralism may not be the only answer to a perfect world order, but it is the most optimal option for a shared prosperity, peace and stability, a senior United Nations official said here Thursday.

"Multilateralism has been tested in the past and will continue to be tested in the future," Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), told Xinhua.

Globalization of people, finance, trade and technology has benefited countries unequally, which creates its opportunities and challenges, Ahunna said.

Today, unbalanced globalization has left in its trails risks that are more complex than ever -- lackluster growth, unemployment, terrorism, climate change, pandemic, large scale migrations and refugees, putting increasing demands on individual countries and the multilateral system, she said.

"One may be inclined to think that unilateralism and protectionist policies are the answer, but unfortunately, the scale of the challenges that we face today are huge to be left to individual countries to deal with," she said.

Multilateralism remains a potent force that is uniquely suited to resolve many of the world's most pressing problems, the UN official said.

The international community has a responsibility to create a better, and more inclusive multilateral system that can effectively support countries in their domestic agendas for growth and inclusion, and to manage trade-offs associated with global challenges like climate change, she said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:17:10|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- More than 600,000 pupils in 708 public and private primary schools in Tanzania's business capital Dar es Salaam were set to receive vaccine against bilharzia in a massive campaign launched on Thursday.

Grace Magembe, Dar es Salaam city health officer, said the campaign will target primary school pupils aged between 5 and 14 years.

Magembe said the vaccination will be administered both in schools and health centers in the East African nation's commercial capital.

Paul Makonda, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner who launched the campaign, said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that children can properly pursue education without interference of sicknesses.

He urged parents, teachers and guardians to support the campaign for the wellbeing of the children.

Bilharzia, a parasitical disease which is usually spread by swimming in contaminated water, is widespread in Tanzania among children, and transmission tends to coincide with the rainy season.

Mass drug administration using praziquantel, currently used as a key intervention measure, has not been successful in decreasing prevalence of infection.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:22:10|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RIGA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A mission of the European Parliament Special Committee for Financial Crimes, Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance (TAX3) arrived here on Thursday to meet with Latvian politicians and experts for discussions about the ongoing wind-up process of Latvia's troubled ABLV Bank, local media informed.

During the two-day visit, the MEPs are planning to meet with Latvian lawmakers, Finance Minister Dana Reizniece-Ozola, as well as representatives of Latvia's anti-money laundering agencies and the national banking association.

The delegation includes two MEPs from Latvia - Roberts Zile of the ruling right-wing National Alliance and Krisjanis Karis of the ruling center-right Unity party.

The European Parliament delegation also hopes to get a closer look at Latvia's financial and customs policies by talking to representatives of the Freeport of Riga and the Baltic country's civic society.

In February 2018, ABLV Bank's shareholders decided to wind the bank up after the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a damning report accusing the Latvian bank's management of supporting money-laundering schemes and bribing Latvian officials.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:22:10|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Aug. 30, 2018 shows the aerial view of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, in Maldives. The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, the first cross-sea bridge in the Maldives, opened to traffic on Thursday evening. The bridge is an iconic project of the Maldives and China in co-building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. (Xinhua/Wang Mingliang)

MALE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, the first cross-sea bridge in the Maldives, opened to traffic on Thursday evening.

Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen and representative of the Chinese government and head of China's International Development Cooperation Agency Wang Xiaotao attended the bridge opening ceremony.

Speaing at the occasion, Maldivian President Yameen said the bridge is an embodiment of the long relations between the Maldives and China.

The Chinese government has always been a willing partner for the Maldives and the bridge has proven that nothing was impossible through genuine partnership,

Wang said China and the Maldives have long been true friends, treating each other as equals and pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation.

China has always offered help for and supported the Maldives' social development, Wang said.

Chief engineer from the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge Project Cheng Duoyun told Xinhua that in the 33 months of construction, the project had achieved a number of key technical breakthroughs.

Connecting capital Male and neighboring Hulhule island where the Maldives' main international airport is located, the two-km bridge makes it possible for locals and tourists to transfer between the two islands on land within five minutes.

The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge is an iconic project of the Maldives and China in co-building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The construction of the bridge started at the end of 2015, with China's CCCC Second Harbour Engineering Co Ltd. being the EPC contractor.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:27:11|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia-China ties could be seen as a role model for the successful South-South cooperation platform, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday.

The comprehensive partnership among Ethiopia and China, which represents sustainable and predictable relations on various corporation areas, effectively showcases the successful South-South partnership modality, the ministry said in a statement issued on Thursday.

According to the ministry, the two countries have realized one of the growing and successful relations in infrastructure development, trade and investment as well as development financing.

More than 400 Chinese investments that are worth over 4 billion U.S. dollars are presently active in the East African country, creating more than 100,000 job opportunities for Ethiopians, according to the ministry.

The ministry further reiterated that Chinese investments in Ethiopia are largely engaged in the Ethiopian government's key priority sectors, mainly the manufacturing and infrastructure building sectors.

It also indicated that out of the total more than 400 Chinese-investments in the East African country, some 105 are a joint-venture between Ethiopian and Chinese investors, indicating the positive relations among business communities of the two countries.

The ministry further affirmed the Ethiopian government's strong commitment to further deepen the relations among the two countries, in which more than 10 high-level official visits were made by senior Ethiopian government officials during the just concluded Ethiopian 2017-2018 fiscal year.

The visiting Ethiopian government officials had effectively discussed future diplomatic, investment and other priority partnerships with relevant Chinese government representatives, according to the ministry.

The two countries have also conducted strategic agreements on further strengthening the people-to-people relations, which also paved the way for human development partnerships among the two countries, the ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:32:12|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

KHARTOUM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese government on Thursday issued warning to residents along the banks of the Blue Nile against possible floods, urging them to exercise caution.

"The levels of Blue Nile River at Al Daim station, on the border with Ethiopia, on Thursday registered 719 billion cubic meters, thus exceeding the flood level of 610 billion cubic metres," Sudan's Ministry of Water Resources, Irrigation and Electricity said in a statement.

The ministry said it has been monitoring the clouds and the heavy rain fall at the Ethiopian plateau through satellite photos, said Balla Abdul-Rahman, director of the general administration for the Nile water at the ministry.

He appealed to the citizens and the concerned authorities to exercise caution and adopt safety measures, particularly at the upper sources in Sinnar, Medani, Khartoum and Shendi towns.

In the meantime, earlier Sudan Tribune reported a significant rise in the water level of El Dindir River, a tributary of the Blue Nile, flowing from Ethiopia's highlands through Sudan's Sinnar State, some 280 km south of the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

It said the level of El Dinder River registered 20.13 meters on Thursday.

This year Sudan has witnessed heavy rains and floods that killed at least 10 people and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in various areas of the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:32:12|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BERLIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A protestor who aggressively confronted journalists at a recent far-right PEGIDA rally in Dresden and was subsequently identified as an employee of the Saxony state criminal police office will leave the force, a spokesperson for the regional security authority announced on Thursday.

The spokesperson said that the person in question would be transferred to "another, appropriate function outside of the Saxony police until further notice." The decision was made in response to the so-called "Pegizei" scandal during a recent conversation with the employee and his attorney and will take effect from September 3rd.

"Pegizei" is a combination of the German word for police (Polizei) and the acronym of the "Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident" (PEGIDA). The term has been used to refer to widely-publicized incident in the Saxon capital Dresden in which local security authorities stand accused of having undermined constitutional press freedom during a recent PEGIDA demonstration against chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).

In video footage which spread rapidly online, the employee of the Saxony state criminal police office, can be seen hurling verbal abuse at a team of "ZDF" journalists filming the gathering. Rather than reigning in the aggressive PEGIDA supporter, however, police proceeded to inspect and temporarily detain the "ZDF" team over the course of nearly an hour while letting their colleague on vacation off the hook.

The resulting perception that regional security authorities were in cahoots with PEGIDA, a movement which was founded by multiple sedition, drug dealing and burglary convict Lutz Bachmann, has provoked widespread outrage in Germany. Ulrike Demmer, a spokesperson for the federal government, urged the state of Saxony to clarify the incident swiftly and draw necessary personnel consequences.

In the meanwhile, Saxon police have admitted to making mistakes during the incident and issued an apology to "ZDF". According to media reports, the soon-to-be seconded far-right protestor worked in a department concerned with white collar crime and had access to a range of sensitive data bases.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 01:42:13|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

KAMPALA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Over 350 troops from 13 African countries on Thursday started a one-week joint military training exercise to respond to crises on the continent.

Lt. Col. Deo Akiiki, Uganda's deputy military spokesperson, told Xinhua that the joint Command Post Exercise under the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC) Volunteer Nations aims at equipping the troops with skills to work together to ensure security and safety.

Lt. Gen. Wilson Mbadi, Uganda's deputy Chief of Defense Forces, opened the exercise dubbed "UTULIVU AFRICA IV" has attracted troops from Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Benin, Chad, Egypt, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, South Africa, Sudan and Uganda.

They are meeting at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center, in the eastern town of Jinja, according to a military statement issued here.

Mbadi said the exercise is driven by African states preferring to solve their own problems and reduce the influence of external actors on continental affairs.

"The Western states-initiated withdrawal from African conflict management after the disasters in Somalia and Rwanda, made the imperative of African solutions for African problems even stronger," said Mbadi.

Maj. Gen. Mark Nakibus Lakara, the exercise director, said the training aims at preparing ACIRC forces for future intervention operations in line with the African Union (AU) Constitutive Act.

Sivuyille Bam, who represented the AU Commission, commended the regional body for steadily developing a force capable to rapidly deploy at a time of need as AU or United Nations put together the necessary operational and logistical demands to deploy.

The ACIRC is a temporary multinational African interventionist standby force set up in November 2013 to be replaced by the African Standby Force when it becomes fully operational.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 02:12:20|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DUBAI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Journalists' Association on Thursday accused the Qatari news channel Al Jazeera of "propagating misleading and fabricated news" about the Arab countries, Gulf Arab states in particular.

The association, in a statement quoted by the UAE state news agency WAM, said that Al Jazeera's way of presenting the Arab world provides "all types of support to terror organizations and entities that promote extremism and sow seeds of sedition in the region."

It blasted Qatari government for turning "a blind eye and rather supports this odd orientation adopted by the channel's editorial board and management."

The association also said that Al Jazeera played "a significant role in inflaming political tension in some Arab countries in 2011."

The UAE and Qatar are the only countries which did not witness protests during the Arab turmoil in 2011.

The association urged all media professionals in Arab states and the entire world to "expose their unethical and unprofessional practices."

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have severed ties with Qatar and imposed a total blockade on the tiny rich Gulf state since June 2017, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and aligning with non-Arab Gulf state Iran against pan-Arab interests.

Qatar has vehemently denied these charges, and rejected a series of demands put forward by the Saudi-led bloc for restoring the diplomatic ties.

The mediation efforts by the U.S., Kuwait, Turkey and European Union have failed to break the deadlock in the Gulf.

The UAE has banned Al Jazeera from reporting on its territory, while blocking its TV channel and website since the diplomatic spat erupted.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 02:37:24|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

BRATISLAVA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia is planning to strengthen the EUFOR-ALTHEA operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is aimed at stabilising the Western Balkans region. Slovak Defence Minister Peter Gajdos confirmed on Thursday.

"In this case we won't increase the number of soldiers, but the change will involve the current mandate, with two of our professional soldiers to serve within the exploration and secret intelligence activities," stressed Gajdos.

About 600 members of armed forces from 24 countries are currently present in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Slovakia has contributed with 43 soldiers.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 02:57:27|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Finland and France gave declarations on European defense and the future of artificial intelligence on Thursday, when French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his visit to Finland.

Finland and France underlined the goal of creating "stronger autonomous" European military preparedness by the next decade. The goal must be based on the strong European defense industries and on shared instruments of financing, said the declaration.

Finland and France called for "the emergence of a genuine common European strategic culture based on defence cooperation with agreed mutual dependence."

Commenting on the declaration, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila underlined that the declaration takes up the mutual solidarity that is mentioned in the Lisbon treaty.

Talking to the media, Sipila deplored that "to many countries in Europe, European defense cooperation has been meaning crisis management". Macron said Finland and France shared the same threat analysis.

The declaration defined that "all bilateral or multilateral cooperation must make it possible to deal head-on with the terrorist threat, hybrid threats and power policies."

Finland and France said that the intervention initiative launched by France aims at promoting the birth of a joint European strategic culture and to strengthen the ability of Europeans to react jointly to threats, in addition to "existing frameworks, including EU or NATO operations".

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HIGHLITED

Finland and France also published a declaration on promoting artificial intelligence. "Europe should adopt a stronger research and innovation policy. This goal must show in all activities. Both President Macron and I are prepared to roll up our sleeves and work hard to deepen European cooperation," Prime Minister Sipila said.

In the initiative, Finland and France urge EU member states to look at the opportunities brought by artificial intelligence more systematically and to respond to citizens' concerns relating to the ethical questions linked to artificial intelligence, for instance. "The EU must promote fair, participatory and humane digitalisation", said the declaration.

During the visit, Macron carried out talks both with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Juha Sipila.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 03:02:28|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

VIENNA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Austria is planning to host a high-ranking "Africa forum" in Vienna in early December as part of its presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Austria Press Agency reported on Thursday.

The report quoted a federal chancellery spokesperson as having said the focus of the forum would be on bringing "selected heads of state and government as well as CEOs of global companies" together, to examine opportunities in innovation and digitalization in Africa.

It was noted that the migration issue, as previously discussed by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and other senior officials, will not be on the agenda.

Instead, Africa's significant untapped economic potential will be the primary focus, with opportunities in sustainable development solutions a possibility for European companies.

In addition the forum will include representatives from African start-ups who will present their innovative solutions to problems on their continent, it was stated.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 04:07:41|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

ACCRA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel lauded Ghana here on Thursday for sustaining peace and stability in the country.

Merkel, who stopped over in Ghana as part of a three-nation West African visit, described Ghana as a "vanguard" of democracy and political stability on the continent.

The German leader, who held discussions with her Ghanaian counterpart Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on migration, trade and investment, made the remarks in a press briefing.

"We are particularly happy about the prospects of an agreement to be signed today involving Volkswagen. Hopefully, one day the production of vehicles will be here in Ghana," Akufo-Addo said at the press briefing.

The three-leg West African tour will also take Merkel to Nigeria and Senegal.
A frame grab from a video on the Russian Defense Ministry website shows the scene of a test for a new interceptor missile at the Sary-Shagan test site in Kazakhstan.

MOSCOW, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Russian military has successfully test-fired a new interceptor missile at the Sary-Shagan test site in Kazakhstan, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday.

According to previous Russian Defense Ministry reports, the new missile was successfully tested at the Sary-Shagan test site in February, April and July this year.

The statement did not provide more details, but the ministry's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star) commenting on the July test, said that the new missile, which can reach a speed of four km per second, has no equal in the world.

"In a real environment, this will mean that the enemy's warhead will be successfully destroyed at the maximum height and distance from the protected object," Krasnaya Zvezda wrote.

The newspaper said that the missile will possibly start mass production in the near future and gradually replace the models in service since 1995.
Special forces perform during the Northern Thunder military exercises in Hafar al-Batin, 500 kilometres north-east of the Saudi Capital Riyadh on March 10, 2016. (AFP photo)

CAIRO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A number of U.S. troops and equipment arrived at an Egyptian air base ahead of a joint military exercises slated for Sept. 8-20, the Egyptian military spokesman said on Thursday.

The drills, under the name "Bright Star 2018," will take place at Mohamed Naguib Base, west of Alexandria, in addition to maritime exercises in the Mediterranean Sea, Egyptian military spokesman Tamer al-Refaay in a statement.

Egyptian navy participate in a naval drill marking the Egyptian Naval Day at the sea near Alexandria, Egypt, Oct. 19, 2017. (Xinhua/MENA)

Land, naval and air forces from Egypt, the United States, Greece, Jordan, Britain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and France will take part in the drills.

The drills are meant to exchange expertise among participating forces, hone their skills, develop operations and training mechanisms in combating terrorism, in addition to joint planning and management of military operations and training to deal with maritime security threats.

Special forces perform during the Northern Thunder military exercises in Hafar al-Batin, 500 kilometres north-east of the Saudi Capital Riyadh on March 10, 2016. (AFP photo)

Egypt receives annually about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in U.S. military and economic aid since it signed the 1979 U.S.-sponsored peace treaty with Israel.
Students from the Graduate School of Education cheer as they receive their degrees during the 367th Commencement Exercises at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the United States, May 24, 2018. (REUTERS Photo)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday sided with Asian-American students suing renowned Harvard University over its consideration of race in its admissions policy.

The lawsuit, by Students For Fair Admission on behalf of Asian-American students, alleges that the Harvard intentionally discriminates against Asian-American applicants when making admissions decisions.

Though the school has disputed the claims in previous filings, the DOJ argued in a "statement of interests" Thursday that Harvard has failed to show that it does not unlawfully discriminate against Asian Americans.

The plaintiff by the Students For Fair Admissions, an organization of students and parents, seeks relief from Harvard's alleged discrimination under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a cornerstone civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.

The DOJ opened a Title VI investigation into Harvard's admissions process in 2017 based upon a complaint filed by more than 60 Asian-American organizations.

"No American should be denied admission to school because of their race," U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.

"As a recipient of taxpayer dollars, Harvard has a responsibility to conduct its admissions policy without racial discrimination by using meaningful admissions criteria that meet lawful requirements," Sessions said.

"The Department of Justice has the responsibility to protect the civil rights of the American people," he added. "This case is significant because the admissions policies at our colleges and universities are important and must be conducted lawfully."

While Harvard admits to using race in its admissions process, it has failed to provide any meaningful criteria to explain how it weighs race against other factors in a candidate's application, and how it limits its use of race to ensure that no illegal discrimination occurs, according to the DOJ.

The statement of interest also opposes Harvard's request to dismiss the lawsuit before trial.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 05:32:57|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and the United States are committed to fight terrorism, U.S. Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Sales said Thursday in Rabat.

"The commitment shared by the government of Morocco and the United States to fight and defeat terrorists is at the heart of a strong Moroccan-American partnership," Sales said at a press briefing following talks with Morocco's Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita.

"Terrorist groups like the Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaida continue to threaten and unite us in our determination to fight this scourge," he stressed.

Deeming talks with Bourita as "productive", the U.S. official also expressed the willingness of his country to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

He also hailed the "excellent" cooperation and alliance between the two countries to fight terrorism, particularly in the framework of Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), co-chaired by Morocco and the Netherlands.

The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss the co-led initiative on improving capabilities for detecting and interdicting terrorist travel through enhanced terrorist screening and information sharing, he noted.

This new initiative, which is scheduled to be launched in September, will address potential weaknesses or gaps in states' capacities to develop watchlists and share information for screening purposes in accordance with the U.S.-drafted UN Security Council Resolution 2396.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 05:42:58|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian police detained 37 people on Thursday following an operation in Rio de Janeiro against a group of police who were extorting alleged criminals.

At a press conference, Rio de Janeiro's secretary of public safety said that 21 civil police officers, four military personnel, a firefighter and a prison officer, among others, were detained during the operation.

According to the authorities, the group would demand money from vendors selling counterfeit goods, street vendors selling gas, and vendors who did not have permits.

The group used a band of informants who helped to locate the vendors without permits.

The extortionists, according to the authorities, would threaten and "physically assault" their victims and sometimes take the goods and resell them.

The leader of the group was a commissioner with the civil police in Rio de Janeiro, and his righthand man was the chief of investigations.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 05:58:00|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Some 600 support workers, but no diplomats, of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs suspended on Thursday diplomatic representations abroad without notice, Israeli local newspaper reported.

The workers launched the spontaneous strike to protest the "delay of the state in finding a solution to the failures discovered in the new wage conditions," according to Israel Today newspaper.

The strike is reported to be continued on Friday.

Support workers are 60 percent of the workforce in Israeli Foreign Ministry representations abroad and about 80 percent of the representations of the ministries of defense, economy and tourism.

Following the strike, there will be no public reception in the Israeli consular departments and no scheduled working meetings and events. In addition, number of discussions at the UN and EU will be held in the absence of an Israeli representative.

The employee committee of the overseas support workers said a round of negotiations was carried out in an effort to end the labor dispute.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 06:08:06|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

DUBLIN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A website dedicated to the surveillance of the health status of the farmed animals in Ireland, the first of its kind in the country, was officially launched here on Thursday.

Addressing the launch ceremony of the Animal Health Surveillance Website, Irish Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said that "Today's farmers need information to manage risk in all aspects of their businesses, including maintaining the health of their animals."

The animal surveillance website developed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will help farmers to raise their awareness about the animal diseases so as to maximise the economic returns from their farmed animals, he said.

The website can also be promoted as a shop-window through which high animal health status can be appreciated, said the minister, adding that the website has the potential to be used as a marketing tool by Irish trade delegations when promoting Irish produce abroad.

Animal health surveillance has been defined as the systematic collection, collation, analysis and dissemination of animal health data. This process is essentially about gathering intelligence to detect animal diseases as early as possible to better inform risk management at all levels within the animal farming industry.

Ireland is famous for its high-quality and green meat products. Official statistics showed that last year the country exported a record high of 3.8 billion euros (4.4 billion U.S. dollars)of meat products. The launch of the animal health surveillance website is part of the Irish government's efforts to maintain the competitiveness of the Irish meat products on the international market.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 06:18:08|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- An aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned on Thursday the remarks of United States peace envoy Jason Greenblatt threatening to find an alternative to the Palestinian Authority.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in an official statement published by the state-run Palestinian news agency (WAFA) that "Greenblatt remarks are rejected, unaccepted and a severe intervention of the Palestinian internal affairs."

Abu Rudeineh, the spokesman of the Palestinian Authority presidency, said "we will confront these remarks as we confronted the Deal of the Century," which is a Middle East peace plan that U.S. President Donald Trump is working on.

"These remarks are part of the deal," Abu Rudeineh said, adding "the Palestinian people who can determine their future and elect their legal leadership will stand against the U.S. conspiracies."

The spokesman added that the suspected plans plotted against the national Palestinian cause under pretexts of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

He warned all the Palestinians from dealing "with these conspiracies which aim at liquidating the Palestinian cause and ruin all the Palestinian national issues."

"The U.S. policies are contrary to all international laws, mainly the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the transfer of its embassy to the city, and trying to liquidate United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees," he said.

Earlier, Greenblatt said in a written statement published in the media that "the Palestinian Authority should be part of the solution for the Palestinians in Gaza and Palestinians as a whole," adding "if not, others will fill that void.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-31 06:48:14|Editor: yan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Highlighting the significance of the upcoming legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau, the top UN official in the country reiterated the importance of "far-reaching" reforms to prevent a relapse into political and institutional instability.

Jose Viegas Filho, the special representative of the secretary-general for Guinea-Bissau and the head of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the country (UNIOGBIS), called for sustained international support for the West African nation.

"I therefore urge all international partners to maintain and increase their political, technical and financial support to help national institutions during and beyond the legislative and presidential elections," said Filho, briefing the Security Council for the first time since he assumed office.

Filho also informed the council of some difficulties in the preparations for the legislative elections scheduled for Nov. 18, including disagreements voiced by some political actors against the 30-day timeframe set by the government for voter registration, when the law stipulates a 90-day period for the process, and delays in arrival of biometric kits.

On the other hand, the senior UN official also highlighted important developments, including the adoption of a new gender parity quota law on Aug. 2, which establishes a minimum of 36 percent representation for women in the lists of candidates for legislative and local government elections, as well as for appointments to key decision-making positions.

Though the law will have to be reviewed by specialized committees of the national parliament, as well as formally promulgated by the president of Guinea-Bissau, it should enter into force before the legislative elections, according to UNIOGBIS.

Furthermore, Filho said that he continues to support the "full implementation" of the 2016 Conakry agreement, which set out a framework for a peaceful resolution to the political crisis plaguing the country since its independence in 1974.

Turning to the work of UNIOGBIS, Filho informed the Security Council of the mission's support to national authorities in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime.

Also at the briefing, Mauro Vieira, the permanent representative of Brazil to the UN and the chair of the Guinea-Bissau Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, spoke of his trip to the country in July, during which he met a wide range of interlocutors.

"My mission confirmed that there has been tangible progress in the implementation of the Conakry agreement and in the process of return to normality of the political life as compared to same period last year," he said, adding "There is a renewed sense of optimism regarding the definitive solution to the protracted crisis and the upcoming elections are seen as a window of opportunity to this end."

He also outlined recent developments, including the appointment of a consensual prime minister and the formation of an inclusive government as major achievements towards the implementation of the agreement.
Commentators agree that the two leaders have challenged the European political elites on immigration, without however fully agreeing on how to tackle it.

At a press conference in Milan after his talks with Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, Mr Orban said his partners effort to protect Italys coasts from illegal immigration could save Europe. He added that illegal immigrants should be sent back to their own countries.

When asked whether he planned to leave the European Peoples Party and join the league of leagues envisaged by Mr Salvini (the leader of Italys League party), Mr Orban said it was President Macron of France who was bent on tearing the Peoples Party apart and forming what he called a pro-immigration alliance within the European Parliament.

In Nepszava, Tamas Ronay thinks Mr Orbans intention in meeting Mr Salvini was to warn the Peoples Party that in case they decide to expel his party from the Christian democratic alliance, he might join those whom Ronay calls the extremists.

The left-wing columnist finds it nevertheless difficult for the two leaders to make a common front, because of their diverging interests. Mr Salvini, in fact, urges European countries to take migrants from Italy, while Mr Orban refuses to do so.

Magyar Idoks Levente Sitkei agrees in describing the differences dividing the two leaders. As he puts it, Rome is Rome and Budapest is Budapest. Nevertheless, he continues, they agree on the main issue, namely that illegal immigration must be halted, and order should be restored in place of the chaos of the past few years.

He acknowledges that the young movements which represent a challenge to the old elites do not always propose the right solutions, but in Europes democracies it is up to the voting population to choose between the old and the new policies on offer.

This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online Click here to Share Your Story
MARENISCO  Former State Representative and current Upper Peninsula Senate candidate Ed McBroom has released documents he received following his demand for answers from the Michigan Department of Corrections regarding the planned Dec. 1 closure of the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco.

McBroom filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking all documentation considered by the DOC relating to the economic impact of closing the prison on the community of Marenisco, Gogebic County and the western U.P.

I know I will be joining many in closely examining all of these documents in light of their critical importance to the community to ensure that they comply with both the letter and the spirit of the law which requires the state to fully consider the economic impact of the closure on the community, he said.

I welcome the community to immediately join me in reviewing the documents with an objective and exhaustive eye to ensure the department did indeed fully consider the dire economic consequences to the community, such as the profound adverse impact on our schools, on the hospital, on the housing market and complied in good faith with the law, McBroom added.

With the extreme consequences it is facing, this community absolutely deserves a good faith analysis that complies with the obvious and intended spirit of the law, he said.

Included in the information are talking points from the DOC why Ojibway was chosen for closure. They include:

Why was Ojibway Correctional chosen for closure?

There was no one reason for the closure.

The MDOC looks at a variety of factors when choosing a facility for closure. Those include the age of the facility; cost to operate; need for renovations and improvements; bed space vacancies by custody level and staff impact.

Michigans decreasing prison population has put the department in the position of being able to safely close a facility without an impact on public safety, or the safety of staff or prisoners.

Due to the location of the facility, transportation costs are higher than average. It also makes it difficult for family and friends to visit prisoners at this facility which is five miles from the Wisconsin border.

The remoteness of the facility also presents a unique challenge as if there were ever an emergency or natural disaster; the nearest facility to send staff to assist is more than 100 miles away.

The budget passed by the legislature requires the department to close a facility and has cut the departments budget by $19 million to reflect that.

No single factor was the determinate factor when making this decision, but based on weighing all the criteria above, Ojibway was chosen for closure.

Were other facilities considered?

As part of this process, the MDOC looked across its operations for efficiencies, as well as the possibility of closing a facility. When the department looked at a host of factors, and looked at other facilities in comparison, Ojibway was chosen for closure.

What were some of those factors?

We took many factors into account: The age of the facility (47 years old.) The role the facility plays in the departments Offender Success model.

Lack of programming ability  the DOC has been unable to do more advanced programming there because staffing for professional positions like health care and mental health are extremely challenging. It also limits the type of prisoners that can be sent there, because the programming they need does not exist there. We have not been able to offer substance abuse treatment or mental health programs.

The cost to run it: (At $23.7 million per year, it is one of the most expensive level I facilities and is 8 percent higher than the average level I facility.

The needed improvements: ($3.7 million in improvements over the next five years, which ranks it 14th highest among 30 facilities.)

Will you be closing any other prisons as part of this plan?

This is the only prison closure the DOC is planning. But through the departments Offender Success model, the goal is to continue to bring down the states prison population safely. While there are no plans to close additional facilities at this time because there are not enough vacant beds to do so; the department will continue with its Offender Success model of providing quality education and vocational training to prisoners.

This will be the third prison closure in three years. All three have come since the creation of the Offender Success model, which has saved taxpayers more than $60 million per year.

How much will this save?

There will be an expected savings of $19 million, reflected in the Fiscal Year 2019 state budget. That is how much the legislature cut the DOC budget this year to account for this closure.

How many people will lose their jobs?

That will take time to fully know, as some union employees with seniority have the ability to bump to another facility. Others may retire. All options will be considered to minimize the impact on staff.

There are 203 employees at Ojibway, of which 116 are officers. There are more than 10 officers at Ojibway eligible for retirement. There are about 20 officer vacancies at the next closest facility and another more than 15 officers there that could retire.

We have about 700 vacancies across the state for officer positions, so we can absorb all of them and none would have to lose their jobs, but we understand that the vast majority will have to either commute much farther or move to fill those positions.

When the Pugsley Correctional Facility closed in 2016, there were 230 employees and 44 were laid off. About half of those were offered positions in the department but declined to take them.

When West Shoreline closed earlier this year, there were 281 employees and 33 were laid off. Of the 33, there were 21 that were offered positions, but declined to take them.

So with the last two prison closures, there were 511 employees impacted and 434 continued their employment with the department.

But as more facilities close, we realize it becomes more difficult to not have an impact on employees and the local community.

Where will the prisoners go?

There are about 840 prisoners. There is a process in place for prisoners to be transported to new facilities prior to the closure. The prisoner movements will be determined by their security level and programming needs.

Do we have any plans for the site right now?

There are no immediate plans for the site.

What kind of economic impact will this have on the community?

That will take time to measure, but of the 203 employees at Ojibway, we know that 155 live in Gogebic County. There are also 19 who live in Wisconsin.

If the DOC were to eventually sell the property the facility sits on, it would return to the tax rolls, benefitting the local tax base.

Did you talk with area lawmakers or local government leaders before making this decision? If not, why not?

This decision was made by the DOC based on its operational needs. It also heard from numerous stakeholders in the community and listened to their concerns and their suggestions. But in the end, this was the decision that best met the operational needs of the department, and its responsibility to provide public safety at the most efficient cost to taxpayers.

Does this closure still give you the 500-700 bed cushion you said you wanted when the legislature was pushing for you to close a facility last time?

Yes.

Why make this announcement now?

There is no good date to announce a closure for the staff affected by this. But as soon as we felt we were able to make this announcement, we wanted to do so in order to be as transparent as possible. This will also enable our employees to have more time to prepare and make the necessary arrangements, before the start of the school year, etc.
Campbell Soup Co. has decided to sell its troubled refrigerated foods businesses and international operations in China and Australia following a strategic review. Shown is the company's Sacramento, Calif., soup factory before it closed in 2013. Read more

Campbell Soup Co., bucking pressure from a prominent activist investor to seek a buyer, has opted instead to sell operations that accounted for nearly a quarter of its $8.7 billion in revenue for the year ended in July, the Camden company said Thursday.

The businesses targeted for sale include Bolthouse Farms and other refrigerated food units that were supposed to allow Campbell, bogged down for decades by its declining, immensely profitable soup brands, access to faster-growing markets more in tune with consumer trends. Also up for sale are an Australian snack food firm and a Danish cookie maker.

Unloading those operations will leave Campbell with U.S. businesses split between faster-growing snacks, from recently acquired Snyder's-Lance Inc. coupled with Pepperidge Farm cookies and crackers, and a set of slower-growing or declining brands, such as canned soup and V8 juices, that still generate significant profits.

Campbell's interim president and CEO, Keith McLoughlin, who has been on Campbell's board since 2016, told analysts on a conference call that the company's board had considered a full range of options as part of a strategic review underway since May, including splitting the company and selling outright.

"The board concluded that, at this time, the best path forward to drive shareholder value is to focus the company on two core businesses in the North American market with a proven consumer packaged goods business model. Importantly, the board remains open and committed to evaluating all strategic options to enhance value in the future," he said.

Campbell's shares closed at $39.15, down 84 cents, or 2 percent, on the New York Stock Exchange. The shares have recovered from a recent low of $32.63 in June, following the abrupt retirement of CEO Denise Morrison.

Proceeds from the sales will be used to repay some of the company's $9.7 billion in long-term debt, which is up from $3.5 billion a year ago. Campbell did not establish a timeline for the sales or estimate how much it expected to receive for the businesses.

"The results from the strategic review are underwhelming," said Christopher R. Growe, an analyst with Stifel who has a $35 price target on the shares and expects continued "tough sledding."

The changes announced Thursday came as the entire packaged foods industry struggles to capture revenue growth.

Campbell's moves undo many of Morrison's efforts to rejuvenate the 149-year-old company by parlaying profits from Campbell's declining canned soup business into faster-growing but less profitable products.

Her first big move was the $1.55 billion purchase in 2012 of Bolthouse Farms, which sells fresh carrots, juices, salad dressings, and other plant-based beverages. Bolthouse proved to be nothing but trouble, as planting and harvesting carrots failed to go smoothly season after season and factory woes slowed beverage production.

Campbell wrote off as worthless much of what it paid for Bolthouse.

Dumping Morrison's fresh-food division fits with a pattern of starts and stops over decades, including a push into fresh foods in the 1980s, efforts to compete with dried soup, and a bid to establish a soup business in Russia.

Morrison did not get a chance to redeem herself on this year's $6.1 billion purchase of Snyder's-Lance Inc., a move designed to allow Campbell to participate more fully in the Big Food stampede into snacks. Forced to report yet another in a long string of bad quarterly earnings, she was gone less than two months after the deal was completed in late March.

McLoughlin stepped in as CEO in May and pledged a top-to-bottom review of Campbell's businesses, with nothing off the table.

Daniel S. Loeb, a prominent activist investor at Third Point LLC, took the turmoil as an opportunity to accumulate a 5.65 percent stake in Campbell for $688 million, while calling for the sale of the company.

Third Point had no comment on the results of Campbell's strategic review.

In a dramatic twist, Loeb won the support of George Strawbridge Jr., a cousin of Campbell's brother-and-sister board members Mary Alice Malone and Bennett Dorrance, who own a combined 33.1 percent of the company's shares.

Campbell's bylaws require a sale to be approved by two-thirds of votes cast, making it almost impossible to sell the company without the approval of Malone and Dorrance. Changing the company's charter also requires a two-thirds vote.

The decision by the Campbell board to sell just part of the company could set the stage for a proxy fight this fall, if Loeb and Strawbridge nominate their own panel of directors. Even if Malone and Dorrance were voted off the board, they would still retain the right to vote their shares.

During the conference call, McLoughlin declined to discuss whether the company would accept additions to the board from Loeb. Its not appropriate for us to comment on speculation of what might or might not happen, what shareholders will do or wont do, he said.
A company that manages web domains has moved its headquarters from Dublin, Ireland, to Horsham, Pa., to take advantage of the 2017 federal tax cuts. Read more

Afilias Inc., which operates one of the world's main registries for connecting internet users with their online destinations, has relocated its headquarters from Dublin, Ireland, to the Philadelphia area in a decision partly prompted by the federal tax-rate changes signed into law by President Trump in December.

The move is an early  and possibly the first  case of a company moving its legal home from abroad to the United States as a result of last year's tax cuts. It transforms the firm's existing 40-member office in the suburban town of Horsham into a new corporate base for a business with subsidiaries throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

Factors including "recent favorable U.S. tax changes make Afilias' U.S. presence important in maximizing its future growth," it said in a news release Thursday, when the headquarters move became effective.

As the world's second-largest domain registry, by its own accounting, Afilias runs the master directories for web addresses ending in .info, .mobi., .green and .pet, as well as .xxx and .porn. Its biggest customers are the Reston, Va.-based Public Interest Registry, for which it maintains the authoritative database for addresses ending in .org, and GoDaddy Inc.of Scottsdale, Ariz., which sells web domains generated by Afilias.

Moving its headquarters to the United States made sense for the company because its largest contingent of customers is here, but the final decision to do so came after last year's tax cuts, Afilias senior vice president Roland LaPlante said in an interview.

That legislation reduced corporate taxes from 35 percent to 21 percent but cut the tax even further on any foreign income that is derived from intangible assets in the U.S. such as those held by technology companies such as Afilias  to 13.125 percent.

"When things changed from a tax situation in the U.S., that prompted a review of the corporate situation in light of the fact that our biggest customers are here," he said.

Drafters of the new tax law in Congress, who set the rate for intangible goods extra low in hopes of luring more such assets to the United States, "may have succeeded with Afilias' move," said Steven M. Rosenthal, a senior fellow with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center in Washington.

Experts at the nonpartisan think tank, which tracks and analyzes issues related to taxation at all levels of government, were not aware of any other examples of previously overseas-based companies that cited the tax cuts as a motivation for relocating their headquarters to the United States, Rosenthal said.

"I think you could say the tax bill seems to be working," he said. But "how long we can maintain the level of public services that are also part of the package to attract business if we lower taxes to an unsustainable level, it's hard to say. The tax bill lowered corporate tax rates dramatically, but at quite a cost."

As part of the headquarters move, Afilias established a new Delaware-based corporate parent, Afilias Inc., under which Afilias plc of Ireland now operates as a subsidiary.

The offices of its U.S. unit in the Horsham Business Center near Dresher and Welsh Roads is now the global company's official home and administrative hub, where functions including marketing, accounting and sales are located, although most of the firm's tech workers are to remain concentrated at an office in Toronto, LaPlante said.

Afilias chief executive Hal Lubsen worked out of the Horsham office before the headquarters move and will continue to do so, LaPlante said.

Staffing at the office will likely now grow, both as a result of the headquarters move and to keep up with already-expected increases in demand for the company's services as web domain names continue to proliferate, he said.

"The company has been growing quite nicely since it was founded in 2000, and I expect it will continue to do that," he said.
President Trump listens during a discussion for drug-free communities support programs, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Read more

President Trump, stepping up his criticism of technology firms he says are favoring liberal points of view, said they may be in a "very antitrust situation" but repeatedly said he can't comment publicly on whether they should be broken up.

"I won't comment on the breaking up, of whether it's that or Amazon or Facebook," Trump said in an Oval Office interview Thursday with Bloomberg News. "As you know, many people think it is a very antitrust situation, the three of them. But I just, I won't comment on that."

Trump reiterated for the third day his accusation that "conservatives have been treated very unfairly" by Alphabet Inc.'s Google. "I tell you there are some moments where we say, 'Wow that really is bad, what they're doing.'"

Trump's latest attack on the technology companies began Tuesday when he claimed without providing evidence that Google's news search function favored liberal over conservative outlets, tweeting that "This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!" Later, in a meeting in the Oval Office, he told reporters that Alphabet Inc.'s Google, Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc. "are treading on very, very troubled territory."

On Wednesday, he tweeted a video, with the hashtag "#StopTheBias," which purported to show that Google promoted President Barack Obama's annual State of the Union address on its home page but did not give a boost to Trump's.

Google said in a statement that it promoted Trump's 2018 address, but did not post a tout to either his or Obama's speeches to Congress after they were first elected, which are not technically State of the Union addresses. The company says its news searches are designed to give users relevant answers and don't favor any political point of view.

The company had no immediate response to Trump's suggestion they may be violating antitrust laws but the same point was raised earlier in the day by a top Republican lawmaker.

Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah on Thursday asked U.S. Federal Trade Commission Chairman Joseph Simons to reexamine Google's conduct in search and digital advertising, saying reports of potentially anticompetitive conduct are "disquieting."

Google declined to comment on Hatch's letter. After Trump's attack this week, the company said its search function is not used to set a political agenda and isn't biased against any ideology.

The FTC previously investigated Google over whether the company skewed search results to favor its own services. The agency closed that case in 2013 without bringing an enforcement action after Google agreed to stop certain practices, including removing restrictions on the use of its online search advertising platform.

The decision to close the case, made under the administration of former President Obama, disappointed some companies and consumer groups that claimed Google abused its dominance. The FTC is now led by Simons, who has expressed a willingness to examine the conduct of technology platforms.

"In the past, Google has offered arguments that its conduct is procompetitive," Hatch wrote. "But much has changed since the FTC last looked at Google's conduct regarding search and digital advertising."

Calls for comment to representatives for Amazon and Facebook were not immediately returned. The companies, which offer popular free services, have said they face intense competition and deny they're harming consumers.

Google may hear more about the bias allegations and other issues alongside executives from Facebook and Twitter at a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on Russian election meddling on Sept. 5.
Khiry, the luxe collection of golden hoop earrings, striking necklaces, and tiny brooches shaped like African masks  designed by former University of Pennsylvania student Jameel Mohammed  is officially on the come up. It's carried pretty much exclusively in Barneys New York. Insecure star Issa Rae and award-winning director Ava DuVernay have worn pieces, too

And this month, Khiry scored a full-page editorial spread in Vogue. That means the collection's 23-year-old designer is featured (on page 348) in the fashion bible of all fashion bibles: Vogue's September Issue. That's right, the one with Beyonce on the cover.

>> READ MORE: What it really means to slay and why black women are slaying right now

Score one for fashion born and bred in Philly!

"I thought it would be years and years down the line before I'd be in Vogue," Mohammed said in a telephone interview. He moved to New York this summer to focus on Khiry full-time. "I'm just so excited to see what's going to come of it."

The birth of Mohammed's high-end brand of baubles  they retail for $200 for a pendant to $1,400 for a bangle  seems to have been kissed by kismet.

Mohammed was studying political science during his freshman year at Penn when he met top Barneys executives Daniella Vitale and Mark Lee during the school's fashion week. Mohammed had dreams of becoming a clothing designer  he interned with Narciso Rodriguez and Nicole Miller when he was still in high school  and he was thinking that if he got an internship at Barneys, maybe he'd be able to work on developing his own clothing line.

But it wasn't Mohammed's clothing the Barneys team was interested in; they were drawn to the jewelry in his portfolio. Yes, he made it, he told them.

Mohammed spent his summer as a buying intern at Barneys and worked on his jewelry collection. Khiry is his middle name, Swahili for "fortune" and "wealth." He left his internship with contacts, but his collection didn't yet have a focus.

When he returned to campus in fall 2014, he found his college community starting to become embroiled in political and racial unrest. The deaths of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner had triggered the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement. Students, including Mohammed, started protesting what they considered unjust police shootings. They felt unheard.

"We were marching all throughout the streets and [people] looked at what we were doing as frivolous because they were connecting [blackness] to violence," Mohammed said.

His line clicked.

Fashion does a lot to shape how we see ourselves. In fact, Mohammed took it another step: Style informs the way the world is structured and organized. African nations, once raped for their precious natural resources like gold are rarely connected to what is considered classically beautiful in the Western world.

"People use these standards to determine who is worthy, who is worth being heard," Mohammed said.

He decided through Khiry that he would promote a black aesthetic from a black perspective that was equally luxurious as any fine jewelry line from a European point of view.

Mohammed left Penn to focus on the brand (he plans to go back) and raised nearly $25,000 in a Kickstarter campaign. He learned how to source material  his pieces are made from 18k gold vermeil and precious stones  and he experimented with different manufacturers, including the ones he uses now in Thailand and New York.

Barneys agreed to sell Khiry at select locations, including the Rittenhouse Square store. That same year, he was accepted into an elite fashion incubator program sponsored by the Accessories Council and the Council of Fashion Designers of America. In another fortuitous encounter, Mohammed ran into Vogue news director Mark Holgate at New York Fashion Week in February. Holgate granted Mohammed a desk-side interview, leading to Vogue placement.

Since the story was published, Mohammed has gotten calls from several A-list stylists and retailers. Exactly who? It's too early to say.

"There is no tea just yet," Mohammed said coyly, referring to the trendy gossip term spilling the tea. "Right now, I'm enjoying the moment."

For more information on Khiry, log on to Mohammed's website: www.khiry.com
A home movie image of the columnist in a procession of boys and girls making their First Holy Communion at St. Francis Church in North Adams, MA. in 1961. Read more

I loved the Catholic Church as a boy, but left it as a young man after hearing a priest with long, groovy hair (it was the '70s) sermonize about gay people and our purportedly pernicious ways.

Sort of like the slander emanating once again from certain quarters at the Vatican, where Catholic "traditionalists"  I'd call them reactionaries  are accusing Pope Francis of willfully ignoring the supposed role of "homosexual networks" in the church's ongoing sexual abuse scandals.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the Vatican's former top diplomat to the United States, is among the fierce conservatives who seem to regard phantom conspiracies and conspirators as more culpable than the actual criminals who raped children.

Last Sunday, Vigano made public a letter in which he accused Francis of having long known about allegations that the now-disgraced Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington had preyed on minors and adult seminarians for decades. The pope has refused to comment.

The letter also alleged that Francis was well aware of a "homosexual current" flowing through the church, one possessing "octopus tentacles" that are "strangling" the innocents and the institution itself.

Scary stuff. I'm grateful to report that while nothing of the kind happened to this gay Irish Catholic baby boomer from blue-collar Massachusetts, I do know a bit about harm, and healing.

Soon after I felt driven out of the church, I left the closet behind as well.

It took 15 years for the next epiphany to arrive.

In the early '90s, I was a reporter covering Camden, a city besieged by crack, AIDS, and guns. I wrote about communities where valiant folks of various faiths (or no faith) fought on the front lines, and Catholic priests and nuns were among the toughest and most tenacious fighters.

Priests such as Michael Doyle, Robert McDermott, and Rick Malloy, and nuns such as Helen Cole, Peg Hynes, and Elizabeth Corry, collectively helped provide thousands of desperately poor or otherwise disenfranchised people with access to education, housing, and health care.

Their work was inspiring even to a lapsed Catholic far more interested in writing stories than in having spiritual experiences.

The strength of these men and women arose from a faith far deeper than any I had personally known. They had answered a call, and I came to understand Catholicism as about more than mysterious, if beautiful, rituals, or disdainful proclamations from the pulpit.

You could say that Camden gave me back Catholicism: The city is where I realized that a part of me I'd left behind was still meaningful, and that in letting it go, I had lost something.

I prefer not to imagine the losses suffered by boys, girls or vulnerable young adults who were violated by pedophile priests. How profoundly personal, and enduring, such damage must be.

The incidents of child abuse exposed in recent decades by journalists at the Inquirer, the Boston Globe, and other publications, and most recently by prosecutors such as Pennsylvania's Attorney General Josh Shapiro, require more than apologies, resignations, or "report abuse" phone numbers on diocesan home pages.

So what if the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights strenuously characterizes the church as the true victim of abuse  at the hands (or, perhaps, tentacles) of the media and overzealous prosecutors?

The ongoing investigations, revelations, and truth-telling are essential to the survival of the institution.

Not so the fervent obsession with sinister gay cabals, and the fake conflation of homosexuality with pedophilia, by Catholic "traditionalists" such as Vigano  whose integrity Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput vouched for, following the letter.

Vatican politics have nothing to do with the Catholicism I have witnessed in action in Camden. The distant antics of power-hungry men do not diminish the value of that work, any more than criminal acts or for that matter, nasty sermons by others do.

The fine priests and nuns I've written about in Camden and elsewhere have restored my respect for, if not active participation in, my childhood faith. It's a gift I'll continue to cherish.
Kerri Evelyn Harris' secret weapon in her upstart Democratic campaign for a U.S. Senate seat is size  or, more specifically, Delaware's lack of it.

The First State is, after all, also America's second-smallest state, in terms of square miles. It's the kind of place where an anonymous arm juts out from a soul-food truck with a Styrofoam platter of fried chicken and fish as newcomer candidate Harris strolls by on a downtown Wilmington sidewalk, or where a voter starts his complaint about the incumbent Democrat Sen. Tom Carper with what happened when they ran into each other in the supermarket.

In a big state like Pennsylvania, politics may have become an air battle of TV-ad carpet bombing from 30,000 feet, but elections in Delaware are still a form of urban warfare, waged from house-to-house in close quarters. That makes it the kind of place where an unconventional candidate like Harris  who, in telling a group of voters about her Air Force experiences as an Iraq War veteran, calls herself "a whole lot of otherness"  can meet and greet enough voters to have a serious shot at ousting a three-term incumbent like the 71-year-old Carper, a Delaware institution.

In the insular, almost inbred world of Delaware politics, "otherness" only begins to describe the challenge that Harris  a progressive with Bernie Sanders-style positions on issues such as Medicare-for-all and ending student debt  poses to the moldy status quo.

If she can upset Carper in next Thursday's primary and then win in November against underwhelming GOP opposition, the 38-year-old Harris would be the First State's first woman, first black, and first openly LGBTQ U.S. senator. More importantly, a Harris victory would take a proverbial sledgehammer to the decades-old Delaware Way  the weird form of gentlemanly (and, yes, they're almost all gentlemen) consensus that is socially liberal but aggressively pro-business and pro-bank and often pro-polluter policies, as defined by career pols like Carper and former vice president Joe Biden and the occasional benevolent billionaire like former governor Pierre "Pete" Du Pont.

In a past, "normal" election year, an underdog candidate like Harris might have been seen mainly as a curiosity  but little more. But things are not normal in 2018. For Democrats, the shock of Donald Trump's election on Nov. 8, 2016 not only pulled passive voters off the sidelines but has caused them to question many of their basic political assumptions of the last 30 or so years. Like, why do we spend so much on mass incarceration, or a never-ending "war on terror"? Where's the return on investment in robotically sending careerist centrists like Carper back to Washington every six years.

Just hours before I spent a half-day tagging along with Harris and her guerrilla-style, low-budget campaign, the once little-known black mayor of Tallahassee, Andrew Gillum, shocked the political experts by winning the Democratic nod for governor on Florida on an unabashedly liberal platform that would including Medicare-for-All and abolishing ICE (federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement). That echoed June's shocking congressional primary win for New York's 28-year-old democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  who saw some of her victorious staffers then head down I-95, hoping to pull off another stunner with Delaware's Harris.

People in Delaware are starting to pay attention to the brewing political revolution, especially after Harris aggressively held her own against Carper in their only televised debate on Monday. On Wednesday, a routine meet-and-greet at a Victorian-style bohemian cafe in the artsy enclave of Bellefonte just north of Wilmington had to be moved outside into the 90-degree heat because about 40 people showed up, many more than expected.

They saw arguably the most unassuming U.S. Senate candidate in America right now  khaki pants, teal polo shirt, short, almost-military-style hair, no makeup, no jewelry other than the big watch that struggles to keep her on-time for a half-dozen events every day. She doesn't even wear a campaign button. A former auto-body mechanic, Harris takes a nuts-and-bolts approach to politics  shunning gimmickry for big ideas and relatable anecdotes, like how a minimum wage worker in Delaware has to toil for two hours just to buy the same off-brand diapers that Harris, a mother of two, buys for her 1-year-old son.

"We need new ideas," she told the Bellefonte attendees. "We need a sense of urgency. We can't be told, 'Not this year it's an election year, or not right now it's not a popular issue, or wait a little bit longer.' People are dying. People are hungry. People are afraid we're not a community of neighbors anymore. We avoid speaking with their neighbors because they voted for that guy "

She said her campaign isn't anti-Trump, anti-GOP or even anti-Carper, but all about how to accomplish positive things such as raising the minimum wage to $15 without hurting small businesses, achieving true universal health care, and wiping out college debt. That didn't mean there weren't sharp exchanges with Carper in Monday's debate, especially over the cost of paying off those student loans. The incumbent said told Harris "there's no magic wand" to find the money.

"Nobody asked how we were going to pay for sending myself and other veterans into war in Iraq," Harris told the Bellefonte meet-and-greet, drawing nods and affirmations. Most of the attendees have voted in the past for Carper, who's also been governor and a congressman during his long career. Most are having second thoughts, if they aren't already committed to newcomer Harris.

"He's out of touch  he's been in an office too long," Aniela Meinhaldt told me. "Maybe 20 years ago he was fine." She said her husband Kevin didn't get much help from Carper's office over his issues with the Veterans Affairs Department, and she cited his ties to Big Pharma and insurance companies. Others said they were now thinking negatively  sometimes with a friendly prod from the Harris campaign  about Carper's vote for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, his support for the Iraq War and other U.S. militarism, and his role in boosting prison spending when he was governor.

"He voted for the 'three strikes' law [on repeat felons], I don't like that  it disproportionately affected black people," JoAnn Means, a 41-year-old Wilmington woman told me at Peace in the Streets, an outdoor music event on the Christina River waterfront where Harris mingled among the crowd, hugging attendees who know her as a community organizer.

James Butcher, who runs a Wilmington food program for the homeless called Endless Line, said his clients were shocked when Harris paid a visit at lunchtime  so much so that some of them went out and registered to vote. It was a typically unconventional move for a candidate with an unconventional background, who ended up in Dover after leaving the Air Force in 2008 for medical reasons and sold fried chicken in a gas station for a time before finding new life around community organizing on issues such as education and the opioid crisis.

Harris told me in an interview that she'd expected someone else to challenge Carper, that "I always like to be in the background," as a staffer. But then she thought she'd be "a hypocrite" if she didn't step forward after no one else did. "If Trump was able to energize a base to go out and vote, whereas we [Democrats] just made people stay home, what was wrong?" she asked.

Her path to victory looks similar to the road traveled by Gillum and Ocasio-Cortez  expand the electorate by persuading more young people, non-whites and disaffected progressives to vote in the midterms. That's a slightly easier equation in a place like Delaware, where in-person, or retail, politics still matters and Harris believes she can win with just 26,000 votes.

The early line on next Thursday's balloting  with little polling in the race  is that there's a surprisingly high level of undecided voters but that Carper's high name ID and his huge money advantage will be very tough to overcome.

After spending time on the campaign trail in Delaware, I wasn't yet fully convinced that Harris could pull that huge upset, but I was certain that the Democratic Party of Carper and Joe Biden's 20th Century is fading fast, with the party's base now openly questioning all of the things  curbs on marijuana and the cost of "the war on drugs," long prison sentences, militarism in the Middle East and unfettered capitalism  that were once not to be questioned. The biggest question for Kerri Evelyn Harris may be whether she's just slightly ahead of her time.
CBS3 reporter Anita Oh has left the station to continue her education at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Read more

CBS3 reporter Anita Oh has left the station  and her television career  to pursue a new dream, but she isn't leaving Philadelphia. Instead, Oh will enroll at the University of Pennsylvania Law School in the fall, as she announced via a blog post and Facebook message on Wednesday.

"As we evolve, so too do our dreams," Oh wrote online. "The passion I have for this career has blossomed simultaneously with the drive I have to continue becoming the best version of me."

The move ends a run at CBS3 that began for Oh in 2016, when she joined the station as a freelance reporter. She was hired as a general assignment reporter in Feb. 2017, according to a station biography.

A Connecticut native, Oh moved to the Philadelphia area during high school. She later attended Penn State University, where she graduated in 2013, having served as a reporter for McClatchy News in China and a production assistant on Fox and Friends as part of her education. Prior to her run at CBS3, she worked as a weekend anchor and reporter at Macon, Georgia's WMAZ-TV, another CBS affiliate.

"Thank you  for being with me on this journey, for supporting my dreams, and for your love in every new adventure," Oh wrote online. "To chase a dream is a privilege, and for those lucky enough to get the chance to pen your own adventure, I hope you take the leap, too."
Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein, sits in his office in the U.S. Department of Justice building July 20, 2017. Read more

As a key federal official vowed to move against Philadelphia's plans to open a safe injection site for drug users, several legal experts countered Thursday that the site could be seen not as breaking the law, but as a lifesaving measure amid an opioid crisis that has resisted traditional measures.

"It's not clear to me that when the city decides legitimately to fight the opioid crisis through medical means, that that violates federal law in any way," said David Rudovsky, a civil rights attorney.

"The city is not doing this for criminal purposes. They're doing this in good faith, and they've had a lot of good evidence on this point  they're doing it for health and safety concerns."

In an interview with WHYY on Wednesday, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein expressed strong opposition to a site where people in addiction can use drugs under medical supervision, calling it a violation of federal law. "I'm not aware of any valid basis of the argument that you can engage in criminal activity as long as you do it in the presence of someone with a medical license," he said. City leaders should expect legal action if they permit a facility to open, he said.

Philadelphia officials announced in January their intention to permit the opening of a safe injection site, calling it an important aspect of their response to the opioid epidemic, which took 1,217 lives last year  the highest death rate of any major U.S. city.

The announcement came after city officials visited an established safe injection site in Vancouver, British Columbia, and commissioned a report on evidence collected at sites in Canada and Europe. The report concluded that a single site in Philadelphia would save 25 to 75 lives a year and millions of dollars in hospital costs and public funds.

>>READ MORE: What is a safe injection site?

Advocates see safe injection sites as commonsense tools to help people in addiction while also restoring neighborhoods plagued by public drug use. Opponents fear they will encourage drug abuse and invite outsiders into already-stressed neighborhoods such as Kensington  themes Rosenstein echoed.

"If local governments get in the business of facilitating drug use  they're actually inviting people to bring these illegal drugs into their places of business," Rosenstein said. "If you start down that road, you're really going to undermine the deterrent message that I think is so important in order to prevent people from becoming addicted in the future."

People in addiction need treatment, he added, not access to more drugs. Advocates say that the sites do not provide drugs, just a safe environment where drug users can be revived if they overdose.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley has said the site would complement the city's other efforts to combat the crisis, like encouraging doctors to prescribe fewer opioids, getting people into treatment quickly, and making the reversal drug naloxone widely available.

When facing "an epidemic of historic proportions," Farley has said, it's worth trying all options to save lives. He pointed to needle exchange programs  widely credited with curbing the AIDS epidemic  as an analogy. Initially there was backlash to such programs but as people saw the benefits, they became more accepted, he said.

Prosecutions in the 1990s against syringe-exchange programs resulted in at least two convictions, according to a 1996 paper by Scott Burris, a public health law professor at Temple University. But at least nine defendants mentioned in the study were acquitted. Some successfully cited the "necessity defense"  in which defendants argue that they broke the law in order to avert imminent danger.

That defense could be used in Philadelphia if Rosenstein decides to pursue criminal charges against a safe-injection site operator, said Jules Epstein, director of advocacy programs at Temple's Beasley School of Law.

The necessity defense "basically means that we broke one law that prevents a harm in order to prevent a much greater harm," he said. "In this case, the argument would be that letting people use drugs is a much lesser harm than having people die."

Still, he said, that argument isn't the easiest to make. Safe-injection site operators would have to prove that there were no other legal alternatives to save people from dying of overdoses, though Epstein said defendants could argue that traditional legal drug treatments are not effectively reducing the death rate.

And they'd have to prove that the danger of clients dying of a drug overdose is imminent: "The argument a prosecutor could make is that because we don't know if any of these particular people are going to overdose, the danger is not imminent," Epstein said.

Rudovsky said it's more likely that the federal government would pursue a case in civil court rather than try a criminal case, but he thinks Philadelphia has a good argument to make in favor of the sites because of the public health purpose.

In a 2008 paper published in the American Journal of Health, Leo Beletsky, a public health law professor at Northeastern University, and Burris wrote that federal authorities could use a federal law known as the "Crack House Statute" to go after cities and states that permit safe injection sites. Under the law, which dates to the crack cocaine epidemic, it's illegal to "knowingly open or maintain  [or] manage or control any place  for the purpose of unlawfully  using a controlled substance."

Beletsky and his colleagues argued that the law was "never intended to interfere with a legally authorized public health intervention," like a safe injection site that's sanctioned by a city or state government. Still, they wrote: "These arguments are reasonable, but are by no means certain to convince federal judges."

>>READ MORE: Philadelphia overdose deaths dip in early 2018

Still, several other jurisdictions have moved to authorize the sites. Monday, the California State Legislature passed a bill legalizing supervised injection sites in the state. Seattle, which is close to opening a safe injection site, set aside $1.3 million in its budget last year to open the facilities. Opponents tried and failed to float a ballot measure that would have banned the sites before they even opened.

An unauthorized safe injection site has been operating in an undisclosed location in the United States since 2014. A handful of cities like San Francisco and New York City have announced plans to open sites.
Areen Chakrabarti, shown here celebrating his 14th birthday with his mother, Rumpa Banerjee, was diagnosed as brain dead three months ago, but he remains on a ventilator. Read more

Three months after Philadelphia physicians judged that his brain was irreversibly damaged in a fire, a New Jersey teenager has returned from a difficult trip to Guatemala to have a breathing tube inserted.

Areen Chakrabarti, who turned 15 this month, is now connected to a ventilator at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, said his aunt, Tumpa Banerjee.

He went to Guatemala on a special medical-transport flight, accompanied by his mother, Rumpa Banerjee, after physicians at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia declined to perform the tracheostomy. The family sought to move the boy from CHOP to another facility, but none would admit him unless he first had a tube inserted.

Mother and son returned from Guatemala on July 11, and the family clings to hope that he may recover somewhat. But if physicians at CHOP were correct in their diagnosis of brain death, by clinical definition that means the boy will not recover  that he is already dead.

In New Jersey, however, lawmakers enacted a religious exemption that Areen's family says is applicable in his case. If a patient's faith dictates that life persists as long as the heart is beating, then brain death alone is not enough for a legal declaration of death. Areen's family subscribes to the Hindu faith.

>> READ MORE: Diagnosed with brain death at CHOP, N.J. boy flies to Guatemala for surgery

On Saturday, the boy's feet moved "significantly," his aunt said.

But the next day he suffered a setback, bleeding profusely in his urine. Providers at Newark Beth Israel have declined to check the boy for signs of an infection, his aunt said.

"They are not checking his blood count or anything," Banerjee said. "They said there would be no escalation of care."

Representatives for the hospital declined to comment, citing patient privacy rules.

The boy and his mother spent more than two weeks in Guatemala. The cost of the medical transport and the procedure topped $100,000, the boy's aunt said. The family has borne some of the cost with donations through the GoFundMe site.

Areen suffered from severe smoke inhalation in an April 14 fire in his Bordentown home. Diagnosed on the autism spectrum, he ran into the burning home in the confusion.

The house was not salvageable after the blaze, so the family hopes to move Areen from the Newark hospital to an apartment in Somerset County, his aunt said.
With that shined up nose 'n mouth-focused sculpture at the entry, there's no missing the Monell Chemical Senses Center at 3500 Market Street. . Read more

Thomas Jefferson University and the Monell Chemical Senses Center announced Wednesday that they have entered a formal agreement to collaborate on scientific programs, research, and clinical projects aimed at improving human health.

The one-year cooperation pact comes about 10 months after Jefferson and Monell signed a letter of intent to look into merging the institutions. However, officials with Monell, the sensory research institute now in its 50th year, said they and Jefferson decided a formal merger was not necessary to achieve their research goal and that as independent partners, they would have the flexibility to work together but also team up with other entities. Jefferson and Philadelphia University merged more than a year ago, and Jefferson has expanded substantially through health-system acquisitions in recent years.

"Together, we think the synergy is definitely greater than the sum of our individual parts, and we're excited to do joint research that builds on each of our strengths," said Monell president and director Robert Margolskee.

"This creative partnership agreement is a powerful next step in our relationship with Monell," said Stephen K. Klasko, president of Thomas Jefferson University and CEO of Jefferson Health. "This allows our scientists to share ideas, compete for funding together, and focus on the real work: reimagining discovery."

The agreement went into effect Aug. 1, but the institutions already had been collaborating.

One example of an ongoing venture by Jefferson and Monell is a research project funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation aimed at getting children to take their medicine by improving the taste of liquid formulations.

Both institutions say their partnership can lead to research opportunities in heart disease, obesity, hypertension, infectious disease, dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Officials of both institutions said they will be making seed-funding commitments, as well as seeking additional financial support.

At the end of 2017, Jefferson had a $27.9 million operating loss, which it attributed to short-term investments to achieve longer-term goals. The rate loss lessened from the third quarter to the fourth.

However, "this partnership is not about financials," said Mark Tykocinski, provost and executive vice president for Jefferson. "It's a collaboration that seeks to advance our respective research missions. After extensive due diligence, both organizations came to the conclusion that this type of agreement was more beneficial to advancing our missions."

Margolskee said he wouldn't rule out a merger in the future, but said the new agreement was an "easy and fast" way to move forward.

"The more complicated, more lengthy, process of a formal merger wasn't necessary for us to accomplish the goals we wanted to accomplish," Margolskee said.
Nancy Hodgson, left, chair of gerontology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and Laura Gitlin, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University, have written a book on living with dementia. Read more

It's hard to argue that hearing you have dementia is not deeply depressing. After all, most forms of dementia are progressive, fatal and, currently, untreatable.

But Philadelphia aging experts Laura Gitlin and Nancy Hodgson see hope. "There's always something you can do," said Hodgson, chair of gerontology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

Gitlin, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University, said the lack of a medical cure doesn't mean that life for people with dementia and their caregivers can't be made better. She is appalled that primary-care doctors, who make most dementia diagnoses, are still telling patients there's nothing they can do for them. "That's just not acceptable," she said.

The duo, who previously worked together at Thomas Jefferson and Johns Hopkins Universities and the former Philadelphia Geriatric Center, collaborated on a new book, Better Living with Dementia. It advocates for a multidisciplinary approach to dementia care that emphasizes helping patients find meaningful activities they can do at any stage of disease. Gitlin and Hodgson say the book is meant for both professional and lay audiences, but the academic-press price tag  online it starts at $76  will likely deter many family caregivers. Broadly, it calls for thinking in a systemic way about how professionals, family caregivers and society can support people with dementia  and caregivers  in their homes and communities.

Hodgson said that medical professionals are "typically very deficit-focused." They look for weaknesses that can be fixed. Given the lack of treatments for dementia, she said, it makes more sense to find "preserved strengths" and help patients use them as long as possible. Strategies that focus on using strengths to create meaningful activities can decrease social isolation, agitation and boredom, Gitlin said. They work better than any drug now available. "There is no drug for boredom," she said. "There is no drug for resisting care."

While they sympathize about the time pressures many doctors face, Gitlin and Hodgson said newly diagnosed patients and their families need much better education than they're getting about dementia, an umbrella term for several types of progressive cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's disease. At the very least, they should be told how to contact the Alzheimer's Association, which has sound educational materials and support groups. Other organizations also support people with frontotemporal or Lewy body dementias.

Yes, many people can easily search for these things online, but, Gitlin and Hodgson said, some elderly caregivers can't and many others don't. If caregivers don't understand the disease and how it progresses, they have an especially hard time understanding a loved one's behavior and responding appropriately.

Gitlin suggests that caregivers who have the money  insurance likely won't cover this  hire a geriatric social worker to assess their needs and help with long-term planning. Families need to think about safety, who will provide care, and where their loved one with dementia will live as the illness worsens.

Hodgson thinks families can also benefit from an evaluation by an occupational therapist who is specifically trained in cognitive function. Insurance might cover this if a doctor writes a prescription. This kind of therapist can help people know what someone with dementia can still do and what is no longer safe.

Families often learn the hard way that someone with dementia should no longer be driving or using the stove. Guns should be locked and monitored, if not banished from the house. Gitlin said families find it very hard to get rid of guns when, say, a former police officer gets dementia. "People struggle with this because they feel it's a way of taking away a person's identity," she said.

People with dementia often just sit around all day, Hodgson said.

This is where an evaluation can help families create meaningful activities. They may seem time-consuming, Hodgson said, but they pay off in better behavior.

Gitlin said an occupational therapist learned that an agitated man in an adult day center had been an accountant. The center workers gave him a desk and a spread sheet. Then they gave him money from the previous day to count and sort. He began looking forward to helping out each day.

Another therapist helped a family set up a desk for an architect with dementia. They asked him to design a room each day. Other people might enjoy putting a salad together even if they can no longer follow a recipe or safely chop vegetables.

Gitlin said doctors need to stop saying there's nothing that can be done for dementia. "There's a lot you can do," she said, "and you can make life better."
Brian and Christiana Sanders watched their daughter, Melanie, in the intensive care unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in 2016. They allege that she died as the result of an infection at the hospital. Read more

Twenty-three infants contracted viral infections after eye exams in the intensive-care unit at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, an August 2016 outbreak that the hospital attributed to some medical staff failing to wear gloves and a "lack of standard cleaning practices" of equipment used in the exams.

At least one child  Melanie Sanders, born just before the 25th week of pregnancy  died as a result of the infection, according to a lawsuit filed by the family. In its response filed with Common Pleas Court, the hospital denied that the infection led to her death in September 2016. Survival of such very premature infants is uncertain for numerous reasons.

Shanin Specter, the attorney representing the Sanders family, also filed suit this month on behalf of a second child who died after becoming infected at the hospital. But Specter said he was still investigating what role the virus, a type of microbe called an adenovirus, may have played in her death.

He described the hospital's use of contaminated equipment  including a device called an ophthalmoscope  as "shocking," especially given the fact that the patients were neonates  generally defined as babies less than one month old  being treated in the intensive-care unit.

"By definition, they are vulnerable to serious injury or death from getting an infection, and then you don't wear gloves when you do an eye exam, and you don't clean the ophthalmoscope?" Specter asked.

The hospital described the 23 infections in a four-paragraph report in the June 2017 issue of the American Journal of Infection Control but did not mention patient deaths. Specter filed the Sanders lawsuit in December, then amended it this month after learning of additional details in the hospital's case study.

CHOP declined to comment on the lawsuit, but issued the following statement:

"Upon identification of the outbreak, the hospital led a swift and proactive response, informing all at risk and quickly determining the unusual source of the outbreak. Strict infection control procedures, coupled with numerous safety enhancements, were immediately put into place, and no additional cases have since been identified. While we are unable to share details of active litigation, the health and safety of our patients and their families remains our foremost priority. The safety measures instituted as the result of this outbreak are currently being widely shared with physicians around the country as a best practice to prevent future outbreaks of adenovirus, ensuring that all children receive the best and safest care possible."

All 23 patients suffered respiratory symptoms, and five went on to develop pneumonia, the authors of the hospital case study wrote. In addition, 11 of the 23 experienced infectious symptoms in their eyes. Six hospital employees and three parents also contracted viral infections.

"Observations revealed lack of standard cleaning practices of bedside ophthalmologic equipment and limited glove use," wrote the authors, all pediatric or infection experts from CHOP or the University of Pennsylvania. "Environmental sampling of two hand-held lenses and two ophthalmoscopes revealed adenovirus DNA on each device."

The microbes on the lenses and scopes were identified as adenovirus type 3, which can cause both conjunctivitis and respiratory problems, according to a summary by the World Health Organization.

In the intensive care unit at CHOP, it was transmitted at a high rate. The 23 cases represented more than half of the 43 infants who underwent eye exams in the neonatal intensive care unit in August 2016, the authors of the hospital's case study wrote.

CHOP responded by reinforcing the importance of hand washing, stepping up equipment cleaning, and instituting a "staff furlough," according to the case study, which didn't specify the length or extent of the furlough.

Melanie Sanders was born in May 2016 at what was then called PinnacleHealth Harrisburg hospital, weighing just 1 pound, 4 ounces. She was diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity  an abnormal growth of blood vessels on the retina  which can occur in premature babies and leads to severe vision loss if not treated.

The baby was transferred to CHOP in July and had a series of exams by eye doctor Graham Quinn, according to the lawsuit.

She began to suffer respiratory symptoms in mid-August and tested positive for infection with an adenovirus, the lawsuit stated. She soon went into chronic respiratory failure and needed to have a drainage tube placed in her chest, in a procedure called a thoracostomy, on four separate occasions, according to the complaint.

Melanie developed a bacterial infection on top of the viral illness and died on Sept. 11, 2016.

In the lawsuit, her parents accuse the hospital staff of negligence and failing to use proper hygiene. In addition to wearing gloves and disinfecting the devices used in eye exams, hospital staff also could have prevented infection by using equipment that is disposed after one use, the family alleges.
Todd Shevlin, of Devon, developed a bad rash after what he suspects was an encounter with a jellyfish larvae. Read more

Todd Shevlin was vacationing with his family in Ocean City, Md., last week when he came down with flu-like symptoms shortly after getting out of the waves. Twelve hours later, the Devon man noticed a rash on his hands and feet that kept getting worse. Doctors determined that Shevlin was having a bad reaction to sea lice.

"My body did not like this particular creature," said Shevlin, 40. "It is just a matter of fighting through it at this point, and I hope it goes away in less than a month."

This summer has seen outbreaks of sea lice reactions along beaches in states including New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, and North Carolina as the waters warm.

Sea lice are not actual lice but the larvae of jellyfish, most likely thimble jellyfish, said Paul Bologna, professor of biology and the director of the marine biology and coastal sciences program at Montclair State University.

The rash of tiny bites they leave behind resembles that of head lice, thus the name, said Bologna. "They get into your bathing suits, they are stuck against you and stinging you as they interact with your skin." The condition is also known as seabather's eruption.

There are many varieties of sea lice that can make swimmers uncomfortable, including blue crab larvae, which come in huge swarms and hold onto anything they can  including hair  when they are ready to settle, he said. They are likely carried closer to shore by winds.

Symptoms can range from itchy bites and hives, particularly along bathing suit lines, that can last around two weeks, to more severe reactions that include headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, Medscape reported.

Both Shevlin and his 7-year-old son, Oliver, who did not have as bad of a reaction, developed the telltale rash, said Laura K. Reed, Shevlin's wife. She ended up bite-free and attributes it to a dunk in the pool shortly after returning from the beach. Shevlin, who is still dealing with after-effects  including some limited feeling in his fingers and toes  said he might skip the warm ocean waters and stay poolside on their next trip.

The bites are common this time of year when the water is warmer, said Nazanin Saedi, assistant professor of dermatology at Jefferson University Hospitals. The rash can last for days, she said.

Best advice is to take off your bathing suit and rinse off with fresh water as soon as possible after getting out of the ocean, she said.

"Make sure to wash the bathing suit thoroughly," she added. Wring it out and leave it out to dry, which will kill any remaining larvae.

Treat the bites like you would any other insect bite, she recommended. Take an oral antihistamine if needed for swelling, or use a topical steroid cream without any extra ingredients that may cause more irritation.

For more serious reactions, call your doctor for a prescription steroid cream, she said.

Last week in New Jersey, Ocean City lifeguards were fielding questions from some bathers about the itching they were experiencing after swimming, said Shanin Theiss, a senior lifeguard. This year's outbreak is one of the worst he can recall in the 25 to 30 years he has been coming to the beach as a swimmer and now lifeguard.

"I picked some of them off me," he said. "I could see clear little objects in the water and on the paddle board."

Theiss said the larvae probably blew in with the winds and currents. It was a 48-hour phenomenon, he said.

>> READ MORE: Dime-sized clinging jellyfish, now found in NJ, can pack a mighty sting

Bathers at the Mississippi Avenue beach in Atlantic City also came pouring out of the water last week with tiny sea lice clinging to their hair, said Steve Downey, chief of the Atlantic City beach patrol.

"They were blatantly all over the kids," he said. With the warmer waters and a northeast breeze, the larvae must have drifted toward shore, Downey said.

"They've got this little jellyfish body and little pincers at the end. You would barely see them, but they were there," said Downey.

The incident was isolated to the Mississippi Avenue beach and there hasn't been a report since, he said.

Further north, in Ocean Grove, Victoria Morgan, 33, of Brooklyn, N.Y., spent Sunday at the beach, swimming with friends.

"That evening, I noticed red bites," Morgan said.

"It hasn't been particularly itchy," she said, noting that she was already taking allergy medicine, which was probably helping. "It is sensitive skin, and it is taking a while to heal."

Morgan said the encounter was a "chance experience" and she will be back in the water soon.

"It is the same as mosquito bites as far as I am concerned. It's par for the course," she said.

The bottom line, Theiss said, is that the Atlantic Ocean is home to lots of creatures and organisms.

"It is their playground; we are playing in it," he said.
Nine women were sexually assaulted at the Massage Envy in West Goshen. Their lawyer says they were among scores of women assaulted at Massage Envy franchises around the country. Read more

Nine women were sexually assaulted or touched inappropriately during massages at a Massage Envy franchise in West Goshen Township, Chester County, in episodes that their lawyer says are part of a pattern of attacks at the national massage chain.

The women who were assaulted are among scores who say massage appointments at the chain turned into frightening and invasive encounters. The wave of assaults  more than 180 at Massage Envy franchises, as first reported by BuzzFeed  has spawned dozens of lawsuits in several states and in some cases led to criminal charges.

The issue is of particular concern in Pennsylvania, which, like many other states, does not require massage centers to report sexual-assault allegations to police or to the state board that licenses massage therapists. Now, some advocates are calling for mandatory reporting and fines and penalties for those who fail to do that.

In the Chester County case, massage therapist James Deiter pleaded guilty in 2016 to indecently assaulting the women. As they lay naked beneath a sheet on Deiter's massage table, he groped their breasts and genitals, and rubbed against them with his erect penis, court records show.

After an assault in May 2015, a Glen Mills woman called the center in tears to report that Deiter had touched her breasts and put his fingers in her vagina. The salon suspended Deiter but did not call police, according to a lawsuit the woman later filed against Massage Envy Franchising & Spa Dogs LLC, which runs the West Goshen franchise. It was the woman who called police, beginning an investigation that led Deiter to confess to that assault and eight others, including two earlier incidents and one that occurred on the very same day. In that episode, a West Chester woman said Deiter pushed his erect penis against her hands and head as she lay on the massage table.

Deiter was convicted of three counts of aggravated indecent assault and six counts of indecent assault and sentenced to 6 to 13 years in prison. But the path to that moment was long, lawyers for the women say, and included warnings that they say Massage Envy ignored.

"It's horrific," said Brian D. Kent, who represents the nine women who filed lawsuits in the Chester County assaults. "There's no more vulnerable a position than a woman  or a man  could be in than face down with your clothes off and someone's hands on you. These women, it changes their lives forever, and they [Massage Envy franchises] just don't take it seriously."

Kent also represents dozens of others who say they were sexually assaulted at Massage Envy franchises in other states.

Massage Envy officials say there is a "zero tolerance" policy for inappropriate behavior at all of its nearly 1,200 franchises.

On Thursday, the company's chief executive officer, Joseph C. Magnacca, sent an email message of apology to the chain's members and customers, saying he was "sickened and disheartened" by the sexual misconduct allegations.

"The safety of our members and guests has always been and will always be paramount," he wrote. "And we're always looking for ways to do more.  We are taking a hard look at ourselves and at the additional changes we must make. We will never stop working to earn your trust."

Earlier, Massage Envy had issued a statement calling the incidents "heartbreaking" and said it would work to improve its handling of such complaints.

The company, which has 1.65 million members in 49 states, noted that its therapists are licensed or certified and go through strict background and reference checks. Despite the independence of its franchises in handling day-to-day operations, Massage Envy says it requires its franchises to report any alleged misconduct to the company for investigation.

Kent and other lawyers counter that Massage Envy should require its franchises to report assault allegations to police and also to the state Board of Massage Therapy rather than handling the reports themselves.

Kate Diffenderfer, owner of the firm that runs the West Goshen franchise, could not be reached for comment Thursday. In court documents, her lawyers said the center had been diligent in investigating and reporting assault complaints to Massage Envy Franchising.

In their lawsuits, the women who sued the Chester County franchise say it was first alerted to Deiter's inappropriate behavior in early 2015. In February of that year, court records show, a West Chester woman called the center to report that Deiter had "touched [her] inappropriately" three months earlier. Massage Envy officials asked her to come to the center to discuss the incident more fully, and she declined, lawyers for the franchise say. In the end, officials at the center questioned her credibility, in part because she had waited months to complain and was vague about what happened. She had also tried unsuccessfully to end her membership earlier than her contract required, something lawyers for the franchise said gave her "a clear motive to lie."

Deiter continued to work at the center, which  "unfathomably," according to Kent  recommended his services to other women.

In a similar incident in April 2015, court records show, a Phoenixville woman called the center to report that she had "a bad experience" with Deiter in November 2014 and that she wanted to cancel her membership. She was asked to come in to discuss the complaint in person and she declined to do that, lawyers for the franchise say. Massage Envy officials questioned her credibility, they said, in part because she had waited months to report the incident, did not provide much detail about what happened, and would not come to the center to talk about the incident.

So Deiter was still working at Massage Envy when the two women were assaulted in May. After the Glen Mills woman called police, Deiter admitted to assaulting her and eight other women, including the two women whose reports officials at the center had concluded were not credible.

The women's lawsuits are pending.
Capt. David Madonna of the Upper Darby Police Department speaks at a press conference announcing the arrest of Deshawn Cannon, 21, on Aug. 30, 2018. Cannon is suspected of killing 17-year-old Armand Fennell in Upper Darby on July 7, 2018. Read more

After weeks of investigating who shot Armand Fennell during a botched robbery attempt and left him for dead on an Upper Darby street, police announced Thursday that a 21-year-old man had been arrested for the crime.

Deshawn Cannon, of Upper Darby, has been charged with fatally shooting Fennell in the back, with the bullet tearing through the 17-year-old's heart the night of July 7. Upper Darby police announced Cannon's apprehension at a news conference, where a paper print-out of Cannon's face was taped to the far wall. Cannon has been in Philadelphia Police custody since Aug. 15 on an unrelated charge of illegally owning a handgun, authorities said.

The relationship between Fennell and Cannon is unclear but authorities said they believe the motive in the crime was robbery.

Last month, less than 24 hours after he had been released from prison, police said Cannon was back on the streets of Upper Darby, where he headed to Glendale Road. A party attended by 40 to 50 people was in full swing, police said.

Fennell was also at the party, police said. At some point that night, police said Cannon tried to rob Fennell outside, but the teen turned and ran, and Cannon fired a fatal shot.

Witnesses were reluctant to speak to police following the fatal shooting, creating a "sluggish start" to the investigation, said Capt. David Madonna, commander of the Criminal Investigations Division at the Upper Darby Police Department.

"We were completely frustrated," he said.

Eventually, following pleas from Fennell's family and admonishment from township officials who said witnesses should step forward, tips began to trickle in through phone calls, social media, and in-person visits to police.

Madonna declined to say if authorities recovered the gun used in Fennell's killing.

"No death should ever come for a young youth being out in the community at night," said Upper Darby Mayor Tom Micozzie. . " Unfortunately, in the society we see today with the leniency of our court systems, this gentleman is no stranger to the penal system."

Cannon has 2016 convictions for theft of a motor vehicle and public drunkenness. Court records show Cannon was sentenced to a maximum of 12 months in jail for the theft.

A picture of Fennell, an Upper Darby High School student who would have started his senior year this week, was also taped to the wall at police headquarters. The teen, who volunteered at the legislative office of Rep. Margo Davidson, D-164, had the nickname "Mando," Madonna said.

"I want to give extended condolences to the mom, who no longer has a son," Micozzie said.

Cannon is scheduled to be arraigned next week.
Pennsylvania's voters hold strong feelings about President Trump (center) while Gov. Wolf (top left) and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (bottom left) hold double-digit leads over their Republican challengers, former state Sen. Scott Wagner (top right) and U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta (bottom right), according to a new Franklin & Marshall College Poll. Read more

President Trump and political polarization are not on the Nov. 6 general election ballot in Pennsylvania, but a new Franklin and Marshall College Poll shows they factor significantly into the thinking of likely voters.

A pair of Democrats seeking reelection, Gov. Wolf and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, appear to be beneficiaries of their party's electoral enthusiasm, driven in large part by the president's unpopularity.

"One of the motivating features is the antipathy and opposition to President Trump," poll director G. Terry Madonna said.

Wolf and Casey hold double-digit leads, but that doesn't mean they're wildly popular. Rather, it reflects a lack of voter knowledge about the Republican challengers  former State Sen. Scott Wagner for Wolf, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta for Casey.

There is far less ambiguity about Trump in the poll: 57 percent have a unfavorable view of the president, 39 percent have a favorable view, and just 4 percent are undecided.

And that could have an impact on down-ballot races, especially for seats in the House. Pennsylvania has several competitive races that could figure in which party controls the chamber.

Democrats had a higher enthusiasm level, with 60 percent saying they're "very interested" in voting, compared with 53 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of independents. High interest is considered a predictor of election turnout.

Forty-eight percent of the voters in the poll said they are supporting a Democrat for the House in November, while 39 percent said they favor a Republican; 13 percent were undecided.

Two out of three voters intending to vote for a Democrat  67 percent  said they were motivated by opposition to Trump and the Republicans who control Congress. Three out of four  74 percent  of those planning to vote Republican said they wanted to support the president and the party's congressional majorities.

By contrast, the races for governor and for the U.S. Senate elicit less emotion.

Forty-eight percent of the voters in the poll had a favorable view of Wolf, who is seeking a second term, while 36 percent had an unfavorable view, and 16 percent were undecided.

Nearly a majority, 49 percent, were undecided or didn't know enough to offer an opinion on Wagner, while 21 percent had favorable opinions, and 30 percent unfavorable opinions.

That left Wolf with a 17-point lead over Wagner, 52 percent to 35 percent, among likely voters. Nominees for the Libertarian Party, Ken Krawchuk, and Green Party, Paul Glover, barely registered at 2 percent each.

Barletta continues to be the least known major-party candidate on the statewide ballot with 68 days until the election. Fifty-eight percent of the voters in the poll were undecided or had no opinion on Barletta, while 20 percent had a favorable view, and 22 percent had an unfavorable view.

Casey, who is seeking a third term, was viewed favorably by 42 percent, while 29 percent saw him in an unfavorable light, and 29 percent were undecided or had no opinion.

That left Casey with a 13-point lead over Barletta among likely voters, 47 percent to 34 percent. Libertarian Party nominee Dale Kerns and Green Party nominee Neal Gale each ranked at 1 percent.

Madonna said voter attitudes could shift with effective television ad campaigns.

"We live in a huge state," Madonna said. "It takes a considerable amount of money in the media, particularly in television, to make your mark. As I always say, it's nothing a million dollars won't change."

A super-majority believes that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, which led to an investigation that haunts Trump's administration. Sixty-seven percent of those polled agreed that Moscow meddled, while 22 percent said it did not, and 11 percent said they did not know.

The poll's findings are in line with averages of public polls compiled by the website Real Clear Politics, which gives Wolf a 15.5 percent lead over Wagner and Casey a 15.7 percent lead over Barletta.

The poll of 511 registered voters  243 Democrats, 200 Republicans, and 68 independents  was conducted from Aug. 20 to 26 and had a margin of error of 6.1 percent. That sample by percentage roughly matches the breakdown of Pennsylvania registered voters by party, according to statistics available from the Department of State as of Monday.
Flanked by two victims of alleged sexual assault at New Jersey Massage Envy spas, attorneys Guy D'Andrea, H. Nellie Fitzpatrick, and M. Stewart Ryan announce the filings of new charges against four Massage Envy locations in New Jersey. Read more

Four women were sexually assaulted at four Massage Envy spas in New Jersey, their attorneys said Thursday, joining a growing group of massage clients alleging abuse at the nationwide chain.

In a suit filed Thursday in Superior Court, the women claim that Massage Envy therapists groped and digitally penetrated them during massages, and that the billion-dollar corporation "has a pervasive policy of documenting these sexual assaults but not reporting them to the proper authorities," and discouraging victims from going to police.

The lawsuits follow claims filed this week by 16 women in California and Florida with similar accusations. Last year, a Buzzfeed investigation revealed that more than 180 women had made sexual assault complaints against Massage Envy nationwide.

"We've been flooded with phone calls from men and women across the country telling us of similar instances of sexual assault at Massage Envy locations," M. Stewart Ryan, an attorney for the victims, said at a news conference in Center City.

The New Jersey complaints, filed in Middlesex County, cite Massage Envy spas in Mays Landing, Piscataway, Short Hills, and Closter.

The franchise chain continued to employ therapists suspected of sexually assaulting female customers and routinely transferred, reassigned, or rehired accused therapists at its various locations, the lawsuit alleges.

It also accuses the company of conducting "sham investigations" designed to avoid finding its therapists guilty, not informing customers about sexual misconduct, and not notifying authorities or state massage therapy board officials about assault accusations.

"According to a former corporate employee, the company's leadership has long feared the media would realize the national scope of the problem," the suit says. "That person recalled executives discussing what would happen 'if someone connects the dots of how many sexual assaults have occurred across the country.'"

Massage Envy has sought "to protect their name, their brand, and their profits over people who came to them," said Guy D'Andrea, another lawyer for the victims.

Because massage clients are semi-undressed or naked, are in a private room, and are often seeking to remedy stress or pain, they are particularly vulnerable to predators  and often, massage therapists see clients multiple times before sexually assaulting them, the attorneys said. Clients are "going into a room where they have a sense of security and safety and relaxation, where their guard is down, a prime place for a predator to prey upon people," D'Andrea said.

In an emailed statement, CEO Joe Magnacca said the company "is committed to providing a safe environment for members, guests, and service providers," adding that as a matter of policy any massage therapist accused of sexual misconduct would be taken off the work schedule immediately.

After the Buzzfeed report in 2017, Massage Envy apologized and vowed to improve. Multiple lawsuits were filed at the time, including in Pennsylvania. A Chester County massage therapist pleaded guilty to assaulting nine women at a Massage Envy in West Goshen Township.

The attorneys anticipate filing lawsuits on behalf of more alleged victims in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Massachusetts in the coming weeks. They also have received complaints from people who patronized Massage Envy in South Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, and New York, said lawyer H. Nellie Fitzpatrick.

"This lawsuit will hopefully bring about  transparency so we can start to build accountability and create safer places for people to go, whether or not that's Massage Envy or to a church or to a school," she said.

According to the suit, the four women, whose alleged assaults occurred between 2015 and 2017, were groped by their male massage therapists, and two had the masseurs digitally penetrated their vaginas. In one case, the therapist also allegedly choked the woman; in another, the therapist put his erect penis on the client's body, it says.

At the Mays Landing spa, the accused therapist had been the subject of a sexual assault complaint from another customer a year earlier but had been allowed to continue working despite not being licensed in New Jersey, the suit contends. At the Short Hills location, the victim reported the assault to Massage Envy but allegedly was told that if she went to police, she would face "a lot of red tape" and no action likely would be taken.

The attorneys said they did not know whether the accused therapists still work for the company.
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren did herself no good last week in response to a CNN question about the murder of Iowa college student Mollie Tibbetts, in which an undocumented immigrant has been charged.

She could have scored compassion and political points across the board, but instead shot herself in the foot.

Someone predisposed her to take her eye off the victim and focus on partisan politics  someone who drilled a catchy phrase into her that turned a chance for compassion into embarrassment. Was it a political strategist, a well-compensated PR consultant, or maybe an apparatchik from her office? He/she created the catchy three-word meme, "Mommas and babies," then drilled it into Sen. Warren like Henry Higgins did to Liza Doolittle, to be sure Ms. Warren used that phrase a couple of times on CNN.

#MommasAndBabies is an Instagram hashtag and also a Pinterest board, but no one uses it as a Twitter handle (yet). And a quick Google check did not show the phrase being uttered by the senator before the Aug. 23 interview.

At 8:23 a.m. on CNN's Early Start program, John Berman set the table in a two-shot screen, noting that in response to the Tibbetts murder, the president and vice-president had suggested "the immigration laws need to be stronger so that people like this man, who is accused of this murder, are not in the country."

Then it was Sen. Warren's turn to reply.

 I'm so sorry for the family.  But one of the things we have to remember is, we need an immigration system that is effective, that focuses on where real problems are.

Last month, I went down to the border, and I saw where children had been taken away from their mothers, I met with their mothers who had been lied to, who didn't know where their children were, who hadn't had a chance to talk to their children

I think we need immigration laws that focus on people who pose a real threat, and I don't think mommas and babies are the place we should be spending our resources. Separating a momma from a baby does not make this country safer."

One of the cardinal rules of PR, under the question/response category, is that no matter what the question asked is, you should segue immediately into what you want to say, even if it's a comment unresponsive to the interviewer's question.

This was one time Sen. Warren should have flouted that rule. If done properly, she could have scored political points all across the board. Instead she stuck to the PR strategy, apparently not sensing that a big chunk of CNN's morning audience would find her catchy, sound-bite-y reply to be insensitive to the murder victim's family, to Iowans, and to a lot of viewers.

Once her reply was broadcast, every conservative talk show host, blogger, Tweeter, YouTuber and how many others got hold of it and four-walled it. It's been recorded for posterity, and will be used in every political campaign for the next 10 years.

The senator has two children and could have naturally been a little more motherly in her reply. Equally surprising, Sen. Warren's bachelor's degree from the University of Houston was in speech pathology and audiology, so it's not like she can't "hear" what she is saying

Sen. Warren spent just six seconds saying how she felt for the family (without naming it or the victim) and for Iowans, then politically jumped right into "we need an immigration system that's effective, that focuses on where real problems are."

Her "problem" focus was on undocumented families she saw being separated by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement at the southern border. Don't you think that any murder would fall into the "problem" category?

CNN's Berman then let the senator off the hook. Access is everything in today's media-driven "newsertainment" and no TV "journalist" would risk the temerity of actually pressing the original question and irritating someone "important" being interviewed. Stunts like that (we used to call it journalism) would mark the last time for a long time the guest would appear on that show or network.

It's not like Berman doesn't know that PR-trained interviewees are going to say what they want, irrespective of the question. It's a real journalist's job, mostly abdicated today, to ask about the killing and the report that someone illegally in this country stalked and killed Ms. Tibbetts. Instead, Berman let Warren prattle on without challenging her to respond to the status of the alleged killer.

Richard Lavinthal is a former daily and international wire service reporter, spokesman for federal and state prosecutors' offices, and national news organization marketing director. He now provides legal PR services for attorneys and their clients' important cases at PRforLAW LLC.
Immigration activists lock themselves together in front of the 4th Avenue Jail as they protest against the Maricopa County Sheriff and Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the county jail in an ongoing effort to get immigration authorities out Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2018, in Phoenix. Read more

The Trump administration is preparing for another fight in court next month as it attempts to force so-called sanctuary cities to detain people targeted for deportation. These cities argue that the administration's requests would damage the relationships they have built with immigrant communities. There's another reason to oppose the demands: The federal government may be asking to detain U.S. citizens.

It's difficult to tell how often such wrongful detention occurs, since Immigration and Customs Enforcement fails to adequately record these incidents. But it does happen, as Ada Morales in Rhode Island and Gerardo Gonzalez in California  both U.S. citizens  can attest. In both cases, ICE even submitted detainers for them, then canceled the detainer, and yet still listed in the cancellation notice that their nationality was not the United States.

To get a better sense of the problem, the Cato Institute requested data from Travis County, Texas  one of the few jurisdictions that record the relevant details. The county includes Austin and was at the center of the fight to ban sanctuary cities in the state after Sheriff Sally Hernandez partially stopped honoring detainers for about eight months in 2017. The state legislature responded by making it a crime to refuse to honor a detainer.

Here's what the county-level data show: From September 2005 to Aug. 25, 2017, ICE issued 24,269 detainers for people in Travis County custody. In 228 of those cases  almost 1 percent of the detainers  the person claimed U.S. citizenship and presented a Social Security number. ICE then subsequently declined to execute the detainer either by formally canceling it (as the agency did in 156 cases) or by declining to execute it when the person came up for release (which happened in the remaining 72).

The best explanation for this behavior is that ICE verified their citizenship and decided not to make the arrest, wrongfully targeting 228 Americans. ICE supervisory detention and deportation officer John Drane told a court in 2015 that he could think of only two reasons for canceling a detainer: It was discovered the person was a legal permanent resident who had never committed a crime that would make them deportable or they were a U.S. citizen.

These figures likely underestimate the true rate of wrongful detention because ICE also arrests U.S. citizens and brings them into custody. One estimate found that about 1.6 percent of people booked into ICE custody were U.S. citizens.

While privacy laws make it difficult to track down each targeted person in Travis County, we know of a few through some public sheriff office reports. In 2017, Travis County booked Arcane Tossou into custody after he was arrested for spitting at a police officer. He told the sheriff's office that he was born in Texas, and the county's pretrial services list his place of birth as Texas, but ICE still requested that the county detain him.

Tossou was ruled incompetent to stand trial. At this point, ICE would have assumed custody, moved him to a federal detention facility and possibly attempted to deport him. Fortunately, Tossou was released to obtain mental health treatment at a hospital. ICE has attempted to deport at least a half dozen other U.S. citizens with mental disabilities in recent years, including several it successfully deported.

In August 2016, Austin police arrested Richard Renteria, a 20-year-old resident of Austin, for public intoxication. Renteria, who according to his attorney speaks fluent English, told the arresting officers that he was born in Texas. The county's pretrial services also list Renteria's place of birth as Texas and confirm that he presented a Social Security number, but ICE issued a detainer. After it canceled the detainer, the county released Renteria.

Why this keeps happening is difficult to determine without access to the federal case files. Undoubtedly, database errors and inadequate investigations play a role.

An ICE spokeswoman declined to comment on specific cases citing privacy concerns but said that ICE "takes very seriously any and all assertions that an individual detained in its custody may be a U.S. citizen." She also noted that "ICE continually strives to ensure that its systems of records are accurate and up-to-date. When the agency receives evidence suggesting that information in its systems is inaccurate, steps are taken to ensure the accuracy of such information."

Regardless, states and localities have every reason to be skeptical about ICE's dictates. They need the flexibility to make their own determinations about whether it is proper to hold someone targeted for deportation. Until ICE cleans up its act, there's just too big a risk that the person may well be an American.

David Bier is an immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute. @David_J_Bier
A great American has passed. Sen. John McCain was a patriot, a maverick and someone who often confounded conservatives on big issues and big votes. His life and philosophy were deeply connected to our national debates on the Vietnam War, the Iraq War and battles with President Trump.

I had John McCain on my show several times over the years, and I met him and interviewed him on a 20-minute bus ride in Delaware County when he came here to headline an event endorsing then-Rep. Curt Weldon. The host placed him next to me on the bus but he also wanted McCain to meet other politicians on the bus. He said to me, "Dom, don't monopolize Senator McCain. Without missing a beat, McCain said, "Let him monopolize me." He loved media attention and the media loved that he would often speak directly about issues.

When we got off the bus, I walked with McCain as we approached a crowd. A man with his 9- or 10-year-old son approached and as he shook McCain's hand said, "This is a war hero, a war hero." In my time with him, I saw and almost felt the extent of McCain's injuries from the savagery of the violence of his North Vietnamese captors. I've often said that he almost creaked when he walked. He was full of life and energy, but lifting his arms was a chore. Walking required a lot of effort. His sacrifice was lifelong.

Sadly, some McCain haters have bought into a narrative that McCain collaborated with the North Vietnamese, which resulted in the loss of American lives. They call him "Songbird John" and they use crazed conspiracy theories to undermine his standing.

Over the years on issues such as illegal immigration, I've had significant issues with McCain, but I've always thought of his service when debating him. In fact, McCain is the last presidential nominee with a military service background, and that fact troubles me, because we've moved away from giving a leg up for presidential consideration to those who have put their lives on the line to protect us. After his death, the media praised McCain as a military hero but during his 2008 presidential run many ignored or diminished this service.

All this week in commentary on McCain, we've seen the iconic moment from the waning days of the 2008 presidential campaign when McCain corrected a female supporter who called then-Sen. Barack Obama an "Arab." McCain dismissed that comment and defended Obama and called him a "decent family man" and stressed that he only had fundamental political differences with his opponent. Joseph Wulfson, writing at www.Mediaite.com, chronicles how many in the media did not give McCain much credit for correcting his supporter, and the New York Times in its endorsement of Obama, accused McCain of running a campaign on "partisan division, class warfare, and even hints of racism." Slate labeled McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin as "heirs" of George Wallace's "legacy of resentment."

It seems obvious to me that one reason McCain now is getting such positive coverage is because of things that have angered conservatives. The biggest beef that I ever had with McCain was his 2017 vote to stop Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare. As the Arizona Republic reported, in his last Senate race the principal distinction he drew against his Democratic opponent was that he would vote to repeal Obamacare and she would not. To me, this was not an honorable and consistent vote.

Despite the importance of the vote, I still see McCain as a particularly great American. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Fox and Friends gave McCain a unique tribute. He said if aliens landed and needed to be told what America all about, he is would point to McCain and his life. He certainly would be a worthy choice.

The McCain I'll miss is the guy who was criticized by Matt Drudge for appearing in Wedding Crashers, which was called a "boob raunch fest." McCain told TV host Jay Leno, "In Washington, I work with boobs every day."

We need more guys in public life like that.

Teacher-turned-talk show host Dom Giordano is heard 9 a.m. to noon weekdays on WPHT (1210-AM). Contact him at www.domgiordano.com. On Twitter at @DomShow1210
Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Nepal on Thursday to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit which would be held from August 30 to August 31.

This is PM Modis fourth visit to Nepal during his current tenure.

He had left for Nepal this morning via special chartered flight and landed at the Tribhuwan International Airport around 8.30 AM.

Nepal: PM Narendra Modi arrives in Kathmandu for #BIMSTEC summit pic.twitter.com/QaZjBseAvw  ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2018

PM Modi's Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina Wazed is also expected to arrive around 9:15 AM and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will be arriving Kathmandu at 10:15 AM.

In view of the arrival of the VVIP's for the 4th BIMSTEC Summit, Nepal`s International Airport, the Tribhuvan International Airport was closed for about two-and-a-half hour, the Air Traffic Controller Room (ATR) of the airport had said earlier.

"No flights will land or take off from the airport from 8:30 am (local time)," it added.

State Heads and representatives from Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have already arrived in Nepali capital Kathmandu for the Summit.

PM Modi to hold parleys with Sheikh Hasina

On the sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to have sideline meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the source said.

PM to handover hospice built in Pashupatinath to Nepal PM

Prime Minister Modi will be also handing over the hospice built in the premise of the Pashupatinath in Indian aid to Nepal.

The foundation stone to build the hospice in the Pashupatinath Temple premises was laid in 2001 and it will be handed over to Nepali Prime Minister KP Oli on Friday.

The hospice is claimed to have facilities like that of a three-star hotel and the Indian Government has given assistance of 22 crore Nepali rupees.

It can host about 398 pilgrims at a time, which has 82 rooms in total.

Four-layer security for PM Modi, Heads of States

A four-layer security arrangement has been made for the head of the states of BIMSTEC member nations, which comprises Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army and National Investigation Department.

The Nepal Army is designated to take on the central charge of the security during the BIMSTEC Summit, but Prime Minister has opted to bring his own security team.

"A total of 35 special commandos for the security of Prime Minister Modi already have arrived Kathmandu late last week. They were stationed here to access the security situation and clearance for the Prime Minister's arrival, alongside they also will be stationed in and around the venues he will be present,"a source inside the Indian Embassy in Nepal said.

Along with the special security force, three bullet-proof cars also have been brought to Nepal's capital Kathmandu last week.

However, the head of the state of other member states will be given security by the Nepali Security officials.

The organizer Nepal has deployed about 30,000 security officials for the summit.

BIMSTEC, the regional group of seven countries which lies near the Bay of Bengal, includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

(With ANI inputs)
PATNA: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has finalised its seat-sharing formula for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections. As per sources, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be fighting on 20 seats, Janata Dal United (JDU) on 12 seats and Lok Janshakti Party will contest on five seats.

If Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) fights as a part of the NDA, they could be given two seats in Bihar from the BJP quota. Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, who is the RLSP chief, had recently said that his party was making efforts to secure votes from every section of the society to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi get a second term in 2019. Sources also say the BJP may give one Lok Sabha seat each to the JDU in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

As per sources, the seat-sharing formula was finalised in consultations between BJP chief Amit Shah and JDU chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. It is being said that the formula was given the final shape during Shah's recent visit to Bihar.

There are 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, and it has been decided that the BJP and JDU divide them equally between them and then share some of the seats with the smaller allies. As per the agreement, LJP will get 5-6 seats out of the JDU's share while the two seats for the RLSP will be given out of BJP's share. It was also decided that if Kushwaha breaks the alliance, the two seats reserved for him will be distributed between BJP and JDU.

The seat sharing formula comes at a time when the opposition parties are busy stitching an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
New Delhi: Popular television actor Aman Verma is all set to play a lawyer in his upcoming movie Hansa-Ek Sanyog which is produced by Suresh Sharma. The film is directed by Santosh Kashyap and Dhiraj Verma. It is based on the third gender (Kinnar) community and their issues for equality in the society.

Aman will be seen playing the role of a strong headed and aggressive lawyer. I loved playing this character, he is an aggressive and a really strong headed person who would go to any extent in order to win a case and always wants everyone under his wing", he said.

When asked about his views on the Kinnar community he said, The third gender is there in the society and we see them everywhere, so shying away and not giving them their place in society is really sad. And they are neglected by the society, that is why they are considered as third gender community, if you give them a job as that of any normal human they are ready to work. He further added, Even today in the voters list when they ask you for your sex it just has two boxes male & female there is no third box and thats how it is.

I overall had a brilliant experience and I hope such kinds of films are made more often so that the hidden part of the society which many people dont want to talk about can come in the open", the actor said.

With the movie Hansa-Ek Sanyog the director duo is will showcase the struggle that the Kinnar community faces and the problems that they have to go through in order to earn their daily livelihood with dignity.

The movie also includes actors like Ayush Shrivastava, Mantra Patel, Master Ayushmann, Sharad Saxena, Sayaji Shinde, Vaishnavi Macdonald, Akhilendra Mishra, Deepshika Nagpal, Ishtiyak Khan, Bachan Pachera, Pankaj Shukla & Neelam Pandey.
Hyderabad: The police raid at the house of professor K Satyanarayana at English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) campus in Hyderabad allegedly came without a valid warrant and officials conducting the search made some casteist remarks while indulging in moral policing and harassing his family. Satyanarayana said his only crime it seemed was that he was the son-in-law of Varvara Rao, the Telugu poet and activist, who was arrested the same day.

The raids started at 8:30 am on Tuesday inside the EFLU staff quarters, nearly two hours after the search began at Rao's home.

"Nearly 20 cops -- 10 from Telangana police and 10 from Pune police -- arrived with a 'search warrant' in Marathi," he told Zeenews.com.

Satyanarayana alleged that the raid lasted nearly eight hours, during which the family was not allowed to meet anyone. The landline phone connection was cut, electronic gadgets including mobile phone and laptops seized while email ids were blocked.

Much later, after the raids were over, the professor claimed that the notice wasn't a search warrant but a mere statement from a senior police officer.

"'We're looking for Varavara Rao and he's likely to be in this house.' That's what the notice said. It wasn't a court order or a search warrant. Neither did they take any permission from university," said Satyanarayana.

"We were not even allowed bathroom breaks, or to brush our teeth and change clothes. When I wanted to visit the washroom, a person followed me and asked me to keep the door open. It was a complete violation of privacy" he added.

The police also made several "incriminating" statements about him and his wife K Pavana's caste, Satyanarayana claimed.

According to him, the police told his wife that "he (Satyanarayana ) is a Dalit. They have no culture or follow traditions. But you're (Pavana) are a Brahmin. Why don't you follow traditions? Why don't you wear sindoor and mangal sutra. Your father may be a communist but you can follow Hindu practices".

Sujatha Mukiri, another professor at EFLU who claims she was an eyewitness to the raid, claims that the entire episode has shaken the young students and faculty members of the varsity.

Thirty years of academic life has been destroyed in five minutes. There is not a single charge against me. I am a faculty member, I have been doing my duty. There is nothing criminal about it. They imprisoned me in my house, did not let me come out of the house and dug up everything. Nothing was found in my house. All of this, because I am Varavara Rao's son-in-law that I've been targetted. How am I related to Bhima-Koregaon that happened in Maharashtra?

"They treated me like a terrorist. They asked me why are you reading Mao, why are you reading Marx?, why are you having the Gaddar songs? and why are you keeping the photos of Ambedkar and Phule instead of gods and goddesses?. They also asked me why do you want to become an intellectual, why cant you be happy with the money you are getting?. I am happy, but I have to read and teach, said a teary Satyanarayana immediately after the raids.



"This is invasion of privacy. Supreme Court says there is right to privacy. What kind of privacy do I have -- not in my house, not to my computer, not to my relationships, not to my love letters. There is no privacy in this country. Where is the Supreme Court?" questioned Sathyanarayana while addressing a students' gathering.

The raids were also conducted at residences of close family members of the activists.

The home of senior journalist KV Kurmanath, another son-in-law of Varavara Rao, was also searched.

He was taking a morning walk at Indira Park in Hyderabad, when eight cops allegedly roughed him up, and "dragged him" to his home, after which the raids began.

On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Police arrested five left-wing activitists, after raiding their homes in several states for suspected Maoist links over the Elgar Parishad meeting which was held a day before the January 1 Bhima-Koregaon violence. Among those arrested include Telugu poet Varavara Rao from Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj from Faridabad and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha from New Delhi.

Varavara Rao is currently under house arrest till September 5 following Supreme Court's direction.

Several Opposition parties have criticized the entire incident.
New Delhi: Returning fire after a torrid press conference by Rahul Gandhi in which he - once again - flayed the Centre for demonetisation, BJP said Congress has no right to question the work being done for the economy because the party was at the helm of corruption when in power.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra led the counter for his party and questioned the right Congress feels it is entitled to to doubt demonetisation. "You have asked us what was achieved through demonetisation at a time when this government is trying to - successfully - formalise the economy," he said. "At a time when the economy is reaching new highs, Rahul Gandhi is unable to see the reality. And the reality also is that Congress was the A to Z of scams. A for Aadarsh Scam, B for Bofors Scam, C for CWG, D for Devas Antrix, E for Employee Guarantee Scheme Scam, F for Fodder Scam, G for Ghaziabad Provident Fund Scam, H for Harsha Mehta Stock Market Scam, I for IPL scam, J for Junior Banking Officer's Training Recruitment Scam, K for Ketan Parekh Market Scam, L for LIC Housing Scam, M for Madhu Koda Scam, N for Non-banking Financial Companies Scam, O for Oriental Banking Scam, P for Punjab State Council of Education Research and Training Scam, Q for Quest for Gold Scam, R for Ration Card Scam, S for Satyam Scam, T for Telecom Scam, U for UTI Scam, V for Volkswagen Equity Scam, W for Westland Agusta Scam. X, Y and Z revelations won't be made in just one day."

Patra also questioned why the previous governments under Congress were unable to expand on the income tax net. He then took on the charge that the current government is working for the rich. "Can he name even 15 industrialists he is pointing fingers at who became rich after BJP came to power. Rahul needs to know that all of them were already wealthy before 2014," he said.

The BJP spokesperson next attempted to blunt the charge related to the allegedly inflated prices of procuring Rafale fighter jets. "If Rahul thinks that sitting on Rafale would launch his career, he needs to know it won't. He and Congress cannot even get a consensus on the amount of the deal," Patra said. "He lacks facts. You cannot use lies to build your political career. It won't work.
CHENNAI: Expelled Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) member MK Alagiri on Thursday said that he is ready to accept estranged brother MK Stalin as the leader. Alagiri said that he is ready to join to the party but Stalin is not ready to take him into the party fold. "We are ready to join with them (DMK), he (MK Stalin) is not ready to accept us," Alagiri said in Madurai.

The climb down of sorts comes two days after Stalin was appointed as the DMK chief. Alagiri had earlier also said that he wants to be a part of the DMK but Stalin is not letting him join the party. He had also threatened Stalin of 'consequences' if he is not included in the party. Revolting against his brother, Alagiri had said that he wants to join the party because he wants to save it.

"Earlier Kalaignar was there. Now we have to save the party and we want to join it. If they don't include us in the party, they will have to face the consequences," the expelled DMK leader had said last week.

Alagiri had attacked Stalin saying that he was not working despite being the working president of the party. He had also said that the next step that he will be taking will be decided after the rally on September 5 where functionaries from all districts will be consulted.

Soon after late DMK chief Karunanidhi's death, Alagiri had kicked up a storm by saying that the DMK cadres were with him. His statement was seen as an open challenge to Stalin before he was set to be appointed as the party chief.

However, despite Alagiri's revolt, Stalin was elected unopposed as the party chief as all the 65 district secretaries of the party proposed his name for the top post. Throughout the meeting of the DMK where Stalin was elevated, there was no mention of Alagiri. The party did not even care to give an official response to his claim of having the support of the DMK cadres.

A former minister, Alagiri was expelled in 2014 by Karunanidhi for indulging in anti-party activities and making derogatory remarks. Karunanidhi had then named Stalin as his political heir. The transition of power was formalised when Stalin was made the working president of the party in January 2017 after Karunanidhi's health did not permit him to preside over the affairs of the party.
NEW DELHI: Amid an ongoing war of words with BJP over the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will meet the party's core group on Thursday.

During the meeting, the party will reportedly chalk out the strategy to further escalate attack on the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale jet deal, which it calls the ''Great Rafale Robbery.''

The sources close to Congress said that after the meeting gets over, some members of the Core group may join a protest march by the party's youth wing from the AICC headquarters here to the Prime Minister's residence.

The newly-constituted core group committee will meet at Rahul Gandhi's residence to discuss further strategy over the Rafale issue.

This will be the first meeting of the group, which has top Congress leaders as its members.

In the recent times, Rahul Gandhi and his colleagues had launched a frontal attack on the Modi government over the Rafale issue and are demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe into it.

Continuing the war of words with the ruling BJP, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was trying to cover up a "scandal with scandal" and asked why the government was "scared" for a JPC probe.

Rahul Gandhi attacked PM Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in a tweet while Congress Spokesperson Manish Tewari posed queries on the deal at the party's regular briefing here.

The Opposition party's attack came hours after Jaitley termed the Congress party's charges on the Rafale deal "complete falsehood'', in a Facebook blog post.

Hitting back, Rahul said that the government should then accept a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe.

"Jaitley, thanks for bringing the nation's attention back to the Great Rafale Robbery! How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to sort it out?" Problem is, your supreme leader is protecting his friend. So this may be inconvenient. Do check and revert in 24 hours. We're waiting!" Gandhi tweeted.

Mr Jaitley, thanks for bringing the nations attention back to the GREAT #RAFALE ROBBERY! How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee to sort it out? Problem is, your Supreme Leader is protecting his friend, so this may be inconvenient. Do check & revert in 24 hrs. Were waiting!  Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 29, 2018

Jaitley too had asked Gandhi and his party to "respond immediately" to the questions raised by him.

Tewari said that a joint statement by India and France completely demolished the "very feeble defence" sought to be put by the Minister.

"In Modi government, collective responsibility is that no Minister has the responsibility of his own Ministry. This is the most peculiar form of government functioning we have seen. The timing of the Finance Minister's defence of Rafale when the RBI is releasing data on demonetisation. It will not be wrong to say that the Minister is trying to cover one scandal with another scandal," Tewari said.

He said the party has been consistently demanding a JPC probe into the Rafale deal.

"If the government has nothing to hide; if the Finance Minister or the Prime Minister feel that everything is above board, why are they scared of facing a JPC? A JPC should be constituted and all questions which the Finance Minister raised, which primarily were a smokescreen to obfuscate the issue, will be absolutely blown out of water," Tewari said.

The Congress leader also demanded that the government state the final price at which the negotiations on the fighter jet deal with France were left in 2012 under the then UPA dispensation.

"Why is the government - if it has all the facts; if it is transparent - shying away from placing the figures before the country?" he asked.

(With Agency Inputs)
PUNE: Law enforcement agencies are currently scrutinising the items seized during the multiple raids across the country.

We are doing an analysis of items recovered during the searches. The Supreme Court has asked us to file a detailed affidavit and we will do so. We will take the investigation to a logical end, said Dr K Venkatesham, Pune Police Commissioner.

On Tuesday, the Maharashtra Police arrested five left-wing activitists, after raiding their homes in several states for suspected Maoist links over the Elgar Parishad meeting which was held a day before the January 1 Bhima-Koregaon violence. Among those arrested include Telugu poet Varavara Rao from Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj from Faridabad and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha from New Delhi.

A Pune court on Wednesday directed the police to send three activists  Rao, Gonsalves and Ferreira  back to their homes, after the Supreme Court ordered that they be kept under house arrest till September 6.

The SC ordered that the five activists, arrested in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case, be kept under house arrest, observing that dissent was the "safety valve" of democracy.

Later, in a significant development, intelligence agencies have identified the underground network of Naxalites and their masterminds operating in various cities of the country.

According to a Zee Media Exclusive report, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has submitted a detailed report to the government on the country-wide underground network of banned CPI-M Naxals.

IB, in its report to the Home Ministry, said that five alleged masterminds of this underground network of Naxals have been identified after monitoring their activities for a long time.
NEW DELHI: Left parties will on Thursday lead a protest at the Jantar Mantar against what they call the 'unethical crackdown' by the government on the civil rights activists in connection with Bhima-Koregaon violence last year.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) General secretary Sitaram Yechury had announced that the Left parties will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, against the "unethical crackdown" on the five activists.

"There will be a protest at Jantar Mantar on Thursday by the Left and all progressive groups against the unethical crackdown," Yechury told ANI.

The CPI(M) politburo on Tuesday protested against the country-wide raids and subsequent arrests of left-wing activists, suspected to have Maoist links, calling it a brazen attack on democratic rights and civil liberties.

The CPI(M) demanded the withdrawal of the cases against the activists and their immediate release.

"The polit bureau of CPI(M) strongly protests the raids conducted by police authorities on the homes of various civil rights and human rights activists and Left intellectuals," a statement from the party said.

Maharashtra Police had on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states and arrested at least five of them for suspected Maoist links, sparking a chorus of outraged protests from human rights defenders.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year, which had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.

Prominent Telugu poet Varavara Rao was arrested from Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj from Faridabad and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha was arrested from New Delhi.

(With Agency Inputs)
Pune: The three accused civil rights activists -- Vernon Gosalves, Arun Ferreira and Varavara Rao -- arrested in connection to their involvement in the Bhima-Koregaon violence in 2017, are active members of the banned organisation, Communist Party of India (Maoist), the prosecutor told Pune session court on Wednesday.

Pune police on Tuesday had conducted raids in different parts of the country and arrested five accused activists in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case, three of which were produced before Pune sessions court on Wednesday. Vernon Gosalves was arrested from Mumbai, Arun Ferreira from Thane, whereas Varavara Rao was arrested from Hyderabad.

Seeking their 14-day remand, the public prosecutor informed the court that the accused were involved in the crime, adding that several documents were seized during the search operation from their houses. The court was also informed that electronic devices, seized from the accused, need to be investigated.

The court was also informed that the raids were video recorded. The prosecution further claimed, "In order to overthrow the Central Government, the accused have together formed an `anti-fascist` - the All India United Front."

Speaking about their involvement in the violence, it was told that Ferreira had an alleged role in recruiting the students and sending them to jungle area for training. It was also claimed that Varavara Rao had an authority to purchase the weapons from Nepal and Manipur.

Defence lawyer contested that Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was wrongly put on accused, since no weapons were used and other criteria of UAPA were also not met. The defence counsel said, "From the past four months the authorities have been probing the case. We have cooperated with the police in their search operations".

"If the seized evidence is being sent to Forensic Lab (FSL), then what is the need of police interrogation and what is the need for custody?" the defence counsel argued.

The grounds on which Pune police sought their remand, included, "Code languages were used in some seized letters, which need investigation and their funding sources also require checking."

The sessions court judge reiterated the decision of the Supreme Court to keep all arrested accused, including Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and VV Rao under house arrest till September 5.

Giving interim relief to the five rights activists who were arrested by Maharashtra Police in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that they will be be kept under house arrest till the next date of hearing. The apex court will hear the case again on September 6.

A petition was filed against the arrest of five activists by historian Romila Thapar along with human right activists Prabhat Patnaik, Satish Deshpande and Maya Darnall.

The petitioners had urged the SC to order an independent probe into arrest of the activists. They have also urged the SC to seek an explanation from Maharashtra for "sweeping round of arrest" in the case.

Arguing for the petitioners, lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the FIR has no mention of the arrested people and there are no allegations that they were a part of any meeting. "The larger issue is the chilling effect merely because one does not agree with you (govt)," Singhvi said.

Strongly opposing the plea, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta says people with no connection to the case are placing the matter before the SC.

Maharashtra Police had on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states and arrested at least five of them for suspected Maoist links. The raids were carried out as part of a probe into the violence between Dalits and the upper caste Peshwas at Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune after an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year.

Security officials said two letters recovered over the past few months, indicating Maoist plans to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, were also a reason for the raids.

Searches were carried out at the residences of prominent Telugu poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira in Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha in Delhi.

Subsequently, Rao, Bhardwaj, Farreira, Gonzalves and Navalakha were arrested under IPC Section 153 (A), which relates to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place or birth, residence, language and committing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
Lahore: India has rejected Pakistan's objections on its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river, a Pakistani official said on Thursday, as the crucial high-level bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty concluded here.

After the conclusion of talks, the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Meher Ali Shah told reporters that there would be no briefing and statement on the issue.

"It is a sensitive matter and we were conveyed (by the Foreign Office) not to speak on it. The Foreign Office will issue a statement in this regard," Shah said.

Another official of the Pakistani side, on the condition of anonymity, said India rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal hydropower projects on the Chenab river.

"India has hinted at continuation of work on both the hydropower projects," he said.

"Pakistan may approach the international forums defined in the Indus Waters Treaty over New Delhi's refusal to accept the requests as narrated in the detailed objections," the official said.

Pakistan has made it clear that it will have no option but to appointment neutral experts and take the case to the International Court of Arbitration in case India fails to address its concerns which are genuine, he said.

"India has invited Pakistan to send its experts to the sites of two projects -- the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal -- on the Chenab river next month to have their apprehensions redressed," a senior official of the Water Resource Ministry told PTI after the talks.

The official further said the both sides also agreed to develop a 'technical memorandum' over this matter and exchange it in the next meeting scheduled for later this year in India.

"Pakistani authorities asked Indians to reduce the height of the Pakal Dul's reservoir up to five metres. India has also been urged to maintain 40-metre height above sea level while making spillways' gates of the Pakal Dul project besides clarifying the pattern and mechanism

for the water storage and releases," Dawn quoted one of the participants of the meeting as saying.

"Similarly, Pakistan raised some technical concerns over design of the the Lower Kalnal hydropower project, requesting India to address them at the earliest," the report said.

India was represented by a nine-member delegation of the Indian Water Commission led by Commissioner P K Saxena.

On Wednesday, Shah said Pakistan raised objections on the 1000MW Pakal Dul and the 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects and a detailed discussion will be held during the talks.

"We had also raised concerns over construction of dams on Pakistani rivers and India did not bother about it and continued doing the same," Shah said, adding India will reply to Pakistan's queries on the controversial water projects.

Former Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah told PTI that the successive Pakistani governments had given much importance to its water disputes with India.

"India does not bother about Pakistan's objections. It begins work on building hydro power projects on the Pakistani rivers and the Pakistani government raises objections afterwards. Unless the Pakistani government seriously takes up these matters with India it will not get relief," he said, adding that Pakistan also needs to plead its case in the World Bank.

According to an official of the Pakistan Water Commission, Pakistan has been raising reservations over the designs of the two projects 1000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects on River Chenab ? and would like India to either modify the designs to make them compliant to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty or put the projects on hold until New Delhi satisfies Islamabad.

"The two sides will in talks also finalise the schedule of future meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission and visits of the teams of the Indus commissioners," he said.

Pakistan has also challenged the discharge series of River Lower Kalnai at Dunadi for winter months and estimated permissible pondage of 0.38 cubic megametres compared to Indian design pondage of 2.74 cubic megametres.

The Lower Kalnai project is on a left bank tributary of Chenab and can have gross storage of about 1,508 acre feet of water.

The Indian delegation will return home on Friday.

India and Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

The water commissioners of Pakistan and India are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works, but Pakistan had been facing a lot of problems in timely meetings and visits.

The last meeting of the Pakistan-India Permanent Indus Commission was held in New Delhi in March during which both the sides had shared details of the water flow and the quantum of water being used under the 1960 treaty.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers.

However, there have been disagreements and differences between India and Pakistan over the treaty.
NEW DELHI: Defending the Centre's note ban decision, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said that the invalidation of non-deposited currency wasn't the only object of demonetisation. His defence comes a day after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that 99.3 per cent of junked Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes have been returned to the banks

"Was the invalidation of non-deposited currency the only object of demonetisation? Certainly Not. The larger purpose of demonetisation was to move India from a Tax Non-compliant society to a compliant society, formalisation of the Economy and a clear blow to the black money," he said.

He also added that cash once deposited removes the anonymity of its owner. "Post demonetisation, about 1.8 million depositors have been identified for enquiry. Many of them are being fastened with Tax and Penalties. Mere deposit in a bank does not lead to a presumption that it is Tax paid Money," he said.

He claimed that the phenomenal increase in the number of Income Tax returns filed (in March 2014, it was 3.8 crore while in 2017-18, this figure has grown to 6.86 crore) is reflective of the impact of demonetisation and is also an evidence that it is a growing economy.

However, Congress hit back at Jaitley saying that the objective of demonetisation was to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'businessmen friends'. "The objective of demonetisation was very clear. It was to help PM Modi's friends. Demonetisation was not a mistake, it was a deliberate move," Congress President Rahul Gandhi said.

Congress leader P Chidambaram had also said that the Indian economy suffered due to the note-ban by way of job loss, closure of industries and the GDP growth. The former finance minister said the RBI figure has suggested that the government had actually demonetised only Rs 13,000 crore and the "country paid a huge price" for it.

The RBI had on Wednesday said that just a minuscule percentage of currency was left out of the system after the government's unprecedented note ban aimed at curbing black money and corruption.

Of the Rs 15.41 lakh crore worth Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation on November 8, 2016, when the note ban was announced, notes worth Rs 15.31 lakh crore have been returned. This meant just Rs 10,720 crore of the junked currency did not return to the banking system.

The government replaced old Rs 500 notes with new ones, but no replacement for Rs 1,000 notes have been made. Instead, a new Rs 2,000 notes were introduced post note ban. Post-demonetisation, RBI spent Rs 7,965 crore in 2016-17 on printing new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 and other denomination notes, more than double the Rs 3,421 crore spent in the previous year.
NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been advised to maintain distance with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS)  the parent organisation of the ruling BJP at the Centre  as it is akin to ''poison''.

Rahul Gandhi was advised not to accept the RSS invite to attend an upcoming event of the right-wing outfit, cautioning that doing so would be akin to consuming poison.

Senior Congress leaders in core group meeting have advised Rahul Gandhi to not accept RSS program invitation: Sources pic.twitter.com/dHMbNWf2UE  ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2018

The word of caution came from the members of the newly-constituted Congress Core Group, which met for the first time on Thursday.

During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi was told that accepting the RSS invite will harm his reputation since he has taken a strong stand against the right-wing organisation.

The warning from Congress leaders came in the wake of reports that the RSS will be organising a three-day lecture series Future of Bharat: An RSS perspective from September 17 to 19 in Delhi.

Sources said that Rahul Gandhi may be invited for the same along with Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechuri.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will be interacting with intellectuals and political leaders during the 3-day event. The idea of the event is to invite people from different ideologies for the event.

It may be recalled that Rahul Gandhi had recently likened the RSS to terror outfit Muslim Brotherhood which is active in Egypt but banned in several Arab countries.

During his recent trip to Germany and the United Kingdom, the Congress chief had attacked the RSS and said that its ideology was similar to the Islamic States.

During his regular interactions with media and on Twitter, Rahul Gandhi had made a barrage of attack on the RSS, questioning its ideology and accusing it of trying to take control of the democratic institutions.

Rahul Gandhi has on many occasions slammed the BJP of functioning under the pressure from the RSS and executing its pro-Hindutva agenda.

The meeting of the Congress Core Group was convened to chalk out the strategy to further escalate attack on the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale jet deal, which the Congress calls the ''Great Rafale Robbery.''

The members of CWG met at Rahul Gandhi's residence to discuss further strategy over the Rafale issue.

Rahul Gandhi and his colleagues had launched a frontal attack on the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale issue and are demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe into it.

Continuing the war of words with the ruling BJP, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was trying to cover up a "scandal with scandal" and asked why the government was "scared" for a JPC probe.

Rahul Gandhi attacked PM Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in a tweet while Congress Spokesperson Manish Tewari posed queries on the deal at the party's regular briefing here.

The Opposition party's attack came hours after Jaitley termed the Congress party's charges on the Rafale deal "complete falsehood'', in a Facebook blog post.

Hitting back, Rahul said that the government should then accept a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe.
MUMBAI: As war of words between Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Congress president Rahul Gandhi continued over the Rafale deal, Reliance group chairman Anil Ambani on Wednesday said that truth will come out.

While addressing the media on the row over the Rafale deal, Ambani said: "Truth alone will come out. I have personally written to Rahul Gandhi and stated that the Congress has been misinformed, misdirected, and misled on the Rafale deal by malicious vested interests and corporate rivals."

Ambani has maintained that contrary to the allegations by the Congress, the joint venture between Reliance and Dassault Aviation has no role of the Centre. He has also filed a Rs 5000 crore defamation suit against Congress mouthpiece National Herald for an article published in the paper on the deal.

Anil Ambani's Reliance Group companies have taken on National Herald and filed two suits. The first is against Associated Journals Limited, the publisher of the National Herald, its editor in-charge and the author of the article. The second suit was filed Gujarat Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil seeking Rs 5,000 crore in damages for defamation.

The Reliance Group has denied receiving any contract from the Defence Ministry and said "unfounded and incorrect" allegations are being deliberately made to "mislead people and cloud the issue." The group also said that Dassault, the French firm that is to supply 36 Rafale fighter jets, chose Reliance Defence Ltd to meet its 'offset' or export obligation in the contract and the Ministry of Defence has no role in the selection of Indian partners by the foreign vendors.

Congress has repeatedly claimed that the jets have been purchased at an escalated cost and has also questioned the joint venture between Anil Ambani's company and DA.

On Wednesday, Jaitley had hit out at Rahul questioning his knowledge about the aircraft. Can you compare a basic aircraft's pricing with a loaded aircraft? Can you compare simple aircraft with a weaponised aircraft," Jaitley asked.



Terming Rahul Gandhis allegations as factually false, Jaitley had said, "Every fact that they have said on pricing is factually false... Mr Rahul Gandhi himself has given seven different prices in different speeches with regard to the Rafale, that is the 2007 offer. And the simple case is they have made it as if it is a kindergarten or primary school debate."

However, Rahul hit back at Jaitley terming the deal as "Rafale robbery". "Mr Jaitley, thanks for bringing the nations attention back to the GREAT #RAFALE ROBBERY! How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee to sort it out? Problem is, your Supreme Leader is protecting his friend, so this may be inconvenient. Do check & revert in 24 hrs. Were waiting," he tweeted on Wednesday.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has hit back at Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the latters attack on the issue of Rafale fighter jets. The Congress chief thanked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader for bringing the nations attention back to the great Rafale robbery.

Suggesting that a joint Parliamentary committee be constituted to look into the purchase of the fighter jets from France, the Congress president sought a response from Arun Jaitley in the next 24 hours.
NEW DELHI: In a significant development, the intelligence agencies have identified the underground network of Naxalites and their masterminds operating in various cities of the country.

According to a Zee Media Exclusive report, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) has submitted a detailed report to the government on the country-wide underground network of banned CPI-M Naxals.

IB, in its report to the Home Ministry, said that five alleged masterminds of this underground network of Naxals have been identified after monitoring their activities for a long time.

The IB has also submitted the names of the five masterminds to the Home Ministry.

According to reports, a professor from Nagpur, an advocate, a journalist and a social activist are among those named in the IB report to the Home Ministry.

The names of these persons have not been disclosed due to security reasons.

In its two-page report, the agency claimed to have gathered credible actionable inputs against those named by it over their alleged involvement in Naxal-related activities and their role in last year's violence in Bhima-Koregaon.

The agency also claimed that there was credible evidence indicating the financial transactions between the banned CPI-M Naxals and the pro-Naxal outfits.

Intelligence agencies had earlier warned that several suspected Naxal sympathisers were trying to establish a close link between the CPI-M Maoists and various terror outfits active in the Kashmir Valley.

Intelligence sources said that pro-Naxal groups or the Urban Naxals have been covertly trying to establish close contacts with the terrorist outfits in Jammu and Kashmir for quite some time now.

The assessment done by the intelligence agencies was based on inputs received from various sources in Kashmir and the letters seized by the Maharashtra Police as part of its ongoing probe into the Bhima-Koregaon violence last year.

The letters seized by the Maharashtra Police has revealed the Naxal link with Kashmiri Separatists and their keen interest in the financial support being received for terror activists in the Valley.

Based on these inputs, the intelligence agencies had warned that there is a clear evidence which shows that separatist and terror organisations are being directly supported and funded by Urban Naxals in the several cities.

As part of their plan to further strengthen its network in J&K, 15 members of a pro-Naxal outfit had visited parts of Kashmir in May this year, the agencies said.

The members of the group secretly visited several areas including Anantnag, Badgam, Baramulla, Kupwara and Shopian in the north and south Kashmir.

The group also collected details of the terror-related cases pending in the various courts here and devised a strategy to deal with them legally.

The group members had collected facts and figures related to various encounters done by the security forces in Kashmir so as to build a strong human rights violation case against them at the international level.

The strategy of the pro-Naxal groups is to build maximum pressure on the Centre and the state government and expose them at the international level, the reports said.

The alarming revelations from the intelligence agencies came a day after Maharashtra Police detained several prominent Maoist sympathisers following massive raids across various locations on Tuesday.

Maharashtra Police had on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states and arrested at least four of them for suspected links with the Maoists.



Near-simultaneous searches were carried out at the residences of prominent Telugu poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira in Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha in New Delhi.

Subsequently, Rao, Bhardwaj and Farreira were arrested. Although Navalakha was also arrested, the Delhi High Court ordered police not to take him out of the national capital at least until Wednesday.



According to unconfirmed reports, others whose residences were raided are Susan Abraham, Kranthi Tekula, Father Stan Swamy in Ranchi and Anand Teltumbde in Goa.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into the violence between Dalits and the upper caste Peshwas at Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune after an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year.

As part of its probe into the Bhima-Koregaon violence, the Pune Police had seized two letters exchanged by Maoists detailing their plans to eliminate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Minister Rajnath Singh.

The raids conducted by the Maharashtra Police were severely criticised by the civil rights groups and the opposition parties which likened it to a virtual declaration of Emergency in the country.
In a fit of rage, the student of a Bijnor district school in Uttar Pradesh shot his principal, for rusticating him, and critically injured him, police said on Thursday. A case has been filed against the student who is currently on the run.

The principal has been seriously injured and has been admitted to a hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

The fatal incident took place at Sai Inter College in Shahpur Village of Seohara town in Bijnor district. The accused, Dipanshu, a student of Class 10 had earlier been rusticated by the principal for his involvement with hooliganism.

On the day of the incident, the student came to college with his family to get his name back in the college records. The management had even asssured the family by saying that an investigation will be done into the matter after which they left.

However, the accused returned to the school shortly and shot the principal. He immediately disappeared from the crime scene.

On receiving information of the incident, the police reached the spot and started an investigation in the case.
SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the alleged foreign funding of terrorists and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir, has arrested the son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin from Srinagar.

Salahuddin's son Shakeel was arrested by the NIA officials from his Rambagh residence this morning, according to ANI.

Shakeel is the second son of the Hizbul chief and has been working as a senior lab technician in SKIMS Soura.

Meanwhile, restrictions were imposed in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar to prevent protests called by separatists in support of Article 35A.

"Restrictions have been imposed in areas under the jurisdiction of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, MR Gunj and Safa Kadal police stations while partial restrictions will remain in force in areas under Kralkhud and Maisuma police stations on Thursday and Friday.

"The restrictions are purely preventive in nature and have been imposed to maintain law and order," the J&K Police said in a statement.

Separatist conglomerate, Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), headed by Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, has called for a complete protest shutdown on August 30 and 31 for protection of article 35A.

The article has been challenged through a bunch of petitions in the Supreme Court. The case is coming up for hearing on Friday before a three-judge bench of the apex court.

Rail services between Baramulla and Bannihal towns have also been suspended for two days.

The University of Kashmir has also rescheduled all entrance exams being held on Thursday and Friday for admission to various post-graduate courses.

Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in huge numbers in areas placed under restrictions and also at other vulnerable places in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley.

(With Agency Inputs)
RANCHI: former Bihar chief minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday surrendered before the Special CBI court in Jharkhand capital Ranchi to serve the jail term following his conviction in several fodder scam cases.

Lalu reached the CBI court here flanked by his supporters and party workers, according to ANI.

Jharkhand: RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav reaches CBI Court. He had been ordered to surrender today by Ranchi High Court. #FodderScam pic.twitter.com/v2XbU9BBC5  ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2018

Doctors of Asian Heart Institute (Mumbai) will do a checkup of Lalu Prasad Yadav and then inform Court about his condition, Prabhat Kumar, the RJD chief's lawyer said.

The Jharkhand High Court had earlier ordered him to surrender at the earliest.

Lalu had returned to Patna on Saturday from Mumbai, where he was treated at a hospital for nearly three weeks.

The Jharkhand High Court had refused to extend the provisional bail of the former Bihar chief minister and asked him to surrender by August 30 before the Special CBI court.

It had on May 11 granted six weeks provisional bail to the RJD chief on medical grounds which was extended on several occasions, the last being till August 27.

Flanked by party leaders and workers at the airport here, Prasad refused to make comments on any issues citing the court order restraining him to speak to media.

IN his brief interaction with the media, Lalu said that his health condition is not good.

"Bolna nahi hai. Instruction hai. Tabiyat theek nahi hai (I have not to speak (with media). There are instructions. My health is not good)," Prasad told reporters while on his way to his wife Rabri Devi's residence 10, Circular road.

When pressed by journalists for his comment on Muzaffarpur shelter home sex scandal, Prasad reiterated that he has been barred from speaking on any issues in public.

Bhola Yadav, Lalu Prasad's close confidant and an MLA, told PTI that the RJD chief had gone to "Mumbai's Asian Heart Institute on August 6 for the treatment of heart and kidney infection and has returned to Patna after 19 days. He would go to Ranchi surrender before the CBI court on August 30."

Yadav said that they would make an application before the CBI court at Ranchi for shifting Prasad to RIMS (Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences) but it will be up to the court as to where it refers Prasad.

Lalu's sons - Tejashwi and Tej Pratap - were not present at the airport as they had to attend a party function organised to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of late BP Mandal, the former Bihar chief minister who also headed Backward Classes Commission which recommended 27 percent quota for OBC in jobs.
The Karnataka government has declared a holiday on August 31 for urban local bodies (ULBs) polls. The holiday extends to all government employees, schools and colleges, including grant-in-aid institutions. Voting will take place from 7 am to 5 pm.

The holiday has been declared for all offices and establishments within the Ullal and Puttur city municipal councils and Bantwal Town Municipal Council.

After elections to three ULBs in Kodagu district were postponed due to the damage after heavy rains and floods, elections would be held for 105 ULBs on Friday. The campaigning for the elections ended on Wednesday at 5 pm.

Elections will also be held for three city corporations - Mysuru, Tumakuru and Shivamogga. The State Election Commission (SEC) has asked candidates not to send SMS or video clippings to seek votes from the people.

Elections will be held for three urban local bodies - Ullal and Puttur City Municipal Councils (CMCs) and Bantwal Town Municipal Council (TMC). 102 ULBs are going to polls on Friday. These include 29 city municipal councils, 53 town municipal councils and 23 town panchayats. The results for thw ULB polls will be declared on September 1.
NEW DELHI: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy arrived in the national capital to thank Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his party's support in smoothly running the coalition government in the southern state.

Interestingly, the Janata Dal-Secular leader today completed 100 days as in office as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.

While speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said that he has come to pay his regards to the Congress chief whose party is a partner in the coalition government in Karnataka.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy met Congress President Rahul Gandhi earlier today in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/RnuizFF0q3  ANI (@ANI) August 30, 2018

''Today I completed 100 days in CM office so I am here to pay my regards to the Congress President,'' he said while speaking to reporters.

''Rahul Ji is happy with the way Karnataka government is running. Our government is able and functioning smoothly,''Kumaraswamy said after meeting the Congress president.

When asked if he had complained to Rahul Gandhi about former chief minister and Congress veteran Siddaramaiah, he said, ''No no. It was a cordial visit. I had just come to meet him (Rahul Gandhi) on 100 days of our government.''

Kumaraswamy also met Jitendra Singh, MoS PMO earlier this morning in Delhi and discussed the flood and drought situation in Karnataka.

According to a report by Ahmedabad Mirror, the JDS leader had visited several important religious places in the past few days just as he completed the 100 days in office.

Kumaraswamy reportedly paid obeisance at 50 places of worship which include 47 temples, a dargah, a church and a mosque, seeking divine blessings for his remaining term.

Kumaraswamy visiting temples and other religious places is not surprising as he comes from a highly religious family.

His parents, HD Deve Gowda and Chennamma, his brother and PWD Minister HD Revanna, his wife and son also joined him in his recent visits to divine centres.

Those close to Kumaraswamy claim that the chief minister is a completely different man from what he used to be during his first stint as the CM.

They claim that his political acumen and personal beliefs have not affected his administration.

Though he is approachable and friendly, he no longer trusts people easily and is difficult to convince him.

Karnataka Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar finds nothing wrong in Kumaraswamy's temple run.

It is their personal belief. Is he the only politician to have visited temples? We have so many leaders who have done it in the past, Shivakumar said.

Kumaraswamy's predecessor Siddaramaiah  a self-declared atheist  had teamed up with Congress president Rahul Gandhi in paying visits to temple during the assembly elections.

BJP leader and Lingayat strongman BS Yeddyurappa is also well known for his temple visit during his tenure as the chief minister.
Bengaluru: On a day when the JDS-Congress combine completed 100 days in power in Karnataka, BJP attacked the state government of being more concerned about survival than the welfare of people.

JDS and Congress had joined hands after the elections to eventually stake claim and form government. It was the eventual result of a hotly-contested election which saw BJP form a government of days before BS Yeddyurappa resigned citing lack of numbers. HD Kumaraswamy would take over as CM but since, there have been reports of rifts aplenty between his JDS and the Congress. "Kumaranna has no desire to take part in the celebrations of 100 days of the coalition government," read one of many Facebook posts put out by BJP on Thursday. " For, he is worried whether the government will survive or not."

BJP also questioned why loan waivers to farmers had not taken place despite JDS repeatedly promising to do so if it comes to power. "The chief minister has insulted the farmers with his arrogant statement that they voted for caste in the election and sold their votes for money," read another post from BJP on Facebook.

Life as CM has not been easy for Kumaraswamy who found himself bang in the middle of a political storm when he said that he is at the mercy of Congress and not of 6.5 crore people of the state. "The people of the state rejected me and our party. I had sought an absolute majority. I have heard the statements of farm leaders too and how much they supported me," he had said. "Mine is not an independent government. I had requested the people to give me a mandate that prevents me from succumbing to any pressure other than you. But today I am at the mercy of the Congress. I am not under the pressure of the 6.5 crore people of the state."

Facing enormous flak, he would later issue a statement in which Kumaraswamy said he never meant to disrespect people of Karnataka. Such incidents and statements though have provided much ammunition to BJP, a party that has repeatedly predicted the alliance between JDS and Congress to give way due to their differences.
New Delhi: Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia and actor Angad Bedi tied the knot in a hush-hush wedding ceremony in May this year. After their wedding, the couple left everyone surprised yet again by sharing the news of Neha's pregnancy. A while ago, reports regarding Angad's alleged ex-girlfriend, Nora Fatehi giving cold stares to the couple at an event had surfaced but looks like the gorgeous 'Dilbar' girl is way above all of that.

In a rather cryptic tweet, the actress has explained her 'cold stares'.

Along with sharing a meme, Nora wrote, "my indifferent expression on my face in public may giveevil vibesbut trust me at that moment Im only thinking about whether im having a burger or pizza for dinner & waiting to get into my pjs. Im living my best life!No time to stare at people at events im way above that"

my indifferent expression on my face in public may giveevil vibesbut trust me at that moment Im only thinking about whether im having a burger or pizza for dinner & waiting to get into my pjs. Im living my best life!No time to stare at people at events im way above that pic.twitter.com/fWL1wCDNXX  Nora Fatehi (@Norafatehi) August 29, 2018

Well, that would put all rumours to rest for sure!

The actress has been currently ruling the internet with her killer dance moves in the song 'Dilbar' from the film 'Satyameva Jayate'. The film stars John Abraham and Manoj Bajpayee and had sent cash registers ringing the day it hit theatres.

After making our jaws drop in 'Dilbar', the actress is ready to set the silver screen ablaze by playing a role in Salman Khan- Katrina Kaif starrer 'Bharat'.

Looks like Nora is on a roll professionally and we just can't wait to see more of her on screen!
New Delhi: Internet sensation Priya Prakash Varrier grabs eyeballs each time she posts a picture on social media. Few days ago, Priya's pictures in a white traditional saree were breaking the internet and now, the gorgeous young star has posted some monochrome pictures that are a pure treat for the eyes!

In the candid clicks, Priya looks absolutely mesmerising.

Check them out here:

A post shared by priya prakash varrier (@priya.p.varrier) on Aug 30, 2018 at 5:29am PDT

For the unversed, Priya became a celebrity overnight after a video clip from the Malayalam song Manikya Malaraya Poovi from Omar Lulu's Malayalam movie 'Oru Adaar Love' went viral on social media earlier this year. In the small clip, Priya's wink stole the show and people began calling her 'The queen of expressions'. There was a massive increase in Priya's social media followers and soon after the clip went viral, she got the precious blue tick on her Instagram profile!

Priya had been initially signed for the film to play a small role. But ever since a clip featuring Priya went viral, the makers decided to extend her role, reports suggest. They have made her role in the film meatier to make the most of her popularity. The script and climax have reportedly been changed to give her more prominence.

The film also stars Noorin Shereef, Michelle Ann Daniel, Mathew, Siyadh Shajahan, Dilrupa Aswad Alqamar, Yami Sona among others. The Malayalam film will now release in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages too, reports suggest.
Washington: The findings of a recent study show that air pollution has a substantial effect on the output of solar panels.

After initially collecting data on both the amount of solar radiation reaching the ground, and the amount of particulate matter in the air as measured by other instruments, Ian Marius Peters worked with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) associate professor of mechanical engineering Tonio Buonassisi and three others to find a way to calculate the amount of sunlight that was being absorbed or scattered by haze before reaching the solar panels.

Eventually, they were able to collect data in Delhi, India, providing measures of insolation and of pollution over a two-year period and confirmed significant reductions in the solar-panel output. But unlike Singapore, what they found was that "in Delhi it's constant. There's never a day without pollution," Peters said.

There, they found the annual average level of attenuation of the solar panel output was about 12 percent, while that might not sound like such a large amount, Peters pointed out that it is larger than the profit margins for some solar installations, and thus could literally be enough to make the difference between a successful project and one that fails not only impacting that project but also potentially causing a ripple effect by deterring others from investing in solar projects.

If the size of an installation is based on expected levels of sunlight reaching the ground in that area, without considering the effects of haze, it will instead fall short of meeting its intended output and its expected revenues.

"When you're doing project planning, if you haven't considered air pollution, you're going to undersize, and get a wrong estimate of your return on investment," Peters said.

After their detailed Delhi study, the team examined preliminary data from 16 other cities around the world and found impacts ranging from 2 percent for Singapore to over nine percent for Beijing, Dakha, Ulan Bator, and Kolkata.

In addition, they looked at how the different types of solar cells gallium arsenide, cadmium telluride, and perovskite are affected by the hazes, because of their different spectral responses. All of them were affected even more strongly than the standard silicon panels they initially studied, with perovskite, a highly promising newer solar cell material, being affected the most (with over 17 percent attenuation in Delhi).

Many countries around the world have been moving toward greater installation of urban solar panels, with India aiming for 40 gigawatts (GW) of rooftop solar installations, while China already has 22 GW of them. Most of these are in urban areas. So the impact of these reductions in output could be quite severe, the researchers say.

In Delhi alone, the lost revenue from power generation could amount to as much as USD20 million annually, for Kolkata about USD16 million, and for Beijing and Shanghai, it's about USD10 million annually each, the team estimates. Planned installations in Los Angeles could lose between USD6 million and USD9 million.

Overall, the project, the potential losses "could easily amount to hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars annually." And if systems are under-designed because of a failure to take hazes into account, that could also affect overall system reliability, they said.

Peters said that the major health benefits related to reducing levels of air pollution should be motivation enough for nations to take strong measures, but this study "hopefully is another small piece of showing that we really should improve air quality in cities, and showing that it really matters."
London: Harris's hawk has the best color vision of all the animals investigated to date, helping them to successfully detect, pursue and capture prey, a study suggests.

The findings by researchers at Lund University in Sweden may help protect threatened birds of prey against hazards such as wind turbines and power lines.

"I did not think that color vision would be of such significance, rather than birds of prey simply have better visual acuity than humans and that was the reason they detect objects so early and at a great distance. However, color is of considerable importance," said Almut Kelber, a biologist at Lund University.

Normally, the size of the eyes determines the optical resolution and thus what people or animals can see. The bigger the eyes, the higher the resolution. The size of the eyes, in turn, is usually linked to body size. Large body, large eyes, small body, small eyes, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

Particular to birds is a poor ability in general to see contrasts between different objects. Their contrast vision is almost ten times lower than ours, researchers said. However, there are exceptions, and Harris's hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) is one of them, they said.

The study shows that if an object is not distinguishable from the background and the color is approximately the same, it is more difficult for a bird of prey than a human to detect it. If, on the other hand, the object has a different color than the background, Harris's hawk can detect it at twice the distance compared to human vision.

"It's exciting! The hawk weighs less than one kilo and has small eyes. Nonetheless, it can see many times better than us, even though it is so small and light," said Simon Potier, who is a falconer.

The study shows that colors are important for enabling birds of prey to detect quarry at a great distance. Good color vision is also particularly important in environments such as forests, where shadows, for example, can confuse visual impressions.

The findings are based on studies of Harris's hawks in France. The Hawks could fly to one of two perches within a bird enclosure. A uniform color was projected on a large screen behind one of the perches, and a multi-colored grid pattern was displayed behind the other perch. If the hawk chose the screen with a uniform color it received a reward, whereas the other choice offered no reward.

Once the Hawks learned that a uniform color without a grid pattern meant a reward, the researchers gradually changed the grid pattern's contrast and closed the distance between the grid lines until the hawk could no longer see the difference between the two screen images.

"The more fine-meshed patterns an animal can see, the sharper their visual acuity," said Potier.
MADURAI: Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan has said that his newly launched party is ready to test the electoral waters in 2019 General Elections.

The iconic Tamil filmstar, however, said that his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) will not contest the forthcoming by-election in Tamil Nadu.

"We are getting ready for it (2019 general elections) and it's true that we are ready already," Haasan said at an event here on Wednesday.

When quizzed by reporters about his plans to contest the forthcoming by-election in the state, Kamal replied, "We will teach a lesson to the government to tell them about their duties, but we are not in the mindset to contest it."

It is to be noted that by-election is scheduled to be held for two assembly seats - Thiruvarur and Thiruparankundram constituencies  which have fallen vacant after the demise of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader AK Bose.

The state election commission is yet to announce the date for the same.

(With ANI inputs)
LUCKNOW: A day after making serious allegations against influential Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh will arrive in former's assembly constituency Rampur on Thursday.

Singh had on Tuesday accused the SP leader of threatening his minor daughters with an acid attack and said that he would meet seek security for them from the UP government.

"Azam Khan calls me an opportunist. I do not know how I became an opportunist?" asked Singh, claiming he was given the Rajya Sabha ticket by the Samajwadi Party even despite staying out of it after his expulsion for the first time and never seeking any ticket.

Singh also quoted SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav who had once remarked that "Amar resides in (his) heart and not in the party."

Singh added that he was expelled for the second time by the SP president and Mulayam Singh's son Akhilesh Yadav.

"I had not left SP, I have not come out (from the SP), I was thrown out," he said.

Further hitting out at Azam Khan, Singh said he had not secured any post for his wife, brother or any other family member like Azam Khan, who "himself became a minister, his wife became a Rajya Sabha MP, his son an MLA and he (Azam), the chancellor of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University."

Singh said that he would leave for Rampur, Azam Khan's pocket-borough on Thursday "to present myself for sacrifice in front of Khan."

"Azam Khan is a 'bahubali' (a person exercising tremendous clout) I am ready to sacrifice myself if he is ready to sacrifice me. On Thursday, I am not going to Rampur for any violence," said Singh.

Singh also met UP Governor Ram Naik and expressed concerns regarding the safety of his family.

Speaking to media after meeting Governor Ram Naik, he said, "I had comprehensive talks with the governor. As a father figure, I told him everything and also gave him a memorandum, urging him to take it seriously."
SHANGHAI/BEIJING: China's largest ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing has suspended its carpooling service after a passenger was killed, and is likely to face tighter oversight that will squeeze driver numbers and extend customer waiting times. The incident, which follows a similar grisly killing by a Didi driver in May, triggered public and government backlash - and created an opening for rival services to chip away at Didi`s dominance in China, industry analysts say.

"There is certainly room for others to serve the market, and such incidents expose an apparent weakness in Didi`s business model: aggressive expansion without adequate control of the integrity of the drivers on their platform," said Bill Russo, head of Shanghai-based consultancy Automobility Ltd.

Didi founder Cheng Wei and President Jean Liu issued a lengthy and deeply apologetic letter late on Tuesday, saying "our vanity overtook our original beliefs." It was a humbling move for a Chinese company celebrated as a homegrown "unicorn" in state media.

The company controls 90 percent of the Chinese ride share market, according to a Bain report in May. Didi says it makes 10 billion trips a year.

Valued at $56 billion in a fundraising round last year, Didi is trying to expand globally and is considering a giant initial public offering as early as next year. It bought rival Uber`s China business in 2016. But now it may need to tap the brakes. This week, regulators in major cities, including Beijing, Chongqing, Dongguan, Guangzhou and Shanghai, ordered company officials to suspend drivers without proper operating licenses and stop new registrations for unqualified drivers, government statements and local media said.

Tougher safety measures and driver screenings are likely, analysts said. Already, Didi says it rejects tens of thousands of unqualified driver applications every day. Didi had already faced mounting public frustration over waiting times and concerns that it had not done enough after the May killing. Drivers complained that working for the company had become less lucrative.

In a statement sent to Reuters on Wednesday, the company said it would "do everything we can technologically and institutionally to prevent crime," adding that it uses technology to improve efficiency. It added that based on an eight-hour day, its drivers made 6,000 to 7,000 yuan ($873-$1,018) per month, roughly three times the 2,120 yuan minimum wage in Beijing.

In 2016, the official Beijing Youth Daily newspaper reported that drivers earned more than 10,000 yuan per month at the height of the subsidy war between Didi and Uber, which made them popular employers at the time. There are more than 80 businesses with licenses to operate in what the Bain report said is a $30 billion Chinese ride-hailing sector, which includes Tencent-backed Meituan Dianping, CAR Inc and Geely Holding Group`s CaoCao Car.

Meituan and five other companies either declined to comment or did not respond. CaoCao Car said in a statement it only hired full-time drivers and used no privately owned cars. Signs were already emerging last year that hailing a ride with Didi was getting harder. In June 2017, average driver response rates fell 13 to 40 percent in some densely populated areas across China`s largest cities compared with a year earlier, according to data Didi sent to Reuters in January.

Didi declined to provide updated numbers, or data on wait times. However, domestic media reports this year include complaints over long wait times. Li Qiangzhi of the state-backed China Academy of Information and Communications Technology told the China News Service this month that between March and July the number of ride calls accepted by all Beijing ride-hailing service drivers fell 22 percent, while the time to respond to a call was 3.4 times longer on average.

REGULATORY BACKLASH

Didi`s popularity in China has amplified the outcry and passenger frustrations. In China, the number of rides per day on Didi`s platform rose to 20 million from 14 million after its deal with Uber in 2016. That year, the government imposed stricter regulations, such as a rule in some places requiring drivers to have a permit to work and live in the city where they drive, which excludes the large pool of migrant workers.

Didi said Wednesday it supports 30 million drivers, and rides have surged to over 30 million a day. The sudden regulatory scrutiny in the five days since the killing could signal a shift for Didi and the industry. "Chinese technology companies have a culture of moving fast and breaking things, and while Didi got a free pass from the regulator for the first incident ... it is unlikely to get off scot-free the second time," Richard Windsor, a technology analyst, wrote on his Radio Free Mobile blog.

Transport officials in Dongguan, in southern China, told Didi that it had far more drivers operating in the city than the total number of ride-hailing drivers registered there, The Paper, an online news site, reported. "There are still a large number of drivers and vehicles that do not have the regulatory qualification to operate," it cited Dongguan transport officials as saying.

DRIVER GRUMBLING

Didi is also contending with dissatisfaction among drivers, with at least eight strikes in different cities across China in the past year, local media have reported. Some of the strikes protested how much Didi collects from drivers, while others were over fines drivers had to pay after regulatory changes, the reports said. Like passengers, drivers have other companies to choose from.

Four Didi drivers in Beijing told Reuters the company had in recent months persuaded them to obtain a certificate to register their cars as vehicles used for ride-hailing, an unpopular step. "If we register our car, the car is forced to be scrapped after eight years. No one actually wants to get a certificate," said one, surnamed Zhang.

Those four, as well as three other current or former Didi drivers, said they were frustrated with Didi`s cancellation of subsidies after the deal with Uber. Even changes such as stricter dress standards for drivers in its premier service made life harder, they said.

"Last week, some people complained that my car is smelly. Didi then lowered my rate and cut 600 yuan ($87) out of my earnings. That means I did one week for nothing," said one Beijing driver, surnamed Yang.

($1 = 6.8740 Chinese yuan renminbi)
WASHINGTON: Days after cancelling a planned visit to North Korea by his top diplomat citing insufficient progress in denuclearisation talks, US President Donald Trump hailed his personal relationship North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday and said there was currently no reason to resume war games with South Korea.

Trump`s statement came a day after his defence secretary hinted that the drills, which North Korea denounces as rehearsals for invasion, could resume.

Trump tweeted a White House statement in which he once against questioned China`s role in helping to resolve the crisis over North Korea`s development of nuclear weapons that threaten the United States.

The statement said Trump believed North Korea was under "tremendous pressure" from China, but Beijing was also supplying Pyongyang with "considerable aid," including fuel, fertiliser and commodities. "This is not helpful!" the statement said.

"Nonetheless, the President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games," it added. "Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before."

The statement also said that the US trade dispute with China and other differences "will be resolved in time by President Trump and Chinas great President Xi Jinping. Their relationship and bond remain very strong."

Trump caught many American military planners off guard when he announced after an unprecedented summit with Kim on June 12 that the United States was suspending this summer`s joint military drills with South Korea.

CONCESSION CRITICISED AS PREMATURE

The move was broadly criticized as a premature concession to North Korea, which has resisted U.S. efforts to persuade it to give up its nuclear weapons. On Tuesday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis noted that the suspension of joint military drills with South Korea as a good-faith gesture to North Korea was not open-ended.

On Wednesday, he reiterated that no decisions had been made about suspending any future exercises and stressed the importance of the US alliance with South Korea. At the June summit, the first meeting between a serving U.S. president and a North Korean leader, Kim agreed in broad terms to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But North Korea has given no indication it is willing to give up its weapons unilaterally as the Trump administration has demanded.

On Friday Trump called off a trip to North Korea by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo just hours after Pompeo had announced it and publicly acknowledged for the first time that his efforts to get Pyongyang to denuclearize had stalled. North Korea has been seeking relief from tough international sanctions and a formal conclusion to the 1950-1953 Korean War, which ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. But Washington says North Korea must give up its nuclear weapons first.

"We believe that denuclearisation has to take place before we get to other parts, and that`s been a part of our policy," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert reiterated on Wednesday. US officials say North Korean officials warned in a letter to Pompeo last week that talks with the United States risked falling apart. They now worry that Pyongyang may concentrate on trying to cut a separate deal with South Korea and in doing so driving a wedge between the US-South Korea alliance.

They basically dont think were doing enough, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, referring to the North Koreans. He said that the tone of the letter was if youre not willing to give something, then dont come. US intelligence and defence officials have repeatedly expressed deep doubts about North Korea`s willingness to give up its nuclear weapons and had not expected Pompeo`s trip to yield positive results.
Islamabad: Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday paid his first visit to the army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi where he was briefed on the security issues.

Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), won the July 25 general election amidst the perception that the Pakistan Army, a major player in Pakistan's politics, has thrown its weight behind his party.

The prime minister was accompanied by Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Foreign Affairs Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar among others.

Khan was received by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters, Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said. "Prime Minister (is) being briefed on defence, internal security and other professional matters," he said.

On Monday, General Bajwa had the first formal meeting with Prime Minister Khan, who was sworn-in as the 22nd premier of Pakistan on August 18, and discussed the security situation in the country as well as the efforts to ensure long-lasting peace and stability in the region.

Bajwa had congratulated Khan on assuming the top ministerial job during their meeting.

The powerful military has ruled coup-prone Pakistan for nearly half of the country's history since independence in 1947. Khan and Bajwa had held their first meeting in 2017 when the cricketer-turned-politician congratulated the latter over his promotion and appointment as army chief.
SWAR CREEK DAM: As many as 85 villages were flooded in Myanmar after a dam failed, unleashing waters that blocked a major highway and forced more than 63,000 people from their homes, a state-run newspaper said on Thursday. The disaster spotlights safety concerns about dams in Southeast Asia after last month`s collapse of a hydroelectric dam in neighbouring Laos that displaced thousands of people and killed at least 27.

Firefighters, troops and officials launched a desperate rescue effort on Wednesday after the spillway of an irrigation dam burst at Swar creek in central Myanmar, sending a torrent of water through villages and the nearby towns of Swar and Yedashe. By Thursday morning the water was receding, but two people remained missing and were feared to have been washed away, said Min Thu, deputy administrator of Yedashe.

"People whose villages are on higher ground are preparing to go back to their villages," he told Reuters. The ruptured spillway had flooded 85 villages, affecting more than 63,000 people and submerging a section of highway, the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

Traffic between Myanmar`s major cities of Yangon and Mandalay and the capital, Naypyitaw, was disrupted after the flooding damaged a bridge on the highway linking the cities.

INTERNAL PROBE

Work was underway on Thursday to repair the dam, where the water level had dropped by several meters, exposing sandy banks. A priority was to get as much water into the reservoir as possible before the dry season when it is needed for irrigation, said Kaung Myat Thein, an irrigation official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation. He said a probe would seek the cause of the dam breach.

"The retaining wall of the spillway sank into the foundation about 4-5 feet, causing the flooding, but the main dam is intact," said Kaung Myat Thein. Days before the breach, authorities had given the all-clear to the dam, which can hold 216,350 acre-feet of water, despite residents` concerns about overspill, state-run media have said.

Kaung Myat Thein said the dam was regularly inspected and a spillway collapse could not have been predicted. "We could not know one day before, one hour before," he said.

FIELDS RUINED

As floodwaters receded, elders gathered at Oo Yin Hmu, a village of about 1,000 people only a few miles downstream from the dam, to review the damage. Paddy fields stretching from the edge of the village were inundated. It would be years before they could be planted with rice again, said Zaw Zaw, a 45-year-old farmer.

Residents ran to higher ground to escape the floodwaters, he said, but many lost their homes and possessions and were expected to ask the regional government for compensation. "My house was at the northern part of the village and all houses in the northern part didn`t survive," said Pan Ei Phyu, 24, a villager who escaped with her family, buffalos and cows.

"All of my farmland is turned into mud now. I don`t have land or anything else anymore. I don`t know what to do."
A white former Texas policeman was jailed on Wednesday for 15 years over the deadly shooting of an unarmed black teenager in a Dallas suburb 2017 that fueled a national debate over possible racial bias in US policing. The same jury that convicted Roy Oliver, 38, of murder on Tuesday in the death of Jordan Edwards, 15, deliberated for several hours before deciding his prison sentence.

Oliver`s conviction was a rare instance in which an officer was found guilty of murdering an unarmed person.

In emotional testimony during the penalty phase of the trial on Wednesday, Oliver`s mother asked the jury to sentence her son to the minimum five years, in large part because of the needs of his young son who has autism. "That`s my prayer because he could still have such an impact on that child`s life," Linda Oliver told the jury.

Two police officers who worked with Oliver and a neighbor were among those testifying as character witnesses. Prosecution witnesses on Tuesday included Edwards` father, Odell Edwards, who said the last thing he told his son was that he loved him. "Its just not the same without Jordan around," media quoted Odell Edwards as saying.

Oliver, along with another officer, had responded to reports of underage drinking at a house party in the predominantly black and Hispanic city of Balch Springs, about 15 miles (25 km) southeast of Dallas. Oliver fired his rifle several times into a car with several teens inside, prosecutors said. Edwards, a standout high school student and athlete, was shot in the head and killed.

The jurors deliberated for about 12 hours over two days before reaching their verdict, after a trial begun in mid-August. Oliver was a trigger-happy policeman who sent the teenager to an early grave, said Michael Snipes, the first assistant district attorney.

The arrest warrant for Oliver said he and the other officer tried to stop a car at an intersection near the party. The other officer broke a passenger window with the butt of his gun. Police body camera images displayed to jurors showed the car was moving away from Oliver when he fired at it.

Oliver`s defense attorney, Jim Lane, said the vehicle was a threat to Oliver`s partner that night and he reacted to save his partner by firing into the car.
Since 2014, over 100 kids were wounded because of encountering landmines and other explosive items

1,858 people have suffered the consequences of mishandling explosives in Donbas since April 2014. Maksym Komisarov, the chief of Defense Ministry's department for environmental safety and counter-mine activity said this as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

'482 of them deceased', Komisarov said.

He added that over a hundred children sustained wounds due to mishandling explosives, 21 of them died.

Earlier, the Ukrainian government assumed it might take 10-15 years to fully clear the occupied territories of Donbas of the live landmines.

Previously, UN monitoring group for human rights urged Ukraine to look into the violations of civilian rights during the Ilovasisk tragedy in August 2014.

Since the beginning of the year, Russian militants violated the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine more than 100,000 times. OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Head Ertugrul Apakan said this at the UN Security Council session in May. 'Since January this year, OSCE SMM has reported over 100,000 ceasefire violations, after a brief pause in the combat activity; then, the action resumed. Since the year began, the Mission confirmed 107 civilian deaths; most of these people walked on landmines or other sorts of explosive devices. Most of the cases were observed in April and May', Apakan said.
The militants violated ceasefire regime six times from the beginning of the day

Open source

During the following day, the militants in Donbas sector shelled the Ukrainian positions from mortars, ICV, and machine guns. No casualties among Ukrainian servicemen reported, the press office of the Joint Forces Operation reported on Facebook.

The enemy opened aimed fire from 82mm mortars, ICV weapons, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms at the defenders of the settlements: Stanitsa, Luhanske, Krymske, Novotoshkivske, Novogorodske, Pavlopil, and Hruntove. The enemy used 82mm mortars against the servicemen of the Joint Forces Operation in the area of Novogorodske during the shelling, reads the message.

No casualties among the personnel of the JFO reported.

As it was reported earlier, Novotroitske entry-exit checkpoint in Donbas region is closed because of the wildfires. Fire detonates mine-explosive obstacles and unexploded ordnance, which causes a real threat to the life and health of the civilian population.
The admittance of people and vehicles through Novotroitske checkpoint will be resumed after the fire is localized, the situation is stabilized and the tourists security is provided

Open source

Dried grass continues burning and ammunition is detonating in Donbas near Novotroitske, Berezove-1 and Berezove-2 checkpoints. Moreover, under the order of the Joint Forces Commander, the Red regime is prolonged, as the Joint Forces Operation headquarters reported on Facebook.

At the moment, dried grass in still on fire near Berezove-2 checkpoint. Mine barriers and ammunition is detonating because of the fire, which poses a threat to the civilians who are crossing the demarcation line, the message says.

The admittance of people and vehicles through Novotroitske checkpoint will be resumed after the fire is localized, the situation is stabilized and the tourists security is provided.

As it was reported, earlier Novotroitske checkpoint in Donbas was closed due to the fire.

It should be noted that the Red regime provides a temporary ban of stay of people. The admittance of people is performed in the presence of the pass set by the Joint Forces Commander. The movement of vehicles and pedestrians on the streets and roads is restricted. The vehicles and civilians are not allowed to enter particular areas.

Related video:
State Emergency Service workers fix the gas pipeline near Mariinka, the city in Donetsk region, which lies on the frontline in Donbas conflict zone. According to the Ukrainian military, the pipeline was damaged due to an enemy attack in July 2014.

Dozens of thousands of people were cut off the regular gas supplies. The technical crews tried to fix the infrastructure, but it was impossible because the area was heavily mined. Currently, there are no mines, and the maintenance works are underway.

As it was reported earlier, the soldiers of one of the brigades of the Joint Force operation detained the citizen of Yasynuvata city (not controlled by Ukraine) who is a member of the human intelligence network of the Ministry of State Security of Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). The detention took place on June 3, according to the message.

The representatives of the military counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) as a part of the Joint Forces operation established that 23-year-old man conducted reconnaissance of the military objects of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Mariinka at the request of the militants' tutors. He got $242 for every fulfilled task.
The second and the third positions occupied by Cyprus and the Netherlands

$1,259 billion of the investments came to Ukraine during January-June 2018. $436 million dollars were received from the Russian investors and it makes 36,4% from the total volume as the State Statistics Service of Ukraine reported.

Cyprus is on the second place as it invested $219 million in Ukraine and the Netherlands is on the third place with the investments in the sum of $207,7 million.

The investments from Austria amounted to $58,7 million, Polish investments made $54,1 million, French investments made $46,9 million and the U.K. invested $43,4 million in Ukraine.

It is noted that 59,6% of the investments ($750 million) were sent to the financing and insurance; 9,6% - to the wholesale and retail trade; 8,2% - to the industry and 7,9% to the information and telecommunication.



Earlier it was reported that Sigma Bleyzer, a United States-based investment corporation prepared to invest some $100 million in the production of fossil fuel in Ukraine under product-sharing agreements (PSA).

Also, the President of Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce Zenon Potichny reported that Canadian investment in Ukraine is growing. He added that a special event will be held to attract Canadian investors in Ukraine in the autumn.

Related video:
Cyprus model is based on the deep freezing of the conflict; Finnish assumes recognition of the aggressors right to defend strategic interests, while the "victim" receives a whole set of preferences

Open source

"War and Peace" is not only an epic work of Leo Tolstoy but also a key challenge of our time. Almost all sociological surveys show that the issue of ending Donbas war takes the first line of electoral preferences, ahead of such eternal and damned questions for our country as corruption and the standard of living. Actually, there is nothing surprising in this. If we take the conventional pyramid of Abraham Maslow's needs, we will see that the first level of the basic factors is the physiological criteria of life (hunger, thirst). Everything is more or less safe here: despite the unprecedented dynamics of reforms, Ukraine, fortunately, does not suffer from hunger and drought. But the second level of needs is security. And only on the third one includes the social problems and social ties (this includes the fight against corruption and the level of economic development). Thus, if an individual does not face starvation and death from thirst, he thinks of peace. This is how the collective consciousness is organized.

In addition, the issue of the end of the war is directly related to the prospects for economic development. Military costs in this case are not a stumbling block, because, on the one hand, Ukraine does not have a strong correlation between the level of defense spending and the quality of life, and on the other, given the degree of development of the military-industrial complex, any military budget becomes a small source economic growth, as it loads the work of specialized enterprises.

If the forthcoming elections were not held in the conditions of our reality but in the paradigm of a civilized political system, then the political programs of the candidates would be full of ideas how to complete the military conflict. But it does not happen. There are promises to make "flock" happy with Tomos.

In fact, if we do not take the option of "a total win," military conflicts like ours have only two basic completion scenarios. The first can be called conditionally "Cypriot," and the second is "Finnish."

Let us start with the first one. The Turkish proverb says: "Shaitan speak about the Koran if he gets some profit from it." This fact becomes a rough truth when you think about Cyprus and its history in the last 40 years. The Cypriots live and dynamically develop, despite the fact that they are already growing the second generation, for which these terrible words as annexation, occupied territories, aggression, are not an acquired experience, but a reality received from birth.

Studying the genesis of the Cyprus conflict, modern international scholars distinguish the following stages:

Preparatory - when Turkey was actively preparing for the invasion and warming up the internal Cyprus conflict (1960-1974).

- when Turkey was actively preparing for the invasion and warming up the internal Cyprus conflict (1960-1974). "Hot phase" - the Cypriot-Turkish war in 1974.

- the Cypriot-Turkish war in 1974. "Color regulation" (1975-2002), when the "colors" of the conflict zones were clearly marked and the collision of these subsystems was blocked by passing a procedure for resolving the conflict to the UN site.

(1975-2002), when the "colors" of the conflict zones were clearly marked and the collision of these subsystems was blocked by passing a procedure for resolving the conflict to the UN site. "Europeanization" of the conflict (2002 - present) - Cyprus, becoming a full-fledged member of the EU, was able to veto any Turkish programs of European integration. The significantly increased gap in the standard of living between Cyprus and the uncontrolled territories, as well as the problems of mainland Turkey, forced the Turkish side to initiate the process of reintegration of northern Cyprus. The Turks realized that it is almost impossible to develop territories that are completely cut off from foreign investments, blocked from the point of view of logistics and infrastructure. Today, the difference between the income level of the population between Cyprus and the occupied part is approximately 6: 1 in favor of the Cypriots, and the gap continues to increase, despite the banking crisis of recent years. In addition, significant natural gas deposits have been found off the coasts of northern Cyprus, but their development is impossible due to the unrecognized jurisdiction of such territories. From now on, Cyprus has received a powerful European tool in the form of numerous EU structures and their influence on Turkey's policy.

of the conflict (2002 - present) - Cyprus, becoming a full-fledged member of the EU, was able to veto any Turkish programs of European integration. The significantly increased gap in the standard of living between Cyprus and the uncontrolled territories, as well as the problems of mainland Turkey, forced the Turkish side to initiate the process of reintegration of northern Cyprus. The Turks realized that it is almost impossible to develop territories that are completely cut off from foreign investments, blocked from the point of view of logistics and infrastructure. Today, the difference between the income level of the population between Cyprus and the occupied part is approximately 6: 1 in favor of the Cypriots, and the gap continues to increase, despite the banking crisis of recent years. In addition, significant natural gas deposits have been found off the coasts of northern Cyprus, but their development is impossible due to the unrecognized jurisdiction of such territories. From now on, Cyprus has received a powerful European tool in the form of numerous EU structures and their influence on Turkey's policy. The forecast period. Mixed model: UN + EU includes preferences that "northern Cyprus" can get (citizenship of Cyprus, Schengen and visa-free travel, EU investments) in exchange for concessions: the reduction of the occupied territories, the return of property to the refugees. The Cypriots themselves acknowledge that negotiations with the "northern part" have become a constant routine process with a set of regularly repeated formulations and resolution mechanisms. By and large, the only practical result is the possibility of mutual private trips, which have been impossible for all 40 years and which are also unavailable now for the "northern" passports owners.

The main achievement of Cyprus over the years was an economic and geopolitical success, not only towards the northern part but also to the aggressor: GDP per capita in Cyprus is almost twice as much as in Turkey. Moreover, if the aggressive actions were aimed at destroying the Cypriot economy with the expectation that the Cypriots, who were immersed in poverty, would agree to federalization, Cyprus's response was symmetrical to the challenges. At the moment, Cyprus continues the policy of a complete blockade of the occupied territories and the freezing of any contacts with Turkey as the aggressor country.

Finnish model completely differs from the Cyprus one. During the first Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940, the Finns fiercely resisted the Red Army and felt that they were victors, however, they abandoned part of the territories: the Karelian Isthmus and Western Karelia with the city of Vyborg (the border from Leningrad was moved from 18 to 150 km); parts of Lapland (Old Salla); the island of Hogland.

During the second Soviet-Finnish war of 1941-1944, the Finns, as Germany's allies, seized part of the territory of the Soviet Union and quickly lost it a few years after the outbreak of the war. Finnish leader Mannerheim was very sluggishly leading the offensive to Leningrad. Later, when the Soviet troops switched to a successful counteroffensive, the Finns began to talk about a "Tali-Ihantala miracle," when the Russian tanks stopped at the last frontier of Finnish defense, held by the only remaining division. In fact, even then Moscow could crush the "Finnish fascists," but the heroic resistance of the Finns, as well as world solitaire, prompted Stalin to make a different decision: the Soviet Union and Finland switched to long-term "special" partnership relations based on the neutrality of the latter. The main factor of stability here is the commitment, according to which Moscow and Helsinki "undertake not to provide their territory for armed aggression against the other side and not to provide the aggressor with military support." In addition, the Finns recognized the existence of the Soviet strategic interests in the Baltic region. In return, Finland received a very favorable format for economic relations, when the Union provided raw materials, and in return bought Finnish goods with a high level of added value (for example, wood in exchange for paper). Speaking about the trading system, the clearing model was in effect  the volumes of exports/imports coincided.

Cyprus model is based on the deep freezing of the conflict on the background of a complete cessation of any forms of interaction with the aggressor. The Finnish assumes recognition of the aggressors right to defend strategic interests, and the "victim" receives a whole set of economic bonuses and tactical preferences instead. In this variant, the neutral status is converted into economic preferences, and the interaction with the aggressor passes into a "preferential" format.

In the post-Soviet space, Moldova resorted to the Finnish scenario, Azerbaijan (conflict with Armenia) and Georgia (partly) followed the Cyprus scenario.

Read the original text at 112.ua.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or 112.International and its owners.
Open source

By the way, the servicing of the national debt is 130 billion UAH annually (the size of the national debt is almost 60% of GDP). This is less than the cost of education (221.9 billion UAH), but more than the budget of the Ministry of Defense (83.3 billion UAH). Even the likely implementation of the Government's ambitious plans to reduce the national debt in two years (by 2020) to 49% leaves the costs at a fairly serious level.



Globally in the modern world, debts are not such a terrible thing. But there is one thing: to be a country with debt is much easier, when the funds go for development, the economy grows and there is a reputation of a good debtor. The funds that have been massively engaged since Yushchenko's time have disappeared. And they need to be returned.



The economic dimension of the agreement is understandable. Ukraine lends for a short period of time. The funds provide an opportunity to show that we are able to pay and are ready to service the debt. Do not touch the hryvnia funds from the Single Treasury account, because this can affect the course. Also, Ukraine wins time for agreements with the IMF, the EU and the World Bank.



At the same time, it should be understood: Kyiv does not have the right to fail the terms for repaying the debt on private placements. The issue of developing the Ukrainian economy is also acute. Otherwise, there is a threat that the new funds will simply go to pay off urgent payments. And the gap will be bigger



To what it can lead politically? Debiting debts is one of the strategies of the Russian Federation (for example, it happened with 24 billion dollars of Cuban debt). Also, Putin is ready to lend (remember three billion for Yanukovych?). However, the price of this is an encroachment on the sovereignty of Ukraine.



Not the best option is the deepening of the debt hole with the fulfillment of the demands of politicians from other countries  waiting for them to give again "at least something." Trade in national interests is a crime - regardless of who are you trading with (Russia, the United States or the Democratic Republic of the Congo).



The Ukrainian authorities need to maintain a clear balance between working with partners (Western financial institutions with clear requirements and terms of repayment of loans) and removing Ukraine from the possibility of external management.



And it is possible. Provided that public funds go to development, and not be included in cozy off-shores of corrupt politicians.



Otherwise, you just have to change politicians in power. A chance for this will be in next year.
As of now, Gazprom tries to challenge acts of Naftogaz on the recognition and enforcement of the court decision

Amsterdam District Court ordered to arrest the shares of the Blue Stream Pipeline Company B.V. that belong to Gazprom on the suit of Naftogaz. Interfax reports this with a reference to the report of Gazprom.

Currently, Gazprom PJSC disputes the actions of Naftogaz in the courts of Switzerland, Netherlands and Great Britain on recognition and enforcement of an arbitral award from February 28, 2018, including the interim measures, reads the report.

According to the decision of the court, Naftogaz got a $4,63 billion compensation for the transit gas that had been agreed on, but not delivered by Gazprom. As a result of two arbitrations in Stockholm, Gazprom is to pay Naftogaz $2,56 billion. The court dismissed the demands of Gazprom that stated that the money hadnt been paid as it was considered the fines for what they called unlawfully seized by Naftogaz volumes of the transit gas.

Had Naftogaz lost, it would have equaled the debt of $5,460 for each Ukraine family, the press service of the company counted. However, with this win, it would mean an additional $185 for each family. They also achieved a $0,5 billion reduction in the Gazproms gas price for 2018.

Although, after the decision of the Stockholm arbitrations, against its sake, Gazprom stated on the initiation of contracts termination on the gas supply to Ukrainian Naftogaz. After that, all assets of Russia's energy monopolist Gazprom, located in Ukraine, were moved to this country's state budget.
Thus, the presence of Ukraine in the western part of Canada will be provided

In Edmonton, Alberta province, Canada, the Consulate General of Ukraine will be opened on September 7. Ukraines Ambassador to Canada Andry Shevchenko claimed this as Interfax-Ukraine reported.

On September 7, 2018, we plan to accept the first citizen of Ukraine in Edmonton and begins the work of the Ukrainian Consulate General in Alberta province, Shevchenko claimed.

He noted that thus, the presence of Ukraine in the western part of Canada will be provided.

The West of Canada is, we can say, the Ukrainian area: 15% of the Ukrainians are in Manitoba, 14% in Saskatchewan, 13% in Alberta. We talk about the hundreds of thousands of the Canadians of the Ukrainian origin, so it is therefore important, to make them see the Ukrainian presenceIf you live in Vancouver or Calgary, you will need hundreds or thousands of dollars and a few days to get to our consulate in Toronto, the diplomat said.

The Ambassador expressed the hope that the opening of the consulate will be also important for establishing of the contacts with business.

Earlier it was reported that Ukraine and Canada are intended to start negotiations about the expansion of the Free Trade Agreement.

Related video:
Moreover, Zeman claimed that the EU needs to propose the issue of the usefulness of the sanctions for discussion

Milos Zeman, the President of the Czech Republic claimed that the EU sanctions against Russia are ineffective and unprofitable as Zpravy reported.

At the meeting with the ambassadors of the republic, the president expressed the satisfaction by the statement of Prime Minister Andrej Babis about the necessity to lift the sanctions from Russia.

These fines are unprofitable for everyone. I am glad that the prime minister stated publicly that they are ineffective, he said.

Moreover, he claimed that the EU needs to propose the issue of the usefulness of the sanctions for discussion.

The new government of Italy stands against sanctions, and Austria claims about the same after the visit of Putin, Zeman said.

Earlier Heinz-Christian Strache, the head of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria and the Vice Chancellor of Austria, offered to cancel the EU sanctions against Russia.

Also, Italian Interior Minister and Vice Prime Minister Matteo Salvini considers the annexation of Crimea legal and said that the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine is fake.

Moreover, Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister of Italy, agreed with Donald Trump, the U.S. President, that Russia has to return to G8. Moreover, earlier he stood for the reconsideration of the system of the European sanctions against Russia.

Related video:
Information policy ministry expects the document to be approved within a month or two, - First Deputy Minister Emine Dzheparova

The Ukrainian Cabinet is going to approve the strategy of information re-integration of Russian-annexed Crimea within the next few months. Emine Dzhaparova, the First Deputy Minister of Information Policy said that as quoted by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

'I believe it will be soon, in fact, a matter of a month or two, and the document will be approved by the government', she said.

In February, the law of Ukraine 'On the peculiarities of the government policy in setting Ukraine's state sovereignty in the temporarily occupied areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions' took effect.

The Ukrainian government considers the peaceful and diplomatic way to be the right path to restore Ukraine's sovereignty in the occupied Donbas and Crimea.
The treaty on the cooperation and partnership with Russia was rarified in 1998

The package of the documents on the termination of the treaty with Russia will be submitted for the consideration in the near future as Pavlo Klimkin, the Foreign Minister reported.

These documents are already prepared. It was always our position. In the coming days, we will submit it formally. I always said that Russia destroyed everything that can be destroyed in this treaty. In the coming days, you will hear, we will submit it for the consideration, Klimkin said.

Ukraine and Russia signed the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership in 1997. The agreement stipulates the basic principles of bilateral relations - strategic partnership, recognition and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity, and mutual commitments not to use each other's territory in the breach of each other's security.

The treaty was extended for 10 years in 2008. Its action expires in April 2019.

Earlier Russia offered to denounce the Agreement on friendship, cooperation and partnership between Ukraine and Russia in the part where countries recognize the territorial borders of each other. Leonid Kravchuk, the first president of Ukraine commented this.

Related video:
The Ukrainian Parliament considers two models of new Electoral Code: with open electoral lists and open nationwide lists from every party. Olena Sotnyk, MP from Samopomich claimed this on the air of 112 Ukraine.

This Electoral Code (bill  3112-1) literally offers to remove plurality voting. By the way, currently, two models are being considered. The first model is the opening of the regional lists, which basically is the plurality voting, as for me. Also, there are opened lists, which is the only list from a party, nationwide. As far as I know, as of today, there is no consensus among the political powers, Sotnyk said.

According to her, the project of the Electoral Code is almost ready to be considered in the Ukrainian Parliament at the second reading.

Precisely, today, there was a meeting of the conference on the priority bills to be considered in Verkhovna Rada, and this Code is one of the prior ones. It means that we can expect it to appear there. I need to say that a key problem has turned up again  the high number of amendments. There are 4 thousand amendments. It means that it can be viewed at least one and half of the plenary week, the Member of Parliament noted.

Reportedly, on November 7, 2017, the Ukrainian Parliament endorsed bill  3112-1 Ukrainian Electoral Code Project at the first reading. The document in the first reading provides the system of opened lists in the elections of the members of Parliament, as well as a 4% barrier to the parliament.
The term of the consideration of the case in the court expired and the border guards cannot appeal this decision

The crew of the Nord vessel detained in the Azov Sea will not take the administrative liability for the illegal crossing of the border of Ukraine as the term of the consideration of the case in the court expired. Thus, the border guards cannot appeal this decision as spokesperson of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Oleg Slobodyan reported on Facebook.

So, on July 23, due to the expiration of the three-month-term of the prosecution of people, the court closed the case as the possibility of the prosecution is not provided in such circumstances, Slododyan said.

He also claimed that the citizens of Ukraine, the members of the Nord crew (the citizenship of Ukraine was confirmed during the trial) can return to the place of the permanent residence, occupied Crimea, anytime they want to.

At the same time, the Prosecutors Office of Crimea reported that the pretrial investigation in the criminal proceeding in the suspicion of the captain of Nord was finished.

The captain was reported about the finish of the investigation on the illegal fishing and violation of the order of the entrance to the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and the departure from there.

As the suspect and his defenders will familiarize with the materials of the case, the indictment will be sent to the Appeal Court of Kyiv to define the jurisdiction and the further consideration.

Reportedly, the Ukrainian border guards arrested fishing vessel-violator under the Russian flag in the Sea of Azov on March 25.

The Nord vessel was stopped in 15 miles from the Obytichna sandspit. The inspection defined that the vessel was registered in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Besides, the members of the crew violated the order of the exit from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. All of them had the so-called Russian passports, issued in Kerch. Later, the court arrested the arrested vessel. Ukrainian border guards detained Volodymyr Gorbenko on April 4.

Also, the captain of the vessel was detained but later was released on bail. The other members of the crew tried to leave the territory of Ukraine with the help of representatives of diplomatic institutions of the Russian Federation and get to the occupied Crimea. Ukrainian border police didnt let them through because the crew didnt have legal documents with them, which would verify their identity.

Although, two crew members of the Nord vessel arrived in Crimea.

Court has returned the crew of Nord vessel Russian passports on June 19. Yet the lawyer of the sailors noted that his defendants cant leave Ukraine because there is no final court decision on the case. The same day, the court refused to extend the ban on the captain of the vessel to travel to Crimea.

Related video:
It is noted that the deployment of the UN peacekeepers in Donbas will be discussed during the meeting

Open source

The meeting of the Normandy Format at the level of the political heads of the Foreign Ministries is planned for the second half of September. Ukraines Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin claimed this as Interfax-Ukraine reported.

I with him (Foreign Minister of France Jean-Yves Le Drian) will talk to Heiko (German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass) in the near future as we plan the meeting of the political heads on the peacekeepers, probably, in the second half of September, Klimkin noted.

The minister commented the statement of the French Foreign Minister that the deployment of the UN peacekeepers in Donbas will be premature without the presence of the political will at the places and claimed that first of all, Russia hinders the deployment of the peacekeeping mission.

He said, that now we, unfortunately, cannot deploy the normal mission as Russian hinders it consistently. He did not said that it is prematurely or it does not work, Klimkin added.

Earlier ministry said that despite significant disagreements with the Russian side, Ukraine, Germany, France and Russia came to the conclusion that the basic principles of the peacekeeping operation in the conflict area will be defined further.

Also, the meeting of the Foreign Minister of the Normandy Four countries took place in Berlin on June 11.

According to Volodymyr Yelchenko, the permanent envoy of Ukraine in the UN, it is unlikely that UN member countries will be able to start working on the mandate of UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas until the middle of summer of 2018.

Related video:
Gerashchenko noted that they also discussed the issue of the Ukrainian fishermen detained by the occupants

Ukraine did not get Moscows reply to Kyivs offer to release more than 30 convicted Russians in exchange for the release of the Ukrainian hostages, as Iryna Gerashchenko, the current First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada and President's Humanitarian Envoy at the Minsk peace talks regarding the War in Donbas, wrote on Facebook.

We were informed about the deterioration of the health condition of Volodymyr Balukh, Oleg Sentsov and others, Gerashchenko wrote.

According to her, Ukraine has not received an answer from Russia concerning the offers to exchange Russians for Ukrainians  neither within the humanitarian subgroup in Minsk, nor through the Foreign Ministry or Ombudsmen Institute.

Gerashchenko noted that they also discussed the issue of the Ukrainian fishermen detained by the occupants and those convicted by the Ukrainian courts till February 2014 who are serving a sentence on the occupied territories.

These citizens convicted for the crimes are also Ukrainians. The Ukrainian side is ready to facilitate their transfer. The office of the commissioner is ready to do this (having the relevant appeals from the families of the convicted). I have passed this information and relevant offices contacts to the OSCE representatives four times within the Minsk group, but there is no progress due to the barriers from the ORDLO (Separated Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, - ed.) side, the President's Humanitarian Envoy wrote.

She stressed that until the Kremlin gives permission, no progress in the question of the release of the hostages and searching for the missing will be made.

Earlier, it was reported that Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko would be ready to pardon the Russians kept in Ukraine and exchange them for the Ukrainian political prisoners in Russian Federation.

Reportedly, Lyudmyla Denisova, Ukraines Ombudsman, stated that 22 convicted Russians wrote Putin appeals with a request to exchange them for the Ukrainians political prisoners.

Related video:
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian political prisoner, is in a critical condition. Guterres is concerned about his state, as Stephane Dujarric, the Spokesperson of UN Secretary-General, said, Pryamiy reports.

Secretary-General is concerned about Sentsovs state who has been on a hunger strike for 100 days, and who is in a critical condition. The Secretary-General raises this question when he contacts the Russian authorities, Dujarric stated.

As is known, Oleg Sentsov, the Ukrainian political prisoner, has been starving in Russia penal colony of Labytnangi for 100 days now. He announced a hunger strike in May 2014, demanding to release him and the rest of Ukrainian political prisoners illegally held by the Kremlin. Sentsov already survived three health crises; the medics warn that the fourth one, which might involve the breakdown of the body's internal organs, could begin anytime.

The native of Crimea, film director and political activist, Sentsov was illegally detained in Crimea in 2014, then taken to Russia. They judged him and sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment at a high-security penal colony. The prosecutors charged Sentsov with preparing terrorist acts in the occupied Crimea. Sentsov denies his guilt. Ukraine's government, common citizens and the international society - politicians, artists, public figures - urge the Kremlin to release him.

Related video:
Media reported that Ukraine filed a request to the U.S. concerning the purchase of air defence systems referring to Ukraines Ambassador to the U.S.

Open source

The U.S. State Department informed that the Department would not report any comments on a possible deal on purchase or transfer of arms, as Golos Ameriki reports.

"In accordance with the official policy of the State Department, we do no comment on potential deals on purchase or transfer of arms and agreements which are under negotiations  before they will be officially reported before the U.S. Congress, the representatives of the Department stated.

Earlier, Valeriy Chaly, Ukraines Ambassador to the U.S., denied information about Ukraines request for purchase of military equipment or armament in the U.S. worth $750 million for an item, while the Ukrainian army needs at least three relevant military establishments. He stated that media interpreted his words wrong.

Related video:

Ukraine news on 112.international
Old Man Gloom goes up in flames along with the despair and regrets of locals from the last year.

ONE-STOP SHOPPING!GET YOUR 2018 ZOZOBRA T-SHIRT AND POSTER WHEN YOU BUY YOUR TICKETS!GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS

The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe has dedicated itself to keeping Zozobra as Santa Fes most affordable, fun, family-friendly event. General Admission Tickets are still only $10, with kids ten and under still absolutely free! With an additional $10, you can upgrade to our new express check-in, which makes getting into the venue even easier.

Were psyched that weve been able to hold down the cost of attending, but weve also fired up some exciting new Zozobra viewing experiences! Consider upgrading to one of four distinct premium viewing areas, each of which offers a new vantage point for watching Zozobra go down in flames. Last years premium viewing sold out in just 11 days! And if youre celebrating your own special occasion, choose the Ultimate Zozobra Experience  only twenty tickets available, so act fast!

EXPRESS CHECK-IN UPGRADE

Coming to Santa Fe from points south? The purchase of any ZOZOBRA TICKET (General Admission, Express Check-in or any of four Premium Viewing Tickets) entitles you to enjoy a reduced round-trip fare to get to the event on the New Mexico Railrunner! Buy your NM RAILRUNNER ZOZOBRA ADD-ON TICKET AND IT WILL SERVE AS YOUR RAILRUNNER ROUND TRIP TRAIN TICKET ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT. Simply add $10 to purchase a DISCOUNTED round-trip ticket from Albuquerque/Belen to Santa Fe and back. Be sure to have both your Railrunner ticket and your Zozobra ticket available to present, as you need one to ride the train and one to enter the venue. And don't worry, the last train is always held until all Z passengers are aboard! And if you purchased Premium Viewing Tickets, your ticket comes with an automatic Express Check-in!

NM RAILRUNNER ZOZOBRA COMBO TICKET

Coming to Santa Fe from points south? The purchase of any ZOZOBRA TICKET (General Admission, Express Check-in or any of four Premium Viewing Tickets) entitles you to enjoy a reduced round-trip fare to get to the event on the New Mexico Railrunner! Buy your NM RAILRUNNER ZOZOBRA ADD-ON TICKET HERE AND IT WILL SERVE AS YOUR RAILRUNNER ROUND TRIP train TICKET ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT. Simply add $10 to purchase a DISCOUNTED round-trip ticket from Albuquerque/Belen to Santa Fe and back. And the last train is always held until all Z passengers are aboard! And if you purchased Premium Viewing Tickets, your ticket comes with an automatic Express Check-in!
Through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) , Washington D.C. has financed various programs aimed at combating illegal mining and logging, as well as boosting the development of alternative crops in former coca-growing areas , Urs told Andina News Agency.
This is what Juan Cole reports today from several sources. Supposedly, as I reported here earlier, even though it was supposedly denied, the Saudi ARAMCO IPO deal is off. The new reports have it that the final decision on this came from King Salman of Saudi Arabia, the father of the power hungry Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MbS), who has been the main advocate of the IPO as part of his Vision 2030 plan. The king has up until now pretty much let MbS have his way on many matters, from economics, to foreign policy, to social policies (some of this good, e.g. letting women drive and putting the religious police in a book), and to dissent, including jailing lots of leading Saudi figures as well as womens rights advocates, including havint a 29 years female Shia activist beheaded.

In terms of the IPO, supposedly Salman was unhappy about the required transparency on financial and oil reserves issues. There are rumbles that he is unhappy about some of the other matters, with indeed MbS making major messes of a number of things, such as the disastrous war in Yemen and the failed embargo against Qatar, still stupidly in place. He is also probably not happy about some of those arrests last year, although much of this is murky. However, the most important bit in these rumors is that King Salman iis reportedly so unhappy that he is contemplating replacing MbS with somebody else as Crown Prince. Indeed, MbS is in trouble.

Now probably this last part is just wishful thinking by some in Saudi Arabia, leaking such rumors. Very likely the family link will dominate, unless Salman were to replace MbS with one of his full brothers. But it is believable that MbS may be facing some reining in, especially if indeed Salman was responsible for the ultimate cancellation of the ARAMCO IPO deal.

OTOH, given the nasty history of MbS, I admit to being a bit concerned about Salmans future, with, for example, MbSs predecessor as Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Nayef, finding himself arrested and held in his own palace until he agreed to step aside as CP. I note that Salman is old and reported not to be in the best of health. It may well be that we shall learn soon that his health has worsened, and that he has somehow suddenly decided to abdicate in favor of his Crown Prince

Barkley Rosser
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed the law approved the Parliament, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The law concerns making amendments in the Law on Approving the annual and complex action plan for restoration, maintenance, reproduction and use of eco system of Lake Sevan.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. China is donating 200 ambulances, along with required spare parts and equipment, to Armenia. The bill was approved today at the Cabinet meeting.

The ambulances will be given to medical institutions of Yerevan and the provinces.

Healthcare minister Arsen Torosyan said that this donation completely solves the entire demand of ambulance vehicles in Armenia.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan thanked China for the important and necessary assistance.

This assistance is once again underscoring the high level of the Armenian-Chinese relations. I am sure that these relations will get significantly development and will reach a new level soon, Pashinyan said.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Erebuni-Yerevan celebrations dedicated to the 2800th anniversary of Yerevan, scheduled on September 29-30, will take place on October 20-21, reports Armenpress.

The respective decision was approved during todays Cabinet session.

Minister of territorial administration and development Suren Papikyan said the change of date is linked with the La Francophonie summit which will take place on October 10-12, as well as with the necessity to organize new Yerevan City Council elections and hold the celebrations at the highest level.

This means that Yerevans 2800th anniversary will be celebrated on October 20-31 instead of September 29-30, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Officers of the anti-organized crime department, in cooperation with agents from the national Interpol office of Armenia, have apprehended a Turkish national who was declared internationally wanted by the United States.

The fugitive, identified as Kevin (Kemal) Oksuz, was arrested on August 29, police said.

According to police, the fugitive had established a business in Armenia.

The man was declared wanted by the US on August 23 on 4 counts of fraud  namely submitting falsified documentation to the ethics committee of the US House of Representatives.

Police said the man was under law enforcement radars since the very first day of being declared wanted, and the Armenian Police Chief personally supervised the operations.

Oksuz chaired a non-profit NGO of Turkish-Americans and Eurasians. The goal of the NGO was to bring together Turks and Americans by organizing trips to Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Back in 2013, Oksuz invited several US Congressmen, along with others, on a journey to Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Private trips of US Congressmen are regulated by the ethics committee as required by law, and sponsors of the trips are required to fill in relevant paperwork regarding sources of funds and spending.

Oksuz is suspected in falsifying the documents by submitting paperwork suggesting that his organization did not receive funds from any source, neither directly nor indirectly.

But turns out the NGO did not cover the entire spending and it did in fact receive funding, including from the Azerbaijani state-owned SOCAR oil company.

It also turned out that nine US Congressmen and 32 staff members received valuable gifts worth thousands of dollars.

Kemal Oksuz, who had changed his name to Kevin after acquiring US citizenship, has been placed under arrest.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Armenia abolishes visa requirements for the citizens of the Republic of Albania, reports Armenpress.

The respective draft decision was adopted during todays government session.

The draft aims at liberalizing visa-related relations with Albania and contributing to the increase of the visits of Albanian citizens to Armenia.

It is expected the adoption of the decision will enable the Albanian citizens to visit and stay in Armenia for 180 days within a year without any visa requirement. It will not only contribute to boosting tourism, but will be a new beginning for the mutual recognition of the two peoples, outlining and developing new cooperation directions, the explanation said.

Albania has abolished visa requirements for the Armenian citizens since 2013.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. A new free economic zone will be created in the city of Hrazdan, as decided by the government.

ECOS, a closed-joint stock company, was chosen to be the organizer of the zone, i.e. the founder.

During todays Cabinet meeting, minister of economic development and investments Artsvik Minasyan said that according to the companys plan, 200 operators will be involved in the zone by 2043.

50 operators will be involved in the area by 2021 alone, he said.

The company will invest 4,000,000 dollars, while operators will invest 15,000,000 dollars until 2021 and an additional 30,000,000 dollars for the remaining years, the minister said.

In addition to the main area (4,3 ha) in Hrazdan, the FEZ will also have office premises in Yerevan.

He said that they expect a blockchain mining center to be established in Hrazdan.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government seeks to establish criminal penalty for electoral bribery, aka vote buying.

Currently electoral bribery is considered an administrative offense under Armenian law, and the government wants to shift it under the Criminal Code.

The bill was approved today at the Cabinet meeting and will be forwarded to parliament.

Justice minister Artak Zeynalyan said representatives of the civil society have taken part in the development of the amendments.

He said that under the new law, vote buying and electoral bribery will be a criminal offense with imprisonment, in addition to penalties.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. A day after internet personality and entrepreneur Dan Bilzerian departed from Armenia, Azerbaijan s authorities launched a criminal case against the playboy millionaire known as the King of Instagram.

Azerbaijan launched the criminal proceedings against Bilzerian for visiting Artsakh, the countrys prosecutors office said.

Dan Bilzerian arrived to Armenia on August 27 with his brother Adam and his father Paul.

The entrepreneur, who is also an actor, was granted Armenian citizenship and then signed up for the military as required by law.

During the trip, the Armenian-American internet personality and professional poker player, who is known as the King of Instagram, visited Artsakh. Bilzerian, a gun enthusiast, fired various large caliber weapons, including an RPG, at a local shooting range. After arriving back to Yerevan he visited the Armenian Genocide memorial and then left the country.

Azerbaijan has requested Interpol to declare Bilzerian internationally wanted.

However, this move contradicts an earlier statement from the foreign ministry of Azerbaijan.

Hikmat Hajiyev, the Azeri foreign ministry spokesperson, has earlier said that he refuses to comment on Bilzerians visit, dismissing it as unserious.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. The defending team of 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan will submit an appeal to the Court of Cassation today or tomorrow, Kocharyans attorney Hayk Alumyan told Armenpress, stating that tomorrow is the deadline for submitting the appeal.

As reported earlier, the appeal aims at making the two of their grounds presented in the Court of Appeals a subject of discussion. Kocharyans defending team has submitted several grounds to release the 2nd President from custody to the Court of Appeals, however, he was released based on only the principle of the persons immunity.

Robert Kocharyan has been charged on July 26 over the 2008 March 1 case, under the Article 300.1 part 1 of the Criminal Code for breaching the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia. He has been remanded into custody. His attorneys appealed the court ruling. On August 13 the Court of Appeals approved the attorneys appeal, and Robert Kocharyan has been released.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Head of the Special Investigation Service Sasun Khachatryan commented on the proposal of 2nd President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan to disclose the confidentiality of the preliminary investigation over the 2008 March 1 criminal case, Armenpress reports.

The SIS chief told reporters after todays Cabinet session that there is no procedure of revealing the confidentiality of the preliminary investigation.

Can you imagine what will happen if the confidentiality of the preliminary investigation is disclosed in the whole? There are people who cooperate with the preliminary investigation, provide operative data. Can you imagine what will happen if all this is declassified?, he said.

He stated that the confidentiality refers only to the preliminary investigation stage. During the trial the case is investigated in the court in an open-door format if it doesnt contain state secret. And the confidentiality of the preliminary investigation derives from the interests of both the case and persons, therefore I dont think that such demand is realistic, the SIS chief said.

Robert Kocharyan has been charged on July 26 over the 2008 March 1 case, under the Article 300.1 part 1 of the Criminal Code for breaching the constitutional order of the Republic of Armenia. He has been remanded into custody. His attorneys appealed the court ruling. On August 13 the Court of Appeals approved the attorneys appeal, and Robert Kocharyan has been released.

In one of his interviews Kocharyan said the charges brought against him are groundless. He urged to disclose the confidentiality of the preliminary investigation so that they can fully present the process of the preliminary investigation.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, 30 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 30 August, USD exchange rate is up by 0.16 drams to 482.76 drams. EUR exchange rate is up by 1.44 drams to 564.68 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is down by 0.01 drams to 7.09 drams. GBP exchange rate is up by 6.48 drams to 628.31 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price is down by 118.71 drams to 18690.5 drams. Silver price is down by 3.19 drams to 228 drams. Platinum price is down by 182.11 drams to 12308.23 drams.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received today the representatives of companies engaged in light industry, particularly in clothing, footwear, leather production. The sides discussed the opportunities to develop light industry.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the PM greeting the participants of the discussion, said, Light industry is of very important significance in our vision of economic progress. Pashinyan said that its very important that the Government understands the expectations of the representatives of the sphere from the Government.

Pashinyan noted that now the Government starts the development of amendments of the Tax Code and wanted to hear the expectations of the representatives of light industry sector.

The representatives of light industry companies raised a number of issues, particularly about granting tax privileges, conditions of customs clearance of imported raw materials, training of specialists, fostering local production and export, creating new jobs and so on.

PM Pashinyan said that they are interested in the development of the sector and the Government will do everything for that. But we have to also record that we all have a mission, which is to ensure revenues for the state budget. We do not deny any proposal but everything should be balanced. We have to find the right balance so that the taxes at least do not hinder the normal development of businesses, but also so that we have the opportunity to keep the infrastructures functioning, he said.

Nikol Pashinyan particularly highlighted the fostering of local production and consumption of local production, noting that he also buys local products.

Translated and edited by Tigran Sirekanyan
French Prime Minister and First Lady, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, have just wrapped up their tour Denmark, where they were hosted by none other than the countrys Crown Prince and Princess, Frederik and Mary.

The official state visit included a formal state ball at Christiansborg Palace, a visit to a high school and academy of fine arts, and a farewell ceremony at the Royal Theatre.

And while were such a lot of pleasantries and politics were discussed between the two couples, we were far more entertained by their very elegant wardrobe choices.

Got a story tip? Send it to tips@yahoo7.com.au

Want more celebrity, entertainment and lifestyle news? Follow Be on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram.
The latest iteration of Russia's Vostok military exercise, set for mid-September, has attracted attention for its massive scale.

But just as striking a feature may be the inclusion of China.

Russia has long seen China as a rival, but tensions with the West appear to have triggered a shift by Moscow.

Russia's armed forces are gearing up for Vostok-18, or East-18, a massive military exercise in the country's far east from September 11 to September 15.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said this week that about 300,000 troops and 1,000 aircraft would participate, using all of the training ranges in the country's central and eastern military districts. Russia's Pacific and Northern fleets and its airborne forces are also expected to join.

Shoigu said this year's iteration of the Vostok exercise would be "unprecedented in scale, both in terms of area of operations and numbers of military command structure, troops, and forces involved."

But the size of the forces involved is not the only feature that has turned heads.

Forces from China and Mongolia also plan to take part. Beijing has said it will send about 3,200 troops, 30 helicopters, and more than 900 other pieces of military hardware.

China's Defence Ministry said the drills were meant to strengthen the two countries' strategic military partnership and increase their ability to respond to threats and ensure stability in the region.

The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said China's participation "speaks about the expansion of interaction of the two allies in all the spheres."

Chinese forces have already joined their Russian counterparts in some military exercises.

Chinese warships have drilled with their Russian counterparts in the Pacific Ocean and the Baltic Sea. This summer, Chinese warplanes were in Russia for International Army Games 2018, a multinational event.

This month, Chinese forces are taking part in Peace Mission 2018, an exercise organised by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional bloc led by Russia and China. (It's the first exercise to include all eight SCO members.)

Story continues

But including China in the Vostok exercise hints at a significant geopolitical shift.

"China was seen as the potential threat or target in exercises like Vostok," Alexander Gabuev, an expert on China at the Carnegie Moscow Center, told The New York Times.

"But it is now being invited to join as a friend and even a quasi-ally," Gabuev added. "This is really unprecedented."

The Soviet Union clashed with China along their shared border several times in the 1960s - once in a deadly Chinese raid on a Soviet border outpost that almost kicked off a full-scale war in early 1969.

The Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev normalized relations with China in 1989, and some 6 million Russians in Siberia now live alongside roughly 100 million Chinese in northern China, where trade relations have grown.

But eastern Russia's vast expanse and sparse population make it a vulnerable area, and Russians there have expressed frustration with the growing Chinese presence and with concessions to Chinese commercial interests.

Amid heightened tensions with the West, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made a concerted effort to build ties with China. Beijing, for its part, has also embraced Russia. Both have done so with an eye on the West.

The two have said they are building a "strategic partnership" and expressed shared opposition to what they describe as a "unipolar" world dominated by the US.

China's defence minister, Gen. Wei Fenghe, went to Moscow earlier this year on his first trip abroad, saying the visit was meant to "let the Americans know about the close ties between the armed forces of China and Russia."

"I am visiting Russia as a new defence minister of China to show the world a high level of development of our bilateral relations and firm determination of our armed forces to strengthen strategic cooperation," Wei said.

That rhetoric and statements about close ties don't mean that Russia has dropped its guard, Gabuev said, noting that Chinese troops at Vostok-18 may be limited to training areas near the countries' shared border with Mongolia, allowing Russian forces deployed elsewhere to carry out exercises designed with China in mind.

The Russian military "is not so naive that it is not preparing a contingency plan," Gabuev told The Times.
A famed Malaysian Hindu temple complex has had its steps painted in a dazzling array of colours, sparking excitement from some visitors but angering officials who oversee heritage sites. The Batu Caves complex, a series of caverns set in a limestone hill on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, is popular with devotees from Malaysia's ethnic Indian minority and tourists, with a regular stream of people clambering up the 272 steps to reach the temples. The steps have been painted in a kaleidoscope of bright colours ahead of a Hindu ritual that is conducted in temples every 12 years, which will take place Friday. But the temple management committee has found itself in hot water with the government heritage department, after allegedly failing to seek permission to paint the steps. The committee will receive a warning letter from the department, while Deputy Culture Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said he was "very disappointed" and the work had "disturbed the harmony, integrity and originality of Batu Caves", the Star newspaper reported. He played down the possibility of the complex losing its heritage status, but urged others running historic sites to get consent before carrying out major work or renovations. But the paint job on the steps, which were previously the same colour as the limestone hillside, impressed tourists visiting the complex. Ratna Yunita from Indonesia described it as "out of the ordinary". "So many colours, so many people in such a beautiful place, it feels like you're in India, not in Malaysia," she told AFP. Batu Caves is an important religious site for Tamil Hindus. During the annual Thaipusam festival, massive crowds of devotees descend on the complex, with many piercing their bodies with hooks and skewers to showcase devotion to the deity Lord Murugan. Most of Malaysia's roughly 32 million people are Muslim, but the country also has around two million ethnic Indians and nearly seven million ethnic Chinese. Malaysia's Batu Caves temple in Kuala Lumpur has had a controversial paint job as part of a Hindu ritual The temple management committee has found itself in hot water with the government heritage department The newly-painted 272-steps staircase at Batu Caves is part of an important religious site for Tamil Hindus There are 272-steps leading to the caves During the annual Thaipusam festival, many devotees pierce their bodies
French President Emmanuel Macron suggested that Europe adopts a form of collective defence on Thursday as he strengthens calls for EU integration in the face of concerns over the United States' security commitments. Macron, who has called on the bloc to stop its reliance on Washington as a military backstop, said Europe should seek "strategic autonomy" in defence, during a press conference with his Finnish counterpart in Helsinki. In order to achieve this he proposed "cooperation reinforced almost automatically, which will mean that, for member states who agreed with the reform, we could have a real solidarity of intervention if one state was attacked". His comments come after US President Donald Trump repeatedly distanced himself from the NATO military alliance, which groups the United States with most of Europe and has underpinned European security since World War II based on the idea of mutual defence. Macron said his suggested cooperation pact would resemble "a kind of reinforced article 5", referring to the NATO defence clause that determines that an attack on one member state is an attack on all. The French leader insisted that this was not a move to undermine the NATO agreement, which "remains an important and strategic alliance". France, which has the EU's largest military force after Britain, has backed the idea of a small joint European response force over. EU powerhouse Germany has also called for enhanced defence integration, with Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urging in a newspaper article last week for boosted military cooperation and for the bloc to "form a counterweight" to Washington as Europe-US relations cool. Nine EU countries in June signed up to a French plan for a European defence intervention group, including Britain which backs the measure as a way to maintain strong security ties with the bloc after Brexit. The idea is for the so-called European Intervention Initiative to be able to lead humanitarian crisis efforts and evacuation operations as well as take on conventional military duties. The EU in May announced plans to spend nearly 20 billion euros on defence in its budget for 2021-2027, most of which will go on research and developing new military technologies for the bloc. French President Emmanuel Macron is in Helsinki for talks with his Finnish counterpart
Wicked and powerful women took the Venice film festival by storm Thursday with a viciously funny British period comedy, "The Favourite", already being talked of as an Oscar contender. With controversy raging over why only one female director has been chosen to compete for the Golden Lion top prize, films by or about women are the talk of the festival. "The Favourite", a riotous cocktail of love, power and ambition at the court of Queen Anne starring Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman, drew belly laughs and cheers at its premiere. Critics predicted Oscar nominations for the trio, who play the three most powerful women in early 18th-century England. The story of the real-life rivalry between Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, and her cousin Abigail Hill as they fight for the ear of the queen played by Colman, was given a distinctly post-#MeToo twist by London-based Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. The Hollywood Reporter declared it one of the hottest independent films of the year so far, and not just for its earthiness. - Sex with Emma Stone - "There is lots of sexual politics in the film and that's good," Colman told reporters. "We think we invented sex but it has been going on for quite a long time. It was also awfully fun to have sex with Emma Stone." "It was fun to have sex with you too," said the Oscar-winning star of "La La Land". Colman, who is also playing the reigning British monarch Elizabeth II in the Netflix hit series "The Crown", said the two queens "were not very similar". She played Queen Anne as a "petulant child, an under-confident woman does not know if anyone really loves her, and who has too much time on her hands and too much power. "I don't think the Queen learned anything from her." Lanthimos, best known for "The Lobster", said the script was written nine years ago, long before the #MeToo movement, "so we can't take credit. The prevalent male gaze in cinema is of women as mostly housewives, girlfriends or objects of desire. "Our small contribution is to show them as the complicated, wonderful and sometimes horrific people there are," he added. "Gravity" and "Harry Potter" director Alfonso Cuaron's new film "Roma", his most personal and touching, which he set in the home he grew up in, also drew a long ovation. - Mexican nanny hero - A paean to the women who raised him in Mexico City, the story is told through the eyes of Cleo, a strong and resourceful indigenous maid whose life is a million miles from the rich family she works for. "Cleo is based on my babysitter when I was young. We were a family together," said Cuaron. "But when you grow with someone you love you don't discuss their identity. So for this film I was forced to see myself as this woman, a member of the lower classes, from the indigenous population. This is a point of view I had never had before." A chilling documentary by Italian journalist Francesca Mannocchi, "ISIS, Tomorrow. The Lost Souls of Mosul", has also drawn plaudits, warning that the Islamic State is far from destroyed in Iraq. Mannocchi and her partner Alessio Romenzi spent 18 months talking to former child soldiers in the ruins of Mosul, Iraq's second city, and found anger in brutalised communities that once supported the shortlived caliphate is again playing into the jihadists hands. Word-of-mouth is also strong on "Pearl", the story of a female bodybuilding star whose past catches up with her. The film by young French film-maker Elsa Amiel has Scottish star Peter Mullan playing her manager. (From L) Actor Nicolas Hoult, actress Emma Stone, director Yorgos Lanthimos, actress Olivia Colman and actor Joe Alwyn attend a photocall for the film "The Favourite", which has taken the Venice film festival by storm Actress Olivia Colman (R) says "there is lots of sexual politics in the film", and that it was also "awfully fun to have sex with Emma Stone" In his new film "Roma", director Alfonso Cuaron says he was "forced" to see himself as the woman who raised him so as to understand her identity
In 2006, Khady Dieye's husband left the family home on Senegal's northern coast and boarded a dugout canoe in the hope of reaching Spain. "Since then, we have not had any news of him," said Dieye, who lives in the small fishing village of Ndiebene-Gandiol near Saint-Louis. Like many other would-be migrants, he disappeared, leaving his family not knowing whether he was dead or alive, stuck between hope and grief. With thousands of migrants dying at sea every year across the globe, European and African governments are struggling to keep up with the deaths and identify the bodies, experts told AFP. "Many migrants' bodies wash up here because of rip currents," said the local deputy mayor, Arona Mael Sow, referring to notoriously dangerous coastal areas where river and sea waters mingle. Despite close collaboration with the police and firemen, "there are always bodies we are not able to identify," Sow told AFP. So families like Dieye's go through the mourning process anyway, observing the proper rituals in this Muslim-majority country. "We said the Koran and gave the alms five months later," added the 50-year-old, who lives with her four children on a small plot of land. Dieye heads a support group for families of missing migrants with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which posts their pictures online to help with the search. Another villager, Safietou Ndiaye, said it took her family seven months to accept the probable death of her brother in 2006. But not all families manage to do so. "Some keep the hope that their relatives are still alive," Ndieye said. - Water damage - Earlier this month, a canoe carrying 150 would-be migrants from The Gambia ran aground in Dakar, the Atlantic port city and capital of Senegal. Similar incidents have multiplied on the coast of Senegal and Mauritania in recent months -- sometimes with tragic outcomes. And rescuing victims from the sea can make identification much harder because "bodies which have been taken out of the water have often started rotting," a security official in Saint-Louis told AFP. In such cases, they are buried on the beach, he said. Across the globe, the number of migrants who have died at sea is "enormous" but the rate at which they are identified remains "very low," said Jose Baraybar, a Paris-based forensic expert who works for the International Committee of the Red Cross and was addressing a meeting in Dakar. So local residents have teamed up to do their own investigations. "We discuss the disappeared, how to identify them from their clothes, watches, faces, identity papers," Dieye told AFP, saying her village was working with people from another village near Dakar. - Lucky charms - When two local boys died at sea in April, their relatives recognised them through the clothes and lucky charms they were wearing, Ndiebene-Gandiol's mayor said. And in the neighbouring village of Pilote-Bar, bracelets and rings were found on corpses which helped with identification, according to Issa Wade, who heads another support group for the families of missing migrants. But it gets significantly harder when the deaths occur hundreds or even thousands of miles away. "The main issue is having information about the victims before they die," explained Baraybar. "Without knowing who they were, if they were 1.80 metres tall, what they were wearing or whether they were wearing a ring or a bracelet, without having this information from the relatives, it is impossible." The puzzle continues for forensic experts in places like Greece or Italy, when bodies are found in the Mediterranean. In transit countries like Tunisia, "migrants conceal all information about themselves to avoid being sent back to their country" if arrested, said Moncef Hamdoun, who heads the forensic department at Charles-Nicolle hospital in Tunis. "We have a database for Tunisians," but not for people from elsewhere, he said. And when bodies end up in the sea, pictures are of little use, he said. Khady Dieye holds photographs of her husband who left the family home on Senegal's northern coast and boarded a dugout canoe in the hope of reaching Spain. Like many other would-be migrants, he disappeared, leaving his family not knowing whether he was dead or alive, stuck between hope and grief "Since then, we have not had any news of him," said Dieye, who lives in the small fishing village of Ndiebene-Gandiol near Saint-Louis. Fishing boats at Ndiebene-Gandiol near the northern Senegal city of Saint-Louis
A major warning has been issued to the Australian public over potentially toxic chemicals found in a series of popular workout supplements.

NSW Health said the products which contain the chemical 2,4-dinitrophenol, or DNP have been linked to deaths in Australia and overseas.

Products containing the chemical may be known as Shredders and are marketed to the fitness, weight loss and body building communities, a spokesperson for NSW Health said.

DNP prevents energy being stored as fat; instead the energy is released as heat. This increases body temperature which can damage the cells of organs such as muscle, kidney and brain.

Shredders and are marketed to the fitness, weight loss and body building communities. File image: Getty

People can become seriously unwell within hours of ingesting DNP.

Clinical Toxicologist and Intensive Care Physician at the NSW Poisons Information Centre, Dr Kylie McArdle rejected the theory that the chemical can be safe in small doses.

There is a myth that if used in small amounts, users will be safe but DNP is an extremely toxic substance, said Dr McArdle.

There is no antidote and even with our best medical care, people can and have died using products containing the chemical.

NSW Health is urging the public to avoid products marketed online that name this chemical, or any product from an unverified source being promoted as a weight-loss agent.
Mexico's first leftist-majority Congress was sworn in Wednesday, swept into office on the coattails of President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in a July election that punished the country's political establishment. Cheering and chanting Lopez Obrador's name, lawmakers from the coalition led by his recently founded party, Morena, took the oath of office in the lower house -- where they will now be the dominant force. The ceremony in the Senate was more solemn, but the balance of power there is the same: Lopez Obrador will now be the first president in Mexico's modern democracy to have an absolute majority in both houses of Congress. "The people have voted, they have said what they want, and that is the road we must now walk," said Tatiana Clouthier, a close adviser to Lopez Obrador who was elected to the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies. Clouthier said the majority's first legislative priority was to amend the law to allow Lopez Obrador to change the structure of the president's cabinet, including by creating a new public security ministry to deal with horrific levels of violent crime. "Then we'll start with other major changes," she said. The new legislative session opens Saturday. Lopez Obrador, however, will not take office until December 1. Mexican voters delivered a stinging rebuke to the country's establishment parties in the July 1 elections, outraged by a seemingly endless string of corruption scandals and record crime driven by the country's brutally violent drug cartels. Lopez Obrador won with 53 percent of the vote, more than 30 points clear of his nearest rival. The former Mexico City mayor whisked the presidency away from the two parties that have governed Mexico for the past 89 years -- the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and conservative National Action Party (PAN). Morena, which Lopez Obrador founded just four years ago, and its coalition allies will have 307 of the 500 seats in the lower house and 69 of the 128 seats in the Senate. It is the first absolute majority since 1994, when Mexico was a one-party state governed by the PRI. - 'New reality' - The new Congress is "historic," according to Gerardo Fernandez Norona, a member of the radical wing of Lopez Obrador's coalition. The Mexican left "is going to take all those dreams and commitments we've been pushing for in decades of struggle, and make them reality," he said. The ruling PRI party, left licking its wounds, was meanwhile preparing for its newly diminished role as the third force in Congress. "It's a new reality. We have to get used to our new place on the political map," said Rene Juarez, who stepped down as party leader after the elections and will now lead its delegation in the lower house. "We will be a critical, vigilant but constructive opposition," he said. Lopez Obrador appears to be within reach of negotiating a two-thirds majority, which would enable him to change the constitution. Three parties that ran in an ideologically awkward left-right coalition -- the PAN and the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution and Citizens' Movement -- have announced they are breaking up. That would appear to give the president-elect an easy path to pick up more votes. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will now be the first president in Mexico's modern democracy to have an absolute majority in both houses of Congress
Aurahi residents protest killing of nine-month-old baby

Locals of Aurahi Municipality in Mahottari District on Wednesday protested against the sluggish pace of the police investigation into the abduction and murder of a nine-month-old baby girl.
A Spanish NGO Thursday said it will halt its migrant rescue missions off Libya to support operations in Spain, as it denounced the "criminalisation" of humanitarian groups in the Mediterranean. Following a rise in migrant arrivals on the Spanish coast, Proactiva Open Arms said it will join rescue operations carried out by the Spanish coastguard in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Sea of Alboran, which separate Morocco from the EU member state. It will begin work in Spain in the next few weeks and stay "as long as migratory pressure lasts," it said in a statement. The decision comes after tensions over migration in Europe saw Malta and Italy repeatedly close its ports to NGO ships crisscrossing the Mediterranean to help migrants at risk. "The intense campaigns of criminalisation of NGOs in the central Mediterranean and the launch of inhuman policies have caused not only the closure of Italian and Maltese ports, but the paralysis of many humanitarian relief organisations, at the same time as a rise in the number of migrants arriving near the south of Spain," the NGO said in a statement. Proactiva Open Arms has been forced to land migrants rescued off Libya three times in Spanish ports. Rescue boats which pull migrants from dangerously overcrowded boats have faced criticism from European politicians for aiding people traffickers. Last week three volunteers on the island of Lesbos in Greece were arrested on suspicion of helping illegal migrants to reach the country in an operation that involved 30 NGO members, police claimed. Earlier this year, three Spaniards and two Danes were also accused of trying to help migrants illegally enter Greece. Nearly 28,000 illegal migrants have arrived on makeshift boats on the Spanish coast since January, close to the total number of arrivals for all of 2017 on both land and sea, according to the International Organisation for Migration. Proactiva Open Arms will work in Spain in the next few weeks and stay "as long as migratory pressure lasts," it said in a statement
Hundreds of migrants held in a detention centre south of the Libyan capital were evacuated this week amid fierce clashes between armed groups, the UN's refugee agency said Thursday. Street battles between rival militias raged in Tripoli's southern suburbs from Monday to Wednesday, leaving at least 27 dead and nearly 100 wounded, according to Libya's health ministry. Some 300 migrants -- mainly from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia -- at the Ain Zara detention centre were in "clear danger of getting caught in the hostilities," the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said. They were transferred Tuesday to the capital's Abu Salim detention centre, "which is in a relatively safer location where international organisations can provide aid to them", the UNHCR said. The evacuation operation was conducted in coordination with other UN organisations, as well as Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the Libya's Department for Combating Illegal Immigration, it added. Plunged into chaos following the fall and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising, Libya has become a prime transit point for sub-Saharan African migrants making dangerous clandestine bids to reach Europe. People smugglers have taken advantage of the turmoil, putting African migrants seeking to reach Europe at greater risk. Many migrants, intercepted or rescued at sea, find themselves detained in detention centres with poor conditions. In its statement, the UNHCR said it "opposes detention of refugees and asylum-seekers in need of international protection". The rival militias on Thursday paused the fighting south of the capital after a ceasefire agreement was reached. Street battles between rival militias have raged in Tripoli's southern suburbs, leaving at least 27 dead and nearly 100 wounded and forcing the evacuation of migrants in a nearby detention center
Morocco has launched an operation against people-smuggling mafia and the migrants they bring in from sub-Saharan Africa, a government source said Thursday. Hundreds of African migrants, who had hoped to make their way to Europe, have been picked up in the north of the country and placed in detention centres since the operation was launched last week, the source said. "The aim is to take them out of the hands of the mafia gangs which have developed in the country," the source added, without giving precise figures. The anti-migrant action was launched after hundreds of migrants forced their way into the Spanish territory of Ceuta by violently storming a heavily fortified border fence with Morocco. Ceuta along with Melilla, Spain's other tiny territory in North Africa, have the European Union's only land borders with Africa, drawing migrants trying to reach the bloc. A total of 4,382 migrants have entered the two territories by land since the start of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration. More than 32,000 migrants have arrived in Spain by sea and land this year, making it the main entry point for migrants arriving in Europe, after Italy and Greece. The Moroccan authorities on Thursday held information meetings on their new anti-migrant operations for African and European ambassadors in the capital Rabat. Hundreds of African migrants, like the ones pictured here in July 2018, who had hoped to make their way to Europe, have been picked up in northern Morocco and placed in detention centres since the operation's launch
A man who found a message in a bottle is calling for people to help try and solve the mystery.

James Herring and his son found the message while boating on the Thames in the UK.

After fishing a green bottle out of the water, Mr Herring discovered a note inside.

To whoever finds this message, this is in memory of a dead son and brother who died of a broken heart two years after his beloved Lisa, the message read.

The message in the bottle was round in the Thames in the UK. Source: Twitter/James Herring

He loved her so, so much. They had a passion for travel and one of their favourite songs was somewhere beyond the sea, somewhere waiting for me, my lover stands on golden sand and watches the ships that go sailing.

So this is your final adventure Jon, your last journey to paradise and Lisa waiting on those golden sands  together forever.

The note asks the person who finds the note to light a candle for the loving couple.

The message pays tribute to a loving couple. Source: Twitter/James Herring

Mr Herring posted the note to Twitter and said he lit the candle and played the couples tune.

Many people have commented on the tweet to try and help crack the case. Some are suggesting the note has come from America because of the US spelling of favorite.

Others said they would also light a candle and play the song to honour the couple.

Mr Herring said on Twitter he had not yet found out any more information about the heartbreaking message.
A Mexican television reporter was shot dead Wednesday in the resort city of Cancun, becoming the eighth journalist to be killed this year in a country notoriously dangerous for the media. Javier Enrique Rodriguez Valladares worked as a cameraman and reporter for Canal 10. The station said his family had confirmed his death. The government of Quintana Roo state, which includes Cancun, said another man was also shot dead with him, reportedly while the pair were walking down a street in the city center. Canal 10 said Rodriguez Valladares was mainly a cameraman but also did interviews and features on political issues. The state government said there was no immediate indication the murder was related to his work but that all avenues of investigation remained open. Rodriguez Valladares is the third journalist to meet a violent death in Quintana Roo in the past two months. Ruben Pat, editor-in-chief of the Playa News weekly, was shot dead outside a bar in Playa del Carmen in July, not far from the tourist hotspot. And on June 29, Jose Guadalupe Chan was shot dead in a Mayan indigenous village in the south of Quintana Roo. He was also working for Playa News as a reporter. Last year 11 journalists were killed in Mexico which has been ravaged by drug-related violence. According to various freedom of speech organizations, more than 100 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000. The vast majority of those crimes have gone unpunished. Three journalists have been shot dead in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo in the past two months, two of them in and around the resort city of Cancun


A Perth chicken shop worker has been injured after she was allegedly slashed in the face by a knife-wielding attacker.

A man has been taken into custody after its alleged he entered the Scarborough Chicken Treat store on Doric Street about 5pm on Thursday and slashed the woman, leaving her bleeding.

Witnesses told police the man walked into the fast food store and began attacking the female employee as horrified customers watched on.

A man has been taken into custody after its alleged he entered the Scarborough store about 5pm on Thursday and slashed chicken shop worker leaving her bleeding. Source: 7 News

The victim of the alleged attack has been taken to Sir Charles Gairdner hospital for treatment.

The man then allegedly walked out of the Chicken Treat and into the neighbouring Doric Street Cafe, where witnesses said he threw furniture and smashed plates and cups.

Police were quickly on site and arrested a man at the scene.

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or user the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.
Residents are being warned about toxic smoke spewing from an out-of-control factory fire in Melbournes west as 140 firefighters battle to contain the blaze.

We want to try and knock this down by 4 oclock this afternoon before the weather changes, Melbourne Fire Brigade incident controller Ken Brown said ahead of forecast rain on Thursday afternoon.

Well be here overnight fully extinguishing this fire till tomorrow.

According to Mr Brown, the rain will not be strong enough to bring down the plume.

The Melbourne fire broke out at a factory on Somerville Road, West Footscray just after 5am on Thursday morning. Explosions have been heard coming from the Tottenham building, with witnesses describing sounds like rolling thunder.

Melbourne Fire Brigade is on the scene at the Footscray fire. Source: AAP

Weve managed to contain the perimeter fire, Mr Brown said.

At this stage, fire crews are focusing on attacking the fire from above instead of from the ground.

The toxic smoke may impact areas within a 2km radius of the scene, MFB said in a statement.

Several schools have been closed, and a watch and act alert has been issued for suburbs including Footscray, West Footscray, Yarraville, Kingsville, South Kingsville, and Sunshine because of smoke concerns.

The fire broke out just after 5am on Thursday. Source: 7News

Melbourne Fire Brigade says the fire is spilling out toxic fumes across the city. Source: 7NewsAt this stage, the MFB is concerned about unknown chemicals inside the building and is concerned about aerosol containers which may pop, said Mr Brown.When crews first arrived, we had no understanding of what was in the building so weve spoken to the owner and the occupier and we believe there is some acetone and some oxy-acetylene, incident controller Ken Brown told reporters near the scene.

Theres been some other explosions that weve had. Weve had some 44 gallon drums explode and fly through the air, which is a concern for our firefighters.

Oxy-acetylene is welding equipment and acetone, the best way to describe it is nail polish remover.

Firefighters hope to contain the Melbourne fire by late Thursday afternoon. Source: 7News

People in the nearby areas are urged to close their windows and doors, turn off their air-conditioning systems and bring their pets inside.

Story continues

One worker at a nearby business said he heard a lot of explosive noises coming from the warehouse.

Its definitely pretty severe, Dion Amato from Leading Car Care Centre told AAP.

Another worker at a second business said she could see a lot of black smoke while a third said it sounded like something is blowing up.

Weve had no reports of injuries and were really making sure we focus on firefighters welfare, Mr Brown said.

Environment Protection Agency are at the scene assisting MFB in monitoring the atmosphere.

-With AAP
The TurkStream pipeline, due to supply Russian gas to Turkey via the Black Sea from next year, is already 80 percent complete, the CEO of the Russian gas giant Gazprom said Thursday. "The realisation of large-scale Gazprom export projects to Europe are continuing," CEO Alexei Miller said in comments carried by Russian news agencies. "There is the Turkish Stream gas pipeline: 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) of pipe, around 80 percent of the line" has been assembled, he said during a meeting. Over the first eight months of the year, Gazprom exported over 133 billion cubic metres of gas to Turkey and the EU -- up 5.6 percent on the same period of the previous year, Miller said. The Russian giant continues to announce record export volumes to the region, where it generates a sizeable portion of its profits. On Wednesday, Gazprom announced an increase of 65 percent to its net profits in the first half of 2018, to 630.8 billion rubles ($9.2 billion, 7.9 billion euros). Gazprom operating profits leapt 55 percent to 878.2 billion rubles, while its turnover was up 24 percent to 3.97 billion rubles. Putin announced the plan to build TurkStream in Ankara in December 2014, as a replacement for the South Stream pipeline that was to have been built in cooperation with EU countries. South Stream was scrapped after years of planning, with Putin angrily blaming Brussels for its failure. Gazprom is also planning to open the Nord Stream 2 pipeline by the end of next year, bypassing Ukraine by the Baltic Sea. A map detailing the Russia-backed pipelines to carry Russian gas through Turkey to western Europe, one of which (the TurkStream) is about 80 percent complete, according to Gasprom CEO Alexei Miller
Nick Kyrgios was told to try harder at the US Open on Thursday -- by a frustrated umpire who controversially climbed out of his chair to give the Australian a pep talk. Kyrgios was a set and 0-3 down to Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert on Court 17 when umpire Mohamed Lahyani lost patience with the under-performing 30th seed. Lahyani stood over the seated Kyrgios, berating the 23-year-old. "I want to help you," Lahyani could be heard saying. "This isn't you. I know that." At 2-5 down, Kyrgios spent the changeover slumped in his chair with his arms behind his head, biting on a towel and fidgeting with his eyebrows as the second round clash appeared to be slipping away from him. However, Lahyani's intervention eventually had the desired effect, as Kyrgios recovered to take the second set on a tiebreak and then the third to lead two sets to one. The umpire's intervention was derided on social media. Richard Ings, a former umpires chief on the ATP, said Lahyani's move was unprecedented. "I am racking my brain to think of a situation requiring a chair umpire to speak like that to one player," Ings tweeted. "I umpired thousands of matches I was ATP head of officiating I can?t think of one." Croatia player Donna Vekic added: "Didn?t know umpires were allowed to give pep talks." Nick Kyrgios of Australia, pictured August 28, 2018, was a set and 2-5 down when umpire Mohamed Lahyani lost patience with the under-performing 30th seed
We are looking at where to go from here, including with the  Soft Power Review , being conducted by the foreign affairs department. Public submissions for this will close on Friday 28 September.

As you will see, it became a substantial project with a well-researched pitch for up to $70 million and despite the political chaos in Canberra we are making some progress.

BRISBANE - The submission to the Australian governments Asia Pacific Broadcasting Review prepared by supporters of Australian broadcasting in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific including PNG Attitude contributors and readers is now available for download here.

Amazingly, the many submissions made to the Review of Australian Broadcasting Services in the Asia Pacific will not be passed on to the Soft Power Review.

Readers who made a submission to the first review will need to resubmit to the Soft Power Review, which looks as if it will be the more influential body. The link is https://dfat.gov.au/people-to-people/soft-power-review/Pages/soft-power-review.aspx

Soft Power might not feel like the best way to pitch for more independent, free and unfettered broadcasting in the region but it is the main game at the moment, especially with China expanding its media dramatically.

Ironically, it is the ABC's very independence from commercial as well as government control that gives it great influence as a 'soft power' tool. By reaching millions of people, it is highly effective and by being independent it demonstrates the willingness of governments to be accountable and to model their democratic values.

Your voice is needed on this as the Australian government's Foreign Policy blueprint - the 2017 White Paper - included a whole chapter on 'soft power' but failed to mention broadcasting.
BIMSTEC members should prioritise poverty alleviation: PM Oli

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stressed the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) state members should accord top priority to take the people out from the clutches of poverty.
The UN Security Council extended for a year Thursday a general sanctions regime against Mali, but stopped short of imposing individual sanctions against leaders of armed groups accused of violating a 2015 peace accord. The extension was approved unanimously by the council's 15 members. "The progress made remains insufficient," France's deputy UN ambassador Anne Gueguen said. Her British counterpart, Jonathan Allen, stressed, "We need to see progress from all parties." Gueguen said France is proposing that mid-level leaders of armed groups who undermine the peace accord through criminal or terrorist activities also be sanctioned. It was unclear whether Russia and China support such individual sanctions, however. Both had expressed reservations a year ago when the general sanctions regime was created at France's initiative. In an August 8 report, UN experts singled out Alkassoum Ag Abdoulaye, chief of staff of the Coalition for the People of Azawad, accusing him of taking part in two attacks against Malian security forces, in 2017 and 2018. The report also names another CPA leader, Mohamed Ousmane Ag Mohamedoune, as suspected of also violating the peace accord. In their report, the experts recommended that the UN sanctions committee handling Mali "proceed without delay to consider the designation for targeted measures of individuals and entities engaging in or providing support for actions or policies that threaten the peace, security or stability of Mali." The experts also pointed to "a worrying pattern of human rights violations" against civilians by Malian security forces during operations against extremists. Bamako has acknowledged faults. In Mali, large areas are outside the control of Malian, French or UN forces, which have been targeted repeatedly in deadly attacks despite a peace agreement with predominantly Tuareg rebels, aimed at isolating jihadist militants. In recent years, the attacks have extended to central and southern Mali as well as neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. France's deputy UN ambassador Anne Gueguen, pictured August 2017, says that the progress made in Mali "remains insufficient"
The United States said Wednesday that a UN report on possible war crimes in Yemen is "very concerning," calling on parties to the conflict to avoid violations. "We've seen that report from the Human Rights Council," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters, saying that possible violations of international law "as outlined in that report are very concerning to the US government." "We believe that if such crimes have taken place that there is simply no justification," she said, calling on parties to the conflict to "take necessary measures to prevent such violations." On Tuesday, UN investigators said that all sides in Yemen's bloody conflict may have committed war crimes, highlighting deadly air strikes, rampant sexual violence and the recruitment of young children as soldiers. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Tuesday strongly defended the US-backed Saudi-led coalition that is fighting against Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen. The coalition, whose air campaign has taken a heavy toll on civilians in the country, has rejected "inaccuracies" in the UN report and criticized its "non-neutrality." But Mattis added that US support was "not unconditional," the conditions being that the coalition does "everything humanly possible to avoid any innocent loss of life, and they support the UN-brokered peace process." Yemenis gather next to a destroyed bus at the site of a Saudi-led coalition air strike in Saada province on August 10, 2018


A Western backpacker who has run out of savings has taken to the streets of Thailand to beg locals to fund his trip.

The begpacker sits in the middle of a market on a towel next to his backpack and two signs, one written in Thai and another in English, pleading for money.

Hello! Im Alex, Im travelling in Asia for 15 months. Sadly Im out of my savings but I stay positive and hope to realise my dream to visit every continent, his sign read.

Please support my trip.

The begging backpacker says he is staying positive. Source: Facebook/Palm J. Sittichai

Coconuts Media in Bangkok says his Thai sign reads: Id like to ask for your kindness to fulfil my dream of travelling. Please donate for my trip. Thank you.

Next to Alex is a donation box with a couple of dollars inside. It is not clear whether the man sitting next to him is also begging or whether he just sat down to talk.

Alex isnt the only begpacker who has hit the streets in Asia to beg for locals to fund their trips of a lifetime.

The backpackers sign asks for donations from locals. Source: Facebook/Palm J. Sittichai

Last year pictures emerged online of penniless travellers sitting on the sides of roads in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand. Some are even attempting to sell items like postcards.

A woman from Singapore told France 24 Observers seeing begging travellers stopped her in her tracks.

First of all, you dont see many people selling knick-knacks or playing music in the street in Singapore because there are strict rulers governing these activities, she said.

Some Western begpackers have been selling postcards. Source: Twitter

And, if you do happen to see street vendors or street performers, they are usually in the town centre, and not near a bus stop in a relatively middle class neighbourhood like this. Ive also never seen white people doing that.

We find it extremely strange to ask other people for money to help you travel. Selling things in the street or begging isnt considered respectful.

In February last year American woman Becca Gronski was criticised for starting a GoFundMe page to raise $13,000 for her trip around the world.
US whistleblower Chelsea Manning, jailed for leaking classified information, is facing a ban from Australia with organisers of a speaking tour saying Thursday her visa application was likely to be refused. The former soldier, freed last year after then US president Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence days before he left office, was due to talk at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday followed by engagements in Melbourne and Brisbane. Suzi Jamil from Think Inc, which organised Manning's tour of Australia and New Zealand, said a "notice of intention to consider refusal" of her visa application was received from the conservative government on Wednesday. "We are very disappointed to learn that the department of home affairs has taken this approach and will be vigorously advocating for her ability to enter Australia," Jamil told AFP. "Ms Manning has many formidable ideas and an insightful perspective which we are hoping to bring to the forefront of Australian dialogue." Jamil said Think Inc would "pursue all legal avenues to the minister and hope he will decide to allow the Australian public to hear about vital issues around data privacy, artificial intelligence and transgender rights". The Australian government does not comment on individual cases but said anyone entering the country must meet the character requirements set out in the Migration Act. "A person can fail the character test for a number of reasons, including but not limited to where a non-citizen has a substantial criminal record or where their conduct represents a risk to the Australian community," a spokesperson for the home affairs department added. Manning, who was an army intelligence analyst, was detained in 2010 and jailed in 2013 for leaking over 700,000 classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The revelations by Manning, who is transgender and was then known as Bradley Manning, exposed covered-up misdeeds and possible crimes by US troops and allies. Her actions made Manning a hero to anti-war and anti-secrecy activists but US establishment figures branded her a traitor. She served seven years and during her incarceration battled for -- and won -- the right to start hormone treatment. Manning's speaking tour has also generated lively debate in New Zealand, where she is booked for events on September 8 and 9. She will need special dispensation to enter the country because of her convictions and the conservative opposition wants her barred, labelling Manning a felon who has shown no remorse and wants to profit by talking about her crimes. New Zealand's immigration department is still considering her visa application. Former US soldier Chelsea Manning freed last year after then US president Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence days before he left office, was due to talk at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday


A Perth mother has called for understanding after copping abusive notes and comments for parking her car at the supermarket.

Gillian Bromley, from Sorrento, owns a $120,000 oversized, six-litre Hummer H2 that measures 2.66-metres wide.

While she loves her vehicle, when driving in most areas she finds the Hummer is too big to fit in standard parking bays.

The mother is forced to park in two bays at once and is often met with criticism. On one occasion she said she was told by a parking inspector to buy a smaller car.

Gillian Bromley parks her 2.66-metre Hummer in two parking bays as its too big to fit in one. Photo: Sunrise

Ive had numerous people feel the need to vent their frustrations on my vehicle, Ms Bromley said.

On multiple occasions she has come back to her car to find handwritten notes on the Hummer.

Why not use three parking bays up? You moron, one read.

While many are outraged by Ms Bromley taking up two parks, the local council law states that a person with a car too wide or long to fit in a standard bay can use two spots.

Ms Bromley said if she tried to park in a single bay, which are typically 2.5-metres wide, she had to squeeze out of her vehicle.

The mother said if she tries to fit it in a standard bay, she cuts off the space for the driver next to her to get back in. Photo: Sunrise

Ms Bromley has called for large-vehicle parking bays to be introduced at shopping centres. Photo: Sunrise

The owner of the car parked on the other side would also have issues getting back in to the drivers seat.

If we had a large-vehicle parking bay designated and signed, we wouldnt have to take up two car parking bays and annoy the general public, Ms Bromley said.


A mum has been left scared to death after discovering two pills at the bottom of her cup of Starbucks tea.

Deniece Lee from Utah in the US was visiting Starbucks recently and ordered a green tea Frappuccino.

As she drank it, she realised it tasted a bit unusual.

It just tasted like burnt rubber, honestly, Ms Lee told US news outlet KSTU.

She had placed the cup in the car while unloading her groceries when her children brought something to her attention.

Deniece Lee found two white tablets in the bottom of her Starbucks cup after shed started drinking. Source: Facebook/ Deniece Lee

My kids came out running, saying, Mom, I think theres pills on the bottom of your drink, Ms Lee said.

She found two white tablets in the bottom of the cup. Video uploaded to Facebook shows her emptying the cup and examining the two tablets.

Her friend then called a Starbucks manager she knew, to inquire about what they might be.

Thats when the mum found out that the same tablets are used to clean the espresso machines.

I was scared to death, Ms Lee said. Really panicked, I had no idea what I ingested.

Ms Lee said she was scared to death. Source: Facebook/ Deniece Lee

She was advised to go to the hospital, where she ultimately became ill and was admitted for a few hours.

Now, she says that shes seeking compensation for that hospital bill, but is unsure how much further shell take her case.

A Starbucks spokesperson told KTSU the stores director and customer service team have apologised to Ms Lee for the mistake.

This mistake should never have been made and both Starbucks and Smiths (the supermarket which has the coffee shop inside) are working together to understand how this happened and to remind associates of our cleaning procedures designed to help prevent this type of situation, the spokesperson said.

Ms Lee said she believes it was an honest mistake.

I really just dont ever want it to happen to anyone else, she said.
A sweet and outgoing nine-year-old girl has been killed in a horrific two-car crash just moments after she posed for a photo on the first day of the new school year.

Payton Lynn Crustner put on a big smile as she celebrated her first day of year four at her Rusk County school in Texas on Tuesday morning.

Just ten minutes later Payton was travelling in a 2017 Nissan Sentra with her mum, Miranda Michelle Clark, her 16-year-old brother and another three-year-old child.

They collided with another car being driven by 18-year-old Marcus Wayne Dukes, ejecting Payton from the vehicle.

Ms Clark, her 16-year-old son, and the 3-year-old were taken to the hospital, but Payton died at the scene, according to state troopers.

The beaming nine-year-old was all smiles as she posed on her first day of year four. Image: Facebook/LeAndria Starr

The 16-year-old is on life support in the hospital, LeAndria Starr, a friend of the family, told Yahoo Lifestyle.

Ms Starr has now created a fundraiser for the family on Facebook , with a goal of raising US $10,000 to cover the familys funeral expenses for Payton.

As of Friday morning, more than $10,600 had been donated.

I started the fundraiser just because I felt the need to do something to help this family with a burden while Paytons brother is still on life support, Ms Starr told Yahoo Lifestyle.

Medical costs will be coming, and a funeral can cost several of thousands of dollars as well. And the last thing the family is thinking about or should be thinking about is how they are going to cover this cost.

Starr described Payton as a sweet, outgoing kid that loved life.
A member of the Onondaga County Democratic Committee has objected to petitions filed by Republican candidate Bob Antonacci to establish a new ballot line for the 50th Senate District race.

Diane Dwire submitted general objections to Antonacci's Upstate Jobs Party petitions, according to the state Board of Elections. The general objection, which was received Tuesday, is the first step in the process for challenging the validity of a candidate's petition. Dwire has until Sept. 4. to file specific objections.

After that specific objections are submitted to the state Board of Elections, a bipartisan team at the agency reviews the petitions. A hearing may be held that would allow either side to make arguments. The hearing officer issues a final report that will be voted on by the state election commissioners at their next meeting.

Antonacci collected approximately 4,000 signatures to run on the Upstate Jobs Party line, a party created in 2016 by businessman Martin Babinec, who ran for the 22nd Congressional District race that year.

To establish an independent party line for a state Senate race, a candidate must submit 3,000 valid signatures.

In a statement, Antonacci blamed "New York City politicians" for "attempting to silence thousands of residents of the 50th Senate District who believe upstate jobs are the key to their family's future."

Dwire, who objected to Antonacci's petitions, is a Camillus resident and has been a longtime Democratic committee member. She ran for state Assembly in 2014 and 2016.

"This is a shameful and arrogant power play by people who don't believe upstate jobs are important, but sadly it's a microcosm of this overall race," Antonacci said.

The challenge is the latest fight over petitions in the 50th Senate District race. Antonacci's supporters objected to petitions filed by Rick Guy, a Republican who planned to challenge Antonacci in a primary.

After a review of Guy's petitions, it was determined that he didn't have enough valid signatures. He decided to drop out of the race.

Supporters of Antonacci's campaign also challenged Reform Party petitions submitted by Democratic candidate John Mannion. Attorneys for Antonacci and Mannion agreed that the Reform Party petition would be thrown out after a fraud allegation was levied against the Westvale Democrat's campaign.

Now, it's Antonacci who is on the receiving end of a petition challenge.

"My opponent and his New York City allies can attempt to invalidate on technicalities the petitions of thousands of hard-working residents who want, need and deserve upstate jobs, but we aren't going to go away quietly," Antonacci said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Every State University of New York and City University of New York campus will have a food pantry or similar program by the end of the fall semester, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

The food pantries are part of Cuomo's "No Student Goes Hungry" initiative that he announced in his 2018 State of the State address. One of the objectives of his program is to reduce food insecurity on college campuses.

Earlier this year, SUNY reported approximately 70 percent of its campuses had food pantries or an alternative offering stigma-free access to food. Between SUNY and CUNY institutions, nearly 90 percent of New York's public colleges and universities offer a food pantry or a related program.

How NY public colleges are using campus food pantries to fight student hunger In his State of the State address, Gov. Andrew Cuomo sought to address a growing problem on 

Cayuga Community College, the lone SUNY institution in Cayuga County, has a food pantry at its Auburn campus.

"Hunger should never be a barrier for those seeking to achieve their dreams of a higher education," Cuomo said in a statement. "New York is proud to be the first state in the nation to require every public campus to have a food pantry, ensuring that our students have all they need on the path to success."

There have been multiple studies conducted examining food security on college campuses. "Hunger on Campus," a report released in 2016, found 48 percent of college students experienced food insecurity within 30 days of being surveyed.

Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as lacking consistent access to food needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

In March, SUNY launched an anti-hunger task force led by Monroe Community College President Anne Kress and Anita Paley, executive director of the Food Bank Association of New York State. A major focus of the task force is to develop a multi-year campaign to raise awareness about food assistance available within the SUNY system.

The task force's work has already led to the implementation of some new ideas. Some campuses have mobile food trucks that provide food to students. Local farm crop sharing and subsidized on-campus grocery stores are other concepts. Another is to allow students to pay for a campus parking ticket by donating food to the campus pantry.

"Together, we are providing needed nutrition, ending the stigma around food insecurity, and helping ensure no student is forced to drop out because of limited access to the healthy food they need," SUNY Chancellor Kristina Johnson said.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Disappeared truth

Maoist leaders have dissolved their party and sold out those who fought for them
A team from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is conducting preliminary damage assessments in eight counties affected by flooding earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.

The assessments are taking place in Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Schuyler, Seneca and Tioga counties. FEMA will determine if the total damage meets the $28.29 million threshold for a disaster declaration.

If the total damage meets the required amount, President Donald Trump may issue a disaster declaration. This would allow state and local governments to receive federal funding for infrastructure repairs.

"Many communities have suffered tremendous damage to infrastructure from heavy rains and flash flooding, and I urge the federal government to recognize the severity of these damages," Cuomo said in a statement. "The sooner FEMA representatives can validate our damage estimates, the sooner we can take action and provide these devastated communities with the funding and assistance they need now."

The flash flooding occurred Aug. 14 when heavy rain moved across the state. In Seneca County, there were approximately 50 people trapped in their town of Lodi homes due to flooding. No one was seriously injured and the residents were rescued on the day of the flash floods.

The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency has conducted its own survey of the damage in the eight-county area. State and local emergency management officials met to determine the damage cost estimates.

Based on the estimates, the governor's office said, the state believes the damage meets the federal threshold for a disaster declaration.

The state received two disaster declarations last year after a major winter storm affected 28 counties in March. Another declaration was issued later in the year for flooding along Lake Ontario.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
In its 90-year history, the Northeast Dairy Foods Association hasn't endorsed candidates for New York state Legislature.

Until now.

The organization representing dairy processors and manufacturers in the Northeast supports Onondaga County Comptroller Bob Antonacci, a Republican, in the 50th Senate District. The group announced the endorsement in a news release Thursday.

The board of directors met recently and voted to endorse Antonacci, who has ties to the association. He served as the group's legal counsel and tax accountant.

Antonacci is an attorney and certified public accountant.

"He will be a strong voice for our members and central New York in Albany," said Bruce Krupke, executive vice president of the Northeast Dairy Foods Association.

Antonacci has received the Northeast Dairy Foods Association's support before in a political campaign. In 2014, he ran for state comptroller. The organization endorsed the Onondaga County Republican to be the state's chief fiscal officer  the first time the group publicly endorsed a candidate for elective office in New York.

The association was founded in 1928 and is based in North Syracuse.

"I am honored and grateful to receive the endorsement of the Northeast Dairy Foods Association," Antonacci said in a statement Thursday. "I know the dairy and agriculture industry very well, and if elected, I will represent their interests and fight for the issues that impact them."

Antonacci is running to succeed retiring state Sen. John DeFrancisco. DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt, represented the Syracuse area in the state Senate for more than 25 years.

The Democratic candidate in the race is John Mannion, an Advanced Placement biology teacher at West Genesee High School in Camillus.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Clothing and collages will share the Schweinfurth Art Center when it opens two new exhibits Saturday, Sept. 1.

In the Auburn gallery's main space will be "Maya Textiles and Identity in Guatemala," an exhibit of about 125 weavings and clothing from the collection of Colgate University professor Carol Ann Lorenz. They come from more than 50 Guatemalan villages and represent a dozen different Maya languages. Per tradition, the size, color, shape and other characteristics of Maya garments convey what village the wearer is from, as well as their gender, age, and social and marital status.

Lorenz became interested in the fabric art form in 1978, when she met Marines and Lydia Perez. Along with a Guatemalan backstrap weaver, the two were touring local colleges like Hobart and William Smith, where Lorenz was teaching at the time. Schweinfurth Executive Director Donna Lamb said Wednesday that almost all of the pieces in "Maya Textiles" were created on backstrap looms, a series of sticks to which the weaver attaches themselves via a strap around their lower back. Looms with partially woven pieces will be part of the exhibit, she added.

Lamb said she has known Lorenz for years. Recently, while searching for ideas for Schweinfurth exhibits, the executive director perused Lorenz's vast Maya textile collection and it "just really spoke to me," Lamb said. She added that the Colgate professor's collection is extensively catalogued, so the exhibit will feature much interpretive text for viewers.

"It appealed to me in terms of the handcraftsmanship," Lamb said of the exhibit. "And, honestly, it appealed to me to show something outside our immediate culture."

One area of the exhibit will feature weavings by three generations of the Perez family, Lamb said. Marines is from the village of San Antonio Aguas Calientes, which is renowned for producing some of the best Maya weavings in Guatemala. One Perez generation showcased at the Schweinfurth will be Marines' mother, Drusila Santos de Perez, who has woven portraits of Mexican President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz Bolanos, U.S. President Gerald Ford and other famous figures into her textiles. And at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, Marines will demonstrate backstrap weaving at 1 and 3 p.m. and Lorenz will give a guided tour of the exhibit at 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, in the center's Gallery Julius, 3D collages by Margery Pearl Gurnett will go on display in the exhibit "Reflecting Forward." The mixed-media works are made of glass, paper, paint and found objects suspended in resin. In a news release, Gurnett said her work is inspired by the sight of thin ice formed over puddles, which she sought out as a child.

"I imagined whole snow globe worlds in the still glassiness, a borrowed moment captured forever, recorded temporarily in the ice," Gurnett said in the release. "When I began to experiment with resins, I realized that the feeling I got when I looked into the work was reminiscent of the early childhood experience of gazing into ice, which had captured my imagination."

Gurnett, of Rochester, earned the exhibit as one of the winners of the Schweinfurth's "10x10=ART" show in 2016. Lamb said Gurnett's work was a standout.

"It's exquisitely put-together," Lamb said. "There's a high level of originality and quality in the workmanship. It's unusual, something really unique."

Lake Life Editor David Wilcox can be reached at (315) 282-2245 or david.wilcox@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @drwilcox.

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.
Depending upon what type of job you have, I bet you speak a different language at work than you do at home. Each industry comes with its own terms and acronyms, and this is especially true in economic development. Acronyms are in its DNA. When having a conversation with someone outside of my industry, I often have to backtrack and give definitions. So today, Im going to explain the less obvious term business attraction, and why its important to our business community.

"Business attraction" simply means recruiting businesses to expand or relocate to an area. There are many ways this can happen but in general, it is either reactively or proactively.

The reactive process usually looks like this: A company decides they want a location in the Northeast. They contact each states economic development office and share their needs. In New York, the economic development office is Empire State Development. From there, ESD shares the site selection criteria with the various economic development organizations (EDOs) throughout the state to identify any available sites or buildings that fit the companys criteria. The local EDOs respond with information on available properties and sell the areas features and benefits (workforce, quality of life, infrastructure, proximity to resources). They also share the available incentives and benefits (local, regional and state programs).

In this reactive example, the competition is great and the success rate is small, which is why your local EDO, the Cayuga Economic Development Agency, prefers a proactive strategy.

So how does CEDA identify the businesses that would be most likely to expand or relocate to Cayuga County? The best sources of leads for business attraction are our existing businesses. It makes a lot of sense to recruit new businesses that complement our existing businesses.

Through CEDAs efforts at business retention and expansion (BR&E, another economic development term), common suppliers or customers are identified and can be targeted for recruitment. As representatives from CEDA travel throughout Cayuga County to meet with our existing businesses, they are listening, taking notes and piecing together a much bigger picture. By having these affiliated businesses in closer proximity, growth for all businesses can occur. I often describe economic development as "Tetris": We guide the right pieces to fall into the right place at the right time, without having much control, but just one success keeps us trying!

A great example of business recruitment is how Grober Nutrition, a Canadian company, built a plant next door to Cayuga Milk Ingredients in the Cayuga County Industrial Development Park in Aurelius. Where CMI manufactures powdered milk for human consumption, Grober does the same for animal consumption. The company had an established relationship with CMI and found an opportunity in CMIs dairy processing stream. Grober has been adding ingredients to that underutilized stream and processing it into milk replacer for baby animals (calves, lambs, kid goats, foals, piglets and various zoological species), and now employs 47 people.

A great example of a successful CEDA connection, where the businesses are not as related, is Du Mond Grain and Prosto Wind Power. Last year, when Du Mond Grain was planning its business expansion with non-solvent soybean processing, it was identified that it would need additional electricity, which could mean electrical infrastructure improvements. Meanwhile, Prosto Wind Power was planning to set up a test site for its vertical-axis wind turbine in a nearby county, where engineers would perform their tests. With Du Mond Ag being sustainability-minded, and having a need for more electricity, it was a good match to connect the two. The turbine is soon to be fully operational in Fleming where it is not only being tested, but the power will be used, and it has the potential to stay long-term. It was more cost-effective to have the engineers travel to the turbine for testing, rather than moving the 46-foot-tall, 21-ton structure, twice.

Du Mond Grain is happy to be the research site of the first wind turbine of its kind in the U.S. Maureen brought the idea to the table and we are very appreciative of the connection; it aligns well with our mission and culture of environmental stewardship, said Crystina Brooks, solutions manager at Du Mond Grain.

CEDAs focus is certainly Cayuga County, but we also keep an eye open to the opportunities that are close enough. Occasionally, a site selection request comes across for which Cayuga County doesnt have the right site or building, but if I know of a site in a neighboring county that might work, Ill refer them to that EDO. If the business locates there, it would potentially employ people from our county and that still fits our mission of creating jobs and a sustainable quality of life.

CEDA has been making a big impact in our county, but our goal is to connect with more businesses to help everyone grow. With more collaboration from our existing businesses, we can target the right suppliers and customers, recruit more businesses, create more jobs and create a sustainable quality of life for all residents. Meeting with CEDA is free and confidential and we welcome all ideas. Youll never know what connections we can make  until you get in touch with CEDA.

Maureen Riester is the economic development specialist for the Cayuga Economic Development Agency. She can be contacted at mriester@cayugaeda.org or (315) 252-3500.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Museum Association of New York has announced that it will partner with the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street program to present "Water/Ways," a traveling exhibit about the environmental necessity and cultural impact of water, at six New York venues between June 2019 and April 2020. One of the venues will be the Louis Jefferson Long Library at Wells College in Aurora, on the edge of Cayuga Lake.

The exhibit explores the water cycle, the effect of water on the landscape, and its impact on culture and spirituality. It also examines how political and economic planning have historically been affected by access to water and control of water resources. New York state has more than 7,600 freshwater lakes, ponds and reservoirs, as well as portions of two of the five Great Lakes, the Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound.

The exhibit will also come to the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village in Buffalo, the Chapman Museum in Glens Falls, the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston and the East Hampton Historical Society in East Hampton.

For more information, visit museumonmainstreet.org.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
AUBURN  An Auburn man is heading to prison after he pleaded guilty Thursday in Cayuga County Court to possessing narcotics with intent to sell.

During a routine home visit on June 6, a Cayuga County parole officer discovered four bags of cocaine, a scale and other drug paraphernalia inside the 196 Woodlawn Ave. home of 36-year-old Michael Maycumber.

On Thursday, Maycumber admitted to Cayuga County Judge Thomas Leone that he possessed the drugs with intent to sell them and that he knew it was illegal to have them in his possession.

Maycumber pleaded guilty to fifth-degree attempted possession of a controlled substance, a felony, and second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia. In exchange for his guilty plea, Leone promised to sentence Maycumber to two years in prison, followed by a year of post-release supervision. He could have faced a maximum of two and a half years in prison and two years of post-release supervision.

Maycumber's defense attorney, Charles Thomas, requested that a cell phone seized from Maycumber by police be returned to his girlfriend. District Attorney Jon Budelmann said he would see if it would be possible to return the phone to Maycumber's girlfriend, but was skeptical that would happen, as "most often, the cell phone is the instrumentality of those (drug) sales."

Maycumber is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 1. During sentencing, he will have to admit to being a second-felony drug offender with a prior violent felony offense, Leone said.

Also in court

 A 17-year-old from Moravia admitted to violating the terms and conditions of his parole by drinking alcohol and using drugs.

On May 24, Leone granted the teen youthful offender status and sentenced him to five years of probation after he pleaded guilty to fourth-degree grand larceny and criminal possession of a firearm. The judge said the teen broke into a car and stole a pistol.

Then, less than two months after he was put on probation, the teen was caught by a Cayuga County probation officer to be drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and using the drug molly.

On Thursday, Leone sentenced the teen to one to three years in prison with a shock camp order, which would allow him to receive substance abuse treatment in prison while serving most of his sentence on parole. Leone did not repeal his youthful offender status.

Budelmann said he felt the sentence was fair and appropriate "given the seriousness of the underlying charges and the nature of the conduct that led to arrest."

The teen's attorney, Thomas Turturo, disagreed.

"It is my personal belief that this sentence is excessive, that 17-year-olds do not belong in prison," Tuturo said, adding that the court is "closing a door for him that we did not need to close."

When asked by Leone if he had anything to say to the court, the youthful offender said, "I hope the shock camp helps me so I won't be abusing myself with alcohol and pot and drugs and I hope that it'll do good for me and I'll have discipline. I just hope it really opens my mind more than jail."

Leone said he appreciated his comments.

"You're out of control, out of control," the judge said. "I think you need a little more discipline and I think a shock camp sentence is right up you alley. It's going to whip you into shape more than anything. Bottom line is, you're going to be out in six months and the proof is going to be whether or not you can abide by your parole officer's directions, whether you can abide by all state, federal and local laws. I hope you do. You need to find new friends, you need to find more positive avenues than hanging out with your buddies and smoking marijuana and doing molly and drinking. Get a job, make a few dollars. You need to change your behaviors. You need to do what's right and not what's wrong anymore."

The teen also has criminal charges pending in Moravia, though Leone did not take those into consideration when sentencing him.

Staff writer Natalie Brophy can be reached at (315)282-2239 or natalie.brophy@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie.

Love 1 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 3 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.
G. William Ryan was more than a boss and a renowned community member. He was family to many in the village of Union Springs.

Ryan, who died Aug. 23 at age 76, is being honored throughout the village and southern Cayuga County in a multitude of ways. Many flags in the village were lowered to half staff in his memory, and both the Union Springs and Aurora branches of the Cayuga Lake National Bank, where he worked since 1960 and was president for the last 43 years, were decorated with black sashes. His employees even got together to share a Budweiser, a beer he loved, after work on Friday in his honor.

Ryan was affectionately known as "Banker Bill" by his family, friends and bank customers.

"We all considered him a great boss, he considered us his family," bank Executive Vice President Mary May said Wednesday. "He always called us his bank family."

May said Ryan was one of those people who knew everyone no matter where he went, "it always amazed me," she added.

"He loved his bank," May said, noting that he would even come into the bank on a Sunday morning to help someone if they weren't able to come in during the week.

"When you're in that role, you do become iconic," Union Springs Mayor Bud Shattuck said. "He was beloved."

Shattuck said that, although he has only lived in the village for about seven years, Ryan was one of the most respected people he knew.

Jackie Dmytrenko, the bank's vice president, described Ryan as a man who "loved living life."

She explained that she walked into the bank one day on her way home from high school in 1979 to see if the bank needed any help and Ryan hired her  with no resume or experience  right on the spot.

"That's the way he did business  a handshake and a smile," she said, adding that he created a warm, family-like working environment. "He was a wonderful leader and role model."

When Kelly Wade, the bank's chief financial officer, graduated college in May 1999, she said Ryan  who she'd known her whole life  offered her a job. She said that she accepted, but asked to learn something new every day.

"He kept that promise of teaching something new every day however, some of it banking and some (of) it about life," Wade said in an email. "He has made such an impact on my life and I would not be where I am today without him!"

A video posted on the village's community Facebook page on Friday, titled "In Memory of 'Banker Bill' Ryan," now has over 7,000 views, Shattuck pointed out. The video is about a minute long and includes photos of Ryan. He said that for a village of only 1,200 people, the views on that video are a tribute to how many lives Ryan touched.

Staff writer Megan Ehrhart can be reached at (315) 282-2244 or megan.ehrhart@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @MeganEhrhart.

Love 8 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.
Fresh complaints against a dairy farm in Owasco underscore the need for followup inspections on behalf of farmworkers  and hefty fines for violations that go uncorrected.

Six months after the town of Owasco ordered Melrose Farm owner Joe Tidd to stop using a dirty and dilapidated structure as housing for some of his workers, reports emerged this week that not only has Tidd continued to house people there, but has tried to hide the transgression by removing mattresses from the building prior to planned inspections.

We understand there are two sides to every story, but if the descriptions regarding this particular situation are true, then it's time to turn up the heat on Tidd and get the situation corrected once and for all.

For their part, Cayuga County and Owasco officials in February cited Tidd for not having an electrical inspection and a certificate of occupancy on file and ordering him to install a septic system. As for the state, the Department of Environmental Conservation said in May that is was investigating potential CAFO violations at the farm, but has yet to take any action or issue any substantive update to the public.

To be fair, most farms run their businesses the right way and treat their employees well. But allegations against Melrose Farm can give the entire industry a bad reputation.

There is no excuse for failing to maintain housing that meets as least the basic level of safety and comfort. Tidd was given deadlines to make corrections at his farm, but six months later, it appears that nothing may have changed.

Owasco, Cayuga County, and the state of New York need to take control of this situation, and if it's true that Tidd has been intentionally breaking the rules, then hefty fines might persuade him to change his ways.

The Citizen editorial board includes publisher Rob Forcey, executive editor Jeremy Boyer and managing editor Mike Dowd.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0
Try Googling "Trump and Russian money laundering."

There's lots there:

Real Clear Politics (8/16/18): "TRUMP, SOVIET/RUSSIA PARTNERSHIP" ... alleges Russian Mafia laundered money via Trump's real estate and casinos for over 20 years.

Financial Times (7/12/18) "TOWER OF SECRETS: THE RUSSIAN MONEY BEHIND A TRUMP SKYSCRAPER" ... alleges legal documents, signed statements, and two dozen interviews connect Trump with a shadowy post-Soviet world where politics and personal enrichment merge ... raises questions about Trump's vulnerability to Russian blackmail.

Global Witness.org "NARCO-A-LAGO: MONEY LAUNDERING AT THE TRUMP OCEAN CLUB PANAMA" ... in the early 2000s a series of bankruptcies meant Trump was shunned by most lenders. ... He started selling his name to high-end real estate projects. .. numerous investigations and articles have covered Trump's alleged links to Russian criminals.

Esquire (6/19/18): "WOW. IT'S STRANGE THESE RUSSIANS PAID MILLIONS IN CASH FOR TRUMP PROPERTIES" ... buyers connected to Russia made eighty-six ALL CASH sales totaling nearly $106 million at 10 Trump-branded properties in Florida and NYC ... and alleges buyers used shell companies to hide their identities.

And on and on and on ...

Will Trump release his tax returns? Is he guilty of profiting from Russian money laundering?

Why is investigating Trump's financial history "crossing a red line?"

Why is Trump acting guilty?

Why did Manafort, penniless, volunteer to be Trump's campaign manager? Manafort is on trial for money-laundering and tax-evasion. Trump/Manafort ties go back 35 years. Why does Trump want to pardon Manafort? Nine of Trump's campaign leaders have Russian ties.

Mueller's team are experts in international money-laundering. They are untangling years of Trump's/Trump family's ties to Russia.

Mueller is not conducting a witch hunt. He is connecting the dots.

Trump praises Putin, even when Putin orders Russian reporters poisoned.

Why does Trump foment political unrest with chants of fake news? Fake news is just news Trump doesn't like.

Trump, 8/4/18: "I destroy careers of Republicans who say bad things about me."

The free press is not our enemy. The free press is our precious First Amendment in action.

As of 8/1/18, Trump told 4,229 lies and the free press exposed every one of them.

Thank you Auburn Citizen and 350 other newspapers for condemning Trump's big lie that the free press is the enemy.

Thank you U.S. senators for unanimously supporting the free press.

John Katko, do you support the First Amendment, the free press, and deny Trump's fake news lie? We're waiting to hear.

Laurie Roberts

Aurora

Jeremy Boyer can be reached at (315) 282-2231 or jeremy.boyer@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @CitizenBoyer

Love 14 Funny 15 Wow 15 Sad 1 Angry 2
MONTREAL, QCSociety still considers it to be "forbidden love" when middle-aged daddies and men young enough to be their sons get it onbut that's what viewers will find in Fathers & Sons 7, from leading gay studio Icon Male, now available on DVD. The movie is distributed through parent company Mile High Media.

Notable director Nica Noelle wrote and directed the newest chapter of the popular series featuring four captivating tales of taboo encounters starring Casey Everett, Max Sargent, D.Arclyte, Nic Sahara, Austin Chapman and Billy Santoro. The DVD features four intense hardcore sex scenes shot in HD along with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, a photo gallery and more.

To view box art and product information, click here.

This new chapter of Fathers & Sons offers fans four engaging tales of forbidden love, said Mile High Media Vice President Jon Blitt. With her outstanding direction and storytelling skills, Nica brings out the best in her talented cast as they put on an amazingly passionate performance.

Fathers & Sons 7 opens with fatherless Austin Chapman, who gets a crush on his mom's high school sweetheart Billy Santoro and tries his best to seduce the muscle-bound daddy while mom is at work. Next, somber older man D.Arclyte and young sexy jock Nic Sahara have one last lustful tryst before Nic leaves for college. Then hot, hung daddy Max Sargent creeps out stepson Casey Everett when he catches the younger man masturbating and demands to see more. Finally, estranged stepdad D.Arclyte confesses to Casey Everett that he's always been secretly in love with the openly gay young man.

The latest Icon Male trailers can be seen on IconMale.com.

For Icon Male sales and distribution, contact [email protected].

For the latest news and BTS previews, follow Icon Male on Twitter.
Expressions of interest to be called for Nijgadh airport

A long-planned project to build an international airport in Nijgadh has finally been set in motion with the government deciding to invite expressions of interest (EoI) from global firms to build the infrastructure.
TORONTOPinkCherry earlier this week hosted wholesale clientsas well as reps from premium brands and top vendorsat its Canadian headquarters for an exclusive open house.

The event sponsors ScreamingO, Shot Toys, XR Brands, and gold sponsors Pipedream, Jimmyjane, Sir Richards, CalExotics and Doc Johnson greatly contributed to the luau-style party: a photo booth, food truck, and tiki bar kept the guests engaged and entertained during a full day of fun discussions, knowledge exchange, and wholesale shopping. Pipedream has generously offered three big ballot prizes ranging from $500 to $2,500 worth of product. This was topped up by a plethora of gift bags and giveaways provided by participating vendors and PinkCherry to all the guests.

Everyone had a great time while building useful connections with the industrys top players, said Daniel Freedman, PinkCherry CEO. The event was a great success, and has again demonstrated the strong relationships that developed between PinkCherrys staff, vendors, and customers during the 10 years in business.

The event attracted dozens of wholesale customers who had a chance to meet PinkCherry staff and vendors face-to-face and learn about adult novelty sex toys, body care and lingerie products.

PinkCherry is proud of its highly-optimized, efficient, and accurate distribution processes. The wholesale clients had a unique opportunity to tour one of the companys distribution centers and discover what goes on behind the scene in the state-of-the-art facility located in Oakville.

For more, visit PinkCherryWholesale.com.
Coeliac UK has announced that diagnosis of coeliac disease in the UK has risen from 24% to 30%.

Recent research, commissioned by the charity at the University of Nottingham, looked at UK patient records up to and including 2015 for clinical diagnoses of coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (the skin manifestation of coeliac disease).

The research showed that although diagnosis rose by a quarter in four years (2011-2015), the rate of diagnosis was slowing significantly, and that around half a million people in the UK still living with undiagnosed coeliac disease.

It also highlighted that one in four adults diagnosed with coeliac disease had previously been misdiagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), the same percentage that had been reported in research from 2013.

Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Coeliac UK, said: Its fantastic that the research shows that around 45,000 people were diagnosed between 2011 and 2015. But with half a million people in the UK still without a diagnosis, weve got a long way to go.

The fact that testing for the condition is slowing and nothing has changed in people being diagnosed with IBS before being tested for coeliac disease, suggests the NHS is failing to address the mountain of underdiagnoses.

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition caused by a reaction to gluten, and is thought to affect one in 100 people. Its reported that, on average, it takes 13 years for a person to be diagnosed.

Bakery businesses now only have a few days left to apply for a 750,000 research fund from Coeliac UK and Innovate UK.

Subscribers to British Baker can read our report on healthier gluten-free NPD here.
Should Beaufort County's commissioners be resolved to ask the federal government to defend our Southern Border by ending the Biden /Harris Open Border policy in regards to that one border that is intentionally made OPEN?

Yes, Illegal Migrants are a huge expense to local governments.

No, the cost of Undocumented Immigrants is insignificant in our providing a pathway for the "Browning of America".
Foreign ministers agree on projects worth $50b

In an ambitious plan to connect the member states of BIMSTEC, foreign ministers from the seven-nation group identified and agreed on Wednesday to push forward 167 various connectivity-related projects at an estimated cost of $50 billion.
State Supreme Court candidate Chris Anglin has offered to withdraw from the race if the courts don't restore his affiliation as a Republican to the Nov. 6 general election ballot.Anglin hand-delivered a conditional candidate withdrawal notice Wednesday, Aug. 8, to the N.C. Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. The conditional withdrawal comes two days after he filed a lawsuit against the General Assembly and won a temporary restraining order in the case.Anglin said in a written statement to Carolina Journal.Anglin said. Anglin, a longtime registered Democrat, changed his registration to Republican about three weeks before he filed for the Supreme Court seat held by incumbent Republican Justice Barbara Jackson. Democratic civil-rights attorney Anita Earls also is running.Anglin has two options if Senate Bill 3 , the law he challenged in Superior Court, is upheld. He can remain on the ballot without a political affiliation, or withdraw from the race. S.B. 3 passed in late July during a special legislative session. The law prohibits judicial candidates from switching political parties less than 90 days before the filing period. Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the measure, and the legislature overrode the veto Saturday, Aug. 4.Anglin said in his letter he would withdraw if the court orders the elections board to remove his Republican affiliation, or the elections board determines it is necessary to certify, finalize, and print election ballots without a court order.If he prevails in court, he will remain in the race.Anglin said S.B. 3, which was retroactive, unfairly targeted him, and he filed suit in Wake County Superior Court on Monday, Aug. 6, winning a temporary restraining order.Judge Becky Holt has scheduled a hearing on the merits of the lawsuit Monday, Aug. 13.During debate over S.B. 3, Republicans said Anglin was really a Democratic operative running as a Republican to split the vote with Jackson to benefit Earls. Anglin denied the allegation, calling it a stunt.Anglin said in his statement to CJ. He said he followed all the rules in effect at the time, and changing them in the middle of an election is wrong.
As elementary and secondary schools open their doors across North Carolina for the 2018-19 academic year, the cumulative effects of some 20 years of school-choice initiatives are impossible to miss.New charter schools are opening all across the state. Some school districts are launching or relaunching their own schools of choice, as magnets or as options for open-enrollment programs. And thousands of North Carolina children are entering private or home schools for the first time this year, many receiving state scholarships or other public assistance.A generation ago, only a relative handful of students, disproportionately affluent and urban, went to schools that weren't run by districts. Today, about 20 percent of young North Carolinians attend chartered public schools, private schools or home schools. In some counties, the ratio is closer to 30 percent. In virtually all counties, the ratio is rising.Longtime critics of choice and competition are seething about these developments. The education landscape used to be tidier. They'd like to tidy it up, again, by restricting or eliminating parental-choice programs. While some are reacting purely out of self-interest, I assume that most critics truly believe countywide districts ought to be the default means of organizing and delivering educational services, with a few charters maintained as laboratories of innovation and a small private-education sector tolerated by authorities but firmly excluded from scholarship assistance or tax credits.I think the critics are mistaken on the merits. Although the empirical evidence is mixed, as it is on so many other questions of education policy, most peer-reviewed studies find that parental choice and school competition are associated with higher test scores, graduation rates, college-completion rates, or other objective measures of student success. Choice and competition are even more strongly correlated with subjective measures such as parental satisfaction and student feelings of safety.As a policy matter, it has never made much sense to treat K-12 education as fundamentally different from day care, preschool, higher education, health care, and housing - all services that are widely viewed as critically important, feature intense competition among a range of public and private providers, and receive various direct and indirect subsidies from local, state, and federal governments, including direct grants and contracts, loan subsidies and guarantees, client vouchers, and tax credits.As a matter of fairness, wealthy families have already exercised, and will always exercise, extensive control over their children's education. I'm not just talking about the wherewithal to pay tuition. North Carolinians with the means to do so have routinely, for generations, based their housing purchases in part on the location of school-assignment zones. Understandably, they have sought to place their children in the best-possible "free" school. Other parents have shared the same goal but lacked the same access to the requisite information and financial resources.I freely admit that there's a lot more to education reform than choice programs. Most North Carolinians continue to send their children to district-run schools. That would continue to be true even if, say, hundreds of new charter or private options popped up in just the next few years, enough to double the share of non-district students to 40 percent of statewide enrollment.That's why I support continued reforms of principal training and compensation, of how districts pay and deploy teachers, of curriculum and testing, and many other aspects of public education. Thousands of students attend private colleges and universities across North Carolina, most with some form of government assistance. And yet policymakers properly concern themselves with the proper administration of state colleges and universities.Most would say, in fact, that the existence of competition in higher education is a positive force in driving continued reform and change on the public campuses, and that competition among taxpayer-subsidized hospitals generates better results than a hospital cartel or monopoly. The same effect is likely, and indeed is already evident, with respect to district-run public schools.To the critics, I offer this unsolicited but sincere advice: be realistic. Choice and competition are here to stay.
FAYETTEVILLE Although top national environmental regulators confirmed GenX and related chemical compounds are used to produce solar panel components, they say their research does not prioritize what risks that might pose to the environment and human health.Peter Grevatt, national director of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water in Washington, D.C., recently told Carolina Journal the GenX solar concernGenX is known to be used in making Teflon film that coats many solar panels. The chemical falls under the larger umbrella of compounds classified as PFAS chemicals.Andy Gillespie, associate director for ecology at EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory in Research Triangle Park, told CJ.Kristina Beasley said that lack of knowledge underscores her concerns. She is among opponents of an expansion plan for the industrial-scale Wilkinson Solar Plant in the Terra Ceia community of Beaufort County. Their opposition is believed to be the first in the state to raise the issue of potential GenX contamination in an N.C. Utility Commission regulatory hearing.Beasley said. She said the public doesn't appreciate concerns about toxic chemicals, fluids, and substances leaking into the soil and groundwater as solar installations age and deteriorate, or suffer damage from windstorms or other disasters.As CJ pointed out more than three years ago, North Carolina doesn't have rules for decommissioning solar facilities or a disposal plan for spent panels. Critics worry about potential pollution . Residents consistently have raised fears in town halls and solar plant permit hearings about contamination from compromised solar panels.But community activists are not the only ones weighing in. Donald van der Vaart, former secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, who holds a doctorate in chemical engineering, sees reason for concern given North Carolina's more than 7,500 solar installations.said van der Vaart, a senior fellow at the John Locke Foundation."One line of research that we are doing is looking at material management, end-of-life management, but we're not yet at the point where we're doing it product by product," Gillespie said when asked whether the EPA has concerns about GenX leaching from solar panels.he said.about potential environmental and human health impacts from GenX and other PFAS chemicals in solar panels, said U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-8th Congressional District.Hudson said.Solar enthusiasts contend there is no threat from GenX or related chemicals, while critics fret the wealthy renewable energy industry and its host of lobbyists influence regulators and lawmakers to disregard potential GenX connections to solar panels.Hudson said.Hudson, Grevatt, and Gillespie were among EPA, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, federal, state, and local government officials in Fayetteville on Aug. 14 for an all-day listening session Hudson facilitated. The event was designed to update residents on regulators' efforts to investigate and combat GenX in the groundwater, soil, and air surrounding the Chemours chemical plant here, and to hear their feedback.Grevatt said,The EPA plans to issue a toxicity assessment outlining a first-of-its-kind health-risk profile for GenX and PFAS compounds next month. It's scheduled to release a national management plan by the end of 2018.The EPA is collaborating with states, academic researchers, industry scientists, and other federal agencies to develop methods and tools for states and local communities to find GenX and other PFAS compounds in the environment.Grevatt said. They won't be tailored to each specific threat.Linda Culpepper, interim director of DEQ's Division of Water Resources, was a panelist at the Fayetteville event. Asked later if she was hearing concerns about GenX in solar panels, she responded:CJ asked DEQ for a response to concerns about GenX solar panel contamination. The agency's response is here
Investments pour into ayurvedic industry

Investments in ayurvedic medicine factories have increased due to the fast rising popularity of the ancient medical system which originated on the Indian subcontinent. According to the Department of Drug Administration, 78 ayurvedic medicine manufacturing companies have obtained licences this year while 44 ayurvedic companies are currently in operation.
Will Florida Become a Legal Tech Hub?

In the ever-increasing competition for tech business in states, regulations matter. Many cities offer financial incentives to attract business, but a favorable regulatory environment for legal tech has certainly been stifled by a lack of regulation, or perhaps, over-regulation due to a failure to update the existing ones to account for the technological advances of the past decade.

But now, Florida's Supreme Court has a few matters on the bench that could turn Florida into a legal tech hub. A recent feature in AboveTheLaw's tech blog, EvolveTheLaw, discusses the three issues, broadly framing the matters as an opportunity for the state's high court to make the state a leader for the legal tech industry, potentially attracting new businesses and more importantly, innovation in the legal tech sector.

The Issues

In short, the three issues before the Florida High Court involve two lawsuits and one proposed regulation. The two cases are basically covering issues involving Uber-like lawyer matchmaking services and whether fee-splitting, or referral fees, should be allowed. Both of these cases hold broad implications for the legal marketing industry, which could be discouraged from further investment or innovation if adverse decisions are reached.

The proposed regulation is only loosely related to legal tech, but involves a new state rule of court requiring appearance attorneys to file a notice of appearance before each appearance. As suggested on EvolveTheLaw, this sort of rule would require online filing, and for expediency's sake, the ability for tech companies to offer an easy, simple to use, tech solution for those attorneys.

State Opportunity

As suggested, these cases present an opportunity for the court to revisit the regulations behind the fee sharing with non-lawyers as well as the use of tech in legal matchmaking services. Commentators propose that if the court crafts new regulations to ensure that legal consumers would not be harmed, such as when paralegals are authorized to perform certain clerical duties for public, legal tech companies will be more willing to invest, which will be good for the state, as well as good for legal consumers, and the innovation in legal tech.

And if you're not a Florida lawyer, don't think they won't do it. After all, Florida has a tech CLE requirement.

Related Resources:
Long wait for loved onesand for justice

On a chilly evening on January 3, 2004, about a dozen police officers in civilian clothing came to the Bhotahiti-based shop of Hira Bahadur Roka and asked him to come along for questioning. They didnt tell him what it was about or where he was being taken, but they assured him that hed be released within a few hours.Fourteen years later, Rokas family is still waiting for him to return. Following months of search, the family discovered that Roka had been taken to Maharajgunj-based Bhairavnath Battalion of Nepal Army, after he was held inside a few police stations within the Valley.
They served in the Army, Border Patrol and as police. They have legitimate U.S. birth certificates. But Trump's government is denying their passport applications and telling them they aren't U.S. citizens.

A Washington Post report out today tells of the "growing number of people whose official birth records show they were born in the United States but who are now being denied passports  their citizenship suddenly thrown into question," under the Trump administration's racist policies.

Hundreds, maybe thousands, of (mostly Latinx) people who live and work along the U.S.-Mexico border are accused by Trump's government of "using fraudulent birth certificates since they were babies, and it is undertaking a widespread crackdown on their citizenship."

Kevin Sieff in the WaPo:

In a statement, the State Department said that it "has not changed policy or practice regarding the adjudication of passport applications," adding that "the U.S.-Mexico border region happens to be an area of the country where there has been a significant incidence of citizenship fraud." But cases identified by The Washington Post and interviews with immigration attorneys suggest a dramatic shift in both passport issuance and immigration enforcement.

Gosh, who could have ever expected this from the candidate who pushed a fake conspiracy about a Black President not being a true American citizen? It's almost like only white people are real Americans, you guys.

In some cases, passport applicants with official U.S. birth certificates are being jailed in immigration detention centers and entered into deportation proceedings. In others, they are stuck in Mexico, their passports suddenly revoked when they tried to reenter the United States. As the Trump administration attempts to reduce both legal and illegal immigration, the government's treatment of passport applicants in South Texas shows how U.S. citizens are increasingly being swept up by immigration enforcement agencies. Juan said he was infuriated by the government's response. "I served my country. I fought for my country," he said, speaking on the condition that his last name not be used so that he wouldn't be targeted by immigration enforcement. The government alleges that from the 1950s through the 1990s, some midwives and physicians along the Texas-Mexico border provided U.S. birth certificates to babies who were actually born in Mexico. In a series of federal court cases in the 1990s, several birth attendants admitted to providing fraudulent documents. Based on those suspicions, the State Department during George W. Bush and Barack Obama's administrations denied passports to people who were delivered by midwives in Texas's Rio Grande Valley. The use of midwives is a long-standing tradition in the region, in part because of the cost of hospital care.

The excuse they're using for this has to do with an earlier period of history, but that long-ago adjudicated dispute affected a relatively limited population. Passport denials over the matter were considered a thing in the past. Until Trump.
Last week, New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon boasted of making "one of the largest seizures in the state" after hauling 12 pounds of "fentanyl" from a drug bust. Sadly for McMahon, the state crime lab says it is sugar.

"The job of the District Attorney is not to convict at all costs, but to be ministers of justice. That commitment requires us to move swiftly to dismiss or modify charges when we become aware of new evidence that calls into question a defendant's guilt," Ben David, the district attorney for New Hanover County, said in a statement.

The people busted aren't off the hook, as other "drugs" were found. Fortunately for them, "contributing to the epic self-own of a law enforcement officer" is not on the books in North Carolina.
Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, has released a wide-ranging mandate letter asking Canada's Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, Bill Blair, to "[L]ead an examination of a full ban on handguns and assault weapons in Canada, while not impeding the lawful use of firearms by Canadians."

This work would be in support of Canada's upcoming Firearms bill, Bill C-71, and is supported by the city councils of two of Canada's largest cities: Toronto and Montreal, who have recently both passed resolutions asking for an outright ban on handguns.

As Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, your goals are to ensure that our borders remain secure and to lead cross-government efforts to reduce organized crime. You will work to ensure Canada's borders are managed to promote legitimate travel and trade while keeping Canadians safe and treating everyone fairly, in accordance with our laws. You will also play a leading role in our efforts to reduce gun violence. You will lead the legalization and strict regulation of cannabis, and are the Minister responsible for our strategy to manage the challenge of irregular migration.

Image: Kencf0618 [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. It used to be that kids said the darnedest things. Now kids are doing the most to separate themselves from the generation before them (who, let's be honest, are clearly embarrassing READ THE REST
Jason Boek swerved his truck in front of an Uber driver at 2 a.m., forced him to pull over, then approached his vehicle while claiming to have a pistol and threatening to shoot. Boek was stalking a woman and under the mistaken impression she was a passenger in the vehicle. The Uber driver, Robert Westlake, pulled his own gun and shot Boek once, killing him.

Given the violent threat and the dangerous circumstances, no-one's in trouble: Westlake even performed CPR and called 911, to no avail. But here's the local sheriff to put the unique stamp of Florida on it all:
The northwestern Mexican state of Guerrero's ocean side vistas, Mayan and Zapotec heritage and mountainous terrain would make it a postcard-pretty place to beif it weren't for all the murder and financial destitution.

Because of the extreme poverty in the region, the state has one of the lowest life expectancy rates in the nation. According to the Guardian, close to 70% of the people who call Guerrero home, live in poverty. This misery experienced on a daily basis by those living in Guerrero is compounded by an ongoing turf war between cartels and the Mexican military resulting in one of the highest murder rates per capita, in the world. The violence is so extreme that most professionals who can afford to pick up and relocate, have done so. The loss of lawyers? Meh. However, having no Doctors or other medical staff to care for a population trapped in an already untenable situation is nightmare.

Thankfully, with little fanfare, Medecins Sans Frontieres is on the scene, trying to make a difference.

From The Guardian:

Before patients are seen, the clinical team  three doctors, two psychologists and a nurse  explain that MSF is neutral, independent, free of charge and available to anyone as long as weapons are left outside. This is the standard pep talk in the state of Guerrero, where MSF has taken over 11 primary health clinics that have closed or are limited by the security crisis in communities long neglected by the state. In addition to regular clinics, MSF provides rapid response interventions in the aftermath of grave incidents like mass kidnappings, gun battles and massacres, which leave displaced or trapped communities in psychological turmoil. "Emergency situations are part of our DNA as an organisation," says programme chief Dr Helmer Charris. "The quicker we respond, the more impact we have."

Saving migrants from drowning in the Mediterranean, fighting Ebola on in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bringing comfort to folks that need it in Mexico. MSF does it all. If you're looking for a charity to contribute to, you'll be hard-pressed to find one more worthwhile.

Image via Wikipedia Commons
Multiple deaths and many people with serious injuries are reported in a Greyhound bus crash on a freeway in New Mexico, police say.

The bus and semi-truck crashed into each other on Interstate 40 in Thoreau, N.M., Aug. 30, 2018. Greyhound says 49 people were on board the bus.

Officers have confirmed multiple casualties in this crash. Officers and EMS are still working this scene actively. More information will be released when available.  NMSP (@NMStatePolice) August 30, 2018

"There are multiple serious injuries and passengers transported. Officers and EMS are actively working and assessing the scene, said New Mexico State Police.

More than 33 patients have been transported to local area hospitals with injuries, some are said to be in critical condition, officials said.

NTSB is launching a go-team to investigate today's crash involving a Greyhound bus and a truck-tractor semitrailer on Interstate 40 in Gonzales, New Mexico.  NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) August 30, 2018

JUST IN: Multiple casualties, serious injuries reported after Greyhound bus crash in New Mexico, police say. https://t.co/3qLeCbnmMC pic.twitter.com/N2VRTvjeJy  ABC News (@ABC) August 30, 2018

BREAKING: New Mexico authorities report multiple fatalities in commercial bus crash.  The Associated Press (@AP) August 30, 2018

#Breaking Greyhound bus involved in crash in Western New Mexico was traveling from Albuquerque to Phoenix. There were 47 passengers on board, according to a Greyhound officials. @NBCNightlyNews pic.twitter.com/SvpLrjeXAY  KOB 4 (@KOB4) August 30, 2018

https://twitter.com/NTSB_Newsroom/status/1035295627301867527

#BREAKING The bus was heading from Albuquerque to Phoenix, and there were 47 passengers. https://t.co/Anvs4tYYUC  azcentral (@azcentral) August 30, 2018
New York City was vandalized in OpenStreetMap, and as a result renamed as "Jewtropolis" in Snapchat and other applications that ultimately depend on the service for mapping.

The company called it an act of "vandalism" and said it was working with its partner Mapbox to "get this fixed immediately". In a statement, Snap said the defacement was "deeply offensive". Screenshots on social media appeared to show other apps had also been affected.

The problem with outsourcing content to third parties is that it pins your reputation to their reliability and trustworthiness. And here there appears to be a chain: Snapchat (etc) pulling data from Mapbox pulling data from OpenStreetMap pulling data from antisemitic users.

I'd been waiting for a major wikipedia page to "fall" to an organized clique on the far right without being successfully reverted to the prior editorial consensus. This incident tastes like an aperitif.
In Gregory Scott Katsoulis's All Rights Reserved , we had a thrilling YA adventure in a world where ever word is copyrighted and every person over 15 wears an unremovable surveillance cuff to bill them for their speech; in the sequel, Access Restricted , we follow the surviving heroes outside the claustrophobic confines of the Portland dome and into the wider world, to DC, the wastelands beyond, and finally to Tejico, the semi-colonized, semi-independent nation made up of Mexico and Texas, where a way out of this terrible world may be found.



Katsoulis's second volume expands on the themes of All Rights Reserved, moving from a dystopia where the rich oppress the poor to one in which the specific indentities of race, culture, gender and other factors color the experience of oppression.







The world of Access Restricted hints at the future of American exceptionalism: a basket-case nation whose perverse and polymorphous (and manifestly unjust) laws are used to impose American will on the world, even as they strangle American prosperity and freedom, isolating the country and squandering the potential of its people.





It's a fantastic, red-blooded justice-struggle novel, where the liberation of slave plantations, plans to blow up giant, oppressive data-centers, hacking, running, rock-throwing and karate-kicks live alongside nefarious surgeries that implant tracking and communications devices in indentured slaves, Judge-Dredd-style kangaroo courts are the scene of nailbiting battles and clever schemes, and where death is always a possibility and solidarity is the only answer.

Access Restricted [Gregory Scott Katsoulis/Harlequin Teen]
Myanmars President Win Myint visits Lumbini

Myanmars President Win Myint visited Lumbini, birth place of Gautam Buddha, in Rupandehi district on Wednesday.
Did you know that Canadian music icon Neil Young and American mermaid-patch-eyed-movie-psychopath icon Daryl Hannah have been dating since 2014? If not, you'll raise an eyebrow over the fact that all points lead to the fact that the pair recently tied the knot.

From The Guardian:

The couple reportedly wed on Saturday in Atascadero, after a ceremony on Young's yacht near the San Juan islands. The guitarist Mark Miller appeared to confirm the news on Facebook when he congratulated the couple. He later clarified that he had not attended the ceremony. "I only knew about it because one of my friends attended the ceremony in Atascadero and announced it on his page," Miller said. The administrator of Young's blog also congratulated the pair, and referred to comments from attendees, who described the event as "a shindig". Hannah posted a cryptic image to her Instagram account the following day. She captioned the picture of an owl: "Someone's watching over us  love and only love."

No one, according to The Guardian, was watching over Young's wife of over three decades, Pegi Young, when he divorced her shortly before his relationship with Hannah became a thing. That said, no one knows the truth behind Pegi and Neil breaking up, save them, their lawyers and very likely, Daryl Hannah.

It's been four years since the divorcefour years that Hannah and Young have been together as a couple. Hopefully, in a world as shitty as this one has been of late, the newlyweds and Pegi, as she pursues a better world through her music, philanthropy and environmentalist efforts, have all found some small measure of happiness.

Image via Flickr, courtesy of slgckgc
"America is at stage two Islamic Cancer," says the founder of ACT for America. Why exactly is Thomas Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), speaking at their upcoming event in Washington, D.C.? And he only retired in June.

ACT For America, founded by "Brigitte Gabriel" (aka Hanah Kahwagi Tudor aka Brigitte Tudor) is an anti-Muslim hate group linked to white supremacist and neo-Nazi hate organizations. You can learn more about them at SPLC's website, where they're flagged as a hate group:

ACT also ran an online database allegedly for law enforcement called the Thin Blue Line. This McCarthyite project lists the names and addresses of prominent Muslim American leaders and Muslim Student Association (MSA) chapters alongside individuals who have been arrested on terrorism charges, referring to the MSAs as "radical organizations" and the individuals as "persons of interest."

"Brigitte Gabriel" boasts about her access to the Trump administration.

From the Council on American-Islamic relations (CAIR), a longtime Muslim-American advocacy group:

Thomas Homan, formerly acting director of ICE, is listed as a confirmed "Special Dinner Gala Honoree" at the Sept. 4-5 conference of the hate group ACT For America in Arlington, Va. Homan retired in June of this year. While acting director of ICE, Homan refused to condemn the Trump administration's policy of separating children from their parents at the border, but instead claimed that his agency was simply enforcing the law. "By appearing at an anti-Muslim hate event, Mr. Homan would  because of his past position as head of ICE  send the clear message that bigotry is viewed as acceptable by top government officials in the current administration," said CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw. "We urge Mr. Homan to withdraw from this hate event." McCaw noted that CAIR today sent a letter to members of Congress and their staff outlining ACT For America's bigoted agenda and history prior to the hate group's Capitol Hill Day on Sept. 5.

Last year, ACT For America organized anti-Muslim protests around the U.S. which were condemned as hate rallies.

ACT's founder says she believes "every practicing Muslim is a radical Muslim," a Muslim "cannot be a loyal citizen of the United States," and that Arabs "have no soul."
Lawrence Kananji has been rewarded for the the brave rescue that went viral on social media last week.

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See first" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed!

A lot of people believe in South Africa it is every man for himself, but Kananji risked his own life to save an elderly lady, who was being robbed in broad daylight on 19 August.

Now, his act of bravery would be rewarded by his Engen boss. According to a report by SA People, Kananji's boss would be taking him out for a congratulatory dinner, as well as giving the hero a gift card.

In a statement on Wednesday, Engen said Kananji took their brand promise, "with us you are number one" to a whole new level after saving the old lady.

As Briefly.co.za reported previously, Kananji bravely confronted the muggers along a street in Milnerton, Cape Town.

His heroic story was shared online by Glenn Bradfield, whose car he stopped after the incident took place to ask her to take the old lady home.

Lawrence and the lady he saved. Photo credit: Glenn Bradfield/Facebook

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Who was Bram Fischer and why was he considered a struggle stalwart?

South Africans were inspired by the story and they praised Kananji for his selflessness.

Sharon Moodley wrote: "Nice to know that there are still good human beings out there...well done."

Theo Bekker added, "Yes 100% hero of the month. Proud of you my fellow SA brother."

Lorraine McGregor wrote: "Thank you Lawrence for risking your life to help this lady. You are a brave man. God bless you!!"

Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story.

To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today.

Briefly South Africa has gone through the list of current and immediate past African leaders and is ready to present Top-5 tips on how to be an average African president.

Source: Briefly.co.za
Actor Zola Hashatsi is the latest to speak out against the looting and protests that took place against foreigners in White City, Soweto.

PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!

Earlier this week, riots broke out when local residents grew tired of being sold expired and counterfeit food items.

Since then three people have lost their lives and the former Rhythm City actor wants to know if the protestors still feel that it was worth it.

READ ALSO: Manaka Ranaka jumps to Ayanda Ncwanes defence to slam trolls

The protesters claimed that the Pakistani-owned shops were responsible for selling them the rotten food, but Zola pointed out that these were the same shops that protesters were looting.

Briefly.co.za learned that Zola went as far as to say that people are lazy if they believe that foreigners took away their jobs.

Zola took to social media to comment on the situation where he acknowledged that residents had the right to protest about the quality of the food sold to them but questioned their motives behind looting the shops.

READ ALSO: Fans thought Skolopad sealed the deal after performance with Malinga

TimesLIVE reports that the actor also stated that he does not agree with the looting and the violence that has taken place.

A spokesperson for the police has said that they have since seized two unlicensed firearms and that they have arrested close to 27 people for their involvement in the demonstrations.

Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story.

To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today.

Watch the animated video and head over to Briefly South Africas Youtube channel for more.

Source: Briefly.co.za
- Bolivian woman Julia Flores Colque is thought to be the world's oldest person with a recorded age of almost 118

- Colque's national identity card says she was born in a mining camp on October 26, 1900

- In her long life, she has witnessed two world wars and revolutions in her native Bolivia

PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed!

A Bolivian woman identified as Julia Flores Colque is said to be the world's oldest person, aged 118. Flores national identity card states she was born on October 26, 1900, making her a witness of two world wars and revolution in her native Bolivia.

In a recent interview, the aged woman revealed details about her love for cakes, singing folk songs and playing with her chickens. Interestingly, she also has a cat and strums a tiny Andean guitar known as the charango at her home in the rural town of Sacaba.

Growing up in her native, she has gotten used to watching the town grow from a population of about 3,000 to a bustling city of 30,000 people.

READ ALSO: Curious giraffe hilariously photobombs South African newlyweds

Briefly.co.za learned that at being aged 118, she's most likely the world's oldest person although she's isn't recorded as such in the Guinness Book of world records. Colque also doesn't care to be a part of the book and just lives her life as she deems fit.

Bolivian woman may be world's oldest person at nearly 118

For her age, Colque is full of life and loves singing to folkloric songs in Quechua when she receives guests who visit the dirt-floor adobe home she shares with her 65-year-old grand-niece, Agustina Berna.

Bolivian woman may be world's oldest person at nearly 118

READ ALSO: The ultimate #ThrowBackThurday: Is that Bonang Matheba in 2012?

Bolivian woman may be world's oldest person at nearly 118

Bolivian woman may be world's oldest person at nearly 118

Interestingly, the Bolivian woman has never been married or has children. She is, however, very content with her life and survives on selling fruits and vegetables.

Bolivian woman may be world's oldest person at nearly 118

Nail.com reports that birth certificates did not exist in Bolivia until 1940, and births previously were registered with baptism certificates provided by Roman Catholic priests. Colque's national identity card, however, has been certified by the Bolivian government.

Bolivian woman may be world's oldest person at nearly 118

Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook page and we could feature your story.

To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today.

Watch the animated video and head over to Briefly South Africas Youtube channel for more.

Source: Briefly.co.za
News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa will this Sunday embark on nation-wide rallies to consult his supporters on the way forward in the aftermath of his electoral loss to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.Chamisa had already lined up countrywide rallies beginning with Kwekwe this Sunday to thank his supporters for voting him.Ironically, Chamisa's rallies come at a time when president Emmerson Mnangagwa is also lining up countrywide tours to thank the people for voting for him and Zanu-PF in the July 30 harmonised elections.Chamisa's spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said his boss will address his first rally in Kwekwe."The president is going to address the people of Zimbabwe, thanking them for overwhelmingly voting him. We were the first to apply to the police but after that I heard Mnangagwa is also having rallies and from that you know who the president is. The organising department is still doing the president's itinerary but the president will address people in every corner of Zimbabwe," Sibanda said.The rallies come after the Constitutional Court unanimously upheld Mnangagwa's July 30 election victory and threw out Chamisa's petition that had sought to overturn the result.However, after the court verdict the youthful opposition leader refused to accept Mnangagwa's victory, insisting that he was the legitimate winner of the tightly-contested presidential plebiscite.More to follow...
News / National

by Staff reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is under pressure to appoint Cabinet ahead of his trip to the Far East on Friday where he is scheduled to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC).Since his inauguration four days ago, the country has effectively been operating with a Cabinet.Mnangagwa is engaging Parliament over the swearing-in of the Ninth Parliament of Zimbabwe and the appointment of a new Cabinet, as he races against time amid reports that government business was virtually at a standstill.Mnangagwa on Monday reportedly met outgoing Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda to discuss the processes and procedures to take place, as the country awaits the appointment of Vice-Presidents and Cabinet ministers.Yesterday, Mudenda confirmed "consultations" were underway on the matter, although he could not divulge definitive timelines as well as the processes."Indeed, consultations are underway with regards to the process and what's ought to start. I am sorry I cannot share much or say anything further than that. I am involved and I am sorry I cannot help you even legally or the interpretation you so seek," Mudenda said.Mnangagwa is yet to appoint his Cabinet from elected MPs and five non-constituency MPs to be appointed based on their skills and technical abilities.Mnangagwa, who was sworn in on Sunday, will have a tough time selecting his next cabinet as he moves to revive the country's economy, which has been on its knees for two decades.Political analysts and ordinary Zimbabweans noted that President Mnangagwa, who had to be declared winner of the election by the Constitutional Court after the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance filed an application to overturn his election, will have to find ways of dealing with the military element that helped him attain power in a coup last November.Political analyst Conrad Gweru said Mnangagwa was faced with a big challenge to leave behind former President Robert Mugabe's style of appointing cabinet ministers, which was based primarily on loyalty to the president rather than competence.Media analyst Nevanji Madanhire said the people of Zimbabwe expected a cabinet of competent people drawn from current MPs, regardless of their political affiliation.President Mnangagwa had a large pool to choose from  his ruling ZANU-PF, the opposition MDC Alliance and independent candidates.In his last cabinet, Mnangagwa was accused of retaining and protecting people who had been fingered for corrupt activities. The former vice president had a torrid time trying to balance the people who had helped him during Operation Restore Legacy with those who had served in the old cabinet. However, President Mnangagwa had to withdraw some appointments after exceeding the allowed number of people appointed to the cabinet who were not MPs.More to follow...
News / National

by Nyari Mashayamombe

I would start by congratulating you on becoming our new President. As you assume your five-year mandate, have a few suggestions.A female vice presidentIt goes without question that Section 56 of our Constitution requires that we have equal representation in our country, since 54 percent of the voters were female. A new dawn for Zimbabwean women must not be postponed; it begins now and with the appointment of a female VP. As an officer of the law yourself who has promised to be a listening President, we expect you to listen to the voices of women who are calling for a representative in the presidium.The new CabinetWomen also require equal representation in your Cabinet. Moving forward, Zimbabwe requires sharp brains comprising women, youths from across the political divide. Diversity, inclusivity and action are at the core of democracy.Access to education for all childrenWe need a policy that allows all children access to basic education and not be inhibited by fees and levies as enshrined in our Section 75 of our Constitution which requires every child to be in school. Through our #EveryChildInSchool Campaign, Primary and Secondary Education minister Paul Mavima had promised to look into the issue of the circular but its now more than six months without any action.Zimbabwe is Open for BusinessWhile we want jobs and world-class infrastructure, the open for business mantra should not come at the expense of exploitation of our resources, looting and corruption. There must be clear transparency and mechanisms to make all deals as transparent as possible.Sanctions Must Go!Zidera should be gone as soon as yesterday, because Zimbabwe deserves a fresh start. Mr President, you must know that many progressive Zimbabweans are supporting you in asking for sanctions to go.As a developmentalist and human rights activist, as well as a businesswoman myself, I have seen the burden that sanctions place on the poor, on the women and youths and the opportunities to move our country forward.We are speaking together for our country to be freed.Social Protection of Women, Children and ElderlyIt is true that one can see the development and progressiveness of a country in the manner in which the government treats in women and children. The social services system plunged to the drain a long time ago. The vulnerabilities that women, children and the elderly in our communities suffer should us and be revealed to us as a sin before God.There is urgent need to restore social welfare, hospitals and clinics, justice system free of corruption and make it more women friendly, also including women in positions of leadership.Unity for our CountryThis country is fragmented, bleeding and needs healing. Calls that started last year with regards to healing and processes were put in place. The healing and reconciliation processes that were started must be completed to avoid wasting of resources over processes that do not get completed.Media ReformIt is without doubt that the issue of media reforms has been raised enough times in our country. The national broadcaster ZBC's television and radio as well as national press require a new policy that promotes more tolerance, openness, freedom of speech and access for all.This will not happen without a clear process of staff training, enactment of a new policy in the ZBC led by your office. The culture of staff in all these media platforms will require your leadership to change Mr President as we move forward to a total democracy.Respect for Freedoms and Human RightsThe civil society in our country has contributed immensely to the attainment of democracy, human rights and freedoms, and we have also seen gross abuses of human rights.A new Zimbabwe that we want includes freedoms of association, respect for human rights, the rule of law by the State and also respect for the civil society.Labour Justice and Economic Justice for MassesGovernment must lead by example in restoring the dignity of workers. Youths are vending and efforts must be taken by the government to ensure that jobs are availed, and small to medium entrepreneurs access resources and opportunities fairly.
News / National

by Dr Masimba Mavaza

vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk

"ZIMBABWEAN men in the UK have graduated into lazy benefit seekers content to stay in council houses with no zeal to develop their lives," laments one Angela."Most of them have turned into a gossiping jealous pack that will do anything to bring down any hardworking Zimbabwean. Many Zimbabwean men are now spending most of their time chasing women or loafing around."These men have a false sense of pride which makes them picky when it comes to jobs. We are sick and tired of men in their prime who exit the work force and then choose not to renter it, preferring to sleep, read novels, re-mortgage their homes and mooch off their families, insisting they will not do jobs beneath' them."Sophia Murandu, a Zimbabwean nurse in Luton, also has a word or two on the issue: "Zimbabwean men have developed a repulsive habit, one of siphoning money from the ladies and scheming more ways to steal' from hardworking women."The situation is pathetic, with some Zimbabwean men now resorting to crime just because they are lazy to work.According to a June 2016 report from The Foreign Labour Statistics: "The total unemployment rate for adult men increases once they become eligible for public funds."The statistics indicate that about 13 percent of Zimbabwean men, between 30 and 55, in the UK are not working, up from five percent in 2008.The difference represents men who would be working today if the employment zeal had remained where it was in the 2005 when Zimbabwean migration was at its peak."The wisdom of Zimbabwean men in the UK escapes me; last I checked, the number of men lined up to take benefits and clamouring for council housing was alarming (sic)," said Debra Sipambi."Jobs are plenty but Zimbabwean men do not want to stand up and be counted. Most have formed churches and some are busy generating scandalous facebook pages and chasing after women," moaned Pamhidzai Garande of Dunstable.Washington Chihota of Corby said: "Zimbabwean men in the UK have become lazy and a bad example to their children."Regina Kumunda, a care assistant in Luton, said: "Most Zimbabwean men do not even want to buy houses in the UK. If you point out friends who have bought houses and are doing well for themselves, all these men do is lambast and accuse you of being a materialistic pig."However, some men beg to differ and claim that the job circuit favours women more than men.Ngoni Midzi of London angrily retorted: "Based on 'nonsensical' premise, inconclusive research and hollow conclusions, the assertion by women is yet another inflammatory cheap shot at the men's movement, drawing flimsy conclusions supported by non-existent evidence (sic)."Abide Shumba, a businessman from Leicester, said men were being squeezed out from the work force in droves."Men are discriminated against, most jobs which do not need qualifications in the UK prefer women. For instance, clients in care homes prefer to be attended to by a woman rather than a man and employers readily employ women for all care giving jobs. Men will be taken only where manual work is needed," said Shumba."This has led to men being marginalised and it ends up looking as if men are lazy and picky when it comes to jobs."Millicent from Northampton said: "The men singled out as lazy are those who once had good jobs in Zimbabwe but have failed to adjust to the new regime in the UK."To keep up appearances, some men in the UK are now known for bragging in new cars which they hire for the purpose of showing off. Most women have now resorted to claiming maintenance to force the lazy' men to feed their children.Makanaka Shava, a council employee in Leeds, said: "Many Zimbabwean men are an embarrassment; all they do is buy new cars on hire purchase, show off on the latest cars and fashion. They do not even think about where they sleep. Some men are flashy out there but sleep in offices or rent a room."Alfred Matombo insisted that men are not lazy but that the "few women fortunate enough to get good jobs and those overworking themselves are the ones labelling all men lazy."Law practitioner Justin Mbende weighed in on the debate: "Rather than simply heaping blame on the men, perhaps our energies would be better spent examining the root of the problem. These men were either trained for jobs that have become obsolete, or branded with a criminal record that slashes their chances of obtaining gainful employment."Technological advances, not women, have taken the place of blue collar labour, while economic shifts since the tech boom have led to heightened job insecurity among white collar workers, both male and female. Attitudes about work are shifting, with the notion of permanent employment becoming a distant memory. Maybe, instead of pointing fingers at imaginary gender-induced trends, we should pay greater attention to the social disenchantment and value shifts," said Mbende.
News / National

by staff reporter

A Harare magistrate has cautioned businessman Wicknell Chivayo, who is facing fraud charges to abide by bail conditions after he defaulted reporting to police during Heroes' holidays.Chivayo and his company Intratek Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd are being charged with fraud, money laundering and contravening two sections of Exchange Control Act.An enquiry was made after Chivayo failed to report at Morris Depot on August 13 citing that he had been turned away by a female cop because it was a holiday.However, it was established that on the day in questions 13 other accused persons had reported at the same police station."The accused person has been warned to abide by reporting conditions which were imposed on him by the court."An inspection-in-loco proved that other accused persons actually reported at the same police station that day hence it is not possible that he was turned away," Zivanai Macharaga of the President's Special Anti-Corruption team said. Chivayo is expected back in court today for an application to have his passport temporarily released.His trial will be heard between September 18 and 20 together with former Energy minister Samuel Undenge.The complainant is Zimbabwe Power Company represented by board member Thandiwe Mlobane.Prosecutor Michael Reza alleged that sometime in 2012, ZPC resolved to increase power on the national grid.A feasibility study was carried out and a tender process done in August 2013 for installation of a 100 Megawatt solar power plant in Gwanda and the tender was awarded to a Chinese company China Jianxi at a cost of $183 million.The court heard Chivayo participated in the tender with a bid of $248 million being the third lowest. However, it was alleged, Chivayo's accomplice Undenge interfered with the tender process and directed ZPC accounting officer Noah Gwariro to award the tender to Chivayo and his company.He allegedly misrepresented that he had capacity to implement the project.Chivayo reportedly won the tender at $172 848 597.The court heard on October 23, 2015 ZPC acted on the misrepresentation and signed a contract with Chivayo for implementation of the project.ZPC released $5 607 814, 24 into Intratrek bank account for the project to take off.Chivayo allegedly converted or transferred the money into various individual and company accounts.ZPC suffered prejudice of $5 607 814.24 and nothing was recovered.
Nepal and Malaysia set to end workers woes

Nepal and Malaysia are close to striking a historic pact that is expected to streamline the overall process of hiring Nepali workers as well as ensuring their labour rights.
News / National

by Staff reporter

War veterans said former president Robert Mugabe's congratulatory message to President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not enough for them to forgive him.This comes after Mugabe on Sunday moved to end months of his acrimonious relationship with Mnangagwa by sending his daughter Bona and her husband Simba Chikore to deliver a special congratulatory message from him and Grace as Mnangagwa was being inaugurated in Harare.Speaking to the Daily News yesterday Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said it's now irrelevant for them to engage Mugabe."Congratulating ... Mnangagwa was a good move but not enough. For us war veterans we think it's irrelevant to engage him (Mugabe)."He must just retire and keep quiet. From what he did in the past we saw that he has never been Zanu-PF. He said he is supporting the MDC Alliance and by so going he is also calling for sanctions. Mugabe caused the suffering of many Zimbabweans and he has demonstrated that he is a failure," Mahiya said.The sickly 94-year-old and Grace were unable to attend the big occasion due to their poor health, which has seen the latter flying to Singapore for medical attention."Your Excellency, thank you for your invitation, my wife is not well in Singapore, I am also not well, so I am sending my daughter and son-in-law to represent us.Congratulations," Mugabe said in his surprise message that was read by Mnangagwa.This was despite the fact that on the eve of the historic July 30 polls, Mugabe had done all in his power to derail Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF's electoral bids, saying the "new" dispensation was illegitimate."Today (July 29) is a better day; I hope it will still be a better day tomorrow. I'm sure the good Lord will help us to bring a better day tomorrow."Let tomorrow decide ... there should be a big no to guns directing politics. We shall never again experience a time when an army is used in politics."I have never met (Nelson) Chamisa. I wish to meet him if he wins. I can't vote for those who've caused me to be in this situation."I hope the voting which will be done tomorrow will thrash away the military form of government and bring us back to constitutionality," Mugabe told journalists.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The United Kingdom's endorsement of President Emmerson Mnangagwa will not matter much as long as Zimbabweans still question his legitimacy, analysts said.While the European Union (EU) and the United States have concluded that the elections failed the credibility test, British Prime Minister Theresa May broke ranks on Tuesday saying the UK would give Mnangagwa's administration the benefit of doubt.But analysts said the UK's endorsement remains hollow as Mnangagwa's election was being disputed not only by the MDC Alliance but Zimbabweans in general.Political analyst, Maxwell Saungweme, said endorsements which matter the most were those from Zimbabweans, adding that Western countries were more concerned about stability than democracy in the southern African state."Whether that confirms opposition fears (that Britain always preferred Mnangagwa) or not does not matter. Western countries want stability more in Zimbabwe than anything else so they will support a leadership which seems predictable to them and which they think brings stability," he said.South Africa-based political analyst, Ricky Mukonza, said the UK's stance confirms the opposition's fears that the former colony has always preferred Mnangagwa.Mukonza said the UK was getting tired of the Zimbabwean issue and was also desperate for new friends in the wake of its exit from the EU, commonly referred to as Brexit.Britain has been at loggerheads with Harare for close to 20 years and fatigue seems to have set in, he opined."To them, ED thus provides a window of opportunity to mend relations with their former colony. The second reason is that with Brexit looming, the UK has bigger problems to look at, the earlier Zimbabwe is sorted, the better for them," added Mukonza.In the run up to the July 30 elections, the MDC Alliance had complained bitterly about what it regarded as the UK's meddlesome support for Mnangagwa.It is not just the UK, which is warming up to Mnangagwa.Germany, a member of the EU is also gradually cosying up to him after it dispatched its Economic Cooperation and Development official Gerd Muller to Harare  the first such visit in 20 years.Meanwhile, South Africa would be ready to assist President Emmerson Mnangagwa with a commission of inquiry into the post-election shootings of protesters if needed, international relations minister Lindiwe Sisulu has said.Responding to questions at her monthly briefing to journalists on Monday, Sisulu said South Africa "normally gets requests from the Southern African Development Community when judges are required" to be part of a commission of inquiry, but there "hasn't been any formal request" from Zimbabwe as yet.If Mnangagwa were to ask, "South Africa will be ready to give them, because we are concerned that what started off as a peaceful election process turned into an unfortunate incident", she said, with reference to Zimbabwean soldiers killing at least six people during a protest in the centre of Harare two days after the elections.Some of the people killed were not protesters, but got caught up in the march.In his inauguration speech on Sunday, Mnangagwa again said he would institute a commission of inquiry to establish who gave the order for soldiers to get deployed to contain the protest.This echoed remarks he made soon after being declared the winner of the elections, just over two weeks ago. At the time he promised that he would bring in experts from outside the country too to sit on the commission, to ensure fairness and credibility.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Despite the denials in the officialdom, the European Union (EU) and the British government seem to be succeeding in mellowing protagonists in the Zimbabwe crisis and nudging them towards some form of a unity government.The international media first leaked reports of the talks mid this month, which were later corroborated by the Daily News.The EU and the UK, it would appear, want President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government to officially recognise the MDC Alliance - Zimbabwe's main opposition party - in exchange for international recognition, which is critical in unlocking economic aid and access to financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.As part of the arrangement, this could see Zimbabwe adopting the British parliamentary system, where the leader of the opposition and his chief whip are paid by the State.As if to confirm this, Chamisa held talks on Tuesday with the British ambassador to Zimbabwe Catriona Liang whom he has often accused of being pro-Zanu-PF.Without delving into details of their meeting, Chamisa confirmed the meeting on micro-blogging platform Twitter."The future is very bright....had a great meeting with the British Ambassador Catriona on Zimbabwe's economy, national debt, governance and the post-election way forward. Zim-UK relations key flourish," he tweeted."To move forward, Zimbabwe needs truth, dialogue, healing, peace and citizens' consensus based on good governance and human rights. To end all disputes, we need a package of legal and political reforms to transform the way the state and elections are run," he said.In his interview with South Africa's SABC, Chamisa seemed to give conflicting signals by indicating that his party will not enter into any government of national unity with Zanu-PF while not completely ruling out talks, which sources said were taking place behind the scenes."People are actually saying Chamisa don't work with these people, don't join hands with the crocodile, he will drown you. Look at what happened to (Morgan) Tsvangirai, he was diluted, we were diluted and ended up being manipulated out of government. We don't want positions, we want alternative government," Chamisa said.Chamisa went into the July 30 polls under protest over what his party said was the existence of an uneven electoral playing field.He immediately emerged after the voting day to claim he had won the plebiscite.Official results spoke a different story, which saw the MDC Alliance leader unsuccessfully approaching the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) on August 10 to overturn Mnangagwa's victory.The application was dismissed with costs, paving way for Mnangagwa's inauguration on Sunday.Regardless, Chamisa insists he will pursue political channels to protest the alleged manipulation of the vote.This has angered hardliners in Zanu-PF who are now stonewalling the idea of an electoral pact with the MDC Alliance.Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana told the Daily News recently that Chamisa's party squandered the goodwill that existed when they decided to go to the courts challenging Mnangagwa's win and also his legitimacy.A top MDC official who asked not to be named told the Daily News yesterday that the party was divided over the issue, with hardliners urging Chamisa to spurn the UK and the EU's overtures and start rebuilding the party with the 2023 polls in mind.Others are, however, getting exhausted with the protracted standoff and are leaning towards some form of unity government, in which the MDC could come in as a junior partner. An MDC insider told this paper that those supporting such a marriage of convenience were looking beyond the elections in order to move the country forward."This country needs to move forward and the results show that the country is divided; the main opposition should not be taken as an enemy of the country. In some countries, (citizens) are building their nations we are having difficulties with Zanu-PF because we have people who believe they own this country," said the insider.Ambassadors from British and the EU ambassadors were still to respond to questions sent to them via e-mail at the time of going to print.Analysts are adamant that Mnangagwa should not bank on the Con-Court ruling to give him legitimacy, suggesting he needs the opposition to help him achieve international support.Academic and scholar Pedzisai Ruhanya echoed these sentiments on Facebook, saying legitimacy was not bestowed by legal processes only and neither was it a product of law.He said legitimacy was more a social contract between the governors and the governed deeply rooted in political and social processes.Since toppling Mugabe last November, the so-called new dispensation has tried to woo the international community, including initiating the process for Zimbabwe's readmission in the Commonwealth  a grouping of former British colonies.This suffered a major blow early this month when soldiers killed protesters in Harare.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Former South African president Kgalema Motlanthe will lead a seven-member commission of inquiry tasked with investigating circumstances leading to the post-election violence of August 1.The appointment of the commission by President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday has sent shivers down the spines of officials in the security establishment because its terms of reference extend to establishing the reasonableness of the degree of force used to disperse the protesters.At least six civilians lost their lives during the demonstrations.Mnangagwa, who has been under pressure from the local and international community to probe the fatalities, has opted for the level-headed Motlanthe to bring out the truth over the killings.The heinous act, which led to the death of seven civilians, has unfurled distrust in government amid indications that there could be another centre of power in Mnangagwa's administration.Motlanthe will led a team comprising former Commonwealth secretary-general Chief Emeka Anyaoku from Nigeria, former Chief of Defence Forces of the Tanzania People's Defence Forces general Davis Mwamunyange, Rodney Dixon QC from United Kingdom, professor Charity Manyeruke, professor Lovemore Madhuku and former president of the Law Society of Zimbabwe Vimbai Nyemba.Aged 69, Motlanthe served as president of South Africa between September 25, 2008 and May 9, 2009 following the resignation of Thabo Mbeki.After the end of his presidency, he was appointed as the deputy president of South Africa by his successor, Jacob Zuma.He served as deputy president of the African National Congress from 2007 until 2012, when he declined to run for a second term.Addressing journalists yesterday Mnangagwa said the commission will identify who was behind the killing of civilians."The terms of reference for the commission are as follows: to inquire into the circumstances leading to the 1st of August, 2018 post-election violence. To investigate the actors and their leaders, their motive and strategies employed in the protest."To inquire into the intervention by the Zimbabwe Republic Police in the maintenance of law and order; to investigate the circumstances which necessitated the involvement of the military in assisting in the maintenance of law and order," said Mnangagwa.According to the president the commission is also set to consider whether the degree of force used by the security forces was appropriate.Upon the swearing-in of the commission, it should be able to complete its investigations within three months and report its findings to the president in writing.Opposition and civic rights groups put the blame squarely on the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and its leadership after soldiers were captured on videos firing indiscriminately into petrified and fleeing protesters.The demonstrators had poured onto the streets of Harare on August 1, to vent their anger at inordinate delays by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) in announcing results of the presidential election.Supporters of the main MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa were livid at the time that the much-maligned Zec was manipulating the votes in favour of Zanu-PF.The angry protesters burnt Zanu-PF vehicles, tore Mnangagwa's posters and went on a rampage in the city overpowering the police.It was when the police were found wanting that choppers and armoured military vehicles rolled into Harare's central business district where soldiers momentarily turned the capital into a war zone, beating and shooting the protesters.To date, no one, including the ZDF commander Philip Valerio Sibanda, has taken responsibility on the deployment of soldiers most of whose faces were covered in balaclavas.While the world blamed Mnangagwa for the violent quashing of the protests, the president has consistently blamed the MDC Alliance for inciting their supporters into rioting."I am, however, deeply concerned with the incidents of violence that rocked the streets of Harare at the instigation of some members of the MDC Alliance leadership, which subsequently resulted in the regrettable loss of lives, injury to persons and damage to property," Mnangagwa said during the Defence Forces Day commemorations.Analysts, however, contend that Mnangagwa could have compromised the commission of inquiry by rushing to blame the main opposition party over the disturbances.
News / National

by Staff reporter

President Emmerson Mnangagwa is under pressure to appoint his Cabinet ahead of his trip to the Far East on Friday where he is scheduled to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).Since his inauguration four days ago, the country has effectively been operating without a Cabinet, with former ministers affected by the dissolution of the previous bureau only performing ceremonial duties.Permanent secretaries have therefore taken over government business while Mnangagwa is operating as a lone ranger in the cockpit.Mnangagwa's spokesperson George Charamba yesterday said he could not comment on the new Cabinet because it was the prerogative of the president to do so.He said: "I cannot speak before the president has spoken".In terms of the Constitution, the tenure of office of a minister or deputy minister becomes vacant upon the assumption of office by a new president.As such, Mnangagwa finds himself in an invidious spot of bother whereby he cannot travel to China on Friday without a functional Cabinet because he would need to leave behind an acting president to perform executive functions in his absence.Legal experts are therefore expecting him to unveil his line-up before the trip to Beijing where he will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss Africa-China and Zimbabwe-China cooperation.Three days ago, Jinping dispatched his special envoy, Su Hui, to deliver his congratulations on Mnangagwa's inauguration.Su, also vice chairperson of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, took the opportunity to applaud Mnangagwa's participation at FOCAC and his contribution to the success of the summit.The summit, according to Harare, is to bring the China-Africa and China-Zimbabwe comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation to a higher level.The two countries share close ties, dating as far back as the 1970s when Beijing used to support the war of liberation.The relationship has since been cemented following the fallout between Zimbabwe and its former colonial master, Britain, over former president Robert Mugabe's autocratic rule.Opinion is divided on whether Mnangagwa could appoint his Cabinet before Members of Parliament have been sworn in since his ministers would be drawn from the legislative assembly.Constitutional law expert Craig Lennington said his reading of the national charter was that while the Constitution was clear on the dissolution of Cabinet, ministers could still continue holding their offices even if they are no longer lawmakers."Ministers can hold office even if there are not MPs; the key word is that he can appoint new ministers who can function until they are sworn-in," Lennington told the Daily News.Constitutional law expert Alex Magaisa said Zimbabwe was on autopilot as ministers lost their posts on Sunday."It's common cause that in terms of section 108(1)(c) ministerial posts became vacant on Sunday when Mnangagwa was inaugurated. It's important for the president to appoint Cabinet as soon as possible to avoid one-man rule or having individuals masquerading as ministers when they are not properly appointed," said Magaisa.Lawyer and opposition leader Obert Gutu said the ideal situation was that Mnangagwa should have appointed his Cabinet soon after his swearing in."Constitutionally speaking, Zimbabwe doesn't have a Cabinet at the present moment and of course, this vacuum raises very serious issues pertaining to governmental stability and continuity."Technically speaking, there is no Cabinet minister who is lawfully in office right now until such a time that a new Cabinet has been appointed. We expect President Mnangagwa to appoint his new Cabinet as soon as possible in order to fully comply with his constitutional mandate and obligations," said Gutu.But as Mnangagwa weighs his options, officials in his party are busy positioning themselves for strategic postings in government.Covert and overt lobbying has been on show lately, with officials trying to curry favour with Mnangagwa and some of his trusted lieutenants.On Sunday, Zanu-PF officials went to great lengths to get his attention, with others exaggerating their contribution to his wafer-thin victor.
Opinion / Columnist

Zimbabwe a land full of plenty but grappling in poverty where the majority are living under the poverty datum line.Now that the elections are over which have been disputed from the time the results were announced until the Constitutional Court finalised the matter on the 22nd of August 2018 where most people said was a black friday.The current political status is just ushering a ray of hope cascading from the top leadership down to the most trodden thousands of jobless university graduates. With the unemployment rate shooting above the unprecedented levels, the current government is faced with a mammoth task to carry and fulfill its promises as per their election manifesto.Their priorities must dwell much on a national healing process to the Zimbabweans who are currently very divided on political grounds. The government must address issues of corruption where little action has been done. The issuing out of brand new cars to chiefs will not solve any economic challenges bedevelling the government. Its not the right time to embark on such an expenditure. In fact such costs must be cut and the money used on more income generating projects, where employment creation must be a priority.The President's idea of moving around the country in all the provinces thanking prople who have voted for him is a mispriority and will execerbate economic woes and will gobble unnecessary government funds which must be directed into either road construction or health care , which is in a sorry state. Do we really need these thank you rallies? Aren't we supposed to get hitting the ground?Such kind of rallies will do harm than good to the economy and there is zero economic gain from them. That would rather force or push the Fidelity printers to print more bond notes. Was that allocating of such a huge money budgeted for? Its like taking more steps backwards than forward.There are distortions in the market coupled with cash shortages. Have we addressed such important issues? Surely our government is taking more than it can chew which is a recipe for economic disaster. The idea is to please our friends and comrades in arms but that will rather sink our economy into deep morass. We have a liquidity crisis.There is no feja feja in the real economic world. If the government is not sincere with figures surely the economic sector will behave like a bullfrog.There are signs of catastrophic fiscal decay as shortage of commodities are being felt across the country at major local retail supermarkets. We must be realistic at all the times so that we cannot be found wanting. The country is in a dire debt.When Tendai Biti left the Ministry of Finance in 2013 the government domestic debt had ballooned to USD 200million. It is now a staggering USD 9 billion. Of that 9 billion, 4 billion was accrued since the November 2017 Operation Restore Legacy. This information is based on the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's own data.Zanu PF must stop political grandstanding at this time and concentrate on resuscitating the economy. It has no capacity to manage such a screwed economy. Zimbabwe needs a radical economic transformation where everyone should oil the fulcrum role to boost the economy.I think we should stop idolizing any individuals and look at what we are supposed to be doing now that elections are over and time for celebrating is over. We can't keep on with celebrations when there is work to be done. The election mode is done and we must be seen hitting the ground. Unfortunately we have already started idolizing and bootlicking, yet the country is sitting on a billion dollar debt.There is also a serious discord which must be promptly attended to by President Emmerson Mnangagwa where war veteran Matemadanda is dishing out conflicting statements.On 31 July 2018 war veteran Victor Matemadanda said Nelson Chamisa is a gambler, buried and dusted and not fit to rule amd opted for Douglas Mwonzora to take over the reigns.When everybody thought he was done on 21 August 2018 when the election case was at the Constitutional Court he went on to say that an opposition without Chamisa was welcome. One would start to wonder who is actually calling the shots in a country where there is a President?Surprisingly he made an abrupt U- turn on 28 August 2018 where he said there can't be progress without Nelson Chamisa. This is the kind of hollow leadersship which we are found in. Can we build this nation with such kind of behaviour. One thing for sure about two million people voted for Nelson Chamisa and they didnt vote on social media thereby respect is needed.ContactsFacebook - Leonard KoniTwitter- @LeokoniWhatsApp - +27747402042Email- konileonard606@gmail.com
Opinion / Columnist

'The Zimbabwean's' Own Correspondent is absolutely right to warn Zimbabwe (as well as all Africa) of the dangers of China's colonising activities: see thezimbabwean.co In this article, we are extending his warning to Western de facto colonialism which still wields immense power over all Africa's 54 nations.This is not the old style political colonialism, but one we callthe control exercised by powerful foreign (mainly Western and Chinese) commercial and financial interests pan Africa. Independence did not end all colonialism, only political colonialism or colonial government. But Commercial Colonialism merely carried on uninterrupted, and not only is it is a major factor in continuing poverty in Africa, but also in helping to keep all Africa's corrupt, oppressive governments in power  and that is most of them.At the moment, Western Commercial Colonialism is not as prominent in Zimbabwe as in most other African countries. One of the few good things Mugabe did was to greatly reduce Western or White control over businesses in Zimbabwe (but he made a massive error in not ensuring they were replaced by strong, viable Black Zimbabwean businesses, most prominently in agriculture, and it is that which caused Zimbabwe's economic meltdown).However, the situation is about to change. Mnangagwa's drive for Western investment to rebuild Zimbabwe will open the doors to Commercial Colonialism in Zimbabwe unless he ensures that this investment will actually benefit ordinary Zimbabweans. This must be specified because the way it has been used pan Africa so far has been incredibly counterproductive to the vast majority of Africa's citizens, and largely benefits only the mainly corrupt elite and a tiny percentage of Black African businesspeople.About to exacerbate that is Theresa May's current tour of Africa, pledging to heavily promote the UK's business and financial interests in Africa. However, very noticeably, she said nothing about helping Africa to export more to the UK and, according to the BBC, she was "unashamed" that it had to work in the UK's own interest'.If our warning sounds like scaremongering or a conspiracy theory, it is supported by the AU in itsThe AU is absolutely clear and unequivocal that NO African nation can progress at the rate required to catch up with the West unless Commercial Colonialism is destroyed. It wants all foreign (mainly, of course, Western and Chinese) aid cut by 75% by 2023  only five years away - and African investment to replace 75% to 90% of all foreign investment. And it wants Africa to become self-reliant' (i.e., to become free of foreign dependency  again of course mainly the West and China), using such statements as:Africa financing its own development'the importance of African unity and solidarity in the face of continued external interference'minimize Africa's dependence on the global financial system'And the AU shows African nations exactly how to achieve this.The vital point about Agenda 2063 is that every African nation including Zimbabwe has signed up to it. Yet our government is totally ignoring it.First, many Western MNCs could have paid their African staff and workers the same rates as their employees in the West many years ago  some from as long ago as our Independence. Or, if they genuinely were unable to pay full Western rates, at least a great deal more than they do now. In fact, if they attempted to pay their employees in their own countries as badly as they pay us in Africa, they would be prosecuted for breaking the law.Western investments also are based on paying Africans at poverty rates. When David Barber, one of the authors, attempted to set up a business in two African countries based on paying African workers and staff at Western rates (as opposed to African poverty rates), all investors INCLUDING AFRICAN ONES refused to back him, even though most of them were prepared to do so if he agreed to pay typical African poverty wages. Both governments also forced him to give up his attempts.Western MNCs and investors are assisted in this exploitation by the UN, the World Bank, the IMF and the World Trade Organization (WTO), any one of which could stop this any time they wanted to.In fact, and very much more worryingly, Western NGOs, the UN, the World Bank and the IMF  the organisations most dedicated to ending poverty in Africa  also pay Africans far less than Westerners.Second, Commercial Colonialism is actively helping to keep Africa's corrupt, oppressive governments in power  and this is most of them. Yet, of course, these are the governments least interested in taking their citizens out of poverty, and the West knows it.For example, despite Mugabe's rants against 'Western imperialism', 'Western imperialism' has given our government 16 billion US dollars since Independence. That is nearly half a billion US dollars a year! For the last 9 years, they have increased that to US$3/4 billion a year.On top of that, we have received huge sums of money and aid from Western NGOs and China. Just for 2016-2018, China promised us 4 billion US dollars.SO WHERE HAS ALL THAT MONEY GONE?Far from Western imperialism' causing our problems, it has been remarkably generous to us, and it continues to be so. The only thing that went wrong is that we, the citizens of Zimbabwe, did not see the money because Mugabe and other corrupt people in our country took it.The reason the West and China support the worst possible governments we could have is to preserve the status quo at all costs, because that is vital to their continuing exploitation of us.Finally, we should point out that keeping us in poverty is vital to Commercial Colonialism surviving and flourishing. If we were to become prosperous citizens, we would soon see Commercial Colonialism for what it is, and do what the AU wants us to do  drive it out.It is also well-recognised that the only thing corrupt, oppressive governments cannot stand against are prosperous business, middle and working classes because they simply will not tolerate such governments.
Opinion / Columnist

Conclusion

Don Chigumba is a mixed methods research specialist, can be found on twitter @Donchigumba

I am convinced that ED is not alone to blame for the recent appointments of our two Vice Presidents in Zimbabwe. ZANU PF should shoulder the responsibility and blame (for appointing Vice Presidents who have just failed to inspire) confidence to our ICU-Economy too. Chiwenga-Mohadi are incapable of revolving the collapsed economy of Zimbabwe. Therefore, this piece seeks to support the view that, Chiwenga-Mohadi have nothing to offer to our ICU-Economy.I am not segregating people because of their health status or age here, but I am convinced that VP Mohadi is not healthy enough to be the Vice President of Zimbabwe. I lost considerable liters of tears when I saw Mohadi in clutches while being sworn in as the second VP of the republic of Zimbabwe. I blamed ZANU PF party for this mishap leading to Mohadi's appointment.I am not against the appointment of people who are sick but the economy of Zimbabwe needs strong leaders who are able to travel frequently across the country and globe. I don't think VP Mohadi is able to do that. Because of the ZANU PF's interests, I was not going to complain much if Mohadi was given a deputy ministerial position rather than the Vice President's position. What ZANU PF has done has shown the world that the party is not serious in revamping the economy of Zimbabwe.It is an open secret that the former vice presidents Nkomo and Muzenda died while on call of duty because ZANU PF government refused to approve their sick leave. ZANU PF government should show love by allowing their sick members to go on sick leave. A sick patient needs time to recover and I am strongly believing that it was because of ZANU PF government's refusal to give Nkomo and Muzenda sick leave that resulted in their untimely deaths. I am therefore appealing to ZANU PF government to put the health of Hon. Mohadi first, they should reconsider their appointment.The appointment of Chiwenga as a first vice president also came as a shock to me. Chiwenga's brand is not good to sell to the international community. His brand is associated with the notion of a military government. He was brought to the position of the VP via the military intervention of November 2017. I have no doubt that ED will have a daunting task in selling his 'Zimbabwe is open for business' slogan because of the ZANU PF's choice of Chiwenga as a VP.I am kindly asking the entire Zimbabwean family to pray for our beloved Hon. Mohadi, possibly ZANU PF may realize that the rights of sick people should be respected. I personally know Hon.Mohadi, he is alleged to be a hardworking person but ZANU PF should reconsider his appointment as a VP because the job description of the VP is likely to worsen his health status.It is true that ZANU PF government has started on a bad note, the current economic status of Zimbabwe needs better leaders than Chiwenga and Mohadi. I am now strongly convinced that ZANU PF government is playing with the future of the future generations to come.Our beloved VP Mohadi needs your prayers and I urge you to pray for him on daily basis just like the way you are doing for our economy. Pray so hard that ZANU PF will realize that they are not showing seriousness in handling the economic problems of Zimbabwe.I also want you to pray hard so that ZANU PF's demagogues (Madhuku and Charity) will not temper with the outcome of so called independent inquiry that led to the deaths of 6 innocent civilians if not 10.Asante Sana
An Edmonton head-shop owner is worried her application for a retail cannabis licence could be in jeopardy because of confusion surrounding the legality of cannabis seeds  a product she has sold for years.

Tracy Houtstra owns a Jupiter store in west Edmonton. For almost five years she has sold products such as bongs, vaporizers, rolling papers, lotions, cannabis seeds and salves containing cannabidiol (CBD).

Houtstra is in the process of applying for a retail cannabis licence from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, which would allow her to legally sell cannabis starting Oct. 17. During a meeting with the commission on Aug. 21, an AGLC employee showed her photos he had taken of the cannabis seeds in her store.

He asked if she was selling them, and she confirmed she was. Houtstra said the man told her he would get back to her about whether her application would be accepted. Now, she's worried that the AGLC thinks she has been selling illegal products, which could result in her application being denied.

She said she thought the seeds were legal to sell  they were included in a line of products she was encouraged by head office to supply. Concerned about the status of her licence application, she has since pulled the seeds from her shelves.

"The whole system is, pardon my language, ass backwards," Houtstra said.

"It was OK for me to apply, it was OK for them to take my $3,000 in applications to get this far. I hired an architect, I had my store looked at, I've started making plans to do further renovations. Then they have this interview and then they tell me I might not get a licence because of this.

"They did [say] your application could be denied because of this action. I was beyond irritated, I was mad."

Legal or illegal?

According to the Edmonton Police Service, there are no charges under the Criminal Code that apply to cannabis seeds.

CBD oil or other products are illegal in any quantity or concentration without a prescription. Several dispensaries in the city were shut down earlier this year and charged with possession for the purposes of trafficking related to CBD, said EPS spokeswoman Cheryl Voordenhout.

Story continues

Edmonton police might not lay charges for possession of cannabis seeds. But "nonviable cannabis seed, with the exception of its derivatives" are included under Schedule II of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, making them illegal to possess or sell.

According to the AGLC, anyone who has participated in the illegal sale of cannabis will not be eligible for a retail cannabis licence.

Spokeswoman Heather Holmen could not say whether cannabis seeds are currently illegal or whether head shops selling cannabis seeds would be denied retail cannabis licences. She also could not comment on individual applications, but said of almost 800 applications received so far, none are on hold.

The commission said earlier this year it expected to issue 250 licences across the province in the first year of legalization.

Holmen said the AGLC is working under the framework of the current federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in approving licences.

'I basically exist in this huge grey area'

Houtstra said her situation highlights the confusion among various levels of law enforcement and government as to what is currently legal.

She said other Jupiter locations, as well as many head shops in Alberta, sell CBD products and cannabis seeds. If that poses a hurdle to obtaining a retail cannabis licence in advance of legalization, she wondered how those already working in the cannabis accessory industry will have a chance in the legal market.

She said she has never had any complaints, police visits or legal issues about products she sells in her store.

If the AGLC denies retail licences to all shops selling seeds or CBD creams, mom and pop pot shops and the experienced staff running them will be eliminated from the legal market before they have a chance, she said.

"I basically exist in this huge grey area. I got a licence from the city, henceforth thinking if you get a licence you're not doing anything illegal. I followed what head office said, including selling seeds and CBD products," she said.

Head shops are already finding it difficult to compete with licensed producers, which are giving away vaporizers and other paraphernalia to clients with prescriptions, Houtstra said.

Come October, why would a client go to an unlicensed head shop for a vaporizer, Houtstra wondered, when they could buy one at a licensed cannabis retailer, and purchase some cannabis at the same time?

"All of it is just one more hurdle ... that they put in the way of small business. I'm not a liquor store line that has millions of dollars behind me. AGLC said, 'Oh yes, we're very interested in having mom and pop kind of ... stores, as well as these large corporate chains,'" Hourstra said.

"But yet it doesn't seem like they're that eager to make it easy for us."
Anup Ojha is a reporter for The Kathmandu Post primarily covering social issues and human interest stories. Before moving to the social beat, Ojha covered arts and culture for the Post for four years.
The Driver of the motorcycle going northbound on Yonge st. is dead and two pedestrians were injured when the motorcycle driven by a 42 year old man, struck a female in her 20's as she crossed mid block between Gerrard and College st. The motorcycle then continued on and struck a second pedestrian, a 69 year old man before coming to rest by a mailbox. (Photo from David Cooper/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

The number of motorcyclists killed in crashes has doubled this year compared to the same time period last year, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

Based on preliminary data, 30 people died in motorcycle crashes from January through July 2018, with 18 in July alone. That is an increase of 114 per cent over the same period in 2017.

"Speed is the leading factor for motorcycle crashes," said Lindsay Matthews, ICBC's interim vice-president responsible for road safety in an news release.

"ICBC strongly encourages motorcyclists to keep within posted speed limits at all times, and to wear full protective gear to protect themselves in the event of a crash," she said.

Motorcycle instructor Brian Antonio agreed that unsafe driving is causing the deaths. He is the director of ProRide Motorcycle Training, and says his organization has noticed an uptick in crashes.

"You want to make sure you stack the deck in your favour," said Antonio, refering to safe riding practices.

"You want to wear the proper gear, get the proper training, and not get on a bike that's too much for you."

Antonio also said his organization is seeing more people take up motorcycle riding in general. He thinks that's because high gas prices has made people reconsider their transportation methods.

"It's a little bit cheaper sometimes on a bike, so we've been getting an increase in the enrolment for our school as people seek cheaper options."

'To their destination safely'

According to a study by the B.C. Coroners Service, speed and impairment are the leading contributing factors to motorcycle fatalities over the past decade.

The study also found that environmental factors, such as slippery roads, contributed to 23 per cent of the deaths.

Factors related to other drivers contributed to 14 per cent of the fatalities.

The coroner released the numbers ahead of the Labour Day long weekend to remind all road users to be cautious, given the expected increased activity on provincial roads and highways.

"Our goal is to prevent deaths in similar circumstances by raising awareness of the fatalities and sharing preventative measures, so everyone can get to their destination safely," said chief coroner Lisa Lapointe.

Read more from CBC British Columbia
After passing over rough ground covered with the bodies of the dead and wounded, strewn with barbed wire and pocked by shellfire, the nineteen-year-old sergeant led his men into a water-filled ditch which had at one time passed for a German trench.

Then, as he inadvertently raised his head a bit too high, a bullet quickly found its mark . . . As he began thrashing about in the water, two of the sergeants men grabbed him to keep him from drowning. They worked desperately to staunch the flow of blood from the wound in his throat and to keep him from choking on his own blood and mucus. By strenuous effort and little surgical nicety, the two men managed to apply a field dressing and drag their wounded leader back to their own lines.

Thus Robert Linder describes John Ridleys introduction to the Battle of Fromelles (The Long Tragedy, p. 20). The young Christian sergeant would suffer the effects of that injury for the rest of his life.

Battle of Fromelles

The Battle of Fromelles was the first major battle fought by Australian troops on the Western Front. It was intended primarily as a diversion to draw German troops away from the Somme offensive further south. In the event, it was a complete disaster, with the Australian 5th Division suffering 5,533 casualties between 18 and 19 July 1916.

John Ridley recovered from his wounds and returned to active service. He organised a Bible Circle for the 53rd Battalion, and many diggers found Christ as their Saviour. For bravery under enemy fire, he was awarded the Military Cross.

Catholic chaplain, Rev. Father John J. Kennedy, said of Ridley, He is one of the most perfect Christians I have ever met . . . Brave as the bravest, cool and manly in action, Jack Ridley was beloved by officers and men. (The Whale Oil Guards, p. 119)

John Ridley

After his return to civilian life, he trained for the Baptist ministry, but suffered a nervous breakdown as a result of his wartime experiences. While recovering, he went west with the intention of becoming a jackeroo, but instead, he became involved in an itinerant ministry to isolated communities, using a horse-drawn wagon.

He was joined in this ministry by his new wife Dorothy, whom he married in 1926. The pair continued for nine years, until the birth of their daughter, Ruth, put an end to their travels.

John Ridley went on to become one of Australias most famous and beloved evangelists. His preaching was forceful and graphic. In addition to his preaching, he published 13 books and four volumes of poems. After serving as a chaplain in World War Two, he joined with others to form the Australian Institute of Evangelism later known as Ambassadors for Christ International. He died in 1976.

Eternity

On 14 November 1932, Ridley preached on the subject of Eternity. His words, "Eternity, Eternity, I wish that I could sound or shout that word to everyone in the streets of Sydney. You've got to meet it, where will you spend Eternity?" struck a chord with a member of the congregation.

He was a former derelict alcoholic, who had been converted to Christianity two years previously. His name was Arthur Stace. Upon leaving the meeting, Stace, who was barely literate, proceeded to chalk the word Eternity in beautiful copperplate writing, on the street pavement, a feat that he repeated about 500,000 more times over the next 35 years. He tried writing other words, but was always drawn back to that one word Eternity.

Thirty-three years after Arthur Staces death, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up with the word Eternity as part of the celebrations for the beginning of the year 2000. This was done not only to celebrate the achievements of Mr. Eternity, but also to celebrate the new millennium. We can be sure that John Ridley would have approved!

From One People, One Destiny: A Christian History of Australia

By Mike Spencer - www.facebook.com/onepeopleonedestiny

(Mike Spencer's story is published in Christian Today)

Graham McDonald is President of Diduno (Did You Know) where these articles are also published.
Nicholas Melillo and Foundation Cigar Company are red hot.

Last year when it came to the end of the year lists across the media, it was hard not to find 2017s The Wise Man Maduro on a list (it placed #8 on the Cigar Coop Countdown). By this authors observations, Wise Man Maduro might have been the most dominant cigar to be seen on the lists ever. Its not just media that is embracing Foundation. Cigar enthusiasts have been equally excited about the brand as have retailers. There was no doubt the retailers showed up at Foundations booth in full force. For most of the week, this booth was among the busiest. We stopped there with 30 minutes before the show closed and you would have thought it still was Day 1.

This was Foundations fourth IPCPR Trade Show. Years Two and Three saw the company release multiple new lines. This year was a little bit quieter as there was one new line and one line extension.

Theres a new blend under The Tabernacle brand and its called Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142. The name comes from the fact that the cigar uses a hybrid Habano seed grown in Melillos home state of Connecticut. According to Melillo, the resulting leaf from this hybrid seed required three years of fermentation at Tabacalera Fernandez (where production is handled), but the wait was worth it

In addition to the Habano wrapper, the Tabernacle Havana Seed CT No. 142 features a San Andres binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras. It is available in four sizes: Corona (5 1/4 x 46), Robusto (5 x 50), Toro: (6 x 52 ), and Double Corona (7 x 54). The cigars are packaged in 24-count boxes.

As for The Wise Man Maduro, theres a new line extension in the form of a limited production 7 1/2 x 40 box-pressed lancero. The blend of The Wise Man Maduro Lancero consists of a San Andres Mexican wrapper, a Jalapa grown Corojo 99 wrapper, and fillers from the Esteli and Jalapa regions. Like El Gueguense, The Wise Man Maduro is produced at Aganorsa Leafs TABSA factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Production will be limited to 500 13-count boxes.

2018 Product Reports

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted
THURSDAY, Aug. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A new report on thousands of opioid overdose deaths across 11 states finds the problem is increasingly complex, but more can be done to stop it.

The report, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looked at nearly 12,000 fatal opioid overdoses occurring between July 2016 and June 2017 in states across the Northeast, the Midwest and the West.

"Most states were simultaneously struggling with a complex mix of prescription and illicit opioid deaths," reported the team led by Christine Mattson, of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

Her team found that, of the total fatal ODs, nearly six out of 10 (58.7 percent) involved illicit "street" drugs such as heroin or fentanyl. About 17 percent of the deaths involved prescription opioids such as Oxycontin, Vicodin and the like, while 18.5 percent involved a mix of prescription and illicit drugs.

Sometimes, non-opioids entered the mix, and the resulting combinations were often deadly, Mattson's group noted.

For example, half of all the "prescription only" overdose deaths also involved a benzodiazepine such as Xanax or Valium.

"Benzos" are "known to depress the central nervous system and increase the risk of overdose and death," the CDC authors noted. The researchers believe interventions that help stop getting this drug mix into the hands of users might go a long way to curbing fatal ODs.

Another potentially deadly combo: Opioids used with the anti-seizure medication gabapentin. Recent reports are suggesting that "combined use of gabapentin and opioids might be an indicator of high-risk opioid misuse," Mattson's team said.

But there were other risk factors raising the odds of a deadly overdose. The study found that in one of every 10 cases, the deceased had been released from jail, prison or other detention facility in the past month.

Here, too, is another key area where preventive measures might save lives, the CDC report said. The researchers pointed to the case of Rhode Island, which recently expanded enrollment in a medication-assisted treatment program for incarcerated persons. After that move, Rhode Island saw "a 60 percent decrease in post-incarceration overdose deaths," according to the report.

Finally, even though bystanders were nearby in 44 percent of opioid overdose deaths, the "rescue" medication naloxone (Narcan) was only used in 4 percent of deaths linked to illicit drugs, and less than 1 percent of incidents involving prescription opioids.

That's a red flag for New York City emergency room physician Dr. Robert Glatter, who's seen the ravages of the opioid addiction epidemic firsthand.

"The use of naloxone is an essential element of care after an opiate overdose that is proven to save lives," he said. "It reverses the effects of the opiate and its effects on breathing. It's easy to administer and can even be delivered intranasally."

He said states need to do all they can to make naloxone more available.

"It's critical to have Narcan available in the home or rehab setting for anyone who was recently treated for an opiate overdose, or who may be at risk of an overdose," he said.

He also applauded programs like the one used in Rhode Island -- either before or after an overdose.

"Medication-assisted treatment is a validated and effective approach to improve long-term outcomes after nonfatal overdose," Glatter said. The intervention "reliably treats withdrawal symptoms, which includes follow-up care in a 'bridging' clinic, to monitor ongoing care."

Dr. Harshal Kirane directs addiction services at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. He agreed with Glatter that the CDC report "reveals two key areas of pressing concern: limited access to addiction care and limited community engagement in overdose education and naloxone distribution."

"Expanding access to effective addiction treatment and resources for naloxone distribution are vitally important," he said.

The report was published Aug. 31 in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

More information

For more on opioids, visit the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.
PM Oli meets Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina have held a bilateral meeting on Thursday.
Union Government has signed $375 million loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project. The project will contribute to double farming incomes in Madhya Pradesh by expanding irrigation networks and system efficiency.

Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project

It will develop 125,000 hectares of new, highly efficient and climate resilient irrigation networks. It will also improve water use efficiency in more than 400 villages and benefit over 800,000 people in the state. It will also support institutional innovations through introduction of design-build-operate contracting approach. It will also help farmers to adopt micro-irrigated agriculture including high-value crops. The ADB funds will be used to develop a large-scale pressurized and automated irrigation system for boosting irrigation efficiency.

It focuses on two large irrigation systems

Kundalia irrigation project: It will develop 125,000 ha of new and highly efficient and climate resilient irrigation networks. The work that will be undertaken includes building two large pumping stations pumping water to distribution chambers where water will be distributed through a network of buried pipes to farm outlets.

It will develop 125,000 ha of new and highly efficient and climate resilient irrigation networks. The work that will be undertaken includes building two large pumping stations pumping water to distribution chambers where water will be distributed through a network of buried pipes to farm outlets. Sanjay Sarovar Irrigation Project: Under it comprehensive modernization feasibility study will be prepared and other preparatory work for soundly designed project.

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

ADB is a regional development bank based out of Asia. It aims to promote social and economic development in Asia by achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.

It was established in December 1966. It is headquartered at Ortigas Centre in Manila, Philippines. ADBs main objective is to assist its members and partners, by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development.

It has total 67 members, of which 48 are from within Asia and the Pacific and 19 outside. ADB has been modelled closely on the lines World Bank. It has similar weighted voting system where votes are distributed in proportion with members capital subscriptions.
Russia is going to conduct Vostok-2018 (East-2018) military exercise in central and eastern Russian military districts from September 11 to 15, 2018. It will be biggest war games ever conducted by Russia since Zapad-81 (West-81) exercise conducted by erstwhile Soviet Union in 1981 which had seen involvement about 100,000 to 150,000 troops.

Vostok-2018

Vostok-2018 will involve participation of units from Russian Army, Air Force and Navy. More than 300,000 troops, 36,000 tanks, armoured personnel carriers, armoured infantry vehicles, over 1,000 military aircraft, two naval fleets and all its airborne units will participate in this military exercise. China and Mongolia will also participate in Vostok 2018.

Vostok-2018 exercise is being conducted in response to aggressive and unfriendly attitudes towards Russia by NATO and West countries. Tensions between Moscow and NATO had been running high since Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014 and Russia backed uprising in eastern Ukraine, alleged meddling in US presidential elections of 2016 and nerve agent attack on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in UK in March 2018, which have resulted in sharp escalations. NATO has also stepped up deployment of forces in East Europe and Russia has increased its naval presence in Mediterranean Sea off Syria. Moreover, involvement of China will be also significant and also improve Chinese-Russian military relations, as well as to prevent Chinese concern about military exercises near their border.
Gujarat: Fishing licence suspended as Brahmins object, fishermen moves High Court

August 30,2018 | Source: The Indian Express

The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the state government on a petition moved by an association of fishermen for revoking the suspension of their fishing contract licence. Their licences are under suspension as per the order of Sabarkantha district collector following representation by a group of Brahmins and also in view of a public interest litigation (PIL). The division bench of Justice Anant S Dave and Justice Biren Vaishnav has sought the governments reply by September 9. The petition has been moved by Asha Matsya Vikas Khedut Mangalam Mandal through its president Ashaben P Makwana, 35, a resident of Jawangadh village in Sabarkantha district.



The petition mentions that this year on February 2, the contract for fishing was suspended because certain persons belonging to Brahmin community had raised objection against fishing in Pratapsagar lake on the ground that their religious feelings would be hurt if fishing activity is permitted in the lake. The petition said the government issued an advertisement for tender for fishing contract in June 2017. The associations tender was accepted and on October 24, the contract was awarded for fishing in Pratapsagar reservoir for five years with retrospective effect from July 2017 to June 2022.



By the time the tender was awarded to the association, one Hiralal Punamlal Joshi from the district had filed a PIL in the High Court, challenging the tender on the ground that fishing in the Pratpasagar lake amounted to hurting religious feelings. Joshi withdrew the PIL in April this year and also wrote a letter to the district collectors office, saying that he didnt have any objection to the fishing tender. The petition mentions that the fishing contract awarded in October, 2017 had a rider that the contract was subject matter of the outcome of the PIL.



The petitioners lawyer Subramaniam Iyer said that despite the withdrawal of the PIL by Joshi, the district authorities have not revoked the suspension of the fishing licence. The petition mentions that the fishermens association had filed an application through RTI, which revealed that some people from Raygadh village, close to the lake, had submitted a memorandum to the Sabarkantha collector in June 2017.



The petition says, From the text of the memorandum it appears that certain persons belonging to Brahmin community had raised objection against fishing contract being awarded pursuant to advertisement on the ground that their religious feelings would be hurt if fishing activity is permitted in the Pratapsagar lake.
In countries that do not have a written literary tradition the situation is different. Papua New Guinea is a case in point.

The truth is it is a discussion that contains elements of all these things.

Many writers will object to this mercenary view and argue that their main aim in writing is to engage in the transmission of creativity and ideas.

In those places, book publishing has and continues to be mainly a capitalist enterprise. Artistic and philosophical considerations aside, the chief driving force has been to make money. If not lots of it, at least enough to cover costs and maybe put some bread on the table.

TUMBY BAY - In countries with a written literary tradition, especially in the western world, the publication of books has been largely accomplished outside government.

The written literature of Papua New Guinea was essentially born in the missions of the late 19th century but it was only in the five or so years before independence in 1975 that it emerged with a truly indigenous flavour, with quality and in some quantity.

This movement was driven by the University of Papua New Guinea and more particularly by the endeavours of one man, Ulli Beier, a lecturer in creative writing whose earlier career had been spent doing something similar in Nigeria.

Most of the writers from this this period were in one way or another connected to UPNG. The majority were Beiers students. Vincent Eri, who wrote the first Papua New Guinean novel, The Crocodile, after which The Crocodile Prize is named, was one of them.

While this singular literary effort was going on at UPNG there was little serious writing being published elsewhere. Except in the education sector, no independent firm sprang up to publish writers not associated with the university.

Literature in PNG thus evolved in isolation in an academic context. There was nothing like a popular publishing industry established in PNG although the larger missions continued to publish stories drawn from biblical analogies, some of which were written by Papua New Guineans

Most of the writers after 1975 continued to have some sort of connection to UPNG. Many of them were students who had gone on to become lecturers and teachers at the university.

Indigenous literature in PNG was effectively a closed shop, tightly controlled by academia.

As the years went by, UPNG, like many other institutions, suffered severe financial constraints and governance became compromised. The encouragement and even the ability of academics to publish was considerably diminished. Even UPNGs literary monopoly shrunk and, with a few outstanding hold-outs who often published at their own expense, indigenous literature dried up.

PNG Attitude was established in 2006 and by 2008 was beginning to encourage indigenous cntributions (an early article was by Aloysius Laukai, still going strong on Bougainville) but it wasnt until later in 2009 that Papua New Guinean bylines from people like Gelab Piak, Mari Ellingsen and Reg Renagi began to regularly appear.

http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2008/02/new-dawns-early.html

When the Crocodile Prize came along (planned in late 2010, launched in 2011), offering online publication to anyone and the added chance to be published in hard copy, it directly challenged the literary academics at the UPNG. It also placed emphasis on creative writing and commentary as well as news writing, a significant turning point.

Here had emerged a popular, peoples literature challenging the hallowed ground of an academia that had virtually run out of steam. What to do? Jump on board and help it along or ignore it and hope it would go away?

Remarkably, and except for pragmatists like Russell Soaba, the latter is what happened. The academics didnt want a bar of it. Perhaps they thought it was beneath their dignity and an affront to the closely guarded status of a Papua New Guinean literature that had hardly continued to exist.

When Crocodile Prize organisers came knocking with invitations to join in the doors were locked and there was a pretence the newcomers werent there.

If there was ever going to be any glory attached to literature in PNG, it seemed they wanted it for themselves.

There has been a deafening silence since.

They sit in the mouldering innards of UPNG and stew and write learned articles about each other that never get published.

Imagine if this had happened in Britain or the USA. We would never have had all those great writers, from Shakespeare to Mark Twain to JK Rowling.

They would have been still looking for a publisher.
Police may seek remand extension of Bam sisters

Kanchanpur police may seek remand extension of Roshani Bam and her sister Babita Bam in the rape and murder case investigation of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta.
Sri Lankan: Fishermen demonstrate to demand fuel price reductions

Hundreds of multi-day trawler owners and their workers protested at Galle Face in central Colombo last week to demand the Sri Lankan government reduce recent rises in the cost of diesel fuel. In May the government increased diesel from 95 rupees per litre to 110 rupees, and in July lifted it again to 118 rupees (about 73 US cents). The increases have crippled the small-scale fishing industry and drastically affected the living conditions of fishermen, farmers and other small producers and traders who depend on diesel and kerosene.



Demonstrators gathered at Galle Face on August 23 carrying placards with slogans that read: We dont need subsidies but reduced fuel prices, Dont destroy the multi-day fishing industry and Rulers! Dont pick pockets by hiking up fuel prices. The protest was called by the All Island Multi-day Vessel Owners Association (MVOA). The organisers had planned to present a letter containing their demands to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena in the hope that this would pressure the government to reverse the fuel increases.



The government, however, responded by deploying police who blocked the rally, claiming it would inconvenience the public. A senior officer threatened to take action against the demonstrators telling them that they could only present their demands to the presidential secretariat. Under pressure from angry demonstrators, MVOA president Sujith Fernando rejected the police threats, declaring that the fishermen had been deceived twice this year and they needed to do something that government would feel.



The fishermen rallied at Galle Face and then attempted to march toward the presidential secretariat only to be confronted by police armed with batons and water cannons who brought in steel barricades to block the march. An anti-riot police squad was also on stand-by. Police said they would only allow 11 MVOA representatives to meet with presidential secretariat officials. While angry fishermen said they would not move without a resolution to their concerns, MVOA officials directed the protesters to withdraw. Sri Lanka has almost 4,650 multi-day vessels which supply deep-sea tuna to large seafood companies for export to Europe, America and other foreign markets. Around 30,000 families are dependent on the industry, which is a major source of foreign exchange for Sri Lanka.



Last weeks demonstration is part of a wave of protests this year by Sri Lankan fishermen against fuel increases, the rising cost of fishing equipment and other necessary items. In May, tens of thousands of small-boat fishermen protested in coastal areas across the country over a 130 percent increase in the price of kerosene. Fishermen demanded the government reduce kerosene to its previous level of 44 rupees per litre. In the face of this mass opposition the government temporarily cut the kerosene price to 70 rupees per litre and promised subsidies but refused to lower diesel prices. Predictably, Colombos subsidy promises have not materialised.



The governments fuel increases are in line with the social austerity and privatisation measures demanded by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Under the new arrangement Sri Lankan petrol, diesel and kerosene prices are directly determined by the world market. The IMF did not release the fourth instalment of a bailout loan until Colombo implemented the new price formula.



Multi-day fishing vessels, which spend several days at sea, usually consume between 10,000 and 15,000 litres of diesel which, together with food, bait, ice and other expenses, cost between 1.6 million to 2 million rupees each trip. The income from each fishing harvest is then dividedhalf for the vessel owner and the other half equally between the workers. Losses are allocated in the same way amongst the workers as a debt and deducted from the income of the next fishing expedition.



Last weeks hour-long discussion between MVOA representatives and a presidential secretariat official was futile. MVOA President Fernando told the media that the official would look into steps taken by the fisheries ministry and had suggested a possible future discussion with President Sirisena. Protesting fishermen denounced the empty promises.



Like the trade unions, MVOA claims that a meeting with Sirisena will resolve the disastrous situation facing workers in the fishing industry are bogus. The government functions as a direct tool of the IMF in ruthlessly imposing its austerity measures. The MVOAs claims that the economic problems facing small boat owners were solved by the temporary reduction in kerosene prices are also false.



Sunil, a fishing worker from Mahawewa, near Chilaw told the WSWS reporters that he had recently sold his fishing vessel. Im a professional fisherman. Our last fishing expedition yielded an income of just 2.1 million rupees against an expenditure of 1.9 million rupees. When the workers share, half of the profit, was divided among the six workers, each one only received 16,000 rupees. Forty-three days hard work were required for this amount, which is scarcely enough to eke out a living for two weeks let alone settle our previous debts.



Fishing vessel owners, he explained, face a real crisis. One of my friends, a vessel owner, told me that he had to pawn all of his jewellery for the first time in his life last month to settle a 1.5 million rupee debt. Rogus, a fisherman from Thoduwawa near Chilaw told the WSWS: Every day the price of essentials increases which makes life hard. The cost of preparing fishing nets has also gone up by thousands of rupees. No lasting solution to our problems can be found from the government in power.
Iran Human Rights (Aug 28 2018): At least three prisoners were hanged at Rajai Shahr Prison during the last week.





Two prisoners were transferred to the solitary confinement of Rajai Shahr Prison yesterday.





According to a close source, on Sunday, August 26, at least three prisoners were executed at Rajai Shahr Prison.





The prisoners were sentenced to death on murder charges.





One of the executed prisoners was identified as Abbas Aqaiy. He was transferred to the solitary confinement from ward 1.





Two other prisoners have possibly been transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison from other prisons to be executed.





The three prisoners were executed on Tuesday while executions at Rajai Shahr Prison are normally carried out on Wednesdays.





These executions have not been announced by the state-run media so far.





Additionally, on Monday, August 27, at least two prisoners were transferred to the solitary confinement.





The prisoners, sentenced to death on murder charges, are identified as Mojtaba Asadi, and Shamsali Abdollahi.





According to Iran Human Rights annual report on the death penalty, 240 of the 517 execution sentences in 2017 were implemented due to murder charges.

 | 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
Zambia last executed someone in 1997, and neighboring countries have long outlawed capital punishment. Even as courts continue to condemn convicts to death row, many organizations are asking Zambians: Isnt it time to abolish the death penalty?





LUSAKA, ZAMBIA  On January 24, 1997, Frederick Chiluba, then the president of Zambia, pardoned 600 inmates from a federal prison. On the same day, eight prisoners were hung. Seven had been convicted of murder, and one had been convicted of both murder and armed robbery.





Christopher Siame, a murder convict formerly on death row, says hell never forget how he felt at the time.





I went into prison shortly after the 1997 execution, recounts Siame, whose sentence was commuted to life in prison in 2008 and who later became a free man thanks to a presidential pardon.





It was horrifying to hear the cells being opened in the condemned section. We thought we were next to be hanged, he says nervously.





The execution of the eight is the last known execution in Zambia, but courts across the south-central African nation continue to put people on death row. According to the Zambia Correctional Service, 252 Zambians are currently facing the death penalty for murder, armed robbery or high treason.





International organizations and local human rights advocates, including Zambias Human Rights Commission, want the government to abolish the death penalty. But some Zambians argue against this proposal, saying capital punishment deters people from committing heinous crimes.





During a 2016 constitutional review, the government gave the Zambia Prison Service a new name: the Zambia Correctional Service. Officials say the name change promotes the rehabilitation of inmates and marked the end of years of punitive practices.





Even with the change, the government agency struggles to provide the growing prison population with adequate services. The agencys deputy commissioner-general, Lloyd Chilundika, says prisons are extremely overcrowded. The countrys correctional facilities are meant to accommodate 8,000 inmates but house more than 21,000, he says.





The parole system has not helped with decongestion, a 2014 government report reveals. Neither have the decisions by courts and Zambian voters to keep inmates on death row, says Derick Malumo, executive director for the Prisoner Re-integration and Empowerment Organisation, a local nongovernmental organization.





Siame, who received a presidential pardon in 2013, agrees.





Death row contributes to congestion, because everyone is lumped in the condemned section and for years are not hanged, he says. It takes time for them to be commuted. Until then, we are forced to be congested.





While nearby countries such as Angola, Mozambique and Namibia have long outlawed capital punishment, a majority of Zambians voted during the 2016 constitutional review to uphold the law that allows the state to punish certain offenders by hanging.





Cornelius Mweetwa, who was chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Human Rights, National Guidance, Gender Matters and Governance at the time of the vote, says those who voted in favor of keeping the death penalty presented some strong arguments.





If you have killed, you have taken away the most basic right of a human being. Then why should the state be quick to protect your right to life, when you yourself have taken another? Those were the majority of the arguments, he says.





Some voters put forth another rationale, Mweetwa says, in which the death penalty functions as a deterrent to crimes.





Even with the death penalty, people are still committing crimes. Imagine if it was removed  people would be killing each other like I dont know, he says.





Critics believe otherwise. Godfrey Malembeka, executive director of Prisons Care and Counselling Association, a local NGO, says the death penalty does not complement the governments efforts to build a more rehabilitative criminal justice system.





There is no correctional in the grave. Besides, [if the] death penalty has not deterred people from committing the heinous crimes, then why should we maintain it? Malembeka asks, adding that the practice is inhumane.





Mweelwa Muleya, the spokesman for the Human Rights Commission, a national agency, says the death penalty dehumanizes criminals. His organization has been running many media campaigns to promote their stance on the issue.





We are educating the public, to widen the understanding that [the] death penalty is against human rights, he says.





Siame also says the death penalty must be abolished. Between 1997, when Siame was convicted of murder, and 2008, when his sentence was commuted, he lived in fear with no idea whether his execution would ever be scheduled, he says.





It is torturous to be on death row, he says. Most of the people on death row die of depression. Others would just die in their sleep; others would just collapse.





Although Chilundika admits that the death penalty conflicts with the 2016 change in his agencys name and with other government efforts to improve the criminal justice system, he says that, in practice, Zambia has abolished the death penalty. Those on death row often receive commuted sentences.





There is hope for correctional, he says. Once their sentences are commuted to life, we start engaging them in reformatory activities.

 | 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
GEORGE TOWN: An unemployed man was sentenced to death by the High Court here today after he was found guilty of murdering a man at a coffee shop, here, two years ago.





Judicial Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh ordered Lim Hup Yap, 44, to be hanged, after ruling that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt in the case.





He said the accused had failed to prove that he was insane at the time of the incident.





Also, the accused knew his action then was wrong, he said before handing down the sentence.





Lim was found guilty of murdering Lim Cheong Wah, who was stabbed to death, in front of the Mei Heung coffee shop at Gat Lebuh Macallum here between 6.30pm and 7pm on April 5, 2016.





He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death penalty upon conviction.





Deputy Public Prosecutor Khalid Abdul Karim prosecuted while Lim was represented by counsel, Harpal Singh.





It was reported that Cheong Wah, then 58, was stabbed in the back at the coffee shop by an unknown man.





He was rushed to the Penang Hospital with the knife still stuck in his back but succumbed to the injury.

 | 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
Dozens of school friends joined two Christian teenager brothers to hand in an 85,000-signature petition to the Home Office to prevent their deportation to Pakistan.





Somer Umeed Bakhsh, 15, and his brother Areeb, 13, have lived in Glasgow with their parents Maqsood and Parveen since their family fled Pakistan in 2012 when their father was subjected to death threats due to his Christian faith.





The UK Government has repeatedly rejected the family's plea for asylum, largely because officials do not believe they would be at risk in Pakistan where blasphemy carries the death penalty.





Almost 85,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Home Office not to deport the family, who are being supported by the Church of Scotland.





Somer, who wants to be an astrophysicist, recently got six As and a B in his National 5 exams at Springburn Academy in Glasgow.





Dozens of pupils from the school joined the boys at the Home Office depot in Glasgow on Wednesday to show their support for the petition.





Some carried homemade banners reading "We stand with Somer and Areeb" and "Hear our voices we are future of Scotland".





Somer said: "It's very nice to see so many people actually supporting us and it shows how much they care."





Areeb said: "I think this will change things because you can't ignore 85,000 people.





"All these people are Scottish and they clearly want us to stay here so you can't ignore them."





MP Paul Sweeney and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Rev Susan Brown handed over the petition with Possilpark Parish Church members also in attendance to show their support to the family.





The boys' father said they would not be safe if forced to return to Pakistan.





Mr Bakhsh, 50, said: "For Christians in my country you face discrimination and uncertainty. We were threatened by different extremist groups and I didn't want my children to stay there where that threat is always hanging above so I applied for asylum.





"We lived in 14 cities in two years before coming here. The Home Office say there are safe places in Pakistan but I have lived it and I know we would not be safe. They are reading about it in books or whatever but I have the primary information and we cannot live there.





"Family and friends have been targeted wherever they have been."





Rev Brown said: "They have had the odds stacked against them for more than six years but despite all that they have played a full part in the life of the local church and community.





"People are here because they are such a lovely family and despite not having very much at all because they are in the asylum process, they have given so much to their community and that's reflected in the number of folks who have turned up today."





Mr Sweeney called on the Home Office to review the asylum process.





"It would seem really cruel to dispatch them to a country where not only would they face persecution for their religious beliefs but it's also an entirely foreign country to them now, the boys have been here for their formative years," the Labour MP said.





"Fundamentally there needs to be an element of compassion put back into the Home Office processes.





"The asylum process is taking way too long and it's also putting the onus on individuals to prove that they have been persecuted when often the capacity to provide evidence is very difficult because they have just fled the country with the clothes of their back.





"I think the Home Office needs to take a more cooperative and compassionate view of the circumstances that people have fled to this country in and give people better support to make their cases."





Bob Doris, MSP for Maryhill and Springburn, who has also taken up the family's case with the Home Office, said: "The backing given to Somer, Areeb and their parents has been both emphatic and heart-warming.





"The family would face both great distress and be in danger if returned to Pakistan and it would also be a loss to Scotland.





"With this petition in defence of Somer and Areeb the UK has the opportunity to do the right thing and start to gain some credibility on asylum policy."





A Home Office spokesman said: "The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection and every case is assessed on its individual merits."

Dozens join teenagers to hand 85,000-signature petition amid threat of deportation

Dozens of school friends joined two teenager brothers to hand in an 85,000-signature petition to the Home Office to prevent their deportation to Pakistan.





Somer Umeed Bakhsh, 15, and his brother Areeb, 13, have lived in Glasgow with their parents Maqsood and Parveen since their family fled Pakistan in 2012 when their father was subjected to death threats due to his Christian faith.





The UK Government has repeatedly rejected the family's plea for asylum, largely because officials do not believe they would be at risk in Pakistan where blasphemy carries the death penalty.





Almost 85,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Home Office not to deport the family, who are being supported by the Church of Scotland.





Somer, who wants to be an astrophysicist, recently got six As and a B in his National 5 exams at Springburn Academy in Glasgow.





Dozens of pupils from the school joined the boys at the Home Office depot in Glasgow on Wednesday to show their support for the petition.





Some carried homemade banners reading "We stand with Somer and Areeb" and "Hear our voices we are future of Scotland".





Somer said: "It's very nice to see so many people actually supporting us and it shows how much they care."





Areeb said: "I think this will change things because you can't ignore 85,000 people.





"All these people are Scottish and they clearly want us to stay here so you can't ignore them."





MP Paul Sweeney and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Rev Susan Brown handed over the petition with Possilpark Parish Church members also in attendance to show their support to the family.





The boys' father said they would not be safe if forced to return to Pakistan.





Mr Bakhsh, 50, said: "For Christians in my country you face discrimination and uncertainty. We were threatened by different extremist groups and I didn't want my children to stay there where that threat is always hanging above so I applied for asylum.





"We lived in 14 cities in two years before coming here. The Home Office say there are safe places in Pakistan but I have lived it and I know we would not be safe. They are reading about it in books or whatever but I have the primary information and we cannot live there.





"Family and friends have been targeted wherever they have been."





Rev Brown said: "They have had the odds stacked against them for more than six years but despite all that they have played a full part in the life of the local church and community.





"People are here because they are such a lovely family and despite not having very much at all because they are in the asylum process, they have given so much to their community and that's reflected in the number of folks who have turned up today."





Mr Sweeney called on the Home Office to review the asylum process.





"It would seem really cruel to dispatch them to a country where not only would they face persecution for their religious beliefs but it's also an entirely foreign country to them now, the boys have been here for their formative years," the Labour MP said.





"Fundamentally there needs to be an element of compassion put back into the Home Office processes.





"The asylum process is taking way too long and it's also putting the onus on individuals to prove that they have been persecuted when often the capacity to provide evidence is very difficult because they have just fled the country with the clothes of their back.





"I think the Home Office needs to take a more cooperative and compassionate view of the circumstances that people have fled to this country in and give people better support to make their cases."





Bob Doris, MSP for Maryhill and Springburn, who has also taken up the family's case with the Home Office, said: "The backing given to Somer, Areeb and their parents has been both emphatic and heart-warming.





"The family would face both great distress and be in danger if returned to Pakistan and it would also be a loss to Scotland.





"With this petition in defence of Somer and Areeb the UK has the opportunity to do the right thing and start to gain some credibility on asylum policy."

 | 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
Reinstatement of capital punishment could spell the death of Turkey's application to join the European Union





Turkish political leaders have agreed to restore the death penalty in the country for "terrorists" and killers of women and children, a move that - if implemented - would automatically put an end to Turkey's European Union accession bid.





According to a report in the Cumhuriyet newspaper on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ally Devlet Bahceli, leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), discussed the restoration of the death penalty at the end of July and came to agreement.





The news comes as Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced the reactivation of the Reform Action Group, the committee for pushing forward on reforms required for EU accession.





Speaking on Wednesday at a press conference in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, Cavusoglu said that putting Turkey back on the path to EU membership would be a focus for the government.





After the lifting of the state of emergency, our priority is reforms," he said, referring to the state of emergency that was put in place in July 2016 after a failed coup attempt and lifted almost exactly two years later.





The Reform Action Group has not been active since 2015, while Turkey's increasingly authoritarian climate has made the prospect of EU membership appear remote.





Cavusoglu said that the group, which is composed of Turkish interior and justice ministers, would "evaluate a road map for reform and action plans".





Turkeys expectation from the EU is very clear. We dont want any gestures that are not deserved. We just want the ones Turkey deserves and the ones promised, he said.





The death penalty was abolished for peace time offences in Turkey in 2002 by the then-coalition government, of which the MHP was a member. The abolition came as part of the accession talks with the EU, which includes a blanket ban on the death penalty as part of its Charter on Fundamental Rights.





Then prime minister, Erdogan fully abolished the death penalty in Turkey in 2004.





However, since the 2016 coup attempt a number of politicians - including Erdogan - have called for the return of executions, particularly for the coup plotters.





In July 2017, a year after the failed coup attempt, Erdogan said that he would restore the death penalty "without hesitation", regardless of the EU's stance.





The stance of the European Union is clear to see... 54 years have passed and they are still messing us about, he said.





We will sort things out for ourselves. Theres no other option.





On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that the EU should engage with Turkey without dangling the prospect of membership over its head.





Although he said he supported security relations with Turkey, he said that while Turks "keep asserting a pan-Islamist and apparently anti-European agenda day after day, how can we think clearly and honestly of continuing talks for Turkeys EU membership?





His remarks were slammed by a Turkish government spokesperson who said Turkey was "a democratic and secular country" that was "determined to proceed on the path to full membership to the EU.





 | 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
Supreme Court sought the response of Maharashtra Government in the writ petition filed challenging the arrest of five activists for their alleged Maoists links from Delhi, Faridabad, Mumbai, Thane and Hyderabad. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: Observing that dissent is the safety valve of democracy, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the five activists - Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and P Varavara Rao, arrested by the Maharashtra police in relation to Bhima-Koregaon violence be kept in house arrest till September 6.

Dissent is a safety valve for democracy. If you dont allow this safety valve, then the pressure cooker will burst. Look the people who are arrested after nine months. They are professors, lawyers and activists working for a cause," observed the five-judge bench led by the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

The apex court also sought the response of Maharashtra Government in the writ petition filed challenging the arrest of five activists for their alleged Maoists links from Delhi, Faridabad, Mumbai, Thane and Hyderabad.

The Pune police said the activists are linked to Maoist groups and have shown "intolerance to present political system".

There is "conclusive proof" that they have a nexus with other unlawful groups and deliberate involvement in larger conspiracy. The activists, the police said, were planning to recruit members from 35 colleges and launch attacks.

The police say the arrest of the activists follow the arrest of five other activists earlier this year in June, when the police retrieved a huge amount of data.

Those arrested earlier were charged with the January 1 clashes that broke out at Bhima-Koregaon near Pune, between Dalits and upper caste Marathas at an annual event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by dignitaries upon his arrival in Nepal. (Photo: Twitter | @PIB_India)

New Delhi/Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit that will focus on enhancing regional connectivity and boosting trade.

Modi said on Wednesday that his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu signals India's highest priority to its neighbourhood and a strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia.

In a statement before leaving for Nepal for the two-day summit, Modi said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit whose theme is 'Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region'.

"I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and reviewing the progress we have made in our bilateral ties since my last visit to Nepal in May 2018," he said.

Modi said he and Oli will inaugurate the Nepal Bharat Maitri Dharmashala at the Pashupatinath temple complex.

The Summit's theme, Modi said,will enable the member-countries to shape a collective response to their common aspirations and challenges. The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.
Shivpal Yadav, who is still an SP legislator, refused to answer whether the Morcha will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. (Photo: File | PTI)

Lucknow: Sidelined Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav on Wednesday announced the formation of a Samajwadi Secular Morcha and said he would try to unite smaller parties under it.

However, Shivpal, who is still an SP legislator, refused to answer whether the Morcha will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

"I have formed Samajwadi Secular Morcha. I was neglected in the Samajwadi Party and waited for two years. I was neither informed nor invited in party programmes and no responsibility was given to me," Shivpal, uncle of SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav, told reporters at his residence.

"There are many neglected workers in the SP. They will be assigned responsibilities and asked to strengthen our Morcha. I will also try to unite smaller parties under the Morcha," he said.

Asked whether SP founder and his brother Mulayam Singh Yadav will be part of the Morcha, Shivpal said, "We will give him due honour and ask others also to do the same."
Stage set for fourth BIMSTEC Summit

The stage is set for the fourth edition of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technological and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit that begins in Kathmandu on Thursday.
Vietnam allows use of yuan at Chinese border

A bank clerk counts Chinese yuan banknotes at a branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in Huaibei, Anhui province. Photo by Reuters /Stringer

Vietnamese can trade in yuan at the border with China, the State Bank of Vietnam has decreed.

It means the transactions that traders and residents have been doing informally in the yuan for long along the border gets legal sanction from October 12.

Economist Nguyen Tri Hieu told VnExpress International: There have not been any specific regulations on using the yuan in transactions. This will be the first.

The new regulation would also allow Chinese tourists to pay for goods and services in their own currency in border areas, he added.

Vietnam recently became Chinas largest trade partner in Southeast Asia. Bilateral trade in the first half of this year rose 17 percent year-on-year to $46.82 billion, with Vietnams exports accounting for $16.62 billion.

Exports to China had risen 61.5 percent against 2016 to $35.46 billion in 2017, according to data from the International Monetary Fund, as cited by Bloomberg.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade said it is likely that two-way trade would hit $100 billion this year.
Five moon bears rescued from Vietnam farm after 20 years of captivity

Animal welfare charity organization Animals Asia has released five moon bears held captive in cages for two decades at a farm in the Mekong Delta.

Doctors provide honey for bears so that they can reduce stress. The operation in My Tho town in Tien Giang Province came after the farmer who had held them said yes to the Hong Kong-based organization. A group of volunteers and doctors spent six hours freeing Kim, LeBon, Star, Mai, and Mekong.

Kim, one of the five rescued moon bears, is held in an iron cage before activitists came to rescue.

Doctors use a blowpipe to shoot a tranquilizer into one of the bears before taking it outside.

Doctors give a general health check to Kim before moving it to a bear sanctuary in northern Vinh Phuc Province. They also took blood, hair, feces, and urine samples from the animals, which were found suffering from tooth decay and arthralgia.

The rescue operation lasts six hours, with volunteers struggling to carry the huge bears outside. Animals Asia took them to a bear rescue center in Vinh Phuc, a two-hour drive northwest of Hanoi. There they will receive treatment and care for several weeks before being released into a semi-wild environment.

The bears are put on a truck for the journey.

Tuan Bendixsen, Animals Asias Vietnam director, told VnExpress International that there are still some bear bile farm owners who have not agreed to release their bears since they consider them commercial products.

However, there have been positive signs in recent years with many others volunteering to hand over their bears to the activists, facilitating the rescue campaign, he said.

The trading of bile from live bears has been declining in recent years. A survey by the organization last year found 90 percent of traditional doctors in Vietnam saying they do not prescribe bear bile and "No" to bear bile extraction.

Animals Asia has rescued 177 bears from farms in Vietnam.

Five moon bears rescued from Vietnam farm after 20 years of captivity 5 moon bears rescued from Vietnams farm after two decades of mistreatment

Vietnam is home to the Asian black bear and sun bear, both listed as vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

The extraction of bile from living bears is illegal in parts of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, where it has for long been used as a remedy in traditional Chinese medicine.

Vietnam banned commercial bear bile extraction in 2005, but more than a decade later it remains a problem.

The government signed an agreement last July with animal activists to shut down all bile farms and free the remaining 1,000 bears in captivity by 2020.

Five moon bears rescued from Vietnam farm after 20 years of captivity Vietnam makes bear bile farming illegal

Photo courtesy of Animals Asia. Videos by Animals Asia, Reuters
A French Air Force personnel wears shorts and a Vietnamese conical hat in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of the French Embassy

For several days now, French Air Force personnel have been spotted wearing conical hats at the Noi Bai Airport.

A French squadron of military aircraft visiting Hanoi for four days has found the Vietnamese traditional hat come in handy to keep out the summer heat of late August.

The visit is part of the long-range operational mission PEGASE (Projection d'un dispositif aerien d'EnverGure en Asie du Sud-Est) in Asia-Pacific.

The squadron has come to Vietnam after finishing its Pitch Black 2018 military exercise in Australia from July 27 to August 17, the French Embassy in Vietnam said.

It includes three Rafale fighter aircraft, one A400M plane, a C-135 plane and an A310. This is the first time that the French squadron has come to Vietnam, marking the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties, and the fifth anniversary of establishing a strategic partnership.

The French personnel wearing the conical hats were in charge of guiding the planes to proper areas, as well as carrying out technical checks on the planes.

Vietnams hot weather at the end of August prompted the Embassy and the French Air Force to provide our personnel with conical hats during their time working in Hanoi, a representative from the French Embassy said on Monday.

The PEGASE mission is intended to increase Frances presence in the region, as well as deepen ties between France and its regional partners. This mission, heralded by General Patrick Charaix, commander of Frances Strategic Air Forces Command, has 100 members.

Other destinations on the squadrons list are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and India.
The University of Friedrich Schiller in Jena City, Germany, is where the victim was studying. Photo by AFP

German police are investigating the death of a Chinese student; a Vietnamese classmate has reportedly confessed to murder.

The Vietnamese man, whose name has not been revealed, surrendered at a local police station on Tuesday and confessed to killing 26-year-old Liu Mou, a Chinese student.

Liu was an exchange student at the University of Friedrich Schiller in Jena City, eastern Germany. He is believed to have been killed over the weekend.

Following the Vietnamese mans testimony, police forces conducted a two-hour search and fished out a body from the Saale River in Jena.

The victim was identified as the Chinese student, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a source at the Chinese Embassy in Germany.

The motive for murder has not been revealed so far, the report said.

Germanys media reports said the murderer was a classmate of Lius.
#FreeShahidulAlam

We would like to remind leaders at the BIMSTEC Summit, including our own prime minister, that majority rule should not equal an infringement upon the democratic rights of citizens.
California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill recognizing the Lunar New Year as a day of special significance.

Lunar New Year is celebrated by millions of Asian and Pacific Islanders around the world. Photo by Reuters/Stringer

Senate Bill 892, proposed by California Senators Richard Pan and Scott Wiener, officially recognizes the Lunar New Year, known as Tet in Vietnam, and requires the Governor to honor the festival annually.

According to the bill, all public schools and educational institutions are encouraged to conduct exercises recognizing the traditions and cultural significance of Lunar New Year, the contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) Californians to the state, and any local festivities and celebrations of the occasion.

The passage of this bill recognizes the rich history of one of the most celebrated events worldwide, and demonstrates to the API community in our state, that we are all part of the California family, Pan said at a recent news conference in front of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.

API communities have been a valuable part in the development of California and helped make it what it is today, and this bill is a great way to promote cultural understanding and inclusivity among future generations, Wiener said.

We now have a great opportunity to embrace and celebrate our API communities. I am proud that California will recognize the significance of Lunar New Year, said Wiener.

San Francisco, among many other jurisdictions in California, has already designated Lunar New Year as an official school holiday. The state board of education recognized Lunar New Year as a festival of special relevance in 2016.

Lunar New Year is celebrated by millions of Asian and Pacific Islanders around the world, including those living and working in U.S.

In California, there are around 6 million people identified as Asian (2017, United States Census Bureau). California has the highest number and second highest percentage of Asian Americans by state. Among these, more than 600,000 people are Vietnamese (United State Census Bureau)

Tet is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture, and people from all parts of Vietnam and the world try to make it home for the festival celebrations.

It usually falls in January or February. It is an occasion for family unions and pilgrimages, for people to come together and wish each other good fortune in the upcoming year.
Police officers work at scene of a robbery at Standard Chartered Bank branch in Singapore, as shown in a file photo by Reuters.

A British court has ruled that a fugitive wanted by Singapore for a rare bank robbery could be extradited.

The decision was made after the wealthy city-state agreed to waive corporal punishment if he is found guilty.

Canadian David Roach is accused of having stolen S$30,000 ($22,758) from a branch of Standard Chartered bank in 2016 by handing a threatening note to a teller. He then fled to Thailand with the money.

All challenges fail, said district judge N Tempia of the Westminster magistrates court.

Roachs lawyer had appealed against the extradition, in court documents seen by Reuters, citing Singapore prison conditions, the fact that his client was jailed in Thailand, and concerns that Singapore would not keep its promise.

The case sparked debate at the time about whether Singapore, which has a very low crime rate, had become too complacent on security. The decision on Roachs extradition has now been passed to Britains secretary of state.

Singapore authorities are working closely with the UK authorities on the next steps in this matter, Singapores home affairs ministry and its attorney-generals chambers said in a joint statement late on Wednesday.

Singapore wants Roach on one count of robbery, carrying a minimum jail term of two years and at least six strokes of the cane, and on one count of money laundering. In February, Singapore agreed to waive corporal punishment.

After fleeing to Thailand, Roach was jailed for 14 months for not declaring such a large amount of money upon arrival.

Singapore authorities said they had repeatedly asked Thailand to send Roach back to face charges, but it decided to deport Roach to Canada in January.

However, en route home, he was detained by British police at Londons Heathrow Airport at the request of Singapore, a former British colony that has an extradition treaty with Britain, but not Thailand.
He said that Ukraine intends to launch talks with Canada in the coming months.

Ukraine is willing to expand the free trade agreement (FTA) with Canada, Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said in Kyiv on Wednesday.

"It's time to expand the FTA into services and investment. This is the next logical step," Shevchenko said in an interview with local radio station "Radio NV," according to Xihnua.

He said that Ukraine intends to launch talks with Canada over the FTA expansion in the coming months.

The Canada-Ukraine FTA, which went into force on Aug 1, 2017, covers the trade in goods between the two countries. The deal eliminates 98% of tariffs on Ukraine exports and 72% of duties on Canada exports.

Read alsoUkraine prepares for talks on FTA with Britain

According to Ukraine's Economic Development and Trade Ministry, Ukraine started last year exporting more than 150 new commodity items to Canada and increased the supplies of traditional goods with a high-added value.

The total trade turnover between Ukraine and Canada increased by about 42% in 2017 to $349.63 million.
Iran's August crude oil exports will likely drop to just over 2 million bpd, versus a peak of 3.1 million bpd in April, as importers bow to American pressure to cut orders.

Oil prices inched up on Thursday, extending solid gains from the previous session on a fall in U.S. crude inventories and expected disruptions to supply from Iran and Venezuela.

International Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were at $77.21 per barrel at 0114 GMT, up 7 cents from their last close, Reuters said.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were up 14 cents at $69.65 a barrel.

The rises came after crude hit multi-week highs during the previous session.

U.S. commercial crude inventories USOILC=ECI fell by 2.6 million barrels in the week to Auguest 24, to 405.79 million barrels. U.S. production C-OUT-T-EIA was flat from the previous week's record 11 million barrels per day (bpd).

"Oil prices rose on the back of an unexpected U.S. inventory draw, the second week in a row of declines, together with gasoline demand reaching a record high," said William O'Loughlin, investment analyst at Australia's Rivkin Securities.

Read alsoReuters: Oil edges up on looming Iran sanctions, but rising global supply caps market

"The looming sanctions against Iran are beginning to impact oil supply lifting crude prices," added Alfonso Esparza, analyst at futures brokerage OANDA.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), of which Iran is the third biggest producer, will discuss in December whether it can compensate for a sudden drop in Iranian oil supply after U.S sanctions against Tehran start in November, the head of Iraq's state-oil marketer SOMO, Alaa al-Yasiri, said on Wednesday.

Iran's August crude oil exports will likely drop to just over 2 million bpd, versus a peak of 3.1 million bpd in April, as importers bow to American pressure to cut orders.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned of a tightening market toward the end of the year, due to a combination of supply concerns, such as Iran and also Venezuela, and strong demand especially in Asia.
Ukraine's central bank expects to receive about $5 bln from key lenders, Eurobonds placement

Churii says all receipts would be credited to Ukraine's international reserves.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
Naftogaz reminds Gazprom of $500,000 daily penalty on debt

Naftogaz has also urged Gazprom to pay $2.56 billion by the decision of the Stockholm Arbitration.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter
The enduring defeat of ISIS remains a top priority for the United States. The U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS is leading stabilization efforts that consolidate military gains, restore basic essential services, and enable Syrians to voluntarily and safely return to their homes in Raqqa and other former ISIS strongholds. Assistance includes explosive hazard and rubble removal, providing clean water, rehabilitating electricity networks, and other basic necessities.

Since April, the United States has elicited approximately $300 million in contributions and pledges from Coalition partners to support immediate stabilization and early recovery initiatives in areas liberated from ISIS in northeast Syria, including a generous contribution of $100 million by Saudi Arabia and $50 million by the United Arab Emirates.

As a result of these generous contributions and other factors, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert announced, the U.S. will redirect 230 million dollars in stabilization funds for Syria which have been under review.

This decision does not represent any lessening of U.S. commitment to our strategic goals in Syria, stressed Ms. Nauert. President Donald Trump has made clear that the U.S. is prepared to remain in Syria until the enduring defeat of ISIS, and the U.S. remains focused on ensuring the withdrawal of Iranian forces and their proxies. We believe, said Ms. Nauert, that neither of these events will happen without irreversible progress toward a political resolution of the conflict in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

This decision does not affect U.S. humanitarian assistance. The United States is the largest single country humanitarian donor for the Syria response, providing more than $8.6 billion in humanitarian assistance since the start of the crisis for those displaced inside Syria and the region.

The U.S. will also continue to work with its international partners towards the achievement of a peaceful resolution of the Syrian conflict under an UN-led political process. The Syrian people deserve a country free of war, human rights abuses, and terrorism.
Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital

UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH

Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees

Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia

UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13

Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition

S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive

Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk

Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide

1217 new cases

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel

Ameriabanks Special Offer for New Clients of Hrazdan Branch

"Fall forward": Gurgen Khachatryan, the Co-Founder of the Galaxy Group of Companies, addressed a message to young people in Armenia

Google Ad

UCOM hosted interns of Russian CBOSS corporation for a month

The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

UCOM offers affordable gadgets at bigger discount

Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan will pay a working visit to New York

Governments preventing publication of Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper during state of emergency

UCOM prolongs the unlimited internet offer for the level up 4700 and level up 5500 subscribers

Ucom employees received recognition for their services to the homeland

Karen Vardanyan has allocated 105 million AMD to rescue the Yerevan Botanical Garden.

"The Power of One Dram" to overcome childhood cancer

Generation A 13  your chance to be the change

President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan met with Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Khovayev

"uDays" special offer at Ucom: discounts for all smartphones and accessories for 2 days only
1. Yes. If a city of 150,000 cant provide safe drinking water for 10 days, a probe is needed.

2. Yes. Not only should there be a state investigation, but customers should get a rebate.

3. No. The city will be working with TCEQ to develop an after-action plan. That will suffice.

4. No. The whole episode was just an annoyance. An outside investigaton is unnecessary.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing more details about the issue.

Vote

View Results
Hungary's low cost airline Wizz Air is interested in flying to the Kherson airport, Wizz Air Executive Vice President and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Stephen Jones said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

"We had a very interesting and productive meeting with representatives of the Kherson airport. We are working on this issue. I am considering the possibility, but if I'm not mistaken, it is very important to have a runway in Kherson to service our planes. This is an excellent region," Jones said.

He also said that he was pleasantly surprised by the professionalism of the airport team and expressed hope for future cooperation, but refused to specify the possible dates for the beginning of this cooperation.

WizzAir is the largest low cost airline in the Central and Eastern Europe. It offers flights from 142 airports in 44 countries. Its fleet consists of 100 Airbus A320 and Airbus A321 planes.
Poland's PGNiG oil and gas company in H1 2018 in cooperation with ERU and national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy sold over 210 million cubic meters (mcm) of natural gas in Ukraine, while in H1 2017 in cooperation with ERU  around 290 mcm, according to a company report on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) on Thursday.

The company recalled that moreover, in March 2018, PGNiG made emergency supplies of gas fuel to Naftogaz Ukrainy after Gazprom refused to start deliveries to Ukraine.

According to the report, exports of natural gas to Ukraine from Poland in H1 2018 totaled 2.42 terawatt hours (TWh), which is 24% less than in H1 2017 (3.2 TWh). In a report for H1 2017, PGNiG gave another figure for gas exports to Ukraine  6.11 TWh, reporting about a 79% rise year-over-year.

According to the documents, the entire volume of gas was shipped via the Hermanowice gas hub.

PGNiG has been selling gas to Ukraine since August 2016.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that the Cabinet of Ministers is ready to approve the subvention in the amount of UAH 729.56 million for Kyivenergo, which would allow signing a gas supply contract by between municipal enterprise Kyivenergo and national joint-stock company Naftogaz Ukrainy before the start of the heating season.

"I promised that we will help Kyiv get out of this difficult situation. We worked with our colleagues in the government and found the best opportunities to support Kyiv. I think there will not be any disagreements: it is very important to prepare for the heating season on time and start it on time," Groysman said at a government meeting on Wednesday, instructing the Ministry of Finance to find sources of financing.

In turn, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko asked "to cancel the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers voted on August 22, 2018, and approve a separate decision with the costs for the heat-supplying enterprises in Kyiv to pay off the difference in tariffs."

"An agreement with Kyivenergo has terminated. The situation is critical with gas supplies to Kyiv, as a result of which there is no hot running water and the start of the heating season is under a threat. There is no possibility to conclude an agreement between Kyivteploenergo and Naftogaz because of the outstanding debt issue. It appeared due to the difference in the tariffs, which amount is currently UAH 729.56 million. The only mechanism to compensate for the debt is the adoption of a corresponding government resolution," Klitschko said.

Answering journalists' questions on the sidelines of the Cabinet of Ministers' meeting, Klitschko added that hot water supply in Kyiv will be restored in one or two weeks.
WizzAir to increase number of seats on Ukrainian flights by 45% in 2019

Hungarian low-cost airline WizzAir plans to provide 2.5 million seats to passengers flying to and from Ukraine in 2019, which is 45% more than in 2018.

This was reported by EVP and Deputy CEO at Wizz Air Stephen Jones at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday.

The company also plans to invest about $400 million in the development of aviation and tourism in Ukraine, to increase the fleet of aircraft to four, to provide a route network of more than 120 flights a week. The airline also plans to increase the number of local employees to more than 140 people.

Wizz Air is the largest low cost airline in the Central and Eastern Europe. It offers flights from 142 airports in 44 countries. Its fleet consists of 100 Airbus A320 and Airbus A321 planes at 25 bases in 14 countries.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman has called on the public, in particular, business associations to support the government's position in the fight against smuggling.

"We as a government, I as a prime minister, need public support in this struggle. I appeal to legal, honest business, "white" importers: we need your support," he said at a government meeting.

"I urge you, Myroslav Vasiliovych: more meetings with businesses, business associations, more dialogue," he said, referring to Acting Head of the State Fiscal Service Myroslav Prodan.

The premier also noted that Acting Minister of Finance Oksana Markarova is engaged in the reform of the State Fiscal Service.

"I think that a vision will soon be presented how to create an effective system for the future," he said.

Prodan said, when presenting the results of work of the agency, as of August 29 the customs system fulfilled the target of revenues to the national budget for August. At the same time, in comparison with the indicators of the previous year, the expected plan in the current year was increased by 30%, he said.
Lawyers from the Aver Lex law firm, representing the interests of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, have appealed to the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, the Bundestag and international human rights organizations with a statement that criminal proceedings against them have been launched in Ukraine.

"Our actions to protect Viktor Yanukovych ... began to hamper the incumbent authorities in implementing their desire to bury the truth about the tragic and fateful events of 2013-2014. In connection with this, it is quite logical that the next step was the initiation of a criminal case against us. That, in fact, is another confirmation of the correctness of our position and the fear of the authorities that the truth will be known to the society and finally confirm the guilt of its individual representatives in the mass death of Ukrainians, the loss of territorial integrity and a socio-economic collapse," lawyer Vitaliy Serdiuk said.

According to him, this is not the first attempt of preventing lawyers from performing their professional duties on the part of the authorities, prosecutors, courts and other instances.

"The scheme in all the cases is the same: to remove the lawyers under the contract and attract, even if not legally, a loyal state lawyer under the control of the prosecution whose function is to assist in issuing the verdict needed to the authorities and the Prosecutor General's Office," the expert said.

According to him, the only possible mechanism for impeding the "total disregard for human rights" is the imposition of personal sanctions against persons "helping neutralize the European principles of administration of justice."
Court refuses change of pretrial restriction for Savchenko, she remains under arrest

Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court has denied the lawyers of People's Deputy of Ukraine Nadiia Savchenko change the measure of restraint, she will remain in custody.

The court made this decision on August 29, having considered the complaint of Savchenko's lawyers to change the measure of restraint from custody to bail.

"To refuse satisfaction of the petition to change pretrial restriction," the court's ruling reads.

The defenders of Savchenko asked to change the measure of restraint from custody to house arrest or bail.

The investigating judge announced the operative part of the decision, the full text of the ruling will be made public on September 3.

As reported, on August 9 the Kyiv Court of Appeals upheld the restraint in the form of detention for Savchenko until September 7, but at the same time revoked the decision of Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District Court dated July 13 to extend her arrest until September 10.
Aggravation of relations between Canada and U.S. is threat to Ukraine - Ambassador Shevchenko

The aggravation of relations between the United States and Canada amid talks on the North American Free Trade Agreement might threaten Ukraine's interests by weakening the unity among the key partners in the anti-Russian coalition, Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko has said.

"It is very important for Ukraine that understanding should be among our strategic partners. Therefore, the aggravation of relations between Canada and the United States or even a trade war is a threat to Ukraine," he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

According to Shevchenko, tension between the U.S. and Canada weaken the unity between Ukraine's key partners in the anti-Russian coalition.

"I think that it is a dream [of Russian President Vladimir] Putin to see our key NATO partners that will bicker. The more Canada and America will deal with the trade war with each other, the less time and energy they will have to solve the problem related to the Russian Federation," the ambassador said.

The diplomat also expressed the opinion that Canada and the United States will be able to agree on comfortable terms of trade.

"This is too important for the two countries," Shevchenko summed up.
The press center of the Joint Forces Operation of Ukraine has reported 18 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas over the day, including one attack involving heavy weapons.

"There are no casualties," the press service said.

"The enemy opened effective fire of an 82mm mortar, weapons of infantry combat vehicles, heavy machineguns, and small arms. [...] The Joint Forces suffered no casualties over the day," the press center wrote on Facebook.

Stanytsia Luhanska, Krymske, Novotoshkivske, Troitske, Svitlodarsk, Yuzhne, Novhorodske, Novomykhailivka, Pavlopil, Hnutove, Talakivka, Lebedynske, and Vodiane came under attack, it said.

"The enemy has launched one attack on our positions near Luhanske, using a mounted anti-tank grenade launcher. On the whole, the intensity of attacks on positions of the Joint Forces has tangibly declined, although the enemy is not fully honoring the 'school truce'," the press center said.
The Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Ministry of Ukraine plans to change the requirements to the size of windows during construction of buildings, by singling four light climate zones instead of two, Deputy Minister Lev Partskhaladze has said.

According to the report, the changes will be introduced in the new national construction standards.

"In the new national construction standards for lighting we propose to adjust the calculations of natural lighting in the premises, in particular, to clarify the zoning of the territory of Ukraine according to the light climate, distributing it into four zones with light-climatic features, which will enable us to calculate the minimum area of windows required for rooms in different regions of Ukraine more correctly, and, consequently, will increase insolation and comfort in the premises," Partskhaladze wrote on his Facebook page.

According to him, now the territory of Ukraine is divided into two light-climate zones: one includes Odesa region and Crimea, the second - the rest of Ukraine, but the difference in time of sunrise and sunset between the western and eastern regions is about two hours.

According to Partskhaladze, the first light-climate zone will include Zhytomyr, Khmelnytsky, Ternopil, Rivne, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv and Volyn regions. The second zone will include Zakarpattia, Chernivtsi, Vinnytsia, Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions.

The third zone will include Kirovhrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhia regions and Crimea will be in the fourth zone.
Ukraine is negotiating with the Canadian government to extend the period of stay and expand the geography of operation of the training mission of the UNIFIER operation, Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko has said.

"The UNIFIER mission was launched in 2015, continued in 2017 and is now officially scheduled until March 31, 2019. We started work with the Canadian government to extend the duration of this mission in Ukraine, I think we have good chances," the ambassador said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, the Ukrainian side is talking about expanding their presence.

"We think how it is possible to make this training program more flexible and better use the fact that Sweden and Denmark joined UNIFIER," Shevchenko said.

The diplomat also added that Ukraine and Canada are actively negotiating arms deliveries.

UNIFIER is a Canadian mission in Ukraine. All training measures with the Armed Forces of Ukraine are coordinated with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and aimed at enhancing Ukraine's capacity to protect territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Ukraine has still not received a response from Moscow on proposals from Kyiv to release more than 30 Russian citizens held in Ukraine in exchange for releasing Ukrainian hostages, First Deputy Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament and Ukraine's envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group's (TCG) humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko has said.

"We have not received any responses at the TCG. We later conveyed the proposals via the offices of Ukraine's and Russia's ombudswomen for human rights, through diplomatic channels, but there has been no response," Gerashchenko said at a press conference in Kyiv.

She said that more than four months ago she sent via the TCG the lists of those Russians convicted in Ukraine for serious crimes  terrorism, diversion, espionage, whom Ukraine is willing to release in exchange for Ukrainians held in Russia.

Gerashchenko said she is receiving information from various sources about the worsening condition of Volodymyr Balukh, who has been on a hunger strike for more than 100 days, Oleh Sentsov and other Ukrainian prisoners in Russia.

"Unfortunately, Russia has not responded to any of Ukraine's initiatives," she lamented.
The share of refusals to Ukrainians in granting visas to Canada exceeded 26% in the first five months of 2018, Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko has said.

"In the first five months of 2018, we have 26.77% of refusals. I believe that this is a huge figure that does not correspond to the partnership and friendship existing between Ukraine and Canada," Shevchenko said in an exclusive interview with Interfax- Ukraine.

According to him, there are no logical and rational arguments that would explain such a figure.

The diplomat added that he does not accept the argument that Ukrainians cannot correctly fill out the documents.

"It seems to me that such a situation does not suit either us or Canada. We are in a constant dialogue with the Canadian government on this topic. And I hope that Canada will radically revise how they consider the documents of our fellow citizens," the Ukrainian ambassador said.

Asked about the possibility of introducing a visa-free regime between Ukraine and Canada, Shevchenko noted that the decision will not be quick.

"This is a very conservative country with regard to visas. Canada has a very complicated scale of requirements for a country to introduce a visa-free regime. There are seven groups of requirements. But with all that I am sure that we will have a visa-free regime with Canada, as we have with the EU," the ambassador said.
Vladimir Gorbenko, the captain of the Russian fishing vessel Nord, has been notified of the completion in Ukraine of the pretrial investigation into the criminal case against him.

Gorbenko is charged with illegal fishing and violations of the procedures governing entry and departure of "the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine."

"On August 29, 2018, the captain of the fishing vessel Nord was told of the completion of the pretrial investigation into the criminal case against him involving illegal fishing and violations of the procedures governing entry and departure of the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine (Article 249, Article 332-1 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code)," the press service for the Kyiv-based office of the prosecutors of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea said in a report.

The pretrial investigation showed that the citizen of Ukraine, being captain of the vessel Nord, "violated the procedures governing entry and departure of the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine by the vessel's departure of the closed sea port Kerch in Crimea."

He is also charged with illegally fishing in the Sea of Azov without valid permits.

After the suspect and his lawyers become familiar with the case materials, an indictment will be sent to the Kyiv Court of Appeals, which will decide on the jurisdiction and further trial of the case on its merits, the prosecutor said.

As reported, Ukrainian State Border Guard Service officials detained the Nord with its ten crewmembers on March 25.

The vessel's captain Vladimir Gorbenko was charged with violating the procedure for entering or leaving Ukraine's occupied territory in order to infringe on the country's interests. The captain was later notified of suspicion of another crime, illegal fishing.

The Kherson City Court ordered him to assume a personal obligation. Gorbenko stayed at his relatives' in Melitopol, Zaporizhia region of Ukraine, during the pretrial investigation.

On June 19, the Kherson City Court declined a motion to prolong Gorbenko's obligation not to visit the territory of Crimea.

The other crewmembers were charged with illegally crossing the border, an offense punishable by a fine of 100 to 300 non-taxable minimum incomes or up to 15 days of administrative arrest.
The multinational exercises Rapid Trident 2018 will be launched in Lviv region on Monday, September 3, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reported.

"Ukraine's largest joint land exercises of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the army divisions of foreign states will start in the territory of the International Peacekeeping and Security Center of Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Army Academy (the village of Starychi, Lviv region) on September 3, 2018," the report on Facebook says.

As reported, in late January President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko by his decree approved the plan for conducting multinational exercises with the participation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the territory of Ukraine and their participation in multinational exercises outside Ukraine for 2018 and the admission of the armed forces units of other states to the territory of Ukraine in 2018 to participate in multinational exercises. Among the exercises is the Ukrainian-American exercise Rapid Trident 2018.
According to Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), there are 294 persons missing in Donbas, First Deputy Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament and Ukraine's envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group's (TCG) humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko has said.

"We are using the list of hostages and persons missing put together by the SBU," Gerashchenko said during a press conference in Kyiv.

She added that according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRR), more than 1,000 bodies have not been identified.

"The Ukrainian side, agencies, which have searched for missing persons, have done all they can do to find people and identify them," Gerashchenko said, adding that in 2017 some 71 corpses were found, 18 of which were turned over to occupation forces in Donbas. In addition, in February 2018, two corpses of Russian citizens were turned over to Russia.

Gerashchenko said the ICRR has limited access to the occupied areas in Donbas and that their representatives have not once been allowed to visit prisons there or in Russia where Ukrainian prisoners are held. She blamed Russia for blocking progress in identifying missing persons and returning their remains.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has prepared a package of documents for the denunciation of the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership with Russia, concluded in 1997, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said.

"These documents have already been prepared, the whole package. We've processed it. We'll submit it formally very soon," Klimkin told journalists in Kyiv on Thursday.

On August 28, President Petro Poroshenko said he was expecting the Foreign Ministry to submit a package of documents on initiating the termination of the agreement.
Kyiv ready for any ideas on release of Ukrainian political prisoners from Russia

Ukraine is ready to consider any ideas regarding the release of Ukrainian political prisoners from the Russian Federation, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin has said.

"We are ready for any ideas regarding their release ... we asked our friends and partners about the access of normal doctors, rather than Russian, international access, humanitarian release," the minister told journalists in Kyiv on Thursday.

According to him, in the near future a number of meetings will be held on the issue of the liberation of Ukrainians.

"I will not talk consciously anymore," added the diplomat

He added that the issue of the release of Ukrainian political prisoners would be raised at a meeting of the UN General Assembly in September.
Employees of the Kharkiv border detachment did not let a Russian diplomat pass on Thursday who was banned from entering Ukraine, who planned to enter the territory of the country through the Kharkiv-passenger control post by the Moscow-Kharkiv train.

"When inspecting documents, the border guards established that one of the passengers of the train is the second secretary of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Kharkiv. The instruction of authorized state bodies on banning entry to the territory of Ukraine until 2023 was applied to the foreigner," the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

The citizen of the Russian Federation was not allowed to enter the territory of Ukraine and was returned to the Russian Federation.
A prominent U.S. human rights activist and the international attorney of Iranian-U.S. dual citizens Baquer and Siamak Namazi has linked his clients case to the Iran-U.S. Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights.

Since Tehran has sued Washington for violating the 1955 treaty, Jared Genser argues, one can assume that Iran still respects the treaty and does not recognize the United States as a hostile government. Therefore, Genser says, the verdicts against Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer, should be withheld.

In October 2016, 82-year-old Baquer Namazi and his 46-year-old son, Iranian-American businessman Siamak, were sentenced to 10 years in prison each on the charge of collaborating with hostile states. The sentences were upheld in August 2017.

On August 28, their U.S. counsel emailed a press release to the Center For Human Rights In Iran (CHRI) stating that their lawyers in Iran had lodged an appeal with the Iranian Supreme Court arguing that their convictions cannot legally stand because they were convicted of collaborating with the United States, a hostile state. But according to Article I of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, to which Iran is a party, [t]here shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran.

The press release added that in a ruling in a case identical to the Namazis in 2014, Irans Supreme Court explicitly stated that no government [including the United States] is in a state of hostility with Iran and that political differences are not sufficient to classify a state as hostile. It accordingly reversed the conviction of an Iranian under the very same law under which the Namazis were convicted because it found the United States could not be properly classified as a hostile state.

Baquer and Siamak Namazi have a right to seek a review of these heavy sentences, and we did so on their behalf on August 20 with Branch 33 of the Supreme Court, which we hope will result in freedom for both of them, their Iranian lawyer, Mehrdad Ghorbani Saraei, told CHRI.

Baquer Namazi, a former UNICEF official, was arrested in Tehran in March 2016 by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) weeks after visiting Iran in the hope of assisting the release of his son, who had been arrested in October 2015.

In addition, international counsel to the Namazis also filed a complaint on August 28 with Diego Garcia-Sayan, the UNs special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

According to the counsels press release, It requests that he begin an investigation into the Namazis detention emphasizing that (1) Irans reliance and recognition of the Treaty of Amity prevents it from legally sustaining the conviction of the Namazis, and (2) the judiciary in Iran clearly cannot be independent or impartial because it was the very same judge and appeals court in the 2014 case whose finding that the U.S. was a hostile state had been reversed. Thus, in light of Irans affirmation of the validity of the Treaty of Amity as well as the Supreme Court prior precedent, those courts should have no choice but to acquit the Namazis.

During the past two years, the elderly Namazi has been hospitalized several times for heart-related issues, including in February 2018, when he was granted eight days of medical leave from Tehrans infamous Evin Prison.

Siamak Namazis requests for furlough have been repeatedly rejected. His family continues to submit requests, Ghorbani Saraei told CHRI
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 31

Trend:

There is a progress in the negotiation process for the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi, speaking at a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OSCE, TASS reported.

According to the press service of the Italian MFA minister noted the progress of the negotiation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, despite the past elections in both countries.

Moavero-Milanesi noted that the OSCE should be a platform for a constructive dialogue between the West and the East.

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, Aug. 30

Trend:

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order providing funding for the construction of Ujar-Zardab-Aghjabadi (21km)-Birinji Alijanli road in Zardab district.

Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 4.6 million manats for the construction of the road connecting two residential areas with a total population of 2,000 people.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

The Armenian army is unable to equip its personnel, Azerbaijani MP Hikmat Babaoglu told Trend Aug. 30.

Armenian young people who reached the draft age are leaving the country, he added. "Azerbaijan and its armed forces are among the strongest, not only in the region, but in the entire post-Soviet area. It will be impossible to keep the lands of this country under occupation endlessly.

Moreover, the traditional allies of Armenia turned into partners of Azerbaijan thanks to Azerbaijans diplomacy, which also created a serious phobia in the Armenian society and in the army, Babaoglu said. In the current critical situation, the Armenians are trying to inspire the aggressive gangs by inviting Armenian-US gambler Dan Bilzeryan to the occupied Azerbaijani lands. But it is impossible. Everyone understands that it is impossible to build an army with such people as Bilzeryan. This situation testifies to deplorable condition of aggressive Armenian army.

Babaoglu added that a self-respecting country and a strong army will never allow such cheap advertising.

"It is better for the Armenians to think about withdrawal from the occupied Azerbaijani lands, he said. This would be the most correct step for them, and, in general, for the future of the region."

Dan Bilzerian, an Armenian-US gambler, illegally visited occupied Azerbaijani territories, as well as showcased his gun-handling skills there.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

Jesters and clowns continue touring Azerbaijans lands occupied by Armenias Armed Forces, Hikmet Hajiyev, spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, told Trend Aug. 30.

"Martin Sonneborn, an MEP, head of a political party consisting of one person, a political jester and marginalist, is one of such clowns," Hajiyev said. It is enough to look at the poster of the political propaganda of this man. Obviously, the head of the Armenian lobby in Brussels Kaspar Karampetian, spending a lot of money, is so desperate that can only bring clown politicians to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan."

"That is because sane people, who learn about the realities of the conflict, the facts of occupation and bloody ethnic cleansing, realize who is who and keep away from such agitators. I even would say that the Armenian lobbyist Karampetian, who previously organized such trips at his own expense, unwittingly served bringing the realities of the occupation to some right people. I wonder who is next at the parade of clowns - Kardashian sisters? Hajiyev said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Headline changed, details added (first version posted on 10:54)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Li Xiaolin.

Describing China as a reliable partner and friendly country for Azerbaijan, the head of state recalled his visit to the People's Republic of China and his meetings with the country's leadership.

President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and China have been developing in all areas since that visit, adding that Chinese high-ranking delegations have visited Azerbaijan.

The head of state noted the strengthening of the political and economic ties between the two countries over this period.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed confidence that Li Xiaolin's visit to Azerbaijan will be interesting and fruitful and contribute to the expansion of relations between Azerbaijan and China.

Stressing that this is her first visit to Azerbaijan, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries Li Xiaolin said she is very honored to meet with President Ilham Aliyev.

She mentioned that members of the Chinese delegation have been deeply impressed by development processes in Baku.

Li Xiaolin informed the head of state of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

She said that Azerbaijan is developing under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, adding that it is felt everywhere.

Li Xiaolin highlighted joint activities with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, pointing out the opportunities for the implementation of interesting projects.

The sides discussed issues of economic and humanitarian cooperation.

Chinese tourists` growing interest in Azerbaijan was emphasized during the meeting.
Details added (first version posted on 12:30)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

An appeal has been sent to Interpol to put Dan Bilzerian, an Armenian-US gambler, who illegally visited Azerbaijans occupied territories, on the international wanted list, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor Generals Office said in a message Aug. 30.

As a result of the investigation by the Azerbaijani Prosecutor Generals Office, it was established that on August 28, a citizen of a foreign country, Dan Bilzerian, illegally crossed the territory of Armenia as part of an organized group and arrived in Khankendi city and other occupied settlements of Azerbaijan, according to the message.

According to the message, Bilzerian was promoting the illegal regime, as well as showcased his gun-handling skills there.

Following up on the matter, the Investigation Department of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office on Heinous Crimes launched criminal case under articles 228.3 (Illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation or carrying of firearms, component parts to it, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices) and 318.2 (Crossing of Azerbaijans protected state border without established documents or outside the state border checkpoint).

By the decision of a court, a preventive measure in the form of arrest was chosen against Dan Bilzerian and an appeal was sent through Interpol to declare him internationally wanted.

The necessary operational and investigative measures on the criminal case continue.

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, Aug. 30

Trend:

Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan Abulfas Garayev met with Ambassador of Peru in Azerbaijan Maria Milagros Castanon Seoane, said the ministry Aug. 30.

Issues of cooperation between the two countries and implementation of joint projects were discussed during the meeting.

Readiness for signing an agreement on cooperation in culture between Azerbaijani and Peruvian ministries was also mentioned during the meeting. The Peruvian ambassador invited Garayev to visit her country in order to sign the agreement.

The minister, in turn, invited the Peruvian side to take part in the sixth Baku International Humanitarian Forum, which will be held October 25-26, and in the fifth World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, which will be held in Azerbaijan in 2019.

During the meeting, the sides stressed the importance of developing cooperation between the two countries in culture, especially in archaeology, art and architecture.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

Mandatory medical insurance in Azerbaijan will be fully implemented within five years, director of the State Agency for Mandatory Medical Insurance under the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan Zaur Aliyev told reporters in Baku.

He said that this period will be considered a transitional one, and during this time, the coverage of mandatory medical insurance will be gradually expanded.

As you know, for the second year we have been implementing a pilot project, which additionally covered Agdash district this year, Aliyev said. If during the first year we paid more attention to the number of services and their accessibility for the population, this year more attention is paid to quality. At the same time, we prepared a plan for a full transition of entire Azerbaijan to mandatory medical insurance. In July, a consultant was appointed for us, who will be in charge of the successful transition period. Great work has been done and a special road map has been prepared. We will try that the transition takes place without problems.

He added that by the end of the year, the work will begin with medical institutions for their preparation for the transition period. He noted that the transition period will differ from the pilot projects and the expansion will depend not on the geography, but on the provision of services.

We want that after five years, any citizen of Azerbaijan, regardless of financial situation, could apply to medical institutions and get the necessary services, Aliyev said. This requires a lot of work to be done. This will happen in stages. Starting from next year, the expansion will take place not on a geographical basis, but rather by phased provision of certain services.

The State Agency for Mandatory Medical Insurance started operating in Azerbaijan in February 2016. Since the end of 2016, a pilot project on mandatory medical insurance is being implemented in Azerbaijan. The project presently covers the city of Mingachevir, as well as the Yevlakh and Agdash districts of Azerbaijan.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) plans to develop a new strategy on Azerbaijan, a source in the banks head office told Trend.

The creation of the strategy will be launched after the completion of the overall strategy of the BSTDB, according to the source.

"A new BSTDB president, Dmitry Pankin from Russia and a new vice president for banking issues, Hasan Demirhan from Turkey, began work on July 16. In September we expect the arrival of a new vice president for financial issues from Ukraine. We are currently developing a new BSTDB strategy for 2019-2022, which will be coordinated with the governments of all member countries. Based on this new overall strategy, the bank will adopt strategies on individual states, including Azerbaijan."

The source added that in this regard, the new management of the bank plans to arrive in Baku by the end of this year.

BSTDB is planning to allocate about 48 million euros for projects in Azerbaijan in 2018.

In 2017, 93.12 million euros were allocated to Azerbaijan, and contracts worth 91.1 million euros were signed. In total, the bank has so far allocated loans of 330 million euros to projects in Azerbaijan.

BSTDB was founded by Azerbaijan, Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Armenia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia. The authorized capital of the bank is 3.45 billion euros.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Aug. 30

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

The production of textile products from domestic cotton is the main activity of local enterprise "Batly-Gadam", the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan said in a statement.

Cotton yarn and socks are in demand outside the country. These products are supplied to Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey and Russia.

The company plans to export its products to Kazakhstan and Afghanistan as well.

The company's factory is in the administrative center of Balkan region, and is a major manufacturer of hosiery products in Turkmenistan. The annual output amounts to 18 million pairs of socks made on the basis of environmentally friendly raw materials, which attracts buyers and contributes to the expansion of the "geography" of exports.

Turkmenistan grows more than one million tons of cotton annually, which serves as a raw material base for the development of the textile industry. Up to 70 percent of the grown raw materials are processed in the country.

The textile industry of Turkmenistan is represented by a wide range of the exported goods  from cotton fiber and yarn to ready-made garments and knitwear, which are produced by the largest complexes in Central Asia, located in the capital and in all regions of the country.

The products of home textiles, sports and jeans wear, produced under world-famous trademarks of IKEA, Puma, Wal-Mart, Lidl, Bershka; Pull&Bear, River Island, Cosco constitute a substantial part of the products of Turkmenistan supplied abroad.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend:

Azerbaijan and Georgia will discuss topical issues of bilateral relations, as well as regional cooperation, the Embassy of Georgia in Baku told Trend.

Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze will visit Azerbaijan on Aug. 30. In Baku, he will hold a number of meetings with Azerbaijani officials.

Issues of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia, multilateral relations, issues of regional cooperation, infrastructure, including energy projects with the participation of our countries will be discussed during the meetings, the embassy said.

Diplomatic relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan were established on November 18, 1992. Since then, the two countries have been closely cooperating in various fields, including energy and trade.

Georgia is a participant of major international infrastructure projects initiated by Azerbaijan, such as the Southern Gas Corridor, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars.

Azerbaijan's trade with Georgia amounted to $392.55 million in January-July 2018, which is an almost 21 percent increase over the year, according to Azerbaijan's State Customs Committee.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyev
Moscow, Russia, Aug. 30

By Artem Sokolov  Trend:

The Azerbaijan-Iran car plant Khazar intends to start to export cars to Russia and other CIS countries in 2019, Veronika Allahverdiyeva, official representative of the Azerbaijani AzerMash automobile company, told Trend Aug. 30.

Allahverdiyeva made the remarks on the sidelines of the Moscow International Automobile Salon in Crocus Expo International Exhibition Center.

Azerbaijani "Khazar" cars are showcased at the Moscow International Automobile Salon for the first time.

Two cars of the company [Khazar LD and Khazar SD] are showcased at the exhibition, she said.

"It is very important for us to participate in such events as our brand is new, she said. It has been opened since March 2018. The plant is a joint venture of AzerMash [75 percent of shares] and Iran Khodro [25 percent]. The capacity of the plant is about 10,000 cars a year and up till now the plant has produced over 300 cars.

Presently, spare parts for cars are produced in Iran, but the production of spare parts is planned to be arranged in Azerbaijan in the future, she added.

The Khazar car plant is located in south-eastern Azerbaijan in the Neftchala industrial site. All cars produced at the plant comply with Euro-5 standards.

On August 6, 2016, big Iranian automaker Iran Khodro and Azerbaijans AzEuroCar company (AzerMashs subsidiary) signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint car plant in the Neftchala industrial site. The total cost of the project is estimated at 24 million manats. Meanwhile, 75 percent of investments in the plant were invested by the Azerbaijani side, 25 percent by the Iranian side.

(1.7 manats = $1 on Aug. 30)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Ilkin Shafiyev - Trend:

Brest Distillery Company Belalco OJSC in Belarus intends to greatly increase export of alcoholic beverages to Azerbaijan in 2018, Igor Kravchuk, head of the companys sales, marketing and foreign economic activities department, told Trend Aug. 30.

We pay serious attention to the Azerbaijani market and so far have increased and continue to increase the supplies of our products to the country, Kravchuk said. In particular, half a year has passed since we established fruitful cooperation with Azerbaijans Azza company. Deliveries to Azerbaijan are increasing, even despite the increase in the excise tax, and this is facilitated by the growing demand in the local market.

We also plan to expand the range of exported products, he noted. We continue developing recipes for new types of vodka especially for Azerbaijani market. Exports to Azerbaijan more than doubled in 2016-2017. This figure will increase by 2-3 times at the end of 2018, as well as in 2019, according to our expectations.

In January-July 2018, Azerbaijan imported alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as wine vinegar worth $48.65 million. Compared to the same period in 2017, imports grew by almost 25 percent.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @IlkinShafiyev
OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers will aim to formalize their long-term cooperation later this year by approving a charter that will make possible further joint action on output, according to a draft charter seen by Reuters.

Russia and several other non-OPEC countries have joined OPEC producers in reducing oil output since 2017 in a move that has helped raise oil prices to $80 per barrel from less than $30.

Moscow and Riyadh have said they want to maintain a close level of cooperation even after the oil market stabilizes and the current output reduction deal expires.

The draft charter, to be discussed by OPEC and non-OPEC minister later this year, said its fundamental objective is to coordinate policies aimed at stabilizing oil markets in the interest of producers, consumers, investors and the global economy.

The charter also aims to promote better understanding of oil market fundamentals among participants as well as to promote oil and gas in the global energy mix for the long term.

It said ministers of participating countries shall meet once a year while experts should meet twice a year. The ministers shall propose actions including possible summits by heads of state.

The charters secretariat will be hosted by the OPEC secretariat in Vienna but will be independent.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Huseyn Veliyev  Trend:

Azerbaijan and Iran will agree on the procedure of equal use of radio frequency resources in the border areas by the end of September, a source in the telecommunications market of Azerbaijan told Trend.

The agreement provides for the balanced use of the radio frequency spectrum and the reduction of the likelihood of interference by radioelectronic means, which will be certified by the relevant protocol.

Earlier, the two countries signed a protocol on equal use of channels of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz frequency spectrum for GSM communication, which is aimed at ensuring the normal functioning of mobile communication in the border areas.

Countries use the same base stations and the same frequency resources, which creates interference with each other. The agreement makes it possible to streamline the use of the radio frequency spectrum, as well as significantly reduce the likelihood of interference by radio electronic means in the border areas. Azerbaijan has signed a similar agreement with Georgia and Russia.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend:

Azerbaijans Agricultural Research Center has announced a request for quotations for the purchase, installation and technical support of equipment for the development of IT infrastructure, the State Service for Antimonopoly Policy and Consumer Protection stated Aug. 30.

Those who wish to take part in the request for quotations should send proposals no later than 17:00 (GMT + 4) on September 6, 2018.

For more information, please refer to the following contacts:

Address: Baku, Uzeyir Hajibeyov street, 80 (Government House, room no. 763).

Phone: (+994 77) 598-44-30.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend:

CETel has signed a cooperation agreement with the Turkmen national satellite operator Turkmen Hemrasy CJSC, according to Developing Telecoms.

The agreement is aimed at boosting fixed satellite services in the region. In addition to covering the territory of Turkmenistan, Turkmen Hemrasy satellite TurkmenAlem 52.0E also provides services in Central Asia, Iran, Turkey, North Africa and most part of Europe. It carries 38 Ku-Band transponders and is specifically designed for satellite communications and TV broadcasting. The east and west beam provide major opportunities for companies operating in this region.

The deal will align the competences of the two companies, enabling the management of end-to-end connections, including backhaul, regulatory requirements and local field support. Customers will benefit from having a strong satellite operator in the region, paired with a WTA full-certified Teleport located in the heart of Germany.

The region of Turkmenistan is of particular interest as it carries vast amounts of mineral resources. Also, Turkmenistan with the desert of Karakum, which covers 80% of the country, necessitates rural communications based on satellite, explained Guido Neumann, Managing Director of CETel.

Batyr Orazdurdyyev, Acting Director of Turkmen Hemrasy added, This cooperation will further strengthen our powerful coverage in the region by offering CETels customer base an attractive payload for their projects, especially in the mineral resource sector.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

On August 30, Kazakhstan celebrates the Constitution Day, Kazakh media reported.

Kazakhstans Constitution was adopted at a national referendum in 1995.

The current Constitution of Kazakhstan was amended in 1998, 2007, 2011 and 2017.

The Constitution is constantly reformed and improved in accordance with the requirements of the time, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said during a meeting dedicated to the Constitution Day of Kazakhstan. For example, at the beginning of last year I initiated a constitutional reform on the redistribution of a number of presidential powers between the parliament and the government with the expansion of the independence and responsibility of the latter ones.

In the spring of 1995, together with a group of legal scholars, we were discussing which constitution we should adopt, the Kazakh president said. I personally reviewed the constitutions of 20 countries of Europe, America and Asia in search of provisions that would suit our state. We couldnt simply adopt a constitution of another country in its pure form. Thus, we compiled the Constitution of December 1995, and it was supported by the overwhelming majority of citizens. It became the main law in accordance with which we live today, build our state and strengthen independence.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

Kyrgyzstan has temporarily banned imports of animals and products of animal origin from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz media reported Aug. 30.

In order to prevent the nodular dermatitis from entering Kyrgyzstan, the State Inspectorate for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Security imposed a temporary restriction on the imports of cattle, meat and by-products of cattle and tannery until the epizootic situation is clarified, the report said.

In addition, a ban was introduced on the imports of unprocessed leather.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

Moscow is closely tracking the development of the situation on the border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan which aggravated a few days ago, the Spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said, Sputnik Tajikistan reported.

"We are closely monitoring the development of the situation on the Afghan-Tajik border, the provision of security and stability of which is helped by the servicemen of the 201st Russian military base stationed in Tajikistan," Zakharova said during the briefing.

On August 26, at approximately 15.00 (GMT + 5), an unknown armed group consisting of 10-12 people illegally crossed the border and penetrated 50-100 meters deep into the territory of Tajikistan at the border section guarded by the "Hamadoni" border detachment on the Tajik-Afghan border.

The armed group opened fire with AK-74 automatic weapons at the "Niva" car nearby, with three foresters inside. As a result of attack two of them died on the spot, the third one managed to escape and get to the border outpost.

Some Tajik and foreign media have reported that the Tajik side, using aircraft and helicopters, allegedly launched air strikes on the territory of Afghanistan.

The Press Secretary of the Main Department of Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan Mukhammad Ulugkhodjaev dismissed the rumor, saying the Tajik side did not use aircraft at all.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

The third meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission of Tajikistan and Qatar for economic, trade and technical cooperation will be held in Dushanbe August 31, Tajik media reported.

On August 29, the Qatari delegation visited the historical and cultural attractions in the cities of Dushanbe and Hisor.

It is expected that the Qatari Minister of Economy and Trade will meet with the Tajik Prime Minister and Minister of Transport.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

The Uzbek MPs have reviewed the results of the execution of the state budget and the budgets of state trust funds in January-June 2018 at the recent meeting of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (parliament).

During the meeting, the MPs paid special attention to the presidential decree dated August 22, 2018 "On Measures to Ensure the Openness of Budget Data and Active Participation of Citizens in the Budgetary Process", aimed at improving the formation and implementation of the state budget and the budgets of state trust funds, direct participation of people.

This document will serve to further increase the openness and transparency of budgetary data, further strengthen the parliamentary and public control over the formation and expenditure of budgetary funds.

During the meeting, the MPs emphasized that the implementation of large-scale reforms by the countrys president creates broad opportunities for further liberalization of economy, modernization and diversification of production.

The MPs also stressed that as a result of complex measures carried out in the development of the country's economy, in particular, improvement of tax administration and interbudgetary relations, strengthening of the revenue base of local budgets, the state budget was executed in accordance with approved parameters in January-June 2018.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

Tashkent city hosted political consultations of the Uzbek and Kazakh foreign ministries, Uzbek media reported.

A delegation of Kazakh Foreign Ministry led by Deputy Minister Galymzhan Koishybayev arrived in Tashkent to participate in the consultations, according to the report.

During the talks, the sides discussed the current state and prospects of further development of interstate interaction in the political, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian fields, investment, transport and communication, international cooperation spheres, as well as the implementation of the agreements reached earlier.
Tehran, Iran, August 30

Trend:

Iran's IDRO (Industrial Development & Renovation Organization of Iran) Group and Australias Avass Group of Companies have signed an agreement to jointly produce electric cars and motorcycles, the director for international affairs of IDRO said.

Ali Araqchi said the agreement was signed in Tehran on August 27, whereby Avass Group of Companies will invest as much as 100 million in the sector of auto industry.

He added that the Australian company would manufacture electric cars and motorcycles in cooperation with IDRO.

According to the terms of the agreement, Avass Group of Companies will also set up a reach and development center in Iran under the supervision of IDRO, Araqchi said.

Established in Melbourne Australia in 2011, Avass Group of Companies has a proud and successful history. Commencing operations as a Consulting Engineering Body, the group has developed and diversified over the years and now trade within the Electric Vehicle Industry.
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 30

Trend:

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared an amnesty on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice) and Eid al-Ghadeer - two religious holidays in the country.



Khamenei agreed to pardon or reduce the sentences of 615 inmates convicted by various Iranian courts, the Iranian media outlets reported Aug. 30.

The head of Iran's judiciary Sadiq Amoli Larijani appealed to the Supreme Leader with a letter in which he asked for pardon and reduced sentences of some convicts of military, civil and revolutionary courts.



The supreme leader signed the decree. Iran's Constitution grants him the right to pardon or reduce the sentences of convicts upon the recommendation of the judiciary chief.

Amnesties and reduced prison terms are granted mainly on occasions of religious and national festivals in Iran.
During a meeting with ambassadors and other diplomats in the Prague Castle on Wednesday evening, Czech President Milos Zeman called for the removal of anti-Russian sanctions, TASS with reference to the CTK news agency has reported.

"The anti-Russian sanctions affect both sides [Russia and West]," Zeman was quoted as saying. "This applies to all kinds of sanctions."

He added that the US sanctions against Cuba, which have been in effect for decades but could not change the existing regime, remain a clear illustration of the futility of sanctions.

The Czech president said that anti-Russian sanctions are also detrimental for the European Union, which had joined them, and the European Council should not extend them again.

Zeman added that prominent politicians from Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and Italy have also spoken out against anti-Russian sanctions.
European countries should build a new security architecture on the continent together with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron told a joint news conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on Thursday, TASS reports.

"We discussed many issues, including trans-Atlantic ties and relations with Russia," Macron said. "We want Europe to have strategic and defense autonomy to rebuild European security architecture in a broad sense, like I said several months ago in St. Petersburg, and there is the need to reconsider our relations with Russia."

"This wider Europe should build its security architecture with the powers, which are on its border, and the great nations, which share history with us," the French leader said.
The British government has announced plans to ban the sales of energy drinks to children, amid growing concern about the impact that the high-caffeine, high-sugar drinks are having on young peoples health, Press TV reported.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement on Thursday that consultations will begin on imposing a ban on sales of energy drinks over the health concerns.

With thousands of young people regularly consuming energy drinks, often because they are sold at cheaper prices than soft drinks, we will consult on banning the sale of energy drinks to children, May said in her statement.

The announcement said that adolescents in Britain consume around 50 percent more energy drinks than their counterparts in Europe, adding that a quarter of six to nine-year-old children and around two-thirds of those aged 10 to 17 consume energy drinks.

It said the government would consult various parties for 12 weeks on how it should impose the ban and at what age it should be applied. The ban would only cover children in England and other parts of the UK will be free to set their own policies.

Studies have suggested there are certain links between the so-called energy drinks, which are high in sugar and caffeine, and a range of health issues, including obesity. The potential ban in England would affect drinks containing 150 milligrams of caffeine or more per liter.

The UK government enforced a tax in April on all soft drinks containing high levels of sugar. Some retailers have already imposed a ban on sales of energy drinks to children aged under 16.
The first group of migrants who disembarked in Malta from aboard the MV Aquarius on Aug. 15 have left Malta on Thursday to be relocated in France, Xinhua reported.

The Aquarius was at the center of an international spat between Malta and the European Union (EU) after the island had initially refused to allow the ship's 141 migrants to disembark.

The vessel had been stranded at sea for four days as Italy, Malta, Tunisia and Spain all refused it entry to their ports. A diplomatic solution was eventually found after other EU countries, amongst them France, agreed to share the migrants between them.

All 141 migrants will be relocated among France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.
The Kremlin said on Thursday there was no sign that the United States wanted to reach a compromise with Moscow to avoid imposing a new round of sanctions on Russia, Reuters reports.

A new round of U.S. sanctions came into effect on Russia on Monday and Washington has said it may decide to impose a second tranche against Russia.

Asked on a conference call with reporters if there was any sign that the United States wanted to reach a compromise with Moscow in order to avoid imposing the second round, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

Turkish police are conducting raids in the southern province of Adana, Turkish media reported.

Over 100 policemen are involved.

Some Syrian citizens, who are suspected of forging documents, have been detained.

Raids will be conducted in other provinces of the country as well.

Presently, there are over 3.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 30

Trend:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay an official visit to Kyrgyzstan, the press service of the President of Kyrgyzstan said in a message on Aug. 30.

Erdogan will come at the invitation of Kyrgyz counterpart Sooronbay Jeenbekov. The visit will last two days - September 1 and 2.

The presidents will discuss issues related to the condition and prospects of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. The two leaders will also exchange views on topical issues on the international and regional agenda.

The presidents will take part in the fourth meeting of the Supreme Council for Strategic Cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey.

"After the talks Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to sign a number of bilateral documents and make a statement for the press. Within the framework of the official visit, the Turkish President will meet with the Prime Minister and the speaker of Kyrgyz parliament," the message reads.

Later, Erdogan will participate in the opening ceremony of the Third World Nomad Games and the summit of the heads of states of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries (CCTS).
The Los Angeles city council approved to rename a street as Obama Boulevard to honour the former US President, Xinhua reported.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted Tuesday night that a 3.5-mile (5.9 kilometers) stretch of Rodeo Road in southwest Los Angeles will be renamed Obama Boulevard, where the first Africa-American president in the US history held a campaign rally when he was running for the White House in 2007.

"It's official: our City Council has voted to rename Rodeo Road to Obama Boulevard!" Garcetti wrote, "We're thrilled that Angelenos and visitors will forever be reminded of the legacy of President Barack Obama when traveling across L.A."

According to City News Service, a local online news provider, the city council unanimously approved the tribute on Tuesday, which was raised by Council President Herb Wesson.

The street is in Wesson's council district. His promoted his district to be "president's row," a series of streets named after former presidents which includes Washington, Adams and Jefferson boulevards.
Sudhakaran said Philip's experience is a lesson to those who go to the CPM from other parties.
By James Kabengwa & Samuel Ssebuliba



Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake has been barred from traveling abroad for further medical treatment.

According to Daily Monitors James Kabengwa, the immigration office wants a letter of clearance from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence.

Zaake was scheduled to fly out to India today for further treatment.

He was this morning moved in an ambulance from Rubaga hospital where he has been admitted for more than two weeks.

He was allegedly tortured and brutalized by security operatives during the Arua Municipality fracas.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Uganda Media Center (UMC) Ofwono Opondo has justified the blocking of Mityana municipality member of parliament.

In a statement published on the UMC website, Ofwono says Zaake is a suspect on the run who disappeared from lawful custody in Arua and should be arrested at the earliest opportunity.

Opondo adds that his leaving for India can be a means of trying to escape from justice.

On the last day of campaigns for Arua Municipality by-election campaigns, Zaake, his Kyadondo East counterpart Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine and other opposition MPs who included the eventual winner Kassiano Wadri, Paul Mwiri (Jinja East), Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo Municipality) and Mike Mabikke (former Makindye East) were violently arrested by police and army officers on accusations that they pelted stones at the Presidents motorcade and and damaged the rear windscreen of his car.
PM Narendra Modi had bilateral talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of 4th edition of BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu. Both leaders exchanged good and positive views on strengthening development cooperation and other areas of bilateral relationship.

Earlier towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region, PM Narendra Modi and other BIMSTEC leaders jointly called on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari of Nepal.

Ceremonial welcome!

PM Narendra Modi warmly received by Ishwar Pokhrel, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Nepal on arrival at Kathmandu airport.

Countries with shared vision for regional cooperation coming together in BIMSTEC Summit to participate in the 4th BIMSTEC Summit, PM Narendra Modi had an early morning start for Kathmandu. He landed Himalayan nation at 8.30 PM. 7 members BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.

BIMSTEC consists of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand is a regional grouping of countries which accounts for 22 per cent of global population and US$ 2.8 trillion worth of global GDP. The first meeting of this 7 members grouping was conducted in Thailand in 1997, in India in 2008, Myanmar in 2014, while a mini-summit held on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Goa in 2016. Nepal became the Chairman of the group in 2014.

Here is a glimpse of the red carpet welcome accorded to PM Narendra Modi on his arrival. Apart from attending the BIMSTEC Summit, PM had bilateral meetings with leaders of other BIMSTEC member countries.
A lot of work was being done to change the barrack no. 12 of Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail. The floor and tiles of the Barrack have been replaced, the walls have been painted and the bathroom has been refurbished. All the preparations are being done because the absconding businessman Vijay Mallya has been refuted his extradition from Britain and will be admitted to the Indian jails soon.

It is being said that Mallya will be brought to and kept in the Arthur Road jail.

The CBI is trying to bring Mallya to India as soon as possible has shot a new video in the jail. To help in the extradition process, this confidential video has been sent to the Ministry of External Affairs. Pramesh Constructions have been given the PWD contract and have reportedly re-created the barracks.

Shivkumar Patil, the contractor has confirmed that he has worked in Barrack No. 12. It is the same barrack in which Ajmal Kasab, the convict of the26/11 attacks was kept.

Patil informed that he has been instructed to not reveal much about this. His employees have workedin the jail. They have made sure that the path leading up to the barrack number 12 along with the cell is renovated.

Also read:

Asian Games 2018: Special report on Daughter of a Rickshaw puller bags gold in Heptathlon

Delhi Police foil bid to kill Manipur CM N Biren Singh; suspect terrorist arrested
New Delhi [India], August 30 (NT): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left for Nepal to be present at the fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit 2018.

He is scheduled to get there at 8:30 am (local time).

The summit will be organized from August 30 to August 31. BIMSTEC, the regional group of seven nations which lies near the Bay of Bengal, includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

According to the reports, on the sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit, Prime Minister Modi is likely to have bilateral talks with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Prime Minister Modi will be also handing over the sanatorium built in the premise of the Pashupatinath in Indian aid to Nepal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stated that his participation in the event stand for the priority India treaty to deepening ties with India's extended neighborhood in Southeast Asia.

"My participation in the Summit symbolises India's highest priority to our neighbourhood and our strong commitment to continue deepening our relationship with the extended neighbourhood in Southeast Asia," PM Modi stated in a pre-departure report here.

"During the Summit, I will have interactions with all the leaders of Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) to further enrich our regional cooperation, enhance our trade ties and advance our collective efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous Bay of Bengal region," PM further said.

The Summit theme will be, 'Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region. This will enable India to shape a collective response to the common aspirations and challenges.
New Delhi: The Delhi Polices special cell has reportedly thwarted a bid to murder Manipurs Chief Minister N Biren Singh, and took into custody a suspected militant from south Delhi on Tuesday. The suspect has been recognized as Oinam Ibochouba Singh aka Khoirangba. He is the 'acting chairman' of the Kangleipak Communist Party. This party is a banned organisation located in Manipur.

Times of India reported, the operation to foil the scheme was leading light by DCP Sanjeev Yadav and this team, the police said.

Yadav stated TOI that Khoirangba was preparing to set up a base in New Delhi for his mission. Earlier in August the suspect had allegedly declared his plans to slay Biren and three Manipur ministers, in an audio tape.

The police had launched a look for the suspect after the clip had been circulating. Yadav told TOI that the Delhi Police had received information from their Manipur counterparts that Khoirangba was hiding in the national capital.

A special team tracked the suspect and found that he had been spotted in the Indo-Nepal border area in a place called Sanauli. In addition the police were stationed in south Delhi in areas like Kotla and Munirka. The police got input on August 28 that the suspect would meet a helper in Kotla Mubarakpur. At last, he was located near a temple and detained, media reports stated .Khoirangba has been earlier held in 2010 by the Assam Police under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He also went to jail,
PHILADELPHIA - The stigma associated with the autoimmune disease psoriasis may lead people to avoid patients who show signs of the condition, including not wanting to date, shake hands, or have people in their homes if they suffer from the disease. New multidisciplinary research involving both psychologists and dermatologists from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is the first to examine how common this stigma may be among the general population of the United States as well as among medical students. The study also found false perceptions about psoriasis continue to persist, including the belief that psoriasis is contagious and that it is not a serious illness. Researchers published their findings in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology today.

Psoriasis is a common, chronic autoimmune disease affecting more than eight million Americans, causing painful, thick, red patches on the skin that often itch and bleed. It also has profound effects on health-related quality of life, and in moderate to severe cases, it carries an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and premature death. It is not contagious, and while it is treatable, there is currently no cure.

"Although it's widely recognized that the appearance of psoriasis can negatively impact patients' social, professional, and intimate relationships, we wanted to quantify the perceptions patients with psoriasis face on a daily basis in order to understand how pervasive they are," said the study's senior author Joel M. Gelfand, MD MSCE, a professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology at Penn. Rebecca L. Pearl, PhD, an assistant professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, was the lead author of the study.

Researchers used Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a web-based data collection service, to survey people about their perceptions of individuals with psoriasis. They also sent the survey directly to several hundred medical students. In all, 198 laypeople responded on MTurk and 187 medical students completed the emailed survey. All participants were shown images of people with psoriasis as well as close up photos of psoriasis lesions.

Overall, 54 percent of laypeople who responded said they did not want to date someone with psoriasis. Thirty-nine percent said they did not want to shake hands with someone suffering from the disease, while 32 percent said they did not want to have someone with psoriasis in their homes. Respondents also endorsed several stereotypes about people with psoriasis, with 57 percent saying they were insecure, 53 percent saying they were sick, 45 percent saying they were unattractive, and 27 percent saying they were contagious. Medical students demonstrated less stigmatizing views compared to the MTurk group. Among MTurk participants, those who knew someone with psoriasis or had heard of psoriasis demonstrated less stigmatizing attitudes.

"It's possible that better education about the disease, as well as contact with individuals with psoriasis, may help to dispel myths and stereotypes and reduce negative perceptions," Pearl said.

The researchers stressed the need for further research with a larger sample size before drawing any definitive conclusions. However, they said the findings do have implications for both public health and patient care.

"Future studies should evaluate the effects of education campaigns on people's attitudes toward those with psoriasis, as well as efforts to incorporate patients with psoriasis into general medical education for physicians and other health care providers," Gelfand said.

###

Additional Penn co-authors on the study were Junko Takeshita, MD, PhD, MSCE, an assistant professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology, and Marilyn T. Wan, MBChB, MPH, a post-doctoral research fellow in Gelfand's lab.

This study was supported by a grant from the Edwin & Fannie Gray Hall Center for Human Appearance at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Pearl and Takeshita receive funding from the National Institutes of Health, and Wan receives funding from the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $7.8 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $405 million awarded in the 2017 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, a leading provider of highly skilled and compassionate behavioral healthcare.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2017, Penn Medicine provided more than $500 million to benefit our community.
Amazon AMZN saw its stock price jump over 3.3% to touch another new all-time high Wednesday, this time on the back of Morgan Stanleys MS massive upgrade. Some investors might not want to touch stocks near new highs, but Amazon seems like it might not slow down. So lets find out why it remains a must buy.

Upgrade

Morgan Stanley analysts upped their price target for Amazon from $1,850 to a whopping $2,500 per share, which marked a roughly 29% upside compared to Tuesdays closing price of $1,932.82 per share. The new price target also represented the highest of all 41 analysts who cover AMZN, according to FactSet.

The investment banking giants newfound positivity stems from Amazons ability to generate higher profits from its high margin businesses for years to come. Morgan Stanley noted that Amazons cloud computing business, along with its subscriptions and advertising units alone will bring in roughly $45 billion in profit by 2020, which would mark a roughly 80% jump from this years estimated $25 billion.

Morgan Stanley also reiterated its overweight rating for Amazon stock and said that its margins would lead to further upward earnings estimate revisions. Shares of AMZN touched a new 52-week and all-time high of $1.997.34 per share and were up over 3.3% through mid-afternoon trading.

Now lets jump right into those estimate revisions that Morgan Stanly mentioned.

Outlook

Amazon has earned 18 earnings estimate revisions with 100% agreement to the upside over the last 60 days, for both its current year and fiscal 2019. During this same time period, AMZN has seen 14 upward revisions for Q3 against just one downward change. Investors should note that AMZNs almost completely positive earnings revision activity helps it earn a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

The company also boats an A grade for Growth in our Style Scores system. Our current Zacks Consensus Estimate is calling for Amazons Q3 revenues to surge by 30% to hit $56.91 billion. Meanwhile, its full-year revenues are expected to reach $234.82 billion, which would represent a roughly 32% climb.

Story continues

Analysts and investors are also upbeat about Amazon because its plans for expansion are far from over.

Growth

Amazon has for years dominated the cloud computing market with its strong service and nearly seven-year head start over some of its biggest competitors. Jeff Bezos firm claimed 34% of the total cloud computing market during the second quarter, according to Synergy Research Group, which came in well above Microsofts MSFT 14%, IBMs IBM 8%, Googles GOOGL 6%, and Alibabas BABA 4%.

On top of that, Amazons core commerce business, which accounted for 60% of its second-quarter revenues, surged roughly 29% to hit $31.86 billion. Both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar sales, along with AWS and its subscription revenues, which soared 57% to hit $3.41 billion last quarter, make Amazon a force to be reckoned with for years.

AMZN is also sure to become a bigger player in the pharmaceutical world with its PillPack purchase. Looking ahead, Amazon is reportedly ready to jump into the insurance comparison business. AMZN might also have its eyes set on gas stations and the vacation discount industry, which would help it further compete against Costco COST. Plus, there was a recent Bloomberg story that said Amazon is in the running to buy Landmark Theaters. This would help give Amazon another physical retail presence and a guaranteed distribution outlet for its growing array of original movies.

Yet, even if Amazon doesnt end up entering the movie theater world, its indie-style films that feature some A-list Hollywood stars have become pretty popular on their own. These films have succeeded, in large part, because of Amazon Primes growing content library that has helped it compete alongside Netflix NFLX and Hulu. Down the road, its streaming TV service might look even more appealing as it prepares to take on Disney DIS and Apple AAPL because of its push into live sportswhich the others have no plans to touch at the moment.

Therefore, despite resting near a new all-time high, Amazons growth story appears far from over.

Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside?



Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana.



Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look.



See the pot trades we're targeting>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) : Free Stock Analysis Report



The Walt Disney Company (DIS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Morgan Stanley (MS) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Aug 30 (Reuters) - Optimism about reaching a new NAFTA deal by the end of this week lifted Canada's main index on Thursday and energy companies provided a boost as oil prices rose.

* Talks between Canada and the United States are intensifying as they push to hammer out a deal on a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement by a Friday deadline, with both sides upbeat about progress made so far.

* The energy sector climbed 0.2 percent as U.S. crude prices were up 0.3 percent a barrel, while Brent crude added 0.5 percent.

* GDP data showed the Canadian economy grew at a more sluggish pace than market expectations in June and during the second quarter.

* At 10:05 a.m. ET (14:05 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 29.71 points, or 0.18 percent, at 16,420.

* The material sector fell 0.7 percent and was the only one of the index's 11 major sectors that was lower.

* Gold futures fell 0.7 percent to $1,196.4 an ounce, while copper prices declined 1.1 percent to $6,019.5 a tonne.

** Shares of mining companies were the biggest drags. First Quantum Minerals, Teck Resources and Agnico Eagle Mines fell between 1.3 percent and 4 percent.

* On the TSX, 140 issues were higher, while 90 issues declined for a 1.56-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 24.89 million shares traded.

* Toronto-Dominion Bank reported third-quarter profit which topped expectations, but its shares dipped 0.2 percent after analysts said its performance was less impressive than rival Canadian lenders.

* The biggest percentage gainer on the TSX was BRP Inc , which jumped 7.5 percent, after reporting better-than-expected quarterly results.

* Westjet Airline, up 2.9 percent, was also among the largest gainers on the main index.

* Canadian Western Bank fell 5.6 percent, the most on the TSX, after the company reported third-quarter results.

* The second biggest decliner was First Quantum Minerals down 4.2 percent.

* The most heavily traded shares were marijuana companies Aurora Cannabis, Aphria Inc and Canopy Growth .

* The TSX posted three new 52-week highs and seven new lows.

* Across all Canadian issues there were 20 new 52-week highs and 17 new lows, with total volume of 39.68 million shares. (Reporting by Amy Caren Daniel in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
colorado blockchain ico

Colorado Securities Commissioner Gerald Rome has issued signed orders to show cause that three cryptocurrency businesses have allegedly offered and promoted unregistered ICOs in Colorado.

The investigation is part of a recent crackdown against fraudulent ICOs by officials of the Division of Securities under Colorado States Department Of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

ICO Task Force Targets Project Marketing Fake Forbes Partnership

The officials are part of an ICO Task Force put together in May by Commissioner Rome with the mandate of identifying individuals and companies with fraudulent or unregistered businesses that present their customers with an investment risk.

The three companies that are subject to the latest order are Bionic Coin, Sybrelabs Ltd., also known as CryptoARB, and Global Pay Net, also known as GLPN Coin and GPN Token.

Similar orders have previously been received by Bitcoin Investments Ltd., also known as DB Capital, EstateX, Bitconnect, and Magma Foundation, also known as Magma Coin.

Bionic Coin promotes an ICO known as Bionic or BNC, and it promises to enable instant cross-border payments to anyone, as well as simplify the process of buying software and electronic devices. The ICO site offers investment-related information about the ICO including a timeline roadmap, a technical whitepaper, and FAQs.

It also makes promises of returns to investors, saying, Bionic will grow your money without any effort. On the site, a number of purported media partners are listed including Forbes magazine, but upon investigation it was discovered that no such reference to the company exists on any of the sites it listed.

Users are also incentivized to promote the ICO on their social media accounts with promises of receiving up to 10,000 BNC tokens per post. Most significantly, the site has no associated physical address or control person identified.

Cryptoarbitrage Robot

Story continues

Robot ICO

Sybrelabs Ltd., which claims to be based in Cambridgeshire, England, promotes an unregistered security in the form of an investment pool that allows users to trade on cryptocurrency exchanges through what is termed a cryptoarbitrage robot.

According to Sybrelabs, this is a tool that allows the company to automate many factors occurring with effective arbitrage on several instruments. It offers huge profit percentages for a minimum participation of $25.00, and it solicits active investment portfolios of $25,000 or more.

Like Bionic Coin, it encourages members to promote the scheme and its website also provides marketing materials including a PDF presentation, online banners, and souvenir products.

Global Pay Net markets an ICO purporting to sell GLPN Coins, which allegedly provide a blockchain-based international financial platform. It claims that GLPN tokens are full-value assets that represent ones share in the business and that investors receive 80 percent of the companys profits.

Multiple cryptocurrency professionals and personalities are listed on the site, purportedly as having involvement in the project, but two of them have denied that this is the case.

It also claims that it has a filing with the SECs EDGAR database, but this cannot be verified because the phone number listed for the 2011 filing is disconnected, and no business filing is registered in Washington State where the company is supposedly located.

Like the other two, it also offers inducements for individuals to promote it using their personal social media accounts, and it provides marketing materials on its website.

Earlier, CCN reported that Operation Cryptosweep, an initiative of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), is actively investigating over 200 ICOs across the continent.

Images from Shutterstock



The post Colorados ICO Task Force Levies Orders Against 3 Crypto Startups appeared first on CCN.


Cryptos drop as China extends promotional ban, Russia contemplates criminal activity definition.

Investing.com - Cryptocurrencies were mostly lower on Thursday as Chinese authorities extended their ban of the digital assets, while Russia scrutinized keeping a wider eye on what it may categorize as criminal activity in the industry.

Bitcoin fell 3.63% to $6,859.90 at 10:10 AM ET (14:10 GMT) on the Bitfinex exchange.

Ethereum slid 6.17% to a trading price of $278.20 on the Bitfinex exchange.

XRP traded at $0.32715, down by 7.80% in the last 24 hours on the Poloniex exchange, while Bitcoin Cash, product of the Bitcoin fork and the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, traded down 6.77% to $531.15.

China extended its ban on the cryptocurrency industry to the special economic zone of Guangzhou, where commercial venues were banned from promoting crypto-related events. The Chinese government continued the crackdown on digital assets by banning all promotional activities in the area that were directed at digital currencies.

According to a statement by the Guangzhou Development District, the ban was the regulators latest attempt to protect the financial interests of the public, as the Chinese government remains determined to ensure the legal status of the yuan, prevent money laundering and maintain the stability of the financial system.

The news of the ban extension came after China-based multinational technology giant Baidu was told to shut down crypto-related online chat rooms earlier this week.

Beijing has started the clampdown on the crypto industry since last September, including banning hotels in Beijing from holding crypto events. Major social media platform WeChat blocked several crypto and blockchain-related accounts in August, while internet giant Tencent announced it no longer allowed crypto trading on its platform. E-commerce giant Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) also said it would restrict or ban accounts that engage in crypto trading.

In other news, reports said Russian regulators are considering the possibility of categorizing unauthorized cryptocurrency ventures as criminal activities. Earlier this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the central bank would not accept any digital coin offering that is not supported by a fiat currency.

Story continues

The BBC reported that the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service is looking to track cryptocurrency transactions, especially in Bitcoin, in view of fraud schemes, money laundering and terrorism funding.

Due to anonymity and the inability to find correct sources of transactions, cryptocurrencies are used in gray areas Lawmakers in many countries are concerned about this phenomenon which was confirmed by the analysis that we conducted on behalf of the president, Putins former adviser German Klimenko told the BBC.

Related Articles

Standard Chartered, Siemens Partner on Blockchain Pilot to Fully Digitize Bank Guarantees

Metaverse ETP (ETP) Keeps Going Up in a Bear Market

First Kenyan ICO on the Horizon, to Focus on Blockchain Logistics
Thailand Bitcoin

The Finnish businessman who lost 5,564 bitcoins, worth US$24 million at the time, in a fraudulent scheme in Thailand has begun talks with some of the key suspects.

According to the Bangkok Post, Aarni Otavi Saarimaa is negotiating a settlement deal with Prasit Srisuwan, a high-profile stocks trader and Chakris Ahmad, a tech investor. The two Thai nationals are key suspects in the scam.

Thai law allows settlements in fraud cases and in the event that they reach a deal, Saarimaa could withdraw the criminal complaints against Srisuwan and Ahmad. Saarimaa, however, refused to offer detailed information on what was discussed.

My talks with them [the two suspects] turned out to be very satisfactory but I cannot give any details now, said Saarimaa after the meeting.

Gone With the Wind

Alongside other suspects, Srisuwan and Ahmad are accused of luring Saarimaa into investing 5,564 bitcoins (which at the time were worth 797 million baht or approximately US$24 million) in three companies namely ExpaySoftware (of which Ahmad is a major shareholder), NX Chain Inc and DNA 2002 (which is linked to the alleged mastermind of the fraud, Prinya Jaravijit). Saarimaa did not, however, get the promised stake after parting with his cryptocurrency.

After the meeting, Prasit, who described Saarimaa as a friend and a work colleague, repeated his claims that he was innocent and had been duped by Prinya. Less than a fortnight ago, Srisuwan addressed a press conference in which he claimed that his role was restricted to offering brokerage services to the Finnish national and DNA 2002 Plc, as CCN reported.

Family Affair

After Saarimaa reported the matter to the police in January this year, the case has experienced a flurry of twists and turns especially in the last few weeks. Though Prinya reportedly fled Thailand and is said to be hiding in the United States, his siblings were arrested and released on bail. This included his younger brother, Jiratpisit Jaravijit, a television and commercials actor, as well as his sister, Supitcha Jaravijit.

Story continues

At the time of their arrest, Thailands Anti-Money Laundering Office had frozen accounts of some of the suspects. As CCN reported at the time, Prinyas account was found to be in possession of US$3.3 million while Supitchas allegedly had approximately US$4.2 million. Jiratpisits bank account had the lowest amount at US$649,000.

Earlier this week parents of the three were questioned by Thai police investigating the scam. This had followed reports that Suwit Jaravijit, the father, and Lertchatkamol, the mother, were also beneficiaries of the scam as Prinya allegedly wired proceeds of the fraudulent scheme, around 90 million baht (approximately US$2.75 million), to their bank accounts.

Featured image from Shutterstock.



The post Defrauded Finn in Settlement Talks over $24 Million Thailand Bitcoin Scam appeared first on CCN.


Donald Trump

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

President Trump attacked Google on Tuesday for using its power over search to supposedly suppress conservative outlets and positive news about him.

He did not provide any evidence to back up those charges.

But the president wasn't wrong to take aim at Google's control.

Google dominates search and has become a major provider of traffic to news sites.



As such, it shapes what news and information we are aware of and have access to.



It's long past time to limit the company's power and force it to be more transparent.



As president, Donald Trump has often been right for the wrong reasons.

His broadside Tuesday morning against Google is yet another example.

In a pair of tweets, Trump took the search giant to task for supposedly suppressing news from conservative outlets and positive stories about him. Charging that Google's system is "rigged" against him, he vowed to do something about it  an assertion that was later reinforced by White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow, who said the administration was looking into regulating Google.

"They are controlling what we can & cannot see," Trump said in one of his tweets. "This is a very serious situation-will be addressed!"

On its face, Trump's assertion that Google's news results are biased against him looks spurious, for all sorts of reasons, not least of which is that whether an outlet is considered liberal or conservative is highly subjective, often depending on the political views of individual readers. Indeed, the president's charge that Google is biased against him looks  like much of his attacks against various companies, institutions, and individuals  self-serving. Trump generally doesn't care if something is a problem  like unwarranted surveillance by US spy agencies or the power of federal prosecutors  unless it's a problem for him personally.

Story continues

Even so, Trump's not wrong to be suspicious of Google. His statement about the company's power is actually spot on  it does very much control the flow of information online. And the truth is that it has used that power in suspect, even illegal ways.

Many rushed to defend Google from Trump's attacks, as if an organization whose corporate parent is the second most valuable company in the world and that has a monopoly on multiple markets, were somehow a maiden in distress. I think we ought to use this moment instead to examine how much power Google has  and do something about it.

Trump's attack seems to have been spurred by a flawed report

As seems to happen regularly, Trump apparently launched his attack on Google in response to something he saw on a conservative TV outlet. Monday night, on his segment for Fox Business News, Lou Dobbs highlighted a report from right-wing website PJ Media that asserted that 96% of the search results for "Trump" on Google News are links to stories from liberal media outlets.

Lou Dobbs from a August 27, 2018, segment on his Fox Business show about Google's supposed censorship of conservative news outlets.

Fox BusinessThe PJ Media report was flawed at best. Some might even call it "fake news."

As even its author, Paula Bolyard, acknowledged, the 96% figure came not from a scientific study of search results, but from her own noodling around on the site. So even if you accept her other assertions, we shouldn't accept that her conclusion really represents reality.

But there are other reasons to be dubious of Bolyard's conclusion. The 96% figure was derived in part from the classification system she used to place news sites along a liberal-to-conservative continuum. That classification system was put together by another right-leaning media figure, and many people outside of the conservative bubble would likely find it problematic. If you consider CNBC to be a liberal outlet and CNN to be more left-wing than The Intercept, you really don't have a very good sense of media bias, in my book.

Even if we could all agree on her classification system and her findings were in sync with what a scientific study would conclude, that wouldn't necessarily imply that Google is biased against Trump or conservative outlets.

News outlets in general tend to focus on negative news more than positive stories  regardless of who is president. Google's algorithms tend to favor established, frequently cited and what the company says are "high quality" news sources  a preference that doesn't necessarily reflect political bias, but may lead the site to promote stories from CNN or the Washington Post over, say, Infowars.

Read more: Trump accused Google of rigging search results against him  here's what really happens when you search Google News for Trump

Regardless of all these factors that complicate or even contradict PJ Media's conclusions, our no-nuance president took the 96% figure and hit Twitter with it, using it as the foundation of his tweet attack on Google. The figure was proof positive that Google was "hiding" positive stories about him and shutting out conservative outlets, possibly illegally, he charged. It's time to do something about it, he said  leaving exactly what kind of "something" that might be completely undefined.

For its part, Google said its search results aren't politically biased.

There are legitimate concerns about Google's power

Here's the thing. As ridiculous and potentially dangerous it is for Trump to make policy based on a single flawed news report he saw on TV  and then likely only because of his own personal grudges  there is a legitimate concern about how Google's search algorithm works.

Google I/O 2018 sundar pichai

Stephen Lam/ReutersGoogle's search engine is basically a black box. Yes, the company does give some guidance on how it ranks results. And, yes, there are plenty of companies that have made it their business to study the algorithm so they can figure out how to get Google to list their partners' websites and advertisements more prominently.

But Google often changes its algorithm without telling anyone. And nobody outside the company has a really detailed understanding of how it works or exactly what it prioritizes and why.

Lots of companies, of course, keep their core business methodology or intellectual property secret (think of Coca-Cola's famously secret recipe). But Google isn't just any company. It dominates web search; depending on how you look at the market, its share is between 70% and 90%. As such, it in a very real way shapes our experience of the internet. If Google doesn't list a site in its first page or two of search results, it may as well not exist.

And the company has become a major force in the news industry. Google passed Facebook last year as the leading source of traffic to news publishers' websites, according to Chartbeat. The search giant now accounts for the majority of the traffic to publishers' websites from mobile devices.

So Google isn't just shaping what we see online, but what we see of the news. If a story isn't promoted on Google, there's a good chance you won't see it or hear about it.

Google has abused its power in the past

That kind of power would be dangerous no matter who held it, regardless of their motivations or political inclinations. But it's especially disturbing that Google in particular has that kind of control.

That's because Google has shown repeatedly that it's not to be trusted, that when it comes to what information gets promoted on its site and services, it is not necessarily a neutral party.

Margrethe Vestager

ReutersLast year, for example, the European Commission found that Google illegally promoted its shopping search results over rival shopping search engines and fined the company $2.7 billion. In June, the EU fined the company another $5 billion after finding that it used the dominance of its Android operating system to promote its own apps. In much the same way as if it had listed something prominently in its search results, the company made sure that its search app and Chrome browser were among the first apps consumers saw on their on Android phones.

What's more, Google and its parent, Alphabet, have taken overt political stands. They've been public about their support for relatively liberal immigration policies. They support gay rights. Like much of Silicon Valley, they backed last year's tax law.

That's not to say that Google's search results are informed by its political leanings. But we shouldn't just assume that they're not  or simply accept the company's denials that they aren't.

It's long past time to rein in Google

Instead, we should demand and require more. Google ought to be required to be more transparent about how its search algorithm works. We ought to know exactly how it ranks news stories and websites. We as citizens deserve to know in detail the judgments Google is making about what is newsworthy and what sources are trustworthy, about what is news.

We deserve to know the judgments Google is making about what is news.

It could well be that Google's judgments are unimpeachable, and lack any kind of political bias. But we won't know until we know.

Of course, Google's argument has always been that it needs to keep the mechanics of its search engine under wraps to prevent "bad actors"  from spammers to individuals with malicious agendas  from gaming the search results.

But that assumes there might not be ways to create a system to vet, or audit, Google's search algorithm by trusted parties without making the engine's blueprint visible to the entire world.

On top of that, regulators ought to be working to promote a more competitive marketplace. No company should have the ability Google has to control what news and information we see. Questions about how its algorithm works wouldn't matter as much if people had legitimate alternatives for internet search.

Unfortunately, its control over search is just one facet of the company's power and dominance over our online lives. Because of that, it's long past time for policymakers to start moving to break up the company.

Donald Trump is almost certainly more worried about how Google may be hurting him than how it's affecting the rest of us. But if his Twitter tirade leads to some real limitations on the search giant's power, he'll have done us all a favor.

NOW WATCH: Everything Samsung just announced  the Galaxy Note 9, Fortnite, and more

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Europe's competition czar is wrong  it's long past time to break up Google

SEE ALSO: 'We're totally absent': The US lawyer who helped start the EU's case against Google that just resulted in a $5 billion fine says more needs to be done

SEE ALSO: Facebook, Google, Apple, and Amazon have too much power  so it's time for regulators to take on tech's titans
Elon Musk

Bill Pugliano / Stringer / Getty Images

In a story published on August 16, The New York Times said Tesla CEO Elon Musk "alternated between laughter and tears" in an interview with the publication.

On Tuesday, Musk said on Twitter that while his voice cracked during the interview, he didn't cry.

A New York Times spokesperson said the publication stands by its description of Musk in the story.

"Mr. Musk's emotion was audible. It is not true that his voice only cracked once," the spokesperson said.



In a story published on August 16, The New York Times said Tesla CEO Elon Musk "alternated between laughter and tears" in an interview with the publication.

On Tuesday, Musk said on Twitter that while his voice cracked during the interview, he didn't cry.

"For the record, my voice cracked once during the NY Times article. Thats it. There were no tears," he said.

The story was published as Musk was attracting controversy for his statements about potentially converting Tesla into a private company. Musk told The Times that the past year  which has been marked by production delays, questions about Tesla's financial health, and concerns over Musk's Twitter use  has been the most difficult of his career.

In the story, Musk is described as having "choked up multiple times" during the interview, which took place over the phone, according to a follow-up story.

A New York Times spokesperson said the publication stands by its description of Musk in the first story.

"Mr. Musk's emotion was audible. It is not true that his voice only cracked once," the spokesperson said.

During the interview, Musk discussed the events that preceded a controversial tweet in which he said he had secured funding for a go-private deal. He said he had composed the tweet while driving himself to the airport and hadn't reviewed it with Tesla's board of directors before publishing it. The tweet has reportedly led to an investigation from the Securities and Exchange Commission, though Musk told The Times that he didn't regret the tweet.

Story continues

Musk also discussed how his work schedule, which he said has consumed as many as 120 hours per week, has taken a toll on his physical and emotional health.

"Its not been great, actually. Ive had friends come by who are really concerned," he said.

Musk said on Friday that Tesla will remain a public company. Though he said in a post on Tesla's website that he believed there was "more than enough funding" to complete a go-private deal, he said the process of going private could create distractions for the company and problems for the company's current investors, some of whom had told Musk they would prefer Tesla remain public.

Have a Tesla news tip? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

NOW WATCH: How movie theaters are ruining your movie

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Missed connections, claims of phone theft, and a weekend at Elon's: Inside the baffling battle between rapper Azealia Banks and Tesla CEO Elon Musk
BRUSSELS, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The following are mergers under review by the European Commission and a brief guide to the EU merger process:

APPROVALS AND WITHDRAWALS

-- Canadian real estate investor Ivanhoe Cambridge, which is a subsidiary of Canadian pension manager Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, and Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board to recapitalise several Ivanhoe limited partnerships (approved Aug. 30)

-- Canadian real estate investor Ivanhoe Cambridge and Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board to set up a joint venture (approved Aug. 30)

-- Asset manager Carlyle Group to acquire Dutch chemicals and paints company Akzo Nobel's chemicals business (approved Aug. 28)

NEW LISTINGS

-- U.S. plane maker Boeing to acquire aerospace parts company KLX (notified Aug. 29/deadline Oct. 3)

-- Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board and Canadian institutional investor British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) to acquire joint control of Canadian forest product company Island Timberlands (notified Aug. 27/deadline Oct. 1/simplified)

-- Private equity firm EQT Fund Management to acquire Luxembourg specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor Azelis (notified Aug. 27/deadline Oct. 1/simplified)

-- German alphalt maker Deutsche Asphalt, which is a subsidiary of Austrian construction company Strabag, and German road construction company Bunte to set up a joint venture (notified Aug. 21/deadline Sept. 25/simplified)

-- Private equity firm Advent International to acquire General Electric's distributed power business (notified Aug. 20/deadline Sept. 24/simplified)

EXTENSIONS AND OTHER CHANGES

None

FIRST-STAGE REVIEWS BY DEADLINE

AUG 31

-- HK conglomerate CK Hutchison to acquire sole control of Italian mobile network Wind Tre from Dutch mobile operator Veon (notified July 12/deadline extended to Aug. 31 from Aug. 17 after Hutchison offered concessions)

SEPT 5

-- Luxembourg investment company JAB Holding Co S.a.r.l. to acquire British food outlet Pret a Manger (IPO-PRET.L) (notified July 31/deadlinie Sept. 5)

Story continues

SEPT 12

-- Italian gas company Spigas, which is controlled by Germany's EnBW Energie BadenWurttemberg, and Italian peer Canarbino to acquire joint control of Italian gas company Miogas (notified Aug. 7/deadline Sept. 12/simplified)

SEPT 13

-- German car parts supplier ZF Friedrichshafen, German car brakes maker Gustav Magenwirth, German bike brakes maker Brake Force One GmbH and German car battery company Batterien-Montage-Zentrum GmbH to set up a joint venture (notified Aug. 8/deadline Sept. 13/simplified)

SEPT 14

-- French transport company Keolis and British infrastructure asset management company Amey to acquire joint control of British passenger rail services company W&B Rail Franchise (notified Aug. 9/deadline Sept. 14/simplified)

SEPT 17

-- International Flavors & Fragrances Inc to acquire Israeli flavours and ingredients maker Frutarom (notified Aug. 10/deadline Sept. 17/simplified)

SEPT 18

-- iPhone maker Apple to acquire UK music streaming service Shazam (notified March 14/deadline extended to Sept. 18 from Sept. 4 after the companies asked for more time)

SEPT 19

-- German carmaker Volkswagen's Italian car dealer Eurocar to acquire Italian peer Vicentini (notified Aug. 14/deadline Sept. 19)

-- Private equity firm KKR to acquire U.S. business software company BMC Software (notified Aug. 14/deadline Sept. 19/simplified)

-- French carmaker PGA Motors and Fiber to acquire joint control of auto dealer and car parts distributor Bernard Participations (notified July 31/deadline extended to Sept. 19 from Sept. 5 after the French competition authority asked to take over the case)

SEPT 20

-- Norwegian investment company Akastor, Japanese trading company Mitsui & Co and Japanese container shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines to acquire joint control of subsea oil and gas services company Akofs Offshore (notified Aug. 16/deadline Sept. 20/simplified)

SEPT 21

-- U.S. pharmaceutical company Biogen and South Korean peer Samsung BioLogics to have joint control of South Korean drugmaker Samsung Bioepis to set up a joint venture (notified Aug. 17/deadline Sept. 21/simplified)

-- Norwegian aluminium maker Norsk Hydro to acquire some of Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto's aluminium production assets (notified Aug. 17/deadline Sept. 21)

SEPT 24

-- French energy company Total to acquire gasd turbine power plant operators Pont Sur Sambre Power and Toul Power (notified Aug. 20/deadline Sept. 24/simplified)

-- Real estate investment fund DV4, Dutch pension fund ABP and Canada's Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System Primary Pension Plan to set up a British property joint venture (notified Aug. 20/deadline Sept. 24/simplified)

SEPT 26

-- U.S. private equity fund Charlesbank Partners Group to acquire joint control of contract food maker H-Food Holdings and the Hearthside group of companies (notified Aug. 22/deadline Sept. 26/simplified)

SEPT 27

-- Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund Kuwait Investment Authority to acquire oil and gas pipeline firm North Sea Midstream Partners from private equity firm ArcLight Capital (notified Aug. 23/deadline Sept. 27/simplified)

-- U.S. planemaker Boeing and French aerospace company Safran to set up a joint venture to make and service aircraft auxiliary power units (notified Aug. 23/deadline Sept. 27)

SEPT 28

-- Private equity firm KKR and French telecoms provider Altice to acquire joint control of Altice's French subsidiary SFR Filiale (notified Aug. 24/deadline Sept. 28/simplified)

-- U.S. management company Abry Partners to acquire Norwegian A2P messaging company Link Mobility ASA (notified Aug. 24/deadline Sept. 28/simplified)

NOV 30

-- Deutsche Telekom to acquire Swedish peer Tele2's Dutch unit and merge it with its Dutch business T-Mobile Nederland (notified May 2/deadline Nov. 30 after deadline suspension ended Aug. 6)

DEC 13

-- Copper company KME, which is part of Intek Group , to acquire German peer MKM Mansfelder Kupfer and Messing GmbH (notified June 4/deadline extended to Dec. 13 from Nov. 29 after the companies asked for more)

JAN 3

-- German copper products maker Wieland-Werke to acquire German copper smelter Aurubis' flat rolled products unit Products Schwermetall (notified June 13/deadline extended to Jan. 3 from Dec. 10 after the companies asked for more time)

JAN 8

-- French aerospace and defence group Thales to acquire Franco-Dutch chipmaker Gemalto (notified June 18/deadline extended to Jan. 8 from Nov. 29 from July 23 after the companies asked for more time)

SUSPENDED DEADLINE

-- Siemens and Alstom to merge their railway operations (notified June 8/deadline suspended on Aug. 7)

-- German company BASF to acquire Belgian chemicals company Solvay's worldwide polyamide business (notified May 22/deadline suspended on July 17)

GUIDE TO EU MERGER PROCESS

DEADLINES:

The European Commission has 25 working days after a deal is filed for a first-stage review. It may extend that by 10 working days to 35 working days, to consider either a company's proposed remedies or an EU member state's request to handle the case. Most mergers win approval but occasionally the Commission opens a detailed second-stage investigation for up to 90 additional working days, which it may extend to 105 working days.

SIMPLIFIED:

Under the simplified procedure, the Commission announces the clearance of uncontroversial first-stage mergers without giving any reason for its decision. Cases may be reclassified as non-simplified - that is, ordinary first-stage reviews - until they are approved. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee)
FILE PHOTO: The logo of electronics retailer Media Markt is seen at the entrance of a shop in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium April 4, 2016. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

By Ceyda Caglayan and Matthias Inverardi

ISTANBUL/DUSSELDORF (Reuters) - German consumer electronics retailer MediaMarkt has suspended plans to buy shares in Turkey's Teknosa (TKNSA.IS), two sources close to the matter said, after recent falls in the lira hit profits of Turkish firms.

Shares in Teknosa tumbled 17.6 percent to 3.84 lira on the news, while the main share index was 0.58 percent lower.

One source said MediaMarkt was reviewing its valuation of the Teknosa stake following the lira's slide to record lows, which dampened demand for imported electronics and raised rental costs for stores, which are mainly priced in foreign currency.

"MediaMarkt has suspended the plans due to recent foreign exchange volatility. It will review the valuation of Teknosa and decide later to go ahead with the acquisition or not," the source said, adding a decision may not be reached until October.

Another source confirmed the negotiations were stalled, but said they were not completely cancelled.

MediamarktSaturn, which owns MediaMarkt, declined to comment. Teknosa and parent Sabanci Holding did not immediately respond to questions about the issue.

The sources did not specify the size of the stake MediaMarkt was seeking. Sabanci Holding owns just over 60 percent of Teknosa. Another 10 percent is held by Sabanci family members, and the rest are free floating shares.

Ceconomy, the parent company of MediaMarkt and MediaMarktSaturn said in a quarterly report two weeks ago that the weak lira had weighed on sales in Turkey.

Turkey's electronic goods market was valued at 54 billion lira (6.50 billion pounds) at the end of 2017, 16 percent up from the previous year, Teknosa said in its annual report.

Story continues

Despite continued growth potential on the back of Turkey's young population, however, several firms have already downsized or closed because of intense competition and the steady erosion of the lira even before this year's 40 percent slide.

That fall in the currency has caused unease among other companies planning Turkish investments. Japanese firm Toyo Ink postponed plans this week for a polymers plant in Turkey, while retailer Amazon (AMZN.O) also pushed back its entry into Turkish markets.

Britain-based Electroworld and French company Darty have in past years left the Turkish market, selling their stores to Bimeks (BMEKS.IS), while Germany's Electronic Partner and U.S. electronics giant Best Buy sold out to Teknosa.

Those exits left MediaMarkt as the only international electronics company active in the country. Domestically, Teknosa, Bimeks and Vatan are the leading actors in the sector.

Bimeks however has slashed the number of stores in Turkey to just six from 130 at the end of 2016. Teknosa shut 70 stores in 2016, leaving it with 207 across the country now, and declared losses of 10 million lira in the first half of this year.

While MediaMarkt Turkey does not disclose its revenue, Chief Executive Officer Yenal Gokyildirim has said it grew 30 percent and opened 12 new stores across the country in 2017. MediaMarkt had 68 stores in Turkey at the end of June, according the parent company's quarterly report.

In March, Gokyildirim said Turkey, along with Germany and Spain, was driving the company's sales growth and that MediaMarkt aimed to expand activities in the Turkish market.

(Editing by Dominic Evans and David Evans)
Could California become the first state to mandate shattering the corporate glass ceiling? In a bill already passed by the California State Senate, the boards of publicly-traded companies based in California would be required to meet gender diversity quotas starting in 2019. SB-826 heads to the California State Assembly floor the week of August 27.

If passed, California would join nations including France, Japan, and Norway in utilizing quotas to achieve gender diversity in corporate boardrooms. For California-based publicly-traded companies, SB826 would require that by the end of 2019, each public, corporate board in California include at least one woman. Included in the bill is an ambitious 2021 benchmark requiring two women on five-member boards, and at least three women on corporate boards with six or more members.

California state senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, the bills author, has noted it would help the state lead on gender diversity nationwide, and that such requirements as boardroom benchmarks could lead to greater workplace protections for women, including against sexual harassment.

Did you know that 1/4 of CA's publicly held companies still have no women on their boards? With #SB826, CA could become the first state in the nation to require women on the corporate boards of publicly held corporations. It's time to lead the way in gender diversity! https://t.co/hYqrcD5xvx

 Hannah-Beth Jackson (@SenHannahBeth) August 15, 2018

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

A number of trade groups opposed the bill, as does the California Chamber of Commerce. In a letter filed with the state assembly, the chamber and more than a dozen trade organizations, including the California Trucking Association and the California Restaurant Association, noted their agreement with the aims of the bill but suggested that the way SB826 is constructed would violate the United States Constitution and civil rights laws.

The bill passed the California State Senate in May 2018. If it passes the California State Assembly, where amendments may be made, SB826 will move back to the state senate for final approval.
SUMNER, Texas (AP) -- Federal immigration agents have arrested 160 workers following a raid at Texas company that manufactures trailers.

The raid Tuesday targeted Load Trail Trailers in Sumner, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Dallas. It was at least the second immigration raid targeting the business, the last coming in 2014.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement statement says its investigation began after a tip that Load Trail was knowingly hiring workers who were in the United States illegally.

ICE says all detainees will be interviewed to determine who remains in custody and who get humanitarian release.

In a statement, Load Trail called the raid "disappointing" and surprising, but pledged to cooperate with investigators.
FILE PHOTO: Oil tankers are seen parked at a yard outside a fuel depot on the outskirts of Kolkata February 3, 2015. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will not completely halt Iranian oil imports and will finalise its strategy on crude purchases from Tehran after a meeting with top U.S. officials next week, a senior government official said.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will hold high-level talks with India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sept. 6, in what is known as a 2+2 dialogue.

"Definitely we are not going to zero" (purchases), said the official, who has direct knowledge of India's oil purchase policy and did not wish to be identified.

When asked if more clarity on India's Iranian oil purchases would emerge after the dialogue, the official said "yes, that is the highest level of meeting we will have with the U.S."

The United States is pushing all countries to halt oil imports from Iran after President Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 deal between Iran and six world powers and ordered a re-imposition of sanctions on Tehran.

India, Iran's top oil buyer after China, has so far not decided on the size of any cut to Iranian imports and continues to seek a waiver from the United States.

Trump has threatened that anyone trading with Iran will not do business with America.

U.S. sanctions on Iran's energy sector are set to be re-imposed after a 180-day "wind-down period" ending on Nov. 4.

Several countries that were involved in the 2015 nuclear deal had attempted to lessen the blow of fresh sanctions on Iran, and urged their firms not to pull out.

But that has proven difficult: several European companies have cut ties with Iran, arguing they cannot risk losing their U.S. business as the sanctions deadline approaches.

India has already asked its refiners to prepare for a drastic reduction in imports of crude from Tehran from November, sources told Reuters in June.

New Delhi has so far not committed to complying fully with the new U.S. sanctions, but is prepared to cut Iran oil imports to protect its wider exposure to the U.S. financial system.

During the previous round of sanctions, India was one of the few countries that continued to buy Iranian oil, although it had to reduce imports as shipping, insurance and banking channels were choked off due to the European and U.S. sanctions.

(Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Mark Potter)
Senator John McCains flag-draped casket arrived in Arizonas capitol Wednesday morning for the first of two local services in his honor, the Associated Press reports. After a private morning service, McCains body will lie in state in the capitol rotunda for public viewing throughout Wednesday, allowing locals and veterans to pay their respects.

Uniformed Arizona National Guard members carried the casket into the Arizona State Capitol Museum rotunda, where black curtains somberly surround American and Arizona state flags. Former Arizona Senator Jon Kyl began the private ceremony with comments on McCains political instincts and contributions to national security.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey spoke next, saying imagining Arizona without McCain is like imagining the state without the Grand Canyon, AP reports. Ducey honored McCains experience and personal qualities, calling him one of Arizonas favorite adopted sons. Arizona Senator Jeff Flake delivered a prayer.

McCains family, politicians, and veterans were present to honor the senator and Vietnam war hero, who died Saturday at the age of 81 after battling brain cancer. Wednesday would have been McCains 82nd birthday.

On Thursday, a memorial service will be held at the North Phoenix Baptist Church, Time reports. Former Vice President Joe Biden will be among those paying tribute to the deceased senator.

Following the service, McCain will be flown to Washington, D.C., leaving the state he served for more than 30 years for the last time.

A private funeral service will be held for McCain on September 1.
Shares of Kansas City Southern KSU scaled a 52-week high of $120.34 during the trading session on Aug 29 before retracing a bit to close at $119.46. The prime reason behind this stock price surge can be attributed to the recent agreement between the United States and Mexico to rework the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) deal, thus putting speculations to rest, which were rife over the United States pulling out of NAFTA.



Particularly, Kansas City Southern was at the receiving end of this uncertainty, since the company derives a major portion of revenues from U.S-Mexico shipments. Notably, during the second quarter of 2018, this railroad operator generated 48.5% of total revenues from Mexico. The company has significant exposure to Mexicos automotive, intermodal and energy sectors.



Clearly, a major hurdle has been removed for the company. However, the trade pact between both countries has incorporated some new rules on automobile production. Per the rules, more car manufacturing is expected to be brought back from Mexico to the United States. It remains to be seen how this affects Kansas City Southern, given that it serves 10 of the 11 automotive manufacturers in Mexico.

Kansas City Southern Price

Kansas City Southern Price | Kansas City Southern Quote





Apart from the reassuring NAFTA-related update, a noteworthy point for the company is its impressive volume growth. Overall, volumes inched up 1% during the first half of 2018. Moreover, the company expects volume expansion to accelerate in the latter half of 2018 and 2019, backed by a strong economy and network capacity investments. It anticipates volume rise of 3-4% in the current year.



Zacks Rank & Key Picks



Kansas City Southern carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Transportation sector are GATX Corporation GATX, Trinity Industries, Inc. TRN and SkyWest, Inc SKYW. While GATX holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), Trinity and SkyWest sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Shares of GATX, Trinity and SkyWest have rallied more than 40%, 25% and 86%, respectively, in a year.



Best Electric Car Stock? You'll Never Guess It.



Zacks Research has released a report that may shock many investors. One stock stands out as the best way to invest in the surge to electric cars. And it's not the one you may think!



Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium battery power is set to shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, revenues that were already at $31 billion in 2016 are expected to blast to over $67 billion by the end of 2022.



See Zacks Best EV Stock Free >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



SkyWest, Inc. (SKYW) : Free Stock Analysis Report



GATX Corporation (GATX) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Trinity Industries, Inc. (TRN) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Kansas City Southern (KSU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
FILE PHOTO: A transport truck carries new Toyota trucks through an inspection station after clearing U.S. customs from Mexico at the border in Otay Mesa near San Diego, California, U.S., April 28, 2017.

By David Shepardson and Ana Isabel Martinez

WASHINGTON/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The agreements struck between the United States and Mexico on trade would allow President Donald Trump to impose punitive "national security" tariffs of up to 25 percent on imports of Mexican-made cars, sport utility vehicles and auto parts above certain volumes, auto executives and other sources said.

The United States and Mexico agreed on Monday to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), pressuring Canada to accept new auto trade and dispute settlement rules to remain part of the three-way pact.

A previously unreported side agreement between the two countries would allow the United States to pursue national security tariffs on annual Mexican car and SUV imports of over 2.4 million vehicles, a number that significantly exceeds last year's total imports. The side deal would allow national security levies on auto parts imports above a value of $90 billion per year on the same grounds.

Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said on Wednesday the "side letter" protected Mexico's auto-industry and gave it scope to grow before facing any potential national security tariffs.

The Trump administration in the coming weeks aims to announce the results of a probe into whether imports of autos and parts pose a national security risk.

The study could be used to justify 25 percent U.S. tariffs on automotive imports from North America, Asia and Europe on the premise that protecting the U.S. auto-industry is vital to national security under a Cold War-era trade law.

Story continues

Automakers are concerned that the agreement signals the United States might well use national security tariffs to win concessions from the European Union and Japan as well. They have said the tariffs could cost hundreds of thousands of jobs and dramatically raise vehicle prices.

A separate side agreement lays out a possible scenario in which the United States increases its normal "most-favoured nation" tariffs on autos, currently 2.5 percent. A potential new, unspecified rate would be applied to vehicles that do not meet the existing or revamped NAFTA.

MEXICAN EXPORT CAP

Mexico reserves the right to challenge the U.S. use of "national security" tariffs at the World Trade Organization, people briefed on the talks said.

Exports of cars and SUVs from Mexico would face a 25 percent U.S. tariff if they exceed 2.4 million vehicles and the United States imposes the national security tariffs, the sources said. Below the cap, vehicles that comply with new, tougher regional content requirements could enter the U.S. duty-free.

Vehicles within the cap that fail to comply with the new, tougher content rules would be subject to a 2.5 percent tariff, the sources said.

In 2017, nearly 1.8 million cars and SUVs were exported from Mexico to the United States.

The sources did not want to be identified because the details of the agreement have not been officially released.

U.S. officials have said the agreement is aimed at pulling more auto-industry jobs into the United States and Mexico. Terms of the deal are not final, and could change depending on the outcome of negotiations between the United States and Canada, as well as other factors.

Duty-free auto parts exports from Mexico to the United States could be capped at $90 billion a year under the agreement, said Ann Wilson, senior vice president of government affairs at the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association.

The figure exceeds current levels, but parts shipments above that quota could be subject to 232 tariffs, Wilson said.

Mexican pickup trucks that do not comply with regional content quotas already pay a 25 percent duty. It was not clear whether they could also be subject to an additional quota.

Economy Minister Guajardo said imposing 232 tariffs would be "massively criticized" inside the United States, but that just in case, Mexico had protected its current U.S. export capacity with the "side letter" that also allowed room for growth.

"On top of that (current export capacity) we put in an additional 40 percent of growth," he told Mexican radio.

Moises Kalach, head of the international negotiating arm of Mexico's CCE business lobby, said Mexico had a "fall-back plan" if the 232 tariff was imposed. "But there's also the possibility that Mexico is exempted from the 232," Kalach told Reuters.

It is not clear how the quotas would be counted or administered.

The deal also sets quotas for carmakers' use of U.S.-made steel and aluminium, the sources said. Vehicle components would be subject to regional content quotas at different levels, depending on the type of part or system. Engines and transmissions, the highest-value systems in a vehicle, would have a 75 percent regional content quota, the sources said.

A United States Trade Representative spokeswoman declined to confirm or comment.

The tariff mechanism in the preliminary U.S.-Mexico accord would likely change little for Detroit automakers such as General Motors Co (GM.N), which builds large Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks at a complex in Silao, Mexico.

However, Asian and German automakers, and automakers and suppliers that want to expand production in Mexico could be at a disadvantage, and be forced to source more production of both vehicles and engines in the United States.

The revised trade agreement is expected to take effect in 2020 and be phased in over five years, the people familiar with the proposal said.

WHAT IS NORTH AMERICAN-MADE?

A cap on Mexican vehicle exports to the United States would push automakers and suppliers to deal with a range of new challenges.

The rules would encourage efforts to certify parts as North American-compliant even if they include content from elsewhere. That could add hundreds of millions of dollars in costs for automakers over the next decade, industry officials said.

The new cap on total vehicle exports could spur a rush for companies to announce additional production capacity in Mexico in the coming months to try to "lock in" space under the cap before the agreement takes effect, auto-industry officials said.

The new content rules and a new requirement that 40 to 45 percent of a vehicle be produced by workers earning $16 an hour or more, far higher than current Mexican wages, could lead automakers to try to raise vehicle prices.

The details of the auto trade agreement are critical to automakers and vehicle parts makers.

For example, the Trump administration said wages of U.S.-based engineers could be counted towards the regional content quota - benefiting the Detroit Three automakers and rivals that have established engineering operations in the United States.

(Reporting by David Shepardson and David Lawder in Washington, Dave Graham and Ana Isabel Martinez in Mexico City, and Allison Lampert in Montreal; Writing by Joseph White; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Matthew Lewis)
It's not easy to grow a business, let alone one that operates in a mature industry with a focus on a slow-growth economy. This, however, is the situation facing Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE), one of the largest U.S. steel companies. To put it bluntly, Nucor is always facing a market with little room for growth. But it has plans to grow just the same.

Here are three things Nucor is working on now to keep its industry-leading steel business growing for the long term.

1. Take market share

Electric-arc furnaces and scrap metal are the core of Nucor's business. That generally gives it a cost advantage over competitors like AK Steel and United States Steel Corporation that use older blast-furnace technology. But Nucor isn't the only company that uses electric-arc technology, so it has to compete against peers with the same production approach and technology advantages.

A man working in a steel mill

Image source: Getty Images.

One of the key moves it is making today to grow is a matter of simple physics. Steel is heavy, and costly to ship from where it is produced to where it is used. To take advantage of this dynamic, Nucor currently has plans to build rebar mills in Missouri and Florida -- areas currently being served largely by competitors trucking in steel from other markets -- for a total cost of nearly $500 million. The mills will start up in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Nucor believes building these mills will give it a logistics advantage compared to peers. However, Nucor's scrap metal business, The David J. Joseph Company, also has a large presence in these areas; that gives it an advantage on its own production costs, as well. It is, effectively, looking to take share from competitors with well-located mills that have relatively low input costs.

2. Enter new sectors

Another way for Nucor to expand is by branching out into additional steel niches. The most obvious example of this recently was the trio of acquisitions the company made in late 2016 and early 2017. It spent roughly $900 million to buy three tubular steel companies that formed the basis of a new division.

Story continues

There was more to this swift and fairly aggressive expansion than just entering the tubular steel market. Tubular steel is a higher-margin product that moves the company up the value chain, one of management's key priorities. This new division allows Nucor to take commodity steel from its own mills and put it to work in its own plants. After taking commodity flat-rolled steel and turning it into specialized tubular steel, it gets to sell the now upgraded product at higher prices.

Although this is a relatively new unit, Nucor's results have been very strong. In fact, during the company's second-quarter conference call, CEO John Ferriola described the division's results as "outstanding." At this point, Nucor believes that tubular steel production could grow as much as 33% in 2018, year over year. By making moves like this across its business, Nucor has increased its downstream use of steel from 8% of production in 2006 to 19% in 2017.

This investment is still playing out, but it isn't the only new market Nucor is working on. It has also been pushing into the auto market, which brings up growth plan No. 3.

3. Reach into adjacent countries

Nucor's primary market is the United States, but it has recently been inching more and more into neighboring Canada and Mexico. In Mexico, the company is working with Japanese partner JFE Steel on a 50-50 joint venture to build a galvanized-steel sheet mill intended to serve the Mexican auto market. Nucor will pay half of the $270 million construction cost, and provide half of the raw materials to the mill. The new mill is expected to be completed in mid- to late 2019.

This mill pulls several growth levers. First, it expands Nucor's business geographically into Mexico. Second, it allows the steel giant to expand its reach in the auto sector. And third, it provides another opportunity for Nucor to take commodity steel it produces and move it up the value chain to be sold at a higher margin.

Just a few examples

Stepping back from these specific growth efforts, it is important to note that they aren't the only moves that Nucor is making today. It has several more ground-up construction projects and mill expansions underway, and is (as noted) reaching into the Canadian market. What the examples above really highlight are the methods this giant U.S. mill is using to keep growing, despite operating in a largely mature market.

There's no question that growth is hard to come by in the highly competitive domestic steel sector, suggesting that Nucor is running out of room to grow its business. But Nucor clearly isn't sitting still -- it continues to find new ways to expand.

Nucor isn't cheap today, but if you are looking to buy shares of a steelmaker, this well-run company should at least be on your wishlist.

More From The Motley Fool

Reuben Gregg Brewer owns shares of Nucor. The Motley Fool recommends Nucor. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
(Adds background, quotes)

MOSCOW, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday described militants in Syria's last big rebel-held enclave of Idlib as a "festering abscess" that needed to be liquidated.

Speaking after talks with his Saudi counterpart Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir in Moscow, Lavrov said militants were using civilians as a human shield.

Lavrov told reporters that there was a political understanding between Turkey and Russia on the need to distinguish between the Syrian opposition and people he described as terrorists in Idlib Province.

The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Moscow, says it aims to recapture Idlib, which has become a refuge for civilians and rebels displaced from other areas of Syria, as well as jihadist forces.

The region has been hit by a wave of air strikes and shelling this month in a possible prelude to a full-scale government offensive.

Russia has deployed several frigates to the Mediterranean via the Bosphorus, part of what a Russian newspaper on Tuesday called Moscow's largest naval buildup since it entered the Syrian conflict in 2015.

Lavrov said that Moscow was in close contact with Turkey on the situation in Idlib.

"This is the last hotbed of terrorists who are trying to speculate on the region's status as a de-escalation zone, who are trying to hold the civilian population hostage as human shields and bend to their will those armed groups ready to engage in dialogue with the government," Lavrov said.

"So from all points of view, this festering abscess needs to be liquidated," he said.

Lavrov also said Russia remained in contact with the United States on the situation in Idlib and that communication was happening between their two militaries. (Reporting by Polina Ivanova Writing by Tom Balmforth Editing by Peter Graff)
STAVANGER, Norway (Reuters) - Current U.S. sanctions on Iran are unlikely to stop Iranian oil exports completely, a long-time adviser at Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said on Tuesday, adding Iran would be unable to close the straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab even partially.

Speaking at an oil conference in the Norwegian city of Stavanger, Ibrahim al-Muhanna said Iran would be the first to lose out on a move to block those major shipping routes and that any such action would trigger further sanctions on Iran.

"Current sanctions are unlikely to stop Iranian oil exports completely, as almost all experts agree. I mean, they will continue to export 1 million (barrels per day) or so. So closing that Strait of Hormuz will damage the Iranians as much as damaging others," he said.

Iran has said if it cannot sell its oil due to U.S. pressure, then no other regional country will be allowed to do so either, threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz.

"The amount of oil going through the Strait of Hormuz is so large. There's more than 18 million barrels a day, about two thirds of world maritime oil trade. Meaning, cutting oil from there will lead to an acute oil shortage and prices will skyrocket," Muhanna said.

"Is Iran able or willing to close completely, or even partially, the Strait of Hormuz or Bab Al-Mandab, or both? The answer is no, and a really big no."

U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 pact between Iran and major world powers under which sanctions were lifted in return for Tehran accepting curbs on its nuclear programme. The Trump administration then announced unilateral plans to restore sanctions against Tehran.

(Reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Dale Hudson)
Donald Trump

AP

For US President Donald Trump and some of his allies, the idea that there's a liberal bias in tech produces the same gut reaction as gun control and immigration.

The news website Axios reported Thursday that Trump was not about to back down in his war on Google and other firms, with one unnamed source calling it "an issue that's here to stay."

Silicon Valley seems resigned to the long fight. "There will be no fixing this," a tech executive told The New York Times.



President Donald Trump and his allies are getting ready for a long fight with America's tech giants.

That's according to the news website Axios, which says it has spoken with several of Trump's allies about his escalating attack on companies including Google and Twitter.

One source told the website that the idea these platforms contained liberal bias was getting conservatives as exercised as the gun-control debate and immigration issues.

"It's risen to the level of being an emotional or gut issue with conservatives, like guns/immigration," an unnamed Trump operative told Axios. "It's an issue that's here to stay."

Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., piled on with a similar sentiment, saying he didn't think the issue was "going away" or "changing." He added that he would support the creation of a conservative social network meant to rival Facebook.

Trump has roasted Google for two straight days, accusing the company of favoring liberal news articles in its search results and falsely suggesting it failed to promote his State of the Union address after doing so for President Barack Obama. The quotes from sources close to him suggest these attacks will only continue.

Larry Page

Getty / Justin Sullivan

Axios said Trump may also be using this line of attack to affect what is discussed in next week's Senate Intelligence Committee hearing, during which Twitter's CEO, Jack Dorsey; Facebook's chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg; and potentially the Google cofounder Larry Page are expected to give evidence on foreign influence operations.

Story continues

Silicon Valley seems resigned to a long fight

And it appears that Silicon Valley is resigned to a rumbling war with the president.

Kara Swisher, the editor at large for the tech website Recode, said in a New York Times opinion piece that social-media platforms had become such a "toxic swamp" that it would be nearly impossible to clean them up  particularly when they're in the crosshairs of competing liberal and conservative demands.

"For one set, we can't take enough down; for another set, we can't leave up enough," an unnamed tech executive told her. "One side thinks social media enabled populism, while the other thinks the opposite. There will be no fixing this."

NOW WATCH: How to hack an election, according to a former NSA hacker

See Also:

SEE ALSO: Google dismantled Trump's latest salvo on the search engine
marijuana

AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico

Tilray, the second-largest publicly traded marijuana company, posted quarterly earnings that topped expectations on Tuesday.

The stock was up more than 18% following the news, with other marijuana companies also rising.

Marijuana stocks have seen an impressive rally in recent months thanks to investments from major beverage companies.

Follow Tilray's stock price in real-time here.

After a brief selloff earlier in the week, shares of Tilray  the second-largest publicly traded marijuana stock  were up more than 17% Wednesday after the Canadian company posted quarterly sales nearly double a year ago.

For the second quarter, Tilray reported revenue of $9.7 million  topping an the $9.02 million was expected and up from $4.9 million a year ago. The companys bottom line was also better-than-expected, coming in at an adjusted loss of $0.17 per share where Wall Street analysts had expected $0.85.

Prices per gram of cannabis rose 3% from $6.20 to $6.38. The companys chief executive told analysts on a conference call that this uptick was thanks to higher potency weed, but that it was also hampered by some wholesale deals.

"The drivers of the pricing improvement is really based on mix, Mark Castaneda, Tilrays chief financial officer, said on the call. "We sold some higher-potency flower, which was a higher percentage of the mix. We also sold some wholesale flower, which actually brought pricing down, and also extracts was a higher percentage in the mix as well."

Other marijuana stocks, like Cronos and Canopy Growth were also riding Tilrays coattails Wednesday morning, up 9% and 4%, respectively. The Horizons Emerging Marijuana Growers Index ETF, which aims to track smaller cannabis producers in Canada, was also up more than 9%.

Tilray is now valued at $4.9 billion, despite its losses, and could keep growing thanks to investments from major players in other sectors, especially alcoholic beverages. Constellation Brands  which makes Corona and Modelo, among other popular drinks  catalyzed a huge rally in Canopy Growths stock through the announcement of two recent investments.

Story continues

"We expect more alcoholic beverage companies to announce deals with Canadian LPs over the course of the year, and view Tilray as an attractive partner for an alcohol company looking for exposure to cannabis," Vivien Azer, an analyst at Cowen, said in a note to clients on Wednesday.

Shares of Tilray are up 164% since the companys IPO in July.

Tilray stock price earnings weed marijuana cannabis

Markets Insider

NOW WATCH: How LeBron James makes and spends his millions

See Also:

SEE ALSO: The 'world's biggest legal-pot dealer' talks about taking his company public and the future of weed
The Western Union Companys WU digital segment Western Union Digital recently announced its plan to ramp up digital expansion around the globe. The company intends to grow in more than 200 countries and territories with complete focus on the mobile channel that helps the company generate nearly 70% of its digital transactions.



Western Union Digital is the fastest growing business of the parent company, providing 24/7 digital services across prime regional economic hubs of Asia, Latin America and the Middle East to billions of consumer bank accounts.



The company already has its digital existence in Hong Kong and is now ready to commence services in Malaysia and Singapore in Asia within a few weeks. Additionally, the company is alive and kicking/operational across the Latin American countries, namely Brazil, Jamaica and Panama with Mexico ready to follow suit. Whereas in the Middle East, the company is strongly present in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman with United Arab Emirates to soon join the brigade. The company also boasts a significant footprint across North America apart from major parts of Europe plus Australia and New Zealand. Notably, Western Union Digital has adequate expertise in this field including a vast global network and treasury as well as compliance infrastructure, empowering it to form a sophisticated cross-border, cross-currency platform.



Recently, one of its peers, MoneyGram International, Inc. MGI, launched its online platform in Ireland, Poland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark as part of its global expansion strategy. With this, users are able to send money to above two billion bank accounts and mobile wallets or to any MoneyGram location across more than 200 countries and territories.



Other companies such as Visa Inc. V and Mastercard Incorporated MA have also made investments this year in boosting their global digital reach. Accelerating the digital payments segment is extremely important for these companies as technological innovations and changing preferences for payments makes digital payments a preferred and most sought after way.



More and more consumers are opting for digital payments, given its ease, security, flexibility, convenience thereby increasing demand for digital payments services.



Western Union has been witnessing rising revenues from the digital platform over the past many quarters. Its progress in global digital initiatives is further expected to drive revenues going forward.



Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have lost nearly 0.2% in a years time against its industrys growth of 36.2%.

Story continues





Stocks to Consider



Investors interested in the miscellaneous services industry might take a look Euronet Worldwide, Inc. EEFT, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Euronet provides payment and transaction processing and distribution solutions to financial institutions, retailers, service providers and individual consumers worldwide. The company carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). It came up with an average four-quarter positive surprise of 0.38%.

Best Electric Car Stock? You'll Never Guess It.



Zacks Research has released a report that may shock many investors. One stock stands out as the best way to invest in the surge to electric cars. And it's not the one you may think!



Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium battery power is set to shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, revenues that were already at $31 billion in 2016 are expected to blast to over $67 billion by the end of 2022.



See Zacks Best EV Stock Free >>





Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



Euronet Worldwide, Inc. (EEFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report



MoneyGram International Inc. (MGI) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Mastercard Incorporated (MA) : Free Stock Analysis Report



Visa Inc. (V) : Free Stock Analysis Report



The Western Union Company (WU) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE
Global rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) has called on governments across South Asia to deliver truth, justice, and reparations to the families of thousands of victims who have been forcibly disappeared, some for decades.

In a statement marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance on August 30, AI revealed that tens of thousands of people remain disappeared in seven South Asian countries where the practice has scarred communities from Afghanistan in the north to Sri Lanka in the south.

South Asia has a particularly gruesome record when it comes to enforced disappearances, with some governments persisting with the practice while others have failed to provide answers to those who have waited years for them, said Biraj Patnaik, AIs South Asia director.

He says that enforced disappearance is one of the worst human rights violations. People are wrenched away from their loved ones by state officials or others acting on their behalf, who then deny the person is in their custody or refuse to say where they are, he noted. Families are plunged into a state of anguish, desperately trying to keep the flame of hope alive while fearing the worst. They may be trapped in this limbo for years, even decades.

Patnaik wants the governments of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh to immediately stop the practice and investigate and address cases of past abuse.

It is about time that governments in the region properly investigate and punish cases of enforced disappearances and consign this practice to the past, he said.

The AI statement says the island nation of Sri Lanka has the highest numbers of enforced disappearances with up to 100,000 cases.

The victims include Sinhalese young people who were killed or forcibly disappeared by government death squads on suspicion of leftist links in 1989 and 1990, the statement said. They include Tamils suspected of links to the LTTE, disappeared by police, military and paramilitary operatives during the conflict from 1983 to 2009.

Enforced disappearances remain a divisive issue in Pakistan, where a government commission, activists, and politicians claim that thousands have disappeared amid separatist and Taliban insurgencies during the past two decades.

People who have been forcibly disappeared include bloggers, journalists, students, political activists, human rights defenders, members of religious minorities, and suspected members of armed groups, AIs statement said. Once confined to the restive provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, cases of enforced disappearance now strike deep into Pakistans heartlands and its main cities.

In neighboring Afghanistan, the situation is equally grim but for different reasons. Tens of thousands of Afghans still wait to hear from loved ones they lost during various phases of war in their country. Enforced disappearances followed the communist coup of April 1978 and remained a feature of the civil war and the country becoming an epicenter of the global war on terrorism after September 11, 2001.

AI says enforced disappearances continue in Afghanistan. Instead of reckoning with this haunting past and granting truth, justice, and reparations to all these victims, the Afghan government has failed to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance even as people continue to be snatched from their families by the authorities, it said.

The organization says that South Asias largest country, India, also has a major enforced disappearances problem. It noted that such cases are mostly confined to regions reeling from insurgencies such as the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir in the northwest and the northeastern state of Manipur.

A 2017 report by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in 2017 noted that some 8,000 enforced disappearances were reported in Kashmir during separatist unrest from 1989 to 2012.

India has not made enforced disappearances a specific criminal offense in its penal code. As a result, families of the disappeared have to file complaints under general provisions of Indian criminal law, AI said. Despite signing the United Nations International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances in 2007, India is yet to ratify the convention.

AI South Asia Director Patnaik wants regional governments to act swiftly.

People who have been subjected to enforced disappearance must be immediately released unless they can be charged with a recognizable offense, he said.
A Florida company that acquires and manages apartment communities has boosted its Colorado Springs investment to more than $100 million after buying its third apartment complex  another sign of investor interest in the citys red-hot multifamily market.

Priderock Capital Partners of West Palm Beach paid $35 million this month for the 220-unit Union Heights Apartments, southwest of Academy and Union boulevards on the citys north side, El Paso County land records show.

The deal follows Priderocks $47 million purchase in November of the 240-unit Preserve at Hidden Creek Apartments and its $22.6 million acquisition in 2014 of the Ironwood at Palmer Park Apartments, both on the north side, according to land records.

Priderocks three acquisitions total $104.6 million.

Priderock officials didnt return phone calls.

Priderock purchased Union Heights from Griffis/Blessing, the Colorado Springs-based real estate company that teams with a network of investors to buy multifamily properties, upgrade them and sell them for a profit after several years. Griffis/Blessing also manages thousands of Front Range apartments along with commercial properties.

Griffis/Blessing bought Union Heights for $22 million in 2015, land records show. It spent $2.3 million to improve the propertys clubhouse, fitness area, pool and parking lot, said Gary Winegar, Griffis/Blessings president of investment services. Building exteriors were painted, while apartments received new appliances and upgraded lighting and carpeting, he said.

Those types of improvements allow Griffis/Blessing to command higher rents, which make the properties attractive to buyers.

Griffis/Blessing typically holds properties for five to seven years, but sold Union Heights after just three years. After making improvements and increasing rents, Union Heights occupancy levels remained high, Winegar said. With a good offer on the table, Griffis/Blessing decided to sell.

We had increased value by quite a bit and felt it was time to go ahead and realize that gain for our investors, Winegar said.

Priderock is among several out-of-town and out-of-state investors that have purchased apartment properties in Colorado Springs in recent years because of a surging multifamily market.

Demand for apartments has increased as the economy has improved and the citys unemployment rate has dropped, while the supply of new apartments hasnt necessarily kept pace, some apartment experts have said.

Average rents jumped to nearly $1,157 a month in the second quarter, the latest in a series of record highs, according to the Colorado Division of Housing. Vacancy rates also have remained in the low to mid-single digits; the second-quarter rate was 6.3 percent.

Jake Young, a vice president in the Denver office of national real estate firm CBRE, which represented Griffis/Blessing in its sale, said Colorado Springs multifamily market continues to attract investors because of its economy and growth.

Investors who already have pored over the Denver market now are looking south to the Springs where theyre finding steady rent increases and lower sale prices, said Young, who was joined by colleagues Dan Woodward, David Potarf and Matthew Barnett in representing Griffis/ Blessing.

Youve got better rent-growth metrics and a tighter supply-demand metric, in terms of less new supply coming on line and very strong demand that continues to drive rents, Young said. So, investors from out of state are looking for yield, and this is a good place for them to invest.
The criminal investigation into the Feb. 5 shootout in which El Paso County sheriffs Deputy Micah Flick was killed ended without charges, but civil and internal ramifications have yet to be determined.

Civilian Thomas Villanueva, who was partially paralyzed in the shooting, has filed paperwork indicating he may sue for his injuries. And law enforcement agencies say they are now reviewing the shooting internally to ensure policies and procedures were sound.

The 4th Judicial District Attorneys Office ruled last week that Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement task members were justified in shooting and killing suspected car thief Manuel Zetina after he fired at them during his arrest, killing Flick and wounding three other officers along with Villanueva. But the office does not critique tactics or policies, it said.

That job is up to the respective agencies involved.

We have critical incident reviews on everything we do, Colorado Springs police spokesman Lt. Howard Black said Wednesday, referring to any use-of-force incident.

The reviews, he said, include in-depth examinations of tactics used and officer preparation to determine what was right and what was wrong. Though the reviews are conducted by the Internal Affairs Unit, they are different from internal affairs investigations, which focus specifically on officer misconduct, Black said.

The sheriffs office also normally conducts the same in-house review, spokeswoman Jacqueline Kirby said. The process has not yet started, she said, but it will likely be done in conjunction with police and the Colorado State Patrol, which oversees the BATTLE task force.

Its unknown how long the reviews may take or if the public will ever learn the results.

Any changes to policies, procedures or tactics would not necessarily be explained or released, though some of the information, like policies, would be independently available to the public, Black said. As with IA investigations, the reviews are internal documents that police have broad discretion to withhold under the Criminal Justice Records Act.

As history shows, the department rarely sides in favor of release. In denying numerous Gazette requests for IA investigations, the department most often argues release is contrary to public interest on grounds it could hinder future investigations if witnesses know their statements can be revealed to the public. Other arguments have included: the release could infringe on officer privacy; it could negatively impact officer morale; or the records have always been historically confidential files.

A bill introduced in April aimed to require public disclosure of those internal records of police misconduct once the investigation is complete, recognizing that investigations often lead to out-of-court settlements with taxpayer dollars, but it was postponed indefinitely. The bill does not cover the release of results from critical incident reviews.

As a rule, agencies also protect any information pertaining to tactics.

For example, the police department is preparing to release the February shootings full investigative file  accounts of the events from each of the officers involved, summaries from supervisors, interviews with witnesses and a general reconstruction of the scene  but it is redacting some employee information protected by privacy laws and tactical information that we would never release, Black said.

The state patrol, for the same reason, also declined to answer questions about whether BATTLEs tactics already have changed.

Were not going to go into the details of how they operate or do not operate, just for officer safety, patrol spokesman Joshua Lewis said.

It is the efficacy of BATTLEs policies, procedures and tactics that are most in question. The incident has been swept up in controversy since witnesses first accused officers of not identifying themselves before making the arrest and approaching a potentially dangerous suspect with their guns holstered.

The district attorneys review later confirmed those accounts, determining Zetina started shooting before any member of law enforcement fired their weapons. In the process, Villanueva, who unknowingly walked into the middle of the encounter, was struck by one of Zetinas spray of bullets.

Villanuevas father, Tom Villanueva, has questioned whether better procedures could have spared his son, specifically criticizing polices decision to conduct the arrest in a highly populated area with children and innocent residents nearby, approaching a suspect with guns holstered, and allowing unsuspecting bystanders to wander into potentially dangerous situations.

The DAs office said Villanueva was not initially visible to members of the task force at the time the team made the decision to take Zetina into custody. None of the 10 officers saw Villanueva until he was directly in front of them and parallel to Zetina, who started shooting seconds later, the office said.

Deputy Scott Stone, who was struck in the hip by one of Zetinas bullets and has not returned to work, said hes been instructed by the sheriffs office not to discuss the shooting because of potential litigation. The office itself has declined to answer questions for the same reason.

As of Wednesday, Villanueva had not filed a lawsuit, nor had he responded to inquiries about whether he planned to do so. His attorneys at Ramos Law also have not returned The Gazettes calls for comment.

Contact the writer at 719-636-0362 .
Colorado ranks slightly better than the 50-state average in how long it could run on its rainy day reserves in a major recession. Still, thats not long, says a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The report says Colorado state government could run for 21.5 days on its rainy-day funds alone if another major recession caused problems akin to the ones the state faced during the 2008 Great Recession and in the years that followed. That compares to the 50-state average of 20.5 days.

Still, Pew says thats progress for Colorado, which is one of 26 states that could cover a bigger share of spending with rainy-day funds than they could before the Great Recession.

But the report adds that Colorado is also among the states that have a thinner cushion against budget shortfalls when rainy-day reserves are added to general fund dollars left over at the end of a budget year.

The Pew report doesnt take into account changes made to the general fund reserve in the last fiscal year that ended on June 30.

Colorados general fund reserve  the states version of the rainy day fund  is at $674.9 million.

The June 2018 revenue forecast from the state Office of Planning and Budgeting said the reserve in 2018-19 should be at around $813 million.

Gov. John Hickenlooper and the General Assembly have made efforts to boost the reserve from its statutorily-required 6 percent to around 7.25 percent of appropriations.

While that may sound like good news, four years ago, a study from George Mason University estimated Colorados government would need about $790 million in reserve to weather an average recession.

A particularly bad one, like 2008, would require about $2 billion in reserves to avoid substantial budget cuts or raising taxes.

The last recession resulted in a $1 billion cut to K-12 education, and that tab is still open. Other agencies, such as the states public colleges and universities, also wound up with big cuts to their general fund support, which they covered with 9 percent (on average) annual tuition increases.

Colorado and Oregon both were cited in the report, released Wednesday, for having the second-highest growth in rainy-day funds since the pre-recession peaks.

However, the report noted that both states have constitutional limits on tax revenue growth  TABOR in Colorado  that could trigger refunds to taxpayers if those gains continue.

That mirrors forecasts from the Legislative Council and the Governors Office of State Planning and Budgeting. Economists said in June that taxpayer refunds that would go to seniors and disabled veterans to cover half of their property taxes, for example, are likely in the coming year.

The states with the most cash-on-hand to cover a recession include Alaska, which could fund its government for more than a year without any change at all (376 days); Wyoming, at 366 days; Texas, with 70 days, and West Virginia at 56 days.

The Pew report said there is more general fund dollars in reserve, $54.7 billion among the 50 states, than ever before.

That could cover a median of 20.5 days, or 5.6 percent of general fund spending, the report said.

The possibility of another recession isnt just an academic exercise. Many economists believe the nation is already overdue for its next recession, predicting one could take place as soon as next year. Colorado economists have cited both a tight labor market, made worse by immigration issues, and the presidents trade war as factors that could trigger a downturn and a recession after that.
English French

Rueil Malmaison, August 29th, 2018

VINCI Airports finalizes the takeover of 8 Airports in the United States, United Kingdom, Costa Rica and Sweden (Airports Worldwide portfolio)

Official approvals delivered by the competent regulatory authorities in the United States of America, United Kingdom and Costa Rica

Start of operations handover process

A worldwide network expanded to 44 airports in 11 countries, welcoming more than 180 million passengers in 2017

After having met all the condition precedent, VINCI Airports, a VINCI Concessions subsidiary, finalized today the acquisition of the airport portfolio held by Airports Worldwide, following the signature of the agreement with previous owner OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System), in April 2018.

VINCI Airports thus officially becomes the new operator of eight new platforms:

Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland owned at 100%, and Skavsta Airport near Stockholm, Sweden, owned at 90% through freehold property contracts ;

Orlando-Sanford International Airport in Florida (USA) with a 100% stake, and Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia (Costa Rica) with a 45% stake, both through concession contracts ;

Hollywood Burbank Airport and Ontario International Airport in California (USA), and Macon Downtown Airport and Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Georgia (USA), through full management contracts.



The Airports Worldwide portfolio also includes partial management contracts for three additional American airports: Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey, Raleigh Durham International Airport in North Carolina, and part of the international terminal at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia, the world's largest airport in terms of traffic.

Regulatory authorities' approvals mark the start of operations handover to VINCI Airports, in a process delivered in close cooperation with airports employees and business partners. With this major acquisition, VINCI Airports widens its network to 44 airports, while expanding its international reach in the new strategic markets of the United Kingdom and the USA as well as strengthening its presence in Central America. It also increases the number of passengers welcomed in its airports by 21+ million to more than 180 million per year.

As a legally entitled shareholder, the Brazilian company CCR Group exercised its preemption right to acquire the co-controlled 48.40 % stake in Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica, which were comprised in the Airports Worldwide portfolio. The exercise of this preemption right is submitted to the approval of COPROCOM, the Costa Rica anti-trust entity.

PRESS CONTACT

VINCI Press Department

Tel.: +33 (0)1 47 16 31 82

media.relations@vinci.com

About VINCI Airports

VINCI Airports, a top 5 global player in the international airport sector, manages the development and operation of 36 airports located in France, Portugal (including the Lisbon hub), Cambodia, Japan, Chile, Dominican Republic and Brazil. Served by around 250 airlines, VINCI Airports' network handled 157 million passengers in 2017. Through its expertise as a comprehensive integrator and the professionalism of its 12,000 employees, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds and operates airports, leveraging its investment capability, international network and know-how to optimize the management and performance of existing airport infrastructure, facility extensions and new-build construction projects. In 2017, its consolidated revenue amounted to 1.4 billion and its managed revenue amounted to 3.2 billion including 100% of equity accounted companies.

www.vinci-airports.com

About VINCI

VINCI is a global player in concessions and construction, employing more than 190,000 people in some 100 countries. We design, finance, build and operate infrastructure and facilities that help improve daily life and mobility for all. Because we believe in all-round performance, above and beyond economic and financial results, we are committed to operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. And because our projects are in the public interest, we consider that reaching out to all our stakeholders and engaging in dialogue with them is essential in the conduct of our business activities. VINCI's goal is to create long-term value in this way for its clients, shareholders, employees and partners, and for society as a whole.

www.vinci.com
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Aug. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ramboll experienced significant overall growth in the first six months of 2018, which includes the addition of more than 700 employees over the last year, bringing the total workforce to more than 14,000 employees globally. Gross revenue of DKK 5,680 million was slightly higher than in the first half of 2017. Organic growth was 7.1% compared to 0,5% in the same period last year. Operating profit before amortisation (EBITA) of DKK 275 million was slightly lower than in the first half of 2017, primarily due to exchange rate movements and fewer working days in the year, giving an EBITA margin of 4.8% compared to 5.1% in the first half of 2017. Profit before tax amounted to DKK 205 million compared to DKK 183 million in the first half of 2017. At the end of the first half year, Rambolls order book amounts to DKK 6.6 billion, which is an increase of 17% compared to year-end 2017 (DKK 5.6 billion).



Our first-half result confirms that our strategic initiatives and growth measures are paying off, says Group CEO Jens-Peter Saul. We have achieved strong organic growth with significant improvements in the US, UK, Middle East and Asia and in our Environment & Health international business unit. We are also pleased by enhanced organic growth in Norway, whereas we are impacted by reduced public investment in transport and energy in Denmark.

Looking ahead, we will continue our strategic priorities for 2020 to ensure that Ramboll is at the forefront of digital development and create value for our clients through innovation and digitalisation. We will also concentrate on our global Spearhead services, which are already performing well, as drivers for future growth.

We are continuously increasing our order book and we are confident that we will finish 2018 with strong growth and a profit on level with last year, says Jens-Peter Saul.

Large-scale projects worldwide

Across all markets, Ramboll succeeded in winning and delivering inspiring, high-profile projects around the world.

In the US, Ramboll has entered into a pioneering collaboration agreement with Stanford University to develop Danish water technology solutions and apply these to Californias new groundwater program. In recent years, California has faced problems with groundwater pollution and decreasing groundwater levels due to long-lasting drought and a booming agricultural industry. One of the projects focus areas is to map the California groundwater with a combination of systematic helicopter missions and detailed mapping of the subsoil to manage groundwater resources in a more efficient and sustainable way.

In Denmark, Ramboll won the competition to design Denmarks tallest residential building, which will be situated on the harbour front in Aarhus. The clay subsoil in Aarhus harbour poses special challenges for the foundations, which means that new methods are needed - including some never used before in Denmark. The iconic building therefore calls for engineering expertise far beyond the ordinary, and Rambolls foreign high-rise experts were a decisive factor in winning the project.

In India, Ramboll won a significant contract for detailed design services and technical support during the construction of Indias longest sea bridge. The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, joining Mumbai with the satellite city of Navi Mumbai, will be a six-lane highway with two emergency exit lanes and a length of 21.8 kilometres. The new bridge will play a crucial role in future growth in India, providing access to new jobs and housing for hundreds of thousands of people in the fast-growing Navi Mumbai when completed by the end of 2022.

In Cyprus, Ramboll will provide consultancy services in support of the retrofit of environmental emission abatement technologies and for natural gas infrastructure and heavy fuel oil to natural gas boiler conversion works at Vasilikos power station. The power station, the largest in Cyprus comprising five separate generating units, will undergo significant environmental performance improvement works and also preparatory works for fuel conversion to natural gas, aligned with plans to bring natural gas to Cyprus.

Key figures and financial ratios H1 2018 H1 2018 H1 2017 2017 Income statement, DKK million

EUR m Revenue 762.5 5,680.8 5,432.4 10,740.3 Operating profit before depreciation and amort. (EBITDA) 47.2 351.7 365.4 788.3 Operating profit before goodwill amort. (EBITA) 36.9 275.2 278.9 618.9 Operating profit (EBIT) 24.7 183.7 268.4 441.1 Profit before tax 27.5 204.6 183.2 307.8 Profit for the period 15.9 118.5 101.9 146.1

Balance sheet Total assets 890.7 6,635.6 6,091.0 6,412.6 Total equity 296.4 2,208.5 2,180.3 2,180.1 Net interest-bearing cash/ (debt) (78.4 ) (584.3 ) (90.7 ) 81.3

Cash flow, DKK million

Cash flow from operating activities (15.3 ) (113.8 ) (28.0 ) 317.1 Investment in tangible assets, net (11.7 ) (87.2 ) (63.1 ) (147.9 )

Free cash flow (27.0 ) (201.0 ) (91.1 ) 169.2 Acquisitions of companies (49.5 ) (368.8 ) (101.4 ) (116.0 )

Employees Number of employees, end of period 14,020 13,263 13,401 Number of full-time employee equivalents 12,748 12,432 12,527

Financial ratios in % Revenue growth 4.6 0.4 1.2 Organic growth 7.1 0.5 2.8 EBITDA margin 6.2 6.7 7.3 EBITA margin 4.8 5.1 5.8 EBIT margin 3.2 4.9 4.1 Return on invested capital (ROIC) 14.9 15.3 17.9 Return on equity (ROE) 7.4 9.6 6.7 Cash conversion ratio (8.8 ) 20.5 64.5 Equity ratio 33.3 35.7 34.0

About Ramboll

Ramboll is a leading engineering, design and consultancy company founded in Denmark in 1945. The company employs more than 14,000 people globally and has especially strong representation in the Nordics, UK, North America, Continental Europe, Middle East and Asia-Pacific.



With 300 offices in 35 countries, Ramboll combines local experience with a global knowledgebase constantly striving to achieve inspiring and exacting solutions that make a genuine difference to our clients, the end-users, and society at large. Ramboll works across the following markets: Buildings, Transport, Planning & Urban Design, Water, Environment & Health, Energy and Management Consulting. www.ramboll.com



Ownership

The Ramboll Foundation is the main owner of Ramboll Group A/S and its main objective is to promote the companys continuance alongside the long-term development of the company, its employees and the communities it serves. All shares in Ramboll Group A/S are owned either by the Ramboll Foundation (98%) or by employees in Ramboll (2%).

Contact

Jens-Peter Saul, Group Chief Executive Officer, +45 5161 1893, CEO@ramboll.com

Marianne Srensen, Group Chief Financial Officer, +45 5161 1893, MASRE@ramboll.com
Sioux Falls, S.D., Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Avera Research Institutes Center for Pediatric and Community Research has been awarded a $17.1 million grant through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for its work on a childrens health study called the ECHO Program.

The grants total, presented over five years, represents the largest health research funding award in South Dakota history. It will help Avera Research Institute implement its portion of the ECHO project, which has been under development and planning for the past two years. Averas team is one of 31 grantees that are involved in the NIH research program that looks at early environmental influences on child health and development.

Avera Research Institute is partnering with Columbia University and the University of Maryland on the project. ECHO stands for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes, and its scientific goal is to better understand the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development.

Receiving this grant is a testament to the high quality of work and the commitment Avera has made to serving the region, said Amy Elliott, PhD, Chief Clinical Research Officer with the Center for Pediatric & Community Research, a division of the Avera Research Institute. In funding our efforts, the NIH is recognizing the growing success of our endeavors and the strength of our partnerships. Great community-based research is happening right here in the Midwest and not only in large metropolitan centers along the coasts.

ECHO uses information from existing projects, and will include more than 50,000 children from diverse backgrounds across the United States. Avera researchers will continue to follow participants from before birth through childhood and adolescence. The programs objectives include improvement of health of children and adolescents, and the institution of best practices for conducting team science.

Participants in the Avera Research Institute Center for Pediatric and Community Researchs Safe Passage study, as well as new participants from the areas near Rapid City and Sioux Falls, are encouraged to take part in the study.

This grant shows the diligent efforts of our scientists are garnering well-deserved support and recognition, said David Flicek, President and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center.

Learn more about the project at echochildren.org.
Hello EveryoneI want to share with you the best lessons I learned from my 3 attempts on the GMAT. These lessons are well applicable to the students whose scores have been plateaued in mid 600s.

Phase - 1 ( 1st GMAT attempt )

Score : 660 ( Q50 , V29 , IR6 , AWA5.5 )

major mistake

Lessons from GMAT 1st Attempt:

I took the GMAT for the very first time on 9th June 2015. I registered for the exam around 6 months prior to the 9th June and started very casually by going through Manhattan Guides. I was in college then and was devoting nearly one hour daily to the GMAT preparation. I did all the 10 Manhattan guides covering the basic concepts of quant as well as verbal. I was very confident thereafter and even thought of scoring 700+ on the GMAT.However, when I took the first mock test, I scored 590 (Q48, V23, IR3 ) on GMAT Prep 1. I was highly shocked to see such a low score as I was sure that I would score more than 700. Still, I thought that after reviewing I would be able to score much better in the next test. I took the first mock test just 20 days before my official GMAT exam and I was left with very less time for improving my accuracy. That was aI committed in my Phase-1: Attempted the Mock for the very first time just 3 weeks before the official exam.I had bought 6 Manhattan practice tests and thought of utilizing all those tests. I even bought the 800score test series and attempted each of the tests. Overall I took 13 GMAT mock tests in less than 20 days. To prove my point that attempting the GMAT mock tests repeatedly does not improve the accuracy, I have mentioned below the scores of all 13 tests I took:Test No. Date Score (Quant, Verbal, IR ) - Source1 20th May 2015 - 590 (Q48, V23, IR3)  GMAT Prep 12 22nd May 2015 - 580 (Q40, V31, IR 0)  Manhattan3 24th May 2015 - 610 (Q45, V30, IR 2.4) - Manhattan4 26th May 2015 - 630 (Q47, V30, IR 6.04)  Manhattan5 28th May 2015 - 430 (Q47, V 0, IR 0)  Manhattan6 31st May 2015 - 630 (Q47, V30, IR 4.36)  Manhattan7 1st June 2015 - 690 (Q48, V36, IR 3.17)  Manhattan8 2nd June 2015 - 690 (Q45, V38, IR 3)  800Score9 3rd June 2015 - 630 (Q42, V34, IR 3)  800Score10 4th June 2015 - 620 (Q47, V34, IR 5)  800Score11 5th June 2015 - 640 (Q45, V33, IR 5)  800Score12 6th June 2015 - 590 (Q42, V29, IR 4)  800Score13 7th June 2015 - 650 (Q50, V27, IR 8)  GMAT Prep 2It is clearly evident from the scores that my score varied between 580 and 690. Though I scored 690 couple of times but following that my scores plunged and I scored 650 just two days before my official GMAT exam. Still, I was under the impression that I would score 700+ on the official GMAT exam.As pretty much obvious from the above scores, I scored 660 ( Q50 , V29 , IR6 , AWA5.5 ) on the official GMAT exam. I didn't find it surprising as my average scores from the mock test were almost the same. I got back to my college studies and didnt bother about it for next 3 years :D1) Practice is far more important than knowing the conceptual knowledge.2) Start attempting the GMAT mock tests sooner in your preparations. It'll give you sufficient time for the needful improvements.3) Do not be in an impression that you can score far better than your average mock scores.4) Channelise majority of your efforts towards your weak areas.5) Attempting the mock tests contribute towards improving your confidence and internalizing your timing strategies. It does not contribute much towards improving your accuracy on the GMAT.

Phase - 2 ( 2nd GMAT attempt )

Score: 680 ( Q51 , V30 , IR8 , AWA6 )

major mistake

mistake

After working for almost 2 years on my startup, I decided to retake the GMAT exam. I started the preparation again by revising all the 10 Manhattan guides. Thereafter I took the GMAT Prep 1 mock test and I scored 620 ( Q50 , V23 , IR4 ). This low score was despite the fact that I attempted the GMAT Prep 1 for the second time. At this point in time, I realized that just going through the basic conceptual knowledge is not enough for me. I needed lots of structured practice, especially in verbal. Through my senior, Sahil Sir, I got to know about egmat and signed up for its course the very next day. I bought both its verbal and quant course. egmat course is very interesting and easy to understand even for the verbal fledglings like me. The course is very detailed and it takes a good amount of time to complete all the video lectures. The best part about the egmat course is that it helps you in learning the application of the knowledge acquired. In my first attempt, I knew all the concepts but was not sound in applying those concepts. egmat truly filled that gap. It took nearly 2 months to complete all the video lectures of egmat Thethat I committed in Phase-2 : I Didnt practice a sufficient number of questions using the 3 step process taught by egmat . I did around 50 % of the questions available on Quant and around 40 % of the questions available on Verbal . I firmly believe that had I have 1 more month of practicing the application of the concepts, I would have scored much better on my 2nd attempt itself.It's better and preferable to keep attempting the questions evenly during your GMAT Journey. In the end, it would be a daunting task to practice 1000+ questions in quant and 700+ questions in verbal. So to utilise the in an efficient manner, attempt the questions regularly throughout your GMAT journey.Anotherthat I committed: I Didnt attempt the official GMAT exam ( GMAT Prep 2). I decided to attempt the GMAT prep 2 online 3 days before my official exam. Unfortunately, the website went down exactly 3 days before the official exam date and was down until the very last day of the exam. I had the option to attempt GMAT Prep 2 on the software installed on my Laptop but the pattern had recently changed and I chose not to attempt the old pattern test just a few days before the official exam. So practically I attempted only 1 Mock test in my phase 2 of the GMAT Journey.Despite all these mistakes, my score on quant improved from Q50 to Q51. It's difficult to score Q50 on quant but it's much more difficult to score Q51. I knew all the concepts even in my first attempt but in my second attempt, I knew the exact strategies needed for seemingly difficult questions. Quant played a huge role in improving my ability in quant. I always enjoyed solving the customized tests on Quant . One important thing to keep in mind while solving quant questions is that choose all Easy, Medium, Hard and Very Hard questions in each of your practice tests once you are confident about the concepts and applications. Otherwise, it will be very difficult and frustrating for someone solving all the Hard and Very Hard questions in the end. It's a good strategy to spread evenly all types of difficulties. For sure, very hard questions take more than average time ( 2 minutes ) to solve but attempt them and try your very best to get the answer even if it takes more time than usual. These questions actually provide resistance training for your brain. It is like if you can lift 100 pounds during your practice then you can definitely lift 80 pounds on your show day. In that sense very hard questions push your brain to think beyond your traditional limits which in turn makes you more efficient especially in data sufficiency questions. For all the questions that you get incorrect, take notes if needed. I took the notes during the review of my practice sessions. For example :a) 2 is the ONLY EVEN PRIME Number.b) 2 and 3 are the only consecutive numbers that are prime.c) If x is squared than the value of x square will be less than x if 0

Lessons from GMAT 2nd Attempt:

1) Practice sufficiently to internalize the process in verbal.2) Review at least twice all the questions you got incorrect on your first attempt.3) Practice all the official GMAT tests available.4) Take screenshots of incorrect questions. It would be easier to revise them in the end.

Phase - 3 ( FINAL GMAT attempt )

Score : 720 ( Q51 , V35 , IR7 , AWA5.5 )

GMAT is a Test of ELIMINATION

Stick to Official questions

Quant

Verbal

Immediately after coming out of the test center on the day of my second GMAT attempt, I decided to attempt it one more time. I was clear that I couldnt apply the verbal 3 step process on my GMAT exam. Lack of practice was a major reason for the same.I decided that the third attempt will be full and final. To be doubly sure of my concepts and applications I researched a bit more about available courses and found CrackVerbalGMAT . I signed up for its verbal course and in the meanwhile, I also got advice from egmat team to attempt all the questions, review the incorrect questions and focus on following the 3 step process.In my third phase of the GMAT preparation, I focussed more on my strategies and approaches than on blindly practicing questions. It is very important to have a well-defined strategy beforehand for each of the section.I started with the CrackVerbalGMAT verbal course video lectures and was very impressed with the way Arun Sir delivered the concepts in a very simple yet powerful manner. I started with SC and followed all the guidelines Arun Sir gave. It actually became very easy for me to reach the right answer. The most useful advice from Arun sir that worked well for me:. Surely it helps a lot to reach the answer by eliminating the wrong ones rather than by searching for the right one. Crackverbal has kept the course very concise and crisp. I completed all its video lectures in less than 3 weeks. By the end of the course, I was more confident than before and I started practicing official questions.Another great lesson received from Arun Sir:. Especially in the last two weeks, it is preferable to practice and review only the official questions. Crackverbal provides a question bank of old and retired GMAT official questions and I practiced all such questions in my Phase 3 of the GMAT prep.In the meanwhile, I also attempted GMAT Club Quant and Verbal tests. I attempted majority of those tests. In quant, my average score was 50 and in verbal it varied from 30 to 45. I realized that whenever Humanities based RC passage came in the verbal section, my verbal score plummeted. So I practiced more of Humanities based RC passages on Verbal Scholaranium and improved accuracy with the time. By attempting , I gained the confidence in my timing strategies and approaches. In quant, its bit on the difficult side but still it's very good and highly recommended for those looking to improve the quant score.Also, I bought Exam question pack ( 400 Official Questions ) for further practice. These questions are gold mines for the students looking to practice and strengthen their confidence. For each question, a detailed solution is given by the test makers. It is advantageous for the test takers as you get to know the perspective of test makers. This is especially beneficial in CR questions. I practiced all the questions and went through the solutions of incorrect as well as correct answers.Before the final GMAT attempt, I practiced 6 official mock tests. Scores are mentioned below:Test No. Date Score (Quant, Verbal, IR ) - Source1) 19th July 2018 - 710 (Q50, V35, IR5)  GMAT Prep 22) 30th July 2018 - 740 (Q49, V41, IR5)  GMAT Prep 33) 3rd August 2018 - 680 (Q50, V31, IR7)  GMAT Prep 44) 7th August 2018 - 640 (Q49, V28, IR8)  GMAT Prep 55) 10th August 2018 - 700 (Q51, V33, IR5)  GMAT Prep 66) 11th August 2018 - 770 (Q51, V42, IR8)  GMAT Prep 3In the 3rd and 4th attempt, my score went down to 600s again. I analyzed the test thoroughly and found that I failed miserably in managing the overall time in each section. Thereafter, I finalized and decided to stick to the timing strategies. I followed the following timing strategy:Number of Questions Done - Time Remaining ( Minutes )10 - 4220 - 2230 - 2Number of Questions Done - Time Remaining ( Minutes )9 - 4818 - 3227 - 1636 - 0Before the starting each section, I made this small table on my sheet and strictly followed the timing slots allocated to each subsection. For example, In verbal I am on question 15 and the time remaining is 39 minutes, then I would rush in the next 3 questions so that I am left with 36 minutes by the time I complete question 18. By practicing so many tests, I realized that it's better to guess 4 questions in each subsection than to guess 4 questions consecutively in the last subsection.

One day before the Final GMAT attempt:

I am narrating my experience from a day before the final attempt. I revised all my notes ( both quant and verbal ) and went through my error logs. I went through the lessons I wrote down after each mock tests. I also revised all the incorrect questions from Official Guides. I even went for jogging and relaxed by watching my favorite show. I took the dinner an hour earlier than usual and decided to sleep earlier. I went to bed at 10 PM. Even before I realized it, I started thinking about my FINAL attempt and several scenarios started flooding my mind. This is the mistake I fell prey to in my 3rd Phase. I got overwhelmed with the thought that my FINAL attempt was due the next day and it can have a huge impact on my future career. I kept seeing the watch every one hour till 2 AM. After lying in bed awake for 4 hours, it is very easy and natural to stay awake for the next 4 hours. After 2 AM, I deliberately stopped seeing the watch as with every passing hour, my anxiety was increasing. The last thing that I remember is that I was deep breathing and nothing else. Perhaps that worked and I fell asleep only to wake up before the scheduled alarm of 5.30 AM. I woke up at 5 AM and again the picture of FINAL attempt started invading my Fresh mind. I remained horizontal on my bed until my official alarm rang. I got ready and left for the test centre. I was not at all feeling sleepy even during my transit. I thought it would not matter much and entered my test center.

On the official Day of Final GMAT attempt:

NEVER EVER GIVE UP

I had practiced the mock tests in the following order: Verbal - Quant - IR - AWA. So I chose the same sequence and began my test with the verbal section. The first subsection of 9 questions went pretty good. Thereafter, I found it very hard to concentrate on the screen and comprehend the question in front. I was just not able to understand the meaning of any question, be it SC, RC or CR. Following which, I started losing control of my timing strategies. I just focussed on eliminating the wrong answers as I was not able to prethink the right answers. When I was left with 10 questions, less than 10 minutes were remaining. I took a deep breath and decided to attempt all the questions within the given time. 1 RC passage came in last 10 questions and I just skimmed through the passage as at that time completing the section was more important for me than doing the questions correctly. I somehow managed to finish the verbal section just 20 seconds before the given time.I took a break and went to the washroom. I knew that I had screwed the verbal section. I was pretty sure that I would not be able to score more than my previous score (680). I felt sad and even thought of leaving the test center in the midst. I thought I would get to some B Schools with a 680 score. Then it suddenly struck me that Quant is my forte and if I could get Q51 this time as well, it would be well proved that previous score of Q51 was not just a fluke. I also thought that If I could prove my consistency in Quant, then some B Schools may consider my application on that basis. With this thought in mind, I decided to score 51 on the Quant section no matter whatever the cases may be.I ate almonds and biscuits and entered the test room once again with the aim of scoring 51 on quant. I drew the timing table to keep my pace in control. I knew that I could not miss or guess a single question or else my score may slip to Q50 or lower. I did the first 10 questions in 7 minutes. I was very confident about my answers and proceeded further with the same confidence. As it happens, 1 or 2 questions turn out to be very difficult and conventional approaches don't apply to such questions. I perhaps spent 4 to 5 minutes in such questions and again lost the timing track. When 7 questions were remaining, 6 minutes were left for the given section. I didnt think anything and just gave my best efforts to the questions on the screen. I focussed upon one question at a time. Actually, the questions were relatively easier in the last. At last, I was able to complete the section 30 seconds before the given time. But I was not confident of the last 7 questions as I rushed a lot and could not cross check my answers.I took a break and went to the washroom. I knew that Q51 was not guaranteed and I may end up scoring Q50 or lower. I again thought of leaving the test room at this time, I was sure that I would not be able to score higher than the previous score ( 680 ). But then I thought I would not get any score at all if I leave the test center without attempting IR and AWA. I decided to cancel the score if it would turn out to be less than 680. With this thought in mind, I once again proceeded for the last section.I ate almonds and biscuits and entered the test room once last time with the aim of just completing the test. As soon as the IR questions started popping up, I started to lose time on each question. However, this time didnt panic as I was aware that I just have to finish the test. I got 2 Multi-Source Reasoning ( MSR ) and I was dead stuck on the second one. I didnt understand an iota of that and tried my best efforts to guess the answer. In the end, I again faced a time shortage and managed to complete the IR section just 10 seconds before the given time.Immediately after that, the AWA section started. I was very confident that I would score 6 on AWA. I started taking down the notes and 7 minutes passed by before I wrote a single word. I felt as if my thinking power had slowed down significantly. Anyways, I started writing down my essay and did write 6 paragraphs. Generally, in the mock tests, I was left with 5+ minutes after writing down my response but this time I was left with 30 seconds. I couldnt understand where did the time fly by? :D I just wrote the concluding paragraph and remained cautious enough to submit the essay 15 seconds in advance. I submitted the essay in last 10 seconds and didnt revise a single spelling or a sentence.After it, I was completely exhausted and couldnt read any of the sentences flashing on the computer screen. I just kept on clicking the desired buttons to keep moving to the next screen. Suddenly the score appeared and the first number that I noticed on the screen was 720. I was highly shocked and surprised. The next number I noticed was 51 and realized that I proved my consistency in quantThe next number was 35 and I was happy to see it. Thereafter I saw 7 and remembered the MSR I guessed. I was completely clueless and shocked and hence called in the invigilator. He asked me Do you want to accept the scores?. Then I realized that I had not yet accepted the scores and I said YES. 3 Days later I saw AWA score to be 5.5 and I remembered missing the revision partIn my First and Second attempt of GMAT, I had full control over my subsections and I was well following my timing strategies. In the third attempt, I constantly missed on the timing part and was under prolonged stress. Surprisingly, I performed the best on my third attempt. The single biggest lesson that I learned from my GMAT journey:

Lessons from GMAT 3rd Attempt:

( Most Important lesson )

1) Practice Official guides twice to observe the pattern in "correct" as well as "incorrect" answers.2) There is no substitute for hard work.3) Finalise your timing strategies and implement them at least 2 times in your mock test.4) After each break, attempt the section with a fresh mind as if you just started your GMAT exam.5) Be calm and sleep enough to be alert on the test day.6) NEVER EVER GIVE UP.Im very happy to score 720 on my third attempt and I am highly thankful to egmat and CrackVerbalGMAT . I can't imagine my success without either of them. A special thanks to GMAT Club. The community has contributed a lot raging from solving my doubts to keeping me motivated during my journey. I read the debriefs on GMATclub regularly and learnt a lot from others experiences. Those lessons are unparalleled.In my whole debrief, I have focussed more on quant than on verbal. The reason is pretty obvious that I scored the maximum score of Q51 twice on the GMAT. So I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to achieve that score. In verbal, I performed average and Im happy about my 6 Points overall improvement. To sum it up, I have jotted the one-liner lessons for each of the subsections:

Quant

Problem Solving ( PS )

Data Sufficiency ( DS )

- Finalise the approach and then start solving the question- Try to prove the statements wrong. If unable to do so, then try to prove the statements right.

Verbal

Sentence Correction ( SC )

Critical Reasoning ( CR )

Reading Comprehension ( RC )

- Understand the intended meaning of the sentence and analyze at least one error in the original sentence. If unable to do so, start eliminating the obviously wrong answers.- Understand the passage thoroughly and prethink at least one possible answer. If unable to do so, start eliminating the obviously wrong answers.- Understand the big picture and structure of the passage. Prethink on general RC questions and for specific questions, always confirm the answer from the passage.

Integrated Reasoning ( IR )

Focus on your accuracy. It's better to do 10 questions right and guess 2 questions than attempt 12 questions with 50 % accuracy.

Analytical Writing Assessment ( AWA )

Follow the structured format. Be sure to write relevant points rather than write out of scope points.

Monitor your Progress:

Daily Progress

Practise Tests 2018

surprising observation

File comment: Monitor your mock test scores

Practise tests 2018 .xls [26 KiB]

Downloaded 71 times

To download please login or register as a user

File comment: Monitor your Daily Progress

Daily Progress.xls [32.5 KiB]

Downloaded 74 times

To download please login or register as a user



I have attached two excel files with this debrief. I encourage you to utilize these excel files by actively updating your data and monitor your progress. In the file, you can input the number of hours you devoted to your preparation, number of quant questions practiced or revised, number of verbal questions practiced or revised. By filling this excel data, you can actively monitor your progress and check if on any particular week you need to devote more time to maintain your average study hours. After maintaining this excel file for two weeks, I actually felt motivated towards solving more questions and studying more to increase or at least maintain my average progress. Also, If you are weak in a particular subsection, then devote more time and practice on it. For example, I am weak in verbal and hence devoted more practice sessions to it and it is clearly evident from the excel data. The last column of Days Left keeps you on track in your GMAT Journey. It shouldnt be the case that just two weeks before the exam, you suddenly feel the shortage of time and pace up the studies. It's always a good strategy to maintain the pace from the beginning and be mindfully aware of your progress.In the file, input the detailed scores of all your mock tests. Even you can input the total number of SC questions you got correct and the number of questions you got correct in Data Sufficiency. By maintaining this excel file, youll have a very clear picture of in which subsection you need the most improvement. For example, from my excel file, I got to know that I needed a lot of improvement in RC and accordingly I included more of RC practice sessions in my routine. Onewhich I made after giving the official GMAT exam is that my official sectional scores are very close to the average of the sectional scores of all the mock tests I gave for practice. For example, my average sectional verbal score for all the mock tests was 34.5 and in the official GMAT exam, it was 35. Now I can understand that this is not an unexpected finding as our scores of official practice tests are well representative of our actual GMAT scores. Additionally, in the second tab, Timing Strategy, I have outlined the timing strategies that I followed for all the GMAT tests.Thank you very much for reading such a long debrief. I hope the lessons mentioned above turn out to be fruitful for you. All the very best for your GMAT Journey. Feel free to ask me anything about my GMAT Journey. Ill be more than happy to assist you.Ayushman Mathur_________________
bensonhurst wrote:

Summary

My background/profile

My timeline & goals

My study process

Day 1-3: intro. Reading others' experiences here and online further assured me that a 780-score in ~2 months should be feasible. Based on friends' and online recommendations I bought the full set , the 2018 , and the Critical Reasoning PowerScore Bible .

Reading others' experiences here and online further assured me that a 780-score in ~2 months should be feasible. Based on friends' and online recommendations I bought the , the , and the . Other materials I bought based on online recommendations but did not use/did not ultimately make sense for my study plan were Aristotle Sentence Correction and .

Week 1: mapping out my starting baseline and weak areas. Scored ~680 on my first diagnostic test. Great--continued confirmation that most of the work would be incremental rather than learning the basics. I expect that most of the work will be practice questions rather than reading the .

Scored ~680 on my first diagnostic test. Great--continued confirmation that most of the work would be incremental rather than learning the basics. I expect that most of the work will be practice questions rather than reading the . Week 2: The focus here was to drill through a good several hundred questions on the question bank and build up a preliminary to map out my weak spots. I looked at level 700 questions only. I read through about a half of the based on this (number properties, geometry, algebra, sentence correction) and take notes on the content I've forgotten since high school (exponents, absolute values, combinatorics). The other I skim through and don't read.

The focus here was to drill through a good several hundred questions on the question bank and build up a preliminary to map out my weak spots. I looked at level 700 questions only. I read through about a half of the based on this (number properties, geometry, algebra, sentence correction) and take notes on the content I've forgotten since high school (exponents, absolute values, combinatorics). The other I skim through and don't read. Week 3: Took 2 . First CAT: 670 total (40 verbal / 41 quant). Second CAT: 650 (40 verbal / 39 quant). Third CAT: 44 verbal (accidentally skipped quant)

I felt discouraged by the low quant score but more importantly was afraid it would be inaccurate to the actual content on the exam. Given the lack of remaining time I stopped using Manhattan entirely and focused my final 2 weeks on doing drills for the online qbank and tests. The error logs I maintained throughout and continued to review regularly.

Took 2 . First CAT: 670 total (40 verbal / 41 quant). Second CAT: 650 (40 verbal / 39 quant). Third CAT: 44 verbal (accidentally skipped quant) I felt discouraged by the low quant score but more importantly was afraid it would be inaccurate to the actual content on the exam. Given the lack of remaining time I stopped using Manhattan entirely and focused my final 2 weeks on doing drills for the online qbank and tests. The error logs I maintained throughout and continued to review regularly. Week 4-5: Focused 100% on the 6 tests. Once I get 5 posts I will attach my own excel file record of mistakes and scores--you will see I scored very high for all of them and therefore felt confident I would score close in the 750-800 range on the actual exam. At this point I was doing very well on both verbal and quant. But areas for further improvement were level 700 CR and RC questions and level 700 quant questions generally.

Focused 100% on the 6 tests. Once I get 5 posts I will attach my own excel file record of mistakes and scores--you will see I scored very high for all of them and therefore felt confident I would score close in the 750-800 range on the actual exam. At this point I was doing very well on both verbal and quant. But areas for further improvement were level 700 CR and RC questions and level 700 quant questions generally. Aug 10, exam day : I got a good night's rest the day before. Contrary to others' suggestions I continued to cram up until the hour before the exam. This is how I've always been and it's never been a problem for me.

I did not study for AWA until literally the day before the exam. For this I spent ~3 hours total reviewing Chineseburned's AWA guide post, the attached example 6 AWA essays, and doing the 2 practice prompts on GMAT Write.

Post-exam reflection

2nd exam attempt--2 week process

Focused this time on Manhattan, , and GMAT Club practice exams which had distinctly harder questions than the CATs/qbanks. Drilled these every day for the past two weeks, focusing on geometry, number properties, and algebra; and to a lesser degree on sets/statistics. Scored 650-710 on all 4 CAT tests.

practice exams which had distinctly harder questions than the CATs/qbanks. Drilled these every day for the past two weeks, focusing on geometry, number properties, and algebra; and to a lesser degree on sets/statistics. Scored 650-710 on all 4 CAT tests. Spent very little time on verbal because I was confident I'd do well. Returned to verbal practice once every 3 days to make sure I wasn't backsliding but that was enough.

Aug 29, Exam day: opposite of the first exam experience--after drilling through hundreds of GMAT Club questions, I found Quant noticeably easy compared to my practice experience rather than difficult. Verbal I found as straighforward as before.

---Tired and will stop here for now. Will update for more practical recommendations and materials on my error logs later tonight.

General thoughts/advice, Quant

General thoughts/advice, Verbal

Suggested study materials

Reference materials

Hi all,I've been studying intensely for the GMAT on a pretty tight timeframe for the past 2 months and finally got my desired 780 this afternoon, just in time for my MBA applications next month. I couldn't be happier and I am very happy with my performance. This has taken a lot of time and focus outside my job, and I wanted to share my thoughts on the experience if it's helpful to others.Started studying July 2018.First exam, Aug 10: 750 (Verbal 46, Quant 48) / AWA 6.0 / IR 8.0Second exam, Aug 29: 780 (Verbal 48, Quant 50) / AWA TBD / IR 8.0I'm a 26 year old female working in finance in NYC. I've been very comfortable taking tests and studying on my own my entire life--tested 2380 on my SATs, passed all 3 levels of the CFA on the first try.In general, I'm strong and well balanced on both math/verbal skills. If I had to choose one, I'm better on verbal/writing--I'm not an engineer. But I've always felt highly confident in my math skills.So, I expected to start from a high base going into GMAT studying but to spend relatively more time on quant.I went into the study process on a tight timeframe. Up until the end of June 2018 I was focusing 100% on the CFA Level 3, which took up all my time outside working hours. I had found the SAT fairly easy as a kid and expected the GMAT to be similar to the SAT and easy compared to the CFA. I therefore felt OK with giving myself 2 months after the CFA exam to study. That gave me only a brief window of time to take the GMAT as I am applying to business school this September. Not ideal, but doable.I have a 3.7 GPA from a high ranking college. That puts me about in the middle of the target range for my target schools. I can't go back in time and improve my GPA now but it was a priority to me to maximize my GMAT score to myself incrementally more competitive.Studying for the GMAT after the CFA was an interesting learning experience. The CFA happens to be an extremely dense exam that tests your memory and knowledge of a massive amount of material. I quickly realized the the GMAT was a totally different animal--it's about time management, your grasp of math/verbal fundamentals, and, at the 700-800 level, your ability to recognize and apply those fundamentals in a variety of different questions.My process leading up to the first exam, July 1st - Aug 10th:1st Exam experience: I was surprised to find that the quant section was moderately, but noticeably, harder than any of the 6 exams--especially exams 3-5 which seemed almost suspiciously easy. I went through the test normally regardless but definitely noticed that I whiffed a good 3-4 questions on Quant. Verbal seemed in line with expectations and what I had taken on the exam.750 is an extremely good score but I expected to do better and most importantly I felt strongly that I was capable of doing better, had I studied more of the right content for Quant. I gave it two days' thought, read through several re-take experiences on this forum, and looked at my ESR report. My ESR report made up my mind. It showed I got 43% of the questions wrong in the 3rd set of questions and 57% of the questions wrong in the last set; that I got only 33% of geometry questions and 50% of inequality/algebra questions right. Final score aside I know I'm capable of doing better than that. Here, I felt I could do better in as little as 2 weeks and was willing to put down another $250 to give it a try.As others on this forum have observed, I spent way too much time going through dozens of advanced combinatorics/probability questions when the heart of GMAT quant is number properties, geometry, and algebra.To edit laterTo edit laterTo edit laterTo edit later
Re: Numerous studies of chemotherapy patients over the last ten [ #permalink

1 Kudos
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese stated-owned automaker JAC Motors reported that its semi-annual revenues reaching RMB 23.709 billion, falling 6.34% year on year. The Jan-June net profits attributable to shareholders slumped 52.58% to RMB 163 million.

The company ascribed the profit plunge to such factors as the macro-economic climate, the sales drop, the phase-out of new energy vehicle (NEV) subsidy and the escalating market competition, etc.

According to the semi-annual report, JAC Motors delivered around 252,300 units of complete vehicle and chassis in the first half of the year, a year-on-year decrease of 8.16%.

For the first six months, the sales of the light-duty and medium-duty truck totaled 117,400 units, edging up 1.14% over a year ago, and the sales of the heavy-duty truck slid 19.73% year on year to 26,100 units. As to the PV sales performances, the Jan-June sales of the MPV and the SUV amounted to 34,300 units and 44,800 units respectively, climbing 11.54% and tumbling 33.28% from the year-ago period. The company saw its all-electric PV sales skyrocket 113.08% to around 20,000 units.

In addition, the automaker exported a total of 40,600 vehicles from January to June, a year-on-year growth of 12.36%.

The report also disclosed that the NIO ES8, NIO's first model manufactured by JAC Motors, has already been put into production on a small scale and been handed over to consumers. Meanwhile, the Hefei-based automaker will produce another NIO's model called the ES6.

Moreover, the first all-electric PV model co-developed with Volkswagen Group dubbed SOL E20X has rolled off the production line in April.
The Registration deadline has been extended until September 20, 2018 for the Central States Law Schools Association 2018 Scholarship Conference. The conference will be held on Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13 at the Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth, Texas. We invite law faculty from across the country to submit proposals to present papers or works in progress.

The conference hotel is the Sheraton Fort Worth Downtown Hotel, which is conveniently located immediately next door to the law school. The conference rate is $159 per night and can be accessed by going here to the special CSLSA booking site. The cutoff date for the hotel block is September 20, 2018, so please make your reservations today!

CSLSA is an organization of law schools dedicated to providing a forum for conversation and collaboration among law school academics. The CSLSA Annual Conference is an opportunity for legal scholars, especially more junior scholars, to present working papers or finished articles on any law-related topic in a relaxed and supportive setting where junior and senior scholars from various disciplines are available to comment. More mature scholars have an opportunity to test new ideas in a less formal setting than is generally available for their work. Scholars from member and nonmember schools are invited to attend.

Please click here to register.

For more information about CSLSA and the 2018 Annual Conference please subscribe to the CSLSA blog. We look forward to seeing you in Fort Worth!




IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them.





They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country.





However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia.





"Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination.





Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia.





They should be lovingly helped.





Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948.





To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts:





While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 :

Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell.

The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites.



A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught.



The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers.



Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites."



Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers.









There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks.





This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work.





It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter.





In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam.













In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir.





" The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life."





An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir .





In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance).





Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed).





Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance).









Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam.





It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way.





A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah.





Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs).









Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life".





Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology.





Islam is a supremacist ideology.





Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism.





Islam is a civilization.

Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization.





Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life.

It has a say about every conceivable human act .





Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam.

























The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic.





Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111).





A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44)





Muhammad himself said:

I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30)









Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad.




As part of an ongoing criminal investigation, special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed criminal search warrants at a North Texas business. HSI also arrested 160 company employees on federal immigration violations who were unlawfully working in the United States at the trailer-manufacturing business.

This ongoing investigation began when HSI received information that the company may have knowingly hired illegal aliens, and that many of the aliens employed at Load Trail were using fraudulent identification documents.

Businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens create an unfair advantage over their competing businesses, said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, HSI Dallas, which oversees 128 counties in North Texas, and the state of Oklahoma. In addition, they take jobs away from U.S. citizens and legal residents, and they create an atmosphere poised for exploiting their illegal workforce.

All of the immigration status violators arrested Aug. 28 will be interviewed by ICE staff and Department of Health and Human Services Division of Immigration Health Services (DIHS) staff to record any medical, sole-caregiver or other humanitarian situations. Based on these interviews, ICE will determine if those arrested remain in custody or are considered for humanitarian release. In all cases, all illegal aliens encountered will be fingerprinted and processed for removal from the United States.

A 24-hour toll-free detainee locator hotline is available for family members of those arrested in this operation to address questions about their detention location and status, and the removal process. This hotline operates in English and Spanish; the phone number is 1-888-351-4024.

This HSI-led enforcement action was coordinated with federal, state and local counterparts including the following agencies: U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Texas; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) Border Patrol, CBP Air and Marine Operations.

HSI is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for upholding the laws established by the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which requires employers to verify the identity and work eligibility of individuals they hire.

These laws help protect jobs for U.S. citizens and lawful U.S. residents, eliminate unfair competitive advantages for companies that unlawfully hire an illegal workforce, and strengthen public safety and national security.

Unauthorized workers often use stolen identities of legal U.S. workers, which can profoundly damage for years the identity-theft victims credit, medical records and other aspects of their everyday life.

HSIs worksite enforcement investigators help combat worker exploitation, illegal wages, child labor and other illegal practices. Worksite enforcement investigations often involve additional criminal activity, such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation and/or substandard wage and working conditions.

In addition to worksite enforcement operations like this one, HSI also uses I-9 audits to create a culture of compliance among employers. In July, ICE announced a two-phase operation under this effort.

KJ
click to enlarge PHOTO BY LARRY D. MOORE Jim Hightower

Early on Sunday morning, April 1, our Head Fool received a report from his most trusted intelligence source. Small army of migrants marching toward the United States, headlined his favorite show, Fox & Friends. The commander-in-chief wasted no time in responding to this imminent threat, reflexively trumpeting to his loyalists that a caravan of some 1,500 marauding Latinx militants was coming to crash our southern gates. Getting more dangerous, the chief shrieked in a tweet. Republicans must go to Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW.The image of an invading army became the perfect bugaboo to rally Americas xenophobic right wing behind the extremist anti-immigrant measures that White House strategists, Attorney General Sessions and other political opportunists had been developing for weeks. Demagogic demonization of brown-skinned foreigners was key to ramming through their nasty scheme: to unilaterally decree every asylum seeker a criminal and seize their children as political hostages.Thus, Trump used a caravan of humble Hondurans, wending their way north, to generate a fog of fear to rationalize his planned attack on migrant families. The Hondurans, however, were not animals, invaders or infesters, but desperate families simply seeking refuge in the U.S. from life-threatening horrors at home.Irony sometimes sneaks up on you, as it did on President Trump. June 20 was World Refugee Day, commemorated annually with events in more than 100 countries to raise awareness about the plight of people forced to flee oppression in their home countries. Trump probably didnt notice, for June 20 was also another day of heavy lifting in his teams furious determination to slam the door on families hoping for refuge. The irony is that their iron-fisted treatment of migrants generated much more awareness of refugee abuse than all the other global education efforts combined. More importantly, their vindictive family separation policy sparked a massive grassroots backlash here and around the world, finally forcing the administration to back off from some of the worst of its humanitarian abuses.But they are mad dogs and ideologues, so they wont stop ... unless and until we stop them. Remember that while Trump & Co. are the perpetrators of this god-awful policy, theyre doing it in our name, with our money. Remember, too, that the mass migration hes squawking about is largely composed of victims of societal breakdowns in Central America that trace directly back to the civil wars and military juntas that previous U.S. governments help instigate, arm and back. Yes, the relative freedoms and opportunities available in the U.S. do pull migrants across the Rio Grande, but the most powerful force behind todays influx from the South is the push of our countrys repressive military policies and exploitative economic policies. Neither political party in Washington is addressing that push - which is the only comprehensive immigration reform that will actually work.So this is not just a matter of Trumps character, but also of ours. Our governments immigration policies raise a fundamental question about our peoples moral fortitude: Will we as a society stand up to our own xenophobic, demagogic government pressing us to abandon -- no, to betray -- Americas historic democratic values?
The 20th Annual Prairieland Chautauqua, an official Illinois Bicentennial event hosted by the Morgan County Historical Society, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 3, from 4-9 p.m. nightly in the Jacksonville High School auditorium. The Prairieland Chautauqua consists of 12 independent, hour-long history programs (four per evening) that reflect on 200 years of Illinois history. The presentations will occur in a variety of forms, including lectures, actor portrayals of historical figures and musical performances. A dinner break will occur from 6-7 p.m. nightly. All presentations are free and open to the public. For more information about the 20th Annual Prairieland Chautauqua, call 245-2285. To view the full schedule of performances, find Morgan County Historical Society on Facebook. For more information about other Illinois Bicentennial events, visit http://illinois200.com. 20th Annual Prairieland Chautauqua Sept. 1-3, 4-9 pm Sat-Mon Jacksonville High School 1211 N. Diamond St. 243-4384 Free admission

Illinois Times has provided readers with independent journalism for more than 40 years, from news and politics to arts and culture.

Now more than ever, were asking for your support to continue providing our community with real news that everyone can access, free of charge.

Were also offering a home delivery option as an added convenience for friends of the paper.

Click here to subscribe, or simply show your support for Illinois Times.
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
Wednesday, August 29, 2018

The Illinois Administrator has filed a complaint alleging misconduct by an attorney in his capacity as President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association ("PRBA")

On May 3, 2014, Eulalia De La Rosa ("De La Rosa"), who was then the President of the PRBA, and Claudia Badillo ("Badillo"), who was then the Treasurer of the PRBA, opened the PRBA Chase account. At some time thereafter, De La Rosa obtained a debit card ending in 9839 for the PRBA Chase account (the "9839 debit card").

At some time between January 29, 2016 and November 1, 2016, Respondent was sworn in as President of the PRBA.

Pursuant to Article VIII, Section C of the PRBA bylaws...as President of the PRBA, Respondent was also a director of the PRBA. Accordingly, during the time that Respondent was President of the PRBA, Respondent owed the fiduciary duties listed in Article V, Section E of the PRBA bylaws, referenced in paragraph four, above, to the PRBA. Respondent was also bound by Addendum A...as well as all other duties of the President and directors set forth in the PRBA bylaws.

At some time between November 1, 2016 and November 28, 2016, De La Rosa gave Respondent the 9839 debit card because Respondent had taken over the role of President.

Between November 28, 2016 and December 5, 2016, Respondent was in sole possession and control of the 9839 debit card.

On December 6, 2016, Respondent was added as a signatory on the PRBA Chase account. That same day, De La Rosa and Badillo were removed as signatories because their terms as President and Treasurer, respectively, were over. At some time on or around December 6, 2016, Respondent received a debit card ending in 4853 for the PRBA Chase account (the "4853 debit card").

Between December 6, 2016 and July 24, 2017, Respondent was in sole possession and control of the 4853 debit card, and he was the sole signatory on the PRBA Chase account.

Between November 28, 2016 and July 24, 2017, Respondent used the 9839 debit card and the 4853 debit card to make 77 ATM withdrawals, totaling $10,574.90, for his own personal or business use. Of those 77 ATM withdrawals, Respondent made five withdrawals at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the total amount of $894.95.

Between November 28, 2016 and July 24, 2017, Respondent used the 4853 debit card to make purchases for his own personal or business use, totaling $721.50. Respondent made two of those purchases at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the total amount of $525.90.

Between November 28, 2016 and July 24, 2017, Respondent made 15 electronic transfers from the PRBA Chase account to his personal bank account at Chase, in the total amount of $5,061.15. Those 15 electronic transfers were for Respondents own personal or business use.

He made some payments back into he account but

On July 25, 2017, the board members of the PRBA held an emergency board meeting, at which Respondent was in attendance, to discuss Respondents use of funds in the PRBA Chase account. During that meeting, Respondent resigned from his position as President of the PRBA, effective immediately.

As of July 25, 2017, Respondent still owed the PRBA $4,930.41.

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/08/the-illinois-administrator-has-filed-a-complaint-alleging-misconduct-by-an-attorney-in-his-capacity-as-president-of-the-puert.html
Wednesday, August 29, 2018

The Minnesota Supreme Court imposed a shorter suspension as reciprocal discipline based on a Colorado sanction

Respondent was suspended in Colorado after she submitted false billing entries for the December 2016 billing cycle. Respondent initially lied to attorneys at her firm when they confronted her about the falsified billing entries but confessed later that day. Respondent submitted the false billing entries in order to meet her law firm's yearly billable-hours expectation for associates. No client paid an inflated billing entry. Respondent's misconduct violated Colo. R. Prof. Conduct4.l(a) and 8.4(c). The Presiding Disciplinary Judge found the existence of one aggravating factor and several mitigating factors. When respondent, who is a resident of Colorado, was reinstated to practice law in Colorado in May 2018, she was not placed on probation.

Here

The parties contend that reciprocal discipline is not appropriate in this case because the imposition of the same discipline would be substantially different than the discipline warranted in Minnesota.

The court has independently reviewed the file and approves the jointly recommended disposition. Although we typically impose identical discipline in a reciprocal disciplinary proceeding, identical discipline is not required if it is "substantially different from [the] discipline warranted in Minnesota." Rule 12(d), RLPR. We have imposed less-severe discipline in similar cases involving false billing entries when the misconduct occurred during a short period of time and no client paid an inflated time entry.

...We conclude that a 9-month suspension is substantially different from the discipline warranted in Minnesota and agree that a 6- month suspension is appropriate.

(Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/08/the-minnesota-supreme-court-imposed-a-lesser-sanction-as-reciprocal-discipline-based-on-a-colorado-sanction-respondent-was-s.html
A new program at Loogootee High School offers students the chance to partner with local businesses to earn school credit and gain hands-on experience.

Dara Chezem is the districts assistant superintendent and director of curriculum and technology. She says a group of six students are already making parts for Loughmiller Machine, Tool & Design Inc. as part of the initiative.

"This is just the beginning, with just a handful of students, but our hope is that over the next few years its going to grow," Chezem says.

The program incorporates the districts existing required graduation pathways. Students can choose from applied engineering, computer science, business and humanities and life sciences and biomedical sciences.

Chezem says students are using a Loughmiller machine in the high schools workshop to make the parts. Loughmiller ordered 3,000 copies of the part and Chezem says theyve made about 425 so far.

The goal is for students to eventually run all aspects of the operation themselves.

"Our vision is to then incorporate the business pathway and have them help with the accounting part of it, the marketing part, and everything that incorporates the business end of it," Chezem says.

She says teachers supervise production but are generally hands-off when it comes to problem solving.

"If the machine breaks, they contact the company and find out what [sic] needs done, or if they need more materials, theyre the ones that are calling to get the materials," she says.

Loogootee Community Schools is among 11 recipients of the 2018 Ready Schools grant from Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI), a nonprofit focused on bolstering economic prosperity in Southwestern Central Indiana.
Official enrollment counts are done in September across the state. Its that number that determines how much state money each district will get. Unofficially though, Muncie Community Schools says it has lost 63 students this school year.

Thats much less than the district lost in previous years, as it consolidated two high schools into one and made headlines for being a distressed district.

The district lost 438 students last year, says MCS Emergency Manager Steve Edwards.

Edwards says losing more students is a surprise, but the district did plan for such a loss. It was prepared for a drop of 200 students this year.

If I cross my fingers. If that  and we have every reason to believe thats accurate  that will be a major, major success for this district.

Board president Jim Williams says these numbers also come as good news while the district is trying to get rid of a much-publicized deficit.

Now clearly from the budget standpoint, when you budget for a loss of 200, you want to be under a 200 loss. Now would we love to be 200 up? Sure. Would we love to be 300 up? Sure. But the fact that were flat with February  thats a win for today and should be counted as such. And were going to grow from here.

The district will discuss its 2019 budget in a public hearing on September 11. The Indiana Department of Education says the states official enrollment count date is September 14.
The latest statement made specific reference to the Iranian regimes continued mischief in the broader Middle East, and it made a point of emphasizing the separateness of the administrations policies toward Irans government and its people. In recent months, following the outbreak of a nationwide uprising in the Islamic Republic last December, President Trump and his foreign policy principals have repeatedly made a point of expressing support for those protests and for the Iranian peoples overall conflict with the ruling theocratic system.

Mattis used the press conference to declare that that regime is going to be held to account for its fundamentally destabilizing influence and specifically for its support of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad  something that has been criticized in the context of many recent Iranian protests, wherein participants implored the Iranian government to forget about Syria; think of us. The Independent notes that Mattis did not specify the means by which the regime would be held to account, though it goes without saying that he was referring at least in part to the prospective effects of economic sanctions that began to go back into force earlier this month following their suspension under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which the US pulled out of in May.

That effect may be greater than previously expected, according to a recent report by the Wall Street Journal, which determined that Irans oil exports are set to decline by roughly one-third. The Iranian oil industry was not targeted by this months re-imposed sanctions, which instead focused on other export markets. A second package of renewed sanctions will come into force in early November, following another 90-day waiting period, with the aim of isolating not only Irans oil economy but also its banking sector.

Other measures may follow, and despite sharing Mattis vagueness on this point, National Security Advisor John Bolton declared last week that economic sanctions would not be the only means through which the US sought to change the behavior of the Iranian regime. But some commentators have questioned the breadth of the Trump administrations focus on which specific behaviors have changed, even as it relates to their existing economic pressure tactics.

As one example, The Hill published an editorial on Tuesday that criticized the administrations failure to direct sanctions against certain specific targets that have played a role in Tehrans domestic violations of human rights. The article noted that in 2010 and 2012, the US sanctioned the entirety of the Iranian civilian militia known as the Basij, along with two different leaders of the organization and a deputy commander.

The current Basij head, Gholamhossein Gheibparvar, has not been subjected to similar measures, however. And the relevant articles author, Tzvi Kahn, argues that this is clearly unacceptable in light of the worsening human rights situation that has emerged as the Iranian regime struggles to cope with domestic unrest and perceived threats of foreign political and cultural infiltration.

As part of an apparent effort to build up concerns over that infiltration, Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi recently claimed, without citing any specific evidence, that security forces had arrested dozens of individuals, including many dual nationals, for spying on behalf of unspecified foreign states. In commenting upon this, Alavi also urged Iranian civilians to inform the government if they have knowledge of dual nationals  a surveillance role that is very much in keeping with the operations of Basij militants.

Khan says of that organization, [its] omnipresence allows it to proliferate regime propaganda and conduct surveillance through the use of checkpoints and patrols, thereby embedding the organization into the very fabric of Iranian life. He goes on to note that these features have allowed it substantially contribute, under the leadership of the ruthless Gheibparvar to the violent crackdown on peaceful protests over the past several months.

The Trump administrations failure to target Gheibparvar is not necessarily indicative of general disregard for the instruments of Irans domestic repression. Indeed, the White House targeted the previous head of the Iranian Central Bank specifically in response to his role in providing financing for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is the parent organization for the Basij and a major contributor to domestic repression in its own right. However, this and similar measures were reportedly focused on confronting the IRGCs role as a supporter of international terrorism, a fact that underscores the Trump administrations greater focus on Irans foreign policy than its human rights record at home.

Yet the editorial in The Hill points to the ways in which the contributors to that record are often also featured in the regimes foreign belligerence and terrorist activities. It notes that the Basij often targets Iranians abroad, including the womens rights activist Masih Alinejad, who spearheaded the My Stealthy Freedom social media campaign that has since given rise to large-scale, coordinated protests against forced veiling inside the Islamic Republic. Khan also notes that in 2016, Qassem Suleimani, the head of the IRGCs foreign expeditionary Quds Force, described the Basij as being essential to the export of Irans Islamic revolution.

These facts, together with the Intelligence Ministrys recent appeal, speak to the possibility that a lack of pressure on Irans institutions of domestic repression could have consequences for Western nationals both inside and outside Iranian territory. Several Western nationals are already serving multi-year sentences in Iranian prisons, and the regime has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to exerting pressure on these individuals.

In one example of this, the British-Iranian political prisoner Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe recently had her furlough cut short three days after she was granted temporary release to visit her daughter, Gabriella, who was prevented from leaving the country at the time of her mothers arrest more than two years ago.

Previous requests for furlough had been denied outright, despite such accommodations being granted to non-political prisoners with some regularity. The Tower reported on Tuesday that Mrs. Zaghari-Ratcliffe returned to prison voluntarily, fearing that any delay would result in her parents home being raided in the middle of the night, in keeping with the pressure tactics she has been subjected to ever since she was first taken into custody.

The punitive denial of furlough has also been a feature of the case against Baquer Namazi, the octogenarian father of Iranian-American political prisoner Siamak Namazi. The elder Namazi is currently on an extended furlough related to his medical problems, but this follows the denial of numerous other requests for release to hospital, at a time when those problems were developing and worsening. In other cases, he was returned to prison before receiving specialized treatment, and this suggests that the lengthy nature of his current stay in the hospital has proven necessary to simply keep him alive.

Meanwhile, as the Center for Human Rights in Iran points out, Siamak Namazis requests for furlough continue to be rejected, and the harsh treatment of this and other political prisoners lends credence to familiar claims that the Iranian regime is exerting pressure on them for the sake of using them as bargaining chips, to reduce the escalating pressure coming out of Washington, at least where foreign policy is concerned.
Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of LunaticOutPost.Com. The owners or administration of this website can't be hold responsible for content hosted on sites that posters link to in; including, but not limited to, posts, signatures, private messages and such. This site may contain content not suitable for minors and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/
The US should now embark on a strong public relations campaign to encourage more companies to leave Iran, highlighting how sanctions relief and the money flowing in from these companies do not benefit the Iranian people, but merely enrich the malign mullahs.

In 2012, the Obama administration imposed crippling sanctions on Iran, which significantly limited the amount of money that the mullahs could spend on their nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, terrorism, and their domestic repression, so we can see that sanctions do harm the regime.

Unfortunately, these sanctions led to the flawed 2015 Iran nuclear deal and so did not have a chance to truly change the country for good. The sanctions relief offered by the deal allowed the Regime to resume their abuses and continue their tyranny across the Middle East.

The Trump administration has created a policy of enforcing these sanctions, with none of the ridiculous loopholes that previous administrations have allowed. Trump wants unprecedented economic pressure on the Iranian regime, which is why Brian Hook was made the US Special Representative on Iran. He will coordinate with the National Security Council to get tough on Iran via sanctions.

Of course, putting these sanctions into place is not an easy task and it takes time to gain the approval of other countries, particularly those who are still involved in the 2015 deal, but it will take a global effort to target the Iranian Regimes malign behaviour. After all, the mullahs fingerprints can be found on criminal activity all around the world; including an IRGC-linked money-laundering network that was recently uncovered in Georgia.

Thankfully, the Trump administration is making it clear to all companies that their financial interests are best served by doing business with the US, rather than a rogue state.

Irans response

Iran has responded to the sanctions with their typical propaganda, both through the state-run machine inside Iran and lobby groups in the West, hoping to convince others not to support the sanctions and making obscene claims about it doing harm to the Iranian people.

Of course, the Iranian Regime is the thing doing the most harm to the Iranian people and those with knowledge of Iran understand that the Iranian people support the sanctions and welcome stronger measures against their abusers, as they help the Iranian people to rise up against the mullahs.

Human rights activist Heshmat Alavi wrote: Washington can galvanize its actions through its active support of the Iranian peoples struggle for freedom. A crippling blow to Tehrans regime can come through the official recognition of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) as the voice of the Iranian opposition and voice of 80 million people seeking regime change. The Iranian people do not expect Washington to topple the clerical regime in Tehran. This is a duty on their shoulders. And were up to the task.
- Actress Pokwang disclosed what she thinks was the reason why she still got pregnant at 44

- Pokwang said that she believes nothing is impossible with God

- She is also thankful to Him for giving her Lee and baby Malia

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

Kapamilya comedienne Pokwang bravely shared the reason why she thinks she still got pregnant even at her age of 44.

KAMI learned that the celebrity mom believed that her age is just a number and it will not hinder her from growing her family.

Moreover, Pokwang said her faith in God that she would be given another child was just overflowing.

Siguro nga, huwag mong kinukuwestiyon si God... Hindi pala sa edad yun, nasa dasal," she explained in an interview with PEP.ph.

The 45-year-old actress also expressed that she is still into the idea of following her baby Malia if time and God still permit.

"Alam mo, huwag daw magsasabi ng 'No.' Kung talagang bibigyan ka, bibigyan ka," she remarked.

"Hindi ko sinasabing hindi na, kasi huwag nating kuwestyunin ang Kanyang kapangyarihan, 'no?" she added.

Pokwang, however, revealed that they still refrain from having intimate moments with husband Lee O'Brien because she is still recovering.

"Ang tagal na. Mga one year and a half na rin kami ay, teka, one year and two months na kaming hindi nagsisiping," she uttered.

"We have romantic moments, but also shes still just recovering. Were really happy with Malia right now, and shes the most beautiful thing in the world right now," Lee also commented.

Meanwhile, the Till I Met You star just expressed her sincerest gratitude to the One above for the blessings she has been receiving.

She said that having her husband is already a gift from Him but to have baby Malia in their lives is indeed a huge and extra blessing.

Yung happiness na dumating si Papang (Lee), ibang level naman ito. Eto namang kay Malia, sobra na ito, thankful ka na lang araw-araw kay God," Pokwang shared.

"Yung tipong, 'Lord, tinapay lang po hiningi ko sa Iyo, pero binigyan Niyo pa ng palaman, with matching kapeng mainit.' Yung sobrang-sobra talaga," she mocked.

In a previous article by , the comedienne said that she suffered from nosebleeding upon reading English stories to baby Malia.

Pokwang, whose real name is Marietta Subong, is a Filipino actress who starred in several movies including All You Need Is Pag-Ibig, My Illegal Wife, and The Healing.

In 2014, she met her husband Lee on the set of her film, Edsa Woolworth. She already has two children  Shin (who died of cancer) and Ria Mae  before she married Lee.

POPULAR: Read more news about Pokwang!

Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data!

Imagine that youre walking down streets of the Philippines, thinking of your work, friends, and family. Suddenly a man walking in front of you drops his wallet. He continues walking, without realizing that he has just lost all his money. What would you do in this situation? Social Experiment: How Honest Are People Around You?  on HumanMeter!

Source: Kami.com.ph
- Senator De Lima filed Senate Bill 1949

- This Senate Bill seeks to raise the age of sexual consent

- It has been alarming that Philippines is one of the countries with lowest age of sexual consent

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

Senator Leila de Lima filed a bill petitioning to raise the age of sexual consent from 12 to 18 years old.

Senate Bill 1949 seeks to protect the youth from exploitation and abuse. De Lima filed this in amendment to Republic Act (RA) 8353 also known as Anti-Rape Law (1997).

RA 8353 states that only 12-year-old victims and below have to go through court hearings to prove that they were sexually assaulted beyond reasonable doubt.

KAMI learned from Rappler that according to De Lima, The innocence of the youth, prevent sexual predators from deflowering children, and finally put premium on the virtue of hope of this nation,

In increasing the age of consent to 18 years old, the State is sending a message  loud and clear  the youth will be protected by all means and at all costs, De Lima added.

It has alarmed De Lima that Philippines is one of the countries with the lowest age of sexual consent. She even added that children aging 12 are just going through 6th grade and lack sex education.

Allowing our children at the tender age of 12 years old to decide on their own whether the time is proper to engage in sexual intercourse would be like abandoning them blindfold in a tunnel of mazes, as per De Lima.

Based on a data by Philippine National Police (PNP), De Lima cited that President Dutertes hometown, Davao City, has the highest record of rape cases all over Philippines with 42 reported rape cases at the 2nd quarter of 2018.

A year ago, Senator De Lima was accused of being involved in illegal drugs found in New Bilibid Prison. She was then imprisoned as President Duterte continued to fight against drugs.

Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data!

Philippines Story is a project that may change your attitude towards people. In this set of videos, we ask different professionals from the Philippines to share their life stories. Our todays heroine didnt finish her education but found the work of her dreams. You probably know her as Jen Pili, a makeup artist, and a vlogger.  on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

POPULAR: Read more about Leila De Lima here!

Source: Kami.com.ph
- Gloria Arroyos Timbangan ng Bayan bill gets approved by House of Representatives

- This bill seeks to have Timbangan ng Bayan centers in all markets nationwide

- Violators will be fined P50,000 up to P300,000 with one up to five years of imprisonment

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed

House Bill (HB) 7857 filed by Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to establish Timbangan ng Bayan in all markets all over the country has been approved by the House of Representatives.

KAMI read from Rappler that the bill has been approved for its third and final reading by the lawmakers who voted 199-0-0.

In case it has been passed to a law, the house bill would add new Article 62-A to Consumer Act of the Philippines (Republic Act 7384). This would require all local government units (LGU) to have Timbangan ng Bayan centers in all markets nationwide, may it be private or public.

In this way, the consumers can weigh and verify the products before actually buying them. A supervisor would be in charge of keeping things in order and maintaining the quality of the weighing scale.

Included in HB 7857 are the penalties when it comes to altering, vandalizing, tampering, and destroying any weighing instrument located at the Timbangan ng Bayan center.

According to the official website of the Congress, violators would be apprehended with fine between P50,000 to P300,000 or will be imprisoned for one year up to five years.

The other prohibited acts are:

 For any person other than the official sealer or his or her duly authorized representative to attach an official tag indicating a weighing instrument has officially been tested, calibrated, sealed, or inspected

 For any person other than the official sealer or his or her duly authorized representative to imitate such an official tag

 For any person other than the official sealer or his or her duly authorized representative to alter in any way the certificate indicating the official sealers acknowledgement that an instrument has been fully tested, calibrated, sealed, or inspected

 For any person to knowingly sell or use fake tags, certificates, or dye for printing to make it appear as if a weighing instrument has been officially tested, calibrated, sealed, or inspected

 For any person to use or reuse any restored, altered, expired, damaged stamp, tag certificate, or license to make it appear as if the instrument has been officially tested, calibrated, sealed, or inspected

You may see the PDF version of the Committee Report here.

In a previous report by KAMI, Gloria Arroyo confirmed her retirement for 2019. She also announced that she will no longer run for any position next year.

POPULAR: Read more about Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo here!

Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data!

Philippines Story is a project that may change your attitude towards people. In this set of videos, we ask different professionals from the Philippines to share their life stories. Our todays heroine didnt finish her education but found the work of her dreams. You probably know her as Jen Pili, a makeup artist, and a vlogger.  on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: Kami.com.ph
Artists unite in support of jailed Bangladeshi lensman

Art and photography installations calling for the release of prominent Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam have gone up around the Valley as Kathmandu prepares to welcome several heads of state, including Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for the fourth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
Atlanta renames street after civil rights icon John Lewis

Noting U.S. Rep. John Lewis life of raw courage, Atlanta officials renamed a street for the civil rights icon Wednesday.

Freedom Parkway, a four-lane conduit to the Carter Center, will now be called John Lewis Freedom Parkway.

John Lewis is synonymous with freedom, Atlanta City Council member Andre Dickens said when explaining why that particular street was chosen. Dickens sponsored the resolution _ which the council unanimously approved in December _ to rename the street after Lewis.

ADVERTISEMENT

In the 1960s, Lewis spent his adolescence fighting discrimination alongside other civil rights legends like the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He was the youngest civil rights leader who worked with King.

The congressman recounted his time with King and said he inspired him to get into good trouble, necessary trouble.

While in college, Lewis organized lunch counter sit-ins at restaurants in Nashville when he attended Fisk University. At 25, Lewis was beaten badly and suffered a concussion on Bloody Sunday while leading hundreds of protesters at Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Images of his horrific beating were nationally televised; the brutality forced the country to recognize the discrimination running rampant throughout the South.

In 1981, Lewis career in politics began with his election to the Atlanta City Council. Just five years later, he was elected to Congress.

He has lived a life of raw courage, Dickens said, calling Lewis the conscience of Congress.

Lewis encouraged the crowd to vote and called voting the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democratic society.

ADVERTISEMENT

Renaming the street is just one way the task force assembled by Dickens plans to pay respect to the congressman. Plans to paint a mural of Lewis in the Atlanta airport in January ahead of the Super Bowl are in the works, Dickens said.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also presented Lewis with the Phoenix Award _ the citys highest honor _ Wednesday for his work as both a local and national leader.

We are one people. We are one family, Lewis said. We will not give up on each other.
Black Leadership Accountability Essential

At first, President Barack Obama was largely an untouchable icon, above reproach. Increasingly, however, more Blacks began talking about the need for him to address their specific needs and concerns. But the talk skirted an equally important long-standing issue: The Black communitys failure to hold Black elected and other leaders accountable. Hasnt pervasive self-serving, rather than group-oriented, leadership proven to be extremely hazardous for the Black community?

Many Blacks, perhaps most, initially considered challenging Obamas decisions sacrilegious, and more than a few continued to regard him as an icon to be neither properly critiqued nor criticized. Although increasingly concerned with his decisions, Blacks also needed to be concerned about ineffective Black leadership in general, especially in light of the daunting challenges in the 21st century.

National Urban League President/CEO Marc Morial, hardly a firebrand, early on challenged President Barack Obama to deal specifically, and in more detail, with Black concerns. Professor Cornel West consistently urged Blacks to give informed critical support to the president. And other prominent figures, while supportive of the president, also insisted Black people have a right to advocate for specific Black interests. The same applies to Black leaders who often seem to forget that their primary responsibility should be to constituents and stakeholders.

ADVERTISEMENT

Since the 1960s, the prevailing assumption has been that electing Blacks to political office would leads to an improved quality of life for Black people, in general. But this has turned out to be rather naive. As Dr. Ron Daniels points out, Simply replacing White faces with Black faces in old places did not, and does not, translate into social justice and social change.

While many Black elected officials do honor their pledge to represent constituents interests, far too many continue to mirror the pervasive (White/European) leadership model based primarily on self-aggrandizement with little or no real commitment to use their office as a vehicle toward Black empowerment. As a result, the dictum, Blacks should have no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, just permanent interests remains more rhetoric than reality. Clearly, self-serving leadership meets leaders needs first rather than the needs of those they are entrusted to serve.

Greater accountability and a need for Black strategic alternatives are closely related. However, since the civil rights era, efforts to build an overarching Black agenda(s) have not succeeded and the Black communitys fundamental needs and concerns have gone wanting. Theres some progress, such as a large increase in the number of Black elected officials, the size of the Black middle-class and greater access, albeit insufficient for greater access to better housing, employment, higher education, etc. (In each of these areas, Blacks remain on the bottom.) Further, inner cities remain killing grounds where violence among Blacks and other crimes often seem etched in the landscape. There, schools still do not educate Black children and justice remains scarcely an inch more than symbolic.

The preamble to the National Black Agenda adopted in Gary, Indiana in 1972 was the last best attempt at nationwide unity. It asserted, Our cities are crime-haunted dying grounds. Huge sectors of our youth face permanent unemployment and neither the courts nor prisons contribute anything resembling justice or reformation The schools are unwilling, or unable, to educate our children for the real world of our struggles. Have things really changed?

In some respects, things are even worse today, damning testimony to both ongoing racism and a conditioned callous indifference to adverse conditions even among Blacks themselves. We are, in fact, complicit in our own oppression and the growing chasm between middle-class and poorer Blacks tends to aggravate an already strained relationship between them. Also, today, fewer and fewer Blacks are directly involved in concrete efforts for change, an ominous sign for what is arguably, an even a more challenging future.

Who should be held accountable for reversing current debilitating conditions for Black people? The question is seldom even addressed, let alone answered. For instance, far too many Blacks believed Obamas presidency meant that problems, heretofore intractable, would be solved simply by his being in office. This, of course, was and is a pipe dream. Although Obama was a sea change from George W. Bush, even his staunchest supporters conceded he had no magic bullet and they realized that unless Blacks held our president and themselves accountable, they would continue to get very little from his Administration. Barack Obama was the president of the United States, not Black America, but he did not provide the attention and resources commensurate with our needs.

ADVERTISEMENT

A general absence of Black leadership accountability in California is evident at both the state and local levels. For example, immigration, a huge issue that affects Blacks disproportionately and has major public policy and human rights implications, yet until recently it was not a priority for Black leadership, who said virtually nothing about it. Even in Los Angeles that may have more immigrants than any city in the nation, their collective silence is deafening.

Where are Black leaderships strategic agendas for the Black community? Obviously, there is no single Black agenda to deal with on-going racism, new demographics, the global economy, schools continuing to fail Black students, etc. Yet, we still are not demanding effective, committed leadership that addresses these key issues. The ambivalence and silence of Black leaders and the Black community itself underscore the need for unity and greater accountability indispensable for our survival and future success.
Black Prisoners Join National Prison Strike

Prisoners in at least 17 states across the country went on strike this week to declare that the way theyre being treated by guards and prison officials is no longer acceptable.

The strike, which began on August 21 is scheduled to end on Sept 9. The dates are symbolic, marking the death of author and activist George Jackson by prison guards at Soledad Prison in California, and the Attica Prison rebellion. Its still unclear exactly how many inmates are involved but prison reform advocates say this is the largest protest of its kind in history.

Dr. Heather Ann Thompson, who has written extensively on the history of policing, mass incarceration and the current criminal justice system, said the public should expect more protests from inmates who are chafing under the abuse, brutality and callous disregard exhibited by many guards.

ADVERTISEMENT

Im not sure what will happen but I expect more protests. I will not be surprised if there are more eruptions, said Dr. Thompson, a History professor at the University of Michigan and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and its Legacy. In a broader sense, they will continue to happen. This has been normalized but its so abnormal.

I think we have as a country has been involved for so long in the War on Drugs and the War on Crime that we have forgotten that its not normal. We have a whole generation of children for whom its normal to be pulled over, be arrested and shuttled into the system. We have been in a catastrophic prison crisis for decades now. And conditions have gotten even worse. South Carolina was a wake-up call for people.

She was referring to violence that erupted at Lee County Correctional Institution which left seven inmates dead.

There is so much overcrowding that prison officials chose to put rival gangs in the same dorms. Guys were sending me videos of what was happening, Dr. Thompson recalled. Guys were stabbed to death and the guards were absent for 7 hours. The only way we know is because they recorded it on their cell phones.

Representatives of the striking prisoners said inmates in institutions across 17 states are taking part by refusing to work anywhere in prisons buildings, kitchens, laundries and on prison grounds. Palestinian inmates abroad have expressed solidarity and about 300 prisoners in Nova Scotia, Canada joined the strike. According to published reports, more than 150 organizations, including BYP 100 and the NYC Jericho Movement, have expressed solidarity with the strike, and solidarity rallies outside prisons have been planned in at least 10 cities.

The 19 days of peaceful protest was largely organized by the prisoners themselves, said a spokesman for Jailhouse Lawyers Speak (JLS).

ADVERTISEMENT

Fundamentally, its a human rights issue, stated a JLS statement released before the march. Prisoners understand they are being treated as animals. Prisons in America are a warzone. Every day prisoners are harmed due to conditions of confinement. For some of us, its as if we are already dead, so what do we have to lose?

The strike is organized by an abolitionist coalition that includes the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC), the Fire Inside Collective, Millions for Prisoners and the Free Alabama Movement. JLS activists began preparing the action in April after the debacle in South Carolina.

We want to note that although there arent widespread reports of actions coming out of prisons, people need to understand that the tactics being used in this strike are not always visible, said Jared Ware during an August 22 press conference call. Prisoners are boycotting commissaries, they are engaging in hunger strikes which can take days for the state to acknowledge, and they will be engaging in sit-ins and work strikes which are not always reported to the outside. As we saw in 2016, Departments of Corrections are not reliable sources of information for these actions and will deny them and seek to repress those who are engaged in them.

We have spoken with family members who have suggested that cell phone lines may be being jammed at multiple prisons in South Carolina, and New Mexico had a statewide lockdown yesterday. The departments of corrections in this country are working overtime to try and prevent strike action and to try and prevent word from getting out about actions that are taking place.

Mr. Ware, a freelance journalist who was asked to be part of team that coordinated with the press, said inmates organized nationally and carefully crafted the demands, strategically whittling them down from 35 to 10. The decision to strike, he said, was prompted by the violence in South Carolina, an understanding of how the state contribute to the violence and the changes necessary to prevent a repetition of the violence.

This is a human rights campaign and each of these demands should be understood through a human rights lens, inmate representatives said.

Prison Abolitionist Dr. Kim Wilson said several factors, including racism and the desire to maximize profits from cheap labor, drive the multi-billion-dollar prison industrial complex.

Exploitation of prison labor is at heart of this strike, said Dr. Wilson, a California resident and mother of two sons who are serving life sentences at Vaughn Correctional Facility in Delaware. Some people are making zero. I dont want people to get the idea that this its an at-will job. It isnt a system where people have choice to work. And nearer to the release date, you are expected and required to work.

At the largest wildfire in Mendocino County, thousands of inmates are fighting the fires. The reason is to save property. Prison officials try to sell the idea of this being rehabilitative but thats not true.

Dr. Wilson cited examples nationally of other work inmates are forced to do. In Angola Prison in Louisiana  often characterized as perhaps the most brutal prison in the United States  inmates train and breed thoroughbreds and others pick cotton on The Farm. Inmates elsewhere work on pepper and strawberry farms, she said.

You also have prisoners building furniture for schools and universities, sewing Little League team uniforms and making military equipment, like helmets. This is not a small operation, said Dr. Wilson.

The prison system, she contends, must be dismantled but until then, prison officials and the larger society must confront and address societal issues that cause black and brown people to end up behind bars.

As a prison abolitionist, I see prisons as part and parcel of problem, she said. I dont know how they (the guards) sleep at night. Those individual people are part of a larger system. Im more concerned with the system as a whole. We want an end to the physical places we call prisons and conditions that make it possible in our society. But we cant do this without addressing underlying issues such as capitalism, gender violence, ableism all of which are deeply implicated in the broader prison system.

Dr. Thompson agreed.

What cannot be understated or ignored is the fact that this is created and driven by racism, she said. Seven point five million Americans are in the system. Most would not be here if they were the children of white lawyers, doctors and politicians. People turn a deaf ear to reform because white folks often dont see Black children as children, and think that black people can absorb more trauma than they can.

Authorities cannot lock up 2.5 million people and have the trauma we have and it go on indefinitely. The incarcerated will continue to protest and people will continue to seek release, she said.
Hidden Figures Katherine Johnson Turns 100

Katherine Johnson, who hand-crunched the numbers for Americas first manned space flight  a feat that finally got its Big Screen acknowledgement just two years ago, turned 100 on Sunday, August 26, 2018.

[On Sunday], we celebrate Alpha Kappa Alphas own, Katherine Johnson. Shes credited with crunching the numbers by hand that allowed NASA to launch the first U.S. astronauts into space, leaders of the Alpha Kappa Alpha said in a statement.

We are women of many first. First and finest.

ADVERTISEMENT

Many others paid tribute via statements and social media.

If you havent seen the movie about what she and other brilliant Black women at NASA accomplished, be sure to watch the fabulous movie, Hidden Figure, in her honor, said comic book writer Grace Randolph.

I stand on your shoulders, said Dr. Camille Alleyne. You blazed the trail which I and so many have had the privilege to walk on  Katherine, you are my hero. I love, honor and salute you, Alleyne said.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), also paid homage to Johnson.

Katherine Johnsons historic contributions to the evolution of applied mathematics and aerospace science epitomizes her genius to overcome the scientific challenges of her generation, Chavis said.

Today, African American women in particular should be inspired by the example of Katherine Johnson in STEM career fields, Chavis said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The NNPA salutes Johnsons transformative legacy that is no longer hidden.

The recipient of the 2015 National Medal of Freedom, and a 2016 People Magazine honoree as being among the 25 Women Changing the World, Johnson enjoyed a brilliant 33-year career at NASA and her life story finally was told on the big screen in Hidden Figures, the award-winning movie that starred Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae.

In an earlier interview, she told NNPA Newswire that she missed working.

Id go back now, she said.

After leaving her teaching job in 1953, Johnson began working for NASA and was able to calculate the trajectory for numerous space missions, including for the space flight of Alan Shephard, the first American in space and the trajectory for the famed 1968 Apollo 11 flight to the Moon.

Id do them over if I had to. Id do anything for anyone, she said.

At an early age, Johnson developed enviable math skills so much so that even NASA officials wrote a story about her titled, The girl who loved to count.

I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed  anything that could be counted, I did, Johnson said.

I entered college, I was 15. I was going to be a math teacher because that was it. You could be a math teacher or a nurse but I was told I would make a good research mathematician and they had me take all of the courses in the catalogue, she said.

When Astronaut John Glenn went to the moon, Johnson said her Hidden Figures crew acted as the computer for the mission. She said calculating everything involved in the flight became like a geometry problem.

I felt most proud of the success of the Apollo mission. We had to determine so much. Where you were, where the moon would be and how fast the astronauts were going, Johnson said.

We were really concerned but the astronaut had to do it just as we laid it out. I was looking at the television and hoping that were right, she said.

Born in 1918 in West Virginia, Johnson was a research mathematician, who by her own admission, was simply fascinated by numbers, according to her biography posted by NASA.

By the age of 10, Johnson was a high school freshman  an amazing feat in an era when school for African-Americans normally stopped at eighth grade.

Her father was determined that Johnson would have a chance to meet her potential. He drove the family 120 miles to Institute, West Virginia, where I could continue my education through high school, she said.

An achiever at the highest level, Johnson graduated from high school at 14 and from college at 18. By 1953, the growing demands of early space research meant there were openings for African American computers at Langley Research Centers Guidance and Navigation Department  and Johnson found the perfect place to put her extraordinary mathematical skills to work.

Glenn requested that she personally recheck the calculations made by the new electronic computers before his flight aboard Friendship 7  the mission on which he became the first American to orbit the Earth.

She continued to work at NASA until 1986.

Her calculations proved as critical to the success of the Apollo Moon landing program and the start of the Space Shuttle program, as they did to those first steps on the countrys journey into space, according to NASA.

Still, Johnson said the book, the Academy Award nominated movie and her celebrated work with NASA arent her greatest accomplishments.

Just staying alive is the greatest accomplishment, she said.

In a statement, NASA also praised Johnson.

Today, retired NASA Langley mathematician Katherine Johnson makes her 100th trip around the sun as she celebrates her birthday.
Los Angeles NAACP Supports Ridley-Thomas African American Voter Efforts

At face value, the previous weeks headlines seemed disturbing: University of Southern California had referred a donation, made to the School of Social Work by LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, to federal officials for investigation.

USC said it turned the matter over to the feds because the School forwarded the donation to the United Ways of California, directing it be used for an African American voter research project run by his son, former California Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas.

The article was consumed with innuendoes and veiled accusations. However, the factual element of the article was correct when it articulated, the Supervisor is working to engage one of the Countys premier universities to bring academic rigor and methodology to the issues around African American voting.

ADVERTISEMENT

For many Californians, it is no surprise that the Supervisor would be actively involved in efforts to bring attention and resources to the cause of Black voting rights. From his days as local director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Ridley Thomas has shown singular dedication to reversing the systematic disenfranchisement of African Americans, who make up a plurality of his constituents.

He has championed this cause during his nearly three decades representing South Los Angeles on the Los Angeles City Council, in the state Legislature and now on the LA Board of Supervisors.

Undoubtedly, his extraordinary public service and his dedication to community progress have made him the most powerful African American elected official in the state.

Along the way he also founded the African American Voter Registration, Education and Participation Project, a PAC that under his leadership has done more to register Black voters than any organization in the state  and many in the country.

AAVREP raises hundreds of thousands of dollars from individuals, unions and private businesses to run workshops and voter registration drives. It is particularly focused on the up-coming Congressional elections and 2020.

Undisputed data show it is the Black vote  in particular the votes of Black women  that fuels progressive elections. The Black vote put Barack Obama in office and the Black vote will determine the election results of Donald Trump, whose racist leanings are well documented. AAVREP is a vital organization for the African American community. Political observers can readily conclude there is a powerful effort to disrupt AAVREPs progress and its critical mission.

ADVERTISEMENT

Around the country, state legislatures controlled by conservatives have gerrymandered districts to not just minimize the progressive vote, but specifically the Black vote.

Ridley-Thomas has relentlessly shaken academia lethargy in the areas of public policy and social issues affecting the African American community. Scholars and visionaries recognize, without the involvement of the academic community, the experience of African American voters remains, at best, anecdotal  and seriously undervalued.

Ridley-Thomas new initiative, the Policy Research & Practice Initiative, exists to correct this oversight by collecting hard data about Black needs and voting patterns. He has made it no secret that this research will form the bedrock of serious academic treatment, informed public policy and the efficient deployment of social services.

It is understandable and reasonable that Ridley-Thomas would turn to the former Dean of Social Work, with whom he has worked successfully on a number of projects, to encourage USCs interest and foster a collaboration to produce that hard data.

Last month, I attended the 109th National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Annual Convention in San Antonio, TX. The delegates left the convention inspired and committed to register, educate and turn out voters across this nation. Thus, we are embarking on our national campaign, Turn Out 2018 Civic Engagement Movement. Our national campaign is synonymous to AAVREPs local goals. Moreover, PRPI is a relevant component to enhance our current 2018 movement and to advance the cause of the NAACP.

Unfortunately, this controversy over USCs handling of Ridley-Thomas donation will detract from the larger good. Consequently, if we fail to produce verifiable research into the lives and experiences of Black Californians, we will all be poorer for it.

I trust that Ridley-Thomas will press forward with the PRPI initiative with or without USC. I encourage him to use every tool within his power to increase and document the political participation of African Americans. The NAACPs mission compels us to pursue this civil rights issue with Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.



Attorney Carl Henley is the President of the Los Angeles NAACP

[email protected]
NNPA Polls Black Parents on the Every Student Succeeds Act

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) announced plans to conduct a groundbreaking survey that will gauge the awareness and impact of President Barack Obamas education lawthe Every Student Succeeds Actin the Black community.

The NNPA is a trade group that represents more than 200 Black-owned media companies and newspapers in the United States, that reach an estimated 20 million readers in print and online, combined, every week.

President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) on December 10, 2015, replacing the Bush administrations No Child Left Behind Act. ESSA encourages a personalized educational environment; supports programs that enhance parental engagement in schools; and improves guidelines about targeted resources for historically, underserved schools.

ADVERTISEMENT

In late 2016, the NNPA received a three-year grant from the Gates Foundation to develop a multi-media public awareness campaign focused on ESSA, improving educational outcomes for Black students and increasing parental engagement.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., the president and CEO of the NNPA, thanked the Gates Foundation for collaborating with the Black Press to help raise public awareness about the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Dr. Chavis described the ESSA awareness research as a proactive move.

Rather than let people outside of our community tell us whats going on inside our community, this is an opportunity for the [Black Press]the people who work and serve and live and thrive in the communityto do our own research.

Dr. Chavis said that the data will help the NNPA and other community stakeholders gain insight into how to be more effective in raising public awareness around ESSA.

This study will also give a stronger voice to parents, educators and caregivers in the Black community, Dr. Chavis said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The NNPA has a track record of success for measuring the pulse of the Black community. The trade group partnered with Howard University in Washington, D.C. for a national poll of Black voters ahead of the 2016 midterms and for a 2017 poll on sickle cell disease (SCD) in the Black community; the SCD poll was supported by the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

During a press conference about the results of the NNPA/Pfizer SCD poll, Michael Goettler, the global president of Pfizers Rare Disease unit, said that the survey analysis provided a basis for Pfizer to seek more detailed assistance for SCD sufferers, who are disproportionately Black.

Dr. Chavis said that the success of the Black voter poll and the SCD poll not only opened doors for other research opportunities, but that it also showed that Black folks trust and rely on the Black Press.

During a 2017 interview with the NNPA Newswire, John King, the former U.S. Secretary of Education and current president and CEO of the Education Trust, a national nonprofit organization focused on closing opportunity and achievement gaps, said that the Black Press has a hugely important role in mobilizing Black parents around education and ESSA.

Its partly about telling the story about [exposing academic and opportunity gaps], but its also about changing the narrative, King said. Sometimes, we focus only on what isnt going well, but theres also a powerful story to tell about what is going well.

Dr. Chavis said that the ESSA survey and the data that is collected should play significant roles in crafting those powerful stories.

The ESSA survey will be conducted online and target pre-selected markets in California including: Los Angeles and the surrounding regions (Orange County, Ventura County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County); San Francisco; Oakland; San Jose; Sacramento; Stockton; Modesto; San Diego; Fresno; Visalia and Bakersfield.

NNPA member publications in California will help to promote and distribute the survey and the results will be shared broadly across the nation.

Dr. Reggie Weaver, the former president of the National Education Association (NEA), said that, all too often, parents are not engaged in the education of their children.

Any way that information about ESSA can be coupled with getting parents to act on the things that are in the law is absolutely critical, Weaver said. What the NNPA is doing to educate and inform parents of their rights is important.

Weaver said that parents cant sit back and be spectators in the education of their children; they have to be active participants. That means getting involved in school board meetings, working with teachers and school administrators, and participating in surveys like the NNPAs education poll.

Dr. Chavis said that the results from the NNPAs education poll will not only be used to develop successful models for future public awareness campaigns, but the national exposure would also help to enhance the visibility and value of Black newspapers in California.

This is a historic moment for the NNPA and we are encouraged that so many of our members will be able to participate, Dr. Chavis said. We are eagerly waiting for the study to commence and to get the results.

Dr. Chavis continued: This is just the beginning. The NNPA will continue to seek out culturally-relevant research opportunities in our on-going effort to improve the quality of life in the Black community.

Learn more about the NNPAs ESSA awareness poll at nnpa.org/essa.
Over 2,000 People Reclaim Peoples Lot & Celebrate 7th Annual Power Fest

On Saturday, Community Coalition presented its 7th Annual Power Fest, a free, premier music festival combining art and activism in South LA. This years Power Fest brought the South L.A. community together to reclaim the Peoples Lot, several acres of land that has been vacant for the past 25 years. The event features eclectic music artists, community resources, special activities for kids, food trucks, and much more!

At the event, Community Coalition President & CEO Alberto Retana and Los Angeles City Council Member (8th District) Marqueece Harris-Dawson spoke to the need for community ownership and investment. Im pretty emotional, said Harris-Dawson. Weve been fighting over this vacant for almost my whole career. Today weve reclaimed the Peoples Lot and next year we are going to start building the kind of community we all deserve. We were honored to welcome more than 2,000 people to our annual Power Fest, the premier, political festival in South L.A. that brings music, culture, family activities, and community empowerment to local residents, said Retana. This year, we also shared the new People First Platform, our community vision to build a prosperous community for Black and Brown families in South L.A.

The music festival included performances by Grammy-nominated Rapsody and Quetzal, who was recently featured as a leader an innovator of Chicano music by the Smithsonian. Power Fest also highlighted local artists and DJs, including Earth Arrow, Aponte, and Queens of the New Age DJ Collective, and Wordamouph.

After being vacant since the L.A. Uprising, the Peoples Lot was reclaimed through eminent domain via a motion by County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. As a result, the new project will include affordable housing, a state of the art educational and workforce development publicly-run urban boarding school, a transit plaza, and community serving retail amenities. The project will revitalize a neighborhood that has seen disinvestment, blight, and crime for decades.

In addition to being a premier music festival, Power Fest prioritizes art, activism, and resources. The Empowerment Tent highlighted Community Coalitions People First Platform, its community vision to build a prosperous community for Black and Brown families in South L.A. with performances by Get Lit Poets and a special art workshop by Barrio Mobile Art Studio! The Health is Wealth Tent included wellness resources including yoga, pilates, and a dance workshop from CONTRA-TIEMPO. Hundreds of kids experienced a carnival area packed with face-painting, games, a 45-foot Ferris wheel, and special performances by Tommy the Clown and his crew.

ADVERTISEMENT
Transfiguration Catholic School Celebrates New Renovations

Transfiguration Catholic School held a grand opening on Aug. 16, to show off the newly renovated campus and a big crowd came out for the occasion.

Thanks to a major donation by Shea Family Charities, the school now boasts new doors, windows and floors. Also, a new playground and benches will be installed soon.

It was so rewarding and such a blessing to see this project come to fruition, said Principal Evelyn Rickenbacker, the chief administrator of the 225-student body. She also expressed appreciation to the faculty, parents and the Transfiguration Church congregation for their support and fundraisers.

Church member Alice Williams noted, The renovations are simply beautiful! Im very happy for our children and the school staff. Rickenbacker added that Transfiguration School offers classes from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade.

ADVERTISEMENT

For information about enrollment or to schedule a school tour, call (323) 292-3011.
University plans memorial to slaves after remains discovered

The University of Georgia has unveiled the design of a memorial for slaves and former slaves buried at the site of a campus building.

Beginning in late 2015, workers discovered more than 100 unmarked graves _ likely those of slaves and former slaves, The Athens Banner-Herald reported . The discoveries were made during a construction and expansion project at the 1930s-era Baldwin Hall.

ADVERTISEMENT

Baldwin Hall is in the area of what was once Athens main cemetery before the Civil War.

Construction of the memorial is expected to begin soon, and a dedication ceremony will be scheduled this fall, school officials said.

Conceptual drawings show that it will feature an ascending, circular series of vertical members, an inscribed granite marker, a fountain and two benches.

Much of the granite for the memorial, about 35,000 pounds, will be donated by an Oglethorpe County quarry owned by the African American family of a UGA administrator, Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion and Strategic University Initiatives Michelle Cook.

Cook hopes the memorial will provide a tranquil, reflective place for our entire community, the university said in a statement.

One critic of university administrators conduct after the graves were discovered said he was encouraged by the announcement, but wondered about the wording planned for the memorial.

ADVERTISEMENT

This is a significant step forward. Its important to have the site immortalized, said Fred Smith, co-chairman of the Athens Black History Bowl, said in an email. Admittedly, Im curious about what wording will be etched into the stone. The historical language is almost just as important as the monument.
The URL has been copied to your clipboard

The code has been copied to your clipboard.

A court in Cambodia on Thursday extended by six months the pre-trial detention of Kem Sokha, the former leader of the countrys main opposition party.

One of Sokhas lawyers said the court ruled in a closed-door hearing that Sokhas continued detention was necessary for national security.

His supporters had hoped Sokha would soon be released, especially following the pardoning and release of 14 opposition activists earlier this week.

Sokha has already been detained for almost a year.

Sokha was the leader of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). He was arrested last year and charged with treason. His party was dissolved last November.

Sokha is accused of leading a plan to destroy the government in a US-backed revolution.

In last months elections, Prime Minister Hun Sens Cambodian Peoples Party won all 125 seats in the National Assembly, extending its 33-year hold on power.

Hun Sen said Wednesday of Sokhas case, What is there to be pardoned? This is the case of treason.

Hun Sen, however, had asked for pardons for several other jailed opposition activists. Meach Sovannara, the former head of information and media for the CNRP, was among the 14 freed earlier this week. He had been given a 20-year sentence for making a speech at an opposition rally in 2015.

Sovannara has said he will return to politics. He remains hopeful that a multi-party democracy can be restored in Cambodia.

Political expert Meas Nee told VOA that he believes the government is unsure of what to do with Sokha. If they release him, he could rebuild his party. If they find him guilty, the United States will likely place economic sanctions on Cambodia.

The main piece of evidence against Sokha is a 2013 speech in which he said he had received U.S. support and help for his political plans.

Im Caty Weaver.

VOAs David Boyle reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

______________________________________________________________
Irans efforts to influence internet users around the world are larger than experts have thought, reports Reuters news agency.

Reuters said that Iran has a group of anonymous websites and social media accounts in 11 important languages.

Facebook and other companies said last week that social media accounts and websites were part of an Iranian campaign. The goal was to influence public opinion in other countries.

Reuters studied 10 other websites and many accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

The American internet security company FireEye and the Israeli company ClearSky studied Reuterss research. The companies said that technical evidence showed a web of sites and social media accounts called the International Union of Virtual Media, or IUVM.

Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, took down some sites and accounts linked to IUVM last week.

IUVM spreads information from Iranian state media and other media providers supportive of Iranian policies on the internet. Often the provider makes it difficult to find out where the information first came from. Some of these media providers include Irans PressTV, FARS news agency and al-Manar TV, which is linked to the pro-Iranian militant group Hezobollah in Lebanon. Representatives from those media companies or the Iranian government did not answer Reuters requests for comments.

Russia not alone in trying to influence elections

Since 2016, U.S. officials and media have been looking into possible Russian interference into the presidential election that year.

In July, a grand jury in the United States brought charges against 12 Russians. They were accused of being intelligence officers trying to hack computer systems of political groups in 2016. Russia has denied the charges.

U.S. officials also have warned that Russia could attempt to influence congressional elections in November.

Ben Nimmo is with the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council in Washington D.C. He said the Iranian operation was a large-scale one.

This shows how easy it is to run an influence operation online, even when the level of skill is low.

He said the Iranian operation depended on quantity not quality but still stayed secret for years.

Facebook spokesman Jay Nancarrow said the company is continuing to investigate accounts and pages linked to Iran. The company, he said, took down more pages on Tuesday.

Twitter tweeted that it had removed 486 accounts for violating its terms of use since last week. Twitter said it had suspended 770 accounts recently and of those fewer than 100 had been based in the U.S.

YouTube blocked the IUVM TV page after Reuters contacted the company with questions about it.

Reuters has sought comments from IUVM, but has not received answers from the company. However, the company does not hide that it supports Iranian causes.

IUVM operates in languages including English, French, Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Pashto, Russian, Turkish and Spanish.

Im Mario Ritter.

Reuters reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

anonymous adj. not named or identified

hack v. to secretly get access to the files on a computer or network in order to get information or cause damage

scale n. the size or level of something

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Dongfeng Peugeot recently announced its direction in the Chinese market over next three years, together with its product plan, which includes the Peugeot 5008, the all-new Peugeot 508 and new energy vehicleNEV) models.

It is known that Dongfeng Peugeot and DongFeng Citroen will launch 12 all-new or upgraded models over the next three years. In the meantime, five new NEV models will be introduced in the Chinese market in 2019, including three models under Peugeot and Citroen brand and two models under Fukang brand, which will be showcased at the Chengdu Motor Show 2018. In addition, the introduction of the new Peugeot 5008 and the all-new Peugeot 508 is also in consideration.

Dongfeng Peugeot aims to sell 6,000 to 8,000-unit new Peugeot 408 per month during the second half of 2018. In the long run, businesses of second-hand car and financing and leasing are the new field that Dongfeng Peugeot will have a try. Dongfeng Peugeot targets to gain a 3% market share and ranked top three with high product quality in auto industry by 2020.
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

Our brains are protected by our skull. But that is not the only protection it has.

A natural barrier around our brains prevents germs and other damaging substances in the blood from entering the brain. Doctors call this protection the "blood-brain barrier."

However, it does more than protect.

This barrier also stops medicines from entering the brain. Doctors have trouble using drugs to treat brain tumors, Alzheimers and other diseases affecting the brain. So researchers have been trying to find safe ways to get drugs through the barrier.

Research on mice

At Imperial College, London, researchers have been performing experiments with mice. Doctor James Choi is a leader of this research effort. He describes the blood-brain barrier as a secure entry point -- what he calls border patrol. This keeps out harmful germs or pathogens. But it also keeps out good things.

"You can think of it as a kind of gateway, or border patrol that is saying the brain needs glucose, that's allowed in. All the foreign pathogens -- you're stopped at the door. You're not allowed to come into the brain."

He and other researchers have shown that high frequency sound waves can help open parts of the blood-brain barrier. For this to work, the sound waves must pass through a thick substance or gel. The researchers say the method is much like ultrasound imaging tests used on pregnant women.

First, researchers injected very small bubbles into the bloodstream. Then they added soundwaves to make the bubbles vibrate. This caused cells in the blood vessel walls to stretch, enabling drugs to reach the brain.

Research on humans

Similar experiments are being performed at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Back in 2015, researchers at Sunnybrook became the first to break the blood-brain barrier to treat a brain tumor.

In late July 2018, Sunnybrook reported on the latest research. The New York Times newspaper reports that Dr. Nir Lipsman led the study. In the statement, Lipsman described the project as a "major goal of neuroscience for years adding that it is "exciting."

Six Alzheimer's patients were part of a small test at Sunnybrook. Lipsman and his team wanted to see if targeted sound waves could break a hole in the blood-brain barrier for a brief period.



Dr. Sandra Black worked with Lipsman on this trial. She says the experiment showed that the barrier opened. It let some harmless fluid flow in, and then it closed back up.



"It just took two ultrasound treatments to show that the blood-brain barrier can be opened. It's very exciting, I feel quite emotional about it because there's a lot riding on this, and it's a whole new world of possibilities. But we have to take one step at a time, we have to make sure it's safe."



The researchers add that as the technology improves, doctors will be able to target very small areas of the brain. They hope to target only the areas that need treatment.



Dr. James Choi adds that this kind of targeting will be an important part of future treatments.

"We can make large beams, small beams. We can steer the beam to any location in the brain. So the technology's so advanced at this point where we can actually deliver the drug to any region of the brain."



It may be a long time before doctors can use this form of treatment. However, as Alzheimer's cases increase around the world, scientists are trying every way possible to help patients.

I'm Anna Matteo.

Faith Lapidius reported on this story for VOANews.com. Anna Matteo adapted the story for Learning English. Her story includes information from other media sources. George Grow was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

skull  n. the structure of bones that form the head and face of a person or animal

glucose  n. a type of sugar that is found in plants and fruits

high frequency  n. a radio frequency between very high frequency and medium frequency

ultrasound medical noun : a method of producing images of the inside of the body by using a machine that produces sound waves which are too high to be heard

inject  v. to force a liquid medicine or drug into someone or something by using a special needle  often + into

bubble  n. a tiny, round ball of air or gas inside a liquid

vibrate  v. to move back and forth or from side to side with very short, quick movements

a lot riding on (something)  phrase to be depending on the successful outcome or development of something

beam  n. a line of energy, particles, etc., that cannot be seen

steer  v. to control the direction in which something (such as a ship, car, or airplane) moves
The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots is urging the United Nations to begin talks about banning the use and development of autonomous weapons systems. Representatives from more than 70 countries are attending a five-day meeting in Geneva of the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Autonomous weapons systems are military robots that can independently search and attack targets based on their programming. They are often called killer robots.

The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots is a worldwide coalition of 76 organizations in 32 countries. Members include Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Mines Action Canada and the Nobel Women's Initiative.

Activists say that support is growing for countries to negotiate a ban on the devices during the yearly CCW meeting in late November.

The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots reports that 26 countries have joined the call for a ban since the last CCW meeting in April. The group says China is agreeable to a ban on using these weapons, though not on their development. The coalition also says Russia has announced its support for a non-binding agreement.

Mary Wareham of Human Rights Watch runs the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots. She says pressure is increasing on the United States and other countries to support a ban on fully autonomous weapons.

"All of the ingredients are there for states to take action now," Wareham said. The CCW operates by consensusWe will find out on Friday if any country wants to block the consensus for the proposed mandate."

The proposed mandate is to negotiate a legally binding agreement by the end of 2019. During the last meeting, France, Israel, Russia, Britain and the United States all rejected moves to ban these weapons systems.

Activists say legally binding agreements must be passed to guarantee human control over the use of deadly force. They say to fail in this would violate internationally accepted morals.

Im Phil Dierking.

This story was originally written by Lisa Schlein for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted the story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

autonomous - adj. existing or acting separately from other things or people 

non-binding - adj. not able to be enforced by law

consensus - n. a general agreement about something

ingredient - n. a quality or characteristic that makes something possible

mandate - n. an official order to do something
The United States Justice Department on Thursday sided with Asian-American students suing Harvard University over its consideration of race in admissions.

The department said in a court filing Thursday that Harvard has failed to demonstrate that it does not discriminate on the basis of race. It noted what it described as substantial evidence that Harvard is carrying out what the department called racial balancing.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions added, No American should be denied admission to school because of their race.

The Trump administration has been pushing for admissions policies that do not use race in the consideration process.

In 2014, the group Students For Fair Admission or SFFA argued that Harvard unfairly treats Asian-Americans who have strong school records. The Ivy League school denied the accusation. It said it does not discriminate and will fight to defend its right to consider race in admissions.

The U.S. Supreme Court permits colleges and universities to consider race in admissions. But it says this must be done for the narrow purpose of creating a mix of ethnicities at schools. The court also says the practice should be limited in time. And the court bars the establishment of acceptance levels based on race. The case between the SFFA and Harvard could become the high courts next test on the issue.

Harvard said it was disappointed by the Justice Departments position. A university statement said the school will continue to vigorously defend the legal right of every college and university to consider race in college admissions. The statement added that the Supreme Court has upheld that legal right for more than 40 years.

The university said colleges and universities must have the freedom to create mixed communities. It said such an environment is critical the learning experience of all students.

Sessions argued the schools use of a personal rating, such as being a good person or likeability, may be biased against Asian-Americans. He said the school admits that it scores Asian-Americans lower on personal rating than others seeking admission.

In July, the Trump administration cancelled a measure that ordered universities to consider race in their admissions process to make the schools more racially mixed. That order was left over from the last administration of President Barack Obama.

I'm Caty Weaver.

Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on the Associated Press news report. Caty Weaver was the editor.

Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

________________________________________

Words in This Story

sue - v. to bring a lawsuit against someone or something

Ivy League - n. The Ivy League consists of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, and Cornell universities, the University of Pennsylvania, and Dartmouth College.

disappoint - v. to make (someone) unhappy by not being as good as expected or by not doing something that was hoped for or expected

vigorous - adj. done with great force and energy

biased - adj. having or showing an unfair tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better than others


The United States Census Bureau is reporting two major developments involving education.

For the first time in history, 90 percent of Americans over 25 years of age have finished high school. In addition, more than one-third of Americans over the age of 25 have a college degree or higher.

That is a big change from 1940. At that time, a Census Bureau study found that less than 25 percent of the U.S. population had completed at least four years of high school. It also found that just 4.6 percent had earned a four-year bachelors degree or taken additional classes after completing a study program at a college or university.

Born inside the U.S. vs outside

The new study found that, in 2017, 54 percent of Americans who did not complete high school were born outside the United States. The numbers are even higher among Hispanic men and women. Seventy-six percent of Hispanics born overseas did not have a high school degree.

Higher percentages of foreign-born people from all race and ethnic groups have not finished high school. Yet nearly the same amount of foreign-born Americans as people born in the United States have a college education.

Thirty-four percent of U.S.-born Americans have a four-year college degree. That rate is similar to the 33 percent of those born in other countries.

Recession and school

The value of a high school degree has changed a lot since the 1940s. Today, a high school education is often required for workers in the U.S. job market.

The Census Bureau information showed that the 2007 to 2009 recession led more Americans to go to college.

During the recession, there was a 33 percent increase in students registering at two-year colleges. Those new students may have decided to return to school to improve their skills or learn new ones during a time when labor market conditions were worsening.

Twenty-nine percent of all students were registered at two-year colleges in 2010, but that number had dropped to 25 percent in 2015.

As the labor market improved, fewer Americans left their jobs to go to college. However, the number of students registered at two-year colleges was still 10 percent higher in 2015 than in 2006.

The Census Bureau found that people can earn more money if they go to college. In 2016, people with high school degrees earned an average of $35,615 per year. Those with a four-year college degree earned $65,482, and people with advanced degrees took home an average of $92,525.

There is still a big difference between men and women. Men with a college degree earned an average of $79,927 in 2016. Women with the same level of education were paid an average of $50,856.

Im Phil Dierking.

Dora Mekouar reported this story for VOANews.com. Phil Dierking adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

How well does a college or high school degree affect pay in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

degree - n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university

bachelor - n. a person who has received a bachelor's degree

hispanic - n. coming originally from an area where Spanish is spoken and especially from Latin America
The war on bezels is moving from smartphones to laptops. Yesterday Acer showed off a laptop with slim bezels on all sides for what the company said was a 92 percent screen-to-body ratio. Now rival PC maker Asus is introducing a new set of laptops that it says have up to 95 percent screen-to-body ratios.

The new Asus ZenBook 13, 14, and 15 all feature Intel Whiskey Lake-U processors, optional support for NVIDIA graphics, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of solid state storage.

All three laptops should be available in North America in the first half of October.

Asus says the 13.3 inch model is the laptop with the highest screen-to-body ratio. It features a 1920 x 1080 pixel display with 72 percent color gamut and a four-sided frameless display to hit that 95 percent ratio.

The 14 and 15.6 inch models arent far behind though: they have 92 percent screen-to-body ratios.

Despite the slim bezels, Asus managed to squeeze HD webcams and IR cameras above the displays of all three laptops, allowing you to use Windows Hello facial recognition to quickly login to a laptop, even in the dark. And despite the laptops diminutive sizes, Asus says theyre all pretty sturdy: the company used the military-grade MIL-STD-810G test to examine durability.

Asus has also introduced a new NumberPad option that turns a laptops touchpad into a dual-function device. You can use it as a normal touchpad, but you can also tap the NumberPad icon in the upper right corner of the touchpad to view an LED-illuminated numeric keypad for entering figures.

The NumberPad is an optional feature for the ZenBook 13 and ZenBook 14. You dont need it on the ZenBook 15 because that laptop has a physical numeric keypad to the right of the keyboard.

Heres a run-down of the specs for each new model:

Asus ZenBook 13 (UX333)

13.3 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel display

Intel Core i5-8265U or Core i7-8565U processor

Optional NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (2GB) graphics

8GB or 16GB of LPDDR3-2133 RAM

Up to 1TB of solid state storage

3D HD IR camera

802.11ac WiFi

Bluetooth 5.0

USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C

USB 3.1 Type-A

USB 2.0 Type-A

HDMI

microSD card reader

Headset jack

50 Whr battery

11.9 x 7.4 x 0.7

2.4 pounds starting weight

Asus ZenBook 14 (UX433)

14 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel display

Intel Core i5-8265U or Core i7-8565U processor

Optional NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (2GB) graphics

8GB or 16GB of LPDDR3-2133 RAM

Up to 1TB of solid state storage

3D HD IR camera

802.11ac WiFi

Bluetooth 5.0

USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C

USB 3.1 Type-A

USB 2.0 Type-A

HDMI

microSD card reader

Headset jack

50Whr battery

12.6 x 7.8 x 0.6

2.4 pounds starting weight

Asus ZenBook 15 (UX533)

15.6 inch, inch, 1920 x 1080 pixel or 3820 x 2160 pixel display

Intel Core i5-8265U or Core i7-8565U processor

Optional NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q (2GB or 4GB) graphics

8GB or 16GB of DDR4-2400 RAM

Up to 1TB of solid state storage

3D HD IR camera

802.11ac WiFi

Bluetooth 5.0

USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C

USB 3.1 Type-A

USB 2.0 Type-A

HDMI

microSD card reader

Headset jack

73Whr battery

13.9 x 8.7 x 1.1

3.5 pounds starting weight

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email


Lenovo is expanding its Yoga line of premium convertibles into Chromebook territory or maybe expanding its Chromebooks into Yoga territory.

Either way, the new Lenovo Yoga Chromebook is a 15.6 inch, 2-in-1 laptop with a 360-degree hinge, support for up to a 4K display, a backlit keyboard, and Intel 8th-gen Core processor options.

It should be available in October for $600 and up.

The computer is powered by an Intel Core i5-8250U Kaby Lake-R processor, a 56 Whr battery, 8GB of RAM, and 64GB or 128GB of eMMC storage.

Display options include a 1920 x 1080 pixel IPS touchscreen panel and a 3840 x 2160 pixel IPS touchscreen.

Other features include stereo speakers, two USB Type-C ports, a USB 3.0 Type-A port, a microSD card reader, and a headset jack.

The laptop measures 14.2 x 9.8 x 0.7 and weighs about 4.2 pounds.

It supports Android apps and the Google Play Store out of the box, and customers will get 100GB of Google Drive storage free for 2 years when they buy a Lenovo Yoga Chromebook.

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email


Its been a rough few months for Chinese electronics company ZTE, but now that the US has lifted its trade ban on the company, ZTE is ready to start launching new products again starting with the Axon 9 Pro smartphone.

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro is a phone with flagship specs including a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, a 6.2 inch, 2248 x 1080 pixel AMOLED display, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and dual rear cameras.

But its also the first ZTE phone to feature the companys new Axon Vision display technology.

The ZTE Axon 9 Pro should be available in Germany in September for 649 Euros (about $760). ZTE hasnt announced pricing or release dates for other regions yet.

ZTE made a bit of a name for itself itself a few years ago by launching the original Axon, a smartphone with flagship specs and a $450 starting price. The market has gotten much more competitive since then, and it looks like ZTE is looking to distinguish its latest flagship in other ways like by focusing on the display.

So what exactly is Axon Vision? ZTE says its a combination of things including support for HDR10 video, a dedicated display processing chip with MEMC (motion estimation, motion compensation) technology for smoother video playback, and optimized color tuning. The phone also has an RGB ambient light sensor that can be used to dynamically adjust the phones color temperature for the best viewing based on your environment.

In terms of more traditional specs, the phone has a 12MP + 20MP dual rear camera system with support for optical image stabilization. The 12MP lens has an F/1.75 aperture and a pixel size of 1.4 micrometers, while the 20MP camera has a 130 degree wide-angle lens.

Theres also a 20MP front-facing camera and the phone has a 4,000 mAh battery, wireless charging support, 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and USB Type-C.

The Axon 9 Pro has stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos sound, 3 microphones, and a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone. Its rated IP68 for water and dust resistance.

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email


The Guangdong Security Department has announced that SAR residents can apply for their residence permit at 386 locations in Guangdong province.

Every qualified SAR resident can bring relevant documents to these locations to apply for a residence permit in mainland China. The process reportedly takes 20 days, upon which time applicants can retrieve their residence permits.

Earlier this month, the State Council Information Office issued a new regulation allowing residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan to apply for residential permits in mainland China.

A document issued at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office said that the regulation, to be promulgated later by the State Council General Office, will take effect from September 1.

With a residential permit, residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan will enjoy more rights, basic public services and other conveniences on the mainland, relating to their study, work, business operation and living, the document reads.
President Donald Trump is accusing Google and other U.S. tech companies of rigging search results about him so that almost all stories & news is BAD  and though he is offering no evidence, a top adviser says the White House is taking a look at whether Google should face federal regulation.

Google is pushing back sharply, saying Trumps claim simply wasnt true: We never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment.

The presidents tweets yesterday echoed his familiar attacks on the news media  and a conservative talking point that California-based tech companies run by CEOs with liberal leanings dont give equal weight to opposing political viewpoints. They also revealed anew his deep-seated frustration over not getting the credit he believes he deserves.

The president, who has said he runs on little sleep, jumped onto Twitter before dawn to rehash his recent complaints about alleged suppression of conservative voices and positive news about him.

He followed that up with vague threats in Oval Office comments.

I think Google has really taken advantage of a lot of people, and I think thats a very serious thing. Thats a very serious charge, Trump said, adding that Google, Twitter, Facebook and others better be careful, because you cant do that to people.

Trump claimed that we have literally thousands and thousands of complaints coming in. [] So I think that Google and Twitter and Facebook, theyre really treading on very, very troubled territory and they have to be careful.

Larry Kudlow, the presidents top economic adviser, told reporters later that the White House is taking a look at whether Google searches should be subject to some government regulation. Trump often points proudly to his cutting of government regulations as a spur for economic gains.

In his tweets, Trump said  without offering evidence  that Google search results for Trump News shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake New Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Illegal?

He added, again with no evidence, that 96% of results on Trump News are from National Left-Wing Media, very dangerous.

A search query, several hours after the president tweeted, showed stories from CNN, ABC News, Fox News and the MarketWatch business site, among others. A similar search later in the day for Trump had Fox News, the presidents favored cable network, among the top results.

Google, based in Mountain View, California, said its aim is to make sure its search engine users quickly get the most relevant answers.

Search is not used to set a political agenda and we dont bias our results toward any political ideology, the company said in a statement. Every year, we issue hundreds of improvements to our algorithms to ensure they surface high-quality content in response to users queries. We continually work to improve Google Search and we never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment.

Experts suggested that Trumps comments showed a misunderstanding of how search engines work.

Google searches aim to surface the most relevant pages in response to a users query, even before he or she finishes typing. The answers that appear first are the ones Googles formulas, with some help from human content reviewers, deem to be the most authoritative, informative and relevant. Many factors help decide the initial results, including how much time people spend on a page, how many other pages link to it, how well its designed and more.

Trump and some supporters have long accused Silicon Valley companies of being biased against them. While some company executives may lean liberal, they have long asserted that their products are without political bias.

Media analyst Ken Doctor said it doesnt make sense for mass-market businesses like Google to lean either way politically. He characterized the complaints as a sign of our times, adding that, years ago, if the head of General Electric was supporting a Republican candidate, people who disagreed wouldnt then go out and boycott GE products.

The temperature has risen on this, Doctor said.

Steven Andres, who teaches about management information systems at San Diego State University, said people often assume that if you give a computer the same inputs, no matter where you are, that you get the same outputs.

But it doesnt work that way, he said. Youre seeing different things every moment of the day and the algorithms are always trying to change the results.

Trump didnt say what he based his tweets on. But conservative activist Paula Boylard had said in a weekend blog post that she found blatant prioritization of left-leaning and anti-Trump media outlets in search results.

Boylard based her judgments on the political leanings of media outlets on a list by Sharyl Attkisson, host of Sinclair Televisions Full Measure and author of The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See, Think, and How You Vote. Sinclair is a significant outlet for conservative views.

Trump began complaining about the issue earlier this month as social media companies moved to ban right-wing Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones from their platforms. The president also argues regularly  and falsely  that the news media avoid writing positive stories about him and his administration.

Jones is being sued for saying the 2012 shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School was staged. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur and has argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed because he was acting as a journalist.

Trump has praised Jones amazing reputation.

The issue is also of concern on Capitol Hill, where the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., recently announced that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey is scheduled to testify before the panel on Sept. 5 about the platforms algorithms and content monitoring. AP
A Hong Kong university professor was charged with his wifes murder yesterday, a day after her decomposing body was found inside a suitcase in his campus office, reports said.

Hong Kong University mechanical engineering associate professor Cheung Kie-chung was taken away by police on Tuesday, according to the South China Morning Post and other news media.

Cheung, 53, had reported that his 52-year-old wife walked out after an argument on Aug. 17. She was believed to have been dead for several days when her body was found Tuesday dressed only in her underwear with an electric wire around her neck suggesting strangulation, Singapores Straits Times newspaper reported.

The Post said a post-mortem examination was being conducted to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Despite Cheungs claim, there was no security camera footage showing his wife, who was not named in the reports, leaving the dormitory where she lived with her husband and an adult daughter and son. He was later seen leaving with a wooden box, the reports said, adding that the suitcase containing the body had been encased inside a sealed wooden box.

Cheungs arrest came days after the start of the trial in Hong Kong of an anesthesiologist charged with killing his wife and daughter by placing a leaking yoga ball filled with deadly carbon monoxide in their car.

Malaysian citizen Khaw Kim-sun, 53, was allegedly having an affair and had become estranged from his wife and four children, although they continued to live together. Khaw, who has pleaded not guilty, was arrested in September. AP
Having adequate employee training resources remains a challenge for businesses in Macau, along with increasing sales competition from the many large companies in the region.

Tom Abbott, founder and director of Soco/Sales Training, a sales optimization company in Singapore, said that his company has increased their volume of work in Macau, assisting companies optimize their sales processes.

We also hold sessions on improving and measuring the ROI of training. Theres definitely a gap there, he said, speaking on the sidelines of his presentation.

Yesterday, Abbott spoke on how to plan and implement a holistic training system to reduce costs and optimize results at a breakfast meeting held by the France Macau Chamber of Commerce.

According to Abbott, making required training available on mobile devices for employees leads to a 40 percent increase in productivity, adding that some 48 percent of online training on TrainTool occurred outside of office hours in 2016.

Abbott then suggested that companies should learn how to motivate their team members by making them feel that what they do at work matters, making them feel competent and giving them a sense of autonomy.

According to his data, by using gamification, learners scored 15 percent higher in skill-based knowledge and 9 percent higher than using traditional methods.

Using gamification, for example, increases retention and engagement, he said, noting that the use of e-learning could also boost both factors from 10 to 60 percent.

Abbott noted that there was nothing preventing Macau from using e-learning infrastructure. Thus, he suggested that companies either design their own programs, or work with external parties that have something established, using plug and play materials.

[However] gaming can be a bit of a challenge. Gaming may have some firewall issues but there are different ways where you can host those videos on different platforms that we have found quite successful, Abbott said.

If you have the will and the mindset to adopt e-learning, there is a way, he emphasized.

However, Abbott, who has clients in the SAR, including gaming operators, observed that there are still companies who refuse to use technology to train their employees.

Theres going to be winners and losers when it comes to performance here in Macau. The sooner you get on board, the sooner youll reap those rewards, he said. Those that lag behind will lose.

In training employees, Abbott shared that companies should determine how much trainees learn in the form of increased knowledge and understanding, and measure changes in the on-the-job behavior of trainees.
Remedios Ferrer scrutinizes a pit where forensic archaeologists are brushing away dusty soil and white traces of quicklime, unearthing four fractured skulls amid a mass of bones and decaying clothes.

Her anarchist grandfather, Mariano Brines, was summarily executed by a firing squad in Paterna months after Gen. Francisco Franco proclaimed his victory in the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War. According to the familys account, Brines was buried along with 99 other sympathizers of the fallen republican regime just as the dictatorship cemented its authoritarian grip.

Eight decades on, a new center-left governments move to exhume Franco from a controversial shrine also raised attention over an unresolved issue linked to his regime  the hundreds of anonymous mass graves that testify to the dictatorships brutality.

Such efforts, legally active at least for the past decade, have been erratic, intermittent and led by victims descendants forced to seek independent, non-state funding, which has raised criticism from United Nations bodies and human rights organizations.

But for descendants of victims like Ferrer, whose parents led her to French exile as a 2-year-old and died before discovering Brines burial site, even the changes sought by Spains new Socialist government are coming too late.

It makes me sad and angry, because it was heart-breaking for my mom, and before her for my grandmother, to know that grandpa was buried here like an animal, said Ferrer, now 66. They should be the ones standing here.

Paterna is a town in the outskirts of coastal Valencia that has prospered in the shadow of an infamous execution wall still standing near the cemetery, holes of bullets still visible among flower bouquets and memorials that locals place to remember the atrocities committed at the site.

Military and civil guard firing squads shot dead at least 2,238 prisoners here according to historians research and the cemeterys records. The remains are believed to have been thrown into 70 different mass graves and covered in the quicklime to seal off the site.

Yesterday [Macau time], graveyard number 112  where two batches of 50 prisoners were inhumed months after the war ended in April 1939  was the latest to be opened in Paterna. After days of careful digging underneath a layer of ordinary, casket-burials, piles of skeletons emerged.

Alex Calpe, one of the independent archaeologists working at the site on behalf of relatives those killed, says the experts work must be thorough because its goal is to deliver closure to the victims families.

Countrywide, the task ahead remains daunting. Mass graves are believed to hold at least 114,000 victims of the Spanish Civil War  in which half a million people are believed to have died on all sides  and the four decades of Francoism that followed.

Exhumation efforts began in earnest in 2007 with a new Historic Memory Law that condemned atrocities committed during Francos regime, which lasted until 1975. But the law fell short, leaving it up to local and regional governments to fund exhumations and DNA tests  which were often paid for by relatives through crowd-funding. The previous conservative administration declined to allocate any budget.

This is not a matter of politics, whether left or right-wing this is something that should be done, said Carmen Gomez, who leads the association of 42 relatives who pushed for the opening of graveyard number 112, ultimately paid for by a grant last year from the provincial government of Valencia. Aritz Parra, Paterna, AP
Indian police arrested five rights activists for suspected links to Maoist rebels in raids on their homes and offices in several places in the country.

Police also accused the five of delivering speeches that triggered protests and violence between low-caste Dalits and right-wing groups near the western city of Pune in December. The government says Maoist rebels, who are active in several states, are Indias biggest internal security threat.

The rebels, inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting the Indian government for more than four decades, demanding land and jobs for tenant farmers, the poor and indigenous communities.

Those arrested were Telugu-language poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Farreira in Mumbai, and Gautam Navalakha and Sudha Bhardwaj in New Delhi and a neighbouring town, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

The government crackdown was condemned by Aakar Patel, executive director of Amnesty International India, who said the arrests threatened core human rights values.

All these people have a history of working to protect the rights of some of Indias most poor and marginalized people. Their arrests raise disturbing questions about whether they are being targeted for their activism, Patel said.

Amitabh Behar, CEO of Oxfam India, said the government should protect peoples rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly instead of creating an atmosphere of fear.

Police said the five activists arrested incited Dalits, members of Hinduisms lowest caste, to counter right-wing groups at a rally on Dec. 31, leading to violent clashes that left one person dead.

In June, police arrested five other activists on suspicion of also inciting the Dalits, who have been marginalized for centuries and forced to perform jobs considered unacceptable by other castes.

Caste prejudice is endemic in Hindu-majority India, even though the constitution outlaws the practice and has made it a crime punishable by up to a year in prison. AP
Japanese police are investigating the deaths of four elderly patients at a hospital in heat-struck central Japan after the air conditioning failed in their rooms.

Police in Gifu confirmed that the patients, all in their 80s, died at Y&M Fujikake Daiichi Hospital on Sunday and Monday, likely due to heat stroke. They were on the third and fourth floors of the hospital in Gifu, where temperatures exceeded 36 degrees Celsius (96 Fahrenheit) on those days.

Police said they are investigating possible negligence resulting in death by the private hospital, which specializes in elderly care. Public television NHK and other media said police also obtained a search warrant for suspected murder.

Police said the air conditioning problem may also have caused heat stroke symptoms for some other patients who survived. NHK said an unspecified number of affected patients recovered after being taken to air-conditioned rooms.

Japan has experienced a severe heat wave this summer. The country had 133 heat stroke deaths in July, a single-month record since the government began compiling statistics in 2008, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

Hospital officials said they used nine fans in patients rooms and other places affected by the air conditioning breakdown, which occurred a week earlier and was being repaired. They said the measures were adequate.

Hospital chief Yosei Fujikake told reporters that the repairs will take a month.

The hospital has 65 beds and has a nurse and a caregiver on duty each night, according to its website. Two of the patients died during the night. AP
American actor, director and producer Nicolas Cage will feature as a talent ambassador at this years International Film Festival and Awards  Macau (IFFAM), the Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

Hong Kongs Aaron Kwok joins Cage this year to make the celebrity pair of festival ambassadors. Organizers described the pairing as reflective of the festivals ambition to bring together local and international industry professionals, to highlight Macaus East-meets-West culture and to introduce local audiences to the best in international cinema.

The IFFAM, now in its third edition, is due to be held between December 8 and 14.

While in Macau, Cage is expected to walk the red carpet as well as participate in a master class on December 9.

Nicolas Cage is a brilliant, iconic actor and a star for the ages, Macau artistic director Mike Goodridge told the Hollywood Reporter. We are proud and delighted to welcome him to Macau this year as our talent ambassador, and to show his extraordinary new film, Mandy.

Cages latest film, Mandy had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May and is to have a special screening in Macau in December.

Last years talent ambassador team comprised U.S. actor Jeremy Renner, famed Hong Kong actress Miriam Yeung and Korean pop star Doh Kyung-soo. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, presented Renner with the Macau East West Actor of the Year Award.
A Taiwanese exchange student accused of threatening to carry out a shooting at his suburban Philadelphia high school pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge yesterday [Macau time].

An-Tso Sun was arraigned in federal court, where he entered the guilty plea. A judge scheduled sentencing for December, but Suns attorney Robert Keller asked that the date be moved up once the pre-sentencing report is finished.

Sun, 18, has agreed to be deported and to not re-enter the U.S. without permission.

He previously pleaded guilty to state terroristic threat charges and was sentenced to four to 23 months. He was immediately paroled and remanded to federal custody to face a charge of an alien in possession of ammunition.

The judge could sentence Sun to up to 10 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. Keller said after court Tuesday that he hopes to show up for the sentencing hearing with a plane ticket.

Thats going to be the mantra, the cry, when he gets to sentencing. Let this boy go home, he said.

School authorities were alerted in March that Sun talked about a May 1 shooting at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High School in Upper Darby, about 11 kilometers west of Philadelphia. The teen called the talk a joke, but authorities found more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition, as well as weapons, in his home.

Keller objected Tuesday to the U.S. Attorneys office including the allegation that Sun had told a classmate not to come to school on May 1 because he was planning a shooting. The judge overruled his objection, but Keller said after court Tuesday that he will raise it again during sentencing. He accused prosecutors of going overboard in trying to prove their case.

Keller previously said Sun had no intention or plans to commit a school shooting and many items found were what he wore to school for a Halloween costume contest.

A military-style ballistic vest, ammunition clip pouches, a high-powered crossbow and live ammunition were found in Suns bedroom in Lansdowne, Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. A search of his school-issued iPad indicated searches on how to buy an AK-47 or an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, police said.

Suns parents are actor and assistant film director Sun Peng and actress Di Ying.

Keller said they were in Philadelphia and had been visiting their son weekly but chose not to come to court Tuesday to try to remove some of the spotlight from their son. He said they have been upset because their son was expelled two months before graduating high school and had been accepted to Temple University.

We can understand why the government is taking these matters so seriously, and I think the huge mistake that this young child made was he didnt understand the dynamics of whats going on in the United States, Keller said after court. He now gets it and its time for this kid to go home. Claudia Lauer, Philadelphia, AP
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) donated Yemens second city, Aden, a power station of 120-megawatt at a price tag of $100 million, reports say.

The station was shipped to the conflict-hit country Wednesday through the citys port.

The station powered one of the worlds largest engine, is located in Al Haswa district and will start operation this October, Trade Arabia reports citing Emirates news agency Wam.

The donation is from Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation linked Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the President of the Gulf country.

Aden has become since 2014 the seat of the Yemeni internationally recognized government of President Mansour who lost capital Sanaa to Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia both leading an international coalition intervened in 2015 to shore up Hadis authority.

Emirati forces backed by Hadi forces have been controlling most parts of south Yemen while vast swathes of the northern territory still remain under the rebels control.
A relatively simple effort to provide counseling and connect injection-drug users with resources could prove powerful against the spread of HIV in a notoriously hard-to-reach population, new research suggests.

The study increased by almost 30 percent the use of antiretroviral medications to suppress HIV infection, according to the study, which appears in The Lancet.

The research team, co-led by William Miller of The Ohio State University, studied the intervention in a handful of high-risk populations around the world and found that it was not only well-received but could also reduce deaths from HIV infection.

Miller, a professor of epidemiology at Ohio State, and his colleagues wanted to create a low-cost, effective program that would help the select populations tested in this studybut one that could also be ramped up to improve the worldwide health of HIV-infected people who inject drugs. The study included sites in the Ukraine, Vietnam and Indonesia that are part of the HIV Prevention Trials Network.

"All over the world, people who inject drugs are stigmatized in both the general population and the health care setting and they tend to be afraid to engage with health care providers and others who want to help them," Miller said. "This becomes even more of a challenge when it comes to people who inject drugs and who have HIV."

"Our goal was to design something that could be scaled up relatively easily, including in places that don't have a lot of resources," Miller said.

After a year, 72 percent of the HIV-positive group who received the flexible program of psychosocial counseling and help navigating existing resources said they were using antiretroviral therapy (ART) to combat their HIV infection. In the control group, only 43 percent of infected participants were on therapy.

That's a remarkable victory in a group of HIV-positive people who face serious obstacles to ongoing treatment, including stigma and poor access to adequate health care, Miller said. The World Health Organization has set a goal of 90 percent uptake of ART among infected individuals by 2020.

The researchers also saw a significant improvement in the intervention group when it came to suppressing the virusand likely reducing the risk of transmission. Forty-one percent of HIV-positive men and women who had psychosocial support and help accessing resources achieved viral suppression, compared to 24 percent of those in the control group.

Furthermore, 41 percent of the HIV-positive participants in the study group were on medication to help with their drug use, versus 25 percent of their peers who did not receive additional help. Among the non-infected drug-use partners, uptake of medication for drug use was slightly higher among those in the intervention group, but the difference wasn't statistically significant.

And none of the HIV-free drug-use partners in the intervention group were infected in a year's time. In the control group, seven partners were infected.

Both the infected and uninfected participants in the intervention group saw lower mortality rates than those in the standard-of-care group. Seven percent of infected intervention participants, compared to 15 percent who received standard care, died during the study follow-up.

And, though it wasn't an outcome the research team originally planned to analyze, they did find that the initiative cut the risk of death in half. Among uninfected intervention participants in the study, .5 percent died, compared to 3 percent of those who received standard care.

People who use injection drugs typically have high rates of HIV and limited access to antiretroviral therapy and medications to help them stop using injection drugs, Miller said.

The intervention used in the study was designed in hopes of offering counseling and steering people toward existing resources that could improve their healthincluding preventing HIV infection and helping them move toward a drug-free life.

A key element was the flexibility of the program, the researchers said. Previous studies have often been prescriptive in terms of how much counseling a participant receives. In this study, the participants could receive as little or as much as suited their needs.

"Our study confirmed the fact that the effort to successfully engage HIV-infected people who use injection drugs in care is on a spectrum. Some needed very little support and some required an enormous effort with several visits and counseling sessions to help them and convince them to get into care," said study co-lead author Irving Hoffman of the University of North Carolina.

"The flexibility of our intervention was ideal to serve this population and objective," he said.

The study included 502 people who were HIV positive at the start of the trial, and another 806 HIV-free people within their drug-use circles. A quarter of the study participants were assigned to the new intervention, while the rest received "standard of carewhatever is typically available to this population.

Participants in the study ranged from 18 to 60 years old and were actively injecting drugs at least twice a week at the time of enrollment in the research. The researchers found the non-infected participants through the HIV-infected study subjects, who suggested people with whom they used drugs. Up to five injection partners were enrolled per HIV-infected "index" participant.

Standard of care in each of the countries included referrals for HIV management and medication, including methadone or buprenorphine. They also received a standard harm-reduction package, HIV testing and counseling, referrals for antiretroviral therapy and other basic care provided in their country. That could include referrals to clean syringe programs, risk-reduction counseling for injection drug use and sexually transmitted diseases.

Infected participants in the intervention group received all of that, in addition to access to systems navigators who helped them engage with resources, stick with the program and adhere to HIV care and therapy to reduce or stop injection drug use. They also had psychosocial counseling that included tactics to help them solve problems, build skills and set goals.

Each participant received at least two meetings or phone calls with a systems navigator and a counselor. Participants were asked to bring a family member, friend or partner with them to these sessions. After the initial two sessions, the frequency or amount of help was dictated by the participant's needs and desires.

Explore further Intervention cuts risk for HIV in young transgender women
Matt Moore, a Beckman Institute Graduate Fellow and co-author of the study. Credit: Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology

If you feel anxious prior to exams, take note: studies suggest that you can learn how to be resilient and manage your stress and anxiety.

Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois recently examined a sample of 85 healthy college students to see how a number of personality traits can protect an individual's brain against symptoms of emotional distress, namely depression and anxiety.

"In this study, we wanted to look at commonalities across brain regions and across personality traits that contribute to protective factors," said Matt Moore, a Beckman Institute Graduate Fellow and co-author of the study. "We targeted a number of regions in the prefrontal cortex, looking specifically at the volume of those regions using structural magnetic resonance imaging. We did a confirmatory factor analysis, which is basically a statistical approach for testing whether there is a common factor underlying the observed measurements."

The study, "Neuro-Behavioral Mechanisms of Resilience against Emotional Distress: An Integrative Brain-Personality-Symptom Approach using Structural Equation Modeling," was recently published in Personality Neuroscience.

In order to examine resiliency in young adults, previous research has looked at the relationship between specific brain regions and certain personality traits, such as optimism, positive affect, and cognitive reappraisal, all of which factor into how an individual copes with emotional challenges.

"We knew from the clinical literature that there are relationships between brain volume and certain personality traits," said Sanda Dolcos, a research scientist in psychology, and one of the study's authors. "Lower brain volume in certain areas is associated with increased anxiety."

Coupled with questionnaires that identified the personality traits, the structural information of the prefrontal cortical regions provided evidence that there are common factors in brain structure and personality that can help provide adaptive behavior in order to avoid negative emotions.

"In a statistical model, we extracted these factors, one at the brain level, one at the personality level, and we found that if you have larger volume in this set of brain regions, you had higher levels of these protective personality traits," Moore said.

The researchers are interested in identifying these brain regions along with specific personality traits in order to create ways for individuals to learn how to combat anxiety and depression.

"We are interested in cognitive behavioral intervention," Dolcos said. "We have identified a resilience factor, which relates to detailed components in the prefrontal cortex, so cognitive interventions would target those brain areas."

The fact that the brain volume can change based on developing skills that might alter traits such as optimism indicates that brain training is one way to combat emotional distress.

"People are not necessarily aware of how plastic the brain is," Dolcos said. "We can change the volume of the brain through experience and training. I teach brain and cognition, and students are so empowered at the end of the course because they realize that they are in charge.

"It means that we can work on developing new skills, for instance, new emotion regulation strategies that have a more positive approach, and can actually impact the brain."

"This study gives us the coordinates of the brain regions that are important as well as some traits that are important," Moore said. "As the next step, we can then try and engage this plasticity at each of these levels and then train against a negative outcome."

Explore further Chimpanzee personality traits are linked to brain structure

More information: Matthew Moore et al. Neurobehavioral Mechanisms of Resilience Against Emotional Distress: An Integrative Brain-Personality-Symptom Approach Using Structural Equation Modeling, Personality Neuroscience (2018). Matthew Moore et al. Neurobehavioral Mechanisms of Resilience Against Emotional Distress: An Integrative Brain-Personality-Symptom Approach Using Structural Equation Modeling,(2018). DOI: 10.1017/pen.2018.11
Cancer cell during cell division. Credit: National Institutes of Health

Scientists have discovered that some childhood bone cancers start growing years before they are currently diagnosed. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Canada discovered large-scale genetic rearrangements in Ewing Sarcomas and other children's cancers, and showed these can take years to form in bone or soft tissue. This study will help unravel the causes of childhood cancers and raises the possibility of finding ways to diagnose and treat these cancers earlier in the future.

Reported in the journal Science today (31st August 2018), the research also showed that cancers with the complex genetic rearrangements were more aggressive and could benefit from more intense treatment than other cancers. This will help doctors decide on the best treatment for each patient.

Ewing sarcoma is a rare cancer found mainly in bone or soft tissue of young teenagers as they grow, and is the second most commonly diagnosed bone cancer in children and young people. Treatment involves chemotherapy, surgery to remove the affected part of the bone if possible and radiotherapy. However, this harsh regime has hardly changed for the last 40 years and fails about one third of patients.

Cancer is a genetic disease and in Ewing sarcoma, two specific genes, EWSR1 and ETS, are fused together. To understand the genetic events leading to this, researchers sequenced and analysed the genomes of 124 tumours. They discovered that in nearly half of the cases, the main gene fusion occurred when the DNA completely rearranged itself, forming complex loops of DNA.

Dr. Adam Shlien, one of the lead authors on the paper, Associate Director of Translational Genetics and Scientist in Genetics & Genome Biology, and co-Director of the SickKids Cancer Sequencing (KiCS) program at SickKids, said: "Many childhood sarcomas are driven by gene fusions, however until now we have not known how or when these key events occur, or whether these processes change at relapse. We found dramatic early chromosomal shattering in 42 per cent of Ewing sarcomas, not only fusing two critical genes together, but also disrupting a number of important areas."

The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat, but until now it was thought that Ewing sarcoma was very fast growing. Surprisingly, the researchers found that the complex DNA rearrangements that cause Ewing sarcoma had occurred years before the tumour was diagnosed. This offers possibilities of finding ways to screen for these cancers to treat them earlier.

Dr. Sam Behjati one of the lead authors on the paper from Wellcome Sanger Institute and University of Cambridge Department of Pediatrics, said: "In principle this study provides evidence that Ewing sarcoma could be detectable earlier, possibly even before it reveals itself as disease. If we could detect these childhood cancers sooner, when tumours are smaller, they would be much easier to treat. Further research is needed, but this possibility of finding a way to diagnose Ewing sarcomas earlier could help patients in the future."

The researchers discovered that Ewing Sarcomas with these complex genetic rearrangements were more aggressive than those with simple gene-fusions, and that any relapses needed different treatments. Understanding this could help clinicians offer the best treatment options for each patient.

Dr. David Malkin, co-lead author, Staff Oncologist, Scientist and co-Director of the SickKids Cancer Sequencing (KiCS) program, said: "As an increasing and diverse number of tumour genome sequences become available, we may be able to define further rearrangement processes that underlie fusion genes and thus unravel the causes of fusion-driven human cancers. Our goal is to better understand these cancers in an attempt to improve treatment and outcomes."

Explore further Team finds link between BRCA1 and Ewing sarcoma

More information: Anderson el al., "Rearrangement bursts generate canonical gene fusions in bone and soft tissue tumors," Science (2018). Journal information: Science Anderson el al., "Rearrangement bursts generate canonical gene fusions in bone and soft tissue tumors,"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi  1126/science.aam8419
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A Philadelphia law firm has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against a number of opioid manufacturers, alleging that they are responsible for the medical needs of babies exposed to opioids before birth.

John Weston, the attorney at Sacks Weston Diamond who brought the suit Friday on behalf of an anonymous baby boy and his mother, said he believes the case is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. Lawsuits on behalf of babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS, have been filed in several other states, but are not as common as the wave of litigation against pharmaceutical companies, often filed by state and local governments seeking to recover costs related to the opioid epidemic.

"It's basically the same theory as all of the other opioid cases," which allege that pharmaceutical companies sparked the opioid crisis by aggressively marketing opioid pain medications and downplaying their addictive properties, Weston said. "It's just a different group of plaintiffschildren exposed to opioids in the womb who display symptoms of withdrawal at birth.

"You can argue about who's at fault," he said, "but it's certainly not the kid."

If the suit is successful, Weston said, the class of plaintiffs who stand to benefit would be limited to children whose mothers could prove their own addiction began with prescription opioids.

Though the suit claims that newborns with NAS face long-term adverse health outcomes, questions about lasting harm are far from settled because unbiased studies are hard to do. While the symptoms of newborn withdrawalsuch as excessive crying, fever, tremorsgo away within days or weeks, some studies suggest opioids can leave children with behavioral, cognitive, vision and movement problems.

But researchers say the effects of licit and illicit opioids are hard to isolate from the effects of other substances mothers might have used, such as alcohol, and from the impact of factors such as poverty and poor prenatal care.

Another obstacle to holding companies liable for children's long-term problems is that many women trying to control their addiction are prescribed milder opioids, either methadone or buprenorphine, that cut cravings without delivering euphoric effects. Abruptly quitting opioids increases the risk of miscarriage, so pregnant women are urged to continue or begin such medication-assisted treatment.

Pennsylvania Medicaid data consistently show that the majority of pregnant women taking prescribed opioids are on buprenorphine or methadone. In Tennessee, which collects data on the sources of neonatal drug exposure, 70 percent of cases were linked to the mothers' medication-assisted treatment in 2017.

Explore further US sees spike in pregnant women addicted to painkillers

2018 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Eye fundus with intermediate AMD. Credit: Universitats-Augenklinik Bonn

The European MACUSTAR consortium is conducting a multi-country clinical study on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) coordinated by the University of Bonn. The clinical study focuses on the intermediate stage of the disease, in which a person's vision under low-light and low-contrast conditions is impaired. Throughout Europe, a total of 20 study centers will recruit and follow-up with 750 patients. The study rationale and protocol has recently been published in the journal Ophthalmologica.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is associated with a progressive loss of photoreceptor cells at the point of sharpest vision. People older than 60 years are most affected, corresponding to around 2.5 million people in the European Union. The number of persons affected by AMD is expected to rise due to increasing life expectancy. Disease progress from an early stage to an intermediate stage is typically associated with low-light and low-contrast vision problems. Late stage AMD usually leads to irreversible central vision loss.

Currently, clinical tests available are good at diagnosing the loss of vision in late stage AMD. However, they are not sensitive to changes in vision in earlier stages of the disease, thus, hampering the testing of treatment methods to prevent or delay progression of early AMD stages. Therefore, MACUSTAR is developing novel tests to assess earlier stages of AMD.

The core of the MACUSTAR project is a three-year observational study of 750 patients who have intermediate and other stages of AMD. They will be recruited by 20 participating clinical trial centers in seven European countries. Aim of the investigation is to find variables that provide reliable information on disease progression or stability, which could then be further developed into clinical tests.

The article published in the peer-reviewed journal Ophthalmologica summarizes the methods used to assess AMD and its impact on function and quality of life. For example, high-resolution imaging techniques will provide information on anatomical changes in the retina. Besides conventional visual function tests, vision under low-light conditions and contrast vision will be determined. Researchers will also capture the light sensitivity of the macula, the duration of dark adaptation, and reading speed and visual path navigation under low-light conditions. In addition, questionnaires will provide information on how visual impairment is perceived by the study participants. The MACUSTAR consortium aims to identify the best method or combination of methods that indicate if a novel therapeutic approach can stop AMD progression in the future.

Explore further Clinical trial tests cord-blood cells to treat macular degeneration

More information: Robert P. Finger et al. MACUSTAR: Development and Clinical Validation of Functional, Structural, and Patient-Reported Endpoints in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Ophthalmologica (2018). Robert P. Finger et al. MACUSTAR: Development and Clinical Validation of Functional, Structural, and Patient-Reported Endpoints in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration,(2018). DOI: 10.1159/000491402
A substantial proportion of pharmaceutical industry payments to authors of oncology clinical trials published in major scientific journals are not disclosed, new research shows. The publications focused on clinical trials that tested new cancer drugs.

The new findings will be published as a research letter in the journal JAMA Oncology.

Authors of the research letter examined the federal Open Payments Database to determine payments to oncologists who authored studies in high-impact journals. They then cross-checked the information to determine whether the authors properly disclosed the funding when the results of their clinical trials were published in scientific journals. Depending on the journal, almost half of total funding was not disclosed.

"It's the honor system," said co-author Erick Turner, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry in the OHSU School of Medicine and senior scholar with the Center for Ethics in Health Care at OHSU in Portland, Oregon. "The journals ask the authors to make these disclosures, but there's no legal force behind it."

Previous studies have investigated funding disclosures among the authors of clinical practice guidelines. However, this is the first study to examine financial conflict of interest in the publication of clinical trials that underpin FDA approval of new oncology drugs.

Payments from pharmaceutical companies have been shown to change physician prescribing practices, researchers noted.

"We know that pharmaceutical companies sponsor trials of their own drugs. That's not a surprise," said lead author Cole Wayant, D.O., Ph.D., researcher at Oklahoma State University. "But what is a surprise, and what warrants concern, is that this funding is often not disclosed in the publication of clinical trials that form the basis of FDA approvals and clinical practice guidelines."

The researchers identified 344 oncologist-authors of clinical trials associated with oncology drugs approved between Jan. 1, 2016, and Aug. 31, 2017. Cumulatively, the 344 oncologist authors received a total of $216 million in four categories of payments: Speaking fees and other general payments; research for study coordination; research grants, and ownership through stock payments.

The authors then compared disclosure of financial conflict of interest in clinical trials published in six high-impact scientific journals: The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, The Lancet Oncology, The Lancet Haematology, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and JAMA Oncology. Almost a third of the oncologist-authors (a total of 110) did not fully disclose payments, the study found.

"In clinical trials of FDA-approved oncology drugs, bias, either real or potential, is more concerning because these oncology drugs are often associated with marginal improvement in survival but exorbitant costs," the authors wrote.

Explore further Many dermatology guideline authors get industry payments
A counselor listens to and advises a client. Credit: NIAID

An intervention designed to facilitate treatment for HIV and substance use was associated with a 50 percent reduction in mortality for people living with HIV who inject illicit drugs, a study has found. In addition, the people who received the intervention were nearly twice as likely to report being in treatment for HIV and substance use after one year as those who received their national standard of care. They also were about twice as likely to have suppressed their HIV to undetectable levels after one year. The intervention consisted of psychosocial counseling along with guidance and support navigating the healthcare system. These findings were reported today in the journal The Lancet.

People who inject drugs often have high rates of HIV infection, poor access to and use of treatment for HIV and substance use, and high mortality in the United States and globally. Needle sharing among people who inject drugs is the main route of HIV transmission in some parts of the world.

"People living with HIV who inject drugs often encounter multiple obstacles to beginning and adhering to treatment for HIV infection and substance use," said Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. "This study demonstrates that providing guidance and counseling can help such individuals overcome barriers to starting and staying in care and treatment, leading to a significantly higher rate of HIV suppression and a much lower rate of death."

NIAID co-funded the study with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), also part of NIH. The NIH-funded HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) implemented the trial, called HPTN 074.

"People who inject drugs and are living with HIV have potentially fatal co-occurring conditions, yet they and their at-risk partners often face different and confusing care delivery systems," said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. "This study shows that integrated interventions, including help from systems navigators, can dramatically reduce mortality for both conditions."

None of the few new HIV infections in the trial occurred among the injection partners of people living with HIV who received the study intervention. Scientists could not draw a firm conclusion about the impact of the intervention on HIV transmission through injection drug use, however, because the study was not statistically powered to measure that effect.

HPTN 074 took place in three countries with HIV epidemics driven by injection drug use: Indonesia, Ukraine and Vietnam. The study team enrolled 502 men and women ages 18-60 years who are living with HIV and inject drugs, and 806 HIV-uninfected men and women who inject drugs with them (injection partners). At least one injection partner of every person in the study living with HIV enrolled. The people living with HIV were assigned at random to receive either the national standard of care for HIV infection and substance use or the standard of care plus an integrated and flexible intervention designed to facilitate treatment. The study participants were followed for one to two years.

Study participants assigned to receive the intervention were immediately referred to local health-care providers for anti-HIV therapy to treat their infection, prevent sexual transmission of HIV, and potentially prevent HIV transmission via needle sharing. In addition, each participant who received the study intervention was assigned a systems navigator who helped the participant identify and overcome structural barriers to starting and staying in care and treatment for HIV and substance use. Such barriers could include unfamiliarity with how to enroll in medical care for HIV or difficulty keeping treatment-related appointments. Finally, psychosocial counselors helped each study participant overcome their unique psychological obstacles to starting and staying in treatment, such as lack of interest in therapy, difficulty establishing a medication-taking routine, or stigma.

In addition, all study participants, including the HIV-uninfected injection partners, received their country's standard of care for people who inject drugs. This typically included referral for treatment of substance use; referral to needle/syringe exchange programs, if legal and available; injection risk reduction counseling; sexual risk reduction counseling; HIV counseling and testing; and referral for diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, hepatitis B and C viruses, and tuberculosis, as appropriate. Those study participants living with HIV who received only the standard of care also were referred to local health-care providers for anti-HIV therapy according to national guidelines for when to start treatment.

At the end of the study, 15 percent of participants with HIV who had received the standard of care had died, compared to seven percent of participants with HIV who had received the intervention, corresponding to a 53 percent reduction in mortality.

Some 26 percent of deaths among study participants who had HIV were considered clearly HIV-related, and 3 percent were due to drug overdose. Among the 42 percent of deaths with unknown cause, 24 percent occurred among people whose immune systems were in poor health. Non-HIV-related medical events caused 21 percent of deaths overall, and trauma and suicide accounted for the remaining eight percent.

After one year, 41 percent of study participants who received the intervention had undetectable levels of HIV in their blood, compared to 24 percent of participants who received only the standard of care. Also, 72 percent of study participants who received the intervention reported being in treatment for HIV at the end of one year, compared to 43 percent of those who received only the standard of care. Forty-one percent of study participants who received the intervention reported being in treatment for substance use at the end of one year, compared to 25 percent of those who received only the standard of care.

"The intervention in this study had a remarkably positive impact on people living with HIV who inject drugs," said Protocol Chair William C. Miller, M.D., Ph.D. "It was designed to be scalable to other settings, and we hope that it can help this important population worldwide." Dr. Miller is professor and chair of the Division of Epidemiology at The Ohio State University College of Public Health in Columbus.

Previous studies have demonstrated that when a person takes anti-HIV medication that suppresses the amount of virus in the blood to undetectable levels, it both protects the health of the individual and prevents sexual transmission of the virus. Whether viral suppression also prevents HIV transmission through needle sharing with injection partners remains unknown. The HPTN 074 study was not designed to determine whether the intervention would reduce the rate of HIV infection among injection partners of the participants living with HIV, but rather to determine the feasibility of a larger study that could measure this effect. In HPTN 074, seven injection partners of participants living with HIV who received only the standard of care became infected, while no injection partners of participants living with HIV who received the study intervention became infected. This result is promising, according to the investigators, but because the overall HIV incidence among injection partners was so low, a larger clinical trial to test the effect of the study intervention on HIV transmission among injection drug users would not be feasible.

Given the success of the study intervention at reducing mortality and increasing the rates of both participation in treatment and viral suppression, investigators have offered the intervention to all the HPTN 074 study participants living with HIV. In addition, all participants living with HIV are being followed for a second year to determine whether the positive effects of the intervention are maintained.

More information: WC Miller, et al. A scalable, integrated intervention to engage people who inject drugs in HIV care and medication-assisted treatment: A randomized, controlled vanguard trial (HPTN 074). The Lancet Journal information: The Lancet WC Miller, et al. A scalable, integrated intervention to engage people who inject drugs in HIV care and medication-assisted treatment: A randomized, controlled vanguard trial (HPTN 074). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31487-9 (2018).
Hundreds of Iraqi protestors took to the streets Wednesday in capital Baghdad to denounce U.S. alleged interference in talks for the formation of a new government after the countrys top court rubber-stamped May 12 elections.

The protestors gathered at the entrance of highly guarded Green Zone, where foreign missions and government buildings are located to reject U.S. special envoy for the fight against the Islamic State, Brett McGurk who has been having meetings with Iraqi politicians, Turkish news agency Anadolu reports.

Those who sit with [US President] Donald Trumps messenger betray the martyrs blood one banner displayed by the protestors reads.

The protest took place in the wake of McGurks meeting with several Iraqi politicians, including a tete-a-tete meeting on Tuesday with Nechirvan Barzani, the Prime Minister of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), the agency reports.

Iraqis went to polls on May 12 to elect a new parliament for the appointment of a new cabinet. As anti-American sentiment grew up in the country, the majority of voters chose the joint list of Shia and nationalist figure Muqtada al-Sadr who promised to keep the country away from foreign influence including Irans sway.

One protestor at the demonstration told Anadolu that U.S. interference is unacceptable.

The people went to the [election] boxes and voted. The rest should be determined by a legal and constitutional process. From now on, no country, particularly the U.S., should be involved, he said.

The elections results were approved August 19 by the Supreme Court. The delay in the confirmation was caused by a nationwide manual recount of ballots demanded by the parliament following allegation of fraud and irregularities.

Iraqi President Fuad Masum has called on the parliament to hold a session on September 3.
Loss of neuronal connections (so-called "synapses") results from a three-part interaction between neurons, T cells and phagocytes in the inflamed brain. A neuron (yellow) is attacked by a T lymphocyte (red) and enveloped by a phagocyte (blue) capturing neuronal synapses. Credit: Doron Merkler / UNIGE

Rasmussen's encephalitis is a rare autoimmune disease that primarily affects children and can lead to seizures. As the disease is resistant to drug treatments, it frequently requires surgical interventions to remove or disconnect the affected part of the brain.

Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) have succeeded in describing and mastering the mechanisms at work within neurons in mice, opening the way to possible treatments. It was previously thought that neurons were the target of immune system cells that attack synapses, the connections between neurons. But researchers have discovered that the neurons themselves play an active role in triggering this process. Their research is published in Cell.

In Rasmussen's encephalitis, as in other forms of encephalitis, the presence of an antigen in the affected neurons triggers an immune system response, resulting in synaptic alterations. A team of researchers led by Doron Merkler, associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and senior consultant in the Clinical Pathology Service of the HUG, was able to show that neurons are not passive victims of this attack, but instead play an essential role in triggering a defence mechanism that ultimately leads to their own damage. "Following the attack by CD8+ T lymphocytes of the immune system, which fight against viral infections, the neuron produces a chemical signal to other cells called phagocytes which then attack the synapses. It's a sort of tripartite tango with tragic consequences," explains Doron Merkler.

A double attack on the synapses

Triggered by the neuronal antigen, CD8+ T lymphocytes release a protein, IFN-, captured by a corresponding neuronal receptor. Subsequently, neurons activate the STAT 1 signaling pathway, which leads to the production of a molecule called CCL2. This molecule diffuses into the neuronal environment, where it activates other immune cell types called phagocytesthese are microglial cells present in the brain and macrophages derived from blood circulation. These two types of phagocytes finally attack the synapses.

"If we manage to cut off the signal emitted by the neuron, this whole cascade of causes and consequences could be blocked," says Giovanni Di Liberto, researcher in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and first author of the study.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes ("T cells") of the immune system attack the neuron by secreting a molecule called interferon gamma. IFN-gamma is sensed by the adjacent neuron through the corresponding receptor and as a result of that, the signaling protein STAT1 is activated in this neuron. This leads to neuronal secretion of the molecule CCL2 which activates and attracts so-called professional phagocytes ("eating cells") in the vicinity. Recruited phagocytes subsequently damage neurons by engulfing their connection ("synapses"). Credit: Doron Merkler / UNIGE

A similar signaling signature could also be found in biopsies performed in more than 20 patients suffering from Rasmussen encephalitis, and researchers advocate that it is possibly identical for other forms of encephalitis. In mice experiments, this mechanism has been successfully blocked at different levels: The UNIGE and HUG teams have thus succeeded in blocking the signaling pathway of STAT1 and CCL2 molecules, as well as the migration and activation of phagocytes by pharmacological interventions and genetic manipulation, avoiding in all these cases the degradation of synapses and allowing for a better control of the disease.

Researchers will now have to partner to pursue the development of a possible treatment and conduct the necessary clinical trials, a difficult task when it comes to rare diseases. "But the principles we are describing are probably at work in other diseases that cause a strong immune response, and may even play a role in multiple sclerosis," says Merkler.

Explore further First clues to the causes of multiple sclerosis
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The global initiative to eradicate polio has been extraordinarily successful.

Over the last thirty years the number of polio cases across the world have dwindled from over 350,000 cases a year to just 20. The terrible toll on victims, such as lifelong paralysis and disability, are a fading memory for many countries, and it's estimated around 16 million people have been saved from paralysis thanks to the vaccination programme.

But the virus is not going without a fight. In a tiny handful of instances (one in 500 million children vaccinated), the vaccine can trigger outbreaks of something called vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV). This only happens in poorer areas of the world, where there is no robust health system and vaccination is patchy.

Although scientists changed the vaccine, the historical legacy of this continues to represent an urgent threat to permanently banishing polio.

Professor Nicholas Grassly and Dr. Isobel Blake, from Imperial's School of Public Health, have just published research in the New England Journal of Medicine calling for intensified global efforts to eradicate cases of VDPV.

Here, they reveal why we need urgent action to banish polio to the confines of history.

How could the polio vaccine have led to cases of the disease?

The oral polio vaccine contained three types, or strains, of the virus (types one, two and three). The vaccine, given to young children, is dropped onto the tongue, where it then travels through the stomach and digestive system. The live viruses in the vaccine have been weakened, so that it can't cause disease. However, in very rare cases, and only in populations where immunisation rates are low, the vaccine virus can mutate in the intestines and regain the ability to cause paralysis, resulting in VDPV. The most common of the three vaccine strains causing VDPV has been the type 2 strain.

Although the person who received the vaccine does not develop polio, the reactivated polio vaccine leaves their body in faeces and can potentially infect others.

This is not a risk with the injectable polio vaccine, such as the one given in the UK, as the virus has been inactivated and doesn't enter the gut. However, this vaccine cannot be used alone in places at risk of polio and where immunity is low. Although it protects an individual from paralysis, it does not prevent the virus being transferred from person to person  an important benefit of the oral vaccine

What did scientists do when they realised the risk?

Experts realised the only way to reduce the risk of VDPV was to stop using the oral vaccine that contained type 2 polio. This was possible as the type 2 'wild' poliovirus was last detected in 1999.

Instead, people would only be vaccinated against types 1 and 3 with the oral vaccine. However, the only way to remove this vaccine without triggering outbreaks of type 2 poliovirus was for the whole world to stop using the vaccine at the same time.

And so, in an incredible feat of worldwide coordination, in 2016 the Global Polio Eradication Initiative implemented what is now known as 'The Switch'. Over the course of just two weeks, health teams across the globe stopped using the oral vaccine that contained all three types of polio virus, and swapped to an oral vaccine that contained only types 1 and 3.

Children should also now receive the injectable polio vaccine to protect against paralysis from type 2 polio. However a limited supply, coupled with poor health-care infrastructure in some areas, have resulted in many children not receiving the injectable vaccine.

Was 'the switch' successful?

This is exactly what our latest research evaluated. The study, supported by the World Health Organisation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, showed this amazing global effort worked. The oral vaccine virus can be detected in children's faeces soon after they have received the vaccine.

After analysing stool samples from around 300,000 children taken between 2013 and 2018, we revealed that the type 2 virus, but not types 1 and 3, disappeared very quickly from the world. However, the surveillance also revealed there is still type 2 VDPV circulating among communities. Although most strains are hangovers from before 'the switch'  and are not new strains that have emerged since 2016they pose a big problem.

For the first-time ever, in 2017, there were more cases of VDPV compared to wild-type96 compared to 22.

What's the implication of this?

In areas where there was a good level of protection against polio  and where there had been efficient vaccination programmes, this is not a problem. However, in poorer areas of the world immunity against polio is low, so the VDPV can infect others.

This is why we've seen VDPV outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Syria, Nigeria Somalia and Kenya.

This could potentially cause a large-scale epidemic, and put young children at risk of paralysis where the injectable vaccine uptake has not been high.

And so now we have a new problem  many children have now not received the oral polio vaccine against type 2 polio.

Yet we still have cases of type 2 polio in the form of VDPV. Therefore we have a group of young children who could potentially be exposed to polio.

We therefore need to urgently stamp out these remaining cases of VDPV, before they become more widespread.

How can we eliminate the cases of vaccine-derived polio?

We have a reserve stock of oral vaccine that protects against just type 2 polio held by the World Health Organisation which can be used to tackle outbreaks of VDPV.

Used effectively this vaccine can rapidly stop VDPV outbreaks. In Syria, the VDPV outbreak has been effectively controlled, despite the challenges of operating in a country at war. However, failure to achieve high coverage risks prolonging outbreaks, like in Democratic Republic of the Congo, and potentially further cases of VDPV.

In the longer term, scientists are also working on a new type 2 oral polio vaccine that contains a strain of the virus that is less likely to revert to paralytic strains. Trials with these vaccine candidates has successfully been completed in Belgium in 2017 and further clinical development is on-going.

This is a critical moment in the global vaccination programme  and our findings show it urgently needs heightened support and investment. Polio will not go quietly  and it will not go without a fight. We need a show of strength as a global community, and to intensify efforts to ensure the disease, and its terrible legacy, are eradicated for good.

Explore further Shift in vaccine use needed to eradicate polio: WHO experts

More information: Isobel M. Blake et al. Type 2 Poliovirus Detection after Global Withdrawal of Trivalent Oral Vaccine, New England Journal of Medicine (2018). Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Isobel M. Blake et al. Type 2 Poliovirus Detection after Global Withdrawal of Trivalent Oral Vaccine,(2018). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1716677
Professor Joon Kim and PhD candidate Yong Joon Kim. Credit: The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Ciliopathies are rare disorders involving functional and structural abnormalities of cilia. Although they are rare, they may reach 1 in 1,000 births. Unfortunately, there are no small-molecule drugs for treating ciliary defects. A KAIST research team conducted successful research that introduces a potential treatment that will be a foundation for developing drugs to treat the disease as well as a platform for developing small-molecule drugs for similar genetic disorders.

It was found that mutations in genes required for the formation or function of primary cilia cause ciliopathies and they result in cerebellar disorders, kidney dysfunction, and retinal degeneration.

Primary cilia are cell organelles playing a crucial role in the human body. They participate in intercellular signal transduction during embryonic development and allow retinal photoreceptor cells to function.

Currently, there are no approved drugs available for treating most ciliopathies. In fact, this is the case for most of the rare genetic disorders involving functional abnormalities through genetic mutation, and gene therapy is usually the only treatment available.

To tackle this issue, a team led by Professor Joon Kim from the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering and Ho Jeong Kwon from Yonsei University constructed a cell that mimics a gene-mutated CEP290, one of the main causes of ciliopathies, through genome editing. They then used cell-based compound library screening to obtain a natural small-molecule compound capable of relieving defects in ciliogenesis, the production of cilia.

Figure 1. Identification of compounds that rescue ciliogenesis defects caused by CEP290 knockout. Credit: The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

The CEP290 protein forms a complex with a ciliopathy protein called NPHP5 to support the function of the ciliary transition zone. In cases where the CEP290 protein is not formed due to a genetic mutation, NPHP5 will not function normally. Here, the compound was confirmed to partially restore the function of the complex by normalizing the function of NPHP5.

The team also identified that the compound is capable of retarding retinal degeneration by injecting the compound into animal models.

As a result, they discovered a lead compound for developing medication to treat ciliopathy patients involving retinal degeneration. Hence, the findings imply that chemical compounds that target other proteins interacting with the disease protein can mitigate shortages of a disease protein in recessive genetic disorders.

Figure 2. Eupatilin injection ameliorates M-opsin trafficking and electrophysiological response of cone photoreceptors in rd16 mice. Credit: The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Ph.D. candidate Yong Joon Kim stated, "This study shows how genetic disorders caused by genetic mutation can be treated with small-molecule drugs."

Professor Kim said, "Since the efficacy of the candidate drug has been verified through animal testing, a follow-up study will also be conducted to demonstrate the effect on humans."

Explore further Scientists identify critical protein complex in formation of cell cilia

More information: Yong Joon Kim et al. Eupatilin rescues ciliary transition zone defects to ameliorate ciliopathy-related phenotypes, Journal of Clinical Investigation (2018). Journal information: Journal of Clinical Investigation Yong Joon Kim et al. Eupatilin rescues ciliary transition zone defects to ameliorate ciliopathy-related phenotypes,(2018). DOI: 10.1172/JCI99232
The relationship might be over but the parenting isnt. Credit: Brittany Simuangco/Unsplash

When talking about separation and divorce, media and personal stories often focus on relationships characterised by ongoing conflict or violence. In contrast, Australian research suggests low conflict or cooperative post-separation relationships are common.

These are negotiated in contexts that require what British sociologist Carol Smart described as an "indelible" joint-parenting contract. This means people can end an intimate relationship but it's very difficult to disengage from each other as parents.

We know very little about how people define and experience "good" relationships after separation. So a recently-conducted and soon to be published study sought to explore what this might look like.

Good relationships aren't all the same

The study found three types of good post-separation parental relationships: allied, arm's length and autonomous. These differed in their communication and family practices shared by parents.

Allied relationships

Allied relationships were the most common type of relationship. Parents described emotionally close connections with their former partner. They often used terms such as "family" or "friends". People liked their former partner but recognised their children were the reason they remained close.

Parents in allied relationships described a lot of practical support and responsiveness to their former partner's needs. They were typically flexible in their care arrangements to meet changes in the other parents' work, personal and health situations. Parents also reported more mundane supports such as feeding pets or sharing laundry duties.

They emphasised the importance of shared events such as regular family dinners and birthday celebrations. They saw their approach as an important way to signal to their children they were "still a family". This helped balance children's and parents' needs so no-one missed out on important events and relationships.

Arm's length relationships

Parents in arm's length relationships were present in their children's lives and absent from their former partner's life. Their dealings were civil and cooperative, but they did not look for emotional closeness or shared activities. Any connection was built on and limited to their shared focus on their children's wellbeing.

For example, one father in the study had almost no contact with his former wife outside of their children. He said: "She rings me with issues, if the kids have got, if she thinks the kids need anything she rings me and asks me about it or whatever you know, so we've got a kind of contact. It's probably, functional is the best thing I can say."

People imposed clear boundaries to limit interactions to child-specific issues. There were none of the family rituals that were such an important part of allied relationships. Parents were not particularly responsive to the needs of their ex-partner and their care arrangements were fixed in place. Parents described their relationship as good, because both parents cared about their children and worked together to meet their children's needs. As a result, their children were happy and thriving.

Autonomous relationships

Parents in autonomous relationships did not communicate with their former partner beyond basic logistical information about children's routines. However, each parent loved and responded to their children's needs in their individual ways.

This separate approach also created economic, emotional and logistical freedoms for each parent. One mother in the study put it this way: "I don't have to go into any negotiations, the playing field is clear, I have clarity and my kids are unbelievably healthy, they're really, really happy."

Parents did not interpret limited communication as an indication of their former partner's lack of care or ability to parent. They recognised that after separation, what counted were parents' emotional and practical contributions to their children's livesnot to each other's lives.

Why do good post-separation relationships matter?

Interview studies such as the one we conducted can't show statistical links between good post-separation relationships and children's outcomes. But regardless of the type of relationship they had, parents believed their child-centred focus was central to their children's happiness and development. This focus was the basis for parents defining their relationship as good.

Existing literature suggests it's the tenor and practice of relationships rather than how much time children spend with each parent that makes the most difference in children's post-separation lives. Yet debates continue to centre on the importance of how much time children spend with each parent.

Good post-separation relationships are hard work. They require constant emotional thoughtfulness, careful negotiation and letting go of past wrongs. But when the payoff is a happy and healthy child the hard work is well worth the effort.

Explore further Pediatricians can help when parents divorce: report

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
The Penn study is the first to examine how common this stigma may be among the general population of the United States as well as among medical students. Credit: Penn Medicine

The stigma associated with the autoimmune disease psoriasis may lead people to avoid patients who show signs of the condition, including not wanting to date, shake hands, or have people in their homes if they suffer from the disease. New multidisciplinary research involving both psychologists and dermatologists from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is the first to examine how common this stigma may be among the general population of the United States as well as among medical students. The study also found false perceptions about psoriasis continue to persist, including the belief that psoriasis is contagious and that it is not a serious illness. Researchers published their findings in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology today.

Psoriasis is a common, chronic autoimmune disease affecting more than eight million Americans, causing painful, thick, red patches on the skin that often itch and bleed. It also has profound effects on health-related quality of life, and in moderate to severe cases, it carries an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and premature death. It is not contagious, and while it is treatable, there is currently no cure.

"Although it's widely recognized that the appearance of psoriasis can negatively impact patients' social, professional, and intimate relationships, we wanted to quantify the perceptions patients with psoriasis face on a daily basis in order to understand how pervasive they are," said the study's senior author Joel M. Gelfand, MD MSCE, a professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology at Penn. Rebecca L. Pearl, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, was the lead author of the study.

Researchers used Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a web-based data collection service, to survey people about their perceptions of individuals with psoriasis. They also sent the survey directly to several hundred medical students. In all, 198 laypeople responded on MTurk and 187 medical students completed the emailed survey. All participants were shown images of people with psoriasis as well as close up photos of psoriasis lesions.

Overall, 54 percent of laypeople who responded said they did not want to date someone with psoriasis. Thirty-nine percent said they did not want to shake hands with someone suffering from the disease, while 32 percent said they did not want to have someone with psoriasis in their homes. Respondents also endorsed several stereotypes about people with psoriasis, with 57 percent saying they were insecure, 53 percent saying they were sick, 45 percent saying they were unattractive, and 27 percent saying they were contagious. Medical students demonstrated less stigmatizing views compared to the MTurk group. Among MTurk participants, those who knew someone with psoriasis or had heard of psoriasis demonstrated less stigmatizing attitudes.

"It's possible that better education about the disease, as well as contact with individuals with psoriasis, may help to dispel myths and stereotypes and reduce negative perceptions," Pearl said.

The researchers stressed the need for further research with a larger sample size before drawing any definitive conclusions. However, they said the findings do have implications for both public health and patient care.

"Future studies should evaluate the effects of education campaigns on people's attitudes toward those with psoriasis, as well as efforts to incorporate patients with psoriasis into general medical education for physicians and other health care providers," Gelfand said.

Explore further Psoriasis negatively affects patient sleep quality

More information: Rebecca L. Pearl et al, Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Persons with Psoriasis Among Laypersons and Medical Students, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2018). Journal information: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Rebecca L. Pearl et al, Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Persons with Psoriasis Among Laypersons and Medical Students,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2018.08.014
Most cases of Zika infection produce generally mild symptoms including rash, low fever, stiffness and joint pain, conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal upset, and sometimes neurological symptoms. Credit: Gordon Zammit | 123rf

The Zika virus (ZIKV) poses a public health threat in Southeast Asia, and domestic awareness campaigns are needed to help reduce infection potential.

"Zika infection poses a special challenge for Southeast Asian countries because the mosquitos that spread the virus thrive in this region," says Ahmad Ruzain Salehuddin, of Malaysia's Universiti Teknologi MARA, who led a review of studies on the rising impact of ZIKV both globally and within the region. "We also believe the prevalence of these infections may rise as global warming leads to the expansion of the tropical belt."

ZIKV infection is a vector-borne disease spread by mosquitos, such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in tropical regions including Southeast Asia, and by other mosquitos, such as Aedes africanus, in temperate regions. The Zika virus has two distinct lineages: an Asian strain, which has spread to the US and French Polynesia, and an African strain, which is found throughout the Western hemisphere.

Most cases of Zika infection produce generally mild symptoms including rash, low fever, stiffness and joint pain, conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal upset, and sometimes neurological symptoms.

The virus was first observed in Rhesus monkeys in 1947 in Uganda, with the first human infection reported in Nigeria in 1952. The number of confirmed infections remained low until an outbreak of 49 confirmed cases on Yap Island in the western Pacific Ocean in 2007.

While symptoms have previously been mild, the appearance of more serious complications has led to heightened international concern. After the explosive outbreaks in Brazil and Central America in early 2015, women infected by the virus gave birth to newborns with abnormally small heads, known as congenital microcephaly. There were also reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome, in which nerves are attacked by the immune system.

Recent evidence suggests that ZIKV can be sexually transmitted. Studies indicate that an infected male can transmit the disease to male or female partners, and that virus replication may take place in the genitourinary tract, with the testes or prostate serving as reservoirs. Infection appears to be transmitted to partners a few days before or after the onset of symptoms. An analysis of an outbreak in French Polynesia suggests that ZIKV can also be spread through blood transfusions.

Zika cases in Singapore and Malaysia have been rising since 2016. In Singapore, for example, 446 cases were reported between May and November 2016. With no vaccine yet available, containment needs to be achieved "through education that leads to integrated efforts to reduce the vector mass, through diagnostic evaluation, and through precautionary measures," Salehuddin says. For example, the team suggests that travellers coming into and out of the region should be screened and monitored to help reduce the spread of the virus.

Explore further California Aedes mosquitoes capable of spreading Zika

More information: Ahmad Ruzain Salehuddin et al. Zika virus infection and its emerging trends in Southeast Asia, Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine (2017). Ahmad Ruzain Salehuddin et al. Zika virus infection and its emerging trends in Southeast Asia,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.apjtm.2017.03.002
President AbdelFattah al-Sisi Wednesday pledged Egypts commitment to uncover murderers of Giulio Regeni, a 28-year old doctoral student found killed by the roadside in Cairo February 2016 after being last seen on January 25, the anniversary of Egypts 2011 uprising.

The Egyptian president expressed a strong will to reveal the perpetrators and bring them to justice, said presidential spokesman Bassam Radi in a statement following a meeting between al-Sisi and Italian deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio.

The meeting is the highest level encounter between the two countries over two years after Regeni, who was doing a research on Egyptian trade unions, went missing on January 25, the anniversary of the revolution. The streets of Cairo were then swarming with security forces as authorities banned all protests. Regeni was last spotted at Cairo metro station. He would be found dead few days later on February 3, along a highway, north of Cairo.

His body half naked was showing signs of bruise that investigators believed were results of torture. The students parents accused Egyptian security authorities of being involved in the killing of the researcher. The authorities have denied any wrongdoing.

Regenis death strained relations between the two countries as Rome in 2016 recalled its ambassador over Cairos failure to cooperate in the investigation. Italy restored ties last year with a new envoy.

The joint investigating team working to uncover the cause of Regenis death will be meeting again soon, Italian deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The joint team has been working to retrieve surveillance footage from the Cairo subway system as part of a joint investigation. In June, the team complained that footage from the system on the day of Regenis disappearance does not include images of him, reports say.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is undertaking this week a tour of three West African countries, namely Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.

The Chancellor is accompanied by a large economic delegation, deputy government spokeswoman, Ulrike Demmer said ahead of her trip. All three countries face huge challenges when it comes to economic and social development, the spokeswoman said.

The three nations are considered important dialogue partners for the German government, particularly in stemming migration and boosting the fight against jihadism, and there is a need to strengthen and shape their economic growth to benefit all citizens, the official added.

Merkel has placed a strong focus on African diplomacy in recent years, and has called on African countries to do their bit in stemming the flow of migrants to Europe  an issue over which she faces criticism at home.

Like China and more recently Britains Theresa May, export-nation Germany is also eagerly eyeing the burgeoning economic potential of resource-rich African nations with young, dynamic citizens.

After her talks in Dakar Wednesday with President Macky Sall on his countrys economic development and on regional cooperation, Angela Merkel will hold a meeting in Accra with Ghanas President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Akufo this Thursday.

Talks are expected to focus on ways to bolster German-Ghanaian ties, as well as on the two countries cooperation in addressing the challenges of sub-regional security and migration issues.

After her meeting with the President, Chancellor Merkel would participate in a German business-organised round table that will focus on private investment linked to the G20 Compact with Africa initiative.

On Friday, Merkel is expected in Nigeria where she will first meet with the president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Jean-Claude Brou, to discuss cooperation between Germany and the community of 15 countries. She will later meet with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

Last year, Merkel visited three African countries before hosting leaders from Chad and Nigeria for talks in Berlin. Germanys foreign trade with sub-Saharan Africa amounted to about $30bn last year, according to German Trade and Invest (GTAI).

Imports from sub-Saharan Africa accounted for only 1.1 percent of total foreign trade in 2017.
South Africas biggest shopping malls  the Mall of Africa located between Johannesburg and Pretoria, and the Sandton City mall  have been shut down and evacuated due to a bomb threat on Wednesday. Both malls resumed activity later in the evening after police found no explosive devices at either location.

The bomb threat is the latest in a spate of similar incidents that have hit malls in South Africa in recent weeks.

Last weekend, South Gate Mall in the south of Johannesburg was also evacuated after reports said a suspicious device was found at one of the stores. The Mall pushed out a statement saying that the central management has received the threat, and evacuation procedures were immediately activated.

The South African Police Service and other emergency response personnel were called to the malls to assess the situation.

Several malls in KwaZulu Natal were recently forced to beef up security after incendiary devices were found at some Woolworths stores in July. A suspicious device was also found in a parking lot near the Durban July event.

Individuals in the Johannesburg area are advised reporting all suspicious objects or behavior to the police and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.

Last year, the U.S. said in an alert that it had received information that radical Islamic terrorist groups were planning to attack places where U.S. citizens congregate in South Africa, such as upscale shopping areas and malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The British and Australian embassies followed by updating their travel information for South Africa.
Dakota County, MN - Vikings wide receiver Cayleb Jones was arrested in Eagan on Tuesday afternoon, according to Dakota County court records, and is being held in the Dakota County Jail on probable cause of felony-level theft and misdemeanor-level domestic assault.

Jones, 25, is scheduled for his first court appearance at noon Thursday. Meanwhile, the Vikings play their final exhibition game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn., at 7 p.m. Thursday.

We are aware of the situation involving Cayleb Jones and are in the process of gathering more information, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said in a statement. Further comment will be provided at the appropriate time.

According to a police news release, Eagan officers responded to a report of domestic violence involving Jones at the Country Inn Suites on Holiday Ln. Jones had fled the scene before police arrived but later turned himself in at the Eagan Police Department and was arrested.

According to the release, a preliminary investigation revealed there was a verbal altercation between Jones and an unidentified female which turned physical.

Jones is already suspended for the first four games of this season for violating the NFLs performance-enhancing drug policy.

Its just one of the things were supposed to be aware of, and I wasnt conscious about it and I was the one that got popped with it, Jones said of his PED violation in a recent interview with Pioneer Press. It wont happen again. It was just a stupid mistake.

Jones signed with the Vikings practice squad two seasons ago after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles. He spent last season on the practice squad and appeared in good position to make the Vikings final roster this season despite his suspension.
Nonprofits do a tremendous amount of good work in the Napa Valley, but they can accomplish even more when they team up.

Thats one of the lessons of a new collaborative effort among the St. Helena Hospital Foundation, Mollys Angels and Rianda House thats helping underserved seniors get to their medical appointments.

Under a $5,000 pilot project funded by the hospital foundation, seniors who need a ride to a medical appointment at St. Helena Hospital or one of the local Adventist Health clinics can call Mollys Angels  a nonprofit that specializes in senior transportation  and get a free ride either from a volunteer or through the Lyft ride-sharing service.

The Lyft option was added in July to address a gap in transportation services that began in 2013 when the St. Helena shuttle switched from a regular route that included a stop at the hospital to an on-demand model that doesnt offer service to the hospital.

Only three people had been using the hospital stop, and it would have cost the city of St. Helena $19,000 for a second shuttle to accommodate them, Rianda House Executive Director Julie Spencer told us.

Rianda House raised the alarm through an Upvalley senior collaborative and got the attention of Nicole Pfister of Mollys Angels and Susan Dix Lyons of the St. Helena Hospital Foundation.

Lyons got ahold of Lyft and set up the program through a special platform Lyft established to broaden seniors access to health care. Lyft drivers undergo background checks and are compliant with federal HIPAA regulations that protect patients privacy.

At more than $40 for a one-way trip from Napa to St. Helena Hospital, the rides arent cheap for the foundation, but theyre extremely helpful.

Seniors get a free ride to their appointment, easier access to health care and, in the long run, a greater quality of life. Their family members dont have to take time off work to give their relative a ride. Doctors dont have to lose valuable time to missed appointments because their patients cant find a ride. And Mollys Angels volunteers  about 65 in all, including about 10 Upvalley  are freed up to give rides to other seniors.

Rianda House has its finger on the pulse of the senior community, so kudos to them for identifying the problem and helping find a solution. We applaud Mollys Angels for adding Lyft to its scheduling system.

Our biggest thanks goes to the St. Helena Hospital Foundation for putting up the money. The $5,000 might not last long, but we hope its the first step toward a permanent program that might eventually extend to other health care providers like Ole Health and Kaiser.

If you or a senior you know could use this service, call Mollys Angels at 224-8971 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Rides are available to St. Helena Hospital, the Martin ONeal Cancer Center, the Vermeil Clinic in Calistoga, the Adventist Heart Institute on Adams Street, the Adventist Health offices on Inglewood Avenue, and St. Helena Medical Orthopedics on Railroad Avenue.

Thank you, St. Helena Hospital Foundation, Mollys Angels and Rianda House, for reminding us that great things happen when we work together.

The Star editorial board consists of editors David Stoneberg and Sean Scully and community volunteers Norma Ferriz, Christopher Hill, Shannon Kuleto, Bonnie Long, Peter McCrea, Gail Showley and Dave Yewell.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
'Like' us on Facebook Follow us:

Posted on: Aug 30, 2018

MERE TO GIRIDHARA GOPAL

By Mr B K Misra

Mr Misra taught English in various colleges in Odisha from 1966 until he joined the Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School at Prasanthi Nilayam as an English teacher in 1980. He retired from the school in 2000, but till date he has been sharing the same responsibility with diligence.



He has translated into Odia many books of Swami, many of his dramas have been presented before Bhagawan by the school boys, and the Odisha youth. He has also published a book of poems in English on Swamis impact on his life. We have published a number of his articles in these columns too. He has been an insightful writer.



As we gear up to fill ourselves with gaiety celebrating the advent of the Charming Lad of Brindavan, Mr Misra ruminates on the life of one of the greatest devotees the world has even seen, Mother Meera, and unravels precious and powerful learnings which when contemplated upon can raise our equation with the Divine to subliminal heights.



(Mere to Giridhar Gopal is a phrase from a famous Bhajan by the great devotee of Lord Krishna, Meera Bai. The meaning of the entire line, Mere to Giridhar Gopal dusuro na koyi is Giridhar Gopal is alone mine, none else.)

What We Think When We Sing Mere To Giridhara Gopal

We sometimes fancy that it would please God to hear that we consider Him our own. But in fact we say so to please ourselves. We believe God is a VVIP, and it would immensely benefit us if we are close to Him. We would like God to be our own like several other things we call our own - our property, position, ambition, our family, and many such add-ons. Since God is like a father, mother, friend, etc. God should have no difficulty in sharing space with them!

Then we think since He becomes a kind of family head it becomes His responsibility to ensure the safety of our add-ons, for He has promised that He would take care of us. So to remind God of His special duty towards us, we offer Him special aradhana, celebrate birthdays of Avatars, and do some daily rituals. This, we hope, would put us in a special category in the book of God, those who love God, mere to giridhara gopal.

Since you call Him your own, you want Him to reciprocate. He will have to forgive your sins; in fact it has been said in Sanskrit, the sacrosanct language of the gods, that you cannot commit as many sins as God can forgive, and it is quite an encouraging statement to remember.

Then there are a lot of prescribed responsibilities once you designate God as your own, such as, He must always rate your good over others; He must run a prediction office for you; He must have a special protection force to take over in case of emergencies; He should plan your future, the births and deaths in the family in consultation with you  He has quite a bundle of them when you say mere to giridhara gopal.

Of course you have the option to withdraw the MFP (most favoured person) status from God, but He has no option to withdraw once the status is offered to Him! (Some devotees are quite fond of complaining, Even if I forgot You, how could You forget me!)

Being God, He has a multilevel ministry of happiness. And being yours, He is in charge of a big network that imports important components of happiness. If there is a new position available promising better happiness, God must canvass it for you, He cannot plead helplessness.

If a tough test is ahead, and you need to qualify with a high placement, but you have other engagements and cant really spare that much time for preparing yourself, never mind, with a little extra persuasion, and He is forever easy to please besides the fact that He is yours, He can always manage it for you.

If a profitable tender is floated, His office must pull all the strings so that it falls into your cup, and if you happen to breach some legality, and you are in for a backlash, God can still perform a bit of miracle, which is quite easy for Him, in which your role in it shall be overshadowed, and you emerge clean and safe. All this because you said, mere to giridhara gopal.

What We Miss When We Sing Mere To Giridhara Gopal

My objective here is to point out how powerful and truly helpful the statement is until you realise that the author, a princess, with hardly any practical touch with real life, betrayed you thoroughly by adding the second line, doosra na koi - no one else is mine!

She has just pulled the carpet away from under your feet! How can you ever say such a terrible thing, nothing else, no one else is mine! God is the biggest freeware source, and if you dont need any add-on, then what do you need God for? The more unfortunate thing is that the Rajasthan princess convinced God that the second line is a qualifier for the first, and you are lost.

Yes my friend, you are lost. Wasnt the princess of Rajasthan lost too? Bhai chhoda, bandhu chhoda, chhoda jag She had to give up all that you call your own - your family, your friends, your relations, all that the world means to you, just to fulfil mere to giridhara

God is a jealous God, the Old Testament saint said. And God also currently agreed that He will not play musical chair with your add-ons, He wants a single chair, reserved only for Him.

He is very clear about that, no sharing of rights and privileges. If you call Him your own, He will respond: You are My property, Mine only. Absolute Monarchy. You have to pledge, doosra na koi. A very special invitee demands a very special chair.

Now you confront an unprecedented situation. You have got into a soup. You thought God is a wonderful prop to climb into name, fame, wealth, security, and happiness; happiness at all levels, here and hereafter, Iha and Para. There couldnt be a better insurance, and premium is astonishingly low, just say mere to giridhara gopal. But the Princess added a fanciful condition!

If you want to avail the benefits of the first line, you cannot regard anything else as your own, and she showed the way - bhai chhoda, bandhu chhoda, chhoda jag ...

It is not that she was disgusted with them all for they gave no respect to her, or took away her royal inheritance, or spread libel about her, which they did, and therefore left them; she found no use for them, kya karega koi, what are they for?

She needed no add-ons, no assurances, and no promises. In fact nothing else existed for her except jake shir mora mukuta, the One who wears a peacock feather.

Now you see your world is turning like a gyre! Mere to Giridhar Gopal has got you no dividends, and doosra na koi is not safe either.

The moment you look the ego-centre in the eye, you insult its unchallenged authority; do you think it will spare you? The Princes was not spared, she was sent snakes as gift, thrown out of the palace, the media called her dirty names, her husband was maimed, brother turned an enemy, and finally she was forced to drink poison. The three zeros. Slander, poverty, death, all three encircled her.

Look at her audacity, she still said, doosra na koi! The single chair occupant, the jealous God, responded: You are My property. And, my friend, He wont say - Your property too is Mine; your bank balance, your position, your house, cars, name and fame, all are safe in My hands.

He would rather say, if you say I am Yours, then all I have is yours, the reverse however is not valid. Properties are not proper ties.

What You Can Gain and Lose When You Sing Mere to Giridhara Gopal

I understand your problem. Why should it be so? You have put so much effort in building up the world around you. Why should God grumble if you need a little help from Him in its protection?

You know what, once you are a VIP, you are sold to your own security staff. You cannot even visit the toilet without their supervision! But you still want to be a VIP, dont you? Why? When you tell God, mere to giridhara gopal, you become a VIP, and you have to concede to Him your full security.

You cannot tell Him, Look, I want to invest in this scheme, see that my dividends are high. Your security staff will tell you, Why do you want to risk your money? You are anyway provided with all you need for your comfort.

If you tell him, I want to buy a new car, cant you negotiate some concessions? Again the security staff will intervene, A new car? Where do you want to go? You have the state car. We cant allow you ride even your own car as long as we are in charge. Another time you tell him in disgust, Look, I want freedom. I cant sell my freedom to you.

The security men will smile at you and reply, Sir, as long as we are in charge, you enjoy the highest freedom available, and you suddenly realise that is true. To be able to enjoy freedom, you must be secure from the forces that threaten it.

One night you had a dream that there is an explosion somewhere, and your world was crashing around you. Your people were all around you, but no one would risk their lives for you. You sat up on bed and cried out mere to giridhara gopla, but no one appeared. Then you added loudly, doosra na koi. Suddenly all your security staff appeared from nowhere, and covered you. You felt so much relieved, you went back to sleep with the lines in your lips.

Do you remember what happened to the Princess of Rajasthan? She roamed all over half the country, living under trees, in temples, and deserts - strange places, most outrageous for a princess. Tired of walking miles, hungry, beaten by weather, encountering suspicious eyes, but never lonely. Doosra na koi.

Painting Courtesy: Akshit Rajvanshi

And she had her peacock feather walking with her, sleeping with her under trees, in wayside temples, deserted inns, starving with her, forever listening to her songs. Tansen and Akbar came to listen to her, Tulsidas, Haridas adored her, but she sang for no one else, Doosra na koi.

Nothing and no one in the world belonged to her. She belonged only to the One who had taken away whatever, whoever had a claim on her as their own so that He could reclaim her. All her identities were destroyed. She forgot even her body, as the body too became a doosra. There were no more two - just she and her peacock feather.

Denying the doosra all her life, the second line merged in the first. The legend says she just melted into her Peacock Feather. Only when you forget yourself, I remember you. Mere was gone, doosra was gone, the world was gone, add-ons disappeared, only remained Giridhara Gopal. The solution is the dissolution.

If you had asked the Princess why she chose to be a beggar, not a princess, she would perhaps have smiled and said, It is easier to dissolve as a beggar than as a princess.

How Should You Sing Mere To Giridhara Gopal

Swami made a difference between the Yadavas and the Gopis. Yadavas always said, Krishna is ours. Gopis also said the same thing, Krishna is ours. Yadavas however did not chant the second line, Doosra no koi, nothing else is ours. So they expected Krishna to protect their wealth, their name, fame, their fancies, and their conceits. He was one of their other possessions, charged with guarding them. That destroyed them.

But Gopis always chanted the second line: except Krishna, nothing else is ours. So they arrived at the stage where they could say, we belong to Krishna. The differences vanished, the world receded from their exalted lives, and they became one with the lord.

What do you say my friend? Can you separate the two lines and accept only one? Mere to giridhara gopal must pass through mein to Hari charanan ki dasi, I am only a servant of my Master, and a servant is known by the Masters identity.

You cant have the best attachment without even a better detachment. God belongs to you is the first step, which must quickly dissolve into nothing else is mine. And then the most beautiful thing happens: the me and mine are lost forever, You in me, and I in You

My good friend, shall you consider a suggestion: dont ever say mere to giridhara gopal, then you need not remember doosra na koi. But if you fancy the first line, add the second line in a hurry.



Thank you and loving Sai Ram,

Team Radio Sai



What are your impressions about this? Please share your feedback by writing to [email protected] or [email protected] . Do not forget to mention your name and country please.
Peggy Jane Henderson passed away August 5, 2018 after a short illness. Peggy was born in Ukiah, California October 26, 1927 and grew up in Napa. Her parents were long time Napa residents, Herbert and Lois Grant. Peggy graduated from Napa High School and while in high school, she worked as the Society Editor for the Napa Register newspaper. She earned her B.A. in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley in 1949. She married her college sweetheart Charles W. (Chuck) Henderson in 1949 and they recently celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary. They had four children. She lived most of her adult life in Napa and worked as a bookkeeper and personal secretary. She was involved in local theatre where her specialty was lighting design and operation. She also oversaw the building of the Pretenders Playhouse theatre in Napa. Peggy loved creative pursuits including sewing, knitting, macrame, photography, and perhaps her favorite: quilting. She was a great cook and her family loved the delicious meals she prepared. She loved perusing cookbooks and magazines for new recipes to try. She camped, backpacked and skied with her family. She ran competively and crewed on the family racing sailboat. She was an avid reader and was dedicated to researching her family genealogy. Peggy enjoyed traveling around the US with her husband in their RV and they volunteered for the National Park Service in Arizona. She was rarely idle.
An eight-year legal tug of war between Napa and two developers over an unbuilt park east of Tulocay Cemetery will end with the city paying the homebuilders $2.5 million.

The July 30 settlement with Joe Rossi and Jeff Moore ends a lawsuit their company filed over two acres of disputed parkland on a former landfill near the Hidden Glen housing development off in east Napa.

The settlement was reached during a jury trial over Rossi and Moores claims the city had backed out of a promise to build a park to serve Hidden Glen homeowners. The trial had begun July 12 in Napa County Superior Court and continued for two weeks before the two sides reached their agreement, which was approved by the City Council.

In addition to paying Hidden Glen Partners, Napa accepts its obligation to build a park near the 36-lot subdivision off Coombsville Road  although the agreement does not set a deadline for its opening or require the city to install irrigated lawns the builders have long sought in order to remove what they called an eyesore depriving them of potential home sales.

Napas payment will include attorney fees for Hidden Glen Partners and is due by Oct. 23, the day Judge Victoria Wood is slated to dismiss the suit, according to court documents.

The money will be drawn from a city risk management fund and not from Napas general fund, according to City Attorney Michael Barrett.

While the agreement commits Napa to building a park to serve Hidden Glen residents, it does not require the city to endow it with domestic grasses or an irrigation system, both Barrett and the developers Walnut Creek-based attorney Rick Bowles confirmed. That condition fell by the wayside in an earlier court case that ruled Hidden Glens statute of limitations had expired to make that claim, Bowles said Tuesday.

Plans for a park near Coombsville Road date to 2001, when Hidden Glens former owners struck a deal for Napa to create recreation space near the housing site. The agreement called on the city to use clay, plastic, soil and turf to cap the park site, where Napa Garbage Service had run a landfill from 1916 to 1948, burying some waste products and burning others. (After the city leased the dump in later years, it became the resting place for park trimmings and debris collected by street sweepers.)

The presence of decades-old refuse had long derailed plans to develop the surrounding property for housing. After Napa approved an earlier version of Hidden Glen in 1987, the original owner struggled to find ways to fully seal the dump to prevent runoff pollution, and eventually abandoned the project.

Steep terrain at the retired landfill, and difficulties gaining access for construction vehicles and disabled visitors, slowed progress toward a park design, court records indicated.

The city park plan that finally emerged in 2008 drew scorn from builders Moore and Rossi, who had acquired Hidden Glen in 2005 and argued that the agreement required an irrigated lawn over the former dump. Napa instead opted for a light-use park with native grasses and no watering, which the developers said presented an unkempt appearance that bogged down sales and property values at the subdivision.

Hidden Glen Partners sued in 2010 over the citys refusal to irrigate the park grounds. Four years later, Napa won an $869,000 judgment in county court, only to see that decision reversed on appeal. The state Supreme Courts refusal in January 2017 to undo that appeal allowed Moore and Rossi to take their case back to the courtroom and seek damages resulting from the delays in building the park.

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.
Santa Monica, one of the states most left-leaning cities, would seem to be an unlikely arena for a court battle over racial discrimination.

However, in a trial this month, the city defends electing city council members at-large by all voters, rather than from districts. A lawsuit contends that the system discriminates against Latinos and other non-white residents.

Its the latest of many legal challenges to local governments under the California Voting Rights Act, a 2002 law that makes it easier to overturn at-large voting.

Historically, at-large elections were the norm in California for nearly 150 years. However, during the late 20th century, as Californias population became much more diverse, they drew increasingly sharp criticism, particularly from activists in the rapidly increasing Latino community.

At-large elections, critics said, often meant that white  and implicitly conservative  members dominated city councils, school boards and other governing bodies, even in communities with substantial non-white populations.

The Stockton Unified School District changed to district voting in response to a segregation lawsuit in the early 1970s. In the 1980s, the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund won a landmark legal victory overturning Watsonvilles at-large elections in a case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

As Latino representation in the state Legislature grew in the 1990s  thanks largely to term limits and court-ordered redistricting after the 1990 census  the battle over at-large elections shifted to the Capitol, culminating in passage of the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) in 2002.

The new law declared that an at-large method of election may not be imposed or applied in a manner that impairs the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of its choice or its ability to influence the outcome of an election It also allowed lawsuits to enforce the new standard.

The new law did not have instantaneous effect, as political scientists Justin Levitt and Douglas Johnson point out in a 2016 research paper.

It took four years for legal challenges to the CVRA to be swept away. But after Modesto ceded a suit in 2008  and had to pay $3 million in legal fees  the pace began to pick up.

Some cities, like Santa Monica, still resisted; Palmdale, for instance, had to shell out $4.5 million in 2015. But most settled CVRA demands or suits rather than bear the heavy cost of legal battles theyd probably lose.

Kevin Shenkman, a Malibu attorney, has made a profitable career out of pressing cities for change. He sends demand letters to targeted cities and collects a small fee if they readily agree to change their voting methods. If they refuse, he sues and, as with his case against Palmdale, often collects multi-million-dollar fees.

Levitt and Johnson, in updating their 2016 study this year, found that while just 29 of the states roughly 400 incorporated cities used district voting prior to the laws passage, 96 now have made or are making the switch, plus 169 school districts, about 30 community college districts and more than as dozen special-purpose districts.

The only county that had been using at-large voting, San Mateo, has also switched.

Latino members of local governing boards have increased, as sponsors of the law intended. Whether its brought a better level of governance remains to be seen. More diverse boards could also be more fragmented, more parochial and less responsive to overall community needs.

It is, as Levitt and Johnson say, a low-profile revolution, and like all revolutions will probably have unintended consequences, and perhaps collateral damage.

CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary.
Within weeks of each other, two prominent speakers recently visited the university where I work and made strikingly similar observations. Nadine Strossen, former longtime president of the American Civil Liberties Union, and Geoffrey Stone, a renowned constitutional scholar at the University of Chicago, each noted with bemusement that the people whose freedom of speech they had most often labored to protect are now too often its worst enemies. Their careers had begun by defending leftist causes against autocratic rules and institutions, they said, but now involve arguing against the intolerance of those who had typically been allies.

Thank goodness we still have thinkers such as these, ones who are willing to stay engaged with the free-speech debate. The resolute advocacy of people such as Strossen and Stone - invaluable in its credibility and admirable in their courage to express it - is the nation's best hope to veer away from the new authoritarianism now threatening our democratic system.

No one has stronger credentials. Stone may be America's most-honored First Amendment authority, the producer of a host of award-winning books and the editor of the Oxford University Press's "Inalienable Rights" series of works on the topic by other respected authors. Strossen, the youngest person and first woman to head the ACLU when she began her 17-year tenure as president in 1991, has led for decades across virtually the entire spectrum of liberal causes, including abortion rights, affirmative action and marijuana legalization, always from a staunch civil-liberties perspective.

Both grew up defending, as they saw it, the rights of minority groups, anti-Vietnam War protesters and others involved in causes commonly characterized as left-wing. Now, in maintaining their lifelong defense of free expression, these two liberal lions find themselves often aligned with more-conservative camps that might have once represented the opposition. And they are arguing with, occasionally being maligned by, those who fancy themselves today's leading leftists.

But they are undeterred. A few years ago, Stone led the drafting of a clear and forthright statement in defense of free expression at his university that is so well done that others of us in higher education have labeled it "The Chicago Principles" and adopted it verbatim at our schools. Strossen travels and lectures and recently published a book for the Oxford series, "Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship," challenging the growing orthodoxy about so-called hate speech.

In a factual and dispassionate way, Strossen's book demolishes the case for government censorship of hate speech. Laws that attempt to block it are unavoidably overbroad and vague from a constitutional standpoint. Such speech causes little or no real harm, let alone that "serious, imminent" injury that justifies government limitation. There is no justification for having one rule for some identity groups and a different rule for everyone else. Such censorship may imagine that it acts on behalf of minorities, but invariably it endangers minority rights and sooner or later is likely to be used against them.

The principled consistency shown by Stone and Strossen is depressingly rare these days. On both sides of the current political tribal warfare, people have shown themselves quick to abandon supposedly core convictions in rationalizing the actions of their tribe.

It's hard to name anyone more credible to make the case for free speech than these two, with their unimpeachably liberal records. The same assertions made by people of a different philosophical profile, or by those on the receiving end of today's repression, are easily dismissed or ignored by the perpetrators and, too often, by the news media.

It's even harder to think of a more courageous stance on free speech than Strossen and Stone's. Taking on the dogma of one's political brethren is tremendously harder than chiming in against traditional adversaries. It's a familiar truth that the most brutal fights tend to be between close allies; ask pro-life Democrats or "McConnell Republicans."

The gross excesses of today's would-be authoritarians, on campus and elsewhere, have started generating an encouraging back pressure from the only kind of voices that are likely to prevail against them. Here and there, academics terrorized in their own classrooms and journalists attacked for unwelcome coverage have begun to speak up.

But all along, a few brave stalwarts such as Geoffrey Stone and Nadine Strossen were standing in the breach, defending the most basic right of a free people. Let's hope many others will take wisdom from their advocacy and courage from their example.

Mitch Daniels, a Washington Post contributing columnist, is president of Purdue University and a former Republican governor of Indiana.
As much as I dislike Donald Trump, I also care more for the truth than partisan advantage. I refer to an article about the potential racial crisis in South Africa by Will Carless and Aaron Sankin of the "Center for Investigation Reporting," which has turned out to be a partisan organization with an axe to grind against Trump like so many others.

The Carless/Sankin article ("Commentary: President Trump is pushing white nationalist ideas into the mainstream," NapaValleyRegister.com, Aug. 26) tells us a lot more about the state of U.S. politics than anything going on in South Africa.

The South African government has begun to expropriate white farmers of their land without compensation. This is likely to lead to the same thing that happened in Zimbabwe two decades ago when Robert Mugabe did the same thing, leading directly to a collapse of the economy and starvation. Of course, most Zimbabweans suffered the most, e.g., poor Africans who made up most of the population.

Now that Zimbabweans have come to their senses, they are literally begging the white farmers who were displaced to return, most of who are not for obvious reasons.

The danger of a campaign of genocide against whites in South Africa is real. Currently, there are one or two murders per week of white farmers, which is a rate more than triple the appallingly high overall murder rate in South Africa (more than 30 per 100,000 vs. about 5 per 100,000 in the U.S.)

To paraphrase the blatantly Marxist leader of the third largest political party in the country, Julius Malema, "...well, we won't murder white people now, but I make no promises for the future." Malema  who struts around wearing paramilitary fashion and runs the party through its "Central Command Team," (sic) -- has threatened the U.S. over Trump's mention of the problem, among many other outrageous statements directly available on YouTube.

Then there are the videos of the current South African president at a huge political rally singing an apartheid-era protest song with repeating lines about "killing the Boer" (white people). But I digress.

The current South African government is too cheap to raise the $2.5 billion-$3.0 billion or so needed to properly compensate most farmers for the land the government wants to seize. So instead, the government is working to amend the South African constitution adopted post-apartheid so that stealing land outright without paying for it would become "legal." (sic)

This not only is likely to lead to the same sort of food and starvation crisis that happened in Zimbabwe when skilled farmers were chased away, the land being given to unskilled subsistence farmers clueless about large-scale agriculture. Government theft of farmland will also cause most investment to dry up in South Africa, understandably given the threat of uncompensated expropriation, further tanking their economy in addition to the likely famine.

It is certain when the South African food and economic crisis comes (if the current government doesn't change course), demagogues like Malema will scapegoat farmers and the remaining white people -- about 8 percent of the population -- with the more extreme hotheads going out and actually killing white people for "revenge."

Given the extreme rhetoric of the likes of Malema and growing tensions in South Africa, unchecked "white genocide" is quite possible if the situation spirals out of control similar to what happened in Rwanda during the 1990s.

Just because neo-Nazis like Andrew Anglin, Richard Spencer, the "Stormfront" website and others report, discuss and try to score political points off the increasing race problems in South Africa, doesn't mean there isn't a problem in that sorry land.

You know, Mr. Carless and Mr. Sankin, broken clocks are right twice per day. And it turned out that conspiracy monger Alex Jones -- another broken clock -- was right that there was a mainstream media conspiracy to silence him when the tech giants took away his free speech, banning his Infowars from YouTube and other platforms.

And contrary to the impression that Carless and Sankin leave, the expropriation issue and its implications have actually been discussed in numerous mainstream outlets over the past year, including the BBC as well as the mainstream media in South Africa.

While the issue was a knee-jerk attempt by Carless, Sankin, Huffington Post, Vox, Vice and other allegedly "progressive" media sewers to taint Trump with the likes of Andrew Anglin et al, Trump's tweet was front-page news in South Africa. Hopefully this will bring fresh attention to the problem both in South Africa and internationally, and cause the South African government to reconsider its current course of action.

Michael D. Setty

Napa
If you say Pineau out loud, it sounds like pinot. As I looked into my glass filled with a golden yellow liquid, I thought, This is pinot? Perhaps it is pinot grigio?

Well, it was neither. It was Pineau des Charentes, simply called Pineau, a French aperitif.

Pineau des Charentes, like Port, Madeira and Sherry, is a fortified wine. But, Pineau des Charentes is from the Charente department of the Cognac region in southwestern France.

Pineau was invented by the people, for the people, explained Hoke Harden, a Pineau des Charentes brand ambassador.

Pineau is the result of a happy mistake. In the 16th century, a winemaker accidentally poured grape must into a cognac barrel, thinking it was empty. The barrel was put aside to age and when he opened it a few years later, he discovered a delicious clear and golden liquid and Pineau des Charentes was born. Pineau des Charentes acquired AOC status in 1945.

For decades, Pineau was not commercial. It was made for the families to drink. And, if you were from Charentes, that is what you drank. Luckily, Pineau was discovered and has expanded beyond the borders of Cognac. There are approximately 25 brands distributed in the U.S. that we can enjoy.

There is white, rose and red Pineau des Charentes. White Pineau is made from the grapes Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Colombard, as well as Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc from neighboring Bordeaux. Red Pineau is made from the grapes Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvginon and Merlot. As no red grapes are grown in Cognac, these grapes come from the Bordeaux.

Pineau is 75 percent fresh grape must and 25 percent Cognac (60 percent ABV) and by law the grapes and the cognac must come from the same estate. Vieux (old) Pineau must be aged for a minimum of five years in oak barrels and Tres Vieux (very old) must be aged in oak barrels for a minimum of 10 years.

The alcohol content of Pineau is on average 17 percent. Yes, it is a little boozier than wine, but it can be delicate or rich, sweet but balanced. It is a wine to be enjoyed as an aperitif, paired with food or mixed in a cocktail.

David Ramnoux Pineau des Charentes (17.5 percent ABV)  A Young White Pineau, aged for 18 months, it is made with Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Semillon and is certified organic. A yellow golden color, it is very aromatic with lively fruit notes of lemon, white peach, as well as honeysuckle and white tea. It is clear, bright and elegant on the palate and can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with foie gras.

Jean Fillioux Pineau des Charentes (17 percent ABV)  Made with Ugni Blanc, this is an Old (Vieux) White Pineau, aged for 15 years. A deep golden color, it has aromas of burnt orange peel and walnut. On the palate, it has darker, richer tones and flavors of almonds, dried fruits and honey.

Chateau de Beaulon Pineau des Charentes (18 percent ABV)  Made with Merlot and aged for five years, this Old (Vieux) Red Pineau is a deep brown-red color and has fruity notes of ripe dark berries, such as black cherry and blackcurrant.

Reynac Pineau des Charentes (17 percent ABV)  Made from Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Folle Blanche, this Young White Pineau spends two years in barrel. On the nose, there are notes of golden raisins and lime peel and on the palate, the long finish has notes of brown sugar.

Tiffon Pineau des Charentes (17.5 percent ABV)  Made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this Young White Pineau may be young but has a more Cognac-like nose, rather than fruit. On the palate, it is delicate but complex with notes of honey, apricot, vanilla and spice.

Bache Gabrielsen Pineau des Charentes (17 percent ABV)  A Very Old White Pineau, aged for more than 15 years, it is made from Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Folle Blanche. It has flavors of dried apricots, nuts and golden-brown sugar and pairs beautifully with caramelized bananas and dark chocolate.

Pineau is a delicious spirited wine that offers variation and flexibility. I know I will be sipping this before dinner, and after!

Allison Levine is owner of Please The Palate, a marketing and event-planning agency. A freelance writer, she contributes to numerous publications while eating and drinking her way around the world. Contact her at allison@pleasethepalate.com.
Every once in a while, you come across people who are driven and who inspire you along the way.

Well, more than a decade ago, I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Marco Lucchesi, a Tuscan native that found his way to California following his dream of making wine.

When I first made his acquaintance, I couldnt help to notice his energy toward his winemaking goal. He would talk about his upbringing in a very traditional Italian household where great food and wine was an everyday occurrence. This reflected in his personal life; he would often host dinners at his house that lasted for hours. I recall arriving around noon. The kids would jump in the pool while we would select wines for dinner, often Barolo or Brunello with age. He would decant the wines and let them air for hours while we prepared elaborate dinners and we would all have a great time.

Marco enrolled in the Napa Valley College enology program and later did a number of significant internships at wineries in the Napa Valley, including Laird, Trefethen Family Vineyards and Judds Hill Winery. During this time, he worked on honing his winemaking skills and finding the right tone for his own wines.

Eventually, he found his way to Santa Barbara, a place that attracted him in a number of ways but strongly because of the diversity of soils and vineyards, which would later give birth to Section Wines. For this, the ultimate passion project, Marco partnered with a number of talented people including Katie Thompson, a vineyard owner and dressage rider who serendipitously came across Marco and hired him to consult on her estate, which eventually led to Section Wines.

Section Wines launched in 2014 with a mission of creating a portfolio of fun and interesting wines of substance and worthy of sharing with family and friends. The production of each wine is rather small and artisan, if you will. Case production ranges from 70 to 155, depending on the wine.

An important aspect of their project, which I thoroughly enjoy, is the art on the labels. They work with both up-and-coming as well as renowned artists and use pieces that enhance the wine profiles. The artists commissioned include Wallace "Wally" Piatt, a former pre-med student at UCSB and self-made artist residing in Santa Barbara.

Wallys art evokes a strong thought process caused by his bold pop art feel. Wally quotes Gustave Flauberts 1861 Be regular and orderly in your life so that you may be violent and original in your work.

Also a recurrent artist is Giuliana Mottin, whose work has been exhibited throughout the globe, from her native Brazil to Amsterdam, Miami, Vancouver, British Columbia and Santa Barbara. Her work can be admired on Section Wines labels, which showcase a couple of her unique techniques, from paint drops in her Daily Candy series to the Blue face label involving an unusual hand technique.

I recently tasted through some of the current line-up, yielding a visual and palatable feast. Here are the notes on a couple of my favorites.

-- 2017 Section Wines Il Bianco ($35), a pleasing and surprising burst of stone fruit driven aromas leading by yellow nectarine, jasmine flowers and a chalky note, in the palate a flavorful song composed of peach gummy rings, citrus blossoms, limestone and a refreshing and long finish marked by a jolt of acidity. This wine is composed of 75 percent Grenache Blanc and 25 percent Arneis (native of northern Italy) with 155 cases produced showcasing the White Horse or 7 Feet from Freedom label by Wally.

-- 2017 Section Wines Vermentino ($35) with Paper Candy #3 by Guiliana Mottin on the label. A Meyer lemon driven aroma and approach in the palate with an electric layer of lime marmalade, dry and cleansing with an elegant and long finish. A memorable California homage to this Sardinian native varietal. Only 70 cases produced.

2016 Il Saggio, a satisfying blend composed of 50 percent Syrah, 25 percent Grenache and 25 percent Cabernet Sauvignon at 155-case production. A plethora of red roses and bramble, freshly picked red berries, white pepper and red earth dominate the nose, on the palate a juicy entry with a mouthwatering black, blue and red fruit roundness and earthy balance. Artwork is The Indian by Wally.

Hoping these wines come across your way at some point and you would enjoy them as much as I do. Cheers!

Eduardo can be reached at eduardo@sakedrinker.com.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is lobbying hard for reservation of minimum 30 and maximum 50 parliamentary seats for minority communities in Bangladesh.

According to a report that appeared in a news portal southasianmonitor.com filed by Chandan Nandy, the RSS functionaries in Dhaka along with some Hindu leaders, held parleys with the leaders of the Awami League as well as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) over the past two months.

The top leadership of the Awami League has agreed in principle to let Hindu nominees contest in 23 seats across districts where the population of the minority community is between 15-25 percent, the report said.

Elections to Bangladesh Jatiya Sangshad are scheduled to be held in December this year.

Quoting Awami League sources, the report said a few rounds of deliberations between the partys representatives, including some Hindu leaders, and RSS functionaries in Dhaka over the past two months or so yielded positive results.

As per the report, Hasina will confabulate with representatives of the Hindu community soon after she returns from her visit to Nepal where heads of government of South Asian and Southeast Asian countries will assemble for the fourth summit meeting of BIMSTEC countries in Kathmandu, beginning August 30.

We would, however, prefer this number to go up to 30 seats, the report quoted Awami League sources adding that Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is keen to put up Hindu nominees. This has made the leaders of the minority community in that country optimistic.

On August 3, the news portal reported that an important Sangh functionary close to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a secret two-day visit to Dhaka on July 24.
Ten Years After Russia Recognized Independence of Occupied Territories

By Vladimer Napetvaridze

Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region are breakaway territories of Georgia, which was recognized as independent states by Russia on 26 August 2008. Russia's initial recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region occurred in the aftermath of the Russo-Georgian War. In total, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions have been recognized by 5 states respectively: Russia- 26 August of 2008; Nicaragua- 5 September 2008; Venezuela- 10 September 2008; Nauru -15 December 2008; And after ten years from the first recognition of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region as an independent state, in 29 May 2018 Syria too recognized the breakaway territories of Georgia as sovereign states. It is noteworthy that in 2011 Vanuatu and Tuvalu recognized Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, but a few years later both states withdrew their decision.The recognition of the Tskhinvali region and Abkhazia triggered immediate reactions from other countries. Georgia responded by cutting diplomatic relations with all the states mentioned above. The vast majority of the states and international organizations officially considers Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region to be sovereign territory of the Georgian state under Russian military occupation. The European Parliament has passed a resolution demanding that Russia reverse its "decision to recognize the so-called independence of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region."The resolution, which comes nearly 10 years after the Russia-Georgia of August 2008 that resulted in Russia's recognition of the two territories, also "condemns the decision by Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria, and Nauru to recognize Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, and calls for this recognition to be withdrawn." The resolution, which was backed by the vast majority in the European Parliament, also calls on Russia to "cease its occupation" of the two breakaway regions and "fully respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, as well as the inviolability of its internationally recognized borders, and that it stops the de facto integration of both regions into the Russian administration."The primary strategic partner of Georgia United States has a rigorous position regarding the issue of occupied territories of Georgia. The President of the U.S. Donald Trump has signed a legislative act which says that Georgias breakaway regions  Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region have been occupied by Russia. The legislative act also imposes restrictions on US funding for any state that does not recognize Georgias territorial integrity and prohibits US representatives in international financial institutions from supporting programs that violate Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty.The list of countries that recognize the independence of Georgia's breakaway territories, demonstrates who stands behind their decision. Russia uses all possible leverages to make other countries recognize the independence of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, but it seems that Russia's influence is enough for developing countries like Nauru and Nicaragua. Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region proved to be a kind of lustration on the international influence of this state, and the fact that even Tuvalu and Vanuatu also withdraw their recognition of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region draws a picture of Russia's real international influence.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan would receive a boost with the launch of new flight by Drukair-Royal Bhutan Airlines connecting Guwahati with Singapore.

Drukair-Royal Bhutan Airlines is the flag carrier Bhutan headquartered in Paro.

Sonowal said this while taking part at the ceremonial launch in Guwahati on Thursday of this new international service whose inaugural flight between Guwahati and Singapore will take off on September 1 next from LGBI Airport, Guwahati.

He said that the initiative would not only facilitate trade and people to people contact among Bhutan, Assam and Singapore but also contribute towards strengthening social, cultural and economic ties. Terming the initiative as historic, Chief Minister Sonowal expressed his deep appreciation to the Royal Government of Bhutan and Drukair-Royal Bhutan Airlines for the endeavour to connect Guwahati directly with Singapore.

Extolling the deep rooted relationship between India and Bhutan, Sonowal said the new initiative in aviation sector would give a major fillip to diplomatic relations between the two nations.

He said the linkages between the two countries have deep historical and civilization roots, going back to several centuries.

Bhutan has always been our most exotic and resourceful neighbour with its unique and vibrant ethnicity and is known for promoting peace and human values, Sonowal added.

Stating that Union Governments Act East Policy has turned the entire North Eastern region into the centre of New Indias growth vision and implementation, Sonowal observed that Bhutan should also take full advantage of this policy enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for greater economic empowerment

Karma Tsheltrim, Advisor to the Interim Government, Ministry of Economic Affairs of Royal Government of Bhutan, Assam Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Forest Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, Kesang Wangdi, Ambassador, Royal Bhutanese Consulate General, Guwahati, senior dignitaries of the Royal Government of Bhutan and Drukair Corporation Limited and senior officials of Government of Assam, Airport Authority of India and major travel agents were present in the launching ceremony.

During the inauguration of Royal Bhutanese Consulate General in Guwahati on February 2 this year, Foreign Minister of Royal Government of Bhutan Damcho Dorji announced this flight and within a couple of months this has become a reality marking a new beginning in air connectivity in the region.
Story Highlights 62% approval of unions roughly matches 2017 level, highest since 2003

Most Democrats approve, while Republicans are evenly split

Support for more influence remains at 39%, a post-recession high

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sixty-two percent of Americans approve of labor unions today, which is consistent with the 61% who approved last year and up from 56% in 2016. Before 2017, public support for unions hadn't exceeded 60% since 2003, when 65% approved.

The American public has long supported organized labor, starting with Gallup's earliest measure, taken in 1936 at the dawn of the U.S. labor movement. In fact, support for unions was relatively high across the first three decades of measurement, averaging 68% from 1936 to 1967. During this period, approval never dropped below 61%, and twice -- both times in the 1950s -- it stretched to 75%.

Things changed in the 1970s when approval fell to 60%. Since then, the percentage of U.S. adults approving of labor unions has averaged 58%, dropping below a majority one time to 48%. That measure came in August 2009 during the recession, coinciding with congressional Democrats' push for expanded union rights during President Barack Obama's first year in office.

The long-term tapering of public support for unions bears little relation to the trajectory of union membership over the same period, described by one expert as an inverted U. Although official measures of union membership have changed, the available estimates indicate that the percentage of all employed adults belonging to unions rose sharply from about 9% in 1936 to roughly 27% in 1945. After peaking at 28% in 1954, it remained near 25% until 1972. It then dropped to about 20% in the mid- and late 1970s and then near 15% and lower in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Today, it is at roughly 11%.

Union Support Universally Strong, Except Among GOP

Current support for unions is fairly high across U.S. society, with majorities of all major gender, age, education and geographic groups approving.

At the same time, approval varies sharply by political affiliation, with 80% of Democrats versus 45% of Republicans approving. The rate among independents falls squarely in between, at 62%.

Majorities in Nearly All Major U.S. Subgroups Approve of Labor Unions Approve Disapprove No opinion % % % U.S. adults 62 30 8 Gender Men 60 32 8 Women 64 28 7 Region East 69 25 6 Midwest 65 26 9 South 60 32 8 West 58 35 8 Age 18-34 65 24 11 35-54 60 33 7 55 and older 62 32 6 Education College graduate 70 25 5 Some college 61 33 7 No college 57 32 11 Party ID Republican 45 47 8 Independent 62 29 9 Democrat 80 15 5 Gallup, Aug. 1-12, 2018

More Want Union Strength to Grow Than Shrink

Although a majority of Americans approve of labor unions, fewer want unions' influence to grow. About four in 10 (39%) would prefer to see unions have more influence than they have today; 26% want their influence to stay the same, and 29% would prefer that they have less influence.

Americans' preference for union power is nearly identical to what Gallup found a year ago and represents greater support for strengthening unions than was the case for most of the previous decade.

Democrats have consistently expressed much more support than Republicans and independents for unions enjoying greater influence. However, the partisan gap varied during George W. Bush's presidency, as the percentage of Democrats favoring more influence waxed and waned, while the percentage of Republicans stayed fairly flat.

Both parties' support for unions having more power dropped sharply in 2009, the first year of Barack Obama's presidency, amid the last recession, but their support has recovered gradually as the economy has improved.

As suggested by the shifts in views about union strength at times of economic decline or improvement, a strong connection exists between Americans' views about union strength and the economy. This is evident in the relationship between public attitudes about unions and the U.S. unemployment rate. The higher the unemployment rate, especially from 2009 to 2011, the higher the percentage of Americans who preferred to see unions have less influence. Conversely, as the unemployment rate fell after 2011, the percentage favoring less influence for unions also fell.

This relationship ties in with prior Gallup research showing that Americans generally believe unions hurt rather than help nonunionized workers in the U.S., even as they believe unions help union members. During the recession, Americans also tended to believe unions hurt rather than helped the economy.

Still, Majority Foresees Unions Weakening

Although more Americans want union influence to expand rather than shrink, a slight majority (51%) predict unions will weaken in the future. Fewer than one in five (19%) think labor unions will grow stronger, while 24% think their power will hold steady.

Americans' outlook on union power has been fairly consistent over the past decade. Before that, from 1999 to 2002 and from 2008 to 2010, they were a bit more confident in unions' futures, with 22% to 25% predicting they would grow stronger.

Bottom Line

At 62%, U.S. public approval of labor unions remains consistent with the improved level seen a year ago, marking a significant increase since the recession and slightly beating the average 58% approval recorded over the last half-century.

With the economy doing well, 39% of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, also say they would like to see unions' influence in the country increase. Still, with union membership on the low side, Americans believe they are more likely to see unions getting weaker rather than stronger.

Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Aug. 1-12, 2018, with a random sample of 1,024 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 70% cellphone respondents and 30% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
Afghan Taliban Deems Dutch People Complicit in "Crime" of Muhammad Cartoon Contest, Threatens Dutch Troops in Afghanistan
Consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Bangladesh

30-08-2018

On August 30, 2018 Minsk hosted political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Belarus and Bangladesh. The Belarusian delegation was headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrei Dapkiunas, the delegation of Bangladesh was led by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamrul Ahsan.

Background Information: The previous round of consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries took place in Bangladesh in 2012.

The interlocutors discussed the ongoing matters of the bilateral agenda, current situation of and prospects for development of Belarusian-Bangladeshi ties, including possible exchanges of high-level official visits. The Deputy Ministers highlighted the importance of political foreign office consultations as an effective instrument to strengthen mutual confidence and promote a wider cooperation, concurring on the advisability to hold them on an annual basis.

The Deputy Foreign Ministers reviewed the ways to expand the legal framework for bilateral relations.

Background Information: At present, Belarus and Bangladesh have a basic package of trade and economic agreements and a number of documents for cooperation in the areas of education, military and technical sphere, in science and technology.

A particular focus during the consultations was on the prospects of bilateral trade and economic and investment cooperation, primarily the opportunities for a serious increase in the supplies of Belarusian machinery products to Bangladesh. The interlocutors pointed to an unexhausted potential for growth of trade and investment and agreed on the need for an expeditious launching of the Joint Belarus-Bangladesh Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation. The participants of the consultations discussed an idea of establishing tri- and quadrilateral light industry enterprises involving companies from advanced economies of East Asia.

The Belarusian and Bangladeshi diplomats also considered ways for enhanced bilateral cooperation in the areas of education and vocational training, establishing contacts between the national coordinators for Sustainable Development Goals, a more active involvement of honorary consuls for consolidation of bilateral bonds.

Heads of the delegations exchange opinions on the topical issues of cooperation and mutual support of the two countries within the UN and other international organizations.

The head of the delegation of Bangladesh was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Vladimir Makei.

The parties spoke in favor of a significant promotion of the entire range of bilateral relations, strengthening of their institutional mechanisms.

V.Makei and K.Ahsan also expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation between Belarus and Bangladesh on multilateral platforms, including the UN.

The interlocutors discussed the implementation of the key joint projects in trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, outlining a number of priority steps need to be taken for their launch.

print version
While everyone was glued to the governor's race Tuesday night, Gov. Rick Scott was cruising to victory in a little-noticed Republican U.S. Senate primary.

Scott crushed his little-known opponent, Roque (Rocky) de la Fuente, a wealthy California businessman, with nearly 89 percent of the vote.

But a closer look at county-by-county results strongly suggests that Republicans in two counties sent Scott a message of disapproval over his handling of two highly controversial issues: access to Florida beaches and toxic algae blooms in Florida waterways.

Hopelessly overmatched, de la Fuente had no visible signs of a campaign and got 11 percent of the vote. But he did much better in two counties: Walton in the Panhandle and Martin on the Treasure Coast.

De la Fuente got 20.5 percent of the vote in Walton and 20 percent of the vote in Martin, almost twice his statewide average.

The popular beach communities of Walton County have been ground zero in the beach access debate, which has deeply divided beachgoers and tourists against private property rights advocates.

Scott signed a bill that requires court intervention to enforce a doctrine known as "customary use" that ensures public access to beaches.

Scott then issued an executive order last month that blocks state agencies from taking action based on the bill (HB 631).

Scott and his opponent, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, have repeatedly blamed each other for the algae blooms that have poisoned waterways. The governor toured the St. Lucie River nearly three weeks ago, but he did not interact with local residents who were on the scene.

Scott's soft numbers in Martin were first noted by Politico. The county-by-county election results are here.

An unknown candidate gets one-fifth of the Republican vote against a sitting governor? That's no coincidence.

A spokesman for Scott's campaign, Chris Hartline, said: "Rick Scott won more votes than any U.S. Senate candidate in Florida history. It's no surprise that Democrats and the Times would try to distract from Nelson's failing campaign by focusing on the counties where the governor won by only 60 percentage points."

Scott released a new digital ad through his campaign Wednesday that criticizes Nelson for "walking out of a Senate hearing" on Capitol Hill Tuesday during a discussion of the algae blooms.

Scott's online ad can be seen here.
Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog.
I am writing today to help inform people who are new to the stock market and want to learn about the link between companys fundamentals and stock market performance.

Air New Zealand Limited (NZSE:AIR) is trading with a trailing P/E of 9.5x, which is lower than the industry average of 10.2x. While AIR might seem like an attractive stock to buy, it is important to understand the assumptions behind the P/E ratio before you make any investment decisions. Today, I will break down what the P/E ratio is, how to interpret it and what to watch out for.

See our latest analysis for Air New Zealand

Breaking down the P/E ratio

NZSE:AIR PE PEG Gauge August 29th 18

A common ratio used for relative valuation is the P/E ratio. By comparing a stocks price per share to its earnings per share, we are able to see how much investors are paying for each dollar of the companys earnings.

P/E Calculation for AIR

Price-Earnings Ratio = Price per share  Earnings per share

AIR Price-Earnings Ratio = NZ$3.29  NZ$0.347 = 9.5x

The P/E ratio itself doesnt tell you a lot; however, it becomes very insightful when you compare it with other similar companies. We want to compare the stocks P/E ratio to the average of companies that have similar characteristics as AIR, such as size and country of operation. One way of gathering a peer group is to use firms in the same industry, which is what Ill do. AIRs P/E of 9.5 is lower than its industry peers (10.2), which implies that each dollar of AIRs earnings is being undervalued by investors. This multiple is a median of profitable companies of stocks internationally, operating in the industry. Ive decided to use a global peer group as theres not enough companies in that are considered as appropriate peers, and I wanted to get a broader perspective on the regional multiple. Some peers include , and . You can think of it like this: the market is suggesting that AIR is a weaker business than the average comparable company.

Assumptions to watch out for

Story continues

However, there are two important assumptions you should be aware of. Firstly, our peer group contains companies that are similar to AIR. If this isnt the case, the difference in P/E could be due to other factors. For example, if you are comparing lower risk firms with AIR, then its P/E would naturally be lower than its peers, as investors would value those with lower risk at a higher price. The second assumption that must hold true is that the stocks we are comparing AIR to are fairly valued by the market. If this does not hold true, AIRs lower P/E ratio may be because firms in our peer group are overvalued by the market.

What this means for you:

Since you may have already conducted your due diligence on AIR, the undervaluation of the stock may mean it is a good time to top up on your current holdings. But at the end of the day, keep in mind that relative valuation relies heavily on critical assumptions Ive outlined above. Remember that basing your investment decision off one metric alone is certainly not sufficient. There are many things I have not taken into account in this article and the PE ratio is very one-dimensional. If you have not done so already, I highly recommend you to complete your research by taking a look at the following:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for AIRs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for AIRs outlook. Past Track Record: Has AIR 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 AIRs historicals for more clarity. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com.
Bitcoin continues to tread water, bringing volatility down across the broader market. Whats next and is it all down to the SECs ETF decisions?

According to the KDB report, North Korea has been testing out cryptocurrency mining on a small scale. The report further points out that transactions involving such cryptocurrencies cannot be traced easily, thus making it easy for money laundering. A North Korea technology company known as Chosun Expo is reportedly working on an exchange platform for Bitcoin (BTC).

The report from the South Korean-based bank highlights the concerns about the use of cryptocurrencies to facilitate illegal activities such as money laundering, trading weapons and even funding terrorism. These are just some of the concerns that have plagued the cryptocurrency market as digital currencies struggle to gain traction.

North Korea seems interested in the defining characteristics of cryptocurrencies, including anonymity, difficulties of tracing money and capability, the report stated.

North Koreas involvement with cryptocurrencies is not surprising considering that it has poor relationships with neighboring countries and its economy is not doing well. It has particularly lost ties with other countries because of its nuclear missile programs. Cryptocurrencies can thus be used to acquire vital resources that the country needs. KDB claims in its report that North Koreas efforts of mining Bitcoin between May and June 2017 were futile.

Suggested Articles

Who in North Korea is pursuing cryptocurrencies?

Such efforts were most likely carried out by the countrys government since regular civilians do not have access to proper internet services and expensive mining equipment. Some of the individuals who have defected from North Korea revealed in interviews that people dont have knowledge about cryptocurrencies in the country.

Kim Jong Un has enforced strict rules that prevent North Koreans from accessing the outside world and so it is highly unlikely that random citizens have been involved in cryptocurrency mining. Such interests are therefore more likely to involve people with ties to the Korean government. It was most likely the North Korean hacker group known as Lazarus which tested out cryptocurrency mining. The hacker group has also been other crypto-related matters including a cryptocurrency exchange attack in Asia using the AppleJeus Mac malware. Lazarus became popular in 2014 after hacking Sony Pictures for a film called The Interview, which had a storyline focused on the assassination of Kim Jong Un.

Story continues

Lazarus is the most likely firm to be involved in matters regarding cryptocurrencies in North Korea but they most likely abandoned that mission because it is resource-intensive. However, their pursuits with cryptocurrencies will most likely continue given that it presents an alternative way of procuring goods and services especially since the local currency is likely losing its value.

It is no surprise that groups such as Lazarus are focusing their efforts on cryptocurrency mining malware because they are highly lucrative. It is therefore likely that North Korea will continue to show interest in cryptocurrencies. It is also not clear whether Lazarus is responsible for some of the cryptocurrency exchange hacks in South Korea.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
Lelectricite est devenue, de nos jours, un besoin dune importance majeure, et cela, dans tous les domaines dactivite. Que ce soit dans les maisons ou []
The National Medical Stores (NMS) has unveiled its new team of 16 board member directors. The new board will be chaired by Dr Jotham Musinguzi, a professional public health physician. The new appointments come after the expiry of term of some members of the previous board.

Dr Musinguzi will be working with Dr Christine Ondoa, Medard Bitekyero, Dr Sam Orochi Orach, Dr Hanifah Naamala Sengendo, Beatrice Lagada Amongi and Justinian Niwagaba.

Others include Emmanuel Osuna, Mbulamuko, Dr Richard Mugahi, Dr Shaban Abdullah, Kenneth Paul Omoding, Naome Kibaaju, Kate Nalukenge Kikule and Dr Timothy Musila.

Dr Jotham Musinguzi

Musinguzi is not new in public sector management having previously headed the Population Secretariat for over 10 years, and he also served as board member for several local and international organizations.

Dr Jane Aceng, the minister of Health while unveiling the new board, said the new directors have an uphill task as they are coming in at a time when NMS is facing several challenges. She observed that Uganda is advancing in many ways and nature of diseases are changing hence the board is expected to be dynamic.

As you have been told, focus is now changing to lifestyle diseases and other non communicable diseases, we hope you will provide good guidance and governance working with management, she said.

Aceng added; You are not coming in to have good time or relax, 40 million people are looking at you for their healthy being; health is critical and medicines are critical.

The minister admitted that there have been delays in delivery of medical supplies to health units and people are complaining but now it is time for the board to fix that.

NMS also used the function to unveil new customer care service vehicles that will help in monitoring drug distributions through the country.

Moses Kamabare general manager/CEO at NMS said the vehicles are meant to link NMS with the health units throughout the country for easy coordination and management of medical procurement plans.

NMS created regional offices and now we have staff to remind hospitals and other health centres on when to start procurement plans, follow up for feedback and also report back to head office, he said.

The nine regional customer care centres include Gulu, Moroto, Arua, Mbale, Soroti, Hoima, Fort Portal, Mbarara and Kampala and each region will have a vehicle.

justuslyatuu08@gmail.com
Government through the East African Affairs ministry has written to the parliament of Kenya demanding that its legislators apologise for allegedly abusing Uganda President Yoweri Museveni.

Last week, some Kenyan MPs threatened to stage demonstrations in Kampala if the Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine was not released within a weeks period. Kyagulanyi was arrested alongside over 33 others on allegations that they had stoned Museveni's convoy. The suspects have since been charged with treason and granted bail.

With allegations of torture of the suspects particularly Kyagulanyi and Mityana MP Francis Zaake, daily demonstrations erupted in Uganda and abroad - with Kenyan youth being very vocal over the issue, arguing that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Kenyans staged demonstrations over Bob Wine arrest and detention. Photo: courtesy

Kyagulanyi was initially charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition in an Army court in Gulu and remanded to Makindye military barracks in Kampala. The charges against the MP were later dropped but he was subsequently charged in the Magistrate's court with treason.

According to Daily Nation, Kenyan lawmakers including Jared Okelo (Nyando), Babu Owino (Embakasi East) and Gideon Keter (nominated) of the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association said they would first stage a protest against the arrest and torture of Kyagulanu at the Ugandan embassy in Kenya before escalating it into Uganda.

Now, ruling party lawmakers in Uganda are demanding that action be taken against the Kenyan MPs for what they called meddling into the affairs of a sovereign state.

East African Affairs state minister Julius Maganda Wandera told the parliamentary committee on East African Community Affairs yesterday that 'action' had already been taken against the Kenyan MPs.

Unsatisfied by the ministers verbal action taken statement, Rukiga Woman MP Caroline Kamusiime Muhwezi insisted on knowing what action had been taken against the MPs, whom she said used abusive language to the person of the President of Uganda, which to her was unacceptable.

After the recent protests, the Kenyans including MPs came out and abused our president but nothing was done by the ministry. They were demanding our president to free Bobi Wine. Free Bobi Wine, as who? Kamusiime said.

Daily Nation reported that while addressing the press on August 15 at Parliament Building in Nairobi, the lawmakers said they would speak out against abuse of human rights being meted out on Kyagulanyi and others following their arbitrary arrest in Arua.

Maganda said his ministry had through the Uganda parliament speaker Rebecca Kadaga, written to Kenyan parliament over that matter.

The minister concurred with Kamusiime that the reaction that emerged from MPs of Kenya calling for the release of the Ugandan MPs who had been arrested due to the violence in Arua was more less undermining the position of the President of Uganda when they were using abusive language.

We as the ministry have already taken note of the comment which doesnt sound so well at bi-lateral level where it is supposed to be encouraging Ugandans, Kenyans and East Africans where we allow each partner state to keep its sovereignty and governance as much as we operate under a treaty for the establishment of the EA community, Maganda said.

We have written through the speaker of parliament to address her fellow speaker of Kenya so that they can make these MPs of Kenya to understand the rules of procedure and the diplomatic relationships and the messages that should be done especially when they are meant to address issues that pertain to the [other] state, Maganda added.

He threatened that if the Kenyan parliament does not take action against the legislators, the ministry would not hesitate reaching Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta for redress.

And we want a comment to come out officially either to retract that statement of the MPs or to apologise or else we might seek through our embassy to have these matters placed before the president of Kenya. We are not taking this matter lightly as a country and as a ministry. We are taking it as a serious matter, Maganda said.

Maganda however said the action demanded by the ministry would not negatively affect the two countries relationship but there was need for Kenyan MPs to understand diplomacy.

We want the MPs of Kenya to understand and appreciate that there is a diplomatic way how they should address matters that pertains to a partner state where you dont have a bigger jurisdiction in their decision making, Maganda said.

Prior to Arua suspects' release on Monday this week, religious leaders, Buganda kingdom, musicians, opposition leaders and foreign missions had issued strong statements against the torture of the suspects and general brutality of the presidential guards.

The US government in a statement reminded government that all the detained people have a right to humane treatment, due process, access to lawyers and to their families and a prompt and fair trial.

We urge the government to show the world that Uganda respects its Constitution and the human rights of all its citizens, the US statement said.

The European Union also weighed in condemning the violence that occurred before and after the by-election.

The European Union urged that the government, political parties and civil society should cooperate to ensure that the events that have caused much suffering to citizens and damaged the global image of Uganda are addressed swiftly and transparently.

namuloki16@gmail.com
Almost 48 hours after his release, Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wines private doctors at Lubaga Hospital are checking everything on the list of his health concerns.

From the liver, skull, internal organs, to the blood, everything is being examined to the minutest detail. Lubaga Hospital has restricted access to bedridden Bobi Wine to allow medics conduct several tests on the MP without much interruption.

The MP was wheeled into the hospital on Monday night after a gruelling seven-hour-journey from Gulu where he was bailed by the High Court alongside 33 others also charged with alleged treason.

He was taken to the same section of the hospital where Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake Butebi, also a victim of the brutality meted out by suspected presidential guards in Arua, is admitted. His admission in the Kampala hospital has attracted many visitors, forcing Lubaga to close off the entire section to the public.

Kizza Besigye checks on Bobi Wine at Lubaga hospital

Only his wife Barbie Itungo; brother Eddie Yawe, lawyer Asuman Basalirwa, Kampala Catholic Archbishop Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and Anglican Assistant Bishop of Kampala Hannington Mutebi were allowed in on Tuesday.

There are several doctors that have been lined up to carry out various tests and examinations; they have requested for time to do their work, Basalirwa told The Observer.

Several politicians, artistes and journalists flocked outside the entrance to the surgical ward where the two young MPs are admitted.

Yawe told journalists that the seven-hour-drive from Gulu which involved hold ups along the road due to huge crowds which gathered to welcome Bobi at all the major trading centres along the Gulu-Kampala highway, had left his brother exhausted.

But we are also trying to find out what is inside him multiple tests are going to be done in and out  our concentration is on the intrinsic investigation; which internal organ is functioning well, which one is not functioning and which chemicals was he injected with , Yawe said.

According to Yawe, they are paying a lot of attention to the MPs kidney and skull given that a UPDF physician told Itungo that the kidney was damaged during the torture he was subjected to.

It was their [UPDF] scan that pointed to the kidney damage. We havent seen their scan results, and, out of the torture, he bled through the ears which makes us suspect that the skull could have been damaged, Yawe said.

As Lubaga conducts the tests, the musician-cum-politician had by Tuesday evening received offers from 10 hospitals in the UK, US, Canada, Germany, South Africa and Kenya for further treatment.

When we find out the specific problem he has, we shall then look at the various offers that we have and take him to one with the best facilities, Yawe said.

Meanwhile, the police have written to Lubaga management asking them to surrender Zaake for transfer to the National Referral Hospital Mulago.

According to an August 26 letter by the director of Criminal Investigations, Grace Akullo, Zaake is among the people who were arrested in Arua on August 13 and taken to Arua police station.

At Arua Police station counter, Hon Zaake allegedly collapsed and was taken to Arua Regional Referral Hospital by the regional criminal investigations [RCID] officer, West Nile, and another officer in uniform. He was received by medical personnel at the Out Patients Department [OPD] and ushered in one of the rooms. At the OPD, the uniformed police officer was left to keep watch and RCID officer went back to manage other matters at the police station, Akullo wrote.

After about 30 minutes, the RCID officer went back to the hospital and inquired from the medical personnel the whereabouts of Hon Francis Zaake. They informed him that he was taken by two people whom he [Zaake] seems to know. However, the police officer who had been left to keep watch was never informed by the medical personnel that some people wanted to take him, she further wrote.

Akullo further claims that Zaake vanished from a room in the hospitals private ward where he had been transferred after a medical officer had stabilised him.

A case of escape from lawful custody was opened against Zaake. On August 17, the police received information that he was actually admitted at Lubaga hospital in critical condition and that he was dumped at the gate of the hospital by unknown people, Akullo stated.

She said that Zaake is being investigated alongside the 34 treason suspects that were bailed on Monday.

There are allegations that he was assaulted during arrest on August 13. We therefore request that Zaake be transferred from Lubaga hospital to Mulago National Referral Hospital [to be checked] by specialists who will then furnish us with a report of his health status to enable us proceed with investigations, Akullo wrote.

Lubaga hospital management was not available for comment but they are understood to have handed over the letter to their legal representatives for advice. In Parliament on Tuesday, MPs refused to handle any government business until after the executive has explained the brutality meted out on MPs.

Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah adjourned the House for two days within which President Museveni is expected to respond to the concerns raised by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. Kadaga on August 27 wrote to Museveni demanding that the security people who tortured MPs and other civilians in Arua be quickly arrested and arraigned in court.

This is the second time the Speaker is writing to Museveni over a similar issue, having first written to him early this year demanding an explanation for the raid on parliament, and beating up of opposition MPs, by presidential guard soldiers.

Special Forces Command troops attacked parliament in December 2017 during the heated process which saw a constitutional amendment to lift presidential age limits late last year.

Oulanyah unsuccessfully tried to agree with Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugundas plea that the matter be left to a higher level but a spirited fight from MPs, notably Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda (KIra Municipality), Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga) and Maurice Kibalya (Bugabula South) forced him to yield.

Interviewed for a comment, Army spokesperson Richard Karemire said the army has launched an inquiry to ascertain what exactly happened in Arua and hold the errant security operatives to account.

sadabkk@observer.ug
Mityana municipality MP Francis Zaake has been blocked from leaving the country to India for further treatment.

Zaake is currently stuck at the Entebbe Airport VIP departure lounge after police directed that that he should not be allowed to travel out of the country.



James Ruhweza, the head of airport security was reportedly directed to stop Zaake from checking in at Entebbe airport and instead ordered to transport the legislator to Mulago hospital.



Zaake's lawyer Asuman Basalirwa says that they have received information from the security officers deployed at the airport that his client cannot fly out without clearance from the Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (CIID).



He says that efforts to reach the CIID director Grace Akullo are yet to yield fruits since she is not responding to their repeated calls and text messages.

Francis Zaake was meant to fly to India for further treatment

"As of now he cant fly, were trying to send messages to various government agencies, the Prime Minister and the others to see that this matter is sorted out because as far as were concerned Hon Francis Zaake is not wanted. Those who were wanted were arrested and taken to court and are out on bail. He was not on the list of those who were presented before court and we still dont know why government is still restricting his movement out of the country." said Basalirwa.



Basalirwa described the current situation as very unfortunate demanding that his client is allowed to travel abroad for treatment and that whatever police has against him can be addressed when he returns from India on September 30th.



"If government is not very careful, Hon Zaake can easily die and I dont know how they will handle that situation. I think he will be returning on the 30th of September. If they really need him, led them wait for the 30th, well get him from the airport and take him to Kibuli or any other police.



Today morning, Zaake set off from Lubaga hospital to Entebbe airport in an ambulance belonging to Uganda Martyrs. He was accompanied by Basalirwa, his family and Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana.



Zaake's family told URN that the flight tickets had been secured for specialized treatment in India after Lubaga hospital recommended a referral abroad.



Yesterday Wednesday, CIID director Akullo visited Lubaga and held a meeting with the hospital executive director Dr Andrew Ssekitooleko. As the meeting went on, plain-clothed and uniformed security personnel had taken strategic positions at the hospital with two police ambulances seen at two gates of Lubaga hospital.



Akullo's presence at the hospital followed a letter written by Akullo to Lubaga hospital demanding that Zaake be transferred to Mulago referral hospital for examination following torture allegations during his arrest on August 13 in Arua.

Zaake was arrested alongside Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi also still in hospital, Arua MP-elect Kassiano Wadri and over 30 others. They were arrested on allegations of stoning President Yoweri Museveni's convoy after the last Arua by-election campaigns won by Wadri.

Their arrests and alleged torture sparked off protests allover the country and received global condemnations. Police claims, Zaake who has been on life support most of the time since his arrest two weeks ago, escaped from custody.
The ministry of Health has dismissed off social media reports suggesting that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for prevention of cervical cancer, is dangerous to the health of girls and babies.

The ministry described the reports as false, unfounded and baseless, saying, the HPV vaccine was first licensed for use in 2006 across the world. According to the ministry, studies conducted so far demonstrate that the vaccine is very safe and effective in preventing cervical cancer.

In a statement issued by minister of Health, Dr Ruth Aceng, the ministry said the after the vaccination, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports rapid reductions of up to 90 per cent in HPV infections and genital warts among teenage girls and young women in Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, UK, and USA.

It is therefore NOT true that the HPV vaccine was banned in most European countries. The vaccine is actually in use throughout the whole of Europe, the US and globally, Aceng said today in the statement.

Minister Ruth Aceng

In neighbouring countries like Rwanda, she said, the HPV vaccination achieved 93.23 per cent coverage in 2011, protecting up to 98,792 girls within the target age bracket of 9-14 years. Rwandas incidence rate currently stands at approximately 42 cases per 100,000 women per year which is lower than many African nations.

Globally, cancer of the cervix has a devastating effect on womens health causing an estimated 466,000 new cases each year with 1.4 million women living with cancer of the cervix. It is the second commonest cancer amongst women but a leading cause of female cancer death with the vast majority of these women in developing countries, she said.

Annually, cervical cancer accounts for 40 per cent of all cancers in Uganda while 1,800 new cases of the condition are registered. Government introduced the HPV vaccine into the routine immunization schedule in 2015 in order to protect young girls aged 9-14 years from cervical cancer.

The choice of this age bracket is based on assumption that girls of this age have not engaged in sexual activity as yet and therefore have not had exposure to Human Papillomavirus which is sexually transmitted. Vaccinating them is therefore protective.

Aceng said, contrary to allegations on social media, the HPV vaccine does not cause cancer. The vaccine does not contain any live or killed HPV virus. She said, the HPV vaccine does not cause menstrual periods in babies, as alleged, because at that age the hormones are inactive; neither does it cause hormonal imbalances, because it is not a hormone.

Menstrual periods in girls are triggered by hormonal actions, oestrogen and progesterone to be specific. In any case, the vaccine is given only to adolescent girls, not babies, and it does not have a contraceptive component or cause sterility as reported, she said.

Aceng said, all vaccines introduced into the routine immunization schedule are pre-qualified and approved by the WHO following rigorous independent scientific review for safety and any adverse events following immunization.

WHO recommends that two doses of HPV vaccine be given to 914-year-old girls as a first priority.

zuraneetah@observer.ug
Two former top officials of Uganda National Road Authority (Unra) have earned themselves a five year jail term for abuse of office that led to loss of Shs 24.7 billion in the Katosi road scam.



Joe Ssemugooma, the former director of Finance and Administration and Wilberforce Senjako, the former Unra regional accountant. Anti-Corruption court judge, Lawrence Gidudu sentenced the duo on Thursday afternoon. He also handed Ssemugooma another five years 5 years negligence of duty.



Justice Gidudu also sentenced businessman Apollo Senkeeto alias Mark Kalyesubula to 10 years in prison for theft of public funds. Senkeeto was the country representative of Eutaw, the fictitious firm that awarded the contract to upgrade the Mukono-Katosi-Nyenga road to bitumen in 2014. He was sentenced to 3 years for 6 counts of uttering false documents and 5 years for obtaining documents by false pretense.

Apollo Senkeeto (R) was sentenced to 10 years in prison

Justice Gidudu said the three were convicted because of the key role they played in the movement of money from Unra accounts to Apollo Senkeeto's fictitious Eutaw company.



Gidudu noted that Eutaw's bid would have collapsed at the tendering stage if the two former Unra staff had nipped the scheme in the bud by verifying the security and performance guarantees.

The two, Gidudu said chose to go to bed with Senkeeto by advising him to even replace forged securities and backdate them to ensure that the scheme succeeds.

"This matter is in court because the two looked the other way instead of reporting false documents to Unra management," he said.



The judge described Senkeeto as the main architect of the scam. Senkeeto had requested for a non-custodial sentence for among other things being a theology student at Africa Bible Institute in preparation to become a pastor.



"If this was a play I would say Senkeeto is the protagonist. Its good news that Senkeeto is taking theology studies, indeed he needs salvationlike St Paul who after conversion to Christianity wrote most of his letters while he was in prison because of his faith, so will Senkeeto continue his theology studies while in prison," he ruled.



The judge rejected prosecution's request to make a compensation order because no audit was carried out to ascertain the exact amount of money lost in the scam, given that some road work was done.
Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has been arrested as he attempted to check in at Entebbe airport to fly abroad for further treatment. Kyagulanyi and his co-accused are facing treason charges and were granted bail on Monday this week. Since his release on Monday, he has been admitted at Lubaga hospital and his arrest came hours after the Mityana municipality MP Francis Zaake was too blocked and arrested at the same airport. Zaake was flying to India for further treatment after being referred by Lubaga hospital. Bobi Wine

Zaake, like Kyagulanyi was brutally arrested by the presidential guards and tortured during arrest in Arua and while in detention. On arrival at Entebbe, Kyagulanyi was taken into police custody and driven in an ambulance to Kiruddu hospital where Zaake was also forcefully checked into.

"The Uganda Police have violently blocked Hon Bobi Wine from traveling outside of the country in spite of the court declining to do so when being released on bail earlier in the week. This is absurd to say the least." Nicholas Opiyo, one of Kyagulanyi's posted on his twitter at 9.17pm on Thursday.

"Any medical doctor who conducts any medical procedure on MPs Hon Zaake & Hon Bobi Wine without their consent will be violating the hypothetical oath, the Medical & Dental Practitioners Act & the Code of Ethics for Medical & Dental Practitioner & will be personally pursued," Opiyo added.



A reliable source in the police told URN that Kyagulanyi was arrested so that he could be checked by a team of doctors.



"The worry is that if he goes out of the country, he may return with medical reports that are different from his current condition and so we want to be sure of what his condition is," the source said.



The police spokesperson Emilian Kayima could not be reached for a comment on Kyagulanyi's latest arrest. Kyagulanyi was arrested on August 14 on allegations that he, and 32 others stoned the convoy of President Museveni as he was leaving Arua on August 13.

Museveni had just concluded mobilising support for NRM candidate Nusura Tiperu in the Arua municipality by-election which was eventually won by opposition candidate Kassiano Wadri (also arrested).

Although charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition were dropped off Kyagulanyi's back, he was rearrested and charged with treason in the Chief Magistrate's court. The 33 Arua suspects were granted bail the Magistrate's court in Gulu on Monday.
The state of California and the Trump Administration continue to differ over a range of issues, particularly when it comes to energy.

Earlier this week, the California State Assembly passed SB 884, a bill that if passed would prohibit the States Lands Commission from allowing any new wharfs, piers, pipelines and other facilities in state waters from the shoreline out to three miles offshore that could be used to expand oil production, effectively blocking Trumps plans to drill for oil in federal waters off the California coast.

State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, the bills sponsor, said the Trump Administrations proposal to dramatically expand offshore oil drilling is dangerous, reckless, and a direct threat to our coastal community.

California must stand firm in our opposition to this expansion, which could devastate our marine ecology, public health and coastal economy. The move to ban drilling was blocked last year by the oil industry, according to various media reports in the state.

In January, the Interior Department released controversial plans to open vast areas, around 90 percent of offshore Areas in the U.S., including the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to new oil and gas exploration and drilling through a five-year leasing program that would begin in 2019.

Under the plan, the federal government would also offer 47 leases in federal waters on the outer continental shelf, including two each off the Northern, Central and Southern California coasts and one-off Washington and Oregon. More than a dozen states oppose the Trump administration's proposal to open up nearly the entire U.S. coastline to offshore oil leasing.

Choose your side

California lawmakers have overwhelming support of most Californians over the issue. A poll released in January by the Public Policy Institute of California found 69 percent of Californians oppose new offshore oil drilling, while 25 percent claim they support it. Related: Can The U.S. Bring Iranian Oil Exports To Zero?

SB 884 will go to the California State Senate by next Wednesday. If its approved, as expected, it will then head to Gov. Jerry Brown who is likely to sign the bill into law.

Environmentalists, not surprisingly, hail the bill as a way to not only confront the environmental dangers from oil drilling but as a way to stop what they see as federal encroachment. The oil industry, for its part, continues to advocate drilling, claiming that new oil development off the states coast could help reduce gasoline prices in the state. California has some of the highest prices for gas in the country.

I dont believe Californians want to sacrifice their coastline for less expensive gasoline, said former Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, now President and CEO of the Central Valley Community Foundation. Weve embraced the mantel of being the nations leader in renewable energy sources However, we often shoot ourselves in the foot by putting costly regulations in the way of developing and using renewable energy sources.

California State University Chancellor Tim White agreed that energy costs in the state were a problem, especially for those on low incomes, but added that instead of permanently affecting our precious coastline, we should invest in more research and development  led by Californias colleges and universities  on alternative and more efficient sources of energy.

Older Californians are still reticent over oil development in the state, recalling a 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, when three million gallons of oil leaked from an offshore drilling operation and coated local beaches.

Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, a leading industry trade group, said that bans were not the answer. She said the bill would have an immediate negative impact on our states energy supply and the Californians who work to provide it. Related: Mexicos Dramatic Energy Reform

Demand for fuel is not decreasing, Reheis-Boyd added. Every barrel of oil not produced in California will be replaced by a barrel produced and shipped in from a region that doesnt have our states stringent environmental laws.

Despite the states resistance to new oil drilling, it has the third-largest share of petroleum reserves in the country and is the third-largest producer of petroleum among the 50 states, after Texas and North Dakota, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Even though California's crude oil production has declined overall in the past 30 years, production in the state still made up about 6 percent of total U.S. production in 2016.

Finding common ground

California is not only poised for a possible legal battle with the federal government over offshore drilling but a host of other issues also, including automobile emissions regulations. However, in a positive development on Wednesday Trump Administration officials and California clear air regulators seemingly found some common ground in a meeting, saying they would keep meeting to work toward resolving their sharp conflict over vehicle emissions and shared the goal of a single national emissions standard.

By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
In a devastating blow to the prospects of the Trans Mountain expansion pipeline  and thus, to the entire Canadian oil sands industry  a Canadian court ruled that the federal government failed to adequately consult with First Nations affected by the project. The ruling throws the entire project into doubt.

Its the latest setback to Canadas oil sands industry, which has been struggling for a decade to build a single large-scale pipeline to move oil from Alberta to the international market. Keystone XL still sits in limbo, ten years after its original proposal, despite support from both the U.S. and Canadian governments. The graveyard of abandoned pipeline proposals has grown over the years, and could yet claim another victim.

The Trudeau government failed in its rhetoric about reconciliation with First Nations' and this court decision shows that, a spokesperson for Squamish Nation said in a statement. This decision reinforces our belief that the Trans Mountain Expansion Project must not proceed, and we tell the Prime Minister to start listening and put an end to this type of relationship. It is time for Prime Minister Trudeau to do the right thing.

While the saga of Keystone XL has made international headlines and dragged on for years, the Trans Mountain expansion was supposed to be an easier lift. The project would be built as a twin line along the existing pipeline, reducing the environmental impact. Related: Is This As Good As It Gets For U.S. Refiners?

But it still has faced stiffed resistance on multiple fronts. The provincial government in British Columbia has aggressively opposed the project, which contributed to the near-decision by its owner, Kinder Morgan, to entirely scrap the project. In May, at the eleventh hour, unable to assuage the concerns of the American pipeline corporation, the desperate government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau decided to nationalize the project, buying it off of Kinder Morgans hands at a hefty price.

But the projects fortunes have hardly improved since. The uncertainty over the political standoff with British Columbia has not been resolved, and there are lingering questions about the timeline for construction and the ultimate price tag.

However, the real blow came on Thursday, when a Federal Court of Appeal ruled that the National Energy Board (NEB) failed to consider the tanker traffic that would spring up on the coast of British Columbia once the Trans Mountain expansion was completed. The tanker traffic would negatively impact First Nations tribes in the region, a fact that was not adequately considered by the federal government.

As a result, the court ruled that the NEB has to go back to the beginning and assess the projects impact. The big takeaway is the duty to consult (indigenous people) is still the most important step in any major project, Andrew Leach, associate professor of business economics at University of Alberta, told Reuters. Prime Minister Trudeau has preached reconciliation with First Nations, but at the same time, he has aggressively supported pipelines that impact their lands.

On the same day as the court ruling, Kinder Morgans shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the sale of the Trans Mountain expansion project to the Canadian government for C$4.5 billion. Surely, they are relieved to be rid of the beleaguered project.

The prospects for the pipeline are now highly uncertain, to say the least. The Canadian government can go back and consult with First Nations, requiring a lengthy review, or it can appeal to the Supreme Court, also a time-consuming process.

Keystone XL was also hit with a legal setback recently. A U.S. federal judge ordered the U.S. State Department in August to conduct a new environmental review since the project only obtained a permit in Nebraska for an alternative route, not the route upon which the State Department based its review. Related: New Crude-By-Rail Service Aims To Ease Permian Bottlenecks

Without pipeline alternatives, rail will continue pick up some of the slack. New data from the Canadian government finds that crude-by-rail exports from Canada jumped 45 percent in June, year-on-year, and are up 31 percent in the first six months of 2018, compared to the same period in 2017.

Meanwhile, Alberta will continue to suffer from steep discounts for its heavy oil, ensuring that Canadas oil producers feel the impact of the midstream failures. Western Canada Select (WCS), a benchmark tracking heavy oil in Alberta, has been trading far below WTI for the past year. Part of the discount is related to quality differences and transportation costs, but the yawning gap between what Alberta producers fetch for their oil compared to prices that producers south of the border receive is stunning. The discount is now back above $30 per barrel relative to WTI.

Without any solution on the horizon, the hefty discounts will continue. For now, the only resolution in the relatively near future is Enbridges Line 3 replacement, which will add a few hundred thousand barrels per day of capacity if and when it is completed. That project is slated to come online in late 2019. But Canadian pipelines tend to suffer from unforeseen delays.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Despite the ongoing U.S.-China trade war and the upcoming U.S. sanctions on Irans oil exports, Chinas and Asias biggest refiner, Sinopec, will continue to buy crude oil from both the United States and Iran as it was more interested in diversifying its crude sourcing base, a senior Sinopec official said this week in one of the companys first public comments about the various geopolitical issues on the oil market these days.

About 85% of our feedstocks are imported from overseas. We need to diversify, Sinopecs vice president Huang Wensheng said at an earnings briefing in Hong Kong, quoted by S&P Global Platts.

The United States, which aims to bring Irans oil exports to zero, hasnt been able to persuade Tehrans biggest oil customer, China, to reduce oil purchases, but Beijing has reportedly agreed not to increase its oil imports from Iran.

Sinopec takes around two-thirds of Chinas oil imports from Iran, according to S&P Global Platts data. Last year, Iranian crude accounted for 8.6 percent of Sinopecs total crude oil throughput, Platts quoted filings to the SEC as saying.

Some of our downstream refineries were designed for refining Iranian oil, Sinopecs Huang said. If we stop imports, the benefits would be affected.

Regarding U.S. crude oil, which China left out of the list of American products on which it slapped tariffs last week, Sinopec will continue to buy U.S. oil under term contracts, the manager said, noting that the trade dispute has had no impact on the companys business.

Sinopecs international trading arm Unipec will resume U.S. crude oil purchases from October, three sources told Reuters last week on the condition of anonymity. The company had suspended crude oil imports from the United States amid the trade spat between Washington and Beijing in anticipation of crude oil making it onto the tariff list. When this did not happen, Unipec started buying U.S. crude again despite the trade dispute escalation that saw China slap 25-percent tariffs on U.S. oil products and coal.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Dyson, the company founded by Sir James Dysonthe British billionaire inventor of the bagless vacuum cleanerannounced plans on Thursday to build a test track on a renovated historic airfield in southwest England, where it will test the electric car it currently develops and plans to launch in 2021.

In September last year, Dyson unveiled plans to invest US$2.6 billion (2 billion) in the development of a radical and different electric vehicle not aimed at the mass market, whose details havent been disclosed because, as the BBC quoted Sir Dyson as saying in an email to staff, Competition for new technology in the automotive industry is fierce and we must do everything we can to keep the specifics of our vehicle confidential.

Dyson bought the Hullavington Airfield in Wiltshire County early last year, renovated it, and said today that its automotive team has moved in.

The company submitted the plan for the next phase of the airfield redevelopment to Wiltshire County Council this month, it said in the presentation of its plans, revealing a clear automotive focus for the future.

Dyson has already restored Hullavingtons hangars, and now it will be creating new buildings and areas to put the secretive battery-powered electric vehicle it is currently developing through its paces. The company plans test tracks for handling, rural and off-road courses, a skid pan, and a high-speed runway for cars which can reach speeds of above 100mph.

Dyson plans to invest US$260 million (200 million) in the automotive Phase Two.



Related: Airlines Are Suspending Flights Because Fuel Is Too Expensive

Our growing automotive team is now working from Dysons state-of-the-art hangars at Hullavington Airfield. It will quickly become a world-class vehicle testing campus where we anticipate investing 550m, creating even more high-skilled jobs for Britain, Jim Rowan, Dysons CEO said.

The timeline for the secretive EV to hit the market in 2021 is highly ambitious, the Financial Times quoted industry analysts as saying. Some experts in manufacturing and automotive design also question whether Dyson hasnt underestimated the complexity and challenges of designing and building a car, and turning in a profit later, especially without bringing in a partner to the project.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Like the other Chinese state oil majors, PetroChinathe countrys largest oil and gas producerhas also benefited from the higher crude oil prices and strong refining margins this year, reporting doubled net profit for the first half of 2018 and the best quarterly performance in the second quarter since Q2 2015.

PetroChina, in which China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) holds 81.5 percent, reported on Thursday a net profit of US$3.96 billion (27.088 billion yuan) for H1 2018, up by a whopping 113.7 percent compared to H1 2017.

According to Reuters calculations based on the companys six-month income statement, PetroChinas second quarter net profit more than doubled to US$2.48 billion (16.94 billion yuan)the best quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2015.

PetroChinas domestic crude oil production dropped by 1.3 percent in the first half of 2018, but domestic natural gas production rose by 2.5 percent, the company said in its H1 2018 earnings filing. Including overseas operations, the groups crude oil production inched up 0.4 percent, while natural gas production increased by 3 percent. Crude oil processing at PetroChinathe second-biggest oil refiner in Chinajumped 16.1 percent to 551.6 million barrels of crude oil, while sales of refined oil products, including gasoline, diesel, and kerosene, rose 10.7 percent.

In the second half of 2018, PetroChina will look to boost natural gas production and will closely follow oil market developments.

Earlier this week, PetroChinas sidekickChinas biggest refiner Sinopecreported a 54-percent jump in net profits for the second quarter of the year thanks to the rise in the price of oil.

Those positive results were preceded by offshore oil and gas firm CNOOC last week, which reported a 57-percent surge in its consolidated net profit for the first half of 2018, booking the best half-year profit since the first half of 2015.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Iraq is waiting in the wings, ready to increase its crude oil exports in anticipation of slipping Iranian oil exports waiting only on the go-ahead from OPEC, acting director-general of Iraqs state-run Oil Marketing Co. (SOMO), Alaa al-Yasiri, said on Wednesday during an interview with Reuters.

OPECs Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee is expected to discuss an increase in oil production during the next meeting, which is now expected to take place on September 11, after it cancelled its Monday conference call, according to S&P Global Platts. There is also another OPEC meeting scheduled for September 23. OPECs Joint Technical Committee did hold a conference call on Monday.

The Ministerial Monitoring Committees production plans will likely include a plan for how to divvy up the increased production by country, and Iraq wants to make sure it is included in those plans.

Irans crude oil and condensates exports have tapered off to 1.68 million barrels per day from August 1 to August 16, which is 600,000 barrels per day off the July average of 2.32 million barrels per day, according to Platts cFlow software.

This shortfall, al-Yasiri, contends, will have a negative impact on oil prices.

And Iraq is not without customers. For starters, SOMO currently has on its desk for review a request from neighboring Jordan for truckloads of oil to the tune of 10,000-15,000 barrels per day, Yasiri said, cited by Reuters. And Iraqs oil shipments from Kirkuk to Iran has also resumed after a few days off due to logistical issues, and hopes to ship a total of 1 million barrels to Iran before sanctions kick in in November.

Iraqs oil production has been increasing according to OPECs Monthly Oil Market Report, averaging 4.476 million bpd in the first quarter of 2018, increasing to 4.556 million bpd for July, the last month for which there is data. But OPEC observed weak crude oil demand in Iraq during the first six months of 2018, as natural gas was used to some extent in place of fuel.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
India will definitely not cut off entirely its crude oil imports from Iran, but it expects to have more clarity on its oil purchasing strategy amid the U.S. sanctions on Tehran at a meeting with top U.S. officials next week, a senior Indian government official with direct knowledge of the countrys oil purchasing policy told Reuters on Wednesday.

Definitely we are not going to zero, the Indian official told Reuters, noting that the September 6 meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis with Indias Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will give more clarity on Indias oil purchases from Iran as this would be the highest level of meeting we will have with the U.S.

Analysts have been largely expecting India to scale back some of its Iranian oil imports, but not to go completely cold turkey. IndiaIrans second largest oil customer after Chinahas been torn between trying not to have its sovereign and its refiners cut off from the U.S. financial system, if it were to continue importing Iranian oil, and keeping cheaper Iranian oil imports flowing.

Iran, for its part, is trying to keep its key buyers in Asia, especially its biggest customers China and India, purchasing Iranian oil even after U.S. sanctions on Tehran oil exports snap back in early November.



Related: South Korea Doubles Down On Gas And Renewables

Iran has reportedly started to offer India cargo insurance and tankers operated by Iranian companies as some Indian insurers have backed out of covering oil cargoes from Iran in the face of the returning U.S. sanctions on Tehran.

Indias imports from Iran were expected to start slowing down from this month and next as some big Indian refiners worry that their access to the U.S. financial system could be cut off if they continue to import Iranian oil, prompting them to reduce oil purchases from Tehran.

Between August 1 and 16, total Iranian oil exports plunged by 600,000 bpd compared to July loadings, due to plummeting flows to India, Platts preliminary tanker tracking data showed. India saw crude flows from Iran plunge to 203,938 bpd in the period August 1-16, compared to 706,452 bpd in July, according to Platts trade flow data.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
All photos  Katie Orlinsky/National Geographic The Batagaika Crater in the town of Batagay, Russia, is known as the "hell crater" or the "gateway to the underworld. Over 300 feet deep and more than half a mile long, the depression is one of the largest in the world. Scientists believe it started forming in the 1960s when the permafrost under the area began to thaw after nearby forests were cleared.

Photographer Katie Orlinsky has been documenting the impact of climate change for four years, but says what she recently witnessed on assignment for National Geographic frightened her like no other assignment has. National Geographic sent Orlinsky and writer Craig Welch to northern Russia and Siberia for a look at permafrost: the layer of ground below the soil that (usually) remains frozen solid throughout the year. This year, however scientist Nikita Zimov and his father, Sergey, drilled into the ground and found soft mush where the earth should be frozen solid. Welch writes, For the first time in memory, ground that insulates deep Arctic permafrost simply did not freeze in winter. Story editor Sadie Quarrier explains that National Geographic plans to publish Orlinskys and Welchs full story in fall 2019. However, The pressing nature of their discoveries made our coverage of this specific aspect of story more urgent, which is why we decided to file a digital story just days after they returned from the field.

During her three weeks of fieldwork, Orlinsky traveled to the Batagaika Crater, a 300-foot-deep impression where scientists can examine a wall of permafrost, and are now looking for clues about its thawing.

When National Geographic released the online story, Orlinsky took to social media to share her shocked impressions.

From her years of studying the effect of climate change, she says, shes gained an understanding of the issue on an intellectual level.

However I had never really felt, in my bones, the weight of it all. I had never felt a sense of real fear, for myself, for those I love most, and for all of humanity. But that was what rushed over me when I finished working in Siberia, my biggest shoot yet for a long term assignment I am doing with writer Craig Welch for National Geographic, she wrote on social media.

Orlinsky says the earth may be changing sooner than anyone predicted:

And for me, something already has changed. Standing inside the Batagaika Crater on my last shooting day, watching and listening to the earth as it tumbled down towards me, has affected me in ways I have a difficult time articulating. I wish I could just take everyone there, especially those in political power, to experience it first-hand. But I am grateful that at the very least, I can share my photos.

 Katie Orlinsky/National Geographic. The Batagaika Crater is one of the few places to see a wall of permafrostand whether its thawingup close. Scientists study the area for clues about climate change in the Arctic and how it may affect the rest of the planet.

Quarrier notes that Orlinskys photos from Batagaika exceeded my expectations. We had seen almost no pictures of the Crater and almost pulled the plug on that extra trip due cost, permissions, fire/safety threats and logistics, she says, but Orlinsky was determined, Quarrier says. Im so glad she persevered as it really paid off. The light was epic, and she now has a visual record that few have of this crater, which is a place being studied by scientists for clues about climate change.

You can find the full article, Some Arctic Ground No Longer FreezingEven in Winter and several of Orlinskys photos, on NationalGeographic.com.

Related Articles

Two-Minute Interview: Katie Orlinsky on Subtle Emotion vs. Shocking Violence

The Rise of Science-Focused Artist Residenciesand How to Take Part

A Photographer Explores Climate Change on North Carolinas Outer Banks
Two meerkats struggle for dominance. Credit: Dominic Cram

In many cooperative species, the dominant breeders live longest despite the wear-and-tear of leadership and reproduction.

It has even been suggested these breeders hold the secret of immunity to age-related diseases. Some social insects, such as bees, do have breeders with genetic profiles that delay ageingbut this has never been documented in our fellow mammals.

Scientists from the University of Cambridge have now investigated the lifespans of meerkats: a highly social mammal that lives in groups of up to fifty, where a single dominant couple produce around 90% of the pups.

The researchers found that the DNA of dominant breeders actually shows signs of accelerated ageingyet they still consistently outlive the non-breeding subordinates in the group. Their study shows that dominants live an average of 4.4 years compared to subordinates 2.8 years.

This is because meerkat underlings are forced to take the often-fatal risk of leaving the safety of the group to find breeding opportunities, say scientists. Dominants rarely tolerate rival breeders, and violently eject subordinates from the group if they feel threatened.

On reaching the top of the social pecking order, however, meerkats remain ensconced within the group. The study shows an average subordinate spends more than six days each year in the wilderness, with this figure rising year-on-year. Dominant breeders are typically absent for under two hours per year.

"Dominant meerkats typically die due to internal stresses on their bodies, resulting in gradual, predictable declines until death. In humans we might describe this as 'natural causes'," said Dr. Dominic Cram from Cambridge's Department of Zoology, lead author of the study published today in Current Biology.

A lone outcast from a meerkat group fends for itself in the Kalahari Desert. Credit: Dominic Cram

"Subordinate meerkats die due to sudden, unpredictable circumstances such as exposure to predators, killing them instantly. A meerkat's place within the social group shapes the mortality risks it faces," he said.

"The secret of long life for meerkats is not to battle the inevitable declines of ageing, but to be the ruler of your community, profiting from social support and cracking down on would-be rivals."

Cram conducted the research as part of the Kalahari Meerkat Project: a long-term study of social behavior and ecology, run for over twenty years at the University of Cambridge by Professor Tim Clutton-Brocka leading figure in the study of mammal societies.

The project has helped train generations of zoologists through the observation of generations of meerkats, resulting in a wide range of data on the life histories of over 3000 meerkat individuals in over 100 groups.

The team collected blood samples from the meerkats, and measured DNA sections called telomeres that help protect DNA from damagemuch like the plastic caps on shoe-laces. As they erode over time, the chance of unravelling increases, so the length of telomeres can be used to estimate "biological age".

While the telomeres of subordinate meerkats remained stable, dominant telomeres shrunk by a third in just 18 monthssuggesting accelerated ageing caused by the toils of raising young and fending off rivals.

Yet the dominant meerkats still lived an average of 60% longer than subordinates, as the lower ranking meerkats were increasingly forced to risk more and more time outside the group as they grew older.

Meerkat sentinels keep watch for predators while the rest of the group safely searches for food in the long grass. Credit: Dominic Cram

"Each year the subordinates spend over triple the amount of time outside the group as the previous year, reaching a peak of 35 days per year, or 10% of their time, outside the social group," said Cram.

For subordinate males, all females in the group are their sisters or mother, so they must court females away from the group to avoid inbreeding. Subordinate females are bullied and chased away by the dominant when they become a reproductive rival.

Of all those that leave, some returnor try toafter a few days or weeks. A lucky few start their own group and become dominant breeders. Many are never seen again.

"Within a group, a sentinel always keeps look-out and sounds the alarm, allowing the meerkats to flee into burrows or bolt-holes. Each meerkat takes a turn on sentinel duty," said Cram.

"Away from the group there is no early warning system, and meerkats are easy prey for eagles, goshawks and caracal. Letting down their guard to dig for food is too risky, so many starve for fear of being eaten."

"Lone meerkats have even been known to be torn apart by members of a rival group. It's a dangerous world for a solo meerkat."

Explore further Stressed-out meerkats less likely to help group
Legionella cells can be detected with a home-printer-size testing machine. Credit: CDC/ Dr. Barry S. Fields

Speedy, affordable water tests that can be used in on location and even run continuously will help scientists identify disease-causing bacteria in under an hour and potentially reduce the spread of common illnesses such as diarrhoea, which kills an estimated 842,000 people every year.

Hundreds of millions of samples are tested each year to detect harmful bacteria in drinking and environmental water, food and beverages, but tests can take days or, in some cases, even weeks to provide definitive results. By then, many people may have fallen ill from diseases caused by bacteria such as E. coli or legionella.

Shrinking the laboratory to the size of a home printer  and bringing down test times to an hour or less  could help to stop outbreaks in their tracks and keep people safe.

That's the aim of a new system which uses a technique called immunomagnetic separation to pinpoint legionella cells in a sample of concentrated drinking water. The huge benefit is speed, because it does not depend on cultivating generations of bacteria to reach the concentrations necessary to identify and count them, which can take up to two weeks for reliable results.

"We can concentrate and purify the sample magnetically, without any cultivation or enrichment techniques," said Dr. Daniel Schaffhauser, chief technology officer at Swiss-based rqmicro, the company that developed the platform as part of a project called CellCount.

"That is where we can save time," he added.

Focused testing

The sample is mixed with a cocktail of specific antibodies developed by rqmicro that are coupled with tiny magnetic beads, as well as fluorescent labels. Once a target pathogen binds with the antibody, a magnetic field draws the beaded cell away from the rest of the sample. And, bound with the fluorescent tag, it can be counted in a high sensitivity flow cytometer  a system for scanning and detecting the target bacteria.

The platform uses a disposable cartridge-type arrangement along the lines of a home printer, which contains the antibody cocktails and the system for circulating the sample. Since no liquids leave the cartridge, the sample and the other liquids are entirely contained at all times, eliminating the risk of contamination or the need for disinfection between tests.

The detection system has been developed to maintain its accuracy in the field, rather than the stable conditions of a research laboratory.

The focused testing and more effective decontamination procedures require less energy and chemicals. The system can be used for near-continuous monitoring of drinking water supplies and is already in use by water laboratories in Europe to detect legionella, with rapid results helping to locate sources of infection.

Legionella can occur in air conditioning systems and domestic water supplies and can cause serious pneumonia-like lung infections. Germany now has environmental laws requiring routine testing of warm water systems.

Dr. Schaffhauser said rqmicro has seen strong interest in analysing and monitoring water used in industrial processes and cooling towers, such as those common at power plants, chemical factories, or refineries.

The system can be tailored to any number of other pathogens. "The technology is very general, so we see applications not only in drinking water, but also in broader microbial diagnostics," Dr. Schaffhauser said.

CellCount portable machine can detect legionella cells in a sample of concentrated drinking water in an hour. Credit: CellCount

"Wherever you want to have microbial analysis, you just have to find the right antibodies, and the rest is already in place," he added.

The costs of tests are between 17-25, making it competitive with most current testing methods, but with the advantage of speed. And while testing equipment would be relatively expensive, this could come down as economies of scale come into play.

Rather than doing one-off tests when a pathogen has already been discovered, however, another approach is to continuously monitor water to provide an early-warning system that a particular bacteria may be present.

This is the aim of another Swiss-based biotech firm, bNovate Technologies AG, which has been developing technology to automatically and continuously monitor water flows for problematic bacteria, dramatically reducing the current measurement time from several days to just minutes.

Its first commercialised system, BactoSense, rapidly counts the total number of bacteria in a water sample, one of the crucial tests used by utilities to assess water quality. Through a project called ColiSense Online, a second-generation instrument will be able to specifically target E. coli, making it possible to carry out another essential test and replacing slow, culture-based methods which are the standard.

"E. coli is recognised worldwide as an indicator for faecal contamination and is a routine test for municipal water supply systems," said Dr. Luigino Grasso, bNovate's chief technology officer.

"So by bringing this kind of testing to an automated and compact machine that can give rapid results, we are able to greatly reduce the cost of each test," he added.

Alarm

bNovate's ColiSense system operates using a recyclable cartridge, concentrating the water sample, staining the E. coli cells and analysing them to count the bacteria present. The system aims to provide automatic, remote monitoring that can raise an alarm if the pathogens reach problematic levels.

"Each cartridge can be left in place for hundreds of tests," Dr. Grasso said. "So the system does not need any human intervention for up to a couple of months, even if it is testing water several times a day."

Through automation and monitoring from a distance, bNovate has reduced the amount of human intervention and eliminated the need for laboratory time, helping to shrink the price of BactoSense water tests to about 1 each  a fraction of the costs associated with older testing methods. The company aims to achieve the same price range for ColiSense.

While the BactoSense system is already in use by water utilities, and the ColiSense system is expected to be rolled out to those users too, Dr. Grasso sees potential for the system not only at the start of the water purification and distribution system, but also in facilities such as hospitals, where the risk of water contamination can be high. It could even be suitable for industrial applications, such as in the beverage industry, manufacturing cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

"But we are particularly pleased with its effectiveness in helping to prevent people becoming sick, providing an early warning system for (the) contamination of drinking water systems," Dr. Grasso said.

Explore further Water monitoring device will provide fast diagnosis of deadly bacteria
This March 20, 2018, file photo shows the Gmail app on an iPad in Baltimore. Google is toeing the line between helping you save time and creeping you out as it turns to machines to suggest email replies on your behalf. The customized auto-responses come in the latest version of Gmail on the web and expand on a feature already available on Android devices and iPhones. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Google is toeing the line between helping you save time and creeping you out as it turns to machines to suggest email replies on your behalf.

The customized auto-responses come in the latest version of Gmail on the web and expand on a feature already available on Android devices and iPhones. They're just one more example of how artificial intelligence is seeping into everyday online life, whether it's to tailor product recommendations or correct spelling.

So far the new feature has been drawing mixed responses from users.

The new feature, called Smart Reply, offers three short responses, like "It was great seeing you too," or "I'll look into it." Unlike standard auto-replies when on vacation, for instance, these are customized to an individual email based on its context. If you select one, you can either send it immediately or edit it before sending.

The responses are automatically created using Google's artificial intelligence systems. Humans aren't reading people's emails, but machines are scanning them. Although Google stopped scanning email to target advertising in 2017, it still scans them to filter out junk mail, identify phishing scams and, now, to create suggested replies. (Yahoo and AOL, both owned by Verizon, still scan email for advertising.)

Google's suggestions draw on what's in your email, such as the text of the message and the subject line. The analysis can include past conversations. For example, if someone says "Thanks!" more often than "Thanks," with no exclamation point, the suggested response would likely reflect that.

It's not known, though, how far Google goes in scanning your email. For instance, Gmail scans attachments for security risks, but is it also using that information to customize responses? The machines behind Google Photos can tell whether an image has food, flowers or the beach. Might Gmail suggest, "How was lunch?" Google didn't respond to a query for details on what it scans for replies.

Brian Lam, a San Diego attorney who focuses on privacy and data security, said auto-replies represent "a tradeoff between privacy and new features that consumers may want."

This Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018, photo shows three Gmail automated response options for an email on an iPhone in New York. Google has begun suggesting auto-responses to emails such as these as the latest version of Gmail rolls out on web browsers. It's something Google has already offered on its apps for Android devices and iPhones. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

Google has been scanning Gmail since its debut in 2004, so scanning for auto-replies shouldn't come as a surprise. Lam said he has no concerns as long as companies disclose they are doing this.

"There's a market incentive to behave responsibly," he said. There's been consumer backlash when people get wind of companies that don't respect privacy. People decide not to use those services."

Not every email will get suggestionsonly those that Google thinks will lend themselves to a short reply.

Graham Gardner, a freelance photographer and leather-goods maker in Minneapolis, said he has used smart replies in Gmail several times over the past few months. He said the speed of response can be helpful, particularly if he is on his phone and can reply with one tap.

"It can help with quick replies that don't need too much elaboration, so you can have peace of mind quickly and sort out more specific information in a full reply later," he said.

But Maya Castro, an assignment editor for a TV station in San Francisco, said she sticks to her own voice when emailing, even though she's OK with auto-responses for text messages and Facebook chats.

"It boils down to tone and mood," she said. "Smart- or auto-responses show a lack of thought."

To disable the "Smart Reply" feature on a mobile device, simply go to "Settings" and uncheck the box next to "Smart Reply." But for now, there's no way to disable the feature on the web. However, users can return to the "classic" version of Gmail on the web by selecting that option under "Settings."

Suggesting responses isn't the only way Google uses artificial intelligence to help people manage their emails, as it has been rolling out a new version of Gmail since April. The new Gmail has "Nudges," a feature that reminds users to reply to emails it deems important. Gmail also prods users who forget to include an attachment to an email that uses the word "attached" or something similar.

Explore further Google ramps up Gmail privacy controls in major update

 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
If governments don't act decisively by 2035 to fight climate change, humanity could cross a point of no return after which limiting global warming below 2C in 2100 will be unlikely, according to a new study by scientists in the UK and the Netherlands. The research also shows the deadline to limit warming to 1.5C has already passed, unless radical climate action is taken. The study is published today in the European Geosciences Union journal Earth System Dynamics. Credit: Anita Di Chiara

If governments don't act decisively by 2035 to fight climate change, humanity could cross a point of no return after which limiting global warming below 2C in 2100 will be unlikely, according to a new study by scientists in the UK and the Netherlands. The research also shows the deadline to limit warming to 1.5C has already passed, unless radical climate action is taken. The study is published today in the European Geosciences Union journal Earth System Dynamics.

"In our study we show that there are strict deadlines for taking climate action," says Henk Dijkstra, a professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and one of the study authors. "We conclude that very little time is left before the Paris targets [to limit global warming to 1.5C or 2C] become infeasible even given drastic emission reduction strategies."

Dijkstra and his colleagues at the Utrecht Centre for Complex Systems Studies and at Oxford University, UK, wanted to find the 'point of no return' or deadline for climate action: the latest possible year to start strongly cutting greenhouse-gas emissions before it's too late to avoid dangerous climate change. "The 'point of no return' concept has the advantage of containing time information, which we consider very useful to inform the debate on the urgency of taking climate action," says Matthias Aengenheyster, a doctoral researcher at Oxford University and the study's lead author.

Using information from climate models, the team determined the deadline for starting climate action to keep global warming likely (with a probability of 67%) below 2C in 2100, depending on how fast humanity can reduce emissions by using more renewable energy. Assuming we could increase the share of renewable energy by 2% every year, we would have to start doing so before 2035 (the point of no return). If we were to reduce emissions at a faster rate, by increasing the share of renewable energy by 5% each year, we would buy another 10 years.

These plots from the study show the probability of staying below the 1.5C (left) or 2C (right) global-average temperature increases, set by the Paris Agreement.The coloured curves represent the various emission-reduction scenarios, i.e., how quickly we would be able to reduce emissions by using more renewable energy: m1 (red) indicates a scenario where we would be able to increase the share of renewable energy by 1% each year, m2 (green) one where the share of renewable energy would increase by 2% each year, and m3 (orange) one where the share of renewable energy would increase by 5% each year.The top and bottom panels show the cases with and without strong negative emissions, respectively.The 'point of no return' for a given emission-reductions policy is given by the point in time where the probability drops below a chosen threshold. The default threshold of two-thirds (67%) is dashed.The unachievable region is bounded by the extreme mitigation scenario: one where we would be able to completely stop greenhouse gas emissions instantly. Credit: Aengenheyster et al., Earth System Dynamics, 2018

The researchers caution, however, that even their more modest climate-action scenario is quite ambitious. "The share of renewable energy refers to the share of all energy consumed. This has risen over the course of over two decades from almost nothing in the late nineties to 3.6% in 2017 according to the BP Statistical Review, so the [yearly] increases in the share of renewables have been very small," says Rick van der Ploeg, a professor of economics at Oxford University, who also took part in the Earth System Dynamics study. "Considering the slow speed of large-scale political and economic transformations, decisive action is still warranted as the modest-action scenario is a large change compared to current emission rates," he adds.

To likely limit global warming to 1.5C in 2100, humanity would have to take strong climate action much sooner. We would only have until 2027 to start if we could increase the share of renewables at a rate of 5% a year. We have already passed the point of no return for the more modest climate-action scenario where the share of renewables increases by 2% each year. In this scenario, unless we remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it is no longer possible to achieve the 1.5C target in 2100 with a probability of 67%.

Removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, by using 'negative emissions' technology, could buy us a bit more time, according to the study. But even with strong negative emissions, humanity would only be able to delay the point of no return by 6 to 10 years.

"We hope that 'having a deadline' may stimulate the sense of urgency to act for politicians and policy makers," concludes Dijkstra. "Very little time is left to achieve the Paris targets."

Explore further Study reveals what natural greenhouse emissions from wetlands and permafrosts mean for Paris Agreement targets

More information: The Point of No Return for climate action: effects of climate uncertainty and risk tolerance, Earth System Dynamics, DOI: 10.5194/esd-9-1085-2018 The Point of No Return for climate action: effects of climate uncertainty and risk tolerance,
Adult stellate sturgeon. Credit: Clemens Ratschan

It's less than five inches long, slimy, covered in razor-sharp spines and looks like something straight out of one of the Alien movies. But for Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and its partners in Georgia, who are working to conserve some of the last sturgeons in Europe, this diminutive ugly duckling of the fish world is a beautiful sight.

Once widespread throughout all of Europe's major rivers, sturgeon have been fished to the brink of extinction for their meat and caviar. Today, the Rioni in Georgia harbours one of the last three breeding populations in the entire continent, but conservation action is urgently needed to reverse the decline of the six critically endangered sturgeon species still clinging to survival in this river.

With this in mind, FFI launched a pilot project early in 2018 in an effort to safeguard the Rioni's globally important sturgeon population. Since then it has conducted baseline studies  the very first for Georgia's sturgeons  and set about combating the threats to their survival, in particular poaching and illegal trade.

Until recently, very little was known about the status of this particular sturgeon population compared to those in the Danube and Garonne rivers. There was even uncertainty about whether these fish were still reproducing in the Rioni at all.

That question has now been answered with a resounding yes. The discovery of this miniature sturgeon  the aquatic equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack  is therefore a significant breakthrough; the captured juvenile is a pocket-sized symbol of hope for the future of these magnificent, mysterious fish.

Potential sturgeon spawning grounds along a shallow stretch of the Rioni. Credit: Fleur Scheele/FFI

A particularly fascinating characteristic of this juvenile was its predator-proof body armour. Rows of prominent, razor-sharp scutes (scale-like, bony external plates) protect the young fish from predation. Once these juveniles have attained a length of 12 cm or more, they will no longer fall prey to another fish. In mature sturgeon the remains of these scutes are still visible, but they are less sharp and less distinctive  at a certain point, apparently, the scutes become redundant, because sturgeon grow so large that no other fish can eat them anyway.

One of the most gratifying aspects of the story is that the baby sturgeon was actually caught by two female students from Ilia State University in Tbilisi. Ecologist Tamar Edisherashvili and geneticist Keti Janashvili are working full-time for FFI on the sturgeon project and have both been trained to fish  traditionally a very male-dominated activity in the Black Sea region.

With support from the Swedish Postcode Foundation, a number of Georgian students have undergone training in Austria and Romania on the River Danube. Equipped with the requisite skills and fishing gear, they are now gathering vital scientific data on the remaining sturgeon in their native Rioni.

"The work on the river has been quite difficult, and the team has been working hard," explained Fleur Scheele, FFI's Caucasus Programme Manager. "Finding a few scarce, tiny fish in a fast-flowing, large and ever-changing river is truly challenging, and it is a great success that the team has now been able to capture its first sturgeon. Hopefully more will follow!"

Measuring the baby stellate sturgeon prior to release. Credit: Tamar Editherashvili/FFI

The captured specimen, which was released unharmed immediately after its measurements and other details were recorded, was identified as a critically endangered stellate sturgeon  so-called because of the profusion of star-like markings on the flanks of the adult fish.

FFI's efforts to ensure that Georgia's sturgeons do not slip through the conservation net are still at an early stage, but this evidence of breeding success in the Rioni is an encouraging sign.

Explore further WWF releases 11,000 sturgeons to restock Danube
Many French beekeepers have seen hives mysteriously die off, which scientists believe is due in part to neonicotinoid pesticides

A ban on five neonicotinoid pesticides enters into force in France on Saturday, placing the country at the forefront of a campaign against chemicals blamed for decimating critical populations of crop-pollinating bees.

The move has been hailed by beekeepers and environmental activists, but lamented by cereal and sugar beet farmers who claim there are no effective alternatives for protecting their valuable crops against insects.

With its ban, France has gone further than the European Union, which voted to outlaw the use of three neonicotinoidsclothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxamin crop fields.

Heavily agriculture-reliant France banned these three neonicotinoids plus thiacloprid and acetamiprid, not only outdoors but in greenhouses too.

These are the only five neonicotinoid pesticides hitherto authorised for use in Europe.

Introduced in the mid-1990s, lab-synthesised neonicotinoids are based on the chemical structure of nicotine, and attack the central nervous system of insects.

They were meant to be a less harmful substitute to older pesticides, and are now the most widely-used to treat flowering crops, including fruit trees, beets, wheat, canola, and vineyards.

Bees at risk

In recent years, bees started dying off from "colony collapse disorder," a mysterious scourge blamed partly on pesticides along with mites, viruses, and fungi, or some combination of these.

Scientific studies have since shown that neonicotinoids harm bee reproduction and foraging by diminishing sperm quality and scrambling the insects' memory and navigation functions.

Exposure also lowers their resistance to disease.

Some research has suggested thatlike nicotine for humansneonicotinoids hold an addictive attraction for bees, which shunned healthy food for pesticide-laced treats in lab tests.

The UN has warned that nearly half of insect pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, risk global extinction.

This is particularly concerning in the context of a 2016 study which found that about 1.4 billion jobs and three-quarters of all crops depend on pollinators, mainly bees, which provide free plant fertilisation services worth billions of dollars.

Neonicotionoid insecticides: blamed for bee decline

Some French farmers are angry over the ban, however, and say there is not enough evidence that neonicotinoids are responsible for bee decline.

"A large number (of agricultural producers) find themselves at a dramatic technical dead-end," a collection of farmers' bodies said in a joint statement calling for exemptions in sectors "where there are no alternatives, or insufficient ones" to neonicotinoids.

The ban, the groups claimed, "will exacerbate unfair competition with European and non-European producers" still allowed to use the pesticides.

A report by France's ANSES public health agency said in May there were "sufficiently effective, and operational" alternatives to the majority of neonicotinoids used in France.

Not enough

Some believe the measures do not go far enough.

"We should not limit ourselves to this family" of pesticides, argued Francois Veillerette of environmental lobby group Generations Futures. "Many others need banning too."

Many are concerned that neonicotinoids will continue to be authorised for use in non-agricultural pest control, such as in flea collars for pet cats and dogs, or in household fly traps.

The ANSES said in a report in February these products pose no risk to human health, provided they are used as specified.

The ban pitted French agriculture minister Stephane Travert, who lobbied for an easing, against environment minister Nicolas Hulot who refused to back down.

Hulot resigned on Tuesday, saying he felt "all alone" in the government on environmental issues.

Earlier this month, Canada announced plans to phase out clothianidin and thiamethoxam.

The French ban allows for case-by-case exemptions on the use of acetamiprid until July 1, 2020.

Explore further Canada to phase out pesticides linked to bee and water bug deaths

 2018 AFP
Men outnumber women in top-paying academic jobs and university leadership. Credit: www.shutterstock.com

Recently, the University of Adelaide used a special exemption under the Equal Opportunity Act to advertise eight academic positions in the faculty of engineering, computer and mathematical sciences for women only. This raises questions about why a university might take this approach.

While Australia has had gender equality legislation for 30 years, there has been very slow progress towards addressing the gender equity issues plaguing the sector. To illustrate, women are still under-represented at senior levels. Only 27% of full professors (the main recruitment pool for top jobs) are women, and only 32% of Vice-Chancellors in public universities.

One of the principal reasons women don't reach leadership roles is women are concentrated in fewer disciplines. Women's academic employment in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) disciplines is particularly low at 17%. This under-representation of women in STEM and higher education leadership is a result of multiple barriers to women's career progression.

Posting job openings in male-dominated fields to specifically target women is one of the most direct and immediate measures to bring about change.

Does selective recruitment work against the merit principle?

One of the concerns raised when employment targets are implemented is that women will be appointed unfairly over more qualified male candidates. But the intention of selective recruitment is to address the problem that qualified women are discouraged and excluded from academic employment.

The corporatisation of higher education has led to the growth of contract and casual positions in academia. This often results in little prospect of career progression. While these conditions impact all academics, women work in academia under different conditions to men.

For example, women are more likely to be employed as sessional workers, at lower pay levels and have interrupted career development. Women are effectively held back or slowed down in many ways men are not, making the long-term goal of academic tenure and progression illusive.

So, despite being over-represented overall at undergraduate and entry level in academia, women are still underrepresented in STEM disciplines and at senior academic levels. The disciplinary culture of STEM favours men who have an uninterrupted focus on research for decades. It also doesn't make these careers attractive to younger men, and particularly to younger women, who value work-life balance.

The implementation of targets is designed to address these barriers and expand the potential academic talent pool.

Barriers to women getting into and staying in academia

Women in academic leadership roles have often successfully negotiated with and navigated gendered leadership cultures at the cost of expending considerable energy to fit in to this masculinist culture. Not surprisingly, a study found younger academic women examined then dismissed leadership careers in higher education.

Two studies examined the careers of women in middle management in universities. The first study, conducted in Canada, questioned if these positions were a ladder to leadership or a revolving door taking women back to the ranks from whence they came.

The other study, conducted in Australia, found the managers and colleagues of mid-career women academics were commonly unsupportive or even actively discriminatory or hostile. A 2004 Australian case study found these women were subject to bullying from senior managers.

This has made academic careers, particularly in STEM, either unattractive or unsustainable for many of the next generation of women leaders.

Do quotas work?

Evidence suggests quotas in higher education do work.

For example, in Austria national legislation was introduced to require university bodies such as the senate and all commissions appointed by the senate to meet a quota of 40% female members. By 2016 all but one of the university councils had fulfilled this quota. The quota was raised to 50% in 2014.

Do anti-discrimination laws support or prevent this?

Cross-national structures such as the OECD and EU, driven by market logic, are concerned about the loss to society when highly educated women are excluded or marginalised.

This concern is shared by the professions. For example, the engineering profession notes women's higher attrition in engineering is a cost that should be addressed.

Linking commitment on getting more women into leadership roles to funding appears to be one of the most effective ways of increasing women's representation in academia. This has been demonstrated by Athena SWAN Charter in the UK. This aligns science funding with an institution's performance in improving gender representation, especially at senior levels. The program has become a catalyst for institutional change, and is now being implemented in some Australian universities.

Similarly, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) introduced a gender equity policy requiring institutions to submit gender equity policies that include a strategy to address the under-representation of women in senior positions.

These strategies take time to yield results, but the implementation of targets and affirmative action in recruitment will directly speed up progress on gender equity. The alternative is to allow the same inequalities to prevail for another 30 years. This will cost us economically, and means we would only be using half of Australia's potential pool of talent.

Explore further Societies may help promote female representation within academic science

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Crop losses for critical food grains will increase substantially as the climate warms, as rising temperatures increase the metabolic rate and population growth of insect pests, according to new research.

"Climate change will have a negative impact on crops," said Scott Merrill of the University of Vermont, a co-author of the study published today in Science. "We're going to see increased pest pressure with climate change."

The research team looked at how the insect pests that attack three staple cropsrice, maize and wheatwould respond under a variety of climate scenarios. They found that rising global temperatures would lead to an increase in crop losses from insects, especially in temperate regions. Losses are projected to rise by 10 to 25% per degree of warming.

Just a 2-degree rise in global average temperature will result in total crop losses of approximately 213 million tons for the three grains, the researchers say.

Insects like it hotterup to a point

The losses will come from an increase in insect metabolism, and from faster insect population growth rates. The link with metabolism is straightforward. "When the temperature increases, the insects' metabolism increases so they have to eat more," said Merrill, a researcher in UVM's Dept. of Plant and Soil Science and Gund Institute for Environment. "That's not good for crops."

The link with population growth, however, is more complex. Insects have an optimal temperature where their population grows best. If the temperature is too cold or too hot, the population will grow more slowly. That is why the losses will be greatest in temperate regions, but less severe in the tropics.

"Temperate regions are not at that optimal temperature, so if the temperature increases there, populations will grow faster," said Merrill, an ecologist who studies plant-crop interactions. "But insects in the tropics are already close to their optimal temperature, so the populations will actually grow slower. It's just too hot for them."

Key grain crops to take a hit

According to the study, wheat, which is typically grown in cool climates, will suffer the most, as increased temperatures will lead to greater insect metabolism, as well as increased pest populations and survival rates over the winter. Maize, which is grown in some areas where population rates will increase and others where they will decline, will face a more uneven future.

In rice, which is mostly grown in warm tropical environments, crop losses will actually stabilize if average temperatures rise above 3C, as population growth drops, counteracting the effect of increased metabolism in the pests. "Rice losses will taper off as the temperature rises above a certain point," said Merrill.

That means that the most substantial yield declines will happen in some of the world's most productive agricultural regions. "The overall picture is, if you're growing a lot of food in a temperate region, you're going to be hit hardest," said Merrill.

"I hope our results demonstrate the importance of collecting more data on how pests will impact crop losses in a warming worldbecause collectively, our choice now is not whether or not we will allow warming to occur, but how much warming we're willing to tolerate," said Curtis Deutsch of the University of Washington, who co-led the study with Joshua Tewksbury, director of Future Earth at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

France, China and the United States, which produce most of the world's maize, are among the countries that are expected to experience the largest increases in crop losses from insect pests. France and China, as major producers of wheat and rice, respectively, are also expected to face large increases in losses of those grains as well. "The areas that produce the most grain, especially wheat and cornthe US, France and Chinaare going to be hit hardest," said Merrill.

Reduced yields in these three staple crops are a particular concern, because so many people around the world rely on them. Together they account for 42% of direct calories consumed by humans worldwide. Increased crop losses will result in a rise in food insecurity, especially in those parts of the world where it is already rife, and could lead to conflict.

As farmers adapt to a changing climate by shifting planting dates or switching to new cultivars, they will also have to find ways to deal with pests, by introducing new crop rotations, or using more pesticides. But not all of these strategies will be available to all farmers. "There are a lot of things richer countries can do to reduce the effect, by increasing pesticide use or expanding integrated pest management strategies," said Merrill. "But poorer countries that rely on these crops as staple grains will have a harder time."

More information: C.A. Deutsch el al., "Increase in crop losses to insect pests in a warming climate," Science (2018). Journal information: Science C.A. Deutsch el al., "Increase in crop losses to insect pests in a warming climate,"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi  1126/science.aat3466
In this April 28, 2015, file photo, a man walks past a Microsoft sign set up for the Microsoft BUILD conference at Moscone Center in San Francisco. Microsoft says it's requiring its U.S. suppliers to offer their employees at least 12 weeks paid leave to care for a new child. The company announced the new parental leave policy Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Microsoft will begin requiring its contractors to offer their U.S. employees paid leave to care for a new child.

It's common for tech firms to offer generous family leave benefits for their own software engineers and other full-time staff, but paid leave advocates say it's still rare to require similar benefits for contracted workers such as janitors, landscapers, cafeteria crews and software consultants.

"Given its size and its reach, this is a unique and hopefully trailblazing offering," said Vicki Shabo, vice president at the National Partnership for Women and Families.

The new policy affects businesses with at least 50 U.S.-based employees that do substantial work with Microsoft that involves access to its buildings or its computing network. It doesn't affect suppliers of goods. Contractors would have to offer at least 12 weeks of leave to those working with the Redmond, Washington-based software giant; the policy wouldn't affect the contractors' arrangements with other companies. Leave-takers would get 66 percent of regular pay, up to $1,000 weekly.

The policy announced Thursday rolls out over the next year as the company amends its contracts with those vendors. That may mean some of Microsoft's costs will rise to cover the new benefits, said Dev Stahlkopf, the company's corporate vice president and general counsel.

"That's just fine and we think it's well worth the price," she said.

Microsoft doesn't disclose how many contracted workers it uses, but it's in the thousands.

The new policy expands on Microsoft's 2015 policy requiring contractors to offer paid sick days and vacation.

Other companies such as Facebook have also committed to improve contractor benefits amid unionization efforts by shuttle drivers, security guards and other contract workers trying to get by in expensive, tech-fueled regions such as the San Francisco Bay Area and around Washington's Puget Sound.

In this May 11, 2017, file photo a technical fellow at Microsoft stands on stage after speaking at the Microsoft Build 2017 developers conference in Seattle. Microsoft says it's requiring its suppliers to offer their U.S. employees at least 12 weeks paid leave to care for a new child. The policy announced Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018, rolls out over the next year. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Facebook doesn't guarantee that contract workers receive paid parental leave, but provides a $4,000 new child benefit for new parents who don't get leave. A much smaller California tech company, SurveyMonkey, announced a paid family leave plan for its contract workers earlier this year.

Microsoft said its new policy is partially inspired by a Washington state law taking effect in 2020 guaranteeing eligible workers 12 weeks paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child. The state policy, signed into law last year, follows California and a handful of other states in allowing new parents to tap into a fund that all workers pay into. Washington will also require employers to help foot the bill.

A federal paid parental leave plan proposed by President Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, could rely on a similar model but has gained little traction.

"Compared to what employers are doing, the government is way behind the private sector," said Isabel Sawhill, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who has urged the White House and Congress to adopt a national policy.

Sawhill said it is "very unusual and very notable" that Microsoft is extending family leave benefits to its contract workers. Microsoft already offers more generous family leave benefits to its own employees, including up to 20 weeks fully paid leave for a birth mother.

Microsoft's push to spread its employee benefits to a broader workforce "sends a message that something has to happen more systematically at the federal level," said Ariane Hegewisch, a program director for employment and earnings at the Institute for Women's Policy Research. Until then, she said, it's helpful that Microsoft seems willing to pay contracting firms more to guarantee their workers' better benefits.

"Paid family leave is expensive and they acknowledge that," Hegewisch said. Otherwise, she said, contractors with many employees of child-bearing age could find themselves at a competitive disadvantage to those with older workforces.

Republican state Sen. Joe Fain, the prime sponsor of the measure that passed last year, said Microsoft's decision was "a really powerful step forward."

By applying the plan to contractors and vendors around the country, "it really creates a pressure for those state legislatures to make a similar decision that Washington made."

Explore further Microsoft wants US suppliers to give employees paid time off

 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
These maps show how the planet's vegetation changed from the last ice age (21,000 to 14,000 years ago) to the pre-industrial era. Each square represents an individual research site. The orange squares on the map on the left shows the changes in plant species. The green squares on the map on the right shows the change in the community structure--for example, tundra becoming forest. The darker the squares the greater the change. The blue background shows how much temperature changed at that site since the last ice age -- the darker the blue, the more the temperature increase. Credit: Connor Nolan, University of Arizona

As the last ice age came to an end and the planet warmed, the Earth's vegetation changed dramatically, reports a University of Arizona-led international research team.

The current warming from climate change may drive an equally dramatic change in vegetation within the next 100 to 150 years unless greenhouse-gas emissions are reduced, the team wrote.

"We found that ecosystems all over the globe experienced big changes," said Connor Nolan, a doctoral candidate in the UA Department of Geosciences. "About 70 percent of those sites experienced large changes in the species that were there and what the vegetation looked like."

The researchers used their analysis of how vegetation changed after the last ice age to project how much current ecosystems could change in the 21st century and beyond as global warming progresses.

The analysis required synthesizing information from published reports for 594 sites covering every continent except Antarctica. Nolan said the study is the most comprehensive compilation of vegetation and other ecological data covering the period from the height of the last ice age 21,000 years ago to the pre-industrial era.

The regions of the world that had the biggest temperature increases since the ice age also had the greatest changes in vegetation, the team found.

Knowing the relationship between temperature change and the degree of vegetation change allowed the researchers to determine how ecosystems might change under various greenhouse-gas emissions models.

"We used the results from the past to look at the risk of future ecosystem change," Nolan said. "We find that as temperatures rise there are bigger and bigger risks for more ecosystem change."

The Earth warmed 7-13 degrees F (4-7 degrees C) since the last ice age. Climate change projections indicate the world will warm about that much "in the next 100-150 years if greenhouse-gas emissions are not reduced substantially," the authors write.

Corresponding author Stephen Jackson, director of the U.S. Geological Survey's Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, said, "Under the business-as-usual scenario of greenhouse-gas emissions there's a very high likelihood of large changes across all the vegetated continents."

The changes would threaten global biodiversity and derail vital services that nature provides to humanity, such as water security, carbon storage and recreation, according to study co-author Jonathan Overpeck, dean of the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.

"If we allow climate change to go unchecked, the vegetation of this planet is going to look completely different than it does today, and that means a huge risk to the diversity of the planet," Overpeck said.

This 2013 picture shows a patch of oak shrub surrounded by forest in New Mexico's Santa Fe National Forest. The patch, the result of an 1899 forest fire, is more than 100 years old. Researchers suggest that such changes from forest to shrubby, dense hard-to-walk-through vegetation will become more common as global warming continues. Credit: Ellis Q. Margolis

The team's paper, "Past and future global transformation of terrestrial ecosystems under climate change," is scheduled for publication in the August 31 issue of the journal Science. A list of the 42 authors is at the end of this release.

The National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of the Interior Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research funded the research.

The idea for the study originated with Jackson, who is also an adjunct professor in the UA Department of Geosciences. He thought the warming since the end of the last ice age 14,000 years ago had caused significant changes in vegetation all over the globe, and realized his idea was testable using evidence from ancient pollen and plant fossilspaleoecological datathat could show how vegetation had changed.

He and Overpeck, then a UA professor of geosciences, developed the study and enlisted researchers from all over the globe for help and data. UA's Nolan did the bulk of the analysis.

The team used previously published research that calculated how the temperature changed from the ice ages to the pre-industrial era for sites throughout the globe.

For each of the sites, the authors enlisted experts to determine whether the degree of vegetation change since the ice age was low, moderate or large. That common framework made it possible to compare the 594 records.

The experts classified more than 67 percent of the vegetation changes as high and at least another 26 percent as moderate. The changes were especially pronounced in the mid-to-high latitudes in North America, Europe and South Americaregions that were most heavily glaciated and therefore had warmed the most since the ice ages.

"When we compared the spatial patterns of the size of the ecological change with the size of the temperature change, they matched up," Jackson said.

However, the warming projected for the 21st century and beyond will occur much, much faster, he said.

"We're talking about the same amount of change in 10 to 20 thousand years that's going to be crammed into a century or two," he said. "Ecosystems are going to be scrambling to catch up."

As one example, he said forests in the Western U.S. devastated by wildfires might not grow back with the same species that had been there.

"You take the ponderosa pine forests in the Sky Islands and turn it into oak scrubwe're starting to see that," Jackson said. "Then you can't go up to those pine forests anymore for shade or coolness or the experience of walking through a beautiful grove of trees."

Explore further Ecosystems are getting greener in the Arctic

More information: C. Nolan el al., "Past and future global transformation of terrestrial ecosystems under climate change," Science (2018). Journal information: Science C. Nolan el al., "Past and future global transformation of terrestrial ecosystems under climate change,"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi  1126/science.aan5360
Credit: Wageningen University & Research

Hot and dry periods, such as this summer in Europe, appear to change the composition of the atmosphere. Researchers from Wageningen University & Research and NOAA discovered a 'signal' in the composition of CO 2 in the atmosphere that is caused by the reaction of the vegetation to drought. Various climate models can now be adapted in accordance with the measurements. The researchers reported their findings in Nature Geosciences on 27 August.

In case of severe drought, plants close their stomata  minuscule openings at the bottom of the leaves  so they lose less water to the warm and dry air around them. Closing the stomata also means that the plants absorb much less CO 2 from the air, which is needed for growth and metabolism. When this happens on a continental scale, such as this summer in Europe, much less water is transpired and CO 2 is absorbed. As a result, this changes the composition of CO in the atmosphere.

The analysis of the international research group showed that the drought response of plants affected more than one million square kilometres during extreme droughts in Russia, Europe and the United States. For several decades, researchers had collected air samples using a standardised method at more than fifty locations in these regions. These samples were analysed at NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in the USA.

Measuring two types of CO 2

The analysis showed that the atmospheric composition was different during severe droughts from that during regular weather conditions. In case of drought, plants not only absorb less CO 2 , but the composition of the CO 2 that is absorbed is different. The researchers looked at two isotopes of CO 2 in the atmosphere: the light variant 12CO 2 , which plants prefer, and the slightly heavier 13CO 2 . During droughts the preference for the lighter variant is much smaller. As a result, the ratio between 12CO 2 and 13CO 2 is different than during a normal summer. This large-scale 'drought signal' has now been identified for the first time in the atmosphere. "I saw that our measurements deviated from what climate models predicted," says Erik van Schaik, who discovered this deviation in the models two years ago and tried to understand the causes. "When I determined that many other models of the biosphere showed the same deviation, that was a relief. It was not due to my analysis, but the models turned out to be incomplete."

Adapting the climate models

The lead researcher in the study was Professor Wouter Peters of Wageningen University & Research. He outlines the implications of the discovery: "It appears that many climate and biosphere models have not accurately described the effects of drought periods on CO 2 absorption and transpiration of water. Adaptation of these models is important because we assume that droughts will be both more severe and more frequent in the future."

The researchers used more than 25 thousand air samples in their study, taken at 53 locations from around the world. The CO 2 samples taken in the Netherlands originated from the recently funded Ruisdael research infrastructure, which is the Dutch contribution to the European Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS), in which WUR is an active partner. The climate and biosphere models that were used to compare the outcomes of the measurements are part of the model systems that IPCC uses to create scenarios for global climate developments.

Explore further Drought increases CO2 concentration in the air
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has called for a more honest and collaborative approach towards fighting corruption in the country.

Speaking during the NCCK General Assembly in Kilifi County on Tuesday, NCCK Secretary General Rev Canon Peter Karanja proposed a one year amnesty for corrupt individuals to return all illegally acquired funds.

Karanja further stated that the perpetrators who fail to return the funds after the amnesty period has lapsed should be jailed for life and the funds recovered from them.

Rev Karanja pointed out that the individuals should be given a chance to repent and turn around their lives, adding that this will help in speeding up justice for Kenyans who have suffered from corruption.

This will enable us to clean up our past as a Nation, said Karanja.

The vocal secretary-general said the extensive and corrosive nature of corruption in Kenya may need an alternative approach to achieve lasting solutions.

We hope that you will find a formula that will enable the nation to turn over a new leaf in the fight against corruption, he said.

Karanja also commended the March 9 handshake saying the move will lead to finding lasting solutions to challenges that Kenyans continue to face.

Also in attendance at the 63rd General Assembly at Jumuia conference in Kilifi was Deputy President William Ruto who told the church to speak openly and without fear about the challenges facing the country. He noted the days when the church was threatened by politicians and those in power is long gone.

The days when the likes of Mr Timothy Njoya were beaten senseless for speaking their mind is long gone. In fact, public participation and free airing of views is a constitutional right for every Kenyan. I am saying here that no one will be victimised for speaking their minds on the challenges this country is facing, be it political, socio-economic or development, said Ruto.

Ruto also vowed that Kenyans will never fight again because of politics.

Those of us in leadership including my boss President Uhuru Kenyatta and the Jubilee government in general, we will never return this country into the dark days of ethnicity and tribal affiliations, he said.

He added: As long as we are in politics now, never again will this country witness the animosity and tribal utterances that had characterised every election.
Welcome to the 21st century, where a request for extra towels in your hotel room may be answered by a roughly 4-foot-high purple robot on wheels.

Miami YotelPadan unfinished 30-story mixed-use development in downtown Miamiwill employ three robot butlers for its guests. These robots don't look like humans (thankfully?), but they're programmed to execute tasks normally left to their biological counterparts: delivering room service, playing music and even engaging in conversation.

Singapore-based Techmetics built the 'bots. The company boasts that it also "employs" robots in casinos and hospitals at over 100 venues.

Two of the robots will serve condo residents and one will be available for hotel guests. The machines are fully automatic, using digital mapping to travel to and from rooms at about three miles per hour. They can even call the elevators. Outside their delivery duties, the robots can also act as a guide and escort wayward guests to their destinations. So far, they're unnamed, but YotelPad will soon host a social media competition to decide.

"We see these robots like we see our other technology: an enhancement that doesn't go too far," said David Arditi, the hotel's developer and principal of Aria Development Group. The company's other South Florida projects include the 321 Ocean luxury condo on South Beach and the Vista 12 workforce housing building in Little Havana.

Workers should have no fear: Robots aren't coming to take your jobs, Arditi says.

Other techy features at Yotel will include digital package delivery hubs, transit screens with real-time updates on Metromover and ride-share services, and self check-in kiosks.

A joint venture between Aria Development Group and the Kuwait-based AQARAT real estate company, Miami's micro-unit hotel will offer 231 condos and 222 hotel rooms ranging in size from 425 to 700 square feet. Construction on the project, at 227 NE Second St., is slated to finish late 2020.

Residences at YotelPad start at around $300,000, with studio, one- and two-bedroom options. Property owners are allowed to rent out their properties short-term, either through third party services like Airbnb, or through Yotel's own short-term rental program.

Condo sales began in May and interest has been strong, said Peggy Olin Fucci, CEO and founder of OneWorld Properties, the project's broker. Amenities include a gym, bar, pet boutique and private rooftop space for residents only.

Miami isn't the first city to have a robot-inhabited Yotel. Yotel Boston is home to robot butler YO2D2, and the chain has robots at its locations in New York and Singapore, too.

The Starwood Aloft Hotel in Cupertino was the first to employ robot couriers, unveiling two in 2014, said Meghan Wood, editor at Oyster.com. They were a hit: In the first three months, the pair delivered 610 items to guests. Since then, several other hotels have brought in automatons. EMC2, an avant-garde boutique hotel in Chicago, has two. Henn-na Hotel in Japan is the first to be entirely staffed by robots and plans to expand to 100 locations within five years.

Savioke, the Santa-Clara based technology company that built the robots for Starwood, has robots in more than 70 hotels across the world.

Wood says robot butlerslike iPad checkinsare probably here to stay. She points to a 2014 survey by Software Advice that found that 51 percent of respondents preferred a robot deliver items to their rooms over a human.

"Guests at the Residences in LAX were ordering Starbucks to their rooms just to take a selfie with the robot butler," said Wood.

Miami's own experience with robots, though, hasn't been great. Brickell robot parking garage was a disaster, prompting the operators to pull out. At the annual eMERGE Americas tech conference in Miami, the keynote speaker, Sophia the Robot, never showed.

Xavier Gonzalez, then eMERGE CEO, playfully blamed the "South Beach" effect.

Fucci is unfazed, "People love the robots in other hotels. Their success in other locations is a big reason why we have them here."

Explore further Study shows humans can be emotionally manipulated by robots

2018 Miami Herald

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
CEMAs David Huntley explains the low-cost flood sensing equipment to transportation and emergency management officials from state and federal agencies. Credit: University of Delaware

As occupants of the lowest lying state in the nation, residents of Delaware face the danger of roadway flooding regularly. Consequentially state agencies like the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) have made it a priority to monitor the status of roads, issuing flood warnings and closing roads that might prove dangerous to drivers.

The conventional sensors that track flood levels across the state are expensive to install and maintain. Because of that cost, DelDOT has had to prioritize the monitoring of only areas with the highest risk of flooding. But the University of Delaware's Center for Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (CEMA) is looking to change that.

DelDOT has worked with CEMA on several projects in the past and knew it had the expertise to address this flood monitoring challenge, so the state agency provided a grant to the center to experiment with potential solutions. Using that funding, several low-cost flood sensors that could be used to augment DelDOT's current flood-monitoring system were developed by CEMA Associate Director Kevin Brinson; CEMA Research Associate David Huntley; Matt Shatley, CEMA's research computing specialist; and Sean Hudson, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Geography. The devices could cost as little as $150 each and require minimal maintenance, which could allow DelDOT to monitor roads that flood less regularly as well as the regular trouble spots, providing the agency with a more comprehensive monitoring system to keep Delaware drivers safe and informed.

CEMA tested several simple but effective means of sensing the flood levels of roads. Each utilizing a different type of technology (sonic, optical or resistance), the sensors all relied on a relatively cheap yet efficient microcontroller called an Arduino. These mini computers are versatile, with the capacity to do much more than simply detect water levels, and are often used in environmental sensing, home automation and other applications by hobbyists and professionals alike.

All three of the tested technologies were found to be successful in the field, though Brinson noted that certain methods may be more appropriate for certain environments. He emphasized that the intent with this field test was not to find a single cost-effective method of sensing floods, but rather multiple. By having several methods at their disposal, government agencies like DelDOT can implement a sensor most appropriate to the environment in need of monitoring.

To use the low-cost sensors to expand flood monitoring, a network of multiple sensors in an area would transmit information wirelessly to DelDOT. These transmissions would likely range from periodic connections to indicate the system is still functioning to potentially three simple notifications: water is approaching the roadway, water has covered the roadway and roadway flooding has reached a dangerous depth.

In pursuit of cutting costs even further, Brinson is looking to road signs and other roadway structures as potential installation points. Their abundance along road sides could not only provide convenient, pre-existing installation structures, but could also minimize vandalism.

"No one notices sign posts, they just drive right past them," Brinson said. "We could put our sensor box on the back of it, and you would never know it was there."

Regarding the future of this technology, the project manager of the low-cost flood sensing project at DelDOT, civil engineer Silvana Croope, indicated that she hopes to have it further tested and out in the field by summer 2019 at the latest.

"We will start discussions on this comprehensive implementation plan at the end of the fall," Croope said. "But because we already have an initial strategic study that CEMA put together, we actually already have a road map for us to start the deployment."

Explore further Novel technology applied to replace aging bridge
This figure shows (a) Cations of alkali (1+) and alkaline-earth (2+) elements, as well as divalent Eu, together with their ionic radii, and (b) The 122 and (c) 1144 structures of iron pnictides. Possible Fe magnetic orders are shown in (d) stripe order and (e) hedgehog or spin-vortex order. Credit: Ames Laboratory

A collaboration between scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory and the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main has computationally predicted a number of unique properties in a group of iron-based superconductors, including room-temperature super-elasticity.

Ames Laboratory produced samples of one of these iron arsenide materials with calcium and potassium, CaKFe 4 As 4 , and experimentally discovered that when placed under pressure, the structure of the material collapsed noticeably.

"It's a large change in dimension for a non-rubber-like material, and we wanted to know how exactly that collapsed state was occurring," said Paul Canfield, a senior scientist at Ames Laboratory and a Distinguished Professor and the Robert Allen Wright Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Iowa State University.

Through computational pressure simulations, the researchers learned that the material collapsed in stagestermed "half-collapsed tetragonal phases"with the atomic structure near the calcium layers in the materials collapsing first, followed by the potassium layer collapsing at higher pressures. The simulations also predicted these behaviors could be found in similar materials that are as-yet untested experimentally.

"Not only does this study have implications for properties of magnetism and superconductivity, it may have much wider application in room-temperature elasticity," said Canfield.

Canfield collaborated with Roser Valenti at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, who served as the host faculty member for Canfield's Humboldt Award in 2014.

It has been a delight as an experimentalist to be able to access this theoretical group's ever-increasing computational skills to model and predict properties," said Canfield.

The research is further discussed in the paper, "Trends in pressure-induced layer-selective half-collapsed tetragonal phases in the iron-based superconductor family AeAFe 4 As 4 ," authored by Vladislav Borisov, Paul C. Canfield, and Roser Valenti; and published as an Editor's Suggestion in Physical Review B.

Explore further Missing link to novel superconductivity revealed

More information: Vladislav Borisov et al, Trends in pressure-induced layer-selective half-collapsed tetragonal phases in the iron-based superconductor family AeAFe4As4, Physical Review B (2018). Journal information: Physical Review B Vladislav Borisov et al, Trends in pressure-induced layer-selective half-collapsed tetragonal phases in the iron-based superconductor family AeAFe4As4,(2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.98.064104
Jules Salles-Wagners 1898 painting Romeo and Juliet. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

For a lecture course I teach at Brown University called "Love Stories," we begin at the beginning, with love at first sight.

To its detractors, love at first sight must be an illusion  the wrong term for what is simply infatuation, or a way to sugarcoat lust.

Buy into it, they say, and you're a fool.

In my class, I point to an episode of "The Office," in which Michael Scott, regional manager for Dunder Mifflin, is such a fool: He's blown away by a model in an office furniture catalog. Michael vows to find her in the flesh, only to discover that the love of his life is no longer living. Despairing (but still determined), he visits her grave and sings to her a stirring requiem, set to the tune of "American Pie": "Bye, bye Ms. Chair Model Lady. I dreamt we were married and you treated me nice. We had lots of kids, drinking whiskey and rye. Why'd you have to go off and die? "

This might as well be a funeral for love at first sight, since all of this comes at delusional Michael's expense.

If you find yourself smitten with someone you've only just met, you'll question whether you should give the feeling so much weight  and risk ending up like Michael.

Psychologists and neuroscientists have tried to find some answers. But I would argue that for the best guidance, don't look there  look to Shakespeare.

Sifting through the science

Even in a class tailored to romantics, when I poll my students about whether they believe in love at first sight, around 90 percent of the 250 students indicate they don't.

At least one study suggests that the rest of us agree with my students. Like them, participants in this study believe that love takes time. Two people meet and may or may not be infatuated upon first meeting. They gradually develop an intimate understanding of each other. And then, and only then, do they fall in love. That's just how love works.

Then again, maybe we're more like Michael Scott than we think. Other surveys suggest that most of us indeed do believe in love at first sight. Many of us say we've experienced it.

What does brain science say? Some studies claim that we can clearly distinguish what happens in our brains at the moment of initial attraction  when chemicals related to pleasure, excitement and anxiety predominate  from what happens in true romantic attachment, when attachment hormones like oxytocin take over.

But other studies don't accept such a clean break between the chemistry of love at first sight and of "true" love, instead suggesting that what happens in the brain at first blush may resemble what happens later on.

Regardless of whether chemical reactions in love at first sight and longer-term romantic love are alike, the deeper question persists.

Does love at first sight deserve the name of love?

Shakespeare weighs in

While science and surveys can't seem to settle on a definitive answer, Shakespeare can. Cited as an authority in nearly every recent book-length study of love, Shakespeare shows how love at first sight can be as true a love as there is.

Let's look at how his lovers meet in "Romeo and Juliet."

Romeo, besotted with Juliet at the Capulet ball, musters the courage to speak with her, even though he doesn't know her name. When he does, she doesn't just respond. Together, they speak a sonnet:

Michael serenades his deceased crush.

Romeo: If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

Juliet: Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, Which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

Romeo: Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

Juliet: Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo: O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do! They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

Juliet: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

Romeo: Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.

Even though it's their first encounter, the two converse dynamically and inventively  an intense back-and-forth that equates love with religion. Love poems typically are spoken by a lover to a beloved, as in many of Shakespeare's own sonnets or Michael's requiem. Generally, there's one voice. Not in the case of Romeo and Juliet  and the energy between the two is as stunning as it is silly.

In the first four lines, Romeo privileges lips over hands, in a bid for a kiss. In the next four lines, Juliet disagrees with Romeo. She asserts that, actually, hands are better. Holding hands is its own kind of kiss.

Romeo keeps going, noting that saints and pilgrims have lips. Since they do, lips mustn't be so bad. They should be used.

But again, Juliet answers Romeo readily: Lips are to be used, yes  but to pray, not to kiss. Romeo tries a third time to resolve the tension by saying that kissing, far from being opposed to prayer, is in fact a way of praying. And maybe kissing is like praying, like asking for a better world. Juliet at last agrees, and the two do kiss, after a couplet which suggests that they are in harmony.

Romeo and Juliet obviously have unrealistic ideas. But they connect in such a powerful way  right away  that it's ungenerous to say that their religion of love is only silly. We can't dismiss it in the same way we can mock Michael Scott. This is not a man with an office furniture catalog, or two revelers grinding at a club.

That two strangers can share a sonnet in speech means that they already share a deep connection  that they are incredibly responsive to each other.

What are we so afraid of?

Why would we want to dismiss Romeo and Juliet or those who claim to be like them?

We talk excitedly about meeting someone and how we "click" or "really hit it off"  how we feel intimately acquainted even though we've only just met. This is our way of believing in low-grade love at first sight, while still scorning its full-blown form.

Imagine if we did what Romeo and Juliet do. They show the signs that we tend to regard as hallmarks of "mature" love  profound passion, intimacy and commitment  right away. For Shakespeare, if you have this, you have love, whether it takes six months or six minutes.

It's easy to say that people don't love each other when they first meet because they don't know each other and haven't had a chance to form a true attachment. Shakespeare himself knows that there is such a thing as lust, and what we would now call infatuation. He's no fool.

Still, he reminds us  as forcefully as we ever will be reminded  that some people, right away, do know each other deeply. Love gives them insight into each other. Love makes them pledge themselves to each other. Love makes them inventive. Yes, it also makes them ridiculous.

But that's just another of love's glories. It makes being ridiculous permissible.

Explore further Romeo the lonesome frog is feelin' the love

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Senator Orrin Hatch urged the US Federal Trade Commission to reopen its antitrust review of Google which was closed in 2013

A senior Republican senator on Thursday urged US regulators to reopen an antitrust investigation into Google, citing "important developments" since the review was closed in 2013.

Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah called on the Federal Trade Commission "to reconsider the competitive effects of Google's conduct in search and digital advertising."

Lawmakers have no official role in determining how the independent agency manages its investigations, but Hatch's call comes amid growing complaints from some activist organizations and following a series of antitrust investigations targeting Google in the European Union.

Hatch said he was concerned about "purportedly anticompetitive conduct" by Google cited in a recent report on the CBS program "60 Minutes," and other reports that Google "decided to remove from its platforms legal businesses that the company apparently does not agree with."

"There have also likely been other important changes to the market in the five years since the close of the FTC's investigation, including the shift to mobile platforms," Hatch said in his letter to FTC chairman Joseph Simons.

Hatch stated that "Google does have a long track record of providing valuable services and making important, innovative contributions. But much has changed since the FTC last looked at Google's conduct regarding search and digital advertising."

Google has also been a target of President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers who allege the search giant suppresses conservative voices.

In January 2013, the FTC found no evidence that Google unfairly preferences its own content on its search results page and demotes its competitors' content.

The regulators added they "have not found sufficient evidence that Google manipulates its search algorithms to unfairly disadvantage vertical websites that compete with Google-owned vertical properties."

Then-FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz said at the time, "While not everything Google did was beneficial, on balance we did not believe that the evidence supported an FTC challenge to this aspect of Google's business under American law."

In the most recent case in Europe, the EU in July slapped a record 4.34-billion-euro ($5.04 billion) antitrust fine on Google, saying it illegally used its Android operating system to strengthen the dominance of its search engine.

Explore further Google parent books $2.7B fine as European fight looms

 2018 AFP
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A city program that recently handed out money to tech groups would hardly make an impact on most companies' budgets, with the highest award being $10,000.

But to the small groups that actually received money, these grantswhich ranged from $2,000 to $10,000can buy the thing they might need most: time to grow.

"If we are stuck in the minutiae of spending all of our time thinking about how we are going to pay for pizza, when will we have time to get it all organized?" said Kunal Patel, organizer of the space-related video game building event called Indiegalactic Space Jam. "It helps buy time."

Patel landed two of the 16 grants on the list, with Indiegalactic getting $10,000 and his independent video game development group Indienomicon receiving another $2,000.

The City of Orlando's new Technology Community Support Pilot Program is meant to boost the city's budding tech scene.

On Aug. 17, the city announced that it had spread $65,000 among 16 efforts, including the student coding group Tech Sassy Girlz, University of Central Florida's Press Play Conference and the downtown coworking space Catalyst.

Raising money to support these kinds of programs has been more successful elsewhere, with other cities bringing large organizations on board to fund specific efforts.

Last year, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation poured $1.2 million into Blacktech Week and other programs with a goal of supporting black entrepreneurs in Miami.

Blaire Martin, CEO and co-founder of the early stage company investment group Florida Angel Nexus, says Orlando's grant program could become a jumping-off point to future funding efforts.

"Over time, we will have the support the entrepreneurial community needs," she said. "It's not like anyone is saying we don't want to do it."

Phil Dumas, who served on a city-organized panel to select the grant winners, knows firsthand the difficulties of funding a startup company.

His Orlando-based tech company UniKey Technologies, which builds a home smart-lock system that can be accessed through a mobile phone or with the touch of a finger, struggled early on to raise money but has since been able to land $21 million in venture capital.

"One of the great things about Orlando is startup capital goes a lot further here than in other markets such as Silicon Valley," Dumas said. "While it may not seem like a lot, these grants absolutely have the ability to move the needle. But, of course, we, as a community, need to do everything we can to amplify this investment."

Touting financial wins like these city grants can help boost the tech community, he said.

"The startup community and the City of Orlando can always do better," he said. "But we have to start somewhere, and this is a great step that most cities have yet to do."

But the city has a ways to go if it's going to change its reputation, Martin said.

"Florida was not built on the backs of tech entrepreneurs," she said. "The tech ecosystem has not been what has fueled our growth as a state. But I think it's time to compete with tourism and oranges and cattle with a real emphasis on building differentiated tech businesses."

Explore further Microsoft picks Miami for first US innovation center

2018 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Additive Manufacturing enables minuscule metal structures with a complex geometry to be produced. Here is a test piece compared with a match head. Using AI to monitor the manufacturing process acoustically guarantees that the workpiece is devoid of any interior defects. Credit: Empa

Welding, printing, crushing concrete  an Empa team monitors noisy processes with the help of artificial intelligence. This way you can literally hear production errors and imminent accidents.

Kilian Wasmer from the Empa lab for Advanced Materials Processing in Thun keeps shaking his head while speaking, as if he can't believe the success story himself. Together with his team, he recently patented a system to monitor complex production processes, which can be used in a vast range of situations  even though the prospects of this idea initially did not look particularly good at all. "I told our partners that I rated the chances of success at around 5 percent. But we'd still give it a go," recalls Wasmer about the project's early days.

Lightning strikes on concrete

The aforementioned partner is Selfrag AG from Kerzers near Bern. The company manufactures high-voltage generators, which can pre-weaken or even break concrete using lightning discharges. In contrast to a sledgehammer, which yields sharp-edged lumps of concrete with split pebbles, this method is able to break down concrete into its basic components of gravel, sand and cement  which enables them to be recycled in full.

The Empa scientists started bombarding small test pieces made of Plexiglas with high-voltage lightning bolts. The acoustic signature of every lightning bolt was recorded and the corresponding Plexiglas test piece examined for cracks and surface damage under the microscope. Sergey Shevchik, the team's specialist in artificial intelligence, tested a number of different strategies to recognize revealing patterns from the data. Eventually, not only did he succeed in distinguishing successful lightning strikes from misses, but also in spotting surface hits. For the first time, this gave Selfrag an online monitoring possibility for its lightning technology.

The success in real-time lightning analysis gave the team the idea of analyzing other extremely noisy processes as well: squeaking, rattling machines.

When bearings seize up and machines die

If rolling bearings and other moving metal parts are not properly oiled, they may scuff. The problem causes considerable damage worldwide. Unfortunately, temperature sensors integrated in vulnerable components only detect a temperature increase once the scuffing has begun and the parts are already ruined.

However, just because something is creaking in a machine does not necessarily mean the machine needs complete revision. Anyone who dismantles and services his or her production machines more frequently than necessary causes unnecessary costs. But those who wait too long run the risk of a moving part scuffing, breaking apart and thus destroying other parts of the machine, which would be disastrous. The goal, therefore, is to hear the "crucial" creak from the cacophony of noises  and to stop the machine just in time before it is damaged.

Wasmer's team allowed a bearing made of hardened steel to rub against a cast-iron base on a tribometer, an instrument for measuring friction, recorded the noises, halted the experiment in different phases and studied the damage under a microscope. The Empa researchers managed to discern the vital clues from this cacophony. They are now able to recognize the jamming with 80 percent certainty. Even more importantly, however: The crucial pre-scuffing phase can be recognized with 65 percent certainty  and even predict a few minutes before the catastrophic conclusion comes about. This would be sufficient to halt many industrial machines in time and prevent serious damage.

Quality management in additive manufacturing

Wasmer's latest project is devoted to additive manufacturing (AM)  the production of metallic components made of metal powder, which is melted with a laser beam. This novel manufacturing technique does not use any casting molds and is just the ticket for geometrically complex individual parts. Until today, however, it has been necessary to strictly adhere to the process parameters (e.g. laser power and speed, powder specification etc.) for a particular alloy or application. Any deviation can cause pores, cracks or internal stress in the workpiece, rendering it useless.

Wasmer and Co. combined acoustic sensors with machine learning and analyzed the data using an algorithm called SCNN ("Spectral Convolutional Neural Network") and first described in 2016. Using this machine-learning method, they succeeded in distinguishing whether the laser melting process was too hot or too cold with a hit ratio of over 83 percent. The results were published in Additive Manufacturing in May 2018.

Listening in during laser welding

The researchers are confident that the method can also be applied to things other than laser 3-D printers. Other AM techniques such as laser sintering, stereolithography or multi-jet printing are based on similar physical principles. The Empa method for process and quality monitoring in real time could thus be valuable for all these techniques.

Another industrial partner has already benefited from Empa's knowhow: Coherent Switzerland, based in Belp, has been manufacturing laser sources and tool heads for welding devices for 44 years. Thanks to the Empa results, the company now has a sensor system at its disposal that monitors and documents the welding process optically and acoustically. The data obtained in this way could help optimize future welding processes and maintain the high quality standard that the automotive industry demands from its suppliers.

Explore further Laser-made aircraft parts a breakthrough for industry

More information: S.A. Shevchik et al. Acoustic emission for in situ quality monitoring in additive manufacturing using spectral convolutional neural networks, Additive Manufacturing (2017). S.A. Shevchik et al. Acoustic emission for in situ quality monitoring in additive manufacturing using spectral convolutional neural networks,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.addma.2017.11.012 Sergey A. Shevchik et al. Prediction of Failure in Lubricated Surfaces Using Acoustic TimeFrequency Features and Random Forest Algorithm, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics (2016). DOI: 10.1109/TII.2016.2635082
Putting a figure on the number of endangered lemurs left in the wild isn't easy, but researchers say one clue might help: the plants they rely on for food. Credit: David Haring, Duke Lemur Center

The vast majority of lemur species are on the edge of extinction, experts warn. But not every lemur species faces a grim future. There may be as many as 1.3 million white-fronted brown lemurs still in the wild, for example, and mouse lemurs may number more than 2 million, a Duke-led study has shown.

"For some lemurs, there may be healthy populations remaining and our conservation efforts are preserving them," said lead author James Herrera of Duke University.

The findings come from statistical modeling techniques that estimate the total population sizes and geographic ranges for 19 of the roughly 100 recognized lemur species across Madagascar by using the plants they rely on for food as a proxy for counting animals.

These tree-dwelling primates eat mostly fruits, leaves and flowers, such as African star apples, mangosteens, tamarinds and figs across Madagascar, the only place in the world where lemurs live in the wild.

In a study published August 30 in the Journal of Biogeography, researchers show that lemurs are less abundant in areas that lack certain tree specieseven when environmental conditions such as temperature, precipitation and elevation are otherwise suitable.

Using this relationship, the team was able to come up with the first estimates of total population size for some lesser-known species, such as Crossley's dwarf lemur. These estimates can be critical baseline data for managing what's left.

About 95 percent of all lemurs are at risk of extinction because of deforestation, hunting and other factors. Since the 1950s, lemurs have lost more than 40 percent of their habitat. Tens of thousands of acres of forests each year are logged, cleared to make way for farms and pastures, or burned and harvested as charcoal.

But getting reliable population numbers for these elusive animals in the remote and rugged terrain where they live isn't easy. Counting every individual is impossible. One alternative approach, based on statistical modeling, uses the correlation between species densities at a subset of sites and environmental conditions at those locations to infer how many individuals are present over larger areas.

Between 2011 and 2016, teams of researchers walked across Ranomafana National Park, Makira Natural Park and Masoala National Park in Madagascar, searching for lemurs.

"We would wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning, hike for six to eight hours to look for lemurs, and then go back out at night with our headlamps on to search," said Herrera, a postdoctoral associate in Duke professor Charlie Nunn's lab.

"A lot of these species are small nocturnal animals that are only active at night," so researchers rarely see them, Herrera said. "You can walk for hours and not see a single lemur."

Overall, they compiled data from more than 2,000 lemur sightings, as well as more than 3,000 sightings of the trees they eat.

Bamboo lemur populations may have shrunk by half over the last two decades, a study has shown. Credit: David Haring, Duke Lemur Center

Using these records, along with climate data from each location, the researchers identified other suitable areas for each of 14 lemur food trees across the 225,000-square mile island.

Then they used the resulting tree maps, along with temperature, rainfall, elevation and other data, to estimate the potential population size of each lemur species across its range.

This techniqueincorporating tree distributions in addition to climateproved more accurate than methods that estimate lemur numbers and ranges using climate alone.

Several species had populations that were smaller than anticipated.

The researchers estimated there were still 15,000 to 20,000 red-fronted brown lemurs in Madagascar in 2014. That's down as much as 85 percent from the approximately 100,000 estimated in 2000, by a separate study based on lemur surveys and satellite images of the remaining rainforests.

Another species, the gentle bamboo lemur, may have shrunk by half in less than two decades, from roughly 20,000 individuals to 9,000-10,000.

The steep declines are partly due to continued habitat loss, the researchers say. Madagascar lost more than 380 square miles of forest per year between 2010 and 2014.

But numbers for other lemur species weren't as low as they feared.

This study estimated roughly 50,000 red-bellied lemurs remaining, almost twice the figure estimated 14 years earlier.

What's more, the study found that 16 of the 19 species had potential population sizes greater than 10,000 individuals, the threshold considered by the IUCN to be at risk of extinction.

"It was actually pretty good news for some of these species," Herrera said.

Many of these species may still be at risk because of bushmeat hunting or the pet trade, which their models don't account for, the researchers say.

But they hope their approach, in combination with measures of hunting pressure and other threats, will lead to more refined estimates of species' vulnerability to extinction in the future, for lemurs or other animals.

More information: James P. Herrera et al, Estimating the population size of lemurs based on their mutualistic food trees, Journal of Biogeography (2018). Journal information: Journal of Biogeography James P. Herrera et al, Estimating the population size of lemurs based on their mutualistic food trees,(2018). DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13409
Credit: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)

ANSTO's unique landmark infrastructure has been used to study uranium, the keystone to the nuclear fuel cycle. The advanced instruments at the Australian Synchrotron and the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering have not only provided high resolution and precision, but also allowed in situ experiments to be carried out under extreme sample environments such as high temperature, high pressure and controlled gas atmosphere.

As part of his joint Ph.D. studies at the University of Sydney and ANSTO, Gabriel Murphy has been investigating the condensed matter chemistry of a crystalline material, oxygen-deficient strontium uranium oxide, SrUO 4-x , which exhibits the unusual property of having ordered defects at high temperatures.

"Strontium uranium oxide is potentially relevant to spent nuclear fuel partitioning and reprocessing," said Dr. Zhaoming Zhang, Gabriel's ANSTO supervisor and a co-author on the paper with Prof Brendan Kennedy of the University of Sydney that was published recently in Inorganic Chemistry.

Uranium oxides can access several valence states, from tetravalent encountered commonly in UO2 nuclear fuels, to pentavalent and hexavalentencountered in both fuel precursor preparation and fuel reprocessing conditions.

Pertinent to the latter scenario, the common fission daughter Sr-90 may react with oxidised uranium to form ternary phases such as SrUO 4 .

In a previous investigation also published in Inorganic Chemistry, Gabriel and colleagues found that the oxygen-deficient  polymorph (-SrUO 4 ) can, in the presence of oxygen, transform into a more stable, stoichiometric -SrUO 4 at 830C. However, this structural change can be stopped if no oxygen is present in the sample environment.

In the latest study, they heated -SrUO 4 up to 1000C in situ under pure hydrogen gas flow on the powder diffraction beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, in order to understand structural response to increased oxygen vacancy defects, and there were surprising developments.

"We anticipated that the oxygen vacancy content would go up with increasing temperature. It did, but there was also unexpected ordering of oxygen vacancies signalling a phase transformation to the lower symmetry  phase, which was totally unexpected," said Zhang.

"Generally when you go to higher temperature, you expect an increase in disorder. In this example, we observed the ordering of oxygen defects and the lowering of crystallographic symmetry at higher temperature, which is counter-intuitive," said Zhang.

The investigators were able to demonstrate that cooling the sample resulted in the disordering of oxygen defects and reformation of the original -SrUO 4-x structure, which means that this process is completely reversible and the ordering is not a consequence of decomposition or chemical change, but purely thermodynamic in origin.

"To the best of our knowledge this is the first example for a material to exhibit a reversible symmetry lowering transformation with heating, and remarkably the system is able to become more ordered with increasing temperature," said Zhang.

"There is an interplay between entropy and enthalpy in this system, with entropy as the possible driver for the observed high temperature ordering phase transition."

"Every time you create oxygen vacancies, you are reducing the uranium."

"When there are no oxygen vacancies present, uranium is 6+ in SrUO 4 . With the creation of oxygen vacancies, some of the hexavalent uranium ions are reduced to pentavalent uranium, hence you create disorder in the cation sublattice with the possibility of short-range ordering of the uranium 5+ cations," explained Zhang.

The structural changes were also investigated by theoretical modelling carried out by a team specialising in uranium and actinide computational modelling under Dr. Piotr Kowalski at Forschungszentrum Julich in Germany.

"The structural model of -SrUO 4-x gave an excellent fit to the experimental data, and suggested the importance of entropy changes associated with the temperature-dependent short-range ordering of the reduced uranium species," said Zhang.

The structure of the - and -form of SrUO 4 was determined in earlier work with the assistance of Dr. Max Avdeev on the Echidna high resolution powder diffractometer at the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, which provided more accurate positions for the oxygen atoms in the structure given that neutrons are much more sensitive to oxygen than X-rays especially in the presence of heavier atoms such as uranium.

The X-ray data were collected on the powder diffraction beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, assisted by beamline scientist, Dr. Justin Klimpton.

The investigators were able to flow pure hydrogen through the sample, while heating it up to 1000C, followed by cooling and re-heating it on the synchrotron beamline.

"We were trying to see how many oxygen vacancies could be hosted in the lattice and to observe how these vacancy defects affect the structure in real time," said Zhang.

The high resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction data provided insights into the structural changes.

The investigators suspected that the  phase only formed when the concentration of oxygen vacancy defects reached a critical value, as the ordered  structure was not observed when the experiment was carried out in air instead of pure hydrogen.

When the temperature was reduced below 200C, the ordered superstructure was lost even while maintaining a hydrogen atmosphere and, presumably, constant number of vacancy defects.

The reversible transformation is believed to be a thermodynamically driven process and not caused by a change in the concentration of oxygen vacancies.

The group of investigators has recently concluded testing of other related ternary uranium oxides to see if the phenomenon was a one-off.

There is every indication that this unique phenomenon occurs in these materials as well, and the physical origin of this lies within the unique chemistry of uranium.

The startling implications of this novel phase transformation are apparent when considering societally important materials such as superconductors which possess desirable ordered properties at low temperatures but are inevitably lost to disorder at high temperatures.

This work demonstrates that order may be achieved from disorder through carefully balancing enthalpy and entropy.

Explore further Fine-tuning chemistry by doping with transition metals produced stability in bismuth oxide

More information: Gabriel L. Murphy et al. Unexpected Crystallographic Phase Transformation in Nonstoichiometric SrUO 4x : Reversible Oxygen Defect Ordering and Symmetry Lowering with Increasing Temperature, Inorganic Chemistry (2018). Journal information: Inorganic Chemistry Gabriel L. Murphy et al. Unexpected Crystallographic Phase Transformation in Nonstoichiometric SrUO: Reversible Oxygen Defect Ordering and Symmetry Lowering with Increasing Temperature,(2018). DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b00463
Lead researcher Ross Crates with an adult regent honeyeater. Credit: Australian National University

Research led by the Australian National University (ANU) sheds new light on the rapid decline of the once-common regent honeyeater, offering new opportunities to help save the bird from extinction.

Lead researcher Ross Crates and his colleagues from the Difficult Bird Research Group at the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society surveyed more than 5,000 sites between 2015 and 2017 to locate this extremely rare and highly mobile species.

Although regent honeyeaters were common as recently as the 1970s, only 350500 regent honeyeaters survive in the wild. Between 2015 and 2018, the ANU team managed to locate between 70 and 150 adult regent honeyeaters each year. They even climbed trees to install surveillance cameras to monitor the nests of these difficult birds.

"We found 119 regent honeyeater nests over three yearsmore than we could ever have dreamed of," said Mr Crates.

"We found birds in the Capertee and Goulburn River valleys near Mudgee, the lower Hunter Valley near Cessnock and near Barraba in the Northern Tablelands. Importantly, we also found important new breeding areas in the Severn River in Northern New South Wales and the Burragorang Valley in the Southern Blue Mountains, south-east of Sydney."

The researchers found only one in three nests successfully produced offspring, down from one in two in the 1990s.

"Although breeding success appears to have declined, we found the survival of nests varied dramatically among sites. In some areas, 80 per cent were successful. In others, less than 20 per cent fledged young, with predators being the main cause of failure." Mr Crates said.

Habitat loss, habitat degradation and increases in the populations of nest predator species are thought to explain the decrease in breeding success.

The decline in the regent honeyeater population could also contribute to lower nest success. "Regent honeyeaters like to breed in groups. Historically, safety in numbers may have helped them defend their nests against predators but population decline has left them vulnerable."

The team also found there are more males than females left in the population, with one in six males unable to find a mate.

"Some poor males are singing non-stop to attract females that simply don't exist," Mr Crates added.

Although the current breeding figures are alarming, the Difficult Bird Research Group remains optimistic. The information obtained from this research is vital to help the regent honeyeater recovery team, including representatives from state and federal governments, the ANU, BirdLife Australia and Taronga Zoo, to improve the odds of saving the species.

"There are birds still out in the wild trying to breed every year. We now have a much better idea of where they are trying to nest and so we can focus on protecting and restoring the breeding habitat in critical places to directly benefit the birds."

The researchers warn urgent conservation action is needed, before it's too late.

"If we are to have any chance of saving regent honeyeaters from extinction, we must act now. We must protect all existing breeding habitat, restore lost breeding habitat and protect nests."

The research is published in the journal Ibis.

Explore further Flock size matters for critically endangered regent honeyeaters

More information: Ross Crates et al. Contemporary breeding biology of critically endangered Regent Honeyeaters: implications for conservation, Ibis (2018). Ross Crates et al. Contemporary breeding biology of critically endangered Regent Honeyeaters: implications for conservation,(2018). DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12659
Former Limuru Member of Parliament George Nyanja is said to be in hiding after he fired his gun in an attempt to stop the demolition of his house in Karen, Nairobi.

According to eyewitness reports, bulldozers from City Hall arrived at the site in the leafy suburbs of Karen on Wednesday afternoon and started bringing down the structures.

The former Limuru lawmaker then arrived shortly after and an argument ensued before Nyanja pulled out his pistol and shot in the air forcing the demolition crew to scamper to safety.

Nairobi Countys Chief Media Officer Elkana Jacob said the premises were constructed without approval from the Nairobi City County Government (NCCG) and area residents were also opposed to the development.

The county government had given the owners of all illegal structures from Embakasi to Karen and when they did comply with the orders, we moved in today[Wednesday], he said.

Elkana added that some of the County workers sustained minor injuries as they fled the scene after the gunshots.

We have recorded a statement at the Karen police station and we invite the DCI and Kenya Police to quickly arrest the individual for misuse of a firearm, said Elkana.
An image of the outside of a mosquito as it uses the pumping system in its head to drink. Scientists captured the image using the Advanced Photon Source, an extremely powerful X-ray. Credit: US Department of Energy

Slowly flapping its orange and black wings, a monarch butterfly sips liquid from a patch of mud. Its proboscis  the mouthpart that sucks up liquids  grazes the damp soil. For years, biologists knew that butterflies drew liquids up from surfaces with pores differently than they do from flowers. But they had no way to observe those differences.

"The biologists knew of this feeding mode, but didn't have tools to observe what was going on," said Daria Monaenkova, who studied this behavior as a graduate student at Clemson University.

Microscopes alone couldn't reveal what Monaenkova wanted to study. But a relatively new technique using an extremely powerful X-ray turned out to be just the thing. Using the DOE's Advanced Photon Source, an Office of Science user facility at Argonne National Laboratory, Monaenkova and other researchers have been able to take high-resolution videos of the insides of living insects.

For the past decade, the APS has been a home for scientists specializing in insect biomechanics to do research they can do nowhere else. Scientists studying butterflies, mosquitoes, and beetles have used the APS to reveal new insights into how they function and potentially inspire technology based on those functions.

Real-Life X-Ray Vision

Scientists who study insects need tools that can look through their hard external skeletons, reveal features of soft tissue, record movements that are a thousandth of a second long, and show details that are one millionth of a meter long. Most of all, they need to capture how these systems work in real time. Regular microscopes can't fulfill many of these needs.

But synchrotron X-rays, which are produced by particle accelerators, can. Just as doctors use X-rays to look inside human bodies, scientists can use them to look inside insect bodies. X-rays are especially useful for taking images of structures that have different densities, like mouthparts and digestive systems.

Not just any X-ray will do. Scientists can't control regular X-ray beams enough to conduct these experiments. But the Office of Science's user facility light sources produce extraordinarily powerful X-rays that provide scientists with very fine control. In the case of the APS, it's enough control to look inside an insect without vaporizing it.

These X-rays move into experimental stations where scientists run studies. Each APS beamline has X-ray optics that can select the X-ray's energy and focus it to the station to meet scientists' needs. The X-rays move through the object being studied and go into a scintillatora specialized crystal that transforms X-rays into visible light. A high-end camera captures that visible light on video.

"It's like a whole new world revealed," said Jake Socha, biomechanical engineering professor at Virginia Tech. "Almost anything you can put into the beam, you're seeing that perspective new for the first time."

Even for the people who specialize in X-ray machines, the clarity of the images is surprising. Wah-Keat Lee, an X-ray researcher who was at the APS and is now at the NSLS-II, a different Office of Science user facility, pioneered the technique. Describing the first time he saw the results, he said, "The clarity of the internal structures of the small insect was quite phenomenal."

The APS achieves this clarity with a very intense, high-energy, tight beam that also has high brilliance (the amount of light it can focus on a particular place at a particular time). Like a camera with a high-shutter speed that requires a lot of light, brilliance is important for capturing extremely fast motion. In one experiment, scientists captured X-ray video at a rate of more than 10,000 frames per second. Movies at commercial theaters are typically 24 frames per second.

"The light sources still have a massive advantage in speed," said Socha, comparing them to other imaging technologies.

Most importantly, light sources can do phase-contrast imaging. Normal X-ray machines rely on the fact that dense objectslike boneabsorb a lot of X-rays. Those X-rays don't reach the detector and sections of the image come out dark. But insects don't have anything as dense as bone. As a result, their bodies absorb fewer X-rays and won't produce a sharp image. Phase-contrast X-ray imaging solves this problem. Even though light objects don't absorb many X-rays, they do change their waves. Because phase-contrast detectors can measure those changes, they're more sensitive to slight differences in density than traditional machines. In fact, using images from the APS, scientists could distinguish between fluids and air in an insect's food canal.

"It takes you from a fuzzy picture of a blob to a really sharp picture of an insect," said Socha.

Examining Inner Workings of Insects

While scientists studying inanimate objects at light sources have to deal with a number of challenges, at least they don't have to worry about them flying away.

Before they can deal with the insects themselves, researchers must decide on the machine's settings that result in the best images and least harm to the insects. The longer the X-ray's wavelength, the better the contrast. Similarly, the more intense the beam, the brighter and clearer the image. But the longer the wavelength and the more intense the beam, the more the X-ray damages the insect. This damage can make the insect act unnaturally or kill them. (While scientists often kill the bugs after the study is finished, they don't want them to die partway through.)

An early study that tested a variety of insects found that while five minutes under the beam didn't seem to have a negative effect on most species, more than 20 minutes temporarily paralyzed them. Even with that previous research, teams still spend their first six to eight hours at the APS deciding on their experiment's settings.

"There's a lot of trial and error. You're not going to go in there within a half-hour of set up and start collecting data," said Matthew Lehnert, an entomologist at Kent State University.

The next challenge involves keeping their flying and crawling subjects still.

"You can't just sit something in front of a beam and say, 'Don't move,'" said Lehnert.

After knocking out the insects using nitrogen gas or by chilling them, scientists use surprisingly low-tech techniques to fasten them to platforms. Some researchers pin them down or surround them with cotton or modeling clay. Scientists studying mosquitoes attached them to the surface with nail polish. The paper even quotes the brand, for other researchers hoping to reproduce the work.

"Nail polish is a great tool for the lab," said Socha.

Next up is motivating insects to perform the desired behavior. For butterflies and mosquitoes, researchers wanted to observe their feeding habits. But normal sugar solution won't show up on the X-ray. The scientists worked with APS staff members to choose a form of iodine they could mix into the sugar solution that would both create a clear image and butterflies would be willing to eat.

With bombardier beetles, the scientists wanted to understand how they can create, heat, and shoot a liquid spray at temperatures close to boiling. But beetles don't spray on command. Some sprayed as soon as they woke up, startled by the fact there was an X-ray blasting them. With others, the scientists had to poke them with a pin.

While the process isn't pleasant for individual insects, what scientists learn can help them better understand the entire species and its evolution as a whole.

Butterflies and Beetles and Mosquitoes, Oh My

The resulting images made the experimentation worth it.

For butterflies, Monaenkova and her colleagues discovered that the proboscis acts like a combination of a sponge and a straw. The sponge-like structure at the tip of the proboscis creates capillary action, the ability of liquids to flow upwards without a sucking force. That helps the butterflies start the process of taking up liquid from porous materials, small droplets, and puddles. A mechanism in the butterfly's head then pumps the liquid up through the straw-like part of the proboscis.

"Without this tool, the research we did would not be possible," said Monaenkova.

This discovery could help scientists develop new technology for tools that capture liquids or deliver medicine into people's bodies.

In the case of mosquitoes, researchers also found a new mode of feeding. Mosquitoes' heads have two different pumps that suck up liquid. By looking at which parts had food in them at any one time, scientists figured out how much each pump contributed to the overall flow. They found a new mode of sucking that's 27 times more powerful than the regular one. Further research in this area may help scientists better understand how mosquitoes transmit illnesses like the Zika virus.

The scientists from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Arizona studying bombardier beetles wanted to track each stage of the chemical reaction that leads to the beetles' spray. Mapping how the vapor formed, expanded, and moved helped them understand how the beetle's body controls the process.

In every case, the APS revealed mechanisms that scientists had no other way of researching.

As Lee said, "The work we did here actually changed textbooks."

Explore further Unraveling mysteries of mouthparts of butterflies
Your favorite Kenyan girl band The Band BeCa has finally answered your prayers and released their new song after quite the hiatus.

The talented songbirds, Becky Sangolo and Carol Kamweru, last dropped a single about six months ago dubbed 1234. Since their professional break out in 2016, Band BeCa have served us several girl anthems such as Toka, and Brathe.

Their new single is titled Ride or Die, about a love that is untamed.

Their describe the song as follows: Ride Or Die is a totally relatable song as it talks of a love that is willing to defy boundaries just to be felt, a love that is untamed, a love on fire. The song gives off that, I dont Care what anyone thinks but I love you kind of vibe. A song that shows a love totally true, never-ending and totally committed.

Ride or Die was produced by Jack Jack on The Beat and co-written by Bien(Sauti Sol), Mike Mugo(Just Imagine Africa) and The Band Beca.

They are yet to release a video for the feel-good track but the audio is available for your listening pleasure.

Listen below.
 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.
August 30, 2018 in Travel (E)

[prMac.com] Taipei, Taiwan - QuinnScape today announces a limited-time End-of-Summer / Back-to-School Sale of 66% off for its popular Packing Pro travel app. From now until Tuesday, September 4, Packing Pro can be purchased for only $0.99 (USD) - one third of its original price of $2.99 - a great deal, and perfect timing for any last-chance traveling and for students heading off to university. Packing Pro has been the flagship travel packing app on Apple's iOS App Store for nearly 10 years, and has been updated and improved dozens of times, most recently adding helpful organizing and editing features this past spring.



During the nearly ten years that Packing Pro has been on Apple's App Store, it has been highlighted several times. Currently, it can be found in the "Travel Survival Kit" and "Travel Expenses" promotions. It has also ranked at #1 for iPads and #2 for iPhones in the U.S. App Store's Travel section. Besides Apple, Packing Pro has also been recognized by CNN, WSJ, BBC, The New York Times, Expedia and Budget Travel, and has earned glowing reviews on major tech and app blogs (Gizmodo, Mashable, Macworld, CNET and iPhone Life, among others).



Packing Pro is a mobile travel packing list app that features unlimited, 100% customizable packing lists, an extensive, yet flexible, catalog, handy sample lists, iCloud auto-sync and various list sharing options. A host of special functions include:



* Multi-item selection from catalog for speedy list building

* Multi-item editing for easy list & catalog management

* Collapsable categories with floating headers & running item tallies

* List sorting & filtering by packing status, priority, need to buy, bag and/or person

* Item, weight and value totals & subtotals

* Item images to eliminate any confusion - never again pack the wrong item

* Item & list alerts for user-set reminders

* Email export for file sharing

* Wireless printing

* Fully customized device support for all sizes of iPhone, iPod touch & iPad

* Full multi-lingual support for English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Japanese & Chinese



Besides the core features listed above (which are also present in the basic Packing (+TO DO!) app), Packing Pro also gives its users the following Pro-level features:



* iCloud auto-syncing support

* Expert packing list wizard that can "automagically" create a list

* Email, iTunes, AirDrop, Dropbox & Box file sharing, backup & out-of-app editing support

* Customized design (themes, layout, fonts, colors, textures)

* Double-sized Master Catalog with over 800 items and to-do tasks

* Twice as many sample lists

* Smart Search (lists & catalog)



Packing Pro's huge End-of-Summer / Back-to-School sale comes at the perfect time for any last-chance traveling and for students heading off to university. Check it out today, and happy packing!



Pricing and Availability:

Packing Pro is a universal app that is available for purchase worldwide on the iPhone & iPad App Store for $2.99 USD (Now Only $0.99!), or the equivalent in local currency. The basic Packing (+TO DO!) sells for $0.99.

Since its founding in October 2008, QuinnScape has been managed by Quinn Genzel. Quinn is best known for his popular, top-ranking travel packing apps: Packing (+TO DO!) and Packing Pro. Packing Pro has been recognized by Apple, CNN, WSJ, BBC, National Geographic, Budget Travel, Fodor's, CNET, Macworld and a host of others as one of their top apps for traveling. Other app created by Quinn include a grocery shopping list app (Shopping Pro), nature appreciation apps (iLove Nature and iLove Birds), 3D VR action games (R.I.P and Ghost Buddy) and high-quality puzzles (the aQ's Pro Slider Puzzle series). Copyright (C) 2008-2018 QuinnScape. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

###
Ugandas veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye paid a visit to Kyaddondo East Member of Parliament, Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, at the Lubaga hospital in Kampala on Wednesday.

Bobi Wine, who was on Monday granted bail by the High Court, was admitted to Lubaga Hospital on Tuesday at about 10 pm. And Kizza Besigye, who used to be President Yoweri Musevenis personal doctor, was by Bobi Wines hospital bed in a show of support and unity.

During the visit, Bobi Wine showed Kizza Besigye some of the injuries he sustained following his arrest and torturous detention by the Ugandan army.

Speaking after the visit, Kizza said Bobi was still in high spirits and could afford to crack a smile.

Hon Kyagulanyis torturers broke his right nasal bone, among several other injuries that he showed us when I & colleagues visited him at Lubaga Hospital. Happily, his spirit is not broken at all! We keep him in our prayers as he recovers. We shall overcome! said Kizza on Twitter.

He added: He affords to smile in spite of the pain he endures from injuries inflicted on him! Keep smiling &keep fighting on!

The musician-turned firebrand politician is set to be flown to London for specialised treatment. He will be admitted to the Royal London Hospital together with his Mityana Municipality counterpart Francis Zaake, who has been receiving treatment at Lubaga hospital for two weeks.

Zaake is yet to be charged because he reportedly escaped from detention.

Meanwhile, the Ugandan army has released a statement claiming to have arrested the soldiers involved in the torture of the two MPs.

Below are photos of Kizzas visit to Bobi Wine.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has settled his differences with Interior Permanent Secretary Karanja Kibicho whom he had accused of threatening his life.

In an interview with Citizen TV, Sonko said his relationship with the PS was resolved following meetings chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Early this year, the two leaders were up in arms over the management of Nairobi County. Sonko accused Kibicho of undermining his authority and at some point alluded that the PS was sending him threats through text messages.

The alleged threats are said to have forced Mike Sonko to relocate from Nairobi to his Mua Hills home in Machakos County, from where he ran County affairs for a couple of days.

The two are now working together following President Uhurus intervention.

In the interview on Tuesday, Sonko stated that he was still in charge of Nairobi adding that his tussle with Kibicho was mere politics.

There is no permanent enmity in politics and the senior officers we had issues with them we sorted those issues. Actually, the President himself chaired that meeting and we are now in good working relations with the National Government.

I know you want to talk about Kibicho, he is now my good friend. We had tea together and we sorted out our issues and now we are working together for the betterment of Nairobi and the whole of Kenya, said Sonko.
A look at the stories making news headlines in select sources today.

Trump warns evangelicals of violence if GOP loses in the midterms US President Donald Trump, facing scrutiny for hush money payments to a porn star and a former Playboy model, pleaded with evangelical leaders for political help during closed-door remarks on Monday, warning of dire consequences to their congregations should Republicans lose in Novembers midterm elections.

Inside McCains surprise eulogy invitation to Obama A parting lesson in American civility from Sen. John McCain lies in the roster of leaders he personally selected to pay tribute at his memorial service Saturday at the National Cathedral.

Trumps bet on Kim Jong Un is looking increasingly shaky President Donald Trump took a huge risk by holding a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and hailing it as a stunning history-changing success.

Pope: Meeting abuse survivors had profound effect on me Pope Francis said Wednesday that his meeting in Ireland with eight people who suffered sex abuse by clerics left a profound mark on him.

Steve Jobs widow pushes back on her stepdaughters memoir Her book Small Fry ignited controversy because it portrays Jobs as a cold and sometimes inappropriate parent. But Laurene Powell Jobs and Mona Simpson, Jobs sister, say their memory of the late Apple cofounder differs dramatically from Brennan-Jobs recollection. They released a joint statement defending Jobs, which was originally published by Business Insider and obtained by CNN.

She wanted to be president, but ended up jailed instead Rwanda is often described as the best place in the world for women in politics, with more female lawmakers in parliament than any other country, but supporters of jailed presidential hopeful Diane Rwigara say thats not the case.

Facebooks YouTube rival launches worldwide Facebooks Watch video-streaming service is rolling out worldwide, just over a year after its US launch. Users will be able to choose from a range of shows  from both established brands and new players  and have the ability to view clips saved from their News Feeds.

French and UK boats clash in scallop war French fishermen have been accused of throwing insults, rocks and smoke bombs at their British rivals in the English Channel in a vicious scrap over scallops. The clash happened around 12 nautical miles (22km) off the Normandy coast, near the Bay of Seine. British boats are legally entitled to fish in the scallop-rich area.

Germany returns Namibia genocide skulls Germany has handed back the human remains of indigenous people killed during a genocide in colonial Namibia more than 100 years ago. A Namibian government delegation received the skulls at a church service in the capital, Berlin. The bones had been sent to Germany for now-discredited research to prove the racial superiority of white Europeans.

Putin softens pension reforms after outcry Russian leader Vladimir Putin has softened planned pension changes following angry protests and a slump in his approval rating. He said the retirement age for women would be increased from 55 to 60 instead of to 63. But a five-year increase for men, to 65, would stay.

Mums agony at nine-year-old sons suicide The mother of a US nine-year-old, who she says killed himself after enduring homophobic bullying, says she should have seen the pain in his eyes. Leia Rochelle Pierce from Denver, Colorado, said her son, Jamel Myles, had been proud to tell people he was gay when he returned to school.

Headless corpse found inside fish tank A headless corpse has been found inside a fish tank at the home of a man missing for several weeks, police in San Francisco say. Homeowner Brian Egg, 65, had been reported missing by his family and neighbours late last month.

Hundreds of turtles found dead off Mexico Fishermen in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca have found about 300 dead sea turtles entangled in fishing nets. The find comes just days after another 102 olive ridley turtles were found dead in neighbouring Chiapas state.

Trump Was Forced To Unblock His Twitter Critics. Now Theyre Getting Sweet Revenge. President Donald Trump  or whoever has access to his Twitter account  apparently spent part of Tuesday evening unblocking users. Since taking office, Trump has blocked a number of people for criticizing him or even just cracking jokes at his expense, including celebrities such as model Chrissy Teigen and author Stephen King.

Seaweed Is Being Sold As A Wonder Food. Will Americans Embrace It? Seaweed covers the beaches you walk on, its dried in your instant miso packets, and researchers in labs all over the world are studying it. Scientists, food companies and environmental advocates want you to eat more of the product  sometimes more appealingly titled sea vegetables.

Eric Trump Mocked For His Most Beautiful Building In The World Boast Tweeters couldnt resist teasing Eric Trump after he called the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. President Donald Trumps son made the wild boast about the skyscraper on Twitter Tuesday: One of the most beautiful buildings in the world!

Facebook temporarily removed status updates cross-posted from Twitter For ages, you could hook up your Facebook account to Twitter, allowing you to automatically post tweets as a status update. That feature stopped working earlier this month when Facebook made changes to its API, and as reported by TechCrunch, Facebook status updates that were crossposted from Twitter mysteriously vanished around Tuesday.

Heres how to get verified on Instagram Praised be, selfie queens! On Tuesday, Instagram began rolling out the ability to request verification badges to users worldwide. Previously, no one knew what went into the science of getting that blue badge. But now, theres an official process in place for getting verified.

Bees swarm hot dog stand in Times Square How many bees is too many bees? I am not 100 percent sure, but there sure were a lot of bees on this hot dog stand in Times Square. Twitter was abuzz with bee chatter on Tuesday after an enormous number of bees overtook a Sabretts umbrella on 43rd Street in Manhattan.

Facebook bans Myanmar military commander for inciting violence Facebook has just removed a number of Facebook pages belonging to individuals and groups in Myanmar for spreading hate speech and fake news against Rohingya Muslims in the country. In a post titled Removing Myanmar Military Officials From Facebook on its Newsroom site, Facebook announced it had removed 52 Pages,18 accounts, and an Instagram profile related to spreading the type of misinformation used to incite violence and ethnic cleansing in Myanmar.
South Africas firebrand politician Julius Malema has sensationally claimed that Kenya might not be totally independent as America has vested interests in the country.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was addressing the press about the need to achieve the total freedom in Africa when he offered up his provocative views on a host of subjects, including Judges wigs in some African countries including Kenya.

It is through small things that we can achieve the total freedom of South Africa. Like that wig that judges wear, what is that? Does it mean that you can only think when you wear a wig that looks like the hair of white people?

Youre actually wearing white brainsthe reason you think properly is because of that wig, according to colonialism. And then revolutionaries allow that to continue in Zimbabwe and in Kenya, said Malema.

He went on: Well, Kenya, of course, is something different. I dont think there is total independence there. America has got a huge interest in that arrangement with Kenya.

Malema also proposed a unified language for all Africans, giving Swahili as an example.

We must develop a common language that can be used throughout the continent. Like Swahili, if it can be developed as the language of the continent.

Lastly, he called for a borderless African continent, with one ruling party, saying: We need a border-less continent, We need one currency, one parliament and one President that can unite the continent. We need a United States of Africa. We need one Africa.

Here is a short clip of Malemas remarks about Judicial wigs and Kenyas independence.
In a development that must be hard to stomach for the political elite in Tehran, many Iranians are turning to U.S. dollars to offset the impact of sanctions and a faltering economy, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

A steep plunge in the value of the rial, Irans currency, has led to a spike in demand for dollars in recent months from Iranians seeking safer assets, the report added. On Tuesday, one U.S. dollar bought 107,000 rials, compared with 43,000 rials in January.

When Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took power in 2013 a dollar bought 36,000 rials, according to CNBC reports. Unfortunately, for the average citizen in Iran currency devaluation has been a continuous problem since the country's 1979 Islamic Revolution when one dollar bought 70 rials.

Recently, Iranians have been flooding local banks to acquire dollars so much that exchanges have been forced to shut their doors to prevent long and chaotic lines. The problem for the Iranian government is mounting as average citizens fed up with both a weak economy and a plunging currency have taken to the streets in several cities across the country in protest.

How bad are things?

The situation is getting so bad that President Rouhani was summoned by the Iranian parliament on Tuesday for the first time ever to explain the countrys worsening economic crisis. The embattled leader is under pressure to reshuffle his government amid economic turmoil that sees little signs of relief.

Rouhanis answers failed to convince parliament members and his case has been referred to the judiciary, according to local news agencies. Related: New Deal Boosts Uber Valuation By $10 Billion

Just a few days earlier on Sunday, so-called scuffling broke out in the Iranian parliament after the countrys economic and finance minister, Masoud Karbasia, was fired. Supporters and opponents of Karbasia clashed as they debated his possible impeachment, the European Pressphoto Agency reported. He was removed from office after a narrow parliamentary vote of 137 to 121.

They could get even worse

All of this fallout and unrest started to develop in May when President Trump announced he would reimpose sanctions against the Islamic Republic over its nuclear development program put in place in 2015, a key part of President Obamas foreign policy legacy.

The first wave of sanctions kicked in earlier this month with another wave set to directly hit the countrys energy sector on November 4. So far, initial sanctions have taken a toll on Irans trade in gold and other precious metals, its purchases of U.S. dollars and its automotive industry.

Not surprisingly media outlets in many parts of the middle east, with obvious differing political agendas, have added fuel to the fire for the Iranian government, predicating a worst-case scenario.

Riyadh-based Arab News said on Wednesday that Iran faces economic disaster as its currency plunges to new lows. Things could get worse, the report said, citing economic analysts, while adding that ordinary Iranians should brace for more misery. It said that the year-long slide of the currency has accelerated in recent days as Iranians turn to the black market to buy hard currency.

A shift to a convertible currency is a natural reaction when people lose faith in the local currency and want to shift quickly to something they will know will hold value as is the case now, Oxford Economics senior economist Maya Senussi told Arab News.

On the ground, sentiment is deteriorating as hopes that US sanctions can be circumvented are fading and that is reinforcing the flight to dollars in the beat the clock fashion.

Related: Floods Could Cut Indian Gold Demand In Half

Two weeks ago, Bloomberg reported that Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had urged Rouhani to deal with corruption, while the commander of the countrys powerful Revolutionary Guards told him to focus on Irans slumping currency. None of them, however, had any advice on how to ease the growing sense of despair and outrage in the streets.

November approaches

As the second phase of U.S. Sanctions against Iran approach, oil markets seem to have already factored in the reality that as much as 1 million b/d of Iranian barrels will be removed from global oil markets.

Saudi Arabia and Russia for their part have already indicated they could make up the difference by increasing more output, in effect capturing lost Iranian oil market share, a double whammy for the Islamic Republic that fought hard to regain market share, especially in Asia, after the end of earlier sanctions in 2015.

Whats next for the Rouhani-led government, however, is harder to predict. With the rial still plunging, citizens marching in the streets and the Revolutionary Guard voicing its angst, the country could be in for enough economic fallout that it might be forced back to the negotiating table with Washington over its nuclear development plans, a scenario mapped back in 2016 during the presidential campaign as Trump first considered scrapping the 2015 nuclear accord and re-imposing sanctions.

By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com
Social media is making Trump look bad, and the president is fighting back, threatening to prosecute Google and going after Twitter as well, with economic advisor Larry Kudlow telling Bloomberg that the administration is "looking into" whether Google suppresses positive articles about Trump.

Exactly how they are looking into it, no one knows, but Trump has accused Google of manipulating search results to make him look bad and rigging the search engine so that almost all stories & news is BAD.

That all went down on Twitter first 

(Click to enlarge)

Then, it was followed up after a meeting in the Oval Office with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

"I think Google has really taken advantage of a lot of people, and I think that's a very serious thing. That's a very serious charge," Trump said, adding that Google, Twitter, Facebook and others "better be careful, because you can't do that to people."

In a statement, Googles spokesperson said the companys goal was to make sure users got the most relevant answers to their queries within seconds, and it was about speed, not petty politics.

Search is not used to set a political agenda and we don't bias our results toward any political ideologyWe continually work to improve Google Search and we never rank search results to manipulate political sentiment." Related: VCs, IPOs And ICOs: Which Will Prevail?

So, its the algorithm that doesnt like Trump, and it is based on a plethora of factors.

At the moment, searching for Trump news brings up stories from a wide-range of sources. They include positive stories from Fox News, the president's favored cable network, more critical pieces from CNN, and a slew of stories from various other business-oriented publications.

Of course, its not without a grain of truth  In July, unidentified activists influenced Googles algorithm to ensure that when the word idiot was typed into Googles image search, Trump would be the first result returned.

And thats still the case.

Its possible, according to some speculative reports, that Trumps attack on Google was prompted by a recent report by PJ Mediaa conservative news website--which claimed that 96 percent of Google search results for the word "Trump" showed left-leaning publications.

But there may be other elements to the timing, too. All three social media monolithsGoogle, Twitter and Facebookare scheduled to testify before Congress next week about censorship and election meddling.

Last week, social media giants moved to ban hundreds of accounts, groups and pages linked to Russia and Iran in a move meant to protect against political interference. Google has banned more than 80 YouTube channels allegedly connected to attempts by Russia and Iran to spread misinformation, while Facebook has suspended hundreds of social networking and Instagram photo-sharing accounts, deleting a total of 652 accounts linked to Iran and Russia. Twitter has suspended 284 accounts believed to be engaging in coordinated manipulation.

Related: Markets See Mixed Sentiment After Hitting A Record High

Not everyone sees it in the same light, though.

Right-wing commentators smell censorship in this social media purge, particularly after Youtube, Facebook, Apple, Pinterest and Spotify banned right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones from posting content. They removed Jones podcasts, pages and other content, citing violations of policies related to hate speech and harassment.

But what Trump is asking for is censorship itselfcensorship of the way a search engine generates results related to him. So, at the end of the day, everyone wants a type of selective censorship. It was already debatable whether banning Russian and Iranian-linked social media channels was a slap in the face of free speech, and now the White House is looking for friends-only search results and tweets.

By Michael Scott for Safehaven.com

More Top Reads From Safehaven.com
The Matatu Owners Association (MOA) has given Nairobians a heads-up on when they can expect to cough up more money for transport as matatu owners prepare to hike fares.

MOA Chairman Simon Kimutai said the hike will take effect this Saturday when the 16 per cent tax increase on petroleum products is expected to take effect.

He said the fares would go up by between Ksh10 and Ksh30. Kimutai affirmed that commuters in Nairobi would pay at least Sh30, with the maximum depending on the distance covered adding that the hike will not exceed an increase of Ksh30.

Taxation of fuel greatly affects operators of public service vehicles and the cost has to be passed down to the passengers. We have to meet operational and maintenance costs, said Kimutai.

The MOA chairman added that the decision was arrived at after consultations with members of various Saccos.

The fares have been adjusted due to the high cost of living. We are aware it will be painful to commuters, but the taxation is also hurting us, as it translates to extra costs, he said.

Kimutai further asked long-distance public service vehicles to consult and ensure their new fares are agreed upon with the association which will then announce the reasonable fares later.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich while presenting the 2018/2019 Budget in Parliament in June announced all petroleum products would start attracting a 16 per cent VAT beginning September 1.

This translates to an extra Ksh17 on every litre of petroleum product.

UPDATE: MPs have voted to delay the introduction of 16 percent tax on petroleum products by two more years, effectively shielding Kenyans from a spike in the cost of living until September 1, 2020.
Singapore Armed Forces personnel perform a drill during National Day celebrations on 9 August, 2013. (Reuters file photo)

by Daniel Yap

He was born and educated in Thailand, served in the Royal Thai Army and is no longer a Singapore citizen. Yet Ekawit Tangtrakarn, 24, now faces a potential jail term of nine weeks for defaulting on his national service (NS) obligations.

Ekawit, whose mother is Singaporean and father is Thai, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (28 August) to remaining outside Singapore without a valid exit permit, the typical charge for NS defaulters.

The Thai nationals case follows closely on the revelation that Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan, who left Singapore at age 11, is wanted here for a similar offence.

Unlike Kwan, Ekawits case has received far more public sympathy. He has no substantial connections to Singapore. His citizenship by descent was registered by his mother when he was a year old, but he ceased to be a citizen by descent after he failed to take the Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty by age 22.

The two cases struck close to home. I have just relocated my family to Finland, my wifes home country. My children are citizens of both Finland and Singapore, although they currently only hold Singapore passports. Four of them have NS liabilities.

I am not the only one. While no statistics have ever been published on how many Singaporeans also hold another passport (in essence dual-citizens), the Population In Brief 2017 report shows that between 2006 and 2016, the percentage of marriages in the Republic between a Singapore citizen and a non-citizen was between 36 and 41 per cent. In other words, children from more than one third of all unions could potentially be de-facto dual citizens.

The numbers before 2006 may be very similar. Singapore has long been a global hub, where international trade is facilitated by multi-national labour. There is no reason to think that the statistic will change significantly in the coming decade.

What about my sons?

A military contingent from the Singapore Armed Forces at the National Day Parade celebrations at The Float at Marina Bay on 9 August, 2018. (Yahoo News Singapore file photo)

I remember clearly the phone conversation I had this year with a Ministry of Defence (Mindef) officer who was supposed to answer my questions about dual citizenship and NS. The call was as informative as it was confusing.

Story continues

An earlier call to the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) had only revealed that renunciation of Singapore citizenship is impossible until age 21. Mindef had the rest of the information I needed. It was as the recent reports had clarified: NS liability under the Enlistment Act begins at 16 and a half, but my children will need exit permits when they turn 13 (I, too, will need an exit permit until I turn 50).

I was concerned about the bond. Four children at $75,000 each is the price of an apartment. The officer assured me that the bond was only for exit permits longer than two years. As long as I was happy to renew the exit permit every two years, I neednt worry about the bond.

Finland allows dual citizenship and for minors to renounce their citizenship. It also has mandatory national service. Should my children serve in the Finnish Army first, would they also be able to serve in the SAF? Or vice versa? The answer was yes  there is no restriction against serving in multiple militaries, at least from Mindefs point of view. That answer struck me as oddly pragmatic for a country that doesnt allow dual citizenship.

I asked specifically if any of my sons, especially considering that one of them is only a year old, could theoretically give up their citizenship without serving NS. I dont recall the precise answer, but I was given the clear impression that it was a negative. Perhaps the officer merely repeated the point that renunciation was impossible until age 21, and that enlistment is at age 18. Was it phrased to say no without saying no? In any case, that was the only answer I could get out of her.

A shroud of secrecy

In 2006, Deputy Prime Minister and then Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said that only those who have emigrated at a young age and have not enjoyed substantial socio-economic benefits are allowed to renounce their citizenship without serving national service.

Given that one cannot renounce citizenship until the age of 21, and that NS liability begins at age 16 and a half, it is unclear how this is accomplished, and the authorities are tight-lipped on how a Singaporean might access this conditional right to renounce their citizenship without serving NS.

It is also unclear how the Enlistment Act applies to persons from the age of 16 and a half, but has provisions for persons aged 13 in its section on Exit Permits, with the addition of the undefined term relevant child.

It is especially unclear why Ekawit is being charged for defaulting on his NS obligations, given what Teo had said. The period of his offence corresponds to his age from about the date of his conscription until the end of his citizenship.

The shroud of secrecy as well as the eagerness to prosecute even those defaulters who left at a young age may stem from a fear that Singaporeans will exercise such an option once we know it is on the table. While the implications of having a large chunk of our population leave that way are significant, it sets up a strange paradox  Singapore recognizes that there is a point before which a male child is expected to be fully liable for NS, but sets up its visible laws and regulations such that there is a de-facto liability from birth (or at the point of becoming a citizen).

Are we so fearful of ingratitude and disloyalty that we would act in such a way? Does our lack of confidence in our citizens to stay loyal show our inadequacy for the global stage, or are we just more wise to the risks of globalisation? In any case, we ought to expect that our laws be clear, consistent and properly communicated.

It is easy to say that nothing needs to change because nothing is really broken. Why risk a flood of wantaway Singaporeans by marking the exit path clearly?

But something is already broken: boys like Ekawit Tangtrakarn are paying the price for our neuroses. And if Singapore cannot do right for this one estranged former son, all the future sons of Singapore, especially those with a choice of which nationality to identify with, would think twice before joining the family.

Daniel Yap was the publisher of defunct news portal The Middle Ground. He blogs about society and policy at doulosyap.wordpress.com. The views expressed are his own.

Related stories

Yahoo Poll: Should male citizens with little connection to Singapore be made to serve NS?

COMMENT: Why does Mindef value scholars over sportsmen?
A woman who reportedly witnessed the shooting of Ugandan MP Bobi Wines driver earlier this month has spoken up.

Bobi Wines driver, Yasin Kawuma, was shot and killed by Ugandan security forces while inside a vehicle in Arua on August 13. Bobi Wine would later allege that the shooting was an attempt on his life.

Police has shot my driver dead thinking theyve shot at me. My hotel is now cordoned off by police and SFC, tweeted Bobi Wine hours before his arrest.

Speaking about the incident, the woman who requested to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said she was in the car with Kawuma when he was shot dead.

She said she was seated on the back seat of the vehicle and that the bullet that killed Kawuma grazed her head as it exited his body.

Contrary to earlier reports, the woman said Kawuma was in the co-drivers seat and Wines chauffeur for the day had gone into Pacific Hotel to drop phones to Bobi Wine.

I was in the back seat while Kawuma was in the co-drivers seat. The driver got out to take phones and other things to Bobi, she said as quoted by Ugandan publication Daily Monitor.

I was showing Kawuma something on the phone when all of a sudden, I was hit on the face. I looked and there was blood all over his body.

She said she jumped out of the car to flee to safety, but plain-clothed security officers grabbed her almost immediately and pinned her to the ground.

The officers kicked her before another female activist (name withheld on request) intervened to try and help her but they were both overpowered and beaten to a pulp.

She said the next thing she saw, when she slightly regained her consciousness, were soldiers and police pulling people, including legislators out of the hotel.

Both women said they acted dead to avoid arrest.

They must have forgotten about us or thought we were dead, they said.

The woman who is currently recuperating at a Kampala hospital said some Good Samaritans took her to a nearby clinic for first aid.

She was later transferred to the Ugandan capital for specialised treatment.
China on Thursday told Japan to "rein in its journalists" after Tokyo lodged a protest over Beijing blocking a Japanese reporter from covering a meeting between top diplomats from the two countries. On Wednesday, the Chinese foreign ministry excluded a reporter from the Sankei Shimbun -- a Japanese conservative daily critical of China -- from a media pool covering the start of a meeting between China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese vice foreign minister Takeo Akiba. Other Japanese media covering the event in Beijing then boycotted the pool coverage in protest. Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga confirmed Tokyo had lodged a protest with China over the incident. "The Japanese government believes that respect for basic human rights including freedom of expression is a universal value in the international community, and ensuring those rights is important in any country," Suga told reporters in Tokyo. But Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying dismissed the criticism, saying Beijing had been "wrongfully accused". "The Japanese government needs to rein in its own journalists," she told reporters. "They should ensure that their media respects their host country, follows the rules... so as to enhance mutual trust and understanding between the two countries, instead of doing the opposite, this is common sense." Akiba, who was in Beijing ahead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China expected in October, also protested to his Chinese opposite number Le Yucheng, Suga said. Suga however said bilateral relations between the two regional rivals are improving. "The date of Prime Minister Abe's visit is under coordination right now," Suga said, adding that "we hope to push up to a new stage the relationship between Japan and China through visits by high level officials." Fumihiko Iguchi, executive officer of the Sankei Shimbun, described Beijing's actions as "unfair obstruction of legal newsgathering activities that cannot be ignored." "We express our regret," he said in a Wednesday statement, adding that the daily "will do our best to continue giving our readers accurate information about the situation in China".
India and Bangladesh will represent Asia at the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge, but Southeast Asia has a significant presence in the competition

Four Indian and Bangladeshi startups have been named as the winners of the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge (IIC) Asia Regional Celebration at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Bangkok last week: iMerit, ftcash, Plastics for Change, and SOLShare.

The startups are set to represent Asia in the MIT IIC Global Grand Prize Gala at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on November 8, competing for a US$1 million cash prize.

The winners were chosen out of 12 finalists, shortlisted from over 165 applicants across 25 countries in Asia.

Though the winners were dominated by startups from South Asia, the Southeast Asian region was represented by five startups in the finalist roster.

The following is their short profile.

ClicknCare (Simple Motion Sdn Bhd)  Malaysia

Simple Motion Sdn Bhd develops a tele-health mobile platform ClicknCare to help migrant workers connect to native doctors, with the hope that they can consult with less language and distance barriers. It was founded in 2014 by Abu Hasnat Sultanur Reza, and currently connects migrant workers with Bangla-speaking medical professionals in Malaysia.

Connected Women  the Philippines

Connected Women offers a platform for global female enterpreneurs to connect with Filipino women looking for remote work in admin work, customer service, marketing, or editorial services. It aims to help women entrepreneurs grow successful businesses and solve the massive unemployment issue faced by women in the Philippines.

Also Read: 4 Singaporean entrepreneurs share their experiences from inside a coding bootcamp

Gnowbe  Singapore

Gnowbe is a mobile platform that aims to improve employability by partnering with accredited training bodies, such as corporate and academic partners, to provide educational content. It provides mobile-based customised training solutions for corporations.

Story continues

Ricult  Thailand

Ricult aims to improve productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers in developing countries. Its platform offers various services such as online marketplace, credit access, as well as data insights and analytics. The startup has operations in Pakistan, Thailand, and the US.

STORM  the Philippines

STORM aims to enhance employee lives by enabling them to choose much more relevant benefits through a comprehensive benefits marketplace. Their products consist of STORM Flex (online benefits administration system that allows employees to convert benefits to points to use in a marketplace) and STORM Ace (a rewards and recognition platform to increase employees motivation through leaderboards and competition, real-time social recognition, and points-based rewards).

Also Read: Meet the Southeast Asian startups that have just received the DBS Foundation grants

The MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge is the flagship programme of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy.

It aims to identify and promote organisations that pioneer innovative and groundbreaking tech solutions to reinvent the future of work.



Image Credit: MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge

The post Meet the Southeast Asian startups at the MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge final round appeared first on e27.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Thursday said the bloc and its member states would seek to find "practical solutions" to ensure its migrant rescue operation continues to fight human trafficking in the Mediterranean. Rome has asked the European Union to modify the rules of the Sophia mission -- currently commanded by Italy -- and rotate the ports where migrants rescued at sea can disembark, with France and Spain expected to top the list. Currently all the ships dock in Italy, but Rome's new right-wing, nationalist government says it should not have to carry the burden on its own and it is time other EU states do their fair share by taking in more of the migrants. In comments after informal talks by EU defence ministers, Mogherini said finding a solution to continue the mission, which ends at the end of this year, "will not be an easy exercise". "We finalised the meeting with an understanding that we will continue to work together... to find a consensus on practical, sustainable solutions on the issue of how to manage the people that are disembarked by the vessels with a constructive, cooperative and responsible attitude from all member states," she said after the meeting in Vienna. "Losing this asset would be a major step back for all member states and for the union and would be negative for the security of the Mediterranean and also for the security of the people we're talking about." She said one solution would be to have more ports for disembarkation -- as Italy has proposed -- while another could be relocation after disembarkation. If Sophia, which was set up three years ago to fight human trafficking, fails, more people could arrive again over the dangerous sea route, she warned. - 'Open doors but also closed ones' - Italian Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta said the talks "could have been better" but she placed her hopes in a meeting of EU foreign ministers that also takes place Thursday and Friday in Vienna. "I have to say that I found open doors but also closed ones," she said. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said his country was ready to take on a share of responsibility together with other willing partners. "We need Sophia, now and in the future," he said in Vienna before attending the foreign ministers meeting. German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen told reporters before the defence ministers meeting that she expected EU leaders to solve the question of how refugees should be distributed among member states and how those whose asylum claims are rejected should be returned home. "That is the question that is anyhow right on top of the agenda of EU leaders... and so I expect this question to be solved in the autumn," she said. EU leaders will meet in the Austrian city of Salzburg in September to discuss the migrant crisis. Austria currently holds the EU's rotating presidency. Sophia was launched in June 2015 following a series of deadly shipwrecks and has since picked up thousands of migrants floundering in the Mediterranean. According to La Stampa newspaper, Italy's idea is to rotate landings between Mediterranean ports, with a particular emphasis on France and Spain, and with Greece and Malta also sharing the load. Italy has been turning away ships with migrants rescued at sea in a campaign to make EU countries take their share. Last week, it threatened to stop billions of euros of EU funding over the issue, accusing Europe of turning its back as Italy grapples with seemingly endless migrant arrivals. burs-jza/je
Morocco has launched an operation against people-smuggling mafia and the migrants they bring in from sub-Saharan Africa, a government source said Thursday. Hundreds of African migrants, who had hoped to make their way to Europe, have been picked up in the north of the country and placed in detention centres since the operation was launched last week, the source said. "The aim is to take them out of the hands of the mafia gangs which have developed in the country," the source added, without giving precise figures. The anti-migrant action was launched after hundreds of migrants forced their way into the Spanish territory of Ceuta by violently storming a heavily fortified border fence with Morocco. Ceuta along with Melilla, Spain's other tiny territory in North Africa, have the European Union's only land borders with Africa, drawing migrants trying to reach the bloc. A total of 4,382 migrants have entered the two territories by land since the start of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration. More than 32,000 migrants have arrived in Spain by sea and land this year, making it the main entry point for migrants arriving in Europe, after Italy and Greece. The Moroccan authorities on Thursday held information meetings on their new anti-migrant operations for African and European ambassadors in the capital Rabat.
If youre reading this, then wed bet your car (scale collectible only) that you have a dog. And if wed get bolder still, then wed also hazard a guess that you treat your furry friends as part of the family.

If you said yes to both, then youd most likely love Land Rovers latest dog gear accessories.

@media.landrover.com

Designed for canines and SUVs in mind, we were almost expecting a tag in front of the windows that says: Humans and quasi-humans optional here. And nowhere can you find ample evidences of such overt discrimination than in the three Pet Packs Range Rover is offering for canines. As if these dogs will pay for all the gears, accessories, and gas, right? There isnt even a special mat made for drivers here.

Shame on the injustice.

Kidding aside, its really something that your pet dog will surely enjoy (and appreciate). According to Land Rover, these gear accessories allow dogs to travel in real comfort, making long journeys simpler and more relaxing. You can choose from among these three variants:

Pet Load Space Protection Pack

@media.landrover.com

Includes a quilted load space liner to protect your cars floor, side wall carpets, and rear seat backs. The liner is made from soft fabric with an integral rubber mat. Also includes a full-height luggage partition and a 350 ml. spill-resistant water bowl.

Pet Transportation Pack

@media.landrover.com

Includes a foldable pet carrier made from lightweight metal frame, quilted fabric cushion, and net windows. A 350 ml. spill-resistant water bowl and a load space rubber mat is also included in this package.

Pet Care and Access Pack

@media.landrover.com

Includes a full-height luggage partition, quilted load space liner, pet access ramp, and portable rinse system. The portable rinse system can hold up to 6.5 liters of water, and can deliver up to five minutes of continuous flow depending on which of the five spray settings is being used.

@media.landrover.com

Initially sold in the U.K. starting at GBP360 (around PHP25,000), these packs are now invading the United States, and who knows? It might even spread across Asia in the near future. One things for sure, though: they will already have one avid quasi-human (ehem) waiting in line just in case it arrives here in the Philippines.

Yes, everyoneto hell with injustice.

The post Pet Owners will Love Land Rovers Dog-Friendly Accessories appeared first on Carmudi Philippines.
Hong Kong has been urged to slaughter local pigs separately from those imported from mainland China over fears of a rapid spread of African swine fever that has already caused more than 24,000 pigs to be culled.

People can take infection from the slaughterhouse back to the farm, said Professor Dirk Pfeiffer at City Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences. You need to separate that completely. Slaughter the local pigs in a different slaughterhouse and the mainland [Chinese] pigs have their own chain.

Hong Kong imports about 4,000 live pigs a day from the mainland, while about 290 pigs are supplied daily by local farms.

The UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned on Tuesday the rapid onset of African swine fever in China, and its detection in areas more than 1,000km apart, could mean the deadly pig virus may spread to other Asian countries at any time.

There have been four outbreaks of the highly contagious swine disease on the mainland this month. It was first reported on August 3 in the northeastern city of Shenyang. The virus causes a haemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates in pigs. The most virulent forms are lethal in 100 per cent of infected animals.

It can be spread by eating the product or through direct contact with secretions from the infected pig, but it does not affect people. The virus can persist for long periods in uncooked pig products.

We dont know what the situation is, Pfeiffer said. What we know is weve had four outbreaks of the virus that have been reported in almost four weeks, but like many outbreaks, the question is how many other farms and animals are already infected.

Pfeiffer, who is with the colleges department of infectious diseases and public health, said Hong Kong authorities needed to do their utmost to keep the virus out of the city given no cure or vaccine for it exists.

Story continues

Live pigs for local consumption are sourced from registered farms in Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces, which come under the supervision and monitoring of the mainland authorities, a spokesman for the Centre for Food Safety said.

Every consignment of pigs [for food] must be accompanied by an official certificate attesting that the animals are healthy and showed no clinical sign of infectious diseases, the spokesman added.

Consignments are also inspected at the border and at slaughterhouses.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department reminded local pig farmers to step up biosecurity measures, a spokesman said.

The department will continue to communicate with mainland authorities about the disease and stay vigilant to monitor its risk.

A small number of breeding pigs are also imported into Hong Kong each year from Guangdong. They must be accompanied by an official health certificate issued by the mainland authority. The animals are inspected by the departments officers upon arrival and are quarantined thereafter.

China is a major pig-producing country and accounts for about half the global population of pigs, estimated at 500 million, the FAO said.

Dr Howard Wong Kai-hay, director for professional development at City Universitys college of veterinary medicine, agreed Hong Kong should be prepared as an outbreak of African swine fever in pork would be a much bigger disrupter of communities than chickens.

We should always be prepared, we should always have the option so we should know what to do, Wong said.

In previous years, the city has culled thousands of chickens due to avian flu scares.

Pfeiffer and Wong believed the veterinary school could help officials design measures to help prevent the introduction of the virus and conduct risk assessment.

With proper risk assessment, it should be possible to come up with ways to minimise the risk to Hong Kong

Dr Howard Wong Kai-hay, City University

Hong Kong does not have a porous border with China, Wong said. With proper risk assessment, it should be possible to come up with ways to minimise the risk to Hong Kong and then that has to be taken up by the government.

The Post reported on Monday that agricultural officers across China had been ordered to control the spread of African swine fever.

Pfeiffer, who has been researching the virus since 2005, said it could have spread out of Africa by infected food waste from ships or airliners that had been sold to pig farms.

Its an animal disease, but because of the social issues, its about food supply, peoples livelihoods, he added.

The strain detected in China is similar to one that infected pigs in eastern Russia in 2017.

The movement of pig products can spread diseases quickly and, as in this case of African swine fever, its likely that the movement of such products, rather than live pigs, has caused the spread of the virus to other parts of China, FAOs chief veterinarian Juan Lubroth said.

This article Swine fever outbreak prompts call to slaughter Hong Kong pigs separately from imported mainland Chinese livestock first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.
Taiwan has expressed gratitude to United Airlines for finding an unusual way to differentiate the island from mainland China while complying with Beijings one China demand.

Ticket bookers can now see New Taiwan Dollar, Chinese Yuan and Hong Kong Dollar listed among destination names such as Australia, India and Japan when looking for currency and payment options on the companys official website.

The third-largest US airline removed Taiwan, China and Hong Kong as country or region names last month, ahead of a deadline imposed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of its territory, or one China, awaiting reunification  by force if necessary  even though the island views itself as a sovereign nation and is a self-ruling democracy.

Taiwanese foreign ministry spokesman Li Hsien-chang thanked the airline for its flexibility in using currency names to obscure its position on one China or Taiwan independence.

We would be glad to see any flexible workaround that differentiates Taiwan subjectively from China, in any means at all, he said on Wednesday.

Li said Beijings pressure on international airlines was aimed at dwarfing Taiwan and making Taiwan part of mainland China, which was absolutely unacceptable.

United Airlines was among 44 international carriers ordered by the CAAC to refer to Taiwan as part of China by July 25.

Despite the White Houses calling the demand Orwellian nonsense, United Airlines, together with three other US carriers, dropped Taiwan as the country name for destinations on the island before the deadline.

United also has removed the country name of China, with all destinations on the mainland, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan, now listed by the city name and airport code.

Story continues

Most other airlines have updated their websites to refer to Taiwan as Taiwan, China or the China Taiwan region. Some also display Taiwan on their maps in the same colour used for mainland China.

Taiwanese authorities previously considered punishing those carriers who yielded to Beijing by barring them from using passenger boarding bridges at airports or moving their take-off and landing slots to less popular times, but have not carried out any such threats.

This article Taiwan grateful to United Airlines for imaginative website solution to one China rule first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.

More from South China Morning Post:
KUANTAN: Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) has added another feather to its cap after emerging as the first local technical and non-research university to receive the prestigious QS 5-star overall rating award in the 2018 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Star Rating System. The QS Star rating reflects the high qualities of teaching, research, community services, and globalisation at UMP besides performing well in the advanced criteria of QS Star ratings, namely innovation and inclusiveness. UMPs Vice-Chancellor, Datuk Seri Dr Daing Nasir Ibrahim, said the latest achievement is at par with UMPs aspiration to become a state-of-the-art technical university by 2020 which will receive not only local but also recognitions from abroad. He said instead of being satisfied with their latest feat, UMP will continue to strive forward to ensure its students and curriculum are ready to meet the future demands and challenges. Since it began to provide services in the tertiary education industry some 16 years ago, he said UMP has always been at the forefront, particularly in the technological and engineering sector. As part of the objective of the Education Ministry to produce high-quality education system, nine faculties and one language center in UMP are ready to offer a wide range of skills and practical-based tertiary education in the fields of engineering and technology, he said, adding UMP is currently ranked in the top 2.4 percent universities in the 2018 QS Asia University Rankings. In a bid to reinforce the movement, Daing said new programmes are established in areas such as Business Engineering, Process Plant Operation, and Mining & Mineral Technology. He said UMP has been working closely with the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences and Reutlingen University in Germany, as well as the Northern Illinois University in USA, for dual-degree programmes. Daing said 95 percent of UMP graduates have been employed upon graduating last year, and the graduate employability encompasses beyond academic strength, focusing on work-readiness  the ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural team, deliver presentations, and manage people and projects. In the QS Stars criteria of employability, UMP achieved maximum points by scoring 150 with five stars. This shows that UMP receives relatively high endorsement from employers on its graduates readiness and competency when they enter the job market, he said. Since being appointed as the UMP Vice-Chancellor, Daing has embarked on a massive administrative and management transformation agenda in steering the operational ecosystem of the university. His exceptionally good management style is value-based, strategy-focused, and performance-driven as he has successfully guided UMP through the strategic phases for 2008-2010 and 2011-2015, and he is currently focusing on implementing and accomplishing UMP Strategic Plan 2016-2020. UMP has received a string of acknowledgements including five-star ratings in Malaysia Research Assessment (MyRA), the Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education Institutions 2017 (SETARA), the Ministry of Higher Education Star Ratings 2017 (MyMoheS), and the Management Excellence Award 2016 based on the Malaysian Auditor-Generals Financial Management Accountability Index. The Pahang-based university has also emerged as the top university among 15 Asian universities with high publication growth rate in Engineering as reported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2013, and has been ranked worlds 58th by UI GreenMetric World University Ranking in 2016.  New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
The Chinese armed forces will have the chance next month to learn from Russias combat experience in Syria when PLA personnel take part in Moscows biggest war games in decades, Chinese military sources and observers said.

Russia is preparing to mount Vostok 2018, what it says will be an unprecedented military exercise involving almost 300,000 troops and 1,000 aircraft. The war games are billed as the countrys biggest since 1981, when as many as 150,000 Soviet Army personnel were mobilised.

About 3,200 Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) troops and 30 aircraft will take part in the joint exercises in the Tsugol training range in Russias far east Trans-Baikal region from September 11 to 15.

Chinese military tanks for the exercise were seen crossing the China-Russia border at Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia on Tuesday.

Hong Kong-based military analyst Song Zhongping said the war games were expected to be a chance for the PLA participants to draw on Russian expertise, including combat tactics and strategy from the wars in Syria and Chechnya.

The PLA is the only major military force that has no real battle experience and it is very eager to get its hands on some real lessons

Chinese military source

The role of the Chinese troops in Vostok 2018 is very limited  but given the [PLA] has not been in combat for decades, its a rare chance for them to learn, Song said.

China has not been in an armed conflict since its last war with Vietnam in the late 1970s.

A Chinese military source said Russia had compiled some its lessons from the Syrian war in military textbooks for Russian military academies and it would be among the information shared with the Chinese troops.

This will be the first time they have shared such information with a military outside the former Russian Empire, the source said. The PLA is the only major military force that has no real battle experience and it is very eager to get its hands on some real lessons.

Story continues

Beijing has long played a low-key role in the peace process in Syria, avoiding direct military involvement in preference for a political resolution to the crisis, but it has teamed up with Moscow to veto several United Nations proposals sponsored by the West to sanction the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Beijing-based military observer Zhou Chenming said the PLAs participation in Vostok 2018 was also a sign of Beijings political support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is under diplomatic pressure on various fronts.

Putin is going to show Russias military muscle to the United States because he is worried that the European Unions work on the so-called military Schengen plan with Nato will keep Russia out of Europe, Zhou said, referring to Europes passport-free travel zone.

US President Donald Trumps administration has also listed both Beijing and Moscow as strategic enemies.

Jonathan Holslag, a professor of international politics at the Free University of Brussels, said both Russia and China were forced to show up together in the spectacular, but not so exceptional Vostok 2018 exercises to send a signal of deterrence to international world.

It shows that, while there is still a lot of distrust between Moscow and Beijing, Moscow sees no other choice but to work with China, especially as relations with the US remain unstable and Chinese financial support is needed to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, said Holslag.

Watch: Russia shows off naval power in military parade

Collin Koh, a research fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said the appearance of the Chinese and Russian troops at the war games might revive memories of the cold war, but such a veritable strategic signal to the West would not roll back the US and its allies plans in the region.

But the concerned parties would be mindful of keeping well underneath the threshold of provoking an outright armed confrontation, Koh said.

The intensified military movements and activities may still provide cause for concern about inadvertent or accidental military encounters.

This article Vostok 2018 war games: Chinas chance to learn Russias military lessons from Syria first appeared on South China Morning Post

For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018.

More from South China Morning Post:
Police officers outside the Standard Chartered Bank branch in Holland Village that was robbed. (File photo: Nicholas Yong/Yahoo News Singapore)

When the Holland Village branch of Standard Chartered Bank was robbed in 2016, it sent shockwaves around Singapore, which normally enjoys a low rate of crime. The brazen nature of the heist even had the family of Canadian suspect David Roach shocked.

After being arrested in Bangkok, Roach was sent to the United Kingdoms, where he was detained at Singapores request. There, he faced a legal battle to fight his being extradited to Singapore.

In February, the Singapore government acceded to the UKs request not to cane Roach if he were found guilty of robbery. On Wednesday, a UK court finally ruled  pending approval from the UK government  that Roach can be extradited, as long as he is not caned.

What do you think of this move? Should Singapore have agreed to the UKs request to exclude caning from Roachs sentence if he is convicted? Have your say in our poll, and leave a comment below.

Related stories:

Suspected bank robber can be extradited to Singapore

StanChart robbery suspect will not be caned if found guilty by Singapore court: MHA

Canadian suspect in Singapore bank robbery faces UK court on extradition

StanChart robbery suspect: Either we let him go free or face trial  Shanmugam

StanChart robbery suspect detained in UK at Singapores request

Authorities working to bring StanChart robbery suspect back to Singapore

Alleged StanChart robbers friends, family in shock

Robbery at Standard Chartered Banks Holland Village branch
Improperly timed traffic lights.

Drivers who pull out in front of you.

Drivers who accelerate in the left-turn lane.

Drivers who are discourteous about allowing others to merge.

Drivers who dont use their blinkers.

Drivers on their cellphones instead of driving.

Vote

View Results
The Nigerian Government and the United Kingdom have signed bilateral agreements in the areas of defence and security partnership, as well as a comprehensive agreement on economic development.



The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed this to reporters at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.



According to the minister, the agreements between both countries cover a wide range of aspects.



The agreements followed a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and British Prime Minister, Theresa May, at the State House in the nation's capital.



Earlier, President Buhari commended Britain for its support in the area of security, especially in the fight against insurgency in the North East, as well as the improved trade relations between both countries.



He also assured May of his commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2019 and commended UK's support at strengthening democratic institutions in the country.



"I assure you that I'm all out for free, fair and credible elections. I'm very pleased that my party is doing very well," the President was quoted in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.



"The High Commissioner will brief you more. The recent successes in polls in Katsina, Bauchi, and Kogi have boosted our morale greatly. Nigeria has accepted multiparty democracy and that is putting politicians on their toes, forcing them to work harder," the President informed the British PM.



In her response, the British Prime Minister explained that security and defence cooperation was a very important step to address Boko Haram and Islamic State in West Africa.



She also welcomed the assurance by the Nigerian government on credible elections in 2019.



May said she was pleased to be in Abuja to continue the "excellent discussions" she started with President Buhari in London in April, particularly on security, trade, asset recovery and the fight against corruption.







CHANNELS TV


Unprecedented summer heat in Europe every other year under 1.5C of warming

Posted on 30 August 2018 by Guest Author

This is a re-post from Carbon Brief. Dr Andrew King is a climate scientist at the University of Melbourne and Dr Markus Donat is a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales

As summer gets underway in the northern hemisphere, much of Europe has already been basking in temperatures of 30C and beyond.

But while the summer sun sends many flocking to the beach, with it comes the threat of heatwaves and their potentially deadly impacts. Tens of thousands of people across Europe died in heatwaves in 2003 and 2010, for example, while the Lucifer heatwave last year fanned forest fires and nearly halved agricultural output in some countries.

With international ambition to limit global temperature rise to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels now enshrined in the Paris Agreement, we have examined what impact that warming could have on European summer temperatures.

Our results, published today in Nature Climate Change, find that more than 100 million Europeans will typically see summer heat that exceeds anything in the 1950-2017 observed record every other year under 1.5C of warming  or in two of every three years under 2C.

Human influence on European climate

There has been a substantial amount of work showing that recent heatwaves and hot summers in Europe have been strongly influenced by human-caused climate change.

This includes the very first event attribution study that made a direct connection between human-caused climate change and Europes record hot summer of 2003. As a densely populated continent, recent hot summers and heatwaves have hit Europe with spikes in mortality rates.

Europe is also a particularly good location to study the implications of the Paris Agreement limits because it has among the longest and highest quality climate data in the world. This means we have a better understanding of what past summers in Europe have been like and we can evaluate our climate model simulations with a higher degree of confidence, relative to other regions of the world.

In our study, we looked at the hottest average summer temperatures across Europe since 1950 and found that for most of the continent these occurred in 2003, 2006 or 2010. There are exceptions, of course. For example, in Central England the hottest summer remains 1976.

You can see this in the graphic below, which maps the decade of the hottest summer across Europe. The darker the shading, the more recently the record occurred.

Using the historical record hot summer between 1950 and 2017 in each location in Europe as a benchmark, we then examined the likelihood of a summer exceeding that record in model simulations. We assessed four different scenarios: a world without climate change, the world of todays climate, a 1.5C warmer world and a 2C warmer world.

Consistent with previous studies, which have examined specific heat events in Europe like those in 2003 and 2010, we found that the likelihood of recording a new hottest summer today is higher than in a world without human-induced climate change.

Similarly, when we extend our analysis to the 1.5C and 2C world simulations, we find a continued increase in the likelihood of historically unprecedented hot summers at individual locations across all of Europe.

The impact on humans

Our next step was to estimate how many people would be exposed to historically unprecedented summer average temperatures in each of our four model worlds. For this analysis we kept population levels the same (at the 2010 level), rather than factoring in historical changes or future forecasts.

We found systematic increases in the number of people in Europe projected to experience unprecedented summer heat.

In a typical summer in the current climate, we would expect that 45 million Europeans would experience summer temperatures above the existing record for their location. However, in an average summer in a 1.5C world, we project that 90 million Europeans  about 11% of the continents population  would experience a summer warmer than any in recorded history. In a 2C world this figure would almost double again to 163 million Europeans (20% of the population).

We also find that the possibility of very high population exposure to historically unprecedented hot summers increases dramatically from the world of today to a 1.5C world or a 2C world.

The table below shows the likelihood of seeing a summer where 100-400 million Europeans experience a record summer in each of the four model worlds. You can see that more than 100 million Europeans (top row) will typically see unprecedented summer heat every other year under 1.5C of warming  or in two of every three years under 2C.

And while there is a negligible likelihood of seeing a summer where more than 400 million Europeans (bottom row) experience a new record hot summer under pre-industrial conditions or in the current climate. Yet in a 2C world, we project this would happen roughly every seven years.

Benefits of climate action

Our analysis illustrates that in a 2C world Europeans would experience more frequent and intense heat extremes than in a 1.5C world.

Despite the fact that restricting global warming would benefit the worlds poorest more than others, our study shows that for Europe specifically, taking stronger action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions need not be a purely selfless act. The countries and peoples of Europe, especially those in southern Europe which have borne the brunt of recent heatwaves and hot summers, would benefit from reduced exposure to heat extremes if the 1.5C Paris limit is met as opposed to the 2C global warming limit.

European emissions pledges are currently rated as inadequate in reaching either the 1.5C or 2C Paris targets. Our study strongly supports progressively more ambitious reductions to be proposed at the periodic stocktakes, the first of which will probably be in 2023.

While European countries are taking stronger action to curb emissions compared to many other developed nations, it is in Europes own interests to maintain and strengthen these pledges.
Alfonso Cuarons much anticipated Netflix debut Roma premiered at the Venice Film Festival today, and it appears to have lived up to the hypeat least according to reactions from the lucky few who have seen it (and hyped it some more). The semi-autobiographical black-and-white film portrays a year in the life of a middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City, focused on one of its housekeepers, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), an indigenous Mexican woman based on Cuarons own babysitter. Cuaron based the film on memories, and even used some of his own childhood furniture in the film.

Advertisement

Although Roma was shot on 65mm celluloid, one critic suggested some of the films power might be lost on the small screen. Netflix has not announced a streaming release date, but is giving the film a limited theatrical release on December 14just in time for awards season eligibility. Some are suggesting Roma might win Netflix its first Best Picture nomination, and with the movie being shown at the Toronto and New York film festivals in the next couple of months, you can predict more predictions where those came from. Heres what you have to look forward to:

The Mexico City of the 1970s is captured in exquisite, heartbreaking detail

Peter Bradshaw, the Guardian:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The title refers to the directors belief that Mexico City has been evolving in the four decades since into a non-imperial grandiosity, a quasi-Rome in its commotion and sprawl, and the streetscape and crowd-scene sequences Cuaron stages are truly stunning, especially his sensational evocation of the Corpus Christi massacre, when around 120 people were killed by the military during a student demonstration.

Advertisement

Owen Gleiberman, Variety:

[T]he movie is so naturalistic that its like a dramatized documentary. At the same time, Cuaron turns his camera-eye gaze into something heady and aestheticized. He dunks us, moment by moment, image by luminously composed image, into a panorama of the hurly-burly of Mexico City in 1970 and 1971  the glinting squalor of the streets, the Americanized fragments of pop culture (Creedence vs. the Beatles!), the tatters of class war.

Eric Kohn, IndieWire:

Roma also excels at operating as a traditional period piece, grappling with a Mexico swept up in the fervor of 1968 activism and an influx of popular culture. Snippets of television and movies come and go, striking a cartoonish juxtaposition to the cycle of everyday life.

in which the viewer is utterly immersed.

Owen Gleiberman, Variety:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Cuaron, make no mistake, has done this entirely by design. He presents life in the unruly Mexican metropolis as an immersive experience, a you-are-there trance-out.

Eric Kohn, IndieWire:

The sophistication of his Dolby Atmos sound design (which viewers of this Netflix release will want to experience in a theater) leads to immersive environments that emphasize how Cleo inhabits a busy world much larger than her interpersonal issues. On more than one occasion, the effect builds to apocalyptic extremes when the arrival of natural forces overwhelm the soundtrack to a shocking degree.

The memory-based film is driven not by plot, but by characters and scenes.

Todd McCarthy, the Hollywood Reporter:

Advertisement

It becomes clear soon enough that Cuarons stance here is that of a poetic curator of memories. The shimmering, silvery monochromatic images summon up moments and experiences with crystalline vividness.

Advertisement

Eric Kohn, IndieWire:

Roma is the rare movie in no hurry to reveal what its about.  Alfonso Cuarons first project in his native Mexico since Y Tu Mama Tambien, Roma has more in common with that movies character-based storytelling than any of the bigger productions hes made since.  Roma assembles its narrative out of small moments, as the directors camera pans slowly through various scenes to soak in the distinctive locale, while dispensing tidbits of story details from unlikely places.

Advertisement

Robbie Collin, the Telegraph:

The film is so sensually attuned to the routines of daily lifethe swish of soapy water across courtyard tiles, the uneasy growl of a cars engine as it inches into a too-slim parking spotthat the larger plot, involving an unplanned pregnancy and a romantic betrayal, all but steals in unannounced.

Every one of those scenes is gorgeously shot

Robbie Collin, the Telegraph:

Advertisement

But every individual scene feels filled with the lucid detail of a formative recollection or a recurring dream: a gun clutched menacingly in the foreground of an execution during the citys Corpus Christi riots of 1971, a man singing during a forest fire, while crowds rush to extinguish the blaze behind him, and sparks swarm up into the night. Roma is made of the stuff of memory

Peter Bradshaw, the Guardian:

Every scene, every character and every shot has been nurtured with loving care. There are lovely set-pieces when the family, uneasily without their patriarch at Christmas, visit an unclewhose clan have a hair-raising love of guns and go cheerfully off for a shooting spree, with minimal warnings on safety. A New Years party in the country is interrupted by a dramatic forest fireCleo is the first to see the shimmering heat above the dark shapes of the trees, and it looks at first like a hallucination.

 by Cuaron himself, who serves as his own brilliant cinematographer.

Peter Bradshaw, the Guardian:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Cuaron has an extraordinary way of combining the closeup and the wide-shot, the tellingly observed detail  humorous or poignant or just effortlessly authenticwith the big picture and the sense of scale. At times it feels novelistic, a densely realised, intimate drama giving us access to domestic lives developing in what feels like real time.  The street scenes are extraordinarily good, and use terrific tracking shots. Even the films simplest and most apparently innocuous episodes are electrified by the pure style that Cuaron brings.

Todd McCarthy, the Hollywood Reporter:

[T]he director here relies upon the use of slow lateral pans to move from one event to another. This creates the opposite effect of quick cutaways and reaction shots, producing instead a feeling of the continuity of life, an indication of one experience or encounter leading to another, of everything being related, an establishment of certain events that will ultimately lead to a repository of permanent memories as opposed to evanescent ones.

The children are slightly undeveloped as characters, but it may not matter

Todd McCarthy, the Hollywood Reporter:

Advertisement

If one thing is missing in Roma, its the individuation of the familys children. Theyre always busy doing this or that, most often in groups and in motion, a swirl of young faces rather than kids who do anything to uniquely define themselves; you could pass the young actors on the street after seeing the movie and likely not even recognize them. In this sense, its not much of a film about childhood or growing up but, rather, a portrait of two women whose lives are dominated by the same children.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Eric Kohn, IndieWire:

These sort of devices help Roma escape some of its tidier plot points, as well as the underdevelopment of the child characters who remain so central to Cleos life. Even the Cuaron stand-in lacks much personality. But that coming-of-age story has been told innumerable times in various contexts, and Cuarons wise to realize that Cleos has not.

 because the film is about Cleo, a compelling character, compellingly portrayed by Yalitza Aparacio.

Todd McCarthy, the Hollywood Reporter:

Advertisement

Advertisement

Even if Sofia finally emerges with plenty to say in the climactic sequences, Cleo occupies the films emotional ground zero. By any conventional dramatic standard, shes a personality void: passive, without opinions or knowledge.  And yet thats what makes Cuarons decision to place her at the center of his autobiographical film so unusual and compelling: Shes the usually forgotten figure who here has been very much remembered, a decision that seems both personal and political. Shes the lost, normally anonymous figurethe maid, servant, underlingwho here ever-so-tentatively emerges as the figure to whom, for the futures sake, attention must be paid.

Owen Gleiberman, Variety:

Advertisement

Cleo is the central figure of Roma, yet for most of the film she barely says a word. Shes stoic and dutiful, with a wide face that suggests a statue of humble rectitude, and the fact that she loves this family as her own is presented without question. Speaking in her native Mixtec, Yalitza Aparacio, a non-professional actress, makes Cleo a doleful earth mother with a deep presence, a kind of working-class saint  and, tellingly, a woman with problems she feels compelled to weather without protest.

Peter Bradshaw, the Guardian:
We all remember the awful day we first read the Washington Posts shocking report that Zafar, the once-beloved bottlenose dolphin of Ladevennec, France, was allegedly engaging in very enthusiastic sexual misconduct with swimmers, boats, and even kayaks. We remember it because it was literally Tuesday. But even today, the questions raised by the troubling allegations against Zafar linger. How could such a brilliant dolphin fall so far? Was Zafars penchant for rubbing himself on anything he could find the driving force behind his art from the beginning? Do we really believe the story of a lowly kayak over that of a major dolphin talent like Zafar? Dont dolphins have a right to make a living, even if that living seems to consist mostly of sexually terrorizing swimmers and watercraft? Andand this is the most important thing of alldo we have the courage, as a society, to provide Zafar with a path to redemption, even if he never asks for one? Can we be wise enough to welcome him back into the Bay of Brest and collectively pretend nothing ever happened from now on? I may take some heat for the bold and courageous stance my boldness and courage lead me to take here, but I think the answer is clear: It is time for us to forgive Zafar, the sex-pest dolphin of Landevennec, France.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Theres no sense minimizing it: The accusations against Zafar are very grave. But are they really all that grave? Heres what we know:

 Zafar has been delighting swimmers for months, even giving them rides through the water.

 He has allegedly been seen making unwanted advances against swimmers, boats, and kayaks.

 In one instance, he allegedly blocked a female swimmers path, preventing her from leaving the water until a boat rescued her from Zafars attentions.

 In a separate incident, he allegedly lifted a woman out of the water with his nose.

 Did we mention he delighted swimmers in the past?

In response to these minimal allegations, the towns mayor, Roger Lars, passed a Flashdance-style law banning swimming whenever Zafar is in the area. This draconian measure, according to Lars, is necessary to preserve the safety of the people, who were frightened. First of all, who elected Roger Lars mayor? But beyond the obvious arrogance of one man getting to decide for all of us what kind of nonconsensual dolphin sex counts as frightening, the response to the Zafar allegationsa blanket condemnation completely uninformed by any consideration of the larger context or what a charming, entertaining dolphin Zafar has been in the pastis disappointing, to say the least.

Advertisement

Advertisement

For one thing, Zafar is clearly the unwitting victim of changing social mores, and we need to be careful not to engage in presentism. Its wrong to judge Zafars actions from a long time agoearlier in the summerbased on the standards weve only developed in the last twenty-four hours or so. Bluenose dolphins can live as long as 40 years, so we can safely assume that Zafar learned how to behave around men, women, and kayaks in a different time. Specifically, we should assume he grew up in the time of Aulus Gellius, who, in his second century work Noctes Atticae, described the dolphin-human courtship rituals of a more civilized age:

Advertisement

Delphinos venerios esse et amasios non modo historiae veteres, sed recentes quoque memoriae declarant. Nam et sub Caesaris Augusti imperio in Puteolano mari, ut Apion scriptum reliquit, et aliquot saeculis ante apud Naupactum, ut Theophrastus tradidit, amores flagrantissimi delphinorum cogniti compertique sunt. Neque hi amaverunt, quod sunt ipsi, genus, sed pueros forma liberali in naviculis forte aut in vadis litorum conspectos miris et humanis modis arserunt.

Advertisement

Loosely translated, the passage means that Zafar should face no further censure for anything he has done and anyone who is saying that being sexually harassed by a dolphin was an unpleasant experience is probably just jealous of Zafars fame. Ive left the passage in the original Latin, which I dont read, in hopes of steamrolling people into agreeing with me because it seems like I know what Im talking about. If you dont read Latin (and should, therefore, really consider letting people like me decide when Zafar should return to the public eye), here is an old-timey translation:

Advertisement

That dolphins are of a wanton and amorous nature, is declared as well by ancient hitory as by recent narratives. For in the time of the Cars, as Apion has related, in the ea of Puteoli, and ome ages before, off Naupatum, according to Theophratus, certain dolphins were known and proved to be vehemently amourous. Neither were they thus attached to their own pecies, but in a wonderful manner, and like human beings, felt a paion for youths of an ingenuous appearance, whom they had een in veels or on the hore.

Advertisement

As Aulus Gellius makes clear, Zafar should be thought of as an old dinosaur learning new ways, rather than a dolphin violently seeking sexual satisfaction from unsuspecting humans and a wide variety of inanimate objects. Are we really willing to deny this dolphin the opportunity to practice his art, just because of certain horrible things he may or may not have done and may or may not do in the future?

Advertisement

And just how sure are we that Zafar really did what people are saying? At least some of the allegations come from boats and kayaks, vessels that can neither propel themselves through water without the help of human beings nor dive gracefully beneath the waves, as Zafar was so fond of doing after allegedly rubbing himself to completion. Is it so ridiculous to think there might be elements of professional jealousy in the stories were hearing about Zafars behavior? Do we really think a handsome, successful dolphin like Zafar would spend his time with a boat like this one?

Advertisement

Even if we accept the most outlandish claims about Zafar, we should still consider the wise words of environmental law specialist Erwan Le Cornec before demonizing him. In an interview with Le Telegramme about the allegations against Zafar, Le Cornec spoke out about the unintended consequences of the mayors reckless smear campaign:

Advertisement

It will turn the legitimately positive approach that people have to dolphins into a fear of these intelligent animals, and make this fear into a panic and this panic into a real psychosis.

Its difficult to imagine the long-term mental health problems that might be caused if people spent most of their lives being afraid, in personal and professional situations alike, that at any moment a previously friendly bottlenose dolphin might whip out his bottlenose dolphin penis. Its the kind of thing that could poison civil society, which is why its important that we not make too big a deal out of Zafars alleged misdeeds and, instead, let them slowly fade into memory so Zafar can keep entertaining people, boats, and kayaks, even when they least expect it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

But the most compelling evidence that Zafar has served his time and should be welcomed back into our coves, bays, and oceans without any further delay or effort on his part comes from the fact that he is a bottlenose dolphin. Dolphins, scientists tell us, dont speak much Englishor French, for that matter!and the most famous attempt to teach them language was a Zafar-sized disaster. Its hard to imagine Zafar could ever apologize enough for his harshest critics, inasmuch as he is biologically incapable of apologizing at all, so its time for the reasonable people in the room to loudly applaud his return to the public eye. Who are we to judge the penance Zafar has done in private, or claim to understand the dark nights of his dolphin soul? Isnt the shaming and humiliation Zafar has endured in newspapers he cant and doesnt read more than enough punishment? Zafars private quest for rehabilitation after his public fall from grace a few days ago is none of our business, and he couldnt tell us about it if he wanted to, so we should assume it was lengthy, extensive, and, above all, sufficient, since that will let us all quietly get back to enjoying his dolphiny antics without any guilt. Expecting anything more from Zafar or his fans would be as unfair and unreasonable as asking a dolphin to try to act like a human being. And we dont even do that to human beings.
Ken Jeong will follow up his role as the flamboyant, wisecracking Wye Mun in Crazy Rich Asians with a Netflix comedy special, tentatively titled Ken Jeong: First Date. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the special is set for release in 2019 and will see Jeong return to a topic he regularly visits in his standup: making the transition from doctor to comedian. He will also open up about how his wifes battle with breast cancer led to him starring in 2009s The Hangover.

Jeong built a career out of scene-stealing supporting roles like that of gangster Leslie Chow in the Hangover movies and as Ben Chang on Community (a show that never quite figured out what to do with him after the first season). Jeong did take center stage for a while in his own short-lived ABC sitcom based on his experiences as a medical professional, but Dr. Ken was canceled in 2017. Its nice to see Jeong stepping into the spotlight againespecially when the special will reunite him with Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement
Its been apparent for years that everyone making movies and television would eventually end up working for Netflix, but until recently, it seemed like the streaming network would refrain from hiring directors who died more than three decades ago. All that changed last March, when Netflix acquired The Other Side of the Wind, an unfinished movie by Orson Welles, who directed his first feature filmCitizen Kaneback before computers, never mind internet-based streaming video. Welles has been dead since 1985, and the footage he shot for The Other Side of the Wind has been sitting in storage for even longer than that, but now the film has a trailer and a release date, which means Welles is probably one of the only people on the planet to have released movies through both Netflix and RKO. Take a look at some Orson Welles footage that you are extremely unlikely to have seen (unless you happen to be Peter Bogdanovich):

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Filmed between 1970 and 1975, The Other Side of the Wind is set mostly at the birthday party of a fading director (John Huston) and, as the trailer makes clear, will touch on clashes between old and new Hollywood. Some of you old guys are trying to get with it, says Dennis Hopper in the trailer, amidst shots of Huston besieged by press, fans, and a young Peter Bogdanovich. Hustons character was loosely based on Ernest Hemingway, with whom Welles had a prickly relationshipThe Other Side of the Wind is one of at least two Welles projects from the early 1970s that featured Hemingway figuresand theres reportedly a lot more score-settling, including characters based on critic Pauline Kael and celebrity biographer Charles Higham.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stories about the films unconventional and disastrous production have been circling for decades, but this is the first chance for most people to see what it actually looks like. It was not a secret, for example, that the film included footage from the movie John Hustons character was supposedly making, or that that film-within-the-film was a spoof of Antonioni. But actually seeing the abstract widescreen geometries Welles and cinematographer Gary Graver cooked up is something else entirely. And the thought of watching a brand-new performance from John Huston in this day and age when Netflix releases the film on Nov. 2well, its enough to make you believe that sooner or later, everything lost to history will eventually resurface. Except your childhood sled.
Earlier this week, the Atlantic published an essay by David French describing racist attacks his family has experienced over the last few years. Many of the attacks came at the hands of alt right white supremacists infuriated both by the criticism French, a never Trump conservative, has levied against the president, and the fact of Frenchs multiracial, adoptive family. In 2010, French and his wife adopted their youngest daughter from Ethiopia. Since 2015, he writes, racist trolls have targeted them, photoshopping pictures of their daughter into images of gas chambers and plantation fields.

Advertisement

But those werent the only attacks French describes. Long before his family endured attacks from the racist far-right, he says theyd faced attacks from the left, from those who framed adoption as, among other things, an act of cultural imperialism. As part of his explanation of the lefts hostility to the idea of white parents adopting children of color, he cited my 2013 investigative journalism book, The Child Catchers: Rescue, Trafficking and the New Gospel of Adoption. Not because I wrotethere or anywhere elseabout Frenchs family, but because my book reported critically on a Christian adoption movement that arose in the mid-2000s and swept through U.S. evangelicaldom. A movement that French, an evangelical, identifies with, writing of his early optimism that, through adoption, his family could live out the Scripture verse: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. French is very clearly a loving dad, and the racism his daughter has dealt with is obviously ghastly. But his attempt to draw equivalence between that sort of hate attack and what he presents as corresponding attacks on his multiracial family from the left felt to me like a willful misreading of the history I lay out in my book.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

At the height of the Christian adoption movement in the early 2010s, the Scripture verse French cites was in wide circulation, as advocates proclaimed that God was the first transracial adoptive dad and called on Christians to spread a viral adoption culture in their congregations. Get as many people in the church to adopt, one leader said, and adopt as many kids as you can.

Books promoting adoption theology positioned adoption as a means of evangelizing. One argued: [T]he ultimate purpose of human adoption by Christians, therefore, is not to give orphans parents, as important as that is. It is to place them in a Christian home that they might be positioned to receive the gospel.

Racism and hate are real. But so are systems that unwittingly perpetuate institutional racism, with less personal malice and often the best of intentions.

As French points out, a good portion of my book does critically assess that theology and its effects. But thats not the main point of the book. Most parents in the movement were motivated by more basic reasons than theology: to start or grow their family, and to help address what theyd been told was an overwhelming global orphan crisis composed of 143 million to 210 million orphans in need of homes.

Advertisement

The problem was that most of those children werent orphans in the way people generally think of the term. The vast majority had lost only one parent or lived with extended family.

The orphan crisis, really, was a crisis of poverty, instability, and catastropheboth natural and man-made. And adoption, as a multibillion-dollar industry, had become one where too often poor or vulnerable families were recruited, coerced, or duped into relinquishing children to fill Western demand. In other words, people with good intentions became a dangerous driving force in an industry that operates on supply and demand as much as any other.

Advertisement

The money each international adoption involvestypically $35,000 to $40,000can distort local child welfare systems and economies in poor adoption sending countries. That is, when new orphanages are built in poor nations, parents are likely to see them as a means of better food, shelter, and education for their children. So many place their children there not as abandonment, but a means of temporarily easing the familys burdens. As a UNICEF worker in Ethiopia told me in 2011, If you build an orphanage, it will be filled with kids.

Advertisement

Advertisement

In too many countries, families have been persuaded to send their children abroad for international adoption, often without a full understanding of what that entails. The American vision of adoptionas the permanent replacement of one set of family ties with anotheris not universal. In many countries, adoption is more akin to a temporary guardianship, or the expansion of a family to incorporate additional caregivers. Ive sat with families in countries like Ethiopia or Uganda who thought they were sending their children abroad for education, and that theyd return at 18. And Ive spoken (including for the Atlantic) with many adoptive parents who were horrified to realize, when their children learned English, that the backstories agencies had told them about their children were wrong.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Domestic adoption isnt immune to these issues. In the era of widespread maternity homes, from the 1940s to early 70s, millions of unmarried American mothers were coerced into relinquishing infants under circumstances not unlike Irelands Magdalene laundries. More recently, women describe crisis pregnancy centers, modern maternity homes, and adoption agencies drumming home the message that theyre too young or poor to parent. Other vulnerable populations, like Arkansas Marshallese diaspora community, have been targeted by private adoption attorneys exploiting their tradition of intrafamily adoption.

Frenchs essay acknowledges, in its first line, that every adoption starts with loss: that of a child losing her parents. But the loss faced by parents of origin is rarely acknowledged. If you want to look at whats wrong with international adoption, state adoption, and Christian adoption, one adoption agency director told me, it all has to do with how they treat birthmothers. The common denominator in all of those is that the birthmother is invisible.

Advertisement

In addition to systemic problems, there are horror stories of abuse: Take the death of Ethiopian adoptee Hana Williams at the hands of her adoptive parents, and the homelessness of many other adoptees, which I investigated for Slate in 2013. Or the widespread allegations of abuse, rehoming, and illegal repatriation of Liberian adoptees, as I reported in Mother Jones.

Advertisement

Advertisement

These awful stories do not by any means characterize most adoptions, and they dont just happen among conservative Christians. (The devastating killing this year of six children adopted by the progressive same-sex Hart family made that clear.) But such terrible outcomes are enabled in part by the transformation of adoptionwith all its fraught questions of race, class, gender, colonialism, and traumainto a movement.

Advertisement

These are points that have long been made by adoption scholars and reform advocatesmany of them adult adoptees and birthparents, who know these issues most intimatelyas well as adoptive parents like David Smolin and Jen Hatmaker, both evangelicals. Last year, I had the honor of speaking at the annual summit of the Christian Alliance for Orphans, the largest umbrella group in the Christian adoption movement. The panel, a conversation with CAFO President Jedd Medefind, was framed around civil disagreement, but there was much more civility, and shared concern about the inadvertent harm adoption can do, than conflict.

That widespread concern has led many in the movement to go beyond their early focus on adoption to advocate for family preservation and alternative care options like domestic foster care and adoption within developing nations. In Uganda, some advocates are in the early stages of building child welfare systems like the imperfect but better systems of the West, to prevent the need for institutionalization and wide-scale international adoption.

I grieve and am angered by the disgusting attacks on David Frenchs familyattacks that non-adoptive families of color also know all too well. Racism and hate are real. But so are systems that unwittingly perpetuate institutional racism, sexism, and classism with less personal malice, and often the best of intentions. We have to pay attention to both.
One of the #MeToo movements lasting effects has been to highlight the strategies routinely used to delegitimize accusers. We know now that peoplemostly menaccused of sexual misconduct will typically take several steps: Theyll clamor for due process that they privately try to game, usually with secret help from powerful friends. Theyll cry mob rule or trial by media when accusers finally come forward (particularly if they find support) after having been held silent. Or theyll insist they simply didnt understand what they were doingor that they had any power at all. How could they? Perhaps theyre the real victims, being unfairly persecuted. Or perhaps, after noting that sex is complicated (and so are people!), theyll ascribe malice or gold-digging or some other unsavory and reductive motive to the complainant.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Complexity, in these sorts of accounts, tends to be granted to only one party. The accused gets to be wounded, complicated, and confused, whereas the alleged victim is a liar or worse. Its worth acknowledging that this last bit also happens in the reverse case: That is, when someone alleges abuse, the perpetrator can quickly become a pretty uncomplicated monster. (No one argues much for Harvey Weinsteins rich humanity.) Uncomplicated monsters are no more useful than uncomplicated victims: If abusers were simply evil, we would be more surprised that a person who was traumatized might in turn inflict trauma on others. This is all to say that if we want to understand how abusive dynamics develop, complexity is generally a good thing to strive for. There are real reasons to plead for and value nuance as our discussions of #MeToo mature and progress.

Advertisement

Demanding exceptional treatment for a colleague is as generic as it is ethically unsound.

But theres something more at work here worth noticing. Quite often, pleas for more complex discussions wind up functioning as a way to defend the accused and delegitimize accusations, all while preaching the value of nuance. Before we lean into good-faith pleas for complexity, we need to develop an eye for its counterfeit.

Advertisement

That brings me to the Avital Ronell case, in which Ronell, an NYU professor, was disciplined for sexually harassing a doctoral student, Nimrod Reitman, who is now suing her and the university. One senses in ongoing discussions of the case that the reversed genders in play (the alleged harasser is female, the accuser male) somehow make the whole business much more complicated. And indeed, there are some complicating factors: Ronell and her accuser, for instance, are both queer. But there are simplifying factors too: She is an academic star with high-profile defenders. And several of them signed a letter to NYU on her behalf in response to what they evidently saw as an unjust investigation of her conduct.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The letter, which you can read here, is a laundry list of testimonials referring to Ronells supporters enduring admiration, her remarkable mentoring of students, the damage the investigation is causing her, and the signatories objection to any judgment against her. It was addressed to NYU administrators and has been defended on the grounds that it was private and a draftyet was nevertheless confidentially circulated to dozens of faculty, many of whom might have been in a position to hire Ronells alleged victim. Having smeared Reitman in eerily familiar terms, called him malicioustwiceand suggested that any judgment against [Ronell] would be intolerable (even though the signatories admit to not knowing the facts!), the letter concludes with a demand that she receive exceptional treatment: We testify to the grace, the keen wit, and the intellectual commitment of Professor Ronell and ask that she be accorded the dignity rightly deserved by someone of her international standing and reputation. If she were to be terminated or relieved of her duties, the injustice would be widely recognized and opposed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The injustice that would go widely recognized and opposed would be, instead, the letter itself. It has been widely seen as an effort to torpedo a Title IX complainants case and the only due process to which the victim had access. True admirers of these thinkers and scholars (many of whom have written seminal texts on gender and powercomplicating things) have been shocked by the retrograde attitudes the letter revealed. Demanding exceptional treatment for a colleagueand calling any failure to deliver a predetermined outcome injusticeis as disappointingly generic as it is ethically unsound. At least Junot Diazs defenders in the academy wrote an open letter that made their intentions and position clear to the wider academic community. This groupwhich includes several academic stars with enormous institutional powertried to keep Reitmans character assassination semiprivate. It was circulated, with some care, to the very people whose good opinion Reitman needed in order to professionally succeed, and in a manner that made any defense on his part impossible. This was the academys version of Hollywood power players calling an actor difficult.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And this is what I mean by asymmetrical complexity. The letter suggests that Ronell deserves to be read with infinite generosity and nuance even as it flattens her accuser to a malicious smear. It reproduces, with eerie exactitude, the reductive patterns of strategic victim blaming with which I began this essayblindly parroting the playbook that has during #MeToo almost exclusively been used by men. Gender theorist Judith Butler has since apologized for signing that letter, noting, without apparent irony, that it appeared online without our consent. And yet, despite the fact that the investigation was undertaken by the universitys Office of Equal Opportunity, she grimly warned against a disregard for due process. Does that sound like a brilliant thinker digging into difficult and complicated questions? Or does it sound like a familiar script? Im a believer in due process, said Catherine R. Stimpson, an English professor, defending her signature on the infamous letter that attempted to tell administrators, without evidence, what they ought to conclude. I believe the timing was in response to a fear of possible revocation of tenure. Some might argue that losing tenure under certain circumstances is appropriate.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Now, its worth noting that defenders may be objecting to Title IX proceedings themselves as constituting due process. Manyincluding Joan Scott and Laura Kipnishave written about a system they have come to see as a threat to academic freedom. (You can read a report Joan Scott co-authored for the American Association of University Professors here.) The argument is, in part, that Title IX processes oversimplify complicated dynamics and flatten distinctions; for instance, they risk conflating academic discussions of sex with actual sexual harassment. But what flaws there may be in university-based mechanisms for due process dont change the fact that the letters goal would have left the alleged victim with no recourse within the institution at all.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The demand for complexity has arisen with particular urgency in this case on the grounds that Ronell and Reitman are queer. This is offered as a kind of mitigating consideration that, properly understood, might make the correspondence between Ronell and Reitman less damning. Scholar and fellow NYU professor Lisa Duggan has suggested that perhaps what has transpired is a culture clash between different discourse communities. Referring to emails in which the parties describe each other as sweet companion-prince (Ronell) and Baby and Sweet Beloved (Reitman), Duggan wrote, The nature of the email exchange resonates with many queer academics, whose practices of queer intimacy are often baffling to outsiders. (The outsiders, here, are those of us startled by the excerpts of the email exchanges.) A queer woman and a gay man in a romantic relationship? Romantic language that does not signify sexual desire? Duggan writes, presenting these as concepts likely beyond the ken of outside observers. Theres just one problem: Reitman, a queer man presumably conversant in queer conventionsand the recipient of this romantic languagedisagrees with Duggans interpretation. And appears to have registered his discomfort to Ronell and to others, contemporaneously.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Reitmans lawsuit alleges, in fact, that he felt pressured to perform much this florid language: Ronell demanded it of him and called it rhetorical cushioning. The lawsuit includes several examples allegedly taken from Ronells emails, some of which do seem to explicitly request that he warm up his tone: Please next time add some layers of warmth, she writes (indicating that Reitman was not volunteering the affection Duggan seems to characterize as consensual). She tells Reitman she cannot really bear hearing for another round a break in tonality and strange reprove. She writes that  I love you too does not cut it darling, and Maybe we can find a way for this not to happen, for me not to feel unnecessarily abandoned, Im sure a slight rhetorical shift would do. These emails show Ronell repeatedly instructing Reitman to express more affection than he had volunteered. Is this really queer kinship? Or is queer kinship being used to mask a coercive dynamic?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ronell herself contends that Reitman, far from objecting, in fact initiated much of the language of their exchanges. She doesnt seem to acknowledge the institutional power she held over Reitman and, despite the distress he explicitly claims, portrays herself as harmlessly effusive, and even a victim herself. Im heartbroken that my fast and loose and exuberant and stupid and childish use of language can somehow be gathered up to be a viable weapon against me, Ronell said to the Chronicle of Higher Education, hand-waving away the possibility that she herself could do harm: I dont impose my zany, affectionate, over-the-top kind of sheltering gestures on people who dont seem to require or ask for that from me.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Ronella brilliant theorist of languagepositions herself, in effect, as a linguistic bumbler unaware of her languages effects. Whats more, she calls the response to the case sexual paranoia, suggests that its motivated by misogyny rather than genuine concern for graduate students, and, with a touch of fearmongering, suggests that her case will somehow fuel male malfeasance: It allows for patriarchy to say, See, theres a predator womanthey have libidos, tooso now leave us alone so we can go around and have our encounters with 18-year-old girls. 

So much for complexity.

Laura Kipnis has suggested both that Ronells case might reflect our aversion to sexual mother-monsters and that it might not have been about sex at all. Theres no indication that Ronell wanted sex with Reitman; theres no indication sex took place, Kipnis writes. Is the emphasis on sex required because other ways of framing the story might raise human questions too complex to be settled via a lawsuit?

Advertisement

This seems like one of those exciting invitations to complex thinking, so I want to take a minute to track its operative logic. Theres a gotcha-with-statistics quality to Kipnis observation that variations on the word sex are deployed more than 90 times in the course of Reitmans lawsuit despite the fact that no sex took place. Having reproduced her search myself, I note that shes including phrases like sexual harassment (which accounts for 26 of those instances). Is this nuanced analysis? Does Kipnis sincerely believe that the absence of actual sex requires that we fundamentally reconceptualize sexual harassment claims as being too complex to be settled via a lawsuit?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Its also unclear what Kipnis is seeing in the substance of Reitmans complaint, which details things like: [S]he pushed her buttocks into his groin. Ronell also kissed Reitmans neck and mouth, several times attempting to engage in an open-mouth kiss.  During this time Reitmans body remained tense, and he repeatedly attempted to move away from Ronell. Or: Ronell also grabbed Reitmans hands and put them on her breasts, holding them in place with her own hands.

Advertisement

Granted, Kipnis claim that theres no indication that Ronell wanted sex with Reitman might make sense if her position was that Reitman was simply lyingafter all, Ronell denies every allegation of physical contact. But thats not what Kipnis is arguing. Instead, she does what many scholars arguing for complexity are doing in practice: She signals extreme skepticism of the victims account, calls Ronells critics a mob, mocks them for taking Reitmans allegations at face value, and then pretends that, out of extraordinary open-mindedness, shell grant, for the sake of argument, that the Ronell allegations are true. In other words, she declares herself to have provisionally accepted that the text I quoted above is 100 percent accurate. And on its basis, she pronounces, definitively, that there is no indication that Ronell wanted sex.

Advertisement

Advertisement

This is not a sophisticated acknowledgment of human complexity that advances the conversation; its a strange and distressing refusal of the cases basic terms.

Another of Ronells defenders, Slavoj Zizek, has been less shy about calling Reitman a liar while also insisting that Ronell is complex and deserves to be deeply and intelligently read and understood: [I]n todays academia persons with sensitivity are more and more rare. Avitals eccentricities are all on the surface; there is nothing sleazy hidden beneath her affected behaviour, in contrast to quite a few professors. Does Ronells accuser receive this capacious acceptance of human foibles? No. Complexity only goes one way, and here is Zizeks final word:

Advertisement

Advertisement

The only reasonable explanation I see is that he engaged in (faking) a personal friendship with her to get her help in promoting his career, and then dropped her when he didnt get the desired results because she was ethical enough not to privilege him over others but continued to treat him professionally in professional mattersits as simple as that.

The smear against Reitman shines through, but I confess I did not find this formulation simple, nor do I find Ronells treatment of Reitman, as described, particularly professional. But of course, what Zizek is hinting here is actually a little more pernicious than that: By adding in professional matters, what hes really defending is Ronells right to make whatever personal demands she wished on her advisee. It was Reitmans responsibility to compartmentalize the personal from the professional, as if refusing the former wouldnt affect the latter. To Zizek, his failure to do soReitmans expectation that an adviser in his profession who made constant demands on him day and night would help him professionallyreveals him, not her, as venal and corrupt.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Instead, were getting hollow invocations of complexity that reinforce the status quo.

This, as Corey Robin notes, might be the ugliest revelation about how a certain generation of academic superstars understands their roles and responsibilities: [T]he sex was only one part of the harassment, Robin writes. Ronells largest claims were on his time, on his life, on his attention and energy, well beyond the legitimate demands of an adviser on an advisee. The writer and filmmaker Chris Kraus, that sometime champion of human complexity in her work, says thatthough she barely knows Ronell and doesnt seem to know Reitman at allthe latter is hardly an innocent because (I am paraphrasing) no doctoral student is. No one prevented him from changing advisors, she writesan incredible sentence to anyone who has actually been a graduate student in the humanities. She calls the student an empowered and privileged actor and the senior scholar a target whose only sin was avoiding all but the most technocratic pedagogy in her ministrations. How  complex. This is a shame, because complexity is needed in these discussions. And Id have expected many of the people now reproducing the predictable structures of responsewhich #MeToo has thankfully made visible and familiarto be innovating on this urgent front.

Luckily, there has been rich thinking on this subject. (I recommend Natalia Cecires valuable meditation on how this case intersects with pedagogy and learning and Keguro Macharias remarkable analysis of how even queer theorists of minoritized subcultures appear to have favored status networks over their own declared priorities.) I hope there will be more. Look: I dont know whether its relevant that Ronell was herself treated bizarrely by Jacques Derrida, a mentor of hers who a) defended a scholar accused of improprieties with a graduate student and b) wanted Ronell to be his personal masseur when he was sick. But Im glad to see someone bring this up. I dont doubt that Ronell has encountered homophobia and misogyny.

That coexists with the equally inescapable truth that she held a lot of power over her graduate students. Complexity should be granted to both parties in these discussions. One reason I wrote about Junot Diaz is that Diaz is a victim too. And if #MeToo is going to change the way we think, and not just how we identify and punish, we need to learn how to deal with cultural cycles of trauma and pain and power. I dont know how that conversation should go. Figuring out how to reconcile compassion, due process, repair, and justice feels like exactly the sort of thing these brilliant minds would ordinarily be tackling. Instead, were getting hollow invocations of complexity that functionally reinforce the status quoand righteous defenses of due process that privately seek to dismantle it.

However complex Reitman and Ronells story might be, some things are actually simple. Perhaps we can agree, at minimum, that people who claim theyve been abused deserve to be spared drive-by character assassinations by their alleged assailants more famous and powerful colleagues. Lets start there.
The Department of Justice issued a legal brief Thursday in support of a group of Asian American plaintiffs who are suing Harvard for allegedly engaging in racial discrimination with its affirmative action admissions policies.

Harvard has failed to carry its demanding burden to show that its use of race does not inflict unlawful racial discrimination on Asian Americans, the department argued in its filing.

In 2017, the Justice Department began seeking lawyers from its civil rights division to investigate and possibly sue universities that use race as a factor in their admissions processes. This investigation runs parallel to the lawsuit that Students for Fair Admissions, a group representing rejected Asian American applicants, filed against Harvard in 2014.

The legal strategist orchestrating the suit, Edward Blum, was also behind Abigail Fishers failed attempt to strike down affirmative action policies at the University of Texas. The Harvard court case is set to take place in October.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In its brief, the department echoes many of the same arguments that Students for Fair Admissions has marshaled against Harvard thus far in attempting to prove that the university engages in unconstitutional racial balancing. The department sites the work of Peter Arcidiacono, a statistician hired by the plaintiffs, who ran an analysis finding that admissions officers were consistently ranking Asian Americans lower than applicants of any other race in their personal ratings, which includes traits like kindness and courage.

This analysis at the same time found that Asian Americans scored the highest in terms of other admissions criteria like grades, standardized tests, and extracurricular criteria, but that the low personality scores often outweighed the higher ones. The evidence  shows that Harvard provides no meaningful criteria to cabin its use of race; uses a vague personal rating that harms Asian-American applicants chances for admission and may be infected with racial bias, the department wrote of the findings.

Advertisement

The DOJ also pointed to an internal study that the Harvard admissions office conducted in 2013, which concluded that the share of Asian Americans in the student body would rise if the university did away with its preference for legacies and athletes. The admissions office reportedly decided not to publicize or follow up on the study, which the plaintiffs obtained through court proceedings. The Justice Department argues that Harvard brushed aside its own internal evidence.

Advertisement

In a statement accompanying the brief, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said, No American should be denied admission to school because of their race. As a recipient of taxpayer dollars, Harvard has a responsibility to conduct its admissions policy without racial discrimination by using meaningful admissions criteria that meet lawful requirements.

Advertisement

Sessionss Department of Justice has ramped up its assault on affirmative action in recent months. In July, the Justice Department joined the Department of Education in rolling back Obama-era guidelines that encouraged colleges to use race as a factor in admissions and offered advice on how to legally implement policies that foster diversity on campus.

Advertisement

Update, 3:50 p.m. Harvard released a statement about the DOJs ruling later on Thursday.
The FBI arrested a California man Thursday for making death threats against the Boston Globe over the newspapers editorial in support of the free press, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts.

Robert Chain of Encino, California, was charged with making threatening communications in interstate commerce. Between Aug. 10 and Aug. 22, Chain allegedly made approximately 14 threatening phone calls to the newsroom, including a threat that he would kill Globe employees.

Advertisement

The calls came in response to a campaign spearheaded by the Boston Globe this month in which more than 400 newspapers published coordinated editorials denouncing President Trumps constant attacks on the press, such as calling journalists the enemy of the people and labeling legitimate publications fake news. The Globes editorial, titled, Journalists Are Not the Enemy, warned that the relentless assault on the free press has dangerous consequences for our democracy.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

On Aug. 16, the day the Globe published its editorial, Chain allegedly called the newspaper and warned that he would travel to Boston to shoot newspaper employees in the head that afternoon. In response to that phone call, local law enforcement set up a police presence around the Boston Globes building to protect its staff. In one of his calls, Chain also allegedly referred to the Globe as the enemy of the people, echoing Trumps epithet. (President Trump again called the media the enemy of the people on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.)

Advertisement

According to the FBI, Chain told the Boston Globe he would keep harassing the newsroom as long as it kept attacking the president, the duly elected president of the United States, in the continuation of your treasonous and seditious acts.

The Globes campaign provoked outrage from President Trump. On Aug. 16, President Trump blasted the newspaper editorials in a series of tweets, claiming that the Globe is in COLLUSION with other papers on free press and that THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA IS THE OPPOSITION PARTY. By contrast, the Senate responded to the editorials by unanimously passing a resolution affirming that the media is not the enemy of the people.

Advertisement

In the statement announcing Chains arrest, Harold H. Shaw, the special agent in charge of the FBIs Boston division, said, Everyone has a right to express their opinion, but threatening to kill people takes it over the line and will not be tolerated.

Advertisement

While Chain ultimately did not carry out his alleged threats against the Boston Globe staff, violence against journalists is a grim reality, both in the United States and abroad. In June, a gunman opened fire on the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, killing five employees and injuring two others. Law enforcement confirmed that the mass shooting was a targeted attack on the newspaper by a man with a yearslong vendetta against the publication. The Washington Post reports that 2017 was the most dangerous year ever for journalists around the world, and data published by press-freedom organizations indicates that threats to journalists are increasing.

Chain will appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon and will be transferred to Boston at a later date.
The next phase in the Trump administrations effort to reduce immigration is to strip Americans who were simply born and raised near the border with Mexico of their citizenship by claiming their birth certificates and other birth documents are fraudulent. In June, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, began an Orwellian-sounding process of denaturalization of American citizens that the U.S. government believed obtained citizenship through identity theft and fraud. Over the last nearly 30 years, revoking an American of citizenship has been exceedingly rare, occurring in only several hundred instances. That appears set to change and a Washington Post report Wednesday found the governments program of invalidating what appears to be almost exclusively Hispanic Americans citizenship, by revoking passports of Americans born along the southern border, is not a limited piecemeal effort. Its an active, if discreet American policy thats being carried out against card-carrying citizens.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Whats happening? The Post recounted the story of Juan, a 40-year-old American, who was born in the border town of Brownsville, Texas. Juan, has served as a private in the U.S. Army, later worked for the Border Patrol, and is now a state prison guard. This year, when he tried to renew his passport, the State Department denied the request, saying, despite his American birth certificate, it didnt believe he was an American citizen. Its not clear from the Posts reporting exactly how widespread this practice is, but those on the ground say its most certainly a growing phenomenon. Interviews with immigration attorneys suggest a dramatic shift in both passport issuance and immigration enforcement, according to the Post.

Advertisement

The pretense for the Trump governments move to strip Americans of their citizenship is its belief that hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans born along the border from the 1950s to the 1990s were fraudulently issued American birth certificates by midwives and physicians. There have been documented cases of this type of document fraud occurring. During sting in the 1990s, the Immigration and Naturalization Service found some midwives were getting paid to issue American birth records to Mexican children and uncovered hundreds of fake documents that led to the indictment of at least 10 midwives. This prompted the State Department under George W. Bush and Barack Obama to deny passports to babies delivered by midwives in Texas Rio Grande Valley. But then what? The problem, the Post notes, is the same midwives who provided fraudulent birth certificates also delivered thousands of babies legally in the United States [and] [i]t has proved nearly impossible to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate documents, all of them officially issued by the state of Texas decades ago.

Advertisement

Advertisement

A 2009 settlement between the government and the ACLU appeared to resolve the problem, charting a path forward that ensured that all Americans were afforded the same rights no matter where they were born. In the subsequent years, immigration attorneys said the number of passport denials dropped while disputes and complaints were resolved quickly. The Trump administration, however, appears keen to relitigate the citizenship status of what likely amounts to thousands, even tens of thousands of people. For example, beyond treating the children birthed by midwives as illegitimate citizens, the Post reports, babies delivered by a prominent gynecologist, who delivered as many as 15,000 children during his career, are being denied passports. In some cases, passport applicants with official U.S. birth certificates are being jailed in immigration detention centers and entered into deportation proceedings, according to the Post. In others, they are stuck in Mexico, their passports suddenly revoked when they tried to reenter the United States.
It looks like Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis may be next in line to get the boot for disloyalty to President Donald Trump.

For some time now, Mattis has made statements and pursued policies at odds with Trumps predilections, especially when it comes to strengthening U.S. commitments to NATO and assuring allies in Asia. But his most recent challenges have been particularly upfront, and this time Trump hit back.

The latest flap began Tuesday, when Mattis was asked at a news conference about the future of U.S. joint military exercises with South Korea. At the June summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump had promised to suspend those exercises, saying they were provocative and expensive.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Mattiswho hadnt been consulted on this move at the timemade his opposition to Trumps move clear. The suspension, he said, was taken as a good-faith measure, he said. Then he added, We have no plans at this time to suspend any more exercises.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

In response, the next day, without mentioning Mattis by name, Trump issued a remarkable rebukean unusual four-part tweet, headed STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, which read, in part:

President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government.  Nonetheless, the President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games. Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before. As for the U.S.-China trade disputes, and other differences, they will be resolved in time by President Trump and Chinas great President Xi Jinping. Their relationship and bond remain very strong.

Advertisement

In other words: Butt out, Mattis; Trump is the only one who decides whether to restart the exercises, and meanwhile hes handling everything just fine.

In short, Mattis has lost his political immunity.

The New York Times Mark Landler quoted Pentagon officials as saying that Mattis commentsand press reports citing them as contradictory to Trumpsangered officials in the White House. It wouldnt be farfetched to imagine that Trump may also have been annoyed by Mattis tribute, a few days earlier, to John McCain, lauding the late senator for living a life embodying the Naval Academys motto, not for self, but for countrywhich could be read as a dig at Trump, whose life has embodied the opposite.

Advertisement

Mattis has always seemed to be out of place in Trumps entourage. Trump chose him to be defense secretary, in large part, because of his supposed nickname, Mad Dog. Once in office, he was clearly surprised that Mattisa retired Marine four-star general and combat commanderopposed torture and resisted efforts to start new wars.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Still, Mattis was extremely popular on Capitol Hill and a source of assurance among U.S. allies. If Trump ever felt inclined to fire Mattis, he might have been deterred, for much of his time as president, by the storm of panic and protest that such a move could stir up.

Trump might not feel that way any longer. The Republicans in Congress have proved themselves unwilling or unable to speak out against any outrage that Trump might commit. The allies still admire Mattis, but theyve learned that he doesnt reflect the administrations viewsand, besides, Trump no longer cares much what the allies think.

In short, Mattis has lost his political immunity.

Some who know Mattis say that he would not leave at his own initiative, at least not before the midterm elections. His military ethos demands at least that degree of loyalty and an aversion to politicize his actions, regardless of what he may think of Trump personally. He has also managed, under the radar, to push through certain policiesfor instance, new security initiatives in NATOthat rub against Trumps inclinations. But those avenues may be closinghence the White House pushback to his statement on military exercises with South Korea.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The clash goes beyond the question of merely resuming the exercises. It reflects a deeper clash over how to deal with North Koreas nuclear-weapons program and the security of East Asia. Mattis doesnt want warin fact, before the Trump-Kim lovefest began, he resisted White House pressure to draw up new attack plansbut he does favor continued pressure on Kim to take steps toward disarmament. On this, he is in accord with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton. Trump is alone in believing that Kim is an honest friend with honorable intentions.

Advertisement

But Pompeo is more interested in kowtowing to Trump than in speaking up for U.S. interests or giving him diplomatic advice. Bolton, who has long expressed a desire to bomb North Korea (and Iran) into submission, seems to be sitting back, waiting for the moribund talks with Pyongyang to collapse.

Advertisement

If Mattis leaves, whether on his own or on Trumps orders, the Cabinet will consist entirely of political lackeys or manipulators. Sen. Lindsey Graham is rumored to yearn for the jobwhich may explain his recent turnaround on Trumps suitability for public office (a shift that bodes ill for what sort of secretary of defense he would be). Another aspirant is Sen. Tom Cotton, whose fervid opposition to the Iran nuclear deal would earn him points with Trump as a candidate.

Mattis hasnt been the ideal defense secretary, but at least hes been doing the job. Hes the last grown-up in the room. If Trumps halls of power seem like a playpen run by the rowdiest kids, wait till the chaos spreads across the river to the Pentagon and across the oceans to our dealings with friends and foes.
There is, of course, a lot of competition, but the New York Times report Wednesday that President Trump repeatedly asked former White House Secretary Rob Porter to replace current White House Counsel Don McGahn is perhaps the most Donald Trump thing Donald Trump has ever done. The discussions, reportedly supported by Trumps children and some other aides, took place last year and his courtship of Porter had all the telltale signs of a vintage Trump decision.

First, the rationale behind Trumps desire to tap Porter was he was mad at McGahn. Mr. Trump often blamed Mr. McGahn for the cloud the special counsels investigation had cast over the White House, the Times reports. He said Mr. McGahn should have done more to stop Mr. Sessions from recusing himself from the investigation, the decision Mr. Trump believes cleared the way for Mr. Muellers appointment in May 2017.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Second, Porter is wholly unqualified for the job, having practiced law only briefly after law school and told the president as much. Choosing unqualified people to fill demanding jobs is a familiar, self-destructive Trump maneuver that simultaneously allows Trump to thumb his nose at the entire concept of demanding jobs and competence while installing people around him that have neither the professional experience nor expertise to push back against the presidents whims.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Porter, like every other player in Trumps rapidly receding world, had serious, disqualifying moral shortcomings. Porter left the White House earlier this year after multiple, detailed accounts of domestic violence by two ex-wives came to light. Porters past spousal abuse was significant enough to prevent him from getting permanent security clearance. A keen judge of character, Trump, who may or may not have known about Porters personal life at the time, wanted to give Porter a promotion.
Wes Mountain, an editor and cartoonist for the Australia-based website the Conversation, decided to opt out of his countrys new My Health Record program on the very first day he could.

The project, which Australia has been working on for years at substantial cost, is supposed to make health care more efficient and allow medical providers to better communicate with one another. In its early years, it was an opt-in program that let Australians decide whether to participate. But after spending billions of dollars and many years to build what political leaders assumed would be an appealing program to create a centralized health care database, the government discovered that many citizens werent sold on the need for, or benefits of, the program. When less than 25 percent of Australias citizens signed up for My Health Record in its first few years, the government didnt question whether it was a good idea in the first place. Instead, it decided to just sign them up by default. July 16 was first opportunity for people to make the proactive decision not to take part. Then the tweets began.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Mountain quickly discovered opting out was difficult and maybe impossiblebecause the Australian government database already had a My Health Record for him, and there was no easy way to delete it. By default, according to the government, once you had a My Health Record, you could choose to limit access to your records but not to erase them entirely.

So because myGov [the governments Web portal] thinks I have a Health Record, Mountain tweeted that morning, I have to login with a billion details to setup my Health Record, so I can delete my Health Record. While many Australians were discovering they already had records, others found it difficult to opt out if they didnt. I had to agree to let them share info with other agencies in order to opt out of having my info shared with other agencies, tweeted D. Robert Digman, which meant, in effect, that he had to opt-in in order to be allowed to opt-out.

Advertisement

The hard lessonwhich the Australian government has yet to graspis that you cant just tinker with an inherently anti-privacy program and hope to fix it. You have to redesign it from scratch. If Australia fails to do this, that failure will also permanently erode Australians expectations of privacy. That would be bad for Australia, of course, but it would also be bad for other Western democracies, including the United States, where theres always a tension between governments prerogative to collect data on its citizens and citizens prerogative to say, Hands off!

Advertisement

Months before the planned opt-out windowthe three-month period in which those who didnt have a My Health Record could tell the government not to create oneat least one poll suggested that as many as two-thirds of Australians dont want the government to keep their health information in a centralized health records database.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The newly reorganized government (which is still reeling from a leadership spill over the weekend) is expected to continue pushing for legislative changes aimed at addressing the growing public criticism of the program. These changes include narrowing the range of purposes for which non-health-related government agencies can access health records, requiring warrants and other due-process protections to further limit government use of citizens data, and increasing the ability of citizens to fully delete their records at some point in the future. On Aug. 15, it was announced that the Australian Senate will hold an inquiry into the program. But the one thing the government refuses to consider is the possibility of reverting My Health Record to a purely voluntary opt-in basis.

Advertisement

If the Australian public isnt embracing My Health Record, thats partly because the government is working to erode citizen privacy on multiple digital frontsnot just medical information, but also the data on citizens digital devices, and the data that phone companies and internet services are being ordered to keep about citizens use of those services. Still, the My Health Record controversy is leading the pack of current privacy concerns. According to Dave Vaile, who chairs the Australian Privacy Foundation, the My Health Record program has the characteristics of a classic, major, large government IT system failure.

Advertisement

There are lots of devils in the details of My Health Record. Under the program as it has begun to be implemented this summer, any citizens health care records would held by the government until 30 years after that persons death. Even if an Australian chose later to opt out of the program, the record might still (theoretically) accessible to health care providers and government officials. The governments health minister introduced legislation on Aug. 22 that would address some complaints about the program, but its unclear whether the Australian Parliament has the focus or will to implement the changes, given the political uncertainty in the country.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The pushback against My Health Record has been immense: The majority of media coverage of the rollout has been critical of the full steam ahead approach taken by thenPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbulls government. Citizens who have rushed to opt out have found the system less than easy to navigate. Even some politicians who initially supported the program have made public their own choice to opt out. A Sydney Morning Herald report last month said the number of opt-outs might run into the millions.

In democratic societies, we insist that our governments be accountable to us, loyal to us, and careful about our privacy.

The same kind of public concern sank a similar health-care effort in the United Kingdom just a few years ago. The U.K.s care.data programessentially a British version of My Health Recordwas abandoned in 2016 after a government-appointed commission underscored privacy and security concerns. As the U.K.s experience suggests, the policy problem signaled by the opposition to the My Health Record initiative is bigger than Australia. The appeal of big data approaches to create efficiencies in health care is broad yet not entirely rational: Little actual economic research shows that centralized health care databases will actually provide benefits that recoup the costs of investment. The chief argument in favor of this kind of program is that it will enable health care providers to share patient data more easilybut health care workers, much as they hate the paperwork associated with it, mostly know that theres no substitute for taking a fresh patient history at the point of intake.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Australias health care system has been in something like its current form since 1984. But the push for a national database of personal health information has been more recent. The Australian Department of Health announced in 2010 that the government would be investing heavily in a system of Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records. (Thats the earlier, clunkier name for My Health Record.) The primary idea was to make it more efficient to share critical patient information among health care providers treating the same person.

Advertisement

Another purported benefit would be standardization. Like the United States, Australia has a federal system uniting a set of states that have their own governments. The concern was that a failure to set national standards for digital health records would lead to the states and territories developing their own, possibly mutually incompatible systems. (Incompatible systems are also a problem in the United States, and proposals to standardize a U.S. electronic health record system have been floated for years.)

Advertisement

The 2010 announcement of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records program stated expressly [a] personally controlled electronic health record will not be mandatory to receive health care. The basic model was opt-instarting in 2012, Australians had to actively choose to create their shared digital health records. If you didnt register for the program, however, you didnt create a PCEHR. If you did register, you had the assurance that, under the government-promulgated Australian Privacy Principles, your personal health information would be strongly protected.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The PCEHR program (which was retroactively renamed My Health Record in 2015) looked good in theory, but not so much in practice. The hard fact was that after the government burned somewhere near or past $2 billion AUD, the total number of citizens who had volunteered to opt in to have their health records shared and available in the program was only about 6 million. In other words, about three-quarters of Australias population didnt see a compelling reason to opt in. Australias physicians havent necessarily seen the value in the program either, according to a March report in the Medical Republic.

Advertisement

My Health Record had never been an easy sell. The program went live in 2012, but as of a year later, only 400,000 of Australias 23 million population at the time had opted in. When the countrys Liberal Coalition government took power in 2013, it sponsored a review of the program by experts who, a half-year later, made 38 recommendations aimed at rebooting the stalled program. And the recommendation most important to improving citizen participation in My Health Record was to switch the program from opt-in to opt-outthat is, from purely voluntary participation to passive enrollment by default.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The government hired a consulting firm to evaluate trial studies in Far North Queensland and in the Blue Mountains region of New South Wales, which resulted in a November 2016 trial report that, according to an IEEE Spectrum article recounting the history of the program, led to the governments announcement of a switch to opt-out. Interestingly, neither the public nor health care practitioners paid much attention to the announcement, the Spectrum reports, perhaps because few people had much faith that the e-health system would survive much longer anyway. Despite the governments renewed commitment to My Health Record, new voluntary signups didnt increaseinstead they began to plunge.

Advertisement

As it stands now, the law already authorizes a lot of government access (for law-enforcement agencies, court proceedings, and other non-health-related purposes). And of course, the laws can be amended to authorize even more access. Were you ever treated for alcohol intoxication or for a drug overdose? Did you get a Viagra prescription? An abortion? If your government decides it has a good enough reason to know this stuff about you, its already holding the information.

The Australian Digital Health Agency, the relatively new government agency in charge of the program, said a warrant would be requiredbut that claim was contradicted by Australias Parliamentary Library, whose analysis found that access by non-health-related government agencies with few if any procedural or privacy safeguards. Disturbingly, the Parliamentary Librarys report was abruptly removed and revised after pushback from Turnbulls government. (The removed report has been reproduced here.) And the less-easily-silenced Queensland Police Union advised its members that their records could be viewed without a warrant. A leaked ADHA document, as summarized in a Wednesday report by Australias Healthcare IT News, reveals that the agency is scrambling to respond to the programs critics, either by holding steadfast or fixing problems on the fly.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

One criticism the ADHA is plainly dodging is the fact that access to a citizens health record will be given to organizations, not just specified individuals. A centralized health care record database will give 900,000 health care workers (not just doctors) comparatively unrestricted, untracked access to patient health records. We understand the challenges to consumers around monitoring access by organisation [sic] rather than individual healthcare providers, the ADHA said in the leaked document. If a consumer has a concern with information provided in their records audit log, they can contact the System Operator or the organisation directly to understand who has accessed their record. Yes, that sounds exactly like something a consumer should have to do!

This is a key reason so many prominent Australian health care and privacy experts argue that the governments new promises to patch the system are inadequate. Measures like requiring government agencies to get a warrant do nothing to protect patients from unauthorized access to their records by health care workers with access to the My Health Record system.

Advertisement

Some critics argue the government has painted itself into a corner due to the sunk costs. But Bernard Robertson-Dunn of the Australian Privacy Foundation argues the better choice is to write off the whole problem, despite the fact that the government has spent those billions.

Advertisement

That seems unlikely to happen. But citizens in a democratic society should have the political power to demand that their governments scrap a policy when its based on major privacy blunders. In a 2016 article in the Atlantic, Yale law professor Jack Balkin and Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain may have hinted at a way forward. They suggested that the big tech companies ought to be considered information fiduciaries, with something like the same professional duties of care and loyalty that doctors and lawyers must adhere to.

Big Tech hasnt exactly rushed to embrace the idea. But surely imposing fiduciary obligations on government itself is within reach. In democratic societies, we insist that our governments be accountable to us, loyal to us, and careful about our privacy as well as our other rights. In this sense, what Australians want is no different from what U.S. citizens wanta government that earns our trust, deserves it, and does whats necessary to keep it.
Celebrities are constantly surrounded by camerasfrom paparazzi to fans to livestreams on their own smartphones. This constant attention puts new pressure on personal protection professionals to manage public perception while mitigating escalating threats.

Celebrity protection is complex, but not entirely unmanageable. A good threat assessmentcoupled with protective intelligence, strong operational plans, and diligent protection officerscan effectively guard most celebrities and keep them from harms way. While this type of work is not everyones cup of tea, it is an exciting environment for the right protectors to showcase their professional skills and training.
It all makes sense once you realize they want to kill us, by Mike Whitney - The Unz Review : 'It is now apparent that these products in ...
Kiska: SNP should not be celebrated only once a year

Thousands of people came to Banska Bystrica to remember the message of the Slovak National Uprising.

Font size: A - | A +

About 10,000 people attended the two-day commemoration of the Slovak National Uprising (SNP), organised at the SNP Museum in Banska Bystrica.

The museum wants to remember this historical moment, with the aim of addressing the young generation and why the SNP, which started on August 29, 1944, has an important place in Slovak history, the TASR newswire reported.

Read also:

Read also: War, heroism and history in Slovakia (Spectacular Slovakia - travel guide) Read more

It turned out well, said Stanislav Micev, head of the SNP Museum, as quoted by TASR. Weve received many positive responses directly from visitors and from people on social networks.

Kiska: SNP a turning point

Apparent peace, personal comfort, the unwillingness to face unpleasant truths and a false unity cannot be a reason for trying to justify injustice and the arbitrariness of power towards people, minorities and individuals. This is the real legacy of SNP that we should cherish not only with ceremonial speeches once a year at memorials, but our everyday service to Slovakias people, said President Andrej Kiska during the central celebrations of SNP anniversary.

Seventy-four years ago, brave men and women in Slovakia joined the fight of the civilised world against fascist and Nazi ideology, Kiska said, as quoted by TASR. They decided to fight against a regime that did not hesitate to send its own people to die in concentration camps. These men and women stood against the ruling power that turned into a puppet willing to abuse and humiliate Slovakia. They revolted against the state to save the future of their country and people living in it."

Moreover, with SNP the country claimed allegiance to civilised, democratic and cultural Europe, which rejected and eventually defeated the ideology of evil.

The uprising was a turning point in our history that unites the personal stories of great courage, the willingness to bear hardship and the determination to fight for the right thing, Kiska added, as quoted by TASR.

The president thanked the participants in the uprising and their families, as well as the representatives of the countries who fought alongside Slovaks during the uprising.

Pellegrini comments on extremism

PM Peter Pellegrini (Smer) expressed regret that people who experienced SNP still have to witness attempts of doubting SNP.

You are offended by people who dont know what happened in 1944, Pellegrini said in his speech, as quoted by TASR. They want to re-evaluate history, but well never allow this to happen. We will defend the freedom you won for us.

In this respect, he thanked the inhabitants of the Banska Bystrica Region for not allowing the extremists to return to the official authorities after last years regional elections. He called it a small SNP, as reported by TASR.

Plans for next year

Since next year Slovakia will commemorate the 75th anniversary of SNP, the museum in Banska Bystrica plans to organise four-day celebrations. Part of it will be several accompanying events and attractions like the camps of military history clubs, said Micev.

He has also addressed Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak, asking him to secure the participation of top representatives of the countries that were allies during World War II, as well as Germany.

I think that after 75 years we can also invite the Germans, Micev said, as quoted by TASR. I would be glad if they came, together with other representatives of the European Union.

30. Aug 2018 at 12:06 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Slovakia widens competencies of Slovak soldiers in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The decision was adopted during the non-formal meeting of Defence Ministries.

Slovakia plans to strengthen its eligibilities in the foreign military mission EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As a result, the Slovak Armed Forces will not send more soldiers to the area but the fields where the soldiers work will be widened. Slovak soldiers will take part in exploration and report activities. They have worked in EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina since the establishment of the mission in 2004.

The Defence Ministers of the EU member countries met in Vienna to negotiate issues of illegal migration to Europe and the project of Permanent Structured Cooperation called PESCO.

The EUFOR Althea operation has a significant meaning when it comes to the stabilisation of the western Balkans, said Defence Minister Peter Gajdos (SNS), as quoted by the SITA newswire, adding that he is glad that Slovakia has participated from the beginning.

The ministers discussed project PESCO. The Slovak artillery support project EuroArtillery belongs to the first phase of the project realisation. Ministers also talked about the European Peace Tool, the aim of which is the common financing of the military and peace operations of the EU and the construction of the common defence capacities of member countries.

Besides that, the head of defence planning talked about the implementation of a Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD). This is a tool to identify a lack of defence capabilities and to search for ways to remove the shortage via common cooperation, SITA reported.

The ministers also negotiated the future of the Sophia operation related to the reallocation of migrants saved in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The Slovak delegation recognised the role of this operation in increasing safety in the central Mediterranean area as well as its contribution to the fight against illegal migration, as reported by SITA.

Gajdos, however, stressed that when considering the question of migrant reallocation, it is necessary to keep to the voluntary principle.

31. Aug 2018 at 0:18 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Looking down from a space ship, an alien could be forgiven for thinking that the daily business of Plentea is that of a specialty coffee bar.

Yes, there is a boxy metal machine that spews hot streams through either of two portafilters and, next to them, a wand that gets milky pitchers afroth. Yes, tools stand by for the sieving, shaking, whisking, and pouring of slower-moving liquids, served hot and cold. Toward the front of the formidable black bar, glass domes politely shelter croissant loaves, cranberry almond-flour muffins, and banana bread. Some customers get cups to go, while some choose to stay, sipping and sitting on street-facing stools or at communal tables upstairs. They hear pleasant music, take in the walls futurist geometric designs, and use the Wi-Fi.

But, earth to everyone: Plentea is a tea bar.

And as it turns out, that workhorse appliance making all the noise is not for espresso. It is a Teapresso, developed by Taiwanese espresso machine manufacturer Klub more than a decade ago and still likelier to appear in Asia than the Parkdale neighborhood of Canadas most populous city. Plenteas owners say their CSB2T modelwhich, besides two group heads and a steamer, has a high-volume brewing unit for up to eight-liter extractionsmakes for optimal steeping.



Standardization and quality control matter a lot to Mohammed Binyahya and Tariq Al Barwani, the 30-somethings who opened Plentea in 2016. Both were born and raised in the United Arab Emirates and met as engineering students at the University of Calgary. The school in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies was a fitting place to learn about the oil and gas industry, explains Binyahya; Al Barwani admits being especially drawn to the mountains. That kind of market-opportunity acumen coupled with environmental attunedness seems to be just what has led the duo to success so far.

Back in Dubai there is this trend in tea, where people are drinking these small, cool cups everywherein the malls, everywhere you go, says Binyahya, reflecting on contemporary Emirati cultures influence on their enterprise. [The tea is] called chai karak, and its a very trendy and cool drink that everyone has. So we thought: why not take that to another level where people can have different varieties?



Make new patterns is Plenteas slogan. It comes into sharp relief upon hearing that the 23 wall-mounted dispensers of leaves and spices sourced from Asia and Africa can be combined to make an infinite amount of teas. Although the set menu now offers 20 beverages made from a tea or a tisane (an herbal infusion), the tea bar concept means we dont pre-blend teas, we dont pre-mix teas, we dont use tea bags, Al Barwani stresses. Customization is encouraged, too. Fighting the sniffles? Request more citrus in the black tea-based hot toddy. Caffeine-craving but sugar-skeptical? Order the Black Velvet chai sans chocolate syrup.

Plentea estimates that 90 percent of its sales are of tea, though an espresso, a latte, and a mocha are also on the menu, winkingly prefaced by the suggestion to caffeinate the old school way. Toronto roaster Mountain View Coffee supplies the beans, a Brazilian-Peruvian espresso blend; shots are pulled on a one-group La Spaziale S2 EK. Prior work in cafes, ranging from their university food hall to Starbucks, clearly helped prepare Binyahya and Al Barwani for the current operations.

People, especially in coffee culture, like to get things fast, efficiently, Binyahya says. So we made sure that this also transfers to tea cultureand this is why were a little bit different. We call ourselves a tea bar. Its not going to be a teahouse.



Toronto no doubt has other remarkable tea spotsfor example, the multiple retail outposts of takeaway-by-the-tin-tending chain DavidsTea and the floridly porcelainic Annvita Tea Room, a true study in Commonwealth fetishization. But, as Binyahya emphasizes, Plentea offers a modern way of drinking teaso its per cup, with a focus on making that [preparation] procedure very efficient, in the same way as coffee. Tea traditionalists may balk. But to patrons of new-wave cafes, the approach is not at all alien.

Karina Hof is a Sprudge staff writer based in Amsterdam. Read more Karina Hof on Sprudge.
Dedicated to the Restoration of Progressive Democracy
Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacation
Standing L-R: Ivan Sen, Shari Sebbens, Warwick Thornton, Aaron FaAoso, Hunter Page-Lochard

Seated L-R: Tasia Zalar, Penny Smallacombe, Elaine Crombie, Leah Purcell, Rob Collins, Rachel Perkins, Dylan River

Indigenous industry veterans and emerging artists have marked 25 years of Screen Australias Indigenous Department.

In attendance at an event at Carriageworks, Redfern today were director Rachel Perkins (Mystery Road, Bran Nue Dae), director and actor Leah Purcell (Redfern Now, Wentworth), and directors Ivan Sen (Mystery Road, Goldstone), Dylan River (Nulla Nulla) and Warwick Thornton (Samson & Delilah, Sweet Country).

They were joined by Rob Collins (Cleverman), Elaine Crombie (8MMM, Kiki and Kitty), Aaron FaAoso (Little J & Big Cuz, The Straits), Aaron McGrath (Mystery Road, Glitch, Jasper Jones), Hunter Page-Lochard (Spear, Cleverman) and Tasia Zalar (Mystery Road, The Warriors).

Penny Smallacombe Head of Indigenous at Screen Australia, said, When Wal Saunders set up the Indigenous Department in 1993, it would have been unthinkable that over 160 First Nations screen stories would end up being made. Twenty five years later, its unthinkable to imagine the Australian screen industry without our Indigenous stories and the people who tell them.

This anniversary is an incredibly special moment in Australias cultural history, and one that Indigenous people can treasure.

Today I looked around the room and saw 25 years of progress personified, she noted, For instance, Warwick Thornton and Rachel Perkins were part of the very first short film series funded by the Indigenous Department, and a quarter of century later Warwick is a Camera dOr-winning director and Rachel just helmed the most successful ABC iview drama in history  Mystery Road. And significantly, new names such as Dylan River, Aaron McGrath and Tasia Zalar have worked on projects from both Warwick and Rachel, so were seeing generational and sustained changed. I cannot tell you how significant that is, knowing that young Indigenous people will grow up seeing themselves on screen.

ABC Managing Director Michelle Guthrie said in a statement: Congratulations to Screen Australias Indigenous Department for its crucial role over 25 years in developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and talent. Together with the ABCs own Indigenous department, we have ignited conversations and engaged audiences, building greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture. I would also like to pay special tribute to Sally Riley for her invaluable work in re-invigorating Indigenous content and storytellers.

ABC Head Drama, Comedy & Indigenous Sally Riley (who was Head of Screen Australias Indigenous Department from 2000-2010) said: At the heart of our work are Indigenous filmmakers  the visionary writers, directors, producers and crew who share their personal experiences and take our audiences into the world of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia. The ABC is extremely proud to be part of this journey that is far from over. Lets keep making stories that push boundaries, defy expectations and are bloody entertaining.

The Indigenous screen community will formally mark the anniversary this evening with a showcase at Carriageworks. The event is being staged with the generous support of the ABC and NITV, plus Film Victoria, Screenwest, Documentary Australia Foundation, Shark Island Institute, Adelaide Film Festival and Carriageworks.

Photo credit: Daniel Boud for Screen Australia
TEN this week announced Kerry Armstrong in a guest role for Neighbours.

The former Wrong Girl actress will play Alice Wells, described as a demure and kind-hearted shortbread baking nanna. However, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to Alice than a mixing bowl and rolling pin, as she cooks up a shocking plan involving one of Ramsay Streets favourite households.

It is not often you get to be so creative in your own backyard so when the producers asked me to play the role of Alice Wells in Neighbours it was simply irresistible, Armstrong said.

Alice is a character who pushes every boundary and is a force to be reckoned with. I was looking to challenge and stretch myself to the limits playing a phenomenal character and Alice is just that.

Neighbours Executive Producer, Jason Herbison said: Kerry is a legend of Australian film and television and we are honoured to have her in Neighbours. This character is one of my all-time favourites and she is the perfect actress to bring her to life. We had a lot of fun plotting the storyline and Kerry has the crew mesmerised with her performance.

Network TEN Executive Producer of Neighbours, Sara Richardson, said: We are so delighted to have Kerry on Ramsay Street. It has been so much fun watching her bring such a compelling energy to the character Alice. She is a force to be reckoned with.

The role also sees Armstrong back at the Nunawading studios where she filmed Prisoner in the 1970s.

She will appear on air in late October.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declined to weigh into a media story about a sketch on Tonightly with Tom Ballard, after suggestions a sketch was attacking his religion.

The sketch referenced Morrisons Pentecostal Church amid comment about border protection and other hot topics, with a song by Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd and Bridie Connell. Morrison is a former Immigration Minister and was an opponent of same-sex marriage legislation.

Some Australians are confused about @ScottMorrisonMPs evangelical faith and the role it plays in his politics. Christian rock duo #TheShadowMinisters explain through song #Tonightly pic.twitter.com/ISMnRxEekL  Tonightly (@tonightly) August 28, 2018

News Corp articles attacked the sketch as ridiculing his faith, drawing upon plenty of social media outrage.

While comedy by its very nature is out to provoke, this may prove a first test of the new PMs sense of humour.

Today Morrison denied viewing the segment and told reporters, The ABC can be numpties every now and then but my faith teaches me to love each other and to turn the other cheek.

Host Tom Ballard responded on social media to the criticism.

To all the people saying I bet you wouldnt have the guts to make jokes about a MUSLIM, you should know that I make jokes about Barack Obama all the time.  Tom Ballard #80aday (@TomCBallard) August 29, 2018

Studio 10 also debated the boundaries of sketch comedy, with Denise Drysdale noting media is too quick to attack comedians.

Should mocking religious beliefs of politicians be off-limits? Or is everything fair game? #Studio10 pic.twitter.com/ZDPvVrMhhV  Studio 10 (@Studio10au) August 29, 2018

A statement by ABC said, Tonightly is a topical comedy program, aimed at younger adults and broadcast on the comedy channel.

Over more than 150 episodes it has satirised a wide range of individuals, issues and institutions. It regularly takes on people in positions of authority, regardless of their race, gender, political or religious beliefs.

The Shadow Ministers musical skit did not attack Prime Minister Scott Morrisons religion or religious beliefs, and to suggest otherwise is to misconstrue the material.

Most viewers would understand the skit to be a satirical way of examining the relationship between such beliefs and government policies on asylum seekers.

Mr Morrison has publicly discussed his religious beliefs on numerous occasions, and many media outlets have explored how his faith sits alongside his public policies and statements.

Tonightly has 5 more shows to air after ABC announced the show would not continue.
(Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that it may be possible to reach a deal on NAFTA ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's Friday deadline.

"We recognise that there is a possibility of getting there by Friday, but it is only a possibility, because it will hinge on whether or not there is ultimately a good deal for Canada," he said at a press conference in northern Ontario. "No NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal."

(Reporting by Allison Martell and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; Editing by Susan Thomas)
Namibian education and cultur Ministerin Katrina Hanse-Himarwa and Minister of State Michelle Muentefering in the foreign office attend a ceremony in Berlin, Germany, August 29, 2018, to hand back human remains from Germany to Namibia following the 1904-1908 genocide against the Herero and Nama . REUTERS/Christian Mang

Thomson Reuters

BERLIN (Reuters) - Skulls and other remains of massacred tribespeople used in the colonial era for experiments to push claims of European racial superiority were handed over by Germany to Namibia at a church ceremony in Berlin.

In what historians call the first genocide of the 20th century, soldiers of German Kaiser Wilhelm slaughtered some 65,000 Herero and 10,000 Nama tribespeople in a 1904-08 campaign after a revolt against land seizures by German colonists.

At Wednesday's ceremony, a Namibian delegation received the skulls and bones from German Foreign Ministry representatives. They will be taken to the Namibian capital Windhoek on Aug. 31 where rituals will be carried out.

"Today, we want to do what should have been done many years ago - to give back to their descendents the remains of people who became victims of the first genocide of the 20th century," said Petra Bosse-Huber, a German Protestant bishop.

Namibian Education Minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa said last week that the government would create a group to decide whether to bury or display the repatriated skulls that had been kept in German museums.

Germany has acknowledged "moral responsibility" for the killings but to avoid compensation claims, has avoided making an official apology for the massacres.

Esther Utjiua Muinjangue, chairwoman of the Ovaherero Genocide Foundation, said the handover ceremony would have been the perfect opportunity for Germany to officially apologize.

"Is that asking too much? I don't think so," she told reporters in Berlin earlier this week.

Ignored for decades, Germany's colonial history is drawing increasing attention. A couple of years ago, the German Historical Museum curated a big exhibition on the subject.

Germany, which lost all its colonial territories after World War One, was the third biggest colonial power after Britain and France, which lost theirs after World War Two.

Story continues

During its 1904-08 campaign in what was then German South West Africa, the German Reich sent reinforcements to put down an uprising by tribespeople over their expulsion from their land and recruitment into forced labor. The Hereros had killed 123 German traders, settlers and soldiers.

In addition to the slaughter, thousands of Hereros were driven into the desert and died of thirst and starvation, and the rest were sent to concentration camps.

Legal representatives for the Herero and Nama people have brought a lawsuit against Germany in New York over genocide and property seizure carried out by German colonists.

The German government has entered negotiations with the Namibian government over possible reparations for the genocide but the lawsuit argues that Germany violated international law on the rights of indigenous peoples.

(Reporting by Madeline Chambers, Reuters Television and Nyasha Nyaunga in Windhoek; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

See Also:
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - A military helicopter crashed in Ethiopia's Oromiya region on Thursday and all 18 people aboard, including 15 soldiers, were killed, the state-affiliated news agency Fana said.

The other three dead were civilians, Fana said. There was no immediate word on exactly where the helicopter came down and whether there were any casualties or damage on the ground.

Addisu Arega, a Oromiya regional cabinet minister, confirmed the Fana report and tweeted: "All passengers on board died. The cause is under investigation. Our condolences to the families."

The helicopter was flying from the eastern Ethiopian town of Dire Dawa and headed to Bishoftu around 60 kilometres south of the capital Addis Ababa, Addisu said.

(Reporting by Maggie Fick and Aaron Maasho; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Omar Mohammed)
The entrance to Walt Disney studios is seen in Burbank, California, U.S. August 6, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

By Ben Martin

LONDON (Reuters) - Activist hedge fund Elliott believes Walt Disneys deal to buy assets from Twenty-First Century Fox has valued Sky at more than $34 billion(26.15 billion pounds), higher than any of the current offers for the British broadcaster, Britains takeover regulator disclosed on Wednesday.

Sky is at centre of a bidding battle between Rupert Murdochs Fox, which already owns 39 percent of the pay-television company, and U.S. cable giant Comcast.

Disney has also agreed a separate deal to buy TV and film assets from Fox, including its Sky shareholding, for about $71 billion. Disney was forced to raise the price it is paying for the Fox businesses in June to $38 a share after Comcast also tried to gate-crash that deal.

Comcast currently has the upper-hand in the fight for Sky after it offered 14.75 pounds a share for the broadcaster last month, trumping a sweetened 14 pounds a share bid that Fox made earlier in July.

But Elliott, which owns a 4.3 percent stake in Sky, and hedge funds Davidson Kempner and Farallon Capital have argued that Sky is worth at least 15.01 pounds a share in the wake of Disneys improved offer for the Fox assets, British regulator the Takeover Panel said on Wednesday.

That would value Sky as a whole at about 26.4 billion pounds ($34.3 billion), according to Reuters calculations.

Elliott and the two other funds did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

At issue is the price Disney might be forced to offer to take full control of Sky. This is set by the Panel and essentially puts a floor under Skys shares, which closed at 15.44 pounds on Wednesday in London.

The Panel ruled in April that Disney would have to buy Sky if its deal for the Fox assets completes before either Fox or Comcast have managed to take control of the British broadcaster.

REGULATOR CHALLENGED

In the wake of Disneys improved offer for the Fox businesses in June, the Panel decided in July that any compulsory offer for Sky should be priced at 14 pounds a share. That ruling was then reviewed and upheld by the Takeover Appeal Board, an independent body, earlier this month after several interested parties lodged appeals against the decision.

Story continues

The Panel and the Takeover Appeal Board identified the challengers on Wednesday, disclosing for the first time that Elliott, Davidson Kempner and Farallon had unsuccessfully argued for a mandatory Disney offer of no lower than 15.01 pounds a share.

Skys independent directors had contended that the level of any mandatory Disney offer be set at 14.59 pounds a share, the Panel and the Appeal Board said.

Meanwhile, Fox had believed the compulsory Disney offer should have been fixed at 12.50 pounds a share but had accepted the regulator's original ruling of 14 pounds, according to the Panel and the Appeal Board.

They added that Disney, which had also not challenged the Panel's decision, had put a 12.50 pound a share price tag on the 39 percent Sky stake when it revised its offer for the Fox assets.

The disclosure of the different parties valuations is significant because the battle for Sky is not over.

Both Fox and Comcast have until Sept. 22 to lift their offers for the pay-TV group if they decide to do so. If Skys future is not resolved by then, the Panel has the power to intervene and run a formal auction to bring the bidding war to an end.

($1 = 0.7688 pounds)

(Reporting by Ben Martin; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Jane Merriman)
Donald Trump taking questions in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Tuesday. (Rex)

Donald Trump took aim at China in his latest Twitter tirade, blaming them for the lack of progress in North Koreas denuclearisation programme.

The US President sent a loaded message to Kim Jong Un in a series of tweets where he warned he could instantly restart military exercises with South Korea.

Mr Trump said the exercises could be far bigger than ever before, in a string of tweets which will case doubts over his supposed warming of relations with the North Korean autocrat.

Military leaders were caught by surprise in June when Mr Trump announced the suspension with the South, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should. He called the drills costly and provocative.

Donald Trump developed what appeared to be a warmer relationship with Kim Jong Un, pictured here in an undated handout image. (Reuters)

Mr Trump said, citing what was presented as a White House statement: The president believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint US-South Korea war games.

Besides, the president can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before.

The cancellation was an olive branch to Pyongyang, which has long complained that the exercises were invasion preparations. Often the North has reacted to the exercises with its own demonstrations of military might, including firing a new intermediate-range missile over Japan last year as a countermeasure to the drills.

considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful! Nonetheless, the President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018

differences, they will be resolved in time by President Trump and Chinas great President Xi Jinping. Their relationship and bond remain very strong.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018

There was some hope that the gesture of shelving the exercises would foster goodwill and help nudge the North in the denuclearisation talks.

Story continues

But beyond returning the apparent remains of about 55 US troops missing since the Korean War, and its continuing suspension in its missile and nuclear tests, there has been little movement from the North.

MOST READ STORIES ON YAHOO UK TODAY:

M25 crash: Ikea lets stranded customers sleep in store beds after lorry blocks Dartford Crossing

Britains ugliest building: Behold the six contenders for unwanted architecture award

First sex doll brothel set to open in North America

Police hunting two convicted rapists who absconded from Gloucestershire open prison

Man, 61, fights off shark attack by punching it in the gills

As a result, the US last week shelved a planned trip to Pyongyang by secretary of state Mike Pompeo, citing lack of progress on denuclearisation, but remaining open to future talks.

As doubts grow in Washington and beyond over Mr Kims willingness to relinquish his weapons, Mr Trump has been heaping blame on China, which is North Koreas traditional ally and main trading partner.





On Wednesday, the president accused Beijing of pressuring the North because of tensions in US-China trade relations, and also of providing North Korea with money, fuel, fertiliser and other commodities, which he said was not helpful.

China co-operated with the US last year in adopting tough international sanctions against North Korea and maintains it is still enforcing the restrictions adopted by the UN Security Council.

IN PICTURES: DONALD TRUMP MEETS KIM JONG-UN IN HISTORIC SUMMIT

But in his tweets, Mr Trump also signalled that the US has its own military means of exerting pressure on Pyongyang. His remarks compounded confusing messages from the Pentagon over the past two days that have revived speculation over the drills.

On Tuesday, defence secretary Jim Mattis told reporters the US might carry out drills with South Korea next spring after cancelling a major exercise this summer. He said no decision had been made on when to resume military exercises, but his statements suggested the recent cancellation might not be repeated.
By Ana Ionova and Josiane Kouagheu

LONDON/DOUALA, Cameroon (Reuters) - Cocoa firms operating in Cameroon have moved staff out of the Anglophone region of the country and farmers are abandoning their crops in the area, as violence between separatists and security forces intensifies, exporters and farmers told Reuters.

Sources say the deepening conflict has started denting cocoa output and flow from the southwest, stripping the region of its mantle as Cameroon's top cocoa-growing area.

Telcar Cocoa, Olam and Theobroma are among the firms that have moved the majority of their staff out of southwest Cameroon due to safety concerns, according to several sources with knowledge of the matter.

Some cocoa farmers have also abandoned their plantations and fled, driven out by a rise in kidnappings, extortion and fighting between insurgents and security forces.

"Producers have fled into the bush and elsewhere, and can no longer take care of their plantations," said James Mosima, president of the union of southwest cocoa farmers. "The situation is really very difficult."

Cameroon has been gripped by violence since November 2016, when government forces crushed a movement of Anglophone teachers and lawyers protesting against their perceived marginalization by the country's French-speaking majority.

The protests morphed into an insurgency of separatists seeking independence for the Anglophone southwest and northwest regions, which were controlled by Britain during colonialism.

The crisis has intensified ahead of elections in October, with the increasingly bloody clashes hitting cocoa trade in what was once the key cocoa region of Cameroon, the world's fifth-largest producer.

WORSENING VIOLENCE

In recent months, insurgents have abducted and killed soldiers while security forces responded by burning villages and opening fire on fleeing residents, according to witnesses. The army denies such accusations.

Sources say deteriorating security has made it increasingly difficult for cocoa buyers and exporters to operate in the area. At least one warehouse belonging to Telcar, the largest buyer in the region, was burned, according to several sources with knowledge of the matter.

Story continues

The crisis has led major cocoa firms - including Telcar Cocoa, Theobroma and Olam - to relocate most of their staff from the region, according to sources.

Telcar Cocoa is a joint venture between Cargill and Cameroonian businesswoman Kate Kanyi Fotso Tometi. Theobroma is part of ECOM Group.

The sources said Theobroma has relocated its staff some 150 km (95 miles) south, from the Mamfe region to Kumba. Olam, meanwhile, has moved staff out of Mamfe and Kumba to the economic capital, Douala, the sources said.

Most international companies had small teams stationed in the region, they said, with one of the sources estimating 15-20 people were moved altogether.

Cargill declined to comment. Olam and ECOM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cameroon's trade minister and Fotso also declined to answer questions about the crisis in the Anglophone regions.

Most international export firms now use local buying agents as intermediaries to source cocoa from the affected areas, exporters said.

"At one point, if the effort or the risk is too much ... you leave it to the buying agents," one source at an international firm said.

BULLETS AND EXTORTION

Some farmers also said they had fled, fearing violence and threats from separatists demanding payments to allow cocoa to move out of the southwest.

Several cocoa farmers who had left that region told Reuters armed groups had been targeting "rich men" and demanding money to allow the flow of goods out of the area.

In June, Peter, 59, abandoned his cocoa farm and sought refuge in Douala with his wife and four children.

"Since (the) beginning of this year ... not a week has passed without an exchange of fire between army and separatist fighters," said Peter, who declined to give his last name for security reasons.

"I had three hectares of cocoa and I gave up everything. I could not stay because, apart from bullets, the separatists extorted money from us."

As many as 200,000 people have fled the English-speaking regions since late last year, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

As farmers flee the southwest, sources say the conflict has started to hit cocoa output and flow.

The southwest accounted for 45 percent of Cameroon's production in 2016/17, but its share dropped to 32 percent last season, according to CICC, the country's cocoa regulator.

Cameroon produced 253,510 tonnes of beans in the 2017-2018 season.

For a graphic, click http://tmsnrt.rs/2yVlmVV

The conflict has made it more difficult to move beans out of the Anglophone region and into the main port in Douala, the sources said.

Cameroon's cocoa stocks built up to 21,159 tonnes in 2017-2018, from 7,212 tonnes in the prior season, according to the National Office of Cocoa and Coffee (ONCC).

"The vast majority of this stock is in the English-speaking region because the fighting paralyses everything," a source at the ONCC said.

However, trade sources said cocoa was still finding its way out of the southwest, as more beans were being smuggled into Nigeria instead.

One trade source estimated that volumes flowing across the border rose to 30,000-40,000 tonnes last season, from about 10,000 in previous years.

"At the end of the day, cocoa is money for the locals," the source said. "It's like water - it always finds its way out."

(Additional reporting by Ange Aboa in Abidjan; Editing by Dale Hudson)

See Also:
A forest fire broke out in the vicinity of Castro de Lobarzan, near Vilaza, in the Spanish wine region of Monterrei, on Wednesday, August 29, burning nearly 125 acres (50 hectares) of land and injuring a forestry official.

The authorities deployed 12 helicopters, four aircraft and 14 brigades of firefighters to battle the fire, according to La Voz De Galicia.

This footage, shared by a firefighter on August 29, shows firefighters from the BRIF (Reinforcement Brigade Forest Fires) battling the blaze. Credit: BRIF Laza via Storyful
FILE PHOTO: Felix Hufeld, President of Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority BaFin (Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) attends the G20 Germany 2017 Conference in Wiesbaden, Germany January 25, 2017. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski/File Photo

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Regulators could enact emergency measures in the case of a so-called hard Brexit to minimise "chaos", the president of Germany's financial market watchdog Bafin said on Thursday.

If Britain leaves the EU at the end of March without an exit agreement that would clarify numerous outstanding legal questions, Bafin could bring in temporary measures, Bafin president Felix Hufeld said.

"These would be just temporary fixes to avoid chaos," he told a banking conference in Frankfurt, without being more specific.

Hufeld also said that Germany was processing more than 25 banking licenses in the wake of Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

The figure is the most precise number Bafin has provided. A number of global banks are moving some of their operations to Germany from London as a new base for their European operations after Brexit.

(Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by Caroline Copley and Andrew Bolton)
Ali Mushaima, the son of a prominent opposition figure jailed in Bahrain since 2011, has been on hunger strike outside the Bahrainian embassy in London for the past month, demanding medical treatment for his father.

Footage posted by Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy shows a doctor describing the poor state of Mushaimas health. Mushaima then describes feeling weak and dizzy, but says he will not give up until his father has his basic rights and medical treatment.

Amnesty International said on August 6 that Bahraini authorities had deliberately denied proper medical care for four elderly jailed activists. These were Ali Mushaimas father, Hassan Mushaima, as well as Abdel-Jalil al-Singace, Abdel-Wahab Hussain and Abdel-Jalil al-Miqdad. Bahrain was subjecting them to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and putting their lives at risk, Amnesty said.

The four were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011, Amnesty said.

Speaking to Reuters in August, Bahraini officials in London denied Mushaima was being mistreated, saying he had been to the prison medical clinic 16 times since the beginning of 2018. Credit: Sayed Ahmed al-Wadaei via Storyful
Meghan Markle isnt throwing away her shot to see Hamilton again  and for a good cause!

The Duchess of Sussex will step out with Prince Harry today for a London performance of the hit musical, Kensington Palace announced. The event on Wednesday evening will raise funds for one of Harrys longtime charities, Sentebale, which he set up alongside friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. In June, Harry took a solo trip to Africa to open a school and a house on behalf of the charity.

The couple will be the guests of honor at Hamilton, alongside the show creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda. The trio will meet the cast and crew on the stage of Londons Victoria Palace Theatre and address the audience.

Tickets for the special performance range from $25 to $130, plus a charity donation. Sentebale is set to receive thousands of dollars to help fund its work for children and young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Cant get enough of PEOPLEs Royals coverage? Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

However, this wont be Meghans first (or even second!) time taking in the musical based on the incredible life of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. She and Harry spent a date night at Hamilton in London in February, thrilling the cast with their appearance among the sellout crowd.

Ironically, the Tony winner for Best Musical pokes fun at Prince Harrys ancestor, King George III.

Harry and Meghan enjoyed dates at the theater when they first began dating, but this is the first time they had been known to hit the West End after making their engagement announcement.

Meghan also saw the show in New York City with longtime pal Priyanka Chopra. Before deleting her Instagram account, the former Suits star shared a photo of the duo posing with the Playbill in hand.

RELATED VIDEO: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Had a Date Night to See Hamilton  the Musical That Makes Fun of His Ancestor!

Story continues

On top of honoring her American roots, the musical gives a nod to Meghans feminist beliefs.

You want a revolution? I want a revelation. So listen to my declaration: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. And when I meet Thomas Jefferson, Im a compel him to include women in the sequel!' the character of Angelica Schuyler sings in the show.
Iran Persian Gulf Strait of Hormuz sea mine US Navy

(AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

A mysterious naval mine was found off the coast of Washington state Tuesday.

The Navy sent an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to destroy the decades-old weapon while the Coast Guard and local authorities secured the area.

The mine's origin remains unclear.

What appeared to be a contact-style naval mine was detected mysteriously floating off the coast of Washington state Tuesday, prompting the US Navy to send in a team to destroy it, according to local reports.

Images of the mine, which was first discovered by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, showed a round, rust-covered object with rods protruding from it floating in the water near Bainbridge Island, located across the way from Seattle and near Naval Base Kitsap, which is home to one of the Navy's most important shipyards, Puget Sound.

Tweet Embed:

//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1034652016801284096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

So a naval mine was found floating 1 KM off Brownsville marina in the Puget Sound in Washington State. Its located south of Keyport in an area that has been highly strategic for the US navy for over a century. (3rd pic- whose takin whose picture!?). pic.twitter.com/ZedS4Aw6j9

The Navy sent an Explosive Ordinance Disposal team to deal with the mine while the Coast Guard and local authorities set up a safety zone, encouraging nearby residents to shelter in their homes.

"Upon initial inspection, the unidentified moored mine was found to have decades of marine growth," the Navy revealed. After lassoing the mine and dragging it out to open waters, the Navy EOD team detonated the mine at around 8 pm Tuesday evening.

Tweet Embed:

//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1034597014846074881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

WATCH: Divers work to secure a tow line around the unexploded mine found floating in Port Orchard Bay off Brownsville Marina. The @USCG says the @USNavy plans to tow it to Keyport.



FULL STORY: https://t.co/nDvP77ZWoM pic.twitter.com/KdSG55cCw1

Story continues

Tweet Embed:

//twitter.com/mims/statuses/1034672321850535936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another day @ the office w/ @PhotogGriff @KIRO7Seattle as we watch @USNavy @USCGPacificNW @KitsapEM respond to a mine found off of Brownsville Marina; Navy personnel exploded the mine while people watched from the marina, story 11PM pic.twitter.com/tK3NoMODrN

The Navy noted that because there was no secondary explosion, the old mine was most likely inert, according to local media. The Navy detonated the mine at sea because it was initially unclear whether or not there were explosives inside.

Exactly how the mine ended up off the coast of Washington remains a mystery.

NOW WATCH: This van transforms into the ultimate adventure vehicle

See Also:
Police searching for a mystery woman in Texas who rang the doorbells of homes in the dead of night before vanishing have identified her.

The woman was partially dressed and had what appeared to be broken restraints on both wrists.

Footage of her, dressed in just a white t-shirt, was captured on one home's surveillance camera in the Sunrise Ranch area of Montgomery, north of Houston.

Lieutenant Scott Spencer, of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, said the 32-year-old woman was a domestic violence victim.

He added her boyfriend, 49, was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Now safe and with her family, the barefooted woman reportedly rang the doorbells of at least five houses in one Texan neighbourhood in the early hours of 24 August.

"We were dead asleep in our beds. My husband was woken up by the doorbell ringing. It rang probably 20 to 30 times," one resident, who did not want to be named, told US television channel KPRC.

"He walked outside, no one was in sight. It's like she disappeared in thin air."

A video of the woman went viral and showed her emerging from behind a bush next to a house before walking to the front door and ringing the doorbell.

Alarmed residents reported the behaviour and police investigated what they described as a "suspicious incident".

The woman had not been reported missing and is believed to have lived with her boyfriend in the home he was found.
By Tom Westbrook

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A powerful undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck on Wednesday near New Caledonia in the South Pacific, creating small tsunami waves, but there were no reports of damage, regional officials said.

The quake hit at a shallow depth of 27 km (17 miles) about 372 km (230 miles) east of Noumea, the capital, the U.S. Geological Survey said, estimating an initial magnitude of 7.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said the tsunami threat had largely passed, although coming hours might see some movements in sea levels.

The biggest waves, just over 1 foot (0.3 m) high, hit the main island of New Caledonia without consequence, Olivier Ciry, the civil defence spokesman of the French Pacific territory, said by telephone from Noumea.

"We felt it and they felt it more strongly on the Loyalty Islands," he said. "There was some movement of the sea but no damage to buildings, no injuries to people and it's over now."

Gauges at Lenakel, a town in Vanuatu, about 300 km (186 miles) from the epicentre, logged waves 27 cm (10 inches) high, the PTWC said.

It had warned against the risk of waves between 30 cm (1 ft) and 1 metre (40 inches) higher than tide levels striking islands around the Pacific and as far away as Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. But no waves of that size were recorded.

"We're still monitoring it and on standby but there's nothing on the tide gauges for the time being," Laisenia Rawace, an official in Fiji's seismology monitoring department, said by telephone from Suva.

Wednesday's quake in the area situated on the earthquake-prone Pacific Rim of Fire came 10 days after a massive, but very deep, quake rocked the sea floor near Fiji and 11 months after big quakes hit near the Loyalty Islands, also without damage.

(Reporting by Michael Perry and Tom Westbrook; Editing by Paul Tait and Clarence Fernandez)
(Reuters) - U.S. agents have arrested 160 employees of a trailer manufacturing plant in north Texas who they said violated immigration laws and were working illegally in the United States.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement said late Tuesday its agents raided a plant owned by Load Trail in Sumner, about 110 miles (180 km) northeast of Dallas.

"Businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens create an unfair advantage," Katrina Berger, an agent for ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit, said in a statement.

No criminal charges have been filed, ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok said in an email. He declined to say if any charges would be brought against the company, citing the ongoing investigation.

Load Trail described itself on its website earlier this month as a 22-year-old family-owned business whose staff peaked at more than 500 employees in 2007 and that produces a variety of trailers and parts. The company did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

ICE said it was interviewing all of the 160 suspects it rounded up to determine whether any of them qualify for "humanitarian release" such as being as sole care-givers of children. The agency did not provide the nationalities of the suspects.

(Reporting by Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Frances Kerry)

See Also:
African Battery Metals has decided to discontinue its activities in Sierra Leone following the acquisition of two new nickel and cobalt projects in Cameroon and Cote d'Ivoire.

Following a review of its assets, African Battery opted to cease all operations in the West African nation, allowing the firm to focus its resources and energies on advancing its portfolio and identifying further opportunities that fit within its investment criteria.

ABM stated that there were still many "attractive long-term market fundamentals" for battery metals.

The AIM-listed group expects to report the impact of the exit in its next financial statement.

Roger Murphy, ABM's chief executive, said: "With the acquisition of two highly prospective nickel and cobalt assets which complement our existing DRC cobalt projects, and the Sierra Leone licences being up for renewal and extensive consultation with our stakeholders, we have elected not to continue with activities in Sierra Leone."

"We believe that in order to maximise shareholder value we need to focus resources on our core strategy," added Murphy.

As of 0830 BST, ABM shares were untraded at 3.25p.
Oil and gas investment company Reabold Resources on Thursday saw a commercial hydrocarbon discovery at the Venturini-Ginochio #3 well within the West Brentwood license area.

Integrity Management Solutions, the contract operator of the firms California investments, made the discovery after safely drilling the well to the planned target depth of 4,600ft which will now be completed as a producer.

Halliburton wireline logging at the site has confirmed the presence of approximately 60 feet of pay, in line with the AIM- traded company's pre-drilling targets, with surface cutting samples confirming the presence of hydrocarbons.

Stephen Williams, co-chief executive of Reabold, said: "We are delighted that the first well in the current six-well programme has been such a success. Reabold California is progressing as well as we could have hoped, with the workover programme already in production and now the first activity with the drill bit leading to a commercial discovery."

Reabold holds a 50% equity interest in the West Brentwood license, where work has begun in assessing whether there is potential to add a second well in order to enhance value further.

Sachin Oza, co-chief executive of Reabold, said: "Reabold's strategy of funding near-term drilling into de-risked, pre-cash-flow assets has proven successful at West Brentwood. We look forward to the remaining five wells in the 2018 Reabold drilling campaign, and to further execution of our strategy into additional high impact projects."

Integrity is finalising permitting for the next well in the Reabold California programme, set to be drilled on the Monroe Swell field, up-dip of a previously producing field.

Reabold Resources shares were up 3.74% at 0.91p at 1452 BST.
Trinity Exploration & Production has spudded the first well of a six infill well programme, onshore Trinidad, it announced on Thursday.

The AIM-traded firm said that, as previously announced, the preparation for infill drilling operations had been ongoing with Trinity's subsurface teams working up incremental locations for future drilling.

It said the work facilitated an increase on onshore 2P reserves - of 50% to 5.98 mmstb in 2017 - and the commencement of infill drilling in the first half of 2018, with the completion of two new wells, on time and on budget.

The additional six wells to the 2018 campaign brought the total to eight wells.

Trinity said that, having an inventory of new wells in the hopper, and the $20m fundraising completed in July, had enabled it to hit the ground running with an accelerated and fully funded drilling campaign.

The aim of the programme was to maintain double digit year-on-year production growth going forward.

It said the turnaround time of less than two months from receipt of funds to spudding the first well illustrated the preparatory work to date, and the depth of technical, commercial and logistical experience within its team.

The company also notes the decision announced yesterday by the Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago to discontinue refining operations.

Trinity said it expected that the decision would have no impact to the ongoing sales agreements with Petrotrin for its oil production.

We are delighted to have commenced these new drilling activities onshore Trinidad with the spudding of the latest well in our plan so soon after raising new equity capital and becoming debt free, said Trinitys executive chairman Bruce Dingwall.

We have established a stable and well-funded profitable production platform and are ideally positioned to continue growing production, cash flow and shareholder value with this accelerated infill drilling programme.

Dingwall said that, with peer leading break-evens and plans to increase production, the company could grow profitability in the short-term whilst working up a further step-change from future developments both onshore and offshore in the medium to long term.

The landscape is changing rapidly in Trinidad and we look forward to updating the market with further developments.
Signet Jewelers topped estimates with its strong set of second-quarter results on Thursday, leading the group to raise its full-year outlook.

The US retailer saw sales increase 1.5% to $1.42bn over the three months ending 4 August, while same-store sales rose by 1.7%, something the Ohio-based company put down to its attempts at improving the "newness" and its product mix.

Revenues grew 2.16% to $1.42bn, helping the firm crush Wall Street estimates for $0.20 in earning per share with its $0.52 showing.

"During the second quarter, we continued to see stabilization in same-store sales, and we remain confident that we have the right strategies in place to continue to drive operational improvement over the long-term. To reflect our improved second quarter performance, we are modestly raising our revenue and earnings guidance for the year, said chief executive Virginia Drosos.

Signet now expects full-year adjusted earnings per share to come in at between $4.05 and US$4.40 compared to its prior guidance for $3.75 to $4.25.

The retailer also upped its sales forecast to a range of between $6.2bn to $6.3bn, which was up from its previous guidance of $5.9bn to $6.1bn.

Separately, Signet announced that its chief financial officer, Michele Santana, would leave the group in 2019 once a replacement has been found.

As of 1555 BST, Signet shares had surged 26.13% to $68.93 each.
Brussels is willing to cancel tariffs on all US industrial products including vehicles in its trade talks with the US, Politico reported on Thursday.

European Union trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom insisted on Thursday that discussions are not about restarting TTIP, with negotiators aiming instead for a more limited trade agreement'.

"We said that we are ready from the EU side to go to zero tariffs on all industrial goods, of course if the U.S. does the same, so it would be on a reciprocal basis," Malmstrom told the European Parliaments trade committee.

These comments follow an agreement between European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump in July, where they said both sides would eliminate tariff and, non-tariff barriers on industrial goods and subsidies for "non-auto industrial goods".

Politico also reported on Thursday that last week Washington had rejected the EU proposal to include cars in the negotiations.

The EUs car tariff is 10% higher than the US 2.5% although America imposes 25% tariffs on light trucks in exchange.

Malmstrom reportedly also said that, for the moment at least, agriculture and public procurement would be excluded from the deal.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said late on Wednesday that although Canada had entered into negotiations for a new North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and the US, he would walk away from the talks if the deal doesnt align with Canadas best interests.

Nevertheless, Trudeau said both sides were nearing an agreement.

"We recognise that there is a possibility of getting there by Friday, but it is only a possibility, because it will hinge on whether there is ultimately a good deal for Canada," Trudeau said. "No NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal."

Trump on the other hand told reporters that negotiations were going really well.

Earlier in the week, US negotiators had already met with Mexican officials and agreed that the pact would establish new rules for manufacturing, labour and the environment.

Ottawa had been excluded from talks between Mexico and the US due to the poor rapport between Trudeau and Trump.

Yet both countries now said they would work together in order to meet the Friday deadline to revise NAFTA.

Canada very much wants to make the deal, President Trump said at the White House Wednesday.

One of the main bones of contention that was left to resolve was Canada's steep tariffs on dairy products, which averaged 249%.

The American Farm Bureau had lobbied for a rewrite of NAFTA to eliminate or reduce Canadian tariffs on dairy, poultry eggs and wine, as well as recently implemented barriers on imports of ultra-filtered milk.

According to analysts at Oxford Economics, procedural, timing, economic and political circumstances meant that Canada could secure a new trade agreement without having to bow down completely to US demands.

"Despite the Canadian economys small size relative to the US, we think Canada holds several key playing cards in these trade talks.

"Canadas signature is needed. Trump has sweeping trade negotiating powers, but he doesnt have the power to sign-off on a new bilateral deal with Mexico and Canada without Congressional approval.

"Mexico wants Canada in the deal. Several times during his call with Trump, Pena Nieto said that Canada's inclusion in the trade deal was essential."
Stocks on the Continent are trading noticeably lower on Thursday, weighed down by ongoing uncertainty around trade talks with China and underperforming their brethren on Wall Street in the process yet again.

"Markets in Asia have continued to be dominated by concerns over simmering China trade tensions, and the prospect of further tariffs next month, while markets in Europe have also slipped back on the open. The unresolved nature of the EU US trade talks is clearly acting as a drag on European markets in the same way that markets in Asia have continued to lag behind," said Michael Hewson at CMC Markets UK.

On Thursday morning, in a regularly scheduled press conference, a spokesman for China's commerce ministry said Beijing and Washington had held constructive talks during the previous week, but added that trade issues could only be resolved through talks as equals.

Also weighing on sentiment was the People's Bank of China's decision overnight to set a lower fixing for the country's currency, the yuan, and reports of renewed frictions between the US and China over the latter's economic aid for North Korea.

Against that backdrop, as of 1202 BST the benchmark Stoxx 600 was off by 0.28% or 1.07 points to 385.51, alongside a fall of 0.42% or 56.67 points to 12,505.01 on the German Dax and a decline of 0.58% or 55.40 points for Spain's Ibex 35.

Pacing losses in the latter were shares of grocer Dia, Telefonica and BBVA.

From a sector standpoint, weakness in stocks was greatest in Real Estate and Telecommunications, with their respective sector gauges on the Stoxx 600 trading down by 1.69% and 1.67%, respectively.

Weighing on the former, analysts at Morgan Stanley cut their recommendation on the sector from 'attractive' to 'equalweight'.

"For several years our core Overweights have been constructed around Spain, logistics and German residential," the investment bank said.

"We retain this positioning even as we are alive to the fact that this offers exposure to what we would call maturing equity stories;underlying solid fundamentals but relatively few medium-term catalysts to draw marginal demand for the stocks."

To take note of, perhaps, some analysts were also cautious about recent gains on Wall Street, pointing to potential indicators that might portend weakness ahead.

Economic data in the single currency bloc on Thursday was largely as expected, save on prices.

On a harmonised basis, the rate of advance in Spanish consumer prices slipped by a tenth of a percentage point in August to reach 2.2% (consensus: 2.3%), INE reported.

In parallel, data released in Germany showed a 8,000 person drop for the month of August, as expected, with some economists labelling the figures as "solid".

Consumer confidence in the euro area on the other hand was exceptionally weaker in August, the European Commission said, confirming that it index fell by 1.4 points to 1.9.

Still ahead on the economic calendar, harmonised German CPI figures were set for release at 1300 BST.
Severn Trent has announced the acquisition of Agrivert Holdings, which specialises in sustainable and cost-effective food waste recycling, for 120m.

The purchase price will be paid from existing cash resources and bank facilities, including the repayment of around 60m of debt at closing.

Founded in 1994, Agrivert has five well-established food waste anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and five green and comingled waste composting sites, located to the south and west of the Severn Trent region. Its operations will be added to Severn's existing non-regulated Green Power Business and will be reported within the business services segment.

Severn said the plants will complement Green Power's two operating food waste AD plants at East Birmingham and West Birmingham and one under construction in Derby. The acquisition will add 106 GWh per annum of energy generation to the 354 GWh currently produced by Severn Trent's broader energy and renewables portfolio.

In the financial year ended 31 December 2017, Agrivert recorded revenue of 26m and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of 10m.

Chief executive Liv Garfield said: "We're delighted to welcome Agrivert UK into the Severn Trent Group. Renewable energy is strategically important to Seven Trent and the UK as a whole as we work towards achieving our decarbonisation targets and delivering attractive shareholder returns.

"Agrivert UK strengthens our established presence in anaerobic digestion where we have been leaders in the water sector for many years. We have worked in partnership with Agrivert UK on a number of projects in recent years and have been hugely impressed by their engineering capability and expertise."

RBC Capital Markets said this acquisition is likely to be the final part of SVTs plan to self-generate around 50% of its own energy needs by 2020, and it should not be a surprise to the market that SVT has continued to expand in this area.

"However, with this acquisition SVT is now above the 50% level and is signalling an intent to potentially further expand into renewable energy. This may be something we hear more about at the September 14 capital markets day. We note that the circa 12x trailing EBITDA multiple is expensive versus our current valuation of the existing SVT renewable portfolio which we value at just under 300m (circa 2% of group EV) and circa 10.2x FY19E EBITDA."

At 1125 BST, the shares were up 0.1% to 1,973p.
Vodafone has agreed to merge its loss-making Australian mobile joint venture with broadband provider TPG Telecom in a deal valuing the combined company at about A$15bn (8.4bn).

The UK phone group and its partner, Hutchison Telecommunications, will each own 25.05% of the merged company with the remaining 49.9% held by TPG shareholders.

The deal values Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) at an enterprise value of A$7.49bn and TPG at A$7.47bn giving a total value of A$14.95bn.

The proposed new company, which will be called TPG Telecom, will be listed on the Australian stock exchange. It will combine VHAs near-6m mobile customers with TPGs fixed-line broadband services. Vodafone said the combined group would be better placed to challenge former phone monopoly Telstra and Optus in Australia.

The companies predicted substantial but unspecified cost savings from combining operations and economies of scale. The merged company will also make revenue gains by cross-selling products between complementary customer groups, it said.

Like in the UK, competition in the Australian mobile phone market is fierce. As handset costs rose and competition increased VHAs loss widened to A$92.3m in the six months to the end of June from A$81.5m a year earlier as average revenue per user fell 1.3%.

Nick Read, Vodafone's chief financial officer, is due to take over as CEO on 1 October. The loss-making Australian business is one of a number of underperforming, disparate operations he must decide what to do with.

Read said: "This transaction accelerates Vodafone's converged communications strategy in Australia and is consistent with our proactive approach to enhance the value of our portfolio of businesses. The combined listed company will be a more capable challenger to Telstra and Optus, and will be much better placed to invest in next generation mobile and fixed line services to benefit Australian consumers and businesses."

David Teoh, TPGs chief executive and chairman, will chair the merged company and Inaki Berroeta, CEO of VHA, will be managing director and CEO.
A dramatic rise in land values pushed Britains wealth to a fresh high of more than 10tn last year, highlighting the huge gains made by developers in property hotspots across the UK. From London and the home counties to Cambridge and popular parts of Devon and Cornwall, land values have become the single largest element of wealth, dwarfing household wealth locked up in property and financial savings. Official figures showed that the UKs net worth rose by 492bn between 2016 and 2017 to 10.2tn, with the lions share of the increase accounted for by a 450bn jump in the value of land.  Guardian

Sir James Dyson, the billionaire inventor and Brexit backer, has unveiled expansion plans to accommodate more than 2,000 workers at his Wiltshire research facility, more than doubling capacity for electric-vehicle testing. Coming despite severe warnings over lost jobs and investment from no-deal Brexit, his technology company is spending about 200m to expand the testing facility on a former second world war airfield at Hullavington, near Malmesbury in the west of England.  Guardian

Panasonic plans to move its European headquarters from Britain to the Netherlands later this year over concerns about potential tax issues related to Brexit. The Japanese company's move is the latest sign of concern from the business community over the protracted Brexit negotiations. "We will move our European headquarters to the Netherlands," a spokeswoman for the firm told Agence France-Presse, confirming a report in the Nikkei business daily about the electronics giant's decision.  Telegraph

Unseasonably warm weather can cost retailers 40m per week for each degree that temperature is raised, according to analysis by the Met Office and the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The effect is strongest from mid-August to early October when higher temperatures make consumers put off buying clothing for autumn and winter. In that period, sales growth is reduced by 1.1pc for each degree above temperatures seen a year previously. This equates to 40m a week in lost non-food sales.  Telegraph

President Macron is preparing to throw Theresa May a lifeline by pushing other EU leaders to agree a close relationship with Britain after Brexit as part of his vision for a united Europe. The French leader wants to use a summit in Austria next month to spell out a new structure for European alliances. It would be based on concentric circles, with the EU and the euro at its core and Britain in a second ring, diplomatic sources have told The Times.  The Times

Canada is considering making concessions as part of last-ditch efforts to save a trilateral trade deal with the United States and Mexico. If Canada does not sign up to a reformed North American Free Trade Agreement by tomorrow, the White House has said it will continue with its own bilateral deal with Mexico, which President Trump has championed as a big hit, claiming that it would bring scores of companies back to America.  The Times
Gen. Mark A. Milley, the 39th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, visited the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Dahlonega Campus on Aug. 28 to meet with President Bonita Jacobs and speak to members of the Corps of Cadets.

"The University of North Georgia was honored to welcome Gen. Milley to campus," Jacobs said. "While Gen. Milley is familiar with UNG because of its illustrious military alumni and our status as one of the top senior military colleges in the nation, it was also my pleasure to update him on the recent successes of our Corps of Cadets and the advances and recognition for UNG in our cybersecurity, language and leadership programs."

Milley assumed duty as chief of staff in August 2015 after serving as the 21st Commander of U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

After a meeting with Jacobs, Milley spoke to the entire UNG Corps of Cadets and special guests at the Convocation Center. In his comments, Milley referenced several high-ranking current and retired generals who graduated from UNG and gave his thanks for the work done by UNG to produce military officers.

Gen. Mark A. Milley, the 39th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, and UNG President Bonita Jacobs.

"I think it's appropriate, also, to say thanks for the service and sacrifice that you're about to do and the service and sacrifice that UNG students have been doing since 1873," Milley said. "Just since 2001, seven members of this Corps of Cadets have been killed in action.  we should never forget the very essence of what we do as an Army is to defend this republic. What we do can cause us to die. It's a very serious obligation."

While his speech began with praise and appreciation for UNG, he also discussed the future of the U.S. Army mission and readiness and shared lessons about leadership with the 764 members of the Corps of Cadets in attendance.

"You're going to have to have unbelievable personal integrity. You're going to have to have spines of titanium steel in order to deal with that environment," Milley said. "Integrity is going to matter. Your candor, your compassion, your love of your soldiers, your loyalty, your sense of selfless service  all of that will matter as well, but integrity is what will make or break leaders in those type of intense, pressurized environments."

After his speech, Milley had lunch with a select group of a dozen cadets, where he asked them questions about their background and their plans and motivations for the future.

The entire Corps of Cadets cheered at the conclusion of Gen. Milley's speech.

"As a cadet who's not even in the military yet, to have that opportunity and be able to share that knowledge with our fellow cadets is going to put us above and beyond most cadets," said Cadet Col. Tyler Farney of Phoenix, Arizona, commander of UNG's Boar's Head Brigade. "It was a fantastic opportunity that I wish more people could have. I'm very happy that we were afforded the opportunity  just as a university  for him to visit. I think it's motivating the cadets, too."

Cadet Capt. Dwight Bennett of Stockbridge, Georgia, Alpha Company commander, called the experience a privilege.

"The chief of staff far surpassed any preconceived notions that I might have had," Bennett said. "When he was closing his speech, two of the biggest things I picked up from him was as a leader to be competent and to always remain humble. I think it's fairly easy as a leader to get ahead of yourself sometimes, and I think one thing that all leaders should remember is to be that relatable leader, be that personable leader that your troops can come to."

Milley was invited to visit UNG by alumnus retired Lt. Gen. James Terry. Also, UNG has a direct tie to Milley's office; Lt. Col. Kitefre Oboho, a UNG graduate, is an aide de camp for the chief of staff and accompanied Milley on the visit. Oboho reflected on the foundation of leadership that he gained at UNG.

"You learn so much from just being here at North Georgia," Oboho said. "Frankly, it made me the man I am today. It's a great school."

Despite a busy military career, Oboho has remained connected to UNG since his December 2002 graduation and commissioning; he and his wife have awarded an annual scholarship to a UNG cadet for more than 10 years.

"Our goal is essentially to help someone else like I was helped while I was in need," Oboho said. "I hope that the student who gets that every year, that it helps them as it did me 16 years ago."
The University of North Georgia (UNG) began a new partnership with Nicolae Balcescu Land Forces Academy (NBLFA) with a signing ceremony this summer at the Romanian military academy.

The agreement was signed by UNG President Bonita Jacobs and Dr. Ghita Barsan, rector and commandant of NBLFA. UNG will host its Romanian counterparts for a visit this October.

The agreement's goal is to have each school send two cadets to the other school for a semester.

"You have welcomed us with open arms, and we are very, very thrilled to be able to participate," Jacobs said at the signing ceremony in Romania. "This gives our cadets a wonderful opportunity to understand working across geographic and cultural barriers because they will be living and working in a very global society."

Romanian cadets will participate in all UNG Corps of Cadets events and live in the residence halls with UNG cadets. They will also take trips to Fort Benning and Atlanta.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Anthony Fritchle, associate director of the Center for Global Engagement at UNG, said cadets in both Military Science and the National Service Leadership Track (NSLT) will be eligible to take part in this exchange, and he is excited about what UNG cadets will learn from their Romanian counterparts who come here to study.

"Like with any of our programs, the cultural experience is very important," Fritchle said.

Fritchle said a faculty exchange is also part of the agreement, with the time period for that exchange running from as short as a week up to a semester.

The initial agreement is for five years with the opportunity to extend it.

This is the eighth military academy partnership for UNG, and Fritchle said the relationships and cultural understanding built by these agreements are beneficial for UNG cadets no matter what their plans are after graduation.

"Romania is another great step in the evolution of UNG's military exchange program," Fritchle said.

Learning how to live abroad and take care of themselves is also important. Fritchle said it's the type of experience that can make NSLT graduates from UNG stand out in the job market.
In 2014, George Garofano and three other men hacked and leaked nude photos of several female celebrities, including Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton. According to The Verge, a judge sentenced him to eight months in federal prison.

When the hack happened, Jennifer Lawrence responded, saying that this invasion of privacy was equivalent to a sex crime. She also fought for tougher laws. Lawrence's rep pursued this, saying that this was clearly a violation of privacy and that anyone who shares and distributes these photos of Lawrence will be prosecuted.

Jennifer Lawrence has become one of the most beloved actresses around, and has certainly achieved A-list status in Hollywood.

George Garofano posed as Apple employee to gain personal information

Garafano was originally accused of hacking the iCloud accounts of his victims and allowing their private information and nude photos to be released onto the internet. Last April he ended up pleading guilty to unauthorized access of a protected computer to obtain information belonging to 240 accounts.

George Garofano was able to commit his crimes because he sent out emails that appeared to be from Apple that encouraged his victims to disclose their usernames and passwords or to input them onto a third-party website, which he would later check.

US District Judge Victor Bolden sentenced Garofano to eight months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Lawrence went on Twitter to express her happiness regarding the conviction.

Garofano is the third hacker behind the leak to be sent to prison

Three other men have been found guilty and received prison sentences of up to 18 months.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

George Garofano issued a statement to the court and said that he blames nobody but himself. He also mentioned how the felony conviction would impact him for the rest of his life.

The photos were uploaded to 4chan and Reddit on August 31, 2014. It took Reddit a week to shut down the subreddit. The Guardian reports that the US Attorney's Office acknowledged that there is no evidence that the other hackers shared or posted the stolen photos online, but Garofano distributed the photos online.

Prosecutors were fighting for a sentence of 10 to 16 months in prison. Garofano asked for leniency, requesting five months in prison and five months of home confinement. Defense attorney Richard Lynch wrote: He now stands before the court having matured, accepting responsibility for his actions and having not been in trouble with the law since. There is nothing to suggest that he would ever engage in this or any other criminal conduct in the future.
In a happier reality, one in which the Apollo program was the beginning of lunar exploration, Dr. Paul Spudis could have looked back on a lifetime of studying the geology of the moon first hand, bounding about the surface of Earths nearest neighbor with a geologists hammer and a keen mind. As it is, Spudis was obliged to study the moon from afar. His work helped to transform our understanding of the moon from a dry rock to a body replete with resources, including billions of tons of water at the lunar poles. Spudis died suddenly of an undisclosed illness on August 29, 2018.

Inspired by the Apollo 15 astronauts

Ars Technicas Eric Berger noted that young Paul Spudis was encouraged to switch his course of study from engineering to lunar geology while watching the mission of Apollo 15. The Apollo 15 astronauts, who had been carefully trained by geologists such as Leon Silver and Farouk El-Baz, garnered a great deal of lunar science during their three-day mission on the Hadley Rill region of the moon.

Water on the moon

Spudis, who worked at various times for the U.S. Geological Survey, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, and the Lunar and Planetary Institute, was part of the scientific teams on a variety of lunar missions. These included the DOD Clementine mission in the early 1990s, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter still in operation, and the Indian Space Research Organizations Chandrayaan 1.

Each of these missions garnered evidence that water ice resides in the permanently shadowed craters at the lunar poles. The presence of ice was recently confirmed beyond doubt. Spudis was also the Chief Scientist for Moon Express, a private company proposing commercial lunar landings.

The presence of perhaps billions of tons of ice on the moon changes everything.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Ice can be melted into the water for future lunar explorers to drink or to grow crops. The water can be refined into hydrogen and oxygen to create rocket fuel, making the moon a refueling stop for missions into deep space. Spudis was a passionate advocate of returning to the moon and using its water to facilitate space exploration.

The man who sold the moon

Spudis sat on a number of presidential committees for President George H. W. Bush and President George W. Bush planning future lunar exploration. One of the great frustrations of his life was to see both Bushs space exploration plans collapse because of bad politics and poor presidential leadership.

Spudis was the author of a number of books, including The Once and Future Moon and the Value of the Moon. He wrote regular articles on lunar science and space policy for Smithsonians Air and Space Magazine and his Once and Future Moon Blog.

Accolades for the lunar geologist

When the news of Paul Spudis death was revealed, the accolades came pouring in. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine expressed his condolences on Twitter.

Im saddened to hear of the passing of Paul Spudis. Paul had a profound impact on my life and his loss will be felt throughout the space community. My prayers are with his family.  Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) August 29, 2018

When Americans return to the moon, a project that is on again thanks to the Trump administration, the event will happen in part because of the efforts of Paul Spudis. He truly deserves to be honored as a giant of the space age.
Jamel Myles was only nine years old when he took his own life on August 23, 2018 by hanging. He had just started the fourth grade at Joe Shoemaker Elementary School in Denver, Colorado. Myles had recently come out to his mother, Leia Pierce, as gay, and her response was nothing but loving and positive. Myles was so excited about his family's support, he decided to tell his new classmates. According to Pierce: "He went to school and said he was gonna tell people hes gay because hes proud of himself. (PEOPLE).

Just days after announcing his sexuality to his class, Myles hanged himself.

According to PEOPLE magazine, Myles died at the hospital after paramedics responded to a "medical incident" at the family's home.

Bullying at school

Prior to this tragedy, he told his older sister that the other children at school were bullying him to such extremes that they encouraged him to commit suicide. He never told his mother about what the other kids were saying, though. She believes their bullying is what ultimately led him to kill himself.

Spokesman Will Jones stated that the school district is currently investigating the incident to see if bullying was an issue, since they had no knowledge of any type of bullying going on.

Our priority right now is to look at all the concerns raised in this case, to keep all our students safe and to do a fair and thorough review of the facts surrounding this tragic loss, Jones said in an email to The Washington Post.

LGBT+ acceptance

Jessie Smiley, another school district spokesman, released a statement regarding the school's policies in accordance with acceptance of the LGBT+ community.

"Our policies and practices reflect this commitment to ensuring that out LGBTQ+ students can pursue their education with dignity and joy  from training to prevent and stop bullying to policies and guidance materials that fully respect gender identity, Smiley wrote in an email to PEOPLE.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

Smiley also stated that all students should be treated with respect, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or transgender status.

Pierce is angry and wants to know why the school hasn't done more to prevent bullying and to keep something like this from happening again.

This isn't the first time parents have questioned school policies and tactics when it comes to preventing bullying of any kind. According to The New York Times, some parents have begun suing schools in recent years, "raising questions over how much teachers can possibly be expected to do to stop the behavior."
There has been a flurry of back-and-forth speculation playing out in media about where former TLC reality stars Jon and Kate Gosselins 14-year-old daughter Hannah is living. Though the couple has been divorced since 2009, the issue of the childrens custody has been a battle between the parents. Their custody dispute has recently resurfaced in media with the Gosselins differences as pronounced as when they first parted ways with each other and, then, with TLC.

Jon presented a live video on Instagram stating that his daughter is living with him permanently, Radar Online reported.

In the latest development, Radar stated on August 29 that the media agency obtained access to court records reflecting that the Gosselins daughter Hannah is living with her dad.

Kate Gosselin insisted Hannah is with her, suggesting Jon was lying

When Kate insisted that Hannah is most certainly living with her, publications such as Good Housekeeping and the Hollywood Gossip sided with Kate, claiming that Hannahs mother had custody of all of the couples children. The Hollywood Gossip went as far as stating that Jon was lying, but backed off its original claim on August 28 in writing that the publication was not taking sides. (That is not how it appeared when Kate was alleged to be the truth-teller before Jon shared a photo of Hannahs return to school.)

Kate Gosselin: Jon's a Liar! ALL the Kids Live With Me! https://t.co/KAueA4ocM6  The Hollywood Gossip (@THGossip) August 22, 2018

A Blasting News contributor recently reported news of each parent boasting of the Gosselin children returning to school, proudly displaying back-to-school photos on their separate Instagram accounts.

A photo Kate shared with her Instagram followers and fans depicted six of the Gosselins eight children. Missing from the photo were Collin and Hannah, two of the couples sextuplets.

Back to School Plus 8 (Minus 2) https://t.co/86WTs6O2py  E! News (@enews) August 23, 2018

Parents posting first day back to school photos conflicted with Kates claims

In was clear in the photo that Jon posted of his daughter on his Instagram account on August 27 that she was not wearing a school uniform and that the picture was taken in front of where he lives.

Discuss this news on Eunomia

His caption intimated that Hannah was an important reason he included the hashtag newbeginnings.

The Gosselins son Collin did not appear in the conflicting photos posted by Kate and Jon. Collin is living away from his family in a facility. He reportedly has special needs, something Kate determined the world should know when she disclosed the information.

Based on current media reports, including one by Cafe Mom published on August 29, Hannah is living with Jon, but it was not without a fight waged by Kate. The condensed version of the courts decision is that a judge ruled in favor of Hannah living with Jon. Kate contested but the judge didnt budge.

Hannah is with her father

She missed a filing date, at one point, as well having as a lawyer who quit or was fired. Regardless, Kate believed the issue of custody warranted more urgent action by the court. Her thinking, however, did not alter the outcome. Hannah is with her father.

The timing of all the recent media accounts about the reignited custody battle between the Gosselins might seem suspect to many people.

Kate has a new TLC reality show in the works. The programs broadcast date has not been announced and yet it will be called, Kate Plus Date.

Be sure to follow Blasting News for the updates about the Gosselins custody fight and for the latest information.
 Courtesy of Ruth P. Peterkin - Fotolia.com



On the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in northern Florida, Panama City has 27 miles of lovely beaches to offer everyone who loves the sea and sand. Locals love Shell Island, accessible only by boat, and its remoteness from the mainland is a draw to people searching for a quiet spot to swim and sunbathe. Rolling sand dunes, the presence of loggerhead and sea turtles, and the nesting place for shorebirds, here is a place where all can enjoy the beauties of nature.

St. Andrews State Park is another site where visitors and locals can enjoy undeveloped beach front. Along the trails in the park deer can be spotted as well as the occasional alligator, and at the shore, visitors enjoy fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. There is a beach in Panama City for everyone's taste and pleasure.

Rick Seltzer Beach is a great place to go for visitors and locals who don't have beachfront access. Rick Seltzer Beach has a boardwalk across the dunes down to the beach from its ample parking lot. The beach is undeveloped and lovely, with sandbars out in the blue-green water, a marked-off swimming area, and seasonal lifeguards.

The boardwalk allows the dunes to be preserved from foot traffic, and interpretive signs along the beach are placed to help the public understand the delicate balance of sand dune eco-systems. The beach has outdoor showers, restrooms, benches, picnic facilities, and a pavilion with its own small sheriff's station and vending machines. Visitors who love collecting shells will find bounty here.




Virginia Tech has announced the search committee for its executive vice president and provost.

In November, Virginia Tech President Tim Sands named Cyril Clarke, former dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, interim executive vice president and provost pending an international search.

The search for the executive vice president and provost will be chaired by Rosemary Blieszner, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and Alumni Distinguished Professor. Other members of the search committee include:

Lorenzo (Zo) Amani, doctoral student in the public administration and public affairs in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and graduate student representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

doctoral student in the public administration and public affairs in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and graduate student representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. Rajesh Bagchi , Richard E. Sorensen Junior Faculty Fellow and professor of marketing, Pamplin College of Business.

, Richard E. Sorensen Junior Faculty Fellow and professor of marketing, Pamplin College of Business. Mark Barrow , professor and chair, Department of History.

, professor and chair, Department of History. Richard Blythe , dean, College of Architecture and Urban Studies.

, dean, College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Dennis Dean , University Distinguished Professor and director, Fralin Life Sciences Institute.

, University Distinguished Professor and director, Fralin Life Sciences Institute. Karen DePauw , vice president and dean for graduate education.

, vice president and dean for graduate education. Mark Embree , professor of mathematics, College of Science.

, professor of mathematics, College of Science. John Ferris , associate professor of mechanical engineering, College of Engineering, Faculty Senate president, and faculty representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

, associate professor of mechanical engineering, College of Engineering, Faculty Senate president, and faculty representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. Jack Finney , vice provost for faculty affairs.

, vice provost for faculty affairs. Mike Friedlander , vice president for health sciences and technology and executive director of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute.

, vice president for health sciences and technology and executive director of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. Alan Grant , dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

, dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. William Hopkins , professor of fish and wildlife conservation, College of Natural Resources and Environment, and director of the Global Change Center.

, professor of fish and wildlife conservation, College of Natural Resources and Environment, and director of the Global Change Center. Rachel Iwicki , senior majoring in mechanical engineering and Russian languages and literature and undergraduate student representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

, senior majoring in mechanical engineering and Russian languages and literature and undergraduate student representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. Lindsey Marr , Charles P. Lunsford Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering.

, Charles P. Lunsford Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering. Andrew McCoy, Preston and Catherine White Fellow and head of the Department of Building Construction.

Preston and Catherine White Fellow and head of the Department of Building Construction. Gail McMillan , director of scholarly communication and professor, University Libraries.

, director of scholarly communication and professor, University Libraries. W. Edward Monroe , professor of small animal clinical sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

, professor of small animal clinical sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Menah Pratt-Clarke , vice president for strategic affairs and vice provost for inclusion and diversity.

, vice president for strategic affairs and vice provost for inclusion and diversity. Melanie K. Prusakowski, assistant dean for admissions, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, and associate professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics, Carilion Clinic Department of Emergency Medicine.

assistant dean for admissions, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, and associate professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics, Carilion Clinic Department of Emergency Medicine. Karen Roberto , University Distinguished Professor and director of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment.

, University Distinguished Professor and director of the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment. Julia Ross , Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering, College of Engineering.

, Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering, College of Engineering. Roberta S. (Robin) Russell , professor and head of the Department of Business Information Technology, Pamplin College of Business.

, professor and head of the Department of Business Information Technology, Pamplin College of Business. Karen Ely Sanders , associate vice provost for college access and chief diversity officer, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.

, associate vice provost for college access and chief diversity officer, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. Robert Sebek , collections technology specialist, University Libraries, president of the Staff Senate and staff representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

, collections technology specialist, University Libraries, president of the Staff Senate and staff representative to the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. Frank Shushok , senior associate vice president for student affairs.

, senior associate vice president for student affairs. Kenneth Wong , research assistant professor of physics, associate dean of the Graduate School for the National Capital Region, and director of the Northern Virginia Center.

, research assistant professor of physics, associate dean of the Graduate School for the National Capital Region, and director of the Northern Virginia Center. Chris Yianilos, director of government relations.

Cheryl Peterson, executive director of the Office of the President, and Melissa Elliott, senior executive assistant in the Office of the President, will serve as search committee staff.

The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made. Individuals who wish to nominate a candidate should submit a letter of nomination, including contact information for the nominee. Application materials should include a letter addressing how the candidate's experiences match the position requirements, a curriculum vitae or resume, and names of five references. Submission of materials as PDF attachments is strongly encouraged.

Confidential inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to Russell Reynolds Associates, the firm retained by the university to assist in this search via email, vatechprovost@russellreynolds.com. Nominations may also be sent via campus mail to 210 Burruss Hall, 800 Drillfield Drive (0131).

The position description, application process, and other information related to the search is available through the Office of the President. Updates on the search process will be posted to Virginia Tech Daily.
ARCHSharing, in collaboration with TECHO Paraguay, has launched the "Emergency Housing in Paraguay" competition. A contest that propose to response to the lack of access to housing in Paraguay, the aim is to offer residents a building that responds to the emergency situation while guaranteeing their dignity and their right to a suitable home. The laureate will have the opportunity to build his/her project with the humanitarian association TECHO Paraguay.

The Competition

Paraguay is a country located in the heart of South America, its economy is essentially dependent on agriculture and cattle. With exports reaching the entire world, its economy has grown steadily over the last 10 years. This growth came with an unfair reality: 10% of the population owns nearly 90% of agricultural land, a situation which results in a marked social inequality and a notorious lack of opportunities for the rest of the population.

Despite all the growth of recent years, Paraguay is ranked among the poorest countries in the Americas, with more than 20% of its population below the poverty line. Lack of access to housing and public services such as health, education and food reflects this extreme poverty. Faced with this situation, TECHO Paraguay is mobilized to work with people living in informal settlements, where inequality and violation of rights is at its maximum. Their action is focused on community development, such as the construction of emergency housing.

In this context, ARCHsharing offers, in partnership with the humanitarian association TECHO Paraguay, the construction of a prototype emergency housing. The aim is to offer residents a building that responds to the emergency situation while guaranteeing their dignity and their right to a suitable home. This housing unit will have to adapt to different uses through ingenious and relevant architectural devices. Simplicity and efficiency should be the watchword, housing should be built in just a few days, with an inexperienced workforce. Particular attention should be paid to its modularity, its ability to expand according to the means, needs and possibilities. The proposals will have to take into account the particular context of Paraguay while keeping some freedom in the design of the building.

Innovative, Standing out, Aiming further

This is the number one criterion because it is the reason for this contest. TECHO Paraguay has joined this contest precisely to receive new ideas, to see projects that are different from what already exists, to find the right solutions granting a family a more efficient and better housing.

Modular and progressive growth capacity

The housing is a prototype that will have to be flexible and adaptable because it will be reproduced in different places. Therefore its modularity is an important point to facilitate the appropriation and the adaptation according to the needs of the family. It will be necessary to think of a system that facilitates its expansion, so that it is not a precarious transitional shelter, but a home that can become more spacious and comfortable over time.

Fast, Easy, Efficient construction

Fast, easy and efficient so that the project can be implemented in the shortest time and families can participate in the construction process. The housing unit must be buildable by 5 to 10 volunteers without specific technical knowledge in two days maximum. The construction time must be optimized and logistical difficulties removed. The assembly and the manufacturing process must be easy. The parts must be able to be transported in small trucks in order to be delivered to places that are not easily accessible.

Bio-climatic approach

A bio-climatic approach is expected to offer the family a pleasant atmosphere and sustainable housing. For a good thermal comfort, particular care will have to be devoted to thermal insulation, waterproofness and heating & ventilation system. Topics such as water harvesting, resource management will also need to be addressed.

The living cell

The accommodation must be 18 m2 minimum, and must be composed of at least one module. The accommodation should be suitable for a family of 5 people. The cost will have to be minimized as much as possible. Currently TECHO is building its emergency housing between 800 and 1000 USD.

Jury Panel

Marta MACCAGLiA , Semillas para el desarrollo sostenible

Daniel Moreno Florez, Arquitecto Daniel Moreno Flores

A. Moscatot and L. Hollman, AToT - Arquitectos Todo Terreno

German Rodriguez Olivos, DX arquitectos

Fernando Duarte Callizo, Director de vivienda & habitat techo internacional

Awards & Prizes

1rst Prize: The Construction Of Its Emergency Housing Prototype! / Subscription to magazines / 1500

2nd Prize: Subscription to magazines / 1000

3rd Prize: Subscription to magazines/500

10 Honorable Mention: The ARCHsharing publication

Registration and Eligibility

Registration is open to all students of schools and universities in relation with architecture, and to young architects less than three years after graduation. Teams can be multidisciplinary (architect, engineer, landscaper, ...). An official proof will be asked during registration (student card, diploma, ...).

Fees and Calendar

Special registration 60: 15 August 2018 - 30 September 2018

Normal registration 80: 1 October 2018 - 15 October 2018

Late registration 100: 15 October 2018 - 31 October 2018

Calendar

Registration: 15 August 2018 - 31 October 2018

Submission: 3 November 2018

Winners announcement: 1 December 2018

You can register to the competition on ARCHSharing's website.

Top image courtesy of ARCHSharing

> via ARCHSharing
Sarah Marshall at The Believer:

When Ted Bundy was apprehended in Pensacola in the early hours of February 15, 1978, six weeks after he escaped from a Colorado jail, the FBI had already publicly linked him to thirty-six murders across five states. In the ensuing decade, both the random speculations of onlookers and the educated guesses of law enforcement often pushed the number far higher. Many said it had to be a hundred or more, and cited Bundys own enigmatic statement to the Pensacola detectives who had questioned him about the FBIs claim. He said the figure probably would be more correct in the three digits, Deputy Sheriff Jack Poitinger said.

Ron Holmes, a criminal justice professor who interviewed Bundy on two occasions, claimed that the total was 365, and that Bundy had raped and killed his first victim at the age of eleven. Ted Bundy is not insane, Holmes told the press. Ted Bundy knows the difference between right and wrong. But Ted Bundy does what he wants to do when he wants to do it.

more here.
En espanol | In a victory for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit this week ruled that landlords can be held liable under the Fair Housing Act for failing to protect residents from anti-gay abuse from other residents.

AARP filed an amicus brief in the lawsuit brought by Lambda Legal, an LGBT rights organization, against Glen St. Andrew Living Community, a senior-living facility in Niles, Ill., on behalf of Marsha Wetzel. Wetzel moved into Glen St. Andrew when her same-sex partner died after a 30-year relationship. According to the lawsuit, at Glen St. Andrew Wetzel was subjected to a pattern of discrimination and harassment because of her sex and sexual orientation, including three separate assaults at the hands of other residents.

Wetzel sought help from Lambda Legal when Glen St. Andrew administrators failed to address her complaints, the lawsuit says. In July 2016, Lambda Legal filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, arguing that Glen St. Andrews actions violated both the federal Fair Housing Act and the Illinois Human Rights Act. The court dismissed the case in January 2017. Lambda Legal appealed to the 7th Circuit, which reversed the dismissal. AARPs brief detailed the problems older LGBT adults may face in senior housing and argued that landlords have many options to protect tenants from harassment. Now the case is headed back to the district court for further action.

This is an important victory for older LGBT adults like Ms. Wetzel and for all tenants, said Susan Ann Silverstein, senior attorney at AARP Foundation. We are very pleased that the court recognized that landlords have a responsibility to prevent and address harassment, regardless of whether the landlords themselves intended to discriminate.

Wetzel, just like all people living in rental housing, whether LGBT or not, should be assured that they will at least be safe from discriminatory harassment in their own homes, said Karen Loewy, Lambda Legal senior counsel and seniors strategist. What happened to Marsha was illegal and unconscionable, and the Court has now put all landlords on notice that they have an obligation to take action to stop known harassment.

According to AARP research, an estimated 3 million LGBT individuals in the United States are 65 or older. More than 60 percent of those who responded to AARPs Maintaining Dignity survey of LGBT Americans age 45 and older said they think they might be refused or receive limited care in an assisted living facility, and they also fear they would be in danger of neglect, abuse or verbal or physical harassment. Nearly 90 percent of LGBT adults worry they will have to hide their identity in order to have access to suitable housing as they age.

Glen St. Andrews issued a statement strongly [denying] the factual allegations of the complaint and said it will present its case in court at the appropriate time.

Wetzel has moved to a different assisted living facility.
1. Designate someone you trust as your financial power of attorney.

While youre still able to make financial decisions, choose the right person to do so if you become incapacitated. Or persons: If you invest two people with this responsibility, they can share the workload and hold one another accountable.

"We don't like to talk about finances. It's private. But we need to change that dynamic," says Julie Schoen, deputy director of the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) at the University of Southern Californias Keck School of Medicine.

Skip the standard power-of-attorney form and customize the role to meet your needs, preferably with the help of a lawyer. (The federal governments Eldercare Locator can help you find free or low-cost legal assistance.) Maybe you want your agents to handle all your financial matters, or maybe you just waent them to, say, file taxes or manage property. Spell it out.

2. Appoint a trusted contact for accounts and investments.

A trusted contact is someone you authorize a bank or financial institution to get in touch with about questionable activity on your account, or if they are unable to reach you. The company can disclose some account information to your trusted contact, but he or she is not able to make transactions.

A similar option is to give someone you trust view-only access to your account. View-only users can monitor your transactions but not conduct business or access the funds. This is a safer option than establishing a joint account, where the other person can make withdrawals and your money automatically becomes theirs upon your death.

"Never add someone to your bank account or the title to your property," advises Joanne Savage, an attorney with AARPs Legal Counsel for the Elderly, which provides free legal services for older adults in Washington, D.C.

Contact your bank or brokerage or visit its website for information on adding a trusted contract or view-only user to your account. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission requires brokerage firms to ask customers to identify a trusted contact when they open or update an account.

3. Sign up for a service that tracks your bank accounts, investments and credit cards.

Tech tools such as EverSafe and LifeLock can detect suspicious activity  like missing deposits, unusual withdrawals or abrupt changes in spending patterns  and notify you and a trusted advocate.

These services do more than provide front-line protection in detecting scams, fraud and identity theft  they can also offer support in recouping any losses. If you do fall victim to fraud, for instance, they can walk you through the steps to take in reporting it and mitigating your losses. In the case of identity theft, EverSafe will reimburse lawyer fees.
\Thank you for everything you've done for me in Aberdeen
Police say an 8-year-old boy remained in critical condition Wednesday after he and his mother were in a rollover crash Tuesday night near the Sunport.

Albuquerque police spokesman Simon Drobik said the boys mother, who was driving and had to be freed from the vehicle by rescue crews, is in stable condition.

He said speed was a contributing factor in the crash but would not elaborate.

The crash occurred after 8 p.m. at Yale and Gibson SE.

The boy was taken to a hospital, but rescue crews had to free the mother, who was trapped inside the wreckage, before she was taken to a hospital.

Denise Chavez said she was waiting at the light when the car went by going so fast, hit the median and flipped at least three times before hitting a light pole.

It happened so fast, she said. The only thing I could see was sparks.

Chavez said she parked and went straight to the 8-year-old boy, who had been thrown from the car and was lying on the pavement crying in pain and asking, wheres my mommy?

She said she tried calming him down by asking him questions: where he went to school, how old he was.

Another person came up with a sweater and gave it to Chavez, who said she put it under the boys head very carefully to stop the bleeding.

There was blood all over the ground, she said. It was horrible.

Then, Chavez said, she went to the wreckage to check on the mother and tell her that her son was doing okay.

She was under the car, there was really nothing I could do for her, she said. Thats when rescue crews and firefighters arrived and took over.

I was really scared; I have never been through this before, Chavez said. I have a 4-year-old son. I think about what if that happened to me or my son.

She said the jarring experience will make her think twice on the road.

It made me realize, drive patiently, dont go fast Chavez said. Just be more cautious.

Around a dozen firefighters and rescue personnel crowded around the mangled wreckage after pulling the mother out of the car and placing her on a stretcher.

After the mother was taken to a hospital, an officer could be seen crouched down looking inside the vehicle. One of the tires had fallen off the vehicle and stood partly shredded nearby.

The intersection was closed late into the night while police investigated.
When the board that oversees New Mexicos largest public hospital moves its meeting behind closed doors on Friday, its discussion will not be a total mystery.

The University of New Mexico Hospital Board of Trustees has alerted the public that it will consider recommendations to permanently appoint four psychiatrists, three orthopedic practitioners, and 46 other doctors and health care providers.

The trustees have also signaled plans to discuss expanding telemedicine privileges for 22 doctors in its Obstetrics and Gynecology department and the types of procedures certain other physicians can perform.

The extensive detail comes via the meetings eight-page agenda, a document clearly outlining which personnel matters the board will address in private. The agenda identified all of the aforementioned employees by name, marking a departure for the university.

UNM has typically used the generic phrase discussion and determination where appropriate of limited personnel matters to explain closed-door discussions. But New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas office last month called that language problematic.

In addressing citizen complaints that the July 19 UNM Board of Regents meeting agenda was not specific enough to meet the states Open Meetings Act requirements, Assistant Attorney General John Kreienkamps written opinion stated that UNMs personnel matters line was overly broad and vague.

To be clear: OMAs limited personnel matters exception allows a public body to discuss an individual public employee, and to satisfy the reasonable specificity requirement, the public body must list the specific individual employee to be discussed by the Board, he wrote.

The UNMH board did not heed that guidance initially.

The boards first agenda for Fridays meeting was a single page without including such detail. But after the Journal raised questions about the agenda with Balderas office, representatives contacted UNMs legal office.

We had told them there were concerns and some things would probably need to be changed, said David Carl, the attorney generals office spokesman.

UNM then released the updated eight-page agenda.

We took a look and revised the agenda after the Attorney Generals office relayed the concerns, UNM Health Sciences Center spokeswoman Alex Sanchez said in an email. We are in the process of looking at our meeting notices and agendas as part of our commitment to transparency and compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

The Foundation for Open Government, which advocates for transparency by public agencies, praised UNM for making the change.

The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government supports UNMHs efforts to comply with a recent Attorney General opinion requiring more sufficient information when announcing items to be discussed in closed session, Melanie J. Majors, NMFOGs executive director said in a written statement. While we are quick to point out when public bodies violate the Open Meetings Act (OMA), it is just as important for the public to know when there is voluntary compliance. We applaud UNMHs efforts.
WASHINGTON  On the Today Show in June, Bill Clinton was asked if he had ever apologized personally to Monica Lewinsky. The normally eloquent and loquacious former president went into the verbal equivalent of a mad dash to the sidelines  once again getting comeuppance for his appalling behavior while in office. But Clinton was hardly the only one who, in the words of the old song, done her wrong. So did Brett Kavanaugh, almost certain to be the next Supreme Court justice. Even more than Clinton, he owes Lewinsky an apology.

The first question the Senate Judiciary Committee ought to ask Kavanaugh at his confirmation hearings next week should go like this: Are you embarrassed and chagrined at the way you and others in the office of the independent counsel Ken Starr bullied and terrified Lewinsky? Are you ashamed that you had a role in coercing her into revealing the lurid details of her sexual moments with Clinton  and then those details were published for public consumption and titillation in the shockingly lewd and virtually pornographic Starr Report?

In a brutal Aug. 15, 1998, memo to Starr, Kavanaugh recommended that no mercy be shown Clinton when he went before a grand jury. In the memo, Kavanaugh blamed Clinton for turning Lewinskys life into a shambles. He had it backward. Actually, it was Starr and his men who invaded Lewinskys private life and revealed the most intimate minutiae of what was her  not just Clintons  sexual affair. Shambles is a mild description of what they made of her life.

The memo is startling for both its anger and its inescapable suggestion that Kavanaugh wanted to get Clinton not just for perjury about an affair  but for the affair itself. This so disgusted Kavanaugh that he suggested Clinton be asked the most clinical questions regarding the sex he had with Lewinsky. The idea of going easy on him at the questioning is thus abhorrent to me, Kavanaugh wrote.

Actually, it was Kavanaughs proposed questions that were abhorrent. Beyond that, however, he and the other prosecutors were engaged in an elaborate attempt to persecute a political foe. Yes, the president had lied under oath. But as many Americans recognized at the time, the lie involved extramarital sex, which was neither a high crime nor a misdemeanor, but a banality. The lie was wrong and made all the more wrong because it was made under oath by the nations chief law enforcement officer. Still, national security was hardly at stake.

Lewinsky, too, was ensnared in the attempted political coup. She had submitted a false affidavit about her affair with the president. That was her one and only crime, and for that, FBI agents and a special prosecutor lured her to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pentagon City, escorted her to an upstairs room and told her that if she did not help the special prosecutor incriminate Clinton she would be indicted for perjury, witness tampering, obstruction of justice and other charges.

My life is ruined, she cried that day.

Lewinsky was both prescient and premature. Worse was yet to come.

Kavanaugh and his buddies had in effect conducted a raid on her personal life, eventually having the Government Printing Office spill it all out in the lurid Starr Report. A riveted nation was told all about their oral sex, telephone sex and even stogie sex. The report and the impeachment that followed was the culmination of a nearly successful attempt by right-wing night riders to make Clinton swing. An investigation that started out looking into a trivial real estate deal called Whitewater veered into an obsessive attempt to assassinate the president of the United States by mortification. Kavanaugh put his shoulder to that wheel.

Kavanaugh is 20 years older now and just possibly wiser. According to a former member of the Starr team, Kavanaugh immediately regretted the tone of the memo. He also disliked that Congress released the sexually explicit details to the public. Time is a great teacher. Hugo Black, a long-serving and much-honored Supreme Court justice, once belonged to the Ku Klux Klan as an Alabama politician. On the court, though, he joined its liberal wing. People can change. Regret stalks us all.

But Kavanaughs memo evinces not a political view or political expediency but the furious intolerance of an inquisitor. His zeal to topple a president by revealing and criminalizing his deeply humiliating  and, yes, abhorrent  personal life is not easily forgivable and not at all forgettable. He and his colleagues went after Clintons lover as if she were an atomic spy. In the process, they virtually arrested a young woman on the solemn charge of being a young woman. Brett Kavanaugh did this. He has to account for it.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Matthew Sample schemed to steal more than $1 million from multiple victims, used the money to pay for a lavish lifestyle and appeared to have avoided any time in prison for his crimes.

But an appeals court said it was puzzled by the sentence that was imposed on the Santa Fe con man and, in a ruling published this week, sent the case back to U.S. District Court in Albuquerque for re-sentencing.

In December 2015, Sample pleaded guilty to federal fraud and wire fraud charges. In court documents, he admitted stealing a total of more than $1 million from six sets of victims while he was running a hedge fund based in Santa Fe from 2008 to 2014.

He used the investors money to fund a high-end lifestyle. His Santa Fe home had gold woven into the wallpaper, for example.

As part of his scheme, Sample sent his investors monthly statements that falsely showed that their accounts were profitable, sent them misleading emails and provided false tax reports, according to court documents.

The money from his victims, in some cases, came from their retirement and college fund accounts.

At Samples sentencing hearing in March 2017, the government had asked for a sentence of about six and a half years in prison, which was at the low end of federal guidelines.

But U.S. District Judge Judith Herrera instead sentenced Sample to five years on probation.

Herrera said in court that she was basing her sentence in part on Samples high-paying job at the time. He was expected to make more than $200,000 that year, and Herrera said having that job would allow Sample to pay his victims back.

If you didnt have your current job and the ability to make these payments, I might be doing something differently, she said during the hearing. I dont think you deserve to have fun for the next few years.

Prosecutors appealed the decision.

The government believes that the district court was willing to overlook the many red flags that the government raised (and substantiated) about Sample because of the courts overriding concern about restitution, prosecutors wrote in their appeal

Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Carlos Lucero said in this weeks ruling that the court has explained in published decisions that a persons wealth should not be a factor when fashioning a sentence.

We are puzzled by the courts implicit suggestion that if the defendant were poor and unemployed, he might get a prison term, Lucero wrote.  Our system of justice has no sentencing discount for wealth.

Lucero said that considering a persons ability to pay restitution should be considered by a judge.

However, the district courts reliance on Samples salary and overriding all other sentencing considerations exceeded the bounds of permissible choice, he wrote.

Ray Twohig, Samples attorney, said he and Sample are still reviewing the courts decision and considering their next steps, which could include asking the court to reconsider or asking the Supreme Court to review the case.

He said Sample, who now lives in Texas, has a job organizing real estate appraisals and is continuing to pay restitution.
[August 30, 2018] Sumo Logic Named to JMP Securities' 2018 Hot 100 List REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sumo Logic , the leading cloud-native, machine data analytics platform that delivers continuous intelligence , today announced it has been named to JMP Securities  ninth annual Hot 100 report of The Best Privately-Held Software Companies in 2018.

JMP Securities is a premier investment bank that publishes the annual Hot 100 list to recognize outstanding privately-held software companies. The companies selected for the list are evaluated on a range of criteria, including financial growth, products and services, quality of leadership, customer traction and market potential. We are thrilled JMP Securities included Sumo Logic among the ranks of some of the leading pioneering software companies today, said Ramin Sayar, president and CEO, Sumo Logic. Our platform is built for todays modern cloud models, ranging from support of multi-cloud capabilities to DevSecOps. Our team is pushing the boundaries on technological innovation so our customers can leverage the power of machine data analytics to provide real-time visibility and insights that drive a seamless experience for their end users and help them gain a competitive edge in the analytics economy. To receive acknowledgement of our efforts from such a reputable and esteemed firm only further validates our momentum and commitment to democratizing machine data for our customers. More than 1,600 companies and 50,000 users count on Sumo Logic to deliver the continuous intelligence needed to empower the people who power modern business and accelerate digital business transformation. The Hot 100 report is another addition to Sumo Logics corporate milestones over the past year, which include: Achieved record revenue for fiscal year 2018  driven by continued rapid acceleration of its recurring revenue base, proving out its land and expand business model as customers continue to derive increasing value from the Sumo Logic service.



Enhanced its leading security analytics capabilities with the acquisition of FactorChain to further pioneer the new operating model for modernizing cybersecurity, threat and compliance requirements.



to further pioneer the new operating model for modernizing cybersecurity, threat and compliance requirements. Expanded global footprint that resulted in record growth in customers and partners in EMEA and APAC.



Increased employee headcount to more than 400 globally with significant investments in engineering and go-to-market.



Analyzed more than 100 petabytes of data, over 30 million searches and 500 trillion records daily.



Hosted Illuminate , the first Sumo Logic user conference, with more than 400 attendees, sponsored by Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, New Relic, Cloud Passage, MongoDB, Okta, CrowdStrike, JFrog, Fastly, Pivotal and Relus. Sumo Logic, a recognized expert in building and operating massive multi-tenant, highly distributed cloud systems, is the industrys first machine data analytics platform to natively ingest, index and analyze structured and unstructured data together in real-time. As one of the most powerful cloud-native services in the world, the Sumo Logic platform ingests and analyzes vast amounts of data and runs millions of queries every day, which powers tens of millions of insights for customers who rely on this type of continuous intelligence to more effectively build, run and secure their modern applications. The Hot 100 report is released ahead of Sumo Logics annual Illuminate user conference, where the company will unveil new innovations to its machine data analytics platform and unite its ecosystem of industry visionaries, including customers, partners and investors, for two days of hands-on learning, collaboration and certification trainings. Registration for Illuminate is now open , with the conference taking place Sept. 12-13, 2018, in Burlingame, Calif. About Sumo Logic

Sumo Logic is a secure, cloud-native, machine data analytics service, delivering real-time, continuous intelligence from structured, semi-structured and unstructured data across the entire application lifecycle and stack. More than 1,600 customers around the globe rely on Sumo Logic for the analytics and insights to build, run and secure their modern applications and cloud infrastructures. With Sumo Logic, customers gain a multi-tenant, service-model advantage to accelerate their shift to continuous innovation, increasing competitive advantage, business value and growth. Founded in 2010, Sumo Logic is a privately held company based in Redwood City, Calif. and is backed by Accel Partners, DFJ, Greylock Partners, IVP, Sapphire Ventures, Sequoia Capital and Sutter Hill Ventures. For more information, visit www.sumologic.com . Media Contacts

Melissa Liton

Sumo Logic

mliton@sumologic.com

(650) 814-3882 Danielle Salvato-Earl

Offleash for Sumo Logic

sumo@offleashpr.com

[ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ]
State Police say a burglary suspect jumped into a deputys patrol car and tried to drive away before a deputy shot and killed her in Los Lunas last week.

NM State Police spokesman Ray Wilson said Valencia County Sheriffs deputy Ashley Martinez fatally shot Virginia Romero, 34, last Thursday morning as Romero tried to steal another deputys vehicle. Romero was pronounced dead at the scene.

Wilson said deputies responded to a burglary at a home on East Brazaro, around 9:30 a.m., and found several people including Romero and Daniel Ibuado, 45.

He said deputies arrested Ibuado for an outstanding warrant and placed him in the back seat of deputy Kevin Vegas vehicle.

Wilson said while deputies were speaking with the others found at the home, Romero got into the driver seat of Vegas vehicle and put it in gear.

The vehicle began to move, effectively stealing the patrol unit with Ibuado still seated in the back seat, he said.

Wilson said thats when Martinez fired at Romero, hitting her once and killing her, and the vehicle crashed into another home.

Wilson did not say how many times Martinez fired at Romero and he couldnt be reached for comment Wednesday night.

He said Martinez has been a deputy with Valencia County for one and a half years.
LAS CRUCES  The alleged source of heroin for numerous street-level dealers in Las Cruces was not among those arrested when authorities conducted a suspect roundup this week.

Jesus Salvador Otero-Martinez, 32, of Ciudad Juarez, is considered a fugitive.

Authorities announced Tuesday that 14 residents of Las Cruces and Otero-Martinez are facing federal heroin trafficking charges as the result of a two-year multi-agency investigation.

Thirteen of the 14 defendants were arrested Tuesday in Las Cruces by teams of federal, state, county and local law enforcement officers in an early morning operation, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

The DOJ reports Otero-Martinez had been under investigation since 2016. He is suspected of being the source of supply for a heroin trafficking operation that allegedly provided heroin to couriers who would smuggle the drug in their body cavities from Juarez to El Paso and Las Cruces, where it was delivered to street-level dealers.

According to court filings, the defendants used social media messaging platforms to facilitate their heroin trafficking activities.

During the course of the investigation, authorities seized approximately 1.17 kilograms of heroin, $6,150 in cash, nine firearms and 465 cartridges of various calibers of ammunition.

On Aug. 22 a federal grand jury returned four federal indictments charging 15 defendants with conspiracy and heroin trafficking offenses.

Otero-Martinez was charged with four counts of participating in a heroin trafficking conspiracy.

Those who were arrested included Alfred Silva, 34; Joseph Gonzalez, 23; Erik DeLeon, 27; Matthew Torres, 33; Donnie Edward Baca, 26; Brenda Romero, 39; Nathan Gonzales, 32; Desiree M. Vallejos, 29; Samantha M. Ybarra-Ochoa, 26; Elaine Zubiran, 27; Misty A. Baca, 36; Michael Crespin, 60; Gabriel Soltero, 35.

Gerardo Zamarripa, 32, was charged with one count of participating in a heroin trafficking conspiracy and one count of possessing heroin with intent to distribute. He is considered a fugitive.

All defendants are facing 20 to 40 years in prison and fines of $1 million to $5 million, if convicted.
FARMINGTON  One of the two Farmington women accused of kidnapping an Oklahoma teen has had her case dismissed by a judge.

Melissa Goelzs case was dismissed Monday in Pittsburg County District Court in Oklahoma by Associate District Judge James Bland, according to court documents.

Goelz, 29, and Kristen Kriste Aragon, 35, were accused of traveling from Farmington on April 16 to pick up the 14-year-old boy from his residence outside of McAlester in southeastern Oklahoma and returning to her residence, according to court documents.

They were taken into custody at Aragons residence on April 17 by Farmington Police Department officers.

The dismissal by Bland was due to Goelz believing the boy was voluntarily going with them due to a desire to run away from his residence, according to the order.

Prosecutors argued Goelz should be charged with kidnapping because the parents did not give permission for the women to pick up the boy. The judges order states the teen was of age to give consent to leave without a parents consent.

Goelzs court-appointed attorney, Brecken Wagner, said the boy could not get his story straight while testifying regarding at what point he decided he did not want to be to not be around the women.

He added the victim walked about a mile from his residence to a gas station to meet up with the women of his own accord.

Wagner said it was sad and disheartening to see prosecutors throw Goelz in jail a second time on a case they couldnt get to trial.

Charges were refiled against Aragon and Goelz on July 25 after the initial charges were dismissed during a June 27 hearing. The Pittsburg County District Attorneys Office has previously stated it dismissed the first set of charges due to issues regarding witnesses and the acquisition of evidence in the case, according to The Daily Time archives.

Pittsburg County District Attorney Chuck Sullivan said he believed there was enough evidence to have Goelzs case bound over to district court, and he was disappointed about and didnt agree with the judges order.

He added Goelzs claims that the women traveled nearly 1,300 miles based on concerns that the boy was in an abusive situation didnt pass the smell test, as they never contacted authorities regarding the claims.

Wagner stated the boy told the court his claims of abuse were false.

The boy testified in court that Aragon threatened to kill his family, Sullivan said.

Aragons charges were bound over for a district court arraignment on Sept. 26, according to court documents.

Aragon is accused of felony counts of kidnapping, solicitation for child pornography and lewd or indecent proposal to a minor, according to court documents.

The court documents alleged Aragon made a lewd proposal to have sexual relation or intercourse with the boy.

She is also accused of requesting a picture from the boy that is considered to be child pornography be sent to her phone.

Joshua Kellogg covers crime, courts and social issues for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.



2018 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.)

Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The scene of a collision between a Greyhound passenger bus and a semitrailer on Interstate 40 near Thoreau on Thursday First responders work at the scene of a collision between a Greyhound passenger bus and a semitrailer on Interstate 40 near the town of Thoreau on Thursday. At least seven people were killed and others were seriously injured. (Chris Jones) A Greyhound bus and a semitrailer crashed on Interstate 40 near Thoreau Thursday afternoon, killing at least seven people Firefighters and paramedics work near a Greyhound bus that was involved in a crash with a semitrailer truck on Interstate 40 near Thoreau Thursday afternoon. Emergency personnel inspect a bus near Thoreau after it was destroyed by the impact of an oncoming semitrailer Thursday Prev 1 of 5 Next

Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

At least seven people were killed and many more seriously injured when a tractor-trailer hauling produce crashed head-on into a nearly full Greyhound bus on Interstate 40 near Thoreau on Thursday afternoon.

The bus, carrying 48 or 49 passengers, was heading from Albuquerque to Phoenix, with a final destination of Los Angeles. New Mexico State Police said that only six passengers on the bus were not injured.

It was chaos, officer Ray Wilson, an NMSP spokesman, said in a media briefing. The officers did a great job of sifting through the rubble to get survivors out. The first few officers that arrived on scene really had their hands full.

Westbound lanes of I-40 were closed for hours while officers investigated the scene and road crews cleaned up the debris.

Wilson said that around 12:30 p.m., officers were called for the crash on I-40 near mile marker 50, about 100 miles west of Albuquerque.

When officers arrived, they found the wrecked vehicles on the road and in the median. The front half of the bus was destroyed. The cab of the truck was also destroyed, and its trailer was lying on its side.

Boxes of produce  witnesses identified broccoli and cauliflower  were strewn for yards.

Wilson said the preliminary investigation found that the truck was heading east when a tire blew out, causing it to cross the median and head into oncoming traffic. He said officers believe there were 48 people on the bus, but a Greyhound spokeswoman put the number of passengers at 49.

Truck driver survives

He said the driver of the truck sustained non-life-threatening injuries. He did not have any information on the people who were killed, including their ages, genders or where they were from.

Wilson said the National Transportation Safety Board will send a team to investigate along with the State Police traffic unit.

A spokeswoman for Greyhound said the company is cooperating with local authorities and will do its own investigation.

Our first priority is taking care of our passengers and the families, as this has impacted everyone involved, Crystal Booker said in a statement. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone as we continue to give our support to all affected.

Thursday afternoon Wilson said four people had been killed but by 10 p.m. that number had risen to seven. Its unclear where the three additional people died.

The most seriously injured were taken by ambulance to the University of New Mexico Hospital.

My understanding is we have received six patients and three of those patients are in critical condition, Luke Frank, a UNMH spokesman, said Thursday afternoon. The remaining three are in satisfactory or serious conditions.

Dr. Kevin Gaines, the acting chief medical officer of Gallup Indian Medical Center, said that hospital received the bulk of the patients, because its the hospital closest to the crash. He said 20 people were brought in, four of whom were children.

He said that of the 20, four were taken to UNMH and one to a hospital in Arizona.

There were some families, Gaines said. We are working with regional resources for reunification of those families.

As of Thursday night, eight people were still at the medical center and seven had been discharged.

Gaines said the crash was the largest mass casualty event he has seen at the center.

These are the types of things we prepare for and hope we never have to deal with, Gaines said. But today our team came together and responded to this event. They did an incredible job.

A spokeswoman from Rehoboth McKinley Christian Health Care Services in Gallup said eight people were taken to that hospital and one of them was sent to UNMH. The rest are in stable condition.

Scattered produce

Jesse Benge, a truck driver hauling strawberries and blueberries from California to North Carolina, said he was headed east on I-40 shortly after the crash occurred.

The truck was on its right side and had a lot of produce scattered probably 40 yards, I would say, Benge said. On the bus, the first two windows on the side were completely gone, and where the driver would sit it looked like he hit a brick wall.

Benge said it was one of the worst crashes he has seen in his 35 years of driving.

It just stays in your mind, he said. I just hope everyone is OK, and I know theyre not. Its probably one of the top five worst wrecks Ive ever seen.

Journal staff writer Matthew Reisen contributed to this report.

Passenger info

Friends and family of bus passengers looking for information can call Greyhound at 800-972-4583 or McKinley County Emergency Management at 505-722-4246.
A District Court judge remanded a suspect into county jail Thursdaymonths after he was mistakenly released and had to be tracked down by U.S. Marshals.

A District Court judge remanded a suspect into county jail Thursday  months after he was mistakenly released and had to be tracked down by U.S. Marshals.

Judge Stanley Whitaker ordered Matthew Joe, 30, to serve the remainder of his sentence stemming from a plea deal on multiple stolen vehicle charges.

Whitaker originally sentenced Joe to a year in jail May 8  only to release him hours later after a Metropolitan Detention Center employee made a typo in Joes booking sheet, which made it look like he had already served a year.

Afterward, warrants were put out for Joes arrest and U.S. Marshals found him at his mothers home near Thoreau earlier this month.

The idea was to have him do time in MDC for a year  we havent fulfilled that at this point, Whitaker said during Thursdays hearing, pointing out that Joe had served only 106 days in jail.

Standing beside his attorney Courtney Aronowsky, Joe told Whitaker that the judge gave him good time  or the ability to get his sentence shortened for good behavior  during his sentencing in May.

You werent going to give me good time  and I begged you if you could reconsider that and you did reconsider that, he said.

Whitaker told Joe he couldnt remember if good time was authorized or even discussed during the original hearing.

Ive had two hundred cases come since that time, Whitaker said. If thats what we discussed, thats where were going with it.

Whitaker set a hearing for Sept. 27 to look at the possibility of Joe being given good time  which would shorten the remainder of his sentence to 59 days.

Police say Joe is a suspect in the July 2017 slaying of 36-year-old Jaime Dimas, who was trying to thwart a robbery when he was gunned down in southeast Albuquerque. A homicide detective turned over the case against Joe to the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office in May, but it has yet to indict him.

DA spokesman Michael Patrick told the Journal Thursday prosecutors are waiting on a cellphone warrant before filing charges, but are preparing for an indictment against Joe.

The pending homicide case and mistaken release was publicized in early August and Aronowsky emphasized to Whitaker that Thursdays hearing concerned only the stolen vehicle charges against Joe.

Anything else thats being discussed on the news or whatever is not relevant to what we are doing here today, she said.

After the hearing, Joes sister Clara Joe and his wife Gabriella Muniz hugged each other outside the courtroom.

Muniz called Whitakers decision to remand Joe a big disappointment and said it was the jails fault for releasing him in the first place.

They let him go and he was doing so good  such a big change  just to go back, she said.
Big Bazaar, the flagship hypermarket retail chain of Kishore Biyani-led Future Group, has worked with Google to create Smart Search in June 2017 , where anyone who searches with a Prefix of Big Bazaar on Google is offered exclusive offers which can be redeemed across its network of 225 stores throughout India.

With the success of the campaign month on month & with the endeavor to reach out & provide benefit to more users to avail the offers Big Bazaar has taken a leap with Smart Search which will now be available through Voice search. This will be Indias first search for best offers through voice. No other brand has explored this medium.

According to Google data Voice search is on rise & will continue to grow over a period of time.

Search and explore is a way of life in todays time and Google Search is one of the important destination for it. At Future Group, we believe in being a part of the consumer journey & ahead of time to explore and be a part of every search moment.With Voice search we want more users to use this medium & get offers in an all new way, said Pawan Sarda, group head - digital at Future Group.





Smart Search with Voice will be available to users on 31st August , where in users just have to use the voice icon on Google & say Big Bazaar with their favorite product name to instantly get the offer. Offers would be available across categories such as groceries, Tshirt, Jeans, fashion apparels, Dinner set , Luggage , Bedsheets & more .

Click here for more related news.
Hershey India Pvt. Ltd. recently launched Jolly Rancher Hotties, a hard candy specially developed to appeal to the `hot Indian palate. The candy is a part of the Jolly Rancher confectionery range, which is known for its unmistakable bold, sweet and tart fruity flavours. Jolly Rancher Hotties is uniquely crafted. Consumers first experience its tongue-tingling fruity flavours, which then give way to a sudden spicy burst at the centre, thereby leaving a lingering taste, that is a stimulating mix of both sweet and spice. The candy will be available in three exciting flavours - Raw Mango, Pineapple, and Lemon  and is attractively priced at just Re 1/-.

Sharing his views on the launch of Jolly Rancher Hotties, Herjit Bhalla, Managing Director, Hershey India Pvt. Ltd., said, Hershey India is continuously evolving its product portfolio, based on strong consumer understanding. When we researched the Indian taste preferences, we discovered that as a culture, we prefer hot and spicy flavours as much as the sweet ones. It has always been our vision to provide a differentiated product experience to our consumers. We are very excited about the launch of Jolly Rancher Hotties as it is set to strike a chord with both `meetha and `theekha being fused into a single offering. Jolly Rancher is a key brand in the Hershey India portfolio, and with the launch of Jolly Rancher Hotties, we aim to offer yet another unique innovation that is set to tingle the taste palate of Indians.

The Jolly Rancher Hotties launch will be communicated across media, including television and digital, and will be endorsed by celebrity Tamannaah Bhatia.

In her comments on the new launch, Tamannaah Bhatia said, Jolly Rancher has always been a favourite, and I would eagerly wait for friends or relatives travelling from the United States to get me a few packs of the candy. I look forward to the exciting launch of Jolly Rancher Hotties in India and to being a part of a brand that I have personally loved over the years.
Resiquick, the new instant adhesives brand from Astral Adhesives, has launched a new campaign developed by Lowe Lintas Ahmedabad. Varun Dhawan is the brand ambassador for Resiquick promoting the adhesive brand in a multi-film campaign.

Kairav Engineer, VP  Business Development, Astral Poly Technik said, Our association with Varun Dhawan for the instant adhesive range is in sync with our brand ethos and identity, which is to innovate and introduce newer products that surprise and delight both, our trade and consumer. It is for the first time in the segment that a brand ambassador is signed on for a Cyanoacrylate-based instant adhesive product, and we are confident that Varun is a perfect fit with his on-screen and off-screen persona.

The multi-film campaign shows how using a glue that spills can land people in tricky and sticky situations. Varun Dhawan introduces the audience to the hero of the film - Resiquick adhesive, pronouncing its unique benefit of '1 drop at a time' for ease of use and the strong bond it provides with the tagline 'sirf chipkao nahi, jodo'.

Commenting on the campaign idea, Sagar Kapoor, Executive Director, Lowe Lintas said, The Resiquick tube is of superior design. It delivers one drop at a time hence is not clumsy to use. It also has a cap that can be reused, unlike most others in the category. So we decided to focus on the real benefit. Of course, delivered in an engaging and entertaining way. We were fortunate to get Varun Dhawan to help us do that. He lands the cheeky yet honest message of Resiquick. Sirf chipkao nahi, jodo!

The film is currently live on and offline.

Credits

Client: Sandeep Engineer, Kairav Engineer, Saumya Engineer, Yogen Parikh, Jay Sk

Creative: Arun Iyer, Sagar Kapoor, Jaywant Dabholkar, Sarfaraz Siddiqui, Suyog Mahadik, Kaustubh Panat

Account Management: Raj Gupta, Shantanu Sapre, Uttam Solanki, Arpit Raval

Click here for more in advertising.
The United States earlier this year cut its aid to UNRWA to $60 million from a promised $350 million for the year, saying the agency needed to make unspecified reforms and calling on the Palestinians to renew peace talks with Israel.

A revolution is taking place in the way the United States deals with the Palestinian Israeli conflict and it could have serious ramifications for the security situation in Israel some say while others see God's hand in the stunning developments.

Since then, the administration has informed the "key regional governments" of its plan, according to the report.

Not only them. Israeli security establishment types are concerned that cash cuts will harm security cooperation with the Palestinian Authority.

The decision underscored the influence of Kushner and Nikki Haley, the USA ambassador to the United Nations, who have overcome resistance to the cuts from the Pentagon, the US intelligence community, and the State Department under the leadership of former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The U.S.is reportedly demanding a new definition of a "Palestinian refugee" and wants UNRWA to adopt the definition used by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees the UN body which takes care of refugees worldwide and resettles majority in their host countries within three years.

Last week the State Department announced a $200 million cut in annual aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Hadashot said the new United States position represented a further endorsement of Israel's positions, months after the administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and relocated the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

On Friday, a State Department spokesperson said the administration wanted "to ensure these funds are spent in accordance with US national interests".

The plan to cut USA funding has been championed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but military officials cautioned Israeli Cabinet members over the weekend that a swift demise of UNRWA in Gaza could create a vacuum that Hamas would fill, Haaretz reported. The goal of such a change, the TV report said, would be to prevent Arab nations from legitimately channeling aid to UNRWA in the West Bank.

Some 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas that are also home to more than 2.6 million Palestinians.

Kushner had proposed redirecting UNRWA funds to the Jordanian government to help defray the cost of caring for its Palestinians if Amman would agree to fully naturalize them and accept the fact that they would not be granted a right of return to Israel. A vocal advocate of peace negotiations with the Palestinians, she nevertheless strongly calls for dismantling UNRWA.

Following the meeting, Safadi said on Twitter that he had underscored the urgency of supporting UNRWA and stressed the "dangerous consequences of failing to bridge #UNRWA deficit".

UNRWA was founded in 1949 after the first Arab-Israel war, which led to 700,000 Palestinians being forced to leave their homes.

UNRWA funds various education, health and welfare services for Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

The administration also suspended $65 million in aid from UNRWA in January.
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 Iranian government is trying to address the issue of uneven economic development, which is most obvious in border regions, by creating more economic free zones. In pursuit of this aim, a bill proposing the establishment of eight new economic-industrial free zones and 12 special economic zones (SEZ) was submitted to parliament in 2016. The text was just approved by lawmakers Aug. 29 after the number of SEZ was increased to 69 earlier this month by parliament's Economic Commission.

The legislation could transform Irans geo-economic map.

If the initiative is implemented, it will establish the following free zones: Incheh Borun, in conjunction with the North-South Transportation Corridor, to expand trade with Central Asia; Ardebil, as an export platform to Azerbaijan; Baneh-Marivan, to expand economic relations with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as well as Turkey; Bushehr, to expand trade with Qatar and focus on the petrochemical industry; Jask, to expand Iran's oil and gas industry; Mehran, to develop the energy industry and expand trade with Iraq; and Sistan, to expand economic relations with Afghanistan and Central Asia. In addition, the law also would allow several other SEZ to be developed in various Iranian provinces.

The initiative has faced extensive disputes over the merits of free zones, based on zones established during the past 40 years. The Persian Gulf island of Kish became Irans first free zone back in 1979, and gradually  especially after the end of the Cold War  the number of free zones increased to eight while the number of SEZ expanded to 26.

Critics argue that those free zones have failed to achieve their goals of boosting employment, attracting foreign technology and capital, increasing exports and improving local living conditions. These failures are mostly ascribed to issues such as lack of proper infrastructure, inefficient sizing (Iran is home to the worlds biggest free zone at 500,000 hectares, or 1.24 million acres), weak management and lack of cooperation with other economic bodies, especially the Customs Administration. Critics also point out that the free zones have created problems such as smuggling, economic rent-seeking, tax evasion, shell companies and increasing social class divisions.

Some have even claimed that the income earned by the organizations in charge of these zones  income mostly generated from land sales and import duties  is poisonous and have referred to the zones as the governments back alley. Two senior officials of President Hassan Rouhani's administration have publicly clashed over how the zones should be managed. These criticisms resulted in parliament conducting an inquiry into the free zones and publishing a report critical of their performance. Critics of the bill say the establishment of new free zones as well as SEZ will only result in the same failed experience.

In addition to these criticisms, the Rouhani administration faces the challenge of securing financing to develop the necessary infrastructure for the zones. The spending envisaged in the law is estimated at 47 trillion rials ($1.12 billion), and it's not quite clear where this money will come from. So, the proposed zones won't begin operating until funding is provided and the infrastructure is built.

It's clear that with the US reimposing sanctions and the Rouhani administration consequently losing part of its revenues, funding will become even more difficult.

On the other hand, supporters of the bill claim the governments decision to put the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance in charge of the High Council of Free Zones  the top decision-making body when it comes to these zones  has not only solved the issue of a lack of coordination between relevant decision-making organizations, but has also put parliament in charge of supervising the zones' management. They also believe that by designating new free zones, the Rouhani administration is trying to build the necessary infrastructure for these zones before they become operational and is trying to reduce their sizes with the aim of making it easier to exercise legal control over them.

Considering all these challenges and criticisms, it's likely that the Rouhani administrations motivation in insisting on establishing these zones  aside from the economic advantages they may yield  is strategic. Contemporary Iran is the heir of one of the oldest and most enduring Eastern empires. A center-periphery balance has always existed in this empire. However, during the past century, uneven development has produced a center-periphery imbalance, featuring an uneven distribution of population, industry and prosperity. Tehran is the center of this imbalance, so much so that 20% of Irans industry is situated in Tehran province alone. With the exception of the oil industry, other major segments of Iranian industry are also concentrated in provinces close to the capital. For instance, Isfahan province is home to more than 9,000 industrial units, while Golestan province only hosts 905 units.

Uneven development, coupled with climate change, is rapidly changing the traditional patterns of population distribution in Iran, resulting in extensive migration from the periphery to the center. Indeed, 16% of Irans population is now centered in Tehran, which makes up only 1% of the country's surface area. This is while the southern coast of Iran, from Khorramshahr on the border with Iraq, to Gavater on the border with Pakistan, is home to less than 2% of Irans population. These changes are accompanied by social problems increasing so much that about 20% of Irans population currently live in slums on the outskirts of urban centers.

From the perspective of the Iranian government, free zones play a key role in local economic development, increasing the population in such zones and increasing security at the borders. The areas described as free zones and SEZ in the bill are mostly located in the periphery such as border areas, which in recent years have faced increasing poverty, migration and depopulation. Thus, the Rouhani administrations reason for drafting the bill and insisting on its passage is more about finding a solution for the many challenges of uneven economic development than any desire to compete with neighboring free zones or to play a new role in the world economy.

By creating these new free zones, both the administration and parliament are trying to tie the zones to the economies of neighboring countries and reduce the zones dependence on government rents. The zones' success will depend on the macroeconomic policies of the country, the future of its relations with its neighbors and its position in the global economy. The geo-economic map of Iran will change as a result of these shifts. However, it won't be easy to guide these changes in the direction that the Iranian government desires.
After making an unannounced trip to Turkey, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Aug. 29, Just finished fruitful consultations with Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu and President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan on bilateral relations and regional cooperation in the face of malign US behavior. Off to Pakistan tomorrow to meet with new leadership. Our neighbors our priority. The tweet was accompanied by pictures of Zarif shaking hands with Erdogan and Cavusoglu.

The trip took Iranian media by surprise. Typically, such visits are announced well in advance. The stated aim of the trip was to discuss bilateral ties and likely US sanctions against Iran. Tehrans diplomacy will have to go into overdrive if it hopes to thwart the sanctions. One strategy appears to involve projecting an upbeat outlook. The Americans have shown that they are not able to apply pressure and in reality cannot force concessions, Zarif told reporters in Ankara.

Another strategy has been to highlight the divisions between the United States and its allies in Europe and in the Middle East. Even [Americas] own allies are not immune to such pressures, Zarif said, likely in reference to the US decision to apply sanctions against Turkey over the fate of a detained American pastor.

Now our friends in Turkey and many of Americas allies in Europe have come to the conclusion that the United States is not a reliable partner, Zarif continued. Americas behavior has shown that countries have to make other plans for their futures.

Zarif said that what Iran seeks, and has always sought, is the legal expansion of economic ties between countries in the region. He added that Iran has always viewed Turkey as a good economic partner and noted that Iran has had positive cooperation on regional matters with Turkey, including trilateral and multilateral agreements. Iran along with Turkey and Russia have held a number of meetings over the civil war in Syria, where all three have gained considerable influence. Zarif said that Iran, Turkey and Russia will hold a trilateral meeting in early September, explaining that one reason for his Ankara visit had been to hold consultations in advance of that meeting.

Zarifs trip to Pakistan will mark his first meeting with the countrys new prime minister, Imran Khan. While Irans ties with Pakistan are not as strong as those it has with Turkey, particularly economically, there are a number of issues of mutual importance to the two neighbors. The Iran-Pakistan natural gas pipeline may see major developments under a new Pakistani leadership, and Irans desire for more forceful control of the Pakistan border to prevent terrorist attacks may also be a topic of discussion.

Iranian conservative media picked up on an article by Arab commentator Abdelbari Atwan in Rai al-Youm in which he posited that Pakistan, along with Turkey, are in line for a political realignment with Iran. The conservative Mashregh News translated portions of the article to Persian, including the idea of the birth of a coalition between Turkey, Iran and Pakistan, underlining Atwans assertion that Ankaras decision to proceed with the purchase of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system  despite US objections and Washington linking the decision to the purchase of American F-35 jets  shows that Turkey is pursuing its own path in defense.

In this vein, Mashregh also featured a portion of Atwans article which claimed that like Pakistan and Iran, Turkey is seeking to be self-sufficient in its missile capacities, and given that Turkeys actions suggest that it is likely on the way out of NATO, it will need a new regional alliance and one that will help it become self-sufficient in its defense and missile capacities. As such, Mashregh News took care to include Atwans contention that Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan, along with Iraq and even Syria could build such a loose coalition. Of note, together with news sites such as Tasnim and Nasim, Mashregh is widely seen as close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC).
Iraq's political circles are divided over the recent US-led coalition's announcement that its military forces will remain in Iraq indefinitely.

Coalition spokesman Col. Sean Ryan said Aug. 19, Well keep troops there as long as we think theyre needed." Once the Islamic State (IS) is defeated, the country will still need help stabilizing, "so thats one of the reasons well maintain a presence.

The announcement came two days after the US State Department warned citizens against traveling to Iraq because of "terrorism and armed conflict."

Some opposition voices against the US presence in Iraq have seemed less harsh in recent months, though they say the extension must be approved by the Iraqi parliament. But members of some armed groups affiliated with Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU)  an umbrella military organization with ties to Iran  absolutely reject the US presence in Iraq. One PMU faction, the Hezbollah Brigades, said the US administration is hiding ulterior hostile motives by keeping its forces in Iraq.

At the official government level, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is heading a caretaker government, has yet to comment on the US announcement. However, Ihsan al-Shamri, an adviser in Abadis office, defended the US decision. There are no changes regarding the presence of US forces in Iraq, Shamri told Al-Monitor. The government is negotiating with the US side on changing the missions of US military advisers from the stage of war to the stage of peace.

He added, As the war against IS has ended, it's necessary to change the mission of those [US advisers] to cope with the new post-victory period. Shamri further said, [Abadi] is now thinking about preventive security.  This is why the talks [with the international coalition] are focused on the US providing training, armament and intelligence to the Iraqi armed forces, namely information on [the situation] on Iraqi borders with neighboring countries.

Back in April, the international coalition announced that major combat operations against IS in Iraq had ended. The coalition declared it would deactivate the land forces' command headquarters in the country and shift its role from supporting combat operations to developing Iraqs military-related capabilities.

The Pentagon estimates 5,200 US troops are deployed in Iraq to provide training and consultations to Iraqi security forces. However, media outlets talk about the presence of more than 7,000 US troops.

Saad al-Matlabi, a member of the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri al-Maliki, said that although Abadi apparently thinks otherwise, The decision to keep the US forces in Iraq doesn't fall under the prerogatives of the [administration], whose powers are executive. Rather, he told Al-Monitor, This decision should be discussed in parliament."

He added, We should ask Abadi, who says [the decision] falls within the Strategic Framework Agreement [SFA] of 2008, according to his associates: Under which article of this agreement does the decision to extend the US presence in Iraq fall?

Matlabi believes the agreement is defunct, as the US refused to activate it when IS occupied a third of Iraqs territory in June 2014.

Shamri, Abadi's adviser, disagrees.

"Washington had [temporarily] frozen the SFA following disputes with former Prime Minister Maliki. But the US reactivated the agreement after Abadi came to power, and thus [all talks] are ongoing now under the framework of the SFA. Because of this, he said, The decision to keep the US forces in Iraq doesn't need to be submitted to parliament."

As the Shiite armed factions have reduced their threats to US forces deployed at military bases in Iraq, it seems no military clashes will erupt between the two sides anytime soon. Yet the factions still reject the US presence, and their positions often fluctuate depending on relations between Tehran and Washington. They could resume their threats if relations between US President Donald Trumps administration and Iran continue their downward spiral.

Hassan Salem, the head of parliament's al-Sadiqoun Bloc (which is affiliated with PMU faction Asaib Ahl al-Haq), believes Iraq's position should be determined by legislators. Yet he called on Abadi not to bow to the US decision to keep forces in Iraq. The armed factions still consider the US an occupying state that negatively affects Iraq.

On Aug. 20, Salem distributed to reporters a statement that said Abadi "must respect the peoples will and refuse to succumb to US pressure to keep its forces [in Iraq].
At a festive toast on Aug. 26 ahead of the Jewish New Year that starts next week, HaBayit HaYehudi Chairman Naftali Bennett told West Bank settlement leaders that he envisioned having 1 million settlers by the end of the coming Jewish year.

A comprehensive 2017 analysis by Haaretz newspaper, based on data of the Central Bureau of Statistics from 2015, puts the number of settlers in the West Bank at some 380,000. The figures are partial, according to the analysis, since they do not include Israeli Jews living in east Jerusalem, estimated to number some 210,000. Data compiled by the human rights group B'Tselem indicate that at the end of 2015, there were 127 settlements, excluding 15 Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem and the Jewish settlement in Hebron, and another 100 smaller settlement outposts.

In other words, Bennett dreams of adding close to 250,000 Israelis to the settlers' ranks within the coming year. "We must continue the construction momentum in Judea and Samaria [biblical name of the West Bank]," an excited Bennett told the assembled settlers. "The residents of Judea and Samaria are building the land and realizing the Zionist dream."

Commanders for Israel's Security, a forum of retired generals and their Mossad, Shin Bet and police equivalents, was critical of Bennett's vision. "The settlement of 1 million Jews will eventually force the annexation of 2.6 million Palestinians. Annexing millions of Palestinians will result in the loss of Israel's Jewish majority, the end of the Zionist enterprise and a bitter and violent civil rights struggle," the group announced.

While reaching the 1 million mark within a year is hardly likely, Bennett's party is undoubtedly doing all it can to achieve this goal as quickly as possible. Working in tandem, its three representatives in government  Education Minister Bennett, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel  are energetically engaged in removing obstacles and creating facts on the ground to prevent any future accommodation with the Palestinians and to realize their and the settlers' dream of annexing the West Bank to Israel.

Bennett makes no bones about aspiring to annex the territories that Israel has occupied since 1967. In October 2016, at an event in memory of Hanan Porat, one of the first leaders of the settlement movement, Bennett said, "We have to mark the dream, and the dream is that Judea and Samaria will be part of the sovereign State of Israel. We have to act today, and we must give our lives."

And this is how the system works. The settlers set up illegal outposts throughout the West Bank, and Bennett and Shaked then seek retroactive seals of approval for them.

To do so, the justice minister pushed through legislation last year amending the Supreme Court's jurisdiction. Petitions by West Bank Palestinians on specific issues would no longer be under the high court's purview and would be adjudicated by the Jerusalem District Court in its additional role as a court of administrative affairs. Shaked explained that the law would ease the load on the nation's top court, but the intention was clear  to pave the settlers' way in the lower court where the justice minister can exercise more control over the appointment of judges.

Meanwhile, on Aug. 28 the Jerusalem court handed down a precedent-setting ruling in a petition brought in 2013 by residents of the West Bank outpost of Mitzpe Kramim. Mitzpe Kramim was established on private Palestinian land. Still, the court accepted the settlers' claim that they had settled there in "good faith" and therefore their settlement was legal.

Interestingly, in response to Palestinian claims of ownership, the state conceded that the land allocated for the outpost by the state-funded Settlement Division of the World Zionist Organization did not belong to the state and should not have been settled. Judge Arnon Darel nonetheless accepted the settlers' arguments, ruling, "Any deal carried out in good faith between the responsible authority and another person, regarding any property that the responsible thought at the time was government property, will not be invalidated and will remain extant even if proven not to have been government property at the time."

The illegal settlement was thus rendered legal, joining the growing list of settlements. The controversial 2017 Regularization Law pushed by Shaked and her party to legalize settlements built on private Palestinian lands has thus withstood its first test.

Shaked's fellow party member, Knesset member Nissan Slomiansky, praised the ruling. He argued that while the Supreme Court bases its decisions "mostly on affidavits, making it easy for the left-wing organizations and the Arab residents to trick it," the District Court examines facts and demands proof that plaintiffs generally do not have. That, he added, makes the transfer of jurisdiction from the Supreme Court to the District Court doubly important.

Ariel, one of the leaders of the settlement enterprise, was ecstatic. "This is a blessed month for the settlements. May this ruling pave the way for additional, rational rulings by the court," he said, noting that earlier in the month the government's housing cabinet had approved the construction of three new settlements.

In 2002 (a few years after the allocation of land to Mitzpe Kramim), the Settlement Division gave settlers additional non-state land to establish the outpost of Maaleh Rehavam south of Bethlehem. The purpose of the allocation was billed as "tree planting," but its future too will soon be put before the Jerusalem District Court. In all likelihood, the decision to legalize it will be based on the Mitzpe Kramim precedent.

Mitzpe Kramim is also likely to encourage settlement leaders to put up as many outposts as possible so that the court in Jerusalem can grant them retroactive imprimatur.

Even as the court was deliberating the case of Mitzpe Kramim, settlers launched their "conquest" of other targets. According to a Haaretz expose, in recent weeks, fledgling farms have been put up with impunity throughout the West Bank, usually adjacent to recognized settlements such as Eli, Itamar and Shiloh. Thus, for example, temporary structures were erected near the settlement of Eli for agricultural purposes.

This, by the way, was how many outposts started out before being legalized in some form, as in the case of Havat Gilad. For years, the 40 families of that illegal outpost resisted their court-ordered eviction and eventually got their way. In fact, after Havat Gilad resident Rabbi Raziel Shevach was murdered in a January 2018 terror attack, the government voted in favor of building a new settlement on the site at a cost of hundreds of millions of shekels. The move prompted opposition leader Knesset member Tzipi Livni to comment that "it pays to violate Israeli law."

Bennett bases his 1 million settler vision on this system, which his party is leading. Once they reach the million settler mark, they can move ahead with their annexation plans.
First, the good news: Israels Supreme Court ordered the government Aug. 26 to allow five critically ill Palestinian women from the Gaza Strip to leave immediately for life-saving treatment in an East Jerusalem hospital. Their only sin, according to the states affidavit, was being immediate relatives of a Hamas member. Originally, several human rights organizations (Gisha, Al-Mizan, Adalah and Physicians for Human Rights) petitioned the court on behalf of seven women banned from traveling for medical care in Israel. In the wake of the petition, the state admitted it had mistaken two of the plaintiffs for immediate relatives of Hamas members. The two plaintiffs were instructed to apply again for a permission to leave the Strip, but one was so drained that she gave up on re-starting the exhausting bureaucratic process of applying for permission to access critical medical care.

The head of the three-judge panel, Justice Uzi Vogelman, wrote of the decision to deny the women access to medical care in East Jerusalem, "It does not place appropriate weight on the value of human life nor on the absence of any involvement by said patient in illegal activities of any sort. Therefore, the decision does not fall within the bounds of reasonableness." His colleague Justice Isaac Amit concurred. The decision to cause the death of a woman, pure and simple, for the sins of her brother or husband, contradicts the basic Jewish principle that each man shall die for his own sins, he wrote.

In a civilized state, cancer patients would not have had to knock on the doors of the nations top court to obtain the medical treatment that every human being deserves. A state that occupies the lands of another people and violates their rights to freedom and equality while invoking the excuse of national security is not a civilized one. At one time, no one would have considered a Supreme Court decision to allow sick Palestinian women access to a Palestinian hospital in Jerusalem particularly unusual. These days, as government ministers and Knesset members, chief among them Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked advocate a wild campaign against the Supreme Court itself, any judicial criticism of a government decision is commendable.

Israels bleeding democracy had cause for modest celebration this week. As Mordechai Kremnitzer of the Israel Democracy Institute wrote, The High Court of Justice saved itself, the security cabinet and all of us  from responsibility for the deaths of five Gaza women with cancer.

And what has it done for thousands of other women, children and men locked in Gaza by Israels 11-year siege who require medical treatment, medicine and potable water? The justices were not wild about the January 2017 security cabinet decision to limit exit permits of certain sick Gazans to pressure Hamas for the return of Israeli captives and soldiers remains. Vogelman wrote explicitly that human life was more important. What, then, is the Supreme Court doing to save the lives of hundreds of Gaza residents?

Just three months ago, it rejected a petition by a human rights organization seeking to overturn the military rules of engagement that allow soldiers to use live fire against Palestinian protesters on the Gaza-Israel border. The justices accepted the governments assurances that soldiers only use live fire in self-defense as a last resort when they feel their lives are at stake and reminded watchers that the court does not generally intervene in such matters.

Over the past years, the Supreme Court has repeatedly validated the governments discriminatory policy designed to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and obviously from Israel. This policy has many consequences, such as turning every Gazan requiring hospital care outside the Strip into a bargaining chip with Hamas. Since 2007, the court has rejected numerous petitions by Gazans seeking to exit the Strip through Israels Erez border crossing for medical care not available in Gaza  not to mention those seeking permission to leave for studies, training, family celebrations and funerals.

In 2008, the court ruled that given Israels 2005 pullout of troops and settlements from Gaza, it was no longer an occupying power there and therefore no longer responsible for the well-being and fate of Gaza residents. According to the court, Israel only bears "humanitarian" responsibility for the residents there by virtue of its control over the border crossings. And how does it fulfill these obligations? A December 2017 report by Gisha titled We Saw no Reason to Intervene analyzed 10 rulings issued since the start of the Israeli blockade. It found that the Supreme Court blindly accepted the position of the state in almost every case.

In this vague framework, the Supreme Court has granted the state almost unlimited discretion, leaving the rights of Gaza's residents with very weak protection. Having documented dozens of cases of Gazans denied permission to leave for medical care, Physicians for Human Rights concluded that this power was given to the Shin Bet, the domestic security agency. Its detailed 2008 report Holding Health to Ransom says that in some cases, Shin Bet operatives suggested that patients become regular informants or were offered money to rat out others. Patients who declined the offers were sent back home, even when they held valid exit permits.

The reports authors noted that the Shin Bet does need to confront challenges to the security of the state and threats by Palestinian military group in Gaza against the lives of Israeli citizens and soldiers. Nonetheless, they insisted, the task does not justify the exploitation of patients distress. Physicians for Human Rights argued that exploiting the sick constitutes coercion forbidden under the Fourth Geneva Convention and violates the UN convention against torture and other inhumane treatment. The 2008 report was drafted 10 years ago, but members of the group insist that the phenomenon described therein has only increased.

In 2007, rejecting a petition by Gaza residents for permission to exit the enclave for medical treatment, the Supreme Court justices wrote, We assume that the respondents approach will be humane, so that extremely severe cases, where withholding treatment would completely impair ones life, will be taken into account.

Sadly, the courts latest ruling has defined the state with an exception to the rule.
She is planning to give a speech at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday night before similar talks in Brisbane and Melbourne. The reasons a person might fail the character test include a criminal record or a determination they might a risk to the community, according to the department.

Jamil asked supporters for help "from relevant national bodies or individuals, especially politicians who can support Chelsea's entry into Australia" in the hopes of getting Australia's immigration minister to reconsider the decision (that would be David Coleman, who was sworn in today).

Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison after she was found guilty of leaking military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks. The leaks included over 250,000 diplomatic cables and almost 400,000 US Army field reports, in addition to footage of US air strikes with significant civilian casualties.

Australian authorities reportedly informed Manning's team, and the team at Think Inc., which was organizing Manning's tour, that government officials have no intention of allowing Manning to enter the country legally. Politically, however, the government has only dared take this step because it can confidently expect no serious opposition from the Labor Party, which declared WikiLeaks had carried out "criminal activity" by publishing Manning's leaks in 2010.

Think Inc is calling on Manning's supporters to lobby Coleman to allow her into the country.

The former soldier-turned-whistleblower spent seven years behind bars, including 11 months in solitary confinement, for sending almost 750,000 classified military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks.

He said no one would seriously suggest Ms Manning was a risk to the Australian community.

There is no doubt that the decision to block Manning's visit has been taken in the closest consultation with the Trump administration and the United States intelligence agencies. (Ms Manning) is free absolutely to say whatever she wants but she's not free to travel wherever she wants. Manning is able to appeal, but past precedent suggests the decision has already been made.

This isn't the first time Manning was denied entry to a country.

But lobby group the Free Speech Coalition swiftly condemned the calls to bar Ms Manning.

A "substantial criminal record", which may be defined as having been sentenced to more than two years' imprisonment, is grounds for refusal under this section of the Act.

"The subject of our allies' wartime conduct is a matter of great public importance".

Unfortunately for Manning, the decision whether to allow in a convicted felon isn't up for debate.

Woodhouse said if Manning's application had come across his desk as immigration minister he would have declined it.

The Department of Home Affairs did not respond to Junkee's requests for comment, but have told other news outlets that they do not comment on individual cases.
Jordan and the United States could be on a collision course over the fate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is responsible for more than 5 million Palestinian refugees. Amman and Washington have completely divergent views on the agency's future. The United States is taking steps to defund it, while on the other hand, Jordan leads an international effort to raise money to keep it in business. This is one battle Amman cannot afford to lose.

UNRWA provides essential services to more than 370,000 Palestinian refugees residing in 10 camps in the Hashemite kingdom. Over 2 million registered Palestinian refugees live in Jordan, making it the largest host country.

It was reported on Aug. 28 that the Donald Trump administration had decided to end all funding to UNRWA, eight months after it cut more than half of its planned contribution to the agency. In January, the US State Department had announced that it would withhold $65 million of a $125 million aid package to the 70-year-old UN agency. The department said in a statement that additional US contributions would be contingent on UNRWA making some major changes.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi met on Aug. 30 in Amman with UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Kraehenbuehl and announced that the kingdom is organizing a conference to be held on the sidelines of the Sept. 27 meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York, to raise funds and generate support for UNRWA. Sweden, the European Union, Japan and Turkey will co-sponsor the event along with Jordan.

Safadi said that the goal is to compensate for a $217 million budget deficit and find ways to facilitate continued financial support for UNRWA. Jordan will also call an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss ways to support the agency. UNRWA is active in Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza, as well as Jordan.

Reuters quoted Safadi as saying, Any shortage in funding will drive hundreds of thousands towards deprivation and despair. Meanwhile, Kraehenbuehl remarked, One cannot wish 5.3 million Palestine refugees away. These are people who have rights, and for many years now, for decades, have faced a plight and injustice that is simply immense.

Neither the Palestinians nor the Jordanians believe that the US position is solely aimed at producing structural changes within UNRWA. On Aug. 28, and in the wake of Foreign Policy report, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley was reported to have questioned the credibility of Palestinian claims to a right of return to what is today Israel. The right of return is one of the major so-called final-status issues to be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians under the Oslo Accords.

There have been recent media reports that the United States is about to roll out a new position on the right of return while debunking UN criteria for determining the current number of Palestinian refugees. On Aug. 25, one Israeli media outlet asserted that the United States will soon issue a report claiming that there are only about half a million Palestinians who should be legitimately considered refugees.

Last July, a number of US senators introduced a bill to recognize only 40,000 Palestinian refugees, instead of 5.3 million. Republican congressman Doug Lamborn of Colorado said in a statement, Refugee status is not something that can be handed down from generation to generation, referring to the descendants of Palestinian refugees who were born and are living in other countries. This is why Jordan is risking its ties with the White House to lead the effort to save UNRWA.

If only half a million Palestinians are considered to be refugees, what happens to the rest? Under the new US criteria, of Jordans more than 2 million registered Palestinian refugees only a few thousand would retain refugee status. The rest would be settled permanently in the kingdom, a prospect that raises internal problems and existential fears involving issues of demographic balance and political rights. This would comport with claims by Israeli far-right politicians that Jordan is a Palestinian state.

Amman has opposed all of the Trump administrations recent decisions pertaining to the Palestinian issue, from Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December to the relocation of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May. King Abdullah II is a staunch advocate of the two-state solution as set out by the Oslo Accords and UN resolutions. The Trump administration, which has been working on a plan to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, has not endorsed the two-state solution. Instead, Trump himself has said that he is open to alternatives.

Despite Jordans opposition to US policies on this particular issue, Amman and Washington remain close allies, with the kingdom receiving an aid package of about $1.5 billion annually. Jordan is increasingly wary, however, of the so-called ultimate deal that the Trump White House is finalizing. Abdullah met with Trump in June in what was seen as a last-ditch effort to influence the proposed peace plan.

The row over UNRWA may strain bilateral relations, as Jordan rallies international partners to step in and compensate for the suspension of US funding. In the view of Jordanian analysts, the attempt to defund UNRWA is as crucial as the recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. It is one more step toward dismantling, and eventually liquidating, the Palestinian issue, enacting it from existence.

For Amman, the stakes have never been higher. Its only choice now is to confront US moves through diplomacy, even at the risk of annoying its closest ally.
Canada announced Aug. 21 that Maj. Gen. Dany Fortin would lead a new NATO training and capacity-building mission in Iraq. For NATO, the mission marks a return to a country where it has conducted training missions in the past and a possible model for a similar program in Libya shortly.

In July, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used the NATO Summit in Brussels to announce the new NATO training mission to Iraq. Trudeau pledged that Canada would lead the first year of the mission.

The fractious nature of Iraqi politics could endanger the success of NATOs new training mission to Iraq before it has even begun. While Trump's tweets captured the headlines at the 2018 NATO Summit in Brussels, the alliance didnt just discuss burden sharing.

The mission will include 250 troops and four CH-146 Griffon helicopters, roughly the same size of Canadas recent mission to Mali. There seems to be bipartisan support for the measure within Canada, although the mission is new enough to not yet have been added to a list of current missions on the Canadian armed forces website.

Canada should be doing more of the heavy lifting  I think, frankly, should be more concerned about post-war reconstruction in Iraq and Syria to ensure that the IRGC [Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and other dark forces dont play a stronger role in the aftermath of the defeat of ISIS [Islamic State, or IS], said John Baird, a member of Canadas Conservative Party who was Canadas minister of foreign affairs from 2011 to 2015.

NATO traditionally was focused on the Russian threat of the so-called Eastern Flank, which preoccupied the organization for most of the Cold War. But since its intervention in Kosovo and the Balkans, NATO started focusing on terrorism and began to engage more with what it calls its Southern Flank.

From 2004 to 2011, the NATO Training Mission in Iraq trained 15,000 Iraqi military and police officers as part of a mission to support the development of post-Saddam Hussein command structures.

In July 2015, the Iraqi government requested that NATO assist with expanding the defense capacity of the country. A NATO training mission for the Iraqi army was launched in Jordan in 2016, as NATO AWACS provided air surveillance as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh (IS). NATO formally joined the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in May 2017, just months after a small NATO training mission began within Iraq as a pilot project.

The new Canadian-led mission greatly expands that project. According to documents provided at the 2018 NATO Summit in Brussels, the new training mission will focus on Baghdad, Taji and Besmaya  all sites of previous international military training missions to Iraq.

Training missions are something NATO has the capacity to do and do well, said Jamie Shea, the deputy assistant secretary-general for Emerging Security Challenges at NATO. We have helped build multiethnic and nonsectarian national armies in Bosnia, Macedonia and Afghanistan.

He acknowledges that working the region can be complicated for NATO.

The situation on the Southern Flank isnt like the situation with Russia. President Vladimir Putin could wake up tomorrow and with an entirely different security outlook. The situation isnt like that in these countries, and the issues that undercut security are highly complex.

Iraq is one of those highly complex areas for NATO. In addition to the national army, there are many paramilitaries and nascent paramilitaries that continue to play a large role in that country. The most notable expressions of this phenomena in recent years have been the various Shiite militias and the Kurdish peshmerga forces. These complexities may have contributed to NATOs reluctance to return to Iraq, but Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi personally lobbied for NATO to conduct its training efforts inside Iraq at the 2016 NATO Summit in Warsaw.

Speaking to reporters during an impromptu press conference at the most recent NATO Summit in July, Abadi clarified that the NATO training mission would include peshmerga forces. All training will include peshmerga as well, he told reporters.

Others worry that the mission could only serve to strengthen the hand of Iran in Iraq and region. While Iran is not a primary concern for NATO, which has traditionally focused on Moscow, there is no doubt Iran has emerged as one of Russias most important allies in the region. Some human rights concerns regarding the training of Iraqi paramilitary units remain as well.

NATO should know that any training mission in Iraq will mean training an IRGC Quds Force proxy, said Michael Pregent, a former US intelligence officer in Iraq who is now a Senior Fellow with the Hudson Institute in Washington. Pregent mentions the influence of the Badr Organization and the Hashd al-Shaabi (the Popular Mobilization Units) group within Iraqs security apparatus as being, in his opinion, Iranian proxy forces.

Such groups have been absorbed into Iraqi security forces. My job when I was as an intelligence officer from 2007 in Baghdad from 2007 to 2010 was to fight malign Iranian influence. If I had this trove of Magnitsky Act and Leahy Law violations  I could have given that to a President [George W. Bush], who would have done something about it. So if Democrats want to criticize President [Donald] Trump about something, criticize him here.

NATO believes that the mission is merely an expansion of the pre-existing NATO training mission to Jordan. If the mission is successful, it will expand to include a similar NATO training mission in Libya if the security condition allows for it there  or possibly in neighboring Tunisia. NATO forces intervened in the Libyan civil war, but since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi, they have been only marginally involved in the country.

I think it is a program that NATO should consider, said Imen Ben Mohammed, a Tunisian parliament member who sits on the committee responsible for foreign affairs. "We already have ongoing international training missions in our country in southern Tunisia, and Tunisia could host a NATO training mission. However, any NATO training mission must [be undertaken] concerning the sovereignty of all countries involved.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  Palestinian police are creating new community ties and beefing up security in the West Bank by deploying the force's first mobile station to Area C.

This station aims to reach communities that are too far from police stations in the cities in Area C," Jabir Tamizi, the mobile unit's director, told Al-Monitor. "These villages and towns do not have any Palestinian police stations because they fall under Israeli control by virtue of the 1993 Oslo Accord." The station is entering these areas in coordination with Israel, he noted.

Tamizi explained that citizens in Area C must resort to Palestinian police stations in Area A and Area B under Palestinian Authority (PA) control, while police coordinate with Israeli authorities to obtain access for limited hours to Area C to conduct investigations and arrest fugitives.

However, this mobile police station can spend a full day in any village or town located in Area C in coordination with the Israeli authorities, to receive complaints from its residents and relieve them of the burden of going to the Palestinian police stations in Area A and Area B, Tamizi said, pointing out that the mobile station will support the 10 fixed police stations in Hebron governorate, in Areas A and B in Hebron.

He added that the mobile station also aims to enhance security in densely populated cities in the PA-controlled areas at certain times  for example, in public markets, which are very crowded during the holidays.

Tamizi noted that the mobile police station initially introduced its objectives July 30 before starting fieldwork. The station headed to villages and towns in Area C in Hebron such as Surif, Arroub, Deir al-Asal and Beit Awwa, where officers have met with residents to learn about their most common issues.

There are 194 Palestinian residential communities in Area C, which constitutes 61% of the West Bank; Hebron has the largest number with 54.

Youssef al-Sharqawi, a retired brigadier general in the Palestinian security services and an expert on Palestinian security affairs, told Al-Monitor that Israel doesn't allow Palestinian security services to enter Area C in the West Bank except with prior coordination  and that takes more than an hour. Thus, emergencies have to wait in Palestinian communities, he said.

He explained that Israel grants Palestinian security services access to these areas in exchange for the PAs commitment to its security obligations to Israel, based on coordination between them. Most importantly, PA security services must protect Israeli settlers who enter PA-controlled cities by mistake, and hand them over to the Israeli army, Sharqawi noted.

Israeli settlers often enter PA-controlled cities in areas A and B by mistake, and the PA protects them from Palestinian citizens  although the PA doesn't provide any protection to Palestinians in Area C from settlers' repeated attacks. On Aug. 7, Palestinian security services handed over to the Israeli authorities nine settlers who had entered PA-controlled areas in Nablus after getting lost on their way from one settlement to another.

Sharqawi believes that a mobile police station in Area C is a positive step in strengthening communication between Palestinian residents of these areas and the Palestinian security services.

Mohammed Jawabra, from Surif village in Area C, told Al-Monitor, The idea of a mobile police station that reaches towns and villages that are far from police stations in the cities is very impressive, especially in the absence of a permanent Palestinian security presence these towns.

He also noted the time factor, adding, When a citizen is attacked by aggressors in the town, the Palestinian police take an hour or two to get to the scene, and this is a long enough time for aggressors to escape and remove important evidence in any crime.

Despite Israel's security and administrative responsibility for Area C, Palestinian citizens refuse to file complaints against each other with the Israeli army as an occupying power, but instead submit grievances to Palestinian police stations in areas A and B.

We hope that the presence of a mobile police station will enhance the level of security here," Jawabra said.

However, Hussein al-Masalama, a well-known tribal figure from the village of Beit Awwa in western Hebron, told Al-Monitor, The mobile police station is a mere formality and [won't] really serve to properly enhance security in the towns and villages in Area C.

He stressed that Palestinian villages and towns in these areas are in dire need of permanent police stations.

When it comes to incidents that require immediate police intervention such as family disputes or thefts, residents take the lead and rush to provide assistance, since the police [still] can't make it in time before coordinating with the Israeli army. Residents resort to the police for non-urgent incidents such as financial disputes," Masalama said.

The low level of security in Area C, given the absence of Palestinian security services, has led to an outbreak of drug trafficking, since the Israeli army doesn't care about prosecuting drug traffickers around here, he added.

Tamizi said the mobile station will operate in each Area C town for a full day "to receive citizens' complaints and resolve disputes between them." If the station needs to stay longer, police will coordinate with the Israeli army.

He pointed out that experienced Palestinian officers are working with the mobile police station and can handle all kinds of incidents including family disputes and even major crimes such as murder or drug trafficking.

The mobile station has recorded several complaints in Palestinian communities in Area C, including in Al-Arroub camp and the villages of Beit Awwa and Deir al-Asal. Citizens mostly have reported thefts of cell phones and money, and the mobile station is investigating these crimes.

Yet Tamizi noted, Only one mobile police station cannot meet security needs in the villages of Area C. We intend to launch more of these stations in the future to enhance Palestinian security and connect citizens with police in these areas."
The US military is changing up its Middle East war games to deal with perceived Iranian threats short of entering into armed conflict, Al-Monitor has learned.

The Pentagon notified Congress in July about adjustments to deal with the multidimensional aspects of gray zone warfare, the Pentagons catch-all term for military operations that dont cross into open warfare. While the report doesnt mention Iran by name, the term gray zone is often associated with Iranian tactics.

The report comes on the heels of a 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) in January announcing that the Pentagon would seek to build a coalition of military allies in the Middle East to counterbalance Iran, which it fears is asserting an arc of terrorist activities bolstered by using proxies and its missile program.

USCENTCOM is adjusting the program to align with the 2018 NDS, reads the congressional notification, which was sent by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Congress.

The congressional notification was signed off by Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the Joint Staff director Trump tapped earlier this month to lead US Central Command, which covers the Middle East. The report calls for a joint and combined exercise schedule for the 74 exercises American troops conduct in the Middle East by leveraging service effects when operating with allies and regional partners.

The move comes as the Donald Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on Tehran, pulling out of the nuclear deal and ramping up sanctions while bolstering outreach to the opposition.

US military officials insisted in comments to Al-Monitor that Pentagon military exercises are not focused on specific threats such as Iran.

Our exercises are not directed at any particular threat, but are designed to enhance our ability to be ready to respond to any contingency or compete with any adversary in the region, US Central Command spokesman Josh Jacques told Al-Monitor. He added that that Pentagon exercises focused on enhancing tactics and strengthening cooperation with US allies.

Jacques refused to confirm changes to the program outlined in the report or discuss specifics of US military exercise planning, but he said many American military exercises deal with gray zone challenges.

Jonathan Schroden, who directs the Special Operations program at the CNA defense think tank, said the changes could be anything from unconventional warfare and information operations to high-risk missions against near peers. The Pentagons Special Operations Command, for example, already conducts an unconventional warfare simulation in the North Carolina woods known as Robin Sage that calls on rising Green Berets to train a guerrilla force in a fictional country.

The changes come as Irans navy staged an annual exercise in the Persian Gulf earlier this month designed to demonstrate Tehrans ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a thoroughfare for more than 20% of the worlds oil. Weeks before, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Irans armed forces, dubbed Tehran the guarantor of the security of shipping and the global economy in the strait and said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has the strength to take action against any scheme in this region.

The comments irked top US military officials.

Iran has been put on notice that the continued mischief they've caused around the area, the murder that they have caused  that this is not tolerated by us, and they're going to be held to account for it, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said at a rare Pentagon news briefing this week. Mattis cited Tehrans support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, threats to close down oil shipping, and ballistic missile support to Yemens Houthi rebel group.

The Pentagon faces challenges in dealing with Irans use of unidentified proxies, drones and speedboats that can wreak havoc in the region. Specifically, Iran has effectively used proxies and combined hybrid political-military actions to throw American forces off balance, experts say.

Theyre operating with all of the tools to great effect, and were still dancing around the ring jabbing and using the traditional ways of fighting that we know, said Nathan Freier, an associate professor at the US Army War College and author of a Pentagon report on gray zone warfare.

In the report sent to Congress, the Joint Staff acknowledged it faces the challenge of maintaining a reliable funding strategy and a potentially reduced footprint in the Middle East. Further cuts to the Pentagon budget or US troop numbers, the document warns, could affect US readiness and create a perceived lack of commitment to our coalition partners.

The Pentagon plans to cut its post-Sept. 11 warfighting fund by more than 70% in 2020, which the US military has used to underwrite Middle East operations for nearly two decades.
GAZA STRIP  Qatar's role is increasing daily in the Palestinian territories in general and the Gaza Strip in particular, at a time when appeasement consultations have been ongoing since May between Hamas and Israel amid Qatari, Egyptian and UN mediation. While no direct meetings have been held between Hamas and Israel, mediation attempts have been exemplified by the transfer of indirect messages between the two parties.

Qatar's role seemed even clearer after White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt visited Qatar Aug. 22 and met with Qatars Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss the situation in Gaza and the US peace efforts.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Walla website revealed Aug. 22 that during his visit to Cyprus, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman met with Al Thani in late June.

For its part, Israel's Channel 10 reported Aug. 16 another meeting between Liberman and Qatars Ambassador to the Palestinian territories Mohammed al-Emadi in Cyprus on June 22.

The news was only covered a month later, as the meetings were held amid absolute secrecy and were subsequently leaked to the Israeli media.

According to the two mentioned websites, these two meetings focused on Qatars potential economic support for the Gaza Strip and discussed means to put more efforts into achieving a truce between Hamas and Israel, all while bearing the financial burden of Gazas reconstruction and financing a number of humanitarian projects.

Adnan Abu Hleil, who writes for Qatar's Al-Sharq newspaper, told Al-Monitor, Qatar is trying to get a hold of the Palestinian cause. It is true that [Qatars] economic projects in Gaza have a humanitarian character, but there are also political interests involved. These include increasing the Qatari influence within the Palestinian territories and expanding the Qatari relations with the countries of the region. Also, the Qatari performance is characterized by pragmatism and openness to all parties, as Qatar does not have any veto on any party. This includes Israel, which is seeking to maintain some contact lines with Hamas. Meanwhile, Qatar is maintaining its close ties with Hamas  and despite the criticism leveled at Qatar, its management of the Gaza issue proved its ability to establish seemingly contradictory relations.

The relationship between Qatar and Hamas started in 1999, back when the movement's leaders flocked to Qatar. After 2006, when Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections, Qatar became one of the most important political supporters of Hamas. What further entrenched their relationship is that the Hamas leadership withdrew from Syria in 2012 following the outbreak of the Syrian revolution due to the movements dispute with the Syrian regime over its dealing with popular demonstrations. The Hamas leadership is now based in Doha.

In conjunction with the recent Israeli-Qatari meetings that have been recently revealed, Emadis visits to the Gaza Strip and his meetings with Hamas leaders have intensified, most recently at the end of June.

Of note, unlike any other Arab or foreign ambassador or diplomat who visits Gaza, Emadi enjoys a wide network of connections with politicians, businessmen and political figures in Gaza. This means that Hamas gives him exceptional importance when he visits Gaza, as it deals with him as an extraordinary ambassador who has political, economic and possibly security contacts with Israel.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Al-Monitor that Qatar is involved in discussions about lifting the Gaza siege, achieving a truce with Israel, paying the salaries of Gazas employees, and starting other humanitarian and economic projects. And Hamas keenness to embrace any effort aimed at putting an end to the Israeli aggression makes it accept the Qatari, Egyptian and UN roles in a bid to achieve the interests of the Palestinian people. As for Qatars communications with Israel, then this is a Qatari issue that we shall not interfere with.

It should be noted that the Hamas leadership holds its meetings in Qatar, which may lead Qatar to have a relative impact on the internal and external political orientations of the movement. It is true that Hamas says its decisions are independent, but the influence that Qatar enjoys in Israel and the United States may lead it to serve as a mediator between these parties. This is why the Hamas leaders heed the Qatari positions whenever important events occur.

A member of the Fatah Central Committee told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, In recent weeks, Qatar announced 90 million shekels a month, the equivalent of $24.78 million, in salaries to Hamas employees in Gaza and pledged to solve the electricity problem.

However, one of the obstacles that may prevent the success of any Qatari effort in Gaza is Egypt's geographic proximity to the Gaza Strip. Cairo has bad relations with Doha, and it has openly expressed its anger at what it perceives as Qatari interference in Gaza. Egypt believes that Gaza affects Egypt's national security. The Gaza Strip is adjacent to the Sinai Peninsula, which is experiencing a tense security situation. Armed groups have been active since 2011 and are engaged in bloody confrontations with the Egyptian army.

Also, Egypt believes that it is the only country that is competent enough to deal with all things related to Gaza, including reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas and the truce with Israel.

Mansour Abdel Kareem, a Palestinian researcher at the Ro'ya Center for Studies and Searches in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Qatar is conducting indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, and Egypt is only maintaining a facade of mediator while the real channel is Doha, not the Egyptian intelligence. Qatar is playing this role to serve its own agenda, as it believes that Gaza could serve as a strong card in light of its regional conflict and the ongoing Gulf crisis. This is why Qatar is competing with Cairo to get a hold of the Palestinian card, but Cairo will not allow any Israeli-Palestinian agreement in which Doha is a major player.

Washington and Tel Aviv know full well that Doha exerts a strong influence on Hamas, and this makes them push toward increasing the Qatari influence in Gaza in a bid to achieve calm there.

A bumpy road seems to be lying ahead of Qatar, however, as it faces strong internal and external obstacles that impede its management of the Palestinian dossier and stops it from communicating with the rest of the regional and international parties so long as its opponents keep their veto on its movements.
They skim texts faster, love sharing punchlines and prefer interactive literary works. Although some Turkish millennials say they have no time to read, others claim to have a wide interest that stretches from Turkish classics to new-generation idols, such as Emrah Serbes and Murat Mentes.

Young readers are interested in popular science, personal development books, aphorism collections, action, love stories, science fiction novels and poetry, Nazli Berivan Ak, an author and editor at April Publishers, told Al-Monitor. Ak said that millennials and post-millennials attend book fairs, authors readings and book-signing sessions. They also follow interactive literature quite closely, she added, referring to Aprils book series called Perfect Mistakes, which has been on the bestseller list ever since its launch in 2011. The first book of the series was Heather McElhattons Pretty Little Mistakes, described as an interactive hyper fiction where the reader can direct where the story will go and finish off with one of the 150 possible endings.

In this series, readers get to choose their own adventure and reach different conclusions based on their choices. Young readers in Turkey love being part of the story, she said.

She emphasized that sometimes an old classic becomes popular in the new generation. For example, Madonna in a Fur Coat, by Sabahattin Ali and published in 1943, has gained unexpected fame after 2009. Since then it has been on the bestseller list.

Salih, a 16-year-old high school junior from the central Anatolian city of Afyon, told Al-Monitor, I bought the book to impress the girl I liked, but once I started reading it, I saw that it is quite enjoyable. It is not just sensational romance but deals with social issues. It was the first literary work I read from Sabahattin Ali.

Indeed, Alis work came from the dustbin of history and gained a popularity surpassing any other contemporary fictional work because it resonates with todays conditions: loneliness, corruption and government pressure against individual liberties in the name of national security. Talking to millennials and post-millennials (age group 15-24) from Ankara, Istanbul, Diyarbakir, Afyon and Trabzon, every person Al-Monitor interviewed had heard about the book. Some of the familiarity is because lines from the romantic novel are often quoted in social media.

Social media plays a strong role in reading choices for Turkish millennials and post-millennials. Zeynep, a 21-year-old born and raised in Ankara and currently studying in the United States, told Al-Monitor, If I can follow the author on social media, I am more interested in reading their books. Instagram is particularly important because it is like a treasure hunt that we see the impact of their life on their writing. Also, the comments about the book are valuable for me.

She continued, If someone I respect endorses the book, then I will reach for it. My library is not big. I try to also buy e-books whenever possible.

According to a 2011 survey by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, possibly one of the most detailed studies on Turkish reading habits, women read more than men  7.3 books annually compared to mens 7.1. Speaking to its small survey group, Al-Monitor also found that the girls interviewed read more than the boys. Yet reading is not among the top recreational activities for either gender. According to a 2016 survey by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TUIK), Turks on average watch six hours of television, surf the internet for three hours and spend merely one minute reading books daily. Perhaps President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a valid point when he proposed library-equipped coffeehouses that would offer free tea and cake in his last election campaign.

Young female readers have their own heroines. One of them is Ipek Ongun, the author of the series The Secret Diary of a Young Girl. Ongun has been writing the series since the 1990s. The original character now has a daughter who has become one of the key characters. Although these books are quite popular among middle school and high school girls, their appeal decreases as the readers grow up. Azra, an 18-year-old college sophomore from Istanbul, told Al-Monitor, My older sister and I read all the books upon our teachers recommendation. For many public schools, Onguns books are approved because they are so square. I think I read through them because there was nothing else available. But lets face it, they fail to handle real female problems. I would rather have my daughters read something higher quality.

Some millennials are more attracted to popular fictional characters than the authors who write them. These characters creep into conversations and social media. Hakan, a freshman from the northern city of Trabzon studying engineering, told Al-Monitor, I think in our times it is the characters rather than books or authors that stick with us and dominate our conversations. For example, I started reading Alper Caniguz because I kept hearing about the character named Alper Kamu.

Alper Kamu, whose name often pops up in social media and hashtags, is the main character in Caniguzs detective novel Sons and Suffering Souls. He defines himself as the little existentialist and speaks in punchy and highly quotable one-liners, such as Five is the ultimate age of maturity, then rotting sets in.

I saw a slogan on social media from Caniguz: People are born, then they die, then they grow up. It resonated with me, said Hakan.

Ayca, a 20-year-old high school graduate who works as a cashier, named Murat Mentes as her favorite author. Although she had a hard time recalling the authors name, she knew the characters in his novels particularly well. The characters are super cool. I read Dilemma of the Stuntman [Dublorun Dilemmasi], as the main character was named Noah Storm. Noah [Nuh] is the name of my boyfriend. It is a fun and courageous character, so I started reading detective novels now and I enjoy it. It also has a lot of sentences I can share with my boyfriend, she said.

Some of Mentes books were translated into English, along with other millennials idols such as Caniguz and Emrah Serbes, whose satirical short story The Terrorist Upstairs mocks Turkeys ultranationalists and was adapted for the stage.

Several millennials and post-millennials also emphasized an online platform called Wattpad, where users write and read each others stories. There are more than 3.5 million registered users in Turkey, and 5% of these are authors.

Ziya, a 22-year-old from Diyarbakir who works at his fathers coffeehouse, told Al-Monitor, I learned about Wattpad when I was in Istanbul during my military service. It was difficult to buy or carry books around, but Wattpad is right there on your phone or the iPad. I got hooked on different authors; it is a free platform. It is not edited, so you get to read people writing as if they are speaking. It is not pretentious. If there are grammar mistakes or other sort of stuff, who cares? What I like is the story and interaction with others.
The United States International Trade Commission today struck down a tariff on Canadian paper imposed by President Donald Trump's administration that many argued was hitting small town and big city newspapers alike hard.

The ITC determined that imports of subsidized uncoated groundwood paper from Canada is not a material threat.

The decision was music to the ears of Tommy McGraw, who has been publisher of the Sumter County Record Journal in Livingston since 1990.

"First of all, I'll say thank Jesus," McGraw said, before going on to recognize the contribution of Alabama's delegation in Washington. McGraw earlier this month had used the front page to brace readers of the Record Journal, which sells on newstands for 75 cents, for "possible dramatic increases."

"I had a meeting with my printer, and he told me to brace myself," McGraw said. "In the coming days and weeks, it was going to be dramatic. We were just trying to spread it around so it had less of an impact."

The U.S. Commerce Department earlier this year imposed anti-subsidy and anti-dumping tariffs on Canadian newsprint paper - the paper on which newspapers and directories, as well as other publications are printed - which are supplied by Canadian mills.

NorPac, the North Pacific Paper Co., filed a complaint about Canadian mills dumping paper in the U.S. NorPac was the only company to seek tariffs protection, and the American Forest and Paper Association opposed the move.

The resulting increases in prices pushed up newsprint costs for newspaper publishers by 20 percent to 30 percent. After labor costs, newsprint is the second largest cost for newspapers. This led to layoffs at some papers and smaller-sized print editions for others.

The ITC decision came after months of lobbying by the newspaper industry and members of both parties in Congress. U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said back in April that there are not enough domestic manufacturers to supply America's local newspaper publishers.

Today, Aderholt said the tariffs' reach was felt in his hometown.

"While I support what President Trump is trying to achieve with tariffs, and bringing countries to the negotiating table for better trade deals, the tariff on newsprint seems to have only benefited one supplier in the state of Washington," he said. "This was hurting local newspapers. For example, my hometown newspaper in Haleyville had to cut a printing day. So I'm glad to see a resolution to this issue."

Also cheering the decision was U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, who said in a statement that the reversal is "a huge win for our local newspapers, which are truly the lifeblood of their communities."

"The vast majority of newsprint used by America's newspapers is manufactured in Canada, not the United States," Jones said. "The Administration's tariffs were going to cost jobs, not save them. Throughout this year, I have heard from publishers across Alabama that the significant cost increase of newsprint caused by these tariffs had placed a heavy burden on their already tight finances, forcing them to cut service or jobs, or both."

The decision does not spell an immediate end to the tariffs, as the ITC decision could be appealed.
As he travels to preach at small country churches across Alabama, former State Baptist Convention President John Killian hears a lot of talk about President Donald Trump.

"I see overwhelming support," Killian said.

Many Southern Baptists - who number more than a million in Alabama - tend to like Trump and believe he's God's man for the job. Exit polls in 2016 showed that about 80 percent of white evangelical Christians voted for Trump.

That support is still solid, said Killian, a former pastor and now director of Baptist missions for Fayette County.

But why? Trump is twice divorced, and his attorney claimed to have paid adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about having an affair with Trump. He's been caught on tape speaking in foul-mouthed terms about women. His character flaws could have derailed almost any other politician trying to court the religious right.

"Everybody knows if Barack Obama had done one of these things, he would have been skewered by these folks as unfit for office," said church historian Bill Leonard.

But major evangelical leaders such as Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell Jr. defend Trump and see him as an ally in the culture wars.

"Issues matter more than a person's personal life," Killian said. "The two issues that come up are pro-life - appointment of judges (who oppose abortion), and support for Israel."

King Cyrus and King David

In defending Trump, religious supporters cite a recurring theme in the Bible that God uses flawed leaders.

In the Book of Ezra, Persian King Cyrus the Great issued a decree to liberate the Jews after the Babylonian captivity and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. "King Cyrus was a friend to the people of God, but he was a heathen king," Killian said.

Alabama Pastor John Kilpatrick, whose call for prayer to stop the spirit of witchcraft attacking Trump went viral on social media last week, compares Trump to King David, who committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed.

"David committed adultery and had a man killed," Kilpatrick said in his sermon on Aug. 26 at Church of His Presence in Daphne. "God left him as king of Israel."

God is using Trump for his own purposes, Kilpatrick said. Evangelical supporters of Trump hope he will appoint U.S. Supreme Court justices who may overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

"He has defended the womb," Kilpatrick said. "The president has taken a stand for life. Second, the president has taken up for Israel and has declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel. Third, he has chosen Supreme Court justices - that's going to turn this nation around. Those three things are why the spirit of Jezebel hates him and wants him out. We may be on the verge of the greatest revival this world has ever seen."

A street fighter

The very soul of America is on the line, Kilpatrick said.

"If we are where I think we are spiritually, we need a street fighter in the White House," said Kilpatrick, who said in an interview with AL.com that he voted for Trump in 2016.

"There's much at stake," Kilpatrick said. "A lot of people are concerned about America right now."

Kilpatrick is not vouching for Trump's faith. "I don't believe Trump is a man of God," he said. But he believes the 2016 election was miraculous. "I have to believe it was the Holy Spirit that turned it," Kilpatrick said. "If the Lord put him in an office, the Lord will sustain him in an office. You better be careful that you don't lay a hand on him."

That's a reference to Psalm 105:15, "Touch not my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm."

Kilpatrick quotes 1 Timothy 2:2, which calls on believers to pray for "kings, and for all that are in authority," as a reason to pray for Trump.

"That doesn't mean I'm a Trump fan," said Kilpatrick, whose congregation is affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination. "I love him, and I pray for him because he's our president. What God has raised up, you don't want to oppose. Do I believe he's an adulterer? I do. Do I believe he's had these affairs? I do. Do I think he's a liar? I do. If God raised him up, my job is to pray for that man. That's what we're going to do."

Framing a Christian nation

On the campaign trail, Trump often trumpeted support for framing the United States as a Christian nation, staking out an issue that resonates with the same people who supported Judge Roy Moore's refusal to take down his hand-made plaque of the Ten Commandments in his Etowah County courtroom, and later his refusal as chief justice to remove a 2.6-ton monument of the commandments he had installed in the state judicial building. Many evangelical Christians also yearn for the return of Christian prayer to public schools. It was banned in a 1963 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

In 2016 at the Family Research Council Values Voter Summit, Trump sounded that theme. "A Trump administration, our Christian heritage will be cherished, protected, defended, like you've never seen before. Believe me. I believe it. And you believe it. And you know it. You know it."

Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear this week defended his decision to attend a meeting of ministers with President Donald Trump on Monday night. Greear said he was not one of the more than 100 ministers who signed a Bible for Trump, with the inscription, "History will record the greatness that you have brought for generations."

TV Evangelist Paula White read the inscription and said, "We pray this prayer. If you all agree with that, say Amen," according to a transcript of the event.

White, senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center in Apopka, Fla., serves as chair of the Evangelical Advisory Board for Trump.

Many of the evangelical supporters of Trump are preachers of the prosperity gospel, who promote the idea that God shows His blessings by making them wealthy. Trump is wealthy, and for them, that's a sign of God's blessing, Leonard said.

"God used him to bless with them with tax cuts," Leonard said.

Immigration, faith demographics

There are broader issues at play, too, with Trump's stand on Muslim immigration echoing past religious right alarms against non-Protestant immigrants changing the nation's faith demographics.

"Trump is, at best, racially insensitive, if not racist," said Leonard, a former religion professor at Samford University and retired divinity dean at Wake Forest University.

But many evangelicals like his style, Leonard said.

"Fundamentalists vest great power in the authoritarian leader who brooks no disagreement," Leonard said. "They have an appreciation for Trump as an authoritarian figure."

Baptists traditionally supported the separation of church and state, but shifted with the rise of the Moral Majority in 1979 and the election of President Ronald Reagan in 1980. Despite being divorced, Reagan was the choice of evangelicals over Jimmy Carter, a born-again believer and Baptist Sunday school teacher who did not agree with the religious right on many issues. "Jimmy Carter is a brother in the Lord, but I didn't like him as a president," Killian said.

Evangelicals have abandoned separation of church and state in recent decades as they've seen an opportunity for government to prop them up, Leonard said.

"Their response to Trump as a person who is going to restore Christianity to its proper place is an indication how their approach to Christian conversion has failed," Leonard said. "It is no longer reaching the multitudes as they thought it would. As their evangelistic influence wanes, they go looking to government to support their presence and authority in the country. They want the government to save them."

'100 Years From Now'

Trump has been willing to give lip service to their symbolic issues, perhaps on the advice of evangelical leaders who know how to get out their vote.

"They want the return of Protestant privilege in American culture," Leonard said. "The loss of Protestant privilege, and the reality of religious plurality, is driving them crazy."

There's a price to be paid for political pandering by preachers, Leonard said.

"One of the stark realities of this support for Trump is that the moral high ground that this group of people has claimed about human behavior and Christian morality has been radically compromised by their failure to hold Donald Trump to the same standard they held the rest of us to," Leonard said. "Their moral high ground has been compromised beyond measure."

But evangelicals in rural Alabama who back Trump aren't worried about that.

"The Israel issue, moving the embassy, that has a great appeal," Killian said. "I think that's where he's going to go down in history, along with the court appointments. That's something that, 100 years from now, we'll be talking about."
It's been five years since sororities at the University of Alabama were formally desegregated. Fifty years after George Wallace blocked African-American students from campus, a second stand in the schoolhouse doors was organized -- this time to protest racism, not to support it. But has anything really changed?

According to data released by UA in January 2018, 92 Black or African-American students (3.9 percent of the 2,338 students total) were members of Alabama Panhellenic Association sororities, up from 10 in 2013. The number of Hispanic and Asian-American women in APA sororities rose as well from 164 to 336 and 26 to 53 respectively.

APA sororities at UA have steadily increased the number of minority students in predominately white houses sine 2013.

The University of Alabama has four governing bodies over Greek life. The APA oversees traditionally white sororities, the Interfraternity Council governs traditionally white fraternities, while the Alabama National Panhellenic Council oversees historically black sororities and fraternities.

Each summer, a week before classes begin, APA hosts sorority recruitment in a process commonly referred to as "Rush Week." Thousands of freshmen girls attend with the hopes of matching with their sorority of choice. And until recently, African-American women were denied "bids" to join traditionally white sororities. The issue came to a head in 2013 when Kennedi Cobb, granddaughter of John England, a prominent judge and a member of the University Board of Trustees, was denied a bid despite her decorated resume. Melanie Gotz, a student at the time, brought attention to the discrimination and spoke openly of her sorority's involvement in denying Cobb.

Cobb avoided attention but the issue quickly drew media to Tuscaloosa from around the country, forcing the school to reconsider its sorority recruitment process.

Bonner, UA's president in 2013, said sorority integration was the result of students wanting change. After days of student protests, meetings with sorority presidents, and a visit by then-still-beloved-icon Bill Cosby, Bonner facilitated a "continuous open bidding" process, ushering in a handful of women of color in traditionally white sororities.

"It is also important to remember that fifty years earlier, Alabama Governor George Wallace unfortunately put the university and the state in the national spotlight with his stand in the schoolhouse door, attempting to keep two young African-Americans from enrolling as students at The University," said Bonner.

"The symbolism of what had happened back then - and what was playing out a half a century later - was certainly not lost on me or others, especially many of our faculty."

Despite the misgivings of sorority alumni, the transition was largely smooth. By 2017, two African-American women led their predominantly white sororities as chapter president.

Marissa Lee, a former president of Phi Mu, told Truth or Dare, a blog started by University of Alabama students about college women and feminism, she has seen a lot of positive change on campus since arriving in 2014.

"I think a lot of people are finally drawing more attention to these race issues. There are lots of little things that can be overlooked, and it's hard to see if it's not your experience," Lee said. "Having that open dialogue and being willing to be vulnerable and give someone else your experience will let it be more personal and it tears those walls down easier."

Lexi Matallana, a senior at UA and president of APA, helped implement diversity and inclusion officers in every APA sorority. She said the involvement of those officers for the first time during recruitment set a different tone for the year to come.

"The campus climate has changed a lot since I've been here. We're at a much more comfortable place. People are ready to see how progressive our community can be as a whole."

But, like at most major universities, race relations on campus are still complicated.

Amber Scales, current president of Alpha Kappa Alpha, an historically black sorority, said even though traditionally white sororities, have allowed "some" women of color in, fraternities remain almost completely segregated. Scales is also the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Student Government Association and helped create an "I Am Alabama" video promoting diversity and inclusion that is now shown to every incoming freshman.

As of January 2018, African-American men make up 0.8 percent of traditionally white fraternities in IFC. African-Americans currently make up a little over 10 percent of the student body population.

Scales said APA sororities covertly encourage African-American students against rushing through the literature they put out. In the 2018 "Greek Chic" guide to rush, a booklet given to women going through sorority recruitment by Panhellenic, very few women of color are represented in its pages and steep financial obligations that may be a deterrent are presented (an average of $4,000 a semester).

"There's usually a very comparative narrative when it comes to being black on campus. Don't be a Cardi B, be a Michelle [Obama]. At the end of the day they are both women of color and should express themselves any way they see fit. They've had different cultural experience that's led them to be different people, and one should not be better because they are more palatable to white people."

Scales said the black women "allowed" in APA sororities hinge on financial status and outward appearances. She said many black women are aware of that reputation and choose to join the traditionally black sororities.

The nine traditionally black sororities and fraternities at UA, also known as the Divine Nine, have their own history and traditions that emerged, in part, because African-Americans were barred from white organizations.

As a result of the 2013 controversy, the university took additional steps to improve race relations on campus, requesting an external review of diversity and inclusion, and adding a new vice president-level position heading diversity.

An external review of diversity mapping on campus conducted in 2017 concluded there were 1,695 individual diversity efforts by UA that occurred between 2011-2016. The firm concluded that in the undergraduate curricula, 83 percent of UA's diversity-related courses in the school's system were offered, which the firm stated was the "highest percentage of offered diversity-related courses that we have ever found in any diversity mapping that we have conducted."

G. Christine Taylor, the school's vice president and associate provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, said the University has made progress in the year she's been at UA.

"What I'm most proud about is the Panhellenic council has decided that in each of the sorority houses there's going to be someone that's going to be devoted to diversity and inclusion in the house. I met with [the students] this Summer," Taylor said. "It's a new model. But I've been most impressed by the president of Panhellenic."

Taylor said she was one of five black students who integrated an all white elementary school in Tennessee when she was in the first grade. She said her mother said her entire life had been preparing her for her role at the University of Alabama.

And progress in Tuscaloosa continues in fits and starts, with every step forward illuminating work that still needs to be done.

"We're proud of the efforts to increase diversity in the fraternity and sorority community and to ensure it is welcoming to all interested students. It makes those communities stronger, and it's a process that will take sustained focus and continued effort," UA said via an emailed statement.

In 2014, one year after sororities integrated, a Snapchat photo using a racial slur referencing an African-American sorority woman was leaked. That same year Elliot Spillers was elected SGA president, the second African-American student to do so in 40 years. In 2017, Jared Hunter, the third African-American student body president would be elected -- this time with the backing of the "Machine," a campus secret society. In 2015, Halle Lindsey, an African-American woman in a predominately white sorority was denied the vote from her own sorority in her run for Homecoming Queen because the members feared they would not be invited to parties with fraternities, according to leaked GroupMe messages from upperclassman. In 2016, a video showing a white woman yelling "n------" on her Instagram was shared nationally.

Taylor said it was hard on students across campus when videos depicting Greek women using racial slurs were released.

"There's toxicity left from that," Taylor said. "What I have been glad about last spring. [Greek] councils came together. 'We want to own it, but we want to work together to do more to make this a better place. I think that is really exciting."

Scales said the video showing the woman using racial slurs on an Instagram video was not surprising.

"Black students were not surprised," Scales said. "These were not actions that contradict the ideas many greek students hold."

Amber said she has experienced private instances of racism on campus, such as microaggressions or problematic language in class or constantly feeling the pressure to educate friends and colleagues on the different struggles people of color face. But last year Scales says she experienced overt racism in public. She was walking near Bryant Denny stadium when a truck slowed down next to her and rolled down the window. A man, who she assumes was a student, yelled "n-----" out of the window and drove off.

Alabama still has a ways to go, but UA has made moves to promote diversity in the last five years. And women of all ages have led the charge. Women like: Amber Scales, Judy Bonner, G. Christine Taylor, Melanie Gotz and Marissa Lee, have made significant strides toward making campus a more inclusive place.

Reckon Radio presents, "Greek Gods," an examination of politics, privilege and race hosted by Amy Yurkanin and John Archibald, winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. In a four-episode miniseries examines what students learn when a handful have all the power. Yurkanin and Archibald take listeners downstairs into the fraternity basements where an anonymous group of leaders in training learn the darks arts of dirty politics.

Reckon Radio is currently available for subscription on iTunes, Google Play and other podcasting platforms. All four episodes will be available on August 27.
A Birmingham shooting suspect arrested in April is back in jail after authorities say he committed three more attempted murders in the four months since he was released on bond.

The U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and Birmingham police took 28-year-old Cantrell Dehardric Harris back into custody Thursday after searching for him for weeks. The lawmen found Harris at a home on Brewster Road and though it took him a while to come out, eventually arrested him without incident.

Harris, a convicted felon, was arrested by U.S. Marshals on April 20 in Hueytown in connection with a shooting incident on March 17 in the 800 block of Third Avenue West. Drugs and guns were found in the apartment during Harris' April arrest.

Harris was released the day after his April 20 arrest on $100,000 bond.

Records show he was booked back into the Jefferson County Jail at 1:18 p.m. Thursday.

Jefferson County District Judge Bill Cole on July 27 issued a warrant for Harris' arrest, noting Harris had three new charges of attempted murder filed against him. Details of those shootings weren't immediately available.

"Those cases involve a large number of gunshots,'' Cole noted in his order that Harris be arrested again, and this time held without bond.

The judge also noted that Harris has three or more prior convictions and one of those is a Class A felony. Harris pleaded guilty in July 2012 to felony possession of marijuana and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Also, in 2012, he pleaded guilty to trafficking in synthetic drugs and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

He is now awaiting trial on four separate counts of attempted murder.

It was during the most recent search for Harris that one of his friends - a 22-year-old man also awaiting trial for attempted murder - was arrested on drug and gun charges. The federal task force was looking for Harris on Aug. 23 when they arrested Tedrick Stevenson, who was in Harris' vehicle. When lawmen approached the vehicle, they spotted a Draco AK-47 and a Glock pistol in plain sight. There was also a lit marijuana cigarette in the ashtray.

Four handguns, a second Draco Ak-47 pistol, an AR-15, heroin, crack cocaine and digital scales also were recovered during that arrest and subsequent investigation.

In an unrelated incident, Harris' brother was fatally shot in an ambush five months ago. Clifford Devon Harris, 29, was killed on March 5. The shooting happened about 1:30 p.m. at Alameda Terrace Apartments on Alameda Court. Police said a hail of gunfire erupted when Harris walked out of an apartment in the 1700 block, striking the victim multiple times. His death was possibly linked to an ongoing feud in the city which started over a homicide last year and has led to multiple shooting incidents.
"Hawaii is going to be impacted by Hurricane Lane.

Authorities also warned that the shelters are not created to withstand winds greater than about 40mph and that for most people they should be a "last resort".

After soaking the Big Island its is expected to head towards Maui and Oahu.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Oahu and Maui County late Thursday, and tropical storm conditions were already happening in both areas as of late Thursday local time.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency moved several barges packed with food, water, generators and other supplies into the region ahead of Hurricane Hector, which skirted past the islands more than a week ago, FEMA Administrator Brock Long said.

"Trying to figure which comes first, the fire or the rain", said Azam, who's from Oakland, California, and is staying at a hotel.

As workers piled sandbags and boarded up store windows, pictures showed many still enjoying the waves of Honolulu's Waikiki Beach Thursday.

Fort said that moving the fleet would allow the ships "enough time to transit safely out of the path of the storm".

Hurricane Lane has taken a turn toward Hawaii but is weakening as it approaches the islands. As of 11 p.m. HST Thursday night (5 a.m. EDT on Friday), Hurricane Lane was located about 165 miles (265 kilometers) southwest of the town of Kailua-Kona (located on the west coast of the Big Island) and was creeping northward at about 6 mph (10 km/h).

Meteorologist Chevy Chevalier in Honolulu says winds slowed overnight from 160 miles per hour to 155 miles per hour (259 to 250 kph), prompting a downgrade of the hurricane from a Category 5 to a Category 4. Forecasters say the hurricane could also bring a storm surge of 4 feet with dangerously high surf.

A report on the BBC website read: "The BBC's James Cook had a lucky escape after a tree hit him as he delivered a radio report about Hurricane Lane in Hawaii".

The centre of the storm was predicted to move close to or over portions of the main islands later on Thursday or on Friday, bringing unsafe surf of 20ft and a storm surge of up to 4ft, forecasters said.

"Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion", the NWS Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu said in an advisory.

"#HurricaneLane in the early morning hours near #Hawaii" tweeted Arnold, who is aboard the International Space Station orbiting 402 kilometres above the Earth.

Hawaii emerged Saturday from the threat of a potentially devastating hurricane after flooding forced evacuations on some islands but damage appeared less than feared despite historic amounts of rain.

However, it is still swirling with damaging 130mph winds.

An alert notice sent to all mobile phones in the Honolulu area on Wednesday afternoon to warn of Hurricane Lane's arrival.

Earlier Tuesday, the weather service issued a hurricane warning for Hawaii island and a hurricane watch for Oahu, Maui and other smaller islands, meaning tropical storm-force winds, excessive rain and large swells could arrive starting today.

Hurricane Lane dumped more than 20 inches of rain Thursday on some windward communities on Hawaii island and flooded the Wailuku River near Hilo.

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico previous year, a FEMA report noted that one of its main issues was not having enough generators and other emergency aid on the island before the storm.
Two men have been federally indicted in a string of armed robberies at Tuscaloosa stores carried out over a four-month period.

The grand jury on Wednesday returned a nine-count indictment against Jose Antonio Brown, 34, and Kelvin Quntavius Thomas, 28, according to U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.

The indictment charges the pair with robbing a Chevron convenience store and three Dollar General stores, as well as employees at the stores at the time of the robberies. The holdups happened between December 2017 and April 2018.

Additionally, Brown and Thomas are charged with either brandishing or discharging firearms during the robberies, and Brown is also charged as a convicted felon illegally possessing a firearm.

The indictment charges Brown and Thomas robberies at the following stores: Chevron convenience store, 7836 Alabama Highway 69 South, Tuscaloosa, on Dec. 24, 2017; Dollar General, 4419 U.S. Highway 43, Northport, on Jan. 23, 2018; Dollar General, 6520 Hargrove Road, Tuscaloosa, on Jan. 30, 2018; and Dollar General, 11573 U.S. Highway 82 East, Duncanville, on April 2, 2018.

The pair was captured by a rookie Tuscaloosa County sheriff's deputy responding to a robbery in progress at the Duncanville Dollar General. The deputy - first on the scene - noticed one suspect in the store and was advised another suspect had fled out the back of the store.

The lone deputy engaged the suspect outside on the corner of the building and held him at gunpoint. That same deputy took the other suspect into custody as he exited the store. Other deputies arrived on scene and both suspects were secured and arrested.

"The safety of many innocent people was threatened during this string of armed store robberies in Tuscaloosa County," Town said. "Thanks to a combined investigation by local investigators and the ATF, coupled with the bravery of a Tuscaloosa County Deputy Sheriff in apprehending these men, these defendants have been charged with federal crimes and will be brought to account in federal court."

Brown and Thomas are charged under the Hobbs Act, which prohibits actual or attempted robbery that affects interstate commerce and that involves the taking of property from another person by means of actual or threatened force or violence.

The maximum penalty for Hobbs Act robbery is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The charge of carrying, brandishing or discharging a firearm during a crime of violence carries varying penalties. The penalty for someone previously convicted of a gun crime is a minimum 25 years in prison. The penalties for someone without a prior gun crime conviction are a minimum 10 years for discharging a gun, seven years for brandishing a gun and five years for carrying a gun. Each count also carries a $250,000 fine upon conviction.

ATF investigated the case, along with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Department, the Tuscaloosa Police Department and the Northport Police Department.

"ATF's Crime Gun Intelligence focuses on reducing violent crime and disrupting the shooting cycle that negatively impacts our neighborhoods," Watson said. "The priority of protecting the public is evident with these indictments."
Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale has unveiled a new comprehensive school safety plan that includes putting a deputy in every school and having a special team trained to spot potential dangers.

The sheriff - joined by Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Craig Pouncey and Jefferson County Commissioner Jimmie Stephens - held a news conference Minor Community School. Key elements of the plan include placing a school resource deputy in every Jefferson County elementary, middle and high school and an assessment team identify students who exhibit certain patterns of behavior that may indicate a need for assistance.

"Jefferson County is leading the nation in how we protect our schools and our school children," Hale said.

The intense focus on school safety comes in the wake of the tragic Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where a former student killed 17 students and staff. Weeks later, on May 18, a student killed 10 students and staff at Santa Fe High School in Texas. "There's more interest in school safety than anything I've seen in probably 20 years," Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey said in a previous interview.

Sheriff's officials said that during the 2017-2018 school year, deputies with the sheriff's School Resource Division investigated 81 felonies and 269misdemeanors, including 25 Terrorist Threat investigations.

Currently there are 25 school resource deputies serving 56 Jefferson County Schools. That number includes a K9 handler who floats between all the schools for searches.

Hale said Thursday he plans to hire 31 contract deputies to supplement the current staff to fulfill his goal of having a deputy in every school rather than a single SRO being responsible for, and roving between, high schools and feeder schools. The initiative, he said, will be partially funded in partnership with the school system and the Sheriffs budget.

Those contract deputies, he said, will be recently-retired law enforcement officers with current certification through the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission. The sheriff's office also will hold training for the new SRO's through the National School Resource Officers Association. This training will include the Basic SRO Training Course and the Advanced SRO Training Course.

As for the threat assessment team, Hale said they will be trained to identify patterns of troubling behavior and provide resources for managing students who exhibit those patterns. The team will be made up of a sheriff's investigator, a Jefferson County Board of Education member and a mental health worker.

The sheriff's office School Resource Division was launched in 1999 and has been recognized as a model for other law enforcement agencies nationwide. Hale said the new plan will serve to reinforce their position as a national leader in school safety.

At least two private schools and one city are aware of Hale's new safety plan and are currently negotiating with the sheriff's office to provide SRO's for their schools as well.

So far, Hale said, 19 applicants have been selected. More are needed. APOST-certified Alabama law enforcement officers retired in good standing who are interested in applying should contact the Sheriff's Office Internal Affairs Division at 205-325-5709.
The son of a state lawmaker was arrested Thursday morning on felony drug charges in a raid on the family's home.

Anthony Terry Jr., the 26-year-old son of State Rep. Louise Alexander (D-Bessemer), was taken into custody by Bessemer police, Chief Mike Roper confirmed. Perry is charged with two counts of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance - marijuana.

Roper said the raid followed a three-month investigation that is ongoing. Bessemer police carried out the search warrant at Alexander's home in the 2500 block of 11th Avenue North shortly before 4:30 a.m.

Anthony Terry Jr.

Alexander, also a former member of the Bessemer City Council, was at the home but was not the target of the raid, Roper said, and has not been implicated in any crime.

Alexander said her son has done nothing wrong, and claimed the morning raid was nothing more than a political witch hunt against her and her family. It stems, in part, from her daughter's own political race from a seat on the Bessemer City Council. Kimberly Alexander is in a runoff for that position. "They're trying to discredit me and my family,'' Rep. Alexander said.

She said no drugs were found in her home or have ever been sold out of her home. "It was a set up,'' Alexander said. "This is political sabotage."
A store clerk died early Thursday after she was shot multiple times at a Sylacauga gas station.

Sylacauga police responded about 5 a.m. to a reported assault at the AOC Texaco on Alabama Highway 21, said Chief Kelley Johnson. Once on the scene, they found the employee - 34-year-old Melissa Joy McDonald - critically wounded and rushed her to Coosa Valley Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead.

Johnson said at this point in the investigation police do not believe that robbery of the store was a motive, but he did not elaborate. He said he wanted the community to know police don't believe the crime was random.

Investigators with the Sylacauga Police Department, the Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigators, and the Talladega County Sheriff's Office are working to develop suspects.

Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact Sylacauga Police Department Investigator Vinson at 256-401-2455 or the anonymous Tip Line at 256-249-4716.
A jury has acquitted Brenda Lisa Ford of murder in a 2015 fatal shooting that stemmed from a brawl between seven women in north Huntsville.

The jury of nine men and three women delivered the not guilty verdict on Wednesday evening.

Ford, 54, was charged with reckless murder in the shooting death of 34-year-old Tamika Ragland.

Tamika Ragland was fatally shot on Feb. 11, 2015 in Huntsville. This week, a jury acquitted the woman charged in her death.

Ford's retrial began Monday in Madison County Circuit Judge Ruth Ann Hall's courtroom. Ford's case previously ended in a mistrial last year.

"I'm really happy for my client," said defense attorney Chris Messervy. "She really is a nice lady."

Ford was among several witnesses -- including police, forensic experts, and some of the women from the fight -- who testified. Ford testified that she fatally shot Ragland in self-defense.

"I didn't have no choice," Ford said under oath. "She would've ran over me and killed me."

The fatal shooting happened the evening of Feb. 11, 2015 following a brawl between Ford, Ragland and five other women outside Ford's home on Melody Circle. Ford has since moved to Tennessee.

Ford and two of her relatives were fighting against Ragland and three others. At some point during the brawl, Ford went in the house and grabbed her gun.

After the fight, Ragland and her crew got back into their vehicle. Ford testified that Ragland tried to run over Ford and her family.

Ford fired two rounds -- one that went into Ragland's chest, hitting her ribs, lung and heart, according to a medical examiner's report.

Ragland's car hit a tree in Ford's yard.

At trial, Ford and her attorney said she intentionally fired at Ragland in self-defense. But in interviews with lead investigator Chris Hines on the night of the shooting, Ford told a different story, prosecutors said.

"I didn't mean to hurt that girl," Ford told Huntsville police Investigator Chris Hines in a recorded interview.

On a recorded jail call, Ford said, "I didn't even know I shot her."

Prosecutors argued Ford was trying to scare Ragland and her crew when she fired the gun.

Madison County Assistant District Attorney Tim Douthit said Ford acted "recklessly" with "extreme indifference to human life," which is the definition of reckless murder.

Before the jury began deliberating, the judge instructed jurors on the law. The judge said jurors should deliberate whether Ford was guilty reckless murder, but they weren't allowed to consider self-defense. The judge previously denied Ford's request for immunity under Alabama's self-defense law.

Douthit, who prosecuted the case along with Assistant DA Robin Drake, said prosecutors were disappointed with the not guilty verdict.

"Obviously we disagree with the jury's verdict in this case, but that's not our call," Douthit said. "This is why we have juries. This is how the system works.

"We hope Ms. Ford re-evaluates her choices going forward in life and takes advantage of this verdict and that she won't darken the doors of this courthouse again," Douthit added. "But that's not our call either."
Diesel Plaster, 10, has been missing since Wednesday evening in Madison County, authorities said.
A U.S. Senator is asking questions about the $5 billion loan that the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant developer is seeking from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., sent a letter two days ago to Rick Perry, the Secretary of Energy, requesting all communication between Franklin Haney, the Chattanooga developer who is in the process of purchasing Bellefonte, and the Department of Energy.

Haney has come under scrutiny because of a Wall Street Journal story earlier this month that detailed the developer's relationship with Michael Cohen, the former attorney for President Trump who is facing federal charges in New York.

The Journal reported that Haney offered $10 million to Cohen for help in securing the DOE loan. Haney also donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund after his election.

Duckworth described that business relationship as an "unseemly pay-to-play arrangement."

Haney representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AL.com.

"Neither Mr. Haney nor Nuclear Development LLC ever entered into a contract with Michael Cohen or his affiliate for lobbying services related to the Bellefonte project," Blust told the Journal in the Aug. 2 story. The newspaper said Blust declined further comment.

Nuclear Development is the company Haney formed to purchase Bellefonte for $111 million from TVA at auction two years ago. The sale is facing a Nov. 4 closing deadline.

In her letter, Duckworth asked for the following information:

A list of every DOE appointee, career official and contractor that had direct or indirect contact with either Mr. Cohen or Mr. Haney, or representatives of either individual, in regard to the loan application or project; and

All DOE memorandums, meeting notes, emails and any other record related to Mr. Haney's loan application or project, and communications with Mr. Cohen.

Duckworth said in her letter those documents were needed to "better understand how the DOE is evaluating Mr. Haney's loan application, including potential improper efforts to influence the decision by Mr. Cohen."

Duckworth is a member of the Senate's Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which has oversight of, among other areas, nuclear energy.

At a community event last month, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, said that the loan application is on track for approval, though it still had some steps to clear in the loan process.

Brooks, along with Alabama Congress Members Robert Aderholt, Martha Roby and Bradley Byrne as well as Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleischman, sent a letter to Trump in May on behalf of Nuclear Development to lobby for the loan's approval.

After the Wall Street Journal story, Brooks said he still supported Haney and the Bellefonte project, which is located in his north Alabama congressional district. Brooks pointed to the more than 1,000 high-paying jobs that would be created with the plant's completion in addition to thousands of construction jobs.

Brooks described it as a "great boon" to the economy of northeast Alabama.

Brooks also said that Haney had told him that the Wall Street Journal story was "fake news." Bud Cramer, the former north Alabama congressman who is now a Washington lobbyist working with Nuclear Development, told AL.com earlier this month he is unaware of an effort by Cohen to assist in the loan process.

"I do not know Michael Cohen," Cramer said in an email to AL.com earlier this month. "He was not involved with any of my efforts or -- to the best of my knowledge - the efforts of the many local, state, and federal leaders who have been working tirelessly to bring the project to fruition for the region."

Duckworth Letter by pgattis7719 on Scribd
Alabama Power says no immediate changes are expected in the operations of its seven hydroelectric dams along the Coosa River, despite an appeals court's ruling to vacate the federal licenses to operate those dams.

The power company says there will be no immediate changes in how long the dams operate or the water levels of the popular lakes created by those dams.

The court ruled that the licenses, granted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2013, did not go far enough to protect wildlife along the river and were "arbitrary and capricious" because they did not account for previous impacts to the river.

The court remanded the issue back to FERC, which will have to work with Alabama Power to re-license the dams to address the court's concerns.

Alabama Power spokesman Michael Sznajderman said the company is still awaiting word from FERC on how to proceed with the long-term licenses, but Alabama Power customers and people who live on or use the lakes for recreation should not notice any immediate changes.

"All is normal on the Coosa," Sznajderman said. "There are no operational changes taking place at the dams. Hydro generation is normal, lake levels normal. Customers are not affected in any way."

Sznajderman said the dams will continue to operate under their old licenses until the process of approving new licenses is complete.

"We are now awaiting further guidance from FERC as far as what information they will want and need from us to satisfy the court's concerns and move forward on obtaining a new license," he said.

Licensing a dam is often a multi-year process, with licenses lasting 30 years or more. The license sets requirements that the utility must follow in order to operate relating to environmental stewardship, flood control and other aspects of operating a major dam.

A spokesman for the FERC said only that the licensing decision had been remanded back to the agency and did not have any information about what changes might be made to accommodate the court's ruling or what the time frame might be for a new license to be issued.

Sznajderman said the company does not know what FERC will ask for in the new licenses, but it could be two to five years before the process is completed.

"While we don't know specifically what FERC/Interior will request from us as far as additional information to address the court's concerns, it could take several forms, from data that we already have and can compile relatively easily, to requiring us to conduct additional field studies, which could take two or more seasons to collect information and analyze, or longer," Sznajderman said.

"Because of this, we anticipate this could become a lengthier process, potentially stretching from two to five years before a new license is approved."

The court ruling that vacated the dam licenses came after two conservation groups, the Alabama Rivers Alliance and American Rivers, challenged the licenses after they were issued in 2013.

Cindy Lowry, executive director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, said the ruling was significant because the licenses can last for 30 years or more, so it's important to get them right.

"It's not about stopping the hydro power or taking dams down, it's about operating them in a way that balances all the different uses," Lowry said. "For hydro power, there's flood control, there's environmental needs, there's downstream and upstream land owners and water users. All that has to be balanced.

"And what the court said was that it wasn't balanced properly, so let's go back to the drawing board."

Lowry said the groups are hoping FERC requires more complete environmental impact studies of the dams, and that FERC will require Alabama Power to maintain higher dissolved oxygen levels in the water at all times. The vacated license required the company to maintain minimum oxygen levels only when the dams were generating electricity.

Sznajderman said Alabama Power remains disappointed in the court's ruling and the company believed the record supported FERC's original licensing decision.

Alabama Power has made some improvements since the new license was adopted to benefit wildlife in the river, including adding flows around Weiss Dam and measures to increase dissolved oxygen levels in the river in some locations.

Coosa Riverkeeper Frank Chitwood said his group did not participate in the lawsuit that resulted in the vacating of the licenses, but said he hopes the new licenses will create conditions that benefit the fish -- and fishers -- in the watershed.

"What the court is saying is that more consideration needs to be given for water quality and the quality of our fisheries," Chitwood said. "It seems the FERC didn't fully consider things that could be done to improve water quality and the court's told them to go back and do that."

Chitwood said more dissolved oxygen in the water means more fish, which is better for the recreational fishery, which is a significant economic force throughout the Coosa watershed.

"It's not going to make a dramatic difference overnight, but ultimately what we could see is improved oxygen levels which would be good for the recreational fishery," Chitwood said. "A lot of game fish do much better at higher levels of oxygen, and when levels of oxygen get low like they frequently do on our lakes, [the fish] get stressed out. It makes it harder for them to grow to healthy sizes and in worst case scenarios, they can even die."
An Alabama felon, who led police on a high-speed chase over Lookout Mountain into Georgia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury, authorities said.

Dennis Johnson

Dennis John Johnson, a 43-year-old from Albertville, is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Department of Justice. Johnson was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury.

Johnson was carrying a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol when he led officers on a chase from Fort Payne to Menlo, Georgia on April 9, the DOJ said in a news release.

"We are indebted to the brave officers who put themselves in harm's way to end the car chase where this defendant endangered the lives of civilians and police officers," said U.S. Attorney Jay Town in a news release.

The chase began when Fort Payne officers tried to pull over the pickup truck that Johnson was driving because the license plate was registered to a different vehicle.

Speeds topped 100 mph as Johnson ran vehicles off narrow roads, swerved toward police vehicles and aimed his speeding truck at the Hammondville police chief, who was running across the road to deploy a stop strip, the DOJ said. A Fort Payne officer was seriously injured when a patrol car hit the stop strip.

Johnson jumped from the truck on Georgia Highway 48 in Chattooga County, police said. Police found the pistol when he was taken into custody.

Johnson wasn't allowed to carry a pistol because of felony convictions dating back to 1997, federal prosecutors said.

The indictment cites convictions of second-degree assault in Marshall County in November 1997, unlawful possession of a controlled substance in Etowah County in June 2001, and third-degree robbery in Marshall County in April 2014.

"ATF's priority of reducing violent crime results in court actions such as this," said Marcus Watson a Special Agent in Charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "The use of Crime Gun Intelligence in working with our law enforcement partners is an effective resource to provide a safe environment for our communities."

Johnson faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Lawyers for Montgomery police officer Aaron Cody Smith wrote in a brief filed Wednesday with the Alabama Supreme Court that Smith has proved he acted in self-defense and lawfully in his role as a police officer in the fatal shooting of Gregory Gunn more than two years ago.

Smith is charged with murder and was scheduled to go on trial beginning Aug. 13. But the state Supreme Court, responding to a petition from Smith's lawyers, put the case on hold three weeks ago.

Wednesday's brief from Smith's lawyers is their latest argument that Smith is entitled to immunity or, if not, a change of venue and a new trial judge. It's a reply to the attorney general's office, which argued in a brief filed last week that Montgomery County Circuit Judge Greg Griffin acted properly when he denied Smith's requests for immunity and recusal.

Smith, who is white, was on patrol alone when he encountered Gunn, who was black, about 3 a.m. walking through the Montgomery neighborhood where Gunn lived in February 2016. Gunn was not armed.

According to an account of the incident included in last week's brief by the attorney general's office, Gunn, 58, became agitated when Smith was patting him down and slapped Smith's hand away from his waistband. It says Smith unholstered his taser gun.

"Gunn ran away when he heard Smith call for backup, and Smith states that Gunn put his hand in his hoodie near his waistband," the appeals court's account said.

"Smith said because of this action he feared that Gunn was armed. Smith used or attempted to use the taser gun on Gunn several times during the chase with little or no effect. Smith then resorted to using his ASP baton -- a telescoping metallic baton -- striking Gunn on his arms and legs; this too was ineffective in subduing Gunn. Gunn then ran to his neighbor's porch, retreated to a dark area of the porch, and armed himself with a painting pole that was reinforced with steel. Smith, alleging that he feared for his life, unholstered his service weapon and fired in the direction of Gunn. Gunn was struck multiple times and subsequently died."

In November, 2016, a grand jury indicted Smith for murder.

Smith's lawyers claim he was immune from prosecution under Alabama's self-defense law, also called the "stand your ground" law.

Under the "stand your ground" law, to be granted immunity, a person must show by a preponderance of evidence at a pretrial hearing that the use of deadly force was lawful, such as if it was against another person about to use deadly physical force.

Griffin held an immunity hearing for Smith in July and denied the request for immunity. In today's brief, Smith's lawyers said that decision was contrary to "the great weight of the evidence."

They also wrote that Smith "is a law enforcement official who has an even greater right than that of an ordinary citizen to use deadly force to ensure the safety of not only himself, but also the community."

Griffin said at the hearing he did not find Smith's testimony credible.

Smith's lawyers say Griffin's statement about Smith's credibility, reported by media outlets, amounted to "poisonous remarks" that undermined Smith's right to a fair trial.

"Although the trial court was certainly well aware of its task as to the Immunity Hearing held on July 26, 2018, the trial court chose to take this time to showcase and give an inappropriate and erroneous opinion of Officer Smith which certainly implied guilt where Officer Smith is presumed innocent," today's brief says.

The attorney general's office declined comment on Smith's filing today.
^This is a guest post for the Acton PowerBlog.

By Gleaves Whitney

Some years ago, the bestselling biographer David McCullough outlined the missing history of our nations capital  the histories that had yet to be written. Among the people he believed merited more in-depth study was Michigan Sen. Arthur Vandenberg. In Hendrik Meijers latest biography, Arthur Vandenberg: The Man in the Middle of the American Century, McCulloughs wish comes true  and then some. No less a commentator than Cokie Roberts, lamenting the brokenness of American politics, counsels that Every member of Congress should read [Meijers] book for a lesson in leadership.

Published by the University of Chicago Press, Arthur Vandenberg is a significant achievement in American letters. First is its successful resurrection of a subject little-known outside of West Michigan. The Grand Rapidians career as a newspaper editor and biographer of Alexander Hamilton set the stage for Van to go to Washington in 1928 as a senator. In a career that spanned more than two decades, the politician grew into a statesman at a time when the Western world was desperate for bold leadership. Our civilization was in a fight for its life, first against a host of internal divisions that festered in the Great Depression, and then against an axis of dictators who attacked the heart of the civilization in a two-front world war. The age that gave us such outsized personalities as Churchill and Roosevelt and Patton also gave us the outsized Vandenberg.

Second is the books literary mastery. Even though the biography follows the genres conventional rhetorical strategy of unveiling its subject chronologically, Meijer makes a taut drama of Vandenbergs personal struggles at home, his political battles in Washington, and his nations civilizational conflicts on the world stage. The author deftly avoids the extremes of hagiography and cynicism. There are things not to like about Vandenberg  his prickly, pompous personality, above all  and Meijer does not shrink from exposing the man, warts and all, including his adulterous attachment to the probable British agent and luscious peach, Mitzi Sims. Meijer sets up the possibility in an intriguing way: While it is clear what attracted Vandenberg to Mitzi, one might wonder why the object of the senators passion responded as she did. Part of the answer may have been spy craft. The narrative that follows (Chapter 11) reveals Meijers talent for combining the skills of a journalist with the sensibilities of a novelist  just the combination needed to pull off a first-rate biography.

Third is the works lapidary wisdom for us today. There is no doubt that the Republican senator stood on principle. After all, he wrote multiple books about his hero, Alexander Hamilton, nearly a century before the Broadway musical swept Americans off their feet. Principles notwithstanding, Vandenberg again and again demonstrated practical wisdom. He understood that politics is the art of the possible; that half a loaf is better than no loaf at all; that principles must necessarily be in tension with expedience. Above all, he never forgot that the founders challenged every generation of Americans to form a more perfect Union. Thus, the senator showed the capacity to work with political opponents on both sides of the aisle. He could change his mind when the evidence warranted. He could bring isolationist Republicans around to his internationalist point of view when dissent was no longer a luxury the nation could afford (after Pearl Harbor). He could work with Democrats for the common good when the survival not just of the country but of the West was at stake (after the U.S.S.R. developed atomic weapons). His skill at crafting bipartisan legislation should be closely studied by students of statecraft. As Meijer observes, Not to note his relevance today almost feels irresponsible.

Americans today hunger for statesmanship. The justification for regarding Vandenberg as a statesman is that he did more than anticipate the next election cycle; he helped define U.S. foreign policy for decades to come. Meijer details how Vandenbergs statesmanship was shaped  by his identification with Alexander Hamilton, his Midwestern roots, his newspaper work, his hard-charging personality that did not shrink from action. And while Vandenbergs statesmanship may not have earned him the marble statues that Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln enjoy, he is rightly celebrated for his marquee role in establishing many of the institutions that have given shape to our world  the FDIC, United Nations, NATO, and Marshall Plan, among them. It is also significant that, as a Republican, he steered the partys foreign policy in a bipartisan direction that would help sustain American leadership through the Cold War and beyond. Vandenbergs achievements are a monument to bipartisanship; not the oh-well of go-along-get-along squishes, but the determined cooperation of principled leaders who work tirelessly for lasting legislation that advances the common good.

When reading a biography critically, one looks at how an author approaches his subject, how he positions his text in context. What substantive contributions does the biography make? What evidence does the researcher find and use and interpret? Does the author treat the evidence honestly rather than ideologically? How about the rhetorical strategy he pursues to make his case? Is the resulting work a pleasure to read? Finally, is there an X-factor that surprises us, that reveals something significant we did not previously know?

By all of these criteria, Meijers book is a model of the genre, and the author can be counted among the finest biographers of our time. Few could be more devoted to the craft. Over the better part of a quarter century, Meijer undertook more exhaustive research about Vandenberg than any other human being ever has  by a long shot. He canvassed every relevant archive in the U.S., interviewed every source who knew Vandenberg personally, and collected a fascinating array of objects associated with the U.S. senator, enough to fill an estimable museum exhibit. He field-tested his ideas in a number of public presentations. It is no stretch to say that Meijer lived with Vandenberg in his imagination all those years: no one is in a better position to narrate and explicate the statesmans words, actions, and beliefs.

Apropos of which, friends of the Acton Institute are no doubt curious to learn more of Vandenbergs spiritual apprehensions in general and his denominational commitments in particular. If there is one criticism that attaches to Meijers book, it is that the biography is thin on Vandenbergs inner life as it pertains to religion. But in fairness to Meijer, the available evidence on the topic is thin. It is unfortunate that Vandenberg did not write the memoir he had long planned, so biographers will be forever denied such insights. We should be grateful to Meijer for doing such an admirable job given the paucity of source material on the topic. Although formally a mainline Calvinist, Vandenberg was spiritually an exceedingly private man. He attended Park Congregational Church in Grand Rapids and New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, whose dynamic young minister, Peter Marshall, would also serve as chaplain of the U.S. Senate after World War II. Vandenberg met with Marshall frequently as the latter prepared daily invocations for the Senate. It is easy to imagine Vandenberg exploring the life of St. Paul with Marshall. The Life of St. Paul was the biography Vandenberg wanted to write but never got around to.

During many decades of immersion in the rough and tumble of politics, Vandenberg was too busy to devote much time to spiritual contemplation. Yet what spiritual questions he pursued were deepened as he lay dying of cancer in his Grand Rapids home. One of his daughters who attended him fretted over whether her father was spiritually at peace. To the Catholic convert Clare Booth Luce, he wrote, on his deathbed, I have a little prayer meeting all by myself each night. From such moments Vandenberg learned that, as the end approaches, every cloud has a silver lining, and the spiritual values in life come surging to the fore. They are so much more important than anything else.

Gleaves Whitney is director of Grand Valley State Universitys Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies.

Photo: Michigan Senator Arthur Vandenberg welcomes new Congressman Gerald R. Ford Jr., to Washington DC. 1949. Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
An aide for New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon (D) reached out to the host of an upcoming debate with Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to pre-empt any effort to chill the room, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

Cynthia Nixon is no stranger to the stage, but she's never before had a platform quite like this.

That would square with the clip of then actress and activist Nixon praising Cuomo for the Women's Equality Act, which dates back to 2014. "We need to oppose Donald Trump not just with rhetoric but with policy". It may be Nixon's best opportunity to convince voters she has a chance of upsetting Cuomo.

"Cuomo tried as hard as he could to pretend that there wasn't a race happening, but the fact that he's actually attending his first primary debate in more than a decade is proof that (Nixon's) run presents a real challenge", said Joe Dinkin, campaigns director for the Working Families Party, which endorsed Nixon and will have her on its ballot line in November. Cuomo snapped at one point.

Cuomo, a native of New York's borough of Queens, comes from one of the state's most powerful Democratic families.

The news station, according to The New York Times, received an email from Nixon's team last week requesting that the station keep the debate room's temperature at 76 degrees.

Nixon is best known for her portrayal of lawyer Miranda Hobbes on the HBO show "Sex and the City", for which she won an Emmy.
President Donald Trump has launched a campaign against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, during which he reportedly criticized Hybart native Sessions' Southern accent, according a report from POLITICO.

The president reportedly has told his aides Sessions is not capable of speaking on behalf of the president on television because he "talks like he has marbles in his mouth," POLITICO reported.

Trump also took issue with the fact that Sessions "doesn't have the Ivy League pedigree the president prefers." Sessions graduated from Huntingdon College in Montgomery and The University of Alabama School of Law.

Very unwise if @realDonaldTrump is criticizing Sessions accent and legal pedigreeunless POTUS wants to offend his most ardent Bama supporters.  Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) August 30, 2018

The president has been talking about firing Sessions since early 2017, but recently criticized the attorney general on Twitter, calling on him to stop the "rigged witch hunt right now," in a tweet posted in early August.

"..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!" Trump said in a tweet posted Aug. 1.

..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018

A series of tweets criticizing Sessions came Aug. 25.

"Jeff Sessions said he wouldn't allow politics to influence him only because he doesn't understand what is happening underneath his command position. Highly conflicted Bob Mueller and his gang of 17 Angry Dems are having a field day as real corruption goes untouched. No Collusion!," Trump wrote on Twitter Aug. 25.

Jeff Sessions said he wouldnt allow politics to influence him only because he doesnt understand what is happening underneath his command position. Highly conflicted Bob Mueller and his gang of 17 Angry Dems are having a field day as real corruption goes untouched. No Collusion!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2018

Two White House aides told POLITICO Trump's latest push against Sessions was fueled by last week's conviction of Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen and former campaign manager Paul Manafort.

Trump told Fox News that Sessions "never took control of the Justice Department" and claimed he only gave Sessions the job was because he "felt loyalty."

On Tuesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said if Trump replaces Sessions, the new AG would have to promise the Senate he would allow special counsel Mueller to complete his investigation, the Washington Post reported.

Last week Graham said he approved of Trump's firing, telling reporters the president was "entitled to an attorney general he has faith in."

Updated Friday, Aug. 31 at 7:20 p.m. to clarify that Sessions is from the Selma area.
The armed group promised to attack Dandal Kura, but presenters continue to inform listeners on how to counter fighters.

Maiduguri, Nigeria  When a Boko Haram fighter called in during Hauwa Tiramisus late-evening radio programme at Dandal Kura International last summer, the presenter froze.

He said what we are doing is bad and forbidden, she said. [He said] we are working with the government and theyd come for us.

I was shocked. I was really shocked. I was afraid that night.

Three months earlier, Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, released a video describing the radio stations female employees as prostitutes.

Listen! That radio station called Dandal Kura, with those prostitutes you parade as your female workers. May Allah curse all of you, Shekau says, in the local Kanuri language.

A screenshot from the video Boko Haram released, in which the group threatened attacks on the radio station [Courtesy: Dandal Kura]

Over the past seven years, Boko Haram has been attempting to install a caliphate in northeast Nigeria.

Since 2009, at least 20,000 people have been killed because of violence. More than five million people do not have regular access to food and nearly two million people have been displaced.

Launched in the northwestern state of Kano in 2015, Dandal Kura was established by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with Nigerian journalist and manager Faruk Dalhatu and David Smith, the stations Canadian project lead.

In 2016, the channel  which is editorially independent  moved to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as relative peace returned to the city.

The station broadcasts information about the governments efforts against Boko Haram and informs listeners of fighters activities and planned attacks.

People will call us during our live programmes to inform us about an attack in a town, this helps the neighbouring town to be vigilant, says Bello Sani, head of operations at the station.

There are news bulletins, regular updates from the stations 30 correspondents, and an array of feature programmes on deradicalisation, education and entrepreneurship.

Presenter Yabuwa Ismail reads the news at the radio station [Festus Iyorah/Al Jazeera]

Dandal kura translates as a large meeting place.

The station can be accessed by more than 10 million Kanuri speakers across Nigerian states and neighbouring Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Sudan.

Dandal Kura was established to roll back the narratives of Boko Haram, says Dalhatu, the manager, and to produce quality content that will help to improve communities.

The station chose the local Kanuri language because if we have to counter [Boko Haram leader Shekaus] ideology, we have to do that in his own language, said Sani, the head of operations.

At the peak of Boko Harams campaign of violence, the radio station featured psychologists, counsellors and Muslim leaders to demystify the groups ideology.

They also informed the audience of security measures to take as attacks raged across villages and towns in the northeast.

Keen listeners such as 54-year-old Bukar Muhammed learned how to avoid traffic jams, insecure areas and crowded hubs  all prime targets for suicide bombers.

What also interests me about the station is most of the programmes are done in Kanuri. And I have an interest in any programme that is aired in my own language, Bukar said.

The threats mean our messages are reaching the uppermost echelons of Boko Haram's leadership. Faruk Dalhatu, jouranlist and Dandal Kura manager

The station is tucked away in an apartment in an old and safe government residential area, guarded by security agents with AK-47 guns at the entrance.

There is nothing to identify the radio station.

This is deliberate, said Sani. Initially, we had a banner and a signpost. But we removed them because there were threats.

As well as the Boko Haram video, the radio station received a series of phone calls promising attacks unless it stopped broadcasting.

As a result, security was beefed up with new doors installed in the newsroom and studio.

Interns, casual workers and visitors can only enter with senior staff members.

While troubling, Dalhatu said the threats suggest the station is doing something right.

[The threats] mean our messages are reaching the uppermost echelons of [Boko Harams] leadership, he said.

Musa Liman, a senior lecturer in mass communication at the University of Maiduguri, said the station has a positive effect.

Its significance was felt because people got to know about Boko Harams strategy and [some of] those who were about to be recruited decided not to get entangled, she said.

Looking ahead, Dandal Kura plans to tackle another scourge which acts as a motivating factor for recruits to armed groups  unemployment.

We want this station to be sustained because theres none like it and it is serving a useful purpose, says Dalhatu.

Back at the station, an atmosphere of fear still hangs in the studios.

Sani is yet to relocate his family to Maiduguri. He visits them often in Kano, which is about 600km away.

I have never felt confident to bring them here. When I know my family is safe, it takes the pressure off, he says. But I am not safe.
August 30 marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. For Salam Al Hashimi, an Iraqi refugee in Finland, this day is another stark reminder that his son Wissam, who was abducted by US soldiers in Baghdad in 2005, has been missing for almost 13 years.

Wissam, 21 at the time, was a contractor with the US forces and worked on the maintenance of Baghdad Airport Road. On October 16, 2005  the day of the constitutional referendum  he was arrested by three US soldiers in front of the Babylon Hotel, 300 metres from his house, where he was going to meet his supervisor.

His arrest took place in plain sight and was witnessed by a friend of his fathers. His family has not heard from him since, despite their repeated attempts to find him.

After his arrest and up to 2007, I would go to the Green Zone every month to ask the US forces to search for my sons name in their database. They repeatedly told me that they could not find his name. I also went to all US military bases and detention facilities in the region, their answer was the same every single time: his name is not in the database, he recalls.

From 2008, Salam tried to reach out to the Iraqi authorities: he wrote to the former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and even met with one of his staff, who promised him answers. However, he never heard from him again. In 2011, he contacted the defence and justice ministries, to no avail. The human rights ministry wrote back to him, but only to say that they had no information.

Salam had a glimpse of hope when, almost six years after his sons arrest, former detainees told him that they had seen him in Camp Cropper, a US detention centre located near Baghdads airport, in July 2011. This was right before US military officials handed over the facility  and its 1,600 prisoners  to the Iraqi authorities.

For me, this was confirmation that my son had been secretly detained by the US forces all these years and that they did not want to acknowledge his detention, he says.

Hoping that international pressure would help clarify his sons fate, Salam brought Wissams case to the attention of the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID), which acts as a channel of communication between families of disappeared persons and governments.

The UN experts sent a letter to the US government in 2016 asking for clarification, but the authorities reply was no different from what Salam had been told before: They had searched their records and were unable to find a match.





This answer can only mean one of two things: it is either a refusal on the part of US authorities to recognise their responsibility in Wissams enforced disappearance and/or an acknowledgment that they were not keeping proper records of individuals under their custody, in violation of their international obligations.

The 2008 Status of Forces Agreement established that US troops would leave Iraq by the end of 2011, and either release or transfer custody of all detainees to the Iraqi authorities. As of 2009, US forces were officially holding over 15,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom had never been charged or tried. However, the list of detainees transferred from US to Iraqi custody was never made public and to this day, thousands of families  like Wissams  are left in the dark.

While some abuses committed by US forces received considerable media coverage  most notably the practice of torture in Abu Ghraib  the plight of families of disappeared at the hands of US soldiers has remained under the radar, and an issue few people are aware of.

Iraq has the highest number of disappearances of any country worldwide, with estimates ranging from 250,000 to one million missing persons. The practice emerged during the Baathist era, continued during and after the US occupation and recently peaked in the context of the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.

The crime of enforced disappearance is qualified as one of the most serious human rights violations under international law due to the double suffering it causes: For the victims themselves, who are placed outside the protection of the law, and for their families who are subjected to the constant psychological torture of not knowing the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones. When used in a widespread or systematic manner, the practice of enforced disappearance amounts to a crime against humanity.

Neither the US nor the Iraqi authorities have ever recognised their responsibility in enforced disappearances committed after the 2003 invasion. The Iraqi government argues that Iraq suffered from enforced disappearances because of the dictatorship in the past, denying that the practice continues to this day. The fact that Iraqi legislation only criminalises enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity in relation to offences committed between 1968 and 2003 is illustrative of this denial.

It is to shed light on this crime and provide assistance to other families of the disappeared that in 2007, Salam founded the NGO Al Wissam Humanitarian Assembly, named after his son. For the past four years, we have been taking various actions together, including the submission of more than 100 cases to the United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED). However, his activism has been risky: he and his colleagues have been repeatedly subjected to reprisals and threats.

In late 2015, Salam was informed that an arrest warrant had been issued against him and that he was wanted for terrorism, a trumped-up accusation aimed at deterring him from carrying out his work and often used in Iraq to silence peaceful criticism. Despite the intervention of the UN secretary-general who denounced these acts of retaliation in 2016, Salam continued to fear for his life and was forced to flee to Finland where he obtained refugee status.

My only desire is to be able to go back to Iraq and continue looking for my son. I would not wish the pain of having to live with the disappearance of a loved one, even on my worst enemy. Nobody can begin to imagine the extent of our suffering and how this turned our lives upside down. In the face of such a tragedy, some cannot stand it and give up, and some have increased resilience that keeps them searching for the truth, he says.

Salam falls firmly within the latter category. He remains one of the most dedicated human rights defenders that I have ever encountered.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
It is very painful for me to talk about my story, though it is one shared by many, many Syrians. In 2012, my 34-year-old son Maher Tahan went to Damascus airport to pick up my husband, Abdulaziz Al Kheir. Abdulaziz, who was the head of Syrias banned Communist Action Party, was returning from a conference in China and Maher was supposed to drive him home.

But the regime took both my boys at the airport, and I still dont know what has happened to them. All I have left of Maher is a radio he smuggled to me when I was imprisoned by the Assad regime in the early 1990s for my politics. Along with my husbands wallet, I carry it with me everywhere I go.

A few months ago, the regime shocked us all by releasing the names of detainees who had died in its prisons. Some of the names were on lists, released by civil registry offices; others, who we believe were executed, were on statements; the rest were on formal death certificates issued by the military police.

I dont have the courage to check whether my son and husbands names are on any of those lists. I live with the hope that theyre still alive, and one day they will be set free.

This is a very painful time for us at the Families for Freedom, a movement I co-founded to campaign for justice for Syrian detainees, and the families of detainees who have learned about the deaths of their loved ones in such a cruel and merciless way.

My very best friend learned in 2013 that one of her sons died as a result of torture in detention and she received his body. Now, she has found her other sons name in one of these lists. I cant describe how painful this was for her, for all of us. My heart breaks for all the detainees, I see them all as my children, my family, and I care about them all.

My dear colleagues and co-founders of Families for Freedom have also learned of the death of their loved ones recently. Both Amina Khoulani and Bayan Shurbaji learned that their brothers died in detention in 2013 while Noura Ghazi received confirmation of what she already knew  that her husband died in 2015.

Its not easy to say why the regime is doing this now. Perhaps releasing these lists is a way to close the detainees files once and for all. Although Bashar al-Assad has never been held to account, he has come under international pressure for the high number of detained and disappeared Syrians in his prisons. Maybe this is a way for the regime to say: OK, you want to know the detainees fate? Here are the lists.

I think it wants to stop the Syrian people and the international community from asking any further questions and demanding justice.





If al-Assad thinks releasing these lists will make us quiet, if he thinks this will break us and stop us from demanding our rights, he is mistaken. He should know we are willing to fight and to endure all this pain and cruelty for as long as it takes to achieve justice.

We will never let this break us. In addition to our demand that the regime must be held accountable for these horrible crimes, we need to keep fighting for our loved ones, we need to keep stating our right to know what really happened to them, the real reasons for their death, and the locations of their graves.

These lists can be used against the regime, but only if theres international intent to hold it accountable. Although the lists lie about how detainees died, either leaving the cause of death blank or providing a vague reason such as heart failure or a virus, they are so numerous that they have now become evidence that can be used to prosecute the regime for crimes committed against detainees.

It is impossible that all these people died of heart attacks and viruses, especially since so many were young and healthy. That some of the names can be found in the Caesar photographs is further proof of the lists power to convict al-Assad.

But I lost faith and trust in the international community a long time ago. All these governments who say that they care about Syrian detainees have failed in my eyes, and I dont expect much of them. I, and many others like me, have spent more than seven years campaigning on Syrian human rights issues and still, governments have largely failed to do anything to save the detainees.

I know that lawyers and investigators are working to build a case against the regime. They now have proof that senior regime officials knew about the deaths in detention and Germany has taken the first step in issuing an international arrest warrant for Jamil Hassan, the head of Syrias brutal Air Force Intelligence.

Other countries need to follow Germanys example and do much more to convict the regime and free the innocent. Our organisation, Families for Freedom, has five main demands.

{articleGUID}

First, we want states to ensure the freedom of all the detainees in Syria, both those held by the regime and those held by other armed groups.

Second, we want to know the whereabouts of the detainees; we want the international community to force the regime to reveal the fates and locations of all detainees. My husband and my son have been disappeared for six years and I still dont know where they are. I want to know where they are.

Third, we ask that international organisations be given safe passage to inspect the detention centres. In Syria, we only know of the locations of the civil prisons, not where the intelligence branches and secret detention centres are based. We need to insist that organisations like the Red Cross and the United Nations put pressure on the regime to allow their representatives to visit the detained. They need to learn more about their fate and about their conditions: Are they being tortured? How is their health? Are the sick and injured being properly treated?

Fourth, Syrias kangaroo courts must be stopped. In the rare cases where detainees have committed a crime, they deserve the right to a fair trial in civil courts, supervised by international juridical bodies.

Last, we want the international community to hold the regime accountable, we want those criminals brought to justice. Everyone involved in torturing and killing detainees must be prosecuted.

History has taught us that it is hard to bring dictators to justice, but it can happen when there is the international will to do so. Today, all we can do is keep going, keep pushing and keep calling on the international community to hear our demands. The Assad regime wont break me by releasing its lists and wont stop me from fighting until every last detainee in its prisons is freed.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance.
"South Korea agreement concerning the postponement of joint drills, and there has been no other agreement", South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. "This is not helpful!" he said.

Pompeo said Tuesday that Washington remains ready to engage "when it is clear that Chairman Kim stands ready to deliver on the commitments that he made at the Singapore summit to President Trump to completely denuclearize North Korea".

The report further describes that North Korea seems interested in the defining "characteristics of cryptocurrencies, including anonymity, difficulties of tracing money and cashability".

However, it does appear that North Korea has manifested interest in the technology after its Pyongyang University of Science and Technology introduced a course in crypto and blockchain. "At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities". North Korea reportedly wants the U.S.to formally declare an end to the Korean War before taking further measures.

"I have asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not to go to North Korea, at this time, because I feel we are not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula", he tweeted.

Patrick Cronin, senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, said Mattis's comments did not mark a change, but, he said, "I think it's a signal as well".

Defense Secretary James Mattis says exercises are ongoing as Pyongyang threatens to resume missile tests; national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reports on the fallout from the canceled USA visit to North Korea.

In his first press conference at the Pentagon since April, Mattis also took questions on US military policy toward Yemen, Turkey and Iran. -South Korean defensive operations typically held in February.

On Tuesday, Mr Mattis noted that the suspension of joint military drills with South Korea as a good-faith gesture to North Korea was not open-ended.

But Washington says North Korea must give up its nuclear weapons first. The exercises were postponed previous year until April after the completion of the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in South Korea.

Immediately after the summit Mr Trump announced there was "no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea". "For Moon and South Korea, the major short-term security threat is the USA, not North Korea: If, tomorrow, shells start to explode in Seoul, it will not be because North Korea has chose to take over the South, it will be because Donald Trump made a decision to start a "bloody nose" operation".

"Let's see how the negotiations go", said Mattis.

Nauert said she has no information on a South Korean news report that Pompeo sent a letter to Foreign Minister Kang Kyun-wha explaining the decision to call off his trip to Pyongyang.

"We will work very closely, as I said, with the secretary of state, and what he needs done we will certainly do to reinforce his effort", Mattis said.
Fears are rising that Syria, backed by Russia, is mobilising for a military offensive to retake last rebel-held enclave.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said a potential perfect storm is looming over Syrias Idlib province, with possible military implications beyond the region.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Thursday, De Mistura offered to travel to Idlib to help ensure civilians can leave through a humanitarian corridor amid fears of an imminent government offensive to retake the last major region controlled by rebels.

You can understand that when there is a perfect storm coming up in front of our eyes potentially, we need to address first things first, De Mistura said.

I am once again prepared  personally and physically, to get involved myself  to ensure such a temporary corridor would be feasible and guaranteed for the people so that they can then return to their own places once this is over, he added.

The UN also called on Russia, Iran and Turkey to forestall the battle in Idlib, which would affect millions of civilians and could see both sides using chemical weapons.





Idlib, which borders Turkey, is home to nearly three million people, up to half of whom are rebels and civilians transferred en masse from other territories that has fallen to Syrian troops after intense battles.

A major military operation in Idlib would pose a particularly threatening humanitarian situation because there is no opposition territory left in Syria where people could be evacuated to.

There is no other Idlib, De Mistura said, stressing the need to ensure civilians can evacuate to nearby areas under government control, with guarantees their rights will be respected once they get there.

It would be a tragic irony frankly if at almost the end of  a territorial war inside Syria, we would be witnessing the most horrific tragedy to the largest number of civilians, he said.

It would be quite tragic at this stage, having seen how difficult the seven years [of Syrias war] have been.

Hotbed of terrorists

Meanwhile, the Kremlin on Thursday called the Syrian rebel-held province of Idlib a hotbed of terrorists and said not tackling the problem was not a good option.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments to reporters on a conference call while answering a question about planned Russian naval drills in the Mediterranean, an exercise he said was justified due to the difficult situation in Syria.

Russia said on Wednesday that fighters there must be liquidated and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described them as a festering abscess.

More than 350,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Two years ago, De Mistura offered to go to eastern Aleppo and to personally escort al-Nusra rebels out of the besieged city.

Al-Nusra refused my offer to accompany them out, and they went to Idlib, and we lost two months at least and thousands of people died because of that, he said.

The UN envoy said there were an estimated 10,000 al-Qaeda and al-Nusra fighters in Idlib, along with their families.

While he stressed the legitimacy of battling such UN-identified terrorists, he insisted efforts to defeat them did not justify putting the lives of some 2.9 million people in the area at risk.

There is and can be no justification  to not avoid using heavy weapons in densely populated areas, he said.

On Wednesday, UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that full-scale military operations in Idlib province could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe and cautioned against the use of chemical weapons.

A major offensive in the Idlib area, where displaced people already make up half the population, risks forcing another 700,000 Syrians from their homes, the United Nations said.

It also risks raising tensions with Turkey, whose army established a ring of observation posts around the rebel territory last year under a de-escalation deal with Russia and Iran.

Turkey, which has a small military presence in Idlib, has warned against such an attack.
Bosco Ntaganda faces 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for acts allegedly committed in 2002-2003.

A former rebel leader known as The Terminator has denied involvement in atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) at the conclusion of his three-year trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Terminator described by the prosecutor is not me, Bosco Ntaganda, who faces charges ranging from murder and rape to conscripting child soldiers and sexual slavery, told judges in his closing statement on Thursday.

I am a revolutionary, but I am not a criminal, he said, speaking in his native Kinyarwanda tongue. I am at peace with myself. These allegations are nothing more than lies.

Thirteen counts of war crimes and five crimes against humanity were allegedly committed in 2002 and 2003 in the Ituri region of northeastern DRC when he was a commander of the Patriotic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (FPLC).

Prosecutors argued earlier that Ntaganda not only personally committed crimes, but also ordered and oversaw his troops committing similar atrocities.

Disciplined commander

But his defence has insisted Ntaganda was a loyal and disciplined commander whose involvement in events caused fewer victims instead of more.

Ntaganda took measures to prevent crimes and punish perpetrators, said Stephane Bourgon, his lawyer.

Bourgon urged the court to assess Ntagandas deeds based on the evidence, not on the internet and cast doubt on the reliability of several prosecution witnesses.

The lawyer recalled the recent acquittal on appeal of another Congolese militia leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba.

In that case, judges ruled that while atrocities were committed by Bembas troops in neighbouring Central African Republic his level of control over his troops was uncertain and he had taken sufficient measures to try and stop them.

No date has been set yet for a verdict in Ntagandas trial, with judges saying on Thursday it would certainly take some time to go over all the case material.

Ntaganda faces a maximum life sentence if he is convicted.

He was first indicted in 2006 and surrendered at the US embassy in neighbouring Rwanda in 2013, asking to be turned over to the ICC after apparently having fled DRC due to infighting among rebel groups.
Geert Wilders competition as well as demands behind rallies in Pakistan only exist for attention, two analysts argue.

An announcement by Geert Wilders, a far-right Dutch opposition leader, to hold a competition for cartoons depicting Islams Prophet Muhammad has led to protests in Pakistan, where the far-right Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) threatened to blockade Islamabad unless the country severs diplomatic relations with the Netherlands.

Physical depictions of God or the Prophet Muhammad are forbidden in Islam, and the TLP says the competition amounts to blasphemy.

Late on Thursday, Wilders cancelled the event, citing security concerns.

According to Sehar Tariq, a counter violent extremism researcher based in Islamabad, and Stijn van Kessel, a political scientist based in London, the reason behind the announcement by Wilders Freedom Party and the TLPs demands is the same: attention.

Both parties have not been as successful recently as they had hoped, so generating controversy is a perfect opportunity to rile up their far-right base.

Al Jazeera spoke to both experts and asked them to explain the situation both Wilders and the TLP are in.

Sehar Tariq, counter violent extremism analyst, based in Islamabad. She is also the country representative for the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).

Al Jazeera: How does holding this protest benefit TLP?

Sehar Tariq: The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan didnt do as well at the polls as they had hoped, I think, and so this helps to bring them back to political relevance in Pakistan, and it keeps their voter base engaged. They are a single-issue party, so this is great for them, that such an event has emerged in the Netherlands.

They can use this to keep the base engaged. Without [events like Wilders cartoon competition], they risk becoming irrelevant. This is a reminder that Hey! We are here, and we are watching and are ready to fight on the issue of blasphemy.

{articleGUID}

So I think this protest mobilises and re-energises their voter base, which might have been feeling slightly despondent on their electoral performance. They did well by an objective standard, for a brand new party, but not based on their own standards for success, perhaps.

[The TLP won only two provincial assembly seats in Pakistans general election on July 25, but bagged 2.2 million votes nationwide, making it the fifth-most-popular political party in the country.]

Al Jazeera: Does holding this protest, therefore, allow them to burnish their credentials as so-called defenders of the faith?

Tariq: Absolutely. That [being defenders of the faith] is how they have set themselves up. [TLP chief] Khadim Hussain Rizvi is a preacher, and for them to generate international news with this, it not only establishes his credentials as a defender of the faith but also as someone who can stand up to the West.

That really resonates with his voter base He is seen as a knight in shining armour, so to speak, of a Muslim world that faces the onslaught of Islamophobia by the West.

Al Jazeera: Is there an element here of both sides of the far-right getting exactly what they want?

Tariq: Absolutely. Khadim Hussain Rizvi needs someone to be Islamophobic or blasphemous for him to continue to say blasphemy is a relevant topic. If there is no blasphemy, what is he going to do? On the other hand, someone like Wilders needs someone who is out on the streets, baying for blood, so he can point to them, too.

It is kind of a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship. They both feed off the worst stereotypes of each other.

The worst thing is that in the media eye, this catches attention and gets amplified by both sides. It also then skews international discourse into this paradigm of a clash of civilisations.

Al Jazeera: TLP won the fifth-most number of votes in the general election  how significant is that, and what next for them?

Tariq: They are genuinely tapping into a local sentiment, and there is also a global shift happening. They have won two provincial seats. To me, the scary part is that they are the fifth-most popular political party in this country  that speaks to a societal shift that is happening in Pakistan.

What they are doing today [with the protest], is likely to help them in the upcoming local government elections, even more so than perhaps their performance in the general elections.

Right now they are a single-issue party, but I do see them, in terms of what next, expanding their list of issues  soon they will find that there may not be enough events around blasphemy to create a ruckus. Where does it go next? Non-Muslims? Minorities? Women? If they want to stay relevant, they will have to evolve into other areas.

Al Jazeera: How much of this is about religion and freedom of expression, and how much about gaining political prominence and power?

Tariq: Its entirely about political prominence and power. Wilders is a long-time politician, he has a history. These guys are new to politics, but they have had a long-standing commitment to religious propagation. It is not fair to say that none of this has to do with religion  being very cynical, the people at the top may not, but their constituents definitely do care about these issues.

Its like an our way of life vs their way of life, thats the clash, and what is the ideal way of life? Its not just that they are doing it to get to political power  its that they know if political power is defined by these issues, then they will be in power.

Stijn van Kessel, lecturer at the Queen Mary University of London, is specialised in populism, Euroscepticism and ideology, voters, members and electoral performance of (far-right) populist parties.

Al Jazeera: How does the cartoon competition benefit Wilders and his Freedom Party?

Stijn van Kessel: As far as Wilders is concerned, he seeks to generate attention by means of this contest. He is not truly interested in a cartoon contest but this is a way for him to generate media attention; he hopes that will eventually translate to votes.

And what a number of recent studies have shown is that when the media focuses on a certain number of themes, people will consider this theme to be more important.

So, in turn, that benefits parties that mobilise on the basis of this theme.

In an indirect way, media attention does create support. However, Wilders is not the only person focusing on these themes any more.

Al Jazeera: Is Wilders actually getting what he wants out of this then?

Van Kessel: That remains to be seen. Obviously, he is getting media attention, and that was probably his immediate goal.

However, you see that his star is waning somewhat, or he at least finds it hard to attain the attention he once did, partially because he has a competitor on the far-right, the Forum for Democracy (FvD).

Both parties, Wilders Freedom Party and the FvD both attract culturally conservative voters, they both stress the issue of Islam, theyre both eurosceptic.

However, FvD interestingly attracts also younger voters, it tries to appeal more to people who are higher educated.

So in that sense, you see that younger people vote for FvD, not for Wilders.

Al Jazeera: Do the competition and the protests play into each others hands?

Van Kessel: I cant comment on the Pakistani part of the story because I know too little, but what is clear is that Wilders is doing this for domestic use.

What you see happening now, the protests in Pakistan, only helps him gain media attention in the Netherlands, thus becoming the centre of attention for his potential voters.

But Wilders seems a little bit over the hill, although I wouldnt count him out, but because theres so much political competition [on the right] I dont know if this will boost his support again.

Al Jazeera: How much of this is about religion and freedom of expression, and how much about gaining political prominence and power?

Van Kessel: Obviously I cant look into the head of Wilders, but this is simply a tactic to increase media attention.

If youre in the news, it gives emphasis to the issues and the parties, and he hopes that will increase public support for his political project.
French fishermen assault British boats over scallops

Dozens threw smoke bombs and rammed UK vessels in the English Channel, where British boats are allowed to fish, but the French say it is depleting shellfish stocks.
November event that sparked protests in Pakistan was scrapped over security concerns, says far-right Dutch politician.

Geert Wilders, an anti-Islam opposition leader in the Netherlands, has cancelled a competition for cartoons depicting Islams Prophet Muhammad that sparked protests in Pakistan.

The far-right politician, who is known for his incendiary speeches and protests against immigration and Islam, said on Thursday he did not want others endangered by the contest he planned for November.

To avoid the risk of victims of Islamic violence, I have decided not to let the cartoon contest go ahead, he said in a written statement, claiming to have received death threats.

The scheduled contest sparked angry protests in Pakistan and a death threat this week from a 26-year-old man, reportedly a Pakistani, who was arrested on Tuesday in The Hague.

Earlier on Thursday, a Dutch judge extended by two weeks the detention of the man who allegedly threatened to attack Wilders.

Prosecutors said in a statement that an investigating judge ordered the suspect held while he is investigated on charges of making a threat, making preparations for a murder and incitement.

Stijn van Kessel, a political scientist at Queen Mary University of London, told Al Jazeera that the competition was a tactic by Wilders to get media attention in the face of waning public support.

He is not truly interested in a cartoon contest but this is a way for him to generate media attention; he hopes that will eventually translate to votes, Kessel said.

Deeply offensive

Physical depictions of the prophet are forbidden in Islam and deeply offensive to Muslims.

In Pakistan, thousands of people angered over Wilders plans marched towards the capital, Islamabad, on Thursday.

Pakistans government has vowed to protest the contest at the UN [The Associated Press]

About 10,000 supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan party set out on the march on Wednesday, calling on the government to cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

Pakistans government had vowed to protest the contest at the United Nations.

The Dutch government has distanced itself from the competition, with Prime Minister Mark Rutte clarifying that Wilders, leader of the opposition Freedom Party, is not a member of the government.

Wilders announced the contest in June and claimed to had received 200 entries so far. The winner was supposed to receive a cash prize.
Is Greece seeing more initiatives to help educate refugee minors?

At least four million refugee children are out of school, but NGOs there are trying to help them get the education needed for a better life.
US might not offer waiver to India if it buys S-400 missile system from Russia, Pentagon official says.

The United States cannot guarantee India will be exempt from sanctions if it purchases weapons and defence systems from Russia, a top Pentagon official said.

Randall Schriver, the Pentagons top Asia official, called into question on Wednesday the idea that the US would protect its relationship with India and that it will be insulated from any fallout if the purchase happens.

I would say that is a bit misleading. We would still have very significant concerns if India pursued major new platforms and systems (from Russia), Schriver said at a think-tank event, according to Reuters news agency.

The US has imposed sanctions on Russia for its annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which means any country that engages in defence or intelligence sharing with Russia could also be subject to sanctions.

I cant sit here and tell you that they would be exempt, that we would use that waiver, that will be the decision of the president if he is faced with a major new platform and capability that India has acquired from Russia, Shriver added.

The waivers would be possible according to a new US defence bill, which gives President Donald Trump the authority to exempt countries.

Despite Secretary of Defense James Mattis saying he is a strong proponent of granting waivers to India, Schriver said that Trump having the ability to apply these waivers did not automatically mean he would.

India is in the final stages of acquiring S-400 long-range surface to air missile systems from Russia, a deal worth $6bn.

{articleGUID}

The agreement is expected to be signed by Russia later this year.

The acquisition of the S-400 system would be the latest in a long series of Indian defence purchases, as the country has previously bought combat planes, ships and submarines from Russia.

Schriver stated that the US is concerned about this planned purchase, and is willing to talk to India about potential alternatives to the Russian missile system.

State-of-the-art missile system

India is not the only country buying the state-of-the-art system from Russia.

Other countries such as China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have all bought or are planning to buy the anti-aircraft missile weapon.

US military officials and politicians have also expressed concerns over Turkeys intention to buy the Russian missile system.

{articleGUID}

In June, Saudi Arabia said it would consider all necessary measures if Qatar closes the deal with Russia.

Despite these threats, Russia has said the supply of the missiles to Qatar will continue, with Qatars Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani saying acquiring the system is a sovereign decision.

The S-400 missile system is a state-of-the-art weapons platform with a maximum range of 400km, considered one of the best defence systems in existence.
Iran doctors: US sanctions endangering patients lives

Physicians are worried they will not have enough drugs to treat patients as banking restrictions and the fear of doing business with Tehran makes it more difficult to get supplies.
UN human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein says Myanmar leader should have quit over armys campaign against Rohingya.

Outgoing UN human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein has said that Myanmars de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi should have resigned over her countrys militarys campaign against the Rohingya last year.

Hussein told the BBC that her attempts to excuse it were deeply regrettable.

She was in a position to do something, said Hussein. She could have stayed quiet  or even better, she could have resigned.

There was no need for her to be the spokesperson of the Burmese military. She didnt have to say this was an iceberg of misinformation. These were fabrications, he added.

She could have said look, you know, I am prepared to be the nominal leader of the country but not under these conditions.

His comments come after a UN report said Myanmars military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with genocidal intent and called on the commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted.

Myanmar has rejected the UNs findings, calling the allegations false.

{articleGUID}

The UN report, published on Monday, blamed Aung San Suu Kyi, for failing to prevent the violence.

Despite this, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate refused to recognise the atrocities committed by the Myanmar military and instead justified her governments campaign against the beleaguered Muslim community, while speaking at a lecture in Singapore last week.

Aung San Suu Kyi even refused to refer to the ethnic group by its name, and has missed several opportunities to speak publicly about the issue, including the UN General Assembly in New York last September.

Many Buddhists in Myanmar believe that the Rohingya are Bengalis who migrated to the country illegally during the British rule in the subcontinent, and have rejected their claims that their roots in the region that go back centuries.

Since 2012, incidents of religious intolerance and incitement against Muslims have increased across the country, with the Rohingya frequently attacked and portrayed as a threat to race and religion.

Myanmars government has signed several agreements on preparing for the return of the Rohingya, but UN agencies have accused it of dragging its feet, and human rights groups are concerned that the safety of returning Rohingya cannot be assured.

The UN, which hasnt been granted access to Rakhine since the outbreak of violence in August 2017, fears the returning refugees wont be given freedom of movement if they return.
Recent UN report blames Saudi-UAE military coalition for most of the civilian deaths in Yemens war.

A US official has called for an investigation into attacks by the Saudi-UAE coalition in Yemen and for perpetrators to be held accountable.

In an interview with Al Jazeera in the Saudi city of Jeddah, Deputy US Ambassador to Yemen Ana Escrogima called for a speedy and transparent probe into the raids carried out by the Saudi-UAE coalition in Yemen.

Escorgimas calls came after a team of UN-mandated investigators said in a report they had reasonable grounds to believe that the parties to the armed conflict in Yemen have committed a substantial number of violations of international humanitarian law.





The damning report blamed both the Houthis and the Saudi-UAE coalition for the violence in Yemen, but said air attacks by the military coalition had caused the most direct civilian casualties in the war, and added that a blockade of Yemeni ports and airspace may have violated international humanitarian law.

Kamel Jendoubi, who heads the UN team, said the investigators had identified a number of alleged perpetrators.

A confidential list of these individuals will be presented today to the [UN] High Commissioner for Human Rights, he told journalists in Geneva.

The group of experts has reason to believe the government of Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, are responsible for violations of human rights, said Jendoubi.

Violations and crimes have been perpetrated and continue to be perpetrated in Yemen by the parties to the conflict.

The experts also accused the Houthis of indiscriminate shelling in civilian areas and snipers targeting non-combatants.

Saudi-UAE response

The coalition, which has been at war with Houthi rebels since March 2015, has repeatedly denied allegations of war crimes, and claims its attacks are not directed at civilians.

A spokesperson for the Saudi military said the UN report was referred to a legal team for review and will announce its conclusions after it is completed.

UAEs Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said the report merited a response.

We should review and respond to the [UN] experts report published today, said Gargash in a tweet. The coalition is fulfilling its role in reclaiming the Yemeni state and securing the future of the region from Iranian interference.

In a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday, the coalition condemned the report saying it did not refer to the Iranian role in the continuation of the war in Yemen and fueling the conflict and its continued support for the Houthis.

Data collected by Al Jazeera and the Yemen Data Project has found almost one-third of the 16,000 air raids carried out in the country have hit non-military sites.

The attacks have targeted weddings and hospitals, as well as water and electricity plants, killing and wounding thousands.

The aid group Save the Children has estimated that an average of 130 children die every day from extreme hunger and disease  a crisis brought about by the conflict.

And according to the UN, at least 10,000 people have been killed since the start of the conflict. However, analysts say the death toll is likely to be higher.

The UN has described the situation in Yemen as worlds worst humanitarian crisis.
Shoigu said on Tuesday that the Vostok-2018 exercise, scheduled for September 11 to September 15, will have some similarities to Zapad-81 but involve vastly more personnel.

Russian Federation is gearing up for a massive military exercise in its far east in mid-September.

Earlier this month, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the upcoming Vostok-2018, or East-2018, exercises "the largest preparatory action for the armed forces since Zapad-81", referring to a Soviet military exercise in 1981 involving about 100,000 to 150,000 troops, according to a Central Intelligence Agency estimate at the time.

The maneuvers come as relations between Moscow and the West have deteriorated to a post-Cold War low over issues including Russia's seizure of Crimea, its role in wars in Syria and eastern Ukraine, and its alleged election meddling in the United States and Europe.

When asked if China's involvement meant Moscow and Beijing were moving towards an alliance, Peskov said it showed the two were cooperating in all areas.

China and Mongolia will also take part.

The exercise, called Vostok-2018 (East-2018), will take place in central and eastern Russian military districts and involve nearly 300,000 troops, more than 1,000 military aircraft, two of Russia's naval fleets, and all of its airborne units, Shoigu said in a statement.

China and Russian Federation have held military exercises together before, but never exercises this large.

Last year, Russian Federation staged its Zapad-2017 military drill in western regions of Russian Federation and allied neighbor Belarus (pictured above), deploying roughly 13,000 troops.

Helicopters and military vehicles take part in the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises Zapad-2017 (West-2017) at a training ground near the town of Borisov on September 20, 2017.

In May, Washington excluded China from the world's largest naval war games - the 2018 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises - a yearly set of exercises held in the Pacific that regularly includes more than two dozen nations.

Russian Federation conducted another large-scale exercise, Zapad-17, or West-17, in September previous year. Russia's armed forces are reckoned to have about one million personnel in total.

But NATO claimed Russian Federation could have been massively underreporting the scale of the exercises, which some of the alliance's eastern members said involved more than 100,000 servicemen.

The war games come amid rising tension between Russian Federation and the West, which are both eyeing each other's militaries warily.

While having a practical goal of testing military skills, drills are also created to show a country's potential opponents how it could behave in a real conflict situation.

"Vostok demonstrates Russia's focus on exercising large-scale conflict".

He said the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation drills tested defensive operation between Polish troops and those deployed in Poland by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and by the U.S.in response to the region's concerns over Russia's military activity. It fits into a pattern we have seen over some time: "a more assertive Russian Federation, significantly increasing its defense budget and its military presence", White said in a statement e-mailed to the Reuters news agency.
Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan protesters vow to blockade the city unless Dutch ties are cut over cartoon competition.

Islamabad, Pakistan  Hundreds of far-right protesters are marching on the Pakistani capital Islamabad, threatening to blockade the city unless the country cuts diplomatic ties with the Netherlands over a cartoon competition deemed to be blasphemous.

Protesters belonging to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party began the second day of their march on the capital from the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday.

Images from the march showed TLP activists toppling a container used to block their path in the Punjab town of Jhelum, as they continued on their way towards the capital.

Security has been increased in Islamabad ahead of their arrival, with roadblocks prepared to be placed on several major roads.

The TLP activists are protesting against a competition for cartoons depicting Islams Prophet Muhammad by far-right Dutch opposition leader Geert Wilders, a known provocateur.

Physical depictions of God or the Prophet Muhammad are forbidden in Islam, and the TLP says the competition amounts to blasphemy.

The Dutch government has distanced itself from the competition, with Prime Minister Mark Rutte clarifying that Wilders is not a member of the government.

{articleGUID}

The competition is not a government initiative, he told a news conference last week.

The Dutch government, however, maintains that banning the competition would be a violation of the right to freedom of expression.

Foreign Minister Stef Blok echoed Ruttes comments.

The Netherlands very much adheres by freedom of speech, but we also adhere to treat religions respectfully, Blok said according to Dutch news agency ANP.

He added that the competition wouldnt be his choice but that there were no plans to ban the contest from happening.

Wilders leads the Dutch opposition Freedom Party (PVV) and is known for his incendiary speeches and protests against immigration and Islam.

The far-right politician told Dutch media the contest was not being held to provoke, but to show we are marching for freedom of speech.

On Tuesday, Dutch police arrested a man accused of plotting to kill the politician over the competition.

Clashes with riot police

The TLP rose to prominence last November, when firebrand Muslim scholar Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the partys founder, led a three-week blockade of the Pakistani capital over a minor change to an electoral oath that he said amounted to blasphemy.

Riot police clashed with protesters but failed to end the demonstration, with TLP activists only vacating the sit-in after the government capitulated to all their demands, including the reversal of the change in the oath, the resignation of a federal minister, and the granting of legal immunity to all protesters.

In Pakistans July general election, the newly formed party bagged 2.2 million votes in national assembly constituencies nationwide, making it the fifth most popular political party in the country.

{articleGUID}

Those votes, however, only translated to two provincial assembly seats in the southern province of Sindh.

Ijaz Ashrafi, a TLP spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that his party was prepared to repeat the November blockade if their demand that Pakistan cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands was not met.

This issue must be resolved on an emergency basis, otherwise we will be out on the streets, he said shortly before the protest. I dont mind if I die, but no one can dishonour the Prophet.

They must act

On Monday, Pakistans upper house of parliament passed a resolution condemning the holding of the competition, with newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan saying his government would raise the matter with the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and at the United Nations.

Prime Minister Imran Khan just released the following video statement, on the subject of the Dutch cartoon competition:

I want to make clear that this is not an issue for just one Muslim, or a few Muslims, but every Muslim in the world, wherever they live, this issue affects us all, Khan said in a video statement released on Thursday.

The prophet  lives in Muslims hearts. When anyone disrespects Him, all Muslims are hurt by this. Our problem as Muslims is that the people of the West do not understand this. They dont understand because we Muslims have not explained to them that the way we think of our religion is very different from how they think of their religion.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he had requested the OIC to call an emergency meeting on the issue.

We have decided that an effective voice may be raised unanimously from the OIC platform, he said.

I assure the people of Pakistan that we are aware of their sentiments and we will stand with the Muslims around the world in raising the voice against this event.

Qureshis statement followed an official note of protest registered with the Dutch charge daffaires in Islamabad, as well as a phone call with Dutch Foreign Minister Blok.

It is unclear, however, if the governments statements will be deemed sufficient by the TLP.

As the protest caravan of hundreds wound its way through Punjab province, the countrys political heartland, demonstrators carried banners condemning the Dutch government and Wilders and sang devotional songs.

{articleGUID}

For our Prophets honour, we will lay down our lives, they chanted, video footage from the rally showed.

Prime Minister Khan frequently referred to the blasphemy allegations raised by the TLP in November during his election campaign, and in his victory speech promised to run the country on the basis of the Prophet Muhammads governance of the Arab state of Medina in the 7th century.

They have made a promise during the election, they have promised to establish a state along the lines of Medina, said TLP spokesperson Ashrafi.

So now they must act.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras digital correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim.
Case to be taken to European Court of Human Rights if Andrew Brunson is not released by Turkish judiciary, lawyer says.

A US pastor under house arrest in Turkey is prepared take his case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) unless the Turkish judiciary sets him free, his lawyer told Al Jazeera.

The case against Andrew Brunson, who is being held on terrorism charges, has triggered a full-blown diplomatic dispute between Washington and Ankara with no end in sight.

A Turkish court in the western province of Izmir on August 17 rejected an appeal to release Brunson, upholding a judgment taken by a lower court earlier in the week.

{articleGUID}

Ismail Cem Halavurt, Brunsons lawyer, said that they would go to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in Turkey, within weeks as the last effort to find a domestic remedy to Brunsons situation.

We will receive a formal notification on the latest verdict by the criminal court in Izmir soon. Then we have a month to appeal it at the Constitutional Court, Halavurt said, adding that Brunsons right to liberty and security as well as right to travel have been breached.

Unless the Constitutional Court frees him, we will have to take the case to the ECHR as the domestic legal remedies we can seek will be exhausted, he added.

Turkey is one of 47 signatories of the European Convention on Human Rights that established the supranational human rights court, which makes binding verdicts.

Arrested in 2016

A protestant pastor, Brunson, who lived in Turkey over two decades with his family, was arrested in 2016 in a government crackdown following a failed coup bid. He faces 35 years in prison on espionage and violence charges.

Brunson was in prison before he was allowed to be kept under house arrest on July 25. He also has a court-ordered travel ban imposed on him.

{articleGUID}

Halavurt said that the case has been increasingly politicised because of the eroding diplomatic climate between Washington and Ankara.

It is very hard for the Turkish judiciary to act impartial in such a politicised case. Therefore, we are prepared to take it to the relevant international judicial authority, the ECHR, he told Al Jazeera.

US and Turkish officials have been trading barbs over the Brunson case, which included remarks from US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish officials have stressed that the Turkish courts were independent, including the ones hearing the case of Brunson.

Erdogan said earlier in August that his country would not make compromises regarding the independence of the judiciary, in a reference to the Brunson issue.

Talking to Al Jazeera, Ahmet Berat Conker, an MP with Erdogans Justice and Development Party, called on the US to respect the judicial process for the pastor.

The independent Turkish judiciary will make a verdict on the case without bowing to any pressures, said Conker, who is also a member of parliaments foreign affairs committee.

Tariff war

The NATO allies have recently imposed increased tariffs on each other as the diplomatic dispute spilled over to the economic arena.

Washington announced a doubling of steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkey on August 10, with Ankara hitting back five days later by doubling tariffs on certain US imports, such as passenger cars, alcohol and tobacco.

{articleGUID}

It is a big mistake to link the future of mutual relations to a judicial judgment. The approach of the Trump administration to the issue is wrong, Conker told Al Jazeera.

The two countries should discuss the issues they have through diplomatic channels, and independent from judicial processes.

The Turkish lira has taken a dive since the beginning of the year, and with an acceding speed in the month of August. The currency lost more than 40 percent of its value against the US dollar this year, amid macroeconomic concerns and the diplomatic showdown between Washington and Ankara.

The Turkish government has demanded extradition of Fethullah Gulen, an exiled religious leader based in the US and wanted in Turkey. Ankara accuses Gulen of masterminding the July 15 coup attempt that killed about 300 people.

Erdogan has suggested in public addresses that an exchange of Gulen for Brunson would be possible.

Follow Umut Uras on Twitter: @Um_Uras
The Philippines forced disappearance crisis

Despite the restoration of democracy in recent decades, it is still common for political dissenters to be abducted and never heard from again.
The Syrian government and its major ally Russia have signalled that an all-out offensive to retake the last rebel-held province in Syria is only a matter of time, raising fears of a major humanitarian crisis.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Muallem following a closed-door meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the majority of Syria had been freed of terrorists, save for Idlib, a northeastern province bordering Turkey.

What we need to do now is to wipe out those terrorist groups which persist, particularly within the de-escalation area of Idlib, he said.

It is unacceptable that those terrorists particularly al-Nusra Front are using the de-escalation area of Idlib to attack the Syrian army and to also attack through drones the Russian military bases in the area, he added referring to Hayet Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is dominated by a rebel faction previously known as al-Nusra Front before renouncing its ties to al-Qaeda.

For his part, al-Muallem said the Syrian forces will go all the way in Idlib but added that the army will do everything possible to avoid civilian deaths.

Humanitarian concerns

Idlib is home to nearly three million people, up to half of whom are rebels and civilians transferred en masse from other areas such as Aleppo, Eastern Ghouta and Deraa after they fell to Syrian pro-government forces following heavy fighting.

The situation on the ground is further complicated by the direct presence of Turkey, which backs certain rebel groups in the area and operates as a guarantor power to ensure a de-escalation zone agreed upon with Syrian President Bashar al-Assads allies Russia and Iran at a meeting in Kazakhstans capital, Astana.

In recent weeks, Turkish-backed opposition groups in Idlib have attempted to unify into a new coalition, with some 70,000 fighters pledging to fight against forces loyal to Assad. But HTS, the most dominant rebel force in Idlib and in control of about 60 percent of the province, has not joined the coalition.





A major military operation in Idlib would pose a particularly threatening humanitarian situation because there is no opposition territory left in Syria where people could be evacuated to. Observers have previously warned as many as 2.5 million Syrians could try to flee to the closed Turkish border, creating a new refugee crisis.

The question is how costly the assault on Idlib is going to be, said Al Jazeeras Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow.

Its not a question of if it will happen, it is a question of when and the severity of it, he added, noting that the Russian and Syrian governments believe that the seven-year war will largely be over if they capture Idlib.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced since Syrias war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Warnings and reconstruction

Speaking at the press conference, Lavrov called on the international community to join in the reconstruction process of Syria and actively get down to work on modernising the infrastructure which has been devastated.

We can see that there is a very swift mobilisation of the international community taking place particularly with regards to the return of the refugees and the revival of socioeconomic assets and facilities to make sure the country gets back to working order, he said.

The Russians know that as the pre-eminent military force in Syria, some of the responsibility of rebuilding Syria falls on them, Challands said, but they dont want to shoulder all the bill, so theyre encouraging as many foreign powers as they can to chip in essentially and get the country back on its feet.

Syrian opposition groups are reportedly preparing for an assault by forces loyal to the Assad government [AA]

Al-Muallem said Russia and Syria are united in their views regarding the next stage of rebuilding Syria.

Its natural to think about Syria to find a reconstruction programme and to find a role for our partners in Russia to play a key role and priority in this, he said, adding that both countries are very near to putting an end to terrorism in the country.

Both ministers warned against any act of aggression from Western countries, particularly from the United States, citing staged chemical attacks by provocateurs such as the Syrian civil defence group the White Helmets being used as a pretext for such assaults.

This kind of provocation is being staged as to complicate the whole issue of combatting the terrorists in Idlib, Lavrov said. We have warned our Western partners clearly that they should not engage in this kind of activity.

Al-Muallem accused the US and its allies of preparing for another aggression to save al-Nusra Front and protract the Syrian conflict.

We will practise our legitimate right in defending ourselves, but the consequences of the aggression will hit the political process definitely and everyone will be [affected], he said.

Nature of offensive unknown

Turkey, which hosts some three million Syrian refugees, has already stated that it will not open its borders to accept further refugees in the event an assault takes place.

The Syrian government said that it will open humanitarian corridors for civilians to evacuate, but according to Al Jazeeras correspondent Zeina Khodr, many of the residents do not trust the government and remain fearful of their fate.

Many of these people are considered terrorists or are wanted by the state simply because they engaged in opposition activities, Khodr said, reporting from Lebanons capital, Beirut. Being a medic according to the Syrian government is terrorism.





Earlier on Thursday, UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura warned that a potential perfect storm is looming over Syrias Idlib province, and expressed his willingness to personally and physically involve himself to ensure a corridor to evacuate civilians would be feasible.

While it is not yet clear what kind of offensive the Syrian government will engage in Idlib, Khodr said that there are still behind the scenes negotiations between the Russians and the Turks on this matter.

What we understand from some sources is that Turkey is trying through its contacts in Idlib to convince Hayet Tahrir al-Sham to disband itself to prevent this all-out offensive, she said.

We even heard Lavrov tell the Syrian government we are talking about the need to reconcile with some groups telling them in one way or another that there will not be a wide-scale attack.

Russia pushing forward

According to Alexey Khlebnikov, an expert with the Russian International Affairs Council, creating another refugee crisis will be contrary to Russias main priorities and interests.

This is why Russia is now trying to negotiate with Turkey to reach a compromise on the deal to minimise damage inflicted on the population in Idlib, he told Al Jazeera.

Now, Russias message to the West is to get on board and join in the reconstruction process and humanitarian aid [which] basically goes in line with that message of retaking Idlib and not creating another refugee flow.

But Khodr said that Western countries are not prepared to join in the reconstruction, insisting first on a meaningful, credible, political transition to Syria.

[The Russians] have sidelined the political transition which will involve the Syrian government sharing power with the opposition, she said, noting that Russia is trying to cement Assads hold onto power.

The narrative for Russia and Syria is that they have won the war and now want to talk about rebuilding the country and returning the refugees, she said.

Theyve appealed to the international community, particularly to the West, to give them money to rebuild the towns so that refugees will return and leave Europe but it seems they do not have the support as of yet, Khodr said.
Relatives of Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif say the 21-year-olds killer has enjoyed total support from Israeli government.

The family of a Palestinian man who was shot dead two years ago while laying wounded on the ground has slammed recent comments made by the Israeli soldier who killed their relative, in which he said he had no remorse about his actions.

Bring me back to those same seconds of the incident in Hebron  I would have done exactly the same thing, said Elor Azaria, in an interview published by Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom on Wednesday.

I have no remorse. I am completely at peace with myself. I acted as needed  what happened afterwards [his trial and conviction] should not have happened.

The killing of 21-year-old Abed al-Fattah al-Sharif in March 2016 was captured on video by a Palestinian volunteer with Israeli rights group BTselem. The footage was then widely shared online.

Al-Sharif had already been shot and wounded by Israeli soldiers, along with another Palestinian, for an alleged stabbing attack near the site of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebrons Old city. He was lying on the ground before Azaria, an army medic at the time, walked over and shot him in the head at point blank range.

Fathi al-Sharif, the uncle of Abed al-Fattah, told Al Jazeera on Thursday that Azarias comments were not surprising, given the outpouring of support for him from the Israeli public, top politicians and fellow soldiers.

Since the beginning of this case, when Abed al-Fattah was killed and footage of his murder was shared worldwide on social media, the killer enjoyed immense support from the fascist Israeli government, Sharif said.

When he [Azaria] makes such statements to the media, he does so with the full knowledge that his government, from the top echelons, support him, he added.

This has given other soldiers the green light to target and kill Palestinians.

Yusri al-Sharif, Abed al-Fattahs father, was more forthcoming about what he thought of Azarias latest comments.

I hope he never gets a days rest in his life, Yusri said.

Elor Azaria, who is pictured here with his mother, served nine months for killing a wounded and incapacitated Palestinian [Dan Balilty/Reuters]

Perks and fame

Azaria was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being convicted of manslaughter but was released in May after spending only nine months behind bars.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called for a pardoning of Azaria, echoing similar statements by prominent government ministers such as Miri Regev, Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman.

Al-Sharifs family at the time said the soldier had carried out a cold-bloodied execution not manslaughter, and pointed out that the sentence is less than [what] a Palestinian child gets for throwing stones.

Upon his release, Azaria was given a heros welcome by the Israeli public and showered with perks and gifts, according to the Israeli magazine Mako.

In a report last week, the publication said Azaria, 22, had received an all-expenses paid trip by an American-Jewish millionaire to a popular tourist destination in Western Europe. While Azaria donated the package to friends, out of fear that he could be sued or arrested if he left the country, he continues to enjoy being treated like a celebrity.

When he arrived for the first time after he was released from jail, I stopped the music in the middle [of the song], went up to the DJ booth and told everyone on the microphone that today we are joined by our king, Elor, Ras Buskila, a Tel Aviv club owner, told the magazine.

Since then, almost every time he comes, I let him choose the music.

Al-Sharifs relatives, meanwhile, said they had never expected to find justice in Israels courts.

We as a family see Abed al-Fattahs murder as part of the trials and tribulations of the Palestinian population and what they go, from the murder of Mohammed Abu Khdair to the Dawabsheh family being burned alive, Fathi said.

We have seen many executions by Israeli soldiers and our experiences are just like what other families of martyrs have gone through.
Prominent monk demanded sex from at least six nuns as part of Buddhist studies and four of them gave in, report says.

A prominent Buddhist monk in China with a social media following of millions has been removed as abbot of Beijings Longquan Monastery after being accused of coercing several nuns to have sex with him.

The countrys top religious authority said on Thursday that Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and former head of the Buddhist Association of China, was sacked last week after it consulted a report by two former monks at the monastery.

He has been under criminal investigation since the two monks accused him of sexual and financial improprieties, including sending explicit text messages to at least six nuns and breaking national financial rules at the monastery.

The 95-page report by the two monks, which circulated online late last month, cited them as saying that at least four women gave in to Xuechengs threats and cajoling to have sex with him.

Xuecheng told the women it was a part of their Buddhist studies, the monks said according to the report.

Both men were asked to leave Longquan monastery after news of the report broke.

Xuecheng had stepped down as head of the Buddhist association earlier this month. He had been silent on Chinas Twitter-like Weibo service since August 1, when he posted a statement rejecting the sexual assault claims.

Beijings Longquan Monastery has made headlines for combining Buddhism with modern technology, launching last year a two-foot-high robot monk that dispenses mantras and karmic advice.
Trump announces another top White House aide to step down

Counsel Don McGahn, who has been involved with probe into Russian meddling in 2016 election, will leave post, sparking suspicion that another member of Trumps inner circle is turning against him.
In a series of tweets sent out on Wednesday, the US president said that North Korea is under pressure from China.

US President Donald Trump has blamed China for the lack of progress during the negotiations about denuclearisation between the US and North Korea.

In the tweets, sent out on Thursday, Trump said China was putting pressure on North Korea to stall the developments in the talks, adding that his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was very good and warm.

President Donald J Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government, the first of four tweets on the subjects read.

STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government. At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2018

{articleGUID}

Trump continued by claiming China is providing North Korea with aid, money, fuel and fertiliser, adding that providing those goods was not helpful.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying called Trumps remarks on the North Korea issue irresponsible and hard to understand in a press briefing.

War games

Trump also said the US was not continuing war games with South Korea, but that he can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses, and that if he does, they will be far bigger than ever before.

That statement goes directly against US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, who earlier on Wednesday said the US was continuing its military exercises with South Korea.

This came after a June meeting with the North Korean leader, where the Trump administration decided to stall joint military exercises with South Korea as a goodwill gesture.

The gesture was not enough for North Korea to agree to unilaterally give up its weapons.

North Korea has been under sanctions since 2006, when the country carried out its first nuclear test.

In November 2017, the country said it had successfully developed a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching US mainland.

Following that announcement, more sanctions were imposed by the UN in December.
Threats to pull out of NAFTA could ring hollow, analysts say, as Congress may have final say on agreements future.

US President Donald Trump has threatened this week to dump the nearly 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), making it the latest deal to be targeted as part of his America First trade strategy.

On Friday, President Trump notified Congress of his plans to sign an agreement with Mexico in 90 days to replace NAFTA.

And despite earlier suggestions that he may cut Canada out of the agreement altogether, Trump is hoping Ottawa can be brought on board too.

Talks to keep Canada in the bloc broke up on Friday but are expected to resume next week.

On Monday, a preliminary deal with Mexico was announced.

They used to call it NAFTA, he said from the White House. Were going to call it the United States-Mexico trade agreement. Well get rid of the name NAFTA.

But analysts say Trump may face a number of obstacles, particularly from Congress, if he moves forward with plans to scrap the trilateral treaty all together without a replacement deal on the table.

Congress eventually would have to approve any agreement.

Can Trump withdraw from NAFTA?

Under Article 2205 of the NAFTA, a country can withdraw from the agreement by providing a six-month notice to fellow signatories.

This means Trump could, in theory, send a letter of notice to Canada and Mexico indicating his intent to withdraw but, according to Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the DC-based Peterson Institute for International Economics, the president would first need congressional approval to actually terminate US involvement.

The letter is not self-executing, it will take a separate step to actually terminate  thats when we will get the first level of congressional resistance, Hufbauer said. Trump has to get Congressional power to withdraw.

According to Hufbauer, thats because NAFTA only entered into force at the beginning of January 1994 after ratification by Congress the month before.

Although the 1974 Trade Act grants US presidents the authority to unilaterally withdraw from trade agreements, the fact that NAFTA was implemented through legislation suggests Congress must also sign off on any changes to the agreement, including a withdrawl, according to experts.

It remains unclear, however, whether Congress would definitively have the final say on any attempt from Trump to pull out of the deal, and legal experts have speculated that if Trump does try to withdraw, the case may end up in the courts.

If it was determined that Trump would need Congressional approval, many believe that the president would have a hard time convincing politicians that withdrawing from the agreement is right way to go.

Laura Dawson, director of the Washington-based Wilson Centers Canada Institute, told Al Jazeera its unlikely Trump would find a favourable audience among current politicians for pulling out of the pact.



Trump can launch the letter of notice, he has had that in his back pockets for many months, but I dont think he can complete that action, [because] it requires a level of congressional support that he just doesnt have, Dawson said.



In January, dozens of politicians from Trumps Republican party  which currently controls both the House of Representatives and the Senate  urged the president not to withdraw from the treaty, stating a wide range of US industries had benefited from the agreement.

Can Trump present a bilateral deal instead?

At the crux of the matter is whether Trump will be able to secure a deal with Canada, as well as Mexico.

The Trump administration has given Canada a hard deadline of Friday to agree to a new deal.

With Canada on board, Trump could take a NAFTA 2.0 style deal to US politicians, increasing his chances of congressional approval for what would essentially amount to an update to the current agreement.

Should Canada, the USs largest export market, opt not to agree to revised terms, however, Congress may take a number of avenues to block Trump from doing anything other than sticking by the existing version of the deal.

Without Canada, Trump would give up his ability to get a up or down vote without any amendments in Congress as any new deal would need a full vote.

Congress is constitutionally responsible for trade and the Trade Promotion Authority is for a trilateral deal, not for a bilateral deal, Dawson said.

So they could have a bilateral US-Mexico proposal kicked back to the kerb.

Therefore, the president could also face several challenges if he wants to implement separate deals with Canada and Mexico instead.

What happens if NAFTA is terminated?

Even if Trump is able to convince Congress to scrap the existing deal all together, a number of laws passed as part of the December 1993 NAFTA Implementation Act are likely to live on regardless unless new legislation is drafted to change them.

NAFTA was put in place by enabling legislation and there were many pieces of that legislation that are permanent, Robert Scott, a senior economist at the DC-based Economic Policy Institute (EPI), told Al Jazeera.

Several provisions on issues ranging from government procurement to environmental and labour standards were signed into law as part of the Implementation Act, and would outlive any US withdrawal absent of a concerted congressional effort to amend or abolish them.

Washington would however, according to the act, be free from NAFTA tariffs should it pull out of the deal.

For Trump, that is likely to be seen as a major political incentive, Dawson said.

This is about him showing his base that he is fulfilling campaign promises, she said.

Trump has been an outspoken critic of NAFTA in the past, labelling it the worst trade deal ever agreed to by the US in September, 2016, while campaigning for the presidency.

Hufbauer, for his part, agreed with Dawsons assessment: The primary objective [for Trump] is to state, coming up to Novembers midterm congressional elections: I promised I would get rid of NAFTA, I have gotten rid of NAFTA, thats the big banana.
Will UNs Myanmar genocide accusation amount to change?

Refugees likely to continue to suffer severely despite damning report accusing countrys top military generals of atrocities against the Rohingya.
Days after McCain's death on Saturday at age 81, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., proposed renaming the congressional building after the Arizona senator to honor his legacy as a Vietnam War POW and his more than three decades of service in Congress. Sunless curtains hung in the rotunda. He ordered flags on federal office buildings to fly at half-staff. Some had travelled for hours from California and in other areas.

"I grew up where a handshake was a contract and your word was your bond", Riordan said.

McCain, who would have turned 82 on this day, is the third person in 40 years to lie in state at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix.

Kassandra Morales, 44, stood in line with her sons, 8 and 2. She has long acted as something of an unofficial spokeswoman for the McCains, ever since she started the blog "McCain Blogette" in 2007 to document her dad's presidential run. The Democrat brought a bouquet of flowers and said she has always looked up to the Republican senator.

"Yesterday I asked my son who his hero was".

"The time came that I could fall back on them as a net, as a way of salvation", McCain said in the 2008 interview.

Veteran Judith Hatch handed out flags to those assembled, saying Arizona lost a champion for the military.

As for how the McCain family is holding up, Rick Davis, his former campaign manager said "It's nearly as if the Senator prepared them for this moment". John McCainJohn Sidney McCainKirkpatrick makes comeback by winning Arizona Democratic House primary McSally prevails in nasty Arizona GOP Senate primary Senate cuts work week short after nominations deal MORE (R-Ariz.) said it is "not natural" to picture the state without McCain, comparing it to Arizona losing the Grand Canyon.

Phil Hubbard, a health care recruiter who lives in Scottsdale, held a cold water bottle in each hand as he waited for a chance to pay his respects. "For these who judge in one thing, come up for it, whether or not it's fashionable or not".

Thursday morning will feature a procession through Phoenix on the way to a memorial service at North Phoenix Baptist Church, with the public invited to line the route along Interstate 17.

Actor Warren Beatty, former Vice President Joe Biden and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will join Fred Smith as one of many pallbearers announced for Saturday's service. Musical decisions encompass a recessional to "My Plot" by Frank Sinatra.

McCain will be buried on a grassy hill at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland, right next to a lifelong friend, within earshot of the next generation of midshipmen and within view of the Severn River banks.

Electronic signs on freeways in the Phoenix area paid tribute to the late Arizona Sen.
One might quibble about unnamed sources, but this is the new standard in journalism. CNN, NBC, the N.Y. Times, and the rest of the fakestream media regularly rely on anonymous sources for their anti-Trump stories.

A Chinese-owned company operating in the Washington, D.C. area hacked Hillary Clinton's private email server, gaining real-time access to her emails during her term as U.S. secretary of state. The Daily Caller reported this bombshell, corroborated by two sources.

Apparently, the Chinese wrote code that they embedded into Clinton's home server in her Chappaqua home, which conveniently sent a copy of all of her emails to this Chinese company  and, by default, to the Chinese government.

This is exactly why official government email communications must travel only through secure government servers: to prevent such electronic intrusion.

But the rules don't apply to the Clintons. Former FBI director James Comey admitted as much in his famous July 2016 press conference when he explained in detail how Mrs. Clinton negligently and illegally handled national security materials but that she would be given a pass based on her last name and her presidential candidacy.

The other less mentioned reason is that then-president Barack Obama was regularly communicating with Mrs. Clinton via her unsecure server. How inconvenient if the president was found to be mishandling classified material.

The FBI and DOJ were well aware of the server hack in July 2015 but did nothing about it. James Comey's book, A Higher Loyalty, was appropriately named. Unfortunately, his higher loyalty was to Mrs. Clinton, not the USA, the FBI, or the U.S. Constitution.

What if this wasn't actually a hack? Instead, what if Mrs. Clinton allowed the Chinese to access her server, knowing full well that she was giving a foreign adversary full access to communications at the highest levels of the U.S. government?

Why would she do that? Conspiring with a foreign government or serving as an agent of that government is highly illegal. How ironic if Mrs. Clinton is doing what the Deep State and the media are accusing president Trump of having done. That's called projection.

Given the Clintons' pattern of behavior, one must assume they were being paid for giving the Chinese access. This is just another form of "pay to play." Mrs. Clinton would be paid not directly, but instead through her money laundromat, the Clinton Foundation.

The Clinton Foundation has ties to the Chinese, as well as many other foreign governments hostile to U.S. interests. The South China Morning Post reported earlier this year, "The FBI is investigating donations to the Clinton Foundation  but will charges follow?"

Ask Jeff Sessions about the charges. Money was flowing into the Clinton Foundation from all over the world, disguised, rerouted through a Canadian charity, all to obscure its origins.

Longtime Clinton pal Terry McAuliffe was caught selling influence for Chinese cash. As the Washington Post reported, "Wang Wenliang, a Chinese billionaire and donor to the Clinton Foundation and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, has been expelled from China's top legislature after being caught up in a widespread cash-for-votes scheme."

Sexual abuse scandals seem to follow the Clintons closely. An ex-Clinton Foundation official was tied to a Chinese kindergarten "bizarre sexual abuse scandal," as reported last year.

In 2005, the Clinton Foundation brokered pharmaceutical deals for HIV-AIDS drugs with a Chinese pharma group.

I'm sure there are more deals between the Clinton Foundation and the Chinese, but the ones above popped up first on a quick internet search.

Did the Clintons pull this off on their own, or did they have help? As Congressman Louis Gohmert pointed out, the Intelligence Community inspector general knew about the breach, meaning that the FBI did as well. But in Comey fashion, the intelligence agencies did nothing about it.

Why did they ignore it? Because the boss wanted it that way, the big guy in the Oval Office. He was already aware of the unsecure and illegal server and was using it to communicate with his secretary of state and who knows whom else. Was President Obama benefiting from this "Chinese Connection"? And I don't mean the old Bruce Lee movie.

Providing access to a server or a computer is a much cleaner way to disseminate national security secrets. No paper trail, and if caught, they can always say they were hacked. The DOJ can investigate and indict, just as Robert Mueller indicted a bunch of Russian troll farms, but those charges are for show and go absolutely nowhere.

Remember Anthony Weiner's laptop, the one holding hundreds of thousands of emails, many belonging to Mrs. Clinton or Mrs. Weiner? The same FBI that chose not to investigate the Chinese access to the Clinton server similarly chose not to investigate the Weiner laptop emails.

How easy would it have been for Hillary or Huma to provide the appropriate login credentials to any foreign agent so that agent could access the email account remotely, browsing through highly classified national security information from the top echelons of the Obama administration?

Who might have had access? Huma has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood through her parents. The Clintons have ties to the Chinese going back as far as the Bill Clinton presidency, campaign contributions, Charlie Trie, missile technology, and all sorts of other "pay to play" schemes.

How convenient to blame the server breach on a hack when it may have been intentional. It's easy to blame the Chinese, yet the reality is that the Clintons may have left the front door wide open, with a bright welcome mat and a path of Chinese lanterns leading from Beijing to Chappaqua 

all for money, contributions to the Clinton slush fund. With the Clintons, everything is for sale. National security, weapons, soldiers, you name it.

What a coincidence that this happened while Mrs. Clinton was secretary of state and was using her illegal server.

The Chinese government systematically dismantled C.I.A. spying operations in the country starting in 2010, killing or imprisoning more than a dozen sources over two years and crippling intelligence gathering there for years afterward.

One can only hope that Horowitz or Huber is investigating all of this, rather than the business-as-usual approach of the FBI and DOJ to exonerate the Clintons without even a cursory investigation. Don't listen to the media narrative of a hack, as it is likely a convenient deflection from the real story.

Brian C Joondeph, M.D., MPS is a Denver-based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
He will vote to confirm a Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court but, despite trying to placate the deplorable Trump-voters of West Virginia with moderate words, will vote to keep Obamacare; oppose tax cuts; and, yes, oppose defunding of Planned Parenthood after pledging to support defunding of the abortion mill :

Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin of the very red state of West Virginia is one of those political chameleons, who, in order to survive politically, will defend into the political environment of the moment and, like another famous "moderate" Democrat before him, one William Jefferson Clinton, will say whatever the group he is speaking to wants to hear, even if they might be differing groups in adjoining rooms.

In August 2015, Manchin said he would vote to defund Planned Parenthood following the release of undercover videos alleging the sale of aborted baby parts for profit by the abortion giant's top medical personnel. "Like many West Virginians, I am very troubled by the callous behavior of Planned Parenthood staff in recently released videos," Manchin said in a statement, according to the Hill. "Until these allegations have been answered and resolved, I do not believe that taxpayer money should be used to fund this organization." However, in April 2017, Manchin posed with Planned Parenthood supporters and their sign that states, "I stand with Planned Parenthood."

He also has posed with Planned Parenthood opponents and signs that support its defunding:

But why would a senator who is supposedly pro-life stand with a sign supporting the nation's biggest abortion Corporation? National Right to Life is wondering the same thing, as it told LifeNews: In pro-life areas of the country, Democratic candidates must have pro-life votes in order to win, however they also must appease the pro-abortion masters of the Democratic Party. The most ridiculous evidence of this recently took place when West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin appeared in a picture holding a Planned Parenthood sign that read, "I stand with Planned Parenthood." Manchin later appeared in a picture with a pro-life group holding a sign that read, "We don't need Planned Parenthood."

Because Joe Manchin will say anything to anybody to get re-elected.

The allegations surrounding the harvesting and sale of fetal body parts after a Planned Parenthood abortion have not been answered or resolved and remain very much an issue. Manchin seems to have embraced the fiction that Planned Parenthood is a women's health organization and that its abortion business is a separate and compartmentalized operation. Manchin, who professes to be pro-life, claims that funding for Planned Parenthood does not go to abortions, ignoring the fact that money is fungible and that federal tax dollars allegedly given to fund, say, cancer screenings inevitably frees up money to fund abortions.

At issue now is his vote opposing Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul's amendment to defund Planned Parenthood:

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) struggled during a radio interview Monday to defend his vote last week to keep Planned Parenthood funded despite labeling himself a "pro-life Democrat." He was asked three times by Hoppy Kercheval on MetroNew's Talkline to explain his vote against Sen. Rand Paul's (R-KY) amendment to defund Planned Parenthood. Manchin continually insisted that his vote was about funding healthcare for women in his state and that he didn't believe the money went directly to abortions. "How can you continue to argue that you are pro-life when you voted against that amendment that would've stopped funding for Planned Parenthood which performs abortions," Kercheval initially asked. "I know that the money does not go specifically for abortion but it does go to support Planned Parenthood which is the largest abortion provider in the country." "First of all there's not a penny of public dollars that go to support abortions from Planned Parenthood," Manchin insisted. "I've checked it inside and out, with the Hyde Amendment it can't happen it's against the law."

Yet it is happening, as Planned Parenthood skirts the law with smoke and mirrors, pretending to be a purveyor of women's health programs while abortion remains its prime business:

[C]oming after a Friday vote in which he forced taxpayer to fund Planned Parenthood once again, Senator Manchin completely glosses over the fungibility issue. That is the understanding that, even though the funds may not directly pay for abortions, the taxpayer funding helps the nation's leading abortion company by helping it fund everything associated with performing and promoting abortion such as salary, expenses, advertising etc. (Manchin) also claims that none of the funding from federal dollars going to Planned Parenthood supports abortion because the lone Planned Parenthood clinic in his state does not do abortions. However the senator ignores how funding goes to Planned Parenthood abortion clinics across the country and not just centers that do not specifically do abortions. Manchin also ignores how every single Planned Parenthood clinic at least refers for abortions and helps women make arrangements to terminate the lives of their unborn babies  done so with the help of federal funding. Although Senator Manchin argues that Planned Parenthood is a women's health clinic, Planned Parenthood does not offer mammograms nor does it offer prenatal care for women at many of its abortion centers.

In a series of undercover videos, the true motives and practices of Planned Parenthood were revealed. Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood's senior director of medical services, in one of the undercover videos, appears to be calmly brokering the sale of body parts as if she were negotiating over lawn furniture at a garage sale.

In one disturbing video and its appalling transcript, made by the non-profit group the Center for Medical Progress, which describes itself as "dedicated to monitoring and reporting on medical ethics and advances," it is made clear that the alleged noble crusade against unwanted children is a fraud and that Planned Parenthood's interest in abortion is a financial one and that human life is just a commodity to be bought and sold on the open market.

The video shows Nucatola negotiating with two actors posing as agents of a fetal tissue procurement company and discussing the body parts of aborted babies as if she were a butcher at the local meat market, as Breitbart.com reports:

"We've been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I'm not gonna crush that part," Nucatola coldly explains. "I'm gonna basically crush [the unborn child] below, I'm gonna crush above, and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact[.] ... And for that reason, most providers will do this case under ultrasound guidance, so they'll know where they're putting their forceps." Nucatola also goes into great detail to explain how Planned Parenthood is able to use its loose affiliates as a way to protect the parent company from potential legal fallout. The video goes a long way to explain Planned Parenthood's eternal devotion to legalizing late-term and partial-birth abortion. Nucatola explains to the undercover reporters that the butchered body parts (hearts, livers, "lower extremities  probably for the muscle") sell for $30 to $100 apiece. Moreover, the more fully-formed the baby body parts, the more valuable those parts are.

Indeed, immature or improperly dismembered baby parts could dramatically impact Planned Parenthood's and the abortion industry's bottom line. The use of aborted fetuses and their tissues is justified by abortionists as the key to medical research, as using embryos for stem cell research was and is. Planned Parenthood's operation strays perilously close to the territory of Dr. Joseph Mengele, the Nazi "doctor" who justified his ghastly practices in the name of research.

Abortion-supporters claim they want to make it "safe, legal, and rare," but when you are selling dismembered baby parts, like any other business, volume is important in improving the profit margin. Presumably, young mothers entering a Planned Parenthood clinic aren't told about this part of the operation.

You can't, er, split the baby, Sen. Manchin. Either you are truly pro-life or you are not. Either you want to defund Planned Parenthood and its ghastly practices or you do not. Certainly, you cannot defend your vote to defeat Rand Paul's amendment to defund the group.

Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
Protect Political Speech from the Tech Oligarchs with The Civil Rights Act of 2019

If you haven't noticed that freedom of political speech in America is under increasingly effective assault by the left, you haven't been watching. Over the internet, over lunch with colleagues, in every university classroom, indeed, everywhere in America, the wrong word, the wrong thought, can spell banishment or professional and personal destruction, or both. Among the worst aspects of this crisis is that high-tech forums, access to which is now essential to disseminating political argument and appealing for electoral support  Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  increasingly bar or obstruct the sharing of conservative views. Without a dramatic statutory restatement of Americans' First Amendment right to free expression, the nation is in the fast lane to an Orwellian world where "correct" thoughts and public statements are mandatory and "incorrect" ones lead to exclusion from polite society and personal destruction.

In 1964, almost exactly 100 years after the abolition of slavery by the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, America faced a problem highly instructive for our present circumstances. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery, and its close relatives, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, supposedly prohibited government denial of equal protection of the laws or discrimination in voting rights against former slaves. But nothing in the Civil War constitutional amendments protected minorities from private discrimination. In consequence, there followed one hundred years during which private racial discrimination, and not merely in the South, constituted a major barrier to full and fair participation in American society for the former slaves and their descendants. The solution the nation found for this problem in 1964 was that year's great Civil Rights Act, which, among other things, prohibited discrimination on the basis of race by private employers and all places of public accommodation.

In 2014, the U.S. Mint commemorated the 50th anniversary of this landmark extension of civil rights to private behavior. The problem of free expression in America today is startlingly similar. The First Amendment's protection of free expression is a limitation only on governmental action. The Founders never dreamed that the major private institutions of the Republic they were establishing would seriously limit freedom of speech for Americans. But beyond any dispute, the day has come when exactly that evil is occurring. We have a historical template for the solution, or at least a major part of the solution, to the once creeping, now galloping, repression of free speech in America. It is high time for a new Civil Rights Act extending First Amendment freedoms to major private actors  to internet forums, large employers, and the entire K-12 and university systems. If conservative leaders and Republican office-holders had pushed back consistently against the 30-year process that has brought America to this sorry point, perhaps we could have avoided the necessity of a statutory cure. But, as on so many other fronts, they failed their voters and the nation. Now, nothing less than a great new reaffirmation of First Amendment freedoms by Congress and the president can restore the unfettered right to open public inquiry and political discourse on which the United States was founded. Where We Are: Some Examples Specific manifestations of America's astonishing new repression are legion. They give some idea of the scope of the crisis. Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter  increasingly both the means of expressing political opinion and seeking electoral support, and the primary sources for information about political issues  ban or effectively bury the speech of political conservatives by direct human intervention and algorithms that either silence conservatives or make their opinions difficult to find. Google, by now a near monopoly search engine for all subjects including political, historical, and social issues, massages its search algorithms to make it somewhere between difficult and impossible to find information favorable to conservative views or political leaders, while articles favorable to the left miraculously appear on the first page of search results. Brendan Eich, founder of Mozilla, the creator of Firefox, resigned after intense backlash for contributing to a statewide ballot measure successfully urging the people of California to vote for retention of the traditional definition of marriage. James Damore, a software engineer at Google, was fired for posting a ten-page memo on an internal company bulletin board entitled "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber" that was offensive to America's intolerant and authoritarian radical feminists. Before his firing, he was subjected to a campaign of denunciation, harassment, and threats by leftist employees, all ignored by his employer. Students and faculty at colleges and universities, including many owned by state and local governments, are required to tailor their speech to the sensibilities of the most easily (eagerly?) offended members of the usual designated victim groups by "hate speech" guidelines, the breach of which can lead to penalties ranging from censure to mandatory "re-education" to outright expulsion. For humanities and social science graduate Ph.D. programs and teaching positions, open conservatives pretty much need not apply. Those who might have slipped through undiscovered carefully frame their public utterances to avoid damage to their degree or tenure prospects. Mobs of painfully ignorant undergraduate brats shut down college speakers who they fear will present facts, arguments, or truths uncongenial to their prejudices, while university authorities do little or nothing to stop them. Members of the Trump administration are hounded from restaurants for having the temerity to serve a president who received the votes of 63,000,000 Americans along with 306 electoral votes. A conservative think-tank, The David Horowitz Freedom Center ("DHFC"), a fact- and logic-based conservative voice, was barred from using Visa and MasterCard to process contributions, only for those companies to relent after a public outcry. Among the DHFC's many sins in the eyes of the left and one of the left's principal thugs, the Southern Poverty Law Center, is its fact- and history-based discussion of Islam. The institution and ultimate reversal of Visa and MasterCard's attempted economic strangulation of a conservative nonprofit may be the most egregious example of how easily corporate America rolls over to threats from the radical left. A Harvard professor seriously proposes an explicit ban on employment or even honoring anyone who dares to serve in any capacity in the Trump administration. None of this could have happened in America as recently as a generation ago. More, and worse, is coming if we sit by and hope the creeping tyranny will pass. How We Got Here: The Schools The erosion of free expression in American society has been going on for decades. It dates back at least to the latter 1980s, when Americans first began to hear demands from the left that college course requirements be eliminated and speech guidelines be imposed. This development was only one consequence of something that had been going on throughout much of the 1980s. While Ronald Reagan still occupied the White House and conservative intellectuals were tediously bragging that freedom and liberty had permanently prevailed, the left was completing its takeover of the educational system, from kindergarten through university. Before the end of President Reagan's second term, elementary, high school, and college students had already begun to be taught that it was more important to avoid giving offense than to discuss important subjects rationally, openly, and honestly. At the same time, the school and university curricula began to be purged of solid historical and cultural content that would have provided a factual basis for the young's rejection of the left's failed ideas. The products of this debased educational system began emerging in the late '90s, and, contrary to the transparently false assurances of conservative leaders and intellectuals, those students retained the ideology they had been taught and the timidity of expression that had been urged upon them. They became the natural prey of leftist politicians, who increasingly employed epithets rather than argument in discussing political issues. As the '90s wore on, the terms "racism," "sexism," "homophobia," and "Islamophobia" increasingly served as the left's one-word answers to conservative fact-, experience-, and logic-based arguments. How We Got Here: "Hate Speech" The most effective part of the attack on free speech in America was the country's infection by the "hate speech" concept. This concept has never been anything more than a transparently fallacious attempt to justify outlawing ideas that can't be defeated by fact or logic. The "hate speech" idea traces its ugly origins to the Soviet Union, which employed it to justify pervasive thought control and tried unsuccessfully in 1948 to incorporate some version of it into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unsurprisingly, today, the most vocal state promoters of the "hate speech" idea are Muslim-majority countries, which employ it to prohibit rational history- and fact-based criticism of Islam. In Western Europe, post-World War II elites, weighted down by guilt and fearful of repeating past sins, were especially susceptible to the "hate speech" virus. As a result, the disease is now widespread and far advanced all over Western Europe. Freedom of political speech in most western European countries is all but dead  in France, for example, publicly asserting the obvious incompatibility of Islamic values and behavior with civilized Western norms is a quick ticket to criminal prosecution. Germany, with its "Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz," a pernicious attempt to limit free expression on the internet, is following hard on the heels of France. America, with its unbroken tradition of constitutionally guaranteed absolute freedom of inquiry and political expression, should have strangled the odious "hate speech" idea in its crib. But while that idea marched through the universities and Silicon Valley, those who should have resisted it  Republicans and conservatives  were led by the Bush family's non-thinkers and non-fighters, and by effete, conflict-averse conservative writers huddled in the salons of the east coast. So no real opposition was proffered in America, and the idea took root. It has grown since the late '90s and gathered momentum over ensuing decades, until today, after eight years of Barack Obama's leftist presidency, it stands poised to achieve the left's goal of severely curtailing Americans' right of free expression guaranteed by the 1st Amendment. First Amendment Freedom of Speech: Brandenburg v. Ohio Throughout this entire 30-year period  as Europe increasingly restricted free political expression and American universities (including government-owned universities) slowly forced "hate speech" restrictions on students and faculty  the United States Supreme Court never even slightly attenuated its near absolute protection of political speech under the First Amendment. Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969), 395 U.S. 444, is still the salutary, if solitary, voice of freedom in the prison of thought control that the American left is trying to construct. In Brandenburg, a per curiam decision (i.e., unanimous), the Supreme Court held that the only speech government may either suppress or punish is that which advocates immediate illegality or violence and (conjunctive!) is likely to produce such immediate illegality or violence. The two-pronged Brandenburg test makes governmental interference with political expression all but impossible in America. Despite the strength and clarity of Brandenburg, Justices William O. Douglas and Hugo Black filed concurring opinions that would have rendered the test still more absolute (though both of these civil libertarian luminaries joined in the Court's decision). Besides Douglas and Black, the Brandenburg Court included such liberal and civil libertarian lions as Earl Warren and William J. Brennan. In 1969, political liberals were firmly on the side of freedom of expression. How far we have come. The Civil Rights Act of 2019 Brandenburg should become the law of the land  a limitation not merely on government, but on public schools, universities, large employers, and  crucially  all internet platforms and search engines. Under the new affirmation of America's core founding principle, there should be no policing of the internet, no restriction of student or faculty speech, and no political discrimination either in employment or public accommodation, beyond the extremely limited reach of the Brandenburg test: speech that both advocates illegal or violent acts and is likely immediately to produce such acts. As with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the protections of the new civil rights act should have teeth: a right of action for damages, with attorney's fees to the prevailing plaintiff where the act is violated, and generous venue provisions in federal court. Let Harvard and Google and Apple, to name a few of the nation's new authoritarians, defend their ideological bigotry. And let them dig deep into their pockets to pay for it. The usual howls  repeated for years by those who opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964  will be heard. It will bog us down in litigation, it will be too difficult to distinguish discriminatory conduct from conduct based on legitimate factors, private choice should not be limited by government (that last will come thick and often from "conservative" commentators who failed to defend us from the destruction of free expression in the first place). The objections will be as poorly taken as they were for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Civil Rights Act of 2019 will have the same effect that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had: most private repression of free speech in America will stop, just as most private racial discrimination stopped after 1964, and for the same two reasons: first, as in 1964, the vast majority of Americans already believed that the goal of the statute was just; and second, as in 1964, most Americans still want to behave lawfully.
The Rise of the Tech Geeks

Who says resistance is futile? Add Brian Amerige at Facebook to the extremely short list of young tech heroes for creating quite a brouhaha in Silicon Valley when he penned an internal memo entitled "We Have a Problem with Political Diversity" (as in "Houston, we have a problem.") Trust me: it is a huge step for mankind when a young person in the Bay Area's maturation chambers for progressivism calls for more political diversity. Although it might seem futile upon first blush  after all, Facebook has approximately 25,000 employees  Amerige has so far been joined by over 100 fellow Facebook employees, which, in the alternate universe of Silicon Valley-San Francisco, could be paradigm shifting. While liberal-social-progressive ideas dominate in America's Tech Heartland, there is also a strong, libertarian "Don't Tread on Me" culture as well that doesn't like to be told what to think, eat, buy, or say. At a time when so many of us have lost all hope in the younger generations, along comes this chap at Facebook who is intent on holding Zuckerberg and Co.'s feet to the fire! The New York Times reports:

"We are a political monoculture that's intolerant of different views," Brian Amerige, a senior Facebook engineer, wrote in the post, which was obtained by The New York Times. "We claim to welcome all perspectives, but are quick to attack  often in mobs  anyone who presents a view that appears to be in opposition to left-leaning ideology." Well, beam me up, Scotty! While this may seem elemental to most politically active conservatives, it is earth-shattering for some young people. But this is how it should work, folks. It's always best when people rise up within a company and hold their bosses, boards, and management accountable. If Facebook says it is tolerant of all viewpoints, but then acts inconsistently with that, it will either succeed in the charade and lose employees and consumers or, as is being attempted now, be called to task. A company is pretty much free to manage and strategize as it wishes as long as it doesn't violate someone's federal or state civil rights, or state employment laws, security laws, etc. If a group within the company doesn't like the corporate culture and cannot change it, then that is the group's problem, not the company's. So if a company wants to embrace a liberal culture or liberal political ideology in its marketing and there is a group within the company that is against that, if the group' can't persuade the company to change, its members will have to either endure it or leave. They might even get fired for not being team players. If this company wants to market its products or services to the broadest public, being constrained by a political or cultural viewpoint might not be the smartest thing to do because consumers are free to choose with whom they do business. If your ad campaign caters to the LGBTQ community, don't be surprised if those opposed to the redefinition of marriage or to transgenders in the military buy those products or services elsewhere. Sorry, but we aren't quite at the point where a company can force us to buy its products  although that future might not be far off, given the monopolistic tendencies of Amazon, Facebook, and Google. When all is said and done, efforts by courageous people like Mr. Amerige or James Damore at Google can be successful only if the group stands its ground internally and is supported externally by swarms of free speech-loving, tolerant conservatives, Republicans, libertarians, and anyone else who believes in freedom of thought. This is clearly a test as to whether or not Facebook really is such an open-minded platform or is, in actuality, as agenda-driven as most of us know it is. A private or even publicly traded corporation can have a strategy whereby it imposes a monolithic political, religious, or cultural ideology on the purchasing population, but it will have consequences in a society whose citizens are free to think. If a company is interested in attracting the largest number of consumers, it must keep things neutral. If its M.O. is to impose a political or cultural view on its consumers, it will have a limited market from which to choose. Now, that is okay. There are companies that market to religious Jews, Christians, conservatives, and liberals, etc. They are providing a service to those sub-markets, and the managers and investors understand that the broader public likely will not purchase the goods and services they offer, whether it is Medi-Share marketing health insurance that creates of pool of insurance within the Christian community or JDate, which is an online Jewish dating service, or Rush Limbaugh, who caters to conservatives, or Mother Jones, which publishes the news from a far left, progressive, Marxist perspective. If Facebook wants to be an arm of the Democrat-Media-Propaganda Complex, it has my blessing, but...it has to own up to that and change its mantra from "a platform for all ideas" to "a platform for the Democrats." As long as evil tech giants and social media behemoths seek to create a dystopian world by "idea cleansing" and launching virtual pogroms against conservatives, libertarians, and conspiracy theorists (who, by the way, also have First Amendment rights), we will need to support tech geeks who see the light and are willing to fight the fight. This isn't the first time, nor will it be the last, that a small group of tech renegades will come up against the walls of a monolithic corporation, government, or evil genius intent on running the world for his own gain  ideologically or monetarily. The question is, will they be willing to sacrifice the few for the many in order to live long and prosper in a free world?
Of the two, Gavin Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco (and former husband of Kimberly Guilfoyle, late of Fox News and currently rumored to be an intimate friend of Donald Trump, Jr.), is in a position to do more harm in the immediate future, as he is running for governor of California on a platform of state-paid universal health care, including for illegal aliens who manage to cross the state border, from Mexico or Nevada or Oregon.

I fully understand the hatred and contempt many, if not most, conservatives feel toward California. A state blessed with so many advantages has surrendered to left-wing madness and, worst of all, pretends it has something to teach the rest of America. In the thirty-some years I have lived here, California has gone from Reagan Country to thrusting people on the order of Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom onto the national stage.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has made his most explicit endorsement yet of a controversial single-payer healthcare proposal that has roiled Democratic politics in California. Newsom appeared Friday before the California Nurses Assn., the most ardent backers of SB 562, a stalled bill to establish a system in which the state would cover all residents' healthcare costs. "There's no reason to wait around on universal healthcare and single-payer in California," Newsom said. "It's time to move 562. It's time to get it out of committee." The line prompted cheers and a standing ovation from the audience of about 1,500 members of the nurses' union.

There are only a few problems:

It would cost an estimated $400 billion per year and, although it would eliminate insurance costs for health care consumers, it would also require large tax increases. It would also likely require voters to approve amendments to the state Constitution, and the state would have to secure several federal waivers from the Trump administration.

The $400-billion cost of Newsom's scheme to offer free medical care to illegal aliens and everyone else would triple the state budget. Currently, about half of the state's income tax revenue comes from the top one percent of taxpayers. It is easy to foresee that a tripling of the tax burden (the current marginal income tax rate is 13.3%) could push tax rates to 37% on the highest earners, dwarfing the federal tax top bracket of 24% and yielding a top income tax rate of 61%. Add in the factor that state income taxes are not deductible from federal taxable gross income, resulting in massive double-taxation, and a massive departure of high-income earners is predictable.

As any dope could also foresee, free medical care, no questions asked, would be a magnet for poor people of all sorts, including illegals attracted from everywhere around the world, but most especially from Mexico and Central America.

Is this plan so ridiculous that even California voters would shun Newsom?

A group called Restore Our Values believes that it is worth a try to bring these considerations before California voters and has launched a fairly high-budget TV advertising campaign:

In my book, Gavin Newsom can never be trusted. He had an affair while mayor of San Francisco with his 33-year-old blonde appointments secretary, who was married to his campaign manager and close friend. Philandering male politicians may be wrong, but they are common. Seducing the wife of one of your best friends who also is your employee and carrying on an affair is so reckless, cruel, and stupid that it constitutes a capital offense so far as the public trust is involved.

Will California voters wake up before the state heads down the road of fiscal collapse, mass immigration of medical indigents, and chaos? I would not bet on it. But at least there is a chance.

Photo credit: Flickr.
The explanation from the law firm for the donation could have been lifted from a Chicago alderman's playbook.

As a native Illinoisan, I can appreciate the wildly corrupt nature of this story. New York governor Mario Andrew Cuomo received a $25,000 donation from the law firm representing Harvey Weinstein just six days before he called off an investigation into the movie mogul's behavior.

Page Six:

"Neither Mr. Boies, nor anyone from his firm, ever discussed Harvey Weinstein or Mr. Vance with Mr. Cuomo, or anyone from his office, at any time," the spokesperson told online political publication Capital and Main. "Mr. Boies is a longtime supporter of Mr. Cuomo and his contribution in June was consistent with his contributions to Mr. Cuomo over years past."

"Mr. Boies" is David Boies, a principal in the law firm of Boies Schiller & Flexner. Why would Boies even have to mention Weinstein? Cuomo knew Boies was representing Weinstein. Boies knew that Cuomo knew. It's the old wink-and-nod campaign contribution, where no words are necessary. Cuomo knew why Boies was giving him the $25K, and the governor knew what it was for and what he had to do for it.

Presto! Six days later, the prosecutor is told to drop the investigation.

The hefty contribution from Manhattan firm Boies Schiller & Flexner came on June 20, according to records on the state Board of Elections website. Less than a week later, Cuomo called for a six-month halt of state Attorney General Barbara Underwood's investigation into Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance for deciding not to prosecute Weinstein for a 2015 groping incident. The temporary suspension was ordered to avoid interfering with Weinstein's ongoing criminal case. Weinstein was previously represented by David Boies  whose firm was caught in a conflict-of-interest debacle after the New Yorker published its bombshell report on the slew of sexual-assault allegations against the producer. Boies' firm had hired and paid private investigative companies to dig up dirt on Weinstein accusers  while at the same time representing the New York Times, which also published a report on the Weinstein allegations. A spokesperson for Boiles Schiller & Flexner  which also made a $25,000 contribution to Cuomo's re-election campaign in 2017  defended the donations.

I am a big believer in coincidence  except where money and politics intersect. The defense used by the law firm is exactly the same defense used by crooked politicians everywhere: we didn't talk specifically about what the donation was for, so I'm innocent.

...except everyone in Cuomo's office knew exactly what was expected of the governor when he got the check for $25K.

The connection to the New York Times is incidental, but it reveals the more than cozy relationship in New York City between politicians and the press. Everybody is in bed with everyone else  just like in Washington. The intersection of business, politics, and media forms a nexus of corrupt relationships that dominate our politics and culture.

Perhaps if Cuomo were a conservative Republican, there would be a feeding frenzy from the media that would dig up every last scrap of dirt that could be unearthed. But Cuomo will cruise to re-election, confident in the knowledge that no matter what, the media in New York have his back.
According to Breitbart News , not only was she not asked to come to any of the numerous McCain events where she could have been present, but she was actually asked to stay away.

I can't think of anything more spiteful or "mean-spirited" than the exclusion of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin from the funeral of the late Sen. John McCain.

Who the hell did that?

Since the Breitbart report, the McCain camp has backtracked a bit and now says Sarah would not be bounced by the security guard at the door if she actually came. According to People Magazine, the exclusion of this woman, who was so significant in the career of John McCain, was the decision of Cindy McCain, not John McCain. But its sourcing was anonymous, and that sounds like a possible attempt to paper over a public relations disaster, which would tell us that that is what it is, a black mark on McCain, who, up until now, has been drawing a lot of praise.

What supports this theory is that the New York Times reported earlier that McCain planned every aspect of his funeral beforehand, every single aspect, every detail, meticulously excluding President Trump and featuring his opponents for effect, all of whom would praise "civility" in contrast to Trump. The Times didn't get around to asking about Palin, but something tells me this Palin exclusion was McCain's doing and the family wanted to honor it, so they're letting Cindy take the flak. Sarah Palin is the only one who really knows, and she's not saying.

But just the fact that Palin is being excluded pretty well puts the lie to the idea that McCain was all in for civility and inclusiveness, let alone gratitude. Despite his distant war heroism, which was real enough, McCain also comes off as spiteful, petty, and mean in his treatment of his former running mate, the worst aspects of him out there. I can understand the exclusion of President Trump from the funeral, given that he said some things to McCain that he shouldn't have said during Campaign 2016 and was always at odds with him politically. But Palin? Who has always been so gracious and supportive of McCain? Sarah, who always defended McCain as a maverick when he went off the conservative reservation?

This I cannot fathom.

Such an exclusion can only be called the height of ingratitude.

Sarah, remember, had a promising career in politics until she got involved with the McCain campaign as his running mate for president. First woman to be nominated to a major Republican ticket, which alone should be worth allowing her into the funeral, and which could be a point of pride for McCain to showcase his willingness to promote women, and Palin doesn't even merit that.



Palin rally for McCain, September 2008, Carson, California.

Palin campaigned her heart out for McCain, as my own pictures show, yet her career went downhill when the press descended on her like a ravenous bunch of grasshoppers, falsely painting her as dumb, painting her as a rube, and painting her as a mockable outsider, a pioneer woman, which in days past had been a designation of honor. The attacks on her family magnified the pain; somehow, the exclusion of presidential children from press feeding frenzies never applied to Palin's children.

It wasn't just the press attacks, which McCain did little about. It was the investigations that followed from the increasingly ravenous left, phony things about emails and campaign violations, which forced her to have to constantly defend herself in court at a cost greater than she could bear. Her only means of getting rid of the problem was to quit politics and become a news commentator. Some ending.

McCain bore a great responsibility for this career-ruin because he had a staff that couldn't stop sniping at her from the inside, swamp-style.

Public relations staffer Nicolle Wallace was the one who set up Palin with a humiliating interview with news anchor Katie Couric. That was the time when Couric flooded her with obscure questions of foreign policy arcana, designed not to interest viewers for their content, but to paint Palin as stupid. (Note to self: how we got Trump.) Wallace was a friend of Couric's, see, but Palin was apparently misled about the nature of the interview, understanding it to be lighthearted fare, not an international relations final exam. Even the ideologically hostile Gawker noticed how dishonest Wallace's defense of herself in the aftermath of that fiasco was:

Note that Palin didn't actually use the phrase "working gals." Rather, Wallace combines Palin's words with even dumber ones, heightening the sense that the Thrilla from Wasilla is totally off her rocker.

Wallace then wrote a novel about a mentally ill character that she based on Palin.

McCain on camera defended Palin against these grotesque attacks, including a 2012 TV movie called Game Change, saying: "Why there continues to be such an assault on a fine and decent person, Sarah Palin ... [t]hey continue to disparage and attack her person. I admire and respect her, I'm proud of our campaign and I'm humbled by the fact that I was able to give her [the Republican vice presidential nomination]." And Palin was steadfast in believing McCain, saying the blame was solely the work of unworthy staffers, refusing to suspect he wasn't as loyal to her as she was to him.

But there were signs early on from him that something was not right. Recently, Judicial Watch got records released showing that McCain was behind the IRS targeting of Tea Party groups with a top aide on record as urging their financial ruin. Palin was close to the Tea Party. Then there was the McCain role in the Steele dossier to take down Trump, another outsider Palin had affinity with. When Fusion GPS couldn't get anyone in the press to print its false and dirty dossier, the company made it a topic for news coverage by having McCain go abroad to obtain it and then present it to then-FBI director James Comey. From there, the issue was live.

I did a lot of reporting on Palin before she got famous from her association with McCain. The links are all broken, but you can see what the topics were here.

Palin, before McCain came into the picture, was anything but dumb. She was warm, down to earth, witty, and fun to talk with, a recognizable person, what writer Kurt Schlichter would call "a normal." She was all in for American greatness, a genuine populist who was unafraid to take on the crony capitalists of Big Oil, yet very much in favor of "drill, baby, drill." That stance was the very thing that brought the Venezuelan regime and all the world's petro-tyrants to their knees. In fact, it was arguably the base economic activity that was the forerunner to the rise of Trump.

Being a reporter, I also talked to Palin's staff without her knowing about it and, more significant, the career bureaucrats under her, who were free to leak and say anything they liked and, being Alaskans, were naturally blunt. Their verdict? That she was exceptionally capable and competent as an executive. I asked, and that was what they told me.

After watching her career sink, after his staff did a sneaky number on her, McCain was the one who looked a bit tarnished. Palin still stood by him, though, and actually campaigned for him in Arizona when he ran for re-election as senator in the aftermath.

Then came the "perpetual gut-punch." After all that exhausting campaigning and all that loyalty, McCain got word out that he really wished he hadn't taken her on as his running mate. Palin swallowed that but made it clear she was hurt by the humiliation.

Something was going on with that one, because Palin brought him votes  apparently, just not the votes he wanted from the kind of people he wanted. That's sad.

One wants to honor McCain for his service and heroism, but this doesn't cut it. In fact, it leaves a sour note. What it leaves his funeral suggesting is that his death is the end of an era. For many Americans, this kind of ingratitude can only mean good riddance.
The Daily Caller reported on August 27, 2018 that a Chinese company based in Washington, D.C. hacked " in real time " the email server of Hillary Clinton, which means that China should have all the emails, including the 30,000 emails that Hillary deleted.

With respect to potential computer intrusion by hostile actors, we did not find direct evidence that Secretary Clinton's personal e-mail domain, in its various configurations since 2009, was successfully hacked. But, given the nature of the system and of the actors potentially involved, we assess that we would be unlikely to see such direct evidence. We do assess that hostile actors gained access to the private commercial e-mail accounts of people with whom Secretary Clinton was in regular contact from her personal account. We also assess that Secretary Clinton's use of a personal e-mail domain was both known by a large number of people and readily apparent. She also used her personal e-mail extensively while outside the United States, including sending and receiving work-related e-mails in the territory of sophisticated adversaries. Given that combination of factors, we assess it is possible that hostile actors gained access to Secretary Clinton's personal e-mail account.

In plain English, Hillary's emails were most likely hacked, but Comey couldn't or didn't establish the hacking.

It is not surprising or news that Hillary's emails were hacked by the Chinese and, according to Comey, probably other countries. Maybe President Trump can get the Chinese to give us the complete Hillary emails so we can read the deleted ones. The FBI has about 30,000, and Hillary deleted about 30,000, which, according to Hillary, were about yoga and Chelsea's wedding.

More importantly, The Daily Caller notes that the FBI was warned by the Intelligence Community inspector general that the emails were hacked by China.

Two officials with the ICIG, investigator Frank Rucker and attorney Janette McMillan, met repeatedly with FBI officials to warn them of the Chinese intrusion, according to a former intelligence officer with expertise in cybersecurity issues, who was briefed on the matter. He spoke anonymously, as he was not authorized to publicly address the Chinese's role with Clinton's server. Among those FBI officials was Peter Strzok[.]

The inspector general told the FBI about the China hacking.

It is difficult to believe that Comey was not warned. In his July 5 whitewash report, he says the hacking was "possible" but he did not have evidence of hacking.

Instead of investigating and stopping the China hacking, the Obama FBI and DOJ were busy whitewashing Hillary's crimes and obtaining FISA warrants based on the unverified, Hillary-paid for Steele dossier to sabotage Trump's campaign. Most likely, Comey did not want to establish the China hack; otherwise, it would be impossible even for Comey not to recommend indictment of Hillary.

Clearly, Strzok did not follow up on the China hacking. Did Comey know about the meeting where the I.G. told the FBI about the hacking? Comey's exoneration statement says the server was probably hacked but it is hard to prove. Comey was setting up a defense that it was impossible to prove hacking of Hillary's server.

It appears that the Obama FBI and DOJ ignored the China hack as part of their plan to elect Hillary and sabotage Trump. But what is the excuse for A.G. Sessions not investigating the Hillary email scandal when we know that the Obama FBI did not do its job to investigate Hillary?
Pope Francis, you really let us down

Pope Francis refuses to say "a single word" about the accusation by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, former papal nuncio to the United States, that Francis knew in 2013 of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick's sexual predations of young men in seminary and covered them up. I've had it with this man. He goes around redefining Church dogma to suit himself, saying there is no Hell. As the head of the Church, he doesn't have the right to do that. If he wants to gainsay Christ, he should resign his post and go on a lecture tour as a private citizen, saying whatever turns him on.

Now he refuses to talk about an issue central to the Church today. It's his duty to condemn behavior that contravenes the will of God as revealed in Scripture, to include covering up such behavior. If he can't bring himself to do these things, he ought never to have accepted the papacy. Francis's refusal to follow doctrine, and then to even discuss a crucially important issue, leads to suspicions that he himself has taken part in the filth he enabled. No disciple of Christ, no true man of God, would say or do what this pope has said and done. As an obvious adherent of the Vatican II departures from church dogma, he has no place among believers. Get out, Francis. You are not fit to lead the Catholic Church. Go back to being just another dude. That we can accept. Richard Jack Rail is the author of A Diary of the Trump Era, Year 1 with Year 2 on the way. He can be reached at caktusjakk@gmail.com.
McCain was "Arizona's favorite adopted son", the governor said on what would have been the 82nd birthday of a man born in the Panama Canal Zone while his father served in the military. McCain represented Arizona in the U.S. Senate for more than 30 years.

A private ceremony will be held Wednesday morning at the Arizona State Capitol Museum rotunda, where McCain will lie in state. Richard Brevard Russell, who opposed numerous efforts to pass civil rights legislation.

The ceremony included remarks from Gov. Doug Ducey and former U.S. Sen.

By early afternoon, the error was fixed, and all queries for "McCain Senate Office Building" in Google maps were redirected to Russell.

Besides the proposal to rename the Russell Senate Office building, lawmakers may consider naming a committee room used by the Senate Armed Services Committee after McCain, who was the panel's chairman, McConnell said.

He recalled the difficulty in getting McCain to unwind after a busy work week: "We always had arguments with him about doing Sunday shows from his lovely place in Sedona. We have implemented a fix for this issue that is rolling out now", Google added. John McCain, but it appears Google Maps beat them to it. These suggested edits are then reviewed by Google or Google Maps users before they show up on the map, the website said.

President Donald Trump criticized Google this week over the way it displays news stories.

"John McCain was about more than politics", Ducey said.

Some said the White House was simply following proper procedure because US Flag Code states that flags be lowered "on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress".

In his proclamation, Trump said that the US flag will be flown "at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds" as well as at all military posts and naval stations across the United States and around the world, including "all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions".

Throughout most of Monday, the coverage of the late senator focused on the White House flag and the president's stubborn refusal to lower it or acknowledge McCain's legacy. However, Trump reportedly decided that extending sympathies to the bereft McCain family on Twitter would suffice.

After the ceremony, a Capitol Police Guard of Honor will watch as the public is allowed to pay their respect to McCain, who will be lying in state for the rest of the day.

After Trump noted the death of McCain in a concise and rather dryly-worded tweet on Saturday, without issuing an official statement, he faced a fierce backlash from both Democrats and Republicans.

Trump only finally agreed to honour McCain on Monday after heavy pressure from politicians, veterans groups and reportedly his staff.
The presidency deserves our respect, no matter who holds it

Max Kellerman recently criticized Tiger Woods for saying people should respect the office of the presidency no matter who is in office. Per Kellerman, "[a]nd it either holds in contempt the intelligence of people who hear it or else it's just a stupid thing to say. ... To say you must have respect for the office  Tiger, be clear. Are you saying that the office, therefore, confers respect on to its present temporary occupant? No. Having respect for the office means principally, in my view, is the office holder should have respect for the office." Not only is Kellerman wrong, but his argument is also illogical.

Mr. Kellerman appears to be saying that if a person holding a particular position does not "respect" that position, the position itself is not worthy of respect. Following this line of reasoning, if a Supreme Court justice is disliked or is removed from the bench for misconduct (i.e., disrespecting the position), does that mean that the position that was previously filled by justice is not worthy of respect? Should we then not respect the Supreme Court in and of itself? If, hypothetically, several high-ranking officials in the FBI or Department of Justice have allegedly engaged in improper behavior and are subsequently terminated or charged with a crime, does the office of FBI or the Department of Justice not deserve our respect? These examples reflect the absurdity of Mr. Kellerman's argument. Mr. Kellerman is allowing his personal opinions and political bias toward the president to take the place of reason. According to Mr. Kellerman, "[w]e are held to a standard of behavior, we at our jobs, right, people in their daily lives. The president, if anything, is held to a higher standard of behavior. It is not such that we have such great respect for the office that no matter what the behavior of its occupant, we must respect the occupant because of the office. ... We must respect the office, therefore that confers respect to the occupant. Tiger, is that is what you are saying? If that is what you are saying, that is a stupid comment." With all due respect to Mr. Kellerman, Tiger Woods's comment was not stupid, but exactly right. Tiger Woods didn't say anything about President Trump when he answered the reporter's question. Said Woods: "He's the president of the United States. You have to respect the office. No matter who is in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office." Other than having a personal or political bias against President Trump, what conceivable and rational reason would Mr. Kellerman have to oppose this politically neutral statement? After all, the office of the presidency deserves respect, no matter who is in office. Unfortunately, Mr. Kellerman does not appear to see it that way. To the contrary, his response to Tiger Woods reflects his inability to distinguish between the "office of the presidency" and the current president, which he appears to lump together. Mr. Woods didn't provide his opinion about President Trump. Rather, he simply opined that the office of the presidency deserves respect. This response did not seem to align with Mr. Kellerman's political and personal opinions, which led to his unwarranted comments. This isn't the first time that Mr. Kellerman has verbally blasted a player or team about opinions relative to the current administration. When the World Series champion Houston Astros accepted President Trump's invitation to the White House, Kellerman stated that the Astros visiting the White House made the team "on the wrong side of history." Apparently, "Kellerman does not believe that the Trump administration deserves to be treated 'normal' because 'all the President's men seem to be implicated.'" Mr. Kellerman's reaction to Tiger Woods was wrong and misguided. The office of the presidency deserves respect, no matter who is in office. It doesn't matter if Mr. Kellerman dislikes President Trump or abhors his policies. He is free to voice his opinions and to vote for another candidate when the time comes. However, his personal opinions about the president should not in any way undermine the office of the presidency and the respect it deserves. America and country should always come before partisan politics no matter who is in office. As Senator Steven Douglas said when he conceded to Abraham Lincoln: "Partisan feeling must yield to patriotism." Tiger Woods had it right! Mr. Hakim's articles have been published in The Daily Caller, The Federalist, The Western Journal, American Thinker, World Net Daily, and other online publications. Twitter: @Elad3599. Image: Keith Allison via Flickr.
Or thinking too much! (Remember that I was not a Trump-supporter in the primaries, and he proved me wrong every time.)

Maybe I'm too "clever by half," as the British say.

Or maybe I've finally figured out how President Trump works.

We have a family member who is a successful magician. He once quoted Ben Okri:

The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing.

Over the last few weeks, we've seen the president attack the attorney general "tweet by tweet." They are even talking in the U.S. Senate about replacing Sessions with a tougher attorney general.

What if the whole thing is a show? Let me explain.

A.G. Sessions is the current leader for the Time person of the year, with the headline about "the man who wouldn't be pushed around by President Trump."

The left is suddenly in love with the quiet man from Alabama. He is going to save us from Trump or something like that. The A.G. is now the check on Trump.

So what's going on?

As President Trump and A.G. Sessions go back and forth, the DOJ is in fact investigating the Clinton Foundation. Furthermore, the DOJ is also looking into the FBI and the Clinton emails case. And there are further reports from Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

So what happens if the new candidate for Time person of the year, the new darling of the left, drops a huge nuclear bomb down the road about the Clinton Foundation? What if there are indictments? Or what if A.G. Sessions concludes that the FBI investigation of the Clinton emails was a farce and takes corrective action?

How does the left now in love with A..G Sessions suddenly claim that his actions were politically motivated?

Again, I don't have any information, but my instincts tell me that this "Sessions vs. Trump" is just too cute.

I am confident that President Trump will tweet down the road that "Jeff did a good job after all"! A.G. Sessions will tweet back, "Thank you, Mr. President."

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
A lot of objects flew to the moon and back aboard NASAs Saturn rocket. During the Apollo missions and those before that, astronauts were allowed to take some personal items with them as mementos. Before the flight, the astronaut had to declare the list of items they intend to carry as souvenirs and have it validated by NASA. As long as the request was not unreasonable and the items didnt exceed a certain weight and size, they were usually allowed to be flown.

In between fourteen flights, Apollos crew carried all sorts of stuffSnoopy pins, a piece of the plane the Wright Brothers flew, a lightsaber, a handful of dirt from the Yankee Stadium, and seeds. Astronaut John Young, who passed away in January this year, triggered a small scandal when he smuggled a corned beef sandwich onto the Gemini 3 flight in 1965, and then ate it. NASA was not pleased, and some members of the Congress made a fuss about how Youngs stunt disrupted a scheduled test of space food during the flight. Six years later an even bigger scandal rocked NASA that not only tarnished the image of the astronaut corps, it actually cost three astronauts their job.

Official portrait of the Apollo 15 crew. From left to right, David R. Scott, commander; Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot; and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot.

From the very beginning of the Apollo missions, space memorabilia became one of the most sought after items among collectors. A common practice was to sign specially-designed envelopes, known as covers, and cancel them on the day of launch. These are known as first day covers and they fetched a lot of money at auctions. And if a first day cover flew to the moon and back, it made the covers even more valuable. Today, a cover that flew on the Apollo 11 mission can fetch as much as $50,000 at an auction. A lot of money indeed. So when Horst Eiermann, a German-born naturalized American living in Stuttgart, approached the crew of the Apollo 15 with a plan, the three astronautsDavid Scott, Alfred Worden and James Irwingot suckered into the deal.

You see, astronauts were paid very poorly. While they did make a generous $17,000 per yearequivalent to about $100,000 todaybut considering the astronauts' substantial education and experience, and the tremendous risk they took in their mission, the pay was notable low. There was no special compensation or hazard pay for flying the missionthe Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin received $33 as travel expenses for flying to the moon and backand no insurance company was willing to come forward and wager a little money on the astronauts life and health. So astronauts resorted to selling autograph and space memorabilia to fund for their families future and their childrens education should something untoward happen.

The NASA-sanctioned postal kit that was flown to the moon.

And here is David Scott cancelling mail on the lunar surface using the said postal kit.

Horst Eiermann convinced the three astronauts to bring aboard an extra 100 stamped covers, in addition to some 250 that were to be officially flown to the moon. For their troubles, each astronaut was offered $7,000, and an additional 100 covers to each astronaut to do as they pleased. The astronauts were promised that the stamps would not be sold until after the Apollo Program had ended.

In July 26, 1971, three astronauts and a total of 632 covers blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center. During missions, personal items were supposed to stay at the Command Module, but the astronauts violated the rule and brought the contraband to the lunar lander Falcon.

Upon return, the 100 covers were delivered to Eiermann, who was acting as the middle man between the astronauts and the German stamp dealer Hermann Sieger, who conceived the idea. Sieger failed to honor his part of the deal and sold the covers immediately profiting $150,000 from it. Soon word got out about the Sieger sale, and forced NASA to take some of the most severe disciplinary actions ever meted out to astronauts.

One of the illegally flown postal cover.

Colonel Worden was originally asked to clear out his office at NASA, but after some pleading he was reassigned to a non-flight role. Colonel James Irwin left NASA and founded an evangelical group, where he spent the next 20 years as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Prince of Peace, stating that Jesus walking on the earth is more important than man walking on the moon. Colonel Scott who had aspired to fly in the Apollo-Soyuz joint mission with the Soviet, was dropped from the role of a pilot and made a technical adviser instead. Later, he became the director of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and retired from NASA in 1977. Needless to say, none of them ever flew again.

Related: Mail Delivery By Rockets
Most of Panasonic and Samsungs 4K televisions from 2018 are now set to receive a firmware update that will push each respective displays current HDR10 capabilities up to HDR10+ standards. Thats according to a recent announcement from HDR10+ Technologies, LLC, which is a joint venture between the two companies and 20th Century Fox. The change itself effectively improves on the original open standard by allowing advanced display chipsets to recreate lighting and, by proxy, color in scenes more closely to how film and content makers intended through the use of metadata. More directly, it enables additional metadata to be included on a frame-by-frame basis and then read by the chips found in advanced televisions. As a result, playback is much more dynamic while maintaining consistency from display to display. The TVs in question will receive the new functionality either through a firmware update or directly out of the box for new displays from the factory.

As of this writing, neither company has revealed exactly which televisions will receive the new software or provided a timeline with regard to when the update will arrive for those who already own the hardware. Not every set released by either company features support for HDR10 content, however, and it is probably safe to assume that is a prerequisite since the updated firmware builds on top of that. Setting that aside, 20th Century Fox also took advantage of the announcement to reveal that it plans to incorporate the standard by encoding its upcoming productions with HDR10+. Further announcements for what is included in that should be expected to begin rolling out over the next several weeks.

There isnt currently much content that supports the standard but Amazon did begin rolling out HDR10+ support to its HDR Amazon Prime Video selection late last year. Several companies, including Panasonic, have released secondary accessory technologies such as Blu-ray players that also already support the feature. So at least some of the titles found through the service and some media players will already allow compliant HDR10+ content to be played at its full potential once the update arrives for Samsung and Panasonics televisions.
According to a new report, an internal strife over at Google is to blame for such intensive Pixel 3 XL leaks. This information actually comes from Eldar Murtazin, one of the first people who shared a detailed preview of the Google Pixel 3 XL. Mr. Murtazin claims that there are plenty of conflicts inside of Google following the arrival of HTCs designers, as their arrival led to a number of new ideas and also conflicts, allegedly.

According to the source, Google is actually developing seven different smartphones, two of which are the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. The third smartphone that the source mentioned is a foldable gadget that will not see the light of day before 2020, and the remaining four devices are actually Googles fourth-gen Pixel smartphones. That doesnt mean that Google will introduce four Pixel devices next year, only that they have four prototypes in development, in case you were wondering. In addition to all this, Mr. Murtazin also shared some info regarding features that Google is testing for fourth-gen Pixel smartphones. The first feature that Google is testing is face unlocking, probably IR-based. In addition to that, Google is allegedly testing dual camera setup, and advanced VR support. And last, but not least, a new Qualcomm chipset with a custom GPU is allegedly also in testing.

Now, this internal rift at Google is, reportedly, a reason why some employees decided to leak the Pixel 3 XL in order to cause a reaction for the device two months before it is expected to arrive. Some of Googles employees allegedly want the company to speed up the development of the fourth-gen Pixel devices, as they dont feel the Pixel 3 XL is up to par, at least thats what were getting from the sources report. In any case, the Pixel 3 XL leaked so heavily thus far, that pretty much everything is known about the device, ranging from its specs and design, all the way to its features and camera samples.
Katherine Johnson, considered a NASA human computer during the Space Race, was rightfully thrusted into the spotlight following the release of the 2016 film Hidden Figures, in which she was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson.

When asked how she has been able to maintain such good health and live a lengthy life, Johnson responded, "I'm just lucky".

"Today, African American women in particular should be inspired by the example of Katherine Johnson in STEM career fields", Chavis said.

Black ladies folk, especially, played a of path vital function within the pool, offering mathematical data for NASA's first winning set of living missions, alongside with Alan Shepherd's 1961 mission and John Glenn's pioneering orbital spaceflight.

"I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed ... anything that could be counted, I did", Johnson said. It was a hard field for African-Americans, let alone African-American women to traverse through, however, after hearing from a family member that the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was hiring mathematicians she stayed the course.

In order to congratulate the famous mathematician, who worked at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, NASA posted birthday tweets, specially intended for Johnson, highlighting everything that she did for the space agency and space travel in general.

When she was younger, Johnson numbered everything from the steps it took her to walk to church or around her house to the dishes in her cabinet. The only technology she used was a desktop mechanical calculating machine. We had to determine so much. "I was looking at the television and hoping that were right", she said.

Johnson recalled, "We needed to be assertive as women in those days - assertive and aggressive - and the degree to which we had to be that way depended on where you were".

By the age of 10, Johnson was a high school freshman - an fantastic feat in an era when school for African-Americans normally stopped at eighth grade. It paid off and she graduated from high faculty at 14 and graduated from West Virginia Advise in 1937 at 18.

Her father was determined that Johnson would have a chance to meet her potential. Her father made sure she went to high school and beyond. She was also involved in the authoring of 26 research reports during her thirty-three years of work in mathematics at Langley. "Her calculations were critical to our early human spaceflight programme (you've probably seen that in the movies)", NASA further stated. Johnson would repeatedly stress during interviews that the team of women she worked with were all equally valuable and instrumental to the success of their projects.
Lenovo took advantage of this years IFA 2018 consumer electronics show to launch its first-ever Yoga-branded Chrome OS device, the Yoga C630 Chromebook. In fact, this not only represents both the first such device to appear bearing the companys premium Yoga branding but also its first premium-grade Chromebook. Starting at a price of $599  799 in the EMEA market  and slated for release in October, the Yoga Chromebook bears quite a bit of design resemblance to the Windows laptops with which it shares its name. To begin with, it features a 15.6-inch near-edgeless touchscreen set inside an all-aluminum 361.5 x 248.85 x 17.8mm body that can be folded into a variety of configurations thanks to its 360-degree hinge. Variations on that display start out at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 for the entry model but the top model utilizes a 3840 x 2160 UHD panel instead. The embedded stereo speakers are each rated at 2-watts for a total of 4-watts of sound and the whole laptop-like weighs in at solid 4.2 lbs.

Underneath the hood and continuing that top-tier theme, Chrome OS and its associated Android apps from the Google Play Store are driven by an eighth-generation Intel Core i5-8250U Kaby Lake R processor with Intels HD Graphics 620. A generous 8GB DDR4 RAM backs that processor up and eMMC 5.1 solid-state storage coming in either a 64GB and 128GB option. 100GB of free Google Drive storage will be available on offer as well with activation and a micro SD card slot is included to give users even more space for their files, media, and apps. All of that hardware, in addition to the included standard backlit keyboard, is driven by a 56WHr battery that can last up to ten hours for the standard display or up to nine for the UHD variant.

Meanwhile, built-in ports include a 3.5mm headphone jack, single standard USB 3.0 plug, and USB Type-C port along the left-hand edge. The latter of those can be used for charging, connecting the Lenovo Yoga Chromebook to an external display, or data and file transfers. On the opposing side, a second USB Type-C port functions in exactly the same way. That means users will have plenty of options when it comes to moving files around between peripherals or completing similar tasks while simultaneously topping off the battery.
At Sonys press conference during IFA 2018 today, the electronics giant announced the pricing for two lines of TVs that were actually announced last month. Thats the A9F OLED TV, and the Z9F LED MASTER Series TVs. These are available for pre-sale now from Best Buy and Amazon in the US.

The A9F OLED TV is going to be available in 55-inch and 65-inch models for $4,499 and $5,499 respectively. Meanwhile, the Z9F will be available in larger 65-inch and 75-inch models for $4,499 and $6,999 respectively. These are the newest versions of Sonys high-end TVs and do incorporate Android TV, so youre going to have access to all of your favorite apps and games from Android  including YouTube, Netflix, HBO Go, and much more. The MASTER Series TVs also come with a Netflix Calibrated mode. So while you were already getting a really good picture out of Sonys TVs, now youre going to get an even better picture, particularly when it comes to Netflix. Sony has also included its latest image processor here, the Picture Processor X1 Ultimate. This is the brains behind the TV getting such a good picture on its panel.

These TVs from Sony also feature the Google Assistant, so you are able to control your smart home from your TV, as well as being able ask Google questions, use it to change channels and even the volume. It has become a pretty vital part of the Android TV experience. Speaking of Android TV, these only come with about 8GB of storage for Android TV apps, which isnt really a big deal for most people, since these apps dont take up a whole lot of space, though this isnt going to be a good Android TV for gaming  that is still reserved for the NVIDIA SHIELD TV. You can pick up the Sony A9F OLED and Z9F LED TVs from the links below.
Polisario officials are again involved in the embezzlement of the international aid initially intended for the Sahrawi population sequestered in the Tindouf camps. Products donated part of the assistance were actually found in display in Algerian markets.

The news was revealed Tuesday by the pro-Polisario website futurosahara.com.

According to the website, Gofio, a corn flour donated by Spanish NGOs, part of food assistance and widely consumed in the Tindouf camps, was sold in Algerian grocery stores, instead of being provided to the starving population of the Tindouf camps.

According to the media, while the foodstuff, intended to be distributed free of charge to the inhabitants of the camps, is out of stock in the Tindouf camps warehouses, large quantities were sold over-the-counter in Algerian grocery stores at the price tag of 250 Algerian dinars, ie 1.2 the kilogram.

The media added that some grocers have refused to let its journalists take pictures of the product, probably because they know that it is part of international aid that was diverted as usual by the Algerian and Polisario officials.

Moroccan news website Le360 confirmed this new scandal of misappropriation by the Polisario. It said it purchased the same product Wednesday morning at a grocery store in Nouakchott, more than 1,500 km away from Tindouf.

According to Le360, the commodity was sold as a contraband product and Mauritanian grocers remain elusive as to its origin, saying they acquired it from wholesalers in Zouerat, the northern Mauritanian town where many products stamped help Tindouf camps garnish the shelves of local shops.

In May this year, Mauritanian customs seized a large load of food smuggled out from the Tindouf camps. The foodstuffs were part of the European Unions donations to the Tindouf camps population.

The new scandal confirms again, if need be, the various international reports that documented the diversion of international aid by Polisario leaders, in connivance with Algerian officials.

The anti-fraud office of the European Union (OLAF) had conducted a very thorough investigation on the massive diversions of humanitarian aid and released in January 2015 a damning report documenting the involvement of the polisario and Algeria in these diversions.

OLAF had managed to track down the whole system put in place by the Polisario leaders with the complicity of Algerian officials, from the unloading of international humanitarian aid in the port of Oran until it is displayed for sale in markets in Algeria, Mauritania and even Mali.

The Polisario and Algeria exploit the populations sequestered in Tindouf by presenting them to the international community as Sahrawi refugees. They inflate their number disproportionately, claiming the camps are hosting 150,000 people while the number is 70,000 at the most, to get large amounts of humanitarian assistance. However, as revealed by several reports, more than 90% of the aid granted to the Tindouf camps populations for humanitarian reasons is diverted.

With this new scandal, the international community and NGOs are more than ever called to hold the Polisario and its Algerian mentors accountable for this outrageous instrumentalization of the Sahrawi population sequestered in Tindouf.
Cubas new ambassador to Morocco Elio Eduardo Rodriguez Perdomo said on Wednesday that his country and Morocco open up new era in their bilateral relations, stressing the two countries willingness to set a real political dialogue and mutually beneficial trade relations.

Rodriguez Perdomo made the remarks in Rabat following his meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives Habib El Malki. He hailed Moroccos support to the UN resolutions, calling for the lifting of the economic and financial embargo imposed on Cuba.

The Cuban government looks forward to enhancing its relations with Morocco in the socio-economic, political, cultural, academic, scientific and technical fields, added the diplomat who met earlier Moroccan foreign affairs minister Nasser Bourita.

Last April, King Mohammed VI sent a congratulation message to President Miguel Diaz-Canel following his election as Cubas leader, voicing Moroccos commitment to work together with Cuba in order to open a new page in their bilateral partnership based on mutual respect of the national values of the two countries.

In June 2017, King Mohammed VI has appointed Boughaleb El Attar as Moroccos first ambassador to Cuba in decades. The resumption of Moroccan-Cuban relations comes after the private visit paid by King Mohammed VI to this Latin American country. It was the monarchs first visit to Cuba since his enthronement in 1999 and the first ever made by a Moroccan king.

Since the 1960s, relations between the two countries soured as a result of Cubas backing to Algeria during the Morocco-Algeria military conflict of 1963. And in the 1970s, Havana declared its support to the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity, the Polisario separatists.

But things changed in 2017 when Rabat and Havana decided to resume diplomatic relations ending 37 years of severance. This decision dealt a hard blow to the Algerian-backed secessionist group thanks to the royal proactive diplomacy.
Architect and consultantDear Sirs,

I have been considering writing this letter for days. Ive never found being a Spanish national off-putting, but patriotism and sectarianism do bother me, wherever they come from. To me being a Catalan is about being part of a minority that sympathises with many other causes. Thats why I went out to vote on October 1 last year [the day of the referendum on independence]. I refuse to believe that a guilty verdict has already been reached for our political prisoners before the trial and that is why I thought I might pen this letter.

My daughters have learnt to read with concepts such as freedom and political prisoners, but also Long live Spain, Rajoy and Puigdemont graffitied on street walls. The trial that you must be readying in your chambers will affect their lives much more than we can anticipate today. I trust an improved, evolving justice system that reinvents itself thanks to the exemplary struggle of thousands of historic references which conquered rights that were only unimaginable a few years ago. But progress cannot come from the European Court of Human Rights alone; rather, it requires committed citizens who demand it on a daily basis. Conveying and communicating our concerns and views to those tasked with seeing the case is in our hands. I refuse to regard justice as an alien subject.

Due to my profession Im an urban planner I am forever subjected to the scrutiny and opinions of others and, although it can occasionally be exhausting, the time when experts authored their projects from an ivory office is over. If they work in isolation, architects and engineers can achieve nothing. I cant be bothered with snubs, bitter criticisms and sectarian views, but I do welcome debate and disagreement. To discuss, to opine and to put yourself in the others shoes are key to the success of any project. Many people have rushed to write to our political prisoners but my letter today is addressed to the judges who will see their case in autumn this year. My Lords and Ladies, I would like to put to you three issues for consideration.

First of all, there is the realisation that we cant have a trial until we have discussed a matter that reaches beyond the technicalities of law. Given the scale of the conflict, we deserve an in-depth debate with the Spanish, German, Belgian and Scottish judges whose interpretations of the criminal charges are so different. Resolving major issues without a multilateral debate goes against the European ideal. A summit that brings together judges and their counterparts from several countries, perhaps chaired by a university, is much needed. This would allow us who are no experts in the intricacies of criminal law to grasp what is being tried. By this I dont mean to suggest that you ought to adopt a more sympathetic or accommodating position. I am merely suggesting that you check your views against those of your European colleagues. We must be able to take the conflict beyond Catalonia and Spain and think about it on a universal level. I wont deny that it is a tall order for a country that wishes to preserve its unity, but the desire to hold a referendum must be legitimate across the world, even if only a minority requests it.

Secondly, the European ideal that gave us individuals with the moral stature of Simone Veil, herself a Holocaust victim, was based on the principle of protecting minorities. The trial of Catalonias political prisoners should determine what objective harm the defendants have caused and contrast that with the damage done by pre-trial detention and an eventual guilty verdict. We certainly dont know what might have happened if the Spanish government at the time had agreed to a legal referendum, so the conduct of its leaders should also be gauged with the same lack of bias. Some of the people responsible will be sitting in the dock, but what about the other side in the conflict? There is a huge risk that their sentences might turn out to be retribution. In contrast, a generous, sympathetic, measured outlook would allow you to weigh the facts in such a way that both sides have an equal share of the responsibility. History is mired with corrupt states who showed no mercy to the weak but, in the long run, only the social projects that condemn the abuse of power survive.

Lastly, what will your verdict resolve? Will it ensure that there are no further demands for a referendum? Will it teach Catalans a lesson or entice them with the project of a renewed justice that is sensitive to the demands of minorities? Will the confederacy of hotheads who have brought us here be held to account, including those who held office in Madrid? When did this conflict truly begin and who fired the first shot? Will the professional opinion of any judge who approved of the 1-O vote be allowed? Will discrepancy be permitted? Will they be given the benefit of the doubt and their charges reviewed with sufficient prudence? Will those of us who cast a ballot on October 1 be given a chance to be heard? Will the Spanish governments intransigence be condemned and future negotiation paths outlined?

My Lords and Ladies, this is a frank invitation to talk to you without red lines. I look forward to your reply. Most sincerely.
China and Afghanistan are working in close coordination on setting up a counter-terrorist mountain brigade in the northern Badakhshan region. According to a report of the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, China is to build its first military base in Afghanistan for hundreds of troops carrying out counter-terrorism training missions across the border from its western Xinjiang region.



In this picture from India's Wion News, a Chinese Norinco VP 11a mine resistant vehicle patrols in the Afghanistan-China border region. (Picture source Wion News)

Chinese military personnel wont be stationed at the Beijing-funded counter-terrorism camp being built in Afghanistan, the Afghan envoy to China, Janan Mosazai, said on Wednesday.

Rejecting the report as false and baseless, Mosazai said: The Chinese side is providing assistance to Afghanistan so that we can set up a mountain brigade in the north of Afghanistan in order to enhance our counter-terrorism operations in the region.

There will be no Chinese military personnel of any kind involved in Afghan soil, said mosazai. China also denied the report.

China wants to help Afghanistan to fight Islamic State Group in the country but also separatist militants from Xinjiang's Uighurs, fighting and training inside Afghanistan.

A Russian news agency reported earlier this year that Beijing would finance a new base in Badakhshan after the two countries agreed to cooperate on fighting terrorism. According the Military Times website, Chinese ground troops are operating inside Afghanistan, conducting joint counter-terror patrols with Afghan forces along a 50-mile stretch of their shared border. late last year, India's Wion News published photos claiming to show Chinese military armored vehicle VP11 MRAP in a region called Little Pamir, a barren plateau near the border.



Chinese-made VP11 MRAP 4x4 vehicle at AirShow China, November 2014 (Picture source Army Recognition)
Indonesian Defense Company PT Pindad has performed final firing tests with the Kaplan MT MMWT (Modern Medium Weight Tank) on Monday, August 28, 2018 jointly developed by the Turkish Company FNSS and PT Pindad from Indonesia at the Armys infantry education center in West Bandung regency in West Java.



Kaplan MT at the 72nd Anniversary of Indonesian National Armed Forces. (Picture source Wikipedia)

PT Pindad corporate secretary Tuning Rudyati said, the firing tests of the Kaplan MT were aimed to test the function of the 105-milimeter CT-CV turret system, designed and developed by the Belgian Company CMI Defence that incorporates an automatic loading system which contains 16 rounds in standard configuration and 12 rounds in air-deployable configuration.

A series of trial tests of the medium tank started in the middle of July 2018, such as landmine blasts, testing the tanks resistance to landmines and mobility tests.

PT Pindad president director Abraham Mose said, "The construction of the medium tank was a long-term program to apply the technology in weapons development toward weapon production independence". He added "Indonesian experts in PT Pindad had developed 100 percent of the software, while parts of the hardware were still imported".

The concept design of the MMWT has been completed and unveiled during Indo Defense 2016, International Tri-Service Defense Expo & Forum in November 2016 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The joint development of Medium weight tank design architecture includes advanced ballistic and mine protection systems with broad range of fire power from close support of infantry to anti-armor.

First prototype of the Kaplan MMWT (Modern Medium Weight Tank) was unveiled by the Turkish Company FNSS in May 2017 during IDEF, International Defense Industry Fair in Turkey.

The internal layout of the vehicle was carefully engineered by taking into account the ergonomics of the crew and the different tactical and battlefield conditions, including driving, firing and ammunition loading and unloading. Special type of driver seat enables the operator to have adequate field of view, and to access all cabin equipment. The KAPLAN MT is also equipped with a battlefield management system and laser warning system that provides tactical awareness to the vehicle commander.

With high-end mine and ballistic protection for its class, the KAPLAN MMWT provides adequate firepower against battlefield threats with great speed of response and within a short period of time. This, in turn, ensures superior survivability and mobility on the battlefield.



Kaplan MT Medium Tank prototype was unveiled at IDEF defense exhibition in May 2017.
Amid the outbreak of cholera in neighboring Algeria, the Moroccan government reassures that it has taken measures to keep the country free of the disease.

With the last case registered in 1997, Morocco adopted a raft of precautionary measures with a view to preventing the disease, the health ministry said.

The ministry also denied the rumors on social media of the presence of cholera cases in the country.

Neighboring Algeria was hit by a cholera outbreak that has cost at least two lives and affected some 60 people.

The outbreak of the contagious disease in Algeria was blamed on dirty waters but observers are pointing to a failing health system.
Hunters and other recreational gun users are asking Colorado Parks and Wildlife to reopen the shooting range near Basalt as quickly as possible so that they can begin practicing and sighting their rifles in time for hunting season.
Morocco and the United States are committed to fighting terrorism, Ambassador Nathan Sales, U.S. Coordinator for Counterterrorism, said Thursday in Rabat.

The commitment shared by the government of Morocco and the United States to fight and defeat terrorists is at the heart of a strong Moroccan-American partnership, Sales pointed out at a press briefing following talks with Moroccos Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita.

Terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaida continue to threaten and unite us in our determination to fight this scourge, he was quoted by the Moroccan news agency MAP as saying.

The U.S. official who described his talks with Bourita as productive, praised the excellent friendly relations between Morocco and the United States and the two states alliance to fight terrorism at the bilateral level and also in the framework of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), co-chaired by Morocco and the Netherlands.

Sales also expressed Washingtons wish to step up this cooperation further in the future.

At the regional level, the development of counterterrorism capabilities and cooperation in the Maghreb and Sahel regions is at the heart of Moroccan-American partnership in this area, with a view to strengthening security and stability in the region, said Ambassador Nathan Sales who has just visited Tunisia and Algeria part of a Maghreb tour August 26-30.

At the multilateral level, the two countries are cooperating more intensively, notably within the framework of the GCTF, under whose auspices Morocco is jointly leading three initiatives, on border security, the fight against homegrown terrorism and the Initiative on improving capabilities for detecting and interdicting terrorist travel through enhanced terrorist screening and information sharing, MAP noted.

This last initiative, which is scheduled to be launched in New York on September 27, is in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2396 that deals with the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters, especially those returning from conflict zones.
The United States and Mexico renegotiated the terms of their free trade agreement, President Donald Trump announced this week, replacing NAFTA with something he dubbed the U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement. Here are the facts you need to know.

Why did the U.S. negotiate a new trade agreement with Mexico?

President Trump promised to renegotiate NAFTA during the 2016 presidential campaign, seeking more favorable terms for the U.S. auto industry and manufacturing sector. As of this writing, Canada has not agreed to the terms of the free trade agreement (FTA). Trump has renamed NAFTA  which he says has a negative connotation  the U.S.-Mexico Trade Agreement.

What are the main differences between this agreement and NAFTA?

First, as of this time the trade agreement is lacking both Canada and the word free.

The most consequential differences are designed to enhance U.S. manufacturing.

The agreement increases the mandatory amount of auto content that has to be made in the NAFTA region (or, as this agreement stands, the U.S. and Mexico), from 62.5 percent to 75 percent. That could nudge some auto manufacturing plants to relocate from China to Mexico, an unnamed White House official told Reuters.

The agreement also requires that 40 to 45 percent of all auto content be made by workers earning at least $16 (U.S.) an hour. Thats three-times as much as Mexicos minimum wage of 88 pesos.

If passed, the agreement would also grant labor unions greater freedom to organize in Mexico.

What are the good aspects of the proposed agreement?

There are a number of positive improvements over NAFTA, which was negotiated in 1994.

Agriculture: The new agreement eliminates subsidies for agricultural goods that the signatory nations sell to each other and explicitly includes genetically modified foods. (The text covers all biotechnologies, including new technologies such as gene editing, a government fact sheet states.)

Intellectual property: It cracks down on the sale of suspected pirated or counterfeit goods and movies  including efforts directed against state-owned businesses.

Finance: The new FTA would remove restrictions on U.S. financial service providers, causing Mexico to treat them the same as domestic ones.

Technology: The new agreement makes it easier to store and trade data, including e-books and music, online. It also eases online transactions and enhances privacy safeguards, including for privacy and unsolicited communications. U.S. banks have sought reforms in this sector for some time.

Small business: The agreement doubles the de minimis shipment value that a U.S. firm can ship tariff- and custom-free to Mexico, from $50 to $100 (U.S.). Increasing the de minimis level with a key trading partner like Mexico is a critical outcome for United States small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), a government fact sheet states. These SMEs often lack resources to pay customs duties and taxes, and bear the increased compliance costs that low, trade-restrictive de minimis levels place on lower-value shipments, which SMEs often have due to their smaller trade volumes. This reduces the cost of trade to SMEs and increases the funds available for commerce and investment.

What are the potential pitfalls of this agreement?

The new auto requirements will increase production costs and, thus, the cost of automobiles. The U.S. Trade Representative acknowledges its goal is to drive higher wages by requiring that 40-45 percent of auto content be made by workers earning at least $16 USD per hour. (Emphasis added.) The content requirements will also raise the cost of auto parts, which can be manufactured for less money outside the NAFTA area.

Some accounts of the trade agreement report that it allows the U.S. to charge higher tariffs on cars built in new factories built in Mexico. This, and raising the cost of labor in Mexico, may draw Mexican manufacturers back to the U.S.

These steps may create higher wages and more jobs in one niche of the economy: the U.S. auto and manufacturing sector. However, they will come at the expense of everyone purchasing a vehicle.

The bottom line here is the agreement would increase production costs, and that would increase costs for consumers, Michelle Casario, an assistant professor of economics at Villanova University, told CBS News.

The burden will fall disproportionately on the poor, who will be priced out of the market for a new car. However, since demand for used cars will increase, so will their price tag.

Did NAFTA undermine U.S. manufacturing?

The total number of Americans that worked in manufacturing actually increased slightly between 1993 and 2000, when China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO). Fewer Americans worked in manufacturing in 2010 than at any time in the postwar era.

If ratified, how long will this agreement last?

The Trump administration wanted a sunset clause, causing the treaty to be renegotiated automatically after a defined period. Instead, the treaty will be reviewed every six years. If the parties cannot agree to maintain the agreement, the FTA will expire 10 years after that date. So, the shortest period of time it could hold would be 16 years.

Will Canada join this agreement?

Canada has until Friday to sign onto the agreement. While the governments indications have largely been positive, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also said, No deal is better than a bad deal.

What happens to Canada if it does not sign on?

If we cant get a good strong fair deal with Canada  the U.S. might have to resort to auto tariffs against our northern neighbor, economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Monday. Those tariffs could reach as high as 25 percent, significantly raising the prices of vehicles imported from Canada.

Some speculate that Canadian abstention could thwart the agreement on procedural grounds. Congress could argue that a bilateral free-trade agreement deal violates the Trade Promotion Authority it granted Trump to renegotiate NAFTA, a trilateral FTA.

What happens to the United States if the agreement falls through?

Estimated job losses have ranged from 300,000 if NAFTA is revoked without a replacement, to 1.8 million, if former trade partners place tariffs on U.S. goods. However, those estimates forecast the complete repeal of NAFTA, not a new FTA involving two of the members. U.S.-Mexico trade totaled an estimated $615.9 billion in 2017.

What happens next?

Canada responds. Donald Trump appears to be content with the concessions he has won from allies in NAFTA, as well as the EU. He appears to want to put the trade war in the past, so the West can present a united front when it confronts China over its trade practices.

Why should Christians care?

Christians should wish for their societies, and those of our allies, to enjoy thriving economies that achieve maximum productivity and employment. Reducing trade barriers and granting greater access to markets across-the-board facilitates this goal and lowers prices, easing the burden on those who are less well-off. Finally, a robust trade agreement helps solidify good international relations, helping all people to live in peace and prosperity.

(Photo credit: Public domain.)
The population of the Moroccan southern provinces benefits from the fisheries and farm incomes reaped from the related agreements concluded between Morocco and the European Union.

This was highlighted during a debate on the renewal of the farm agreement between the European Union (EU) and Morocco that took place Tuesday at the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Trade (INTA), in the presence of European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, Pierre Moscovici.

Commissioner Moscovici noted during the exchange of views that the text meets three objectives. These are, he said, the obligation to comply with the judgment of the European Court of Justice of December 2016; the ambition to support local development by allocating tariff preferences to products originating from the region; and the imperative not to interfere with the ongoing UN-sponsored political settlement process of the Sahara issue.

The European Commissioner insisted that this issue falls under the exclusive responsibility of the UN, and that the EU can only support this process by refraining from interfering.

He pointed out that throughout the consultation process, conducted in a broad and inclusive manner with all the stakeholders concerned by the renewal of the agreement, the European Commission had endeavored to avoid any interpretation that would amount to a change in the European Unions position or opinion on this issue.

We have adopted a neutral and depoliticized approach, he stressed, calling on MEPs to take the same track.

You are not being asked to comment on the final status of the Sahara. What is called for is the creation of a legal basis to grant tariff preferences to products from the Sahara for the benefit of the population of the Sahara, the European Commissioner told the INTA Committee members.

These tariff preferences would contribute to the socio-economic development of the region and hence to its stability. The agreement should significantly benefit the regions economy with expected positive impact in the main sectors of activity, namely agriculture, fisheries and potentially phosphates, he stated further.

The European Commissioner noted that 45,000 local jobs depend directly or indirectly on the fisheries sector and that 14,000 jobs depend directly on farming.

For the local economy, these figures show the positive economic impact of European trade cooperation on the region and this should not be underestimated, he noted.

He insisted that refusing to grant tariff preferences to products from the region would significantly compromise the regions exports and would have an extremely negative impact on the population.

In this context, the European Commissioner recalled that the agreement provides for a monitoring mechanism that will regularly assess the benefits derived by the region population.

The European Union will continue to monitor the impact and usefulness of these agreements on the population and on local development, he underlined, recalling that the INTA Committee delegation, which will visit Morocco early September, will have the opportunity to see on the ground the impact and benefits of the agreements on the population and on local development.

Chairman of the EU-Morocco friendship group, Gilles Pargneaux, said during the debate that in the absence of tariff preferences, exports from the region to Europe will be heavily impacted, which would directly penalize the economy and local population.

He noted that trade with the EU is one of the levers that has enabled the incredible development of cities like Laayoune, Dakhla or Boujdour.
Global law firms have taken the lead as legal advisers in the just-announced merger between Vodafone Hutchison Australia and TPG Telecom.

Norton Rose Fulbright (NRF) is advising Vodafone, while Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) is acting for TPG. The deal is one of the largest M&A transitions in the history of Australian telecommunications.

The combined entity will create a fully integrated telecoms operator in Australia with more power to challenge major incumbents. The resulting company  touted to be better able to invest and drive innovation and competition  will have a pro forma enterprise value of about $15bn.
I applied for Australia Visitor visa with Tourist Visa stream and i got granted Visitor visa with Business Visa Stream. Is it ok to enter Australia as a Tourist with Business Visa and without any invitation letter?
So, 2 men who participated in a recent race in Shanghai have been charged with and found guilty of fraud, NDTV reports, citing the state-run Legal Daily. Gong and Zhang have admitted to their wrongdoing and have already returned the money they won in prizes, which is the only thing that kept them from doing time behind bars.Desperate to win the race, the 2 men decided to put their birds in milk cartons and have them travel by bullet train to the destination, instead of, you know, actually flying there. The one thing they didnt consider was that getting to Shanghai by bullet train was faster than having the birds fly there, and this is why organizers became suspicious.Otherwise, they planned their crime in advance. They raised their birds at 2 feeding stations, in Henan and Shanghai, to help them become accustomed to these locations. They were supposed to fly from Henan to Shanghai, over a distance of about 750 kilometres (450 miles).When the race started, the 2 handed their birds to organizers in Henan, who set them free. Instead of flying to Shanghai, though, they went to another feeding point in the province, where they were neatly packed inside milk cartons. The men boarded the train with the cartons.When the train arrived in Shanghai, the men set the birds free, just in time to fly to the finish line. Together, they won the first 4 top prizes, totaling more than 1 million yuan ($150,000).The men were fined for cheating and for breaking the competition rule of using older pigeons than 1 year. If they commit any other crime, they go to prison for fraud, but otherwise, theyre looking at 4 years on probation.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) has asked for a review of FAA enforcement of rules regarding instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) such as aircraft maintenance manuals. In a comment filed with the U.S. Small Business Administration National Ombudsmans office, ARSA stated that it believes the FAA strictly enforces the requirement that repair stations possess maintenance manuals but does not enforce rules requiring design approval holders to make manuals available.

ARSA claims that the FAAs current enforcement practices are creating administrative and financial burdens for small businesses. ARSA has attempted to work with the FAA for more than three decades to bring consistency to the agencys application of its ICA rules, said ARSA Executive Director Sarah MacLeod. Unfortunately, our concerns have failed to illicit serious consideration or any discernible action.

The Office of the National Ombudsman has no authority to make policy changes. It was established by Congress in 1996 to assist small businesses experiencing excessive or unfair federal regulatory enforcement actions and to act as an impartial liaison between those businesses and regulatory agencies. ARSA also requested that its comment (PDF) be sent to the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Image: NTSB

Robert Sumwalt, chair of the NTSB, posted a blog online this week critical of the FAAs lack of action in the wake of a 2016 balloon crashthatwas the deadliest in U.S. history. Sixteen people, including the pilot, died when the hot-air balloon hit powerlines in Lockhart, Texas, while the pilot was attempting to land in poor visibility conditions. In its probable-cause report on the accident, the NTSB cited the pilots medical issues and use of medications as contributing factors, and also recommended the FAA should change its policy that exempts commercial balloon pilots from needing a medical certificate. Two years after the Lockhart tragedy, and nearly 10 months after we issued this recommendation, Sumwalt wrote, we still havent received any indication that the FAA plans to require commercial balloon pilots to hold valid medical certificates. The FAA should act. The victims of this horrible accident and their families deserve nothing less, and future balloon passengers deserve better. FAA spokesman Jim Peters told AVweb on Wednesday, The Administrator [Acting Administrator Dan Elwell] is currently reviewing a further response to the [NTSB] recommendation.

Peters also cited a response to the NTSB, sent by the FAA in December 2017, which says two teams of subject matter experts, from the FAAs Airmen Training and Certification Branch and its General Aviation Operations Branch, would review the safety boards recommendations and provide an update by this month. If the two teams come to the conclusion not to adopt one or both safety recommendations (or an alternative), we will provide a clear explanation of the rationale behind our decision, the FAA told the NTSB. The Statesman news site, based in Austin, Texas, noted in a story this week that a congressman from Austin won passage of an amendment to the FAA bill last week in the U.S. House that would require balloon operators to obtain a medical certificate. That bill has not yet come to the floor and is not expected to be voted on until after the November elections.
French President Emmanuel Macron responded to attacks Wednesday from Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the right-wing, populist leaders who met Tuesday to discuss a migration plan to present to the EU, reports Bloomberg.

"I wont retreat in front of the nationalists and those preaching hatred. If they want to see me as their main opponent, theyre right."

 Emmanuel Macron

The big picture: Salvini attacks Macron almost on a daily basis because of his inclusive stance on migration, per Politico, which has become a source of strife between the EU establishment and populist governments all over Europe. In his meeting with Orban, Salvini confirmed that he is seeking to form a populist alliance with the Hungarian leader ahead of the 2019 European parliamentary elections.
The death toll of the governments repression in Nicaragua has now reached more than 300, with many more in prison on charges of terrorism. Protestors and the government remain at a standoff as critics flee to Costa Rica for fear of reprisal.

The big picture: Like many political crises, the build-up to deadlock and death in Nicaragua was long-coming and obvious, even if what sparked it came as a surprise. Since President Daniel Ortega's return to national office in 2006  the former guerrilla leader first came to power in 1979 during the Sandinista Revolution, but was voted out in 1990  he has systematically tightened his grip over the state.

The background: Ortega paved his way back to power from the opposition after making a pact with the outgoing conservative president Arnoldo Aleman in 1990 that allowed for a presidential victory with only a plurality of the vote, eliminated third-party opposition and gave both Ortega and Aleman senate seats (and the latter immunity from prosecution for corruption). After his 2006 election, Ortega has both indirectly and directly packed the Supreme Court, placed the electoral commission firmly under his control, stacked the congress, and politicized the military and police forces. His control over the state led to re-election in 2016, this time with his wife Rosario Murillo as vice president in a flagrantly unfair vote.

Despite this slow power consolidation, though, there was no clear inflection point. Beaten down by the creeping control of the Ortega regime over state policy, Nicaraguan citizens remained largely subdued. At the same time, the one-time ally of the Soviet Union and bete noire of the Reagan administration learned from past mistakes from the 1980s and quietly co-opted Nicaraguas small, incestuous business community.

Whether in East Germany or Czechoslovakia in 1989 or Tunisia in 2010, its hard to predict when popular anger against autocracy will reach a turning point. In Ortega's case, it was the governments decision  later retracted  to raise social security contributions and reduce benefits, which sparked a wave protests that quickly spread to other citizen discontents. The Ortega regime responded first by unleashing its police forces against the protesters and later by creating paramilitary groups to do the government's dirty work.

What's next: Previous mediators such as the Catholic Church have pulled out after the Ortega government attacked a sanctuary in pursuit of student protestors. Ortega and his wife are hobbled. The question is how the domestic actors and international groups can win a peaceful negotiated transition. Right now, theres no clear path forward.

Christopher Sabatini is an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, executive director of Global Americans and a non-resident fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute.
1. The comment section is for discussion. Opinions are welcome. Personal attacks, trolling, name-calling and/ or bigotry will not be tolerated.



2. Posts containing links may be moderated. This blog does not accept paid advertisements and will not entertain free ones either.

3. Kindly stay on topic. Say what you think and refrain from telling others what they think.



4. Violators will be warned, deleted, and/ or banned at sole discretion of the moderator.


The UN Human Rights Office accused the Nicaraguan government of violating international and human rights laws in a scathing report published on Wednesday. After massive street protests shook the foundations of President Daniel Ortegas authoritarian regime in April, police and armed parapolice groups cracked down with disproportionate force, including extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, sexual violence and torture.

Why it matters: The UN says that Nicaraguas political crisis has left at least 300 dead and 2,000 injured, among a population roughly equal to that of the D.C. metro area. U.S. and Latin American diplomats worry that the instability could spawn a refugee crisis and create a power vacuum that might be filled by transnational organized crime groups.

Ortega, whose government dismissed the UN report in an official response, says that his country is doing perfectly fine. After repressing peaceful protests in April and May, police and armed shock troops conducted a cleanup operation during which they violently removed the barricades and roadblocks erected by protestors across the country. By July, Ortega started claiming victory over terrorists and coup-plotters and told foreign media that the countrys normalization was proceeding apace.

By contrast, the UN report shows that the situation in Nicaragua is anything but normal. Most of the deaths occurred during the cleanup between April and July. However, the government continues to employ myriad forms of persecution and retaliation in order to silence dissent. Hundreds of Nicaraguans have received terrorism charges and been detained without due process. The systematic persecution of dissidents compounded by pro-government intimidation has resulted in "a climate of widespread terror, frustration and despair." Unsurprisingly, the report also notes an exponential increase in Nicaraguan asylum seekers abroad.

What's next: The UN Human Rights Office has called on the Ortega regime to cease the repression and disband the parapolice forces. More notably, it has urged the UN Human Rights Council to consider creating an independent probe into the matter. Such an extraordinary step, if taken, would elevate the crisis in Nicaragua to the same symbolic level as other, more well-known cases  such as Syria's and Gaza's  that have recently been the subject of UN inquiries. Talks between the government and opposition groups have stalled, but increased international scrutiny and diplomatic isolation could help push Ortega back to the negotiating table.

Mateo Jarquin is a doctoral candidate in the department of history at Harvard University.
A spokesperson from Myanmar's presidential office rejected a UN fact-finding report issued on Monday, which found evidence for the militarys involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity targeting the country's Rohingya Muslim minority population, more than 700,000 of whom have fled to Bangladesh. The commission also established the militarys culpability for war crimes against minorities in conflicts in northern Kachin and Shan states.

The big picture: The countrys numerous ongoing conflicts have allowed the military to retain the upper hand over the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi, whom the international community has isolated for her failure to end the violence. Myanmar now faces a stark choice between diverging paths: Protracted conflicts, some unresolved since independence in 1948, could spell a war-torn nation resembling Syria or Afghanistan, where civil wars have undermined civilian governance and empowered hardliners. Alternatively, Myanmar could follow in the footsteps of Indonesia, where the military gradually, albeit partially, withdrew from politics, allowing the civilian government to resolve disputes with regional separatists.

It's also possible, and perhaps even more likely, that Myanmar will find itself in an uncomfortable middle ground resembling that of Pakistan, where the military dominates politics and perpetuates a state of conflict along the northwest border with Afghanistan to preserve its central role. Along similar lines is Thailands political model, where recurring coups have led to a military-dominated, semi-civilian polity that bars competitive elections.

The bottom line: War will only perpetuate Myanmars ostracism and poverty. To reestablish peace and stability in the country, the international community should urge renewed dialogue between its military and civilian governments, which now find their interests aligning as domestic and international pressures force them to double down on their hardened stance on the Rakhine State crisis. International actors should also advocate policy solutions that draw on precedents such as those from Indonesia and Colombia, whose governments signed peace deals ending decades-old insurgencies.

Hunter Marston is a Myanmar analyst and a Robert J. Myers Fellow with the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs.
Panasonic will move its European headquarters from London to Amsterdam in October because of tax issues related to Brexit, reports Nikkei Asian Review.

The big picture: The U.K. has said it will lower its 20% corporate tax rate following its departure from the EU to retain and attract businesses, but Panasonic fears that this could cause the country to be labeled as a "tax haven" by Japan  which would result in multinationals being taxed more heavily at home.
President Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani was paid by Freeh Group International Solutions, a global consulting firm, to write a letter to the president of Romania in which he criticized the government's anti-corruption agency for its "excesses," reports Politico.

The details: Giuliani, who has continued to represent foreign clients while working for the president, wrote that Romania's National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) had gone too far in its operations by violating certain rights under the pretext of law enforcement. According to Politico, Giuliani's letter is at odds with the position of the State Department, which has been supportive of Romania's efforts to root out corruption.
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are both hitting the road with multi-country visits to Africa this week. Next week, Chinese President Xi Jinping will preside over a yearly China-Africa forum that brings representative from 53 of 54 African nations (all but Swaziland) to Beijing.

Why it matters: Africa is set to be the fastest growing region in the world economically over the coming decades. But the approach of the U.K., Germany, and China in the region also reveal interesting details about their broader global concerns and who, ultimately, is poised to prevail.

The U.K. is going global, alone: On Tuesday, May arrived in South Africa for her first ever trip to the continent as prime minister.

The purpose of the visit, which will also see her stop in Nigeria and Kenya (where no British prime minister has made an official visit in 30 years) is to solidify British commercial ties in Africa as part of a broader post-Brexit Global Britain plan. In a word, the UK is looking for new friends, economically.

Skeptics back home have pointed out that, collectively, the economies of Mays three stops are smaller than the Netherlands. Its hard to see Africa making a big dent in Britains post-Brexit economic blues.

Germany is looking for a quick fix to a long-term challenge: Merkel starts her own three-day visit to the continent today, with will include stops in Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana.

Her main aim is to negotiate the return of some of the 14,000 migrants from these three countries that currently reside in Germany without approval. Merkel, once the EUs standard bearer in promoting development and investment to deal with the drivers of mass migration from Africa, has been forced onto the back foot by political forces in Germany and the EU.

China, A Grand Strategy: Then there is President Xi. Fresh off a trip to Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa, and Mauritius last month, the Chinese leader is now preparing for the opening of the annual Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing next week.

In recent years, Chinese trade with region has ballooned  hitting $170 billion last year, four times larger than that between the U.S. and Africa.

Initially reliant on Africa for commodities exports, China has since expanded its investments into sectors such as construction and telecommunications. Despite some recent pushback, it has built ports, laid down miles of new railways, and established a bigger military foothold.

The bottom line: As Africas global economic and strategic footprint continue to grow, more countries will be eager to court new opportunities there. The latest diplomatic flurry suggest that China, with its steady hand and long-term thinking, will continue to overshadow other contenders across the continent.

Sign up for Signal, a thrice-weekly newsletter from GZERO Media, a Eurasia Group company.
Press reports this week have suggested the Trump Administration is preparing to take some action, potentially including defunding, against the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the much-maligned organization created in 1949 to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees. UN Ambassador Nikki Haley agreed on Tuesday that Palestinian refugees right of return  a demand critical to Palestinians and anathema to Israel  ought to be off the table.

The big picture: The administration may be ramping up pressure on the Palestinians ahead of rolling out Trumps peace plan  his so-called Ultimate Deal. But criticism of UNRWA  an object of derision for Jared Kushner and other members of Trumps peace team might instead be part of a campaign to completely reset U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Indeed, the administration has long demonstrated a pattern of walking back  even disassociating  the U.S. from its past adherence to a two-state solution, and has sought to align its position more closely with the views of the Israeli Government and domestic constituencies. Beyond refugees and the right of return (which previous administrations steered clear of), two other tenets of the U.S. posture have been fundamentally recast:

Two-state solution: Trump has refused to endorse the idea, let alone base it on June 1967 lines, even with substantial territorial modifications. The administrations use of the term Palestinian state has been grudging and qualified at best. Instead, the administration appears to favor some kind of Palestinian statelet, with Israel retaining large portions of the West Bank. Jerusalem: Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital and decision to open a U.S. embassy there was a major reframing of the traditional U.S. policy premised on Jerusalem as the undivided capital of two states, not one. In announcing this decision, the administration did also call for negotiation on the citys borders and sovereignty. But theres no indication that Washington, much less Israel, is prepared to support east Jerusalem hosting a real Palestinian capital, with Palestinian control over parts of the Old City and Palestinian neighborhoods.

The bottom line: Taken together, the administrations recent actions reflect an intent to redefine the parameters of U.S. policy in a way that will virtually assure rejection by Palestinians and key Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, thereby relieving pressure on Israel. This redefinition comes at a time when the chances of a serious two-state negotiation are already minuscule.

Yes, but: Perhaps thats the point. After all, Kushner has often said that nothing has worked before. So with little hope of launching serious negotiations, why not shake things up? But whatever the administration believes such a shake-up will achieve, its hard to imagine that either peace or security for Israelis or Palestinians is among them.

Aaron David Miller is vice president for new initiatives and director of the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center and a former Middle East analyst and negotiator at the State Department.
President Trump's hard-ball, America-First negotiating tactics may produce a new agreement on NAFTA as early as Friday, but history suggests he could be creating bad blood against the U.S. for years or longer.

The bottom line: Hard-ball is a negotiating tactic with usually limited results  you win applause at home, but at the receiving end, no one is laughing. "Playing a game in which the other side looks like a loser makes potential partners less likely to subject themselves to the same fate," said Richard Fontaine, president of the Center for a New American Security.

Fontaine added: "Its also unnecessary: Trade is the quintessential win-win activity  transactions only take place, after all, if both sides believe they will gain."

What they're saying: Over the centuries, arm-twisting and coerced deals have often come back to haunt the bully involved, experts say.

Beijing treats the 19th century Opium Wars , in which Britain and France forced China to open to trade under humiliating terms, as though they were yesterday.

, in which Britain and France forced China to open to trade under humiliating terms, as though they were yesterday. Hitler arose after the crushing terms ending World War I: "[T]he mother of all unequal treaties was the Treaty of Versailles, and we know what happened to that," said Gary Hufbauer, of the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

"[T]he mother of all unequal treaties was the Treaty of Versailles, and we know what happened to that," said Gary Hufbauer, of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. "British and French agreements' with their colonies were generally rejected soon after independence."

The big picture: On Monday, Trump announced an apparent coup, saying he had pried Mexico away from Canada and reached a handshake agreement on a new NAFTA formulation comprised almost totally of concessions by Mexico. Until then, Canadian and Mexican leaders had insisted that no deal with Trump was possible unless it was trilateral.

Then Trump gave Canada an ultimatum: Sign the agreement by Friday, with whatever tweaks it could muster with the White House, or Trump would complete the deal with Mexico and without Canada. Oh, and, after that, he would levy tariffs on Canadian-made cars.

Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland cut short a European trip yesterday and flew into Washington, DC. In remarks this afternoon, both Freeland and Trump suggested a deal was possible.

yesterday and flew into Washington, DC. In remarks this afternoon, both Freeland and Trump suggested a deal was possible. If a deal is struck and g ets its necessary legislative approvals in the three capitals , that would be Trump's second coup in a week.

g in the three capitals that would be Trump's second coup in a week. The reshaping of the deal would provide Trump with hefty bragging rights going into the November midterms, given his frequent vows during the 2016 campaign to redo or kill NAFTA.

Next, though he may not act until after the midterms, Trump is likely to tighten the screws on China.

A new trade agreement with Beijing could take a lot longer  last week, experts told Axios that the U.S.-China trade war could last a year or beyond.

Unlike Canada and Mexico, China is not an economic small fry , and leader Xi Jinping has the advantage of a hold on North Korea, with which Trump desperately wants an agreement on nuclear arms.

, and leader Xi Jinping has the advantage of a hold on North Korea, with which Trump desperately wants an agreement on nuclear arms. Xi "doesnt want a fight, " Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, tells Axios. "They were offering to increase purchases of U.S. goods before. Theyre almost certain to put more on the table going forward."

" Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, tells Axios. "They were offering to increase purchases of U.S. goods before. Theyre almost certain to put more on the table going forward." Yet the betting remains that China will be a tough nut to crack.

"There are already repercussions from Trump's aggressive negotiating stance," Douglas Irwin, an economic historian at Dartmouth College, tells Axios.
In a series of tweets Wednesday, President Trump said there was "no reason at this time" to participate in joint "war games" with South Korea and Japan, maintaining that his relationship with Kim Jong-un is still "a very good and warm one."

Why it matters: Despite the administration's frustration with the denuclearization process with North Korea, Trump is standing by his decision to pull out of the military exercises, which he characterized as "provocative" in June. His tweets also clarify any confusion after Defense Secretary James Mattis suggested Tuesday that joint military exercises could be back on the table.

Trump also suggested that the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and Beijing had affected the negotiations with Pyongyang, and blamed China for providing North Korea with aid and other goods. However, Trump added that he believes the issues with China will be resolved in time, noting his "very strong" bond with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Timing: This comes after the president canceled Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's trip to Pyongyang, tweeting last week that he feels the U.S. is "not making sufficient progress with respect to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

The tweets:

"STATEMENT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government. At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with...considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful! Nonetheless, the President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts...

...of money on joint U.S.-South Korea war games. Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before. As for the U.S.China trade disputes, and other...differences, they will be resolved in time by President Trump and Chinas great President Xi Jinping. Their relationship and bond remain very strong."
In an interview with Bloomberg, President Trump threatened to pull out of the World Trade Organization "if they don't shape up" and give the United States better treatment.

The big picture: Trump has previously said he was not actively looking to pull out of the WTO, but has lobbied for better treatment of the United States in the past. Axios previously reported that Trump had been privately saying he wanted to withdraw from the WTO and later obtained a draft of a bill declaring the U.S.' abandonment of fundamental WTO rules.
At least 1,061 civilians have been killed by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since August 2014 during the fight against ISIS, the coalition reported on Thursday.

The big picture: There are still 216 uncompleted civilian casualty reports that have been received by the coalition, meaning the real count may be higher.
Warren hasnt announced anything, of course, but it certainly looks like shes setting up a presidential run. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

Elizabeth Warrens had a deceptively busy last few weeks. She dropped one long-shot policy proposal that would try to remake corporate America, then another that aims to actually drain the Washington swamp. She put restrictions on her own fundraising practices and opened her financial books, and bid two staffers farewell as they shipped up to new jobs in New Hampshire.

Lets play a game of connect the dots.

Alone, each dot can be read as an incremental, progressive political move. The overall picture, however, is yet more evidence that the Massachusetts senator is prepping for a 2020 presidential run  and moving significantly more aggressively than is widely recognized, by pundits and her potential opponents alike.

The late summer series of public-facing maneuvers comes with the 2020 race set to hit center stage in fewer than 70 days, as soon as the midterms pass. Warrens fellow top-tier Democratic primary contenders Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are both planning to make politically resonant Labor Day appearances  Biden in Pittsburgh and Sanders in Manchester, New Hampshire  and her fellow Massachusetts hopeful, former governor Deval Patrick, on Wednesday launched a PAC intended to help him back allied candidates around the country.

But the potential front-runners moves stand out largely because they break beyond the serious groundwork shes already laid  from raising gobs of campaign cash and ordering up waves of self-research to strengthening her ties to party power brokers and working to minimize her vulnerability on the touchy issue of her disputed Native American ancestry  further muscling her ahead of the rest of the potential field in terms of political preparation. The effort has also opened Warren to months of extra scrutiny from Republicans eager to define her for American voters before a potential general election matchup against Donald Trump, who used his Pocahontas nickname for her yet again in passing during a speech in Ohio last week.

I would put her in the category of a few candidates  people who are, without running, doing whatever they can to be running in practical terms, said leading party strategist Dan Kanninen, a Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaign veteran. This last two weeks may put her at the front of that pack.

The new push began in earnest two weeks back, when Warren announced new corporate accountability legislation  which would force large companies to consider stakeholders in top-level decisions, limit execs ability to sell their shares, and require the organizations to get shareholder and board approval for political spending  to some fanfare. One week later, she summoned the Washington media to the National Press Club for the unveiling of another bill, which she called the most ambitious anti-corruption legislation proposed in Congress since Watergate, proposing to ban members of Congress, the Cabinet, and the federal judiciary from owning or trading individual stocks; to ban foreign lobbying and lobbyist donations to campaigns; and to prohibit former members of Congress, ex-presidents and onetime agency heads from lobbying themselves.

Warren knows neither proposal is likely to become law anytime soon, but each could easily help form the backbone of an eventual nationwide platform, and introducing them to the partys national conversation early effectively grants Warren ownership of the ideas, which other potential White House contenders may eventually embrace. Her timing could hardly have been luckier: Just hours after she was done explaining her corruption legislation, Donald Trumps former attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance law violations and tax fraud, implicating the president; former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted in his financial fraud trial; and Congressman Duncan Hunter was indicted for his own alleged improper use of campaign funds.

Yet it was a little-noticed passage of her reveal that may have presented the clearest signs that shes stepping toward a run. Warren  who is up for re-election in November, but who is unlikely to face anything close to a real challenge  publicly said for the first time that she has now formally stopped taking not just corporate political action committee money  as other likely 2020 contenders and down-ballot candidates have done  but all PAC money, as well as funds from federal lobbyists. (This is a new policy for her.) Two days later, she pushed on, complying with one of her new proposals by publishing her tax returns  ten years worth  a move that provides a clear contrast with Trump, whose taxes remain shrouded in mystery, and also with Sanders, whose own tax returns were briefly a point of contention during 2016s primary fight.

Warrens recent moves havent been restricted to Washington. While the senator continues avoiding trips to the important presidential nominating states of New Hampshire and Iowa, turning down repeated invitations, according to local officials, two of her aides in recent weeks decamped to New Hampshire for new jobs with the states Democratic Party committee  one as its new communications director, and another as its political director. Its a classic move for potential presidential hopefuls whose staffers are eager for face time and connections in early-voting states. If she decided to run in New Hampshire, it would be good to have access to people with New Hampshire experience, explained Kathy Sullivan, a former chair of the state party. Its not an unusual thing for us to see people who may have been associated with candidates, in both parties, who come up to New Hampshire in the midterms before a presidential race.

Warren has also recently stepped up her endorsements and fundraising for House and gubernatorial candidates across the country, including in some long-shot races where she has little obvious connection to the candidate: She raised eyebrows in Washington this summer for popping up at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee breakfast, and her list of endorsees  some of who could turn into powerful, and grateful, supporters next year  stretches into the dozens. Sometimes, she helps candidates far from the public eye. In July, for example, she headlined a D.C. fundraiser for New Mexico congressional candidate Deb Haaland, who is likely to become Capitol Hills first Native American congresswoman. But sometimes, Warren jumps into the center of the House news cycle: Almost immediately after Hunters indictment this month, she started sending fundraising emails for his Democratic challenger.

The growing collection of dots are accumulating after months of preparation that have already seen Warren actively work to build her political capabilities, strengthen her party connections in Washington and around the country, shore up her biggest weaknesses, and burnish her national profile.

Warren has yet to announce shes running, of course, and she continues stumping in Massachusetts for her reelection bid with frequent town hall events. But add her recent flurry to her teams previous work, and you unmistakably have the seeds of a national campaign that could spring together if Warren ultimately decides to say go.

And thats been enough for Republican campaigners whove been working to solidify her as a phony in the publics mind before she can introduce herself on her own terms.

National GOP leaders still point to their pre-2016 campaign work of poisoning Clintons image as a model for what theyre trying to do to Warren. That work has sped up in the last few weeks: Republican researchers have been combing through Warrens newly released tax returns searching for new issues to which they didnt previously have access in recent days.

In her attempt to position herself, shes brought herself to the forefront, and were happy to make the public aware of her record, said Sarah Dolan of the GOP opposition research group America Rising, which has been tracking Warren for well over a year. We know shes running.
The share of the U.S. population made up by immigrants has returned to the levels at the turn of the 20th century  although the makeup of today's immigrant population looks very different.

Why it matters: As we saw a century ago, and are witnessing again now, immigration brings needed labor and economic benefits, but is often met with backlash from those who fear the America they know is slipping away.

America's immigrant population has ebbed and flowed over the decades as discriminatory policies have been instituted and repealed, international crises have arisen and faded, and the economy has boomed and faltered.

Two key policies:

The 1924 national origin quota meant few non-Europeans could come to the U.S. Coupled with the Great Depression and the lead-up to World War II, this contributed to the sharp declines seen from the early 1900s until around 1965, Jeanne Batalova, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Axios.

meant few non-Europeans could come to the U.S. Coupled with the Great Depression and the lead-up to World War II, this contributed to the sharp declines seen from the early 1900s until around 1965, Jeanne Batalova, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Axios. The quotas were lifted with the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act  which is largely still the law of the land. This came during the civil rights movement and the Cold War to win over African and Asian nations to capitalism and democracy, according to Batalova.

Where immigrants have come from:

For most of the 19th and 20th centuries, the vast majority of immigrants came from Western and Northern Europe. The Irish fled famine, the Germans fled political instability, and Italians primarily wanted better economic opportunity.

the vast majority of immigrants came from Western and Northern Europe. The Irish fled famine, the Germans fled political instability, and Italians primarily wanted better economic opportunity. The 1965 act ended a program that allowed Mexicans to work on U.S. farms but remain residents of Mexico. That changed the nature of immigration from Mexico and from Central America "to primarily unauthorized," Batalova says.

that allowed Mexicans to work on U.S. farms but remain residents of Mexico. That changed the nature of immigration from Mexico and from Central America "to primarily unauthorized," Batalova says. In 1986, the U.S. gave legal status to almost 3 million undocumented immigrants  an overwhelming majority of them from Mexico. These new green card holders could then sponsor additional family members.

 an overwhelming majority of them from Mexico. These new green card holders could then sponsor additional family members.

There has been a surge of Central American asylum seekers in the U.S. over the past several years as political chaos, poverty and violence have ravaged many of those nations.

of Central American asylum seekers in the U.S. over the past several years as political chaos, poverty and violence have ravaged many of those nations. New laws also opened the door to immigration from Asia  initially from India and Taiwan, and later China.

 initially from India and Taiwan, and later China. Following the Vietnam War, there was an influx of Vietnamese people and other citizens of the region who fled to the U.S. as refugees.

there was an influx of Vietnamese people and other citizens of the region who fled to the U.S. as refugees. Most recently, there's been a wave of immigration from African countries that began in the 1990s and 2000s for a wide variety of economic, political and humanitarian reasons.

The big picture: Nationalist phobias prompted the original immigrant quotas in the U.S., according to Guillermo Cantor, research director at the American Immigration Council. There were fears that the number of Chinese coming to the U.S. for work would change the culture, or that German would become the dominant language in Pennsylvania. There are echoes of those sentiments in the current political climate.

What's next: Congress has been slow to make major changes to immigration laws, and many of the Trump administration's efforts have been held up in courts, making it difficult to predict just yet whether current trends will be reversed, immigration experts tell Axios.

Get more stories like this by signing up for our twice-weekly look at the world's biggest trends, Axios Future.
Armenia is exploring the possibility of buying rocket systems and other weapons manufactured by India for its armed forces, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

A group of our military officials, who are India at the moment, are looking into Indian weapons and several of them are of interest to us, the ministry spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisian, told RFE/RLs Armenian service.

The Indian defense industry has quite interesting solutions on various offensive and defensive weapons which interest us, he said. But I cant speak of any concrete projects or agreements right now.

The Times of India daily last week quoted a senior executive of an Indian defense firm as saying that the Armenian military is showing an interest in the Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems manufactured by it.

We carried out extensive firing trials for their delegation last month at Pokhran in Rajasthan, said KM Rajan of the Defense Research and Development Organization. The results were excellent.

Hovannisian said in this regard that Pinaka, which has a firing range up to 75 kilometers, does not represent Armenias sole and greatest interest in Indian weapons. But he did not elaborate.

Another Armenian Defense Ministry delegation visited India and toured a number of Indian defense enterprises in May 2017. The ministry said it discussed with Indian officials mutually beneficial variants of developing cooperation in this direction.

The Indian ambassador in Yerevan, Yogeshwar Shangwan, said afterwards that his country is ready to deepen relations with friendly Armenia in all areas. Even in the area of defense, we are open to cooperation with Armenia, he told RFE/RLs Armenian service in June 2017.

Indias arch-foe Pakistan staunchly supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, refusing to not only establish diplomatic relations with Armenia but also formally recognize the latter as an independent state. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said after October 2016 talks in Baku with then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that the two Muslim nations will step up bilateral defense cooperation.

Russia has been by far the most important supplier of weapons and other military hardware to the Armenian army. Hovannisian said Yerevan now wants to somewhat diversify its arms procurements.

Of course we seek to work with a single supplier in order to facilitate the process of delivery, maintenance and training [of military personnel,] said the official. But there are weapons that should be acquired from other states because opportunities are numerous. And India, by the way, is one of those countries which have made huge progress in this area in the last 15-20 years.
The former head of a Turkish American lobbying group that had cooperated with Azerbaijans government has been detained in Armenia on an arrest warrant issued by U.S. law-enforcement authorities.

Kemal (Kevin) Oksuz used to run the Texas-based Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians as well as the Assembly of the Friends of Azerbaijan. The two groups came under scrutiny after organizing in 2013 an all-expenses-paid visit to Azerbaijan by 10 members and 32 staffers of the U.S. Congress.

The Washington Post reported in 2015 that the trip was secretly funded by Azerbaijans state-owned oil company SOCAR in violation of U.S. congressional rules. Citing a confidential report by the U.S. Office of Congressional Ethics, the paper said that through the groups headed by Oksuz SOCAR spent $750,000 for that purpose.

The report led the Ethics Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives to launch an inquiry. Oksuz reportedly refused to testify in the probe.

The Armenian police revealed on Thursday that Oksuz subsequently moved to Armenia and set up a company there. In a statement, the police said that U.S. law-enforcement authorities issued an international arrest warrant for him on August 23.

The American citizen of Turkish descent is wanted in the United States for lying to the House Ethics Committee about foreign funding received by his organizations, the statement said, adding that he was arrested in Yerevan on Wednesday.

The police also released a short video of Oksuzs first interrogation. Oksuz was shown admitting that SOCAR, which is closely linked to the Azerbaijani government, covered the travel expenses of the U.S. officials and gave them expensive gifts in 2013. That may have been corruption, I dont know, he said.

It was not clear why he decided to relocate to Armenia, a country that has strained relations with both Turkey and Azerbaijan. Oksuz admitted that just like other Turkish American activists he had lobbied the Congress against recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

The Armenian Diaspora [in the United States] is strong and does a good job, he told the police. The Azerbaijani lobby is nothing. They only spend money on lobbying but achieve nothing.

Reporting on Oksuzs arrest, the pro-government Turkish newspaper Sabah referred to him as a high-ranking loyalist of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based Turkish cleric facing coup charges in Turkey. The paper also called his Turquoise Council of Americans a Gulenist umbrella organization.

Thousands of Gulen supporters have been jailed in Turkey since a failed 2016 coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
By Sara Israfilbayova

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan reported on the activities of the government in the first 100 days of his capacity as head of the government.

Following the meeting, a group of Armenian MPs and experts made an analytical forecast on the catastrophe that awaits Armenia under the leadership of Pashinyan.

The article published by Aravot says that the foreign-policy prototype of Armenia was seriously violated within three months of Nikol Pashinyans accedence.

Everyone in Armenia recognizes that thanks to the policy of the new authorities, the political crisis in the country is increasingly deepening and at the end can lead to complete collapse. The population accuses the Prime Minister and his team in the current situation, pointing to their dilettantism in politics.

The biggest failure of the new government is considered erroneous political line towards Russia.

The most vivid example of the anti-Russian orientation of the new authorities, Armenian experts consider the arrest and initiation of criminal proceedings against former President Robert Kocharian and the criminal prosecution of the CSTO Secretary General Yuri Khachaturov.

Experts think that criminal cases initiated by Pashinyan, whose components are former top officials of the state, may lead to new protests in the country.

For example, expert of the Armenian Institute of International and Security Affairs Ruben Mehrabyan said that the arrest of the ex-president is a serious international challenge for Armenia and the Armenian authorities.

Even more interesting are the remarks of Armenian MPs on the Karabakh policy of the new authorities. In their opinion, the mutually exclusive and diplomatically poorly verified statements made by Nikol Pashinyan, give out indiscriminate, irresponsible and pernicious representation of the Prime Minister regarding a diplomatic settlement of the conflict.

In turn, Armenian political scientist Armen Minasyan analyzed the official data of the National Statistical Service of Armenia and came to the conclusion that statements voiced at the rally by Pashinyan that the number of arrivals to Armenia is more than the number of those who leave the country do not correspond to reality.

Pashinyan said that from May 10 to August 14 this year, 29,986 more people arrived in Armenia than departed.

Nikol Pashinyans statements do not withstand criticism. So, the official statistics states that in the first half of 2018, 839,000 people left Armenia, while 788,200 people arrived in the country. In other words, approximately 50,800 Armenian citizens left the country and did not return.

It turns out that Nikol Pashinyan, manipulating the number of tourists arriving in the country, tries to hide the fact of mass migration, which has reached an apogee during his leadership.

---

Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 90 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said August 30.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Sara Israfilbayova

The decision of the Government of Georgia to ban the import or export of wheat or wheat-rye flour on road transport since September 15 will lead to an inevitable rise in prices for bread and bakery products in Armenia.

Chairman of the Armenian Union of Agrarians and Peasants Grach Berberyan said that the initiative of the Georgian side will affect the price of wheat imported to Armenia.

According to our calculations, transportation costs will increase by $50-60, as a result, bakery products will rise in price in Armenia by 10-15 percent. But, as far as the price of bakery products actually increases, it also depends not only on the conscientiousness of importers, but also on bread producers, he said.

Georgia is the only transit country for Armenia in terms of grain imports. Armenia currently buys wheat mainly from Russia and realizes supplies via transit through Georgian territory.

Armenia has a grain fund and it can provide the population for several weeks. And the matter is what will further save Armenia from starvation when the reserves run out.

Armenias illegal territorial claims to its neighbors and the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan are the very factors why Armenia is in such a difficult and desperate situation.

Moreover, the other day, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a detour around GUM market to get acquainted with the prices on agricultural products. He received alarming signals about the increase in prices for agricultural products.

The situation is paradoxical. It is unclear how the price for tomatoes can range from 150 to 1,000 drams, for pears from 300 to 2,000 drams, when it comes to a small market, such as Armenia. Arguments are standard - drought, society has no purchasing power, a small crop and so on. It is clear that the government does not have direct levers of influence on pricing.

In addition to developing strategic issues and a vision of the countrys development, Pashinyan faces the need to quickly solve a number of problems. The sphere of agricultural production is only one of them.

On the other hand, the global problem is a purchasing power of society. Regardless of how Pashinyan announces his unprecedented economic activity, it still does not affect the populations living standard.

Price rise against the background of falling incomes of the population in Armenia can lead to an economic catastrophe.

Although the authorities are trying to cover the economic shocks in the country in a decent digestible for the public wrapper, the scale of the problem actually promises to go far beyond any decency.

---

Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Sara Israfilbayova

The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan will hold next auction on privatization of state property on September 4, where 76 state objects will be put up for sale.

The auction will offer 17 joint-stock companies, 32 small state enterprises, 24 non-residential areas and three vehicles.

In the first half of the current year 114 auctions were held, during which 350 state properties were privatized.

The portal for privatization  privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country.

The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues held the first electronic auction on July 4.

The electronic auction service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented.

The State Committee on Property Issues was established on May 19, 2009 on the basis of the relevant presidential decree.

The main activities of the State Committee are the management of state property, attraction of investments, maintenance of a single cadastre of immovable property, maintenance of a land cadastre, organization of a land market, protection and improvement of land quality.

---

Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

German Chancellor Angela Merkels statements in Baku over the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are of special importance both for Azerbaijan and for all international circles interested in the early settlement of the conflict, Aydin Guliyev, editor-in-chief of the "Baki Khabar" newspaper, told Trend.

As Merkel noted, the formation of a new government in Armenia may lead to an improvement in the situation in this area, may give impetus to the negotiations [over the conflicts settlement], Guliyev said.

It is enough to conduct a comparative analysis of statements by the German chancellor during her stay in Baku and Yerevan in order to make sure what a significant partner Azerbaijan is, Guliyev added.

The expert stressed that Azerbaijan is considered as a reliable partner in global economic, trade, energy, investment and logistics projects.

He also noted that Azerbaijans policy in the energy supply to Europe was regarded as an important factor, and the German companies demonstrated great interest to participate in the development of Azerbaijans non-oil sector.

Guliyev stressed that the dialogue of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Baku will have a big impact on the relations between Azerbaijan and the EU as well.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

A member of a radical religious extremist group has been liquidated in Azerbaijans Khachmaz District, reads a joint statement by the Prosecutor Generals Office and the State Security Service.

During the investigation it was confirmed that a member of the radical religious extremist group Nizami Najafov acquired weapons, ammunition and explosives, and was planning to commit a terror attack in Azerbaijans northern districts.

In this regard, employees of Azerbaijans State Security Service and the Prosecutor Generals Office held joint urgent measures.

During the measures to disarm Nizami Najafov in Khachmaz on August 29, he put up armed resistance and was liquidated by retaliatory fire.

During the inspection of the scene and the body, one machine gun of Aksu type, ammunition and an explosive device were found and seized.

Investigative and operational measures on the criminal case continue.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

In accordance with the regulations of the meeting of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Military Dialogue, the delegation led by Chief of the Main Directorate for Inspection and Assessment of the Land Forces of the Turkish Armed Forces Brigadier General Faruk Yildirim is paying a visit to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message Aug. 29.

As part of the visit, the Turkish delegation met with Major General Zakir Aghayev, chief of the Main Military Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan.

The sides exchanged views on the current state and prospects for the development of cooperation, and also discussed the possibilities for further development of bilateral relations.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The Republican Partys chief executive confers with its top shareholders. Photo: Richard Ellis/Alamy

When the Republican Party took full control of the federal government in 2017, a drug overdose epidemic had just killed more Americans in a single-year than the Vietnam War had claimed over its entire duration. Wage growth for working-class families was tepid, while the costs of housing, healthcare and higher education were soaring. Every month, more than 10 million Americans were cutting back on basic nutrition to make rent; every year, tens of thousands were being forced into bankruptcy to cover medical costs. A trillion dollars of student debt had formed an anchor around the millennial generations neck, pinning ambitious college graduates down in their parents basements. The boomers were entering retirement as the birth-rate was plummeting  and the market was giving working families every incentive to keep the latter in free fall. The racial wealth gap was becoming a chasm, while videos of police officers executing black men had too ubiquitous to make headlines. Inequities in the distribution of income had grown so vast and consequential, the nations super-rich enjoyed a life expectancy 15 years longer than its poor. And it had been the hottest year in recorded history for three consecutive years.

Congressional Republicans surveyed this landscape  and concluded that the most pressing policy problems facing the United States in 2017 were that corporate profits (while historically high) were not historically high enough; that taxes on the wealthy (while historically low) were not quite historically low enough; and that (in the middle of a historic public health emergency) the federal government was spending far too much on basic medical care and addiction treatment for the poor.

In a new essay for Politico Magazine, Tim Alberta purports to explain how the GOP arrived at this odd consensus  or, in his preferred framing, why the Republican Party has failed to offer new ideas for 21st century problems.

To the extent that Albertas piece offers a compelling answer to this question, it is an entirely inadvertent one: Namely, that some putatively neutral reporters are happy to pretend that the source of the GOPs intellectual bankruptcy is a mystery  and that the party is not transparently beholden to reactionary plutocrats whose idea of a 21st century problem is the possibility that the estate tax will outlive them.

Albertas inquest into the GOPs fixation on supply-side tax cuts contains 4,000 words  none of which is donors. Not once, in the entire essay, does the reporter even broach the possibility that the intellectual stagnation of Republican politicians, think tanks, and journalists might have something to do with the material interests of the billionaires whose patronage they depend on.

Instead, Albertas primary explanation for why the GOP has, in his words, failed to produce policy solutions for the plateauing incomes for the middle class, lack of social mobility for the poor, displacement due to automation, [or] an opioid crisis that has sidelined millions of potential workers is this: Donald Trump didnt let Paul Ryan revolutionize the GOP agenda, which led Ryan to retire, which has left the House GOP bereft of innovative wonks.

When Paul Ryan accepted his promotion to speaker of the House in 2015a job he did not want, leading a party and an institution that were increasingly ungovernablea principal justification was the chance he saw to spearhead an intellectual renaissance in the GOP. Republicans had once prided themselves on belonging to the party of ideas. But the buzz of Reaganism had long since turned into a hangover, and Ryan, a politician whose values were shaped in the incubator of a conservative think tank, sensed an opening.

Surveying the GOP presidential field and seeing several like-minded reformersJeb Bush, Marco Rubio, John Kasich and even Scott Walker, less a conservative visionary than an accomplished agitatorRyan knew that his speakership, in partnership with one of them as president, could result in a policy revolution for a party stuck in the 1980s. And so, in October 2015, he seized the speakers gavel and got to work, crafting a sweeping set of proposalson poverty, health care, taxationthat could serve as a ready-made agenda for whichever kindred spirit won the White House.

Donald Trump had other plans.

 The problem for the GOP is that politicians are risk-averse by nature; they are not prone to undertaking anything that is scary, courageous, unconventional. This is what concerns intellectual leaders on the rightand what made Ryans political celebrity unique. The merits of his proposals aside, he defied the status quoand exposed himself to intense criticism, even from members of his own partyby injecting enterprising, energizing ideas into the public policy debate, from pushing Social Security reform as a back-bencher in the Bush era to writing his controversial budget blueprints under Obama to proposing unorthodox poverty-fighting programs on Trumps watch.

There are so many false premises in these these paragraphs, Albertas piece ends up reading less like objective reportage than speculative fiction. The reporter never even tries to substantiate the claim that Paul Ryans policy vision constituted a revolutionary departure from Reaganism. Which is odd, since it isnt exactly intuitive how a politician whose signature idea was to slash taxes on the wealthy and corporations  and then offset the cost with reductions in social spending that were fiscally inadequate on paper, and politically impossible in practice  could possibly be the antidote for a Republican Party thats stuck in the 1980s.

Nor does Alberta explain what was so innovative about Paul Ryans poverty agenda  or attempt to reconcile the Speakers putative concern for poor Americans with his support for a health-care plan that would have thrown millions of them off of Medicaid.

But Albertas most baffling suggestion is that Donald Trump frustrated Paul Ryans quest to chart a new policy course for his party. If anything, the opposite is closer to the truth. Trump campaigned on a heterodox platform that included a $1 trillion federal investment in infrastructure, empowering Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies over drug prices, and universal health care, among other things. Ryan rejected these departures from GOP orthodoxy. Instead, the Speaker insisted on slashing federal health-care spending, and then using the newfound budgetary space to pass the largest supply-side tax cut the party could get through reconciliation. Trump dutifully followed Ryans orders.

Albertas claim that Republican lawmakers see introducing novel ideas as unacceptably risky rings true. But his inability to connect this truth to donor pressures is difficult to understand  not least, because multiple Republican lawmakers openly admitted that their legislative actions were dictated by donor pressures just last year.

If Alberta truly wished to understand why Republicans have become so stubbornly servile to corporations and the wealthy, he could have just read what they told reporters during the fight over tax reform last fall:

My donors are basically saying, Get it done or dont ever call me again, Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), himself a millionaire, said on Tuesday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters on Thursday that a failure to pass tax reform would fracture the Republican Party and lead to more far-right wing primary challengers. The financial contributions will stop, he added.

 Lawmakers arent the only ones talking about the connection between legislation and campaign money. Conservative donors and those running the political groups that help elect Republicans have issued similar dire warnings.

(Donors) would be mortified if we didnt live up to what weve committed to on tax reform, Steven Law, the head of Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC affiliated with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), told the New York Post.



Alternatively, he could have read what the Republican leadership told the New York Times earlier this month:

Republicans have struggled to sell voters on the benefits of the tax cuts despite strong economic growth and the lowest unemployment numbers in 20 years. Instead, candidates and the Congressional Leadership Fund have focused their campaign advertisements on more visceral issues such as crime and immigration.

But party leaders say the passage of the law appeased wealthy donors, who had been frustrated by Republicans failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act and had threatened to sit out the 2018 campaign. Now, flush with big checks from a handful of deep-pocketed donors, the Congressional Leadership Fund is serving as the partys best hope of a defense against an electoral defeat in November.

Reporters like Alberta would like to pretend that Donald Trump  and the demagogic brand of conservatism he represents  is the source of the GOPs intellectual decay. But this gets the causality backwards.

The Republican Partys largest shareholders dont want novel answers to public problems  they want to maximize the returns on their political investments. This leaves the GOP incapable of offering voters credible solutions to contemporary challenges, and thus, requires them to lean on visceral issues (a.k.a. white racial panic) to retain and mobilize a mass base. And you dont need policy wonks to make aging white people feel aggrieved and alienated by intimations of demographic change  racist reality stars are more than capable of fulfilling that function.

Of course, the Trumpist solution creates its own problems, not least, that it renders the hideous reality of modern conservatism too conspicuous for many a college-educated white to ignore. Fortunately for Republicans, there are plenty of reporters who will gladly help them obscure that reality, by pretending that the Grand Old Party has no sickness that a fresh-faced thought-leader with rolled-up sleeves, nifty charts  and a talent for feigning concern for the poor while plotting their immiseration  cant cure.
By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order providing funding for the construction of Ujar-Zardab-Aghjabadi (21km)-Birinji Alijanli road in Zardab region.

Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 4.6 million manats for the construction of the road connecting two residential areas with a total population of 2,000 people.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

In the first half of 2018, BP jointly with partners allocated $2.3 million for social investment projects in Azerbaijan, BP Azerbaijan told Trend Aug. 29.

Presently, the company together with partners is implementing 12 such projects in Azerbaijan. Most of them are planned to be completed by the end of 2018.

In order to contribute to the development of Azerbaijans national economy, BP together with partners will continue social investment projects in Azerbaijan aimed at improving the skills of local residents and developing entrepreneurship, the company said.

The success of projects in the Caspian Sea depends, among other things, on the ability of operators of these projects to make tangible useful changes in the lives of the residents of the regions. To achieve these goals, BP and partners are implementing important social projects. They include educational programs, creation of new opportunities through increasing the skills of community members, improving the social infrastructure, facilitating the access of community members to financial resources, supporting local companies through training and other steps.

BP Azerbaijan added that presently the company is considering the possibility of implementing new social projects based on incoming proposals.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Kamila Aliyeva

The World Bank (WB) and Uzbekistan are preparing eight projects for a total of about $ 1 billion, according to the bank's head Jim Yong Kim, Podrobno.uz reported.

Close cooperation is underway and eight additional projects are being prepared for a total amount of about $ 1 billion, including support for new economic development projects and the program aimed at raising the level and quality of life of the population in rural areas, said Jim Yong Kim in his letter to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Experts of the World Bank Group regularly visit Uzbekistan to assist the government on the most important issues, including reforming the energy sector, improving tax and trade policies, introducing public-private partnership mechanisms, developing pre-school education, creating the Economic Council and others, according to the WB head.

I am still deeply impressed by the pace, scale and depth of the reforms in Uzbekistan. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity of Uzbekistan's participation in the first stages of the implementation of our project on the development of Human Capital. I hope that you will be able to personally join us as a leader in this direction, Jim Yong Kim said.

Earlier, the World Bank and Uzbekistan signed loan agreements totaling $940 million.

The agreements were concluded during the meeting of the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev within the framework of his first official visit to the United States, the website of the WB said.

The allocated funds will be used to finance four new projects in Uzbekistan in the field of improving energy efficiency, fruit and vegetable production and emergency medical services. These loans have increased the WB project portfolio in Uzbekistan to $ 2.8 billion. To date, it includes projects in the field of transport, education, agriculture, irrigation and water supply.

---

Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Trend

European countries should build a new security architecture on the continent together with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron told a joint news conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on Thursday, TASS reports.

"We discussed many issues, including trans-Atlantic ties and relations with Russia," Macron said. "We want Europe to have strategic and defense autonomy to rebuild European security architecture in a broad sense, like I said several months ago in St. Petersburg, and there is the need to reconsider our relations with Russia."

"This wider Europe should build its security architecture with the powers, which are on its border, and the great nations, which share history with us," the French leader said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By Naila Huseynli

The development of the tourism market has contributed to the competition and revival among the guesthouses in the capital. Thus, the number of guesthouses registered at the booking.com travel fare aggregator website has increased dramatically over the past year.

This year hostel shows a positive balance in terms of price compatibility and growth compared to the previous years. Thus, 57 hostels operating in Baku have been registered at booking.com, and 35 of them were rated up to 9 points by guests.

The main reason of high result is cleaning, friendly service, and as well as, guest houses are located in areas close to the center. Interest to the hostels in the capital throughout summer months was not so bad. In total, more than 50 percent of them have been reserved. This figure is much higher than 90 percent in the hostels located in the center and highest rated hostels. The most enjoyable feature in the guest houses is their cleanliness.

Prices start at 10 manats ($5.87) per night. Thus, the hostel for six and eight people is one of the most popular in terms of price conformity. However, tourists who come with their families, especially Arabs, prefer hotels with four and five stars.

The growth of tourists visiting Azerbaijan from Arabic countries is being observed most. Thus, compared with last year, the number of Kuwaiti nationals who arrived in the country increased by 5.1 times, citizens of Bahrain - by 2.6 times, citizens of Qatar - 2.1, citizens of Saudi Arabia by 3.5 times, citizens of Oman - by 1.6 times, citizens of Iraq - 1.6 times, citizens of the United Arab Emirates - by 1.2 times.

In one of the popular hotels in the city center, 66 reservations were recorded in a day through booking.com.

The number of registered hotels with various stars on the site is 165. The night price of 83 of them varies from 0 to 99 manats ($58.06). Price per night at 23 hotels is more than 390 manats ($228.74).

Further, when we look at today's history, we see that 89 percent of the guest houses in Baku have already been booked. As much as 62 percent of the countrys guests stayed in Baku, 9.7 percent in Gabala, 5.1 percent in Gusar, 4.5 percent in Naftalan, 3.6 percent in Guba, 3.4 percent in Nakhchivan, 5 percent in Khachmaz, 1.1 percent in Agstafa and 9.1 percent of them in the other regions and cities.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
His relationship with his wife had been falling apart for months the day Rigoberto Sanchez arrived home to find his wife had filled two bags w
All the news we cant afford to print. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

When pundits bemoan Donald Trumps war on the media, theyre typically referring to the illiberal sentiments he disseminates in his Twitter tirades and rally rhetoric. And theres no question that the presidents relentless attempts to undermine all non-progandistic sources of political information  and to demonize those who supply it  are worth bemoaning.

But while Trumps tweetstorms about Fake News were dominating the headlines, his administration was waging a much more concrete and consequential war on the Fourth Estate. Earlier this year, the Commerce Department imposed 22 percent tariffs on imports of Canadian newsprint. The White House claimed that the U.S. had a compelling interest in protecting American paper manufacturers from unfair competition: Since Canada provides its paper exporters with subsidies, America has no choice but to impose duties on their wares.

On Wednesday, the International Trade Commission (ITC) rejected this argument. In an unanimous decision striking down the tariffs, the five-member panel determined that a U.S. industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of uncoated groundwood paper from Canada.

Alas, the ITCs ruling came after Trumps newsprint tariffs had already materially injured Americas journalism industry (and, by extension, its democracy).

Of course, Americas small newspapers were in rapid decline before the presidents trade measure went into effect. Between 2004 and 2016, local businesses cut their investments in print newspaper advertisements from $44.4 billion to $12.9 billion, as Facebook and Google cornered the ad market. Nevertheless, regional papers still had farther to fall, and the Trump administration dramatically accelerated their descent. Overnight, the cost of newspapers main input increased by as much as 30 percent. For The Tampa Bay Times, the presidents attempt to protect American jobs translated into a $3.5 million increase in expected annual printing expenses  and thus, the firing of 50 staffers and elimination of whole sections of the paper.

It is hard to argue that the American people have a greater interest in protecting the profit margins of paper manufacturers, then in sustaining local journalism. Multiple studies have shown that when a city loses its local paper, residents become less knowledgeable about  and active in  local politics. One of the leading researchers on this phenomenon, Lee Shaker of Portland State University, explained its consequences to Wired last year:

You can kind of see this cascading series of consequences, Shaker says. Heres the scenario, as he describes it: If people dont get local news, they dont know whats going on in their community. If they dont know whats going on in their community, they dont get involved in their community. If theyre not involved in their community, and others arent involved in their community, their government may not actually function very well. If people arent involved at the local level, and they dont know whats going on, and the governments not performing at the local level, they start to lose trust. And when they start to lose trust, they start to have concerns about whether or not democracy is working, whether the government is working. And those feelings are naturally then extended to the national government.

It is unclear whether the president understood the implications his newsprint tariffs would have for local journalism when he first put them in place. But everything hes done since taking office suggests that he would view collateral damage to the Fourth Estate as a feature of his trade policy, not a bug.
Upwards of $1.4 billion in completions of oil and gas wells in West Texas' Permian Basin could be delayed or reallocated to other shale plays through 2019 due to pipeline constraints, a new report says.

The completion reduction is linked to the tightening of outbound pipeline capacity in the Permian Basin, which has been filling up throughout 2018 as production in the booming oil field continues to grow.
Exxon Mobil and Hess Corp. said Thursday they've made their ninth oil discovery in the developing offshore fields of Guyana as Exxon continues to bank a chunk of its future in northeastern South America.

The find at the new Hammerhead-1 well represents the ongoing expansion of the emerging oil development off the coast of the Latin American country, which is immediately east of Venezuela, where political and economic instability have led to declining crude production there.

"The Hammerhead-1 discovery reinforces the potential of the Guyana basin, where Exxon Mobil is already maximizing value for all stakeholders through rapid phased developments and accelerated exploration plans," said Steve Greenlee, Exxon Mobil's exploration president.

Exxon Mobil, headquartered in Irving, and Hess of New York said they hit oil at a well drilled nearly 14,000 feet at a deepwater depth of almost 3,400 feet. This represents the fifth discovery in the Stabroek Block in the past year.

Exxon Mobil said it estimates that it's discovered more than 4 billion barrels of recoverable oil equivalent in the region.

RELATED: Exxon Mobil continues to make Guyana discoveries

Exxon Mobil and Hess, which have partnered in the country, could have up to five floating production, storage and offloading vessels producing more than 750,000 barrels per day by 2025, the companies said.

A second drillship is due to arrive in Guyana in October to accelerate their exploration efforts.

The first development, called Liza Phase 1, is expected to begin producing oil by early 2020, and should churn out 120,000 barrels of oil a day. Construction of that first floating production vessel is already underway.

The Hammerhead-1 is the ninth discovery offshore of Guyana made within the last three years.
Iraq sees a need to increase crude exports and says its ready to ship more as soon as OPEC agrees how members will share a collective supply boost, according to the acting director-general of the state-run Oil Marketing Co.

Exports will be close to 3.595 million barrels a day this month, Alaa Al-Yasiri said Wednesday in an interview in Baghdad. That would be a record, he said, up from 3.54 million barrels a day in July.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies agreed two months ago to increase oil production, with Saudi Arabia and Russia saying about 1 million barrels a day will be added to the market. But they didnt detail how the production increase would be split between OPEC and non-OPEC nations. A committee of OPEC and allies is scheduled to meet in Algeria next month to discuss allocations.

NATGAS: Three regions account for half of U.S. natural gas production

If decisions are made that the market is in need of quantities -- and our conviction as marketer is that the market is in need of quantities -- then Iraq will have the ability to raise, Al-Yasiri said. Saudi Arabia and Russia have recently increased crude supplies but it hasnt affected the market because customers needed the extra barrels, he said.

Shells Exit

Analysts have been uncertain about Iraqs ability to raise production quickly, amid investment constraints and hold-ups that have seen Royal Dutch Shell Plc exit one of the countrys biggest oil projects.

While the International Energy Agency estimates that Iraq sits on about 240,000 barrels a day of unused capacity, much of this is offline because of a political dispute between the central government in Baghdad and Kurds in the north, and restarting it would require some kind of compromise.

An export increase from Iraq could have an impact on relations with its neighbor and fellow OPEC member Iran.

SANCTIONS: Iran oil minister: French oil giant Total pulls out of Iran

The Islamic Republic is seeing customers abandon its crude in the face of renewed U.S. sanctions, and analysts consider Iraqi supplies as a suitable replacement because of its similar characteristics. But Iran has criticized fellow producers seeking to take its market share for undermining unity among OPEC nations.

SOMO doesnt have a goal to take others clients, Al-Yasiri said. Asked if Iraq will try to fill in for sales lost by Iran because of sanctions, he said: Iraq rejects this principle. The principle of hunting opportunities. There should be a unifying decision for all the countries under the umbrella of OPEC.

Also from the interview:

Iraq has temporarily halted a Kirkuk oil swap with Iran because of a problem with Iraqi customs. Iraq had been exporting oil by truck to Irans refinery in Kermanshah and receiving the same amounts from Iran

Iraq is seeking to resume crude exports to Jordan, and has invited the energy minister in for talks. Iraq will discuss resuming the shipment of 10,000 to 15,000 barrels a day via truck. Shipments were halted in early 2014 due to security conditions in Iraq.

The Trade Bank of Iraq is helping SOMO study the possibility of starting a hedging program on oil sales; a final decision would be up to lawmakers

Many bids were received to build a pipeline from Kirkuk to Turkey, and the project is in the stage of awarding

If Baghdad were to combine Kirkuk oil exports with the Kurdish region using the existing Ceyhan pipeline, shipments would be 500,000 to 550,000 barrels a day; Kurdish region oil exports are currently 250,000 to 300,000 barrels a day

2018 Bloomberg L.P.
When Aretha Franklin is laid to rest Friday, she'll travel as she did all her life: with grace and glamour.

The hearse that will carry her is a regal, pearly-white 1940 Cadillac LaSalle with sparkling chrome detail that looked as though it had been custom-made for the Queen of Soul. For the last 50 years, it's been reserved at Swanson Funeral Home for some of the Motor City's most stately send-offs.

The ivory hearse carried Rosa Parks in 2005, when the pallbearers pushed the antique vehicle with all their might on the final stretch toward the civil rights hero's grave at Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery. It transported the Temptations baritone David Ruffin in 1991 and Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops in 2008. And it ushered Franklin's father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, in 1984.

Through it all, O'Neil D. Swanson II has been the man behind the scenes at every occasion. Swanson, the octogenarian funeral director at Swanson Funeral Home, has owned the business since 1958, and has been close to the Franklin family for years, he told The Washington Post.

When the Rev. Franklin died, Swanson was at Aretha Franklin's side, escorting her in his white tuxedo at her father's funeral service, the Detroit Free Press reported in 2005. On Tuesday morning, he was there for her again, behind the wheel of the hearse as it glided up to the front doors of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Swanson stepped out to greet a group of white-gloved pallbearers, and the men opened the hearse's back door, emblazoned with the Swanson family name on the exterior and a white dove on the interior. Before an audience of hundreds, they lifted the gleaming, gold-plated casket from the LaSalle's bed with care and brought Franklin inside.

For Swanson, driving the Queen of Soul is personal.

"We had a lot of love and respect for Aretha," Swanson said. "I've known her many, many years. Her father and I were close, and so it's a privilege for us to be servicing her and her family."

Swanson was two years out of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science when he founded the funeral home in 1958. He said he bought the hearse several years later, knowing it was a treasure the moment he saw it. The LaSalle was a sub-brand of Cadillac from 1927 to 1940, making Swanson's hearse one of the last of the model.

"I guess I have a liking for vintage cars - classic cars," he said. "We've been very attentive to it over the years."

As Swanson built the business, his funeral home grew to become a "Detroit institution that has shepherded thousands of residents far above and beyond 8 Mile and guided families and communities through their grief," as the Detroit Free Press described it in 2005, ahead of Parks' funeral. Over the years, the Free Press reported, Swanson has provided scholarships to low-income students and donated to churches and various civic organizations.

The funeral home has even attracted good deeds from Franklin herself. Linda Swanson, the funeral home's vice president, told the Associated Press that Franklin would often pay for the funeral expenses of needy families - often "in full without being asked or prompted to do so."

Franklin has lain in repose this week at the Charles H. Wright African American Museum and will do so on Thursday at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, her father's church. On Tuesday, Franklin was dressed in a stunning crimson-red lace dress with matching leather red pumps, the Detroit Free Press reported. On Wednesday, she wore a powder-blue dress with shoes to match.

"She is presented in a way that reflects her life and her legacy," Linda Swanson told the Free Press. "She is, indeed, resplendent in repose, as a queen should be."

Franklin's funeral, a private event, will take place Friday, featuring speakers such as Smokey Robinson, former President Bill Clinton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and recording mogul Clive Davis.

Then Franklin will take her final ride. The 1940 LaSalle is expected to carry her down 7 Mile and Woodward Avenue, bringing her to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery amid a procession of more than 100 vehicles, and more than a few pink Cadillacs.
Beaumont police say amajority of guns recovered from crime scenes were previously reported stolen, many from people's cars.

Beaumont police received 313 auto burglary calls from June 1 to July 17, at least two of which involved guns later recovered at homicide scenes.

After the capture of five teens, age 13 to 17, the number of auto burglaries fell to 136 for the period from July 18 to Aug. 27.

Devonta Tyrone Stoker and Anthony Deshone Smith, both 17, of Beaumont, were charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon.

The two, along with three juveniles, are believed to be responsible for the spike in auto burglaries around the city, according to information from the Beaumont Police Department.

"We know we're doing something right when the numbers go down like that," said BPD officer Haley Morrow.

"We're really happy with the results, but that doesn't mean it's not an issue people need to worry about."

After her car was one of 14 targeted in her neighborhood and her boyfriend's phone was stolen from his car, Sheila Barton, 57, of Beaumont, purchased home security equipment.

"I drove around and talked to a few neighbors and on another street they told me that their neighbor had gotten some video from their home security camera and were providing police with the video," Barton said.

She purchased a camera and brighter, motion-activated floodlights to restore her peace of mind.

Michele Byrd, of Beaumont, had her car broken into, too, though weeks after the teens were caught and auto burglary rates had dropped off.

On video captured on a home security camera, the thief can be seen approaching the car, opening the unlocked driver's side door and rummaging through the SUV. He emerged with abinder of notes, which he tucked under his arm, and calmly walked away.

Byrd posted the video to Facebook, and within two hours a friend said she had seen the burglar in a different part of town.

"He was wearing the same clothes, shoes  everything," Byrd said.

"Often times there is zero evidence and we have to close the case because we have nothing to go on," Morrow said.

"If there's video, we can use that to identify suspects or suspect vehicles, which is what happened with the five teenage suspects."

Morrow said the suspect car was spotted on home surveillance video in connection with multiple auto burglaries, and officers recognized the vehicle when responding to a call about a theft in progress. They found the five suspects with stolen goods, including several firearms, BPD said.

"One of these stolen guns can change hands three or four times in the space of acouple of weeks, so the person who has it may not necessarily be the person who stole it," Morrow said.

"Two recent homicides were committed using guns reported stolen from cars," she said.

Beaumont police urge residents to lock their vehicles and hide their belongings or take them with them.

Morrow said some people don't lock their car doors for fear thieves will break their windows to get in.

She said that's not typically the case. Thieves often go car to car pulling on door handles, looking for unlocked vehicles and searching through them.

BPD Lt. Bryan Skinner, with the Southeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force, said,

"If the thief breaks a window, they've already seen what they want in that car because it's in plain sight. If the door is locked and there's nothing of value in the car, they'll usually move on and leave the locked car alone."

Skinner said auto burglaries occur regularly, two to three times a night in a city of Beaumont's size, but the crime can have a dangerous ripple effect.

"If you take your gun out of your car, you are keeping that gun out of the hands of criminals and reducing your own likelihood of being victimized," he said.

"Is every gun used in a violent crime stolen from a vehicle? Of course not," Morrow said. "But people willing to steal a gun are probably willing to use it."

Haley.Bruyn@BeaumontEnterprise.com
Two judges dismissed charges Wednesday against the defendants in the New Mexico compound case that has drawn headlines for weeks for its lurid and racially charged details, in a major blow to the prosecution.

Judge Emilio Chavez said that he had no choice but to release the three defendants, Lucas Morton, Hujrah Wahhaj and Subhannah A. Wahhaj, because the office of District Attorney Donald Gallegos failed to schedule a court hearing to prove they had probable cause for their arrest within 10 days, as state rules stipulate, according to court representatives and defense lawyers. Another judge later ruled that charges also be dropped against the other two remaining defendants, Siraj Wahhaj and Jany Leveille, according to Ryan Laughlin, a reporter for the local television station KOB, but the status of their potential release is less clear as they were immediately charged again with more severe charges of child abuse resulting in death.

"For whatever reason the state did not obtain a preliminary hearing date within 10 days," Aleksander Kostich, a public defender representing Morton, told The Washington Post. "It's absolutely bizarre."

"I wish they had an explanation," Megan Mitsunaga, who represents Subhannah Wahhaj, told The Post. "They provided none to us or the court. I would have thought they'd be more on top of things, the way they continued to seek to hold them without bond."

The developments were the latest twist in the tense case, which has drawn wide attention since the ramshackle rural plot in Amalia, which consisted of a trailer dug into the ground and surrounded by old tires and an underground tunnel, was raided on Aug. 3. The combination of its lurid details - law enforcement officials said they found 11 children, as well as the body of Siraj Wahhaj's 3-year-old son Abdul-Ghani - and the accusations made in court by prosecutors but cautioned against by a judge, that the defendants were Muslim extremists engaged in a terrorist training camp of sorts, brought the case to wide national prominence.

Gallegos' office did not a return a request for comment.

Siraj Wahhaj and Jany Leveille both pleaded not guilty to new charges, according to the Associated Press. The outlet reported that prosecutors said they found a hand-written document called "Phases of a Terrorist Attack," from the property. In other filings, prosecutors alleged that children had told them that some of the adults at the compound had talked about dying in jihad.

But there have been some signs that the case was not going as officials had hoped, for weeks. The defendants were all charged with 11 counts of felony child abuse, but not anything terrorism-related, and the guns they were found with were legal, a judge said. And that judge, Sarah Backus, also ordered them to be given a limited release against the wishes of prosecutors after she found the evidence that they were a danger to the community to be thin.

Kostich and Mitsunaga said that prosecutors from Gallegos' office did not offer a clear reason why they did not schedule the preliminary hearing, as required, within the 10-business-day window, which began after the defendants' first court appearance on Aug. 8. That window expired on Aug. 22, Judge Chavez noted in his ruling.

Prosecutors will have the option of trying the former defendants by securing a grand jury indictment against them, Kostich said.

"The judge's hands were tied because the rules are very clear," Kostich said. "This is not the end of things, they will most likely try to recharge him through the use of a grand jury proceeding."

It is possible that the case was complicated by ambiguities around the defendants' custody. While Backus ordered all five suspects to be released to house arrest and with other strict terms like GPS monitoring, they all remained in custody as they were not able to meet these requirements.

Siraj Wahhaj was at one point subject to an extradition to Georgia, where a warrant had been issued for his arrest on the suspicion that he abducted his son, Abdul-Ghani. Leveille, who is from Haiti, had been held by federal immigration officials. According to Laughlin, both were immediately charged a second time by the sheriff's office after the judge dismissed their charges, but the judge questioned the legitimacy of the new charges and set another hearing for Tuesday.

He also excoriated the district attorney's office.

"Judge McElroy is hammering the DA office," Laughlin reported. "He says he doesn't know if the office is overworked or what, but he finds it disturbing the state didn't play by the rules. Notes the DA is not present here."

The case has become a target of conspiracy theories and anger in far-right circles, due in part to its unproven connections to terrorism. Judge Backus, who said she was bound by judicial ethics to order the defendants be given a limited release, was the target of a sustained harassment campaign that prompted security officials to lock down the courthouse for an afternoon after she received death threats. Court officials said they had never seen such a voluminous and vitriolic response to a court ruling. On Wednesday, some far-right conspiracy theorists began spreading baseless theories about why the prosecution had let the case lapse.
If youre a Hispanic American citizen, and want to keep that passport, be prepared to prove you deserve it in the first place. Photo: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Extending its fight against immigration generally, whether or not it is lawful, there are now signs the administration is trying aggressively to strip existing citizenship rights, and the privileges that go with them, from entire classes of people based on, well, being Hispanic and having been born near the U.S.-Mexico border. The Washington Post has the alarming story:

The Trump administration is accusing hundreds, and possibly thousands, of Hispanics along the border of using fraudulent birth certificates since they were babies, and it is undertaking a widespread crackdown on their citizenship 

In some cases, passport applicants with official U.S. birth certificates are being jailed in immigration detention centers and entered into deportation proceedings. In others, they are stuck in Mexico, their passports suddenly revoked when they tried to reenter the United States. As the Trump administration attempts to reduce both legal and illegal immigration, the governments treatment of passport applicants in South Texas shows how U.S. citizens are increasingly being swept up by immigration enforcement agencies.

The saga in part seems to go back to evidence that arose in the 1990s that some midwives and physicians in Texas were fraudulently issuing birth certificates for babies actually born in Mexico. In part because of how incredibly difficult it was to identify such cases among the far greater number of babies delivered by the same people in entirely legitimate circumstances, most litigation over this issue ended in 2009. But then Donald Trump became president:

Under President Trump, the passport denials and revocations appear to be surging, becoming part of a broader interrogation into the citizenship of people who have lived, voted and worked in the United States for their entire lives 

In its statement, the State Department said that applicants who have birth certificates filed by a midwife or other birth attendant suspected of having engaged in fraudulent activities, as well as applicants who have both a U.S. and foreign birth certificate, are asked to provide additional documentation establishing they were born in the United States.

Individuals who are unable to demonstrate that they were born in the United States are denied issuance of a passport, the statement said.

What this basically means is that actual U.S. citizens suddenly bear the burden of proving their legitimacy under pain of losing their passports or facing deportation. Its a bureaucratic nightmare with teeth, as evidenced by the case of a military veteran born in Texas who had been a Border Patrol agent and was simply applying for a routine passport renewal:

[He] received a letter from the State Department telling him it wasnt convinced that he was a U.S. citizen; it requested a range of obscure documents  evidence of his mothers prenatal care, his baptismal certificate, rental agreements from when he was a baby.

He managed to find some of those documents but weeks later received another denial. In a letter, the government said the information did not establish your birth in the United States.

I thought to myself, you know, Im going to have to seek legal help, said [the man], who earns $13 an hour as a prison guard and expects to pay several thousand dollars in legal fees.

Some cases are even worse:

In a case last August, a 35-year-old Texas man with a U.S. passport was interrogated while crossing back into Texas from Mexico with his son at the McAllen-Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge, connecting Reynosa, Mexico, to McAllen, Tex.

His passport was taken from him, and Customs and Border Protection agents told him to admit that he was born in Mexico, according to documents later filed in federal court. He refused and was sent to the Los Fresnos Detention Center and entered into deportation proceedings.

He was released three days later, but the government scheduled a deportation hearing for him in 2019. His passport, which had been issued in 2008, was revoked.

American citizens are obviously not accustomed to having their citizenship questioned, particularly when the questions relate to circumstances of their births they have no reason to doubt. One lawyer for citizens being hassled in this manner tells the Post that many of his clients were being asked by government attorneys: Do you remember when you were born? They werent being funny.

Perhaps bad publicity stemming from this story will convince the administration to stop this un-American harassment of citizens based on their ethnic heritage and the particular place of their birth. But its like a game of whack-a-mole:

Its difficult to know where the crackdown fits into the Trump administrations broader assaults on legal and illegal immigration. Over the past year, it has thrown legal permanent residents out of the military and formed a denaturalization task force that tries to identify people who might have lied on decades-old citizenship applications.

Maybe Team Trump can be convinced to offer an immigration amnesty for American citizens. But that would probably stretch their powers of imagination or of compassion.
DALLAS - A former police officer was sentenced late Wednesday to 15 years in prison for fatally shooting an unarmed African American teen as he left a house party in a Dallas suburb last year.

Roy Oliver, 38, could be eligible for parole after serving half of his sentence for the death of Jordan Edwards, a high school freshman lauded as a model student.

Jurors found the fired Balch Springs officer guilty of murder on Tuesday, a rare outcome in cases involving police shootings of civilians. Oliver, who is white, was escorted out of the courtroom in ankle shackles and spent the night in single-cell custody under constant supervision at the Dallas County Jail. He will continue to be isolated from other inmates "for his safety" until he is transferred to prison, a jail spokesman told The Washington Post.

"We feel very comfortable about the verdict," Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson said after sentencing. Jordan's stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, said the family was thankful. "Although we wanted more years, this is a start for us," she noted.

Oliver's attorneys signaled they would appeal. "We believe there were some significant errors made during the trial," defense attorney Bob Gill said.

The second phase of the 10-day trial took a dramatic turn Wednesday when Wendy Oliver, the defendant's half-sister, took the stand. Her stepmother had asked jurors to go easy on him for the sake of his two young children, a request that prompted Wendy Oliver to message Jordan's stepmother and head to the courthouse to testify for the prosecution.

"I came here to do something right for Jordan Edwards," Wendy Oliver said on the stand. "It ate me up. Jordan didn't do anything to be shot."

She said she was close to her half-brother until she was 12, when their father, Roy Oliver Sr., was arrested and convicted of raping her. He spent 12 years in prison for the crime.

The former officer and his partner, Tyler Gross, were dispatched on April 29, 2017, to break up a house party after neighbors complained about drunken teens. Their visit started lightheartedly but became chaotic when members of an area gang fired shots into the air at a nearby parking lot, startling the youths at the party as well as the police.

Oliver claimed he was protecting Gross from a car that was driving away when he fired an assault rifle five times into the vehicle. One of the gunshots struck Jordan, who was a passenger in the front seat. He died instantly.

The jury of 10 women and two men didn't buy Oliver's defense for the murder charge but acquitted him on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a peace officer.

Throughout the trial, jurors saw footage from the officers' body-worn cameras and heard from experts who disagreed over whether Oliver's use of force was justified. They also heard about an incident in which Oliver pulled out a gun after his truck was rear-ended weeks before the shooting, a Facebook post in which he bragged about being skilled at killing, and a psychological exam that an expert said raised red flags.

In the prosecution's closing arguments, Johnson described Oliver as "a killer in blue." After sentencing, she issued a more encompassing statement: "We love the police, however we do not support bad apples."

Oliver is the second officer since 2005 convicted of murder resulting from an on-duty shooting, according to Philip Stinson, a criminologist at Bowling Green State University who tracks police misconduct. James Ashby of the Rocky Ford Police Department (Colorado) was charged in 2014 and convicted in 2016, sentenced to 16 years in prison.

"This verdict America needed so we can understand that all lives matter," said Martin Lee Dorsey, the Edwards's family pastor.

The jury, which deliberated more than five hours, also sentenced Oliver to pay a $10,000 fine.
Covenant Visiting Nurse Association/Hospice is looking for volunteers interested in providing spiritual support for hospice patients, families and staff in the areas it serves (Saginaw, Bay, Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac and Midland counties).

Anyone interested in volunteering for this work should currently serve as a lay pastor/minister with a minimum of one year working experience in a congregation, spiritual path or belief. Volunteer application forms are at: https://www.covenanthealthcare.com/ch/communityinvolvementvolunteer. For questions, contact Darcie Johnson, volunteer specialist, at 989-583-0254 or darciejohnson@chs-mi.com.
On Sunday morning, a man walked into a Sutherland Springs church and killed 26 parishioners and wounded more than 20 with a semi-automatic rifle before killing himself after fleeing the scene.

Following the shooting, Chron.com looked into the state-approved handgun licenses in Texas' counties, according to data from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

WITNESS: Survivor says when babies cried, gunman shot them point blank

We tallied the counties with the most gun licenses per capita and put them into the gallery above. Go through the photos to see the 25 Texas counties with the most handgun licenses per capita.

One Southeast Texas county made the list above. Those not listed include:

Jefferson County: 3,133 applicants, estimated population of 254,679 (1.23 percent)

Hardin County: 1,205 applicants, estimated population of 56,322 (2.14 percent)

Orange County: 1,520 applicants, estimated population of 84,964 (1.79 percent)

Tyler County: 342 applicants, estimated population 21,320 (1.60 percent)

Jasper County: 628 applicants, estimated population 35,648 (1.76 percent)

According to data from the TDPS, 2.04 percent of the population in Comal County, where the Sutherland Springs shooter lived, were approved and issued handgun licenses by the state.

The Sutherland Springs shooter was not among them, despite having two handguns and one Glock in his getaway truck.

According to officials in the shooting's investigation, the shooter had been denied a state license to carry a concealed handgun but was approved in federal background checks to buy four guns - including a semi-automatic rifle, which was used in the deadly attack. His background check passed despite a criminal history of domestic violence.

FULL REPORT: Air Force mistake allowed church shooter to buy guns, officials say

A mistake by U.S. Air Force officials in reporting the Sutherland Springs shooter's past conviction for domestic violence - in which he fractured his baby stepson's skull - allowed him to buy the four guns. Air Force officials are investigating the mistake, Pentagon officials confirmed to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pro-cannabis activists on Capitol Hill in 2017. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

The Trump administration has assembled a secret committee to fight the recent rash of positive press for marijuana, according to a report Wednesday from BuzzFeed News.

The White Houses Marijuana Policy Coordination Committee appears to have most recently met on July 27, when it gathered with representatives from the State Department, Health and Human Services, the Justice Department, and others. At that meeting, 14 federal agencies were instructed to submit data demonstrating the negative aspects of marijuana use because stories highlighting the positive aspects are too common.

The prevailing marijuana narrative in the U.S. is partial, one-sided, and inaccurate, says a summary of a July 27 meeting of the White House and nine departments. In a follow-up memo, which provided guidance for responses from federal agencies, White House officials told department officials, Departments should provide  the most significant data demonstrating negative trends, with a statement describing the implications of such trends.

Agencies were also asked to describe how the drug poses a threat to their department; highlight consequences of use, production, and trafficking on national health, safety, and security; and to identify issues created by state marijuana initiatives.

That last point may be of particular interest to some members of Trumps own party, including Colorado senator Cory Gardner, who appeared to convince Trump earlier this summer to leave alone states where marijuana has been legalized. The senator became worried about the administrations approach after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a crackdown on legal weed in January.

Gardner has not yet commented on the newly revealed committee, though a spokesperson released a statement suggesting that Trump is being manipulated.

In a statement to BuzzFeed News, the White House didnt confirm or deny the committees existence. Rather, it said that it does not discuss the process of crafting policies to promote the Presidents agenda.
Here are the five most popular gastroenterology and endoscopy stories for the week of Aug. 23 to Aug. 29, 2018:

1. The best hospitals for gastroenterology in every state

Click here

2. 3 GIs share their thoughts on Exact Sciences' Cologuard

Click here





3. 2 more patients accuse gastroenterologist of sexual misconduct  6 insights

Click here

4. Why Dr. Samir Gupta is calling for caution over the American Cancer Society's new screening guideline

Click here

5. North Carolina physician group building $2.8M gastroenterology facility  4 insights

Click here
Springfield, Mo.-based Mercy Hospital is offering nursing students a $5,000 sign-on bonus for immediately accepting a job, KOLR reports.

The 886-bed hospital is hosting an event next week for students to tour the facilities and meet managers.

Mercy's graduate nurse interview days event begins Sept. 7. Click here to sign up.
Shortly after Genevieve Morris, chief health information officer of the Veterans Affairs Department's Office for EHR Modernization, resigned from her post Aug. 24, Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., sent a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie expressing "great concern about the deteriorating and rudderless leadership" of the project, according to Military Times.

The departure comes just months before the VA hoped for an initial EHR launch on Oct. 1, according to NextGov.

"It would be a tragedy for the program to be undermined by personality conflicts and bureaucratic power struggles before it even begins in earnest," Mr. Banks, who serves as chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, wrote. "In fact, despite several requests, I was not even able to meet with the EHR [modernization] leadership team before these departures."

VA signed a 10-year, $10-billion contract with Cerner to overhaul its legacy systems in May, putting the agency on the same health records systems as the Defense Department, whose Cerner rollout has been criticized as "neither operationally effective nor operationally suitable" in a report from the DOD's Operational Test and Evaluation office. VA established the OEHRM in late June to manage the preparation, deployment and maintenance of the VA's Cerner system.

The transition was delayed for several months after former VA Secretary David Shulkin, MD, was fired from the agency. The agency has faced numerous leadership changes since, but VA officials do not expect addition delays or complications with the project, according to Military Times.

However, in her resignation letter, Ms. Morris wrote the agency "intends to take the EHR modernization effort in a different direction than we were headed." Ms. Morris did not provide additional details on how the project has changed.

Mr. Wilkie has appointed John Windom, executive director of the OEHRM, to replace Ms. Morris in an acting capacity, NextGov reports. Mr. Windom previously worked on the Pentagon's EHR project.

In his letter, Mr. Banks wrote he wants answers from the agency: "I am dedicated to pursuing a constructive oversight agenda to encourage VA to make the right decisions, but any engagement is difficult without stable leadership."

Mr. Banks also requested Mr. Wilkie provide an unredacted organizational chart of the OEHRM, including contractors and vacancies, by Sept. 7.
Knoxville, Tenn.-based Curae Health and its three hospitals in Mississippi filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Aug. 24, and Curae President and CEO Stephen Clapp outlined the factors that led the system to enter bankruptcy in recently filed court documents.

Curae acquired the three Mississippi hospitals included in the bankruptcy case from Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems in September 2016. Mr. Clapp said the facilities' purchase price of $51 million was based on industry multiples of net revenue and EBITDA for 2013 through the first quarter of 2016.

"At the time, the facilities had positive EBITDA sufficient enough to support the purchase price and corresponding debt," Mr. Clapp said in court documents. "Moreover, the transition to the Curae operating model would improve financial performance by reducing operating expenses by 1-3 percent."

However, a dramatic decline in revenue after the transaction closed more than offset the expense savings that were realized. Mr. Clapp said net revenues dropped $23 million between 2013 and 2018.

In addition to the decline in net revenues, Curae incurred higher-than-projected information systems costs. "This was a result of using CHS information systems longer than anticipated and the inability to secure permanent information system financing," Mr. Clapp said.

These factors created a cash crunch, with vendors demanding payment for past-due bills. Due to Curae's lagging payments, some vendors began requiring payment before they would provide services or deliver supplies, according to Mr. Clapp.

Curae filed for bankruptcy protection to ensure the three hospitals and their affiliated physician practices could continue to operate. As part of the bankruptcy case, Curae proposed selling the three Mississippi hospitals and their physician practices. The hospitals have attracted the interest of various parties, and Curae will likely file a motion with the court in the near future to authorize the sale of the facilities, Mr. Clapp said.

Filings in the bankruptcy case show Curae and the three hospitals have $3.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and $96 million in liabilities.

More articles on healthcare finance:

Texas hospital lays off 40% of administrative staff amid financial troubles

Vanderbilt University Medical Center points to Epic rollout for 68% drop in operating income

Mississippi hospital files for bankruptcy
THA Solutions Group, a Tennessee Hospital Association subsidiary, chose healthcare technology firm Xsolis as a partner to bring predictive analytics for case management and utilization review to its hospitals.

Through the arrangement, THA Solutions Group's 142 member hospitals will hav the opportunity to use Xsolis' predictive analytics suite, which monitors each patient's condition during hospitalization in real time, officials said. They said the platform also automatically prioritizes patient cases for utilization review based on the revenue or insurance claim denial risks they present.

"Innovation starts with action," Jim Goodloe, senior vice president for THA Solutions Group, said in a prepared statement. "Xsolis offers hospitals the opportunity to take a proactive approach to reducing revenue risk and improving compliance. We are confident the value Xsolis provides their nationwide client base can be magnified by partnering with THA and our member hospitals."

More articles on healthcare finance:

Many Americans struggling to meet basic needs, including healthcare

Georgia health system names revenue cycle VP: 4 things to know

This week's 5 must-reads for hospital RCM leaders
Framingham, Mass.-based MetroWest Medical Center CEO Jeffrey Liebman resigned Aug. 10, according to The MetroWest Daily News.

Here are four things to know:

1. Mr. Liebman assumed the role one year ago, overseeing MetroWest's campuses in Framingham and Natick, Mass.

2. A spokesperson from Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, MetroWest's parent, told the Daily News that he "left to pursue other opportunities." She also said that he had left the role "on his own."

3. During his tenure, the hospital announced plans to make $12 million in capital investments. Mr. Liebman had also said the organization plans on adding 11 physicians this year.

4. MetroWest Chief Nursing Officer Andrew D. Harding will take over as interim CEO.

Becker's Hospital Review has reached out to the organization for comment. The article will be updated as more information becomes available.
Photo: Lane Turner/Boston Globe via Getty Images

At my college reunion this year, I found out that one of my favorite bars was replaced by Shiru Cafe, a coffee shop that provides free drinks to university students in exchange for personal data that they share with companies interested in hiring those students. Shiru has over 20 locations across Japan and Indias most prestigious universities, including Tokyo University and the Indian Institutes of Technology. Now, its come to the U.S. In addition to the Providence location, according to the cafes website, it will open locations near Amherst, Princeton, and Harvard.

The cafe is cashless. According to Keith Maher, the manager of Shirus Providence location, the only way to order anything at Shiru is by signing up with the cafes website. In order to create an account, a user needs a university ID from any school. Students get their drinks without charge, while faculty are able to sign up for $1 coffees and teas. (Maher told me that when people not affiliated with the university have come into the store, hes had to explain that we dont accept cash payments or general clientele.)

Along with name, university, ID number, and year, Shirus form asks for students IT skills, previous internships, and the size of company the student is interested in (categories that may not be relevant to all students). Students are meant to drink their beverages in the cafe, which is outfitted with wooden tables, curved-back metal chairs, and free Wi-Fi, surrounded by screens that show ads from sponsor companies (or rather, thats what theyll show once Shiru recruits sponsor companies. For now, Maher says, they show ads for internship positions at Shiru itself). No company has bought into the Providence location, which has been open since February.

The student response has so far been mixed. Two Brown students lambasted the schools reporting on the cafe as an uncritical promotion. They called for the university to boycott the cafe in opposition to the idea of recruiting students to corporations like JP Morgan. The original article notes, Those who register using their smartphones will have access to free drinks, Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, and study spaces, along with the opportunity to connect with sponsor companies through meetups at the cafe. Anecdotally, some students have told me that they find the idea of receiving free drinks that only they are eligible for distasteful, while others are concerned about the perceived privacy risk of signing up and ordering via smartphone. While the cafe asks that students consume their drinks in-store, several have told me that customers tend to just take their drinks  all of which are served in disposable cups  and leave. Other students are also uncomfortable with the idea of receiving ads via smartphone.

When it comes to the privacy trade-off, many presume  given how much information is already out there, and given events like Facebooks Cambridge Analytica scandal  that they might as well go for it.

Writing on the rise of unprofitable companies, the New York Times Kevin Roose claims, For consumers who are willing to do their research  this can be a golden age of deals  The current crop of money-losing companies may not survive forever, but as long as someone is willing to keep funding these types of gambles, theres no reason to stop enjoying the fruits of their optimism.

At first glance, Shiru looks pretty similar, with the patina of discomfort that comes from a business that picks its location to be close to prestigious universities and bars anyone outside of a university from even buying goods at full cost. To reject the service on symbolic or political grounds is one thing. But to reject it on the grounds of privacy may seem contradictory to a group of people whove grown up in an age when lack of control of ones personal data is more and more (and depending on how you look at it, for decades) the norm.

Maher told me that Shiru collects only the data it asks for on its intake forms, and that it is shared in an anonymized form with sponsor companies. Real concerns would emerge were the store to require customers to connect to its Wi-Fi, according to Jacob Furst, a professor of computer security at DePaul University. This, he says, would give them access to a much wider range of information (as is the case with most public Wi-Fi networks). Without that, Furst points out what he calls a potential contradiction in the companys privacy policy: We may disclose aggregate information about our users and information that does not identify any individual without restriction. In practice, this is an empty assertion, Furst told me, explaining that third-party companies can piece together seemingly anonymous data sets that have at least one thing in common. An exaggerated example: If your profile from your Netflix account includes your birthday and zip code, and so does an anonymized medical record, it wouldnt be a stretch to match those two together.

Furst calls this more of a possible than practical concern. But as MoviePasss attempts at dipping its toe into email and app-based marketing shows, the line between the two can blur. Otherwise, Furst says, Shirus privacy policy is pretty comforting.

Concerns about a cafe giving out free coffee at a university might seem uncalled for. Both because its apparently harmless, but also perhaps because events of the past year have highlighted how often, like it or not, the customer is the product. The Equifax security breach highlighted the lack of agency individual consumers often have over their own data and the lack of laws protecting it. Facebooks stock, though it took a hit in the last week of July, continued to climb upward in the months after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. And, this August, the Associated Press reported that Google appears to be tracking users locations even when the Location History setting on an app is turned off. This loose constellation of data points might show what people are thinking: that, in this case, if the datas already out there, they might as well get a free coffee out of it.

That at least seems to track with Signe Swanson, a comparative-literature student at Brown and semi-frequent Shiru customer (she usually gets a cold brew). It took her a couple of months to set foot in the store. I just kept hearing about it as this crazy thing you had to see to believe, she said. While she copped to being very paranoid about signing into the cafes Wi-Fi, she admitted to being unclear as to the companys privacy policy. I hate to say it, but I dont really know enough about what theyre admitting to using our data for or disclosing to us because I dont pay close enough attention.

And she seems to get some enjoyment from the fact that shes not Shirus target demographic: In order to sign up, Swanson, a comparative-literature major focusing on Russian translation, had to pick her intended career industry. Among the list of paths in finance, consulting, and software engineering, the only one that credibly fit was judge.

Its really creepy inside, the decorations  she tells how the walls are lined with motivational posters, empty wooden picture frames, a giant clock  are really off-putting, she said.

I guess thats what lends itself to people being ironically interested in it. Because it has this pretense of doing good for students and the world at large and being an optimistic, empowering environment, but its really kind of freaky.

But that discomfort seems to be more about what the cafe represents than any real or imagined abuses. It highlights a new norm rather than an aberration. If truly opting out isnt really an option, why not get a free drink? The sale of personal consumer data has been going on for decades, long before Google and Facebook, though more colorful examples, like receiving a promotional package of baby formula shortly after a miscarriage, may make it feel like someone is watching. In a recent JSTOR article, Eric Schewe brings up the example of the relationship between smart home and owner as a kind of participatory surveillance. But when it comes to data privacy, nonparticipation might not really be a choice. While, and if, the adoption of the MoviePass model catches on, it may simply highlight how much surveillance is already happening, rather than what any user is choosing to participate in, or a norm that a single company may be engaging in more flamboyantly.

So if this were an episode of Black Mirror, it probably wouldnt end with Daniel Kaluuya staring out the window of his mansion contemplating the soulless and irrefusable bargain of commodifying his disgust toward a system that is now rewarding him for performing that disgust. It might end instead with a person sipping a matcha latte, going about their day, reaping a small, apparent benefit of a society where privacy as we might have known it has long been a thing of the past.
Hospital and health system executives realize collaboration with their physician partners is crucial for operational and financial success.

The continued shifting to value-based care, along with financial pressures from dwindling reimbursement, deteriorating payer mix and other factors, is certain to make this collaboration even more crucial moving forward.

With this in mind, Becker's Hospital Review asked readers to share their organization's physician alignment strategy. Read about the physician alignment strategies below, in the leaders' own words.

Note: Responses have been edited lightly for length and style

Sam Bagchi, MD

Senior Vice President, CMO and CMIO of Christus Health (Irving, Texas)

"Christus Health, [with more than 15,000 physicians], has many different markets with many different approaches to physician alignment. [Therefore], we really are committed to meeting our physician community where they are in terms of their desire to engage with us and their desire for employment or more autonomous independent practices.

"Where we have large employed platforms, we work hard to optimize the employed physician experience and think about how we can design our compensation and workload models to minimize burnout and make it as easy to practice as an employed physician as possible. A big part of that is our shared physician-led governance of those groups. We're careful to make sure we have physician input, physician leadership involvement and physicians driving the clinical mission of those employed physician groups that we have.

"In other markets where we have fewer employed physicians, we work hard to make sure that we're the easiest health system to work with in the community, that they understand we're committed to the safety and quality of care we provide together, and we really try to be innovative and creative in how we can be the preferred health system for them to work with."

Gary Fulbright

CFO of Citizens Memorial Healthcare (Bolivar, Mo.)

"We have gradually over time employed more and more physicians, and at this point practically all of our [96] physicians are employed. We've not really forced that issue. They just kind of came to us one at a time. And then most of the physicians we recruit do want to be employed, so it worked [out] that way.

"I feel like we do a great job of communicating with physicians, and our physicians have been around the 90th percentile the last four years on surveys of how satisfied they are with the organization. We work hard at that, and I think we are very aligned here."

Arthur Klein, MD

President of the Mount Sinai Health Network (New York City)

"At Mount Sinai Health Network, [which consists of nearly 9,000 physicians], the physician alignment strategy is multifaceted because we don't believe that one model fits all, particularly in the highly competitive environment of the metropolitan New York City area. The alignment strategy can be everything and is everything in our system from direct physician employment to creating part-time employment opportunities where appropriate, to creating a different physician practice alignment model, like captive professional corporations [for acquiring and managing medical groups], or purchased service agreements. Also, very importantly, [the alignment strategy includes] the creation of a clinically integrated network where physicians agree we will contract for them in return for our ability to ensure commitment to quality, access, facilitated care and most appropriate care from an expense and utilization point of view."

Rich Liekweg

President and CEO of BJC HealthCare (St. Louis)

"Our patients' needs are met through a comprehensive and diverse physician platform that includes over 300 BJC Medical Group employed physicians; more than 1,000 physicians who are part of the Washington University Faculty Practice Plan, our strategic partner, and a vast number of community-based physicians credentialed and privileged by our hospitals.

"Our alignment strategy includes being an early CMS accountable care organization that has yielded education in outpatient care coordination. We are accelerating expansion of this knowledge across our platforms, including the key role played by nurse practitioners, care coordinators and external partners who work together with our clinicians to better meet the health needs of consumers in various clinical settings. We also have been active in CMS' BPCI [Bundled Payments for Care Improvement] program and have just enrolled to participate in the new BPCI Advanced program with our providers to help us redesign care practices across a number of clinical episodes, while reducing nonvalue-added variation and adopting best practices. We have also established a series of clinical expert councils, led by and composed of physicians, typically within the same specialty, to help us achieve the [healthcare] triple aim."

Gil Peri

COO of Connecticut Children's Medical Center (Hartford)

"Our physician alignment plan is based on meeting the needs of community providers by partnering to provide a seamless care experience across the continuum. We are developing a clinically integrated network with community pediatric primary care providers, pediatric specialists and the hospital to define pediatric quality metrics that improve outcomes and bend the cost curve. Our team works with primary care providers and specialists to support improving access to care and communicating via technology to ensure the providers have the necessary information to provide care in the medical home. We consistently survey our [more than 1,200] physicians to assess engagement and challenges and use that information to improve our alignment and address gaps."

Debbie Schiff

Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Ambulatory Strategy and Business Development at Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.)

"Our ability to strengthen and expand relationships with physicians remains the cornerstone of the health systems ambulatory network build. Northwell offers a multitude of physician alignment models, ranging in degree of affiliation, in order to meet physicians' needs and support our clinical programs. We continue to align with physicians throughout the region, filling market and clinical gaps through focused growth of the medical group and expansion of the Northwell Health IPA. Additional alignment approaches include physician partnerships in clinical joint ventures such as ambulatory surgery centers and strategic affiliations that offer opportunities to align based on collaborative quality initiatives.

"Currently, Northwell employs more than 4,000 physicians, with an average of 500 physicians hired into the medical group (formally called Northwell Health Physician Partners) each year. With over 670 ambulatory locations offering primary, medical and surgical specialty care, as well as urgent care, imaging, cancer, dialysis and ambulatory surgery centers, our health system remains committed to promoting wellness and managing the health of the population in the communities where our patients live and work."

Allison Suttle, MD

CMO of Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.)

"Over the past 20 years, Sanford Health has created a physician-driven, integrated delivery system. We have developed physician alignment through employment and a physician governance structure that creates one clinical practice across our footprint in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Montana.

"Physicians across state lines of the same specialty create one systemwide department to work on clinical standardization, quality dashboards, reducing unnecessary variation, recruitment, retention, market share expansion, research and education. Sanford physicians get the data they need and the administrative resources necessary to make the best clinical decisions to deliver on the value proposition. In addition, we continue to educate on the changes happening in healthcare. We have implemented pilots around compensation based on access, efficiency, per member per month and quality to prepare physicians for future value-based payment programs."

Warner Thomas

President and CEO of Ochsner Health System (New Orleans)

"We remain focused on trying to align more physicians through multiple ways. We believe a common IT platform and medical record, along with integrated clinical information among our entire Ochsner Clinic group [practice] and community physicians, is critically important to deliver coordinated, organized care for our patients. This strategy aligns more physicians to not only integrate care, but have a more consistent delivery of care, and in how we look at ambulatory metrics across all our [1,100-plus] physicians within the system."

More articles on leadership:

VisitPay announces new chief revenue officer, expands national sales team

5 Tips to prepare for an urgent care accreditation survey

Transparency, empowerment, geniality needed to promote innovation, says Avaap Senior Manager Jason Anderson
During a recent appearance at the 22nd annual Wharton Leadership Conference in Philadelphia in June, Jeffrey Bolton, vice president of administration and chief administrative officer at the Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, discussed the "Mayo magic" that has helped raised the institution's profile as one of the nation's top hospitals, Knowledge@Wharton reports.

Mr. Bolton sat down with J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and dean of UPenn's Perelman School of Medicine, to discuss how "in the middle of a relatively small town of about 125,000 people in Minnesota, you've got the No. 1-rated healthcare system probably in the world."

Mr. Bolton pointed to several of the health system's founding tenets as part of the "Mayo magic" that has made the system one of the most well-known healthcare institutions in the world and ranked as the No. 1 best hospital in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for its 2018-19 Best Hospitals Honor Roll.

Here are three characteristics Mr. Bolton cited as contributors to the system's "Mayo magic":

1. Patients come first. While many organizations cite patients as the most integral component of their institutions, Mayo Clinic is structured to support patients and foster teamwork among providers and staff, not as a hierarchy. Mr. Bolton recited an oft-repeated anecdote from the system's founding days nearly a century ago during which one of its co-founders, William Mayo, MD, was asked by a patient who the head physician of the operation was. Dr. Mayo reportedly told the patient, "No, my brother's the head doctor. I'm the belly doctor."

According to Mr. Bolton, the system's philosophy has always been that "the wisdom of peers is greater than any individual." He said if a physician is ever unsure about a patient's treatment, they "pick up the phone and call a colleague  either within [their] specialty or another specialty  and seek out insight," the report states.

2. Mayo Clinic is a physician-led organization. Mr. Bolton said the system uses a "leadership dyad" model in which a physician leader is paired with an administrative partner. In his case, Mr. Bolton is paired with Mayo Clinic President and CEO John Noseworthy, MD. He also stressed that physicians' salaries are consistent across departments and that all specialists, sub-specialists and physician-scientists receive a salary after five years on staff.

"There's no real incentive for driving volume within your practice," when department physicians are all paid equally, Mr. Bolton said. "You're really, again, focused on what the needs of the patient are," rather than volume-based incentives.

3. "No mission, no need for money." Healthcare, like various other industries, is people-centric, Mr. Bolton said, and that implies an inherent push-pull dynamic between maintaining financial stability and the quality of care provided. While Mayo provides a significant amount of charity care and subsidizes a large proportion of Medicaid and Medicare business, the system must also maintain a certain amount of commercial business to generate funds despite its nonprofit status.

"Every hospital system that has some Catholic roots has heard the phrase, 'no money, no mission,'" said Mr. Bolton, referring to the system's founding Catholic influence. "A lot of people forget, though, the other side of that: 'No mission, no need for money.'"

To access the full report, click here.
After months of negotiations, New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System and LSU New Orleans finalized a deal to assume operations at two of the state's safety-net hospitals, according to the News Star.

Under the deal, Ochsner will take over University Health Shreveport and University Health Conway in Monroe Oct. 1., according to KTBS 3. The state agreed to pay Ochsner $294 million to operate the hospitals  roughly $43 million more than the hospitals' previous operator received to take over the facilities.

The hospitals were previously operated by Shreveport-based BRF, which secured the contract from the state in 2013. Over time, BRF's relationship with LSU deteriorated, prompting LSU and the state to seek BRF's removal or find another partner, the report states.

Representatives for Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards met with lawmakers Aug. 29 to brief them on the deal. Legislators and the LSU board of supervisors are expected to receive documents regarding the transaction Aug. 30, the News Star reports.

LSU authorities are expected to vote on the contract Sept. 7, according to KTBS 3.

The hospitals will be governed by a board composed of directors from Ochsner, LSU, and the Monroe and Shreveport communities.

LSU President F. King Alexander, PhD, said he believes the partnership will benefit the hospitals greatly and expand them to another level, the News Star report states.

To access the full report, click here.
The Sitka (Alaska) Assembly voted Aug. 28 to approve entering into negotiations with the Juneau-based Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium to assume control of Sitka Community Hospital, KCAW reports.

The assembly voted 6-1 to move forward with SEARHC. The vote came roughly one year after the Sitka Assembly first proposed the idea of finding new management partners for the hospital.

The assembly received five offers from competing healthcare organizations to operate Sitka Community Hospital, including one from Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health Resources, which offered to take on management of the hospital for a fee of $454,000 a year for five years. The amount excluded the salaries of the hospital's two top executives and travel expenses.

Officials settled on SEARHC because many considered the organization to have the strongest proposal, according to the report. SEARHC proposed buying Sitka Community Hospital for between $8 million and $9 million; a buyout of the city's pension obligations to hospital employees, amounting to $700,000; annual $140,000 lease payments to the city for use of the hospital property; and guaranteed employment to all current hospital employees, among other stipulations.

SEARHC made an initial offer for the hospital in May 2017 amounting to $6.5 million for the hospital, but the city rejected the proposal. The organization submitted a second proposal in January 2018, which officials selected during their meeting Aug. 28.

City officials will draw up a nonbinding letter of intent and continue negotiations and due diligence during the next several months. Several consultants said it may be between six months and one year before a definitive agreement is reached, the report states.

To access the full report, click here.
Bon Secours Richmond (Va.) Community Hospital was forced into lockdown for seven hours Aug. 29 due to a "viable threat" of a shooting, according to a WRIC news report.

Two workers at the hospital said a disgruntled patient suggested there would be a shooting sometime on Aug. 29, and the hospital went on lockdown around 10:30 a.m. that morning.

After an investigation by police, the lockdown was lifted at 5:32 p.m.

"By placing the hospital on lockdown, the safety of the patients, medical staff and essential personnel was secured," a hospital spokesperson told WTVR. "As a further safety precaution, visitors, hospital volunteers and nonessential personnel safely departed the campus prior to the lockdown, and they are now able to return."

All hospital operations have returned to normal. No one was harmed in the incident.
Nashville, Tenn.-based Anesthesia Medical Group, which comprises about 120 physicians and 400 anesthesiologists, reached an agreement with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, AMG told Becker's Hospital Review in an Aug. 29 news release.

The new agreement ends a dispute over reimbursement rates and provides BCBSTN members in-network access to AMG's anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists at all facilities AMG serves. This includes 220-plus operating rooms at 33 facilities in Middle Tennessee, including Brentwood-based TriStar Health System hospitals, Franklin-based Williamson Medical Center and Gallatin-based Sumner Regional Medical Center.

"We have had a strong relationship with BCBSTN for 22 years, and we are pleased that we can continue that relationship for years to come," AMG said.



More articles on payers:

Tenet's Baptist Health System, Mutual of Omaha, Lumeris link up for Medicare Advantage plan

CDC: Uninsured rate remains flat at 8.8%

UnitedHealth stock hits all-time high
Despite a decline in new cases, the World Health Organization cannot assess whether the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is stabilized due to the challenge of identifying new cases in conflict-ridden red zones, according to Reuters.

WHO Director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus discussed the difficulty of tracking the outbreak in these conflict areas during an Aug. 28 news conference.

"If one case is hidden in the red zone or an inaccessible area, it's dangerous," he told Reuters. "It can just spark a fire, just one case."

Health officials have reported 112 confirmed and probable Ebola cases, along with 75 deaths, linked to the latest outbreak, which started Aug. 1, according to the data released by the Congo's health ministry.

Current response efforts have been catalyzed by experimental vaccines. So far, about 4,500 health workers and individuals who've had contact with Ebola patients have been vaccinated. About 17 patients have also received the new treatments.

"Now we have vaccines, and we have therapeutics and no one should really die of Ebola. But for this to happen first of all we need to identify cases as early as possible," Dr. Tedros told Reuters.

The WHO is asking numerous countries, local religious leaders and chiefs to negotiate with rebel groups for access to red zones to better identify and treat Ebola patients.

More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
The healthcare workforce is constantly changing amid industry and U.S. population trends.

Here are six things to know:

Jobs

1. Healthcare added 16,700 jobs in July, with hospitals contributing 6,800 to that total, according to the latest jobs report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This marks a slowdown from the 25,200 jobs healthcare added in June and the 28,900 jobs the industry added in May.

2. The BLS projects medical and health services manager employment will grow 20 percent from 2016 to 2026. However, most adults have never considered a health services administration career, according to a University of Phoenix College of Health Professions online survey.

Shortages

3. A study published in Surgery suggested the U.S. will see a greater shortage of general surgeons unless there are more resident graduates. Researchers projected a shortage of 7,047 general surgeons in 2050, after factoring in a projected 2050 U.S. population of 439 million and the 10,173 certificates granted by the American Board of Surgery from 2007-2016. Their 2050 general surgeon shortage projection fell to 4,917 based on the population estimates for 2050 and the number of general surgery residency completions from 2007-2016.

4. Additionally, various areas of the country are facing a shortage of nurses, and the problem is expected to worsen as baby boomers retire and the U.S. population continues to age and require more medical services. Industrywide, 3.5 million healthcare workers will be needed to fill new jobs in the U.S. from 2016-2026, and 8.1 million additional healthcare workers will be needed to replace workers who leave the occupation or retire during that time period, according to an analysis of BLS data. There will be an especially high demand for nurses, with the BLS projecting the need for 1.1 million new registered nurses by 2022, according to the American Nurses Association.

Burnout

5. Physician burnout increased from 45.5 percent to 54.4 percent between 2011 and 2014, according to an article in the American Journal of Medicine. The article's authors, physician researchers at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, said they found this is not because physicians are depressed or less content at home, but rather they are not as happy at work.

Physician Assistants

6. Salary, leadership opportunities and benefits are better for hospital-employed physician assistants compared to those who work at physician practices, according to the American Academy of Physician Assistant 2018 salary report.

More articles on workforce:

Augusta Health seeks 10 nurses

General surgeon shortage projected to worsen, study finds

How UW Health saved millions with a labor management system
Nashville-based Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance welcomed two orthopedic surgeons and one spine surgeon to its Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based location, according to Rutherford Source.

Brad Askam, MD, specializes in orthopedic trauma surgery. He will begin seeing patients Sept. 10. Dr. Askam has expertise in treating fracture-related complications including nonunions, malunions, infections and osteomyelitis.

Abiola Atanda, MD, is a spine surgeon with interests in degenerative diseases, deformity, spinal stenosis and herniated discs. He will begin seeing patients Sept. 4.

Lucas Routh, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement surgery. Dr. Routh performs outpatient and minimally invasive surgeries. He is now seeing patients at TOA.
Irish hotel giant Dalata Group plc has said its continuing to work with Co Tyrone building firm McAleer and Rushe on identifying potential new sites around Great Britain.

Dalata Group deputy chief executive Dermot Crowley spoke as the business announced the acquisition of a new hotel in London.

Its paying 91m to acquire the long-term leasehold interest in a new-build hotel in Aldgate, London. The hotel is due to be completed in November.

Dalata Group owns four hotels in Northern Ireland, including a Maldron Hotel which opened in the city centre in March. It also owns the Clayton Hotel in Ormeau Avenue, as well as Maldron at Belfast International Airport and another in Derry.

Mr Crowley said the group had no plans for any more hotel openings in Northern Ireland.

And he said the lack of a Northern Ireland devolved government could influence the future performance of the hotel market here.

them off-market.

But he said the company would continue to look around the UK for new hotel opportunities with McAleer and Rushe.

We have started work on a Maldron Hotel in Birmingham and we are also developing a new property, a Clayton Bristol, and we do look right around the UK with them in the large cities. We work very closely with them.

Its newest London hotel will be branded Clayton Hotel Aldgate London. It will be located beside Aldgate East Underground Station and close to the new Liverpool Street and Whitechapel Crossrail stations.

There are already two Clayton hotels in Chiswick and Cricklewood in London.

In a statement, Mr Crowley said: London remains a key gateway city in Europe that will continue to benefit from the growth in international travel...

This announcement represents another very important milestone in the growth of Dalata in the UK. We now have a pipeline of almost 2,000 rooms across key UK cities such as London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol.
The asylum seekers went missing in crocodile-infested mangrove forests at the start of the Daintree River after the rickety vessel ran aground in the north-eastern coast of Queensland on August 26.

A boat carrying the migrants is understood to have come from Vietnam before running aground off Cape Kimberley, near the Daintree River, on Sunday.

Two suspected asylum seekers were detained by police on the banks of the Daintree River.

Once the migrants were all accounted for, the government said on Tuesday that the group would be deported to Christmas Island, an Australian territory almost 1,000 miles from the closest point in continental Australia, where they would be detained and their immigration statuses determined. Since 2013, migrants who are caught in Australia's territorial waters are subject to deportation or detention at offshore facilities on the islands of Nauru and Manus, Papua New Guinea.

State Emergency Service area controller Peter Rinaudo said earlier his crews were searching through the mangroves and near the mouth of the river, reportedly with dogs.

The government says its zero-tolerance policy toward migrants who make the journey by sea is in place to discourage human trafficking and unsafe trips, but critics contend the rules are discriminatory and violate migrants' rights.

Two of the men who arrived on the vessel were treated to a tour of the area by local fisherman who spotted them in the mangroves.

French environment minister resigns, citing lack of progress on climate goals

He damned Macron's government with faint praise as he sprang his resignation surprise. Macron's comments weren't new to the French ambassadors.

"We got the blokes to pull in some crab pots for us and we showed them the sights and we had a bit of a banter - showed them a few crocs", Mr Preston told the ABC.

Most asylum-seeker boats that have arrived in Australia in recent years embarked from Indonesia, though some originated in Sri Lanka.

The arrival - claimed by Dutton to be the first boat arrival in 1400 days - has raised questions on how it managed to "slip through" Australia's defense network. They are blocked from resettling in Australia.

He admitted it was "the result of a surveillance failure" and said it is "a reminder that the people smugglers have not gone out of business".

The final two men arrested by police on the Daintree Ferry on Tuesday morning are expected to make the same journey via Darwin.

"We've had a very proud record, over the course of the last few years, and we aren't going to take a backward step".

"They weren't exactly sure what we were talking about, but everyone was laughing". The local witnesses notified border police, according to reports.
It is Chequers or no deal on Brexit, de facto deputy prime minister David Lidington has told a French business conference.

Speaking to France's largest employer federation, the Mouvement des Entreprises de France, Mr Lidington set out how the UK was trying to reach a pragmatic solution.

But the Cabinet Office Minister said in his keynote speech that the European Commission's proposal remained unacceptable.

He said: "With exactly seven months until the end of the Article 50 process and less than two months ahead of the October European Council, we face the choice between the pragmatic proposals we are discussing now with the European Commission or no deal.

"The alternative models do not meet the level of ambition or the outcome we all want to see delivered.

"So we need the EU to engage with us on our positive vision of the future relationship."

Mr Lidington appealed for compromise from the EU side on the basis of co-operation over trade.

"The mercantilist system of rivalry and conflict that once characterised relationships in Europe is long in the past," he said.

"Trade liberalisation has been key to the peace, stability and prosperity that we have enjoyed in Western Europe in recent decades. It is an agenda we have worked together to promote.

"It is through this system that France continues to enjoy a big trade surplus in goods with the UK - in fact, it is currently France's biggest trade surplus with any EU country, in the region of six billion euros."

Stressing the historic ties between France and the UK, Mr Lidington said the countries must also pull together "because the foundations of the world order that we forged in the aftermath of war are creaking".

"I believe that this is a time when Europe, Europe inside the EU and Europe outside the EU, needs to pull together to embrace the spirit of unity and co-operation that has been the cause of our success for more than half a century.

"Even in Europe, dark political forces, long banished to the very fringes of society and the ashes of history, are re-emerging - feeding on resentment over inequality, stalling standards of living and rapid social change."

He said the government had been "clear" on its ambition for a future relationship. "We want a deep and special partnership with the EU, we remain a proud European nation committed to European values, European security and European trade."
Smurfit Kappa has confirmed that the Venezuelan government has taken control of its factory in the country for 90 days in a move that will increase fears that the facility could be nationalised entirely.

The Irish packaging firm, which is led by Tony Smurfit, has an operation in Lurgan, Co Armagh, making corrugated packaging.

Two Smurfit Kappa employees were arrested and are still in custody. They are being held for allegedly engaging in what were described as "crimes of speculation, boycott, extraction contraband, destabilising the economy, and corruption".

Confirmation that Venezuela's increasingly authoritarian government will control the plant for three months comes a week after the authorities first occupied the factory and ordered the company to cut prices.

Venezuela is sinking into an increasingly dire economic and currency crisis.

Smurfit Kappa said it had become "impossible" for the business to manage its affairs in a way that complies with is normal business standards as a result of the Venezuelan action.

"Consequently, as of August 28, 2018, Smurfit Kappa is not responsible for the use of its installations, machinery and equipment, its employees' safety, that of its surrounding communities, any environmental impact, or the quality of the paper and packaging manufactured in the operations," it added.

The company said it was making all possible efforts to secure the release of its two employees.

It's understood that no Irish nationals work at the factory. Venezuela's government ordered the temporary occupation of the carton production unit in Carabobo state for alleged abuse of a dominant position.

Smurfit Kappa told the market last Thursday that it "entirely refutes" the allegations made against it.

"The group has operated in Venezuela since 1986 to the highest business and ethical standards," it said, adding that the Venezuelan subsidiary of which the factory is part represented less than 1% of its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the first half of 2018.

Nine of the 10 company unions last week confirmed their support and desire to continue working with Smurfit Kappa.

Last month Smurfit Kappa's latest results revealed that it had forked out 17m (15m) to defend itself from a 9bn (8bn) takeover approach from US firm International Paper.

The half-year results, which saw Smurfit Kappa post a 27% rise to 724m (644m) in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, have been seen by investors as vindicating the board's decision to reject the overtures from International Paper.

The FTSE-100 listed firm told its shareholders that its prospects were better as an independent business.
Dromore woman Imelda McCarron has said taking part in The Great British Bake Off was "one of the best experiences" of her life, despite being the first contestant to leave this year's show.

The first episode of the Channel 4 series began on Tuesday with Biscuit Week. Imelda's cherry, white chocolate and coconut flakemeal biscuits impressed the judges in the signature regional biscuit challenge.

However, her wagon wheels fell flat in the subsequent technical challenge, leaving her in 11th place. Her "selfie" lemon and ginger biscuit was compared to "stale shortbread" by judge Paul Hollywood and deemed "a little bland and dry" by Prue Leith.

Reflecting on her exit, the countryside recreation officer at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, who is mum to 15-year-old Piaras, said: "I'm disappointed to be the first off but it was better to be there for one week rather than not at all.

"Even though it was short and sweet, I feel that I learned a lot about baking and also meeting new people and making friends for life.

"I have to say it was 100% one of the best experiences of my life.

"I have always found social situations awkward, but since being on Bake Off they really don't scare me as much. Being on the show has totally changed me as a personality, it has made me more confident."

Imelda said her best moment was meeting the other bakers and the positive feedback she received from the judges for her flakemeal biscuits - especially as baking biscuits is her "pet hate".

"I was beaming as I am so proud of my oatmeal biscuits," she added.

"My worst moment was obviously when my name was called out. If I did it all again, I just wish I had done more with the selfie biscuit. I think I should have been a bit more creative and I took the challenge too literally."

Imelda said it was "lovely to represent the rural community" in Northern Ireland "and for them to get some recognition which they so much deserve".

She will now appear with Jo Brand on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday night and said her family was "so pleased by the media reaction".

"They are so proud of me," she said. "My daddy Tom has enjoyed the whole experience and he is super proud of me.

"Piaras is enjoying it and I think his friends think it is a bit cool."
The diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, lent to the Duchess by the Queen for her wedding

The wedding dress of the Duchess of Sussex that will go on display as part of the exhibition A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, at Windsor Castle

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London, before attending a gala performance of the musical Hamilton

Fans of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hoping to relive their May nuptials will soon be able to see their famous wedding outfits up close.

Queen Mary's 1932 diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, lent to Meghan by the Queen for the star-studded ceremony, will be on public display for the first time.

The Duchess's Givenchy wedding dress, created by British designer Claire Waight Keller, will be one of a number of outfits on display at A Royal Wedding: The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex.

Fashion lovers and royal enthusiasts alike will be able to see details of the silk gown, its train and well-recognised boat neckline. The intricate five metre-long veil, on which flowers of the 53 Commonwealth countries are embroidered along with Wintersweet and a California Poppy, will also be on display.

A copy of Harry's Savile Row-tailored uniform will feature at the exhibition, which will begin at wedding site Windsor Castle before making its way up to Holyrood Palace. A Royal Wedding: The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex will be at Windsor Castle from October 26 to January 6, and at Holyrood Palace from June 14 to October 6 next year.
The charred remains of Primark at Bank Buildings in Belfast city centre following Tuesdays blaze

To some of us she is, and always will be Bank Buildings. To a younger generation she's simply Primark. But to all of us she has represented more than just a store, a business, a workplace or an historic building.

She was Belfast.

Not just a bricks and mortar city centre structure. But a grand old lady who'd seen and survived horror and history, who'd witnessed centuries of change and challenge and had gracefully, seamlessly adapted and endured.

She was a landmark in the city centre - and in our daily lives. How often have we said "Right. See you outside Bank Buildings/Primark. Okay?"

Maybe, when checking the time, we and all those other city centre workers hightailing it back to the office after lunch didn't always pause overly long to admire the intricate detail of that imposing clock topping her facade.

But it was as familiar to us as the face of a friend.

A friend, in this instance, telling us to get a move on.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Kevin Scott Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. Photo by Gregory Weeks. Aerial view over Bank Buildings following Tuesdays fire.. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Aerial views showing the aftermath of the fire in the Bank Buildings - Primark Belfast - August 29th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

We didn't think or know or even, to be frank, care too much about her history. The sad thing is that in the aftermath of Tuesday's devastating fire we now know and appreciate so much more about her.

The original building on the site was commissioned by Waddell Cunningham - regarded as the richest man in Belfast - in 1785. It was designed by the English architect Sir Robert Taylor. Taylor had begun his career as a sculptor. Although he failed to earn a living at that, he obviously retained considerable faith in his own artistic genes. He named his son Michael Angelo Taylor.

The first building housed a bank - The Bank of the Four Johns, named after its founders Messrs Brown, Ewing, Hamilton and Holmes who shared the same first name. The bank collapsed and in a shift from Mammon to godliness, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr William Dickson, next moved in to make it his home.

By 1805 though, it had become a shop. And it was to remain a centre of commerce from there on in.

That shopfront pavement at the confluence of Donegall Place and Royal Avenue which so many of us have used as a convenient meeting point also gruesomely served back in the early 1800s as a place of public execution. A macabre convergence of retail and retribution. The last to die there were three weavers who'd attacked the home of their boss following an argument over pay.

But such horror would have been long forgotten by the shoppers who flocked through its doors later that century after it had become a more impressive drapery business. And certainly by the turn of the century when the architect WH Lynn had redesigned the bottom floors of the building, installing the big plate glass windows that seem commonplace today but in 1900 must have seemed so very plush and futuristic. A reflection of a Belfast booming for all the right reasons.

So much history those old walls have witnessed down the years...

The 1798 rebellion only a few years after it had first been built, the grim years in the mid-1800s when famine stalked the land and encroached on the city too, the growing industrialisation of Victorian Belfast when commerce was king, the Great War with first the military parades passing by its front doors, those idealistic young soldiers marching to the Front - and then later the news filtering through to the city streets of the unspeakable carnage of the Somme.

Much of the news of that era would have been conveyed to the local populace by the Belfast Telegraph, its many editions sold on those same streets outside the Bank Buildings' doors by the paper boys whose shrill and unforgettable marketing cries echo forever in the history of this city. The sinking of the Titanic, Partition, the King's visit, the Second World War...

Through it all the Bank Buildings continued to trade. Even when Hitler attacked and his bombardment laid waste great swathes of the city, clipping chunks out of the walls of nearby premises.

There was a brief respite in the Fifties and Sixties. By then, Bank Buildings was a quite swish store vying for custom with Belfast's other iconic businesses of the day. It was the age of the local family-run department store. Brands and Norman's. Robb's. Robinson and Cleaver.

And then came the Troubles..

Belfast city centre was for a time quite literally surrounded by a ring of steel. To get in you had to queue to be frisked and have your bag searched. The process was repeated at the door of every shop. (And to think today all we have to gripe about are bus lanes impeding our progress into the city's commercial heart.)

The bombers and the fire bombers still got through, of course, to destroy lives and livelihoods, wiping out jobs, demolishing a shared heritage. No system is infallible against terrorists.

The Bank Buildings was itself firebombed in the mid-70s. But it still survived the worst of the IRA onslaught of those years that ripped apart the built face of Belfast and bequeathed us a city whose architecture in many parts could best be described as Seventies Utilitarian.

Bank Buildings was a grand old survivor. And the old girl got a new, and maybe unexpected, lease of life when Primark moved in.

The new owners, fair play to them, respected and retained the building's heritage and beauty. Amid her grandeur shoppers could now browse Primark's trademark range of 21st century fast-fashion, low-cost stock.

The business itself, enormously popular with local customers and a big draw for city centre trade will - even temporarily - be a massive loss to Belfast. Let's hope they get something sorted soon and that workers' jobs can be safeguarded.

The only blessing from the fire - and it can't be said enough - was that nobody was killed or injured. Shop staff and the magnificent emergency services, especially the firefighters who brought the blaze under control, deserve all credit there.

But in the end they couldn't save her.

When the inferno was at its height those scenes of hellfire curling up through that beloved building, hideous columns of smoke belching from her broken roof, were truly shocking.

But how much more emotive the sight of the aftermath?

Stark and skeletal, stripped bare and with the wind now snaking through the blackened void within, this is our old friend reduced to an undignified and unstable shell.

She was Belfast. She is Belfast.

And maybe - though it is hard to imagine how - like the tough, indomitable soul of this stubborn city of ours, the old girl can somehow be saved, mended, restored.

Looking at what's left though, you almost feel her shiver.

You almost sense that what runs down her walls today is not just the residue of the Lagan water those firefighters used to douse the flames, but her tears.

Then again, that's surely being a bit too fanciful - conveying to that once resplendent construction of Dumfries sandstone and glass and grandeur a human persona.

When the truth is that it's we who loved her, we who maybe never fully appreciated her, it's we, who now feel a lump in the throat when we look at that image of her ravaged remains.

The tears aren't hers. They're ours.
The lady's face twisted in disgust and then she burst out laughing as she said: "Ooh, so you just write commercial fiction? Eugh!" She sneered in my direction, leaving me shocked and flushed with embarrassment as I struggled to think of a response.

Lost for words, I left the company and took a moment to feel very sorry for myself. No, not sorry at all actually, I was absolutely raging at being humiliated in front of fellow writers and angry at myself at not having a quick enough response for this lady who seemed to think that because my books are labelled as 'commercial' and not 'literary,' I was somewhat beneath her talent.

This is not new in the writing world. Like any other industry, there is snobbery and it's very easy to literally judge a book by its cover (heaven forbid if the cover has a hint of pink!) and dismiss women writers as 'chick lit' who make up frothy, fluffy stories that are throwaway, popular and yes, dare I say, 'commercial', just because it suits some to look down their noses and make judgment without having read a word.

Last year, my novel The Legacy of Lucy Harte hit the Amazon bestsellers chart in both the UK and USA, representing a sea change in my career to date. The book deals with the plight of Maggie, who at 17 years old was given a second chance at life due to organ donation, and her quest to show her gratitude to the little girl, Lucy Harte, whose heart beats inside her. Maggie received Lucy's bucket list and carries it out in her memory and it in turn changes Maggie's life for the better. It's a real tear jerker and was a shift in genre from my previous romantic comedy novels, and I couldn't believe it when I started to receive messages from readers in the USA, in New Zealand, in Germany, in Holland (where the book is translated) and much closer to home saying the book had changed their lives.

One reader, Laura, from Boston, told me the heartbreaking story of how her cousin was killed in a motorbike accident and when his wife decided to donate his organs Laura couldn't help but feel jealous that some other family were getting a second chance due to her cousin's death when he didn't. For years she battled with her opinion on organ donation but when she read The Legacy of Lucy Harte, she cried tears of joy as she realised that her cousin had not died in vain. It really shifted her perspective and gave her great peace that she had longed for since she lost her cousin so suddenly.

I was blown away by Laura's story and the fact that she took the time to look me up and let me know. Then the messages kept coming in ...

Christine from Florida said: "Thanks for the roller coaster of emotions. I'm now a donor thanks to you."

Conni from Kentucky wrote: "This book has changed how I view life and I will never forget it. I'm an emotional mess but a better person for it."

And Deborah from Texas told me how the life lessons offered were inspiring and unforgettable.

Here at home, readers contacted me on a daily basis to say they would be signing on the organ donor register and some shared their own stories of organ donation. I was so honoured when some travelled to meet me at my book launch in Sheehy's bookshop in Cookstown, with one man who had just had a heart transplant making the journey having heard my interview on UTV Life.

In Galway, I had the pleasure of meeting the truly inspirational Martina Goggin whose only son Eamonn was killed in a road traffic accident in 2006. Martina, who now runs a support network for the families of organ donors called Strange Boats, said that during her darkest hours the fact that his organs allowed others to continue living was her only source of comfort.

The Legacy of Lucy Harte was inspired by a real life story and is dedicated to my cousin Ciaran Campbell who had a strong urge for many, many years to get in touch with his donor family in England. Having received a kidney as a child, Ciaran always felt he had the responsibility to say thank you to the mother of the little girl, Ashley, who he knew died when she was very young but, so far, he hadn't managed to get any further than find out the family name and write to them to say hello. They allowed us to dedicate the book to Ashley, but Ciaran's big dream was to meet them and say thank you in person, a goal that always seemed to be well out of reach.

This year saw the publication of A Part of Me and You, a story which explored the relationship between two women who meet unexpectedly in the west of Ireland when Juliette and her daughter Rosie travel there with the hope of tracking down Rosie's biological father. Then Juliette, who is terminally ill, leaves her teenage daughter forever. It is here she meets Shelley and together they change each other for the better. Once again, the messages started pouring in as readers took comfort from the life lessons shared as we meet one woman who is dying to live and another who is living to die.

One reader said: "It has made me reflect about life: live it to the fullest, love those who mean the world to you and grab every precious second. I will be savouring more moments and realising just how lucky I am to have so much love in my life. Only thing that matters at the end of it all."

Another said: "It filled me up with so much joy and positivity. I am in tears here of sadness and happiness rolled into one."

From the USA, Diana, a retired teacher who had lost her daughter at 28 years old, wrote how the book gave her hope. "That is the most important part for me," she said. "It is so hard to maintain hope after the unimaginable happens. Hope that I will somehow someday heal the hole in my heart. Thank you for writing this book."

My next novel, A Miracle on Hope Street, is a Christmas story which tackles the subject of loneliness and it will be available as an e-book from September 28 and in paperback in November. Loneliness is now considered an epidemic and once again I aim to bring hope to readers who may recognise themselves in the characters I've created and, who knows, maybe it might help them overcome the sense of isolation that loneliness brings.

My writing will never win the Booker Prize or any other big fancy awards, but that's not why I do it. I have the greatest respect to everyone, literary and commercial, who put pen to paper and who are brave enough to bare their soul and show it to the outside world knowing that it won't be to everyone's taste, no matter what label it comes under. The same goes for songwriters, visual artists or anyone who works in a creative environment be it as a hobby or a full-time job. It's scary whenever you put your own creation into the hands of the public and it takes a while to grow a thick skin that allows you to take some of the more negative comments on the chin.

The best outcome of all in the past year, however, was when Ciaran sent a copy of The Legacy of Lucy Harte to his donor family, hoping they might like to see Ashley's name in print in the dedication. The book unexpectedly then acted as a great catalyst for conversation and, to our joy and surprise, Ciaran later travelled to England to meet little Ashley's family which was a lifelong dream come true. Earlier this year the family came across to visit Belfast and Tyrone which meant that I got to meet them, too. It was an emotional and surreal occasion and one that gave Ciaran and his own mother a real life happy ending, not to mention closure as he thanked the people who saved his life in person.

To me, a book should always move you in some way, should it be to make you think, to make you laugh, to make you angry, to make you cry, or to instil any type of emotion that comes your way. If it does that, then the writer has done his or her job.

The messages I have received and seeing Ciaran meet his donor family, to me, are better than any fancy prize for literature, and it goes to show that a book, no matter how it is labelled and no matter what colour is on the cover, just might have the power to change someone's world forever.
Furniture fury: President Trump and wife Melania had words over the decor in the White House

Donald and Melania Trump may not have much in common with the average couple, but there is one conflict they share with the rest of us: when it comes to matters of home decor, they don't see eye to eye.

According to a recent report from the New York Times, in the months before she joined her husband at the White House, Melania had selected furniture for their residence that reflected her taste in "clean, modern lines".

However, by the time she arrived, she discovered that the president had swapped out her choices in favour of pieces in the opulent style of Louis XIV that he prefers.

While on an admittedly grander scale than a typical marriage, this tension in the Trump household is surprisingly relatable. It's also an example of how the battlefield of modern relationships has evolved.

We're far beyond the pointed-notes-on-the-fridge stage, and well past the days of 'Vaguebooking' (posting social media updates that prompt followers to beg for elaboration, eg "I just can't believe some people", "How could he do this?").

Passive-aggressive behaviour has reached a new level of pettiness, where replacing someone's streamlined sectional sofas with a gaudy gilded cabriole while they're out marks a strategic offence.

Donald and Melania may not be anyone's example of #relationshipgoals, but in a milder form, passive-aggressive behaviour can act as an effective means of getting your message across while staving off a major blow-out.

"The term 'passive-aggressive' refers to a particular manifestation of aggression, and doesn't necessarily specify whether the behaviour is healthy and constructive or pathological and destructive," says Dr Scott Wetzler, a clinical psychologist with the Montefiore Medical Centre in New York and the author of Living With The Passive-Aggressive Man.

"There are many times when it makes sense for us to suppress our hostility or express it in indirect ways.

"Jokes are excellent ways to defuse tension and confrontation. Will it ever make sense for an individual to avoid confrontation, especially in a relationship with someone who is more powerful than them?

"The answer is often yes, that it makes sense to avoid confrontation, to be less assertive. The pathological manifestation of passive-aggression is when the behaviour is expressed clumsily, at which time it will generally elicit anger in response.

"That's the difference between a hostile joke and a funny joke. In this way, passive-aggressive behaviour can only be judged in the context of the interpersonal relationship."

All clear? Well here are the new hallmarks of passive-aggressiveness in relationships.

Cramping their style

That all-important business meeting is tomorrow, and your spouse has great sartorial ambitions for making an impression. Such a pity, then, when that windowpane check waistcoat ends up getting tossed in with the dry-cleaning the day before.

It's for their own good, really. And then there's the surprise 'spring clean' when you enforce a wardrobe streamlining of all ill-fitting jeans, square-toed shoes and cargo shorts to be nobly donated to Oxfam (can't argue with a worthy cause).

Likewise, rather than risk them heading to M&S on their own and doing unknown damage, you insist on going on 'shopping dates' (see, date makes it sound fun - there might even be a glass or two of wine afterwards).

Shaping up

We all recognise the signs of FOPA (Fear Of Partner's Ageing): the terror in your spouse's eyes when you start buying shoes in Ecco, throw out that minidress from your first date or swap your fitted jeans for roomy chinos with a more forgiving waistband.

While having a frank discussion about it is, obviously, out of the question, the pass-agg approach can help to nudge them in the right direction (of the cross-trainer, that is).

It could be making the thoughtful gesture of leaving their running kit out in the hall so they don't have to scramble around for it after work, downloading a "highly recommended" activity tracker app on their phone, or delivering that most emotionally-loaded of gifts, the unsolicited gym membership - the modern-day equivalent of a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking, which will leave them sharpening their brightest smile and bleating out an "oh, you shouldn't have!".

Dishing the dirt

Chores will always be a source of tension in a relationship. Feel like you're doing the lion's share?

How about loading up the dishwasher with everything but the utensils, or doing the laundry without ironing or folding a thing?

The trick is in leaving just little enough undone that your spouse will feel curmudgeonly to mention it, and thus decide to just do it for themselves the next time. Consider the playing field levelled.

Indulging friendly rivalry

Your partner has had the same haircut for 20 years and no matter how many times you show him David Beckham's Facebook posts or remark how good Jamie Dornan looks since he grew out that buzz-cut, he's not taking the hint.

Time to take matters a step further: target his mates. "Are you going back to the same place? Why don't you ask your friend Dave where he gets his hair cut? His always looks so good."

Point made, yet not made.

Expand Close Fringe benefit: comparisons to David Beckham, pictured with wife Victoria, might lead to a better haircut / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Fringe benefit: comparisons to David Beckham, pictured with wife Victoria, might lead to a better haircut

Snubbing out dodgy pals

When you marry someone, their friends tend to become a part of your life too, for better or worse. But there are some people you just can't make room for.

Sure, you can't stand that one boisterous old school friend of theirs, but sharing this with your partner would be tantamount to self-sabotage - plus roaring "not them again!" every time they show up only reflects poorly on you.

The socially acceptable strategy? Conveniently "forgetting" to make reservations for that dinner you planned or deliberately not inviting them to a party, then claiming "oops, I forgot".

Better to look absent-minded than plain rude.

Cooking up a storm

Forget meat and two veg - your spouse fancies themselves a bit of a Heston Blumenthal, and on those rare occasions when they dedicate themselves to a 'special dinner', your kitchen is transformed into the Fat Duck, save for the dry ice and the hidden iPods.

The food, however, is more school canteen than haute cuisine and you end up picking bits of caraway seeds out of your teeth all evening.

How do you let them down gently? "Great soup! I didn't even taste the reindeer milk" And when things fail spectacularly (again), instead of any old "I told you so", you gently ponder, "Were you surprised by the result?"

Always said with a smile.
A Co Armagh woman who swindled more than 4,000 from a charity has avoided going to jail.

Instead of being taken to the cells, Valerie Dale (43) walked free from Craigavon Magistrates Court with 100 hours community service and 18 months on probation.

Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes told the weeping fraudster the fact she abused her position within the charity Young Women After Stroke to take money was "the height of a breach of trust".

"The papers are riven with acts of dishonesty and there is no doubt you were involved in multiple acts of active dishonesty," the judge told Dale.

He added that the only thing saving her from an immediate prison sentence was the fact that full restitution was being made, but even so, "you will leave the court with a significant stain on your character".

At an earlier hearing Dale, from Cottage Hill in Lurgan, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft relating to 1,500 and 2,540 taken from the charity between April 1, 2016, and February 28, 2017.

She also pleaded guilty to two counts of committing fraud by abusing the position of trust she held with Young Women After Stroke in that "while occupying a position where you were expected to safeguard or not to act against the financial interests" of the charity, she used the charity bank card to make payments, withdrawals and failed to lodge cash.

She also confessed to false accounting in that she "destroyed, defaced, concealed or falsified a certain account record or document, namely written accounts and voluntary groups' monthly accounts forms, which had been made or required for an accounting purpose" for her personal gain.

A prosecuting lawyer yesterday outlined how Dale was a coordinator for the charity and as such had been "placed in charge of finances with full access to the debit card and the group's bank account".

She added, however, that the Stroke Association, which co-ordinated the group, "noticed some concerning transactions".

The group director raised numerous issues with Dale including "her account keeping and lack of receipts to prove transactions that were for the benefit of the group."

At a second meeting two weeks later Dale "produced a file with handwritten notes, a receipt book and a bank lodgement book".

However, when handing over an envelope containing 1,500 in cash, she candidly told the director she had been fraudulently using the charity's bank cards.

Dale resigned from her post, said the lawyer, revealing that when a member of the Stroke Association got home one evening, she found a letter from the fraudster outlining how she had taken a further 2,540.

She claimed she had given it to a relative who was having mortgage problems but that she intended to pay it back.

Defence barrister Aaron Thompson said the case against Dale, who sat weeping in the dock, her head constantly bowed, was "extremely grave", and in terms of cases heard in the lower courts, "probably at the upper end of the register".

Conceding that defrauding a charity "is the height of a breach of trust", the lawyer said Dale was "fairly shame-faced" about her actions.

He submitted that despite the serious nature of the frauds, the judge's hands "are not tied by this behaviour".

"There's been a great deal of loss for her in this case and I ask you not to compound that loss further by imprisonment," said the lawyer.

As well as the community services and 18 months on probation, the judge imposed a compensation order allowing Dale four weeks to pay back the money.
Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum speaks at a Florida League of Cities Gubernatorial Candidates Forum in Hollywood, Florida, U.S. August 15, 2018. That backing changed the dynamics of the race, according to University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett. "It is all about base". Democrats hope to flip the seat in their bid to take control of the House of Representatives.

In a primary contest that saw a whopping $112 million spent overall on TV ads ($73 million of that in the Democratic primary), the most of any race in the country, Gillum's campaign and groups supporting him were outspent by a factor of five by the Democratic favorite - and even more by other millionaires who ran. Most opinion polls showed him trailing in a crowded field of better-funded competitors. The run-up to November will be a bloody battle for independent voters in which race and the President will be major factors, Sunshine State political observers tell TPM. I wish white folks would stop staying this like it's some sort of special talent for Black people to be able to speak properly. Steyer has become a familiar face to millions of Americans through appearances in TV ads he is funding calling for President Trump's impeachment.

Stipanovich, who in 1994 ran Bush's first but unsuccessful run for governor, said GOP statewide candidates have been able to disqualify Democrats in recent decades by tarring them as "liberal"  but that Gillum's win could mean those days are over.

"And I'm running on a platform that says "We're going to create opportunities for everyday Floridians" and that's whats most important to do in order to prevail on November 6", said Gillum.

- Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 29, 2018Day ONE of Gillum v DeSantis Florida Governor race and DeSantis tells voters not to "monkey this up" by electing @AndrewGillum. He also won 61 percent of the county's precincts, including big percentages in the precincts around the University of Central Florida and the majority African American precincts in west Orlando and Pine Hills. He supports abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE).

Trump's involvement in the race upset many Republicans who viewed Putnam as better prepared to be governor and better positioned to win a general election.

Robust Republican turnout wasn't isolated to Florida, either. Trump later tweeted his endorsement and rallied for DeSantis in Tampa. "It is morphing into KEEP AMERICA GREAT!"

Aaron Rogers, Packers agree to 4-year, $134M deal

According to a report from ESPN .com's Adam Schefter, Rodgers and the Packers agreed to terms on a contract extension. Rodgers, who still had two years remaining on his contract, is now under contract through 2023, when he will turn 40.

DeSantis won his primary by touting his closeness to Trump. He often said he was the only candidate in the race who wasn't a millionaire or billionaire.

Arizona will have its first female U.S. senator, whether it is McSally, 52, or Democratic opponent U.S. Representative Kyrsten Sinema, 42. That is quite the contrast with Democrats. Republican businesswoman Lea Marquez Peterson also won her party's nomination for the competitive district.

But the DeSantis campaign clarified that his comments were directed at Gillum's policies, not the candidate himself.

She will square off against Republican Maria Elvira Salazar, a Spanish-language television journalist.

While both parties saw record turnout, with more than 1.4 million Democrats voting and nearly 1.6 million Republicans, nearly 27 percent of registered voters in Florida are independent.

He has been a strong opponent of the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 USA presidential election and possible collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign or Trump himself.
Jamie Bryson gave an account of his arrest in a YouTube video.

Police are open to reviewing bail practices if the need arises following controversy over the arrest of a prominent loyalist, the chief constable has said.

George Hamilton indicated a willingness to reflect on criticism levelled at police after Jamie Bryson claimed officers attempted to gag him from talking about the arrest.

Read More

But Mr Hamilton, who said he'd review practices if it was necessary, insisted police do have the power to prevent arrested people telling anyone besides their lawyer about the detention.

Mr Bryson emerged from custody without charge claiming that officers imposed bail conditions on him that stopped him communicating to anyone about the arrest, apart from his lawyer.

The 28-year-old from Co Down was detained earlier this month as part of what police described as an ongoing investigation into criminality linked to the east Belfast UVF.

He was questioned on suspicion of unlawfully supplying door staff.

He denies any wrong doing.

Openly flouting the apparent restriction on disclosing his arrest, Mr Bryson took to social media, gave media interviews and subsequently complained about his detention to the Police Ombudsman.

It is understood the bail conditions were subsequently changed to remove the non-disclosure restriction.

Mr Hamilton was asked about the issue at an event at Policing Board headquarters on Thursday.

Expand Close PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton

He said he was not aware of the full details of the case, but added: "Clearly I know the individual who has self-disclosed to the public his identity - that's a matter for him.

"We have never confirmed or released any information in relation to the identity of that individual.

"As regards the bail conditions, that's all set out in the Police and Criminal Evidence Order about what bail conditions and in what circumstances police can set pre-charge bail.

"So we will follow the rule on that. If we need to review our practices around that, we are not arrogant or defensive about it - we'll do that.

"But I'm not going to get into a specific case that may well be before the courts in the near future."

Asked a more general question on whether he believed the legislation gave officers the ability to impose such restriction on communication, Mr Hamilton responded:

"Yes we do."
The DUP received more than 200,000 in public funding in three months, new figures have revealed.

The DUP received more than 200,000 in public funding in three months, it has been revealed.

New figures from the Electoral Commission show the income for political parties in Northern Ireland drawn from donations and public funding.

In total, eight political parties received 450,230, a substantial increase from the 277,039 received in the first quarter of 2018.

The biggest recipient for the period between the start of April and the end of June 2018 was the DUP, which received a total of 213,832 - all of which was drawn from public funding.

Sinn Fein was the second biggest recipient, receiving 68,025 in public funding and 17,000 in donations.

Expand Close Credit: Electoral Commission / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Credit: Electoral Commission

Funding given to political parties in Northern Ireland is taken from a number of different sources, including the Assembly, the House of Commons, and the Electoral Commission.

The head of the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland Ann Watt said: "This is the third time that we have published data on how much funding political parties in Northern Ireland are receiving. We welcome the public scrutiny and transparency this allows within our democratic process.

However on this occasion it is disappointing to report that four parties failed to deliver their returns on time. Where there is no reasonable explanation for such a failure we will take a robust approach in line with our Enforcement Policy.

Political parties in Northern Ireland receive funding based on the the votes they receive.

Currently Sinn Fein has seven seats in the House of Commons, while the DUP has 10 (including Ian Paisley, who is currently serving a suspension for failing to declare holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government).

The largest donors in the second quarter of 2018 were: Ferring (Ireland) Limited, a Dublin-based company which gave 21,561 to the Alliance Party; Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson who donated 17,000 to her own party; and The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd which donated 15,000 to the Alliance Party.

Political parties in Northern Ireland are required to ensure any donations over 500 come from a permissible source, which can include individuals based in the UK or Ireland.

Prior to 2018 Northern Ireland was the only region of the UK where donations over 7,500 from a single donor did not have to be made public.

Now, any donations over this amount must be reported to the Electoral Commission on a quarterly basis.

Donations to Northern Ireland's political parties have only been public since the start of July 2017.
A DUP councillor has said his decision to resign his seat was the "honourable" thing to do amid personal changes in his life.

Nigel Kells, who has been a member of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council since 2014, last week announced he will step down from the role next month.

Yesterday he said he felt unable to devote "100%" to his council role while his focus was on private matters.

"I stood for election in 2014 and I was pretty settled in the Antrim town area," said Mr Kells.

"I got a good vote and had an awful lot of support there and really tried to do the right thing the whole time I've been there. I've tried my best to represent people to the best of my ability.

"There's not a long time left until elections next year, but I find myself in a position where I'm spending more time in Moneymore, where I'm originally from and where my family are."

The councillor, whose partner, Gibraltar international netball player Meg Martinez recently announced their engagement, added: "I have things that I need to sort out and really, I want to keep that private life private, and sort those things out without that being in the public eye."

The politician, who has three children from a previous relationship, added that he wanted to take time to decide his next move.

He stressed, however, that he was not ruling out a return to politics.

"I'm still a DUP member and supporter. I wish Arlene in her leadership and all our candidates in next year's election the very best," added Mr Kells, who was DUP MP Emma Little-Pengelly's campaign manager during her failed bid to get elected to Stormont in 2016.

"I'm not totally stepping away from that. There's no other reason other than I've some things personally to sort out," he said.

"The honourable thing for me to do right now is not to sit on when I can't give people who put their in trust in me and voted for me 100%.

"Let's bring someone else who is equally capable, no doubt, and let them establish themselves before the election next year."

Since his announcement the councillor said that he had been inundated with messages of support from constituents and his peers.

"It's no exaggeration to say that over 1,000 people have contacted me to say that they are saddened to see I'm going, that I've helped them with x, y or z and hoped that it will be a short break from politics," Mr Kells went on.

"Even a lot of people have commented publicly from my own party, local MLAs, Jeffrey Donaldson, who I've worked with before, I've had a really good bit of feedback.

"I've been really left overwhelmed by it."

He has been in a relationship with Ms Martinez for two years now.

She recently announced on Facebook the pair had got engaged on the picturesque island of Saona, off the south eastern tip of the Dominican Republic.

Alongside a photo of her engagement ring and another of the happy couple together, she wrote: "On this magical island of Saona, this amazing man asked me to marry him. I said yes!"

Mr Kells split from his wife Desna, the mother of his three children, in March 2016.
Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service are attending an incident in Belfast city centre.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service are attending an incident in Belfast city centre.

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Compsite showing the fire from 11:06 am to 4:35 pm Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

Firefighters deal with a major blaze at Primark in Belfast on August 28th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) have confirmed that their investigation into the cause of the Belfast Primark fire is due to begin.

It comes as firefighting operations at the historic Castle Street bank buildings are scaled back to one fire appliance.

Read More

The existing safety cordon remains in place and fourteen nearby business remain closed.

There were fears that the building could be at risk of further damage after structural collapse overnight.

It was ravaged in the fire that began on Tuesday morning and quickly spread throughout the building, causing the roof and floors to collapse.

All staff and customers at the premises were quickly evacuated and nobody was hurt.

The future of the building and staff remains unclear, with union Usdaw confirming that the estimated 350 staff would be paid for this week.

Belfast City Council is continuing to work with businesses' affected by the fire and Lord Mayor Deidre Hargey has said that the city centre will get back to normal as soon as possible.

Kelly's Cellars - Belfast's oldest traditional Irish pub - which is situated to the rear of the Primark premises was able to reopen on Thursday.

A NIFRS spokesperson confirmed that while the incident was still ongoing, the operation was being scaled back.

NIFRS Fire Investigation Officers will now begin conducting their investigation to determine the cause of the fire," the spokesperson said.

We commend Fire Crews for their tremendous efforts during this challenging incident, the valuable assistance provided by our partner agencies and the support from the public during this time.
Actons own Alejandro Chafuen appeared in Forbes to discuss monetary theories from the ancient Greeks to todays crytocurrencies. The following is an excerpt from Chafuens essay, titled Moralists and Money: From Gold to Bitcoin. For the full article, readers may click here.

Monetary topics are some of the first economic issues to be studied with some rigor. Since the first writings by the Greek philosophers, such as Plato, Aristotle, Hesiod and Xenophon, and until the 16th century, the moral questions, what is good, what is bad? dominated the approach of those who studied human action. To be able to judge if a certain monetary issue is good or bad, moral philosophers first had to answer questions that went beyond morality, such as:

1. What is money?

2. What determines its value?

3. What are the impacts of changes in its value?

4. What factors influence supply and demand?

In doing so, they were acting as pure economists.

Scholars of the late Middle Ages developed their theory of money in accordance with Aristotelian teachings. They believed that the inconveniences of barter gave rise to the need for money. The essential function of money is to serve as a medium of exchange. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) reminded his readers that money . . . according to Aristotle, was invented chiefly for exchanges to be made, so that the prime and proper use of money is its use and disbursement in the way of ordinary transactions. Money could also be used as a store of value and as a measure for exchanges. These two functions, however, depended on the essence of money (i.e., money as the most commonly used medium of exchange).

After Aquinas, one of the first to write about money was Nicole Oresme (c. 1320-1382), the great multifaceted scientist, who later in his life became Bishop of Lisieux, a city and commune in Normandy, France. His book on money, De origine, natura, jure et mutationibus monetarum, Traite de la Premiere Invention des Monnoies, (usually translated as A Treatise on the Origin, Nature, Law, and Alteration of Money) has valuable lessons even for today. It was one of the first works focusing solely on an economic topic.

He first wrote about Creation and the diverse resources around the globe: When the most high and sovereign God Almighty divided the nations and separated the sons of Adam, he set boundaries for the people, according to the number of the children of Israel; thence in the course of time men multiplied over the earth, and their possessions were divided and shared among them, as was expedient. Thus it came about that one man had more of one thing in his possession than his needs required while another little or none of the same thing, but on the contrary had a plenty of something else, of which the first was in need.

Oresme gave the example of a man who: had a surplus of sheep and other cattle but needed grain and bread, while the neighbor, on the other hand, had bread enough but lacked cattle  [O]ne region abounded in a thing which another was greatly in need. For this reason, therefore, men began to traffic and exchange their riches with one another, without money, one giving a sheep for some grain, another his labor for bread or wool, and similarly for everything else. And this practice was long the custom in several cities and countries, as Justinus, the historian, and other ancient authors recount.

The stability of the monetary unit was seen as essential to have just contracts and to avoid moral hazards such as damaging creditors who are paid back with debased coins. Oresme wrote that it is disgraceful and everywhere foreign to the nobility of a prince to prohibit the circulation of good money in his country, and, for the sake of gain, to order and even compel his subjects to use his own which is poorer, as if to say that good is bad and his bad is good.

He was flexible in case of emergencies, such as during periods of war, or to pay ransoms with bad or debased money, or to help liberate a kidnapped king. But the bishop added, If the community should in any way make such an alteration, the money ought to be restored to its proper basis as soon as possible, and the making of gain in that way should cease.

Another late medieval scholar, Copernicus (1473-1543), a Polish luminary more noted for his contributions to astronomy than to economics and moral philosophy, also wrote about money. Copernicus studied science at the University of Padova and Canon Law at the University of Bologna. He started his book on money by noting:

Although there are countless scourges which in general debilitate kingdoms, principalities, and republics, the four most important (in my judgment) are dissension, [abnormal] mortality, barren soil, and debasement of the currency. The first three are so obvious that nobody is unaware of their existence. But the fourth, which concerns money, is taken into account by few persons and only the most perspicacious. For it undermines states, not by a single attack all at once, but gradually and in a certain covert manner.

Most followers of Aquinas had similar views on money. Money was developed or invented to replace barter and to serve as the most commonly used means of exchange. Its stability was essential for determining justice in contracts. The best book written about monetary economics before Adam Smith was the Treatise on Money, written by the Jesuit Juan de Mariana (1536-1624). He compared the transfer of wealth through currency debasement to the action of someone who goes into private barns and steals a portion of the crops stored there: The king has no domain over the goods of the people, and he cannot take them in whole or in part. We can see then: would it be licit for the king to go into a private barn taking for himself half of the wheat and trying to satisfy the owner by saying that he can sell the rest at twice the price? I do not think we can find a person with such depraved judgment as to approve this, yet the same is done with copper coins.

St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle, was suspicious of exchanges of money for money because they were not concerned with the needs for life but with making money. Whenever they address money, he and his followers focus on its stability, condemning its debasement, and on the justice of the contracts established in money. The knowledge of parties and the willingness to assume risks are also relevant. Metallic money had existed for at least 17 centuries, so moralists had enough knowledge to judge. Cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, are so new, and the issues so diverse, that I only have room to summarize what I think Aquinass answer would be, and leave for a future article a more elaborate Thomistic analysis. And I will do it in two words: Aquinas would not have condemned Bitcoin but would have said, Buyer bewarecaveat emptor!
Locals they saw people fleeing into the forest after their vessel ran aground near Daintree River in the tropical far north of Queensland state on Sunday.

ELEVEN people have reportedly been detained after an illegal fishing boat - believed to be packed with asylum seekers - ran aground north of Cairns.

The Department of Home Affairs said the first priority was to confirm all those on the boat were safe.

It is not known how many people were on the boat, which authorities have described as an illegal fishing vessel.

Around 30 irregular migrants are believed to be in hiding inside the crocodile-infested Daintree rainforest in Queensland, Australia, after their boat foundered near the mouth of Daintree River, according to a report by The Guardian.

There are warnings about crocodiles in the area near the Daintree River ferry crossing in far north Queensland.

"We need to make sure firstly that the people are safe in place, and then we can start the process of deportation as quickly as possible".

"We have thriving croc spotting operations all up and down the river", she told AAP today.

"There is no risk if they don't go into the water", White said, the ABC reported.

Iran's presence in Syria at Damascus' request

Landis said, "I don't know what to make of the US and Russian war of words over the potential use of chemical weapons in Idlib". The report offered no further details.

"This boat arrival falls squarely on the toes of PM Scott Morrison", he tweeted."Unlike the chaos and division interior the government that has put the safety of Australia's borders in bother, Labor is a united team."One Nation chief Pauline Hanson has speedy these on the boat might maybe maybe even have headed for Australia on story of ultimate week's management disaster".

Another Australian government minister, Steve Ciobo, told Sky News Australia that the group "should be sent to Nauru" or "somewhere offshore".

Seven said those found were Indonesian, while The Australian said they were believed to be Vietnamese, adding that up to 40 people were believed to have been on-board the vessel.

A boat carrying asylum seekers from Vietnam has arrived in Australia, the first such landing in four years.

Under Canberra's tough immigration policy, asylum-seekers who try to reach Australia by boat are either turned back or sent to remote Pacific camps where conditions have been widely criticised.

MP George Christensen called for better border protection in his home state after the news emerged.

"I understand that 15 people are now detained on behalf of the Australian Border Force", Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan told reporters on Monday.

"The people-smugglers. will not succeed in putting people on to boats to get to Australia".
An experimental scheme allowing private hire taxis to use bus lanes has been ditched - because there is no Stormont executive.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) said it could not take the decision to go ahead with the scheme, saying it would instead put it to any future minister.

The department had planned to start the year-long scheme allowing Class A private hire taxis to use the Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes before the launch of the new Glider next Monday.

DfI said it took the decision after a recent court ruling that said civil servants could not take decisions normally taken by ministers.

A 12-week trial had actually taken place last year, but DfI said that had been inconclusive.

The move will infuriate private hire taxi drivers. Karl Bennett, managing director of Eastside Taxis in east Belfast, told the BBC that "the decision has not been thought through" and customers could see fare increases, as their drivers could remain stuck in the gridlock that the bus lane would avoid. West Belfast MP Paul Maskey has said that the U-turn "is an act of bad faith and wrong".

He said: "In overturning this decision at the last minute, the department have not delivered on commitments given. This approach is both disappointing and frustrating.

"Taxi drivers across Belfast will, no doubt, be very angry at this decision, they are ordinary working-class men and women trying to provide for their families. Overturning this decision will cause unnecessary problems for them."

However, Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong said the decision "was inevitable in the absence of a minister".

"If the private taxi industry are frustrated they should look to DUP and Sinn Fein as to the reason why we have no decision-making process," she said.

She added: "By the time any pilot scheme gets up and running, the new Glider vehicles will have had single use of the bus lanes for some months - making it easier to assess the success or weaknesses of any later pilot scheme."
Children in England are to be banned from buying energy drinks under Government plans - so, do you think the ban should be extended to Northern Ireland?

A 12-week consultation period will hear a range of views about how the ban should be best applied. Here we look at what the restrictions will mean.

 What is being banned?

Drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per litre, like Red Bull, Monster, and Relentless, will be affected.

One regular 250ml can of energy drink contains around 80mg of caffeine  equivalent to almost three cans of cola.

Many popular energy drinks now come in 500ml cans.

Sales will be restricted to either over-16s or over-18s, depending on consultation responses.

 What are the concerns?

There are fears childrens health and education are being harmed, with the drinks linked to behavioural issues and poor classroom discipline.

Many also have very high amounts of sugar, contributing to tooth decay and obesity.

Studies have shown regularly consuming large quantities of caffeine can result in increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, headaches and stomachaches.

Campaigners have also criticised how much children can get their hands on with just pocket money, with four cans of generic 250ml energy drink available for as little as 1.

 Why is it relevant to Britain?

British children consume energy drinks way above the European average, contributing to emotional difficulties and tiredness, public health minister Steve Brine has said.

Nearly 70% of UK children aged 10 to 17 years old consume energy drinks, according to the Governments childhood obesity plan.

And those who do so are drinking on average 50% more than the EU average for that age group.

Jenny Oldroyd, deputy director for obesity, food and nutrition at the Department of Health and Social Care, has previously warned: Around a quarter of adolescents are consuming more than three energy drinks in one sitting, so its that high level of consumption that concerns us.

 Why has the issue gained prominence?

A boom in the energy drinks market, high-profile calls from figures such as TV chef Jamie Oliver, and the relatively low cost of some types compared with general soft drinks.

While many major retailers already do not sell to under-16s, just 21% of the UK grocery market, including corner shops, are signed up to voluntary restrictions, No 10 said.

UK energy drink sales jumped by around one-fifth (19%) between 2012 and 2017, with total sales estimated at 1.65 billion last year, according to analysis from market researchers Mintel.

A further 10% growth for the energy drinks market is expected for 2017-22, it added.
Martin and Gerard Harte, who were shot dead by the SAS in 1988

Sinn Fein have expressed their anger at an attack on a memorial to three IRA volunteers killed by the SAS on this day in 1988.

Brothers Gerard and Martin Harte and Brian Mullin were shot dead by the SAS near Drumnakilly, Co Tyrone, on August 30, 1988.

The incident took place 10 days after the IRA carried out the Ballygawley bus massacre, which claimed the lives of eight soldiers.

The memorial has now been repaired by local republicans

Sinn Fein MLA Declan McAleer slammed the attack on the memorial to the three men.

The families of these three men have already suffered immense hurt and loss," the West Tyrone MLA said.

Those responsible struck in the dead of night and defaced the memorial with paint."

A commemoration of the deaths was held at the memorial on Thursday night.

I wholeheartedly condemn this cowardly and disgraceful attack which serves absolutely no purpose other than to add to the grief of the families," Mr McAleer said.
Coney was remanded in custody to appear at Dungannon Magistrates Court by video-link next month (stock picture)

A convicted Co Tyrone sex offender who avoided imprisonment earlier this year for child sex offences has been remanded in custody after allegedly contacting a random male child and sending him explicit photographs.

Mark Andrew Coney is accused of sexually communicating with an 11-year-old boy, causing or inciting him to engage in sexual activity and breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by having sexual communication with a child.

All matters are alleged to have occurred on May 21.

A detective constable told Omagh Magistrates Court he could connect Coney (35), of Killyliss Road, Dungannon, to the new charges.

When previously sentenced at Dungannon Crown Court a SOPO was imposed with very stringent conditions, along with a Probation Order, after a judge was persuaded by a psychiatric report that "imprisonment would not be of benefit (as) this period of offending has ended".

But the detective confirmed Coney is currently on bail accused of sexually assaulting and falsely imprisoning a female and detaining her against her will on July 5.

He is further accused of falsely imprisoning a second female and damaging her car in the same incident, followed after his arrest by alleged damage to a PSNI cell.

When that case reached court last month, press queried why there was no charge in that instance of breaching the SOPO.

A PSNI spokesperson said he was not considered to be in breach of the terms on that occasion.

However, the latest series of charges clearly alleged a breach has occurred.

Strenuously opposing bail, the detective said a male child in England received a random call from a mobile phone, which was later traced to Coney.

He allegedly apologised and hung up, but then sent a series of texts asking the boy's age.

Copies of the texts were presented in court and are too graphic to report in detail, but in the course of engagement Coney suggested the boy go to his bathroom and exchange photographs by phone.

Coney, according to police, forwarded sexually explicit images of his private parts.

The boy was alarmed and passed the phone to his mother and she took over the texting before alerting police.

It was confirmed the contact was totally random and there is no connection between Coney and the child or his family.

Police said during interview Coney claimed to be an alcoholic and can't remember sending any texts.

Deputy District Judge Chris Holmes said: "This is a classic instance of every parent's worst nightmare."

A defence lawyer suggested bail could be agreed with conditions including a ban on use of a phone, which could alleviate a risk of reoffending.

He said: "My client is entitled to the presumption of innocence. He is already under a SOPO and stringent bail in respect of existing matters.

"It was a random act and protective measures could be put in place."

Judge Holmes responded: "It is quite right there is a presumption of bail and presumption of innocence.

"However, I'm convinced in my own mind. The phone is traced back to the defendant.

"I am not going to discuss the quite frankly very offensive exchanges.

"He knew exactly what he was doing, yet says he cannot recall. This is literally every parent's worst nightmare.

"I can think of nothing which could be done to prevent reoffending. Bail is absolutely refused."

Coney was remanded in custody to appear at Dungannon Magistrates Court by video-link next month.
A time capsule commemorating World War One will be laid in the foundations of a new Belfast housing development to honour hundreds of fallen soldiers from the area.

Blackstaff Residents' Association chairman Billy Dickson, who has organised a commemoration event at Seventy Six South on Saturday, described the gesture as a fitting tribute to those who gave their lives.

"The first of the new houses on Kitchener Drive and Frenchpark Street will be finished in this centenary year and we felt it was a great opportunity to acknowledge the Armistice which was declared in 1918," he said.

"We were inspired by all the time capsules being buried around the UK this year.

"But we have opted for a memorial capsule instead.

"It's important that our children pause and reflect on those who laid our true foundations as we build for their future."

The 16x3in stainless steel pod will contain the names of 240 soldiers who paid the ultimate price, along with memorabilia including a USB stick containing a PowerPoint presentation, plastic poppies and a three-inch Bible that belonged to a WWI soldier.

Limited space is available for anyone who wishes to contribute a photo or small object of historical significance.

The names of all the pupils currently attending Blythefield, Fane Street and Donegall Road Primary Schools will be included, with one pupil representing each school taking part in the ceremony.

"It will be a small gathering due to health and safety but I think it's going to be very emotive. There will be a piper and a bugler playing hymns," he said.

Mr Dickson, who has been in discussions with the Hagan Homes site foreman, said he has requested the property closest to Kitchener Drive to host the pod. It was named after Earl Kitchener, whose image appeared in a famous recruitment poster of the time.

"It's a nod to all the brave volunteers who responded to Kitchener's call," Mr Dickson said.

History enthusiast David Gourley will provide insight into the stories behind the local soldiers, which included a father and son and three brothers from Roden Street, as well as former Linfield player Isaac McConnell.

"I'll also be bringing a big spanner to screw the capsule lid closed," he said.
Minister for Health Simon Harris with Irish wolfhound Seodin, mascot to the Dublin fire brigade, at the launch of a new national day to recognise the unsung heroes from frontline and emergency services at Dublin Castle (Brian Lawless/PA)

Minister for Health Simon Harris celebrated front line emergency services on Wednesday while admitting the health sector had a staff retention problem.

The launch of a new national day to recognise the frontline and emergency services workers takes place on Saturday September 1.

The minister met with representatives from Ambulance, Gardai, RNLI, Civil Defence and a range of other services to celebrate the hard work carried out 365 days a year.

Speaking at the launch in Dublin Castle, the minister hailed the work of emergency services.

Expand Close Minister for Health Simon Harris (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Minister for Health Simon Harris (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ive been working with colleagues here from emergency front line services since I became Minister for Health, and they have been arranging a parade where members of emergency front line services take part and showcase the excellent work that they do on a daily basis.

They came to me and the Taoiseach and asked that the Government recognise this as an official day where we commemorate and thank our emergency services, and its a request the Government is happy to attend.

Pressed on the issue that over 40,000 nurses have set a deadline for a pay rise, and could strike if their pay demands are not met in 2019, the minister said everyone should respect labour protocols.

Im a big believer in process and I think process is very important when it comes to industrial relations.

We have a process that the Government established in relation to the Public Services Pay Commission, specifically looking at recruitment and retention.

I am long on the record that when it comes to the retention of health care professionals we have a very challenging situation.

Expand Close Minister for Health Simon Harris with Irish wolfhounds Darcy (left), mascot to the ambulance service, and Seodin, mascot to the Dublin fire brigade (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Minister for Health Simon Harris with Irish wolfhounds Darcy (left), mascot to the ambulance service, and Seodin, mascot to the Dublin fire brigade (Brian Lawless/PA)

In the two years I have been Health Minister, I have visited facilities and met with doctors and nurses, and we do have a retention challenge.

We asked the Public Sector Pay Commission to explore how best to address those challenges.

I havent seen the report yet, as its finalising its work, I would expect that my colleague Minister (Paschal) Donohoe will bring that report to government in September, when he receives it.

My understanding of the agreement is there would be four weeks for engagement between union movement and government after that.

So there is a way to go here in terms of working our way through process and the prudent thing for any minister and any union to do is to read the Public Sector Pay Commission report and see where that brings us.
The couple said they wished to thank the Irish people for their generosity and kindness following their daughter's murder (stock picture)

The mother of a student murdered in the Republic has said her pain has not been eased despite the man responsible being killed himself soon afterwards.

Jastine Valdez (24) was abducted in May while walking along the R760 road near her home in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.

She was killed and her body found days later in Rathmichael, Co Dublin.

The man responsible, Mark Hennessy (40), a father-of-two from Bray, Co Wicklow, was later shot and killed by the Garda.

Speaking in their first interview since Jastine's death, parents Danilo (Danny) and Teresita (Tess) Valdez said they are still in shock since her disappearance and murder.

They also said they were "disappointed" Hennessy was killed so quickly, because they still have so many questions to ask him.

Her parents had come to Ireland from the Phillipines to work in the 1990s with the hope that they could provide for all their daughter's "hopes and dreams".

When she didn't return home at 5.30pm on the Saturday as agreed, Jastine's mother said she prayed in her bedroom.

"When she didn't come home by around 7.30 in the evening I knew there was a gut feeling in me that I knew that something was wrong, something terribly wrong had happened," Tess told RTE Radio One, speaking through an interpreter at times.

"We called straightaway to the gardai, to tell them that my daughter did not arrive home at the time," she added.

"When I went to the gardai and told them my daughter was missing, they promised me they would find her, 100% they would find her."

It was 3pm on the Monday that the couple received a call to the door, informing them her body had been found.

"The gardai came to our house to tell us they found her body," Tess said. "I just kept crying, I didn't know what I was doing."

Hennessy was shot dead by police the day after he killed Jastine, but it didn't help the Valdez family.

"It was on Monday that we were informed that Mark Hennessy was the one who murdered Jastine," said Tess. "When we found out he was killed it didn't ease the pain, it didn't matter, Jastine was gone, we were also sad he had passed away.

"We were disappointed he was killed, there were a lot of questions in our mind, we wanted to know more about why he wanted to do such a terrible thing."

Tess described Ireland as their "second home" and said they feel only gratefulness to the Irish people for their help and support throughout the last few months.

"We are not angry at Ireland, whatever was going on in Hennessy's mind, it was only in his mind, it is not for us to blame Ireland. Ireland has been good to us," she said.

The couple said they wished to thank the Irish people for their generosity and kindness following their daughter's murder.
Leah Cambridge, 29, is reported to have died after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift at a clinic in Turkey (Rui Vieira/PA)

The devastated partner of a mother-of-three who reportedly died after travelling to Turkey for cosmetic surgery has said she suffered three heart attacks during the procedure.

Leah Cambridge, 29, is said to have died after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift at a clinic that boasts celebrity clientele.

The procedure, which reshapes the buttocks by transferring fat from areas including the stomach and back, has become an increasingly popular technique for achieving an hourglass figure.

Her partner, Scott Franks, 31, told The Sun: Leah was under anaesthetic and complications happened due to fat getting deposited in her bloodstream and her oxygen levels fell.

She was brought back to stable but had three heart attacks and there was nothing they could do.

Ms Cambridge, a beautician from Leeds, is reported to have travelled to a clinic in the city of Izmir on Sunday for the 3,000 operation after growing paranoid about excess stomach weight from having children.

Mr Franks said he had been left a broken man and warned others considering going under the knife to think about the risks.

Neighbours next to the family home described Ms Cambridge as absolutely stunning, adding that they believed she had gone to have the treatment against Mr Franks wishes.

One woman described the situation as a tragic waste of life, saying: Scott had talked about her going out and getting this Brazilian butt lift done, but she didnt need it, she didnt.

He said that he had told her not to go, but you know what its like, wives can get round their husbands.

A few days ago, he told us what had happened and was just stunned. Shes died, shes died, he kept saying.

She was brought back to stable but had three heart attacks and there was nothing they could doMiss Cambridge's partner Scott Franks

The huge popularity of curvier celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Nicki Minaj has seen some women go to extreme lengths to emulate their hourglass figures.

Advocates of the Brazilian butt lift, or BBL, say it achieves results quickly and recovery is usually fast.

However, experts have warned it carries a risk of serious complications.

Another British woman, Joy Williams, died following buttock augmentation surgery in Bangkok, Thailand, in October 2014.

Her wounds became infected, and the 24-year-old, from London, later died under anaesthetic.

In 2011, 20-year-old Claudia Aderotimi, from Hackney, east London, died after having a buttock-enhancement procedure at an American hotel.
The Senate has yet to make a decision about renaming the Russell Senate Building in honor of John McCain, but for a brief time on Wednesday, some Google Maps users could already get directions to the "McCain Senate Office Building". He went out there to visit us when I was over there with the Arizona Army National Guard.

Kassandra Morales stood in line Wednesday at the Arizona Capitol with her sons, ages 8 and 2.

Today McCain's body was brought to the rotunda at the Arizona state capitol so the public could pay their respects.

The service at the Arizona Capitol marked the first appearance of McCain's family members since the senator died Saturday of brain cancer.

The governor called Mr McCain one of Arizona's favourite adopted sons.

Former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl said he had been with McCain across the world and he had better instincts on when to assert US power than anyone else he knew.

McCain will be just the third person to lie in state in the rotunda of the Arizona statehouse in the past 40 years, organizers of the ceremony said.

Aaron Rodgers Packers Deal Done, Khalil Mack Up Next?

According to a report from ESPN .com's Adam Schefter, Rodgers and the Packers agreed to terms on a contract extension. The Minnesota Vikings will be battling Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers for years to come.

"I grew up where a handshake was a contract and your word was your bond", Riordan said. He died Saturday after succumbing to an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Sen. Jeff Flake offered the benediction, expressing gratitude "for his life and for his sacrifice" and "that John made Arizona his home". None of these buildings are flying their US and California flags at half-staff. But under pressure from military veterans and members of Congress, Trump finally issued a statement on Monday saying he respected McCain's service to the country and had ordered flags to half-staff.

Hatch says: "We definitely have lost a strong advocate, so we'll need someone who is going to step up to the plate". The viewing later in the day will poke on as prolonged as folk are ready in line, talked about Rick Davis, McCain's worn presidential advertising campaign manager.

Mr McCain's death could give Mr Trump even greater leverage over a rightward-tilting Republican Party as he fights for his political life against the Russian Federation meddling and obstruction investigations. Thursday morning will objective a procession through Phoenix on the ability to a memorial carrier at North Phoenix Baptist Church, with the general public invited to line the route along Interstate 17.

The pallbearers who will help carry the coffin at the cathedral include actor Warren Beatty, former Vice President Joe Biden and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, among many others.

McCain will be buried on a grassy hill at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland, right next to a lifelong friend, within earshot of the next generation of midshipmen and within view of the Severn River banks.
A man has criticised Facebook after a sick sadist admitted posting offensive material about his dead 20-year-old daughter.

Paul Hind, 38, called Olivia Burt, a Durham University student who died from head injuries after an incident outside the citys Missoula nightclub in February, a sex worker and prostitute on the social media site.

South East Northumberland Magistrates Court heard on Thursday that the defendant, of Westacres in Wark, also doctored an image of the dead woman and posted pictures of children who were clearly terminally ill on her Facebook page on April 20.

Speaking after Hind had admitted four separate offences of conveying false information which was indecent or grossly offensive, relating to four dead people, Nigel Burt, from Hampshire, said his actions were a desecration of his daughters memory.

Describing how the postings had made him and Ms Burts mother, Paula Burt, feel physically sick, he said: The person who carried out this trolling can only be described as a sick sadist who knows that they are adding to our anguish and gets enjoyment out of this.

Expand Close Nigel and Paula Burt said they felt physically sick at Paul Hinds Facebook posts about their dead daughter, Olivia (Owen Humphreys/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Nigel and Paula Burt said they felt physically sick at Paul Hinds Facebook posts about their dead daughter, Olivia (Owen Humphreys/PA)

Even though the Facebook posts have now gone, we keep expecting them to reappear on some other social media platform.

This is causing us continuing anxiety and distress.

Mr Burt added: We would also like to say that our dealings with Facebook have compounded our misery.

He said the social media giants only tackle individual posts and not overall trolling, describing this method as hopeless.

As well as Ms Burt, Hind also targeted a tribute page for Hannah Witheridge, a 23-year-old who was killed on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014.

The other counts related to the deaths of Joe Tilley, 24, who was found dead at the bottom of a waterfall in Colombia in May, and 19-year-old Duncan Sim, whose remains were found at West Sands in St Andrews earlier this year.

Expand Close Paul Hind said he was deeply sorry after admitting trolling relatives of young people who died in tragic circumstances (Owen Humphreys/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Paul Hind said he was deeply sorry after admitting trolling relatives of young people who died in tragic circumstances (Owen Humphreys/PA)

District Judge Kate Meek sent the case to Newcastle Crown Court for sentence on September 27, and praised the Burt family for sitting in on the proceedings.

Judge Meek also passed on her deepest condolences for the loss of their daughter and said that the defendant had only added to the already unimaginable pain that they were suffering.

Speaking outside court after the hearing, Hind said he was deeply sorry for his actions and that he had done them for attention.

Describing how he was suffering from mental health issues and was highly intoxicated at the time of the offences, he said: All I can say to the families for the actions I have committed is sorry, that is all I can say  sorry.

I dont expect them to accept any apology from me whatsoever for what I have done.

When asked whether his actions could be seen as worthy of a jail sentence, he said: From my point of view, personally, and for what I did, I would say yes.

I do deserve a punishment, and I dont just deserve a punishment of being banned from social media, trying to apologise to the parents and forgetting about the whole thing.

I have to be punished accordingly for causing people the anxiety and the stress I have caused them, theres no question about that.
Halogen lightbulbs are to be phased off shop shelves from this weekend as part of an EU-wide effort to improve energy efficiency and cut carbon emissions.

From September 1, retailers will no longer be allowed to replace stocks of the lightbulbs, which use considerably more energy than alternatives such as LEDs or compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs.

They also have a relatively short lifespan of around 2,000 hours  approximately two years when used for around three hours per day.

The move is the final stage of an EU directive that has progressively banned less efficient light sources starting with traditional incandescent light bulbs in 2009 and halogen GU10 spotlight bulbs in 2016.

Expand Close Halogen product ban. (Philips) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Halogen product ban. (Philips)

The last phase bans non-directional halogen bulbs, including standard pear or candle shaped lamps.

Halogen bulbs have stayed on the market until now because manufacturers argued that LEDs were not yet a viable replacement due to higher upfront costs, particularly for the brighter 60W to 100W-equivalent bulbs.

Some specialist bulbs such as those used in some ovens and cooker hoods are exempt from the ban because LED or other alternatives are not available or viable.

A government study found that UK homes have an average of 34 lights, with 10 of them (31%) being halogen.

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that the typical halogen uses 11 of electricity a year while a replacement LED would only cost around 2 to use, and a halogen is likely to last for 2,000 hours compared with an LEDs 25,000 hours.

Stewart Muir, of the Energy Saving Trust, said: Halogen bulbs are now quite an old technology. They were first patented for commercial use in 1959, so theyve been showing their age for a while  mostly by inflating your energy bill.

LED bulbs running costs are a fraction of halogens and they last a lot longer too, so making the move to the newer technology is an easy decision even before the ban comes into force.

Greenpeace UK chief scientist Doug Parr said: Recent heatwaves and floods have clearly illustrated the reality of climate change and its now more urgent than ever to cut unnecessary fossil fuel energy use.

Shifting away from wasteful halogens and creating a new market for cleaner, more efficient LED lightbulbs, saving people money in the process, was a valuable role of the EU in driving up environmental standards. We would expect any post-Brexit regime to do the same in UK.

A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spokesman said: Until we leave the EU, the UK Government continues to implement European regulations.

LED lightbulbs tend to be more energy efficient than conventional lightbulbs, which means that when combined with other energy efficiency measures, households will save around 100 on their annual energy bills from 2020.

Steve Wrapson, head of product marketing at Signify UK & Ireland  the manufacturer of Philips LED, said: The gradual ban on halogen bulbs demonstrates a Europe-wide commitment to energy saving and reducing our carbon footprint.

Not only does this present an opportunity for households to benefit from reduced energy bills, it introduces consumers to the array of colour, quality and design options when switching to LED.
Theresa May during a press conference at the State House in Nairobi (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Theresa May has signalled Britain will stand firm on its Brexit demands in talks with the EU, as the Prime Minister insisted both sides would benefit.

Speaking on the final leg of a tour of Africa, Mrs May said the Chequers proposals, which triggered high-profile Cabinet resignations and have received a cool response from Brussels, are good for the EU.

The PM said: Chequers delivers on the Brexit vote. It does it in a way that I believe is good for the UK.

Obviously, we are in negotiations with the European Union, but I believe our proposals are not just good for the UK, but they are good for the EU as well.

Mrs May added the Chequers plan offers economic flexibility, saying: It ensures that we can maintain a good trading relationship with the EU while having the freedom to negotiate trade deals on our own behalf around the rest of the world.

Trade isn't about one country doing better than another country, actually, trade is mutually beneficialPrime Minister Theresa May

At a joint press conference with Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, Mrs May said: As Britain prepares to leave the European Union, we are committed to a smooth transition that ensures continuity in our trading relationship with Kenya.

We are pursuing, of course, a good deal for trade with the EU once we have left the EU.

But we will be looking to enhance our trade relationships around the rest of the world as well.

Trade isnt about one country doing better than another country, actually, trade is mutually beneficial.

The comments came after it was reported that French president Emmanuel Macron has softened his stance towards London and is seeking a close post-Brexit relationship.

Expand Close Emmanuel Macron is believed to be seeking a close partnership post-Brexit (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Emmanuel Macron is believed to be seeking a close partnership post-Brexit (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The French leader aims to use an EU summit next month in Salzburg, Austria, to push for a new alliance between the bloc and Britain, according to The Times.

A new Continental structure would see concentric circles with the EU and euro at its core and the UK in a second ring, according to the newspaper.

The claims emerged after the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier struck an optimistic tone, stating: We are prepared to offer Britain a partnership such as there never has been with any other third country.

The comments helped trigger a sharp rise for sterling on the money markets.

As the deadline to Brexit approaches, London is intensifying its withdrawal agenda with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at an EU meeting in Austria on Thursday, and Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab due to hold talks in Brussels on Friday with Mr Barnier.

Mr Raab has indicated negotiations could go beyond the expected October deadline, telling a Lords committee: I think it is important as we enter the final phase of the negotiations in the lead-up to the October council and the possibility that it may creep beyond that, we want to see some renewed energy.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said a huge amount of effort would be needed to come to a Brexit agreement.

Speaking as he arrived at an informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers in Vienna, he said: Of course Brexit will come up, not as one of the main topics of discussion, but our priority here is to make sure that there is political will on all sides; we believe it is possible to come to an agreement.

We think that is in the interests of the EU as well as the UK but its going to need a huge amount of effort in the weeks that we have now left to us.
Brian McTaggart has been jailed for a string of sexual offences (Police Scotland/PA)

A serial abuser found guilty of a catalogue of violent and sexual crimes over a period of more than 20 years has been jailed.

Brian McTaggart, from Dundee, will serve a minimum of eight years and has been given an order of lifelong restriction.

The 54-year-old was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely after being sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow for offences committed against 18 people during the period 1980 to 2004.

He was convicted last year of 23 crimes including rape and indecent assault.

Kenny Donnelly, procurator fiscal for sexual offences, said: The devastation that McTaggarts actions have caused to so many peoples lives over the years is immeasurable, but thanks to their bravery in reporting their experiences he was caught and prosecuted.

I would encourage victims of sexual crimes, whenever they were committed, to come forward and report them in the confidence that they will be treated with professionalism and sensitivity by the police and our expert prosecutors.

An order for lifelong restriction sees high-risk violent and sexual offenders face intensive supervision if deemed suitable for release from prison after serving a minimum punishment period.

A 54 year-old man has been given an Order of Lifelong Restriction for a catalogue of violent and sexual offences spanning over 24 years https://t.co/zViYMlc7m8 pic.twitter.com/FdviqwdnY9  COPFS (@COPFS) August 30, 2018

McTaggarts sentencing follows an investigation by Police Scotlands domestic abuse task force which began in March 2016.

Detective Inspector Muriel Fuller said: McTaggart is finally being held to account for his actions.

This was a complex and protracted case which involved a large team of specialist officers carrying out inquiries across Scotland and the north of England.

The full extent and appalling nature of McTaggarts offending became apparent during the course of the investigation.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the revelation should shame the Government (PA)

Three members of the Windrush generation who were wrongly deported to the Caribbean have died, the Jamaican foreign minister has said.

Jamaican authorities revealed the three had died before officials were able to contact them to help them to return the UK.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the revelation should shame the Government and called on the Prime Minister to personally apologise to the affected families.

Kamina Johnson-Smith, the Jamaican foreign minister, described the situation as unfortunate.

Ms Johnson-Smith told The Guardian: We have just received the information that they are dead. We have to find the families.

There are no mobile numbers on the national registry. You might end up in a community, asking if people know the people who live beside them. It can be quite painstaking. Our team is on it every day.

The deaths of these British citizens in Jamaica shames this government and the Prime Minister, who is the architect of the hostile environment policy that saw these British citizens deported https://t.co/WUKXKfZNbZ  Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) August 30, 2018

Peoples lives have been impacted in a serious way. Families have been impacted and that is a terrible thing.

Jamaican residents had felt a mix of hurt and anger when the scandal emerged, she said.

The Governments response to the crisis had certainly improved, Ms Johnson-Smith said, and it had not destabilised Jamaica-UK relations.

She added: We have maintained a collaborative approach. So far so good.

We are trying to play our part in ensuring that rights are restored where they have been taken away and a sense of justice is felt by persons who have been affected, and that this is all done in a timely way.

We want to be sure as best as possible that something like this does not happen again.

Ms Abbott blamed the hostile environment policy for the scandal, she said: The deaths of these British citizens in Jamaica shame this Government and the Prime Minister, who is the architect of the hostile environment policy that saw these British citizens sent to Jamaica.

Our fellow citizens dying thousands of miles from their homes, families and friends and our health service is the latest tragic injustice suffered by our fellow citizens as a direct result of the Tories hostile environment.

The Prime Minister must personally apologise to their families and loved ones.

The Home Office have been contacted for comment.
Mobile phone giant Vodafone has agreed a 15 billion Australian dollar (8.4bn) deal to merge its Australian operations with TPG Telecom (Nick Ansell/PA)

Vodafone has agreed a mammoth 15 billion Australian dollar (8.4 billion) deal to merge its Australian operations with TPG Telecom.

The mobile phone giant said the tie-up of Vodafone Hutchison Australia and TPG Telecom will create a more powerful challenger to Telstra and Optus in Australia.

Vodafone Australia, owned by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison and Vodafone Group, will have a majority 50.1% stake in the merged group.

TPG will hold the remaining 49.9% stake in the group, which will be called TPG Telecom Limited and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

There are no plans to rename the existing VHA or TPG brands.

The combined listed company will be a more capable challenger to Telstra and Optus, and will be much better placed to invest in next-generation mobile and fixed-line services to benefit Australian consumers and businessesNick Read, chief executive designate of Vodafone

The firms said the merger is expected to generate substantial cost savings as they plan to cut out duplicated costs and use their economies of scale.

The new group will have combined revenues of more than six billion Australian dollars (3.4 billion) and underlying earnings of more than 1.8 billion Australian dollars (1 billion).

Nick Read, chief executive designate of Vodafone, said: This transaction accelerates Vodafones converged communications strategy in Australia and is consistent with our proactive approach to enhance the value of our portfolio of businesses.

The combined listed company will be a more capable challenger to Telstra and Optus, and will be much better placed to invest in next-generation mobile and fixed-line services to benefit Australian consumers and businesses.

It is expected the merger will complete in 2019, subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.

Shares were trading 2% lower after the announcement.

The combined group will be headed by TPG boss David Teoh as chairman, with VHA chief executive Inaki Berroeta as managing director and chief executive.

The deal comes as Vodafone is also merging its Indian operations with Idea Cellular, which will help it weather the tough conditions in the market.
Chelsea Manning will not be allowed to enter Australia for a speaking tour (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

US Army whistleblower Chelsea Manning will not be allowed to enter Australia for a speaking tour scheduled to start on Sunday, her tour organiser has said.

Think Inc said it had received a notice of intention from the government to deny Ms Manning entry.

Which after a little bit of research and speaking to our legal counsel, we understand is potentially an imminent refusal of her visa, Think Inc director Suzi Jamil told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The group is calling on her supporters to lobby new Immigration Minister David Coleman to allow her into Australia.

Ms Manning was an intelligence analyst for the US Army when she leaked military and diplomatic documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.

"What matters is what the truth is, and what matters for the public." @Snowden's advice for whistleblowers like himself and @xychelsea. Starting this Sunday, Chelsea will give her version in Aus & NZ. Grab your tix at https://t.co/lgRXmxiaf2 pic.twitter.com/jJMYXQTKlS  Think Inc. (@thinkincAU) August 29, 2018

She served seven years of a 35-year sentence before then-President Barack Obama granted her clemency in 2017.

The transgender activist, who recently lost a long-shot bid for a US Senate seat in Maryland, is scheduled to speak at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday and has subsequent events in Australia and New Zealand.

The Department of Home Affairs said while it does not comment on individual cases, all non-citizens entering Australia must meet character requirements set out in the Migration Act.

The reasons a person might fail the character test include a criminal record or a determination they might be a risk to the community, according to the department.

Labour foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said the government should be transparent about the reasons, if Ms Manning is denied entry.

By refusing her entry, the Australian government would send a chilling message that freedom of speech is not valued by our governmentClaire Mallinson, Amnesty International

Amnesty International accused the government of trying to silence Ms Manning.

By refusing her entry, the Australian government would send a chilling message that freedom of speech is not valued by our government, the organisations national director Claire Mallinson said in a statement.

Lawyer Greg Barns, who has represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said people with criminal records have been allowed into Australia in the past.

He said no one would seriously suggest Ms Manning was a risk to the Australian community.

Ms Manning is also facing calls to be barred from New Zealand, with the centre-right National Party opposition urging the government to decline her visa request.

She was due to speak in the Australian city of Melbourne on September 7, the New Zealand city of Auckland on September 8, the New Zealand capital Wellington on Septembe 9 and the Australian city of Brisbane on September 11.
The response came after Rouhani earlier that day issued his own warning to the U.S. leader not to "play with the lion's tail", saying that conflict with Iran would be the "mother of all wars".

"But as I have previously said in detail, no negotiations with them will take place", Khamenei said.

Rouhani faced lawmakers' questions about his administration's handling of economic problems at a Tuesday appearance in parliament.

"The JCPOA (the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) is a means, not the goal, and if we come to this conclusion that it can not serve [our] national interests, we will leave it", the Leader in a meeting with President Hassan Rouhani and members of his cabinet in Tehran on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump reimposed the sanctions after pulling out of a multilateral 2015 accord in May.

Khamenei set out a series of conditions in May for European powers if they wanted to keep Tehran in the deal.

India's imports from Iran were expected to start slowing down from this month and next as some big Indian refiners worry that their access to the US financial system could be cut off if they continue to import Iranian oil, prompting them to reduce oil purchases from Tehran.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued the instruction in a Wednesday meeting with President Rouhani and the Cabinet, according to Khamenei's website.

Aaron Rogers, Packers agree to 4-year, $134M deal

According to a report from ESPN .com's Adam Schefter, Rodgers and the Packers agreed to terms on a contract extension. Rodgers, who still had two years remaining on his contract, is now under contract through 2023, when he will turn 40.

But at the same time he appeared to call on parliament not to press too much on Rouhani who has been severely grilled over economic performance.

Iran has reportedly started to offer India cargo insurance and tankers operated by Iranian companies as some Indian insurers have backed out of covering oil cargoes from Iran in the face of the returning USA sanctions on Tehran.

Meanwhile, Iran is facing elevated economic and political pressure at home amid mass protests against the poor economy as well as rife criticism of the government in parliament. The riyal has lost more than two-thirds of its value in a year.

A group of 20 lawmakers signed a motion on Wednesday accusing Education Minister Mohammad Bathaei of failing to reform the education system and rejuvenate schools, state news agency IRNA reported.

Iran has said if it can not sell its oil because of U.S. pressure, then no other regional country will be allowed to do so either, threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz - the strategic artery linking Gulf crude producers to the world.

India will not completely halt Iranian oil imports and will finalise its strategy on crude purchases from Tehran after a meeting with top USA officials next week, a senior government official said.

A senior Iranian military official warned on Wednesday if foreign forces in the Gulf do not follow global laws, they would face the Revolutionary Guards' firm response.
Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders says he has cancelled a planned Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest following death threats and concerns that other people could be put at risk.

In a written statement on Thursday Wilders said to avoid the risk of victims of Islamic violence, I have decided not to let the cartoon contest go ahead.

Wilders, who has for years lived under round-the-clock protection because of death threats sparked by his fierce anti-Islam rhetoric, said he does not want others endangered by the contest he planned for November.

The contest was to have been held at the tightly guarded offices of his Party for Freedom in the Dutch parliament building.

It has been the subject of protests in Pakistan.
An estimated 3,500 mourners crowded into an Arizona church on Thursday to remember Senator John McCain, after a motorcade bearing his body made its way past people waving flags and campaign-style signs.

Family members watched in silence as uniformed military members removed the Republican senators flag-draped coffin from a hearse and carried it into the North Phoenix Baptist church for the commemoration

Twenty-four sitting US senators, four former senators and other leaders from Arizona were expected at the service for the maverick politician, former prisoner of war and two-time presidential candidate.

Expand Close Former vice president Joe Biden gave a tribute (Jae C. Hong/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Former vice president Joe Biden gave a tribute (Jae C. Hong/AP)

Former vice president Joe Biden told the service he thought of John McCain as a brother, with a lot of family fights.

Biden said the two men got to know each other while making overseas trips together.

They would talk about family, politics and international relations. Biden said they were both cock-eyed optimists, and they understood it was all about trust and that he would trust John with his life.

As the 11-vehicle motorcade with a 17-motorcycle police escort made its way along the eight-mile route, people held signs that read simply McCain, and cars on the other side of the road stopped or slowed to a crawl in apparent tribute.

Expand Close People watch the motorcade carrying the coffin of John McCain (Jae C. Hong/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp People watch the motorcade carrying the coffin of John McCain (Jae C. Hong/AP)

A few firefighters saluted from atop a fire engine parked on an overpass as the motorcade passed underneath.

One man shouted: We love you!

McCain died last Saturday of brain cancer aged 81.

The crowd in the church stood silently as the coffin was placed before a set of floral arrangements and McCains family entered behind.

Expand Close Jack McCain, left, escorts his mother Cindy McCain, to the service (Ross D. Franklin/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Jack McCain, left, escorts his mother Cindy McCain, to the service (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

On Wednesday, a private service was held at the Capitol for family and friends.

Cindy McCain pressed her face against her husbands coffin, and daughter Meghan McCain erupted in sobs.

McCains sons Doug, Jack and Jimmy, daughter Sidney and daughter-in-law Renee shook hands with some of the estimated 15,000 people who filed past the senators coffin to pay their final respects.

About 1,000 seats for Thursdays church service were made available to members of the public.

Michael Fellars was among those awaiting the motorcade outside the church.

He was about the only politician that I have ever known who cared for the people in his country, and he tried his level best to make it a better place in which to live, Fellars said.

McCains daughter Bridget delivered a scripture reading, and his longtime chief of staff Grant Woods, a former Arizona attorney general, offered a eulogy in which he talked about McCains terribly bad driving and his wicked sense of humour.

The much smaller service at the Capitol was filled with affecting moments and demonstrations of deep respect for the statesman and Navy pilot who was held prisoner by the North Vietnamese after being shot down over Hanoi.

The Capitol was then opened to the public in the afternoon, allowing visitors to walk past the closed coffin after waiting in line outside in temperatures that reached 40C.

After Thursdays church service, a military aircraft was scheduled to take McCains body back east for a lying-in-state at the US Capitol on Friday, a service at the Washington National Cathedral on Saturday, and burial at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
Pope Francis has lamented how Irish church authorities failed to respond to the crimes of sexual abuse, speaking during his first public appearance at the Vatican after accusations that he himself covered up for a former US cardinal.

Francis presided over his weekly general audience in St Peter's Square and spoke about his weekend trip to the Republic, where the abuse scandal has devastated the Catholic Church's credibility.

The final day of the trip was overshadowed by the release of a document from a retired Holy See diplomat accusing Vatican authorities, including Francis, of covering up for ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick - despite knowing for years that he regularly slept with religious scholars.

The author of the document - retired Vatican ambassador to the US Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano - said Francis should resign for his complicity in the McCarrick scandal, which has implicated US and Vatican church leaders over a period of two decades.

Francis referred to the Irish culture of cover-up, but he omitted from his remarks a line in his prepared text noting how he had prayed in Ireland for the Virgin Mary to intervene to give the church strength to "firmly pursue truth and justice" to help victims heal.

US bishops have called for an independent investigation to find out who knew about McCarrick's abuse and when, and how he was able to rise through the ranks even though it was an open secret that he regularly invited seminarians to his New Jersey beach house and into his bed.

Francis last month removed McCarrick as a cardinal and ordered him to live a lifetime of penance and prayer after a US church investigation determined that an allegation he groped a teenage altar boy in the 1970s was credible.

Mr Vigano's 11-page letter alleges that Francis knew of McCarrick's attitude to seminarians starting in 2013, but rehabilitated him from sanctions that Pope Benedict XVI had allegedly imposed on him in 2009 or 2010.

There is ample evidence, however, that the Vatican under Benedict and St John Paul II also covered up the information, and that any reported sanctions Benedict imposed were never enforced since McCarrick travelled widely for the church during those years, including to Rome to meet with Benedict and celebrate Mass with other US bishops at the tomb of St Peter.
Glentoran's Nathan Kerr, pictured here on international duty for Northern Ireland Under 16s in 2014, has been called up to the Under 21 squad

Ian Baraclough has named five new faces in his under 21 squad which will travel to Luxembourg for a friendly on 6th September, before taking on Spain in Albacete on 11th September.

Ian Baraclough has named five new faces in his under 21 squad which will travel to Luxembourg for a friendly on 6th September, before taking on Spain in Albacete on 11th September.

Glentoran full-back Nathan Kerr earns his first call-up after impressing during summer training camp, and following a solid start to the Irish Premiership season under Ronnie McFall at the Oval.

Alongside Kerr, Derry City forward Alistair Roy, Doncaster Rovers left-back Danny Amos and Pierce Bird of Notts County all get their first call ups, as does Arsenal defender Daniel Ballard.

Ballard has played for the Gunners at u23 and u18 level, and captained the team that reached the FA Youth Cup final at the end of April.

Mark Sykes retains his place as a key member of midfield in the squad, and will be looking to build on his impressive performances for Glenavon on the international stage.

There are a few familiar faces for Irish League fans; former Dungannon Swifts defender Liam Donnelly is likely to wear the skipper's armband, he'll play alongside Gavin Whyte, Paul Smyth and Bobby Burns.

Baraclough said Coleraine were unlucky not to have a representative in the squad, "Competition for places is a tough as ever with Jamie McGonigle and Ciaron Harkin really unlucky to miss out.

"We still have one more squad to pick after these fixtures and the players will have to battle hard for selection."

Northern Ireland currently sit third in Group 2 with three games remaining, one point behind Slovakia with a chance of earning a playoff spot.

They play Iceland away before finishing the group stages against Slovakia at Windsor Park on 16th October.
A serial American con artist who swindled a Los Angeles travel agency may have victims in Northern Ireland.

Marianne Smyth, who has served jail time for embezzling 155,000 from the firm, is believed to have worked as a mortgage adviser here in 2008.

One of her victims in the US, Johnathan Walton, wants to track down anyone here who thinks they may have been conned by Smyth.

The LA-based reality TV producer told Sunday Life he wants anyone who may have lost money to Smyth to help with his ongoing case against her.

He has also taken out an advert with this newspaper (below) with contact details for anyone who wishes to get in touch. Mr Walton says he was duped into lending her money with a tale of an inheritance due from her Irish royalty family but ended up $100,000 out of pocket. He is now pursuing her through the courts to recover the money.

The majority of Smyths victims are usually too ashamed and embarrassed to come forward, he said.

Sharing my story and finding other victims has been so healing and therapeutic for me and makes me feel less like a victim and more like a vigilante. He added: The fact that I went public with my story initially on my blog and was contacted by other victims who I saved from her by publishing the truth, they were able to cut ties and not get scammed.

Mr Walton believes she may have duped over 20 people during her time in Northern Irelandhere working as a mortgage adviser. He met Smyth in 2013 and she managed to convinced him she was due to inherit 5 million from a family trust, describing her roots as Irish royalty.

Smyth convinced him to pay her rent during her case for stealing $190,000 from Pacific Islands Travel in LA, which she claimed was a set-up. Mr Walton believed her tale and even paid her $4,200 bail, which she reimbursed.

Following her conviction, Smyth (below) told him that if she paid back $54,000, she would not have to serve jail time, so he lent her the money  but this was a lie. After discovering her deceit, Mr Walton engaged a private detective to find out the truth, which was that she was born in the state of Maine, not Ireland, and grew up in Tennessee.

Expand Close Scam victim Johnathan Walton has asked anyone in Northern Ireland who had dealings with Smyth to contact him. / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Scam victim Johnathan Walton has asked anyone in Northern Ireland who had dealings with Smyth to contact him.

Around 2001, Mr Walton says she moved to Northern Ireland after meeting a man from here online and worked for a mortgage firm.

He says police here have been investigating over 20 possible instances of fraud and have been in correspondence with a detective about the case. In May, Smyth appeared in court in Los Angeles on a charge of grand theft in relation to the money she scammed from him, which he estimates to be around $100,000.
A group of Rohingya refugees are trapped behind a barbed wire fence in no mans land along the border of Bangladesh and Myanmar, Aug. 27, 2018.

The Bangladesh government is distributing aid to Rohingya refugees trapped in no mans land along the countrys border with Myanmar, ignoring calls from Naypyidaw to cut off humanitarian supplies as a precondition for those people to repatriate, officials told BenarNews.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H.M. Ali led a 16-member delegation on a visit to Myanmar earlier this month, during which Myanmar proposed calling on humanitarian organizations to carry out the task of distributing aid.

In fact, Bangladesh didnt respond to Myanmars undue demand for the sake of humanity, an official at the Bangladeshi Disaster Management and Relief Ministry said on condition of anonymity.

In addition, Bangladeshs government has not made an official decision on aid for the Rohingya, Md. Abul Kalam Azad, the commissioner for refugee relief and repatriation, told BenarNews.

That is why Rohingya staying at no-mans land are still getting relief, he said.

Data from the U.N. refugee agency (UNCHR ) shows that 1,300 Rohingya families are living in the section along the Tambru border crossing.

Some of the Rohingya said they had enough food, but lacked pure drinking water and enough toilets. They have only one well and three toilets for 1,000 families, and none of the toilets are fit for women, refugees said.

They said their biggest issue had nothing to do with aid.

Our main problem is we cant go back to our home. We want justice from the world leaders, Rohingya leader Dil Mohammad told BenarNews. The home he fled is only about 6 km (4 miles) from the border.

Fellow refugee Hafej Omar Sultan said that he and the other Rohingya were living uncomfortably in the no mans land.

We used to live in our homes with dignity. We had work, business and we had been living peacefully. But, the conditions here are not favorable, he said.

Mohammad Faruq, who lived in Maungdaw in Myanmars Rakhine state, settled in no mans land with 20 family members.

Though Myanmar asked Bangladesh government to stop food aid, Bangladesh didnt listen to that, he said. They are saving the tortured population by distributing relief.

Myanmar is not willing to take us back. Rather, they proposed such conditions to bring more suffering in our lives.

Previously, Myanmar had agreed unconditionally to take back the Rohingya stuck at the no-mans land.

Its really challenging to negotiate with a country like Myanmar. It seems Myanmar is consistently not cooperating with Bangladesh, Delwar Hossain , the director of the East Asia Center and Center for Genocide Studies at the University of Dhaka, told BenarNews.

Border Guard Police

Dil Mohammad, the refugee, said Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) were taking actions to drive the Rohingya from their settlement, including firing weapons and calling out on loudspeakers.

They insist we leave the place every day, he said.

They say taking shelter at the zero line is illegal and you must abide by the law, Mohammad said. But, they never suggest any substitute shelter for us.

A BenarNews reporter who went near no mans land on Sunday saw a new guard post by a barbed wire fence. A BGP member pointed a rifle at the Rohingya and another monitored the area through binoculars. Since then, the area has been off declared limits to reporters.

A Myanmar government spokesman previously justified actions by BGP members, claiming they had information that Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) insurgents had taken position there.

ARSA is blamed for a series of attacks on border guard and army posts in Rakhine in late August 2017. The raids provoked a brutal crackdown by Myanmar security forces that drove more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.
Journalists in Pabna form a human chain and demand that suspects in the killing of Subarna Akter Nodi be brought to justice, Aug. 29, 2018.

A female journalist was hacked to death at the doorstep of her residence in northern Bangladeshs Pabna district Tuesday night, leading to the arrest of her ex-husbands father on Wednesday morning, a police official told BenarNews.

Subarna Akter Nodi, 32, a correspondent with Ananda TV and the Jagrata Bangla newspaper, named some of her attackers before dying, Nodis mother said.

Morjina Begum filed a murder case with the Pabna Sadar police station on Wednesday, accusing Nodis ex-husband, Rajib Hossain, and his father, Abul Hossain, along with several unidentified persons of killing her daughter.

On the way to the hospital, my daughter told me the names of her assailants. Rajib and his associate were among the assailants, she told me before succumbing to her injuries, Begum told journalists.

The officer-in-charge of the police station announced that one suspect was in custody.

We have arrested Rajibs father Abul Hossain, Obaidul Huq told BenarNews. The killing might be a result of family feuds.

Nodi, the mother of a 6-year-old girl, had filed a case against Rajib Hossain last year under the Women and Children Repression Act alleging that her husband had thrown her out when she refused to pay a dowry from her parents.

Champa Begum said she was verbally abused by Rajib and his associates outside court after she testified against him hours before her younger sister Nodi was killed.

Subarna Akter Nodi (Newsroom photo)

Assailants rang doorbell

Pabnas Additional Superintendent of Police Ibne Mizan said unidentified men rang Nodis doorbell at about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

They stabbed her with sharp weapons indiscriminately as she opened the door and fled the scene, leaving her severely injured, he said.

Nodis mother and neighbors rushed her to Pabna General Hospital where she was declared her dead.

On Wednesday, journalists across the country condemned the killing and demanded that the suspects be brought to justice. Many formed human chains in Pabna and other districts as a sign of protest.

Nasimun Ara Huq, president of the Women Journalists Center, said her group would organize another human chain in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka on Thursday.

The killings are continuing in the country and the victims do not get justice, she told BenarNews.

In addition, the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists have condemned the killing and will be joining Thursdays protest.

At least 22 journalists have been killed in Bangladesh since 1996 while 20 of the cases have not reached a conclusion in court. Bangladesh ranked 10th in global impunity index published by the United States-based Committee to Protect Journalists on Oct. 31, 2017.
JetBlue Airways is elevating baggage charges, turning into the predominant predominant airline to price $30 for the predominant checked win.Foundation with tickets bought Monday, Aug. 27, the airline will price customers shopping for its most price-fantastic "Blue" fares $30 for the predominant win and $forty for the 2nd. JetBlue also raised the charge for a second checked bag by $5 to $40 and for a third piece to $150 from $100, according to the airline's website.

"It's tough, it makes it tough, everyone is trying to pack the biggest carry-on and no one can fit it in the overhead bin so it's just a free for all", said Embleton. Then, 10 years ago, so-called legacy airlines like American and Delta began charging fees for checked bags to match the policies of "no frills" carriers like Spirit Airlines, whose business model mixed low airfare prices with high fees for anything beyond basic transportation. JetBlue's change fees for its Blue and Blue Plus fares vary based on the total fare paid but will now top out at $200 per person per ticket - up from the previous maximum of $150. In short, charging little fees for different elements of travel.

The previous fee structure still applies to all tickets purchased before August 27.

Today, Southwest Airlines is the lone USA carrier that has free checked baggage for all passengers.

Serena Williams wins, serves up clash with sister Venus

Earlier this week, French Open officials stated that certain outfits would be banned next year, including Williams' catsuit. Williams, ranked 26th, was boosted to the tournament's No. 17 seed, one spot below older sister Venus, a two-time U.S.

Mosaic elite-status members of JetBlue's TrueBlue program may check up to two bags free of charge when flying with the airline.

"As other carriers have done, Air Canada has adjusted checked baggage fees in certain fare classes in select markets", Air Canada spokesperson Isabelle Arthur told Daily Hive. JetBlue also created a fee for those using standby tickets.

Southwest Airlines Co.is the only large USA airline that doesn't charge for one checked piece of luggage.
People drive their cars past destroyed buildings in Aleppo, Syria, after Russian air defense assets claimed to have shot down 45 drones, Aug. 16, 2018.

An Indonesian man labelled a global terrorist by the U.S. government last week is still in Syria where he is a trusted aide to Islamic State (IS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, terrorism experts said.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday declared Mohammed Karim Yusop Faiz (alias Muhammad Saifuddin or Abu Walid) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist along with a Malaysian and a Filipino.

The department alleged that the trio, who appeared in an IS propaganda video in 2016 showing them beheading three captives, had recruited foreign fighters to pledge their allegiance to al-Baghdadi.

Sofyan Tsauri, a former terrorism convict, said Faiz was known to be close to al-Baghdadi, whose whereabouts are unknown.

Saifuddin has even been a figure trusted by al-Baghdadi to be an influential leader of ISIS followers in Southeast Asia, Sofyan said, using the other acronym for IS.

Hes a pious person, can memorize the Quran and has good religious knowledge, a convincing track record, allowing him to get an important position within ISIS, he said.

Sidney Jones, director of the Institute for Policy and Analysis of Conflict, a Jakarta-based think-tank, said the Treasury sanctions against Faiz and those of Malaysian Mohamad Rafi Udin and Filipino militant Mohammad Reza Lahaman Kiram, would not affect their reputation within the militant group.

Jones said Washington should have included the three men on its list of global terrorists in 2016 immediately after they appeared in an IS video in which they declared support for Isnilon Hapilon, the leader of the Islamic State branch in the Philippines who would later lead a five-month battle with the Philippine military in the southern city of Marawi.

Philippine security forces killed Hapilon in October last year, effectively ending the Marawi siege that killed 1,200 people, most of them militants.

The Treasury sanctions against the three men would require U.N. member states to prohibit their travel and deny them access to the international financial system, among other measures.

Jones said she believed three were still alive in Syria.

But Rafi isnt as important as Walid, she said, using Faizs other alias.

Inspector-General Hamidin, deputy for international cooperation at Indonesias National Agency for Counter-Terrorism, said the government continued to monitor Indonesians suspected to be fighting alongside terrorist groups overseas.

He has been overseas for quite some time and it is our job, whenever there are Indonesians who have become part of ISIS, to watch their domestic networks, he told BenarNews.

On Aug. 22, in his first purported audio recording in almost a year, IS leader al-Baghdadi urged his followers to keep fighting despite recent defeats, according to the Associated Press. The 54-minute audio, titled Give Glad Tidings to the Patient, was released by the extremist groups central media arm, the al-Furqan Foundation.

The secretive militant leader has frequently been reported wounded or killed during the past few years. He was last seen in public in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in 2014, but U.S. officials believed he was still alive. Reports said IS had lost about 90 percent of lands it once controlled in Iraq and Syria, where al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate in 2014.

In the land of the prophets

Faizs mother, Saadah, said she did not remember the last time she had contact with her son, whom she calls Udin.

I dont know where he is. People say he has become a terrorist. They say he is a butcher and likes to kill people. But I have never seen proof, and I dont want to know, she told BenarNews on Monday in Klaten regency, Central Java, about 552 kilometers (345 miles) east of Jakarta.

I only remember when he called on Eid al-Fitr and said that he was in the land of the prophets. But I have totally forgotten what year that was, she said. It was a long time ago.

The U.S. Treasury, in a statement published on its website, said Faiz appeared in the IS video where he also took part in the execution of a prisoner. The statement did not give the current location of the three militants.

After the 2002 Bali bombings, which killed 202 people, Indonesian security officials believe that Faiz travelled to the Philippines together with Bali bombers Dulmatin and Umar Patek, members of the regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah.

In 2005, Faiz was arrested by Philippine police and charged with possession of illegal weapons and explosives. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Faiz returned to Indonesia in 2013 upon his release and later married the widow of Urwah, one of the suicide bombers who attacked J.W. Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Jakarta in 2009.

He then left for Syria with his wife in 2013 or 2014, counter-terrorism chief Hamidin told BenarNews.

He was said to be a religious teacher for people from Southeast Asia  Malaysians and Indonesians who were there [in Syria], Hamidin said.
President Rodrigo Duterte will depart for a trip to Israel and Jordan next week, the first for a Philippine leader, a foreign department official said Thursday, in a state visit that will take place a year after an embarrassing remark in which Duterte appeared to compare his deadly anti-drugs crackdown to the slaughter of Jews during the Holocaust.

Foreign department undersecretary Ernesto Abella said the trip, scheduled from Sept. 2 to 8, was part of the government's policy of being friends to all and an enemy to none.

The official itinerary has yet to be firmed up, although Abella said that the president would work at enhancing cooperation by signing deals on employment of Filipino caregivers in Israel, where there are an estimated 28,000 Filipinos.

Israel, which established diplomatic relations with Manila in 1957, was the first country to aid the Philippines when Supertyphoon Haiyan ravaged the country in 2013, leaving more than 6,000 dead. But that gesture of goodwill appeared to have been forgotten when Duterte in 2016 referred to the Holocaust while discussing his war on drugs that has killed thousands.

He said then: Hitler massacred three million Jews, understating the death toll by three million as cited by various historians. Now there is three million drug addicts. Id be happy to slaughter them.

Dutertes unwarranted comment set off a storm of criticism, with Germany lambasting it as unacceptable and the World Jewish Congress saying it was revolting as it demanded a retraction.

The chastised leader subsequently apologized, saying his mention of the Nazi leader was to show how opponents had sought to portray him.

The president has already addressed that way back. In fact, he made a visit to the synagogue, to the local synagogue here. And obviously, he was taken out of context regarding that matter, Abella said on Thursday.

But also, regarding the actual relationships with Israel, the Israelis deeply appreciate his stand, and his position, and his administration, he said.

Abella said the presidents trip to Israel would not affect the countrys relations with other Arab countries, where thousands of Filipinos are also employed.

We are aware of certain sensitivities. But I believe we have reached the stage of maturity in our relations that they understand, each one of them, Abella said. For example, those host countries with whom we consider partners, they are aware also that we are in relationship with other nations, for example, like Israel.

He said he believed the Israel trip is not going to pose a challenge to Arab nations hostile to the Jewish state, such as Jordan, where about 48,000 Filipinos are also working.

While in Jordan, Duterte was expected to talk about upgrading the Philippines defense capability, two-way trade and investment, as well as enhancing the working conditions of Filipinos, Abella said.

Strengthening ties with these nations will promote economic growth, create new employment opportunities and enhance security, he said. A closer relationship with these nations means more opportunity to share expertise with each other in the fields of science, agriculture, industry and counterterrorism.
Soldiers on board a military truck patrol the streets of Isulan town in the southern Philippine province of Sultan Kudarat, Aug. 29, 2018.

One of dozens wounded by a bomb explosion in the southern Philippines died of his injuries Thursday, officials said, bringing to three the fatalities in the attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS).

College student Welmark John Lapidez, 25, succumbed to his wounds that he suffered when an improvised bomb exploded in this town Tuesday. The blast also claimed the lives of a 7-year-old girl and a 52-year-old woman.

More than 30 others were also wounded, including two soldiers who were guarding local festivities tied to Isulans founding anniversary this week. By Thursday, officials said that only 18 of the wounded were still at the hospital with the rest discharged.

President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed police and the military to get the perpetrators, which officials have initially blamed on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), a separatist group that has pledged allegiance to the IS and have been known to field similar attacks in the past.

The perpetrators, the terrorists, will be punished. You can be assured of that, Dutertes special assistant, Bong Go, said during a local radio interview.

Security remained tight in Isulan as well as other parts of restive Mindanao, with military tanks patrolling the streets and police in battle uniforms manning road blocks.

Superintendent Aldrin Gonzales, the regional police spokesman, said a task force was formed to handle the blast investigation and to track down the perpetrators. Police released a cartographic sketch of the perpetrators, who appeared to be in their early 20s and wore black shirts.

The bombing was the second to hit the restive south within the past month. The region has been under military rule since last year, when IS-linked militants took over the city of Marawi for five months. Last month, a suicide bomb attack claimed by IS left 11 people dead on southern Basilan island.

The BIFF did not send fighters to Marawi, but had helped to ease the military pressure by mounting diversionary attacks elsewhere. One of its top commanders, Abu Turaipe, is believed to be the most senior leader in line to inherit the leadership of the local IS branch following the slaying of Isnilon Hapilon last year.

Hapilon masterminded the Marawi siege, which killed 1,200 people last year. He and other top militant commanders were slain in October, effectively ending the siege that destroyed Marawi, the only predominantly Muslim city in the largely Catholic Philippines.

The SITE Intelligence, a U.S.-based group that monitors online communications among Muslim militant groups, earlier reported that Islamic States East Asia Province had claimed responsibility for the bombing of Filipino soldiers in the capital of Sultan Kudarat. Isulan is the provincial capital.

The claim, however, has not been independently confirmed by the Philippine military.
It will be the country's biggest war games since 1981, when some 150,000 Soviet troops took in Zapad-81.

To be held from September 11-15, Vostok-2018 will involve almost 300,000 troops, about 36,000 military vehicles, and more than 1,000 aircraft from Russia's Eastern and Central military districts, and the Northern Fleet, Shoigu told reporters.

The Vostok-2018 exercises are set to be carried out from September 11 to September 15 with the participation of Chinese and Mongolian military personnel, Russian media have reported. Russia's armed forces are reckoned to have about one million personnel in total.

It has been increasing since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and backed pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Units from China and Mongolia will also take part in the exercises at military ranges in central and eastern Russian Federation.

It will be the biggest military exercise since 1981, Shoigu was cited as saying.

Russia's largest maneuvers Zapad-2017 (West-2017) held a year ago jointly with Belarus involved about 12,700 troops.

"Just imagine that 36,000 pieces of military hardware are simultaneously in motion: these are tanks, armoured personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and all this is, naturally, checked in conditions close to a combat environment", Shoigu said on Tuesday, according to Tass.

"China's defence ministry put out a statement talking of deepening military co-operation and "'enhancing both sides' capabilities to jointly respond to various security threats".

Serena Williams opens the US Open in a tutu

Here Serena is holding the Wimbledon trophy as she wears the traditional tennis whites. We can't wait to see what Serena Williams will be sporting in her next match.

The two countries have forged what they described as a "strategic partnership", expressing their shared opposition to the "unipolar" world - the term they use to describe perceived United States global domination.

The Dragon-17 exercise involved some 17,000 land, air force and navy troops and some 3,500 units of equipment and ran for about a week - the first time the biannual drill was joined by Poland's new Territorial Defense Forces, which train civilian volunteers to support regular troops.

Peskov said the drills were justified "in the current global situation, which is often quite aggressive and unfriendly to our country".

The manoeuvres will take place at a time of heightened tension between the West and Russian Federation, which is concerned about what it says is an unjustified build-up of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation military alliance on its western flank.

"The country's ability to defend itself in the current worldwide situation, which is often aggressive and unfriendly towards our country, means (the exercise) is justified", Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

"All nations have the right to exercise their armed forces", he wrote in an email.

Russian Federation is "increasing its defense budget and its military presence", White said, adding that these large exercises show that Russian Federation appears to be preparing for large conflicts. It fits into a pattern we have seen over some time: "a more assertive Russian Federation, significantly increasing its defense budget and its military presence", White said in a statement e-mailed to the Reuters news agency.

Shoigu this month announced the start of snap combat readiness checks in central and eastern military districts ahead of the planned exercise.
For Immediate Release, August 30, 2018



Contact: Jeff Miller, (510) 499-9185, jmiller@biologicaldiversity.org Californias Rep. Huffman Joins Anti-Public Lands Zealot to Evict Elk From Point Reyes Legislation Enshrines Private Cattle Ranching in National Seashore POINT REYES, Calif. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Rob Bishop (R-Utah) introduced legislation this week to cut the public out of management plans for public lands and wildlife at Point Reyes National Seashore. H.R. 6687 would enshrine private cattle ranching and evict native tule elk from large portions of the park in Californias Marin County. Its disturbing to see Rep. Huffman teaming up with a political extremist who hates public lands to evict native elk from one of Americas most beautiful national parks,

said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity. Huffmans alliance with Bishop furthers the right-wings attempt to weaken protections for Americas public lands so that corporations can exploit them. Its deeply disappointing to see him joining this dangerous movement. The legislation would require the Interior Department to maintain working dairies and ranches on agricultural property in the park and give private commercial interests 20-year leases for cattle grazing. It also orders eviction of tule elk from ranch lease areas. The reintroduction of tule elk to the Point Reyes peninsula has so far been a success story for conservation of native species and restoring ecosystem processes, one of the primary missions of the National Park Service. Point Reyes is the only national park with tule elk. The Drakes Beach elk herd, which Huffman wants to remove, is one of two free-roaming herds in the park. Letting elk roam free is critical to their survival. More than half the elk in the Tomales Point herd, which is fenced in on a peninsula to appease ranchers, died during a recent drought due to a lack of water and food. Huffman and Bishops bill circumvents the public planning process underway at Point Reyes, after more than 3,000 people have submitted comments. In 2017 conservationists, ranchers, and the Park Service agreed on a four-year plan to address controversial cattle ranching and tule elk issues at Point Reyes through a public environmental review process and an amendment to the National Seashores General Management Plan. The public was to have input and the plan would have taken an in-depth look at the ecological impacts of cattle ranching and other land uses. Huffman and Bishops end-run around the public process constrains management of the Seashore to prioritize commercial uses and prevents the Park Service from considering a range of management alternatives. Huffman and Bishops bill would deny all Americans the opportunity to weigh in on how their public parklands should be managed and protected, Miller said. Thats to be expected from Bishop, but its baffling Huffman would team up with one of the countrys biggest enemies of public lands to short-circuit the public process for Point Reyes that ranchers, conservationists and the Park Service agreed upon. Bishop is one of the most anti-environmental members of Congress and has led efforts to gut protections for public lands, wildlife, endangered species, oceans and marine mammals. Bishop has repeatedly tried to dismantle the Endangered Species Act and led efforts to gut the Antiquities Act. Bishop was the recipient of the Centers 2017 Rubber Dodo Award for his extremist agenda to give away public lands and kill off endangered species.
For Immediate Release, August 30, 2018 Contact: Kristen Monsell, (510) 844-7137, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org California Lawmakers Act to Protect Whales, Turtles From Entanglement Approved Bill Requires Stronger Rules for Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery SACRAMENTO, Calif. The California Senate yesterday sent legislation to Gov. Jerry Brown to sign that requires the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to adopt regulations to prevent whales and sea turtles from being entangled in commercial Dungeness crab lines. West Coast entanglements have skyrocketed in recent years. California commercial Dungeness crab gear is responsible for the majority of entanglements where the gear could be identified, entangling at least 35 whales from 2015 to 2017. Senate Bill 1309 responded to the crisis by requiring regulations by November 1, 2020, and directing the department to restrict fishing as needed until then to prevent a significant risk of entanglements. California has dragged its feet on preventing entanglements for too long. This bill rightly recognizes that officials must protect endangered whales and sea turtles, said Kristen Monsell, the oceans program legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The departments job has always been to safeguard Californians marine wildlife, and this legislation eliminates excuses. Its time to get the job done and save marine animals from these agonizing deaths. The legislation, also known as the Fisheries Omnibus Bill of 2018, requires the department to adopt comprehensive new regulations to minimize the risk of commercial crab gear entangling marine life by 2020. In the interim, it clarifies the departments authority to close regions of the fishery or take other actions to prevent entanglements. The Center sued the department over entanglements of endangered whales and sea turtles in 2017. That lawsuit is pending. Were glad to see California finally addressing this epidemic of whale and sea turtle entanglements, but unless we see substantial, immediate changes on the water, our lawsuit will continue, Monsell said. The governors signature will reaffirm Californias long-standing commitment to conservation of ocean animals. Entanglements in ropes connected to heavy commercial Dungeness crab traps cause injuries and death as they cut into the whales flesh, sap their strength and lead to drowning. Many of last years entanglements were clustered around the biologically rich Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, where migrating whales feed. Each entanglement of a humpback whale, blue whale or leatherback sea turtle violates the federal Endangered Species Act.
The state Health department inked the pact in the presence of Health Minister Pratap Jena at the State Secretariat.

Odisha government has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an America-based agency Malaria No More and another Indian agency Malaria Elimination Trust in a bid to make the state malaria-free.

The state Health department inked the pact in the presence of Health Minister Pratap Jena at the State Secretariat.

Health Commissioner-cum-Secretary Pramod Kumar Meherda, Health Director Dr Brajakishore Brahma, Malaria No More CEO Martin Enlund and Malaria Elimination Trust trustee Dr Koushik Sarkar were also present during the MoU signing ceremony.

Apart from helping the State Government in chalking out strategy for malaria eradication, the two agencies will also prepare roadmap for massive public awareness and will work towards maintaining coordination with both government and non-government agencies.

Odisha government under its Daman programme has distributed 1.13 crore medicated mosquito-nets to the people across the state while sensitising people through various mediums.
In total, EUR 30 million (INR 240 crs. approx.) has been earmarked for research and innovation actions, which aim at advancing the efficacy, safety, duration of immunity, and reactivity against an increased breadth of influenza strains. Both the EU and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, have committed EUR 15 million each to fund this joint call.

The European Union (EU) and India has announced that they will engage together on research and innovation to develop a Next Generation Influenza Vaccine to Protect Citizens Worldwide.

In total, EUR 30 million (or approximately INR 240crs.) has been earmarked for research and innovation actions, which aim at advancing the efficacy, safety, duration of immunity, and reactivity against an increased breadth of influenza strains. Both the EU and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, have committed EUR 15 million each to fund this joint call. The EU is funding this call under its programmer for research and innovation Horizon 2020 (2014-2020).

These joint efforts also aim to develop cost-effective and affordable influenza vaccine rapidly without compromising quality. Keeping this in mind, the participating consortia need to bring together multi-disciplinary stakeholders representing the complete value chain from Lab to Market including pre-clinical trials and vaccine developers.

The call was launched on 28th August 2018 in the presence of H.E. Mr Tomasz Kozlowski, Ambassador of the European Union to India and Dr Renu Swarup, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India said Europe and India have a long and successful tradition of vaccine in both public and private institutions. Both are also home to many of the worlds largest vaccine manufacturers. Europe and India are therefore well positioned to take on new challenges in vaccine research and exploit the immense opportunity this joint initiative provides India and EU researchers, academicians and industry to come together and find solutions for the challenges posed by the fast mutating influenza strains.

H.E. Mr. Tomasz Kozlowski, Ambassador of the European Union, said: This joint call is another demonstration of the increased cooperation between the EU and India as committed by the leaders during the Summit in October 2017. In engaging jointly on this topic, India and the EU are contributing to an important global public health challenge. Improved influenza vaccines would help the international community to better prepare in the event of an influenza pandemic.

It is expected that the outcome of the projects will also contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3 to ensure health and well-being for all and boost the Indian National Health Mission. Addressing seasonal flu vaccination is also high on the EU health agenda with the European Commission urging EU Member States to commit to vaccinating 75% of risk groups against seasonal flu each year.

The call will remain open till 16th April 2019. The projects require minimum three applicants from Europe (from three different EU Member States or countries associated to the EU programme Horizon 2020) and minimum three applicants from India. This call is also Open to the World and thus applicants from other countries can join the EU-India consortia.

About 100 participants, both from India and Europe, attended the first information event organized in New Delhi on 28th August 2018. This allowed for a better understanding of the call and matchmaking.

The next information sessions will take place in Hyderabad on 30th August, in Bangalore on 24th September and in Pune on 28th September 2018.

This cooperation is another demonstration of the already robust cooperation between the EU and India based on the EU-India Science & Technology Cooperation Agreement concluded in 2001 and renewed in 2015 until 2020. On the mobility grants known as Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions (MSCAs), which are part of Horizon 2020, India ranks first in terms of number of beneficiaries from third countries followed by China and USA.

At the EU-India Summit in October 2017, it was agreed to upscale the collaborative research through co-funded and joint calls.
Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal performed complex procedures ranging from Glued IOL.

Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal, Chairman, Dr. Agarwal Group of Eye Hospitals, became the first Indian to be invited to Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America to perform Live Eye surgeries for complicated cases. Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal was the International Guest for Facoextrema, the conclave on Retina, breaking Retina frontiers.

The conclave witnessed participation of thousands of Ophthalmologists across the World. They witnessed Live talks and Eye Surgical procedures, which were streamed live on the Internet.

Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal performed complex procedures ranging from Glued IOL. He also explained on single pass four throw Pupilloplasty technique. This is considered as the latest treatment for patients with closed angle glaucoma or glare. Finally, he presented on the procedures to remove an Intra Intraocular lens (IOL) which has fallen inside the eye using the technique called ECAL, Extrusion Cannula Assisted Levitation. This procedure was distinctly started by Dr. Ashvin Agarwal

He performed a Glued IOL surgery in which an INTRAOCULAR lens was fixed in the eye with glue. He also showed how to do the single pass four throw pupilloplasty technique the latest treatment for patients with closed angle glaucoma or glare. Finally, he showed how to remove an Intra INTRAOCULAR lens which has fallen inside the eye using the technique called ECAL or extrusion cannula assisted levitation which was started by dr Ashvin Agarwal.

Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal, Chairman, Dr. Agarwal Group of Eye Hospitals said, The Surgical procedures exhibited lively on internet were very unique for complicated cases. They were a part of knowledge sharing with scientific directions for thousands of spectators who participated in Facoextrema.

Along with Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal from India, the conclave was attended by International guests including ike Ahmed from Canada, Oscar Asis and Elena Barraquer from Spain, Gustavo Huning from Brazil, Antonio Lopez Bolanos from Mexico, Fernando Pellegrino from Argentina, Carolina Sardi from Colombia and Miguel Zylberglajt from Uruguay.
Saudi Arabia and its allies began a deadly war on Yemen back in March 2015, and have so far killed thousands of Yemenis, mostly civilians.

"What we do know is they are providing this midair refueling, but the USA won't tell us which aircraft, for example, it refueled". The two nations repeatedly hit residential areas and there is "little evidence of any attempt by parties to the conflict to minimize civilian casualties".

The experts say they have identified, where possible, individuals who may be responsible for war crimes and passed a confidential list of their names to the United Nations high commissioner for human rights.

The Yemen war is seen as a proxy conflict between the region's two main powers: Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran. "I call on them to prioritize human dignity in this forgotten conflict". "However, the real figures are likely to be significantly higher", the report says. In recent months, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the US has teamed up with the U.K.'s Department for International Development, the U.K.'s national weather service and aid groups to use sophisticated computer models that combine satellite observation with data on local sanitation infrastructure to predict where cholera is likely to break out next. The 41-page report will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council next month to determine the next steps.

"Despite the severity of the situation, we continue to witness the total disregard for the suffering of the people of Yemen". The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Tuesday defended the USA backing of the Saudi-led coalition, but said it was conditioned on the Saudis doing "everything humanly possible" to avoid civilian casualties.

"For the last 10 years, there's a debate that's been going on in this country that the U.S. doesn't want to get more involved, that there's still a hangover from Iraq and Afghanistan", Otaiba said at the Aspen Security Forum in July. They also received substantial information that the Yemeni government, coalition forces and Houthi-Saleh forces have enlisted children into the fight. Saudi Arabia has said it will investigate the attack.

The UN Security Council had already called for a "credible" investigation into a strike blamed on the coalition in northern Yemen on August 9 that the Red Cross said killed 40 children.

Samsung Galaxy S10 cutting edge feature confirmed on more than one device

The e-commerce company is also offering the device with no-cost EMI via Bajaj Finserv and credit cards from all major banks. However, to replace the battery , a user has to open the hard glued glass back panel, which is a bit of a tricky procedure.

Attacks that fail to spare people or structures protected by global humanitarian law would be unlawful violations, it said. But they urged all states to restrict arms sales to help end the war.

The experts have also chronicled the damage from coalition airstrikes over the past year.

But the defense secretary also defended USA assistance to the coalition, which he said was deigned to help Persian Gulf nations defend themselves from attacks by Houthi militants.

But President Donald Trump overturned that ban after taking office in 2017. The administration, which has taken a more supportive posture toward Saudi Arabia than the previous administration, restored certain arms sales suspended under Obama.

While the remarks have not been made public, both the Pentagon and the US State Department have allegedly delivered direct messages of concern to the coalition, the report stated. "Our conduct there is to try to keep the human cost of innocents being killed accidentally to an absolute minimum".

Mattis said USA efforts to advise the Saudi-led campaign have helped reduce civilian harm. "Did it refuel the coalition aircraft that bombed a market, a home, a hospital, a wedding?" she said. American officials are awaiting results of an investigation into that attack. The U.S. supplies numerous precision weapons used in Saudi coalition airstrikes, and provides other limited support, including aerial refueling for coalition jets.

Raghavan reported from Cairo.
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
Modi government is reviving the Lakhwar-Vyasi project in Uttarakhand 42 years after its approval. The project was suspended 20 years ago. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Water Resources, signed a MoU with Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan and gave a nod to the Lakhwar Multipurpose Project. The project is estimated to cost Rs 3,966.51 crore. The 204-m dam will be built near Lohari village and will provide water in the six basin states.

As said by Gadkari, the purpose of the dam is to tackle pollution in the Yamuna. He further added that 34 projects are being taken up on the river, out of which 12 are in the capital. The Uttarakhand project is the first of the three big projects planned in the region, as mentioned in a report in The Indian Express.

However, a plea submitted in the National Green Tribunal in 2015 pointed out that the approval granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1987 was for the composite Lakhwar-Vyasi project, which has since been bifurcated. An expert appraisal committee meeting from 2010 was referred to that had raised several issues.

The meeting highlighted that the developers had only provided disjointed and piecemeal documents, especially when it came to environmental issues. The Detailed Project Report also does not show the requisite form of scoping clearance, the Economic Advisory Council found.

Moreover, according to the reservoir operation study for 1974-75, the project would generate 4-8 hours of electricity on a daily basis, thereby vastly altering the hydrological regime of the river.

The EAC stated that half of the construction is done and the environmental impacts have occurred and questioned the developers on how it plans to address the issue.

The plea will be up for hearing on September 11. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is also expected to clarify its stand.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)


Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute.

Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno.

Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi.
The noose is beginning to tighten around diamantaire-turned-fugitive Nirav Modi, the key accused behind over Rs 14,000 crore fraud at the Punjab National Bank (PNB). A report by the US bankruptcy examiner John Carney reveals how Modi was involved in a number of fraudulent transactions as well as round-tripping of funds through the shell companies he owned.

Take the case of a 3.27 carat yellow diamond that was shipped four times - exported three times - in a five week window. According to the dossier submitted in the New York court, the value of the gem at the time approximated $188,000. On August 8, 2011, Firestar Diamond Inc (FDI, previously Firestone Inc.) sold the stone to Fancy Creations Company Ltd. for $1,098,802.

Approximately three weeks later, Solar Exports, reportedly a partnership formed by the Nirav Modi family trust, exported the diamond back to FDI for a much lower $183,087 - although closer to its actual value. Six days later, FDI again exported the diamond Fancy Creations Company, Ltd for $1,156,043 - over $57,000 more than the original inflated price.

Finally, two weeks later, Modi-owned A. Jaffe sold the gem to Sandeep Mistry's company, World Diamond, for $1,218,991. A neat $120,189 profit in less than 40 days. Incidentally, the reviewed records also show that FDI got instructions on moving the diamond from Mistry, a Firestar India employee.

That's just one example. Carney's report estimates that Modi's practice of round-tripping totalled a whopping $213.8 million between 2011 and 2017, which is the time frame of the PNB fraud, too. Moreover, Modi reportedly fraudulently borrowed approximately $4 billion over the course of a few years by manufacturing fraud transactions to import diamonds using his web of 20 shell companies.
A 165-page dossier submitted to the United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York may have finally blown the lid off biggest banking fraud in Indian history. The report is prepared by John J. Carney, an examiner appointed by US bankruptcy court for the three US-based jewellery companies owned by PNB fraud accused Nirav Modi.

While the investigations related to Nirav Modi scam are still ongoing in the country, the new report submitted in the US court may bolster India's efforts to attach assets and properties of Nirav Modi and his associates in the US.

After conducting an intensive 120-day investigation, the examiner has found substantial evidence to support the knowledge and involvement by the Nirav Modi's US-based aides namely Mihir Bhansali (CEO of Firestar Diamond International and Fantasy Inc.) and Ajay Gandhi (CFO of all Firestar U.S. entities, including FDI, FI and A. Jaffe) in the PNB fraud.

In February, soon after India's biggest banking scam was unearthed at PNB's Brady House branch in Mumbai, Nirav Modi controlled Firestar Diamond, Inc., Fantasy Inc., A. Jaffe Inc. had filed for bankruptcy in the US.

On April 13, the court appointed the examiner to determine if the three US corporations indirectly owned by Nirav Modi and their officers and directors were involved in the criminal conduct alleged in India. The examiner was assisted by Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations, led by retired FBI special agent William B. Waldie. Indian forensic auditors BDO India, hired by PNB for internal audit after Nirav Modi scam, had later joined the investigation.

Nirav Modi's US-based companies were in the business of selling finished jewellery to major retailers, including Costco, J.C. Penny, Army/Navy Stores, Macy's and Zales, among others.

The examiner identified tens of millions of dollars of purported diamond sales by the Nirav Modi's US companies to various shadow entities, where payment can be traced to proceeds from the PNB fraud, the report said.

The examiner's investigation further confirmed that criminally derived proceeds from these sales flowed from India into the US and in numerous instances were returned to India or used to fund US operations, including making payments on loans made by banks, it added.

The investigation has also indicated that a large chunk of money was diverted in real estate in US after Nirav Modi left India. The dossier stated that money from shell companies was used to purchase an approximately $6 million apartment on Central Park South for the sole use of Modi and his family in the US.

The investigators interviewed 45 people and analysed 1.8 Terabytes of data recovered from various sources. It concluded that Nirav Modi linked firms (including those in US) were involved in running shell companies, overpricing, round-tripping of diamonds and were beneficiaries of illegal LoUs.

The US investigators have identified more than 20 shadow entities belonging to fugitive Nirav Modi. The report said that "diamonds sold to or purchased from shadow entities were routinely shipped out the same day or within days after arrival, without ever being opened or inspected by employees to ascertain the contents of the packets, in contrast to shipments that were made to or received from non-Shadow Entities."
A day after a RBI report marked the note ban initiative a failure, Congress president Rahul Gandhi mounted an offensive against the Modi government, calling demonetisation a scam to benefit crony capitalists. Addressing media personnel on Thursday, Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi owes an explanation to Indians over demonetisation as to why he 'inflicted such a deep wound' when more pressing troubles persisted.

"Prime Minister Modi should answer why he inflicted a deep wound like demonetisation when issues like unemployment and low GDP rate remained," Gandhi said during the press conference.

The Congress chief alleged that money was taken from common people and handed over to crony capitalists under the guise of demonetisation. "Demonetisation was not a mistake but attack on you (the people of India). The intention was to help his 15-20 crony capitalist friends by taking money from the common man and filling their pockets," he said during the press conference.

Gandhi further stated that PM Modi owes an explanation to the youth of the country also as demonetisation devastated the economy and led to unemployment.

Turning his guns towards the controversial Rafale deal, Gandhi questioned why a fighter jet worth Rs 520 crore was bought for Rs 1,600 crore. He even challenged the Modi government to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to scrutinise the Rafale deal.

Directing his questions towards the Prime Minister, Gandhi asked, "Why did you buy an aircraft of Rs 520 crore at the cost of Rs 1,600 crore? Who were you trying to benefit?"

In response to Congress' continuous onslaught over the Rafale deal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had recently stated that the deal signed by the incumbent government with France is cheaper that what was negotiated during the UPA regime.

Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter jet designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Rafale jets are considered to be one of the most potent combat jets globally. India and France signed a deal worth 7.87 billion euros (Rs 59,000 crore approximately) on September 23, 2016 for 36 Rafale jets. The delivery of the aircraft will start from September 2019.

Congress has been accusing massive irregularities in the deal, alleging that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against the Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government.

Edited by Vivek Punj with PTI inputs
In America, we have a problem with religious labels: they no longer fit.

As a devout evangelical, I always cringe when I hear the label usedmostly for political purposesto include a range of heretics, political grifters, and nominal Christians who havent been to church in decades. But I also tire of hearing the term nones used as a synonym for atheists. The reality is that most people in Western Europe consider themselves to be Christians, they are less religious than nones are in America.

We need new terms to describe our various religious groupings. Fortunately, the Pew Research Center has attempted to create just such a labeling structure.

A new Pew Research analysis looks at beliefs and behaviors that cut across many denominations producing a new and revealing classification, or typology, of religion in America. The new typology sorts Americans into seven groups based on the religious and spiritual beliefs they share, how actively they practice their faith, the value they place on their religion, and the other sources of meaning and fulfillment in their lives.

The groupings, from most to least religious, are:

Sunday Stalwarts  This is the most religious of the seven typology groups. Sunday Stalwarts attend religious services weekly (82 percent), pray daily (84 percent), and participate in church groups (100 percent). They are also the most likely to believe in God as described in the Bible (94 percent) and believe in heaven and hell (97 and 91 percent, respectively). They are mostly Republicans (59 percent).

God-and-Country  This group is comprised of believers who are less active in church groups or other religious organizations, but still hold many traditional religious beliefs and tilt right on social and political issues. About a quarter attend religious service (27 percent) but almost none participate in church groups (less than 1 percent). They mostly believe in God as described in the Bible (91 percent) and say that believing in God is necessary to be moral. They arent as likely as Sunday Stalwarts to find much meaning and fulfillment in their religious faith (only 67 percent say it provides them a great deal compared to 87 percent of Stalwarts). Oddly, almost 3 in 10 (29 percent) also hold some New Age beliefs. They are also mostly Republicans (59 percent).

Diversely Devout  This group is diverse both in demographics (a relatively large share are racial and ethnic minorities) and in their beliefs. This is the only group in which most people say they believe in God as described in the Bible (87 percent) and that they believe in psychics, reincarnation, and that spiritual energy can be located in physical things like mountains, trees, or crystals (95 percent). Only 12 percent of this group attend religious services weekly. They are split between Republicans (43 percent) and Democrats (49 percent).

Relaxed Religious  This group says they believe in the God of the Bible (68 percent), and almost four-in-ten (39 percent) pray daily. But relatively few attend religious services (17 percent) or participate in church groups (2 percent). Politically, they come the closest to being evenly split between Republicans (45 percent) and Democrats (52 percent).

Spiritually Awake  Almost all hold at least some New Age beliefs (99 percent) and believe in heaven (98 percent). But only half (50 percent) believe in God as described in the Bible and relatively few attend religious services on a weekly basis (8 percent). They are mostly Democrats (59 percent).

Religion Resisters  This group largely considers itself spiritual (68 percent) but not religious (3 percent). They dont go to church (only 2 percent attend weekly) or participate in religious groups (2 percent). But they almost all hold at least some New Age beliefs (98 percent) and are the most likely group to find meaning and fulfillment in being outdoors and experiencing nature (64 percent). They are overwhelmingly Democrats (78 percent).

Solidly Secular  This is the least religious of the seven groups. These relatively affluent, highly educated U.S. adultsalmost all white (79 percent) and male (65 percent)tend to describe themselves as neither religious (3 percent) nor spiritual (22 percent). They dont believe in either the God as described in the Bible (1 percent) or hold New Age beliefs (less than 1 percent). They are predominantly Democrats (71 percent).

Take the religious typology quiz to learn which of the types is your best match.
Social media users enlisted themselves as "urban naxals" in a show of solidarity with the arrested Left-wing activists as 'MeTooUrbanNaxal' hashtag trended on microblogging site, Twitter.

It all started when filmmaker and author Vivek Agnihotri asked some "bright young minds" to put together a list of those defending 'Urban Naxals'.

"I want some bright young people to make a list of all those who are defending #UrbanNaxals. Let's see where it leads. If you want to volunteer with commitment, please DM me," he tweeted last night.

Social media users - journalists, activists, professionals, students - people from all walks of life - lashed out at the filmmaker.

They countered that the term 'Urban Naxal' was a mere creation of some sections to malign those who have an anti-establishment stance. Others accused Agnihotri of openly inciting hate.

As a mark of protest, thousands enlisted themselves as 'urban naxals', tweeting and retweeting the hashtag since this morning.

Prateek Sinha, co-founder of Alt News, asked the Twitterati to tag the filmmaker with the hashtag #MeTooUrbanNaxal to help the latter build his list.

"You know how the term 'anti-national' doesn't stick anymore. It was because all of us of a certain ideological bent started jokingly referring to ourselves as anti-nationals in many of our conversations and reduced it into a joke. It was no longer derogatory, it was a joke. So they needed a new phrase and which is what is 'Urban Naxals'.

"We cannot let these Hitler's grandchildren and great grandchildren target specific people with that phrase. So let's reduce it to a joke. Let's all proclaim that we are all 'Urban Naxals'. #MeTooUrbanNaxal, what about you? he tweeted.

Actress Swara Bhaskar gave a big thumbs up to the move and said that the trending of the hashtag was "a tight slap. Kudos to #TwitterWarriors".

If asking the questions, or standing up for humanity and freedom of speech makes me an urban Naxal... then I'm proud to be one #MeTooUrbanNaxal," tweeted Archana Bhardwaj.

Journalist Nikhil Wagle tweeted, "If @Sudhabharadwaj is a naxal, I am a naxal too. Arrest me. #MetooUrbanNaxal".

Another user, Vidyut, even changed his user name to Urban Naxal Vidyut.

"Congratulations, BJP on the most successful recruitment drive for naxals in the history of urban India #MeTooUrbanNaxal," he tweeted.

The hashtag has so far garnered more than 55,000 tweets.

The Maharashtra Police yesterday arrested Left-wing activists Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, and conducted raids in the houses of several others as part of a probe into the 'Elgar Parishad' event held in Pune on December 31 last year.

The event had allegedly triggered violence between Dalits and upper caste groups at Koregaon Bhima village in the district.
A group of three-week-old puppies trapped in an underground tunnel were rescued by Rivers Police Service members on Monday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 30/8/2018 (1160 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

RIVERS POLICE SERVICE Members of the Rivers Police Service hold three-week-old puppies that were rescued from a tunnel on a rural property on Monday.

A group of three-week-old puppies trapped in an underground tunnel were rescued by Rivers Police Service members on Monday.

"From talking with the (police) members, they were quite happy and quite eager to help out the puppies and get them out," Rivers police Chief Bob Futrell said. "Its one of those feel-good moments in our line of work."

RIVERS POLICE SERVICE A member of the Rivers Police Service, left, goes into a tunnel in the search for the puppies

Futrell said the only call theyve had in recent memory that compares with this one was a cat stuck in a tree.

While on scene for an unrelated call to a rural property on Monday afternoon, police were asked by a homeowner to rescue five puppies that were buried in underground tunnels nearby.

The puppies mother belonged to the property owner, who informed police they had been born in the tunnels and were neglected by their matriarch.

"I believe the mother dug the tunnels herself, either for shelter for her pups ... or the pups went down there and she tried to get them out," Futrell said.

"If you have a dog thats going to have puppies, you have to look for the puppies. Sometimes animals will move their young ones to keep them safe, so you have to keep track of them from a distance."

RIVERS POLICE SERVICE The rescued puppies.

Two regular duty members and an auxiliary member of the police force spent more than two hours digging and were able to rescue four male puppies and one female.

After being liberated from the tunnels, the puppies hung out with their rescuers at the Rivers police station while their new foster homes were lined up.

Futrell said he would not rule out one of the puppies eventually being adopted by one the rescuers, who took quite a shining to them.

Four of the puppies have been placed in foster homes through the Brandon Humane Society, and will later be adopted into permanent homes. The puppies arrived at the society a couple hours after their rescue on Monday and received foster homes the same night.

RIVERS POLICE SERVICE The puppies were trapped in tunnels on a rural property.

The female puppy, nicknamed Pickles by her rescuers, is currently under the care of a veterinarian.

Brandon Humane Society manager Tracy Munn said that Pickles is on the mend and is becoming more vocal and regaining her appetite each day. She said that Pickles appears to have an eye infection, but the vet has administered antibiotics to aid in her recovery.

"Anything could have happened," Munn said. "Im so grateful to those police officers."

She said that based on her more than 20 years experience with the Humane Society, cases like this are not surprising.

"These puppies would have certainly, without a doubt died a sad death, but because of these police officers thats not going to happen now," Munn said.

"When you see police officers that take the time to go over and above and care that much, its pretty amazing."

Munn said she recommends getting animals fixed to avoid situations like this in the future or to reach out to the Brandon Humane Society if one needs help with their animals.

 ckemp@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp
If you are a non-biology student, and still decide to pursue MBBS after higher secondary schooling, the door many not be closed for you. The only prerequisite is that you clear the National Eligibility Entrance Exam (NEET). The Rajasthan High Court, in a recent ruling, made it clear that the study of biology as a subject in Class 12 can't be a basis for pursuing MBBS degree, and that anyone who has cleared the entrance test can pursue the degree.

According to a report published in The Economic Times, the Rajasthan High Court granted permission to two students Neha Chaudhary and Suraj Bansal, who had not studied biology as a subject in Class 12 but cleared the NEET exam, to pursue MBBS from Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Government Medical College Dungarpur, respectively.

The two students were denied admission on the ground that the Undergraduate Medical Education Regulation, 1997, does not allow MBBS admission to those who have not studied biology as a subject in higher secondary. However, they both moved the court claiming that since they have cleared the NEET exam, they should be allowed to do so.

Rejecting the norm, the court said they should be given admission as they have already cleared the necessary entrance exam to get admission in MBBS. The court said they have already made themselves through the subject by clearing the NEET exam.

While arguing in the court, the counsels for petitioners, Tanveer Ahmed and JK Jogi, cited an order of a division bench of the Delhi High Court in the Tanishq Gangwar case, which said "the disqualification of biology or biotechnology as an additional subject at 10+2 not be permissible."

(Edited by Manoj Sharma)
Forsa has signed a deal with Ryanair making it the sole negotiating union for the airline's directly employed cabin crew in Ireland.

The agreement was signed yesterday by Forsa officials, cabin crew representatives and Ryanair management.

Forsa official Ashley Connolly says the union won't be intimidated by Ryanair's tough approach to industrial relations.

Ms Connolly said: "I think that Forsa has proven itself over the years to be equally as tough when required and when needed.

"It is important for, the first time in Ryanair, that cabin crew members have themselves have a voice. They will be to the forefront of any discussions I have and they will be present at every meeting that I carry out with the company."

It follows Ryanairs cabin crew recognition deals with the Italian ANPAC, ANPAV and Fit-Cisl unions, UNITE the union in the UK and the Ver.di union in Germany.

Ryanairs Chief People Officer, Eddie Wilson said: We are pleased to sign this cabin crew recognition agreement with Forsa in Ireland. We look forward to working closely with both Forsa and their Company Council to address issues of concern to our directly employed Irish based cabin crew.

"This is a further sign of the progress Ryanair is making with trade unions since our December 2017 decision to recognise unions, with over 65% of our cabin crew now covered by recognition agreements and we hope to sign more agreements in the coming weeks.
Lidl has opened a new, multi-million euro store in Fortunestown, Dublin after four months of construction.

The previous store suffered severe damage during Storm Emma when it was attacked during blizzard conditions in March.

The store reopened to the local community at 8am this morning.

The newly rebuilt store has increased in size by 70%, from 997m2 to 1698m2 in floor space.

The new store also boasts 50% more parking spaces, additional tills, wider shopping aisles as well as a new training room facility and extended welfare area for employees.

The new store is powered by green electricity and is certified to ISO50001 energy efficiency standards. The store also offers customers free use of a number of electric vehicle charging points.

Lidl Ireland recently announced its commitment to the introduction of electric vehicle charging points to all new stores and across all major store refurbishment projects.

This announcement means that Lidl will provide the largest network of electric vehicle chargers in the Irish supermarket sector, enabling customers to charge their electric vehicles free of charge whilst they shop.

After the previous structure was destroyed in March, each of the Fortunestown team members were redeployed to other Lidl stores in the area.

The team along, with nine new employees, have now returned to the store along with store manager, Ruth Shanley.

"On behalf of the entire store team, I'd like to extend our thanks to our loyal customer base in Fortunestown for their level of support over the past few months," Ms Shanley said.

We recognise that our service and store team have been greatly missed by the local community and we are delighted to welcome everyone back today.

To celebrate the reopening of the store, Lidl welcomed representatives and students from local school, Scoil Aoife, to collect a donation of 1,000 to go towards the school and the hard work that they do.

The Fortunestown team are part of the 450 people employed by Lidl in the immediate area in five stores and a head office in Tallaght.

Across the island of Ireland, Lidl employs 5,000 people.
It's time to take a trip down memory lane as we catch up with some of our childhood besties - Ann & Barry.

The childrens book characters were a stable of many Irish kids childhoods growing up with their countless adventures.
A 24-year-old man from Co. Cork, who flew to Greece to help refugees, has been accused of human trafficking.

Sean Binder from Togher had been volunteering on the island of Lesbos with Emergency Response Centre International when he was arrested in February.

He faces 20 years in a Greek prison over claims he was also involved in human trafficking, money laundering, espionage and being a member of a criminal organisation.

The Herald reports he was first arrested in February but was allowed to return to Ireland several times, before he handed himself in to police last Monday in Greece after his colleague Sarah Mardini was detained.

Police said a total of 30 people from the same organisation were being investigated on suspicion of smuggling migrants into Greece, spying and laundering money.

Mr Binder's mother, Fanny, told the Irish Independent: "I don't know what to do, how to be, I can't sleep, I've taken time off work - my son is a good man.

"Sean went out to Lesbos to help refugees, as he wants to work in a humanitarian field and he's not done anything wrong.

"Now he's facing going to prison and I'm really worried for him - he's a college boy, not someone who should be going to prison for something he didn't do."

The 49-year-old mother explained why her son Sean travelled to Greece to help in the crisis.

She said: "He's been working for an NGO on Lesbos since last autumn and they mostly work in migrant camps, volunteering, giving medical help and education to children, washing blankets and everything that needs to be done in a camp.

"Sean got interested in helping those fleeing conflict because it is part of his heritage.

"His father, Van Khon, was a Vietnamese refugee who fled to Germany, where I met him, after the Vietnam War."
By Eoin Reynolds

Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson has been found guilty of the murder of David Douglas by judges at the Special Criminal Court.

The 37-year-old, with an address at Loreto Road, Maryland in Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to the murder of David Douglas on July 1, 2016 on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin.

Wearing a white shirt, navy tie, navy trousers and blue and white runners, Thompson thumbed through a red Bible that he brought with him to court while Justice Tony Hunt, presiding with Judge Flann Brennan and Judge Gerard Griffin, spent more than two-and-a-half hours reading through the evidence that lead to the guilty verdict. Thompson will appeal the court's decision.

Thompson regularly shook his head as Justice Hunt went over the evidence and when the court's decision was revealed, he took up his Bible and stormed out the door leading to the cell area, followed by prison officers and a garda.

He returned less than an hour later without his Bible, now wearing a blue t-shirt and black shorts, to be sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment, backdated to November 1, 2016 when he first went into custody.

Justice Hunt sympathised with Mr Douglas's family, particularly his daughter who witnessed the shooting.

He said it was a terrible thing for anyone to see. He further commended the gardai involved in the case, saying that the standard of the investigation into his "execution" was "second to none".

Michael O'Higgins SC, for Thompson, said he will appeal the decision.

Outside court Detective Superintendent Paul Cleary said the family of Mr Douglas was satisfied with the verdict. He added that the investigation is ongoing.

During the trial, the non-jury court heard that the 55-year-old victim was shot six times shortly after 4pm, as he took a meal break at the counter in his partners shop, Shoestown.

A semi-automatic pistol with its serial number removed was found next to his head.

Justice Hunt said there is no doubt that Mr Douglas was murdered and that this was an execution involving intricate advanced planning and co-ordination.

He pointed out that the prosecution did not suggest that Thompson was the person who fired the shots, but that he was one of the people involved.

Specifically, Thompson had been driving a Ford Fiesta that was intricately involved in the murder plot.

The Fiesta was seen interacting with other vehicles and individuals involved in the plot on the morning before the shooting.

It also drove past Shoestown four minutes before the shooting, in what Justice Hunt said was a "final check" before the gunman arrived to carry out the planned execution.

Justice Hunt said Thompson was then caught on CCTV acting in a "furtive and suspicious" manner on nearby Meath Street around the time of the shooting.

He dismantled a mobile phone and was seen later that evening at a restaurant with two other men that the court said were involved in the murder plot.

The defence had argued that while Thompson's activities were "suspicious", the evidence relied on by the prosecution had fallen well short of proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

But Justice Hunt said that any innocent explanation of all these different strands of evidence would require "an excessive reliance on unlucky coincidence."

He said the court also took into account Thompson's failure to answer gardai when they questioned him about his movements on the day.

He was referring to evidence on day nine of the trial when it emerged that Thompson made no comment to gardai when asked to account for his being in the two alleged spotter cars on the day.

When told that the gardai believed that his possession of a silver Ford Fiesta on the morning of the killing in the immediate vicinity of the Mercedes later used in the shooting might be attributable to his participation in the murder, he said: "No comment at this time."

He gave the same answer when asked to account for his possession of the same car on Meath Street immediately prior to the murder.

He was then asked to account for his possession of the key to the Fiesta at that time.

It was put to him that CCTV footage showed him giving the key to a named female on Meath Street. He again replied: "No comment at this time."

He gave the same reply when asked to account for his possession of a mobile phone, which was broken up and disassembled by him on the same occasion.

He was also asked to account for his DNA being found on an air freshener and hand sanitiser in the Fiesta and again he replied: "No comment."

He was questioned about being in a blue Mitsubishi Mirage at the entrance to a car park near St Stephens Green that evening and about his DNA being on an inhaler found in that car. He again replied: "No comment."

He gave the same reply when asked about his fingerprint being found on the rearview mirror of each car and on a birthday card found in the Mitsubishi.

Justice Hunt said that the prosecution had largely relied on circumstantial evidence, and that each individual piece was not in itself enough to prove guilt.

However, taking all the pieces together, the court was satisfied that the prosecution had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Thompson was guilty as charged.
Gardai have launched an investigation after a casino worker was assaulted by an armed and masked man outside the venue in Cork early this morning.

The incident happened off Main Street in Ballincollig, west of the city, just before 1am.

A female staff member of a casino and gaming venue, located on a pedestrian street linking Main Street to Bothar Saclay which runs in front of the town's cinema, was at the rear of the premises when she was approached by a masked man armed with what is believed to have been a firearm.

The man threatened and assaulted her before fleeing the scene empty-handed on foot. No shots were fired during the incident.

The staff member did not require medical attention but was left badly shaken.

Gardai said the suspect, described as 5ft 6 inches to 5ft 9 inches tall, was wearing blue jeans, black shoes and a black jacket.

Gardai are appealing to anyone who was on or in the vicinity of Main Street Ballincollig between midnight and 1.30am and who may have witnessed anything suspicious to contact them.

They are also appealing to anyone who was driving through Ballincollig and may have dash cam footage to contact Gurranabraher Garda Station on 021-4946200, The Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666-111 or any Garda Station.
Update: 17-year-old Kalem Murphy found safe and well

Gardai are renewing their appeal for assistance in locating 17-year-old Kalem Murphy who is missing from Wexford.

Kalem was last seen on Thursday, August 16 at approximately 7.40pm in Wexford town.

He is described as being 5' 10" in height, of slim build with blonde hair, and was last seen wearing white jeans with cuts in the knees, a blue t-shirt, a cream jacket and burgundy runners.

Gardai say Kalem may have travelled to Dublin and is known to frequent Dublin City Centre and the Lucan area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wexford garda station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

Digital Desk
A collection of rare Irish art will go on display in Dublin as part of a three-day exhibition.

Some of the artwork on sale will fetch up to 570,000 when it goes for auction next month.

Pax by John Luke is on view as part of auction house's Sotheby's exhibition of Irish art at the Royal Hibernian Academy. Photo: Charles McQuillan/Sotheby's/PA Wire

The show at the Royal Hibernian Academy will display 100 works from famous artists including Jack B Yeats, Roderic O'Conor and Paul Henry.

Work from a number of modern artists, including Louis Le Brocquy and Patrick Scott, will also feature in the display.

Most of the art has been sourced from private collections and will be on display to the public for the first time.

It features 30 pieces from Brian P Burns, an Irish-American entrepreneur and philanthropist, who has collected work from artists spanning the 18th century to the present day.

The exhibition will feature Yeats' A Misty Morning with an estimated value of 170,000-280,000 and O'Conor's Romeo And Juliet which has an estimated value of between 340,000-570,000.

Sotheby's Irish Art specialist Charlie Minter said the collection focuses on some of the country's greatest names including Henry, John Lavery and Gerard Dillon.

He explained that the collection is being led by the Calihans, an American couple who have 16 pieces which they collected during the 1990s.

"It's very special for us handling something of this calibre," Mr Minter said.

"There are pictures by Roderic O'Conor which have never been on the market before.

"The majority are pictures which would never have been seen before by the public, so it's really nice to give them their first public airing.

"Even if people aren't buying and they just want to see some really good pictures it's a really fantastic overview of Irish art over a 200-year period.

"It's a free exhibition and people will get to see all sorts of things before they disappear into a private collection."

"People in Ireland can relate to these pictures."

Irish-Americans are among some of the art broker's biggest buyers.

The work will go on display in London for a final time before they disappear into private hands when the pieces are auctioned on September 11.

PA
12/1 shot Bob Treacy has won the "Grand National of the South" - the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park

Having finished third in the same event last year, the Michael Hickey-trained horse had almost a dozen lengths to spare over second-placed 20/1 outsider No Problem and 8/1 third-placer Delgany Royal.
Australia's competition regulator has put the states on notice about accepting unsolicited proposals for toll road projects as they often result in higher costs for taxpayers and motorists.

While giving toll road king Transurban the green light to bid for Sydney's $16.8 billion WestConnex, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission made clear it had a dim view of governments using the increasingly common method of using unsolicited proposals to develop toll roads.

ACCC chairman Rod Sims has concerns about state governments accepting unsolicited proposals for toll road projects. Credit:Pat Scala

Accepting unsolicited proposals for new toll-road concessions generally leads to higher costs to taxpayers, drivers, or both, ACCC chairman Rod Sims said on Thursday.

Sydney's $3 billion NorthConnex road tunnel and Melbourne's $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel are among the most prominent projects to have arisen out of unsolicited proposals from Transurban.
The chief executive of private hospital operator Ramsay Health Care Craig McNally says federal election uncertainty could further dent growth as the company on Thursday posted a 21 per cent drop in annual profit to $388.3 million.

As flagged earlier in the year, its results for the year to June 30 were impacted by the significant downturn in National Health Service volumes in its UK business as well as softer growth rates in its Australian business and the decision to slow down the rollout of the Ramsay Pharmacy franchise network.

Ramsay Health Care CEO Craig McNally. Credit:James Brickwood

In June, the company had flagged a $125 million charge on a slump in business from Britain's NHS, as British government strategies to dampen non-essential use of public health services.

The company, which has significant European operations and is the biggest private hospital operator in France, reported $29.9 million in restructuring costs during the year for its French unit Ramsay Generale de Sante.
Business investment surprisingly fell in the June quarter as miners spent less on buildings, but firms have upgraded their spending outlooks for the coming year in a positive sign for the economy.

Business investment fell 2.5 per cent in the three months to June, well short of market expectations of a 0.6 per cent increase for the quarter.

Spending on equipment, plant and machinery fell 0.9 per cent. Credit:Bloomberg

The figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics cover investment in capital goods, which includes buildings, other structures, machinery and equipment.

Spending on equipment, plant and machinery fell 0.9 per cent and will prove a small drag on economic growth in the second quarter.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said on Thursday an internal power failure at its data centre in Sydney had affected some of its payment services.

The infrastructure that supports its real-time payment services - the New Payments Platform - was unaffected by the outage, the RBA said.

The central bank's "payments system" includes clearing and settlement for cash, cards, cheques and electronic funds transfer transactions. Credit:Louie Douvis

"There have been disruptions to the payment system but normal service is gradually being restored," an RBA spokeswoman told Reuters.

The central bank's payments system includes clearing and settlement for cash, cards, cheques and electronic funds transfer transactions.
MUSIC

MIMIR CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL 

Brahms, Beach, Mendelssohn

Melba Hall, University of Melbourne, Until September 2

Curt Thompson.

Curt Thompson, head of strings at the University of Melbourne, founded this week-long sequence of master-classes and recitals 21 years ago in Fort Worth. Following his Conservatorium appointment, he set up an Australian Mimir branch, importing some US instructor colleagues to teach and demonstrate in an active, packed week that climaxes in three concerts to display US chamber music-making at its magniloquent best.

The first of these concerts that mark the conclusion to Melbourne's 6th Mimir Festival began with the ravishing Two Songs Op. 91 by Brahms, with Australian mezzo Victoria Lambourn bringing a sustained suppleness to balance Joan DerHovsepian's surging viola and John Novacek's placid piano work.

The second, Geistliches Wiegenlied, gave a gratifyingly benign warmth to this Romantic-era celebration.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman seek support of MQM-P-GDA for presidential election

KARACHI: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and a presidential candidate, visited Bahadurabad and Kingri House on Wednesday to seek support of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance for the presidential election on Sept 4.



All opposition parties, excluding the Pakistan Peoples Party, have nominated Maulana Fazl as their consensus candidate for the election of president. The PPP has fielded Senator Aitzaz Ahsan as its candidate.



While the chances of success of any of the candidates of the divided opposition are very slim, maulana approached the MQM-P  a coalition partner of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government at the Centre, which has already announced its support for the ruling partys candidate Arif Alvi  asking its leadership to support him in the presidential election.



He was warmly welcomed by the MQM-P leadership when he arrived at its Bahadurabad headquarters. He held a meeting with senior leaders Amir Khan, Nasreen Jalil, Kanwar Naveed, Faisal Subzwari and Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar.



It was my duty to approach political parties to convey my viewpoint, the JUI-F chief told reporters following the meeting. The opposition has reposed confidence in me for maintaining a balance in Pakistani politics.



Maulana Fazl, who had lost the July 25 elections on two National Assembly seats in his hometown of Dera Ismail Khan to PTI, said he expected that the MQM-P would seriously consider his proposal.



To a question, he said that he was still in touch with former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari and hoped that he would succeed in breaking the ice regarding fielding a consensus candidate of all opposition parties.



Speaking on the occasion, Amir Khan of the MQM-P said that his party enjoyed cordial relations with maulana, but it was too late since his party was part of the federal government.



An MQM-P source told reporters that the JUI-F, when it approached the Muttahida prior to maulanas visit, was clearly told that the MQM-P could not support him since it had already announced its support for PTIs Arif Alvi.



The source said that there was nothing wrong in the JUI-F chiefs visit to seek support since it was completely in line with parliamentary and democratic norms and traditions.



While talking to the media after his meeting with Pir Pagara at Kingri House, maulana said: The GDA chief has assured me that he will put my proposals before his party.



Pir Pagara was assisted by his brother and PML-F central leader Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi and MNA Ghaus Bux Mahar at the meeting.



Maulana, who was accompanied by JUI-F Sindh chief Rashid Mehmood Soomro, Aslam Ghauri and Maulana Abdul Karim Abid, went on to say that Pir Pagara had told him that his candidature for presidency came to his knowledge quite late.



Pir Pagara and maulana exchanged views on political situation in the country and the circumstances due to which the latter emerged as a presidential candidate.



In reply to a question, maulana said PPP and PML-N initially had some differences and he acted as a bridge between them.



My name was proposed by the opposition as they thought I had friendly ties with former president Asif Zardari. They also think Aitzaz Ahsan is close to me. If PML-N agrees on Aitzazs name, a joint candidate can be fielded. On the other hand, we are trying to convince the PPP about me, he said.



The JUI-F chief added that the PTI was a major party in the National Assembly but it lacked the required majority. We were not in favour of attending the assembly as we had reservations over the election results but when two major political parties  PML-N and PPP  decided to attend it, we had to revise our decision.
The festival's artistic director, Richard Petkovic, says ordinarily such a performance would last two hours, but, given local audiences' unfamiliarity with the idiom, an abridged, one-hour version is being presented. Nonetheless he hopes the experience will allow people to immerse themselves in Uighur culture.

Against this background a centrepiece of this year's Sydney Sacred Music Festival assumes greater significance. This is the first Australian performance of the Unesco-protected Uighur song cycle Muqam Rak, one of 12 muqams, or scale-based song cycles. Each muqam has its own subject matter, with Muqam Rak evoking a lake, nature more broadly and Islamic spirituality.

Such allegations are denied by Chinese authorities, and yet Beijing's long-held suspicion of the Uighur ("wee-gur") minority being latent Islamic separatists seems to have significantly hardened over the last year. Local Uighurs are loath to ring family members in China  or to speak on the record.

While Australia's Uighurs are still able to celebrate their ancient culture in music and dance, their compatriots in China's north-west Xinjiang province are ever more widely reported as being arrested without charge, sent to political "re-education" camps, or simply disappearing altogether.

"I was really keen for an Australian audience to have an authentic experience of this muqam," he says, "as opposed to just understanding it theoretically from reading the program, or whatever. But, having said that, I think it's important not to regurgitate an art form just because it's there, but to feel what's appropriate. Obviously the majority of it will be the form that we want to share, but we also want to keep it alive, and for something to be fully alive it has to allow us to bring our own instincts into the meaning and feeling as well."

The core of the quartet performing the piece is Sydney-based Shohrat Tursun on voice and dutar (2-string, long-neck lute) and Adelaide-based Tayir Imen (percussion). "Shohrat's a seventh-generation musician who's inherited a lot from his father," says Petkovic, "and who also studied the art form at university in Peking. Since I found him working as a truck driver in Casula several years ago I've been working with him to try and create pathways for this amazing musician. I created a trio around him, I included him in my orchestra, and I created something else called Worlds Collide, which was a mix of cultures."

Petkovic then realised it was time to show off the singular qualities of Tursun's own culture via Muqam Rak, and, as he puts it, "raise some sort of mainstream understanding of this emerging community".

Joining them in the performance are non-Uighurs Bukhu Ganburged (Mongolian fiddle, voice) and Kim Cunio (harmonium, suz, voice), plus two Uighur dancers. "I was keen to get Bukhu involved not only because he's an amazing musician," says Petkovic, "but also because there seems to be some historic link between Mongolia and the Uighurs. Obviously they share a similar region, but if you talk to Uighurpeople they say that Mongolians were Uighur back in the day, so there is some sort of cultural connection that I don't understand totally."

Like the music, the poetic text is ancient (its roots going back 1500 years) and anonymous, with links to Sufi traditions, and Petkovic says that the muqam's mood evolves considerably. "It's quite a journey through these six or seven different parts in it  and that's just the one-hour version!"
Police say Phoenixs mother, Tessa Woodcock, was found nearby a short time later. She has been arrested and taken to Queanbeyan Police Station where she will face charges related to the unlawful taking of Phoenix.

A police helicopter was seen outside of Hoskinstown, about 11 kilometres east of Carwoola at 4.40pm on Thursday afternoon, with an all terrain police vehicle, and other police cars also seen in the area.

Cliff Mapham and his son Phoenix, who was found on Thursday.

He was found safe and well in the Carwoola area late Thursday afternoon, according to ACT Policing.

The six-year-old will be brought to the ACT to be reunited with his father and will also undergo medical checks.

"Our focus since last Thursday has been the safety of Phoenix. It is tremendous news that he has been found, and that he is safe and well, Detective Station Sergeant Harry Hains said, thanking everyone who assisted in the search.

"Many people provided information during the investigation. This was invaluable, and helped ACT Policing, NSW Police Force, and other agencies to find Phoenix this afternoon," he said.

"At the conclusion of this extensive police operation, on behalf of ACT Policing I would like to express sincere thanks to the Canberra community, and the many people from the surrounding region who provided information in the week-long search."

ACT Policing issued the first ever amber alert for the territory on Tuesday, after his father Cliff Mapham dropped Phoenix at school on Thursday morning without seeing him since.
Rafael Bonachela has marked his 10th anniversary as artistic director of Sydney Dance Company in 2018. As if to commemorate this milestone, he has programmed the company's first full-length work since 2012. ab[intra] opened at the Canberra Theatre on Thursday.

Charmene Yap and Davide Di Giovanni in Sydney Dance Companys ab [intra] at Canberra Theatre. Credit:Jamila Toderas

Translated from Latin, ab[intra] means "from within" and the company's dancers engaged in an extended period of improvisation with their ideas, thoughts and feelings, written on sticky notes, used to inspire and create the work with Bonachela's guidance.

Two of the featured dancers in the production are Charmene Yap, 32, and Nelson Earl, 21.

Yap has been with the company for nine years - "I'm a veteran," she said.
Snowtunes Music Festival kicks off on the shores of Lake Jindabyne Friday night with acts Violent Soho, The Smith Street Band and Meg Mac set to perform to thousands of partygoers over the two-night event.

Headlining Australia's chilliest music festival is UK group Rudimental, known for their electronic anthems with Ed Sheeran, John Newman, Foxes and Emeli Sande.

Fresh off the plane from London, Rudimental's Locksmith chats to us about preparing to entertain "crazy" Aussie fans in the Snowys.

DJ set Rudimental are set to perform in Jindabyne this weekend.

As for whether we rock harder than the group's UK fans, Locksmith suggests it might be a tie.
CCTV footage shows the dramatic image of David Clarke holding a knife to the back of a 75-year-old woman, while a police officer intervenes, at a shopping centre in Morisset.

A man who held a knife to the back of a 75-year-old woman at a shopping centre in the Hunter, triggering a tense siege that ended only when he was Tasered by police, has pleaded guilty to five offences.

David William Clarke, 47, was agitated, paranoid and possibly suffering from a mental illness when he approached the woman outside the shops on Yambo Street, Morisset Square, about 2.20pm on November 23 last year.

He told her her "come here" and then "don't move" before holding the knife to her back.

The woman told police she was too scared to try to get away and she tried to talk to the man, who said his name was David.
The stranglehold of one company over Sydneys toll-roads has been secured after the NSW government announced on Friday that Transurban had won the bidding for majority control of the 33 kilometre WestConnex.

The Sydney Transport Partners consortium, led by Transurban, will pay $9.3 billion for 51 per cent of the motorway, which is scheduled to open in its entirety by 2023.

The size of the transaction was described as a "very strong result," by the NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet. The government will retain 49 per cent of the motorway concession.

The $9.3 billion sale price, which comes a day after the competition regulator gave the green light to Transurbans bid, is ahead of market expectations of around $5 billion to $6 billion.
Drought-stricken Queensland has little hope of respite from the ongoing dry, according to the weather bureaus spring outlook.

After one of the warmest winters on record nationally, south-east Queensland is facing another three months of warm, dry weather.

Dr Andrew Watkins from the Bureau of Meteorology said plenty of rain was needed to break the drought but it was not looking likely that farmers would find relief in the spring months.

Queensland unfortunately has had average-to-well below average rainfall across the state during winter, he said.
Several crashes on the Pacific Motorway around Brisbane have kept emergency services busy on Friday morning, though no serious injuries were reported.

Delays built along the Pacific Motorway on Friday morning. Credit:Queensland Traffic

Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor Michael Low said paramedics attended two multi-vehicle accidents during peak hour on the Pacific Motorway.

"We had a five-vehicle accident near Rochedale South, and a three-vehicle involving a rollover near Holland Park," he said.

"Fortunately there havent been any serious injuries."
Clive Palmer has failed in a renewed bid to have criminal charges brought against him by the corporate watchdog thrown out of court.

The former federal MP is facing a charge of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of an offence by another person.

It relates to the unfulfilled 2012 proposal to buy shares of another company that owned properties at his troubled Coolum resort on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) alleges.

Under corporations law, Mr Palmer was required to make an offer within two months of announcing his intentions but failed to.

Palmer Leisure Coolum Pty Ltd has also been charged with proposing or announcing a bid then failing to make an offer within the required time.
A man jailed for beating his partner so badly that she died told paramedics she'd fallen off the toilet in the Brisbane caravan they shared.

Nathan Rodney O'Malley, 40, was sentenced to 11 years' jail on Thursday for the manslaughter of 41-year-old Olivia Tung at an Eight Mile Plains caravan park.

Paramedics who responded to O'Malley's triple zero call found Ms Tung lying without pants inside the caravan the couple shared after he kneed her in the back and stomach on March 17, 2016.

Brisbane Supreme Court was told O'Malley tried to cover up what he'd done by giving Ms Tung morphine and telling paramedics and police she had fallen off the loo.

He even re-enacted his version of events when authorities walked him through the crime scene.
Pakistan circular debt stands at Rs.596 billion: ECC

The countrys circular debt stands at Rs.596 billion, with an increase of Rs.30 billion in the month of July, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) was told in its first meeting on Wednesday.



In the presentation, the Ministry of Energy, Power Division, officials maintained that since another Rs.582 billion remained parked with power holding companies, the total liability stood at Rs.1,188 billion.



The ECC that met under the chairmanship of Asad Umar, the federal minister for Finance, Revenue, and Economic Affairs, identified key areas contributing to the circular debt and formed committees to identify causes and formulate suggestions for fixing the problem in the next ECC meeting, likely to be scheduled in the next week. The suggestions would then be submitted to the cabinet for its approval.



Minister Umar said all facts would be shared with the public to make decision making a transparent and inclusive exercise.



The ECC deferred discussion on the financial health of the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) since it was closely tied to the circular debt problem. On the issue of gas pricing, the Committee decided to keep the price levels unchanged for the moment.



To ensure adequate supply of urea fertiliser for the upcoming sowing season, a committee headed by Prime Ministers Advisor on Industry and Production Abdul Razak Dawood was formed to ascertain domestic production based on discussions with industry stakeholders. The committee will present its recommendations in the next ECC meeting, following which a decision will be taken regarding import of urea.



Earlier, the ECC was informed that the country would need around 600,000 tons of fertiliser in the upcoming sowing season.



During discussion on the issue, Umar expressed displeasure at the fertilizer pricing and export policy of the previous government. He said the policy was contrary to the interests of the farmers community. The finance minister maintained that the interests of small farmers should be considered supreme while formulating the policy.



The 12-member ECC was notified by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday. A notification issued by the Cabinet Division identified Law Minister Farogh Naseem, Petroleum Minister Ghulam Abbasi, Planning and Development Minister Khusro Bakhtiar and Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid and PMs advisors Razak Dawood and Dr Ishrat Hussain as members of the committee.



In addition to the ministries represented in the committee already, six more ministers  communications, national food security, power, privatisation, statistics and water resources  were also added to it.
The report said inspections to the plane made before its next takeoff did not identify the presence of the pitot probe covers and they were not removed prior to the aircrafts takeoff. The standard operating procedures stated that the captain held responsibility for the decision to reject the take-off or continue, the report said. It stated that rejecting a take-off between 100 [knots] and [critical takeoff speed] was a serious matter, that a captain should be go-minded, and that very few situations should lead to the decision to reject the take-off. There was no indication on the [cockpit voice] recording that the captain or the first officer discussed rejecting the take-off. After take-off the flight crew carried out actions for unreliable airspeed indications and made a PAN call [an international standard urgency signal] to air traffic control, advising they had unreliable airspeed indications.

The damaged pitot probe covers after the aborted flight. Credit:ATSB Circling Brisbane Airport, the flight crew performed checks at 10,000 feet before performing an overweight landing back on the runway, and bringing the aircraft to a stop. The plane was towed back to the gate and passengers disembarked safely. No one was injured during the incident. ATSB chief commissioner Greg Hood said the incident was a concerning one. "The CCTV footage reveals that the three pitot covers were in place on the aircraft as it pushed back from the terminal and as it accelerated down the runway," he said.

"Now this limited the amount of information  the critical information  that is available to flight crew during the takeoff and in fact during the short flight, up to 10,000 feet, and then the return to Brisbane Airport where the aircraft landed safely. The ATSB said mud-dauber and other wasps were frequent problems at Brisbane Airport, prompting many flight operators to cover the pitot probes In May 2015 the Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued an urgent alert warning that wasps could build nests in uncovered pitot probes on planes that were stationary for just 20 minutes. Airservices Australia also warned that wasps were known to frequent Brisbane Airport and recommended pitot probe covers be used on all flights landing. Malaysian Airlines only restarted flights to Brisbane Airport in June, and advised the ATSB that it had not been normal policy for the airline to use pitot probe covers.

The pitot probe covers in place on the plane. Credit:ATSB The pitot probe covers were fitted on the aircrafts three pitot probes by one of the engineering support personnel, as it was his understanding this was normal practice, the ATSB report said. He later reported that he advised the operators maintenance engineer that pitot probe covers were fitted during a brief exchange discussing turnaround tasks, but that the maintenance engineer did not directly respond." The maintenance engineer later reported that he didn't hear the exchange and did not update the plane's technical log to note the covers had been fitted. The ATSB preliminary report said the airline had since advised the bureau that it had updated standard policy to ensure pitot probe covers would be used at Brisbane Airport.

The airlines contracted engineering support provider also advised it had updated its procedures and communications. Pitot probes on an A330. Credit:ATSB The investigation is ongoing, with the ATSB warning all operators flying in and out of Brisbane to be aware of the use and procedures of pitot covers, Mr Hood said. "We will be focusing specifically on the procedures for flight crew and ground crew in relation to the pre-flight checks for the aircraft, and also the cockpit warning systems received by the flight crew as they accelerated down Runway 01," he said. Brisbane Airport Corporation spokeswoman Leonie Vandeven said in a statement that the airport's pest control program had reduced the level of wasp activity since 2015.
A woman who was charged with drug trafficking after police raided residences on Brisbane's southside in October 2015 will repay almost $2 million in proceeds of crime to Queensland.

Police seized $1.79 million in cash, 78kg of cannabis, 446 grams of methylamphetamine, 220 grams of MDMA, 90 grams of heroin, 232 grams of cocaine and equipment suspected of being used to package the drugs following raids on two properties in Forest Lake on October 27, 2015.

Almost $2 million in cash, suspected to be proceeds of crime, was seized in the raids. Credit:Queensland Police Service

The following day, further raids in Forest Lake, Coopers Plains, Acacia Ridge and Augustine Heights resulted in the seizure of more cash as well as more cannabis, MDMA and cocaine.

The 39-year-old Forest Lake woman was charged with a string of offences including trafficking a dangerous drug, possessing proceeds of drug trafficking and possessing dangerous drugs.
They have also issued a warning against eating fish from the lower part of the Maribyrnong River from the West Gate Brige. MFB incident controller Trent Curtain addressed the media on Friday morning: "The EPA and DHHS are telling us that air quality is safe for the community, the air quality is good."

"It's safe for the community to move about... The air quality is good in our community today and we will not be closing schools or making recommendations to do so like yesterday," he said. Incident controller Trent Curtin at the scene of the factory blaze on Friday morning. Credit:Simon Schluter

A Department of Health spokeswoman said while paramedics had been on stand-by, there had been no spike in smoke-related incidents over the past 24 hours. "Ambulance Victoria are on standby and have reported no patients presenting to on-site crews, and no increase in normal respiratory related call-outs," she said. "There has been no reported spike in emergency department presentations due to the smoke in the area." Emergency Management Victoria Commissioner Andrew Crisp said on Friday morning the EPA had monitored air quality overnight and he was confident conditions were safe. Black smoke poured out of the burning factory throughout Thursday. Credit:Jason South

"What we are picking up at the moment is ... it's good, it's very good. There are no issues and schools will be up and running again today," he told radio station 3AW. Firefighters are likely to remain at the scene of the blaze for days. On Friday, 60 firefighters and 25 appliances remained at the scene. "They plan on getting large machinery on site today to slowly pull it apart, get more water on it ... we are talking two, three, four days. They don't want to commit to how long but there's some dirty work over the next few days for the firies," said Mr Crisp. Mr Curtin said firefighters were struggling to access the middle of the building.

"Firefighters undertook a significant aggressive attack but were unable to get access to the main area of the fire in the middle of the building due to the nature of the products in the building and the size of the building," he said. "There are a whole range of products in the factory: scrap metal, acetones, paint products, oxy acetylene cylinders which were exploding yesterday. It's very difficult to gain access." Loading There is no indication the cause of the fire was suspicious, however investigators and Victoria Police detectives are examining the scene. Irate residents piled into the Footscray Town Hall on Thursday evening for a community meeting about the blaze. They were informed canisters of paint and aerosol cans may have been the cause of explosions inside the factory.

The fire was deemed to be under control by 10pm on Thursday, however smoke is still billowing and the "Watch and Act" message for 19 suburbs remains in place. Somerville Road and Paramount Road remain closed. Smoke from the factory fire in West Footscray continued to drift across the city's western suburbs. Credit:Eddie Jim Strong winds are set to continue on Friday, sending the acrid smoke  which smells like nail polish  to the south. Showers will also bring the smoke closer to the ground, making the smell stronger for locals.
Arthur is serving a 22-year jail term after he pleaded guilty to murder in 2016. He was given a sentencing discount because he was the key prosecution witness in the case against the Lyonses Ronald and Christine Lyons arent related  although they were once in a relationship  but share the same surname because she was once married to his cousin. Their trial heard they and Arthur agreed to drug Ms Kelly with prescription medicine between January 20 and 22, 2016 so that Christine could fulfil her dream of having children of her own. Ronald Lyons, Christine Lyons and Peter Arthur outside their home in Kangaroo Flat. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

The two men went along with the plot out of devotion to Christine Lyons. The drug attempt made Ms Kelly unwell but was not fatal, and so Arthur was directed, the trial heard, to kill the 39-year-old in the early hours of January 23. He struck her to the head with a hammer at least seven times and buried her body in a dry creek bed. After the murder, Christine Lyons changed the names of the two youngest children and she and her housemates spread lies that Ms Kelly had willingly left the house and abandoned her children. Justice Kaye said the pre-meditated and calculated murder of a vulnerable and defenceless woman was orchestrated by Christine Lyons for her own selfish purposes of becoming a mother to the four children, who were aged between six and almost one at the time. Police found Samantha Kelly's body buried on the side of a creek bed near Bendigo. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

The actions were callous, cruel and betrayed the trust of a woman who had moved to Bendigo for a new start in the most flagrant matter. The motive of both of you for the attempted murder of Samantha Kelly and the motive of you, Christine Lyons, for the ultimate murder of her was particularly grave, namely to enable you, Christine Lyons, to become the mother of her four young children, the judge told the pair. The evidence and the victim impact statements demonstrate that Samantha was a loving, caring and devoted mother. The motive of each of you to take from her her four young children by depriving her of her life was heartless and thoroughly evil. But Justice Kaye said Christine Lyons culpability was lessened because of her own intellectual disabilities and upbringing of disadvantage and dysfunction, which included being physically and sexually abused as a child, mental health issues and other health problems, which left her unable to have children of her own. Ronald Lyons arriving at court earlier this year Credit:Jason South

Outside court, Ms Kellys brother, Michael, and partner Danielle Stevenson, who are raising the children, said Christine Lyons deserved to spend life in jail, and were also critical of the sentence imposed on Ronald Lyons. Knowing that one of them will be out before the youngest turns 10 is very gut-wrenching. Were not happy with that because shes got to go her whole life without her mother ... thats absolutely ludicrous, Mr Kelly said. The fact that a woman can concoct a story and murder a woman for four children and only get a maximum of 30 and a minimum of 23, I believe thats pretty ludicrous as well, in spite of all her disabilities and her upbringing and what she [endured] when she was younger. It shouldnt really be a factor for what shes done at this age. Peter Arthur was jailed last year for Samantha Kelly's murder. Credit:Darren Howe/Bendigo Advertiser
A drug dealer who accidentally shot a former friend in the torso outside a Perth police station after the victim threatened him, has been jailed for nine years.

Asmir Supuk, 31, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm over the February 2016 incident, as well as almost a dozen serious drug and weapon offences dating back to June 2015.

Supuk knew the victim for two years but they had a falling out, the West Australian District Court heard on Thursday.

The night before the shooting, the victim threatened Supuk and said he knew where to find him due to his bail reporting obligations with police.

The next day, Supuk accidentally fired the gun outside Rockingham Police Station during a struggle with the victim at Supuk's car.
With drought having now seized 100 per cent of the state, and spring on our doorstep, we've reinstated the bucket in the shower.

This water-scavenging regime was adopted in our household during the last Sydney drought. It proved effective. Two showers filled one bucket, which we could use to water the azaleas, or clean the kitchen floor. It is probably the best we city-dwellers can do on a daily basis, apart from shortening the length of our showering time.

Cordeaux Dam, in the Illawarra, on August 2. Credit:Nick Moir

But with dam levels across Sydney now at 65 per cent, and in light of the fact it will take months for Sydneys desalination plant to reach full operating capacity, the possibility is increasing that water restrictions will be imposed on Sydneysiders before the year's end.

Perhaps an early warning signal has already been given. NSW Utilitites Minister Don Harwin has already asked Sydney residents "to think about their water use and opportunities to conserve this precious resource".
NSW Labor has pledged to build a new co-ed high school in Sydney's eastern suburbs as it zeroes in on the Liberal Party's second most marginal seat of Coogee.

Licia Heath, with sons Jude and Leo Jungwirth, has been lobbying for a new eastern suburbs co-ed high school.

Opposition education spokesman Jihad Dib said a Labor government would build the school on government-owned land if possible, but would buy property in one of the most expensive parts of Sydney if necessary.

He admitted politics was a factor in the decision, but "the overriding issue is there is a crying need for a school there," he said. "We have to build schools where we need schools, and there is overwhelming evidence we need a co-ed high school in Sydney's east."

Lobby group CLOSE East has long been clamouring for a new, mixed-gender public high school, arguing that Rose Bay Secondary College is full and the only other options in the region are the single-sex Randwick Boys' and Girls' Schools.
Liberal elders are in open warfare as Victorian branch president Michael Kroger launches an extraordinary attack on former premier Ted Baillieu, accusing him of making "appalling remarks" about the partys treatment of women.

This latest round of in-fighting comes as cabinet minister Kelly O'Dwyer is dragged into a dispute over a lucrative electoral war chest, raised in her blue-ribbon seat of Higgins.

Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger. Credit:AAP

Victorian party bosses are demanding the "Higgins 200 Club" fundraising vehicle open up its books and allow them to scrutinise its dealings, and have urged Ms O'Dwyer to intervene to persuade the managers of the fund to co-operate.

In 2015 the fund reportedly contained more than $1 million in donations, but a Liberal source said it no longer held that sum.
A serving WA Labor politician accompanied former Senator Sam Dastyari on two junkets to Beijing paid for by China's communist regime and organisations run by a controversial Chinese billionaire.

Senator Glenn Sterle spent a total of 23 days on trips to China in 2015 and 2016, which were paid for by the Australian Fellowship of China Guangdong Associations and the Australian Guangdong Chamber of Commerce.

Huang Xiangmo, a Sydney-based property developer who was tipped off by Mr Dastyari in 2015 that his phone may have been under surveillance by Australian intelligence agencies, is the president of both organisations.

He has also donated more than $2 million to Labor and the Liberal party since 2012.
Beijing: First Donald Trump accused China of hacking Hillary Clinton's emails, and now he has blamed China for a breakdown in denuclearisation talks with North Korea.

The US President's latest series of tweets comes as Chinese foreign policy analysts publicly conclude the Trump administration has no interest in striking a deal to avert the China-US trade war.

They say, in fact, that the trade war has now evolved into a strategy to contain China.

The FBI on Wednesday said there was "no evidence" for a claim Trump had made that China, not Russia, was behind the Clinton email hacking. Then Thursday's tweet accused China of breaching United Nations sanctions on North Korea.
SC to sought 10-year assets record of Pervez Musharraf-Asif Zardari

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a 10-year record of the assets and foreign and local bank accounts owned by former presidents Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari.



A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case related to the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) passed by Musharraf in 2007. The counsels of Zardari and Musharraf appeared before the top court.



As the hearing started, the court expressed lack of confidence in the affidavit submitted by former president Asif Zardari and sought details of his assets from 2007 onwards. My client served nine years in jail but nothing was proved against him, Zardaris counsel Farooq H Naik told the court. The chief justice then questioned the former presidents counsel, Does Zardari have an account in Switzerland? Or was the account in former prime minister Benazir Bhutto or their childrens names? The chief justice further asked that Zardari in his affidavit must state whether he formed a trust or not.



The bench asked Zardari to submit details of all assets owned by his children also over the last 10 years. When Zardaris counsel wondered why the bench was seeking more details, the CJP replied, You [Zardari] are a public office holder and we want to examine your honesty under Article 62 (1)(f) of the constitution.



The bench also sought details of assets owned by Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan. The former military rulers counsel in response said, Nothing has been hidden from the court.



In response to Musharrafs counsel, the chief justice remarked that the court wont allow him to conceal any information. Musharraf should also submit asset details of his wife and children within 10 days, he said. Ive heard that Musharraf received gifts from Saudi Arabia, he added.



The former military rulers counsel informed the bench, My client has 92,000 dirhams in one bank account and he owns three cars, including a jeep and a Mercedes. The chief justice then questioned if Musharraf could buy a flat from the salary he drew during his working days. Ask him to appear before the court and clarify, he said.



Musharrafs counsel said, My client bought foreign assets after his presidency. To this, the chief justice questioned, Do lecturers get paid this much? May be I should also give lectures after retirement.



The court then ordered that a 10-year record of Zardari and Musharrafs assets and foreign and local bank accounts be submitted. The bench directed that the former presidents submit detailed affidavits within 15 days.
Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC

The children think were insane, I said to The Husband on the morning of our departure from the little blue cabin on the hill overlooking Gaspe Bay in Quebec.

It was true all the time, but was particularly notable to the children on vacation, when we stuffed ourselves into our Subaru for hours on end, and into small hotel rooms or mini houses where we lit along the way.

This one had been a doozy. Id warned everyone early on to be careful, as I was expecting the menses. But did they listen? No. They went on the way they do, laughing about d- and b- and television shows and other things I cant relate to. And they didnt join me for my thrilling walk in the rain to the Musee de Beaux-Arts in Quebec City to see the woman impressionist, Berthe Morisot, finally get her due.

I dont know if it was my PMS or being ditched while supporting a fellow woman, or The Husbands rage and panic about getting off on the wrong stop on the boat to catch the seaplane (it was too far to go without a car, which wed left in another town).

Its hard to know what finally drives one mad, and I will not even try to justify what happened next. Im just saying I finally lost it. I went off.

The poor children. As their father hurried off to fetch the car by many ferries, they had to receive my wrath, my rant about the realities of married life, and its downsides. They were old enough now, I said, to see what was really going on, how I was abused, and misused.

They stood it, or sat it, in the little pergola-type-thing next to where our boat had landed (boringly, except for that brief whale-sighting and the glimpses of seals on rocks in the distance) on the Sanguenay Fjord. I didnt look closely enough to see the shape of the structure, as The Husband would have, and didnt know the proper name. But we sat there, and I defended myself against their father. Like a psycho.

I lay on the beach afterward, in the sun, spent by the emotion. I would surely get my period soon, and since we were headed into the relatively remote Forillon National Park, I should look for sanitary products. This is what I thought about.

The seaplane, a dream of mine, didnt come to pass because of the wind, making the whole rushed panic moot, as happens. It was probably better in my state. It wouldnt have gone well.

I didnt join the family for dinner, choosing instead to moon about as I wandered along the St. Lawrence River below our old family-style Auberge. Youll have more fun without me, I explained, which, in my sorry state, was probably true.

It angered me, how I couldnt explain myself. The Husband felt the same way, I knew. I always say how lucky we are to be readers of great literature, how it has saved us many times, cause we at least know were not the first folks to go through this ridiculous drama dramatically.

You cant escape them, the crappy moments, not even on vacation, at least we cant. (Perfect pics for Facebook notwithstanding.)

The kids should know: Its not all puppies and rainbows, though there should be as many of those as possible. Its not all beautiful layered mountain vistas reflected in glistening clear waters though, again, as many as possible.

Women were b sometimes, and men total a-. And vice-verse, however those two monikers differ. Let us at least call it what it

is, and move on.

And so, we moved on. The sun rose on another beautiful day in Quebec, my period came, and all was bright and beautiful again.

Until the next blow-up. And then, well, then we began again.

Indeed, we are insane. The poor neighbors of our little chalet on the hill hopefully didnt speak enough English to understand our screaming fights, but if they did, so be it. Were loud, passionate Americans, New Yorkers at that. Our license plate should have served as a warning.

They dont get too many of us up here in Gaspe, mostly French, so many French the guard at the park lamented. Hopefully our loud boisterous presence wont prompt a ban of New Yorkers, should they decide to visit this beautiful place for some poutine in paradise.

And, hopefully, our children, when they get to choose for themselves, will still choose to join their psycho parents on mad-cap adventures to wild lands.

Fingers crossed.
TLP march from Lahore to Islamabad to protest against Dutch govt

Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on Wednesday started its march from Lahore to Islamabad  a form of protest against Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders' announcement to hold a competition of blasphemous caricatures  as its demand for the expulsion of the Netherlands' ambassador to Pakistan from the country remained unfulfilled.



After the party's supporters gathered at Data Darbar, the TLP rally kicked off its journey reciting na`at and chanting religious slogans. By midnight, the group had crossed Kala Shah Kaku on the G T Road and was closing in on Gujranwala.



Upon its arrival in Kamoke  some 25km from Gujranwala  the Khadim Hussain Rizvi-led rally was given a welcome by its supporters.



TLP spokesman Peer Zubair Ahmad told mediamen that over 100 buses, countless cars and pickup vans joined the march. "The protesters, who are now in thousands, would grow in numbers on the way to destination as many workers and smaller rallies were waiting on the Grand Trunk Road to join the main march throughout the 200-kilometre long journey."



Not revealing the whole plan, Ahmad said, Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi is leading the march. The entire central executive body is also in the march and so are all leading names of the TLP. They will jointly announce the next plan once we hit the federal capital.

PM forms committee to resolve matter



Following the rally's departure for Islamabad, Prime Minister Imran Khan formed a four-member committee to resolve the matter.



Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq, the Punjab Law Minister Raja and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry comprise the committee, which is scheduled to meet the TLP leaders tomorrow.



"The committee will brief the TLP leaders on measures against blasphemous caricatures," said Qadri.



"The emotions of all Muslims against blasphemous caricatures are the same," Chaudhry, the information minister added. "A joint front is imperative against blasphemy."



He added: "We are trying to devise a joint strategy so that this issue can be dealt with effectively. We desire a peaceful resolution of this matter by the way of negotiations."



The religiopolitical party, meanwhile, has announced that its workers would "stay on the streets until either the publication of blasphemous cartoons in the Netherlands is stopped or the govt immediately ends diplomatic ties with the Dutch".



The blasphemous cartoon contest, scheduled for November, is being organised in the Netherlands by Wilders  a right-wing anti-Islam lawmaker who has been widely criticised for his activities.



Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has distanced his government from the controversial contest, clarifying that: "Wilders is not a member of the [Dutch] government. The competition is not a government initiative."



In a tweet on Wednesday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said that FM Qureshi spoke with his Dutch counterpart to discuss the issue of "blasphemous caricatures".



"The FM expressed concern on the announcement of [the] abominable and sacrilegious competition by Geert Wilders," read the tweet, adding that the Dutch FM made it clear that his government was neither associated nor supporting the event



The demand for the envoy's expulsion was made during the first round of talks between TLP's top leadership and the government in Lahore.



Qadri and Basharat had represented the government in the meeting, while Muhammad Afzal Qadri, Allama Waheed Noor and Dr Amini from the TLP were also present.



Earlier, the religiopolitical party had urged the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government to not only "discontinue diplomatic and commercial relations with the Netherlands" but also "demand from other Islamic countries to do the same".



The TLP had also demanded that since the said competition's judge is an American national, "therefore, strict measures should also be taken against the US".



The religiopolitical party had attained notoriety after it effectively disrupted daily life in Islamabad for 20 days in November 2017.
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
US military chief to accompany US Sec of State for Pakistan visit

WASHINGTON: The US military chief will accompany the top US diplomat when he visits Islamabad next week and the need to fight terrorists would be the primary part of their discussions with Pakistani leaders, says US Defence Secretary James Mattis.



At a Tuesday afternoon news briefing at the Pentagon, Mr Mattis also rebuffed suggestions that private military forces could join the fight in Afghanistan, and possibly replace regular US troops.



Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Joseph F. Dunford, who also attended the briefing, said the US had permanent interests in South Asia and wanted to maintain a presence (there) to have influence in that region.



The secretary of state and the chairman are going to fly in to Islamabad to meet with the new government thats in place there now, he said.



Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and Gen Dunford are expected in Islamabad in the first week of September for talks with their counterparts.



They are also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan.



In their talks with Pakistani officials, the delegation will make very clear what we have to do, all of our nations, in meeting our common foe, the terrorists, Secretary Mattis said. And make that a primary part of the discussion.



Gen Dunford said that the US would maintain both diplomatic and security presence in South Asia and the form of that presence was going to change over time.



Gen Dunfords inclusion in the delegation dispels the impression that this was not a proper visit but just a stopover, as US state and defence secretaries were both going to be in New Delhi next week for the first two-plus-two talks between the United States and India.



But Secretary Mattis emphasis on the need to fight terrorists reignites the controversy stirred last week after Secretary Pompeos call to the prime minister.



The US Department of State issued a statement after the call, saying that Secretary Pompeo raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan. Islamabad rejected the US statement as incorrect, saying that this issue was not discussed.



At the Pentagon briefing, Secretary Mattis avoided whipping up the controversy and did not comment when a journalist asked if he trusted the new Pakistani leaderships commitment to fight terrorism.



Mr Mattis, however, said that Secretary Pompeo and he were going to New Delhi for talks aimed at further strengthening a growing partnership with India.



We see the strengthening of Indias democracy, its military, its economy as a stabilising element in the world, he said. And we want to make certain that where we have common interests, we are working together.
If the office of your company is not at the registered address you have given to the Registrar of Companies (RoC), it might soon be categorised as a shell firm. An expert committee reviewing various provisions in the Companies Act has recommended that those firms which do not maintain a registered office should be struck off the RoC.

Earlier, the government had struck off names of only those companies that had not filed returns. Committee members said this would prompt the government track the directors of such companies. Till now, the government has been cancelling registration ...
Food and beverages major PepsiCo India is aiming to double revenue from its snacks business in India in the next four years by expanding its product portfolio and reach in the country.

Further, the company will start an experimental project on its biodegradable packaging material in one of the cities in North India by the end of this year, said a management official. "We are aiming at doubling our revenue in the next four years. It would be mainly through expansion of our four existing brands -- Lays, Kurukure, Doritos and Cheetos," said Jagrut Kotecha, vice-president ...
Jet Airways, which is grappling with financial woes, on Thursday said the (RoC) has sought explanations from the following receipt of a complaint.

Without providing specific details about the communication or the complaint, the loss-making said it was taking necessary steps to provide the responses to the RoC, which comes under the corporate affairs ministry.

On August 27, the full-service carrier reported a net loss of Rs 13.23 billion for the three months ended June.

Earlier this week, a senior official said the ministry has sought details about certain issues from the airline, which is also under the regulatory scanner for postponement of its June quarter results.

To a query on whether the has received a communication from the RoC regarding certain financial matters, an airline spokesperson replied in the affirmative.

" has received communication from the office of (RoC) seeking comments/ clarifications and explanations in response to a complaint received by their office.

"The company is taking necessary steps to submit its response in this regard," the spokesperson said.

Without elaborating, the spokesperson also said the airline is unable to comment on any other speculative media reports on the subject.

board, on August 9, deferred announcement of unaudited financial results for the June quarter and the same was announced on August 27.

Battling financial woes, the airline is working on ways to reduce costs.

On August 27, said it would monetise loyalty programme JetPrivilege and wet-lease some of its small aircraft to mobilise urgent working capital.

ALSO READ: Q1 results: Jet Airways faces headwinds, struggles to control the flight

Against the backdrop of second back-to-back quarterly loss, the airline has announced a turnaround plan, which includes a capital infusion by selling a stake in JetPrivilege, and a massive cost-cutting to save around Rs 20 billion over the next two years.

Cost cutting covers various areas of operations such as maintenance, sales and distribution costs, fuel bill, reducing debt to save on interest and enhancing manpower productivity with a special focus on the crew, the airline said on August 27.

Earlier today, the airline informed stock exchanges that it has not received any communication till date from the Income Tax department amid reports of the department probing a land deal.

Shares of the carrier declined nearly 2 per cent to close at Rs 286.75 on the BSE.
British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt accused Google on Thursday of abandoning its moral values by failing to remove child abuse content while launching a version of its search engine in China that will block some websites. The British government has repeatedly criticised online platforms such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook for failing to remove abusive material or sexual content posted online even after they were notified. Seems extraordinary that Google is considering censoring its content to get into China but wont cooperate with UK, US... in removing child ...
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...
The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking a directive to the Centre to accept foreign aid for relief operations in the flood-ravaged state, saying it cannot interfere in policy matters of the government.

Rejecting the plea by Arun Joseph, a division bench of Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar observed that the court cannot interfere in the matter as receiving foreign aid as it was something related to the government's foreign policy.

The bench also said the petitioner did not have any solid proof regarding the overseas aid offered to Kerala in the wake of the floods.

The petitioner sought a direction to the central government to receive foreign aid for flood relief operations in the state.

ALSO READ: Kerala floods will adversely impact MFIs & gold financiers: Report

Last week, the central government had made it clear that it will not accept any assistance from foreign governments for flood-ravaged Kerala in sync with an existing policy.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said the government was committed to meeting the requirements for relief and rehabilitation in Kerala through domestic efforts.

A number of countries have announced assistance for flood relief operations in Kerala.

(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.)
India is committed to work with the member states to enhance regional connectivity and combat the menace of terrorism and drug trafficking, Prime Minister said on Thursday.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 4th summit here, Prime Minister Modi also called for "cooperation and coordination" among member states in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.

"There is no country in the region which has not suffered from terrorism and trans- crimes such as drug trafficking linked to networks of terrorism," he told the summit which was inaugurated by Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.

Modi said India is ready to host a conference under frame-work on narcotics related topics.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population, and has a combined gross domestic product of USD 2.8 trillion.

"We not only have diplomatic relations with all BIMSTEC countries but are strongly connected by civilisation, history, art, language, cuisine and shared culture," Prime Minister Modi said.

He also said that India is committed to enhance its knowledge network in the field of digital connectivity in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

The summit was attended by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and leaders from Thailand, Bhutan and Myanmar.
Prime Minister arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday to attend the 4th that will focus on enhancing regional connectivity and boosting trade.

Modi said on Wednesday that his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu signals India's highest priority to its neighbourhood and a strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia.

In a statement before leaving for Nepal for the two-day summit, Modi said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit whose theme is 'Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region'.

"I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and reviewing the progress we have made in our bilateral ties since my last visit to Nepal in May 2018," he said.

Modi said he and Oli will inaugurate the Nepal Bharat Maitri Dharmashala at the Pashupatinath temple complex.

The Summit's theme, Modi said, will enable the member-countries to shape a collective response to their common aspirations and challenges.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.
Authorities have been vague about why they were arrested; many are being held under a draconian national security law that permits detention for six months without formal charges. But, judging by what police officials have leaked to the media -- and what members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have told news channels -- the accused are all supposedly Naxalites. For many Indians, this sounds like ...

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
When the Allahabad High Court (HC) in its judgment observed that stress in the power sector is due to fundamental issues and not because of any circular by the Reserve Bank of India, it only depicted the sorry state of the sector, mismatched policies, and regulations of the past decade. A high-powered committee (HPC) under Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, set up to provide solutions for the prevailing issues in the sector, is expected to hold its first meeting on Friday.

This committee has been directed by the Allahabad HC to devise a framework by September this year. ALSO READ: ...
There is one element of connectivity between the South Asian nations happening on a modest scale. But it is not on the ground; instead it is on the wires, as electricity trade.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterparts arrive at Kathmandu, Nepal for the revived Bimstec Summit today, it is interesting to note that the seven countries forming the group have traded annually 19.8 terawatt hours (Twh) among themselves for the past couple of years. These countries, other than India are Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. It is puny by some reckoning, no ...
Birders from across the United States, Canada, and abroad will be flocking to the Gulf Coast for the 14th annual Alabama Coastal BirdFest, Oct. 3-6.

This is one of the area's prime bird- and wildlife-watching opportunities during fall migration.

"The birding potential on the Alabama Gulf Coast is phenomenal and fall migration is the best time to enjoy it,"said event founder John Borom. "More than 370 bird species have been counted at various locations along the Alabama coast."

BirdFest includes boat and walking trips each day to prime spots, including the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and Forever Wild Grand Bay Savanna. There are some new additions this year, including a trip to the Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve, which is more than 900 acres of pristine forest, creeks, and beautiful lakes owned and maintained by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Also new is a Sunset Kayak Cookout on Justin's Bay in the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta, a walking tour and birdwatching in various habitats on Forever Wild property in Saraland, and a Beach Bird Bonanza Workshop for children.

This year's BirdFest also includes trips focused on seeing alligators, dolphins, wildflowers, and more, evening speaker events, a new advanced birding workshop, a hummingbird workshop, and the free, family-friendly Bird and Conservation Expo on the Coastal Alabama Community College campus in Fairhope on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Tickets for trips, evening events, and workshops range from $20 to $100 and require advance registration. Visit AlabamaCoastalBirdFest.com for more information.

Since 2004 Alabama Coastal BirdFest has raised more than $100,000 to help preserve and protect vital coastal wildlife habitat and raise awareness about the great biological diversity of the Alabama Gulf Coast.
President Akufo Addo will on Thursday 30th August 2018, receive German Chancellor Angela Merkel for bilateral discussions as part of her three nation West African tour.



The German Chancellor will on her arrival hold bilateral discussions at the Jubilee House which will focus on Efforts at Ghanas Economic Resurgence and Migration.



Among issues to be discussed is security in the sub region and Ghanas role in addressing it. Countries which will be in focus during the discussion will be Togo, Mali and Nigeria and the recent efforts of Ghana led by President Akufo-Addo in providing leadership to address the challenges.



Minister for Information designate Kojo Oppong Nkrumah announced at a press briefing on Wednesday that Chancellor Merkel will later participate in a panel discussion on Compact for Africa focusing on the areas of priority for partnership.



He explained that Ghana has been included in the Compact for Africa and about 100 million Euros are going towards energy and financial services as part of the Governments efforts to improve the situation in the aforementioned areas.



Moving forward, its important to discuss the relationship around the compact and what next steps to take, He averred.



Angela Merkel will also visit Nigeria and Senegal as part of the three nation West African tour.





Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
President Donald Trump accused China of undermining US efforts to pressure North Korea into giving up its nuclear weapons, indicating his trade war with Beijing is starting to exacerbate geopolitical tensions. North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government, Trump said in a series of tweets Wednesday, which he called a White House statement. At the same time, we also know that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. ...

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
Jamas nos callaran



Fisica y culturalmente



Nec plus ultra, nec variatur



Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript.

Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript.

Paginas vistas en total

Dolar USA Vs Euro

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?



USA TODAY



USA HOY 6



USA HOY 5



USA HOY 4



USA HOY 3



USA HOY 2



USA HOY (1)



Insaciable



Cronologia de un agresor



Guarimbear en USA



Mexico hoy



Bolivar y Chavez



Primero Amargado



Dios los cria y ellos se juntan



USA hoy (III)



USA hoy (II)



USA hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Obama



La verdad sea dicha



Los ricos



Que no nos vea Obama



Pobre Obama



SOS PALESTINA



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



Archivo del blog Archivo del blog marzo (4) abril (9) mayo (8) junio (10) julio (11) agosto (10) septiembre (17) octubre (11) noviembre (15) diciembre (10) enero (9) febrero (10) marzo (8) abril (5) mayo (6) junio (8) julio (13) agosto (10) septiembre (7) octubre (12) noviembre (8) diciembre (15) enero (17) febrero (11) marzo (11) abril (12) junio (6) julio (11) agosto (15) septiembre (5) octubre (15) noviembre (14) diciembre (11) enero (13) febrero (9) marzo (10) abril (8) mayo (7) junio (12) julio (12) agosto (8) septiembre (8) octubre (4) diciembre (8) enero (35) febrero (20) marzo (29) abril (19) mayo (21) junio (27) julio (21) agosto (28) septiembre (40) octubre (47) noviembre (21) diciembre (34) enero (62) febrero (81) marzo (117) abril (141) mayo (114) junio (111) julio (126) agosto (98) septiembre (160) octubre (234) noviembre (493) diciembre (319) enero (219) febrero (267) marzo (230) abril (291) mayo (347) junio (223) julio (179) agosto (191) septiembre (239) octubre (350) noviembre (406) diciembre (353) enero (284) febrero (202) marzo (274) abril (250) mayo (232) junio (251) julio (188) agosto (249) septiembre (230) octubre (178) noviembre (141) diciembre (164) enero (187) febrero (147) marzo (211) abril (190) mayo (199) junio (164) julio (162) agosto (174) septiembre (182) octubre (225) noviembre (114) diciembre (132) enero (223) febrero (147) marzo (133) abril (108) mayo (387) junio (465) julio (785) agosto (748) septiembre (485) octubre (681) noviembre (754) diciembre (805) enero (708) febrero (896) marzo (735) abril (831) mayo (723) junio (555) julio (658) agosto (619) septiembre (457) octubre (455) noviembre (295) diciembre (269) enero (534) febrero (556) marzo (205) abril (119) mayo (194) junio (255) julio (294) agosto (182) septiembre (207) octubre (340) noviembre (351) diciembre (281) enero (114) febrero (128) marzo (216) abril (195) mayo (116) junio (141) julio (182) agosto (181) septiembre (50) octubre (72) noviembre (104) diciembre (88) enero (168) febrero (102) marzo (151) abril (207) mayo (43) junio (72) julio (35) agosto (146) septiembre (54) octubre (46)

Chavez Cuanto te queremos!



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!


Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K. has become the first Indian poet invited to record his poems at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. in 'The Poet and the Poem' series conducted by poet Grace Cavalieri.

The prestigious reading series recorded at the Library of Congress since 1997 has featured major American poets such as Robert Hass, Richard Blanco, Eavan Boland, Billy Collins, Rita Dove, Louise Gluck, Donal Hall, Terance Hayes, Juan Felipe Herrera, Ted Kooser, Philip Levine, W.S. Merwin, Naomi Shihab Nye, Robert Pinsky, Charles Simic, Natasha Trethewey, Monica Youn, Tracey K. Smith among others.

During his visit to Washington DC, Abhay has also been invited to read at the city's iconic Busboys and Poets Bookstore along with other poet-diplomats Indran Amirthanayagnam and Simon Schuchat and poetry co-editor of Beltway Poetry Review Venus Thrash at a poetry event titled 'Poetry and Diplomacy' which is co-sponsored by Beltway Poetry Review.

Abhay K. is the author of a memoir and seven collections of poems including The Seduction of Delhi (2014), The Eight-eyed Lord of Kathmandu (2017) and The Prophecy of Brasilia (2018). His poem-song 'Earth Anthem' is translated into over thirty languages and has been performed by Symphony Orchestra of National Theatre of Brasilia and has been composed by renowned violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam and sung by Kavita Krishnamurti. His poems have appeared in over sixty international literary journals including Poetry Salzburg Review and Asia Literary Review. He received the SAARC Literary Award 2013 and was nominated for Pushcart Prize in 2013. He is also the editor of poetry anthologies CAPITALS and 100 Great Indian Poems.

Born in 1980 in a small village in Nalanda district of Bihar, India, Abhay started writing poetry in 2005 after arriving in Russia's capital Moscow and publishing them initially on his blog. His first collection of poems Enigmatic Love was published in 2009.

Since then he has published seven collections of poems in all, the latest among them is a collection of poems on Brazil's planned capital city titled The Prophecy of Brasilia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
American actor and comedian Alec Baldwin has walked out of Todd Phillips's 'Joker'.

Baldwin told USA TODAY that he is not doing the moving due to scheduling issues.

"I'm no longer doing that movie," he said citing "scheduling" issues. "I'm sure there are 25 guys who can play that part," Baldwin added.

The 60-year-old had been roped in play the father of caped crusader, Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman in Warner Bros.' stand-alone movie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the script painted Baldwin's 'Thomas Wayne' as a cheesy and tanned businessman, who is more in the mould of a 1980s Donald Trump.

Starring actor Joaquin Phoenix as the DC comics villain, the movie is scheduled to begin shooting in two weeks.

Baldwin recently starred in the Paramount's hit 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout', and recently wrapped a role in 'Motherless Brooklyn', a crime drama being made by Warners.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been invited by the United Nations (UN) to deliver a keynote address at an event, titled 'Financing Sustainable Agriculture

In a letter, the United Nations Programme Executive Director Erik Solheim praised the Andhra Pradesh government for "delivering transformative environmental, social and economic impact through its pioneering Zero Budget Natural Farming Programme."

"UN is privileged to support your ambitious efforts to scale-out zero chemical farming to 6 million farmers across the state by 2024," Solheim said in the letter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On the occasion of late pop star Michael Jackson's 60th birth anniversary, veteran actor Anupam Kher remembered how meeting the 'king of pop' was one of the biggest highlights of his life.

The 63-year-old took to social media to thank the 'thriller' hit-maker for his eternal music and showmanship.

Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff also paid a dancing tribute to the pop legend.

Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at age 50 from an overdose of the anaesthetic propofol and sedatives. His physician who administered the drugs, Conrad Murray, was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As a fan, one always wishes for a reply from their favorite actor, and sometimes, wishes do come true! Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor after receiving an email from his fan, learnt sign language for expressing his love and gratitude.

The actor shared on Twitter that he got an email from a fan who is hearing impaired, which read, "My name is Karen Grewal from Chicago, I am deaf and use American sign language. I am a fan of Arjun Kapoor. I need your help. Whenever I see Arjun Live on Instagram or on his stories when he speaks, I cannot understand. Can you have him create English subtitles so I can read?"

The 'Mubarakan' actor took to his Twitter handle and shared a series of tweets and a video expressing his love and gratefulness to Karen. The actor went all in and made it extremely special for his fan by learning sign language and conveying his message using that.

Arjun tweeted, "We actors are blessed in more ways than we realise but more so because we have wonderful fans. As much as my fan clubs & fans don't believe it I am aware n keep track of everything that happens, what they mail me, send me, msg me, tweet to me, or insta post for me."

The 33-year-old actor said he felt like doing something after reading the email, "One such email caught my attention & I just felt that I had to do something about it... In the latter part of the video, you'll see the reason behind my successful attempt at this new language (forgive me if I made any unintentional mistake though)," he tweeted.

His last tweet read, "This one is for you Karen & I promise to keep your wish in mind more often...lots of love...hope u see this and feel happy. Big thank you Prita Patil for being so kind on such short notice and I wish you a happy married life."

Arjun feels he is blessed for having supporters from all over the world. Fans were left touched by the sweet gesture.

On the work front, Arjun Kapoor is currently shooting for Raj Kumar Gupta's 'India's Most Wanted'. The 'Ishaqzaade' star has three more films in his kitty - 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar', 'Namastey England' starring Parineeti Chopra and 'Panipat' with Kriti Sanon.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi on Wednesday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in the state for the next six months.

"As per powers conferred under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, the Governor of Assam has declared the entire State of Assam as 'Disturbed Area' up to 6 months beyond 28th August 2018, unless withdrawn earlier," read a statement.

The move comes after the Supreme Court on August 20 adjourned the hearing on a plea, filed by a group of over 350 armymen, challenging the dilution of AFSPA till September 4.

The petition, which was set for hearing today at the apex court, claims that the prosecution of security forces for encounters against insurgents will endanger " security".

The AFSPA grants special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in 'disturbed areas'. According to The Disturbed Areas (Special Courts) Act, 1976, once declared 'disturbed', the area has to maintain status quo for a minimum of three months.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Varun Gosalves, Arun Ferreira and Varavara Rao are active members of banned organization, Communist Party of India (Maoist) [CPI (Maoist)]", prosecutor told Pune session court while seeking the remand of the three accused activists arrested on Tuesday.

Pune police on Tuesday had conducted raids in different parts of the country and arrested five accused activists in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case, three of which were produced before Pune sessions court on Wednesday.

Vernon Gosalves was arrested from Mumbai, Arun Ferreira from Thane, whereas Varavara Rao was arrested from Hyderabad.

Seeking their 14-day remand, the public prosecutor informed the court that the accused were involved in the crime, adding that several documents were seized during the search operation from their houses. The court was also informed that electronic devices, seized from the accused, need to be investigated.

The grounds, on which Pune police sought their remand, included, "Code languages were used in some seized letters, which need investigation and their funding sources also require checking."

The court was also informed that the raids were video recorded.

The prosecution further claimed, "In order to overthrow the Central Government, the accused have together formed an 'anti-fascist' - the All India United Front."

Speaking about their involvement in the violence, it was told that Ferreira had an alleged role in recruiting the students and sending them to jungle area for training. It was also claimed that Varavara Rao had an authority to purchase the weapons from Nepal and Manipur.

Defence lawyer contested that Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was wrongly put on accused, since no weapons were used and other criteria of UAPA were also not met.

The defence counsel said, "From the past four months the authorities have been probing the case. We have cooperated with the police in their search operations".

"If the seized evidence is being sent to Forensic Lab (FSL), then what is the need of police interrogation and what is the need for custody?" the defence counsel argued.

The sessions court judge reiterated the decision of the Supreme Court to keep all arrested accused, including Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and VV Rao under house arrest till September 5.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of the habeas corpus petition filed by activist Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima-Koregaon violence case till September 14.

Navlakha had filed the petition challenging his arrest and transit remand by the Pune Police in the case.

The court also refrained from passing an order on the plea, stating that the matter would only proceed after the Supreme Court order."It would not be appropriate to proceed with the matter as Supreme Court has already passed an order directing house arrest for five activists including Navlakha till September 6," the court observed.

On August 29, the apex court directed the Pune Police to keep the five accused activists - Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves and Sudha Bhardwaj - under house arrest till September 6.

All the five activists were arrested by the Pune Police on Tuesday for allegedly triggering violence during the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in January this year. One person was killed and several others, including 10 security personnel, were injured in the violence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Buddhist monk of Bodh Gaya's Prajna Jyoti Buddhist School and Meditation Centre was on Wednesday taken into custody for alleged sexual abuse of 15 children from Assam, who were studying at the institution.

"The children had complained about the monk to their respective guardians. Also, they informed us that they were thrashed, mistreated and sexually abused while staying in the school. We are investigating the matter now and will take relevant action," DSP Rajkumar Shah said.

This comes at a time when the Bihar government is being strongly criticised by the Opposition parties over the growing number of cases of sexual harassment in the state.

Earlier this year, Mumbai's leading research institute -Tata Institute of Social Sciences - stated in a report that the girls are falling prey to sexual abuse at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur.

The police had rescued 44 girls living in the vicinity and had arrested 11 employees working at the shelter home on July 24. The medical reports of twenty-nine girls indicated that sexual contact was established with them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The company from Hungary is searching for wood pellet producers. Well appreciate the offers with pointing pellet plant location.
Reacting to Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) criticism of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's proposal for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to look into the Rafale deal, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Thursday said those who once stalled the Parliament with their demand for a JPC probe are now mocking the meaning of it.

Patel wrote on his official Twitter handle: "Those who stalled Parliament in the past demanding JPC investigation are today mocking the meaning of JPC. Looks like they not only have short term memory but are also insulting Parliament. They should know that JPC is a Constitutional provision mandated to probe scams."

On Wednesday, Rahul had hit back at Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the Rafale deal after the latter attacked the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for stalling the purchase of the multirole combat fighter jets from France.

In a tweet, the Congress chief "thanked" Jaitley for "bringing the nation's attention back to the great Rafale Robbery," and proposed the establishment of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to look into the purchase of the 36 fighter jets from France.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Jaitley had said that the UPA government, by deferring the Rafale deal, had put India's security at risk. "Why did you indefinitely delay it? Why did you abandon it? Did you not seriously compromise India's security when you did this?" Jaitley had asked.

The Finance Minister, who resumed office recently, had also said that despite the Centre producing India's secrecy clause with France in the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi refuses to accept it. He also asserted the allegations made by the Congress were based on "complete falsehood".

In 2008, India had signed a deal with France based Dassault Aviation to purchase 36 Rafale jets, which is slated to be one of the world's biggest military procurement in recent history and could cost the Indian government USD 15 billion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Thursday announced his party will organise nationwide poetry recitation programme named 'Kavyanjali' on September 16 to honour former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Addressing the media, the Shah said, "September 16 will mark the completion of one month death anniversary of late Vajpayee ji. The BJP units across the nation have decided to organise poetry recitation programme named 'Kavyanjali' to honour former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The poems written by Atal ji will be recited and the recording of the same will also be played for the people. A 'Kavi Sammelan' will also be held and the poems written on Atal ji will be recited."

Shah further took the occasion to inform that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday week will be observed as 'Sewa Saptah'.

"Every year, the BJP workers celebrate the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'sewa divas' (day of service). But this year there will be a week long programme from September 17 to 25. The workers will observe 'Sewa Saptah' (Week of Service)," he said.

"During the programme, medical camps will be set up at various places to help people," Shah stated. He also added that the party workers will also launch a cleanliness drive in their localities.

The BJP president also said that on September 25, which marks the birth anniversary Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) co-founder Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, a week long programme will be launched to spread awareness about the health protection scheme Ayushman Bhaarat.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The South China Morning Post citing unidentified sources with ties to the Chinese military said, China was building the camp in the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow area that separates Tajikistan from Pakistan, in efforts to improve counterterrorism efforts in the war-torn country.

The Hong-Kong based daily in its article published on Tuesday said that once the base is completed, Beijing will dispatch its hundreds of troops, amounting to at least one battalion.

A battalion could consist of more than 500 soldiers, according to the Post.

However, China on Wednesday denied that it planned to build a military base in Afghanistan. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying dismissed the report and told the reporters in a daily news briefing that the facts in the report were untrue.

It was not the first time reports have pointed to China seeking a military presence in Afghanistan, although it has denied all of them.

Last year, China opened its first overseas military base, in the Horn of Africa country Djibouti.

It has previously denied having plans for other overseas bases, but the United States expects it to build more, with Pakistan a likely location.

Song Zhongping, a military analyst based in Hong Kong told the South China Morning Post that the new base could serve as a training base to help "strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation and military exchanges between Beijing and Kabul."

"Afghanistan is very weak on counterterrorism," Song told the Post.

"And the authorities there are worried about Taliban resurgence, but they can't do anything about it without help from the US, China, and other countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China's declining summer grain production indicates the country is heading towards a serious food crisis, says Chinascope, a U.S.-based media research entity.

Quoting a research by well-known Chinese economist, Ye Tan, who recently published an article that has been circulating on the Internet, Chinascope said: "On July 18, the national summer grain production data that the National Bureau of Statistics released showed that the total summer grain production was 138.72 million tons in 2018, down by 3.0 per cent or 3.06 million tons from 2017. On August 10, the Committee of the Market Early Warning Experts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs released an analysis of the supply and demand situation as to China's agricultural products in August 2018. The analysis predicted a shortage of corn production from 2018 to 2019 with the ending balance down by 17.75 million tons. The gap had grown from the previous year."

"In addition, as of August 15, the projected wheat purchase in the main producing areas was 41.059 million tons, a year over year decrease of 20.331 million tons. Among the three provinces of Henan, Anhui and Hubei, there was a sharp decline of 55.1 per cent in Henan and 45.9 per cent in Anhui. In Henan, the production accounts for about a quarter of the country's wheat production," Chinascope said. The reduction in summer grain and in wheat production is alarming.

According to the National Grain and Oils Information Centre, China's corn, rice and wheat production will suffer a reduction of 8.08 million tons, 5.545 million tons, and 7.867 million tons respectively in 2018 compared to 2015.

According to a report by the Bank, China's total food demand is expected to reach 670 million tons in 2020 and 700 million tons in 2030. Even if China could maintain a record high of 620 million tons, the gap would still be large.

"At present, China imports 95.53 million tons of soybeans every year. The self-sufficiency rate is less than 20 per cent. In the case of corn, China also imports about 760,000 tons from the U.S., accounting for one-quarter of total imports. As the trade war escalates, a food shortage crisis will surface", says Chinascope.

At the same time, there are reports on fires that have broken out in grain warehouses. Regarding the most recent one, coincidentally, the timing was that the fire occurred after the party issued a notice on July 23 that it would perform an inspection of the grain warehouse.

In less than a week, at 8:00 am on July 29, a fire broke out in the No. 1 storage warehouse of that Datong Grain Reserve in Weinan City, Jilin Province.

Afterwards, the local official said that the fire had nothing to do with the upcoming audit. Four days before the incident, the Central First Inspection Team had just entered the site for inspection. In another coincidence, the five cameras in the granary failed just before the fire due to wind, electrical appliances, and other reasons.

In March of this year, there was a fire at the Jiaozuo grain warehouse in Henan Province. The staff of the Central Grain Reserve also denied that the fire was related to the inspection of the national grain clearing warehouse.

The non-profit organization said in its research, "In recent years, the China Grain Reserves Corporation has been accused of becoming a very large base of corruption. The authenticity of the grain production data has been questioned for many years. According to the official data, it is estimated that China's grain output has been overstated by a minimum of hundreds of millions of tons".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth is all set to star in action-thriller 'Dhaka' that also marks the directorial debut of Sam Hargrave.

Written by Anthony Russo and Joseph Joe Russo, collectively known as the Russo brothers, the story of the film revolves around a mercenary named Rake, played by Hemsworth who is hired to save the son of a businessman.

The movie will go on floors in November and will continue till March 2019 in locales in India and Indonesia, as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Hemsworth reprised his role as Thor in 'Thor: Ragnarok' released in November last year and again in both the third Avengers film, 'Avengers: Infinity Wars'(2018), and its untitled sequel, scheduled for 2019 release.

He was originally going to reprise his role as George Kirk in the fourth film of the rebooted Star Trek series, but he left the project in August 2018 after contract negotiations fell through.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The new technology patented by Cosmos Solutions Pvt. Ltd., to generate more power from engines using microcontrollers, received a green signal with a private equity of USD 950 million from Linetrust Offshore Ltd. Head of private equity of Linetrust ASEAN, Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani, who has spared no effort in promoting the development of renewable energy, assured Cosmos Energy that another major investment is on the anvil to promote research and development in the area of this environment-friendly technology.

At the function to announce the deal in Port Louis, Mauritius, on Wednesday, August 29, patent owner Nitin Gupta said his company Cosmos Energy is eyeing the USD 240-billion industry and is prepared to cater to the growing need for green energy.

Chairman of Linetrust Offshore Limited, operating from Marshall Island with branches across Europe, US, Africa and Asia, Michael Rogers said the disbursal of funds for the project would continue.

The Executive Vice President of Cosmos Energy, Rahul Shah thanked Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani for the funding and said that the invention would, on one hand, contribute to the reduction of carbon footprints and on the other hand, create jobs and it is for this reason that governments of India, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Malaysia have approached Cosmos Energy to set up their manufacturing in their countries.

Dr. Sailesh Lachu Hiranandani's efforts in promoting the cause of environment-friendly energy were lauded by Linetrust executives Prasanna Shah and Kalpesh Raygadhi as also by Malaysian Automobile Association's Terrence Siambun, who said he would recommend to his government a plan to offer land and other provisions to Cosmos Energy for setting up a manufacturing facility in Malaysia and tap the country's potential for skilled labour.

South African Parliament Speaker Baleka Mbete said his country was ready to provide 100 acre land to Cosmos Energy in Tshwane Automotive City in Gauteng to put up a manufacturing unit, besides free electricity for five years and a tax holiday for 10 years.

ASEAN directors for Asia, China and Korea, Wendy Wong and Nancie Foo said the investment by Linetrust has opened new vistas of investment for Cosmos Energy, as a slew of proposals has followed.

Linetrust director Mary Mam and executives Manoj Todi, Sandeep Pugalia, Mahendra Joshi, Mohit Seth and Raghav Kapoor expressed optimism and said they were providing support to a number of enterprises that would be game-changers in the scenario of development and employment.

Scientist Dato Ramakrishna Nair said energy and wastewater management were major challenges as well as key to development in the future.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kathmandu [Nepal], Aug 30 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the Prime Ministers of other countries participating in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, met Nepal President Bindhya Devi Bhandari on Thursday.

Prime Minister Modi landed in Kathmandu on Thursday morning to attend the fourth BIMSTEC Summit. He will also hold bilateral talks with his counterparts of other countries on the sideline so the Summit.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri has said that the areas of trade, custom facilitation, grid connectivity, and counter-terrorism will be discussed during the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit which is scheduled to start from Thursday.

"BIMSTEC has a number of things, which are work in progress and among them are areas in the direction of a possible agreement which is being worked on and it will remain in work and progress. The area of trade, customs facilitation, grid connectivity and counter-terrorism, so there is the number of areas which they are looking for but the fact is the summit is happening- it will also chart a way for an organisation which is invigorated and which will really take things forward. So, I think it's going to be an important summit and India's participation in this is certainly very crucial. We are the founding member of BIMSTEC and a very important stakeholder in this entire process." the ambassador told ANI,

The envoy said that Prime Minister Modi would be meeting with foreign dignitaries at the sidelines of the summit, such as Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Myanmar's head of state Win Myint, among others.

On August 31, the Pashupatinath Dharamshala would be inaugurated which has been funded by India and would be handed over to Pashupati Area Development Trust, the envoy informed.

"The Prime Minister will be meeting other counterparts from BIMSTEC countries. He is meeting the President of Sri Lanka, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the Head of State of Myanmar and all the others who are coming here. As far as Nepal is concerned, he also has the bilateral meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and we are inaugurating the Pashupatinath Dharamshala which India has funded and which we will be handing over to the Pashupati area development Trust on the 31st in the afternoon," he said.

Commenting on the engagements during the two-day summit, Puri said, "The fourth BIMSTEC Summit starts in Kathmandu today. The first thing in the programme is the joint call and a lunch by the President of Nepal. After this, the inaugural ceremony will take place and in the evening there is a gala dinner host by the Prime Minister of Nepal. Next day, in the morning there is a retreat and then the closing ceremony. In that, they will adopt the Kathmandu declaration and chart the way forward for BIMSTEC."

The BIMSTEC is an international organisation consisting of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia, namely Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal.

The main objective of the BIMSTEC is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries around the Bay of Bengal. India has been giving BIMSTEC more importance since the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been affected by the non-cooperation of Pakistan on issues like connectivity and counter-terrorism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said that the Congress president Rahul Gandhi is criticizing demonetisation because it was adversely affected by the currency swap.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra while addressing a press conference here accused the Gandhi family of looting public money and said that the Congress is creating the brouhaha because all the money they looted became worthless post demonetisation.

"The Gandhi family has looted public money for years, and after demonetisation, that money is of no use and hence demonetisation has affected Rahul Gandhi and his family, and he always repeats the same thing on the matter," he said.

"From today's press conference, I can say Rahul came across as a very non-serious political player, with nothing new to offer. He is still saying the same thing that he said ahead of the state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, and the public chose Prime Minister Modi," he added.

Patra said that people are the best judge in a democracy and they have not only rejected the Congress party but also Rahul Gandhi.

Patra's reply came after the Gandhi scion accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government of "deliberately" implementing demonetisation to help his "crony capitalist friends".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As China is keenly engaged to fulfill President Xi Jinping's signature "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI), that will link Chinese economy with major continental and maritime zones of the Eurasian continent, the people in its own Xinjiang province are living in dismay.

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is the hub of three of the six "economic corridors" at the heart of BRI.

"Rather, China has constructed a dystopic vision of governance in Xinjiang to rival that of any science-fiction blockbuster", wrote Michael Clarke, an associate professor at the National Security College, Australian National University in The National Interest - an American bimonthly international affairs magazine.

Clarke, who is an internationally recognised expert on the history and of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region wrote, "The Chinese Communist Party has since 1949 pursued a strategy of tight political, social and cultural control to integrate Xinjiang and its people into the People's Republic of China (PRC). This has periodically stimulated violent opposition from the Uyghur population who chafe against demographic dilution, political marginalisation and continued state interference in the practice of religion".

"Stability" in Xinjiang is however now a major strategic imperative for the party, driven by periodic terrorist attacks in, or connected to, Xinjiang by Uyghurs that Beijing blames on an externally-based organisation, the "Turkestan Islamic Party" (TIP) and the region's role as hub of key elements of the BRI.

"This obsession with "stability" in Xinjiang has seen the regional government's expenditure on public security balloon, with provincial spending on public security in 2017 amounting to approximately $ 9.1 billion -- a 92 per cent increase on such spending in 2016", wrote Clarke.

Much of this expenditure has been absorbed by the development of a pervasive, hi-tech "security state" in the region, including use of facial recognition and iris scanners at checkpoints, train stations and gas stations, collection of biometric data for passports, and mandatory apps to cleanse smartphones of potentially subversive material.

"This system is not only reliant on technology but also significant manpower to monitor, analyse and respond to the data it collects. Its roll-out has thus coincided with the recruitment of an estimated 90,000 new public security personnel in the region", Clarke wrote in The National Interest.

This is consistent with the party's move toward tech-driven 'social management' throughout the rest of China. However, in Xinjiang it has become defined by a racialised conception of "threat" in which the Uyghur population is conceived of as a "virtual biological threat to the body of society."

From government officials describing Uyghur "extremism" as a "tumour" to equating religious observance with a virus, the party's discourse frames key elements of Uyghur identity as pathologies to be "cured."

He concluded by saying, "The party's "cure" for such pathologies is a programme of mass internment of Uyghurs - perhaps up to one million people according to some estimates - in prison-like "re-education" centres based on analysis of the data harvested through its system of predictive policing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Educate Girls, an award-winning non-profit organisation working in educationally backward regions of India, launched the results of the world's first 'Development Impact Bond' (DIB) in education in Delhi today in the presence of Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Quality Council of India.

Launched in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, in 2015, the Educate Girls DIB is the world's first operational development impact bond in education. The program covered 166 schools across 140 villages in Bhilwara and has impacted over 7,000 children over the course of three years. The DIB measured progress against agreed targets for the number of out-of-school girls enrolled into primary and upper primary schools as well as the progress of girls and boys in English, Hindi and Math.

Final results show that the Educate Girls DIB surpassed both the target outcomes to achieve 116 per cent of the enrolment target and 160 per cent of the learning target. The success of this project has demonstrated that innovative, outcome-based financing models, such as the DIBs, can contribute to delivering a sustainable impact on the ground.

In this payment-by-results model, Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) as an outcome payer (the underwriter) promised to pay back UBS Optimus Foundation (UBSOF - the investor) the original investment plus extra returns as long as the agreed targets are delivered by Educate Girls. The progress was independently evaluated by the non-profit evaluation firm IDinsight and results-based financing consultancy Instiglio designed the DIB.

Compared to traditional grant-making approaches, this contractually agreed payment-by-results model allowed Educate Girls to innovate and ultimately to achieve a greater impact. The flexibility provided in the DIB model has also led to a raft of innovative, tailored solutions and approaches to meet every child's unique challenges. An improved child-centric curriculum focused on building micro-competencies has enabled Educate Girls to significantly boost learning gains in children. Educate Girls also focused on improving the outreach for harder-to-enroll girls by influencing communities' mindsets toward education.

Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Quality Council of India said, "I congratulate Safeena Husain and Educate Girls for the amazing work they have done in delivering outcomes on the ground and to the various entities, who have put together the Development Impact Bond (DIB), that has allowed Educate Girls to get on the ground and make such a big difference."

Safeena Husain, Founder and Executive Director of Educate Girls, said, "The DIB program gave Educate Girls financial and operational flexibility that allowed us to quickly respond to lessons learnt in real time and stay completely focused on the results that matter. Participating in the DIB is helping us to build an organisation that delivers not just scale but quality at scale and stay accountable to every child in the program. With traditional funding sources under strain, innovative blended financing tools, such as DIBs, can prove to be instrumental in unlocking new private capital and encourage governments to invest more to address some of the most pressing development issues."

Dr. Shamika Ravi, Director of Research, Brookings India and Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India added, "I congratulate Educate Girls for a very successful proof of concept of Development Impact Bonds in India. They have shown the way of bringing the market disciplines, accountability and greater dynamic efficiency into the social sector where India has a long way to go."

The launch of the results was preceded by a panel discussion on "Financing the Future of Education in India - Scaling Impact in Education through Innovative Financing". The discussion was moderated by Dr. Shamika Ravi, Director of Research, Brookings India and Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India. The panelists included Hisham Mundol, Country Head, Children's Investment Fund Foundation; Nehal Sanghavi, Senior Advisor for Innovation and Partnership, USAID India; and Safeena Husain, Founder and Executive Director, Educate Girls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At about two in the morning on August 21, 2013, 1,003 Syrian adults and 426 children took their last breath. Since then, the world has been shocked by videos of people vomiting and fainting, their muscles seizing, struggling to breathe as their nerves are electrified and their lungs become paralyzed  victims of a chemical attack. These scenes have continued to unfold as Syrians are repeatedly attacked with chemical weapons  often by their own government  and the world stands by quietly watching.

Now, a full-scale offensive by the Syrian government is imminent  one that will allow Bashar al-Assad, the same leader who has been gassing his own people, to regain full control of Syria. The city of Idlib, the last remaining opposition stronghold, has been continuously hit with air strikes and shelling this past month and Syrian troops have been gathering around the northern governorate. Meanwhile, the oppositions brigades are to the north of Idlib and supporters of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are to the south. Additionally, Turkey has set up a dozen military posts and the United States has deployed around 2,000 troops in the northeast of Syria.

A full-on attack on Idlib would be devastating for the civilian population. Roughly three million people live in the city, half of whom settled there after fleeing violence elsewhere in Syria. An attack now could cause significant casualties and displace hundreds of thousands of people, forcing many to flee north towards Turkeys closed border. But the looming threat is one Syrians know too well: chemical weapons.

We have seen what chemical weapons can do. There have been at least 85 confirmed chemical weapon attacks since the conflict in Syria began more than seven years ago. Most attacks are suspected to involve chlorine, which can cause severe respiratory distress. Sarin, white phosphorous, and mustard gas have also reportedly been used. The most recent attack, on April 7, 2018 in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, killed more than 40 people and injured more than 500 others.

The use of chemical weapons is a war crime, and its use in a widespread and systematic manner against a civilian population is a crime against humanity. While both the Obama and Trump administrations have claimed that the use of chemical weapons is a red line, there has not been any significant international response to the situation in Syria.

This is not the first time international norms have been violated in the Syrian conflict. Physicians for Human Rights has corroborated 492 attacks on health care sites, including 79 hospitals that were struck at least twice, between March 2011 and December 2017, and has reported the killing of 847 medical personnel. These attacks undermine health care, endanger health professionals, and limit the flow of medical and humanitarian supplies to civilians in need; as such, they are considered violations of medical neutrality, the principle of noninterference with medical services in times of armed conflict. The use of chemical weapons is a breach of the Geneva Conventions on the laws of war.

With the battle over Idlib looming, it is more important than ever for the international community to take a stand and insist that the Syrian government and its Russian allies prioritize civilian safety, avoid unnecessary loss of human life, and refrain from using any chemical weapons under any circumstance. The civilian casualties from a large-scale attack on Idlib would be catastrophic for an already severely-impacted population, exhausted from seven years of war. We will not be able to say that we did not see it coming.
Flood alert has been issued in low-lying areas nearing the Siang/ Brahmaputra river in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam after 9020 cumec of water was discharged into Tsangpo river by China on Thursday.

The Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh has turned virulent with unusually high waves, according to sources in the Central Water Commission (CWC).

The East Siang District Administration has cautioned the public to refrain from venturing into Siang River for fishing, swimming and other activities to avoid any eventualities.

"Chinese Government relayed to Government to Arunachal Pradesh by Government of India states that due to heavy rainfall in Chinese portion the Tsangpo river is swelling with observed discharge of 9020 cumec this morning (Thursday) at 8 am at the various GD station on Tsangpo river which is reported as highest in 50 years," said T Tatak, deputy commissioner, East Siang District, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.

"People living in low lying areas namely Jarku, Paglek, SS Mission, Jarkong, Banskota, Bergung, Sigar, Borguli, Seram, Kongkul, Namsing, Mer are advised to remain alert but no panic due to the situation," Tatak added.

In view of the flood warning issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, the Dibrugarh District Administration has taken adequate precautionary measures in the district.

"We are closely monitoring the situation. We have sent our team to various flood prone areas under Chabua revenue circle. If required, we will evacuate people from those areas. We have kept vehicles, boats ready at the vulnerable areas. We have deputed the Circle Officers, Zonal Officers, Sector officers and other officers in all the vulnerable areas to monitor the situation and take necessary measures in case of any eventuality," Deputy Commissioner Loya Maduri said.

As per reports, the high waves of the river are confined only to the river's reaches in Pasighat and no impact of this changed behaviour of the river has been recorded in the downstream areas of Assam.

Former Education Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Bosiram Siram said, "Since Wednesday night, the dwellers of adjoining areas of Siang river are panicking about the increase of water level. Most of the people have shifted their base over the night. As per the Central Water Commission, the highest water level recorded (157.54m) was on June 11, 2000. The water level was 153.27m at noon on Thursday. The danger level is 153.960 m. In such position, the commission has given alert to administration for precautionary steps.
Actor Halle Berry just found out that Prince Harry used to be her fan in his school days.

She called him out after she got to know about a picture of hers in the latter's boarding school dormitory.

On Wednesday, the 52-year-old actor posted screenshots from a magazine which had photos of the Prince's school dorm at Eton College. The screenshots also included a close-up of Berry from the Prince's room.

The actor who was rather happy about it, tweeted, "Ok #PrinceHarry, I see you! #HalleBerryPosta @MissyElliott".

According to Page Six, the star tagged rapper Elliott referring to her 2002 song 'Work It' where there is a line "Don't I look like a Halle Berry poster?"

In the work front, Halle Berry was last seen in a Hollywood spy movie 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Investigation Agency (NIA) along with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police on Thursday arrested Syed Shakeel Yousuf, son of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) chief Syed Salahuddin from Rambagh area in Srinagar in an alleged terror funding case in 2011.

"In a joint operation, NIA team along with CRPF and local police arrested Shakeel, son of Syed Salahuddin from Rambagh in Srinagar this morning," an NIA spokesperson told ANI. Shakeel was earlier questioned by the NIA in connection with the same case.

Earlier, Salahuddin's another son, Syed Shahid Yousuf, was arrested in connection with the same case. In April, NIA filed a charge sheet against him. Shahid is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi.

The NIA filed the charge sheet against Shahid under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 13, 17, 18, 20, 21, 38 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, for allegedly willfully raising, receiving, collecting terror funds and holding proceeds of terrorism for furtherance of terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The 2011 terror funding case, filed by the NIA, pertains to the alleged transfer of funds from Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir through Hawala channels via Delhi. The NIA believed that money was used in funding terrorism in the Valley.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has assured a delegation of Kerala MLAs "all possible help and support" to the flood-ravaged Kerala.

Speaking to media after a meeting with Singh, former Kerala chief minister A.K. Antony said, "Rajnath Singh assured that the Centre will make all efforts to provide maximum support and help to Kerala."

Antony, who is an MLA from Kerala's Kothamangalam, further said that they have urged the Home Minister to amend the External Affairs Ministry's policy which does not allow Kerala to receive donations from the foreign countries.

"Many foreign governments are expressing their willingness to help Kerala in this hour of crisis. But we are unable to receive aid because of the External Affairs Ministry's policy. I requested the Home Minister to change this rule at least for this calamity," he said.

As a goodwill gesture, a couple of countries had announced assistance for Kerala.

Antony also called upon the Centre for more financial assistance and said, "Centre has already given us assistance of Rs 600 crores but we need funds amounting to Rs 20,000 crore as the state has recorded a loss, as high as Rs 40,000-50,000 crore."

He also urged the Centre to provide free rice to fishermen as a gift, citing that they have rescued 70,000 people stranded in parts of the state, where Army and Navy were unable to reach.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The International Human Rights Council, Hong Kong (IHRC-HK) has expressed concern over enforced disappearance in Pakistan and called upon the state institutions to play an active role in the recovery of all the missing persons.

In a report titled, 'PAKISTAN: The International Day of the victim of Enforced disappearances-Bring back the disappeared', the IHRC-HK said that scores of protesters and activists are abducted and kept in "habeas corpus and incommunicado without any legal representation".

It also believes that despite an uproar over the enforced disappearances during the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), the matter failed to make it to the list of serious human rights issue that has implications for the rule of law.

The report further underlined that the issue of enforced disappearances was not even touched upon by any political leader during the poll campaigns of recently held Pakistan general elections. "No political party dared cross the line and attract the ire of the intelligence agencies - the very institution that is responsible for disappearances," the IHRC-HK pointed out.

It also claimed that as per the International Commission of Jurists, which is headquartered in Switzerland, more than 24,000 people residing in Pakistan have fallen prey to unlawful arrest by the authorities so far.

The IHRC-HK cited a report compiled by PTM, which suggested that since 2001 as many as 3,000 people residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were killed during their captivity by the military forces.

The report of the IHRC-HK also stated that as per the Voice of Baloch Missing Person (VBMP), 6428 people are missing from Balochistan after their arrest by the law enforcement agencies since 2002 to date, while 196 people were missing from Sindh province since January 2016 to date, suggested the Voice of Missing Person of Sindh.

Condemning the heinous crime, the IHRC-HK recommended that whenever a missing person is recovered he must be produced before a court of law. It also suggested that families who are fighting cases for their missing members should be given a monthly stipend by the government in order to aid them in proceedings and to meet their basic needs

Expressing disappointment over the ongoing human tragedies in Pakistan, the report noted that despite accepting recommendations from the UN Working Group, no suitable measures were taken in order to put an end to disappearances in the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sanjeev Sinha, President of India-Japan Partnership Fund and Group led a series of bilateral interactions on healthcare in Tokyo, including multiple focused meetings and a roundtable during July and August 2018.

Opening the forum Sinha pointed out the strong appetite for funding and technology transfer from Japan to India in the healthcare domain. He emphasized on the Japanese government's support on the matter, referring to his discussions with Japanese Prime Minister's Office and other ministries and government agencies for collaboration with India.

Sinha outlined the challenges and the solutions as evidenced in his interactions with the wide-ranging stakeholders in many on-going efforts from Japan to build hospitals overseas. He advocated a holistic approach of funding the premium quality Japanese technology in India by the abundant low-cost Japanese capital for enhanced overall feasibility, as undertaken by India-Japan Partnership Fund, he noted.

Sinha elaborated on the sophisticated funding models involving equipment leases, services outsourcing, REITs, SPVs, combining private equity and debt, for compliance in the healthcare field. Sinha also pointed out the need for high-quality logistics, diagnostics, medical IT, skill development and even the hospital architecture to efficiently deploy Japanese technology as a package, a model on which various entities within India-Japan Partnership Group are working on. This complements very well with India's fast-growing demand for high-quality healthcare and insufficient supply as yet, Sinha continued.

Sinha recalled the participation from Satish Reddy of Dr. Reddy's on the IIT Alumni Conference in 2007 and India-Japan Pharma interaction with Dr. Rajiv Modi of Cadila, which significantly contributed to fast-growing presence of Indian pharma companies in the very lucrative Japanese medicine market.

Sinha also recalled the request from Japanese Science and Technology agency for other measures for cost reduction in the predominant innovation drug sector, including direct CRO for clinical trials in India, unlike hitherto route via the USA, and the subsequent role of GVK Biosciences and other leading companies of India in the process.

The forum held in Marunouchi was also attended by Ambassador Hirabayashi former Ambassador of Japan to India and member of the board of Dai Ichi Sankyo and Toshiba, a leading medical equipment manufacturer, who shared his experiences from Dai Ichi Sankyo and Ranbaxy affair.

Kikuchi Yukihiko, President of Sun and Sands Innovation, former MD of Morgan Stanley and UBS Japan, shared his experiences of managing a hospital in Japan. This was followed by Komiya Yuji, President of IJPG Asia Capital and former Managing Partner of Tokio Marine Capital.

The Forum was well attended by presidents and executives of healthcare management funds and investors and academicians including professors of Medicinal Chemistry and Regenerative Medicine from Osaka and Kyoto Universities. Leading figures from the Indian healthcare industry also joined and shared their views in an interactive roundtable format. Sunil Rajput, President of IJPG Kyoto Kashi, working on pharmaceutical technology transfer from Japan to India, among other domains, made the closing remarks.

Sinha shared that India-Japan Partnership Group is at an advanced stage of discussion for building hospitals in India with Japanese collaboration and also helping Indian Medical AI companies with market and funding in Japan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda, on Thursday, reviewed the relief measures undertaken in the flood-hit Kerala.

The Health Minister also spoke to the Health Minister of Kerala K.K. Shailaja and assured her of the continued support.

The officials briefed Nadda with the disease surveillance data in order to tackle any potential outbreak of epidemic-prone diseases.

In addition to the financial aid provided by the Government, it has also supplied 73 MT of essential emergency drugs; 1000 injections of Adrenaline vials; 2.25 crore Chlorine tablets (one tablet for chlorinating 20 L of water); 80 MT of Bleaching powder, and 4 lakh units of sanitary napkins to the state, besides 1000 litres of Cyphenothrin 5%, 500 kg of Diflubenzuron 25% and 250 litres of Malathion.

As per the additional request received from the state, 58 items of essential drugs/ consumables weighing about 120 MT, and 40 Ultra Low Volume (ULV) Fogging Machines have also been sent to the state.

The Central Government has also sent 30 specialist doctors, 20 general-duty medical officers and 40 Malayalam speaking nurses. The teams are expected to reach the flood-affected areas of Kerala by Friday.

12 public health teams, each comprising of 1 public health specialist, 1 microbiologist and 1 entomologist have been deployed to assist the state health department.

Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru has come forward as they have deployed 40-member psycho-social teams (Psychiatrist, Psychologists, and Psycho-social worker), one team for each of the 14 districts for rapid psycho-social assessment and community based psycho-social care.

Kerala witnessed its worst-ever flood in a century in which at least 357 people were killed and over lakh were rendered homeless.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Famed Hollywood director Woody Allen's latest movie 'A Rainy Day in New York' might never get released.

Since, Allen's adopted daughter Dylan Farrow has allegedly charged him of sexual harassment, reported Page Six.

The charge was levelled against him before the #MeToo movement became a trend where many women came forth to share their tryst with sexual harassment.

The movie has wrapped up shooting last year. It stars Timothee Chalamet, Selena Gomez, Jude Law and Elle Fanning in significant roles.

After buying the film for $25 million for streaming, Amazon has shelved it. In a recently released statement, the streaming giant said that no release date was ever set for the film.

Fans of Allen will not be able to watch any of new films directed by him till 2019.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading full stack on-demand home services provider Lifeasy has announced the addition of 'Buy Hardware' as a new segment in its offerings.

An industry first, Lifeasy will offer spare parts, small hardware items required at home or required to deliver the quality services from its platform, eyeing the massive revenue segment, that is largely fragmented and unorganised.

"We are confident that not only customer satisfaction will increase, but our revenues will also ascend with this initiative," said co-founder Lifeasy, Jeet Narayan Singh.

The company technician carries basic spare parts and hardware for jobs booked by customers, making service completion swift and seamless. Customers can also order spare parts and hardware items separately from the Lifeasy mobile application, which will be delivered at the customer doorstep within defined TAT.

Lifeasy has a team of technicians employed and trained by Lifeasy that delivers the promise of impeccable service to its customers. The company currently serves over five cities namely New Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad and will launch its services in Bengaluru and Mumbai soon.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uncertainty continues to persist in Maldives, the Indian Ocean Island, as there are high assumptions of not having free and fair Presidential polls scheduled to be held on 23rd of next month.

"The Maldives is slowly relapsing back to a dictatorship", says Medium, a U.S.-based blog host.

"We are back at square one. We have almost lost all our rights: freedom of expression, freedom of assembly. We have lost the good governance structures we so hoped for. We lost the Maldives as a brand of tranquility and peace. But can we still save it and reanimate the nation through a free and fair election?" says the website.

Everything changed when Yameen imposed a state of emergency after the Supreme Court ordered that all political prisoners are to be freed. Had that ruling been followed by the security apparatus, Yameen would have lost his majority in parliament and might have been impeached. But the opposite happened.

It said, "President Yameen considered the Supreme Court's decision a "judicial coup" and declared a 15-day state of emergency. Doing so ordered security forces to storm into the Supreme Court and arrest two of the justices".

The US, Europe, India and other governments worldwide condemned the situation and urged Yameen to follow to the original Supreme Court order. Yameen refused to comply and fired the country's Police Commissioner who said he would follow the court order and also arrested his half-brother Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom.

Known as a tourist destination, Maldives suffered huge economic loss as India and China instructed their citizens to avoid the island and defer non-essential travel. Britain and American came out with travel advisories saying it is "troubled and disappointed" by the situation.

Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, who now lives in exile in Sri Lanka, said they are aware that President Yameen is going to rig the elections. He said, "Well, the people are with us and it is very clear that we are going to win this election. We will have the vote and we are also aware that President Yameen is trying to rig it as much as he can. But when the people come in overwhelming numbers very often there is very little that anyone can do and we are going to win this"

"Yameen has not only damaged the country internally. In his effort to cling on to power he has put the country through irreversible damage in the external sphere too. Tarnishing our good name as a peaceful paradise; labelling the Maldives as a hell of humans rights abuses and injustice," Medium said,

Yameen has been President since 2013. The question still remains.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
For Immediate Release

In the final weeks before the 2017 Rohingya exodus from Myanmar, a new report indicates that the vast majority of Rohingya settlements suffered violence, often extreme, at the hands of Myanmar security forces and civilians. As part of a large-scale and unique research effort to determine the scope, scale, and pattern of these attacks, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) surveyed leaders from 604 Rohingya hamlets in Myanmars Rakhine state encompassing more than 916,000 people, conducted qualitative interviews, and produced forensic evaluations of more than 85 survivors. PHRs findings clearly demonstrate that more robust measures must be taken to bring to justice those responsible for crimes against the Rohingya.

PHRs research points to a widespread and systematic pattern of targeted violence against civilians, including rapes and killings of women, men, and children  violations that must be investigated as crimes against humanity, said Dr. Homer Venters, director of programs at PHR.

More than 88 percent of the Rohingya leaders surveyed by PHR reported incidents of violence directly perpetrated against their hamlets between June and September 2017, which led to a vast array of human rights violations. Some 91 percent of the leaders who reported violence said that villagers had been subjected to blunt force trauma such as beatings, hitting, kicking, punches, or biting, or penetrating injuries using weapons such as machetes, knives, and sticks. These leaders also reported that villagers were shot (55 percent) and that rape and sexual assault (28 percent) and gang rape (nine percent) took place during this period.

PHR is releasing its findings in support of this weeks report by the Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Myanmar, which states that the countrys top military generals should be investigated and prosecuted for crimes against humanity and for genocide in Rakhine state. PHRs research fully supports the findings of the FFM and echoes the call for the UN Security Council to refer the situation of the Rohingya to the International Criminal Court or create an ad hoc tribunal, added Venters.



PHRs findings were also submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, which will debate the FFMs findings and recommendations to address accountability around the Rohingya crisis at its upcoming session in September.



Each forensic examination carried out by PHRs team of doctors was consistent with the Rohingya survivors testimony of the violence they had suffered, said Venters. The village of Chut Pyin, where we carried out an in-depth study, is an emblematic case of how the violence unfolded: Myanmar security forces and Rakhine Buddhist civilians unleashed a brutal attack that destroyed the Rohingya section of Chut Pyin and killed or abducted 400 men, women, and children.



Our findings and the evidence presented by the Fact-Finding Mission and other credible human rights organizations are clear, said Venters. The Rohingya crisis demands an independent, impartial, and effective mechanism that can collect, preserve, and analyze evidence for criminal investigations. This will require a sufficient mandate and resources to tackle this pressing human rights challenge. Those responsible for this unconscionable campaign of violence against the Rohingya must be brought to justice.



Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here.
The Delhi police has arrested a man who has been allegedly cheating nationalised banks in Delhi-NCR since 2013.

Accused identified as Amit Verma, 38, was wanted in eight cases of cheating registered with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and two with the Delhi Police's Economic Offense Wing. So far, he had duped nationalised banks to the tune of Rs. 50 crore.

During a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ram Gopal Naik said, "According to our sources, Amit Verma was arrested from Shakarpur, based on a tip-off. He was wanted in eight cases of cheating registered with the CBI and two with the Delhi Police's Economic Offense Wing. The man has been declared a proclaimed offender and Non-Bailable Warrants (NBW) were issued against him in six cases of the CBI."

Naik further said that Amit was part of a syndicate which had been cheating nationalised banks since 2013. "In this matter, four out of five culprits have already been arrested. Amit and his friends Nitin Arora and his wife Ishita Arora along with Sandeep Khera and Vinod Arora used to prepare forged documents of flats and plots which were already mortgaged with different banks. They used to seek loans with those documents, hence duping the bank," Naik added.

The police further stated that Amit was absconding for the last two years.

Further explaining as to how the cheating plan was executed by the accused and his friends, Naik said, "Amit and his friends took loans from many banks, including Bank of Maharashtra in Noida. Later, when the group did not pay loan installments, bank officials personally visited the site and were shocked to know that other banks too have pasted notices on the same".

Naik further noted that Nitin was arrested in 2015 while his wife Ishita is also in jail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Late Senator John McCain's five-day memorial started in his adopted home state of Arizona on Wednesday (local time).

McCain, who would have turned 82 on this day, is the third person in 40 years to lie in state at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix. Two others, who have lain in state in that building, were Senator Marilyn Jarrett in 2006 and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens in 1980.

While mourners paid their respect to the late senetor, wife Cindy McCain and daughter Meghan McCain were seen breaking down before his casket during the memorial service, reported CNN.

According to CNN, McCain in a farewell letter that he wrote before his death to the people of America, urged the citizens to "believe always in the promise and greatness of America".

"We are citizens of the world's greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil. We are blessed and are a blessing to humanity when we uphold and advance those ideals at home and in the world," the late lawmaker wrote.

"I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world's greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil," he added.

John McCain passed away on August 25 at the age of 81 after a prolonged illness.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Murshidabad police on Wednesday arrested a Bangladeshi and a Jharkhand resident and recovered fake Indian currency notes with the face value of Rs 8.03 lakh from them.

"Raheem Sheikh, who is a resident of Chapai Nawabganj district in Bangladesh and Mijal Sheikh from Jharkhand's Rajmahal city were arrested on Wednesday. We have recovered fake currently of Rs 8.03 lakh from them - 379 notes of Rs 2000 denomination and 90 notes of Rs 500 denomination," Murshidabad Superintendent of Police Shri Mukesh told ANI.

Mukesh added that they are looking forward to have a 10-day remand of both of them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There are no plans for any bilateral talks between External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in New York next month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA).

"A bilateral meeting in not on the table" sources said countering reports of possible Swaraj- Qureshi meeting in New York next month.

The Indian government wants Pakistan to take concrete action against terror before engaging into any talks. India is awaiting action from Pakistan on the recent terror attacks on Pathankot airbase and Army camp in Uri in 2016. Besides, India is also awaiting justice on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. India had asked Pakistan to fast track the trial in the case that is dragging on for the last ten years.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Days before halting the probe into the handling of sexual misconduct allegations of Harvey Weinstein, New York (NY) Governor Andrew Cuomo's campaign received a donation from a law firm which previously represented the disgraced movie mogul.

The firm Manhattan firm Boies Schiller & Flexner donated the money on June 20 following, which the governor called for a six-month suspension of state Attorney General Barbara Underwood's investigation into Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance for deciding not to prosecute Weinstein for a 2015 groping incident, reported Page Six.

The firm defended the contribution as the spokesperson of the firm was quoted by Page Six as saying, "Neither Mr. Boies, nor anyone from his firm, ever discussed Harvey Weinstein or Mr. Vance with Mr. Cuomo, or anyone from his office, at any time. Mr. Boies is a longtime supporter of Mr. Cuomo and his contribution in June was consistent with his contributions to Mr. Cuomo over years past."

"The attorney general's investigation was suspended to avoid situations in which Weinstein's defense attorneys would be able to constantly petition the attorney general's office for information about what they uncovered and undermine a criminal prosecution," said Governor Cuomo's spokesperson.

Earlier this month, Weinstein's attorney has filed a motion to dismiss all the sex crime charges against the Hollywood producer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States President Donald Trump administration's senior official Randall G. Schriver while discussing the upcoming 2+2 dialogue with India said that the strategy would be inclusive and China is welcomed to be a constructive participant in the region.

Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs at the US Defence Department, Randall G. Schriver in conversation with Ashley J. Tellis at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace here, also said that even though China has demonstrated different aspiration for the Indo-Pacific region, it would be appreciated if it comes together and embraces a shared vision.

While talking about Pakistan in context with India, Schriver said that the US giving time to the newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan space to explore a new path forward with India.

He further addressed Afghanistan issue saying, "On Afghanistan, we need Pakistan's help to pressure the Taliban. We have placed constraints on our relationship with Pakistan to incentivize them. We are still evaluating results."

Appreciating the ceasefire decision of Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, he said, "We see signs we can move the political process forward. The results of Ghani's first ceasefire were revealing. Our goals with India are common. This will be an agenda item next week."

While answering about Maldives being a concern to the US, Schriver referred to the issue as simmering and dynamic. He assured that the US has been discussing this with India and it will be one of the agendas in the 2+2.

"This is an issue of concern. We have been discussing it with India. We need to shine a light on what's happening there. This is both a domestic and a broader regional problem. China has no concern about political freedoms there," he said.

Schriver said that the upcoming inaugural 2+2 dialogue, which is slated to be held next month, would advance the bilateral ties between India and the US.

He added that the dialogue would also help to facilitate the strategic partnership between the two nations to the next level.

The 2+2 meeting would cover a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues of shared interest, with a view to strengthen security ties between the two nations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Kathmandu to attend the fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit.

The Prime Minister was welcomed by Nepal's Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel for the summit.

The BIMSTEC summit, which is slated to be held from today to August 31, is the regional group of seven countries which lies near the Bay of Bengal. It includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

According to the sources, Prime Minister Modi is also expected to have a meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit.

Prime Minister Modi will also be handing over the hospice built in the premise of the Pashupatinath in Indian aid to Nepal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left for Nepal to attend the fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit.

He is scheduled to arrive in Nepal at 8:30 am (local time).

The summit will be held from August 30 to August 31. BIMSTEC, the regional group of seven countries which lies near the Bay of Bengal, includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

According to the sources, on the sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to have a meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Prime Minister Modi will be also handing over the hospice built in the premise of the Pashupatinath in Indian aid to Nepal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be arriving in Kathmandu on Thursday for the fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit, by 8

Along with Prime Minister Modi, his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina Wazed will arrive at 9:15 am and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will be arriving Kathmandu at 10:15 am.

"Nepal's only International Airport, the Tribhuwan International Airport will be closed for about two-and-a-half hour for the arrival of the VVIP's for the 4th BIMSTEC Summit," the Air Traffic Controller Room (ATR) of the airport informed. "No flights will land or take off from the airport from 8:30 am (local time)," it added.

State Heads and representatives from Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka already are in Nepali capital Kathmandu.

A four layer security arrangements has been made for the head of the states of BIMSTEC member nations, which comprises Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army and Investigation Department.

The Nepal Army is designated to take on the central charge of the security during the BIMSTEC Summit, but the Indian Prime Minister has opted to bring on security of his own.

"A total of 35 special commandos for the security of Prime Minister Modi already have arrived Kathmandu late last week. They were stationed here to access the security situation and clearance for the Indian Prime Minister's arrival, alongside they also will be stationed in and around the venues he will be present," source inside the Indian Embassy in Nepal informed ANI.

Along with the special security force, three bullet proof cars also have been brought to Nepali Capital Kathmandu last week.

But the head of the state of other member states will be given security by the Nepali Security officials. The organizer Nepal has deployed about 30,000 security officials for the summit.

On the sidelines of BIMSTEC Summit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to have sideline meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the source added.

Prime Minister Modi will be also handing over the hospice built in the premise of the Pashupatinath in Indian aid to Nepal.

The foundation stone to build the hospice in the Pashupatinath Temple premises was laid in 2001 and it will be handed over to Nepali Prime Minister KP Oli on Friday.

The hospice is claimed to have facilities like that of three star hotel and the Indian Government has given assistance of 22 crore Nepali rupees. It can host about 398 pilgrims at a time, which has 82 rooms in total.

The summit would be held from August 30 to August 31. BIMSTEC, the regional group of seven countries which lies near the Bay of Bengal, includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bus ticketing platform redBus on Thursday announced its partnership with Google Maps, to provide inter-city bus transit information for easy and convenient travel.

Under the partnership, customers will be allowed by Google Maps to get all the inter-city bus transit information when they search for information on how to travel between two cities.

"We are always exploring all the possible ways of making the journey of bus travellers seamless and convenient, and this tie-up with Google Maps is a natural step towards organising information in the most meaningful way. We are confident that the practical use of this technology will also facilitate better trip planning resulting in greater convenience to travelers," said senior vice president products, redBus, Krishnan Ramaswami.

redBus has been at the forefront of solving challenges faced by passengers and bus operators in the intercity segment of bus travel in India.

For the last twelve years, redBus has been striving to make the bus journey in India predictable and hassle-free by providing all information that a user would need during booking and travel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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
Legendary Hollywood Producer and Director, Steven Spielberg's 'Schindler's List' is set to return to the silver screen marking its 25th anniversary.

Universal Pictures is set to release a restored version of the movie on December 07, reported Variety.

The film has been restored with the help of 4K, Dolby Cinema, and Dolby Atmos, under the supervision of Spielberg.

'Schindler's List' is the story of a man named Oskar Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, who goes on to save the lives of over 1,100 Jews during the Nazi-imposed Holocaust.

Schindler was a German businessman and an erstwhile member of the Nazis, who rescued Polish-Jewish refugees in order to provide them with employment in his factories.

The film went on to win seven Academy Awards, which included 'best picture' and 'best director' for Spielberg. It also earned a decent $320 million worldwide.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dr Jasper Wieck, Charge d'Affaires of the German Embassy in India on Thursday said that to help clean river Ganga, you need time, money and the right approach.

"Germany can capitalise on the experiences it has made in cleaning the Rhine river and the Danube river. The lessons we learnt from these cleaning activities is that you need time, money and the right approach. The right approach is the holistic integrated approach," he told reporters here.

"You have to take on board all the stakeholders from the government authorities, the local bodies and also representatives of the industry of agriculture and you have to make sure that the individual households are part of this huge endeavour. Indeed, when you talk about the cleaning of Ganga, you talk about a river basin that is home to more than 600 million Indians and you have to take on board all of them," he added.

Wieck said that the cleaning of Ganga can be a success only if we come up with a holistic approach and efforts.

"It has a lot to do with behavioural changes, how we use water and how we reduce the amount of wastewater and how we avoid the toxification and reduce the toxicities of our wastewater. Only if we are coming up with a holistic approach and efforts then we have a reason to believe it will become a success," he said.

According to Wieck, it took Germany 30 years and 45 billion euros to clean the Rhine river which is half Ganga's length.

He said, "We can only use our experience, it took us 30 years and 45 billion euros to clean Rhine river. Length of Ganga is double its length, so this can give you an essence about problems India is facing in cleaning Ganga."

Earlier today, Union Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Nitin Gadkari said that he is hopeful that by March 2020, river Ganga will be completely clean considering the pace at which its rejuvenation programme was in progress.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Zodiac-JRD-MKJ Ltd, ITI Ltd, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd and Williamson Magor & Company Ltd are among the other gainers in the BSE's 'B' group today, 30 August 2018.

Zodiac-JRD-MKJ Ltd, ITI Ltd, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd and Williamson Magor & Company Ltd are among the other gainers in the BSE's 'B' group today, 30 August 2018.

Hindusthan National Glass & Industries Ltd soared 19.96% to Rs 126.8 at 12:02 IST. The stock was the biggest gainer in the BSE's 'B' group. On the BSE, 83458 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 3235 shares in the past one month.

Zodiac-JRD-MKJ Ltd surged 18.58% to Rs 63.5. The stock was the second biggest gainer in 'B' group. On the BSE, 54796 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1314 shares in the past one month.

ITI Ltd spiked 13.10% to Rs 105.35. The stock was the third biggest gainer in 'B' group. On the BSE, 6.39 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1.36 lakh shares in the past one month.

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd gained 11.07% to Rs 16.55. The stock was the fourth biggest gainer in 'B' group. On the BSE, 8.96 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 1.32 lakh shares in the past one month.

Williamson Magor & Company Ltd exploded 10.96% to Rs 84.55. The stock was the fifth biggest gainer in 'B' group. On the BSE, 1.7 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 5323 shares in the past one month.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Larsen & Toubro has delivered the Offshore Patrol Vessel ICGS Vijaya (OPV-2) to the Indian Coast Guard on 30 August 2018, ahead of schedule.

The 2,160-ton vessel is second in the series of seven OPVs being designed and constructed by LEtT under a March 2015 Ministry of Defence contract.

The first vessel of the series ICGS Vikram was handed over on April 11 this year, as a curtain raiser for DEFEXPO-2018.

The delivery of ICGS Vijaya comes close on the heels of the launch of OPV-3 on August 28 at the LEtT Kattupalli shipyard. The work is simultaneously in progress on the OPVs 4, 5 Et 6, that are at different stages of completion.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
LKP Finance has received Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approval for proposed sale of up to 62% equity shareholding to Dakshin Mercantile, an Essel Group company and change in its management structure.

Earlier, Dakshin Mercantile and the Company had entered into a definitive agreement on 14 May 2018, under which Dakshin Mercantile agreed to acquire majority equity shareholding in the Company.

After the RBI approval Dakshin Mercantile would now make an open offer to acquire a minimum 26% equity shares from public shareholders in accordance with SEBI and other applicable regulations.

The LKP Finance Chairman, Mahendra Doshi, in the Company's Board meeting held on 30 August 2018 updated the Board on the future plans of the Company - alignment with Essel Finance, possibility of funds infusion into Essel Finance companies post alignment, change of name and registered office post completion of the acquisition. The Chain man further informed the Board that Essel Finance of the Essel Group has exposure to various financial services business such as mutual fund, foreign exchange, housing finance, NBFC etc. and now wish to consolidate its financial services under the newly acquired Company over a period of time and convert the same to CIC (Core Investment 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 stock is quoting at Rs 606.65, up 2.1% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. Tata Steel Ltd is down 0.21% in last one year as compared to a 17.72% jump in NIFTY and a 5.66% jump in the Nifty Metal.

Tata Steel Ltd is up for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 606.65, up 2.1% on the day as on 12:44 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.14% on the day, quoting at 11674.95. The Sensex is at 38690.9, down 0.08%. Tata Steel Ltd has gained around 7.74% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Metal index of which Tata Steel Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 10.08% in last one month and is currently quoting at 3634.3, up 1.02% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 68.75 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 85.47 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark August futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 607.5, up 2.25% on the day. Tata Steel Ltd is down 0.21% in last one year as compared to a 17.72% jump in NIFTY and a 5.66% jump in the Nifty Metal index.

The PE of the stock is 8.58 based on TTM earnings ending June 18.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over 600 businessmen are expected to participate in the second annual "Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan International Trade and Investment Show' in Mumbai from September 12-15, officials said here on Thursday.

Organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the governments of India and Afghanistan, the show will attract businesses from Afghanistan's textiles, carpets, gems and jewellery sectors.

It will also provide an opportunity for businesses to develop partnerships, identify investment opportunities and engage in business relations in a wide range of sectors.

"Kabul and New Delhi share trade ties that span generations. However, Mumbai is less familiar to Afghan businesses and vice versa. By bringing 'Passage to Prosperity' to Mumbai this year, we hope to link Kabul to Mumbai and the rest of the world," US Consul General in Mumbai Edgard Kagan said.

Afghanistan's Ambassador to India, Shaida Mohammad Abdali, said that with USAID support, his country has been able to re-establish trade and export systems.

"Air cargo for Afghan exports is speedy and cost-effective compared with road transport. By 2020, the India-Afghanistan trade is expected to touch more than $2 billion and 'Passage to Prosperity' will further advance trade integration," Abdali said.

During the event in 2017 in New Delhi, Indian and Afghan businessmen signed contracts totalling over $27 million for raw and processed agricultural products, besides MoUs totalling $214 million, he said.

USAID India Deputy Director Ramona El Hamzaoui said: "Deals and connections that result from this trade show will have long-term impact on both Afghanistan and India. USAID is connecting the right people to make this a reality."

--IANS

qn/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least seven Taliban militants were killed and five injured in a clash with security forces in Afghanistan's Maiwand district, police said on Thursday.

The clash, which took place late on Wednesday, flared-up after the militants stormed some security checkpoints and in a counter-offensive the government forces began targeting the militants from the ground and air, Xinhua news agency quoted Deputy to Provincial Police Chief Abdul Bashir Khaksar as saying.

He added that the government forces would continue to target the militants elsewhere in Kandahar province.

The Taliban are yet to comment on the report.

--IANS

mag/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eight people were killed and about 30 others injured on Thursday in an accident nearly 300 km east from here, police said.

The cause of the accident is being investigated. The bus was going from Cape Town toward Beaufort West.

The death toll may rise as passengers still lay trapped under the wreckage, Kenny Africa, traffic chief of the Western Cape Province, said.

Emergency and rescue workers were on the scene outside Beaufort West, a small township, while transportation officials were re-directing traffic from the crash site.

Traffic accidents are a daily phenomenon in South Africa, particularly during holidays, with more than 700,000 crashes a year on average, and three children dying every day due to road accidents, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation.

--IANS

anp/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vijender Gupta, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, on Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government of renaming the Central government's health insurance Scheme, though the city government refused the charge.

"With just three weeks for rollout of the Central government's Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyan on September 25, the AAP government is trying to put obstacles in its implementation," Gupta said.

"With the motive of taking full political credit for the centrally-sponsored scheme, it (Delhi government) wants the name of the scheme to be Mukhya Mantri Aam Aadmi Swasthaya Beema Yojna - Ayushman Bharat," he said.

The Leader of Opposition also said that "the negative and narrow-minded attitude of AAP makes it put party above the welfare of poor".

However, sources in the Delhi government rejected any such demand.

"Talks are going on with the Centre, but we are not pressing for any such demand like name change," an AAP leader told IANS.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech had announced that the healthcare initiative to give medical insurance cover to 50 crore Indians will roll out from September 25, the 102nd birth anniversary of Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Deendayal Upadhyay.

--IANS

nks/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India on Thursday signed a $375 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for expanding irrigation networks and system efficiency in Madhya Pradesh.

"The project will support the efforts of government of Madhya Pradesh for irrigation expansion and modernisation plan by maximising irrigation efficiency and water productivity," Economic Affairs Joint Secretary Sameer Kumar Khare said.

As per the government, Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project will develop 125,000 hectares of new, highly efficient and climate resilient irrigation networks and improve water use efficiency in more than 400 villages, benefiting over 800,000 people in the state.

Deputy Country Director of ADB's India Resident Mission Sabyasachi Mitra said the funds will be used to develop a large-scale pressurised and automated irrigation system for boosting irrigation efficiency.

"The project will support institutional innovations through introduction of a design-build-operate contracting approach," Mitra said.

--IANS

vv/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India on Thursday signed a $346 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance improvement of over 400 km of state highways that will enhance connectivity and access to economic centres across 12 districts in Karnataka.

This would be in addition to an ongoing road improvement project financed by the ADB with a loan of $315 million which involves upgradation of about 615 km of state roads.

Country Director of ADB's lndia Resident Mission Kenichi Yokoyama said the new loan will continue ADB support to the Karnataka government's statewide road improvement programme, and will also help improve road safety.

Economic Affairs Joint Secretary Sameer Kumar Khare, who signed the agreement on behalf of India, said that state highways provide a crucial link to population and economic centres.

He said that support to the development of the state highway network in Karnataka through this project will promote economic activities and foster inclusiveness.

--IANS

vv/pgh/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Volunteers working for over a week have cleaned an ashram dedicated to Adi Shankara near here after Kerala's devastating floods left it covered with mud, filth and debris.

Activists from the Haridwar-based Gayatri Pariwar were involved in the cleaning operation at Kalady, considered the birthplace of Adi Shankara, close to the Cochin airport, which itself was flooded.

Gayatri Pariwar, a spiritual group, was also involved in providing relief and cleaning homes in other parts of Kerala, its head Pranav Pandya said in a statement.

--IANS

mr/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Aayush Sharma, who is making his Hindi film debut with "Loveratri", says he always wanted to start his movie career with the romantic genre.

Aayush spoke to the media here when he visited K.C. College to promote the movie along with his co-star Warina Hussain here on Wednesday.

Asked whether the romance or action genre excites him more as an actor, he said: "For now, being a part of romantic films excites me. I always wanted to start off as a romantic actor.

"When I was growing up, I used to see actors going on mountains and doing romantic songs. I always wanted to do that but slowly, I would love to venture into action as well."

Talking about audience response to film's trailer and songs, Aayush said: "It feels really nice when you get so much love and support from the audience in your first film itself.

"It boosts our energy and it increases our confidence to do better. Our film's songs and trailer have received a positive response from the audience. So, we are feeling nervous and excited to see how audience reacts to film when it releases in theatres."

He believes survival in Bollywood is tough.

"Sometimes it gets easy to be a part of good film and to work with good co-actors and director. There are lot of factors that determines the success of a film, but I think your consistency ultimately decides whether you are going to stay there for a longer period or not," said Aayush, who is the brother-in-law of superstar Salman Khan.

Aayush admits that without Salman's support, his entry into films would have taken a very long time.

"I never thought I could become an actor because it is very difficult to get a platform like 'Loveratri', and I didn't plan to become an actor. I never had any film contacts and I didn't even knew what is the right path to get into films.

"There are lots of talented actors out there who are struggling for a very long time, but they might not get an opportunity to work in a film like 'Loveratri'. So, if in my case, if I wasn't launched by Salman bhai, then it would have taken a long time for me to work in films.

"I just feel very lucky to be part of 'Loveratri' and showcase my talent to the audience."

The film is a musical romantic drama produced by Salman Khan Films and directed by debutante Abhiraj Minawala. It is releasing on October 5.

--IANS

iv/rb/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Arjun Kapoor learnt sign language for a specially abled fan.

A fan named Karen Grewal from Chicago sent a message to Arjun. It read: "I am deaf and use American sign language. I am a fan of Arjun Kapoor. I need your help. Whenever I see Arjun Live on Instagram or on his stories when he speaks, I cannot understand. Can you have him create English subtitles so I can read?".

Arjun then took to Twitter, where he shared a minute-long video, where he is seen using hand gestures to convey his message to the fan.

"Hi Karen, I hope you are doing well. Thank you for your love. I will always try to entertain you, wish you all the success and love, hope to see you soon. Love."

The 32-year-old actor captioned the video: "We actors are blessed in more ways than we realise but more so because we have wonderful fans. As much as my fan clubs and fans do not believe it, I am aware and keep track of everything that happens, what they mail me, send me, message me, tweet to me or Instagram post for me."

On the acting front, Arjun is currently busy shooting for "India's Most Wanted".

Arjun plays an intelligence officer in the film, which will be shot in Nepal and Delhi. The film will be about finding and arresting a terrorist during a secret mission.

--IANS

dc/rb/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Five armed men on Thursday looted jewellery and cash valued at Rs 50 lakh from a businessman at gunpoint after they barged into his showroom 'Kanishk Jewellers' at east Delhi, police said.

The incident happened around 12.30 p.m. when the accused parked their car near the Kanishk Jewellers showroom and barged into it, police said.

"The unidentified persons took out pistols and held hostage all the employees, including showroom owner Vijay and his wife Priyanka. They took away jewellery and cash valued at Rs 50 lakh with them. They also took the DVR of CCTV camera before escaping," Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Kumar Singh said.

"We are investigating the case and are scanning the footage of nearby shops to identify the culprits. We have suspected that the crime was executed in a planned manner," the DCP said.

--IANS

sp/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan National Students Union of India (NSUI) president Abhimanyu Puniya and his associate Ranveer Singhania were injured late on Wednesday when a dozen unidentified men attacked them on the Rajasthan University campus, police said.

Singhania is a candidate for the university polls due in the state on Aug 31.

The two were rushed to SMS Hospital where Singhaniya got eight stitches in his head. Puniya was also treated for multiple injuries, hospital sources said.

The two, however, returned to the university gate on Thursday and staged a dharna against the working of the university administration and the state government.

Ranveer told media that the attack took place despite the presence of police force. "This shows it was a coordinated plan at the behest of the state government," he alleged.

The police said the two were on their way to the hostel on Wednesday night after discussions on student union polls.

Rajasthan university polls are due on Aug 31, except in Jodhpur where elections will be held on September 10 in the wake of Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra being taken out by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

A case has been registered against the miscreants and hunt is on to nab them, police said.

Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot condemned the incident. "There is no place for violence in Hope the accused shall be arrested soon. I wish for early recovery of Ranveer and Abhimanyu," he tweeted.

--IANS

arc/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Claiming that the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were fast losing popularity, writer-activist Arundhati Roy on Thursday said that attempts will be made to "derail everything with some surprise attack" ahead of the 2019 general elections.

"There will be ruthless and continuous attempts to divert attention from the reasons for this loss of popularity, and to fracture the growing solidarity of the opposition. It will be a continuous circus from now on till the elections -- arrests, lynchings, bomb attacks, false flag attacks, riots," she said at a press conference here.

Roy along with rights activist Aruna Roy and lawyer Prashant Bhushan and others held a press conference at the Press Club here to express their views on the arrest of rights activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Fereira and P. Varavara Rao on Tuesday, which had triggered a massive outcry.

She alleged that small businesses, traders and the poor had suffered enormously while companies close to the BJP had multiplied their wealth several times over since the NDA government came to power in 2014.

"Businessmen like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi have been allowed to decamp with thousands of crores of public money while the government looked the other way. What kind of accountability can we expect for all this? Zero," Roy said.

The writer said the Tuesday arrest of rights activists is "illegal".

"The arrest of these people serves to cut whole populations of vulnerable people off from any hope of justice or representation. Because these persons were their representatives. They remain in custody, charged under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Fortunately, they are still alive, unlike Ishrat Jahan, Sohrabuddin and Kauser Bi.

"The vulnerable people are being cordoned off and silenced. The vociferous are being incarcerated. God help us get our country back," she said.

--IANS

ss/tsb

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison departed on his first official overseas visit to Indonesia on Thursday to finalise a free-trade agreement (FTA) between the two nations.

The deal which comes after eight years of negotiations will help both nations collaborate on education, agriculture besides forging economic, security and strategic partnership, Xinhua news agency reported.

Morrison will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday where the FTA negotiations will be concluded and the comprehensive strategic partnership will be signed.

Although the deal will not be formally signed immediately, Morrison welcomed the development.

It will allow Australian universities to own a stake in Indonesian institutions and also impact the agriculture sector Down Under, which exports around 50 per cent of its wheat to the Asian nation, followed by cotton, live animals, sugar and beef.

When inked, the Indonesia FTA will be the fourth Asian trade pact with the current Australian regime following those with China, South Korea and Japan.

--IANS

in/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A headless body of a bank employee with chopped body parts has been recovered from Domjur of West Bengal's Howrah district, police said on Thursday.

"Locals informed about a suspicious sack which was inspected and a chopped body was recovered. The bank officials had also reported that their employee Partha Chakraborty (26) was missing after collecting Rs 3 lakh. They identified the body from Chakraborty's shirt," a police officer said.

Chakraborty was a resident of Chakdaha in Nadia district who stayed in Domjur for work.

The police said the money collected by the victim was not recovered.

There also seems to be an attempt to erase all identification marks, for which his hands, legs and a birthmark were removed, they added.

"Given the brutality, we are looking at all possible angles and further investigations will make things clear. His mobile is missing which can give us some leads," said the officer.

Lamenting the brutal murder of Chakraborty, his uncle said: "The way he has been murdered it seems that someone knew about his whereabouts and someone close is involved."

--IANS

bnd/bdc/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Banks will largely remain open in the first week of September and there will be no impact on the functioning of ATMs, contrary to social media buzz that claimed banks across India will be closed for six days during the week.

"The message going around in the social media that banks will be closed for six days in the first week of September due to holidays and bank strike is not correct," National Organization of Bank Workers Vice President Ashwani Rana told IANS.

The WhatsApp message on bank holidays, which went viral, claimed that banks would remain closed from September 2 to 5 and then from September 8 to 9 for the weekend, a total of six days in the first week of September.

It said the week was starting with Janmashtami on Monday, September 3, and then the banks would go on strike for demands related to pension.

It, however, turns out that the call for strike by employees of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on September 4-5 (Tuesday and Wednesday) has been misunderstood as a strike by all bank employees.

"It's only the RBI employees who are going on mass casual leave on September 4-5 for demands related to to Provident Fund and pension. This will not have much impact on the day-to-day operations of the other public and private sector banks," Rana said.

Though the banks in Delhi and Mumbai will remain open on Monday September 3, the day of Janmashtami, banks in some states would be shut. September 8 is, however, the second Saturday and thus a holiday.

"Monday, September 3, is not a pan-India holiday for banks. Banks in some states will remain closed as per the Negotiable Instruments Act. This, however, will not impact the online banking transactions nor it will affect the operation of ATMs," said an HDFC Bank official.

Of the 31 regional and sub-offices of the RBI across the country, 16 will remain closed on September 3 on the occasion of Janmashtami, as per its website.

--IANS

mgu/anp/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A West Bengal-based minority organisation on Thursday took out a rally in the city protesting against the publication of National Register of Citizens in Assam, accusing the BJP government in that state of deliberately excluding the name of Muslims from the draft.

The agitators also accused the Assam government of discriminating against the Bengali-speaking people there in a bid to drive them out from the state. It demanded immediate withdrawal of the NRC exercise.

"The Assam NRC is a ploy of the BJP to take away the citizenship of the Muslims, in spite of them being Indian citizens. BJP knows that they won't get any votes from them so they are trying to take away their rights. We want this NRC (exercise) to be withdrawn," said Mohammad Kamruzzaman, secretary of the West Bengal Minority Youth Federation.

Reiterating the claims of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Kamaruzzuman said the documentation process of NRC is impractical.

--IANS

mgr/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Korean police on Thursday raided the headquarters of BMW as part of an investigation into whether the German carmaker covered up defects that had led to a series of engine fires.

A team of 30 officers was sent to search the headquarters, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Over 40 BMWs caught fire in South Korea earlier this year, prompting customers to file a complaint to police and seek a criminal investigation into BMW and nine top officials.

The South Korean Transport Ministry also launched a probe and told the German carmaker on August 15 to start recalling a total of 1,06,000 cars for an obligatory safety inspection.

Over 40 BMW models, all with diesel engines and built between March 2011 and November 2016, are affected.

BMW Korea chief Kim Hyo Joon had apologized for the fires, blaming the problem on a defect in the vehicles' exhaust gas recirculation cooler.

"We will conduct a thorough investigation to reveal the truth," police said on Thursday after confiscating documents and other materials on the ground.

In South Korea, six out of 10 imported cars are from Germany, with BMW selling nearly 39,000 vehicles in the first six months of this year, according to the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association.

--IANS

anp/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed anguish over the Centre's failure to provide details about the criminal cases pending against lawmakers and politicians in various courts across the country.

A bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice K.M. Joseph said the "Union of India is unprepared" as it had not given the information sought by the court.

"The government is compelling us to pass certain orders which we do not want to at this stage. The Union of India is unprepared. We express our anguish," said the bench.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing after one week.

The affidavit filed by the government did not have any specific details regarding the number of cases pending in each fast-track courts already set up.

In the affidavit, a top official of the Law and Justice Ministry stated: "This department is regularly taking up the matter with the authorities concerned for furnishing the information regarding the cases transferred/ disposed/ pending in the said courts."

The affidavit only furnished a chart of communications and not contained the number of cases pending against the lawmakers and politicians.

The court was hearing a PIL by an advocate and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ashwani Kumar Upadhyay seeking lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers and setting up of special courts for trying lawmakers accused of criminal offences.

On the last date of hearing on August 21, the bench had directed the Centre to file a status report by August 28 about the number of cases pending before the already set up special courts.

On November 1, 2017, the top court had directed the Centre to set up special fast-track courts to exclusively try lawmakers and politicians facing criminal cases, so that the trial in such cases is expedited and completed in one year.

The court had also sought the status of trial in 1,581 cases involving elected representatives and the outcomes where the trials have been concluded.

It had sought details on how many of these have ended in acquittal or conviction of MPs and MLAs, as the case may be, while also calling for details of the fresh criminal cases filed since 2014 involving politicians and sitting lawmakers, their stage of trial and the outcome if the trial has concluded.

--IANS

gt/in/sed/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asking public and private insurance companies to quickly settle claims filed by the flood-affected in Kerala, Union Minister of State for Finance Pon Radhakrishnan has said that the Centre will consider the state's demand to raise its borrowing limit.

"... the demand of Kerala for enhancing (its borrowing limit) from 3 per cent to 4.5 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) will be looked into by the Central government," he said at a State-Level Bankers' Committee meet here on Wednesday.

The Minister, on a visit to flood-ravaged Kerala to review relief and rehabilitation measures taken by banks and insurance companies, said that the Centre would provide all necessary assistance to Kerala.

"All public and private insurance companies have been instructed to quickly process and expedite settlement of all claims arising out of floods," he said.

With the allocation of Rs 214 crore this fiscal, the state government has a total of Rs 562.45 crore in the State Disaster Response Fund at its disposal, he added.

The Minister said that further fund requirement will be decided after a memorandum on losses is submitted by the state. The Kerala government has said that it is preparing a new report.

"Based on the memorandum, the Centre will send a team to study the situation before taking a decision on the matter," Radhakrishnan said.

Nearly 191 bank branches and 179 ATMs were made functional, and steps are being taken to make the remaining functional as early as possible, he said.

To give relief to the people, the Minister said, the government has waived charges for services like issuance of duplicate passbooks, deposit receipts and charges for not maintaining minimum balance.

Soiled and defective notes will be exchanged at all bank branches. He pointed out that the government has also extended fresh consumption loans of up to Rs 10,000 on need basis and a moratorium on agricultural and MSME loans for one year in Kerala.

The Centre has given all possible assistance to Kerala under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direction and has provided required food grains and medicines, Radhakrishnan said.

The Centre is totally sympathetic to Kerala and the Prime Minister has asked the Ministries concerned to consider the state's demands, he added.

--IANS

mgu/tsb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A three-year-old child was critically injured in West Bengal's Malda district as violent political clashes over the formation of Panchayat boards continued on Thursday.

According to Trinamool Congress supporters, Putul Mondal, who was elected as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) panchayat member, had supported the Trinamool Congress nominees during the panchayat board formation earlier this week.

They alleged that BJP activists attacked her house at Manikchak to seek revenge. Her family members escaped, except for the child who sustained a bullet injury in his head.

"The child, Mrinal Modal, was admitted to the Malda Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition. Investigation is on whether it was a political clash or not," an officer of Manikchak police station said.

BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha, however, alleged the violence was started by the ruling Trinamool Congress.

"We neither have arms, nor are we involved in any kind of violence. One candidate was abducted and forced to vote for Trinammol," Sinha said

Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee, on the other hand, alleged that the CPI(M), the BJP and the Congress had joined hands to indulge in violence during boards' formation.

"These political parties have been sent to political oblivion by the people. Now, they have resorted to violence. Their of killing and violence will not yield any results," he said.

Three persons were killed and at least 15 injured in armed clashes between groups allegedly belonging to the TMC and the Communist Party of India-Marxist in North 24 Parganas district's Amdanga block late on Tuesday night.

--IANS

bdc/tsb

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China on Thursday claimed that the United States is trying to distort the reality after the US president Donald Trump accused Beijing of hampering the progress of North Korea's denuclearization.

Trump on Wednesday said that progress had been made with North Korea despite their stalled bilateral talks, for which he blamed China and the trade dispute between Washington and Beijing.

"A lot of people, like me, feel that the US is first in the world when it comes to twisting the truth, and irresponsible and absurd logic," Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press briefing in Beijing, Efe reported .

"It should look at itself instead of shifting blame," she added.

Trump has repeatedly accused China of using its influence on North Korea to hinder the rapprochement process he has undertaken with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in retaliation for the tariffs Washington has imposed on Beijing, which have sparked a trade war between the world's two largest economies.

Last week, Trump cancelled an upcoming visit by a US delegation to Pyongyang after blaming Beijing for the lack of progress in talks.

In recent weeks, the dialogue between North Korea and the US on Pyongyang's denuclearization has stalled after early optimism following Trump's bilateral summit with Kim in Singapore in June.

--IANS

anp/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China and India are in touch for a new version of a 12-year-old MoU on defence and setting up a hotline between their Defence ministries, Beijing said on Thursday.

The Chinese Defence Ministry said that during its Defence Minister Wei Fenghe's four-day India visit, both sides discussed in detail to implement the points agreed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at their Wuhan meet in April.

"In 2006, India and China signed an MoU on defence exchanges and cooperation. The Indian side conveyed its willingness to sign a new version of the MoU. China holds a positive attitude towards it and the two sides are in communication with each other," Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Wu Qian said.

The pact was signed to have bilateral exchanges between the officials of the Defence ministries and organise an annual defence dialogue and holding joint military exchanges among others.

"They specifically talked about setting up an exchange mechanism for visits between the two Defence ministries, set up a direct confidential phone line between the two Defence ministries, strengthening exchanges at all levels including Defence authorities, theatre commands and different services.

"They also talked about setting up a hotline on border issues between adjacent military commands. They also talked about how to better play the role of defence and security consultations mechanism and the meeting mechanism between the working delegations of the Defence ministries," Wu said.

India and China almost came to a showdown when their militaries faced off each other at Doklam near their border last year. The stand-off lasted for 73 day days.

Both countries want to set up a hotline between them to avert the Doklam-like crisis. Asked what is delaying the hotline, he said the details were being worked out.

--IANS

gsh/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Choked road traffic conditions in three mega cities prompted global ride-hailing platform Uber to select India among the first five shortlisted finalist countries which could be home to an international Uber Air City within the next five years.

After evaluating countries across the globe, Uber Elevate -- the ride-hailing platform's aerial taxi arm -- announced Japan, India, Australia, Brazil and France as shortlisted countries during the first "Uber Elevate Asia Pacific Expo" in Tokyo here.

Uber will choose one of the cities from these 5 shortlisted countries as its third launch city after Dallas and Los Angeles in the US -- for its air mobility project.

"Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru are some of the most congested cities in the world, where travelling even a few kilometres can take over an hour. Uber Air offers tremendous potential to help create a transportation option that goes over congestion, instead of adding to it," the company said in a statement.

The Uber Elevate team has invited conversations with stakeholders across major cities in these countries and will announce the chosen Uber International Air City within the next six months.

It has established a criteria framework to select the third city, anchored around three priority principles: sizable market, local commitment and enabling conditions.

Dallas and Los Angeles were announced as the first two US launch cities at the second annual Uber Elevate Summit in May, where the company announced it was seeking an international city as a third partner.

"We are proud to host the first ever Uber Elevate Asia Pacific Expo. We are announcing a shortlist of five countries where Uber Air can immediately transform transportation and take our technology to new heights," said Eric Allison, Head of Uber Aviation Programmes.

Tokyo and Osaka in Japan were shortlisted for having one of the world's most enviable public transit systems while Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru in India were chosen for being some of the most congested cities in the world.

In Australia, Uber Elevate has had several positive conversations with local policymakers and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority in our recent visit to Sydney and Melbourne, said the company.

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are key ridesharing markets globally and also happen to be some of today's most active helicopter markets.

In France, "we were excited to announce the opening of our Advanced Technology Centre in Paris, the city where Uber was first born, and we're looking forward to further discussions in a region with a rich aviation history," Uber said.

In the next five years, Uber customers in the launch cities will be able to push a button and get a flight on demand.

To enable this, Uber has assembled a network of partners that includes vehicle manufacturers, real estate developers, technology developers and more.

Uber Elevate also announced plans to experiment with drone delivery for Uber Eats, and demonstrated how potential Uber Air routes in Asia Pacific cities could benefit local transportation systems.

--IANS

na/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Mumbai Congress on Thursday demanded that the iconic RK Studios in Chembur, founded by legendary Bollywood actor Raj Kapoor, should be converted into a film museum for posterity.

In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam said the government should acquire the massive studio which was gutted in a fire and has now been put up for sale by the Kapoor family.

"For the Kapoor family, this will surely be more of an emotional loss than a financial one. Over the past few decades, the people of Mumbai too have developed an emotional bond with the studio," Nirupam wrote.

He suggested to Fadnavis that rather than some private buyer, the government should acquire the property at the prevailing market rates sought by the Kapoor family and the government can later convert it into a full-fledged museum.

"This will serve the dual purpose of preserving an important part of our nation's cinematic history, culture and heritage while generating revenues for the government," Nirupam pointed out.

He listed the names of the some of the greatest films of all times which were shot in the RK Studios during its 70-year history and said the government must initiate steps to preserve the tremendous historical and sentimental value attached to it.

Located in a shady corner of Chembur, a north-eastern suburb of Mumbai, the studio was founded by 'The Showman' Raj Kapoor in 1948.

Ironically, the first film shot there was RK FIlms' "Aag". Seventy years later, a fire consumed the premises on September 16, 2017, spelling doom for the studio.

Over the years, some of the most memorable films were made there under the RK Films banner like "Barsaat", "Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hain", "Awaara", "Shri 420", "Boot Polish", "Jagte Raho", "Mera Naam Joker", "Ram Teri Ganga Maili", "Satyam Shivam Sundaram", till Raj Kapoor's death in 1988.

Unlike most other studios in Mumbai, the RK Studios managed to preserve all the costumes used in its films shot here during its more than six decades of heydays.

After the fire last year, the Kapoor family has cited financial crunch to restore and revive the studio to make it a viable entity and announced its sale recently, signaling the curtains down for RK Studios.

--IANS

qn/rb/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered the Commissioner of Chennai Corporation to transfer all the officials in the vigilance cell within four weeks.

The court said the Director General of Police (DGP) shall depute a team of honest officials to be posted in the corporation's vigilance cell so that it performs well.

The court also ordered setting up of vigilance booths at the Chennai Corporation offices for the public to lodge complaints. These offices must be connected with closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and monitored by the Corporation Commissioner.

The order was passed by the court while hearing a case filed by a woman urging the Corporation to remove a generator placed on its land by a private party outside her house here.

--IANS

vj/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday adjourned to September 14 the hearing on a habeas corpus plea filed with regard to rights activist-journalist Gautam Navlakha.

A bench of Justices S. Muralidhar and Vinod Goel deferred the hearing after observing that the Supreme Court had on Wednesday stayed the transit remand and ordered for the house arrest till September 6 of Navlakha and four other rights activists arrested on Tuesday.

The habeas corpus petition was filed by Navlakha's counsel Nitya Ramakrishnan and Warisha Farasat.

For the second time in five months, the Pune police on Tuesday raided alleged Maoist sympathisers across the country and arrested five of them.

The raids were carried out in Maharashtra, Goa, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Haryana in connection with the Elgar Conference in Pune on December 31, 2017, and caste riots in Bhima-Koregaon the next day.

--IANS

akk/tsb/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi government on Thursday announced that the residents of Delhi will get preference at the Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital from September 15.

Under the pilot project -- aimed to reduce the waiting time for Delhi patients -- out of the 17 registration counters in the hospital, 13 would be for the residents of Delhi, while four would be meant for people from outside Delhi.

The proposal got government's nod in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Residents of Delhi would get preference at the registration counters, inpatient care (IPD), tests and medicine counters.

"The identification of the residents of Delhi would be done on the basis of voter ID card, while minors would have to present the voter cards of their parents," said a statement from the government.

The registration cards would be colour-coded to differentiate between the residents of Delhi and patients from outside Delhi, it said.

"Free medicine would be available only to the residents of Delhi with valid voter card. Big tests will also be available to only the residents of Delhi," it added.

In the IPD, 80 per cent beds would be for the residents of Delhi, while 20 per cent would be for the patients from outside Delhi, it said.

However, emergency services at the hospitals would be free and available to all patients visiting the hospital.

Simple tests like blood test, X-ray etc would be free for both residents of Delhi and patients from outside Delhi.

--IANS

nks/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday said cases of leptospirosis, acute diarrhea and dengue are rising in flood-hit Kerala and that the Centre is closely monitoring the situation.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda along with other ministry officials reviewed flood relief measures and said the Centre is coordinating with the state.

According to the ministry, the Centre will be sending 30 specialist doctors, 20 general duty medical officers and 40 Malayalam-speaking nurses who will be arriving in Kerala on Friday.

"Also, 12 public health teams, each comprising one public health specialist, a microbiologist and one entomologist are being deployed to assist the state health department in various public health measures," it said.

The Centre has so far supplied 73 MT of essential emergency drugs. "As per the additional request received from Kerala, 58 items of essential drugs/consumables weighing about 120 MT, and 40 ultra low volume (ULV) fogging machines are also being sent to the state," the Ministry said.

--IANS

som/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arrangements have been made for election in 102 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Karnataka on Friday, said a poll official on Thursday.

"All arrangements, including security, have been made for polling in 102 ULBs on Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.," State Election Commissioner P.N. Srinivasulu said here.

About 40,000 security personnel have been deployed in cities and towns where the civic polls are being held.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used in the civic poll.

Counting of votes will be taken up on September 3 and most of the results are expected by night or early Tuesday.

Though the civic election was earlier scheduled to be held in 105 ULBs, it has been postponed in three of them -- Somwarpet, Virajpet and Kushalnagar -- due to heavy rains and flash floods early this month in their Kodagu district, about 270km from here.

"Election in these three towns will be held after normalcy returns to the district," said the commissioner.

Polling will be held in 2,529 wards spread over 29 city municipalities, 53 town municipalities and 23 town panchayats and in 135 wards of the three city corporations.

In all, 8,340 candidates, including 2,306 from the Congress, 2,203 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 1,397 from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) are in the fray for the ULBs, while 814 are contesting in the city corporations, including 135 from Congress, 130 from BJP and 129 from JD-S.

The state government has declared holiday for offices, schools and colleges.

A total of 36-lakh voters are registered for exercising their franchise in the ULB wards and 13.33 lakh in the three towns of Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru.

In the 2013 ULB elections held in 4,976 seats, the Congress had won 1,960 seats, while BJP and JD-S had won 905 each, while independents bagged the remaining 1,206 seats.

Though the JD-S and the Congress formed a coalition government after the May 12 assembly election threw up a hung House due to a split verdict, the ruling alliance partners are contesting against each other in the ULBs separately.

The BJP, which won 104 seats in the 224-member assembly, is contesting against the alliance. The Congress won 80 seats and JD-S 36 seats in the assembly poll.

Elections to about 100 other local bodies, including Bengaluru, will be held after they complete their present term.

--IANS

bha/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four persons have been killed and a dozen others injured in an accident in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut city, police said on Thursday.

The accident happened around midnight at the Sharda road near Begumpul. A mini-truck first ran over a pedestrian and then hit two other vehicles at high speed.

A canter laden with meat supply was also hit and in its turn it hit another tempo killing three on board.

Irate mob blocked traffic on the busy Delhi road for over two hours.

The district administration announced Rs 5 lakh each for the families of those killed and Rs 2 lakh each for those injured.

The mini truck driver is on the run, an official said. The deceased were yet to be identified.

--IANS

md/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.)
Germany has launched a probe into who leaked the arrest warrant for an Iraqi murder suspect to far-right groups in Saxony's eastern city of Chemnitz, an official said.

The state official called the arrest warrant leak -- most likely from a police or judicial source -- a scandal, the BBC reported.

The unauthorised disclosure has increased concerns of possible links between police and anti-migrant groups after a fatal stabbing of a 35-year-old German-Cuban man on Sunday sparked days of violent and xenophobic protests.

The disclosure -- which led to the warrant being published on far-right websites -- is highly unusual in Germany, which has strict rules for judicial proceedings.

Critics believe the warrant, with details of the number of stab wounds, may have been leaked to further incite anti-immigrant sentiments.

Authorities have called on the help of federal police, as they braced for fresh protests on Thursday.

Police have also opened 10 cases against far-right protesters who gave the illegal Hitler salute during the first day of the unrest.

Early on Sunday, a fight broke out between "multiple nationalities" on the sidelines of a street festival in which a carpenter named Daniel H, was critically wounded. He later succumbed at a hospital.

It remains unclear what triggered the brawl.

--IANS

in/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Ghoul", a three-part series by Netflix; Director: Patrick Graham; Cast: Radhika Apte, Manav Kaul, SM Zaheer; Rating: **1/2

If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought this was a low-budget horror movie from the 1980s from Ramsays' house of horrors, with far better performances of course and production values that constantly mock at the lowbrow content.

So the content first. "Ghoul" pretends to be a ponderous take on Islamic profiling. We are taken into a distant future in suburban India where the omnipresent Radhika Apte, pretending to be a Muslim government agent (the veil is a dead giveaway) is assigned the job of tracking down potential terrorists. Radhika, playing Nida Rahim, apprehends her own father (SM Zaheer) for seditious activities.

Coincidentally, many intellectuals in the country were recently accused of similar crimes. The irony of art pre-meditating the headlines is lost as the plot gets progressively perverse, dark, murky, brutal, gory and finally like any horror film with the terror tropes supplanting any real chill that the plot had the potential to give out.

"Ghoul" could have been a bonafide shiver giver. It borrows a scary idea from an Arab fable of a satanic force acquiring human form to take revenge. But then the director Patrick Graham and his writers are able to do precious little with the infinitely eerie idea except to use it for a nauseous display of visual gruesomeness, ad nauseam, that goes from barbaric to intolerable.

Blood-splattered walls and floors are this shock-simulating horror tale's speciality.

Passages of the well shot exercise (Jay Oza's camera prowls with more cool than the ghoul) in visual puerility are rendered like Hollywood's C-grade prison dramas with big-built jailors and buxom assistants making out in the prison office.

I almost held my breath for this film's equivalent of the female jail warden (Ratnabali Bhattacharjee) to get seriously sleazy on us. We are spared that ordeal. But there is plenty still to suffer, like the ghoul-terrorist (Mahesh Balraj) chanting the diabolic equivalent of Badshah's rap riffs.

Shot in what must be the dingiest prison location in the history of celluloid prison dramas, the inmates -- all meant to be hardened terrorists responsible for many bombings and murders -- are presided over by a jailor (Manav Kaul) who has a drinking problem and a complaining wife back home who we understand from a fake telephone conversation, wouldn't let him see his daughter.

Domestic meanness is the least of the problematic pockets in a plot that creaks, groans and finally collapses under the weight of its acquired ghoulishness. It is the exploitative tone of narration, aggrandised by a lighting and colour co-ordination that favours the reeking aura of rust, that finally does the potentially explosive drama in.

Clearly, Orange is not the new Black in this prison drama. Green is.

On the plus side, the profanities are far more reined-in here than in Netflix's "Sacred Games". Weirdly, the English subtitles are far more lascivious than the spoken Hindi dialogues.

--IANS

skj/rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday again hit back at Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley saying that the government was "scared to face people" and had refused a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

"Dear Jaitley, I guess your boss (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) refused to hold a JPC on the great Rafale robbery? Too much to hide, too scared to face the people, I suppose..." Gandhi said in a tweet.

Gandhi's remarks came soon after Jaitley attacked him over the deal.

"Rahul Gandhi has not read my question: The fully weaponised Rafale aircraft's 2016 price is 20 per cent cheaper than the 2007 offer. This is what the 2015 statement of the PM and the French President refers to as 'on terms better than the 2007 offers'," Jaitley said in a tweet after Congress chief in a press conference slammed Modi government over the deal.

Earlier in the day, stepping up his attack, Gandhi said Jaitley was writing "lengthy" blogs, but the government was silent on the demand for a JPC probe into the issue. "Jaitley is scared to ask the PM about constituting a JPC," he said.

The Congress chief referred to the joint statement issued after Modi announced the Rafale deal which mentioned that the aircraft would be delivered on the same configuration as had been earlier approved by the Indian Air Force.

--IANS

aks/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip said the prospect of an Egyptian-sponsored cease-fire agreement with Israel will be decided in two weeks.

The remarks by Sinwar came during a four-hour meeting with writers and political analysts at his office in Gaza City on Wednesday, Xinhua reported, quoting website Palestine Now.

"In two weeks, the prospect of the calm agreement will be clear and by mid-October, the Palestinian citizens of Gaza will notice the positive changes, if the efforts of Cairo prosper," Sinwar told the meeting.

Meanwhile, he denied that the negotiations in the Egyptian capital have promised an airport for Gaza in the Israeli city of Eilat or a seaport in Cyprus.

"Hamas seeks a calm agreement without paying any political price," he noted.

Sinwar also threatened that Hamas could "keep the sirens wail in central Israel for six months" if no cease-fire is reached.

Over the issue of the Palestinian territory, Sinwar insists on "a Palestinian state from the (Mediterranean) Sea to the Jordan River" as the "ultimate goal" despite the temporary acceptance of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

He also accused Fatah party of "trying to erase the presence of Hamas in the Gaza Strip."

"The Palestinian National Authority must lift the punitive measures on Gaza, form a unity government and a Palestinian National Council that elects a real Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) executive committee," Sinwar noted.

The Hamas chief in Gaza revealed that his movement is working with regional and international partners to alleviate the financial crisis of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and to create jobs for 50,000 unemployed and recent graduates.

--IANS

anp/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered that no construction work shall be carried out in Nauroji Nagar residential project in the national capital.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao rejected a plea of the Central government seeking permission to continue the construction work in the Nauroji Nagar project.

The bench observed that the construction may lead to traffic chaos as the area is close to Kidwai Nagar and Sarojini Nagar.

However, the court allowed the NBCC (India) Ltd, formerly National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd, to carry out repairing work, if required, to avoid any untoward incident which could endanger human life.

In the last hearing, Gautam Bhan, an urban planning expert and amicus curiae, told the bench that the environment report for the Nauroji Nagar project contained several portions that were copy-pasted from the report seeking clearance for a mine in Tamil Nadu as the names of the state's lakes were mentioned in the Nauroji Nagar report.

Bhan said the environment clearance was given for a separate project in Nauroji Nagar although the entire redevelopment project involving seven colonies was integrated.

Meanwhile, the Central government has informed the court that it is reconsidering the redevelopment of residential project in six other south Delhi colonies -- Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Thyagaraja Nagar, Mohammadpur, Kasturba Nagar and Srinivaspuri.

The court has asked the Central government to file an affidavit on its reconsideration of residential projects and listed the matter for further hearing on September 6.

The court was hearing several pleas, including one filed by orthopaedic surgeon Kaushal Kant Mishra, who challenged the permission granted to cut thousands of trees for the residential redevelopment project.

The NBCC together with the Central Public Works Department is executing the project.

--IANS

akk/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to file a response on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) plea challenging the registration of an 'Aapki Apni Party' as a new political party.

Justice Siddharth Mridul sought the response from the poll panel which has rejected the AAP's objection against the registration of the 'Aapki Apni Party' as a political party under the Representation of People Act.

In its plea, the AAP demanded de-registration of the 'Aapki Apni Party' saying the abbreviation of both the parties would be similar and may lead to confusion among voters. The court has posted the matter for hearing for November 13.

--IANS

akk/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Himachal Pradesh government is coordinating with neighbouring states by forming joint task forces to counter narcotics trade, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said here on Thursday.

In a written reply to a question in the Assembly, he said that the state is addressing both the sides, demand and supply, of the drug problem.

The campaign has been launched to crackdown on smugglers and peddlers with great vigour. Greater manpower has been allocated to develop intelligence with regard to drug smugglers, the Chief Minister, who also holds the home portfolio, said.

At an inter-state meeting, it was decided to maintain a strict vigil on borders by installing CCTV cameras.

Regarding the registration of cases, Thakur said till July 31 a total of 788 cases, were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the state.

In these cases, 1,002 smugglers or peddlers, including nine foreigners, were arrested.

A celebrity campaign against drug use has been undertaken by the police.

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has also appealed against drug abuse on Facebook and Twitter.

A strategic vigil is being maintained outside educational institutions to keep a watch on drug peddlers and random checks are also being carried out in eateries and shops to seize contrabands and apprehend peddlers, the Chief Minister said.

The state has decided to open at least four de-addiction centers in the state, besides rehabilitation centres, using corporate social responsibility funds.

Officials told IANS that over 60 per cent of the poppy and cannabis produced in Himachal Pradesh is smuggled out to countries like Israel, Italy, Holland and some other European countries. The remaining finds its way to Nepal or to Indian states like Goa, Punjab and Delhi.

Easy availability of narcotics in McLeodganj and its surrounding areas in Kangra district and Karsol in Kullu district has turned the areas into an addicts' haven, police said.

The Magic Valley in the upper reaches of Malana, some 50 km from Kullu town, is known for cultivating the prized "Malana Cream" hashish, a purified resinous extract of cannabis.

--IANS

vg/anp/sed

(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.)
Popular crime writer Hussain Zaidi has teamed up with GoQuest Productions to launch Golden Pen Productions, aimed at taking Indian crime stories and writers to the global audience.

The venture will solely focus on the crime thriller genre, and produce platform-agnostic content across TV, Web, Films and podcasts.

Zaidi, known for his gritty and no-holds-barred representation of the criminal underbelly in books such as "Black Friday", "Dongri to Dubai: Six decades of the Mumbai Mafia" and "Headley and I", will also mentor talent.

"My years of experience engaging with the criminal world has left me with a wealth of untold stories, even after so many of them find their ultimate expression in books or silver screen scripts.

"And I believe it to be the case with many writers emerging from the hinterlands, who have seen and experienced so much during their normal growing up years that they have developed a bank of absolutely dark yet vehemently true stories which deserve to be tapped into," Zaidi said in a statement.

As a 'writers first' label in India, Golden Pen wants to develop content that pushes the boundaries on every page or in every frame while being deeply rooted in reality.

"The emergence of new media has resulted in audiences looking for edgy and thrilling content, and the success of series such as 'Narcos' or 'Sacred Games' has shown the potential of such content," said Vivek Lath, Managing Director, GoQuest Media Ventures.

Their projects will be developed with their roots in India but with a strong eye for distribution in international markets as well.

According to Jaspinder Kang, Partner, GoQuest Productions, the company is currently looking at developing content for the Indian market (TV and web), but it will eventually be looking at supplying versions of its original content to overseas producers and channels too.

--IANS

rb/sed

(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.)
Stating that all countries of Bimstec seek peace and prosperity, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that this will be possible only if there is connectivity in all forms between member states of the regional bloc.

"Each of our countries seek peace, prosperity and happiness, but in today's inter-connected world, we cannot achieve this alone," Modi told the inaugural session of the Fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) Summit here.

"We have to move together, help each other and complement each other's efforts.

"I believe that the biggest opportunity for this is connectivity - trade connectivity, economic connectivity, transport connectivity, digital connectivity and people-to-people connectivity."

Modi also called for taking the process forward for Bimstec coastal shipping and motor vehicle agreements.

Bimstec came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration.

It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The bloc brings together 1.6 billion people, or 22 per cent of the world's population, and has a combined GDP of $2.8 trillion.

Its main objective is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.

With the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) virtually rendered ineffective as a bloc, India has been giving more importance to Bimstec in recent times.

India is the lead country for cooperation in four priority areas: counter-terrorism and transnational crime, transport and communication, tourism and environment as well as disaster management.

Modi said the Bimstec region had the Himalayas on one side and the Bay of Bengal between the Pacific and Indian Oceans on the other.

"So it comes as no surprise that India's Neighbourhood First Policy and Act East Policy, both converge in the Bay of Bengal."

The Prime Minister said India was ready to host a Bimstec Start-up Conclave to ensure contact and connectivity between entrepreneurs of the member states.

"Our countries are mostly agriculture-centric and are fighting the fears of climate change," he said. "In this connection, India will host an international conference on agricultural, research, education and development."

In terms of digital connectivity, Modi said India was committed to expanding its National Knowledge Network to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan and proposed to include Myanmar and Thailand as well.

He called upon all the Bimstec member states to participate in the India Mobile Congress to be held in October this year, coinciding with a Bimstec ministerial conclave.

Inviting all Bimstec member states to the International Buddhist Conclave to be held in India in August 2020, he said New Delhi would also like to to organise a Bimstec Youth Summit and a Bimstec Band Festival.

He said India will also offer 30 scholarships in Nalanda University and 12 scholarships for advanced medicine in the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry for Bimstec students.

"Along with this, we will also offer short-term courses for tourism, environment, disaster management, renewable energy, agriculture, trade and WTO under ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation)," Modi said.

The Indian leader said that countries linked with the Himalayas and Bay of Bengal regularly faced natural disasters.

"For this, cooperation and coordination between our countries in terms of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts are necessary," Modi said.

Calling for strong steps to strengthen regional security cooperation, he welcomed the Bimstec Multinational Military Field Training Exercise and army chiefs' conclave to be held next month.

Stating that all nations in the region had faced the problems of terrorism, trans-national crimes connected with terror networks and drug trafficking, he said all these countries should fight the issues unitedly.

--IANS

ab/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A senior commander of the Islamic State (IS), Yaser Khurasani, was among six militants killed in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, officials said on Thursday.

"Acting upon intelligence report, aircraft targeted the hideout of the IS group in Khogiani district, killing Khurasani and five others on the spot," Xinhua news agency quoted an Afghan Army statement as saying.

Khurasani is the second IS commander killed in Afghanistan after Abu Saad Erhabi, who was slain in Nangarhar province on Saturday.

--IANS

mag/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With hopes of attracting more Indian travellers from the southern region of India, Israel will open a visa application centre in Hyderabad by October this year, an Israeli official said here on Thursday.

"We have a lot of demand from the southern regions of India like Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and hence, we have decided to open a visa application centre in Hyderabad," Ministry of Tourism Director (India and Philippines) Hassan Madah said here on the sidelines of a roadshow.

"In near future, we will open more visa centres in the south," he said adding that Israel will hold more roadshows in states like Bangaluru, Cochin and Chennai to attract travellers.

In March 2018, Air India launched its direct flight operations from New Delhi to Tel Aviv, the fastest non-stop flight connecting India with Israel, he said, adding that the airline is increasing flights in the route.

In addition to this, Israeli airline El Al currently has three weekly non-stop flights from Mumbai to Tel Aviv.

Israeli carrier Arkia has also expressed interest to begin operations connecting the two countries, he said.

"We are also in talks with other airlines like Vistara and Indigo to connect India and Israel through their flights," Madah said.

--IANS

sd/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday hit back at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his allegation that demonetisation helped "15-20 biggest crony capitalists", dubbing it as fictitious.

"Little knowledge is dangerous. Rahul Gandhi's fiction on demonetisation helping NPA holders, forgets that the Modi government legislated and enforced the IBC (the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code) where the NPA defaulters lost their companies," he tweeted.

Jaitley's attack came moments after Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and him, saying that demonetisation was a "scam" and the purpose behind it was to help "15-20 biggest crony capitalists" whose loans have turned into NPAs. He said Modi's "friends" turned black money into white after the November 2016 note ban.

Jaitley also attacked Gandhi for his accusations over the Rafale fighter jet deal.

"Rahul Gandhi has not read my question- The fully weaponised Rafale aircraft's 2016 price is 20 per cent cheaper than the 2007 offer. This is what the 2015 statement of the PM and the French President refers to as 'on terms better than the 2007 offers'," he said in another tweet.

"Any issue diversion by Rahul Gandhi on my Rafale questions, will not wipe out his falsehood on Rafale," he said.

--IANS

bns/vsc/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday apprised Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh of the losses due to floods in parts of the state and sought central financial assistance of Rs 1,118 crore.

Kumaraswamy said that the southern state had suffered losses totalling Rs 3,425 crore on account of damaged crops and infrastructure, and cattle deaths.

"We have submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister on the losses," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said that a final memorandum will be submitted to the Centre after a comprehensive assessment of the losses.

Karnataka has sought financial assistance of Rs 1,118 crore from the central government as per the norms of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

Its memorandum said that crops on about 23,123 hectares of land were damaged, leading to estimated losses of Rs 313.52 crore. Damage to infrastructure accounted for Rs 1,746 crore loss.

The production of coffee in Karnataka will fall by 20 per cent this year due to floods, which will cause a further loss of Rs 100 crore, it said.

Coastal and other districts of Karnataka had received heavy rains around mid-August, following which a flood alert was sounded in the southern state. The affected districts included coastal Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and south interior districts of Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Shivamogga.

--IANS

spk/tsb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Twenty years ago, in August 1998, then Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji proposed, in a meeting of China's State Council, a total ban on logging in the forest slopes of Sichuan province. It was in response to the devastating flood-crisis that China was facing in the Yangtze river basin.

That policy was enacted overnight, while the floods in Yangtze river were still at its peak and rescue operations were in full swing. It was just a year after the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, but Zhu was in no mood to analyse if that extreme event was due to climate change.

He cited that similar devastation had occurred due to Yangtze floods in 1870, 1931 and 1954 when climate change was not around. Zhu declared severe punishment for logging in the same meeting and incentivised afforestation with ambitious targets by 2000 and 2010.

The same month, but now 2018, India is facing the devastation in Kerala, the worst ever since 1924. With over 400 dead and a million homeless, the questions are gushing like the waters from the flood gates of its dams. Is it a natural or man-made disaster? Is it climatic event or due to global warming?

It is easy and convenient to link the causative chain to climate change. Indeed, global warming has led to a rise in ocean and atmosphere temperatures (nearly one degree Celsius over pre-industrial times) which has resulted in the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events over the last six decades.

To this extent, global warming is indeed responsible for higher rainfall. But that does not explain "extreme" and "localised" rainfall. Blaming each of such weather disasters on climate change has in reality become a way for the authorities to absolve themselves from their essential responsibility of preventing the consequential colossal damage to life, infrastructure and ecosystems. Unprecedented rainfall could not have been prevented, whether it is due to global warming or not, but the resulting catastrophe could have been contained.

Indiscriminate logging in Kerala has reduced the forest cover between 1920 and 1990 by 40 per cent, according to the report of Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel. Nearly one million hectares of the forest land has been lost between 1973 and 2016, as per an Indian Institute of Science report. This has reduced the soil's capacity to hold the mud-slides. Illegal mining, including that of sand and stones that "bank" the flood waters, is rampant in Kerala. Over-enthusiastic water tourism has allowed the infrastructure and habitat to be vulnerably exposed to the flood waters. The uncoordinated dam-water management has left the communities and wildlife to find their own ways to save their lives.

Is there way out?

There are numerous examples and initiatives to learn from and to participate in. The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission of NASA and the Japan Aerospace Agency predicted the Kerala floods just a few days in advance. Collaboration with GPM and initiating disaster management measures "just-in-time" could still would have helped.

Switzerland (about the same size as Kerala) has 200 major dams as against Kerala's 61. Switzerland's designated central authority coordinates safety and the operation of the flood gates. Collaborating with Switzerland on such dam-management and inundation-mapping would prepare India in future. In Kerala, dam safety analysis had not been done for any of its 61 dams.

China has now acquired huge experience in disaster and flood management; five most deadly floods in human history were all in China. Cooperation with China would go a long way in managing and containing the flood damage.

(The author is Chairman TERRE Policy Centre and former Director UNEP. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at shende.rajendra@gmail.com)

--IANS

rajendra/vm/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Filmmaker Kiran Rao, who made her directorial debut with "Dhobi Ghat" in 2011, says she has finally found a new story worth telling for the silver screen.

"I am focusing on my writing really, apart from my involvement in the MAMI (Mumbai Academy of Moving Image) Mumbai Film Festival. I know it has been quite some time that I have not made a film and kept giving excuses that my baby is small, but I think this is high time that I have to put it (a film) out there," Kiran told IANS here on Thursday.

"I was working on eight story ideas but none of them satisfied me in the end. I was working around it for the last seven years. But I promise that I have finally zeroed in on one and I am finishing the script and gearing up for the film," she added.

Kiran spoke to IANS on the sidelines of the 'Word To Screen Market' -- an initiative by Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star.

As chairperson of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, she expressed her excitement on how the publishing houses and film studios are coming together to collaborate on the 'Word To Screen Market' platform of the gala.

"We are humbled by the response, and it is great how the publishing houses are actively participating. I remember two years ago when we started, we had to really encourage the film studios to come forward and try out the idea of Word to Screen Market.

"But this year, the response is so overwhelming that we had to extend the programme into a two-day event," said Kiran, who has produced several films like "Delhi Belly", "Dangal" and "Secret Superstar" along with her husband Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan.

Word to Screen Market is an initiative to bring authors and publishers close to film production houses and studios to encourage adaptation of books into films.

--IANS

aru/rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister and JD-S leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday said he would welcome any move to form a front of opposition parties to offer an alternative to the BJP for the general elections in 2019.

"If senior leaders in the country take initiative to unite the Opposition, we will welcome it," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

On Tuesday, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar had said he would negotiate with opposition parties, including regional groups, to form an anti-BJP front.

Kumaraswamy also met Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday to apprise him of the measures taken by his government for the flood victims in the state.

"It was a courtesy call. I conveyed my regards to him (Gandhi) as my government completed 100 days today. We also informed him about the measures we have taken in flood relief efforts," he said.

--IANS

spk/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice Chief of Army Staff Devraj Anbu on Thursday met a group of Kashmiri students and encouraged them to come out of valley to get jobs in industries.

The group of 20 undergraduate students, comprising 10 boys and 10 girls, and accompanied by three teachers from Jammu and has been on a National Integration Tour sponsored by the government.

Speaking to reporters, Anbu said: "Till today these students had not crossed the valley one cannot build patriotism just by saying India is great... rich in culture and diversity."

"This is the first time they have come to Delhi and have not seen India, how will they have affection towards the country unless they get connected with different people."

The Vice Chief shared his experiences with the students and motivated them to work hard and contribute actively to the nation-building process. He also exhorted them to travel beyond valley in order to grab job opportunities provided by the industry.

Undergraduate student Khalida said: "We want Kashmir to be like Delhi...with industries, shopping malls in our area."

Describing the tour in Delhi, assistant professor Raqeeb Ahmad said the visits to the Maruti Suzuki manufacturing unit, Bharti Airtel head office, the national museum and India Gate gave the students practical experience of various aspects of economy and culture.

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu took over as Vice Chief of Army Staff on June 1. He was earlier posted as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command.

--IANS

sm/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man was beaten to death by a mob in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, early on Thursday on suspicion of stealing their cattle, police said.

Superintendent of Police Abhinandan Singh said three persons have been arrested.

The victim was identified as Shahrukh Khan (20), who worked as a tailor in Dubai and had come home for Eid.

The incident happened in Bholapur Hindoliya village where more than 50 persons attacked four young men when they found them in their cattle yard. The youths were thrashed by the mob and handed over to the police later.

The villagers have filed an FIR against Shahrukh and two others, alleging cattle theft.

Police say there were three persons in all who were involved in the theft of buffaloes from the cattle yard of a local Gajendra Pal. When they along with other neighbours Virendra, Khempal and Mukesh Kumar started a hunt for the missing buffaloes, they spotted these four young men trying to cross the Nakatiya river.

The other two alleged thieves Pappu and Abid of the Thiriya Nijawat Khan village knew how to swim and fled while Shahrukh was stranded on the banks.

Villagers attacked him and beat before handing him over to the police.

He was admitted to the district hospital around 7:30 am where he died in front of his family members and relatives. The post-mortem report has revealed that the 20-year-old died of internal injuries inflicted primarily to the liver and kidneys.

The victim's family members have refuted charges of theft and informed the police that Shahrukh had gone out late night after receiving a phone call rom one of his local friends.

"The police informed us later about the incident. We found him in the district hospital," a family member said.

There have since been two FIRs: one from Gajendra Pal, who alleged that his buffaloes were being stolen; and the other by family members against two dozen persons accusing them of mob lynching.

Western and central UP have witnessed a few similar cases of mob lynching sparked by cattle theft.

Anand Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG, Law and Order) told IANS that he had sought a report on the incident. "I am awaiting details" he added.

--IANS

md/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After adducing a policeman's son on Wednesday from Tral area in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, militants on Thursday evening abducted the son of another policeman from the same area, officials said.

Police sources said militants barged into the house of a policeman in Midoor village and took away his son.

"Militants abducted Nasir Ahmad Mir, son of Ghulam Hassan Mir, a policeman. A manhunt has been launched to trace the militants," said a police source.

On Wednesday, militants abducted Asif Ahmad Rather, son of another policeman, from Pinglish village in Tral area.

Following the abduction of Rather, college mates of the victim and his mother appealed to the militants not to harm him.

--IANS

sq/pgh/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actress Minissha Lamba, who has taken up television show "Internet Wala Love", will soon make her theatre debut with multiple roles in "Mirror Mirror", directed by Saif Hyder Hasan.

She will perform the play, presented by theatre production company AGP World, on September 8 at Kamani Auditorium here.

A story of sibling rivalry, "Mirror Mirror" traces the relationship between identical twins Minal and Maanya, essayed by Minissha. In its 75-minute narrative, the play will tell the story of a woman placed in the most extraordinary circumstances that forever change her destiny, said a statement.

Hasan, who has also written the play, said: "'Mirror Mirror' is a psychological roller-coaster ride that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. It's a great exercise for any actor, since performing 13 different characters on stage is no mean feat. I'm excited about the premiere show in New Delhi."

Ashvin Gidwani, Producer and Managing Director, AGP World, said: "Minissha Lamba, in her debut performance on stage, plays the main lead and her performance will leave the audience in awe and wanting for more.

"This edge of the seat and gritty drama will keep you guessing till the last moment."

--IANS

rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sought cooperation among all seven Bimstec member-nations in anti-terror operations as well as during natural disasters in the region.

Addressing the 4th summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), Modi said that there was no nation which was not affected by terrorism, adding that India was also facing problems like drug trafficking and transnational crimes.

"India is ready to host a conference on these issues," he said.

"This region is linked with the Himalayas and the Bay of Bengal, and time and again it faces natural disasters like floods, cyclones and earthquakes. In this context, we should extend cooperation in humanitarian efforts for disaster relief. We have to cooperate and coordinate with each other," Modi said.

Kerala and Nagaland states in India have been affected by floods, while Myanmar is grappling with a similar situation after a dam breach. Several deaths have been reported in Nepal due to landslides.

Modi also invited all member-states to attend the International Buddhist Conclave in India in August 2020.

The Prime Minister added that India was committed to connecting its national knowledge network through digital connectivity with neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

He also promised to set up a centre for Bay of Bengal studies in the Nalanda University in Bihar to conduct research focused on Bimstec region.

"We not only have diplomatic relations with all seven Bimstec countries, but are strongly connected by civilisation, history, art, language, cuisine and a shared culture," he added.--IANS

giri/vv/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Thursday to participate in the two-day Fourth Bimstec Summit.

"The Prime Minister landed in Kathmandu a short while ago. He will be taking part in the Bimstec Summit being held in the city," Modi's office tweeted around 9 a.m.

Ahead of his departure, Modi on Wednesday said that his participation in the event symbolises the priority India accords to deepening ties with India's extended neighbourhood in Southeast Asia.

"My participation in the Summit symbolises India's highest priority to our neighbourhood and our strong commitment to continue deepening our relationship with the extended neighbourhood in Southeast Asia," he said in a pre-departure statement in New Delhi.

"During the Summit, I will have interactions with all the leaders of Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) to further enrich our regional cooperation, enhance our trade ties and advance our collective efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous Bay of Bengal region," he said.

Bimstec came into existence on June 6, 1997, through the Bangkok Declaration.

It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal -- Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The bloc brings together 1.5 billion people, or 21 per cent of the world's population, and has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion.

The main objective of Bimstec is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal.

--IANS

ab/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who arrived here in Nepal on Thursday to participate in Fourth Bimstec Summit will be meeting heads of state from the member nations.

Modi was received by Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Ishwor Pokhrel at the Kathmandu airport. All domestic and international flights were suspended for two hours ahead of his arrival.

Before participating in Bimstec inaugural session, Modi and other heads of state will jointly call on the President Bidhya Devi Bhandari followed by a luncheon meeting.

Modi will later meet Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.

He will attend the Bimstec inagural session and deliver a speech. After the inaugural session, Modi will hold bilateral talks with his Nepalese and Bangladeshi counterparts K.P. Oli and Sheikh Hasina.

The Oli-Modi talks will focus on the progress made following their 2017 visits to each other's nation.

--IANS

giri/in/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of the fourth BIMSTEC Summit here.

"Good and positive exchange of views on strengthening development cooperation and other areas of bilateral relationship (between India and Sri Lanka)," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Modi is also scheduled to meet other heads of state and government taking part in the summit.

--IANS

giri/mr

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that negotiations with Canada to incorporate it into the revised North American Free Trade Agreement are going "very well", and he revealed that he spoke this week with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"I think they're going really well. I think Canada very much wants to make the deal," Efe quoted Trump as saying when he was asked about the talks at a White House event.

"They (Canada) want to be part of the deal, and we gave until Friday and I think we're probably on track. We'll see what happens," Trump told reporters.

In addition, the US leader said that on Tuesday he took a telephone call from Trudeau, with whom he had a "good" conversation about the treaty.

Trump had set Friday as the deadline for the three countries to achieve an agreement in principle on a revised pact, warning that he might move forward with a bilateral deal with Mexico and impose tariffs on Canada if Ottawa did not accede to revised trade terms.

Two days ago, the US and Mexico reached a preliminary trade agreement to reform NAFTA and Trump said that although he hoped that Canada would join he was ready to proceed with just a bilateral pact with Mexico.

This rapid - if preliminary - agreement motivated Canadian Foreign Minister Christia Freeland to travel on Tuesday to Washington to bring her country back into negotiations with US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

At the door to Lighthizer's office, Freeland on Wednesday emphasized to reporters that the two countries are working extremely intensively in their talks.

"When it comes to specific issues, we have a huge amount of work to do," she said, although she added that she was optimistic about the progress achieved so far.

Meanwhile, Trudeau acknowledged on Wednesday that there is a "possibility" that an agreement could be concluded on Friday if it would be "good" for his country, although he warned that "No NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal."

NAFTA - a pact among the US, Mexico and Canada in place since 1994 - encompasses $1 trillion in annual trade among the partners, although Trump has called it a job-killing "disaster" for the US and has demanded that it be renegotiated.

--IANS

qd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested Pakistan's Muzaffarabad-based Hizbul Mujahideen supreme commander Syed Salahuddin's son, Syed Shakeel Ahmed, during a raid here, police said.

The NIA carried out the raid in the Rambagh area of the city. "He is working as a laboratory technician in Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura.

"In 2017, the NIA arrested Syed Shahid Yousuf, another son of Syed Salahuddin. He was working with the Jammu and Kashmir agricultural department," a police officer added.

Yousuf was placed under suspension by the department following the arrest.

NIA sources said both arrests have been made in connection with the terror funding scam being investigated by the agency.

--IANS

sq/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The global refugee crisis is a major challenge for the present generation, believes actress-activist Angelina Jolie, the Special Envoy for UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency. She says no one dreams of being a refugee.

Angelina has written an opinion piece for CNN, sharing her thoughts on the anguish that refugees face, including the pain of being unable to provide their children with food when they are hungry or medicine when they are ill or injured, according to a statement.

"I have also seen how much it weighs on refugee parents when they are unable to send their children to school, knowing that with each passing year, their life prospects are shrinking and their vulnerability is growing," she wrote.

"In a new report, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, warns that rising numbers of refugee children are not receiving an While the implications are grave, our response should not be to despair but instead to see an opportunity.

"The global refugee crisis is a major challenge for our generation. But the task is not hopeless. Refugees themselves are not passively waiting for help but are actively searching for ways to be part of the recovery of their countries. is a key to helping them to do this," she wrote.

Jolie pointed out how people often talk about refugees as a single mass of people -- "a burden".

"We do not see the intricate mosaic of individual men, women and children with their diverse backgrounds and immense human potential. There are millions of young refugees with the energy and desire and commitment to study and work, who want to contribute to the societies that host them and ultimately help rebuild their home countries.

"There are millions of displaced parents who will make every sacrifice imaginable to help their children go to school."

Jolie stressed how rebuilding a country doesn't happen with peace agreements and resolutions alone.

As necessary as those are, she said it happens with millions of school report cards, exams passed, qualifications obtained, jobs acquired, and young lives turned to good purpose rather than spent languishing in camps.

"No one dreams of being a refugee; they dream of living up to their potential. They long to better themselves and their families. This is something we all instinctively understand and can relate to. We experience the power of in our own families," she added.

Jolie, who raises six children, says the loss of a child's education is a tragedy.

"With many wars today lasting longer than the duration of a childhood, this can mean a country losing out on an entire generation of education and skills amongst its young people," she said.

UNHCR, she said, is calling for refugee children to have access to a proper curriculum all the way through primary and secondary school, so they can get recognised qualifications and have a chance at higher education.

Urging for support to be given to countries in developing regions, who host 92 per cent of the world's school-age refugees, she hopes more refugee children can be included in national education systems.

"We are urging wealthier nations to address humanitarian funding shortfalls, so refugee parents don't have to choose between food and schooling for their children," said Jolie.

--IANS

nv/rb/sed

(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 US has said that North Korea should denuclearise before Washington signs a war-ending declaration with Pyongyang.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency quoted State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert as saying: "We believe that denuclearization has to take place before we get to other parts."

US media had reported earlier that the signing of a joint declaration to formally end the Korean War was one of the verbal agreements between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un when they met on June 12 in Singapore.

But besides the pace and scale of denuclearization, Washington and Pyongyang have disagreed on whether to issue a war-ending declaration.

North Korea has argued that such a document is the first step towards peace on the peninsula, whereas US has said it is too early to discuss the topic.

At the conclusion of the historic Trump-Kim summit, the two sides issued a joint statement in which they agreed to improve bilateral relations and work together to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the peninsula.

--IANS

mag/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than 63,000 people were evacuated from their homes after a section of a dam in central Myanmar broke, flooding dozens of nearby villages, the state media reported on Thursday.

The breach occurred on Wednesday in Yedashe when the sluice gate of the Swar Chaung dam broke, according to Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

At least 85 villages in Bago region went a metre-deep under water prompting the government and the Army to evacuate residents and the Myanmar Red Cross to provide relief.

The water also flooded an 8-kilometre section of the main highway connecting Rangoon and Mandalay and cut a railway line.

The dam breached after its water level reached 103.2 meters, exceeding the maximum capacity by half a meter, Efe news reported.

The incident took place a month after a dam collapsed in Laos, leaving 34 dead with over 100 missing.

--IANS

in/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japanese multinational electronics company Panasonic will move its European headquarters from the UK to Amsterdam in the Netherlands in October as Brexit approaches.

The aim is to avoid potential tax issues linked to the UK's decision to leave the European Union (EU), BBC quoted Panasonic Europe's Chief Executive Laurent Abadie as saying.

Panasonic's decision was driven by a fear that Japan could start considering the UK a tax haven if it cuts corporate tax rates to attract business, Abadie told the Nikkei Asian Review newspaper.

The newspaper said employees dealing with auditing and financial operations would move, but those dealing with investor relations would stay put in the UK.

In 2016, the UK government pledged to cut corporate tax to encourage businesses to continue investing in the UK after the Brexit referendum.

In the run-up to March 2019, a number of multinationals have said they plan to move jobs out of the UK.

Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016, but with less than a year to go, the UK and the EU are struggling to reach a consensus on terms of the exit.

--IANS

mag/mr

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Amid demands for dismissal of his government by the opposition and confusion in the state BJP ranks over leadership issues, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar left for the US from Mumbai Early on Thursday, for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

"The Chief Minister left by a 1.30 a.m. flight. He is expected to be back in a week's time," sources close to Parrikar said.

Parrikar was admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital last week, hours after he returned to Goa from a New York medical facility, following a second round of treatment abroad.

The Congress in the state has appealed to Goa Governor Mridula Sinha to dismiss the BJP-led coalition government in the coastal state due to the severe health crisis that has hit the state cabinet.

Four out of the 12 cabinet ministers including Parrikar, have been suffering from serious ailments, which has forced them to abstain from discharging their official duty to full capacity.

On Wednesday, there was confusion in the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party, as well as alliance partners, over facilitating an "alternative arrangement" in the absence of Parrikar.

While Union Minister of the State for AYUSH and North Goa MP Shripad Naik told reporters on Wednesday, that he would be meeting party chief Amit Shah along with the members of its state core committee to form an alternative arrangement, some members of the committee later said that there were no such plans on the anvil.

The Chief Minister's Office was later forced to issue a statement saying Parrikar himself would be overseeing functioning of the coalition government from the US.

Parrikar was diagnosed in February and was treated in a New York medical facility from March to June. On August 10, Parrikar had again left for the US for review of his treatment.

--IANS

maya/anp/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Paying rich tributes for late DMK President and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the memorial meeting 'Sun that rose in the South,' leaders of various political parties, regional and national, called for the opposition unity against the BJP government at the Centre.

The memorial meeting was organised by the DMK under the leadership of party President M.K. Stalin.

Leaders said there is an Emergency-like situation prevailing in the country which needs to be opposed strongly and unitedly.

BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, one of the earliest speakers, recalled DMK's association with Jan Sangh and later with BJP.

"It was DMK and Jan Sangh that first opposed the dominance of Congress party. Karunanidhi's association with Jan Sangh and BJP was long and cordial," Gadkari said.

According to Gadkari, DMK and Jan Sangh were the two parties that first opposed the Emergency.

The DMK government in Tamil Nadu was dismissed during the Emergency rule and thousands of the party activists were arrested, Gadkari recalled and left the venue early.

Countering Gadkari was the Chief Minister of Pudhucherry V. Narayanasamy who said it was Karunanidhi who aligned with Congress.

It was Karunanidhi who said self-rule in the State and joint rule at the Centre.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said unless all opposition parties are united against the Central government, the country would go down, as the nation was facing a major trouble.

He said the opposition parties have to fight dictatorship.

Abdullah said DMK members may not believe in God but he strongly believes in God. "It is only God who knows what price the nation has to pay till the change comes," he said.

He said if one has to remember Karunanidhi than all should fight for the survival of the nation.

"Let us unite and fight the facist forces," Abdullah said.

Declaring that there is a problem in his home state Jammu & Kashmir, Abdullah said: "We are Indian Muslims. We will not become Pakistanis."

Abdullah also demanded the Governor of a state should be elected by the state and not be sent by the Centre.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said there may not be an Emergency in the country, but "much worse" was being done now.

Azad said there is visible centralization of power by the central government.

Like Karunanidhi who had spoken against imposition of Emergency in 1975, Stalin should voice his opposition against the Central government, Azad said.

Karunanidhi had courted both Congress and BJP, but never compromised on his ideology.

Azad said the DMK under Karunanidhi might have joined hands with BJP mainly due to the personal equation he had with former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury said Karunanidhi had a sublime sense of humour and had once said no communist party leader would name his/her son as Stalin as he had done for his son.

Karunanidhi fought against the Emergency. It was during DMK's rule with Karunanidhi as Chief Minister that the Tamil Nadu assembly passed a resolution condemning Emergency.

Yechury said Karunanidhi inherited a legacy of self-respect, rationalist principles, social justice and equality from rationalist leader late E.V.Ramasamy or Periyar and late DMK leader C.N.Annadurai.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the leader of Janata Dal (United) said Karunanidhi fought for the rights and welfare of poor and backward classes and also for press freedom.

Karunanidhi was active in drawing up the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the coalition government led by BJP party under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he added.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and leader of Janatal Dal (Secular) said with the passing of Karunanidhi, the glorious chapter in regional had come to an end.

Gowda said the country lost a mass leader who devoted his life for the poor.

According to Gowda, the contribution of Karunanidhi for the Dravidian movement is immeasurable.

Karunanidhi played an important role in maintaining stability of a coalition government at the centre.

Speaking in Tamil, Derek O' Brien of Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Rajya Sabha member said Karunanidi was a great person with modern thoughts who opposed imposition of Hindi.

"We should show Delhi that when you come to West Bengal you should learn Bengali and when you come to Tamil Nadu, you should learn Tamil," he said.

According to him those parties that believe in coalition governance should come together for 2019 elections and capture power in Delhi.

"I am ready, are you ready," he asked.

--IANS

vj/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Police on Thursday told the Supreme Court that a policy will be framed in a month to dispose of piles of impounded or seized vehicles lying in various police stations across the national capital.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Deepak Gupta asked the police why impounded vehicles are not sold off when nobody comes forward to claim their ownership even after several years.

Justice Gupta told the police that courts are told that rats eat away seized drugs when narcotics cases come up for hearing.

"In NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) cases, 3-4 years later when the cases come up in the court, nothing (seized drugs) is left in the 'malkhana' (rooms in police stations to store seized materials) and police say 'choohe khaa gaye' (rats ate it)," Justice Gupta said.

The apex court said that in narcotics cases, "more drugs are smuggled from inside the 'malkhana', than outside".

If 100kg heroin is seized, nothing of it is left in 'malkhana', the bench observed.

During the hearing, the bench asked the police why it cannot sell seized vehicles after two-three months and if owner claims it, give him the money or let the money go to the state government.

The Delhi Police said the impounded vehicles are actually court property and the police are only custodians.

The court took note of the submission of the police that it will come up within four weeks with the policy to decongest the city police stations by removing or disposing of impounded vehicles.

The police also informed the court that there is only one district 'nazir' (record keeper of a 'malkhana') in Delhi.

Considering the volume of work, several more district nazirs need to be appointed, the police told the court, which was also told that this issue was taken up with the Delhi High Court, which had asked the Delhi government to consider the matter.

The apex court said it is not clear whether any further steps have been taken by the Delhi government. The counsel for the Delhi government said he would take instructions from government on the issue and inform the court.

The bench issued notice to the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court for its assistance in the matter.

The court has now posted the matter for hearing on October 10.

Earlier, acknowledging the piles of junked vehicles lying around several police stations in Delhi, the court asked the Delhi Police Commissioner to frame a policy to dispose of impounded vehicles.

It said that there "must" be a policy in this regard and people are frightened to go to the police stations, as the stations have become junkyard due to such vehicles.

These vehicles are either towed away for traffic violations or seized in crimes like theft or murder, and kept in the police station's compound and, sometimes also outside the complex due to space constraint.

The bench was hearing a matter relating to road safety across the country.

--IANS

gt/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pope Francis said on Wednesday during his general audience on St. Peter's Square in Vatican City that divorce had become fashionable, while the ideal was that families stay together as one unit.

The pope dedicated his audience to a recent trip he made to Ireland to attend the World Meeting of Families.

"It's a fashion trend, we read in magazines that someone has got divorced, but please, this is ugly. I respect everything, but the ideal is not divorce, separation, the destruction of the family," Efe quoted the pope as saying. "The family ideal is unity."

"The difficulties and problems that families go through cannot undermine the importance of the institution of family for society, for humanity or putting up for discussion the fundamental human need for lasting love," he said.

The pontiff also said love in marriage was a "gift from God" that should grow each day with dialogue, with time spent together and with tenderness.

Francis also stressed the importance of communicating through the generations and the role of grandparents in consolidating family ties and the transmission of faith.

--IANS

qd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday promised a delegation of Kerala lawmakers "maximum support and help" to the state, which has been hit by the worst floods in a century.

Former Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony told the media that Rajnath Singh gave the assurance when the delegation called on him.

"He suggested that (Chief Minister Pinarayi) Vijayan should visit Delhi, maybe after a week or so, and sit with him to finalise how and what needs to be done as far as rehabilitation is concerned," said Antony.

The Congress MPs also called on other cabinet ministers including Radha Mohan Singh, Ram Vilas Paswan and J.P. Nadda.

The Kerala flood disaster has claimed 483 lives and caused massive destruction.

--IANS

sg/mr/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Online bus ticket booking platform redBus on Thursday announced that it has joined hands with Google Maps to provide users all the necessary transport information required to travel between two cities.

With this partnership, Google Maps would now be able to assist travellers with inter-city bus transport information along with the driving and train route statistics, the company said in a statement.

"The tie-up with Google Maps is a natural step towards organising information in the most meaningful way. We are confident that the practical use of this technology will also facilitate better trip planning resulting in greater convenience to travellers," said Krishnan Ramaswami, Senior Vice President, Products, redBus.

redBus has over 2,300 bus operators across the country, including government-run buses, and Google will be able to present data on buses between cities with the exact time and information on where to board the bus.

Founded in 2006, redBus is part of online travel company MakeMyTrip and the Bengaluru-based online ticket booking platform is expanding its global presence with operations across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Colombia and Peru.

--IANS

rp/na/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Human rights activist Aruna Roy, literary figure Arundhati Roy and lawyer Prashant Bhushan along with other activists on Thursday criticised the BJP-led government over repeated attempts to silence the voices of the dissent.

The activists came together at Press Club to express their dissatisfaction and fear following the arrest of five human rights activists on Tuesday. The arrested included Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, Gautam Navlakha in Delhi, Sudha Bharadwaj in Haryana and Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonzalves in Maharashtra. They were linked to violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Maharashtra last year.

"All norms of the Constitution are being violated. Right to freedom of expression is at stake. The arrest of the five is an indication that any voice raised in support of Dalits or poor will be silenced in this country," said activist Aruna Roy while addressing the media.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed that the five rights activists arrested by Maharashtra Police should be kept under house arrest until September 6, the next date of hearing.

In response to the petition filed by eminent historian Romila Thapar and four others, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud had also said: "Dissent is a safety valve of democracy. If it is not allowed, the pressure cooker will burst."

Author Arundhati Roy said the government is trying to "derail everything" with "some surprise attack", urging people to hold the government accountable for its actions.

"It is no longer divide and rule, now it is divert and rule. We will not know from where and how and when and what kind of fireball is going to fall on us. They are trying to distract us," she added.

Talking about the arrest of the activists during the press meet, lawyer Prashant Bhushan mentioned that the prevailing situation is worse than the Emergency of 1975.

"Those who are accused of lynching are roaming freely whereas those standing up to support the oppressed voices are being arrested. False propaganda and reports are being set to weaken the human activists groups. Democracy is at stake now in this country," Bhushan said.

In a joint statement, the activists stated that "targeting the democratic rights activists is an attack on the poor and marginalised sections of the society on whose behalf these activists have been raising their voices."

The activists also slammed the term "urban naxals" used for the dissent saying that it is the government's desperate attempt to portray those as Maoists who stand up for demanding justice for the Dalits or the marginalised sections.

"Those who are taking steps to maintain the secular identity of the country are being terrorised. Peaceful protests of Dalits and poor are given the stamp of being a naxal or maoist movements and tried to be silent. But voices will continue to be raised and marches will be conducted across the country on September 5 and 15 as a mark of protest," said activist Jignesh Mevani.

They demanded immediate release of those arrested and dropping of "all false and malicious charges that are politically motivated and unjustified".

--IANS

som/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The arrests of and raids on houses of human rights activists and Left intellectuals across five states "is an ominous pointer to how swiftly the country is coming under an authoritarian regime", the CPI-M has said.

On Tuesday, Pune Police arrested Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira.

The house of academic and Dalit intellectual Anand Teltumbde in Goa, Stan Swami in Ranchi and others were searched. From all the houses, laptops, hard discs, mobile phones and other papers were confiscated and taken away.

The Maharashtra police linked these arrests and searches with the holding of the Elgar Parishad and the Bhima-Koregaon violence that took place on January 1 leaving one person dead.

"So far, the police have provided no shred of evidence to sustain these charges. None of the five arrested in the current round have had any role, or, participation in the Bhima-Koregaon rally," said an editorial in the CPI-M journal "People's Democracy".

It said the Maharashtra Police was reluctant to act against the instigators of the violence blamed on rightwing Hindu groups such as Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide. When the first was not arrested, even the Supreme Court questioned why he was not apprehended. After his arrest, Ekbote came out on bail a month later. Bhide has not been arrested at all.

"Instead, the Maharashtra Police has shown great zeal in going after reputed lawyers and social activists like Sudha Bharadwaj and Anand Teltumbde in their desperate quest to manufacture a Maoist plot.

"The brazen manner in which the police and State machinery was used is also a warning to all other political and social activists not to take up the cause of the Dalits, adivasis and other oppressed sections," the editorial said.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said more and more, "the authoritarian regime was targeting all sections - the political opposition, human rights activists, academics, lawyers, journalists and writers".

--IANS

mr/

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Authorities imposed restrictions in parts of the city here in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to prevent a separatist-called protest and maintain law and order, police said.

There is prohibitory orders in place in Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, M.R.Gunj, Safa Kadal and Maisuma where heavy deployments of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been made.

The post-Friday prayer protests are against "repression". The separatist leaders have asked the preachers at the mosques to highlight the excesses committed by India during their sermons.

All higher secondary schools and colleges have been shut to prevent student protests. Classes at the Kashmir University have also been suspended for the day.

--IANS

sq/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.)
Russia's state-owned gas major Gazprom's oil business subsidiary Gazpromneft-Lubricants, announced on Thursday that it had boosted sales of its products to 319,000 tonnes in the first half of 2018, an increase of 20 per cent over the same period last year.

The company said in a statement here that its premium lubricants during the period in consideration, at 143 thousand tons, accounted for nearly half of the sales volume.

"Sales of flagship G-Energy motor oil products faced an increase, as well, reaching 24.4 thousand tons," it said.

The company entered new markets during the period in question, starting supplies to Tanzania and Singapore, it said.

Gazpromneft-Lubricants' international product sales during the first half at 110,000 tons grew by 13 per cent as compared to the same period in 2017, the statement added.

According to the company, its products are now available to consumers in 75 countries, including Italy, Hungary, Greece, Egypt, China, India and Colombia, among others.

Gazpromneft-Lubricants General Director Alexander Trukhan said in a statement: "Expanding our overseas presence is one of the company's priorities and today we have all the resources necessary to enter the top 10 global ranking of lubricants suppliers."

--IANS

bc/pgh/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Russian military has successfully test-fired a new interceptor missile at the Sary-Shagan test site in Kazakhstan, the Russian Defence Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

According to previous Russian Defence Ministry reports, the new missile was successfully tested at the Sary-Shagan test site in February, April and July 2018.

The new missile, which can reach a speed of 4 km per second, has no equal in the world, Sputnik news quoted the Ministry's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda as saying.

The missile will possibly be put on mass production in the near future and gradually replace the models in service since 1995, the newspaper said.

Russia is in the process of implementing a large-scale rearmament program, which was announced in 2010. The country aims to upgrade 70 per cent of its military equipment by 2020.

During the annual address to the Federal Assembly on March 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow had developed a number of advanced weapons, including combat laser systems, intercontinental underwater drones capable of operating at large depths and moving several times faster than all existing ships, a prospective hypersonic missile and nuclear-powered cruise missiles.

--IANS

mag/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russian Envoy to the US Anatoly Antonov has told Washington that Moscow is concerned over signs of US preparing new strikes on Syria and warned against "groundless and illegal aggression" against the Middle-East country.

We have expressed concerns about American signals of preparing new strikes on Syria on the pretext of a possible use of "chemical weapons" by Syrians, Sputnik news quoted Antonov as saying.

The Russian Defence Ministry's warning about potential chemical attacks being planned in Syria is based on concrete facts. The Ministry has warned that the US could use this as a pretext for a new attack on Syrian state facilities, Russian Envoy to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said.

On August 21, the UK, the US and France stated that they "will respond appropriately to any further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime".

The statement also called on supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to "use their influence to uphold the global norm against chemical weapons use".

On August 22, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said that the US would respond "very strongly" if the Syrian government used chemical weapons.

While Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that Damascus is physically incapable of using chemical weapons because its chemical arsenal has been completely destroyed.

--IANS

mag/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actress Sanaya Irani says working with her "Zindabaad" co-star Vikram Bhatt, also a filmmaker, was really easy.

Vikram plays her senior in the new web series "Zindabaad", jointly produced by VB on the web and Jio cinema.

"It was really easy working with him. He just let Sidhant Sachdev do all the directing. It's not like Vikram got into the direction part. He was just doing his bit. I was doing my bit. Once in a while after cut, I would ask him 'Is it okay Vikram?' He would say 'Yeah'. We were just being good actors," Sanaya told IANS in a telephonic interview.

The audience will get to see her in a different avatar. The "Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?" actress plays a RAW agent in the political-action thriller.

"Every actor wants to do something different. I was really excited as it was something that I had never done before. That was a big reason for me to say yes. When I heard the whole story... it is the kind of story where you don't know what will happen next. So, I found that very interesting.

"It's a perfect binge-watch kind of a show," said Sanaya.

So, what was the preparation like?

"There wasn't much of training. In the show, I am a RAW agent but I am not a field agent. It's not like I had to do hardcore action. The show has a lot of action in it. I had three or four action sequences. I had never held a gun before," she said.

This is her first web series. She has one more lined up though she is yet to start shooting for it.

"I have only shot the promo of 'Vodka Shots'. I haven't shot for a single episode," she said.

She thinks the digital platform is great for actors.

"I like the fact that you get to do something for a month, then you get to move on and do something else. You are not tied down to something. You get to do different characters and something new every time. It is a learning experience.

"As an actor, I am really greedy. I always want to do something new and different. There is nothing better than the digital platform for that. I don't think any actor would be unhappy doing digital work," she shared.

--IANS

nn/rb/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on a plea challenging the grant of interim bail to Bhushan Steel's erstwhile promoter Neeraj Singal by the Delhi High Court.

A bench of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud reserved the order on the Serious Frauds Investigation Office's (SFIO) plea challenging the grant of the bail.

The Centre too had moved the court challenging the High Court order.

Singal is out of jail after the bail was granted on his habeas corpus petition. He contended that his arrest was illegal as the complaint was made under one law and his arrest was made under another.

The apex court reserved its order after Singal's lawyers opposed the suggestion from Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh that the court may not interfere with the grant of the interim bail but stay the operation of the judgment which said that the investigating officer of SFIO would not compel Neeraj Singal to sing any statement.

ASG Maninder Singh said that this amounted to incapacitating the provision of law and wondered if such a thing could have been done.

Section 217 of the Companies Act lays down the procedure and powers of the inspectors.

Imposing conditions while granting interim bail to Neeraj Singal and directing him to co-operate with the investigation, the High Court had on August 29, 2018 said that "he shall not be compelled by the SFIO to sign his statement under Section 217 (4) read with Section 217 (7) of the Companies Act."

It had also said that the interim bail would continue "till an investigation report is filed in the Special Court in terms of Sections 212 (14) read with Section 212 (15) Companies Act, at which stage the Petitioner will, if it so necessitated, have to seek regular bail from the Special Court subject of course to the further orders in the main writ petition."

--IANS

pk/pgh/vm

(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.)
Serena Williams, former world No. 1 and seeded 17th in the tournament, maintained her good performance at the US Open to advance to the third round by winning 6-2, 6-2 against German Carina Witthoeft.

The youngest of the Williams sisters needed only 67 minutes to seal the victory on Wednesday as she attacked her German rival with 13 aces, 30 total winners and 15 unforced errors in the second match she ever had against Witthoeft, the world No. 101, with a score of 2-0 in the series, reports Efe news.

The next rival of the six-time champion of the US Open will be her older sister Venus, 16th-seeded and two-time winner of the last Grand Slam of the year, where she beat the Italian Camila Giorgi 6-4 and 7-5.

Venus went to the third round in the US Open for the 17th time in her career and for the fifth consecutive year.

The duel between the two sisters, who share in total 30 Grand Slam titles, 23 by Serena and seven by Venus, will become the great attraction of the third round.

The Williams sisters will meet for the 30th time as professionals in the two decades they have been competing, including five times before on the Flushing Meadows court.

But the next round will be the second time in which they face each other as rivals in the third round of a Grand Slam, following the match at the 1998 Australian Open, their first professional match they played.

--IANS

kk/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It took Aneesh Chaganty, the Indian-American director of Hollywood thriller "Searching", two narrations to get John Cho to say "yes" to the movie as he was overwhelmed as a fan the first time he pitched the film to the Korean-American actor.

Chaganty, who co-wrote the film with Sev Ohanian, started making "Searching" when he was 25. In the beginning, he set out to work on it with some schoolmates and they had no expectation about where the film will reach as a final product -- making it tougher to approach an actor like Cho.

"I remember the first call... When I spoke to him for 15 minutes as a fan and messed up the entire conversation on pitching the story rightly. I faced the problem because there was no reference point of this kind of a film... It was a completely new idea. Without any visual reference, talking about a film was very hard," Chaganty told IANS in an interview.

So, making the film was almost like walking into a dark space, holding each others' hands when everyone put their faith in him.

The first narration to Cho didn't work.

"I knew I failed to give him the narration in the right manner as a director because I was talking to a celebrity for the first time. Therefore, I was overwhelmed. I needed another chance, which was harder to get," said the former Google employee.

Chaganty then sent a text message to Cho asking for a meeting over coffee, in the hope he would change his mind to hear the script properly one more time.

"I remember I told Sev that at the end of the drink, if he doesn't say 'yes', my career is over. I think I pitched the best version of the movie in my life then. He asked me a few questions and I was answering them -- but in my mind, all I wanted is 'yes' as an answer from him. It was a Friday.

"Sev got a call on Monday from John's agent who informed that he agreed to do the film. Later we found out that John had to convince his management to let him act in a film like this which was such a small project by a bunch of college kids," said the 27-year-old director as he recounted the moment of joy.

The story of "Searching" revolves around a father on a search for his missing 16-year-old daughter and how, in that process, he gets introduced to a whole new world of social media and its mysteries.

On the concept of the movie, Chaganty said: "Earlier, the best way for parents to protect their children was to tell them not to talk to strangers. These days, those strangers are in the virtual world and we kids are constantly communicating with them. That is an interesting and scary area for me to explore how the voice of parents has morphed from the older to the newer generation.

"I think that makes the story much more relevant in the present context worldwide... Because the story is otherwise a traditional story of a father looking for his daughter. It is the circumstances that make it different."

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and won the NEXT Audience Award.

Sev, the co-writer and one of the producers of the film, won the Sundance Institute/ Amazon Studios Narrative Producer Award.

Chaganty, who is originally from Hyderabad, feels it's the story's universal approach that connected audiences of every part of the world.

"The film is talking about a global phenomena that parents from across the world face."

As a young global citizen, does he feel a misfit among Americans?

"It's funny that I feel more American when I am in India, and I feel more of an Indian when I am in America among those people. In a way, I tried to bridge the gap that was given to me by society between the two worlds, so that I won't feel a misfit. I won't say it is any negative but I know it is hard to remove," he added.

(Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in)

--IANS

aru/rb/vm

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Film: Stree; Starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurrana; Directed by Amar Kaushik; Rating: ****(4 stars)

A new language in the horror genre burgeons as we watch this quirky cocktail -- or shall we call it a quirk-tale? --of strange eerie mysterious goings-on in a minuscule town somewhere in Madhya Pradesh.

First off, the narrative acquires its judiciously-harnessed strength from the lazy serpentine locations. The congested claustrophobic gullies and lanes of Chanderi lend themselves effectively to the plot that quite literally loses it.

This is a film where supernatural beliefs are dragged to the extremes of self-parody and then dragged back up panting puffing and gasping for breath. It's a delicious voluptuous mishmash of terror and titillation all titivated in loads of guffaws.

To sustain the mood of mirth during times of terror is not easy. Stree manages it. It also squeezes in a piercing message on gender dignity and women's empowerment, proclaiming the ill treatment of women to be the root-cause of all evil perpetrated by ghoulish feminine spirits wandering aimlessly in the night.

The writing in this case is clearly and literally on the wall, as every home in the spooked town has a message 'Stree Kal Aana' painted on the raw brick wall. Well, Kal or not, this Stree rides the train of mystery with bloody-thirsty bravado.

Many passages play for anti-climactic scares. And these get annoying when repeated. Even when the deadends to the frights are too frequent the film never ceases to be fun. Barring Shraddha Kapoor who is listless pale and wan (and not necessarily because the script demands her to be these) the entire cast gets the spirit of spooked satire dead right.

While Aparshakti Khurrana has shaped into one of the strongest supporting actors of contemporary Bollywood, what appealed the most to me was this self-effacing actor's accent. So North Indian in its wackiness, I was left decoding his words long after Khurrana finished uttering them. Pankaj Tripathi as a local scholar-exorcist with a penchant for alcohol and caller tunes that remind us of beautiful ghosts from Raj Khosla's cinema, has the film's best lines. Tripathy chews on them for all the meat they've got and spits them out with loving care.

As for Rajkummar Rao, he takes ownership of the film and its peculiar flavour of fear and fun, instilling the two elements simultaneously in several scenes. I dare any other actor to have so much fun with fear. Watch him and Atul Shrivastava in the sequence where 'Deddy' tells son to not go to prostitutes for 'Frandship', but opt for self-help instead. It is priceless.

Stree moves in mysterious ways through a labyrinth of lip-smacking interludes, some razor-sharp others blunt to the point of blandness. Even when the momentum of the eerie gets overly airy, there is still enough steam in the storytelling to keep us interested, if not enthralled, to the end.

And when all fails, there is always Rajkummar Rao. An actor we can depend on to rescue even the most inept scene from doom. Luckily Stree for all its audacious dips and curves through mofussil anxieties never stumbles too hard to fall fright on its face. And watch out for the final twist in the tale. You will agree this quirk-tale, shot with vinegary vibrancy by cinematographer Amalendu Chaudhary, is no mock-tale.

(Subhash K Jha can be contacted at jhasubh@gmail.com)

--IANS

skj/qd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Students of the local agriculture university on Thursday appealed militants to release their college mate abducted by them on Wednesday from Pulwama district.

Students of B.Sc and M.Sc courses of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) of Kashmir made a fervent appeal to militants not to harm their college mate, Asif Ahmad Rather, a student pursuing M.Sc course who was abducted from his Pinglish village home in Tral area.

"We do not have any idea why this happened to him. All we know is that he is such a helpful person in the entire college.

"Asif has never indulged in any illegal activity. We request his abductors to set him free as he is innocent," a college mate of Asif said.

Asif is the son of a local policeman, Rafiq Ahmad Rather.

--IANS

sq/nir

(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.)
Even as leaders of Tripura tribal parties press the Centre for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state, various parties in Mizoram and Nagaland too have also started demanding the NRC in their states.

Leaders of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) during the past two days have met various Central authorities and ministers in Delhi and demanded preparation of the NRC in Tripura on the lines of Assam.

Meanwhile, Mizoram's all powerful NGO, Young Mizo Association (YMA), has raised a similar demand in the Christian-dominated state while the Nagaland unit of Janata Dal (United) has demanded introduction of NRC in the tribal-dominated state.

"We have submitted a memorandum to the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India in Delhi explaining the reasons for NRC in Tripura. We are also trying to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh," INPT General Secretary Jagadhish Debbarma told IANS over phone from Delhi on Thursday.

He said that INPT's other demands include more constitutional power to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, introduction of inner-line permit in the TTAADC areas and inclusion of tribals' Kokborok language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

Another delegation of IPFT, the junior partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party- led alliance government in Tripura, during the past two days met Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Minister of State (Independent Charge) in-charge of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh and raised various demands, including NRC and more constitutional power to the TTAADC.

The ruling BJP, opposition Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Front strongly oppose the IPFT's statehood demand.

The Nagaland unit of Janata Dal (United) in a press release said like Assam, a similar exercise must be undertaken in Nagalnd for the detection and deportation of "illegal immigrants" by updating the NRC in the state.

--IANS

sc/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at China for undermining its work with North Korea, as criticism over progress on denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula mounts.

In a series of tweets Trump said he saw no reason to resume the joint war games with South Korea that have angered North Korea, BBC reported.

Days ago Trump's Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said that military exercises might continue with South Korea.

In his tweets Trump accused Beijing of providing North Korea with "considerable aid", suggesting China was softening the blow of sanctions. "This is not helpful!" Trump said.

China has accused Trump of "shifting blame" on its relations with North Korea.

A summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June concluded with a pledge from North Korea to work towards "the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula".

But since then many observers say North Korea is not moving fast enough to dismantle its nuclear sites.

Days ago, Washington called off a trip to North Korea by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with the President arguing that insufficient progress had been made in dismantling the North's nuclear programme.

Since the June summit, North Korea has halted its missile tests, claimed to have dismantled a nuclear testing site and returned the remains of US soldiers killed in the Korean War.

A report by Vox suggests that Pyongyang is reluctant to proceed with denuclearisation because Trump failed to live up to his alleged promise to Kim that he would sign an official declaration to end the Korean War.

After a UN report found that North Korea was continuing to work on its nuclear programme, the US urged the international community to maintain sanctions and economic pressure on Pyongyang.

--IANS

mag/bg

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that there is no reason to resume joint military exercises with South Korea for the time being, and insisted that China is not helping to ease tensions with Pyongyang.

"The President believes that his relationship with Kim Jong Un is a very good and warm one, and there is no reason at this time to be spending large amounts of money on joint US-South Korea war games," Donald Trump said in a series of tweets that he termed "Statement from the White House".

"Besides, the President can instantly start the joint exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, if he so chooses. If he does, they will be far bigger than ever before" he added.

Pentagon Chief James Mattis said on Tuesday that there are no plans to suspend military maneuvers with Seoul next year, Efe reported.

During his summit with Kim in June, Trump announced that he would suspend what he calls "war games" with South Korea as a goodwill gesture in the context of the rapprochement with the North Korean government, which considers these military maneuvers a provocation.

This caused Washington and Seoul not to hold the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian manoeuvres, which normally take place in summer, but Mattis also said that the United States did not suspend "all" the military exercises it had planned with South Korea.

Trump's statements do not rule out that such maneuvers could take place in 2019, but they do show that the president does not want to raise the issue at this time.

Speaking from the White House, Trump said on Wednesday that "things are going well with North Korea", even though his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, cancelled his trip to North Korea this month.

The President added that "part of the North Korean problem is caused by the trade disputes with China" of the United States, which he later emphasized in his tweets.

"President Donald J. Trump feels strongly that North Korea is under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese Government," the series of tweets by the President said.

"We also know that China is providing North Korea with considerable aid, including money, fuel, fertilizer and various other commodities. This is not helpful!"

However, he predicted that "in time" he will succeed in resolving these "differences" and trade disputes with China through his contacts with Chinese President Xi Jinping, because he has "a very strong relationship and bond" with him.

--IANS

qd

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Ukrainian woman travelled 6,000km to West Bengal's Hooghly district for meeting a friend -- an Indian shop owner, the police said on Thursday.

"Nadia Lapuchok, a 31-year-old Ukrainian woman, flew to Kolkata about a week ago and visited Arambagh to meet her friend, Prasenjit Karmakar. She checked in a local hotel. The hotel manager, who had seen them speaking, alerted us after suspecting some problem," said Krishanu Roy, SDPO, Arambag here.

The preliminary interrogation suggested that Karmakar, a shop owner, became a friend of the Ukraine-based nurse on social media two years back and gradually, their "friendship grew stronger", the police officer said.

When asked whether the lady had fallen in love with the man, and that is why she came all the way from Ukraine, he said: "There could be a possibility that she had some feelings for Karmakar and but she was unaware that he was a married man."

However, Nadia stressed that they are good friends, the officer said.

During interrogation, Karmakar revealed he had met Nadia when she visited Kolkata six months back, but "he never thought she would turn up like this to meet him again", he said.

The Ukrainian nurse, who is also "fond of Indian culture", had visited Kamarpukur, the birth place of Sri Ramkrishna, and Jayrambati, birthplace of Ma Sarada Devi.

According to the police, Nadia's visa is valid for six months.

--IANS

bnd/bdc/nir

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday expressed concern over the "growing risks of a humanitarian catastrophe" in the event of a full-scale military operation in the northern Idlib province of Syria.

Guterres' statement on Wednesday followed the briefing a day before by the director of operations for UN humanitarian affairs John Ging to the Security Council. Ging warned such a government offensive in Idlib "has the potential to create a humanitarian emergency at a scale not yet seen" in the seven-year civil war, Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking through his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Guterres reaffirmed that any use of chemical weapons is totally unacceptable, in an apparent response to allegations that emerged recently of possible staging of chemical attacks in the province.

The United States, Britain and France have warned that they will respond "appropriately" to any chemical weapons attack in Idlib, a warning repeated at the Security Council on Tuesday by the three countries.

Russia, for its part, said Syrian rebels are preparing a chemical attack, which Moscow said the West would use to justify a strike against the Syrian forces.

Guterres called on the guarantors of the Astana process, namely Russia, Iran and Turkey, to step up efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation in Idlib, the last remaining de-escalation zone, one of the four that the process helped to create.

Complementary to the Geneva talks, the Astana process kicked off in early 2017 with a meeting providing for indirect talks between the Syrian government and rebel factions in the neutral Kazakh capital. In tandem with the Geneva talks, the process aims to achieve a peaceful and stable solution to the conflict in Syria.

Concluding his statement, Guterres urged all parties to take all necessary measures to safeguard civilian lives, allow freedom of movement, and protect civilian infrastructure, including medical and educational facilities, in accordance with international humanitarian law and human rights law.

Reports have said the Syrian government is gearing up for an offensive in Idlib province, which is home to nearly 3 million people and has a large al-Qaida presence in addition to Syrian rebel groups.

--IANS

anp/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At first glance, it looked like an oversized brown puff bloated at the centre. Then, Executive Chef Simran Singh Thapar gently sliced away at the edges and lifted the lid to reveal a gently steaming spring chicken, the aroma taking one back to its origin, Kot Kapura in Punjab.

"The chicken is marinated with freshly-ground Punjabi garam masala, enclosed in a whole wheat crust and slow cooked for two-and-a-half hours at 140 degrees (C) in a combi oven to ensure proper circulation of heat," Thapar, who has curated the Kiyan's Unsung Recipes of India food fest at south Delhi's The Roseate, told IANS with a justified gleam in his eye.

The effort was completely worth it. The lightly-flavoured chicken easily came off the bone and didn't need more than three quick bites to float down the throat. The Atta Chicken, as the dish was called, provided an unusual and rather pleasant start to the meal.

"People like to experiment so we had to go beyond the ordinary. We did extensive research in Punjab, Rajasthan and other parts of the country, even going down south to dig out recipes that had either gone into oblivion or were little known outside their limited regions and bring them alive again," Thapar said as a Moscow Mule cocktail was served up.

Like the chicken, the vodka-based drink was gentle on the tongue with its combination of lemon juice and ginger beer and garnished with ginger juliennes and a lemon slice.

How then did the festival come about?

"It's not just about preparing good food. Each dish has a story to be revealed that gives not just the chef but also the servers a chance to connect with our guests and provide not only food and service but an experience they'll remember for a long time," F&B Manager Manas Tiwari explained.

Such has been the response that the festival, which began on August 17 and was originally intended to run till August 30, has now been extended by a month.

It was then time for Thapar, who had begun his career in the Merchant Navy but realised his calling lay elsewhere, to serve a Meen Polichathu. He gently unwrapped a banana leaf to reveal a generous portion of sole marinated with coastal tamarind and spices.

"We discovered this in the Kochi region (of Kerala)," Thapar, a 11-year veteran in the field, said.

It was one of the few occasions I had touched fish and didn't regret it one bit as the flavours exploded in the mouth and it too quickly slid down the throat.

As we headed up north again, it was time for a change in cocktail, this time a Liberator, with the vodka this time accompanied by pineapple juice, chunks of the fruit, coriander leaves and crushed ice.

One could almost feel the cold of Himachal as a Sepu Badi was served up -- home-style lentil dumplings simmered in a spinach and yoghurt gravy and inspired by the Himachali "Dham" and served with a tawa roti. The "Dham" in fact traces its roots to the Kashmiri Wazwan but without the meat. This did not really matter as the ingredients blended perfectly, aided no doubt by the Liberator.

The Paya Shorba that followed was served rather uniquely: Into a large soup bowl went the ingredients -- lamb trotters and assorted vegetables -- over which the stock was poured. It certainly helped to retain the crunchiness because, otherwise, even in the few minutes that it would have taken to transport this from the kitchen to the table, this aspect would have been lost.

Next up was a strong competitor to the opening dish, this one a Railway Mutton Curry served with a Malabar parota.

"It is said that this was the handiwork of some pantry boys on a Madras-Bangalore train during the colonial era. The manager of the pantry car thought it was fit to be served in First Class but this could not happen till Independence," Thapar explained.

The parota -- this one made out of maida -- blended seamlessly with the braised mutton curry and its potatoes and coconut milk, disappearing quite quickly. Let's just call it a tie between the chicken and the mutton.

There was hardly any space left in the stomach for the final offering, but such was the aroma of the Hyderabadi Mash Ki Daal -- urad daal topped with crunchy red onions and baby lotus stem -- that one couldn't resist soldiering on. For all its simplicity, it packed quite a punch, reinforcing the view that the essence always lies in simplicity.

And finally, there was the Kulfa, yes, Kulfa, an Amritsar speciality, topped up with falooda.

Overall, it made for loads of nostalgia that lingered for long after I had left the hotel.

FAQs:

What: Unsung Recipes of India food festival.

Where: Kiyan at The Roseate on NH 8 till September 30.

Timings: 12 noon-3 p.m. and 7 p.m.-10.45 p.m.

Cost for two: Rs 3,500 (alcohol, taxes extra)

(Vishnu Makhijani was at Kiyan at its invitation. He can be contacted at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)

--IANS

vm/sed/sac

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Thursday was informed that a sub-committee has been formed to expedite the consultation process for rehabilitation plan for people engaged in carrying pilgrims on horses and mules from Katra base to the hilltop Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, an activity now barred.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Vaishno Devi Shrine told a bench headed by Justice Madan B. Lokur that the sub-committee's first meeting was held 10 days back.

The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir was changed on August 21 and now the second and last meeting was scheduled on Thursday, Rohatgi told the bench.

The sub-committee includes advisors to Governor B.B. Vyas and K. Vijay Kumar and Chief Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam.

All the stakeholders were called, including shrine and mules owners, advocate Shoeb Alam appearing for the Jammu and Kashmir told the court.

The counsel sought 10 days time to file an affidavit containing details of the decision taken in the meeting.

The bench, also comprising Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Deepak Gupta, granted two weeks to Jammu and Kashmir to file an affidavit on its plan to rehabilitate mules owners. It posted the case for hearing on September 20.

Earlier, the apex court had sought a plan to phase out the use of mules and rehabilitation of mule owners.

The National Green Tribunal had earlier said that a new path should be constructed to the shrine exclusively meant for pedestrians and battery-operated cars and directed that no horses/mules would be allowed on the new route.

--IANS

gt/prs

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pune police brought back revolutionary writer P. Varavara Rao to Hyderabad on Thursday, a day after the Supreme Court ordered the police to keep the activists arrested for alleged links with Maoists confined to their homes till September 6.

Varavara Rao, who was arrested on Tuesday, was brought back early on Thursday by a flight and placed under house arrest. Police made tight security arrangements around his house in Gandhi Nagar area.

Rao was taken into custody by a team of the Pune police after eight-hour long searches at his residence and the houses of his family members. His family was told that he was arrested in a case relating to the alleged plot by Maoists to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The police had produced him before a court here and taken him to Pune on a transit remand. The same day four other human rights activists and lawyers were arrested in other parts of the country for alleged links with Maoists.

On a petition by eminent persons, the Supreme Court directed Pune police to place the arrested activists under house arrest till September 6. The apex court observed that democracy could not survive without dissenting voice.

On a habeas corpus petition filed by Varavara Rao's wife Hemalatha, Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday directed police to file affidavits relating to the arrest.

It also asked Pune police to translate papers relating to the case from Marathi to Telugu and make them available to Rao's wife.

--IANS

ms/in

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vietnam's central bank has formally allowed the use of Chinese currency -- yuan -- for payment in Vietnam-China border areas to help foster trade between the two countries.

According to the circular issued by the State Bank of Vietnam on Tuesday, individuals and certain kinds of organisations can use yuan for purchasing goods and services starting October 12. The payment can be made via banks or in cash in yuan or in Vietnamese Dong, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The new circular has completed a legal framework for payment in border areas, and has standardized foreign exchange activities in the areas," Can Van Luc, Vietnamese banking and finance expert, senior advisor to the Chairman of the Bank for Industry and Development of Vietnam, said on Thursday.

"The implementation of the new circular will facilitate payment in Vietnam-China border areas, encourage and promote their border trade," he said.

According to Nguyen Thi Mai, a 37-year-old Vietnamese trader in the border area, traders like her have already used yuan for payment with Chinese partners.

"Payment in yuan through banks and in cash in border areas is convenient. So the new circular is good for us because it formalizes the payment," she said.

Vietnam has seven provinces sharing the border with China -- Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Cao Bang and Dien Bien.

--IANS

mag/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, top politicians of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and Telugu film personalities on Thursday paid their last respects to TDP founder NTR's son Nandamuri Harikrishna, who died in a road accident.

Venkaiah Naidu placed a wreath on the body of Harikrishna, at his residence in Mehdipatnam area here. He consoled the family members including his actor sons Junior NTR and Kalyan Ram.

Later talking to reporters, he recalled the services of the actor-politician in films and Naidu described Harikrishna as an obedient son who gave strength to his father N. T. Rama Rao.

The Vice-President said Harikrishna was an affable person and used to speak in a free and frank manner. He recalled that in the Rajya Sabha he insisted that he should be allowed to speak in Telugu and when the then deputy chairman said the rules don't permit it, Harikrishna intervened by offering to translate the speech in English.

Harikrishna (61) died on Wednesday when the SUV, which he was driving, overturned while negotiating a turn in Telangana's Nalgonda district.

A former Member of Parliament, former Andhra Pradesh minister and politburo member of TDP, Harikrishna was son-in-law of TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Chandrababu Naidu, his son and cabinet minister Nara Lokesh, Harikrishna's brother actor Balakrishna, several other ministers and TDP leaders from the neighbouring state are camping here since Wednesday.

Governor of both Telugu states E. S. L. Narasimhan and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had paid their last respects on Wednesday. Ministers, MPs, leaders of various political parties and film personalities and Harikrishna's fans made a beeline at his residence to pay homage.

Actors Nagarjuna, Arjun, Jagapati Babu and director Raghvendra Rao were among the film personalities who paid their last respects.

The last rites of Harikrishna will be performed later in the day in Hyderabad with state honours. Police have made elaborate arrangements for the funeral procession from his residence to Mahaprasthanam in Jubliee Hills.

--IANS

ms/anp/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The World Bank has approved in principle a financial assistance of Rs 929.89 crore for a water supply and sewerage project for the state capital, Himachal Pradesh Urban Development and Country Planning Minister Sarween Chaudhary said on Thursday.

The final negotiation meeting for loan sanction will be held on October 24. The assistance will be made as a development policy loan, she said in a written reply in the Assembly.

There are six sources of drinking water supply to Shimla town with a total water supply capacity of 54 million litres per day (MLD). These included Gumma and Giri.

Officials told IANS that Shimla faced one of its worst water crises for weeks in June, sending locals on the warpath and forcing tourists to cut short their stay.

Replying to a question of Congress' first-time legislator Vikramaditya Singh, the minister said that to ensure regular supply of drinking water, particularly during summer, there is need to augment the Gumma water source from the Sutlej river and construct storage dams on the Giri river.

Another step to meet the water requirement would be to instal filter units in 13 'bouries' or natural water bodies here to ensure water for non-potable uses.

Civic body officials blame Shimla's water shortage to leaks in the distribution network, a significant portion of which was laid during the British rule, and diminishing water resources due to over-exploitation.

Facing flak from the high court, which had monitored the water situation on a day-to-day basis, the Municipal Corporation had disconnected the water connections of over 40 hotels for their failure to clear the pending arrears.

Planned by the British for a maximum population of 16,000, Shimla -- now with a population of nearly 2,00,000 -- requires 42 MLD of water.

According to officials, the city is getting 30-32 MLD on an average every day and the residents are getting water once in three-four days in summer.

--IANS

vg/anp/sed

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In order to avoid duplication of projects funded under the MPLAD scheme, works in as many as 100 districts have been geo-tagged, Statistics Minister DV Sadananda said today.

Moreover, using the Geographical Information System (GIS) on the MPLADS portal, MPs can now recommend projects online across the country under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme.

"100 districts have geo-tagged works under the MPLADS. The updated portal allows to geo-tag works. This would facilitate the states/UTs in sharing the best practices/works being done under the scheme," the minister told reporters after a review meeting of the scheme.

Sadananda said it will help avoid duplication of works under the scheme as sometimes funds are sought more than once for one particular work for a location.

The 100 districts which geo-tagged works under MPLADS fall in 90 different constituencies. The ministry has asked the states that district authorities should provide data about all works in their area under the scheme.

He also said that over 75 per cent of the funds allocated under the MPLADS has been utilised till July this year.

However, he expressed concern over pendency of installments, slow utilisation of MPLADS funds and closure of accounts under earlier Lok Sabhas like 14th and 15th.

According to Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation estimates till July 31, 2018, total pending installments of funds under the MPLADS was Rs 2,932 crore out of the released amount of Rs 7,097 crore.

It said that as many as 17 states have more than 10 per cent of unspent balance over release funds.

The other issue highlighted by the ministry is closure of accounts. The scheme provides for 18 months to complete works and three months subsequently for settling and closing the accounts.

The MOSPI said that as many as 208 accounts up to 14th Lok Sabha are yet to be closed as on August 6, 2018. Similarly 318 accounts of 15th Lok Sabha are yet to be closed as on August 6, 2018.

It also said that Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha are best performing States/UTs in terms of uploading the information (Monthly Progress Report and Work-wise details) on the MPLADS web Portal.

UTs like Lakshadweep, A&N Islands and states of Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are amongst the higher side of the performance having maximum percentage utilization of funds over release.

Since April, 2014 out of 4,67,144 works recommended by the MPs (Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), 4,11,612 works have been sanctioned and 3,84,260 works have been completed up to July 31, 2018.

The MPLAD scheme was launched in 1993-94 and this is its silver jubilee year.

Since the inception of the scheme till July, Rs 47,922.75 crore has been released under the Scheme and works of Rs 49,065.58 crore have been sanctioned by the District Authorities. Of the total release since inception, Rs 45,604.94 crore have been utilised. This is more than 95 per cent of the release.

Sadananda also urged MPs to contribute towards rehabilitation works in Kerala in wake of recent floods there causing widespread destruction to the lives and property.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Maharashtra government has declared 115 tehsils as 'cotton growing' areas in the state, a decision aimed at boosting the textile industry, an official said today.

This will bring a focused attention on cotton cultivation and issues like the crop's growth, supply and processing, the government official said.

The state government announced earlier this week that 115 tehsils in 18 districts of Marathwada, North Maharashtra and Vidarbha regions have been identified as cotton growing areas.

"Following the identification of tehsils, the state will collect data on how much cotton is produced and locally used by textile units. If less than 50 per cent of cotton produced in a tehsil is locally used, the government will promote setting up a textile unit there," the official said.

"This will benefit farmers, who would get a local buyer for their cotton produce. The cost of transportation will also be less as most of the cotton required by the textile unit would be available locally," he said.

An average textile mill needs around 4,896 tonne of cotton per annum to sustain itself. This means a textile mill can be set up in a tehsil where around 9,600 tonne of cotton is produced in a year, the official said.

At present, the state's textile mills are not located in areas where cotton is grown. In such a situation, traders reap more benefits as farmers are unaware of buyers' demands, he said.

Traders buy cotton at a lower price but sell it at a higher rate to the mill, the official pointed out.

The cotton growing tehsils have been identified in Aurangabad, Jalna, Parbhani, Hingoli, Nanded, Beed, Buldhana, Amravati, Nagpur, Akola, Yavatmal, Wardha, Chandrapur, Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Jalgaon and Ahmednagar districts of the state, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A dozen people, including two women, received injuries after the jeep they were travelling in overturned in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district, police said today.

All passengers were returning home in Vijay Nagar, Ajmer district, after offering prayers at Tanot Temple and Ramdevra, when the jeep driver allegedly dozed off and lost control of the car, said Pokhran SHO Shankar Lal.

The jeep overturned after hitting a road divider, he said, adding that 12 passengers, including two women were injured in the accident. They were sent to Jodhpur for treatment.

No case was registered, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As many as 16 companies based in have shown interest in the development of the multi-model Sabarmati terminal hub of the Ahmedabad- bullet train project, NHRCL, the executing agency of the high-speed corridor, said on Thursday.

This is the first tender for a station on the bullet train route.

The Sabarmati terminal hub will act as originating point for those boarding the from Ahmedabad and as terminating point for those boarding the bullet train from the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in It will be based on the theme of Mahatma Gandhi's famous Dandi March of 1930.

The 16 agencies bought bid documents during a pre-bid meeting here, spokesperson of the High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd said (NHSRCL) Dhananjay Kumar said.

All the companies are based in India, he said but did not disclose their names.

The last date for submission of bids are October 5. The tender for developing the multi-model hub was floated last month.

According to the official, once the bid is awarded, work on the project, expected to cost around Rs 3 billion-4 billion, will start within one month, and take 30 months for completion.

The high-speed corridor is proposed to start operating from August 15, 2022.

The terminal building will be a major interchange hub facilitating passengers to have a seamless connectivity with the Indian railway network, the Ahmedabad metro and the BRT corridor.

A pathway will connect the hub to the platforms from where the passengers can catch the high speed train.

ALSO READ: Bullet train to have child-feeding room, separate toilet for men and women

The terminal building is also proposed to be developed as a major business hub with office space and hotel usage.

The building will be themed after the Dandi March of Mahatma Gandhi and his imprints will be the mainstay of this structure.

Meanwhile, NHSRCL has undertaken the preliminary work of relocation of the trees falling on the alignment of the rail corridor.

Kumar said 2,500 trees along the Ahmedabad stretch of the corridor will be relocated.

The corporation has engaged a tree spade', an all hydraulic tree transplanting machine for the relocation of the tree.

The number of trees for relocation in the entire stretch between Ahmedabad and is still being assessed. However, we have already started relocating the identified trees in the Ahmedabad stretch of the project, Kumar said.

The major physical work of the project is expected to begin from January next year.

The 508-km-long high-speed corridor will have 12 stations. Trains without stoppages will take roughly two hours and trains with stoppages would take roughly 3 hours to cover the distance between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

Trains on this stretch are expected to touch a maximum speed of 320 kmph.

The corridor is proposed to be built at a cost of Rs 1.08 trillion.
The upcoming 2+2 dialogue next week in New Delhi is an opportunity to advance the India-US relationship in a significant way, a senior Pentagon official today said.

"We have an opportunity to really advance the relationship in significant ways. We'll talk about regional issues and strategic issues, but we're also going to have a set of actual concrete outcomes," Randall G Schriver, US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, told a Washington audience.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis are travelling to India next week for the 2+2 dialogue being hosted by their Indian counterparts Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman.

"It is a very good combination of strategic, high-level dialogue and concrete outcomes that will serve as enablers for advancing the relationship well beyond the meeting in Delhi on September 6-7," he said at an event organised by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"So, the conversation on strategic issues, regional and security issues certainly are our shared interest and understanding on China. How to respond to that will be front and centre, other aspects of promoting the free and open ended dialogue specific to how we approach Southeast Asia," he said.

Describing this as a historic meeting, the senior Pentagon official said the leaders will talk about Afghanistan or shared interest there and driving that to a political settlement.

In the defence sector, the two countries, he said are working on a set of enabling agreements. "Collectively what they'll allow us to do is have secure communications, protect a technology, protect information. Getting those enabling agreements in place will allow a security assistance, a cooperation to go forward, will allow us in exercise and training in more meaningful ways," he said.

Schriver said these concrete outcomes will set India and the US on a good course for the future. "We are going to expand the scope of some of our exercises, increase the complexity and the elements that will participate in these exercises. That's a very good outcome," he said.

The leaders are also going to talk about augmenting the 2+2 to include mid-level officials from the two countries, so as to have a continuous dialogue at the working level, he said.

Describing the elevation of India to Strategic Trade Authorisation (STA-1) status as a very important outcome, he said this is an enabler for trade and technology cooperation, because it lifts some of the restrictions on their ability to do that. "So there's just a number of things that will really set us on a great course as we go," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A youth who was home from Dubai where he worked as a tailor was lynched in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district on suspicion that he had stolen a buffalo, police said today.

Shahrukh, 20, was beaten to death last night in Bholapur Hadoliya village under the Cantt police station area here.

Four people have been arrested, said Superintendent of Police (City) Abhinandan Singh.

Shahrukh and three others had gone out last night when a group of locals caught hold of them, suspecting that they had stolen a buffalo. He was thrashed by the group while his associates managed to escape, police said.

He was admitted to hospital in a serious condition and later succumbed to injuries,



Shahrukh worked in Dubai as tailor and had recently come home, Singh said.

According to the post-mortem examination, severe beating was the cause of death, the SP said. Both sides have lodged FIRs.

Shahrukh's brother has filed a complaint against 20-25 unnamed persons and three of his associates. The side which alleged buffalo theft have also lodged a case, the SP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 27 people have been killed and nearly 100 wounded in several days of fighting between rival militias near the Libyan capital, the health ministry said Thursday.

The clashes broke out on Monday in suburbs south of Tripoli and continued into Wednesday evening after a truce collapsed, despite an appeal by the United Nations for calm.

The clashes came to an end on Thursday after a ceasefire agreement announced by officials from western areas, but it was unclear whether the two rival camps would continue to respect it.

The health ministry said at least 27 people were killed and 91 were wounded in the fighting, most of them civilians.

Fayez al-Sarraj, the leader of the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), has tasked forces from western and central regions of Libya with ensuring the rivals adhere to the ceasefire.

These forces are meant to guarantee the withdrawal of the two rival camps from front lines and ensure normal life returns in the districts affected by the fighting.

The proposed pacifying forces consist mainly of powerful armed groups from the cities of Misrata and Zintan in the west, which are technically under the GNA's defence ministry.

Under the orders of Sarraj, who heads the Libyan army, these military units will be allowed to operate in the capital and its environs only until September 30, when they must leave.

The Misrata and Zintan militias controlled the Libyan capital from the fall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 until 2014, when a coalition of militias mainly from Misrata seized the city.

This week's fighting has pitted Tripoli militias loyal to the GNA against the so-called 7th Brigade.

This unit is from the town of Tarhuna southeast of the capital and is supposed to operate under the GNA's defence ministry.

In a televised speech, Sarraj said on Thursday that the 7th Brigade had been "dissolved" since April, before calling on the rival camps to respect the ceasefire.

In a joint statement, the embassies of Britain, France, Italy and the United States on Thursday said they were "deeply concerned about the recent clashes in and around Tripoli that are destabilising the situation". "Pursuing political aims through violence will only further exacerbate the suffering of the population of Libya, and threaten broader stability", the statement said.

"Those who undermine Libya's peace, security and stability will be held accountable." The Libyan capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups since Kadhafi's fall.

Successive transitional authorities, including the GNA, have been unable to form an functioning army or regular security forces and have been forced to rely on militias to keep the city safe.

In mid-2017, pro-GNA militias neutralised several rival groups in Tripoli. Since then, clashes have been rare.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three suspected members of gangster Neeraj Bawania's gang were arrested by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch, the police said tody.

Vaashu Sharma alias Bunti (30), Sarjeev alias Sanju (24) and Yogesh (27) were arrested from near Sector 14, Dwarka Metro Station, on August 26, they said.

Two automatic pistols along with four live cartridges and a countrymade pistol along with two live cartridges were recovered from their possession, they said.

In 2015, Bunti along with his associates had killed rival gangster of Rajesh Bawania gang Anil Gujjar and Ishwar alias CP, police said.

On June 7, he came out on parole in the above case for 10 days from the Tihar jail, but he absconded and was planning a "big loot" to arrange money for marriage of his sister, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Four Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit, who were involved in a Hawala racket in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, have been booked and detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) today, a senior police officer said.

All these were associated with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and have been lidged in Central Jail Kot Bhalwal in Jammu, SSP Rajouri Yougal Manhas said.

The accused were identified as Sajjad Ahmed Malla, Mohd Arif, Khurshid Ahmed Thokar and Ajaz Ahmed Sofi, SSP said.

A dossier in this regard was submitted before District Magistrate Rajouri by the SSP Rajouri and the district magistrate issued order for booking them under PSA.

These OGWs were arrested by Rajouri Police along with Rs one lakh Hawala money meant for the supply to the militant outfit in Shopian district, for which a case stands registered, he said.

During investigation of the case, it has come to fore that these OGWs were in constant touch with Saddam Paddar and Zeenat-Ul-Islam, Commanders of HM outfit, who motivated them to visit Rajouri to bring Hawala money and made hideouts viz-a-viz motivate youths in a bid to revive militancy, SSP said.

However, before they could cause any damage in furtherance to their mission, the network of the OGWs was smashed by the Rajouri Police and all of them were arrested, he said.

Meanwhile, after order issued by District Magistrate Rajouri, all of them were detained under Public Safety Act by a police team.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Forty-eight government employees were found absent from duty during a surprise inspection in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, prompting the authorities to stop their salaries, officials said today.

Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Angrez Singh Rana constituted teams under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner Kishori Lal Sharma which conducted a surprise inspection, an official spokesman said.

The teams conducted surprise checks in various government offices, schools, health care centres etc and found several officers were unauthorizedly absent from duty.

The assistant executive engineer and junior engineer of the Dachhan Public Health Engineering Office were also found absent, the spokesman said.

Terming the unauthorized absence of employees as disservice to the society, Rana, immediately issued orders to stop their salaries, he said.

He further initiated an enquiry and appointed Additional District Development Commissioner Imam Din as the enquiry officer and asked him to present a report within seven days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of 50 schoolchildren, including seven girls, from Jammu and Kashmir met Home Minister Rajnath Singh today after their tour to historical sites in the national capital, Agra and Jaipur.

The children, from Kathua district of the state, visited the sites under a youth exchange programme - 'Watan Ko Jano'. Today, they shared their experiences with the home minister and Union Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh.

The home minister expressed happiness that these children have visited various landmark and historical sites in the national capital and witnessed the rich cultural and historical heritage of the country, an official statement said.

Rajnath Singh said India has a rich cultural, religious and ethnic diversity and it has emerged as the world's largest secular democratic republic.

He said the unity in diversity is the unique value of the country and everyone must ensure the unity in the process of development.

The home minister urged the children to share their experiences with their friends and relatives back home and spread the message of peace and goodwill.

Speaking on the occasion, Jitendra Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned Kathua on two occasions in his monthly 'Maan ki Baat' radio address about the remarkable strides made towards development in the district - first with reference to 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' scheme and then with reference to 'Swachh Bharat Mission'.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been organising the programme 'Watan Ko Jano' to give the youths and children of Jammu and Kashmir exposure to cultural and socio-economic development taking place in other parts of the country.

Youth and children hit by militancy and from weaker sections of the society have been identified for the purpose, the statement said.

The government has planned to sponsor around 6,000 children for tours of various cities across the country under this programme, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nine construction workers from West Bengal have been rescued in Malaysia who were stuck there, Congress MP Mausam Noor said today.

The nine men had gone to the country between May and June with help of an agent but did not receive benefits as per the contract. Their passports were also taken, Noor, the Lok Sabha MP of Malda Uttar constituency said in a statement.

The Indian High Commission to Malaysia today informed Noor that the workers have been rescued, the statement said.

The high commission also informed Noor that it was arranging for sending the workers back home.

The incident came to light after the workers contacted their family members here, who sought help from Noor.

He informed the Indian High Commission to Malaysia about their condition on August 28 following which it started the rescue work, the statement said.

In am email today, the high commission said they have been rescued and arrangements are being made to send them back to Malda, it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A retired Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) has been arrested on the charges of cheating and forgery in a 20-year-old case, police in Sheopur district today said.

SDM is a post in the administrative wing of state government.

Kotwali Police Station in-charge Sunil Khemariya said that then district collector Radheshyam Julania had filed a complaint of cheating and forgery against then Vijaypur tehsil SDM, L N Tyagi in 1998.

After police filed a charge sheet, a local court issued a warrant against Tyagi in 2006, but he became untraceable, the police officer said.

Tyagi was nabbed in Gwalior two days ago and produced before a court yesterday, which sent him in judicial custody.

The police officer said that Tyagi has been booked under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery) and 468 (forgery for cheating) and further probe is on.

He, however, could not give more details about the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Maharashtra Police today sought to justify the arrest of five Left-wing activists for alleged Maoist links, saying they are in possession of "digital" evidence about a "larger conspiracy" to mobilise cadres for "action" against security forces.

The Pune Police had arrested the activists after conducting raids in various cities on August 28.

"We have all the digital evidence to expose this large conspiracy about how to mobilise cadres, how to take action against security forces, which sort of weapons need to be procured and how to raise funds," Pune Police Commissioner K Venkatesham told reporters.

The Supreme Court, after being approached by some prominent people challenging the arrests, ordered yesterday that the five activists be kept under house arrest till September 6.

Venkatesham said the police would continue their investigation even though the apex court had ordered the five to be placed in house arrest.

"Our investigation will go on and we will take the case to the logical end. We have certain key leads and will take them forward," he added.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into a conclave -- Elgar Parishad -- held in Pune on December 31 last year, which had allegedly triggered violence at Bhima Koregaon in the district the next day.

Left-leaning poet Varavara Rao from Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira from Mumbai, trade unionist and lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj from Haryana's Faridabad, and Gautam Navlakha were arrested after the raids.

When asked about seized documents that purportedly talk about procurement of weapons from Nepal and Manipur and the "role" Rao, Venkatesham said, "There are discussions in the seized communications on type of weapons that need to be procured, from where they should be procured and from which route they should be brought in".

"We have all the evidences and we will present them in the court," he said.

During the arguments in Pune court yesterday, the prosecution had claimed that the accused were planning to "wage a war" against the country and were involved in procuring arms, funding Naxal activities and recruiting students from reputed educational institutes.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer, who is privy to the investigation, said the police have "conclusive evidence" to prove that the Bhima-Koregaon violence on January 1, 2018 was "pre-planned".

"CPI (Maoists) was preparing for the Elgar Parishad for the last several months. The objective of the conclave was to instigate people so that unrest can be created which eventually would overthrow the current government.

"The result of all this (preparation) we saw on the next day at Bhima-Koregaon in the form of the caste violence," he said.

The Pune Police had yesterday said it had "evidence" which suggested that there was a plan to target the "higher political functionaries". The police also claimed to have evidence to suggest that the arrested people had links with Kashmiri separatists.

The Bhima-Koregaon clashes had taken place during an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle between British forces and the Maratha Army led by Peshwas.

The British Army, comprising a large number of Dalits, had defeated the Marathas in the battle.

Dalits perceive the battle as the defeat of casteism of Peshwas who were Brahmins.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A letter, which the Maharashtra police claim to have recovered during its multi-city raids two days back, alleges that one of the five arrested activists Gautam Navlakha was in contact with Kashmiri separatists.

The undated letter in Hindi, written by some 'Comrade Sudha' to some 'Comrade Prakash, also talks about giving financial help to the "comrades" working in the "interiors", as is supposedly done by backers of militants and stone pelters in Kashmir.

Navlakha was one of the five Left-wing activists arrested for alleged Maoist links during raids by the Pune police at nine places across various states on Tuesday.

Others arrested were Left-leaning poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira in Mumbai and trade unionist and lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj in Haryana's Faridabad.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into a conclave -- Elgar Parishad -- held in Pune on December 31 last year, which had allegedly triggered violence at Bhima Koregaon in the district the next day.

The Supreme Court, after being approached by some prominent people to challenge the arrests, ordered yesterday that the five should be kept under house arrest till September 6.

Yesterday, special public prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar had told the Pune court that the police has seized some letters which showed a connection between the Maoists and other banned organisations including some outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

A letter, a copy of which is in PTI's possession, reads: "Comrade Ankit and Comrade Gautam Navlakha are in contact with Kashmiri separatists."



It was not clear from the letter as to who "Sudha", "Prakash" or "Ankit" are.

It goes on to say: "After Saibaba's imprisonment, there is an atmosphere of fear among urban cadres. To minimise that fear, there is a need to provide monetary package to the comrades working in interiors on the line of financial aid provided by Kashmiri separatists to the stone pelters, militant organisations and their families."



Such aid, the letter states, will make the "comrades" mentally stronger to face any situation.

"Saibaba" apparently is former Delhi University teacher G N Saibaba who was convicted for Maoist links last year.

The letter also says that "Comrade Prakash" could be consulted for legal aid for a case pertaining to the use of pellet guns which is in the Supreme Court.

The writer of the letter also talks about a need to publicise videos of alleged human rights violations in the Kashmir valley by the "enemy" on social as well as other media.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Author Arundhati Roy and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani along with several other civil society members today demanded action against the Maharashtra police for launching a "vicious and malafide attack" against human rights activists across the country and called for an immediate end to "such political acts of vendetta".

The arrests of the five activists, in a nationwide crackdown on Tuesday, highlights the violation of all due procedures and is a mockery of the legal system, said a joint statement signed by over 30 civil society groups.

The signatories to the statement include Roy, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, activists Aruna Roy, Bezwada Wilson and Mevani among scores of others.

"It is a coup against the Constitution. It is a very dire situation, potentially more dangerous than the Emergency," Roy said at a press conference organised by The Peoples Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and the Women Against Sexual Violence and State Repression (WSS).

She said there is an attempt to "overturn the Constitution, to declare that this is an upper caste Hindu Rashtra in which all minorities and everyone else who does not agree with the majoritarian point of view is criminalised."



The activists also demanded an unconditional repeal of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The Maharashtra police arrested Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, and raided the homes of several others as part of its probe into the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave in Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune on December 31 last year.

Others whose premises were reportedly searched this week were Father Stan Swamy, Susan Abraham, Kranthi Tekula and Anand Teltumbde.

The statement by the civil society groups comes a day after the Supreme Court directed that the five activists be kept under house arrest.

They also demanded that the police return the laptops and mobile phones seized during the "illegal arrest" of the activists, and make an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the "FIR No.4/2018 at Vishrambagh PS, Pune, Maharashtra and all held under it".

Referring to the recent surveys conducted by media groups and other organisations showing falling popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Arundhati Roy said, "We are living in dangerous times and there will be a ruthless and continuous attempt to divert attention from the reasons for this loss of popularity and to fracture the growing solidarity of the Opposition."



Recounting that a fire had broken out at a Make in India event in 2016, she said the "real fire of Make in India" is the new Rafale aircraft deal.

Besides slamming the Rafale deal, she also attacked the government on several policies such as demonetisation and GST.

She alleged that the government looked away while wealthy industrialists Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya fled to other countries.

Independent Gujarat MLA Mevani announced that Dalits and activists will together hold rallies and demonstrations at various places across the country on September 5.

"On 15 September, we will hold conclaves against the BJP and the Sangh in 20 states of the country.

"Out of the arrests that have taken place, what has emerged is that there is a combination of three things --undeclared emergency, fascism and the Gujarat model," he said.

The government wants to "terrorise" people who are against the ideology of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, who want to make the country a secular, socialist democracy, who fight for the rights of Dalits and farmers, and those who can challenge the BJP and the Sangh in 2019.

"They want to discredit the Dalit movement and Dalit assertion," he alleged.

Mevani also spoke about the alleged assassination plot against Prime Minister Modi and claimed that it was an attempt to generate sympathy ahead of 2019 polls and divert attention from "real issues" such as Rafale, GST, demonetisation, and farmers' issues.

In the joint statement, the activists and intellectuals also demanded the withdrawal of all cases under the UAPA and "immediate end to such political acts of vendetta".

Speaking at the press conference, Bhushan said, "What is happening in the country? Lynch mobs have been let loose...Those who have lynched people are let go off."



Dalits and minorities have been attacked and action is taken against those who are attacked instead of those who attacked them. This attack on frontline activists is a "dangerous escalation of fascism", Bhushan said.

"What is happening is more dangerous than the Emergency that was imposed," he claimed.

At the press meet, Aruna Roy said, "The Constitution has been violated...This indicates that any sort of opposition will be dealt with harshly."



"Critical voices are being suppressed, space for activism is reducing," she said.

Arundhati Roy also raised the issue of the investigation of the Karnataka police into the killing of Gauri Lankesh, saying it had "unveiled several Hindu right-wing organisations like the Sanatan Sanstha... how many of these groups do we know about. With the elections coming, what plans do they have in store for us."



She also alleged that educational institutions were being "dismantled", citing the example of the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

"The more serious issue is the privatisation of education," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leading intellectuals and civil society members today demanded action against Maharashtra police for launching a "vicious and malafide attack" against human rights activists and called for an immediate end to "such political acts of vendetta".

The arrests of the five activists, in a nationwide crackdown on Tuesday, highlights the violation of all due procedures and is a mockery of the legal system, said a joint statement signed by author Arundhati Roy, lawyer Prashant Bhushan as well as activists Aruna Roy and Jignesh Mevani among others.

The statement comes a day after the Supreme Court directed that the five activists be kept under house arrest.

They have also demanded that police return the laptops and mobiles seized during the "illegal arrest" of the activists.

"They want to divert attention from real issue and discredit the dalit movement. The so call Maoist plot to Kill the prime minister is an effort to garner sympathy. Dalits will hold protest rallies at various places on September 5 against the government," Mevani said at a press conference.

"What is happening today is more dangerous than the emergency," Bhushan added.

Maharashtra police arrested Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, and raided the homes of several others as part of its probe into the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave in Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune on December 31 last year.

Others whose premises were reportedly searched this week were Father Stan Swamy, Susan Abraham, Kranthi Tekula and Anand Teltumbde.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik today called for giving a renewed push to the "Mission on Delivering Governance" and "Mission on Delivering Development" to bring the state back on course.

"Our collective priority should be to reach-out to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to mitigate their problems through good governance and address their developmental concerns with outcome-based action," the governor said at the introductory meeting with top officials of the administration, including his three advisors.

Hailing the state's civil and police administration for working tirelessly for the welfare of the people, the governor said the state administration needs to function with renewed efficiency, speed and accountability and deliver quick results on the ground on developmental and governance fronts so that the people get the much-needed relief and feel visible change.

Stressing on the need for ensuring rapid, people-centric governance, Malik enumerated the short and long-term measures to be taken to achieve this objective.

He said strengthening and expansion of grievance redressal mechanism, timely execution of developmental projects, public outreach, attendance in offices and strengthening anti-corruption mechanism will be among the priority areas for the administration in the first instance.

Malik said instructions have already been passed for setting up grievance cells in the offices of all the deputy commissioners across the state with a designated nodal officer.

"Focus has to be on working through transparency and consultation to promote a culture of excellence in governance characterised by integrity and highest standards of deliverance," he said.

The governor said he will be always available personally to address any issue facing the administration in the smooth discharge of their duties.

"I will be also available to public to listen to their woes," he said.

The governor also expressed grief over the killing of four policemen in Shopian yesterday.

Acknowledging the role of the J&K Police, he said the government will be announcing a slew of welfare measures for the force shortly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Afghanistan is hopeful of doubling bilateral trade to USD 2 billion with India by 2020 and seeks private investments and co-operation in various fields, a senior government official said.

"Our bilateral trade with India is USD 1 billion at present and is expected to reach more than USD 2 billion by 2020. We seek private investment and cooperation from India in the field of agriculture, mining, heavy industries, education, healthcare, energy, IT and transportation," the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan's ambassador to India Shaida Mohammad Abdali told reporters here.

As part of economic development in war-ravaged country, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), India and government of Afghanistan announced the second annual "Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan International Trade and Investment Show" which will be held between September 12-15 in Mumbai. More than 600 representatives from Afghanistan, India and international businesses are expected to attend the trade show. During the event, Afghanistan's textiles, carpets, gems, and jewelry will be on display for international buyers. Afghanistan vendors will also be able to sell their sample products directly to consumers.

'Passage to Prosperity' will help develop economic ties between Afghanistan and international markets, and further advance trade integration, Abdali said.

During the first 'Passage to Prosperity' event, in New Delhi last year, Indian buyers and Afghan vendors signed over USD 27 million in contracts for raw and processed agricultural products. In addition, a number of Indian buyers and Afghan vendors signed MoU valued at nearly USD 214 million during the four-day event, and more than USD 10 million worth of carpets, gemstones, jewellery, marble, and food-related products were sold.

This year's event in Mumbai promises to build on the first show's successes and expand its impact by reaching beyond India, he said.

The ambassador pointed out that with USAID support, Afghanistan has been able to re-establish trade and export systems. Air cargo for Afghan exports is a speedy and cost-effective method in comparison to the road transport. The direct flights between Afghanistan, New Delhi and Mumbai, will be also extended to other major cities of India.

At the press launch event, US Consul General Edgard Kagan said that the US is also committed to the economic development of Afghanistan as number of American companies are looking to invest in development there.

Ramona El Hamzaoui, USAID/India deputy director, explained, "By creating meaningful partnerships, economic ties will be strengthened and employment opportunities will increase. The deals and connections that result from this trade show will have long-term impacts on both Afghanistan and India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nashik civic chief Tukaram Mundhe today announced reduction in property tax by half, two days before a special general body meeting is likely to discuss a no confidence motion against him.

According to sources in the BJP-ruled Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), Mundhe yesterday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Nashik district Guardian Minister Girish Mahajan in Mantralaya in Mumbai.

Local politicians had protested against Mundhe's earlier decision to hike property tax in a bid to shore up revenues of the civic body.

Mundhe told reporters today that people unhappy with slashed property tax can appeal against the decision within 21 days.

A special general body meeting of the civic body is likely to be held on September 1 to discuss the motion moved against the bureaucrat by the BJP corporators.

Mayor Ranjana Bhansi (BJP) had said citizens are unhappy with the NMC's recent "drastic upward revision" of tax rates.

"For a property of 1,300 sqft, the tax has gone up from Rs 3,400 to Rs 21,000," she said.

The mayor had claimed that the "rights" of corporators were snatched away by Mundhe.

The NMC commissioner had termed as "untrue and unfounded" the allegations raised by the corporators over his style of functioning.

Mundhe, who was serving as the chairman and managing director of Pune Municipal Transport Corporation Limited, was posted as the municipal commissioner of Nashik in February this year.

The transfer came just 11 months after he was shifted from the post of Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner.

Mundhe, an IAS officer of 2005 batch, faced similar problems with politicians during much of his tenure and is said to have been transferred 10 times in the last 10 years.

In the 122-member NMC, the ruling BJP has 66 members, the Shiv Sena 35, the NCP 6, the Congress 6, the MNS 5, RPI 1 1 and Independents 3.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pindara Thakur village under coveted Amethi parliamentary constituency of Congress president Rahul Gandhi would go fully digital from September one, having access to 206 government services at the click of a mouse, thanks to Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani.

Located in Musafirkhana tehsil of the district, the village would go digital under the Digital India Programme of the Union government.

The village would be digitally linked to the outside world in a formal ceremony on September 1 by Irani, dubbed as Gandhi's arch-rival, working over time to unseat him in the next Lok Sabha elections.

She had fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi but had lost to Gandhi by over 1 lakh votes.

Musafirkhana Sub Divisional Magistrate Devi Dayal Verma told PTI that villagers of Pindara Thakur would be linked with Wi Fi Chaupal and may use 2 GB free data for 15 days in beginning and later this service would be provided to them at cheaper rates.

The central minister would also inaugurate the 'Digital India Banking Service' at the head post office of Amethi in Amethi town to boost the payment services in post offices.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mounted on tractors and wielding flares, angry farmers came from all corners of France to say to Chinese investors: get off our land.

More than 100 farmers swarmed on a Chinese-owned field in the Indre region of central France yesterday, occupying it in protest at what they say is financial speculation.

Waving the flag of France's Farmers' Confederation, they filled a seed drill with rye and sprayed grain in a demonstration they said symbolised the need to "take back the land for the farmers".

"The land is there to provide for farmers' families and to produce food," said Laurent Pinatel, spokesman for the Farmers' Confederation.

"The owners have come here to make a profit, to speculate on agriculture while monopolising the land."



Chinese consortium Hongyang bought 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) of land in the Indre in 2016, growing wheat for the international market.

The group has also snapped up 900 hectares in the nearby Allier region, adding to mounting worries in rural France that their traditional family ownership model is under threat from a huge rise in investor purchases.

Chinese investors have spent at least 76 billion euros (USD 89 billion) on French land since 2010, according to figures published by the American Enterprise Institute and Heritage Foundation.

As tensions rose at yesterday's protest in the hamlet of Murs, a farm worker employed by the Chinese landowners punched both a protester and a journalist in the face.

"We have the same problem in the north between Saint-Omer and Dunkirk," complained Jean-Luc Bardel, a farmer who travelled down for the protest, saying he had "barely" managed to buy three hectares due to investors buying swathes of land.

"In the agricultural colleges loads of young people in rural areas want to return to the land. But they can't find any, or it's much too expensive, because consortiums have driven up the prices."



Some farmers -- particularly those nearing retirement -- have been enticed by rising prices to rent out or sub-let their land to large companies, he said.

"Farmers' pensions are so weak that we can't really blame them, but it's not great," he added.

Nicolas Calame, spokesman of the Farmers' Confederation in the Indre, said the region was "emblematic" of a global problem.

"The problem is not that the owners are Chinese. It's also scandalous when the French monopolise land in Ukraine or Poland," he told AFP.

The farmers urged the government to draft legislation restricting the amount of land major investors can buy up.

President Emmanuel Macron in February announced that he would impose new restrictions on foreign purchases of agricultural land.

Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert said yesterday that a parliamentary commission was investigating the problem and that the government would announce "concrete proposals" once its work was done.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian men's team suffered a 2-3 loss to Myanmar in the 11-12 classification match in the Volleyball competition at the 18th Asian Games here today.

Fortunes fluctuated during the match as India lagged 21-25 in the first set before scoring 25-18 in the set to make amends. But Myanmar registered 27-25 in the third set but India again clawed back with a 25-15 score in the fourth set.

However, Myanmar sealed the contest after scoring 15-13 in the fifth and final set.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assam government is likely to allow the police for filing chargesheet against 15 public servants, including state civil service officers, in corruption cases, a source in the Home Department told PTI.

Of the 15, four had been in the rank of additional deputy commissioner between 2003 and 2017 - the period when the cases were filed.

As per rule, the police have sought sanction from the government to go ahead with filing of chargesheets against the officials in as many as 11 corruption cases across the state.

"The government has received requests for prosecution sanctions against some officials. It is under consideration. As the thrust of the government is zero tolerance for any kind of corruption, the necessary sanctions will be issued in the coming days," the Home Department source told PTI.

Some of the cases were related to land, including frauds in providing compensation to people during expansion of national highway in a few districts of Upper Assam, he added.

"These cases were registered between 2003 and 2017 by various government agencies, including the CID and local police stations. Most of the proposals for prosecution sanction were sought during June-July this year," the source said.

The Assam Police has sought permission to take action against five Assam Civil Services (ACS) officials, one Assam Police Services (APS) official and three senior tax officials.

The ACS officers had been additional deputy commissioners of Jorhat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Dhemaji and Sivasagar districts during the period under investigation.

The list also includes another ACS officer, who had been the circle officer of the Sivasagar revenue circle, while the lone APS officer had been the additional superintendent of police in Karbi Anglong district.

Without sharing the details of the cases, the source said one additional commissioner of taxes, one superintendent of taxes and an inspector of taxes have also been named in corruption charges in the list to government.

"Besides, there are officials such as gram sevaks, accountant and engineers. The alleged corruption charges were reported from Barpeta, Sivasagar, Kamrup Metropolitan, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao and Tinsukia," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Assam Inland Water Transport Department is considering to form a new organisation to manage the river terminals and vessels, for which it will engage its existing surplus manpower in the state.

"We are actively considering to have a new set up to manage the river terminals and the vessels. It is something like airport and aircraft management. The proposed entity will be fully government controlled," Inland Water Transport (IWT) Director BB Dev Choudhury told PTI here.

Currently, IWT sector has no enforcement, no regulations, no security checks and no registration of private small engined 'bhootbhuti' vessels, he said.

"IWT has more than 4,000 employees and most of them are Grade III and IV staff, who have no work. Our aim is to engage them after proper training in the new set up. We can easily route 40 per cent of the current staff to the new organisation once it is finalised," Choudhury said.

This proposal is part of the USD 150 million World Bank project to develop the state's inland water transport system.

"The project duration is four years and it will begin once the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) of the Centre approves. Currently, the study of the project is going on and we aim to place the proposal to DEA in February next year," the senior Assam government official said.

He said the major challenge for the IWT in developing the waterways is absence of vessel repair facility in the state.

"The only option is to send them to Kolkata. So we are proposing to have vessel repair facilities in Guwahati, Majuli and Dhubri. Regarding terminals, we cannot have fixed set up as Brahmaputra changes its course due to erosion. That is why, we are planning to have floating terminals," Choudhury said.

In a workshop this morning, the recommendations of a World Bank funded research study on Regional Trade and Gender Inclusive Assam Inlands Waterways Sector were discussed with various stakeholders.

The study, conducted by research firm MAZARS with support from Assam Government, provided context and insight into existing trade patterns and livelihoods strategies for communities, particularly women traders and their barriers to regional trade through inland waterways transport system.

"The growing gender disparity in Assam's human development outcomes such as women's workforce participation in recent years reinforces the need for developing a gender inclusive IWT services that are not only safe for women, but also help in promoting their economic opportunities," it said.

The findings highlighted that only a small number of women use IWT for trade related activities in the state.

"The accessibility of ghats and their connectivity to other modes of transport as one of the major constraints. Women traders living on riverine islands or upstream areas of the river with no viable alternatives were found to be most affected due to improper IWT arrangements," the study said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today asserted that any attempts by the DMK to "break" AIADMK or 'topple' the state government would not fructify.

Taking a dig at the DMK, he said the party has 'expertise' in doing over internal matters of other parties.

Declining to comment on the succession war in DMK involving late DMK Chief Karunanidhi's sons, MK Alagiri and MK stalin, he told reporters here that the opposition party would do whatever they want when an opportunity comes up.

He was asked how he viewed the matter, pointing out that the earlier split in AIADMK, involving his deputy O Panneerselvam, was keenly debated and critiqued upon, including by DMK.

Alagiri, expelled from DMK in 2014 for alleged anti-party activities, has been insisting that he be re-inducted, even indicating he was ready to accept his younger brother's leadership.

Stalin was elevated as DMK chief on August 28.

Palaniswami, however, charged the DMK with trying to "do whatever" for political gains when an opportunity came up.

"As far as we are concerned, we are functioning democratically. We never talk about others, nor do we do when an issue crops up (for them). DMK has expertise in that. They will do whatever they want to when an opportunity comes up," Palaniswami, ruling AIADMK's Joint Coordinator, said without specifying any particular instance.

AIADMK was founded by the late MG Ramachandran and later "held together" by J Jayalalithaa, he said.

"Not just one DMK, let there be many DMK, but it cannot break this party (AIADMK) or topple the government. That will never happen," he added.

Asked about his party's preparedness for next year's Parliamentary election, Palaniswami said the poll dates were yet to be announced.

To a query on the damage to shutters in Coleroon river in Tiruchirappalli, he said the repair work was being carried out with senior state government officials camping there, and that it was expected to be completed in two to three days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik will visit the Netherlands on Saturday to attend the fourth International Ayurveda Congress, an official statement said today.

Naik will lead a delegation comprising senior officials from the Ministry of Ayush, including the Pharmacopoeia Commission of Indian Medicine and Homeopathy, a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in the Hague said.

The fourth International Ayurveda Congress (IAvC) will take place between September 1 and 3 at Leiden, Netherlands.

During the event, the India Embassy will organise a special seminar "India-Netherlands collaboration in Healthcare, including Ayurveda".

It will be addressed by Dutch Minister for Medical Care and Sport Bruno Bruins and the Ayush minister.

Speakers at the seminar will include Alojz Peterle, former prime minister of Slovenia and current member of European Parliament; Tony Nader, world head of transcendental meditation movement; G P Geetha Krishnan, world health organization (WHO) and Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony, the statement said.

During his stay in the Netherlands, the Ayush minister will pay respects to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of transcendental meditation at the Maharishi Peace Palace located in the campus of Maharishi European Research University (MERU) in the Limburg province of the Netherlands.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi lived in the Peace Palace from 1990 until his samadhi in 2008.

The minister will be briefed about the Ayruveda, transcendental meditation and other educational and healthcare programs of MERU.

He will visit the Indian stall at the Embassy Festival being held in The Hague, participate in the Janmashtami celebrations being organized in the Gandhi Centre (Indian Cultural Centre) and interact with the Indian community and friends of India.

He will further visit the New Amsterdam School of Yoga and witness a yoga demonstration by Dutch students.

The fourth IAvC will explore the 340-year relationship between the Netherlands and India and bring to light traditional natural remedies from India and Europe.

Speaking about the event, Ambassador Venu Rajamony described the International Ayurveda Congress and associated seminar as the largest high-level event focused on Ayurveda ever to be held in the Netherlands.

He said the participation of the Ayush minister from India and the Dutch minister of Healthcare in the seminar signifies the keenness of both the countries to expand collaboration in this field.

"Ayurveda and Yoga can be of tremendous benefit to the ageing population of Europe. The embassy, in association with organizations engaged in promotion of Ayurveda, hopes to carry forward the mission of mainstreaming Ayurveda and yoga in the Netherlands. I am also particularly happy the Ayush minister from India will visit the samadhi sthal of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Limburg province of the Netherlands," Rajamony said.

The fourth International Ayurveda Congress is being organised by International Maharishi AyurVeda Foundation, Netherlands; All India Ayurvedic Congress, New Delhi and the International Academy of Ayurveda, Pune in association with the Indian Embassy in the Netherlands.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gareth Bale can cope with the pressure of replacing Cristiano Ronaldo as the star man at Real Madrid, says his Wales boss Ryan Giggs.

Bale has become the main forward at Real since Ronaldo's summer departure to Juventus, scoring in their opening La Liga wins against Getafe and Girona.

"When someone like Cristiano leaves there is always going to be a spotlight on who is going to replace him goal-wise and threat-wise," said Giggs.

"It's a massive void to fill but Gareth has the experience now of being at the club for a long time. Every year there is pressure on him and he has handled it brilliantly."



Giggs said Ronaldo's departure meant there will be more focus on the players who are going to score the goals.

But he added: "Gareth has shown his qualities in big games and that he can handle anything that is thrown at him." Bale became Wales's top goalscorer earlier this year when his 29th international goal took him past Ian Rush's record.

Bale, 29, who joined Real from Tottenham in 2013, is part of a 25-man Wales squad for next month's UEFA League of Nations games against the Republic of Ireland and Denmark.

"He has started this season on fire," Giggs said.

"But there's never really a time when he is not playing well.

"I think always the problem with Gareth is that when he has been injured, he's then had to come back and get more game time. But when he plays, he always plays well and more or less scores.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today favoured nationwide prohibition saying there could be no greater way of paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019 than implementing liquor ban.

Participating at a memorial event for the former DMK chief, who died on August 7, he said implementation of prohibition was Bihar's tribute to Gandhi on completion of 100 years of the Champaran satyagrah.

Sharing his experience in implementing prohibition since 2016, Kumar said: "It is heartening to see a deep seated social transformation taking place in Bihar."



Prohibition has resulted in healthy citizens, economic betterment of families, and reduction in domestic violence.

"It has led to a more empowered and healthy society, the results of which are visible in the development of Bihar."



Kumar said Karunanidhi favoured a "complete ban on liquor," and recalled that the DMK had promised implementation of prohibition in its manifesto for the 2016 assembly polls.

Referring to the liquor ban in Bihar, Karunanidhi had announced that if the DMK came back to power, the party would take all steps to implement prohibition for social betterment.

As a successor to the great leader, it is the responsibility of M K Stalin to fulfil the wish of Karunanidhi when the party was returned to power, he said.

Paying tributes to Karunanidhi, Kumar hailed the late leader for his political statesmanship and in formation of coalition governments at the Centre.

He said Karunanidhi played an influential role in implementing the Mandal Commission report on reservation for backward classes.

Kumar lauded Karunanidhi for initiating several welfare measures during his stint as Chief Minister.

Karunanidhi took an active part in formulating a Common Minimum Programme for the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

As chief minister, Karunanidhi took effective steps for employment generation, infrastructure development, river linking projects in the state and rural electrification since the 1970s.

The DMK patriarch ensured equal property rights to women, 30 per cent reservation for women in government jobs and 33 per cent reservation in panchayati raj institutions, he said.

Karunanidhi was active in politics for almost eight decades and he was DMK president for 50 years, he said, adding that he started off as PWD minister in 1967.

The late leader piloted widow remarriage and fought against religious hypocrisy, he said.

Karunanidhi's ideals and work will continue to inspire generations of political and social workers besides leaders, Kumar said.

The DMK will grow with the blessings of the late leader and able leadership of Stalin, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the JD(S)-Congress coalition ministry in Karnataka completed 100 days in office, BJP today lashed out at the H D Kumaraswamy government alleging that development had gone for a toss and the chief minister was worried whether his government would survive or not.

The BJP took to social media to attack the government, bombarding it with a series of Facebook posts over its functioning.

"Kumaranna has no desire to take part in the celebrations of 100 days of the coalition government. For, he is worried whether the government will survive or not," the BJP said in a post.

In a tweet in Kannada, the BJP said in 100 days, the only achievement was shedding tears everywhere even as development went for a toss.

In another Facebook post with a close-up picture of Kumaraswamy in tears, the saffron party flayed the coalition government for not issuing a single 'loan waiver certificate' though the JD(S) had stated that within 24 hours of coming to power it would waive entire farm loans.

"The chief minister has insulted the farmers with his arrogant statement that they voted for caste in the election and sold their votes for money," the Facebook post read.

Due to government's inability, Bengaluru ranked 216th place in the Swachch Survekshan or the cleanliness survey initiated by the Central government, BJP said.

Taking on the government on corruption, the BJP said ministers were involved in transfers and posting business.

Commenting on the functioning of the government, BJPstate leader C N Ashwathnarayan said the government has been formed by Congress and JD(S) to address each other's concern.

"The two parties joined hands to grab power.It is only aself-serving government," Ashwathnarayan said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Trinamool Congress today alleged that the CPI(M), the BJP and the Congress have joined hands and they were behind the violence taking place during panchayat board formations.

These three opposition parties are terrorising elected candidates of the TMC, its Secretary General Partha Chatterjee told reporters here.

Violence over panchayat board formation has left seven persons dead in various districts of the the state since August 27.

"These political parties have been sent to political oblivion by the people. But they are yet to learn their lesson. Now they have resorted to violence to fight us. Their of killing and violence will not yield any results," he said.

Another senior TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick claimed that the BJP and the CPI(M) have joined hands in various parts of the state and have unleashed violence on the ruling party.

"They are stopping our candidates in various places in North 24 Parganas district to stop us from forming boards," he alleged.

Three persons were killed and 17 others injured in clashes over formation of a panchayat board at Amdanga in North 24 Parganas district yesterday.

The violence followed similar clashes in North Dinajpur, Malda and Purulia districts since Monday in which four persons were killed and several others injured.

Reacting to the violence, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in an apparent reference to the BJP, had said one political party has made the " of killing a model".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP today paid rich tributes to former DMK president M Karunanidhi, hailing his efforts to uphold democracy and in the process facing difficulties during the Emergency.

At a memorial event for the late leader, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said DMK and erswhile Jan Sangh were the "first two parties" to "challenge the domination of Congress" and oppose the imposition of Emergency by then Prime Minister, the late Indira Gandhi.

Karunanidhi had made "immense contributions" for Indian democracy and India, he said.

In his address at the DMK-sponsored meeting, titled "Therkil Uditha Sooriyan" (Sun who rose from South), Gadkari said DMK and many of its leaders including party president M K Stalin had suffered during the emergency.

Karunanidhi, who was the state chief minister during the emergency, was one of the first to oppose it. He and DMK had to suffer a lot due to his principled stand, Gadkari said.

"The DMK government was dismissed and thousands of DMK cadres including M K Stalin were arrested and detained," the former BJP chief said.

Recalling Karunanidhi's "concern and deep commitment for democracy in India," he said the Dravidian stalwart had during emergency organised a "massive meeting" here where an oath was administered to protect democracy in India, free national leaders and protect the media's legitimate rights.

"This was a historic event in the history of our country," he said.

Recalling Karunanidhi's 'long' association with BJP, especially its tall leader and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Gadkari said "it is quite a coincidence these two great sons of mnother India left us in quick succession early this month."



The ideologies of the Dravidian movement and BJP had many similarities, including learning from "our glorious heritage," he said.

He recalled that following Karunanidhi's death on August 7, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned as a "tribute to this great leader," and said it was the first time such a respect was shown for a leader who had not been a MP.

Karunanidhi was a tall leader who struck a 'fine balance' in advancing ideology and at the same time working with parties with opposing ideologies in national and public interest, he said, describing the late leader as "a visionary in this aspect."



Responding to Gadkari, Congress leader and Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy recalled that Karunanidhi had later extended support to both Indira Gandhi and former congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"It is out of our respect, we had announced installing a bronze statue for Kalaignar in Puducherry following his death," he said.

Citing his tussle with Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, he recalled Karunanidhi's efforts towards upholding regional autonomy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP will organise two major events across the country to mark one month of the passing away of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, party chief Amit Shah said today.

Party workers will host a poetry event in 4,000 places on September 16, during which audio recordings of Vajpayee's poems will be played. Poets will be invited to these programmes as well, Shah said.

The second event will start from September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will continue till the birth anniversary of party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya on September 25, he said.

A week-long social-work activities will be organised at 20,000 places, in which medical camps, vaccination of children and cleanliness drives will be carried out in slums, he added.

From the past few years, the party has been celebrating the of Modi as 'Seva Diwas'.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Intensifying his attack on the Modi government, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today accused the prime minister of "lying" on the Rafale agreement and reiterated his demand for a JPC probe, saying India wants to know about the deal between him and industrialist Anil Ambani.

An aggressive Gandhi asked why the fighter jet was purchased at Rs 1,600 crore a piece, instead of Rs 520 crore finalised by the Congress-led UPA government.

"Bring a joint parliamentary committee probe. The entire country wants to know what is the deal between Narendra Modi and Anil Ambani," the 48-year-old leader told reporters at a press conference.

Gandhi cited the 2015 joint statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then French President Franois Hollande, and said it is written there that the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered in the same configuration as had been tested and approved by the Indian Air Force.

"The point is: It is written in the prime minister's joint statement that the aircraft will have the same configuration. The prime minister is now saying something else. The statement he gave with Mr Hollande, was it the same Narendra Modi.

"It is clearly written that the configuration is going to be of the same configuration. So the man is lying," he said.

Ambani has denied the Congress charge and has accused the opposition party of making "false statements". He has written to Gandhi, explaining the deal and slapped defamation notices on a number of Congress leaders asking them to not make "false" statements.

Asked about the notices, Gandhi said, "You can slap as many defamation notices as you want, but the truth will remain the same".

"Why did you buy an aircraft of Rs 520 crore at the price of Rs 1,600 crore? Who were you (Modi) trying to benefit?" Gandhi asked.

He also attacked Arun Jaitley, saying the finance minister has not said anything about JPC probe, despite writing several blogs on the controversy.

He said Jaitley has asked some questions and he has the right to do. Bu, he added, but Jaitley has been given an option by him to convey to the prime minister that they are free to ask questions but before the JPC.

"Everything will be clear as to what happened in Rafale (deal)," he said.

"I have no problems and the Congress party has no objections, we all will agree. The 24-hour deadline is coming to an end and Arun Jaitley is writing long blogs but is not responding to my question. I think Arun Jaitley is caught in a fix, as the permission (for a JPC) is to be given by Narendra Modi. I hope Arun Jaitley has asked from the prime minister, hope he is not fearing from asking the prime minister," Gandhi said.

He said Rafale is a "clear-cut case" - one hand it is Ambani, who has loans worth Rs 45,000 core and has never made an aircraft and set up his company only a few days before the contract was signed.

On the other hand, he said, is the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which is experienced in manufacturing aircraft for the past 70 years and has no loans pending on it.

Earlier today, hundreds of Youth Congress workers took to the streets to voice their protest against the deal they dubbed the "biggest scam".

Rafale is a French twin-engine, multi-role fighter jet designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Rafale jets are considered one of the most potent combat jets globally.

India and France signed a deal worth euro 7.87 billion (Rs 59,000 crore approximately) in September 2016 for 36 Rafale jets. The delivery will start from September 2019.

The Congress is alleging the deal is compromised as the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost of more than Rs 1,670 crore as against the Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government.

The party has also demanded answers from the government on why state-run HAL was not involved in the deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Britain's treasury minister today used the example of a UK bakery exporting naan to India as a "go-getting" reshaping of post-Brexit Britain as a global trading nation.

Liz Truss, UK's Chief Secretary to the Treasury, during a visit to Signature Flatbreads in Befordshire, said that a company in the east of England selling India its own traditional bread is a sign that the region can expand its exports base as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU).

"Selling naan breads in India from a company based in Dunstable would once have been unthinkable, said Truss.

"It's this type of entrepreneurial, and go-getting, spirit that will help the UK make a success of this once in a lifetime opportunity to reshape Britain, she said.

She noted that east of England exports are already worth 29 billion pounds per year, which is set for a boost after Brexit.

Truss added: We are in a terrific position to take advantage of the new trading horizons open to us after Brexit, and I know that businesses in Bedfordshire and beyond are raring to go.

"The east of England is flourishing, and we are hugely committed to ensuring this region and its businesses step out into the world and benefit from our new independent trade policies."



Signature Flatbreads, which exports its bread across Europe and the Middle East, was set up in India in 2008 and runs a factory in Nashik. In 2009, the company sold 50 per cent of its UK and India business to Ayrzta, which claims to be the world's third-largest bakery.

During her visit to the factory in Dunstable, Truss was on a mission to stress that businesses like Signature Flatbreads in Bedfordshire, and across the region, will be able to boost trade opportunities, bringing in more income and creating more jobs in the region once the UK leaves the EU.

She said the government is investing in the infrastructure that Bedfordshire needed and the new Woodside Link road had helped connect businesses to the Dunstable area, making it more practicable to set up a business and transport goods. The investment has already generated 2 billion pounds for the local economy, the minister said.

Successful exports mean the East of England economy was valued at more than 147 billion pounds, according to recent figures. This represents more than 8 per cent of UK total output, the UK Treasury said in a statement.

And a growing export economy has also helped bring unemployment to record low levels in the region at just 3 per cent, it noted.

The minister was on tour of the region to spread the message that the government is delivering on the referendum result and is forging a new trading relationship with the rest of the world.

Earlier this week, as part of British Prime Minister Theresa May's tour of Africa, the government had said that a UK trade agreement with South Africa and other African nations will be ready to enter into force as soon as the EU deal no longer applies to the UK.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Buddhist monk was today sent to jail by a court here, a day after he was taken into custody over allegations of sexual abuse of children lodged at his monastery, police said.

Bhante Sanghpriya Sujoy, a Bangladeshi national, who ran a Buddhist school-cum-meditation centre in Bodh Gaya, was produced before a court which remanded him to 14 days in judicial custody, Superintendent of Police (City), Gaya, Anil Kumar said.

He said the victims - 15 boys from Assam - were also taken for medical examination and the statements of four of them were recorded before a magistrate.

Senior Superintendent of Police Rajeev Mishra said a Special Investigating Team (SIT), which would be monitored by the SP (City) and headed by Deputy SP, Bodh Gaya, Raman Kumar Chaudhary, has also been set up to probe into the scandal.

The monk ran an institution called "Prasanna Jyoti Buddhist School and Meditation Centre" at Mastipur village in Bodh Gaya where the 15 children - all hailing from Karbi Anglong district of Assam - were studying.

The police had received information that the boys were being sexually exploited by the monk.

Meanwhile, the International Buddhist Council (IBC) held an emergency meeting at Bodh Gaya where it passed a resolution condemning the "heinous crime against children in the name of religious teaching".

"All cooperation will be extended to the SIT so that the truth came out. A close watch will be kept on the activities of all monasteries here and those found involved in such dirty activities will be debarred from IBC membership," IBC Secretary Pragya Bhante said.

The IBC Secretary also pointed out that while there were more than 200 monasteries in Bodh Gaya which were registered either with the Council or with the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee, many functioned without any registration with either authority.

The IBC Secretary urged the district administration to ensure that no monastery was allowed to function without registration.

Situated on the outskirts of Gaya city, Bodh Gaya is an international pilgrimage town where people come to pay obeisance to the Buddha who had attained enlightenment there.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Berating the country or a particular aspect of it cannot be treated as "sedition" and the charge can only be invoked in cases where the intention is to overthrow the government with violence and illegal means, the Law Commission observed today in a consultation paper on the subject.

The Commission also noted that in order to study revision of section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that deals with sedition, it should be taken into consideration that the United Kingdom, which introduced the section in the IPC, abolished the sedition laws ten years ago.

The UK did not want to be quoted as an example of using such "draconian" laws, it observed.

The consultation paper also toyed with the idea of redefining sedition in a country like India, the largest democracy in the world, considering that right to free speech and expression was an essential ingredient of democracy that has been ensured as a fundamental right by the Constitution.

"Berating the country or a particular aspect of it, cannot and should not be treated as sedition. If the country is not open to positive criticism, there lies little difference between the pre- and post-independence eras. Right to criticise one's own history and the right to offend are rights protected under free speech," the consultation paper said.

For merely expressing a thought that is not in consonance with the policy of the government of the day, a person should not be charged under the section, the paper said.

"Sedition charges can only be invoked where the intention behind any act is to overthrow the government with violence and illegal means," it observed.

The paper also cited examples of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who was charged with sedition over the alleged anti-India slogans on the campus.

It added that while it was essential to protect national integrity, it should not be misused as a tool to curb free speech.

Dissent and criticism are essential ingredients of a robust public debate on policy issues as part of a vibrant democracy, it observed, and therefore, every restriction on free speech and expression must be carefully scrutinised to avoid unwarranted restrictions.

The Commission also hoped that a healthy debate takes place in the country among the legal luminaries, lawmakers, government and non-government agencies, academia, students and the general public on the topic, so that a public friendly amendment could be brought about.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dubbing the case against him and other activists over Maharashtra's Koregaon-Bhima violence as false, Leftist poet and writer Varavara Rao insisted today their fight against "fascist policies" cannot be called a conspiracy.

He said the case for Koregaon-Bhima clashes between Dalits and upper caste Marathas should have been filed against the Maharashtra government and the Centre and not activists.

"This is a false case. If the fight against fascist policies is called a conspiracy, then there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than this (calling the fight a conspiracy)," Rao, who was brought here by Pune police in the morning following a Supreme Court order, told reporters at the airport.

The Supreme Court had yesterday pulled up Maharashtra police over the arrest of five prominent human rights activists for their alleged Maoist links and ordered that they will not be lodged in jail but kept under house arrest till September 6.

"They (the Supreme Court) have ordered house arrest. As we have been saying, this is a false case against us. Bhima-Koregaon case should have been filed against the state and central governments," he said.

According to Rao's wife Hemalatha, he was flown here from Pune at 7 in the morning and barring his close relatives nobody was being allowed to meet him.

Rao's counsel said Telangana police was not permitting even his lawyers to meet him.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Viswa Prasad said Hyderabad police was enforcing the apex court's order of house arrest.

Prasad said since the poet-activist was under house arrest, he was not allowed to come out of confinement or make public appearances.

He said only his wife and children, if they are living with him in the same house, will be allowed in.

The city police has made elaborate security arrangements around Rao's apartment building.

Apart from Rao, human rights activists Vernon Gonzalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were arrested from different states on Tuesday for their alleged links to Naxalites.

In a blow to the Maharashtra police, the apex court had yesterday questioned its decision of arresting the activists nine months after the violence between Dalits and upper caste Marathas in Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune following 'Elgar Parishad', a conclave of Dalits, on December 31 last year.

Provocative speeches allegedly made at the conclave had triggered the violence which soon spread to several districts of Maharashtra, leaving a trail of destruction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To provide market link to farmers and make small industries successful in the state, Union Minister Giriraj Singh today said 'One District One Product' scheme will soon be launched in Odisha.

Singh, the Union Minister of State for MSME said this while participating at the inaugural function of the SC-ST State Conclave cum Exhibition under National SC-ST Hub and inauguration of NSICs Dharmapada Bhawan here.

He asked the Union MSME secretary Arun Panda to conduct a survey of districts in Odisha on the potentials of starting new MSME units in aromatic, agro, marine food processing, organic food marketing, turmeric and ginger processing and other section.

Singh said farmers of Kandhamal district will be taken to Maharashtra for a field visit to witness agro clusters in that state and 50,000 agro entrepreneurs will be imparted training in Odisha.

The Union Minister said the Centre has a plan to make 18 lakh new youth entrepreneurs in the coming days. He said mobile vans will be moving in rural areas of the state to provide basic skill training by the Ministry of MSME.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan while addressing the meeting said that National SC-ST hub launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become a mass movement in MSME sector.

This initiative is a unique programme of grooming the SC-ST entrepreneurs who can create job opportunities for hundreds of youths.

The Micro, Small and Medium enterprise sector has been recognized globally as a major contributor to GDP and stimulator for economic growth. There have been continuous efforts to include all relevant stakeholders including states, industry associations, incubators, banks, CPSEs to identify synergies and work collaboratively and cohesively towards a shared goal, Pradhan said.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister, Jual Oram said that the MoU signed between NSIC and SAP would provide designed module to SC-ST entrepreneurs through advanced software. He advised young entrepreneurs to start new ventures to sell minor forest produces and organic agri products available in tribal dominated districts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre will procure up to 23,250 tonne of green gram from Karnataka at minimum support price under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) to protect farmers from falling prices, a senior Agriculture Ministry official said.

Pulses growers in the state are in distress as green gram prices have fallen below the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 6,975 per quintal fixed for the 2018-19 crop year (July-June).

"The Department of Agriculture has approved the PSS for procurement of maximum quantity of 23,250 tonne green gram for the kharif 2018 season in Karnataka," the official said.

Central nodal agencies FCI, Nafed, NCCF and SFAC will undertake the procurement along with state-level agencies for a period of 90 days from the day of approval, he said.

The agencies will purchase only the fair average quality (FAQ) of green gram and make payment to the state-level agencies after receiving the warehouse receipts within 15 days from the closure of the procurement, the official said.

Also, the state should provide revolving fund for at least 15 days and ensure the payment is made strictly to Aadhaar-linked account of farmers from whom procurements are made within three days of purchase, he added.

With regard to disposal of pulses, the official said the central agencies should dispose of green gram within 15 days from last day of purchase and ensure its disposal in six months from the closure of the procurement operation.

The agriculture ministry implements PSS when market prices fall below the MSP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A CBI court today framed charges and ordered trial of former Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran and others in a case of alleged setting up of "illegal" telephone exchanges to benefit the Sun TV Network of his brother Kalanithi Maran during 2004-06.

Special Judge R Vasanthi framed charges over a month after the Madras High Court quashed the CBI court's earlier order discharging all the accused.

All the seven accused, including the Maran brothers, were present in the court at the time of farming of charges, after which the case was slated for commencement of formal trial from September 14.

A high court bench of Justice G Jayachandran had on July 25 held that there were 'heaps' of material evidence against the accused, and had directed the special court to frame charges and conclude the trial within a year after receiving the copy of its order.

The bench had given its order on a CBI plea challenging the discharge of the accused by Special Judge S Natarajan on March 14 this year.

The case dates back to the time when Dayanidhi Maran, a grandnephew of late DMK chief M Karunanidhi, was the Union minister for telecommunications and information technology in the UPA-I government.

The CBI has alleged he misused his official position and got private telephone exchanges installed at his various residences here which were used for business transactions of the Sun Network.

Kalanithi Maran, a billionaire businessman, is the chairman and founder of the Sun Group, which owns several media houses.

The CBI had alleged that over 700 high-end telecommunication lines were installed at their residences in Boat Club and Gopalapuram areas of the city for which bills were not raised, causing the exchequer a loss of Rs 1.78 crore during 2004-06.

The other accused are former BSNL General Manager K Brahmanathan, former Deputy General Manager M P Velusamy, Dayanidhi Maran's private secretary Gauthaman and two Sun TV officials.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jharkhand police said today that they have arrested a man, who ran a shelter home for children in Punjab's Ludhiana district, in connection with a case of illegal trafficking and conversion.

Satyendra Prakash Musa, 58, ran the shelter home on Pakhowal road. He was arrested yesterday.

The police team rescued four children from another shelter home in Doraha area of Ludhiana district, where they were shifted after a raid on the shelter home on Pakhowal road on August 20, police said.

Another four rescued children are from Bihar.

Ludhiana commissioner of police Sukhchain Singh Gill said the local police have not registered any case against Musa.

Jatinder Pal Singh, who heads the district child welfare committee, said preliminary investigation has revealed that the shelter home run by Musa's Packiam Mercy Cross Trust was running illegally for more than 10 years. Moreover, the building housing 38 inmates was unsafe, he said.

In July, the shelter home was sent notice by the committee for registration, he added.

He said Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Aggarwal has ordered a detailed inquiry in the matter.

In reply to a question, Singh said it is difficult to say whether religious conversion was taking place there until the inquiry is completed.

He, however, said Musa collected money in the name of the children, but used it to meet his family expenses.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China has alerted India about the rising water in river Tsangpo, called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam, leading to possibility of floods in downstream areas, Arunachal Pradesh MP Ninong Ering said today.

A senior official of the Union Water Resources Ministry said it was an unprecedented situation on the Chinese side where Tsangpo broke a 150-year record with swollen waters and hence China has shared the information with India.

Ering said the communication from China came following heavy rains in that country after which Tsangpo was in spate.

"The local authorities told me that the Chinese government has conveyed to Indian government that there is a possibility of floods in parts of Arunachal Pradesh. We have taken the alert seriously and cautioned people," he told PTI.

According to a Chinese government report, 9020 cumec of water was discharged into Tsangpo/Brahmaputra river as observed at various stations yesterday.

The MP said Siang has been calm till today but people in East and Upper Siang districts were cautioned.

"My own village is in danger of getting flooded," he said.

The Union Water Resources Ministry official said Indian experts have analysed the data shared by China and came to the conclusion that the effect may not be so strong in the country even through it was an alarming situation in China.

This was the first time this year that China shared the river data with India, the official said.

China began sharing data from May 15, while it started sharing data for the Sutlej river from June 1. The sharing of data came after the two sides held talks over the issue in March this year. The data is shared twice daily until October this year.

Last year, China had said that the hydrological gathering sites were washed away due to floods. It coincided with the 73-day Doklam stand-off that took place during the peak monsoon period.

The Brahmaputra originates from China's Tibet and flows into Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called Siang, and then Assam, where it becomes Brahmaputra, and later drains into the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh.

China provides data from three hydrological stations--Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia, lying on the mainstream of the Brahmaputra, also known as Yarlung Zangbu by Beijing--- and from the hydrological station at Tsada for the Sutlej river, known as Langqen Zangbo.

The Yancun hydrological site recorded unprecedented floods.

"They shared data as per the MoU between us. We analaysed the data and found that there was no danger on the Indian side," said another ministry official.

There is nothing to panic as the Central Water Commission (CWC) has reported that the water level at the Grand Canyon of Tsangpo on August 14 was 8070 cumec and an increase should not inflict severe damages, Arunachal government officials said in Itanagar quoting the Chinese communication.

The unusually high waves in the Siang river have created fear among the people of the two Arunachal Pradesh districts and the administration has cautioned the people to refrain from venturing into it for fishing, swimming and other activities, an official said.

Large scale erosion was seen on the left bank of the river towards Lower Mebo of Mebo sub-division in East Siang district in the past few days and 15 houses were washed away in Seram-Ramku village, the official said.

In October last year Siang river had suddenly turned turbid which prompted the Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to take up the matter with China.

Ering had alleged the water turned muddy following construction activity by China in the upstream.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China has alerted India about the rising water in river Tsangpo, called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam, leading to possibility of floods in downstream areas, Arunachal Pradesh MP Ninong Ering said today.

A senior official of the Union Water Resources Ministry said it was an unprecedented situation on the Chinese side where Tsangpo broke a 150-year record with swollen waters and hence China has shared the information with India.

Ering said the communication from China came following heavy rains in that country after which Tsangpo was in spate.

"The local authorities told me that the Chinese government has conveyed to Indian government that there is a possibility of floods in parts of Arunachal Pradesh. We have taken the alert seriously and cautioned people," he told PTI.

According to a Chinese government report, 9020 cumec of water was discharged into Tsangpo/Brahmaputra river as observed at various stations yesterday.

The MP said Siang has been calm till today but people in East and Upper Siang districts were cautioned.

"My own village is in danger of getting flooded," he said.

The Union Water Resources Ministry official said Indian experts have analysed the data shared by China and came to the conclusion that the effect may not be so strong in the country even through it was an alarming situation in China.

This was the first time this year that China shared the river data with India, the official said.

China began sharing data from May 15, while it started sharing data for the Sutlej river from June 1. The sharing of data came after the two sides held talks over the issue in March this year. The data is shared twice daily until October this year.

Last year, China had said that the hydrological gathering sites were washed away due to floods. It coincided with the 73-day Doklam stand-off that took place during the peak monsoon period.

The Brahmaputra originates from China's Tibet and flows into Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called Siang, and then Assam, where it becomes Brahmaputra, and later drains into the Bay of Bengal through Bangladesh.

China provides data from three hydrological stations--Nugesha, Yangcun and Nuxia, lying on the mainstream of the Brahmaputra, also known as Yarlung Zangbu by Beijing--- and from the hydrological station at Tsada for the Sutlej river, known as Langqen Zangbo.

The Yancun hydrological site recorded unprecedented floods.

"They shared data as per the MoU between us. We analaysed the data and found that there was no danger on the Indian side," said another ministry official.

There is nothing to panic as the Central Water Commission (CWC) has reported that the water level at the Grand Canyon of Tsangpo on August 14 was 8070 cumec and an increase should not inflict severe damages, Arunachal government officials said in Itanagar quoting the Chinese communication.

The unusually high waves in the Siang river have created fear among the people of the two Arunachal Pradesh districts and the administration has cautioned the people to refrain from venturing into it for fishing, swimming and other activities, an official said.

Large scale erosion was seen on the left bank of the river towards Lower Mebo of Mebo sub-division in East Siang district in the past few days and 15 houses were washed away in Seram-Ramku village, the official said.

Mebo MLA Lombo Tayeng, who is also an advisor to Chief Minister Pema Khandu, told newsmen at the state Assembly premises today that river water at present is "totally muddy which indicates that there might be some activities in the Chinese side".

The MLA also urged upon the Centre to take up the matter with Beijing and sought flood control measures.

A red alert has been hoisted for residents of Borguli, Seram, Namsing, Mer and Sigar villages on the left bank of Siang as water volume in the river is rising, he said adding it was due to large scale siltation on the river bed.

In the neighbouring districts of Dibrugarh and Dhemaji in Assam, the authorities have taken precautionary measures in view of Assam State Disaster Management Authority and Central Water Commission warning that there may be unprecedented rise in the water level of Brahmaputra river as a result of release of excess water by China.

Reports from Dibrugarh said the district's deputy commissioner Loya Maduri has directed the stakeholders to remain alert about the possible rising of water level of the Brahmaputra.

Similar measures have also been taken in Dhemaji district, official sources said.

In October last year, Siang river had suddenly turned turbid which prompted the Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to take up the matter with China.

Ering had alleged the water turned muddy following construction activity by China in the upstream.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China has alerted India about the rising water in river Tsangpo, called Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and Brahmaputra in Assam, leading to possibility of floods in downstream areas, Arunachal Pradesh MP Ninong Ering said today.

Ering said the communication from China came following heavy rains in that country which has swollen Tsangpo.

"The local authorities told me that the Chinese government has conveyed to Indian government that there is a possibility of floods in parts of Arunachal Pradesh. We have taken the alert seriously and cautioned people," he told PTI.

According to a Chinese government report, 9020 cumec of water was discharged into Tsangpo/Brahmaputra river as observed at various stations yesterday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China is denying reports that it plans to deploy troops to Afghanistan.

Defense Ministry spokesman Col Wu Qian said today that reports that hundreds of People's Liberation Army soldiers are to man a base in eastern Afghanistan are "simply not true."



China shares a narrow border with Afghanistan and is wary of the country's violence and chronic instability overflowing into its restless Xinjiang region.

However, Wu said China, like other nations, was helping Afghanistan increase its defense capabilities, particularly in the area of counterterrorism.

Wu said the two have "normal military and security cooperation." Afghanistan's ambassador to China, Janan Mosazai, said Beijing is helping Afghanistan set up a mountain brigade to bolster counterterrorism operations, but that no Chinese troops would be involved in this process on Afghan soil.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A three-day international conference on the Ecological Festival of Western Ghats beginning here from November 30 will discuss steps to protect and preserve the ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The conference would focus on saving the ghats from degradation and destruction, and bring all stakeholders on a single platform, said the city-based Save Western Ghats Movement, its organisers said in a press release.

The meet would dwell into reports of Madhav Gadgil Commission and Kasthurirangan Commission on Western Ghats that forest cover in the ghats has reduced to 10 per cent from the stipulated 66 per cent, the release said.

It was also decided to invite chief ministers of six States - Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat, the release said, adding that there was plan to invite Union ministers concerned to take part in the conference on its concluding day.

The recent floods in Kerala and in parts of Karnatak had helped create awareness among the people from all walks of life on the need to protect and preserve the ghats, it said.

About 700 delegates, including environmental activists, researchers and scholars, wildlife activists, photographers, students and farmers, are expected to participate in the meet, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu held a bilateral meeting with Japan's Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry Seko Hiroshige here today.

"Discussed areas of mutual interests to both our countries and on deepening our current bilateral trade relations," Prabhu tweeted after the meeting held on the sidelines of the sixth Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) meet.

The RCEP is one of the largest free trade groupings of 16 countries the 10 member countries of ASEAN as well as Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand, and India which is expected to join the organisation after negotiations close by the end of this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today said that an expert committee to deal with the issue of solid waste management in Delhi, should take the matter seriously and in a "dedicated manner" so that it could serve as a model for cleanliness of other metropolitian cities.

A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta said the committee would meet "for sufficient hours" on all five working days of the week for the first two weeks to understand the magnitude of the problem.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand, appearing for the office of Delhi's Lieutenant Governor (LG), said the committee headed by principal secretary of Delhi Government's urban development department would start meeting from September 4.

"We expect the committee to take up the matter seriously and in a dedicated manner so that it can serve as a model not only for cleanliness of metropolitan city like Delhi but also for other metropolitan cities," the bench said.

It asked the committee to "work in harmony with the sole objective of fulfilling the terms of reference" and posted the matter for hearing on September 19.

It noted that as per terms of reference of the committee, it would go in-depth into all the aspects of solid waste management in Delhi including cleaning up the landfill sites at Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla and frame a workable and implementable policy.

The court observed that in accordance with the terms of reference, the committee may submit its report, preferably within three months.

The apex court said the two panel members, who are from outside Delhi, should be given airfare for coming to Delhi and going back over the weekends and provided accommodation here.

During the hearing, the ASG said office space for the committee has been decided and secretarial assistance would be provided to them. She said that after the first two weeks, the court should review the situation.

The court had earlier observed that the issue of solid waste management in Delhi was "serious" and the committee would have to meet on a day-to-day basis to take stock of the situation.

It had on August 17 asked the LG to constitute a committee to go in-depth into all aspects of solid waste management in Delhi.

The issue of waste management had cropped up when the court was dealing with a tragic incident of 2015 in which it had taken cognisance of the death of a seven-year-old boy due to dengue. The victim had been allegedly denied treatment by five private hospitals here and his distraught parents had subsequently committed suicide.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Goa will hold a meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue of state leadership in view of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's ongoing medical treatment.

The state Congress has also demanded that the Goa government declare the exact cause of Parrikar's ailment by tomorrow.

Parrikar, 62, left for the US early today for his further medical treatment for a pancreatic ailment. This is his third visit to the US since February.

During the meeting to be held tomorrow, the CLP will discuss whether it should seek state Governor Mridula Sinha's intervention on the leadership issue, a party leader said today.

CLP chief Chandrakant Kavlekar, who is also the Leader of Opposition, said, "During tomorrow's meeting, we will discuss whether to approach Governor Mridula Sinha to seek her intervention to appoint a full-time chief minister for the state."



He said there was a "self-imposed emergency" in Goa with nobody was available to look after the affairs of the state.

"Due to this, the administration has collapsed and the common man has to suffer," the Congress leader alleged.

The absence of CM was a "serious issue" and it was the opposition's duty to ensure that the administration was not affected.

Kavlekar said his party sympathised with Parrikar over his health and prayed for his speedy recovery.

"But it is also a fact that the state is suffering due to his medical condition," Kavlekar said.

Congress Goa spokesman Vijay Bhike said, "We have given the state government and the BJP 24 hours to come out with details about Parrikar's the ailment.

"We want to know why he is flown to the USA and what is his health condition," he told reporters.

Bhike demanded that the BJP-led government appoint a healthy person in place of Parrikar.

"The Congress has no objection to anyone being taken for treatment as it is unforeseen circumstances. However, we are surprised that people are not told a single word about Parrikar's health condition," he said.

Bhike said Parrikar had formed a Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) when he had gone to the US for treatment early this year.

"However, this time, he has not appointed any committee. He would run affairs of Goa from the US," he said.

The CM has been holding several portfolios including those of two ministers Pandurang Madkaikar and Francis D'Souza (both BJP) who are currently admitted in hospitals in Mumbai and the US, respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Goa will hold a meeting tomorrow to discuss the issue of state leadership in view of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's ongoing medical treatment.

During the meeting, the CLP will discuss whether it should seek state Governor Mridula Sinha's intervention on the leadership issue, a party leader said today.

Parrikar, 62, left for the US early today for his further medical treatment for a pancreatic ailment. This is his third visit to the US since February.

CLP chief Chandrakant Kavlekar, who is also the Leader of Opposition, said, "During tomorrow's meeting, we will discuss whether to approach Governor Mridula Sinha to seek her intervention to appoint a full-time chief minister for the state."



He said there was a "self-imposed emergency" in Goa with nobody was available to look after the affairs of the state.

"Due to this, the administration has collapsed and the common man has to suffer," the Congress leader alleged.

The absence of CM was a "serious issue" and it was the opposition's duty to ensure that the administration was not affected.

Kavlekar said his party sympathised with Parrikar over his health and prayed for his speedy recovery.

"But it is also a fact that the state is suffering due to his medical condition," Kavlekar said.

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has said that Parrikar would return to the state after eight days, and he would continue clearing files from the USA.

The CM has not given the charge to any other minister, or formed any committee, like the one he had formed last time during his prolonged stay in the USA.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria today accused the Congress of doing propaganda on crime in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Kataria said his government had taken strict action against those who take law in their hands, without any bias.

Claiming that crime has significantly reduced in the state in the last four years, the BJP leader said Congress was doing propaganda without having any facts.

Be it crime against women, crime against children or SC/ST, the crimes have reduced in the state, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi Congress lashed out at the AAP government today over "illegal sealing" of industrial units in the city, demanding immediate relief for such establishments.

Addressing a press conference here, senior Congress leader and former MLA Mukesh Sharma held both the Centre and the Delhi government responsible for sealing of household industrial establishments and shops in the city.

Sharma alleged that the sealing has rendered lakhs of people jobless and "ruined" the lives of many individuals.

He said the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) will hold a "massive demonstration" outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the issue tomorrow.

"Illegal sealing drive of household industries and shops in Delhi was due to the secret understanding between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

"In the history of Delhi, it was for the first time that the two political parties, which came to power with a huge majority at the Centre and in Delhi (AAP government), were giving their silent nod to the illegal sealing drive of household industries and shops in Delhi," the Congress leader said.

Sharma said the DPCC also demanded immediate notification to recognise areas with 70 per cent household industries as industrial areas in the national capital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress leaders and senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal along with P Chidambaram will slug it out against each other in the Supreme Court in matters related to discoms.

A bench of justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan was told by Singhvi in a lighter vein that he will be appearing for private companies in the discom matter. The Congress leader quipped that "if Mr P Chidambaram can appear for the other side, I can very well appear for some private company".

The top court, which is hearing cases related to administrative and legislative control of Delhi, is to take up a matter for adjudication in which Delhi government had taken a decision empowering the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to impose fine on discoms in the event of disruption of power supply on the ground.

The Delhi High Court had on August 4, 2016 termed the decision of AAP government to penalise discoms for power cuts as "illegal and unconstitutional" saying the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi was not taken on board.

The AAP government had challenged the decision of Delhi High Court before the apex court.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and P Chidambaram appeared today and yesterday for Arvind Kejriwal led AAP government to defend its decisions and claims over services.

Sibal, Singhvi and Chidambaram are all senior leaders of Congress party.

Sibal, who was once at loggerheads with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had yesterday represented the AAP government in the Supreme Court to argue matters related to control of services and other powers in the national capital.

Sibal, whose son and senior advocate Amit Sibal had filed a defamation complaint against Kejriwal and other AAP leaders, recently buried the hatchet by taking back the case after they apologised.

Kabil Sibal senior had led the argument for the Delhi government in cases that signify the tug of war between the AAP government and the Centre over powers of the lieutenant governor (LG) in the legislative affairs of the Delhi assembly.

He had not appeared for the Delhi government during the hearing before the five-judge Constitution bench that had the matter on the Delhi-Centre power row.

In a case lodged by Amit Sibal in 2013, it was alleged that Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, expelled AAP leader Prashant Bhushan and now BJP leader Shazia Ilmi, who was then an AAP member, had targeted him and his father Kapil Sibal, the then telecom minister, over the Vodafone tax revision case and had allegedly raised the bogey of conflict of interest.

On March 19, Kejriwal had tendered a written unconditional apology to Amit Sibal, after which he was discharged by a city court in the criminal defamation case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said he will resign as Member of Parliament following his election as member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly recently.

"I will be going to Delhi to attend a programme in the Parliament to commemorate the birth anniversary of my late father Purno Agitok Sangma," Conrad told reporters yesterday during the celebration of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance felicitating his victory from South Tura defeating United Democratic Partys Pius Marwein from Ranikor in the August 23 bye-elections.

The chief minister is expected to submit his resignation during his visit to the national capital in the first week of next month.

Sangma also informed that he will be meeting several top leaders of the NDA and Union ministers during his stay in Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a significant decision, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has directed that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) scheme shall continue to be operational in the State without any time limits.

"Legislators shall continue to recommend works under the Constituency Development Fund scheme subject to availability of balance CDF funds in their respective accounts and in tune with the guidelines of the scheme, the Governor said last evening while reviewing the progress of developmental works.

During the review, Malik was informed that in view of the non-utilization of substantial amount of CDF, directions were issued to the Deputy Commissioners to continue sanctioning works under the said scheme till30 September 2018.

The Governor, however, instructed that new timeline shall not apply anymore in future and works could be sanctioned as long as funds exist.

Malik observed that unhindered continuation of the CDF scheme was essential to ensure that the elected representatives respond to the developmental issues expeditiously.

In another major decision, the Governor directed that all such public projects completed through state funding could be inaugurated by the public representatives.

Observing that it would be inappropriate for any complete public project executed through state resources to remain unutilized for want of formal inauguration, Malik directed that the elected representatives be requested to inaugurate all such projects in their respective constituencies and dedicate them to the people for early use.

The state assembly has been placed in suspended animation since 19 June this year following fall of PDP-led coalition government after BJP withdrew its support.

Previous Governor N N Vohra had put a timeline for release of funds to works in progress under the CDF scheme.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman has allegedly emerged as the leader of a gang of dacoits in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, prompting police to declare a reward on her head.

Sadhna Patel (30) came under the police's scanner after her gang allegedly kidnapped a man for ransom in the district which borders on Uttar Pradesh.

"We have announced a reward of Rs 10,000 on her head. It was announced after a case of abduction was registered against her earlier this month at Nayagaon police station," said district Superintendent of Police Santosh Gaur Thursday.

Patel, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, was earlier associated with another dacoit, and as per the information obtained by police after the recent case of abduction, she is now heading her own gang, Gaur said.

The gang allegedly kidnapped a man suspecting that he had found some hidden treasure. He was released when the gang felt that police were closing in on them, the SP claimed.

The victim told police that the gang has about a dozen members, Gaur said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has claimed on several occasions that the menace of dacoity has been completely eradicated.

But according to a local police official, dacoits are still operating in border areas, where they find it easy to cross into Uttar Pradesh after committing a crime.

Lalit Patel (23), an alleged dacoit with a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, was killed in an encounter with police in Pukharwar forest in Satna district on August 6, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghawal today exhorted Corporates and NGOs to come forward and support the initiative to clean water bodies.

Several companies and associations have come forward to clean Ganga and Yamuna rivers and help prevent their pollution, Union minister of State for Water Resources, said during an interaction with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Farmers' bodies on conservation of water here.

Noting that Coimbatore Municipal corporation has received funds under the Smart city project from the Centre, he said it should utilise them to protect and improve the conditions of lakes in the region with the support of NGOs.

"The centre is implementing Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) to protect ground water resources and inspection will be carried out in Coimbatore to check whether the scheme is properly implemented," Meghawal said.

Responding to a query from a participant on Anamalaiaru and Nallaru water scheme in the district pending for the last five decades, the minister said he came to know of the scheme only now.

The Centre would take efforts to implement the scheme, based on the agreement signed between Tamil Nadu and Kerala during 1960's, which would benefit the farmers in Coimbatore and Tirupur, he assured.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress today alleged that the country has incurred a Rs 41,000 crore loss with the Narendra Modi government inking a new deal with French aviation company Dassault for buying 108 Rafale aircraft.

The prime objective of the deal was to help Modi's friend Anil Ambani who floated a new company just before 12 days of striking deal, Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy alleged.

Facing allegations of getting undue benefits from the multi-billion dollar Rafale deal, Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has sent legal notices to several Congress leaders asking them to "cease and desist" from levelling such charges.

The party has dubbed the move as evidence of a "nexus between the BJP and the corporate world" and said it will not be scared or silenced by such notices, which have been sent to several spokespersons and other leaders of the party.

The Ambani group, which has been in the eye of a raging political storm over the fighter jet deal, has denied receiving any contract from the Defence ministry and said "unfounded and incorrect" allegations were being made to "mislead people and cloud the issue."



Reddy claimed that the new deal had not only affected public sector HAL, which was supposed to produce the aircraft as per previous agreement by UPA government, but also that the opportunity of creating 10,000 jobs for youths was lost.

"The country has incurred Rs 41,000 crore loss after NDAgovernment led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi struck a newdeal with Dassault to purchase 108 aircraft," Reddy told reporters here, as the party continued its offensive against the Modi government on the Rafale deal.

He also alleged that the Modi government was unwilling to appoint a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the Rafale deal, "for it fears truth will come out."



Replying to a query, Reddy said Dassault never said HAL was incompetent and also they never wanted a private company to partner with.

"It is not true. First of all, Dassault never said HAL was incompetent. The information is incorrect. Secondly, Dassault never wanted private company.

As latest as March 8, 2015, the (then) foreign secretary had said HAL and Dassault were talking to each other, positively," he said.

Asked why Congress does not move the court, Reddy said, "In Parliamentary democracy, we don't go to courts."



On the arrest of five human rights activists for allegedly having links with Maoists, Reddy said the Modi government has arrested them on ideological basis, whereas Congress government had arrested them after implicating them in specific cases.

"When we arrested persons with Maoists links, we did it after implicating them in specific cases. We did not make arrests on ideological basis as done by the central government," he said.

He was replying to a query about the Congress government arresting Varnan Gonsalves, who was arrestedtwo days back by Maharashtra police, in 2007.

The then government had arrested Gonsalves for allegedly possessing 9 detonators, 20 gelatin sticks, walkie-talkie, grenade and two firearms.

"You cannot arrest a person because of his views. Somebody says I don't have faith in Congress, but only have faith in revolutionary upsurge. You cannot arrest a person based on such premise," Reddy said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi court today granted interim protection from arrest for a week to around 10 people who are accused of money laundering in a case involving Surya Vinayak Industries Limited where a consortium of banks was allegedly cheated to the tune of Rs 2,240 crore.

Additional Session Judge Satish Arora granted the relief on a personal bond of Rs one lakh to the accused after they appeared before the court in pursuance to summonsed issued earlier and moved applications seeking regular bail.

The applications were, however, opposed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) which sought time to file a detailed reply to their pleas.

Special public prosecutor Nitesh Rana, appearing for the ED, opposed the bail applications and said the agency sought time to argue on the matter.

Those granted the interim relief included Kapildev Aggarwal, Puneet Gupta, C V S Gopal, Ramesh Kumar Sareen, Atul Kumar Aggarwal, Abishek Aggarwal, Vinod Mittal, N K Aggarwal, Peeyush Aggarwal, Sanjeev Aggarwal and Ashwini Sharma.

The ED had on July 18 filed a charge sheet through advocate A R Aditya in the case against a total of 36 accused, including the firm's two directors Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, and Sant Lal Agrawal, who owns hotel Radisson Blu, Dwarka.

In their bail applications, the accused told the court that they were not arrested by the ED during the investigation which suggests that they were not required for the probe.

While Jains are already on bail, Sant Lal Agrawal today moved a plea seeking exemption from personal appearance for the day which was allowed by the court.

Jains were arrested by the probe agency in the matter on August 22 last year and are currently on bail.

The case was registered by the CBI on the complaint of Punjab National Bank (PNB) alleging that the accused, along with others, were using over 100 shell companies for routing and diverting the bank funds.

The firm and the shell companies had no genuine business transactions, the agency alleged.

The company had allegedly diverted bank funds to the tune of Rs 2,240 crore, which resulted in loss to the consortium of banks. Over Rs 300 crore of working capital was also allegedly moved to six companies set abroad, the agency said.

It had alleged that the accused had cheated 17 nationalised and four private banks. Later. The ED also registered a case in this regard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat today called Maharashtra police's crackdown on Left-wing activists in connection with their probe in the Bhima-Koregaon violence a "brazen attack" on democratic rights by the central government.

Karat, Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam and several rights campaigners participated in a protest organised by Jan Ekta Jan Adhikar Andolan at Jantar Mantar in solidarity with the activists.

They sought the immediate release of the activists and withdrawal of the charges against them.

"This is the most brazen attack on civil liberties and democratic rights by the Modi government. We do not think it is the Pune police or the Maharashtra government. This is coming straight from the Centre," Karat told PTI.

She said the ruling party wants to sent a message that any dissent will be considered anti-national.

"This is a sign of desperate government, authoritarian government," she said.

Karat alleged that the Centre was subverting the legal process.

"The Supreme Court had to make sharp comments. In spite of that, the BJP spokesperson made definitive statements against not only the activists but all citizens criticising the arrest. They don't want anybody to stand up and speak against them," she said.

Civil rights activist Teesta Setalvad said the crackdown was an attack on freedom of expression.

"This is a clear attempt to divert attention from core issues. It's being done to instill fear in people and stifle anyone's voices who are in opposition," Setalvad said.

CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali alleged that the arrests were an attempt to cover-up the misdeeds of the government.

"Truth about the note ban, Rafale deal is out in open for people to know. They are trying to suppress Dalits who are fighting for their rights. Even those taking up the fight for Dalits are not being spared," she said.

Maharashtra police arrested Leftwing activists Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha as part of their probe into the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave in Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune on December 31 last year.

The conclave had triggered violence between Dalits and upper caste Peshwas.

Others whose premises were reportedly searched this week were Father Stan Swamy, Susan Abraham, Kranthi Tekula and Anand Teltumbde.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CBI, which is probing rationalist Narendra Dabholkar's murder case, today told a court here that it would be taking custody of three men arrested by Karnataka police in the Gauri Lankesh murder case.

The CBI had earlier said there was a link between the accused in the two cases.

The Pune court today extended till September 1 the police custody of Sachin Andure, one of the alleged shooters who killed Dabholkar.

The Central Bureau of Investigation told the court that it wants to interrogate Andure and Sharad Kalaskar, the alleged second shooter, together.

Kalaskar was arrested by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) earlier this month in an explosives seizure case.

As Kalaskar is in ATS's custody till September 3, the CBI wants to take Andure to ATS's office where both can be questioned together, said CBI lawyer Vijay Kumar Dhakne, seeking extension of custody.

Further, three accused in journalist Gauri Lankesh murder case -- Amol Kale, Amit Digvekar and Rajesh Bangera -- will be produced before the Pune court in the Dabholkar murder case on Friday, the prosecutor said.

"A CBI team is in Bengaluru and completing court procedure to get their custody (from Karnataka police) in the Dabholkar case," said Dhakne.

The central agency had claimed earlier that one of the accused in the Lankesh case had handed over a country-made pistol, three bullets and a magazine to Andure.

Andure gave it to his brother-in-law Shubham Surle, a resident of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, on August 11 this year, and Surle handed it to his friend Rohit Rege, as per the CBI.

The pistol was suspected to have been used in the Lankesh murder, an agency source said.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer opposed extension of Andure's custody, arguing that the CBI has not made any progress in Dabholkar case, and if it wanted to bring Andure and Kalaskar face to face, it should have done so earlier.

Judicial Magistrate S N A Sayyad however agreed to the agency's request and extended Andure's custody.

A court in Mumbai yesterday rejected the CBI's plea seeking the custody of Sharad Kalaskar in Dabholkar case. The court had said he cannot be handed over while in ATS custody.

Acting on a tip-off from the ATS following the arrest of Kalaskar, the CBI arrested Sachin Andure, a resident of Aurangabad district, on August 18, in the Dabholkar case.

Dabholkar was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne assailants in Pune on August 20, 2013.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Delhi, Devinder Kumar Sehrawat, today met Patidar leader Hardik Patel, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike here over various issues for the last six days.

Hardik has been fasting at his residence here demanding reservation for his community and loan waiver for farmers.

Talking to reporters, Sehrawat said he met Hardik in his personal capacity as he himself belonged to the farming community and supported his farm loan waiver demand.

"Farmers are suffering the most in our country. In the European countries, farmers are considered as assets and given pension, while in India their income is less than that pension. They are totally neglected. I came here to extend my support to Hardik for taking up farmer's cause," the MLA said.

"Since I belong to the farming community, I came here in my personal capacity. Since most farmers are illiterate, they don't know how to put across their point. That is why they are subjected to such injustice. In 2019 polls, farmers issues will remain at the core," Sehrawat added.

In a statement, Hardik called for a "people's revolution" as he alleged that the BJP government was suppressing the voices of people.

"Gujarat will experience a people's revolution soon. No one can suppress the voices of people. If someone tries to do that, the anger will explode. I am sure that this revolution will decimate this government," Hardik said in a statement.

Irked by the large police deployment outside Hardik's residence near the city, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had yesterday moved the Gujarat High Court seeking a direction to police to allow people to meet Hardik.

However, when the matter came up for hearing today, Justice R P Dholaria recused himself from the case. The matter is likely to be alloted to another judge and will come up for hearing tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors from Sola Civil Hospital today conducted various tests on Hardik.

"Hardik is experiencing weakness due to the six-day long fast. Though the doctors wanted to conduct urine and blood tests at regular intervals, Hardik refused to let them do so," said Namita Vadodariya, one of the doctors.

The 25-year-old quota spearhead had launched his hunger strike on August 25, the third anniversary of his mega pro-quota rally in Ahmedabad that had turned violent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The demand for setting up a Dharamshala bench of Shimla-based Himachal Pradesh High Court gained currency today with state's former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar welcoming present CM Jai Ram Thakur's support to it.

The long-pending demand resurfaced yesterday with Nurpur MLA Rakesh Pathania raising the issue to serve the residents of state's far-flung districts Kangara and Chamba.

With Pathania raising the issue in the ongoing session of the assembly, Chief Minister Thakur expressed his willingness to hold a fresh round of talks with the high court judges and sending a new proposal to the Centre for it.

Welcoming Thakur's willingness to take fresh initiatives on the issue, BJP MP from Kangra, Shanta Kumar today told reporters that it was a long-pending, genuine demand of the people of the area due to the huge distance between state's capital Shimla and its remote areas like Kangra and Chamba.

Kumar said he had discussed the issue also with present Union Law Minister Ravi Shankra Prasad, who too had agreed to the necessity of having a separate high court bench at Dharamshala.

"With the present HP CM too expressing his willingness to have the bench, the demand may soon be fulfilled," he said.

Responding to the demand raised by Patahania, Thakur yesterday said the previous state government too had sent a proposal to the Centre, which had referred the proposal to the high court for its comments.

The high court, however, had rejected the proposal, he said.

As the proposal was not accepted by the high court, it would be more appropriate for the government to first hold consultations with the high court and if it works, we can send a fresh proposal to the Centre," he said.

Earlier, Pathania recalled that earlier governments led by Shanta Kumar, Virbhadra Singh and Prem Kumar Dhumal had all favoured having a high court bench at Dharamshala.

Pathania was joined by independent MLA Hoshiar Singh, who recalled that Shanta Kumar, as chief minister in 1977, had taken an initiative to set up the bench at Dharamshala.

The lawyers of Dharamsala district court too have sat on hunger strikes, boycotted work, took out a rallies several times in and sent memorandums to the state governor in the past for having an HC bench at Dharamshala.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Days after Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe incidents of sacrilege in the state, Punjab Advocate General Atul Nanda today said the ongoing CBI investigations into these could be withdrawn with the Centre's consent.

"There is no bar in withdrawing cases from CBI," Nanda said.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday had in the state Assembly announced an SIT of the Punjab Police for time-bound investigation into Bargari and other desecration cases as well as firing incidents in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura.

The announcement came after the House passed a resolution to withdraw CBI investigations into the cases and get the incidents probed by an SIT.

"Where the (CBI) investigation is already going on, the withdrawal of the case will depend upon the Government of India, CBI and the concerned court. With their consent, the case can be withdrawn," Nanda told PTI today.

It is a sentiment of all the representatives of people that this should come back to Punjab, Nanda said.

I am sure that good sense will prevail upon the central government and they will yield to the desire of people of Punjab, he added.

Nanda said where the FIR had not been yet registered, it will be the right of the state to withdraw those cases from the CBI.

Some legal experts reportedly citing a 1994 Supreme Court judgment in Sikkim ex-CM Nar Bahadur Bhandari versus Union of India case have said the government could not recall cases once handed over to CBI.

The CBI is already probing three desecration cases including the theft of a 'bir' (copy of Guru Granth Sahib) from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot.

On July 30, the Congress government announced handing over the probe into Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing that followed the Bargari sacrilege to the CBI.

AAP MLA H S Phoolka said the state government was entitled to withdraw cases from CBI on valid grounds.

"In the present case, the case is being withdrawn because the Ranjit Singh Commission has stated in its report that the CBI has not made much progress. It's a highly emotive issue in Punjab and the delay in investigation is causing unrest among the people of Punjab. Therefore, withdrawal of the case from CBI and time bound investigation by SIT of Punjab Police is a valid ground," Phoolka said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Director General of Police, Odisha has ordered a CID, Crime Branch inquiry into the death of a theft accused in the police custody in Kendrapara district, an official said today.

DGP R P Sharma in his order said that one DSP rank Officer of CID CB has been entrusted with the investigation/ inquiry into the matter.

"Considering the gravity of the case and for a fair and impartial investigation, DGP Sharma has ordered Crime Branch investigation/inquiry into the case," the official said.

A 25-year-old youth identified as Abinash Paital, son of Sarat Chandra Paital of village Balana in Kendrapara district, was arrested by Mahakalapada Police in a mobile theft case.

However, there was was serious law and order situation in the area after the suspicious death of Abinash Paital on August 26, 2018.

He was picked up by the police a day before and his body was found hanging in an abandoned house in close vicinity of Mahakalpada police station.

DGP had earlier suspended Inspector-In-Charge (IIC) Mahakalapada police station, Shyamaghana Behera on this issue on charge of his utter negligence of duty.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A memorial meet for late DMK chief M Karunanidhi here today turned into a virtual anti-BJP event, with various parties strongly hitting out at the saffron party and pressing for a united fight to dethrone it in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Ironically, while Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who also attended the event, said DMK and erstwhile Jan Sangh were the "first two parties" to "challenge the domination of Congress" and oppose emergency in 1975, leaders of non-BJP parties who spoke later slammed the Narendra Modi government for enforcing an 'undeclared emergency'.

The meet had earlier sparked speculations of DMK warming to the BJP after reports that the saffron party President Amit Shah had accepted its invite, but later Gadkari was deputed for it. NDA ally and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar too attended the meet.

Leaders representing Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPIM and National Conference among others targeted the Centre, after the BJP and JDU representatives left the venue after delivering their speeches, hailing Karunanidhi.

Several speakers also referred to the arrests of Left wing activists by Maharashtra Police to attack the Centre.

A 'worse' situation than the Emergency now prevailed in the country, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad alleged adding all political parties will fight the 'oppression' and 'discrimination'.

Even the authority of the judiciary and Parliament was at stake under the present government, he charged adding had Karunanidhi been alive and active, he would have raised his voice against these happenings.

"If emergency was bad, today's government at the national level is worse. There is a difference between bad and worse. There may not be an emergency but much worse things are being done which were not done in Emergency," he said.

Heaping encomiums on the Dravidian stalwart, Azad recalled Karunanidhi's role in UPA government formation in 2004 and said he was like a father figure to former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who headed the party during UPA I and II. She would often look up to his guidance on many issues.

Though Karunanidhi supported the BJP earlier, he never compromised on his principles and ideology, he said, adding the late leader would have supported the saffron party earlier because of his relationship with its leader and former Prime Minister, the late AB Vajpayee.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O Brien called for formation of a regional grouping to take on BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha polls and capture Delhi.

"We have to look for the future. The future lies in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and in so many Indian states," he said, apparently referring to the dominance of regional parties.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah took potshots at the Centre and pressed for opposition unity to oust the BJP from power.

He urged the newly-elected DMK President M K Stalin, who sat through the event, to lead the opposition parties.

He reiterated his stand on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and stressed on developing the part the country was having.

"I say it openly to all of you and many of them don't like it. The part they hold, please let them hold. And the part we hold, let us build that for god's sake. Enough tragedy we have seen and seeing it everyday," Abdullah said.

Though Stalin did not address the meeting, he had set the tone when he made a frontal attack on the NDA government in his speech after assuming the post of party chief two days ago, accusing it of 'saffronising' the country.

CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the nation was witnessing "a state patronised emergency, undeclared and worse than the declared emergency (1975)."



Homage to Karunanidhi only meant fighting against such authoritarian trend, he said and wanted "redoubling of resolve" so that "this sort of a violation of democratic rights and civil liberties," are not tolerated.

To pay homage to Karunanidhi, the Left leader said: "we have to redouble our resolve, that this fight for saving and then consolidating and strengthening the idea of India, all of us sitting here (leaders of various opposition parties) have to be committed."



CPI General Secretary S Sudhakar Reddy said "true federalism is needed for integration in country. Secularism, democracy and Constitution should be defended in the present situation."JDS leader and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda praised Karunanidhi as an exceptional leader who was committed to ideals of secularism and social justice. The late leader stood behind him to make him the Prime Minister, he recalled.

Social activist Swami Agnivesh also condemned the arrest of the noted rights activists and alleged it showed that the Modi government had become 'desperate' and nothing to show to the people in the 2019 polls.

IUML leader K M Khader Mohideen, Telugu Desam Party leader Y S Chowdary were among others who spoke lauding the late leader.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) today nominated senior IAS officer Anand Kumar as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Rajasthan replacing Ashwini Bhagat.

The ECI in consultation with the government of Rajasthan nominated Kumar on the post with effect from the date he takes charge and until further orders, an ECI notification said.

The decision comes a barely months ahead of Assembly elections in the state which are due this year end.

Kumar, who was posted as principal secretary of medical education department in Rajasthan, replaces Bhagat who was holding the post since November 2016.

Kumar hails from Rewari district of Haryana and has held several top posts in state government. He was the district collector in six districts of the state and was also the secretary and commissioner of the panchayati raj department.

With elections approaching, the political temperature in the state has also been rising.

Congress leaders in Rajasthan have alleged there were nearly 45 lakh fake voters in the state's electoral rolls. Demanding removal of the alleged fake entries, opposition Congress had moved the Election Commission to conduct a thorough probe.

It had alleged abnormal increase in numbers of voters in the last few years, saying that the swell was disproportionate to the growth in state's population.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has sworn in several new provincial governors, including the first-ever Coptic Christian woman to hold the position.

Manal Awad Mikhail was appointed governor of Damietta province Thursday. She was previously a deputy for the Giza governor.

The reshuffle included new governors for Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Aswan and North Sinai.

Egypt had appointed the first-ever female governor to the province of Beheira in a reshuffle last year. The Beheira governor was changed in Thursday's reshuffle.

Christians, who constitute about 10 percent of Egypt's Muslim-majority population of 100 million, have long complained of discrimination and their under-representation in top government positions. Christians strongly supported general-turned-president el-Sissi who led the ouster of his Islamist predecessor.

Egypt's current cabinet includes eight female ministers, the highest in the country's modern history.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
E-mails read and sent during commute to the workplace should be counted towards the overall working hours of an employee, researchers from a UK university said here today.

Astudy conducted by the University of West England analysed 5,000 rail passengers and found that 54 per cent spent their journey to work looking at emails.

The researchers concluded that wider internet access on trains had caused a "blurring of boundaries" between life at home and work for the workforce in Britain.

"If travel time were to count as work time, there would be many social and economic impacts, as well as implications for the rail industry, saidDr Juliet Jain, from the university's Centre for Transport and Society who conducted the study with colleagues Dr Billy Clayton and Dr Caroline Bartle.

"It may ease commuter pressure on peak hours and allow for more comfort and flexibility around working times. However, it may also demand more surveillance and accountability for productivity," she said.

Her team highlighted how Norway allows some commuters to count travel time as part of their working day.

But the research team concluded that UK trains in future would need to offer good working environments, including tables, power and continuous connectivity, if this opportunity was to be fully capitalised on.

This would require investment from train operators and telecoms companies, they said.

The team analysed the uptake of free Wi-Fi on two of Chiltern Railways' major routes London-Birmingham and London-Aylesbury to see how commuters use free internet on their journeys.

Over a 40-week period in 2016-17, Chiltern Railways incrementally increased the amount of free Wi-Fi available to its customers, and the results show that commuters made the most of this rise.

The team presented the findings of their research at the Annual International Conference of the Royal Geographical Society in Cardiff, Wales, today.

Commenting on the study, the Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) head of employment, Matthew Percival, said: "Flexible working practices are valued by employees and employers."



"Having the freedom to email on the go enables employees to fit work into the times that best suits them, whilst offering flexibility helps employers to recruit and retain staff."



"A common-sense approach is needed, giving individuals the tools to manage their work-life balance."The research comes alongside another recent study, which found that taking time off work can help you to live longer.

A 40-year study concluded that people who took fewer than three weeks of annual leave were a third more likely to die young than those who took more.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Ethiopian military helicopter crashed today, killing 18 people, the state-affiliated Fana Broadcast Corporate reported.

The aircraft crashed on a flight between the eastern city of Dire Dawa and Bishoftu, in the centre of the country, the agency said.

Everyone on board -- 15 soldiers and three civilians -- was killed.

There were no immediate details about the cause of the crash.

In 2013, an Ethiopian military cargo plane crashed in Mogadishu, killing four crew members.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The European Union's top trade official says the bloc is in exploratory talks with the United States to see whether it would be possible to reach a limited trans-Atlantic agreement on the tariff of goods.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Thursday that "this could be, possibly, a more limited trade agreement focused on tariffs on goods only."



As an attempt to ease trade tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed last month to start talks intended to achieve "zero tariffs" and "zero subsidies" on non-automotive industrial goods.

Malmstrom rejected suggestions the EU is caving in to U.S. pressure, saying "we are not negotiating anything." "We have made no concessions. We have tried to see if there is a positive agenda," she told EU lawmakers in Brussels.

The two sides are likely to hold talks in the Belgian capital in coming weeks.

While she acknowledged that both sides might have greater ambitions, concluding something as broad as the now-shelved Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership "is not possible."



If the sides can agree on its scope, Malmstroem said, a limited pact encompassing tariffs could be concluded before the current EU Commission's mandate expires in October 2019.

She noted that Trump and Juncker agreed no new tariffs would be imposed while talks are ongoing and that should Washington slap duties on European cars any negotiations would stop.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's Supreme Court today ordered the anti-corruption agency to take steps to extradite Hussain Haqqani, the country's ex-ambassador to the US, the central character in the 2011 Memogate scandal.

Haqqani was behind a memo indirectly sent to former US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen in 2011, a Pakistani judicial commission concluded in 2012. In the memo, Haqqani sought Washington's help in averting a military coup in Pakistan following the May 2, 2011 US raid that killed Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in the garrison city of Abbottabad.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, heading a three-judge bench, expressed displeasure with the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) attempts to extradite Haqqani, who was Pakistan's Ambassador to the US from 2008 to 2011, and directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to make efforts for his extradition.

Haqqani, 62, is currently Senior Fellow and Director for South and Central Asia at the Hudson Institute, think-tank in Washington.

The apex court also directed the Parliament to legislate on the matter of bringing wanted Pakistanis back home.

"There are hurdles in [bringing wanted persons back to the country] due to a lack of extradition treaties between Pakistan and other countries," the top judge remarked.

There was a need to explore NAB's agreements with the United Nations Security Council under which the extradition of accused suspects is possible, he observed.

The court directed the parliament to legislate on extradition agreements with foreign countries within a month.

The bench also ordered the NAB to submit a written reply in one week about steps it will take to bring Haqqani to Pakistan. The hearing was then adjourned for a week, Dawn newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, in a progress report submitted to the Supreme Court, the FIA stated that an interim challan of the Memogate case was submitted in the Court of Special Judge Central, Islamabad on August 7, 2018.

The accused (Haqqani) is still at large and absconding in the US, the report stated, adding that the process to blacklist his Pakistani passport was underway.

According to the report, the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Interpol in Washington "has tentatively confirmed that the accused has been located in the United States".

It said the interior ministry will forward a request for his extradition to the foreign ministry after seeking the federal Cabinet's approval.

The agency disclosed that several requests to issue 'red notice' against Haqqani are pending decision at the Interpol Secretariat in France, Dawn newspaper reported.

The Supreme Court had on its own taken up a case pertaining to steps being taken by the government to ensure implementation of an earlier apex court order of bringing Haqqani back home.

On June 4, 2013, a nine-judge SC bench, headed by then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, had directed the then interior secretary to adopt legal measures ensuring the return of Haqqani to Pakistan.

The court had also hinted at adopting coercive measures in view of the continued refusal of Haqqani to appear before it and honour the commitment he made to come whenever called.

An FIR was registered on March 10 on behalf of the FIA alleged that Haqqani in collaboration with other concerned officials misused his position, committed cheating, criminal breach of trust and misappropriated nearly USD 2 million of the national exchequer of Pakistan per year from 2008 to 2011 dishonestly and fraudulently.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Top executives at and are set to appear before Congress next week as lawmakers continue probing efforts by and other countries to influence social media platforms and meddle in

CEO and Facebook's chief operating officer are scheduled to testify Wednesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Larry Page, CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet, also has been invited to the hearing. Lawmakers so far have rejected Google's offer to send a lower-level executive, and the search giant has not committed to sending Page to testify.

The committee is investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election and connections to President Donald Trump's campaign.

Dorsey is set to testify later Wednesday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
A famed Malaysian Hindu temple complex has had its steps painted in a dazzling array of colours, sparking excitement from some visitors but angering officials who oversee heritage sites.

The Batu Caves complex, a series of caverns set in a limestone hill on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, is popular with devotees from Malaysia's ethnic Indian minority and tourists, with a regular stream of people clambering up the 272 steps to reach the temples.

The steps have been painted in a kaleidoscope of bright colours ahead of a Hindu ritual that is conducted in temples every 12 years, which will take place Friday.

But the temple management committee has found itself in hot water with the government heritage department, after allegedly failing to seek permission to paint the steps.

The committee will receive a warning letter from the department, while Deputy Culture Minister Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik said he was "very disappointed" and the work had "disturbed the harmony, integrity and originality of Batu Caves", the Star newspaper reported.

He played down the possibility of the complex losing its heritage status, but urged others running historic sites to get consent before carrying out major work or renovations.

But the paint job on the steps, which were previously the same colour as the limestone hillside, impressed tourists visiting the complex.

Ratna Yunita from Indonesia described it as "out of the ordinary".

"So many colours, so many people in such a beautiful place, it feels like you're in India, not in Malaysia," she told AFP.

Batu Caves is an important religious site for Tamil Hindus. During the annual Thaipusam festival, massive crowds of devotees descend on the complex, with many piercing their bodies with hooks and skewers to showcase devotion to the deity Lord Murugan.

Most of Malaysia's roughly 32 million people are Muslim, but the country also has around two million ethnic Indians and nearly seven million ethnic Chinese.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A farmer in Yavatmal district has been served a notice by authorities for not providing safety kits to a labourer for pesticide spraying due to which he took ill, an official said today.

The show cause notice was served yesterday on Vijay Malekar who owns a farm in Tejpur village in Wani taluka for negligence.

The labourer Ankush Bhoyar (30) fell ill after spraying a pesticide and was admitted in hospital, said Residential Deputy Collector (RDC) Narendra Fulzele.

He said the government had made it mandatory to provide safety kits to farm labourers in the wake of a number of deaths due to pesticide poisoning in the district last year.

Fulzele said Bhoyar was discharged from hospital earlier this week.

The notice was issued on the complaint of the relatives of Bhoyar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A clerk, who was behind bars in an alleged case of fraud, was given the charge of two high schools in Gurdaspur district by Punjab's department, an official said.

In a reshuffling of the non-teaching staff of the department, Kulwant Singh was given the charge of Kandiala and Panjgrain high schools around 15 days back, the official said today.

"Unaware" that Singh was lodged in the Gurdaspur jail in an alleged fraud case, the clerk was given the new posting by the department, the official added.

"Singh was shifted along with other clerks of government schools as part of a routine transfer exercise. However, the data of employees was not updated," an official of district department in Gurdaspur said explaining the error.

A report pertaining to the current status of the case has been sent to the department for further action, he added.

Singh was allegedly found to be involved in a case of cheating following which he was arrested after being booked for fraud and sent to the Gurdaspur jail in 2017, officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhanhas approved a proposal to replace LPG cylinders, which were lost during the recent floods in Kerala, at a subsidised rate, a statement from the state Tourism Minister KJ Alphons' office said today.

Responding to a request made by the tourism minister, Pradhan said those below the poverty line will be given an LPG connection for Rs 200 and the rest would be offered the same at Rs 1,200, the statement read. A regular LPG connection costs Rs 1,400.

All oil companies have been directed to distribute the connectionsimmediately, the minister's office said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fortis Healthcare today said its Chief Financial Officer Gagandeep Singh Bedi has resigned citing personal reasons.

The Board of Directors of the company at its meeting held today have considered Bedi's resignation from the services of the company, and accepted the same, with effect from September 30, 2018, Fortis Healthcare said in a filing to BSE.

The resignation is due to personal reasons, it added.

Shares of Fortis Healthcare today closed at Rs 148.70 per scrip on BSE, down 0.07 per cent from the previous close.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An elderly woman and her son and daughter-in-law were found dead in mysterious circumstances at their home in a village near Pataudi town while her one-year-old granddaughter, who was seriously injured, passed away in hospital, police said today.

The bodies of 62-year-old Phoolwati, Manish God (25) and Pinki (22) were found last evening by a milkman who had gone to their residence in Brijpura village near Gurgaon district's Pataudi town to supply milk, police officials said.

While Phoolwati and Manish were found in a pool of blood, Pinki was hanging from a ceiling fan in another room with deep cuts on her legs and hands, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Pataudi) Ber Singh said.

The couple's daughter Charu was critical and taken to a hospital where she succumbed to injuries. Their two-year-old son Akshay was reportedly in school when the incident occurred, he said.

During investigation, it was found Manish and his mother were hit with a heavy weapon, he said.

"A forensic team is examining the crime scene. We have deployed adequate police teams in the village to maintain law and order," the ACP said.

A case has been registered against unknown persons and efforts are on to nab the guilty, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis today said that Ganesh mandals having "genuine issues" or "technical problems" can seek permission from the BMC till September 5 for erecting pandals.

The Mumbai civic body had set a deadline of September 2 for Ganesh mandals to get permissions but this had been opposed by several mandals who claimed that the time frame was too short.

The Shiv Sena, which is the ruling party in the BMC and has a strong presence among these mandals, had also objected to the September 2 deadline as well what the party termed as stricter norms for issuing permissions.

Fadnavis today held a meeting with Ganesh mandal representatives which was also attended by BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta and some Mumbai-based MLAs.

Speaking on the deadline, Fadnavis said, "The mandals should get permissions by September 2. If some mandals have genuine issues or technical problems, they can seek permissions till September 5."



Fadnavis said that the BMC had started issuing permissions online from this year and it will help mandals next year as data like registration, location and the like would already be stored with the civic body's data bank.

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar, who led the delegation of Ganesh mandals, said that the state government had decided to withdraw criminal cases against mandal members.

"The state government had formed a sub-committee for withdrawal of criminal charges against members of Ganesh mandals. As per its recommendations, charges will be withdrawn," Shelar said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Ghaziabad development Authority (GDA) has demolished 104 illegal buildings within its limits, with official saying the drive will continue till all such constructions are removed.

GDA vice chairperson and District Magistrate Ritu Maheshwari said that 104 illegal structures were razed till Wednesday. On August 13, Maheshwari had said 650 buildings have been identified and they would be sealed by the authority and Nagar Nigam by the end of this month.

A drive to seal and demolish illegally constructed and dilapidated structures had begun the next day.

Illegal dairies, structures and boundary walls in Rajnagar extension, Modinagar, and Chiranjiv Vihar have been flattened, the officer said today.

The houses and boundaries in unlawfully colonized locality in 25 Bigah plot near Golden city of Meer Hindu village of Loni were also razed, Maheshwari said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
French star Gerard Depardieu "absolutely denies any attack, any rape", his lawyer said on Thursday after a judicial source told AFP he was facing a probe over alleged "rapes and sexual assaults".

The source said the Paris public prosecutor's office had opened a preliminary inquiry into allegations against Depardieu following a complaint lodged on Monday in southern Aix-en-Provence.

"I regret the public nature of this process which poses a major prejudice to Gerard Depardieu, whose innocence I am convinced will be recognised," his lawyer Herve Termime added, calling for restraint on all sides.

Depardieu, 69, is France's biggest international star and has made more than 180 films.

A controversial and larger-than-life character, he became the very face of French cinema due to roles in films such as such as "Cyrano de Bergerac" for which won best actor at the Cannes film festival and was nominated for an Oscar.

He made his name in the 1974 film "Going Places" after which he enjoyed a meteoric rise, demonstrating talent and allure in wide-ranging roles in classics, dramas and comedies alike.

In 2013 Depardieu sparked a huge outcry by leaving France and taking Russian nationality in protest at a proposed tax hike on the rich in his homeland.

Russian President Vladimir Putin treated him to a dinner to present him with his new citizenship and Depardieu was subsequently full of praise in an interview to Komsomolskaya Pravda daily.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In an effort to clean the Ganges, Germany is providing a soft loan of euro 120 million (Rs 990 crore approximately) to India to strengthen sewage water treatment infrastructure in Uttarakhand, Charge d'Affaires Jasper Wieck said today.

Elaborating on the work done by the German Embassy, Wieck said the project would focus on extension and replacement of sewerage system (around 360 kilometres) including complete house connection, construction of sewage treatment plants of around 15 million litres per day (mld).

The initiative also includes construction of 13 sewage pumping stations.

"The purpose of the project is to reduce the inflow of untreated waste water in River Ganga and, thus, to improve the water quality of the river," Wieck said.

In 2015, the German government to India committed an interest subsidised loan of up to euro 120 million through German Development Bank KfW for financing investments such as construction of sewerage network and sewage treatment plants.

He added that the German development agency GIZ has prepared a 'Ganga Box', aimed to target schools-going children and inform them about the river.

Vikarant Tyagi, a project coordinator with GIZ, said the concept 'Ganga book' was planned on the lines of 'Danube Book' when the cleaning of the European river was undertaken.

The Ganga book would have information mythological, socio-cultural, economic importance about the river and suggestions to avoid pollution, like not dumping plastic in the water body.

"The aim is to bring change in the behaviour of people towards the river. We have piloted this projected in a government school in Uttarakhand and plan to do replicate it across the state," Tyagi said.

Discussions are on to give the Ganga Box prototype to the National Clean Ganga Mission so that it could replicate it in other states.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nearly 13 years after commencing domestic operations, Wadia group-owned GoAir today announced international services with the first flight to Phuket in Thailand starting from October 11.

The no-frills airline, which is all set to start direct flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to Phuket, would become the sixth Indian carrier to go international.

"We announce the commencement of our maiden international operations to Phuket in Thailand from New Delhi and Mumbai from October 11," GoAir Chief Executive Officer Cornelis Vrieswijik said.

GoAir would be flying overseas nearly 13 years after it started domestic operations in November 2005.

From October 14, the airline would also start flights to Male from Mumbai and New Delhi, Vrieswijik told reporters here.

Going forward, GoAir would also connect Phuket and Male with Bengaluru.

GoAir would join the league of Air India, its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express, Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet to become the sixth domestic airline to have overseas services.

"Phuket and Male are the key tourist destinations and hold a lot of promise. The airline's international schedules have been planned to allow quick and convenient connections for customers," Vrieswijik said.

It would operate three direct flight services per week between Mumbai and Phuket, while the New Delhi-Phuket services would be twice a week.

Similarly, the Mumbai-Male operations would be thrice a week and New Delhi-Male twice a week, the airline said.

GoAir also announced all-inclusive return fare starting from Rs 18,999 for the Mumbai-Phuket and New Delhi-Phuket flights.

For the Male-Mumbai flight, the all-inclusive return fare start from Rs 17,999, while for Male-New Delhi flights, it would be start from Rs 18,999, GoAir said.

Two years ago, GoAir became eligible to fly overseas when it took delivery of its 20th aircraft which was also the first A320 neo plane for the airline.

As of now, it operates 230 daily flights to 23 domestic destinations, with a fleet of over 35 aircraft. This includes 19 A320 neo planes.

Vrieswijik said that the airline was looking at code sharing pacts and interline arrangement with other international airlines.

Code sharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless travel to destinations where it has no presence. An interline arrangement refers to a pact to issue and accept tickets for flights that are operated by the partner airline.

When selling an interline ticket, the operating airline's own flight numbers are used.

In August 2016, GoAir was granted rights to operate flights to nine countries, including China, Vietnam, Maldives, Kazakhstan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

It had planned to launch services on the international routes in October last year but the plans were deferred due to the grounding of some of its A320 neos following Pratt & Whitney engine issues.

Vrieswijik said that GoAir was looking to accelerate growth, both in domestic and international markets.

However, he did not provide any time line or number of destinations with respect to the airline's international expansion plans.

Earlier, a source had said that the airline was aiming to serve three to four international destinations by March next year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Vicky Kaushal says it is "surreal" to be a part of Karan Johar's "Takht", a film which will require him to tread one of the "scariest territories" as a performer.

Directed by Johar, "Takht" is based in the Mughal era and chronicles the story of two warring brothers.

"'Takht' is one of the scariest territories I am going to enter as an actor. I can't give out the details but for sure, it's going to be something. I am filled with excitement and anxiety. It's a good space as an actor. I am really anxious about what I'm getting into," Vicky told PTI.

The actor recalls the time he got a confirmation call for the magnum opus while he was shooting for "Uri" in Serbia and "flipped" when he heard the good

"To see your name on a Karan Johar poster is as dreamy as his films. It took me some time to let it sink in that I'm one of the leads in a Karan Johar film. It is one of his biggest films ever so it feels surreal, overwhelming."



Vicky recently worked with Johar in the director's short in "Lust Stories".

"I've grown up watching his films, I've seen Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham so many times. He is an extremely special filmmaker. Just to be a part of one of his films, it's huge," he added.

"Takht" also stars Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Bhumi Pednekar, Janhvi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government should cease politically motivated arrests and harassment of human rights activists and other actions aimed at stalling peaceful dissent, the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International India said in a joint statement today.

The Maharashtra police had on Tuesday arrested Left-wing activists Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, and raided the homes of several others as part of their probe into the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave in Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune on December 31 last year.

The conclave had triggered violence between Dalits and upper caste Peshwas.

Others whose premises were reportedly searched this week were Father Stan Swamy, Susan Abraham, Kranthi Tekula and Anand Teltumbde.

"The latest arrests of human rights activists show the government's widening assault on free speech to create an atmosphere of fear across India," Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Officials are again targeting human rights defenders and those working with poor and marginalized communities just for doing their jobs," Ganguly said.

The activists have long worked to defend the rights of some of India's poorest and most marginalized communities, including Dalits and Adivasis - India's indigenous peoples. As poets, journalists, and advocates, they have been vocal in their criticism of government policies and therefore, have often been targets for the authorities, according to the statement.

"The police in India have repeatedly used counterterrorism laws against government critics and social activists, and often, they have targeted the same people by filing multiple cases against them," said Aakar Patel, executive director of Amnesty International India.

"The authorities continue to ignore Supreme Court directives to not conflate sympathy for concerns expressed by the Maoists, with criminal complicity in violence," Patel added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Social activist Stan Swami, whose



residence was raided along with other Left-wing activists by Pune Police on Tuesday, alleged that the government was silencing those who were working for the marginalised and voiceless sections of the society.

He also condemned the arrest of five prominent



Left-wing activists by the Pune Police during raids in several states on August 28.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into the violence between Dalits and upper caste Peshwas near Pune after 'Elgar Parishad' event on December 31 last year.

"I condemn the blatant violation of democratic rights of the social activists; the government is silencing the people who are working for the poor, the marginalised and voiceless of the society," Swami said in a statement yesterday.

"All the human rights activists targeted in this multi-city operation by the police...have stood for the principles of human rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution and the international standards on human rights," he said.

He also demanded dropping of all "false cases" against them and called upon the National Human Rights Commission to intervene and ensure the release of the activists who are under house arrest following an order of the Supreme Court.

About the raid in his own house, Swami said, "I still do not know exactly the basis on which the raid was conducted. If there is an FIR, that too from Pune, I have not seen its contents".

If the Maharashtra Police is trying to implicate me in an incident that happened in Pune, I was not present in Pune, he said.

Swami said he has been working for Adivasi issues, especially among the Adivasis in Jharkhand.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has initiated a countervailing duty probe into increased imports of a Chinese synthetic rubber - Fluoroelastomers, following a complaint from Gujarat Fluorochemicals.

The move is aimed at guarding domestic players from the increase in imports that are subsidised by the neighbouring nation.

The investigation has been initiated by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), an arm of the commerce ministry.

Gujarat Fluorochemicals has filed an application before the DGTR alleging subsidisation of the product from China and requested for initiation of an anti-subsidy investigation for levy of countervailing duties on the imports.

The applicant has alleged that the producers/exporters of the product have benefited from the actionable subsidies provided at various levels by the Chinese government, including the governments of the different provinces and municipalities, the DGTR has said in a notification.

The alleged subsidies consist of direct or potential direct transfer of funds or liabilities.

The applicant has claimed that subsidised imports of the product are materially retarding the establishment of the domestic industry.

The authority prima facie finds "sufficient evidence" of subsidisation of the goods from China, injury to the domestic industry and causal link between the alleged subsidisation and injury exist to "justify initiation of an anti-dumping investigations" to determine the existence, degree and effect of subsidisation and to recommend the amount of countervailing duty," it said.

There are various applications of Fluoroelastomers in sectors including industry, automotive and aerospace.

The period of investigation is January 2017 - December 2017 (12 months). It would also cover the data of 2014-17.

Countervailing duty is a country-specific duty, which is imposed to safeguard domestic industry against unfair trade subsidies provided by the local governments of the exporting nations.

India has already imposed countervailing duty as well as anti-dumping duties on various kinds of steel from China to protect domestic players, which are facing problems.

It is India's one of the biggest trading partner, however, the trade balance is tilted in China's favour.

India has a trade deficit of USD 63.12 billion in 2017-18 with China as compared to USD 51.11 billion in the previous year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Calling raids on prominent activists and intellectuals an attempt by the government to strike terror among those fighting for the marginalised, Jharkhand's civil society members, including economist Jean Dreze, have demanded the immediate release of the people arrested.

Maharashtra police arrested Left-wing activists Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, and raided the homes of several others as part of their probe into the 'Elgar Parishad' conclave in Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune on December 31 last year.

The conclave had triggered violence between Dalits and upper caste Peshwas.

Others whose premises were reportedly searched this week were Father Stan Swamy, Susan Abraham, Kranthi Tekula and Anand Teltumbde.

"We demand immediate release of the arrested individuals and dropping of all false charges against them, as these arrests and raids are politically motivated and unjustified," a letter signed by 73 groups and individuals stated.

Prominent people who signed the letter included economist Jean Dreze, Afzal Anees and Kavita Srivastava.

"The raid on the residential premises of Stan Swamy, a well-known activist of Jharkhand, was highly objectionable. Stan works for the rights of adivasis and other underprivileged groups in the state. Among other issues, he works on displacement, corporate loot of resources, the condition of undertrials," according to the letter.

The central government and media houses close to the BJP are now claiming that the human rights activists were part of a Maoist conspiracy related to the Bhima-Koregaon incident.

This "concocted story" seems to be a part of a larger propaganda, based on terms such as "urban naxals", aimed at stifling any criticism of the government, it said.

The raids and arrests are part of the government's attempts to stifle dissent and intimidate those who are fighting for justice.

"This is also an attempt by the BJP to invent a false enemy and engage in scaremongering in order to polarise the 2019 elections in its favour," they said in the statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress will launch an agitation in Gujarat against what the party claimed were scams in the Centre's purchase of the French-built Rafale fighter aircraft and the state government's procurement of groundnuts, the party's Gujarat in charge Rajeev Satav said today.

The Congress' Lok Sabha MP from Hingoli in Maharashtra said that the agitation, which would begin in September, would demand the setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the Rafale purchase as well as inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the groundnut procurement.

He said that party leaders would address press conferences across Gujarat till September 6 to apprise people of the irregularities in the Rafale deal.

"We will be demanding the setting up of a JPC in the Rs 41,025 crore Rafale deal and judicial probe by a Supreme Court judge in the Rs 4,000 crore groundnut procurement scam." Satav said.

"The district-level agitation will be held between September 7-15 while the state-level protest will be carried out between September 16-30," he said.

Satav claimed that the Rs 4,000 crore groundnut procurement scam has links to the "higher-ups" in the BJP who were trying to bury it.

The Congress had, earlier, alleged that several BJP leaders as well as some NAFED and GUJCOT officials were involved in the groundnut procurement scam.

The party had alleged that these leaders and officials stole the procured groundnut and sold it to oil millers and then mixed stocks with sand and pebbles.

The Congress would make the Rafale deal a poll issue and attack the Narendra Modi over its claim of corruption-free governance, he said.

Satav quoted a report by Dassault Aviation, the French firm that makes the Rafale fighter jets, and claimed that Qatar and Egypt purchased these aircraft at Rs 1,319 crore while India has inked a deal that places the cost of each aircraft at Rs 1,600 crore.

"The price is three times what was negotiated by the Congress-led UPA government. The Rafale scam is a sordid saga of squandering our national interests and promoting crony capitalism," Satav said.

He also dared BJP national president Amit Shah, currently a Rajya Sabha MP, to get elected from a Lok Sabha constituency.

Gujarat Congress chief Amit Chavda, who was present at the briefing, said that party workers were geared up for the statewide agitation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Police here today claimed to have busted a gunrunning racket with the arrest of one person from whose possession three automatic rifles, hundreds of ammunition and spare parts used in the assault weapon were recovered.

According to Superintendent of Police (Munger), Babu Ram, acting on a tip-off a police party conducted a raid in Jubilee Well locality of Jamalpur town in the district where they arrested one Mohd Imran Alam who was carrying a bag and a blanket inside which the items were concealed.

The recovered items include three AK 47 rifle, 30 magazines, seven pistons and other parts used in assembling the weapon, the SP said adding that during interrogation, Alam said that he had brought the weapons from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh and was intending to sell these locally.

A case has been lodged against the arrested accused under the Arms Act and steps would be taken to ensure speedy trial, the SP said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Connecticut man who hacked into more than 200 iCloud accounts of Hollywood stars and other people has been sentenced to eight months in prison.

George Garofano was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Bridgeport. After prison, he must serve three years of supervised release and perform 60 hours of community service.

The North Branford man was one of four men arrested in the 2014 hacking scandal that led to private photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Upton and others being made public.

Authorities say the hackers used a phishing scheme that sent emails appearing to be from Apple security accounts that asked for usernames and passwords.

Garofano pleaded guilty in April and asked for leniency, saying he faces a lifetime loss of rights because of the felony conviction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madras High Court today issued notice to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government on a PIL seeking to settle the balance insurance claim for the samba season of crop year 2016-17 for affected farmers in 33 revenue villages in the state.

A division bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad issued the notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Farmers Legal Movement.

It posted the matter for further hearing to September 27.

According to the petition, farmers in the state ended up with nil yield during the samba season due to various reasons, including non-availability of Cauvery water for irrigation.

They were entitled to get Rs 62,500 per hectare under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana (PMFBY) scheme.

The New India Insurance company, the implementing agency in the state, ought to have paid the full amount by June, 2017 as all the claimants had paid the premium, it submitted.

However, after several representations, only 25 per cent of the claim was paid that too in April and May this year, the petition claimed, seeking a direction to settle the remaining amount.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Banning fatwas in the state, the Uttarakhand High Court today declared illegal a fatwa banishing the family of a rape victim from their village.

Declaring fatwas as unconstitutional and illegal, the high court directed that in Uttarakhand all the religious bodies and statutory panchayat and any group of people are banned from issuing fatwas, since it infringes upon the statutory rights, fundamental rights, dignity, status, honour and obligation of individuals.

Taking cognizance of a newspaper report that the panchayat had issued a fatwa for externment of the family of a rape victim in Laksar as a matter of PIL, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Sharad Kumar Sharma held that the fatwa was against the letter and spirit of the Constitution.

Instead of sympathising with the rape victim, the panchayat had the audacity to extern the family from the village, the court said.

"Fatwa is nothing but extra constitutional adventurism, not permissible under the Constitution. The constitution of Panchayats is provided under Article 243 of the Constitution of India. These are created under the Panchayati Raj Act.

"The panchayats are only required to discharge the duties and functions enshrined under the law. Issuing fatwas is not part of their statutory duties and functions. The fatwas cause immense agony and devastation to the victim, even if the same has been issued by local panchayat like 'Khap Panchayat'.

The senior superintendent of police (SSP) in Haridwar has been directed to depute the circle officer to immediately reach the village and to ensure that the family of the victim is traced and in no circumstance it is banished from the village.

The SSP shall ensure round-the-clock safety of the victim and her close family members and initiate criminal proceedings against all the members of the panchayat who have issued the fatwa.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HDFC today said it will provide home improvement loans with zero processing fee and at lower rate of interest for rebuilding properties ravaged by floods in Kerala.

Home improvement loans are for properties located in Kerala, even if the customer is stationed somewhere else, and will be valid only for loan applications submitted till October 31, subject to the mortgage lender's norms and eligibility criteria, a release said.

Processing fee for the loan will be nil and the rate of interest will be 8.50 per cent under adjustable rate home loans (ARHL), it added.

"We at HDFC are committed to support the people of Kerala affected by flood. We have decided to offer home improvement loans to all people whose properties have been impacted by the rains. There will be no processing fees on all such loans," said Renu Sud Karnad, managing director, HDFC.

This offer is also applicable to NRIs and PIOs, the release said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On the completion of 100 days of JDS-Congress government in Karnataka, state chief minister H D Kumaraswamy today met Rahul Gandhi and said the coalition was going strong even as he discussed the expansion of his cabinet with the Congress chief.

While Kumaraswamy termed his meeting as a "courtesy call", sources said a decision to expand the state cabinet was taken during the meeting between the two leaders which would be done in the next few weeks.

Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting that a decision on cabinet expansion of the coalition government and appointment of chairmen of various boards and corporations would be taken soon.

The chief minister also said that the JD(S)-Congress coalition government is secure under the leadership of senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

In a brief meeting with Gandhi at his residence, Kumaraswamy also apprised him about the performance of the coalition government which completed 100 days today.

"Today I completed 100 days in Chief Minister's office, so I am here to pay my regards to the Congress President," he said.

He added that Gandhi expressed happiness over the way the Karnataka government was functioning.

He denied having discussed the recent statements of Siddharamaiah during the meeting.

Siddaramaiah's remarks about becoming the state chief minister have given rise to speculation about the strains developing between the two coalition partners in the state.

"In the meeting, I have requested Congress President to take an early decision on expansion of the cabinet and appointment of chairmen of various corporation and boards," Kumaraswamy said.

At present, the cabinet comprises 16 Congress and 10 JD(S) members, including chief minister and deputy chief minister, and as per rule four more can be added, one from JD(S) and three from Congress.

Kumaraswamy's discussions with Gandhi also comes on the eve of the JD(S)-Congress Coordination Committee meeting scheduled tomorrow to iron out differences in the alliance that have arisen after Siddaramaiah's remarks.

"He (Siddaramaiah) is a leader. If he expresses desire to become CM, what's wrong in that."



"The coalition government is secure under the leadership of Siddaramaiah. Siddaramaiah is necessary for the coalition government to run safety," Kumaraswamy said.

Already, Siddaramaiah has given clarification that he would become the chief minister if people desire in the next election, the CM said.

"Despande (senior Congress leader) too may have desire to become chief minister. There is no no need to interpret and understand it in a different way," he added.

R V Despande is a Revenue Minister in the coalition government in Karnataka.

"People in the state have various expectations. My first goal is to fulfill their expectations in the coming days," he said, while asserting that the coalition government is successful in completing 100 days in the state.

The 100 days of honeymoon period is over and the government will start implementing the blue print in the coming days, he added.

Later, Kumaraswamy also tweeted about various steps taken by his government like farm loan waiver.

"The JDS-Congress coalition government has completed the 100 days today. We have taken a small step in solving the hardship of rice farmers through debt. The goal of this coalition government is to provide employment of youth, empowerment of women, providing self-sustaining life to farmers and overall development of entire Karnataka," he tweeted.

The chief minister's official Twitter handle also tweeted a picture of him and Gandhi, saying Kumaraswamy exchanged greetings with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on completing 100 days in office.

"The coalition government is committed to its vision of 'Samagra Karnataka - Samrudha Karnataka'. We have envisioned projects and policies to achieve this," the handle also tweeted.

"I thank my coalition partners, the leaders and the people for supporting the government wholeheartedly. I also thank the public, private sector, volunteers and the media for generously contributing to the CM Calamity Relief Fund and joining hands with the government in the rescue and rehabilitation works," the chief minister tweeted.

Kumaraswamy also met President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

He met Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and discussed the flood and drought situation in Karnataka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today met Congress President Rahul Gandhi here and urged him to take early decision on cabinet expansion of the coalition government.

The chief minister also said that the JD(S)-Congress coalition government is secure under the leadership of senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

In a brief meeting with the Gandhi at his residence, Kumaraswamy also apprised him about the 100 day performance of the coalition government.

"In the meeting, I have requested Congress President to take early decision on expansion of the cabinet and appointment of corporation Boards chairman," Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting.

At present, the cabinet comprises 16 Congress and 10 JD(S) members, including chief minister and deputy chief minister, and as per rule four more can be added, one from JD(S) and three from Congress.

Kumaraswamy's discussions with Gandhi also comes on the eve of the JD(S)-Congress Coordination Committee meeting scheduled tomorrow to iron out differences in the alliance that has arisen after Siddaramaiah's remarks about becoming the state chief minister.

Asked about the remarks, he said: "He (Siddaramaiah) is a leader. If he expresses desire to become CM, what's wrong in that."



"The coalition government is secure under the leadership of Siddarmaiah. Siddaramaiah is necessary for the coalition government to run safety," Kumaraswamy said.

Already, Siddarmaiah has given clarification that he would become the chief minister if people desire in the next election, the CM said.

"Despande (senior Congress leader) too may have desire to become chief minister. There is no no need to interpret and understand it in a different way," he added.

R V Despande is a Revenue Minister in the coalition government in Karnataka.

Asserting that the coalition government was successful in completing 100 days in the state, the chief minister said: "People in the state have various expectations. My first goal is to fulfill their expectations in the coming days."



The 100 days of honeymoon period is over and the government will start implementing the blue print in the coming days, he added.

The chief minister further said that the government was successful in taking officers into confidence. They have to work considering the wave length of the coalition government, he added.

Already, the government has announced farm loan waiver and given certain directions to officials to implement the budget proposals, he stressed.

Kumaraswamy is also scheduled to meet the President Ramnath Kovind and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to submit proposal seeking relief to flood hit Kodagu in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In order to widen the scope of heritage among students, the INTACH conducted 'Heritage Quiz 2018' for schools in Delhi-NCR.

The quiz, conducted by the Heritage and Communication Service division of INTACH in Delhi-NCR, was attended by 88 schools and nearly 245 students.

According to a statement, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH)is conducting the Heritage Quiz 2018 for schools across the country.

It stated that in the Delhi-NCR quiz conducted on Monday, the winners of the 'Delhi Finale Round' were Mira Model School and Delhi Public School, Mathura Road and they qualified for the next round.

The winners were Cambridge School, Noida who would proceed to the National Finals.

The certificates and award books were handed out to all the winners who had qualified for both, the Delhi and the Delhi-NCR finales by INTACH Chairman, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) LK Gupta.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo's father was called by police for questioning today, a senior police officer said.

Assadullah Naikoo was detained by the police for questioning in Awantipora area of Pulwama district, sparking rumours that the 70-year-old father of the militant commander was arrested.

"We had called him for questioning as he is closely associated with his son, who is an active militant. We have to keep a track of people known to militants but he has not been arrested," the officer said.

Yesterday, a joint team of the police and security forces busted some modules of militant sympathisers in Awantipora area and arrested nine suspects.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It was a disaster that left wildlife lovers around the globe appalled and baffled.

Eleven of Kenya's precious black rhinos were transferred to a new home in what was supposed to be a routine operation in a country fabled for its conservation.

So how did all of them end up dead?



The primary cause of death, an official report found, was due to toxic levels of salt in the water of their sanctuary.

But an AFP investigation has found that the problem was well known and deep concerns were ignored.

Experts sounded repeated warnings about the site's unsuitability.

Yet the relocation project was pushed through -- and officials are now blaming each other for the fiasco.

The translocation was launched with great fanfare in late June by Kenya's tourism and wildlife minister, Najib Balala, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which donated a million dollars (860,000 euros) for the project.

Dubbed #TheBigMove, the operation would help ensure the survival of a species brutally depleted by poaching.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) describes the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) as Critically Endangered -- just one step away from being extinct in the wild.

Rhino from parks in Nairobi and Nakuru were sedated, loaded and transported to a new sanctuary in Tsavo East, a project that the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and WWF had spent six years preparing.

There, the rhino drank borehole water so salty that it corroded a metal grill around the pump valve, and no other wildlife would come near it, said Dr Benson Kibore, head of Kenya's Union of Veterinary Practitioners.

The saline water made the animals only thirstier, pushing them to drink more, drawing water out of their body tissue, thickening and slowing their blood. They were "desiccated", said Kibore.

A rhino named Bolt was the first to die, and the others soon followed. The last, Jack, was so weakened he could not fend off a lion attack that left him wobbling and alone, with huge gashes in his side before he succumbed days later.

"I was horrified. I was very certain there was going to be a very big problem with those rhinos," said Nehemiah Rotich, a veteran conservationist and former KWS chairman.

At the time of the translocation, he was chief operating officer but had been tasked by the KWS board with looking closely into the project.

Rotich and some former members of the board -- the oversight body which has to approve major management decisions -- said they had blocked the transfer multiple times due to fears about the saline borehole water and the lack of vegetation.

"The site chosen wasn't a good one," Rotich told AFP. He visited it twice, arguing it was too arid and far from a river, requiring the drilling of two boreholes.

Discord came to a head in 2016, former board member Brian Heath said.

The board were told with just days' notice that a big ceremony was planned by KWS and the WWF to launch the transfer, just as a punishing drought was taking hold, he said.

"We said, 'No way!'" he recalled.

But pressure persisted, he said.

Both Heath and Rotich accused the WWF of "pushing hard" for the translocation. Their anger was echoed last week by prominent conservationist and former KWS chair Richard Leakey, who in a parliamentary submission slammed the WWF for "interference".

In October 2017, the board gave conditional approval for the translocation pending improved conditions at the site. The board's mandate expired in April 2018.

By that time, the green light for the translocation had still not been given to the management.

Even so, the operation went ahead three months later -- in the absence of a new board.

Evidence of the tussle over the translocation comes from a meeting in May 2017 attended by KWS officials and WWF's chief rhino expert, Martin Mulama.

Two sets of minutes were written, according to documents seen by AFP.

The first made no mention of concerns, but was amended after complaints from some present, leading to a second version that included the warning: "The prevailing habitat could not allow any translocation to take place."



A series of 15 water assessments by KWS, conducted between February and May this year, indicated that the water was at times up to three times saltier than recommended levels.

But Kibore claims that these crucial documents were not provided to vets even when the first rhino fell sick.

As a result, the vets wasted valuable time looking for other causes, such as a snake bite.

WWF's Mulama strongly denied pressuring anyone to push ahead with the translocation and insisted that sole responsibility lay with the KWS.

The WWF, he said, was not aware of problems with the sanctuary and had received "regular assurances from KWS that the site was suitable and safe."



"At no time would we do anything detrimental to the species we were trying to protect," Mulama said.

Former KWS board members accuse Balala of using his ministerial powers to authorise the transfer in their absence. Some observers have called for his resignation.

However, the minister, an energetic pitchman with a penchant for colourful bow ties, denied any decision-making role and in turn blames the board, telling AFP that if it had been so unhappy with the site, it should have cancelled the project entirely.

"My invitation (to the launch) was purely ceremonial. Did I know about water? Did I know the board was objecting? I was not even aware," he told AFP.

"If they want me to resign, just prove what role did I have in the process of the translocation," he said.

For Kenyan conservationist Paula Kahumbu, the problem is far greater than the wrangle of which individual signed off on the calamitous mission.

"Things failed at multiple levels, the lack of accountability from various authorities is of great concern," she said.

Kahumbu said the signs of turbulence within KWS, and recent developments such as the building of railways through national parks, and other encroaching infrastructure show it is "a very, very dark time for Kenya" and its wildlife.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Delhi government today told the Supreme Court that it has power to transfer and post IAS officers allocated to it within the National Capital Territory as they belong to the joint cadre.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government also put forth its claim on the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) saying the Constitution and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) provides that the state government has executive powers.

A bench of justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan was told by senior advocate P Chidambaram that IAS officers are allocated to the state and it becomes their cadre.

"As per cadre rules for the IAS officers, who are allocated state cadre, the state government will have control over them. In case of joint cadre, both the Centre and the state government have control over. The Centre can transfer and post the officials to other state, but within the territory of the state, the state government can transfer and post the official," Chidambaram said.

Reading from the cadre rules, he said that in other words, an official once allotted joint cadre, the transfer and posting within the state will be done by the state government concerned.

Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Delhi government, said that two notifications of the Centre with regard to ACB are under challenge by which they have excluded central government employees from coming under the jurisdiction of corruption bureau.

"As per the provisions of Constitution and CrPC, the state government is responsible for the law and order and though Delhi government is a state government in limited sense, it still has executive powers. It has power to declare any place or post as police station," he said.

The bench said, "this is an interesting situation rather anomalous situation. They (Centre) have control over police and you have control over police station".

Naphade said that police power comes from CrPC and the notification of Centre with regard to powers of ACB is without any clarity in law.

"The Delhi high court judgement says that police falls under exclusive jurisdiction of Centre and therefore the notification of the Centre under challenge is just a direction to ACB. This is contradictory as the verdict allowed appointment of public prosecutors by the elected government which is done under CrPC," he said.

The hearing remained inconclusive and would continue on September 5.

Yesterday, the Delhi government had told the apex court that officers of the DANICS cadres posted in the national capital are controlled by it and has powers to order their transfer and postings.

It had said that the DANICS officers are not controlled by the Centre through the Lieutenant Governor (LG) as long as they are posted in the national capital.

It had said DANICS and DANIPS cadre officers are also posted in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but when they are working in the national capital, they will be under the Delhi government's control.

On July 18, the AAP government had told the apex court that its functioning is "completely paralysed" and it cannot order transfer or posting of officers despite the recent Constitution bench verdict on the national capital's administration.

"Functioning of the government is completely paralysed. We cannot post officers, we cannot transfer officers despite the recent constitution bench verdict which has explained every aspect. These issues needs to be adjudicated at the earliest," Chidambaram, appearing for the Delhi government, had said.

A five-judge Constitution Bench had on July 4 laid down broad parameters for the governance of the national capital, which has witnessed a power struggle between the Centre and the Delhi government since the AAP came to power in 2014.

The bench had clarified that issues regarding various notifications issued by the Delhi government in exercise of its administrative and legislative powers would be dealt with separately by an appropriate smaller bench.

The five-judge bench had said in a landmark verdict unanimously held that Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a state but clipped the powers of the LG, saying he has no "independent decision making power" and has to act on the aid and advice of the elected government.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had been at loggerheads with incumbent LG Anil Baijal and his predecessor Najeeb Jung. Kejriwal had accused both of them of preventing the functioning of his government at the behest of the Centre.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Conference today raked up the demand to identify the "fake" natives of Jammu and Kashmir and oust them from the state.

NC's Jammu region president Devender Singh Rana raised the demand amid a plea pending at the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the Article 35A of the Constitution that accords various rights and privileges to the "permanent residents" of the state.

Rana raked up the issue, launching a blistering attack on the PDP-BJP government, accusing them of sitting over the issue and undermining the rights, dignity and identity of the state natives.

The erstwhile coalition had a sinister design to trample the special status of the state, which is why the forces inimical to the legacy of the permanent resident laws have been let loose to challenge the Article 35A," said Rana.

Accusing the BJP of unleashing a "misinformation campaign" against Article 35 A, Rana said the Constitutional provision instead protects the interests of the state's "permanent residents".

Accusing the BJP of trying to create a "hysteria over the issue", Rana dared it to carry out a referendum across Jammu to find out the will of the people in this regard.

Rana said the BJP's "consistent tirade" against the Article 35A may be because of some "clandestine deal" reached with illegal non-state subjects, who want to strengthen their hegemony in Jammu.

Rana said "the overt and covert attempts to repeal Article 35A has put the state at cross roads of history."



He said tampering with it would be economically detrimental to the people of Jammu in particular as the youth would be deprived of jobs and the local business community would suffer due to influx of big business houses and traders from outside the state.

Generating hysteria is a BJP's ploy to hide its three years of all-round failures and to push the state to political instability, he added.

Senior NC leader and former MP Sheikh Abdul Rehman questioned the alleged bids to have the Article 35A abrogated and said he wondered why the forces seeking its repeal were were silent over the unique status being enjoyed by Nagaland, Mizoram, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh and Goa as per various sub sections (A to G) of the Article 371.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis today sought an increase in the quality of investigation into cases under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Fadnavis was speaking at a meeting of the State Level High Power Vigilance and Monitoring Committee at Sahyadri State Guest House today.

He issued directions to the state Home Department and the administration over the suggestions made by members in the meeting, a state government release informed.

Fadnavis called for an analysis based on the five-year data of crimes under this Act, it added.

"This will help us maintain harmony and fear of law. Proper investigation would help in conviction in crimes. The Home department should act in coordination to increase quality of investigation in registered crimes. Proper planning is necessary to complete this in time," the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister also directed to prepare booklets, on law and rules, in simple language for the police.

Separate courts have been set up at Aurangabad, Nagpur, Amravati and Thane for trials of cases related to atrocities.

The Chief Minister ordered that the work, to set up such courts, be expedited in Nashik and Pune.

"The administration should work speedily in dealing with cases related to giving jobs to victims under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, pension, government land or house, and their rehabilitation. Care should be taken to see that no injustice is done in any case," he said.

He added that the chief secretary should direct the district collectors to convene meetings (related to atrocity cases) in time.

Education Minister Vinod Tawde, who was also present at the meeting, said all out efforts should be taken to avoid any injustice.

"Special campaign can also be implemented in the state for this," he added.

Social Justice and Special Assistance Minister Rajkumar Badole said with the establishment of protection rooms in the state, the percentage of such crimes could be reduced.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and China are holding talks to update a 12-year-old defence agreement and establish a hotline between the two defence ministries as part of the confidence building measures, a top Chinese defence ministry official said today.

During Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi last week, the two sides had in-depth discussions on how to further implement the important consensus reached between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Wu Qian said.

Modi and Xi, during their first-ever informal summit in Wuhan in April, reached a consensus on managing various aspects of India-China relations including the two militaries, especially in the backdrop of the Doklam standoff.

The hotline between the two militaries was regarded as a major Confidence Building Measure as it would enable both the headquarters to intensify communication to avert tensions between border patrols and to avoid standoffs like Doklam.

Tensions between India and China reached their peak during a 73-day standoff in Doklam near Bhutan over Beijing's construction of a road in the area. The standoff ended after both sides agreed to disengage.

Wu said both the countries are also in consultations to work on a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the defence ministries.

"In 2006, India and China signed an MoU on defence exchanges and cooperation. The Indian side conveyed its willingness to sign a new version of the MoU. China holds a positive attitude towards it and the two sides are in communication with each other," Wu said.

The 2006 MoU focussed on maintaining frequent exchanges between the leaders and high-level functionaries of the defence ministries, annual defence dialogue and holding joint military exchanges among others.

"If the dragon and elephant dance together, they will both gain and it will help Asia continue to be prosperous. If they compete and fight with each other, it will benefit neither but others," Wu said.

"We hope and willing to work together with India to actively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of the state to enhance communication and coordination, to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, to appropriately manage our differences and to facilitate our military relationship in a healthy steady manner," Wu said, adding that Wei had extended an official invitation to Sitharaman to visit China.

Wei's talks with the Indian leaders focussed on "how to deepen security and military exchanges and cooperation and how to strengthen defence confidence building measures," Wu said, highlighting the salient aspects of Wei's visit to India.

"They specifically talked about setting up an exchange mechanism for visits between the two defence ministries, set up a direct confidential phone line between the two defence ministries, strengthening exchanges at all levels including defence authorities, theatre commands and different services.

"They also talked about setting up a hotline on border issues between adjacent military commands. They also talked about how to better play the role of defence and security consultations mechanism and the meeting mechanism between the working delegations of the defence ministries," Wu said replying to a question on how China views the outcome of Wei's visit to India.

The discussions between the two sides include a direct phone line between the two defence ministries and regional military units, Wu said.

On the delay over the establishments of a direct hotline between the two military headquarters, he said that the two sides are in talks about the specifics.

"In the next phase the two sides will keep contacting and coordinating with each other regarding the specifics," Wu said.

So far both the militaries have not been able to operationalise efforts to establish a hotline facility between their military headquarters due to procedural issues, officials said.

Stressing on the importance of good relations between the two countries, Wu said China and India are very important countries in Asia and have important responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and stability.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India could be one of the top five source markets for arrivals to Israel in the next three years, a senior Israeli tourism ministry official said today.

The West Asian country had around 58,000 arrivals from India in 2017.

"India could be in the top five markets for Israel in next two to three years. From Asia, India currently is the number two market," Israel Ministry of Tourism - India and Philippines Director Hassan Madah told PTI.

The US and Russia are top two source markets for Israel, he added.

"Israel is targeting 90,000 arrivals from India in 2018 on account of various initiatives we have taken," Madah said.

Tourism is on the rise in Israel and inbound arrivals from India have appreciably increased in the last few years, he added.

"We are doing promotions, campaigns and launch of direct flights from New Delhi to Tel Aviv by Air India, recent reduction in visa fee for Indian travellers will help generate more arrivals from India," Madah said.

The popular destination for people from India are Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Dead Sea, he added.

On being asked about the segments constituting the arrivals from India, Madah said: "Currently 30 per cent are for leisure, 30 per cent are for business and 40 per cent visit for pilgrimage purposes."



The Israel Ministry of Tourism aims to increase tourism traffic to and within Israel while maximising economic benefits and strengthening the country's image.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Pentagon has ruled out an automatic waiver for India from the punitive US sanctions over its weapons purchase from Russia, saying Washington has concerns over the nearly USD 5 billion missile defence system deal, ahead of the first 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi next week.

The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) waiver is intended at preventing US sanctions on countries like India.

India is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf missile air defence systems from Russia for around USD 4.5 billion.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has publicly been a strong proponent of granting India waivers from sanctions.

Randall G Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said: "I can't sit here and tell you today that a (CAATSA) waiver would necessarily be used. It would be a topic discussed at the highest level of our government and they would make some determination".

"We understand the historical India-Russia relationship. We want to have a conversation with India not on legacy, but on future. On CAATSA, Mattis did plea for an exception for India, but I can't guarantee a waiver will be used for future purchases.

"Russia is not a country you want to have a strategic partnership," Schriver told a Washington audience at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace yesterday.

The CAATSA was the result of Russian behaviour, not Indian, Schriver said as he discussed Defence Secretary James Mattis' priorities for the upcoming 2+2 India meeting in New Delhi.

"The Congress felt the need to take action and to demonstrate not only in words and in spirit, why we think this regime's activities are so troublesome, but to actually take concrete action to try to have a consequence and punishment for this behaviour.

"I think most people acknowledge it (CAATSA) was a flawed legislation for the reasons that some of our partners, friends and allies themselves might end up paying a price that was not intended. So Congress was very good at working with us to create this waiver opportunity," he said.

"Now we have a little more flexibility for the Secretary of State, the President to make those determinations," Schriver said, ruling out giving a guarantee that no sanctions would be imposed on India.

"I cannot sit here today and tell you if India buys X, then the waiver will be used or it won't be used.

"It would be some weighing of the concerns that the acquisition creates and how that could impact a variety of things, including the future of our defence cooperation that could put limitations on it versus wanting the political space and the ability to build out the strategic partnership with India at a more rapid pace," the Pentagon official said.

He said that S-400 is a system that's particularly troubling for a lot of reasons.

"India's a friend, it's a sovereign country. They'll make their own decisions but our preference is to seek alternatives and see if we can be a partner to India in addressing those defence needs if they choose to go down that route," he said.

The United States, he said, is willing to talk to India about meeting its defence requirements and alternatives.

"I can say we'd certainly be willing to enter into that conversation with India and we have how we can be a good partner in addressing what their real requirements are, Schriver said.

There was an "impression that we are going to completely protect the India relationship, insulate India from any fallout from this legislation no matter what they do. I would say that is a bit misleading. We would still have very significant concerns if India pursued major new platforms and systems (from Russia)," he said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is travelling to New Delhi with Defence Secretary Mattis for the inaugural 2+2 ministerial dialogue on September 6.

The format of the 2+2 dialogue was agreed upon between the two sides during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington in June 2017.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were to travel to Washington to take part in the meeting with their US counterparts in July, but the US postponed the dialogue citing "unavoidable reasons".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India today pitched for ratings upgrade with as the US-based agency discussed the macroeconomic situation with the Ministry here against the backdrop of depreciating rupee and widening current account deficit (CAD), according to an official.

Rising oil prices, their impact on government finances and increasing GST collections figured in the discussions between the Ministry officials, led by Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, and representatives of the global credit rating firm.

"We have asked for a rating upgrade citing macroeconomic stability of the country," the official said.

The officials explained to that debt-to-GDP ratio is a long-term consideration and should not be an immediate concern for a rating upgrade, he said.

Credit rating agencies have been raising a red flag over high debt to GDP ratio of India. Currently, the ratio stands at around 68.5 per cent.

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) committee headed by former revenue secretary N K Singh had suggested that the Centre and states' combined debt-to-GDP be brought down to 60 per cent by 2023.

India's position regarding rupee and too was explained to S&P, the official said.

The rupee closed at a record low of 70.74 against the US dollar today. A depreciating rupee puts pressure on the CAD, which is the difference between inflow and outflow of foreign exchange.

The government has budgeted fiscal deficit to be at 3.3 per cent of GDP in current fiscal ending March 2019. Fiscal deficit during the April-June quarter of current fiscal had touched 68.7 per cent of Budget estimates.

Another US-based rating agency Moody's Investors Service had yesterday said there are risks to fiscal deficit breaching the 3.3 per cent budgeted for current fiscal as higher will add to short-term fiscal pressures.

Moody's also expects the to widen to 2.5 per cent of GDP in the fiscal year ending March 2019, from 1.5 per cent in fiscal 2018.

In November last year, S&P had ruled out any upgrade in India's sovereign rating through 2017 saying that it wants to see more efforts to lower government debt to below 60 per cent of GDP and that it did not expect revenues to rise enough to meaningfully lower the deficit over the medium term.

It maintained the lowest investment grade rating of BBB- with a stable outlook.

Another global agency Fitch had in April 2018, retained India's sovereign rating at 'BBB-' with 'stable' outlook, saying that the country's medium-term growth potential is strong.

Moody's had, however, in November last year upped India's sovereign rating for the first time in over 13 years to Baa2' with a stable outlook, saying that growth prospects have improved with continued economic and institutional reforms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he had "extensive deliberations" on various aspects of India-Sri Lanka ties during a meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena here, and expressed willingness to assist the country in any way that it desires.

Prime Minister Modi had a positive exchange of views with Sri Lankan President Sirisena on strengthening development cooperation and other areas of bilateral ties, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.

The two leaders met in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on the sidelines of the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit which is being held from August 30-31.

"Delighted to meet President @MaithripalaS. We had extensive deliberations on various aspects of India-Sri Lanka friendship," Modi tweeted.

"Cementing cooperation with a valued neighbour and close friend. President @MaithripalaS and PM @narendramodi meet on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, during a briefing, said Prime Minister Modi met President Sirisena and the two leaders reviewed a development cooperation that the two countries are undertaking together.

"A number of projects that we are doing in Sri Lanka was discussed and the prime minister reiterated that India is fully committed to ensuring that we will assist Sri Lanka in any way that it desires in taking these projects forward.

"We would like to see the development of Sri Lanka as something to which India has contributed which is of mutual benefit to the region," he said.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEWSALERT-MP-BYPOLL-PRITHVIPUR RESULT MP bypolls: BJP wrests Prithvipur assembly seat from Congress by margin of 15,687 votes: EC official.MP bypolls: BJP wrests Prithvipur assembly seat from Congress by margin of 15,687 votes: EC official.
India has rejected Pakistan's objections on its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river, a Pakistani official said today, as the crucial high-level bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty concluded here.

After the conclusion of talks, the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Meher Ali Shah told reporters that there would be no briefing and statement on the issue.

"It is a sensitive matter and we were conveyed (by the Foreign Office) not to speak on it. The Foreign Office will issue a statement in this regard," Shah said.

Another official of the Pakistani side, on the condition of anonymity, said India rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal hydropower projects on the Chenab river.

"India has hinted at continuation of work on both the hydropower projects," he said.

"Pakistan may approach the international forums defined in the Indus Waters Treaty over New Delhi's refusal to accept the requests as narrated in the detailed objections," the official said.

Pakistan has made it clear that it will have no option but to appointment neutral experts and take the case to the International Court of Arbitration in case India fails to address its concerns which are genuine, he said.

"Pakistani authorities asked Indians to reduce the height of the Pakal Dul's reservoir up to five metres. India has also been urged to maintain 40-metre height above sea level while making spillways' gates of the Pakal Dul project besides clarifying the pattern and mechanism for the water storage and releases," Dawn quoted one of the participants of the meeting as saying.

"Similarly, Pakistan raised some technical concerns over design of the the Lower Kalnal hydropower project, requesting India to address them at the earliest," the report said.

India was represented by a nine-member delegation of the Indian Water Commission led by Commissioner P K Saxena.

Yesterday, Shah said Pakistan raised objections on the 1000MW Pakal Dul and the 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects and a detailed discussion will be held during the talks.

"We had also raised concerns over construction of dams on Pakistani rivers and India did not bother about it and continued doing the same," Shah said, adding India will reply to Pakistan's queries on the controversial water projects.

Former Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah told PTI that the successive Pakistani governments had given much importance to its water disputes with India.

"India does not bother about Pakistan's objections. It begins work on building hydro power projects on the Pakistani rivers and the Pakistani government raises objections afterwards. Unless the Pakistani government seriously takes up these matters with India it will not get relief," he said, adding that Pakistan also needs to plead its case in the World Bank.

According to an official of the Pakistan Water Commission, Pakistan has been raising reservations over the designs of the two projects 1000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects on River Chenab and would like India to either modify the designs to make them compliant to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty or put the projects on hold until New Delhi satisfies Islamabad.

"The two sides will in talks also finalise the schedule of future meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission and visits of the teams of the Indus commissioners," he said.

Pakistan has also challenged the discharge series of River Lower Kalnai at Dunadi for winter months and estimated permissible pondage of 0.38 cubic megametres compared to Indian design pondage of 2.74 cubic megametres.

The Lower Kalnai project is on a left bank tributary of Chenab and can have gross storage of about 1,508 acre feet of water.

The Indian delegation will return to India tomorrow.

The water commissioners of Pakistan and India are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to projects' sites and critical river head works, but Pakistan had been facing a lot of problems in timely meetings and visits.

The last meeting of the Pakistan-India Permanent Indus Commission was held in New Delhi in March during which both the sides had shared details of the water flow and the quantum of water being used under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers. However, there have been disagreements and differences between India and Pakistan over the treaty.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India will press for a balanced and inclusive outcome of proposed RCEP deal of 16 nations during a trade ministers' meet which began in Singapore today.

Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu is leading the Indian delegation to the sixth RCEP trade ministers' meet there.

"India has been constructively engaged in RCEP negotiations with an aim to work towards a high quality, balanced and inclusive outcomes that take into consideration sensitivities and interests of member countries," the commerce ministry said in a statement.

It said the 16 trade ministers will guide trade negotiating committee of RCEP to enable negotiations move forward.

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega trade pact that aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights.

The bloc comprises 10 Asean members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners - India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The meeting also assumes significance as the negotiations are moving at a slow pace even as the talks for the deal started in November 2012. So far, 23 rounds of talks are completed.

Further, the statement said Prabhu will take part in the 6th East-Asia Economic Ministers' meeting on September 1.

"The ministers will deliberate on the current global economic situation and exchange views on promotion of rule-based multilateral trading system and its importance to the stability and effective functioning of the global economic order," it said.

This will be followed by the India-Asean Economic Ministers' Meeting which will take stock of the current level of trade and economic engagement between India and Asean.

During this meet, Prabhu will take up the issue of initiating the review meeting of the India-Asean free trade agreement to enhance utilisation of the bilateral pact for mutual benefit.

IAsean is among the fastest growing markets in the world and presents substantial trade and investment opportunities for India, it said.

The 10-nation bloc has emerged as the second largest trade partner of India in 2017-18 with bilateral trade valued at USD 81.33 billion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eminent photojournalist Tamma Srinivasa Reddy has been chosen for the prestigious Honorary Excellence IUSF Award of Image Colleague Society in the US this year, in recognition of his contributions to the field of photography.

He is one among the four professional photographers from across the world, and the only one from India, chosen for this honour, ICS International founder Tony Le Kim Thuan said.

The award would be presented during the ensuing International Photography Convention in California in November.

"It is a matter of professional significance that you already bagged all the four prestigious international honours of ICS (ICS, USPA, SWAN and FMPA).

The current award represents your unending success trail," Thuan said in a letter to Srinivasa Reddy.

Reddy, who earlier received the British Royal Photographic Society honour, had so far won 168 gold medals, 497 awards and 876 honours in various international events over the past 25 years.

Reddy is currently chairman of India International Photographic Council and general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Photography Academy.

Expressing happiness over the ICS award, he thanked the jury for selecting him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri entered the Port of Darwin, Australia, yesterday to take part in a multilateral maritime exercise, the Indian Navy said in a statement today.

The ship was deployed in the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean for over four months, which included representing the Navy in multinational exercises MALABAR 18 at Guam and RIMPAC 18 at Hawaii.

Exercise KAKADU, which started in 1993, is a premier multilateral regional maritime engagement hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

It is held biennially in Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA).

Exercise KAKADU derives its name from Kakadu National Park, which is a protected area in the northern territory of Australia, 171 km south-east of Darwin.

KAKADU 2018, the fourteenth edition of the exercise, is scheduled between August 29 and September 18 and would see participation from 23 warships, one submarine, 45 aircraft, 250 marines and approximately 52 foreign staff from over 25 different countries, the statement said.

"Indian Navy's participation in KAKADU-18 provides an excellent opportunity to engage with regional partners and undertake multinational maritime activities ranging from constabulary operations to high-end maritime warfare in a combined environment, aimed at enhancing inter-operability and development of common understanding of procedures for maritime operations," it said.

During the exercise, professional exchanges in harbour and diverse range of activities at sea, including complex surface, sub-surface and air operations would enable sharing of best practices and honing of operational skills.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran is sticking to the terms of its nuclear deal with world powers, a UN atomic watchdog report showed Thursday, despite ongoing uncertainty over its future.

The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency showed that Iran was still complying with the key parameters of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

It comes despite the future of the deal being thrown into uncertainty after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in May and re-imposed US sanctions.

The latest report says the IAEA had had access "to all the sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit".

However, the agency repeated a call in its previous report for "timely and proactive cooperation in providing such access" on Iran's part.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran is sticking to the terms of its nuclear deal with world powers, a UN atomic watchdog report showed Thursday, despite ongoing uncertainty over its future.

The report from the International Atomic Energy Agency showed that Iran was still complying with the key parameters of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

It comes despite the future of the deal being thrown into doubt after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact in May and re-imposed US sanctions.

The latest report says the IAEA had had access "to all the sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit".

However, the agency repeats language in its previous report emphasising the importance of "timely and proactive cooperation in providing such access" on Iran's part.

The report said Iran's stockpiles of low-enriched uranium and heavy water had both slightly increased since the last report in May, but were still under the limits agreed in the deal.

Iran's economy has been battered by the return of US sanctions following Trump's decision, undermining support for the deal within Iran.

On Wednesday Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran should be ready to "set aside" the JCPOA if it is no longer in the country's national interests.

However Khamenei said talks should continue with European states, who have been trying to find a way to salvage the agreement.

Last week, the EU agreed an 18 million euro package of assistance to Iran "for projects in support of sustainable economic and social development" in the Islamic Republic, the first tranche of a wider package worth 50 million euros.

Most foreign firms have abandoned investment projects in Iran, and the next phase of renewed US sanctions in November will hit the crucial oil sector.

In June, in a bid to mount pressure on the Europeans, Iran announced a plan to increase its uranium enrichment capacity with new centrifuges in the event that the agreement collapses, while still denying any desire to build a nuclear weapon.

Under the 2015 agreement, Iran can only enrich uranium to 3.67 percent -- far below the roughly 90-percent level needed for nuclear weapons.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cheating to win is as old as sport itself but two Chinese pigeon racers took it to modern-day extremes when they hid the birds in milk cartons and hopped on a bullet train.

It was no surprise then when their homing pigeons scooped the first four places in the race and total prize money of more than one million yuan (USD 150,000).

But the pigeons' rapid times soon raised suspicions and Shanghai race organisers turned the men in when the scale of the ruse emerged, the state-run Legal Daily reported.

The two men, surnamed Gong and Zhang, attempted to conceal their crime by killing the birds and giving up the prize money, the state newspaper said.

But it was too late and a Shanghai court handed the duo suspended sentences of three years for fraud.

The court also fined Gong 30,000 yuan and Zhang 20,000 yuan, Legal Daily said, adding that they also broke competition rules by using older pigeons instead of one-year-olds.

The two men went to great lengths to beat the opposition in the race in April 2017 from the city of Shangqiu in the province of Henan to Shanghai on China's east coast, a distance of about 750 kilometres (450 miles).

Gong and Zhang began their nefarious plan a year in advance, raising the pigeons at two feeding points, in Henan and Shanghai, to familiarise the birds with the locations.

After handing the pigeons over to organisers in Henan, rather than flying straight to Shanghai, the birds went to the feeding point elsewhere in the province.

There, they were concealed in milk cartons for the bullet-train ride to Shanghai, where they were released to the finish line and first place.

Gong and Zhang will not serve jail time unless they commit more wrongdoing -- forgoing the prize money saved them from time behind bars.

Pigeon racing is popular among older people in China and Shanghai is considered the modern-day home of the sport.

Speeds vary depending on distance, but racing pigeons can fly about 150 kilometres per hour -- fast, but not as fast as a bullet train.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hundreds of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers today staged a protest against the Centre over the Rafale fighter air craft deal here.

Leaders and activists from several state units have gathered outside All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters and is scheduled to take out protest march towards towards Prime Minister's residence later in the day.

While addressing a gathering, IYC leaders alleged the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government "misled" the nation by quoting "illogical and imaginary data".

"Rafale deal is the biggest scam. Why is the central government not forming Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the deal?," IYC president Keshav Chand Yadav asked.

In view of protest march, heavy police deployment has been made near the Congress headquarters at Akbar Road.

Police have barricaded the area to stop IYC leaders and workers from marching towards the PM's residence.

Around fifty workers were detained and taken to Mandir Marg and Tughlak Road police stations, police said.

The Congress, which has launched a frontal attack on the government over the Rafale issue, is undertaking a pan India campaign to apprise people" on the deal. Party leaders are fanning out across the country, holding press conferences which will be followed by plans for district and state level agitations on the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A former government contractor who leaked a classified report on Russian hacking is now thanking President Donald Trump for tweeting about her case, after she once called him a "soulless ginger orangutan."



In a Thursday telephone interview from a Georgia jail, Reality Winner told "CBS This Morning" that Trump's tweet was a "breath of fresh air" and it made her laugh.

Trump tweeted August 24 that Winner's crime is "small potatoes" compared with "what Hillary Clinton did." Trump closed the tweet by blasting U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions: "So unfair Jeff, Double Standard." In Thursday's interview, Winner said that "even our commander in chief, President Trump, has kind of come out and said 'wait a minute. This is really unfair, there's this double standard here,' and for that I can't thank him enough."



"So I just can't thank him enough for finally saying what everybody has been thinking for 16 months," she added.

The comments are in stark contrast to her earlier descriptions of Trump.

Before her arrest, Winner posted on Facebook that climate change was a more important issue than health care "since not poisoning an entire population seems to be more in line with 'health' care, and not the disease care system that people voted for a soulless ginger orangutan to 'fix.'"



Prosecutors have said Winner once wrote in a notebook of her desire to torch the White House. "I want to burn the White House Down ... find somewhere in Kurdistan to live. Ha-ha!," is the entry, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Solari said at a court hearing.

In one of her recorded jailhouse phone calls before she was sentenced, Winner said she planned to "play that card: being pretty, white and cute," Solari said.

She was sentenced to more than five years in prison for mailing the classified material to a outlet. Prosecutors say it's the longest sentence ever for a federal crime involving leaks to the media.

Asked in Thursday's interview whether she regretted the leak, she replied: "Yes, deeply.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the war of words over the Rafale deal escalated, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today that the fully weaponised fighter jets which his government is buying are 20 per cent cheaper than the ones offered under the previous UPA regime.

Minutes after Congress President Rahul Gandhi launched a no-holds-barred attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly helping only "15-20 crony capitalist friends", Jaitley took to the twitter to say any diversionary tactic will not wipe out the falsehood of the opposition leader.

"@RahulGandhi has not read my question - The fully weaponised Rafale aircraft's 2016 price is 20% cheaper than the 2007 offer. This is what the 2015 statement of the PM and the French President refers to as 'on terms better than the 2007 offers'," he wrote.

Jaitley had yesterday posed 15 questions to Gandhi, charging him with "peddling untruth" and carrying out a "false campaign" on the Rafale deal in a bid to counter the opposition's charge of it being the "biggest scam" in the defence sector.

Gandhi at a press conference has maintained that the BJP government was buying fighter jets at more than three times the Rs 520 crore price, the previous UPA government had negotiated a deal to buy 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft.

To this, Jaitley said, "Any issue diversion by @RahulGandhi on my Rafale questions, will not wipe out his falsehood on Rafale."



On Gandhi's assertion that demonetisation was done to help Modi's "crony capitalist friends", the Finance Minister said, "Little knowledge is dangerous. @RahulGandhi's fiction on 'demonetisation helping NPA holders', forgets that the Modi Government legislated and enforced the IBC where the NPA defaulters lost their companies."



IBC is the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code that calls for auctioning off the assets of serial loan defaulters. NPAs a non-performing assets refer to bad loans.

Earlier in the day, in a Facebook blog, Jaitley said invalidation of non-deposited currency notes was not the only object behind the November 8, 2016 decision to junk Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

"The larger purpose of demonetisation was to move India from a tax non-compliant society to a compliant society. This necessarily involved the formalisation of the economy and a blow to the black money," he wrote achieved?



The comment came a day after the Reserve Bank of India said that almost all of the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes which were made illegal in November 2016 have returned to the banking system, prompting the Opposition to question the efficacy of demonetisation in curbing black money.

Jaitley said that when cash is deposited in the banks, it losses anonymity and it can be identified with its owner.

"Accordingly, post demonetisation about 1.8 million depositors have been identified for this enquiry. Many of them are being fastened with tax and penalties. Mere deposit of cash in a bank does not lead to a presumption that it is tax paid money," he said.

He reeled out numbers to support his claim - number of income tax returns filed growing from 3.8 crore in March 2014 to 6.86 crore in 2017-18; number of new returns filed post demonetisation increased by 85.51 lakh and 1.07 crore in past two years; advance tax in first quarter of 2018-19 witnessing a rise of 44.1 per cent in personal income tax and 17.4 per cent in corporate tax category; and income tax collection increasing from Rs 6.38 lakh crore in 2013-14 to Rs 10.02 lakh crore in 2017-18.

"When the impact of demonetisation and other steps is analysed, the Income Tax returns have increased by 19 per cent and 25 per cent. This is a phenomenal increase," he said. "The growth of income tax collections in the pre-demonetisation two years was 6.6 per cent and 9 per cent. Post-demonetisation, the collections increased by 15 per cent and 18 per cent in the next two years. The same trend is visible in the third year."



This, he said, is the positive impact of demonetisation.

"More formalisation of the economy, more money in the system, higher tax revenue, higher expenditure, higher growth after first two quarters," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japan has expressed interest to increase investments in India and enhance cooperation in areas including automobiles, energy, cargo aircraft and manufacturing sectors, the commerce ministry said today.

Issues to promote trade and investments were discussed during the meeting of Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade & Industry Seko Hiroshige in Singapore.

The meeting held on the sidelines of the 6th RCEP Ministerial Meeting.

"Japan indicates making further investments in India. Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu assured to further facilitate single window clearance mechanism to boost investments," the department of commerce said in a series of tweets.

The Japanese side also welcomed Prabhu's proposal seeking greater access for Indian nurses and healthcare service providers in Japan.

The commerce minister on the other hand assured cooperation of India in supporting Japanese Township Projects in 12 Indian states.

Prabhu in his tweet said that he held discussions on areas of mutual interests to both the countries and on deepening our current bilateral trade relations.

"Had positive discussions with my Japanese counterpart on collaboration and Japanese investments in automobiles, energy, cargo aircraft and manufacturing sector," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Japan has lodged a protest with China about freedom of speech after Beijing blocked a Japanese reporter from covering a meeting between top diplomats from the two countries.

Yesterday, the Chinese foreign ministry excluded a reporter from the Sankei Shimbun -- a Japanese conservative daily critical of China -- from a media pool covering the start of a meeting between China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese vice foreign minister Takeo Akiba.

Other Japanese media covering the event in Beijing then boycotted the pool coverage in protest.

"The Japanese government believes that respect for basic human rights including freedom of expression is a universal value in the international community, and ensuring those rights is important in any country," top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo when asked about the incident.

"From this viewpoint, it is extremely regrettable that this kind of affair happened, and we have lodged a protest to the Chinese side," added Suga.

Akiba, who was in Beijing ahead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to China expected in October, also protested to his Chinese opposite number Le Yucheng, Suga said.

Suga however said bilateral relations between the two regional rivals are improving.

"The date of Prime Minister Abe's visit is under coordination right now," Suga said, adding that "we hope to push up to a new stage the relationship between Japan and China through visits by high level officials.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian shuttler Ajay Jayaram progressed to the men's singles quarterfinals with a straight-game win over Russia's Vladimir Malkov at the USD 150,000 Barcelona Spain Masters World Tour Super 300 tournament here today.

A former world no 13, Jayaram hardly broke any sweat as he downed Malkov 21-11 21-10 in a lop-sided contest here.

The 30-year-old Indian, who had finished runners-up at Vietnam Open Super 100 tournament earlier this month, will next face either Spain's Luis Enrique Penalver or Denmark's Rasmus Gemke, seeded second.

Jayaram is a two-time winner of Dutch Open. He also reached the finals of 2015 Korea Open Super Series. He made a comeback in 2018 after recovering from a hamstring injury that he suffered last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A judicial inquiry has been ordered into the alleged custodial death of a 60-year-old former serviceman in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district last week, an official said today.

Naik (retd) Prahlad Singh was detained at Kumher police station for allegedly creating nuisance in a drunken state. Singh apparently hanged himself from one of the bars using a blank provided in cells, District Inspector General Malini Agarwal had said.

However, the army's administrative commandant in Bharatpur had written to the district collector on Monday, alleging that Singh died due to severe beating and third-degree torture.

Denying that the judicial enquiry was ordered after army intervention, District Collector Sandesh Nayak told PTI such inquiry was a protocol and the same was followed immediately after Singh's death.

Army sources said today that they had received the copy of the Monday's order from the district administration.

Refusing to comment on the issue, Station House Officer Brijesh Meena said he was posted at the Kumher police station a day after the incident and would not like to comment as a judicial inquiry was pending.

Singh's family members had also lodged a complaint with the police, stating that it was not a case of suicide.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A junior doctor at a private hospital here has lodged a complaint of physical assault against a police officer, who had taken admission at the plastic surgery department for a wrist surgery.

The alleged assault, around 7pm yesterday, triggered a temporary ceasework by other doctors in almost all wards of Calcutta Medical Research Institute, barring the emergency and critical care units, an official at the private hospital said.

In his complaint at Alipore police station, Srinivas Geddam, a postgraduate trainee doctor with CMRI, said Jadavpur police station officer-in-charge (OC) Pulak Kumar Dutta hit him when he was attending to his medical case.

Dutta, who underwent a wrist surgery yesterday morning, allegedly slapped the junior doctor with his left hand after grabbing him by his neck when asked about his medications, a senior police officer said quoting Geddam's complaint.

Geddam, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, in his complaint, said he suffered abrasions on his neck following the assault, he said.

An official at CMRI said Geddam was attacked while he trying to understand Dutta's medication routine from the prescriptions submitted to the hospital during admission.

"We conducted a medical examination on Geddam which showed abrasions in two places, musculoskeletal wounds and tenderness, which could be a result of the assault," the CMRI official said.

The protesting doctors resumed work last night only after police "promised them justice" in the case, he said, adding that the OC signed a "discharge on risk bond" this morning and left the hospital.

The Jadavpur police station OC or his family members could be contacted for their comments.

Deputy Commissioner (South) Meeraj Khalid said a probe has been initiated into the matter.

"We are looking into the matter and trying to find out what was the problem. Proper action will be taken against the guilty as per the law," Khalid said, adding that the incident prompted deployment of policemen in large numbers at the hospital last night.

Meanwhile, the state Indian Medical Association (IMA) unit today wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking her intervention into the matter and action against the accused police officer.

There seems to be "no end to such assaults on doctors" despite the government's multiple awareness campaigns on the issue, Santanu Sen, the state secretary of IMA, told PTI.

"The attack at CMRI happened even after Kolkata Police issued warnings against such measures. Now we have a case of a police officer assaulting a doctor," Sen said.

The Mamata Banerjee-led government had come up with the West Bengal Clinical Establishments Regulatory Commission last year, following an attack by a mob over a death at CMRI.

The state IMA secretary threatened to intensify protests if action was not initiated against the accused police officer in the next 24 hours.

"If the OC is not arrested under non-bailable sections of the IPC in the next 24 hours, then doctors should stop treating police persons," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NASA scientists peering deep inside Jupiter's Great Red Spot -- a storm that has been raging on the planet for over 350 years -- have detected signs of water above the planet's deepest clouds.

The pressure of the water combined with their measurements of another oxygen-bearing gas, carbon monoxide, imply that Jupiter has two to nine times more oxygen than the Sun, researchers said.

The findings, published in the Astronomical Journal, support theoretical and computer-simulation models that have predicted abundant water on Jupiter.

The revelation was stirring given that the team's experiment could have easily failed. The Great Red Spot is full of dense clouds, which makes it hard for electromagnetic energy to escape and teach astronomers anything about the chemistry within.

"It turns out they're not so thick that they block our ability to see deeply," said Gordon L Bjoraker, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

The data collected will supplement the information NASA's Juno spacecraft is gathering as it circles the planet from north to south once every 53 days.

Among other things, Juno is looking for water with its own infrared spectrometer and with a microwave radiometer that can probe deeper than anyone has seen -- to 100 bars, or 100 times the atmospheric pressure at Earth's surface.

If Juno returns similar water findings, it could open a new window into solving the water problem, said Goddard's Amy Simon, a planetary atmospheres expert.

"If it works, then maybe we can apply it elsewhere, like Saturn, Uranus or Neptune, where we don't have a Juno," she said.

Juno is the latest spacecraft tasked with finding water, likely in gas form, on this giant gaseous planet.

Jupiter is thought to be the first planet to have formed by siphoning the elements left over from the formation of the Sun as our star coalesced from an amorphous nebula into the fiery ball of gases we see today.

A widely accepted theory until several decades ago was that Jupiter was identical in composition to the Sun; a ball of hydrogen with a hint of helium -- all gas, no core.

But evidence is mounting that Jupiter has a core, possibly 10 times Earth's mass. Spacecraft that previously visited the planet found chemical evidence that it formed a core of rock and water ice before it mixed with gases from the solar nebula to make its atmosphere.

The way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Juno also supports this theory. There's even lightning and thunder on the planet, phenomena fuelled by moisture.

"Jupiter's water abundance will tell us a lot about how the giant planet formed, but only if we can figure out how much water there is in the entire planet," said Steven M Levin, a Juno project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Realty major DLF would achieve faster growth in the development of offices and retail space on the back of its partnership with Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, the company's Chairman KP Singh said.

However, he said the parent company DLF would also continue to build commercial projects, separate from the joint venture with the GIC.

Singapore's investment firm had bought 33.34 per cent stake in DLF's rental arm DLF Cyber City Developers Ltd (DCCDL) for about Rs 9,000 crore. DLF has the remaining 66.66 per cent stake in the JV firm DCCDL.

"Acknowledging the strength of your company, GIC Real Estate has entered into one of the largest transactions by becoming a shareholder in DLF Cyber City Developers Ltd (DCCDL), which has a huge annuity portfolio," Singh told shareholders in the annual report for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

DLF's partnership with GIC has positioned your company for faster growth in the office and retail space, he said.

In addition to capturing the growth within DCCDL, he said DLF could continue to develop offices or retail malls outside the JV.

DCCDL currently holds about 27 million sq ft of rent-yielding commercial assets, largely in Gurugram, with annual rental income of about Rs 2,400 crore. This portfolio is expected to more than double in the next 10 years.

Talking about the housing segment, Singh said, as a business strategy DLF would "try to sell its products only when the project has progressed to a stage where the uncertainties linked to development are significantly reduced".

He expressed confidence that DLF was well equipped not only to tide over the travails of transition but also to remain at the forefront of real estate development.

"Our unique business model shall cushion the impact of market down cycles given the different types of incomes and geographic diversity," Singh said.

As part of its new business model, DLF had recently said that the company would sell apartments only when it gets occupancy certificate after completing the project so as to remove any uncertainty regarding costs and delivery timelines.

DLF currently has completed inventory worth about Rs 13,500 crore, which would be sold over the next 5-6 years. The company would continue to build fresh inventory of completed product.

The decision assumes significance as the Indian real estate market, especially Delhi-NCR, has been facing huge delays in project executions, forcing home buyers to protest and move courts.

Lakhs of home buyers are stuck in various projects of developers like Jaypee group, Amrapali, Unitech and The 3C Company.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today called on Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought Rs 1,118.40 crore financial assistance for the flood-hit districts of Karnataka.

Deputy chief minister G Parameshwara and Revenue Minister R V Despande, Cooperative Minister Bandeppa Kashempur and senior state government officers were present in the meeting.

In the meeting, the chief minister requested the Home Minister to release funds from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as the state has witnessed huge damage in seven districts including Kodagu and Hassan due to floods and landslides.

"About Rs 3,435.80 crore losses have been estimated. We have sought from the Government of India about Rs 1,118.40 crore relief," Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting.

The Home Minister has assured early release of funds under the NDRF and would send a central team soon to assess the extent of damage, he added.

Kumaraswamy said that this is in an interim proposal and a detailed one will be submitted later after the survey is completed fully.

Heavy rains had lashed out during July 6-20 in Malnad and coastal districts and during August 6-20 in Kodagu and parts of Dakshina districts, triggering flash floods and landslides.

From the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Karnataka government said in the proposal that it has already released Rs 30 crore to Kodagu and Rs 19 crore to Malnad and coastal districts for relief and rescue operations.

Another Rs 200 crore has been released to seven districts for infrastructure demage repair, he said.

While floods have hit some parts of Karnataka, north eastern districts like Gadag and Raichur are facing drought-like situation, for which a separate memorandum will be submitted to the centre, he added.

The chief minister also shared that he has written a separate letter to the Union Finance Minister seeking higher allocation to Karnataka under the SDRF.

The 14th finance commission has allocated Rs 1,530 crore for five-year period, while Rs 8,500 crore for Maharasthra and Rs 6,000 crore for Rajasthan, he noted.

The 15th finance commission has been constituted and the Karnataka government has requested the centre to consider allocating higher funds to the state, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bombay High Court today asked the committee probing the Kamala Mills Compound fire incident that claimed 14 lives to submit its report before the court on September 10.

In April this year, the high court had ordered that a three-member committee be set up to conduct an inquiry into the incident that took place last year.

The panel was later set up and it is headed by retired chief justice A V Savant and has two other members -- Vasant Thakur, an architect on one of the high court panels, and former chief secretary K Nalinakshan.

The committee was directed earlier to submit its report to the high court on August 31.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) moved an application today before a division bench of Justices B R Gavai and M S Karnik seeking extension of the time granted to the committee to submit its report.

"The committee has completed its proceedings. All the data is being compiled and the report is being prepared. The committee has sought time till September 10 to submit its final report to the high court," BMC's counsel Anil Sakhare told the court.

The bench accepted the request and said the committee shall submit its report on September 10.

The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by retired IPS officer Julio Ribeiro, seeking, among other things, a judicial inquiry into the fire tragedy.

The committee has to inquire if there were any violations of norms by the land owners or restaurants in the Kamala Mills Compound.

It has to probe if the immediate and probable cause of fire was due to violations of the sanctioned plans and approvals granted by various authorities.

It has to consider if there was any dereliction of duty on part of the civic body and government officials.

The committee also has to recommend measures to betaken to avoid repetition of such incidents and other fire safety compliance steps.

On the night of December 29 last year, there was a major fire at the Mojo's Bistro restaurant in the Kamala Mills Compound located in Lower Parel area. The blaze subsequently spread to the adjoining restaurant, '1 Above'.

Fourteen people were killed and several others injured in the incident.

The BMC in its inquiry had claimed that there were large-scale construction irregularities and violations of safety norms at the site of the tragedy.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rapper Kanye West has apologised for his past comments where he had suggested that the enslavement of African Americans over 400 years was a "choice".

During a radio interview with 107.5 WGCI Chicago, the 41-year-old musician tendered an apology for his comments that came in May this year and after his controversial tweets in support of President Donald Trump,



"I don't know if I properly apologised for how that slave comment made people feel, so I want to take this moment right now to say that I'm sorry for hurting, I'm sorry for the one-two effect of the MAGA hat into the slave comment," West said.

"And I'm sorry for people who felt let down by that moment, and also I appreciate you guys giving me the opportunity to talk to you about the way I was thinking and what I was going through and what led me to that," he added.

West also talked about the moment he was left speechless on Jimmy Kimmel Live! when asked why he feels Trump cares about black people.

The rapper offered his reply to the question, saying "I feel that he cares about the way black people feel about him, and he would like for black people to like him like they did when he was cool in the rap songs and all this. He will do the things that are necessary to make that happen because he's got an ego like all the rest of us.

"He wants to be the greatest president, and he knows that he can't be the greatest president without the acceptance of the black community. So, it's something he's going to work towards, but we're gonna have to speak to him," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kerala assembly today adopted a unanimous resolution seeking more funds from the Centre to rebuild the state battered by torrential rains which claimed 483 lives since the onset of the south west monsoon on May 28.

The rains had affected over 55 lakh people and left a trail of destruction.

With life limping to normalcy, cleaning operations continued in several parts of the state, including worst-hit Kuttanad and Wayanad.

More than 60,000 volunteers are engaged in the operations.

The House, convened specially to discuss the large-scale destruction, asked the Centre to take a "favourable stand" to make use of the financial and technical support extended by foreign countries and global agencies in rebuilding the state.

Earlier, initiating the debate,Vijayan said government would explore the possibility of legal options to avail the funds offered to the state, including that from abroad.

His statement assumes significance in the wake of a row over Centre's refusal to accept the United Arab Emirates' reported offer of Rs 700 crore to the rain-ravaged state.

"Offers of financial assistance for Kerala are pouring in from different quarters of the world. The government is also moving towards legal steps to avail these funds," Vijayan said.

The funds offered from across the globe is giving confidence to the government, he said. Besides Rs 600 crore sanctioned by the Centre, the state was hopeful to get more financial assistance from the Union government considering the gravity of the situation, the chief minister said.

A nearly eight-hour-long debate over the opposition demanding a judicial probe into the circumstances that led to release of water from dams, which, they allege, was the main reason for the deluge.

Rejecting the charge, Vijayan said the continuous 'extreme heavy rainfall' that lashed the state between August 8-20, four times than what was normal, was the cause for the floods.

The Chief Minister said there were "lapses" on the part of the India Meteorological Department's rain forecast during this period.The IMD had forecast an estimated 98.5 mm rain in the state between August 9 and 15.

But, the actual rain received was 352.2 mm, he said, adding he was not finding fault with anyone.

Terming the calamity as the worst in a century that had virtually battered all sectors of the economy, Vijayan said 57,000 hectares of agricultural land was flooded.

Flood water entered lakhs of houses forcing people to flee to relief camps, he said.

But rescue operations were carried out promptly and on a war-footing by the government in coordination with various defence forces. The effort helped reduce the toll, he said.

The House requested the Centre to extend more funds after assessing the damage and loss caused by the deluge, besides the first instalment of Rs 600 crore.

While taking up this kind of massive rehabilitation and rebuilding exercise, financial and technical support at international level was a necessity, he said.

"So the House requests the Centre to adopt a favourable stand to make use of the financial and technical support offered by the foreign countries, international agencies like United Nations and financial agencies, including World Bank, in the rebuilding initiatives by protecting the interest of the state," the resolution said.

On the gravity of the situation, the resolution said more than 55 lakh people in 981 villages are estimated to have been affected by the deluge.

It also wanted the Centre to entrust a special agency to scientifically assess the damage caused by the floods to prepare plans for rehabilitation and rebuilding initiatives.

Vijayan said the state's economy had been badly hit and the loss could be much more than the state's annual plan outlay for the year which stood at Rs 37,247.99 crore.

Though the opposition extended its full support to the government initiatives for rebuilding, its leader Ramesh Chennithala said it was the opposition's responsibility to point out the government's lapses and shortcomings.

Terming the deluge as "dam-induced", Chennithala said government should order a judicial probe to find the 'lapses', if any, on the part of officials in releasing water from dams.

Speakers from both opposition and ruling side wanted to take into consideration the environmental aspects while taking up construction activities in disaster-prone areas.

They also wanted to arrive at a consensus whether the displaced people should be rehabilitated in the same areas where large-scale landslides had occurred.

Meanwhile, Indian Navy today donated Rs 8.92 crore to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund as a voluntary contribution from the salaries of naval personnel to help the flood-ravaged state.

Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba handed over the cheque to the Chief Minister here, an official release said.

Reliance Foundation also contributed Rs 21 crore to the CMDRF and its chairperson Nita Ambani handed over the cheque to Vijayan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As Kerala picks up the pieces, Chief Minister on Thursday said the government would explore the possibility of legal options to avail the funds offered to the state, including that from abroad.

His statement assumes significance in the wake of a row over the Centre's refusal to accept the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) reported offer of Rs 7 billion to the flood-hit state.

Addressing a specially convened one-day session of the state assembly to discuss the unprecedented flood situation, Vijayan said 483 people have lost lives in the state since the onset of monsoon on May 28 and 14 were still missing.

He said the state's economy had been badly hit and the loss could be much more than the state's annual plan outlay for the year which stood at Rs 372.47 billion.

"Offers of financial assistance for Kerala are pouring in from different quarters of the world. The government is also moving towards legal steps to avail these funds," Vijayan said.

The funds offered from across the globe is giving confidence to the government, he said.

Besides Rs 6 billion sanctioned by the Centre, the state was hoping to get more financial assistance from the Union government considering the gravity of the situation, the chief minister said.

"The Chief Minister's distress relief fund has received Rs 730 crore (Rs 7.3 billion) till yesterday (Wednesday)," he said, adding that the government had also been offered land and jewels towards the relief fund.

On the discussions held with World Bank officials as part of fund mobilisation for rebuilding the state, Vijayan said the government policy was to accept funds from any quarters if it was in tune with the state's interests.

ALSO READ: Kerala floods: Kochi airport resumes full-scale operations after 14 days

Apparently referring to the Opposition charge that the deluge that ravaged the state was due to the sudden release of water from dams without any prior warning, the chief minister said unexpected torrential rains had resulted in the calamity.

"The state had received rains three times more than what was predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) during the period," he said.

The IMD had forecast an estimated 98.5mm rainfall in the state between August 9 and 15. But, the actual rainfall received was 352.2 mm, he added.

Terming the calamity as the worst in the century that had virtually battered all sections of the economy, the Left leader said 57,000 hectares of agricultural land was flooded.

Flood water entered lakhs of houses forcing people to flee to relief camps, he said.

ALSO READ: Kerala floods: Chinks in India's gold armour called disaster management

But rescue operations were carried out promptly and on a war-footing by the government in coordination with various defence forces. The effort helped reduce the death toll, Vijayan said.

With regard to the rehabilitation programmes, he said the gravity of the calamity had also raised some environmental issues.

"One of the most significant points is whether to rehabilitate the displaced people in the same places where landslips, landslides and mud slips occurred. A consensus has to be evolved in this," the Kerala chief minister said.

He also wanted that environmental aspects should be considered while taking up construction activities in these areas.

Incessant rains and floods have forced over 1.45 million people to seek refuge in relief camps across the state, he said, adding that over 59,000 people are still lodged in 305 camps.

Meanwhile, Opposition member V D Satheesan (Congress) maintained the charge that the floods were due to the simultaneous release of water from various dams.

CPI(M) veteran and former chief minister V S Achuthanandan batted for the implementation of the Madhav Gadgil committee report on the preservation of ecologically fragile Western Ghats to avoid such calamities in future.

He also wanted all illegal constructions in the ecologically sensitive areas to be removed.
The M L Khattar government in Haryana is to hold a 'manthan shivir' next week to deliberate upon different aspects, including the outcome and efficacy of various ongoing welfare schemes in the state.

The brainstorming sessions to be held on September 5 would be attended by all the Cabinet ministers, chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of various boards, besides the key office bearers of the BJP's state unit, said Haryana Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Kumar here today.

The 'manthan shivir' follows a similar 'chintan shivir' held by the Khattar government last year in December at Timber Trail resort in Himachal Pradesh, inviting severe criticism from the Opposition, which had dubbed it as an "excursion" at the cost of public exchequer.

Haryana Minister Kumar, however, said the 'mantahn shivir' would be held in Chandigarh or nearby area.

Chief Minister Khattar had defended his "chintan shivir" saying a blueprint of a "new Haryana" had been prepared in the event attended by his ministerial colleagues and officers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dancing on roads on the kiki song landed two boys in a



jail in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, police said today.

Kiki challenge, also known as 'In My Feelings Challenge', has been all over the internet in the last few months. It involves jumping out of a moving car and dancing alongside it to Canadian rapper Drake's latest song, 'Kiki do you love me'.

Two boys - Veenesh Chibber and Chetan Bali - were arrested for taking the challenge on road, Senior Superintendent of Police Yougal Manhas said.

The incident came to light after the boys filmed the video of the act and shared it on Facebook last evening, he said.

He said the police advises all people not to perform any adventurous act especially on roads, which endangers their lives.

Parents are also appealed to aware their wards about bad consequences of the challenge, the SSP said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today met Union minister Jitendra Singh and sought repatriation of state cadre officers posted at the Centre on deputation.

They also discussed the prevailing flood situation in Karnataka and other issues.

During the meeting, the chief minister requested Singh, minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, to repatriate some Karnataka cadre officers, posted on deputation in the central government, according to an official statement.

He also discussed administrative issues related to the placement of civil services officers in the state.

"The minister assured him that he would discuss the issue with the ministry officials and do whatever is possible under the rules," it said.

The CM expressed happiness that the hostel for students from the northeast region in Bengaluru is ready for inauguration.

Singh had laid the foundation stone of the hostel for girl students from the northeast in June 2016.

The hostel, which is the first of its kind in Bangalore University, can accommodate more than 250 students.

The hostel has been funded by the North Eastern Council, Shillong, the purpose of which is to support students from northeast, who are pursuing their studies in that region.

Singh informed the CM that 75 per cent of seats in the hostel are proposed to be reserved for students from the northeast, while the remaining 25 per cent seats are proposed to be earmarked for students from other parts of country.

The composition of students from northeast and other parts of the country will help in better integration, he added.

Bangalore University attracts students from northeast in large numbers, many of whom find it difficult to afford accommodation, Singh said, adding, the hostel will be helpful for them, specially girl students.

The chief minister also briefed Singh about the prevailing flood situation in Karnataka. The situation is now under control and relief measures are continuing, he said.

The two also discussed issues related to the Department of Space, the headquarters of which is located in Bengaluru.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
RJD president and fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad today surrendered before a special CBI court here on expiry of his provisional bail.

Prasad, who reached here from Patna yesterday, was directed by the Jharkhand High Court to surrender before the CBI court by August 30.

After his surrender before Judge S S Prasad, RJD chief's advocate Prabhat Kumar said his client had been suffering from various ailments.

At this, the judge directed doctors of the Birsa Munda Jail to consult doctors who were treating the former chief minister.

The judge also said that Lalu Prasad could also undergo treatment by doctor Umesh Prasad at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) here.

After being sent to jail in December last year following conviction in fodder scam cases, Prasad spent a considerable time at the RIMS Hospital in Ranchi and at the AIIMS at New Delhi, for treatment of various ailments. He was also treated at a Mumbai hospital for three weeks and was discharged on August 25.

He was released on six weeks' provisional bail on May 11 by the Jharkhand High Court for medical treatment and was restrained from taking part in any public function, political activity or issuing statements to the media during the period.

The high court had extended the period of Prasad's bail till August 27 and had refused to extend it further. He was ordered to surrender by August 30.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
RJD president and fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad surrendered today before two special CBI courts here on expiry of his provisional bail for treatment of various ailments, after which he was taken to the Birsa Munda Jail and then to a hospital for checkup.

Prasad, who reached here from Patna on Wednesday, had been directed by Jharkhand High Court to surrender before the CBI courts by today.

After his surrender before Judge S S Prasad in connection with fraudulent withdrawals from Chaibasa Treasury, Prasad's advocate Prabhat Kumar said his client had been suffering from various ailments.

The judge directed doctors of the Birsa Munda Jail, where he had been lodged following his conviction in December last year, to consult doctors who were treating Prasad.

The judge said Prasad can also be treated by Dr Umesh Prasad at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) here.

As the provisional bail was applied for three fodder scam cases, Prasad also surrendered before the court of M P Mishra in connection with the Deoghar and Dumka treasury cases.

Prasad has been convicted in four fodder scam cases, the first being on September 30, 2013.

After his surrender before S S Prasad's court, the former Bihar chief minister was taken to Birsa Munda Jail as per the procedure and then taken to RIMS here for a check up after being referred to it.

The Jharkhand High Court had on August 24 refused to extend the provisional bail after Prasad's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi prayed for an extension for three months for treatment and medical care for anal abscess, kidney stone and enlarged prostate glands.

CBI counsel Rajiv Sinha had objected to the extension of provisional bail, saying he had already availed about 12 weeks for his treatment and required medicare was available at the RIMS as well.

After being sent to jail in December last year following his conviction in fodder scam cases, Prasad had spent a considerable time at RIMS Hospital here and at the AIIMS in New Delhi for treatment of his various ailments.

He was also treated at the Mumbai hospital for three weeks and was discharged on August 25.

He had been released on six weeks' provisional bail on May 11 by Jharkhand High Court for medical treatment, but was restrained from taking part in any public function, political activity or issuing statements to the media during the period.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has opened an immigration check-post in Mizoram along the border with Myanmar, a reflection of its growing closeness with the eastern neighbour.

In a notification, the Home Ministry said the central government has designated Zokhawthar land check-post in Mizoram as an authorised immigration centre for entry into and exit from India with valid travel documents for all passengers to or from Myanmar.

The move came days after India and Myanmar opened the land border crossing at Zokhawthar-Rih. Zokhawthar is in Champhai district of Mizoram, while Rih is in Myanmar's Chin province.

Zokhawthar will be the second immigration check-post in Mizoram along the Myanmar border, after Zorinpui in Lawngtlai district, which was opened in September last year.

Zokhawthar border trading post is one of the largest trading centres after the state capital Aizwal.

India shares a 1,643-km-long border with Myanmar which touches Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Karnataka police's SIT probing the Gauri Lankesh murder case is hunting for at least five more people, and insists the leadership of Hindu right outfit 'Sanatan Sanstha' was aware of the activities of its "footsoldiers" in the killing of some rationalists.

The five men are based out of Goa and Maharashtra adjoining the Karnataka border, an SIT official said, adding they had taken part in the crimes.

As the SIT started cracking the murder of Lankesh, a journalist-activist with strong anti-Hindutva views, leading to the arrest of key players in the killing of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and M M Kalburgi, it discovered the wide network of operatives of the gang involved in these incidents.

"The leadership of Goa-headquartered Sanatan Sanstha was aware of the activities of its footsoldiers and lower rung cadre. We cannot subscribe to this statement that the leadership was not aware of it. They definitely knew about these plots," the official claimed.

He, however, said it was "tricky" to say the outfit had morphed into a terrorist organisation.

The official, however, said there were sufficient reasons to invoke the stringent Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act against the gang members. KCOCA is the Karnataka version of MCOCA, the law in place in Maharashtra to curb underworld activities, often dubbed as draconian by civil rights groups.

Several people with alleged links to the Sanstha have been arrested in connection with these killings, but the outfit has insisted they were not its members.

Sanatan Sanstha spokesman Chetan Rajhans recently said some people with so-called "progressive mindset" and political parties like the Congress and the Left bloc were trying to put the organisation in the dock without providing evidence of any wrongdoing.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara had said on Tuesday the state police was yet to establish the role of Sanatan Sanstha in the killing of Lankesh.

Lankesh, an outspoken critic of pro-Hindutva ideology, was shot dead outside her residence here on September 5 last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lawyers today abstained from court work across the state in response to a call given by the Odisha State Bar Council.

The Bar council had yesterday asked the lawyers to abstain from court work demanding arrest of policemen who had allegedly assaulted an advocate in Cuttack on Tuesday.

Demanding arrest of the policemen, the agitating lawyers today decided to continue boycott of courts in Cuttack district indefinitely.

"The situation will be reviewed on Monday," said a member of the Orissa High Court Bar Association.

Earlier in the morning, the Cuttack city DCP announced the suspension of three policemen and added that a Home Guard has also been put on notice period.

"On the basis of a preliminary enquiry report submitted by an additional DCP, three policemen, including a havildar, have been placed under suspension for misconduct," said DCP Akhileswar Singh.

Singh said at least four cases have been registered so far in this connection at different police stations of the city, including that of the burning of a police vehicle near the high court yesterday.

"Appropriate actions will be taken against those found guilty," the DCP said assuring that impartial investigations would be held in all the cases under the supervision of an additional DCP.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Lokayukta police conducted raids at the premises of a patwari (revenue official) here today and unearthed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, an official said.

The police recovered Rs 5 lakh cash, jewellery and documents related to immovable properties belonging to him, an official said.

"The patwari, Zakir Hussain, lives in Srinagar Extension Colony in Indore. There was a complaint against him that he has amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income," Lokayukta Superintendent of Police (SP) Dilip Soni told PTI.

Based on the complaint, the police team conducted raids at six places, including his house and the properties of his close relatives, he said.

He said Hussain, who had joined the government service back in 2005, gets a monthly salary of around Rs 35,000.

"Cash of around Rs 5 lakh, gold and silver jewellery were recovered from Patwari's house during the raid. Two four-wheelers were found to be owned by him," Soni added.

The SP said documents related to immovable assets, including a bungalow of 3,000 sq feet, a shop and two plots were also recovered. These properties are located in Indore, Ujjain and Shajapur districts.

The police also got information about 20 bank accounts of Hussain and his close relatives. Officials of these banks have been requested to temporarily stop the transactions of these accounts.

The valuation of patwari's properties is underway and further investigation is on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The spate of fatal accidents on Lucknow's "pot-holed road" figured in the state Legislative Council today, with a Congress member claiming 381 deaths in road mishaps in last eight months.

Promptly responding to the member's concern, Leader Leader of the House and Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma promised to have the roads repaired before soon, admitting that they have been damaged due to the rains.

He also asked MLC Deepak Singh to provide him a list of the people, who lost their lives, so that the government could provide compensation to the next of their kin.

Raising the matter in the House, Singh said, "The BJP had promised pot hole-free roads. But, in the last eight months, as many as 381 persons lost their lives in road accidents, while 432 persons sustained injuries.

"People have even moved consumer forums in this regard. Apart from pot-holes, another reason for accidents is stray animals," he said.

"The government moves in chopper, but we have to bear the brunt of pot-holed roads," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Punjab court dismissed today a plea of a former SSP to hear him before accepting a closure report of the vigilance bureau in the alleged Rs 1,100-crore Ludhiana City Centre scam that gave a clean chit to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, his son and other accused.

The case, alleging that a private builder was favoured during Singh's previous term as CM, was filed in 2007 when the SAD-BJP was in power. But last year, the state Vigilance Bureau had filed a closure report, saying its reinvestigation of the alleged Rs 1,144-crore scam found nothing to substantiate the charges against Singh, his son Raninder Singh, son-in-law Raminder Singh and 33 others.

District Session judge Gurbir Singh, while dismissing the plea of former SSP of Vigilance Bureau Kanwarjit Singh Sandhu, said, "He is neither the complainant, aggrieved nor informer".

In his plea filed on July 17 this year, the former SSP had pleaded the court to hear him also before accepting the Vigilance Bureau's closure report filed on August 19, 2017 in the case.

The Vigilance Bureau had initially submitted a 100-page charge shee but later filed a closure report in the case, saying that there was no scam at all and that no proof has been found against the accused following a re-investigation.

The former SSP, however, moved the court seeking to be heard, saying that as a key investigator in the case he is "privy to certain important facts" which he wants to bring to the notice of the court.

He also alleged that there is a threat to his 'life and liberty'.

It was alleged that during Amarinder Singh's first stint as the CM in 2003, a Delhi-based private company was favoured for executing Ludhiana City Centre project and was given undue benefit for it.

The case had been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Though the charge sheet was filed earlier, the charges were yet to be framed against the accused.

Touted as one of the biggest projects in the state, the Ludhiana City Centre plan was rolled out in 2006.

To be spread over 25 acres of land, the project proposed to have shopping malls, 12 multiplexes, residential apartments, helipad and parking slot. The project site on Pakhowal Road of Ludhiana, however, is currently in ruins.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Malaysia has sought consultations with India under the WTO's safeguard agreement against New Delhi's decision to impose import duty on solar cells, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said today.

The consultations, however, don't fall under the WTO's dispute settlement system.

Earlier this month, India had imposed safeguard duty of up to 25 per cent on solar cells imports from China and Malaysia for two years to protect domestic players from steep rise in inbound shipments.

However, on August 13, the finance ministry stated that safeguard duty will not be insisted upon on import of solar cells for the "time being" in deference to interim directions passed by the High Court of Orissa.

Malaysia has stated that it has a substantial interest as an exporter of the product.

"The aim of the consultations is to exchange views and seek clarification regarding the proposed measures and reaching an understanding on ways to achieve the objectives" set out in an article of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, the WTO said in a communication.

"Malaysia seeks to hold consultations as soon as possible with the participation of representatives from India investigating authorities. Malaysia looks forward to receiving India's response to this request," it added.

According to an expert, seeking consultations to the safeguard committee is a way to inform other countries that they are not fulfilling their commitments under the WTO rules.

Solar cells, electrical devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity, are imported primarily from China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

Imports of the cells from these countries account for more than 90 per cent of the total inbound shipments in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal has written to West Bengal police, seeking information about a case registered by them against brothels at GB Road in Delhi.

Last year, West Bengal police raided the brothels after receiving a complaint that a minor girl was trafficked and brought there. The police arrested two persons after the raid.

In her statement, the girl revealed that the local police used to inform brothel owners before a raid was to be conducted, a Delhi Commission for Women official has said.

West Bengal police had written to the concerned police and district authorities for closure of the brothels.

"When DCW contacted the district magistrate over the closure, it was informed that they don't have sufficient information from West Bengal police. Hence, we have written to the West Bengal police to give a certified copy of the FIR, present status report of the concerned case by September 3," the official said.

"Brothels at GB road have become hub of child trafficking. Minor girls are being sexually exploited there. DCW is trying hard to close down brothels at GB Road and end this deep-rooted nexus of trafficking," Maliwal was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the DCW.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man briefly appeared in a Dutch court today on suspicion of wanting to assassinate far-right politician Geert Wilders after he said he planned to stage a Prophet Mohammed cartoon competition.

The 26-year-old man "is being suspected of committing a terrorist act, planning to commit murder and incitement," Dutch prosecutors said in a statement.

Police on Tuesday arrested the man at one of The Hague's main railway stations after he posted a film on Youtube saying he planned an attack on Wilders or the Dutch parliament.

The man, believed to be from Pakistan, also called on other Muslims for support.

"Authorities are taking the threat very seriously," the Dutch public prosecution service said in the statement.

"The investigation is ongoing" and the man is in custody "with maximum restrictions" meaning that he is only allowed to consult his lawyer.

Prosecutors did not release the suspect's name, saying at this stage they were reluctant to release further information.

He will remain in custody for another two weeks before a next appearance.

Plans by Wilders, an avowed anti-Islamist, to hold a cartoon competition at his PVV party's offices in parliament have stirred anger among Muslims, particularly in Pakistan.

The Netherlands yesterday updated its travel advice to Pakistan urging its citizens "to avoid demonstrations in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi".

"Stay alert and keep a low profile," the travel advice added.

A planned trade mission organised by the Dutch government and private companies in early November has also been postponed "until a later date", the government-run Netherlands Enterprise Agency said in a separate statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An on-duty traffic constable helped save the life of a man, who suffered a heart attack while driving his car near Kharigaon toll booth in Thane district of Maharashtra, police said today.

According to police, when the constable- Pandharinath Munde (35)- saw that the man has suffered a heart attack at the wheel, he immediately put him in the back seat and himself drove his vehicle to a nearby hospital.

The incident took place around noon yesterday.

"Nikhil Tambole (23) was driving from Padgha in the district towards Thane city in his car along with his elderly father. Around 12.30 pm when their car reached near Kharigaon toll booth, Tambole suffered a massive heart attack," Thane police spokesperson Sukhada Narkar said.

When Munde, a constable from Kalwa traffic division who was on duty in the vicinity, came to know about it, he wasted no time and got Tambole shifted in the back seat of the car, she said.

"Thereafter, he himself drove the car and rushed Tambole to Jupiter Hospital in Thane, where he was admitted," Narkar said.

According to police, Tambole's condition is stable and he is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

DCP Traffic Amit Kale praised the constable for his quick action.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi, one of the leading media groups in Kerala, today donated Rs five crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to take up flood relief works.

Mathrubhumi Managing Director M P Veerendrakumar and Managing Editor P V Chandran handed over a cheque of Rs 5 crore to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here, a release from the CM's office said.

Mathrubhumi Joint Managing Director M V Shreyamskumar donated his one month salary of Rs 20 lakh.

He would also donate his five years MLA pension to CMDRF, the release said.

The deluge in the state, the worst in a century, had claimed 474 lives since May 29, besides causing widespread destruction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The maximum temperatures hovered close to normal levels in most parts of Punjab and Haryana today.

UT Chandigarh, the joint capital of both states, registered its maximum temperature at 33.2 degrees Celsius, according to the MeT Department here.

Among other places in Haryana, Ambala, Karnal and Narnaul recorded their maximum temperatures at 33.7, 34 and 35 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Hisar recorded a high of 38.9 degrees Celsius, up three notches against normal limits.

In Punjab, Amritsar's maximum temperature settled at 35.6 degrees Celsius while Ludhiana and Patiala recorded maximum temperatures at 33.8 and 35.1 degrees Celsius, respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
John McCain's 106-year-old mother, Roberta, is expected to attend memorial services in Washington and his burial in Maryland later this week.

Roberta McCain once said the middle child she called "Johnny" liked to use her as an example of "what he hopes his lifespan will be." But she now mourns him instead of the other way around.

The Vietnam prisoner of war, congressman, senator and two-time presidential candidate died of brain cancer last Saturday at his home in Arizona. He was 81.

Following memorials in Arizona, McCain will lie in state at the US Capitol on Friday. He will be celebrated at a memorial service Saturday at Washington National Cathedral before his burial Sunday at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The NHRC has issued notices to the HRD ministry, the Uttar Pradesh government and the principal of a leading medical college in Allahabad over reports claiming that around 100 students, including boys and girls, were allegedly subjected to inhuman treatment in the name of ragging on its campus.

The National Human Rights Commission said it has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports published today about the incident that took place at Moti Lal Nehru Medical College in Allahabad.

The Commission has issued notices to theHRD Ministry, state chief secretary and the principal of the college, seeking detailed reports in four weeks, including the steps taken against the guilty students and officers, and measures for safety of students as well as creation of a healthy environment within the college, the NHRC said in a statement today.

As per the media report carried today, about 150 students have been admitted in the firstyear of the MBBS course, out of which 40 are female students.

Some of the students had reportedly raised objection to the alleged ragging but they were beaten up. The students have told the press on the condition of anonymity that they are being subjected to torture and threatened that their career will be spoiled in case any complaint is made by them with the authorities, the rights panel said.

The Commission has also directed the Secretary, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, to submit a status report regarding effective implementation of the recommendations of the Raghavan Committee, affirmed by the Supreme Court, in educational institutions across the country. The secretary has been given four weeks to respond, the statement said.

The Commission while considering a complaint received from Raj Kachroo, Aman movement for Eradication of Ragging, has expressed its firm view against ragging and has directed the universities across the country to strictly follow the guidelines issued by the supreme court as well as the UGC on the subject.

In spite of all these efforts, in such a large number, first year students of a prestigious medical college in Allahabad have been allegedly subjected to such inhuman treatment in the name of ragging. This amounts to violation of human rights of the innocent students. Their right to dignity appears to have been grossly violated due to negligence by the college administration, the NHRC said.

According to the media report, the junior students have been forced to bow down anddo 'salaam'(salute) to everyone It is also mentioned that heads of 100 students have been tonsured in the name of ragging. The students are under severe fear and nervousness but the college administration is silent, the NHRC said.

Even the girl students have not been spared as they have been directed to apply oil on their hair and make ajuda(puff). They are not allowed to keep their hair untied, it said, quoting the reports.

Reportedly, in spite of all this, no student could dare to come forward to lodge a complaint with the anti-ragging cell of the college. As per report, neither the college administration has provided any facility of counseling to the students nor a safe environment to the freshly inducted students, the NHRC said.

While issuing the notices, the Commission has observed that ragging has been banned in academic institutions, schools and colleges. The University Grants Commission has issued guidelines on the subject to be followed by all educational institutions. The Medical Council of India has issued Medical Council of India (Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges/Institutions) Regulations, 2009 to root out ragging in all forms from medical colleges/institutions in the country by prohibiting it.

The apex court has also directed that a number of recommendations made by the Raghavan Committee be implemented by taking confidence building measures and formation of anti-ragging committees in the institutions.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mercedes-Benz India, the largest luxury car maker in the country, has opened a new facility in the city to bolster its service network in tier-2 markets.

The service facility by Sundaram Motors, one of the largest in the country, is spread across an area of 80,000 sq.ft and will serve as a one-stop shop for all customer service requirements in the region.

Mercedes-Benz India Vice-President-Customer Services and Corporate Affairs, Santosh Iyer, who inaugurated the facility yesterday at Sundaram Motors, said it is the 31st in south India and 10th in Tamil Nadu,



"Our focus on emerging tier II markets like Coimbatore, is going to play a significant role in our future growth story as we see these markets as key engines of growth," a company release quoted Iyer as saying.

With 31 facilities across 13 cities, south India remained one of the company's key markets and will witness continued network expansion and focused growth, he added.

Sundaram Motors Executive Director Sharath Vijayaraghavan said the company rolled out Mercedes-Benz's acclaimed "My Mercedes, My Service" programme and has taken yet another step to strengthen the two decades old relationship.

There is an increasing demand for Mercedes-Benz products in Coimbatore and nearby markets, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A militant was today killed in an encounter with security forces in Hajin area of Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Hajin area following information about presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces positions.

One militant has been killed in the operation, the official said adding searches were still going on.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Militants tonight struck at various places in south Kashmir and abducted kin of policemen.

The militants' action came on a day when the NIA arrested the second son of globally wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin.

Police did not immediately gave any official statement and said they were trying to ascertain reports of abductions.

However, officials privy to the development, said that at least five people, whose family members were working in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, have been picked up by militants from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora.

Among those abducted included brother of a deputy superintendent of police.

Security forces have went on rampage yesterday after killing of four policemen in Shopian in south Kashmir and damaged some houses belonging to militants.

In a related development, kin of a policeman, who was abducted from Ganderbal district in central Kashmir, was released after being mercilessly beaten up by militants.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The wife of human rights activist Vernon Gonsalves, arrested by the Pune police for suspected Maoist links, today claimed that the BJP-led government is labelling persons from minority community as "terrorists", if they call the Modi government "communal".

"If any person from the minority community merely says that the Modi government is communal, he is labelled a terrorist," Susan Abraham, who is a lawyer, told PTI.

The Pune police had on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states and arrested five, including Gonsalves, as part of a probe into the violence at Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune after an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year.

They police brought Gonsalves to his house in suburban Andheri today, a day after the Supreme Court ordered that the activists be kept under house arrest at their homes till September 6.

Susan alleged that the government was indulging in "double standards".

"There is a growing demand for strict action against right-wing Sanatan Sanstha for actual unlawful and terror activities but the government refuses to label it as a terror outfit," she said.

She questioned the arrest of Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha, along with her husband. "What is the connection of Bharadwaj and Navlakha to Koregaon-Bhima incident," she said.

"My husband told police that they arrested him illegally based on fabricated charges. Police know very well that he has no connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence," she said.

Gonsalves' son Sagar said it was "bizarre" to see that books easily available in a public library and in public domain were used as "evidence" to arrest his father.

"When the Pune police team raided our home, it was bizarre to see them going through these books. These were books you can see anywhere in public domain," he said.

"They were picking out books which mentioned Maoist and naxal names or something related to revolution. They were later kept aside, while a police officer took some books. Those books were later packed and kept as evidence," he said.

"Some of the books police searched belonged to me," Sagar said.

Asked if his father was fine after the ordeal, Sagar said, "He is fine. But it hurts to see him undergo such hardship."



Susan said her husband has health issues and his blood pressure had shot up before being taken to Pune on Tuesday.

"This (spike in blood pressure) was alarming even for the police and he had to be admitted to a hospital in Andheri before being taken away to Pune," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A minority organisation took out a rally in Kolkata Thursday protesting against the updation of the Assam NRC and accused the BJP government at the Centre of trying to take away citizenship of Muslims.

The protestors accused the BJP-led government in Assam of "deliberately omitting" Bengalis and people from the minority community from the complete draft of NRC that was published in the last week of July.

They shouted slogans against the BJP government both in Assam and at the Centre, carried placards denouncing them and demanded immediate withdrawal of the Assam NRC.

"The Assam NRC is a ploy to single out Muslims and take away their citizenship. We want this NRC (exercise) to be withdrawn," Mohammad Kamruzzaman, secretary of the West Bengal Minority Youth Federation, said.

"The criteria that has been set is not only absurd but also impractical. They are asking for documents of our forefathers. Have the BJP leaders preserved the documents of their forefathers," he added.

Kamruzzaman alleged that names of lakhs of Bengalis have been omitted from the complete NRC.

"It has been done deliberately. We demand that the names be included in the list as they are also Indians. You can't make a person a refugee in his own country," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today presented BIMSTEC leaders unique gifts from the northeastern states.

The gifts comprised stoles and shawls depicting traditional motifs from the northeastern states and the kantha embroidery of West Bengal, sources said.

The shawls were made from Assam's famed golden muga and eri silk, besides cotton.

The BIMSTEC summit was attended by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Thailand Premier Prayut Chan-o-cha, Myanmar's President Win Myint and Chief Advisor to the Government of Bhutan Gyalpo Tshering Wangchuk.

Earlier in the summit, Modi said India's North Eastern states would play key role in enhancing connectivity with the BIMSTEC countries.

The gifts underscored the development potential of the northeastern region through enhanced connectivity and trade and commerce in the BIMSTEC region, including cultural and civilisational ties, the sources said.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

The northeastern region shares borders with the four member states -- Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal and as such BIMSTEC could be a potential game changer for the Northeast's overall development..

India's primary objective within BIMSTEC is to develop the Northeastern region by integrating it with existing trade networks while capitalising on future opportunities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties, including ways to boost economic and cultural cooperation.

The two leaders met in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, on the sidelines of the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

"Held talks with PM Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu. We reviewed the full range of India-Bangladesh relations and ways to boost economic as well as cultural relations," Modi tweeted.

Earlier, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had tweeted, "A fraternal relationship anchored in history, culture, language and shared values! In a warm bilateral meeting between PM @narendramodi and PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, both leaders took stock of the bilateral relationship."



The Summit will witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the setting up of BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection, which will pave the way for buying and selling electricity among the member states once the cross-country energy grids are put in place.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit here to discuss ways to boost cooperation.

Modi arrived here this morning to attend the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

"Cementing cooperation with a valued neighbour and close friend. President @MaithripalaS and PM @narendramodi meet on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with other other BIMSTEC leaders today



jointly called on Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on the sidelines of their summit here.

Modi arrived here this morning to attend the 4th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

"Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region! PM @narendramodi and other BIMSTEC leaders jointly calling on President Bidhya Devi Bhandari of Nepal," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
The former head of China's government-run Buddhist association has been removed as abbot of a Beijing temple following a sexual assault investigation, officials said.

Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and abbot of Beijing's Longquan Monastery, is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China's growing #MeToo movement.

He is under criminal investigation after a report by fellow monks accused him of sexual and financial improprieties, including coercing several nuns to have sex with him.

Investigators had also uncovered evidence that his monastery had broken national financial rules.

A prominent personality in Chinese Buddhist life with a social media following of millions, Xuecheng's presence on China's Twitter-like Weibo service has been silent since August 1, when he posted a statement rejecting the sexual assault claims.

The Buddhist Association of China said in a statement the decision to remove him as abbot was made in a meeting last Friday after consulting a report by the country's top religious authority.

"We have removed Xuecheng as the abbot of Beijing Longquan Monastery," it said.

He had stepped down as head of the Buddhist association earlier this month.

The 95-page report, which circulated online late last month, contained allegations from two monks that Xuecheng had sent explicit text messages to at least six women.

The monks accused Xuecheng of threatening or cajoling the women to have sex with him, claiming it was a part of their Buddhist studies. In their report, the two monks, who are no longer members of the monastery, said four women gave in to Xuecheng's demands.

Both men were also asked to leave Longquan monastery after of the report broke.

Located on the outskirts of Beijing, the monastery has made headlines for combining Buddhism with modern technology, launching last year a two-foot high robot monk that dispenses mantras and karmic advice.

The #MeToo movement ignited in China earlier this year with more women starting to open up about sexual assaults, especially on university campuses.

Unlike in the West, where #MeToo has forced resignations and sparked widespread public debate, authorities in China have sought to control the discussion, sometimes allowing and at other times censoring social media commentary.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Teenage boys are more likely to report experiencing dating violence -- being hit, slapped, or pushed -- than girls of their age, a study has found.

Overall, fewer teens are experiencing physical abuse from their dating partners, with five per cent of teens reporting dating violence in 2013, down from six per cent in 2003.

The study, published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, found 5.8 per cent of boys and 4.2 per cent of girls said they had experienced dating violence in the past year.

More research is needed to understand why boys are reporting more dating violence, Catherine Shaffer, a PhD student from Simon Fraser University in Canada.

"It could be that it's still socially acceptable for girls to hit or slap boys in dating relationships. This has been found in studies of adolescents in other countries as well," said Shaffer.

She added that the overall decline in dating violence, while small, is encouraging.

"Young people who experience dating violence are more likely to act out and take unnecessary risks, and they're also more likely to experience depression or think about or attempt suicide," Shaffer said.

"That's why it's good to see that decline in dating violence over a 10-year span. It suggests that healthy relationship programs are making an impact among youth," she said.

The study is the first in Canada to look at dating violence trends among adolescents over time, and the first in North America to compare trends for boys and girls.

Researchers analysed data from surveys involving 35,900 youth in grade 7 to 12 who were in dating relationships.

The findings highlight the need for more support programmes for both boys and girls in dating relationships.

"A lot of our interventions assume that the girl is always the victim, but these findings tell us that it isn't always so," said Elizabeth Saewyc, from University of British Columbia in Canada.

"Relationship violence, be it physical, sexual or other forms, and regardless who the perpetrator is, is never OK. Health-care providers, parents and caregivers, schools and others can protect teens from dating violence by helping them define what healthy relationships looks like, even before their first date," said Saewyc.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
State energy minister Chandrakant Bawankule today directed the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company (MSETCL) to submit a detailed plan on improving the transmission network till 2030.

In a meeting with the officials of MSETCL here today, Bawankule said considering the amount of development happening in the state, especially in Mumbai, the company should prepare a detailed transmission network plan till 2030.

"The demand for electricity in the state will continue to increase. In order to provide uninterrupted power supply, it is necessary that we strengthen our transmission network," he said.

Bawankule, who visited the state load dispatch centre and the control room at Kalwa in the neighbouring Thane district, told the officials that they should adopt world-class technologies for this, while the state government will take care of funding.

"Funds will not be a problem. MSETCL should use world-class technology for strengthening the systems and also avoid any untoward incidents in future," he added.

Earlier in June, a trip in a transmission grid in Kalwa resulted in a fire that engulfed the cables of two units which led to massive power outages across suburban Mumbai and its satellite cities of Thane and Navi Mumbai.

The grid at Kalwa that operated on a total of three units is currently handling the load with a single unit, said officials from the state energy distribution company, Mahadiscom.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NASA is set to launch the most advanced laser instrument of its kind in to the space next month, to measure the changes in the heights of Earth's polar ice in unprecedented detail.

The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) will measure the average annual elevation change of land ice covering Greenland and Antarctica to within the width of a pencil, capturing 60,000 measurements every second.

"The new observational technologies of ICESat-2 -- a top recommendation of the scientific community in NASA's first Earth science decadal survey -- will advance our knowledge of how the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica contribute to sea level rise," said Michael Freilich, from NASA's Science Mission Directorate in the US.

ICESat-2 -- which is scheduled to be launched on September 12 -- represents a major technological leap in our ability to measure changes in ice height.

Its Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) measures height by timing how long it takes individual light photons to travel from the spacecraft to Earth and back.

"ATLAS required us to develop new technologies to get the measurements needed by scientists to advance the research," said Doug McLennan, ICESat-2 project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

"That meant we had to engineer a satellite instrument that not only will collect incredibly precise data, but also will collect more than 250 times as many height measurements as its predecessor," McLennan said.

ATLAS will fire 10,000 times each second, sending hundreds of trillions of photons to the ground in six beams of green light.

The roundtrip of individual laser photons from ICESat-2 to Earth's surface and back is timed to the billionth of a second to precisely measure elevation.

As it circles Earth from pole to pole, ICESat-2 will measure ice heights along the same path in the polar regions four times a year, providing seasonal and annual monitoring of ice elevation changes.

Beyond the poles, ICESat-2 will measure the height of ocean and land surfaces, including forests.

ATLAS is designed to measure both the tops of trees and the ground below, which -- combined with existing datasets on forest extent -- will help researchers estimate the amount of carbon stored in the world's forests.

Researchers also will investigate the height data collected on ocean waves, reservoir levels, and urban areas.

"Because ICESat-2 will provide measurements of unprecedented precision with global coverage, it will yield not only new insight into the polar regions, but also unanticipated findings across the globe," said Thorsten Markus, an ICESat-2 project scientist at Goddard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Navy today donated Rs 8.92 crore to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund as a voluntary contribution from the salaries of naval personnel to help the flood-ravaged state.

Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba handed over the cheque to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here, an official release said here.

Later, Admiral Lanba told reporters that the Army, Navy and Airforce along with other central agencies and the state government had worked together as a team to rescue people stranded in heavy rains and floods in the state.

The Navy alone, through its helicopters and boats, had rescued nearly 17,000 people, he noted.

They worked together as a team, rescued people, distributed relief materials and food and set up relief camps and community kitchens in Kochi, Lanba said.

The Navy chief further said the Navy has identified two flood-hit villages in Ernakulam district to undertake rehabilitation initiatives.

Admiral Lanba had visited flood ravaged Muttinakam village in Ernakulam and reviewed the relief and rehabilitation work yesterday.

The deluge in the state, the worst in a century, had claimed 474 lives since May 29, besides causing widespread destruction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The powerful head of the Nigerian senate, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday announced he would run in next February's presidential elections against incumbent Muhammadu Buhari.

The move, by the country's third-highest politician, ratchets up the challenge facing Buhari and increases the electoral uncertainties in Africa's most populous country.

"I hereby announce my intention to run for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the coming general elections in 2019 on the platform of the People's Democratic Party," Saraki said at a meeting with young people in Abuja.

"I do so with the firm conviction that I have what it takes to secure inclusive growth for Nigeria and Nigerians." Saraki, 55, was born into one of Nigeria's wealthiest and most politically prominent families.

Ranked in Nigeria's political hierarchy behind Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Saraki has long been seen as having his sights on the top job. In recent months, he became linked to a string of defections that appeared to be aimed at weakening Buhari.

On July 31, citing irreconcilable differences, he quit Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) and returned to his old party, the PDP.

During his time as Senate president, Saraki has had a running battle with the government. He ran into legal problems that he said was because he had been marked out as a critic and rival by the presidency.

Buhari, 75, a former military dictator in the 1980s, was elected in 2015. He has announced his intention to seek a second term. He has the support of the APC's senior ranks, although a primary is required.

But he is under intense pressure to stand down on account of age and failing health and faces criticism of his handling of the Boko Haram jihadist insurgency in northeastern Nigeria.

Last year, he spent several months in a London hospital receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.

On Wednesday, another heavyweight candidate said he would be a candidate in the PDP primaries -- Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former aide to Buhari and ex-governor of Kano province, who defected to the PDP in July.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said today that not even a single citizen will be subjected to injustice in the matter of NRC in Assam and that the persons concerned have ample opportunities to prove their citizenship.

This effort is not being done with any vindictiveness against anybody, to trouble any communal group, he claimed.

"We are ready to take tough decisions for security of Assam and national security But, not a single citizen will be subjected to any injustice," he said.

The aggrieved persons have the option of going to tribunal and high court, he said, delivering the Janamanchi Gourishankar Memorial Lecture on 'Divisive Politics or Decisive Politics: NRC in the context of National Security' organised by the ABVP here tonight.

Noting that the effort is not against anybody, he said the infiltrators are being identified in a most scientific way.

The necessary steps would be taken on what to do about illegal migrants once the list is finalised, he said.

Bangladesh does not want infiltrators on its soil and it is in talks with Myanmar on taking back Rohingyas, he said.

"Owaisi is welcoming them here (Hyderabad)," he said.

He criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi for their stance on illegal migrants.

"Mamata Banerjee ji in Bengal, Owaisi ji in Hyderabad and in Delhi, there are some leaders, they are championing the cause of illegal infiltrators," he said.

Banerjee had alleged in Parliament in 2005 that Communists are doing wrong politics in Bengal by converting illegal migrants as vote bank, he claimed.

"The same person is doing hungama by standing on the side of illegal migrants when we announce NRC draft," he said.

Observing that no country in the world allows illegal migrants, he cited the example of US building a fence at its border with Mexico.

Talking about the arrest of certain human rights activists in the country, he sharply criticised former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for describing it as a human rights violation.

"Chidambaram, who as Home Minister had supported the Chhattisgarh government, Jharkhand government and undivided Andhra Pradesh in several ways for anti-Maoist operations; when Maharashtra Police are continuing the same effort today, he is trying to describe this as violation of human rights.

"This is bankruptcy of politicians," Madhav said.

There is no question of the government going back on the mission of ending Maoism, he said.

The country has paid the price in the form of killing of political leaders and others in Maoist violence, he said.

Twenty four Congress leaders were killed in a particular day in one instance, he said.

"Congress leadership appears to be siding with such violent political forces. It is very unfortunate situation, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There is no guarantee for a special waiver for India from the punitive US sanctions over its weapons purchase from Russia as Washington has concerns over the nearly five billion deal, a top Pentagon official has warned ahead of the first 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi next week.

The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) waiver is intended at preventing US sanctions on countries like India. New Delhi is planning to buy five S-400 Triumf missile air defence systems from Russia for around USD 4.5 billion.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has publicly been a strong proponent of granting India waivers from sanctions.

"We understand historical India-Russia relationship. We want to have a conversation with India not on legacy, but on future. On CAATSA, Mattis did plea for an exception for India, but I can't guarantee a waiver will be used for future purchases," Randall Schriver, the Pentagon's assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said.

"Russia is not a country you want to have a strategic partnership," he told an audience at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace in Washington yesterday.

He said that the CAATSA was the result of Russian behaviour, not Indian.

"I can't sit here and tell you that they would be exempt, that we would use that waiver." Schriver said as he discussed Defense Secretary James Mattis' priorities for the upcoming 2+2 India meeting in New Delhi.

There was an "impression that we are going to completely protect the India relationship, insulate India from any fallout from this legislation no matter what they do. I would say that is a bit misleading. We would still have very significant concerns if India pursued major new platforms and systems (from Russia)," he said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is travelling to New Delhi with Defense Secretary Mattis for the inaugural 2+2 ministerial dialogue on September 6.

The format of the 2+2 dialogue was agreed upon between the two sides during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington in June 2017. Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were to travel to Washington to take part in the meeting with their US counterparts in July. But the US had postponed the dialogue citing "unavoidable reasons".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Norway's transport minister today said he was stepping down to allow his wife to further her medical career, in a move welcomed as a win for gender equality.

"It's been fantastic to be a minister and, in fact, I could have continued all my life," said Ketil Solvik-Olsen, a member of the right-wing Progress party who served in the post since 2013.

"But I've come to a crossroads in my life where it's my wife's turn to pursue her dream. It's a deal we've had in place for a number of years," he told TV2 Nyhetskanalen television, adding that he intends to return to frontline at some stage.

His wife, Tone Solvik-Olsen, has accepted a posting in a children's hospital in the United States for a year, he added.

Social media users in Norway reacted positively to Solvik-Olsen's decision, calling the move "respectable" and "a great example" on Twitter.

At the forefront of global gender fairness efforts, Norway is ranked second behind only Iceland by the World Economic Forum on equality between men and women.

According to national media reports, the energy minister, Terje Soviknes, is also set to give up his portfolio to concentrate on local

The prime minister's office said there would be a cabinet shuffle on Friday without providing details.

Norway's Progress party has been in power since 2013 as part of a coalition with the Conservatives, with the centre-right Liberal party joining last year. All three parties are headed by women.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor-politician Nandamuri Harikrishna, who died in a car crash, was cremated here today with full state honours.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Former Supreme Court Judge J Chelameswar among others participated in the funeral procession of Harikrishna.

Earlier in the day, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu visited Harikrishna's residence and paid homage and consoled the bereaved family.

"He was straightforward and sincere like his father (NTR)," Venkaiah Naidu said.

Leaders cutting across political parties paid their last respects to the departed soul.

Many of the friendsandfamily members recalled their association with him.

Harikrishna, son of Telugu cinema giant and three-time chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh N T Ramarao,died in a car crash in Telangana's Nalgonda district yesterday.

The former Rajya Sabha member and brother-in-law of Chandrababu Naidu was on way to Nellore district for a wedding when his car rammed the road divider on Nalgonda highway.

The impact was so great that the vehicle got flung over the median barrier to the opposite side of the highway.

The TDP politburo member apparently died from serious head injury and internal bleeding.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kathmandu, Nepal: The fourth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) commenced here in Kathmandu from today.





The agendas of the summit are fixed as Towards Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region.





The summit is also going to sign in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnections (BIMSTEC GI) with the aim to pave the way for trade in energy among member states.





As of the set agendas, the summit will focus on connectivity, poverty alleviation, trade, investment, tourism promotion, controlling cross border criminal activities and climate change.





Likewise, other issues like establishment of secretariat and BIMSTEC development fund is also made the agendas of the discussion.




With the water level in Mahanadi river rising after release of flood water from Hirakud Dam, Odisha government today geared up and closely monitored the situation to deal with any possible flood in 11 districts in the river basin, officials said.

The present level in Hirakud dam is 622.71 feet against the full reservoir level of 630 feet. While the flow of water into the reservoir is 4.21.431 cusec, the outflow is 4,10,388 cusec, a dam official said.

Around 6.5 lakh cusec of water is now flowing through Mundali gauge station in Mahanadi near Cuttack after release of flood waters through 25 gates of Hirakud dam, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi said.

This has led to steady rise in the water level of Mahanadi as well as its tributaries in several areas, he said.

The dam authorities had on Tuesday opened 25 sluice gates following release of huge volumes of water in the river from neighbouring Chhattishgarh.

There is, however, no threat of any major flood despite the release of water from Hirakud and the situation is being monitored constantly, Sethi said.

We are maintaining a close watch on the situation. It is being monitored round-the-clock," he said adding that the collectors of the 11 districts located in the Mahanadi river basin and other officials are keeping watch.

All preparations have been made. The state government has deployed rescue teams in the vulnerable areas and has already deployed the ODRAF, NDRF and fire service personnel for immediate rescue operation in Puri, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Bhadrak districts, Sethi said.

Meanwhile, the flood water of Mahanadi and Tel rivers have inundated several areas in Boudh district where a number of villages in Harabhanga block have been marooned and vast agricultural lands submerged, said an official.

The water level in Mahanadi river at Naraj near Cuttack has risen to 25.87 metre but it is much below the danger level of 26.41 metre, he said.

With the flood waters submerging several areas, road connectivity is affected in some places like Birmaharajpur in Sonepur and Purunamantri under Athamalik tehsil, officials said.

Several villages in Athagarh and Banki areas of Cuttack district have also been inundated after flood water of Mahanadi gushed into low-lying areas, they said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who took stock of the situation yesterday, has asked the administration to remain alert to deal with the situation.

The district collectors have been asked to ensure that there is enough stock of food materials, besides water, medicines and other essential items.

Instruction was also issued to evacuate people from the low-lying areas as flood water could enter into villages tonight or tomorrow morning, an official said.

The average rainfall in the state recorded during the past 24 hours was 2.7 mm. In all 28 districts have received sporadic rainfall, the highest being 18.8 mm in Kalahandi district. There was no rainfall during the past 24 hours in the Bhadrak and Deogarh districts, the IMD said.

Two blocks in Kalahandi district have recorded rainfall of more than 50 mm. The highest rainfall of 59.4 mm has been received in Kalampur block and 55.0 mm in Dharmagarh block.

The Met centre here said rain and thundershower is likely to occur at many places over the state till tomorrow, while heavy rainfall may lash one or two places in Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Deogarh, Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal's trip to his home state Haryana, which cost over Rs 46 lakh, had the prior approval of Rashtrapati Bhavan and the state government, a Raj Bhavan official said today.

The trip expenses had created a row in the state last month as it was four times more than the annual budget of Rs 11 lakh for governor's travel and the state government had sought a clarification from the Raj Bhavan on it.

The government action has drawn flak from the opposition parties.

Lal, who belongs to Haryana, had used a chartered aircraft to reach Delhi and then a helicopter to visit his hometown Sirsa a few days after he took over the gubernatorial office in May, the official said.

Lal was a senior BJP leader in Haryana and a minister of that state earlier and had requested for the chartered plane for his tour, the official said.

"The visit to Haryana undertaken by the governor using a chartered flight in June this year had prior approval from Rashtrapati Bhavan as well as the Odisha government," Raj Bhavan sources here said.

As it was not possible for the chartered aircraft to land in Sirsa, the service provider offered a helicopter from Delhi at an additional cost of Rs 5 lakh, the official said referring to a deviation from the approved flight schedule.

The use of the chartered plane and chopper cost over Rs 46 lakh, which was more than the tour expenses incurred over five years by Lal's predecessor S C Jamir, sources said, adding the expense was four times the Raj Bhavans current annual budget of Rs 11 lakh for the governor's travel.

The travel expenses of the governor outside the state are charged from the budgetary provision of the state government, they said.

Tours of Jamir and his predecessor M C Bhandare were undertaken by commercial passenger airlines, they said.

A letter from the general administration department of Odisha had referred to two invoices - one for the chartered flight involving Rs 41,18,000 lakh and another towards use of chopper from New Delhi to Sirsa amounting to Rs 5,00,000.

The letter sought to know the reason and circumstances for the hiring of the helicopter in deviation of the approved schedule, they said.

The day after the report appeared in the media, state Chief Secretary A P Padhi had called on the governor and expressed regret over the manner in which the letter was sent to the Raj Bhavan.

Padhi had also informed Lal that stringent action would be taken against all responsible for this "miscommunication."



Opposition political parties had slammed the state government for the manner in which the matter was handled.

"If prior approval had already been obtained for use of chartered flight for the governor's tour it was inappropriate on the part of the government to seek a clarification," said Odisha PCC President Niranjan Patnaik.

Speaking in a similar vein, BJP state unit general secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra said the state government must desist from repeating such "blunder" in the future.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Emboldened by a new peace deal, civil war-torn South Sudan says it will resume oil production in a key region next month to make up for more than USD 4 billion of revenue lost during years of fighting.

South Sudan, with Africa's third-largest oil reserves, will renew drilling in northern Unity State for the first time since the fields were destroyed when the conflict began in late 2013, oil ministry officials told The Associated Press.

The goal is to have all five locations there operational by the end of the year and working alongside the oil fields in Upper Nile State, which operated throughout the civil war.

South Sudan's economy is almost entirely dependent on exports of oil from its 3.5 billion barrels of reserves. Most of the oil rigs were shut down or destroyed by the civil war.

The fighting that killed tens of thousands of people has also devastated the economy and sent prices for everyday items soaring.

Oil was central to South Sudan's potential when it won independence from Sudan in 2011. In the seven years before the civil war began, oil brought in more than USD 13 billion in revenue, according to the finance ministry.

South Sudan's government is optimistic about the resumed production, even attributing the peace deal signed early this month to the country's reserves.

"Without oil there probably wouldn't be peace right now," Awow Daniel Chuang, the oil ministry's director-general, told AP.

However, that peace is fragile. This week South Sudan's opposition briefly refused to sign the final peace agreement because of outstanding issues.

It accused the government of using oil revenues to buy weapons, ammunition and politicians to undermine the peace, said opposition spokesman Mabior Garang de Mabior.

The goal of resuming oil production in Unity State is to help increase South Sudan's total output of 130,000 barrels per day to almost 300,000, which could bring in about USD 5 billion over the next few years, Chuang said.

Another part of the goal is increasing Upper Nile State's output to 200,000 barrels per day.

The new peace deal was brokered by Sudan, which has a vested interest in its neighbour's oil production.

As part of the initial agreement when South Sudan gained independence Sudan was entitled to more than USD 3 billion of oil revenue, USD 1.2 billion of which is still owed, South Sudan's oil ministry said.

The government also hopes to attract investors during the second local Africa Oil and Power conference in November in the capital, Juba.

While industry experts say the prospects look promising, some say efforts will be futile if the fighting resumes.

"There is enormous pressure to ensure that the peace deal holds and that Sudan and other neighbours play a big role in enforcing and ensuring peace," said NJ Ayuk, founder and CEO of Centurion Law Group and chair of the African Energy Chamber of commerce.

Currently there's great interest from Asian, African and Eastern European countries looking to "defy the odds" and operate in a difficult environment as there's still a lot more oil to be found in South Sudan, he said.

At least one oil group said it feels confident the situation in northern Unity State is secure enough to resume production.

"We've been to the field many times and have done assessments and there have been no incidents. Peace has come," said Angelo Chol Dongway, vice president for the Greater Pioneer Operating Company, a consortium of four oil companies licensed to operate there.

They are the China National Petroleum Corporation, India-based Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, the Malaysia-based Petronas and South Sudan's state-owned NilePet.

Other international investors aren't as convinced.

"It sounds hopeful but internal politics, legal and economic stability have to be demonstrated," said an oil industry consultant for a large company who spoke on condition of anonymity because the consultant wasn't authorised to speak on the record.

South Sudan's oil sector has faced scrutiny by the international community for its alleged lack of transparency and use of state oil revenue to fuel the civil war.

Earlier this year the US government placed sanctions on 15 of South Sudan's oil-related entities, including NilePet and the oil ministry, in an attempt to stem the flow of "corrupt official actors" using revenue to buy weapons and fund militias.

Some advocacy groups worry that the increased production could bring more corruption.

"Without stringent processes of accountability, well-connected politicians and their commercial collaborators are likely to cart this money away," said Brian Adeba, deputy director of policy at the Enough Project, a Washington-based advocacy group.

"This corruption in turn becomes an incentive for more violence against the state as aggrieved groups seek redress and a seat at the looting trough through the barrel of the gun.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man was killed and another injured in an explosion that occurred today in a house in a village near here while breaking some bricks to renovate the house.

The incident occurred at the house of one Vinod Chand, the police said.

A blast took place when someone tried to break a brick. It was suspected that there was some explosive material hidden in the pile of bricks.

After the incident, two persons were rushed to Rajindra Hospital, Patiala where Chand's servant Sukha Singh was declared brought dead.

Vinod Chand's son Ashok was injured in the incident.

After receiving the information, Fatehgarh Sahib SP Harpal Singh, DSP Navneet Kaur and other police officers also reached the spot to conduct a preliminary probe.

The police said they were investigating the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opposition members in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly today accused Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of using "unparliamentary language" during his speech in the House and demanded expunction of those remarks from proceedings.

Members of the SP, BSP and Congress reached the House with black ribbons tied on their arms to protest the chief minister's comments.

Taking a dig at Opposition parties' bid to strike an understanding ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Adityanath had yesterday said a sort of 'Chipko' movement was underway and those who failed to see a change in law and order were suffering from "vision disorder".

"A sort of 'Chipko' (sticking together) movement is presently underway in the state...The BSP says it maintains distance from the SP...Don't know how much distance they maintain...The snake can never become a mole...it will always bite," the chief minister had told the Legislative Assembly in the absence of joint Opposition which had staged a walkout earlier to protest against various issues.

However, as soon as the House met today, Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury raised the matter and claimed unparliamentary language was used by the chief minister in his reply on the state's supplementary budget yesterday.

SP member Parasnath Yadav said that despite being a 'yogi', the chief minister made such statements which reflected his "inexperience".

Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that political parties and persons were compared with animals by the chief minister which was not in good taste. He demanded the "unparliamentary words should be expunged".

"The statement shows that the chief minister did not have any respect for the opposition members. The language used by him yesterday was unwarranted. The opposition's voice is being gagged by the BJP," he told reporters later.

He also demanded apology from the chief minister.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, however, maintained that there was nothing unparliamentary in the chief minister's speech.

"You can get the speech examined. There was nothing objectionable or unparliamentary in the CM's speech. Many times comparisons are drawn in an address. No names were taken by the CM," Khanna said in the House.

Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit said he would sit with the minister and discuss the issue and added that "he is reserving his decision on the matter".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Opposition in Uttar Pradesh assembly today accused Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of using "unparliamentary language" in his speech in the House and demanded expunging of those remarks from the record.

The SP, BSP and Congress members reached the House with black ribbons tied on their arms to protest the chief minister's remarks made yesterday in their absence when they had staged a walkout to protest against various issues.

Taking a dig at the Opposition's bid to reach an understanding ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Adityanath yesterday had said a sort of 'chipko' movement was underway among the Opposition parties.

He had also said that those who failed to see a change in law and order situation were suffering from "vision disorder".

"A sort of 'chipko' (sticking together) movement is presently underway in the state...The BSP says it maintains distance from the SP... Don't know how much distance they maintain... The snake can never become a mole... it will always bite," the chief minister had said in the assembly.

As soon as the House met today, Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury raked up the issue, saying unparliamentary language was used by the chief minister in his reply on the state's supplementary budget yesterday.

SP member Parasnath Yadav said despite being a 'yogi', the chief minister made statements which reflected his "inexperience".

Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that the political parties and people were compared with animals by the chief minister and it was not in good taste.

He demanded that the "unparliamentary words" be expunged.

"The statement shows that the chief minister did not have any respect for the Opposition. The language used by him yesterday was unwarranted. The Opposition's voice is being gagged by the BJP," he told reporters later.

He also demanded apology from the chief minister.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, however, maintained that there was nothing unparliamentary in the chief minister's speech.

"You can get the speech examined. There was nothing objectionable or unparliamentary in the CM's speech. Many times comparisons are drawn in an address. No names were taken by the CM," Khanna said in the House.

Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit said he would sit with the minister and discuss the issue and added that "he is reserving his decision on the matter".

The issue also figured in the UP Legislative Council with Leader of Opposition Ahmed Hasan (SP) objecting to some of the remarks of the chief minister.

The Chair, however, did not accept the SP member's contentions, citing certain rules.

Responding to Hasan's contentions, Leader of the House and Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said, "The UP chief minister had only mentioned about opposite behaviour. If you are saying that anyone was compared with any animal, then it is wrong.

"A few moments back, a member had shouted 'agrho (upper caste) ki sarkaar nahi chalegi'. Have we come here discuss such things?" the deputy CM asked.

SP MLCs too wore black ribbons on their arms today to protest against Adityanath's remarks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opposition members in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly today accused Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of using "unparliamentary language" during his speech in the House and demanded expunction of the remarks from proceedings.

As soon as the House met for the day, Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chowdhury raised the matter and alleged that unparliamentary language was used by the chief minister in his reply on the state's supplementary budget yesterday.

SP member Parasnath Yadav said that despite being a "yogi", the chief minister made such statements in the House that showed his "inexperience".

Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu alleged that political parties and persons were compared with animals, which is not good and unparliamentary words should be "expunged" from proceedings.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna maintained that there was nothing unparliamentary in the CM's speech.

"You can get the speech examined. There was nothing objectionable or unparliamentary in the CM's speech. Many times comparisons are drawn in an address. No names were taken by the CM," Khanna said.

Speaker Hriday Narain Dixit said he would sit with the minister and discuss the issue and added that "he is reserving his decision on the matter".

Taking a dig at Opposition parties' bid to strike an understanding ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Adityanath had yesterday said a sort of 'Chipko' movement was underway and those who fail to see a change in law and order were suffering from "vision disorder".

"A sort of 'Chipko' (sticking together) movement is presently underway in the state...The BSP says it maintains distance with the SP...don't know how much distance they have...snake can never become a mole...it will always bite...," the chief minister had told the Legislative Assembly in the absence of joint Opposition which had staged a walkout earlier to voice their protest against various issues.

Though the Chipko movement or Chipko Andolan was a forest conservation movement, in this context the term was meant to describe opposition parties sticking together for a common cause - defeating the BJP in the upcoming parliamentary polls.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ruling AIADMK Co-Ordinator and Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam today dismissed as 'personal opinion' the charge of DMK president M K Stalin that the BJP-led central government was trying to "saffronise" the country.

He also said the AIADMK would lead an alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and it would emerge victorious.

"It was his (Stalin's) personal opinion.. People will not accept such a charge," he told reporters at nearby Tiruparankunram.

After taking over as DMK President, Stalin had on August 28 accused the Narendra Modi-led government of trying to 'saffronise' the country.

"The Narendra Modi government is trying to paint the nation in the colour saffron (a symbol of Hindutva). Let's teach it a lesson," he had said in his maiden address to the DMK General Council which elected him to the top post following the death of his father M Karunanidhi.

Replying to a question, Panneerselvam said an alliance would be there for the Lok Sabha elections and it would be headed by the AIADMK.

"...it will be a victorious alliance. In consultation with Chief Minister K Palaniswami (also co-cordinator of AIADMK), a decision would be made on the partners of the alliance," he said.

Asked if there would be any change in the Palaniswami cabinet, he said it was for the Chief Minister to decide.

Panneerselvam said he did not want to comment on Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President Thirunavakkarasu's reported remarks that there was rift in the AIADMK.

"The party was preparing for a 'dharma yudha' with the help of cadre. We have successfully saved the party from a family, and will not hand it over back to the family," he said in apparent reference to the deposed party leader V K Sasikala and her family members.

The Deputy Chief Minister also said the AIADMK had started the initial work for the byelection in Tiruparankunram, where its sitting member A K Bose died recently.

Full-fledged work would be taken up after the announcement of the date for the byelections, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's new government must not indulge in "polemics" but work to build a South Asian region free of terror and violence, India has said after Pakistan raked up the at the UN Security Council.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin's remarks came during the UNSC debate on Mediation and Settlement of Disputes.

"I take this opportunity to remind - Pakistan - the one isolated delegation that made unwarranted references to an integral part of India, that pacific settlement requires pacific intent in thinking and pacific content in action," Akbaruddin said at the debate on Wednesday.

Pakistan's Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi raked up the during the debate, drawing a sharp reaction from Akbaruddin who said Pakistan is "regurgitating a failed approach, which has long been rejected, is neither reflective of pacific intent nor a display of pacific content.

"We hope that the new government of Pakistan will, rather than indulge in polemics, work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asian region, free of terror and violence," Akbaruddin said, a reference to the government in Pakistan under newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In her remarks, Lodhi said the "Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains a long-standing issue" on the agenda of the Council. She said through its various resolutions, the Security Council has provided that the final disposition of the State of Jammu and Kashmir will be made in accordance with the will of the people "expressed through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite" conducted under the auspices of the

She said the Security Council also instituted several mechanisms including the UN Commission on India and Pakistan (UNCIP), the deployment of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) and the appointment of UN representatives.

"Sadly, these resolutions remain unimplemented to date. The international community cannot succeed in its efforts to strengthen conflict prevention and promote pacific dispute settlement if the Security Council's own resolutions are held in abeyance, by some.

"What is, at stake is both the Council's credibility as well as the objective of durable peace in our region. We must not fail these tests," she said.

Akbaruddin said as recognized by the UN Charter, pacific settlement of disputes can be through a variety of mechanisms and today, there are numerous actors and many forms of pacific settlement that may be better suited to address different issues.

"Instead of putting the at the center of mediation efforts and exhorting States to support them, perhaps, the international community should lend encouragement to those most motivated and having the capacity to do so to settle these, as appropriate," he said."



"Of course, there could be many forms of division of tasks of pacific settlement of disputes between the and other concerned actors that can undoubtedly be devised. It is important, however, not to charge the United Nations with responsibilities that it maybe ill-suited to perform. Mediation, in every circumstance, is one such task, it is not geared to fulfil," he said.

Mediation, on the face of it, is based on the interest, consent and commitment by all parties for a peaceful settlement. He stressed that the issue is not whether mediation is a useful tool for peaceful settlement.

"Where acceptable to all parties, it is, in a manner of speaking, settled international law," he said.

Akbaruddin said the questions to be addressed are whether the apparatus of the United Nations, as currently constituted, can perform many of the basic functions required for effective mediation and are the mechanisms at the disposal of the United Nations coherent and flexible to guide dynamic negotiations with an effective strategy.

He pointed out that the United Nations, and in particular the Security Council, does not come to mediation unencumbered. The problems of the United Nations apparatus as a mediator are ingrained in the nature of inter-governmental organisations.

"Inter-governmental organisations are hindered by complex decision-making procedures. Add to it the specificities of the U.N. Charter, that is premised on cooperation amongst the permanent members. That cooperation is clearly not evident. Where it does manifest, it invariably takes the form of the lowest common denominator," he said.

Further, policy-making within an international organisation adds another layer of bargaining and trade-offs, he said adding that it requires a time-consuming and uncertain process of consultation and coordination among a multiplicity of actors.

"Such tortuous decision-making process, imbued with political trade-offs, saps the United Nations of necessary dynamism and flexibility in pursuing mediation. Once the UN authorised entities agree on a mediating proposal or framework, it cannot easily be modified in response to changing circumstances. Modification requires renegotiation," he said.
Thousands of hard-line Islamists angered over a far-right Dutch lawmaker's plans to hold a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest marched toward Pakistan's capital today after police briefly stopped them because of security reasons.

Some 10,000 supporters of the Tehreek-i-Labaik group, which helped Imran Khan to become prime minister following last month's national elections, set out on the march Wednesday, calling on Khan to cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands.

The demonstrators were expected to camp out near Islamabad later Thursday.

Authorities are blocking the capital's key roads by putting out shipping containers to prevent demonstrators from reaching near the area where the Dutch and other foreign embassies are located.

Earlier, police halted the march in Jhelum, about 160 kilometers from Islamabad but later it was allowed to resume, party spokesman Eijaz Ashrafi told The Associated Press.

He said they refused to disperse, saying the police will have to "kill us" to stop the march.

Ashrafi said they told Khan's government that it had two options: Cut diplomatic ties with the Netherlands or kill them and "send our dead bodies to Lahore."



The party's firebrand chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi in Jhelum also warned Khan to remove any hurdles.

"We are on roads to show to the world that we can die to protect the honor of our Prophet," he told demonstrators.

The rally comes as emotions are running high in Pakistan against the cartoon contest.

The cartoon contest is being organized by Geert Wilders, a Dutch lawmaker with a history of inflammatory statements about Islam. The Dutch government has distanced itself from the contest but says it is committed to upholding the right to free speech.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said Thursday that Islamabad conveyed its deep concern to Netherlands over the planned cartoon contest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kathmandu, Nepal: The inaugural session fourth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical for Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has started on Thursday.





As the Chairperson of the summit, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the session amid a grand function at Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza in Kathmandu.





All the Heads of State/ Government of the seven BIMSTEC member countriesNepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Chief Justice of Bhutan Tshering Wangchuk, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, President of Myanmar Win Myint, President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister of Thailand Prayut Chan-o-Cha-- met with President Bhandari at Sheetal Niwas.





Likewise, the delegates of the member states have also participated in the meeting.





The agendas of the summit are fixed as Towards Peaceful, Prosperous and Sustainable Bay of Bengal Region.





The summit is also going to sign in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnections (BIMSTEC GI) with the aim to pave the way for trade in energy among member states.





As of the set agendas, the summit will focus on connectivity, poverty alleviation, trade, investment, tourism promotion, controlling cross border criminal activities and climate change.





Likewise, other issues like establishment of secretariat and BIMSTEC development fund is also made the agendas of the discussion.




Panasonic plans to move its European headquarters from Britain to the Netherlands later this year over concerns about potential tax issues related to Brexit, a company spokeswoman said today.

"We will move our European headquarters to the Netherlands," the spokeswoman told AFP, confirming a report in the Nikkei business daily about the Japanese electronics giant's decision.

Laurent Abadie, CEO of Panasonic Europe, told the Nikkei that the headquarters would move from outside London to Amsterdam in October.

The decision was sparked by fears that Japan could treat Britain as a tax haven after Brexit if London decides to lower its corporate tax rate in a bid to attract businesses, she said.

If Japan made the designation, Panasonic could face back taxes levied by Tokyo.

Abadie told the newspaper that Panasonic had been considering a move for the past 15 months, with concerns about barriers to the flow of people and goods also a factor in the decision to move.

Of the 20 to 30 people in the London office, around 10 to 20 employees dealing with auditing and financial operations would move. Investor relations staff would stay put, the newspaper said.

Britain is due to leave the EU in March 2019, in a process that has sparked uncertainty in the business sector and concern about the consequences for the country's economy.

Several Japanese firms including megabank MUFG, Nomura Holdings, Daiwa Securities and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group have said they are planning to move their main EU bases out of London.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With reports of Whatsapp messages inviting youngsters to play an on line game 'Momo Challenge', the Association of Heads of ICSE schools, West Bengal, has called upon all member schools to urge parents to keep a watch on their children.

The Association's West Bengal unit general secretary Nabarun Dey told PTI today, they did not receive any report about student of any school having received such message, nor had the Association been given any 'Advisory' by the CID or the police till date on the issue.

However, going by media reports "two days ago we have asked the member schools to undertake sensitisation drive among children and their parents about the danger, inherent of certain on line games like 'Momo' and 'Blue Whale'.

"We are acting on our own and this is aimed at sensitising the guardians and the students about the menace of certain on line games - earlier 'Blue Whale' and now 'Momo'," he said.

Asked to elaborate on the sensitisation drive, he said, "we have asked the schools to tell the students during the assembly before classes every day that they should keep away from certain on line games.

"We have also asked the schools to ask the parents to ensure they keep a tab on what games their wards are playing at home," Dey said.

Dey, also the Principal of Central Modern School, Baranagar, said the sensitisation programme had already started in his institution.

There are about 150 ICSE-affiliated schools in the plains and 30 schools in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong in the hills.

The state CID had earlier said all the numbers from where the messages were sent to the people in the state to play the Momo Challenge were based abroad and an investigation had been initiated into it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice today visited the Arthur Road jail here, an official said.

The committee team, led by chairman Bhupendra Yadav and comprising eight MPs, also took stock of the legal aid given to undertrials during the two-hour long visit, the official told PTI.

The committee members visited various sections of the jail, including the medical unit, Rajvardhan, Inspector General of Police (Prisons) said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today left for the United States for medical treatment, an official said.

Parrikar, 62, had undergone treatment in the US for three months earlier this year for a pancreatic ailment and returned in June. He went to the US again for a follow-up earlier this month.

"Parrikar took the Air India flight from Mumbai airport at 1.30 am," an official in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) told PTI.

"He has left for the US on a short trip will be back in eight days," he said.

Parrikar was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai for a review health check-up last Thursday, a day after he returned from the US.

A senior official in the CMO had said yesterday that Parrikar will go to the US again for further medical treatment.

A meeting of Goa BJP leaders with party chief Amit Shah in Delhi, which was earlier scheduled for today to discuss the leadership issue in the coastal state in view of Parrikar's medical treatment, was cancelled yesterday, a senior functionary had said last night.

Seeking to rest speculation about change of guard in Goa, the CMO said last night that Parrikar would not hand over the charge to anyone else and continue to clear important files from the US.

There was "no order" to the CM to hand over his responsibility to anyone, a senior CMO official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here today to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit on the sidelines of which he will hold bilateral meetings with regional leaders, including Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Bangladeshi Premier Sheikh Hasina.

Modi was warmly received by Ishwar Pokhrel, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Nepal, on his arrival at the airport here.

Modi said yesterday that his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu signals India's highest priority to its neighbourhood and a strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia.

In a statement before leaving for Nepal for the two-day summit, Modi said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit whose theme is 'Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region'.

He is scheduled to meet Sirisena and Hasina today.

"I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and reviewing the progress we have made in our bilateral ties since my last visit to Nepal in May 2018," he said.

Modi said he and Oli will inaugurate the Nepal Bharat Maitri Dharmashala at the Pashupatinath temple complex.

The Summit's theme, Modi said,will enable the member-countries to shape a collective response to their common aspirations and challenges.

The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today launched a major offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that demonetisation was a "huge scam" deliberately inflicted by him on common people to snatch their money and give it to his "crony capitalist friends" and said he owes an answer to the country on why he did so.

Addressing a press conference a day after the Reserve Bank of India in its final report said almost all the money demonetised currency has returned to the banking system, he said the note ban decision was not a mistake but an assault on the common man.

"Noteban is nothing less than a huge scam and evidence is slowly coming out... You apologise when you make a mistake. Demonetisation was not a mistake, but done deliberately by the prime minister as a well thought-out attack on you (the people of India) with the intention of helping his 15-20 crony capitalist friends. His aim was to help big crony capitalists who have marketed him, by handing over the money snatched from the pockets of common people," Gandhi told reporters.

He was asked if the Prime Minister should apologise for the note ban decision.

"The Prime Minister Modi should answer why he inflicted the deep wound like demonetisation when issues like unemployment and low GDP rate remained," the Congress president said while referring to the RBI's report on the outcome of the demonetisation exercise.

The Congress chief said noteban had no positive results and the prime minister has "to answer the country and to the youth who are suffering from unemployment, as to why you inflicted such a wound on the country. What was the reason and logic behind it."



He alleged the prime minister took the decision to help his big industrialists friends convert their black money and those who had a lot of NPAs on them.

"His (PMs) 15-20 big crony capitalist friends who had taken loans from banks, had a lot of non performing assets (NPAs) and Narendra Modi took away the money from your pockets and put it into their pockets," he alleged.

Gandhi also alleged that at the time of noteban, "many of Modi's friends converted their black money into white". Citing the example of Gujarat, he claimed Rs 700 crore was converted in the cooperative bank in which BJP chief Amit Shah is a director.

"Was there a probe as to whose money was converted," he asked.

Taking a swipe at Modi, Gandhi said he rightly claims that what he achieved was never done in the last 70 years. Demonetisation is proof of that as it was aimed at helping only the rich, he added.

To a question on the intention behind noteban, Gandhi said "You will find out soon enough what the intention was. Their intention was very clear and let every Indian person understand this. The intention was to help the richest people, the most corrupt people in this land to change their money from black to white."



"We have heard of 20-point programme in the past, this is a one point programme on how to help crony capitalists," Gandhi said.

In response to another question on huge sums of money allegedly being deposited in banks ahead of demonetisation, he said, "The evidence is coming out. You will see that noteban is nothing less than a huge scam and slowly the evidence you are talking about is coming out and more and more will come out.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate on October 7 the Uttarakand's maiden investors summit in Dehradun where the state will showcase various investment opportunities in the existing as well as newer sectors such as wellness and medical.

The 'Destination Uttarakhand: Investors Summit' will be held on October 7-8.

A five-day roadshow covering five metro cities culminated here today in Delhi with Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat assuring investors of providing an enabling environment to do business in the state.

Earlier, the state organised similar roadshows in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Mumbai, from August 22-29.

The state's first ever investor summit will be organised at Dehradun and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to an official release.

Rawat invited suggestions and inputs from various stakeholders, including the industry, on how to improve the business environment in the state and what more can be done to boost investments.

"We are enhancing the development of the state in terms of connectivity, manpower and industrial development. Saharanpur expressway will be completed in next 1-2 years, which will result in reaching Dehradun from Delhi in less than 3 hours, Deoband and Roorkee are being connected directly through rail line and the work has started on central government's Rs 13,000 crore Bhartamala Yojana," the chief minister said.

The summit will focus on potential in food processing, renewable energy, information technology, tourism and hospitality, automobile, bio-technology, pharmaceutical, natural fibres, wellness and AYUSH, film shooting, horticulture and floriculture and herbal and aromatic.

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said some of the industries which are already there in the state have expressed for expansion of their business in the state.

"Electric vehicle, solar energy, other renewable energy, auto sector these are areas where businesses are looking at expanding footprint in Uttarakhand as well as destination development in medical and health sector," Kumar said.

Singh said the summit will see the state giving an exposition of what Uttarakhand is all about and what are the kind of things the state is doing.

"And we are going to hold sectoral meetings. We have also invited a large number of countries to become our partner, so it is going to be a very focussed summit where sectoral specific discussions will be covered," he added.

Inviting investors, Singh said the state has the cleanest environment in the country and the law and order situation is very stable.

"We already have got Rs 25,000 crore of investment for development of the highway sector and Rs 30,000 core for developing railway infrastructure in the state. Air connectivity to rest of the country and within the state has also improved with currently 22 flights operating in the state," Singh said.

State Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said the government wants to develop Uttarakhand as a preferred destination for winder tourism in India and abroad.

"We have established a single window clearance system for investors for ease of doing business in Uttarakhand. A website investuttarakhand.com has also been put in place for providing information about various investment opportunities in Uttarakhand for investors, which are integrated with various departments for required clearances," said Manisha Panwar, principal secretary, industries, Government of Uttarakhand.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman suspect wanted for the last week's deadly hotel fire in China's Heilongjiang province was detained today by the police, according to a media report.

Twenty people were killed and 23 others injured when a fire broke out early in the morning on August 25 in the four-storeyed Beilong Hot Spring Hotel at Harbin.

The public security bureau in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, detained a female suspect Li Yanbin wanted in connection with the hotel fire, the state-run China Daily reported.

Police had offered a reward of up to 300,000 yuan (USD 44,000) to those providing information about 52-year-old Li, a native of Harbin, it said.

Police, however, did not gave details about her alleged connection with the incident, the report said.

Meanwhile, the fire incident victims have been identified as members of a group of tourists from Beijing. The company which had organised their tour, Beijing Jiufangyuyue Commercial and Trading Company identified them.

"All the victims were the member of a tour group we organised, consisting of three staff members and 88 seniors," Zhao Chunlan, the legal representative of the company, was quoted as saying in the report.

"The 12 women and eight men are all Beijing residents, age between 59 and 85 year," Zhao said.

The group started its 10-day trip from Beijing on August 16 and it was to conclude on August 25 in Harbin.

The blaze at the four-storeyed Beilong Hot Spring Hotel started in the early hours and firefighters evacuated more than 80 people and rescued 20 others who had been trapped.

The firefighters found 19 bodies from the hotel. An injured person later died in a hospital.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"We were asked by policemen to keep the door of the bedroom open and sleep. I was livid and I flipped. I asked them to stand up and say sorry," Sabha Husain, female partner of activist Gautam Navlakha, said today.

She was describing the scene at their residence in Delhi's Nehru Enclave, where Navlakha has been put under house arrest.

Husain said she and Navlakha are under constant surveillance with policemen present at the residence.

She said she felt "worst" to be surrounded by policemen all the time and be "constantly watched".

"This morning, I ensured the three policemen, including a woman constable, was moved outside the house. The lawyer gave them a piece of her mind after which they moved out," she told PTI.

Husain said it was a relief for them.

"We are alone in the house today. There was a constant police presence inside. We wake up to them. Wherever we go inside the house, they watched us. It completely disorients your mind," Husain, who has been with Navlakha since his house arrest, said.

Authorities have ensured a heavy police deployment outside the residence and barricades have been put up.

"Police have now put up a red cloth around the house to prevent people from getting to know their activities inside. No relatives, no friends, even people who help Navlakha with his bank work are not allowed inside," she rued.

"We are managing our day-to-day activities somehow," said Husain.

Since no outsider, other than the policemen, is permitted to enter the residence, Husain has to go out to meet her friends. She said she is scared of leaving Navlakha alone.

Husain said ever since the Supreme Court direction, her phone has been buzzing with calls and messages from well-wishers, who want to know how they are managing.

Husain, however, said Navlakha appears confident and says he is prepared for "any outcome".

"We are quite confident. It is for the police to probe charges. We are sure nothing substantial will come out. It cannot harm them (the activists)," said Husain.

Navlakha was arrested on August 28 after searches in several cities that resulted in the arrest of four other activists.

A transit remand was secured from Saket district court in to take Navlakha to Pune, but the high court stayed the order.

The Supreme Court yesterday ordered the Maharashtra police that the activists be kept under house arrest till September 6.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The issue of combatting terrorism will be raised by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his talks here with Pakistan's new leadership next week, according to a media report.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday had confirmed that Pompeo will be in Islamabad on September 5 but now it has emerged that he would not be alone on the important trip. He will be accompanied by Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Joseph F Dunford.

"The secretary of state and the chairman are going to fly in to Islamabad to meet with the new government that's in place there now," Defence Secretary James Mattis said during a briefing at the Pentagon on Tuesday.

The need to fight terrorists would be "the primary part" of their discussions with Pakistani leaders, he was quoting by Dawn newspaper as saying.

Dunford, who also attended the briefing, said the US had "permanent interests in South Asia" and wanted to "maintain a presence (there) to have influence in that region".

Pompeo and General Dunford are expected to meet Prime Minister Imran Khan.

In their talks with Pakistani officials, the delegation will "make very clear what we have to do, all of our nations, in meeting our common foe, the terrorists," Mattis said.

"And make that a primary part of the discussion."



General Dunford said that the US would maintain both diplomatic and security presence in South Asia and the form of that presence was going to change over time.

General Dunford's inclusion in the delegation dispels the impression that this was not a proper visit but just a stopover, as US state and defence secretaries were both going to be in New Delhi next week for the first two-plus-two talks between the US and India, the report said.

But Secretary Mattis' emphasis on the need to fight terrorists reignites the controversy stirred last week after Secretary Pompeo's first call to Khan, it said.

The US Department of State issued a statement after the call, saying that "Secretary Pompeo raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan".

Pakistan rejected the US statement as incorrect, saying that the issue of terrorism was not discussed.

At the Pentagon briefing, Secretary Mattis avoided whipping up the controversy and did not comment when a journalist asked if he trusted the new Pakistani leadership's commitment to fight terrorism.

Mattis, however, said that Secretary Pompeo and he were going to New Delhi for talks aimed at further strengthening a growing partnership with India.

"We see the strengthening of India's democracy, its military, its economy as a stabilising element in the world, he said.

"And we want to make certain that where we have common interests, we are working together."



He said that a number of agreements would be finalised at this two-plus-two meeting in New Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The shipping ministry today signed a new wage settlement pact with employees at state-run ports, under which workers will get a 10.6 per cent hike, which will cost the ministry Rs 560 crore per year.

Under the agreement, signed between worker unions and the management in presence of Union minister Nitin Gadkari here, workers and pensioners will get a 10.6 per cent 'fitment' on basic pay and dearness allowance for a five year period starting 2017.

"Overall financial implication by this settlement for all the major ports for serving and pensioners is likely to be about Rs 560 crore per annum," an official statement said today, adding 32,000 workers and 1.05 lakh group C&D pensioners will benefit through the wage hike.

The last hike was of 10.5 per cent, but this is the first time that the negotiations have happened in a cordial way where the workers have not resorted to any industrial action to press for their demands, Mumbai Port Trust chairman Sanjay Bhatia said.

Gadkari welcomed the mutual consent and cooperations shown by the workers and made it clear that higher profits, revenue and efficiency at the ports is necessary for better payouts.

"We are not against workers and do not want to remove any workers, but there is a need for better commercial performance which alone can ensure better salaries," Gadkari made it clear.

Pointing out to a limited budget provision of Rs 800 crore for the ministry, Gadkari said additional resource mobilisation by the ports is the key.

He added that capital investment is needed for generating employment in the ports sector.

Over Rs 3 trillion of the Rs 16 trillion in investments under the Sagarmala programme have already been set in motion, Gadkari said, adding that the ministry has taken a cluster-based approach for attracting investments.

The upcoming special economic zone adjoining the country's largest container port, JNPT, will alone be leading to creation of 1.25 lakh new jobs in next four years, Gadkari said, stressing that locals should be given a preference in such opportunities.

He also said that unions often have an ideological bias leaning towards the Left, but underlined the need to work together sans any differences for collective good.

Gadkari said the government, which abandoned corporatisation in the state-run 'major ports' earlier, had appointed a consulting firm to come up with suggestions for improving performance.

Of the 120 suggestions received, over 100 have been implemented and this has led to an increase in port efficiencies and profits, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prof K Satyanarayana, son-in-law of Telugu poet Varavara Rao who is under house arrest in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case, today said he would approach the Supreme Court against the methods used by police to search his house on August 28.

Satyanarayana, who is the Head of Department of Cultural Studies and Dean of inter-disciplinary studies at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) here, also expressed his apprehension that the police might implicate him in the same case as his father-in-law was.

"They (police) treated me like I am a terrorist. They did not leave me even while I was answering nature's call. They even took out and started reading personal and intimate letters between me and my wife written before our marriage. My wife objected to that. I told them that they were hurting human sentiments also," he said.

On August 28, Maharashtra Police conducted searches in various cities and arrested five persons, including Rao, for their alleged links with Maoists.

The houses of Varavara Rao, his two daughters and a journalist were searched in Hyderabad.

"I am going to the Supreme Court. The same team (which is arguing for Varavara Rao), they found my case to be a fit case (to be challenged). I am also submitting details to them today. They will bring this up before the Supreme Court," Satyanarayana told PTI.

He said the police also seized his academic work of the past 20 years.

"I pleaded with them that there is no case against me. The only reason that they raided my house is that I am the son-in-law of Varavara Rao," Satyanarayana said.

He alleged that police asked him to sign a paper which was written in Marathi, after they seized some pen drives, laptops, hard disk and other material from his house.

He said the paper (after being translated) revealed that it was a document pertaining to his in-laws' house search.

When contacted, Pune Joint Commissioner of Police Shivaji Bodkhe said they do not need any warrant for searching houses in the case.

He also dismissed the allegations made by the family members of the arrested activist.

"They have all rights to make allegations. No warrant is required (for searches), no personal remarks made (during searches). We have all the proceedings video recorded. Each and every second has been recorded. Our officers have not made any personal remarks other than their work," Bodkhe told PTI over phone.

Pavana, wife of Satyanarayana and daughter of Rao, said the questions posed to her by some police officials during the search were "indecent".

"They were asking me why I do not look like a Hindu? They asked me--Why don't you wear traditional ornaments worn by married Hindu women? I consider these questions as indecent.

"Talking about my appearance and my way of dressing and my lifestyle, as a woman activist I certainly consider as indecent, though they were not rude with us," she said.

They also made negative comments about EFLU, saying such universities were useless for society, Pavana alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today informed the state Assembly that public hearing for the 2,700 MW Lower Siang hydro-electric project in Siang district could not be conducted due to opposition from local people.

"Public hearing for the said project could not be conducted even after five attempts," Khandu informed the House while responding to a question raised by Nationalist People's Party (NPP) legislator Tapang Taloh during Question Hour.

Khandu, who also holds the hydro-power portfolio, said that the project at Pangging village will not start without taking the locals into confidence.

He said a total amount of Rs 41.32 crore was taken in three installments during 2006 and 2010 from Jaiprakash Power Ventures Limited (JPVL) the developer by the state government as upfront money.

"As on date there is no physical activity under progress at the project site even though the detailed project report (DPR) of the project has already been completed and Techno Economic Clearance (TEC) was accorded by Central Electrical Authority (CEA) on February 16, 2010," the chief minister informed.

Responding to a supplementary, Khandu said that if the company discontinue its implementation, the responsibility of the upfront premium would depend on the factors responsible for the discontinuation of the project.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy today condemned the arrest of five Left-wing activists by the Maharashtra police, alleging that it was manifestation of an "undeclared emergency" unfolding in the country.

"In a democracy, freedom of thought, belief and expression are fundamental foundations and the Centre should not try to belittle the sacrosanct features of democracy by attempting to crush the freedom of individuals," he told reporters here.

Referring to the arrest of the activists on charges of links with Maoists, he said the action against the 'progressive' writers and thinkers would never be tolerated in a democracy.

On the Reserve Bank of India's report that over 99 per cent of demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes had returned to the banking system, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi owed an explanation to the nation for "concealing" the truth



He claimed that the sudden announcement of demonetisation by the Prime Minister on the night of November 8, 2016 had led to 'serious consequences' and hit the economy.

Narayanasamy also hit out at the Centre for the unchecked rise in prices of petrol and diesel across the country.

The 'short-sighted' economic and fiscal policies of the BJP-led NDA government had affected the development of the country and the 'failures' would get reflected in the Parliamentary elections next year, the Chief Minister claimed.

He was speaking to media after flagging off a lorry carrying relief materials to flood-ravaged Kerala.

Narayanasamy said Rs 10 crore would be contributed to the Kerala Flood Relief Fund in the next one week.

This comprised aid from the union territory government and donation of one monthsalaries from MPs and MLAs and the government employees besides contributions from public, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or the Mizo Students' Federation today claimed that its activists have detected and pushed back nearly 500 people from Assam trying to enter into Mizoram without valid citizenship documents.

The outfit's activists have started keeping a vigil on the Mizoram-Assam border following publication on July 30 of the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, in which 40 lakh applicants were left out, MZP president L Ramdinliana Renthlei said.

"Between August 16 and today, our workers detected and pushed back around 500 people from Assam from three checkpoints - Vairengte, Bairabi and Saiphaim. They did not have valid citizenship documents," Renthlei told PTI.

He alleged that the Mizoram government did not take necessary steps, though other northeastern states bordering Assam made arrangements to prevent "illegal migrants" from sneaking in.

The state government, however, said additional police personnel were deployed in border areas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A senior engineer of the public works department (PWD) was suspended today for alleged financial mismanagement in the construction of a hostel in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, an official said.

Acting on a complaint by the Mahore sub-divisional manager, an inquiry was conducted into the construction of a 50-bed Gujjar-Bakerwal hostel in Mahore, which was found to be sub-standard. Instead of penalising the contractor, the engineer, M K Verma, allegedly paid Rs 20 lakh, reportedly much more than what was due, the official said.

District Development Commissioner Prasanna Ramaswamy G acted against M K Vikram and ordered a departmental inquiry by the PWD superintendent engineer of Udhampur-Reasi circle, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led central government, senior Congress leader Raj Babbar today described the Rafale fighter jet deal as "immoral and illegal", aimed to benefit an industrialist close to the Prime Minister.

The Narendra Modi-led central government violated all norms while signing the deal with the France-based company, Babbar alleged at a press conference here.

"The Rafale deal is the biggest-ever defence scam, aimed to extend benefits to just one company, formed barely days before the deal was signed. Even the key officials in the Union ministries of defence, external affairs and finance were unaware of the deal," the Uttar Pradesh Congress chief said.

He accused the Centre of breaking protocol by favouring one individual.

"There was no security hazard in disclosing the details, as claimed by the NDA government. In the past too, the UPA government divulged information about Sukhoi and Mirage aircraft deals," the Congress leader claimed, accusing the Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of "lying to the country".

The Uttar Pradesh Congress chief also questioned the increased prices of the Rafale jets.

"How is that the price of jet magically rose from Rs 526 crores to Rs 1670 crore and why was the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited kept out of the deal?" he said.

The NDA government is shying away from a probe into the allegations as they are scared of skeletons tumbling out of the closet, Babbar added.

Hitting out at Jaitley yesterday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the deal.

"How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee to sort it out? Problem is, your Supreme Leader is protecting his friend, so this may be inconvenient. Do check & revert in 24 hrs. We're waiting!" he tweeted.

In another related post this morning, Gandhi said Jaitley's deadline for replying to his tweet is fast approaching.

"Dear Mr Jaitley, Less than 6 hrs left for your deadline on the #Rafale JPC to run out. Young India is waiting," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The political dogfight over the controversial Rafale fighter jet contract intensified today with Rahul Gandhi asking what is the "deal" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Anil Ambani while Finance Minister Arun Jaitley accused the Congress chief of resorting to falsehood.

As a combative Gandhi launched a pincer attack on the prime minister over the twin issues of demonetisation and the multi-billion dollar Rafale deal at a conference, hundreds of Youth Congress workers took to the streets in Delhi to protest against the jet contract, dubbing it as the "biggest scam".

Gandhi also accused Modi of "lying" over the Rafale deal, as he reiterated his demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee(JPC) probe into the contract with France.

Gandhi asked why the fighter jet was purchased at Rs 1,600 crore instead of the Rs 520 crore cost finalised during the Congress-led UPA government.

"Why did you buy an aircraft of Rs 520 crore at the cost of Rs 1,600 crore? Who were you (Modi) trying to benefit?" the Congress president asked.

"Bring a joint parliamentary committee probe. The entire country wants to know what is the deal between Narendra Modi and Anil Ambani," he said.

Gandhi claimed Rafale is a "clear-cut case" as on the one one hand it is the company owned by Anil Ambani who has loans worth Rs 45,000 crore pending on him and has never made an aircraft and set up his company only a few days before the contract was signed.

On the other hand, he said the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) is an old company having the experience of manufacturing aircraft for the last 70 years and has no loans pending against it.

Gandhi cited the 2015 joint statement made by Modi and French President Franois Hollande, saying it is clearly written there that the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered on the same configuration as had been tested and approved by the Indian Air Force(IAF).

"The point is it is written in the prime minister's joint statement that the aircraft will have the same configuration. The prime minister is now saying something else. The statement he gave with Mr Hollande, was it the same Narendra Modi.

"It is clearly written that the configuration is going to be of the same configuration. So the man is lying," he said while attacking the prime minister.

Gandhi also targeted Jaitley, saying he was blogging but not saying anything on a probe by a JPC.

Hitting back at Gandhi, Jaitley said the fully weaponised fighter jets which his government is buying are 20 per cent cheaper than the ones offered under the previous UPA regime.

Minutes after Gandhi again targeted Modi for allegedly helping only "15-20 crony capitalist friends", Jaitley took to the twitter to say any diversionary tactic will not wipe out the falsehood of the opposition leader.

"@RahulGandhi has not read my question - The fully weaponised Rafale aircraft's 2016 price is 20% cheaper than the 2007 offer. This is what the 2015 statement of the PM and the French President refers to as 'on terms better than the 2007 offers'," he wrote.

Jaitley had yesterday posed 15 questions to Gandhi, charging him with "peddling untruth" and carrying out a "false campaign" on the Rafale deal in a bid to counter the opposition's charge of it being the "biggest scam" in the defence sector.

As Gandhi maintained that the Modi government was buying fighter jets at more than three times the Rs 520 crore price, Jaitley said, "Any issue diversion by @RahulGandhi on my Rafale questions, will not wipe out his falsehood on Rafale."



BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Gandhi cannot launch his career by alleging a scam in the Rafale deal, adding the Congress chief was sounding like a "broken record" by repeating the same set of allegations over this issue as well as demonetisation.

At his conference, Gandhi said Jaitley has asked some questions and he has the right to do so, but he has been given an option to the prime minister through the finance minister that he is free to ask questions but before the joint parliamentary committee.

"Everything will be clear as to what happened in Rafale."



"I have no problems and the Congress party has no objections, we all will agree. The 24-hour deadline is coming to an end(today) and Arun Jaitley is writing long blogs but is not responding to my question," Gandhi said, as he reminded Jaitley about the deadline twice during the day.

Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy alleged that the prime objective of the Rafale contract was to help Ambani who floated a new company just before 12 days of striking the deal.

Facing allegations of getting undue benefits from the Rafale deal, the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group has sent legal notices to several Congress leaders asking them to "cease and desist" from levelling such charges.

On the defamation suits, Gandhi said, "Anil Ambani can file as many defamation suits he wants but he cannot change the truth, which is, note ban was implemented to help 15-20 crony capitalists.

The Anil Ambani group has denied receiving any contract from the Defence ministry and said "unfounded and incorrect" allegations were being made to "mislead people and cloud the issue.

Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari asked the Modi government to share details of the Rafale deal with the country if there was nothing "shady" about it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were locked today in a verbal duel over the demonetisation issue with the opposition leader alleging it was a "huge scam" to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "crony capitalist friends" and the senior BJP leader hitting back saying his "little knowledge is dangerous".

Soon after Gandhi addressed a press conference, other BJP leaders also accused the Congress president of being a "non-serious political player", saying he had nothing new to offer and was parroting the same charges.

Gandhi alleged the demonetisation was a "huge scam" deliberately inflicted by the prime minister on common people to snatch their money and give it to his "crony capitalist friends".

A day after the Reserve Bank in its annual report said 99.3 per cent of the junked notes returned to the banking system, Gandhi said the note ban decision was not a mistake but an assault on the common man and the prime minister owes an answer to the country on why he did so.

Hitting back at Gandhi, Jaitley said, "Little knowledge is dangerous. Rahul Gandhi's fiction on 'demonetisation helping NPA holders', forgets that the Modi Government legislated and enforced the IBC where the NPA defaulters lost their companies."



IBC is the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code that calls for auctioning off the assets of serial loan defaulters. NPAs or non-performing assets refer to bad loans.

Earlier in the day, Jaitley in a Facebook blog said invalidation of non-deposited currency notes was not the only object behind the November 8, 2016 decision to junk Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

"The larger purpose of demonetisation was to move India from a tax non-compliant society to a compliant society. This necessarily involved the formalisation of the economy and a blow to the black money," he wrote.

At his press conference, Gandhi said, "Note ban is nothing less than a huge scam and evidence is slowly coming out."



"You apologise when you make a mistake. Demonetisation was not a mistake, but done deliberately by the prime minister as a well thought-out attack on you (the people of India) with the intention of helping his 15-20 crony capitalist friends," he alleged.

"His (prime minister's) aim was to help big crony capitalists who have marketed him, by handing over the money snatched from the pockets of common people," Gandhi told reporters when asked if the prime minister should apologise for the note ban decision.

"Prime Minister Modi should answer why he inflicted the deep wound like demonetisation when issues like unemployment and low GDP rate remained," the Congress president said while referring to the RBI's report on the outcome of the demonetisation exercise.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra took on the Congress president saying, "It was like a 'parrot pattern press conference' repeating the same allegations."



Patra cited the BJP's massive win in the the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll, which was held in February-March last year following demonetisation decision in November 2016, and subsequent elections to claim people's support to the measure.

At a press conference, he alleged the Gandhi family has been crying "tears of blood" over the move to declare Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes invalid because the money it had "looted" from people and kept in its residence turned into worthless papers overnight.

Patra alleged Gandhi continues to have same scriptwriter despite people's rejection of his charges.

Gandhi is a "non-serious political player" who has nothing new to offer and has been parroting the same charges, Patra said.

On Gandhi's allegation that the Modi government worked to benefit 15-20 industrialists, he said the Congress leader should answer as to how many of them turned richer after it came to power in 2014.

"Look at his maturity, though, he has aspirations to be prime minister," the BJP leader said.

Jaitley said the larger purpose of demonetisation was to transform India from a tax non-compliant society into a compliant one, and invalidation of non-deposited currency was not its only objective.

Banks received Rs 15.31 lakh crore or 99.3 per cent of the Rs 15.41 lakh crore worth of junked Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that were in circulation on November 8, 2016 -- the day when the note ban was announced, according to the RBI.

Jaitley said when cash is deposited in banks, it loses anonymity and can be identified with its owner.

"Accordingly, post demonetisation about 1.8 million depositors have been identified for this enquiry. Many of them are being fastened with tax and penalties. Mere deposit of cash in a bank does not lead to a presumption that it is tax paid money," he said.

The Congress chief said the note ban had no positive results and the prime minister has "to answer the country and to the youth who are suffering from unemployment, as to why you inflicted such a wound on the country. What was the reason and logic behind it."



He alleged the prime minister took the decision to help his big industrialists friends convert their black money and those who had a lot of NPAs on them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Contact:

Mostly, the Rude Pundit doesn't give a shit what you have to say, but, if you have to say it, you can write to Lee Papa here: rudepundit(at)yahoo(dot)com
Upping the ante on the issue of the Rafale fighter jet deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why an aircraft costing around Rs 520 crore was bought at Rs 1,600 crore.

The Congress president also demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe on the Rafale deal.

"Why did you buy an aircraft of Rs 520 crore at the cost of Rs 1,600 crore? Who were you (Modi) trying to benefit?" Gandhi asked at a press conference.

Gandhi also attacked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, saying he was blogging but not saying anything on a probe by a JPC.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of Youth Congress workers took to the streets to voice their protest against the deal they dubbed the "biggest scam".

Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter jet designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Rafale jets are considered one of the most potent combat jets globally.

India and France signed a deal worth Euro 7.87 billion (Rs 59,000 crore approximately) on September 23, 2016 for 36 Rafale jets. The delivery of the aircraft will start from September 2019.

The deal was finalised on the basis of the procurement procedure followed under the UPA government.

The Congress has been accusing massive irregularities in the deal, alleging that the government was procuring each aircraft at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore as against the Rs 526 crore finalised by the UPA government.

The party has also demanded answers from the government on why state-run aerospace major HAL was not involved in the deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has "defamed" India by criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS on the foreign soil which was against the "Indian tradition", Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said here today.

Referring to Gandhi's speeches in Germany and England, Chouhan said Gandhi's criticism of the PM, the RSS and the BJP on the foreign soil is "perplexing".

"The Congress is indulging in of accusations. Congress president Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the RSS and the BJP abroad which is highly perplexing," the chief minister told reporters.

Addressing a gathering at the Bucerius Summer School in Hamburg in Germany, Gandhi had said the BJP government has excluded tribals, Dalits and minorities from the development narrative and "this could be a dangerous thing".

In his speech in London, he had likened the RSS, the ideological mentor of the BJP, to the radical Islamist outfit Muslim Brotherhood.

Gandhi had also said that the RSS was trying to "change" the nature of India and "capture" its institutions.

Chouhan said, "We (the BJP and the Congress) fight over ideological differences in the country. But to defame the nation abroad is not in our (BJP's) tradition," he said.

Which tradition Rahul Gandhi is adopting? the Congress has no political decorum, the Chief Minister said.

Chouhan spoke about how he upheld dignity of prime minister's post in a foreign country when Manmohan Singh of Congress was prime minister of the country.

"I had gone to Washington when Manmohan Singh was our prime minister. Journalists there asked me whether the Indian PM was an under-achiever. I immediately objected and said the PM cannot be an under-achiever. He was not the prime minister of any party, but of the entire nation and he was our pride," Chouhan said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An aggressive Rahul Gandhi today launched a two-pronged offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on demonetisation and Rafale deal, terming them as huge scams which were committed to help his "crony capitalist friends".

In a no-holds-barred attack on Modi, the Congress President alleged that the noteban "scam" was deliberately inflicted on common people by the PM who owes an answer to the country on why he did so, and demanded a JPC probe into the Rafale issue saying the country wants to know "what is the deal between the prime minister and businessman Anil Ambani".

Addressing a press conference a day after the Reserve Bank of India in its final report said almost all the money demonetised currency has returned to the banking system, he said the note ban decision was not a mistake but an "assault" on the common man.

"Noteban is nothing less than a huge scam and evidence is slowly coming out... You apologise when you make a mistake. Demonetisation was not a mistake, but done deliberately by the prime minister as a well thought-out attack on you (the people of India) with the intention of helping his 15-20 crony capitalist friends.

"His aim was to help big crony capitalists who have marketed him, by handing over the money snatched from the pockets of common people," Gandhi told reporters.

He was asked if the Prime Minister should apologise for the note ban decision.

"Prime Minister Modi should answer why he inflicted the deep wound like demonetisation when issues like unemployment and low GDP rate remained," the Congress president said while referring to the RBI's report on the outcome of the demonetisation exercise.

On the Rafale issue, Gandhi alleged it is a "clear cut" case where the prime minister is "lying" and cited a joint statement made by the PM and French President Francois Hollande in 2015 where it was made clear that the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be delivered on the "same configuration" as had been tested and approved by the Indian Air Force.

"The point is, it is written in the prime minister's joint statement that the aircraft will have the same configuration. The prime minister is now saying something else. The statement he gave with Mr Hollande, was it the same Narendra Modi.

"It is clearly written that the configuration is going to be of the same configuration. So the man is lying," he said while attacking the prime minister.

Industrialist Anil Ambani has denied the Congress charge that the government had a role in his Reliance group being chosen as an offset supplier and has accused the party of making "false statements". He has also written to Rahul Gandhi explaining the deal and slapped defamation notices on a number of Congress leaders asking them not to make "false" statements.

Asked about the defamation notices by Ambani, Gandhi said, "You can slap as many defamation notices as you want, but the truth will remain the same".

"Why did you buy an aircraft of Rs 520 crore at the price of Rs 1,600 crore? Who were you (Modi) trying to benefit?" Gandhi asked.

Gandhi also attacked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, saying while he was blogging he had not said anything on the probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

Referring to the minister's blog yesterday on Rafale issue, Gandhi said Arun Jaitley has asked some questions, but an option has been given to the prime minister through Jaitley that he is free to ask questions but before the joint parliamentary committee.

"Everything will be clear as to what happened in Rafale," he said.

"I have no problems and the Congress party has no objections, we all will agree. The 24-hour deadline is coming to an end and Arun Jaitley is writing long blogs but is not responding to my question. I think Arun Jaitley is caught in a fix, as the permission (for a JPC) is to be given by Narendra Modi. I hope Arun Jaitley has asked from the prime minister, hope he is not afraid of asking the prime minister," he said.

Gandhi started his press conference by asking journalists if they were writing "freely".

The Congress chief said noteban had no positive results and the prime minister has "to answer the country and to the youth who are suffering from unemployment, as to why you inflicted such a wound on the country. What was the reason and logic behind it."



He alleged the prime minister took the decision to help his big industrialist friends convert their black money and those who had a lot of NPAs on them.

"His (PMs) 15-20 big crony capitalist friends who had taken loans from banks, had a lot of non performing assets (NPAs) and Narendra Modi took away the money from your pockets and put it into their pockets," he alleged.

Gandhi also alleged that at the time of noteban, "many of Modi's friends converted their black money into white". Citing the example of Gujarat, he claimed Rs 700 crore was converted in the cooperative bank in which BJP chief Amit Shah is a director.

"Was there a probe as to whose money was converted," he asked.

The Congress had been severely critical of the note ban announced by Modi in November 2016, raising it in several assembly elections. In the run up to Lok Sabha elections, it has also stepped up its attack over the Rafale deal in a bid to corner the Modi government, which has often cited a corruption-free administration as one of its achievements after several alleged scams came to light during the UPA rule.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP hit back at Rahul Gandhi, saying he cannot launch his career by alleging scam in the Rafale deal and jeered at the Congress chief for sounding like a "broken record" by repeating same set of allegations over this issue as well as demonetisation.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Gandhi continues to repeat same charges "like a parrot" but people have rejected him as well his party time and again. It is the Congress that has been involved in "A to Z" of corruption, he added, naming scams in an alphabetical order.

He cited the BJP's massive win in the the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll, which was held in February-March last year following demonetisation in November 2016, and subsequent elections to claim people's support to the measure.

At a press conference, he alleged that the Gandhi family has been crying "tears of blood" over the move to declare Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes invalid because the money it had "looted" from people and kept in its residence turned into worthless papers overnight.

Despite people's rejection of his charges, Gandhi continues to have same scriptwriter, he said.

Gandhi is a "non-serious political player" who has nothing new to offer and has been parroting the same charges, Patra said of the Congress president's press conference in which he had launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It was like a "parrot pattern press conference", repeating the same allegations, Patra said.

To Gandhi's allegation that the Modi government worked to benefit 15 industrialists, he said the Congress leader should answer as to how many of them turned richer after it came to power in 2014.

On the issue of Rafale fighter aircraft deal, Patra mocked Gandhi for quoting different prices at different places and asked him to "memorise his lines at home" before making allegations.

"Look at his maturity, though, he has aspirations to be prime minister," the BJP leader said.

Top BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Ravi Shankar Prasad have given figures to say that the deal negotiated by the Modi government was nine per cent cheaper than the UPA's one while fully loaded version of the aircraft is 20 per cent cheaper, he said.

Patra, however, insisted that the UPA had not finalised its deal.

Asked if the alleged UTI scam he cited was different from the one that had happened under the BJP-led government at the Centre when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister, Patra claimed that all scams are invariably linked to the Congress.

To Gandhi's charge that the Modi government had destroyed economy, he said India was counted among fragile five when the Congress was in power but is now seen as a "growth engine" of the world economy and is among the "fabulous few".

On the Gandhi's charge of increasing non-performing assets, he cited Modi's response to this in Parliament in which the prime minister had said that a total of Rs 18 lakh crore of loan was given in 60 years but over Rs 52 lakh crore of loan was given during the 2009-14 period when the Congress was in power.

It was like a "phone banking system" as loans were sanctioned after likes of Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Sonia Gandhi would make calls, Patra alleged.

Demonetisation also led to rise in income tax collection, closure of over 3 lakh shell companies with over 18 lakh bank accounts coming under scrutiny, he claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fed up with pendency of files related to development works in villages, AAP minister Gopal Rai today summoned officials and 35 MLAs at the Delhi Secretariat and got nearly 300 files cleared.

Rai, who is Delhi's Development Minister, termed the move as as "unique and necessary" to speed up the work in villages.

According to the minister, 295 files with regard to proposed development works in Delhi's villages had been pending for the last one-and-a-half years as officers were "deliberately" stopping these files.

The last year's budget for Village Development Board (VDB) lapsed because files were not cleared by officers concerned, he alleged.

Talking to reporters here, Rai said that the officers had been citing several "excuses" such as staff crunch.

"Today, all officials concerned and MLAs from 35 Assembly constituencies were asked to be at Delhi Secretariat with all their printers, laptops and clear pending files," Rai said.

He said that till now, the district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates have cleared 160 files, while the flood and irrigation department has cleared 135.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has urged all political parties to boycott elections till the Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines or the ballot paper system are not made available.

In a letter written to chiefs of various political parties, he said since the elections in 2014, there have been doubts about the credibility of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The allegations that EVMs are being tampered have been confirmed in all subsequent polls, he claimed.

"In so many constituencies, our corporators and MLAs worked relentlessly and yet they faced defeat. In fact, in so many places the candidates got zero votes. Now, how is this possible?" Thackeray questioned.

He said the First World countries like USA, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and Korea chose to discontinue the use of EVMs and reinstated the ballot system.

"The only countries still using EVMs are India, Nigeria, Venezuela, among others. Why are we insisting on this disputable method?" the MNS chief asked.

One cannot push aside the possibility of EVMs being hacked during the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls due next year, he said, adding that the fundamental right of freedom of expression stands infringed.

"To add to this, if even the Election Commission is coming under siege, then we, as a democratic country, will cease to exist," he said.

"I appeal to all political parties to come together and demand that till the time VVPAT machines or ballot paper system are not made available, we will not fight elections," Thackeray said.

MNS secretary Sachin More told PTI that along with the letter, Thackeray has also enclosed a pen drive having an audio-visual demonstration of how EVMs can be hacked, which has already been demonstrated in the Delhi Assembly.

VVPAT is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballot less voting system. It is an independent verification system for voting machines designed to allow voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly.
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader and senior minister in the Yogi Adityanath government Om Prakash Rajbhar, who recently met sidelined Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav, today distanced himself from the newly floated Samajwadi Secular Morcha.

"I have nothing to do with the Samajwadi Secular Morcha, which was launched by Shivpal Singh Yadav yesterday," Rajbhar said.

Rajbhar, who has been critical of alliance partner BJP in the past, reiterated that his party had no tie-up with Shivpal's Morcha and that the alliance with BJP will continue.

"Although I have had a number of meetings with Shivpal Singh in the recent past, in none of them did we discuss politics," said the minister of backward classes welfare and disabled people development.

Shivpal had floated his morcha yesterday and said he would unite small parties in the state.

Shivpal had met Rajbhar on Tuesday night. However, both leaders maintained that the meeting was personal and not political.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar today distanced himself from the new front floated by disgruntled SP leader Shivpal Yadav.

"I have nothing to do with the Samajwadi Secular Morcha, which was launched by Shivpal Singh Yadav yesterday," Rajbhar said.

Rajbhar, who has been critical of the bigger alliance partner BJP, asserted that his SBSP had no tie-up with the morcha and its alliance with the ruling party will continue.

"Although I have had a number of meetings with Shivpal Singh Yadav in the recent past, in none of these did we discuss politics," said the minister for backward classes welfare in the Yogi Adityanath government.

Shivpal Yadav floated his morcha yesterday, saying he will seek the support of neglected workers in the Samajwadi Party.

He had also said he would unite the small parties in the state. But Yadav, who remains an SP legislator, did not clarify whether his morcha will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Shivpal Yadav was removed from the post of SP state unit's president after his nephew Akhilesh Yadav assumed charge as national president.

Shivpal Yadav had met Rajbhar the night before launching the new front.

However, both leaders maintained that the meeting was personal and not political.

Earlier in June, the SBSP president had triggered speculation after he was closeted with Shivpal Singh Yadav in the Varanasi circuit house for over 15 minutes.

While both leaders had called the meeting just a courtesy, political overtones were read into it as the minister has been targeting the state government every now and then.

That meeting had also assumed significance as Rajbhar had at one time defended Akhilesh Yadav over the alleged damage done to the official residence that he vacated in Lucknow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hundreds of people paid their respects to US Sen. John McCain on Wednesday, standing for hours in the broiling Arizona sun before filing past the flag-draped casket that his tearful wife, Cindy, lovingly pressed her face against after a ceremony for the former North Vietnam prisoner of war who represented Arizona for decades.

Former military members in shorts and T-shirts stopped and saluted the closed casket flanked by National Guard members at the Arizona Capitol. Families will small children came by, and several people placed their hand over their heart or bowed, including Vietnamese residents who traveled from Southern California.

The private service held earlier marked the first appearance of McCain's family since the Republican senator died Saturday of brain cancer. It also began two days of official mourning in Arizona before his body is taken to Washington for a viewing at the US Capitol, followed by burial at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

At the emotional private ceremony in Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey remembered McCain as an internationally known figure and "Arizona's favorite adopted son" on what would have been his 82nd birthday. He was born in the Panama Canal Zone while his father, who went on to become an admiral, served in the military.

"Imagining an Arizona without John McCain is like picturing Arizona without the Grand Canyon," Ducey said.

Former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl said he had been with McCain across the world and he had better instincts on when to assert US power than anyone else he knew.

"I will miss him as a friend, and a strong force for America, and the world," Kyl said.

Sen. Jeff Flake offered the benediction, expressing gratitude "for his life and for his sacrifice" and "that John made Arizona his home." By the time the service ended, crowds had gathered to wait for the public viewing of McCain's closed casket, seeking shelter from Phoenix's summer heat under tents with coolers filled with ice and water bottles.

The line snaked down streets even as a continuous flow of people flowed past the casket. The visitation was to continue as long as people waited in line, said Rick Davis, McCain's former presidential campaign manager.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Expressing concern over the growing challenge of cyber crime, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara today demanded the central government to release the balance Rs 46.95 crore funds approved for the 2017-18 fiscal for modernising police force.

The matter was discussed in a meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh after submitting a proposal seeking



Rs 1,118.40 crore relief funds for flood-hit districts in Karnataka.

Karnataka Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and Revenue Minister R V Deshpande were also present at the meeting.

"Security is a serious concern. With increase in cyber crimes, we have to modernise our police with advanced equipment," Parameshwara told reporters after the meeting.

The Centre had released Rs 9.1 crore for the 2017-18 fiscal for modernisation of the police force and the state government has requested for releasing the balance amount of Rs 46.95 crore, he said.

About Rs 93.70 crore funds, with central and state share of 60:40 ratio, was approved for police mondernisation to be undertaken during the 2017-18 fiscal.

In the meeting, Parameshwara requested the Union home minister to clear the proposals of setting up of two India Reserve Battalions and establishment of a State Marine Police Training Centre, pending since 2016 and 2017, respectively.

With regard to railway police, the deputy chief minister said the staff strength of 900 was fixed 37 years back and the same has continued.

"With a multifold increase in the scope of work, the Karnataka Railway Police is facing severe shortage of operational staff. We have asked for additional staff of 990," he said, adding the Centre has also been asked to provide railway police for Konkan Railways.

Karnataka also put forth the demand of supply of boats under the Coastal Security Scheme Phase II, establishment of State Marine Police Training Centre in Udupi district and setting up of two new India Reserve Battalions at Tumkuru and Davangere.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The facility of renal transplant would be available at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) here from February next year, Health and Family Welfare Minister Vipin Singh Parmar informed the state Assembly today.

Replying to a question by Congress MLA from Kasumpti, Anirudh Singh, during question hour, Parmar said, "Trained medical, paramedical staff and upgraded operation theatre is required for renal transplant".

Medical and paramedical staff from nephrology and urology departments have been sent for three-month training to AIIMS Delhi and PGI Chandigarh for that, he said.

Subsequently the renal transplantation in IGMC would start in February next year, he added.

Earlier Singh said patients from the state had to go to PGI or AIIMS for renal transplant due to unavailability of the facility in Himachal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Recent government reforms like real estate law RERA, interest subsidy scheme for home buyers along with GST have helped improve housing demand in recent months, realty major DLF's Chairman KP Singh said.

The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) shall undoubtedly boost consumer confidence and pave the way for accelerated demand for housing products and facilitate flow of investments into the real estate sector, both from global and Indian investors, he told shareholders in the annual report for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The implementation of RERA, which came into effect from May last year, would also streamline norms for transparency and a compliance mechanism for timely delivery of good quality housing projects, he added.

He noted that RERA has been well supported by the implementation of good and services tax (GST) regime that would create a level-playing field for the organised players and accelerate growth in the sector.

"Real estate demand in the recent months has also received much needed impetus with the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) for the middle income group under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY). Your company (DLF) is well placed to capitalise on these opportunities in the business development space," he told shareholders.

Talking about importance of this sector, Singh said the key to transformation of India's future lies in recognising the real estate sector as the principle engine of growth.

The housing and construction sector has a multiplier effect on the entire economy, he said, adding that this sector contributes significantly to the gross domestic product (GDP).

Referring to studies, he said construction as a whole accounts for 11.39 per cent of the total economic output.

"Moreover, every rupee invested in the housing sector results in an addition of Rs 1.54 to GDP; and if household expenditure is also taken into consideration, the contribution adds up to Rs 2.84," Singh said.

To protect the consumers' interests, Parliament had passed RERA in 2016 and the law came into force from May 2017. Some states like Maharashtra and Haryana have set up regulatory authorities, others are in process of doing so.

The legislation upholds the spirit of federalism by allowing the states to set up the regulatory authority and the appellate tribunal. The role of the central government is limited to Union Territories without legislature.

RERA seeks to balance the interests of the consumers and the developers by imposing clear responsibilities on both. It aims to establish symmetry of information between the promoter and the purchaser; transparency of contractual conditions; set minimum standards of accountability; and a fast-track dispute resolution mechanism.

Among main provisions, RERA introduces the concept of using only 'carpet area' for sale instead of super area and super built up area. It provides for a model agreement between developers and homebuyers.

To prevent fund diversion by developers, RERA makes it mandatory upon the promoters to deposit 70 per cent of the funds, received from the allottees in a separate bank account, to cover the construction cost and land cost of the project.

Real estate brokers too have been brought in the purview of this law.

The law provides for a mechanism to settle disputes between promoters and home buyers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Despite pick-up in cement demand in Q1 FY 19, higher coal, pet coke prices and freight costs in the near-term are likely to put pressure on the profitability margins and debt metrics of the cement companies, a report said.

Domestic cement demand registered a healthy growth of 14.2 per cent Y-o-Y in Q1 FY2019. This buoyancy has however not been translated into improved financials for the sector. The rising supplies have restricted any significant increase in cement prices. which remained flat in Q1 FY2019 on a QoQ basis. They declined by around 5-6 per cent on a pan- India level in Q1 FY2019 on a YoY basis.

In addition, rising costs continue to put pressure on the profitability of the cement companies in FY2019, rating agency Icra said in its report here.

Overall, we expect the demand to show a growth of around 6-7 per cent in FY2019, primarily driven by a pick-up in the affordable and rural housing segments and infrastructure, mainly road and irrigation projects, in addition to the low base effect of FY2018," ICRA Ratings senior vice president Sabyasachi Majumdar said.

Cement production remained in the range of 27-28.6 million metric tonnes (mmt) during the April 2018-June 2018 period, clocking the highest at 28.6 mmt in June 2018. In April 2018, the production continued to remain healthy at 27.3 mmt, an increase of 16.7 per cent on a YoY basis. It increased on an MoM basis by 2 per cent in May 2018 to 27.8 million MT and by 2.8 per cent in June 2018.

It has continued to remain healthy since January 2018 and this was supported by the demand in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, driven by irrigation, low cost housing and infrastructure projects, the eastern markets driven by low cost housing and infrastructure demand and western Indian markets led by execution of infrastructure projects. Rural housing saw a pick-up, post monsoons, due to the improvement in the rural economy, following normal monsoons.

In Q1 FY2019, cement prices declined in most markets such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Hyderabad. However, prices in Ahmedabad have been higher by 2.8 per cent. Last year, in April 2017, cement prices were hiked, post demonetisation in most markets, which resulted in higher cement prices in Q1 FY2018. Also, the demand and the prices are likely to remain under pressure in Q2 FY2019 due to the monsoons.

"In addition to pricing pressures, higher power and fuel like increase in coal and pet coke prices and freight costs of increase in diesel prices in the near-term are likely to continue to put pressure on the profitability margins and debt metrics of the cement companies," Majumdar reiterated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Armed robbers today looted more than Rs 50 lakh from a cash van and gunned down its guard in Bihar's Samastipur district, police said.

The incident took place near the LIC main branch in the town at around 2 pm when cash kept inside the insurance company's office was being loaded into a van, Superintendent of Police Deepak Ranjan said.

The SP said two motorcycle-borne assailants arrived at the spot, took the guard at gun-point and asked him to hand over the cash.

When the guard resisted, they shot him in the head, leading to his death on the spot and decamped with the bag which contained Rs 52.74 lakh in cash.

During the robbery, some more accomplices of the two assailants were roaming around on motorcycles and they all left together brandishing firearms to scare away the crowd, the SP said.

Investigations were on to identify and nab the culprits, the SP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Russia today announced major military drills in the Mediterranean Sea amid growing tensions over a rebel-held enclave in Syria.

The Defence Ministry told Russian agencies that Russia will deploy 25 ships, including a missile cruiser, and 30 jets for the maneuvers in the first week of September. The military says the drills will focus on anti-air and anti-submarine defence.

It says Moscow has notified international organizations of the drills, which may make it dangerous for aircraft and ships to operate in the area. The drills were announced after NATO reported a Russian naval buildup in the Mediterranean.

Russia has provided crucial military support for Syrian government forces, which are expected to mount an offensive in the northern Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in today replaced his defence chief and four other ministers in a cabinet reshuffle after falling approval ratings in recent weeks.

Moon has driven a rapid diplomatic rapprochement with nuclear-armed North Korea, but defence minister Song Young-moo came under fire for mishandling a controversy over a defence intelligence unit.

In March, documents emerged detailing military plans to impose martial law against protesters demanding the ouster of Moon's predecessor Park Geun-hye last year, but Song failed to report them to the presidential Blue House.

Moon named Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman and air force general Jeong Kyeong-doo to replace him.

It is normal for South Korean defence ministers to be former top military officers -- Song was previously an admiral.

Moon's popularity rating soared to 83 percent after his Panmunjom summit with the North's leader Kim Jong Un in April.

It has since fallen to a record low of 56 percent in a Realmeter survey last week amid mounting concerns over the economy.

Moon also named new ministers for education, industry, labour and gender equality in Thursday's reshuffle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced today that it would hold protests across Punjab against the ruling Congress and Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday.

Addressing a party meeting here, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal vowed to give a befitting reply to the "conspiracy to weaken" Sikh institutions, as well as the Sikh 'Panth'.

Effigies of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and party state chief Sunil Jakhar will be burnt during the protests -- to be held in all the 117 assembly constituencies, a release said.

The move comes after the Congress and AAP had blamed Badals for sacrilege and police firing incidents at Faridkot in 2015.

On Jakhar's alleged threat that Akali leaders would not be allowed to enter villages, Badal said the party would hold a rally in the Congress leader's native Abohar town on September 9. "This 'Pol Khol' rally will break the arrogance of Jakhar and show him how popular he is in his own hometown", Badal said.

Yesterday, Jakhar had asked Badal to come clean on the Faridkot incident, saying he would have to reply about who had ordered the firing at protesters.

Badal also the SAD would not let the "criminal conspiracy hatched" by the Congress, along with radical leaders and AAP leader Sukhpal Khaira, to disturb the hard-won peace and communal harmony of the state.

Former minister Daljit Singh Cheema accused Jakhar of trying his best to instigate violence against Akali leaders, saying they would expose him. Cheema said the rally would give a clarion call that the Sikh 'Panth' would not tolerate interference in its religious affairs.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today held that a member of a Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community cannot claim the benefit of reservation in government employment in other states if his or her caste is not notified there.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi unanimously held that a person belonging to Scheduled Caste in one state cannot be deemed to be a Scheduled Caste in other states where he migrated for the purpose of employment or education.

The bench, which also comprised Justices N V Ramana, R Banumathi, M Shantanagoudar and Justice S A Nazeer, held "A person notified as Scheduled Caste in state A cannot claim the same status in another state on the basis that he is declared as Scheduled Caste in state A."



Justice Banumathi, however, disagreed with the majority view on the aspect of applicability of central reservation policy on SC/ST in national capital territory, Delhi.

The bench with a majority of 4:1 held that so far as Delhi is concerned, the central reservation policy regarding SC/ST would be applicable here.

The verdict came on a batch of petitions that had raised the issue whether a SC/ST in one state can seek reservation in another state where his caste is not notified as SC/ST.

The bench was also seized of the question whether SC/ST people of other state can seek quota benefits for government jobs in Delhi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court today held that a member of an SC/ST community from one state cannot claim the benefit of reservation in government jobs or admission in another state, if his or her caste is not notified there.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi also held that in Delhi, the central reservation policy applicable in jobs of the central government regarding Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), would be applicable.

It unanimously held that a person belonging to SCs or STs in one state cannot be deemed to be a SC or ST in other states where he has migrated for the purpose of employment or education, saying that such persons would be eating away the quota meant for the native SCs or STs.

The verdict came on as many as eight petitions that had raised the issue whether an SC/ST community member in one state can seek reservation in another state where his caste is not notified as SC/ST. The bench was also seized of the question whether SC/ST people of another state can seek quota benefits for government jobs in Delhi.

The bench, which also comprised Justices N V Ramana, R Banumathi, M M Shantanagoudar and Justice S A Nazeer, said the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes specified in relation to a State or a Union Territory does not necessarily carry the same status in another State or Union Territory.

"A person notified as Scheduled Caste in state A cannot claim the same status in another state on the basis that he is declared as Scheduled Caste in state A," it said.

Article 341(1) of the Constitution empowers the President to specify the castes, races or tribes or parts of or groups within castes, races or tribes which shall be deemed to be Scheduled Castes in relation to that State or that Union Territory.

The bench said the consideration for specifying a particular caste or tribe or class for inclusion in the list of SCs, STs or Backward Classes in any state depends on the nature and extent of the disadvantages and social hardships suffered by the concerned members of the class in that state.

"These may be absent in another State to which the persons belonging to some other State may migrate," the bench said.

The top court accorded primacy to the list of SC/ST castes prepared by the President and said nobody, including the Court, can order addition or deletion of any caste into that list.

"The upshot of the ...discussion would lead us to the conclusion that the Presidential Orders issued under Article 341 in regard to Scheduled Castes and under Article 342 in regard to Scheduled Tribes cannot be varied or altered by any authority including the Court," it said.

The court also gave another perspective to the issue and said, "If a member of a Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe of Andhra Pradesh who had migrated to Maharashtra is to be given the benefit of reservation, it will amount to depriving a member of a Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe of Maharashtra by reducing the reservation earmarked for them."



The bench with a majority of 4:1 held that so far as Delhi is concerned, the central reservation policy, applicable in jobs of the central government regarding SC/ST, would be applicable here also.

Justice Banumathi, however, disagreed with the majority view on this aspect of applicability of central reservation policy on SC/ST in national capital territory of Delhi.

She said the services under the Union Territories, though these are Central Government services, were those under the respective Union Territories and not under the direct control of Union of India.

Justice Banumathi also pointed out that the procedure for recruitment to various posts for the services of UTs were different as followed by respective UTs.

"Such services under Union Territories cannot be said to be Central Civil Services, that is services under Union of India, to extend the benefit of pan-India reservation for recruitment to the services under respective Union Territories including Union Territory of Delhi," Justice Banumathi said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Peopleas Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS)

30 August 2018

Press Release

Pune police under BJP government in Maharashtra arrested five well known left leaning intellectuals and activists under UAPA on 28th August. Eighty years old Varvara Rao is a famous Telegu poet. Sudha Bhardwaj is general secretary of Peopleas Union for Civil Liberties, and a leader of Chhatisgarh Mukti Morcha. Gautam Navlakha is a journalist and has been associated with Economic and Political Weekly and Peopleas Union for Democratic Rights. Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves are lawyers. They were arrested by Maharashtra police years ago for being associates of banned CPI(Maoist), but were acquitted by courts of all charges as there was no evidence against them. Arun Ferreira has been an active campaigner for the rights of people detained under black laws like POTA and UAPA. Police also raided house of Prof Satyanarana, the son in law of Varvara Rao in Hyderabad, and of Dalit scholar Prof Anand Teltumbde in Goa, and eighty year old Father Stan Swamy in Jharkhand. Police claims these arrests to be a follow up of the arrests of Prof Rona Wilson, Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale, civil rights activists Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut, and lawyer Surendra Gadling, on 6 June. For the time being the Supreme Court has stayed the police custody of the accused, and ordered their house arrests till 6th Sept.

All of the people arrested have been active in public life for many decades. Their ideas, political ideology, and activities have been in public domain all these years. Pune police has accused them of being urban contacts of the CPI (Maoist), of being part of a conspiracy to spread caste violence at Bheema Koregaon gathering of Dalits in January, and of the plot to kill ahigh political functionariesa in the style of aRajiv Gandhi assassinationa . These charges would be laughable, but for the sinister intent of the BJP government.

Ever since Mussolinias March on Rome in 1922, rightwing authoritarian parties have used spectacular show of strength to attack and terrorise their political and ideological opponents, and shore up popularity. Simultaneous arrests of these well known critics of the Modi government in different cities of the country are designed to produce similar public impact. As if on cue, the jingoistic media has latched onto the news and aUrban Naxalsa is the new label with which opponents of the regime are getting targeted.

There are other reasons too why these people are under attack. The Elgar Parishad meeting organized by a number of Dalit groups on the eve of Bheema Koregaon gathering had publicly declared BJP government as the aNew Peshwaia for its anti Dalit politics. This represented a new phase of anti-Caste politics, which can disturb the caste calculations behind the social engineering of RSS. In response the Modi regime has gone all out against politically active Dalits. Cases have been filed against Jignesh Mevani for speaking at the Elgar meeting. In Western UP Chandrasekhar has been in jail for close to two years. And, thousands of cases have been filed for protests against Supreme Court judgement diluting the law against atrocities on Dalits. Current arrests are a part of the long term strategy to prevent any association between left groups and anti-Caste Dalit politics.

It is well known that all of these five people have written, protested and fought legal cases against state violence on the most marginalized adivasis of Central India. Democracy is not only a collection of institutional practices, but is animated by a set of core ideas and values. Protection of the most vulnerable from injustice and oppression is one of these ideas. It is also ingrained in the Constitution via special provisions for oppressed castes and adivasis. While these people have tried to keep this essential idea of democracy alive in popular consciousness through their writings and activities, Modi regime wants to criminalise this idea and banish from public domain people who espouse it. Only then can it fully succeed in its majoritarian agenda.

Prof Satyanarayna and Ms K Pavana, daughter of Varavara Rao, have detailed in public what they went through when police raided their house in Hyderabad. Years of scholarly work stored in laptops and hard drives was summarily confiscated. They were told why they have pictures Phule and Ambedkar but not of gods and goddesses. Pavana was told aYour husband is a Dalit, a but you are a Brahmin, so why are you not wearing any sindoor .. (and) .. dressed like a traditional wife?a Clearly, police acted as casteist thugs and agent of Brahmanical Hindutva, rather than officers of a democratic state.

Many Indians have already raised their voice against the brazen misuse of state power by the Modi regime and condemned these arrests. Most of the opposition parties too have come out against this action. People of India need to be vigilant against BJPas machinations. The very possibility of democracy in the country is at stake.

PADS demands immediate release of all arrested on 6 June and 28 August. It demands stringent action against police officials who framed trumped up charges against the accused, and violated the right to dignity and privacy of Prof Satyanaryana and K Pavana.

Released by: Battini Rao, Convenor PADS (95339 75195), battini.rao[at]gmail.com
Sebi today slapped a fine of Rs 1 crore on Samruddha Jeevan Foods, its directors Mahesh Motewar and Vaishali Motewar for contravening regulator's earlier directions by continuing to collect the money from investors.

The regulator had imposed complete ban upon the entities from collecting any more money from investors under the existing schemes of the company in October 2015.

The case involves collection of funds by the entities from the various investors under the scheme in violation of the provisions of CIS (Collective Investment Scheme) Regulations.

In today's order, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said that the entities were collecting money and the company has also admitted that it was collecting money from investors to honour its pre-existing contracts despite a complete ban imposed by October 2015 order.

The entities have not only committed breach of the applicable provisions of law but have brazenly contravened the directions issued through order as they have completely disregarded the order, the regulator said.

In my view, the non-compliance of directions in such cases is certainly a serious and heinous violation affecting the interest of investors, it added



Accordingly "maximum penalty" of Rs 1 crore was imposed on the entities.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Second son of globally wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin was today arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2011 terror funding case for allegedly receiving money from his father, the probe agency said.

Armed with a non-bailable warrant from a Delhi court, the NIA officials, accompanied by the state police and CRPF, placed 48-year-old Syed Ahmed Shakeel under arrest at Rambagh locality in the city when he was on his way to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science where works as a senior laboratory assistant, the NIA spokesman said.

During investigation, involvement of Shakeel had also surfaced in raising, receiving, collecting funds from terrorist organisation through its active cadres from Saudi Arabia, the spokesman claimed.

The spokesman said he had received money through Western Union several times which were sent by absconding chargesheeted accused Aijaz Ahmad Bhat alias Aijaz Maqbool Bhat.

The probe showed that Shakeel, eldest son of Syed Salahuddin, self-styled chief of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror group, had received funds from various countries from the operatives of Hizb-ul- Mujahideen.

The accused was summoned by the NIA for questioning but he did not appear prompting the agency to secure a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him from the NIA Special Court.

He was brought to the national capital and would be produced before the NIA Special Court for seeking his police custody for custodial interrogation.

He is the second son of Salahuddin who has been arrested by the NIA in connection with the case. Earlier this year, his another son, Shahid, who was working in the agricultural department of the Jammu and Kashmir government, was arrested in the same case.

The NIA alleged Shakeel used to receive funds through a US-based international wire transfer company from Aijaz Ahmed Bhat, another accused in the case who is absconding and based in Saudi Arabia



The case, registered by the NIA in April 2011, relates to transfer of money from Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir through hawala channels via Delhi, which the agency believed was used in funding terrorism and secessionist activities.

The NIA has so far filed two charge sheets against six people including G M Bhat, a close aide of pro-Pakistan separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammed Siddiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga. All four are in judicial custody.

Two others -- Mohammed Maqbool Pandit and Bhat -- were also charge sheeted by the NIA but they are absconding. An Interpol Red Corner notice has been issued against them.

In this case, so far, three accused persons Mohammad Sidiq Ganai, Ghulam Jeelani Liloo and Farooq Ahmed Dagga have been convicted after they pleaded guilty.

Shakeel's father Mohammed Yusuf Shah -- better known as Syed Salahuddin -- was declared a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Department of State.

Besides heading terror outfit Hizb-ul Mujahideen, he is the chairman of the United Jehad Council (UJC), a conglomerate of terrorist outfits operating in the Kashmir Valley.

The NIA had also registered two others cases related to terror funding -- one in November 2011 and the other in May this year.

The agency had filed a charge sheet against 10 people including Syed Salahuddin in the April 2011 case.

In the recent case, the NIA arrested 10 people including some close relatives and aides of Geelani.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A court here asked today Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel -- who has launched an indefinite fast from his house -- to appear before it on September 14 in connection with a sedition case.

The sessions court will start framing of charges in the case against Patel and two of his former aides from September 14.

Framing of charges is a process after which the trial starts.

Hardik Patel's lawyers informed the court that he could not remain present today as he was on hunger strike at his house near Ahmedabad over the quota demand.

As co-accused Chirag Patel and Dinesh Bambhania were present, public prosecutor Sudhir Brahmbhatt requested the court to start with framing of charges in Hardik's absence.

However, as the lawyers of both the accused were also not present, sessions judge D P Mahida adjourned the hearing to September 14.

The Ahmedabad Police's crime branch had registered a case of sedition against Hardik Patel and others for allegedly instigating violence "with the intention of dislodging the government" during the 2015 quota agitation.

At least 13 persons died across Gujarat during the Patidar community's agitation for reservation in jobs and education in August 2015. The agitation was led by Hardik Patel.

He was granted bail in the case by the High Court in June 2016.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Senegalese court today upheld a five-year jail term against leading politician Khalifa Sall in a ruling that bars him from running in presidential elections due next February.

Sall, 62, who is mayor of Dakar, had described the charges against him as politically motivated.

He was sentenced in March on charges of fraudulent use of public funds, for which he was also fined five million CFA francs (7,625 euros).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Life in Kashmir came to a standstill today due to a complete shutdown called by separatists against the legal challenge in the Supreme Court on the validity of Article 35A, which bars people from outside Jammu and Kashmir from acquiring any immovable property in the state.

The situation across the valley is peaceful with no untoward incident reported from anywhere so far, officials said.

Shops, business establishments and educational institutions were closed across the Valley while all kinds of transport remained off the roads due to the strike called.

The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called for a two-day strike today and tomorrow as Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a PIL challenging the validity of the Article 35A tomorrow.

Authorities have imposed restrictions in some parts of the city as a precautionary measure for maintaining law and order, the officials said.

They said the areas where restrictions under section 144 CrPC have been imposed include police station Khanyar, Nowhatta, Maharajgunj, Safakadal, Rainawari, Maisuma and Kralkhud.

The officials said security forces have been deployed in strength at vulnerable places in the city and elsewhere in Kashmir for maintaining law and order.

Various organisations included Bar Association, transporters and traders' bodies have extended support to the shutdown call of the JRL, comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik.

Protests have been held across the length and breadth of Kashmir over the past month in support of continuing Article 35-A.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh has seen a drastic fall in cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) this year, thanks to the concerted efforts of six state government departments, UP health minister Sidharth Nath Singh said today.

There has been a sharp decline in AES cases this year compared to the number of patients admitted to the BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur with the disease last year, he said.

The health minister's statement comes a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath told the state Assembly that there were only six deaths due to the disease in August this year, compared to the death of 86 children in August last year.

Singh said from January 1 to August 28 this year, 319 such cases were reported in the BRD Medical College Hospital and 63 deaths took place, compared to 640 cases and 154 deaths during the same period last year.

The chief minister had also said that 80 patients were admitted in the facility this month against 400 cases reported in August last year.

"This is due to the coordinated efforts of six government departments...besides cleanliness programmes were run in February, April and July. We dedicated a fortnight for vaccination, potable water arrangements as well as creating awareness and launching training programmes," Singh said.

He said the number of beds were increased in the BRD Medical College Hospital and 500 doctors were given special training.

The minister said 1,427 AES and JE cases were reported from January 1 to August 9, 2018 in the state during which 111 deaths were reported.

He said over 5,400 cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis were reported in the state in 2017, leading to 748 deaths, compared to 4,353 such cases and 715 deaths in 2016.

According to the official figures, AES continued to be a bigger killer than JE in the northern state.

Singh said among the 111 deaths so far this year, 108 were due to AES and three due to JE.

Nearly 90 per cent of encephalitis cases and deaths in 2016 and 2017 were also attributed to AES.

Singh said the massive success in controlling the outbreak of the vector-borne disease was due to a planned strategy of the state government which had started its work well in advance.

The chief minister had also launched the 'Dastak' campaign against Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome in collaboration with the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

"Encephalitis affects children up to 15 years of age. This is our commitment to protect them from this deadly disease so that these children too can play an active role in nation building," he had noted.

As many as 38 districts of the northern state have been affected by the deadly disease.

The state health department was made the nodal agency to combat the disease with other departments like Urban Development, Panchayati Raj, Women and Child Welfare, Rural Development, Medical Education, Animal Husbandry and Basic Education, working under it.

Detailing the various steps taken by the BJP-led state government to tackle the deadly disease, Singh said a detailed programme was prepared to combat encephalitis as part of which vaccination work was completed by March-April 2018.

A sanitation drive was also launched. People were asked to keep their surroundings clean. Educational institutions as well as non-governmental organisations were also involved in this task, the health minister said.

Singh said malnourishment, one of the causes of spread of encephalitis, was checked by ensuring that pregnant women, lactating mothers and infants got nutritious food for which the lntegrated Child Development Services (ICDS) department and Aanganwadi workers were involved.

The medical department has been directed to provide more ventilators and warmers to the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, he said, adding paramedic staff were being trained to combat the disease.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arunachal Pradesh Minister Honchun Ngandam today said in the state Assembly that there was shortage of teachers in many schools but attributed it to political interference.

The minister appealed to the legislators not to interfere in transferring and posting of teachers in the greater interest of the students community of the state.

Ngandam was responding to an discussion in the Assembly. Earlier the Nationalist People's Party (NPP) MLA Tirong Aboh had alleged that majority of the teachers were transferred from Tirap district without sending relievers.

Aboh said 20 primary schools in Tirap district are running by single teachers while 254 schools in the state are non-functional.

The NPP legislator urged the government for rationalization of transfer and posting of teachers so that each school get the required number of teachers.

The minister, however, disclosed that there was no mass transfer in recent times.

However, during 2017, the department proposed to transfer teachers from those schools having excess teachers to schools with deficit, but had to halt the process due to half yearly examinations.

"There are 252 excess teachers in Papum Pare district alone but they could not be transferred due to political interference," he said.

Informing that 1300 post of subject teachers have already been created, Ngandam said that process of recruitment would start soon by Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).

"The APPSC is likely to conduct the examination by September next and the teachers will be appointed on need-based," the minister said adding, the state government has decided to close down all the zero enrolment schools in the state after verification and teachers from such schools would be appointed in other schools.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Some of the five Left-leaning activists arrested by the Pune police in a case relating to the Bhima-Koregaon violence are naxal mentors, the Telangana BJP unit alleged today, rejecting suggestions in some quarters it is a crackdown on political dissent.

Party spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao alleged that some of the arrested are certainly "naxal mentors" who are "wearing a faade of intellectuals and professionals for decades," but did not specify the individuals he was referring to.

Telugu poet Varavara Rao was picked up by Pune police in Hyderabad, Sudha Bharadwaj in Faridabad, Vernon Gonsalves in Mumbai, Arun Ferreira in Chhattisgarh and Gautam Navlakha in Delhi.

"Violence in Bhima Koregaon incidents were plotted and executed under the mentorship of a few of these mentors; some of the arrested are also part of that investigation by law enforcement agencies," Rao alleged.

He rejected suggestions in some quarters that the police action is a crackdown on political dissent.

"When investigative agencies are charging these individuals under sections of law through court monitored legal process, how is it partisan and vengeful? How is it stifling the voices of the political opponents? BJP does not consider them as political opponents; we consider them as opponents of Indian democracy, Indian Constitution, Indian integrity and sovereignty," Rao said.

He also said the Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Left party leaders are giving a political spin to a regular law enforcement and investigation process under the provisions of law of the land.

In 1971, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi launched "Operation Steeplechase" killing hundreds of naxals and arresting over 20,000 suspects, he claimed.

Rahul Gandhi should learn from his predecessors the responsibilities of being in governance, Rao said, adding, he cannot make "off the cuff remarks on every act of the government and try to extract some political juice."



He also charged Left parties with having no respect for the Constitution, democracy, elected government and law of the land.

"However, this cannot go on in the largest democracy in the world. This government will not keep quiet, if they are trying to poison a few sections of the society and disturb communal harmony," the BJP leader said.

Extreme Left wing parties are scared that their real agenda to destabilise India is being exposed.

Some of these people are being investigated for their role in plotting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assassination too, he alleged.

"I challenge Rahul Gandhi to make a statement that it's illegal to investigate an assassination plot of a sitting Prime Minister of this nation, let him make a statement in public. Let him not hide behind petty and convenient political statements," Rao added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court today expressed displeasure over the Centre not furnishing details sought by it on setting up of special courts to exclusively deal with cases involving politicians, saying the government is "unprepared".

"The government is compelling us to pass certain orders which we do not want to at this stage," a bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, adding "the Union of India is unprepared".

"The Union of India doesn't appear to be ready and prepared," it said.

The bench perused the additional affidavit filed by the government in which it has said that as per the apex court's direction, they had released funds to 11 states to set up 12 such special courts.

Regarding the apex court's query including on the number of cases pending before each of these special courts, the Centre has said the Ministry of Law and Justice was "regularly taking up the matter with the concerned authorities for furnishing the information regarding the cases transferred/disposed/pending in the said court(s)".

The bench posted the matter for further hearing on September 12.

In its affidavit filed in the court, the Centre has said that two special courts were to be set up in Delhi and one each in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

"All the state governments/High Courts have issued the notifications for setting up of special court(s) in their respective states; except for state of Tamil Nadu, wherein it has been informed that the proposal is under consideration of the High Court of Madras," the affidavit said.

Regarding the top court's query on whether the Centre intended to set up more special courts over and above these 12, the affidavit said the High Courts of Karnataka, Allahabad, Madhya Pradesh, Patna, Calcutta and Delhi "have informed that there is no requirement of additional special court(s) while the High Court of Bombay has expressed the requirement of an additional court."



The affidavit sought a direction that if additional courts were required, they should be set up within the allocations available with the states or from their own resources.

Regarding queries posed in November last year including on how many of 1,581 cases involving MPs and MLAs were disposed of within the time-frame of one year, the affidavit said that "updated information on the queries" would be separately filed by the legislative department of the ministry.

On August 21, the court had asked the Centre to inform it about how many special courts have been set up to exclusively deal with cases involving politicians after its order last year.

The top court had on December 14 last year directed the Centre to set up 12 special courts to exclusively deal with cases involving politicians and that these should start functioning from March 1 this year.

The top court was hearing the petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay who has sought to declare provisions of the Representation of the People Act, which bar convicted politician from contesting elections for six years after serving jail term, as ultra vires of the Constitution.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A statue of Swami Vivekananda was found defaced in West Bengal's Birbhum district today, police said.

Local people found the statue of Swami Vivekananda defaced at Md Bazar this morning and informed the police.

The police rushed to the spot. The inspector-in-charge of Md Bazar police station, Madhab Chandra Mondal said "we are investigating the matter".

The statue was installed by a local NGO in 2015.

An official of the NGO said the "statue is installed on a high pedestal. It is not possible for children or insane people to climb the high pedestal and damage it."



The local people demanded an investigation into the defacement of the statue of Swami Vivekananda.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
30th August 2018, Press Club of India, New Delhi

We, the undersigned, strongly oppose and condemn the illegal raids carried out in different cities, and arrests of Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Varavara Rao by the Maharashtra Police on 28 th August 2018. These are only the most recent arrests in a continuing wave of repression spearheaded by the police at the behest of their political leaders and their communal and casteist agendas against peopleas movements and human rights defenders. The targeting of these democratic rights activists and organizations is anattack on the poor and marginalized sections of our society on whose behalf these activists have been raising their voices.

The following are some of the significant aspects of the arrests:

1. The current five arrests have been carried out under FIR. No.4/2018 at Vishrambagh PS, Pune in connection with Bhima Koregaon clashes. Under the same FIR a similar wave of arrests was carried out on 6 th June against activists, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raut and Sudhir Dhawale. Those arrested on 28th August were not named in the original FIR. Nor did any of the names, barring one, of those arrested in June feature in the FIR.

2. The use of the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) as an instrument to target political dissent. Stringent UAPA sections on unlawful activities, terrorist acts, recruiting for terrorist acts, being members of terrorist organisations, support for terrorist organisations and providing funds for terrorist organization were added to the FIR and tailored for the arrests made in June and August.

3. Significantly, the two accused, habitual offender Milind Ekbote and godman, Sambhaji Bhide in the Bhima Koregaon case who were named in the very first FIR have never been penalized under UAPA. The Maharashtra government has in fact refused to prosecute Bhide.

4. The August arrests highlight violation of all due procedures, in a mockery of the legal system. The Delhi HC has questioned the irregularities and pointed lapses on part of Maharashtra Police while hearing the Habeas Corpus petition against the transit remand ordered by the CJM Saket Court in the context of Gautam Navlakhaas arrest.

5. There is a generic narrative of urban Naxalites, support to or association with Naxalite organisations, planned assassinations etc being circulated to create a climate of terror where members of civil society will hesitate to protest and dissent.

6. The invoking of UAPA against rights activists, which ensure long term incarceration, denial of bail, bans is meant to muzzle voices of democratic dissent. The Supreme Court has rightly observed that adissent is the safety valve of democracy. If it is not allowed the pressure cooker will burst.a

We demand

1. Immediate and unconditional withdrawal of FIR No.4/2018 at Vishrambagh PS, Pune, Maharashtra and all held under it.

2. Return of all items such as laptops, mobile phones etc. seized during the illegal arrest and search operations

3. Appropriate action against Maharashtra Police for launching a vicious and malafide attack against activists.

4. Withdrawal of all cases under UAPA and immediate end to such political acts of vendetta.

5. The unconditional repeal of UAPA.

Signed by:

1. Aruna Roy, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

2. Arundhati Roy, Author

3. Bezwada Wilson, Safai Karamchari Andolan

4. Harish Dhawan, Peoples Union for Democratic Rights

5. Jignesh Mewani, Dalit rights activist

6. Kalyani Menon Sen, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression

7. Kavita Sarivastava, Peopls Union for Civil Liberties

8. ND Pancholi, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties

9. Prashant Bhushan, Advocate

10. Sanjay Parikh, Advocate, Peoples Union for Civil Liberties

and

Signed by:

1. Peoples Union for Democratic Rights

2. Peoples Union for Civil Liberties

3. Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression

4. Indian Association of Peoples Lawyers

5. Committee for Release of Political Prisoners

6. Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan

7. Jan Hastakshep

8. Indian Federation of Trade Unions

9. Inquilabi Mazdoor Kendra

10. Pinjra Tod

11. Saheli

12. United Against Hate

13. Peoples Commission on Shrinking Deocratic Spaces

14. Centre for Struggling Women

15. Krantikari Naujawan Sabha

16. Samajwadi Jan Parishad

17. Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee

18. Dayar-I-Shauq Students Charter (DISSC), Jamia

19. Rough Cut

20. Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan

21. National Campaign for Right to Peoples Right to Information

22. Naujawan Bharat Sabha

23. Pension Parishad

24. Right to Food Campaign

25. Jan Manch, Uttar Pradesh

26. National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights

27. Loktantrik Janta Dal

28. South Asia Citizens Web

29.New Socialist Initiative

30. Bigul Mazdoor Dasta

31. Progressive Democratic Students Union

32. All India Institute of Medical Sciences - Resident Doctors Association

33. Peoples Union for Civil Rights, Haryana

34. Stree Mukti Sangathan

35. PIPMS, Delhi

36. National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO)

37. New Socialist Initiative
The Law Commission on Thursday suggested three options to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls but said several points still remain to be addressed.

In a public appeal issued along with its draft report on holding the mammoth exercise, it said though many of the impediments in achieving synchronisation of LS and assembly elections have been addressed, some of the points would "still remain to be pondered upon."



It asked all stakeholders to suggest whether holding simultaneous elections, by any means, tinker with the democracy, basic structure of the Constitution or the federal polity of the country?



It said various committees and commissions have made suggestions to deal with the situation of hung Parliament or Assembly, where no political party has majority to form a government.

These panels have proposed that the prime minister/chief minister may be appointed or selected in the same manner as a speaker of the House is elected.

"Will it be possible? If so, will it be in consonance and in conformity with the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution ... Will such an appointment or selection of the PM/CM by consensus amongst the political parties / elected members require amendment to Tenth Schedule to the Constitution? If so, to what extent?," it posed.

It said that after detailed discussions, the Commission has come to the conclusion that holding simultaneous elections would be ideal as well as desirable, but a workable formula is required to be provided in the Constitution.

It asked what other Articles of the Constitution may require amendment other than those discussed in the draft report.

It also wanted to know whether its recommendations violate the constitutional scheme.

"In view of the complexity of the issues involved, it is desirable to have further discussions and examination on the matter, involving all the stakeholders, once again, before making final recommendations to the government," it said.
To save costs, cash-strapped has decided to discontinue all "non-mandatory" travel for staff for meetings and instead use conference call and video conference facilities, according to a communication.

The loss-making national carrier is looking at ways to reduce expenses amid spiralling fuel costs and intense competition in the fast-growing domestic

In a communication, CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola has said that a lot of "non-mandatory Staff On Duty (SOD) movements on daily basis are taking place across the network for attending meetings and interviews, among others.

Such movements "not only involves expenditure on travel, cost of hotel accommodation and providing replacement for staff who is travelling SOD (in case of operational departments) but also result in loss of man days," he said.

Citing the "current financial condition" of the airline, Kharola said that all such non-mandatory SOD travel would be discontinued with immediate effect. "Meetings, interviews to be conducted through conference call/ video conference/ Internet-enabled tools," he said in the communication dated August 28.

In case of unavoidable situations where the travel involves hotel accommodation also, then there should be CMD's prior approval, the communication said.

This would be applicable in respect of all officers up to the level of Executive Director, it added.

Air India is staying afloat on taxpayers' money and the government is looking at ways to revive the airline's fortunes.
The Jammu and Kashmir government today told the Supreme Court that a sub-committee has been set up to deal with the issues relating to the rehabilitation of mule owners operating on Katra-Vaishno Devi shrine track in Jammu.

The state told a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta that the sub-committee of the state advisory council had also convened a meeting on August 16 in which representatives of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and mule owners were heard.

Advocate Shoeb Alam, representing Jammu and Kashmir, placed before the court an affidavit containing details about setting up of the sub-committee in which three advisors to the Governor and chief secretary of the state are members.

He told the bench that the sub-committee was scheduled to meet again today in Srinagar and after considering all aspects, the panel would make recommendations to the state advisory council.

Alam said the representation by activist Gauri Maulekhi, who had earlier filed a plea in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) seeking removal of horses and mules from the path to the shrine, would also be considered by the committee.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the shrine board, said the board has given its representation to the sub-committee during the meeting.

The counsel for Maulekhi said they have already given their representation to the state.

The bench posted the matter for hearing on September 18, after Alam said the sub-committee was likely to make its recommendations within two weeks.

The state government had earlier told the court that a state advisory council would consider the rehabilitation plan prepared last October in its totality, along with all other stakeholders, including representatives of mule owners.

The shrine board had said that around 4,600 mules were operating there and the board was ensuring cleaning of the track.

The apex court had earlier taken note of the problem of pollution at Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and the surrounding areas and had made it clear that Jammu and Kashmir government and shrine board would have to "protect and preserve" both. The NGT had earlier capped the number of visitors to the shrine at 50,000 per day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Some members of the Aam Aadmi Party owing allegiance to Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann today shouted slogans against the rebel group leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira in a meeting.

The incident took place when Khaira was holding a meeting of party workers at Sangrur district as part of the preparation of forthcoming convention in the district.

"A few supporters of Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann tried to disturb the workers' meeting," Khaira claimed.

While Mann's supporters shouted slogans against Khaira outside the meeting venue, the supporters of ousted Leader of Opposition also raised slogans against Mann.

The situation was later calmed down by the police, which was present at the meeting venue.

Workers supporting Mann claimed that during the meeting, they were initially not allowed to speak.

"When I started speaking in the meeting, they raised objection to (AAP national convener) Arvind Kejriwal's praise. I told the gathering that all the 20 MLAs should work at the ground level the way Kejriwal was doing. The mic was snatched from us and we were thrown out of the meeting," said one of the supporters of Mann.

The Punjab unit of the AAP went into a crisis after Khaira was removed recently from the post of Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly.

The crisis in the party further aggravated when the ad-hoc Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of dissident MLAs appointed Khaira as an interim president of the Punjab unit.

The infighting between two factions was also witnessed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during the recent Monsoon Session.

AAP's dissident MLAs led by Khaira had declared the party's Punjab unit "autonomous" and "dissolved" its current organisational structure during volunteers convention in Bathinda on August 2.

Khaira group now has eight legislators on its side. Apart from Khaira, others are Kanwar Sandhu (Kharar), Primal Singh (Bhadaur), Jagdev Singh Kamalu (Maur), Nazar Singh Manshahia (Mansa), Master Baldev (Jaitu) and Jagtar Singh Jagga (Raikot).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today



called on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen here during her visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

Swaraj is in Cambodia on the concluding leg of her two-nation tour that also took her to Vietnam.

"Hon'ble EAM Smt @SushmaSwaraj called on @hunsencambodia, Prime Minister of Cambodia at Peace Place in Cambodia," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Swaraj also met the President of the Senate of Cambodia Say Chhum.

Yesterday, she met her Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhonn and discussed bilateral, multilateral and important international issues at delegation-level talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here as the two countries signed two agreements to step up cooperation.

India and Cambodia have enjoyed friendly relations for a long time. Both countries formally established diplomatic relations in 1952. In 2000, Cambodia vowed its full support for India to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Swaraj's four-day tour to the two key ASEAN nations is seen as India's attempt to balance China's rising influence in Southeast Asia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tata Steel said today that it will operate out of the Sahibabad facility of Bhushan Steel, which it has taken over under the insolvency resolution process, as it does not want to retain the office of the debt laden firm in the national capital.

"We don't feel the need to have that office in Delhi," the company's steel business President Anand Sen told PTI.

He was responding to a query whether Tata Steel has terminated annual rental contract which former promoter of the debt-laden firm Neeraj Singal had for the lease of its corporate office in New Delhi.

"We will be operating out of the Sahibabad facility. There is an existing Bhushan Steel facility which has enough space so we don't need the office (in Delhi)," he said.

When asked as to how much the company will save from this move, he said, "No idea". There have been reports that the company may save over Rs 70 crore annually.

Meanwhile, Sen said that at its Kalinganagar plant Tata Steel has already commenced that phase II of its expansion which would take the capacity of the unit from three million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to eight MTPA.

"In Kalinganagar we have already commenced phase II of our expansion which will take its capacity of from 3 million tonne to 8 MT.

"It should be ready somewhere towards the end of 2021," he said.

As for plans for its Jamshedpur unit as also Bhushan Steel, Sen said, "We are studying if there is any possibility to do things."



Bamnipal Steel Ltd (BNPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Steel, completed the acquisition of controlling stake of 72.65 per cent in Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL) in May.

Tata Steel Ltd had won the bid to acquire debt-laden BSL in an insolvency auction. The bankrupt firm was among the 12 stressed assets which RBI had referred for NCLT proceedings last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The principal and two teachers of a private school here have been asked to proceed on compulsory leave for their alleged involvement in mishandling an incident, leading to a suicide attempt by a high school student of the institution.

The condition of the student, who jumped off from the roof of the school building on Monday and admitted to G B Pant hospital is now better, a police officer said.

After getting the information, Minister Ratan Lal Nath had rushed to the hospital, interacted with the family members and assured them of justice.

The school authorities have asked the principal and the two assistant teachers to go on compulsory leave till March 31 to defuse tension in the school premises, Director of the school Kashinath Das said in a statement yesterday.

The students had refused to board the school bus after school hours yesterday demanding resignation of the principal.

When contacted, Assistant Inspector General of Police (Law & Order), Smriti Ranjan Das said, "A specific complaint accusing the principal and the two assistant teachers of humiliating the student was lodged with the Airport Police Station today. Now, the police will act as per the law."



Another police officer said on condition of anonymity that the school authorities had come to know that the class 12 student had fallen in love with a class 10 student of the same school.

"On Monday, both of them were summoned by the principal and the girl was asked to tie a Rakhi on the boy's wrist but they declined to do so," he said.

The principal then summoned the boy's parents and informed them of the affair. She also allegedly threatened to rusticate the student from the school for three years.

"Following the humiliation, the student ran out of the principals chamber and jumped off the roof of the school building," the police officer said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Mexican television reporter was shot dead in the resort city of Cancun, becoming the eighth journalist to be killed this year in a country notoriously dangerous for the media.

Javier Enrique Rodriguez Valladares, who was killed yesterday, worked as a cameraman and reporter for Canal 10.

The station said his family had confirmed his death.

The government of Quintana Roo state, which includes Cancun, said another man was also shot dead with him, reportedly while the pair were walking down a street in the city centre.

Canal 10 said Rodriguez Valladares was mainly a cameraman but also did interviews and features on political issues.

The state government said there was no immediate indication the murder was related to his work but that all avenues of investigation remained open.

Rodriguez Valladares is the third journalist to meet a violent death in Quintana Roo in the past two months.

Ruben Pat, editor-in-chief of the Playa weekly, was shot dead outside a bar in Playa del Carmen in July, not far from the tourist hotspot.

And on June 29, Jose Guadalupe Chan was shot dead in a Mayan indigenous village in the south of Quintana Roo. He was also working for Playa as a reporter.

Last year 11 journalists were killed in Mexico which has been ravaged by drug-related violence.

According to various freedom of speech organisations, more than 100 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000. The vast majority of those crimes have gone unpunished.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pune police sent the three Left-wing activists, arrested for their alleged links with Maoists, to their homes, as per a directive of the Supreme Court.

Arrangements were made to send the three suspects to their respective cities late last night and all of them have reached their homes, said Pune's Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, who is the investigation officer in the case.

The three activists will be kept under "house arrest", he said.

"We have our own police officers and personnel along with the local police from the respective cities, who will be deployed at their residences," he added.

Left leaning Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao reached home in Hyderabad this morning, while activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, were sent to Mumbai by road, a police official said today.

Gonsalves reached his home in Mumbai's Andheri suburb around 7.30 am.

His wife, advocate Susan Abraham, said, "Vernon reached home safely and we welcomed him."



"We have requested the police not to block the entire road of our housing society which may scare other people living in the building," she added.

Ferriera was taken to his home in Charai area of the neighbouring Thane district, an official said.

The Supreme Court had ordered yesterday that the five human rights activists - Rao, Ferreira, Gonzalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navalakha - arrested in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case would be kept under house arrest at their homes till September 6, observing that dissent was the "safety valve" of democracy.

Following the apex court's order, a court here directed Pune police to send Rao, Gonsalves and Ferreira back to their homes.

While trade unionist and lawyer Bharadwaj is confined to her home in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Navalakha to his Delhi residence, Rao, Gonsalves and Ferreira were brought to Pune on Tuesday night.

Pune police had on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states and arrested five of them - Rao in Hyderabad, Gonsalves and Ferreira in Mumbai, Bharadwaj in Faridabad and Navalakha in Delhi.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into a conclave -- Elgar Parishad -- held in Koregaon-Bhima near here on December 31 last year, which had allegedly triggered violence the next day.

"The arrested activists were part of a conspiracy to target higher political functionaries," Joint Commissioner of Pune Police Shivajirao Bodkhe earlier said, without elaborating.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three men have been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and awarded a fine of Rs 25,000 each for possessing fake five rupee coins with a face value of Rs 6.87 lakh.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Amit Kumar today convicted Ravinder alias Monu, Sachin and Sonu Luthra in the case.

They were held guilty on August 24 but the quantum of punishment was pronounced today.

Besides imprisonment, the accused were ordered to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 each and in case of default, they would have to further undergo an imprisonment of six months.

According to the prosecution, Sub-Inspector Prashant Kumar and his team were patrolling on Tosham Road on January 27, 2016 when on a tip-off, the police found a vehicle carrying coins of Rs five with a face value of Rs 6.87 lakh.

During interrogation, both Ravinder alias Monu and Sachin confessed that the coins were fake and were brought from Sonu Luthara, a resident of Delhi.

They were going to supply the fake coins in Hisar and its adjoining areas. The police later arrested all the three accused.

A case was registered against them on January 28, 2016 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
29.08.2018

National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) is deeply shocked to hear about the raids and arbitrary arrest of human rights defenders and advocates from different parts of the country. We, the undersigned, unequivocally condemn the efforts of the State government of Maharashtra to persecute them in a mala fide and motivated manner in order to obstruct the legal and human rights work being carried out by them.

On the morning of August 28, 2018, the Pune Police launched simultaneous raids at the homes of severalhuman rights defenders who are activists, priests, writers and lawyers in Mumbai, New Delhi, Ranchi, Goa and Hyderabad. Following the raids, the police havearrested Adv. Sudha Bharadwaj, Mr. Gautam Navlakha, Mr. Vernon Gonsalves, Adv. Arun Ferreira and Mr. Varavara Rao. Among those whose residences were raided, include Adv. Susan Abraham, journalist Mr. Kranthi Tekula, Fr. Stan Swamy SJ and Mr. AnandTeltumbde. As per newspaper reports, a relative of Mr. Varavara Rao confirmed that his daughter Ms. Analaand son-in-law Mr. K.V. Kurmanathas house had also been raided, and their laptops and hard drives were seized. Raids also took place at the residence of Prof. K Satyanarayana from the English and ForeignLanguages University (EFLU). All the raids and arrests have been conducted in the same FIR No. 4/2018, PSVishrambaug, Pune for the Bhima Koregaon violence that broke out on January 1, 2018. According to sources, laptops, phones and other materials were seized from some of the residences. A contingent from Vishrambag police station in Pune, which is investigating the Bhima Koregaon violence, is part of the raids.

The current arrest and raids have taken place in the backdrop of the arrests of five human rights activists a Advocate Surendra Gadling, Professor Shoma Sen, Rona Wilson, Mahesh Raut and Sudhir Dhawale a who were also arrested under UAPA on 6th June 2018, relying on a similar fabricated letter produced by Republic TV allegedly addressed to the same aComrade Prakasha , in the same Pune case.

We condemn the process in which these raids were conducted. There was thus, no compliance with the requirements of Section 165 and 166 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973. They have been charged under Sections 153a, 505, 117 and 120 of the IPC and several sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

There has been a systematic abuse of the legal process by the Government to malign the human rights activists and advocates over the past couple of months. The arbitrary arrest and raids is nothing but an escalation of the Governmentas campaign to crush dissent and criminalise any person or organisation that questions or opposes the violation of fundamental rights and human rights by the State and its agencies. The motivated actions against them fit neatly into the present Governmentas concerted campaign against marginalisedand oppressed sections of society and any person, whether students, activists, academics or individuals who question the policies, actions and the abuse of power by the government.

The above defenders have an exceptional profile of public service, probity and personal and professional integrity as lawyers and as human rights activists. Their work has received recognition at the National level. The intention of the state and police in targeting the aforesaid human rights activists by foisting false and fabricated cases against them, is clear and apparent from their profiles of work. All the aforesaid human rights activists targeted have been tirelessly involved in advocating the cause and fighting for the rights of the most poor, marginalised sections of society against serious state violations and unscrupulous corporates. They have stood for the principles of human rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution and the international standards on human rights.

NCDHR strongly:

1) Condemns this act of state reprisal and attempts of the state to stifle voices of dissent.

2) Believes these human rights defenders are being targeted for their work to ensure justice in the case of Bhima Koregaon violence where the prime accused are associated with the Hindutva right-wing groups.

3) Demands immediate release of the arrested

4) Condemns the concerted state effort to shield the two main perpetrators Sambhaji Bhide and MilindEkbote, accused of inciting the Bhima Koregaonviolence. These Hindutva right-wing groups are closely associated with the current ruling dispensation at the centre and state and the immunity provided to the two prime accused, contrary to the arrests of human rights defenders, speaks volume of the intentions of the state.

We stand in solidarity with all the above mentioned human rights activists and advocates.

We condemn all efforts to obstruct their work, and to harass and persecute them.

We are confident that they will not be deterred by the malicious and vindictive campaign unleashed by the Government and we are confident that they will continue to work to uphold Constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights.

We appeal to all those who support the right to dissent, question and criticize anti-people policies of the government to express their solidarity.

N Paul Divakar

Chairperson

Asia Dalit Rights Forum

VA Rameshnathan

General Secretary

National Dalit Movement for Justice-NCDHR

Asha Kowtal

General Secretary

All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch

Beena Pallical

General Secretary

Dalit Arthik Adhikar Andolan-NCDHR

Kind Regards,
The West Bengal government today promoted three IAS officers and 89 WBCS officials were posted as the BDOs and Deputy Magistrate & Deputy Collector (DMDC) of different districts, a notification said.

Tapan Kanti Ganguli, who was the additional secretary of the state Tourism department was promoted and made the secretary of the department, it said.

Nityananda Mandal, additional secretary Higher Education, Science and Technology and Bio-Technology department was promoted as the secretary while Pritha Sarkar, the Commissioner, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation in the rank of additional secretary was promoted in the rank of the secretary, the notification issued said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three members of a family were found dead under mysterious circumstances in their home in Pataudi town here while a one-year-old girl, who was seriously injured, died in a hospital, police said today.

The bodies of 25-year-old Manish God, his wife Pinki (22), his mother Phoolwati (62) were found by a milkman who had gone to their residence in Brijpura village to supply milk last evening, they said.

While Manish and his mother were found in a pool of blood, his wife was found hanging from a ceiling fan in another room with deep cut marks on her legs and hands, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Pataudi) Ber Singh said.

He said their daughter Charu was critical and taken to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Their two-year-old son Akshay was reportedly in a school when the incident occurred.

During investigation, it was found Manish and her mother were hit with a heavy weapon, he said.

"A forensic team is examining the crime scene. We have deployed adequate police teams in the village to maintain law-and-order situation," the ACP said.

A case has been registered against unknown persons and efforts are on to nab them, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A three-year-old son of an elected BJP Panchayat member received bullet injuries on the head as clashes continued between political parties over the formation of panchayat boards at Manikchak area in the district, police said.

The boy, identified as Mrinal Mondal, is the son of Putul Mondal, who won the rural body election in Manikchak village on a BJP ticket.

Miscreants today attacked the house of Mandal in the afternoon and opened fire in which the boy received bullet injuries on the head. He was taken to Malda Medical College and later shifted to a private nursing home where his condition is stated to be critical.

Police is investigating the matter, a senior officer said.

On Tuesday, three persons were killed and 17 others injured in group clashes over formation of a panchayat board in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district.

On August 27, two persons were killed and four injured in Malda as violence erupted over formation of panchayat boards in some districts of West Bengal, even as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed for maintaining peace.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Top officials of the Assam Rifles based in Manipur today met Chief Minister N Biren Singh and discussed the security situation in the state, a release issued by Assam Rifles said.

Major General Virendra Singh, Head of Assam Rifles in Manipur along with Maj General K P Singh met and CM and told him about the force's commitment to counter insurgency operations and to establish peace in the border state, it said.

The senior Assam Rifles officials also told the chief minister about the initiatives taken up by force to empower women and children in addition to assisting civil administration and for youths to attain financial sustainability.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Allahabad High Court today rebuked a principal secretary of the Uttar Pradesh government and its counsel for their failure to explain the reason behind lowering the minimum qualifying marks in the ongoing recruitment of assistant teachers in the state.

Exasperated with the officials' failure in satisfying its queries, a Lucknow bench of the high court ordered that the ongoing recruitment of 68,500 assistant teachers as per the original, higher qualifying marks set for the selection would be subject to the outcome of the appeals before it.

The bench of justices Shabihul Hasnain and Rajan Roy was hearing a bunch of appeals against a single-judge bench order which had on July 24 this year quashed the government's decision to lower the minimum qualifying marks for the appointment of teachers.

After originally fixing higher qualifying marks for the recruitment, the state government had lowered them on May 21, while the single-judge bench had stayed this decision.

It was during the hearing of appeals against this order by another group of petitioners, including one Avinash Kumar



that the division bench gave vent to its ire for the official's failure to explain the reasons behind lowering the qualifying marks.

The bench expressed surprise that both the officer and the counsel were unable to explain the state's action.

While hearing the appeals, the bench had demanded the explanation from the state counsel, but on his failure to do so, it had summoned Principal Secretary (Basic Education) Prabhat Kumar on Tuesday to satisfy the court's query.

But Kumar replied that he did not know why the marks were lowered.

"It is a strange answer from a principal secretary of the department," said an exasperated bench.

On being asked further if he had brought the records or seen them, the officer again replied in negative, saying the counsel never told him to so.

Apparently at its wits' end, the bench observed, "It was clearly mentioned in the August 27 order that the principal secretary was being summoned because the state counsel had no clear instructions.

"It was also clearly mentioned that the principal secretary would bring the records too so that the court could see the reason for lowering the minimum qualifying marks," the judge pointed out.

"However, it is very strange that neither the state counsel has seen the record nor the principal secretary is aware about the same," the bench noted in its order.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India and China should unleash the potential of enhancing people-to-people contacts through tourism, Indian Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said today.

Minister of State for Tourism K J Alphons, accompanied by about 20 Indian tour operators are touring Beijing, Wuhan and Shanghai to enhance efforts to attract more Chinese tourists to India.

Only 240,000 Chinese tourists, out of over 144 million who travelled abroad last year, visited India in 2017 despite e-vasa facilities.

Alphons and his team held a roadshow in Beijing on August 28 and showcased India's tourism potential at a similar event in Wuhan today where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping had held an informal summit in April this year.

"One of the areas of consensus between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi when they met here in Wuhan is that there are inadequate people-to-people exchanges between our two countries," Bambawale said while speaking at the Wuhan event.

One way to address this problem is to have more tourists travel to each other's country. For that to happen, all travel agents and operators from India and China should work together and offer attractive packages to tourists in each country, he said.

"Our people are experiencing rising living standards and therefore more of them are travelling to foreign lands. Surely this is a potential which is untapped and which we need to unleash," he said.

He suggested Chinese tourists to travel to the Golden Triangle of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur and the Buddhist Trail from Delhi to Varanasi and Bodh Gaya.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Trump administration today backed Asian-American students who have filed a lawsuit against the Harvard University over the Ivy League institution's alleged racial discrimination against them in its admission process.

The Justice Department filed a statement with a federal court alleging that the prestigious university has failed to demonstrate that it does not unlawfully discriminate against Asian-American students on the basis of race.

The Statement of Interest was filed in the ongoing case in federal court in Massachusetts. Students For Fair Admissions, an organisation of students and parents, filed a lawsuit in 2014, alleging that Harvard intentionally discriminates against academically strong Asian-American applicants when making admissions decisions.

Harvard, however, has said that it does not discriminate and will fight to defend its right to use race as a factor in admissions. It argued that its admission of Asian-Americans has risen 29 per cent over the last decade.

In the court filing, Attorney General Jeff Sessions today said, No American should be denied admission to school because of their race. As a recipient of taxpayer dollars, Harvard has a responsibility to conduct its admissions policy without racial discrimination by using meaningful admissions criteria that meet lawful requirements."



This case is significant because the admissions policies at our colleges and universities are important and must be conducted lawfully, he said.

As a condition of receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer funding every year, Harvard specifically agrees to not discriminate on the basis of race in its admissions decisions, the Department of Justice said.

"However, the students and parents who brought this suit have presented compelling evidence that Harvard's use of race unlawfully discriminates against Asian-Americans," the Justice Department said.

In today's filing, the US urges the court to grant the plaintiffs the opportunity to prove these claims at trial.

Under Supreme Court precedent, Harvard must demonstrate that its use of race does not result in illegal discrimination, it said.

Harvard has failed to do so, and the Department filed a Statement of Interest that argues the plaintiffs should be allowed to proceed to a trial, it said.

"While Harvard admits to using race in its admissions process, it has failed to provide any meaningful criteria to explain how it weighs race against other factors in a candidate's application (e.g., test scores and extracurricular activities), and how it limits its use of race to ensure that no illegal discrimination occurs," the Department of Justice said.

Supreme Court precedent requires Harvard to provide such an explanation, which it has failed to do in this case, it asserted.

In its filing, the Department of Justice said the evidence shows that Harvard uses a personal rating that may be biased against Asian-Americans.

Based solely on a review of the applicant's file, Harvard scores its applicants based on "subjective" factors such as "likability" and being a "good person" with "human qualities".

Harvard admits that, on average, it scores Asian-American applicants lower on this 'personal rating' than applicants of other races, Justice Department said in its court filing.

Substantial evidence also demonstrates that Harvard admissions officers and committees consistently monitor and manipulate the racial makeup of incoming classes, which has resulted in stable racial demographics in Harvard's admitted classes from year to year, it alleged.

The Supreme Court has called such attempts to "racially balance" the makeup of a student body "patently unconstitutional".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
His attacks on Google drew headlines, but President Donald Trump would face an impossible task if his administration tried to regulate the leading internet search engine and its results.

Legal and media experts say Google and other internet firms enjoy the same constitutional protections on free speech as outlets, precluding any government interference with the search results that displease the president.

"Each search engine's editorial judgment is much like many other familiar editorial judgments," said Eugene Volokh, a University of California-Los Angeles law professor and author of a 2012 white paper on the constitutional First Amendment protection of search engines.

Volokh said in a blog post on Reason.com after Trump's remarks that algorithms developed by Google and others are "editorial judgments about what users are likely to find interesting and valuable.

And all these exercises of editorial judgment are fully protected by the First Amendment." Eric Goldman, co-director of the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University, said there is ample legal precedent for Google's free-speech rights.

"Search engines fully qualify for First Amendment protections for their search results. Numerous cases going back over 15 years have confirmed this," Goldman said.

"Any effort by Trump to 'fix' search engine results will violate the First Amendment. It's not even a close question."



Trump's comments however stoked debate on the question when he assailed Google for what he termed "rigged" results that hide from conservative outlets and promote content from what he called "left-wing" media.

Google countered the remarks by saying that "search is not used to set a political agenda and we don't bias our results toward any political ideology."



The president's comments follow criticism from Republican lawmakers including House majority leader Kevin McCarthy who claimed that "conservatives are too often finding their voices silenced" on online platforms.

Trump on Tuesday issued an unspecified warning to tech firms, presumably related to his claims that they suppress conservative views.

He repeated his claim yesterday, saying big tech firms "treat conservatives and Republicans very unfairly," but stopped short of calling for regulation.

"You know what we want? Not regulation, we want fairness," he told reporters.

Yesterday, Trump posted on Twitter what was purported to be a series of screen grabs that showed Google's home page promoted State of the Union addresses by former president Barack Obama but stopped when he took office, using the hashtag #StopTheBias.

There is little evidence to show algorithms by online firms are based on politics, and many conservatives -- including Trump himself -- have large a social media following.

Analysts say it would be dangerous to try to regulate how search engines work to please a government or political faction.

"Google is a private company with its own algorithms and the government has absolutely no control in how it conducts business," said Ken Paulson, former USA Today editor who heads the Newseum's First Amendment Center and is dean of



communications at Middle Tennessee State University.

"The broader threat to First Amendment freedoms comes when the most powerful man in the world repeatedly says that you can only trust him, not news organisations or the search engines that deliver their coverage."



But even without constitutional protection, the idea of regulating billions of Google searches would be an impossible task.

"We deliberately don't regulate every interaction in the economy because we know it's unfathomable," said David Balto, a former Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department enforcement lawyer.

Balto maintained that Trump's suggestion "is an Orwellian concept that might fit well in '1984' but is totally inconsistent with our tenets of democracy." Other analysts say the Trump comments are merely an attempt to rally his base and raise doubts about news organizations investigating him.

"Authoritarian regimes would love to have that power over search engines," said Ed Black, president and CEO of the Computer and Communications Industry Association, a trade group that includes Google and Facebook.

"The US government should be an advocate against this type of censorship.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two men were killed and six others injured after two masked men went on a rampage, attacking and stabbing people randomly in outer Delhi's Mangolpuri, the police said today.

The incident happened on Wednesday.

It is suspected that the killings were the fallout of a rivalry between two groups trying to assert their dominance in the area, police said.

Karan Veer (47) and Dinesh (32) were talking a walk outside their house when they were stabbed to death by the two men. The accused then went on to stab Vinay, Irshad and two other men while fleeing from the area, police said.

They also stabbed Suresh, a Delhi Jal Board worker, who was sitting outside his house after dinner, the police said.

The victims do not have criminal records, the police said.

Police also said that around 10 days back, there was a fight between two groups over dominance in the locality. A man who was injured during the scuffle died yesterday, they said.

It is suspected that his accomplices had come to find the men responsible for the attack on their friend but when they could not trace the suspected attacker, they went on a stabbing spree, police said.

The police also said they have detained some suspects in the case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two Pakistani Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir today, police said.

Acting on credible inputs about the presence of terrorists at Par Mohalla in Hajin area of Bandipora, security forces launched a cordon and search operation, a police spokesman said.

During the searches, the terrorists fired upon the forces' personnel, he said.

"In the ensuing encounter two terrorists were eliminated. From the incriminating material seized from the site of encounter, it is learnt that both the killed terrorists were from Pakistan and identified as Rizwan alias Jindaal and Ali alias Maaz," the spokesman said.

He said the slain men were affiliated with the LeT and involved in several attacks on security establishments and atrocities on civilians in the area.

"Huge quantity of arms and ammunition including rifles, magazines, pouches etc and incriminating material was recovered from the site of encounter," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[updated on 5 September 2018]

The Times of India

DU in a flap over two books on its history reading list

TNN | Aug 29, 2018

NEW DELHI: Delhi University has literally seen areda and has recommended the removal of two books from the history reading list because they aglorify Naxalisma and alegitimise conversion of tribals to Christianitya . The advice of the universityas standing committee on academic matters coincidentally came on the same day when a number of people were arrested across the country for alleged links to Naxal groups.

On Tuesday, Nandini Sundaras Subalterns and Sovereigns: An Anthropological History of Bastar, 1854-2006 and Archana Prasadas Against Ecological Romanticism: Verrier Elwin and the Making of an Anti-modern Tribal Identity were sharply criticised, the first for glorifying Naxalism, and the second for references to tribal conversion. The committee suggested that the history department should remove the books from the reading list because some members charged them with not being afit for students in DUa .

Immediately after, Sundar remonstrated, aAcross the academic world the book is well accepted and has been widely cited. If they have any issues with the book, let them archive the history of Bastar till 2006 and write their own academic book.a

Prasad described the action as a apolitical stepa . Speaking to TOI, Prasad said, aOn Tuesday they arrested activists calling them aurban Naxalsa, and they are trying to paint us with the same brush. But they have nothing against us, so this is how they are targeting us.a

Sundar pointed out that her book has received three awards: Infosys Prize for Social Science in 2010, the Ester Boserup Prize for Research on Development from Copenhagen in 2016 and the Malcolm Adiseshiah Award for Distinguished Contributions to Development Studies in 2017.

Geeta Bhatt, one of the panel members who objected to the booksa contents, told TOI that Sundar had ajustified the acts of the Naxals by saying that they are involved in these activities as they are unemployeda . As for Prasadas book, she said the author legitimised conversion by writing that aconversion of tribals is inconsequential to what the tribals facea .

Prasad countered these claims and maintained that her book was about tribals and it had references to Christian conversion as well as Hindutva activities. aThey should have read the book before objecting to it,a she said.

Last year, the right-leaning teachersa group, NDTF, had opposed the inclusion of another of Sundaras book, The Burning Forest: Indiaas War in Bastar, from the sociology reading list. Eventually, the book was indeed dropped from the reading list.

Read more at:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/65600318.cms

o o

[ SEE ALSO Response from a group of Teachers from Delhi University.

India: Book titles dropped from history reading list, Delhi University surrenders to saffron pressure | Press Statement by Democratic Teachers Front http://www.sacw.net/article13887.html ]

o o

TWEET BY NANDINI SUNDAR

a @nandinisundar

The Burning Forest has not been dropped from the political sociology syllabus. The course is being currently revised; the course that was sent to the Standing Council/Academic Council was the old unrevised course. The TOI story was a malicious plant by certain members.

7:14 AM - 5 Sep 2018

https://twitter.com/nandinisundar/status/1037207306268758018
The maiden two-plus-two dialogue between India and the United States scheduled in New Delhi next week is an indication of the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries, the Trump administration has said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Defense Secretary Jim Mattis are set to fly to New Delhi for the talks.

They will be meeting their Indian counterparts, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, to discuss enhancing America's engagement with India on critical diplomatic and security priorities, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily conference yesterday.

"The dialogue is an indication of the deepening strategic partnership between our two countries, and India's emergence as a net security provider in the region," she said.

The importance of the US-India strategic partnership is highlighted in the US President's National Security Strategy and the administration's South Asia and Indo-Pacific strategies, Nauert said.

"We look forward to that and to having some of you travel along with us," she added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The state-owned Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) has said it has been "compelled" to shut down its offices in Meghalaya and terminate the services of all contract workers employed in two of its offices here.

The company has around 10 contract workers at its offices in Shillong and uranium-rich Wahkaji village.

Anti uranium mining groups like Khasi Students' Union have been campaigning against leasing out land to UCIL for pre-mining development projects. They alleged it was a ploy to allow UCIL to mine uranium.

"The UCIL has been compelled to temporarily close down its establishments in Meghalaya." a UCIL communique quoting its deputy general manager S K Sharma said.

UCIL had started mining activities in Meghalaya about 15 years ago but is yet to receive mining lease and other statutory permissions from the state government. The UCIL official, however, said efforts were on to get the requisite permissions from the state government.

UCIL staff posted at its offices here had lodged strong protests against the company's decision to shift all materials to its Jharkhand office.

Requesting the cooperation of staff whose services were terminated, the UCIL official assured that the company may avail their services once permissions were received to start its Meghalaya project.

About 10 contract workers were working in the tow offices who have expressed anguish at the loss of livelihood following their termination.

The UCIL announcement came nearly a month after the Centres Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) announced it would stop exploratory drilling for uranium in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district bordering Bangladesh.

The announcement was made following the assault of three AMD officials, including a scientist, while they were trying to extract uranium samples from small boreholes for laboratory purposes.

The state cabinet had in 2016 decided to cancel the 2009 cabinet decision on an agreement to lease land measuring 422 hectares in South West Khasi Hills to the UCIL for pre-mining activities.

Meghalaya is the third uranium-rich state after Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh and the deposits account for about 16 per cent of the country's uranium reserves (9,500 tones in Domiasiat area and 4,000 tones at Wahkaji).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 33-year-old Briton has been apprehended by the CISF at the airport here for allegedly carrying an unauthorised satellite phone in his luggage, a senior official said today.

P Mathew, who has a passport of the United Kingdom (UK), was apprehended by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel in the noon after the phone was detected in his baggage, he said.

He was travelling to Hong Kong via Delhi from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, he added.

The man was handed over to the police as carrying a satellite phone is banned under law, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United Nations says nearly 120,000 suspected cases of cholera were reported in conflict-wracked Yemen between January and mid-August and the pace has been increasing.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Thursday that although the 120,000 figure is lower than during the same period in 2017, "the increasing rate of infections over recent weeks is raising concerns of a possible third wave of the epidemic, with the current rains increasing the risk."



Dujarric said that since April 2017, over 1.1 million suspected cholera cases and 2,310 deaths have been reported in Yemen.

He said "the outbreak is the most serious on record," and the U.N.'s humanitarian partners have vaccinated nearly 400,000 people against cholera in high-risk districts of Hodeida and Ibb to avoid a large-scale resurgence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UN's Syria peace envoy offered today to personally travel to Idlib to help ensure civilians can leave through a humanitarian corridor amid fears of full-scale military operations in the area.

"I am once again prepared ... personally and physically to get involved myself, with the government cooperation this time... to ensure such a temporary corridor would be feasible and guaranteed for the people so that they can then return to their own places once this is over," Staffan de Mistura told reporters in Geneva.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union ministers Jual Oram, Giriraj Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan criticised today Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and two other state ministers for staying away from a event marking the inauguration of National SC-ST Hub State Conclave here.

They also accused the Odisha government of not supporting Centre's programmes and schemes in the state.

National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) sources said the Union MSME Ministry had invited Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha's MSME Minister Prafulla Samal and Odisha's ST & SC Development Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi to the function.

"It is unfortunate that none of the Odisha ministers turned up at the MSME event here even though they were invited with due respect," Oram said, adding that Odisha government's additional chief secretary, MSME, L N Gupta, however, attended the event.

"Recently someone remarked that leaders from the Centre and state came together to pay homage to Atalji, but when will they join hands for development of the state. It seems like a distant dream," Oram added.

Expressing his displeasure towards the Odisha government, Oram said though his ministry had proposed the state government to spend Rs 50 crore for procurement of minor forest produces, it has not been taken up.

As a result, the tribals are deprived of getting minimum support price on minor forest produces, he claimed.

"I sent two secretaries to discuss the matter with the state government, but they (state government) did not respond to the Centre's offer," he said.

Oram also said that his proposal to revive Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation (TDCC) has not been taken seriously.

"Though I have sanctioned some funds for OMFED, a major portion of it have been misappropriated and inquiry is going on," Oram said.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "Though the people are getting skill training in Odisha, they are not getting employment in the state. The people are migrating to other places in search of jobs as they state government failed to create facilities."



Pradhan said the people have now realised that they can not get jobs through the state government's slogans and advertisements being published every day.

While highlighting the NDA government's efforts to raise status of SC and ST population in the state, Pradhan pointed out while only 66 people belonging to Dalit and tribal people were given LPG distributorship, 85 people from the communities have been given LPG distribution in last four years.

Pradhan said both the state and Centre should join hands when it is the case of development.

Union MSME minister Giriraj Singh alleged that the Odisha government is not doing anything nor it is allowing the Centre to do developmental works.

Pointing out that the state has a coastline of 480 km, Singh said "Odisha has not been able to properly utilise the state's natural resources.

"We had proposed the state government to produce bio-gas from cow dung and to start a project of cultivating Kewda in the coastal districts. The state government in its reply said that they will be doing it on their own. But, nothing has been done."



A CMO official said that since chief minister had prior engagements he could not attend the function.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly today passed a bill to check arbitrary hike in fees of private schools.

The UP Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fees Regulation) Bill, 2018, that seeks to regulate fee structure in private schools in the state, was passed by voice vote.

It will replace the ordinance promulgated in April when the state legislature was not in session.

The statement of objectives and reasons appended to the bill states that it has been brought to the notice of the state government that self-financed schools were increasing fees arbitrarily without consulting guardians of the students in the absence of an effective law.

It elaborates that the students and parents have to shoulder unnecessary financial burden, which affects the of students.

The statement further says that in view of the above circumstances, the government has decided to make a law to provide for fixation of fees in self-financed independent schools.

The bill provides for setting up of district regulatory committees headed by the district magistrate.

The committees will include a chartered accountant, a PWD engineer not below the rank of the executive engineer and senior officer from the UP State Finance and Accounts Services.

The committee will also include a representative of parents association, an eminent principal or manager of self-financed schools and district inspector of schools.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Union Public Service Commission has recommended 66 more candidates, who were in the reserved list, to different civil services, an official statement said today.

The result of the 2017 civil services examination was declared on April 27. As many as 990 candidates were recommended for appointment to Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service and Indian Police Service, among others, against 1,058 vacancies.

The commission was maintaining a consolidated reserve list in order of merit below the last recommended candidate under the respective categories.

It has now recommended 66 candidates, who include 48 General, 16 OBC, one SC and one ST, to fill up the remaining posts based on the civil services examination, 2017, the statement issued by the UPSC stated.

A list of these 66 candidates is also available on UPSC's website http//www.upsc.gov.in.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The United States on Wednesday accused Iran of bad faith for challenging Washington's renewed nuclear-linked sanctions against it at the UN's top court.

Iran has asked the International Court of Justice to order the United States to lift the sanctions, reimposed after US President Donald Trump pulled out of a multilateral 2015 accord.

Iran brought the case at the court in The Hague under a 1955 friendship treaty that predates the country's Islamic Revolution.

Washington told the court it had no jurisdiction to rule on the case, which it said was a matter of national security.

"Iran is not invoking the treaty of amity in good faith in this proceeding," US State Department lawyer Jennifer Newstead said in her closing argument.

"Iran cannot be permitted to draw this court into a political and psychological campaign" against the United States, she added. During four days of hearings, Iran said the sanctions reintroduced this month are causing economic suffering for its citizens.

The US lawyers retorted that economic mismanagement was at the root of Iran's woes.

A second wave of US measures is due to hit Iran in early November, targeting its vital oil exports.

Closing the hearings, ICJ president Abdulqawi Yusuf said the court would issue a ruling "as soon as possible" but did not set a date.

"The judges are well aware of the political stakes," said Eric De Brabandere, professor of international dispute settlement at Leiden University in the Netherlands.

But "in principle the court will focus strictly on the legal aspects of the case", he told AFP.

Despite their 1955 Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations, Iran and the United States have not had diplomatic ties since 1980.

The ICJ was set up in 1946 to rule in disputes between countries. The court is tasked with deciding only whether it has jurisdiction over Iran's request, De Brabandere said.

But he noted that "the political consequences of the decision are of course important," since either state would see a favourable outcome as "a huge victory".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A deal on an overhaul of the North American Free Trade Agreement appears to be within reach, as Canada and the United States were set to continue negotiations today aimed at getting the pact done by the end of the week.

The two sides will resume their talks with a face-to-face between Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer as they seek a breakthrough.

Despite US President Donald Trump's threats to leave Canada on the sidelines after announcing a breakthrough with Mexico on Monday, Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed optimism a deal was close.

The White House plans to notify Congress tomorrow of its intention to enter into a new free trade agreement, to provide the required 90 days' notice that would allow NAFTA 2.0 to be signed by December 1, when Mexico will install a new president.

But that will mean compromises on both sides on issues that have created friction between the neighbouring countries, notably Canada's dairy trade rules and mechanisms to settle disputes, as the leaders each try to claim victory.

"I think they're going really well," Trump said of the Canada talks, which are "probably on track" to meet the Friday deadline.

"I think Canada very much wants to make the deal," he said, but again raised the possibility of doing a separate deal with Mexico.

The crucial phase of talks began Tuesday continuing late into the night, and Trudeau expressed optimism the countries could reach agreement by the end of the week.

"There is a possibility of getting to a good deal for Canada by Friday," Trudeau said. But "no NAFTA deal is better than a bad NAFTA deal."



Mexico paved the way by agreeing to a NAFTA 2.0 with the United States on Monday.

"Our officials are meeting now, and we'll be meeting until very late in the night," Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters yesterday.

"We have agreed at the ministerial level, we will reconvene to review the work of officials overnight tomorrow morning."



But she declined to comment on the state of the talks, saying: "Given the extreme intensity and the very fast pace of this conversation, we are not going to conduct our negotiation in public."If the White House notifies Congress by tomorrow, it then would have until September 30 to submit the final NAFTA agreement.

The sticking points between Ottawa and Washington likely will center on Canada's managed dairy market and how to handle some disputes among NAFTA partners.

Negotiators have worked for a year to update and rewrite the 25-year-old free trade pact. But in the last five weeks, Washington and Mexico City held talks to resolve their bilateral issues, especially on the auto industry rules, without Ottawa.

While critics said Canada had been frozen out, Freeland has repeatedly stressed that she remained in close touch with her US and Mexican counterparts throughout the summer and had already achieved "a high-level agreement with the US" on some the pending issues on autos and labour rights.

She also has met this week with her Mexican counterparts, who remained in Washington after announcing the breakthrough with the United States.

Freeland praised Mexico's willingness to make difficult concessions on auto trade and labor issues, which helped pave the way for a three-party agreement.

The "significant compromises that Mexico was prepared to make to support Canadian workers ...set the stage for very intensive conversations" to conclude NAFTA.

The new NAFTA includes a higher percentage of locally-produced components in autos, a requirement that a percentage of vehicles must come from high wage factories, tougher worker protections and a provision to review the 16-year deal every six years.

Trudeau vowed not to give in to Washington's demands to alter the system under which Ottawa sets dairy production quotas and prices, with steep tariffs on imports.

But Ottawa could offer US dairy farmers a small increase in market share as it did with the EU in a free trade pact last year, in exchange for US concessions on the NAFTA chapter on dispute resolution.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLES MOVEMENTS

National Office: 6/6, Jangpura B, New Delhi a 110 014

Phone: 011 24374535 | 9971058735

E-mail: napmindia[at]gmail.com | Web: www.napm-india.org

Citizens of New Delhi protest against brazen arrest of human rights activists by Maharashtra Police.

Activists claim adarkest perioda in Indian history, undeclared emergency on full swing.

Organisations demand immediate release of activists, professors, journalists, environmentalists and demand an end to persecution of dalits and adivasis of the country.

30 August 2018, New Delhi: A group of activists, intellectuals, lawyers, scientists, journalists, feminists, students, cultural groups and progressive citizens protest at Maharashtra Bhavan, New Delhi on 29 August 2018. The protest was called against unlawful arrests of 5 Human Rights activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonzalves, Arun Ferreira and Gautam Navlakha. People from various professions condemned the outrageous act of Maharashtra Police which raided the houses of activists including Father Stan Swamy (Jharkhand), Prof. K. Satyanarayana (Telangana), journalist Kranthi Tekula, KV Kumaranath, Anand Teltumbde and Adv. Susan Abraham on the same day.

Scientist and Activist Gauhar Raza, Dr. Sunilam (National Convener, NAPM), Rakhi Sehgal (NTUI), Priya Pillai (WSS), Poonam Kaushik (PMS), Sideshwar Shukla (CITU), former DGP (Uttar Pradesh) SR Darapuri, Shamshul Islam (Nishant Natya Manch), Mohit Pandey (Former President, JNUSU), Aparna (IFTU) and others addressed the media and expressed their anger on the targeted attacks on human rights defenders. Activists exposed some of the media houses who have been defaming the reputed activists in nexus with the state machinery. Rakhi Sehgal and Priya Pillai (who were with Adv. Sudha Bharadwaj till the time she reached home at 3 am) narrated the whole incident of the arrest and the complete violation of laws by Maharashtra police. Despite the orders from HC the police arrested and kept her in custody till midnight.

The protesters called this situation as aundeclared emergencya where culprits/criminals like representatives from Sanatan Sanstha roam freely and innocent people are being raided and arrested. Activists demand release of all illegally arrested activists including Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut who are behind the bars since June. Citizens warned the government to mend its ways and withdraw all the false cases imposed on the activists.

Representatives from Delhi Solidarity Group, National Campaign for Peopleas Right to Information, National Alliance of Peopleas Movements, Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression, Saheli, Indian Federation of Trade Unions, Pinjra Tod, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, JNU Student Union, Peopleas Union for Civil Liberties, Peopleas Union for Democratic Rights, Center of Indian Trade Unions, Committee for Protection and Democratic Rights, National Trade Union Initiative and other organisations expressed unwavering solidarity with these activists.

A memorandum to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra submitted via Resident Commissioner is attached below.

Contact - 9971058735
US lawmakers urged President Donald Trump's administration to slap sanctions on Chinese officials involved in the internment of a Muslim minority in the country's far-west Xinjiang region, Florida senator Marco Rubio announced.

In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the members of Congress -- from both parties -- called for sanctions against seven officials and two surveillance equipment manufacturers, The Wall Street Journal reported.

"Today I & a bipartisan group of 16 members of Congress asked @POTUS to use the Global Magnitsky Act to freeze the assets & ban the entry of Chinese officials responsible for the mass roundup of Muslims in internment camps in the #Xinjiang region," Rubio said on Twitter.

China has denied allegations that one million of its mostly Muslim Uighur minority are being held in internment camps.

A Chinese official told a UN human rights committee in Geneva earlier this month that tough security measures in Xinjiang were necessary to combat extremism and terrorism, but did not target any specific ethnic group or restrict religious freedoms.

China has branded reports of such camps "completely untrue", saying that the "education and training centers" to which "minor criminals" are assigned serve merely "to assist in their rehabilitation and reintegration".

But multiple NGOs and China experts believe the reality is far more sinister, saying accounts from former detainees and official documents point to a massive program of political and cultural indoctrination.

Last year, China banned "abnormally long" beards and Muslim veils in Xinjiang -- which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan -- and ordered all car owners in the region to install GPS tracking devices.

Meanwhile in December 2017, New York-based Human Rights Watch reported that Xinjiang authorities were planning to collect bio data from all residents.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US groups representing survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests have called on the Vatican to publish a list of clerics accused of sexual assault.

The calls came after Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, a former Vatican envoy to Washington, dropped an 11-page bombshell letter on Saturday accusing Pope Francis of ignoring sexual abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

The 88-year-old former archbishop of Washington -- one of the most senior Catholic leaders to face abuse allegations -- resigned as cardinal in late July even as he denied the charges.

The Vatican dossier on McCarrick contains "underlying facts concerning Pope Francis and two other popes, Benedict and John Paul" that shows they covered up clerical sexual abuse, said Peter Isley with the group Ending Clergy Abuse (ECA).

The information "is in the pope's file, let's see it," he said at a press conference outside the Vatican's embassy in Washington.

Vigano's accusation brought to light a bitter split in the church between liberals who defend the pope and some ultra-conservative Catholics who see Francis as a dangerous progressive more interested in than traditional Church matters.

According to Isley, "Liberal popes covered up child sex abuse just like conservative bishops covered (them) up." In his letter, Vigano also linked homosexuality within the church to sexual abuse of children -- something Isley rejected as "utterly false, completely unacceptable and immoral."



For Isley, "there is a criminal network within the Catholic Church" that is "being covered up by bishops of all sides." "That network has to be exposed and prosecuted," he said, claiming that the McCarrick dossier "will clear that up."



Becky Ianni, a DC area leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said yesterday that the real issue "is the church's systematic cover up of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults, abuses that come from both conservative and liberal camps." "The cover up are part and parcel of the way the Catholic Church does its business," she added.

The US Catholic Church has been in upheaval over recent revelations of a massive pedophilia scandal in Pennsylvania involving more than 300 priests said to have abused more than 1,000 children.

Vigano's weekend letter "seems to be very opportunistic," said SNAP's lead counsel Pamela Spees.

She called for a federal investigation "in all church entities to find evidence of sex crime against children," and of the cover ups, which include sending priests abroad, all of which "would make the crimes prosecutable.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The US has urged China to embrace the same vision of a "free and open" Indo-Pacific and said it should explain what Beijing does not like about the idea, amidst the PLA flexing its muscles in the region.

The US' vision of a free and open Indo Pacific, which is supported by India, is not so much about countering any particular country, Randall G Schriver, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said here yesterday.

"We would prefer China embracing the same vision (of a free and open Indo-Pacific)," he added.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the area.

China recently deployed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-surface missile systems in the disputed South China Sea amid frequent forays by US naval and surveillance aircraft over the region to assert the freedom of navigation especially around the artificial islands built by China, where it has also established garrisons.

Schriver said China's behaviour, and the things they have articulated, through their public statements and actions, is demonstrating that they have a different aspiration for the Indo-Pacific region.

"It is manifested in their economic strategy, belt and road initiative, militarisation of the south China sea, a lot of the coercive approaches to the internal politics of others," he said.

"Our preference would be an inclusive strategy that includes China as a constructive participant and regional affairs," Schriver said at an event organised by the think tank, Carnegie Endowment for International Relations (CEIR).

He further said there is an onus on China to explain what it does not like about the idea of an open and free the Indo-Pacific.

"Then you are getting right to the heart of threatening countries' sovereignty and ability to have a free flow of commerce, freedom of navigation," Schriver said



"So, we want to be a partner with India and other countries that are looking how to have alternatives. We don't necessarily counter something like belt and road initiative," the senior Pentagon official said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis are travelling to India next week for the 2+2 dialogue being hosted by their Indian counterparts Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman.

Operationalisation of the common vision of a free and open Indio-Pacific through a series of initiatives and joint efforts is expected to be a major focal point of the next week's meeting, Schriver said.

"We have talked to India about a coordinating development assistance and looking at how we can be partners in providing that alternative (to Chinese model). Same would go in the military and security areas," he said.

"How do we prove ourselves a preferred partner and a more trusted and reliable partner to countries in the Pacific region rather than saying you shouldn't have a relationship with China and, and you shouldn't do these activities with China," the Pentagon official added.

"That's just unrealistic given China's a size, influence and geography...I think China will be a factor in most of what we do going forward," Schriver said.

Eminent US scholar on South Asia, Ashley Tellis of CEIR, while moderating the session noted that India does not want to have a have a relationship that is one of complete alienation with China.

During the two-plus-two dialogue, he said, the two countries will talk about coordination of development assistance and try to find some key areas where individual countries or regions are facing particular challenges and how the two countries can find a common effort.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three of the five noted rights activists held for their alleged links with the Maoists were today brought back to their homes in Mumbai and Hyderabad from Pune after the Supreme Court ordered the Maharashtra police they be kept under house arrest and not in their custody.

Alleging that the activists were being framed, Leftist poet and writer Varavara Rao, who was brought to Hyderabad by air, hit out out at the Centre and the Maharashtra government, saying there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than calling those fighting against "fascist policies" conspirators.

Describing dissent as the "safety valve of democracy", the apex court yesterday directed the Maharashtra police that the five activists be kept under house arrest at their homes until the next day of hearing on September 6.

Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, were sent to Mumbai by road, said a police official in Pune.

Gonsalves reached his home in Mumbai's Andheri suburb around 7.30 am.

His wife, advocate Susan Abraham, said, "Vernon reached home safely and we welcomed him."



Gonsalves claimed he was being framed with fabricated letters to save those who were really responsible for the clashes between the Dalits and upper caste Marathas at an annual event near Pune.

Ferreira was taken to his home in Charai area of Mumbai's neighbouring Thane district, an official said.

While trade unionist and lawyer Bharadwaj is confined to her home in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Navalakha to his Delhi residence, Rao, Gonsalves and Ferreira were brought to Pune on Tuesday night.

Maharashtra police on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states on Tuesday and made the five arrests, sparking a chorus of outraged protests from human rights defenders.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into the violence at Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune after an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year.

"We have our own police officers and personnel along with the local police from the respective cities, who will be deployed at their residences," said Pune's Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, who is the investigation officer in the case.

As the three activists returned to their homes, leading intellectuals and civil society members demanded action against the Maharashtra police for launching a "vicious and malafide attack" against human rights activists and called for an immediate end to "such political acts of vendetta".

The arrests of the five activists, in a nationwide crackdown on Tuesday, highlights the violation of all due procedures and is a mockery of the legal system, said a joint statement signed by author Arundhati Roy, lawyer Prashant Bhushan as well as activists Aruna Roy and Jignesh Mevani among others.

The statement released at a joint conference in Delhi also demanded that police return the laptops and mobiles seized during the "illegal arrest" of the activists.

"Till elections, it will be divert and rule," Roy said while targeting the Modi government. Lok Sabha elections are due before May next year.

Mevani accused the government of wanting to divert attention from real issue and discredit the dalit movement.

Varavara Rao said the case in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima clashes should have been filed against the central and Maharashtra governments and not human rights activists.

"This is a false case. If the fight against fascist policies is called a conspiracy, then there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than this (calling the fight a conspiracy)," Rao told reporters at the airport in Hyderabad.

Calling the raids on prominent activists and intellectuals as an attempt by the government to strike terror among those fighting for the marginalised, Jharkhand's civil society members, including economist Jean Dreze, demanded the immediate release of the five arrested people.

Social activist Stan Swami, whose residence was also raided on Tuesday, alleged that the government was silencing those who were working for the marginalised and voiceless sections of the society.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Three of the five noted rights activists held for their alleged links with the Maoists were today brought back to their homes in Mumbai and Hyderabad from Pune after the Supreme Court ordered the Maharashtra police they be kept under house arrest and not in their custody.

Alleging that the activists were being framed, Leftist poet and writer Varavara Rao, who was brought to Hyderabad by air, hit out out at the Centre and the Maharashtra government, saying there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than calling those fighting against "fascist policies" conspirators.

Describing dissent as the "safety valve of democracy", the apex court yesterday directed the Maharashtra police that the five activists be kept under house arrest at their homes until the next day of hearing on September 6.

Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira, were sent to Mumbai by road, said a police official in Pune.

Gonsalves reached his home in Mumbai's Andheri suburb around 7.30 am.

His wife, advocate Susan Abraham, said, "Vernon reached home safely and we welcomed him."



Gonsalves claimed he was being framed with fabricated letters to save those who were really responsible for the clashes between the Dalits and upper caste Marathas at an annual event near Pune.

Ferreira was taken to his home in Charai area of Mumbai's neighbouring Thane district, an official said.

While trade unionist and lawyer Bharadwaj is confined to her home in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Navalakha to his Delhi residence, Rao, Gonsalves and Ferreira were brought to Pune on Tuesday night.

The Maharashtra police on Tuesday raided the homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states on Tuesday and made the five arrests, sparking a chorus of outraged protests from human rights defenders.

The raids were carried out as part of a probe into the violence at Koregaon-Bhima village near Pune after an event called Elgar Parishad, or conclave, on December 31 last year.

"We have our own police officers and personnel along with the local police from the respective cities, who will be deployed at their residences," said Pune's Assistant Commissioner of Police Shivaji Pawar, who is the investigation officer in the case.

As the three activists returned to their homes, leading intellectuals and civil society members demanded action against the Maharashtra police for launching a "vicious and malafide attack" against human rights activists and called for an immediate end to "such political acts of vendetta".

The arrests of the five activists highlights the violation of all due procedures and is a mockery of the legal system, said a joint statement signed by author Arundhati Roy, lawyer Prashant Bhushan as well as activists Aruna Roy and Jignesh Mevani, among others.

The statement released at a joint conference in Delhi also demanded that police return the laptops and mobiles seized during the "illegal arrest" of the activists.

"Till elections, it will be divert and rule," Roy said while targeting the Modi government. Lok Sabha elections are due before May next year.

Mevani accused the government of wanting to divert attention from real issue and discredit the dalit movement.

Varavara Rao said the case in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima clashes should have been filed against the central and Maharashtra governments and not human rights activists.

"This is a false case. If the fight against fascist policies is called a conspiracy, then there cannot be a bigger conspiracy than this (calling the fight a conspiracy)," Rao told reporters at the airport in Hyderabad.

Calling the raids on the prominent activists and intellectuals as an attempt by the government to strike terror among those fighting for the marginalised, Jharkhand's civil society members, including economist Jean Dreze, demanded the immediate release of the five arrested people.

Social activist Stan Swami, whose residence was also raided on Tuesday, alleged that the government was silencing those who were working for the marginalised and voiceless sections of the society.

The Human Rights Watch and the Amnesty International India in a joint statement said the government should cease "politically motivated" arrests and "harassment" of human rights activists and other actions aimed at stopping peaceful dissent.

The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative said the incident shows the "extensive gaps" that still remain as far as police accountability and upholding law was concerned.

"This is particularly disturbing, given allegations of procedural lapses by the police in the conduct of the raids and arrests. That this comes barely a month before Police Reforms Day shows how extensive gaps still remain with regard to police accountability and upholding the law, not just enforcing it," according to a statement signed by CHRI members Wajahat Habibullah (former Chief Information Commissioner of India), former Delhi High Court Chief Justice AP Shah, among others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Left leaning Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao who was arrested by the Pune police for his alleged links with Maoists reached home this morning after the Supreme Court directive.

The apex court yesterday ordered that the five activists, arrested on August 28 in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case, should be kept under house arrest till September 6.

"They (Pune police) brought him home at 7 in the morning. He was brought to the city by flight," Rao's wife Hemalatha told PTI.

She further said the police is not allowing anyone except his daughters and sons-in-law into or out of the house.

When PTI tried to talk to Rao, she said he is not allowed to talk to the media as per the police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Viswa Prasad in a message said the Hyderabad police would be managing Rao's house arrest.

Earlier, there was confusion as to whether the local police or Pune police would manage the writer's house arrest.

"We will always standby to the Pune police," Chikkadpally police inspector S Bhim Reddy said.

Rao was arrested from here, while activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Farreira were nabbed from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj from Faridabad in Haryana and civil liberties activist Gautam Navlakha was arrested from New Delhi.

The Maharashtra police had arrested them in connection with an FIR lodged there following an event-'Elgaar Parishad' (conclave)- held on December 31 last year that had triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of more than 80 Vietnamese residents came from Southern California on two buses to pay their respects to the late Sen. John McCain at a public viewing in Arizona.

The group wore specially made yellow T-shirts that said, "We salute our hero Senator John McCain." Derrick Nguyen said a radio station in the Little Saigon community of Orange County announced it would provide bus transportation to the ceremony yesterday.

Nguyen, an attorney and a community organiser, said more than 100 people signed up but several stayed back because of the heat and timing.

McCain was beloved for his history of fighting alongside the South Vietnamese and for supporting the families of political detainees.

Nguyen said in the 1990s, McCain pushed an amendment to a law that allowed for unmarried, adult children of detainees to come to the US.

He says many families that "wouldn't have made it to America made it here.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Victims of a prominent Washington rabbi who for years secretly videotaped women as they used a ritual bath reached a $14.25 million settlement with four Jewish organisations, their lawyer has confirmed.

The settlement covers over 150 women filmed by Bernard "Barry" Freundel, along with other women who undressed where the hidden camera was located even if they were not taped, attorney Alexandra Harwin told AFP yesterday.

Freundel was sentenced to six and a half years in prison in 2015, after his voyeurism went undetected for years.

Rabbi at the Kesher Israel synagogue in Washington's upscale Georgetown neighborhood, he placed his secret camera near the mikveh, a bath used to achieve ritual purity in Judaism.

The case has shocked the city's Jewish community, in which Freundel was a highly respected figure who taught at several universities in the area.

The class action lawsuit initially sought $100 million in damages, but the organizations' insurance policies "provided far less coverage for the claims," Harwin explained.

Nonetheless, she said the settlement "provides prompt and substantial payments to the women victimized by Freundel, while maintaining their confidentiality and avoiding an overly-burdensome process." Freundel is expected to be released in 2020, his lawyer told The Washington Post.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Trump administration wants to give new Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan space to explore opportunities to improve relations with India, a senior Pentagon official has said.

Many new governments come to power in Islamabad and want to improve the relationship with India, but then soon face realities and all the difficulties, Randall G Schriver, US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs said at an event organised by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace here.

"We want to give the new prime minister of the new government of Pakistan space to explore where there may be opportunities to improve relations with India," he said.

He was responding to a question from moderator Ashley Tellis from Carnegie on the triangular relationship between India, the US and Pakistan.

"But in terms of separating what was said during the campaign and what he said since the election, we want to give him space to find the opportunities to improve things with India," Schriver said.

Responding to a question on giving space to Khan, he explained that this is in the context of India-Pakistan relationship and this does not indicate any change in the policy of the Trump administration with regard to Pakistan.

The Pentagon official insisted that this means no change in its policy towards Islamabad and its current approach of cutting financial assistance would continue.

"What I said about giving him space was really in the context of the India-Pakistan relationship. We'd certainly like to give him space to make the right decisions on a variety of things," he said.

"But our approach of cutting assistance and pressuring Pakistan on their relationship with the Taliban, persuading them to come to the table, dealing with terrorist networks, that'll be sustained. When I say give space, it's not changing our approach or our policy. It is the context of developing opportunities between India and Pakistan," Schriver said.

The Pentagon also cautioned Pakistan on seeking massive financial assistance from China, which risks its sovereignty.

"If you look at other examples where countries went all in, or largely in with China, the results have not been particularly good. There has been an erosion of sovereignty and an erosion of control. There are many examples of that," he said.

"So, if our friends in Pakistan want to talk about a way out of that or want to talk about strengthening their economy and deal with that, I'm sure we'd be open to that and trying to work with Pakistan, work either bilaterally or through international institutions to try to get them on a better path, Schriver said.

The US, he said, is not interested in a failed Pakistan by any stretch of the imagination.

"We want them to be successful. We want them to have sovereign control and not cede that to any outside party, including China. And the economic piece is probably going to be key to that," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a major break-through, the Haryana Police today arrested a wanted criminal carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head, police said.

Rishipal alias Pradeep was arrested from Meerut road in Karnal, a police spokesman said, adding eight loaded illegal weapons were recovered from him.

He said the arrested criminal, a resident of Chulkana village in Panipat, was accused in several crimes involving murder, attempt to murder, theft, robbery, criminal intimidation and conspiracy.

He said 20 cases were registered against him in different police stations of Panipat, Sonipat and Karnal districts.

The police team recovered a 9 mm pistol, five pistols of 315 bore, two pistols of 12 bore and 11 live cartridges. A case was registered against him at Sadar Police Station, he said.

During interrogation, it was revealed the accused had killed a man of his village over an old rivalry last month. A case was registered in Samalkha Police Station in this connection.

The accused also confessed that he had brought the weapons from Uttar Pradesh with an intention to kill a person of his village, the spokesman said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The CPI is willing to join the Congress-NCP alliance in Maharashtra for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but wants the Congress to leave them some seats to contest against the BJP in the state, a top party leader said today.

Maharashtra sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, the second largest contributor after Uttar Pradesh (80 seats).

"They (Congress) want us to support the alliance to take on the BJP. We also want to dethrone the BJP. But we cannot just extend support to other opposition parties. We want the Congress to leave some seats for us (to contest) in the state," the CPI leader told PTI.

Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan had recently said that his party was in talks with other parties including the CPI(M), the CPI and the BSP, besides the NCP to stitch up an alliance to take on the BJP in the upcoming general elections.

The BJP had won 23 seats in Maharashtra in 2014 Lok Sabha polls while the Shiv Sena, a key constituent of the NDA, had bagged 18 seats.

The NCP and the Congress, erstwhile ruling parties, were restricted to 4 and 2 seats, respectively.

Both the CPI(M) and the CPI had drawn a blank in the 2014 polls, gaining 0.38 and 0.12 per cent votes, respectively, of the total 48284248 votes polled in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 22-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gunned down today by unidentified miscreants when she was working in a field here, police said.

The incident occurred in Budina Khurd village under Charthawal Police Station limits, they said.

The Dalit woman was working in a field when some miscreants allegedly killed her, Circle Officer Rizwan Ahmad said.

Police have started a search operation, he said, adding the body has been sent for post-mortem.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A woman sustained burn injuries on her breasts due to alleged negligence of doctors of a private hospital in Indirapuram here, police said today.

Around 13 days after his wife was discharged from the hospital, her husband lodged a complaint, they said.

The woman was admitted to the hospital for delivery on August 15 and she gave birth to a child on August 17, Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna said.

After delivery, a hot water bottle was kept on her breasts to keep her warm, he said, adding as she was under anaesthesia she could not sense the burning sensation initially and only after two hours she felt it.

The woman had suffered burn injury due to the hot water bottle, he said.

Her family alleged that due to burn wounds she could not breast feed her child, the SSP said.

Probes into the matter have been initiated by police and chief medical officer, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Private sector lender today said it has received RBI's approval for the continuance of Rana Kapoor as managing director and CEO of the bank till further notice from the central bank.

In June this year, Yes Bank's shareholders had approved the re-appointment of Rana Kapoor as the chief executive and managing director for three years, subject to final approval from the

"We wish to inform you that the Bank has received the RBI's approval that Rana Kapoor may continue as Managing Director & CEO of till further notice from RBI," the bank said in a regulatory filing.

Shares of the bank had slid in the past few sessions amid pending approval from on Kapoor's re-appointment.

The stock declined 1.12 per cent to close at Rs 361.90 on BSE today.

Putting speculation to the rest, approved the reappointment of Rana Kapoor as MD and CEO of but did not specify the period.

The Bank had sought permission from the for the reappointment of Kapoor for a period of three years starting September 2018 onward.

Earlier this year, RBI denied a three-year extension to Axis Bank CEO Shikha Sharma despite board endorsing her reappointment.

Kapoor was among the founding team of Yes Bank, along with Ashok Kapur who died in 2008. As a promoter, Kapoor and his family own a 10.66 per cent stake in the bank. He has been the bank's CEO since 2004.

The banking sector has seen increased regulatory scrutiny over the last two years as the RBI has tried to push for appropriate recognition of bad loans. The asset quality review initiated in December 2015 has led to an increase in bad loans over Rs 6 lakh crore across banks, including Yes Bank.

Banks were asked to disclose divergences' in bad loan reporting. As a result, the RBI judged gross NPAs at Rs 83.738 bn for Yes Bank for 2016-17 against declared gross NPAs at Rs 20.18 bn. Thus, there was a divergence of Rs 63. 55 bn or three times the reported amount.
Hundreds of youth Congress workers took to streets in Delhi today to protest against the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, dubbing it as the "biggest scam" which, they said, should be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

The Congress has alleged that the BJP-led government was procuring each Rafale fighter at a cost of over Rs 1,670 crore against Rs 526 crore finalised by the previous UPA government. The BJP has said the deal signed by the NDA government was on better terms than the one agreed to in 2007.

Upping the ante against the Centre, Indian Youth Congress leaders from various parts of the country gathered for the march and questioned the government over the fairness of the deal.

Amid heavy police deployment, protestors began their march from All India Congress Committee headquarters on Akbar Road, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hitting out at Modi, senior Congress leader RPN Singh sought to know the cost of each Rafale fighter aircraft.

"The prime minister should come forward and tell the country about the cost of Rafale deal... The time has come to seek answers from the BJP-led central government," Singh said.

"With this protest march, the prime minister and BJP will know the power of country's youth," Singh said in his address to IYC workers before the march began.

IYC president Keshav Chand Yadav termed the deal the "biggest scam".

"Why is the central government not forming Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the deal?" Yadav asked.

In view of the march, heavy police deployment was in place near the Congress headquarters on Akbar Road. Police barricaded the area to stop protestors from marching towards the prime minister's residence.

Around 50 workers were detained and taken to Mandir Marg and Tughlak Road police stations.

The Congress appears to have decided to intensify its campaign against the Rafale deal which, the party claimed, was altered to benefit Prime Minister Modi's industrialist "friend" and "promote crony capitalism".

The Congress has lined up a series of programmes to take the issue to people and "expose" the government ahead of next year's parliamentary election.

Earlier in the day, Congress president Rahul Gandhi also targeted the Centre, telling Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about the wait of "Young India" for a decision on a joint parliamentary committee on the deal.

The Congress is undertaking a pan-India campaign to "apprise people" on the deal.

Party leaders are fanning out across the country, holding press conferences which will be followed by plans for district and state-level agitations on the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Zimbabwe's president has re-appointed as one of his vice presidents a former military general who helped him take power.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appointed Constantino Chiwenga, who led the defense forces when the military rolled into the capital in November to pressure longtime leader Robert Mugabe to resign.

Chiwenga later left the military with several other generals to take up leadership positions in the government and ruling party.

Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi were sworn in as the two vice presidents on Thursday as Mnangagwa's first Cabinet appointments since his inauguration on Sunday after a disputed election.

"For now, Mnangagwa and Chiwenga need each other for political survival strategic purposes," says Harare-based analyst, Alexander Rusero.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Daina Beth SolomonMEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc will begin selling food and drinks online in Mexico, including snacks, sweets and wines, it said on Thursday, a move that could intensify its competition with Wal Mart de Mexico to claim shoppers in a nascent e-commerce market.Online shopping represents a fraction of total retail sales in Mexico but has grown swiftly, putting Amazon and its rivals in a race to ramp up investments in logistics, technology and product offerings. Amazon views food and drink sales as key to growth, eyeing routine purchases to stock pantries as a way to ...
By Vijaykumar VedalaBENGALURU (Reuters) - A dip in rice export prices as the rupee plunged failed to stoke fresh demand for the Indian variety this week, but potential orders from the Philippines and elsewhere could provide fresh impetus to markets in Thailand and Vietnam.In top exporter India, rates for 5 percent broken parboiled rice fell by $3 to $386-$390 per tonne this week. The Indian rupee has fallen over 10 percent in 2018, hitting a record low on Thursday, increasing exporters margin from overseas sales. "Right now, demand is weak. Even after the recent price fall, African buyers are ...
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, on Thursday said the conglomerate has begun repurchasing its stock for the first time since 2012, and has added a "little" to its already huge stake in Apple Inc.Speaking on CNBC television, Buffett also said investors remain better off owning a basket of stocks than 30-year bonds and other fixed-income securities, as U.S. businesses benefit from a strong economy."Business is good across the board," he said. "It was good two years ago, it keeps getting better."Buffett, who turned 88 on Thursday, was in ...
Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, on Thursday said the conglomerate has bought back its own stock for the first time since 2012 and has added a "little" to its already huge stake in Apple Inc. Buffett also said investors are better off owning a basket of stocks than 30-year bonds and other fixed-income securities as a strong U.S. economy bolsters corporate profits despite higher costs from tariffs, which have also affected Berkshire. "I don't know when to buy stocks, but I know whether to buy stocks," Buffett, celebrating ...
By Jonathan Stempel and Trevor HunnicuttNEW YORK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc , on Thursday said the conglomerate bought back its own stock for the first time since 2012 and added to its already huge stake in Apple Inc .Buffett also said investors are better off owning a basket of stocks than long-term bonds as a strong U.S. economy bolsters corporate profits, despite higher costs from tariffs."I don't know when to buy stocks, but I know whether to buy stocks," Buffett, celebrating his 88th birthday, said on CNBC."Business is good across the ...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Wednesday that NAFTA trade negotiations with the United States were at a "very intense moment" and Canada was looking for compromises that were "win-win" for all sides."Our officials are meeting now and will be meeting until very late tonight. Possibly they'll be meeting all night long," she told reporters after a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer."This is a very intense moment in the negotiations and we're trying to get a lot of things done very quickly." (Reporting by Mohammad Zargham and David ...
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Organisers of a new business leaders' forum spearheaded by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg have been forced to move the event to Singapore from Beijing amid growing China-U.S. trade friction and scheduling conflicts with another forum.The Nov. 6-8 New Economy Forum in Beijing coincides with a massive new import fair in Shanghai that has been endorsed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and aims to demonstrate China's value as a powerful consumer of foreign goods and services.With no end in sight to the escalating China-U.S. trade war, the Shanghai import fair has ...
ZTE Corp reported a first-half net loss of 7.8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) on Thursday, weighed down by a ban on US firms selling parts to the Chinese telecom equipment maker that forced it to cease operations for three months. The result compared with the 7 billion to 9 billion yuan net loss estimate disclosed last month, and the 2.3 billion yuan profit booked in the same period a year earlier. Operating revenue in the first half fell 27.0 per cent to 39.4 billion yuan. In June, the network equipment and smartphone maker paid the United States $1.4 billion in penalties in a ...
BEIJING (Reuters) - China will roll out new measures to support the economy, state radio said on Thursday after a meeting of the country's cabinet.At the meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, the State Council said that the new measures, which include tax cuts, are expected to cut costs for firms this year by an additional 45 billion yuan ($6.59 billion).Beijing is speeding up infrastructure spending and offering help to smaller companies as China's economy cools and U.S. trade tensions intensify.($1 = 6.8300 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Beijing Monitoring Desk)(This story has not ...
(Corrects to show fall larger than expected, paragraph 9)By Christopher JohnsonLONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Thursday, extending gains on growing evidence of disruptions to crude supply from Iran and Venezuela and after a fall in U.S. crude inventories.Benchmark Brent crude oil was up 50 cents a barrel at $77.64 by 1130 GMT. U.S. light crude was 40 cents higher at $69.91.Brent has risen by almost 10 percent over the past two weeks on widespread perceptions that the global oil market is tightening and could run short in the next few months as U.S. sanctions restrict crude exports from ...
By Rod NickelWINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - A Canadian court on Thursday overturned approval of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion, ruling that Ottawa failed to adequately consider aboriginal concerns, in a blow to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to balance environmental and economic issues. Trudeau's government agreed in May to buy the pipeline from Kinder Morgan Canada for C$4.5 billion ($3.46 billion), betting it would win the court battle and expand Trans Mountain over fierce political and environmental opposition. The decision also hurts Canada's oil producers, who say the ...
(Reuters) - Talks between Canada and the United States intensified on Thursday as the two countries pushed for a deal on a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement by a Friday deadline, with both sides upbeat about the progress made.Talks entered a crucial phase this week after the United States and Mexico reached a bilateral deal on Monday, paving the way for Canada to rejoin talks to salvage the 24-year-old accord that underpins $1.2 trillion in annual North American trade.Mexico has been an increasingly important export market for the United States for most of the past decade. Securing ...
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's finance minister warned against following a "Europe First" policy and said it was unclear whether the European Union would reach a Brexit agreement with Britain.European policies should promote the region's business and industry, Olaf Scholz told bankers at a conference in Frankfurt. However, that does not mean protectionist measures that block non-European companies from doing business on the continent."But not 'Europe First'. That doesn't work for those who try it on their continents," Scholz said, apparently a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's ...
LONDON (Reuters) - India's National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the merger of Idea Cellular Ltd and the Indian unit of Vodafone Group, according to a person familiar with the matter. Idea, a part of the Aditya Birla conglomerate, and Vodafone signed a merger agreement last year, which could create the country's biggest telecom operator. Approval from the Tribunal was the only outstanding regulatory requirement.Both companies have declined to comment. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary; writing by Kate Holton; editing by Costas Pitas)(This story has not been edited by Business ...
(Reuters) - Panasonic Corp is to move its European headquarters from London to Amsterdam in October to avoid potential tax issues linked to Brexit, the Nikkei Asian Review said on Thursday.Moving the regional headquarters to continental Europe will also help Panasonic avoid any barriers to the flow of people and goods, Laurent Abadie, chief executive officer of Panasonic Europe, told Nikkei.Of the employees based out of London office, 10 to 20 engaged in auditing and financial operations will be moved to the Netherlands, with only investor relations staff staying, the Nikkei report ...
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia will impose a tax of between 5 percent and 10 percent on the sale of goods, while services will attract a 6 percent levy when a new tax regime comes into effect on September 1, the country's customs chief Subromaniam Tholasy said on Thursday.The Sales and Services Tax (SST) is being reintroduced after the government led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad repealed an unpopular goods and services tax (GST) earlier this month.The GST, which covered a broader range of items and services compared with the SST, has been set at 6 percent. (Reporting by Joseph ...
(Reuters) - Malaysia's flagship budget airline AirAsia Group Bhd posted a 147 percent jump in quarterly profit on Thursday, helped by a reversal of deferred tax on the sale of aircraft. Net profit for the three months ended June 30 was 361.8 million ringgit ($88.07 million), versus 146.5 million ringgit a year ago. Revenue rose 10.3 percent to 2.62 billion ringgit. AirAsia's load factor, or the percentage of seats filled, fell by 3 percentage points to 86 percent on average at its operations in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines that are consolidated for accounting ...
(Reuters) - National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the merger of Idea Cellular Ltd and the Indian unit of Vodafone Group Plc, according to television channels.Idea, a part of the Aditya Birla conglomerate, and Vodafone signed a merger agreement last year, which could create the country's biggest telecom operator.The merger followed a broader trend by India's network operators, who are rushing to consolidate amid a year-long price war sparked by the entry of billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio.Idea was not immediately reachable, while Vodafone had no immediate comment when ...
ZURICH (Reuters) - Nestle has finalised plans for reorganising its Swiss information technology (IT) setup, the food and beverage giant said on Thursday, reducing the number of tech worker jobs it will cut at its home base.In May, Nestle said it planned to eliminate up to 500 information technology jobs in Switzerland as it shifts work to an existing tech hub in Spain and other locations.Following consultations, the company has now determined that it will keep around 150 IT employees in Switzerland, compared to the 100 originally announced in May, and will extend the reorganisation plan into ...
By Tiisetso MotsoenengJOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - MTN Group shares plunged as much as 25 percent to a nine year low on Thursday, a day after Nigeria ordered the telecoms group's Lagos-based business to hand over $8.1 billion that the authorities say was illegally sent abroad. The demand by Nigeria's central bank is the latest setback for MTN in Nigeria, the South African group's most lucrative but increasingly also its most problematic market. It comes two years after MTN, Africa's biggest telecoms company, agreed to pay more than $1 billion to end a dispute in Nigeria over unregistered SIM ...
By Henning GloysteinSINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices inched up on Thursday, extending solid gains from the previous session on a fall in U.S. crude inventories and expected disruptions to supply from Iran and Venezuela.International Brent crude oil futures were at $77.21 per barrel at 0114 GMT, up 7 cents from their last close.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 14 cents at $69.65 a barrel.The rises came after crude hit multi-week highs during the previous session.U.S. commercial crude inventories fell by 2.6 million barrels in the week to Aug. 24, to 405.79 million ...
By Jessica Resnick-AultNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Thursday, extending gains on growing evidence of disruptions to crude supply from Iran and Venezuela and after a fall in U.S. crude inventories.Brent has risen by almost 10 percent over the past two weeks on widespread perceptions that the global oil market is tightening and could run short in the next few months as U.S. sanctions restrict crude exports from Iran."There are a lot of supportive factors here," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital Management in New YorkBrent crude oil was up 53 cents a barrel at $77.67 by ...
Paytm Mall, the e-commerce venture backed by China's Alibaba Group , is looking to deepen ties with regional retailers as well as partner with top online grocer BigBasket to compete with Walmart-controlled Flipkart and Amazon's local unit, a company executive said. Patym Mall, owned by Paytm E-Commerce, is currently the third biggest player in India's rapidly-growing online retail space. The company already has a revenue-sharing partnership with Future Retail, which owns hypermarket stores like Big Bazaar and fashion shops. It is now set to forge a partnership with ...
By Brenda Goh and Norihiko ShirouzuSHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's largest ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing has suspended its carpooling service after a passenger was killed, and is likely to face tighter oversight that will squeeze driver numbers and extend customer waiting times.The incident, which follows a similar grisly killing by a Didi driver in May, triggered public and government backlash - and created an opening for rival services to chip away at Didi's dominance in China, industry analysts say."There is certainly room for others to serve the market, and such incidents expose ...
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's and other companies paid A$215 million ($157 million) to settle a lawsuit in Australia where they were accused of overlooking risks when awarding high ratings to opaque investments that imploded in the global financial crisis. Australia's Federal Court published the figure on Thursday after approving its terms earlier in the month, in a decision ending the last crisis-era case against the firm.S&P declined to comment on Thursday and referred Reuters to earlier remarks which said it was "pleased" to settle the case.The U.S.-based ratings agency was sued ...
By Jonathan Stempel(Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said a former senior executive at Qualys Inc will pay a $581,170 insider trading penalty for helping his brothers sell their shares in the Silicon Valley cloud security company after learning it would report disappointing revenue.Amer Deeba, 51, who resigned this month as Qualys' chief commercial officer, was accused of telling his brothers in April 2015 that the company had missed its first-quarter sales forecast, and arranging for their broker to sell their shares. The SEC said Deeba's brothers, both Lebanese ...
By Julie Gordon and Sharay AnguloWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the United States and Canada expressed optimism on Wednesday that they could reach new NAFTA deal by a Friday deadline as negotiators prepared to talk through the night, although Canada warned that a number of tricky issues remained.Under pressure, Canada rejoined the talks to modernize the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement after Mexico and the United States announced a bilateral deal on Monday.Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said late on Wednesday that talks were at "a very intense moment" but ...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is ready to increase trade tensions with China, telling aides he wants to impose tariffs on $200 billion more in Chinese imports after a comment period ends next week, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.The White House declined comment on the Bloomberg report.The report, which cited six unidentified sources, pressured markets. The S&P hit session lows and U.S. Treasury yields fell.Some sources said Trump had not made his final decision, the report said.The world's two largest economies have already applied tariffs to $50 billion of each ...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has told aides he wants to move ahead on a plan to impose tariffs on Chinese imports worth $200 billion next week, Bloomberg News reported, further ratcheting up trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.Both countries have levied tariffs on $50 billion on the other's goods and threatened more duties. U.S. and Chinese officials ended talks last week without major breakthroughs on alleviating trade issues. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Tim Ahmann)(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is ...
By Toby SterlingAMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The chief executive of Unilever Paul Polman on Thursday defended the Dutch government's plan to scrap a withholding tax on dividends as good for the Netherlands' economy, despite its unpopularity domestically.In an interview with national broadcaster NOS, Polman said the tax was a "double tax" that was driving some companies to move elsewhere. "The global tendency is that dividend taxes are going down," he told NOS.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says scrapping the tax will make the Netherlands more attractive for foreign investment. It is set to cost the ...
By Allison LampertMONTREAL (Reuters) - United Airlines on Thursday will announce three new daily routes to Europe as the third largest U.S. carrier eyes higher-paying business travelers on transatlantic flights. The increase in transatlantic capacity comes as part of a broader company strategy that includes growing the margin-rich business-class service, Patrick Quayle, United's vice president of international network, said in a telephone interview from Montreal. "We're eyeing the business traveler, and Europe is doing very well for us," Quayle said without offering further details.United's ...
By Kane WuHONG KONG (Reuters) - China's private equity industry is cooling, with fundraising on course for one of its worst years since the global financial crisis and returns under pressure, hurt by tighter domestic liquidity following Beijing's war on debt and Sino-U.S. trade tensions. Industry players have raised $19.7 billion in yuan and foreign-currency funds so far this year, according to data provider Preqin, compared with an average $46.5 billion per year raised since 2010. The figures include venture capital as well as growth and later-stage private equity funds.Yuan-denominated ...
By Kate HoltonLONDON (Reuters) - WPP will name its unassuming former digital boss Mark Read as its new chief executive, tasked with turning around the world's largest advertising group in the wake of Martin Sorrell's departure, a city source told Reuters. Read was seen as the leading internal candidate to become CEO after he spent almost nine years on the board from 2006 to 2015. He has also worked on strategy, acquisitions and digital operations since he wrote to Sorrell asking for a job in 1989. The city source, who declined to be named because the decision is not yet public, said Read ...
Over the summer, my wife and I travelled with our two young kids on a two-week vacation through Europe. It wasn't as highfalutin as it sounds. In London, our Airbnb had ample skylights  which rendered the place all but uninhabitable during Europes heat wave. In Paris, our charming home-share had a cavernous hole in the ceiling of the entryway, revealing load-bearing beams that appeared to have been rotting since Napoleons reign. And in Amsterdam, our Airbnb advertised a kids bedroom stocked with toys  but failed to mention the mosquitoes and ...
Benchmark indices are likely to focus on global trends ahead of August F&O Expiry, due later in the day today.

Asian stocks rose on Thursday as Wall Street hit record highs in the hope that the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations will lead to a further easing of global trade tensions.

The leaders of the United States and Canada expressed optimism on Wednesday that NAFTA negotiations would meet a Friday deadline for a deal.

MSCIs broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan nudged up 0.1 per cent. Australian stocks added 0.15 per cent, and Japan's Nikkei rose to a three-month high, last trading up 0.45 per cent. South Korea's KOSPI was little changed.

Back home, investors will look forward to the June-quarter GDP data to be announced on August 31. For the quarter ended March 31 the GDP growth rate stood at 7.7 per cent.

Amid stock specific action, Reliance Infrastructure will be in focus after it said on Wednesday that it has completed the Rs 188 billion deal for sale of its Mumbai energy business to Adani Transmission, which will help it pare debt by two-thirds to Rs 75 billion.

The deal also marks the entry of the Adani group into the power distribution business.

Reserve Bank of India has completed the task of processing and verification of the large value notes (Rs 500, Rs 1,000) which were withdrawn from circulation following their demonetisation in November 2016.

The total value of banned notes, which RBI refers to as Specified Bank Notes (SBNs), in circulation as on 8 November 2016, post verification and reconciliation, was Rs 15.41 trillion.

As many as 99.3 per cent of the demonetised notes have been returned, the Reserve Bank of India said in its annual report.

Aditya Birla Group and US investment firm Varde Partners on Wednesday announced an exclusive joint venture partnership to invest as much as $1 billion (about Rs 70 billion) in stressed assets in India.

In a statement, Aditya Birla Capital (ABCL) and Varde Partners said both parties would evaluate investments across sectors, focusing on the acquisition, restructuring and resolution of non-performing assets (NPAs) as well as special situations financings.
An important part of the modern marketing department's arsenal is the use of influencers to spread the word of the business and its product. Brand ambassadors act as cheerleaders for your business and represent the culture of your company to the public.

A brand ambassador program is a special type of marketing campaign that puts your company's message in the hands of influencers with a certain goal in mind, such as improving your sales, brand recognition or reputation. These programs can be temporary partnerships that last for a set time or ongoing relationships. Either way, it should involve a contract with negotiated compensation for the work and effort the ambassador is willing to put in.

Besides driving sales and increasing brand awareness, the use of brand ambassadors has other benefits that other forms of marketing lack.

1. Naturally increase your social media presence

"We believe one of the main benefits of having a brand ambassador program is to reap the benefits of social media and increase your social media presence," said Matt Schmidt, CEO of Burial Insurance Pro. "Most ambassadors come with 'online' credibility and a large social media following."

A brand ambassador's main medium is social media, particularly platforms where they're able to acquire a sizable following, such as Instagram and YouTube.

2. Become a source of content

Your brand ambassadors create content that either features or centers on your business or product. Depending on your ultimate goal, they can do things such as drive interest in your industry using your business or utilize your product or service in their regular content.

As part of the partnership with your brand ambassador, the content they create with your brand will be yours to keep and use again as you see fit, such as posting it on your own social media pages and your website.

A creative brand ambassador will make content that utilizes your brand in a positive, fun way and will continue to be useful to you in the long run. Content such as video reviews, demonstrations or funny promo videos can be shared and posted multiple times.

3. Create a community

In the world of influencer marketing, there are clear superstars who are guaranteed to get your products or services in front of thousands or maybe even millions of eyes, akin to a celebrity endorsement. This is quantifiable by the number of followers these influencers have, and you can expect those numbers to reflect how much it will cost to work with them. But you don't have to go after the biggest Instagram celebrities or YouTube stars.

Your brand ambassadors don't need to have legions of followers; instead, they can have smaller audiences that they regularly engage with. They can influence their audience and bring attention to your company, changing the way it's viewed by all. Even if they're just reaching their family and friends, you're jump-starting a word-of-mouth campaign and hopefully building a community of enthusiasts.

"The results won't happen overnight, but if you have a well-thought-out long-term strategy and a vision to implement the strategy, there aren't any reasons why you shouldn't see results in a matter of a month or two," Schmidt said.

Find brand ambassadors

An easy way to find good brand ambassadors is to field your own social media following and find active followers who are enthusiastic about your business. Reach out to them and let them know you're interested in working with them as a brand ambassador. It's important to find people who will represent your brand the way you'd like it to be represented. Take care to look at their audience and decide if they match your own target audience.

The qualities of a good brand ambassador include being not only outgoing and personable, but also creative, trustworthy and genuine. Find individuals who really like your business and would be excited to work with you. Working with someone who isn't familiar with your business or interested in your product won't come off well and would be akin to a common paid advertisement. Their audience can easily sense disingenuous branding deals.

When recruiting brand ambassadors, it's important to set well-defined agreements beforehand that outline how your ambassadors present your brand. Otherwise, you risk not being represented in a proper and professional way. You don't want your company and branding to be part of inappropriate social media postings that hurt rather than help your cause.

Another great source for brand ambassadors is your own staff. Employees can be great brand ambassadors and come with lots of perks. They can share the most accurate information about the company and have better insight on what kinds of messages will benefit the brand.

"There is much research to support the fact that employees are highly trusted when it comes to sharing information about the companies they work for and the products/services those companies create and sell," said Linda Pophal, communication strategiest. "I would say the greatest potential downfall for companies is that, in order for employees to be willing to serve as brand ambassadors and to share positive messages, they have to be loyal, committed and engaged with the organization."
Amazon is gunning for a hat-trick to take on the escalating omnichannel competition in India. Apart from a 10% stake in Kishore Biyani's Future Retail Limited (FRL) and joining a consortium to buy out Kumar Mangalam Birla's food and grocery supermarket chain More, the world's largest online retailer is now reportedly eyeing a minority stake in Spencer's Retail.

"Talks with Spencer's on valuation and structure are currently ongoing," an executive with knowledge of the matter told The Economic Times. "They are preliminary in nature, so we can't be sure that the deal will go through."

Amazon's two-pronged move into the grocery space makes sense since its ambitions of being the first foreign e-tailer to sell food items directly to customers have been a non-starter due to policy ambiguities. To remind you, last year, Amazon was granted permission by the Indian government to invest $500 million in a wholly-owned venture to sell local produces and packaged food items through online and offline mediums. Though Bezos has reportedly invested about Rs 100 crore ($14 million) in that business - under Amazon Retail India Pvt - things are yet to gain traction.

Citing sources, the daily added that Amazon has realised it will take time for the above venture to develop since it's a difficult business to make profitable without a presence in other categories. So while the Seattle-based ecommerce giant bides time, such strategic investments in top brick-and-mortar chains are sure to come handy. "Without the support of brick-and-mortar chains that already have stores in all cities including the tier II and III markets, it will be difficult for Amazon to expand its play in food and grocery retail across the country," said an executive. In addition, the move will help Amazon save on margins.

According to Knowledge@Wharton, it's not just the size of the grocery pie that is attractive to e-tailers - expected to grow to $3-5 billion in the next three to four years - but also the stickiness. Groceries and fresh produce are an essential purchase for every household. They are bought frequently and with a high repeat rate.

"If FDI rules on multi-brand retail get liberalised, Amazon will look at full ownership in some of the chains," an executive told the daily, adding that it has made a similar offer to Spencer's Retail and others.

In the meantime, the strategy is reportedly likely to unfold through Amazon's Prime Now, which promises two-hour to same-day delivery of food and grocery. The hyperlocal platform is currently present in four cities, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

A stake in Spencer's Retail, India's third largest hypermarket retailer, will give Amazon access to its 128 stores - 58 large ones and 70 smaller ones - across 30 cities. What's more, in an investor presentation in March, the company announced plans to roll out around 40 hypermarket stores over next four years. In the last fiscal, the company reported revenue of Rs 2,091 crore while net loss dropped to Rs 30 crore, down from a loss of Rs 129 crore in 2016-17. The company hopes to break even in the current fiscal.

Spencer's Retail is a subsidiary of RP-Sanjiv Goenka group's flagship company, CESC Ltd. The latter recently got the green light from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for the demerger of the business into four entities. Sources told the daily that Spencer's Retail - which will then become a separate listed company - has plans to raise funds subsequently, with the promoters looking to dilute a minority stake.

If Amazon successfully closes all three deals it will reportedly have a stake in over 1,700 stores as well as access to a mine of data to further its business in India. Both factors will help it compete effectively against rivals like Walmart-Flipkart and Reliance Retail. Moreover, Alibaba, which has invested heavily in India in the payment and retail space through Paytm and BigBasket, is also seeking local retail partners in top domestic conglomerates.
First came the working group to develop a detailed roadmap for taking the Indian economy from the current $2.6 trillion to $5 trillion in the next seven to eight years. The first meeting of this working group, chaired by Minister of Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu, was held in mid-March. And now the government is reportedly setting up a task force to take this up further.

According to The Economic Times, the commerce and industry ministry is setting up two more task forces to plan the use of big data and artificial intelligence in government processes and chalk out the country's response to the changing trade dynamics.

"The communication for the composition is likely to go out this week. We are targeting big names and different people in each committee," an official told the daily. The composition of the committees is expected to be skewed towards the private sector and academia. The official added that the terms of reference of the panels are being worked out and at least one panel could meet in the next one month.

The report added that the task force focussing on new age technologies will not only look into deploying big data, automation and artificial intelligence in government functioning but also streamline the country's data dashboards and mainstream the National eGovernance Plan.

The second task force will reportedly discuss how the $5 trillion target can be achieved by diversifying services and manufacturing. At the meeting of the working group on the same topic, Prabhu had emphasised the key role that the private sector would play in creating new business models and strategies as well as leveraging new technologies to fuel growth in the Indian economy. He had added that the government will act as the facilitator in this process.

Last month, World Bank's updated data for 2017 showed that India had edged past France and snatched the tag of the world's sixth-largest economy from it. India's gross domestic product (GDP) stood at $2.597 trillion at the end of last year while the US remains the world's largest economy with a GDP of $19.39 trillion, followed by China ($12.23 trillion), Japan ($4.87 trillion).

The third committee looking into trade dynamics is reportedly unlikely to touch upon the aspect of multilateral trade and free-trade agreements. This comes against the backdrop of an escalating trade war between the US and China that is threatening to derail global growth.

"There is no doubt that recent tariffs by the United States and retaliation by China, EU and other countries have placed the future of the multilateral trading system at serious risk. For the first time, I feel that we may descend into the kind of protectionism the global economy experienced during the inter-war years," Former Niti Aayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya told PTI yesterday, praising the Modi government not getting into the retaliation game. "We in India need to stay the course."

Citing another official in the know, the daily added that the three committees will help generate innovative ideas to prepare the country for the fourth industrial revolution. For the record, Industry 4.0 is all about the integration of advanced automation, cloud computing, sensors, 3D printing, computer powered processes, intelligent algorithms, and Internet of things (IoT). Most greenfield factories in India are adopting these technologies in some form.

With PTI inputs

Edited By Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal
The report submitted in the United States Bankruptcy Court in New York has highlighted how Nirav Modi's companies used funds raised from one bank to repay outstanding Letters of Undertaking (LoUs) from other banks in a vicious cycle that broke out only when the scam was exposed.

In a written reply in Rajya Sabha Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had disclosed that the Mumbai branch of Punjab National Bank had issued a total of 1,213 LoUs fraudulently to Nirav Modi group of companies since March 2011.

A case in point is his company Diamond R, which applied for $1.9 million loan (LoUs) from the Punjab National Bank to finance import of diamonds from American firm, A Jaffe, also a Nirav Modi firm. The money was used to pay off A Jaffe. Simultaneously, another Nirav Modi firm Firestar Diamond India applied for credit from Punjab National Bank and Vijaya Bank, which was then used to pay off Diamond R's outstanding LoU. Investigators say such round-tripping to use one LoUs funds to repay previous LoUs was going on on a regular basis for nearly 7 years.

For instance, once Firestar Diamond also got the credit from PNB and Vijaya Bank, those funds were routed to Diamond R to pay off its liability with PNB ($1.9 million) via another Nirav Modi company--Neeshal Merchandising.

The report found out that Nirav Modi set up over 20 shadow companies to conclude such loan money trail. These shadow entities were mostly set up in the UAE and Hong Kong. Interestingly, his Firestar Diamond employees were the owners of these shadow companies. The investigation report highlights how accountants, sorters, data-entry operators and administrative staff of Firestar doubled up as the owners of Nirav Modi shadow companies to round trip diamonds in the guise of legitimate business transactions.

For example, Divyesh Kumar, Naresh Gandhi, Sonu Mehta, all Firestar India employees, were owners of his shell companies, Auragem Company Ltd (Hong Kong. Bhavik Jayesh Shah, who was sorter at Firestar, was also made the owner at another shell firm Brilliant Diamonds Ltd. Similarly, Sandeep Mistry, an employee of Firestar India, was also the owner of World Diamond Distribution FZE, another shell firm.

After the mega scam was unearthed in February, these shadow companies, including Universal Fine Jewelry, Empire Gems, Unique Diamond Jewelry, operating out of UAE, were also shut down to cover up the fraud. Investigators have said that loans obtained through fraudulent LoUs, which are the PNB's import loan instruments, were used back and forth between Nirav Modi's companies through a number of shadow entities across Asia and the USA. For example, the examiner found $1.84 million from LoU of PNB's import finance deposited into Modi's Firestar Diamond Inc's account on March 8, 2011. The bank statement shows the money flows out the very next same day to his other shells companies.

This six-month investigation conducted by the US investigators interviewed 45 witnesses and analysed a massive amount of data in the form of emails, voice messages and documents linked to Nirav Modi's companies across the world. The probe determined that Nirav Modi used senior officials of his three American companies to transfer the PNB money from India to the United States via a complex web of shell companies, diamond round tripping and real estate transactions.

(Edited by Manoj Sharma)
A US investigation filed in a New York Bankruptcy Court has unveiled a bizarre instance of a diamond worth $1,88,000 transacted 4 times between various Nirav Modi companies to work up a transaction value of $3.6 million-nearly 20 times the original cost. This was to inflate the sales value in these firms to give the impression of a lot of business being transacted in the companies.

The investigation notes at least 4 such instances of round-tripping of diamonds to give the impression of high sales worth $213 million between Modi's entities and his shell companies.

The 165-page dossier submitted to the United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of New York is prepared by John J. Carney, an examiner appointed by US bankruptcy court for the three US-based jewellery companies owned by PNB fraud accused Nirav Modi.

The 3.27 Carat diamond 'Fancy Vivid Yellow Orange Cushion Cut SI1' was exported thrice and imported once between August 8 and September 13, 2011.

Surprisingly, diamond experts confirmed that only 1 diamond of this characteristic was sold in public auction during the period for $188,000.

According to the dossier submitted in the New York court, on August 8, 2011, Firestar Diamond Inc (FDI, previously Firestone Inc.) sold the stone to Fancy Creations Company Ltd. for $1,098,802.

Approximately three weeks later, Solar Exports, reportedly a partnership formed by the Nirav Modi family trust, exported the diamond back to FDI for a much lower $183,087 - although closer to its actual value.

Six days later, FDI again exported the diamond to Fancy Creations Company, Ltd for $1,156,043.

Finally, two weeks later, Modi-owned A. Jaffe sold the gem to Sandeep Mistry's (an employee of Firestar India) company, World Diamond, for $1,218,991.

Incidentally, the reviewed records also show that FDI got instructions on moving the diamond from Mistry.

The investigation has concluded that Modi's companies indulged in round-tripping of the same funds and via various global entities to give the impression of higher business to secure more and more LoUs.

It says his entities in India 'shipped stones back and forth among themselves and other Modi controlled entities around the world, generating shipping invoices that were provided to PNB to secure LOUs.

More than 20 Firestar-controlled shell firms which were pretending to be independent third parties were used for round-tripping transactions across India, UAE and Hong Kong. These shipments were only intended to create customs records for securing more LoUs to pay previous LoUs

Some of the shadow entities mentioned in the report are:

Auragem Company Ltd,

Brilliant Diamonds Ltd,

Empire Gems FZE

Eternal Diamonds Corporation Ltd,

Fancy Creations Company Ltd,

Pacific Diamonds FZE,

Tri Color Gems FZE,

Unique Diamond and Jewelry FZC,

Universal Fine Jewelry FZE and

Vista Jewelry RJE, World Diamond Distribution FZE

While the investigations related to Nirav Modi scam are still ongoing in the country, the new report submitted in the US court may bolster India's efforts to attach assets and properties of Nirav Modi and his associates in the US.

On April 13, the court appointed the examiner to determine if the three US corporations indirectly owned by Nirav Modi and their officers and directors were involved in the criminal conduct alleged in India. The examiner was assisted by Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations, led by retired FBI special agent William B. Waldie. Indian forensic auditors BDO India, hired by PNB for internal audit after Nirav Modi scam, had later joined the investigation.

The investigators interviewed 45 people and analysed 1.8 Terabytes of data recovered from various sources. It concluded that Nirav Modi linked firms (including those in US) were involved in running shell companies, overpricing, round-tripping of diamonds and were beneficiaries of illegal LoUs.
After Pakistan's newly-appointed Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged an austerity drive, his use of a helicopter to commute to work daily has set the country abuzz. Coming to his defence is the Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry who said that with Rs 50-55 per km, a helicopter trip from the PM's residence in Bani Gala to the PM's Secretariat works out cheaper than travelling by road. This, needless to say, left Pakistan Twitterati roaring with laughter with some even asking the minister to provide helicopters for public commute since it is so cheap.

While Chaudhry batted for the PM's right to use all the perks that comes along with leading a country, PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan listed the benefits of using the helicopter. He tweeted that considering that 5 to 7 vehicles are required for the PM's security, along with safety and no road blockage, using the helicopter for 3 minutes ends up being cheaper.

However, the ministers could not be far from the truth.

According to a report in BBC, the helicopter used by the PM is Augusta Westland's AW139. For the helicopter to fly one nautical mile costs around Rs 16,000 in Pakistani currency and Rs 9,200 by Indian standards.

Now the distance between Bani Gala and the PM Secretariat is roughly 15 km, which translates to around 8 nautical miles. In all, that turns out to be Rs 1,28,000 in Pakistan and Rs 73,635 in India.

Even taking into account the PM's convoy, the commute via road would not amount to such a huge price. The sum of Rs 55, which is roughly Rs 31 in India, is not even close to the actual price as the minister's claim. Cab hailing company Careem that operates in Pakistan, charges Rs 37-40 per km or around Rs 23 in Indian currency.

As mentioned in The Express Tribune, a retired army aviation officer said that a helicopter costs thousands of rupees to start off. He also added that perhaps the cheapest way for the PM to travel would be to jog, like Imran Khan does every morning.

(Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya)
14 Nov 2018, 12:23 PM

Rupee hits record low of 70.82, falls 23 paise against US dollar

The rupee on Thursday extended losses for the fourth consecutive session and plunged to an all-time intra day low against the US dollar on strong month-end dollar demand from oil importers and foreign fund outflows. The currency fell 23 paise to hit a new record low of 70.82 per dollar. The slide was triggered by factors such as crude prices hitting multi-month highs fuelled by supply shocks along with concerns over widening current account deficit (CAD.

Paytm Mall looks to deepen partnerships in fight with Flipkart, Amazon

Paytm Mall, the e-commerce venture backed by China's Alibaba Group, is trying to deepen ties with regional retailers as well as partner with popular online grocer BigBasket to compete with Walmart-controlled Flipkart and Amazon's local unit. It is now set to enter a partnership with BigBasket, also backed by Alibaba, Amit Sinha, the chief operating officer of the online marketplace, told Reuters. Paytm Mall, owned by Paytm E-Commerce, is currently the third biggest player in India's rapidly-growing online retail space. The company already has a revenue sharing partnership with Future Retail, which owns stores like Big Bazaar and fashion shops.

Buyers must pay up to Rs 24,000 on insurance for new vehicles from September 1

The Supreme Court has ordered all general insurers to offer long-term third party insurance on vehicles sold on or after September 1. In line with the court directive, insurance companies will now offer only three-year insurance for cars and five-year insurance for two-wheelers under the third party segment from the next month. Following the implementation of the Supreme Court order, prospective vehicle buyers will have to pay more than Rs 24,000 for new cars and over Rs 13,000 for new motorcycles in third-party insurance.

RBI report shows household savings have touched a seven-year high

Household financial savings have climbed to a seven-year-high in 2017-18 (FY18), the annual report of the Reserve Bank of India released on Tuesday has revealed. In 2016-17 (FY17), it was 9.1 per cent of the gross national disposable income (GNDI); in FY18, it climbed to 11.1 per cent.

WhatsApp to start taking classes to curb spread of fake messages, forwards

WhatsApp will be taking new measures to tackle the spread of misinformation on its platform. The instant messaging company will conduct training classes for specific locations in the hope of spreading awareness about fake news. According to a report by IANS, WhatsApp is taking help from a New Delhi-based non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) to create awareness in special pockets of the Indian population. WhatsApp will be conducting around 40 training sessions in areas that are sensitive to the spread of fake forwards. The sessions will be held across 10 Indian states.

RBI says 99.3% demonetised notes were returned

The Reserve Bank of India in its annual report has said Rs 15.31 lakh crore out of the total Rs 15.41 lakh crore demonetised currency have returned to the banking system. The central bank said 99.3 per cent junked notes were deposited in banks, while 0.7 per cent notes worth Rs 10,720 crore couldn't be traced. Critics say the numbers prove that demonetisation was a big failure. PM Modi had scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in a surprise announcement on November 8, 2016.
Germany is backing Irishwoman Sharon Donnery as the next chief of the European Central Bank's banking watchdog, hoping she will be tough on tackling bad loans in countries such as Italy, a source familiar with the Berlin government's thinking said.

The ECB is looking for a banking expert to replace the head of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), Daniele Nouy, when her term expires at the end of this year and to oversee a sector weighed down by bad loans and shrinking profit margins.

Donnery, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, already leads an ECB taskforce charged with bringing down the euro zone's trillion euro problem of soured credit inherited from the financial crisis and concentrated in southern Europe.

Last week she became the first person to declare her candidacy to take over at the SSM on Jan. 1, 2019.

Berlin is hoping to rally other countries behind Donnery to rival likely Italian candidates such as Andrea Enria, chairman of the European Banking Authority, or ECB supervisor Ignazio Angeloni, the source said.

A spokesman for the German finance minister declined to comment. A spokesperson for Chancellor Angela Merkel did not immediately offer a comment.

German supervisors have called for rigour on unpaid bank loans. But Italy, where the problem is larger because the government did not bail out its banks during the financial crisis, has obtained some leniency, to the dismay of some in the bloc's core.

Supporting Donnery, rather than pushing for its own candidate, would make it easier for Germany to aim for higher profile roles due to come up in the European Union over the next year, including the heads of the European Commission and the ECB itself, the source added.

Huge levels of bad debt at Irish banks triggered a crisis which forced Dublin to take an international bailout in 2010. However, since then Irish authorities have won praise for tackling the problem.

Since 2013 - the year Donnery was first promoted to a senior position at the central bank - bad debts have fallen from 32% of Irish banks' total loans to around 14%.

In addition to her credentials as a banking watchdog, Donnery was also seen as fitting well into the European Parliament's push to have more women at the helm of EU institutions, the source said.

While the top SSM position is already held by a woman, a Donnery appointment would at least maintain the status quo, whereas all the other names floated so far as possible candidates are those of men.

With just 27% of women in management positions, the ECB has admitted it is falling short of its own gender target.

Donnery and France's top financial markets regulator Robert Ophele are the only candidates to have made their application public so far.

Media reports have also mentioned Enria, Angeloni and former Dutch supervisor Jan Sijbrand as among potential candidates.

The head of the SSM is proposed by the ECB after a competitive application process, but the appointment is made by the heads of EU governments as part of a broader chess game to distribute top roles among countries.

According to some insiders, Donnery's appointment would decrease the chances of Irish central bank governor Philip Lane becoming the ECB's next chief economist when Peter Praet's mandate expires at the end of May 2019. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
 Maryland top court issues lengthy split opinions on application of Eighth Amendment limits on juve life sentences | Main | Texas jury hands down 15-year prison term after convicting police officer of murder for shooting unarmed teen 

Over at SCOTUSblog, Rory Little has this lengthy post providing a detailed review of Judge Brett Kavanuagh's work in criminal cases over a dozen years on the DC Circuit. The post should be read in full by all criminal justice fans, and here are some excerpts that highlight the post's themes, along with a few parts likely to be of particular interest to sentencing fans:

When one also considers that federal appellate judges must follow Supreme Court precedent rather than write or consider it anew, an analysis of Kavanaughs relatively sparse work in criminal cases over the past 12 years yields few definitive data points....

In criminal cases, Kavanaughs body of work is relatively straightforward and unexciting. He does not often disagree with, and never insults, his colleagues. His opinions are careful and seek to follow precedent; they take few if any legal or stylistic risks. Meanwhile, Kavanaugh sometimes rules for defendants, occasionally in surprising ways....

Kavanaugh has a particular interest in federal sentencing and the Sentencing Guidelines: It has been said that ones first love may be the strongest. The first published writing on criminal law by Kavanaugh that I found was a January 2007 concurrence in U.S. v. Henry, in which Kavanaugh joined Garland and Judge Karen Henderson in the reversal of a defendants sentence in light of the Supreme Courts United States v. Booker decision. (Booker was an unusual case in which a five-justice majority ruled that the mandatory federal Sentencing Guidelines structure, just like that of some states, violated the Constitutions jury trial guarantee  but then a different five-to-four majority ruled that as a remedy, the federal guidelines statute should be construed as discretionary rather than mandatory.) Kavanaughs opinion is quite scholarly, noting the tensions in Bookers constitutional analysis.

Kavanaugh went on to manifest concerns about the nuances of federal criminal sentencing in at least eight later writings. Of particular note, he expressed misgivings in Henry, and then again in 2008 (United States v. Settles), and then a third time recently in an en banc concurrence, about the use of acquitted conduct at sentencing, which he wrote seems a dubious infringement of the rights to due process and to a jury trial....

Many of Kavanaughs rulings can be labeled pro-defense: Although some court-observers fear that Kavanaughs confirmation could drive the Supreme Court further to the right, I found at least eight D.C. Circuit decisions  in addition to the Nwoye battered women syndrome case mentioned above  in which Kavanaugh wrote to join a pro-defendant ruling....

Although Kavanaugh cannot overall be described as a criminal-law liberal, one might call him a Kennedy-esque moderate. In sum, Kavanaughs writings in traditional criminal-law cases seem unlikely to draw critical fire from any political direction.
 Is Jeff Sessions' opposition to modest sentencing reforms going to cost him his job as Attorney General? | Main | Prison chief explains his "non-political approach" to sentencing and prison reforms 

The title of this post is the title of this notable new New Republic piece by Matt Ford with the subheadline "Andrew Gillum wants to fix his state's broken carceral system. He's not alone among Democratic nominees for governor." Here are excerpts:

In his victory speech, Gillum highlighted an issue thats received short shrift from Florida policymakers in recent years. Beneath my name is also a desire by the majority of people in this state to see real criminal-justice reform take hold, he told a crowd of supporters at his Tuesday night victory rally. The kind of criminal-justice reform which allows people who make a mistake to be able to redeem themselves from that mistake, return to society, have their right to vote, but also have their right to work.

The message could apply anywhere in the United States. But it carries greater resonance in Florida, which ranks among the most carceral states in the union. While crime has plummeted nationwide since the early 1990s, Floridas prison population hasnt seen significant declines. Instead, the number of people serving more than ten years in prison tripled between 1996 and 2017. Lawmakers abolished parole for most crimes by 1993, which requires the state to keep many prisoners behind bars who dont pose a danger to society. Even today, the state has shirked the broader reform-oriented trend on both the left and the right.

Gillum has campaigned on a platform that could change that. His campaigns official site touts measures similar to those adopted in some Democratic-led states, like reducing the number of crimes that carry mandatory-minimum sentences and reforming the cash-bail system, which disproportionately harms lower-income Americans. Others are more bold: Gillum went further than his primary opponents and called for the full legalization, rather than just decriminalization, of marijuana. Though he told reporters he is not an opponent of the death penalty, Gillum said he would suspend executions to address concerns about racial disparities....

Other Democratic gubernatorial candidates have also called for sweeping criminal-justice in their states. Georgias Stacey Abrams, who would be the first black woman governor ever elected in America, grounds her approach in the experience of her brother Walter, who has bipolar disorder and developed a drug addiction. Instead of receiving treatment, he and tens of thousands of other Americans with major mental illnesses are regularly churned through the criminal justice system for committing crimes of survival like petty theft. Abramss platform focuses on improving alternatives to incarceration and bolstering reentry programs to improve the transition back into society.

Marylands Ben Jealous, a former president of the NAACP, would go even further. His platform calls for the full legalization of marijuana, the abolition of cash-bail programs, shifting the states parole powers away from the governors office and toward independent experts, and expunging criminal records for certain crimes to aid reentry and employment efforts. Among his more significant proposals is a state program to investigate prisoners claims of innocence. A commission dedicated to that task in North Carolina secured eight exonerations in its first nine years of existence.

A constant fear among reformers is that the political winds could turn back toward tough-on-crime policies after years of favorable weather. Its unclear whether that will be a problem in Gillums contest against DeSantis. Many GOP elected officials have thrown their weight behind criminal-justice reform to varying degrees in recent years, though its unclear if DeSantis counts himself among them. His threadbare campaign issues page doesnt discuss the issue and his campaign staff hasnt provided details on the matter to local media outlets. Like Trump, though, he has run as a law-and-order candidate, and seems more likely to emulate the presidents attack on Gillum as a supposed enabler of crime.
comment, editorial

Chelsea Manning, the 31-year-old Oklahoma-born whistleblower who was sentenced to 35 years jail for leaking almost 750,000 classified US military and diplomatic documents in 2010, has put the newly-formed Morrison government in a no-win position. Manning, whose sentence was commuted by President Obama in January 2017, just before the Trump inauguration, now makes her living as an international speaker and activist. She recently applied for a visa to come to Australia for paid speaking engagements in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Her first appearance, as part of the Antidote festival at the Sydney Opera House, is scheduled for Sunday. That now appears unlikely to proceed given the Federal Government is considering whether or not to deny her a visa. Manning has been issued with a "Notice of intention to consider refusal of your visa application". The Home Affairs Department said Manning's eligibility to enter Australia was in doubt because of her criminal record. Obama only commuted her sentence; she retains her convictions for espionage and theft. The issue of the "Notice of intention" has caused outrage in some quarters with Antidote organisers, lawyers, journalists and civil rights and free speech activists all condemning the move as tantamount to an act of censorship. Her defenders argue that Manning's actions had a positive effect in that they exposed war crimes and human rights abuses during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This included sending video of the Granai airstrike, in which between 86 and 147 Afghan civilians were killed in an attack by a USAF B-1 bomber near Herat on May 4, 2009, to Wikileaks. Other people, including former army officer, NSW RSL president and non-resident fellow at the United States Study Centre, James Brown, are critical of Manning's actions and have defended moves to ban her from entering the country however. Brown says Manning is a "text book example" of why there needs to be a character test for people wanting to enter Australia as visitors. "Coming into Australia as a non-citizen is a privilege, not a right," he said. "Someone who has a substantial criminal record shouldn't enjoy that right, and particularly someone who has worked to undermine our national interest and the security of our troops." Brown, who says people would have died as a result of Manning's actions, doesn't see this as a freedom of speech matter: "No-one is saying you shouldn't read her books or her columns... [but] we have the right to determine who comes into Australia." An interesting counterpoint to Manning is Jordan Belfort, the so-called "Wolf of Wall Street" who spent 22 months in prison in the US after pleading guilty to fraud and stock market manipulation that resulted in stock holder losses of more than $200 million. Belfort has visited Australia as a paid speaker on two separate occasions. Manning, like Belfort, does not appear to be somebody whose presence in this country represents a danger to the public. There is no risk she will re-offend, incite violence, encourage terrorism or steal documents. If Manning is banned from entry the Government will find itself under pressure to explain why a premeditated fraudster is okay but a woman regarded by many as a whistleblower, a hero and an activist is not.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1e570625-bb20-4c4b-94ac-5f27657af88c/r2_0_1021_576_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
news, latest-news

Retired public service commissioner John Lloyd told the officer investigating complaints about his conduct she would unlawfully use her power in finding against him. Mr Lloyd in a letter to merit protection commissioner Linda Waugh attacked the inquiry into allegations raised about an email he sent a right-wing think tank, saying it had been "infected with a denial of procedural fairness". He claimed he was not told former Commonwealth ombudsman John McMillan, who investigated the allegations against the then-public service commissioner, would probe his decision to send the Institute of Public Affairs a document created by his agency. Ms Waugh denied the inquiry had been unfair and said Mr Lloyd had never been told it would be limited in the way he claimed, a report tabled in federal parliament found. Mr Lloyd's letter, sent in response to Ms Waugh's preliminary findings in August, also questioned Professor McMillan's impartiality and referred to a criticism the ex-ombudsman made about him in a media report in 2015. "I submit that the outcome is that the inquiry has miscarried and its results are invalid," he said. Under a subheading, 'Moving the Goalposts', Mr Lloyd claimed he was told the investigation would look at whether the document he sent to the institute was created by the public service commission for the think tank, where he is a member and was formerly a director. Mr Lloyd said then-acting merit protection commissioner Mark Davidson, who preceded Ms Waugh, had told him his decision to email the institute in April 2015 did not justify investigation. "That decision was a formal final decision, not the expression of a preliminary view. The decision of your predecessor binds you," he told Ms Waugh. "You are now precluded from making a decision contrary to that made by Mr Davidson." The inquiry found Mr Lloyd did not use his agency's resources to conduct research for the think tank, but that he had asked the commission's staff to complete it for his purposes as public service commissioner. It also found he breached a code of conduct governing federal officials by emailing the document created by his agency to the institute. Mr Lloyd said investigations into his email to the institute were outside the scope of the inquiry, and that any probe into this would be invalid and void. Professor McMillan was not tasked with probing this question, he said. "To the extent that you have taken into account the views of Professor McMillan, you have not exercised your statutory functions in accordance with the law, as you have taken into account an irrelevant consideration," he told Ms Waugh. "This muddle could have been avoided if I had been informed of changed terms of the inquiry, had been afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard, including reasonable access to legal advice and a reasonable time within which to respond to the draft report. "If I had been so informed, my participation in the inquiry, the evidence I led and the submissions I relied on would have been more extensive and materially different." Ms Waugh said while it was reasonable for Mr Lloyd to have understood the inquiry was confined to the creation of the document, he was never assured it would be limited to this question, and that he was given two chances from July 25 to respond about his email to the institute. "While the timeframes for Mr Lloyd to respond have been shorter than I would have preferred, I do consider that they were sufficient for Mr Lloyd to present his case on the particular matter and that he has been provided with procedural fairness in respect of this issue," she said. The former public service commissioner also said there was a question whether a fair-minded, objective observer would understand that Professor McMillan had shown bias against him, calling into question the inquiry's impartiality and independence in light of the ex-ombudsman's previous media comments. Ms Waugh said the matter Professor McMillan commented about, freedom of information, was unrelated to the scope of the inquiry. "I do not believe a reasonably informed bystander would have doubt about Professor McMillans ability to bring an impartial mind to his inquiry as a result of this comment," she said. She said she had brought an independent mind in assessing Professor McMillan's reasoning and reaching her own view about Mr Lloyd's conduct. Ms Waugh cleared Mr Lloyd of any misconduct on a second complaint her office received about a separate email he sent to institute head John Roskam in October following questioning over his links to the group by Labor senators at a parliamentary hearing.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/292c3ffd-5dae-4de7-9431-7e3aacea6217/r0_295_5568_3441_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
 Texas jury hands down 15-year prison term after convicting police officer of murder for shooting unarmed teen | Main | "Criminal Justice Reform Is on the Midterm Ballot" 

August 30, 2018

Is Jeff Sessions' opposition to modest sentencing reforms going to cost him his job as Attorney General?

The question in the title of this post  which I would answer "I hope so"  is prompted by this Politico article fully headlined "Trump personally lobbying GOP senators to flip on Sessions: Opposition to the attorney general's firing, long seen as a red line by lawmakers, has softened in recent days." Here is an excerpt from the piece of note to sentencing fans:

The president, who has spent a year and a half fulminating against his attorney general in public, finally got traction on Capitol Hill thanks to the growing frustration of a handful of GOP senators with their former colleague  most importantly, Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and South Carolinas Lindsey Graham, who have been irritated by Sessions opposition to a criminal justice reform bill they support, according to interviews with more than a half-dozen congressional GOP aides, Trump advisers, and Republicans close to the White House.... Over the past week, Trump has belittled Sessions in conversations with several Republican senators, including Graham, and the idea of dismissing him no longer provokes the political anxiety it once did. Along with Graham and Grassley, Sessions has also alienated presidential son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, the chief White House proponent of the Graham-Grassley approach on criminal justice reform, as well as his wife, Ivanka Trump. After a meeting last week that included Trump, Sessions and Kushner, the White House and McConnell delayed action on the issue until after the midterms. Grassley and other backers of the effort left the meeting hopeful for progress at that point. But Sessions office put out a sharply negative statement that suggested the president had come out against any sentencing reform in the legislation. Holly Harris, a longtime Kentucky GOP strategist pushing for a reform deal from the helm of the nonprofit Justice Action Network, blasted Sessions for an absolute mischaracterization of the White Houses stance on the issue. DOJ is making so many enemies in so many places now that I actually think its going to help our legislation. I think theyve gone way too far, Harris said, describing Sessions actions on the issue as off the rails. The criminal justice issue has been an ongoing sore point between Sessions and Grassley. The House passed a narrower bill in May that doesnt include changes to sentencing requirements  something Sessions strongly opposes but that Grassley and others, including Graham, have insisted on adding. When Sessions spoke out against a broader criminal justice bill that the Judiciary Committee passed in February, Grassley publicly dressed him down. Look at how hard it was for me to get him through committee in the United States Senate, the senator said then. And look at, when the president was going to fire him, I went to his defense. No longer. Though Grassley had previously said he could not schedule hearing time to confirm a new attorney general, he changed his tune last week. I do have time for hearings on nominees that the president might send up here that I didnt have last year, Grassley said last week.

Prior related post:

UPDATE : This new Bloomberg piece suggests AG Sessions will be in his job at least for the next few month: "Trump Says Hell Keep Sessions Until November Despite Illegal Probe"

August 30, 2018 at 12:45 PM | Permalink

Comments

If Trump is going to fire Sessions he'd better do it before a new Democratic majority the House votes to impeach him.

Posted by: Daniel | Aug 30, 2018 4:57:12 PM

Daniel, you just hit a home run. To me it looks like all roads of corruption lead back to Trump. I just done see how he can side step the big mess much longer.

Washington is spending so much time on the Russian thingy and indicting Trumps cabinet its no wonder mothing is getting done.

Myself, I would like to see Sessions go and Cotton just plain go away, silently

Fat chance on that happening right.

Posted by: MidWestGuy | Aug 31, 2018 7:15:57 AM

Post a comment
Singapore, 30 August 2018  Continuing its steady expansion in Vietnam, CapitaLand is acquiring a prime site in Ho Chi Minh City for VND1,380 billion (about S$81.4 million). Measuring over 60,000 square metres in total area, CapitaLand is set to build on this site its 13th residential development in Vietnam. The development is expected to yield more than 100 landed residential units, targeted for completion by 2021. This is CapitaLands third acquisition within a month as it actively replenishes its land bank and strengthens foothold in high-growth developed and emerging markets.1

The target site is in Binh Trung Dong Ward in the fast-growing District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City; where amenities such as international schools, shopping malls, supermarkets as well as food and beverage outlets are aplenty. It is next to Ho Chi Minh Citys Ring Road 2 and six kilometres to the Phu My Bridge, providing convenient access to various key destinations. The Cat Lai Port and Thu Thiem  the new financial centre and urban area of Ho Chi Minh City are close by, while the Central Business District in District 1, Saigon Hi-Tech Park in District 9 and new Phu My Hung urban area in District 7 are a 10-minute drive away. Near the site, several major infrastructure developments such as the construction of the My Thuy interchange and Cat Lai bridge are underway. When completed, these will further enhance the connectivity of the area.

Mr Lim Ming Yan, CapitaLands President & Group CEO, said: We are pleased to bag another highly coveted site in Vietnam, where our ninth residential development in the fast-growing District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City will be built. Strong economic development, rapid urbanisation and the rising affluence of its population continue to fuel demand for quality residential developments in the country. CapitaLand has been seeing year-on-year growth in our Vietnam home sales, which are continually contributing to the Groups earnings. As of 30 June 2018, 93% of CapitaLands launched residential units in Vietnam have been sold. We expect to hand over more than 30% of the 2,680 units in Vietnam that have been sold at approximately S$811 million in the second half of 2018.

This is CapitaLands third acquisition in the month of August, as we continue our momentum in replenishing our land bank. It is in line with our strategy to reconstitute our portfolio by deploying capital gain into higher yielding assets in high-growth markets such as Vietnam. CapitaLand will continue with our disciplined investment approach to build a sustainable residential pipeline, while ensuring an optimal mix between trading and investment properties, as well as a balanced allocation between emerging markets and developed markets.


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.
The Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) has invited eligible candidates to apply online for the post of Civil Judge (Junior Division) in the cadre of Haryana Civil Service (Judicial Branch). The notification was released for a total of 107 vacancies.

The selection of the candidates will be based on the preliminary and main examinations. The selected candidates can earn up to INR 44,770 per month. Interested candidates can apply online before September 30, 2018.

HPSC Civil Judge Vacancies

General: 75 vacancies

BC-A: 12 vacancies

BC-B: 06 vacancies

SC: 14 vacancies

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Civil Judge Organisation Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) Educational Qualification Bachelor of Laws from a university established by the law and approved by the bar council of India Job Location Haryana Salary Scale INR 27,700 to INR 44,770 per month Industry Judicial Application End Date September 30, 2018

Age Limit

The minimum age is 21 years and the maximum age is 42 years as on September 30, 2018. However, age relaxation is provided to candidates belonging to scheduled castes and backward classes of Haryana only.

Application Fee

A candidate must pay a total of INR 1000 as application fee, which is INR 250 for all female candidates besides scheduled castes and backward classes of Haryana only. There is no application fee for physically handicapped candidates.

Click here for the official notification.

Click here to apply online.

How To Apply

Candidates have to visit the official website of Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) to apply online. The closing date of online of application is September 30, 2018.

Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Recruitment For 349 Civil Judge Vacancies
Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), under the Ministry of Defence, has released an employment notification calling out aspirants to apply for the post of Assistant Manager in Finance and HR. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here.

The selection process will comprise a written test and an interview. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 40500. The last date to apply for the government job is Sep 28, 2018.

Engineers Invited To Manage Gujarat Metro Rail

HSL Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Assistant Manager Organisation Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) Educational Qualification ICWA or a postgraduate degree in the relevant field or a degree in law Experience 2 years Job Responsibilities Costing, budgeting, accounting and taxation for Finance and managing employees for HR Skills Required Working knowledge of MS Office and exposure to ERP Job Location Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) Salary Scale INR 16400 to INR 40500 Industry Shipyard Application Start Date August 29, 2018 Application End Date September 28, 2018

Maximum Age Limit: 30 years

Also Read: Manage Banking At Odisha State Cooperative Bank

How To Apply For HSL Recruitment 2018

In order to apply for HSL Recruitment 2018, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log on to the HSL official website.

Step 2: Hover over the Human Resource tab.

Step 3: Select Careers.

Step 4: The list of notifications will be displayed on the screen. Click on the application link under the text that reads, HR/ES(O)/0102/03/2018 dated 29 Aug 2018.

Step 5: Click Apply Online against the post for which you want to apply.

Step 6: Above the important details, click on the registration link.

Step 7: The registration form will open in a new window. (Make sure that you have allowed pop-up on your window.)

Step 8: Enter your details in the fields provided.

Step 9: Upload your photo and signature.

Step 10: Click on the button that reads, Save & go to 2nd Stage and follow the subsequent pages to complete the application process.

Follow the link - https://www.hslvizag.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/Recruitment/2018_08_29_Advt.pdf to read the detailed official notification.
Group C vacancies have opened at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force. ITBP is hiring for the post of Assistant Sub-Inspector. Fifteen vacancies are currently waiting to be filled. The selection will be based on the performance of candidates in a written test. The application and fee payment can be done online through the official website. Offline applications will not be entertained.

Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. Go through all the conditions carefully and then apply. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 92300 per month. The last date to apply for the government job is Sep 25, 2018.

Serve Jharkhand Police, 530 Group D Vacancies Open

ITBP Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Assistant Sub-Inspector Organisation Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Educational Qualification Degree or diploma in pharmacy or lab technician course Experience Desirable Skills Required Physical fitness Job Location India Salary Scale INR 29200 to INR 92300 per month Industry Police Application Start Date August 27, 2018 Application End Date September 25, 2018

Application Fee INR 100 Selection Process Written test

Also Read: Opportunity For Engineers To Serve The Indian Navy

How To Apply For ITBP Recruitment 2018

In order to apply for ITBP Recruitment 2018, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log on to the ITBP official website.

Step 2: Click on the tab that reads, REGISTER USER.

Step 3: The registration form will be displayed on the screen. Enter your details in the fields provided.

Step 4: Enter the captcha code.

Step 5: Click Submit and follow the subsequent pages to complete the application process.

Follow the link - http://www.davp.nic.in/WriteReadData/ADS/eng_19143_4_1819b.pdf to read the detailed official notification.
Here's an opportunity to use your medical expertise at the Indian Railways. West Central Railway is looking to hire visiting specialists for the Sub Divisional Hospital, West Central Railway, New Katni Junction.

The specialist will need to visit the hospital for at least two to four hours every day. However, they will be paid a fixed salary on a monthly basis. The engagement of employees will be for a contract period of one year, which is extendable after completion according to the discretion of the Indian Railways.

In addition to the attractive salary, the employees will be awarded free railway passes across the country along with other government benefits. What are you waiting for? Apply now!

Engineer Electrical Works At Indian Railways

West Central Railway Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Physician, Gynaecologist and Surgeon Organisation West Central Railway Educational Qualification MBBS with a postgraduate degree in the relevant specialisation Experience 3 to 5 years Skills Required Clinical judgement Job Location Madhya Pradesh Salary Scale INR 16000 to INR 78000 per month Industry Railway Application Start Date August 28, 2018 Application End Date September 17, 2018

Age Limit 30 to 64 years Helpline Number 9752418500 E-mail cms@jbp.railnet.gov.in

Also Read: SECR Offers Skill Training For 313 Apprentices At Nagpur

How To Apply For West Central Railway Recruitment 2018

In order to apply for West Central Railway Recruitment 2018, follow these steps:

Step 1: On an A4 sheet of paper, write your resume and application in the prescribed format.

Step 2: Enclose it in an envelope. Superscribe on the envelope, "Application for the post of *name of the post*" and send it to WCR.

WCR Application Mailing Address

Office of the Chief Medical Superintendant, Central Hospital, West Central Railway, Indra Market, Jabalpur (M.P.) Pin code : 482001.

Follow the link - http://www.wcr.indianrailways.gov.in/uploads/files/1535521271578-HVS Appointment (1).pdf to read the detailed official notification.
 "More Cops, Fewer Prisoners?" | Main | A thorough review of Judge Kavanaugh's criminal case work on the DC CIrcuit 

The Maryland Court of Appeals handed down today a very lengthy opinion addressing the application of Eighth Amendment limits on lengthy juvenile sentences. The opinion in Carter v. Maryland, Nos. 54 (Md. Aug. 29, 2018) (available here), gets started this way:

It has been said that mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; justice without mercy is cruelty. A sentence of life in prison without parole may be just for certain adult offenders, but the Eighth Amendments proscription against cruel and unusual punishments precludes that sentence for a juvenile offender unless the defendant is an incorrigible murderer. Although there need not be a guarantee of release on parole, a sentence imposed on a juvenile offender must provide some meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation. In this opinion, we consider three cases involving crimes that were committed when each Petitioner was a juvenile.

None of the sentences imposed in these cases was explicitly life without parole. In two cases, the Petitioners were sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. In the third case, the Petitioner was sentenced to 100 years incarceration and will not be eligible for parole until he has served approximately 50 years in custody. Each Petitioner asserts that he is effectively serving a sentence of life without parole, because the laws governing parole in Maryland do not provide him with a meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation. They have each filed a motion to correct an illegal sentence.

With respect to the two Petitioners serving life sentences, we hold that their sentences are legal as the laws governing parole of inmates serving life sentences in Maryland, including the parole statute, regulations, and a recent executive order adopted by the Governor, on their face allow a juvenile offender serving a life sentence a meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation. We express no opinion as to whether those laws have been, or will be, carried out legally, as that issue is not before us and may be litigated in the future. With respect to the Petitioner who is serving a 100-year sentence, we hold that the sentence is effectively a sentence of life without parole violative of the Eighth Amendment and that the Petitioner is entitled to be re-sentenced to a legal sentence.
Ukrainian government approves ban on Russian clinker imports

30 August 2018

Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers has approved a ban on the import of clinker originating from the Russian Federation. The decree was developed by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine to protect the interests of national economic security and Ukrainian cement producers, according to the government portal.



"The introduction of cement clinker in the list of goods prohibited for import is carried out within the policy of economic counteraction to discriminatory actions against Ukraine by the aggressor state," reads a statement posted on the site.

Published under
Headed to the Riviera Maya region or Cancun, Mexico? There are plenty of resorts with beautiful beachfront views, excellent service, and great buffets  but not every lodging takes gastronomy seriously. For foodies everywhere, theres one resort, in particular, you should be keeping your eye on.

Iberostars Chef on Tour event is one to watch

Not only does Iberostar promise a range of all-inclusive experiences for its guests, but Director of Operations Rafael Carmona also has a passion for bringing a taste of the culinary world to everyone who sets foot on the property. The resort itself offers restaurants specializing in Italian, surf and turf, Japanese, and gourmet (as well as Mexican cuisine and tacos, of course). But for those looking for a more intimate experience with Michelin Star chefs, the Chef on Tour experience is whats setting Iberostar apart from the rest.

The experience showcases one chefs work through a unique menu theyve constructed just for the Iberostar audience. Fusing flavors from their homes with the fresh produce of Mexico, you can tell the menus are executed with the same care and precision theyd bring to their Michelin Star restaurants. Not only that, but the event itself includes a gathering beforehand where you have the opportunity to mingle with fellow foodies, take in the tropical atmosphere, and be completely catered to by the attentive staff. And dont worry  theres no shortage of champagne, either.

Michelin Star chef Matt Lambert was most recently featured

In August 2018, Iberostar Grand Paraiso welcomed New Zealand chef Matt Lambert to showcase his one-of-a-kind menu. His cooking journey began in West Auckland at the age of 14  and since then, hes seen his culinary dreams come to fruition with New York Citys The Musket Room. Just four months after opening (and having some doubts along the way as to whether or not the New York crowd would even have an interest in New Zealand cuisine), Lambert received his first Michelin Star. He told the Michelin Guide, It was one of the greatest days of my life  I was crying, it was awesome.

For Iberostar, Lambert pulled out all the stops. His first few courses, which were served as hors-doeuvres while everyone attending the event gathered to take in the atmosphere, included mussels, mince and cheese croquette tarts, and pork rillettes. As for the sit-down meal, guests were served with perfectly prepared oysters, mackerel, and salmon spiced with a unique blend of herbs. This was then followed by the meat and potatoes aspect of the dish  a medium-rare lamb with peas and grains (though still atypical from what youd find on anyones home dinner table).

Of course, theres dessert as well. The meal ended with two striking desserts: watermelon and sheep milk sorbet, and a sweet-and-sour pavlova with passion fruit cream. The use of native Mexican ingredients in the desserts didnt go unnoticed, either.

Each course was paired with a different wine to complement the flavors as well. From rose to brut to Malbec, each pairing brought forth the sweetness or richness of the dish.

Matt Lamberts unique dining experience served as the perfect date-night for diners as well. It was $150 USD for the entire night, which included the nine courses, wine, atmosphere, and multiple appearances from the chef himself.

Upcoming dinners showcase the talents of women chefs

The Grand Paraiso isnt the only Iberostar resort featuring chefs from around the world. Their resorts in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica are also drawing crowds for their gastronomy events. In fact, at the Iberostar Grand Bavar in the Dominican Republic and the Grand Rose Hall in Jamaica are featuring women chefs in December, along with Mexicos Grand Paraiso.

In the Women with Star event taking place at all three locations, four famous Spanish chefs are forming a sensational joint menu thats highly creative. This meeting-of-the-minds is set to feature the flavors of Spain and Mexico with fresh seafood, proteins, and a sweet potato dessert. For any foodie hoping to get a glimpse inside how four excellent female chefs can create a cohesive menu, this event in gastronomy is wholly unique. You certainly wont leave hungry.

Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

Editors note: Guest accommodations were provided by Iberostar Grand Paraiso. Opinions and recommendations are our own.
Japan ICT Day, regularly held since 2007, is the most important event to boost the business cooperation among Vietnamese and Japanese information technology (IT) companies. It is jointly organized by the Vietnam Software Association (VINASA) and the Vietnam  Japan IT Cooperation Club (VJC).

The festival this year is one of the activities to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Minh Hong stated in the event that there has been impressive and comprehensive development in the collaboration between the two nations to increase prosperity.

Until now, Japan has become a leading economic and investment partner of Vietnam. In 2017, it was the country with the largest amount of foreign direct investment into Vietnam, pouring over $9 billion and accounting for more than 25 percent of the total foreign investment capital into the country.

The collaboration between Vietnam and Japan in the field of information and communications has been continuously fostered in the management as well as enterprise levels. The Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications has signed many comprehensive cooperation agreements with the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, including those to monitor the radio frequency, ensure information security, manage postal merchandise, and train IT human resources.

Both countries are now on their way to implement the action plan to develop the electronics industry in the framework of the cooperation until 2020 and vision to 2030.

In 2017, the IT working team of two nations was formed to apply all suggestions approved by both sides.

Regarding software development, Japan has always been a major market of Vietnamese businesses since most of them are able to receive lucrative profits after taking part in writing and then exporting software to the Japanese market. This has helped Vietnam enter the top-10 list of most attractive nations for software development, accounting for an average 15-percent growth per year.

According to Deputy Minister Nguyen Minh Hong, his ministry is preparing the project to digitize many aspects of the nation in order for Vietnam to keep up with other developed countries in Industry 4.0.

In the event, many delegates agreed that human resources are a strong point of Vietnam in the IT field. As stated by the Programme for International Student Assessment, (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), learning results of Vietnamese students are always in the top-20, especially in math and science. This is an ideal foundation for the IT training in further education.

At the moment, 290 universities and colleges in Vietnam offer IT training, with around 55,000 students. Statistics of HackerRank (from the US) also stated that Vietnam is the leader in the Southeast Asia region and the 23th in the world as to the potential of software development.

Japan now has a shortage of 171,000 IT engineers, and will need 369,000 more in the future. It also wants 48,000 engineers in the technological fields in 2020. This signals a prominent collaboration between Japanese and Vietnamese enterprises in the near future.

According to surveys from VINASA and VJC, the number of cooperative projects to make use of cutting edge technologies between the two nations substantially increases and many small businesses have achieved their success in the field.

The IT collaboration between Vietnam and Japan in Industry 4.0 was discussed in full detail in the talks Improving the Quality of IT Collaboration between Vietnam  Japan and Status of IT Collaboration in Cutting Edge Technology Projects.

Taking part in the talks were leaders of many prestige leading companies in both countries like Luvina, Toshiba, Rikkeisoft, DTS Software Vietnam, Deha, NTT Data, FPT, and JTS. Many agreed that despite certain limits and difficulties, the IT cooperation between the two nations has been greatly improved, bringing much practical profits to both.

Participating in the event were Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Minh Hong, Japanese Ambassador in Vietnam Yuichiro Uchida, and more than 350 domestic as well as international delegates, including 8 delegations with 80 people from Japan.

The 4th Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) with many cutting edge technological trends like Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Digital Transformation, has delivered a number of considerable opportunities for technology collaboration between Vietnamese and Japanese enterprises thanks to the enormous human resources of the former country.

By TRAN BINH  Translated by Minh Trang
Amazon has reportedly shelved Woody Allens latest movie, A Rainy Day in New York, and now its unclear whether the film is ever actually going to come out.

The New York Post reported as such this week, noting that the $25 million movie had been slated for 2018 but is now in limbo and may not be released at all. Amazon says that no release date was ever officially set for it, though.

Allen also has nothing slated for 2019 despite having signed a deal with Amazon for three more movies and despite the fact that he has released one film every year since 1982. According to a separate report from Page Six, the 82-year-old writer and director is taking a career break and has yet to secure financing for his next project. Despite the deal, Amazon is apparently considering cutting ties with Allen entirely, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A Rainy Day in New York has been completely shot, with production having taken place last fall. It stars Timothee Chalamet, Selena Gomez, Elle Fanning, Jude Law, Diego Luna, Rebecca Hall, Liev Schreiber, and Griffin Newman.

In light of the #MeToo movement, Allen faced increased scrutiny last fall due to his daughter Dylan Farrows allegation that he sexually abused her in the early 1990s. In particular, actors who elected to work with Allen came under fire for continuing to support him.

Griffin Newman, who has a small role in A Rainy Day in New York, announced on Twitter in October that he deeply regretted working with Allen and would be donating his salary to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

It was an educational experience for all the wrong reasons, Griffin said at the time. I learned conclusively that I cannot put my career over my morals again.

Over the course of the following months, some of the other stars of A Rainy Day in New York came out and made similar statements. In an Instagram post in January, Rebecca Hall said that she also regretted working with Allen on the film and would be donating her salary to the Times Up legal defense fund.

After reading and re-reading Dylan Farrows statements of a few days ago and going back and reading the older ones  I see, not only how complicated this matter is, but that my actions have made another woman feel silenced and dismissed, Hall said in an Instagram post that has since been deleted. That is not something that sits easily with me in the current or indeed any moment, and I am profoundly sorry. I regret this decision and wouldnt make the same one today.

Later, stars Timothee Chalamet and Selena Gomez donated their salaries to charity as well, with Chalamet giving his to RAINN and the LGBT Center of New York and Gomez giving hers to Times Up.

I am learning that a good role isnt the only criteria for accepting a job, Chalamet said in an Instagram post. That has become much clearer to me in the last few months, having witnessed the birth of a powerful movement intent on ending injustice, inequality and above all, silence.

After all of this, it would not be surprising if Amazon decided it would be a better move to cancel the film entirely than release it in the current climate.

This would not be the first multi-million dollar project to never see the light of day as a result of allegations against the creator. Last fall, Louis C.K. was set to release his new movie I Love You, Daddy, which starred himself, Chloe Grace Moretz, Rose Byrne, and John Malkovich. But when C.K. was accused of sexual misconduct by five women, allegations he subsequently admitted to, the distributor, The Orchard, scrapped plans to release the film.

C.K. has since purchased the rights to the film back from The Orchard, so its possible he will eventually release it on his own. But star Moretz says the film, which featured a comedy director character known for seducing younger women who seemed to be modeled after Woody Allen, should not be released.

I dont think it should be, she told The New York Times. I think it should just kind of go away, honestly,
Fate of historic $108 million city budget in the hands of voters

If Ballot Measure 2A does not pass, the city will have to choose between dipping into reserves or making cuts to the budget.
SINGAPORE 60's: ANDY's POP MUSIC INFLUENCE IS A PERSONAL MUSIC, MEMORY TRAIL. BLOGGER DOES NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO VIDEOS, AUDIO TRACKS AND IMAGES. THEY ARE UPLOADED FOR FUN, EDUCATIONAL, ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES AND HAVE BEEN CREDITED. BLOG IS NOT SPONSORED IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER. INFORM BLOGGER OF COPYRIGHT ISSUES AND POST WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY. ANDY LIM LA (NOVEMBER, 2008) - ()
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on August 30, 2018

2018/08/31

At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Iceland, will pay an official visit to China from September 6 to 10.

Q: According to a report, an anonymous source from the US government said that the large amounts of loans China provides to the Pacific island countries will make them highly indebted and the US is concerned about that. In the meantime, the US, Australia, France and the UK plan to set up new embassies in the Pacific island countries and scale up economic assistance in this region to counter China's influence. What' your comment?

A: This report you mentioned quoted from an interview with an anonymous source. I remember that recently President Trump tweeted that when you see "anonymous source", stop reading the story, it is fiction. I was wondering whether this report is one of that kind.

There are some Western media that have been playing up the so-called "China debt trap" issue. I can't help but wonder why the money is "money pie" when it is offered by the Western countries but "money trap" when offered by China? Isn't it glaring double-standard?

I shall point out that the relevant Chinese loans have no political strings. We pay high attention to the debt sustainability of the recipient countries and fully respect the will of their governments. By funding infrastructure and other areas that lag behind for short of money, we have helped the relevant countries break bottlenecks, enhance their capacity for independent development, realize social and economic sustainable development, and improve people's livelihood. The governments and people of the recipient countries warmly welcome that.

I would like to advise the relevant people to stop setting up roadblocks when others are helping build roads. They should join China to do something real good for the development of other countries.

Q: The White House statement once again expressed doubt over China's role in resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. The US said the DPRK issue is partly caused by the China-US trade disputes, and the DPRK is under tremendous pressure from China because of the disputes. What's your comment?

A: Many may share this feeling with me: the US is the best in using twisted logics to irresponsibly distort facts. But their absurb logic is really beyond the apprehension of ordinary people.

All these days we have been reiterating China's policy and stance on the Peninsula issue. I would like to stress again that China's foreign policies, including that on the Korean Peninsula issue, is clear and consistent, which has strong stability and consistency. We hope the US will honor its words and play a positive, constructive and responsible role in promoting the political settlement of the Peninsula issue, just like China does. In face of the setbacks and difficulties at this point, it should find out and reflect upon its own problems, rather than flip-flop and shift blames on others.

The US wants to make China a scapegoat. But so sorry, we don't want to be one. And don't even think of making us one.

Q: A Japanese government official lodged protests with China over the Chinese Foreign Ministry not allowing the Sankei Shimbun to participate in a pool interview of their Japanese Vice Foreign Minister. What's your response? Could you tell us the reason for that rejection? What reports have the Sankei Shimbun made that China finds problematic?

A: I just saw the relevant remarks by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, which we cannot accept.

Did you attend our press conference yesterday afternoon? Those who were here may remember that a Japanese journalist asked about one Japanese media being barred from the pool coverage. I was not aware of the situation back then and promised to check on the matter. Since then, the Sankei Shimbun has reported this morning that China "illegally" rejected its lawful request for coverage, and this afternoon a Japanese official has made remarks on this issue. All these false accusations make up a good drama of blame-shifting.

Resident foreign correspondents in China understand that the media coverage of any important diplomatic event is arranged through friendly talks between the host and the visiting countries under the principle of mutual respect, amity and reciprocity. The number of correspondents allowed in will be properly managed in light of the conditions of the event venues to ensure order and security. I do not believe you would have any problem with this. (Journalist nodded) That is also how yesterday afternoon's event was arranged. As far as I know, one hour in advance of the event, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the NHK and the Yomiuri Shimbun all confirmed their attendance to the staff of the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry, but things did not turn out that way later. I was wondering whether they made that choice on their own or under the pressure of others? I hope the Japanese government, especially the Japanese Embassy in China could give us an answer.

As for why the Sankei Shimbun was not allowed in for the coverage, I shall say China has always been helping and facilitating the work of resident journalists in an active and friendly manner. Have you encountered any barriers when attending our press conferences here? There are 28 Japanese media and around 100 Japanese correspondents in China. I suppose they haven't met any restrictions or problems in their reporting. The Sankei Shimbun accused the Chinese side of "illegally" blocking their "lawful" coverage. I would like to ask this question: there are over 600 foreign correspondents in Beijing, does "lawful" mean we have to get these 600 correspondents all in for each and every diplomatic event? Is the legality of this whole thing dependent on the attendance of the Sankei Shimbun? Can it be said that their appearance makes it "lawful" and disapperance "unlawful"? Therefore, I think both the Sankei Shimbun and the relevant Japanese official need to get a sober, clear and correct understanding of this issue. The international practice of making coverage arrangements through bilateral negotiations should be respected. We want to maintain good ties with all foreign media and calmly talk about each other's concerns, wishes or requests. The Information Department will remain as dedicated to providing convenience and service to foreign correspondents for their work in China. You can always talk to us in case of any problem and we will properly work it out for you.

You and your colleagues from the Kyodo News are very active in China. You have worked very hard and diligently. To be frank, not all your reports are factual and to our liking, but have you met any obstacles or difficulties in your reporting? You haven't, have you? (Journalist nodded)

Follow-up: What's your response to the protest lodged by the Japanese official?

A: We won't accept such unreasonable protest. The Japanese government should guide and restrain the Japanese media, asking them to abide by the laws and regulations of China and other countries they work in, make objective and unbiased reports, and contribute to bettter understanding and cooperation between the two sides. They should play a constructive rather than destructive role to this end. This is common sense and we hope the relevant Japanese official will come to realize that.

Q: China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) has established a committee of international commercial experts. What are the considerations behind setting up this committee?

A: As the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) celebrates its fifth birthday this year, international cooperation on this initiative is also faced with important opportunities. Just like State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the Forum on the Belt and Road Legal Cooperation which was held in July that rules and rule of law are essential for the BRI to develop in the world, and they are also the safety valve against uncertainties and challenges. China attached great importance to the Belt and Road legal safeguards and cooperation which is an indispensable and fundamental part of the BRI. In the BRI cooperation documents we signed with other countries, there are clear stipulations of shouldering each other's obligations under international law and observing domestic laws and regulations, which demonstrates that the BRI respects the universal international law as well as the domestic laws of respective countries.

Following the heels of the Forum on the Belt and Road Legal Cooperation in July, the SPC's International Commercial Expert Committee was officially established on August 26. As an important institutional innovation for the BRI legal cooperation, it will promote the just, professional and efficient settlement of international commercial disputes, ensure a stable, fair, transparent and predictable law-based business environment, thus ensuring more legal and institutional support for the BRI.

The BRI has entered a new phase of comprehensive and practical cooperation, the BRI legal cooperation is also placed at a new starting point. We will continue to uphold the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, enhance the correlation rate between China's national standards and international ones, improve legal safeguard system, create a law-based business environment, and ensure high-quality and high-standard BRI development.

Q: Some US lawmakers called for the US government to impose sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for "human rights abuses against minority Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang". What is your comment?

A: If China's policies on ethnic minority groups and the equal rights enjoyed by them are viewed without bias and prejudice, the conclusion will be drawn that China's policies and record in this regard are actually far better than the US. The Human Rights Record of the US released by the Information Office of the State Council enumerated various problems facing the US in terms of racial discrimination and human rights protection. These US lawmakers have no right to make these unwarranted accusations on ethnic minority issue against China.

The Chinese government protects its citizens' right to freedom of religious belief and people of all ethnic groups enjoy freedom of religious belief in accordance with the law. We hope the US side could recognize and respects facts, discard prejudice and stop doing or saying anything to undermine mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides.

I would like to advise those US lawmakers, who are paid by taxpayers' money, to focus on doing their job and serving the Americans, instead of poking their noses in other countries' domestic affairs, acting as some kind of "human rights judge" to make groundless accusations, or even threatening to impose unreasonable sanctions.

Q: Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on the Bloomberg New Economy Forum scheduled in November being moved from Beijing to Singapore, including reports that China-US trade frictions may have contributed to that decision?

A: You need to ask the host of this event.

Q: Reports say that China and the Vatican will hold a new round of talks in September. Can you confirm that and is an agreement on appointment of bishops going to be signed in October?

A: China and the Vatican maintain effective communication. China is sincere towards improving ties with the Vatican and has been making continuous efforts. We stand ready to meet the Vatican halfway to promote constructive dialogues and further improve relations.

Q: In response to the Civil Aviation Administration of China's demand to classify "Taiwan" as "Taiwan, China", the United Airlines' website shows that mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong can be selected as locations according to the currency. The spokesperson of the department in Taiwan in charge of so-called "foreign affairs" expressed appreciation for such "flexible workaround". What is your comment?

A: I would refer you to the Civil Aviation Administration for details as they are in charge of this specific issue.

I just want to stress that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China. This is the objective fact, common sense and international consensus. It lays out a basic principle for foreign companies operating in China to follow. However flexible they may try to get, there is simply no way to sidestep the one-China principle.
China and Sierra Leone aim to promote partnership further

2018/08/30

Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed with his Sierra Leonean counterpart to further promote the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

Both sides have also agreed to expand cooperation in education, agriculture, health and infrastructure, among other fields.

The consensus was reached on Thursday amid talks between the two state leaders in Beijing.

The Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio is on a state visit to China and will attend the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2018 Beijing Summit.

During the meeting with Bio, President Xi said the two countries have been friends through good times and bad since they established diplomatic relations 47 years ago.

He stressed that China will never forget its old friends, and will always view the unity and cooperation with African countries as a significant foundation for its foreign policy.

He said China wants to maintain high-level exchanges with Sierra Leone, and strengthen the exchange of experience on governance.

President Bio thanked China for its long-term help to Sierra Leon's economic and social development.

The Sierra Leoneans will always remember that China was the first to extend a helping hand when their country was most severely plagued by an Ebola virus epidemic, Bio said.

Bio added that Sierra Leone is willing to improve bilateral ties with China further, actively take part in the Belt and Road Initiative, and improve communication with China on multilateral affairs.
Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi

Prime Minister of Samoa

Prime Ministers response of Appreciation of the Welcome by the Government of Fiji

I am honoured by the generous welcome for me and my delegation and deeply honoured still for according me the Tabuawhich to me reflects the pinnacle of Fijian traditions and spiritual values.

In more ways than one, we as the Pacific family share many commonalities and what we all hold sacred in our customs and traditions.

Let us hold on to our heritage for our future generations.

I wish to also express my sincere appreciation for the invitation from the Government of Fiji to turn this visit to an official one.

I happily accepted because while I am here to speak at our regional institution, U.S.P. I also have to pay respects to the owners of the land.

Prime Minister, I thank you sincerely for your hospitality. I also thank my designated mata as through his lenses I can have a deeper appreciation of the culture we have shared tonight.

I take this opportunity to wish you well in your upcoming elections and May God bless you all and the people of Fiji.

I hope someday that you Prime Minister will be able to visit Samoa.

I wish to reciprocate the honour by the presentation of our Ietoga to the Hon Prime Minister of Fiji.
Two judges in Taos County, New Mexico dismissed child neglect charges against five people who lived in a remote compound in northern New Mexico. Judge Emilio Chavez dismissed the charges against Lucas Allen Morton, Hurjah Wahhaj, and Subhannah Wahhaj after prosecutors failed to ask for a preliminary hearing to present evidence against the trio within the standard window of ten business days.

Judge Jeff McElroy dismissed charges against Jany Leveille and Siraj Wahhaj but charges remain against the pair in connection with the death of Wahhajs three-year-old son.

The case came to prominence earlier in August after concerned neighbors asked authorities to investigate living conditions at the compound, which was a trailer dug into the ground and surrounded by a wall of tires. Authorities discovered eleven children aged 1-15 living with the five adults. They also located the remains of Wahhajs son, who they believe died in February.

The group moved into the compound in December. In the weeks leading up to their move, the mother of Wahhajs son reported him missing after Wahhaj claimed he was taking the boy to the park and never came back.

The authorities charged the five adults after they discovered the children living in filth and squalor. Taos County Sherriff Jerry Hogrefe said they were the saddest living conditions and poverty he had seen during his more than three decades as a law enforcement officer.

The dismissals provoked outrages among many conservative websites and social media circles, as initial reports of the raid on the compound led to allegations that the group was training children to carry out school shootings.

Reports of interviews with the children said that several adults in the group talked about dying as martyrs and one boy told his foster family that he learned how to shoot an assault rifle. One official said the group were extremist Muslims and heavily armed, though it was determined that the firearms were legally obtained. They also were alleged to be in possession of a document that detailed how to carry out a one-time attack on low-security targets.

The judges immediately faced backlash for dismissing the charges. Court officials issued a release to defend the ruling, saying, The state constitution provides that criminal defendants may be detained in jail pretrial only if prosecutors show by clear and convincing evidence that they are so dangerous that no release conditions will reasonably protect public safety. People may disagree over what constitutes dangerousness in any given case, and the district attorney can appeal the judges decision. But every judge in New Mexico takes seriously their responsibility to establish conditions of pretrial release for criminal defendants that will protect public safety and assure a defendants return to court for future proceedings.

Siraj Wahhaj initially faced possible extradition to Georgia after authorities there issued a warrant in connection to the abduction of his son. Jany Leveille is originally from Haiti and faces charges that she overstayed her non-immigrant visa when she visited the United States over twenty years ago.

Photo courtesy: Unsplash/Imthaz Ahamed
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The New York Times' slogan is famously, "All the news that's fit to print." I guess Facebook's slogan should be, "All the liberal news that's fit to print." And not just Facebook, but Google, YouTube, Twitter, Vimeo, and Apple.

Look at this variety of recent examples where social media giants are allegedly censoring conservative or Christian content:

Robert Spencer of JihadWatch.org (which alerts people to acts by radical Islamists) told my radio show: "There is a concerted effort by all of them---Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, all of them---to de-platform or choke out or to diminish the influence of anybody who dissents from the leftist agenda. And so when it comes to Facebook, for example, my website, jihadwatch.org, for years got about 20,000 referrals a day from Facebook. And in February 2017, that dropped to 2000 a day and has never recovered. It has stayed about there ever since." He also complains of being buried recently by Google searches for those looking up "jihad."

Brian Fisher, president of the Human Coalition, a group that uses social media to try to provide loving alternatives to abortion, told me: "Human Coalition, like so many of our pro-life allies, has witnessed the harsh double standard of technology giants...While Twitter, for example, allows Planned Parenthood to promote abortion and publish other offensive content unchecked, Human Coalition has been repeatedly blocked and stalled from running truthful content that is in-line with Twitter's own policies. Likewise, after backlash from abortion activists, Apple removed Human Coalition's pro-life prayer app from its App Store without warning."

The American Family Association reports (6/28/18) that Pastor Rich Penkoski of West Virginia lost 90% of his viewers "in a matter of days." He said, "We had a reach just two weeks ago of 14 million...and now we've lost 13 million of that in one week." He does video-livestreaming: "and then as soon as it's finished---I mean literally, within seconds, it's gone."

WND.com observes that a Gospel song, "What Would Heaven Look Like" by Zion's Joy!, which is described as "a purely spiritual Christian praise song" was censored by Facebook. Why? Supposedly for "political content." Ironically, the song envisions heaven as a place where "bigotry and hate are absent, only love and peace are present."

YouTube, owned by Google, has censored many PragerU videos because of their conservative content. So talk host, Dennis Prager, is suing them. He commented to D. James Kennedy Ministries: "Delta Airlines cannot announce conservatives cannot fly on our planes, and that's what [Google-YouTube is] saying; conservatives cannot fly on our planes. And by the way, Delta would be less pernicious, because there are alternatives to Delta, but there is no alternative to Google-YouTube."

Google, Facebook, and Twitter interfered in a May 2018 abortion-related election in Ireland. LiveAction.org notes, "Google announced that it would suspend all advertising related to the subject. The move has been condemned by pro-life groups as an attempt 'to rig the election.'" The voters in Ireland only heard pro-abortion rhetoric in their mainstream media, and big tech cut off alternative media (including ads) providing the pro-life side. The voters consequently voted for abortion.

Ex-gay David Kyle Foster had 700 videos of sensitive, Christian testimonies of formerly sexually broken people (including ex-gays) pulled from Vimeo as allegedly "hateful" and "offensive."

Steven Andrew, a conservative Christian Silicon Valley entrepreneur (apparently a rare breed), experienced 98% censorship by Facebook of his Christian material after the election of Trump. So he's creating USA.life (as an alternative to Facebook) and 1776.free (to compete with Google).

Perhaps the craziest example of social media censorship: Facebook flagged as "hate speech" the Declaration of Independence on July 4th and pulled it down, until the backlash hit. The very document that gave birth to our nation---which then gave us free speech, which the big tech companies thrive on---was pulled as "hate speech." This example says it all.

Meanwhile, an example of what was not censored from Facebook (at least not for a while) were posts actually calling for violence against pro-life Republicans.

And on it goes.

Joseph Farah, founder of WorldNetDaily, argues that the social tech elites are like a cartel. He writes, "The danger posed to freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion in America by Google, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Apple, et al., cannot be overstated....If the 'Speech Code Cartel' wins, America loses."

To Facebook, et al., apparently the only news fit to print or share is that which the left agrees with. These examples keep piling up. So do the dead bodies---at least of the unborn or perhaps the victims of jihad---thanks to social media's commitment to political correctness, as opposed to the truth.

Gary Bauer made a fascinating remark (End of the Day, 8/24/18). He said the left doesn't want to win the debate. They want to shut the debate down. That in a nutshell is what seems to be happening with the high tech censorship in our day.

Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is an on-air host/senior producer for D. James Kennedy Ministries. He has written/co-written 28 books, e.g., The Unstoppable Jesus Christ, Doubting Thomas (w/ Mark Beliles, on Jefferson), and What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (w/ D. James Kennedy) & the bestseller, George Washington's Sacred Fire (w/ Peter Lillback) djkm.org @newcombejerry www.jerrynewcombe.com
Could Lewis Pugh's ancestry provide a clue to his epic swimming achievement?

It's another awesome achievement by someone who has already dropped jaws around the world for his astonishing feats of physical prowess.

Lewis Pugh swam the length of the English Channel  The Long Swim, as he's called it  arriving at Dover today after starting at Land's End on July 12. He covered a total of 530 miles during his epic adventure, aimed at raising awareness of plastic pollution, climate change and commercial overfishing and the impact these three issues have on UK ocean health.

Pugh is no stranger to feats of endurance. In 2007 he undertook the first long-distance swim across the North Pole, wearing just Speedo swimming trunks, to highlight the melting of the Arctic sea ice. He followed this up with a swim across a glacial lake on Mt Everest to draw attention to the melting glaciers in the Himalayas and the impact the reduced water supply will have on the region. His environmental campaigning has led him to break records and establish 'firsts' all over the world.

Ive just touched Dover harbour wall. Thats the end. 530kms in 49 days. Ive done my bit, now its time for Government to do theirs. #TheLongSwim pic.twitter.com/Nd97TnGHd7  Lewis Pugh (@LewisPugh) August 29, 2018

How to account for such stamina, perseverance and single-minded commitment? An intriguing entry on his Wikipedia page indicates that the answer might lie a few generations back along his family tree. Pugh, it says, is descended from Baptist missionary William Carey  and thereby hangs a tale.

William Carey (1761-1834) was the first Protestant missionary of the modern era, and a hugely signifcant figure known as 'the father of modern missions'. A poor cobbler in in Northamptonshire, he set sail for British-ruled India having overcome opposition and indifference from his Calvinist peers who thought that, as one of them put it, 'if God wants to convert the heathen he will do it himself''. He was a gifted linguist who translated the Bible into six languages including Bengali and Hindi  and the Hindu classic, the Ramayana, into English. With his colleagues Joshua Marshman and William Ward, he opened schools for poor children and founded Serampore College, which still thrives today. His supporters were the nucleus of the Baptist Missionary Society, now BMS World Mission.

And all this came at a considerable personal cost, for him and for his family. His wife Dorothy, who never settled in India, lost her reason. He was unable to care properly for his children. He was to fall out with his supporters.

But in spite of his failings  and he was, after all, a colonial Englishman who represented a conquering people, and was not exempt from all the prejudices of the time  he left a giant legacy behind him. He was committed to the education of girls and women. He rejected the caste system for Christian converts. He was dedicated to the study of Indian texts. He worked among the poorest of the poor and spent his life in their service.

William Carey surmounted enormous obstacles in pursuit of his vision. He never compromised and he never gave up.

If Wikipedia is right  and it can be a little mischievous  it looks as though some of those characteristics have been passed down to his adventurous descendant.

More information on The Long Swim can be found by visiting https://www.lewispughfoundation.org/ and www.lewispugh.com.
Head of Church Mission Society to be new Bishop of Truro

The next Bishop of Truro has been announced as Rev Philip Mounstephen, currently head of Church Mission Society.

He was previously chaplain of St Michael's Church, Paris, and before that worked for the Church Pastoral Aid Society in a number of roles, serving as deputy general director from 2004 to 2007. Now aged 59, he was ordained in 1988.

He said of his appointment: 'I am absolutely delighted to have been called to lead the Diocese of Truro in mission and ministry. With my family roots in Cornwall I am very well aware of what a rich Christian heritage we have. I rejoice in Cornwall's strong sense of identity and I look forward under God into leading us in what I hope and pray will be a fruitful and exciting future.'

CMS's chair of trustees, Charles Clayton, said: 'The trustees and staff of Church Mission Society are thrilled to know that Philip has been chosen to be the next bishop of Truro, even though we will miss him dearly at CMS. Philip has contributed enormously to the success of the organisation, leading it expertly and in the process serving the whole church in its mission. He will leave with our love and appreciation for his dedicated service and godly ministry.'

The appointment was welcomed by the Bishop of St Germans, Rt Rev Dr Chris Goldsmith, who has been acting Bishop of Truro since the departure of Bishop Tim Thornton. He said: 'I am delighted to welcome Philip on behalf of the Diocese of Truro. He clearly brings a great deal of energy and expertise, both in terms of his experience of parish and chaplaincy ministry and as somebody who has been a successful leader of a large and complex mission agency.'

Mounstephen will begin his role early in 2019 following his consecration as bishop on November 30, 2018.
Isaiah and Adam Smith: What the Hebrew prophet tells us about nationhood

Take one Jewish soul

Marinate in darkness,

Several decades.

Add a drop of light.

Light wins.

This is a poem by Rivka Glick entitled Recipe1. In one compressed stanza she sums up a lifetime of experience for the typical Diaspora Jew of the 20th and 21st centuries: murdered for who we are, having to have a suitcase packed just in case, hounded out of Europe (then and now), and most recently accused  after 350 years of contribution to this country  by the leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, of not having a sense of English irony.

I am not sure about English irony. In a recent international symposium on humour, we Jews came out top, followed by Hungary. I must say, speaking as a first-generation English person of Polish Jewish Holocaust survivor parentage, that the Hungarian Jews are a jolly lot (and their goulash is out of this world) but 'English irony' in the mouth of the likes of Jeremy Corbyn is more like hypocrisy most of the time.

And this is actually what the prophet Isaiah is telling us Jews at this time of year. During this warm-up period culminating in Rosh Hashanah, the birthday of the world which ushers in Jewish New Year, Isaiah's wonderful chapter 60, to be read in Shul on Shabbat, must be one of the most famous and beloved biblical passages ever:

'Arise, shine, for your light has come. And the glory of the Lord has shined upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and dense cloud the [other] peoples, but upon you will the Lord shine and his glory will be seen upon you.'

This is of course much better in the original Hebrew  every translation diminishes. But G-d addresses the Jewish people in the feminine, thus rendering the verses especially relevant to us women.

This has been a dreadful year for the Jewish community of the UK, the culmination of decades of hatred experienced from the institutions of this country, be it academia, the churches, the unions, the hard left media and now bursting open in the person of the Leader of the Opposition and his supporters.

However, there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. We have had Prince William visiting the State of Israel, laughing and joking with Israelis of every background in an impromptu walkabout in Tel Aviv's main street. William is the same age as the average person in Tel Aviv and his visit, plus the way he comes across as a person, augurs well for the future. On the whole Jews are less than positive about royalty  there is only one monarch for us, and he is invisible, although often experienced. But some of the words used by William on his trip appeared to be heart-felt. You got the feeling that he really did care about the future of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

Israel can look after herself  Isaiah says as much in his grand and ecstatic vision for the future of our people and our Land. It is the UK, and especially England, that seems to be floundering at present.

What can we remaining Anglo Jews, some of us with dual nationality, do for the country of our birth to help get her back on track again, without ourselves falling under? There appears to be a clue in our chapter. Still addressing the Jewish people in the feminine, G-d says: 'Lift your eyes about you and see. All of them are gathered and will come to you... Then you will see and be radiant. Your heart will be both anxious and expansive, for the affluence of the West shall be turned over to you and the wealth of nations shall come to you.'

If the last part of this quote is familiar, so it should be. It is the title of the famous book written in 1776 by one of the world's first economists, the Scot, Adam Smith.

The book lays out a philosophy of checks and balances and mutual self-help. And although obviously dated, it is interesting that Smith deliberately chose the title from one of the most poignantly beautiful passages in the Bible.

When a people loses its sense of nationhood, which England has been doing for at least 25 years, then the result is often the worst kind of entryism. This is what we see now, with the hard Left and the neo-Nazi Right of this country joining hands to pick on the smallest and least obtrusive part of the population  yes, us Jews, who make up a truly massive 0.3 per cent of the population. Globally, we only make up 0.2 per cent of the world population. Perhaps Corbyn feels that if 0.1 per cent of us were to leave, this would tilt the balance a bit more.

The problem is, most of that 0.1 per cent would leave for the one place we can really call 'home'  the State of Israel. This move would undoubtedly bring great benefits to the one Jewish country in the world, but is probably not at all what the hard Left and the neo-Nazis have in mind, given their express views on the Zionism which is as much as part of our own Jewish faith as Jesus is for the Church.

Let's finish on a high and hear the glorious sounds of next week's Haftorah passage as interpreted by Handel. Handel lived from 1685-1759 and spent most of his adult life in England, where he was supported in his work by Jewish philanthropists. The vast proportion of Handel's oratorios are devoted to specifically Jewish biblical subjects.

Adam Smith would have been aware of Handel's oratorio when, in his tribute to what the Jewish Bible has to offer, he entitled his economic masterpiece, The Wealth of Nations.

1 'Heartbeats II: Jewish writers at their best', edited by Shoshana Lepon, 2003, published Targum Press, distributed by Feldheim Publishers.

Dr Irene Lancaster is a Jewish academic, author and translator who has established university courses on Jewish history, Jewish studies and the Hebrew Bible.
Who was Su Shi, and why is he so revered within Chinese culture?

Art critic Alastair Sooke and Christies specialist Sophia Zhou look at the life and times of this giant of Chinese culture, and reflect on his revolutionary ideas about what painting could be

During the Song dynasty, a period of unsurpassed refinement in the arts in China, Su Shi had a brilliant and staggeringly varied career, explains art critic Alastair Sooke. A poet, politician, writer, calligrapher, painter and aesthetic theorist, Su Shi was the pre-eminent scholar of the Song dynasty. He was so prolific in so many different fields that it is very tempting to think of him as a proto-Renaissance man, says Sooke, even though he was born four centuries before Leonardo. In order to appreciate Su Shis pre-eminent place within Chinese culture, it is important to understand the period and society in which he lived. The Song dynasty (960-1279) was a key turning point in Chinese history  a period that witnessed an explosion in population, significant increases in the empires economic capacity and power, and rising levels of education. The Song dynasty was also the peak of artistic achievement in the history of Chinese art, points out Chinese Paintings specialist Sophia Zhou. The Song Empire was administered and run by scholar officials who were selected through a meritocratic system of examination and imperially orchestrated appointments. One of the results of this meritocracy was a flowering of painting and calligraphy  mandatory arts for scholar-officials. While scholar-officials had previously been required to be able to evaluate paintings aesthetically, they were not necessarily required to be able to paint. Su Shi was born into a literary family in 1037. At the age of 19 he passed the highest-level civil service examinations with flying colours, and was marked out as a rising star within the world of officialdom. His lucid, eloquent essays greatly impressed Emperor Renzong (1010-1063) and by the time the young Emperor Shenzong (1048-1085) ascended to the throne in 1067, Su Shi was a respected figure among scholar-officials at court.

One of 12 leaves from the album Stories of Su Dongpo by Zou Yigui (1686-1772), showing Su Shi when he was 66 years old. Sold for HK$437,500 on 28 May 2012 at Christies in Hong Kong

Tensions existed between rival political factions within the imperial court, however, and in 1071 Su Shi fell foul of this factionalism and left the capital to take up a post in Hangzhou. Over almost a decade, he held a variety of government positions in prefectures including Mizhou, Xuzhou and Huzhou. In 1079, Su Shi was arrested and put in jail. It is thought that the reason for his punishment and subsequent banishment were private verses he had written that mildly satirised the reformist movement, which held sway at court at the time. When he came out in 1080 he was a different man, explains Zhou. He was more introspective and started to shy away from politics, and began instead to contemplate on life and philosophy. He was reading Confucius and the Book of Changes [an ancient Chinese text], and writing a lot of poetry. Su Shi was exiled to provincial Huangzhou, where he lived in relative poverty. He built a farm in the foothills of what became known as the Eastern Slope (Dongpo), and began to call himself Master of the Eastern Slope (Su Dongpo). For all the hardships he experienced in exile, it was during this period that he produced some of his most well-known verses.

The Cold Food Observance, written during his exile to Huangzhou in 1082, then later transcribed into a work of calligraphy. It is widely hailed as the finest surviving example of Su Shis celebrated calligraphy. Photo: The Collection of National Palace Museum





Frustrated with the court and living in exile, Su Shis works from this period often conveyed a sense of desolation, says Kim Yu, Christies International Senior Specialist in Chinese Paintings. The artworks he created were different from those artisans, craftsmen or professional painters of the Imperial Academy. The bamboo plant and rocks, painted with brushstrokes that twist and turn, give a real air of elegance and grace. The lines may seem simple and yet they are incredibly varied and expressive. In 1086, Su Shi was recalled to the capital. During his absence, a power shift had taken place with the ascension of a dowager Empress who had a more sympathetic view of the conservative faction of which Su Shi was by then among the most senior living embodiments. Su Shi was banished for the second time in 1094, being sent to Huizhou (in present-day Guangdong province) and Danzhou. During the Song dynasty, this provincial, malaria-ridden backwater would have been seen as a death sentence. Su Shi survived, however, and was pardoned in 1100, whereupon he was posted to Changzhou. He died the following year, while en route to his new assignment.





Su Shi (1037-1101), Wood and Rock. Handscroll, ink on paper. Painting: 26.3 x 50 cm (10 x 19 in); Overall with mounting: 27.2 x 543 cm (10 x 213 in). Colophons by Liu Liangzuo (11th century), Mi Fu (1051-1107), Yu Xilu (1278-1368) and Guo Chang (1563-1622). Forty-one collectors seals, including one of Liu Liangzuo (11th century), one of Mi Fu, 11 of Wang Houzhi (1131-1204), three of Yu Xilu, nine of Yang Zun (circa 1294-after 1333), nine of Mu Lin (1429-1458), two of Li Tingxiang (1485-1544) and two of Guo Chang. Estimate on request

Today, Su Shi is recognised as one of the eight great prose masters of the Tang and Song, and one of the four Song masters of calligraphy. His poems, including At Red Cliff, Cherishing the Past and Prelude to the Water Melody, have become embedded in Chinese culture, inspiring landscape paintings and poetic illustrations throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. His calligraphy has been copied, studied and collected for centuries. Su Shis ideas on what it was to create an image, and the relationship of the image to the internal psychology of the painter, were revolutionary, and can be seen as a launchpad for painting as a non-representational, psychologically driven process. It was Su Shi who first began to explore concepts of artistic practice as the outward expression of the artists interior experience.

The painting in ink on the handscroll offered at Christies in November is one of only a handful of extant paintings by Su Shi

Similarly revolutionary was Su Shis approach to brushwork. Other contemporary painters pursued a representational style that involved great detail and strong delineation. But Su Shis brushwork is impressionistic and spare. Writing on the principles by which to judge the highest class of painting, Su Shi once declared, If one discusses painting in terms of formal likeness, one is no different from a child. For him, there was painting in poetry and poetry in painting. There is a saying in Chinese art history that ink has five colours, says Zhou. Ink has all that you need to depict the external world and to express yourself and whatever your artistic impulses have to say. Wood and Rock is a true embodiment of the artists state of mind at the time, which you can see so palpably in the painting. Ancient rocks and withered trees were subjects that were close to Su Shis heart. In Chinese iconography the withered tree has been imbued with many different meanings. It is associated with notions of surviving difficult situations, such as the one Su Shi found himself in, but still being able to grow tall.

Colophon by Mi Fu: Fu, following the rhyme: / Who can say what it is like at the age of forty? / For three years, I havent had any new clothes made. / In poverty one understands the dangers of life; / In old age one feels the intricate wisdoms of Tao. / Already too late to devote oneself to an official career, / Not to mention how few souls truly know me. / Delighted am I to find such refined company, / In the autumn years of my life, I have yet to speak of returning home.
In 1992, on a dusty Friday afternoon in Black Rock Desert, Terbo Ted prepared to play music for no one.

The setup for the first-ever DJ set on the deep playa was famously jury-rigged; the speakers, leftovers from a dissolved punk band, blew out within minutes. It was a historic moment  the beginning of electronic music at Burning Man. But to some, it was also an ending.

Ted was 24 years old at the time, and a few of his friends who were active in Oakland's underground rave scene had discovered Burning Man through analog serendipity  a print ad in a local New Age magazine. The message was austere, but cryptic: "An experience in the desert." After calling the number listed, they met Larry Harvey, Burning Man's co-founder. He invited them to bring their music and speaker system to the desert.

After hours of driving, the group spotted the camp's only marker: a pole, with a red blinking light. The landscape looked like they'd left Earth.

It was still the early days of Burning Man, just two years after what had started as a solstice ritual at Baker Beach in 1986 made its way into the vast Nevada desert. It would be years before it became an event home to more than 70,000 globetrotters, and a makeshift city with police and a medical clinic.

But even in the event's nascent stage, there was tension.

Members of San Francisco's Cacophony Society, an underground group of pranksters were the ones who brought Burning Man to the Black Rock Desert. This constellation of DIY-minded artists weren't excited about the idea of sharing the desert with starry-eyed ravers in their 20s, Ted told SFGATE.

"The pranksters blamed us for everything," Ted said. "For us to bring dance music culture out there  they thought we were bringing consumer trash. They hated what we were doing."

"When we first started going out there, there was no definition of what being a burner was," Ted said. "Going out there was like going to Mars, or the Moon."

Ted, now 50, considers himself an 'elder.' He's attended the event on and off for the last 25 years. When he goes, he regales new burners with tales of the event before it became a studied experience and an aesthetic  before the hot springs were banned, before there were fences, and the year  1996  when hell came to life.

And as an informal historian, he's also obligated to tell them the truth: He ruined Burning Man.

The event wasn't appealing to the public in 1992, Ted said, so he and his friends proselytized it into the ground. Around a decade later, it went viral  it was codified, memefied and rendered into the collective consciousness.

Anyone who came in contact with the event acquired a Midas-like touch, but it wasn't gold  it was the ability to destroy it.

For as long as Burning Man's existed, it's been ruined. The ravers ruined it for the welders. The collective-minded hippies ruined it for the anarchist ravers. Tech bros displaced the bohemians.

The list of acts that destroyed Burning Man is limitless. There are the extravagant camps run by sherpas, a sub-industry of event butlers. The 1996 Wired expose article. Kids below the age of five running in the desert. High-speed Internet. Lobsters FedExed and delivered to Burning Man.

In a cheeky 2016 article for the Burning Man blog, Benjamin Wachs outlined a history of who ruined Burning Man. Its self-destruction apparently occurred at its birth:

"In 1986, at the very first Burn, a crowd of complete strangers gathered around the Man once it was lit it [sic] on fire. Nobody had invited them. They didn't know anything about the 10 Principles, or understood what The Man was about. They just saw something cool and wanted to participate. They had no gifts. Strangers ruined Burning Man."

Burning Man, Wachs wrote, has been ruined 27 out of 30 times. "On two occasions, it was ruined twice in the same year. In total, 12 different groups (that we know of) have done the ruining. It's easy to get paranoid about something you love."

It seems useful to consider the event's conditions; Burning Man is an exercise in ephemerality. Like a city, it doesn't emit its own essence. It's a vessel, a container for whoever, or whatever resides in its limits.

That sense of impermanence feels central to Burning Man, where desert whiteouts and dust storms have the power to blow entire campsites away, and meticulously assembled projects dematerialize after the week's end. Its very nature precludes its shackling.

Besides, Ted said, that's what makes it interesting. He's careful not to lament the changes as of late  the increasing police presence and proliferation of Plug 'n' Play camps, among other things.

"I accept it. It's going to be different every year," he said. "That it even happens is amazing, and it's the most modern city in the world. The culture's bigger than Larry. It's bigger than me; it's bigger than any one person. So you can't say anyone really owns it."

But there is one thing he undoubtedly misses.

"When we first started going out there, there was no definition of what being a burner was," Ted said. "Going out there was like going to Mars, or the Moon. Larry [Harvey] used to say, When you go out there, you have no choice, in this void of nothing, to have whatever your inner soul or spirit was to shine out of you. Whatever you was, would come into view because there was nothing else to measure it against."

Now, it can be hard to locate that sense of discovery  of blankness  in all the noise. This year, Ted opted to skip Burning Man, which is fine, he says, because he's already missed it 20 times. Instead, he'll be hosting a 2 hour-long live electronic set and light show in Mill Valley on Sept 1. He and the other DJs will be streaming the burn through a live feed.

The event is open to the public, Ted said. It could be for people who wanted to attend the event but couldn't, for whatever reason. Or, it's an option for people who've grown similarly disillusioned with how the event has changed. Like a blank canvas, it's for anyone.

Read Annie Vainshtein's latest stories here. Send her news tips at avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @annievain
For the past quarter century, Bruce Gill has been cutting keys inside a tiny, free-standing shop in the parking lot of a local Sears.

The tan kiosk with a shingled roof and sliding glass window has stood on the premises of the North Shepherd department store since it opened in 1949. Inside, the 54-year-old locksmith has made a living duplicating house and car keys, and replacing batteries in watches and car remotes.

Lately however, Gill has been following Sears financial woes more closely than most. Thats because Outside Key Shop leased three storefronts from the department store giant.

I wake up every morning checking the news, Gill said. Im trying to keep my ears open because theyre closing so many stores.

Sears has shuttered thousands of stores over the past decade to stay afloat amid the rise of big-box and e-commerce competitors, and the closures are rattling longtime key shops tied to the American retail institution. The Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based retailerm , which began 125 years ago as a mail-order company selling everything from clothing to kit houses, currently operates 894 stores, down from about 3,900 stores a decade ago.

When Sears shuttered its iconic Midtown store last year, Gill was forced to relocate his key shop to the Fiesta Mart next door. The midtown key shop had been in operation since the 1940s.

Last week, Sears announced it will close its Memorial City store in its latest round of closures. Gill has until Nov. 25 to vacate his Memorial City key shop, which had been there for more than 50 years. There are no plans to reopen the key shop elsewhere, he said.

Once the Outside Key Shop at Memorial City Mall closes, Gills North Shepherd location will be only key shop left at a Sears store in the Houston area, Gill said.

I worry about it all the time, Gill said of his key business, which employs eight workers, including his brother Jeff Gill at the Memorial City shop. You worry about it because you have employees under you.

Outside Key Shop and other Sears key shops are a vestige of Joseph Key King Coles key empire, which started in 1934 with a single key shop in the parking lot of a Sears Roebuck store on Carnegie Avenue in Cleveland.

By the 1950s and 1960s, Cole National Corp. became the largest key company nationally, making several hundred million keys a year and operating hundreds of key shops in malls across America, including several Sears stores in Houston and a Montgomery Ward in Bellaire.

Over the years, the Sears key business went through different ownership, including most recently Things Remembered. Gill, who had been a long-time employee, acquired his key shops about five years ago from the monogrammed gift shop.

Chris Lanier, 35, owns the Keyless Shop, a Maryland-based chain of 17 Sears key shops, including one in Austin. Over the past couple of years, Sears closed eight stores where Lanier operated key shops, he said.

Lanier was able to relocate some of its stores; others he couldnt, he said. Keyless Shops top-performing location, at a Sears in the Westfield mall in Bethesda, Md., will close next year as the former department store space is redeveloped into a hotel, shops and restaurants.

We kind of knew going into this that it wasnt going to be forever, Lanier said. Sears may close everything in the next few years. Were adjusting as we go, trying to find another good location at the mall or somewhere nearby.

Although the fate of their businesses lies with Sears, both Gill and Lanier said they had no ill feelings toward their struggling landlord.

I can understand how the older generation likes Sears and I can see how the new generation doesnt, because young people are more interested in the Internet, computers and Facebook, Gill said. I dont think there are enough of us around for Sears to last forever.

paul.takahashi@chron.com

twitter.com/paultakahashi
Warning: This is one of the strongest columns Ive ever written. Its a subject that LGBT people must take seriously, and nationally since the church has used what they have been institutionally practicing against us for years.

While the Catholic religion should be treated with respect, its leadership needs to be called out and in some cases go to jail. There is a suggestion in the column on how the church could begin to redeem itself and a hard finish. It comes after reading the complete 877 page report.

The Churchs child-rape problem

There is not a more important position that this community has to make a stand on than the Catholic Churchs institutionalizing child rape by their priests, bishops and cardinals. Did you read that? CHILD RAPE! Thats what is in the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals report, along with children tied up and whipped and a kiddy-porn ring of priests.

The real facts: The Attorney General of Pennsylvania just issued a report that estimates 300 priests, bishops and cardinals have in some way been complicit in the rape or sexual assault of over a thousand children, and thats just in Pennsylvania. Put that together with the same form of scandals in Boston, Arizona, Washington D.C. and other countries over the last few years and the list of victims of little girls and boys being raped and sexually abused goes into the tens of thousands. In the U.S., it all started with the U.S. Council of Bishops attempting to cover this affliction by its religious leaders by transferring priests, not calling the police, denying it when they knew it was true, moving records, and at one point, trying to ship those records out of the country so the police could not get their hands on that evidence. And lets not forget fighting the statute of limitations. That law would allow officials to charge a priest, bishop and yes, even cardinals, with their crimes five or 10 years later, and not allow them to go skipping into a nice retirement.

A message to His Holiness the Pope:

Youve said youre on the side of the victims and yet, the victims are saying these are just words that theyve heard before. So, Your Holiness, I have a suggestion that can put your words into action: Tell your cardinals and archbishops to support the end of "Statute of Limitations" laws so that the child rapists in your church are brought to justice.

If youre not sure what that means, heres the point: Those 300 priests and bishops who were named in the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals report might not be charged due to that law, and heres the kicker  theres only one organization in the state fighting that: the Catholic Church. Their lobbying arm is the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. And its largest supporter is the Archbishop of Philadelphia Charles Chuput. Your Holiness, put out a statement asking the Pennsylvania Catholic Church not to lobby to protect child-abusing priests no matter how long ago it was, and support the abolishment of statute of limitations laws for child rape and abuse.

Now heres where the LGBT community comes in. It was bishops like Chaput who suggested that LGBT people not be allowed around children, and for that reason (theyve now changed that explanation) LGBT people should not be allowed to adopt.

Excuse me, shouldnt it be, Dont trust your children with priests, bishops and cardinals? Tens of thousands of children beg you not to.

Mark Segal, publisher of Philadelphia Gay News, is the nations most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. His best selling memoir And Then I Danced, Traveling The Road to LGBT Equality is a National Lesbian Gay Journalist Book of the Year and available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Houston's Genesis Energy is selling its Powder River Basin pipeline assets in Wyoming for $300 million.

Genesis is unloading its facilities in a basin that's considered by several oil producers to be the next big emerging shale play in the country. Independent Houston producers like EOG Resources and Anadarko Petroleum are all expanding in Wyoming.

In Genesis' case, it is selling its pipeline, rail and oil gathering assets in the Powder River Basin to Dallas-based Silver Creek Midstream, which is growing in the Wyoming region.

RELATED: Genesis Energy buys biggest soda ash business for $1.3 billion

Genesis plans to use the cash proceeds to reduce its debt. Genesis, while primarily a pipeline business, spent more than $1.3 billion to expand into the soda ash business when it bought an alkali mining business that produces soda ash in Wyoming.
Jeffrey K. Skilling, the former Enron CEO sentenced to a long prison term for his role in one of most notorious corporate fraud cases in history, was recently released from a minimum security federal prison camp in Alabama to a halfway house at an undisclosed location.

Enron's spectacular collapse cost investors billions of dollars and wiped out the retirement savings  not to mention the jobs  of thousands of employees. Skilling, 64, was convicted of 12 counts of securities fraud, five counts of making false statements to auditors, one count of insider trading and one count of conspiracy in 2006 for his role in hiding debt and orchestrating a web of financial fraud that ended in the Houston company's bankruptcy.

He was sentenced to 24 years in prison and fined $45 million, the harshest sentence of any former Enron executive. Five years ago, Skilling's sentence was reduced to 14 years by U.S. District Judge Sim Lake. He is scheduled to be released Feb. 21, 2019, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

STUNNING COLLAPSE: Looking back at the rise and fall of Enron

Federal prisoners are often released from prison several months early to a halfway house, a highly restricted dormitory-like setting that helps inmates ease back into society. They must maintain curfews, find work and stay out of trouble. A. Kelley, assistant residential re-entry manager for the Bureau of Prisons in San Antonio, said the bureau would not say where Skilling is living.

The Bureau of Prisons typically sends inmates to a halfway house in their home city where they resided before incarceration. It helps them re-acclimate to a more normal life and re-establish relationships with their families, said Philip Hilder, a white-collar defense lawyer who represented Sherron Watkins, a former vice president at Enron who went to then-Enron chairman Kenneth Lay to warn him of accounting irregularities she discovered while reviewing Enron's assets.

Inmates are typically required to get a job while they're at a halfway house and to report regularly to the federal probation department for up to three years, Hilder said. Skilling's lawyer could not be reached for comment.

Lay went on trial at the same time as Skilling and was convicted of wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud and making false statements to banks. Lay, who founded Enron in 1985 by merging two natural gas pipeline companies, died before he was sentenced, succumbing to an apparent heart attack while vacationing in Colorado.

The Enron scandal destroyed what was once one of Houston's hottest companies and in many ways brought to an end to the boom of the 1990s, when accounting tricks and hype helped drive the stock market higher. It led to widespread financial and accounting reforms that reined in many of the questionable practices on Wall Street, such as analysts promoting companies that their investment bankers were preparing for initial public stock offerings.

Enron was considered a shining example of the so-called new economy, in which physical assets no longer seemed to matter so much and value was created by making markets. Enron became one of the most admired companies in America, its executives hailed as visionaries.

EARLIER IN 2018: Federal judge who oversaw Enron cases announces retirement

The company climbed to No.7 on the Fortune 500 list. It became a point of pride in Houston, attracting to the region other companies that wanted to rub shoulders with people famously described in a book and documentary on the scandal as "the smartest guys in the room."

Enron employees walked with a "swagger," according to one gas logistics coordinator who described what it was like working for the company. It wasn't a stodgy wires and line company, but an energy firm that capitalized on the new trading opportunities of electricity and natural gas along with broadband, water, pulp and paper.

But by the end of 2001, the magic that started about a decade earlier had ended. Enron had filed for Chapter 11 protection, the biggest in U.S. corporate bankruptcy in history, ultimately revealing a company whose profits had been built, and heavy debts hidden, by accounting fraud. Its stock plummeted from nearly $91 to less than $1 by the end of 2001.

The collapse also destroyed the accounting firm Arthur Andersen, which, at the time, was one of the nation's five largest. The firm, which signed off on Enron's financial statements, was convicted in 2002 of obstruction of justice for interfering with the federal government's Enron investigation. The U.S. Supreme Court later reversed the conviction but by then the damage had been done.

See what happened to some of the other players in the Enron scandal in the photos below.




STRATFORD  Dozens of people were homeless Thursday after a fire ripped through their 30-unit condo complex on the Stratford-Bridgeport line the day before.

Stratford Deputy Chief and Fire Marshal Brian Lampart said firefighters had worked for two hours in 96-degree heat to put out the blaze. He said three condo residents were taken to a local hospital, while one firefighter was brought to a hospital for evaluation.

Details on their injuries were not available Thursday. Lampart said an investigation into what caused the fire remained active.

The Connecticut Red Cross said it was helping 16 families  27 adults and two children  find places to stay. Other condo residents were staying with relatives and friends.

This was my first home, said Kim Rodriguez, when she returned to the condo to gather some belongings.

Rodriguez said she lived in the complex for nine years. Her unit was at the end that took the worst damage.

At first I wasnt sure about my pets  I have two cats  but thankfully I was able to retrieve them, she said. There were units that had it a lot worse than mine.

Two other cats remained missing, however.

About half of the Success Hill Condominiums, which were built in 1985 and fully occupied at the time of the fire, appeared on Thursday to have been badly damaged. At least part of the roof was collapsed after the fire, which broke out Wednesday at around 3:50 p.m.

Stratford firefighters and an equal amount of Bridgeport firefighters with several pieces of fire apparatus aggressively battled the blaze, rescued and evacuated many occupants and pets, Lampart said. Shelton and Milford fire departments assisted with station coverage during the event.

Lampart said Bridgeport and Stratford firefighters rescued a dog, five cats and three guinea pigs from the complex. The pets were taken to an emergency vet for treatment.

The two missing cats ran from the complex during the fire, animal control officials said. Any condo residents missing animals were advised to call Stratford Animal Control at 203-385-4068.
The families of two 16-year olds killed last month in an alleged DUI accident have each filed a $1 million lawsuit Aug. 28 against the teenage driver and gas station clerk charged in connection with their deaths.

Alma and Fransisco Gomez, filed the lawsuit against Clayton Jaggar Smiths family and Humble Handi Stop Employee Gumaro Munoz Campos on the same day Tina and Nico Robinson filed a suit against Smiths guardian Shelly Smith and Campos.

While Smith has been charged with intoxication manslaughter, Munoz is charged with one count of selling alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor, by the Harris County District Attorney's office.

Like the Robinson family, the Gomez family is suing Campos, the Smith family and the gas station for past and future pecurinary loss, past and future loss of companionship and society, past and future mental anguish and the loss of inheritence.

According to the Robinson familys lawsuit, on July 24 at 10:45 p.m. Smith entered the Handi Stop gas station and purchased four bottles of Mad-Dog 20/20 from Campos, who was the only on-duty store clerk.

Campos failed to verify Smiths age by not requesting to see valid identification, according to the suit. Smith was able to purchase the alcohol without showing any identification and left the store.

Within the next hour, the teenager got behind the wheel of his Nissan Altima where Chloe Robinson sat in the backseat and Salma Gomez sat in the front passenger seat. Smith was also driving twice the speed limit, according to investigators. Robinson and Gomez both died after the crash.

Robert Barrington, Webster Law Firm attorney, is representing the Gomez family. Barrington said the deaths of Salma and Chloe were preventable.

The minor was driving the vehicle and so therefore you have to bring a lawsuit against the Smiths, Barrington said.

TABC Public Information Officer Chris Porter said the gas station received a violation on July 26, 2012 for $2,400 for selling alcohol to a minor that was later paid off in September of that year.

Porter said the TABC is still investigating the matter.

The message is really that sellers of alcohol have a responsibility not to sell to minors for this specific reason, Barrington said. This is a familys worst nightmare, for all the children involved. Sellers of alcohol should be held accountable in these types of situations.

Smiths attorney, Chip Lewis, has yet to respond to a request for comment.

Randy Sorrels, partner at the Abraham Watkins Law firm, is representing the Robinson family.

Sorrels said they were able to identify the stores failure to identify Smiths age through the Harris County District Attorneys investigation and after interviews with several students in the area.

Weve followed the district attorneys work thats been done, and weve talked to some of the students that commonly went to that same store, Sorrels said.

Sorrels said the Robinson family filed this lawsuit to send a message to the community.

For this gas station I think the message has been delivered by the district attorneys office and certainly this lawsuit, but I think they want service stations and businesses who sell alcohol to take notice that youre going to be held responsible for serving a minor (alcohol) when that minor goes out and causes injury and damage after drinking the alcohol you sell to them. You cant put profits over safety, Sorrels said.

Sorrels doesnt expect this to go to trial for a year.

kaila.contreras@chron.com
Former U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry will appear at The Progressive Forum at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Blvd.

Kerry will sit in conversation with Randall Morton, Progressive Forum president, to highlight stories behind his memoir, recounting 50 years in public service - from decorated Vietnam veteran, to five-term U.S. senator, 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, and the 68th Secretary of State.

All attendees will receive a free copy of Kerrys memoir, Every Day Is Extra.

Kerrys book is a passionate, insightful, and, at times, humorous sharing of wonderful stories about colleagues such as Ted Kennedy, John McCain, President Obama, and many others, Morton said. He provides a forceful testimony for the importance of diplomacy and American leadership in our increasingly uncertain world.

Tickets are available at ProgressiveForumHouston.org or at 888-695-0888 seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $70 each. Discount tickets for students with valid IDs and seniors 65 and older are $40 each. Tickets for reserved seats and speaker reception are $150. Tickets will also be available on event night at the door.

A Yale graduate, Kerry enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1966, serving in Vietnam. He returned highly decorated (three Purple Hearts, Silver Star and Bronze Star with Valor for Heroic Achievement), but disillusioned. He testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April 1971 as a young veteran opposed to the war at the age of 28, saying, How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to die for a mistake? The next day, he was arrested during a VVAW (Vietnam Veterans Against the War) march near Boston honoring American POWs held captive in North Vietnam.

Kerry served as a prosecutor in Massachusetts, then as lieutenant governor, and was elected to the Senate in 1984. In 2004, he lost his presidential bid to President George W. Bush. Kerry returned to the Senate, chairing the important Foreign Relations Committee. As Secretary of State, he tried to find peace in the Middle East, dealt with the Syrian civil war while combatting ISIS, and negotiated the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow for Global Affairs at Yale University, as well as the inaugural Visiting Statesman for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
AT&T said its investments in Texas wireless and wired networks totaled nearly $7 billion from 2015 to 2017.

The telecommunications company made 1,903 wireless network upgrades in Texas in 2017 alone including the addition of 108 small cells that boost existing networks.
New regulations to curb pollution from the worlds shipping fleet could lift crude prices by $4 a barrel when the measures come into effect in 2020, according to a Bloomberg survey of 13 oil industry analysts.

Thats because the changes from the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, are likely to stoke refiners demand for lower-sulfur crude while prompting some plants to run as hard as possible to maximize profits.

It will be a Wild West leading up to the implementation phase, said Michael Poulsen, an analyst at A/S Global Risk Management Ltd. in Denmark. The market anticipates that we will see a lot of weird movements and funny pricing around the end of 2019.

TENSIONS: Iran says it will block Middle East oil exports if it can't ship

In just 16 months, the IMOs rules to cap the sulfur content of ship fuel are set to create a once-in-a-generation upheaval in the oil market, as the regulator seeks to limit emissions of a pollutant that has been linked to asthma and acid rain. The global shipping fleet is reliant on refiners to supply IMO-compliant fuels, and its not clear there will be enough to go around. Prices for low-sulfur products are already climbing, while those for high-sulfur grades are collapsing.

A similar effect is expected in the crude markets. Banks including Societe Generale SA and Morgan Stanley have said the regulations will likely lift crude benchmarks Brent and West Texas Intermediate, which have a relatively low sulfur content. Brents premium to higher-sulfur Dubai crude, the Middle East benchmark, has already swelled to more than $4 a barrel in 2020.

$128 Billion

Bloomberg asked analysts to estimate the likely price effects of the regulatory change. Crude prices are forecast to rise by $4 a barrel in 2020 due to the IMO rules specifically, according to the median estimate of 13 responses that ranged from a $2 drop to a $20 increase per barrel.

Of our $90 a barrel Brent price forecast by early 2020, wed argue that $5-$10 a barrel will come from IMO 2020, said Morgan Stanley analyst Martijn Rats. The shift in demand to less-polluting oil products will mean that without investing in more upgrading units, refiners will simply need to process more crude, he said.

By 2020, global crude oil demand is set to rise by 2 percent to 87.7 million barrels a day, according to a forecast from the Paris-based International Energy Agency in March. If crude prices surge by $4 a barrel due to the IMO rules, that would amount to an increase of about $128 billion in the worlds oil bill by 2020, Bloomberg calculations show. Brent crude, the global benchmark, is now trading near $77.50 a barrel.

SUPPLIES: U.S. crude oil inventories decline, boosting oil prices

Ship Scrubbers

While the majority of those surveyed agreed the rules will probably have a bullish effect on crude, some were more reticent. Thats because ships have the option of installing so-called scrubbers allowing them to keep burning high-sulfur fuels while limiting emissions of the pollutant.

More and more ships will install scrubbers and therefore reduce the demand for extra barrels, said HSH Nordbank AG analyst Jan Edelmann, who saw no impact on crude prices from the regulations. We believe that there is sufficient light-sweet crude available from shale to meet extra demand from IMO 2020.

Companies that make scrubbers, including Wartsila Oyj and Alfa Laval AB, reported bumper orders in their most recent earnings. However, the vast majority of the worlds commercial fleet -- some 93,000 vessels -- will not have installed scrubbers, which can cost millions of dollars, by 2020.

The IMOs regulations are likely to ripple through industries that purchase fuel, such as airlines and power producers. Because of this broad reach, some analysts contacted by Bloomberg said they couldnt yet forecast crude prices for 2020 or the effect of the IMO rule change specifically.

Gasoil Boom

The brunt of the regulatory shift is likely to be felt in refined-product markets, as shippers abandon high-sulfur fuel oil in favor of cleaner alternatives, like gasoil or diesel-like fuel that can be blended into IMO-compliant ship propellant. Benchmark gasoil prices in Europe are set to rise by about $17 a barrel by 2020, according to the median estimate from nine analysts who provided figures on the fuel.

MORE EXPORTS: Iraq says it's ready to boost oil exports once OPEC gives OK

The strength in oil product prices may help to lift crude, too. Nine of 13 respondents said the IMO regulations will be positive for refining margins. Rising profits would encourage refineries to boost crude purchases, potentially lifting the feedstocks price.

We believe the extraordinary strength in distillate cracks will cause refiners to run as hard as they can, Societe Generale SA analysts including Mark Keenan wrote in a report earlier this month. This very strong crude demand will add $5 to sweet crude prices.

2018 Bloomberg L.P.
At zero nine fifty-one (09:51), Tuesday, Aug. 28, Liberty County Commissioners passed a resolution establishing a Veterans Treatment Court.

One veteran, present for the event, couldnt help but hold his cell phone up over his head and take a photo of commissioners as they voted.

The program allows county commissioners courts throughout Texas to authorize a specialized court where veterans are removed from the penal system and given increased access to mental health and addictions treatment by diverting them directly into a VA treatment program, which would in turn reduce jail time, costs and criminal recidivism in the judicial system.

The program is designed to help improve mental health recovery for treated vets and a better blending into society. The program is expected to get underway soon.

What an honor its been to travel back and forth out to Liberty over the past year-and-a-half to meet with folks and pray over this, said Spencer Walker.

The Iraqi Freedom combat veteran has poured a lot of himself into the process to honor his fellow comrades with a court that will help meet their needs.

For 18 months, he has worked alongside former Pct. 5 Judge Marvin Powell to make the court happen. It did unanimously.

Its something the whole court was solidly in favor of and we think its a great thing to have in Liberty County, said Commissioner Greg Arthur outside on the court steps.

There were a lot of congratulations and back-patting for the celebrated program and to provide something of significance to those who served the nation.

On behalf of the Liberty County attorneys office, the district attorneys office, and our three judges, I know that everyone fully supports this program and were excited to see what it can do for Liberty County veterans, said County Attorney Matthew Poston.

The cost to taxpayers?

Zero. This is funded in a large part and the services are already available through the VA. This helps expedite putting veterans in touch with these programs, Poston said.

There are also grants available to help cover any additional expenses.

We hope that they can heal from the trauma theyve suffered while in service and avoid lasting legal consequences, Poston said.

The cog in the wheel for pushing the program was Powell. Powell served three terms in the military and was emotional about the passage of the program.

I am one of them, he said. I am a Vietnam veteran.

Severely wounded in Vietnam, Powell spent 14 months in Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio recuperating.

This is dear to my heart, he said as he choked up.

This will give veterans a new start because of what theyre having to suffer through. It will also help their family and help restore the vet to being whole again, he said.

Through the court, the veteran is not incarcerated while they go through the program which, as Powell points out, also saves the county money.

It helps them while theyre out of jail to go through the program. At the end of the program the charges are dismissed, he said.

In addition, through civil court, the vet can have the charges expunged from their record.

Mark Norris, of Veterans Justice Outreach, said it was not a get-out-of-jail free card.

The veteran who participates in the court is expected to be compliant with the treatment component of the court. And, they must show up for the court dockets. There is a supervisor whether its for pre-trial or for probation, he said.

Norris said they work with the veteran to mitigate their legal circumstances and help to get them reestablished in the community.

Norris said hes seen clients who were facing 20 years in the penitentiary, but through the court, successfully completed the program and moved on to become productive members of society.

It could have gone either way, he said.

The Honorable Judge Mark Morefield volunteered to head the court and is a veteran himself, having served 13 months in Vietnam. Powell will step out of retirement to be the coordinator for the court.

I joined the Army in 69 and received orders to go to Vietnam in 70, the judge said.

The war experience was life-changing for the young fighter.

You grow up fast in a war zone, he said.

The Veterans Treatment Court is also close to his heart.

Judge Powell and I have been talking about this for 18 months and Im acutely aware of the need to do something for not every veteran. When were talking about veterans court, were talking about a criminal setting, he said.

Veterans, he said, by virtue of service to our country have been in traumatic experiences that altered their thinking and may have precipitated the reason why they find themselves in criminal court.

We have an obligation to them and recognize them.

Morefield wouldnt demonize the veterans by calling post-traumatic stress a disorder.

When you look at these guys and what they went through in Iraq and Afghanistan, they came back a totally different person, he said.

It changed a 19-year-old wide-eyed Morefield.

I came back to a different world, he said of his return to the states. He felt like he no longer fit in.

All I wanted when I came back was to go back to Vietnam to something I understood.

Its something that Spencer Walker can relate to in his own life.

Living life big, he was banking bucks and headed to a big career in oil and gas.

Hes given it all up for much less pay and purpose in life.

Its definitely more of a ministry and a calling. Thats where passion comes from, he said.

Walker said his life was a train wreck and regardless how much money he was making, it made no difference if he was living a life at the end of a bottle.

Walker knows he could still be wearing an orange jump suit or lying in a cemetery had it not been for his VTC intervention.

Veterans Treatment Court saved my life, my sanity, my marriage and gave me an opportunity to be a father and restore my faith, the veteran said humbly.

There are now more than 40 Veteran Treatment Courts in the state of Texas.

dtaylor@hcnonline.com
Friendswood Police Department is inviting neighborhoods to participate in National Night Out from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 2.

Residents are encouraged to turn on their porch lights, organize a block party or neighborhood event and register that event with the police department. Visit https://bit.ly/2Pjz5NV for an application.

For more information, message kcrouch@friendswood.com.

Suspected ID theft tools seized

Three men face fraud and narcotics charges after they were found with a cache of suspected identity theft tools during a traffic stop for expired registration Aug. 22 in the 2000 block of FM 528, authorities said.

In one of the passengers backpacks, police reportedly found several dozen merchandise bar codes, a fictitious identification card and an identification card that did not belong to anyone in the vehicle. The 33-year-old Friendswood mans bag also contained several dozen laminating strips, razor blades and a scalpel, police said. In addition, the officer found 277 receipts from businesses, nine credit cards in the passengers name, three Apple phones and two pieces of notebook paper with a date of birth and a Social Security number, according to the report. Police charged the passenger with possession of a controlled substance and fraudulent use or possession of identifying information.

The driver, a 53-year-old Seabrook man, also was charged with possession of a controlled substance, police said. He reportedly had a large hunting knife in a sheath attached to his hip and was asked to exit the vehicle. He refused to consent to a vehicle search, but a police K-9 arrived and provided a positive alert for the presence of narcotics, according to the report. A search yielded a black sunglasses case containing two bags of methamphetamine and a syringe under the vehicles hood as well as a methamphetamine pipe under the back passenger seat, police said.

The front passenger, a 37-year-old man, had an outstanding warrant for fraud in Galveston County and was taken into custody.

Burglary

An audible alarm may have discouraged an intruder Aug. 24 in the 1600 block of Stoney Lake Drive, police said. A neighbor reportedly responded to the alarm and discovered an open gate to the backyard and a shattered glass back door. Police arrived to find the shattered door partially open, but nothing appeared to be missing, according to the report.

Jewelry and a safe containing cash and papers were stolen Aug. 24 from a home in the 1700 block of Waterfall Drive, police said. The resident reportedly arrived home at 10 p.m. to find a hall closet door open and an office light on. Forced entry was made through a back door to the master bedroom, according to the report.

Theft

An Alvin man, 32, turned himself in to authorities after allegedly attempting to steal $392 worth of groceries Aug. 21 at H-E-B, 701 W. Parkwood Ave., police said. An employee reportedly followed the man as he walked out of the store with a full basket. When the suspect noticed he was followed, he re-entered the store with the basket, according to the report. A few minutes later, he returned to the parking lot with the unpaid-for merchandise, police said. The employee confronted the suspect, who left in a vehicle without the groceries, however the employee was able to snap a picture of the suspect and the vehicle license plate. An officer arrived and identified the suspect, who surrendered that night, police said.

Two iPhones were stolen Aug. 23 from T-Mobile, 210 E. Parkwood Ave., police said. Three suspects  described as black men ranging in age from 16 to 25  cut the security wires on the phones and ran out of the store, according to the report. They allegedly were seen leaving the area in a red or burgundy Subaru.

An internal investigation into missing Friendswood Mustangs Booster Club money has become a criminal investigation, police said. A parent involved with the organization may have been stealing from the nonprofit for some time, according to the report. Some of the money reportedly has been recovered.

An air conditioner unit was stolen Aug. 22 or Aug. 23 from a vacant home in the 16600 block of Oxnard Lane, according to an Aug. 24 police report. The house recently had been put up for sale.

Threats

Police charged two 15-year-old Friendswood High School students with making terroristic threats against the school Aug. 20. The teens were processed at the Friendswood jail and transferred to the Galveston County Juvenile Detention Center in Texas City, police said. Police filed a second charge of exhibition, use or threat of a firearm against one of the teens Aug. 25 following a separate incident reported after he was taken into custody.

Fraud

A Moody Bank customer discovered fraudulent use of his credit card information Aug. 18 at Kroger, 3135 FM 528, and Aug. 19 at a bank ATM in Bedford, according to an Aug. 20 police report.

A Friendswood woman was scammed by a man she thought she knew but had not met, according to an Aug. 20 police report. The man allegedly sent her a $2,300 check, and she sent him that amount in cash. She later found out the check was worthless, police said.

A Friendswood man found 15 fraudulent charges on his debit card account between Aug. 17 and Aug. 21, according to an Aug. 23 police report. He believes the card was compromised at a Webster restaurant, police said.

A Friendswood woman found two fraudulent withdrawals from her debit card account in Dallas, according to an Aug. 24 police report. She told police she believes her card was compromised at a fast food restaurant in Pearland.

Assault

Police charged a Friendswood man, 24, with assault Aug. 21 after he allegedly threatened to cut his mothers throat and grabbed her around the neck, impeding her breathing. Bond was set at $25,000.

Police issued an assault warrant for a man accused of attacking his girlfriend Aug. 26 at Enclave Apartments, 5000 Watkins Way. The woman told police he threw her on the ground, got on top of her and hit her head multiple times before leaving on foot, according to the report.

Narcotics

Police charged an Alvin woman, 35, with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop for expired temporary license tags Aug. 20 in the 2900 block of FM 528. The officer reportedly found a pipe with marijuana residue and a second pipe with methamphetamine during a vehicle search.

A 21-year-old Webster woman was charged with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop for failure to yield at an intersection Aug. 21 in the 2100 block of West Parkwood Avenue, police said. She did not have a drivers license, and the officer found cocaine, Vyvanse, Xanax and marijuana during a vehicle search, according to the report. Bond was set at $2,000.

A Texas City man, 31, was charged with evidence tampering after a traffic stop Aug. 23 in the 2700 block of West Bay Area Boulevard. The man, a passenger, had outstanding warrants for aggravated robbery and possession of a controlled substance and reportedly emptied a bag of a blue crystal substance into a Styrofoam cup of liquid during the stop. The officer poured the liquid out and determined the substance at the bottom of the cup was methamphetamine, police said. The officer also found two glass methamphetamine pipes and a marijuana pipe during a vehicle search, according to the report. The vehicles driver had outstanding Friendswood warrants, police said.

Police charged a Houston man, 47, with possession of a controlled substance after a routine license plate check revealed expired insurance coverage Aug. 25 in the 1300 block of South Friendswood Drive. He was taken into custody for a Comal County probation violation warrant, and the officer found two methamphetamine pipes and methamphetamine during a vehicle inventory, police said. Bond was set at $60,000.

A La Marque woman, 35, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop for an insurance violation Aug. 25 in the 400 block of East Parkwood Avenue, police said. She allegedly had a suspended license and no insurance coverage. The officer found a small glass pipe containing marijuana residue during a vehicle search, according to the report.

Police charged a Texas City man, 45, with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop for speeding and straddling the lane divider Aug. 26 on Friendswood Link Road. He reportedly had a pipe in his pocket and a bag containing marijuana residue. A vehicle search yielded marijuana residue and shake, rolling papers and a bottle of synthetic urine, police said.

Public intoxication

Police charged a Friendswood man, 26, with public intoxication after a reported disturbance Aug. 22 in the 300 block of Brigadoon Lane. Officers arrived to find him on the front lawn with blood on his face and arms, police said. Residents told police the man had arrived home drunk, started a verbal dispute and was asked to leave, according to the report. He allegedly returned still drunk.

Disorderly conduct

Police charged an Alvin man, 24, with disorderly conduct and open container after a reckless driver was reported Aug. 26 in the area of Charro Street and South Mission Circle. A witness told police a red pickup truck almost hit her vehicle after crossing over the lane divider into oncoming traffic, according to the report. An officer arrived to find the suspect vehicle parked alongside a curb on South Mission Circle and the driver urinating onto the sidewalk, police said.

Traffic

Police charged an Alvin man, 35, with driving while license invalid, expired license plates and possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop for not wearing a seat belt Aug. 21 in the 2900 block of West Bay Area Boulevard. He allegedly exited the vehicle with a syringe hanging out of his pants pocket. The syringe contained methamphetamine residue, police said. A vehicle search yield additional methamphetamine residue and a bag of syringes, according to the report.

A 19-year-old Houston man was charged with no drivers license and failure to yield right of way to an emergency vehicle after an officer noticed a license plate violation Aug. 21 in the 900 block of West Parkwood Avenue, police said. The officer turned on his emergency lights, but the driver did not stop until reaching a parking lot in the 200 block of West Parkwood Avenue, according to the report.

Police charged a Houston man, 23, with no insurance and possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop for expired registration Aug. 23 in the 1100 block of West Parkwood Avenue. He reportedly also had outstanding warrants in Humble. The officer found a marijuana pipe and a small bag of marijuana during a weapons check, police said.
This week the Japanese discount store chain Daiso enters the Houston market with a new location in Katy.

Since coming to the U.S. in 2005, the company has converted shoppers to its unique Japanese products.

INVESTING IN TEXAS: AT&T invested $7 billion in Texas in the last three years

Daiso USA's senior VP of operations Yoshi Murata told Chron.com on Thursday they think they have found a perfect fit in Katy.

"We found a couple of locations in the Houston area but Katy looked like the place with the most population and family growth," Murata said.

The store, located at 559 South Mason Road, will open to the public on Friday morning at 10 a.m.

The Katy area was ideal for Daiso, according to Murata, because of the following that popular grocery market and foodie destination 99 Ranch has acquired with locals.

HOUSTON PRIDE: The time Fidel Castro came to Houston for barbecue and other Bayou City brushes with fame and infamy

Murata said the next location will open in the Westchase District within the next year. The company is planning for a total of ten stories in the Houston area.

"We like to expand step by step and Houston is a great city cut out for us to do that," Murata said. He will be at the Katy location on Friday for a special ribbon cutting ceremony.

The items at Daiso mostly come from the company's own private brands, catering to the Asian community and Japanophiles alike who enjoy kitschy Japanese culture. Much like Dollar General and Dollar Tree, Daiso's MO is to supply shoppers with cheap, everyday household items.

Murata said that Daiso has around 3,000 "100-yen" stores in Japan alone and each store carries around 7,000 items.

SWEETS OUT WEST: Cult-favorite cream puff store opening in Katy

"Most of our merchandise is in the $1.50 price range," Murata said. "We're like a convenience store for everything. We want to show customers in the U.S. something unique that they have never seen before and the price point makes it very nice for people."

It's been compared to Target and the Container Store when it comes to creativity and user experience inside the stores. Stationary and kitchen items are both strong sellers in the Texas market.

TAKING IT EASY: Katy tops list of places to retire in Texas

Daiso's food imports have also developed a cult following, with candy, cookies, salty snacks, and unique sodas the most sought-after.

The chain is already heavily-entrenched on the West Coast, with numerous stores in California and Washington state. Texas is the third state for the company to enter. There are already stores in Arlington, Carrollton, Irving, Plano, and Fort Worth.

Craig Hlavaty covers Houston history and pop-culture. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | craig.hlavaty@chron.com
A new minimally-invasive surgical technique for dialysis patients may be the most significant development in dialysis access in the last 50 years, according to the surgeon who performed the first two cases in the United States.

Eric K. Peden, M.D., chief of vascular surgery at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, says the WavelinQ endoAVF System by Becton Dickson allows vascular surgeons to create a connection between an artery and vein for people with severe kidney disease using a technique involving magnets. The system was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and is showing promising early results.

We make one small puncture in the artery and another small one in the vein, Peden said. Two magnets attached on the end of a catheter pull the artery and vein together and the device uses radio frequency to create a hole between the two and make the connection.

Peden says creating this connection is normally done surgically by making an incision in the forearm and suturing an artery and vein together. This permits blood to flow directly into the vein; increasing the amount of blood flow through the vein and causing the vein to grow. The larger vein allows the right amount of blood flow for a patient to receive sufficient dialysis treatment. Creating and maintaining this connection for patients with dialysis is crucial for them to be able to undergo life sustaining dialysis.

He adds one of the problems with the open surgery is when the vein and artery are sutured together it sometimes creates an inflammatory response in the vein causing the connection to fail to develop adequately for dialysis. People who undergo this procedure are most at risk of this occurring than in any other surgery involving a vein and artery. This can lead to additional surgeries.

So far, this new technique seems to decrease the risk of this happening, presumably because there is less surgical manipulation and trauma to the area, Peden said.

Parts of this new system were introduced by creator William Cohn, M.D. at the 2004 Pumps & Pipes, a one-day event involving Houston Methodist, Exxon-Mobil, NASA and the University of Houston, where each of these industries examines how they can use what is in each others toolkit. Some of the pre-clinical trials were conducted at Houston Methodists surgical training site, called Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation & Education. MITIE will also be used as one of the training sites for this new procedure.

This story reflects the life cycle of medical device development, from pre-clinical testing to clinical trial, FDA-approval and finally physician training, said Alan B. Lumsden, M.D., chair of cardiovascular surgery at Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center. We have built systems that allow us to participate in all phases of this process.

Peden believes this new technique will benefit many of the nearly 470,000 people in the United States that go through dialysis treatment two to three times a week.

The hope is that fewer complications and surgeries will make the dialysis process a better one for people suffering with severe kidney disease, Peden said.

For more information about Houston Methodist, visit www.houstonmethodist.org.
To residents in a quiet pocket of Cypress, Dennis Ray Collins was by all means an ideal neighbor lending a hand with car repairs and lawn mowing.

To law enforcement, the 49-year-old man, new to a rental near Lake Conroe in Montgomery County, was believed to have abused his 32-year-old girlfriend captured in a disturbing security video during a dead-of-night escape from a home they shared. He took his own life on Wednesday with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

Collins had a brush with the law nearly two decades ago when police in Houston arrested him for attempted sexual assault. He pleaded guilty and was granted a five-year probation on deferred adjudication, according to Harris County court records. Soon after his arrest, Collins and his then-wife moved into a rancher along River Pines Drive.

A neighbor who knew Collins for a better part of 15 years learned Thursday evening of his former neighbor's suicide  and the allegations that he sexually assaulted the woman from the surveillance footage.

"He was a nice guy to me," Obed Esqueda in his driveway.

"I knew (Collins' ex-wife) and him got divorced but I never knew why," Esqueda said, before quickly adding, "He'd cut my grass."

STATISTICS: Montgomery County saw 3,968 domestic violence calls in 2017

Collins left the home about five years ago when he and his ex-wife divorced, the neighbor said. Before then, multiple neighbors said they never heard or saw any hints of domestic issues at the home. The ex-wife remained at the home until this month when she sold the property.

He last saw Collins about three months ago, when his ex-wife was preparing to move.

"She asked me to paint her house. She wanted to be out of here," Esqueda said. "I'm divorced, too. I'm going to sell my house. Too many memories."

Another neighbor, who asked to not be identified, said she often saw Collins at the home to visit his daughter.

The discovery of Collins' body in bed by police around 11 a.m. Wednesday was due to the alarming content of text messages he sent his ex-wife before his death, according to a Montgomery County Sheriff's Office spokesman. She requested a welfare check out of concern "he may have hurt himself."

Collins' ex-wife could not be reached for comment.

She believed his girlfriend was the woman in the surveillance footage that surfaced over the weekend, she told authorities..

The woman in the video was believed to be a victim of sexual assault, Lt. Scott Spencer said at a press conference Thursday afternoon. The seven-second clip distributed Sunday by authorities captured the victim ringing a doorbell at around 3:30 a.m. in the Sunrise Ranch subdivision about 50 miles north of Houston. She was wearing what appeared to be only a shirt and restraints on both wrists, which she identified to police as those used in "private intimate encounters."

"She was in distress," Spencer said. "The allegations are that she was tied up by Mr. Collins. She went to seek help."

Internet sleuths speculated, as the video rapidly circulated on social media, that she was pregnant but Spencer was unable to corroborate. He was also unable to say if the woman was injured during her time with Collins.

"She's pretty upset. She's very distraught about this, She's embarrassed, she's upset, she's in shock that it's come to this," he said.

After the woman escaped, she knocked on the doors of two neighbors but was unable to immediately find help, Spencer said. She returned to the home she shared with Collins and left the next morning for the Dallas-Fort Worth area. At no point, he said, was she prevented from leaving the home.

Detectives spoke to the victim  now safe and with family  and she identified herself as the woman in the doorbell video through evidence found at the couple's home that only she would have known about.

Her boyfriend also penned a suicide note explaining the circumstances leading up to his death, but police did not elaborate on whether the surveillance footage prompted his decision to end his life.

Dana Burke contributed to this report.

nicole.hensley@chron.com


A 15-year-old boy was arrested this week after a nine-day crime spree in a Heights neighborhood, the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office reports.

The boy is accused of using a BB gun, or other similar projectile, to shoot out home and vehicle windows and front door windows between Aug. 18 and Aug. 26.

Deputies had taken numerous criminal mischief reports in the area of Columbia Street, the constable's office said.

DISTURBING DETAILS: Mystery woman captured on doorbell camera is identified

An investigator viewed a suspect vehicle photographed by a residential security camera and located the vehicle in the neighborhood with BBs on the seat.

The teenage driver of the vehicle was found at a local high school and admitted to driving around the neighborhood, shooting houses and vehicles at random, the constable's office said.

The suspect is charged with felony criminal mischief.

It is possible there are other cases committed by this same individual which have not yet been reported. Those who believe they have been a victim should contact Harris County Constable Precinct 1 and speak to Patrol Investigator J. Bowden at 713-697-3600, select option 4.

PHOTOS: See other recent crime sprees in the Houston area.

Dana Burke covers community news. Read her on the breaking news site chron.com and the subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Follow her on Twitter: @danapburke.
Update: The suspect has been found

Four women have been violently sexually assaulted by the same suspect in less than 24 hours in Abilene, Texas, and police say it's "all hands on deck" until the man is caught.

The first attack happened in broad daylight at about 12:50 p.m. Wednesday. A second attack was reported at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday. Thursday morning there was a third attack at about 5 a.m. and a fourth at 8:35 a.m.

A possible fifth victim may have been able to evade the suspect before she was attacked.

BRAZEN ROBBERY: Man on a bike robs parking lot attendant at gunpoint

"He's violent. He's very physical .... He punches victims to get them on the ground. Once he gets them on the ground he almost immediately tries to pull their pants down in order to access the victim," Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge said. "It's a blitzkrieg-type of assault."

Several victims said while the man didn't say anything, something was "off." Police believe he may be under the effects of a drug psychosis or have an intellectual disability.

All victims were either approaching or leaving their vehicles when the attacks occurred.

The suspect is described as a black man in his late 20s or early 30s, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a medium build. He has a one-inch "afro" and slight facial hair. He possibly has acne pock marks under his eyes. In all attacks he wore the same pants, with frayed cuffs at the bottom. He has worn several different shirts.

He may be on a bicycle or on foot.

The attacks took place in downtown, central and south Abilene.
University of Texas at Austin researchers are planning to study the human-trafficking chains that may have stemmed from construction projects following Hurricane Harvey.

The National Science Foundation awarded to the university a two-year $300,000 grant to interview workers who were part of Harvey recovery efforts and ask about their working conditions and other experiences since the hurricane hit in 2017.

"We're going to collect data in the Houston area because it's an area where we know just in general there's different forms of human trafficking and labor exploitation that goes on," said Matt Kammer-Kerwick of the Bureau of Business Research at UT's IC2 Institute. "There's a risk of it going on at higher levels in this recovery phase we're in after the hurricane."

Kammer-Kerwick, the lead researcher, said the atmosphere after a natural disaster can be a breeding ground for chaos, creating a sense of urgency as homes need to be rebuilt quickly. They will look for employees who might have been paid unfairly, worked in unsafe conditions or been coerced into completing dangerous work.

"People would want to know if their homes and local businesses are being rebuilt by workers who are exploited, coerced, or swindled out of their hard-earned wages," said Noel Busch-Armendariz, director of the Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and professor of social work at UT Austin, in the news release about the study. "Reducing labor trafficking and exploitation makes Texas a fairer and better place to work and live."

As a way to determine where to interview, researchers will identify Federal Emergency Management Agency-designated disaster counties to help understand where the damage was the most extensive and where rebuilding operations are likely to be the heaviest.

"It's not like there's a hotspot geographically, as much as there are hotspots where the work is occurring," Kammer-Kerwick said about where the trafficking is located. "As the reconstruction and rebuild occurs, the locations of the construction activities are going to change, and therefore, that's where the behavior follows."

Researchers from UT's Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Fe y Justicia Worker Center, which advocates for workers who were exploited during Harvey, will also assist.

"We saw employers exploiting workers after Ike, and we are seeing it again with Harvey," said Marianela Acuna Arreaza, executive director of Fe y Justicia Worker Center, in the news release. "Wage theft is devastating for workers, many of whom live locally and are recovering from Harvey themselves."

Researchers hope to explain to business owners and policymakers specific intervention strategies that stop human trafficking. Kammer-Kerwick said an intervention could look like providing a program to educate workers on recognizing risk factors when accepting employment or job sites having to undergo specific inspection policies.

"We don't know necessarily if we're going to provide guidance or increased information to policymakers," Kammer-Kerwick said, "but that's the intent to help them better understand how to improve the lives of Texans in a post-disaster environment.".

brooke.lewis@chron.com

twitter\@brookelewisa
A Houston woman was sentenced Thursday to six years in prison for a complex scheme in which she defrauded thousands of dollars from a federal highway program aimed at reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.

Shonda Renee Stubblefield, 45, could have received up to 20 years during sentencing before U.S. Judge Alfred Bennett in a case in which she invented hundreds of fictitious employees telecommuting to fake jobs. A jury convicted her in February on all the counts in her indictment - theft of public money, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
A motorcyclist has died after he fell off a highway ramp in northeast Harris County during a police chase, according to the Harris County Constables Office Precinct 1.

Deputies were chasing the motorcyclist from downtown around 7:38 a.m. before he fell off the ramp connecting Highway 69 north to the North Loop west, authorities said.
Best of Enemies, an explosive drama that plays Aug. 31 through Sept. 16 at Pasadena Little Theatre, dares to find good people on both sides of the issue of school desegregation in Durham, N.C. in 1971.

It is as relevant today as the true story it is based on, said director Gregory R. Brown, a 1974 graduate of South Houston High School who lives in the Pasadena area.

A lot of the same issues are rearing their ugly heads again today, said Brown, explaining that playwright Mark St. Germain based the show on Osha Gray Davidsons 1996 best-selling book, The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South.

Lanier Young of La Porte plays C.P. Ellis, who begins the play as the Exalted Cyclops of the Durham Ku Klux Klan, a group that he believes fosters love for our country and families.

RoseMarie Trauschke portrays C.P.s long-suffering wife.

The play is amazing and very relevant to whats going on today, Trauschke said. We are living in forward times, but there is always the chance that we could repeat history. I hope that people who see our play will take something from the experience that will enrich a lot of lives.

Trauschkes character, Mary Ellis, resents the time that her husband spends away from home while she cares for their children.

Want to go? What: Pasadena Little Theatre's "Best of Enemies'" Where: Pasadena Little Theatre, 4318 Allen-Genoa Rd, Pasadena, TX 77504 When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 16. Another show set for 8 p.m. Thursday Sept. 13 will include a post-show discussion between the director, cast and audience. Admission: $12-15 Information: 713-941-1758; www.pasadenalittletheatre.org See More Collapse

C.P. Ellis begins with entrenched views.

Lighting crosses is a symbol of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, he tells Ann Atwater, a bitter black civil rights activist in Durham. She is portrayed by Tara G. Brown of Houston, who recently donned a straw-colored wig to play an Alfred Hitchcock blonde in Patrick Barlows The 39 Steps at PLT.

Both Ellis and Atwater initially resist pressure by a community organizer, Bill Riddick, to work together to create programs that address racial issues in schools through a process called a charrette.

Its French for meetings between people of different points of view to come to an understanding, and we keep meeting til they do, explains Riddick, played by Trey Morgan Lewis. In this years Black History Month production at the Pearl Theater, Miss Evers Boys, Lewis played Hodman, an Alabama tenant farmer, in David Feldshuhs fictionalized account of the notorious Tuskegee Study in the 1930s.

Riddicks goal is to show Ellis and Atwater that, despite the difference in their skin color, the two share an important characteristic  both are poor.

It doesnt matter what race you are, there is classism within the races, Brown said. Were all the same. The play is less about race and more about classism. That didnt quite hit me until we got into the rehearsal process.

As RoseMarie Green (her maiden name), Trauschke advanced to national competitions in speech and debate while a student at Friendswood High School, where she graduated in 1996.

We debated topics from the political climate of the time, she said. I always look for shows to be in that have a social conscience.

Young said his character blames Jews, Catholics and blacks for his situation as a father desperately trying to fend for his family.

He changes his mind about black people when he meets Ann Atwater, Young said. We change our opinion of people when we get to know them. Its something I began learning 10 or 15 years ago. You dont get anywhere by talking at someone. There is no convincing anyone about the death penalty or gay marriage or anything until you get to know them.

Best of Enemies exposes the poison of prejudice in the hearts of Atwater and Ellis, Brown said. By facing each other, they are forced to face the worst, and the best, in themselves.

Leslie Barrera is the assistant director for Best of Enemies. The stage manager is Ann Dolbee, production design is by Zach Varela and Me Sheridan is the shows prop mistress.

The director and cast will participate in a post-show discussion with the audience on Sept. 13.

Don Maines is a freelance writer who can be reached at donmaines@att.net
Pearland historical preservation advocates are inviting the public to attend a meeting at 6 p.m. tonight that will focus on what should be done to protect the citys oldest structure, The Santa Fe Railroad Depot.

The depot was built in 1894, the same year that Pearland was platted, said Donald Hayes, chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee to Restore the Pearland Depot.

The group will meet at the offices of the Pearland Historical Society, 2341 N. Galveston Ave., Pearland.

Hayes, who also is an officer with the historical society, and other preservationists want to restore and improve aspects of the wood structure.

We recognize that we may only be one storm season away from the depot's destruction if we don't act to restore and secure it, Hayes said.

Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau began movement to focus on the depot by funding an architectural study and cost projections from STOA Architects for restoration work. The bureau has recommended that the city use $500,000 in hotel occupancy tax funds to move the project forward. That amount, said Hayes, would be supplemented with grants, private donations and public events.

The project is included in the citys proposed budget, which is scheduled for a final vote by City Council onept. 24.

The depot was the center of business and social activities in Pearlands early days. Trains brought in new residents, supplies and news from the rest of the world, Hayes said.

The building is a registered landmark with the Texas Historical Commission and has been moved twice, once from one side of the railroad tracks to the other near Texas 35, and then to its present position adjacent on Liberty Drive.

The depot has not had a champion, either public or private, who could elevate the restoration conversation until the Pearland Convention & Visitors Bureau got involved in 2016, at the behest of Mayor Tom Reid, Hayes said.

He said the building is a reminder of Pearlands early settlers.

 It's our privilege to stand on their shoulders, and we need to do right by them by returning the depot to its proper place as the cultural centerpiece of Pearland, Hayes said.
The school year may have just started, but one local school has already received its first report card. Its one that theyve worked hard for, too.

The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, which is a board that examines the transparency, fundraising and gift stewardship of Christ-centered organizations, announced last week the accreditation of The Woodlands Christian Academy.

Its been a journey for the school to get to this point. When Head of School Julie Ambler stepped in over 12 years ago, she said things were less than perfect financially.

We were so broke, we werent sure we were going to have enough money to finish the 2006 school year, Ambler said.

So, the school rallied to make tough decisions and, has been in the black financially ever since.

Weve never missed payroll, never missed debt services and weve worked hard to be transparent and utilize best practices to be good stewards of our money, Ambler said.

Those practices included actions such as restructuring the schools board policy as well as ensuring that tuition and fees cover all of the schools operating expenses, Ambler said.

Ambler said they were accepted the first time they applied for the accreditation, which is unusual.

To add to the excitement over the accreditation, the school is also celebrating their 25th year of operation.

Ambler said when the founders started the school, they had prayed to open with 75 students. The original founders opened the school with double the number of students of their original goal, and have grown the student body incrementally each year, with enrollment at more than 650 students this fall.

We are completely full on campus right now. Weve managed to fill every office, classroom, closet: everything, Ambler said.

And theyre not done growing, either. Their dream is to expand to a student body of about 950.

To do that, theyre in the process of constructing a new high school building on their 40-acre campus. The three-story building is expected to have classrooms, science labs, a large lecture hall and performance space in addition to conference rooms and student gathering areas.

Ambler said officials hope to complete the building by the spring to give this years senior class a few weeks to enjoy it before they graduate, but the new school addition will officially open for the 2019-20 school year.

The expansion doesnt mean the school will automatically increase the student body population next year. Ambler said they dont want to grow too fast and risk losing the unique culture at the academy.

A key part of our culture is the relationships we build with each other and our students, Ambler said.

Over the schools quarter of a century, theyve had the same mission statement. Ambler described that mission statement simply: officials are focused on building warriors for Christ, both spiritually, academically, physically and socially.

However, while the schools mission statement has remained a constant, not everything has stayed the same at the school. Ambler said the teaching style has evolved so that the students take more ownership over their education.

One of the ways this happens is that the academy is an Apple Distinguished school, meaning that they use technology to create a blended digital learning environment in all grades, pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade.

To put that into perspective, Ambler said, there are only about 400 of those designated schools worldwide.

Every one of our students has at least one device, whether its an iPad or an actual computer, thats integrated into what they do in the classroom, Ambler said. A lot of what they do now is discover answers for themselves.

jane.stueckemann@chron.com
With Syria's rebels nearing defeat after seven years at war, President Bashar al-Assad's army says it is turning its firepower against their final stronghold. The target, Idlib province, is largely controlled by an al-Qaeda-linked militant group.

Caught in the middle are millions of civilians with nowhere left to run.

Public pronouncements by Syrian and Russian officials foreshadow a devastating attack if diplomacy and the pleas of aid groups for restraint are not heeded. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Idlib's militants as "festering abscesses" that should be "liquidated." A day later, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said his government's forces would go "all the way."

Using unusually urgent language, the United Nations' Syria envoy, Staffan di Mistura, warned Thursday that the people of Idlib province are facing the prospect of a "perfect storm."

1. Why is Idlib province so important?

A defeat of the armed opposition in the sprawling northern region of Idlib would effectively end Syria's civil war. With rebels defeated across the rest of Syria, Assad's government has implied that an all-out offensive there is imminent. In public, Russia is also ratcheting up the pressure, adding to its flotilla of warships in the Mediterranean Sea and escalating its rhetoric.

Idlib province is dominated by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, a hard-line group affiliated until recently with al-Qaeda. As well as being the strongest military force, HTS has also targeted civilian institutions, using arrests, threats and assassinations to bring them in line.

A major battle in Idlib could have disastrous humanitarian consequences. After seven years of war, the once quiet province is now bursting with some 3 million people, more than half displaced from elsewhere in Syria. With Turkey's border sealed shut to the north, those people could have nowhere to run.

Capitalizing on the growing fears, the Syrian army is dropping leaflets that encourage the rebels and their supporters to surrender. "Until when will you and your families live in fear and anxiety?" read one, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group. "How long will your children remain without hope or future?"

2. What would an all-out offensive look like?

Disastrous, according to relief organizations. The World Health Organization has already warned of rising acute levels of malnutrition in Idlib province, with as many as 1.6 million people now relying on food assistance. These problems have intensified during previous government offensives after Syrian and Russian war planes targeted agricultural areas and the markets they stock.

War planes have also routinely bombed residential areas, rescue workers and hospitals, causing massive bloodshed and hobbling the already overburdened systems set up to treat survivors.

Intense fighting would probably displace hundreds of thousands of Syrians, most of them civilians, toward the Turkish border, forcing Ankara to open the border or leave a vast number of civilians camped in tents and vulnerable to attack.

On Thursday, di Mistura urged the establishment of a humanitarian corridor through which civilians could be evacuated. It was unclear exactly where those routes could lead, however.

3. Can anything be done to avert a bloodbath?

Idlib province's fate now rests with Turkey and Russia. Although on opposite sides of the conflict - Ankara supports the rebels, and Moscow is one of Assad's major allies - the two powers share an interest in averting a humanitarian catastrophe. Their diplomacy on the matter is likely to culminate Sept. 7 when officials from both countries meet in the Kazakhstan capital, Astana, along with representatives from Iran.

Any major Idlib offensive could spell disaster for Turkey. The country already hosts some 3.5 million Syrian refugees and is ill equipped to take in the hundreds of thousands more who would probably be displaced along its border in the event of a major battle. Russia, for its part, knows that a wide-ranging battle could suck it further into the Syrian morass, a scenario Moscow wants to avoid.

For now, Turkey is trying to persuade local groups in Idlib province to turn against HTS and accept a negotiated settlement with the Syrian government, as rebel groups have done in several other parts of Syria as the war winds down.

As part of an earlier "de-escalation" deal for the province, the Turkish military maintains a small presence at a dozen or more observation points in the area, some of which it appears to have reinforced in recent weeks. Yet there are few indications that the Turkish army would defend them if an offensive began.

HTS and its even more hard-line ally, Huras al-Din, could yet fight to the death. Both groups base their reputation and popularity on their willingness to fight Assad's military to the end. There are few incentives for either to back down at this stage.

4. Could a smaller offensive be in the cards?

There are indications that Turkey and Russia would be in favor of a more limited and phased offensive aimed at isolating and defeating HTS before a separate coalition of rebel groups surrender to the Syrian authorities.

"Each external actor in the conflict can use a limited conflict along Idlib's periphery effectively to negotiate with their various allies and enemies over the final outcome for the province," Aaron Stein, a resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, wrote in a recent research note. "The danger," he wrote, "particularly for Turkey, is that if these efforts fail to produce a local opposition ready to make concessions to Assad and Moscow, a major escalation in Idlib becomes inevitable."

5. Why is Russia warning against the use of chemical weapons in Idlib?

Russian and Syrian state media have spoken repeatedly in recent weeks of a shadowy plot by the opposition to carry out a chemical-weapons attack in Idlib. The state media have specifically accused the White Helmets, a group of civilian first responders, of transporting chemicals to prepare an attack.

Previous chlorine gas attacks in Syria have widely been attributed to Assad's air force. But in the run-up to those attacks, Syrian and Russian outlets have published similar stories in what may have been an orchestrated effort to sow confusion about the source of the attacks. There is no known evidence implicating the White Helmets in any chemical strikes.

Senior U.S. officials warned both governments Tuesday against using chemical weapons in any forthcoming offensive.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters in Washington that the United States would "respond to any verified chemical weapons use in Idlib or elsewhere in Syria . . . in a swift and appropriate manner."
Fresh off his surprise win in Florida's Democratic gubernatorial primary, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum on Wednesday tangled with President Donald Trump and accused his Republican opponent of mimicking the president's racially tinged attacks.

The day of heated exchanges in the race between Gillum and Rep. Ron DeSantis, R, illustrated how Trump and his aggressive style of politics has already emerged as a key factor in one of this year's marquee midterm contests - with candidates on both sides eager to make him a centerpiece of the campaign.

While both Trump and DeSantis attacked Gillum as not good for the state of Florida, DeSantis also used language criticized by members of both parties as racist. Gillum would be Florida's first African-American governor.

DeSantis, whose rise to national prominence was bolstered by his frequent appearances on the network, praised Gillum on Fox News on Wednesday as "an articulate spokesman" for those holding "far-left views" but warned that he would be damaging to the state.

"The last thing we need to do is to monkey this up by trying to embrace a socialist agenda with huge tax increases and bankrupting the state," DeSantis said. "That is not going to work. That's not going to be good for Florida."

The use of language seen as containing coded racism prompted an extraordinary rebuke from the network.

"We do not condone this language and wanted to make our viewers aware that he has since clarified his statement," Fox News Channel's Sandra Smith said on air. Smith also read from a statement in which DeSantis' campaign suggested it was "absurd" to characterize the candidate's remarks as racist.

The NAACP Florida State Conference responded to DeSantis, calling comparisons to monkeys "by far the best-known racist references to African Americans in our national folklore."

In an interview on the network Wednesday afternoon, Gillum suggested that DeSantis was "taking a page directly from the campaign manual of Donald Trump."

He added: "In the handbook of Donald Trump they no longer do whistle calls - they're now using full bullhorns," Gillum said.

Asked about DeSantis' comments by reporters at the White House, Trump said he "didn't hear" the Florida Republican's remarks, but he continued to praise him.

"He's an extreme talent," Trump said of DeSantis.

Earlier Wednesday, Trump had attacked Gillum in a tweet, calling him a "failed Socialist Mayor" and the "biggest dream" for DeSantis, whose victory over a more moderate opponent in Tuesday's GOP primary was propelled by Trump's endorsement.

Trump alleged that Gillum "has allowed crime & many other problems to flourish in his city," adding: "This is not what Florida wants or needs!"

Gillum fired back at the president on Twitter, writing: "What our state and country needs is decency, hope, and leadership."

With his Tuesday primary win, Gillum became the first African-American nominee for governor of the country's third-most-populous state, emerging as a new focal point for the national party's liberal wing. He has embraced liberal policies, such as a "Medicare-for-all" health-care system, but he has not identified as a socialist.

The Florida race now stands as a national test for the base of each major party - as well as of Trump's swaying power.

Earlier Wednesday, Gillum said in a CNN interview that he does not fear Trump's expected heavy involvement in the general election - and that he "absolutely" believes the president should be impeached.

"Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis are both scraping from the bottom of the barrel," Gillum said. "I actually believe that Florida and its rich diversity are going to be looking for a governor that's going to bring us together, not divide us, not misogynists, not racists, not bigots."

DeSantis' "monkey this up" comments brought a swift condemnation from Terrie Rizzo, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party. The Democratic Governors Association and other political groups also levied criticism.

"It's disgusting that Ron DeSantis is launching his general election campaign with racist dog whistles," Rizzo wrote on Twitter.

Stephen Lawson, a DeSantis spokesman, later said that any characterizations of racism were unwarranted.

"Ron DeSantis was obviously talking about Florida not making the wrong decision to embrace the socialist policies that Andrew Gillum espouses," Lawson said. "To characterize it as anything else is absurd."

On Wednesday, former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele on MSNBC described DeSantis's remarks as "how white folks talk about black men who are successful."

On Tuesday night, Gillum presented himself as an unusual Democrat with the ability to bring together various factions of his party because he had received support from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., even after he had backed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.

Asked in a Washington Post interview about the chance to be Florida's first black governor, Gillum said, "I'm trying to be the next governor of Florida. I just happen to be black."

But he also has argued that his "lived experience" growing up in a working-class family in which he was the first to attend college has helped him connect with struggling Florida voters.

Gillum has also drawn parallels between his candidacy and that of Georgia's Stacey Abrams, the first black woman in the country to win a major-party gubernatorial nomination.

"The same part of this country that was built by people of color may soon be led by people of color," he told The Washington Post in a recent interview.

---

The Washington Post's Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




4000 Women Join the #StillBeautiful Movement Launched by Burn Survivor Kelly Falardeau's Pivotal Still Beautiful Documentary

Contact: Kelly Falardeau (Canada), Still Beautiful Documentary, 587-988-8488, admin@KellyFalardeau.com; Karie Millspaugh (United States), Publicist, 734-612-2964, karie@kariemillspaugh.com



EDMONTON, Canada, Aug. 30, 2018 /Standard Newswire/ -- On the heels of the movie by Amy Schumer, I Feel Pretty, Kelly Falardeau realizes the similarities of the underlying message between Amy Schumer's recent DVD release and her own personal Still Beautiful Documentary. The 2 similarities are that they both have a 'talking mirror.' One says positive words of affirmation, filling Schumer's character with positive thoughts and feelings and the other mirror displayed in Falardeau's Still Beautiful Documentary (website and documentary trailer mykellyf.wixsite.com/mysite-kelly) says mean words, such as "Ugly Scarface Girl."



The cost of those negative words is constant anxiety, judgment, rejection, addictions to Botox, alcohol, drugs, prescription meds, harmful cosmetic surgeries and outrageous amounts of money to change ourselves so we can look beautiful on the outside.



One study found 94% of all teenage girls, and 64% of teenage boys (News Feature https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/features/study-94-of-teenage-girls-have-been-body-shamed/436143277) have been shamed for the way their body looks.



Worldwide movements are being created like #metoo, #bodypositivity #stillbeautifulmovement and the #embracemovement which are helping women to stand up for themselves and be accepting of who they are, as they are. Her Still Beautiful Documentary Facebook page (Facebook Profile Page www.facebook.com/StillBeautifulDocumentary/) hosts a wealth of positivity, support and reviews of her documentary as well.



Falardeau has graced international stages sharing her story and inspiring people of all ages to reexamine their relationship and perspective to beauty. Falardeau says in the documentary while speaking to 3000 teens: "The mirror can't talk. The mirror doesn't have feelings or emotions, I was the enemy, not the mirror ..."



Her documentary shows that you don't have to be a beauty queen to be beautiful. It follows her journey of getting burnt as a two-year-old and hating what she saw in the mirror to loving what she saw.



Falardeau would like to create a positive ripple effect with her documentary by launching it in the United States and eventually worldwide.



The end goal for Falardeau is to make a positive impact on as many lives as possible through her documentary, books and public speaking (Press Kit kariemillspaugh.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Kelly-Falardeau-EPK-KLM.pdf) to help diminish body shaming by creating healthier people that have mastered the art of true self love and acceptance for themselves.



For an Interview Contact:

Kelly Falardeau, Still Beautiful Documentary

admin@KellyFalardeau.com

587-988-8488 (Canada)

Media Contact:

Karie Millspaugh, Publicist

karie@kariemillspaugh.com

734-612-2964 (United States)


Thursday, August 30, 2018

John Aubrey Douglass (UC_Berkeley) & Zachary Bleemer (UC-Berkeley), Approaching a Tipping Point? A History and Prospectus of Funding for the University of California:

This year marks the University of Californias (UC) 150th anniversary. In part to reflect on that history, and to provide a basis to peer into the future, the following report provides a history of the University of Californias revenue sources and expenditures. The purpose is to provide the Universitys academic community, state policymakers, and Californians with a greater understanding of the Universitys financial history, focusing in particular on the essential role of public funding.

In its first four decades, UC depended largely on income generated by federal land grants and private philanthropy, and marginally on funding from the state. The year 1911 marked a major turning point: henceforth, state funding was linked to student enrollment workload. As a result, the University grew with Californias population in enrollment, academic programs, and new campuses. This historic commitment to systematically fund UC, the states sole land-grant university, helped create what is now considered the worlds premier public university system.

However, beginning with cutbacks in the early 1990s UCs state funding per student steadily declined. The pattern of state disinvestment increased markedly with the onset of the Great Recession. As chronicled in this report, the University diversified its sources of income and attempted to cut costs in response to this precipitous decline, while continuing to enroll more and more Californians. Even with the remarkable improvement in Californias economy, state funding per student remains significantly below what it was only a decade ago.

Peering into the future, this study also provides a historically informed prospectus on the budget options available to UC. Individual campuses, such as Berkeley and UCLA, may be able to generate other income sources to maintain their quality and reputation. But there is no clear funding model or pathway for the system to grow with the needs of the people of California. UC may be approaching a tipping point in which it will need to decide whether to continue to grow in enrollment without adequate funding, or limit enrollment and program growth to focus on quality and productivity.

Inside Higher Education, Tough Choices Ahead

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2018/08/is-the-university-of-california-approaching-a-tipping-point.html
American Martyrs Catholic Church officials arrived at the place of worship for Sunday morning Mass earlier this month and discovered an exterior wall and a sidewalk on the building's north side had been defaced with the hateful messages written in spray paint, police say.
Uber Elevate announced five shortlisted finalist countries that could be home to the first international Uber Air City within the next five years. Additionally, Uber Elevate announced plans to experiment with drone delivery for Uber Eats, and demonstrated how potential Uber Air routes in Asia Pacific cities could benefit, and complement, local transportation systems.

Head of Uber Aviation Programs Eric Allison said, We are proud to host the first ever Uber Elevate Asia Pacific Expo, showcasing the exciting future Uber Air can bring to the region and to the world. In pursuit of our first international launch market, where you will be able to push a button and get a flight, we are announcing a shortlist of five countries where Uber Air can immediately transform transportation and take our technology to new heights. We want to thank the attendees of the Expo who got a first peek at Uber Eats delivered by drones, potential future routes where Uber Air will fly people across cities in the Asia Pacific region, and many other ways Uber is creating a new future of truly multimodal transportation.

Honorable Daisaku Hiraki, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said, I am very pleased that Ubers first-ever Elevate APAC Expo took place in Japan. We see much potential in flying cars, and we anticipate that flying cars can be used not only to help solve traffic congestion in urban areas, but it will also help with increase mobility between city centres and remote islands and mountainous areas, promote tourism in Japan as well as enhance disaster relief operations. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on 29 August that the Investments for the Future Strategy 2018 will consist of launching a Joint Public-Private Sector conference to revolutionise the aviation mobility industry. I believe public and private sectors, including companies outside of Japan, should work collaboratively to develop this new technology. I am confident that Japan has the potential to become a leader in aviation innovation.

Shortlist for First International Uber Air City

Ubers Elevate program is creating urban aerial ridesharing, globally. Starting in approximately five years, Uber customers in launch cities will be able to push a button and get a flight on demand. To enable this, Uber has assembled a network of partners that includes vehicle manufacturers, real estate developers, technology developers and more. Dallas and Los Angeles were previously announced as the first two U.S. launch cities, and at the second annual Uber Elevate Summit in May, Uber announced it was seeking an international city as a third partner.

After evaluating countries across the globe, Uber executives announced today at the Uber Elevate Asia Pacific Expo that the following five countries are on a shortlist:

Japan  Home of one of the worlds most enviable public transit systems and a world leader in the technology and automotive industries, were excited to invite megacities including Tokyo and Osaka to explore the future of transportation with us.

 Home of one of the worlds most enviable public transit systems and a world leader in the technology and automotive industries, were excited to invite megacities including Tokyo and Osaka to explore the future of transportation with us. India  Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore are some of the most congested cities in the world, where traveling even a few kilometers can take over an hour. Uber Air offers tremendous potential to help create a transportation option that goes over congestion, instead of adding to it.

 Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore are some of the most congested cities in the world, where traveling even a few kilometers can take over an hour. Uber Air offers tremendous potential to help create a transportation option that goes over congestion, instead of adding to it. Australia  Uber Elevate has already had several positive conversations with local policymakers and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority in our recent visit to Sydney and Melbourne. Australia has already taken significant steps to embrace the future of urban aviation.

 Uber Elevate has already had several positive conversations with local policymakers and the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority in our recent visit to Sydney and Melbourne. Australia has already taken significant steps to embrace the future of urban aviation. Brazil  Rio de Janeiro and the state of Sao Paulo, home to our partner Embraer, are key ridesharing markets globally, and they also happen to be some of todays most active helicopter markets, indicating clear demand for urban aerial ridesharing.

 Rio de Janeiro and the state of Sao Paulo, home to our partner Embraer, are key ridesharing markets globally, and they also happen to be some of todays most active helicopter markets, indicating clear demand for urban aerial ridesharing. France  We were excited to announce the opening of our Advanced Technology Center in Paris, the city where Uber was first born, and were looking forward to further discussions in a region with a rich aviation history.

The Uber Elevate team is now inviting conversations with stakeholders across major cities in these countries, and will announce the chosen Uber Air international city within the next six months.

Uber Elevate has established a criteria framework to select this third city, anchored around three priority principles:

Sizable market  We are looking for large, polycentric markets with a strong and present need for innovative transportation solutions, and with a metropolitan population over one million people. Local commitment  We will work with federal, state, and local governments from day one, in addition to members of the community we hope to serve  real estate developers, zoning commissions, city councils, and neighborhoods. We will be looking for markets that are locally committed to bringing Uber Air there so we can collaborate closely in the coming years. Enabling conditions  Uber Air relies on multimodal, efficient operations that are seamlessly integrated with a robust Uber ground network.

Uber Elevate Experimenting to Power Eats Delivery by Drone

Uber Eats is currently on pace to be the largest food delivery business in the world, outside of China, with a $6B run rate, growing over 200% across 293 cities. The Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing region for Eats globally, with Eats trips growing 6x over the past 12 months. And India and Japan, Uber Eats has launched in several cities before Ubers ridesharing service, showing the potential of Eats global footprint.

Uber sees a compelling opportunity to bring the same benefits that urban aviation will bring its ridesharing business to its food-delivery business. By taking to the air, Eats will be able to offer faster, farther reaching, more affordable, and more reliable deliveries to more customers and restaurants across the world.

Technuter.com News Service
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.
Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High near 80F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 64F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.
The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now.

Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market.

In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender.

India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex.

Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted.

But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted?

Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner.

If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems.

I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now.

I want more variation in masturbation

I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own.

If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end.

What is sex toys for Indian?

Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation.

It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms.

They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable.

Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner.

The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner.

It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past.

In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping.

Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order.

In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing.

Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome.

Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own.

But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance.

More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around.

Sextoy situation in India

Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years.

In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India.

Mumbai

Kolkata

Bangalore

Delhi

Chennai

Hyderabad

These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India.

In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well.

If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too.

If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it.

What are Sextoys for beginner?

Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms.

Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy.

I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion.

I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy.

If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma.

Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it.

Advantages of using sextoy for Indians

There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians

You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways.

Can have stimulating sex

Can develop new sexual zones

If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern.

However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways.

You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation.

Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever.

There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure.

This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it.

When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems.

It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms).

For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles

[Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou...

Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India.

Sextoy for beginner men in India

So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners.

For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men!

The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men

Masturbator

Cock rings

Love Doll

Sex Lubricants

Toys for the prostate

Lets check each one in detail.

Masturbator

The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products.

It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands.

Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands.

They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.)

Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much.

Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! !

Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa   SEXToys India PR  (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018

Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood.

If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here

Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ...

[For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien...

Cock Ring

A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis.

It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow.

It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber.

In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection.

Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction.

It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it.

Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time.

Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function.

Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy.

You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect.

[Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat...

Love Doll

Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex.

There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women.

Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price.

The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true.

You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste.

There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice.

You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls.

If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here

Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to...

Sex lubricants

Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules.

It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution.

Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse.

There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent.

Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent.

If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here.

What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many...

Toys for the Prostate

Another sextoy for men is prostate toys.

The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line.

Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men.

Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men.

What is the prostate?

The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm.

You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus.

By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms.

Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.)

The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation.

Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure.

sextoy for beinner women in India

The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy.

The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy.

Vibrator.

Dildo

Electric Masserger

Lets check out what each one is in detail.

If you want to check out womens toys, click here.

[BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm...

Vibrators

A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator.

Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy.

It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy.

Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women.

For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators.

Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex.

Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself.

This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual.

Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men.

When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons.

Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most...

Dildo

A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis.

It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass.

A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it.

They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well.

It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device.

A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo.

Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands.

For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis.

This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one.

To learn more about dildo, please click here.

What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th...

Electric Masserger

A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores.

It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low.

Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels.

Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation.

It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure.

For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm.

It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out.

If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager?

To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here.

What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th...

How to choose a sextoy for Indian

Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one.

Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points:  Does the size fit you (the partner)?

Does the size fit you (your partner)?

Is the environment able to produce sound without problems?

Price range

First of all, the choice of size is quite important.

Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women.

For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage.

Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems.

Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise.

If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level.

Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it.

Finally, there is the price range.

The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest.

Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy.

Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy?

I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance.

For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics.

If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out.

How to buy sextoys in India

The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping.

For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below.

Sextoy is one of them.

Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping.

SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India.

They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry.

Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card.

To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy.

ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal.

Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on.

Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture.

Cautions for Indians using sextoy

When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind

Keep sex toys clean

Watch out for electrical leakage

Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy

As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone.

Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there.

It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case.

In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness.

Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful.

If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it.

You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly.

Summary

What did you think?

In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India.

The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future.

As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values.

However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health.

If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try?

Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women.

I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it.
By Trend





Issues concerning introduction of mandatory medical insurance in Azerbaijan were discussed August 29 during the business forum arranged by the Caspian European Club and attended by Zaur Aliyev, Chairman of the Board of the State Agency for Mandatory Insurance.

Addressing the business forum, Chairman of the Board of the State Agency for Mandatory Insurance Zaur Aliyev provided information about the activity and further plans of the Agency.

Zaur Aliyev noted about successful completion of the pilot project on introduction of the mandatory medical insurance in Mingachevir, Yevlah and Aghdash districts.

Speaking about measures taken in the pilot region within the framework of this project, and following the order of President Ilham Aliyev, Zaur Aliyev stressed the importance of upgrading the structure of health facilities operating within the state system of healthcare, as well as reconstructing diagnostic labs, primary health care facilities, and creating family health centers in these regions. Noting about the start-up of broad introduction of electronic systems in hospitals, meant for management over pilot health facilities, Z.Aliyev informed also about launch of a new electronic service by the Agency.

Noting about population satisfaction surveys which were held in several pilot regions on basis of undertaken measures, the Chairman told the event participants that the population, as the primary results say, had expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the Mandatory Medical Insurance.

During the Business Forum the member companies of the Caspian European Club asked questions about introduction of mandatory insurance in Azerbaijan, and also made suggestions regarding the continuation of an active dialogue between business and the State Agency for Mandatory Medical Insurance.

Telman Aliyev noted that prior to the appointment to the position of the Director of the State Agency for Mandatory Medical Insurance, Zaur Aliyev had been a member of the Board of the Caspian European Club and had been actively engaged in discussions and implementation of different projects. Addressing the business forum, the First Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian European Club Telman Aliyev thanked Zaur Aliyev for a constructive dialogue, as well as for an attention to suggestions and requests expressed by the Club members in the course of the event.

Telman Aliyev invited all participants to attend the forth coming 7th International Caspian Energy Forum Baku-2018, which will take place on September 20 with the support of the Government of the Azerbaijan Republic and Caspian European Club. He noted that the Contract of the Century was signed on September 20, 1994 under the leadership of All-National Leader Heydar Aliyev, which gave main impetus to the development of the oil-gas and non-oil sector of the Caspian-Black Sea region countries.

That was when the basis of the energy security of Europe owing to the Caspian energy resources was laid. Due to this, we will hold Caspian Energy Forum in Baku every year. This was made possible owing to new conditions created by the top management of the Caspian

European Club in order to arrange Caspian Energy Forum Baku 2018, Telman Aliyev emphasized.

In the course of the business forum Zaur Aliyev was presented an honorary membership certificate of the Caspian European Club. Heads of companies, Ambassadors, representatives of a number of diplomatic missions and international organizations attended the business forum

The Caspian European Club, which brings together more than 5,000 member companies and organizations from 70 countries around the world, was established in June 2002 with the support of the largest oil and gas companies working in the Caspian-Black Sea region and with the active involvement of the Caspian Energy International Media Group.

The Caspian American Club (established on 24 December 2016) and Caspian Asian Club (26 January 2018) will be managed by the Members of the Board of the Caspian European Club for 2 years. All companies that join the Caspian European Club as members get an automatic membership within the Caspian American Club, Caspian Asian Club and vice-versa.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has been the Chairman of the Caspian European Club since its establishment.








By Trend





Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received Carlos Dante Riva, Ambassador of Argentina to the Republic of Azerbaijan upon the termination of his diplomatic tenure, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a message.

During the meeting the satisfaction was expressed with the development of cooperation and political dialogue between the two countries. The sides stressed the importance of redoubling joint efforts for enhancement of economic-trade relations.

The ambassador expressed his gratitude for the support rendered during his diplomatic activity.

Mammadyarov appreciated ambassadors contributions to the promotion of relations between our countries and wished him every success in his future activity.
By Trend





In accordance with the regulations of the meeting of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Military Dialogue, the delegation led by Chief of the Main Directorate for Inspection and Assessment of the Land Forces of the Turkish Armed Forces Brigadier General Faruk Yildirim is paying a visit to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a message Aug. 29.

As part of the visit, the Turkish delegation met with Major General Zakir Aghayev, chief of the Main Military Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan.

The sides exchanged views on the current state and prospects for the development of cooperation, and also discussed the possibilities for further development of bilateral relations.








By Azernews





By Laman Ismayilova

A number of Bakus population has announced.

Since the beginning of the year, the population of Baku stood at 2,269,700 people, up 7,100 people from early 2018, Baku City Statistics Department told Report.

About 49.8 percent of the population is men, and 50.2 per cent are women. The population density is 1,060 people per square kilometer.

Some 14,570 newborns were recorded in the January-June ,2018. This figure made 13.0 per 1000 people. Of this, 156 are twins, two  triplets. Share of girls among newborns makes up 47.5 percent. 110 boys fall per 100 girls.

Notably, since the beginning of this year country's population increased by 38,049 and made 9,936,134 people as of July 1, 2018.

The State Statistical Committee reports that the population density is 115 people per square kilometer.

About 52.9 percent of the population accounts for city residents, 47.1 percent for rural residents, also, 49.9 percent for men, 50.1 percent for women.
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) have partnered to provide a framework for cooperation and referrals between the innovation teams of each authority, a media report said.



The agreement reflects the commitment of both authorities to develop an environment that supports the sustainable development of financial services through emerging technology, reported Emirates news agency Wam.



DFSAs chief executive Ian Johnston said: "We are pleased to formalise an agreement with MAS to support the growth of innovation in financial services. Cooperation between MAS and the DFSA will help create synergies and greater understanding between our two markets and will enable FinTech firms to extend their reach globally."



The agreement centres on a referral mechanism which will enable the authorities to refer innovator businesses between their respective innovation functions. It also sets out a process to share and use information on innovation in their respective markets.



The agreement also formalises intensions of both authorities to work on joint innovation projects on the application of key technologies such as digital and mobile payments, blockchain and distributed ledgers, big data, flexible platforms (API), and other areas of new technologies.



The DFSA and MAS are both also members of the recently established Global Financial Innovation Network, GFIN, which consists of 12 financial regulators and associated organisations from around the world. The GFIN seeks to conduct joint work and share experiences of financial innovation, to improve financial stability, integrity, customer outcomes and inclusion. Members of GFIN include regulators from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Australia.



The GFIN builds upon bilateral relationships each regulator has in place. For example, the DFSA has bilateral FinTech cooperation agreements in place with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, the Hong Kong Insurance Authority, and the Malaysian Securities Commission.



The collaboration around FinTech extends a long-standing relationship between the DFSA and the MAS who have had a memorandum of understanding in place since 2008, providing a formal basis for supervisory cooperation in banking, insurance and capital markets. It facilitates the exchange of information for supervisory purposes between the two authorities.
Pearson Middle East, a leading learning company , has called on high school students in the UAE and across the region to take the PTE Academic test, ahead of Septembers intake of applications to universities overseas.



PTE Academic offers high school students looking to study abroad with a fast, convenient and effective way to demonstrate improvement in their English language skills, an essential component for university success. Students can book up to 24 hours in advance and the test itself only takes a maximum of three hours.



Karim Daoud, managing director at Pearson Middle East said: Every year, a lot of students from this region aspire to go abroad for higher studies. If the English language is not their first language, they will need a recognised English language qualification to be accepted, and we are proud to offer PTE Academic, as the English language test trusted by leading universities, colleges and governments around the world including Harvard Business School, INSEAD and Yale.



PTE Academic is the market leader in computer-based English language testing and is scored using Pearsons automated scoring technology. This consistent standard of marking ensures that all test takers are scored accurately, objectively and consistently, no matter where the test is taken. Moreover, all test centres are equipped with state-of-the-art digital biometrics incorporating palm-scanning, digital signatures, secure paperless results, randomised test formats and CCTV.



The test is based on academically relevant tasks and includes non-native English accents to address the diverse demographic residing in the UAE and region. Results are delivered almost instantly within 2-5 business days, providing test takers with the option to send their scores to as many institutions as they like without any additional charges.



PTE Academic is widely accepted by an increasing number of universities worldwide (covering such popular destinations as USA, Canada, UK and Australia), including professional associations and prestigious institutions such as Harvard Business School, INSEAD and Yale. It is also accepted for immigration purposes by the Australian and New Zealand governments.



Within the UAE, increasing numbers of top universities are also accepting PTE Academic, examples include the University of Wollongong, Middlesex University in Dubai and United Arab Emirates University.



Online and offline modules are available on www.pearsonpte.com and include the Official Guide to PTE Academic course book and an extensive range of videos, tips, and other resources available to support self-study. The website also hosts an interactive three-hour mock exam that is scored on completion to provide test-takers with a realistic indication of their results. Furthermore, Pearson has partnered with several online preparation providers to help test takers get ready for exam day.



Students across the UAE can take the PTE Academic at any of the three test centres in the UAE, two of which are in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. Worldwide, PTE Academic test sessions are run in over 50 countries.  TradeArabia News Service
Dubai Future Foundations chief executive officer Khalfan Juma Belhoul highlighted that recruiting young minds and offering them opportunities will contribute to the development of a young, knowledge-based workforce, said a report.



Belhoul emphasised that recruiting young minds and offering them the chances to exchange experience, gain knowledge, and employ capabilities in cooperation with companies specialised in emerging technologies, will contribute to the development of a younger knowledge-based workforce, as well as build a better future for communities worldwide.



The CEOs statement came during preparations for the upcoming EmTech MENA Conference, which will be held for the first time regionally in Dubai, UAE, on September 23 and 24, reported state news agency Wam.



The conference aims to present the most important developments and innovations in emerging technologies worldwide, and gather C-level executives, technology leaders, and entrepreneurs under one roof to discuss how to best make use and employ these technologies in finding solutions to technical challenges.



The gathering also provides an opportunity for networking and communication between experts in the technological fields, it said.



The conference, organised by the Dubai Future Foundation and Haykal Media, will host more than 20 international and local speakers who will discuss the future of artificial intelligence, and its effect on various aspects of our daily lives and the global economy.



In addition to discussing smart cities, cybersecurity, nanotechnology, and bioengineering, the conference will also cover the latest in the transformation of energy, added the report.
Olofsfors, a Swedish manufacturer of steel products for the forestry and construction industries, has switched to using SSAB Boron 27 steel, which has in turn reduced its material usage, optimised its production process and developed a lighter, more fuel-efficient product.



Maria Ragnarsson, head of purchasing and logistics, Olofsfors, said: We have transitioned from using pre-manufactured parts to buying steel that we press and manufacture in house.



Now that we control our production process, we are generating less waste and making a more sustainable product, she said.



In 2008, Olofsfors opted to bring the production process for its Eco-Tracks for forestry machines in house. In the search for a supplier to provide the steel for the side supports on the tracks, it chose SSAB Boron 27 steel, said a statement from the company.



Quality is one of our top priorities, said Ragnarsson. If we want to produce the right quality, the material we use has to meet the required quality standards.



We chose steel from SSAB because it maintains a high, consistent level of quality and because SSAB is a sustainably minded company that is also a relatively local supplier to us here in northern Sweden, she added.



In addition to optimising fuel consumption as a result of the lightweight properties of SSABs steel, the switch to SSAB Boron 27 has resulted in less material use, less waste and improved sustainability for Olofsfors, it said.



Mats Frangen, strategic product developer, Olofsfors, said: The material waste percentage from cut steel can be as high as 50 per cent, but, with SSABs steel, weve reduced that number significantly.



Our material use is down too. We make some 400,000 side supports a year and, for each one, were saving between half a kilo and a kilo of steel. So were heating less steel and wasting less steel, he said.



Ragnarsson added: SSAB is committed to reducing its long-term climate impact and thats something we value when choosing our suppliers.



With SSAB, we use and transport less material, all of which has a positive impact on our carbon emissions, she concluded.  TradeArabia News Service
Azuri Technologies, a leading provider of pay-as-you-go solar home systems, and Unilever Kenya, a provider of consumer goods in Africa, have announced a partnership to bring solar home solutions to off-grid homes across Kenya.



The announcement comes as Prime Minister Theresa May and UK business leaders, including Azuri chief executive officer Simon Bransfield-Garth, arrive in Kenya for a state visit to boost trade ties, said a statement from the company.



Under the terms of the deal, Azuris Quad solar home lighting system will be co-branded with the Unilever Sunlight brand and offered through Unilevers distribution network, which in Kenya is some 67,000 smallholder traders, it said.



The Unilever distribution network will complement Azuris existing partners in country of Raj Ushanga House and Mobicom, it added.



Over 600 million people in Africa have no access to electricity and many such households are located in regions where provision of grid electricity is prohibitively expensive. Azuri has been helping to address this challenge since 2012, through its innovative solar home solutions, delivering reliable, renewable and distributed power on an affordable pay-as-you-go basis.



The partnership between Azuri and Unilever marks the next step in this journey, expanding the reach of Pay-as-you-Go solar through the widely-recognised and trusted Sunlight brand of washing powder and building on Unilevers mission to bring high quality sustainable products to Kenyan consumers, said a statement.



Solar power has been shown to have powerful economic and social benefits. A recent study reports owners of solar home systems on average increased their incomes by $35 per month.



In addition, data shows that children spend more time doing homework in the evenings and to date Azuri has created over 2,000 new jobs though its Kenyan partner companies to sell, support and maintain solar home systems, it said.



Justin Apsey, managing director East Africa at Unilever, said: The partnership with Azuri will help deliver life-changing solar technology to off-grid communities and provide our customers and traders with the benefits of modern energy.



Solar power is proven to support the local and wider economy and further supports our companys commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, he added.



Bransfield-Garth said: We are delighted to be partnering with Unilever to expand further the reach of solar pay-as-you-go technology.



The partnership is fully aligned to both our companys and Unilevers mission to a triple bottom line of simultaneously delivering social, environmental and financial returns to customers and investors alike, he added.



Prime Minister Theresa May said: Azuri Technologies innovative approach to mobile technology embodies the pioneering spirit of innovation for which Cambridge is globally renowned.



Im delighted that Azuri Technologies is joining me on this visit and they are a fantastic example of the success UK companies can achieve when they think big and forge global partnerships, she added.



Azuris Quad solar home lighting system features Azuris award-winning HomeSmart technology with artificial intelligence that monitors weather conditions and learns customer usage patterns to adjust output to ensure a full nights power.



The Azuri Quad solar home lighting system includes a 10W solar panel, four bright LED lights, USB port and connectors for mobile phone charging, rechargeable radio and rechargeable torch.



AzuriTV, the first PayGo solar TV system of its kind to be launched in Africa, features a 24-inch super slim LED TV, over 100 satellite TV channels, four bright LED lights for use inside and outside the home, mobile phone charging, rechargeable radio and rechargeable torch.



In 2018, AzuriTV was named Innovative Technology of the Year at the annual Africa Utility Week Industry Awards, honouring pioneering projects and people in the industry.



Azuri was also named the 233rd fastest growing company in Europe by the Financial Times and named in Red Herrings Top 100 Europe, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Women in the UAE can proudly wear the nations letters in their jewellery and mark Emirati Womens Day thanks to Swarovski's new collection.

Swarovski is offering the UAE women sparkling Remix Alphabets and delicate Mayfly collection as the ideal pieces to commemorate the day.

The women of the nation can now proudly flaunt the letters spelling out Emirates, reiterating their dedication and commitment to the country that they love, says the company.

The jewellery offerings include:

Remix Alphabet Charms: Rose gold-plated, the letter charms sparkle beautifully with clear crystal pave. The easy-to-use, clip-on clasp has been specially designed to fit securely onto any Remix Strand or the new Remix Carrier Bracelet. One could also attach it to any other Swarovski jewellery piece for a customised look with a special meaning.

Large White Mayfly Necklace: Step into a magical fairytale world with this precious statement piece. Inspired by the delicate leaves and foliage of an enchanted forest, the Mayfly Necklace, Large uses a mix of techniques and materials including micro pave and rose gold plating. This is an elegant and feminine jewellery piece that you will want to wear again and again  perfect for dress-up occasions and gifting.

White, Rose-Gold, Mayfly Ring: Inspired by the delicate leaves and foliage of an enchanted forest, the refined design mixes different techniques and materials, including micro pave and rose gold plating. This is feminine, elegant, and perfect for gifting and one can mix and match with more delicate rings to create cool contrasts.

White, Rose-Gold Long Mayfly Earrings: With their stunning cascading silhouette, this pair of long-length Mayfly Pierced Earrings will inject an extra dose of glamour into any dress-up look mixes different techniques and materials, including micro pave and rose gold plating.

Swarovski delivers a diverse portfolio of unmatched quality, craftsmanship, and creativity.

Founded in 1895 in Austria, the company designs, manufactures and markets high-quality crystals, genuine gemstones and created stones as well as finished products such as jewelry, accessories and lighting.

The Swarovski Crystal Business is run by the fifth generation of family members and has a global reach with approximately 3,000 stores in around 170 countries, more than 27,000 employees, and revenue of about 2.7 billion euros in 2017.

Together with its sister companies Swarovski Optik (optical devices) and Tyrolit (abrasives), Swarovski Crystal Business forms the Swarovski Group. In 2017, the group generated revenue of about 3.5 billion euros and employed more than 32,000 people.

A responsible relationship with people and the planet has always been an integral part of Swarovskis heritage, and is embedded today in the companys well-established global sustainability agenda. In addition, global Swarovski Waterschool education programme has reached 500,000 children on the worlds greatest rivers, and the Swarovski Foundation, set up in 2013, works to support culture and creativity, promote the rights and wellbeing of women and children, and conserve natural resources to achieve positive social impact. - TradeArabia News Service
Juma Al Majid Est, the exclusive distributor of Hyundai Motors in the UAE, has launched the new Kona, a premium subcompact SUV, in the UAE.



The Kona is targeting young drivers pursuing an active, fast-paced lifestyle, said a statement from the company.



By developing a completely new premium SUV, identifiable by its distinctive and progressive design, and equipping it with the latest technology in drivetrain, convenience, safety and driver assistance features, Hyundai has created an all-new model that meets the highest customer expectations, it said.



Mohammad Al Omari, marketing manager of Hyundai UAE, said: We are excited to be bringing a renewed SUV to our customers in the region, offering them a new way of driving while adding to the lifestyle of the fashion-conscious driver.



Kona is a lifestyle statement; it complements our design-focused SUV range and provides the driver with unmatched technology and excellent value, he said.



Keeping in mind our tech-savvy customers, we have introduced advanced systems that enhance their experience and ensure a safe and memorable journey, he added.



Konas front is expressive and powerful, characterised by the Cascading Grille, the companys family identity, and the interior of the car may be personalised with a choice of three colours  orange, lime, red, it added.



Hyundais new vehicle features a head-up display which projects relevant driving information directly into the drivers line of sight, and the floating navigation touchscreen, in its ergonomic position, allows drivers to stay tuned to the traffic ahead at all times.



With Hyundai Smart Sense active safety and driving assistance systems, the Kona is one of the safest vehicles in its segment, proven by a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP, with safety features like Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning, it said.



Kona improves fuel consumption and CO2 emissions up to 20 per cent compared to a conventional 6-speed automatic transmission, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Mantis Group, an exclusive collection of privately owned, five-star properties around the world, has appointed Philippe Baretaud as its new chief executive officer.



Following the 50 per cent acquisition of the South African-based company by AccorHotels in April, Baretaud will be responsible for leading the strategic vision for the Mantis Group, which today is a collection of over 30 properties worldwide.



Beginning his career in 1985 in the French public sector, he joined AccorHotels almost 30 years ago in 1989 with Hotelia, a former provider of retirement homes. In 1998, he was part of the hospitality development team in France and a few years later he joined the groups development team in the UK, where he became development director of Accor UK.



Five years later, Baretaud moved to Dubai to lead the groups development in the Middle East. In 2011, he was promoted to senior vice president, head of development for Europe, Middle East and Africa. In 2014, Baretaud was tasked with reinvigorating the groups presence in Africa as senior vice president and head of development Africa & Indian Ocean. A few years later he established the groups presence in South Africa, including the set-up of the Johannesburg office, which today provides support for AccorHotels African operations, development and technical services.



Philippe holds an MBA from ESCP Europe and a Degree in Law from the University of Lille, France. - TradeArabia News Service
This September, Sheraton Oman Hotel will present a Singaporean Food Festival full of flavour and authenticity, supported by the Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore in Oman.



The week will offer guests the chance to travel all of Southeast Asia with a culinary journey of the senses at Sheratons courtyard from September 712.



Food has always been an integral part of the Singaporean identity, and it is wonderful that Sheraton has given us this opportunity to share our Singaporean food culture with everyone, said Dr Edmund Chia, consul-general of The Republic of Singapore in Oman.



The week-long celebration will welcome Marriott Internationals very own guest chef Tan Cheng Chwee, who hails from the award-winning Marriott Cafe in Singapore. With a passion for culinary arts, Cheng Chwee believes in simplicity, comfort food and the use of fundamental ingredients to bring out the natural flavours and textures of his dishes.



Sheraton Omans Singapore Food Festival will offer a variety of exotic dishes to unravel and explore. Guests can sample Mod-Sin cuisine, Singaporean Rojak, Classic Laksa, Grilled Seafood, Traditional Satay and Stir-fried Specialties; to name but a few.



We look to welcome street food enthusiasts and fans of Asian cuisine, as well as newcomers looking to try the flavours of the Southeast for their first time, said Anand Ganesan, general manager, Sheraton Oman Hotel.



The concept of the Singapore Food Festival is to celebrate one of the worlds most popular cuisines with live chefs tables, cooking stations and interactive dining. Local noodle fanciers and connoisseurs of Asian cuisine can expect to be welcomed with distinctive style, tradition and attentive service. From the live Singapore Sling station to the charismatic decor throughout the courtyard, expect to be transported to the bustling streets of Singapore and indulge with unlimited dishes and beverages to pair. - TradeArabia News Service


Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.
Japan and China have voiced agreement that trade protectionism will not benefit any country, Finance Minister Taro Aso said Thursday, warning against U.S. President Donald Trumps implementation of higher tariffs against other nations. As The Japan Times writes in an article "Japan and China confirm agreement that trade protectionism benefits no nation", speaking to reporters after meeting with Chinese vice premiers Liu He and Han Zheng in Beijing, Aso also said that the two countries acknowledge the importance of bolstering financial cooperation, amid growing fears that an intensifying U.S.-China trade war would hurt the global economy.

Aso, who is visiting Beijing ahead of a planned visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China in October, said Tokyo and Beijing are making efforts to achieve tangible results for an envisioned summit between Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In May, Japan and China agreed to resume their currency swap line in times of financial emergency, while Beijing promised to grant Tokyo a 200 billion yuan (about $29 billion) investment quota in yuan-denominated stocks and bonds.

On Friday, Aso is scheduled to hold a meeting with Chinese Finance Minister Liu Kun during which they are expected to exchange views on how to promote financial cooperation between their two nations.

Officials from the finance ministries and central banks of the two neighbors will join the dialogue, which was last held in May 2017 in Yokohama. Those from financial services agencies will also participate in it for the first time.

In recent years, Sino-Japanese ties had been mired in a territorial row over the Senkaku Islands, which are known as Diaoyu in China. Tensions escalated especially after the Japanese government effectively put them under state control in September 2012.

Bilateral relations, however, have been improving, with both sides reflecting positively on the 40th anniversary this year of the signing of the friendship treaty between the two countries.

On the back of the improvement in ties, Japanese senior politicians have been visiting China.

Toshihiro Nikai, secretary general of Abes ruling Liberal Democratic Party, arrived in Beijing on Wednesday and met with Chinese officials the following day. The LDPs No. 2 figure is set to hold talks with Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan on Friday.

Education minister Yoshimasa Hayashi attended a trilateral meeting with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts, held in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin, on Thursday.
Tabriz is going to host Russian-Turkish-Iranian summit in the beginning of September. Southern direction is of great importance for Russia, since during preparation for reconstruction of post-war Syria Moscow has a chance to build new trilateral format of relations with Turkey and Iran, as well as ease tensions in Syria, which have increased significantly in recent months.

Successful military operation in Syria allowed Russia to achieve significant influence in the entire Middle East. It's obvious that the peak of military operation has already been passed and it's necessary to eliminate remaining terrorist groups, simultaneously restoring Syria's statehood. However, Russia's interests are much broader. It wants to create a special stability belt, which can be based on relations with Turkey, Iran and the Arab countries.

Historically, Iran and Turkey are rivals in the region. Despite this, Tehran praised Ankara's current policy towards the United States. Western policy poses a great danger to Turkey, a strong Islamic republic, since the US may pursue a change of power in Muslim countries in order to contain their economic potential. This can affect both Iran and Turkey.

There was a coup in Turkey in 1960, influenced by the US. 16 Turkish officers who carried out the coup underwent secret training under the guidance of US military instructors in 1948 as part of the formation of anti-communist sabotage organization. As a result, Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was overthrown and later killed. Turkey is gradually realizing that the West is manipulating it for its own interests.

Of course, there are disputes between these countries, especially in Transcaucasia. Nevertheless, Moscow, Ankara and Tehran have no unresolvable conflicts in this region or in general. Despite all existing disputes and ambitions, countries can achieve so much more together without fighting among each other.

Southern direction is important for Russia mainly because of the North-South transport corridor, huge trade potential, construction of Russian nuclear power plants, as well as fight against terrorism. Obviously, Moscow won't be able to completely eliminate terrorist threat in Syria without Turkish and Iranian support. Triumvirate of Turkey, Russia and Iran will determine the face of post-war Syria. Interest of Russia, Turkey and Iran in preserving territorial integrity of Syria can become a basis for this cooperation. Outcome of the war in Syria will be determined by relations in the Moscow-Ankara-Tehran triangle.

Current regime in Syria is the most favorable for Russia and Iran. Moscow's and Tehran's support indicate that there won't be a shift of power in Syria. Moscow believes that it can always reach an agreement with Iran. Mutual understanding will allow to implement the North-South transport corridor across the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf, stop using dollars in mutual trade between three countries, as well as finally speed up the process of making anti-Asad opposition participate in peace process.

All three countries have pretty complicated relations with the West. Iran's conflict with the United States lasts many years, Russia is challenging Washington's hegemony in the Middle East, and Turkey is confidently becoming an independent regional center. However, if Tehran decides to continue and even expand its military presence in Syria (as well as create naval bases on the Mediterranean coast), it may find itself in a dangerous isolation. In this case, triumvirate won't survive, Turkey won't withdraw its armed forces from Syria, Russia will remain in Syria for a long time. That's why current format of cooperation becomes irreplaceable, since it can contribute to fast restoration of balance of power in the entire Middle East.
Yesterday, Washington said that they would start withdrawing their troops from Syria only after militants of the ISIS terrorist group (banned in Russia) is defeated. Among the Pentagon's tasks, its head James Matthis called destruction of ISIS, genuine progress in Geneva, and "training of local security forces." "If local partners prove capable, then we might be reducing our troops," Mattis explained.

Head of the department of theory of regional studies of the Moscow State Linguistic University, Vadim Makarenko, told Vestnik Kavkaza that the military phase of the Syrian conflict is coming to an end: "A decisive role was played by Russia, which supported the Bashar Assad government and managed to achieve a turning point in the hostilities. The forces that confronted Bashar Assad have been defeated. But the problem is that an absolute victory in the civil war cannot be achieved. Therefore, a very complex process of peaceful settlement is ahead."

Vadim Makarenko recalled "The Right of Nations to Self-Determination" by Vladimir Lenin: "Then there was a dispute on whether there should be autonomies or union republics. Lenin's decision in favour of union republics helped to get out of the civil war, but in 70 years it led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Syria is in such a difficult situation now. The parties must agree, because there are millions of people behind each grouping.

Russia is engaged in the peace process, ensuring the withdrawal of militants, demonstrating tremendous flexibility and ability to find common ground between the opposing camps. From this perspective, the Astana process, the Sochi meetings, Geneva are extremely important. No peaceful settlement is possible without it."

Vadim Makarenko argues that a long-term solution to the Syrian problem requires a more complex architecture, not a single-pole Syria, dominated by the Bashar Assad government, which is supported by Iranian and Russian forces. "A decentralized federal democratic Syria can only be born as a forced decision, when neither side can be strong enough to impose its power on others. From this perspective, objectively, we are interested in the United States' participation in solving this problem, we are interested in the participation of Iran, Turkey, Arab countries, all other countries," the expert believes.

According to him, the current situation in Syria was the result of the stable development under Bashar Assad: "The population grew enormously, people lived very well. But that's how it was in medieval China. Everything is going well, then once - drought, crop failure, refugees and so on, and it goes from the rails. We are returning to this circle. But Bashar Assad represents a minority in Syria. He will always have to rely on bayonets and some kind of external force. But neither Iran, nor Russia, nor other countries are able to support Bashar Assad forever. We are allies with Iran and Turkey in Syria by happenstance. Iran and Turkey extremely restrict us in any other decisions, which is bad. On the other hand, it's good, because a more complex structure arises, when the countries balance each other and give the prospect for solving the problem."

Meanwhile, the president of the Russian Society for Solidarity and Cooperation with the Kurds, Yury Nabiyev, believes that the Kurds have a very weak position with regard to further talks with the Syrian authorities. "Until recently, all the countries involved in this Syrian situation, both international and regional, had one goal - the fight against ISIS. Now, as this struggle is coming to an end, contradictions between the countries involved in the Syrian situation have increasingly come into sharper focus. We are witnessing a new political process - a solution to the question of the Syrian future and all the people inhabiting it."
At least one person was killed and several injured as minivan hit a crowd of pedestrians in the Guangxi Chinese autonomous region, News.am reported citing RIA Novosti.

According to police, the exact number of victims is not reported yet.

Minivan driver has been reportedly detained, an investigation is under way.
The Trump administration has in recent months been quietly working on creating a new security alliance comprised of six Gulf Arab states plus Egypt and Jordan, unofficially known as the Arab NATO, and also dubbed the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA), Defence News writes.

The six Gulf Arab nations are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.

According to the alliances objectives, which are expected to be formally announced during the Oct. 12-13 U.S.-Gulf summit in Washington, the new establishment will serve as a bulwark against Iranian aggression, terrorism, extremism and will bring stability to the Middle East, a spokesperson for the White Houses National Security Council said.

The idea of establishing a broad Arab alliance dates back to the beginning of the Arab Spring demonstrations in 2011. Such an alliance was again considered in 2015, but the previous U.S. administration under President Barack Obama was preoccupied with its adoption of a gradual withdrawal strategy from the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump, however, has shown more interest in the region through his tough rhetoric on Iran, accusing it of being the head of international terrorism and calling it a threat to U.S national security, the Gulf Cooperation Council and longtime U.S. ally Israel.

The idea of a security pact was re-emphasized ahead of Trumps visit last year to Saudi Arabia, where he announced a massive arms deal. But according to a U.S. source who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the alliance proposal did not get off the ground.

However, some analysts believe MESA will remain an idea whose time may never come.
Egypt's military says it will host war games with U.S. troops next month for the second straight year, Tampa Bay Times reported.

Thursday's statement from the military's spokesman says the "Bright Star" exercise will run from Sept. 8-20.

U.S. Central Command said in a Thursday statement that approximately 800 U.S. troops will participate.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay an official visit to Kyrgyzstan on September 1-2, the press service of the Kyrgyz President said.

Erdogan will come at the invitation of Kyrgyz counterpart Sooronbay Jeenbekov. The presidents will discuss issues related to the condition and prospects of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. They will also exchange views on topical issues on the international and regional agenda.

The presidents will take part in the fourth meeting of the Supreme Council for Strategic Cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Turkey.

After the talks the two leaders are expected to sign a number of bilateral documents and make a statement for the press. "Within the framework of the official visit, the Turkish President will meet with the Prime Minister and the speaker of Kyrgyz parliament," the message reads.

Later, Erdogan will participate in the opening ceremony of the Third World Nomad Games and the summit of the heads of states of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries (CCTS).
Five terrorists were liquidated in the Turkish province of Hatay, the Turkish media reported.

Turkey's Ministry of Internal Affairs said that on August 28 the terrorists took five hostages who were released later.

"Terrorists were liquidated as a result of an air-backed counterterrorism operation in a rural area in the southern Hatay province," Trend cited the statement as saying.
Georgia's Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze will arrive in Baku today.

During his visit, the PM is planned to meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the PM Novruz Mammadov and parliamentary speaker Ogtay Asadov.

We will discuss important opportunities in terms of deepening regional cooperation as well as new initiatives that will help us to increase our trade. All these steps are going to positively reflect on our economic growth and achievement of our major goal - transforming Georgia into a regional hub, Agenda.ge cited Bakhtadze as saying.

The one day visit will also include a wide format meeting between official delegations of the two countries.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are strategic partners; we jointly managed to implement a lot of projects of global importance, Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze said when summing up his official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, InterPressNews reported.

According to the Prime Minister's press service, the head of government evaluated very fruitful meetings with the President, the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Parliament of Azerbaijan.

"We discussed some new projects that we can jointly implement and that can strengthen our economic relationship. At the same time, we outlined very specific tasks. This year, our trade turnover will reach around 1 billion and we think that in the next two years it is possible to improve this figure by 50-60%. At the same time, we agreed to study the opportunities of setting up joint ventures. Georgia is the only country in the region with a free trade regime with the EU and China. Azerbaijan is one of the largest investors in Georgia and there is a huge potential in this respect," said the Prime Minister.

According to him, Georgia and Azerbaijan have very good relations in the field of education and culture, but there are issues that need to be improved and developed.

"We also agreed that we will have additional consultations in the financial sector. Today our free trade regime does not apply to the service sector. We will additionally study this issue and we think that the new free trade regime will promote further cooperation between Georgia and Azerbaijan. It was a very good, very successful visit, which, I am sure, will give new impetus to our economic cooperation," said Mamuka Bakhtadze.
Russia proceeds from the premise that the modern world has all the necessary tools for a peaceful solution of questions of any complexity, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during the briefing, answering a question from Vestnik Kavkaza about Russia's position on Saudi Arabia's intention to start a war with Iran after receiving the UN Security Council's permission, if the Strait of Hormuz is closed.

"Just assuming that it can happen is scary," Maria Zakharova emphasized in the first place.

"We proceed from the fact that there is a necessary international legal framework and specialized international institutions to solve even the most acute issues," the official representative of the Foreign Ministry said.

On August 28, an adviser at Saudi Arabias Energy Ministry Ibrahim al-Muhanna said warned that the Kingdom may start a military action against Iran if it tries to block the Strait of Hormuz. Al-Muhanna said Iran would be the first to lose out on a move to block those major shipping routes and that any such action would trigger further sanctions on Iran.

The amount of oil going through the Strait of Hormuz is so large. Theres more than 18 million barrels a day, about two thirds of world maritime oil trade. Meaning, cutting oil from there will lead to an acute oil shortage and prices will skyrocket, Muhanna said.

Al-Muhanna also said that current U.S. sanctions on Iran are unlikely to stop Iranian oil exports completely.
Moscow and Ankara will discuss the lifting of visa requirements for Turkish citizens in autumn, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during a press briefing.

"The most appropriate professional platform for discussing visa issues is bilateral consultations between experts on consular matters. And such consultations between consular experts are scheduled for autumn," the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza cited Zakharova as saying.

She added that following talks between Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the two countries decided to establish a mechanism to draft agreements regarding the mutual simplification of the travel regime for certain categories of citizens.
Palestinian Minister for the Wall and Settlements Walid Assaf was wounded by a rubber bullet during a clash with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday, Sputnik reports citing the WAFA news agency.

"A Palestinian minister, Walid Assaf, was wounded today by a rubber bullet in clashes with the Israeli army in the Ramallah area," WAFA reported.

According to the media, the minister was lightly injured in his ear by a rubber-coated bullet.
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan started todays Cabinet meeting of the government with an important message. He said that the republic's new Cabinet underwent a period of adaptation, so a new phase is beginning.

The Armenian PM announced a start of extensive economic reforms, expressing hope that they will be smooth. "We have to carry out extensive reforms, but they should not be hasty, rash," Pashinyan said, adding that it will e started from changes to the Tax Code.

We need to record our methodology for reforms - considering the political realities existing in Armenia, he stressed, in particular. Our reform algorithm shall be extensive discourse with the public, confirmation of an agreement toward this or that reform.

Earlier, Pashinyan said that the economic revival of Armenia does not necessary requires unblocking borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey, since the Iranian and Georgian borders would be enough.

Economist Vahe Davtyan, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, stressed that the range of Armenian economic problems that can be solved without unblocking the Turkish and Azerbaijani borders is very narrow. "We have closed borders and are forced to develop in these conditions. According to calculations, Armenia suffers serious economic losses due to the semi-blockade. It is predicted that the opening of borders can lead to the GDP growth of 30%. But there are no real grounds to say that the borders can be opened. So our government is forced to approach the issue of economic reforms from such a pragmatic position that the semi-blockade of Armenia will continue," he said in the first place.

Without opening borders, Armenia is primarily limited in its transport and communication capabilities. "We have an annual turnover of $200-300 million with Turkey, but we do it mainly through the territory of Georgia, which affects the prices. Unblocking the borders will allow establishing direct economic cooperation between countries and lowering the transport component in the final cost of transported goods. And of course, transport, logistics and energy projects on the territory of the South Caucasus traditionally bypass the Republic of Armenia because of the semi-blockade. Unfortunately, today we live in conditions, when the political interest, which is baseless in essence, is facing a pragmatic interest," Vahe Davtian stressed.
A meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York is under consideration, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday, TASS reported.

"A schedule of bilateral meetings is being made at the moment. The possibility of a meeting between the Russian and US top diplomats has been discussed and such a meeting is currently under consideration," she said.

"It is too early to speak about the date and format [of the meeting]. The meetings agenda is under consideration, as well as other issues such as expert participation," Zakharova said.
An air leak occurred on the International Space Station (ISS) at night and in the morning but the problem was resolved, Head of Russias State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said.

"An emergency situation occurred on the ISS at night and in the morning: a drop in pressure and an air leak aboard the station. Measures were taken to determine the origin of the leak," the Roscosmos chief said.

"The US crew gathered in the Russian segment and subsequently compartments were sealed off one by one to understand what happened and where. As a result, we localized the problem," TASS cited Rogozin as saying.

According to the Roscosmos chief, the problem was found in a side compartment of the Russian manned spacecraft Soyuz MS No. 739 (the Soyuz MS-09), which had been launched to the orbital outpost in June this year.

"A micro-fracture was found. Most likely this is external damage. Designers believe this is the result of a micro-meteorite," Rogozin said.

He added that the lives and the health of the space crew are not threatened over an emergency situation aboard the Russian manned Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft.

Rogozin added that cosmonauts and astronauts wont be required to make spacewalks for removing a micro-crack. This work can be carried out inside the International Space Station (ISS).
During a meeting with US diplomats earlier this week, Russias ambassador to the United States warned the US government against a yet another unjustified and illegal act of aggression against Syria, the Russian embassy said.

"We warned the United States against a yet another unjustified and illegal act of aggression in Syria. Escalation of tensions in Syria is not in anyones national interests," the Russian embassy said in a statement. "We urged Washington to immediately provide facts that may support this attempt to once again propagate the issue of chemical weapons use by Damascus."

"We have expressed most serious concern about the US sides signals indicating that new strikes on Syria are being prepared under the pretext of possible use of chemical weapons by Syrians. We conveyed our serious concern about those developments," ambassador Anatoly Antonov said.

"Various terrorist groups and pseudo-humanitarian organizations, like White Helmets, may treat this rhetoric by the US side as a signal to stage another provocation," TASS cited Antonov as saying.

Antonovs meeting with Assistant Secretary of State (Acting) for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield and United States Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey was held on the Russian sides initiative on Monday, August 27. The embassy described the talks as "constructive" and "professional."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will hold a meeting on September 21.

"Putin already called Belarusian President Lukashenko and warmly congratulated him on his birthday, which the Belarusian leader is celebrating today," the spokesman said.

The presidents "discussed the current issues as well and the contact schedule, including future high-level contacts. We confirm the dates that the Belarusian side articulated," TASS cited Peskov as saying.

The Belarusian presidential press service earlier reported that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko involving the senior government officials of the two countries is pre-scheduled for September 21. The negotiations will be attended by the prime ministers of the two countries, the deputy prime ministers in charge of the oil and gas complex and agriculture and the finance ministers.
An unidentified gunman opened fire at police officers in Russias North Caucasus Republic of Dagestan, injuring two of them, and fled, a spokesperson for the regional interior ministry department said.

"Two officers were injured in the incident that took place in the village of Toturbiykala in the Khasavyurt district. Police officers noticed a suspicious man and tried to check his identity," the source said, adding that after that, the gunman opened fire at the officers and fled.

The search for the attacker is under way.

According to a source in the republics interior ministry department, the injuries of the officers were not life-threatening. "The officers received moderately severe injuries and were hospitalized. Their condition is not life-threatening," TASS cited the official as saying.
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem says the countrys government troops will go all the way in the militant-held northwestern province of Idlib, stressing that Damascuss main targets are members of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Takfiri terrorist group, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, Press TV reported.

The top Syrian diplomat made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday, following a meeting within the framework of Syrian-Russian intergovernmental commissions.

He added that the Arab country was in the last step to resolve the years-long crisis and liberate all its territories from the clutches of terrorists and thats why the United States, Britain and France want to attack Idlib with the aim of obstructing the political settlement process and helping al-Nusra group.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the Manbij roadmap in Syria is "moving forward slowly."

"Manbij roadmap is moving forward even if slowly. We constantly remind our counterparts about necessity of withdrawing YPG/PKK from region," the minister said, speaking at a ceremony at the Turkish General Staff headquarters in Ankara.

"Turkey strives for ensuring security, preventing attacks, giving aid to nearly 3.5-4 million people in Syria's Idlib without violating the ceasefire," Anadolu Agency cited Akar as saying.

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

Located near the Turkish border, Idlib in May was designated as a de-escalation zone where acts of aggression are expressly forbidden as part of the ongoing Astana process. Nevertheless, for the past two months, the Idlib de-escalation zone has been the target of particular fierce airstrikes by Russia and Assad regime forces.
Turkish police are conducting raids in the southern province of Adana, Turkish media reported.

Over 100 policemen are involved in the operation, during which some Syrian citizens, who are suspected of forging documents, have been detained.

It was noted that raids will be conducted in other provinces of the country as well.
The Turkish Stream pipeline, due to supply Russian gas to Turkey via the Black Sea from 2019, is already 80% complete, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said.

The realization of large-scale Gazprom export projects to Europe are continuing, Miller noted. There is the Turkish Stream gas pipeline: 1,500 kilometers of pipe, around 80% of the line has been assembled, he said during a meeting.

The CEO added that over the first eight months of the year, Gazprom exported over 133 billion cubic meters of gas to Turkey and the EU - up 5.6% on the same period of the previous year.

The Russian giant continues to announce record export volumes to the region, where it generates a sizeable portion of its profits, AFP reported.
The new sanctions against Russian companies announced by the Ukrainian government will have no impact on construction of the Crimea Bridge, which links the Crimean Peninsula and mainland Russia across the Kerch Strait, an official at the Crimea Bridge information center said.

"They [sanctions] will not affect construction of the bridge in any way," TASS cited him as saying.

The Kiev government has endorsed draft sanctions against 19 Russian companies that have been building the bridge. It is going to submit a relevant bill to the National Security and Defense Council.

The list includes the enterprise Stroigazmontazh and its subsidiary company SGM-Most, the Giprostroimost design institute in St Petersburg that did the project documentation for the bridge, the subcontractors Mostotrest and PortGidroStroi and a number of others.

The authors of the bill think that the sanctions will make economic relations between these companies and Ukraine impossible and will also restrict or sever their relations with the EU and the US. The National Security and Defense Council has the power to impose the sanctions.
Uzbekistan and Turkey have signed an agreement on joint production of autoclaved aerated concrete, Trend reported citing Uzbek media.

According to the president of Wehrhahn GmbH, Klaus Bonmann, firstly it is planned to build five plants, together with the Turkish and Uzbek partners. The volume of investments will be approximately 130 million euros.

"In the future, seven plants will also be built. Our goal is that in each of the 12 provinces of Uzbekistan there is modern automatic equipment for the production of autoclaved aerated concrete," Bonmann said.

According to Bonmann, thanks to aerated concrete production in Uzbekistan, builders will be able to construct better housing for Uzbek citizens.
The Erebuni-Yerevan festival will be held on October 20-21, Armenia's Territorial Administration and Development Minister Suren Papikyan said at a government meeting.

The festival marking the establishment anniversary of the Armenian capital city is usually held every second Saturday of October, but this year it was to be held September 29-30, ahead of the Francophone summit, slated for October 7-12 to be hosted by Yerevan.

Besides, Elections to the Council of Elders of Yerevan will be held on September 23, ARKA reported.

Erebuni (Yerevan) was founded in 782 BC by king Argishti the First. The cornerstone, on which the year of foundation was carved, is still intact kept at Erebuni Fortress Museum.

Yerevan was proclaimed the capital of the First Republic of Armenia on May 28, 1918. Yerevan Day is celebrated annually, starting from 1968. This year the Armenian capital is becoming 2,800 years old.
President Tran Dai Quang (left) and his Ethiopian counterpart Mulatu Teshome__Photo: VNA

President Tran Dai Quang (second, left) and his spouse were welcomed by Egyptian Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and his spouse__Photo: VNA

, , , , ,

President Tran Dai Quangs state visits to Ethiopia and Egypt from August 23-28 have created new momentum for bilateral relations between Vietnam and the two countries, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vu Hong Nam has said.He made the statement to the press following the leaders visits, highlighting the trips success as creating a historical milestone for bilateral ties.Vietnam and Ethiopia agreed to step up the exchange of delegations, especially at a high level, in order to push the impetus for bilateral relations, while also intensifying their coordination at multilateral forums, particularly within the framework of the United Nations (UN).Ethiopia also committed to sharing its experience with Vietnam in UN peacekeeping operations, Nam said.Meanwhile, President Quangs visit to Egypt from August 25-28 demonstrated Vietnams wish to promote its relationship with the country in a practical and effective manner.The two sides agreed to further enhance their ties; increase all-level delegation exchanges via Party, Government, and National Assembly channels and people-to-people diplomacy; and support each other at multilateral forums such as the UN, South-South cooperation, and the Francophone community.Nam stressed that the main purpose of President Quangs visits was to forge economic, trade, and investment cooperation with Ethiopia and Egypt.As such, the President held in-depth discussions with Ethiopian and Egyptian leaders on concrete measures to turn their potential into specific results, including creating favorable conditions for businesses to cooperate and penetrate the respective markets.Vietnam offered to help Ethiopia and Egypt access ASEAN markets while, on the other hand, Vietnamese enterprises would further their reach to African and Arab markets through the two countries, Nam added.The leaders also talked about measures to reinforce collaboration in other fields like agriculture, telecommunications and information-technology, culture, tourism, fishery, transportation, and education-training.During the visits, Vietnam signed several cooperation documents with the two countries, covering trade, agriculture, finance, oil, training, and cooperation between localities.At the end of the visits, Vietnam and the two countries issued joint statements chalking up major orientations to boost bilateral ties in the future, the Deputy Minister said.On this occasion, President Quang visited the headquarters of the African Union (AU) in the Ethiopian capital city of Adis Abiba and had a meeting with AU Acting President Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil to discuss cooperation orientations between Vietnam and the union, as well as its members in various spheres  economy, trade, and investment in particular.The establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) and the determination of AU member countries to step up reforms could create many opportunities for Vietnamese businesses if they know how to utilize them, Nam said.He noted that President Quang and the AU Acting President concurred to soon establish a suitable dialogue mechanism to promote comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and the union, as well as closely coordinate with each other at multilateral forums, for the sake of developing nations.-
APOSTOLIC VISIT OF HIS HOLINESS

TO IRELAND ON THE OCCASION OF THE IX WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES

[25-26 AUGUST 2018]

POPE FRANCIS

ANGELUS

Square in front of the Knock Shrine

Sunday, 26 August 2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am happy to be here with you. I am happy to be with you in the house of Our Lady. And I thank God for this opportunity, in the context of the World Meeting of Families, to visit this Shrine, so dear to the Irish people. I thank Archbishop Neary and the Rector, Father Gibbons, for their warm welcome.

In the Apparition Chapel, I lifted up to Our Ladys loving intercession all the families of the world, and, in a special way, your families, the families of Ireland. Mary our Mother knows the joys and struggles felt in each home. Holding them in her Immaculate Heart, she brings them with love to the throne of her Son.

As a remembrance of my visit, I have presented the Shrine with a rosary. I know how important the tradition of the family rosary has been in this country. I warmly encourage you to continue this tradition. Who can tell how many hearts, of fathers, mothers and children alike, have drawn comfort and strength over the years from meditating on Our Ladys participation in the joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of Christs life!

Mary is Mother. Mary is our Mother and the Mother of the Church, and it is to her that we commend today the journey of Gods faithful people on this emerald isle. We ask that our families be sustained in their efforts to advance Christs Kingdom and to care for the least of our brothers and sisters. Amid the storms and winds that buffet our times, may families be a bulwark of faith and goodness, resisting, in the best traditions of this nation, all that would diminish our dignity as men and women created in Gods image and called to the sublime destiny of eternal life.

May Our Lady also look with mercy on all the suffering members of her Sons family. In my prayer before her statue, I presented to her in particular all the survivors of abuse committed by members of the Church in Ireland. None of us can fail to be moved by the stories of young people who suffered abuse, were robbed of their innocence, were separated from their mothers, and were left scarred by painful memories. This open wound challenges us to be firm and decisive in the pursuit of truth and justice. I beg the Lords forgiveness for these sins and for the scandal and betrayal felt by so many others in Gods family. I ask our Blessed Mother to intercede for all the survivors of abuse of any kind and to confirm every member of our Christian family in the resolve never again to permit these situations to occur. And to intercede for all of us, so that we can proceed always with justice and remedy, to the extent it depends on us, such violence.

My pilgrimage to Knock also allows me to address a warm greeting to the beloved people of Northern Ireland. Although my Journey for the World Meeting of Families does not include a visit to the North, I assure you of my affection and my closeness in prayer. I ask Our Lady to sustain all the members of the Irish family to persevere, as brothers and sisters, in the work of reconciliation. With gratitude for advance of ecumenism, and the significant growth of friendship and cooperation between the Christian communities, I pray that all Christs followers will support the continuing efforts to advance the peace process and to build a harmonious and just society for todays children, be they Christians, Muslims, Jews, or of any faith: the children of Ireland.

Now, with these intentions, and all the intentions hidden in our hearts, let us turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the prayer of the Angelus.

Post-Angelus Greeting of His Holiness Pope Francis

I offer a special greeting to the men and women in this country who are in prison. I especially thank those who wrote to me upon learning that I would visit Ireland. I would like to say to you: I am close to you, very close. I assure you and your families of my closeness in prayer. May Our Lady of Mercy watch over you and protect you, and strengthen you in faith and hope! Thank you!
APOSTOLIC VISIT OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

TO IRELAND ON THE OCCASION OF THE IX WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES

[25-26 AUGUST 2018]

PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE RETURN FLIGHT FROM DUBLIN TO ROME

Papal flight

Sunday, 26 August 2018

Greg Burke

Good evening, Holy Father.

Pope Francis

Good evening.

Greg Burke

Thank you for this time that you are dedicating to us, after two very intense days. There have certainly been difficult moments in Ireland  there is always the abuse question  but also very beautiful moments: the festival of families, the testimonies of the families, the meeting with young couples and also the visit to the Capuchins, who are helping the poor so much.

May we give the microphone to the journalists, beginning with the Irish But perhaps you would like to say something first

Pope Francis

[I would like] to say thank-you, because if I am tired, then I think about you, who have work, work, work I thank you very much for your efforts, for your work. Thank you so much.

Greg Burke

The first question, as is our custom, comes from a journalist from the country [you visited]; he is Tony Connelly, from RTE - Irish Radio and Television.

Tony Connelly, RTE

Your Holiness, on Saturday you spoke about the meeting you had with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs; you said how you were touched by what she told you about the homes for mothers and children. What exactly did she say to you? And were you so moved because it was the first time you heard of these homes?

Pope Francis

The Minister first said something to me not so much about mothers and children; she said  briefly  Holy Father, we have found mass graves of children, of children interred. We are looking into this. Does the Church have any role in this?, but she said it very politely indeed, with great respect. I thanked her; this touched my heart, so much so that I wanted to mention it in my speech. It was not at the airport  I was mistaken  it was at the meeting with the President. At the airport, there was another lady  a government minister, I think  and I got confused. But she said to me: I will send you a memo. She sent me the memo, but I wasnt able to read it. I saw that she had did send me a memo. She was very balanced in what she said to me: there is a problem, and even though the investigation is not yet completed, she made me feel that the Church too had some involvement in the matter. In my opinion, this was an example of constructive cooperation, prior to I dont want to use the protest, but [before] lamenting, lamenting about what the Church may have favoured in the past. That lady had a great dignity which touched my heart. And now I have that memo, which I shall study when I return home. Thank you.

Greg Burke

Now to another Irishman, Paddy Agnew, from the Sunday Independent, living in Rome but an Irish journalist.

Pope Francis

Not the only Irishman in Rome!

Paddy Agnew, of the Sunday Independent

Holy Father, thank you and good evening. Yesterday, Marie Collins, the victim Marie Collins, whom you know well, indicated that you are not favourable to setting up new Vatican courts of enquiry concerning the problem of sexual abuse, and in particular, so-called courts of enquiry concerning bishops and bishop accountability. Why do you feel that these are not needed?

Pope Francis

No, no, that isnt it. That isnt it. Marie Collins puts much emphasis on the idea I have great respect for Marie Collins, sometimes in the Vatican we call her to give a presentation  she emphasizes the idea of the [2016 Motu Proprio] As a Loving Mother, in which it was said that to judge bishops, it would be good to set up a special tribunal. It was subsequently seen neither to be feasible nor suitable for the different cultures of the bishops who should be judged. We are taking the recommendation of As a Loving Mother and setting up a jury for each bishop, but that is not the same thing. A particular bishop has to be judged and so the Pope sets up a jury more capable of taking that case. It is something that works better, also because, for a group of bishops to leave their dioceses for this reason it is not possible. So the tribunals and the juries change.

This is the way we have done things up to now. A number of bishops have been judged this way: the latest was the archbishop of Guam, who appealed his sentence and I decided  because it was a very, very complex case  to make use of the right that I have, hear his appeal on my own, and not to send him to the appeal court that carries out its work with priests. I took it up personally. I set up a commission of canon lawyers to help me, and they told me that, in a short time, a month at most, they would offer a recommendation so that I could make a judgement. It is a complicated case on the one hand, but not difficult, because the evidence is extremely clear; from the standpoint of evidence, it is clear. But I cannot pre-judge. I am waiting for the report and then I will pass judgement. I say that the evidence is clear because that is what led the court of the first instance to its verdict. This was the most recent case. Now there is another in progress; we will see how it ends. But its clear, and I said this to Marie: the spirit and the recommendation of As a Loving Mother are being put into effect: a bishop must be judged by a tribunal, but not always the same tribunal, because that is not possible. She [Marie Collins] didnt understand this entirely, but when I see her  because she comes to the Vatican sometimes, we call her  I will explain it to her more clearly. I like her.

Greg Burke

And now the Italian group, Holy Father: here is Stefania Falasca from Avvenire.

Stefania Falasca, Avvenire

Good evening, Holy Father. You said, today even, that it is always a challenge to welcome the migrant and the outsider. Just yesterday a painful episode was resolved, that of the Diciotti ship. Is your paw behind this resolution? Were you involved, are you part of it?

Pope Francis

The paw is the devils, not mine! (laughter). The paw is the devils

Stefania Falasca

Then too, many people see Europe being blackmailed and these people having to pay the price. What do you think?

Pope Francis

Welcoming migrants is as ancient as the Bible. In Deuteronomy, God commands this in the commandments: welcome the migrant, the stranger. This is ancient and in the spirit of divine revelation and the spirit of Christianity. It is a moral principle. I spoke about this, and then I saw that I needed to make it a little clearer, because this is not just about welcoming [migrants] willy-nilly, but in a reasonable way. And this is true for all of Europe. When did I realize what this reasonable welcoming has to be like? It was after the attack in Zaventem [Belgium]: the young men, the fighters who carried out the attack on Zaventem were Belgian, but were sons of immigrants who were not integrated; they were ghettoized. That is, they had been received by the country, but left there, and had become a ghetto: they were not integrated. That is why I emphasized this; it is important.

Then, I remembered my trip to Sweden  and Franca [Giansoldati] made mention of this in an article, and of how I developed my thinking; when I went to Sweden I spoke about integration, and I knew about this, because during the dictatorship in Argentina, from 1976 to 1983, a great number of Argentinians and Uruguayans fled to Sweden. And there the government took them in immediately, made them study the language and gave them work, integrated them. To such a point that  and this is an interesting anecdote  the Minister who came to bid me farewell at Lund airport was the daughter of a Swede and an African migrant; and this African migrant had been integrated to the extent that his daughter became a minister of the country. Sweden was a model. But, at that moment [the time of my visit], Sweden was beginning to have difficulties: not because it did not have good intentions, but because it did not have the capacity for integration. This was the reason why Sweden stopped somewhat, [why] it took this step. Integration.

Then too, I spoke here, at a press conference with you, of the virtue of prudence which is the virtue of governance, and I spoke of the prudence of peoples concerning numbers or possibilities: a people that can accept but does not have the possibility of integrating, [is] better not accepting. There is an issue of prudence here. That I think is really the painful note with todays dialogue in the European Union. We have to keep on speaking: solutions can be found

What happened with the Diciotti? I did not put my paw there. The one who did the work with the Ministry of the Interior was Father Aldo, good Father Aldo, who is the one who follows the organization of Father Benzi, which the Italians know well, and work at freeing prostitutes, those who experience exploitation and so many things And the Italian Bishops Conference got involved, Cardinal Bassetti, who was here but followed all the mediation on the telephone, and it was one of the two undersecretaries, Monsignor Maffeis, who negotiated with the Ministry. And I think Albania got involved Albania, Ireland and Montenegro took a certain number of migrants, I think, but Im not sure. The Bishops Conference took responsibility for the others; I dont know whether under the umbrella of the Vatican or not I dont know how the matter was negotiated; but they are going to Mondo Migliore Centre in Rocca di Papa; they will be accommodated there. I think there are more than a hundred of them. And there they will start to learn the language and do the work done with migrants already integrated.

I had a very gratifying experience. When I went to the Roma III University, there were students who wanted to ask me questions and I saw a female student [I thought:] I know that face: she had come with me as one of the thirteen people I brought back with me from Lesvos. That young woman at the university! How? Because the SantEgidio Community, from the day she arrived, took her to school to learn: go, keep going And they integrated her at university level. This is what it is to work with migrants. [First] there is an openness of heart to all [those who] suffer; then there is integration, as a condition for being welcomed; and then prudence on the part of government leaders to do this. I saw I have secret footage, what happens to those who get sent back and who are taken again by traffickers: it is horrible, the things they do to these men, to women and children they sell them, but they inflict more sophisticated tortures on the men. There was one there, a spy, who was able to make that film, which I sent to my two undersecretaries for migration. For this reason, before sending them back, one has to think very, very, very carefully

And one last thing. There are these migrants who come; but there are others who are tricked when they arrive: We will give you work They give them all papers, and they end up on the sidewalk as slaves, threatened by traffickers in women This is it.

Greg Burke

Thank you, Holy Father. The next question is from the English-speaking group: Anna Matranga, from the American television network CBS.

Anna Matranga, CBS

Good evening, Holy Father! I would like to return to the topic of abuse about which you have already spoken. In a document issued early this morning, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano says that in 2013 he had a personal conversation with you at the Vatican, and that in this meeting he spoke explicitly with you about the sexual abuse by former Cardinal McCarrick. I wanted to ask you if this is true. Another question I wanted to ask of you: the Archbishop also said that Pope Benedict XVI had imposed sanctions on McCarrick, telling him not to live in the seminary, not to celebrate Masses in public and not to travel; the Church imposed sanctions on him. Can I ask you if these two things are true?

Pope Francis

Just one thing, I would prefer  even though I will answer your question  that we speak about the trip [to Ireland] and then move on to other topics... but I will answer your question. I read the statement this morning. I read it and sincerely I must tell you, and all those who are interested: read it yourselves carefully and make your own judgment. I will not say a single word on this. I believe the memo speaks for itself, and you are capable enough as journalists to draw your own conclusions. This is an act of trust: when some time has passed and you have drawn conclusions, perhaps I will speak. But I ask that you use your professional maturity in doing this: it will do you good, really. That is enough for now.

Anna Matranga, CBS

Marie Collins said, after you met her during your meeting with victims, that she spoke directly with you about former Cardinal McCarrick. She said that you were very harsh in your condemnation of McCarrick. I wanted to ask you: when did you first hear about the abuses committed by the former cardinal?

Pope Francis

This is part of the statement on McCarrick: study it and then I will say something. But since I had not read it yesterday, I did want to speak clearly with Marie Collins and the group [of victims] in the meeting that lasted for a good hour and a half, and which I found very painful. But I think it was necessary to listen to those eight people; from this meeting emerged the proposal  which I made, and which they accepted and helped me to carry out  to ask forgiveness today in the Mass, but for concrete things. For example, the last, which I had never heard: those mothers  in what was called the womens laundry  when a woman became pregnant out of wedlock, she would be sent to a hospital or an institution, I forget what it was called ... but it was run by sisters and then they gave the children up for adoption. And there were children at that time, who tried to find their mothers to know if they were alive, they did not know... and they told them it was a mortal sin to do this; and also to mothers who were looking for their children; they also told them that it was a mortal sin. So I ended today by saying that it is not a mortal sin; it is [about] the fourth commandment. And some of the things I have said today I did not know beforehand, and it was painful for me, but with the consolation of being able to help clarify these things. And I am waiting for your comment on that document; I would like to hear it! Thank you.

Greg Burke

Thank you, Holy Father. Now Cecile Chambraud of Le Monde

Cecile Chambraud, Le Monde

Good evening, Holy Father. I hope you dont mind if I ask my question in Spanish but I ask that you answer in Italian for all my colleagues. In your address to the Irish authorities, you referred to your recent Letter to the People of God. In that Letter, you invited all Catholics to take part in the fight against abuse in the Church. Can you explain to us concretely what Catholics can do, each in their own way, to fight against abuse? In this regard, in France, a priest has written a petition calling for the resignation of Cardinal Barbarin, accused by victims. Do you think this initiative is adequate or not?

Pope Francis

If there are suspicions, or proofs or even half-proofs, I see no problem in conducting an investigation, but always based on the fundamental legal principle: Nemo malus nisi probetur, one is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Frequently there is the temptation not only to investigate, but to publish that an investigation was carried out and the reason..., and so some media  not yours, I dont think  begin to create a climate of guilt. And I would like to mention something that happened recently, which will help in this, because for me it is important how one proceeds and how the media can help. Three years ago, more or less, the issue of so-called paedophile priests came up in Granada  a small group of seven, eight or ten priests, who were accused of abuse of minors and of holding parties, orgies and such things. I received the accusation directly in a letter sent by a twenty-three year old man, who claimed to have been abused; he gave names and details. He was a young man who was working in a very prestigious religious school in Granada; the letter was perfectly written... And he asked me what he should do to report it. I replied: Go to the Archbishop, the Archbishop will know what you should do. The Archbishop did everything he was supposed to do, the matter even went to the civil court. There were two trials. The local media began to talk, and talk Three days later the words paedophile priests, and similar expressions, appeared all over the parish, and so there was a sense that these priests were criminals. Seven of them were interviewed, and nothing was found; in three cases the investigation went ahead, they remained in custody for five days, two days, and one day  Father Roman, who was the parish priest  for seven days. For almost three years they suffered the hatred and insults of everyone: they were criminalized, they werent able to go out, and they suffered humiliations during the jurys attempt to prove the young mans accusations, which I do not dare to repeat here. After three years and more, the jury declared the priests innocent, all of them innocent, but above all these three  the others were already out of the case  and the accuser guilty. Because they had seen that that young man had quite an imagination; he was very intelligent and was working in a Catholic school, and thus had a certain prestige which gave the impression that he was telling the truth. He was sentenced to pay the costs and all that, and they were innocent. These men were condemned by the media rather than by the justice system. For this reason, your work is very sensitive: you have to follow things; you have to speak about things, but always with this legal presumption of innocence, and not the legal presumption of guilt! And there is a difference between a reporter, who provides information about a case without deciding the matter beforehand, and the detective, who plays Sherlock Holmes, with the presumption that everyone is guilty. When we look at Hercule Poirots method, we see that, for him, everyone was guilty. But that is the job of a detective. They are two different roles. But reporters must always start from the presumption of innocence, stating their own impressions, doubts..., but without condemning. This case that occurred in Granada is, for me, an example that will do us all good, in our [respective] professions.

Greg Burke

In the first part [of the preceding question], she asked what the people of God could do in this regard

Pope Francis

Yes. When you see something, speak up at once. I will say something else, a bit unpleasant. Sometimes it is the parents who cover up the abuse by a priest. Often you see this in the sentences. [They say,] But no They dont believe it, or they convince themselves that it is not true, and the boy or girl is left like that. I usually speak to one or two persons a week, by and large, and I spoke to one person, a lady, who had suffered from this scourge of silence for forty years because her parents had not believed her. She had been abused when she was eight years old. Speaking out, this is important. True, for a mother, to see this, It would be better that it were not true, and so she thinks that maybe the child has imagined it [But there is a need] to speak up. To speak with the right persons, speak with those who can begin a judgment, at least a prior investigation. To speak with the judge or the bishop, or if the parish priest is good, to speak with the parish priest. This is the first thing that the people of God can do. These things must not be covered up. A psychiatrist told me some time ago  but I dont want this to be offensive to women  that out of their maternal sense women are inclined to cover up matters affecting the child than men. I dont know if its true or not But this is: to speak up. Thank you.

Greg Burke

From the Spanish group there is Javier Romero of Reme Reports TV.

Javier Romero

Holiness, I would like to ask you two questions. The first is that the Prime Minister of Ireland, who was very pointed in his speech, is proud of a new model of family that differs from the one that the Church has traditionally proposed up to now: I am speaking of homosexual marriage. And this is perhaps one of the models that generates the most tension, especially in the case of Catholic families when one of the members of the family declares that he or she is homosexual. Holiness, the first question I would like to ask you is: what do you think, what would you like to say to a father whose son says he is homosexual and wants to go to live with his companion. This is the first question. The second, and you also spoke about in this in your address with the Prime Minister, is abortion; we have seen how Ireland has changed greatly in recent years and it seems that the Minister was satisfied with these changes, one of which was abortion. We have seen that in recent months, in recent years, the question of abortion has been raised in many countries, including Argentina, your own country. How do you feel when you see that this is a subject on which you speak out often, and there are many countries where it is allowed

Pope Francis

I see. Ill begin with the second, but there are two points  thank you for this  because they are tied to the questions we are discussing. On abortion, you know what the Church thinks. The issue of abortion is not a religious issue: we are not opposed to abortion for religious reasons. No. It is a human issue and has to be addressed as such. To consider abortion starting from religion is to step over [that realm of] thought. The abortion question has to be studied from an anthropological standpoint. There is always the anthropological question of how ethical it is to eliminate a living being in order to resolve a problem. This is the real issue. I would only emphasize this: I never allow the issue of abortion to be discussed starting with religion. No. It is an anthropological problem, a human problem. This is my thinking.

Second. There have always been homosexuals and persons with homosexual tendencies. Always. The sociologists say, but I dont know if its true, that at times of epochal change certain social and ethical phenomena increase, and that this would be one of them. This is the opinion of some sociologists. Your question is clear: what would I say to a father who sees his son or daughter has that tendency. I would tell him first of all to pray. Pray. Dont condemn, [but] dialogue, understand, make room for his son or daughter. Make room for them to say what they have to say. Then too, at what age does this concern of the child become evident? This is important. It is one thing when it shows up in childhood when there are so many things that one can do to see how the matter stands; it is another when it is shows up at twenty years of age or so. But I would never say that silence is the answer; to ignore a son or daughter with a homosexual tendency is not good parenthood. You are my son, you are my daughter, just as you are. I am your father or your mother, lets talk about this. And if you, as a father or mother, cant deal with this on your own, ask for help, but always in dialogue, always in dialogue. Because that son and daughter has a right to family, and their family is this family, just as it is. Do not throw them out of family. This is a serious challenge for parenthood. Thank you for the question.

Greg Burke

Thank you, Holy Father.

Pope Francis

Now, I would like to say something for the Irish who are with us. I found great faith in Ireland. Great faith. True, the Irish people have suffered greatly because of the scandals. But there is faith in Ireland, and strong faith. Also, the Irish people know how to distinguish, and here I would repeat something I heard today from a bishop. The Irish people know how to distinguish between truths and half-truths: deep down they have this ability. True, they are in a process of working things out, of healing from this scandal. True, some are becoming open to positions that seem increasingly distant from the faith. But the Irish people have a deeply rooted and strong faith. I want to say this, because it is what I saw, what I heard and what I learned in these two days.

Thank you for your work, thank you very much! And please pray for me.

Greg Burke

Thank you. Have a good dinner and a good rest.
EUROPEAN THEATER DAY



Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum Saturday, September 1 | 10 a.m. Doors OpenFlying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum EVENT DAY  On Saturday, September 1 from 10 a.m.  3 p.m., join the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum at Paine Field in Everett, Washington for a fun and exciting day of flying and vehicle demonstrations from the machines that operated during WWII. Bring the entire family for a history lesson come to life! Alongside an preformance from rare WWII aircraft, FHCAM is excited to announce the unveiling of several new additions to its ranks at this event including Sherman the Bulldog who will be the museums mascot, a kids club program for youth ages 11 and under, and a BMW R75 WWII motorcycle and sidecar. Sherman the Bulldog will be unveiled during the 11 a.m. vehicle show and will be interacting with guests throughout the afternoon. Tied to the mascot is a new kids club program which puts kids in the center of history with exclusive opportunities to get up close with artifacts, participate in exclusive museum deals, and much more. This event will be the first opportunity parents have to sign their kids up for this exclusive club. Upon sign-up kids will receive a kids club card, a helicopter toy, and special museum button. What else is happening at this event? A fully restored and picture-ready, BMW R75 motorcycle will be on static display for guests to enjoy throughout the day. This exciting and rare piece of history is a remnant of the German WWII motorcycle force. More information can be found below on this artifact. At this event, the museum is thrilled in welcome guest speaker and WWII Veteran, Dwight Stevens. WWII B-17 Pilot Stevens will share his many experiences flying with the U.S. Army Air Force, 95th Bomb Group, based out of Horham, England. Dwight flew more than thirty missions throughout Europe, over Germany, and was selected to fly co-pilot beside General Keller on a Special Mission to Russia. They were hit sixty times in the fusel lodge before landing in Poultava, Ukraine. Yet that was not the only time Dwights aircraft had to limp back to a friendly base. Educational and entertaining, Dwight will leave a lasting impression of the hardships of war fought in the skies. Event Schedule:

10:00 AM Event Opens

10:00 AM to Close Kids Craft Activities, Face Painting, Gaming, Food Vendors, Booth Vendors, Disneys Plane

11:00 AM Vehicle Show

12:00 PM Special Guest Speaker: Dwight Stevens

1:00 PM Flying Demonstration

2:00 PM Pilot Signing (meet the pilots and get autographs)

3:00 PM Event Ends

5:00 PM Museum Closes Important Highlights

Tank and military vehicle display

Kids activities include: Blow up soccer darts, crafts, World of Tanks gaming stations, stilt walkers, face painting

Special Guest Speaker : Dwight Stevens will talk about his time at a B-17 Pilot in WWII

: Dwight Stevens will talk about his time at a B-17 Pilot in WWII Sherman the Bulldog, FHCAMs Kids Club and the BMW R75 Motorcycle Unveiled

Vehicles : 8 Ton German 1/2 Track, Kettenkraftrad Sd. Kfz.2., Jagdpanzer 38(t) (Hetzer), KMDB (Main Design Bureau) T-34/85, Sherman Tank

: 8 Ton German 1/2 Track, Kettenkraftrad Sd. Kfz.2., Jagdpanzer 38(t) (Hetzer), KMDB (Main Design Bureau) T-34/85, Sherman Tank Planes : North American B-25J Mitchell, North American P-51D Mustang, de Havilland D.H98 Mosquito, Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vc, Messerschmitt Bf 109

: North American B-25J Mitchell, North American P-51D Mustang, de Havilland D.H98 Mosquito, Supermarine Spitfire Mk. Vc, Messerschmitt Bf 109 Catch a special showing of Disneys Planes in the FHCAM movie theater

ABOUT FLYING HERITAGE & COMBAT ARMOR MUSEUM

The aircraft, vehicles and artifacts in the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum are rare treasures of military technology  a testament to the eras engineering skill and humanitys spirit during the world conflicts of the 20th century. On rotation in our working hangar are military artifacts from the United States, Britain, Germany, Soviet Union and Japan, acquired by Paul G. Allen and restored with unparalleled authenticity to share with the public. The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to educating people about rare historic aircraft and artifacts.

ABOUT THE R75 BWM MOTORCYCLE

The German army had one of the worlds largest motorcycle forces of World War II. In order to stay speedy and mobile, combat units used two and three-wheeled vehicles for courier duty, scouting the enemy, hunting tanks, towing light cannons, and transporting fast-moving infantry units. Military motorcyclists had a dangerous job. They were magnets for sniper fire, landmines, and strafing aircraft. Atop their small unarmored machines, the riders were also exposed to gunfire, shrapnel, and the elements.

The BMW R75 was one of Germanys most popular and universally-used motorcycles. Developed specially for combat, the R75 was extremely hearty and dependable, even in the sands of North Africa and the muddy and snowy environs of the Eastern Front. With a place for up to three soldiers, the R75s side car had an axel-driven third wheel affixed to the rear wheel of the motorcycle. Many were equipped with a mount for an MG34 air-cooled machine gun. The vehicles horizontally-opposed 2-cylinder engine and resilient gearbox allowed the R75 to crawl over rough terrain for hours or move at reasonably fast speeds on roads. Over 16,500 examples of the BMW R75 were built.

EVENT LOCATION

Parking and Shuttle services is available at Rockwell Collins located at 11404 Commando Rd, Everett, WA 98204. The first shuttle begins operating at 9:45 a.m. and the last shuttle departs the museum at 4 p.m. ADA and media parking is available at FHCAM located at: 3407 109th St SW, Everett, WA 98204.
past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 (4) May 23 (6) May 22 (6) May 21 (4) May 20 (7) May 19 (9) May 18 (4) May 17 (6) May 16 (5) May 15 (7) May 14 (3) May 13 (3) May 12 (9) May 10 (3) May 09 (7) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (5) May 05 (8) May 03 (9) May 02 (1) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (5) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (8) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (5) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (1) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (2) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (2) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (3) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (2) Apr 03 (3) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (7) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (6) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (10) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (5) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (5) Mar 17 (4) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (7) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (8) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (12) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (8) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (8) Feb 28 (7) Feb 27 (5) Feb 26 (6) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (6) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (3) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (2) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (3) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (6) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (6) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (2) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (8) Jan 30 (2) Jan 29 (4) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (4) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (2) Jan 20 (2) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (2) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (6) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 05 (5) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (1) Dec 31 (5) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (2) Dec 17 (1) Dec 16 (4) Dec 15 (2) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (5) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (4) Dec 05 (1) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (3) Dec 02 (5) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (5) Nov 29 (10) Nov 28 (6) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (6) Nov 19 (2) Nov 18 (5) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (3) Nov 15 (2) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (4) Nov 10 (5) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (9) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (6) Oct 22 (4) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (4) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (4) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (1) Oct 06 (10) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (1) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (5) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (6) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (6) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (5) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (8) Sep 05 (6) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (5) Aug 31 (8) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (6) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (7) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (4) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (7) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (8) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (4) Aug 08 (8) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (8) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (10) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (10) Jul 14 (7) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (7) Jul 10 (5) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (4) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (7) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (5) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (4) Jun 15 (3) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (8) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (10) Jun 05 (14) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (6) Jun 02 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (7) May 30 (2) May 29 (7) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (4) May 25 (5) May 24 (4) May 23 (5) May 22 (5) May 21 (5) May 20 (3) May 19 (10) May 18 (6) May 17 (3) May 16 (6) May 15 (2) May 14 (3) May 13 (5) May 11 (1) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (4) May 07 (2) May 06 (4) May 05 (6) May 04 (5) May 03 (5) May 02 (1) May 01 (6) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (7) Apr 28 (8) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (14) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (1) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (1) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (1) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (6) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (9) Mar 26 (4) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (10) Mar 22 (9) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (11) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (3) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (6) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (3) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (5) Mar 08 (6) Mar 07 (13) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (6) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (5) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (9) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (4) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (5) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (9) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (10) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (8) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (5) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (7) Jan 26 (8) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (6) Jan 23 (5) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (6) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (12) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (8) Jan 12 (6) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (7) Jan 09 (4) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (9) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (8) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (4) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (5) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (1) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (10) Dec 13 (7) Dec 12 (12) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (6) Dec 08 (7) Dec 07 (12) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (13) Dec 04 (6) Dec 02 (8) Dec 01 (8) Nov 30 (6) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (4) Nov 26 (8) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (11) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (7) Nov 17 (6) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (5) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (14) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (11) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (10) Nov 01 (8) Oct 31 (12) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (5) Oct 28 (5) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (13) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (8) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (11) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (5) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (10) Oct 12 (11) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (10) Oct 09 (7) Oct 08 (5) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (14) Oct 04 (9) Oct 03 (12) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (9) Sep 30 (5) Sep 29 (7) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (10) Sep 21 (12) Sep 20 (12) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (11) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (8) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (10) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (9) Sep 07 (8) Sep 06 (11) Sep 05 (2) Sep 04 (8) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (9) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (4) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (6) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (6) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (7) Aug 06 (7) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (11) Aug 02 (6) Aug 01 (9) Jul 31 (11) Jul 28 (7) Jul 27 (11) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (8) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (7) Jul 15 (4) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (5) Jul 06 (6) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (6) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (3) Jun 30 (8) Jun 29 (5) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (7) Jun 17 (4) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (4) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (6) Jun 09 (8) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (8) Jun 06 (7) Jun 05 (5) Jun 04 (7) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (9) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (8) May 30 (7) May 29 (5) May 28 (5) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (4) May 24 (3) May 23 (5) May 22 (2) May 21 (3) May 20 (7) May 19 (11) May 18 (1) May 17 (7) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (3) May 13 (4) May 12 (4) May 11 (11) May 10 (2) May 09 (6) May 08 (6) May 07 (2) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (5) May 03 (8) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (13) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (7) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (7) Apr 22 (9) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (6) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (2) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (6) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (9) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (4) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (6) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (8) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (10) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (6) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (4) Mar 12 (6) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (9) Feb 24 (11) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (7) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (6) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (2) Feb 12 (5) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (10) Feb 08 (9) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (9) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (7) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (6) Jan 28 (5) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (7) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (14) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (10) Jan 18 (11) Jan 17 (9) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (10) Jan 06 (8) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (9) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (5) Jan 01 (14) Dec 30 (13) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (5) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (7) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (5) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (9) Dec 16 (8) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (5) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (17) Dec 09 (8) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (10) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (7) Nov 30 (9) Nov 29 (6) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (15) Nov 24 (7) Nov 23 (15) Nov 22 (9) Nov 21 (6) Nov 20 (11) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (13) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (7) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (13) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (4) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (8) Nov 03 (9) Nov 02 (8) Nov 01 (6) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (6) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (15) Jul 15 (14) Jul 14 (5) Jul 13 (6) Jul 12 (12) Jul 11 (8) Jul 10 (3) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (10) Jul 05 (4) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (5) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (10) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (7) Jun 20 (3) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (11) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (7) Jun 13 (14) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (8) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (11) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (16) Jun 03 (8) Jun 02 (12) Jun 01 (5) May 31 (7) May 30 (15) May 28 (7) May 27 (5) May 26 (21) May 25 (14) May 24 (10) May 23 (7) May 22 (8) May 21 (11) May 20 (5) May 19 (4) May 18 (10) May 17 (11) May 16 (5) May 15 (6) May 14 (7) May 13 (12) May 12 (10) May 11 (7) May 10 (13) May 09 (4) May 08 (7) May 07 (3) May 06 (6) May 05 (9) May 04 (14) May 03 (7) May 02 (10) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (5) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (8) Apr 24 (6) Apr 23 (14) Apr 22 (16) Apr 21 (11) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (16) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (8) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (11) Apr 12 (10) Apr 11 (8) Apr 10 (12) Apr 09 (5) Apr 08 (13) Apr 07 (9) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (15) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (15) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (11) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (10) Mar 29 (8) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (12) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (8) Mar 24 (7) Mar 23 (15) Mar 22 (17) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (8) Mar 19 (4) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (19) Mar 15 (13) Mar 14 (7) Mar 13 (20) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (13) Mar 08 (13) Mar 07 (7) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (16) Mar 02 (16) Mar 01 (13) Feb 29 (8) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (16) Feb 26 (10) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (12) Feb 23 (14) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (8) Feb 19 (12) Feb 18 (12) Feb 17 (11) Feb 16 (8) Feb 15 (9) Feb 14 (7) Feb 13 (10) Feb 12 (11) Feb 11 (13) Feb 10 (5) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (13) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (7) Feb 02 (19) Jan 31 (21) Jan 29 (11) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (13) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (2) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (13) Jan 21 (11) Jan 20 (9) Jan 19 (13) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (11) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (13) Jan 13 (9) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (5) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (7) Jan 08 (7) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (7) Jan 04 (7) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (8) Jan 01 (5) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (9) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (1) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (6) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (7) Dec 19 (13) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (10) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (11) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (9) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (10) Dec 08 (13) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (12) Dec 05 (8) Dec 04 (11) Dec 03 (12) Dec 02 (16) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (11) Nov 28 (15) Nov 27 (16) Nov 26 (11) Nov 25 (9) Nov 24 (13) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (1) Nov 21 (7) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (11) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (10) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (10) Nov 13 (14) Nov 12 (8) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (11) Nov 06 (12) Nov 05 (17) Nov 04 (12) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (12) Oct 31 (11) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (10) Oct 28 (18) Oct 27 (16) Oct 26 (11) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (12) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (12) Oct 20 (17) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (15) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (10) Oct 14 (16) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (12) Oct 09 (21) Oct 08 (22) Oct 07 (19) Oct 06 (18) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (17) Oct 03 (13) Oct 02 (14) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (14) Sep 29 (15) Sep 28 (12) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (15) Sep 25 (13) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (10) Sep 22 (12) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (4) Sep 19 (12) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (16) Sep 16 (21) Sep 15 (14) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (10) Sep 11 (16) Sep 10 (7) Sep 09 (8) Sep 08 (10) Sep 07 (7) Sep 06 (5) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (9) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (4) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (10) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (14) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (3) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (13) Aug 20 (9) Aug 19 (13) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (8) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (12) Aug 11 (9) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (14) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (6) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (2) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (6) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (6) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (9) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (1) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (13) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (7) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (4) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (9) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (3) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (7) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (11) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (8) Jun 03 (9) Jun 02 (6) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (7) May 29 (9) May 28 (13) May 26 (8) May 25 (5) May 24 (2) May 23 (8) May 22 (9) May 21 (7) May 20 (4) May 19 (6) May 18 (7) May 17 (8) May 15 (9) May 14 (5) May 13 (8) May 12 (6) May 11 (6) May 09 (7) May 08 (6) May 07 (11) May 06 (7) May 05 (4) May 04 (11) May 03 (5) May 02 (4) May 01 (9) Apr 30 (6) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (9) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (3) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (10) Apr 22 (8) Apr 21 (9) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (4) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (7) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (6) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (6) Apr 10 (2) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (5) Apr 07 (5) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (7) Apr 02 (7) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (1) Mar 28 (2) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (2) Mar 25 (5) Mar 24 (4) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (4) Mar 21 (6) Mar 20 (9) Mar 19 (9) Mar 18 (8) Mar 17 (9) Mar 16 (7) Mar 15 (11) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (12) Mar 11 (9) Mar 10 (12) Mar 09 (4) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (5) Mar 05 (5) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (11) Mar 02 (5) Mar 01 (8) Feb 27 (9) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (8) Feb 24 (6) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (3) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (3) Feb 19 (10) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (7) Feb 16 (5) Feb 15 (2) Feb 14 (8) Feb 13 (12) Feb 12 (8) Feb 11 (10) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (6) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (2) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (11) Feb 03 (5) Feb 02 (7) Feb 01 (4) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (12) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (8) Jan 26 (13) Jan 24 (8) Jan 23 (12) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (10) Jan 20 (8) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (11) Jan 14 (4) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (6) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (6) Jan 06 (4) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (3) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (5) Dec 23 (7) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (4) Dec 20 (4) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (8) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (9) Dec 15 (7) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (10) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (10) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (5) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (9) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (10) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (1) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (9) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (7) Nov 25 (12) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (4) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (6) Nov 18 (10) Nov 17 (12) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (12) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (7) Nov 09 (6) Nov 08 (5) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (9) Nov 03 (6) Nov 02 (14) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (9) Oct 27 (3) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (8) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (2) Oct 19 (11) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (7) Oct 15 (7) Oct 14 (8) Oct 13 (5) Oct 12 (8) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (5) Oct 09 (11) Oct 08 (10) Oct 07 (8) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (8) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (10) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (7) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (5) Sep 27 (8) Sep 26 (11) Sep 25 (11) Sep 24 (15) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (4) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (10) Sep 17 (10) Sep 16 (5) Sep 15 (5) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (5) Sep 11 (8) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (7) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (2) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (7) Sep 02 (7) Sep 01 (2) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (5) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (9) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (12) Aug 19 (8) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (4) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (6) Aug 14 (4) Aug 13 (7) Aug 12 (8) Aug 11 (7) Aug 10 (12) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (6) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (8) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (4) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (6) Jul 30 (12) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (8) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (8) Jul 20 (6) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (8) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (9) Jul 13 (10) Jul 11 (9) Jul 10 (8) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (7) Jul 07 (7) Jul 06 (7) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (15) Jun 26 (10) Jun 25 (9) Jun 24 (16) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (12) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (7) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (13) Jun 12 (7) Jun 11 (14) Jun 10 (3) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (16) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (18) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (8) May 31 (3) May 30 (6) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (6) May 23 (4) May 22 (8) May 21 (5) May 20 (6) May 19 (2) May 18 (9) May 17 (1) May 16 (5) May 15 (5) May 14 (7) May 13 (7) May 12 (7) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (5) May 08 (10) May 07 (4) May 06 (13) May 05 (4) May 04 (10) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (9) Apr 29 (6) Apr 28 (3) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (9) Apr 24 (7) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (3) Apr 20 (10) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (5) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (6) Apr 15 (7) Apr 14 (11) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (9) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (6) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (6) Apr 05 (10) Apr 03 (9) Apr 02 (9) Apr 01 (12) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (7) Mar 27 (8) Mar 26 (8) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (11) Mar 23 (8) Mar 22 (7) Mar 21 (14) Mar 20 (6) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (11) Mar 17 (12) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (8) Mar 14 (13) Mar 13 (8) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (8) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (3) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (15) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (9) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (12) Mar 02 (20) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (8) Feb 26 (11) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (14) Feb 23 (5) Feb 22 (6) Feb 21 (8) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (8) Feb 16 (11) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (7) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (6) Feb 07 (5) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (10) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (3) Jan 30 (5) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (6) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (2) Jan 25 (5) Jan 24 (7) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (7) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (4) Jan 15 (3) Jan 14 (5) Jan 13 (4) Jan 12 (5) Jan 11 (3) Jan 10 (5) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (6) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (1) Jan 05 (4) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (3) Jan 02 (6) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (6) Dec 30 (1) Dec 29 (5) Dec 27 (1) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (8) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (1) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (8) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (4) Dec 10 (7) Dec 09 (5) Dec 08 (2) Dec 07 (5) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (9) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (2) Dec 01 (8) Nov 29 (5) Nov 28 (7) Nov 27 (5) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (5) Nov 23 (6) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (12) Nov 20 (12) Nov 19 (10) Nov 18 (4) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (8) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (7) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (12) Nov 11 (6) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (5) Nov 06 (5) Nov 05 (9) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (4) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (10) Oct 30 (4) Oct 29 (11) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (7) Oct 26 (7) Oct 25 (6) Oct 24 (7) Oct 23 (11) Oct 22 (2) Oct 21 (7) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (7) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (5) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (7) Oct 11 (20) Oct 10 (2) Oct 09 (4) Oct 08 (21) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (34) Oct 04 (24) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (3) Oct 01 (7) Sep 30 (3) Sep 29 (5) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (5) Sep 26 (6) Sep 25 (5) Sep 24 (2) Sep 23 (8) Sep 22 (4) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (9) Sep 19 (11) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (7) Sep 16 (6) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (7) Sep 13 (8) Sep 12 (11) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (6) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (3) Sep 07 (6) Sep 06 (10) Sep 05 (7) Sep 04 (7) Sep 03 (5) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (8) Aug 31 (5) Aug 30 (7) Aug 29 (10) Aug 28 (7) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (8) Aug 20 (8) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (7) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (4) Aug 12 (6) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (6) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (6) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (7) Jul 23 (10) Jul 22 (8) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (7) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (10) Jul 16 (11) Jul 15 (5) Jul 13 (5) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (11) Jul 10 (12) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (8) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (10) Jul 04 (8) Jul 03 (10) Jul 02 (12) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (5) Jun 29 (6) Jun 28 (23) Jun 27 (18) Jun 26 (12) Jun 25 (14) Jun 24 (15) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (15) Jun 20 (9) Jun 19 (8) Jun 18 (11) Jun 17 (7) Jun 16 (6) Jun 15 (6) Jun 14 (6) Jun 13 (5) Jun 12 (6) Jun 11 (9) Jun 10 (10) Jun 09 (9) Jun 08 (6) Jun 07 (2) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (4) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (4) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (3) May 30 (5) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (8) May 24 (7) May 23 (6) May 22 (9) May 21 (6) May 20 (5) May 19 (6) May 18 (9) May 17 (10) May 16 (11) May 15 (5) May 14 (11) May 13 (6) May 12 (7) May 11 (7) May 10 (5) May 09 (3) May 08 (10) May 07 (8) May 06 (11) May 05 (5) May 04 (9) May 03 (3) May 02 (2) May 01 (5) Apr 30 (5) Apr 29 (8) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (4) Apr 26 (9) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (11) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (7) Apr 19 (10) Apr 18 (8) Apr 17 (10) Apr 16 (8) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (5) Apr 13 (7) Apr 12 (11) Apr 11 (6) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (3) Apr 06 (9) Apr 05 (10) Apr 04 (7) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (6) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (3) Mar 30 (4) Mar 29 (3) Mar 28 (5) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (4) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (7) Mar 22 (6) Mar 21 (9) Mar 20 (5) Mar 19 (5) Mar 18 (9) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (8) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (10) Mar 12 (10) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (6) Mar 08 (4) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (7) Mar 03 (6) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (9) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (7) Feb 24 (3) Feb 23 (4) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (7) Feb 20 (4) Feb 19 (4) Feb 18 (2) Feb 17 (1) Feb 16 (6) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (5) Feb 13 (4) Feb 12 (7) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (2) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (5) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (4) Feb 05 (9) Feb 04 (3) Feb 03 (3) Feb 02 (10) Feb 01 (9) Jan 31 (5) Jan 30 (8) Jan 29 (5) Jan 28 (3) Jan 27 (4) Jan 26 (5) Jan 25 (6) Jan 24 (5) Jan 23 (4) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (3) Jan 20 (3) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (3) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (8) Jan 15 (7) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (1) Jan 12 (7) Jan 11 (1) Jan 10 (3) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (5) Jan 07 (4) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (4) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (5) Dec 28 (8) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (4) Dec 22 (7) Dec 21 (5) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (6) Dec 17 (4) Dec 16 (5) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (8) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (8) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (4) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (7) Dec 06 (7) Dec 05 (6) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (7) Dec 02 (1) Dec 01 (6) Nov 30 (2) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (16) Nov 27 (7) Nov 26 (5) Nov 25 (2) Nov 24 (6) Nov 23 (5) Nov 22 (5) Nov 21 (5) Nov 20 (15) Nov 19 (8) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (7) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (7) Nov 11 (8) Nov 10 (3) Nov 09 (5) Nov 08 (8) Nov 07 (9) Nov 06 (9) Nov 05 (1) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (8) Nov 02 (6) Nov 01 (3) Oct 31 (6) Oct 30 (7) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (8) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (1) Oct 22 (6) Oct 21 (1) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (10) Oct 17 (6) Oct 16 (15) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (1) Oct 09 (5) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (6) Oct 01 (6) Sep 30 (8) Sep 29 (6) Sep 28 (13) Sep 27 (10) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (8) Sep 24 (8) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (9) Sep 20 (7) Sep 19 (8) Sep 18 (4) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (8) Sep 14 (5) Sep 13 (7) Sep 12 (7) Sep 11 (9) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (10) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (15) Sep 04 (5) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (6) Sep 01 (9) Aug 31 (7) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (11) Aug 27 (2) Aug 26 (6) Aug 25 (15) Aug 24 (6) Aug 23 (8) Aug 22 (5) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (7) Aug 19 (2) Aug 18 (5) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (9) Aug 12 (4) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (7) Aug 07 (9) Aug 06 (4) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (9) Aug 01 (10) Jul 31 (11) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (11) Jul 27 (4) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (8) Jul 22 (5) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (6) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (7) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (8) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (14) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (5) Jul 07 (4) Jul 06 (9) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (5) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (3) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (8) Jun 25 (3) Jun 24 (5) Jun 23 (14) Jun 22 (11) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (7) Jun 18 (4) Jun 17 (3) Jun 16 (12) Jun 15 (12) Jun 14 (10) Jun 13 (10) Jun 12 (9) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (12) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (12) Jun 06 (6) Jun 05 (7) Jun 04 (6) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (4) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (4) May 30 (3) May 29 (8) May 28 (7) May 27 (4) May 26 (3) May 25 (5) May 24 (9) May 23 (16) May 22 (12) May 21 (11) May 20 (7) May 19 (10) May 18 (8) May 17 (8) May 16 (10) May 15 (8) May 14 (5) May 13 (1) May 12 (6) May 11 (9) May 10 (9) May 09 (10) May 08 (9) May 07 (6) May 06 (5) May 05 (7) May 04 (10) May 03 (7) May 02 (9) May 01 (10) Apr 30 (4) Apr 29 (9) Apr 28 (12) Apr 27 (9) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (5) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (4) Apr 22 (7) Apr 21 (8) Apr 20 (9) Apr 19 (6) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (10) Apr 14 (7) Apr 13 (5) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (7) Apr 09 (6) Apr 08 (7) Apr 07 (10) Apr 06 (8) Apr 05 (8) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (6) Apr 02 (4) Apr 01 (4) Mar 31 (11) Mar 30 (12) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (10) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (9) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (12) Mar 20 (14) Mar 19 (8) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (8) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (9) Mar 12 (6) Mar 11 (5) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (8) Mar 08 (10) Mar 07 (12) Mar 06 (6) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (8) Feb 29 (11) Feb 28 (5) Feb 27 (3) Feb 26 (13) Feb 25 (10) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (10) Feb 22 (9) Feb 21 (18) Feb 20 (6) Feb 19 (7) Feb 18 (9) Feb 17 (5) Feb 16 (9) Feb 15 (7) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (5) Feb 12 (6) Feb 11 (4) Feb 10 (8) Feb 09 (5) Feb 08 (8) Feb 07 (10) Feb 06 (7) Feb 05 (7) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (4) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (12) Jan 30 (7) Jan 29 (7) Jan 28 (7) Jan 27 (12) Jan 26 (7) Jan 25 (11) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (6) Jan 22 (8) Jan 21 (12) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (6) Jan 18 (6) Jan 17 (11) Jan 16 (9) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (6) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (9) Jan 10 (10) Jan 09 (5) Jan 08 (10) Jan 07 (5) Jan 06 (6) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (5) Jan 03 (8) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (10) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (10) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (5) Dec 24 (7) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (9) Dec 21 (8) Dec 20 (8) Dec 19 (5) Dec 18 (1) Dec 17 (5) Dec 16 (6) Dec 15 (5) Dec 14 (13) Dec 13 (8) Dec 12 (7) Dec 11 (9) Dec 10 (12) Dec 09 (7) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (9) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (10) Dec 04 (6) Dec 03 (8) Dec 02 (6) Dec 01 (14) Nov 30 (7) Nov 29 (8) Nov 28 (8) Nov 27 (6) Nov 26 (9) Nov 25 (10) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (10) Nov 20 (4) Nov 19 (4) Nov 18 (8) Nov 17 (9) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (12) Nov 14 (6) Nov 13 (9) Nov 12 (3) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (10) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (7) Nov 07 (8) Nov 06 (10) Nov 05 (8) Nov 04 (7) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (11) Nov 01 (10) Oct 31 (5) Oct 30 (8) Oct 29 (8) Oct 28 (8) Oct 27 (11) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (9) Oct 24 (10) Oct 23 (5) Oct 22 (14) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (8) Oct 19 (11) Oct 18 (13) Oct 17 (7) Oct 16 (6) Oct 15 (9) Oct 14 (7) Oct 13 (12) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (9) Oct 10 (8) Oct 09 (9) Oct 08 (7) Oct 07 (12) Oct 06 (8) Oct 05 (13) Oct 04 (11) Oct 03 (7) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (14) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (12) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (11) Sep 26 (7) Sep 25 (10) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (7) Sep 22 (8) Sep 21 (8) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (7) Sep 18 (5) Sep 17 (14) Sep 16 (7) Sep 15 (11) Sep 14 (13) Sep 13 (11) Sep 12 (9) Sep 11 (5) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (13) Sep 08 (11) Sep 07 (11) Sep 06 (16) Sep 05 (1) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (8) Sep 02 (8) Sep 01 (7) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (6) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (6) Aug 26 (8) Aug 25 (5) Aug 24 (5) Aug 23 (6) Aug 22 (7) Aug 21 (6) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (8) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (12) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (6) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (7) Jul 29 (13) Jul 28 (10) Jul 27 (6) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (7) Jul 24 (4) Jul 23 (12) Jul 22 (14) Jul 21 (6) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (12) Jul 18 (9) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (6) Jul 15 (8) Jul 14 (15) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (10) Jul 11 (6) Jul 10 (6) Jul 09 (6) Jul 08 (6) Jul 07 (9) Jul 06 (15) Jul 05 (6) Jul 04 (10) Jul 03 (6) Jul 02 (6) Jul 01 (11) Jun 30 (7) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (5) Jun 25 (11) Jun 24 (9) Jun 23 (10) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (8) Jun 20 (6) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (15) Jun 17 (8) Jun 16 (13) Jun 15 (15) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (6) Jun 12 (15) Jun 11 (7) Jun 10 (7) Jun 09 (18) Jun 08 (20) Jun 07 (17) Jun 06 (9) Jun 05 (9) Jun 04 (12) Jun 03 (13) Jun 02 (14) Jun 01 (8) May 31 (13) May 30 (8) May 29 (6) May 28 (8) May 27 (17) May 26 (8) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (9) May 22 (4) May 21 (4) May 20 (11) May 19 (14) May 18 (6) May 17 (10) May 16 (4) May 15 (5) May 14 (28) May 12 (9) May 11 (17) May 10 (15) May 09 (12) May 08 (5) May 07 (4) May 06 (10) May 05 (8) May 04 (10) May 03 (5) May 02 (6) May 01 (8) Apr 30 (8) Apr 29 (12) Apr 28 (6) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (12) Apr 25 (6) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (5) Apr 22 (10) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (13) Apr 19 (11) Apr 18 (11) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (11) Apr 14 (17) Apr 13 (6) Apr 12 (16) Apr 11 (10) Apr 10 (1) Apr 09 (18) Apr 08 (14) Apr 07 (6) Apr 06 (10) Apr 05 (21) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (13) Apr 01 (8) Mar 31 (10) Mar 30 (11) Mar 29 (10) Mar 28 (8) Mar 27 (6) Mar 26 (12) Mar 25 (15) Mar 24 (10) Mar 23 (12) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (8) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (11) Mar 18 (7) Mar 17 (7) Mar 16 (9) Mar 15 (10) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (14) Mar 11 (13) Mar 10 (7) Mar 09 (9) Mar 08 (17) Mar 07 (5) Mar 06 (7) Mar 05 (13) Mar 04 (10) Mar 03 (14) Mar 02 (12) Mar 01 (18) Feb 28 (8) Feb 27 (2) Feb 26 (9) Feb 25 (13) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (13) Feb 22 (12) Feb 21 (11) Feb 20 (11) Feb 19 (16) Feb 18 (17) Feb 17 (15) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (15) Feb 14 (10) Feb 13 (8) Feb 12 (10) Feb 11 (15) Feb 10 (11) Feb 09 (13) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (9) Feb 06 (6) Feb 05 (15) Feb 04 (15) Feb 03 (11) Feb 02 (14) Feb 01 (15) Jan 31 (11) Jan 30 (9) Jan 29 (19) Jan 28 (9) Jan 27 (9) Jan 26 (16) Jan 25 (19) Jan 24 (17) Jan 23 (8) Jan 22 (15) Jan 21 (9) Jan 20 (11) Jan 19 (7) Jan 18 (9) Jan 17 (6) Jan 16 (7) Jan 15 (12) Jan 14 (9) Jan 13 (14) Jan 12 (11) Jan 11 (13) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (20) Jan 07 (11) Jan 06 (11) Jan 05 (8) Jan 04 (14) Jan 03 (6) Jan 02 (7) Jan 01 (7) Dec 31 (14) Dec 30 (15) Dec 29 (7) Dec 28 (10) Dec 27 (4) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (11) Dec 24 (9) Dec 23 (9) Dec 22 (15) Dec 21 (12) Dec 20 (11) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (16) Dec 17 (6) Dec 16 (12) Dec 15 (14) Dec 14 (11) Dec 13 (10) Dec 12 (6) Dec 11 (10) Dec 10 (17) Dec 09 (11) Dec 08 (12) Dec 07 (16) Dec 06 (11) Dec 05 (5) Dec 04 (12) Dec 03 (15) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (12) Nov 30 (16) Nov 29 (7) Nov 28 (11) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (13) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (15) Nov 23 (10) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (4) Nov 20 (8) Nov 19 (9) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (11) Nov 16 (11) Nov 15 (10) Nov 14 (9) Nov 13 (6) Nov 12 (10) Nov 11 (12) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (10) Nov 07 (6) Nov 06 (7) Nov 05 (12) Nov 04 (14) Nov 03 (10) Nov 02 (13) Nov 01 (9) Oct 31 (9) Oct 30 (11) Oct 29 (18) Oct 28 (13) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (12) Oct 25 (14) Oct 24 (20) Oct 22 (18) Oct 21 (18) Oct 20 (19) Oct 19 (12) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (5) Oct 16 (18) Oct 15 (8) Oct 14 (11) Oct 13 (9) Oct 12 (13) Oct 11 (6) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (27) Oct 08 (14) Oct 07 (10) Oct 06 (9) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (10) Oct 03 (6) Oct 02 (9) Oct 01 (13) Sep 30 (12) Sep 29 (13) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (9) Sep 26 (8) Sep 25 (14) Sep 24 (4) Sep 23 (14) Sep 22 (20) Sep 21 (11) Sep 20 (6) Sep 19 (9) Sep 18 (14) Sep 17 (8) Sep 16 (17) Sep 15 (6) Sep 14 (11) Sep 13 (9) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (7) Sep 10 (14) Sep 09 (12) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (12) Sep 06 (13) Sep 05 (9) Sep 04 (20) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (16) Sep 01 (10) Aug 31 (13) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (9) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (8) Aug 26 (11) Aug 25 (10) Aug 24 (14) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (13) Aug 21 (10) Aug 20 (13) Aug 19 (15) Aug 18 (8) Aug 17 (10) Aug 16 (8) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (11) Aug 13 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (10) Aug 10 (17) Aug 09 (6) Aug 08 (13) Aug 07 (11) Aug 06 (13) Aug 05 (11) Aug 04 (11) Aug 03 (10) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (6) Jul 31 (10) Jul 30 (21) Jul 29 (14) Jul 28 (13) Jul 27 (16) Jul 26 (10) Jul 25 (15) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (15) Jul 21 (19) Jul 20 (17) Jul 19 (9) Jul 18 (7) Jul 17 (26) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (20) Jul 14 (16) Jul 13 (19) Jul 12 (11) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (13) Jul 09 (11) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (16) Jul 05 (9) Jul 04 (5) Jul 03 (15) Jul 02 (11) Jul 01 (14) Jun 30 (13) Jun 29 (19) Jun 28 (8) Jun 27 (9) Jun 26 (16) Jun 25 (22) Jun 24 (17) Jun 23 (11) Jun 22 (15) Jun 21 (14) Jun 20 (8) Jun 19 (17) Jun 18 (10) Jun 17 (10) Jun 16 (17) Jun 15 (13) Jun 14 (14) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (13) Jun 11 (15) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (10) Jun 08 (23) Jun 07 (14) Jun 06 (20) Jun 05 (10) Jun 04 (11) Jun 03 (12) Jun 02 (21) Jun 01 (14) May 31 (10) May 30 (14) May 29 (8) May 28 (23) May 27 (20) May 26 (16) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (10) May 22 (18) May 21 (14) May 20 (12) May 19 (18) May 18 (14) May 17 (13) May 16 (4) May 15 (7) May 14 (16) May 13 (13) May 12 (8) May 11 (18) May 10 (8) May 09 (7) May 08 (13) May 07 (11) May 06 (15) May 05 (18) May 04 (17) May 03 (7) May 02 (5) May 01 (11) Apr 30 (19) Apr 29 (21) Apr 28 (18) Apr 27 (16) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (11) Apr 24 (9) Apr 23 (20) Apr 22 (23) Apr 21 (5) Apr 20 (16) Apr 19 (13) Apr 18 (6) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (16) Apr 15 (18) Apr 14 (13) Apr 13 (14) Apr 12 (9) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (14) Apr 08 (12) Apr 07 (18) Apr 06 (7) Apr 05 (11) Apr 04 (9) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (16) Mar 31 (16) Mar 30 (22) Mar 29 (16) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (19) Mar 26 (31) Mar 25 (25) Mar 24 (26) Mar 23 (27) Mar 22 (22) Mar 21 (22) Mar 20 (13) Mar 19 (21) Mar 18 (20) Mar 17 (24) Mar 16 (18) Mar 15 (9) Mar 14 (9) Mar 13 (29) Mar 12 (15) Mar 11 (11) Mar 10 (11) Mar 09 (20) Mar 08 (12) Mar 07 (6) Mar 06 (21) Mar 05 (22) Mar 04 (19) Mar 03 (9) Mar 02 (20) Mar 01 (11) Feb 28 (11) Feb 27 (27) Feb 26 (15) Feb 25 (18) Feb 24 (17) Feb 23 (19) Feb 22 (24) Feb 21 (10) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (25) Feb 18 (16) Feb 17 (19) Feb 16 (23) Feb 15 (8) Feb 14 (11) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (16) Feb 11 (12) Feb 10 (18) Feb 09 (12) Feb 08 (14) Feb 07 (8) Feb 06 (27) Feb 05 (28) Feb 04 (24) Feb 03 (17) Feb 02 (20) Feb 01 (23) Jan 31 (16) Jan 30 (20) Jan 29 (26) Jan 28 (17) Jan 27 (21) Jan 26 (24) Jan 25 (16) Jan 24 (14) Jan 23 (16) Jan 22 (17) Jan 21 (19) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (17) Jan 18 (13) Jan 17 (14) Jan 16 (10) Jan 15 (21) Jan 14 (16) Jan 13 (19) Jan 12 (30) Jan 11 (14) Jan 10 (11) Jan 09 (8) Jan 08 (23) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (21) Jan 05 (15) Jan 04 (18) Jan 03 (9) Jan 02 (12) Jan 01 (15) Dec 31 (18) Dec 30 (7) Dec 29 (13) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (8) Dec 26 (6) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (28) Dec 23 (12) Dec 22 (12) Dec 21 (17) Dec 20 (19) Dec 19 (19) Dec 18 (22) Dec 17 (24) Dec 16 (17) Dec 15 (29) Dec 14 (22) Dec 13 (12) Dec 12 (22) Dec 11 (24) Dec 10 (25) Dec 09 (18) Dec 08 (15) Dec 07 (21) Dec 06 (24) Dec 05 (30) Dec 04 (28) Dec 03 (26) Dec 02 (22) Dec 01 (33) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (9) Nov 28 (18) Nov 27 (25) Nov 26 (17) Nov 25 (23) Nov 24 (27) Nov 23 (12) Nov 22 (10) Nov 21 (15) Nov 20 (23) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (24) Nov 17 (21) Nov 16 (20) Nov 15 (13) Nov 14 (15) Nov 13 (27) Nov 12 (23) Nov 11 (19) Nov 10 (21) Nov 09 (13) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (16) Nov 06 (32) Nov 05 (24) Nov 04 (20) Nov 03 (29) Nov 02 (12) Nov 01 (15) Oct 31 (20) Oct 30 (22) Oct 29 (27) Oct 28 (20) Oct 27 (23) Oct 26 (21) Oct 25 (15) Oct 24 (23) Oct 23 (26) Oct 22 (27) Oct 21 (28) Oct 20 (24) Oct 19 (13) Oct 18 (9) Oct 17 (30) Oct 16 (8) Oct 15 (20) Oct 14 (14) Oct 13 (17) Oct 12 (16) Oct 11 (8) Oct 10 (19) Oct 09 (22) Oct 08 (16) Oct 07 (18) Oct 06 (23) Oct 05 (7) Oct 04 (15) Oct 03 (21) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (22) Sep 30 (25) Sep 29 (20) Sep 28 (17) Sep 27 (13) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (15) Sep 24 (24) Sep 23 (23) Sep 22 (18) Sep 21 (20) Sep 20 (11) Sep 19 (24) Sep 18 (25) Sep 17 (25) Sep 16 (19) Sep 15 (21) Sep 14 (15) Sep 13 (10) Sep 12 (23) Sep 11 (23) Sep 10 (25) Sep 09 (25) Sep 08 (17) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (17) Sep 05 (14) Sep 04 (24) Sep 03 (16) Sep 02 (11) Sep 01 (19) Aug 31 (20) Aug 30 (11) Aug 29 (24) Aug 28 (24) Aug 27 (16) Aug 26 (26) Aug 25 (21) Aug 24 (15) Aug 23 (19) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (25) Aug 20 (27) Aug 19 (19) Aug 18 (24) Aug 17 (14) Aug 16 (10) Aug 15 (15) Aug 14 (16) Aug 13 (21) Aug 12 (30) Aug 11 (19) Aug 10 (8) Aug 09 (12) Aug 08 (17) Aug 07 (21) Aug 06 (26) Aug 05 (23) Aug 04 (21) Aug 03 (12) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (19) Jul 31 (21) Jul 30 (25) Jul 29 (29) Jul 28 (23) Jul 27 (17) Jul 26 (11) Jul 25 (21) Jul 24 (14) Jul 23 (15) Jul 22 (19) Jul 21 (15) Jul 20 (9) Jul 19 (10) Jul 18 (15) Jul 17 (22) Jul 16 (18) Jul 15 (21) Jul 14 (20) Jul 13 (7) Jul 12 (9) Jul 11 (29) Jul 10 (19) Jul 09 (17) Jul 08 (26) Jul 07 (21) Jul 06 (18) Jul 05 (14) Jul 04 (20) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (24) Jul 01 (23) Jun 30 (23) Jun 29 (18) Jun 28 (16) Jun 27 (16) Jun 26 (17) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (32) Jun 23 (29) Jun 22 (8) Jun 21 (17) Jun 20 (25) Jun 19 (28) Jun 18 (19) Jun 17 (25) Jun 16 (23) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (11) Jun 13 (14) Jun 12 (22) Jun 11 (19) Jun 10 (17) Jun 09 (15) Jun 08 (16) Jun 07 (7) Jun 06 (29) Jun 05 (27) Jun 04 (24) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (22) Jun 01 (13) May 31 (9) May 30 (26) May 29 (19) May 28 (15) May 27 (15) May 26 (23) May 25 (13) May 24 (12) May 23 (24) May 22 (13) May 21 (21) May 20 (18) May 19 (16) May 18 (7) May 17 (12) May 16 (25) May 15 (24) May 14 (23) May 13 (19) May 12 (17) May 11 (8) May 10 (6) May 09 (14) May 08 (21) May 07 (26) May 06 (14) May 05 (14) May 04 (3) May 03 (3) May 02 (24) May 01 (13) Apr 30 (15) Apr 29 (24) Apr 28 (24) Apr 27 (11) Apr 26 (8) Apr 25 (13) Apr 24 (27) Apr 23 (15) Apr 22 (21) Apr 21 (19) Apr 20 (17) Apr 19 (8) Apr 18 (20) Apr 17 (27) Apr 16 (27) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (8) Apr 13 (8) Apr 12 (7) Apr 11 (7) Apr 10 (22) Apr 09 (15) Apr 08 (15) Apr 07 (17) Apr 06 (14) Apr 05 (5) Apr 04 (12) Apr 03 (19) Apr 02 (17) Apr 01 (19) Mar 31 (25) Mar 30 (13) Mar 29 (9) Mar 28 (16) Mar 27 (23) Mar 26 (22) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (25) Mar 23 (16) Mar 22 (13) Mar 21 (24) Mar 20 (27) Mar 19 (20) Mar 18 (24) Mar 17 (17) Mar 16 (11) Mar 15 (6) Mar 14 (20) Mar 13 (28) Mar 12 (30) Mar 11 (20) Mar 10 (21) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (8) Mar 07 (17) Mar 06 (20) Mar 05 (19) Mar 04 (15) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (8) Mar 01 (12) Feb 28 (16) Feb 27 (17) Feb 26 (8) Feb 25 (23) Feb 24 (15) Feb 23 (8) Feb 22 (10) Feb 21 (24) Feb 20 (14) Feb 19 (24) Feb 18 (19) Feb 17 (27) Feb 16 (13) Feb 15 (11) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (13) Feb 12 (13) Feb 11 (21) Feb 10 (16) Feb 09 (15) Feb 08 (10) Feb 07 (17) Feb 06 (21) Feb 05 (17) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (23) Feb 02 (5) Feb 01 (8) Jan 31 (17) Jan 30 (22) Jan 29 (23) Jan 28 (10) Jan 27 (24) Jan 26 (12) Jan 25 (9) Jan 24 (12) Jan 23 (19) Jan 22 (19) Jan 21 (14) Jan 20 (21) Jan 19 (12) Jan 18 (8) Jan 17 (20) Jan 16 (14) Jan 15 (23) Jan 14 (8) Jan 13 (20) Jan 12 (9) Jan 11 (7) Jan 10 (18) Jan 09 (11) Jan 08 (18) Jan 07 (13) Jan 06 (12) Jan 05 (12) Jan 04 (11) Jan 03 (10) Jan 02 (9) Jan 01 (9) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (11) Dec 29 (6) Dec 28 (9) Dec 27 (13) Dec 26 (15) Dec 25 (8) Dec 24 (6) Dec 23 (8) Dec 22 (5) Dec 21 (6) Dec 20 (14) Dec 19 (17) Dec 18 (14) Dec 17 (14) Dec 16 (13) Dec 15 (9) Dec 14 (9) Dec 13 (11) Dec 12 (16) Dec 11 (18) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (24) Dec 08 (11) Dec 07 (19) Dec 06 (6) Dec 05 (26) Dec 04 (15) Dec 03 (20) Dec 02 (17) Dec 01 (11) Nov 30 (10) Nov 29 (18) Nov 28 (21) Nov 27 (10) Nov 26 (22) Nov 25 (16) Nov 24 (12) Nov 23 (8) Nov 22 (18) Nov 21 (9) Nov 20 (17) Nov 19 (16) Nov 18 (16) Nov 17 (5) Nov 16 (9) Nov 15 (21) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (20) Nov 12 (16) Nov 11 (13) Nov 10 (9) Nov 09 (10) Nov 08 (16) Nov 07 (15) Nov 06 (18) Nov 05 (19) Nov 04 (16) Nov 03 (11) Nov 02 (5) Nov 01 (17) Oct 31 (17) Oct 30 (21) Oct 29 (9) Oct 28 (16) Oct 27 (6) Oct 26 (6) Oct 25 (16) Oct 24 (18) Oct 23 (14) Oct 22 (17) Oct 21 (10) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (8) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (12) Oct 16 (14) Oct 15 (19) Oct 14 (15) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (10) Oct 10 (23) Oct 09 (13) Oct 08 (15) Oct 07 (20) Oct 06 (13) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (16) Oct 03 (17) Oct 02 (17) Oct 01 (20) Sep 30 (17) Sep 29 (9) Sep 28 (8) Sep 27 (14) Sep 26 (20) Sep 25 (19) Sep 24 (13) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (9) Sep 21 (5) Sep 20 (8) Sep 19 (21) Sep 18 (12) Sep 17 (20) Sep 16 (16) Sep 15 (10) Sep 14 (6) Sep 13 (18) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (24) Sep 10 (17) Sep 09 (16) Sep 08 (16) Sep 07 (10) Sep 06 (20) Sep 05 (13) Sep 04 (23) Sep 03 (14) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (11) Aug 31 (11) Aug 30 (13) Aug 29 (18) Aug 28 (14) Aug 27 (21) Aug 26 (10) Aug 25 (8) Aug 24 (10) Aug 23 (17) Aug 22 (15) Aug 21 (14) Aug 20 (20) Aug 19 (20) Aug 18 (7) Aug 17 (9) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (12) Aug 14 (14) Aug 13 (19) Aug 12 (14) Aug 11 (6) Aug 10 (12) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (18) Aug 07 (16) Aug 06 (16) Aug 05 (20) Aug 04 (12) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (12) Aug 01 (14) Jul 31 (16) Jul 30 (16) Jul 29 (11) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (9) Jul 26 (17) Jul 25 (20) Jul 24 (17) Jul 23 (11) Jul 22 (18) Jul 21 (7) Jul 20 (10) Jul 19 (14) Jul 18 (11) Jul 17 (15) Jul 16 (12) Jul 15 (10) Jul 14 (8) Jul 13 (8) Jul 12 (17) Jul 11 (18) Jul 10 (16) Jul 09 (13) Jul 08 (10) Jul 07 (12) Jul 06 (8) Jul 05 (16) Jul 04 (14) Jul 03 (17) Jul 02 (13) Jul 01 (16) Jun 30 (19) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (19) Jun 27 (21) Jun 26 (27) Jun 25 (23) Jun 24 (23) Jun 23 (12) Jun 22 (9) Jun 21 (18) Jun 20 (15) Jun 19 (24) Jun 18 (21) Jun 17 (13) Jun 16 (9) Jun 15 (9) Jun 14 (18) Jun 13 (24) Jun 12 (18) Jun 11 (23) Jun 10 (25) Jun 09 (24) Jun 08 (27) Jun 07 (5) Jun 06 (25) Jun 05 (30) Jun 04 (23) Jun 03 (22) Jun 02 (16) Jun 01 (17) May 31 (18) May 30 (19) May 29 (17) May 28 (23) May 27 (15) May 26 (10) May 25 (19) May 24 (16) May 23 (16) May 22 (27) May 21 (20) May 20 (26) May 19 (6) May 18 (8) May 17 (20) May 16 (8) May 15 (18) May 14 (5) May 13 (21) May 12 (9) May 11 (8) May 10 (12) May 09 (18) May 08 (11) May 07 (27) May 06 (12) May 05 (16) May 04 (19) May 03 (14) May 02 (18) May 01 (18) Apr 30 (25) Apr 29 (27) Apr 28 (11) Apr 27 (10) Apr 26 (18) Apr 25 (10) Apr 24 (29) Apr 23 (29) Apr 22 (14) Apr 21 (15) Apr 20 (20) Apr 19 (22) Apr 18 (16) Apr 17 (32) Apr 16 (12) Apr 15 (21) Apr 14 (21) Apr 13 (15) Apr 12 (13) Apr 11 (14) Apr 10 (16) Apr 09 (20) Apr 08 (36) Apr 07 (22) Apr 06 (11) Apr 05 (28) Apr 04 (20) Apr 03 (29) Apr 02 (32) Apr 01 (18) Mar 31 (12) Mar 30 (9) Mar 29 (15) Mar 28 (22) Mar 27 (24) Mar 26 (17) Mar 25 (17) Mar 24 (13) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (12) Mar 21 (15) Mar 20 (18) Mar 19 (19) Mar 18 (16) Mar 17 (10) Mar 16 (6) Mar 15 (18) Mar 14 (24) Mar 13 (18) Mar 12 (18) Mar 11 (17) Mar 10 (13) Mar 09 (12) Mar 08 (18) Mar 07 (25) Mar 06 (16) Mar 05 (16) Mar 04 (22) Mar 03 (17) Mar 02 (6) Mar 01 (23) Feb 29 (19) Feb 28 (25) Feb 27 (26) Feb 26 (23) Feb 25 (12) Feb 24 (13) Feb 23 (15) Feb 22 (26) Feb 21 (31) Feb 20 (12) Feb 19 (21) Feb 18 (15) Feb 17 (10) Feb 16 (15) Feb 15 (19) Feb 14 (15) Feb 13 (25) Feb 12 (20) Feb 11 (9) Feb 10 (7) Feb 09 (28) Feb 08 (20) Feb 07 (22) Feb 06 (20) Feb 05 (19) Feb 04 (14) Feb 03 (16) Feb 02 (28) Feb 01 (37) Jan 31 (27) Jan 30 (31) Jan 29 (18) Jan 28 (14) Jan 27 (10) Jan 26 (18) Jan 25 (26) Jan 24 (34) Jan 23 (21) Jan 22 (21) Jan 21 (18) Jan 20 (18) Jan 19 (18) Jan 18 (26) Jan 17 (24) Jan 16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1)
MOSCOW, August 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his televised address on Wednesday the retirement age for women should be 60 rather than 63.The retirement age for women should not increase more than for men. Thats why I believe it is necessary to reduce the increase in the retirement age for women proposed by the law from 8 to 5 years, Putin said.The president said the draft bill on the pension reform suggests increasing the retirement age for women by eight years and for men by five years. That wouldnt do, certainly. This is wrong, Putin said.
Focusing on the world of wines, beer, and spirits that we experience through our travels at WineCompass.com and theCompass Craft Beverage Finder.
Aug 30, 2018 | By Thomas

Material scientists from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) are analyzing metal and ceramic specimens at the atomic level using state-of-the-art 3D imaging atom probe technology. This research aims to understand the interior structure of materials for a next-generation body armor system to keep troops safe.

To get an idea of the size they're working with, imagine the width of a hair. The samples are a thousand times smaller than a human hair.

"The atom probe gives us a 3-D reconstruction at the atomic level," said Dr. Chad Hornbuckle, a materials scientist with the laboratory's Weapons and Materials Research Directorate. "When you see the reconstruction that's made up of millions of dots, the dots are actually individual atoms."

Hornbuckle said the technology sets the standard for accuracy in chemistry. "It's basically the only machine in the world that can do this at the atomic level. There are machines, like transmission electron microscopes, or TEMs, that do chemical analysis, but it is not as accurate as this."

The experiments also require consistency. "You might have one effect one time, but if the chemistry changes, you get a completely different effect the next time," he said. "If you can't control the chemistry, you can't control the properties."

Researchers prepare samples of metal and ceramic for analysis by creating really sharp tips through sandblasting, or milling. Then the chemical element gallium is applied using a dual beam scanning electron microscope. Once the samples are ready, they are inserted into the atom probe.

The interior of the probe is a super cold vacuum. Using a laser, or a voltage pulse, the scientists ionize the atoms on the small tip causing the individual ions to field evaporate from the surface. Then the evaporated ions are analyzed and identified, which results in a 3D model at near-atomic spatial resolution.

"I can give you one specific example of how it's helped our research," said Dr. Denise Yin, a postdoctoral fellow at the lab and graduate of Lehigh University. "We were electrodepositing copper in a magnetic field and we found a chemical phase using the atom probe that didn't otherwise show up in conventional electrodeposition.

Electrodeposition is a process that creates a thin metal coating.

We were having problems identifying this phase using other methods, but the atom probe told us exactly what it was and how it was distributed."

The machine's capability is impressive, she said.

"You can see the atoms show up in real time," Yin said. "Again, it's at the nanometer scale, so it's much finer than all the other characterization techniques. The atom probe told us quite easily that the unknown phase was two different types of a copper hydride phase, and that's not something that we could have detected using those other methods."

The kind of atom probe the Army uses is one of only a handful found in the US.

Images: US Army photos by David McNally

Since there are a limited number of atom probes, universities are also bringing their own samples for analysis.

"One university that we collaborate with is Lehigh University," said Hornbuckle. "At first, this collaboration was more of a mutual exchange of expertise, where I analyzed some of their samples in the atom probe and they used their aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope to analyze some of our copper-tantalum sample. We now have a cooperative agreement with them to continue this collaboration."

The partnership with Lehigh delivered important results. "I actually ran a nickel-tungsten alloy that was electrodeposited for them and identified and quantified the presence of low atomic number elements such as oxygen and sodium," Hornbuckle said. "This resulted in one research journal article with several more in preparation."

Hornbuckle said the Army is also working with the University of Alabama on atomic-level analysis.

"They have a different version of the atom probe," he said. "They have run some our alloys in their version and ours to compare the differences noted in the same material. This material is actually being scaled up through a number of processes that are relevant to the Army."

This collaboration also resulted in numerous research journal articles, Hornbuckle said. "We also have a partnership with them."

Another university collaborating with the Army with is Texas A&M.

"I have analyzed a few nickel-titanium alloys that had been 3D printed," Hornbuckle said. "They noticed some nanoscale precipitates within the 3-D printed materials, but were unable to identify them with their TEM. I am trying to determine the chemistry of the phase using the atom probe, which should help to identify it."

These partnerships give the Army access to university laboratory equipment. The fundamental knowledge gained through this research will be then applied to current Army problems and in the development to future Army relevant materials.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

Source: US Army

Maybe you also like:









Jin wrote at 9/2/2018 1:34:56 AM:HAHA Just going to say the pictures for this article above really looks like something out of a Jurassic Park or sci-fi movie






Cannabis Opportunity Grows into Recreational Market

Sydney, Aug 30, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Anti-counterfeit and customer engagement solutions provider YPB Group Ltd ( ASX:YPB ) is pleased to announce that its channel partner in the legal cannabis industry, Namaste Technologies ( CVE:N ), has released its recreational cannabis market strategy to the TSX Venture Exchange.- Partner Namaste launches recreational market strategy- Cannabis confirmed powered by YPB integral to plan- Global legal market size expected to reach USD 146.4 billion by end of 2025YPB is integral to Namaste's plans and the move into recreational cannabis by Namaste magnifies the opportunity for YPB. The U.S. legal marijuana market size was estimated at USD 7.06 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.9% from 2017 to 2025(see Note below). Medical marijuana was the largest marijuana type segment in 2016 and is estimated to be valued at USD 100.03 billion by 2025(see Note below).Namaste is a global leader in the sale of all elements of medical cannabis consumption and aspires to become the world's "one stop shop" of the cannabis industry. Namaste has nine offices with multiple distribution centres around the globe and operates 32 websites under various brands in 20 countries. Namaste's e-commerce sites have over 600,000 monthly visits and a database of 1.5 million users and are growing rapidly. Its market capitalisation is approximately CND500 million.In Canada, Namaste has built a fully integrated e-commerce hub whereby patients can be seamlessly connected to doctors and a range of high quality cannabis products, cannabis cultivators (both domestic and international), cannabis brands and cannabis consumption systems. Namaste will now extend this capability into the recreational cannabis market which is expected to be legalised by the Canadian Federal Parliament in October 2018. Namaste's ambition is to become the Amazon of cannabis, the central hub in a well controlled, safe environment that aids regulators in keeping the cannabis supply chain free of criminal elements.Central to Namaste's strategy is ensuring the integrity of the whole industry from producers to consumers and regulators. The core of Namaste's integrity drive is offering certainty of authenticity to consumers, including provenance visibility and supply chain security, and to allow producers to engage closely with their consumers. To that end YPB and Namaste recently launched Cannabis Confirmed which is driving to become the global standard for cannabis authenticity and supply chain integrity. YPB's solutions provide the technology backbone and Namaste brings unparalleled market access. ( http://www.cannabisconfirmed.com ).The scope of the opportunity and the centrality of YPB to Namaste's ambitions is best conveyed to shareholders via the following extracts from Namaste's release:..... Namaste is extremely confident that many of its technology assets will lend themselves to improving the security and distribution of recreational cannabis online and in provincially operated dispensaries. Namaste's platforms, including its exclusive partnership with YPB Group Ltd. ("YPB") ( ASX:YPB ), have the potential to provide far superior authentication and security for provincially approved cannabis products. In addition, the Company's age and identity verification, with exclusive rights to its facial recognition technology, could help provide a much safer protocol for online retail platforms...... Namaste has also identified the need for its global customers to have confidence in the products they are purchasing, and for vendors to have access to granular data on their end-users. As such, Namaste has introduced YPB's solutions across its network of manufacturers, including Canadian Licensed Producers, to help bring certainty of authenticity and supply chain transparency to the entire legal cannabis industry globally. This coalition furthers Namaste's agenda in providing leading technology platforms for its global marketplace and for enhancing the user experience for its customers...... there is little doubt that this technology brings value to those who adopt YPB's technology. Namaste believes YPB's technology could provide a far superior solution to all provinces, especially considering the Ontario Provincial Governments decision regarding online dispensaries. The use of product QR codes would allow those who adopt the technology the ability to not only verify the authenticity of a cannabis product being provincially approved, but also provide valuable product information, including strain data and origin.Namaste will be initiating the development of a private-label line of cannabis products through its Licensed Producer partners that will include a unique offering of premium strains and products that will be targeted to both medical and recreational markets. By securing numerous agreements with a multitude of Licensed Producers, Namaste has successfully guaranteed its supply channel on a going forward basis, and pending approval of Cannmart's sales license, the Company is well positioned to launch its fully-integrated marketplace by introducing cannabis sales into its online platform.The Company will be actively pursuing opportunities in online recreational cannabis sales within provinces that permit. Through its partnerships with Licensed Producers, Namaste will offer a comprehensive online platform for recreational cannabis including integration of its various technology components that will bring significant value to Namaste and its partners.YPB's Executive Chairman John Houston said: "We are working very actively with Namaste to secure the vacant position of authentication standard for the cannabis industry. Given Namaste's reach into all significant legal, or pending legal, cannabis markets the opportunity for YPB is genuinely global. Namaste is a dynamic group and together we are moving rapidly to capture centre stage and the very significant opportunity in the burgeoning legal cannabis market."Note:Source: Legal Marijuana Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type, By Product Type, By Medical Application And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025About Namaste TechnologiesListed on the TSX Venture Exchange and headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, Namaste is a global leader in the sale of all elements of medical cannabis consumption and aspires to become the world's "one stop shop" of the industry. Namaste has nine offices with multiple distribution centres around the globe and operates 32 websites under various brands in 20 countries.About YPB Group Ltd

DEACTIVATED


Bank Institution Codes and Scheme Participation

------------------------------------------------------------------ Status of Various Card and Payment Schemes ------------------------------------------------------------------ Visa Inc Australia : Principal Membership Applied Currently Tier 2 connected via NAB Europe : Principal Membership Granted Tier 1 connection by December 2018 Mastercard Australia : Principal Membership Granted Currently Tier 2 via NAB / Tier 1 by Mid 2019 Europe : Principal Membership Granted Tier 1 connection by December 2018 JCB Australia : Principal Membership application in progress Currently Tier 2 via NAB / Tier 1 by Mid 2019 Europe : Principal Membership Granted Tier 1 connection online and certified ChinaUnionPay Australia : Principal Membership Applied Tier 3 Connection via partners Europe : Principal Membership Applied Tier 3 Connection via partners Diners/Discover Australia : Principal Membership Applied No network connection at present Europe : Principal Membership in progress No network connection at present AMEX Australia : Principal Membership Granted Currently Tier 2 via NAB / Tier 1 by early 2019 Europe : Principal Membership in progress No network connection at present SEPA / BECS Australia : BECS Membership application in progress Currently Tier 2 EFT & BPAY via NAB Europe Scheme Participant Tier 1 connection by November 2018 SWIFT Australia : Participant / BIC Issued TBA Europe Participant / BIC Issued & connected Tier 1 connection by December 2018 ------------------------------------------------------------------

Melbourne, Aug 30, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australian Securities Exchange and Frankfurt Stock Exchange cross listed iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ( FRA:TA8 ), the deposit taking EEA authorised monetary financial institution with transactional banking capability (the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it is now a scheme member of the European Payments Council (EPC) Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA) Scheme. Participants in EU based schemes must first hold relevant regulatory authorisations, of which the Company holds an EEA Authorisation as a deposit taking eMoney Institution. The Company is in the process of an ADI class application with APRA for Australia.The Company advises that it has been issued the following Bank Institution Codes (BIC):- iSignthis eMoney Ltd (Cyprus) : ISEMCY22 > (SWIFT and EEA/EU SEPA Connected)- iSignthis eMoney (AU) Pty Ltd : ISEPAU31 > (to be connected to SWIFT and Australian EFT via own BSB Code post BECS membership)- iSignthis Ltd : ISIGAU31BIC is an international standard for unique identification of financial institutions, and are used as the 'address' to route funds from one bank to another, in particular across borders. In Australia, these are usually associated with international transfers and are sometimes known as 'SWIFT Codes'. Per the Company's announcement earlier today, its ISEMCY22 BIC is now connected to the SEPA framework, allowing banks participating in SEPA to route payments to accounts held with iSignthis using the ISEMCY22 BIC as the address.About iSignthis Ltd

iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions.

By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard.

iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia.

ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others.

Probanx Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of iSignthis Ltd, provides API based access to CORE Banking solutions, SEPA Core, SEPA Instant and SEPA business scheme, for neobanks, banks, credit unions and emoney institutions, and provides a bridge to the Eurosystem's Central Bank of Lithuania's CENTROLink service.


FY18 Results and Business Update

Sydney, Aug 30, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Regeneus Ltd ( ASX:RGS ) (Regeneus or the Company), a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company, is pleased to provide an overview of its results for the financial year ended 30 June 2018.- Significant progress on supporting AGC's future manufacture of Progenza to a commercial scale in Japan- Advanced discussions to secure a Japanese partner for the Phase 2 trial of Progenza and its clinical development and commercialisation in Japan- Positive results from Phase 1 Safety Trial of Progenza showing safety, pain reduction and disease modification in patients with knee osteoarthritis published in the Journal of Translational Medicine- US Patent to be granted for the composition, manufacture and use of Progenza- Progenza granted Europe's Advanced Therapy Medicinal Therapy (ATMT) classification, recognising it as a regenerative therapy within European Union's legal and regulatory framework- Sygenus delivers positive results in preclinical pain study, showing strong analgesic affect- Sygenus gel found to significantly reduce the appearance of acne lesions and significantly lighten the colour and reduce the size of age spots- Phase 1 ACTIVATE trial of cancer vaccine immunotherapy technology meets primary endpoints for safety and tolerability with encouraging signs of immune stimulationThe Company achieved a number of major milestones during the period across its Progenza, Sygenus and RGSH4K technologies, and is poised to secure its next licensing partner for the clinical development and commercialisation of Progenza in Japan.Strategic Collaboration with AGC Progresses Towards ManufacturingStrong progress has been made establishing the appropriate know-how and processes to support AGC's future manufacture of Progenza under cGMP to a commercial scale. During the period, a cell production facility was established at AGC's Yokohama Research Centre and a knowledgeable team with considerable cell therapy experience recruited. The team is able to successfully replicate the production process for the Australian STEP trial, and is now developing processes to support an increase in manufacturing capabilities to a commercial scale.Discussions Well Advanced with Several Potential Japanese Clinical and Commercialisation PartnersManagement is in the advanced stages of discussion and due diligence processes with potential licensees for the clinical development and commercialisation of Progenza in Japan. Working closely with AGC and the Company's Japanese advisors, it is anticipated that a licence agreement will be secured in Q2 FY19. The licensee will be responsible for the sponsorship and funding of the Company's Phase 2 trial of Progenza for osteoarthritis and its commercialisation in Japan and will mark a significant next milestone in the Company's progress towards commercialisation.Positive Progenza Phase 1 Safety Trial Published in Journal of Translational MedicineThe Phase 1 Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Progenza (STEP) trial on patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) delivered positive results which were published in the Journal of Translational Medicine(see Note 1 below) in March 2018. The trial found a single injection(see Note 2 below) of Progenza into the knee to be safe and well tolerated by patients, delivering durable and clinically meaningful pain relief for patients with knee OA. Progenza was shown to deliver a statistically significant improvement to lateral tibial cartilage volume in patients injected with 3.9 million cells of Progenza, compared to worsening placebo patients (p=0.028). The assessment was made from examination of the knee joint structure by MRI.Additional Progenza Highlights Include:- The United States Patent Office issuing a notice of allowance for a US patent for Progenza(see Note 3 below) in July 2018, covering the composition, manufacture and use of Progenza in the treatment of a wide range of inflammatory conditions, including osteoarthritis.- The granting of an Advanced Therapy Medicinal Therapy (ATMT) classification by the Committee for Advanced Therapies of the European Medicines Agency, recognising Progenza as a regenerative therapy within European Union's legal and regulatory framework(see Note 4 below).Sygenus Delivers Positive Results in Preclinical Pain StudyIn September 2017, Regeneus released positive results of a preclinical study and the effects of Sygenus on post-operative pain. MSCs have been previously shown to improve pain through known anti-inflammatory benefits. Sygenus was shown to deliver a sustained analgesic effect, which was longer-lasting than morphine, in the first ever known demonstration of this effect from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their secretions. The Company continues to conduct preclinical studies of Sygenus and Progenza in the treatment of pain as it looks to determine optimised doses and routes of administration. A preclinical study in neuropathic pain is also underway.Additional Sygenus Highlights Include:- Positive results from the topical application of Sygenus gel in treating acne in adults. The gel was well tolerated and found to significantly reduce the appearance of lesions and significantly reduced patients' acne global severity score after the 6-week period.- Positive results from the topical application of Sygenus gel to significantly lighten the colour of age spots. 95% of age spots were smaller and 63% of age spots were both smaller and lighter at eight weeks. The gel was well tolerated by patients.- The granting of a broad Australian Patent for the topical application of Sygenus for the treatment of aging skin and age spots.- The granting of a Chinese patent for the use of Sygenus in the topical treatment of acne, providing commercial rights in China to the year 2023.Cancer Vaccine Phase 1 ACTIVATE Trial Meets Primary Endpoints of Safety and TolerabilityDuring the period, the Company completed recruitment for the Phase 1 Safety Study (ACTIVATE trial) of the Company's cancer vaccine immunotherapy technology RGSH4K across a wide range of tumours in humans.The trial is a single centre, open label, Phase 1 dose escalating study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of RGSH4K and determine the active dose(s) to take into future trials.During the study, a total of 3 vaccines of RGSH4K were given at 3-week intervals to 12 heavily pre-treated patients with multiple types of advanced tumours. All dose levels were safe and well-tolerated, meeting the study's safety primary endpoint, with no dose limiting toxicities and no serious adverse events related to the vaccine.On 30 July 2018, the Company announced the ACTIVATE trial had met its primary endpoint of safety and tolerability and showed encouraging signs of immune stimulation in patients from each cohort, as demonstrated by changes in cancer markets, immune cells and cytokines, in one or more patients at all three dose levels. Some patients showed preliminary indications of anti-tumour activity, however long-term follow up of 50% of the patients continues.Other Achievements:- Recruitment is currently underway for pre-pivotal trial assessing Cryoshot for the treatment of canine osteoarthritis- Recruitment continuing for Kvax canine cancer vaccine - a similar technology to RGSH4K - with early indications showing no safety concernsFinancial OverviewFinancial metrics for the year ended 30 June 2018 include:- Operating loss of $5.18m (FY17: $3.27m profit, driven by $8.9m AGC licence fee revenue), with next AGC licence milestone fee revenue due in Q2 FY19- R&D tax incentive of $2.16m (FY17: $2.61m)- Quarterly cash used in operations (excluding R&D tax incentive and FY17 AGC licence revenue) of $1.7m, in line with FY17- Loan facility secured of $1.9m repayable on the earlier of receipt of next AGC milestone payment; receipt of FY19 R&D Tax incentive rebate for FY19 and 30 September 2019OutlookThe Company remains poised to deliver on a number of important commercial, clinical and R&D milestones FY19 and into FY20, including:- Securing its first clinical licence for Progenza in Japan- Progressing the clinical development of Progenza for osteoarthritis in Japan- Commencing manufacturing of cGMP Progenza in Japan under the Company's existing strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with AGC- Securing additional licensing opportunities for Progenza in additional key territories, including the USA, China and the European Union- Progressing the development of Progenza for specific pain indications- Progressing the development of Sygenus for specific pain and dermatological indications- Advancing licensing discussions for RGSH4K following positive ACTIVATE trial results- Reporting on CryoShot canine pre-pivotal trial and advancing licensing discussions.Notes:1 Kuah et al. JTranslMed (2018) 16:49. This article is available via Regeneus' company website.2 Results for injections of 3.9 million cells and 6.7 million cells.3 US Patent Application Number 14/342479 "Therapeutics using adipose cells and cell secretions".4 Article 2 (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1394/2007.About Regeneus Ltd

Regeneus Ltd (ASX:RGS) is a Sydney-based clinical-stage regenerative medicine company using stem cell technologies to develop a portfolio of novel cell-based therapies. The regenerative therapies seek to address unmet medical needs in human health markets, focusing on neuropathic pain, including osteoarthritis and various skin conditions, with its platform technologies Progenza(TM) and Sygenus. Visit www.regeneus.com.au for more information.


Half Yearly Report

Sydney, Aug 30, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Your directors present their report, together with the financial statements, on the consolidated entity (referred to hereafter as the 'Group') consisting of The Hydroponics Company Limited ( ASX:THC ) ( OTCMKTS:HDRPF ) (referred to hereafter as the 'Company') and the entities it controlled at the end of, or during, the half-year ended 30 June 2018.Review of OperationsEstablishment of Executive and Management Leadership TeamsTHC announced the appointment of Ken Charteris as the Group Chief Executive Officer on 11 July 2018 in addition to a number of other key strategic appointments over the past half year across both its global medicinal cannabis operations and its North American hydroponics business.Group CEO, Ken Charteris, an experienced bio-tech and pharmaceuticals executive is supported by a global team who each have significant experience working with working in the pharmaceuticals and hydroponics industries.The Medicinal Cannabis leadership team is headed up by Dr Andrew Beehag and includes Katy Williams-Day as Product & Regulatory Affairs Manager, John Hall as an expert in Cannabis Strain Development and R&D, and Dr Michael Harrison as manager of the Southport bio-pharmaceutical facility.The Company also secured the continued services of Mr Jason Colquhoun, who is the head of the Company's revenue generating global hydroponics division. Jason is overseeing the expansion of the Company's hydroponics operations as it seeks to take advantage of the burgeoning micro-LP and home-grower markets in Canada following recent legislative changes and expands into the greater North American and European markets.Manufacture, Product Development and Distribution of Hydroponic EquipmentThe Company remains committed to the continued expansion of the Company's global revenue-generating hydroponics operation, Crystal Mountain Products. The Company has recently entered into an agreement with BioFloral, an east coast Canadian hydroponics business who will together work toward building a distribution network for the Company's products across North America.Increased Medicinal Cannabis Growing and R&D CapabilitiesThe Company also expanded its growing capability significantly in the period, having secured an additional growing site in Northern NSW which it expects to develop to be able to cultivate up to 600,000 plants per year.The large-scale capacity will allow the Company to grow plants using both its proprietary strain IP and imported strains from commercial partners attracted in the first half of 2018.The Company continues to be engaged with the relevant Australian Government authorities to pursue the Company's licencing and permitting program for its medicinal cannabis operations.Pharma-grade Bio-manufacturing facility enabling full sale pharma productionThe Company acquired a bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing facility on 1 May 2018 for $2.55 million. Following a revaluation of the facility by AON Valuation Services, the asset now sits on the Company's balance sheet at over $16 million. The acquisition secures an industry-leading asset for the Company allowing it to move towards the sale and export of locally produced medicinal cannabis products. The acquisition places the Company far ahead of other medicinal cannabis companies who lack any significant means of moving to full-scale commercial pharma-grade production of medicinal cannabis products in the near term.To view the full report, please visit:About THC Global Group Limited

THC Global Group Limited (ASX:THC) (OTCMKTS:HDRPF) (FRA:9TH) operates under a 'Farm to Pharma' pharmaceutical model, now holding all three key cannabis licences being a Cannabis Research Licence, a Medicinal Cannabis Licence (Cultivation), and a Manufacture Licence through its domestic medicinal cannabis subsidiaries THC Pharma and Canndeo. THC Global has secured a significant cannabis growing capacity over multiple cultivation projects and owns a pharmaceuticals bio-manufacturing facility with attached testing and product development laboratory. THC Global is in prime position to commence medicinal cannabis production to service both domestic patients and the global export market. THC Global is active globally with operations in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada and partnerships across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In addition to its core Australian medicinal cannabis assets, THC Global has a significant Canadian presence  both in cannabis and in hydroponics equipment. THC Global's Canadian cannabis operation, Vertical Canna, holds property in Nova Scotia, Canada being developed into a large scale cannabis production site. THC Global's hydroponics equipment division, Crystal Mountain, is a revenue generating manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer of hydroponic equipment and supplies.
Butte County, Calif. -- Firefighting costs are rising in Butte County. To mitigate this, the Board of Supervisors is moving forward with a proposed parcel tax for fire protection.

The vote was three to two during a meeting on Tuesday to come up with a way to better support the cost of fire protection for residents living in unincorporated areas in Butte County.

The vote asked for Butte County staff to prepare a resolution to establish a CSA, also known as a county service area. This allows for a vote on a partial tax to fund fire services.

Action News Now asked a resident who lives in the unincorporated part of Chico what he thought of the proposed tax. He asked not to be identified.

"Pay more, sure, but how much is the question, that's when you get into the details and you have to decide what's up. I think any reasonable person, especially living out here in the county, we appreciate our fire services," said the resident.

Butte County Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Andy Pickett said this tax is being proposed because there is not enough funding for general public safety services.

It will take six months to design the CSA. If the board approves this, it will most likely go to a vote in 2020.

NEWS APP:

DOWNLOAD OUR NEWS APP FOR LATEST UPDATES: iOS | Android

FOLLOW LAURA ENG ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: @LauraEngNews

Twitter: @LauraEngNews
Deadly Plane Crash in Redding

The National Transportatio Safety Board is investigating a deadly plane crash in Redding that happened on August 29. The crash happened near the Benton Airpark and left one man and is dog dead.

Possible Murder-Suicide in Red Bluff

Red Bluff police are investigating the possible murder-suicide of a husband and wife in Red Bluff. Police say they found the couple in their apartment after a neighbor called for them to perform a well-fare check after they hadn't seen them in a while. Police also found a 2-year-old child upstairs unharmed.

Cal Fire Captain Arraigned on Charges in Alleged Sexual Assault Case

Cal Fire captain Kevin Fleming was arraigned on charges in an alleged sexual assault case on August 29. He did not enter a plea and is scheduled to be back in court on September 26.

Butte County Board of Supervisors Voted to Establish County Service Areas

The Butte County Board of Supervisors voted to establish individual County Service Areas to decide fire protection funding for rural areas. It allows a vote to take place on a partial tax to fund fire services. It will take six months to design the boundaries and a vote is set for the year 2020.

California Becomes First State to Eliminate Bail

Under a new law changing the bail system in California, people arrested for crimes that require them to register as sex offenders will have to stay in jail until they see a judge. That expands the list of people not eligible for quick release, which also includes violent felonies. The law takes effect in October of 2019.

Free Fishing Day: September 1

Saturday, Sept. 1, is free fishing day! No license is required to fish, but other fishing regulations remain in effect.

Chico Honor Africa - A Celebration of History and Culture

The event is honoring African and Caribbean culture and will take place on August 30 at the Chico Women's Club at 6 p.m. There will be dancing, music and fashion.
A no-deal Brexit is widely considered an undesirable outcome, albeit may be considered the best of a bad bunch depending on the path of negotiations over the coming months. Simeon Willis, Chief Investment Officer, XPS Pensions looks at what a no-deal scenario could look like in terms of the wider economy, pension scheme finances and the investment industry, and what, if anything, pension scheme investors can do to prepare for this eventuality. Effect on the UK and global economy

A no-deal outcome has significant implications for the UK and European economy as a whole. It is easy to imagine how a loss of clarity over tariffs and regulatory structure could push the economy into turmoil. Many parts of our economy exist on finely honed just in time processes, from car assembly to food and medical supply delivery, and even a short delay can compound to create havoc. Any detriment would not be limited to direct impacts of a supply chain, as there are also many secondary and tertiary effects which could be felt hard in our integrated society. You only need to look at the knock-on effects that the shortage of CO2 created in June this year, from beer drinkers and food packing through to abattoirs, to appreciate the scale of the potential cost. After all CO2

is a supply chain issue that many of us didnt even know we didnt know about. Decision makers are conscious of these concerns but the scope for unintended consequences is huge, and the possibility of some key issues falling through the cracks is considerable. Therefore we are not complacent. To read more of Simeons comments on a potential no-deal and the steps that can be taken to protect a pension scheme please click the full briefing XPS Investment No Deal Brexit


Salt Lake City, UT (Aug. 29, 2018)On Aug. 29, 2018, a jury returned a verdict in favor of Dr. Judith Pinbourgh Zimmerman on a claim brought under the Utah Whistleblower Act. After five years of litigation, Dr. Zimmerman finally got her day in court and prevailed on one of two claims brought against the University of Utah and Dr. William McMahon, the former Chair of the Department of Psychiatry.

As a speech language pathologist, Dr. Zimmerman spent her career seeking answers for children with autism. In 2005, Dr. Zimmerman accepted a faculty position at the University of Utah Department of Psychiatry and was named director of the Utah Registry of Autism and Developmental Disabilities (URADD). As a database, URADD collected data about children with autism in several counties in Utah, including protected health information and personally identifiable data.

In 2012, Dr. Zimmerman was concerned that researchers at the University had accessed the data contained within URADD without the proper authorizations. After Dr. Zimmerman reported these concerns to multiple different offices at the University, Dr. McMahon informed her that her yearly contract would not be renewed.

In a seven-day jury trial, Dr. Zimmerman went head-to-head with the University and Dr. McMahon. On Wednesday, a jury found in favor of Dr. Zimmerman on her Whistleblower claim and awarded her $119,000 for lost wages, plus costs and attorneys fees. After such a lengthy legal battle, I am just relieved to be done and to have my claim validated by a jury, said Dr. Zimmerman.

Dr. Zimmerman was represented at trial by April Hollingsworth, of Hollingsworth Law Office. Whistleblower claims are notoriously difficult to win so I am pleased the jury saw that the University retaliated against Dr. Zimmerman for making valid complaints of possible research misconduct, said Ms. Hollingsworth.

For more information, contact April Hollingsworth at (801) 415-9909 or april@aprilhollingsworthlaw.com.

###

Hollingsworth Law Office is a law office in Salt Lake City, specializing in plaintiffs-side employment law.
















Are you in search for an up-to-date business centric daily? Then Ottawa Business Daily is exactly what you need. The Canadian editorial is a not-for-profit national online newspaper that focuses on bringing the latest trends in the business world to readers, with well-researched and in-depth features on a variety of topics.

Many of the articles places a spotlight on the intersection between business and culture and between business and politics. That combination makes Ottawa Business Daily a great news website for not only keeping up with business but also technology, culture and politics all around the world. This news source has specialized sections that focuses on natives of Ottawa, making it easy to find tailor-made news in your locality conveniently.

Whether you already run your own business or are making plans to quit your job to start a business, this publication is perfect for all your needs to transit or upscale easily. Each article is laced with detailed information to ensure that readers are left with insights into real time changes happening in the business world.

Employing a forward-thinking journalistic style, Ottawa Business Daily is poised to become Ottawas top business publication tending to both the young and old alike. The publication encourages a new environmentally conscious way of business thinking and unlike Ottawa Business Journal, it provides articles filled with valuable tips, inspirational advice as well as some incredible success stories that are sure to motivate you to build a successful business.

You are what you read and a lot of successful people today acknowledges that fact. For example, billionaire investor Warren Buffet spends about 80% of his day reading and according to Kate Cole, the group president of FOCUS Brands, reading the right publication is the best way to get the brain started.

"I'm looking for relevant news, urgent business and team needs, updates from start-ups I invest in, or anything awesome to get my brain going and know what's going on in the world," she said.

"Knowledge is power," says Kevin O'Leary, the Shark Tank investor. "and it's important to have a 360-degree view of the financial climate all over the world."

Inspired by the first Canadian newspaper Le Canadien, Ottawa Business Daily endures that citizens of Ottawa are presented with an holistic view of ideas and concepts in business. On top of that, by following the news publication consistently readers become well-informed, stronger and more valuable citizens.

From the latest changes in technology, local business trends and its impacts on the economy, to which new products are being introduced, allthis information will quite certainly equip readers with a more broad, comprehensive and progressive thinking. Also, reading the articles improves the readers comprehension, focus and vocabulary. Even reciting articles aloud could improve your public speaking and handling of difficult words.

Ottawa Business Daily is committed to affirming a sovereign Canada and defending the national public interest, by utilizing a critical approach to mass-media coverage.
Assyrians in Syria Protest US-backed YPG for Shutting Down Schools

Christians came together in the Qamishli town center, demanding the reopening of their schools. Unrest erupted among Syrian Christians in recent weeks against PKK-affiliated groups in northern Syria due to the closure of their schools as part of the oppressive policies of the terrorist organization. A protest was organized Tuesday against local security forces of the U.S-backed People's Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian affiliation of the PKK terrorist group, in Hasakah province of northern Syria, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

Dozens of Christians gathered in the center of Qamishli to protest the closure of two Christian schools in mid-August. The protesters shouted slogans, demanding their schools to be reopened. The protesters were confronted by the YPG terrorists, who opened fire in the air to disperse the crowd. The crowd dissolved after an hour-long of demonstration. On Aug.18, the pastors and heads of the churches in Hasakah came together in Qamishli and declared that it was unacceptable for the YPG to shut down their schools. The U.S. support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is dominated by the YPG, has long been a cause of tension between Ankara and Washington. The U.S. had also given truckloads of military support to the YPG, despite Ankara's repeated warnings that the group is organically linked to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S., Turkey and the European Union. YPG indoctrinates students, intervenes in curriculum The YPG has used schools in areas under its control to indoctrinate students with its militarist, ethnocentric ideologies. The terrorist organization has been teaching militarist ideas based on ethnic belonging in the schools for three years now. During the upcoming academic year, the YPG reportedly hopes to expand the use of its curriculum to high schools. The YPG hopes to make the curriculum it teaches to primary schools and ninth grades more widespread by teaching it to the 10th and 11th grades, as well. Parents who aim to keep their children away from terrorist propaganda lean toward private schools; however, the terrorist organization has not left these schools untouched either, raiding, threatening and eventually shutting them down. On Aug.10, the terrorist organization widened its pressure on education and shut down the Assyrian schools in Qamishli. The Armenian and Assyrian private schools in the town of Malikiyah, also known as Derik in Kurdish, were also closed on Aug. 7 with decrees issued by YPG-linked local education authorities citing that they did not take necessary permissions or abide by the curriculum. The Assyrian Democratic Society (ADS) had accused the YPG of "intimidating" the region's Assyrian community. "The YPG is harming education by promoting its ideologies through school curriculum," the ADS said in a statement, going on to demand that the terrorist group immediately allow the schools to reopen. Various Christian groups also condemned the closures. The private Assyrian schools, administered by the Syriac Orthodox Church, have been operating in the region since the mid-1950s and have been implementing a curriculum specializing in the Assyrian language and religion developed jointly with the Syrian Education Ministry. YPG criticized for poor human rights record The YPG previously received numerous condemnations by international human rights bodies, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and the United Nations, for its violations of human rights, including arbitrary arrests, forced recruitment of ch ld soldiers and forceful relocation of locals.In August, HRW said the YPG is recruiting children from displacement camps in the country's northeast in violation of international law. Last year, the U.N. found 224 cases of child recruitment by the YPG and its female forces, nearly five times the number in 2016. It said the YPG had forcibly abducted the children in at least three cases. The YPG has kidnapped dissident Kurdish politicians, particularly from the Syrian Kurdish National Council (ENKS) and figures who criticized them for a number of reasons, in addition to collecting ransom from businesses.
https://www.aish.com/sp/so/My-Bargain-with-God-in-North-Korea-POW-Camp.html

Leonard Wispers heroic return to Judaism.

Back in 1951, American draftee Leonard Wisper lay critically injured in a North Korean POW camp. With chances of survival minimal, he made a bargain with God that if hed survive, hed start keeping mitzvot.

The Korean War, which lasted from June 1950 to July 1953, began when communist-backed North Korea  aided by China and the Soviet Union  invaded South Korea. The United Nations, with the US providing 90 percent of the military personnel, came to South Koreas defense.

After the first two months of war, South Korean and dispatched US forces were forced back to a small area in the south known as the Pusan Perimeter. A counter offensive saw the UN forces beginning to advance, only to be cut off again by a million-strong Chinese army who joined with the North Koreans. During these reversals of fortune, South Koreas capital city of Seoul changed hands four times. The fighting ended three years after it began, incurring a death toll of 2.5 million people.

Wisper, who was 21 in 1950, didnt dream hed be shipped out to join the forces on the Korean Peninsula. He grew up in Chicago to a Jewish family that had immigrated to the US from Poland so that his grandfather wouldnt be drafted to the Polish army.

The Zeide was an observant Jew, says Wisper, but when he came to America, the challenges of keeping mitzvot properly were too daunting, and so he went back to Poland, where he was later murdered in the Holocaust along with most of the family that remained there. My father stayed in America, though, but within a few years, his mitzvah observance dropped.

Wisper says the store where his father found a job required him to work on Shabbos, and like many others, he felt he had no choice. He had to support us. The next generation, my siblings and me, grew up in a home where we would go to shul on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and didnt eat chametz on Pesach, but that was about it.

As a machine-gunner in the Korean War: "I was sure I was dead meat"

Lenny Wisper was in college and holding down a good job in auto repair  with no desire to serve in the military  when the draft notice came in the summer of 1951. Army service was not part of my dreams, he says. I had suffered from a spinal injury and was sure they wouldnt take me.

But the US, still reeling from World War II just a few years before, was under tremendous pressure and needed manpower. At first they sent the American forces whod remained in Japan to fight in Korea, he says, but a few months after the war broke out they began to call up thousands of soldiers, especially since the Chinese, with their million-man army, joined North Koreans. So although I was far from perfectly fit, I was shipped out.

We didnt know much about Judaism, but when youre on your way to war at the other end of the world, who wouldnt want to pray?

Lenny was sent for basic training, and a few days before Yom Kippur, he boarded a military ship headed for Japan, along with 1,500 other soldiers trying to battle their seasickness on the way. There was a religious soldier, maybe he even served as a rabbi, who gathered the Jewish soldiers to daven on Yom Kippur. We davened, even though we didnt know much about Judaism, and most of us were not religious at all. But when youre on your way to war at the other end of the world, who wouldnt want to pray?

When the ship docked on Japanese shores, the fighters debarked and were sent to another training course before being deployed to the front. At the time, recalls Wisper, the only automatic weapons we had were some submachine guns left over from World War Two and thats what we used for training. Those guns had long bayonets, and they taught us how to attack first with the bayonets in order to stab the enemy before using the bullets.

Then the soldiers departed on small boats to Pusan, the large port city in South Korea that became its temporary capital during the war. The biggest shock for the thousands of soldiers coming from the mighty United States, he says, was the discovery that fighting against the North Koreans and their Chinese communist allies was an extremely complicated and painful endeavor.

There was a lot of frustration, Wisper, who worked as a machine gunner, says. It was sort of like a ping pong game, but with bodies as the score card. Sometimes it was North Korea that captured territory and we liberated it and then they captured it again. Other times, we captured territory, the North Koreans liberated it, and we captured it again. This went on over and over again. In every such round, thousands of soldiers on both sides were killed.

Wisper realized that every day he was still alive was something of a miracle.

One of my jobs was to bring back the American soldiers who fell in these battles. The scenes were indescribably gruesome. Some of these men were my friends, they were in my unit. The South Koreans werent prepared for the invasion, and we, the American soldiers, needed time to mobilize against the intensity of the North Korean and Chinese forces. One time we got to a field where I saw some American soldiers lying on the ground. At first I thought they were resting, but then I realized theyd been killed by shelling.

Split-Second Salvation

A few months into battle, Wisper realized that every day he was still alive was something of a miracle. And then came the direct hit to his outpost in the middle of the night.

My partner was killed instantly, and I was knocked unconscious, he says, replaying the scene hes relived thousands of times over the last six decades. When I came to, I heard the voices of Chinese and North Korean soldiers, but I couldnt move. The pain was excruciating. I didnt feel my legs, and one of my eyes was badly injured. It took me a few seconds to realize I was surrounded by enemy soldiers.

When he was finally able to raise his head, he saw his friends, the other soldiers in his unit, lying sprawled all around. Most of them were dead; a few were critically wounded. I also realized that I was going to be taken into captivity and wed all heard the horrifying rumors about what happened to Americans taken prisoner by the North Koreans. I was in agony, but I forced myself not to moan or make a sound, hoping the enemy troops would leave the area without noticing I was alive  maybe that way Id survive.

It might have been a good plan, but a few minutes later, another injured soldier lying nearby began to groan in pain. The Chinese captors quickly came over, realizing they had a prize  living, wounded Americans. Seconds later, Wisper and the others still among the living were dragged to a hiding place.

I was thrown into a small bunker in the area, he remembers. The Chinese would build makeshift bunkers on all the battlefronts, and the one they dragged me into was already occupied by three frightened, injured Americans. To his credit, the Chinese soldier who had captured me pulled out a rice ball that was probably meant for him, and tossed it in my direction.

It was pretty clear that only a miracle could save me  but how to pray to God who I had basically ignored my entire life up to then?

Still, I was pretty sure I was dead meat, he continues. For the Chinese, I was a burden because I was injured. This was just a holding bunker and they were going to march us to a bigger detention center, but since I couldnt walk and Id hold up the convoy, I assumed theyd just shoot me and finish me off.

At that point it was pretty clear that only a miracle could save me  but how to pray to God who I had basically ignored my entire life up to then? So I focused and said, with every fiber of Jewishness I could muster up into my consciousness, Merciful Father, if You help me get out of here I will return to You. I didnt know the words of the prayers or Psalms then. I just spoke to God in my language, in my own words. I promised that I would begin to keep Torah and mitzvot if I emerged from there alive.

After half a day in the bunker, bleeding and wounded, Wisper heard shelling and soldiers shouting in English. He realized that American troops had come to rescue them.

That split second, I got the strength to leap over, grab the grenade before it detonated and throw it back out of the bunker.

An hour later, one of the Chinese guards peeked into the bunker, looked in my direction, and emitted a string of curses as he pulled out a grenade. Thats when I realized we were really finished. In a few seconds hed toss the grenade into the bunker and wed be blown to smithereens. I watched as he pulled the pin and threw the thing in  and somehow, in that split second, I got the strength to leap over, grab it before it detonated and throw it back out of the bunker, where it exploded in a blast of smoke and fire. The soldiers who were with me hugged me with a joy thats hard to describe. You saved our lives! they shouted. A few minutes later, American soldiers came and rescued us.

They put me on a military jeep and took me to a field hospital, where they began to extract the shrapnel from my body. The shrapnel was embedded all over and it took hours to get the pieces out. One piece was a millimeter from my eye  only a miracle saved my vision. Wisper was later sent to a hospital in northern Japan for recovery, and then returned to the US.

The Promise

Aryeh (Leonard) Wisper with the South Korean ambassador. It was like coming full circle, my promise fulfilled in a way I would have never imagined

The war raged on for another two years; with the cease-fire in 1953, Wisper was discharged from the army, but the memory of that oath in the bunker loomed large. When I promised to do teshuvah (return to Jewish observance), I didnt really understand what it meant, he admits, but when I returned home I discovered that it wasnt so simple. There was no teshuvah movement then, no Aish and no Jewish outreach, but I knew I had to change my life.

He began to seek out Jewish centers in Chicago, but, he says, In those days, even the religious rabbis in Chicago were pretty liberal by todays standards. So I began to go to shul on Shabbos and to keep a few mitzvot, but I didnt have the fire  I felt somehow that I wasnt really fulfilling my promise.

In the summer of 1957, Wisper made his first visit to Israel. It was a time when everyone had to dig in their heels  it was toward the end of the Austerity period when staple foods and supplies were rationed, and when Jordanian snipers and infiltrators were a threat to daily life  but Wisper was unfazed. Something inside shifted, and when he returned to Chicago, he began wearing a yarmulke in public and had become fully mitzvah-observant.

At the time, a religious Israeli girl who worked at the Israeli consulate in Chicago was suggested as a match for him, and they were married soon after.

The Wispers made aliyah in 1965 with their two daughters. They first lived in Jerusalem, where they had a son, and soon afterward, they moved to Bnei Brak, right across the street from the great Rav Aharon Leib Steinman ztzl. He was our special neighbor, says Wisper. I was still pretty new to Judaism, and for years Id go in and ask him every halachic question I had. That was before he was discovered, before tens of thousands of Jews would converge on his little, dilapidated apartment. But the Rosh Yeshivah never changed. Even as the leader of Orthodox Jewry, he always treated me the same way he did in the earlier years, and thats how he treated everyone else as well.

Aryeh Leibish Wisper's "Ambassador for Peace" award from the Korean government, sixty years after saving his comrades in an enemy bunker.

Wisper didnt think too much about his Korean adventures until 2011, when he heard that Korean ambassador to Israel, Ma Young-sam, was looking for Jewish soldiers who had fought in the Korean War, so that his government could express its gratitude. South Korean embassies annually honor veterans in the 16 countries that fought the North under the United Nations banner. While Israel, a two-year-old struggling country at the time, didnt send soldiers to fight in the Korean War, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion did support Americas pro-South efforts against the Soviet Union-backed North, and also sent $100,000 in food items to South Korea  a substantial gift at the time, especially considering Israels own precarious situation.

The Korean envoy spent several years tracking Jewish war veterans and discovered that about 4,000 Jewish soldiers were dispatched to South Korea. In Israel, he discovered seven veterans, Wisper among them.

Sixty years after Wisper saved his American comrades in that enemy bunker, he received a medal of honor from the South Korean ambassador.

Sixty years after Wisper saved his American comrades in that enemy bunker, he received a medal of honor from the South Korean ambassador, and  accompanied by his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, some of whom probably never even heard of the Korean War  delivered an emotional speech in which he eulogized the Jewish soldiers who had lost their lives in the region.

Wisper has been attending the South Korean embassys ceremony every year since, and has developed a warm relationship with the embassy staff. The South Korean ambassador even visited Yeshiva Nesivos Olam to learn about its Torah learning methods. Wisper was his personal tour guide.

Afterwards, says Aryeh Leibish Wisper, we sat down at a festive banquet held in his honor and he related his dream to include Talmud studies in the South Korean study curriculum. Weve all heard in the last few years how the South Koreans are fascinated by the Talmud and how its being studied there, and for the ambassador to sit in a beis medrash in Israel, it was a special honor for him. For me, it was like coming full circle  my promise fulfilled in a way I would have never imagined.

This article originally appeared in Mishpacha magazine. Rachel Ginsberg contributed to this report. Photos: Ezra Trabelsi
Posted on: August 30, 2018 3:18 PM

The death has been announced of the former Moderator of the Church of Pakistan, Bishop John Victor Samuel. Bishop John died this morning (30 August) in the Punjab city of Multan, at the age of 87. His funeral will take place in Multan on Sunday 2 September.

He has served the Church  both in Pakistan and around the globe  for more than 50 years. In addition to his role as Bishop of Multan and as Moderator of the united Church of Pakistan, Bishop John was a prominent ecumenical leader. Between 1973 and 1977 he was a member of the Presidium of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA), the ecumenical Christian group. From 1990 he would go on to serve as CCAs fifth General Secretary.

He served as a member of the Central Committee of the global ecumenical body the World Council of Churches (WCC) and was Moderator of the WCCs Commission on Interchurch Aid, Refugee and World Service (CICARWS). He has also been President of the National Council of Churches in Pakistan and General Secretary of the countrys Student Christian Movement.

Amongst the tributes paid to Bishop John, the current General Secretary of the CCA, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, said that Bishop Samuel would be remembered for his ecumenical collegiality, personal warmth and friendship, as well as his numerous ecumenical contributions in Pakistan and at the international level.

He added: In his capacity as the General Secretary of CCA in the 1990s, Bishop Samuel was instrumental in initiating and developing future Asian ecumenical leadership.

Bishop Samuel is survived by his wife Shirin, sons Ajmal and Amjad, and daughter Anjum; to whom Dr Chunakara expressed his heartfelt condolences.
Soddy Daisy Police Chief Philip Hamrick went to social media to criticize a judge for setting a bond he considered low in a vehicular homicide case.

He commented after Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman set a bond for former county EMT and former county sheriff's reserve officer, Justin Whaley.

Chief Hamrick wrote, "I don't post a lot but in my 30 years of law enforcement I have never been so ashamed of our judicial system. So called Judge Barry Steelman exemplifies what is wrong with the courts in the United States. Those of you who voted for this guy should be ashamed also. I've seen higher bonds set for possession of marijuana. Everyone who has been touched by the loss of a friend or loved one to DUI should be outraged! This shows that all a human life is worth $6,000 to a bondsman according to some people. How can you set on the bench and look at a widow and family and spit in their face like this?

Whaley is charged in the July 3 traffic accident on Highway 111, which killed James Brumlow.



After Whaley turned himself in on Tuesday, Judge Steelman lowered the bond from $600,000 to $50,000 in a reduction of bond hearing.

District Attorney Neal Pinkston wondered why the bond reduction hearing was happening so soon, wondering if Whaley was getting special treatment.

Judge Steelman said it was because Whaley had no criminal record and was not a threat.
Posted on: August 30, 2018 1:51 PM

The Executive Leader of the Anglican mission agency the Church Mission Society, Canon Philip Mounstephen, will leave the organisation later this year to become the next Bishop of Truro. Mounstephen, who regularly writes blogs for the Anglican Communion News Service, has led CMS since October 2012. He will be consecrated on 30 November before taking up his new role, which will see him lead the Church of England across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly  and two parishes in Devon, early in 2019.

The announcement of his new appointment was made this morning (Thursday) by 10 Downing Street, the office of the British Prime Minister. The appointment of Bishops in the Church of England are made with the approval of the monarch, Queen Elizabeth, in her role as Supreme Governor, and announced by the government.

The Church Mission Society is amongst the oldest of the Anglican mission agencies. It traces its roots back more than 200 years to the work of William Wilberforce, John Venn, and John Newton, who campaigned for an end to the global slave trade.

Following the official announcement, the chair of CMSs board of trustees, Charles Clayton, said: The trustees and staff of Church Mission Society are thrilled to know that Philip has been chosen to be the next bishop of Truro, even though we will miss him dearly at CMS. Philip has contributed enormously to the success of the organisation, leading it expertly and in the process serving the whole church in its mission. He will leave with our love and appreciation for his dedicated service and godly ministry.

In his role as Executive Leader of CMS, Mountstephen has re-focused the organisation to invest more in mission within the UK through the growth of its highly regarded Pioneer Mission Leadership Training programme and Partnership for Missional Church. At the same time, it has continued to develop its historic global partnerships with Anglican churches and provinces around the world.

Im honoured and humbled to have been asked to take on this role and am excited by the possibilities it offers, Mountstephen said. Its been a huge honour to lead CMS for the past six years. Its given me a privileged insight into what God is doing in his big wide world  and brought me into contact with some truly wonderful people.

I have learned so much in the process; indeed part of my motivation in taking on this role is the sense that now is the time to put what I have learned about mission into practice.

Cornwall is a wonderful place, with a rich Christian heritage. It also faces some major challenges. I have significant family roots there, so this does feel very right, and Im looking forward very much to the challenges and opportunities ahead.

The Bishop of St Germans, a suffragan bishop within the diocese, Dr Chris Goldsmith, has been acting as Bishop of Truro since Bishop Tim Thornton left to become Bishop at Lambeth  a senior advisor and assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury. I am delighted to welcome Philip on behalf of the Diocese of Truro, Dr Goldsmith said. He clearly brings a great deal of energy and expertise, both in terms of his experience of parish and chaplaincy ministry and as somebody who has been a successful leader of a large and complex mission agency.

We are very much looking forward to working alongside Philip as he brings his gifts and knowledge to serve and lead the Anglican Church in Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and our two parishes in Devon.
Natalie Holbert, 3, smiles behind the wheel of a 1942 fire truck. County mechanics got the old Cohutta Volunteer Fire Department truck running again after it was brought out of storage. Firefighters plan to use it during parades and other public events when its not on display at the new Fire Station 11. - photo by Mitch Talley

Whitfield County Assistant Fire Chief Randy Kittle poses with his wife Deborah and their son and daughter-in-law, Robb and Julie, as Shelby Adams, wife of Engineer Christopher Adams, snaps their photo with a 1942 fire truck formerly used by the Cohutta Volunteer Fire Department. The antique truck will be on display at the new Fire Station 11 in Cohutta. - photo by Mitch Talley

From left, Cohutta Mayor Ron Shinnick and Whitfield County Commissioners Lynn Laughter and Harold Brooker sign the hose that will be put on display at the new Fire Station 11. - photo by Mitch Talley

Instead of the usual ribbon cutting, Whitfield County Commission Chairman Lynn Laughter and Cohutta Mayor Ron Shinnick uncouple a fire hose to mark the official opening of Fire Station 11. - photo by Mitch Talley

Traffic jams are usually a rare occurrence in Cohutta, Mayor Ron Shinnick quipped, but not Friday morning.



After all, its not every day a new fire station is dedicated in this small Whitfield County town, a state-of-the-art facility designed to save lives and property for decades to come.



More than 100 local officials, firefighters, and residents clogged the towns roads to see history in the making as Whitfield County Fire Station 11 officially opened its doors for business, with two firefighters now manning the facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week.



Theres not many times in Cohutta we actually have a traffic jam, (but) besides (seeing) this wonderful building, youre also witnessing a traffic jam, so I would caution you as you leave to drive carefully, Shinnick told the crowd with a laugh. Seriously, I do appreciate everything thats gone into this and making this happen. Its going to have a major impact, not only on Cohutta but the surrounding area.



While construction began just a few months ago on the $1.5 million facility  located at 5268 Cohutta Varnell Road and paid for with funds from the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), the idea for the station has been a dream for many years.



Shinnick said Cohuttas volunteer fire department had done a great job for years, but as many of you know, volunteer fire departments in many areas have struggled just because of peoples schedules - our lifestyles have changed, and the Town Council felt a great concern for our citizens to make sure that they had the services and that we were taking good care of them.



Once funding for the new station became available through the 2015 SPLOST, the town council decided to donate the property where it would be built, a gesture greatly appreciated by the county and one that saved taxpayers money, Whitfield County Fire Chief Ed OBrien said.



Shinnick pointed out that in 2019, Cohutta will be marking the 50th anniversary of its charter. In my mind, I think were kicking off (the celebration early) with this, he said. I think in 50 years, what a wonderful history and what a wonderful contribution the Town of Cohutta has made to our county and to our citizens that live in this area.



The mayor praised the sacrifice and dedication of the residents who have served on the volunteer fire department, noting the great legacy theyve left behind. The volunteer department closed in January after more than 50 years of service.



Many of us here as I look out were members of the Cohutta Volunteer Fire Department, Shinnick said. Theres a lot of you here that served on that and responded to calls at all times and hours of the day  traffic accidents, house fires, just a whole variety of things.



Shinnick called the new station a symbol of service of helping one another and improving the lives of our citizens.



Whitfield County Commission Chairman Lynn Laughter said she is very proud of the new facility, pointing out that it will lower insurance costs significantly for residents nearby, with their ISO rating dropping to a 3 from a 10.



I think the firefighters know that the fire department and those who keep us safe are very near and dear to my heart, she said. Im just real excited, and we hope to be building a fire station just about like this one in the south end of the county soon. We already have the property. Thank you to Chief OBrien and all the work that has been done to get us to this point today.



Fellow Commissioner Harold Brooker remembered the days when the Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department came up here and helped Cohutta, and vice versa.



Brooker pointed out that years ago, residents had to pay a fee for fire protection, and if you werent on the list of subscribers, your call wouldnt be answered. Now if you call, were on the way, he said. Its a big, big, big improvement, and I appreciate everybody thats involved in it.



Chief OBrien said the new station has been the goal of the county fire department for years. Im just the fortunate one that got to help make sure it came through, he said.



He told the crowd some details about the new 7,200-square-foot station, which has bays for three trucks, a kitchen, bathrooms, and living quarters for up to six firefighters  all done at a cost of $1.5 million not including the fire engines and equipment inside.



Im sure some of you are like why in the world did you build such a big station, OBrien said. If you look back, the stations that were built for this county in 1977 are still in service 41 years later. So this stations going to be here long after Im gone, and probably most of us here today. Thats why we build it  we have to build for the future. Thats why were here today, just to make sure that this place meets the needs not just of this town but of the firefighters.



The chief noted as times have changed, cancer has become a killer of firefighters because of their repeated exposure to chemicals created by fires.



If you come inside, youll notice we have a washing machine, dryers, good bathroom facilities so that they can get clean after a structure fire, he said. Another item that we like is the dedicated room for our turnout gear. What ends up happening in most stations, you keep your gear in the engine room, and when the diesel truck turns on, the emissions get in your turnout gear that you wear all day, not to mention when youre fighting the fire, which helps bring on the cancer for firefighters.



The new station also includes modern features like all-LED lighting, water-saving plumbing fixtures, high-efficiency heat and air, and ample space for parking of equipment, he said.



OBrien expressed thanks to Assistant Chief Randy Kittle for his help during the construction process. Hes been my right hand in this project, he said. I wouldnt even begin to tell you how many meetings, plan revisions, color selections, tile colors....



The chief also praised the help of the Town of Cohutta, architect Ken Harless and his crew, and contractor Felker Construction.



People also dont think about how much our construction affected the other county departments, OBrien said, praising the help received from the sheriffs office and engineering, finance, information technology, public works, recreation, and human resources departments.



The new station will cover Cohutta and the northern part of Whitfield County.



I live about half a mile up the road. Im not in the city limits, but Im close by, Parker Williams told the Dalton Daily Citizen. This is something we really need. The volunteer fire department did a fine job for many years, but times change.



Varnell Mayor Tom Dickson said the northwest part of that town is closer to the new station than to any other county fire station, so it should help improve fire protection there, too.



Earlier this year, the Dalton Building Authority agreed to issue up to $4 million in bonds to build a similar station on South Riverbend Road in the southeast part of the county. The bonds will be repaid from taxes collected in the fire departments special tax district, which includes the parts of the county outside the city limits of Dalton. If the continuation of the current SPLOST is approved by voters in 2019, county officials have indicated they may shift the financing of the 12th fire station to that SPLOST.



Anytime you can build something like this and do it with SPLOST money its a win for the citizens, Commissoiner Roger Crossen told the Daily Citizen. We are very proud of it."
Manchester United rift as Martial bids to outlast Mourinho

The less he plays, the better Anthony Martial gets. Manchester Untieds French forward has been offered a five-year deal worth 130,000 week. Not too shabby for a 22-year-old whose played once for United this season. Martials current deal ends in 2020, and the feeling is that keeping him on a longer contract is more about resell value than loving the man. A young player on a long-term contract is worth more than young player with a year to go on his contact. But all said, Martial remains a player full of promise.

When Martial joined United from AS Monaco in 2015, the transfer deal stipulated that should Martial make the Ballon dOr shortlist during his Old Trafford career, Monaco would get another 10m. Both clubs thought it highly possible. He was that thrilling.

Martial, who wanted to leave United in the summer, must be tempted to take the deal. He can reason that five-years will see him outlast manager Jose Mourinho.

Indeed, the Mirror leads with news of Martial War, claiming that the offer is a huge slap in the face for Mourinho. Deal away, then. Mourinho, a graceless winner and caustic loser, could do with a bit of tough love. News is that Mourinho wanted to get shot of Martial this summer. The offer of a new deal for the player once tipped as a world beater has upset Mourinho, a challenge akin to looking at a puppy sat next to a pile of poo and being asked whodunnit?

Mike Kritharis

Posted: 30th, August 2018 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
Mazel Tov Frank Field! Finally a Labour MP resigns over Corbyn the racist

Labour MP Frank Field says Jeremy Corbyns Labour is a force for anti-Semitism in British politics. Since the BNP and NF disintegrated, Labour is pretty much the leading force in democratic Jew hatred. You hoover up votes where you can. Field, Labour MP for Birkenhead, says Corbyns Labour possesses a culture of intolerance, nastiness and intimidation in local parties. So Frank Field has resigned the Labour whip. Corbyn loves using the whip to get his MPs to side with him  which is odd given that he voted against his own party more times than former Tory PM David Cameron. According to a Labour Chief Whip Nick Brown, those rebellions shows Jeremy Corbyns strength of character.

So Jez will be full of admiration in Fields actions, a kindred spirit. As ever, of course, the glorious leader says nothing. But a Labour Party spokesman tells us: Jeremy Corbyn thanks Frank Field for his service to the Labour Party. Thank you, your Highness.

The bitterness in that snooty message is laced is rooted in Fields move to vote with the government against an amendment that would have kept the UK in a customs union with the EU after Brexit. Momentum leader Laura Parker said Field must go. There was no room in Corbyns politburo for such disloyalty to the party (if not the Brexit referendum and the 17.4 millions of us who voted to leave). Sure Corbyn is a Eurosceptic who voted to leave the EEC at the 1975 referendum. Sure he voted against the Maastricht Treaty, which created the EU. Granted Corbyn voted against the Lisbon Treaty and EUs constitution. But Corbyn is leader and its his way or else. What his way is, well, answers on a a propagandistic casus belli. pinned to the wall at your local synagogue.

Field resigned in a letter to the aforesaid Brown. Britain fought the Second World War to banish these views from our politics, but that superhuman effort and success is now under huge and sustained internal attack, he writes. The leadership is doing nothing substantive to address this erosion of our core values. It saddens me that we are increasingly seen as a racist party.

Labours deputy leader Tom Watson said Fields departure was a serious loss to the party It is a major wake up call. We cannot afford to lose people of such weight and stature.

The question is this: why is he the only one to go? For a party that makes such a song and dance about identity and being anti-racist, there is little by way of actual anti-racism.

Anorak

Posted: 30th, August 2018 | In: News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) - Rome, August 27 - A probe against Interior Minister Matteo Salvini for allegedly kidnapping 177 Eritrean migrants aboard the Diciotti coast guard ship will be a "boomerang", Salvini said Monday.

An Agrigento prosecutor has placed Salvini under investigation for kidnapping the migrants, who were allegedly unlawfully held for five days at sea and then another five days at Catania harbour.

Salvini said he was not "cowed" and that he would not ask the Senate to refuse to lift his immunity from prosecution.

"I only did my job as minister and I'm ready to do it again," Salvini said.

Some 100 of the migrants will go to a Catholic centre at Rocca di Papa near Rome, Pope Francis said.

Albania and Ireland will take about 20 each.

Three Egyptians and a Bangladeshi have been arrested on charges of being the migrant traffickers.

The other deputy premier, Industry and Labour Minister Luigi Di Maio, said in the next such case Italy "will negotiate directly with individual States".

He said the government was defending Italy's interests.

Most of the Eritrean migrants from the Diciotti will be moved from a Messina hotspot to a Catholic Church centre at Ariccia near Rome, the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) told a news agency on Monday.

"They will be moved as soon as possible, in the coming hours, to the Arccia centre run by Auxiluim, pending their transfer to the many diocese who have given their availability: Turin, Brescia, Bologna, Agrigento, Cassano all'Jonio, Rossano Calabro, to cite only those I know about," CEI's head of social communications, Father Ivan Maffeis, told the SIR religious news agency.

The CEI agreed to take in about 100 of the migrants while Albania and Ireland took 20 each to end a stand-off after Interior Minister Matteo Salvini kept them aboard saying they would not land until the EU agred to take them.

Meanwhile Germany said funding the EU budget is an obligation laid down in the EU's founding treaties, commenting on Italy's threat to withhold some of its payment unless the EU agreed to take in the Diciotti migrants.

EU budget funding "was ratified in the European treaties, and it is valid for all," said Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert.

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani said Monday that said you can't criminally try a policy like Salvini's hardline stance on migrant non-reception.

"You can't try a political line, in the end Salvini will be acquitted by the ministerial court and then it becomes only a propaganda clash that doesn't solve the real problem: neither the immigration one nor the that of the separation of powers," Tajani said.

"The affair strongly highlights the problem of justice reform, we can't waste any more time".

Italians overestimate the presence of migrants in their country more than any other nationality in the EU, according to a survey by think tank Istituto Cattaneo out on Monday.

The study on the phenomenon of immigration in Italy and its perception said those polled overestimated the presence of migrants by 18%.

Immigrants in Italy account for roughly 8% of the overall population.

The poll also found that 74% of the Italians interviewed were convinced that immigrants were responsible for higher crime rates against a European average of 57%.

A reported 58% of those interviewed for the survey also said they thought more immigration would imply fewer jobs for residents in Italy against a European average of about 14%.

There are "points of convergence" between Italy and Hungary on immigration policy, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on the eve of Tuesday's meeting between Premier Viktor Urban and Salvini.

Szijjarto said "the defence of Europe's borders consists in managing immigration.

"Hungary has already demonstrated that land borders can be defended.

"Australia and Italy have shown that maritime borders can be defended too".


(ANSA) - Venice, August 30 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday he claimed responsibility for "blackmailing" the EU over the Diciotti coast guard ship carrying 177 Eritrean migrants.

"I learn there is a new crime, blackmailing the European Union, I didn't know it existed," Salvini told a press conference on the probe into the Diciotti where he is accused of illegal arrest and abuse of office, among other things.

"They are changing the penal code for the interior minister.

Good, I claim responsibility for blackmailing the European Union".

Informed that he had been charged with two further alleged crimes, Salvini said "these two new charges are medals" The EU refused to take in the migrants, who were eventually taken in by Italian bishops, Ireland and Albania.

Salvini added that Italy was "assessing" whether to continue the EU's Sophia mission which currently lands all rescued migrants in Italian ports.


(ANSA) - Venice, August 30 - Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday he claimed responsibility for "blackmailing" the EU over the Diciotti coast guard ship carrying 177 Eritrean migrants.

"I learn there is a new crime, blackmailing the European Union, I didn't know it existed," Salvini told a press conference on the probe into the Diciotti where he is accused of illegal arrest and abuse of office, among other things.

"They are changing the penal code for the interior minister.

Good, I claim responsibility for blackmailing the European Union".

The EU refused to take in the migrants, who were eventually taken in by Italian bishops, Ireland and Albania.

Salvini added that Italy was "assessing" whether to continue the EU's Sophia mission which currently lands all rescued migrants in Italian ports.


(ANSA) - Palermo, August 30 - A Messina judge on Thursday upheld the arrest warrants of the four people smugglers piloting the migrant boat that was rescued by the coast guard ship Diciotti.

The four, three Egyptians and a Bangladeshi, are accused of conspiracy to favour clandestine immigration and sexual violence.

The Diciotti rescued the 177 Eritrean migrants but they were stopped from landing for 10 days by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini who said the EU had to take them in.

In the end they were taken by Italian bishops, Ireland and Albania.


(ANSA) - Rome, August 30 - France has pushed back more than 40,00 migrants to Italy since last year so French President Emmanuel Macron should stop lecturing Italy about stopping migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday.

"More than 40,000 push backs at French borders with Italy since last year, a far cry from solidarity and reception," he said.

"Macron should have the good taste to keep quiet and not give lectures to the Italians".

Salvini has been refusing landing permission in Italy to many migrant rescue ships, drawing criticism from Macron.


After reversing course and confirming details of its plans for a $300 million secured facility in Georgetown, officials from TVA will meet with residents and other interested citizens from 3-7 p.m. on Thursday at the Cedar Ridge Seventh-day Adventist Church.

TVA confirmed Tuesday that the project would cost $300 million and move 175 employees out of downtown Chattanooga to Georgetown in what is said to be the largest power grid upgrade by TVA in its 85-year history. The new power control center in Georgetown is part of a new energy management system that will be supported by another $300 million TVA investment in the fiber optic lines the government agency is doing along about 3,500 miles of TVA's 16,000 miles of transmission lines.

TVA bought the property for the secure office complex in August 2017 in two parcels. The largest parcel was 147.2 acres purchased for $959,000 ($6,524 an acre) while the second parcel was 18 acres purchased for $175,000 ($9,722 an acre). TVAs current power control center is now housed beneath TVAs downtown Chattanooga office complex.

TVA said the transmission line project was scheduled to be done by 2021 with the new power control center fully operational by 2023.

TVA announced on Aug. 20 a $26 million major transmission line upgrade to 5.25 miles of transmission lines from Hopewell to Georgetown along Highway 60. The TVA release said 4.25 miles of the upgrade would be done on existing TVA right of ways along Highway 60 from Hopewell to Georgetown.

The TVA release also mentioned, with no reference to having to condemn private property, that a new right of way would be needed for the last mile to get direct power to a new TVA secure office complex. The right of way would cut a 175-foot wide easement through virgin farmland and require the use of eminent domain to take the property.

After the announcement on Aug. 20, the property owners headed by Greg A. Vital started asking questions of TVA, but the agency offered no new additional details The property owners talked local, state and federal elected officials, who had no knowledge of the project. In addition, they raised questions on Facebook.

Citizens and property owners have questions about the long-term impact the facility will have on the Georgetown area. Property owners and concerned conservation activists wonder if TVA considered any alternate proposals than cutting through the private property. The area does not have utility infrastructure for water and sewer.

I hope TVA will be more forthcoming, said Mr. Vital, a resident of Georgetown and one of three property owners that will be impacted by eminent domain if TVAs announced plan does not change. I would love to see jobs and growth for Meigs County, but TVA has a responsibility to be transparent and, frankly, do the right thing. Secrecy and eminent domain are not the way to mask such an important project.

TVA said that the project had been in the planning process for several years before it made its first public announcement on Aug. 20.
(ANSA) - Rome, August 30 - France has pushed back more than 40,00 migrants to Italy since last year so French President Emmanuel Macron should stop lecturing Italy about stopping migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday.

"More than 40,000 push backs at French borders with Italy since last year, a far cry from solidarity and reception," he said.

"Macron should have the good taste to keep quiet and not give lectures to the Italians".

Salvini has been refusing landing permission in Italy to many migrant rescue ships, drawing criticism from Macron.

Salvini also said Thursday he claimed responsibility for "blackmailing" the EU over the Diciotti coast guard ship carrying 177 Eritrean migrants.

"I learn there is a new crime, blackmailing the European Union, I didn't know it existed," Salvini told a press conference on the probe into the Diciotti where he is accused of illegal arrest and abuse of office, among other things.

"They are changing the penal code for the interior minister.

Good, I claim responsibility for blackmailing the European Union".

The EU refused to take in the migrants, who were eventually taken in by Italian bishops, Ireland and Albania.

Salvini added that Italy was "assessing" whether to continue the EU's Sophia mission which currently lands all rescued migrants in Italian ports.

Salvini also said he had been the one who had phoned the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) asking them to take migrants from the Diciotti coast guard ship where he had been holding them and demanding the EU take them.

"It was me who called the CEI, they didn't call themselves.

Ireland, Albania and the bishops were contacted by us," he said, referring to the two countries who also took in some of the Eritreans.

"Europe for the umpteenth time turned away and pretended nothing was happening," he said.

He said the government had also contacted "other countries we hope may be useful for other, eventual landings".


(ANSA) - Rome, August 30 - France has pushed back more than 40,00 migrants to Italy since last year so French President Emmanuel Macron should stop lecturing Italy about stopping migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday.

"More than 40,000 push backs at French borders with Italy since last year, a far cry from solidarity and reception," he said.

"Macron should have the good taste to keep quiet and not give lectures to the Italians".

Salvini has been refusing landing permission in Italy to many migrant rescue ships, drawing criticism from Macron.

Salvini also said he had been the one who had phoned the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI) asking them to take migrants from the Diciotti coast guard ship where he had been holding them and demanding the EU take them.

"It was me who called the CEI, they didn't call themselves.

Ireland, Albania and the bishops were contacted by us," he said, referring to the two countries who also took in some of the Eritreans.

"Europe for the umpteenth time turned away and pretended nothing was happening," he said.

He said the government had also contacted "other countries we hope may be useful for other, eventual landings".


(ANSA) - Rome, August 30 - Italy on Thursday said it might leave the EU anti-human trafficking Sophia mission in the Mediterranean unless there was a deal among EU members to have rescued migrants land at other ports beside Italian ones.

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Italy was "assessing" whether to continue the EU's Sophia mission which currently lands all rescued migrants in Italian ports.

Defence Minister Elisabetta Trenta voiced disappointment Thursday at drawing a blank on Italy's proposal to change the Sophia mission's landing rules so that other countries besides Italy can take migrants.

"I feel disappointed because I've seen that Europe is not here but I'm confident", she said after a defence ministers' meeting.

"We will assess what to do" after no agreement was reached on changing Sophia's port of landing rules.

"All decisions will be taken with the government and Premier (Giuseppe) Conte", she said when asked whether Italy would leave the mission.

Trenta voiced the hope that things might change at an EU foreign ministers' meeting Friday.

"I've found open doors, but also closed ones," she said.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini said "there is no consensus on practical solutions" on the proposed Sophia mission changes.

She said she hoped for a concrete result on possibly changing the Sophia mission's landing rules to help Italy in the coming weeks.

"I hope for a concrete result in the coming weeks," she said after EU defence ministers failed to agree on the issue.

"It is not and will not be am easy exercise but it is a duty, because in these last few years we have proved that the EU can make a difference in the Mediterranean".

She said "losing this asset would be a big step backwards for the member States and the whole EU".


(ANSAmed) - SARAJEVO - On August 31st and September 1st, the 4th edition of the International Literary Festival "Zivodrag Zivkovic's feather", will take place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, organised by the "Armagedon" Association and by Bosnian poet Emir Sokolovic, who is renowned and received many awards in Italy. The event is organized in collaboration with the Italian Embassy, supporting it in the framework of the 6th Italian Culture Season in Bosnia Herzegovina, and the "Osloboenje" newspaper. The festival has achieved international notability, therefore this year 103 writers and poets from 14 countries have sent their works, among which the Jury has selected 19 authors who have been invited to present their written works in Zenica. As a reward for the support given by Italy to the event, all the 14 Italian authors who will take part in the festival this year were invited to read their writings in Zenica. The Festival will officially kick off on 31st August at 8pm in Zenica at the "Plava paleta" club (Trg Alije Izetbegovica). The following day at 2pm the authors will take part in a round table on "Inspiration or self-denial", to be held at the Kakanj Municipal Library. The guests of honor of the 4th edition of the Festival will be the lute player Igor Paro, and Mirko Demic, Director of the National Library "Vuk Karadzic" of Kragujevac (Serbia). During the event, the Croatian "Rhythm of thoughts" association, based in Varasdino, will stage a performance.


Italian archeological dig at Hellenistic Nigde temple Work at Kinik Hoyuk in Turkey led by Prof. d'Alfonso

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, AUGUST 30 - The eighth archeological excavation at the Kinik Hoyuk site in Nigde, in Turkey's Central Anatolia region of Turkey, has come to a close, and its research directors said this year's dig has been "particularly rich with discoveries and findings".



The excavation is the result of a joint research project between the University of Pavia's Department of Humanities and New York University's Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, under the direction of Professor Lorenzo d'Alfonso. It is sponsored by the Turkish Culture Ministry's General Directorate for Antiquities and Museums, with economic support from the Italian Foreign Ministry and New York's MET Museum, as well as sponsorship by Turkish farm machinery company Turk Traktor.



This year, work continued with the objective of defining the western and southern boundaries of the sanctuary that emerged during the digs from 2014-2016.



In addition, the area was equipped with a semi-permanent cover ahead of stabilisation and restoration of the entire building.



The main news from this year's dig was the discovery of cultural artifacts and public monumental architecture in the eastern area of the sanctuary.



In next year's dig, the excavation area will be further enlarged east of the square.(ANSAmed).




Militias clash in Libya, 26 people killed 15 civilians dead and 51 injured

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, AUGUST 30 - The death toll from clashes between militias in Tripoli that began on Monday had risen to 26 as of Thursday morning including 15 civilians. Some 75 people were also injured, according to a tweet by Libyan broadcaster Al Ahrar, which quoted field hospital sources. Fifty-one of the injured were civilians.



The website of the broadcaster said that another ceasefire had been agreed at 11 PM on Wednesday evening but intermittent fire continued to be heard on Thursday. The announcement of the alleged ceasefire, the website of the broadcaster reported, was read by representatives of the 'Committee of Dignitaries' of the western area of the capital, the Tripoli Council of reconciliation and the mayors of some municipalities of the metropolitan area. The clashes began when the Seventh Brigade, a militia based in Tarhuna and officially under the Government of National accord (GNA) defence ministry, made a move against formations currently under Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, accusing them of being corrupt. A precarious ceasefire announced on Monday was violated on Wednesday when forces under Serraj's UN-recognized government launched a counteroffensive in the southern suburbs that the Seventh Brigade had taken control of, which in turn had sought to advance towards the airport. (ANSAmed).




States be constructive on Sophia landings - Mogherini EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs at Vienna meeting

(ANSAmed) - Vienna, August 30 - EU member States should be "constructive" on changing the rules for the ports that the Sophia mission that rescues migrants at sea, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini said Thursday.



Speaking on her way into a defence ministers meeting, Mogherini said some proposals had been discussed in July and August to solve the issue of the Sophia landing ports.



"Today I'll see if there is room and what kind of room to find a response.



"This requires a constructive attitude and responsibility on the part of all member States".




Turkey trying to maintain ceasefire in Syria's Idlib Mediation with Russian defense ministry on offensive

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, AUGUST 30 - Turkey is seeking to maintain an agreement with Russia and Iran on a ceasefire in Idlib, a region in northwestern Syria that is the last stronghold of the anti-Assad opposition and where millions have been displaced to from other areas of the country.



The Syrian regime, backed by Moscow and Tehran, is preparing to conduct an offensive on the region.



The announcement of Turkey's attempt at mediation was made by former Army Chief of Staff and current Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. ''We are trying to maintain the security of about 4 million residents, to continue efforts to provide aid and to stop attacks in order to maintain the ceasefire in Idlib,'' Akar said, who in the past few hours has spoken on the phone with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu. There has been a flurry of diplomatic activity in recent days between the guarantor countries of the Astana Agreement - Turkey, Russia and Iran - in search of mediation on Idlib ahead of a trilateral meeting between presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rohani on September 7 in Tabriz. Both Turkey and the UN have launched an alarm over the possible wave of hundreds of thousands of refugees towards the Turkish border if the Syrian regime starts attacking the area.



(ANSAmed).




Turkish Victory Day celebrates final Independence War battle Ataturk's army against Greeks in 1922, Erdogan to pay homage

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, AUGUST 30 - Turkey on Thursday is marking the 96th anniversary of its final military success against Greek forces in 1922 during the Independence War in 1922.



The forces were led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who was to found the Turkish Republic the following year on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. As part of Victory Day, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay homage to Ataturk at his mausoleum in Ankara prior to taking part in other ceremonies in the presidential palace. In a message to the nation on Wednesday, Erdogan said that he was convinced that Turkey is ''at the dawn of new victories and new conquests'', noting the strategic objectives for 2023, the centenary of the founding of the Republic and the date expected to be the end of his term in office. The celebrations are coming at a particularly delicate time for Turkey, which is suffering a serious currency crisis accompanied by severe concerns over its economy. (ANSAmed).




The Tennessee Department of Transportation will halt all lane closure activity on interstates and state highways for the Labor Day holiday travel period. Construction crews will stop all lane closure activity beginning at noon on Friday through 6 a.m. on Tuesday. This will provide maximum roadway capacity for motorists traveling during the busy Labor Day holiday.The labor day holiday is a busy travel time, said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. We want to ensure that the thousands of travelers using Tennessees roadways during this period arrive at their destinations quickly and safely without being impeded by road construction delays.While lane closure activity will be stopped, workers will still be on site in many construction zones, and drivers are urged to obey posted speed limits. Drivers convicted of speeding in work zones where workers are present face a fine of $250 to $500, plus court fees and possible increased insurance premiums.From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic.Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel. As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel.In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Transportation lost three workers in the line of duty. All three were struck by passing motorists. Those tragedies bring the total number of TDOT lives lost to 112. "We dont want to lose another member of our TDOT family," officials said.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Artesia was among 10 New Mexico cities issued a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Monday demanding they repeal their ordinances regarding panhandling.

Along with Elephant Butte, Espanola, Las Cruces, Los Alamos, Los Lunas, Mesilla, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe and Silver City, the City of Artesia was informed the ACLU believes its panhandling ordinance to be unconstitutional and a violation of free speech.

Panhandling is indeed protected speech, Peter Simonson, executive director of the ACLU in New Mexico, said in a statement. I think its speech that is important for we, as citizens, in our cities, to hear. Its speech that confronts us with the realities of the economic system that we live in.

The letters were issued as part of a coordinated effort with the National Center on Homelessness and Poverty that has also seen communications sent to hundreds of other municipalities in 12 states.

The Associated Press reported today that Santa Fes ordinance prohibits panhandlers from begging from individuals eating at sidewalk cafes, while Espanolas prohibits multiple people from panhandling in a group.

The AP also quoted ACLU staff attorney Maria Martinez Sanchez as stating that in Artesia, panhandlers must obtain a permit approved by a city or police official before they can beg for money.

The ACLU alleges the ordinances target the homeless and criminalize poverty.

During Tuesdays regularly-scheduled meeting of the Artesia City Council, however, Mayor Raye Miller stated Artesias ordinance was created in response to panhandling activities that created a danger for both the panhandlers and the travelling public.

The issues we had were with folks who came to our city who didnt appear to be homeless or in poverty but did a great job of possibly creating life-threatening situations for them as well as people trying to drive vehicles through intersections, Miller said.

The panhandlers in question claimed to be representing a church in Dallas, Texas, and were walking into intersections during red lights. The city says it crafted its ordinance to address a public safety issue.

Firefighters who once raised funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Associations nationally-accredited Fill the Boot campaign by collecting money in a similar way long ago stopped walking into roadways due to safety concerns.

Miller asked Police Chief Kirk Roberts to look into whether anyone had been cited under Artesias ordinance since its implementation; it is believed none have.

The ACLU says it has given the mayors of the 10 New Mexico cities until Sept. 11 to respond to its demands and will be prepared to take the matter to court if no action is taken.
There is reason to be highly skeptical on the development and implementation of the latest municipal Opportunity Zones program. Numerous agencies define these zones as, An economically distressed area where new investments, under certain conditions may be eligible for preferential tax treatment."

As Rachel Reilly Carrol so ably describes in Opportunity Zones Program: An Early Overview of Program Details and Whats Ahead, this latest round of tax cuts and incentives was first introduced in the Investing in Opportunity Act and was later included in the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017). Essentially, a low-income census tract (opportunity zone) is identified for private investment and a fund consisting of capital and resources is pooled together (opportunity fund) to invest in potential properties within these localities (opportunity zones property).

Many individuals such as New York professor Timothy Weaver have compared these policies to the failed empowerment zone policies of the 1980's. Empowerment Zones, Enterprise Communities, and Renewal Communities have all been policies that were historically enacted to address poverty and inequities, yet many of these issues are not only persistent but have been heightened some three decades later. The preeminent social scientist William Julius Wilson in his work When Work Disappears: New Implications for Race and Urban Poverty in the Global Economy (1998), and Audrey McFarlane in Race, Space and Place: The Internal Critique of the Empowerment Zones Program (1999) both discuss the allure of public discourse and rhetoric that is often associated with new government program designs. Positive imagery, the merits of market-based targeting and the creation of numerous subsidies and incentives to invest are generally professed to be vehicles that will enhance and revitalize communities. Yet, rarely is the developmental phase diverse or inclusive, and often times fails to detail the needs of truly distressed and marginalized communities, which are the very ones the policies are meant to target.

There is little talk of the social isolation and spatial mismatch in these communities, and there is a bias to tout the preeminence of industry, agency and self-determination without adequately acknowledging the systemic and institutional barriers that helped to create and enhance the social impediments to begin with. There is diminutive concern for the downward mobility that occurs as a condition of these oversights, and by virtue policies fail to include a multifaceted and holistic approach such as education, job skills, development, training, apprenticeship, access to programming and capitol at the human, social and fiscal levels, and as a consequence a recurring pattern of stagnation, dysfunctionalism and hopelessness develops amongst the masses while the fringe benefits of unguaranteed promises and assurances are granted to the classes. As an effect, hiring and opportunity are at times none existent and sporadic at best.

The public should question how the implementation and development of these zones in Hamilton County will be different this time? Programs, which have come and gone in the blinking of an eye, have been advanced in favor of firms and corporations primarily concerned with profit maximization, scarcity, opportunity cost and other economically viable variables. While it may be right to provide incentives to invest, too often has it been done with a keen ambivalence to the needs and concerns of poor and minority communities, and this indicator, benign neglect in actuality, has led to a condition where wide swaths of gentrified areas have seen disinvestment, displacement, distress and decay, only to create a climate where more affluent and at often times non-empathetic firms and individuals buy, sell and trade the resource assets of marginalized communities at reduced and highly volatile market rates that increasingly fluctuate. As a result, poor and minority communities become ostracized and in many instances nonexistent as the cultural heritage and identity are eviscerated.

The great irony with the potential development of the Opportunity Zones is the intersection with history we find ourselves embarked upon. 2018 marks 50 years since the Fair Housing Act; Kerner Commission Report; and launch of the Poor People's Campaign; and yet our community is still grappling with unjust lending and housing policies as detailed by Chattanooga Organized for Actions study on Redlining and Lending, national studies that denote that 37408 is one of the nations most rapidly gentrifying areas, and when in 2015 Dr. Ken Chilton, citing statistics such as 31 percent of African-Americans and 38 percent of Hispanics living below the poverty threshold, questioned if economic and social disparities that have occurred will be the new normal we must live with?

Other questions also may matriculate? How will review and accountability mechanisms be established to monitor the promises and performance of businesses that are included in these zones? For instance, one major flaw of TIF and PILOT agreements when they were established is that there was no way to track if firms and businesses had fulfilled commitments in areas such as hiring locally, measuring racial, gender and poverty demographics in hiring, open bidding to include local and minority bids, the criteria under which these businesses and firms were awarded, and an annual report, which should have been accessible for public review in order to gauge the fulfillment and progress of these indicators. Likewise, if census tract data is what will be utilized, then there are areas of concern on this front. Namely, gentrification is a contributing factor that leads to Minority Vote Dilution, which is violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Not only does cracking, packing and stacking occur, but these conditions are expeditiously leading to districts once regarded as minority-majority in nature becoming little more than coalition, influence or swing districts. It will lead to gerrymandering because boundaries and districts will be prone to inconsistencies, irregularities and manipulations just as what occurred in the recent election, and the redistricting process will be a contentious one as the perceived contiguous nature of zone and district lines will be repeatedly challenged.

As Edward Glaser notes in Triumph of the City, The failures of urban renewal reflect a failure at all levels of government to realize that people, not structures, really determine a citys success. This is precisely the reason a public debate is needed before adopting these measures.

Eric Atkins






The board will consider the proposal on August 31.

The LIC board will meet on September 4 to decide on the modalities for increasing stake in debt-ridden IDBI Bank to 51 per cent, a move that will provide insurance behemoth entry into the banking space.

New Delhi: The LIC board will meet on September 4 to decide on the modalities for increasing stake in debt-ridden IDBI Bank to 51 per cent, a move that will provide insurance behemoth entry into the banking space.

The board will discuss time line for open offer, board level appointments and future strategy for revitalising IDBI Bank, sources said. LIC is slated to pick up additional 7 per cent stake in IDBI Bank soon. With this, total holding in the bank would rise to 14.9 per cent.

At present, LIC holds 7.98 per cent stake in the public sector bank. The bank received a letter dated August 28, 2018 from LIC giving in-principle approval for subscription of equity shares on preferential basis subject to their total exposure not exceeding 14.9 per cent of post issue capital of IDBI Bank at any point of time, the bank had said in a regulatory filing yesterday.

The board will consider the proposal on August 31, it added. The first round of stake sale will help the debt-ridden lender to meet immediate capital requirement, sources said. In August, the Union Cabinet had approved LIC's proposed acquisition of up to 51 per cent stake in debt-ridden IDBI Bank.

The board at its meeting, to be held on August 31, will consider the proposal for seeking shareholders' approval through postal ballot for preferential issue of capital to LIC, aggregating up to 14.90 per cent of the bank's post issue paid up capital, it added. The bank, in which the government holds 85.96 per cent stake, had posted a net loss of Rs 2,409.89 in the quarter ending June 2018.

It had a gross non-performing asset (NPA) of about Rs 57,807 crore. The board of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai), at its meeting held in Hyderabad in June, had permitted LIC to increase its stake from 10.82 per cent to 51 per cent in IDBI Bank.

As per current regulations, an insurance company cannot own more than 15 per cent in any listed financial firm. LIC has been looking to enter the banking space by acquiring a majority stake in IDBI Bank as the deal is expected to provide business synergies despite the lender's stressed balance sheet.

With the culmination of the deal, LIC will get about 2,000 branches by which it can sell its products, while the bank would get massive funds of LIC. The bank would also get accounts of about 22 crore policy holders and subsequent flow of fund.
Officials presented a list, prepared by the then UPA govt in 2012, of organisations 'having connections with the Maoists'.

The official said what is under investigation in the current case are the linkages of these individuals with the CPI (Maoist), a banned organisation operating with the devious objective of overthrowing democratic order. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: As many as 128 organisations suspected to be having links with Maoists were identified by the UPA government in 2012 and some of those arrested by Maharashtra Police in the recent crackdown were part of these front groups of the red ultras, Home Ministry officials said on Wednesday.

As the government received flak for the arrest of a few rights activists for suspected Naxal links, officials came out with a list, prepared by the then UPA dispensation in 2012, of organisations "having connections with the Maoists".

"The UPA government had, in December 2012, identified 128 organisations with linkages to the CPI (Maoists) and written to all state governments asking them to take action against people involved with these organisations. Seven of those Varavara Rao, Sudha Bhardwaj, Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Mahesh Raut arrested so far belong to the organisations appearing in this list," a government official said requesting anonymity.

While Rao, Bhardwaj, Ferreira and Gonsalves were arrested on Tuesday, Gadling, Wilson and Raut were arrested on June 6.

Also Read: Allow dissent in democracy, else pressure cooker will burst: SC on activists arrest

Ferreira and Gonsalves, two of the five arrested on Tuesday, were held in 2007 too and they had spent several years in prison. Similarly, Rao has been arrested several times by the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Police in the past.

The official said what is under investigation in the current case are the linkages of these individuals with the CPI (Maoist), a banned organisation operating with the devious objective of overthrowing democratic order, and the support provided by them to the CPI (Maoist).

"Such individuals cannot escape responsibility for aiding and abetting the violent acts committed by CPI (Maoist)'s underground cadres," the official said.

"The CPI (Maoist), towards the achievement of its ultimate objective of seizure of political power through protracted peoples war, attaches immense importance to the urban movement which works towards the creation of a United Front in support of their movement," another official said.

Also Read: Present regime arresting those fighting for human rights violation: Sudha Bharadwaj

The urban movement is the main source for providing leadership and resources to the CPI(Maoist). The responsibility for the provision of supplies, technologies, expertise, information and other logistic support is also shouldered by the overground activists in urban centres, the official said.

Since 2001, altogether 6,956 civilians and 2,517 security personnel have been killed by the CPI (Maoist), according to a government figure.

Naxal violence has also caused massive damage to infrastructure and virtually stalled development activities in some parts of the country.

The Maharashtra Police has named the organisations to which the arrested people belong: Surendra Gadling (General Secretary, Indian Association of People's Lawyers), Rona Wilson (Public Relation Secretary, Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners), Sudhir Dhawale (Republican Panthers), Shoma Sen (Executive Member, Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights) and Mahesh Raut (State Convener, Maharashtra, Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan). All were arrested on June 6.

Those who were arrested on Tuesday are: Varavara Rao (President, Revolutionary Democratic Front), Sudha Bharadwaj (Vice-President, Indian Association of People's Lawyers), Gautam Navlakha (Leader, People's Union for Democratic Rights), Vernon Gonsalves (ex-Secretary, Maharashtra State Committee of CPI/Maoist) and Arun Ferreira (ex-Member, Maharashtra State Committee of CPI-Maoist).
A search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces positions.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Hajin area following information about presence of militants there, a police official said. (Representational image)

Srinagar: Two terrorists have been killed after an encounter broke out on Thursday between militants and security forces in the Hajin area of Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir. The operation is ongoing.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Hajin area following information about presence of militants there, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces positions.

Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir, Shesh Paul Vaid had earlier tweeted stating that one terrorist had been killed and that the exchange of fire was ongoing.

One terrorist killed, exchange of fire going on. https://t.co/M5ns8pBTfb  Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) August 30, 2018

The body of a second terrorist was later recovered from the encounter site. The encounter is ongoing.

Inspector General of Police in Kashmir, SP Pani said that arms and ammunition have also been recovered.

"On the basis of specific input an operation was launched in Hajin by Army, CRPF and Police. Two terrorists have been killed and search operation is underway," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)
In a stinging reply, Amit Shah said the Congress chief's 'lies to fool the nation are self-evident'.

Amit Shah said Rahul Gandhi had quoted different prices of the aircraft at different places. (Photo: Twitter/ANI)

New Delhi: Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi over his push for a JPC, Joint Parliamentary Committee, probe into the Rafale deal, BJP president Amit Shah described JPC as 'Jhoothi Party Congress" and said the Congress chief's "lies to fool the nation are self-evident".

In his reply on Twitter tagging Gandhi's tweet in which the Congress leader had attacked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over his defence of the Rafale deal negotiated by the Modi government, Shah said Gandhi had quoted different prices of the aircraft at different places.

"Your lies to fool the nation are self-evident when Rafale price you quote vary in Delhi, Karnataka, Raipur, Hyderabad, Jaipur & Parliament. But the nation's IQ is higher than yours!" Shah tweeted.

Why wait 24 hours when you already have your JPC-Jhoothi Party Congress.



Your lies to fool the nation are self-evident when Rafale price you quote vary in Delhi, Karnataka, Raipur, Hyderabad, Jaipur & Parliament.



But the nation's IQ is higher than yours!https://t.co/5fQlS7gV1L https://t.co/69IkaKeXSZ  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 29, 2018

To Gandhi's demand of a JPC probe and sarcastic suggestion to Jaitley to revert in 24 hours, Shah retorted, "Why wait 24 hours when you already have your JPC-Jhoothi Party Congress."

Earlier, Gandhi had tweeted following Jaitley's interview in which he had put up a strong defence of the Rafale fighter aircraft deal, saying "Mr Jaitley, thanks for bringing the nation's attention back to the GREAT #RAFALE ROBBERY! "How about a Joint Parliamentary Committee to sort it out? Problem is, your Supreme Leader is protecting his friend, so this may be inconvenient. Do check & revert in 24 hrs. We're waiting!"

Shah also tagged the link of a news story about Gandhi quoting different prices of the aircraft.
Participation in BIMSTEC signals India's highest priority, commitment to deepening ties with 'extended neighbourhood' in SE Asia, Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by dignitaries upon his arrival in Nepal. (Photo: Twitter | @PIB_India)

New Delhi/Kathmandu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday to attend the 4th BIMSTEC Summit that will focus on enhancing regional connectivity and boosting trade.

Modi said on Wednesday that his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Kathmandu signals India's highest priority to its neighbourhood and a strong commitment to continue deepening ties with the "extended neighbourhood" in South-East Asia.

In a statement before leaving for Nepal for the two-day summit, Modi said he will interact with the leaders of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand on the margins of the summit whose theme is 'Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region'.

"I also look forward to meeting Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli and reviewing the progress we have made in our bilateral ties since my last visit to Nepal in May 2018," he said.

Modi said he and Oli will inaugurate the Nepal Bharat Maitri Dharmashala at the Pashupatinath temple complex.

The Summit's theme, Modi said,will enable the member-countries to shape a collective response to their common aspirations and challenges. The BIMSTEC is a regional grouping comprising Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. The grouping accounts for 22 per cent of the global population.
The arrests are being described as absolutely chilling and a virtual declaration of Emergency.

The dog squad enters Gate no. 4 of Pune session's court, on Wednesday where three of the activists are likely to be produced. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Pune police has, in a report to the Centre in connection with the nationwide crackdown on alleged Left-wing activists, claimed that in December 2012 the UPA government had sent a list of 128 organisations with links to the banned CPI(Maoists) to states, asking them to initiate action against them and those linked with these outfits.

The report, sent on Wednesday, also states that the role of the seven of those arrested  Varavara Rao, Sudha Bhardwaj, Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Mahesh Raut  needs to be investigated for alleged links to the 128 organisation mentioned in the list.

The Maharashtra governments new spin to justify the 6 am raids and subsequent arrests by linking them to an alleged eight-year-old list, and dragging in the Congress-led UPA government, comes in the wake of nation-wide outrage. The arrests are being described as absolutely chilling and a virtual declaration of Emergency.

While Mr Rao, Ms Bhardwaj, Mr Ferreira and Mr Gonsalves were arrested on Tuesday, Mr Gadling, Ms Wilson and Mr Raut were arrested on June 6. Both Mr Ferreira and Mr Gonsalves, two of the five arrested on Tuesday, were held in 2007 too and spent several years in prison. Mr Rao too has been arrested several times by the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana police in the past.

Security sources said that in the present case also Pune police is investigating the possible links of those arrested with the CPI(Maoist), a banned organisation, and the possible support they may have provided to the Naxal outfit.

The Pune police has stated that these individuals cannot escape responsibility for aiding and abetting the violent acts committed by the underground cadres of CPI(Maoist).

Security sources also claimed that urban movement was one of the main source for providing leadership and other resources to Naxal groups, particularly the CPI(Maoist). The main task of provision of supplies, technological assistance, expertise, information and propaganda as well as other logistical support was being organised by some of the so-called overground activists of these Naxal groups in urban areas, sources added.

Though the matter is subjudice and still under investigation, but the modus operandi of CPI(Maoist) reveals that it attaches a lot of importance to its main aim of getting political power through a protracted so-called peoples war and disrupting the democratic norms. Thus, CPI(Maoist) and other Naxal groups focus a lot on their urban movement or overground cadre in an attempt to create United Front in support of their movement, a security official added.

Intelligence agencies, which have been closely monitoring the activities of CPI(Maoist), claim that the outfit is responsible for disrupting development activities in a number of states, including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra. The outfit is also responsible for killing 6,956 civilians and 2,517 security personnel since 2001.

Home ministry officials claimed that since law and order was primarily a state subject, investigations into the case were being conducted by an independent agency, in this instance the Pune police.

The investigating agency, officials added, will conduct foolproof investigations into the case and file a detailed chargesheet in court with evidence against the accused persons who were free to approach courts for any legal remedy.
Sources further said the Maharashtra Assembly had sent a resolution on this too.

New Delhi: The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) at Mumbai will soon be the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his approval to the proposal for the re-naming and the government is expected to soon issue a gazette notification on this, civil aviation ministry sources said on Thursday.

Mr Modi granted his approval after the aviation ministry sent the proposal to the PMO following the approval of civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu.

Mr. Prabhu said, CSIA is now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Congratulations to the people of Maharashtra, the long pending demand is now fulfilled. I thank Prime Minister for the concern towards the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra.

Ministry sources said, Keeping in view the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra, the Mr Prabhu proposed to add Maharaj (King).

Sources further said the Maharashtra Assembly had sent a resolution on this too.
The Congress president also reiterated his demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Rafale deal.

New Delhi: A combative Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched an acerbic attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of lying on demonetisation to help his crony capitalist friends.

In probably his strongest attack on the Prime Minister till date, Mr Gandhi said on demonetisation the man is lying.

Addressing a hurriedly called press conference, Mr Gandhi, who is leaving for Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage on Friday, shot off some point-blank questions at the Prime Minister asking him to answer the youth of the country as to why the demonetisation exercise was carried out when actually it had decreased the GDP growth by two per cent and had resulted in the loss of crores of jobs.

Citing the RBI report on demonetisation, Mr Gandhi said the prime minister had promised youth, middle and small businesses that demonetisation will wipe out black money and fake currency from the system and eliminate terrorism. Now the results have come and the result is that the entire money has come back.

The reason why our PM carried out demonetisation was to benefit 15-20 biggest crony capitalists of the country who had taken money from banks. They had non-performing assets. Narendra Modi took money out of your pockets and put it straight in the pockets of the biggest crony capitalists of the country. Mr Modi helped his friends turn black money into white, he alleged.

There is evidence coming out that demonetisation is nothing less than a huge scam. Slowly the evidence is coming out

The Congress president also reiterated his demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Rafale deal.

He again asked the PM as to why an aircraft costing around Rs 520 crore was bought at Rs 1,600 crore.
Book, being called testimony to and memoir of womens issues is collection of interviews with path-breaking, fascinating opinion leaders.

The book has compelling conversation with women and men who have advocated gender equality and women's rights through their work.

Penguin recently released authors Shaili Chopra and Meghna Pants collaborative effort Feminist Rani. The book, being called a testimony to and memoir of womens issues is a collection of interviews with path-breaking and fascination opinion leaders Kalki Koechlin, Tanmay Bhatt, Gul Panag, Aditi Mittal, Gauri Sawant among others.

Speaking about the book, publisher Urvashi Bhatia says, The feminist flag . . . is being held high increasingly by women, transpeopleand even the occasional man!from all walks of life

Kamla Bhasin, feminist, activist and social scientist in her praise of the book adds, A powerful, sensitive and thought-provoking book that is a must-read for anyone who thinks that women and men are equals, and for those who dont.

Popular comedian Mallika Dua too is all praises for the book, saying that Feminist Rani is a much-needed book that captures the realities of our times.

The book has compelling conversation with women and men who have advocated gender equality and women's rights through their work. These conversations provide a perspective on the evolving concept of feminism in an age when women are taking charge and leading the way.
The doctor continues, Sadhvi even told me she was scared she would harm her baby.

Theres no doubt a baby brings about a huge change in the lives of the parents. The gurgling bundle of joy necessitates an adjustment in the lifestyle of the parents, coupled with sleep deprivation. Every couple goes through this period and for some, it remains largely stress-free and temporary. There are the typical baby blues that a mother goes through that usually lasts 2 to 3 days, wherein she may feel teary, anxious and even moody. But an increasing number of women are experiencing extended periods of the baby blues phenomenon also called postpartum depression.

Dr. Shelly Singh, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Consultant at Momspresso, which is India's largest user-generated content sharing platform for women, shares a case study. Sadhvi Chauhan, a 35-year-old teacher gave birth to a baby, her second born. She had a normal delivery but called me saying she felt like crying incessantly. She did not feel like eating and had insomnia, despite being exhausted. She had a complete lack of interest in looking after her newborn and did not even look at him. She breast fed him only when she was forced to. She stopped talking to her husband and family, who were perplexed by her unnatural behaviour. They asked the doctor, How could she not take care of her baby; something that comes naturally to any mother?

The doctor continues, Sadhvi even told me she was scared she would harm her baby. I tried to counsel her but these negative feelings lasted for a month or so (beyond the baby blues period that lasts for about 2 weeks after delivery). I then asked her to meet a psychiatrist, who gave her psychotherapy and put her on antidepressant medication and asked her to exercise, meditate and to listen to some soothing music. He asked her to talk about her innermost feelings to her husband and her mother and not bottle up her emotions. Shes a bit better now and is still trying to battle this with the support of her husband, family and friends. And of course us, the medical personnel.

Research shows that 12 per cent of women suffer from depression in pregnancy and 1 out of these 3 women go on to suffer from postnatal depression. It also goes undetected in about 50 per cent women.

Dr Shelly mentions, Its serious to those experiencing it, but many people believe its not real. And that can be debilitating.

Dr Shelly states, It is also to be remembered that this is not a character flaw or weakness and neither is it a reason to feel guilty or ashamed. Moreover, it can also cause serious effects like suicide and harm to the baby. If there is greater awareness, the families can help by being pillars of support to the mother with PPD. The phenomenon also adversely affects the health of babies. Generally, babies born to mothers who have postpartum depression are neglected and uncared for. They cry excessively and are jittery and anxious. They do not sleep well and also do not feed well. They have eating difficulties. Some children have a delay in language development and also learning difficulties like ADHD, she cautions.
Merchants and Friends of Etowah, Tennessee invite you to Historic Downtown Etowah Saturday, Sept. 8, from 10 am.m. till 4:30 p.m. The 2018 Art Walk on Main will set the pace for a leisure stroll to meet and enjoy the art of over 20 Exclusive Artists that have answered the special invitation to participate in the 2018 Art Walk on Main. Each of these amazing artists will be guest of the downtown businesses. These businesses set up a special space in their stores and businesses for these artists to demonstrate, exhibit and sell the varied exquisite art selections.

These artists are from numerous towns in Southeast Tennessee as well as some local to the area, but most all have exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the state, and many across the United States and some out of the country. Most of the guest artists have years of experience, many have art degrees, and most have won awards, often been juried for special shows, museums and art councils, much like they were chosen for this Art Walk on Main. Some have just found their artistic niche in the last few years; however, their talent exhibits the experience of a well taught and seasoned artist.

When you say the word artist, most people think of someone who paints with water color, acrylic, oil paint, encaustics and gouache paints, charcoal, etc; their art medium is than applied to canvas, metal, wood, art paper, fiber or other materials with different methods and styles. Not only will you find artists with all these genres but also, artists that carve wood, make wood furniture  such as tables, stairs, canes, knives and other unique pieces. Other artists are fine jewelry designers, each using different materials to design and hand make their rare and beautiful pieces. You will fall in love with the the rockers and chairs that artist, Master Appalachian Craftsman, Jim McGie will exhibit and take orders. Another rare form of art that is quickly fading is the excellent art ability of chair caning. Exceptional artist, April Greer will be demonstrating and exhibiting her amazing results from caning. There will be exceptional art work, like that of Jane Newman from Ooletwah, who paints lovely still life, as well as portraits of children and pets. Some of the artists mold amazing pieces from clay, using their hands to mold and blend color and form beautiful pieces of pottery and ceramic selections.

Each of these artists see things differently, yet all of their work is masterfully crafted and becomes something that will take your breath away; every artist has given a small piece of his soul when completed. Their art is not duplicated because the next piece, whether its a painting, piece of jewelry, table, bowl, musical instrument, chair, metal sculpture - the mediums used will always be slightly different or applied or formed with different strokes or movement. Jewelry pieces will have different size, color and shape of stones, gems, or what ever materials used to create it. An artist that creates with metal will form many different designs and selections. Each of these artists works will be something to treasure; you might want to ask for their signature when you purchase their unique designs.

Just to name a few of our artists, Allan Sibley  Graphic Artist, Art Director, Illustrator; from London, England, attended Cambridge and received awards from The Royal Academy of Art in London, England. Go to FaceBook and LIKE Mr. Sibleys art page and read his amazing bio on Allan Sibley Art on FaceBook. Lisa Bell is from McMinn County; she is a Visual Artist  painting with mixed media, often photographing her own subjects to paint. Robert Worth came to East Tennessee from New Providence, Pennsylvania; a wood craftsman, cabinet maker, loves to hand design and make furniture and especially musically instruments. In his own words, Music is deep in my soul, it runs deep in my blood, When I lay my hands on wires and wood. Paul and Vickie Saladin met while both were actively on duty in the military. Paul from Ohio and Vickie native Floridian, had even more in common, they loved to create. Vickie designed, taught and made awesome ceramic pieces; changed her niche to custom design and teaches creative jewelry techniques in more recent years. She is gifted in wire working, pearl knotting, stringing, bead weaving, stitching and more  all of which produce gorgeous jewelry pieces. Paul calls his art work Pauls Sawdust Shop; he custom designs and makes all wood furniture. He has excellent skills in wood turning and often hand carves intricate designs to compliment the furniture. He will delight you with is stories as well.

Those are just a few of over 20 different artists that will be guest of the downtown businesses in Etowah, Tennessee Saturday, Sept. 8. The Art Walk on Main will begin at 10AM; you need to pick up a program at the Historic Gem Theater before you begin your walk. Each business hosting artists in their stores, will have balloons out front; once you visit and meet each and every artist and have the store owners to stamp your program after you visited their guest; you will return your programs, with your name and phone number, to the Gem Theater where you will be entered for drawings to be held at 3:30 PM for door prizes and eight $25.00 Gift Certificates from the Merchants and Friends of Etowah. You must visit every artist and participating business to qualify for the drawing. Should you win one of the gift certificates and youre present at the drawing, you will have till 4:30 PM to return to a store to purchase from the artists or businesses. You will be notified that you have won and where to pick up your gifts; you will have 30 days to shop with the business or the artist, so be sure to make a note if an artist has something else you might want to purchase and you can contact them.

If you have questions regarding the 2018 Art Walk on Main, call 423 618-0375. The Merchants and Friends of Etowah and all the downtown businesses appreciate and consider it an honor to have each of these exquisitely talented artist as their guest for this event. The Merchants and Friends group create and hold these events to help promote the businesses in Etowah, in hopes that you will return to shop with our merchants and enjoy all of our events.
In order to further develop this input, sources were deployed in areas especially inhabited by Northeastern peoples in Delhi.

A case under the appropriate sections of law has been registered against him.

New Delhi: Delhi polices Special Cell has arrested a 45-year-old member of Manipur- based banned terrorist outfit, Kangleipak Communist Party (KCPPWG), for allegedly threatening the Manipur chief minister.

The accused, Oinam Ibochouba Singh alias Khoirangba, is a top commander and self-styled acting chairman of the banned outfit and was arrested from south Delhis Kotla Mubarakpur area on Tuesday night.

He had allegedly threatened Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh and some other ministers. A case has been registered in Manipur in this regard

According to the police, he is involved in many terrorist activities and extortion cases in Manipur. He was trying to set up a base in Delhi to carry out his anti national activities. Incriminating material has also been seized from his possession.

The Special Cell had received an input from Manipur Police that Oinam, the self-styled chairman of KCP (PWG), is presently hiding in Delhi.

In order to further develop this input, sources were deployed in areas especially inhabited by Northeastern peoples in Delhi.

On Tuesday, following a tip off a trap was laid in Kotla Mubarakpur area and the accused was arrested near Arya Samaj Mandir in Kotla Mubarapur.. A case under the appropriate sections of law has been registered against him.

During interrogation confessed about his involvements in terrorist activities in Manipur. He has earlier been arrested by Assam Police in the year 2010 under the provisions of

Unlawful Activities (P) Act and remained in jail for around one month.

Thereafter, he was involved in many terrorist activities in Manipur . Around five years ago in order to evade police dragnet, he escaped to Nepal and set up his base there. He extorted money from Govt authorities, local businessman, by sending them threatening letters in Manipur.



He was on the run and had come to Delhi to identify an alternative base in and around Delhi for better coordination of his anti-national activities and to raise funds and to procure arms and ammunition for the purpose of conducting terrorist activities for KCP/ PWG



When he came to know about agitations by Manipur University Students Union and Teachers Association for removal of A P Pandey, Vice Chancellor of Manipur University and about the conflicting Border Pillar issue of Indo- Mayanmar and

Naga framework agreement. Oinam held Manipur CM Biren Singh responsible for that and circulated a threat audio message in social media groups

He also claimed to issue termination orders of present officials of Manipur University including Vice Chancellor A P Pandey, to his subordinate cadres of Red Army KCP (PWG).
The airport security personnel had simply asked the 55-year-old woman to remove the power bank from her luggage.

Sources claimed that she is an actress but the police officials were not sure about her antecedents. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Delhi Police arrested a 55-year-old woman for allegedly creating ruckus after being asked by security personnel at the airport to remove power bank from her baggage, a senior police officer said.

The woman allegedly threw the power bank on the floor which triggered a small blast, he said.

She was arrested on Wednesday from the airport and later released on bail. Sources claimed that she is an actress but the police officials were not sure about her antecedents.
He was accompanied by two young Trinamul leaders: Soumya Bakshi and Swaroop Biswas as witnesses.

Kolkata: A metropolitan court in Kolkata summoned BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday in connection with a defamation case filed by chief minister Mamata Banerjees nephew and Trinamul Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee against whom he had levelled allegations of massive corruption during his rally on Mayo Road in the city on August 11.

Eighth metropolitan magistrate of the city sessions court has directed Mr Shah to appear before him in person on September 28. The summon was issued after Mr Banerjee appeared in person before the judge during the day and filed a written submission complaining that Mr Shah had made defamatory statements against him in speech at BJYM rally.

He was accompanied by two young Trinamul leaders: Soumya Bakshi and Swaroop Biswas as witnesses. Mr Banerjees lawyer Sanjoy Basu who filed the case said, The chief metropolitan magistrate court has accepted our case which has been filed under section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code. Mr Basu claimed that Mr Shahs false statements caused grave loss and prejudice to his clients reputation. While addressing Yuva Swabhiman Samavesh Rally Mr Shah alleged that the funds released by the Centre over Rs 3.50 lakh crores to the West Bengal government ended up with Mr Banerjee and syndicates. He claimed, The residents of the villages in Bengal, has the money reached your village? Prime Minister Modi had sent it. Where did Rs 3,59,000 crores go? This has been gifted to the nephew and the syndicate.

Mr Basu argued that Mr Banerjee vehemently denies the allegation that he is involved in any purported diversion of public and/or government funds to the tune of `3,59,000 crore or any other sum purportedly allotted from the Centre to the State of West Bengal. On Tuesday Mr Banerjee told the Trinamul Youth Congress foundation day rally that he would not tolerate any malicious campaign at any cost. Referring to Mr Shah he also underlined that the BJP would concede defeat in court like it did in elections.

Soon after Mr Shahs attack the Trinamul Rajya Sabha MP Derek OBrien had threatened to file the defamation suit against him and also declared to drag him to court if he would not tender an unconditional apology for his malicious comments against Mr Banerjee. The BJP however remained silent. On August 13 Mr Banerjee, the Diamond Harbour MP in South 24 Parganas, sent a legal notice to the BJP chief asking him to apologise for his slanderous remarks on him.

It stated, In the course of your speech you had made various allegations against my client by making a flimsy and thinly veiled reference and/or insinuation to the bhatija (nephew) of the Honble chief minister of the State of West Bengal. Since, it is well known that my client is the nephew of Smt. Mamata Banerjee and is actively involved in politics, the contents of your speech left little to the imagination of my clients well-wishers that you were referring to my client. But no response came from Mr Shah.
Left leaning Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao reached home in Hyderabad Thursday morning.

Pune/Mumbai: Pune police on Thursday sent three Left-wing activists, arrested for their alleged links with the Maoists, to their homes in compliance with a directive of the Supreme Court.

Left leaning Telugu poet and writer Varavara Rao reached home in Hyderabad Thursday morning, while activists Vernon Gonsalves and Arun Ferreira were sent to Mumbai by road, a police official said.

Punes assistant commissioner of police Shivaji Pawar, who is the investigation officer in the case, said the three activists will be kept under house arrest.

We have our own police officers and personnel, along with local police from the respective cities, who will be deployed at their residences, he added.

Mr Gonsalves reached his home in Mumbais Andheri suburb around 7.30 am. His wife, advocate Susan Abraham, said, Vernon reached home safely and we welcomed him. We have requested the police not to block the entire road of our housing society which may scare other people. Mr Ferriera was taken to his home in Thane district, an official said. The Supreme Court had ordered on Wednesday that the five human rights activists  Mr Rao, Mr Ferreira, Mr Gonzalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha  be kept under house arrest.

Following the apex courts order, a Maharashtra court had directed Pune police to send Mr Rao, Mr Gonsalves and Mr Ferreira back to their homes. Unionist and lawyer Ms Bharadwaj is confined to her home in Faridabad and civil liberties activist Navlakha to his Delhi residence.

Meanwhile, a letter, which the Maharashtra police claims to have recovered during its multi-city raids two days back, alleges that Mr Navlakha was in contact with Kashmiri separatists.

The undated letter in Hindi, written by Comrade Sudha to Comrade Prakash, also talks about giving financial help to comrades working in the interiors, as is supposedly done by backers of militants and stone pelters in Kashmir. The letter said, Comrade Ankit and Comrade Gautam Navlakha are in contact with Kashmiri separatists. It is not clear from the letter as to who Sudha, Prakash or Ankit are. Pune police had on Tuesday raided the homes of Left-wing activists in several states and arrested five of them. The raids were part of a probe into a conclave  Elgar Parishad  held in Koregaon-Bhima near Pune on December 31 last year, which had allegedly triggered violence the next day.

The arrested activists were part of a conspiracy to target higher political functionaries, joint commissioner of Pune police Shivajirao Bodkhe had said.
Deadline for applications to erect pandals is now Sept 5.

Mumbai: In a major relief for the citys Ganesh Mandals, the deadline for filing applications to erect pandals for Ganeshotsav has been extended to September 5. The decision was taken by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in a meeting with officials of Ganesh Mandals on Thursday.

The meeting was held at the Sahyadri guesthouse and top state government officials, officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the police and the MMRDA were present when the CM announced an extension of three days.

The BMC had asked all Ganesh mandals to file applications by September 2.

Naresh Dahibavkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS)  an umbrella organisation of the citys Ganesh mandals  said, The inspection for illegal pandals will be held seven days before Ganeshotsav begins. Since the festival begins on September 13 this year, there is still ample time to allow the mandals to file applications.

Hence, we requested the CM to extend the deadline up to September 5, which will still allow enough time to process applications and also for inspection of illegal pandals.

According to civic data, nearly 80 per cent of the mandals have been given permission to erect pandals for the Ganeshotsav. Out of the 2,843 applications received so far, the BMC has processed 2,205 applications. Of them, it has granted permissions to 1,766 mandals, whereas 638 applications have been rejected.

In an attempt to improve the application approval rate, this year the civic body had introduced an online system in all 24 wards of the city. The BMC had made it compulsory for all mandals to get approvals from the police, the traffic and the fire department.

However, the online system was mired in controversy with reports of many Ganesh mandals facing several difficulties in filling the application form online.

They faced problems like requisite forms not getting uploaded, the online system crashing midway etc, were proving to be major hurdles for several Ganesh mandals.
Mark Zuckerberg has also increasingly involved Facebook in international affairs.

At a meeting in New Delhi recently between a Facebook-WhatsApp representative and Indias information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the minister asked for little from the social media/messaging giant and got even less. The government wanted Facebook-WhatsApp to appoint a grievance officer and find a technological solution to trace the origin of fake messages. The problem is a grave one, as it involves the murder of several people by gangs instigated by so-called fake news sent out by Facebook and especially by its messaging service WhatsApp.

Its possible on this devilish app for one person to easily send a message by the press of a button to 200 people, each of whom can then easily send it to 200 more people, and so on. In this way it becomes possible for evil-minded troublemakers to infect hundreds of thousands of people who are willing to believe anything that can incite them. This method is used a lot by extreme right-wing groups which form armies of trolls that have a sinister purpose.

The ability to tell Facebook-WhatsApp not to interfere in Indias social processes is complicated by the intimate relationship it has with the government. Facebook was invited by Narendra Modi in 2014 to prepare a campaign for the parliamentary election, when it helped develop his online presence.

Mr Modi now has 43 million Facebook followers, more than twice that of US President Donald Trump and hugely more than any other world leader.

During the 2014 campaign, Mr Modi and the BJP relied heavily on Facebook and WhatsApp to recruit volunteers, who in turn spread his message on the social media. Within weeks of Modis election, writes Bloomberg, the American news service, Mark Zuckerberg (Facebooks founder and CEO) and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg both visited the nation as it was rolling out a critical free Internet service that the government later curbed. A top Facebook official and her team also travelled to India offering a series of workshops and sessions that have trained more than 6,000 government officials.

Prime Minister Modis social media reach grew rapidly and his followers increasingly turned to Facebook and WhatsApp to target political rivals. India has become a hotbed for fake news through WhatsApp, even leading to mob beatings that have resulted in several deaths. The social media, specially Facebook and WhatsApp, have been used to instigate attacks on the Opposition parties and on reporters, and some individuals critical of the ruling party have even been killed.

Mark Zuckerberg has also increasingly involved Facebook in international affairs. The latest gambit in Facebooks interference is the fact that it has taken it upon itself to follow American foreign policy by trying to penalise countries for inauthentic behaviour. It has removed 652 pages, groups and accounts that originated in Iran and targeted people with news and content in the United States, Britain, the Middle East and Latin America. It had earlier similarly targeted Russia for its supposed hold on the Donald Trump election campaign. Facebook said it had acted on tips from the American government and security firm FireEye. The manipulation efforts have been concentrated on anti-Saudi, anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian efforts. It also attacked support for specific US policies favourable to Iran, such as the US-Iran nuclear deal. Despite the fake news in the social media in India and the violence against minorities that it generates, Facebook has made no attempt to stop it.

India is the largest democracy in the world. For nearly 60 years, hundreds of millions of its people have chosen the men and women to rule it  from Parliament to the state Assemblies to municipal bodies to village panchayats.

Despite its many faults and the initial scepticism of the developed world, nobody has told us how democracy can and should work in this country.

Until now, that is. Now, in an impertinent move, Facebook, a young though powerful organisation, is doing just that. Going past the abilities of the most powerful country in the world, the United States, where it is based, it is seeking to influence how people vote in the 2019 parliamentary election in India. It will try to manipulate them by presenting them the news that will make people vote in a certain way. Indian elections are our top priority, says the director of Facebooks global policy and government outreach programme team.

Despite the exposure of its data being used to manipulate the American election in 2016 through feeds to 87 million accounts, and investigations by the US Senate, Facebook is not perturbed because it has powerful friends in India. It helped Mr Modi and the BJP during the 2014 parliamentary elections. The company has consistently helped right-wing parties around the world to win elections. Bloomberg reported in December 2017: In the US, the unit embedded employees in the Trump campaign. In the Philippines, it trained the campaign team of President Rodrigo Duterte, known for encouraging extra-judicial killings, in how to most Effectively use the platform. And in Germany, it helped the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party win its first election.

In Argentina in 2015, presidential candidate Mauricio Macri had streamed campaign rallies live on Facebook. He won. The same year, Polands nationalist President Andrzej Duda live-streamed his inauguration on the social network, even as he has overseen a crackdown on press freedom in his country.

Facebook is hiring many people in India for the 2019 general election and will be taking on hundreds of new employees at its headquarters in California and around the world to support Mr Modi as he makes a bid for a second term. Facebook has 250 million users in the country, besides the 200 million who use WhatsApp. With such numbers and with the technical expertise of manipulating mass opinion through a clever understanding of mass psychology, it will, if successful, help to create a radical new order in its drive to conquer the world.
Even in the deep, corals are episodically exposed to thermal stress at intervals different than those corals near the surface.

A new research shows that surface measurements alone may not accurately predict the full extent of thermal stress on deeper corals. (Photo: ANI)

While scientists routinely use sea-surface temperature data collected by satellites to predict the temperature-driven stress on reef communities, a new research shows that surface measurements alone may not accurately predict the full extent of thermal stress on deeper corals.

A new study describes a novel approach for predicting warm temperature-induced stress on corals from the sea surface through a deeper expanse ranging from 30-150 meters (100-500 feet) known as the mesophotic zone.

Corals at this depth are thought of by some in the science community as being safer from ocean warming than their shallow-water counterparts. But according to the Scripps Oceanography team, even in the deep, corals are episodically exposed to thermal stress at intervals different than those corals near the surface.

The researchers utilized nearly two decades of data sets, including sea level, sea-surface temperature, and temperature observations that ranged between the surface and deep into the mesophotic zone, to develop a forecast tool for the vertical extent of how corals will be stressed by temperature. This research was conducted at three reef locations around the island nation of Palau, located in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

PhD candidate Travis Schramek, lead author of the study said, "We're now adding the dimension of depth into the problem where before we were only skimming the surface of what temperature stress meant for corals. We see that the heat-induced stress penetrates all the way into the mesophotic zone during larger bleaching events."

In addition to looking at sea-surface temperature data collected by global satellites, the scientists used a network of reef temperature recorders maintained by CRRF divers in key locations across Palau down to depths of 90 meters (295 feet).

For nearly 20 years, a small team has conducted weekly dives at locations across Palau as part of a long-term temperature-monitoring program. The observations showed that deeper zones are showing bleaching coincident with the higher temperatures, right along with shallow reefs.

The researchers said that they hope these results will instigate more temperature stress event surveys to better understand the mesophotic zone in Palau and other tropical regions.

By coupling sea level and sea temperature data sets, Schramek found that the height of the ocean surface is a strong indicator of how water temperatures are changing tens of meters below. He and the team then further used this data to predict the temperatures experienced by coral reefs living near the surface, as well as those living in deeper waters. Schramek developed an algorithm to apply the accepted coral stress algorithms to depths that included the deeper mesophotic, typically thought to be a refuge from thermal stress.

"A surprising outcome of the study is that the oceanic conditions along the dramatic reef walls that are the boundaries of Palau are very representative of the broader Western Pacific," said Eric Terrill, an oceanographer.

He added, "As a result, we had a surprising amount of success in predicting the vertical structure of the temperature fields that the coral communities would be exposed to, even during El Nino conditions."

Schramek said, "Now that we've observed this ecosystem in a unique way, we can start to better assess how corals in the mesophotic zone are stressed. If we can better understand how they're stressed, then we can better understand how to protect them."

The team's new insights on how to predict temperature stress on deep corals may contribute to a better understanding of the entire reef system as a whole, which could inform conservation and policy efforts to protect this valuable and diverse ecosystem.

The findings appeared in the Journal of Geophysical Research Letters.

(Source)
Facebook said on Monday it was removing several Myanmar military officials from the social media website.

Social media, including Facebook, must proactively block content inciting hatred and prevent online campaigns which target minorities, such as those undertaken in Myanmar, the United Nations human rights chief said on Wednesday.

Zeid Raad al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, was speaking after UN experts accused Myanmar generals of genocidal intent and said Facebook had allowed its platform to be used to incite violence against Rohingya.

Facebook said on Monday it was removing several Myanmar military officials from the social media website and an Instagram account to prevent the spread of hate and misinformation after reviewing the content.

Zeid, whose spokesman said he has met with major tech companies in Silicon Valley, including Facebook and Google, in recent months, was speaking to a news conference before his four-year term ends on Aug. 31.

Zeid said he didnt feel Facebook took the issue seriously at first but that the companys attitude began to change after Yanghee Lee, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar told a Geneva press conference in March that Facebook was being used in the country to spread hate speech.

But it shouldnt be because the press or the human rights community highlights the problem for them then suddenly to respond. They should be aware of it ahead of time, he said.

So I dont think they should wait until the crisis begins. They should be thinking proactively about what steps they will take to mitigate that, he added.

Facebook said on Monday that while it was too slow to act in the case of Myanmar, it was now making progress, with better technology to identify hate speech and improved reporting tools.

However, Zeid said there was a danger that social media could be over-regulated in a way that breaches human rights law including the right to freedom of expression.

Tech giants should keep the broadest space available and open to the exercise of freedom of expression, relying on international human rights law for regulation, he said.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Googles search engine of promoting negative news articles and hiding fair media coverage of him, vowing to address the situation without providing evidence or giving details of action he might take.

Trumps attack against the Alphabet Inc unit follows a string of grievances against technology companies, including Twitter Inc and Facebook, which he has accused of silencing conservative voices.

(Source)
Washington is alarmed at the prospect of India buying new systems from Russia, including S-400 long-range, surface-to-air missile system.

Randall Schriver, the Pentagon's assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said the waiver authority had created the impression Washington would insulate India "from any fallout from this legislation no matter what they do." (Photo: AP)

Washington: A top Pentagon official has cautioned India that there are no guarantees for a special waiver from US sanctions if it buys new weapons platforms from Russia.

Washington is alarmed at the prospect of India, an increasingly important US military ally and the world's top defence importer, buying new systems from Russia, including its S-400 long-range, surface-to-air missile system.

Under current US rules against Russia, third countries could face sanctions if they transact with Russian defence or intelligence sectors. But after lobbying from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Congress granted the US president and the secretary of state the option of granting waivers, such as when an ally nation transitions from legacy Russian gear to Western arms.

Also read: US Cong passes bill to waive sanctions against India for buying Russian weapons

Randall Schriver, the Pentagon's assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said the waiver authority had created the impression Washington would insulate India "from any fallout from this legislation no matter what they do."

"I would say that's a bit misleading," Schriver told an audience at the Carnegie Endowment For International Peace in Washington on Wednesday.

"We would still have very significant concerns if India pursued major new platforms and systems (from Russia). I can't sit here and tell you that they would be exempt, that we would use that waiver."

Schriver was speaking ahead of a historic summit in New Delhi next week, a first ever "2+2" between India and the United States that will see Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meet with their Indian counterparts.
by Luca Del Bo

In Africa, increasingly threatened by Boko Haram and Saudi Arabias Wahhabism, imams are asking for the collaboration of Christians to show Islams more brotherly face and the possibility of coexistence between different religions. Young Cameroonians are fascinated by the promises of power, money, weapons, and women of Islamic terrorism. PIME missionary talks about his experience.

Rome (AsiaNews)  Father Luca Del Bo, 44, from Preganziol (Treviso, Italy), was ordained priest in the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in 2006. Assigned to the Cameroon mission, he studied French in Belgium and France for a year. On 2 September 2007, he was sent to northern Cameroon to study the local vehicular language, Fulfulde.

He took on the mission in Chad until 2015, undertaken with the Diocese of Treviso, and was later sent to Maroua, northern Cameroon, to continue the work of dialogue with local Muslims and Protestants as well as local authorities.

PIMEs Fr Giuseppe Parietti had started the dialogue with Muslims started years earlier. In addition to continuing his work, there was also an urgent need to strengthen the bonds of friendship between Christians and Muslims, in light of the growing influence of the Boko Haram.

He was recently in Italy on holiday and spoke to AsiaNews about his experience with the Muslims of northern Cameroon, as well as his year of study in Paris, in a university run by the Muslim Brotherhood, who are increasingly powerful in Europe. Part one.

In northern Cameroon, where I live, Muslims are 80-90 per cent of the population according to statistics. In reality, that is not true. In Maroua, Muslims are 50 per cent in the city; the rest are Christians (30 per cent) and animists. Outside the city, the percentage changes. The number of Muslims drops and that of Christians and animists goes up.

This is due to the fact that Muslims are concentrated mainly where there is trade. There are mosques all around, but they are empty and abandoned. I am told that they are financed by Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Or they are the result of the devotion of local Muslims, who build mosques because a hadith says that if you build a mosque you go to heaven. Usually, it is the big merchants who build a mosque along trade routes, as a good deed. But they do not last long and are soon abandoned and fall into ruins.

Islam in Cameroon

At the beginning, when I arrived, Islam was very moderate. Muslims, Christians, members of traditional religions could be part of the same family. There were beautiful stories of friendship, exchange and help with imams. After a few years the situation changed.

According to the older imams, the cause is that young people who study in Madinah and Makkah are educated in the Wahhabi ideology. When they come back, they preach harshly, aggressively. Religiously mixed families are now disappearing. If one half of the family is non-Muslim, they tend to convert to Islam.

The influence of Boko Haram began in 2009. In 2010 their influence got stronger when local authorities began to distance themselves from warlike Islam. Even the imams asked for help, greater collaboration, from Christians to make Muslims understand that Islam is different, explaining to Muslim communities, Christian communities and the authorities that Islam is not Wahhabi.

Some Catholic priests, along with some Protestants and Orthodox, set up "La maison de la rencontre" (Meeting house). One of its greatest accomplishment is a library to teach Muslims about Islam; however, although it is well supplied, it is not almost never used.

On the other hand, meetings are held with young people because the Muslim community needs to teach them to live a moderate Islam, one of brotherhood and peace, not the one proposed by Boko Haram. The latter have great power, offering money, weapons and women. But war leads to death and therefore there is a constant turnover. For us and the imams, it is urgent to stop the recruitment. That is where we work, to convince young people not to adhere to Wahhabi Islam (picture 3).

(End of the first of three parts)
If youre happy with the economy, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If youre happy our WarMongering days are over, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you love the job President Trump is doing, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want a down to earth representative in Congress, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want representation in Congress that will fight for the Tennessee Valley values, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want the most loyal Trump supporter in Congress, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you dont want any of this, well, get help.

According to the website FiveThirtyEight here is Chuck Fleischmanns score when it comes to Team MAGA:

Trump Score (How often Fleischmann votes in line with Trumps position: 97.8 percent

Predicted Score (How often Fleischmann is expected to support Trump based on Trumps 2016 margin: 94 percent

There shouldnt be any blue wave here in TN-03, just an overwhelming Red Crush. So whats next? I can only hope that our economy and job growth stay on its current course. I plan on, again, voting for Chuck Fleischmann this election. When it comes to 2020, if his Trump score is anywhere near what it is now, I plan to continue supporting Congressman Fleischmann.

Finally, keep an eye on the 2020 Congressional Primary. Dont be surprised if you see the swamp come at Fleischmann in the primary. They may come with their latest and greatest superstar, just watch. Keep in mind how would they beat 97.8 percent though? They couldnt possibly. What they want is for Special Interest Groups to have another seat at the table.

Our district should show Chuck the respect he deserves and not run against him in the 2020 GOP primary. Those who do are against growth and the MAGA movement by definition. Until then, lets keep America Great, BIGLY.

James Berry

* * *

If youre happy with huge, unnecessary tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the ultra-wealthy at the expense of everyone else, including kids, senior citizens and sick people, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If youre happy having a congressman who doesn't make a peep while our president alienates our most loyal allies and cozies up to a Russian thug who is playing him for a fool, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want a congressman who proved himself a CHINO (Christian in Name Only) by standing meekly by while our government deliberately traumatized thousands of kids, and essentially orphaned more than 500 of them, in order to deter their parents from committing a misdemeanor (crossing the border illegally) or seeking refuge in our country (a constitutional right), vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want a representative whose idea of interacting with his constituents is holding an occasional tele-town hall that requires participants to 1. be one of the fraction of constituents (usually with a landline) who happen to be home to receive a robo-call inviting them to listen in and maybe ask a question; 2. be available to hang out on the phone for 45 minutes or so while Chuck talks MAGA and answers softball questions; and 3. be cool with having their questions screened (hence the softballs), vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want a congressman whose only public appearances are at fundraisers and photo ops, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want representation in Congress that will fight for big political donors, especially corporate PACs, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you want one of the biggest Trump sycophants in Congress, one with almost no legislative record to speak of except a series of yes votes for policies that ignore best practices in science and economics, vote Chuck Fleischmann.

If you dont want any of this, well, dont vote for Chuck.

Oh, and if you dont like special interest groups, like, say, the pharmaceutical companies that fund Chucks campaign through corporate PAC donations, while he buys their stock and sits on the House appropriations committee that funds their research projects, which means that he can personally benefit from the decisions he makes as a congressman? Those special interest groups? If you dont like those, dont vote for Chuck. Because theyre his bread and butter.

Yes, theres going to be a blue wave. Those of us who are part of it realize that the current good economy, which began under Obama, is now on seriously shaky ground because of Trumps irresponsible tariffs and tax cuts, which Chuck supports.

We also understand that the economy is not the only issue at stake in 2018 and beyond. Theres also human dignity, integrity, justice, fairness, civility. You know, American values. Heck, they used to be called Christian values, before a BIGLY number of Christians started worshiping at the altar of moral relativism.

Whatever you call them, we want them back.

Allison Gorman

* * *

Dear Ms. Gorman,

You and Mr. Berry had the perfect Yin Yang [Red/Blue version] of politics going until you brought up "American values that used to be Christian values". I suppose that you forgot that Christian values were tossed out decades ago by the liberal left crowd? All those dated ideas about right and wrong just had to go before we polluted our children with any sense of moral and ethical guidelines.

Your description of the swamp at the expense of Mr. Fleischmann's record could fit so many politicians on both sides of the aisle it is hilarious. Perhaps the one comment that we have heard echoed over and over is the idea that the current economy is the result of Mr Obama's policies. Forget statistics completely. Just one thing pops into my head whenever I see this idea put forward.

The U.S. had a recession beginning in 2009--the worst since the "great depression" and the longest lasting in our history. Unemployment skyrocketed, welfare rolls filled, and the GDP went in the tank. The recession began to turn around after the stimulus package. Most of Wall Street and big business returned to business as usual, throwing corporate parties and living lavish lifestyles--the "sub-swamp".

From that point we were saddled with a national debt that generations will not be able to repay. Was Mr. Obama totally responsible for the recession? Good question. The recession hit under his administration. According to the rules of the Washington Swamp, if it happens under your political party's watch, you [your party] owns it. The real miracle of the economic recovery is that it happened so quickly after Mr/ Trump took office and reversed the great majority of Mr. Obama's policies. What a fantastic coincidence. Perhaps It was a true miracle. However, if we believe in miracles, isn't that a problem in terms of the rising tide against religion?

Ted Ladd

* * *

Human dignity, Ms. Gorman? Does anyone recall the resist crowd in their silly toboggans and nasty woman T-shirts swamping the airways with comments like blowing up the White House and other trash talk?

Does anyone recall the cold and harsh officials from the Democrat supported Planned Parenthood talking about selling body parts? How about the failed comedienne holding the bloody severed head? Where was the outcry by the leftists who now want to lecture us on human dignity over a policy Obama official Jeh Johnson admitted went on during his term at Homeland Security? But because its Trump, the ground is shaking from all the outrage and indignation.

And why do Democrats meekly stand by when people are denied access to speak on college campuses by black masked Antifa thugs who throw firebombs and threaten the peace and tranquility we should expect? Arent leftists advocates for toleration and free speech?

Unnecessary tax cuts, Ms. Gorman? Nancy Pelosi called it crumbs. So do crumbs benefit the wealthy?

In the leftist world of alternate reality it all makes perfect sense. And thats how a nearly unknown socialist with no political experience scored a surprising defeat of a well-financed career Democrat politician from the inner circle that once ruled Congress. And since America discovered Bernie, his golden dream of socialism has been creeping across our political landscape like the blob, swallowing up the gullible who believe their fable that the rich should support the rest of us. Thats why the left thinks tax cuts are unnecessary.

Therefore we here in the Third District should never take anything for granted and think Rep. Fleischmann and his message of free market capitalism makes him a shoo in. No one ever should think their election is a sure thing. And yes, Ms. Gorman, I want a Congressman like Chuck. Democrat Socialism is not the alternative for me.

Ralph Miller

* * *



Mr. Ladd,



I am not writing to add my opinion to this chain of comments. I hope there is no response to this comment of mine that would mistake it as partisan or biased. I am simply writing to correct a blatant factual error made by Mr. Ladd in his own comment when he wrote,



"The U.S. had a recession beginning in 2009--the worst since the "great depression" and the longest lasting in our history. ... The recession hit under [the Obama] administration. According to the rules of the Washington Swamp, if it happens under your political party's watch, you (your party) owns it."



This is completely and demonstrably false. Commonly known as "the Great Recession," the event Mr. Ladd refers to was a dramatic downturn in the global economy that began precipitating in early 2007. By then the housing market bubble was already preparing to burst, and the first signs of collapse were being recognized by experts. In Spring of 2007 the government-backed lender, Freddie Mac, stopped the practice of purchasing sub-prime securities. By August 2007 New Century Financial and American Home Mortgage Investment Corp. had both filed for bankruptcy. At that point the major credit rating services began to down-grade hundreds of sub-prime securities. Interestingly enough, the stock markets did not react to this turn of events as one might expect, and the Dow Jones managed to rise above 14,000 for the first time in October 2007. But this would be the last of any positive economic news for years.



It was George W. Bush who was president Mr. Ladd, not Obama, in 2008 when the Great Recession struck our economy. In the summer of 2008 Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae declared bankruptcy. On Sept. 29, the stock market began to nose dive, losing 777 points on that day alone. This coincided with a brutal string of huge financial institutions declaring insolvency: Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers, Washington Mutual, Wachovia, etc. In October of 2008 President Bush signed into law the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), which allocated $700 billion federal dollars for the buying up of now-worthless investments off failing financial institutions.



And if this is not proof enough that it is simply wrong to lay blame at the feet of President Obama for the Great Recession, let me remind everyone of the very first question at the very first presidential debate between John McCain and Barrack Obama on Sept. 26, 2008: "Gentlemen, at this very moment tonight, where do you stand on the financial recovery plan?"



We all have our opinions, though some are more valid than others, and some are more grounded in fact. But we all must respect than we are not privileged to have our own truths.



Nolan Crenshaw

* * *

I could not believe the term you used to reference Representative Fleischmann, Christian in Name Only, CHINO.



You can never know the hearts of others to the core of their belief and faith. How dare you imply that Rep. Fleischmann is not genuine in his Christian faith, and just exactly who are you to look deeply into his heart to judge his faith.



April Eidson
by Nirmala Carvalho

For Chakrapani Maharaj, aid must be given only to flood victims who forsake beef. Many Indian states ban beef, but in Kerala it is legal and eaten by Hindus as well. The state has seen great examples of inter-religious cooperation.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  The devastating floods that hit recently Kerala, killing more than 410 people, were caused by people outraged the gods by eating beef, this according to swami Chakrapani Maharaj.

"Before giving any assistance, one should ask the victim whether they have ever eaten cow meat, and then in accordance with their answer, relief should be decided," he added in a statement on 23 August.

For Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), It is deeply wounding that at a time of great calamity, devastation and loss, sectarians are rearing their ugly head. Humanity takes a beating with such sentiments.

In India, cows are considered sacred in Hinduism and many states ban raising, slaughtering and eating it. The simple suspicion of killing a cow can trigger violent reactions such as beatings, lynchings and killings.

In Kerala, however, eating beef is legal and beef is part of the menu of many families, including Hindus.

Yet, Chakrapani Maharaj claims that devastating floods did not occur "because of some untimely monsoon. Instead, Kerala was stuck by nature's fury because of the sins of beef eaters.

For this reason, aid should be only dispensed to beef-eating flood victims who sign a legally binding pledge that they will refrain from eating beef for the rest of their lives.

Although such divisive and sectarian words will not prevent recovery and relief work, Hindu radicals will sow hatred in the minds of a few, and this could destroy the social fabric of the community," said Sajan K George. Indeed, "Similar discrimination is not new to vulnerable Christian communities, he added.

For example, In Andhra Pradesh, Kadapa District, the village of Kesalingayapalle has been declared 'for Hindu only'. At its entrance it has a saffron-coloured* board. Any attempt by anybody from other religions to enter the village to campaign or preach their respective religions is strictly prohibited. If anybody violates this, strong action would be taken against them.

Unlike the swami Maharajs contentious statement, people across India have expressed their solidarity towards Kerala. In the state itself, local fishermen have made their boats available to help displaced persons.

Catholic bishops praised the efforts of all those involved, overcoming religious, cultural and class-related obstacles. Caritas started a fundraiser and has sent its own rescue teams.

Muslims and Hindus have also pitched in, hosting Christians in mosques or preserving sacred images saved from heavy rains.

In India, "Religious freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution, noted Sajan K George. No one can be converted by force or inducement.

"According to the latest government census in 2011, Christians represent 2.3 per cent of the population. In ten years (2001-2011), the growth rate of the community dropped from 22.52 per cent to 15.5 per cent. This is the mystery of the cross."

* Saffron is the colour of Hindu nationalism.
The criticisms of Christian associations and the Armenian government. Yesterday, faithful and priests took to the streets to protest. Syriacs accuse the Kurds of violating human rights in the silence of the international community.

Qamishli (AsiaNews) - The Kurdish forces have closed four Syriac Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox schools in the cities of Qamishli, Darbasiya and Derik (northeast of Syria), reports the World Council of Arameans (WCA), accusing the Ypg Kurdish militias of acting in illegally.

The decision, announced last month and enacted two days ago, has aroused criticism from the Armenian and Aramean (Syriac) organizations and the Armenian government. Yesterday, in Qamishli the priests led the faithful Arameans in a protest, taking to the street and stopping in front of the school closed and occupied by soldiers of the Ypg militia and the pro-Kurdish organization Sutoro Mfs (Syrian Military Council). According to local sources, the soldiers fired into the air to drive out the demonstrators.

The WCA has strongly condemned the move. Sarah Bakir, director of United Nations affairs, says that the Ypr government "self-proclaimed and unacknowledged" does not have the authority to implement such a decision. Bakir accuses the Kurdish groups of human rights abuses, protected by the silence of the international community.

Melki Toprak, president of the Federation of Aramaeans in Switzerland, maintains that the Kurdish authorities are conducting a discriminatory campaign against Christian minorities. "Another shameful image - says Toprak - portrays young people trampling on the entrance sign of the Aramean school: it is a sign of repudiation of our culture and intimates ethnic cleansing".

The city of Qamishli (in Aramaic "Zalin") was founded by the Arameans in 1926. At the time, the Syriacs were about 40 thousand, a figure that has now halved. The cities of Darbasiya and Derik ("monastery" in Aramaic), along with thousands of other villages, were established at the same time by Aramaeans and Armenians from Turkey.
Road tests started this week in the capital. Some 1,500 people have applied to try the service. A driver and an assistant are on board to take control in case of mishaps. The driving factor is the Olympics but also an ageing population, fewer drivers, and rising car accidents involving seniors.

Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A self-driving taxi easily moving through streets of Tokyo might become a hit with tourists coming to Tokyo for the 2020Summer Olympics.

ZMP, a developer of autonomous driving technology, and the taxi company Hinomaru Kotsu, began road tests with a minivan this week in Tokyo.

In their latest trial, a minivan equipped with sensors made four round-trips a day on a busy 5.3 kilometres stretch of road between the Otemachi and Roppongi districts.

The experiment, which ends early next month, has captured the imagination of Tokyoites, with 1,500 people applying to be passengers.

A driver and an assistant are on board to take control of the vehicle in case of any mishaps, but early journeys have passed off without incident.

Passengers get on by themselves and pay their one-way fare  about 1,500 yen ()  via a smartphone app. This is the first instance of pay-as-you-go self-driving taxis.

The two companies have numerous rivals in Japan, the United States and Europe. Leading the way are Toyota and Uber, which are developing their self-driving vehicles.

The carmaker will spend US$ 500 million to develop vehicles based on its Sienna minivans, with testing set for 2021.

Uber's self-driving venture hit a snag in March when one of its self-driving vans struck and killed a pedestrian during a trial in Arizona.

In Japan, the development of these technologies is driven by a desire to surprise tourists, but also by the countrys ageing population as it contends with a shortage of drivers in depopulated rural areas and a rise in the number of accidents involving older motorists.
GUEST COMMENTARY

BY OLGA STACHOVA

Its a time of reckoning for Canadas commitment to diversity and inclusion as a new poll shows that many among us want to see the number of immigrants coming into our country lowered.

According to the Angus Reid Institute, 49 per cent of surveyed Canadians want to see the federal government's 2018 target of 310,000 immigrants reduced.

This statistic is both startling and revealing because this is the first time since Justin Trudeau became prime minister that such a large number of Canadians are saying there should be fewer immigrants to Canada.

The Liberal government under Prime Minister Trudeau has raised the target for new permanent residents from approximately 250,000 under the Conservative government of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The target for 2017 was 300,000, rising to 310,000 for this year and increasing incrementally in the coming years to 340,000 in 2020.

Extrapolate this poll finding and you will find a troubling consensus building across the political spectrum; past Conservative voters are most critical of immigration levels, past Liberal supporters are four times more likely to prefer a reduction to an increase, as are past NDP voters.

What is even more of a concern is that Canadians seem to be shying away from providing hope and a safe haven for the worlds most vulnerable.

While the global refugee crisis exacerbates and the need for humanitarian aid increases, a significant number want to see Canadas helping hand pull back.

Conversely and encouragingly, the other half of Canadians say we should accept more refugees and humanitarian class immigrants, or at least maintain the current levels.

While the politics of hate and division continue to be fuelled by the current leadership of our southern neighbour and by the far-right movements in Europe, it is imperative for our political leaders to continue being strong custodians of Canadas pluralistic identity.

This new poll shows a fraying of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

It is also a clarion call that we cannot take diversity and inclusion for granted.

If we want to continue to stand out as a beacon of pluralistic values, we need to find out why an increasing number of Canadians want to shut the door on newcomers.

At the same time, we need to empower the other half of Canadians whose thoughts, word and actions personify that diversity is Canadas main strength.

If we help Canadians consider perspectives other than their own and encourage civil debate, it will broaden the basis for critical thought and promote cultural understanding.

It will also bring attention to Canadian competencies that have helped remove racial-tensions, barriers to entry into the job market and the development of policies on integration, immigration and acceptance of refugees.

Our pluralistic values didnt happen by accident, and wont continue without concerted and increased efforts to showcase civility over divisiveness, compassion over tolerance and love over hatred.

That will illustrate that Canadians cherish the fact that the strength of any majority is how it treats its established minorities and newcomers.

And it will ultimately show that diversity in Canada has the capacity to inspire the world.

Olga Stachova is the chief executive officer of the Multi-lingual Orientation Service Association for Immigrant Communities (MOSAIC), which has served immigrant, newcomer and refugee communities in Metro Vancouver for the past 42 years.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga invites the Chattanooga community to view the Jewish Words exhibition at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road through October 11. The exhibit includes art works from twenty-one artists, from all over the nation, producing work in all media. The exhibit can be viewed during gallery hours Monday through Thursday 9am to 5pm and Fridays from 9am to 4 pm. except during Jewish holidays. The exhibit may also be viewed virtually at www.Jewishchattanooga.com after September 1. For more information, to schedule a group tour or confirm hours please call (423) 493-0270.

Each artists label contains a description of his or her piece, a short biography and where he or she lives. Artists from Massachusetts to California and from Florida to Ohio share work from traditional quilting and quilling, to sculpture and photography. Several of exhibiting artists have shown their work at the Jewish Cultural Center in the past, but more than half are new to the Jewish Cultural Center.

Visitors will view pieces that focus on Judaism in a solemn way. Where possible, an artist will tell you what verse or Jewish story inspired their artwork. Additionally, the exhibit contains works with Yiddish proverbs. There are pieces combining Hebrew and Arabic with English translations on the labels. There are pieces that should bring a smile, maybe even a laugh, as they poke fun at Jewish traditions. In addition, there are pieces that are commentaries on our current social situation and remind us of our responsibility to the greater community.

Exhibit curator Ann Treadwell reminds us Words make us human. Words are mighty swords. They can be dangerous and swiftly kill, or gentle and loving. Words, in the context of reflecting on community, are powerful resources in times of sorrow and fear. Words can build hope. Ms. Treadwell says this was the impetus for creating the exhibition.

The Jewish Cultural Center, funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, offers programs, classes, and exhibits; social services; and a preschoolall rooted in Jewish values. The facility enables the Jewish community to raise its visibility, foster relationships, and strengthen its identity in the Chattanooga area. Located at 5461 North Terrace, the Center and its programs are open to everyone regardless of religious affiliation.
China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Wednesday said it has allocated relief fund totaling 177 million yuan (about 26 million U.S. dollars) for the flood-hit Shandong Province.

Flood hits Shouguang city, Shandong Province on August 25, 2018. [File photo: VCG]

The fund was part of the central government's budget investment for disaster relief and emergency subsidies, which will be used for restoring infrastructure and public facilities in the disaster-hit regions, according to the NDRC.

Shandong has suffered from severe floods after Typhoon Rumbia, the 18th this year, brought heavy rains to the coastal province. As of Aug. 23, at least 3.8 million people were affected, with six dead and 15 missing, according to local authorities.
U.S. Pentagon spokesperson Dana White said on Wednesday that the United States has not changed its military posture regarding the Korean Peninsula after the historic meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Un, in June.

Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White briefs the press at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 14. 2018. [File photo: AFP/Saul Loeb]

White tweeted that "our #military posture has not changed since the conclusion of the #Singapore summit."

"No decisions have been made about suspending any future exercises," she noted, adding that "the #DoD suspended three individual military exercises in order to provide space for our diplomats to negotiate the verifiable, irreversible and complete denuclearization of the #KoreanPeninsula."

"The US-#ROK alliance remains ironclad. Our forces maintain a high state of military readiness and vigilance in full support of a diplomatically-led effort to bring peace, prosperity and stability to the #KoreanPeninsula," White added.

U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said on Tuesday that the United States has no plans to suspend any more military exercises with South Korea.

He added that Washington has not made decisions on whether to continue suspending major military exercises with South Korea for next year, noting "we are going to see how the negotiations go, and then we will calculate the future, how we go forward."

South Korea's presidential Blue House said Wednesday in response that the United States has made no request to South Korea for talks about the resumption of their joint annual military drills, which the two allies had agreed to suspend as long as dialogue with the DPRK lasts.

Kim Eui-keum, spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said that it will be an issue to be discussed and determined by the two allies after considering progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Asked about the third summit between Moon and Kim, the spokesman said the upcoming summit will play a bigger role in finding a breakthrough in standoff between Pyongyang and Washington.

Trump met with Kim on June 12, when they promised to build new bilateral relations and work toward a "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

After the meeting, Trump said the United States would stop war games with South Korea "unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should." He also said the drills were "very expensive" and "provocative" "war games."

Last year's Ulchi Freedom Guardian, attended by about 17,500 U.S. military forces, went on for 11 days.

Another major U.S. exercises with South Korea, codenamed Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, took place earlier this spring.

Pyongyang has denounced the exercises as a rehearsal for northward invasion and a violation of the spirit of the Panmunjom Declaration issued during the inter-Korean summit in late April.
Once and Future Doomsday: the Creepy Super Volcano and Oregon Coast

Updated Periodically

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff





(Oregon Coast)  They call it "the Yellowstone hotspot," for short. Its a weak point in the Earth's crust that now powers the geysers at Yellowstone National Park, but long, long ago it wreaked havoc on the proto-Oregon region. It turns out, it did so numerous times over nearly 100 million years. Yet it also created much of the Oregon coast we know and love. (Above: Seaside's Tillamook Head is related to this hotspot).

Spookier still: it spelled doomsday many times in the dim and distant past  and its predicted to do so again. That big fissure at Yellowstone is just itching to become a super volcano again. According to one estimation, by Wyoming geophysicist Bob Smith in his book Windows into the Earth, its initial blast has the potential to kill hundreds of thousands of people instantly. The resulting gas and dust cloud from such an eruption would likely ruin the food chain on the entire planet.

The last such eruptions in Yellowstone have happened about 800,000 years apart, Smith told media in recent years. The last one was 640,000 years ago.

The Oregon coast is connected to all that, according to geologists. Although some eruptions are more easily connected to this than others.

They know almost for certain that the same hotspot powered massive eruptions around Eastern Oregon about 18 million years ago, which poured and seared across 300 miles and made its way to the ocean and beyond (the coast was about 30 miles inland then). Those basalt eruptions created places we now know as Tillamook Head, Neahkahnie Mountain, Cape Foulweather and more.

Tectonic plates are the key here. The hotspot is more or less always in the same place. Its the continental plates that move over it. All of this started in proto-Oregon some 43 million years ago, as the hotspot created a set of eruptions near Tillamook, then created a volcano at Cascade Head some 36 million years ago, and then finally threw a whole bunch of lava temper tantrums about 18 million years ago.

The big eruptions 18 million years ago are known as the Columbia River basalts, since they essentially created the Columbia River Gorge.

The plate this area is on was moving westward  and it still is.

About 35 million years ago there were a few underwater volcanoes around Yachats: Cape Perpetua is one. Scientists like Seasides Tom Horning think its possible the hotspot fueled those volcanoes, but its not certain.

According to retired OSU geology professor Al Niem, Oregon was actually more like Hawaii around 36 to 46 million years ago. It was tropical, but the coastline sat at least 30 miles to the east.

All this tectonic plate movement did some interesting geologic tricks, Horning said, starting around 41 million years ago. Up until that point, continental drift had the big, nasty subduction zone about where the Willamette Valley is now. The plates moved westward and about 41 million years ago it wound up where it is now: some 300 miles off the coast.

From that point onward, the Coast Range began its slow uplift that ultimately raised the sea floor above sea level, Horning said. We know that 30 million-year-old Oligocene rocks of the continental slope were lifted above sea level for a few million years until about 18 to 20 million years ago, when the land went down under the ocean again.

The formation of the Oregon coast is quite complex and literally and figuratively very multi-layered. All this land was underwater at numerous points, and it rose and fell many times again. Some volcanic eruptions that were underwater off Yachats actually created little islands, not unlike how Hawaii was formed.

On the southern Oregon coast, none of the Columbia basalts played a role, and that region is even more complex and older than up north.

One thing is for sure: much of this Columbia basalt eruptions is related to that Yellowstone hotspot. It created doomsday scenarios by making super volcanoes back then, and it will do so once more. Even that eruption in Wyoming will starkly affect the west coast of the U.S., although ashfall will not be as heavy here as many places just east of the national park, according to scientists. For the full story and details of these landmarks' beginnings, see the Oregon Coast Geology section.

Oregon Coast Lodgings in this area - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

MORE PHOTOS BELOW





More of these landmarks below:













More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....



Coastal Spotlight



LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net

All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted
#Newsmaker: Nkanyezi Masango - Cape Town could become the next Cannes

Last month the Perth Advertising and Design Club (PADC) announced Cape Town as The Skulls 2018 judging city with chair of judges, King James CD Nkanyezi Masango.

Nkanyezi Masango

Someone PADC President Mark Braddock believes is at the vanguard of the new voices rising in creative communications and someone who is a big advocate for the power of the creative industries to positively affect social change. I absolutely believe in the power of our industry to affect social change. The first step is democratising the creative business itself by making it accessible to kids in townships, which is why I started Blackboard alongside Tseliso Rangaka and SJ Myeza, an initiative that raises awareness for our industry in high schools. The second step is encouraging clients to play a more meaningful role in society  beyond just selling products. Nkanyezi Masango is The Skulls 2018 chair of judges

I interviewed Masango to find out what this opportunity means to him and for SA, as Cape Town is this years judging city



Congratulations on becoming chair of judges for the Perth Advertising and Design Clubs The Skulls 2018. How do you feel about it/what does it mean to you? Congratulations on becoming chair of judges for the Perth Advertising and Design Clubs The Skulls 2018. How do you feel about it/what does it mean to you? Someone PADC President Mark Braddock believes is at the vanguard of the new voices rising in creative communications and someone who is a big advocate for the power of the creative industries to positively affect social change.I interviewed Masango to find out what this opportunity means to him and for SA, as Cape Town is this years judging city

What does it mean for SA, that Cape Town is this years judging city? What does it mean for SA, that Cape Town is this years judging city?

It confirms that our diverse culture and creativity have become respected globally. Its also a great opportunity for the two creative communities to inspire each other and exchange ideas. Besides, who wouldnt want to come judge in such a gorgeous city? Maybe we might end up being the next Cannes  except the wine is affordable.

What does your role as chair of judges entail? What does your role as chair of judges entail?

What excites you most about this opportunity? What excites you most about this opportunity?

What do you love most about your career and being a creative director in particular? What do you love most about your career and being a creative director in particular?

I think creative direction is about generosity. Its quite a selfless process because you spend a lot of your time helping others be better, and when your team achieves success, thats so rewarding.

What has been your greatest learning? What has been your greatest learning?

Why is diversity in the space important to you, and in general? Why is diversity in the space important to you, and in general?

What did it take to get to where you are today? What did it take to get to where you are today?

Icaro Doria once wrote that your career is a collective effort. This is so true in my case. Where I am in my career has to do with the amount of people whove believed in me and gave me a shot, such as Graham Lang and Alistair King. The only rule Ive stuck to from day one is to work with people who I admire. Ive never chased money, I chase great mentors.

Comment on the current state of advertising and what its future looks like to you. Comment on the current state of advertising and what its future looks like to you.

What are you currently reading for work? What are you currently reading for work?

Tell us something about yourself not generally known. Tell us something about yourself not generally known.

Jessica Tennant's articles About Jessica Tennant Jess is Senior Editor: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com. She is also a contributing writer. Jess is Senior Editor: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com. She is also a contributing writer. moc.ytinummoczib@swengnitekram

Ive always admired Australian advertising and design. So, to have the opportunity to play such a key role at Skulls 2018  where the work is going to be of a high calibre  is an enormous honour.As chair of judges my role is to select local judges for each of the four juries, and then Ill be driving the objectives of Skulls and helping ensure that the judging process is fair  for instance, if there are debates Ill make sure everyones point of view is heard. Ill also be flying to Perth to do a talk at PADC and take part at the ceremony on the awards night.Im excited to see the work from Perth. Some of my creative heroes like Matt Eastwood come from Perth, so clearly the city produces great minds. I cant wait to draw inspiration from the new wave of creativity thats coming out of there and meet the creatives behind it.I just love the challenge of solving problems with creativity. Every day presents a new problem which leads to a fresh creative solution.Fortunately, I work with insanely talented people, which makes my job very fulfilling.The greatest learning for me has been that the best work is often rooted in good relationships with clients. When the relationship is strong, so is the work.Creativity is based on insights and life experiences. Without diversity, it means the creativity we offer as an industry is very limited, and we end up with work that doesnt connect with the majority of the population because were drawing inspiration from such a small pool of insights. Its not sustainable.Its an exciting time right now because everything is changing. Creatives can no longer choose between being in traditional or digital. As a creative, you need to understand every medium. So, I think in the near future, we wont even say digital copywriter. Its as ridiculous as saying billboard copywriter.Im currently reading. Its totally irrelevant to my work, but very necessary!Im happiest in the wild.
#WomensMonth: The woman behind PayU South Africa

Karen Nadasen is regularly described as one of South Africa's most inspiring women in tech, nominated for IT Personality of the Year 2017, and listed among 100 Most Influential Young South Africans 2017.

Karen Nadasen, CEO of PayU South Africa Despite SAs negative economic and political factors and PayU SA itself consistently losing market share, under Nadasens leadership over the last two years, PayU has grown its total e-commerce processing volume by 225%. Revenue has gone up 136%, whilst costs have reduced significantly during her tenure. All this whilst balancing personal life  Nadasen started her tenure as CEO having just come back from maternity leave after four months.



Outside PayU, Nadasens industry experience, mostly abroad, ranges from FTSE 100 companies, large multi-nationals, to small-scale startups. Industry sectors include technology, petroleum, retail, medical and financial services.



How it all started

Following a computer science degree at the University of Rhodes, her career started off as a Java developer in a small development house in Cape Town many years ago.



She continued her studies at the University of Cape Town in Information Systems and Object-Oriented Programming and Design which led her to assist Shoprite, as a business analyst, with their move to .Net, before being chosen by Microsoft to work on global projects abroad.



Developing a reputation for taking on complex projects requiring rigour and tenacity to deliver, Nadasen decided it was time to move back to beautiful Cape Town where she started at PayU.



The driving force behind PayU SA

As the CEO of PayU South Africa, she drives the strategy of PayU on a local level whilst liaising with EMEA and global counterparts to align on vision, targets and goals. Under her leadership, PayU South Africa significantly increased their market share after being in decline for several years prior.



In the first year alone, card processing doubled, having signed major global players, resulting in a complete transformation of the business.



Other achievements include centralisation of operational functions such as customer support, operational and financial risk functions and integration, to optimise the business further.



This



Could you describe a typical day in your job? Could you describe a typical day in your job? Despite SAs negative economic and political factors and PayU SA itself consistently losing market share, under Nadasens leadership over the last two years, PayU has grown its total e-commerce processing volume by 225%. Revenue has gone up 136%, whilst costs have reduced significantly during her tenure. All this whilst balancing personal life  Nadasen started her tenure as CEO having just come back from maternity leave after four months.Outside PayU, Nadasens industry experience, mostly abroad, ranges from FTSE 100 companies, large multi-nationals, to small-scale startups. Industry sectors include technology, petroleum, retail, medical and financial services.Following a computer science degree at the University of Rhodes, her career started off as a Java developer in a small development house in Cape Town many years ago.She continued her studies at the University of Cape Town in Information Systems and Object-Oriented Programming and Design which led her to assist Shoprite, as a business analyst, with their move to .Net, before being chosen by Microsoft to work on global projects abroad.Developing a reputation for taking on complex projects requiring rigour and tenacity to deliver, Nadasen decided it was time to move back to beautiful Cape Town where she started at PayU.As the CEO of PayU South Africa, she drives the strategy of PayU on a local level whilst liaising with EMEA and global counterparts to align on vision, targets and goals. Under her leadership, PayU South Africa significantly increased their market share after being in decline for several years prior.In the first year alone, card processing doubled, having signed major global players, resulting in a complete transformation of the business.Other achievements include centralisation of operational functions such as customer support, operational and financial risk functions and integration, to optimise the business further.This Womens Month , we explore what it's like to be in Nadasen shoes.

What did you want to be when you grew up? What did you want to be when you grew up?

How did you get into the tech space? How did you get into the tech space?

What was the best advice anyone ever gave you? What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?

What advice do you have for the future generation of women wanting to get into the tech space? What advice do you have for the future generation of women wanting to get into the tech space?

There are many people and environments that will not be the way you want it to be. There are also many that will be. Dont compromise. Know who you are.



Focus on the things and the people that will get you where you want to be  the positive. The rest is just noise  speedbumps on the way.

Who or what is your biggest motivation? Who or what is your biggest motivation?

Are South African women getting enough of a chance to shine in the tech industry? Are South African women getting enough of a chance to shine in the tech industry?

The landscape is changing and one does see a lot more about women in the media than a few years back. When I started in IT I was almost always just a party of one with 10-15 men in my team. My computer science class at uni had about five women. Today, my management team at PayU is 80% women and we have a good mix. There still isnt enough women in the tech field so, just by numbers, it would be easier for men to shine because there are a lot more of them that take up the field as their choice of study

As a female business leader, whats the least and most exciting aspect of your workday? As a female business leader, whats the least and most exciting aspect of your workday?

Women are considered to be natural problem solvers. Why do you think this is perfect for the tech industry? Women are considered to be natural problem solvers. Why do you think this is perfect for the tech industry?

Could you list a few, if any, specific challenges females face in this industry? Could you list a few, if any, specific challenges females face in this industry?

What is your advice for overcoming these challenges? What is your advice for overcoming these challenges?

What trends do you predict in tech in the coming years? What trends do you predict in tech in the coming years?

Evan-Lee Courie's articles About Evan-Lee Courie Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship

Editor: Marketing & Media; Head of Content for Entrepreneurship

I am usually up just after 5am. I read/review the news/twitter feeds etc. I then check my internal social feeds and then emails to attend anything urgent that I might have missed overnight or urgent emails that need attending to (PayU is a global company and we also have merchants in other timezones).I have some time to myself in the morning and then its the school drop-off, listening to, most probably, 'The Gigglebellies'.Then it's off to work, which takes me about 45 minutes to an hour. During that time, I try to have at least one work call to make the most of the time.Monday mornings start with a company "stand-up". Everyone gathers around in our brainstorm room and we talk about key items of focus for the week and any impediments  this is a 15-30 minute "stand-up" which we try to keep as short as possible and ensure everyone is on the same page. As we are still semi-small (in numbers) this is possible and very effective.Mondays are mostly very busy and mostly dedicated to sales and commercial. At the beginning of every month, we do an in-depth review discussion on process, budgets versus targets, and strategy etc.Then its the usual mix of meetings with various departments, reviews, merchant and partner meetings  every day is different.On Thursday we have an operational meeting where the heads of all areas of business present health and progress of their area.Well, I worked towards becoming a doctor from a young age, starting social work from age 13, spending weekends at the hospice from age 15. Im not sure if it was my passion or subliminal messages from my very traditional Indian parents! When I gave up my position to study medicine at Pretoria University and decided to take up a computer science degree further away at Rhodes, this came as a shock to my parents, but I am sure they are quite happy now.Interest in computer science. I had a computer from a young age and wanted to learn more about programming. Ive always been very curious and analytical, so I started playing around and, when it was offered at my new school, I took it up."Be a nice person and smile" sounds ridiculous, I know, but its the toughest thing to do when you are trying to progress towards a goal and can be as relentless as I am. I can really push people. Not only in my work life, also in my personal life amongst friends and with my family.Im not the person that will sit down and cry with you or hold your hand and tell you it will be fine. My brain immediately kicks into how do we solve this which Ive found doesnt always work coming from a woman. In leading a company and leading people, it's important to let them know that you really do care and you are not this robot dishing out orders. It really is a delicate balance.Everything involves tech these days, regardless of the field you are in. If you want to be included (in the future, or in the 4th industrial revolution) then get into tech. Most of the time, the only thing really standing in your way will be yourself. You can be your biggest friend or your biggest enemy.Ive only ever had male managers and Ive very seldom seen more than one female in a team. Minority has never been something that has phased me much. Ive thought if that doesnt matter to me, it won't matter to anyone else. Often I am more right than wrong. Imposing limitations stifle everything about you and holds you back.I am very goal focused. I want PayU SA to have the largest market share, to offer the best products and service, and be undeniably the best at this in our field. Thats my motivation. I can't stand being anything other than number one. If the market grows at 10%, I want to grow at 100% and will find a way and means to get there.There are many subsystems we connect to and we are very eager to be the best. There are some things that are out of our control and this is something very difficult to deal with and explain to merchants. Having that element of something that is not in your control.The most exciting thing is having happy merchants with a thriving business and knowing that we are part of that plan and growth. Also seeing smaller businesses grow over time and having a hand in assisting them along the way. Its the contribution we make every day to e-commerce growth.In pretty much all my time in the tech industry I have had to come up with solutions, fix problems and address opportunities. This is the nature of the industry. Finding the best way to resolve, improve/enhance, create.My personal challenge has been, whilst in a meeting, someone from the tech department says, Karen this is very technical, you dont have to worry about this part?!. It offended me, especially because the person he was describing the information to was a non-technical male. At a later stage, he had to take instruction from me on very technical process flows, and we are good friends now, but I think this just illustrates the assumption made by a stranger that a woman is incapable of comprehending anything technical. To me, this just reflects ignorance and I think having more women in the tech field would help to change this. Slowly but surely!Focus on the positive and know who you are and be confident about your abilities. Make your contribution, gain respect. Work a little harder if thats what you have to do. Have your say, use your voice.This really is a very eventful and exciting time in tech. There are already so many things happening.Whilst the touchpoints of AI are immense, emotional screening is possibly the scariest for me. This is already happening in Chinese schools where they know if you are happy, sad, non-attentive etc. Its a deep level of privacy being taken away. Social scoring has already started and most people are not even aware of it.I was once told by a driver of a well-known e-taxi app that, if he gets a request from a person with a rating lower than 3.5, he won't pick them up. As I am a frequent user, I'm now forced to work on my rating. If you have ever watched the Black Mirror episode called 'Nosedive', this will give you an idea of how it could impact our lives. I see enormous possibilities here.Companies becoming relevant and having to reinvent themselves  you never know who will be your biggest competition tomorrow.
Bigger and bolder than ever, Series 11 marks the arrival of the Thirteenth Doctor  a super-smart explorer of the universe, alongside a team of new friends and delightful characters. The new series heralds a brand-new era forwith a world-class team at the helm. The show will be full of action and adventure, humour and heart  an unmissable high-end drama everyone will enjoy. It will be available exclusive to Showmax later this year.At the three-day Comic Con Africa event, an immersive experience in the iconic time-travelling TARDIS will be on site packed full with VR experiences, video games, trivia and fan giveaways. There will also be the first-ever African Whovian meet-up. Attendees and fans of the show will be able to come together and enjoy a screening of the final episode of Series 10, where the new Doctor makes her first appearance, setting the scene perfectly for all of the exhilarating and nail-biting intergalactic adventures shell embark on alongside her new friends, played by British favourite Bradley Walsh (), Tosin Cole () and Mandip Gill (). The Cosplay screenings will take place between 13h00 and 14h00 CAT on 14, 15 and 16 September in screening room 2  the Kyalami Conference Room.is one of the longest-running action adventure television series in the world spanning 55 years and winning over 100 awards. This quintessentially British show has a huge global following, with nine million fans across social platforms and 200 million video views on Facebook and YouTube.has been sold to over 239 territories in its time. Series 10 was BBC Americas number-one series, a top five highest-rated drama series for young adults in the UK and the highest-rated show on Space in Canada. It has been honoured by Guinness World Records as the worlds longest-running science-fiction series.Stay tuned for more information on thestand at Comic Con Africa!is a BBC Studios and BBC America co-production.Twitter: @bbcdoctorwho #DoctorWhoFacebook: @DoctorWho Instagram: @bbcdoctorwho For more information about Comic Con Africa 2018, please visit: www.comicconafrica.co.za/en.html
Former Congressman Wolf to be Honored at 13th Annual Values Voter Summit

Contact: J.P. Duffy or Alice Chao, Family Research Council, 866-FRC-NEWS, 866-372-6397



WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Former U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf will be honored at next month's Values Voter Summit for his tireless fight for international religious freedom. Wolf is the author of the International Religious Freedom Act and a longtime advocate for international religious freedom and human rights. Wolf will receive Family Research Council's Vision and Leadership Award on Saturday, September 22nd at 7:30 pm eastern at the Summit's Faith, Family and Freedom Gala. The Values Voter Summit will be held September 21-23 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

A variety of speakers, including Members of Congress, activists, and key thinkers and leading voices of the conservative movement, have been invited to speak at the Summit which annually draws thousands of grassroots activists from across the country.

Confirmed speakers include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Dr. Ben Carson, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows, former Rep. Dave Weldon, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Oliver North, Dr. Bill Bennett, David Daleiden, Joel Rosenberg, Dana Loesch, along with Tony Perkins, Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, Dr. Paul McHugh, HHS Civil Rights Division Director Roger Severino, Activist Mommy Elizabeth Johnston, Fox News Radio's Todd Starnes, Brigitte Gabriel, David and Jason Benham, George Barna, Gary Bauer among many others.

Values Voter Summit is sponsored by FRC Action, American Values, AFA Action, Christian Healthcare Ministries, Inspire Investing, United In Purpose and Family Research Council. The Heritage Foundation and Patriot Voices are co-sponsors of the event. An exhibit hall, book signings, radio row, media row, and much more will be packed into this three-day conference.

Pre-registration for media credentials is required. Please contact media@frc.org to obtain credentials.

For a schedule and more information on this year's Values Voter Summit, please visit: www.valuesvotersummit.org/


#WomensMonth: "Focus on your talents and ignore the noise"

Eleni Giokos, CNN African correspondent, rounds out our Women's Month coverage by sharing her realisation that "career plus baby is doable", as well as some of the noise she's learned to ignore, like being told to cut her hair short as long hair isn't 'corporate' enough.

Giokos on the roof at CNN London.



Giokos has a passion for financial journalism and business news, and is currently based in the CNN network's Johannesburg bureau.



Born in Greece and raised in South Africa, Giokos graduated with an honours degree in journalism and media studies from Wits and has since proven herself with over a decade of experience working across TV, radio, print and online media across the globe.



Its broadcast media that truly has her heart though, as she says, Its incredibly exciting! Id pick the adrenaline that comes with covering breaking news over print any day.



Amazing studio in #NYC where all the magic happens during #QuestMeansBusiness #CNN A post shared by @ elenigiokos on Jan 4, 2017 at 7:10am PST

Here, amongst other things, Giokos lets us in on why the art of ad-libbing is a crucial broadcast journalism skill, as well as how personal career mentors can guide, uplift and become friends



We last chatted two years ago  how has your career changed since then? We last chatted two years ago  how has your career changed since then? Giokos has a passion for financial journalism and business news, and is currently based in the CNN network's Johannesburg bureau.Born in Greece and raised in South Africa, Giokos graduated with an honours degree in journalism and media studies from Wits and has since proven herself with over a decade of experience working across TV, radio, print and online media across the globe.Its broadcast media that truly has her heart though, as she says, Its incredibly exciting! Id pick the adrenaline that comes with covering breaking news over print any day.Here, amongst other things, Giokos lets us in on why the art of ad-libbing is a crucial broadcast journalism skill, as well as how personal career mentors can guide, uplift and become friends

Thats quite a change! Youve also interviewed a number of impressive business leaders in your time. Lets discuss some of the top insights youve learned from them. Thats quite a change! Youve also interviewed a number of impressive business leaders in your time. Lets discuss some of the top insights youve learned from them.

Eleni Giokos interviewing Aliko Dangote at 1am in a hotel room in Rwanda during a conference.

For big thinkers, after-hours doesnt exist when theres work to be done. They have complex ideas and are able to execute efficiently. Now, more than ever, African business leaders are taking into account how business impacts peoples lives. Gone are the days when capitalising on a gap in the market was the endgame, now its about impacting society.

Definitely brings a touch of the real person to the interview. Mentorship has been a strong focus for us this #WomensMonth, in the spirit of uplifting others. Who is your personal career mentor, and why? Definitely brings a touch of the real person to the interview. Mentorship has been a strong focus for us this #WomensMonth, in the spirit of uplifting others. Who is your personal career mentor, and why?

Bronwyn Nielsen taught me the art of ad-libbing, forcing me to speak on demand on various topics, even when I was getting a coffee. I am so grateful for learning this craft, it has set me apart in my career. Its one of the most important skills to have when you're in broadcast journalism.

A strong support team is everything. List a few of the specific challenges and opportunities for women in media that youve personally faced in your career. A strong support team is everything. List a few of the specific challenges and opportunities for women in media that youve personally faced in your career.

It hasnt always been easy. I remember starting out and being told to not look too pretty because I wont be taken seriously. Or sent to interviews because the CEO likes to look at pretty girls. Or the time I was asked to cut my hair short given long hair isn't corporate enough. Needless to say, I never cut my hair and I landed a gig at CNN.

Fantastic. Lets end with insights into the future of media  particularly in Africa, and the skills the media workers of the future will need to hone now to get ahead. Fantastic. Lets end with insights into the future of media  particularly in Africa, and the skills the media workers of the future will need to hone now to get ahead.

Giokos in Nigeria. Giokos in Nigeria.

Leigh Andrews' articles About Leigh Andrews Leigh Andrews AKA the



Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen , is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of diversity, inclusion and equality, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! She can be reached on Twitter at @Leigh_Andrews

Ive travelled extensively across Africa and met with inspiring entrepreneurs, CEOs and leaders. I also spent time in New York City, London and Atlanta, anchoring shows likeand. Ive hosted panels at large conferences and focused on telling inspiring African business stories.Also importantly, I've become a mother. Cleo is now a 1-year-old who doesnt have a penchant for sleeping much at night but has made me realise career plus baby is doable, with the right support from family and colleagues.Theres a common thread that links successful leaders  theyre all extremely passionate about their business and their productivity levels are way above what you and I deem normal.I once interviewed Aliko Dangote at 1am in a hotel room in Rwanda during a conference. I was shocked to see him continue his day with more meetings after our interview. Tony Elumelu, Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Stephen Saad do the same thing  they dont put time limits on their day.Global leaders like Bill Gates, Arianna Huffington and Richard Branson are constantly innovating and working on projects that will influence humanity in some way. I always walk away from such interviews with nuggets of advice  it really does boil down to working together to create a better world. It sounds like a utopian dream, but people at the top are eternal optimists and are allocating resources to make it happen.Interestingly, before and after interviews, a lot of people talk about their families and children, which is always wonderful to hear.Ive been extremely fortunate to have had many mentors. When I started in broadcast media at 24-years-old, I was so hungry to learn and surrounded myself with incredible journalists. I called people I admired and asked them to guide me, and I now have a long list of mentors who have become very close friends.Peter Ndoro does all the uplifting, personal work on me. He's been there at 3am when I've had doubts about my ability to execute on projects.George Glynos, David Shapiro and Simon Brown took on my daily calls  and often still do  when I was starting out as a young financial journalist.Nikiwe Bikitsha and Mapi Mhlangu gave me so many breaks to be live on air. Nikiwe actually stood down from live crossings to give me a chance and Mapi would then do the feedback sessions, I still draw on both of them for help.Now at CNN, there is an incredible team that backs me, from on-air talent like Richard Quest and behind-the-scenes, theres Penny Manis, who heads up business news.Sadly, I've experienced my fair share of sexism  not only in the workplace but also during interviews. I think the #MeToo movement has lifted the lid on pertinent issues. Ive noticed a shift over the past year, but theres a lot of work to be done to eradicate harassment and sexist incidents.All these issues detract from the importance of doing a good job and disseminating information. Women should focus on their talents and ignore the noise  no one can keep a talented person down for long.Working for CNN, however, has been eye-opening; the professionalism and protection women receive at the network has been a breath of fresh air.Journalists now more than ever have to be the gatekeepers of truth. In a world where fake news riddles our social media timelines, basics journalistic skills are of paramount importance.If youre an aspiring journalist, master the art of writing, storytelling and investigating every angle.Theres a global shift occurring towards digital media, but if you want a true account of whats happening in the world, the TV is still the go-to place. In Africa, mobile will dominate news consumption trends. As a result, access to news networks via mobile phone is growing and this is also breeding a new generation of African journalists.Id love to see more African stories told by Africans. I know we've been saying this for years, but theres still huge room for growth.
An activist for plant-based protein food, Michelle Adelman is the founder of Crossover Meat - an affordable, sustainable beef-chicken cross-over that is 30-35% cheaper and has 50% of the environmental impact of beef; and Infinite Foods - an initiative to improve quality-of-health by delivering plant-based protein food products to sub-Saharan Africa and emerging markets' upper and middle-class population and tourism/hospitality industry.

What does a day in your life look like?

What made you choose a career in the food technology industry and then to branch out into agricultural transformation and food security?

Do you think its important to have a month dedicated to women?

What barriers did you face, as a woman, becoming successful in your field, and how did you overcome them? Are there any worthwhile challenges that you enjoy?

Based on your experience, what advice would you give to women pursuing a career in your field?

Who is your biggest influence /role model?

What is your message for Women's Month?

Any words of wisdom you would like to share with women in business?

Named 2017's Most Influential Woman in Business for Botswana & SADC North by CEO Magazine, Adelman is passionate about developing sustainable methods to achieve food security in Africa and other emerging markets particularly with regard to the impact on the environment.Here, Adelman shares why she chose a career in food security, the challenges she has faced and her message for women in business...Happily, for me, no two days are the same. But life as an entrepreneur with three businesses can be hectic! Usually starts with (a lot of) coffee and a review of my personal deliverables list for the day. I usually spend an hour on emails before jumping into the agenda for the day, which often includes going to the farm, checking in with my teams, focusing on growth strategies, and generally solving problems! Whenever I can, I go to Bikram hot yoga at the end of the day to turn my brain off for 90-minutes of meditation and focus.There are two reasons for me. First, in Africa at least 60% of people are farmers  mostly subsistence farmers where their only income or nutrition comes from the food that they grow. Further, 47% of the African population is malnourished. Thats just a math equation that doesnt work. Africa has an agricultural system that is broken if 60% of the people are farmers but 47% of the people are hungry. You cant have peace, stability and economic development when people are hungry. I believe agriculture and food technology is a big part of the solution.One of the interesting projects we are working on to address this issue is a collaboration with the California, plant-based protein company JUST (former Hampton Creek). JUST has piloted a project in Liberia to fortify staple carbohydrate foods (in this case cassava porridge) with vitamins and plant-protein for just a couple of cents more per serving, and has packaged the product as an aspirational brand available in the local markets. The product is grown by smallholder farmers on a contract basis (out-growers) and made in a local factory that has created 100 jobs for women. We see the opportunity to expand this product line and roll it out across Africa to help address malnutrition and create local employment by improving the nutrition of everyday meals.Second, if you look at the population growth projections to 2050 (most of which is coming from Africa and Asia) and the resulting protein food requirements of world, and you take the fact that we already use the majority of the worlds water in agriculture and that the livestock industry emits more CO2 gas than all the cars, trucks, buses, and airplanes combined... well, we have another math problem. Numerically, it just doesnt work to create all the protein we need with the water and air resources we have.Innovations like plant-based protein, technology-enabled agriculture and new supply chain systems are needed if we are going to have enough food to feed the planet (and still have a planet to live on). Our new companies Infinite Foods and Crossover Quality Meats are positioned to provide environmentally sensible and affordable protein to Africa and emerging markets.There is a saying: "What you focus on expands". Africa can still be very patriarchal, and there are structural challenges to women being entrepreneurs beyond just social norms (e.g., access to finance, the legality of owning land in some countries)  yet we know that women are the heart of the African household. By having a month dedicated to women, we can take the time to focus on the real issues women face in our society and the solutions to transform.Im an engineer by training, so I like numbers to give me answers. If we dont focus on women and empower them as equal members in our society and workforce  we are losing out on, well 50% of our potential!Ive been graced in my upbringing and career. I had supportive parents who said I could be whatever I wanted to be (as long as it wasnt a ballet dancer and was a doctor, lawyer or engineer), and a great foundational career at Accenture that had a very performance-based culture that enabled me to thrive as a female executive. In my new found career as an entrepreneur and farmer, I use two techniques: (1) oblivion; (2) confusion! First, I never mentally put myself in a position where I dont believe I can and should do the things I do (a.k.a oblivion). Second, I use the fact that Im a woman (and therefore people are confused that Im in the position Im in) to my advantage.I find that if people are confused, they dont try to put you into their mental stereotype box of how they think they should treat you. Youd be amazed at the look on the manager at the electrical store full of men where Im negotiating a great deal on supplies for a construction project when I say "Im just a woman, you have to give me a better price!"First, not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur (women or men). Some people are just more comfortable in the structure of a company or more stable organisation  and thats OK. Being an entrepreneur is hard  9 out of 10 businesses fail. If you want to be an entrepreneur, you have to be ready, tireless in everything you do: in your passion for your business, in your commitment to survive, and never stopping until youve solved the problem. I sometimes say Im "chief strategist and problem solver."Second, you need to know your field... in detail, and be willing to get your hands dirty. If you cant personally run every function top to bottom in your organisation (at least at the beginning) you dont know enough yet (and you probably arent going to survive).Lastly, get some experience. Many young people just think "hey, Im going to be an entrepreneur or an SMME" without having any job training or experience. Launching and running your own business requires skills, experience and the financial resources to survive. Dont shy away from getting a job  even an internship  to build the skills and experience you will need to be successful on your own.I dont really have one  I have many! My parents, teachers, bosses, employees, team members all have put their imprint on me one way or another. More important than believing in an icon, you have to believe in yourself.I want to go back to my numerical equation: If 50% of our population is women and we are not leveraging all that women bring to the table in business and society, then we are missing out on 50% of our opportunity. If we look at the economic and social challenges ahead of us  job creation, addressing malnutrition and poverty just to name a few  these are complex problems and we need everybodys skills, energy and ideas to solve them. Why would we try to do that with only half of the cards in our deck to play with?Be fearless.
The Marketing Association of South Africa (Masa) will host two masterclass sessions at Leaderex on 4 September 2018 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg.The sessions, which are aimed at a senior level audience, are designed to challenge conventional thinking about marketing in a digital world. The sessions are titled 'Smarter thinking for Marketing in a Digital World' and 'Smarter execution for Marketing in a Digital World.'The first session will take place from 9.30am - 12pm and the second session will take place from 1.30pm - 4pm. Click here to access the Masa booking platform.
Bobi Wine in court. Photo--YouTube.

When Yoweri Museveni seized power in Uganda in 1986, he promised to end political murders and restore democracy after decades of dictatorship. This is not a mere change of guards. I think this is a fundamental change in the politics of our government, he promised in his first speech as president.

But the only change was for the worse. Musevenis North Korea-trained military has committed crimes even more heinous than those that occurred under his infamous predecessors, Idi Amin and Milton Obote. His security forces have looted billions of dollars from the Ugandan Treasury, sparked wars in neighboring countries, probably assassinated potential rivals, and tortured countless politicians and nonviolent political activists, including, most recently, the massively popular 36-year-old Afrobeat musician and parliamentarian Bobi Wine, whose songs lament Ugandas poverty and call upon listeners to reclaim their country.

On August 13, Wine, along with four other MPs and dozens of others were arrested and beaten while campaigning for the opposition in Arua, a town near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. During the operation, security forces shot and killed Wines driver. Museveni was also in Arua that day, stumping for the ruling-party candidate. After the campaigns ended, the presidents convoy collided with a procession of opposition supporters on a main road, and, according to witnesses, ran some of them into the ditch by the side of the road. The police claim that members of the angry crowd began shouting and throwing rocks, one of which broke the window of one of Musevenis vehicles. On social media, many have questioned this claim, since pictures showed the window in question to have been cleanly removed, with no hanging shards of glass, and in any case, presidential vehicles are normally armored, bulletproof, and impervious to stones.

The convoy delivered Museveni to his waiting helicopter, and then unleashed terror, arresting and torturing Wine and the others. The detainees, who included members of the opposition campaign team as well as bystanders who happened to be on the scene, have all been charged with treason. When they emerged from a police bus for a bail hearing on August 27, several, including Wine, were on crutches and had to be carried down the steps. Wine and several others are scheduled to be flown out of the country for specialized treatment in the coming days.

Please see The Nation

https://www.thenation.com/article/can-bobi-wine-unite-uganda-and-bring-d...

Black Star Editor's Note: Petition calling for ICC indictment of Museveni

https://tinyurl.com/yd3slgvr
Editors note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the authors.

Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo says her legacy is that of fiscal reform  as she did in CNN Philippines The Source recently  she grossly underestimates her impact as president.

When she tells us shes confident about the future of the country, her words dont inspire the same confidence, as she cites most of the young congressmen in the House of Representatives as the source of her confidence  perhaps the same ones who huddled around her when she unceremoniously became House Speaker.

For me, Gloria Arroyo has never truly inspired as a woman, even if it was her term that saw the passage of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act. Nor has she inspired as a politician, at least until we saw (or heard) her rig the 2004 elections to her favor.

She might be the second woman president of the Philippines, but thats all there is to it: she is a woman in power, one who unfortunately refused to be accountable for that power, and whose use of power caused more harm than good to the state of Philippine governance.

Controversies

Those who remember how Arroyo steadfastly pursued Charter Change when she was president are wary of her supposed intentions to be Prime Minister, in light of President Dutertes federalism initiative. To this she says: The people who keep raising that are the people who just want to stir up controversy.

But the sins and ambitions of Gloria Arroyo bear repeating until she finally atones for them. It is only in the Philippines that we find officials like Arroyo  already caught red-handed, already with a lot of anomalies under their name  still enjoying a seat in government, still in favor with a particular constituency.

Arroyo says people want to stir up controversy, but she forgets there is no need to stir anything up. In 2007, the Philippines was the most corrupt among 13 countries in Asia. The same year, a Pulse Asia survey revealed Arroyo, at that time, to be the most corrupt Philippine leader. In fact, you can Google the words Arroyo and corruption and youd have a gold mine of verified articles, documents, and investigative reports, enough to cast doubt on Arroyos credibility as a leader as early as 11 to 12 years ago, for which she should have resigned, never to hold office ever again.

Yet the anomalies and the scandals remain, unanswered for more than decade now. Meanwhile, Arroyo sits in office.

Duterte, Arroyo, and China

As House Speaker under the Duterte administration, Arroyo now tells CNN Philippines Senior Correspondent Pinky Webb: My priorities [as a legislative officer/House Speaker] are the priorities of President Duterte.

Many have noted the similarities between Dutertes policies and Arroyos policies as former president. One illustrative example is their similar stance on China.

In Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China, investigative journalist Marites Vitug narrates how Philippine-China relations reached their golden age during Arroyos term. Arroyo gave the go-signal for the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU), a three-year bilateral agreement for joint research in a 142,886-square kilometer area of the South China Sea. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

She might be the second woman president of the Philippines, but thats all there is to it: she is a woman in power, one who unfortunately refused to be accountable for that power.

While Arroyo said in The Source interview that Vietnam was included in this agreement, stressing the importance of multifaceted actions in the Philippine-China relations, the JMSU  which she signed in Chinas Great Hall of the People  riled Vietnam.

Vietnam wanted the agreement annulled and accused the Philippines of not consulting claimant countries first, according to Vitugs Rock Solid. Subsequently, however, Vietnam joined the agreement rather than be left out. The JMSU was later contested in the Philippine Supreme Court.

Dutertes friendly stance against China echoes Arroyos, who has repeatedly said Dutertes policy regarding China is similar to her policy.

When asked if Dutertes policy was balanced, Arroyo replied: It is similar to mine.

The future according to Gloria Arroyo

Watching Arroyo on television  especially when she was a featured personality in CNN Philippines Womens Month coverage  should always remind us of the systemic effects her administration has wrought upon good governance and accountability.

Thus, when its Gloria Arroyo who says that shes confident about the future because of young lawmakers in Congress, we should be wary. When she speaks of a legacy divorced from how her governance has set the standard for graft and corruption, we should be wary. When she tells us that legitimate comments and criticism come from people stirring up a controversy, we should be wary.

Arroyo remains a heavyweight in Philippine politics, one with the power to rewrite history to her favor. In a political environment that unfortunately welcomes disgraced revisionists like the Marcoses, the likes of her will inevitably thrive: living, ghastly memorials to what we still havent learned as a nation.

Arroyo has to account for her long list of sins. But as for our failure to demand better leaders and responsive governance? For our propensity to elect murderers, cheaters, and trapos?

Thats on us.
Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  This weekend, join a monthly music events first anniversary celebration, enjoy a musical about circus freaks, learn about the villains in Philippine history, watch silent films live-scored by local musicians, attend a book bazaar selling over 10,000 titles, catch a Filipino musical about a local artist, and enjoy a pairing of cheap drinks and disco music.

Furiosa First Year Anniversary

Furiosa is hosting its first anniversary this Friday at Mows bar in Quezon City. The monthly music event is described as a venue for showcasing emergent and established dream pop, indie folk, indie pop, indie rock, noise rock, post-rock, and shoegaze artists in Metro Manila. This Fridays lineup includes Indetikit, Memory Drawers, Monochrome, Narcloudia, Pastilan Dong, populardays, The Rave Tapes, and The Strange Creatures.

Regular entrance fee is 200 with one free drink and 150 for students.

Mows is located at Kowloon House Basement, 20 Matalino St., Quezon City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.

Side Show

Opening this Friday, Aug. 31, the musical Side Show is the story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet (played by Gab Pangilinan and Kayla Rivera), who become stage performers in the 1920s. Together with the mysterious ringmaster Sir (Wency Cornejo), talent scout Terry Connor (Markki Stroem), aspiring musician Buddy (David Ezra), the twins good friend Jake (Arman Ferrer), and the cast of sideshow freaks like Bearded Lady, Three Legged Man, and Lizard Man, among others, they tell a tale of love, loss, sisterhood, and what it means to be different.

The show runs from Aug. 31 until Sept. 23 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium (4th floor of Tower II, RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave., Makati). For more information, visit the Atlantis Theatrical Facebook page.

History Comes Alive! With Ambeth Ocampo

Get ready for another round of Ayala Museums History Comes Alive lecture series. This time, historian Ambeth Ocampo will be talking about villains in Philippine history. The lecture is happening this Saturday, Sept. 1 at 3 p.m.

Ticket options are as follows: 675 for a Premiere Reserved Seat, 675 for a Season Pass, 375 for a Regular Adult Individual Pass, 300 for a Discounted Individual Pass, 275 for Undergraduate Student and Teacher Individual Passes, and 267 for Senior Individual Passes. Tickets are limited so those interested in attending are advised to inquire beforehand.

Ayala Museum is located at Makati Ave. cor. Dela Rosa St., Makati City. For ticket reservations and further inquiries, visit the Facebook event page.

International Silent Film Festival 2018

Visit SM Megamall this weekend to catch the 12th annual International Silent Film Festival Manila. The event kicks off this Thursday, Aug. 30, and will run until Sept. 2. The festival is a collaborative initiative led by the Goethe Institut Philippinen, the Japan Foundation  Manila, and the Instituto Cervantes, and is the first and oldest silent film festival in Southeast Asia.

This year, the festival will screen eight silent films, to be scored live by local musicians. On Aug. 31, Friday, viewers can watch the Philippines This Is Not A Lost Film at 7 p.m. and the French film La Passion de Jeanne DArc at 9 p.m. On Saturday, the German film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is screening at 4 p.m., followed by Japans A Straightforward Boy at 6 p.m., and the US film Our Hospitality at 8 p.m. On Sunday, the Spanish film Frivolinas is showing at 5 p.m. followed by Austrian film Die kleine Veronika at 7:30 p.m.

Admission is free but on a first-come, first-served basis.

SM Megamall is located at EDSA cor. Ortigas Ave., Mandaluyong City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.

Word Wonder Book++ Bazaar

This weekend, go through over 10,000 books, comics, and magazines for sale at the Word Wonder Book++ Bazaar. There will also be bookmarks, postcards, posters, and literary-themed arts and crafts available for purchase at the bazaar. Attendees can also expect workshops like Beverly Wico Siys Childrens Book Making Workshop on Sep. 1, Saturday and Veve Verdadero Basbas Word Wonder Doodle Day on Aug. 31, Friday at 4 p.m. and Mandala Making on Sep. 2, Sunday, at 2 p.m.

The bazaar is happening from Aug. 31, Friday to Sep. 2, Sunday at the Events Center of Century City Mall. The event is also eco-friendly, meaning buyers are encouraged to bring eco-bags for their purchases.

Century City Mall is located at Kalayaan Ave., Makati City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.

Balag at Angud Opening Night

This Friday marks the opening night of Layeta Bucoys Balag at Angud, an original Filipino musical based on the story of Junyee, a Filipino protest installation artist made to choose between his art and his father's wishes. The show will be staged at the CCP Little Theater from Aug. 31 to Sept. 16, with tickets priced at 1,000 and 800.

CCP Little Theater is located at CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. For ticket reservations and further inquiries, visit the Facebook event page.

Happy Hour: Disco Inferno!

End the work week with cheap booze and groovy tunes at Mess Hall this Friday. Starting at 6 p.m., Mess Hall will be selling beers at promo rates, select cocktails at 50 percent off, and tequila for cheap (99 from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.) with DJ Cedez and DJ Jazz Zamora on board.

Mess Hall is located at 2316 Karrivin Plaza, Pasong Tamo Ext., Makati City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  Despite a senator's criticism on the fund allocation and implementation of its programs, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) maintained the jeepney modernization program is still a go.

In a media briefing Wednesday, LTFRB Chairperson Martin Delgra III said the planned public utility vehicle (PUV) modernization will push through amid claims that the budget allocated for the program will be at the expense of drivers and operators.

"What I would like to say is itutuloy natin itong modernization program na ito. Matagal na po nating inaasam-asam, matagal na po nating hinihintay ito," Delgra told reporters.

[Translation: What I would like to say is that we will continue with this modernization program. We have yearned and waited long for this.]

Senator Grace Poe on Monday said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) may experience a roadblock in its budget passage if transport officials fail to address issues regarding the program.

READ: Rough road ahead for DOTr budget as Poe questions jeepney modernization program

She questioned how ordinary drivers and operators can afford the modern jeeps, which are estimated from P1.2 million to P1.8 million per unit, if they are to receive P80,000 subsidy.

But Delgra shrugged off the concern, saying it's still up to the Congress to finalize and approve the budget for the modernization program.

"In so far as what Senator Poe had said, we welcome that very much, and we welcome the support of Congress," Delgra replied. "So (we'll give) whatever help we can give to them, (in order to) succeed in fully implementing this modernization program na matagal na nating iniintay (we have long waited for).

The jeepney modernization program aims to phase out vehicles that are 15 years old and above by 2020. By then, authorities will only issue franchises to operators with jeeps that have environment-friendly engines, as well as security features.

Transport groups and netizens alike have called out the modernization program, labeling it as "anti-poor."

Only subsidy

Delgra said he is not aware of transport groups' claims that they have not received fuel vouchers under the Transportation Department's Pantawid Pasada program. However, he mentioned that only "legitimate PUJ franchise holders" are included in the list of recipients.

The Pantawid Pasada program aims to relieve the public transport sector by providing fuel subsidies for PUV stakeholders. LTFRB said it has started distribution of the fuel cards to nine regions Tuesday.

Delgra noted that once the department's 2019 budget is approved, a subsidy worth P20,514 per unit will be given out to drivers or operators. This equates to a P56 fuel budget per day.

The LTFRB chairperson, meanwhile, emphasized the program is not meant to shoulder all expenses.

"Ganun talaga ang (That really is the) idea. It's just really a fuel subsidy," Delgra said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 29)  The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved the proposed budgets for the offices of the country's two highest officials for 2019.

In just approximately 10 minutes, the committee approved the 6.7 billion budget for the Office of the President (OP). This is higher than the OP's current allocation amounting to 6.03 billion.

Opposition lawmaker Albay Representative Edcel Lagman made the motion to approve the proposal quickly after the OP presented its plans.

Lagman said doing so has been the tradition at the House of Representatives, but he noted that congressmen can still ask questions once the budget proposal reaches the plenary.

The committee also approved the 2019 budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) worth 447.68 million. This is almost 100 million lower than the OVP's current budget of 543.95 million and is also less than the budget proposed by the Department of Budget and Management amounting to 455.85 million.

Vice President Leni Robredo, who presented the budget to the congressmen, said the budget cut would lead to the suspension of their livelihood assistance initiative for some local government units.

"We proposed 549 million for 2019. That is just an additional 6 million, but what was recommended by the [Department of Budget and Management] is about a hundred million [pesos] less than our budget from last year, which is just 447.68 million. That would mean that we would be.. we would not be able to continue with our livelihood assistance to our adopted LGU's and if you look at the records, Mr. Chair and the members of the committee, all our adopted LGUs are the poorest, the farthest, of our communities," the Vice President explained.

With this, Robredo appealed to the lawmakers to just retain the current allocation.

"The additional item in the budget that was given to us for 2018 was a huge help to our communities. So, we would like to make this appeal, Mr. Chair, sana po kahit ibalik lang iyong dati. The office has been used to working within our means pero iyong pagbawas [sa 2019 budget] is really a it's not for operations, but it's really for livelihood assistance," she said.

CNN Philippines' Joyce Ilas and Robert Vergara contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Thursday said she supports a possible extension of martial law in Mindanao.

The former President said she trusts President Rodrigo Duterte will make the right move should he decide to extend military rule in the South.

"I support martial law in Mindanao. I'll support what the President does because I've been president and I believe that he does not need a peanut gallery to tell him what to do," Arroyo said in an ambush interview in Floridablanca, Pampanga.

House Majority leader Rolando "Nonoy" Andaya Jr said Congress will concur if Duterte declares the extension. But he advised the President's office to hold a dialogue with the Mindanaoans before deciding.

"The people of Mindanao should be consulted. Sa House, mahalaga ang inputs and views ng Mindanao bloc. Ika nga, those in or around (Marawi) Ground Zero should be consulted. Civilian views should be part of the discussion," he said.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Wednesday hinted at the possibility of asking for another extension of martial law in Mindanao in the wake of the Sultan Kudarat town bombing.

"It's an option... Kung ganito pa rin ang nangyari, anong gagawin natin? Upo lang tayo diyan? (If this will continue, what will we do? Just sit?)" he said.

Related: Malacanang official: Mindanao martial law extension 'an option' after Sultan Kudarat blast

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is also open to extending military rule, but said it would be "too early" to make a recommendation to Duterte.

Three people were killed and 36 others were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off during the celebration of the Hamungaya Festival, Isulan town's founding anniversary, Tuesday night.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is on full alert, saying the bombing could be a "terror attack."

Martial law is in effect in Mindanao until December 31, 2018 after Congress granted Duterte's second request for an extension to quell threats of rebellion amid efforts to rehabilitate Marawi City. Marawi is the provincial capital of Lanao del Sur that was the battle ground of terrorists and government forces from May to October last year. More than a thousand were killed, mostly terrorists.

Vice President Leni Robredo, however, said martial law may not be the answer to violence.

"Kung pagbabasehan kasi iyong mga nakaraang pangyayari, pinapakita na hindi epektibo iyong martial law sa pagsugpo nito (if we base it on previous events, martial law was not effective in preventing violence)," Robredo told reporters after a budget hearing Wednesday.

She noted that the Sultan Kudarat blast and other violent incidents in Mindanao happened even as martial law was in place.

Some human rights groups claim the military committed human rights violations during the implementation of martial law. Malacanang and the Armed Forces vowed to investigate these alleged abuses, but noted that no formal complaint has been filed.

CNN Philippines' senior digital producer Eimor Santos contributed to this report.
NEWTOWN BOROUGH >> The Williams family landed the coveted Mayors Award for their depiction of Amelia Earhart in the group theme category at Saturdays Halloween Parade in Newtown. Jackie, Dan and Margot Williams and their dog, Murphy, celebrated the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Earhart disappeared on July 2, 1937 during an attempt to fly...
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  Only more than a fourth of the P39 million cash donations sourced locally for Marawi City evacuees were used by the city government in 2017, the government's audit body said.

In its 2017 report, the Commission on Audit said that of the 39,695,468.96 received in donations, only 26 percent or 10,261,120.00 was disbursed as of December 31, 2017.

This leaves an amount of 29,434,348.96 unutilized.

"Considering the purpose of the cash donation which is intended for aid, relief and respond services to Marawi evacuees, the low rate of utilization of the donations defeated its purpose," COA explained.

The audit report said, however, the Marawi City government explained their use of the funds. The local government said donations were used "mostly for the provision of relief goods for the evacuees and the remaining amounts were programmed for rehabilitation and recovery programs and other forms of assistance to address the needs of those who were greatly affected by the calamity."

COA added the city government assured the donations will be used in accordance with their donors' intents.

The five-month siege of Marawi City incited by the ISIS-inspired Maute group, left more than a thousand people dead, 359,000 displaced, and damages and losses amounting to 18 billion.
Students from 13 different colleges across the UK will be battling it out to bring home the Apprentice of the Year trophy.

The competition, run by adhesive, tape and sealant brand Gorilla Glue, is running for the second year in a row.

Entrants are tasked with building different projects made from wood and sealed using Gorilla Glue products. They then present their creations to a panel of judges.

This years competition sees Skill Build judge and former BBC Young Carpenter of the year, Tibby Singh (pictured), setting the brief for the apprentices in the heats stage and then judging the entries.

He said: I believe that it's important for students to take part in competitions whilst at college. It's a great way to engage and encourage them to create something different from the usual curriculum course.

Challenges like the Gorilla Glue Apprentice of the Year competition really do motivate young people who take part, not only in their college course but also in their career.

I am looking forward to helping to inspire the next generation of young apprentices and I am excited to be involved."

Gorilla Glue Assistant Brand Manager, Leoni Brown, said: We received such positive feedback from all of the colleges who participated in last years competition that we made the decision to bring back the competition for a second year and to make it bigger and better than before!

The prize is a tool bundle worth 500, and a years supply of Gorilla Glue products.
A cement plant in Northern Ireland is celebrating 50 years of clinker and cement manufacturing.

Lafarge Cement Ireland employs almost 100 staff members both in Cookstown, County Tyrone, and at the businesss cement terminal in Belfast.

The Lafarge Cement business was acquired by Aggregate Industries in 2015.

This meant that for the first time, Aggregate Industries portfolio of operations included cement production and supply.

Since the acquisition, Lafarge Cement has invested heavily in technology, including Geocycle co-processing, to help minimise and repurpose waste in a sustainable way.

Geocycle uses waste-derived materials as a substitute for fossil fuels and primary raw material in industrial processes.

The business also regularly raises money for charities including the Niamh Louise Foundation and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Plant Manager Russell Larmour said: The success at Cookstown is testament to the many generations of people here in County Tyrone who have helped shape the business today.

As we now look to the future, and many more years of production, we are committed to maintaining our position as a leading, sustainable business partner at the heart of the UKs construction industry.
| BY Ricki Green |

Curious has announced the signing of director Lucy Knox.

A talent swiftly rising, Knox is making a name for herself both in New Zealand and Australia.

Recently winning Best Direction for her short An Act of Love at the Australian Directors Guild Awards in 2018, Knoxs film premiered at Sydney Film Festival, where it received Special Mention for Best Short Screenplay.

The film was also recently picked up for distribution by the Criterion Collection.

Knox has worked in both documentary and narrative forms; lending a unique quality to her narrative work, focusing on authentic performances in visually striking worlds.

Last Man Standing, directed by Knox and frequent collaborator W.A.M. Bleakley, a nostalgia evoking documentary was a Tropfest finalist in 2018, and played at the UKs leading documentary festival Sheffield DocFest.

Now couldnt be a better time for Knox to get involved in commercials.

Says Knox: Im thrilled to have the opportunity to work on projects with the support of such a stable as lit as Curious.

Says Kate Roydhouse, managing director and executive producer, Curious Film: Its shaping up to be a busy year for Lucy, with some really cool projects already underway. Its exciting to bring yet another super talented director into the fold.

Knox will be working independently, as well as part of the directing duo with W.A.M. Bleakley.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) is expected to file three more criminal complaints against former and incumbent public health officials over the controversial Dengvaxia mess.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday resumed its preliminary investigation on the vaccine controversy, where it was revealed that the PAO has added three new Dengvaxia-related death cases to the list.

The families of three more children identified as Cristine Mae De Guzman, Erico Liabres, and Clarissa Alcantara sought the help of the Justice Department in filing criminal charges versus former Health secretary Janette Garin and other former and incumbent health officials.

This brings PAO's total number of complaints to 15.

Officials from French pharmaceutical company Sanofi and healthcare provider Zuellig Pharma will also be slapped with the same raps.

The respective families, through the PAO, claimed the minors died after receiving Dengvaxia.

PAO Chief Persida Acosta said the minors appeared to be healthy prior to the vaccination.

"(There was) no history of bleeding bago mabakunahan pero nung mabakunahan, common signs and symptoms headache, pamumutla, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea," Acosta said.

[Translation: No history of bleeding before they were vaccinated. But once they were, the common signs and symptoms (were) headache, paleness, vomiting, stomachache, diarrhea.]

Acosta added more complaints are expected to be filed against those responsible for the Dengvaxia mess.

RELATED: Senate draft committee report: Aquino, Garin, Abad 'criminally liable' for Dengvaxia mess

Meanwhile, three Sanofi officials asked for more time to file their counter-affidavits. The DOJ panel gave them 15 days to comply.

A study earlier this year by the Philippine General Hospital's Dengue Investigative Task Force revealed that two out of 14 deaths being linked to Dengvaxia may have been caused by the vaccine's failure, while some of the other cases were unrelated to the vaccine.

Out of the 14 deaths, experts said three died of dengue shock syndrome, including the two who may have died due to Dengvaxia failure.

Three of the cases were not related to Dengvaxia, two were inconclusive due to lack of information, and six were caused by other diseases and died within 30 days after receiving the vaccine. They did not have dengue prior to the immunization.

In December 2017, the government halted its nationwide dengue vaccination program that began in 2016, after 837,000 children were immunized. Sanofi's earlier study showed that those with no previous infection and got vaccinated, could contract more severe dengue.

CNN Philippines correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
Editors and senior reporters from titles such as Adweek, Campaign, Creative Review, Shots, Lurzers Archive, and of course Campaign Brief (representing Australia and New Zealand) as well as mainstream publications (such as C-NET, Marie-Claire, Forbes) in over 50 countries are supported by specialist writers in fields ranging from Artificial Intelligence to Virtual Reality.

The Epica Awards are open for entries until Sunday September 30. ENTER NOW The 2018 jury president is Tony Chambers, Brand and Content Director of Wallpaper* magazine  and one of the worlds foremost branding and communications experts. This years categories include Real Time & Topical Advertising and World Cup ads. Epica also has two brand new Grand Prix: Responsibility and Alternative Media. The show takes place in Amsterdam on November 15. As always, every single agency that enters will receive a free copy of the annual Epica Book  a 400-page bible of creative inspiration. In other words, its a no-lose situation. The Editors and Publishers International Creative Awards: Epica is the only global creative prize awarded by journalists. It offers an independent jury and global press coverage. Launched in 1987, today it is an international celebration of creativity, attracting thousands of entries from more than 70 countries.



GET THE CB

DAILY BULLETIN Register for Free and receive the Campaign Brief Daily Bulletin. Type your email address in the space below. GOLD SPONSORS


























| BY Lynchy |

Ensemble Worldwide and Maxis, have unveiled a campaign titled The Endangered Malaysians in conjunction with the upcoming Merdeka Day celebrations.

The month-long project for national day seeks to gives voice and support conservation of endangered animals in Malaysia.

Executive Creative Director of Ensemble Worldwide, Chan Woei Hern, said, We realised there is a community of unseen, unheard and disappearing Malaysians that are born in Malaysia but left behind as we develop as a nation  the endangered animals of Malaysia.

Partnering with the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), Huawei and renowned Malaysian photographers, David Lok, Kenny Loh and Nana Safiana, alongside wildlife photography consultant Sanjitpaal Singh, the endangered animals of Malaysia are commemorated and celebrated through photography, the campaign video, and through the website which encourages pledges that translates into donations. For every pledge made on social media in support of Malaysias endangered animals with the #KitaRakyatMalaysia hashtag, Maxis will donate RM1 towards PERHILITANs conservation efforts.

Hern added, Every year, Maxis finds ways to demonstrate a higher purpose for technology and the power of the internet. This Merdeka, we wanted to redefine the use of the most powerful tool in our hands, the mobile phone. We asked ourselves how we could use technology to help those who cant, and to look beyond our selfies and turn the lens outwards to make a difference. It was then that we decided to tell the stories of the animals who share this land with us.

Tai Kam Leong, Maxis Head of Brand and Partnerships, said, As an internet company, our job is to connect people, and bring Malaysians closer, no matter where and who they are. The use of technology to humanise the endangered animals that share our land is such a simple idea by the Ensemble team, but so very powerful. After all, they are Malaysian too, and we know that whenever another Malaysian is in need, all Malaysians will unite as one to help. More importantly, we wanted to highlight the seriousness of population decline. But there is hope, and this is what weve seen at conservation centres across the nation.

The campaign looks to humanise the Malayan Tiger, Malayan Tapir, Sun Bear, Orang Utan and Asian Elephant, with the microsite sharing details about why they are threatened and facts on their estimated remaining numbers in the wild.

Woei Hern adds, The sad fact is that there are currently only around 250 Malayan tigers in the wild, with numbers rapidly dwindling due to deforestation, poaching, and a lack of education around how we can run conservation projects. This majestic animal is a national symbol, having a place of honour on our national coat of arms, and is the very fabric of who we are as Malaysians. We now sit at the cusp of their extinction, and this was the stark reality we faced when producing the film.

The digital video features the making of the main film, with the photographers venturing into Taman Negara, with the mission to capture images of specific animals, only to come out disappointed as it is getting harder to spot them in the wild due to dwindling numbers. It is then revealed that the photographs were taken at conservation centres.

Production of the project was done in partnership with Mojo Films, Studio DL and in collaboration with Huawei.

We now understand how urgent this situation is, and that it is actually bigger than any national body or brand to undertake. This is why we need Malaysians to come together once more, to remind them of the power they have in their hands. We are thankful for Maxis being brave enough to take the first step with this project. We now need all Malaysians to walk this journey with us, said Woei Hern.

The campaign runs through Merdeka Day till Malaysia Day on 16th September, with an on-ground interactive experience held at the IPC Shopping Centre, Damansara, from 24th August till 2nd September 2018.
| BY Lynchy |

PHD Taiwan has been named Digital Agency of the Year at the 2018 Taipei International Digital Advertising Festival. With over 200 industry movers and shakers in attendance, Advertising Magazine (ADM) held an industry-wide vote to select this years recipient, with PHD Taiwan receiving the majority. The win follows the agencys victory at this years Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity for its work on SKODA, emerging as the only winner from Taiwan.

Chairman of ADM, Johnny Duann, commented, PHD Taiwan was selected because it clearly demonstrated making change in action. PHD possesses digital capabilities to execute impressive campaigns for its diverse clients.

General Manager of PHD Taiwan, Cathy Yang said, We are honoured to take home this accolade. Everything we do at PHD is focused on delivering our clients the very best digital capabilities in the market. We love working with brands that were proud to call our clients, all of whom place their trust in us to find a better way for their marketing efforts and business performance. We believe these relationships are testament to our genuine love, pride and passion for what we do.

Kelly Huang, CEO of Omnicom Media Group Taiwan, added, I am so proud of our talent. who walk in the door every day committed to finding a better way to make real positive change within the industry. PHD is a very unique agency in Taiwan; one that demonstrates flexibility and professionalism in its ability to deliver strategic innovation to each and every client. Our winning track record takes consistent commitment to pushing the boundaries of both creativity and strategic thinking. I am also tremendously grateful to our clients who place great trust in us to take creative decisions on their behalf.
Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 4:08AM

If you want to get your Instagram account verified, its now much easier to do so. You can start the process right from your phone. But that doesnt guarantee your application will be approved, though. But if you want to kick start the process, just head to the Settings page and tap on Request Verification. From there youll need to give your account name, full name, and legal or business ID. All these information are necessary to get you a shot at being verified. Its definitely easier for public figures, brands, or celebrities to get approved or if you meet certain requirements. But there is also an option to reapply down the road if your application gets rejected at first.

Aside from simplifying user verification, you can now also use third-party authenticator apps like Google Authenticator and DUO Mobile to enable two-factor authentication. To further boost authenticity, there is also an About This Account feature that shows you when an account was created, what country the account is located in, ads the account is running, whether the user changed usernames in the past year, and whether it shares followers with other accounts.

Source: BGR
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30)  The 2019 national budget that House leaders and budget officials have agreed on still follows a cash-based system, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Thursday.

In an interview on CNN Philippines' On The Record, Diokno said agencies will still be required to complete projects within a year, but they will be given the option to extend for another six months.

The previous version of the proposed expenditure program only allows extension for three months.

"You can call it whatever name, but the constitution does not make any difference between [obligation-based system and cash-based system]. This is how it's done--we will limit the extension to another quarter or six months only for capital projects," Diokno said.

House Majority Leader Nonoy Andaya on Tuesday said the House has agreed with the Executive Department to implement a mixed cash- and obligation-based budget.

Under this scheme, Andaya said agencies can extend budget expenditure to one and a half years.

"We agreed that the life of the budget will be extended to one year and a half. In that sense, hybrid ka na... for payables. For projects which have been obligated and need to be finished within the year, they'll be giving an extension to finish it," he said.

Andaya said the House aims to pass the proposed national budget on October 12.

The Budget Department earlier submitted the 2019 National Expenditure Program that follows a cash-based system, allowing funding for projects to be initiated and completed within a year. This is a shift from the previous obligation-based system that allowed spending to be extended to two years.

The House of Representatives on August 11 suspended its deliberations on the proposed national appropriation as some lawmakers opposed to the cash-based system, arguing that it will lead to budget cuts.
The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau held the 18th annual Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards to acknowledge excellence through extraordinary customer service and dedication.

The E Awards ceremony held on Aug. 30 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs celebrated local customer service professionals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty. More than 670 nominations were received from residents and visitors from all over the world recognizing the superheroes on the front lines.

New this year and only this year is the Hurricane Hero award. The category recognized a tourism employee who exhibited selfless acts during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

The E Awards is a collaboration with local businesses to encourage customer service that makes a difference. Nomination criteria included service satisfaction, leadership, work ethic, job knowledge, performance skills, familiarity with the destination and assistance during an emergency.

Selected for their distinctive service and dedication:

 Honor of Distinction Winner: Domingo Nieves, Sandalfoot Beachfront Condominium

 Hurricane Hero: Mario Ramirez, Holiday Inn Express & Suites at the Forum

 Accommodations: Rodney Sasher, Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina

 Attractions: Anne Falcone & Rhett Stanberry, Everglades Day Safari

 Restaurants: Michelle Wyatt, Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Myers-Estero

 Transportation: Mike Burnley, MBA Airport Transportation

 Other Services/Businesses: Marie Dreessen & Sheila Simpson, Sanibel & Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce

 Good Samaritan: Desiree Atkinson, Bubbas Roadhouse Restaurant

 Best Tourism Boss: Aaron Alger, Drury Inn & Suites Fort Myers

Frosch Geraci Travel sponsored the award given to Nieves, with the Sandalfoot Beachfront Condominiums, for his leadership in hospitality. Nieves has been the facilities manager for almost two decades. A nominator described him as one in a million.

One of the nominations mentioned Nieves sent six generators, at his personal expense, to Puerto Rico to help people in his uncles neighborhood. Another person said he visited a guest in a local hospital every other day for a month and he cuts fresh flowers and arranges them into a bouquet for visitors special occasions. In addition, Nieves assists elderly guests with mobility issues, loans out his own fishing gear and gives guests rides to the grocery store if they do not have a car. Nieves also helped island residents prepare for Irma, checked on properties and helped with clean up after the storm.

Another nominator described him as tireless, self-sacrificing, humble, compassionate and all around an exceptional human being.

For more information, visit www.EAwards.org.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has temporarily made snook and redfish catch-and-release only from the northernmost point of Anna Maria Island in Manatee County to Gordon Pass in Collier County.

It was done through an executive order in response to the naturally-occurring red tide bloom in Southwest Florida and is in effect until the next FWC Commission meeting, which is Sept. 26-27.

I support Executive Director Eric Suttons decision to implement the executive order as we continue to manage this world-class fishery for future generations, FWC Chairman Bo Rivard said. We will continue working with our partners and will evaluate next steps at our commission meeting the end of September.

Sutton has spent significant time in the areas most impacted by naturally-occurring red tide. He and staff will continue to work with local communities and partners as the FWC manages the issue to ensure recovery of the fisheries.

Weve seen the devastation to the redfish and snook populations in Southwest Florida, and we support the catch-and-release initiative taken by FWC, Brian Gorski, executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association Florida, said. In working with the FWC on this initiative, weve heard support from members and guides throughout the state who also understand the need for such a change, to ensure that generations to come can enjoy the thrill of catching one of these iconic species.

FWC staff will continue working with partners moving forward, including local governments and stakeholders.

Regulations outside of the included counties remain unchanged, including the Sept. 1 snook season opening that occurs in other Gulf and Atlantic state waters.

For more information, visit MyFWC.com.
For the first time in years, U.S. Congressional District 19 had a Democratic Primary to celebrate Tuesday.

David Holden pulled ahead of Todd Truax to secure the Democratic nomination. Holden will go on to challenge incumbent Republican Francis Rooney and write-in Pete Pollard in the November general election.

District 19 includes sections of Lee and Collier counties.

When the polls closed, Holden already had a solid lead. Once all the 113 precincts were tallied, Holden had won in Lee County by 65.21 percent with 18,009 votes, and in Collier County by 76.99 percent and 6,381 votes; Truax received 9,606 and 1,907 votes, respectively.

Holden held a watch party at Landsdowne Street Pub in Bonita Springs. After he secured his victory, he went live on Facebook to thank his campaign team and his supporters  and bolstered getting what he called a slate of Democratic candidates into office this year. He voiced his optimism for electing a Democratic governor and keeping U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in office in November.

The people know what they need  clean water and clean air, he said. We have built a movement here in Southwest Florida that will lead us to victory.

Holden wont be taking a break  he said he and his team will be getting to work again starting tomorrow morning, with the same tactic hes used on the primary trail: spending time in the districts communities and coming up with solutions, together.

District 19 is a strongly Republican district, but Holden said the constituents hes talked to are tired of partisan fighting and bickering on issues that shouldnt be partisan, like the environment and healthcare.

Especially in his district, Holden knows business and environment are woven together.

The environmental crisis with red tide and blue-green algae have woken people up to how precious our environment and our economy is in this district, he said.

Holden said while the current political climate may be favorable for a Democratic win in November, it would be hard work that will make him the winning candidate.

A Harvard masters grad, Holden co-owns a financial planning firm with his wife, Streeter, in Naples. The couple moved to Naples from California a few years ago.

One of Holdens main platforms is protecting the lifeblood of Floridas economy  its pure water, clean air, and pristine beaches; the environment is at the top of his priority list, according to his campaign website. Hes also set his stances on other issues such as education, gun safety and healthcare.

Of the 436,915 registered voters in Lee County, 119,357 ballots were cast, making the voter turnout 27.32 percent.

Its been a great experience, Im happy to have participated, Truax said Tuesday night. Ive met many great people throughout the district, and I appreciate the effort.

Truax said he wished Holden well in November against incumbent Rooney.

Now that the Democratic candidate has been selected, the Lee County Democratic Club will be getting to work.

Yoseph Tedros, the chair of the local club, said having two Democrats running in both District 19 and 17 was unheard of. He was happy to see two qualified candidates, with different points of view, stepping into the ring.

It bodes well for the Democratic party people are stepping up to run, he said.

The Lee County Democratic Party did not endorse a candidate for the primary; it focused on getting party members registered and at the polls to vote.

Now, it has less than three months to hone in on campaigning for Holden.

Talking about environmental issues will be a big part of the coming weeks, Tedros said.

Twenty years of Republican leadership, what have they done to improve the situation? Nothing, he said. I think we need a fresh, Democratic approach.

While Congressman Rooneys first term in office has shown results in gaining support  and funding  in Congress for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program, Tedros said he doesnt see Rooney arguing for climate change with the Environmental Protection Agency.

Maybe for the average Republican hes done something, Tedros said. You have to look at the big picture. If you look at the party, which party will be more environmentally conscious.

Tedros thinks the General Election in November could be the chance the Democratic party needs to secure some seats  and, just to give voters strong options on the ballot. The current political climate has Democrats fired up, he said.

Its an exciting time to be a Democrat, Tedros said.

All election results are unofficial until certified.